Media statement by Teresa Kok Suh Sim in Shah Alam on Monday, 22^nd November 2010:

Devious, deceitful and despicable of MCA leaders to turn race-blind interest-free education loans by Selangor State Government into a racial issue

MCA leaders Donald Lim, Wee Ka Siong, Fong Chan Onn, Ti Lian Ker and their cyber troopers' act of intentionally twisting my initiative to increase awareness of Selangor State Government's race-blind interest-free education loans to wildly criticize DAP for being insensitive to the needs of the Chinese community is devious, deceitful and despicable.

Firstly, MCA is deliberately misleading people with the false data that only 12 students of Chinese background out of 4,000 had received this education loans. This data is false and inaccurate. The 12 students who had received the loans came from a pool of 742 applications received in 2010, and not the hyper-inflated 4000 figure cited.

Secondly, only 12 students of Chinese background had submitted their application to receive the education loan this year. All 12 applications were approved. Thus, the approval rate for the Chinese, if you must, is 100%.

Thirdly and most importantly, Selangor State Government education loan is race-blind, i.e. there is no racial quota imposed. All students are judged based on their academic merit and family household income.

Thus, it is most disappointing that MCA has chosen to twist this initiative which is beneficial to students of all races in Selangor into a racial issue to attack Selangor Pakatan Rakyat.

It is further despicable and low of MCA leaders to resort to manipulating the truth make themselves out to be such "heroes". Such race-based tactics merely betrays MCA's desperation to stay relevant to the Chinese community and their inability to mature beyond this outdated race-based paradigm.

* Teresa Kok Suh Sim, Selangor State Senior EXCO for Investment, Industry & Trade & MP for Seputeh