MP SPEAKS Yesterday evening, I joined the Members of Parliament for Gelang Patah, Seremban, Rasah, Bakri and of course, Kota Melaka and Bukit Katil, to visit and protest the Umno's political vengeance against Malaccans by opening Jonker Walk to motor traffic.

The visit and protest attracted hundreds of people who unanimously demanded that the Malacca state government withdraws the order to the Malacca City Council to open up Jonker Walk, a celebrated tourist landmark in Malaysia that is famed for its weekend night market.

NONE The protests expressed over the past week by various parties have resulted in Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron backtracking and twisting the rationale and decisions to open up Jonker Walk.

While Idris initially told Kwong Wah Daily that the move was to "fulfil the people's wishes" in reaction to MCA candidates being defeated by DAP, he now says the move has nothing to do with political retaliation, and everything to do with easing traffic congestion in Malacca City.

The twist and turn is so fantastic. Idris claims he has to resolve the severe congestion caused by Jonker Walk, which results in up to a four-hour journey from the city to the Ayer Keroh toll plaza.

We would like to inform the Malacca chief minister that our journey from the city to the toll plaza yesterday, despite the crowded Jonker Walk, took us all of 30 minutes.

A completely irresponsible decision

In addition, despite the ban on street traders, which was explicitly stated in the state government directive to the City Council on June 12, 2013, Idris Haron declared two days ago that there was no decision to stop the street market and that the 300 or so traders can continue their activities.

This decision is not only a shocking half-reversal, it's completely irresponsible. Idris has only retracted the decision to "ban" the night market traders: he did not retract the decision to open up the road.

This means that all the market traders who are displaying their wares and goods on the roadside, as well as the tourists and customers, will be facing the risk of being knocked down by oncoming traffic.

NONE The visit to Jonker Walk also reaffirmed our fears about the safety of the people when it is clear that there is no way a car can pass through the road with the traders on the streets, what more reopening the road to two-way traffic!

Tourism Minister Nazri Aziz had rightly ticked off the Malacca chief minister that the road is named "Jonker Walk" and not "Jonker Drive", and insisted that the tourist destination be kept as such.

In fact, the Malacca government's convoluted and senseless decision to make it both a ‘walk' and a ‘drive' puts the safety of tourists, residents and traders at risk. We will hold Idris fully responsible for any untoward accident happening as a result of opening Jonker Walk to motorised traffic.

The new Malacca chief minister must act like a leader and not a petty, cowardly politician. We are more than happy to fight "politics" with BN in the state assembly or in Parliament.

However, let's keep politics out of the interest, safety and livelihood of the people of Malacca and Malaysia. The Malacca state government must immediately withdraw the order to re-open Jonker Walk to traffic during weekend evenings, not wait for someone to get seriously hurt.

TONY PUA is the MP for Petaling Jaya Utara and DAP national publicity secretary.