2011 Penang Christmas Message By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On 24.12.2011.
Celebrating Hope In Penang By Establishing A People-Centric Government Based On Integrity. Good Governance And Letting The People Realise Their Full Potential.
Christians celebrate not just the birth of Jesus Christ but also hope on Christmas Day. We pray for peace, joy and goodwill to all. Penang also celebrates hope by establishing a people-centric government based on integrity, good governance and letting the people realise their full potential.
Penang has benefited from a clean government. It is not just praise for good financial management from the Auditor-General or from Transparency International for implementing open tenders and fighting corruption. Penang has recorded budget surpluses for the state government, MPPP and MPSP since 2008.
This has enabled social programmes and cash handouts to the elderly, disabled, single mother, new-born babies and students. Penang became the first state in Malaysia to wipe out hard core poverty by 2009. For 2012 the minimum income has been increased to RM600 monthly per household, where the state government will top up any difference to ensure that each family receives at least RM600 monthly. Penang intends to also be the first state in Malaysia to wipe out poverty by 2015.
Penang has also benefited from good governance through building institutions based on freedom, justice, truth and democracy. Freedom of speech and peaceful assembly is observed in Penang with the first Speakers’ Square in Malaysia and weekly protests held in the streets. There is a Freedom of Information Act and implementation of open
tenders to ensure the best price, quality and management. CAT governance of competency accountability and transparency has ensured a more responsive, accessible and effective government delivery system.
There is also freedom of worship where respect not tolerance is encouraged.
As Penang has no natural resources, building and developing human talent is the only way forward for Penang’s success and prosperity. Schools are given annual allocation to assist in their development needs. The establishment of a Penang Science Council(PSC) Is an important critical step to transform Penang into a center of excellence of science and technology. The astounding success of the Penang International Scienc Fair at PISA, the first science event held in a stadium in Malaysia, has not just inspired innovation but also inspired many young students to consider science as their career choice.
Integrity and good governance are key to building, retraining, retaining and attracting new human talent. Penang may be without natural resources of land, timber, gas and oil but there is no corruption driving away our human talent. The highest investment in Penang’s history last year when Penang topped the investment charts for the first time ever with RM 12.24 billion shows the confidence of not just foreign but also local investors with this approach. Let us remain united, respect our our freedom of worship and stay focused on preparing our children to face the challenges of the future.
LIM GUAN ENG
—-Mandarin Translation—
槟州首席部长林冠英于2011年12月24日在乔治市发表圣诞节献词：
通过打造廉洁、良好施政及让人民发挥所长的民本政府，为槟州带来新希望。
基督徒在圣诞节不只是庆祝耶稣基督的诞生，也是一个庆祝希望到来的日子。我们为和平、喜乐及好运祷告。槟州也通过打造廉洁、良好施政及让人民发挥所长的民本政府，为槟州带来新希望。
槟州因为一个廉洁政府而获益不少。它不只因为良好的财务管理而被总稽查司称赞，也被国际透明组织表扬公开招标和肃贪的措施。槟州也自2008年起，为州政府、槟岛市政局和威省市政局取得财政预算盈余。
这让我们可以进行各种社会福利计划，派钱给年龄人士、残障人士、单亲妈妈、新生儿及学生。槟州在2009年成为全马第一个消除赤贫的州属。2012年，每户人家每月最低收入被提高到600令吉，而州政府将会补贴那些月入低于600令吉的家庭，让他们的家庭月入达600令吉。槟州也立志在2015年成为全马第一个扫除贫穷的州属。
通过体制建设，促进自由、公正、真理及民主，槟州从良好施政中受益。从槟州全马第一个演说者广场及每周的街头示威可以看到言论自由及集会自由。我们也有资讯自由法，实施公开招标，确保物品及服务的价格、品质及管理。能干、公信及透明施政方针确保政府传递服务系统更加有效率、易达及快速做出反应。就宗教自由而言，我们不只要容忍，我们也倡导尊重。
槟州没有天然资源，唯有栽培人才才是让槟州迈向成功与繁荣的方式。我们每年拨款发展学校。槟州科学理事会的成立，是一个让槟州转型为科学工艺中学的重要步骤。槟州国际科学博览会的成功，也是全马首次在体育馆内举行的科学博览会，不只启发革新创意，也启发了许多学生选择从事科学事业。
廉洁与良好施政能够培育人才、留住人才、吸引人才。槟州没有土地、树桐、天然气及石油，但是我们也没有足以吓跑人的贪污。槟城在去年招商引资方面，破记录获得122亿4000万令吉的投资额，说明不只外国投资者对我们有信心，本地投资者也欢迎我们的廉政。让我们团结一致，尊重我们的信仰自由，把焦点放在为孩子们做好准备，迎接未来的挑战。
林冠英