Series of pamphlets highlighting corruption scandals in Melaka

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DAP To Print A Series Of Pamphlets Highlighting Financial Scandals Big And Small In Melaka To Break Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam’s Deafening Silence As Well As Press For Full Accountability And Transparency

Speech
- Thanksgiving Dinner Given By DAP Parameswara Branch, Laksamana Cheng Ho And Jalan Semabok Branch
by Lim Guan Eng

(Melaka, Tuesday): DAP shall be printing a series of pamphlets highlighting corruption scandals in Melaka to break Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam’s deafening silence and press for full accountability and transparency. These pamphlets, to be distributed free to the public, shall focus on the seriousness of corruption, financial malpractices and abuses of power exposed after BN’s resounding success in the 2004 general elections.
BN had promised to bring economic development that benefits the people after capturing the Kota Melaka parliamentary seat and two state seats for the first time in 35 years. Instead of development that directly benefits the people; we have seen extensive financial malpractices and abuses of power big and small that benefits the few.

Worse is the refusal of Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam to respond and replies to the numerous financial scandals exposed by DAP. The shocking revelation that the state government approved the logging and degazette of 42 hectares of Bukit Beruang Forest Reserve, the only forest reserve in Melaka Tengah District, for housing development has effectively deprived Melaka town of its only green lung.

Clearly the state government practices double-standards by talking about preserving the environment on the one hand but being the main culprit of destroying it on the other. Amongst other wrongdoings big and small are:

1.      Buying 20 dustbins for RM 17,600 or RM880 each when it costs only RM 80;

2.      Buying 20 benches for RM 35,200 or RM 1.760 each;

3.      Building a toilet for RM 120,520(excluding land cost) that can buy 5 low-cost houses;

4.      Building a water fountain that costs RM 25,000 for RM 250,000/-;

5.      Building 7 canopy kiosks for RM350,000 or RM 70,000 each when it costs RM 10,000/-;

6.      A waterfall for RM 1.7 million;

7.      An arch for M 2.7 million;

8.      Spending nearly RM 1 million to go for a round the world junket through USA and Dubai;

9.      Delayed projects such as the RM 7.3 million Melaka public library and

10. A 20 km `half-highway’(only 10 km is a four-lane highway) from Sungei Udang to Ayer Keroh for RM 210 million or more than RM 10 million per kilometer.

The Melaka Chief Minister’s silence can be construed as a tacit admission of wrongdoing. Just because he refuses to reply does not mean that he can avoid answering and hope that the issue will die a natural death quietly. Datuk Mohd Ali should realise that he can run but he can not hide.

Such pamphlets are necessary as the BN-controlled media in the English and Malay press have participated in the cover-up by refusing to publish such news. The people have a right to obtain a full explanation for these financial scandals. To let the people of all races and religions to know of such scandals and mobilize the people to demand answers, DAP shall be printing a series pamphlets detailing such scandals in various languages soon.

(26/4/2005)

* Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General