DAP APPROVAL CANCELATION UNINTENTIONAL:MAYOR
KOTA KINABALU:
The cancellation of the Democratic Action Party’s Chinese New Year celebration was unintentional. Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim when commenting on this yesterday said the cancellation was on technical grounds, stressing that ”it has nothing to do with them being in the Opposition”. “I have spoken and SMSed (DAP Sabah Chief) Dr Hiew King Cheu to apologise for what had happened. It is on technical grounds,” he said.
Sabah DAP had applied to City Hall to hold a CNY celebration at the Damai Hall in Likas on Jan 28. The application was approved but somehow cancelled at the last minute which drew rage among the Opposition party members.
In apologising for the confusion, Iliyas stressed that however, DAP should be realistic and practical. “Our friends in SAPP (Sabah Progressive Party) is out of Barisan Nasional.
Before, they used to do their functions at Government properties but now since they left the Coalition, they know where they stand. “So, I hope, those people know where they stand and do not simply bash us. They should know where they stand,” he said when asked to comment on DAP’s statement that they too have equal rights to use public facilities.
DAP Sabah Deputy Chief, Jimmy Wong, had on Monday disclosed that they were suing City Hall over the alleged breach of contract and removal of the Party’s CNY greeting billboards in Foh Sang and Lintas. “We want to take legal action as to restore the status quo of equal opportunities and reputation,” he said.
When asked to comment, Iliyas said he was sad over the fact that DAP wants to sue City Hall for the matter. “We in City Hall still have many things to do, but this is a free country, if they want to sue us, what to do. “All we hope is for them (DAP) to be more realistic and sympathetic to us, do not sue every time you get angry, we can go bankrupt like this.
I apologise, Actually, I did not hurt anyone personally, this was unintentional but due to a technicality of the matter,” he said. Iliyas however said the City Hall is empowered to cancel any function.
