Serve all communities

SELANGOR PAS Commissioner Dr Hasan Ali’s problem with Selcat (Select Committee for Competency, Accountability and Transparency) smacks of a power struggle. He behaves like the mentri besar of Selangor.

He showed no respect for other races when he ordered the confiscation of alcoholic drinks like beer in Malay majority areas of Shah Alam. He has forgotten that he begged for Chinese and Indian votes when he stood for the Parit Buntar parliamentary seat in 1999 and won with their support. He has conveniently forgotten about the minority groups in Shah Alam. Majority or minority, everybody has their rights, their freedom and purchasing power. Everyone can make decisions about what is right and wrong and what to buy. One man shouldn’t call the shots

Even the former Barisan Nasional state government was sensitive towards this issue. Moreover, His Royal Highness, the Sultan of Selangor, summoned Hasan to the palace for overstepping his boundary.

It is better for the mentri besar to relieve Hasan of his exco posts because there seem to be two voices to every issue with him around. Hasan portrays himself as being only concerned about the welfare and wellbeing of one community.

I urge the PAS national leadership to state whether it is serious in respecting the beliefs of other races and working with them because presumption is extremely important in politics. Furthermore, I feel the PAS leadership is sending wrong signals through its leaders. Otherwise, PAS should just leave Pakatan and stop misleading the non-Muslims.

I believe that Selangor Speaker Teng Chang Khim is doing a great job in defining competency, accountability and transparency in Selangor. Malaysians don’t need politicians who play to the gallery.

Vijay Shanmugam
28/09/09

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