by Lim Guan Eng
Pakatan Rakyat Penang’s greatest legacy to Malaysia and greatest threat to BN’s stranglehold on power is to prove that the right policies can make Malays compete and succeed against the best in the world. Ever since the Pakatan Rakyat Penang state government took power in March 2008, we have made integrity and CAT governance(Competency, Accountability and Transparency) the hallmark of financial administration.
New measures implemented includes competitive and public open tender, payments directly to recipients without going through middle-men, priority given to Penang contractors, e-tender through the internet and a 2 week objection period to ensure that successful contractor no longer need “political cables” but “computer cables”. There is no doubt that competitive open tenders saves costs and improve quality.
Many contractors have been liberated with the implementation of open tenders at all levels. For Class F contractors which is only open to bumis, open tender system has allowed non-UMNO linked contractors in Penang to get contracts for the first time. In the past contracts are usually reserved for UMNO cronies and those outside the state. Clearly the competitive open tender system of PR is more transparent, accountable and beneficial to the people compared to the negotiated tender system for BN cronies.
What is more surprising is the outcome of the open tender system open to all races. Instead of perception that Malays cannot compete and that the non-Malay contractor would win all open tender contracts, this is not true. Since the new PR government took over, Penang Development Corporation(PDC) had issued 23 tender awards, of which 7(30%) were won by non-Malay contractors and 16(70%) won by Malay contractors. Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang(PBAPP) had issued 66 tender awards of which 22(33%) were won by non-Malay contractors as compared to 44(67%) by Malay contractors.
The performance by Malay contractors in an open tender system with non-Malays proves that Malay contractors can compete with others and win tender awards on their own merit. Clearly it is not the race that is an issue but failed policies that encourage dependency especially when it helps BN maintain the status quo and its grip on power.
A good example is China which suffered famine and severe economic distress with wrong policies of eating from ‘a single iron pot” no matter how hard or little one worked. However when China opened up its economy and allow one’s hard work and ability to determine one’s success and rewards, China transformed itself from being the “Sick Man of Asia” in the 1960s into the second largest world economy by 2011.
BN had instituted policies that stifles initiative, creativity, hard work, drive and productivity which benefited only the few BN cronies at the expense of entire country. For instance, a 30% quota of publicly listed shares were reserved for Malays but only a few benefited as many ordinary Malays never received shares from the Federal government.
The state government regrets that there are now certain elements within Pakatan Rakyat Penang that is aligned with BN in opposing efforts to implement an open tender system and CAT governance. We must remain steadfast as we are backed by results. The Penang state government has been able to turn a projected deficit of RM 35 million in 2008 budget to a record surplus of RM 88 million.
A projected deficit of RM 40 million in 2009 Budget has been turned around to record a surplus of RM 77 million. In fact the 2009 budget surplus would have been a record RM 92 million were it not for the payment of RM 14.7 million as a result of the Tang Hak Ju land scam of the previous administration.
Penang is proud to be the first state to hold public open tenders of government projects and procurement contracts and also conducting it through the internet(e-tender). By sticking to CAT principles, Penang is the first state or federal government in Malaysia to gain praise from Transparency International.
In politics, we want more friends than foes. But we are willing to lose friends and gain foes if we can change the mindset of the people by providing equal opportunity, be confident, self-reliant and attain international benchmarks. Pakatan Rakyat Penang’s greatest legacy to Malaysia and greatest threat to BN’s stranglehold on power is to prove that the right policies can make Malays and Malaysians compete and succeed against the best.
Ai yo yo, u want CAT but no want 2 help your kawan Zahrain Mohd Hashim
U sure know Zahrain will poke here poke there 1 n then hop, step, n jump
Never mind loh, help this kind of Malays lah
MMK also advised this kind of Malays need tongkat 1 2 become multimillionaires
Otherwise, u think Y they want 2 become a poltician – to become a millionaire mah
What abt your cronies in DAP, no help meh
Nanti bising bising n all jump ship 2 BN 1
Then DAP n PR si kiao kiao in Pg loh
U C ah, u followed refreshing good practices 2 help Malays, esp d non-Umno kind
U made them yakin in themsleves n berdirikari
U removed their tongkat mentality n made them strong 2 compete fearlessly
U also once got free makan fr d gomen over a principle dat u upheld over a Malay girl
What did u get in return ah
Sorry lah, still branded as member of a Chinese political party, not friendly 2 Malays
Life is hard ah, esp msm kept painting u as a racist n MMK as a saviour of Malays
The Herald’s “Allah” controversy provides the ammunition for Opposition to point out the inconsistencies of Najib’s “1 Malaysia”.
However it is not only the contestation between PR’s “Middle Malaysia” and the imposter “1 Malaysia” that is brought into sharp focus by the controversy.
