The Jonker Walk outrage in Malacca, where the Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Idris Haron is seeking to close down the Jonker Walk night market by some 300 traders on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, by opening up the area to traffic, is among the worst examples of political vindictiveness and retaliation by the Barisan Nasional after the 13th general election.
The claim that the Jonker Walk market is among the causes of a four-hour traffic snarl that stretches up to the Ayer Kerol toll plaza is utterly baseless.
It can probably serve three petty objectives – to take vengeance against the people of Malacca for not supporting the Barisan Nasional in the 13th general election, continuation of the Chinese-bashing indulged by chauvinist UMNO elements like the irresponsible Utusan Malaysia’s “Apa Lagi Cina Mahu” rhetoric, and to make Idris Harun an instant hero and top vote-getter in the UMNO party elections at the end of the year.
Idris is probably trying to pick a leaf from the former Malacca Chief Minister, Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik, who some 30 years became an instant hero by getting the highest votes in the ensuing UMNO party elections for the UMNO Supreme Council because of his proposal to demolish the ancient Bukit China cemetery grounds.
Like the “Save Bukit China” campaign three decades ago, the “Save Jonker Walk tourist attraction” is not a local Malacca issue, but a national and even international issue, affecting not just the Chinese, but all Malaysians regardless of race or region.
This is because Jonker Walk is undoubtedly an international tourist attraction and what Idris is trying to do is nothing less than “cutting the nose to spite the face”!
In fact, it is clear that the Barisan Nasional’s national retaliation plan, starting with the Jonker Walk outrage, is also targeted at Malays as well, as is evident from the action to close down the Cempaka Ramadhan market in Malacca affecting Malay stallholders because of the defeat of former Malacca Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam in the Batu Katil parliamentary seat.
The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants Malaysia to become the world’s best democracy. We cannot even take-off on this objective when Umno/BN leaders are not prepared to accept the most fundamental perequisite of a democratic mindset and culture – to accept the democratic right of voters to choose the representative and political party they want.
How can Malaysia ever become the world’s “best democracy” when Malaysians have only the democratic right to vote for Umno/Barisan Nasional candidates, or they would be subject to punitive and retaliatory actions like the Jonker Walk outrage?
Or is a Barisan Nasional government going to declare that it would openly penalise and discriminate against voters who did not support the Barisan Nasional in the general elections, and would not even accept their taxes and rates?
How can any Barisan Nasional government continue to collect taxes and rates from the people and yet discriminate against them for exercising their constitutional and democratic right to vote the candidates and political parties of their choice?
Najib promised me in Parliament on Wednesday that he will discuss the Jonker Walk issue with the Malacca state government following my complaint that the Barisan Nasional was punishing voters for not voting for the Barisan Nasional in the recent general elections, which was openly against his own talk of a “national reconciliation” as it was nothing but “national retaliation”.
It cannot be that a dynamic and effective Prime Minister would need a long time to resolve the Jonker Walk issue.
Is the Prime Minister completely helpless as far as the Jonker Walk issue is concerned?
Pakatan Rakat governments must show a different democratic culture and mindset from Barisan Nasional.
Pakatan Rakyat governments whether in Selangor, Penang or Kelantan, must never commit undemocratic vindictiveness like the Jonker Walk outrage in Malacca which is nothing but national retaliation.
Pakatan Rakyat must show that it is completely different from Barisan Nasional in terms of our democratic commitments and impulses.
Speech by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang at the opening of the Selangor DAP MPs/SAs workshop held in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, 29th June 2013 at 9.30 am:
Pakatan Rakyat governments must never commit undemocratic vengeance or vindictiveness like Jonker Walk outrage in Malacca which is nothing but national retaliation
The Jonker Walk outrage in Malacca, where the Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Idris Haron is seeking to close down the Jonker Walk night market by some 300 traders on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, by opening up the area to traffic, is among the worst examples of political vindictiveness and retaliation by the Barisan Nasional after the 13th general election.
The claim that the Jonker Walk market is among the causes of a four-hour traffic snarl that stretches up to the Ayer Kerol toll plaza is utterly baseless.
It can probably serve three petty objectives – to take vengeance against the people of Malacca for not supporting the Barisan Nasional in the 13th general election, continuation of the Chinese-bashing indulged by chauvinist UMNO elements like the irresponsible Utusan Malaysia’s “Apa Lagi Cina Mahu” rhetoric, and to make Idris Harun an instant hero and top vote-getter in the UMNO party elections at the end of the year.
Idris is probably trying to pick a leaf from the former Malacca Chief Minister,
Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik, who some 30 years became an instant hero by getting the highest votes in the ensuing UMNO party elections for the UMNO Supreme Council because of his proposal to demolish the ancient Bukit China cemetery grounds.
