Opposition sounds like a broken record, says Chua

JOHOR BARU: The same old allegation by the Opposition that foreigners are being brought in to vote for Barisan Nasional is sounding like a broken record, said Datuk Chua Tee Yong.

“It was the same tactic the Opposition used in the previous general election where they claimed that the Barisan government had brought thousands of Bangladeshis into Malaysia and gave them MyKad to vote but could not prove it,” said the Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister.

Chua said it was the Opposition’s ploy to twist the truth about government policies to mislead Malaysians, especially when the general election is near.

He added that the Government encouraged the incoming of skilled and semi-skilled expatriates to aid in the country’s national and technical growth.

“The expatriates come to Malaysia and get a long-term visa, which does not give them voting rights, unlike a citizenship,” he said when commenting on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s allegations that it was easy for foreigners to get Malaysian citizenship with voting rights.

He said Dr Mahathir made such an allegation to achieve his own political agenda and trigger hatred towards the Government.

Dr Mahathir had claimed at a Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia talk in Malacca on Saturday that 700,000 foreigners were expected to come to the country due to the various foreign developments in Iskandar Malaysia.

He also claimed that the foreigners would be given MyKad to vote and this was a move to ensure Barisan wins the next general election.