YOURSAY 'What is the problem with these people? Whether it is Chinese food, Malay food or Indian food, it's not about race.'

Malay traders want Chinese food hub project scrapped

Ali BaBa: Jalan Alor in Bukit Bintang was never part of the government tourism masterplan. It was a red-light district. Its reputation as a food heaven for tourists was built over many years.

I wonder why Pertubuhan Ikatan Usahawan Kecil dan Sederhana Malaysia (Ikhlas) is making so much noise. One way or another, the entire city would benefit from the influx of tourists.

Both Jalan Raja Laut and Little India were doing just fine until the locals rented out their space to Indonesians and other illegal nationalities, of which they operate on a short-term basis under dilapidated conditions. This actually chased away visitors instead of attracting them.

CiViC: What is the problem with these people? Whether it is Chinese food, Malay food or Indian food, it's not about race. This is about food, for God's sake.

Does this mean that Malaysia can never ever feature anything that is not Malay? No one says anything when Penang char kway teow or laksa was featured among the world's best cuisines. Will these racists please stop polluting Malaysian minds?

The Stig: If the Malay businesses are not developed, then ask for funds to develop them. Why the need for the scrapping of the Chinese food hub in Jalan Alor?

DontPlayGod: They say that an idiot is born every minute, but here idiots are born every minute. Don't these idiots know that the government has already set up a halal agency to cater to the Malays nationwide?

Here, the government is only setting up a small part of Kuala Lumpur to promote Chinese food, so why should this irk these idiots? This is clearly the result of the decades-long racism promoted by Umno.

Wira: There is a 4th category of NGOs called the ‘kurang ajar' NGOs. They do not understand that taxpayers are entitled to getting service from the government regardless of their political affiliation.

They also don't understand that the food hub is as much for the tourists in Bukit Bintang area as it is for the locals.

Come to Penang and you will find the Pakatan Rakyat government here treating everyone equally, regardless whether he/she supported Pakatan or BN in the last general election.

Black Mamba: RM12 million is a very small amount of capital expenditure to draw tourists which has a tremendous positive multiplier effect on the domestic economy.

If the NGOs want to let off steam, I suggest they ask BN what has happened to the RM250 million of government money used by a certain Malay family for cow rearing.

Onyourtoes: Ikhlas chief Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah, you said you are not a racist but you are more than a racist, you are an extremist, a troublemaker, a provocateur and a moron.

If you are a Malaysian in spirit, you would not have asked for the cancellation of the Chinese food hub project. You would not have demanded that no project be implemented in a DAP-held constituency and that the KL mayor resigned. What is this?

Look, no one is preventing you from asking a similar project (for example, a kutty food hub) from DBKL (City Hall) to be implemented in an Umno-BN held constituency.

This project is part of tourism to earn foreign exchange so that nincompoops like you would get BR1M from the government. If you are stupid and lazy, please just sit quietly to wait for the handouts. Please don't harass those who are working hard to support themselves and people like you.

Iiiizzzziiii: More than 50 years of independence and we have this group of people demanding the mayor to resign over this issue.

What exactly are their grouses? Do all of us owe this people a living? What have they done to be deserving of government help, other than being born a Malay and a bumiputera.

Fernz: There's no respect for the rule of law. Instead, the Umno government rules by law.

Consider the issuance of MyKads to illegal immigrants in Sabah. Companies openly flout the law. Motorists don't settle their fines. Students refuse to settle their PTPTN (Higher Education Fund) loan.

The law of the jungle prevails in Malaysia.

Tehachapi: I empathise with all Malay vendors who are forced to scrounge around for bare subsistence in the filthy dilipidated street corners while facing high cost and harsh regulations.

Now, in the face of vanishing opportunities and competition, margins are squeezed, making it harder to survive. Your anger is justified.

However, you should think harder in identifying the source of your problem and suffering. It is not your fellow street vendors, Chinese or Indian, who take away your opportunities. No, not them.

Malaysia is rich enough to build clean vendor stores for all its street vendors to conduct business with dignity. But valuable resources were pocketed and squandered by corrupt politicians.

It is the deeply flawed political culture at fault. This has to change.

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