Penangites Pay the Price

As a true-blue Penangite who loves my state, I am very saddened by recent developments. When Pakatan Rakyat came to power after the last elections, I knew things would be rough for the Opposition as can be seen in the aftermath, but I never expected things to be that rough.

By Masterwordsmith

Malaysian Insider revealed alarming statistics today in its report AT THIS LINK.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (picture) said today he would be demanding a fairer deal from Putrajaya, after it was revealed that the state contributed RM25.6 billion to federal coffers between 2001 and 2008, but received only RM794 million in federal grants during the period.

In his Christmas message to the state, Lim said the Finance Minister had revealed recently in Parliament in a written reply to him that Penang contributed RM25.670 billion in the form of taxes and customs duties between 2001 and 2008.

"In other words, Penang received back only a shocking three per cent of what it contributed during the 8 years from 2001-2008.

"Even if we were to include federal projects of around RM10 billion during this period, the total amount spent in Penang would amount to at most 40 per cent," he said.

At the beginning of this month, the Penang CM also fumed over the federal government's policy to channel RM20 million to state asset manager Khazanah Nasional Bhd to maintain heritage sites as reported in Malaysiakini at THIS LINK and also by Malaysian Insider AT THIS LINK.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in written reply to a DAP parliamentarian said the government has allocated RM 50 million for the purpose under the 2009 Budget, of which RM20 million is for Penang while Malacca gets RM30 million. Both states have areas under the Unesco World Heritage list.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said Khazanah will manage the funds for Penang while Malacca will get the funds through the Heritage Funds Group under the Information, Communication and Cultural Ministry.

What do Penangites have to suffer? Mind you - we DO suffer in many ways as can be seen in traffic congestion, public transportation system, housing amenities, lost of heritage enclaves, the dilapidated conditions of some buildings in inner city areas etc.

Is this the backlash that we have to suffer for having put Pakatan Rakyat leaders to the helm of government in Penang? A lesson for us to remember so that in the next GE 13, we will docilely vote the right (double entendre intended) way?

Don't forget that recently, the Kelantan government demanded for their oil royalties from the the federal government, but Putrajaya, controlled by Barisan Nasional (BN), has refused. The BN federal government, instead, said it will offer Kota Baru compassionate payments, because it claims Kelantan is not entitled to oil royalties.

State revenue from property taxes remain low because of its relatively small size. With this discrepancy between state contributions to the federal government and receipts from the federal government, the state is definitely and perhaps deliberately left out of the development mainstream. Penangites who pay taxes to the federal government hope to get back what they should in terms of public good, merit goods and support. So what this statement from our CM mean? Surely in Malaysia which is touted as 1Malaysia, double standards don't exist for the different states and presumably all is fair, but is it?

It was quite embarrassing to me at least that during a recent visit to Penang, Singapore’s Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew observed that Penang was developing slower compared to other towns such as Ipoh or Seremban!!

Read more at: PENANGITES PAY THE PRICE

Set as favorite

Comments (41) Add Comment

...
written by Tan Tan, December 28, 2009 12:18:34

Well, Penang is so similar to HK and Singapore in term of it position to become an international air hub, port hub and so on.

Why compare when PR took over? Why not compare what BN had done in the last 50 years.

Penang has so much potential to become the next Hong Kong for China but BN never wanted it to be as great as it can be.

Developing Putrajaya and not using the money to develop KL, Penang, Ipoh, Melaka and JB is really what BN did.

And most of u here voted for BN for the longest time or not even a register but just good in complaining.

Same as the racist Malays in this country, complaining on top of the lung until white foam coming out from your mouth.

Actually, it is not the government that disappointed Malaysia, it is the ppls as well.

Look at us, not united (with same races), think of our interest only and no common goal.

Have the biar la or watever attitude in life....this is what we get....in return

...
written by zhugeliang, December 28, 2009 11:50:48

THE ONLY WAY FOR ALL MALAYSIANS - VOTE BN OUT! We must keep on trying until we breath the last breathe. They must go out. The more BN want to bully us, the more we want to kick them out. Why we want to vote such childish people at the top? BN is not being a gentleman and we should not vote them just because they bully us! We must get BN ass out and let PR led and rule Malaysia for a change!

...
written by popuri, December 28, 2009 10:26:44

Vote with your own conscience.

...
written by freerpk, December 28, 2009 08:25:20

Hey the buck stops at the top. Penangites paid the price by putting Koh Su Khoon as the CM for eons. That is what you get for putting useless people at the top. Today this person is still in the government making decisions so what do you think of the government we Malaysians are having????> smilies/sad.gif

...
written by sydput, December 28, 2009 01:23:32

All the taxes ended up in Putrajaya and disappeared, just like the jet engines.

