2012 Merdeka Day Message by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in George Town on 31.8.2012
Restoring Public Integrity, Political Accountability And Democratic Rights Of The People To Choose Their Elected Representatives.
In a statement made yesterday, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said that the administration of states under Pakatan Rakyat is merely based on the strong foundations built by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government for 50 years.
Addressing the Penang state government in particular, he added that, “Lim Guan Eng may not be able to administer Penang as a state if its foundation is not strong.”
Although Shafie’s words were meant as criticism, he had in fact delivered a backhanded compliment. By stating that the success of the PR states is due to BN’s solid foundations, Shafie is actually admitting how well PR has governed, particularly in Penang.
The PR Penang state government has proven our commitment to provide good and clean governance as a basis for social and economic development. By institutionalising the CAT principles of Competency, Accountability and Transparency, the Penang state government has produced budget surpluses every year, reduced corruption, saved the MPSP from near-bankruptcy and indeed, restored public trust in government. As a result of our judicious financial administration, we have been able to implement a host of social welfare programmes that have succeeded in alleviating the peoples’ burden as well as eliminating hardcore poverty.
Apart from providing good governance, it is very important to continue pushing for reforms in the political and economic sphere. In the last few years, we have made drastic reforms such as the introduction of open competitive tenders, the Freedom of Information Enactment, instituted public declaration of assets by the Chief Minister and the state EXCO, as well as passing the Local Government Elections Enactment.
Now, we are attempting to restore the intrinsic rights of the people by proposing an anti-hopping law to prevent elected representatives elected on a party ticket to hop or cross over. We believe that anyone elected on a party ticket should resign their seat and seek a fresh mandate from the people if they chose to leave the party platform on which they were elected on. Democracy, accountability and ethical conduct demands that the voters be given another opportunity to pass judgment whether such a decision by the elected representative to hop over is acceptable or not.
We believe that for our country to move forward, there is no choice but to restore public integrity, political accountability and the democratic rights of the people, especially in choosing their own elected representatives.
LIM GUAN ENG
槟州首席部长林冠英于2012年8月31日在乔治市光大发表国庆日声明：
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民选代议士必须恢复公众诚信、政治问责和民主权利。
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乡村及区域发展部长拿督斯里沙菲益阿达昨天说，民联政府今天的政绩，都是靠着国阵政府过去50年建立的坚稳基础。他还特别点名槟州，“如果槟州过去的基础不是那么强大，林冠英没有能力管理槟州。”
虽然沙菲益语带尖酸批评，但实际上他是讽刺的恭维槟州政绩。他说，民联政府靠着国阵过去的基础，承认了民联政府做得非常好，尤其是槟州。
槟州民联政府以行动实践对人民的承诺，提供良好廉政作为社会和经济发展的基础，通过CAT（能力、问责、透明），槟州政府年年有盈余，减少贪污腐败，将濒临破产威省市政局起死回生，恢复人民对政府的信任。从的审慎财务管理，我们有能力进行各项惠民计划，减轻人民的负担及消除赤贫。
除了良好施政，继续推动政治和经济领域的改革也非常重要。过去几年，我们大刀阔斧的改革取得了成就，如落实竞公开招标、通过《资讯自由法案》、公开首长和州行政议员的资产，以及通过地方政府选举，恢复第三民主票。
现在，我们正推行反跳槽法令，以防止那些通过政党得票的民选代议士跳槽，我们相信，从党票中胜出的代议士必须辞职，让选民决定是否是要选择一个已经离开有关政党平台的人，或是其他代表原有政党的候选人。在民主、问责和道德操守制度下，选民应该再有一次机会决定是否接受一个跳槽的代议士。
我们相信，国家要进步，民选代议士就一定要恢复公众诚信、政治问责和民主权利。
林冠英