Media Statement by Ngeh Koo Ham in Ipoh on Wednesday, 16^th September 2009:

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has benefited hundreds if not thousands of temples, churches and schools in Perak contrary to the accusation by Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon that it has done nothing for them

I am astounded by the arrogance of Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon for stating that he is not accountable to me when I questioned him on what has happened to the RM2 Million that has been allocated for the Perak Non-Muslim Affairs portfolio.

It is fundamental in a democratic system that an Exco member is duty bound to answer questions raised by the elected representatives of the State Assembly just as the Ministers are duty bound to answer questions raised by the MPs. If he does not want to be answerable to me as an elected representative of the Perak State Assembly he should quit his post in the BN Perak State Government.

I have stated before that Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon is not in law (de jure) an Exco member but tentatively the de facto Exco member controlling my non-Muslim Affairs portfolio, I would not mind putting aside our differences for the sake of the non-Muslim community by ensuring that the RM2.0 Million approved by the State Assembly to the non-Muslim community be released by end of the year if not it will be forfeited.

Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon has tried to divert attention will regard the RM2.0 Million and I believe he has something to hide.

The Pakatan Rakyat’s 10 months performance is there for all to see and for Dato’ Dr Mah to claim that we did nothing for the non-Muslims and I did nothing for my constituency he is like an ostrich with his head in the sand. He does not even know what the non-Muslim affairs task force has done before he sacked all its workers.

Since he does not know what I have done for my constituency relating to the non-Muslims affairs let me enumerate a few examples below for his knowledge:-

1. The PR Perak Government approved for religious use the Siamese Temple land in Kg Koh, Sitiawan when they had been un-successful under the BN Government after having applied for the conversion for more that a decade.

2. The Church of Dindings, Spg Tiga, Sitiawan was granted free assessment rate for the portion used for religious purpose.

3. The BN Government imposed a sum of RM654,000-00 on Shekinah Methodist Church, Sitiawan for converting a piece of land for religious use but the PR State Government reduced it to RM1,000-00.

I have also allocated grants to various temples and churches. Some of the grants have not been disbursed and when BN grab power in the Perak state. Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon had instructed that they be stopped. How can Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon claim to represent the interests of the non-Muslims? He has yet to employ new staff to help the non-Muslims handle their affairs after sacking en bloc all the staff employed by the PR State Government.

With the PR Government policy that non profit organizations including religious organizations and schools need only to pay the nominal sum of RM1,000-00 for their land conversions to building category and the quit rent of only RM40.00 per annum, the PR have benefited hundreds if not thousands of religious organizations.

* Ngeh Koo Ham, Perak DAP Chairman & MP for Beruas; Senior Exco Pakatan Rakyat Perak State Government