Category: DAP

(12th General Election Nomination Day statement by DAP Ipoh Timur parliamentary candidate Lim Kit Siang in Ipoh on Sunday, 24th February 2008)

This 12th general election, unlike the previous 11 general elections, is not just about the next five years but a vote about the first 50 years of Malaysian nationhood and the next 50 years!

To many Malaysians, this general election is the last hope for change and an acid test whether there is a future for the building of a democratic, competitive, multi-racial, multi-religious, secular and just nation which our forefathers pledged to build through the Merdeka “social contract”.

It will be the clincher in the decision-making of many Malaysians whether there is hope to build a democratic, just and competitive Malaysia or there will be a new exodus of braindrain of the best and brightest of Malaysians to other lands in despair at any possibility that all Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, can have an equal place under the Malaysia sun. Continue reading “Stop and dismantle Umno political hegemony, deny Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority”

Flash – Nominations for Ipoh Timor parliamentary and three state assembly constituencies of Pasir Pinji, Canning and Tebing Tinggi accepted without objections – a one-to-one fight.

Nominations papers for Ipoh Timor submitted to Returning Officer at Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh Nomination Centre at 9.07 am. Also submitted are nomination papers for Thomas Su Keong Siong (Pasir Pinji), Wong Kah Woh (Canning) and Ong Boon Piow (Tebing Tinggi).

This was followed by the submission of the nomination forms for the Barisan Nasional candidates.

Awaiting for conclusion of nomination process, with nomination closed in 10 minutes’ time, followed by one hour for objections.

The curtain rises for the Electoral Battle of the Century – which is just not about the next five years but a vote about the first 50 years of Malaysian nationhood and the next 50 years.

I will be defending the Ipoh Timur parliamentary constituency in the 12th general election.

Tomorrow is Nomination Day and Polling is Saturday, March 8, 2008.

On Nomination Night (i.e. Sunday 24th February), the first ceramah will be held at Chin Woo Hall, Jalan C.M. Yusuf, Ipoh starting at 7.30 p.m.

The DAP candidates for the 12th general election in the Kinta Valley will be introduced to the public for the first time.

Other major speakers at the Nomination Night ceramah include two incumbent parliamentary candidates M. Kulasegaran (Ipoh Barat) and Fong Po Kuan (Batu Gajah).

All are welcome to the Nomination Night ceramah, which starts at 7.30 pm.

Inquiries can be made to DAP Ipoh Timur Election Operations Centre, Jalan Kampar, tel: 05 – 2533096. Continue reading “Nomination Night Ceramah at Chin Woo Hall, Ipoh”

(Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Ipoh on the eve of nomination day for 12th general election on 23rd February 2008)

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said on Thursday that he would present a progress report on the government’s performance from 2004 to 2007.

When he took over as the fifth Prime Minister more than four years ago, he took the country by storm with his pledge to be “Justice Bao” to eradicate corruption and all forms of abuses of power, culminating in a National Integrity Plan in May 2004 after Abdullah’s unprecedented 2004 general election victory, crushing the Opposition and commanding over 91 per cent of the parliamentary seats.

A few days ago, the Police and the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) announced that they have cleared all the prospective candidates for the Barisan Nasional for the forthcoming 12th general election, formally beginning on Nomination Day tomorrow, presenting a slate of BN candidates which symbolizes integrity and incorruptibility.

If the Barisan Nasional slate of candidates for the 2008 general election all stand for integrity and incorruptibility, then let Abdullah and the MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting explain what has happened to my 11-year-old ACA report in June 1997 calling for investigations as to how the announced MCA Parliamentary Candidate for Gopeng, Ling Hee Leong could at the age of 27 embark on corporate acquisitions exceeding RM1.2 billion in a matter of months and whether there had been improper use and influence of his father, Liong Sik’s political and Ministerial position.

Liong Sik was at the time the MCA President and the predecessor of Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy as Transport Minister – with Kong Choy now mysteriously announcing that he would not be seeking re-election citing health as reason, although “political and good governance” health connected with the RM4.6 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) bailout scandal appeared to be a greater “health” consideration. Continue reading “Ling Hee Leong – what has happened to my 11-year-old ACA report over his RM1.2 billion corporate wealth?”

