— Lim Guan Eng
Chief Minister, Penang
Dec 25, 2011
DEC 25 — Christians celebrate not just the birth of Jesus Christ but also hope on Christmas Day. We pray for peace, joy and goodwill to all. Penang also celebrates hope by establishing a people-centric government based on integrity, good governance and letting the people realise their full potential.
Penang has benefited from a clean government. It is not just praise for good financial management from the Auditor-General or from Transparency International for implementing open tenders and fighting corruption. Penang has recorded budget surpluses for the state government, MPPP and MPSP since 2008.
This has enabled social programmes and cash handouts to the elderly, disabled, single mother, new-born babies and students. Penang became the first state in Malaysia to wipe out hard core poverty by 2009. For 2012 the minimum income has been increased to RM600 monthly per household, where the state government will top up any difference to ensure that each family receives at least RM600 monthly. Penang intends to also be the first state in Malaysia to wipe out poverty by 2015.
Penang has also benefited from good governance through building institutions based on freedom, justice, truth and democracy. Freedom of speech and peaceful assembly is observed in Penang with the first Speakers’ Square in Malaysia and weekly protests held in the streets. There is a Freedom of Information Act and implementation of open tenders to ensure the best price, quality and management. CAT governance of competency accountability and transparency has ensured a more responsive, accessible and effective government delivery system. There is also freedom of worship where respect not tolerance is encouraged.
As Penang has no natural resources, building and developing human talent is the only way forward for Penang’s success and prosperity. Schools are given annual allocation to assist in their development needs. The establishment of a Penang Science Council(PSC) Is an important critical step to transform Penang into a centre of excellence of science and technology. The astounding success of the Penang International Science Fair at PISA, the first science event held in a stadium in Malaysia, has not just inspired innovation but also inspired many young students to consider science as their career choice.
Integrity and good governance are key to building, retraining, retaining and attracting new human talent. Penang may be without natural resources of land, timber, gas and oil but there is no corruption driving away our human talent. The highest investment in Penang’s history last year when Penang topped the investment charts for the first time ever with RM 12.24 billion shows the confidence of not just foreign but also local investors with this approach. Let us remain united, respect our freedom of worship and stay focused on preparing our children to face the challenges of the future.
Merry Christmas to all Christians in Malaysia. All I want for Christmas is to vote BN out in this coming GE. Let’s get united, tell your friends, parents and relatives to vote wisely, vote BN out.
Through conversations and contacts with Penang folks… Sarawakians will learn the truths about Penang progress and developments.. under DAP…totally with no corruptions or double standards.
Let Sarawakians speak with their 13th GE votes.
“You help me. I help you” is Najib’s style….offering RM5 million bribes to a village…treating every Malaysians can be bought my money and bow to him as their Savior and not an elected politicians at all.
Choose….Sarawakians!!
Excellent 2 want CAT governance
But how come got DAP Pg ADUN who pockets rakyat’s $$$ n intends 2 go AWOL 4 5 months cycling makan angin 2 London, W T F
D same ADUN oredi swindled Pg voters once cycling makan angin in China 4 1 month
Would The State Gomen of Penang and Selangor sponsor local NGOs’ leaders from Sarawak and Sabah to visit both States and see for themselves what they have been missing! This important becos all speeches by even DAP/PKR/PAS would not be equal to the eyes of those leaders who are nearer to their own people! Writing in the blog sites would only convince the small number of people with access to computers. Computers without power means nothing to the rural folks. So can DAP/PKR/PAS send out printed flyers plus the above suggestion to make an impact on those people? In spite of the past 50 over years of wantinness, I am not surprised that there are some from DAP/PKR or even PAS who took advantage of their position to cheat the raayat but what is important is that the main leadership stick to its objective of making this nation not perfect but at least palatable to the majority of Malaysians! There is no doubt that all these parties need to weed our some of their 2nd rang leaders who have tendency to ‘frog’ around! This is how the leadership will be affected in the long term! With BN being so deperate, in the unexopected event; there will be plenty of offer if BN could garnish just only razor thin margin. To avoid such situation Malaysians must ensure decisive result so that any jumping frog is forced to think not twice but thriice before being lured by easy cash!
The first two sentences were OK.
The rest of his message is all about politics and self praise. Beginning to sound more and more like UMNO and BN.
Need to separate church from state.
Sorry, Need to separate ‘ church and state’.
Well done Guan Eng!
Continue to turn Penang into the nation’s first high-income state.
I am not from Penang but I am very happy for Penang. Keep it up DAP and PKR. Always remember to take care of Rakyat and the rest will take care of itselfs.
By doing it right from the start all goodness will follow. Never, never think oneself as too smart. It is always best to practise what you preach i.e. CAT. Rakyat will appreciate in return for the good governance. Merry Christmas and a Happy …yes….hopefully…..a really Happy New Year 2012 !!!
“Lift Own Basket” literally means “Angkat Bakul Sendiri” in Malay…
LGE might indulge in a little self-publicity in his daddy’s blog. …O yea…where else can he gain this cheap publicity……even the down south country he adores hardly publish his unknown achievement. Despite trying hard to get a little attention by insulting another state his effort has never been recognized by that country.
It is amassing to keep reading cintanegara comments and study his character and brain.
Look at him rambling and talking nonsense all the time.
He sure is clever to angkat Najib’s bodek.
This is DAP blog…and yes…cintanegara…where else can you see a father proudly post out a message made by his son….no where…for sure.
For no where are any father and son being elected by Malaysians.
You call cintanegara an idiot is too nice.
He is the biggest balls carriers of Najib …with no power to convince voters.
DAP..father and son have the power….you SONTOLOYO!!