KUCHING, Jan 24: President of Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing hit out at DAP for using taxpayers’ money to give ang pow to 700 independent Chinese secondary school teachers and staff members.
He said, the Democratic Action Party has been trumpeting the poor state of the country’s financial health and accused the previous government of bringing the country to bankruptcy.
“Have we been brought back from the brink of bankruptcy now that they could give out so many ang pow? The DAP is even more thick-faced today if they can buy the people’s votes in this manner.
“But when it involves giving monies taken from their constituency allocations, it is tantamount to misuse of public funds and soils the good name of these education professionals. Moreover, it makes it even more difficult to push for UEC recognition.
“They should realise that only equal and equitable actions fair to all ethnic groups can win their hearts and minds. If they really want to help and serve the people, reduce their own salaries and give to the people from their own bank accounts, instead of dipping into public funds,” Tiong said here today.
Tiong, who is also Bintulu MP reiterated that as a public servant, he hoped that DAP should be honest to assist the people by giving from their own pockets in a transparent and fair manner.
“But in this case, the DAP seems to have adopted a free-for-all attitude seemingly in their bid to distract the people from their forgotten pledge of getting the United Examination Certificate (UEC) recognised for admission to public universities. For what? Gaining political traction through cynically giving money and nothing more.
“For these valiant and hardworking independent teachers and faculty members, it is well and good for them to receive some bonus for their efforts throughout the year. But I believe they would value the UEC recognition immeasurably more than getting some ang pow as it is something they have worked for throughout their entire lives,” he said.
According to Tiong, DAP had promised that Pakatan Harapan would recognise UEC once they are in power.
“From incessantly promising the moon and sky to get the UEC certificate recognised, they seemed to have all but dropped this promise in place of just giving ‘donations’ to the people. Has their conscience eroded to such a degree that they don’t seem to care anymore and just blindly misuse public allocations now?
“Furthermore, by using public funds to give cash bonuses to teachers, the DAP is opening the floodgates to accusations of being racially insensitive and biased. All school teachers are selflessly dedicated to providing the best education possible. But in this case, why do only the staff of the independent Chinese secondary schools get to receive these ang pow. Are they denying the efforts of those teachers and staff in the Chinese primary schools and other vernacular schools?
“Are these ang pow given from a guilty conscience of not being able to deliver their promises, particularly to recognise the UEC?,” asked Tiong. —DayakDaily
