Friday February 25, 2011

Councillor denies traders’ claims

COUNCILLOR Tiew Way Keng, facing mounting pressure from the public for having a hand in a move to dislodge a disabled trader from a prominent spot at the Taman Megah market came out in the open to defend herself.

“Earlier she agreed to move but now she has changed her mind,” Tiew said, adding the traders and consumers had requested that she be moved to the centre.

Asked why in the first place she was given the spot at the disabled row, Tiew said it was done before her time.

She told StarMetro in a telephone interview after a press conference to clarify her position that the ramp for the disabled was not built solely for Seak Nee but for wheelchair-bound consumers.

Long-time Taman Megah resident G. Thong said as far as he knew there was no representation made by the residents or consumers in that area.

“I have been living here and I doubt any decent minded consumer or resident would have the heart to make life difficult for the handicap,” he said.

Besides, the kiosks were specially constructed for the disabled and why can’t they be there. Is it because other big time traders are holding the councillor to ransom by threatening to withhold their support for her,” he asked.

In a related development, the affected five traders and two non-governmental organisations made police reports at the SS2 police station against Tiew for abuse of power.

The president of Independent Living & Training Centre, Francis Siva, called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Select Committee on Competence, Accountability and Transparency to investigate Tiew and Member of Parliament Tony Pua for their alleged hand in the victimising the disabled traders.