Guan Eng, don’t “cakap tak serupa bikin!”
By Reina
Lim Guan Eng was one of those second-generation politicians who managed to successfully step out of his father’s shadow and make a mark for himself.
Like his father, he was outspoken and fiery. But he had an edge – he was good looking and had a certain boyish charm that drew women to him. A couple of female journalists who covered him during the late 1980s were smitten by him. The other reporter and many women were probably heartbroken when he picked Betty Chew to be his wife.
He was outspoken the Dapsy chief who went on to become deputy secretary-general and on April 28, 1997, he was found guilty under the Sedition Act for publicly criticising the Attorney General’s handling of a statutory rape case involving a 15-year-old schoolgirl and the former Chief Minister of Malacca, Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik, and the decision of a court to place the alleged rape victim in “protective custody”; and under the Printing and Presses Publications Act with publishing false information by referring to the girl as “imprisoned victim”. He lost his MP status and barred from standing for elections.
On Aug 25, 1999, he was released.
Today, DAP’s secretary-general is the Chief Minister of Penang, the state that his father and their party tried so hard win from Gerakan through the Tajung election campaigns.
Three days after the political tsunami on March 8 last year, Guan Eng was reported to have said that among the first things he would do was to have his new state government enact the Freedom of Information Act and have his state officials publicly declare their assets and that the government would hold open tenders for all government procurements and contract.
A much awaited move for many who had been wanting to see the removal the shroud of secrecy which has covered the awarding of contracts and the implementation of projects.
On World Press Freedom Day in May this year, Guan Eng stresses the importance of the media being allowed to report freely and for the media to fulfil its duties.
And, if I may add, for that to happen, the media must have more access to information – in tandem with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which says the establishment, maintenance and fostering of an independent, pluralistic and free press is essential to the development and maintenance of democracy in a nation, and for economic development.
Which is exactly what Guan Eng would probably have had in mind when last month he asked the Federal Government for information on why 76% of the RM7.6 billion allocation for projects for Penang under the 9MP had not been
given?
Then how could he possibly not want to declassify the minutes of the Pakatan Rakyat state executive council meeting regarding the Kampung Buah Pala issue?
