PUTRAJAYA: It is unacceptable to reject the appointment of Hannah Yeoh and Lo Su Fui as the respective Minister and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) just because they are Chinese, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said it is incomprehensible that local politicians would have such a racist view in today’s world.
“To reject a person because of her colour and race, this is atrocious in this day and age.
“Sometimes, I just can’t understand the level of tolerance of some people.
“Some groups, considered most corrupt in decades, they got away because of sympathy,” said Anwar to editors and senior journalists during a briefing at Seri Perdana on Wednesday (Dec 17).
Anwar was responding to a recent statement by PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, who criticised Yeoh and Lo’s appointment to the Federal Territories Ministry.
Takiyuddin claimed the appointment was to make DAP more dominant in Kuala Lumpur and other city areas.
Anwar said it is inconsequential to appoint a Chinese leader to the Cabinet.
“She (Yeoh) represents government policies, and not DAP. She represents the government.
“I don’t represent PKR, but the government and its policies,” said Anwar.
The latest Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday (Dec 16) saw Yeoh being moved from her Youth and Sports Ministry portfolio.
Lo, 44, was previously the special officer to the Sabah chief minister and the current Tawau MP.
The Cabinet reshuffle followed the absence of four portfolios: Economy, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperatives, and the Investment, Trade, and Industry Ministry.
