Mischief-making or sheer bumbling, renaming roads fiasco is the DEAD-END for Ku Nan

Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor’s plan to further alienate the rakyat from their beloved sultans has backfired. Two weeks ago, his deputy, M Loga Bala, claimed that the Conference of Rulers had requested that some roads in Kuala Lumpur be renamed after the monarchs. As expected, all hell broke loose.

The rakyat were angry that they had not been consulted. Presumably, an equally furious Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, denied that the renaming of roads had been discussed at the meeting of the Conference of Rulers.

Kerplonk! Ku Nan had egg on his face. This is not the first time Ku Nan has been guilty of a serious error of judgment. In Malaysian politics, Umno Baru style, even roads can be politicised. Ku Nan’s political manoeuvring has backfired. He has run out of road. It is time for him to be removed from office. He made his deputy look like a liar, he insulted the royal institution, he betrayed the rakyat.

Last year, this irresponsible minister tried to justify the higher property assessment fees in Kuala Lumpur with his sexist remarks. He said, “If you enhance your property, it is the same as women. If you don't wear make-up, the price is cheaper, right? If you wear make-up, it is pricier. Isn’t it the same?”

Ku Nan has made many other fatuous remarks and faux pas. Seputeh MP Teresa Kok had demanded that Ku Nan revise his ministry’s plans for the renaming of the roads, whilst Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng requested Ku Nan to apologise for besmirching the names of the rulers. Both these opposition MPs should urge his resignation.

This renaming exercise has exposed Umno Baru’s political machinations. Loga Bala said, “The Rulers’ Council said that there are not enough roads in Kuala Lumpur that is named after monarchs, so they wanted these changes.” (sic)

We now know that the sultans had not requested this name-change.

Initially, Loga Bala said that the changes would not cost the ministry or city hall anything. He is right! The taxpayers will foot the bill. All of Umno Baru’s blunders are borne by the rakyat.

Ku Nan had to do some rapid damage control and furiously back-pedalled when it was obvious the government had hijacked the sultan’s names, without their approval.

Did Ku Nan think that the rakyat would not be prepared to voice their contempt? Sedition laws will not stop the ordinary people from expressing their anger at having to change their name cards, the business listings in the directory, road maps, business and personal letterheads, and signboards.

These costs are unnecessary, and not appreciated, at a time when people and businesses have to keep expenses down, to offset the effect of other government blunders.

Chorus of discontent

When the chorus of discontent grew louder, Ku Nan tried to justify the name change by pleading that the Agongs were part of Malaysia’s history and should always be remembered by the people.

Too late! The damage by Ku Nan has been done, and is irreversible. The rakyat will remember the rulers for the wrong reasons. Ku Nan’s folly resulted in the rakyat believing that the rulers were vain and wanted to be remembered at the expense and inconvenience of the rakyat.

At the same time, the rulers should be wary of a government which uses the royal charter, with impunity.

The renaming exercise was sprung onto the rakyat, days before the road names were changed. The suddenness had created suspicion, especially as there had been no public consultation. Worse followed when observant motorists noticed an error in the signboard in which the new road name said ‘Jalan Tunku Abdul Halim’ instead of ‘Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim’. Recently, The Malay Mail Online reported on the wrongly spelt road name.

The mayor, Ahmad Phesal Talib, said that each signboard had cost RM700. Didn’t Loga Bala say it would cost nothing? The rakyat would like to know how much this error would cost to put right?

When critics slammed the council for their slovenly manner in choosing the appropriate roads, Ahmad Phesal Talib, pumped up with arrogance said, “We know what we are doing. Previous name changes did not require the public’s consent...”

Ahmad Phesal is as conceited as Ku Nan. Both think that the rakyat need not be involved in this major exercise. The changes affect the rakyat more than the rulers or these two men.

If these two men remained in position, it will signify either that Najib Abdul Razak is too weak to remove them, or that Najib and Umno Baru do not care two figs for the rakyat, or the sultans. Poor Najib is, once again, on the horns of a dilemma created by his arrogant underlings.

Ku Nan used the name of the sultans to drive a wedge between the rakyat and the rulers. It is he, who is guilty of sedition. Ku Nan should resign or be sacked. It is obvious that when it suits Umno Baru ministers, the sultans are a convenient pawn to further Umno Baru’s own agenda. The Umno Baru marriage of convenience with the royalty, is a sham. -M'kini