Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng during a press conference after the 70th anniversary dinner of Council of Churches of Malaysia in Petaling Jaya September 26, 2018. ― Picture by Firdaus Latif

PETALING JAYA, Sept 26 — DAP’s position on upholding the national language remains the same, secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said today.

He said DAP will continue to uphold both the position of the Malay language in the Federal Constitution and the National Language Act 1963/67, after Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa challenged DAP to state its stand on the national language.

“You must have it as the official language. Yet Article 152 (of the Federal Constitution) is clear that other languages can be used,” Lim said during the 70th anniversary dinner of the Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM).

He then answered Annuar by saying that since he wanted to make such a comparison, then Annuar should also state Umno’s position on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, among others.

“What about part-time (public) projects where money is paid despite no work done. This has resulted in almost RM9 billion paid out by the government.

“Are you going to say again that this has nothing to do with Umno? Practise what you preach,” Lim said.

When asked about Iskandar Puteri councilman Chan Wei Khan who was criticised by Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar for not using the national language in an official document, he said he would leave the matter to Johor DAP.

Chan received flak for issuing a letter in the national language with translations in English and Chinese.

Earlier today, during the announcement of the Shadow Cabinet at Putra World Trade Centre, Annuar said Chan ought to have issued a clarification, and that his party should also come up with a statement of their stand on the Malay language.

In his speech to CCM, Lim, who is also finance minister, said the government will continue to support mission schools as places of educational excellence and also provide aid for the poor and disadvantaged.

CCM donated RM400,000 to Tabung Harapan Malaysia.