Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On 17.2.2017.
Penang UMNO Chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman defended Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor’s suggestion to turn Penang into a Federal Territory, is aimed at turning the state into a tax haven. Penang UMNO’s refusal to condemn Tengku Adnan’s proposal has given added urgency to the continuation and the resistance of this proposal, through the “I Love Penang” campaign to secure the future of Penang as a sovereign state in Malaysia under the Malaysian Federal Constitution.
Zainal’s rationale of needing Penang to be a Federal Territory so that Penang can be converted into a tax haven is dishonest because this was never previously mentioned by Tengku Adnan. Furthermore, Penang does not need to be a Federal Territory to be a tax haven. Penang enjoyed free port status, and even Iskandar in Johor enjoyed tax haven status, without being turned into a Federal Territory. Lest BN forgets, it was BN who sold out the rights of Penang in the 1970s by abolishing Penang’s free port status. BN can return us the free port or grant us the tax haven status without turning Penang into a Federal Territory. Why have they not done so now?
Zainal added that Tengku Adnan’s views should be welcomed because he has good intentions, he means well and does not intend any harm against Penang. This is the clearest indication that if BN wins Penang in the next general elections, UMNO would push for Penang to be turned into a Federal Territory. Zainal admits that apart from amending the Federal Constitution and gaining the consent of the Conference of Rulers, all that is needed is for the state government to agree for Penang to become a Federal Territory. That is why Penang needs to be saved from BN and UMNO.
The people of Penang strongly opposes turning Penang into a Federal Territory because we will be denied our full constitutional and democratic rights to choose our own state government to decide on local matters. Instead of State Assemblypersons, EXCOs and a Chief Minister who stays in Penang, decisions about Penang will be decided by fiat without any democratic accountability by some Minister living in Putrajaya, who has no understanding or interest in local Penang issues. There will also be no local concillors. More importantly there will be no Penang Governor!
1.6 million Penangites have the right to fear that turning Penang into a Federal Territory will mean a return to the bad old days of BN’s misrule when Penang was dirty, not green, neither safe nor healthy. Penangites have not forgotten the misgovernance of BN, as compared to the present government, whose CAT administration of Competency Accountability and Transparency has been praised not only by the yearly Auditor-General’s Reports but also by Transparency International.
BN Poses A Clear And Present Danger To The Continued Existence Of Penang.
CAT administration has recorded annual budget surpluses of RM574 million over 8 years since 2008 as compared to RM373 million over 50 years(1957-2007), doubling of cash reserves in 8 years to RM1.6 billion, what it took 50 years for BN to achieve as well as a reduction of state government debts by 90%. This “anti-corruption dividend” has allowed Penangites to benefit from cash payments and increased allocations for building public infrastructure and human talent.
Since 2008, more than RM412 million has been paid out in direct cash contributions to 1.6 million Penangites to senior citizens, housewives, single mothers, new-born babies, students, the disabled, university student, taxi drivers, school-bus drivers, trishaw pullers and the hard-core poor. Our vernacular and religious schools are given cash aid and land. All this will be put at risk when Penang is ruled by a Minister not living in Penang but in Putrajaya.
What about the promotion, protection and preservation of our UNESCO World Heritage site of George Town or Penang’s successes as a tourist destination of choice as seen by CNN listing of the top 17 best places to visit in the world, when Penang came out No.2? What will happen then to the 100% exemption of paying local assessment rates for low-cost, low-medium cost and kampong houses, 6% discount for assessment of other properites and absorption of paying the 6% GST by Penang Island City Council and Seberang Perai Municipal Council? After all, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur does not give such exemptions or discounts for assessment rates nor absorption of GST!
There is also concern that Penang will be riddled with corruption like the 1MDB RM52 billion scandal and the USD1 billion donation scandal when Putrajaya directly rules Penang. 1MDB’s controversial purchase of 234 acres of land in Air Itam for RM1.3 billion, without securing 100% ownership, will no longer be frozen and the land sold without due regard to the more than 3,000 squatter families there.
The Pakatan Penang state government is not overreacting to Tengku Adnan’s proposal but sees it as a clear and present danger to the continued existence of Penang. Worse, Zainal says that the proposal was to turn the island into a Federal Territory, leaving the mainland untouched, which effectively splits up the state. For this splittist suggestion not to be condemned by a Penangite like Zainal, shows that BN leaders do not have the best interests of Penang at heart, but is willing to give up everything for the perks and privileges of office.
The Penang state government will persist to resist this threat by BN, with our “I love Penang” campaign to warn Penangites of the clear and present danger posed by BN to Penang’s continued existence.
