Barisan Nasional 2008 Manifesto of Lies and Falsehoods?

(Media Conference Statement  at DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre on Thursday 28th February 2008 at 1 pm)

I greatly regret that the caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has resorted to intemperate language in accusing the DAP of spreading lies in the 2008 general election campaign, as illustrated by today’s
Sun
 front-page headline:
“BN leaders on offensive – PM: Opposition Spreading lies to Undermine Barisan Unity”
  and
Utusan Malaysia’s
 front-page headline
“Pembangkang iri hati – Tabur tohmahan, fitnah kerana kejayaan BN tadbir Negara – PM”
.

I do not want to respond in kind to reciprocate Abdullah’s intemperate language, or I will describe the 2008 Barisan Nasional (BN) Election Manifesto as a Manifesto of Lies  and Falsehoods – with a very great difference, I will be able to prove my charge that the 2008 Barisan Nasional Election Manifesto is a Manifesto of Lies and Falsehoods while Abdullah will not be able to substantiate his ridiculous charge that the DAP is guilty of spreading lies to undermine BN unity.

I feel very hurt that Abdullah has accused me and other DAP leaders (who clearly fall under his strictures yesterday) of spreading lies to undermine him and the Barisan Nasional, when I had publicly expressed support for him to carry out his pledges when he became Prime Minister to create an accountable, efficient, incorruptible, people-oriented, democratic and just government.

I was criticized for not behaving like a proper Opposition leader in expressing support for Abdullah’s reformist pledges – but as far as I and the DAP are concerned, we are not in Opposition for the sake of Opposition but for what is good for the country, and we are prepared to praise the Prime Minister and the Barisan Nasional when they do right but will not flinch from out duty to criticize and even condemn the Prime Minister and the government for failures and wrongs to the people and country.

Immediately after the landslide Barisan Nasional victory in the 2004 general election, I was asked in a Malaysiakini interview how long  I would give Abdullah to deliver his reform pledges – and I had said I would give him two years and would suspend judgment in the meanwhile.

Two years came and went and Abdullah failed to make any visible progress to deliver his reform pledges. I still withheld any expression of my disappointment, as I decided to give him another year.

This is why I feel strongly the injustice of Abdullah’s accusation that DAP leaders and I had told lies about him and the Barisan Nasional when I had bent backwards to be fair to him, giving him more time to fulfill his many reform pledges on becoming Prime Minister over four years ago.

I have said that I do not want to follow Abdullah’s intemperate language and describe the 2008 Barisan Nasional election manifesto as a manifesto of lies and falsehoods, although I am prepared to face Abdullah in a television debate to substantiate such a statement.

I have already highlighted the misrepresentation of the 2008 BN Election Manifesto with regard to the worsening problems of crime and corruption.

Let me refer to two points in  an analysis of an economist on the BN 2008 Manifesto:

1.	“Living standards even more directly correspond with individual earnings and household income levels. In fact, we already get a hint at the distribution of economic growth and the realization of benefits. The BN Manifesto reports that nominal household income increased from RM3,249 to RM3,617 over the period 2004-2007. That translates into an annual growth rate of 3.6%, and at an inflation rate of 2.6% over that period, real household income grew at 1.0% per year.  One percent per year real income growth seems to correlate more closely with the struggle and anxiety of many households to make ends meet. Increases in civil servants’ pay and allowances may alleviate the situation, but that is a one-off effect.”

2.	“The Manifesto did not say 1.3 million jobs – it said 1.3 million job
opportunities
. So, then, what is a job
opportunity
? Is it a job that is envisioned and planned, or is it a real job that pays? How do more ‘job
opportunities
‘ help unemployed graduates, alienated former plantation workers, dispossessed urban dwellers? Are we creating jobs too poorly paying that Malaysians are not interested, calling that opportunity, then labelling those who do embrace such opportunity ungrateful?”

So what we have in the BN 2008 General Election Manifesto is a report card about real household income which increased by just 1.0% per year from 2004 to 2007 and the creation of over 1.3 million “job opportunities” instead of “jobs” – whatever that means!

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 28 February 2008, 5:15 pm and is filed under
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BN 2008 Manifesto unlawful – PM, DPM, Ministers, MBs/CMs can be disqualified

(Media Conference Statement (2) at DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre on Thursday 29th February 2008 at 1 pm)

The millions of copies of the unlawful  Barisan Nasional 2008 General Election Manifesto on “Security, Peace, Prosperity” in various languages should be withdrawn immediately as having run afoul of the election law, and the election of all Barisan Nasional parliamentary and state assembly candidates, including the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers and Mentri-Mentri Besar in the 12th general election on 8th March 2008 could be declared null and void.

This is because the Barisan Nasional 2008 General Election Manifesto has not complied with the law requiring all printed material to carry the names of the printer and publisher.

The glossy, glitzy and very expensive Barisan Nasional 2008 General Election Manifesto in all languages only carried the publisher – “Published by Barisan Nasional headquarters, Level 8 Menara Dato Onn, Putra World Trade Centre, Jalan Tun Ismail 50480, Kuala Lumpur” but no printer is given in the manifesto!

If Opposition parties are guilty of such an infraction of the law, Opposition candidates would have been held to strict accountability.

Will the Barisan Nasional be held to strict accountability for their serious breach of the election law, and all their parliamentary and state assembly candidates disqualified unless the millions of copies of the Barisan Nasional 2008 General Election Manifesto are immediately withdrawn and replaced by a new printing which carries the identity of the printer as required by law?

This is again another test as to whether there is one law for the ordinary public but another law for the “powers-that-be” – making a total mockery of one of the five Rukunegara principles on “Upholding The Rule of Law” which is the important reason why Malaysia is rapidly losing our international competitiveness to other countries and falling behind one nation after another!

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 28 February 2008, 5:46 pm and is filed under
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Ceramah in Beruas, Taiping and Pasir Pinji

Details of my ceramah schedule for tonight –

(1) Beruas New Village – 8pm

(2) Aulong OPA Hall, Taiping  – 9.45pm

(3) Pusat Makanan Ting Hao, Jalan Pasir Putih, Ipoh – 11.15pm

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 28 February 2008, 10:25 am and is filed under
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LKS GE Campaign Programme

Friday 7/3/08

(1) Ceramah in Kampar (8pm)

Venue: DAP Kampar Centre

(Contact: 016-5960131)

(2) Ceramah in Buntong (9.30pm)

Venue: Along Jalan Sg Pari (Near roundabout)

(Contact: Suguna 016 5621986)

(3) Ceramah in Ipoh Timur Operation Centre, Ipoh (11pm)

(Contact: 05- 2533096)

Earlier Programme:

Friday 29/2/08

(1) Ceramah in Kampar (8pm)

(2) Ceramah in Teluk Intan (9.20pm)

(3) Ceramah in Ipoh Chin Woo Hall (11.30pm)

Saturday 1/3/08

1.	Kota Kinabalu lunchtime ceramah (11.30 am – 1 pm)

Venue: Gaya Seafood Restaurant, Inanam

(contact Dr. Hiew 019 – 8809987)

2.	Ceramah at night at Sandakan

Venue: Yuan Secondary School Hall, Mile 4, North Road, Sandakan

(contact Chelvam 0122470892)

Sunday, 2/3/08

1.	Tawau breakfast ceramah (6 am – 8 am),

Venue: (i) 6 am – Pasar Tamu, Jalan Apas/Jalan Kuhara  (ii) 7.30 –  Sin Onn Market, Jalan Sin Onn, Tawau

(Contact Jimmy 016 -8260108)

2 Ceramah at Bidor, Perak (8 pm)

Venue: Simpang Empat, Kg Baru, Bidor

(Contact Ramani 012-2782062)

3. Ceramah at Buntong, Ipoh (9.30pm)

Venue: Teluk Kurin, Padang Buntong, Ipoh

(Contact Suguna 016-5621986)

4.Ceramah at Ipoh Timur  (11pm)

Venue: IT Elections Ops Centre, Jalan Kampar

(Contact: 05-2533096)

Monday 3/3/08

(1)	Whistlestop visits to Johor:

1. 9.30am – 10.00am    Senai  (019 7122412)

2. 10.30am – 11.15pm   Skudai (012 7205909)

3. 11.45am – 12.15pm   Stulang (012 7778796)

4. 1.30pm – 2.00pm	Yong Peng (012 7687758)

4. 2pm – 2.45pm		 Labis (012 7371058)

5. 4.00pm – 4.30pm	Jementah (019 7251183)

6. 5.30pm  – 6.00pm 	Bentayan (019 6568282)

(2)	Ceramah in Kota Malacca 8 pm

Venue: DAP Melaka hq, 5 Jalan PM 1/1, Taman Pandan Mawar People’s Hall

(Contact: 06-3369354)

(3)	Ceramah in Rasah 9.30 pm

Venue: Ming Kok Restaurant Car park, Era Walk, Seremban

(Contact Lee 019 6606947)

(4)	Ceramah in Subang Jaya 11 pm

Venue: USJ 12/2 , 12/2F, 12/2E Padang

(Contact: 012 618 7643)

Tuesday 4/3/08

(1) Ceramah in Batu Gajah (8pm)

Venue: Batu Gajah Town Mei Seek Fong Coffee Shop (main road)

(2) Ceramah in Tebing Tinggi (9pm)

Venue: Wah San  Coffee Shop, Jalan Bendahara, Ipoh

(Contact: Henry 016 4226762)

(3) Ceramah in Ipoh Barat (10pm)

Venue: Sze Chuan Restaurant, 30 Jln Kamarudin Isa, Fair Park, Ipoh

(Contact: Suguna 016 5621986)

(4) Ceramah in Kampung Simee (11pm)

