BN MP: Laptop distribution decided by MCMC

Hulu Selangor MP P Kamalanathan clarifies that the recipients of laptops under 1Malaysia Netbook Program was decided by MCMC and his office merely facilitated the distribution.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Communication And Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has the final say on who receives laptops under the 1Malaysia Netbook Program.

“My service centre recommends the list of recipients to MCMC and MCMC is the final approving body who decides who receives the laptop.

“My office is only a conduit for this initiative,” said Hulu Selangor MP, P Kamalanathan in a blog posting today in response to allegations that he had distributed the laptops which were meant for students in his constituency to local MIC leaders and media members.

A PKR member K Vasantha Kumar yesterday claimed that the laptops were presented to the local MIC and media members to kick off the election machinery for the 13th general election in Hulu Selangor.

Elaborating further, Kamalanathan explained that the selection of recipients was based on a set of detailed guidelines provided by MCMC

“The Hulu Selangor constituency is no different frpom others and we strictly follow these guidelines,” he said.

He further explained that MCMC had decided to allocate 1,000 laptops in the first phase, 1,589 in the second phase, and 2,000 for the third phase.

“For the first two phases all the laptops were allocated to students while for the third phase, MCMC had decided that the allocation will be 65% for students and the remainder 35% for social and community leaders and others in Hulu Selangor.

“They have also broken the distribution process into three different phases based on the locality and availability of the laptops for the Hulu Selangor area,” said Kamalanathan.

The first term MP also took FMT to task for publishing a report without clarification from both parties over the issue.

“It is very unethical and irresponsible of any media organisation that published reports without obtaining clarification from both parties, as it was the case in the above mentioned article published by FMT yesterday.”

Kamalanathan who is happy with the distribution of the laptops is also hoping to obtain more allocation under the program next year so that more students and members of the public would gain access to the internet.