GEORGE TOWN: Penang MCA has expressed disappointment over the decision by the state government to cancel a concert in Kepala Batas on Sept 20. Its chairman, Datuk Tan Teik Cheng, who is also MCA vice president, believes that the state government is capitalizing on the recent green wave that has swept through the northern states after the state elections.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow recently announced that the organizers of the concert, “Viral Lagu-Lagu TikTok Malaysia Indonesia 2023,” have agreed to relocate the venue from Dewan Millennium in Kepala Batas to Batu Kawan Stadium in Nibong Tebal. However, Tan believes that allowing the concert to proceed at a different location with additional conditions shows that the state government is becoming more rigid and neglecting the country’s multicultural composition.
In a statement on Aug 25 (Friday), Tan expressed his disappointment in the state government’s shift towards conservatism. He cited the recent cancellation of the concert and the new rule requiring male guests to wear a songkok during the Penang exco swearing-in ceremony as evidence. He believes that this conservative approach is unexpected and disappointing, especially as it seems to be a response to competition from PAS along racial and religious lines.
Tan further criticized the state government for caving in to conservatism with the decision to require songkok wearing during the swearing-in ceremony. He believes that such policies are leading to a growing anxiety among the public that Penang is becoming more narrow-minded. Tan pointed out that during the state election, almost all of the 29 state seats were won with the support of Penang’s diverse ethnic communities.
The new rule requiring songkok wearing at the swearing-in ceremony on Aug 16 left many male attendees frustrated. This requirement was unexpected, as there were no such rules in previous state ceremonies. Tan emphasized that the state administration’s shift towards conservatism after the election is concerning, as it seems to be in pursuit of the green wave.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
