‘THIS IS A DEMOCRACY, NOT A MAFIA’: WE CAN PAY BR1M EVEN WITHOUT GST, HOW COME YOU CAN’T – GUAN ENG TICKS OFF NAJIB

Never Give Up In Believing A Better Malaysia Is Possible, Where The Economy Works For 30 Million Malaysians And Not The Few BN Cronies, And Where Democracy Means Freedom, Justice And Integrity.

In extending Happy Chinese New Year greetings, DAP expresses sympathies to the victims of severe flooding from Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak, Sabah and Johor. DAP hopes that flood waters would have receded in time to welcome the Year of the Golden Rooster.

The world is facing grave uncertainty when the United States under its new President Donald Trump turns its back on fair trade, globalization and even its allies or friends. Despite the failures to address unequal growth and income inequality, fair trade is still better than no trade, globalization is superior over isolation and collaboration is preferable to confrontation. Such global economic uncertainty will not help to revive the Malaysian economy that continues to be haunted by the 1MDB RM52 billion and USD1 billion donation scandal.

This year’s Chinese New Year celebrations will be celebrated in moderation due to the drop in the value of the ringgit and the imposition of GST. During such trying times, we must never give up in believing a better Malaysia is possible, where the economy works for 30 million Malaysians and not the few BN cronies, and where democracy means freedom, justice and integrity.

We must work towards establishing inclusive institutions that foster economic growth and oppose extractive institutions that cripple growth. A government full of rage and filled with the need to survive at all cost is conspicuous by its cruelty, ignorance and greed. Our unity is now marred by continuous discord that serves to divide us, even on daily matters like greetings or food, to distract attention from the real economic problems and solutions.

That is why there is no real democracy in Malaysia when the only freedom is the freedom to hate, to lie and to fear; that justice is for the elites to practice double-standards and selective prosecution; and there is no more integrity except to punish the whistle-blowers instead of the corrupt. Penang has proven how the people can benefit from a democracy with freedom, justice and equality.

Penang can also prosper without the GST. Clearly, we can even continue to pay BR1M without the GST. Malaysians have a right to ask why they continue to pay toll on the North-South Highway, when the concession holder has more than recouped his capital cost of RM5.9 billion for building the highway, and collected RM37.3 billion till end of 2015. This RM37.3 billion receipts is more than 6 times the construction cost. The solution is clear – abolish both GST and the North-South Highway toll.

Malaysia possesses the talent, the creativity and the ingenuity to do better. We have every right to reject an economy that does not work for hardworking people, but allows cronies to profit from the status quo. That is not a democracy but a Mafia.

It makes both political and economic sense to put people first; and to create a society where everyone’s hopes are respected, and no one is forgotten. This is the aspiration for the Chinese New Year, respecting everyone’s hopes and ensuring no one is forgotten in a democracy filled with freedom, justice and integrity.

LIM GUAN ENG

民主行动党秘书长兼峇眼区国会议员林冠英于2017年1月25日在吉隆坡发表农历新年献词：

不要放弃相信我们可以建构一个更好的马来西亚，在那里，经济为3千万人民所共享，而不是单单由国阵的朋党所独占；在那里，民主代表了自由、公正及廉洁。

民主行动党趁佳节来临之际，恭贺各界新年快乐，同时，我们也对吉兰丹、登嘉楼、彭亨、霹雳、沙巴及柔佛正在深受水灾之苦的人民表达同情，并希望大水能够及时退去，让大家平安迎接丁酉鸡年。

美国新总统特朗普上任后，对公平贸易、全球化，甚至其盟友置之不理，致使全球在这一年充满了不确定性。即便未能解决收入与成长的不平等，公平贸易仍比没有贸易来得好；全球化比单打独斗更佳；合作也比对抗更可取。这一波全球经济的不确定性，并不会让持续遭到520亿令吉1MDB丑闻以及10亿美元捐款丑闻缠身的马来西亚经济变得更好。

今年的新年，在马币贬值及消费税的重压之下，大家只能咬紧牙根迎接佳节。在这个时候，请不要放弃相信我们依然可以建构一个更好的马来西亚，在那里，经济为3千万人民所共享，而不是单单由国阵的朋党所独占；在那里，民主代表了自由、公正及廉洁。

我们应该建构一套更为包容的制度来让经济成长，并拒绝萃取式的制度，不能让它从一部分人中夺取收入和财富来满足另外一部分人。一个疯狂及需索无度的政府，其残酷，无知和贪婪是显而易见的。而我们的团结，现在不断遭到有心人的破坏，意图分裂我们，从日常的问候到食物，都被当成课题。这样做，目的在于转移视线，让人看不到真正的经济问题以及解救方法。

现在的马来西亚并没有真正的民主，因为我们所拥有的自由，仅仅只是憎恨、说谎以及恐惧的自由。而“公正”这回事，只能让精英所诠释，任由他们持双重标准以及选择性检控。更甚的是，我们也失去了“廉洁”，现今人们要对付的不再是贪污腐败，反而是吹哨者。槟城已经证明给大家看，人民如何从真正拥有自由、公正及平等的民主当中受惠。

就算没有消费税，槟城也能享有繁荣。显然的，我们在没有消费税的支撑下，也可以支付一马援助金。马来西亚人有权利质问，为何迄今我们还要支付南北大道的过路费，大道公司至2015年年底所收取的过路费已达373亿令吉，早就超越当年的59亿令吉造价，甚至已达造价的6倍。我们要的很简单，那就是取消消费税以及南北大道的过路费。

马来西亚拥有人才、创造力和聪明才智，我们值得更好。我们有权拒绝那些不适用的经济政策，那些对勤奋工作的人民不公不义却又容许朋党获益的经济政策。因为这并不是民主，而是吗啡。

不管是政治或经济，我们都应以民为本。我们应该致力打造一个每个人的愿望都会获得尊重，没有人会被遗漏的社会。这是我们农历新年的愿望，尊重每个人的想法，确保在这个拥有自由，正义和廉洁的民主中，没有人会被遗忘。