KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 ― Damansara MP Tony Pua’s remarks on the sale of state assets do not represent the government’s position, said Deputy Economic Affairs Minister Senator Mohd Radzi Md Jidin.

Mohd Radzi was answering Pendang MP Awang Hashim (PAS) who asked if Pua's statements on the sale of non-core assets held by PNB or Khazanah Nasional reflected official policy.

The PAS MP asked why the political secretary to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng was commenting on matters not directly within his purview.

"The statement made by his honourable Damansara MP was a personal statement, it is not the government's statement. Right now the government is looking at the sales of assets if there is a need for it,” Mohd Radzi said.

"It is no use for us to speculate based on the statements of the finance minister's political secretary. We should wait from a statement by the government.”

Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN) interjected to ask why Pua appeared to have the authority to make such public comments, but Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof directed the former to keep to the topic at hand.

Tajuddin persisted with his question, however, and insisted the deputy minister answer.

He cited Pua’s open letter to MMC-Gamuda over the controversy regarding the underground section of the MRT2 project when repeating his question on Pua’s authority to speak for the government on such matters.

"Who is he?” asked Tajuddin.

Mohd Radzi declined to answer by saying it was not his place to comment.