Ronnie Liu defends 1 Malaysia ban, says no freeze
By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — Selangor exco Ronnie Lie has insisted that state by-laws only permit political banners at business premises if local councils do not view them as “propaganda”.
He still maintains political billboards are prohibited, even after a furore following the decision to ban 1 Malaysia billboards in Selangor.
“They can’t simply put up political banners without applying for permits,” Liu told The Malaysian Insider yesterday in defending the state’s decision.
“If the local council views it as a political campaign, it may say ‘no’. There is a fine line between an event and propaganda,” he added.
On Monday, Umno’s Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo accused Liu of being “uneducated” and said Selangor’s by-laws allowed business premises to display political logos.
The former Selangor mentri besar also stressed that the ban on political banners only applied to areas under the authority of the local municipal councils, such as lamp posts and streets.
But Liu maintained that Selangor’s council by-laws allowed political parties to announce political functions by displaying buntings throughout the state.
“We allow parties to do their ‘ceramah’ and put up banners. All we are saying is that billboards or signboards cannot be political propaganda,” he said.
The Pandamaran assemblyman called the 1 Malaysia logo a political message from the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government as it was frequently used in tandem with the Barisan Nasional (BN) symbol.
“They always use BN and 1 Malaysia together,” said Liu.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has defended his brainchild concept, saying 1 Malaysia was not a political tool, but rather a tool to foster racial unity.
But Liu said the 2007 Selangor by-law on advertising clearly banned political advertisements.
“Under clause 17…there is a list of advertisements called prohibited advertisements. One of these items is political advertisements,” said the Selangor housing and local government committee chief.
“What is so difficult to understand?” he asked.
Liu claimed that Dr Khir was ignorant of the state law.
“Khir Toyo knows nothing. He’d better keep his mouth shut,” said Liu.
He also denied the Sungai Panjang assemblyman’s claims that the ban was a political move by the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government.
“It is not because Pakatan Rakyat wants to find fault with BN,” said Liu.
“This ban on political advertisements is across the board, not only Selangor. All 145 local councils in the country, by and large, practise similar laws,” he added.
