By Susan Loone
Jun 12, 11 | MalaysiaKini
MCA-owned Star Publication’s editorial today has displeased the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng so badly that he has urged the paper not to follow in the footsteps of Utusan Malaysia.
The Malay language paper has come under fire of late, for its extreme views and sensationalised reporting.
Lim has urged the English language daily to correct its editorial titled ‘The Pearl of the Orient needs a new polish’, saying it has twisted facts about the state’s economic performance.
Lim added that the state government was willing to accept criticism and will correct whatever it has done wrong, but it cannot condone factual errors in any newspaper.
He criticised the editorial, saying he was saddened by it, adding that his only conclusion is that it was written by “an MCA political leader and not by a reputable journalist”.
“Opinions are free but facts are sacred,” he quoted British journalist, published and politician Charles Prestwich Scott as saying in a famous 1921 essay marking the Manchester Guardian’s centenary.
The paragraph slighted Lim most included the following comments:
“Another question is what significant investment, if any, state authorities can actually deliver.
“Better economic management would mean more jobs, better incomes and a higher standard of living for the people.
“Although investments have dipped everywhere, Penang’s plunge of 79% in 2009 is terrible compared with the 48% national average”.
Lim questioned why The Star failed to quote the latest investment figure in 2010, which earned it having the top investment portfolio in the country.
He chided the article for quoting figures in 2009, which Lim conceded was “not very good”.
But this is already 2011, and the 2010 figures were excellent, he added, saying that the state government had all the proof that Penang excelled in 12 key performance areas in last year.
Highest ever
In 2010, it was revealed that Penang annual investment achievement recorded its highest ever figure, ranking top among all the states in the country.
The RM12.2 billion raked in marked a five-fold increase from a mere RM2.1 billion recorded in 2009.
Penang airport also recorded a 25 percent passenger growth rate, an increase with some 4.1 million passengers in 2010 compared with 3.3 million the year before, beating the Kuala Lumpur International Airport by 10 percent.
Meanwhile, Lim extended an invitation to the editors in The Star to take a trip to Penang where they “can see with their own eyes” the good performance of the state.
“Why doesn’t The Star want to confirm that we (Penang) are the best economically managed state in the country?” he queried.
“We already have Utusan Malaysia in Malay, please do not have the same version in English,” he quipped.
#1 by Winston on Sunday, 12 June 2011 - 7:28 pm
LGE, the more this and other so-called MSM bray, the more desperate they are!
Especially when the last nail has been hammered home when PAS latest election showed a line-up that is approved and favoured by ALL RACES!!
One can’t really blame them for getting really, very panicky!!
Screw them to put them in place but don’t waste too much time on such people.
Keep up the good work.
#2 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 12 June 2011 - 8:41 pm
The article don’t even have the writer’s name. Too ashamed of having to do it to ‘cari makan’..
#3 by yhsiew on Sunday, 12 June 2011 - 9:02 pm
The remarks made by the MCA political leader on the economic performance of Penang was pure sour grapes. The MCA leader made such remarks to bring consolation to himself and his party knowing full well that MCA has been rejected by the people of Penang and has no say on the economic development of the state.
#4 by waterfrontcoolie on Sunday, 12 June 2011 - 10:50 pm
It is a sure-sign that MCA is desperate; more than UMNO though both are in shit pitch. CSL like to talk as if MCA has any chance of a revival. I for one can’t even count with a hand 5 MCA leaders today who would win any election where the Chinese community jave say, 40% of the total votes. Hence, the offer by Sabu to take on Bukit Bintang. Yp to now, MCA is still pretending that the whole community has not changed. Yes, my late father had supported MCA when it was found; that is he left UMNO where he was apponitd a Treasurer of a kampong branch somewhere in Selangor. He did his share of duty; when he became the Homeguard chief; there was even rumour that the Commies would come for him. Hence, he was given a double-barrel shot gun by the OCPD. But just before he died in the late 80s, he totally gave up on MCA reminding me just to vote any other party of my choice! Of course, had he be alive to witness the handling of PKFZ, he would have died of heart attack anyway! With all the happenings, you have a bunch of CDs working hand-in-glove with CSL and the Liow bump trying to revive MCA! High hope! It certainly appear that you all have cross the Rubicon, you have no pride even on yourselves! And you think the majority of the Chinese today are still hookwinked to your sales job! I can assure you your partners in BN may be able to bluff their communities all the way, you haven’t a chance. The community has survived IN SPITE of MCA!! In today’s environment, CSL, you still have the audacity to threaten the Community of no representation in the Gomen! Even if MCA or those civil servants promoted under your ticket, are you proud of them? The handful top civil service Chinese servants promoted under MCA umbrella, have all lost their B>>>S if they have any left! So what the hell are you talking about, not representing, we don’t need you. We just want to seek a Gomen who can deliver, so long that they can do better than the current one cerainly without you. Just look at MOT, a once so-called senior Ministry. What is it now? Ministry of Local Gomen; breeding ground for Ah-Long Berhad! You totally insulted the community by saying that you represent us. We can do better without you around!! Just remember that!
