Penang Administration Will Be Free From NEP, Says Lim

PENANG, March 11 (Bernama) -- Just a few hours after being sworn in as Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng Tuesday announced that the DAP-Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) coalition government will run its administration free from the New Economic Policy (NEP) which he claimed could breed cronyism, corruption and systemic inefficiency.

In his maiden speech as the Chief Minister, Guan Eng said the new state government would implement an open tender system for all government procurements and contracts.

The NEP's stated goals are poverty eradication and economic restructuring so as to eliminate the identification of ethnicity with economic functions.

The policy, which was implemented in 1971, also espouses the redistribution of wealth and affirmative action for Malays and bumiputeras to have at least 30 per cent of the country's wealth.

Following Guan Eng's statement, he was asked on Malay rights and responded that "the fate of all races and their destiny are very much the same."

"I don't want to talk about any particular race because our fate are all the same and our direction is also the same," he said.

The Chief Minister said that to show his sincerity to the Malays, he had visited the Tanjong Tokong Malay settlement on Sunday, several hours after the opposition pact won the general election in Penang on March 8, to look into their problems.

The new state government would practise transparency by uploading information of tender bids in an internet portal to be set up in future for public access, he told reporters after moving into his new office at Level 28, Komtar, here.

He strongly advocated a stakeholders' economy for all, irrespective of race and religion, based on the principle of shared prosperity in an equitable manner.

"We will encourage companies which undertake government contracts worth above RM10 million in Penang to contribute part of their profits for the benefit of the people," he added.

Lim said the new government would focus on key areas of economy, governance and the social needs of the people by advocating equal opportunity and social economic justice.

Stressing on the building of a dynamic Penang for all, he said he would seek an appointment with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to discuss issues brought up by the people in the just-concluded general election.

"I will propose the utilisation of Petronas' proceeds to fully fund the construction of the second Penang Bridge project. I hope that the federal goverment would not scrap federal funding to the state.

"We believe that, coming from Penang, the Prime Minister would not want Penangites to suffer just because they voted for change," he added.

When asked on the promises of RM6,000 bonus annually to be given to the people made during the election campaign, he said it could be fulfilled if the opposition led the country and had access to Petronas' funds.

He said the Penang state government would attempt to restore local government elections in accordance with provisions under Article 113(4) of the constitution and hoped that the elections could be held before the end of the current government's term.

"In the interim, we will review the current practice of having only political appointees as representatives in municipal councils instead appointing professionals as members."

Lim also wanted all the office bearers such as the Chief Minister, state exco members, speaker of the legislative assembly and his deputy, together with the respective heads of the Penang and Seberang Perai Municipal Councils (MPPP and MPSP) to publicly declare their personal assets.

-- BERNAMA