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Revive plan to name a road in PJ ‘Jalan V David’

Yesterday, May 1, 2015, was a day to be remembered in the history of the Malaysian labour movement. For two consecutive years, tens of thousands of people took to the street in demanding that the federal government scrap the notorious and infamous Goods and Services Tax (GST), implemented since April 1, 2015.

However, the celebration of the May 1 Labour Day in Selangor will be more meaningful if the Selangor state government can rename a road in Petaling Jaya as ‘Jalan V David’ to commemorate and celebrate the life of the late V David, a true unionist who committed his life for the betterment of the workers and downtrodden in Malaysia.

In fact, doing it this year would be meaningful as year 2015 marks the tenth anniversary of the passing of the late V David, undeniably a towering figure in the nation-building history of our country.

The proposal to rename a road in Petaling Jaya, namely Jalan Barat, as ‘Jalan V David’ was brought up by various NGO including the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) in 2010 and was well received by the community, particularly the working class in Petaling Jaya.

This is particular true when the Transport Workers Union (TWU) building, which was formed and once led by the late V David, is also located along the same road and he had been operating from that office ever since he took office.

In fact, I have constituents who were once workers and memories are still fresh on how the late V David assisted them when they were oppressed by employers and government officers. His office at Jalan Barat was then a popular spot among the working class.

Although V David last stood on the ticket of DAP and won the parliamentary seat of Damansara in 1978 and Puchong twice in the 1986 and 1990 general elections, he should not only be remembered as a normal DAP politician as his life-long contribution to the country and Selangor are immeasurable.

In fact, this is also not the first time a road in Petaling Jaya has been named after a unionist as Jalan 222 in Section 51A, Petaling Jaya is also known as Jalan PP Narayapan, whereby the late PP Narayapan was a prominent unionist in the 1950s.

He was elected as Kuala Lumpur town councillor and became Transport Workers Union secretary in 1958. In 1959, at 26 years old, he was elected as the MP for Bangsar on the Labour Party ticket.

The Workers Institute of Technology (WIT) which is now located at Jalan Banting, Kampung Idaman, Port Klang, was established by none other but the late V David in the 1970s to provide education opportunities for the children of the working class.

The proposal to rename Jalan Barat in 2010 was put on hold sine die by the previous menteri besar, Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, citing various technical reasons. It is now the right time for the state government to review this proposal particularly when we have a new menteri besar. I will write to YAB Azmin Ali to deliberate on this idea.


 

LAU WENG SAN is the Selangor state assemblyperson for Kampung Tunku.

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