New Penang State Government says it will no longer follow a controversial central government policy (the NEP) favouring the ethnic Malay above other citizens.
Source:NST. GE Votes
Penang is one of five states now governed by the opposition coalition, (or as it wishes to be called at Federal Level ‘The Alternative Government’) after General Elections on Saturday 8 March 2008 resulted in massive losses, at both the Federal and State Government levels, to be suffered by the Barison Nasional (BN), National Font Coalition, this was BNs worst election result in five decades.
The large Chinese and Indian minorities, and other ethnic groups, as well as many Malay, have become increasingly angry about this so called New Economic Policy (NEP), many of whom say that it has only benefited only an elite few.
The NEP was started nearly 40 years ago, as an to attempt increase opportunities for poorer ethnic Malay, by giving them preference in jobs, university places and economic advantages, however it has in many respects failed to achieve it's intended goals, and has even been counter-productive in some ways.
As a result of this policy, some Malay have come to expect ‘hand-outs’ as a right, and this subsidence mentality has, without doubt, made a few of them lazy and lackadaisical; whilst it has made a small minority filthy rich. The economy has therefore suffered.
The Malay as a whole remain poor, whilst the top few percent are revoltingly rich. Many Chinese Indians and other races remain poor too
Ousted UMNO politician Zakaria Md Deros of the palatial family
"This is also a government that believes in equal opportunity and social economic justice. We are here to build a dynamic
A coalition of opposition parties won control four states of Penang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor, and coalition member the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) retained control of Kelantan, making a total of five states; leaving the governing coalition in control of only eight states, two of them, Sabah and Sarawak, are in East Malaysia on the island of Borneo..
The opposition coalition will, it has been reported, implement fresh and more democratic policies, ranging from business-friendly and free-market environment, to promoting greater accountability and transparency in business dealings, in all the four states it has won, and continuing the progress of
Parti Kedadilan Rakyat (Peoples’ Justice party) adviser Anwar Ibrahim has said that the coalition would have a “zero-tolerance policy on corruption” and also “prohibit civil servants from doing business with the government” thereby reducing incentives for cronyism.
“We will stop the practice of awarding projects to family relatives and cronies.
“The party will also honour its promises to protect the marginalised from every ethnic community,” he reportedly told a press conference at the peoples' Justice Party office yesterday.
Adding that:
“The coalition would also initiate dialogues in the coming weeks with existing foreign investors in the five states to ensure investor confidence remains strong during the transitional period.”
Referring to the fall in the stock market on Monday, Anwar said it was due to the surprise opposition win and would not persist unless the Barisan Nasional chooses to punish the states it lost by withholding their development funds.
Anwar also has said the new coalition of parties in the opposition-held states would make decisions by consensus.
“This means the core principle of good governance and respecting constitutional rights is maintained.”
“For example, there is no way we will tolerate the Chief Ministers or state executive council members buying new cars or having posh offices.”
“They can use whatever they have.”
Anwar also said there was a possibility the Opposition might form a shadow Cabinet (an Alternative Government) to monitor ministers appointed by Barisan Nasional .
Viva Malaysia!
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