UPDATED
@ 08:06:44 PM 18-02-2012
February 18, 2012
Dr
Chua (left) and Lim share a light moment before the start of their
debate. In the middle is moderator Tan Ah Chai. — Picture by Jack Ooi
MCA president Dr Chua began the debate by immediately accusing Lim’s
DAP of being “political eunuchs” who dare not go up against Umno in
elections.
“DAP says it is multiracial but depends on Chinese support and wins only in Chinese seats. They tell Chinese they need to teach Umno a lesson but they never face Umno,” he told an audience of over 800.
But DAP secretary general Lim shot back, saying the MCA has never been brave enough to stand up to its Barisan Nasional (BN) partner.
“Umno talks about Ketuanan Melayu (Malay Supremacy). Is MCA brave enough to stop them? Can’t MCA see, this two-race system is within BN itself,” the Penang chief minister said.
The Bagan MP also referred to the RM250 million National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal that has engulfed Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, calling it “just the tip of the iceberg.”
“Former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has admitted MCA used to eat Umno’s leftovers. But now MCA can only get breadcrumbs,” he said.
Dr Chua, who deposed Ong as party president in March 2010 after a protracted power struggle, dismissed Ong’s statement, pointing out “that’s why in one year, we brought him down.”
Lim also said that the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal has seen Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, former MCA president and deputy president respectively, being charged in court while their then Cabinet colleagues from Umno “got away scot free.”
But Dr Chua said this displayed his foe’s “racial sentiment by asking why only Chinese were charged but not Malays.”
The debate, themed “Chinese at a Crossroads. Is the 2 Party System Becoming a 2 Race System?”, was also screened on Astro in both Mandarin and with Malay translation.
The floor largely backed a stern-looking Dr Chua whose opponent smiled through most of the debate despite enduring heavy fire from questions by the audience.
The DAP secretary general said in a debate with Dr Chua if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) took over federal government, it would stem leakages due to graft, allowing it to abolish tolls and offer Sabah and Sarawak a hike in oil royalties to 20 per cent from the current 5 per cent.
“The PKFZ is not the first scandal involving MCA leaders. What change has MCA done and how is it no Umno leader has been prosecuted?” he said of the project which was first mooted when former MCA boss Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik was transport minister.
Both Dr Ling and his ministerial successor Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, a former MCA deputy president, face charges of lying to the Cabinet after the project, initially estimated at less than RM2 billion, more than doubled to RM4.6 billion by 2007.
“We want to establish a policy state not a police state. If we win, we will abolish tolls on the North-South Expressway and Penang bridge and increase oil royalties in Sabah and Sarawak,” Lim told an audience of 800 who were largely MCA supporters.
“If we take over Putrajaya, we will give you RM1,000 every year,” a smiling Lim added, referring to the RM500 direct cash given by the Najib administration to all households with a monthly income below RM3,000.
But Dr Chua also insisted MCA is anti-graft “which is why we never demonstrate when our leaders are charged,” an apparent reference to PR’s assembly outside the court here when Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim faced the verdict for his sodomy trial on January 9.
“We have confidence in the law. We never say our leaders are innocent,” the former health minister added, saying he could not comment on the case specifically as it would be subjudice.
The stern-looking former Labis MP also dismissed Lim’s promises and pointed out Penang has not done away with the Sg Nyior toll in Butterworth despite promising to do so during Election 2008.
The debate, themed “Chinese at a Crossroads. Is the 2 Party System Becoming a 2 Race System?” was also screened on Astro in both Mandarin and with Malay translation.
“DAP says it is multiracial but depends on Chinese support and wins only in Chinese seats. They tell Chinese they need to teach Umno a lesson but they never face Umno,” he told an audience of over 800.
But DAP secretary general Lim shot back, saying the MCA has never been brave enough to stand up to its Barisan Nasional (BN) partner.
“Umno talks about Ketuanan Melayu (Malay Supremacy). Is MCA brave enough to stop them? Can’t MCA see, this two-race system is within BN itself,” the Penang chief minister said.