Venue: DAP Kg Simee Centre (near market)

(Contact: 05-3233054)

Wednesday 5/3/08

NEW
(1) Ceramah in Taman Connought, Taman Tun Razak (6.30pm)

Venue: Pasar Malam, Padang Taman Connought

(Contact: Azman 012 6633265)

(2) Ceramah in Teratai (8pm)

Venue: Cheras Indah Padang (opposite EON Bank & Tmn Maju Jaya)

(Contact 03-42951267)

(3) Ceramah in Bukit Bintang (9pm)

Venue: Hang Tuah Flat, KL

(Contact 03-2142 5835)

(4) Ceramah in Puchong (10pm)

Venue: Tanah Lapang, Jalan Helang 13, Bandar Puchong Jaya (opposite 7/11)

(Contact: 03-79836768)

(5) Ceramah in Klang (11pm)

Venue: Hin Hua school, Port Klang. (next to La Salle)

(Contact: 016 626 7797)

Thursday 6/3/08

(1) Luncheon Talk in Teluk Intan (2pm)

Venue: SRJK San Min, Teluk Intan

(Contact: 012 5088681)

(2) Penang Programmes

8pm – Taman Indrawasih, Perai

9pm – Wolly Carpark, Raja Uda, Bagan

10pm – Han Jiang Field, Penang

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 28 February 2008, 5:10 pm and is filed under
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History made in Sabah

News Flash

Left Ipoh at 3.30 am for Low-Cost Budget Terminal in KLIA to catch 7.50 am Air Asia flight to Kota Kinabalu. Arrived 20 mins earlier at 10 am.

History was made today when at the lunchtime ceramah for two DAP parliamentary and five State Assemby candidates in the Kota Kinabalu area, some 50 key leaders and activists of three UMNO branches in Sepanggar parliamentary constituency quit en mass to join DAP.

The historic cross-over were led by:

Sharifudin B.S. Alidin, Pengerusi Tetap, Cawangan UMNO Labau, Teboban;

Tiar b Lait, Pemangku Ketua Cawangan UMNO Pekan Menggatal, and

Haji Dollah Dusi, Pengerusi Tetap, UMNO Cawangan Unggun.

At KK International Airport to catch 4.05 pm MAS flight to Sandakan.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 1 March 2008, 3:43 pm and is filed under
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‘Islam Hadari’ Cannot Correct Itself

BY
Farish A. Noor

It would seem rather odd, not least for Malaysia-watchers overseas, that despite the talk of the ‘moderate and progressive’ brand of normative Islam that has been bandied about in Malaysia under the general theme of ‘Islam Hadari’ (Civilisational Islam) that the practice of normative Islam in Malaysia seems anything but moderate and progressive. Among the latest instances normalised abnormality include the seizure of Bibles from a Malaysian Christian returning from the Philippines, on the grounds that the Bibles had to be checked by the Ministry of Home Affairs for security reasons; the demolition of Hindu temples that were said to have been built illegally; the furore over the conversion of Malaysians from one religion to another, etc.

Recently a loose coalition of Muslim NGOs have also put forward their demands to the Malaysian government and all the parties contesting the 12th General Elections of Malaysia, calling on them to defend the status of Islam and to explicitly reject the idea that Malaysia is a secular state. The Islamist NGOs also voiced their concern about the very notion of religious pluralism in the country, and called for the stricter implementation of Islamic rules and laws that already exist in Malaysia.

Yet while these exclusive demands are being voiced in the public domain, the Malaysian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi maintains that Malaysia is a progressive and moderate Muslim country. How does Malaysia qualify as a moderate country when books are routinely vetted and banned by the authorities, when the moral police are allowed to conduct raids into people’s homes, and when even the discussion of religious pluralism is seen as anathema for so many?

The present impasse that Malaysia faces would suggest that the much-lauded ‘Islam Hadari’ project of the Badawi administration has not made an impact and remains at best a discourse of the state that has not been accepted and internalised by the populace, in particular the Malay-Muslim majority. It also demonstrates that the attempts by the UMNO-led government to open up the minds of the Malay-Muslims has not really succeeded and that the long-awaited renaissance of Muslim intellectual thought is a long way off. Why?

The primary reason for this failure lies in the dynamics of the Malaysian governmental system and the politics of the ruling UMNO party itself.

UMNO was and remains primarily a Malay-Muslim party that sees the Malay-Muslim majority as its primary vote bank. From the outset UMNO presented itself as the ‘defender’ and ‘protector’ of Malay communal interests, and was seen as the patron-master of the Malay community. UMNO’s only rival was the Islamic party PAS, and since the 1980s both UMNO and PAS have been eyeing the Malay community with a view of gaining political power and leverage by securing the Malay-Muslim vote.

This however requires that both parties maintain the notion that the Malay-Muslim community is a fixed and homogenous constituency. Furthermore since the 1980s UMNO and PAS have both tried to gain the upper hand against each other by demonstrating their Islamic credentials, adopting a ‘holier-than-thou’ approach and thus sparking off what has come to be known as the ‘Islamisation race’ in Malaysia.

The nature of UMNO’s leadership of the Malays however remains unchanged, and is based on a strong patron-client bond that sees the Malays as perpetually in need of protection, leadership and representation. In the process, Malay-Muslim identity has been foregrounded at the expense of a wider sense of national belonging, on the basis of citizenship. Thus UMNO’s patronage and control of the Malays has not only rendered them weak and dependent on UMNO’s goodwill and patronage, but has also keep them confined within the narrow essentialised parameters of fixed ethnic-religious identity.

Over the past three decades, it was UMNO’s cultivation of the Malay-Muslim community, couched in terms of a protectionist politics of patronage, that crippled the Malays and kept the Malay intellectual community bound to its patronage machinery. Yet despite the opportunities given to them, the leadership of UMNO has never really tried to use this as a means of opening up the minds of the Malays, to challenge them intellectually and to present the Malays with an alternative (and genuinely progressive) understanding of Islam: Progressive Muslim authors have been banned by the government, their books taken off the shelves, debates on issues like religious pluralism and inter-faith dialogue scuttled.

The net result is the Malay-Muslim community that we see in Malaysia today, which has grown more defensive, reactionary, conservative and narrow in their worldview, thanks to the debilitating effects of this form of suffocating patronage. UMNO’s leaders have also complicated things further for themselves by occasionally jumping on the communal bandwagon, and Malaysians have witnessed – time and again – the spectacle of UMNO leaders brandishing weapons in public and talking on and on about the special rights and privileges of the Malays.

Thus is it a surprise if the liberal and progressive ideals of the ‘Islam Hadari’ project have never taken root in Malaysia? How can any government – UMNO-led or otherwise – hope to inculcate the progressive and modern values of a universal religion if, at the same time, it has also helped to create a community that is narrow-minded, conservative and not receptive to such ideas? Here lies the trap that the UMNO leadership has dug for itself: While promoting a vision of Islam that is plural, modern and liberal it has also cultivated a community that is narrow, reactionary and conservative. The real result of five decades of UMNO-led rule is the creation of a more narrowly-defined, racialised and sectarian society where inter-racial and inter-religious dialogue and contact has dwindled. To expect ‘Islam Hadari’ to correct the mistakes of UMNO’s own ethnocentric communitarian politics is a contradiction in terms. A party that perpetuates the divisive politics of racial and religious communitarianism cannot preach universal love and respect, not even among its own members and supporters.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 2 March 2008, 10:02 am and is filed under
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Lim Kit Siang in Kota Kinabalu

Click on respective thumbnail for larger image.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 2 March 2008, 2:32 am and is filed under
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Shanty Chong will be ideal Chairperson of Parliamentary Select Committee for Independence and Integrity of Judiciary

Over a thouand  people at the DAP Sandakan ceramah last night  for our parliamentary candidate and two State Assembly candidates in the Sandakan area.

DAP parliamentary candidate for Sandakan, Shanty Chong delivered her maiden political speech – humorous but hard-hitting which will strike fear and terror among erring Barisan Nasional leaders.

She had served 17  years in the judical service and very few can compare with her in integrity as nobody could or would doubt her incorruptibility.

No time to write more, except to record that I announced that she would make an ideal choice as Chairperson of a Parliamentary Select Committee on Independence and Integrity of the Judiciary in the new Parliament.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 2 March 2008, 10:19 am and is filed under
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Successful breakfast ceramah in Tawau

First of its kind not only in Tawau but in Sabah and Malaysia as well – a breakfast ceramah at 7.30 am.

Turnout at Sin Onn Market, Tawau by Tawau voters and their families for the breakfast ceramah was over-capacity and overwhelmingly supportive and most encouraging – highlighting the reality that the battle in the Sri Tanjong state Assembly contest is between the DAP candidate Jimmy Wong Sze Phin and the Barisan Nasional candidate while the Tawau parliamentary contest is between the DAP candidate Chan Foong Hin and the BN candidate, although there is a third candidate in both constituencies.

If not for the third candidate in Sri Tanjong, Datuk Kong Hong Ming (Keadilan), many Tawau voters would say that “Tiger” Jimmy Wong would have an edge over the BN candidate, a DAP “renegade”, especially as Jimmy Wong had done more than the incumbent BN candidate to fight for the rights and welfare of the people of Tawau – especially in his successful espousal of the cause of the people of Tawau to defend their “open spaces” from despoilation by an irresponsible axis of the local government and developer, an issue which affects not only Tawau and Sabah but the whole of Malaysia!

In the circumstances, Datuk Kong cannot win on his own but can  only draw votes away from Jimmy to  ensure that the BN candidate is the sole  beneficiary by slipping into victory with a minority vote,  which  goes against the larger state and national objectives to ensure the defeat of every BN candidate, whether at state or parliamentary level on March 8, 2008.