...
written by storm62, December 28, 2009 00:58:46

DON'T WORRY GUYS, PENANG WILL BE PR STATE FOREVER !!!! THAT'S A PROMISE !!!

...
written by lamakawan, December 27, 2009 22:15:02

Penangites must follow the Kelantan voters. continue to vote the PR parties in the PR run states. And get more states to vote the PR parties until PR reaches Putrajaya!!!!!!
We must not give way to the BN any more. They have been too cruel and ungrateful to our support all these years since independence.
Bury the dacing once and for all.

...
written by Sudahlah tu, December 27, 2009 21:54:20

orang kat penang telah menegakkan kejatian keturunan yang berasaskan perpaduan rakyat yang saksama ......... mereka akan diberkati oleh Allah selamanya ..

...
written by masterwordsmith, December 27, 2009 21:33:20

Dear readers and commenters,

My deepest appreciation to all of you for your heartfelt and sincere responses to this post. I hope people are more aware of the issues at hand and will work harder to raise awareness and to ensure that necessary action is taken in the right direction.

@ Mikewang:
The subject heading is pay because Penangites are still paying the price everyday single day of our lives as long as the PR-led state government is subjected to such treatment.

I deliberately used the Simple Present Tense to highlight this point subtly.

Thanks for alll comments.

Best wishes,
mws

...
written by Rainbowseahorse, December 27, 2009 21:30:34

My fellow Malayans.....ehhhh. smilies/grin.gif

hehehe....I mean MALAYSIANS. Reading the postings here, I can feel the true unity of 1Malaysia at work....no, no. no, not mamakthir's nor najid's 1Malaysia, but the REAL 1MALAYSIA...the type that makes us all stand up and say with PRIDE: "I am BANGSA MALAYSIA".

Now only if this feeling can be maintained, come GE13 we will vanquish the BN once and for all and build ourselves a real 1Malaysia.

...
written by Rainbowseahorse, December 27, 2009 21:15:20

Hmmmmm, SuperAdmin, I see my opening posting has been "censored".

Why, I wonder! Too sensitive for MT here?? smilies/grin.gif

...

in a nut shell, all I was saying is that Sabah, apart from Kelantan, has stood ALONE for a lot longer than the other opposition held states.

Ma'alish habibi ! aslmakm!

...
written by relaxjack, December 27, 2009 19:50:25

Of course they only give back 40%. The remaining 60% goes into their own pocket.

...
written by mikewang, December 27, 2009 18:31:37

The subject line is inaccurate.

It should read Penangites paid the price for voting BN since funding for the state was so little from 2001 to 2008.

...
written by defendermalaysia, December 27, 2009 18:08:46

The more pressure BN or UMNO put on Penang, Kelantan, Kedah, or Selangor, the more backlash will be delivered to them in the next GE. We are already mentality prepare or actually well prepare if we voted Pr, we will not be getting any or the federal developement funds. So in the next GE, Penang should inform all the people not to pay any taxes to the federal govt since we pay federal govt our dues but the federal govt did not gave us back our developement funds. BN govt in Penang knows only how to sell off the kg Bala land and to enrich themselves. This is a fact and already well known to all the people in Penang.

...
written by yipck, December 27, 2009 17:40:01

PR State Government!!

Then stop giving the money to Federal Government and channel back the money to state developement. Just put IOU to the federal government.

They cut ur funding, then u cut back their funds also. Its a simple game play card.

Hold them back by their neck when the cash flow is cut. see how they can survive!!

...
written by gotsms, December 27, 2009 17:18:32

Vote the parasites out. Be they in BN or Pakatan.

...
written by Taiping60, December 27, 2009 16:55:29

It is simple. All Malaysians MUST vote wisely in the next general election. If the present federal government don't get rid of corrupted officers and politicians, Malaysians will do it for them in the next general election.

...
written by thirdeye, December 27, 2009 16:20:03

Being neither Malay nor Chinese, I take issue that "the DAP Chinese warlords" behave as the same as UMNOputras as suggested here. If the contracts are on "level playing field" then no issue lah. If the contracts are awarded professionally then ok lah. At present UMNO allow all to register for gomen project BUT when it comes to the crunch your PKK or KK is only valid if BUMI status available.

My contention is therefore if "the DAP Chinese warlords" do not impose the Chinese requirement then all Malaysians have a chance to get gomen project. So where is the beef ?? I suspect there is fear of ones own shadow !!!!

