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Guan Eng rallies DAP members, says survival at stake in GE-13

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 18, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — Lim Guan Eng today called for extra vigilance from DAP members to counter Barisan Nasional’s (BN) vote offensive, reminding them that the party’s political survival would be at stake in the coming polls.

Predicting that the 13th general election would be the country’s “dirtiest” in history, the DAP secretary-general said it was crucial for party members to stay resilient in the face of attacks from the ruling BN pact.

“DAP urges all leaders and members to redouble efforts to ensure that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wins the next general elections so that DAP can remain a party in power in state governments and hopefully in the Federal government too.

“The danger signals are evident that the 13th general election will be the dirtiest in Malaysian history,” Lim said in a statement here in conjunction with DAP’s 46th anniversary today. Continue reading “Guan Eng rallies DAP members, says survival at stake in GE-13”

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Lynas Corp’s absurd publicity stunts

— Iskandar Dzulkarnain
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 14, 2012

MARCH 14 — Nick Curtis the CEO of Lynas Corp had expressed his interest to meet with the Chief Minister of Penang Lim Guan Eng during the latter’s visit to Australia on March 23. Lim has politely refused to meet up with the CEO until he has discussed with the Anti-Lynas group.

Instead, he has asked Curtis to meet up with the anti-Lynas group snubbing that he is the wrong person, while the CM of Pahang should be the right person to meet with Nick Curtis.

Undeterred, Lynas Corp in a statement to Bernama, said the invitation would be kept open and the company welcomed the opportunity to help Lim understand its investment in the rare earth plant in Gebeng, Kuantan.

But the truth is, what can the Penang CM do to alleviate the current controversy surrounding the Lynas rare earth plant? Would his personal opinion or intervention buy over the thousands of critics who are against the existence of the Rare Earth Plant in Pahang State?

Isn’t it more appropriate to meet with Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of Pakatan Rakyat who is against the controversial project based on allegations that the Australian miner has not given enough assurances on how it will handle the low-level radioactive waste that will be produced at the refinery?

Really, it would make more sense for the Lynas CEO to meet with the anti-Lynas group than the CM of Penang, as Penang has no say or jurisdiction towards the project in Pahang State. Continue reading “Lynas Corp’s absurd publicity stunts”

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How Effective Has the Enforcement of the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010(WPA) Been in Malaysia?

by Lim Guan Eng

Political Will, National Commitment And Even Personal Obligation Rather Than A Single Law Such As The WPA Will Determine Whether Integrity In Leadership Centred On An Ethically Based Society Can Be Established

It gives me pleasure to speak to you today at this 4th Annual Corporate Governance Summit organised here in Kuala Lumpur. I have been asked to speak on the issue of the Whistleblowers Protection Act 2010 (or “WPA”) which was passed by the federal Parliament and has been in force in Malaysia since December 2010.

Many of us here who are interested in corporate governance will have been captivated by the ongoing saga of alleged corruption and mismanagement in the RM250million National Feedlot Centre project. This is a corporate governance issue as well as a national governance issue. The question is will there be any action taken or will be it just be another case of of the RM2.52 billion losses incurred by MAS without anyone being punished and even those that caused losses such as Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli being let off the hook.

Danaharta had agreed to settle with Tan Sri Tajudin on February 14 without enforcing a High Court decision on December 2009 in Danaharta’s favour ordering Tan Sri Tajudin to pay RM589.14 million to Danaharta, over a loan taken to purchase MAS. Where is the moral hazard?

I think I can summarise my view of the WPA by saying that is not so much a Whistleblowers Protection Act but rather a “Whispering to the Police Act”. Continue reading “How Effective Has the Enforcement of the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010(WPA) Been in Malaysia?”

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Malay courtesy under threat

— Tunku Abdul Aziz
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 03, 2012

MARCH 3 — The spectacle of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng being subjected by some Malay thugs to public harassment and humiliation on February 26 as he was leaving the anti-Lynas rally at Padang Kota in Penang caused a great deal of genuine pain to the sensibilities of men and women of goodwill in this nation.

Is this what the notion of “the new Malay” is really all about? Have they totally abandoned the natural courtesy and graciousness of their forebears? What has happened to the “adat”, or have they forgotten that too?

We may not like his politics but was that appropriate behaviour towards another human being? Lim is the head of government and must be shown all the courtesies attendant upon that position. That, in my book, is the norm of a civilised society, and anything less is unacceptable.

