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Speech at PJ Action Team Dinner

by Lim Guan Eng

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(Petaling Jaya, Sunday): The Ninth Malaysian Plan(9MP) states that in 2004, the Selangor household’s average monthly income is RM 5,175/-. One year later, when Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Mohd Khir Toyo unilaterally declared Selangor as a developed state on 27 August 2005, he proudly claimed a study showed:- 

• Selangor enjoy a per capita income of US$12,876 (RM48,928.80 a year for each person)

• Selangor is more developed than New Zealand,

• Selangor has better university education than Singapore; and

• Selangor is less corrupt and cleaner than Belgium.

Except for those who succeed by false flattery of leaders, no one is convinced that Selangor is more developed than New Zealand or that Selangor possesses better universities than Singapore or that in terms of corruption, Selangor is cleaner than Belgium. Claims that each Selangorian, particularly those living in squatter homes, enjoy a per capita income of US$12,876 (RM48,928.80) is ridiculous as how many actually earns RM 4,000/- monthly? 

Whom shall 4.5 million Selangorians believe – Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo that each Selangorian earns RM 4,000 a month or the 9MP that each Selangor household’s average monthly income is RM 5,175/-.? The more important question is whether every Selangor family earns RM 5,175 monthly according to the 9MP or every person in Selangor can take home RM 4,000 each a month. 

The fact that not every household in Selangor earns RM 5,175 or RM 4,000 each a month shows the wide disparity between the rich and poor in Malaysia. According to the United Nations Human Development Report, Malaysia has the worst income inequality   between the rich and poor in South-East Asia. The 9MP admits this when statistics shows that the share of income of the bottom 40% of the population declined from 14.5% in 1990 to 13.5% in 2004 whilst the share of the top 20% of the population increased from 50% in 1990 to 51.2% in 2004.  

DAP insists that the country’s economic wealth should be distributed equitably to ensure every household earns RM 5,175 according to 9MP or every person RM 4,000 monthly according to Khir Toyo. Otherwise Malaysians have been robbed of their rightful share to enrich the few. How the wealthy live can be seen by the most expensive wedding at RM 3.5 million or a Minister pay off his first wife RM 50 million in property as a divorce settlement or a MCA Youth leader can become a billionaire at 27 years old. 

MCA has a poor record of defending the people’s rights or fulfilling their promises. Even Wanita MCA dare not oppose to sexist remarks by UMNO wakil rakyats with sincerity by declaring that should these sexist wakil rakyats be fielded again in the next general elections, MCA Wanita would ask the voters not to support them but support their opponent. 

Selangorians must seek a fair share of the country’s economic wealth by demanding either the RM 5,175 mean monthly household income promised by the 9MP or the RM 4,000 each promised by Selangor Mentri Besar. The choice for both Malaysians and the people of Selangor is very clear.  

They have to either catch these thieves who rob them or acknowledge these thieves as their father in the next general elections. Only DAP has the consistent and successful record of catching those thieves who steal from the people. Choose DAP leaders in PJ who dare to voice your hopes fearlessly and catch the thieves who steal from the people.