Tuesday July 10, 2012

Facebook accusations untrue, says Yen Yen

PUTRAJAYA: Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen has accused Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng of having “wicked intentions” for claiming that her ministry had spent RM1.8mil to set up the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Facebook page.

“We have said it many times that the setting up of the Facebook (account) was free.

“The RM1.8mil was to run our (promotional) campaigns, take up advertisements and other things,” she told a press conference here.

On Sunday, Lim took potshots at Dr Ng during his debate with MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, accusing her ministry of spending RM1.8mil to maintain the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Facebook page.

He also raised allegations that an MCA leader was a permanent resident of Australia, in what some people felt was targeted at Dr Ng.

Dr Ng dismissed Lim’s claim, saying that this was a “typical behaviour” of a politician who had run out of issues to talk about.

“I took up PR in the 1990s for my sons’ education but I gave it up in 1995. It is typical of Guan Eng to talk of something from 20 years ago.”

In KUALA LUMPUR, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai hit out at the DAP for not contributing much to education and yet criticised others who were doing it.

Liow was referring to Lim’s remarks during the debate in which he claimed that Tunku Abdul Rahman College was set up because many qualified non-bumiputra students could not get into public universities.

Meanwhile, The Star group chief editor Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai and political analyst Fui K. Soong, who is the chief executive officer of the Centre for Strategic Engagement, felt that Sunday’s debate was fiery and full of flavour but it would have been better if there had been greater depth for the audience to judge.

“I think both the opponents had their reasons to approach the debate this way, maybe to play to the gallery with their supporters, but I think a lot more Malaysians would like to have seen them having a proper debate,” Wong said during Capital FM’s morning talk show Talk of the Town yesterday.

However, Wong gave both Dr Chua and Lim credit for their different strengths.

“Dr Chua had depth and maturity. He had the numbers and the statistics to justify his arguments. He also seemed better prepared than Lim.

“Lim, on the other hand, was combative and adopted a ceramah mode but seemed to have better prepared this time.”

Fui said he was disappointed with Lim’s delivery, adding that he could have handled himself better.

“He should have answered the questions point-by-point instead of resorting to personal attacks.”

In GEORGE TOWN, when asked about the debate, Lim said it was up to the audience to decide who fared better.

“I think the debate this time allowed us more time to expand and explain more issues,” he said.

He said the next debate should be between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

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