I attended a similar rally in Kuantan on the same day. It was a joy to see a well-behaved crowd of mainly young people from all over the country, including some from overseas, lending support to an important environmental concern without resorting to unruly and obnoxious behaviour.

The Kuantan police deserve the highest praise for their professionalism. They were there when needed, but otherwise remained in the background.

The Penang police, by comparison, were a disgrace to their uniform. They stood there, taking it all in but did absolutely nothing to stop the rowdyism that was showing all the signs of developing into violence. Continue reading “Malay courtesy under threat”

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My debate transcript

— Lim Guan Eng
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 23, 2012

FEB 23 — First of all, I would like to thank the organisers for this live televised debate. Televised debates mark a new chapter in Malaysian political democracy because it is an important element in the democratisation process. I hope that from today onwards, televised debates will be a common phenomenon in the Malaysian democratic system just like in Europe and the United States.

Thus, I believe what Malaysians really want to see is a debate between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, to see who really deserves to be prime minister. Whoever isn’t brave enough to debate, don’t hope to think of becoming prime minister.

Chua Soi Lek suggested that DAP is being used by PAS. If we observe Umno amongst the Malays, Umno claims that PAS is being used by DAP. Therefore, I believe this self-contradictory statement is a dirty tactic employed by BN. I wish to stress here that Pakatan Rakyat component parties, be it PAS, PKR or DAP, we never use each other. We are only prepared to be “used” by the people! At the same time, we are also not anti-Malay or even anti-non-Malay; we are merely against a government that is riddled with corruption! Continue reading “My debate transcript”

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Lim should have said PAS never killed a Mongolian

YOURSAY Malaysiakini
Feb 23, 2012

YOURSAY ‘By right, it’s Umno which should be upset over Guan Eng’s remark. But then again, MCA as always is doing Umno’s dirty job.’

Police report on Penang CM’s alleged racist remark

Boiling Mud: Selangor MCA’s public and services complaints bureau deputy chief Alan Liew said the Chinese community did not understand the true meaning of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s remark and was worried that the latter was playing on racial issue.

Liew, please do not play up racial discord when there was none to begin with regarding the said remark. And most importantly, kindly refrain from citing the Chinese community for whatever political agenda you may have.

Given the shift in the political landscape, I certainly doubt the Chinese community considers MCA as their representative. Can’t the MCA leaders get this simple fact right? Continue reading “Lim should have said PAS never killed a Mongolian”

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Pakatan states proof of economic success, proper governance, say leaders

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 23, 2012

PETALING JAYA, Feb 23 — High investment figures, budget surpluses and reduction of debts in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) states are proof that the federal opposition is ready to take a shot at governing the country, its leaders have asserted.

PR leaders told participants at a DAP fund-raising function here last night that while Barisan Nasional (BN) could only resort to giving one-off RM500 aid to Malaysians while still pouring out billions of ringgit worth of taxpayers’ money in projects which are shrouded in secrecy, PR states have managed to save money as well as increase investment and productivity in less than four years.

Leading the fray was Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who gave the 3,500-odd crowd a blow-by-blow list of the state’s achievements and successes since 2008, and stressed that unlike BN, PR’s policies were not “divided by race” and that their goal was to help all Malaysians.

“Malaysia will become bankrupt because of cronyism, corruption. The (current) federal government debt is RM456 billion. If Malaysia goes bankrupt, who pays? Najib? Rosmah? It’s you and me, ordinary people,” exclaimed Lim to loud cheers from the Chinese-majority crowd. Continue reading “Pakatan states proof of economic success, proper governance, say leaders”

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The time has come for more public debates

Kee Thuan Chye | Feb 21, 2012
Malaysiakini

COMMENT

Why don’t we have more debates between our politicians, and have these debates telecast live? This is a thought on many minds after the debate between Lim Guan Eng and Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Why not, indeed? After all, people were still talking fervently about the debate the day after – in homes, offices, coffeeshops and social media.

We now have a clear indication that there are two main players in the political field – BN and Pakatan Rakyat – which makes it conducive for a series of debates on a series of national issues to be held between representatives from both sides.

Although some of their politicians are already addressing issues in their own ceramahs, such gatherings are being audited by only a small proportion of the people.

Live telecasts will bring their views to the major populace. And that is something essential for a healthy democracy. Continue reading “The time has come for more public debates”

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Debate idea set to bloom

Terence Netto | Feb 19, 2012
Malaysiakini

COMMENT

The topic for the debate did not matter; in any case, it was too vague for the speakers to make much sense of it.

