Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has said that Barisan Nasional ministers were resorting to lies, threats and racist attacks against the Penang State Government in the Permatang Pauh by-elections.
“In the quest to win Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election, BN and UMNO has lost both honour and dignity by the antics of their Ministers making lies, threats and racist attacks against the Penang state government,” he said in a statement today.
He slammed MCA Wanita chief Heng Seai Kie for claiming that the Chinese community have no reason to oppose the Goods and Services Tax (GST) – because Malays would pay more. She had explained that Malay families in general have more children than Chinese families.
PKR had subsequently put up banners quoting Heng, saying “Melayu bayar lebih GST” (Malays pay more GST), at various locations in Permatang Pauh.
Heng responded by demanding Lim Guan Eng, Secretary General of the DAP to apologise for defaming her.
“I am surprised that Heng Seai Kie is asking me to apologise for a banner put up by PKR during the Permatang Pauh by-election. I have no intention of doing so,” Lim said, addressing the statement by Heng.
Lim also said that the tax would affect all Malaysians regardless of race and religion.
He also criticised Agriculture Minister Ismail Sabri Yaacub who had threatened not to give any funds to farmers in Permatang Pauh if UMNO lost.
Lim said the ruling regime intends to use racist overtones as in the case of Heng and Ismail Sabri in their Permatang Pauh campaign.
“Just because I am the only non-Malay Chief Minister in Malaysia, does not give UMNO Ministers the right or license to bully me by launching provocative racist attacks with lies,” said Lim.
He said that Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had led the charge when claiming that the state government failed to look after bumi contractors.
“The Penang state government then revealed that since 2008, RM8.3 billion in contracts were awarded under our open competitive tender system.”
“Of this RM8.3 billion, RM7.8 billion or 94% of total contracts, were awarded to bumis.”
“Muhyiddin kept silent and did not dare to respond to this unrebuttable fact that 94% of state government contracts were awarded to bumi companies,” Lim said.
Apart from Muhyiddin, UMNO Permatang Pauh candidate Suhaimie Shabudin, a contractor, also appears mum on the issue.
Lim said that Shabudin “became mute” by refusing to answer the press on whether companies which is involved with, had benefited or obtained state government contracts.
“The RM8.3 billion of contracts awarded and the 94% increase in investment to RM 48.2 billion from 2008-2014, as compared to the similar 7-year period of 2001-7 of RM24.9 billion, has quickly disproved BN’s claims that there was no development in Permatang Pauh or Penang.”
Lim stressed that for Permatang Pauh, RM 8.2 million has been spent on infrastructure such as roads, drainage, market upgrading and community halls since 2008.
He also said that the Penang state government was also attacked for allegedly “marginalising Islam”.
“Again we showed proof that allocations given by PR state government more than doubled compared to what was approved by the previous BN state government, from RM 25.5 million by BN in 2008 to RM 52.2 million by PR in 2014,” Lim said.
He also addressed the latest allegations by Deputy Minister for Energy, Green Technology and Water Mahdzir Khalid who denied that the Federal government asked for a water tariff hike. Lim said that the claim was made despite Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara (SPAN) had reportedly called for a nationwide tariff hike.
Lim rubbished claims that the Penang government had not fully utilised federal government road grants, saying that it was fully used.
He urged the BN camp to fight honourably in elections, and lose with dignity – instead of resorting to baseless attacks as apparent in the case of Permatang Pauh.
