IN respect of the bid to rename Jalan Silibin as Jalan Patto, state executive councillor M. Kulasegeran (also MP for Ipoh Barat) must bear in mind that the DAP was vociferous in condemning the same practice by the previous Barisan Nasional government.

It was not many years ago that the Ipoh City Council had to reverse its decision to rename Jalan Foo Chong Kong as Jalan Tabung Haji because of public protest.

On that occasion at least the government took heed of the public’s feelings and left the old name intact.

For the present authorities to say that they will go ahead with renaming the road despite a public outcry is arrogant in the very least and smacks of double standards.

I have no problem with naming a road after Patto. He deserves to be honoured.

But if one has to name a road after someone, why not name a new road after that person? There are new roads being built every day.

This way, the public will not have to bear the inconvenience and expense of a name change, and the history of the existing roads will not be lost.

Ipoh has lost most of its links with the past because some of its main thoroughfares have been renamed — Brewster Road, Hugh Low Street, Thompson Road, etc.

In Taiping, the public is told what the renamed road was formerly known as.

It is time that guidelines were set for naming roads so that those in power know how to go about it. One guideline which we should all keep to is to not rename roads or, if it has to be done, do what they do in Taiping.

Politicians must not think that naming roads is their sole prerogative which cannot be challenged.

The Pakatan Rakyat government in Perak has sold itself as a “listening” government. It is time they started listening to the public.

YIN EE KIONG, Penang

Source: NST – November 20, 2008