Has Deputy Ft Minister Been In Nz Since December Mp Asks

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A PKR lawmaker has questioned the whereabouts of Deputy Federal Territories Edmund Santhara Kumar following a report alleging that he has travelled to New Zealand to rejoin his family since December 2020.
In a statement today, Batu MP P Prabakaran said Santhara should immediately provide clarification if what was alleged by whistleblower Sarawak Report was true.
He demanded that Santhara quit as Segamat MP if he is in New Zealand as alleged by Sarawak Report.
"Is it true that Perikatan Nasional has lost another MP? Where is the Segamat MP? Has he deserted his political career because he could not stand PN's politics?" he said. Santhara left PKR to join Bersatu last year.
"If you are a voter in Segamat, do you want to meet your MP? Or are you a civil servant who wants to meet the deputy federal territories minister?
"Ever since last Christmas, has anyone met Santhara? Where is he now? Sarawak Report has alleged that he is now in New Zealand. Is it true ?"
Prabakaran said Santhara (above) was nowhere to be seen when the floods hit Segamat last month nor was he seen resolving an issue in connection with a fire incident in Kuala Lumpur.
"According to Sarawak Report, he is staying comfortably with his family in New Zealand as his children are studying there. What about the fate of the poor children in Segamat who need educational aids?"
"An MP who abandons his parliamentary constituency when the people are suffering from disasters such as fire, floods and the Covid-19 pandemic should immediately quit his position.
"Many other politicians and leaders are more hardworking in resolving the issues of the people," he said.
"If the report is indeed true, he should also return his salary and allowance paid to him since Dec 23, 2020 to the people as this is the public's money," said Prabakaran.
Malaysiakini is trying to contact Santhara, and Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa for comments.
However, the news portal is made to understand that Santhara is in New Zealand to attend to some family issues.
He is said to have returned to Malaysia sometime before Federal Territories Day, and has flown back to New Zealand again after Feb 1.
New Zealand has maintained some of the toughest travel guidelines in the world since March 2020.

The country is considered to have successfully coped with Covid-19, having recorded just 2,372 cases and a total of 26 deaths.

Yesterday it recorded one new case. - Mkini

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