In the interests of the larger state and national objectives to ensure that March 8 general election delivers a major blow to Umno political hegemony, whether at national or state level, Datuk Liew should seriously consider withdrawing from the Sri Tanjong contest – or the voters should ensure that every vote is husbanded to defeat the  BN candidate by voting singlemindedly for Jimmy Wong and not wast away their votes and fundamental constitutional rights through split votes which is the greatest hope and wish of the BN candidate!

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 2 March 2008, 6:25 pm and is filed under
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The Tale of the Rattlesnake

by
M. Bakri Musa

Spring comes early in my part of California.  Already there are exuberant splashes of dancing daffodils on the hillsides.  Soon the colorful California poppies will pop up.  With the weather becoming warmer, the rattlesnakes too will soon emerge from their winter slumber.

   Talking of rattlesnakes, I am reminded of the story of the kindly lady who saw one such weakling that was dying from the long cold winter.  Taking pity on the poor critter, she took it home and nursed it back to health.  One day while she was feeding the now robust creature, it took a swipe at her hand and bit her.

   As she lay dying she asked the snake why it had done that.  “You should have known better, lady!  You knew I was a rattlesnake, you should have killed me back then!”

   On March 8, 2008, Malaysia will have a general election, with Prime Minister Abdullah seeking a second term, having secured an overwhelming mandate back in 2004.  This will be the votersÂ’ collective judgment of what Abdullah did with that mandate.

   If Barisan Nasional retains its supra-majority and Abdullah remains as Prime Minister, rest assured that he will continue the pattern he set in his first term.  He will once again reward his cronies and family members with sweetheart mega billion contracts san competition, just as he has done during his first term.  His excuse then was that he did not know that he was doing it!  He will continue dozing off during meetings in the mistaken belief that Malaysians approve of such mediocre performances.  Also, expect the bureaucracy to become even more bloated.  This self-styled “number one civil servant’s” answer to every problem is to spend more money and employ more staff.

   For Malays, expect more books on Islam to be banned and more raids by moral vigilante groups intent on keeping us on the Â“straight path.Â”  And expect this Imam of Islam Hadari to lead even more prayers in public, with the television cameras rolling on, of course.

   For non-Malays, expect more temples to be torn down to make way for “community development,” more cash demands from their insatiably greedy Ali Baba partners, and more reasons to take their children out of national schools.

   In short, Malaysians would be like that innocent lady who took pity on the emaciated rattlesnake.  Malaysians took pity on Abdullah and gave him another chance.  Unfortunately, true to form, this rattlesnake Abdullah Badawi will bite us back with a vengeance.

Who Should We Blame?

There is a little bit of that kind lady in all of us, of wanting to be helpful, and yes, also to be forgiving, of wanting to give someone especially our leaders another chance.  We believe in the basic goodness of our fellow human beings.  We are generous and believe that goodwill begets more goodwill.  In short, we are not rattlesnakes.

   Unfortunately, there are the small minority amongst us who are indeed rattlesnakes.  No matter how kind we are to them, their basic instinct is to bite back.

   When I find a rattlesnake near my house, I remove it away back to the hills.  If it returns, then I will not hesitate to kill it.  I give that critter only one chance; it is too dangerous to have a rattlesnake crawling around near my house.

   Malaysians have been too kind and for too long to this rattlesnake of a leader, Abdullah Badawi.  He interprets the huge mandate he received in2004 not as a trust given by citizens to lead them to greater heights, but as a license to indulge his private fantasies.  He is not at all embarrassed by being endlessly feted, or of him and his adult family members jetting off to far away destinations in his newly acquired (at taxpayers expense of course) luxurious Airbus.  Where and when did this grandson of a pious and humble village imam acquire his extravagant tastes?

   When Abdullah was appointed Deputy Prime Minister back in 1998, this is what I wrote in my book The Malay Dilemma Revisited:  “Abdullah is not known for his intellect or sense of mission.  Nor is he very inspiring. . . . He would be Malaysia’s Jimmy Carter, an honorable enough man but totally ineffective leader.”  I was wrong about the honorable part.

   I also wrote, “Abdullah’s only redeeming quality was his humility; a fine enough tribute for a friend but an overrated quality in a leader.”  As we now know, Abdullah has a lot to be humble about, to borrow Churchill’s quote.

Democracy:  Self Correcting

The mistake Malaysians made was in giving Abdullah that massive mandate in 2004.  That however, was understandable, prompted no doubt by the kind lady instinct in us all.  Unfortunately it cemented in Abdullah the delusion that his many inadequacies were indeed virtues.  Our intellectuals and pundits too were also taken in, mistaking AbdullahÂ’s silence for substance, his humility for wisdom.  Had Malaysians been less generous and our intellectuals more critical, Abdullah would have a far less inflated sense of his own capabilities and virtues.  Who knows, we might be spared his vulgar excesses.

   Even Prime Minister Mahathir was fooled by Abdullah to appoint him as MahathirÂ’s successor.  At least Mahathir recognized his error of judgment (albeit belatedly) and is now working hard to remedy his greatest mistake.

   The beauty of democracy is that citizens can (or at least are given a chance to) correct our collective mistakes, or even those of our leaders.  In this upcoming election, voters in Kepala Batas could do a great national service if they were to boot Abdullah out.  That would effectively remove him as Prime Minister.  More significantly it would trigger a seismic shift in UMNOÂ’s leadership.  With the partyÂ’s ban on contesting top posts effectively circumvented, it would get a chance to preview many other candidates.

   If Kepala Batas voters were shy in exercising this historic opportunity, then Malaysians could still teach Abdullah a lesson by substantially reducing his coalitionÂ’s victories.  That would also trigger a challenge to his leadership and we would have the same effect as the first scenario.

   We Malays have a saying that sometimes we have to be unkind or even cruel in order to be kind.  We may think that we are being kind by giving a five-ringgit note to a starving drug addict, but then he would just as quickly use that money to get his next fix.

   In the social sciences there is the concept of an “enabler,” specifically referring to the battered wife syndrome, of the wife whose toleration of her husbandÂ’s abuses encourages him to be even more abusive.

   In this election voters will have to be cruel in order to be kind to our leaders, ourselves, and our nation.  Malaysians must be wise enough not to be inadvertent enablers of corrupt and incompetent leaders.  We must get rid of the rattlesnakes among our leaders before they bite us.

   If Malaysians were to continue on with business as usual with this election, then we have only ourselves to blame.  It would not be the fault of the rattlesnake if it were to bite us back, as surely it would.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 2 March 2008, 5:37 pm and is filed under
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Lim Kit Siang in Sandakan

                This entry was posted on Monday, 3 March 2008, 1:02 pm and is filed under
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Smack the MCPs in Parliament and  outside

(Media  Conference Statement by DAP Ipoh Timur Parliamentary Candidate Lim Kit Siang at the DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre in Jalan Kampar, Ipoh on Tuesday 4th March 2008 at 2 pm)

I have just returned from a 24-hour four-state 11-stop

whistlestop tour which I find most encouraging as the wind of change is blowing strong and hard in Malaysia – and the question is whether it could reach the velocity to change the political landscape by denying the Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority.

I left Ipoh for Johore  by car  at 3.30 am on Monday morning, starting with a 10-hour swing of Johore to campaign for  DAP candidates in eight  state assembly and three parliamentary constituencies  in Johore, namely Senai, Skudai, Stulang, Yong Peng, Bekok, Jementah, Tangkak, Bentayan (state) and Kulai, Segamat and Bakri (parliament) from 8.30 am. to 6.30 pm, followed by huge ceramahs in Malacca, Rasah (Negri Sembilan) and Subang Jaya. I returned to Ipoh at about 3.30 am – a real 24-hour affair!

Johore Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ghani Othman and the erstwhile MCA national and Johore leader, Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek had declared that the Barisan Nasional (BN) objective is to  ensure that Johore is a zero-Opposition state – which not only exposes their  undemocratic mindset  but  their abysmal failure to understand the meaning of democracy.

There can be no meaningful democracy without a viable and credible opposition in Parliament and State Assembly  to ensure that  the diverse opinions, views and criticisms particularly in plural Malaysia are heard loud and clear in the various legislatures.

Ghani made the startling statement that he would not  listen  the DAP State Assemblymen elected to the Johore  State Assembly on March 8.

I call on the voters of Johore to use their vote to teach both Ghani and Chua a lesson in democracy, that they must respect the wishes and decisions of the voters if they want to elect DAP representatives  into the Johore State Assembly.

Otherwise, the  Barisan Nasional might as well  admit that the 12th general election is just a charade and not a meaningful  democratic exercise for  Malaysians to vote for the Parliament and State Assembly j representatives of their choice once in  five years as provided for in the Constitution.

Ghani’s statement that he will not listen to the views of DAP Assemblymen elected into the Johore State Assembly shows the arrogance of Umno leaders as a result of prolonged monopoly of power, resulting in the rise of Umno political hegemony which must be smacked down strong and hard on March 8 so that it could not rear its ugly head again.

I hope the Johore voters would teach Ghani a lesson in democracy and that the DAP can look forward to winning at least one parliamentary and three state assembly seats in Johore in the 12th general election.

I fought  an hour-by-hour battle to keep my voice from failing and from succumbing to flu and fever, but great and heartening response from the people from every stop I made in the whistestop tour had been the most efficacious medicine of all!

My only regret in the 10-hour swing for eight state and three parliamentary constituencies in Johore is the untoward incident in Labis resulting in a scuffle between the Labis OCPD Supt. Abdul Majid Mohd Ali and the seven-month pregnant woman DAP parliamentary candidate for  Labis, Teo Eng Ching for a mike during a simple welcoming reception for me when I arrived in Labis.

