Opposition misleading people on FDI, says Liow
GEORGE TOWN: MCA has hit out at Pakatan Harapan leaders for “purposely misleading” the people on the Federal Government’s efforts to bring foreign investments into the country.
Its president, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, said Pakatan had often “twisted” the words of government leaders and misguided the people.
He said Pakatan had slammed the Barisan Nasional-led government for allegedly putting the country’s sovereignty on the line by taking loans from China.
“However, this does not apply to them (Pakatan) when the (DAP-led) Penang government takes loans from China.
“In fact, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng claimed that the loans from China were because of good relations between the two countries,” he said here yesterday.
Liow disagreed with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claim that Chinese mega projects in Malaysia would allow the “communist country” to gain a strategic foothold in Malaysia and the surrounding sea routes.
“When Dr Mahathir was prime minister, he claimed that China was not a communist country. But, today, he is singing a different tune.
“The Chinese embassy has denied those claims and stressed that they respected the sovereignty of our nation.”
Liow said unlike the opposition, the government was committed to delivering on its promises for the betterment of the people and country. He took a swipe at the DAP-led state government for failing to fulfil its 51 promises to the people.
Earlier, Liow launched Penang’s One Belt and Road Centre (ORBC), which aims to attract Chinese investors to the island state.
“With further collaborations with China, we can improve Penang and Malaysia’s economies. With the establishment of OBRC, we are on the right track. And, soon, Malaysia will become a logistic hub in the Asean region,” he said.
Liow said a mobile van would be deployed to raise awareness about OBRC through public forums.
OBRC was set up to “matchmake” local businesses and China through an advisory panel comprising Penang’s business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Penang’s OBRC will be headed by MCA PRC Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Koay Kar Huah, with Datuk Loo Khay Thye and Datuk Tan Lee Huat serving as deputy chairman and secretary.