PETALING JAYA: A disagreement over the Selangor government’s role in closing factories in the state amid the worsening Covid-19 situation sparked a lively debate on Twitter between two Pakatan Harapan personalities.
The tweet-for-tat exchange was between PKR’s Rafizi Ramli and DAP’s Syahredzan Johan.
The exchange appeared to have begun with Rafizi, who is PKR vice-president, questioning the PH-run Selangor state government and menteri besar Amirudin Shari on why the state had not stopped factories in the state from operating, using local council powers.
A former MP for Pandan, Rafizi argued that even though the international trade and industry ministry allowed factories to operate, the state could act through local councils to withdraw the factories’ operating licences.
“The factories would have to close, right? Why not do this?” Rafizi said.
Syahredzan, a lawyer who is political secretary to DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, later responded: “We get angry when the government does as it wishes, as if there are no laws, but there are those who want to ask the state government to do as they please.”
This led to Rafizi urging Syahredzan to read up on the law and to focus on solutions.
He said the Local Government Act empowered local councils to license premises and industries, and the matter was clearly within the state government’s purview. (Other Twitter users interjected to say that the federal government had the power to close factories, under the Prevention of Infectious Diseases Act.)
“If the federal government prevents it (the closure of factories), then you get the political mileage for trying. Does even this have to be taught?” said Rafizi.
Syahredzan said the state could not use local council licences to stop factories from operating, and that it was wrong for the state to misuse its powers. “Why suggest something like this when to me, it is wrong?”, he said, adding in a separate tweet that the rule of law had to be followed.
He also referred Rafizi to a proposal by a Melaka state executive councillor that factories be closed. “He said it would be discussed by the executive council, he didn’t say anything about withdrawing licences,” Shahredzan said.
Rafizi replied, saying “at least he said he would bring it up to the executive council. Why didn’t PH similarly propose this at a time when people have been dying and cases have been increasing”.
He added: “My advice to you as a young politician is to go back to your exco and explore this. Don’t just make noise on Twitter.”
Rafizi also questioned why DAP members on Twitter were so defensive about using the state’s powers to close factories. “More (defensive) than Amirudin’s people. Have (you) stopped being a socialist youth? Have (you) become a factory tycoon?”
To this, Syahredzan said if Rafizi was referring to him, he was free to scroll through his Twitter posts to see when he asked for factories to remain open. “People disagree with his understanding (of the matter), he labels us pro-factories,” he said, adding he would explain in further detail why he did not agree with Rafizi tomorrow. - FMT
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