I had to intervene to ask Abdul Majid to refrain from such an action, publicly being seen in a scuffle in trying to snatch the mike from the seven-month pregnant woman, which is not only ungentlemanly and completely lacking in chivalry but might harm the unborn babe Teo is carrying.

After the incident, Teo vomited and had to be hospitalized for observation whether harm had been caused to the unborn babe.

Most police personnel had been considerate and impartial in their police role in the general election campaign and the Labis incident is a police  blackmark in the way the Labis OCPD disregarded Teo’s seven-month pregnant condition in  his scuffle with her in trying to snatch her mike.

DAP has fielded 19 women candidates – eight parliamentary and eleven  state assembly candidates – to be  the voice of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or gender in Parliament and the State Assemblies.  The polling day of March 8 falling on International Women’s Day must make the 12th general election particularly significant for upholding the dignity and honour of women – and what happened to Teo in her pregnant condition in Labis must be deplored not only by all women candidates but men candidates and the general public as well.

The Barisan Nasional have put up a big slate of women candidates in the general election .

But will the BN women candidate, let alone the BN men candidates, speak up for Teo to deplore the action of the Labis OCPD, endangering the life of the unborn in Teo’s womb?

Nobody has any high hopes in this, particularly after the highly offensive and sexist billboards launched in the election campaign by a woman  MCA parliamentary  candidate against her opponent , Teresa Kok. (Seputeh Parliament), attacking her as a “loose woman” who would “two-time” her constituents.

In the last Parliament, the three women DAP MPs – Teresa Kok, Chong Eng and Fong Po Kuan, were often the butt of sexist and offensive remarks by Barisan Nasional “MCP” MPs.  No MCA, Gerakan or BN women MPs stood up for the three DAP MPs against the offensive and sexist “MCP” attacks.  It would appear that the same applies to the current batch of MCA and other BN women parliamentary and state assembly candidates.

Finally, I call on the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan, to send out a clear directive to all OCPDs to respect the rights, dignity and honour of all women candidates in the general election and not to subject them to the indignity and humiliation visited on Teo in Labis yesterday.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 4 March 2008, 3:56 pm and is filed under
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IGP should suspend Segamat OCPD for using force on seven-month  pregnant woman DAP candidate in Labis to demonstrate police respect for women dignity and rights

(Media Conference Statement (2) by DAP Ipoh Timor parliamentary candidate Lim Kit Siang at Ipoh Timor Ops Centre on Wednesday, 5th March 2008)

IGP should suspend Segamat OCPD for using force on seven-month  pregnant woman DAP candidate in Labis to demonstrate police respect for women dignity and rights.

The Johore police called an unprecedented 1.30 am press conference in Johore Baru yesterday morning to give their version of the scuffle over a mike between the Segamat OCPD Supt Abd Majid Mohd Ali and the seven-month pregnant woman DAP candidate for Labis Teo Eng Ching in Labis on Monday at about 2.30 pm during my 24-hour four-state 11-stop  election whistlestop tour.

This is a reflection of the power of the internet for immediately after the scuffle in Labis at about 3 pm, the Internet was abuzz with reports of a police officer in a scuffle with  a seven-month pregnant DAP parliamentary candidate which resulting in her being hospitalized, creating concerns about the health and welfare of both the mother and the unborn child.

In the 1.30 am press conference, Johore police chief Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Sharif denied that a police officer had used force against a pregnant woman DAP parliamentary candidate.

Mokhtar denied that the police officer had pushed anybody let alone take away by force the microphone Teo was using  to say “thank you” to several hundreds of supporters who had turned up to welcome my visit.

Nobody alleged that the Segamat OCPD “pushed” Teo, but what is undeniable is that  Abdul Majid was involved in a scuffle with the seven-month pregnant candidate when he tried to snatch her mike – as illustrated the photographs (below) and video tape on
Youtube
.

Mokhtar’s claim that it was Teo who did the pushing is both preposterous and outrageous, as borne out by the photographs and video clip.

I had gone up to Abdul Majid to urge him to refrain from continuing the scuffle with Teo in trying to snatch away the mike.

I find it most regrettable that the Police had given a selective and dishonest account of what happened, hiding photographs from the media which would have told the country the whole truth.

It is most shameful,for a police officer to use force on the  seven-month pregnant DAP woman parliamentary candidate when all she wanted was to say a few words of thanks to the public who had gathered to meet me.

The Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan should suspend Abdul Majid as Segamat OCPD  to demonstrate police respect for woman dignity and rights  instead of siding with him in his deplorable conduct r using force in a scuffle with a seven-month pregnant DAP woman candidate.

If the police are not prepared to do justice in the Labis seven-month pregnant woman DAP candidate case, then all Malaysians should use their vote on March 8, which is also the International Women’s Day, to express their condemnation of the police officer’s scuffle and using force on Teo on Monday.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 5 March 2008, 5:08 pm and is filed under
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More seats won by MCA will only result in worsening Umno political hegemony

(Media Conference Statement by DAP Parliamentary candidate for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang at the DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 1.30 pm)

When MCA should be most influential and powerful after the 1999 general election when Chinese voters saved Umno and Barisan Nasional to ensure their getting  two-thirds parliamentary majority, MCA was weakest in allowing the rise of Umno political hegemony

New Straits Times has turned into a MCA and Barisan Nasional (BN) propaganda broadsheet today with the front-page headline: “Chinese voters have a simple c hoice: a bigger say in parliament and government, or a louder voice in parliament without real influence…”

Quoting the MCA strategist, Datuk Wong Mook Leong,said “the reality was that whenever the DAP did better than MCA, it was a major setback for the community”.

Wong said: “In 1986, DAP won 24 seats while MCA got 18. In 1990, DAP continued to lead MCA by two parliamentary seats.

“DAP claims that in those two terms, it was a major step for democracy. But the truth is, it was two terms of major setbacks for the Chinese community.”

This is a very dishonest distortion of Malaysian political history.

Firstly, this analysis flies in the face of the truth that it was after these two major successive wins by the DAP in the 1986 and 1990 general elections that Umno finally relented and abandoned its three-decade-long nation-building policy of assimilation and finally accepted the DAP contention that for a plural nation like Malaysia, with diverse races, languages, cultures and religions, only a policy of integration can succeed to unite the people and hold the nation together.

It was after the DAP’s consecutive electoral gains in 1986 and 1990 general elections that Vision 2020 with its objective of creating a Bangsa Malaysia was proclaimed by the then Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad  in February 1991, marking the abandonment of the assimilation policy of “one language, one culture” and acceptance of the integration policy of “many languages and many cultures” in Malaysia.

This was subsequently  admitted publicly by Mahathir in September 1995, when he said that citizens should be proud of being Malaysians and work together instead of being preoccupied with ethnic origin.

He  said to realise the goal of Bangsa Malaysia, the people should start accepting each other as they are, regardless of race and religion.

 Mahathir said  at the time that certain quarters may condemn him for wanting to achieve Bangsa Malaysia and not struggling for the Malay cause as he did during his early years in politics.

He said when he was fighting for the Malay cause per se, he was young and his thoughts were that of an inexperienced politician.

He stressed that  in future, there would be no nation in the world which would have a single ethnic group as its citizen.

In August 1996, he told Utusan Malaysia in an interview:

“Zaman berubah. Kalau dahulu tumpuan ialah kita kepada asimilasi. Di mana-mana negara juga tidak ada lagi usaha untuk “asimilasi”, bahkan di Amerika Syarikat mereka sering bercakap berkenaan dengan “roots” asal-usul mereka. Jadi kalau kita sudah terima bahawa itu tidak mungkin, kita perlu cari jalan lain untuk merapatkan perhubungan antara kaum ini. Seperti kata De Bono, Lateral Thinking, kalau kita tidak boleh merentas satu jalan maka kita pergi ke jalan lain untuk sampai ke matlamat yang sama.”

Again in  his interview with TIME magazine in  December 1996, he said in a Q & A:

TIME: You recently said that efforts to assimilate races have not been successful and it was time to try something else.

Mahathir: The idea before was that people should become 100% Malay in order to be Malaysian. We now accept that this is a multi-racial country. We should build bridges instead of trying to remove completely the barriers separating us. We do not intend to convert all the Chinese to Islam, and we tell our people, the Muslims, “you will not try to force people to convert”.

I  had at the time commend Mahathir for the evolution of his thinking on nation-building for Malaysia, for this was one of the cornerstones of the DAP political struggle when we were formed in 1966, to establish that Malaysia is a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation and that the only viable and successful nation-building policy must be one based on integration and not on assimilation.

Many DAP leaders had to pay a heavy price in terms of loss of personal freedoms or being persecuted in courts for courageously defending and upholding the rights of all races, languages, cultures and religions in a multi-racial Malaysia.

There is no doubt that if there had been no DAP in the last three decades, the attempt to impose a “One Language, One Culture” Policy in Malaysia would have been taken to extreme lengths with disastrous results both for national unity as well as development.

As a result of this paradigm shift in nation-building caused by the DAP’s consistent political stand, there was what I called “minor liberalization” in government nation-building policies and programmes on language, education and culture,  which fell far short of the “full liberalization” that envisaged as the successful path for Malaysian nation-building.

In 1995, 1999 and 2004, DAP suffered electoral setbacks with the MCA making great electoral gains.

With the DAP reduced only to nine  parliamentary seats in 1995, 10 seats in  1999 and 12 seats in 2004 general elections. Did the MCA build on the gains achieved by the DAP in beating off Umno’s assimilation nation-building policy, to ensure that there is full liberalization in nation-building based on integration?

