Four DAP members of parliament in Kuala Lumpur have unanimously rejected Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry’s move to replace the federal territory (FT) anthem as they have called it a waste of time, undemocratic and disrespectful to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng chided the federal cabinet for bypassing the Agong and people when they decided to change the current anthem for three of the federal territories-“Maju dan Sejahtera”.
“The song was launched by the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 2006 but now the cabinet wants to change it without consulting the Agong.
“Isn’t that irreverence to our monarch?” he said at a press conference held at DAP Segambut centre.
Lim added that an anthem “is not a fashion statement” and any attempt to amend it should be put forward with a referendum.
DAP’s (from left) Fong, Tan Seng Giaw, Tan Kok Wai and Lim
Federal territories and urban well being minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abdin was reported as saying that the four-year-old song would be changed by February 2011 as decided by the Cabinet.
He also elaborated that the new composition will infuse the spirit of 1 Malaysia.
Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, who present at the press conference, questioned the legitimacy of an “unelected Federal Territories Ministry” to make the decision for the rakyat.
“Did they consult the 13 MPs in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan? We, as the elected representatives, were neither informed nor involved,”
Tan
KL folks want city improvements, not new song
He said the KL folks are not looking for a change of anthem, instead they demanded improvements in terms of governance, greening, public transport and cleanliness.
“For instance Plaza Rakyat, a joint-venture of KL City Council (DBKL) and private sector, now has become an eyesore of the city. What is the resolution to that?”
“What about the promise to sell 45,000 units of council flats to its occupants? A lot of occupants are denied bank loans,”
Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun said that the outflow of KL residents to other suburbs proved that the authority had failed to make Kuala Lumpur a more liveable city.
He urged the authority to focus on more practical work, while bemoaned the federal territories move to replace the anthem with a tune of BN’s 1 Malaysia slogan.
Tan: government can come and go
Kepong MP Tan Seng Giaw agreed that the anthem should not fit to the government of the day.
“The government can come and go, but the anthem should stay,”
He said he will test Raja Nong Chik’s command of the new song if the latter will ever table a new song.
The “Maju dan Sejahtera” anthem was composed by Wah Idris and written by Sheikh Faisal Mansor in hopes to project an aspiration of the people. It is sung at government agencies and schools of FT of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan since 2006.
CJMY
Shufiyan Shukur
Admin
