Lim Guan Eng |
| Follow Penang:- BN Must Explain Why They Refuse To Restore The 3rd Vote(en/cn) Posted: 05 May 2012 08:30 PM PDT SPEECH BY CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG AT THE FORUM ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS AT THE TOWN HALL, ESPLANADE, 6 MAY 2011 Local government elections are a feature of practically every democratic country in the world. Even countries which are not democracies such as communist China hold local elections of one kind or another. Malaysia finds itself in a most peculiar position in that the Federal Government considers elections to be suitable for the Federal and State levels, but refuses to allow elections to be held at the local level. In the 19th century, the French scholar Alexis de Tocqueville, in his seminal work, Democracy in America, referred to local democracy as a "fertile germ of free institutions". He wrote: The strength of free peoples resides in the local community. Local institutions are to liberty what primary schools are to science; they put it within the people’s reach; they teach people to appreciate its peaceful enjoyment and accustom them to make use of it. In our country, the first partially-elected local council was established by the British colonial authorities here in George Town in 1857, but were discontinued due to colonial apathy. After the Second World War, with the increasing public demand for independence and self-government that led to Merdeka, local elections were then introduced in local councils across our country, with the first local elections held again here in George Town, in 1951. In 1956, the Municipal Council of George Town became the first local council in Malaya to be fully elected, and the following year was elevated to the status of a City Council as a mark of royal and official esteem. Subsequently, Penang became the first and only State in Malaysia to have the whole territory of the State under the government of five local councils that were 100% elected. Unfortunately, those in power in the Federal Government were not so pleased by the successes of local councils run by opposition parties at the local level. In 1961, the Federal Government abolished the elected Kuala Lumpur Municipal Council, and in 1965 issued an Emergency Regulation suspending local government elections throughout the States of Malaysia, using the excuse of the Confrontation with Indonesia. The Prime Minister at the time, Tunku Abdul Rahman, promised the Dewan Rakyat that local government elections would be restored once the Confrontation was over. He said: As soon as this peace and quietness has returned we would make haste with all proper preparations for the local council elections … The very moment peace is declared I can assure this House that the elections will be held. However, although the Confrontation with Indonesia ended in 1966, local government elections were not restored as promised by the Alliance Government. In 1968, a Royal Commission on Local Government headed by Senator Athi Nahappan recommended that local government elections be restored, but this was rejected by the Federal Government. Although the existing Proclamations of Emergency in Malaysia have now all been revoked, sections 10 & 15 of the Local Government Act 1976 prevent the holding of local government elections under Federal law. To-date BN cannot give any reasonable explanation why Malaysians can elect their State and Federal governments or can select their Prime Minister and Chief Minister, but is denied to elect their own Councillor or Council President. Restoring the "third vote" has long been a fundamental demand and commitment of the DAP, and in 2008, the Pakatan Rakyat Penang State Government was elected on manifesto commitments to implement local government elections, in order "to ensure accountability and efficiency" and "to create greater accountability at every level of government". On 14 