Koh’s Penang fails in performance
Athi Veeranggan (Malaysiakini.com)
Jul 23, 07 11:22am
As it has been the case for the past 17 years, the Barisan Nasional government in Penang, under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon, has earned a bad report card for it performance in the first half this year.
It could only muster 38 marks, which was two-point short of the 40-passing mark, in the six-monthly test set by the Penang DAP to gauge the state’s performance.
The political secretary to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Ng Wei Aik said the report card showed that Koh's government had failed miserably to fulfill people's expectations.
The Gerakan-led state government performed poorly in public safety and security category with only one point, while it achieved top marks with nine points for its best performance in religious freedom.
The DAP evaluation was based on 10 different categories of leadership and credibility; economic management; cultural development; religious freedom; education; inter-racial relations; local government; infrastructure development; environment, science and technology; and public safety and security.
Koh's administration fared slightly better in the previous six months with 42 marks.
Rapid crime rate
Although the DAP assessment could be bias, nonetheless the report card did reflect a clear picture of the state government performance.
Ng said the state government fared worst in public safety and security due to rapidly growing crime rate in Penang.
The RM40 million microchip heist from the cargo complex in Bayan Lepas International Airport, 30 per cent leap in crime index compared with previous six months, the recent bomb threat to blow up the Penang Bridge, which brought the whole state to a standstill for nearly three hours, frequent hijacking of microchip-loaded container trailers and the state's high crime rate of 45 cases per day attributed to the state government poor show.
"Our assessment reveals that Koh and company were incompetent and ineffective in providing quality public safety and security.
"The state government has instill fear into the people, instead of allaying it," said Ng.
The state government could muster only two points in categories of leadership credibility; economic management; education; and infrastructure development, and was given only three marks for its performance in environment, science and technology.
Koh's hesitancy in naming his successor, Gerakan leaders frequent rebukes and disdainful comments on website polls, analysis and reports on potential candidates for the Chief Minister post, and contemptuous comments on women by a couple of Umno state assemblymen at the recent state assembly sitting have undermined the state government leadership.
Drop in investments
In the economic front, the state has dropped from being the top state in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 1990 to eighth today with only RM97.4 million investments in the first sx months.
It lags behind Johor, Selangor, Kedah, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Pahang.
Ng said rampant lorry hijacking and microchip heist had undermined the state viability and feasibility for investments and shaken the confidence of multi-national companies.
The state public transport system, once among the country's best, is now virtually non-existent and the tourism sector is lagging far behind Langkawi and Malacca, let alone regional destinations such as Phuket, Hatyai and Bali.
The Gerakan-led government was disapproved of its ineptness to capitalising on Visit Malaysia Year 2007 and exploring the tourism potential of the Prai mainland, and in dealing and solving issues pertaining to Chinese education and schools.
Lack of affordable housing for the lower income group, lack of business opportunities, rising unemployment rate, brain drain and escalating cost of living were attributes to the poor report card.
Cultural development
The DAP however, was generous in the category of inter-racial relations when it gave eight marks to the state government, which also got seven and six for its performance in cultural development and local government.
Koh stewardship scored high in religious freedom and inter-racial relations, as the DAP agreed that the multi-racial and multi-religious Penangites were living together in harmony and peace.
In the next general election, the opposition is set to flash the state government's dismal report card to regain lost grounds in the state.
Jul 23, 07 11:22am
As it has been the case for the past 17 years, the Barisan Nasional government in Penang, under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon, has earned a bad report card for it performance in the first half this year.
It could only muster 38 marks, which was two-point short of the 40-passing mark, in the six-monthly test set by the Penang DAP to gauge the state’s performance.The political secretary to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Ng Wei Aik said the report card showed that Koh's government had failed miserably to fulfill people's expectations.
The Gerakan-led state government performed poorly in public safety and security category with only one point, while it achieved top marks with nine points for its best performance in religious freedom.
The DAP evaluation was based on 10 different categories of leadership and credibility; economic management; cultural development; religious freedom; education; inter-racial relations; local government; infrastructure development; environment, science and technology; and public safety and security.
Koh's administration fared slightly better in the previous six months with 42 marks.
Rapid crime rate
Although the DAP assessment could be bias, nonetheless the report card did reflect a clear picture of the state government performance.
Ng said the state government fared worst in public safety and security due to rapidly growing crime rate in Penang.
The RM40 million microchip heist from the cargo complex in Bayan Lepas International Airport, 30 per cent leap in crime index compared with previous six months, the recent bomb threat to blow up the Penang Bridge, which brought the whole state to a standstill for nearly three hours, frequent hijacking of microchip-loaded container trailers and the state's high crime rate of 45 cases per day attributed to the state government poor show.
"Our assessment reveals that Koh and company were incompetent and ineffective in providing quality public safety and security.
"The state government has instill fear into the people, instead of allaying it," said Ng.
The state government could muster only two points in categories of leadership credibility; economic management; education; and infrastructure development, and was given only three marks for its performance in environment, science and technology.
Koh's hesitancy in naming his successor, Gerakan leaders frequent rebukes and disdainful comments on website polls, analysis and reports on potential candidates for the Chief Minister post, and contemptuous comments on women by a couple of Umno state assemblymen at the recent state assembly sitting have undermined the state government leadership.
Drop in investments
In the economic front, the state has dropped from being the top state in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 1990 to eighth today with only RM97.4 million investments in the first sx months.
It lags behind Johor, Selangor, Kedah, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Pahang.
Ng said rampant lorry hijacking and microchip heist had undermined the state viability and feasibility for investments and shaken the confidence of multi-national companies.
The state public transport system, once among the country's best, is now virtually non-existent and the tourism sector is lagging far behind Langkawi and Malacca, let alone regional destinations such as Phuket, Hatyai and Bali.The Gerakan-led government was disapproved of its ineptness to capitalising on Visit Malaysia Year 2007 and exploring the tourism potential of the Prai mainland, and in dealing and solving issues pertaining to Chinese education and schools.
Lack of affordable housing for the lower income group, lack of business opportunities, rising unemployment rate, brain drain and escalating cost of living were attributes to the poor report card.
Cultural development
The DAP however, was generous in the category of inter-racial relations when it gave eight marks to the state government, which also got seven and six for its performance in cultural development and local government.
Koh stewardship scored high in religious freedom and inter-racial relations, as the DAP agreed that the multi-racial and multi-religious Penangites were living together in harmony and peace.
In the next general election, the opposition is set to flash the state government's dismal report card to regain lost grounds in the state.
posted by weiaik at
12:29
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