Ooi does not want public debate

PENANG: Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi does not want to engage in a public debate with the wives of former Barisan Nasional assemblymen and MPs here, claiming their call for a debate has no “intellectual basis”.
Ooi, who is also the chief of staff to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, said he has instead urged the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to investigate the repatriation of money by the group who had ceased to be valid members of Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjung after the March 8 polls.
“That is the core of the issue I am raising. Only that can form the basis for an intellectual debate to take place – not my use of the term ‘desperate housewives’,” he said, adding that his use of the term in his blog postings was not in reference to the association.
“To me that is a non-issue. ‘Desperate housewives’ was just a title to a series of blog postings, so there is no question of me apologising,” he said, adding that he was an “interested party” as the matter concerned his wife.
“My wife would also like to contribute and do her bit for charity as a PBT member. As a gesture of sincerity to Penangites, the relevant parties responsible in repatriating the sum of RM350,000 to Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti), should return the money to our coffers,” he said.
He was responding to a challenge by former president Puan Sri Chui Kah Peng, wife of former Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to him and Lim for a public debate over the handling of the association’s funds.
In a blog posting, Ooi stated that Mount Miriam Hospital had yet to receive funds from PBT but later corrected himself by stating that the hospital, along with the Penang Cheshire Home and Mental Health Association, had received RM3,572.63.
In a press statement released by PBT yesterday, former association secretary Rasidah Abdul Majid said PBT members would not reply to questions raised by Lim’s political secretary Ng Wei Aik.
“After declining our challenge to an open debate, Lim delegated Ng to pose questions to (Puan Sri) Chui. We will not reply any of these questions because it is a repeat of baseless allegations and insinuations against PBT which we were fully prepared to answer through an open debate.
“Secondly, it is strange that Lim, who has made all these allegations in public now, not only refuses to have an open debate but is instead requesting for a closed-door meeting.
“If he is sincere about settling things amicably, why make all these public allegations?” she said, adding that the members were “shocked” to learn that Ng’s letter to PBT was e-mailed to the press even before it was faxed to the association.
“That they would first make public a letter asking for a private discussion once again demonstrates their insincerity and intention to politicise the issue.
tunku : this is the opposition style.when they are the opposition they will shout,cry etc.they will ask for open debate but when they are in charged they act the other way round.they are chameleons not human.look for your own source of income,it is the right of pbt to transfer the money to any other body as it is not a state own body.its ngo.