Derogatory anti-Guan Eng banners raised in Penang

Several banners with racial slurs and vulgarities seemingly aimed at Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng were seen in George Town earlier today.

The banners, with words written in red ink, questioned why the prices of goods have not gone down despite Pakatan Harapan being in control of the national economy.

"To apek DAP, MOF, MOA, Ekonomi negara lu suda pegang apasai harga tarak turun (To [derogatory term] DAP, Finance Ministry, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry, you have control of the national economy, why haven't prices gone down?)," read the banner put up along Beach Street. 

Another banner containing a vulgarity read: "Bila nak mansor tol jambatan? PTPTN? AES? Harga petrol RM1.50??? Ubah??? La***o laaa..." (When are you going to abolish the Penang Bridge toll? National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans? The Automated Enforcement System? Bring down the price of petrol to RM1.50? Change? [Vulgarity])."

Lim served as Penang chief minister for two terms, from 2008 to 2018, before being appointed to the cabinet.

When contacted, Penang Island City Council mayor Yew Tung Seang told Malaysiakini that the banners were taken down by authorities this afternoon.

Yew, however, is yet to respond to whether those who put up the banners have been identified using nearby CCTVs.

The banners appear to be taking Lim to task for purportedly breaking the pledges Harapan made in the run-up to last year's general election.

Although tolls are still in place on major highways, the Works Ministry said last year that it would engage an independent auditor to study the feasibility of reducing rates and eventually abolishing collections.

Of late, the Harapan administration has also come under fire for making a "U-turn" on the contentious AES speed cameras, which it opposed before assuming federal power.

As for PTPTN, its chairperson Wan Saiful Wan Jan said last December that a new mechanism for loan repayment is expected to take six months to prepare before it can be presented to the cabinet for approval. - Mkini