Don't take it out on tourists, MBs tick off Azalina

The leaders of Selangor and Penang in a joint press conference today ticked off Tourism Minister Azalina Othman for punishing voters in the wake of the last month's national polls.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng urged Azalina to reverse her decision to terminate memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Pakatan Rakyat state governments.

At a joint press conference after his first official meeting with Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, he said the decision would affect tourists.

“We’re very curious as to why the minister wants to take it out on tourists if she is unhappy with the results in the elections,” he said.

“We feel that this action is not well thought out and I don’t think it is in the national interest especially that of the people.”

Last week, Azalina terminated the tourism MoUs along with the Tourism Action Councils in states where Barisan Nasional state executive councillors had previously held the tourism portfolio.

Her decision affected four states - Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Perak - and would result in cutting millions of ringgit of federal funding for tourism promotion campaigns in these states.

The DAP leader said the decision is contradictory to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s assurance that all federal programmes would run as planned, without any changes, after the two met in Putrajaya last Thursday.

“We hope (Azalina’s decision) can be reconsidered so it does not give the wrong impression that this is only being done because (BN wants to show what happens) when people make their choice,” Lim said.

Meanwhile, Khalid said it is time to distinguish between money given for political activities and money allocated through the consolidated fund of the federal government for the states.

“I do not think any minister can discriminate on the basis of a state having different political leadership,” he told reporters.

“As menteri besar, I am answerable to all people of Selangor irrespective of their political association, and funds will be channelled to all the needy. This standard of thinking must be for the whole country.”

Joint investment efforts

Khalid also said Selangor would learn from Penang’s efficient water supply management and discuss investment opportunities.

Penang has been providing water to residents through a listed company, at a lower cost than in Selangor, he said.

“We want to know the potential for, say, management of a water treatment plant. We want to know the technical part and experience for Selangor. Then we will know which is more efficient and we can adopt such method to make our system more efficient.

“If we can reduce the cost of water, the people will benefit. In Penang, their cost is better than Selangor, so we want to share our strengths.”

He said the Selangor government’s objective is to have a ‘continuous improvement’ in the style of management.

On investments, he said both states would identify development opportunities toward improving economic activity in both states and domestic productivity.

“Penang can invest in Selangor and Selangor can invest in Penang. We’ll have joint presentations for foreign investors but for now I suggest taking the relevant exco-members to visit Penang to discuss this,” he said.

Asked to comment on whether Sungai Pinang state representative Teng Chang Khim would be appointed speaker in the state assembly, Khalid said he did not want to speculate.

“I think the issue now is that the selection of the speaker will be done prior to our legislative assembly on April 22.

“I do not want to speculate but my colleagues from DAP have their own nominee. The best time to announcement the appointment is following the selection of the people at the assembly because this is how the assembly selects the candidate.”

Probed whether this matter had been discussed during his meeting with Lim, Khalid replied: “It’s private.”

Sources said Teng is tipped to be appointed the first non-Malay Speaker, but this has not been confirmed.