BALAKONG, Aug 30 — Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said MCA should bring up the issue of toll abolishment with him if they are really concerned about the plight of the people.

He said the party should not be asking Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) candidate in the Balakong state seat by-election Wong Siew Ki in their campaigning as she is not a minister.

"(Wong) Siew Ki is not a minister, why ask her? If you want to ask about the toll, you should ask me, because I am the minister,” he said in PH public talk held here last night.

Last Friday, MCA candidate Tan Chee Teong blasted Wong in a statement for failing to respond to the issue on the failure of the government to abolish the toll as stated in the PH manifesto.

Tan said the Balakong residents seemed to be trapped within seven tolls to get out of Kajang or Kuala Lumpur.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, said he hoped the people would be patient and give the PH government time to keep its promises.

"PH is barely four months in the government and need more time to strengthen the economy and settle the government’s debts first.

"We do not want the people to be burdened by the RM1 trillion debt left by Barisan Nasional (BN) and we are working to settle that as well as keep our promise to lighten the burden of the people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Wong has challenged Tan to a debate on the development issues in Balakong.

She said a debate was to have been held this afternoon, but she was told that it was postponed at the last minute because Tan had a tight schedule.

"I was very excited when Tan agreed to a debate with me but I was told yesterday that he could not attend due to time constraints.

"I challenge him to debate with me and I am willing to find the time for the session if he accepts my challenge,” she said.

The Balakong by-election is being held following the death of its assemblyman Eddie Ng Tien Chie in a car accident on July 20.

In the 14th general election, Ng defeated BN candidate Lim Chin Wah and Mohamad Ibrahim Ghazali (PAS), with a majority of 35,538 votes. — Bernama