IPOH: The memorial plaque at the base of Perak Pakatan Rakyat’s self-styled Democracy Tree has been removed by the city council.Ipoh mayor Roshidi Hashim confirmed that the council had removed the black marble slab early Sunday morning as it was an obstruction in a public area under Section 46(1)(a) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974.
”As far as we are concerned, the structure was illegally erected on a road reserve. We have given them plenty of time to remove the plaque,” he said.
He added the council later lodged a police report on the issue.
Asked why the notice was pinned on the tree and not served to any Pakatan representative, Roshidi said the council did not know who owned the plaque.
Also removed were five signposts marking Pakatans five saplings, named Transparency, Justice, Integrity, Trustworthiness and Welfare, which were planted nearby.
The saplings, like the Democracy Tree, were untouched.
The plaque commemorated Pakatan’s historic emergency state assembly on March 3 under the tree after its 28 assemblymen failed to gain entrance into the state secretariat.
Residents and tourists, flocked to the tree on Sunday to pose for photographs next to a gaping hole where a bulldozer had removed the plaque.
State DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming had told reporters that Pakatan would ignore the council’s notice as it had been served on the tree not to the coalition.
hamirdin says: It would be a great idea if the notice is ignored, then The Tree be served summons so that it has the chance to personally pay the fines, if any, or be brought to court, should it decides to ignore paying the fines.
[The Staronline; Sunday March 15, 2009 MYT 3:45:00 PM; Signboard for Pakatan's Democracry Tree removed]
