DBKL Ordered To Open Padang Merbok Gates To Public
Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, in a Facebook post today, said Padang Merbok, which is steeped in history, should be fully utilised for the people's leisure activities.
'Earlier today, I went to Padang Merbok after being informed that the area had been closed off to the public. I do not agree with such an action. Therefore, I have instructed DBKL to open the gates of Padang Merbok to the public,' she said in the post.
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Focus Malaysia
7 minutes ago
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'You won a skirmish but in a bigger battle to come, all your dirty footprints in Penang will be wiped clean'
THE photograph of you berating outside a shuttered hardware store in Kepala Batas where an elderly man is cowering in fear inside will go down in infamy. You and your rat-tag group of foot soldiers were bent on bringing out the 59-year-old owner, Pang Chin Tian, to teach him a lesson on patriotism but fortunately, some good law-abiding citizens went to his defence. The human barricade formed outside the store was the only barrier that prevented you and your unruly supporters from illegally entering the business premises. We don't know what would have happened if there was no human shield to protect the life of the elderly man you derisively called apek. You and your gang probably had the intention of dragging him out, publicly mocked him and perhaps even forced him to climb up and unfurl the Jalur Gemilang correctly. Or to make him pulled his ears while squatting up and down to the jeers of the spectators. You ignored his sincere apology over the unintentional mistake he made for flying our national flag upside down. Did you achieve anything? The only victory you scored was to give the media the photo opportunity to pose yourself as the conquering hero of Kepala Batas. You must be feeling really proud to see all your photos splashed all over the papers – online as well as printed – advertising your bravery against one man shuddering in fear of his life. Do you call that bravery? No. It is bullying. Harassment. Intimidation. It is false courage fuelled by mob rule. It is the supporters behind your back that lent you the prop to stand tall. Of course, your adoring fans will want more of you and we are likely to witness – whether we like it or not – more of your silly antics. Having won a trophy on the battlefield of Kepala Batas, you will surely be eyeing for more trouble but beware: don't push the other races to the wall. Editor's Note: The long arm of the law has eventually caught up with the rightist Akmal who will on Friday (Aug 22) be charged under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code at the Bukit Mertajam magistrate's court over making statements deemed to threaten public order on his Facebook page. If you start lighting bonfires all over the country, you will face a backlash because Malaysia is our home and there is nowhere else for others to go except to fight back. But make no mistake about your mistake: by your irrational action, you have antagonised the major ethnic community in Penang who will remember the despicable incident come the 16th General Election (GE16). Your 'attack' was a mere 'border skirmish' but in the mother of all battles to come for the hearts and minds of the voters, you and your party will face a decisive battle. You can be certain that all your dirty footprints you left in Penang will be wiped clean on polling day – sending you and your tainted party packing off to oblivion. – Aug 20, 2025 Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image credit: Harian Metro
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