Selangor MCA chief tells Ng Sze Han to stop shirking responsibility for factories

 

Selangor MCA chief Ng Chok Sin has called on Selangor Local Government and Public Transport chairperson Ng Sze Han to task, saying he must cease shirking responsibility as the Selangor government holds the discretion to order the closure of any factory.

"He should not prolong defending his state administration’s inaction, but make good use of the authority vested in the state government to protect the health and well-being of the rakyat.

"Yesterday, Sze Han claimed that local authorities cannot issue closure orders to factories to curb the spread of Covid-19 in their areas, alleging that such powers lie with the federal government.

"His excuse sniffs of evading responsibility," Chok Sin (above) said in a statement.

He said that local authorities may invoke the Local Government Act 1976, in particular, Section 107(2), to shut down a factory by revoking the operating licence issued by the PBT.

"This means that the local authorities do have the discretion to withdraw the factory’s operating licence. Thus, Sze Han’s statement is an attempt to dodge accountability and pin the blame unto the federal government for the huge numbers of cases and clusters affecting Selangor," Chok Sin added.

Yesterday, Sze Han said that only federal authorities have the power to shut down factories and while the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act (Act 342) had been amended in March this year to empower local councils to help enforce Covid-19 SOPs, there are still limitations.

Selangor State Executive Councillor Ng Sze Han

"The amendment was done to allow the environmental health officer in local authorities to help enforce SOPs and directives of the federal government. (However), that power (to close factories) is still under the federal government," he had said.

Sze Han’s statement came after Twitter spat between former PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli and the political secretary to Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang, Syahredzan Johan, over the jurisdiction of the state government to order factories to shut down operations.

Previously, Sze Han himself had slammed the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) for allowing selected economic sectors to resume business in spite of the enhanced movement control order (MCO) in Selangor.

Chok Sin, however, claimed that the Pakatan Harapan administration in Selangor appeared to push responsibility for fighting the pandemic to the federal government, in which MCA is part of.

"The state government should also shoulder its own responsibility," said Chok Sin who went on to claim that the speed of vaccination in Selangor was less than satisfactory, compared with the other states, because the state Health Committee exco Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud failed to follow up comprehensively on vaccination.

Taking a shot at his long-time rivals, Chok Sin declared that the Selangor DAP assemblypersons were holding their tongues in the state, despite being part of the state government.

"However, there are no holds barred in blasting Putrajaya. How can they claim to defend the people’s interest when they choose to overlook their obligations in Selangor? At the very least, they could raise the issue of the no stop-work orders on factories when the State Legislative Assembly convenes for debate," he added. - Mkini