July 2009, YB Chow Kon Yeow, the Penang State Exco for Local Government and Traffic Management, wrote to the Federal Government to ask for local government elections to be put on the agenda of the National Council of Local Government, but this request was refused. Subsequently, on 11 August 2009, the Penang State Assembly passed a resolution calling upon the Federal authorities to take action to reinstate local government elections, but this resolution was again met with refusal. A three-man legal panel consisting of Dato’ Yeo Yang Poh, Mr Tommy Thomas and Mr Malik Imtiaz was then retained by the State Government, and it advised that the reintroduction of local government elections was within the powers of the State. On 4 March 2010, I wrote to the Election Commission asking it to conduct local government elections to the MPPP and MPSP, but the Election Commission refused. On 12 March 2010, I also wrote to the Prime Minister offering to meet with him to discuss the State Government’s position but again received no response. The State Government has been advised that local government is a State matter under the Federal Constitution, and the State Authority has the power under section 1(4) of the Local Government Act 1976 to exempt any local government area from any or all of the provisions of the Act. On 18 January 2012, the State Government therefore decided, 45 years after the end of the Confrontation, to exercise its powers to exempt both the MPPP and the MPSP from section 15 of the Local Government Act 1976, which had rendered inoperative all legal provisions relating to local government elections. This was gazetted on 12 April 2012. The State Government has now tabled a bill in the State Assembly, entitled the Local Government Elections (Penang Island and Province Wellesley) Bill 2012, which will provide for the Election Commission to hold local government elections to the MPPP and MPSP under State law. The text of this bill is now open for your comments at this forum, and we intend to pass this bill in this sitting of the State Assembly. At the same time, we do not expect that the Federal Government and the Election Commission will give up on their obstruction and refusal to conduct local government elections so easily. It is the intention of the State Government, once this bill is passed into law, to refer this dispute with the Election Commission to the Courts, so that the Election Commission will be compelled to conduct local government elections in Penang. The State Government’s desire to restore local government elections is based on our belief in democracy, in a system of government of the people, by the people, for the people. We believe in particular that the past 18 years of neglect and even financial scandals in MPSP suffered by Penang can be blamed in part on the system of political appointment of councillors by the BN State Government whose abilities were always secondary to their political loyalties to BN. A clear case of financial wrongdoing by BN was the extraordinary loss of RM230 million by MPSP in 7 years causing MPSP, or Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Prai, to be practically bankrupt when PR took over in 2008. Adapting stringent rules and severe cost-cutting measures, PR managed to turnaround MPSP in the first year of government, reversing years of deep deficits and losses with the first profit in 2008. Ever since MPSP has recorded surpluses every year. There is a distinct possibility that Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang would have met the same fate if BN had continued in power in 2008. Under the present Pakatan Rakyat State Government through appointing competent councillors who were willing to defer to the authority of the Council President, who is a government civil servant, many of these misdeeds are now being unravelled, and both local councils have been restored to financial health. By stressing