Address issues swiftly, Guan Eng told

Delays in rebutting criticisms will only create anxiety, says Penang Malay Congress who also wants the DAP to reach out to more Malays.

GEORGE TOWN: A Malay-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) is asking Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to promptly rebut claims of misgovernance instead of waiting for the issues to be  overblown.

Waiting for replies to come in a long while creates a feeling of anxiety and doubts about the sincerity of the DAP-led state government, Penang Malay Congress (PMC) chairman Rahmad Isahak said.

While recording his appreciation for Lim to eventually rebut claims of neglect over affordable housing and the inadverted sale of a religious land plot, he said Lim took more than two weeks to clarify the issues.

Even then, some of the answers given raised more doubts than to effectively resolve it, he said.

“It is difficult to put the issue at rest when rumours and unfounded speculations begin swirling around for long periods. In the internet age, one day is a long period for a politician, especially with various daily issues emerging,” Rahmad said in an interview.

Rahmad, who claims to represent a Malay NGO with a true sense of impartiality, said that it was not taking any sides.

He said certain quarters in Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat have made public their beliefs that PMC was linked to either one.

Assuring that PMC was neutral, Rahmad said PMC was raising issues dear to the heart and minds of the Malay community here.

There was a consensus among political observers in Penang that the Malay community here have doubts about DAP, whom they have associated for a long time as a Chinese-based party.

To this, Rahmad said the onus was on DAP to convince their critics that they have the best interests of the entire state and not just sections of the community.

Here, due to escalating property and healthcare prices, which directly causes a rise in living costs, the people are feeling that the government of the day was only concerned about the rich, based on the announcement of mega infrastructure projects, he claimed.

It is not enough to provide annual handouts to a select group such as senior citizens. He said everyday policies must also demonstrate the state’s commitment to a balanced form of governance.

Reach out to the Malays
He said the state must ensure that the spill-over effects from the announcement of record breaking investment figures, were felt at all levels of society here, and not only among those in manufacturing.

Rahmad also said that Lim should answer a proposal from PMC that DAP must field Malay candidates in the next general election.

It is learnt that the small Malay faction in DAP is seeking one parliament and five state seats to contest.

Rahmad said PMC accepted that DAP has become a dominant party in Penang and based on the trend, it would continue to be relevant for decades to come, as many here have outright rejected BN.

Thus, the party should reach out more to those in doubt about them.

This includes a sizeable of the Malay community, Rahmad said, adding that Penang Malays would likely reject any leaders imported from the outside as there was an adequate talent pool within the state.

What better way than to field localise Malay candidates in the next election rather than to rely on “outsiders,” Rahmad exclaimed.