Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday, 18^th May 2010: 

Call for clear Cabinet position tomorrow: whether promise fo RM5 flood mitigation project for Rejang Park in Sibu made by Najib on eve of Sibu by-election will be honoured or not

The Cabinet meeting tomorrow should come out with a clear position – whether the RM5 million flood mitigation project promised to the voters of Rejang Park in Sibu on the eve of the Sibu by-election polling on Saturday night will be honoured or not.

This is the Sunday Star report “PM woos ‘black area’ folk’ – Najib elicits cheers from voters in Rejang Park”:

Sibu: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak elicited cheers from residents Rejang Park when he announced an allocation of RM5 mil to solve its perennial drainage problem.

The poor drainage and sewerage system in the housing estate are among the reasons why it is a “black area” for Barisan Nasional in past general elections.

This is one example of Najib’s infamous “I give you what you want, you give me what I want” style of campaigning.

Yesterday, however, Najib said he is rethinking his RM5 million campaign promise to Rejang Park, adding that he has yet to decide if he will approve the RM5 million flood mitigation project promised to Sibu voters if Barisan Nasional (BN) won yesterday’s by-election.

Najib offered a “deal” to the people of Rejang Park on the last of his four recent visits to Sibu on polling eve:

“If Robert Lau becomes the MP on Sunday, on Monday I will ask the cheque to be prepared. Do we have a deal or not? We do! You want the RM5 million, I want Robert Lau to win.”

With whom did Najib strike this RM5 million “deal”? With the voters of Rejang Park and Sibu or with the SUPP leadership in Rejang Park and Sibu?

Is it right, proper, responsible in keeping with the politics and governance of accountability, transparency and integrity for the Prime Minister to act in this fashion?

It was clearly wrong for the Prime Minister not only to act like a public auctioneer but to attempt to buy votes through any form of inducement.

It is doubly wrong for Najib now to renege on the RM5 million undertaking to mitigate the drainage and sewerage problem at Rejang Park, Sibu, as if the RM5 million is his personal money when it is taxpayers’ money to be expended in a responsible and accountable manner in keeping with the precepts of integrity and good governance.

In fact, the only way for Najib to demonstrate that he was not trying to “buy” votes in the Sibu by-election is for Najib to announce that the RM5 million allocation for Rejang Park, Sibu to mitigate long-standing drainage and sewerage problems would be made, regardless of the outcome of the by-election.

Najib is dead right when he admitted that the DAP/Pakatan Rakyat was more creative and energetic in the Sibu by-election campaign than the SUPP/Barisan Nasional – and one such example is the hamfisted and dishonourable tactics of Barisan Nasional leaders using “goodies in exchange for votes”, not far from corrupt practices.

I am glad that the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has said that the Barisan Nasional will fulfil its campaign pledges to the Sibu electorate despite losing the seat by 398 votes.

But does this include the honouring of Najib’s RM5 million pledge for the mitigation of Rejang Park’s flood problems?

What is the stand of the SUPP leadership on this issue – do the SUPP state and Sibu leaders want Najib to immediately issue a RM5 million cheque for mitigation of drainage and sewerage problems in Rejang Park, Sibu or do the SUPP leaders want Najib to punish the Sibu voters for electing Wong Ho Leng as the MP for Sibu?

I call for a clear Cabinet position tomorrow: whether RM5 million flood mitigation project for Rejang Park in Sibu made by Najib on eve of Sibu by-election will be honoured or not.

Najib had promised to sign the RM5 million cheque for Rejang Park flooding problem yesterday – why has this not been done?

Let there be a clear “yes” or “no” as the people of Sibu, Sarawak and Malaysia are entitled to know, one way or another.

If Najib reneges on the RM5 million pledge to the Rejang Park for flood mitigation problems, then it will feature prominently in next month’s Parliament in the debate on the 10th Malaysia Plan as it encapsulates what is wrong with the national leadership and the governance crisis afflicting Malaysia.

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Ipoh Timor