on CAT governance of competency and accountability, we have managed to turn around both local councils that are now providing better public services together with growing financial surpluses. With growing financial surpluses,both MPPP and MPSP have been able to provide better infrastructure in terms of cleanliness, better roads and drainage system. At a time when many cities in Malaysia faces flash floods, the well-administered MPPP and MPSP see significantly reduced flooding as compared to before. This is part of the real political transformation of Penang. Where people can live with dignity by enjoying basic freedoms – Freedom of speech, Freedom of information, Freedom of peaceful assembly, Freedom to worship, Freedom from corruption, and Freedom to choose their own Local Government. We are the first State to have passed a comprehensive Freedom of Information Act. We have made Penang relatively corruption free with open tenders, full disclosure of contracts and public declaration of assets by EXCO members and Chief Minister. Today, we take another milestone by passing the Penang Local Government Enactment. If BN is genuine about political transformation, can they not do what Penang has done. Although we currently have full powers to appoint all 48 local councillors in the MPPP and the MPSP, this is a power which the Pakatan Rakyat State Government will willingly return to the people of Penang to be elected by them in the interests of the aspirations of the people of Penang. On Merdeka Day, Malaysians had 3 votes to exercise the right to elect their Federal govt, State govt and local councils. Let us therefore restore the 3rd vote. Thank you. ——-Mandarin Version —– 国阵必须解释，他们为何拒绝恢复民主第三票 在我国，英国殖民地首次于1857年在乔治市推动的地方议会选举。1956年，乔治市市政局成为马来亚第一个地方政府。 由于联邦政府不满地方政府由在野党占据。1961年，联邦政府废除吉隆坡地方政府选举，并在1965年，以马印对抗为理由，发出紧急条例撤销全国各地地方政府选举。 当时的首相东姑阿都拉曼在国会中承诺，一旦马印对抗结束，政府将恢复地方议会选举，他说： 马印对抗于1966年结束，但是，当年联盟（后来的国阵）所承诺的地方政府选举至今还没有恢复。1968年，由上议员阿迪纳哈班所率领的地方政府皇家委员会曾提议恢复地方政府选举，但是联邦政府却拒绝他的建议。 虽然现存的紧急条例已经被废除，但是，1976年地方政府法令的第10及15条文依然阻止我们在联邦法令下执行地方政府选举。直到今天，国阵都还无法提供任何合理的解释，为什么马来西亚人可以选州政府、联邦政府，可以选首相或首长，但是不能票选自己的市议员或市政局主席。 "还我第三票"一直以来是行动党的基本诉求，2008年，民联州政府把恢复地方议会选举列入我们的竞选宣言，以确保政府的每一个阶层的透明度和效率。 2009年7月14日，槟州行政议员（地方政府兼交通管理委员会主席）曹观友已经就此致函房屋及地方政府部（国家地方政府理事会秘书处），但是，这项要求被拒绝。 2009年8月11日，槟州州议会动议并通过，要求联邦政府恢复地方议会选举。但是，当局再一次拒绝将有关动议列为讨论事项。 2010年3月4日，我代表槟州政府写信给选举委会员，要求选委会执行槟岛市政局及威省市政局的地方议员选举，但是选委会却拒绝这项要求。2010年3月12日，我再次致函首相，要求与他见面阐明州政府的立场，依旧是石沉大海。 我们被告知，在联邦宪法底下，地方政府属于州管辖事务，而州政府有权力在1976年地方政府法令第1（4）条文下，免除地方政府遵从上述法令中的任何一项或所有条文。 2012年1月18日，槟州行政府决定，马印对抗已经结束45年，我们将行使州政府的权力，让槟州槟岛和威省两地的地方政府可以免于实施1976年地方政府法令第15条文，并于2012年4月12日在宪报上颁布通令。 州政府已经在州政会提呈地方政府选举（槟岛和威省）2012年法案，这将让选举委员会可以在州法令下举行槟岛及威省市政局选举。这项法案现在在论坛收集大家的意见，我们希望能在这次州议会通过这项法案。 我们也预料，联邦政府和选委会不会那么轻易地让我们执行地方政府选举。这是州政府的用意，一旦这项法案变成法令，我们将可以上庭解决与选委会的歧见，选举委员会将会被迫在槟州举行地方政府选举。 州政府基于我们对民主的信仰，希望可以恢复地方议会选举。我们相信，过去18年发生在威省市政局的财务丑闻，部分原因是由于市议员的政治委任制，国阵州政府往往重视他们的效忠胜于他们的能力。 最明显的是国阵在威省七年内造成2亿3000万的损失，2008年民联接管时濒临破产。我们实施严谨的理财及开源节流措施，得以在民联执政第一年改善威省市政局的财务状况。在2008年第一次取得盈利。此后威省市政局年年有余。如果国阵继续在2008年执政，槟岛市政局也可能面对同样的局面。 民联州政府通过委任有能力的市议员，他们愿意遵从市政局主席，很多不良做法已经被纠正，两个地方政府的财务恢复健康状况。我们秉持能干、公信及透明原则，我们改善了两个地方政府的运作，为公众提供更好的服务和财务盈余。 随意财务盈余增加，两个地方政府也能够提供更好的卫生基础建设、更好的道路及排水系统。当马来西亚全国各地不断地面对闪电水灾，我们可以看到在两个地方政府的管理下，两地的水灾情况有所缓解。 这是槟州的真正政府转型。人民活得有尊严，享受基本自由- 言论自由、资讯自由、集会自由、宗教自由、免于贪污、选出地方政府的自由。 目前，虽然我们有权委任槟岛及威省的48名市议员，但是我们为了槟州人民的利益，我们愿意还政予民，让他们选出市议员。 我国独立时，马来西亚人民曾经拥有三张票，选出联邦政府、州政府及地方政府。现在，让我们恢复地方议会选举，还我民主第三票。 林冠英 |
