MCA and Gerakan’s support for BN’s corrupt governance has resulted in the loss of RM 11 billion wasted just to rescue 7 “sick” privatised projects since 2001 that could have been used to resolve once and for all the funding problems of Chinese education, from primary to tertiary level

Speech during DAP Ayer Tawar Branch 40th Anniversary Dinner

by Lim Guan Eng

(Ayer Tawar, Friday): MCA and Gerakan’s support for BN’s corrupt governance has resulted in the loss of RM 11 billion wasted just to rescue 7 “sick’ privatized projects since 2001 that could have been used to resolve once and for all the funding problems of Chinese education, from primary to tertiary level.

Such corrupt governance is highlighted In Time Asia magazine issue on March 15 2004, South East Asian economist at Morgan Stanley in Singapore Daniel Lian, figures “that the country may have lost as much as U$$100 billion (RM380 billion) since the early 1980s to corruption.”

If Malaysia lost RM 380 billion to corruption during Mahathir’s 22 year old reign, the situation could have worsened. When Mahathir stepped down as Prime Minister in 2003, Malaysia’s ranking was No. 37 under the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. And Morgan Stanley estimated RM 380 billion losses due to corruption during that period.

Three years later, Malaysia corruption ranking has deteriorated to No. 44 in 2006. By slipping down 7 places, many fear that corruption has worsened and the cost to the nation may be even higher than during Mahathir’s era.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Abdul Rahman Suliman told the Dewan Rakyat on 13.12.2006 that 490 projects were privatised from 1983 to 2005, but only a "small number" warranted the bailouts. However he did not state the number requiring bailouts out of the 490 privatised projects since 1983 by the Federal government.

He admitted that the government spent more than RM11.022 billion to rescue seven ailing privatised ventures over the past five years. More importantly, this only includes the money spent by the government to bailout failed privatized ventures during the past 5 years. What about those failed privatized ventures rescued by the government before 2001 such as the twin RM 3.5 billion Bumiputra Finance scandals or RM 5 billion Perwaja scandals?

The 7 sick privatized projects are as follows:- • the Putra transport system, which cost RM4.486 billion; • the STAR-LRT bailout costing RM3.256 billion; • MAS bailout costing RM2.802 billion respectively; • the takeover of the National Sewerage System costing RM192.54 million; • the Seremban-Port Dickson Highway costing RM142 million; • the Kuching Prison costing RM135 million; and • the Unit Kajian Makanan dan Gunaan Orang Islam costing RM8.3 million.

RM 11 billon wasted just to rescue 7 “sick” privatised projects since 2001 is part of the problem of the worsening income inequality, construction sector suffering negative growth and the Prime Minister unable to succeed in his anti-corruption campaign. Imagine the type of national development that could have benefited the country and people if the RM 11 billion had been spent on the people directly these last five years.

RM 11 billion would not have required any fuel price increase. But it would resolve once and for all the lack of education funding or shortage of Chinese primary schools throughout the country. With RM 11 billion there would be no need for the “beggar politics” favoured by BN where allocation of a miserly RM 2.1 million to repair 96 Chinese primary schools is considered front-page news. Imagine whether giving RM 2.1 million to repair national primary schools would feature in the Malay newspapers much less front-page news.

The reason why RM 2.1 million to repair national primary schools is not front-page news is that the Malays clearly knows that this is the responsibility of the government that does not require to be boastfully publicized by MCA Further what is RM 2.1 million compared to the total allocation of primary schools of RM 4,837.3 million under the Ninth Malaysian Plan(9MP).

Under the Ninth Malaysian Plan, Chinese primary schools received only RM 174.3 million or 3.6% of the total allocation of primary schools of RM 4,837.3 million despite having 21.2 % of students. National primary schools receive 95.1% despite having only 75.7% of the students

Justice and fairness requires Chinese primary schools to receive RM 1,025.5 million (21.2%) based on student population and not RM 174.3 million(3.6%). This shortfall of RM 851.2 million has resulted in only RM 4.50 per Chinese primary school student per month as compared to RM 33.30 per student per month for each national primary school student. The Chinese community can not be faulted for asking why should a national primary school student receive more than 7 times in development funds than a Chinese primary school student if everyone is a Malaysian citizen enjoying equal political rights. Furthermore, 10% of Chinese primary schools students are non-Chinese.

Is building only one Chinese primary school out of the 180 new primary schools fair? Dong Jiao Zong (DJZ) had announced that 134 new Chinese primary schools and 836 acres of land are required based on needs of the expanding Chinese population in Penang, Johor Baru as well as Klang Valley of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor? Building one when the Chinese community needs 134 is arrogant and irresponsible disregard of the valid requests of the Chinese community.

The Chinese community will feel betrayed when their taxes have contributed greatly to the country’s economic development. Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said that most of the tax revenue collected was from the Chinese community, which was then channeled for development projects that benefited the country, particularly the Malays.

Mahathir even said that Malaysia would not enjoy the prosperity it achieved now were it not for the contributions of the Chinese community. Is this the reward for all the hard work, sacrifices and contributions that the Chinese community that the BN government refuses to allocate even a small part of their tax payments to building Chinese primary schools urgently needed in densely populated areas such as KL, Selangor and Johor Baru?

From 1970 to 2006, it is estimated that the country saw an increase of 2,900 national schools whilst 58 Chinese schools and 134 Tamil schools were closed down. 58 Chinese primary schools were closed down during the last 36 years or a reduction of 4.3% from 1,346 in 1970 to 1288 schools in 2006. However during the same period, the number of students in Chinese primary schools increased by 45% or 196,443 students from 439,681 in 1970 to 636,124 students in 2006.

This is ridiculous and blatant discrimination or marginalization of Chinese primary schools. Nowhere in the world except Malaysia, would the number of Chinese primary schools reduce by 4.3% even though the number of students have increased by 45%,

134 Tamil primary schools were closed down during the last 36 years or a reduction of 20% from 657 in 1970 to 523 schools in 2006. However during the same period, the number of students in Tamil primary schools increased by 21% or 20,864 students from 79,278 in 1970 to 100,142 students in 2006. Again only in Malaysia would the number of students in Tamil primary schools increase by 21% but the number of schools reduce by 20%.

From 1999 to 2006 the number of new Chinese primary schools increased by 5. Dong Jiao Zong estimated that based on approval of an extra 5 new Chinese primary schools for every 7 years, it will take 188 years, or 47 elections, before the 134 schools will be completed.

The Chinese community must show that they are not beggars but Malaysian citizens by demanding their rightful share in demanding not RM 2.10 million or RM 174.3 million under the 9MP but RM 1,025.5 million in proportion to the proportion of student population of 21.2%. Similarly the Indian community should demand not just RM 489,000 for 34 Tamil primary schools or RM 64.8 million under the 9MP but RM 154.8 million based on their proportion of student population of 3.2%.

Similarly the Chinese community should not be satisfied with one or two new Chinese primary schools when the government is building 180 new primary schools under the 9MP. Education should not be politicized but based on needs and we must stand up and demand our rightful share as Malaysian citizens of 134 new schools throughout the country.

Whilst UMNO is playing out their “beggar politics” it is shameful that both MCA and Gerakan are playing their roles as “beggars”. Building only one Chinese primary school when 134 are required is no different from UMNO treating the Chinese community as beggars as it is clearly not enough. The time has come to put Chinese education into the mainstream of economic development and not throw us bread crumbs for political purposes to save MCA and Gerakan