My rights being oppressed, asserts Jessie Ooi

Selangor MCA Beliawanis chief Jessie Ooi today lambasted the Penang Island City Council (MPPP) for threatening her with legal action over her erroneous question during the Chua-Lim debate on Feb 18.

In a statement today, Ooi said it was inappropriate for MPPP to use legal means to silence critics who question their policies.

"During the conference, I was just a participant. I have the right to ask questions on issues which I don't understand. (DAP secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng (right) has the right to answer me, or not.

"But after the event, any questions or disputes with the issues raised during the conference should be raised with the event organisers," she said.

She said MPPP should not be using legal action to threaten the public who have a right to know and that DAP should have rebutted her during the debate, not after.

"In the future, will everyone who questions Penang government policy face legal threats?" she asked.

‘Oppressive culture'

Ooi described MPPP's legal threat as a form of "oppressive culture" which she, as an ordinary citizen, had to contend with.

"Does Lim and DAP accept or encourage this kind of culture?" she asked.

Ooi became the most recognised audience from the debate for her screeching loud questions to Lim on increase in assessment rates and indiscriminate car-towing.

"I am ‘half' a Penangite. You always talk about lightening the people's burden. But assessment rates are up. All prices are going up.

"Moreover, at 10.30pm at night, I saw this twice with my own eyes, 10.30pm the roads are devoid of cars, but you still ask enforcement officers to tow cars.

"It concluded with a fight where there were severe injuries. How do you explain this security issue? Is this called lightening the people's burden?" she then said.

From Lebuh Pantai to Jalan Burma

Ooi issued a statement on Tuesday to clarify her remarks, claiming that time constraint and the heat of the moment had made her put her question across wrongly.

She claimed that she was referring to Selangor's failure to lower assessment rates as promised in its election manifesto and to a fight over a car-towing incident on Lebuh Pantai in Penang.

Today, Ooi said that she was in fact referring to an incident on Oct 25 last year along Jalan Burma, a road which connects to Lebuh Pantai.

"(During the debate) I never accused enforcement officers of attacking people. What I raised is a lack of parking along Lebuh Pantai," she said.

She said because there are no parking spaces along Lebuh Pantai, which hosts a number of banks, people are being forced to park illegally and risk being penalised.

Ooi expresses ‘regret'

Yesterday, MPPP had clarified that there are 1,000 car park lots along Lebuh Pantai and also produced an enforcement officer who was attacked during the Oct 25 incident.

MPPP (left) is demanding for an apology from Ooi. It will be holding a full board meeting tomorrow, and is expected to discuss about possible action against Ooi.

Ooi also expressed "regret" for causing "misunderstanding and confusion" because of her muddled question.

"I admit that during the debate, the time for questions was limited and it was a very heated affair. It caused me to be too emotional, to the point I could not ask the question properly and used the wrong words.

"This had caused misunderstanding and confusion. To this, I express my regret. MPPP has rights but also responsibility. Correct or rebut me, but don't rely on suits," she said.