The measure of a finance minister not with his race, Pakatan tells Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) has slammed Datuk Seri Najib Razak for questioning Lim Guan Eng’s ethnicity, pointing out that the measure of a good finance minister is on his integrity, trustworthiness, and the ability to manage the nation’s coffer.

Its Secretary Council highlighted today that even Najib’s father, then prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, had appointed an ethnic Chinese as his finance minister between 1970 and 1974: Tun Tan Siew Sin.

“The measure of a finance minister is with his integrity, trustworthiness, efficiency and his moderation in managing the country’s finance. Not by questioning his ethnicity. 

“The integrity of a finance minister is more prominent if he does not put government’s money in his personal account and spent lavishly to maintain his power,” said the statement.

The remark was a veiled criticism against Najib, who also held the position of finance minister, when he was prime minister.

Earlier this week, Najib was ordered by court to enter his defence and answer to charges over RM42 million misappropriated from 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s (1MDB) former subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd.

The statement was jointly signed by PH secretariat chief Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Marzuki Yahaya, Parti Amanah Negara deputy secretary-general Abang Ahmad Kerdee Abang Masagus, and DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke.

Najib had in a rally for the Tanjung Piai by-election last night reportedly questioned PH’s decision to put Lim as the finance minister, claiming the decision does not have the Malay community’s interest at heart.

“We want to remind Datuk Seri Najib that his own father the late Tun Abdul Razak has appointed MCA president, the late Tun Tan Siew Sin as the finance minister from 1970-1974. Tun Tan has even served in that position since 1959.

“During that time, did the Malays dignity ignored by Tun Razak’s and Tunku Abdul Rahman’s administration just because they appointed a Chinese finance minister?” it said.