Stop sensationalising issue of Jalan Hospital — Tiong

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Tiong, flanked by Wong (left) and Hii, at the press conference.

SIBU: Everyone should stop sensationalising or politicising the issue of renaming Jalan Hospital to Jalan Lau King Howe.

Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King said the council would consult the higher authority to reach an amicable solution.

“We request for the patience of everyone on this,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

SMC deputy chairman Datuk Andrew Wong Kee Yew and secretary Hii Chang Kee were also present.

Tiong said only SMC had the authority to recommend the naming of roads, but the final decision lay with the state Geographical Naming Committee.

He said the issue of renaming Jalan Hospital to Jalan Lau King Howe was now hot due to it being played up by the press.

This time, he said, SUPP Sibu, led by former councillors Robert Lau Hui Yew and Chieng Buong Toon had intentionally turned it into a petition by collecting signatures from the public.

“Council would like to reiterate that although there were many discussions during council meetings and with the communities even during the tenure of Robert Lau Hui Yew and Chieng Buong Toon as councillors, council had not reached a decision as the issue involved not only the Chinese community but other communities as well.

“Jalan Hospital has never been renamed Jalan Lau King Howe. Council has referred the issue to the higher authority to resolve in the spirit of Barisan National.”

According to Tiong, during his recent visit to Sibu, the president of SUPP, Senator Datuk Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian, mentioned that he had the assurance of Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee that he would work with SUPP and, therefore SUPP, did not have to worry about not having people’s representatives in Sibu.

However, he pointed out, SUPP had now gone publicly to organise a petition to rename Jalan Hospital to Jalan Lau King Howe without consulting Dr Annuar.

He said he would not know how Dr Annuar would feel about the petition, which has turned into something that could be sensitive to the Bumiputera communities.

“The issue has become more complicated with the irresponsible action by SUPP leaders. What would happen if the Bumiputeras decide to do their own petition campaign?” asked Tiong.