MPs: Is fencing off Padang Merbok a knee-jerk reaction to lawyers' march?

 

The erection of an anti-climb metal fence surrounding Padang Merbok recently has prompted opposition lawmakers to ask if this was the government’s knee-jerk reaction to the Malaysian Bar’s Walk for Judicial Independence in June.

At a press conference held at Padang Merbok, DAP’s Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh (above, right) and PKR’s Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil (above, left) both said the five-foot metal fence with three entrances strike them as a permanent structure. 

Yeoh, who was tipped by a social media user about the fencing days ago, said Deputy Federal Territories Minister Jalaluddin Alias responded in a Twitter post that upgrading work was being carried out.

“He tweeted that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is carrying work to upgrade Padang Merbok while the contractor was forced to close down and install a fence for the upgrading work,” said Yeoh. 

“But the fence appeared to be a permanent structure and this should not happen at all. We are having fewer open fields for the public in Kuala Lumpur. This is as though they are sending a message as though the field is no longer for the public.”

Yeoh believes the citizens of Kuala Lumpur will not accept it as they need an open field to carry out their activities, such as picnic and playing rugby. 

“I would like to ask DBKL if this is the government’s reaction to the Walk for Judicial Independence, where the lawyers started their march from Padang Merbok to Parliament.

“Padang Merbok, which is just 300m from Parliament, has been a gathering point for the people before going to Parliament to send a memorandum. Now this is as though we are declining to see their protests and heed their voices,” said Yeoh. 

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Yeoh said opposition lawmakers will appeal to Kuala Lumpur mayor Mahadi Che Ngah to take down the fence.

‘Padang Kepong’

Meanwhile, Fahmi said an anti-climb fence is more needed in other areas compared to an open field such as Padang Merbok.

“We do not object to any upgrading work because many fields in the city need upgrading too, but a big and tall fence is not something we need here,” he said. 

“The fence, which separates the grandstand and the field, is not friendly to the users. How much does this cost? Hundreds of thousands or millions?”

He also jokingly renamed Padang Merbok “Padang Kepong” (the enclosed field). 

According to a notice placed on the fence, the contractor had installed gates and anti-climb perimeter fences and had done soft landscape upgrading works between April 21 and June 30.  - Mkini