Bersatu MP skewers MCMC inaction over PM's foreigners subsidy claim

PARLIAMENT | An opposition lawmaker has taken MCMC to task over its supposed inaction against allegedly inaccurate remarks by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the Dewan Rakyat.

Taking the opportunity to air his grievances in Parliament today, Bersatu MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan (PN-Tasek Gelugor) trained his guns on Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching (Harapan-Kulai).

In a supplementary question to the deputy minister, who was addressing an earlier query on the government’s measures to combat harmful online content, including the dissemination of fake news, Wan Saiful questioned why the MCMC appears not to be cracking down in certain cases.

In particular, he referenced the prime minister’s recent accusation that PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin had defended the provision of fuel subsidies to foreigners - an allegation that the Beratu president has since denied.

“Did the Tambun MP (Anwar) not do his homework before coming to the Dewan and speaking about things that are uncertain, incorrect, and misleading?

“Is this not an example of how we must remind (Anwar) that if you’re not sure, don’t share - don’t say something first and only check it later?” Wan Saiful questioned while other opposition lawmakers cheered him on.

Anwar has since ordered MCMC to investigate whether Muhyiddin had made any statement supporting foreigners’ right to subsidised fuel.

However, PAS MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) yesterday argued that the prime minister’s action constitutes a serious abuse of executive power, tantamount to political interference in an enforcement body that should act independently.

‘Why target the press?’

Meanwhile, Wan Saiful went on to highlight a police investigation into MalaysiaNow, following the news portal’s report last month linking Anwar’s former aide, Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, to a mineral exploration licence scandal in Sabah.

“What’s puzzling to me is how there was recently a revelation about a young entrepreneur icon who became a millionaire very quickly, allegedly having received approval to do work in the state of Sabah.

“But, when the exposé was made by MalaysiaNow, it wasn’t the report that got investigated, but the news portal instead. It’s as if the individual mentioned has some kind of immunity from any legal action,” Wan Saiful said.

Warisan has since condemned the police investigation into MalaysiaNow, with its supreme council member Mudi Dubing expressing disappointment that the authorities were targeting the media instead of investigating the allegation.

In response to Wan Saiful’s questions, Teo merely said that if any lawmaker issues untruthful statements in the lower House, the Dewan Rakyat speaker should be the one to take proper action, not MCMC. 

Replying to the opposition MP’s concerns regarding Farhash, the deputy minister reiterated that any investigation, if deemed necessary, will be spearheaded by the MACC instead of the MCMC.

“I understand the Dewan Rakyat is a platform for MPs to voice their opinions and play politics, but if something doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the Communications Ministry or MCMC, I’m sorry, I cannot respond,” she added.

Reporting by Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain, Alyaa Alhadjri, and B Nantha Kumar.

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