18 September 2017

Press statement by MCA Publicity Spokesman (English/Bahasa Malaysia) cum Religious Harmony Bureau Chairman Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker

DBKL must be consistent and accountable

1. MCA calls upon DBKL to be consistent and accountable with regard to the bureaucratic decision to reject the application for the organisation of the "Better Beer Festival 2017" at Publika Shopping Gallery.

2. They cannot arbitrarily reject the application and threaten to take action against the organiser without giving a proper account or reasons for the rejection. This is more so if they have previously approved such events but have now arbitrarily and authoritatively decided otherwise.

3. Reasons must be given and sufficient time and notice should be given to the public if there are any changes of regulations or public policy, etc.

4. In the name of transparency and publicity accountability, DBKL must give reasons and sufficient time in order to be fair to the organisers and also to be seen to be business and tourist friendly. We cannot deny that tourists across the world and other related industry may have prepared and incurred expenses towards meeting this seasonal event. Authorities must be public and business sensitive too.

5. DBKL must not be seen to be making decisions at their whims and fancy or cave in to political or extremist pressure. Otherwise Malaysia and DBKL may be seen to be inconsistent and disorder. Further this may also encourage more radical and extremist pressure if DBKL is seen to be weak in upholding the law or their own public policies.

6. If cancellation is a result of the recent demand by PAS or DBKL is seen to be caving in to their extremist views without regard to the rights of others (the silent majority), this will not augur well with the pluralistic and moderate Barisan National policies that our Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Abdul Razak has undertaken and assured the nation last weekend.

7. Furthermore, PAS must be educated and reminded of their promise that enforcement of Muslim rights will not affect non-Muslims in this country. If their promises and undertakings can be forgotten or disregarded so easily then PAS words are just a myth, and not to be taken seriously.

Dato' Sri Ti Lian Ker

MCA Religious Harmony Bureau Chairman
MCA Publicity Spokesman (English/BM)
MCA Religious Harmony Bureau Chairman

-MCA Online-