The 1999 general election deserves special mention.  In 1999 general election, the Anwar Ibrahim “black eye” effect created political ferment  among the Malay voters, with the Malays prepared for change , resulting in  Umno suffering its worst electoral defeat in its party history.

Umno and Barisan Nasional would have lost their two-thirds parliamentary majority if the Chinese voters had not come to their rescue, voting to shore up Barisan Nasional’s two-thirds majority.

Instead of DAP winning some 30 parliamentary seats, which would have resulted in the BN losing its two-thirds parliamentary majority, and ushering in a new era for democratic change and greater liberalization in economic and nation-building policies, DAP suffered a major setback and won only 10 parliamentary seats.

MCA won 36 parliamentary seats. Did MCA’s huge slate of parliamentary seats and the role of the Malaysian Chinese voters in saving the Umno and BN from losing its two-third parliamentary majority in the 1999 general election resulted in a more just and equal nation-building policy and greater MCA representation in government, as increase in the number of MCA Cabinet Ministers and their appointment to key Ministries, like Finance and  Industry which was previously occupied by MCA Ministers in the early years of Merdeka?

None at all. When MCA should be most influential and powerful after the 1999 general election when Chinese voters saved Umno and Barisan Nasional to ensure their getting  two-thirds parliamentary majority, MCA was weakest in allowing the rise of Umno political hegemony from 1999 – 2008.

Examples are galore  of the rise of Umno political hegemony, which marginalizes not only the other BN component parties but all communities, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazan-Dusun-Murut  and Ibans.

There is a long list to illustrate the rise of Umno political hegemony in the past nine years, but I need only mention the following few:

•	The “929 Declaration Malaysia as an Islamic state on Sept. 29, 2001;

•	The Umno Youth threat to burn down the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall over the Suqiu controversy;

•	The extension of the New Economic Policy from a 20-year span  to 50 years and beyond;

•	Umno Youth Hishammuddin Hussein’s wielding of the Malay keris at the Umno Youth assembly;

•	The rejection of the Bangsa Malaysia objective of Vision 2020 by powerful circles and forces in Umno;

•	The humiliation suffered by non-Umno Ministers who had submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister in 2006 about freedom of religion over the Moorthy snatch-body case, coupled with rapid increases of religious polarization over body-snatching, banning of Christian Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia using “Allah”, restriction of freedom of religion of non-Muslim communities like the Kudat Mazu controversy;

•	Blatant abuse of NEP to spawn even worse corruption, cronyism and nepotism (CCN) in the Abdullah administration as compared to the Mahathir premiership, with the bumiputras being used to serve the interests of Umnoputras; and

•	The Hindraf phenomenon of nation-wide Indian protest at their long-standing marginalization.

Wong Mook Leong is wrong.  The more seats the MCA wins, the greater the trend towards Umno political hegemony.  This is why in the 12th general election, a vote for the BN is a vote for Umno political hegemony, and why all Malaysians regardless of race or religion should unite to smash Umno political hegemony, which is completely different from Umno dominance in BN and  can be a Frankestein in the Malaysian political landscape.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 5 March 2008, 3:47 pm and is filed under
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BN leaders – grow up and accept ups and downs of democratic process

(Media Conference Statement by DAP Parliamentary Candidate for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang at DAP Ipoh Timor Ops Centre on Thursday, 6th March 2008 at 12 noon)

Tomorrow is the last day for campaigning before the country goes to polls for the 12th general election on Saturday, March 8, 2008.

Will March 8, 2008 usher  a paradigm shift in the Malaysian political landscape by stripping the Barisan Nasional of its unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority and  deal a fatal blow to Umno political hegemony?

It is a tall order just to deny the Barisan Nasional two-thirds parliamentary majority on Saturday, for the DAP, PKN and PAS will each have to win at least 25 seats to  ensure that the BN is defeated in at least 75 parliamentary seats, the “magic figure” to make BN’s two-third parliamentary majority  and Umno political hegemony history in Malaysia.

A strong and powerful wind of change is blowing in the land, as evidenced by the mammoth ceramah crowds,  enthusiastic responses and generous donations  of Malaysians in the various states – with crowds of several thousands to more than 10,000 in the ceramahs I attended in the  past three days, covering Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Perak, with mammoth ceramah crowds also reported in Penang.

The question is whether the wind of change rising up in the land will be strong  and powerful enough on March 8 to make it a day of history and a day of destiny for Malaysia.

The Barisan Nasional leadership had launched the general election campaign  with  a very cocky and arrogant start, with the  Selangor, Malacca and Johore  Barisan Nasional leaders declaring that they want to make their  states “zero-opposition” states to  recent panicky signs in certain BN quarters  at the strong and powerful wind of change blowing in the land – causing Barisan Nasional propagandists to resort to the dirty politics of  fear, intimidation and blackbail as making May 13 threats.

Let me advice all BN leaders and candidates:  Grow up and accept the ups and down of the democratic process and stop being  spoiled brats when  at most the Barisan Nasional  is losing two-thirds parliamentary majority and not losing power.

It is not going to be easy to deprive the Barisan Nasional of its two-thirds majority in Parliament by defeating the BN in at least 75 seats, but it is a goal which is definitely  possible and achievable on March 8.

Former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir does not see the BN losing its two-thirds majority on 8th March,  as he has predicted that the BN would win between 70 to 75 per cent of the parliamentary seats in the 12th general election as compared to  BN victory in over 90 per cent of the parliamentary seats in the 2004 general election.

If Mahathir is right, that BN would win 70 to 75 per cent of the parliamentary seats, this would work out to the opposition winning between 55 to 65 seats, which is a sizable increase from the 2004 general election  of 21.

Tun Mahathir gave a very pertinent interview with Malaysiakini yesterday, where he said that the country needs an opposition that can hold up a mirror to the government.

Mahathir said: “I believe in an opposition. I have always maintained that this country needs an opposition and they should be critical of the government without which we don’t have a mirror to look at our faces. We think that we are very beautiful but it is the opposition that keeps telling us (that may not be true).

“You know the government member (of parliament), sometimes they are ‘ahli bodek’ (apple polishers). They are always saying ‘you’re right’, and you have no means of assessing whether you are going in the right direction or not.”

Mahathir said  that it would be a “disaster” if the country “loses its opposition” as in Singapore.

I am glad that Mahathir, who had been the most controversial Prime Minister  of Malaysia for 22 years, leading the country to some of its best achievements and worst  crisis in key institutions of state, has fully realized the important  and constructive role of the Opposition in the development of a viable and  vibrant system of parliamentary democracy.

Is Abdullah prepared to agree with Mahathir and openly acknowledge the important role of the Opposition in the building of a healthy Malaysian democratic system, that it will be a disaster if there is no Opposition in Malaysia, and rein in  the Umno “ultras” who have been talking about a zero-opposition in their states, with one Mentri Besar even claiming that he will not listen to the views of any DAP Assemblymen if they are elected!

Abdullah should educate all national and state leaders on the most rudimentary lessons in democracy. Lesson One  – that without an Opposition, there can be no meaningful democracy. Lesson Two – Opposition leaders are even more patriotic than those in government, as they are prepared to risk their personal liberty and comfort to stand up for the rights of the people and the long-term interests of the nation, which could land them in detention.

When Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over the reins of government as the fifth Prime Minister, he had promised to be different and better than the Mahathir premiership.

I call on Abdullah to ensure that in the last 36 hours of the general election campaign, he will go out of his way to ensure that the 12th general election will be completely different from the previous nine general elections in being “May 13-free”, where the threat and spectre of May 13 if Opposition candidates are  elected is not allowed to rear its ugly head to mar the election campaign.

Is Abdullah prepared to respond to this challenge to demonstrate that in 2008, Malaysian general elections are once-and-forever liberated from the spectre of May 13 threats, which is completely baseless as a denial of BN two-thirds parliamentary majority can only come about if there is  strong representation of Malay, Chinese, Indian and even Kadazan-Dusun-Murut Opposition MPs.

A “May 13-free” election campaign will be a redeeming feature of the 12th general election, which has been further stained by the last-minute somersault of the Election Commission over the indelible ink issue – with the indelible ink fiasco becoming the indelible shame of the Election Commission.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 6 March 2008, 12:47 pm and is filed under
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Election debates – just do it!

BY Azly Rahman

During presidential elections in the United States, it has become customary for the main candidates (almost always the candidates of the two main parties, currently the Democratic Party and the Republican Party) to engage in a debate. The topics discussed in the debate are often the most controversial issues of the time, and some have said that elections can be won or lost based on these debates…. Presidential debates are held late in the election cycle, after the political parties have nominated their candidates. The candidates meet in a large hall, often at a university, before an audience of citizens. The formats of the debates have varied, with questions sometimes posed from one or more journalist moderators and in other cases members of the audience – from Wikipedia

Malaysia’s government has rejected an Islamic opposition party’s challenge to hold an American-style public debate between their leaders ahead of the March 8 general election, news reports said on Sunday. PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang recently dared Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to hold a televised debate similar to those held by US presidential candidates…But the Sunday Star newspaper quoted Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz as saying there was no place for such debates in Malaysia.. “We don’t follow the American system in our country. We (the country’s leaders) should be debating with villagers or town folks concerning local issues affecting them,” she said in the report. – from Malaysia Today, March 1, 2008

What is the problem of having televised debates? I do not see any. The politicians for the ruling party and the aspiring parties are intelligent enough to hold debates for the benefit of the people who are also getting more intelligent. We have been independent for 50 years. We are no longer colonised by the British “bloodsuckers” who wanted us to become merely tools of their Empire. We cannot say that we are still not ready.

Our politicians are mainly university graduates; some form Oxford, Cambridge, some form Harvard and Columbia, some from Monash and Australian National University, some from top universities in Asia such as University of Malaya. There is no reason why they cannot show the public that they can debate on critical issues facing the nation.

