Chong (third left) hands over the KASIH assistance to a member of IAK. Seen standing from second right are Yong and Ratha. – Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: The word ‘weapon’ was put into the mouth of Finance Minister and national Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who talked about the functions of the Federal Village Committee Management Council (MPKKP) in Miri yesterday.
In making this clarification today, Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs and DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the federal minister did not use ‘weapon’.
“The word ‘weapon’ was put into his (Lim’s) mouth. He did not say MPKKP is a weapon, but an empowerment of our rural folk to have a better choice.
“MPKKP, to GPS, is a weapon but we the PH (Pakatan Harapan) see MPKKP as an empowerment of the rural people so that they don’t have to depend solely on the state government,” he told reporters after handing out assistance worth RM5,000 to members of the Indian Association of Kuching (IAK) at Dewan IAK off Rock Road here in conjunction with this year’s Deepavali celebration.
Chong confirmed that he was among the DAP Sarawak leaders who attended the party’s convention yesterday, and that Lim did not utter the word ‘weapon’.
He said Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) should not deprive the rural community of the various federal assistance, programmes and welfare benefits.
According to him, MPKKP is established to offer rural folk in Sarawak a choice to compare which government, GPS or PH is a better choice.
He opined that GPS regarded MPKKP as a weapon, but PH government set up the new council to enrich people economically so that they will be more independent, and increase their knowledge so they could make more informed decisions.
“When we try to fufill our manifesto, which is to empower the people, they (GPS) jump up and down. MPKKP is not a weapon at all, let there be free competition.
“Let people judge who has better policies, and not base on who can scare people more,” he said, alleging that the existing Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) had been made to be fearful of the state government.
He added: “A lot of JKKKs have received warning from District Office (DO) not to have any contact with the federal government so much so that a lot of assistance cannot be channelled to them.”
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg was yesterday quoted as saying: “Today (Sunday) I read that they (Pakatan Harapan government) said MPKKP was a weapon to capture Sarawak in the coming state election…”
In Miri on the same day, Lim said the federal government approved the setting up of MPKKP as part of PH’s early preparation for the next state election.
Among those present at the IAK event were Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong and IAK acting president Ratha Terumall.