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The Prime Minister Is Wrong In Opposing The Disarming Of Enforcement Personnel When There Is No Guarantee That They Will Not Be Trigger Happy And Not Properly Trained To Open Fire Only As A Last Resort Press Statement by Lim Guan Eng (Petaling Jaya, Monday): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi is wrong in opposing the disarming of enforcement personnel when there is no guarantee that they will not be trigger happy and are not properly trained to open fire only as a last resort. Public safety should be of paramount concern and if the security of innocent bystanders can not be assured then all the enforcement officers must be disarmed.  This follows the shooting of a 19-year old VCD seller by enforcement officers of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry in Penang on 13/1/2005. An innocent bystander was also injured when the bullet passed through the VCD seller’s chest and hit him. According to the New Straits Times(NST) report today, the enforcement officer involved used a Glock pistol and fired twice after he was attacked with a baseball bat.   However, the same report said that no baseball bat was found by police. NST questioned why enforcement officers are using Glock pistol when police personnel do not use them, using either the .38 Smith and Wesson revolver or .22 Walther. In Malaysia, only the police crack unit, Unit Tindak Khas, commandos and counter-terrorist units use the Glock pistols. Clearly enforcement officers are more specialized than policer personnel being placed on the same level as specially trained commandos by using Glock pistols.  There is clearly a breakdown in security rules for the use of firearms. An immediate review and reassessment of firearms procedures by enforcement officers is necessary otherwise more VCD salesman or innocent bystanders may be injured. Whatever wrongs the VCD salesman may have committed, selling VCDs is not that serious a crime equivalent to a criminal who robs, rapes and murders.  The lack of remorse and failure of the government to immediately apologise for the incident to the innocent bystander or even foot his medical bills would send a wrong message that it is all right to open fire indiscriminately. By refusing to show strong disapproval, the Prime Minister would only serve to encourage trigger-happy enforcement officers which may pose a threat to public safety.  Datuk Dr Lim Keng Yaik Should Prove His Commitment That Water Prices Will Not Be Increased For The Next Two Years By Directing Melaka To Remove The 10% Water Hike For Domestic Users On 1.1.2005 DAP challenges Energy Water and Communications Minister Datuk Dr Lim Keng Yaik to prove his commitment that water prices will not be increased over the next two years by directing Melaka to remove the 10% water hike for domestic users on 1.1.2005. Datuk Dr Lim had given this assurance in supporting the amendment to the Federal Constitution to transfer control of distribution and operation of water services from state government to the Federal Government will not increase the financial burden on consumers.  Removing the water hike by the Perbadanan Air Melaka(PAM) would be a first test to determine whether  Datuk Dr Lim practices what he preaches. It is unethical for the Melaka State government to increase water rates this year when they know they are surrendering control to the Federal government. Datuk Dr Lim had earlier expressed surprise at the increase and promised to take action.  If Datuk Dr Lim does not fulfill his promise, then Malaysians will know that this constitutional amendment will not benefit consumers but only a small group of businessman involved in the privatization of water services. (17/1/2005) * Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General