The “Allah” controversy has defined the real contest: its not between PR’s “Middle Malaysia” versus its imitator “1 Malaysia” but that of both Middle Malaysia/One Malaysia as against One Mahathir (Mahathir Legacy). In short, it is the principle of inclusiveness versus Mahathir’s formula of maintaining peace between the various races in Malaysia, by the principle of Malay hegemony ie Ketuanan of Race/Religion!
Today that battle is still raging. As against Najib’s 1 Malaysia, TDM is exerting pressure on UMNO by bolstering Malay nationalist group Perkasa warning that the latter was gaining popularity because Malays were feeling threatened and forsaken by Malay political parties, including Umno, appeasing non-Malays. His credentials as champion of religion (inextricably linked to race) are further buttressed by his argument that if the US could make “Avatar”, they could make anything including stage 9/11!
Lest we think only Najib has this problem, we should also look at the Pakatan Rakyat’s side especially the antics of PKR’s Hasan Ali, Zulkifli Noordin, Zahrain Mohd Hashim.
They will not buy Lim Guan Eng’s argument that “Pakatan Rakyat Penang’s greatest legacy to Malaysia and greatest threat to BN’s stranglehold on power is to prove that the right policies can make Malays compete and succeed against the best in the world”. Nor are they interested in rational arguments of CAT system and how well Malay contractors fare in open tender. They will rally round around the Mahathir’s principle of Malay hegemony. And Anwar is seen to treat them with kid’s glove in not daring to challenge the principle they uphold, which is an anathema to PR’s own moderate “Middle Malaysia”. The leadership of Lim Guan Eng in Penang is challenged under many disguises and rationale but the underlying unspoken sentiment rallied even within members of PR’s component parties is : – how can it be consistent with Ketuanan or NEP that a Non Malay helm a state and be final arbiter of gravy train??? This raises whether “Middle Malaysia” has many adherents within PR’s own ranks in Malay based PKR & PAS. If there are, they are strangely silent.
It is how one seeks to interpret the 8th March 08 political tsunami where Opposition won 5 states and deprived BN the 2/3 majority. Is it a signal that majority Malaysians have come of age embracing inclusive politics that BN’s politics is opposed to, and hence “Middle Malaysia” designating “1 Malaysia” as imposter/imitator? Tun Dr Mahathir consistently bets otherwise. He argues the political tsunami occurred due to the shortcomings of leadership of his self-anointed successor, nothing to do with UMNO’s traditional Ketuanan policies.
If recent factionalism and squabbles within PR’s own camp is any indication, the real battle of which is still relevant is not one between PR’s “Middle Malaysia” versus “1 Malaysia” on which is genuine or imposter but that transcending political divide as between “Middle Malaysia”/“1 Malaysia” of one side as against Ketuanan of Mahathir’s legacy of the other.
TDM must be relishing in thoughts of vindication as he sees how the mismanagement of the Allah issue has helped poured fuel to spark the embers of his legacy and stoke it into a bright and strong flame.
Is that ALL u can boast of after almost 2 years of ruling Pg?
TELL us more WHAT PR achieved in Pg
LGE, this piece should have been written much earlier not when you are now under siege. Give more statistics and factual figures in your write-ups. Do not be saddled with the continuous Allah and other religious issues. They are divisive and do not really translate into quality of life and standard of living quickly. Let the bigots do all the talking.
I believe PR should be able to win the next election by fighting on corruption, abuse of power, cronyism, inefficiency and wastage alone. Taking about deficit, I can balance the federal deficit in one year by just asking all departments and agencies to be more prudent or less wasteful by 10%, and the book will be balanced. Surely it is not too difficult to be just 10% more careful in whatever we are doing. (note: total federal budget is about 240 billion, by being 10% more efficient, we can save 24 billion which is equivalent to the federal deficit now)
To me, the corruption, wastage and inefficiency are immense. If the budget says the project cost 100 million, may be 90 million are leakages and only 10 million really are spent on the project. You don’t have much time left to the next general election – you have to highlight and disseminate useful information that ordinary people can relate to as soon as possible.
That is why I believe you when you said you are able to turn around the Penang’s budget from projected deficit to surplus in 2009. I hope this is not one year phenomenon.
Use the money wisely to maintain cleanliness, orderliness and infrastructure. No need to put up arches, colourful bulbs and bunting everywhere.
Ala, many PKR avaters r ex-Umno B chiwawas n they need 2 b fed easy big fat incomes
If no fed, they will sniff around all your lobang n drag out all skeletons in your closet 1
U got plenty of cannot-see-d-light skeletons ah?
They don’t fear their own PKR bosses, maybe r Umno B moles, so what they worry abt U ah
They r used 2 b ketuanan mah, where got under u 1
U better watch out, U better not cry, Better not pout, I’m NOT telling U Y, ‘cos U know Y
A good example is China which suffered famine and severe economic distress with wrong policies of eating from ‘a single iron pot” no matter how hard or little one worked. However when China opened up its economy and allow one’s hard work and ability to determine one’s success and rewards, China transformed itself from being the “Sick Man of Asia” in the 1960s into the second largest world economy by 2011.
