Almost Daily Reminder of Deterioration of Quality Life in Malaysia - whether in Crime, Health or Education

By DAP National Advisor cum Member of Parliament of Ipoh Timur - YB Lim Kit Siang

There is almost a daily reminder of deterioration of quality of life in Malaysia – with three news items today highlighting worsening crime, health and education conditions in the country.

The first is the shocking news “MIC division treasurer killed by intruders” (the Sun), on the latest victim of endemic crime in Malaysia – MIC Ipoh Barat division treasurer N. Sidambaram, 64, who was killed by six parang-wielding intruders in his house on Jalan Wayang in Buntung, Ipoh early yesterday morning.

This comes on the heel of the attack on the Tawau acting OCPD Supt Ramli Ali Mat who was seriously injured after being stabbed in his house by a group of five men and the attack on another policeman, L/Kpl S. Paramasivam, 49, who was beaten up by a group of 10 Mat Rempits using helmets and metal roads while on anti-crime rounds in Kuala Lumpur requiring five stitches for his wound in his head, both incidents happening in the first 12 days of the new year.

These crimes provide vivid illustration of the serious breakdown of law and order in Malaysia with the government unable to deliver its most elementary duty – to ensure the safety of its citizens, visitors and investors!

The second is the report that the dengue toll had climbed relentlessly to 112 dengue deaths last year – with the Health Minister, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai continuing to show no real ministerial concern or interest to the worst dengue epidemic and mortality figure in the nation’s history!

What has happened to Malaysia’s previous reputation for excellent public health services and standards?

The third is Singapore Straits Times report “Singapore’s top student is Malaysian” – Haw Sue Hern from CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School, Singapore (who is from Subang Jaya ) who scored 10 A1s making her top O-level performer out of 36,640 students in Singapore.

This highlights the grave and continuing problem of “brain drain”, giving a most adverse reflection on the education system in the country - especially taken into account the indifferent and irresponsible attitude adopted by the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who is still to break his month-long silence and explain Malaysia’s disastrous showing in the 60-nation Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 for Year-8 secondary students.

Instead of transforming ourselves from a nation with “First World Infrastructure, Third World Mentality” into a “First World Infrastructure, First World Mentality”, we are heading in the opposite direction towards a nation with deteriorating quality of life for Malaysians.

When we have a Health Minister who is not concerned about the dengue epidemic and the unprecedented dengue toll and cases last year; a Home Minister not concerned about the endemic crime in the country where Malaysians are no more safe whether in the streets, public places or even in the privacy of their homes; or an Education Minister unconcerned about deteriorating educational standards, the first conditions for reform to ensure all Malaysians to enjoy quality healthcare, education and personal safety are just not present.

By-election for Kuala Terengganu (2)

Heading into the second day of the campaign for the by-election in Kuala Terengganu, the heat has been turned on by both sides through the mammoth ceramahs. Character assassination has been used by the Barisan Nasional as their propaganda to gun down the opposition particularly the failure of the de factor leader of PKR cum MP for Permatang Pauh, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in fulfilling his promise in toppling the federal government on the 9th of September 2008. Many have been misled by the Barisan Nasional's allegations. To have a thorough 'sky change' on the 9th of September 2008 does not mean to topple the federal government immediately, but to engage on the process of creating a new dawn.

I was thinking the previous claims of several heavyweights from the Barisan Nasional - it would be immoral to get MPs from BN to cross over as it would have gone against the mandate given to the respective party in the general election. Since the 'sky change' did not take place as anticipated by many, why should the Barisan Nasional be using this topic to launch personal attacks on the opposition. I remember vividly that the outgoing Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi rejected the request from the opposition to convene an urgent parliament session after Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was confident of showing him a list of the MPs that were going to defect him. Since the truth (whether 916 was supposed to occur last year) is not known by any of us including the ministers and MPs of the BN and Pakatan Rakyat, the topic on 916 is irrelevant to be used in this by-election.

"The allocations and assistance to Chinese schools and to beautify Chinese villages show that the BN government is fair to all races. We need a capable leader who can also work closely with MCA." The above statement made by Wanita MCA Chief, Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun 'mesmerised' me when I first came across it. But after considering it further, it has become a laughing stock to utter the above statement in such an important period. The statement depicts the the BN government is practising half-past six attitude in progressing with the other part of the world. Allocations and assistance are only provided if there is a by-election - how can the state progress?

