I have 20 years experience – Kit Siang's daughter on 'nepotism' charge

Newly-appointed senator Lim Hui Ying has pointed to her 20 years of political experience to refute claims of nepotism levelled at her by BN leaders.

Hui Ying is the daughter of party veteran Lim Kit Siang and sister of DAP secretary-general and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

"I have been in the party for about 20 years and actively involved in the party. I am also the state secretary for Penang DAP.

"So let time prove and see how I perform," she told a press conference after she was sworn-in at the Dewan Negara this afternoon.

Previously, Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob had criticisedher appointment, calling it nepotism.

MIC Youth chief C Sivarraajh had also reportedly said Hui Ying's appointment would "cultivate the practice of nepotism among politicians".

Meanwhile, Guan Eng urged BN leaders to admit that the goods and services tax (GST) has caused price hikes.

He also advised them to argue their points on GST and the sales and service tax (SST) based on facts and figures instead of "lies and falsehoods".

'Please refer to the facts'

"Please refer to the facts because we are now dealing with facts and figures, not lies and falsehoods.

"That is why we don't want to engage with them because they don't want to be guided by these (facts and figures).

"We hope BN can now concede that GST caused price hikes," Guan Eng told reporters outside the Dewan Negara today.

In contrast, he said, the Pakatan Harapan government was willing to admit that the SST may cause price hikes but he insisted that even if that happened, it would only be half as bad as the GST.

Guan Eng also said the government would be lenient with traders on the registration under the SST from Sept 1.

"If you can give us a reasonable excuse (for registering late), we will be lenient.

"But it cannot be used as an excuse not to register. It is better to register because you must remember, if you are caught under the SST and you register, let's say, Oct 1, you have to pay the tax for September.

"You cannot charge your customers (for September) anymore. You have to come out with your own money," he explained.

He also said that the government's leniency on the registration is only in the "initial period", and warned the people not to wait to register until much later. However, Guan Eng declined to set a definite time frame.

"Our approach is not to penalise, but to harmonise.

"Don't penalise but try to harmonise your obligations and responsibilities to the nation, so that you will make it easier for all concerned," he said. - Mkini