IPOH: The parties that raised the issue of efforts being made to learn about housing from Singapore are mere hypocrites, says Nga Kor Ming.
The Local Government Development Minister said the same people when in power had gone to Singapore to do the same, but failed to do so.
“Now when we want to do the same, they are making all sorts of negative comments. This sort of double-standard attitude should not be in place,” he told reporters after handing keys to some 10 house owners of the PR1MA housing scheme at the Kepayang Residence here on Saturday (Jan 28).
Nga said government-to-government initiatives have been in place since the 1970s, not only with Singapore but other Asean countries such as Thailand and Indonesia.
He said what was important was that the ministry wanted the best for the country and the people, and it did not matter where the best came from.
Nga said that was their only objective, and Singapore’s Housing Development Board was recognised as one of the best in the world, thus there was no harm to learn from them.
“I have confidence in the officers in the ministry who have their own specialities, but we also have weaknesses that can be repaired.
“Let me emphasise this. If a country fails to learn, then the country will cease to progress, and to develop we must continue to learn lifelong.
“This is our 41st anniversary of the Look East Policy, if we can learn from Japan, what is wrong if we do the same from our neighbour Singapore,” he added.
Nga’s statement recently to invite experts from other countries including Singapore to improve the country’s existing housing policy did not go well with several politicians including Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor who had criticised Nga’s move.
Recently the Kedah Mentri Besar was reported as suggesting that Nga’s ministry was attempting to carry out the Silk Road agenda from China in a video of him taken during the recent rally in Sik that was circulated online.
