Penang video: Some truth, more BN propaganda, say critics

Debate on the viral anti-DAP government video titled "Penang, would you hear my story?" continues to rage, with civil society leaders saying that while the content has some truth, the clip is merely a BN propaganda tool, lacking in solutions.

In a nutshell, the 3.16-minute clip uploaded on YouTube and the Friends of BN Facebook, features an unnamed woman decrying her disillusionment with the Penang government due to the high cost of living, expensive homes, hikes in quit rent and water cost, poor economic state, decreasing jobs, illegal factories and land reclamation that purportedly caused more than 20 floods in 2017.

Businessman and Gerakan member Yeap Ban Choon, who identifies with the video content, asked what the DAP-led government had achieved in a decade in Penang after wresting the state from his party.

Yeap said the state government under Pakatan Harapan (previously Pakatan Rakyat) started well with its CAT (competency, accountability, transparency) policy, but since 2008 it could be seen the state budget has expanded year after year.

"We see more state land and assets being handed over to private developers to meet the state coffers," he told Malaysiakini.

While Yeap praised the city councils of both Penang Island and Seberang Perai for good enforcement, and for the many green initiatives in sprucing up old markets and parks all over Penang, Yeap lamented the sad state of affairs in the main engine of growth – the electronics and electrical manufacturing sector.

He said the sector, which he himself is involved in, has stagnated and some companies have even relocated out of Penang.

"In the 10 years of governance and numerous missions abroad, what has Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng got to show in creating new jobs and reinventing Penang as a manufacturing hub?" asked Yeap, who was an outspoken critic of his party during the leadership of former state chairperson Teng Hock Nam.

Sky-high housing prices

Yeap lamented that what is currently visible in Penang is the growing property market, which is beyond the reach of most Penangites.

He cited the case of his two sons in their late 20s, who bought so-called affordable housing apartments for RM450,000 and RM510,000, respectively.

He recently inquired about new housing launches for his daughter around the Sungai Nibong area.

"I was shocked to see the new launches of similiar-sized houses starting from RM688,000 to RM700,000.

"Looks like the Ubah crowd (Harapan supporters) have to ubah (change) their plans about owning a house on Penang island," he said.

Yeap lamented the escalating cost of living in Penang, which has also affected prices of food at hawker stalls.

He said the BN federal government is blamed for imposing the GST, but claimed it is actually due to the snowball effect of less businesses and also higher costs of doing business in Penang.

In the end, Yeap said, DAP has not led Penangites to a better tomorrow but created a haven for foreigners to invest and invade the state "in a big way", especially where businesses and property ownership are concerned.

"There is no future if there are no safeguards for Penangites; interests have been traded away and our future generations will have to pay for the decisions of the government today," said Yeap, who claims to be a Bersih supporter.

"We hope Penangites can give some seats to BN for some checks and balances to the DAP-led state government," he said.

No solutions offered

Criminology and law lecturer Shamsher Thind Singh said while BN highlights the issues raised in the video to criticise Harapan, the latter is using the same tactic to justify why Malaysians must make a change in the coming general election.

"In my judgment, what both failed to do is to convince the rakyat how these problems may be resolved by voting for the opposition (that is Harapan at the federal level and BN in Penang).

"It is one thing to identify a problem, but it is a whole lot of a different thing to find a solution," said Shamsher, a former DAP life member who quit the party after it linked with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"Is the maker of the video claiming that the property prices would drop significantly by changing the government?

"Are houses in Kuala Lumpur cheap, since it is a BN-controlled territory?" Shamsher asked.

"Politicians should speak more about solutions and not just the problems. The only thing I know is cheap in Malaysia is talk. Talk is cheap!"

Social activist Pa Khim Ghee said outside of the video but arising from it, partisan politics should have certain limits, and not divide their respective constituencies and supporters so widely that it sows divisions among the electorate and the people.

"There is every reason for the people to hope that the state and federal governments should work together to solve some issues like flood, traffic, affordable housing, and environmental issues, among others.

Pa, a Suaram member, said people do not elect governments to fight against each other.

"People elect governments so that they can compete and deliver to better their lives. That fact is often forgotten by the politicians," he said.

"But the people never forget their rights. They will exercise it even if it means once every few years," he added.

'Slick PR'

Popular blogger Anil Netto said while the mainstream media were accepting the video contents at face value, the storyboard bears all the hallmarks of sophisticated public relations and political strategy.

"The sort well-paid consultants could come up with," said Netto in his blog.

He noted the premise of the video is "clever" as it starts off with a conveniently unnamed woman who claims to be a Bersih supporter, which most can identify with.

However, there was a major giveaway when the woman said it was the federal government that had "rescued" Penang from the major floods of last Nov 4 and 5, which displaced thousands and killed seven.

"That's an Umno narrative," Netto pointed out, adding this appears to be the first salvo in the pre-GE social media propaganda war.

Netto also said that while the woman in the video suggested the Penang government focused less on the mainland, he knows many who are thankful of being spared the higher prices and horrendous congestion on the roads found on the island.

He observed that the video does not come across as "hard sell" as it does not tell people who to vote for, but only says, "Make the right choice," at the end.

"Not telling which party to vote for may be intentional because the major alternative parties in Penang have been so discredited, thanks to their association with Umno, despite the credible social housing policies the previous state administrations had," Netto said.

"Maybe the video will serve the interest of the third force, and we all know who stands to benefit from that," added the Aliran treasurer.

Aliran is part of Penang Forum, an outspoken critic of the undersea tunnel project, which has been making headlines this year when the MACC nabbedfour high-ranking executives linked to the project.

"Verdict: Slick production, raises some valid points, the anonymous source adds to the realism, but in the end, thinly disguised political agenda, doesn't take a genius to figure out whose political interest it serves," added the independent journalist. -Mkini