MCA president Wee Ka Siong now risks having egg on his face as controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan has denied reaching out to him (Wee) to rectify his remarks over the issue of imported eggs from India.
The former Transport Minister and Ayer Hitam MP may now have to detail the full identity of the “Deepak” whom he claimed had name-dropped the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a 9.51am call to him on Tuesday (March 14) and demanded that he retract his statement accusing eggs imported from India to be ‘not fresh’, pricier and smaller in terms of size.
“I don’t even have his number, let alone calling him. I suggest for him (Wee) to clarify what number called him, if it’s not me,” the carpet dealer and vocal critic of now-incarcerated ex-premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor told Malaysiakini yesterday (March 15) evening.
“So, the question of name-dropping or whatever is part of his games. Now that he’s not a minister, he’s running around like a headless chicken, finding troubles with eggs,” quipped Deepak.
In a statement that he produced to pro-Pakatan Harapan (PH) news portal Harapan Daily last night (March 15), Deepak added: “I have referred the matter to my lawyer”.
At the same instance, Deepak also refuted any relations to J&E Advanced Tech Sdn Bhd, the sole company that Putrajaya had allowed to import eggs from India during a local supply shortage.
Checks on J&E’s company information with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) by Malaysiakini also revealed that Deepak was not listed as a shareholder or director in the firm.
Delving further into the issue, Deepak snubbed Wee for “hiding” behind a letter issued to him by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul which spells out the fact that MPs enjoy legal immunity when addressing the august house.
Therefore, he challenged the former transport minister to a “joint press conference” in front of the Parliament this morning (March 16).
“If he really has the courage and believes what he said is true, come outside the Parliament and make the exact statement he had stated earlier. I’ll be there to counter him.”
For the record, both Wee and former International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali who have been hyper critical about the quality of eggs imported from India – which is only intended as a temporary measure to address local shortages – have been slapped by letter of demand from J&E.
Interestingly, the MCA head honcho’s claim of PMO’s name-dropping “by an individual called Deepak” has prompted the latter to warn of stern action against those who misuse the PMO’s title for their vested interests.
According to the PMO, it was a serious matter that there were certain parties who were name-dropping the PMO for their own purposes.
“Such actions are very irresponsible and it gives a negative impact on the credibility of the PMO and the government,” it pointed out in a brief statement. “Therefore, the PMO will not hesitate to take further action, including legal measures, towards those involved in such matters,” – March 16, 2023
