A Selangor executive council member has lambasted Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen for blaming “street demonstrations” as the cause behind the failure of a ministry programme to attract foreign emigrants.

                

“Her actions in blaming peaceful public gatherings for the Malaysia My Second Home programme failure (MM2H) is disappointing,” lamented exco member Elizabeth Wong in a statement.

“Although it is clear that the minister had to find something to blame for the failure of her ministry, I think her statement only serves to humiliate herself and the government.”    

NONE Wong ( right ) reminded the minister that all over the world, democracy and by adjunct peaceful public protests, are an accepted norm and the hallmark of good democracy.

“The programme failed not because of public gatherings but because government policies which failed to reduce immigration encumbrances and the MM2H permits lack appeal and do not offer any real privileges,” she countered.

Wong said that it would be more prudent for Ng to conduct an in-depth study of the real reasons behind the programme’s failure.

“I am certain immigration policies, graft and rule of law are more of a concern for foreigners who are being courted to join the programme,” argued Wong.

In a written reply to Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) in Parliament yesterday, Ng had said that street demonstrations are the root cause for the failure of promotional efforts undertaken by the ministry to promote the programme.

“This is the key barrier preventing foreigners from staying in Malaysia for long periods,” she said in answer to Kok’s question on the details of participants and problems faced by the ministry.