We are having an elections at the time when America is having hers too. We should take this opportunity to emulate what is good from the world’s most advanced liberal democracy. We must learn how they debate on election issues. It will be an exciting and education moment not only for the candidates but also for the nation.

Sensitive issues

I think the politicians and the people they want votes form are ready to listen to the pros and cons of arguments on the elections, I think we are even ready to talk about sensitive issues – on rights and responsibilities as citizens. Those who say we are not ready to debate are the ones not ready to debate. They are imposing their fear and ignorance on others.

In debates, not just charisma will be a plus, but wit, intelligence, and good arguments that appeal to the audience count as well. Candidates will be given the chance to be scrutinized on all these qualities. My view is that if a candidate is ready to be nominated, he/she is ready to make a stand on issues and articulate them to the constituents. Only then we will know how to differentiate between street politicians and budding statesmen.

In a debate, it is the appeal to reason, more than to emotions that will ultimately count. The outcome is how these candidates will best present the assets and liabilities of taking this or that stand.

Role of universities

I see Malaysian universities playing a role in hosting these debates. This will be a new dawn of world-classism as a standard to be achieved. I’d like to see all universities enriching the minds of the students with the “blue ocean” strategy of hosting events that will celebrate diverse political points of view.

Every day before voting day can be a time when each candidate for parliament and state seats be given the platform to debate on issues. It would be good to listen to candidates of Umno debating with those of PAS, DAP, PKR or even with an independent. We can then teach our children what it takes to be a Malaysian politician.

As an educator I have had the chance to train and groom debators. A number of them went on to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Cambridge, Wharton School of Business, College de France and many top American and British universities. These are kampong kids trained in the rigour of public debates. They acquire the skills of argumentation through debates.

Political debates event should be made open to the public. Schoolchildren, government servants, businessmen and women, homemakers/housewives and househusbands can all come and be educated of the issues before they cast their votes. There is no need to give them money, kain pelikat, kain batik, sacks of rice, Gucci and Coach handbags, vacation trips, or even huge contracts to make them vote – all will be about respecting the mind of the voters by turning them into intelligent voters who use rational arguments to make rational choices.

Create debating culture

We need to broadcast, telecast, simulcast, and podcast these debates not only for Malaysians to see but for the world to enjoy as well. If we can send a man into space and groom our Mat Rempits to compete internationally or send them bungee-jumping or skydiving in the North Pole, we should be able to set up political debates.

Debates before election should become our culture. We have debating clubs in schools and in universities. We hear people debate on the streets, in warongs and coffee shops. We must elevate debates beyond these premises.

I see that we will evolve into an intelligent society if we encourage public debates before the nation votes. We will become Athenians. We may even produce our own Ciceros and Sukarnoes or even Barack Obamas. We must debate all sensitive issues and desensitize the nation into making intelligent choices at every election.

I suggest our universities host these televised and broadcast debates and show the public that our higher education institutions are not only world-class champions of diversity but also use the ‘blue ocean’ strategy to celebrate radical thinking in universities.

“Just do it”, as a Nike slogan goes.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 6 March 2008, 8:28 am and is filed under
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At least 3 DAP MPs each from Sabah and Sarawak – provided no  split votes

It is regrettable that the understanding between DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) for a “one-to-one” contest against the Barisan Nasional (BN) could not be extended from Peninsular Malaysia to Sabah and Sarawak, resulting in three or multi-cornered contests in the two East Malaysian states.

After the 12 days of campaigning, it is clear that in both Sabah and Sarawak, where DAP candidates are involved in three or multi-cornered contests, the real battle is between the DAP and the BN candidates.

In the 2007 general election, where every parliamentary and state assembly seat counts in the national objective to smash  Umno political hegemony, it is imperative that the voters in Sabah and Sarawak are fully conscious and mindful that they should not allow any BN candidate in the two states to win because of split Opposition votes – which could only prevent the DAP candidate from winning by allowing the BN candidate to slip into victory by minority votes.

We can look forward to at least 3 DAP MPs from Sabah and Sarawak  each  in the general election tomorrow, provided there is no split votes to let the BN candidate win by default of split majority votes.

In the circumstances, I call on  voters in Sabah and Sarawak to  vote solidly for DAP in three or multi-cornered seats wherever DAP is contesting  to prevent any BN candidate winning because of split votes.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 7 March 2008, 7:15 pm and is filed under
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DAP Secretary-General Addressing the Nation

                This entry was posted on Friday, 7 March 2008, 11:45 pm and is filed under
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Devilish Star heading with two lies in 11 words – call for nation-wide firestorm protest without instant Star online apology

(Media Conference Statement 2 at DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre on Friday, 7th March 2008 at 12.30 pm)

The Star headline

“Opposition senses victory – Anwar and Kit Siang confident of forming next govt with PAS”
 today are  downright double  lies.

This is the
Star
 report (N 12):

PKR and DAP will form next Government , say Anwar and Kit Siang

By AUDREY EDWARDS and CHAN LI LEEN

KUALA LUMPUR: Buoyed by the large crowds at their rallies, opposition parties are now claiming they can win the general election and form the next Government.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his DAP counterpart Lim Kit Siang both expressed confidence that their loose coalition, which also includes PAS, had the support of the voters.

In Rembau, Anwar said he was confident the Opposition would win and “our first duty to the people is to bring down oil prices.”

“God willing, we will win on March 8. You tell those Barisan (Nasional) boys we will win,” he saud.

“And when DAP, PKR and PAS win on March 8, we will bring down the oil prices on March 9,” he said at a ceramah yesterday.

In Ipoh, Lim said a strong and powerful wind of change was blowing in the land and he was also confident of the voters’ support.

This, he said, was evident by the mammoth turnout, enthusiastic responses and generous donations of Malaysians at ceramah held in various states.

“The crowd numbered from several thousands to more than 10,000 at the ceramah I attended in Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak and Penang in the past three days,” Lim told reporters yesterday.

“But the question is whether the wind of change rising will be strong and powerful enough on March 8 to make it a day of history and a day of destiny for Malaysia,” Lim added.

There is nothing wrong with the report filed by the Star reporter Chan Li Leen but everything wrong with the heading given by the sub-editor or editor.

I believe as a conscientious reporter, Chan would have filed a fuller report of my media conference yesterday, particularly the most important message, viz:

“Let me advice all BN leaders and candidates: Grow up and accept the ups and downs of the democratic process and stop being spoiled brats when at most the Barisan Nasional is losing two-thirds parliamentary majority and not losing power.”

This important paragraph had been deliberately omitted by the sub-editor or editor as it would have spoiled the devilish plot to concoct the mischievous headline:“Opposition senses victory – Anwar and Kit Siang confident of forming next govt with PAS”.

Neither I nor any DAP leader had ever claimed in the general election campaign that  it is possible to topple the Barisan Nasional government on March 8 –  as we have consistently maintained that the  most that  could achieved  is the denial of the BN two-thirds parliamentary majority, which is already a tall order and would have historic and far-reaching political implications.

Let the sub-editor or editor responsible for the double lies by  using my name to justify the  mischievous headline step forward and identify himself – for he is the worst specimen of a journalistic prostitute completely devoid of journalistic ethics and values and must be hounded out of the journalistic profession, although he is devilishly clever in able to concoct two lies within in eleven words: “Anwar and Kit Siang confident of forming next govt with PAS”, viz:

•	The first lie,  that together with Anwar Ibrahim,  I am confident of toppling the BN government on March 8; and

•	The second lie, that DAP has an arrangement with PAS to form the next national government.

I call on Star to publish a fulsome apology for these double lies in its headline, which must be done immediately on Star online and not wait until tomorrow. Secondly, the sub-editor or editor responsible for the mischievous and devilish heading must be identified and sacked, unless the Star is giving full support to this ‘biggest lie of Malaysian journalism in the 12th general election.”

If Star is not prepared to immediately apologise within the next two hours (i.e. by 2.30 p.m.) on its online version, there should be a firestorm of protest by outraged Malaysians by phoning Star offices all over the country to condemn such despicable and devilish journalism.

The phone contacts of Star offices nationwide are available from the following:

http://thestar.com.my/info/thestar.asp#address

                This entry was posted on Friday, 7 March 2008, 3:17 pm and is filed under
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No Chinese representationn in govt – then Pak Lah must step down as PM as he had promised to be PM for all races

(Media Conference Statement by DAP Parliamentary Candidate for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang at the DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre, Ipoh on Friday, 7th March 2008 at 12 noon)

I am utterly shocked and stunned – that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has done what even Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad  in his most undemocratic excesses  had never done in 22 years as Prime Minister, trying to force the Chinese voters to vote for MCA and Gerakan with the  irresponsible  threat  that they  could end up without any Chinese Ministers or representation in Government.

It is a grave sign of political desperation and bankruptcy – that Abdullah himself should go down  into the gutter to indulge in the politics of scare, intimidation and blackmail to force the Chinese voters to vote for MCA and Gerakan candidates.

The MCA leadership has been adopting a “Jekyll-and-Hyde” attitude – playing both the role of human being and the devil at the same time –  with the MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy boldly declaring  only yesterday that MCA is confident it will be able to capture the majority of the 40 parliamentary and 60 state assembly seats it is contesting, while on the other hand, egging Abdullah to warn that the Chinese will end up not having any representation in the Government if the Chinese give the DAP their votes.

Why is Abdullah prepared to do the “dirty work” for MCA with the baseless poser that the Chinese have to decide if they want a louder voice in Parliament or representation in the Cabinet, when Chan Kong Choy had just said that the MCA is confident of winning the majority of the parliamentary and state assembly seats it is contesting?

