AS Madani government backers are vouching for the innocence of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) enforcement officers over allegation of having resorted to strong-arm tactic to handle a balloon vendor, UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh has vowed to take the perpetrators to court.
In a video call last night (March 29), the Merlimau state assemblyman reiterated such promise to 29-year-old Muhamad Za’imuddin Azlan who is now hospitalised in the Serdang Hospital with a possible spinal fracture after being allegedly man-handled by a group of DBKL enforcement officer.
“It really shatters my heart when told that he (ballon vendor) only wants to earn a decent income but ended up being treated like that (it is learnt that Za’imuddin is Malaysian trying to earn extra income to treat his hernia complications),” penned Akmal on his Facebook page.
“God willing, UMNO Youth shall fight to seek justice for him and bear all his medical costs.”
Unperturbed with claims by pro-Madani faction that the scuffle which led to a stand-off between DBKL and seemingly unlicensed traders was orchestrated “to embarrass Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa”, the Melaka Rural Development, Agriculture and Food Security Committee chairman added:
“You think you can make up your own story because you wield power but Allah knows best. We want to remind you that you have no right at all with the power vested in you to persecute lay people like that. See you in court!”
In his earlier FB post, Akmal has countered what he deemed as a DBKL “spin” that the unlicensed balloon vendor had acted aggressively by shoving enforcement officers after failure to twice heed instruction to disperse during the incident which occurred along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR) at 11.50pm on Friday (March 28).
“That shouldn’t be a major license either for the enforcement officers to treat the balloon vendor as depicted in the video … it’s a case of one single individual against many enforcement officers,” justified the Russia-trained medical doctor.
“Is this part of DBKL’s enforcement SOP (standard operating procedure) to strangle someone using the elbow? Did the balloon vendor carry a dangerous weapon till it’s necessary to act in such a manner?
“The country has laws that must be obeyed and the same applies for enforcement SOP.”
On this note, the rightist politician who is renowned for his defender of Malay and Islam stance took Dr Zaliha to task.
“To YB minister @Dr Zaliha Mustafa please answer and monitor what has been done by DBKL enforcement officers. You can wield your power on small traders as you wish but we’ll defend their rights.”
Interestingly, the sentiment raised by Akmal was echoed by DAP stalwart and former three-term Klang MP Charles Santiago who described the aggressive apprehension of the unlicensed balloon vendor as yet “another example of the authorities’ misplaced priorities and abuse of power”.
“While petty traders struggle to survive amid skyrocketing living costs, exorbitant rents and the government’s failure to control the prices of essential goods, enforcement agencies choose to flex their muscle against the most vulnerable,” lamented the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) chairman.
“DBKL should focus on facilitating livelihoods, not destroying them. A compassionate approach such as more designated zones for small traders or temporary permits would be far more effective than ruthless enforcement.
“And the government must stop punishing the poor for its own incompetence.” – Focus Malaysia
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