What happened to freedom of opinion and freedom of expression...
Does it mean that if you are a DAP MP, a DAP ADUN ...and now a DAP appointed Local Councillor, then you lose your freedom of opinion and expression... [Surely not only the DAP head honchos have a right to express their opinions. Surely, it does not mean that before you make any statement or 'call' - you must first refer to the party leadership and party policies...]
Soon, will action be taken against those who support good ideas/proposals that come from other political parties...
I hope not... I hope that this is just a case of 'bad reporting' by the NST...
Disciplinary action will be taken against a DAP councillor from Shah Alam over his call to ban all lottery sales in Selangor.
Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said Ang Leng Kiat's proposal was not the party's policy. He, however, did not elaborate on the kind of action to be taken.
Early this week, Ang proposed that the Shah Alam City Council withdraw licenses already issued and to discontinue the issuance of new permits to lottery outlets. He had also stressed that his suggestion was not related to political or religious considerations, but was solely aimed at solving social problems linked to gambling.
Selangor DAP chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah had since distanced the party from the decision. Ean, the Seri Kembangan assemblyman and Selangor state executive councillor, said any such ban would not eradicate social problems.
The party had requested Ang to retract his suggestion, as banning the lottery industry would create controversy. - New Straits Times, 21/1/2009, Action against DAP councillor who called for lottery ban
I am of the opinion that anyone and every person is entitled to his own right of opinion and has the freedom of expression.
This Ang Leng Kiat should not even be asked to withdraw his suggestion...that is his position, and he has a right to hold on to it or change it. What needs to be clarified is that Ang's statement does not reflect the official DAP position - and that has already been done by Lim Guan Eng.
If it is a political party member who makes a statement that is contrary to the party position - that should be allowed. Of course, the party leadership can come out and clarify that what was expressed was a personal position - not a party position. That is all - there should not be any disciplinary proceeding or action commenced against such individual.
When Guan Eng made a statement calling for the reduction of the number of lottery draws - was that in line with party position? Was there even any policy about lottery, and/or lottery draws within the DAP? I do not recall seeing a statement of various policies on various matters in the DAP website - maybe there should be something like that in the website of DAP...and maybe even all political parties - so that we all can clearly see what are your current policies on different matters. Transparency....
Last November, Lim had asked the government to consider reducing the number of lottery draws from 10 to six. He had said that he felt this was necessary as having 10 lottery draws a week was too many and that it would deplete the income of many families, especially in view of the current economic situation.
There are now three draws from Magnum, three from Damacai and four from Sports Toto in a week. - New Straits Times, 21/1/2009, Action against DAP councillor who called for lottery ban
Worse still was the fact that this was not even an MP or an ADUN - but a City Councillor. I did not know that we had DAP appointed councillors, PKR appointed councillors, etc - I thought it was all Pakatan Rakyat appointed councillors...Maybe Ang was 'appointed' by PAS or PKR - how did the NST know? In any event, Local Councils should be operating as Local Councillors irrespective of who proposed their name ...or got them appointed.
By the way, when will the Local Council elections be..or have Pakatan Rakyat forgotten about it...
When will we be having elections for the Penghulu, the Kampung/Kampung Baru/Taman heads and committees in the Pakatan Rakyat states...
We can also have elections for our Senators ... maybe the PR States should start...
We want greater democracy - which will also mean greater accountability and transparency...
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