REMEMBER SHE EVEN TRIED TO 'RACIALIZE' GST: Seai Kie NOT FIT to be unity adviser - Teresa Kok

KUALA LUMPUR - DAP’s Teresa Kok has taken issue with Heng Seai Kie of MCA being appointed as special adviser in the Prime Minister’s Department, saying the move was “unnecessary, unjustifiable and a waste of public funds”.

In a statement today, the Seputeh MP said that Heng was the most unsuitable and unqualified person to implement the national unity blueprint given how she had made the Goods and Services Tax (GST) a racial issue in the run-up to the recent Rompin by-elections.

She said that the Wanita MCA chief was reported by China Press and Malaysiakini as having told the Chinese not to oppose the GST as the system would see the Malays paying more.

According to Teresa, Heng had denied saying so, but her recorded interview with China Press had been shared on social media and proved that those were her exact words.

“Not only did she take a racial approach to the GST issue, she also lacked the courage to admit and apologise for her mistake despite having met massive criticism,” she said.

“Yet the Prime Minister can think that she is fit to implement the unity blueprint! The Prime Minister has certainly made himself a laughing stock by appointing Heng to handle unity issues.”

Teresa also pointed out that according to a Parliamentary reply in 2013, there were four Barisan Nasional politicians appointed to advisory positions in the Prime Minister’s Department i.e. Rais Yatim, Johari Baharum, Abdullah Mohd Zin and Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Each of them receive monthly allowances in excess of RM25,000, which Teresa said was unnecessary and a waste of public funds.

“Yet the Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib has appointed another BN politician as special adviser. It is totally baffling how the Prime Minister could make such an appointment,” said Kok.

Heng had told the Chinese paper Oriental Daily two days ago that she was appointed as special adviser for the implementation of the National Unity Blueprint and that she would report to the Prime Minister directly.

“Heng’s explanation that she is needed to deal with unity issues in West Malaysia is totally unconvincing. If this is the case, does it mean that all Ministers from East Malaysia should have special advisers to assist them?” asked Kok.

“Even if someone has to be specially tasked to help implement the unity blueprint, can’t the person be the department’s director general?” she asked, adding that it was obvious that Heng’s appointment was merely another backdoor move by Najib to appoint BN politicians to government posts. - FMT