2014 Penang New Year Message By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On 31.12.2013.
2014 Portends A Pivotal Year That Will Make Or Break Penang’s Promise As A Destination Of Choice For Tourists, Livable City Of Choice For Residents As Well As A Location Of Choice For Manufacturing, Services and Business Process Outsourcing(BPO) Hub.
2014 portends a pivotal year that will make or break Penang’s promise as a destination of choice for tourists, livable city of choice for residents as well as a location of choice for manufacturing, services and Business Process Outsourcing(BPO) hub. The PR Penang state government has invested resources since 2008 to transform Penang into a high-income economy as not only the sweatshop but also the smartshop of the manufacturing and services sector.
Working in tandem with the long-awaited opening of the Penang 2nd Bridge during the Chinese New Year, the state government hopes that its landing point at Batu Kawan can be the catalyst of growth in Seberang Perai to move Penang up out of the middle-income trap:-
From a low-cost manufacturing centre towards a knowledge-based, innovation-driven and high-tech production powerhouse.
Seeking convergence by leveraging on the strong manufacturing base to develop the services sector and fulfil Penang’s promise as one of the 31 BPOs of the future.
Providing support to local SMEs in terms of physical infrastructure facilities, sharing market knowledge, credit access, technological or research and development assistance.
Building tourism infrastructure and attracting world-class tourist products;
Ensure sustainable development by investing public resources to make Penang as the most livable city in Malaysia that is clean, green, safe and healthy.
As Penang has no natural resources and can not expect any external public funding, the market will play its resource allocation role to source human talent, capital, resources, infrastructure, technology and sales for our growth. The state government will rely on our faith in the energy, expertise and entrepreneurship of our human talent to realise our vision of making Penang an international and intelligent city.
The state government’s pro-growth and pro-jobs economic policies that has seen economic prosperity and a shortage of at least 20,000 jobs is not achieved at the expense of the poor. Penang is proud with our cash assistance programmes of RM150 million to schools, dialysis centres, free wifi and directly to the 1.6 million Penangites since 2008, especially the singular achievement of becoming the first state to wipe out poverty in Malaysia. Penang is also proud in not imposing any price hikes on local services.
In contrast to the BN Federal government’s repeated price hikes of petrol, sugar, power tariffs, highway tolls and assessment rates, the Penang state government has not increased quit rent, water tariffs, assessment nor business license rates for this year and next year. The only increase is on penalties for those consumers who waste water, an environmental protection programme to conserve water, because Penang records the country’s highest water consumption rate. Even after the increase in penalties to conserve water, those who waste water still pay the lowest water tariffs in the country.
Further the new housing rules and commencement of the public and affordable housing programme of 20,000 units in all 5 districts by the Penang Development Corporation will benefit first-time housebuyers. The biggest challenge is still public transport because co-operation, support and approval from the Federal government is essential. The Penang state government hopes that the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak can fulfil his commitment made during the National Christmas Day Open House celebrations in Penang that both the Federal and state government should rise above competing interests to work for the good of the people.
LIM GUAN ENG
—-Mandarin Version—-
槟州首席部长林冠英于2014年在乔治市光大发表2014年新年献词：
2014年将会是关键的一年，槟城能否达致愿景，成为游客的旅游胜地、居民的宜居城以及制造业、服务业及商务流程外包中心的首选地。
2014年将会是关键的一年，槟城能否达致愿景，成为游客的旅游胜地、居民的宜居城以及制造业、服务业及商业流程外包中心的首选地。槟城民联政府在2008年投资了资源，以让槟城转型成为高收入经济体，不只是制造业及服务业血汗工厂，也是精明工厂。
我们一起期街将在农历新年通车的槟城第二大桥，州政府希望大桥另一端的峇都加湾能够成为威省成长的催化剂，以让槟城脱离中等收入陷阱。
从廉价生产中心转型成为知识型、创新及高科技生产中心。
借助强稳的制造业基础，寻求合作发展服务业，满足槟城做为未来31强的商务流程外包中心
为本地中小型企业提供援助，加强基础建设、共享市场知识、信贷通路、科技、研究及发展援助。
兴建旅游基建及吸引世界级旅游产品
保障可持续发展，投资在公共资源，确保槟城净、绿、安、康，是全马最宜居的城市。
由于槟城没有天然资源，我们不能期待任何外来公共资金，市场在寻求人才、资本、资源、基建、科技及销售方面，为我们的成长扮演资源分配的角色。州政府将依靠我们对人民活力、专才及企业精神的信心，以实现我们打造槟城成为国际及智能城市的愿景。
州政府的亲成长及亲就业机会的经济政策让我们看到经济繁荣 及还有2万个空缺，我们没有牺牲穷人。2008年以来，我们拨出1亿5000万令吉给学校、洗肾中心、免费Wifi及160万名槟城人，特别是成为我国第一个扫除贫穷的州属。槟城也没有强制本地服务业起价。
反之，国阵联邦政府不断地起价，从汽油、白糖、电力、大道过路费及门牌税，今年及明年，槟州政府没有起租、水费、门牌税或商业执照。唯一的涨价是向用水过多的消费人征收附加费，这是一项保护水源的措施，因为槟城是全马人均用水量最高的州属。就算我们实施了保护水源附加费，那些浪费水的用户所付的水费还是全国最低。
还有，新的房屋政策以及槟城发展机构在五个县属兴建2万个公共房屋及可负担房屋单位，将惠及第一次购屋者。最大的挑战是公共交通，因为我们需要联邦政府的合作、支持及批准 。槟州政府希望首相拿督斯里纳吉可以兑现他在槟城举行的全国圣延节庆典上的承诺，那就是联邦政府与州政府应该摒弃竞争利益，为了人民的利益共同努力。
林冠英