Ti ticks off DAP man for defending allocation ahead of polls

Ti Lian Ker (left) reminded Ng Suee Lim that DAP, particularly its stalwart, Lim Kit Siang, had slammed such practices in the past.

PETALING JAYA: A former MCA vice-president has ticked off DAP’s Ng Suee Lim for defending a federal allocation for Hulu Selangor residents, which will also be used for projects in Kuala Kubu Baharu.

Ti Lian Ker said Ng’s defence reeked of hypocrisy as DAP, particularly its stalwart, Lim Kit Siang, had slammed such practices in the past.

According to Ti, Lim had in 2007 claimed that the Election Commission did not address the “abuses by the ‘caretaker’ government in allocating funds and giving election promises with regard to development projects”, when questioning the EC’s claim that it conducted fair and transparent polls in the past.

“So, it was frowned upon back then, but legitimised now because they’re in power?” he told FMT.

The senator was commenting on Ng’s denial that DAP is engaging in “dirty money politics” ahead of the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election on May 11, after housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming unveiled an allocation of RM5.21 million for Hulu Selangor residents, which will also be used for projects in Kuala Kubu Baharu.

Nga denied that the announcement of the allocation was in view of the by-election.

Ng, who is the Selangor DAP vice-chairman, said he saw nothing wrong with Nga’s announcement as the campaigning for the polls had yet to begin and nomination day “hasn’t arrived yet”.

But Ti, like former MP and Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, questioned the timing of the announcement

“Why now? Did it take for a by-election to be called for before deciding to announce the allocation? Why not earlier this year, or better yet, after the polls have concluded.

“It really seems like they are trying to fish for votes,” he said.

Ti also took Nga, a DAP vice-chairman, to task for saying that the ministry chose the site for the projects as it was an “auspicious place” and that “the ‘feng shui’ here is good”.

The by-election was called for as a result of a DAP assemblyman’s demise, Ti said, adding that Nga should not be making such flippant remarks.

“It’s really disrespectful to the late Lee Kee Hiong,” he said, referring to the three-term assemblyman, who died of cancer on March 21.

‘PH and DAP have lost their moral high ground’

Democracy advocate Thomas Fann said Nga’s announcement “smacks of abuse of state resources by the Madani government”.

Fann, the chairman of Engage, said: “The use of public funds for campaign purposes has been a political practice here for every government.

“With Nga’s gifts for Kuala Kubu Baharu, Pakatan Harapan and DAP have truly lost the moral high ground.”

Fann said Nga’s denial earlier today was betrayed by his next sentence, when he called on voters to “balik kampung” and vote for “a caring and progressive party”.

“Such practices cement the perception of voters that all parties and politicians are the same and there is no point in voting, leading to low voter turnout and cynicism of government policies,” he said in a statement.

The former Bersih chairman added that Malaysians deserve better, and such abuse of public funds for a party’s electoral advantage must end.