Speech By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng During The Inaugral Penang 2012 Wesak Day Celebrations In Dewan Sri Pinang On 22.4.2012.
Penang state government celebrates its first ever Penang Wesak Day Celebrations at Dewan Sri Pinang to honour the birth, enlightenment and the passing away of Gautama Buddha 2,556 years ago. Today’s event is part of the program of the newly-established Non-Muslim Religious Affairs EXCO portfolio headed by me. Themed ‘Patriotism and Religious Harmony for a United Malaysia’, the celebration, which will take place two weeks before the actual Wesak Day on May 5, will trace the history of Buddha.
The event is open to all Malaysians and seeks to promote understanding and respect of each other’s different religious beliefs. As George Town is a UNESCO World Heritage City, Penang is the perfect platform for a diverse eco-system that allows all religions and cultures to flourish and co-exist in harmony. I wish to thank the Malaysian Buddhist Association under its President Ven Ren Yi and Dato Steven Ooi for working with Komtar ADUN YB Ng Wei Aik to make this event a success.
In accordance with Tripitaka or Triple Gem of Buddha, dhama(Buddhist law) and sangha(monks), running a government must be in accordance with the principles of the rakyat, law as well as good and clean leadership. The people deserve a people-centric government that upholds the rule of law. This is achieved through the Penang CAT governance of Competency, Accountability and Transparency, which have brought tremendous progress to the financial health of Penang.
Penang has achieved record budget surplus every year for the last four years not just in Penang state government but also our local government and state government agencies. Penang recorded the highest budget surpluses in history with RM88 million in 2008, RM 77 million in 2009 and RM33 million in 2010.
Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai or MPSP recorded surpluses – 2008 RM 3 million; 2009 RM 15 million and 2010 RM 23 million and RM13.6 million in 2011. Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang or MPPP, it recorded RM20.1 million in 2008; RM48.1 million in 2009 and RM89 million in 2010.
Only with these surpluses, the state government can give cash handouts to the elderly, new born babies, primary, secondary and university students but also undertake many development projects of more roads, drainage and green parks. It is not easy for politicians to have a clean leadership practicing CAT. However just like a lotus flower that grows out of the mud and blossoms above the muddy water surface, we can rise above the muddy water and not dirtied by the mud from which you grow.
For this reason, Penang state government is the first state government to implement open tender, disclose the contents of government contracts and declare the personal assets of EXCO members, including the Chief Minister. For this reason, any Integrity Pledge by leaders must necessarily include a commitment to publicly declare assets. Failure to do so would make this Integrity Pledge meaningless and an exercise in futility to ensure full public accountability.
Penang’s clean management and anti-corruption efforts have been praised not only by the Auditor-General Reports every year but also by Transparency International. Even foreign investors have confidence in Penang by making Penang the No.1 or top investment location in Malaysia for the first time in Penang’s history in 2010 and repeating that in 2011. For the second smallest state in Malaysia, Penang is proud to contribute towards 30% of Malaysia’s FDI from 2010-2011.
LIM GUAN ENG
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槟州首席部长林冠英于2012年4月22日在槟州大会堂举行的《槟州全民庆卫塞》英文演说
执政的政治领袖无法履行向公众申报资产的承诺，他向公众一再承诺的廉洁保证将只会是空谈。
槟州政府历史上首度在槟州大会堂庆祝卫塞节，以纪念佛教传承至今2556年，佛陀的诞生、成道及涅磐。今天的庆典是由州政府新成立，并由我掌管的非回教宗教理事会所主办的活动。这项以“爱国护教，团结全民”为主题的庆典，在5月5日卫塞节正日之前两个星期就开始为期两周的庆祝活动。
这项活动是公开给马来西亚全民参与，同时推广各宗教之间的谅解与尊重彼此不同的宗教信仰。乔治市作为联合国教科文组织的世界遗产城，是一个能让多元宗教及文化一起兴盛及和谐共存的最佳舞台。我在此感谢马来西亚佛教总会总会长释日恒长老及拿督黄得轩与光大州议员黄伟益合作让这项活动成功举行。
就好像根据佛教的“佛、法、僧”三宝，身为政府也一样必须根据人民、法治还有良好及廉洁的领导作为执政原则。人民有权力拥有一个以民为本，而且维护法治的政府。槟州政府透过能干、公信及透明的施政方针成功达到人民的要求，使槟城获得非常杰出又健康的财政表现。
过去4年在槟州不只州政府，连我们州内两个地方政府，一起连续获得了财政盈余。槟州政府在2008年史无前例获得8千800万令吉盈余、2009年获得RM7千700万令吉盈余及2010年获得3千300万令吉盈余。
威省市政局在2008年获得300万令吉盈余、2009年获得1500万令吉盈余、2010年获得2千300万令吉盈余及2011年获得1千360万令吉盈余。
槟岛市政局2008年获得2千10万令吉盈余、2009年获得4千810万令吉盈余及2010年获得8千900万令吉盈余。
唯有获得盈余，州政府才能在分发现金给乐龄人士、新生婴儿、小学生、中学生及大学生的同时，还有能力兼顾大量发展硬体措施，包括大量修路建路、修沟建沟及开辟绿化公园。对于政治人物来说，奉行能干、公信及透明的施政方针并不容易。但是，我们还是可以像美丽盛放的莲花一样，出淤泥而不染。
因此，槟州政府成为了首个实行公开招标、公开州政府合约内容及公开申报行政议员及首长资产的州属。也因为如此，政治领袖要证明自己的廉洁，就必须要承诺公开申报资产。如果无法公开资产，那么政治领袖的一切廉洁承诺将只是空谈及显得毫无意义。
槟州廉洁及反贪的管理不只每年受到国家稽查报告的赞扬，也获得国际透明组织的赞扬，甚至外国投资者对槟州有信心，让槟州的投资在2010及2011年连续两年全马居冠。槟州作为全马第二小的州属，对于在2010及2011年能为马来西亚贡献30%的外资感到非常骄傲。
林冠英