Media Statement by Johor DAP Publicity Secretary and Senai State Assemblyman Wong Shu Qi on 30th October 2017 (Monday):
Is Khaled Nordin ready to apologise and retract his wrongful accusation three years ago?
Khaled Nordin’s statement on the abolishment of EDL toll charge exposed him to be a politician without principle. More importantly, as a Menteri Besar, he was ignored, set aside and not consulted at all by the federal government on the toll charge.
Following the EDL toll charge announcement made by Prime Minister Najib Razak last Friday, Khaled Nordin commented yesterday that a lot of Malaysians will be benefited as well. Hence, it is not true that only Singaporeans benefited from the abolishment of EDL toll charge.
It seems like Khaled Nordin has totally forgotten what he had said three years ago when EDL toll charge was implemented on 1st August 2014. He was obviously ignorant of the true situation at that time, or he did not prioritise Malaysian road users, or he simply just wanted to oppose whatever stance which DAP took despite it being in the interest of Malaysians and Johoreans.
When DAP parliamentary leader and MP for Gelang Patah, Lim Kit Siang questioned the 480% toll hike at CIQ, Khaled Nordin first attempted to confuse the public on toll hike with VEP charge and accused that whoever that is against the toll hike are speaking for Singaporeans and not Malaysians. Now, it is Najib Razak who announced the abolishment, may I know if Khaled Nordin would call Najib Razak a “wakil rakyat Singapura” just like he insinuated against Lim Kit Siang?
DAP has been against the EDL toll charge on the basis that it was promised by Najib Razak in 2013 general election to be toll free. Yet, Barisan Nasional government went against its own general election promise. More outrageously, state leaders who were not consulted by Najib Razak on the toll hike. In order to cover up their betrayal against their own manifesto, Johor BN ended up making childish and wrongful accusations. It demonstrated how haphazard the process of political decision-making in Barisan Nasional.
It is now confirmed that Khaled Nordin was not consulted in 2014 when toll hike was announced even though he was already Menteri Besar at that time. On abolishment last Friday, he was clearly not informed in advance as well, otherwise he would not contradicted himself so blatantly. Is the Johor government really involved in all the major decision making process which affect our local economy? I doubt it.
Khaled Nordin is now left with three options: Either he should apologise to Lim Kit Siang for his wrongful and malicious accusation three years ago. Or, if he does not intend to do so, he should be ready to call Najib Razak a “wakil rakyat Singapura”. Or should Khaled Nordin fail to do any of the above, he is admitting that he is a “munafik” (hypocrite) who lacks principle. The ball is now in the Menteri Besar’s court.
Wong Shu Qi