TTF: Earlier today, Foreign Minister Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah clarified that the DAP’s Tan Kok Wai was not appointed as a Special Envoy to China but as chairman of the Malaysia-China Business Council (MCBC).
“His current position is chairman of the MCBC, and as far as Wisma Putra is concerned he is not a Special Envoy,” he said.
But some twelve hours later, Saifuddin admitted to newsmen (see news item below) that that a decision was made at a recent Cabinet meeting to appoint Tan as Malaysia’s Special Envoy to China.
A check by TTF revealed that the Malaysian Cabinet did not convene a meeting today.
What this means, is that Saifuddin deliberately misled reporters to conceal Tan’s appointment from members of public.
So apparently, important government appointments under the Pakatan Harapan administration are not to be made public despite them being pivotal to the wellbeing of the rakyat that voted Pakatan into power.
It should be noted that the rakyat does reserve the right to know who in the Federal administration was appointed to do what, when and where, as most administrative functions are bankrolled in part using taxpayer money.
Saifuddin’s willingness to lie about Tan’s appointment may have something to do with what the NST pointed out in the news item below.
It is well known that Pakatan Harapan previously lambasted the Barisan Nasional (BN) government over such appointments, deeming them a waste of funds.
On the 13th of August 2018, and again, on the 18th of August 2018, I proved beyond any measure of doubt that the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, is the “Greatest Malaysian liar” (follow links below to find out how).
READ: Tun M diberi notis 48 jam membuktikan beliau tidak menipu isu kapal Equanimity
READ: Mahu lelong Equanimity, kenyataan macam badut
READ: Tommy Thomas, Mahathir and Equanimity – the con job of the century
READ: Forum: DAP Perdana Menteri, bukan Tun M
With Saifuddin’s latest stunt, it looks as if everyone in the Mahathir administration has been trained to lie through their teeth on just about everything, including the appointments of Special Envoys to other countries for diplomatic reasons.
KUALA LUMPUR: The poser over the actual status of DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai’s status as Malaysia’s special envoy to China was finally resolved, after Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah confirmed the former’s appointment.
Saifuddin said the decision to appoint Tan as the envoy was made at a recent Cabinet meeting.
“He was appointed by the Cabinet as a special envoy to China,” Saifuddin wrote in a brief WhatsApp message reply to the NSTP on Friday.
The confirmation puts to rest the confusion which arose following conflicting statements from Tan and Saifuddin.
Reports had previously indicated that Tan, who is Cheras member of parliament, had been named as the country’s special envoy to China.
Saifuddin, in an interview, had initially refuted the report and said Tan was only the Malaysia-China Business Council (MCBC) chairman.
Tan, meanwhile, told NSTP that he was appointed as the special envoy to China, as well as the MCBC chairman as of Aug 1.
“The Foreign Minister (Saifuddin) has confirmed that the Cabinet agreed to my appointment as the special envoy to China, as well as the MCBC chairman. Thank you,” he wrote in a text message.
Tan’s appointment had been met with criticism from opposition leaders, as Pakatan Harapan had previously lambasted the Barisan Nasional (BN) government over such appointments, deeming them a waste of funds.
Former MCA president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting was the BN government’s special envoy to China. He served out three terms in the position, from Nov 2011 up to his resignation in Jan this year.
DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke however, said Tan’s appointment did not go against PH’s election manifesto, as it was not a political appointee for a government-linked company (GLCs), but as a government representative.
Source: NST Online
