IPOH, June 21 — The Perak state government should rebuild the Pasir Pinji market rather than have a referendum to let the people decide on what to do next, an MCA politician here said.

Perak MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau's Low Guo Nan said rebuilding the dilapidated 60-year-old market was a good thing and having a referendum to let the people decide was a waste of funds.

“According to media reports, Ipoh City Council is backing the referendum. My question is who is paying for the exercise, from the ballot papers to the council personnel manning the referendum,” he said.

Speaking to reporters at the Perak MCA building here today, Low said he was told Pasir Pinji assemblyman Howard Lee met the traders and people of Pasir Pinji five times since March to get a consensus on rebuilding the market.

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“But some were against the project. Is the state government using the referendum to silence the minority voices who are against the proposal?” he asked.

He also questioned the legal standing of the referendum’s outcome.

“Must the government accept the referendum’s outcome?” he further asked.

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Pasir Pinji resident Chuah Ah Yok, 65, is one of those who thinks the referendum will be a waste of resources and time.

“I fully support rebuilding the market whether there is a referendum or not,” she said.

She said what the authorities need to do is to clamp down on illegal hawkers trading in the market and should not bother with the referendum.

Sharing Chuah’s views, hawker Lai Wai Keong said the market needs to be rebuilt.

“We do not need a referendum to decide. We can see the market is in a bad shape with its leaking roof and clogged drains,” said Lai, who is one of the vendors at the Pasir Pinji market.

When contacted, Lee said the referendum was part of the local council’s agenda so it was not a problem to have it.

“We want the people’s views on rebuilding the market,” he said, defending the referendum.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu had said on Thursday that it was not the Perak state government’s standard operating procedure to have referendums when deciding whether to rebuild markets, adding he was not informed of the matter.

Sinar Harian had reported on June 17 that the referendum would be held this weekend on June 22 and 23.

The referendum will be held from 9am to 5pm at the market and will be conducted by Ipoh City Council.