Jackson Tan misses the vibe of his hometown, Melaka.
The restaurateur, who owns and runs Baba Ho Liao in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, goes back to Melaka frequently to get goods and raw ingredients for the Peranakan cuisine served at his eatery.
The Covid-19 pandemic had hit the historical city quite badly.
“Many shops and outlets have been closed. You can see the ‘For Rent’ or ‘For Sale’ banners hanging. We don’t see anything moving in Melaka. Businesses have pretty much slowed down, although there has been an influx of local tourists over the past two weekends,” said Tan, 62.
“There is a need for things to go back to what it was. And this must be done quickly.”
Tan added the political instability in the state made matters worse.
This is the second time the Melaka government had collapsed since the 14th General Election in 2018.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) won 15 of the 28 seats in the state, giving it a narrow, two-seat majority in the general election. The state government fell in March last year after two PH representatives – DAP’s Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee, and Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis from PKR – announced they would support Perikatan Nasional.
Last month, Norhizam, Umno representatives Datuk Seri Idris Haron and Nor Azman Hassan, and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s Datuk Noor Effandi Ahmad, withdrew their support, resulting in the dissolution of the Melaka state assembly.
“The state government has been robbed again. There has been plenty of talk, discouraging people from voting. Some say it’s pointless, as regardless of who comes to power, the end result will still be the same.
“Then you see a (party) hopping galore… people will say, what is the point of voting, when the frogs will jump, eventually. And then there are those who are scared that they will get Covid-19.
“As for me, it’s only a two-hour trip, and I do go back often anyway, so why not for the state election, if the Election Commission has put the SOPs in place.”
“It’s unnecessary really, but I still want to go back to Melaka to cast my vote. I’m exercising my democratic right,” added Tan, who was born and bred in Bukit Serindit, which is under the Kesidang constituency.
“I urge voters to go home and vote.”
Tan said he has never seen Melaka looking “so dead”.
“It’s like a sleepy hollow. We need to bring the tourists back. There are the Singaporeans, those who come to the state for medical tourism, and the international tourists, especially the big spenders from China.
“It’s very sad to see Melaka in its current state. Once a vibrant place, it’s just so gloomy. Some of the main tourist spots, including Jonker Street, are just so empty.”
He said relying on local tourists alone was insufficient for Melaka’s economy to bounce back.
“The country’s history is said to have started from (the Sultanate of) Melaka, and it is hoped that the elected government will find ways to help Melaka regain its glory,” he added.
Here are Twentytwo13’s news highlights today.
EX-MELAKA CM FAILS TO OBTAIN LEAVE TO STOP STATE ELECTION
Former Melaka chief minister Adly Zahari failed in his bid to obtain leave from the Kuala Lumpur High Court to stop the Melaka election.
In his application for leave to initiate a judicial review, the former Bukit Katil assemblyman also sought a declaration that the dissolution of the 14th Melaka State Assembly on Oct 4, was null and void.
In dismissing Adly’s leave application, Judge Datuk Noorin Badaruddin ruled that the decision by Melaka Yang DiPertua Negeri Tun Ali Rustam, to dissolve the state assembly, is non-justiciable.
Melaka PH, in a statement, accepted the decision and thanked lawyers for their efforts to challenge the dissolution of the state assembly.
“As such, the last resort for the people of Melaka is through the state election. I appeal to all Melaka people to go to the polls to ensure democracy, and their rights are upheld in determining the state’s leadership,” said Adly, who is also Melaka PH chairman.
DEFENCE MINISTRY TO BUY UAVS TO STRENGTHEN BORDER SURVEILLANCE
The Defence Ministry plans to purchase 84 mini unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 33 multi-purpose drones at an estimated cost of RM2.72 million.
Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz said the UAVs and drones would help further strengthen the monitoring and surveillance of the nation’s borders.
In addition to the two platforms, the ministry also planned to buy other operational equipment, including four night vision binoculars for the Royal Malaysian Navy, 18 outdoor action cameras and 63 ground tactical cameras for the Air Force, and 30 walkie-talkies for the Army.
MALAYSIA, INDONESIA TAKE ‘SOFT APPROACH’ OVER PRICKLY MYANMAR ISSUE
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Indonesian President Joko Widodo both agree that the issue in Myanmar must be handled delicately.
During his meeting with Joko at Istana Bogor in Jakarta as part of his three-day official visit to the republic, Ismail Sabri said Malaysia fully supported the Five-Point Consensus, which was agreed upon during the Asean Leaders’ Meeting, and hoped they would be implemented quickly.
Ismail Sabri added that Malaysia was directly affected by the huge number of Rohingyas who fled Myanmar, adding that Malaysia would continue to support repatriation efforts for them to return to the Rakhine state.
NAGAENTHRAN’S DEATH SENTENCE IN SINGAPORE SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON MALAYSIA’S OWN DEATH PENALTY
A former law minister said Malaysia must relook at its death penalty as the country has no moral grounds to request clemency for its citizens facing execution abroad.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, who is Padang Rengas MP, had in the Dewan Rakyat said: “We do not have the moral grounds to appeal to neighbouring countries, or any country, for clemency, if a Malaysian is convicted of a drug offence. If it happened in our own country, we hang (those convicted).”
“The issue here is the foreigners. Their countries will surely file an appeal for their citizens who are on death row. If they make a representation to our government, what decision will we take in such a situation?
“We need to sort this out. We know that taking a person’s life is not right; it’s not right to take a precious, human life.”
Malaysian D. Nagaenthran was due to be hanged in Singapore this morning, but the convicted drug smuggler was granted a stay of execution by a Singapore court until further notice, after he tested positive for Covid-19.
The 33-year-old, with an IQ of 69, was arrested in April 2009, for trafficking in 42.72g of heroin.
