Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek has advised DAP to focus on affordable housing projects in opposition-controlled states before poking its nose into the chilli fertigation programme of MIC-linked New Affirmative Action Movement (Naam) Foundation.

"I think DAP should not politicise this programme.

"They should not blame or complain about Naam Foundation. Instead, they should ask, in Penang and Selangor, what has DAP done for the Indians and the poor?

"Even if they don't want to do agriculture programmes, they should focus on a 'below market price' housing development project for the people, and not just for leaders," he told reporters at a Naam Foundation chilli fertigation farm in Kuala Lumpur today.

He was referring to the allegations that DAP Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had purportedly purchased his bungalow below market price.

Yesterday, DAP Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming had raised the alleged conflict of interest in the disbursement of RM19 million by the Youth and Sports Ministry for a chilli planting programme to Naam Foundation, which is headed by its deputy minister M Saravanan.

Saravanan clarified today that the money had actually come from the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) under the Prime Minister's Department, and not the Youth and Sports Ministry.

The Youth and Sports Ministry only plays a monitoring role to ensure the programme goes according to plan, he had said.

The funding, he further explained, was meant to help the foundation uplift poor and uneducated Indian youths by providing skills training and equipment to them.

In an attempt to be as transparent as possible, Saravanan extended an invitation to Ong to visit Naam Foundation's office to check its records for himself.

Ong has accepted the invitation and would be visiting the office tomorrow morning.