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Media Conference (2)          
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Petaling Jaya, Thursday): The proposal that the post of Health Minister left vacant by the resignation of Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek should be left unfilled with the MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting doubling up as Acting Health Minister is most ridiculous, shameful and unacceptable – subordinating the rights and interests of 26 million Malaysians to a world-class medical and health system to the rot and factional infighting in MCA.

It is a reflection of the advanced marginalization, irrelevance and rot of MCA that it has found itself in a dilemma over the appointment of a fourth MCA Minister to the extent there could be the serious suggestion that the post be left vacant until the next general election and that the MCA President double up as Acting Health Minister apart from his portfolio as Local Government and Housing Minister.

The Malaysian public are entitled to know whether the MCA Presidential Council has reached such a decision and whether the MCA President had formally forwarded such a proposal to the Prime Minister – as whether the country has a full-time Health Minister or just a half-time Acting Health Minister is a matter of grave public importance which concerns all Malaysians and not just MCA.

At present, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is also the Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister – and it is no exaggeration to say that this has resulted in the country having the weakest and most ineffective Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister in the nation’s history.

If the vacancy of Health Minister is left unfilled, with Ka Ting doubling up as Acting Health Minister, the message to Malaysians is very explicit – that the Abdullah premiership and MCA leadership are not concerned or interested about efficient, effective and good governance but only in playing politics in Barisan Nasional, whether in the component parties or the coalition!

If the MCA President is not prepared to recommend the appointment of a full-time MCA Health Minister, whether Datuk Ong Tee Kiat, Datuk Donald Lim, Datuk Dr. Ng Yen Yen, Datuk Fu Ah Kiow or Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, then Abdullah should appoint a full-time Health Minister from the other non-UMNO Barisan Nasional component parties – as Malaysia deserves a full-time and hands-on Health Minister.
 

(03/01/2008)