Referring to the story below, I remember an incident in Kota Baru way back in 1984, it was during the fasting month. This was when 7th Rangers was based in Bukit Cina. There was this Sarawakian who was an Iban, with the name Mansur ak Asun. He was trained then by the Korean Army Officers and Other Ranks in Tae Kwan Do. Which was hell of a tough course. He was in combat fatiques having lunch somewhere near Sun Too bar not far from the Temmengong Hotel. 5 enforcement officers had their faces redesigned by this individual, who interrupted his lunch. Luckily for the enforcement officers his friends with him did not join in, as they had a sense of fairplay. From then on, the enforcement officers were wary of soldiers having lunch during the fasting month. They were outstanding individuals, the soldiers, I mean.-edit.
By IAN MCINTYRE KOTA BARU: Kelantan MCA has called on the Kota Baru Municipal Council (MPKB) to not be overzealous in enforcing guidelines relating to fasting on non-Muslim food outlets during the Ramadan month. Its secretary Tan Ken Ten said that in the past week, there were two cases of a “subtle form” of intimidation against non-Muslim food outlet operators, adding that it was also reported that a non-Muslim was refrained from dining at an outlet due to a misunderstanding with MPKB. It was reported here on Friday that an MPKB enforcement officer raised his voice at the owner of a food outlet after seeing a six-year-old Muslim girl buying a meal. The officer allegedly told off the diners at the outlet, saying that even non-Muslims should not eat during the fasting period, prompting a showdown. MPKB councillor Phang Soon Yaw arrived later to calm both sides down. Tan said that the MPKB should take note that non-Muslim food outlet were allowed to operate up to 3pm daily during the fasting month. “MPKB should focus its enforcement resources to nab Muslims who do not fast instead of clamping down on non-Muslim food outlet operators whose livelihood is simply selling food,” Tan said in an interview. MPKB has deployed plainclothes personnel throughout the state to nab Muslim who do not fast during Ramadan. A coffeeshop operator who preferred not to be named said the local council should go after Muslims who do not fast and “rehabilitate” them but urged the authorities to stop using non-Muslim food outlet operators as scapegoats. State Gerakan Youth head C.W. Ong said that MPKB should review its style of enforcement because numerous complaints had surfaced here about their high-handed approach, which could lead to a backlash from ratepayers. Yep, they should worry about the backlash from voters too-edit The Star Online |
