Penang CM on cost-cutting and attempts to punish Penang by BN
Wuah, Malaysiakini did an exclusive interview with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and did not leave out anything (as it often happens in MSM) so head on over to Malaysiakini to read the full interview!
I have included an excerpt of the article here:
State government finances ‘uncertain’
He said the cost-cutting measure was to “let the people know that our finances are uncertain.”
“The other question is federal funding. If they pull out or cut out certain projects, then federal funding will be affected, we are talking about tens of millions of ringgit.”
Lim ticked off the federal government for delaying and threatening to cancel a number of key infrastructure projects it had promised before the change in the state government. Among them are the island’s second bridge, monorail and Penang Outer Ring Road.
“They adopted a vindictive approach, wreak vengeance on the voters for daring to throw them out. If that is their attitude, they have underestimated the people of Penang.”
But is Penang being punished for voting against the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition?
“It is natural for people to draw that type of conclusion,” he said.
Lim argued it was in the federal government’s interest as much as Penang’s for the mega-projects to proceed.
“Any action that is detrimental to Penang will also be detrimental to Malaysia. We are one and the same. We hope cooler heads will prevail and the leaders are not influenced by the rather emotional and extremist thinking.”
They also have a Q and A session which you can read here:
Q & A: There’s been an attempt to punish Penang
What I wish to tell CM Lim Guan Eng is that it is very futile to expect cooler heads (or intelligence for that matter) from the BN leaders especially when they tend to be influenced by extremely emotional and extremist thinking. If the BN leaders have cooler heads with a modicum of intelligence, things would not get so much out of control now.
Just look at the Hindraf 5 languishing in jail. Despite calls by almost all quarters, it fell on deaf ears.
Just look at the various measures to cut off the five PR state governments by the BN federal government. These are not work of level and cool headed leaders.
Just look at the continual arrogance of some BN leaders who insists that they did no wrong despite failing miserably in the last GE.
Just look at the finger-pointing, obsessions and infighting amongst Umno following the dismal GE results.
Just look at how the BN federal government pull out or threaten to pull out mega projects for PR states, specifically Penang.
Finally, just look at how they handle current important issues like the lousy NS programme which should be scrapped, the lack of security and safety for all due to incompetencies in the police force, the lack of transparency and accountability in all that they do and their failure to fulfill their role as leaders of a developing nation to bring the nation up instead of pushing it down into the dumps like what they are doing now.
I say it is time for a change and time for them to wake up and smell the roses instead of loping off all the roses and keeping the thorns!
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