Stop basking in other people’s success, Abd Karim tells Chong (Video)

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KUCHING: Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has called out Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Chong Chieng Jen for the latter’s penchant for jumping on the bandwagon of his Pakatan Harapan (PH) colleagues, rather than focusing on his own ministry.

He says Chong, also PH Sarawak chairman, does not appear to be doing his job as a federal deputy minister.

Video by Roy Emmor

“Just two days ago, I read that Chong had commented about Malaysia’s ranking in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2019, which has improved to a standing of 51 from the previous 61st position.

“While I agree that this is a good improvement and we are happy to see less corruption in Malaysia, but it seems that he is galloping into the bandwagon of others,” he said during an interview at his office in Baitulmakmur Building in Petra Jaya here yesterday.

He said Chong seemed to be more focused on other issues instead of focusing on issues that were related to his ministry.

“He is looking after domestic trade and consumer affairs and yet, he is always talking about the Pan Borneo Highway and now about corruption, which comes under the purview of others.

“What is happening to his ministry especially when the price of food is going up?” he questioned.

Abdul Karim said Chong should be carrying out his duties as a deputy minister to handle issues such as the increasing prices of goods.

“That is the role of the minister who looks after domestic trade.

“He should not be glorifying himself based on the success from other ministries. When other ministers are doing a good job, he also wants to ‘menumpang kaki’ (ride on their coattails).”

On Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s recent remark where he stated that PH must fulfil its election promises instead of changing its mind about what had to be delivered, Abdul Karim said Lim had yet to
fulfil his promise of giving the 20 per cent oil royalty to Sarawak following the coalition’s victory in the 14th general election in 2018.

“He should entertain that promise first. Don’t turn the tables around and say that ‘we will not give you promise of things we cannot deliver’.

“So far, we have not seen the delivery of this promise,” said Abdul Karim.