Monday August 23, 2010

DAP slammed for issuing gag order on Liu affair

PETALING JAYA: DAP should walk the talk on their brand of governance which they claim is based on competency, accountability and transparency.

Selangor MCA public complaints bureau chief Datuk Theng Book said the party, as well as Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu and former Klang municipal councillor Tee Boon Hock, must tell the public the truth in the matter of issuing support letters to secure state projects.

“The principle of integrity and accountability is merely a slogan if they try to cover up the issue,” he said when asked to comment on a report in yesterday’s Sunday Star in which Tee claimed Liu had personally issued a letter of support for Perkhidmatan AA, a company belonging to Tee’s son.

Liu was alleged to have issued the letter to the Klang Municipal Council’s environment department director on April 14, 2008, just three weeks after being appointed executive councillor on March 24.

Theng said Liu should lodge a police report if Tee’s claim was not true.

Selangor MCA vice-chairman Datuk Dr Wong Sai Hou echoed Theng’s call, adding that the people of Selangor want the truth because the current state government is plagued with numerous issues that need frank answers.

“The Tee versus Lui case is like a cat-and-mouse game. The winner gets away while the mouse is expelled,” Wong said.

“Today, the expelled mouse has produced evidence to ‘bell the cat’. Only those who signed such support letters months before would know the truth. The honorable thing would be to step down and let truth prevail,” he added.

Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow chided DAP for imposing a gag order on its members from feeding the media information pertaining to the controversy.

“This is against media freedom, transparency and accountability – the principles DAP leaders have been claiming to champion for umpteen years,” said Teng in response to the directive issued by DAP chairman Karpal Singh on Saturday.

Several DAP leaders and members have been issuing statements to the traditional and online media, urging the party to sack Liu over his involvement.

Although the DAP sacked Tee on Aug 1 for using Liu’s official letterhead to secure projects, Liu was let off with a warning.

Teng said the DAP had lost its authority in matters concerning accountability and transparency by issuing the gag order.

“The world will see through their hypocrisy if they continue claiming to be transparent, accountable and 100% democratic.

“We are glad to know DAP has mastered the art of sweeping dirt under the carpet. We welcome them to the world of cover-up,” he said in jest.

On a more serious note, Teng said DAP could impose a gag order on party matters but not when it involved possible corruption or abuse of power.

“In such cases, covering up is tantamount to abetting,” he said.

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