New government should be given time to address issues – LDP

KOTA KINABALU: The new government should be given time to address the existing issues in the country, including the recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), said Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk Chin Su Phin.

Chin said LDP, MCA and Gerakan should assist the PH government in facilitating the recognition of UEC rather than needlessly criticizing the government.

“MCA has tried and failed to get the BN government to recognize UEC in the past few decades so it is only fair that we give the PH government time to work out a mechanism for the certification.

“As the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said, the new government had to deal with uncooperative officers in policy implementation, which showed governing a country is not an easy task,” he continued.

He said both PH and BN, Umno included, had pledged to recognize UEC in their election manifestoes.

While Umno and PAS are strongly against granting due recognition to UEC, he pointed out that the parties did not represent the whole Malay community.

Chin believed that given time, the new government would be able to perform well and address many of the existing issues, including the recognition of UEC.

He said this when officiating at the 29th LDP Conference and Elections at Kian Kok Middle School here yesterday.

He said the new PH government had brought major changes to the country since taking over the government a few months ago.

Previously, Chin said the BN government had refused to cooperate with foreign governments in the investigation of the 1MDB scandal due to its broad involvement.

“But the PH government has since taken proactive actions to bring the perpetrators to justice. I believe the judiciary of our country will deliver a fair, fitting judgment on Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's case,” he said.

Chin went on to say that the new government was in the midst of making drastic changes to reform and strengthen the government administration. For instance, the Attorney-General (AG) and Chief Justice of Malaysia were appointed based on qualification, professionalism and merit, rather than race or creed.

“It is regrettable that Umno and PAS have turned the appointments of AG and Chief Justice into a racial and religious issue.”

He said the appointment of Tan Sri Richard Malanjum as the Chief Justice of Malaysia complied with the Federal Constitution. As the most senior judge in Malaysia, Malanjum is also the best candidate for the job, he said.

“Meanwhile, Tommy Thomas' extensive knowledge about 1MDB befits his appointment as the new Attorney-General of Malaysia.

“We are confident of his competence in the prosecution in the 1MDB case.

“Malaysia has also rewritten history with the appointment of a Chinese Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng in the Federal Cabinet.”

Chin stressed that the people were fed up with BN's antics and majority of the rakyat reject being governed by the coalition.

“As such, we hope that Umno and PAS will resign to being responsible opposition parties rather than plotting to overthrow the current government through questionable means because this goes against the people's wishes.”

Chin said Umno does not seem to have changed for the better despite a new leadership.

After the last election, Umno, which has forged cooperation with PAS, is leaning towards a more extreme approach, he said.

“We strongly believe that Umno is plotting to overthrow the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government and form its own new coalition government.

“And Umno will do whatever it takes to accomplish this goal, be it teaming up with its old nemesis, PAS, and drawing Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and the opposition in Sarawak to its side.

“The party has no desire nor intention to play the role of a responsible opposition party.”

Chin opined that Umno was too naïve to think that they could wipe away the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal and crimes if their plot to overturn the new government succeeds.

“How is it possible for Umno to start with a clean slate given that its former president and ex-prime minister Najib has been slapped with multiple charges related to the 1MDB scandal?”

He said LDP had also been misled and deceived by Umno leaders when the party was in the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

He pointed out that the PH government had exposed RM7 billion worth of payments paid by the Ministry of Finance to service 1MDB's interest since taking over the government.

“More and more evidence has also come to light following Najib's prosecution.

“Yet the Umno leadership has remained unapologetic for Najib's actions despite the severe damage to Malaysia's image in the eyes of the international community due to the money laundering allegations linked to 1MDB.”

Chin said it was shocking to see Umno embracing PAS during this critical period and attempting to destroy racial harmony with lies.

He said Umno ought to learn its lesson from the party's defeat in the 14th general election and make drastic changes to regain the people's support, instead of conniving with PAS to incite racial and religious sentiments.