NIBONG TEBAL – Several impoverished families who put up white flags outside their village houses at the Transkrian Estate near here found themselves in a tiff with a representative of Sg Acheh assemblyman Zulkifli Ibrahim’s office, who allegedly berated them for doing so.
Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy, who is also Prai assemblyman, said some 40 families had raised white flags at their homes to draw the attention of Zulkifli, who is the local legislative rep, and the public.
He said they resorted to such a move as they are unable to face financial difficulties arising from the lockdown.
He alleged that the representative from Zulikifli’s office instead showed up to chide the families.
“Zulkifli, who had defected from PKR to join Bersatu, was annoyed, and he sent a representative to scold the families, but he was told to leave the estate,” said Ramasamy.
Zulkifli and his representative could not be reached for comments.
In a social media post, Ramasamy said that his own team will distribute food baskets to the 40 families later today.
The estate families are among the many Malaysian facing difficulty coping with the rigours of the lockdown currently stifling economic activities, he said.
The unimaginative and over-centralised nature of the lockdown has made life difficult for working families throughout the country, he added.
“People are without jobs, there is no income, they have nowhere to turn.”
The raising of the white flag has become the last resort to draw the attention of the public to get needed assistance, he said, questioning why the campaign has become such a contentious point with some quarters in government.
“There are unthinking, uncaring and insensitive politicians in the Bersatu-led governing coalition who are trying their very best through threats and intimidation to stop the white flag initiative.”
He took a swipe at Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, accusing him of displaying hostility towards the campaign by calling it anti-government propaganda.
The white flag initiative might gain momentum, Sanusi had said, with the possibility of it dovetailing into a large-scale movement with political implications. – The Vibes, July 4, 2021
Additional reporting by Ian McIntyre
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