...
written by Singa, December 27, 2009 14:59:28

It would be good to have a PR gomen at Putrajaya but feel that the domineering Chinese warlords in the DAP will act in the same way that the UMNOputras are behaving towards the other races. They want Democracy when they are losing but begin to dominate when they win. In other words Chinese dominance is just as bad as UMNOs dominance. What Malaysian Politics needs is a class of well educated people who can run the country without self-greed and with integrity so this country can start moving fowards.

...
written by my oumrie, December 27, 2009 14:46:23

@coolmama54: Dei if you think telling the truth and asking for what's due to Penang is "spin" then yes, LGE "spins". Just like Tok Guru "spins" when he asked for what's due to Kelantan. Wake up lah you mama and open your eyes to what's happening to this country. Don't just read the MSM. Read online alternative news as well. Facts speak for themselves.

...
written by darahkumelayu, December 27, 2009 14:29:49

Jangan tunggu lama-lama. Welcome to Singapore, NOW!

...
written by CoolMama54, December 27, 2009 14:20:46

You think only main stream media know how to spin? Is federal grant the ONLY measure of returns to a state? Don't be stupid. Looks like LGE also knows how to spin. Clearly this is just stupid politics. What he really wants is for federal to release more funds for him to directly manage. Just say so lah.

...
written by storm62, December 27, 2009 14:13:16

Penangites have been short change since that idiot KTK took over, while carrying umno's balls, he's saying Penang is the Silicon Valley of Malaysia. How can a CM developed Penang with just 3% of their revenue?

This was what the idiot KTK did and with umno, they ROB the Penangites of their taxes and funny thing was the previous zzz pm tells his people to tighten their belts......see how many tax payers are staying in bird cages like the Hongkies but are being paid peanuts for working in Silicon Valley.

Lucky thing is that Penangites have KICKED the umno/bn hard in their butt in the last GE. we want change NOT only in Penang, Kedah, Perak or Selangor but also in ALL states in Malaysia, especially our bros and sisters in Sabah & Sarawak whom have been short changed too.

come next GE, People of Malaysia MUST vote umno/bn OUT for the sake of our country !!!

...
written by SeriousLy, December 27, 2009 13:55:04

Talking about Penang, We Malaysians are vomiting with UMNO playing race and religious issues! I pray that this fellow don't go walking around in KL or anywhere unprotected.I pity him he might get himself killed!Maybe not! Malaysians now are very mature! Next election Malaysians will vote against BN for sure! Malaysians cannot go on vomiting.bad for the stomach! Najib is making Malaysians more angry everyday! His strategy is wrong! but whatever strategy vomit cannot stop I can't even help him!

...
written by singhkris, December 27, 2009 13:50:45

So what did Gerakan do for Penang in the years between 2001 and 2008? Take the crumbs given by the government! This revelation should seal the fate of Gerakan's future in Penang. If Penangites vote you back into power, they would be very foolish. It is time to take over Putrajaya!

...
written by batsman, December 27, 2009 13:43:01

If Kelantanese have UMNO crony mentality and think only of their own confort and wealth, they would vote for UMNO and there will be no more problems with oil royalties. Yet they continue to support PAS.

If Penangites have the mentality of Singaporean PAP cronies, who only think about their own comfort and benefits, they would vote for Gerakan and the Federal govt will give Penangites their fair share of development money. Will Penangites continue to support PR?

...
written by onnetline, December 27, 2009 13:08:27

Malaysians need to remember to vote against these BN corrupted racists comes the next election !

Plainly, a bunch of incompetent and pariah racists !

...
written by chelly, December 27, 2009 12:46:50

i was just thinking, if penang give that much to the federal coffers, how much does the richest state selangor gives? clearly much more, hey sera sera , what ever will be will be the future is not ours to see , hey sera .... sera ......

...
written by penangboi, December 27, 2009 12:09:07

As my namesake suggests, I too am a true blue Penangnite.

Let me fire a warning salvo to those in Putrajaya. You are playing with fire.

When Malaysia was formed as a nation, there was an agreement made vide the Federal Constitution, that the federal government will collect tax and redistribute them back to the various state. This was and still is a legally-binding document.

When one party of the agreement does not honour it then all deals' off!!!

If this side-lining of opposition states prevails, then I, personally shall take up the challenge and convince as many people as possible to leave and secede from Malaysia.

I believe Penangites are better off being independent. If Singapore can make it, so canPenang.

Alternatively, all Pakatan should use this as the principal 'ammunition' in the next GE13. If we do not secede then let's kick out those in Putrajaya and replace them with someone who knows the meaning of a contract and honour an agreement.

This applies to ALL Pakatan-held states, and to Sabah and Sarawak too which is also on the receiving end of a raw deal.

Raykyat, don't be stupid and gullible. See for yourself what's happening. Open your eyes and see how we are being shafted by UMNO/BN.