(Blog statement by Lim Kit Siang at a joint media conference with Fong Po Kuan at Ipoh Timur Election Operations Centre, Ipoh on Friday, 22nd Feb. 2008 at 2 pm)

Cili Padi Fong Po Kuan has returned to the frontline of the 2008 “Electoral Battle of the Century” – to end the overpowering Umno political hegemony by denying the Barisan Nasional its unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority in the March 8 general election.

The past six days since Po Kuan’s announcement that she would not recontest in Batu Gajah parliamentary seat had been an agonizing ordeal for Po Kuan, party leaders, members, supporters and the Malaysian public who see the general election as the last opportunity for change and the nation’s tryst with greatness.

Whether at the national or state party leadership, there had never been a second name for the DAP candidature for Batu Gajah in the 12th general election apart from Po Kuan. All party and state leaders, together with the concerned Batu Gajah voters and the larger national constituency, had urged Po Kuan to reconsider and return to the frontline in the critical battle shaping up in the 12th general election.

One cannot run away from the reality that Po Kuan’s action had caused harm and damage to herself, the party and the cause for justice, freedom and democracy – although she never intended so.

I have had discussions with Po Kuan in the past two days and she had admitted to the great harm her action had unintentionally and unwittingly caused to the party, party leaders and the political momentum for change in the 12th general election, and she asks for the party and people’s forgiveness for her mistake.

She has now bounced back to the frontline of the Electoral Battle of the Century and will reconstest and defend the Batu Gajah parliamentary seat.

In our discussions, we agreed that to should look forward and not back, that everyone should single-mindedly focus on one and only objective – to give a great blow to the increasing and overpowering Umno political hegemony maginalising not only the other Barisan Nasional component parties, but also the ordinary Malaysian masses, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazan-Dusun-Murut, Ibans and Sarawak indigenous people as well as orang asli in Peninsular Malaysia.

With Po Kuan’s return to the frontline of the battle, let us make up precious lost ground and enter into the 12th election campaign with gusto and confidence, v igour and vitality.

Cili Padi FPK is back!

NEWS FLASH!

Press Conference announcement in Ipoh (2pm).

Details to follow.

The Electric New Paper
February 22, 2008

JUST like in the ongoing race for presidential nominations in the US, Malaysian political parties are taking their campaigning to online video host site YouTube.
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The English version of DAP’s video has been viewed more than 15,000 times at press time. The Malay version has been viewed almost 10,000 times.
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And it seems the Democratic Action Party (DAP) has made the first inroads with a snazzy promotional video that has been delighting netizens since it was uploaded two weeks ago, reported Guang Ming Daily.

The video shows a relay race, with Malaysians of different races and ages passing the baton as they run or ride taxis along the country’s alleyways and thoroughfares.

The baton finally ends up in the hands of DAP leaders standing on the steps of Parliament.

The one-minute video comes in Malay and English versions.

Its cheeky message, ‘Just change it’, shown at the end, spoofs Nike’s ‘Just do it’ catchphrase. In Malay, the closing message says, ‘Jam ubah (Time to change)’. Continue reading “Opposition party’s YouTube is a hit with netizens”

Today, at the launching of the DAP Ipoh Timur election ops centre, I should be standing before you breathing with confidence, vim, vigour, vibrancy and vitality to plunge into the Electoral Battle of the Century.

In the past one week, I should be helping the DAP leaders to develop the great and critical issues facing the people and nation in the 12th general election when 11 million voters exercise their vote – but I feel a great sense of failure that I had not been able to do so as I had been “floored” by the Penang and Perak general election problems that had cropped up in the past several days.

In fact, for the first time I started my blog more than two years ago, there was not a single word from me in my blog yesterday!

With however heavy a heart and mind, I call on Party leaders, members and supporters to immediately and instantly re-focus and not to allow whatever heartaches and mental agonies to undermine their single-minded objective – to fulfill the potential and promise of the March 8 general election as the political watershed for the country, marking a major stride in striking down the ever-powerful Umno political hegemony and the marginalization of other Barisan Nasional component parties by denying two-thirds majority to the Barisan Nasional in Parliament, Perak and Penang.

