Penang rep moots forming cybertrooper team to defend Harapan's name
PKR Kebun Bunga assemblyperson Jason Ong Khan Lee has called on the Penang government to form a team of cybertroopers to defend the reputation of Pakatan Harapan in the virtual world.
Ong expressed concern over current cybertroopers allegedly posing as Harapan supporters, who attack those who they deem to be against the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP)...
PKR Kebun Bunga assemblyperson Jason Ong Khan Lee (above) has called on the Penang government to form a team of cybertroopers to defend the reputation of Pakatan Harapan in the virtual world.
Ong said this after expressing concern over current cybertroopers allegedly posing as Harapan supporters, who attack those who they deem to be against the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
"If the cybertroopers who keep attacking us are not from Harapan, we need to caution the public that they do not represent Harapan, they should not incite, slander or pretend to support Harapan when they are actually trying to tarnish Harapan and the state government," he added.
Ong said this yesterday evening when debating the motion of thanks to the Penang Governor's speech at the state assembly.
His proposal for Harapan to form its own group of cybertroopers comes after he received criticism on social media for suggesting that civil servants be given subsidies to encourage them to take public transport.
Referring to those who were allegedly launching online attacks, he said: "These are not ordinary folks or the public who wish to share their views but a group of cybertroopers who are active on Facebook, who monitor and slander those who they label anti-PTMP," he said.
Ong then acknowledged that he personally supports the PTMP, the state's proposed RM46 billion answer to the worsening traffic woes on the island.
"However, I represent the people who wants clarification on the project from the state excos in the Penang Assembly, I believe you can understand that the project is costly and the people need to know who will fund the project, and whether it is sustainable in the long run, " he said.
The assemblyperson further added the implementation of the PTMP would be timely if the economic situation and financial position of the country is strong and feasible.
However, the PTMP will not be funded by the federal government, he added.
Cautioning the state to be careful, Ong urged Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to reconsider the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, which involves the creation and development of three islands off the state's southern coast.
The PSR is supposedly slated to fund the PTMP, which includes the Penang undersea tunnel linking Gurney Drive to Butterworth and the 19.5km Pan-Island Link 1 highway project.
These plans have been strongly opposed by NGOs who fear that they would impact negatively on the environment and the people, especially fisherfolks who are affected by the sea reclamation exercise.
"Please KIV (keep in view) these projects as our population, development or progress has not reached the level of Singapore or Hong Kong, two international cities which have long become a financial and business hub and a trade entrepot," Ong said.
