STOP MAKING CHINESE QUOTA INTO ISSUE

KOTA KINABALU: The opposition has been urged to stop making the Chinese quota in the State Cabinet into an issue because such arrangement reflected the overall principle and power sharing in Barisan Nasional (BN).

Minister of Special Duties, Datuk Teo Chee Kang, said compared to 2008, Sabah BN had 12 Chinese assemblymen whereas in the just concluded General Election, the number had been reduced by half with only six.

In 2008, with 12 Chinese assemblymen, there were three full ministers appointed from the community and now with six Chinese assemblymen, the community has two full ministers in the State Cabinet.

"Each and every group and race will have their representation and by having such formula, the Chief Minister clearly had his wisdom in having such an arrangement," he said when met when reporting for duty on the first day at his office at 16th Floor of Wisma Innoprise, here, Monday.

The office was previously used by Minister in the Chief Minister's Department Datuk Nasir Tun Sakaran.

He said for example the Federal Cabinet had yet to be formed and already people are expecting more ministers and deputy ministers from Sabah and Sarawak.

"So if that happened, would the opposition make it an issue because surely this has to be done at the expense of West Malaysia. Will the opposition make it an issue of unfairness to our counterpart in West Malaysia?" he asked.

Teo said that certain irresponsible quarters are trying to fan racial sentiment by making a comment and statement that is dangerous to one particular race after the recent general election.

"I would like to say that the dust of the election has settled down, so it is not the time to point fingers at one particular community since very clearly there had been a swing of the votes from all communities including Malay, KDM and Chinese in Sabah.

"It is for us to now sit down and work for the benefit of the country and people as a whole, it is not the time to point fingers and put the blame on a particular community," he said.

On the comments by former appeals court judge, Datuk Mohd Noor, who warned the Malaysian Chinese about a backlash from the Malays as a result of the so-called Chinese Tsunami, Teo said it was very unbecoming of him.

"In fact, it is very un-Malaysian for him to make a statement like that," he said, adding that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had made it very clear in the recent Umno 67th anniversary that this nation was built on the principle of moderation.

"So this ex-judge should be investigated under the Sedition Act and if there is a case against him, he should be charged accordingly," he said.

On his portfolio, Teo said there seemed to be a lot of people asking about it and his responsibility.

"I thank them for their concern but there is no need to jump the gun, it is quite premature to speculate.

"I am sure as the Minister of Special Tasks, there will be É we just have to be patient and wait for the announcement.

I am sure important tasks will be given," he said, adding that he would be having a meeting with the Chief Minister soon.

"That goes without saying because as a Chinese Minister the issue affecting Chinese will always be close to my heart," he said when asked if among his tasks would be to take care of the Chinese community's welfare. (DE)