Porky quagmire: PAS Youth wants swift apology from Madani gov’t for invoking Selangor ruler’s wrath

 

PAS Youth has demanded Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and DAP’s Seri Kembangan state assemblywoman Wong Siew Ki to immediately seek royal forgiveness for defying Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s decree over the issue of pig farming in the state.

If no apology is made within 24 hours, the movement will not hesitate to initiate police reports nationwide on grounds of treason against the royal institution, warned its president Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden.

This follows the Selangor ruler’s stinging outburst as evidenced by the choice of colours and fonts in his latest media statement which was accompanied by a two-worded “Full Stop!” reminder which is seemingly a very clear signal of anger and insistence that he does not consent to pig farming issue in the state.

“It’s very saddening when the firmness of His Highness’ decree seems not to be given serious attention by the Madani government which administers Selangor or the Federal Government,” lamented Afnan who is also the Alor Setar MP.

“In fact, PAS Youth is also disappointed with the statement given by the Communications Minister (Fahmi) on Wednesday (May 6) that pig farming in Selangor is allowed by the Federal Government.

“Why is the Madani government seen as so strongly defending the erection of pig farms while seemingly ignoring the issue of rice farmers in Kedah?”

Eric See-To takes a swipe at Fahmi

For the record, instead of adhering to Sultan Sharafuddin’s desire of no pig farming in Selangor, PMX went on to acknowledge Putrajaya’s stance on the strict conditions for opening pig farms in Selangor during his recent audience with the Selangor ruler.

This was revealed by Fahmi after PMX briefed the Cabinet on the audience session which was also attended by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.

“The Federal government has taken the stance that any pig farming area can only be implemented in new areas that are located far from residential areas or critical resources such as watercourses, rivers and so on,” Fahmi who doubled up as the Madani government spokesman told a media conference in Kuala Lumpur.

“It must also be accompanied by the use of high technology that can manage waste and pollution issues very well.”

However, detractors have labelled such statement as derhaka (betrayal) to Sultan Sharafuddin’s numerous decrees since he first expressed his harsh stance on Jan 10 by objecting to the mega scale pig farming project in the Tanjong Sepat vicinity in Kuala Langat beginning this year prior to its re-location to Bukit Tagar in 2030.

The issue became a hot potato recently when DAP state rep Wong – in the name of equality according to the Federal Constitution – contended, among others, that hog rearing “shouldn’t be differentiated from that of other animals”.

Her justification is that the risk of pollution as well as the hygienic and health aspect are the same as faced by the farming of other livestock.

As PAS is staring at the prospect of capitalising on the pig farming issue in its quest to control Selangor come the 16th General Election (GE16), Madani critic Datuk Eric See-To has chosen to take a pot shot at Comms Minister Fahmi given (almost) all news reports on his pig farming media conference “have now disappeared or been wiped out”.

“If the media report is wrong, the media should make a correction,” jibed the former Barisan Nasional (BN) strategic communications deputy director in one of his few Facebook posts aimed at the PKR information chief.

“But if the report is accurate and based on the Minister’s own media conference, why are reports from various media suddenly been completely deleted? This is not a small issue. This is an issue of media freedom.”

Added the loyalist of disgraced former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak who previously blogged under the moniker Lim Sian See:

Is this an attempt to save the Minister from criticism or worse from possible police action related to the 3Rs (race, religion, royalty)?

If so, this may be an abuse of power to erase evidence of a possible criminal case which in itself is a criminal offence.

Because if the opposition or ordinary rakyat mistakenly touch on the issue of royalty, religion or race, action is quickly taken based on the media report.

But when it involves government ministers, suddenly the (erroneous) media reports disappear one by one?

And if the government can make media houses delete accurate reports just because the report embarrasses the Minister, then media freedom in this country is indeed seriously ill. –  Focus Malaysia