When Abdullah said that the Chinese have to decide if they want a louder voice in Parliament or representation in the Cabinet, is he suggesting that the MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting could be defeated in the Kulai parliamentary seat and that all the 40 parliamentary and 60 state assembly candidates of MCA could all be wiped out in the general election tomorrow?

From the wind of change blowing throughout the country, if they reach a great velocity on polling day tomorrow, I expect MCA to lose many parliamentary and state assembly seats but never near being wiped out completely in Parliament and the State Assemblies as to have no representation in the government, both at national and state levels.

Abdullah referred to the 1990 general election when the MCA was “paralysed”, saying: “When the MCA lost its voice, the people felt it.  I hope they will think very carefully. This is important in the interests of all races.”

Abdullah cannot be more wrong.  In 1990, the MCA “paralysis” was  in fact beneficial to the Malaysian Chinese and the Malaysian nation, for it forced the Mahathir government to abandon the long-standing nation-building policy of  assimilation and acceptance of the DAP’s policy of integration – resulting in “little liberalization” on policies of language, education and culture. It also led to the Vision 2020 with its goal of building a Bangsa Malaysia, transcending ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious differences –  a copy of the DAP’s version of Malaysian Malaysia.

It was only when the MCA was very strong, as in 1999 general election, when the Chinese voters saved Umno and Barisan Nasional from losing its two-thirds parliamentary majority as the Malays defected from Umno with Umno candidates suffering their worst electoral setbacks, that MCA produced the weakest and most ineffecfive results – particularly in allowing the rise of Umno political hegemony!

Abdullah has said the Barisan wanted the Chinese community to be part of government.

He said: “We do not want to have a government that does not have representation of all ethnic groups in the Cabinet”.

Has Abdullah forgotten one of his great pledges when he became the Prime Minister four years ago – to be Prime Minister for all Malaysians and all races and not just for Malays?

If so, if there are no Chinese representations in government, then it must be regarded as his greatest personal failure. How can he continue to cling on as Prime Minister if he cannot lead a government with fair and equal representation from all races, including the Chinese in Malaysia?

Let me answer Abdullah’s poser to the Chinese – the Chinese want both a louder voice in Parliament as well as meaningful representation in government as the best way to ensure effective representation in Cabinet is to have a louder voice in Parliament!

                This entry was posted on Friday, 7 March 2008, 12:52 pm and is filed under
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Putrajaya 4th-storey boys rushed in Penang – BN panics at wind of change in polls

Marking growing panic in the Barisan Nasional at the strong winds of change rising up in the land, highlighted by last night’s  60,000-strong  DAP ceramah crowd at Han Chiang Chinese School grounds  in Penang which collected over RM130,000 in public donations, the Putrajaya Fourth-Storey Boys have rushed up to Penang with their final bag of dirty tricks to check, counter and reverse the tide of change embracing Penang and the whole nation in the 12th general election.

The twin DAP objectives in the March 8, 2008 general election – to deny Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority in Parliament and the Penang State Assembly – seem to be increasingly feasible and within reach, and this is causing panic in Barisan Nasional circles.

Can the Putrajaya 4th-Storey Boys block and reverse the rising wind of change in Penang and Malaysia?

One brain-child of the Putrajaya 4th-storey Boys is the unprecedented live telecast of the Prime Minister to the nation as the final election campaign message of the Barisan chairman, which will be telecast live to the nation over the television channels.

This will be in the form of an interview with the Prime Minister by The Star Group Editor Datuk Wong Chun Wai and TV3’s Fuad Abdul Rahman in the Bual Pilihanraya programme at 9 pm.

This final election campaign message, to be telecast live over the television channels, will also be the final election abuse by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is completely indifferent to ethics, morality and integrity of government leaders, especially during  the period of the election campaign after dissolution of Parliament until the election of a new Parliament and government, when  he is only caretaker Prime Minister and all Ministers mere caretaker Ministers.

 A caretaker Prime Minister has no business to give his final election campaign message as Barisan Chairman unless similar live-telecast time is offered to leaders of political parties in the Opposition to similarly deliver their “final election campaign” messages.

Abdullah has started the 12th general election with a lie – when he solemnly and publicly declared that Parliament will not be dissolved during the Chinese New Year, only to break the solemn pledge less than 24 hours later.

The 12th general election campaign is ending with a blatant affront to the National Integrity Plan launched by Abdullah in May 2004, where a caretaker PM and Barisan Chairman is allowed to give eve-of-polling election message telecast over television channels but denied to the Opposition leaders.

With such contempt to ethics, integrity and morality – with caretaker Deputy Prime Minister dragooning a government Fokker executive jet for his campaign purposes to support BN  candidates up and down the country, which is a gross and blatant abuse of power by a caretaker government  – who can ever trust Abdullah in his talk about fighting corruption and upholding integrity in public life.

What is the next trick of Putrajaya 4th-Storey in their unholy  “mission”:to block and break  the wind of change  blowing strong and hard in Penang and Malaysia?

                This entry was posted on Friday, 7 March 2008, 6:21 pm and is filed under
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Abdullah got it wrong again in his polling-eve TV message

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his 9 pm TV polling-eve message said:

“You have to vote for our future.  You have to vote for our children…

“What will happen if there is chaos and there is instability?”

Abdullah got only the first part right, that Malaysian voters must vote for their future and their children.

He got the second part completely wrong – as the choice before the Malaysian voters is not between Barisan Nasional on the one hand and chaos and instability on the other.

This is a false choice.

The real choice in the ballot box today is whether to choose a Malaysia of excellence , glory and distinction or a Malaysia of mediocrity, indignity and shame; a Malaysia where every Malaysian regardless of race or religion has a equal place under the Malaysian sun instead of a Malaysia where the best and brightest are driven to foreign lands in one exodus after another to bestow excellence, glory and distinction to other countries instead of to their homeland.

Abdullah said the  Chinese and Indian voters have to decide whether they want a louder voice in parliament or a bigger role in government bv voting in the MCA and MIC.

This is another false choice, for 50 years of Malaysian history have demonstrated that  the MCA and MIC cannot guarantee a bigger role in government whatever their numbers in Parliament – in fact, the stronger the MCA and MIC in  the government, the weaker the Chinese and Indian communities in the country!

Let Malaysians vote to tell Abdullah that they want both – a louder voice in parliament so as to ensure a bigger role in government!

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 8 March 2008, 7:47 am and is filed under
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Political tsunami in general election

There is a political tsunami in the 12th general election, with the Barisan Nasional suffering probably its biggest setback in history.

From available reports, DAP has won  victories, in some cases with huge majorities,  in the following Parliamentary seats:

1. Bagan

2. Tanjong

3. Bukit Glugor

4. Ipoh Timur

5. Batu Gajah

6. Petaling Jaya Utara

7. Seputeh

8. Kepong

9. Bukit Bintang

10. Cheras

11. Bandar Kuching

12. Segambut

13. Kota Melaka

(Note: Announcement of Sandakan win was premature. DAP parliamentary candidate  Shanty Chong lost by a mere 174 votes.)

DAP is leading in the following Parliamentary seats:

1. Sarikei

2. Serdang

3. Klang

4. Taiping

5. Bruas

6. Teluk Intan

7. Jelutong

8. Bukit Bendera

9. Batu Kawan

For state assembly seats, DAP has won

1. Subang Jaya;

2. Teratai

In Penang the three state seats of Tanjong and Bagan have also been won by DAP. Other Penang state seats won by DAP are Air Puteh, Prai, Batu Lanchang, Pulau Tikus and leading in all the other state seats contested by DAP. DAP has also won new state  seats in Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Johore.

One of the most noted state assembly win is the Sri Tanjong seat of Tawau, Sabah.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 8 March 2008, 8:22 pm and is filed under
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Top DAP Election Ceramah Donations

Top DAP Ceramah Donations during the 12th general election campaign:

29.2.08	Ipoh Timor	RM22,311

01.3.08 Penang               RM38,000

02.3.08  Ipoh Timor       RM38,025

03.3.08  Kota Melaka    RM50,000

04.3.08 Klang                  RM63,000

05.3.08 Puchong           RM35,000

05.3.08 Port Klang         RM42,000

06.3.08 Penang             RM133,000

07.3.08 Ipoh Timor      RM82,000

This is not a complete list and will be revised with new information.

The great support to the DAP general election campaign, both in mammoth ceramah turnouts and unprecedented donations, give hope that the 12th general election is set for a major political change in Malaysia.

Lets keep our fingers crossed that when the votes are counted, Malaysia will be set to begin a new political era for democracy, accountability and integrity.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 8 March 2008, 1:51 pm and is filed under
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Administrator Notice

limkitsiang.com is under very heavy traffic. We are monitoring the server and as well tweaking the database server to best cope with the traffic. We have infact just upgraded the server specs earlier which some of you might experience as server becoming not available.

You might experience intermittent Internal Server 500 error. Please just refresh once and wait till the page load. If it does not, refresh again. Please do not click refresh on your  browser repeatedly.

We have also change the setting so that the blog front page only shows 2 posts (including this post) to help the server cope with the traffic. It will be restored to original 15 posts once traffic is more manageable.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 12 March 2008, 10:32 pm and is filed under
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No DAP CEC mandate for PAS Menteri Besar in Perak

The decision to appoint  a PAS Assemblyman Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin as Perak Mentri Besar has caused shock and consternation to DAP leaders, members and supporters.

The DAP Central Executive Committee, at its emergency meeting in Penang on Sunday, 9th March 2008, had given approval for the formation of a Perak coalition government comprising 18 DAP Assembly members, seven PKR Assemblymen and six PAS Assemblymen.

