Wanita MCA Penang – Protestors must stay away from private residences

While the DAP-led Penang administration’s dismal performance has let down Penangites despite its promise to deliver changes it claimed it would, and more recently, the jibe by the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at the Penang state assembly that Hindu temples would be demolished should UMNO return warrants criticism, it should be pointed out that Perkasa’s “funeral rites” antic at the DAP Secretary General personal residence or Ikhlas grilling burgers just outside the home premises of Bersih chairman Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasa as a sign of protest against income loss during the Bersih 3.0 protest on 28 April 2012 must be chastised.

During 2008 the general election campaign period, Pakatan supporters had also misused my photograph as a funeral rite. Back then however, Pakatan candidates and leaders did not chide this debased stunt by their supporters. Although Pakatan supporters did this to me, I do not condone and will condemn such similar actions taken on any political rival.

As a female politician and social activist, I can comprehend Dato’ Ambiga’s idealism and principles she upholds, although I do not agree with all the contents or method of taking to the streets when Stadium Merdeka was offered considering that was the location which the organisers requested for Bersih 2.0.  

However, I call on all detractors objecting against the Penang Chief Minister and Bersih organisers to leave their respective family members and neighbours alone. They are innocent and neutral parties and should not be subjected to bad-mannered behaviour, more particularly in one’s private residential when differences of political differences abound.  

Detractors should resort to the law by filing whatever claims they may have against Guan Eng or Bersih at court. If they insist, then stage a peaceful protest outside the Komtar building, Bersih headquarters in accordance with the law after notifying the authorities and receiving the nod.

Malaysians’ security accorded by law

I urge the DAP-led state government to improve on their shortcomings to the people. I also condemn the violence towards the media personnel, the public and the police that erupted during the Bersih 3.0 protests in Kuala Lumpur.

Nevertheless Guan Eng, Dato’ Ambiga and their family members are fellow Malaysian citizens and deserve equal and full protection of the law from intimidation or trespass or such less than welcome behaviour as exhibited yesterday by Perkasa and Ikhlas.

Demonstration can grow out of hand

Meanwhile, I hope that the Penang Chief Minister, Bersih members and any other groups now take cognition that in regularly urging the masses to take to the streets, the disturbing subsequent reactions displayed by Perkasa and Ikhlas or street demonstration spiraling out of control are possible unfortunate repercussions which any decent civilization would hope to and must take steps to avoid.   

Sdri Tan Cheng Liang

Wanita MCA Penang Chairman

林冠英向神挥拳向天吐口水 扪心自问是否有无强拆庙宇

（吉隆坡8日讯）马华槟州妇女组主席陈清凉抨击槟州首长林冠英向神挥拳，向天吐口水，口口声声说槟州政府以民为本，谴责槟巫统乱拆宗教场所，但是自己却上梁不正下梁歪，一再的强拆庙宇，导致民怨再生。

她今天针对林冠英在州议会会议发表“若巫统重新执政槟州，将拆除兴都庙”威胁言论时表示，林冠英在发出有关威胁论的同时应该扪心自问自己是否可以清清白白的大声宣布槟州政府没有拆除任何一间庙宇也没有亏待任何一个宗教团体？

“槟州政府信誓旦旦的宣称不允许教育宗教保留地消失，但这4年来的所作所为，却叫人失望，槟市议会强行拆除槟城北海金山大伯公庙的举动就是最好的证明，林冠英善于演戏，借词推卸责任，非常可耻”。
她指出，除了槟城，其他由民联执政的州属，包括吉打，槟城及雪州，都曾发生拆除神庙和印度庙宇的事件，凡是民联州属都无一幸免。

“其中遭殃就包括槟州政府拆除了北海福德祠金山伯公庙；吉打，继拆除百大年花园兴都庙神龛后不久，又拆了位于峇甲三芭通往巴雅娜虎政府组屋大路旁的拿督公庙；在雪州，安邦再也市议会拆除区内的印度庙，导致约300名印度人在州政府大厦外展开和平纠察”。

她促请林冠英如果槟州政府想要一个以民为本的州政府，林冠英就必须在州政府内贯彻最基本公平公正原则，并信守承诺，不允许任何被列为学校、宗教场所、清真寺、祈祷室、基督教堂、神庙、兴都庙或佛寺的保留地消失。

8 May 2012

Press statement by Wanita MCA Penang Chairman Sdri Tan Cheng Liang

Lim Guan Eng should ask himself whether Pakatan state governments are free from demolishing temples

Lim Guan Eng’s attempt at challenging the Heavens warrants criticism. He claims that the Penang State Government holds the state population’s best interest at heart and condemned Penang UMNO for demolishing religious sites. How hypocritical he is when local authorities in Pakatan-led state governments too have demolished temples, leading to grievances among the people.