I call on all party leaders, members and supporters to give the fullest support to the party in this general election particularly on candidate decisions by the party leadership, as sometimes very difficult decisions have to be made, with everyone rallying behind the DAP in the Electoral Battle of the Century.

At least yesterday there is uplifting news, this coming from Sabah – that our Parliamentary candidate for Sandakan will be a person whom I had the greatest respect and admiration, who had been Sessions Court judge in Tawau and Registrar of Borneo High Court – Shanty Chong Chui Lin, 57. Continue reading “Shanty Chong the new DAP MP for Sandakan?”

(Speech by Lim Kit Siang at the launching of the DAP Ipoh Timur general election operations centre at Jalan Kampar, Ipoh on Thursday, 21st February 2008 at 11.30 am)

This is the launching of the operations centre for the DAP Ipoh Timur parliamentary constituency for the 12th general election on March 8, 2008.

In another two days on Sunday, 24th February 2008, the curtain raises for what I would describe as the “Electoral Battle of the Century” as the March 8 election will decide not just the future of Malaysia for the next five years, but what Malaysia is going to be in 2020 and the next half-century of our nationhood.

It is going to be the most important general election not only in 51 years but 100 years of Malaysia – with many Malaysians waiting for the outcome of March 8 polls to decide whether there is still hope for change in Malaysia and to fully commit the rest of their lives to the building of a great Malaysian nation which can take its proud, proper and rightful place in the global arena in the face of the challenges of globalization or despair that there is no hope for the future in this land of our birth and spark another debilitating brain drain of the best and brightest to benefit foreign countries – which have already seen the exodus and brain-drain of one-to-two million Malaysian talents as a consequence of the New Economic Plan, causing Malaysia to rapidly fall behind not only Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea but in danger of being overtaken by Vietnam, Thailand and horror of horrors Indonesia.

In short, what the Electoral Battle of the Century is all about – Is there hope for change in Malaysia whether 2020 or next 50 years or one can only despair about the future of a great nation which has lost its way! Continue reading “Electoral Battle of the Century – hope or despair for the future”

It’s 2.45 am. Endless series of meetings, internal and external, in the past 72 hours, putting me on the road from Petaling Jaya to Perak, Penang and down to Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, including two ceramahs with Po Kuan in Batu Gajah parliamentary constituency on Friday night and the launching of two election operation centres (Tebing Tinggi and Menglembu in Perak) as well as visit to traditional DAP stronghold in Kuala Lumpur, the Bukit Bintang parliamentary constituency, but which has now become a “danger” seat because of electoral manipulation in the influx of over 6,000 postal voters.

Have been up for 22 hours – including a five-hour marathon meeting of DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat leaders which ended with primary agreement for one-to-one contest between DAP or PKR with the Barisan Nasional in Peninsular Malaysia states – with the last meeting just ended an hour ago.

Very tired but no thought of sleep until I blog about Fong Po Kuan. Not just because I have been made the villain causing Po Kuan’s announcement that she would not contest in the 12th general election but also because of her qualities.

At about 2.30 p.m., I received calls asking why I had forced Po Kuan to retire from politics, as AIFM (Chinese) received by motorists had carried news flash that Po Kuan had announced her resignation from the DAP because of her unhappiness with me in forcing her to contest in another constituency.

I never did such a thing and Po Kuan never resigned from the party – but the damage was done, as first impressions (however false) are most lasting, that I had forced Po Kuan to resign from the DAP because I was forcing her to contest in another constituency apart from Batu Gajah. Talking about “eating dead cat”!

The party never asked Po Kuan to change constituencies, as all party leaders had expected and fully supported her to contest for the third time in the Batu Gajah parliamentary seat. Continue reading “Po Kuan – Malaysia needs you to create history to deny BN 2/3 parliamentary majority”

Recently, I had been the victim of calumny by two Gerakan leaders, former Gerakan President and now adviser, Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik and the Gerakan secretary-general and Umno favourite as the next Gerakan Penang Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye.

Keng Yaik and Kwang Chye have accused the “Lim Kit Siang-Lim Guan Eng father-and-son” of wanting to build a “Lim” dynasty in Penang, with the former claiming that I had been drummed out of Penang and that he would ensure that the Lim Kit Siang-Lim Guan Eng father-and-son team would again be defeated. Keng Yaik even alleged that I would abandon Perak and together with Guan Eng jointly “attack” Penang.