Enough is enough. Either we secede or BN/UMNO leaves Putrajaya !!!!!!!

...
written by Kamikaze, December 27, 2009 12:09:03

the state contributed RM25.6 billion to federal coffers between 2001 and 2008, but received only RM794 million in federal grants during the period.

From the figures about, did Koh Tsu Koon perform good job when BN and Gerakan's administrating Penang?

Koh Tsu Koon and Gerakan only good at apple polishing

...
written by bambooman, December 27, 2009 11:37:32

hello penang,

i dont want to compare.i dont want to reason.i dont want to know why.come GE13.my vote is definitely for PR!i will do my part convince my friends to vote for PR!

...
written by SiHangChai, December 27, 2009 11:14:17

Penangites should know that those bastard Mugabe-BN-UMNO are revengeful people. I am deeply sorry that in the island, there are a lot of UMNO sympathizers; not because of politics, but because they want to identify themselves and to be accepted as Malay and bumputera. Unfortunately, this will never happen, and they take this out on DAP on purpose becauseDAP is a majority of Chinese. We have such a kampung and low mentality community in Penang. But this is not about Chinese in reality as Chinese supported PAS and Islam and not mugabe-UMNO.

...
written by Eskay345, December 27, 2009 11:07:59

Dear Pink Lips,
The more pressure you put on Penang, the more screws you tighten, Penangites in Penang and elsewhere will remember come GE-13 and create history for you... by making Barisan Nasional the opposition party in Malaysia for the first time.
We have rid Penang of a Chief Minister. We can rid the Prime Minister too.

...
written by doitanyway, December 27, 2009 10:59:54

Is this how 1Malaysia is supposed to work?Gerakan what say you

...
written by Rainbowseahorse, December 27, 2009 10:59:51

Due to differences in religious ideologies, Sabah couldn't seek help from the ONLY other Opposition held State, Kelantan. No one cares nor bother to come to our aid while UMNO thoroughly vanquish our people's power and turned our State into what it is today. Only in these times, when the battle is brought to West Malaysians doorsteps, do they suddenly wake up and take notice of what UMNO has been, is doing, and will be doing to the country.UMNO is fond of repeating their tactics, and so Penang should watch out for any noticeable changes or increases of voters on the island. If there are such changes, the it's most definitely UMNO's work in progress to turn Penang into another of their

...
written by jokersland, December 27, 2009 10:50:19

Dear Mastewordsmith,

As far as the BN government is concern, they can't find the word " fair play" in their dictionary. Even now all the UMNO elites in Penang are shouting because hard to plunder from the state coffer at present. So this 20m allocated to the heritage fund must be manage by the so call PLC to squeeze. Out of this amount most probably you will see only 20% for the daylight and the rest vanish by the sleigh of hand.

Where in the world you can find federal fund meant to the state but manage by Pirate Link Companies ( PLC ). We can see this only in JOKERSLAND.

...
written by BAYANGKARA, December 27, 2009 10:36:03

UMNO's bias against Penang and Kelantan is thoroughly consistent with its agenda of thieving and robbery, otherwise why must Khazanah disburse the heritage funds to Penang and Kelantan only paid ex gratia sums and not royalties?

Entreaties and appealing to the fairness and decency of UMNO is futile because they don't have the least quantum of decency. It's like water off a duck's back. The only solution is kick this corrupt, self-serving government out of Putrajaya.

...
written by Awang Kuku, December 27, 2009 10:33:21

When the going is tough, the tough gets going. It does not just apply to Penang, but also to other Pakatan states. The deliberate unfair treatment dished out by BN/UMNO goment will just add fuel to the anger that we who vote for Pakatan and to get even tougher. This goment must go!

...
written by Davy McChester, December 27, 2009 10:03:16

Is this the meaning of 1 Malaysia ! UMNO/BN majority constituencies must remember after GE13 if politics continue to be a game of playing dirty ,directly aimed at the well being of the people. But PR is party of principles and it will not deprive the people despite all the hardship it is being subjected to by UMNO today. UMNO is a party morally bankrupt., party of thieves,a mafia organisation.

...
written by greenpeas, December 27, 2009 09:55:05

The way I see it, there is an easier way to circumvent this problem than to hope that there is going to be any change of heart by the federal government. We need to root out the source of the problem. Let's just vote out BN at the GE.

...
written by Angela Ooi, December 27, 2009 09:36:06

BN gomen is all bad, nothing good - thumping their noses on Penangnites. This unjust and unfair treatment will only inflame the Penangnites to go all out to ensure the end of BN. Remember the fortitude of the Kelantanese who made huge sacrifices to stay under PAS. Bravo!!