Cancel 3 islands project, that’s honour enough, says brother of consumer advocate SM Idris

Prominent consumer advocate SM Mohamed Idris, who died last month. (Bernama pic)

GEORGE TOWN: The brother of prominent consumer advocate SM Mohamed Idris, who died last month, has dismissed any suggestion that a road or park be named after him, saying this is not the kind of honour he would have wanted.

“I don’t think he (Idris) would have wanted anything named after him,” Mohideen Abdul Kader told FMT.

“Naming a road after him would be an insult to him as he had been fighting against building roads as a solution to traffic problems.

“This is the same man who hugged the trees on Green Lane to prevent their relocation.”

Instead, he said, the best way to honour Idris’ memory would be to cancel the three islands reclamation project which he had been against.

“That would be the best honour for him.”

CAP vice-president and acting president Mohideen Abdul Kader.

Idris, who died at 93 on May 17, is best remembered as the father of the consumerist movement. He became president of the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) in 1969, turning it into the country’s most active and vocal consumer association.

Following his death, the Penang government was said to be considering naming a road or park after him.

His close friend Anwar Fazal, who is chairman of urban regeneration agency Think City, reportedly said that it would be a good idea to name the Bukit Dumbar park after him as he had been instrumental in getting the trees planted there.

Mohideen, the vice-president of CAP, also said he would be acting president until an extraordinary general meeting is called in July to elect a new president, in line with the association’s constitution.

As for Sahabat Alam Malaysia, of which Idris was also president, he said the council had appointed public litigation lawyer and senior member Meenakshi Raman to replace him. - FMT