“Revitalise Penang” Dialogue Series (I)
Organised by DAP Kampong Kolam Branch
THEME: “Lets Revitalise Penang Economy”
The economy of Penang used to be the most robust and competitive in Malaysia with giants like Intel anchoring the high-technology manufacturing industry. However, today, it lies a distant 3rd in the country, after Selangor and Johor. The Pearl of the Orient has clearly lost its sparkle.
How can DAP help revitalise Penang, and make the Pearl of the Orient shine, once again?
Speaker: LIM GUAN ENG
DAP Secretary-General
TONY PUA
Economic Advisor to DAP Sec-Gen
(Graduate in Philosophy, Politics & Economics, Oxford University)
YB CHOW KON YEOW
Member of Parliament for Tanjong
DAP Penang State Chairman
Language: Mandarin / English
Date: 6.7.2007 (Friday)
Time: 8.00 p.m. (Please be punctual)
Venue: The hall of Chew Si Kee San Tong
(33, Lebuh Kimberley, Georgetown )
Contact : 04-2288482 / 2277068
#1 by Godfather on Tuesday, 3 July 2007 - 2:56 pm
Unfortunately I can’t be there, but I hope you can all address the issues of how to win the hearts and minds of the people of Penang, drive the thieves out of power, and then govern in a way that shows hope to the rest of the country that governance does not equate to theft.
#2 by k1980 on Tuesday, 3 July 2007 - 3:40 pm
Sorry, but very interesting photo for your attention
http://www.shagadelica.net/?p=676
The (doctored) photo of the year
#3 by dawsheng on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 3:18 am
Go DAP. GOAL!
#4 by HJ Angus on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 5:47 am
I hope the response will be good for Penang can be an opposition state given the ratios.
Please organise this function professionally as that will give a good indication of how well a party can govern. The first impression is to start the event punctually.
#5 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 8:47 am
Penangites must vote for DAP if they want to restore democracy and progress to the State. If DAP wins, I’ll actively promote Penang as an investor-friendly state in the country.
Look at the authoritarian form of democracy practised by BN where even government officers are allowed to be NApoleons in their own right and Ministers aren’t even aware because they are sleeping on the job!
From BERAMA: “MCMC Told To Withdraw Letter Over Speeches By Opposition MPs”
KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Bernama) — The Energy, Water and Communications Ministry has instructed the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to withdraw a letter prohibiting private television stations from broadcasting speeches of opposition elected representatives in Parliament.
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said the MCMC should not have issued such a directive because it was contrary to the policy of the ministry.”
What rubbish policy? Such stinking rubbish is surely contrary to all principles of democracy and transgresses even the most basic of human rights. Gerakan is a poodle of UMNO like all other BN component parties. Penang does not want to be ruled by lap-dogs that are cabin’d, caged and cribbed by BN and allowed to move about only on a leash. How can Penang ever progress and go far, rise like a star, a real Pearl of the Orient.
BN must be demolished and trounced soundly in the next GE.
#6 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 10:07 am
To win Penang in the coming GE, a political party must win the votes of both urban and rural voters, comprising Bumiputra and nonBumiputra adults.
Can DAP win votes from Bumiputra voters? From nonBumiputra voters who are ‘kia-see’ or scared of voting for an opposition party (‘cos they were brain-washed to believe that voting out BN will cause Penang to ‘luang’)?
For DAP to win Penang, with or without an understanding with Keadilan, is an uphill task! Easier said than done. When the chips are down, most Penang folks are still ‘kia-see’ and go for BN, a known devil, rather than threading into unknown territory.
#7 by sheriff singh on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 10:08 am
If there is any place in the country where the BN government might be checked for their excesses and misdeeds, it is in Penang.
Sabahans tried to show the way but failed miserably, today they are neutered pussy cats. Kelantan? They only depend on the divine and prefer the status quo of living beneath coconut shells.
Only Penang people can show the way. Will they take the lead and do so?
The Pearl of the Orient is only a slogan, a misnomer. It never was a pearl and never shone at all. The chaos, stench and ugliness remains after 50 years. Heritage? What heritage? When will Penang folks wake up?
#8 by Godamn Singh on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 10:51 am
Penangites are not stupid. They will vote BN for state and DAP for parliamentary elections. That way they get the best of both worlds.
#9 by gianthunk on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 11:48 am
Godamn Singh you are right. Mind you they even went one step further voted LKS & Karpal out of Parliment. Kan ne neh what a shame. I am a Penang “Rung”.
#10 by k1980 on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 1:28 pm
//Penangites are not stupid. They will vote BN for state…//
In essence, by voting for the BN, they are voting for the continuation of the NEP. This means that Penangites are idiotic fools and will have no one but themselves to blame for the crimes committed under NEPotism. Meanwhile, the MCA, MIC and Gerakan winners will be grinning like chimpanzees as they scrambled for the crumbs under the umno table.
#11 by uyatnej on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 1:52 pm
Penangites is not kiasee or kiasu, what happen if DAP can win only half of Chinese majority seat and UMNO win all the Malay majority seat in Penang? So will the Chinese lose the CM post to UMNO? Then ko-ka-see, even with Chinese CM now, temples also been demolish, Chinese been threaten and so on. Until today, Penangite still can’t see or feel any DAP plan or strategy to convince them how DAP are going to win this coming GE in Penang. To be fair to MCA and Gerakan wakil rakyat, most of them are very hard working and you can easily find them when needed. So if you are a Penangite will you vote for the existing effective wakil rakyat or risk and try someone we don’t know?
The problems now is at Federal Goverment UMNO and Kiasee MCA and Gerakan leader. That is the reason why Penangite always vote for DAP for parliment and BN for state. Who can blame Penangite?
