The Penang state government wishes to vigorously rebut BN’s lies about the so-called “woeful” financial and economic performance of the Pakatan state government’s, to distort our success in turning around Penang’s economy into one of the most dynamic in Malaysia. BN cannot turn black into white and white into black when the annual Auditor-General Reports prove the following:-
- Over the last 8 years since the Pakatan government took over, Penang has recorded annual budget surpluses with accumulated surpluses of RM574 million over the last 8 years of 2008-2015, more than the accumulated surpluses under BN over the last 50 years from 1957-2007 of RM373 million. We have done better in 8 years than BN has done in 50 years!
- Our asset reserves have nearly doubled over the 8 year period from RM850 million to RM1.6 billion.
- Most significantly our state’s debts has been reduced by 90% over the same period and at RM69 million by end 2015, is the lowest in the country. This RM69 million debt compares with the total RM16.8 billion of debts owed by all 13 states, with Pahang owing the most at RM2.9 billion, followed by Sabah RM2.6 billion, Sarawak RM2.5 billion, Kedah RM2.3 billion and Kelantan RM1.3 billion.
Compare this economic performance of Penang with the Federal government that has recorded annual budget deficits for the 18th consecutive year since 1998, federal government debts increasing by 3 times since 2007 to RM800 billion. Tell me then – which government’s economic performance is woeful?
The results of the economic success of Penang can be seen with the revival of abandoned housing projects and even revitalisation of dead tourist sites such as the Komtar building, Penang Hill, George Town, the Penang International Sports Arena(PISA) and even Seberang Perai. Further 1.6 million Penangites have benefited with cash aid of RM400 million distributed yearly such as the yearly RM100 for senior citizens, single mothers, housewives, disabled and students as well as one-off payments of RM1,000 funeral expenses, RM200 for each child born and RM1,000 for first-year local university students.
BN has tried to obliterate Penang’s singular success in financial management and clean governance, including practicing open competitive tenders, that has attracted praise from the annual Auditor-General’s Reports as well as Transparency International by alleging that, “the National Statistics Department showed the per capita GDP for Penang recorded a 44 % increase from RM31,039 in 2007, to RM44,847 in 2015, which is the lowest growth recorded. BN even praised the poorest state in Malaysia, Kelantan. The GDP per capita in Kelantan for 2015 was at its lowest, but the growth rate for the East Coast state for the same period from 2007-2015 far outstripped Penang at 73.9 %.”
BN fails to mention that they were the culprits and the reason for Penang recording the lowest growth rate for per capita GDP in the first place. For the year 2006-2007, Penang was the bottom state, recording the lowest growth rate for per capita GDP in the country at only 5.9%. When the Pakatan government took over in 2008, we had a huge task to turn around the economy that recorded the lowest growth rate for per capita GDP.
The Pakatan government succeeded in overcoming this challenge as shown by the same figures released from the National Statistics Department(see attached). Penang coming out third highest nationally in growth rate per capita GDP for 2012-2013, second for 2013-2014 and finally national champions for 2014-2015. Whilst it took us 8 years, the Pakatan government succeeded finally in turning around what was the bottom state in the country in 2006-2007 to be the No. 1 national champion in growth rate for per capita growth in GDP in 2014-2015.
This is what the Pakatan government is capable of doing, turning deficits to surpluses, bottom states to national champions, high debts to low debts. The secret to Penang Pakatan’s success is our integrity and clean governance. Contrast Penang as the cleanest state government in Malaysia praised by Transparency International with the BN Federal government accorded the most corrupt government in the world.
Instead of praising us for turning around Penang’s economy, we are asked to learn from BN who have destroyed our reputational risk globally with the RM53 billion 1MDB and RM4.2 billion donation scandals. For those who lies as easily as we breathe, are clearly unfit to lead the country.