IPOH: Community halls in villages are open to be used by all, including Opposition parties, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
The Perak Mentri Besar said all Village Development and Safety Committee, which managed these halls, should be fair and allow all to use them, regardless of political ideologies.
"It is called a community hall, so it is meant to be used by the people.
"If Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia or PAS wants to rent the halls, allow them," he said in his speech during an improvement course for state Village Development and Safety Committee chairmen at the state secretariat building here on Thursday (Feb 1).
Saarani also explained that there had been past incidents in which certain parties were not allowed to use the halls when Barisan Nasional was in power.
He said Umno representatives requested that a number of these halls be built, so the party deemed them under its management.
"It was only later that we realised that the halls belonged to the state government, not Umno's.
"When we became the Opposition and denied usage, we also felt how it was to be denied," he said.
"There can be conditions or rental fees imposed, but we need to be fair," he said.
"Don't let the people say we are an unfair government," he added.