#12 by Ghost on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 1:59 pm
I remember, during my primary school days when I was 8-10 yrs old, my teacher told us to always remember and use our birthright tools, given by life, freedom to question, the magic word Why?
So, apparently we’ve all forgotten about such teaching, sleepwalking through life, following blindly, unconsciously or sub-consciously, without conscience nor awareness, till when? Till our last day on earth only we recall our birthrights? Till our last breath only we realise our true nature?
Truth is always out there, waiting, waiting for the day when we remember that we’ve the right to question.
Expand our awareness, expand our understandings, try question everything, you be surprise what lies beside it.
#13 by gana on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 3:31 pm
i agree with ENDAGERED HORNBIL the capture of Penang is must for DAP in this coming GE so as to show to the BN that there is vast majority people are upset with their politics in dealing race & religious base segremental goverment…and as Sheriff Sigh wishes it should made the Penagties to be realise who are really going to ruin our future generation,,,,BN.
#14 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 6:32 pm
So, DAP, let’s Roll.
The battle is for the brave and the visionary if we weary not.
And to the several detractors and fainthearted, pull up yr bootstraps and join us in the campaign if you share the cause and would give yr vote for a new beginning and for justice, equality and liberty.
#15 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 - 9:59 pm
If Penang falls to the DAP, will not Penangites suffer in the long run? The Penang government depends on federal grants for development projects as revenue is otherwise insufficient to finance these?
With BN holding the purse strings Penangites stand a better chance.
When it comes federal matters like law enforcement, judicial independence etc the DAP is the only way to vote to safeguard their constitutional rights – but that is only a perception. The fact is DAP has never been able to stop any bill from being passed by Parliament. Will it change now? I don’t think so.
#16 by Angry_Malaysian on Thursday, 5 July 2007 - 12:00 am
Well, to convince to bumiputra to vote for opposition in Penang is difficult if not impossible. In fact, the Umno in Penang is trying very hard to wrest over the Penang CM post by whining and complaining like a child to the dearest sugar daddy.
But if there is a will, there is a way! DAP Boleh!!
#17 by MWong on Thursday, 5 July 2007 - 1:25 am
//Penangites are not stupid. They will vote BN for state and DAP for parliamentary elections.//
True. In fact this is the mentality of many non-bumi (Chinese esp.) voters who believe there’s a trade-off in stability to vote BN out. DAP should extend the momentum of ‘Parliamentary strength’ to state level. It’s tough but not without a chance. Good luck!
#18 by HJ Angus on Thursday, 5 July 2007 - 6:11 am
Maybe Penang needsto lose the CM’s post to UMNO before they decide that an opposition state would be good?
That’s a good slogan for the elections.
“For Justice and Liberty!”
#19 by dawsheng on Thursday, 5 July 2007 - 2:38 pm
“If Penang falls to the DAP, will not Penangites suffer in the long run?” Undergrad2
Haven’t they suffered long enough under BN? Bill might not be necessarrily push through in Parliament if Penang fall to DAP, what is more important is DAP can revitalise Penang’s economy, and this must be main focus. Penangites must realized change come only with DAP voted in, state anf federal assembly.
#20 by justiciary on Thursday, 5 July 2007 - 5:17 pm
Whatever you people say about the pros and cons of voting for DAP in the coming GE,I think you all have seen enough of the true colours of BN.So why hesitate?Just vote for DAP.Do not bother if it is for the state assembly or parliament.Give them a chance now.
#21 by lchk on Friday, 6 July 2007 - 12:16 am
“If Penang falls to the DAP, will not Penangites suffer in the long run? The Penang government depends on federal grants for development projects as revenue is otherwise insufficient to finance these?”
By extending this line of argument, one can conclude that DAP and all other opposition parties should cease to exist and all parliament constituencies be handed over to BN. All “suffering” ends and Malaysia is truly boleh.
#22 by undergrad2 on Friday, 6 July 2007 - 12:27 am
It is not a question of “should” but “would”.
#23 by House Victim on Saturday, 7 July 2007 - 8:01 am
All are too late!!
After all those concessionaires, the future of Penang already in the hands of the “Privates”, such as PMW. A company with a paid-up capital of RM5mil will run the PORR project of RM1.2 billion on building and operating for 34 years starting “Toll” on this island of 1.5million population. Similarly with the coming of Mono-rail & Penang Rapid, etc.. More will be in private hands, or, at least under the Federal but to depend on loans from the Bank to be paid by expense of the Penangites or to see the rupture.
While the Heart of the Island (George Town) is Shrinking, “efforts” has moved to reclamation of Gurney Drive to give some 500 acres of land without much consideration of environmental impact and to depend much on Toll.
The button on Bubble-Economic already started in Penang!! Vampires already implanted! Any more fund to revitalize Penang? Anyone to take over, will have a hot-potato. A rotten old city and a new land of problems to come after transfusion (of blood) into private pockets and hand-tied for 34years of liabilities!!
Will GE in 2008 help?
#24 by good coolie on Monday, 9 July 2007 - 3:07 pm
Yah, the pearl will shine again. The sign of the times? – look out for this sign: THE CHOWRASTA MARKET AREA SHALL SMELL LIKE THE MAIDENLY ROSE.
#25 by P.Y.Chen on Wednesday, 11 July 2007 - 1:36 pm
I’ll pray for DAP to win Penang to start a democratic revolution( é© 命) ge ming. If the opposition rule properly, the rakyat will find out no matter how hard BN block the media ,then BN dynasty will fall. Then, a new epoch is born. We will no longer use race as a measurement anymore. There will be 1 race in Malaysia, that is Malaysian race. People will not care who(race) get the biggest piece of cake because its a Malaysian.