PKR and Parti Amanah Negara leaders are up in arms over PAS’ Tanjong Yaakob Omar’s remark that there is “subtle ethnic cleansing” in Penang especially via development projects.
PKR national deputy Youth chief Dr Afif Bahardin strongly refuted the remark, saying that Yaakob does not understand the real meaning of ethnic cleansing.
“What happened to the Rohingya community in Myanmar is ethnic cleansing, not the Malays in Penang,” Afif told Malaysiakini when contacted about the controversial remark.
“In Penang, Muslims and Malays are thriving, more are coming to Penang as tourists and to start businesses,” claimed the Penang state executive councillor.
“The Penang government has provided more financial allocations for Islamic affairs; even religious scholars are able to 'cari makan' better in Penang,” he said.
“No one ever stops them from giving lectures, all the mosques are filled up with religious activities. The state-funded Yayasan Islam is very active, looking out for issues like zakat and wakaf,” he added.
Afif said Penang is the first state to have a proper policy and law in place for tanah wakaf (gazetted land for Muslims), where the plots are developed into commercial or residential units to be sold only to the community.
He reminded Yaakob that the state had implemented such initiatives to protect land belonging to Muslims, including building mosques and providing prime land to build a new Syariah Court.
“So which part of all this is ethnic cleansing?” Afif asked.
Afif ticked off PAS for not condemning the questionable sale of land by federal agency Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda).
“There was not a single word from any PAS leaders about it. Why are they in cahoots with Umno?” asked the PKR Seberang Jaya assemblyperson.
Afif asked PAS to state its suggestion for land reforms in Penang instead of hammering the state government with baseless allegations on a political platform like PAS’ annual muktamar.
On the issue of fishermen affected by the state’s proposed RM27 billion Transport Master Plan which involves sea reclamation in the southern post of the island, Afif said several studies including Fishery Impact Assessment would be carried out before the TMP is implemented.
“Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has launched an information centre for fishermen and those affected by reclamation as in the Sri Tanjong Pinang II project were given ex-gratis payment of RM16,000 each,” said Afif.
“These are things we are doing to care for the people regardless of race. It doesn’t mean we give you more because you are a Malay, we give based on needs according to our policy – that is what the people want,” he added.
Edgy words
During his speech at the PAS muktamar in Kota Baru, Yaakob also claimed Malay land ownership in Penang had decreased from 28 percent in 2010 to 20 percent in just five years.
He accused state agencies of not helping the Malays in Penang, and claimed that the state government’s development policies were not protective of the community.
Amanah vice-president Mujahid Yusof Rawa (photo) criticised Yaakob for being “dramatic with edgy words to attract media attention” at the PAS annual gathering in Kelantan.
Mujahid said Yaakob was wrong as he was doing so at the cost of adding more misconception and bad judgement against the Penang government.
“You may not like Guan Eng but you have to be honest in understanding development issues in Penang,” said the Parit Buntar MP.
“We admit there are still weaknesses in handling such development issues, but we are making an effort to deal with them,” he added.
“What was Yaakob doing all the time, when a policy is already in place?” he asked.
“His remarks really reflect his ignorance, while his intention too is very bad because he is not interested in discussing the issue objectively but more of carrying out smearing campaign against the Pakatan Harapan government although he was earlier part of it,” Mujahid said.
“I am not totally surprised at Yaakob's remark because PAS has taken a racist approach now like Umno, which is why we came out from the party,” Mujahid said.
Mujahid said Yaakob was a former councillor who has lived in Penang for a very long time but it seemed strange that he did not understand the state’s policy on development and eviction.
Currently, the Penang government does not approve any development project if developers do not provide proper compensation for evicted victims.
However, landowners themselves can evict squatters and the state government can only negotiate for proper compensation but cannot stop the eviction process.
Mujahid said that such incidents involved not only Malay victims but those from other ethnic groups as well. -Mkini
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