First of all, I do not want to use the word “proud” but let me state that Guan Eng and I have nothing to be ashamed in dedicating the best part of our lives to the betterment of the nation and people to promote democracy, forge international competitiveness, fight injustice and inequality regardless of race, religion or region.

Although both of us paid a heavy price for our political beliefs and convictions, this is the expression of our love and loyalty to Malaysia!

We are not like other father-and-sons in the political arena as we are not in politics for wealth, position or titles.

Both Keng Yaik and Kwang Chye were conspicuously silent about other father-and-son teams particularly where one son, without any track record, could at the age of 27 embark on corporate acquisitions exceeding RM1.2 billion in a matter of months raising the question whether there had been improper use and influence of the father’s political and Ministerial position. And both Keng Yaik and Kwang Chye are still deafeningly silent in their cowardice and opportunism!
Continue reading “LKS-LGE father-and-son commitment for democracy and justice – nothing to be ashamed unlike other father-and-son teams”

DAP must concentrate on winning 30 – 40 Parliamentary seats while PKR and PAS focus on winning another 40 – 50 Parliamentary seats if a historic result is to be returned in next general election to deny BN two-thirds parliamentary majority

The next general election, however, is more important than just about Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s premiership, his breach of his five famous sayings and pledges in his first 10 days as Prime Minister, his somnambulant government, his “half-past six Cabinet” and the rise of Little Napoleons and Little Mullah Napoleons (LMNs) in the public service.

The next general election is shaping up to be the most important of all 12 general elections in the nation’s 50-year history. Continue reading “DAP target – win 30-40 parliamentary seats to help defeat BN in 75 seats to deny 2/3 majority”

(Media Conference Statement welcoming Ishwar Nahappan as the latest member for DAP in Penang on Sunday 10.2.08)

Let me introduce Ishwar Nahappan, who has taken the momentous step to join the DAP.

But let me say a few words about his parents, TAN SRI and PUAN SRI ATHI NAHAPPAN who were instrumental in the formation of the MIC and who independently contributed much to our country.

Athi Nahappan has an honoured and unblemished name in the annals of Malaysian history, and among his most famous contributions to Malaysia is the report bearing his name, the Athi Nahappan Report on Local Government where he called for restoration of local government elections.

In 1974 , Athi Nahappan , who was then the deputy president of MIC , was appointed deputy minister for law by TUN Abdul Razak (the father of Dato Najib Razak). In March 1976 TUN Hussein Onn (the father of DATO Hisamuddin ) appointed Dato Nahappan as the second cabinet minister representing the MIC – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of law and justice portfolios.

Tragically , just two months after his appointment as full minister , DATO Athi Nahappan died of a sudden heart attack while he was personally addressing a dinner gathering held in his honor by over a 1000 MIC members and other leading Malaysian Indians from all over the country.

Athi Nahappan was a totally self made man who came to Penang at the age of 9, alone with his father, not knowing a word of English or Malay. Continue reading “Tribute to Athi Nahappan and Janaki”

(Media Conference Statement by Ishwar Nahappan on joining the DAP in Penang on Sunday, 10th February 2008 at 10.30 am)

My father Tan Sri Athi Nahappan died 32 years ago . On April 4th 1976 , one month before he died he made a speech at a dinner in his honor by the Penang State MIC at Wisma Perseketuan .

Let me read you a paragraph from his speech .

“The Government is now concerned with the eradication of poverty of all the races. This will be emphasized in our 3rd Malaysia Plan .

“Poverty is to be found in every community. In solving poverty we should not think of Malay poverty, Chinese poverty or Indian poverty. There can only be one poverty and that is NATIONAL POVERTY which must be solved regardless of race. I am aware that the Prime Minister (Tun Hussein Onn) is determined to eliminate the poverty of the nation as a whole. The answer to poverty is the equal distribution of opportunities, income and wealth. The MIC is determined to work with the govt to ensure that this will happen.”

A few weeks ago Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said “There are not just poor Indians, but also poor Chinese, Malays and other Bumiputras as well. This is why eradicating poverty among Malaysians, and I stress the word Malaysians, has been on our agenda and remains one of our priorities.”

