Transport Minister Anthony Loke should focus on solving the country’s problems instead of taking cheap shots against the Dewan Negara president S Vigneswaran to maintain relevant, said MIC vice-president Sivarraajh Chandran (above). 

Echoing Vigneswaran’s complaints, he said he believes that Loke’s press conference yesterday was nothing more than a political publicity stunt. 

“The country has bigger problems to be solved. If he or any Pakatan Harapan leaders want to remain relevant, their focus must be on solving those problems rather than politicking all day long. 

“The people deserve more for him and this government,” he said in a statement today. 

Yesterday, Loke held a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport accusing Vigneswaran’s of flouting the airport VIP lounge’s dress code and security protocols. 

He claimed that Vigneswaran turned up at the lounge on Nov 14 wearing slippers despite the lounge’s dress code prohibiting this. 

When confronted by aviation security personnel, Vigneswaran purportedly barged in without undergoing security checks, shouting at security personnel as he went. 

Loke claimed that the press conference was nothing personal, but he had to highlight the incident to stress that VIPs too need to follow procedures. 

“If I do not defend my civil servants, they might worry about being bullied by people of high status when doing their job,” Loke had said. 

Vigneswaran (picture, above), meanwhile, countered that he was stopped by a receptionist and not an aviation security personnel, and accused her of interpreting a government circular on dress code rules unfairly. 

He said the circular only mentioned that guests at the VIP lounge should dress appropriately with no specific prohibition on slippers, which he had been wearing due to a minor swelling of his foot. 

He also claimed to have attempted to contact Loke prior to yesterday’s press conference but to no avail, and accused Loke of refusing to hear his side of the story. 

Sivarraajh said that as a customer, Vigneswaran, who is also the MIC president, should have the right to wear what he wants. 

He said the CCTV footage of the Nov 14 incident also showed that no one had attempted to stop Vigneswaran when he entered the VIP lounge without a security pass. 

“If one doesn't comply with the rules and regulations, it should be the responsibility of those security personnel to stop him. 

“My question now, why no one stopped him if he didn't comply with the rules and regulations? Don't tell me they were not aware of their responsibility as those in charge of airport safety there until a minister has to come up with a statement to prove it?”

He also accused Loke of underperforming as a minister and claimed he had sought to maintain relevance amid talk of an impending cabinet reshuffle by taking cheap shots at opposition leaders.