Press Statement by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in Komtar, George Town on 22.02.2014.
Penangites Are Smart Enough To Distinguish Lies Which Will Not Succeed In Undermining And Destabilising The PR Penang State Government From Fulfilling Our Historic 68% Mandate To Deliver A People-Centric Government.
In the last few weeks, Penang has seen a series of vitriolic episodes beginning with demonstrations by UMNO leaders and supporters in Seberang Jaya, in which threats to repeat May 13 were made, provocative banners put up in front of churches, Molotov cocktails (fire bombs) thrown into a church compound, and the desecration of a mosque with meat in Bukit Mertajam. This is on top of violent threats made to Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, whereby RM1,200 was offered to anyone who could slap her and record the incident.
In addition, there have also been false allegations this past week by the Chairman of a Parents Teacher Association(PTA) that Malay Bibles were being distributed to Malay children at the Sekolah Menengah Haji Zainal Abidin in George Town. Another false allegation is by an UMNO Youth Terengganu leader that the Penang state government is planning to ban Friday sermons.
These two allegations against the Penang state government have been proven to be completely false and unsubstantiated. According to the police, no one has been caught for distributing such Bibles, nor has there been any police report lodged over the matter. The PTA chairman has now removed his false allegation from his facebook account. At the same time, the suggestion that the Penang state government is planning to ban Friday sermons is nothing but utter nonsense.
And yet, no action has been taken against those who were responsible for spreading those lies whether it is a Chairman of a Parents Teacher Association of the Sekolah Menengah Haji Zainal Abidin or an UMNO Youth leader from Terengganu. What is so dangerous about such lies is that they can incite and provoke racial strife and disrupt our social harmony amongst various religions.
It would appear that the country has been overtaken by extremists and bigots. Penangites are smart enough to distinguish lies which will not succeed in undermining and destabilising the PR Penang state government from fulfilling our historic 68% mandate to deliver a people-centric government that is clean, accountable and transparent.
The Penang state government will neither be cowed nor be distracted from our efforts towards a cleaner, greener, safer and healthier Penang. Instead, we are determined to defeat these extremist elements by celebrating our diversity and uniqueness as a strength and not a weakness because PR believes that social harmony can only be achieved when we celebrate our differences.
LIM GUAN ENG
— CN Version —
槟州首席部长林冠英於2014年2月22日在乔治市光大发表文告：
————————————————————————————————————————————————————
精明的槟城人拥有足够的辨别能力，那些似是而非的谎言将无法撼动拥有历史新高即68%支持率的槟州民联政府，成为一个以民为本的政府。
————————————————————————————————————————————————————
最近几个星期，槟城上演了荒腔走板的恶毒连续剧，先是巫统领袖及支持者在诗布朗再也示威抗议时，言之凿凿威胁人们“513事件”将再次发生；接下来，是有心人在教堂前挂上挑衅的布条、抛燃烧弹至教堂草地。然後，是抛肉块到大山脚的一间清真寺，极尽可能地予以亵渎。而所有的暴力恐吓，在士布爹区国会议员郭素沁的身上达致最高点——竟然有人出价1千200令吉，犒赏那些成功掌掴郭素沁并记录下来者。
除此之外，诬蔑指控的事件也一再发生。上星期，乔治市内的再纳阿比丁中学家协主席，指责有人在校园里派发马来圣经予该校巫裔子弟；登佳楼巫统青年团领袖说槟州政府即将取消穆斯林的周五例常祈祷。凡此种种，其实都是子虚乌有之事。
而上述两项对槟州政府的指控，已经证实为空穴来风，根本没有事实根据。根据警方的说法，他们並没有接获有人在校园内派发马来圣经的投报，或者是捉到任何人派发相关圣经予马来学子。该校的家协主席，亦已在个人脸书帐号上，移除之前的错误指控。至於州政府欲取消週五例常祈祷之事，更是无中生有，无聊之至。
尽管如此，令人深感纳闷的是，为何至今不见相关单位采取行动对付那些散布谣言者，即再纳阿比丁中学的家协主席以及登佳楼巫统青年团领袖？他们所造之谣，都是十分危险且具煽动性的，随时足以摧毁我们社会、种族、宗教间的和谐。
由此看来，我们国家显然已被极端主义及盲目者取而代之。惟精明的槟城人拥有足够的辨别能力，那些似是而非的谎言将无法撼动拥有历史新高即68%支持率的槟州民联政府，成为一个以民为本的政府，朝绿化、问责及透明的方向前进。
槟州政府绝不会因为这些事件而退缩或乖离我们的路线，即走向更干净、绿化、安全及健康的槟城。民联相信，要击败种种的极端主义者，我们就要颂扬且珍惜我们之间的差异，让我们各族群独一无二的特质，成为一股力量造就和谐的社会。
林冠英