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Speech at DAP Melaka dinner

by Lim Guan Eng

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(Melaka, Monday): Tonight’s theme of “Determined Vote For DAP” is appropriate if Malaysians are to overcome the three key national problems of no justice for all, rising inflation and a high crime rate. Only by establishing democracy and good governance can we ensure that voices of all Malaysians are heard, their welfare taken care of and their rights respected.

How serious the double-standards in the application of laws can be seen with lawyers resorting to protesting in the streets to seek justice. Police contempt for lawyers is not limited to arresting them in the streets but also in police stations when they turn up to inquire about their clients.

Public confidence in the independence in the judiciary is at an all-time low following the revelations in the Lingam tape showing a senior lawyer brokering the appointment of Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim; and parachuting UMNO lawyer Tan Sri Zaki Azmi into the Federal Court 3 months ago and then promoting Zaki over many other senior judges as the Court of Appeal president recently.

So controversial was Zaki’s fast-track promotion that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had to defend Zaki, that except for being Umno’s Disciplinary (Technical) Committee chairman and Selection Committee secretary, the 62-year-old did not hold any other post in the party. Nazri’s logic only shows how unqualified Zaki is to hold the post of Court of Appeal President when Zaki is tainted by his political association and even in UMNO merely qualified to hold a minor post. Clearly by appointing a mere UMNO functionary the judiciary is neither independent or appointed by the King but solely by UMNO.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail’s personal intervention in several cases of illegal assembly and obstructing government officers from performing their duties shows how politicized he has become in behaving as an agent of UMNO more than a defender of public safety and upholder of laws. Why has the AG refused to personally lead the prosecution in high profile cases such as the corruption trial of former Perwaja General Manager Tan Sri Eric Chia or the sensational Altatunya murder trial by a close aide of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak?

By asking the court to refuse bail for lawyer Edmond Bon who faces a charge that carries a sentence of only three months in jail with a fine of not more than RM1,000, or both, Tan Sri Gani Patail is demonstrating the qualities of an ordinary “kampong” non-lawyer prosecuting officer and not as the Attorney-General. Clearly there is no longer public interest but political victimisation to intimidate and harass those who dare to oppose and differ from UMNO.

Only with democracy can we restore rule of law, end selective prosecution and ensure justice for all. Only good governance and democracy, can Malaysians get the good government they deserve to address the high crime rate which increased by 26% from 157,459 crimes in 2005 to 198,622 crimes in 2006. Worse is the number of rape cases of women which increased by 100% from 4.6 rapes a day in 2003 when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over as Prime Minister to 9 rapes a day now.

And the economic hardship brought about rising inflation which the government ignores by insisting that inflation is only 2% when prices of basic commodities are running at more than 20%. The government must identify that the causes of inflation stem from corruption and rise in fuel prices and basic commodities internationally. Only by wiping out corruption and sharing in the oil profits of Petronas, can we help Malaysians maintain their standard of living.

DAP suggests that the government share the burgeoning oil profits of Petronas with Malaysians by giving a yearly bonus of RM 3,000 to individuals earning less than RM 3,000 a month and a yearly RM 6,000 to families with a combined monthly income of less than RM 6,000. This will cost less than RM 40 billion which is equal to the yearly subsidies spent by the government and also less than half of the yearly profits of Petronas.

Penny Wong should be a Malaysian Minister and not an Australian Minister

Malaysians are proud that Penny Wong is the first Malaysian and Sabah-born to be appointed as a Minister in Australia. But I feel sad that we are losing such talents when she should be a Malaysian Minister and not have to go to Australia to seek equal opportunities and recognition for her abilities. Clearly there is no room for qualified Malaysians when “kulitfication” is more important than capability.

But can we blame talented and capable Malaysians leaving overseas when we do not respect merit, standards, quality or competition. Witness the deterioration in our universities in the World Top 200 University rankings such as UKM which slipped from 185th in 2006 to 309th this year, University Malaya from 192nd to 246th and USM from 277th to 307th this year. And the BN government still refuses to recognize university degrees from Chinese or Taiwanese universities, amongst the top 100 in the world, in preference for dubious degrees from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Good governance is not just about an independent judiciary and respect of rule of law, it is about having a free press, clean elections, accountability and transparency, investing in quality education as well as respecting the dignity of Malaysians by ensuring political equality, equal economic opportunity and socio-economic justice. That is why only a stronger DAP can force the BN government to review its policies and listen to the people.