Minister calls for sedition probe over PN MP's 'PR for China' claim

Minister calls for sedition probe over PN MP's 'PR for China' claim


Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing is calling for a Perikatan Nasional lawmaker to be probed for sedition.

This is after Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsuddin alleged that Tiong had announced that China nationals who joined the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme would immediately be eligible to become a permanent resident (PR).

“Mas Ermieyati’s (above, left) seemingly slanderous statement should be probed under the Sedition Act,” a graphic Tiong posted on Facebook yesterday read.

The PN lawmaker’s allegation appeared to be based on Tiong’s announcement on Friday that the government was introducing a “special edition” of the MM2H.

The special edition introduces new relaxed conditions for MM2H applications, which are now split into three tiers - silver, gold, and platinum.

The platinum tier requires applicants to put RM5 million into a fixed deposit, of which they can take out 50 percent after one year to buy property (valued at RM1.5 million or above) or for tourism and medical purposes.

Those who qualify for the platinum tier, are also eligible for PR status after they get their MM2H pass.

The PR perk is not offered to gold and silver tier participants.

Tiong had on Friday, said that the special MM2H edition coincided with the upcoming 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s diplomatic ties with China.

However, he said applications for the programme were open to citizens of all countries.

Mas Ermieyati in a post on X yesterday morning, alleged that the perk was for China nationals specifically.

“I heard that the tourism minister made an announcement for China nationals who join and get MM2H passes, they immediately qualify for PR. Wow,” she said.


Racial provocation?

Besides calling for her to be probed for sedition, Tiong in his response to Mas Ermieyati accused her of jumbling up facts and inciting racism.

“The MM2H programme aims to boost Malaysia’s economic recovery and is open to applicants from across the world.

“Why must Mas Ermieyati confuse the public by saying the programme is only for applicants from China?

“Is she purposely being racially provocative? Is she trying to disrupt racial unity?” he asked.

He stressed that MM2H applicants had to fulfil stringent requirements and that the new categories and perks announced were meant to attract more applicants.

Mas Ermieyati had in June, while praising the past PN government’s handling of MM2H, asked whether the current administration was studying how Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore were promoting their versions of the programme.

She said the neighbouring countries were more “aggressive” in their promotion, while also offering more flexible requirements for potential applicants.

Previously, PN operatives alleged that the government would grant citizenship to 54,000 applicants from China in order to bolster the number of “DAP voters”.

The allegation was denied by the National Registration Department.