Guan Eng is threatening the Penang Chinese community says MCA
Press Statement by MCA Penang Secretary Lau Chiek Tuan
Guan Eng is threatening the Penang Chinese community & does not approve of them subscribing to the two Malay-language newspapers
Allocations of education funding should be delivered in a fair and impartial manner and should not be used as a tool for political blackmail. Not only have aides to the Penang Chief Minister, i.e. Ng Wei Aik and political secretary Zairil Khir Johari turned a blind eye to their superior’s i.e. Lim Guan Eng’s “joke” or threat, they also blindly defended him erasing the fact that DAP and Pakatan Rakyat had always advocated freedom of expression.
Lim Guan Eng and Pakatan Rakyat holler about defending freedom of speech. But today, the attitude of Lim Guan Eng and the DAP-led Penang state government is that of boycotting comments which do not praise them. The DAP Secretary General and DAP do not always agree with news reported in those Malay-language newspapers and had even threatened those schools to stop subscribing to them or they will not be granted allocations. This is in contrast to their previous promise of freedom of expression.
In disbursing state government allocation to 84 Chinese schools, Guan Eng had openly “warned” that funding to schools which subscribe to Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia will be halted.
Guan Eng’s arrogance deserves criticism. From the moment of the 2008 victory, he has grown carried away to the extent of using government funding to blackmail Chinese schools. This not only interferes with the autonomy of the school, but DAP also brings politics into schools with schools falling victim to political factors.
Government funding is for all. Those in power need to treat the rakyat properly. Education should not be politicized and manipulated. It must never be used as a “joke” to threaten schools, hinder the operations and affect students’ studies in schools.
This sort of “jokes” or threats never occurred under the Barisan Nasional government which is committed to improving Chinese education including the mutual recognition of tertiary degrees between Malaysia and China, students from Independent Chinese schools qualify to apply for PTPTN loans as well as entry into teacher training colleges.
Lau Chiek Tuan
MCA Penang Secretary
-MCA online-
