Outspoken parliamentarian Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Bandar Kuching) today accused the government of discriminating against opposition MPs by withdrawing their invitations to a workers retrenchment briefing by the Human Resources Ministry.

chong chieng jen interview 141108 03 Speaking to reporters at press conference, Chong blasted the government for excluding them even to a retrenchment briefing which could be benefit their voters.

“There are 82 members of Parliament who represent about 40 percent of the country's voters... by pushing us aside from the briefing, our voters are being deprived of information,” said Chong.

“With the state of the economy and the financial crisis today, all this politicking has to stop and we have to transcend our party lines to manage the economy as well as concentrate on the needs of the people,” he said.

Earlier this month, Deputy Human Resource Minster Noraini Ahmad said that over 100,000 workers could be out of employment by the end of the year because of falling demand for exports due to the global economic downturn.

'We are going to crash the party'

fong po kuan 290805 Chong further said: “Although we are now no longer invited, we are going to crash the party.” His suggestion was also agreed to by Batu Gajah DAP MP Fong Poh Kuan who was also present at the press conference.

Prior to this Chong had exchanged remarks with Energy, Water and Communications Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor during the winding-up of the debate on the motion of thanks on the Royal Address.

“I received an invitation from the ministry (human resources) to attend the briefing at the Legend Hotel on March 10... (but) it was withdrawn and we were told it was for BN leaders only,” said Chong.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim (Permatang Pauh-PKR) then suggested that invitations could have been given out in good intentions, and later withdrawn after some “advice”.

The House deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee dismissed the issue and told the MPs to direct their questions to the respective ministry.

dr s subramaniam interview 210308 01 As expected, the opposition MPs cornered Human Resources Minister S Subramaniam before he presented his winding-up speech.

However, much to the disappointment of the MPs, Subramaniam said that the opposition MPS were not excluded, but the briefing was cancelled altogether, due to recent events.

“The Finance Ministry is scheduled to present the mini-budget on March 10 and there could be new developments which we can consider for the briefing. Therefore, it has been cancelled for all,” said Subramaniam.