Since the start of the campaign, MCA Wanita has kicked off with the planned activities and programmes. I pose my question to MCA Wanita - why do you need to wait for a by-election to carry out all these activities? You all should have been doing this weekly! Moreover, I would like to convey an advice to Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun. In the last general election, you as the incumbent lost out the PJ Utara seat to YB Tony Pua though you took advantage of the bias government controlled mass media to 'explain' the so-called fair government policies. You should flashback and find out the reasons you lost to YB Tony Pua. From my point of view, people are no longer blinded by your words easily; likewise, the articles today in newspapers will not lend you a helping hand.

And more pertinently, this by-election does not merely decide the fate of the people in Kuala Terengganu, but the fate of all the Malaysians. Regardless of race, all Malaysians in Kuala Terengganu are prudent enough to jump out of the racial coconut shells and drop their ballot into the redefining box of a brand new Malaysia!

By-election for Kuala Terengganu (1)

The announcement of a three-way tussle for the Kuala Terengganu by-election by the Election Commissioner (EC) was no surprise. It is more likely to be a battle between the Barisan Nasional candidate, Datuk Wan Ahamd Farid Wan Salleh from Umno and the Pakatan Rakyat candidate, Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut from Pas. Nevertheless the independent candidate, Azharuddin Mamat@Adam could still be the deciding factor, where he could garner a few redefining votes from the local community. The big win in the previous by-election at Permatang Pauh by Opposition leader cum de factor leader or PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim does not signify a win-win situation in Kuala Terengganu.

I foreshadow the 14-day campaign will be paramount in terms of answering the critics posed by either sides. Barisan Nasional will most probably be using the recent hot issues on the implementation of huhud laws by Pas to fish votes from the Chinese community and the breakdown in communication of several MPs from the Pakatan Rakyat to wipe out the relevance of the coalition in continue serving the people. Meanwhile, the Pakatan Rakyat is very likely to continue their bid in voicing the unaddressed voices of the lower income group such as the insufficient subsidy of the petrol and diesel for the fishermen, lack of development under the new economic corridor, the practice of corruption and cronyism, and lastly the question of transparency and also the credibility of the judicial in particular the murder of the Mongolian girl. And also obtaining the deserved rights of the people which include the abolishing of Internal Security Act (ISA) and the ban imposed on Hindraf.

In today's New Straits Times and The Sun newspapers, dated 7th January 2009, our Deputy Prime Minister cum incoming President of Umno, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh would be the right man for the right job in bringing about changes since he was a former deputy Home Minister and a senator. Furthermore, he asked that which candidate would you want - a candidate that is assured to be a deputy Home Minister once again after victory or a candidate without any political post to be the representative of you people? On behalf of the voices of the oppositions, let me answer your question. It makes no difference whether the MP is a member of the cabinet or not. I shall let you compare - would you want a MP that is a minister but practises corruption or a MP that is without any positions but would willingly spend time to address the difficulty faced by the people.

In my previous by-election post for the Permatang Pauh, I did mention that casting your vote for the BN will not reap any advantages since it will only favour the top hierarchy of BN. Will they distribute the economic pie fairly to all the races? Malaysia has achieved independence for more than 50 years and we have seen enough of all the undone promises made. It is time to give in a new breath of air to the Pakatan Rakyat for a chance to change. You can witness there are not many changes after the famous political tsunami way back in March 2008. It tells you that the domineering nature of the Umno still prevails and predominant in the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Few days ago, it was reported in Bernama news that the floods that hit the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia with more than 10,000 students could not make it to the first day of school. Have the government taken any initiative to curb this problem from happening yearly? And in today's newspaper, there is a report on the effect of climatic change on the floods. Again, have the government especially the Ministry of Environment done their part to conserve the forests and also ensured that the going green campaigns are effectively carried out? The number of students affected could have been reduced if the government has taken the measures to solve the problem by may be relocating the schools, building deeper drains and making sure the rivers are not filled up with rubbish.

The by-election is not only a yardstick to know whether the people's mindsets are still on the verge of hoping for a 'sky change' as mentioned by MP for Ipoh Timur cum DAP National Advisor, YB Lim Kit Siang, but it serves as a platform to reflect the silent struggles of the 10-month old Pakatan Rakyat in creating a new dawn for the people of Malaysia. When the Barisan Nasional coalition was first formed, I believe they too had to endure through the same hurdles as seen by the Pakatan Rakyat coalition now. Why do Barisan Nasional have the right to enjoy a political hegemony for approximately 50 years and the Pakatan Rakyat coalition is not given a chance to solve their internal problems? Think about it!