The mayor’s dilemma
There is nothing the Datuk Bandar can do, to be very frank. After Najib made his reform promises, not even the police should now act arbitrarily. Water cannons and tear gas will not have a place in the Dataran, simply put.
Tay Tian Yan (Sin Chew Daily)
Looking at the way Datuk Bandar Ahmad Fuad b Ismail expressed himself and the helplessness he has settled himself in, I couldn’t help but feel a little worried for him.
Whether the mayor allows the Dataran to be used or not to be used for this Saturday’s rally, he should have some convincing reasons.
He does not have any.
Whether he allows the Dataran to be used or not to be used for this Saturday’s rally, he should have some arrangements made.
Again he does not have any.
To be honest, it is a little awkward to bring the ball under the feet of the Datuk Bandar.
While the mayor of the nation’s capital city could be a big shot, he is no politician but a civil servant carrying out his duties as stipulated and making no landmark decisions.
The Saturday rally is a big thing, a major political watershed too large for the mayor to pass down a verdict.
Just like the do-or-die duel between Man City and Man U in a Premier League fixture where Man City is about to deliver the ball past the rivals’ goal posts and Man U suddenly replaces its goal-keeper with the wardrobe assistant.
By right the assistant is only a spectator who could at best yell in support on the sidelines. What could the uninitiated assistant do to safeguard the gate now that he is thrown into position?
By right the mayor should disallow the rally to be held at the Dataran, but the reasons he has offered are hardly justifiable. If the Merdeka Square can be used for concerts, dance parties and family day events, why not a public rally?
He has said the Dataran is not for political rallies but how many political rallies are staged there every year?
If Bersih 2.0 insists on a sit-in protest at the Dataran, how would our mayor deal with it?
Ahmad Fuad said violators would be fined.
What a joke! The enforcers could perhaps threw out several tickets if a few couples hold hands and kiss in public. But with tens of thousands swarming into the square from all directions, the city enforcers could only find themselves inundated in no time.
The mayor has proposed a few other locations for consideration, but Bersih 2.0 is very firm on its choice.
There is nothing the Datuk Bandar can do, to be very frank. After Najib made his reform promises, not even the police should now act arbitrarily. Water cannons and tear gas will not have a place in the Dataran, simply put.
There is actually no need for the Datuk Bandar to put himself in embarrassment, nor for the police to act excessively. All these only point to the fact that there is still much to do about the PM’s reform pledges.
If the authorities have enough faith, they should generously give the greenlight.
I have a few suggestions for Mr Mayor, which I believe should please everyone, participants and non-participants of Saturday’s rally alike.
– Spruce up the square immediately so that it will leave behind a wonderful impression among rally goers.
– Increase LRT and bus frequencies to meet the transportation needs of rally goers.
– Get F&B operators to sponsor the event and set up drink kiosks at 200-metre intervals.
– Get hawkers to set up stalls to promote local delicacies while enriching the city coffers.
– Set up day care centres so that parents can put aside their worries and take part in the rally.
– Hire guides specialising in rally tours, with amateur political analysts offering insightful talks on Malaysian politics.
Let everyone descend on the square with a hope, and go home contented. Let the square be the starting point for the nation to stride proudly towards greater progress.
