Abstentions by MCA Pair: Barisan Nasional
Chairman Datuk Seri Mahathir Mohamad should address the real issue
Media Statement
by Kerk Kim Hock
(Petaling Jaya, Thursday):
Over the last few days, Barisan Nasional
leaders have been talking about the abstentions issue of the two MCA
representatives, Lim Boo Chan and Tan Cheng Liang, in the Penang State
Assembly and the question has been cantered on their failure to adhere to
party discipline.
However, their abstentions have highlighted one simple fact-that the Penang
state government has failed to convince the public and the Penang Barisan
Nasional family that the Penang Outer Ring Road ( PORR ) project is in the
best interest of the people.
This is the real issue that the Barisan Nasional Chairman Dato Seri Dr
Mahathir must address and it is only wise that he should direct the Penang
State government to review the project.
Parliamentary and State Assembly records will show that it is not the
Barisan Nasional tradition and culture to allow its elected representatives
to feely vote on any issue in the Parliament or the State Assemblies.All
Barisan Nasional elected representatives have to vote along party lines and
support the Barisan Nasional government policies and Bills.
However, it is also not unprecedented for the Cabinet to rescind or change
decisions already taken by it, including decisions, which have been openly
and unanimously supported by the Barisan Nasional MPs in the Parliament.
One example is the proposed Kg Bohol incinerator project that the Cabinet
has recently decided to relocate to Broga.
DAP MP for Seputeh ,Teresa Kok, raised the issue in Parliament and expressed
the people's concerns, fears and objections about the project. She finally
had to resort to a RM 10 cut motion to highlight the problem.
As expected, the Barisan Nasional MPs voted along party lines to reject her
motion.
However, it was clear that there were strong public objections as proven by
the 135,000 signatures collected in the campaign to say no to the project.
It was also clear that the government was facing internal Barisan Nasional
dissent when the Housing Minister Datuk Ong Ka Ting who said that Barisan
Nasional representatives of all levels have put forward their views.
The Cabinet had no choice but to relocate the project even though the
Barisan Nasional Mps have spoken and voted against the calls to relocate the
project.
Irrespective of whether the MCA pair have abstained from voting in the
Assembly because of the MCA -Gerakan contradictions or due to public
pressure, one undisputable fact is that on the PORR issue, there are strong
public objections and the Barisan Nasional cannot display the uniformity of
action required by their party discipline.
Hence, the Barisan Nasional Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohammad must
address the real issue - that externally to the people and internally to the
Barisan Nasional family, the Penang state government has failed to convince
that the PORR project is in the best interest of the people.
The Prime Minister must therefore direct the Penang state government to
review the project.
(28/11/2002)
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Kerk Kim Hock, DAP Secretary General and MP for Kota Melaka
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