Ladies and gentleman, what Prime Minister Badawi said was first mentioned by my father 32 years ago. Obviously, nothing has changed and the Barisan government continues to make empty promises.

Events of recent months have clearly shown that the MIC leadership has dismally failed in their duty to ensure that the Indian community has had equal opportunities or equal distribution of wealth and income as outlined by my father in 1976. In fact, the MIC has totally neglected to address the desperate conditions faced by large sections of the Malaysian Indian community. This transcends every facet of human life and endeavor.

Whether it is in EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, HOUSING, CORPORATE WEALTH or simply EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, the Indian Community as a whole has fallen behind and missed out these last 28 years. Let me give you some facts. Continue reading “Ishwar Nahappan joins DAP”

I received an email from a political observer who noted that Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, the retiring Minister for Energy, Water and Communications appeared to be wrestling with the truth and his dubious 36-year political legacy.

This is the email that I received referring to Keng Yaik:

“With his political career coming to an end after 36 years, LKY has been wrestling with the truth and his political legacy.

“Four days ago, LKY joked in Malacca that he wanted to retire as after being scolded by Lim Kit Siang-Lim Guan Eng father-and-son for his whole life, he did not want to be scolded by the grandson!

“It has been perceptively observed that there is always a kernel of truth even in jokes made by politicians, and LKY is no exception. In his subconscious, he is aware that he has left a dubious political legacy after 36 years which cannot stand scrutiny whether by the present or future generations.

“As one of the longest-serving Cabinet Ministers, together with MIC President Samy Vellu, LKY will have to accept full responsibility for the parlous state of the Malaysian nation today 50 years after Merdeka – in particular, in abandoning the Merdeka social contract on a secular nation by being the first national leader to support Mahathir’s declaration of Malaysia as an Islamic state, the rise in religious intolerance and extremism, the extension of the New Economic Policy from 20 years to 50 years, the plunge in educational standards and international competitiveness, the destruction of an independent judiciary and professional police, the rise in crime, rampant corruption, gross human rights abuses through ISA detentions and suppression of press freedoms.

“These are o failures by LKY to future generations. No wonder LKY is afraid of being scolded by Lim Kit Siang’s grandson, representing a third generation of Malaysians! Continue reading “Keng Yaik wrestling with the truth and his dubious 36-year political legacy?”

Yesterday, MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu demanded that I apologise to the Indian community for asking the people to light candles in a temple.

Bernama in its report “Samy Vellu Demands Apology from DAP Chairman For Insulting Hindus” demanded that I apologise to all Hindus for “insulting their religion”.

He said that M. Kulasegaran and I had called for Hindus to bring candles into their temples, which he described as “tarnishing the holiness of the religion”.

Samy Vellu said: “He doesn’t know anything about Hinduism. He belittles the religion. Kulasegaran, despite being a Hindu, is also insensitive in the matter because as Hindus, we are only allowed to light a certain type of lamp or fire for religious ceremonies in temples, not candles.”

Bernama also quoted Samy Vellu as demanding that I should “make an open apology for using Hindus house of worship for political purposes”.

Samy Vellu, who had been MIC President and the sole Indian Cabinet Minister for more than 28 years, is not only fighting for his political life – but is waging a losing battle.

This has become such a great burden for him that it has affected his judgment, words and deeds.

It has been said that when a person is under extreme stress, it could be seen from his increasingly irrational utterances and actions – and this can be seen in the case of Samy Vellu.

I do not owe Samy Vellu any apology as it is Samy Vellu himself who owes me, the MIC, Malaysian Indians, the Barisan Nasional and the Malaysian nation at least five apologies. Continue reading “I owe no apology to Samy, who owes apologies to me, MIC, Malaysian Indians, BN and Malaysia”

The launching of the DAP KDM (Kadazan-Dusun-Murut) Declaration at the DAP KDM convention today is a historic moment in the political history of Sabah and Malaysia as it represents a stirring call for justice for the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut community to ensure that 44 years after the 20-Point Agreement on Sabah’s formation of Malaysia, the largest community in the state does not end up at the bottom of the heap as to become “outsiders” in their own land!

