PENANG Pakatan Harapan leaders today reminded voters that if they allow Barisan Nasional to take back the state, all the progress and perks they have enjoyed since 2008 may be lost.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state had seen a lot of progress since 2008, the year the opposition took over the Penang government.

“We record surpluses each year even though we don’t get much funds from Putrajaya because we don’t tolerate corruption. When we make money, we share the wealth with the people through various welfare and aid programmes.

“Allocations are given to vernacular schools, including Tamil schools, and RM3.1 billion has been spent on building and improving Penang’s infrastructure, with 77% spent on the mainland,” he said.

Under the DAP-led administration, the Penang government had also introduced many new annual welfare and financial aid programmes to various groups, including senior citizens, newborns, single mothers, primary, secondary and university students, and even taxi and school bus drivers.

“Students in Penang who make it into university get a one-off aid of RM1,000. Which other state offers this?

“The money and the progress we have achieved will be lost if BN takes back Penang,” Guan Eng told a crowd at the Penang DAP Deepavali open house in Juru, central Seberang Prai, today.

The DAP secretary-general and PH deputy president also said the Penang government had not given up on building the first Tamil secondary school in the state, a proposal that had been rejected by the federal government.

Guan Eng said should PH take over Putrajaya in the next polls, there was no reason why the proposal could not be accepted.

He also poked fun at the federal government’s Malaysian Indian Blueprint, saying it was just talk to gain support in the next general election.

“There is no need to talk. Just give the blue IC (MyKad for Malaysian citizens). What is the use of talking about a blueprint if the government is not giving the people citizenship?” he said, referring to the longstanding citizenship issue for Indians in Malaysia.

Penang DAP chief and state exco Chow Kon Yeow in his speech also reiterated how the PH administration fought for justice and equal opportunities for the people, in line with the opposition’s struggles, by introducing new programmes, policies and regulations.

“Using the authority we have as the state government, we have worked to improve infrastructure, housing and job opportunities to better the lives of citizens.

“Our political struggle as an opposition party remains the same, and is reflected in what we do as a state government and our commitment towards bringing meaningful change to Malaysia and its people.

“With the polls coming, we have a good chance to bring change under the PH coalition,” he said.

Guan Eng and Chow’s remarks came a day after the BN federal government announced Budget 2018, dubbed by Prime Minister Najib Razak as the “mother of all budgets”.

Meanwhile, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said despite Najib calling it the “mother of all budgets”, no budget could address the problems in Malaysia unless the kleptocracy issue was tackled.

“Malaysia has lost the people’s confidence and is known globally as a kleptocracy. For five years, Najib has not dared to address the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal.,” he said.

“The requisite is to tackle the scandal that has made Malaysia a kleptocracy. Only then will Malaysia become a good and moderate nation where the people’s interests are put first.” – October 28, 2017.