Wee: UEC and wealth distribution two separate matters

PETALING JAYA: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong questioned why DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang has not told the Prime Minister that recognising the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) and wealth distribution are two separate issues.

As DAP has 42 parliamentary seats compared to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s 16, he questioned why Lim had not spoken out about the issue.

He said the recognition of UEC and wealth distribution issue were “two separate matters, which can be pursued concurrently”.

However, he said, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was saying that the wealth distribution problem was more urgent than recognising UEC.

“These are the agenda that Dr Mahathir desired to promote. He was only duplicating his past pet projects – the national car and bumiputra policy.

“What has distribution of wealth or poverty got to do with skin colour? Is recognition of UEC a racial issue? Why can’t economic reform and UEC recognition be pursued simultaneously?” he questioned.

Dr Wee said Dr Mahathir had been championing the bumiputra agenda and that DAP had remained silent over the matter.

“He first said the Chinese are rich, and DAP didn’t say anything in response.

“And then Bersatu elaborated on the need for a new bumiputra that emphasised on shared prosperity. It believed that the economy of the Malay and bumiputra community should be improved. Again, DAP kept quiet,” he said.

Meanwhile, he questioned why RM20mil in funds was allocated by the government for the third national car project.

“The Pakatan government needs to accept the reality that the country does not need this national car project but instead the rakyat desires an improvement in the country’s public transport system.

“A wide network of public transport system would be able to generate economic (benefits) for the locals and the country,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

He took the Pakatan government to task for forging ahead with the third national car project even though it used the country’s RM1 trillion debt as an excuse to cut down on administrative costs.

“The national car project suddenly came from the Pakatan leaders even though it was never mentioned during the 14th General Election campaign in May 2018.

“The people are wondering why are election promises not fulfilled? And why are plans that were never promised prioritised?” he said.

He added that Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng had said on Aug 13 last year that the third national car project would not utilise public funds.

Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof said on Monday his ministry had approved about RM20mil to attract private investors for the development of the third national car prototype.

He later said that only part of the RM20mil would be used for the project.