Cabinet tomorrow should censure Malacca State Government and Abdullah remove Ali Rustam as Malacca Chief Minister for defiance of Cabinet decision on formula to end pig-rearing crisis in Malacca as well as spoiling the national mood and spirit of celebrations of 50^th Merdeka anniversary in the country for all Malaysians

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Media Statement (2)
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliament, Tuesday): The Cabinet tomorrow should censure the Malacca State Government and the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Barisan Nasional Chairman should remove Datuk Seri Ali Rustam as Malacca Chief Minister for defiance of Cabinet decision on the formula to end the pig-rearing crisis in Malacca as well as spoiling the national mood and spirit of celebrations of 50^th Merdeka anniversary in the whole country for all l Malaysians.

It is shocking that Ali Rustam and his State Government were allowed to defy the Sept. 5 decision of the Cabinet that there should not be any destruction of pigs and the two-point formula to resolve the pig-rearing crisis in Malacca, viz: the Malacca state government to allow the pig rearers to change the use of the land and secondly, pig rearers allowed to get bank loans for waste disposal systems with the state government giving the guarantee that it would not revoke TOL to ensure security of the industry to justify such investments by the pig-rearers.

With such a Cabinet decision two weeks ago, why was the Malacca Chief Minister and his gang allowed to through the charade and their “terror tactics”  of forcing the pig rearers to comply with the unreasonable and impossible target to cull or reduce 97,000 heads of pig in 17 days by Sept. 21, or face another “show-of-force” like the confrontation against defenceless men, women and children by 2,000-strong personnel including fully-armed police FRU, enforcement squads from multi-agencies including immigration, state and local authorities together with personnel in “space suits”, tear gas, water cannons, and a hovering helicopter?

What is most shocking is that such arrogant, high-handed and coercive tactics employed by the Malacca state authorities violate every concept of a good and democratic governance, with the elected government shamefully treating law-abiding citizens making a proper and honourable living from the pig-rearing industry like criminals and even terrorists!

What is even more shocking is that the MCA was a party to the whole charade, as the actions taken against the pig-rearers in the state was not that of Umno Malacca State Government but that of the Barisan Nasional Malacca state government, comprising MCA and Gerakan state excos. 

It is utterly disgraceful that 50 years of Barisan Nasional “power-sharing” has totally changed character from “equal political partners” of Barisan Nasional component parties to “UMNO political rulers and MCA and Gerakan subjects” in the State Government, with MCA and Gerakan state exco members denuded of any right to participate in the state government decision-making process.

It is very sad that 50 years after Merdeka and the “social contract”, MCA and Gerakan state excos in Malacca have been reduced to the status of “petition-writers” whose role is to appeal to the Chief Minister, Umno State Exco members, State Secretary and even Umno parliamentary secretary to try to modify harsh and unreasonable decisions instead of ensuring that such decisions are not taken in the first place.

The Sept. 4 stand-off at Paya Mengkuang, the 17-day directive to cull or reduce 97,000 heads of pigs, the compulsory land acquisition notices and the show cause demands as to why properties should not be confiscated for improper land use are instances of gross abuses of power and should never have been allowed to happen if the MCA and Gerakan are meaningful parts of the Malacca state government, and not just hangers-on and “petitioner-writers” after substantive decisions are taken whether with or without their presence.

This is why I had said that MCA and Gerakan State Exco members should quit the Ali Rustam Malacca State Government so as not to set a dangerous and disgraceful precedent of being silent part of the Malacca State Government oppression of the pig farmers.

Or has the MCA and Gerakan leaders, whether at state or national level, reached a stage where they dare not even express condemnation of Ali Rustam’s abuses of power and contempt for proper Barisan Nasional “power sharing” in the state?

What justification could there be for MCA and Gerakan to continue to be part of the Ali Rustam Malacca State Government even  if all the abuses of power could be revoked – the high-handed and unreasonable decision to cull or reduce 97,000 heads of pigs by Sept. 21, the compulsory land acquisitions and the refusal to comply with the Sept. 5 Cabinet decision to allow pig rearers in Malacca to get Bank Negara Fund for Food assistance for proper waste disposal systems with State government guarantee of security of tenure of the pig rearing industry?

(18/9/2007)