by Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, Malay Mail
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s apparent ignorance over Selangor’s water deal with Putrajaya despite being state economic advisor shows he is ill qualified to mentri besar, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.
Suggesting that the opposition leader was too busy travelling abroad, the deputy prime minister also said Anwar was also unlikely to have time to serve as Kajang assemblyman, much less Selangor mentri besar.
“It is strange he (Anwar) says he is clueless about the deal… that means he must have never advised the state government and that he is advisor by name only,” Muhyiddin told reporters at a news conference here.
“How can he even become mentri besar when he is busy making trips to Japan, the United States?” the DPM asked.
Comparatively, Muhyiddin said, Kajang voters could rely on MCA's Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun to always be available to serve the constituency.
“For Barisan Nasional, every area is important. Chinese, Indian and all areas are our focus,” he added, stressing that the ruling coalition would safeguard the interests of all communities in the state constituency.
Selangor yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with Putrajaya that allows the state to take over water utility from the four current concessionaires in return for approving the federal government’s plans for the Langat 2 water treatment facility.
Muhyiddin met with over 30 Chinese non-governmental organisations earlier today, after conducting a walkabout around the Kwang Tung business centre, a mainly Chinese area in Sungai Chua.
MCA president Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, who was also present pledged that Chew would address local issues such as the rise in dengue cases and the waste management in Kajang should she win the by-election.
The Kajang by-election is shaping up to be a four-corner fight as independent Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and Yuktes Vijay have also thrown their hats into the ring.
Zaid is a one-time Umno minister-turned-PKR member who later struck out on his own, while Yuktes was previously a legal aide for Anwar’s defence in the Sodomy II trial.
The seat was vacated by PKR’s Lee Chin Cheh last month, to make way for the party’s de facto chief. Lee had won the state constituency last year with a significant margin of 6,824 votes.
The by-election will be held on March 23 and nominations are scheduled for March 11.
The Kajang constituency is 48 per cent Malay, 41 per cent Chinese and 10 per cent Indian.
Source: Malay Mail
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