Najib slams double standard by DAP, Amanah over port appointments
The former prime minister defends the selection of MCA leaders as heads of port authorities.
PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak has hit out at DAP and Amanah for criticising the appointment of MCA leaders as heads of port authorities.
“DAP and Amanah are coming out with propaganda to claim that the appointment of MCA leaders as chairmen of the Bintulu, Melaka, Klang and Penang port authorities is a move for MCA to take control of Malaysian ports,” Najib in a Facebook post today
“This is just half the story.
“Yes, the PN (Perikatan Nasional) government did appoint MCA leaders as chairs of port authorities.
“But they were chosen to replace DAP leaders who were appointed by the DAP (transport) minister, although he once promised not to appoint politicians.”
He described such criticism as hypocritical.
Najib pointed out that in September 2018, the former transport minister had said that future heads of port commissions would not be just political appointees but also professionals from the industry.
He said a member of DAP’s central executive committee was appointed chairman of the Bintulu Port Authority in November 2018.
DAP’s Kota Kinabalu MP was appointed the Labuan Port Authority (LPA) chairman in February 2019, and the Penang DAP assistant treasurer was picked to head the Penang Port Commission (PPC) in March 2019.
This was followed by the appointment of the former head of DAP Selangor as chairman of the Klang Port Authority in May 2019.
In addition, a DAP Melaka assemblyman was nominated to head the Malacca Port Authority in January this year but his appointment was not approved by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government.
“DAP is clean. It’s just the other parties that cannot do it (make political appointees),” said Najib mockingly.
“Amanah also agrees with DAP although this is very hypocritical.”
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