#5 by Not spoon fed on Sunday, 12 June 2011 - 11:04 pm
Yes, the MCA and Gerakan also UMNO have no say in Penang.
Why UMNO took away Penang free port status?
Why UMNO purposely want to put their nuclear power plant programme in Penang? Why not in east coast of the big state Pahang?
Well, in anything happen, Penang people will the front line to face any accident of the nuclear power plant!
You would notice Kho Shoo Kun often appeared on TVs? This is their propaganda and agenda. TV stations are all under Barisan Nasional’s proxies and cronies.
The more they say, the more people know their motives and intention.
They themselves could not eradicate corruption in their houses, they want to clean other’s houses?
Already, 50 years Gerakan and MCA were in Penang and it was getting worse and worse especially under Mahathir’s leadership period who even could not raise Ringgit value like Singapore dollar.
As long as corruption is in Barisan Nasional, the rural people like those Orang2 Asli and Malay in Sabah and Sarawak would be without electrcity.
Why couldn’t Taib give solar panel to each long house instead he bought billion RM property in other coutnries? See http://www.sarawakreport.org
Why Mahathir ignored the illegal immigrants problem in Sabah?
Why many commercial agreements (like IPPs) are classified?
Why Mahahtir and UMNO allow RM888 billion be taken out illicitly from 2000 to 2008? See http://iff-update.gfip.org/
#6 by HOHOHO on Sunday, 12 June 2011 - 11:04 pm
Ho Ho Ho
The ROOT cause of all this RACIST nonsense is from that previous Dr mamaktiu n pass on this latest RACIST dic to tainted naGYPT to robs+cheat all ‘RAKYAT’ with their devide n rules tactics……in a very very very EVIL way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JUST VOTES B-END OUT N EVERYTHING WILL BE BACK TO NORMAL!!!…..FOREVER PEACE…..
#7 by HOHOHO on Sunday, 12 June 2011 - 11:06 pm
NAGYPT n all B-eNd goons are the ROOT cause of this evils problems……..
#8 by sheriff singh on Monday, 13 June 2011 - 12:24 am
Sure signs that Elections are very, very near.
#9 by monsterball on Monday, 13 June 2011 - 4:11 am
Sure is.
Najib talking about Anwar and sodomy2…published at Malaysiakini.
All the time keep quiet…now talk sodomy2.
Atlantuya C4ed not important.
How much weight does his criticisms towards Anwar carries?
So far..anythgng he said are being gunned down by dozens of comments…..and so the same reception given to him on his comment.
No one realy trust the father and son anymore.
N is surely the end of RAHMAN.
#10 by undertaker888 on Monday, 13 June 2011 - 7:45 am
The star is right. Pearl of the orient sure need some polishing. After 50 years in the hands of gerakan, umno and cohorts, it is filthy as hell. don’t worry lge. People know. Everytime these two clowns make noises, they are like mosquitoes buzzing around our ears. Annoying and awaiting to be swatted.
MCA- moral-less Chinese a$$hole-ciation and Moral-less Chua & angie.
#11 by k1980 on Monday, 13 June 2011 - 9:43 am
When is Dirty Soilek’s birthday? Angela Yam is going to gatecrash that party by bringing along lots of reporters. The newspapers will have a field day with photos of a speechless flabbergasted CSL being given the short end of the broom by his wife for daring to bring his syt to the party.
#12 by Taikohtai on Monday, 13 June 2011 - 1:49 pm
If the Star is embarrassed to report Penang’s achievements in 2010, just imagine its chagrin when shown the 2011 performance by LGE.
Twinkle Twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.
A diamond The Star is definitely NOT!
More likely a piece of turd turned space junk
Never to be embraced by the enlightened rakyat these days.
#13 by baochingtian on Monday, 13 June 2011 - 1:55 pm
Can’t remember since when hv i stopped buying STAR….