KUCHING, Jan 17: Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen alleges that Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) have created political propaganda at the expense of the people over the issue of the 7th Mile Bazaar traffic woes.
Chong said SUPP has made the people suffer first and then pretended to resolve the problem created by SUPP itself.
“That is very wrong,” Chong said, in response to SUPP president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian’s statement published in a newspaper today on the 7th Mile Bazaar traffic congestion.
Dr Sim had reportedly said that he would write to Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) to request the council to listen to the complaints of the people about the traffic problem at 7th Mile Bazaar after a meeting with the local business community.
Expressing surprise and puzzlement at Dr Sim’s response, Chong emphasised the traffic problem had existed for many years and the traders there had voiced their complaints to MPP chairman Lo Khere Chiang.
Chong said he had also represented the traders to bring the matter up to Lo, and the responses they received from MPP and Lo was “MPP knows best”, “These traders are selfish and only think about themselves” and “DAP is trying to politicise the matter”.
“At the end of the day, MPP insisted on its way amidst all the protests and complaints and thus the traffic problem continues to plague the 7th Mile Bazaar till this day,” Chong said.
He also said Lo had in 2013 boasted of MPP having engaged a town planningconsultancy company to re-design the traffic flow at the 7th Mile Bazaar.
“We have told him that the proposal was not feasible. He brushed aside all objections and went ahead. Yet today, the traffic flow in 7th Mile Bazaar has become even messier,” the state DAP chairman and Bandar Kuching MP said in a statement today.
Chong questioned whether SUPP deliberately created the problem, so that its potential candidate before elections would have the opportunity to pretend to try to resolve the problem.
The issue also shows the incompetency of the SUPP-led MPP and Lo should admit his mistake, Chong added.
“SUPP has its kapitan in the area. It has its councillor Wilfred Yap Yau Sin for the area. It also has a council chairman for the area in Lo, and it has its Minister for Local Government, Dr Sim.
“Yet, a simple traffic problem at the 7th Mile Bazaar area remains unresolved for years and to convey a simple message by Dr Sim to Lo, Dr Sim has to go to the press and make a big announcement about him writing a letter to Lo. Is this not politicising the matter for personal propaganda?” questioned Chong.
“To resolve the 7th Mile Bazaar traffic woes, the very first thing that Dr Sim needs to do is to first admonish MPP chairman Lo by deducting part of his salary,” he added. — DayakDaily
