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Press Statement

by Lim Guan Eng

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(Melaka, Tuesday): DAP is disgusted that Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam can describe his two-week visit to Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Venezuela and France as successful in meeting the objectives in biotechnology, information and communication technology, tourism, education and agriculture. Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam should not delude himself and others by declaring his million ringgit holiday in Latin America and France a success when the same objectives can be achieved so much more cheaply by visiting Singapore.

Is there any necessity to go all the way to Argentina to learn Spanish until there must be a 28-member delegation to witness a memorandum of understanding to get teachers from Argentina? Thare are sufficient Spanish teachers in Singapore if Ali is serious about learning the language. Or if Ali wants to get Spanish teachers, has he not heard of the internet where he can advertise for them. Clearly the Melaka e-government project that has cost tens of millions of ringgit is a failure when Ali does not even realize the impact and reach of the internet.

Instead of going to far-way places to learn from models of bio-technology and becoming a developed state, Singapore would be a better model. Singapores’s reputation as a developed state is unsurpassed in the world and its bio-technological part has attracted prominent scientists and Nobel laureates throughout the world. If Ali is worried about the cost of going to Singapore, DAP can always raise funds for the transport costs there. 

Clearly this is a 2-week holiday to energise and refresh the spirits before the hard toil of campaigning in the coming general elections. Ali should not think that the people are so gullible as to believe in the benefits of this 2-week Latin America trip when there is either none or insignificant. 

If the trip is so successful, why is it that Ali does not practice accountability and transparency by revealing the full itenary, the places visited and the foreign VIPs met. Ali does not dare to do so because this will expose the 2-week trip as a free holiday with tourist destinations the main item in the itenary.  

Would MCA ADUNs, especially new EXCO member Datuk Koh Nai Kwong who also went for this holiday, dare to fully account now for the cost, purpose, benefits as well places and people visited? If Koh fails to do so, then all the talk by MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting of a healthy political culture are false promises and empty publicity. I have directed DAP Melaka ADUNs to bring up this issue in the public interests during the next Melaka State Assembly meeting next month.