Raising old issue: ‘Typical Lim Guan Eng’

Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen criticises the Penang chief minister for bringing up her Australian permanent residence during the second debate.

PUTRAJAYA: Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen today described Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng as “typical Lim Guan Eng” for raising the old issue about her Australian permanent residence.

“I see him for what he is. He doesn’t talk about his policies or future plans. He doesn’t talk about economy. He talks about 20 years ago and he insinuates things.

“He did not mention my name [in the debate] but he throws this suspicion and if I don’t clarify, people will still think I am holding permanent residence in Australia,” she told a press conference here today.

She was referring to the DAP secretary-general’s statement about “Australian PR” in the second debate between Lim and MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek yesterday.

“Let us not go on speculating but I don’t want people to misunderstand. I took up permanent residence in the 1990s for my son’s education. I gave it up in 1995 which was 17 years ago,” she said, adding that she was satisfied that her son was now a successful lawyer.

She said yesterday’s debate was great showmanship on politics but lacked substance on Lim’s side on answering questions and taking up issues directly.

Commenting on the RM1.8 billion spent for the Tourism Ministry’s Facebook site raised by Lim, Dr said she called upon all social media practitioners to correct Lim on his total ignorance of Facebook.

“I have said that many times that the Facebook page is free and Guan Eng as a chief minister either has no idea what is Facebook, has never worked with Facebook or has never worked with professionals utilising Facebook or only checks on his on Facebook to talk on gossip and so on,” she added.

Ng said she had explained to the press and Parliament about the issue and that the ministrys spent the money for running six campaigns and bought advertisements on Google and Facebook and also to monitor the social web.

“We have 600,000 fans on the page and 75% are below 35 years old. Facebook is a new trend and for us to be in the new trend and new media, we must be in Facebook, ” she said.

- Bernama