Media statement by Lau Weng San in Petaling Jaya on Thursday, 23^rd September 2010:

Unfounded claims and petty issues make Selangor MCA irrelevant

I would like to refer to a news article published by The Star Metro on 23rd September 2010 entitled "Kg Tunku rep under fire for statement".

Federal Development coordinator for Petaling Jaya Utara Dr Wong Sai Hou blamed me for my lack of action in dealing with a landslip that occurred on Jalan 229 at the Petaling Jaya cemetery.

He also said that "when the Petaling Jaya Chinese Cemetery Association (PJCCA) approached him (Lau Weng San) for assistance, he told them that the problem was a private matter and they had to build a retaining wall themselves."

I would like to categorically deny the blame and that the PJCCA has never approached me for any kind of financial assistance to rebuild the retaining wall. If I have never received complaint from PJCCA or application for financial assistance from PJCCA, how would I reject them in the first place?

The chairman of PJCCA, Mr. Yap Chin Ho also clarified that his association has never approached me for any financial assistance.

I therefore challenged MCA to produce the evidence that I refused to assist PJCCA. Else MCA should tender their apologies especially to PJCCA.

Selangor MCA public complaints bureau deputy chairman Kelvin Chong also hit out at me on class F contractors under the purview of the Finance Ministry.

I think Kelvin Chong does not understand the essence of my press conference on 16th September. I did not comment on which ministry handles class F contractor licenses. My concern is that the issuance of class F license was frozen years ago by the Federal Government and Selangor state government and local governments in Selangor are relying on the existing batch of class F contractors when calling for biddings for infrastructure works below RM20,000.

Non class F contractors are not allowed to bid though they could have the financial and technical strength. In order to salvage the situation, Selangor state government tried to launch their own contractor list in 2009 but it could not take off simply because it is put under the purview of the Federal government.

I believe the if the Federal government can re-open the license, the state government will be able to save even more money and we will be paying something value for money.

It is certain that Kelvin Chong's focus is too petty as he does not realize the problem that we are facing now is not about what licenses a ministry issues but it is about whether the government can tender out a job transparently and fairly.

I therefore urge Kelvin Chong and other MCA leaders to check and verify their facts before they hit out at anybody and not hitting out for the sake of gaining cheap publicity.

Such unfounded claims and petty issues will just make Selangor MCA more and more irrelevant.

* Lau Weng San, SA for Kampung Tunku