Malay NGOs in Penang were told to bring their problems to state government officials instead of disrupting ceramahs held by Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mohd Rashid Hasnon said today his doors were always open if members of the public wanted to highlight their problems in a proper and civilised manner.

NGOs attempting to hand in memorandums or letters need not cause a scene like they did at a ceramah in Bukit Gedung, Bayan Baru on Saturday night, as PKR Strategist Rafizi Ramli ( right ) was leaving, Rashid said.

 

Supporters from both sides shouted at each other, with some pushing and shoving, even after a calm Rafizi had accepted the memorandum, saying he would look into it.

However the police prevented a scuffle from breaking out.

The NGOs were accompanying a senior citizen, Najib Darus, 62, who had sought help as his house which sits on a temporary licensed land (TOL) in Waterfall Gardens is set to be demolished by the authorities on Feb 28.

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That night, a group of NGO members approached Rafizi and later created a scene just for publicity," Rashid told Malaysiakini.

 "After that incident, I met with them at the Kassim Mustafa Mamak shop around 12.30am and we discussed Najib's case.  

They did not have to mob Rafizi or anyone else for that matter," added the Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson.

He told them to meet him today in Komtar so he could help resolve their problems.

Permanent home

At the meeting, where Najib and his wife was present, Rashid clarified that the house was to be demolished by the district office and not by the Penang Municipal Council as claimed by the group.

"We will try to get Najib another place to stay. He has asked for a permanent home but the decision is not entirely mine alone," said Rashid, the committee's deputy chair.

"We will raise his issue at the land committee meeting chaired by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng ( left ), which sits every Tuesday.

"Tomorrow we will apply for the demolition of his house to be postponed until we find him another home."

 

Malay NGOs have often claimed that the state government under Lim had marginalised the community, including demolishing illegal hawker stalls and squatter houses, but the chief minister has vehemently denied such accusations.

 

Last month, groups aligned to Perkasa, Pekida, Persatuan Mukabuku Pulau Pinang, we're involved in a scuffle where assistant district officer Abdul Hassan Omar was assaulted in front of 35 policemen during an illegal hawker operations in Teluk Bahang.

Police are probing the case under Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstruction of a public official's duties and under Section 323 for causing bodily harm.

Meanwhile, the Penang chapter of Solidarity Anak Muda Malaysia (Samm), who co-organised the ceramah in Bayan Baru, said they were quick to bring Rafizi to a safe place that night.

However, Penang Samm coordinator Aidil Ibrahim questioned who was behind the group who tried to attacked Rafizi.

"What has Rafizi got to do with the memorandum about the demolition of the house in Waterfalls Garden?" Aidil asked.

"There was a much better way to resolve the issue, which they did by meeting Rashid later, so why the need to cause a commotion when Rafizi was around?"

Aidil added that the group, who he alleged was pro-Umno, had "forgot themselves".

"This group was just trying to find a chance to hit out at Pakatan (Rakyat). But they made a wrong move because we are not interested in entertaining their provocation," said Aidil.