Ong Ka Ting should demonstrate his commitment towards national integrity, transparency and accountability by directing all MCA wakil rakyats to follow Ong Tee Keat’s initiative in making public how BN MPs’ RM 2 million yearly development allocation is spent

Press Statement

by Lim Guan Eng

(Petaling Jaya, Monday): MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting should demonstrate his commitment towards national integrity, transparency and accountability by directing all MCA wakil rakyats to follow MCA Vice-President and MP for Pandan Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat’s initiative in making public how BN MPs’ RM 2 million yearly development allocation is spent. Tee Keat had published in his website 17 projects proposed under “Senarai Projek Pembangunan Dan Perbekalan Yang Telah Dicadang Dan Dikemukakan Oleh Ahli Parlimen Pandan Untuk Kelulusan Unit Perancang Ekonomi Negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan (Kedudukan Sehingga 30 September 2006)”.

What is the point of Ka Ting setting out a personal code of conduct for MCA leaders that they must “do their work seriously, be an upright person and a clean official” if he does not practice what he preach? There must be full accountability and transparency of how the RM 2 million yearly development allocation is spent to prove that every single cent is properly accounted for and ensure the effectiveness of the delivery system. After all, integrity must not only be done, it must be seen to be done.

In response to Tee Keat’s initiative, Ka Ting had merely said that he merely respected Tee Keat’s way of showing transparency by disclosing the breakdown of the expenses and allocation Tee Keat sought for his constituency from the Selangor state government’s Economic Planning Unit. However Ka Ting refused to direct other MCA MPs to emulate Tee Keat by explaining as other MPs may have their own practices too.

Does this mean that only Tee Keat is serious about Ka Ting’s constant refrain that MCA wakil rakyats must “do their work seriously, be an upright person and a clean official”. Instead of paying lip service to his own words, Ka Ting should be the first one to follow Tee Keat’s initiative by disclosing how the RM 2 million yearly development allocation is spent in his own Parliamentary constituency. Such full disclosure would prevent abuses of power, malpractices and outright corruption by dishonest MCA and BN wakil rakyats.

DAP had earlier exposed such malpractices and corruption by MCA and BN wakil rakyats in Melaka abusing such development allocation for their personal and political self-interests. Despite DAP lodging reports with the Anti-Corruption Agency, no action was taken. I had even written a letter on 5 April 2005 to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi detailing such abuses without any response:-

“Pada tahun 2001, cara wang peruntukan ini dibelanjakan oleh wakil rakyat BN Datuk Amid Nordin(Tengkera) dan Datuk Gan Boon Leong untuk kedua-dua kawasan DUN Durian Daun dan Bandar Hilir sungguh tidak bertanggungjawab sekali seperti berikut:-

a) Peruntukan DUN Kawasan Tengkera sebanyak RM 50,000

• RM 26,400 untuk pergi melancong dan melawat ataupun lebih 50% daripada peruntukan tahunan; dan

• Jamuan makan dan kenduri sebanyak RM 6,000/-.

b) DUN Kawasan Duyong sebanyak RM 150,000

• 10 pasang lounge suits untuk ahli atlet Persatuan Angkat Berat Negeri Melaka sebanyak RM 5,600/- atau RM 560 sepasang;

• 55 buah hamper Hari Raya sebanyak RM 2,200/-; dan

• RM 37,000 untuk makan angin di Sarawak.

c) DUN Kawasan Durian Daun sebanyak RM 50,000

• Membiayai aktiviti Kumpulan Tarian dan Kebudayaan MCA Melaka yang diterima oleh Encik Chong Yong Keong sebanyak RM 2,000/-; dan

• Membekalkan 25 buah hamper Hari Raya sebanyak RM 1,000;

d) DUN Kawasan Bandar Hilir sebanyak RM 50,000

• Membekalkan 25 buah hamper Hari Raya sebanyak RM 1,000; dan

• Membeli 11 pasang lounge suit ahli Persatuan Angkat Berat sebanyak RM 6,160 atau RM 560 sepasang dari peruntukan DUN Bandar Hilir;

Pada tahun 2000, RM 1,770 dibelanjakan dari peruntukan pembangunan kawasan DUN Duyong untuk membeli telefon bimbit bagi pejabat ADUN Duyong pada masa itu Datuk Wira Gan Boon Leong. Jelas sekali penyalahgunaan sedemikian amat ketara sekali sehingga membeli hamper Hari Raya, lawatan makan angin, jamuan makan, telefon bimbit untuk kepentingan pejabat peribadi dan juga untuk kepentingan politik MCA yang digunakan untuk aktiviti kumpulan tarian mereka. Tidak ada orang yang tahu apa faedah kepada rakyat dari segi pembangunan kawasan?”

If Ka Ting is serious about not using outdated policies, he should adopt a new paradigm that subscribe to the values of transparency instead of cover-up, accountability instead of abuses of power and integrity instead of corruption. Fully disclosing how development funds are spent would ensure that it is not misused and abused for personal and political self-interests such as sponsoring “junkets or makan angin”, lounge suits, hampers, MCA dance troupes or buying hand-phones for private use.

Covering up such expenditure would only lead to suspicions that the BN government is running away from explaining how such expenditure can be considered beneficial to the people in terms of development. What is there to stop such abuses from continuing if there is no disclosure? There is nothing for Ka Ting to fear from disclosing how such development funds are spent if all expenditure is properly accounted for.

(8/1/2007)