The DAP Secretary General had remarked at the Penang state assembly - “If UMNO returns to power, all Hindu temples will be demolished.” Before Lim Guan Eng utters such a remark, he should ask himself boldly whether the Penang State Government has never demolished any temples and never has insulted any religious groups.

The Penang State Government had pledged to oppose any attempts to demolish religious sites. However in these 4 years, DAP has proven to be a disappointment to the people. The demolition of the Tua Pek Kong temple at Butterworth is the most significant example. It is really disgraceful of Lim Guan Eng to shirk his responsibilities and act out in the public’s eye instead.

Hindu shrines destroyed in other Pakatan-led states

In addition to Penang, other Pakatan states including Kedah, Penang and Selangor also had incidences where Hindu shrines were demolished. None will be spared as long as it is a Pakatan controlled state.

Besides Penang where the Tua Pek Kong temple in Butterworth was demolished, a Hindu shrine and a Chinese temple was also torn down in Sungai Petani, Kedah. In Selangor, a Hindu temple in Ampang was also demolished causing 300 Indians to stage a peaceful demonstration in front of the Selangor state government building.

I urge Lim Guan Eng that if Penang government wants a citizen-centric state government, he should implement fair and just rulings during the State Assembly to fulfill his promises. He must not allow any schools, religious sites, mosques, prayer rooms, Christian churches, Hindu or Buddhist temples to be torn down.

Sdri Tan Cheng Liang

Wanita MCA Penang Chairman

Lim Guan Eng preaching false democracy dares to call for press freedom

I feel disdained that Lim Guan Eng claims to completely support the freedom of press but violates it by portraying a false image of being a democratic leader.
I say this in regard to yesterday’s news about the initiative which allows journalists to write messages to the elected representatives in scores of yellow notes which were pasted on panels facing the main door at the Penang state assembly hall. However, the spotlight was shone on Lim Guan Eng as a number of negative messages were directed to him. Among them were regarding his inaccuracy in answering reporters’ questions and biased treatment to members of the press.
How hypocritical of Lim Guan Eng to call for press freedom when his actions do not reflect the same. He boasts about his support for press freedom, but bars Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian reporters from interviewing him at the Penang State Assembly at the same time. Oh, the irony.
The most important aspect of press freedom is to give the press complete liberty in handling their publication of news from a neutral and impartial stance. However, whenever Lim Guan Eng feels the news does not suit to his taste, he goes on to accuse the press of bias and favoritism towards the other parties.
Besides that, Lim Guan Eng was also chided for selectively responding to certain questions by reporters and on several occasions, not answering them clearly. He was also told to not blame and criticize reporters from the media. I think that it has become a usual approach for him to turn a deaf ear towards questions which are unfavourable to him.
During the ceremony when the Penang State government provided funds for 84 Chinese primary schools, Lim Guan Eng also publicly threatened those schools from subscribing to newspapers which have indifferent opinions towards DAP and the Opposition coalition. These include Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian. He threatened that he will not allocate funds for the following year if they failed to do so. Are these actions from a “role model” of press freedom?
Sdri Tan Cheng Liang Wanita MCA Penang Chairman

林冠英高喊捍卫新闻自由 陈清凉调侃真独裁假民主

（吉隆坡4日讯）马华槟州妇女组主席陈清凉调侃槟州首长林冠英口口声声捍卫新闻自由，惟却秉持不一样的操作准绳，完全体现出其“真独裁，假民主”的处事作风，令人不屑。

 

陈清凉是针对昨日的新闻自由日，槟城中文报记者及摄影记者协会（记协）在槟州议会大厦首创“如果文字会说话”活动，让新闻从业员把心声贴在看板上，有不少朝野议员被点名“上榜”，不过备受关注的是关于槟城一州之长林冠英的留言，包括林冠英没有准確回答记者的提问，及要求林冠英公平对待所有媒体一事发文告如此表示。

 

“林冠英经常高喊支持新闻自由，可另一边厢却自打嘴巴，常动辄杯葛《马来前锋报》和《新海峡时报》等报章记者采访，这些举动都是出自于声称捍卫新闻自由林首长之作。”

 

她补充，新闻自由主要是让报章媒体有权从中立及不偏帮任何一方的立场，处理并报导新闻。可是，林首长多次针对报章媒体的报导不符合他们的口味，便指责报章偏帮一方。

 

不仅如此，每每遇到记者提问不悦耳的话语，林冠英都选择性不作出任何回应，林冠英甚至经常没有准确回答记者问题，反之却经常责怪媒体，林冠英可谓把视之而不见丶听之而不闻这一招发挥的淋漓尽致。

 

“林冠英曾在槟州政府拨款给84所华小仪式上，公然威胁各校停止订阅指正行动党及民联阵线偏差的马来报，包括《马来西亚前锋报》及《每日新闻》，否则明年就不再拨款予学校，难道这些举止都是林首长秉持捍卫新闻自由的最佳“示范”吗？”