Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On19.8.2017.
Gerakan President Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong should remember that all the false and favourable reports in the BN-controlled media did not save Gerakan from losing all its Penang seats in both the 2008 and 2013 general elections. To blame the Pakatan state government for the problem of illegal structures, hawkers, Chinese and Hindu temples, churches and factories(or illegal situation) ignores the fact that they existed before 2008 and was a sad legacy of BN’s weak and indecisive leadership.
This was admitted today by BN Penang Chairman Teng Chang Yeow that the illegal situation was a result of development during 50 years of BN’s rule of Penang. Teng did not deny that Barisan National failed to solve the problem but like Mah Siew Keong, refused to say whether they agreed with Pakatan’s solution. When Pakatan took over the Penang State government in 2008 we were forced to deal with this legacy of illegal situation inherited from Barisan National.
We had taken a policy decision not to demolish or take actions against these illegal situation built before 2008, provided that they did not cause traffic obstruction or they did not disturb public interest. Instead the Pakatan state government opted to be considerate to try to resolve these problems amicably in a win-win solution, either relocation or legitimatizing them.
Isn’t BN and Gerakan politicizing the Sungai Lembu issue when they refuse to state what would be their solution to the illegal situation – endorse the present Pakatan state government policy or demolish all the tens of thousands cases in the illegal situation. If Gerakan is unhappy with what Pakatan state government have done, then be bold for once and state that BN will act differently by demolishing all the tens of thousands in the illegal situation, when BN wins back power in Penang!
Unlike the previous BN state government weak and indecisive leadership, the Pakatan state government is willing to act boldly and decisively. This was the reason we were returned with a 10% increase in popular vote, and the largest mandate in Penang’s history at 68% of the popular vote in the 2013 general elections.
BN should offer a clear and stark choice to people of Penang. To choose between Pakatan that will continue with our present policy of being considerate, use social mediation, resolve in a humane manner and not to demolish all the illegal structures and hawkers built before 2008. Or choose BN’s solution that will demolish over tens of thousands of illegal structures, factories, hawkers including temples, churches, Chinese and Indian temples if they win power.
Of course Barisan National can use its extensive power to do what they like without regard for democratic value and principles. But this is not the philosophy of the Pakatan government, we prefer a considerate approach that tries to take into account all parties, even though they may take a lot of time, but still a much better solution than demolishing tens of thousands of illegal structures, hawkers including non-muslim places of religious worships, that would cause social disruption and even disharmony.
Barisan National should also stop lying especially that there was corruption by Penang State EXCO Phee Boon Poh when he issued letters asking for enforcement action on the illegal factory in Sungai Lembu to be delayed. BN and Gerakan knows that here is no evidence that Phee took money nor do they have proof that he has a personal interest or his family members own the illegal factory. How can issuing such letters done in the course of duty by all wakil rakyats, both BN and Pakatan, be corruption? If that is corruption, then why has Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission not arrested BN wakil rakyats?
Further, BN is also dishonest about when the Sungai Lembu factory was built. First BN asked why the factory was allowed to operate illegally for 10 years. Now they said no it is operating for less than 10 years, so it is not caught by the Pakatan state government pre-2008 illegal structures ruling. Do not think that the people of Penang are so gullible as to fall to your tricks and deceit.
How political opponents blame each other is not important. It is the people of Penang that has the final say. The people had spoken and they had clearly blamed Barisan National for its ineffectiveness and failure of governance, leading to BN’s defeat in the 2008 general election and again in the 2013 general election where Gerakan lost all seats, including Teng.
This illegal situation inherited from BN is our dilemma. It is not easy but we have opted for a humane solution that will take time to resolve. If BN disagrees, then explain why you failed to demolish them when they were in power in 2008. Most importantly is BN opting for a final solution by demolishing the tens of thousands illegal hawkers and structures when BN wins power in Penang again? Let the people decide then who is right and who has no shame!
