Action will be taken against MCA if it ‘punishes’ students by increasing tuition fees following the government’s decision to provide only RM5.5 million development fund for both Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) and Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) in the 2019 Budget.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said he could accept the fact that MCA leaders were making nasty and personal attacks against him over the matter. He however warned the party not to take it out on the students.
“MCA is using the students...punishing them to hit back at me. All I can say is that if you want to hit back at me, hit back as I am used to to it.
“I can accept that but don’t take it out on the students. If you take it out on the students, we will take action against MCA,” he told newsmen here today.
He was met at the George Town Literary Festival where he was honoured for founding the festival and lending continuous support of the festival in the past eight years. Lim was awarded the patron of George Town Literary Festival. Also present was Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
Lim, in his 2019 Budget speech, had announced a RM5.5 million development fund for UTAR and TAR UC. The amount was a RM24.5 million cut from RM30 million previously.
Lim said the sum previously was for operating expenditure but the present government has since moved over from giving operating expenditure to development expenditure.
“So, we give RM5.5 million and not the operating expenditure on the principle that you must also look at whether theses institutions are politicised. Politicised in the sense that there is political control by MCA.
“We still give to MCA eventhough both institutions are set up by our rival party but the principle is that there must be separation between politics and education.
“Otherwise, if DAP sets up a school today, Umno the following day and thereafter Pas, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM)...do we give to everyone?
“There must be a principle there. So, when we try to establish this principle, MCA is using the students, punishing the students to hit back at me,” he said.
Lim said when the previous Barisan Nasional administration reduced the allocation from RM64.25 million in the past to RM30 million, MCA never uttered a word about increasing tuition fees.
“When we cut RM24.5 million, why is MCA talking about increasing tuition fees? Why is it when BN cut more, you (MCA) never increased (tuition fees) but when we cut less, you talk about increase?
“This is an act of political vengence. So, we want to remind MCA not to play this kind of game by sacrificing the students or else we will take action to protect the interest and rights of the students,” he added.
MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon had said yesterday that Lim’s statements for both UTAR and TAR UC to sever ties with the party before obtaining government funding would deprive students from its affordable university fees.
Dr Mah had said that instead of offering to help UTAR and TAR UC, Lim had instead victimised both the institutions due to their relationship with MCA.
Prior to that, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong had expressed disappointment over the decision not to provide a matching grant that was approved by the Cabinet in 2012 for TAR UC.
Lim Guan Eng said he could accept the fact that MCA leaders were making nasty and personal attacks against him over the matter. He however warned the party not to take it out on the students. (NSTP/DANIAL SAAD)
Original article from https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/11/434103/lim-warns-mca-action-if-it-punishes-utar-tar-uc-students-nsttv?fbclid=IwAR2HHeoX1bPHjC-28kd7b31DI6l35GTub_BE31Go9_xX6XI8iE4uu3LifEg