The moderator was not up to the task; in any case, allowing questions from antagonistic members of rival parties was an invitation to dishevelment.

Nevertheless, the speakers got off the hits they must have been honing all week; in any event, this was whole point of the exercise.

In sum, the principle of debate and of its utility between leaders of contending political parties came off well from the Dr Chua Soi Lek versus Lim Guan Eng televised clash yesterday.

Score one for the fledgling idea which may well come to be called the ‘Great Malaysian Electoral Debates’. Continue reading “Debate idea set to bloom”

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Target: Lim Guan Eng

— Whistleblower 57
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 14, 2012

FEB 14 — This is some friendly advice to Lim Guan Eng. Watch your back. Team Najib have identified you as a main target, a real problem for them in the coming general elections.

In the power circles in Putrajaya, Lim Guan Eng is a problem, not only in Penang but in urban areas and even in East Malaysia where the feedback is that the Penang CM is popular.

So the strategists in Umno have decided that Lim must be kept busy fending off attacks. He must be kept off balance and so worried that he will not leave Penang to campaign for Pakatan Rakyat.

Aiding and abetting Umno in this task are some turncoats in DAP and PKR and Chinese businessmen. They have been promised a big payoff.

Guan Eng, you can expect your name to be dragged in the mud just like Anwar Ibrahim’s. Continue reading “Target: Lim Guan Eng”

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Stop slandering land tender, Lim tells Umno leaders

Malaysiakini
Feb 14, 2012

Umno leaders have been warned to stop claims that the tender of state land in Bayan Mutiara by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) was done through a negotiated tender.

The tender was carried out via an open tender system, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said, and therefore enemies of the state should stop their claims that the developer, Ivory Properties Group Bhd, only needs to build affordable houses in Batu Kawan as part of the deal.

Lim, who is DAP secretary general, described the remarks by Umno leaders as “slanderous”.

He said the 102 acres of land south of the Penang bridge was sold via an open tender in 2010 and the developer was bound by the terms of the sale) to build affordable houses, schools and places of worship.

“The sale was conducted via a request for proposals and the open tender was advertised in the newspapers in 2010. The highest bidder was chosen, it was not negotiated,” Lim said in a statement. Continue reading “Stop slandering land tender, Lim tells Umno leaders”

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Say ‘no’ to Ibrahim Ali-style politics, Chua

— Francis Loh
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 10, 2012

FEB 10 — Since he is MCA chief, it is expected that Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek would criticise and exchange barbs with his political opponents in the DAP and the other Pakatan Rakyat parties. Nothing wrong with that, even welcomed. But he should not patronise us the rakyat with the usual simplistic and ethnicised arguments, like Ibrahim Ali is prone to do.

For instance, it was reported (The Star, February 3, 2012) that he had resorted to that age-old boring refrain: that the DAP has been misleading the Chinese into believing that a vote for the party would help realise their hopes of getting fair treatment and a top Chinese leader. In fact, for Chua, “Chinese voters did not understand that a vote for the DAP would only help PAS realise its objective of forming an Islamic state and implementing its brand of hudud”.

Chua made these remarks even when the PAS leadership had just sacked the extremist Dr Hasan Ali from the party and got him removed from the Selangor state exco for expressing views and acting in opposition to PR policies and positions that had been agreed upon and adopted. Continue reading “Say ‘no’ to Ibrahim Ali-style politics, Chua”

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The prostitution of the mainstream media

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 05, 2012

FEB 5 — A few days ago, a friend remarked that he hasn’t read Utusan Malaysia for almost two years. When I asked the reason why, he answered simply by stating Utusan Malaysia has become the extended mouthpiece of Umno and BN. Especially the former. Its editorials are nothing more than patronising dictations by an officious Guru Kanan in charge of discipline. He finds the editorials insulting to the intelligence and nauseatingly overbearing. Who wants to read a paper that says Nik Aziz is delusional, while Dr Mahathir who hasn’t made peace with the new political realities, isn’t?

