The DAP-led Penang government has outlined several reforms it plans to undertake in the state administration, including awarding government procurement contracts by open tender. Newly appointed chief minister Lim Guan Eng said the party also planned to immediately review the current practice of having only political appointees as representatives in the municipal councils.Speaking to reporters, Lim said effective immediately, information about government contracts and tender bids would be uploaded to an Internet portal for public scrutiny.“We want to run a state administration free from cronyism, corruption and systematic inefficiency.
“Instead, we advocate a stakeholders economy for all based on the principle of shared prosperity in an equitable manner,” he said.Lim said he along with all exco members, state assembly speaker, deputy speaker and the respective heads of the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) and Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) would also be making a public declaration of their personal assets.He added that the DAP-led coalition would also attempt to restore local government elections before the end of its term.In the interim, the state government intends to exercise Section 10(2) of the Local Government Act by appointing professionals and non-governmental organisation representatives as members of local government.
In an immeidate reaction, Penang Umno secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim warned that if the new state government goes ahead with its plan to do away with the NEP's practices, it will anger Malays in the state."It will also result in unrest because they will face all sorts of hardship," he said.Despite 50 years of Independence, Azhar said the Bumiputera's equity was still lacking by 18.7 per cent. The group has yet to achieve the 30 per cent target.Azhar claimed the DAP, unlike Barisan Nasional, had never supported and encouraged the NEP."They claimed to represent the people of all races but are they really doing so?" he said.Since the party had been chosen by the people to lead the state, along with Parti Keadilan Rakyat, they should be responsible for each and everyone's well being, Azhar said.
Malaysia's opposition takes over in Penang - Malaysia's opposition was sworn in to power Tuesday in Penang, one of the nation's richest states, and swiftly announced plans to dismantle controversial race-based discrimination policies. Lim Guan Eng, head of the Democratic Action Party, was appointed chief minister after a stunning performance in weekend polls which handed Penang and three other states to a three-party opposition alliance. Lim immediately targeted the New Economic Policy, which was introduced in the early 1970s to bridge the wealth gap between the Muslim Malays who dominate the population and the ethnic Chinese who are successful in business. "We want to run the state government administration free from the New Economic Policy that only breeds cronyism, corruption and systematic inefficiency," he told reporters.
"Instead, we advocate a stakeholders' economy for all, based on the principle of shared prosperity in an equitable manner," he said. Lim said all government contracts would be conducted through an open tender system, unlike the practice of the previous administration. The new procedure takes effect immediately. "To show transparency, information about the tender bids will be uploaded to an Internet portal for all to see," he said.
Malaysian opposition targets race policies, warns govt - Malaysia's opposition Tuesday announced plans to dismantle race-based discrimination policies and warned the government not to sabotage the transition of power as it prepared to rule in five states. After a stunning weekend election performance that seized a third of parliamentary seats and four new states from the ruling coalition, an opposition figure was sworn in Tuesday as chief minister in Penang. Lim Guan Eng, head of the Democratic Action Party which is a part of a three-member opposition alliance, immediately targeted positive discrimination policies for Muslim Malays who dominate the nation's population. "We want to run the state government administration free from the New Economic Policy that only breeds cronyism, corruption and systematic inefficiency," he told reporters.
"Instead, we advocate a stakeholders' economy for all, based on the principle of shared prosperity in an equitable manner," he said. The New Economic Policy was introduced in the early 1970s to bridge the wealth gap with ethnic Chinese who dominate business, by giving Malays advantages in education, housing and business. It was one of the factors behind a flight by ethnic Chinese and Indian voters in weekend polls, which deprived the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition of a two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time in four decades.
Agenda Ekonomi Malaysia akan memacu pertumbuhan - Malaysian Economic Agenda Set to Propel Growth: KeADILan’s economic agenda received a resounding mandate on March 8th when Malaysians went to the polls and quadrupled the number of seats held by the opposition in Parliament, awarding us with 50% of the seats in West Malaysia. After a decade of economic mismanagement, unchecked inflation in recent years and lagging competitiveness vis-a-vis Malaysia’s neighbours, we are confident that under our leadership and working closely with our partners, we will begin to implement policies to ensure a stronger and more vibrant economy in Malaysia.
Stop making statements on Anwar 
"I had explained to Rice that investigations against Anwar over sodomy allegations were not politically motivated whatsoever.
