No giant rat in Subang Jaya, says Hannah Yeoh

The giant rat, which was allegedly caught by USJ11 residents. Selangor Speaker Hannah Yeoh says the photo could have been altered to make the rodent appear larger than normal rats. – Facebook pic, May 25, 2015.

Selangor Speaker Hannah Yeoh today denied the existence of a giant rat in her state constituency of Subang Jaya, saying that a photograph which was spread through social media yesterday was inaccurate.

Yeoh said the picture of the rat, which was caught by residents of USJ11, could have been modified to make it appear bigger than normal-sized rodents.

"This is the proof it's a normal-sized (rat). The operation was led by Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) councillor and Zone 3 Residents' Committee.

"Barisan Nasional can stop distorting the story online," she wrote in her Facebook status today, uploading "before and after" photographs to prove her point.

She added that the angle from which the photograph was taken could have made the rat appear "gigantic".

The furore was said to have started when Facebook user Sian Liam See posted a photograph of a giant rat, saying the rodent had been caught in front of Thiagan and Kumar Dental Clinic in USJ 11/1J in Subang Jaya.

He also questioned the efforts of the state government and Yeoh to deal with cleanliness and hygiene issues in Selangor.

"Trying to breed mice that are larger than a dog? Did you mutate them using tasty and delicious mine water?

"Is this a new record can can enter the Malaysia's Book of Records?" he asked, linking a news article published in 2011 on residents claiming to have seen rats the size of cats in the municipality.

Despite Yeoh’s attempt to clarify the matter, many Facebook users were still unhappy with her explanation.

One of them, Lim Sian See, said that the size of the rat shown by Yeoh was still large compared to normal-sized ones.

"Still too big, YB. Why are you trying to defend it?" he said.

Another user, Budi Eka Fitri said: "Still a huge one YB... accept the fact that rats are lodging in Subang...Look at SS19, trees are not cut down, garbage bins no where to be seen even in commercial areas, clogged drains, and others... not to mention dengue cases in our area."

Yeoh, who is also chairman of the Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) in her latest status update on Facebook asked why the issue had been played up and received public attention.

"When I post article on reforms or Selcat's recommendation to the executive, I get very little likes maybe slightly more than a hundred.

"When I post rat photo disputing its gigantic size, I get more than a thousand likes. You tell me. Why Malaysians like news like that?" she asked.

- TMI