Be professional, DAP Kuching tells MBKS
KUCHING: DAP Kuching has blasted Kuching South City Council ( MBKS) for being a ‘ political bully’ in disallowing them to display ‘Chap Goh Mei’ banners at the road side of Jalan Tabuan, entrance of Chonglin Park, and traffic light junction of Jalan Tabuan here.
The reason given for rejecting the application which was made on Feb 18 was “siting and content of the banners”.
State DAP deputy publicity secretary Wong King Wei told a press conference yesterday that the council’s officer Zuraida Idris had also told state DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen that the party’s logo was not permitted on the banners.
Wong and Chong, who was also present, said DAP Kuching would not remove the banners that had already been erected to promote the event which is scheduled to be held tomorrow at Chonglin Park, unless the council gave a logical reason.
Wong, who is a practising lawyer and Padungan assemblyman, said, “It’s not like the banners displayed at the three proposed locations will cause any danger to road users.
“In addition, DAP is a legally registered political party and thus I see no reason why the logo is not allowed.”
Wong stressed that the Chinese wording on the banner literally meant ‘ New policy in Snake Year for coming parliamentary election’, which he claimed had nothing to do with campaigning.
“It is all about the Chap Goh Mei celebration and nothing about campaigning even though it is true that election is coming soon.”
Chong, who is Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, said the council seemed to have two set of rules, one for the BN and another for the opposition.
“The council is a ‘ political bully’. Before this, we did not apply for permit to display buntings and the council said we did not follow the procedure.
“Now that we applied through the proper channel, they made it very difficult for us.
“It is ridiculous that as an organiser we cannot put up our rocket logo. How about Najib’s ( Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) Chinese New Year banners? It did not have a licence number and also carry a Barisan Nasional logo,” said Chong, who is also a practising lawyer.