I am very impressed by the seriousness, fervour and sense of mission of the DAP KDM leaders who took the initiative to formulate this historic KDM Declaration, as is evident by the commitment and sense of mission demonstrated by the five presenters at the convention on the plight and promises facing the KDM community and which formed the basis of the DAP KDM Declaration, viz:

1. The Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) Crisis – Pastor Jeffrey Kumin (DAP Karambunai branch chairman)

2. Squatter colonies of illegal immigrants and Sabah land problems – Steven Jimbangan (DAP Kepayan branch chairman)

3. Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) Unity – Paul Kadau (DAP Interior leader)

4. Poverty and Education in Sabah – Justin Sabran (DAP Kuamut branch chairman)

5. Impact of illegal immigrant presence to Kadzan-Dusun-Muruts (KDM) – Edward Mujie (DAP Tamparuli branch chairman)

The DAP KDM Declaration in a most dramatic and eloquent manner highlights the grave problem of the political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalization of the KDM community when it posed the question, “Can a KDM ever become a Sabah Chief Minister again?”

This is a question which every KDM, nay every Sabahan and every Malaysian, should ask as its brings to the forefront the grave problem of the marginalization of the KDM community as to become the new underclass in Sabah and Malaysia. Continue reading “DAP KDM Declaration – let KDM not end up as outsiders in the land of their ancestors”

THE DAP KDM DECLARATION
KOTA KINABALU, SABAH
January 19, 2008

We, the people of Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) of Sabah, at a DAP Sabah KDM Convention in Kota Kinabalu on January 19, 2008 hereby CALL for:

*AN ALL-OUT COMMITMENT by the people of Sabah and Malaysia to end and eradicate the underclass status of the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) people in Sabah and Malaysia as a result of Barisan Nasional administration and policies and to restore to the KDM community an equal and rightful place in Sabah and Malaysia.

Towards this end, the following KDM Declaration is dedicated:-

PREAMBLE

In 1994 state general election 14 years ago, Barisan Nasional promised a “Sabah Baru” with the following highlights:

• To reduce poverty level in Sabah from 33 per cent to zero in the year 2,000;

• To eliminate illiteracy to zero in the year 2,000; and

• To eradicate corruption in Sabah;

• To give every Sabahan a house by the year 2,000; and

• To resolve the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah.

Every one of these “Sabah Baru” pledges have been broken and dishonoured, with the KDM community suffering even worse political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalization to the extent that a 11-year-old Std. V Dusun pupil Donny John Dion committed suicide and hanged himself at home in Kampung Suangon in Papar parliamentary constituency because of abject poverty and marginalization of the KDM community. Continue reading “DAP KDM Kota Kinabalu Declaration Jan 2008”

Democratic Action Party and Parti Keadilan Rakyat have reached agreement on the allocation of parliamentary and state assembly seats for Penang for the next general election, expected in less than 70 days.

A joint media conference by leaders of both parties will be held in Penang on Wednesday to announce the details.

Two days before the formal budget presentation by the Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Parliament last Friday, DAP presented its first alternative budget for 2008, themed “Malaysian First: Unity Driven Equity, Growth & Innovation”.

The proposed DAP 2008 Malaysian Budget focuses on the twin challenges of globalisation and the country’s high dependence on oil and gas resources.

With increasing competition from other developing countries and the rapidly evolving technology markets, it is critical that Malaysia puts in place a system which will be able to exploit the opportunities provided by, and at the same time mitigate the negative impact resulting from, globalisation.

At the same time, a 40% dependence on government revenue from the oil and gas sector is of serious concern, especially in the light of oil reserves which will last for only another two decades and Malaysia becoming a net oil importer by 2011.

The proposed DAP Budget is meant as a distinct departure from the current administration’s New Economic Policy (NEP) which is driven by race. The underlying rationale and approach to the proposed DAP Budget is the “Malaysia Economic & National Unity Strategy” (MENUS) which will be based on performance, competence and needs of all Malaysians.

The key policy measures proposed in the DAP Budget should be given full consideration by the government. In fact, a copy of the DAP budgetary proposals was presented to the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya on Thursday, the eve of Abdullah’s Friday presentation.

The key highlights of the proposed DAP Budget 2008 are: Continue reading “DAP’s MENUS Budgetary proposals”