Pakatan cries foul over MB's meet-the-people session

It was scorching sun and great discomfort for those attending a meet-the-people session of Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim in Bukit Jalil this morning.

Khalid, who is also Bandar Tun Razak MP, was to hand out aid to some 120 elderly residents in Kampung Muhibah but the senior citizens were forced to sit on the ground under the hot sun as the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had refused to grant permission for the event.

When contacted, Bandar Tun Razak MP special representative Azman Abidin said the Selangor state government had attempted to erect tents and set up tables and chairs but were stopped by DBKL.

"We tried putting up some chairs since yesterday because we were concerned for the elderly but DBKL surrounded us and would not allow it," he said.

Azman said this was double standard as Umno has no problem holding similar events at such low-cost public housing projects, or PPR (Projek Perumahan Rakyat), which is controlled by DBKL.

"We don't mind if DBKL releases a directive that all political parties cannot hold any event at PPR - if they are fair to all, then we will abide by it," he said.

However, he said the 'carnival rakyat' event proceeded with some 300 people present under the watchful eyes of DBKL.

'Political event no suitable'

Azman said DBKL had reasoned that political programmes were not allowed in the neighbourhood of the PPR, a housing area built for the hardcore poor.

"But this is an official event by the Bandar Tun Razak MP to help the poor, not by PKR, and DBKL keeps insisting that it is not suitable," he said.

He added that DBKL also went to great length to create inconvenience for the people attending the function.

"We had a drawing competition for children as part of the event and the local surau chairperson had given us permission for the children to draw there, but DBKL ordered for the lights to be turned off, and the chairperson could not do anything about it," he said.

Among those present were Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar and Wangsa Maju PKR coordinator Tan Kee Kwong.

Azman claimed that a minister had directed DBKL to disallow the event.

"The directive is that any event, especially if it involves Nurul, should not be allowed," he said.