| Teks Ucapan Sempana Majils Anugerah Pelajar Cemerlang SPM Tahun 2011(bm/cn) Posted: 05 May 2012 08:27 PM PDT TEKS UCAPAN KETUA MENTERI PULAU PINANG SEMPENA MAJLIS ANUGERAH PELAJAR CEMERLANG SPM TAHUN 2011 DI DEWAN SRI PINANG PADA 6 MEI 2012 Terlebih dahulu saya ingin mengambil kesempatan untuk mengucapkan ucapan penghargaan dan tahniah kepada jawatankuasa pengelola yang bertungkus lumus dalam memastikan perjalanan majlis pada hari ini dapat berjalan dengan lancarnya. Bagi pihak Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang, saya mengalu-alukan kehadiran 343 pelajar cemerlang SPM tahun 2011 ke majlis yang serba ringkas tetapi amat bermakna ini. Saya ingin mengambil kesempatan untuk mengucapkan syabas dan tahniah atas kejayaan yang diperolehi hasil daripada usaha gigih dan tekun yang telah berjaya dilaksanakan selama ini serta dorongan dan sokongan yang tidak pernah jemu daripada para guru dan ibu bapa. Ini merupakan tahun ke- 4 majlis seumpama ini diadakan sejak Kerajaan Negeri mengambil alih tampuk pemerintahan negeri Pulau Pinang pada tahun 2008. Daripada jumlah 343, seramai 59 orang pelajar mendapat keputusan semua A+ dalam semua mata pelajaran yang diambil, 250 orang pelajar mendapat A dalam semua mata pelajaran (kombinasi A+ dan A sahaja) manakala 28 orang pelajar memperolehi minima 10A (kombinasi A+, A- dan A). Kalau tahun lepas kita beri RM250 sahaja kepada semua pelajar yang memperolehi A+ dalam semua mata pelajaran tetapi tahun ini kita naikkan RM50 menjadikan jumlah sebanyak RM300. Begitu juga untuk kategori-kategori lain seperti kategori pelajar terbaik. Sebelum ini kita hanya beri RM150 tetapi tahun ini kita naikkan sebanyak sekali ganda menjadikannya sebanyak RM300.Ini jelas menunjukkan Kerajaan Negeri Pakatan Rakyat Pulau Pinang sentiasa peka dengan tuntutan arus kehidupan zaman kini selaras dengan konsep kerajaan berjiwa rakyat yang sentiasa menjaga kebajikan anak-anak tempatan tanpa mengira latar belakang, kaum dan jantina. Kerajaan Negeri telah memperuntukkan sebanyak RM91,700 untuk diagihkan mengikut kategori termasuk pelajar terbaik mengikut kategori, pelajar istimewa (khas) dan sekolah terbaik. Peruntukan ini semakin meningkat dari tahun ke ke tahun di mana pada tahun 2008, kita hanya memperuntukkan RM32, 000 , diikuti tahun 2009 sebanyak RM61, 300 dan tahun 2010 sebanyak RM55, 950. Lebihan bajet yang dicapai setiap tahun sejak Kerajaan Negeri Pakatan Rakyat Pulau Pinang pada tahun 2008 adalah urus tadbir CAT (Cekap, Akauntabiliti dan Telus). Kita telah meneruskan pemberian tahunan RM100 kepada warga emas, ibu tunggal dan OKU, serta bayaran "one-off" RM1,000 kepada waris apabila mereka meninggal dunia. Kita juga memberi RM1,000 kepada pelajar yang melanjutkan pengajian di universiti awam tempatan. RM200 untuk setiap bayi baru lahir di Pulau Pinang bermula tahun 2011. Dan yang terbaru kita akan memberikan sumbangan RM100 kepada pelajar-pelajar yang memasuki Tahun 1 dan 4 serta Tingkatan 1 dan 4. Sememangnya, wang yang diperolehi adalah 100% dari sumber yang halal hasil kempen anti-rasuah. Di hadapan saya adalah muka-muka pemimpin pada masa hadapan. Bukan sahaja pemimpin-pemimpin dalam bidang ekonomi, kejuruteraan dan kedoktoran tetapi juga dalam bidang kepimpinan dan pentadbiran. Satu aspek yang ingin saya tegaskan di sini ialah tidak kira apa jua bidang yang diceburi, para pelajar perlu sentiasa ada nilai dan prinsip serta yang paling penting ialah integriti. I know that all of you desire to take up careers that can make you wealthy quickly. That is normal and I encourage your to do so. But remember that wealth is not everything. There is something more important than wealth, which is health. What is the point of being rich if you do not have the health to enjoy it. The state government has looked after your health by refusing to allow any Lynas rare earth plant to operate in Penang. And also not allowing any nuclear power generators proposed by the Federal government(2) to be built in Penang. Just as there is more important things in life than money, the same applies for running a state or a country. Is a rich or poor country determined solely by its wealth, natural resources or cash reserves? No, apart from wealth the people must also be allowed to live with dignity to enjoy it. What is the use of having money if you do not have human dignity to enjoy basic freedoms such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom from corruption and