You’re not a feudal lord, Penang MCA tells Ismail Sabri

(Malay Mail Online) – Public office does not mean an individual may lord it over the public, Penang MCA told Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob after his pledge to deny Permatang Pauh development funds if Barisan Nasional (BN) loses the by-election there.

Saying the agriculture and agro-based industries minister’s “unfortunate” remarks demonstrated an ignorance of democratic principles, MCA Penang state liaison committee deputy chairman Tan Teik Cheng reminded Ismail Sabri of his duty to serve the public equally.

“A wakil rakyat is entrusted with management of public resources.  Bestowment of public authority does not by any means equate to behaving like a feudal lord.

“A Cabinet minister appointed to his portfolio may wield administrative powers on the usage of public resources, but such utilisation is based according to the needs of the nation and her peoples, where ethnicity, religion, region or political inclination should not be factors for consideration, since these public resources are funded by taxpayers and belong to the nation and her citizens,” Tan said in a statement.

The MCA leader added that it was not Ismail Sabri’s prerogative to decide which constituencies would receive funds according to his personal whims.

“These are the very basic principles of democracy, as well as reasonable functions of any government department. It is simply unimaginable that a senior minister could actually confuse such precepts,” Tan added.

On Friday, the minister was reported as saying that he will not approve any development funds for Permatang Pauh, which he noted was dependent on agriculture, if PKR candidate Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail wins on May 7.

He also promised that funding approval would be forthcoming, however, if the BN candidate is victorious.

This later prompted PKR to demand the Election Commission investigate Ismail Sabri for electoral bribery.