The "Grand Saga" of Selangor...

The gym seems to be a place to ask for opinions of relevance these days.

Recently at the gym in Menara Axis someone asked me what I thought about the road issue. Now, I may not be the most knowledgeable person when it comes to this issue, but reading through some of the press, here's what I've understood so far.

Basically, a private owned company developed a road under contract with the federal government to build up a tolled road.

Somehow, in the midst of all the negotiations, the deal turned sour and the road has been blocked off to avoid anyone from using it.

Then the public took notice of this road and started using it, thinking that their taxpayer ringgits are actually paying for it's maintenance. The company, which developed the road got pissed and blocked it off for two times in a row.

The federal government, which contracted the road, remains quiet about everything.

Then the company puts up barricades, the people take down the barricades, the company puts up the barricades again, the people get the politicians in the Opposition side involved to take it down again....

And now the police get involved, basically charged with protecting private owned property being infringed by the people who are using it.

That's the story I've gotten so far.

Did I miss out anything?

I'm sorry, but just because the people are pissed because they have to pay RM0.90 to and from home does not justify breaking the law and trespassing on private land, even if the toll has been raised twice.

And for politicians from the Opposition to support breaking the law in such a way, instead of forming a coalition to discuss the issue and negotiate a settlement with Narajaya and Grand Saga, is stupid and unreasonable.

Why hasn't the Selangor state government, which is so sympathetic to the people, simply negotiate the purchase of the road from Grand Saga or Narajaya and make them toll free?

Narajaya, you now have a defendant to sue for trespassing and aiding and abetting to commit trespassing.

That would include the state government as Selangor with Khalid Ibrahim issuing the statement, along with Ronnie Liu and all Selangor state politicians who are involved in the removal of the barricades, including the contractors.

We continually argue that we are a nation of laws and we need to be lawful. This act of trespassing on private property is unlawful. What say all of us now?

Do we sacrifice our laws because it's more convenient to do so?