No thumbs up, please!

I refer to a news report published in the New Straits Times on 5th of January, 2008.

The report is about the report card on Penang state government’s performance and good governance in the year of 2007 that I released in a press conference on 4th of January, 2008.

The NST had used selective reporting on the details of my press conference and also this report card. Thus, the report jumped into conclusion that DAP Penang has given thumbs up for Penang government’s performance and Penang was doing better in last year.

Based on the report card, I made the evaluation and assessment on Penang state government according to its performance in 10 categories and marks was given to each category. Ten marks is allocated for every category and make up of total 100 marks for the whole report card.

As I mentioned in the press conference, I will not give 10 marks as well as 0 mark for any of these category as only the God deserves the full mark and no government will perform badly until nothing was delivered in this particular aspect.

Yes, there was a slight improvement over the previous year. If compared to the marks given for the year of 2006, Penang state government showed improvement in terms of cultural development was improved (2006: 7; 2007: 8), religious freedom (2006: 5; 2007: 9), racial relations (2006: 4; 2007: 8) and technology and environment (2006: 5; 2007: 6).

However, the marks given to leadership and capability (2006: 2; 2007: 2) and education (2006: 2; 2007: 2) remain the same. For the performance in terms of economic management (2006: 2; 2007: 1), local government (2006: 3; 2007: 2), infrastructural development (2006: 5; 2007: 1) and social security (2006: 3; 2007: 1), the state government has showed its weaknesses.

I have put 40 marks as passing mark for the report card. For the year of 2006, Penang state government managed to get 38 marks, short of 2 marks required to pass. For last year, the state government has just reached the passing mark which is 40 marks.

If there is no mark mentioned in the news report, it will definitely give a wrong impression and perception to the public in general that DAP is satisfied with the Penang government in last year.

This is why I need to make further clarification on this report. For further reading, please refer to the report card that I prepared in Malay language and published in this blog.

New Straits Times 5th of January, 2008

DAP: Penang doing better
By: Audrey Dermawan

GEORGE TOWN: The state DAP has given the Penang government the thumbs up for its satisfactory performance and good governance last year.

A survey it conducted showed that the state government scored well in four out of 10 areas.

The four are cultural development, religious freedom, race relations and technology and environment.

Ng Wei Aik, political secretary to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, said yesterday this was the second year running that the party had conducted the survey.

"There was a slight improvement over the previous year."

Ng said the state leadership should not remain complacent but strive to correct the weaknesses in the remaining areas.

He cited these as leadership and capability, economic management, education, local government, infrastructure development and social security.

He said that in economic management, the state had failed to secure more foreign direct investment (FDI).

Last year, Penang only managed to attract RM1.12 billion in FDIs, way behind Kedah's RM6.12 billion.

Ng said in infrastructure development, the state failed to find an amicable solution to traffic problems, particularly on Penang Bridge.

He will give a copy of the report card to Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, his deputy Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah and all state executive councillors.

"Although the results of the survey only represents the opinion of a certain party, I hope the state government will seriously look into improving things for the benefit of all the people in the state."