KUALA LUMPUR – Housing and Local Development Minister Nga Kor Ming’s argument of ‘good feng shui’ being behind the RM5.21 million allocation to Hulu Selangor has been criticised as “unwise” and “insulting” to voters, ahead of the upcoming Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election.
Thomas Fann, chairman of the non-governmental organisation, Engage, denounced the use of public funds for electoral purposes, calling for an end to such practices, which he argued undermined trust in the government.
“With Nga’s ‘gifts’ for (Kuala Kubu Baharu), Pakatan Harapan (PH) and DAP have truly lost any moral high ground to accuse others of abuse of state resources.
“While Nga denied that the announcement had anything to do with the by-election, his very next sentence betrayed his true intent, when he urged Kuala Kubu Baharu voters to ‘balik kampung’ and vote for ‘a caring and progressive party’.
“Using good feng shui as his excuse is an insult to the intelligence of Kuala Kubu Baharu voters,” he told Scoop.
Fann cautioned that such actions could breed cynicism among voters, leading to disengagement from the electoral process and scepticism towards government policies.
“(People would think that) there is no point in voting, as a real structural change to a corrupt system is unattainable. This would lead to low voter turnout and cynicism about government policies,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gerakan chairman Datuk Dominic Lau criticised Nga’s feng shui justification as “unintelligent” and potentially influential in the upcoming by-election.
“What is ‘ong’ here? A (lawmaker) has died and we are in the process of electing a new representative. As politicians, we hope to respect the democratic system and defend its supremacy,” he said.
“The minister said the announcement had nothing to do with the by-election, but his explanation that Hulu Selangor was chosen for its ‘ong’ feng shui was very unintelligent.”
Claiming that DAP and dirty politics were inseparable, Lau advised DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke to speak with Nga to eschew playing immature politics.
MCA senator Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker also condemned Nga’s actions as contrary to anti-corruption principles, lamenting DAP’s deviation from its stance against such practices.
Electoral watchdog Bersih asserted that Nga violated election guidelines and cautioned the government against repeating such “unethical” practices.
Scoop has reached out to Nga for comment.
Yesterday, Nga announced that his ministry allocated RM5.21 million for various projects in Kuala Kubu Baharu.
He added that the rationale behind the funds was because of the state constituency’s good feng shui, and was unrelated to its upcoming by-election on May 11 following the death of its representative Lee Kee Hiong.
DAP is expected to field a candidate to represent the unity government’s coalition in the by-election. – April 19, 2024