Opposition MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has cried foul after he was not granted permission to carry out flood aid initiatives in his own constituency of Muar, Johor.
He questioned if the move was aimed at preventing his party - the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) - from proceeding with its activities.
In a live-streamed video last night, Syed Saddiq said the Muar District Office had rejected his application for his team to clean flood-hit houses this coming weekend. No reason was given.
The Muar District Office also rejected his application for his team to distribute household goods to the affected unless they could provide a name list of the recipients.
“What is more memualkan (disgusting) is the double standardness (sic) in how the standard operating procedures are implemented.
“There are so many photographs showing Perikatan Nasional, Umno and leaders from other political parties going into people’s homes in their political garb as they clean houses and deliver welfare.
“But Muda is not allowed to do this. When Muda does it, we are investigated. And when Muda applies for permission, we are outrightly rejected,” he said.
On Jan 8, Syed Saddiq shared that the police were investigating six Muda volunteers for delivering food to flood victims in Johor without the the local council's permission.
He had apologised for the incident but also hoped that the authorities would relax their rules to ensure that aid could reach more flood victims.
Yesterday, he branded the alleged different treatment accorded to Muda as a form of “hypocrisy” and questioned if the Umno-led Johor government was somehow behind the rejections.
“This is unfair, and this is unjust.
“My question to the state government of Johor: why are you so afraid of allowing us to help the people?” he asked.
Malaysiakini is contacting the Muar District Council for comment.
Aid to continue regardless
Syed Saddiq vowed to continue with flood relief work despite not getting permission from the district office.
This, he said, was because flood-hit Muar residents were desperately in need of help.
“Although many obstacles and challenges have been placed before us, we will carry on.
“Bus after bus, lorry after lorry, four-wheeled drive after four-wheeled drive will come to deliver aid to people in need and help families who need help cleaning their homes.
“We will bring our volunteers and fight them all the way because we want to help the rakyat. And if they want to punish us like criminals just because we want to help the rakyat, let it be,” Syed Saddiq said.
Muda has been crowdfunding to support its flood relief efforts. It has spent more than RM1 million since last month (December 2021). - Mkini
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