55 minutes
PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong (pix) has taken Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng to task over the appointment of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Alumni Association (TAA) to manage the RM30 million Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) trust fund.
According to the MCA president, there are four other TAR UC alumni associations – the Federation of Tunku Abdul Rahman College Alumni Associations founded in 1989, the Tunku Abdul Rahman University College Engineering Alumni Association (TEA), founded in 1982, the Tunku Abdul Rahman College School of Arts & Science Alumni Association (SAS) founded in 1982 and the Tunku Abdul Rahman College School of Business Studies Ex-students Association (SBS) founded in 1980 – registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
Wee said these different associations have established excellent multi-faculty relationships for a long time, and questioned the partiality of TAA.
“Is he trying to assert control on the university through TAA, by sidelining the TARC Education Foundation (TEF), which is the parent company of TAR UC?” asked Wee.
On Saturday, Lim announced the government will channel at least RM30 million a year to a proposed trust fund which will be managed by the Tunku Abdul Rahman Alumni Association (TAA) for the benefit of Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC).
Lim said the Government Matching Grant Trust Fund would have as its members, representatives of TAA, TAR UC student representatives and a representative of the Finance Ministry.
He said the trust fund would manage funds of RM30 million each year without the involvement or interference of the government or any political parties, including MCA and Pakatan Harapan.
