'Cancelling hall for PN banquet not political decision'

The Temerloh Municipal Council’s decision to cancel the reservation at Dewan Tun Razak, Temerloh, Pahang, for a banquet organised by Perikatan Nasional (PN) was not politically motivated.

The denial was made via a statement posted on Facebook by Pahang Umno, which is under the management of the Pahang state executive councillor for communications and multimedia Fadzli Mohamad Kamal.

According to a statement on the ‘Pahangku Media’ Facebook page, the cancellation was made after a check found that the original booking was made in the name of an individual and not by PN.

“The cancellation of the use of Dewan Tun Razak Temerloh was used as a reason to blame and ridicule the Pahang government.

“But there is no one talking about how the original application was made using an individual’s name for holding a banquet.

“After checking, the (reservation) was meant to hold the Temerloh PN’s gratitude banquet,” the statement read.

In the same statement, Pahang Umno also questioned why the individual responsible for making the reservation hid the information about the real purpose for reserving the hall.

“Why not be honest by submitting an application to use the hall from Temerloh PN for them to hold a banquet?

“Is it also urgent for the community in Temerloh to have a banquet when all parties should be focusing on the flood disasters that are still occurring?” they asked.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man yesterday expressed his disappointment with the Pahang government’s actions through the local council, which cancelled the reservation made by PN to hold a banquet.

Tuan Ibrahim, who is also the Cheka assemblyperson, claimed they obtained approval and paid the rent before they were informed their reservation was cancelled.

“This old behaviour of theirs has not changed since long ago and it only adds to the anger of the people.

“A public hall should be able to be used for good. Unfortunately, it can only be used by the ruling party.

“Even though the last general election saw PN successfully win the parliamentary seats of Temerloh and the state seats of Semantan and Lanchang,” Tuan Ibrahim said in a Facebook post.

Earlier, Temerloh MP Salamiah Mohd Nor also expressed regret over what he said was the Pahang state government’s order to cancel the hall’s reservation.

He claimed the cancellation was a direct verbal order from the state government to the Temerloh Municipal Council without any official written directive.

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