Wee: Bear national interest in mind
‘Ministers should think before they speak’
KUALA LUMPUR: Ministers should have national interest in their mind before they make any public statement, said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
“Statements from the ministers will surely be seen as a guidance for people, be it locals or foreigners,” he said.
He noted that comments on egg prices by Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub could have an impact on the business of chicken breeders and small entrepreneurs.
“On Dec 16, Saifuddin Nasution said the increase in local egg prices was due to the higher cost of imported chicken feed. After 24 hours, on Dec 17, Salahuddin said the increase of egg prices was due to poultry deaths in several farms suspected of being infected with avian influenza virus H5 and H7 (bird flu),” he noted.
Such statements had scared off many people, even garnering attention from Singaporean media, he said in a Facebook posting.
Quoting Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol from the Philippines, it was reported on Dec 18 that Singapore would make the Philippines a preferred country for the importation of pork, chicken and eggs.
“Pakatan ministers have always been reminded that they are now the government, and not in the opposition as before, where they can say anything without having national interest in their mind,” he said.
“Smallholders in the countryside are suffering from plummeting commodity prices. Many have related this to Pakatan government’s attempt to play politics with economic powerhouse, China. Now, China is no longer buying palm oil from Malaysia and chooses to buy palm oil from Indonesia instead. What’s next?” he asked.