The Penang prototype
By Onn Yeoh, The Sun
MALAYSIAN politics reached a crossroads on March 8, 2008. That is when we effectively became a two-party (or two-coalition) state for all intents and purposes. For the first time, the ruling government’s two-thirds majority was denied and five states were under the control of the opposition.
Since then, there has been much bickering between the opposition-controlled states and the federal government. One of them, Perak, was even taken over by Barisan Nasional after a controversial tussle.
This antagonistic culture between opposition-controlled states and the federal government has got to stop if Malaysia is to progress in an increasingly competitive world.
Right now, BN is the federal government. What if some day Pakatan Rakyat becomes the federal government? Would the same kind of antagonism exist between a PR federal government and BN-controlled states? Most likely so if this culture of animosity is not broken soon. A tit for tat is very much a part of human nature. So is the desire for payback. So how do we break this vicious cycle?
What’s happening in Penang is a ray of hope and could be an indication of positive things to come. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng last week announced that the state government was willing to shelve its development master plan in favour of Putrajaya’s “Greater Penang Transformation Programme”.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said that under the 10th Malaysia Plan, Penang had been allocated RM17.9 billion for the upgrading of physical infrastructure to enhance access and connectivity. This, he said, was to “prime Penang as the leading urban centre in the Bay of Bengal and the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Golden Triangle.”
Projects under the plan included the expansion and upgrade of the Penang Bridge, Penang International Airport and Penang Port, and the construction of the second Penang Bridge, electrified double track and Juru-Sungai Dua bypass.
Instead of rebuffing that offer, Lim welcomes it. “In response and to prove our sincerity and commitment to the prime minister’s offer, the state is willing to set aside our completed Penang Blueprint and Industrial Masterplan for 2011-2015 in favour of the Greater Penang Masterplan,” he said.
Describing his acceptance of Najib’s offer as a “major effort”, Lim added that this was a sign of a stable and mature federal-state relationship. Lim then highlighted another example of successful state-federal government cooperation that resulted in Penang topping the investment charts in Malaysia last year with the highest-ever recorded investment inflow of RM12.2 billion.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the close cooperation of Mida as well as the support of International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad,” Lim said.
“We are confident that with this joint collaboration with the federal government, and with efficient planning and targeting of resources, the Greater Penang Masterplan will result in not only a cleaner, greener and safer Penang, but also a viable and competitive international and intelligent city of the future.”
In putting aside political differences, Lim’s action has proven that it is indeed possible for an opposition-controlled state to have positive collaborations with the federal government. Of course it requires two hands to clap. A willing state government and an unwilling federal government would not result in any positive cooperation happening.
Penang is a good start. If this positive development can be extended to other opposition-controlled states it can then bring about a virtuous cycle that would ensure Malaysia will continue to grow and prosper regardless of whether the federal government is BN or PR-controlled.
