RULE OF LAW SHALL PREVAIL IN TACKLING ILLEGAL HAWKING
By the Administrator
In the midst of mainstream media’s attack on Pakatan Rakyat State Government’s enforcement against only the illegal Malay hawkers, Lim Guan Eng, the Chief Minister of Penang rallied all the Pakatan’s people’s representatives and local councillors in the state for a press conference to clarify the issue.
District officers were also called upon to give details and to justify their action.
The District Officer in Seberang Prai Tengah took an administrative action without referring to the local Assemblyman of Penanti by demolishing a road-side stall in Permatang Pauh. The Malay press highlighted the issue, though the stall was empty and no body knew who erected it.
Whereas the District Officer of Daerah Barat Daya partially demolished a ‘Do Re Me’ Restaurant which belonged to a Malay trader which was illegally erected on the Batu Ferringgi Beach, a popular tourist site, which also received strong opposition from the Persatuan Penuntut-penuntut Melayu Semenanjong Malaya.
The meeting generally felt that the rule of law must prevail, and that there has been no action that is racially based un terms of enforcement of law so far.
Meanwhile, Mansor Othman, the Penang Deputy Chief Minister I, asked for a cooling-off period in enforcement actions until a further deliberation on it.
All those who were present also showned their solidarity with Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim in view of his latest trial.
Mansor and Guan Eng have a busy time
MP’s, State assemblymen and Municipal Councillors also got involved as a team