MCA to Guan Eng: Clarify nature of RM30mil proposed trust fund for TAR UC

PETALING JAYA: MCA wants Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng to clarify the exact nature of the proposed trust fund of RM30mil to the Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC).

MCA publicity deputy chairman Mike Chong Yew Chuan questioned why would the funds be channelled into the Tarcian Alumni Association (TAA), as opposed to the other registered alumni association, the Federation of TAR Student Alumni.

"What is the TAA's relationship with the Finance Minister until it is given priority to handle the RM30mil allocation? We appeal to the Finance Minister for clarification," he said in a statement on Friday (Nov 22).

Chong also criticised the condition set by the Finance Ministry, which stipulated that the MCA leadership must relinquish ownership in TAR UC in order for the money from the trust fund to be channelled to the university college.

"If Lim Guan Eng was sincere in helping TAR UC, why should such a condition be imposed?

"To date, Lim Guan Eng and his comrades have not been able to prove that MCA has ever brought any party politics into TAR UC nor carried out any political activities at TAR UC campuses," he added.

READ ALSO > Govt approves RM30mil fund for TAR UC but MCA must relinquish control, says Guan Eng

Here is MCA spokesman Mike Chong’s full statement:

After the clarion call by various quarters, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has finally responded to public opinion and said that the government was willing to allocate at least RM30mil a year to the Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) founded 50 years ago by the MCA.

But is the Finance Minister sincere in providing such an allocation? Or is this the latest political game by Lim?

There are two issues:

1) There are two registered alumni associations affiliated with TAR UC, namely the Federation of TAR Student Alumni and the Tarcian Alumni Association (TAA). It was stated in the Finance Minister’s statement that the government’s allocation will be channelled to a trust fund managed by TAA.

The question is, why choose TAA and not the Federation of TAR Student Alumni? What is the TAA’s relationship with the Finance Minister, such that it has been given the priority to handle the RM30mil allocation?

We appeal to the Finance Minister for a clarification.

2) The last paragraph of his statement that the channelling of funds from the Trust Fund to TAR UC is still possible but is subject to the condition that the MCA leadership relinquishes their ownership authority, administration, and office as Trustee Board members and TAR UC Board of Governors.

If Lim was sincere in helping TAR UC, why should such a condition be imposed? To date, he and colleagues have not been able to prove that the MCA has ever brought any party politics into TAR UC or carried out any political activities at TAR UC campuses.

In fact, many senior leaders in Pakatan Harapan today, including Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub, Negri Sembilan executive councillor Teo Kok Seon and many more, are TAR UC graduates.

If MCA had really used TAR UC to spread its political views and as a means of gaining support, would the abovementioned public figures have become Pakatan leaders?

It seems that this announcement is another trick by Lim to exploit the TAR UC allocation as capital to attack the MCA, and ultimately, TAR UC and thousands of its students who have been made victims.

Mike Chong

MCA spokesman