Marahi Mayors Viral Padang Due To Trade On The Sidewalk

Mayor of Padang, West Sumatra (West Sumatra), Mahyeldi Ansharullah (site padang.go.id)

PADANG - The video of the Mayor of Padang, West Sumatra (West Sumatra), Mahyeldi Ansharullah, involved in an argument with women in the Padang Beach area went viral. Their debate was triggered by Mahyeldi's reprimand about the prohibition of trading on the sidewalk.

In the distributed video, Mahyeldi appears to be wearing a black jacket and pants and helmet for cycling. Initially, Mahyeldi and a number of mothers exchanged arguments on the sidewalk. The mothers who traded on the sidewalk were not happy with the way Mahyeldi admonished them to move their merchandise.

"If you talk nicely, I understand, sir. (Not saying) 'Go downstairs'," said one of the women in the local language in the video.

"If you don't understand, sit here tightly," Mahyeldi said.

One of the mothers even said harsh words in front of Mahyeldi. He also slammed objects in front of the PKS politician.

"Sir, your father's way, we are not animals," said another mother.

After about two minutes, Mahyeldi tried to move away and walk towards the bicycle which he parked on the side of the sidewalk. Even so, mothers who were not happy with Mahyeldi's way of reprimanding still did not stop 'nagging'.

Finally, Mahyeldi was silent while calming the mothers who were already emotional. "Yes, I did, I did," he said.

Responding to the video's virality, Mahyeldi considered this a risk for regional officials.

"It's okay, it is a consequence of being mayor. We enjoy all responses from the community. And indeed not everything we do is responded well," Mahyeldi told reporters in Padang, Sunday, August 9.

"That we don't say sentences that ... maybe because there is something, then maybe respond. In this case we still give our best, the proof is that we tidy up Padang Beach and we do not prohibit it," he added.

Mahyeldi did not answer in detail about the trigger for the anger of the mothers that occurred on Thursday, August 6. He only said that it was normal to have different responses from the community.

"It's normal for us to meet with the community and then we meet and we convey, and various kinds of responses," he said.