So that’s the reason Zahrain called LGE a Communist! Vladimir Lenin would turn in his mausoleum in Moscow
Mr.ZMH is a pretty good example of a rebellious MP who is not committed to party and people but only to himself. It’s this kind of disease that hurts or destroy an entity.If ZMH could not be cured,then it’s best to put him away.Remember one bad apple would lead to damaging the whole package.I think LGE must reveal the whole truth to the public why ZMH has behaved the way he did.Otherwise,people would think that he is a dictator.No smoke no fire lah ! Though it’s an internal problem but ZMH and UMNO have made it widely spread through the MSM,hence it’s an urgent matter and people are waiting for some concrete and positive response from LGE/DAP?PKR/PR. Stop or even short of any positive answers or action against this unstaple ZMH would further erode the political grip of the DAP/PR Penang government and subsequently would not help PR in the next general election.
///Penang is proud to be the first state to hold public open tenders of government projects and procurement contracts and also conducting it through the internet(e-tender)./// (LGE)
That is a step in the right direction. In an increasingly globalized world, all Malaysians, irrespective of race, must be subject to competition so that they learn to survive in a difficult situation. The country will only be progressive and economically strong if the people are able to withstand competition and pressure in their business and professions.
LKS, you are real and spirited fighter on justices. Please throw a request to our PM to drop the terms BUMI and NON-BUMI if he is serious about 1 Malaysia.To all Malaysian 1 means fair and equal for all.
///In politics, we want more friends than foes. But we are willing to lose friends and gain foes if we can change the mindset of the people by providing equal opportunity, be confident, self-reliant and attain international benchmarks. ///–LGE
In politics, we want more friends than foes. But we are willing to lose friends who have become foes in thought and outlook, and gain foes who become friends after they have changed their mindset to accept equal opportunity, be confident, self-reliant and care for the greater good of the people and society rather than looking after their selfish interests.
Even a child after 2 yrs old is keen to learn how to walk without the supports of parents,why is it after 60 yrs, our fellow tongkat men can’t walk and work by their own efforts,when and how are you ready to be more competitive globally?.Tun Mahatir said his greatest regret in 22 yrs as PM is he could not change the attitude of the Malays.Giving such protections and privileges for so long,you should be more successfully than any others who have to strike on without much assistance. Come dear friends change your mode as stone-age rais said,cukup orang putih and don’t know what is citizen-journalist ?.we are already in 21st century and no more kampung boys.
Speaking of Dr. M.
UMNO youth leader, KJ recently engineered a joint statement by both BN and PR youth wings condemning the attacks against religious places of worship. This was lauded positively by many as a historic first.
Dr. M then came out attacking KJ as an unpopular youth leader.
Obviously Mahathir doesn’t like the stance KJ is taking the UMNO youth wing which he feels in not in alignment with the stance UMNO ought to be taking. Either that or he just hates KJ.
MMK protects his sons lah against KJ
All eyeing future PM post of 1M’sia, so kill first b4 being killed
“Middle Malaysia” versus “1 Malaysia”
Sounds very much like Tolkien’s “Middle Earth” and the Dark Lord Sauron’s “One Ring”.
Dr Mahal Tail was an ultra in the earlier days.
He still is today from his patronage of Perkasa.
He is also a master of cronyism as he is helping his bulging-eyed Mookerizt to climb the ladder of UmnoUtusans. That’s way he is trying to get rid of Khairy.
He also supports the prince of frog Ibrahim Ali of Pasir Mas who heads Perkasa.
It is nice to see such maverick in Umno who is always not happy whoever is in power except himself and probably his bulging-eyed Mookeriz.
While I applaud LGE’s effort to transform Penang into a par excellence international city but I also think that it must think out of the box to achieve it.
http://thevenusproject.com/
While discussing the related issues of our indutries, a client related this story of his client. Based on the terms of the contract with local authorities, the owner had to find a Bumi partner. Of the esiest would be someone under his employment. among his employees, he found one who habitually stayed back to complete his job. So he made him his partner who carried out his responsiblities without any problems. Soon, the owner because of age and on the urging of his son decided to split his time between the two destinations. With that decision, he told his partner that since he was in charge now, he should own 70% of the equity. It was agreed and profits were maintained over the years. Soon, the original owner found traveling between the destinations rather hard on him. He told his partner that since he was in charge of everything, he should take over 100% of the business. This was rejected by the Bumi partner saying that as the initiator of the business he should continue to enjoy the benefits of his original efforts.
As humans, the saying you reap what you sow, cannot be too wrong. Of course, such behaviour is hard to come by.
Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng said leg dictatorial ways and vengeful politics were not only cause problem to pkr but had split the chinese community in penang . Whatever leg cannot do he blames it on the previous state goverment. leg politicises everything, he wants to portray himself as a chinese hero but people will see his true color…