cheahsoonhai

Chinese New Year celebration activities are bound by lots of restrictions

Cheah Soon Hai condemns state government for its Islamization policy 

Press statement by

Kedah Gerakan Chairman

Dr. Cheah Soon Hai

 
 

13 January 2013

 
 

Kedah Gerakan State Liaison Committee Chairman Dr. Cheah Soon Hai today severely condemned the Kedah state government for laying down all sorts of restrictions on this year's Chinese New Year celebration activities, forcefully imposing the restrictive policy on the lifestyle of non-Muslims.

 
 

Dr. Cheah said, according to the regulations that the Kedah state government has passed regarding the Chinese New Year celebration activities, we can see that the non-Muslim state Excos and ADUNs of DAP and PKR simply cannot argue on behalf of the rights and interests of the non-Muslims, but instead they let the PAS-led state government to do whatever they intend on the policy in Kedah.

 
 

Cheah who is also ADUN for Derga in Kedah said that as we all know, Chinese New Year all the while has been the major festival for the Chinese community, Chinese-based political parties, social organisations, temple committees and many more NGOs will each organising all sorts of celebration activities, while this situation has never been a problem while Kedah was under the Barisan Nasional's governance, but now the Pakatan Rakyat state government goes as far as to lay down all sorts of regulations on Chinese New Year celebration activities in accordance with the conservative policy, prohibiting female singer and artist to stage performances, only religion songs and cultural singing are allowed to be performed and large-scale celebration is banned.

 
 

Dr. Cheah said, it is regrettable that the outdoor entertainment guideline has eroded the rights and interests of the non-Muslims .The state government is insensitive and disrespect to the Chinese community.

 

Dr.Cheah pointed out what is most alarming is the regulation for the female artists
,which discriminate and bias towards the feminine gender
.Furthermore singing and dancing can be their careers and the families depend on its livelihood
and the new guidelines will definitely put on them in financial tight spot.

 

Dr.Cheah further added if the PAS-led Pakatan Rakyat government is adamant on imposing on the new outdoor entertainment guideline
,it will have the far reaching effects on other celebrations such as Chap Goh Meh,Ghost Festival ,Lantern Festival,Deepavalli etc.

 

Pakatan Rakyat usual tactic to find civil servant or previous government to blame does not apply here as the directive comes from the present Exco member.

 

Dr. Cheah urged the Kedahans to see clearly the true stripes of the Pakatan Rakyat state government, from demolishing the only pig slaughterhouse in the state by force, to ban on entertainment outlets during Ramadan, the amendment of Section 22A of the Mufti & Fatwa Enactment and now
meddling in the Chinese New Year celebration activities; it is now obvious that the Kedah state government is slowly Islamizing Kedah, therefore the voters should reject the tri-party Pakatan Rakyat that is upholding the Islamization policy as their governing agenda through the ballots in their hands in the coming general election.