Ramasamy comes to the defence of Penang state EXCO Zairil; ticks off Anthony Loke as “rude and abrasive”

Focus Malaysia:

Ramasamy comes to the defence of Penang state EXCO Zairil; ticks off Anthony Loke as “rude and abrasive”

By Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy

TRANSPORT Minister and the DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook has no right to be rude and abrasive towards the Penang state EXCO for infrastructure and digital Zairil Khir Johari.


The two-term Tanjong Bunga state assemblyman is one of the few Malays acceptable to the Chinese-dominated DAP.

Recently, Zairil who is deemed the “Malay face” of DAP in Penang commented that the Penang state government and MRT Corp are exploring a new low-medium capacity for the LRT (light rail transit) system for Penang.


The LRT system of transport is a controversial one. Civil society organisations in the state are claiming that the LRT system is not suitable for Penang.

Loke in his stern rebuke of Zairil said the specifications for the LRT project will be decided by the owner which is the Transport Ministry and not Zairil who is the state EXCO in-charge of infrastructure development. He basically told Zairil to shut his mouth.

Zaril Khir Johari

The question is: what is the point of having a state EXCO on infrastructure development when he cannot give his views on the proposed LRT system for Penang.

Putrajaya might be the ultimate decider on the specifications of the project after having consulted the state government, the civil society organisations and others.

Disrespectful

If Zairil cannot give his views, then what is the point of having a strong nexus between the federal and the state government when it comes to project implementation?

By the way, the LRT project is for Penang and not Putrajaya or Negri Sembilan which is the home state of Loke.

If Loke cannot even handle matters on the LRT system in Penang, what is the point of talking about the ASEAN Railway Link that was conceptualised as Kunming-Singapore Pan Asian Railway two decades ago?

If Loke cannot even satisfy the Penang state on the specifications regarding the LRT system, what hope is there to convince twice former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the feasibility of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS)?

Dr Mahathir may be right in saying that a bridge replacing the causeway rather than RTS might be a more feasible one in allowing ships to pass through.

I hope when he meets Dr Mahathir, Loke will not be rude and ill-mannered as he was to Zairil. The nonagenarian is not the meek Zairil for he will put Loke in his rightful place.

DAP might be Chinese-dominated but that does not give Loke the right as the principal leader of the party to treat Zairil in a cavalier manner.

I wonder whether the party that has any respect for Malay and Indian leaders. If Malays are critical of DAP, the reason has been provided by the arrogant Loke.

If Zairil is not respected in DAP, he should tender his resignation. There is a limit to his appeasement politics. – June 12, 2024



Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.