I WISH to refer to the letter to editor carried in your news portal “Opposition should stop nit-picking on inconsequential issues!” by Madeline Chong from Malacca yesterday (21 Feb 2022).
While I respect her right to air her views, I believe her use of the word “trash talk” on my views on the palm oil sector makes me wonder if the writer really understands an MP’s comprehensive role. I think she may not be fully aware.
Maybe Madeline has not been reading the battles the Opposition, particularly the DAP, has fought over the years on how the party has selflessly kept all the government in power in check over the last 60 years. Or maybe she does selective reading, I am not sure.
So, the brash tone of her letter does not reflect well of her ability to reason or understand that as a former minister of the plantation industries and commodities, I know the workings of the various departments and agencies under its jurisdiction.
I pointed out a very pertinent point when I said there was no need to reorganise the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) and the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) and put them “under one roof”.
The writer failed to read and understand my original argument that these bodies were already one roof and the top officials were sitting on all the boards or at least two of them. They are fully aware of the goings on in all the agencies.
But minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin chose to respond by saying I do not understand English which prompted me to respond and clarify.
For the writer’s information, “bringing them under one roof” will also involve extra expenditure which will see the use of taxpayer’s money. This is not nit-picking but putting things in right perspective.
Having been an elected representative for more than 20 years, let me remind the writer that I know the role of an Opposition member, state government exco member and a minister absolutely well.
I would invite the writer to see all my Facebook posts, statements in Parliament, Selangor state assembly and as a minister to see how I have raised issues of corruption in the past.
And if she really wants to know of what DAP does to fight corruption, I would advise her not to be selective in her reading habits and visit our Rocketkini website. She will know how broadly we are fighting for the rakyat.
I hope she will also remember that some of our leaders have been under detention in fighting for all causes, including the rights of the writer.
Teresa Kok is the MP for Seputeh.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
