Media statement by Lau Weng San in Petaling Jaya on Friday, 13^th August 2010:

Challenge bullet-sender to appear openly and debate the issue

My colleague Tony Pua, Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara and his family members received an M-16 life bullet dead threat following his statement said during Selangor State Government Budget Dialogue that the state government should reconsider its decision of allowing discount of up to seven percents to Bumiputera property purchasers, that the discount should be abolished for purchasing residential property of more than RM500,000 and commercial property of more than RM2 million.

I would like to say that such cowardice is most uncalled for. Instead of hiding behind the bush and attack anonymously, I challenge the sender to stand true to his stand and appear openly to debate on the matter rationally without resorting to any racial sentiments.

Malaysians should not tolerate such low level of politicking. I hereby issue an open challenge to the sender to appear before us on Sunday 15th August 2010, 2pm at Rocket Cafe in order to have a heart-to-heart talk on the matter without resorting to any form of violent threat against anybody. Else, we can always forget about these people who do not have the guts to stand true to their stands.

I must stress this point again and again that it is the responsibility of a government to ensure the people get a house of their own, regardless of race and religions.

Unfortunately mainstream Malay newspapers had twisted and even misled the public that DAP is suggesting the full abolishment of discount for Bumiputera property purchasers.

This is untrue as the reason why such discount should be abolished is it goes against the policy of affirmative action when such discount does not benefit low-income Bumiputeras while stiffening the competitiveness of local property market.

Such discount is meant to encourage Bumiputera property ownership, especially house ownership for Bumiputera community as most of the under-privileged Bumiputeras live in rented property and could not afford to own their houses.

If we are suggesting that such discount should continue, are we also suggesting that rich Malays like Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar, Tan Sri Rozali Ismail or Dato' Seri Nazir Tun Razak, who earn six-figure monthly income, to qualify for the seven percents discount?

The responsibility of the government is not to help the rich Bumiputera to become richer but to ensure that the under-privileged Bumiputeras can own their dream house.

The Selangor Mentri Besar, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has said that full-paying Bumiputera property purchasers can assist the unfortunate ones if the discount they used to enjoy are used to help under-privileged Bumiputeras to own their dream homes.

With this, I believe that the contribution to the Bumiputera Housing Fund will be bigger and the money can be best utilised to help the government to purchase land in strategic locations and construct affordable houses for the middle and lower income groups. We must acknowledge the fact that poverty is colour-blind, so does the government's policy.

Therefore, I dare the bullet sender to appear openly and debate the issue.

* Lau Weng San, DAP Selangor Secretary & SA for Kampung Tunku