KUCHING, Aug 20 ― Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) Youth today called on Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) to take legal action against some members of Kuching DAP Socialist Youths (Dapsy) for adding Chinese characters to some of the road signages here.
Its deputy head Fazzruddin Abdul Rahman said this is to prevent any untoward accidents from happening among the people and which can affect racial harmony in the state.
He expressed regret over the disrespect act of the Dapsy members for adding Chinese characters, saying that is a case of vandalism on the road signages.
“Putting the Chinese characters on the road signages without the consent of the local authority is tantamount to contravening the Federal Constitution and the National Language Act 1953/1957 which requires that the national language must be used in all official correspondences including on road signages,” he said.
Fazzrudin, who is also Tupong State Assemblyman, accused Dapsy of exploiting the Chinese language that can arouse racial tension and can be considered as seditious.
He said under the Sedition Act 1948, anyone can be considered as instigating by raising issues that can create tensions, conflicts and disrupt the security of the country.
“PBB Youth believes that the people of Sarawak of various religious and racial backgrounds love their languages and cultures, but at the same time, all of us must respect the constitution and the national language,” he said.
Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Women head Kho Teck Wan said it is improper for the Kuching Dapsy for adding the Chinese characters to the road signages without the consent of the local authority.
“If they want to put the Chinese characters to the road signages, then they should put the proposal to the local authority,” Kho, who is also a councillor of Kuching South City Council, said.
“This is what we have been doing by giving proposals to both Kuching North City Hall and Kuching South City Council,” she said.
One the Facebook page of Sarawak DAP, the Kuching Dapsy said it put up the Chinese characters for the road signages of Jalan Main Bazaar, Wayang Street, and Jalan Greenhill which they claimed had been “omitted” by DBKU.