The Bagan MP also referred to the RM250 million National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal that has engulfed Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, calling it “just the tip of the iceberg.”
“Former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has admitted MCA used to eat Umno’s leftovers. But now MCA can only get breadcrumbs,” he said.
Dr Chua, who deposed Ong as party president in March 2010 after a protracted power struggle, dismissed Ong’s statement, pointing out “that’s why in one year, we brought him down.”
Lim also said that the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal has seen Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, former MCA president and deputy president respectively, being charged in court while their then Cabinet colleagues from Umno “got away scot free.”
But Dr Chua said this displayed his foe’s “racial sentiment by asking why only Chinese were charged but not Malays.”
The debate, themed “Chinese at a Crossroads. Is the 2 Party System Becoming a 2 Race System?”, was also screened on Astro in both Mandarin and with Malay translation.
The floor largely backed a stern-looking Dr Chua whose opponent smiled through most of the debate despite enduring heavy fire from questions by the audience.
Guan Eng flays Soi Lek over graft in BN
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 – Lim Guan Eng took his rival Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to task today over alleged corruption within Barisan Nasional (BN), singling out the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal where two former MCA leaders have been charged with cheating the government.The DAP secretary general said in a debate with Dr Chua if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) took over federal government, it would stem leakages due to graft, allowing it to abolish tolls and offer Sabah and Sarawak a hike in oil royalties to 20 per cent from the current 5 per cent.
“The PKFZ is not the first scandal involving MCA leaders. What change has MCA done and how is it no Umno leader has been prosecuted?” he said of the project which was first mooted when former MCA boss Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik was transport minister.
Both Dr Ling and his ministerial successor Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, a former MCA deputy president, face charges of lying to the Cabinet after the project, initially estimated at less than RM2 billion, more than doubled to RM4.6 billion by 2007.
“We want to establish a policy state not a police state. If we win, we will abolish tolls on the North-South Expressway and Penang bridge and increase oil royalties in Sabah and Sarawak,” Lim told an audience of 800 who were largely MCA supporters.
“If we take over Putrajaya, we will give you RM1,000 every year,” a smiling Lim added, referring to the RM500 direct cash given by the Najib administration to all households with a monthly income below RM3,000.
But Dr Chua also insisted MCA is anti-graft “which is why we never demonstrate when our leaders are charged,” an apparent reference to PR’s assembly outside the court here when Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim faced the verdict for his sodomy trial on January 9.
“We have confidence in the law. We never say our leaders are innocent,” the former health minister added, saying he could not comment on the case specifically as it would be subjudice.
The stern-looking former Labis MP also dismissed Lim’s promises and pointed out Penang has not done away with the Sg Nyior toll in Butterworth despite promising to do so during Election 2008.
The debate, themed “Chinese at a Crossroads. Is the 2 Party System Becoming a 2 Race System?” was also screened on Astro in both Mandarin and with Malay translation.
Why is Shahrizat (NFC) only asked to resign? She should be prosecuted and jailed for many years! DAP’s Teoh B H was grilled and murdered quickly over an ‘alleged’ few thousand dollars in question. New Zealand MP Taito Philip Field was jailed for several years after using Thai immigrants (seeking PR) to refurbish his houses. Where would those Taib & UMNO cronies stand in NZ?
ReplyDeleteTransparency International: “ Corruption…a criminal act of whom the victim is society at large…is a crime against society.” Corruption is same as armed robberies at gun-points amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars or more. Alan Newman, NZ
Malaysia has neither transparency (non-corruption) nor real human rights, neither freedom of the media nor true democracy.
ReplyDeleteThe blacks are only 14% of US population, if Obama can be US President, an Indian can be a Malaysian PM…think about it! How tragically you’ve been treated.
What has the ex-Malaysian PM got, to be proud of? Has he left a Malaysian legacy respected, successful and uncorrupted like his next door Singapore? True religion, humanity and morality have no room for plunder & racism. It’s only him glorifying himself, the World Community hasn’t a rice grain of respect for him. Lim Guan Eng is a million times more respected.