freedom of peaceful assembly? If a country does not enjoy these basic freedoms, it is a poor country despite its great wealth, which is the reason why Libya overthrew Muammar Gadaffi. Of course if you do not have money, you are still poor. The ideal situation is for a rich country that is not only rich in wealth but also rich in freedoms that allows people to live with dignity. Penang has strived for the last four years to be successful not only financially but also in freedoms and human dignity. For the first time in history, Penang became No. 1 in attracting investments in Malaysia in 2010, To prove that this achievement was not a fluke but a fact, Penang repeated its champion performance again in 2011. During the last 2 years, Penang contributed towards 30% of Malaysia’s FDI despite being the 2nd smallest state in Malaysia. But it is not only about wealth. Penang’s success is also driven by granting basic freedoms with a Freedom of Information Act, a Speakers’ Square for freedom of speech as well as freedom after speech and pressing for local government elections. Penang is intent on being cleaner, greener, safer and healthier to allow Penangites to live with dignity. Perhaps this is why again for the first time in Malaysian history, George Town Penang is a more liveable city than Kuala Lumpur. In 2011, ECA International listed George Town Penang as the most liveable city in Malaysia. Again proving that beating Kuala Lumpur was no fluke but a fact, Penang repeated that in 2012. Selama 4 tahun kita telah membuktikan walaupun menghadapi kesukaran dan kesulitan, sebuah kerajaan yang bersih dapat melakukan lebih baik daripada kerajaan yang sentiasa mengamalkan rasuah. Kerajaan Negeri Pakatan Rakyat berpegang teguh dengan integriti. Kita telah buktikan dengan pentadbiran yang bersih, kejayaan dapat dikongsi bersama dengan rakyat. Di majlis ini juga Kerajaan Negeri turut memberikan pengiktirafan kepada 3 buah sekolah terbaik di sekitar negeri Pulau Pinang yang dipilih berdasarkan Gred Purata Sekolah (GPS) yang diperolehi daripada Kementerian Pelajaran Sekolah. Syabas kepada sekolah- sekolah tersebut. Semoga kejayaan ini menjadi pemangkin dalam usaha untuk terus memajukan anak-anak bangsa kita. Akhir kata, saya ingin mengingatkan pelajar-pelajar yang bahawa perjalanan hidup masih jauh. Setiap kejayaan bermula daripada langkah pertama. Jangan lupa khidmat dan usaha daripada guru-guru. Oleh itu, hayatilah setiap detik perjalanan ini dengan semangat yang jitu, penuhkan dada dengan iltizam yang tinggi dan tingkatkan usaha kerana hari esok tidak menjanjikan kejayaan tanpa usaha. Semoga hari esok menjanjikan masa depan yang lebih cerah dan kita harap kesemua pelajar cemerlang ini akan terus berjaya dan pulang ke Pulau Pinang untuk mencurahkan bakti Sekian, terima kasih. —-Mandarin Version—- 槟州首席部长林冠英于2012年5月6日颁发大马教育文凭优秀学生奖励金时发表演讲，重点如下： 在343名学生中，其中59名获得全科A＋， 在250名全科A（A+和A），另有28名学生获得至少10个A（包括A＋、A－和A）。如果去年我们只发出250令吉给获得全A＋的学生，今年我们多给50令吉，总奖励金为RM300。其它的优秀学生也一样。之前，我们只发出150令吉奖励金，今年我们增加奖励金至300令吉。显示槟州民联政府跟得上时代，时刻贯彻以民为本的精神。不分背景、种族和性别照顾我们孩子的福利。 州政府已经拨出9万1700令吉的奖励金给优秀学生、特殊学生及最好的学校。这项拨款每年都在增加，在2008年我们只拨出3万2000令吉，2009年为6万1300令吉，及2010年5万5950令吉。 虽然州政府在拨款方面被联邦政府边缘化，但是民联州政府有能力颁发奖励金，证明州政府拥有足够的财源。由于理财有当，我们还是可以推行各种福利计划。 我知道你们都希望从事那些能够让你们快速累积财富的事业，这是正常的，我也鼓励你们这么做。但是，要记得，财富不是人生的一切。有一件东西比财富更重要，就是健康。如果你有钱却没有健康的身体来享受，那有什么用？州政府照顾人民的健康，不让莱纳斯稀土厂建在槟城，我们也不让联邦政府在槟州兴建他们建议的两座核能发电厂。 在管理一个国家也一样，一个富国或穷国是否以财富、天然资然或现金储备来衡量？不是，除了财富，人们也必须可以活得有尊严来享受这些财富。如果你很有钱，却没有享受基本的自由如宗教自由、言论自由、免于贪污的自由和和平集会的自由，那有什么用？如果一个国家没有这些基本自由，就算它很有钱，它也是一个穷国，这就是为何利比亚人民推翻卡达菲政权。当然，如果你没有钱，你还是很穷。 一个理想的富国，不只拥有财富而已，也拥有自由，让人民活得有尊严。槟州在过去四年，不只在理财方面取得成功，也赋予人民自由及尊严。我们在2010年的所获投资额全国居冠，2011年再次全国第一，虽然是全国第二小的州属，过去两年，我们贡献了马来西亚外国直接投资的30%。 槟州也成功保障基本自由如资讯自由、言论者广场的言论自由及推动地方政府选举。槟州也立志打造一个更清洁、绿意、安全及健康的州属，让槟州人民活得有尊严。或许这也是为了马来西亚历史上，槟州乔治市成为比吉隆坡更宜居的城市。2011年，国际人力资源机构"(ECA International)将槟州乔治市列为马来西亚最宜居的城市。在2012， 我们再次超越吉隆坡。 |
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