BARELY 24 hours after the Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah decreed that the rakyat are tired of the politicking, one state executive councillor (EXCO) and the Opposition have turned the parking issue at Jalan Othman, Petaling Jaya into another political polemic.
In his speech during the installation of the new Menteri Besar (MB) and State EXCO, His Royal Highness has said, “Enough with politicking, the rakyat are tired. I am also tired of hearing about it.”
Both State EXCO Ng Sze Han and Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Dr Afif Bahardin from Bersatu should have discussed the matter privately between themselves.
Instead of bringing it on his social platform – turning it into yet another post-election political battle ground – Ng should have the courtesy to pick up the phone and resolve the matter privately.
His time could have been better spent on how to enhance the usage of the multi-storey carparks instead of becoming another TikToker to fire back a salvo. If left unchecked, this will breed political fatigue over excessive campaigning by politicians even after the state elections.
What people want to see is that their problems on the ground get solved instead of politicians appearing at their doorsteps only once every five years. Ceramah, appearances at wet markets and even social media politicking are no longer effective when people are just tired with the daily politicking.
Often such matters are easily resolved with just some public relations befitting of a state EXCO. Ng’s cynicism will further breed cynicism in the civil society of his own failures to resolve issues on the ground such as poor public amenities and illegal dumps which become eyesores to Selangorians.
Sultan disappointed?
Amidst the exuberance of being able to continue serving in the state EXCO, it is possible that state assemblymen will not be getting the pertinent points raised by Sultan Sharaffudin.
In reading His Royal Highness’ speech, it is obvious that Sultan Sharafuddin whose ears and eyes are always on the ground is not very happy with the previous state executive council headed by second-term Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
Reading in between the lines, the Selangor ruler is hinting that he was dissatisfied with the way how Selangor has deteriorated; otherwise, he would not have urged Amirudin and his state EXCO to “make Selangor great again like it used to be not so long ago”.
Imagine the wealthiest state in the country is unable to provide a garbage bin state-wide whereas Penang has already provided bins for every household and shop apart from enforcing laws on reducing and recycling wastes.
Instead, the Selangor state government has focused mainly on setting up more incinerators despite protest by the people when it should find ways and means to manage the amount of wastes generated.
Where it once stopped the use of Styrofoam for food packaging, the Styrofoam materials are making a big comeback in the form of packaging boxes. Vendors are reverting to the use of Styrofoam cups and food boxes.
The dissatisfaction is also obvious from the way how the Malaysiakini article covering the Sultan’s speech inserted a table showing the performance of Pakatan Harapan (PH) in Selangor in the recently concluded six state elections.
Interpreting this from a media perspective, the writing is on the wall if the living conditions of Selangorians do not improve after PH being in power now in the fourth term.
During the Sungai Tua state assemblyman’s last term as MB, Amirudin has merely focused on mega projects which risk turning into white elephants.
If all is well in Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin would not have called all Selangor state assembly members to realise that “the state has started to fall behind in economic performance”.
What is left to be done is for everyone to watch from now on whether the words of His Royal Highness are heeded: “I have a high hope to see all of you provide excellent service by going down to the ground and monitoring all the planned development yourselves.” – Aug 22, 2023
