Media Statement by Wong Ho Leng, DAP Candidate for Sibu By-election on Saturday, 8^th May 2010:

My humble message to the voters

Dearest people of Sibu,

The ruling coalition Barisan Nasional has been governing our beloved country for half a century. This coalition, in whom we placed our trust, was supposed to provide us with a good environment in which we citizens of Malaysia can live together in peace and harmony. Moreover, this land in which we live has vast valuable resources that could have been tapped efficiently so that the rakyat too can enjoy the benefits of this wealth.

However to our huge disappointment, the BN has failed us. In just 47 years, our beloved nation has descended into a state plagued with Corruption and Cronyism. Worse, we are now a greatly divided nation because race issues are being played up constantly by the BN.

The "1Malaysia" slogan trumpeted by PM Najib Razak are nothing but empty promises. Other gross misuse of power include the Perak constitutional crisis engineered by Najib, Teoh Beng Hock's tragic death at the MACC Selangor headquarters, the missing jet engines episode, the RM3.4 billion submarine that cannot submerge under water, and an unprecedented sky-high government national deficit of RM362.5 billion. These are just the tip of the iceberg.

This "debilitating disease" is also prevalent in Sarawak. Chief Minister Taib Mahmud has total control of the economy. Many State government projects are not awarded by an open tender system, instead they are handed out directly to companies belonging to his family. This sort of preferential treatment has not only deprived the people of Sarawak of the state's economic benefits but has also caused a massive "brain drain", whereby many bright Sarawakians have left Sarawak for greener pastures elsewhere.

In the face of such injustice, abuses and wrongdoings, SUPP can only sing to the tune of their BN big brothers, at the expense of the people's interest.

By comparison, Pakatan Rakyat state governments have implemented many reforms such as the open tender system to encourage healthy competition and eliminate cronyism, perpetuity titles, fairer allocation of funds for Chinese and religious schools, free water, RM100 bonus for all those aged above 60 in Penang and still manage to have budget surpluses.

The Sibu by-election may well be one of the most important elections in the history of Malaysia. A BN victory will bring the BN closer to its 2/3 control in Parliament.

A DAP victory will mark the beginning of CHANGE in Sarawak politics and put us on track in the coming State Election, and the ensuing General Election.

For the future of our State and Country, we have to get rid of the corrupt regime of the BN and change for the better. Let's lead the CHANGE in this by-election.

Vote for DAP! Say No to Taib! We want Good Government.

Sibu for Change!

* Wong Ho Leng, DAP Sarawak Chairman & State Assemblyman for Bukit Assek