I refer to the news report ‘ Cendol sellers claim unfair treatment ’ (Star, Sept 28) where two brothers (S Vijenidran and Yuganthiran) who have tried applying for a license at a particular spot were shocked that someone else had gotten the license while theirs have been turned down repeatedly.

Local authorities or anyone for that matter should be made to explain their decision when they say ‘No’ to anything as the approval or denial must be based on law and not on discretionary personal whims and fancies.

This happens a lot. To take the British example, the local council must state reasons if building permits or renovation applications are rejected, based on planning laws and so on. Unfortunately, here in Malaysia we don’t have such dynamism and philosophy.

It is a fundamental right of all Malaysian to undertake business in an orderly and legal manner and local authorities and government agencies should not take it upon themselves to play king and decide arbitrarily. The brothers now must apply for judicial review of that apparent discrimination/double standard.

On the alleged assault (of the brothers) by DBKL officers, this must be investigated and action taken promptly, either way. I myself have noticed how arrogant and ‘high and mighty’ tone they take when they are handling towing operations.

Once in Bangsar at night, they were conducting towing operations for cars illegally parked and a lone officer was haphazardly directing traffic away from that area without due consideration to where traffic was heading, and he was quite arrogant and rude about it.

When I stopped to remind him that he has to be polite and courteous to the public and reply to questions adequately, as well as that he shouldn’t be just directing traffic away nilly willy , the guy just made a grunting sound and looked away and walked away.

We as the public must protest and point out these incidences of arrogance each and every time so that these public servants correct their mistaken belief that we are their servants (when it should be the other way around).