For substitute he now reads Sinar which has surpassed Utusan in circulation and credibility. I am inclined to believe many others share his revulsion for not only Utusan Malaysia but other members of the mainstream media too. The citadel for the shameless media partisanship has shifted from Jalan Riong to the HQ of Media Prima. Continue reading “The prostitution of the mainstream media”

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Poster-poster rasis sudah mula dinaikkan. Itu petanda BN sudah kehabisan modal

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 05, 2012

5 FEB — Saya telah pergi ke TTDI hari ini untuk bertemu beberapa orang rakan yang ingin berjumpa saya sambil minum pagi. Saya diberitahu oleh rakan-rakan saya yang sudah banyak poster-poster yang ditampal dimerata-rata tempat tentang Lim Guan Eng sebagai anti-Melayu. Poster itu berbunyi ‘Lim Guan Eng anti Melayu’. Sebagai seorang yang sentiasa berada bersama rakyat marhean di bawah ini, saya dapat merasakan dengan jelas yang DAP sedang mendapat penerimaan dari kaum Melayu yang sudah terbuka minda dan tidak lagi terkongkong dengan momokan jahat setengah pihak terhadap parti itu.

Ini juga dapat dirasakan oleh Umno dan sekutunya. Maka tidak terkejut jika mereka melakukan tindakan desperado ini kerana ini sahajalah jalan yang tinggal untuk menggagalkan usaha DAP untuik membuktikan yang parti itu benar-benar sebuah parti ‘multi-racial’ yang sedang mendapat sambutan dari semua kaum termasuk dari kaum Melayu yang sudah tidak terkongkong dengan momokan gila parti-parti dalam BN khususnya Umno.

Untuk memahami tujuan poster ini dinaikkan tidak memerlukan seorang yang bijak pandai untuk mentelaahnya. Seseorang yang terbuka sedikit mindanya dan sudah bercampur gaul dengan mereka yang berpolitik secara jujur akan cepat tahu matlamat pihak yang menaikkan poster-poster ini. Matlamatnya ialah untuk berusaha dengan cara kotor untuk BN mendapat sokongan dari semua kaum khususnya orang Melayu. Continue reading “Poster-poster rasis sudah mula dinaikkan. Itu petanda BN sudah kehabisan modal”

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Mengapa saya pilih DAP

– Oleh Fairuz Azhan
Roketkini
25 January 2012

25 JANUARI – Baru-baru ini satu sidang media telah diadakan di Ipoh untuk memperkenalkan saya dan saudari Dyana Sofya yang membuat keputusan untuk menyertai DAP.

Berita tentang kami sebagai dua orang graduan undang-undang dari UiTM menyertai DAP bagaikan telah mencetuskan fenomena dan pelbagai reaksi daripada pelbagai lapisan masyarakat am.

Bukan sahaja saya datang daripada sebuah universiti Bumiputera tetapi saya bersekolah di sebuah sekolah berasrama penuh Melayu di Ipoh yang cukup terkenal. Malah alma mater saya, Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman dahulu dikenali sebagai MSS atau pun Malay Secondary School.

Saya bukanlah golongan orang Melayu yang ‘tak bersyukur’, malah sebaliknya. Segala pendedahan dan ilmu yang saya perolehi saya guna pakai untuk berfikir bagaimana untuk menambah baik keadaan di negara kita. Continue reading “Mengapa saya pilih DAP”

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Politik perkauman akhiri zamannya

— Abd Shukur Harun
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 26, 2012

26 JAN — Tidak syak lagi bahawa generasi baru, malah sesetengah generasi lama juga, telah dengan jelas menolak politik perkauman. Dengan itu parti politik yang berasaskan kaum, atau tebal dengan perkauman sedang menghadapi zaman gelapnya.

Dengan itu, tidak mungkin lagi politik perkauman akan terus mendominasi iklim politik di Malaysia, justru golongan yang mendukung politik perkauman semakin merosot dan terus merosot.

DAP yang sejak puluhan tahun digambarkan oleh musuh politiknya sebagai parti perkauman Cina, kini berusaha keras memulihkan imejnya sebagai parti politik untuk semua kaum di Malayia. Usahanya itu sebanyak sedikit menampakkan hasil di mana sudah ada tokoh-tokoh Melayu yang menyertainya.

Keterlibatan tokoh Melayu itu mampu menonjolkan kesungguhan DAP untuk dilihat secara praktikal sebagai parti bukan perkauman. Tokoh terkini Melayu dalam DAP yang mula mengukir nama ialah seperti Zairil Khir Johari (anak Tan Sri Khir Johari), Prof Arifin Omar, Mohd Arif Sabri seorang blogger yang terkenal dengan nama samaran Sokmongkol AK 47, bekas Presiden Kesatuan Wartawan Malaysia (NUJ), Hatta Wahari dan mungkin ramai lagi yang sudah memasang niat untuk bersama DAP.

Ramai yakin untuk memastikan Melayu dilihat ada tempat dalam DAP, mereka akan diberi kedudukan tertentu untuk ditonjolkan sebagai tokoh Melayu dalam DAP.