LIM GUAN ENG
槟州首席部长林冠英于2017年8月19日在槟城乔治市光大发表的声明：
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国阵应该表态，他们将会拆除所有在槟城的非法结构及非法小贩，以让槟州人民决定谁才是做得对的，以及谁不知耻字怎么写。
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民政党全国主席拿督马袖强应该记住，所有刊登在国阵所控制之媒体的不实及亲国阵的报导，是无法打救在2008年及2013年大选在槟城输得一席也不剩的民政党。 民政党就州内的非法结构、非法小贩、非法华人神庙、非法兴都庙、非法教堂及非法工厂（或非法现况）而怪罪希联政府，却无视这些非法结构其实早在2008年之前就存在的事实，这更是国阵懦弱及优柔寡断领导人所遗留下来的“遗产”。
槟州国阵主席邓章耀承认，那些处在槟城各非法的状况，的确是国阵掌权50年来发展的产物。邓章耀并没有否认国阵无法解决这些问题，反之他学马袖强那一套，不愿意表态是否同意希联的方案。当希望联盟在2008年接过槟州政权后，我们被逼接手国阵所遗留下来的烂摊子。
我们作出了一项政策决定 — 只要这些结构没有阻塞交通或影响公众利益，我们将采纳不拆除或不对付那些在2008年之前就已存在的非法结构（或情况）。反之，我们采取人性化的方式，尝试良好地以双赢方式解决这些问题，协助搬迁或让他们合法化。
在双溪里武事件上，国阵及民政党既不愿表明他们就非法结构的解决方案– 认同现有希联政府的政策，或者是一律摧毁数以万计的非法结构，难道还不算是在政治化课题吗？若民政党不满希联政府目前所做的决定，那就大胆地声明，一旦国阵重夺槟城州，国阵誓必与希联不同，国阵将会摧毁所有上万单位的非法结构
与前朝国阵懦弱及优柔寡断领导所不同的是，希联州政府敢敢大胆果断地采取行动。这也是为什么我们在2013年全国大选时，成功赢取10%更多的多数票，创下了槟城史上获得63%人民委托的政府之历史。
国阵应该给槟州人民一个明确及清晰的选择。要选一个会延续我们现有体恤民情、运用调解方式、以人性化模式而不是强行拆除所有非法结构非法小贩之政策的希望联盟政府；还是一个一旦重夺槟州政权就会立刻拆除并摧毁州内以数以万计的非法结构、工厂、小贩、神庙、教堂、华人庙、兴都庙的国阵方案。
当然，国阵可以在不考虑民主价值和原则的情况下，用他们的权力为所欲为。但是这并不是希联政府的施政理念。我们倾向于在顾及各方情况下，采取比较周到的方案，虽然这将让我们消耗到不少的时间，但是总比直接拆除及摧毁数以万计的非法结构，包括非法小贩、非法非穆斯林宗教建筑这些会引发社会不和谐的方案更好。
国阵也需要停止撒谎，特别是仅凭数封要求暂缓对双溪里武一家非法工厂采取行动的公函，就认定槟州行政议员彭文宝涉嫌贪污的谎言。国阵及民政党清楚知道，他们并没有确实的证据证明彭文宝从中取了金钱上的好处，更没有证据证明彭氏或其家人在这家非法工厂内有任何利益关系。不管是国阵或希联议员，执行人民代议士工作，发出类信公函，如何构成贪污？如果这行为算是贪污，那马来西亚反贪污委员会为何却没有以同等标准扣捕国阵的代议士呢？
再说，国阵也就双溪里武非法工厂事件上有着不诚实的说法。首先，国阵问为什么这家非法工厂被允许操作10年之久。现在他们又反反复复说工厂运作少过10年，所以并不在希联的“不对付2008年之前的非法结构”政策内。不要当作槟城人民是这样天真会上你的当和跌入你的圈套。
政敌互相怪罪并不重要。最后的决定权还是槟城人民手中的一票。槟州人民已经透过2008年及2013年全国大选，把他们的意愿说了出来，就是拒绝国阵的无效施政及失败的治理，进而导致民政党在2届大选输到一席也不剩，包括邓章耀本身的议席也输掉。
这些非法的情况是从国阵年代遗传下来。要解决并不容易，我们选择了一个人性化的方案，然而这需要时间来解决。如果国阵不同意我们的方案，他们需要解释为什么他们在2008年之前当权时没有把它铲除掉。更重要的是，如果不同意州政府的方案的话，国阵是否会在一旦重夺槟州政权之后，选择最后方案，把数以万计的非法小贩及非法结构铲除掉？国阵和希联的对比，就让槟州人民作决定，到底谁做得对，而谁又不知耻字怎么写。
林冠英