Like the “Save Bukit China” campaign three decades ago, the “Save Jonker Walk tourist attraction” is not a local Malacca issue, but a national and even international issue, affecting not just the Chinese, but all Malaysians regardless of race or region.
This is because Jonker Walk is undoubtedly an international tourist attraction and what Idris is trying to do is nothing less than “cutting the nose to spite the face”!
In fact, it is clear that the Barisan Nasional’s national retaliation plan, starting with the Jonker Walk outrage, is also targeted at Malays as well, as is evident from the action to close down the Cempaka Ramadhan market in Malacca affecting Malay stallholders because of the defeat of former Malacca Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam in the Batu Katil parliamentary seat.
The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants Malaysia to become the world’s best democracy. We cannot even take-off on this objective when Umno/BN leaders are not prepared to accept the most fundamental perequisite of a democratic mindset and culture – to accept the democratic right of voters to choose the representative and political party they want.
How can Malaysia ever become the world’s “best democracy” when Malaysians have only the democratic right to vote for Umno/Barisan Nasional candidates, or they would be subject to punitive and retaliatory actions like the Jonker Walk outrage?
Or is a Barisan Nasional government going to declare that it would openly penalise and discriminate against voters who did not support the Barisan Nasional in the general elections, and would not even accept their taxes and rates?
How can any Barisan Nasional government continue to collect taxes and rates from the people and yet discriminate against them for exercising their constitutional and democratic right to vote the candidates and political parties of their choice?
Najib promised me in Parliament on Wednesday that he will discuss the Jonker Walk issue with the Malacca state government following my complaint that the Barisan Nasional was punishing voters for not voting for the Barisan Nasional in the recent general elections, which was openly against his own talk of a “national reconciliation” as it was nothing but “national retaliation”.
It cannot be that a dynamic and effective Prime Minister would need a long time to resolve the Jonker Walk issue.
Is the Prime Minister completely helpless as far as the Jonker Walk issue is concerned?
Pakatan Rakat governments must show a different democratic culture and mindset from Barisan Nasional.
Pakatan Rakyat governments whether in Selangor, Penang or Kelantan, must never commit undemocratic vindictiveness like the Jonker Walk outrage in Malacca which is nothing but national retaliation.
Pakatan Rakyat must show that it is completely different from Barisan Nasional in terms of our democratic commitments and impulses.
(Speech at the opening of the Selangor DAP MPs/SAs workshop held in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, 29th June 2013 at 9.30 am)
#1 by yhsiew on Saturday, 29 June 2013 - 2:02 pm
He is treating the just concluded GE13 as his grandfathers election where he can impose punishment on those who did not support his party. He is a useless leader who has no concept of democracy and constitutional rights (of voters).
#2 by Bigjoe on Saturday, 29 June 2013 - 2:25 pm
ANYONE who think its OK to take public office and use it as revenge on the people – have to go.
The more urgent issue is that Idris Haron has proven he is a poor copy of Ali Rustam, who upon his defeat, called his voters “ungrateful” – as if his corruption and abuse of power that the people failed to hold him accountable for so long he is SO grateful.
Do we want a CM that is good at getting money from the Federal Govt to wastefully spend (and who would believe did not pocket substantial amount it?) even if we do benefit? Do we want another CM in Melaka that treats his office as a personal fiefdom for years and years so much so that its OK they get involved and help pay for his children extravagant wedding and then think it ungrateful we took so long to throw him out of office?
#3 by cinaindiamelayubersatu on Saturday, 29 June 2013 - 4:38 pm
di dunia dia boleh cuba balas dendam tetapi di akhirat dia pasti di balas jika niatnya busuk
#4 by cemerlang on Sunday, 30 June 2013 - 11:26 am
yes, ramadan is coming up
#5 by omeqiu on Saturday, 29 June 2013 - 5:50 pm
Kit, hope this is not your posting but one of your writers. There is repetition!
#6 by tuahpekkong on Saturday, 29 June 2013 - 11:27 pm
By proposing to close down the Jonker Walk night market, the Malacca CM was not only carrying out a punitive action against the Chinese for supporting the Opposition, but also arrogantly reminded them of the people who are in control of the country. When you have a leader who refuses to respect the democratic rights of the people, it spells the end of democracy and 1Malaysia.
#7 by SENGLANG on Monday, 1 July 2013 - 9:38 am
Such an act is the most primitive and most childish act. But these kind of threat and retaliation seem normal in Malaysia Politic.
We have to remember that to practice democracy the very fundamental is of the choice ie the people have the choice to vote for who ever they deem fit.
On the other hand the government of the day can’t have two separate rules for those who support and for those who against them. They can’t implement policy purely on the basis of retaliate those who seem oppose them. Same go for tax system they can say those opposite them can opt not to pay taxes.