Syed Shahrir menasihati setiap anggota Parlimen cermat dalam menggunakan bahasa agar tidak mendatangkan salah faham. Gambar The Malaysian Insider oleh Afif Abd Halim, 28 November, 2013.Senator Syed Shahrir Syed Mohamud dari Pulau Pinang menggesa ahli Parlimen Jelutong, Jeff Ooi memohon maaf berhubung kenyataan menggelar kakitangan Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) “kucing kurap” agar isu itu dapat ditamatkan.
Menurut ahli Dewan Negara penggal pertama daripada PKR itu, kenyataan sedemikian tidak seharusnya diulangi lagi pada masa hadapan tidak kira apa justifikasi Ooi kerana ia tidak mencerminkan kelakuan seorang wakil yang dipilih rakyat.
“Sebaik-baiknya, Jeff Ooi memohon maaf,” kata Syed Shahrir kepada The Malaysian Insider.
“Pada hemat saya, setiap anggota Parlimen atau anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri hendaklah berhati-hati atau cermat dalam menggunakan bahasa yang boleh mendatangkan salah faham.”
Menurut bekas Presiden Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC) itu, kenyataan yang dikeluarkan Ooi boleh menyebabkan orang ramai hilang hormat kepada anggota Parlimen atau Adun.
“Sekalipun timbul rasa tidak puas hati, mestilah dipanggil berbincang untuk menyelesaikan sesuatu perkara dengan baik dan diselesaikan dengan baik.
“Jadi oleh kerana sudah terlanjur, mestilah dengan cara beradab beliau memohon maaf,” katanya.
Hari ini Ooi mengatakan beliau tidak akan memohon maaf walaupun Pengerusi DAP Pulau Pinang Chow Kon Yeow turut menggesanya berbuat demikian.
Kesatuan Kebangsaan Pekerja-Pekerja Penguasa Tempatan (Anualae) mahu Ooi memohon maaf jika beliau tidak mahu lawatan atau mesyuarat bersamanya diboikot.
Sidang media diketuai Pengerusi Anualae, Saleem Sulaiman turut disertai Kesatuan Perkhidmatan Perbandaran, Kesatuan Buruh Majlis dan Kesatuan Pegawai-pegawai Kanan.
Saleem berkata, mereka kesal dengan sikap Ooi yang tidak memikirkan hati dan perasaan kakitangan MPPP yang selama ini komited menjalankan tugas. – 28 November, 2013.
sumber:::http://www.themalaysianinsider.com
I will not aplogise for “kucing kurap” remark, says a defiant Jeff Ooi
A defiant Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi (pic), who has lately become a controversial figure in Penang for his "kucing kurap" remark, is not losing sleep over the issue even as various quarters have criticised him, including his own state party chairman Chow Kon Yeow.
The two-term DAP parliamentarian, who had said before that he will not retract or apologise for the remark, is now more determined to "unearth more weaknesses of the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP)."
He said he is on a mission to look into various decisions made by the MPPP that had allegedly "shortchanged" the state government.
"After I have submitted my reports to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, the state executive council and the state secretariat, I will share my findings with the media," he told The Malaysian Insider today.
Ooi was asked to comment on various quarters demanding for his apology, including the Amalgamated National Union of Local Authority Employees (Anulae).
Anulae chairman Saleem Sulaiman, who slammed Ooi yesterday, labeled the blogger turned politician "anjing kurap" (mangy dog) and “pandi kuti” (piglet in Tamil) of Jelutong.
Ooi said the whole issue had been taken over by events with some stooping low to use terms like "pandi kuti" which carried a racial tone.
"When I made the remark ('kucing kurap' meaning small fry) I aimed it at the machinery, the MPPP. It was not directed at any individual.
"All that has happened indicates that little Napoleons are alive and kicking even after the government has changed," he said.
Ooi said it was a matter that needed to be managed strategically to improve the situation.
"The council president to the lower ranking officials have endured the Barisan Nasional culture for too long. That has to change with the council performing better with more competency and transparency.
"The MPPP is the third level of government and it does not have to go back to the masses for renewal," he said.
Ooi reminded civil servants, who plan to participate in a protest against him should he refuses to apologise for his remark, not to do so during office hours.
"They are free to do it, but not at the expense of ratepayers. Disciplinary action may be taken against them," he warned.
On how he was faring with criticism coming his way lately, Ooi said he was not losing any sleep, but his lawyers were going over television and news reports for any statements that are defamatory.
On his own party distancing itself from him following this controversy, he said he is not taking it personally.
"It does not matter. I separate matters of governance from party affairs.
"There is no hard feelings. I am also performing my duties," he added.
Ooi reportedly made the infamous "kucing kurap" remark when he and several MPPP officers met on Novermber 16 over the illegal hawker issue at the Jelutong market.
He admitted that he had uttered the remark when he got unhappy that the officers failed to supply him with the data he wanted to solve the long-standing illegal hawker problem.
Last Sunday when he met with reporters at the market, he said he did not feel that the remark, a term he grew up with, was demeaning as he only meant it as "small fry".
Since then, Ooi had criticism from both Pakatan Rakyat and BN state leaders. Both state PKR and Umno chairmen Datuk Dr Mansor Othman and Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman have told him to apologise. Penang Malay Congress chairman Rahmad Isahak also demanded that Ooi apologise earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Ooi was criticised this morning by Chow, who is local government executive councillor, over his earlier complaint that the MPPP's one-stop centre (OSC) had been tardy in completing building plan application approvals for various projects within the 108 days stipulated in the OSC Charter.
Chow said Ooi should not only look at statistics that often did not tell the whole story, explaining that the delays were because the authorities had to consult the public, the relevant assemblymen and discuss in depth before deciding whether to approve, reject or tell the developer to first fulfil certain conditions or requirements.
He said some cases needed to be referred to the state planning committee as they are special projects.
"We thank Ooi for his concerns but the issue should been seen in the right perspective.
"Why blame the council? We must use statistics with care and if there are questions, the MPPP like its president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail, secretary and department heads can give answers. Do not take the numbers as the whole truth and criticise," he told the media at the full council meeting.
Chow admitted that the absence of the local plan to dictate what kind of developments are allowed in certain areas contributed to the delays.
"We are not pushing our responsibility, but that is the reality," he said, adding that hopefully the explanation was enough to settle the matter.
He added that the council's performance in processing the applications have improved since last year when 76.88% of applications were completed within the 108-day timeframe.
"By the end of this year, we should be able to hit 80% and achieve better results this year onwards," he added. - December 28, 2013
source:::http://www.themalaysianinsider.com
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