Kalangan yang menyertai DAP ini sudah tentu mempunyai persepsi yang sama bahawa masa depan politik Malaysia bukanlah politik perkauman. Justru mereka melihat Pakatan Rakyat — di mana terdiri dari PAS, DAP dan PKR — mempunyai potensi yang sangat baik. Continue reading “Politik perkauman akhiri zamannya”

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UMNO fears DAP beachhead

KTemoc Konsiders ……..
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Lim Guan Eng and his Penang government, and not Khalid Ibrahim and the Selangor government, represent the greatest threat to Najib and UMNO, and therefore every attempt must be launched to destroy it, impossible as this task may seem.

In the immortal words of Cato the Elder, a Roman statesman, “Ceterum autem censeo, Carthaginem esse delendam” (Furthermore, I think Carthage must be destroyed).

Thus, to UMNO, in similar thinking, DAP in Penang must be destroyed …….. well, as much as is practically possible, given that an overwhelming majority of Penangites has rejected Gerakan and MCA parties as their political representatives.

Hence we have witnessed the relentless waves of terrible fabrications against Lim’s government in general, and Lim GE in particular, even down to the shameful sleazy salacious lies about his teenage son. Those fabricators surely threw their religious God-fearing beliefs and values out of the windows.

It has been anti-DAP carpet bombing all the way by both UMNO apparatus and affiliated bloggers (either sympathizing with UMNO or just being anti-DAP).

They have used not C4 but ‘C3’, namely, the alleged evils of Lim GE’s Christianity, Chinese ethnicity and Charborkooi (devil women) DAP colleagues, where the lies cover: Continue reading “UMNO fears DAP beachhead”

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Pengisytiharaan harta

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 21, 2012

21 JAN — Sekarang isu pengisytiharan harta oleh ahli Jemaah Kabinet menjadi bahan perbincangan rakyat ramai di mana-mana. Belum pun habis dengungan saranan yang anjurkan oleh DAP serta MACC, Nazri Aziz, seorang menteri kanan kerajaan negara, dengan pantas tidak bersetuju dengan cadangan itu.

Nazri memberikan alasan yang jika dilakukan pengisytiharan harta itu ia akan merbahayakan keselamatan individu itu. Apa bahayanya saya pun tidak tahu melainkan Nazri didapati mempunyai harta yang bertimbun secara haram.

Nazri bersetuju jika pengisytiharan harta itu hanya dibuat kepada Perdana Menteri sahaja. Lain-lain perkataan Nazri hanya sanggup memberitahu PM sahaja berapa jumlah harta beliau sejak menjadi menteri ini.

Selangor telah mengambil tindakan mengisytiharkan harta ahli Exconya dua tahun lepas dan Pulau Pinang telah mengambil tindakan mengisytiharkan harta ahli majlis mesyuarat kerajaannya dan boleh dilihat melalui internet oleh semua rakyat. Contoh-contoh baik yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat ini patut diikuti oleh kerajaan Barisan Nasional di peringkat persekutuan dan negeri-negeri yang ditadbirnya. Continue reading “Pengisytiharaan harta”

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Guan Eng says national debt ‘dangerous’, potentially disastrous

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 11, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — Massive borrowing and irresponsible spending by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government will result in Malaysia becoming a fully indebted nation before the end of the decade, Lim Guan Eng said today.

The Penang chief minister said that Putrajaya’s debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio has increased yearly from 53.1 per cent in 2010 to 53.8 per cent last year and is expected to hit 54.8 per cent this year.

“This is extremely dangerous, and even more disastrous when coupled with statistics from Bank Negara’s Annual Report 2010, which revealed that Malaysia’s household debt at the end of 2010 was RM581 billion, or 76 per cent of GDP, thus giving us the dubious honour of having the second-highest level of household debt in Asia, after South Korea.

“In absolute terms, federal government debt rose by 71 per cent in four years to RM456 billion at (the) end (of) 2011 from RM266 billion at end (of) 2007,” said Lim in a statement today.

The DAP secretary-general said by following the same expansion rate, national debt would be a projected RM780 million by 2016 and RM1.3 trillion by 2020. Continue reading “Guan Eng says national debt ‘dangerous’, potentially disastrous”

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Celebrating hope in Penang by establishing a people-centric government based on integrity, good governance and letting the people realise their full potential

— 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. Continue reading “Celebrating hope in Penang by establishing a people-centric government based on integrity, good governance and letting the people realise their full potential”