KUCHING, Nov 2: The State Opposition’s refusal to join the state’s ‘Program Amanat Integriti Bersama YAB Ketua Menteri’ has shown up their level of political maturity, says a state Barisan Nasional (BN) representative.
Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs Abdullah Saidol said the state Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) refusal to join means they refused to cooperate and jointly embrace the common desire to adopt integrity in political activities and administration.
“The Chief Minister’s willingness to openly talk about matters relating to integrity should be appreciated. (I) can’t understand why Chong Chieng Jen being the state PH chief chooses to politicise this event,” he said in a press statement.
Abdul Saidol said the event, held at a hotel here this morning, had nothing to do with politics, but the chief minister’s serious commitment towards strengthening integrity and good governance in the state administration.
“(The Chief Minister Datuk Amar) Abang Johari (Tun Open) talked substantially about spiritual or religious compliance in his speech. He did admit that nobody is perfect and sometime we forget.
“So this event is about reminding ourselves especially those who hold powers of our fundamental moral and fiduciary duty owed to people who entrusted us with various obligations to administer this state efficient and prudently.”
He stressed that the event had invited all government agencies, and assemblymen including representatives from the opposition.
He noticed that representatives from PAS were present, but questioned Pakatan Harapan’s decision to boycott it.
State PH chairman Chong had earlier claimed that the integrity programme is nothing but a mere public relations exercise by the BN government as the government has not the slightest intent to adopt the practice of good governance and integrity.
Chong, who is also state Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman, said one example of the BN government’s non-integrity policy is holding the people to ransom over the allocation of Minor Rural Project (MRP) funds and the non-transparent application of the said MRP fund.
Chong, who is Kota Sentosa assemblyman, said the BN government not only defies the basic principle of democracy by wrongfully denying the rights of the people in opposition-held state constituencies their rights to MRP funds, but the BN government has also failed to be accountable to the application of such MRP funds by the BN assemblymen and ministers. — DayakDaily
