DAP celebrates our 50th party anniversary this year by paying tribute to the veterans members and supporters who sustained the party when we were in opposition. Your fierce idealism, unbending principles, unyielding courage and unquestioned loyalty allowed DAP to overcome persecution from an oppressive government machinery, endure bullying from media blackouts and resist sweet temptations from money politics.
By helping DAP to survive, you set the stage for DAP’s political destiny, when we won power for the first time in the historic political tsunami of 2008 and retained Penang state government in the 2013 general elections with our allies in Pakatan. Our veteran members and supporters are justifiably proud that they helped shaped DAP during our first 40 years into becoming the best opposition party in Malaysian history.
DAP’s political leadership core built up by Sdr Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh and Dr Chen Mah Hin continues to guide us. Over the last 8 years, we have shown in Penang that we can be better than BN in governing Penang. That is our political legacy – just as we were the best opposition party, we can and will be the best government.
We may have not expected to win power in 2008, but despite our inexperience, we did expect to govern better than BN. A competent, accountable and transparent(CAT) government with team spirit and a united party, that does not steal from the people definitelycan perform better. The economic statistics prove that from 2007-2015 onwards:-
- 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. In other words we did better in 8 years than the previous government did in 50 years!
- Penang’s asset reserves have nearly doubled over the 8 year period from RM850 million to RM1.6 billion, again doing in 8 years what took BN 50 years.
- For the comparative 8-year period from 2008-15 compared to 2000-7, Penang’s manufacturing investment increased by 87% to RM54.9 billion from RM24.9 billion, with job creation increased by 20 % to 128,317 job opportunities from 106,583. Unemployment rate is at a low of 1.6% creating a shortage of 20,000 workers.
- Productivity of fish farming on the sea rose from practically nothing, about 2,714.60 metric tons in 2007 to 28,964.95 metric tons in 2015, nearly a 10 times increase.
- Penang’s Gini coefficient of income inequality has been reduced from 0.419 in 2009 to 0.364 in 2014, an improvement of 13 percent over five years, as compared to the national average of 0.401. Comparatively Perak’s had a lower Gini coefficient of 0.400 in 2009, but still recorded a higher figure than Penang of 0.366 in 2014.
- Penang’s state’s debts has been reduced by 90% since 2008 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.
- In 2007, Penang was the bottom state in recording the lowest percentage growth in per capita GDP. After 8 painful years in 2015, did Penang finally succeed in turning things around by topping the country as national champions with the highest percentage growth in per capita GDP.
Compare this successful economic performance of Penang with the woeful performance of the Federal government that has recorded annual budget deficits for the 18th consecutive year since 1998, federal government debts (including contingent liabilities) increasing by nearly 3 times since 2007, imposition of GST to RM833 billion with a lower 2015 national GDP per capita of RM 37,104 compared with Penang’s GDP per capita of RM 44,847.
Penang’s sterling economic performance can be seen with the transformation of a state acknowledged to be th e dirtiest in Malaysia into one of the cleanest that is also green, safe and healthy. New roads are built on Seberang Perai and for the first time in 20 years, on the inner city of the island Jalan Ahmad Nor, Jalan Raja Uda in Butterworth and Jalan Song Ban Keng in Bukit Mertajam.
It is not just statistics but the changes that people can see over the last 8 years where abandoned housing projects are revived, “dead” tourist sites revitalised such as the Komtar building, Penang Hill, George Town, the Penang International Sports Arena(PISA) and the building of a new Hall in Sebarang Jaya (Seberang Perai Arena).
More importantly the state government is building human talent by investing in education. Apart from the annual RM12.5 million direct grants to vernacular and religious schools, the state is focused on STEM teaching of science, technology, engineering and maths. To be a centre of excellence for science and technology, we have set up:-
- the RM20 million Penang Science Café project to give free classes to kids in applied science and robotics;
- the RM28 million Tech Dome of Penang to rekindle interest in science and technology;
- the RM 6 million German Dual Vocational Training scheme offering free 42-month advanced diploma courses where students learn on the job and work at factories that is recognised even in Germany;
- the RM6 million Karpal Singh Learning Center teaching STEM and coding; and
- the new RM3 million Penang Digital library- the first digital libaray in Malaysia.
Further 1.6 million Penangites have benefited with cash aid of RM400 million distributed since 2008, such as the yearly RM100 payouts 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, free fishing nets for fishermen, RM1,000 for first-year local university students, the yearly RM600 payments to taxi drivers and school buses, RM1,200 yearly payments to trishaw pullers. Payment of GST for services at local governments is fully absorbed by Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang and Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai, and there is full exemption of assessment rates for low-cost, low medium-cost and kampong houses.
Our successes in attracting investment and tourists have created rising housing prices traffic congestion and lately flash floods. We will neither deny nor run away from resolving these issues. The Penang State Government is actively pursuing the challenge of providing affordable housing by building 26,255 homes in all 5 districts in Penang, with another similar number to be built by the private sector. We are still awaiting Federal government approval for the RM27 billion Penang Transport Master Plan(TMP) combining rail, roads, air and water connecting both island and mainland.
Climate change has caused long droughts and vicious flash floods. We are grateful that Penang has continued our sterling record of “no water rationing”. Our emphasis on superior water supply management by over-planning for more water resources, gazetting water catchment areas and installing more pumping stations, have help us to avoid te suffering of water rationing now endured by many states. Despite the threat of long droughts, we should be able to guarantee uninterrupted water supply until 2025.
However flash floods is a new challenge with unusually heavy rainfall. This will be addressed during the 2017 Budget on 15 November, especially on the need to press the Federal Government complete the final phase of the Sungei Pinang Flood Mitigation project costing RM350 million, that would overcome flash floods we saw on Deepavali Day. We also admit the failure of Drainage and Irrigation Department(DID) to quickly carry out some flood mitigation projects, one which have still not been implemented after 4 years. We have every confidence that the energetic Penang DID Director will resolve the problems.
Our vision is to transform Penang into both an entrepreneurial and welfare state by investing in infrastructure to overcome the triple challenges of traffic congestion, affordable housing and flash floods. We are also building human talent by investing in education as well as sharing out the fruits of economic prosperity. This is Penang’s road map towards unity and prosperity – an entrepreneurial and welfare state. We can only be an international and intelligent city if Penang is a liveable city that is clean, green, safe and healthy.
DAP remains confident of the future of Penang led by Pakatan Harapan. BN has run out of political capital to attack us and is now resorting to personal attacks and the politics of hatred, lies, fear and even money politics. I have become the latest victim of trumped up charges of corruption by BN. I thank all members and supporters for believing in my innocence and that my team and I are clean – we do not rob and steal from the people.
Whether BN succeeds in its attacks against me, we can expect more to come. We will stand together against BN. But we will not bow nor yield nor surrender. I have said it before and I say it again. I will die standing than live on bended knees.But I will never forget the strong support and love from my brothers and sisters here. You are all my good comrades.
BN can continue to bully us with the politics of hate, lies and fear by BN. We will not respond in kind. We will respond rationally with truth and facts, with performance and delivery of a Penang that grows better, stronger, more free and prosperous every day for all.
To prove that DAP is not just one individual but a team of collective leadership, Penang and the DAP will continue the struggle, whatever happens to me. I ask the Convention, our members and leaders to endorse my proposal that Penang DAP Chair Sdr Chow Kon Yeow take over from me as Penang Chief Minister should BN succeed in their attacks against me. We shall defend DAP and Penang from BN together as one team, one spirit and one party! Thank you.