Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email “The arrogance in Umno must stop … those rowdy cowboys are spoiling the party’s name on the ground … the wielding of the keris must also stop as it frightens the people.
Well, he didn’t mince his words 🙂
Keng Yaik: Address crux of dissatisfaction
PUTRAJAYA: The Barisan Nasional must address the crux of the public’s dissatisfaction if it does not want to lose power in the federal government in the next election said Gerakan national adviser Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik.
In a no-holds-barred press conference at his office yesterday, the feisty politician listed out issues that Barisan Nasional must address in restoring the people’s faith in the ruling coalition. The coalition, he said was in some serious need of soul-searching and discipline and must rid itself of money politics.
He also cautioned that the civil service, which is a critical part of the federal government, must be closely supervised and seen to be actively improving apart from not discriminating against non-Malays.
More, he added, must also be done to appease Indian, Chinese and even urban Malay voters.
The government’s efforts in beefing up the service, including initiatives like the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah), was “too little too late”, he said.
Dr Lim, whose Gerakan party was all but wiped out in the elections, said the overwhelming votes that went to opposition parties showed that the people were angry with Barisan Nasional.
He also said that some Umno leaders had displeased people by being arrogant and Umno must take action against such members to ensure stability within the ruling coalition.
“The arrogance in Umno must stop … those rowdy cowboys are spoiling the party’s name on the ground … the wielding of the keris must also stop as it frightens the people.
“Just as the MIC, MCA and Gerakan discipline their members when they get out of line, Umno must do the same.
“Their arrogance in parliament and at the Umno general assembly must stop … you can argue but don’t be arrogant,” Dr Lim, who is retiring from the cabinet, said yesterday after clearing out his office at the Energy, Water and Communication Ministry, here.
Gerakan, he said, was fully supportive of BN chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s leadership and would not abandon BN at trying times like now. However, he said it was incumbent upon Abdullah to ensure that national issues, as well as those within the BN coalition, were thoroughly addressed. Dr Lim said Abdullah, as BN chief, had a lot of deep thinking to do in view of the strong message given by the people.
“If his advisers have been giving him the wrong advice, he must change them.”Asked why he did not raise these issues before, Dr Lim, said: “How do you know I didn’t? Gerakan, MCA and MIC have always done it in camera. Maybe next time things should be said out of camera as the people are no longer happy with results but want to see their leaders voicing out their concerns.”
Sack bad advisers, PM urged
By SIM LEOI LEOI and RAPHAEL WONG
PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik let rip on the last day of his office in Government by issuing the strongest advice to the Prime Minister.
Change the advisers because they are giving the wrong advice, which partly led to major losses for Barisan Nasional in the general election, the Gerakan adviser said.
Dr Lim, who retired from active politics last year, said although he still had confidence in Abdullah’s leadership, Abdullah had got to think a lot and much deeper on issues of the day and “do something.” “There is no leadership issue. The advice given to him has been wrong. If his advisers have been giving the wrong advice, remove them all. If it’s been the right advice, why should we be here now?
Dr Lim was talking to reporters after handing over his Energy, Water and Communications Ministry tag at his office here yesterday.
Other reasons contributing to the losses included the arrogant attitude of some Barisan politicians, the lack of cyber campaigning and the discriminatory implementation of government policies by certain civil servants, he pointed out.
“The arrogance of the party in power must stop, such as the wielding of the keris and comments uttered during the Umno general assembly and in Parliament. All this must not be repeated.
“Gerakan, MCA and MIC know how to discipline their own members. Umno must do the same,” he said, adding that the “cowboys” were spoiling the name of the party.
The coalition’s members, added Dr Lim, should also conduct some soul-searching and clean up money politics: they should work for their party and not “suck” it.
The Barisan government, said Dr Lim, should have supervised the civil servants to ensure that the implementation of federal policies remained fair to all. “Giving the excuse that our policies are good but not our implementation is not enough. It’s better for such civil servants to be thrown out.
“You cannot say that it’s the civil servants who are doing such things because as the ruling party, we have to take responsibility,” he said. “And I will also take responsibility because I was part of the former Government,” stressed Dr Lim.
The Chinese and Indian voters, he added, were angry at the Government for such arrogant and discriminatory attitudes but both the Malays and non-Malays were also frustrated at the lack of transparency and the extent of corruption. “Or else, the urban belt will not have fallen. We need to reassess our attitude and requirements must be taken to appease the Chinese and Indians. Maybe we need a new New Economic Policy,” he said.
MCA and Gerakan, Dr Lim also pointed out, had been working quietly and in camera on sensitive issues with Umno but “maybe this is not enough any more”. “Over these issues, we must have our say or else the Chinese will run away from us,” he said.
hahaha …… everybody knows which party is the culprit . But that party doesnt know . The need post motem and advisery group to tell them who’s the culprit . Stupid !