KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government leaders should compete with the Barisan Nasional (BN) in promoting the spirit and substance of 1 Malaysia rather than prohibit the use of the concept logo.
He said banning the symbol of 1 Malaysia in advertisements and signboards throughout the state is negative and destructive, contrary to the spirit of democracy and freedom.
“If they reject or fear the 1 Malaysia symbol for whatever reason, they can promote another slogan and symbol of their own choice and design to compete. They should not ban any symbol so long as such a symbol does not violate decency or sensitivity.
“It is indeed ironical and hypocritical that PR leaders who have been posturing as ‘champions’ of democracy and freedom resorted to such high-handed tactics once they are in positions of power. One shudders to think of what will happen if they ever get into Putrajaya,” he said in a statement.
On December 22, Selangor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Ronnie Liu said the 1 Malaysia logo carried a political message and that a local council by-law prohibited political advertisements on billboards, and the Selangor government has since banned it.
Dr Koh (picture) said he could not see any rational reason why PR should go all-out against a symbol that has become increasingly effective in rallying Malaysians to be more inclusive and integrated, more understanding and united. — Bernama
Meanwhile the Selangor government insisted today that its state-wide ban on 1 Malaysia logos on billboards was legitimate, but said it only applied to business advertisements.
State executive councillor Elizabeth Wong said that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government fully backed housing and local government committee chief Ronnie Liu’s move in banning the 1 Malaysia logos for such billboards.
According to her, the local by-laws on the ban had already been in place since 2007, stressing that it was “nothing new.”
Wong also revealed that the Selangor government had given out a directive to local councils to “not allow” the 1 Malaysia logo to be used on business billboards in November.
“Under the by-laws, any political party logos are not allowed to be put on business advertising billboards. It’s like having a PKR logo on Syarikat Elektronik Ahmad, we can’t have that.
“We can allow it (1 Malaysia) if it was a government programme which was neutral in nature. But we all know the 1 Malaysia logo is synonymous with Barisan Nasional (BN), and it’s even used during by-elections,” Wong told The Malaysian Insider.
But the first-term Exco member also said that BN could still put up its political buntings bearing its 1 Malaysia symbol or party symbol in the state, as that was a different matter altogether.
“They can still have their 1 Malaysia or BN logo buntings for the purposes of ceramahs or greetings for the new year, Christmas. You pay for your bunting under political advertising, there is a clear distinction there.
“The point is that the by-laws apply to banning political logos on business advertising and business shoplots. The Rocket Cafe, at one point even they contravened by-laws, and were told off. So this applies to all parties,” explained Wong.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has insisted that his 1 Malaysia concept was not a political tool, but a concept to “fostred unity” among the different races in Malaysia.
He used a Christmas Day gathering to defend it after Selangor banned 1 Malaysia billboard for allegedly breaching local council rules.
The Star daily had reported Liu remarking that 1 Malaysia billboards were a political message from the BN federal government and were not allowed under local by-laws.
“You don’t see any billboard in Selangor carrying the PKR, PAS or DAP logo.” Local government by-laws in Selangor clearly state that political symbols cannot be used on billboard advertisements,” Liu was quoted saying.
DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang has urged Selangor to rethink its 1 Malaysia billboards ban, to disprove BN’s claims that PR was afraid of the concept.
Wong admitted today that there was a “confusion” as to the details of the ban, saying that Liu had not done a proper job of explaining it.
“The local Exco council for Selangor did not explain it properly. If people knew it only applied to business advertisements, there would not have been so much confusion,” she added.
Earlier today, Selangor senior executive councilor for investment, industry and trade Teresa Kok said the state’s top leaders would meet on the matter next week.
She was tight-lipped when asked to explain the 1 Malaysia billboards ban by Selangor PR.
“I don’t want to comment because the state Exco has not met and discussed this. We will meet on the first week of January next year to discuss this situation, and then see what to do,” she told reporters here today during a Christmas charity function. - Malaysian Insider
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