YOURSAY | ‘However, they should be practical and logical to follow.’

DBKL crackdown causes Chinese restaurants' costs to rise – group

KK Voter: Rules are rules. They have been around for ages, so these businesses should comply.

However, the issue lies with Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) Facebook postings about the initial crackdown, which is racial, insinuating “us against them,” “teach ‘them’ a lesson,” etc. This is not acceptable.

That said, there should also be more clarity and consistency.

For example, what about businesses where the brand is the signage and ordinary English words, such as 7-Eleven, McDonald’s, and KFC?

Shouldn’t they also display the names of the current companies that own the particular outlets in Malay and minimise the brand presence on the signage, especially since businesses with Chinese characters as their brand are being targeted?

What about FashionValet or TudungPeople?

If you are serious about cracking down, then literally every business in KLCC and the other top-tier malls in the Klang Valley under DBKL’s jurisdiction is non-compliant.

Furthermore, more Malays and tourists visit these places, so why is there no crackdown?

If you don’t want the public to assume the crackdown is racially targeted, then don’t make it appear that way and don’t boast about it on social media, an unbecoming government body.

My suggestion is to tap into the talents of these entrepreneurs, cuisine, and differences. Do not let these differences or slip-offs lead Malaysia backwards and disunite us.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad belongs to a world where his imagination allowed him to be worried sick that the Chinese have something against the Malays when we do not. Malaysia is a progressive nation with so much talent, opportunities, potential and future.

Let us not waste it all. This is a blessed land and a blessed people!

MarioT: If there are rules to follow, then they should be complied with, otherwise there can be chaos. However, the rules must be logical and practical to follow.

A Chinese outlet patronised by the Chinese community must be given some flexibility to display its characters on the signpost for clarity.

It might even have some “feng shui” in doing so for a profitable business. The same applies to Tamil outlets.

Direct translations to Bahasa Malaysia may have a ridiculous and indecent outcome. There should not be hard and fast enforcement and common sense plays a part too.

MSK: Signage rules have been there all this while. To apply for your business licence you need to submit signage artwork for approval.

Stop crying foul when everyone, including DBKL, overlooks the ruling. Sometimes I find it very fishy how it got approved in the first place.

FitnessPro: There are so many inconsistencies in this signage saga. Firstly, why did the DBKL approve these designs?

All signage at commercial premises must have DBKL’s approval first before they can be produced and put up.

So, why approve, and then fine? Did DBKL themselves make a big blunder and now pass on the blame and fault to these Chinese entrepreneurs?

If DBKL has erred, then DBKL should bear the responsibility for this error.

Why fine these businesses when they had applied for DBKL for approval?

Secondly, as mentioned, most of these business eateries target tourists from China and serve non-halal food.

If that is the case, why fine them for making a wise business decision? Isn’t our local government an understanding and a progressive one?

Or is this driven by jealousy and racism?

Thirdly, why not tap into the talents of these Chinese cuisines and promote Malaysia positively on the world stage? There are so many economic opportunities from these things, but all we are centring on is language for signage.

It is true, that this is Malaysia and our national language is Bahasa Malaysia.

But as a society of diverse backgrounds, cultures and languages, why are we so intolerant of other cultures and languages?

Why are the Malays, led and driven by Mahathir, so worried, so scared, so insecure and so paranoid by Chinese signages?

These signages in the Chinese language are a business decision and by no means belittle anyone or anything.

So why make a big issue out of a molehill?

These businesses are trying to survive and make a living. Why is our local government so anti that? So many questions, and so few answers.

P. Dev Anand Pillai: It has been there for decades and there has been no noise about it but all of a sudden, when there are some who decide to make some noise on it, the sleepy authorities of ours will suddenly wake up and spring into action!

Isn’t this common in our enforcement culture? What is new?

If written Chinese language characters are such an issue with the local Malay culture, why are we dealing with the mainland Chinese in the first place then?

Our local ethnic Chinese have learnt to adapt and have no problems with Bahasa Malaysia or signage which they use in their business signage but now we want mainland Chinese tourists to come to Malaysia and contribute.

How can they do that if they do not understand the signage on the boards? Why not ask how much of Malaysia’s debt is owed to China?

What about Proton? Why did we allow Geely of China to become its partner? Come on Malaysia, what is happening?

Koel: If there is indeed discrimination and if certain businesses are being targeted by DBKL, then these businesses should provide some evidence for this.

Similarly, if the signage policy was an overnight decision, perhaps DBKL could be queried about requiring businesses to suddenly change.

However, if the signage policy has been in force for a while and businesses have chosen to ignore these policies, then they do not have legitimate reasons.

So this must be clarified when claiming victimisation.

OrangePanther1466: I am a Malaysian of Chinese origin and I mostly dine in Chinese restaurants.

Since I like to empathise with the restaurant owners, I cannot fault DBKL. The signage rules were there to comply with.

Perhaps the Malaysia Chinese Restaurant Association (MCRA) can work with DBKL to facilitate orderly compliance.

As someone had suggested, the fastest way is to add another signage with larger fonts in Bahasa Malaysia where possible. I appreciate space constraints are another factor to consider.

Dummies Dhimmi: Yeah we all know that Mahathir pointed the finger at the Chinese, and you guys jumped to it.

Of course, you want to sound fair, but it sounds hollow.

Malay businesses get heaps of help with people’s money. Others have to fend for themselves.

These businesses that thrive on their own also pay taxes.

How many times and in how many ways will the authorities put costly hurdles in their path to diminish or destroy them?

UnicornV: The signboard issue should be a non-issue. The rules around Bahasa Malaysia sign boards have been around for decades.

It is your fault for not complying with something so basic. Don’t make excuses to raise prices.

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