Politicians will not be recommended for FT Day Awards

KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Territories Ministry will not recommend politicians for awards in conjunction with Federal Territories Day next year, Minister Khalid Abd Samad said yesterday.

The awards will be given to those who truly serve the community, such as educators, volunteers involved in humanitarian work and those who have brought fame to the country in the international arena, he said.

He spoke to reporters after opening the annual general meeting of the World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP) here. Also present were Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan and WECP president and Halifax (Canada) mayor Mike Savage.

Khalid said political leaders still have plenty of time to prove themselves in serving the community before they are selected to be honoured.

“Let’s see their service and performance. If there is to be any recommendation, we leave it to those who are making the offer,” he said.

Khalid, who is also the communications director of Parti Amanah Negara, said there was no compulsion for any party member to accept or refuse any award or medal.

“We remind the members that they cannot ask to be honoured but if an offer is made it is up to them to accept or reject it,” he said.

Recently, DAP secretarygeneral Lim Guan Eng criticised several of the party leaders who had accepted awards from Melaka and Sabah.

Lim, who is the Finance Minister, said these leaders’ actions do not reflect the spirit of the party’s real struggle and gives people a wrong perception because the party has been in power for less than a year.

Khalid said Amanah members can accept awards if they can help to enhance the party image or their work.

“Perhaps the individual honoured may have just become a minister but has been serving the community for a long time. As such, it is not wrong to be accorded the honour,” he said.