By The New Straits Times
May 31, 2008
KUALA LUMPUR: The fracas on Tuesday between residents of Bandar Mahkota Cheras and a group of men, believed to be thugs, was the main focus of bloggers this week.
“The deputy speaker rejected Serdang’s motion to debate police inaction over the Bandar Mahkota Cheras-Grand Saga toll controversy, which resulted in individuals being hurt by thugs in full police presence and another being beaten up by some 20 police officers.
“Despite this issue hitting the headlines over the past three days or so, the deputy speaker ruled that the motion was not urgent,” wrote Pua.
Bernard Khoo of zorro-zorro-unmasked.blogspot.com took exception to Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung saying the police did not intervene in the scuffle initially because they were waiting for back-up.
Former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek posted on his blog (drchua9.blogspot.com) that bloodshed could have been avoided if the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government had been more alert.
“Finally, the state government realised that it had a stake in the whole project (22 per cent share in Grand Saga, the highway concessionaire), flexed its muscle to get the government agency to solve the problem.
“After two weeks of fear, frustration and violence, finally it’s putting its act together.
“To oppose is easy, but to govern and solve problems are entirely different matters.”
Another hot potato in cyberspace was created this week by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He reportedly said: “The government will take on bloggers in cyberspace and respond to wild and baseless allegations raised in blogs.”
Many thought Najib’s comment showed his lack of knowledge of the subject. Among them was social activist Marina Mahathir.
“I don’t know if I understand ‘engage’ in the same way as our DPM. To me, to engage means to get involved in a dialogue from which, hopefully, some understanding of both sides of the issue will result,” she posted on rantingsbymm.blogspot.com.
“It is not about ‘them’ understanding ‘our’ perspective with no reciprocity. It still comes from a ‘we know better’ approach.
“Besides, DPM seems to be suggesting that their engagement basically involves responding to ‘wild and baseless allegations’. Why not respond to sound suggestions and ideas as well?”