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Key Highlights
Of roads and ballots
Zaid, 3R, and Bar Council
Vernacular school tug of war
Of roads and ballots
As before, “roads” or rather lack thereof, are once again a central theme in the battle for the Kuala Kubu Baharu state seat.
Forced to carry their dead on foot for three kilometres and tired of the authorities’ “no allocation” excuse, the Orang Asli community of Kampung Pertak want a proper road from their settlement to the burial ground.
According to them, the villagers have made repeated requests for the road and repairs to a bridge since 2017 to no avail.
“There used to be two bridges but one is in a deplorable state and can no longer be used.
“If the government can build a tarred road, it would make things easier for the villagers as well as tourists who use the road to access waterfalls and hiking trails,” said Zahidi Kising, the chairperson of village development and security committee (JPKK).
Meanwhile, a three-kilometre private road connecting Bandar Kerling and Lembah Beringin, which has been riddled with potholes for more than two decades, is now being tarred.
“I know the people of Kerling and Lembah Beringin have been asking the government to repair the road,” said Hulu Selangor Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Sathia Prakash.
“After more than 20 years, this issue is being resolved. A year after Harapan took over the federal government, the road is being repaired,” he added.
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Zaid, 3R, and Bar Council
Accusing the government of double standards, former law minister Zaid Ibrahim questioned why no action has been taken against the Bar Council for questioning the Yang di-Peruan Agong’s prerogative in issuing pardons.
“The government says no talking about 3R (race, religion, and royalty) or you deserve to go to jail, but not the Bar Council.
“It was an outright challenge to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s (court challenge) powers but has the government opposed the action?” he asked.
Zaid also questioned if the Bar Council’s action received the endorsement of its members as stipulated in its regulations.
On April 30, the Malaysian Bar filed a legal challenge to nullify the Pardons Board’s decision to reduce former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s 12-year jail sentence to six years and RM210 million fine to RM50 million.
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Vernacular school tug-of-war
Vernacular schools continued to dominate the campaign for the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, with DAP vice-chairperson Teresa Kok challenging Perikatan Nasional chief Muhyiddin Yassin to state his coalition’s stand on the issue.
“Over to you, Muhyiddin – declare that Bersatu and PN are not against vernacular education and will not support any attempt to dismantle it,” she said.
Following this, Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said that PN has never discussed closing down national schools.
However, he added that PN wants “vernacular schools to be enriched with the national curriculum so it reflects the nation’s character”.
Joining the fray, DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng said those who harped on this issue were “low class”.
He also pointed out that Chang Ming Youn, who was awarded the green beret after completing the army commando training, also studied in a vernacular school.
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