THE latest attempt to win the people’s heart by caretaker Selangor menteri besar (MB) Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari has not gone well with Selangorians.
The first-term MB has promised that Selangor will declare Monday (Aug 14) a public holiday should the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) alliance win tomorrow’s (Aug 12) state poll.
Perhaps the Election Commission (EC) should investigate if the declaration of public holiday by the first-term MB has committed any offence against the Elections Act 1958.
However, Tindak Malaysia director Danesh Prakash Chacko stated there is no explicit element of Election Offences Act that deals with sudden public holiday announcements.
“The closest thing will be the bribery section of Elections Offences Act which deals with promises (which eventual entails inducement). Having said that, it is difficult establish as bribery unless there is an election petition.”
Meanwhile, BERSIH chairman Thomas Fann could not be reached for comments.
With already too many public holidays in Malaysia, businesspeople and investors have time and again made their disgruntlement felt each time an ad hoc public holiday is declared.
A parent with two children, Sarah Yong, asked: “Can someone from PH tell him (Amirudin) to retract his announcement? Most schools and universities in Selangor are having their mid-term examinations now. This state holiday will be disruptive.”
Netizens not receptive
Although she would prefer PH-BN to win the state election, such last minute vote fishing has irked Yong who reiterated that for parents working in Kuala Lumpur, they will now have to find their own babysitters to manage their younger children after school.
Netizens have also taken on the social media to lambast the Sungai Tua incumbent state assemblyman. Muhammad Zaki Shahid Idris wrote: “Work a bit … want holiday. It’s nothing but trying to fish for votes … this is the work of lazy (politicians) who do not go down to the ground.”
Hasril Hisyam Hussin had initially thought that because Perikatan Nasional (PN) wins the state election tomorrow (Aug 12), “all the lottery outlets would be close on Monday (Aug 12).”
Mazlan Ghazali chided: “Might as well a full year holiday … only then the Rakyat will be satisfied … meanwhile, let the salaries continue.”
“Don’t worry, the people of Selangor will give you a long holiday after the results (are announced tomorrow),” Zulhary Ahmad Hary lashed out.
Perhaps, the most sarcastic piece came from Kairul Fadzillah: “Truly logical, my dear outgoing former Selangor MB. When people go to vote on Saturday, they do not need the holiday even if this somehow disrupts productivity,” contended the netizen.
Perhaps, the most sarcastic piece came from Kairul Fadzillah: “Truly logical, this soon-to-be former Menteri Besar. When people go to vote on Saturday, they do not need the holiday. But if PH wins in the state election and Monday is declared a holiday, does this not somehow disrupt productivity?” contended the netizen. – Aug 11, 2023
