When politicians and local governments turn ugly

It has been more than two years since I served as councillor for the Petaling Jaya City Council or MBPJ, and even though I have left, I take every opportunity I get to share with others the some of the good and great work I had the privilege of accomplishing in the council with the support of other councillors.

Recently, however, something happened which made me very upset with MBPJ.

A group of traders who have been holding Deepavali bazaars for more than 10 years in a particular venue in PJ were suddenly told to move out and hold it in another place. The decision made by the council saw the traders arbitrarily moved from the original venue to another place about one kilometre away.

I came to understand that the councillor for the area had not discussed with or even sought the views of the bazaar organisers to see if they were happy with the change or not.

Naturally the group was very peeved with the decision.

So when a top DAP politician decided to visit the new place for the first time, he received a hostile reception from the affected parties.

I could perfectly understand why the traders didn't give him a red carpet welcome. In fact, he was lucky the group had not gone further and pelted him with rotten eggs like what they do overseas.

Instead of taking the opportunity to understand their plight, he went on to label them as "gangsters," which I thought was very insensitive and cruel. What more when they were about to celebrate Deepavali.

What is it about councillors and local governments who sometimes think that they can decide things for the people without even consulting them?

The incident reminded me of an eye-opening encounter I had during my days with MBPJ. By chance, it involved the same politician.

A disabled hawker in a wheelchair considered herself to be the luckiest girl in town when she was given a special lot in a wet market to do her business. MBPJ went the extra mile to make her slot disabled friendly for her.

Whenever anyone came to the market, they could find this lovely disabled lady right at the front of the market every morning greeting them with her lovely smile.

However, her happiness was shortlived.

Her able-bodied colleagues who had eyed her slot soon wanted it for themselves. They started giving her all sorts of excuses and threats to make her give up the spot and move over to a darker and unsuitable spot in the back. The worst thing they told her was that she was "bad luck" for all the visitors to the market to have to see a disabled woman first thing in the morning.

She became very depressed and called me, knowing that I was a wheelchair user in MBPJ and would understand what she was going through. She told me that even her able-bodied councillor, and the politician I mentioned, was pressuring her to exchange her front slot with the other traders.

To add insult to injury, she claimed that the politician told her that the stall at the back was better for her because it was nearer to the toilet.

That was the last straw for the disabled community. They came together to give the disabled hawker their support. Police reports were made against the councillor concerned and the politician. A fiery media war was also launched over the issue. 

It was MBPJ that turned out to be the heroes in the end. They called for a special meeting of all the persons concerned and it was decided that the disabled woman would stay put in her place.

She remains there to this day, a happy-go-lucky disabled trader who is proud to be able to do her business independently.         

As for the Deepavali bazaar traders, I urge the councillors to stop giving them a hard time.

There are bazaar operators of other festivals who inevitably "break rules" too. So why pick on only these Deepavali traders?

During religious occasions, I recall that MBPJ has an unspoken rule to go easy and even close an eye to residents observing the festivities. This includes issuing parking fines and for other things.

These guys are asking to hold their bazaar for about three weeks. Why don't we just give it to them in the spirit of goodwill and cheer?

Isn't this essentially what "Good over Evil" is all about? – October 19, 2015.   

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.