Angry hawker vents frustrations at Malaysiakini

An otherwise peaceful launch of the Local Democracy Festival at the Speakers Square at Penang's Esplanade yesterday was disrupted by a group of hawkers, whose representative ended up lashing out at Malaysiakini and its journalist.

Salleh Ismail, who claimed to be from the Persatuan Mukabuka Pulau Pinang, an organisation representing ‘victimised' hawkers, repeatedly shouted at the Malaysiakini journalist "not to spin" this report.

At one point, he came very close to the journalist and waving his fist at her, asking ifMalaysiakini had ever given coverage to the plight of the hawkers, adding that the online portal was "unethical and prone to spinning".

"You have 700,000 viewers a day. Have you ever given space to the plight of these hawkers?" Salleh shouted at the journalist.

Only last week on Sept 4, the same group turned up at the state DAP's Hari Raya open house in Jalan Pattani, claiming their application for licences to trade in the Esplanade - a popular tourist spot - were rejected by the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP).

That protest, attended by about 20, including several familiar faces like Salleh, a regular participant at several protests in Penang, ended up attacking the cars ferrying state government officials as the latter were leaving the premises of the event.

Komtar assemblyperson and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's political secretary Ng Wei Aik had subsequently lodged a police report, alleging that his official car had been vandalised by the protestors.

The police, whose northeast district headquarters was merely 100 meters away, turned up only one hour after the incident, and later said they were probing those involved under the Peaceful Assembly Act.

'Exco stood hawkers up'

Yesterday at the Speakers Square, having gate-crashed the event, the hawkers demanded to speak at the festival as well as to state executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow, who was present to address the crowd on behalf of the state government.

The ruckus started after Chow, who is state DAP chief, ended his speech at the democracy festival launch that attracted about 100 participants, including several NGO activists.

When they requested to speak at the event, Chow, the Tanjung MP, told them to make a request with the organiser of the festival, among them, Penang Suaram, but the group nevertheless started to express their opinions loudly.

A senior citizen among the crowd expressed his annoyance and shouted at the group, while other participants tried to calm him down.

As Chow (far left) was leaving the venue, the hawkers' group demanded that he speak directly to them, to which he replied, "We have met many times."

Salleh then spoke to the crowd explaining that the hawkers had chosen the Esplanade venue and they had tried to meet state exco Abdul Malik Abul Kassim in Komtar last month.

"Although we were given an appointment to meet Abdul Malik on the following Monday (Sept 4), he did not turn up. We waited to see him for five hours and still no sign of him," said Salleh.

"That is why we turned up at the DAP's Hari Raya open house during the evening. We went there in a proper manner. All we wanted was to meet Malik, but we were turned away," he added.

Group denies Perkasa backing

When asked why the protesters had hit the vehicles ferrying the state officials as they were leaving the venue at the open house, Salleh said his group was merely trying to stop the car from leaving as they wanted to speak to them regarding their licences and permission to ply at the Esplanade.

He added that before the last general election in 2008, the same officials had approached many of them to ask for support.

"So, is it so wrong if we tried to stop their cars and speak to them about our problems?" asked Salleh.

Salleh then vehemently denied that the group was backed by Umno or Malay rights pressure group Perkasa.

He also announced that their group has set up a service centre at the Esplanade every Sunday from 6pm to 7.30pm to service all hawkers who wish to lodge complaints.