LIM GUAN ENG
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槟州首席部长林冠英于2017年2月17日在乔治市光大发表文告：
槟巫统拒绝谴责将槟城兼并为联邦直辖区的建议，足见持续展开“我爱槟城”的运动充满着不成功变成仁的急迫性。
槟州巫统主席拿督斯里再纳阿比丁捍卫联邦直辖区部长拿督斯里东姑安南要把槟城兼并为联邦直辖区的建议，称这建议是要把槟城转变为免税天堂。城巫统拒绝谴责东姑安南将槟城兼并为联邦直辖区的建议，足见持续展开“我爱槟城”的运动作为抗衡充满着急迫行，以拯救未来槟城在马来西亚联邦宪法之下作为一个州属的主权。
再纳称要将槟城兼并为联邦直辖区的理由是因为可以将槟城转变为免税天堂，这说法根本是自圆其说因为东姑安南在此之前并不曾如此说过。再者，槟城也不必成为联邦直辖区后才能成为免税天堂。国阵可别忘了，就是国阵自己在1970年代将槟城的自由港地位的权力给典当掉。因此，国阵根本可以在不必将槟城兼并为联邦直辖区就能还回槟城自由港或免税天堂的地位，何以国阵不如此做呢？
再纳还补充称东姑安南的观点应该受到欢迎，因为东姑安南可是立意良善，并不是蓄意要破坏槟城。从再纳的言论很明显看出一旦国阵在下届大选赢得槟城，将会把槟城兼并为联邦直辖区。 再纳还承认除了修改联邦宪法及获得统治者会议同意，剩下的只要获得槟州政府同意就可以把槟城转为联邦直辖区。所以，槟城必须从国阵及巫统的谋略中拯救出来。
槟城人民强烈反对将槟城被兼并为联邦直辖区，因为我们将完全失去宪法所赋予我们的民主权力，失去了自己选择州政府以决定我们地方事务的权利。到时候将不会有定居在槟城的州议员、行政议员及首席部长，取而代之的是，槟城的事务与治理将由一位远在布城、不懂槟城地方事务及槟城人利益的部长决定。而且，届时不只将不再有市议员，连槟州元首也不复存在！
160万的槟城人有权惧怕一旦槟城被兼并为联邦直辖区将预示槟城倒退回国阵治理失灵失能时的旧日梦魇，当时候槟城的脏乱与治安不靖、更谈不上什么绿色、健康了。 与现任政府能干公信透明的CAT施政方针，不只每年获得国家稽查司报告称赞，而且也曾获得国际透明组织称赞的治理相比，槟城人并没有忘记国阵当年的治理失灵与失能。
国阵已经对槟州的继续存在构成了明显而急迫的威胁。
自2008年以来，透过能干、公信及透明（CAT）的施政，槟州8年来累积了5亿7400万令吉盈余，比国阵政府过去50年（1957-2007）治理檳城所获得的3亿7300万令吉还要多。我们的储备金8年来增加了近乎国阵过去50年来的一倍，至16亿令吉。于此同时我们州的债务已经减少了90%。这份“拒绝贪污腐败的分红”，最终回到了槟城人的身上，让他们不仅享有现金回酬，也让公共设施得到提升，人才得以获得栽培。
从2008年起，槟州政府把4亿1200万令吉以现金的方式回馈予160万名槟城人，广大的受惠对象包括乐龄人士、家庭主妇、单亲妈妈、新生婴儿、学生、身心障碍者、大学新生、德士司机、学生巴士司机、三轮车夫以及赤贫人士。我们的国民型及宗教学校也获得了现金援助以及获赠土地。一旦槟州交由住在布城而非槟城者来治理，凡此种种将可能面对不再延续的风险。
还有，当槟城拱手让予联邦后，槟城还会继续如日中天，成为CNN列下的世界17个最佳旅游地的第二名？谁来推广、保护及修复我们的乔治市世界遗产？廉价屋、中廉价屋及甘榜屋免门牌税、其他类型房子折扣6%门牌税的政策还会继续吗？槟岛市政厅及威省市政局吸纳6%消费税的政策还能持续？吉隆坡市政厅可不会给予这样的门牌税优惠，或是为民众吸纳消费税！
在布城直接治理槟州后，槟城也许将爆发贪污腐败如520亿令吉的1MDB丑闻、10亿美金捐款丑闻等事件。另，在充满争议性的1MDB以13亿令吉购买亚依淡234英亩土地一案中，若不能确保100%的拥有权，槟州将不能冻结交易，这土地上的3000户家庭何去何从，将不得而知。
槟州希望联盟政府并非对东姑安南的建议反应过大，事实上，这已经对槟州的继续存在构成了明显而急迫的威胁。更甚的是，再纳指出有关建议只是提议把槟岛纳入直辖区，威省则没有包括在内，这种做法无疑是在分裂槟州。身为槟城人的再纳并没有及时阻止这种分裂槟州的建议，显示出国阵领袖从没有把槟城人的利益摆在心上 ，一切以自己的利益为优先。
对于国阵的威胁，槟城政府将会以“我爱槟城”的运动对抗到底。我们用“我爱槟城”运动来提醒所有的槟城人，国阵已经对槟州的继续存在构成了明显而急迫的威胁。
林冠英