KoSong: My take on Kedah problems

How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no

responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Sunday, July 05, 2009

My take on Kedah problems

I believe there is simmering discontent among the Chinese in Kedah

Amid the current much publicized problems between DAP and PAS in Kedah,I posed a question to a friend in Selama, Kedah, “What's your take on the PAS-DAP spat?”

It seems besides the abattoir and 50% Bumi housing quota issues, the local Chinese are unhappy with PAS administration's policies which directly affect them.

For example, he said that a snooker shop's licence is based on per table of Rm2,000 each, which means 5 tables would require licence fees of Rm10,000 per year. In Perak, it is based on shop rather than the number of tables. This glaring difference is all the more apparent when Selama town is actually straddled between Kedah and Perak on a section of their common boundary! So there are actually a Selama, Kedah and a Selama, Perak, next to each other!

According to him, PAS is uncompromising on club premises where there used to be some mahjong sessions. Already 4-D outlets are no where to be seen, which I believe to be officially banned. But like Kelantan, illegal lotteries still exist, in fact probably thrive because of the demand. I remember someone once said that an illegal operator banished to Kelantan on restricted residence said that he never had it so good!

In the oil palm estates, muslim workers are monitored closely to ensure their attendance for prayers in the mosques. The onus is on the employers to ensure that they attend. The effect of this enforcement means Friday likely to be off and work is made up on Sunday, which is in fact, a working and school day in Kedah. But to the employer, it means no option, whether he likes it or not, unlike before.

YB Thomas Su, who is actually from Ipoh, being State Assemblyman for Pasir Pinji, Perak, is currently DAP Chairman for Kedah as well as Perlis. I am wondering: is there no Kedahan wanting to be Chairman because of the hot seat?

I believe there are more issues involved than the publicized housing quota and abattoir demolition which led to his decision of getting out of the pact with PAS in Kedah. I can imagine he must have felt helpless having to face the people's grouses amid PAS's uncompromising policies.

I sincerely hope the Pakatan leaders can sort out the differences among them because the BN is watching in glee!