DAP is prepared to accept DAP chairman and Assemblyman for Sitiawan Ngeh Koo Ham or PKR Behrang Assemblyman Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi as Perak Mentri Besar.

As the appointment of PAS Assemblyman for Pasir Panjang Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin  as Perak Mentri Besar representing the third and smallest political party in the proposed coalition has not received the mandate of the CEC, DAP Perak Assemblymen will stay away from the swearing-in ceremony for Perak Mentri Besar scheduled tomorrow.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 12 March 2008, 7:20 pm and is filed under
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The mornings after the 12th general election…

I had thought that the tempo would have lessened considerably after polling day on March 8 to allow for some rest and physical recovery, but it was the exact opposite – an even more hectic period since the results started flooding in  on the same night of a political tsunami which saw the historic loss of the ruling coalition’s  hitherto unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority for 50 years, the loss of five state governments  by the Barisan Nasional and the toppling of Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries.

I left Ipoh  for Penang at about 10 pm without being able to wait for the official results of the Ipoh Timor parliamentary seat when results were clear that Barisan Nasional had lost power in Penang to a DAP-led coalition government.

When I arrived in Penang by car after midnight, I learnt that the political tsunami had also swept Barisan Nasional from power in Perak, Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan.

The next three days were dizzying days, rushing up and down again and again from one state to another, particularly in the three states of Perak, Penang and Selangor to deal with the aftermath of the political tsunami of March 8.

The high point was undoubtedly the swearing-in of Lim Guan Eng as the DAP Chief Minister of Penang yesterday.  At the surprise birthday cake presented  by Penang DAP on February 20, I had made a birthday wish that DAP under the leadership of Guan Eng could capture  the Penang state government in the general election. I had told newsmen to ask me about what birthday wish I had made after the general election, and I revealed after Guan Eng’s swearing-in yesterday of my birthday wish which had come true.

I apologise that this blog was disrupted because of very heavy traffic on the night of polling day and is only restored last night.

I also apologise that because of the hectic pace of keeping up with the events post-March 8,  I have not been able to do any updates on the many portentous events taking place in the country or to follow the huge volume of comments.

In a very quick and cursory check, after the restoration of the blog, various comments have been made about Guan Eng’s statement and announcements after he was sworn in as Penang Chief Minister.

I am trying to settle down, including updating this blog regularly.

Let us start with Guan Eng’s swearing-in statement and announcements, so that commentators will not have to depend just on media reports which may not give the full and proper picture.

This is Guan Eng’s statement after his swearing-in as Penang Chief Minister:

(Speech By New Penang Chief Minister, Bagan MP and State Assemblyman for Air Puteh And DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng In Komtar Building Upon His Swearing-In On 11.3.2008)

Penang DAP & PKR Coalition Government’s Agenda For Change To Re-establish Rule By The Rakyat

Three days ago, the people of Penang voted for change by giving DAP and PKR a clear mandate of a two-thirds majority to form a coalition government. Today, we present you the Agenda for Change – from this Government of the rakyat.

DAP and PKR’s coalition government’s Agenda for Change to re-establish rule by the rakyat will centre on the key areas of Economy, Governance and the Social Needs of the People.

This is a government that is based on democracy – the core of governance. This is a government that advocates and practices Integrity and Transparency. This is also a government that believes in equal opportunity and socio-economic justice.

PKR wakil rakyats led by their President YB WAN AZIZAH BINTI WAN ISMAIL and Penang PKR Chair YB Datuk ZAHRAIN MOHAMED HASHIM as well as DAP wakil rakyats are humbled by the strong mandate given by the people of Penang to us. We are committed to fulfilling our promises made in the last general elections. We shall work hard to try and not disappoint you. With the support of the Penang people, we are here to build a Dynamic Penang for All.

A DYNAMIC ECONOMY FOR PENANG’S FUTURE

We want to foster a harmonious relationship between the federal and the state governments in all aspects, as it is our earnest endeavour to create a strong, dynamic economy for the benefits of the people of Penang. To this purpose I shall be seeking an appointment to meet with the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on listening and addressing the needs of the people of Penang expressed in the general elections on 8 March such as using Petronas proceeds to fully fund the construction cost of the Federal government’s 2nd Penang Bridge project.

We will adopt an investor-friendly policy and take active steps to attract local and foreign investments that create more high-paying jobs. Besides reviewing the incentive programmes to encourage the high-tech and manufacturing industries in upgrading themselves on the global value chain, we will also seek ways to assist the SMIs/SMEs to align themselves with the export markets in the region by using Penang as the base for their enterprises. We will hold dialogues and hear the inputs of investors and businesses to make Penang a competitive market economy.

More importantly, we will run the government administration free from the New Economic Policy (NEP) that breeds cronyism, corruption and systemic inefficiency. We will implement an open tender system for all government procurement and contracts. We will also practice transparency by uploading information of such tender bids in an internet portal to be set up in future for public access.

Instead, we strongly advocate a stakeholders’ economy for all – irrespective of race and religions – and based on the principle of shared prosperity in an equitable manner. We will encourage companies which undertake government contracts worth above RM10 million in Penang to contribute part of their profits for the benefits of the people.

Tourism

Tourism has been a significant revenue generator for the state, and we want to see Penang re-capture its past glory as a major in-bound tourist destination for tourists from the local and the global markets. Health tourism that has now gained immense popularity in the region will be fully exploited as Penang could offer service packages that are similar, if not better, than those available outside the country. Tourism infrastructure will be enhanced and we will seek the views of the tourist industry on any regulatory obstruction that hampers the promotion of Penang as a major in-bound tourist attraction.

The state government of Penang will depend on Penang’s home grown talent to develop and prosper Penang to secure our place in the rapidly changing globalised world where skill and capital resources are of prime importance. Towards this objective, we will introduce various strategic steps to culminate in a “Brain Gain” effect where vast talents of the ‘Penang Diaspora’ now residing in all parts of the world, will either return to Penang, or network with the State Government’s initiatives from their adopted bases, to generate business opportunities.

DEMOCRACY IN GOVERNANCE

The DAP-PKR Coalition Government is a government that is based on the tenets of democracy – the core of governance.

We shall attempt to restore Local Government elections in accordance to provisions under Article 113(4) of the Constitution. We will take the necessary steps to return the third vote of the Parliamentary Democracy by the end of our term. In the interim, we will review the current practice of only political appointees as representatives in the municipal councils. We shall exercise section 10(2) of the Local Government Act by appointing some professionals in their respective profession, commerce or industry and representatives from the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) as members of local government.

Strict measures will also be taken to ensure municipal councillors and council officials enhance the quality of public services. We will not compromise on the responsiveness in service delivery.

This state government will uphold the spirit of the Constitution to allow all people to enjoy basic human rights including freedom of religion and speech. We will direct our Members of Parliament, alongside other elected representatives, to initiate the enacting of a Freedom of Information Act to allow full access of available information that does not harm public interest.

Open Tender System For Government Procurement And Contracts

We subscribe to Integrity and Transparency in our governance. Government procurement will only be awarded through open tender, and priority will be given to Penang-incorporated contractors. An online portal will be set up to publish the list of qualified contractors, and the tendering process and relevant details, for public scrutiny.

Similarly, the Chief Minister, State EXCO members, Speaker and Deputy Speaker together with the respective heads of Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang and Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Jaya will be required to publicly declare their personal assets.

SOCIAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE

Scarcity of land for residential holdings has led to escalating costs and prices of housing. This government will seek ways to bring affordable housing to the Penang People besides enhancing the quality of life of the house owners.

Traffic congestion has become worse and a public transport that is still unreliable. We shall be seeking views and inputs to see how both problems can be resolved and commit ourselves to a significant improvement by the end of our term.

I will meet the president of the Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) and other relevant state agencies today to review the suitability of the entire Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) project that has aroused much concern among the Penang People.

I will also meet up with the relevant federal agencies today on how and whether it is possible to cancel the collection at the Sungai Nyior toll plaza that has triggered serious public complaints and unhappiness.

Waiver Of All Summonses Involving Hawker Licenses And Parking Fees Before March 11 2008

The Penang state government firmly believes in shared prosperity, and we have a heart for the lower income group who are burdened by the escalating cost of living. We have promised to take care of the poor and the lower income group of the society.

As a first step, I hereby announce that all compounds and summons for offences involving parking and hawker license issued by MPPP and MPSP before today, March 11, shall be waived.

However, we need to stress vehemently that it takes both the government and the People to realize the ideals for a Dynamic Penang. We must remember that the waiver for the arrears of offences for parking and hawker licences is just a one-time arrangement to help reduce the burdens faced the people, especially the poor.

On the other hand, there are larger-picture issues involved. In the past, Penang has earned recognition for the wrong reasons, including the notoriety as being “filthy”, and having a “chaotic traffic system”. As the Penang people have voted for change, we should also bid farewell to such stigmas and resolve to change our past habits. Let us each do our part to keep our traffic orderly, and to help our hawkers maintain a clean and healthy environment.

But more importantly, the new Penang state government is the Government of the People. We want the people of Penang to treat your government as your friend. And friends must work together and complement each other to make a Dynamic Penang a reality.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 12 March 2008, 1:29 pm and is filed under
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Apology to Perak Sultan and Regent – No offence intended

My three-paragraph statement at 7 pm last night that the DAP Central Executive Committee emergency meeting on 9th March had not given approval for a PAS Mentri Besar to head a Perak coalition state government was not made out of disrespect to the Perak Sultan and Regent both  whom I have  always held in the highest regard and I apologise for any offence caused.  The statement was on  the party position at the time.

There have  been further discussions and developments on the matter in the hours after the statement. Announcements of the latest position will be made.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 13 March 2008, 10:13 am and is filed under
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