Reality bites in PAS-led Kedah

THE STRAITS TIMES
ALOR STAR - THE realities of living and working under a PAS-led Kedah are beginning to take effect. Hotels and entertainment outlets are already making 'adjustments' they deem necessary to suit the unprecedented political environment here.

A top hotel in the town centre here has removed its beer till at the coffee house.

'Beer will still be sold. We just don't want to make it obvious,' said an executive. Another hotel is reviewing the dress code for staff.

'We do not think skirts will be suitable any more,' said an official there. Other establishments used to hosting lavish events are worried that they may have seen the last of such functions under the new PAS-PKR government.

A company official said he has been making his rounds at Wisma Darulaman, which houses the Mentri Besar and state exco offices, to 'keep the relationship intact with the new government.'

State PAS Commissioner Azizan Abdul Razak, 68, was sworn in as the new MB on Sunday after the opposition swept 22 of the 36 state seats.

Some business operators here, unsure of what's in store, are even telephoning their counterparts in Kelantan to get an idea of how things are under PAS-rule there.

In Pekan Cina, Chinese traders believe there would be no major changes.

'The PAS-led government does not have a two-thirds majority in Kedah. So they cannot make whimsical changes,' said one of them.

Ms Anis Ariffin, who operates the popular Zinni women's accessories shop in Jalan Sultan Badlishah, was unperturbed with the change of government here.

'I expect to sell even more tudung (headscarves) from now,' she quipped.