Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua has denied calling for the closure of Ramadan bazaars, alleging that Utusan Malaysia has lied over the matter.

“As the English saying goes, ‘there are lies, damned lies and statistics’. I feel it is more appropriate that the saying be changed to  ‘there are lies, damned lies and Utusan ’.

NONE “But first, I want to clearly state that I have never asked for Ramadan bazaars to be closed.

“As such, the issue of me ‘hurting the feelings of the Muslim community” or ‘taking advantage of the patience of the Muslims’ (as Utusan reported) does not arise at all,” Pua said in a statement today.

He was responding to a column under the pen name 'Awang Selamat' yesterday in the Umno-owned Malay daily's weekend edition.

The writer claimed Pua was retaliating for the closing of the Jonker Walk night market in Malacca by purportedly suggesting that the same be done for stalls during fasting month.

'Awang Selamat', believed to be represent a senior editor, however did not cite any source for the statement he attributed to Pua.

‘Umno closed Ramadan bazaar’

Pua said that at no time during the press conference on June 26 with Bukit Katil MP Shamsul Iskandar and Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him, was any call made for closure of Ramadan bazaars.

On the contrary, he said, it was Umno that had closed a Ramadan bazaar in Malacca in revenge against voters who did not support the party.

Pua explained that the Pakatan MPs had slammed the Malacca government for closing the long-running Ramadan bazaar in Taman Cempaka in the Bukit Katil constituency.

“We protested the action of the Umno Malacca government that has affected over 300 hawkers in the Taman Cempaka Ramadan bazaar, one of the biggest and most popular in Malacca. The licences issued to the hawkers were revoked suddenly.

NONE “Although the two markets in Jonker Walk and Taman Cempaka Ramadan bazaar have a 13-year history, they have been closed by the Umno government because MCA lost in Kota Melaka and the Umno representative for Bukit Katil, Ali Rustam (left) , lost his seat.

“This action constitutes revenge by the present Chief Minister Idris Haron that is possibly masterminded by Ali out of his dissatisfaction with the people for giving their vote to Pakatan Rakyat.”

Pua also said Utusan had twisted his remarks.

Referring to a video recording of the event, he said his exact words were: “Finally, if it is said that a night market or farmer’s market or Ramadan bazaar would cause traffic congestion, then perhaps all markets, all farmers’ markets, in Malacca and in other states, should be cancelled as well. Why only close Jonker Walk or (the bazaar in) Taman Cempaka?

“So we feel all the actions that the Malacca government have taken are politically motivated and totally disregard the needs of the people of Malaysia, and only take into consideration the interests of Umno members themselves.”

He said his meaning was clear and only those with malicious intent would give them a different meaning.

Pua challenged Utusan to correct its “wild” statement and publish a report on how a DAP parliamentarian has defended Muslims in calling for a Ramadan bazaar to remain open.

“I also challenge Utusan to reveal the truth - that the closure of a Ramadan bazaar ‘that has hurt the feelings of the Muslim community what more in the lead-up to Ramadan’ is truly the work of Umno-BN in Malacca,” he said.

Utusan is at it again, PM no longer in charge