(Penang, Saturday): On Wednesday, when launching the "Justice For All" campaign in the Bagan Parliamentary constituency, I explained the all-encompassing nature of the "Justice For All" campaign, covering not only the political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious justice for 22 million Malaysians, but also meaning "Justice For Penang" and "Justice for Malaysia".
I also made five proposals from the perspective of "Justice for Penang" to ensure that the people and state of Penang can get justice, freedom, democracy and good governance.
I am surprised that there has been no reaction from the Penang State Government although all the five proposals directly concern the people and state of Penang, and I call on the Penang State Executive Council at its meeting next week to publicly make clear its position on the five-point "Justice For Penang" proposals and its commitment to turn them into reality.
The first proposal is for the MPPP and MPSP to implement the National Economic Recovery Plan (NERP) proposal of the National Economic Action Council (NEAC) that local governments give a rebate to relieve the burden of sewerage costs of all ratepayers.
This is not the first time I had raised this issue, and it is completely unacceptable for the Penang State Government, the MPPP and MPSP to maintain a stony silence on the question of rebate to ratepayers because of the Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) sewerage charge.
The Penang Chief Minister, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon should let the people of Penang know whether the Penang State Government supports or rejects the NERP proposal that MPPP and MPSP give a rebate on sewerage costs levied by IWK to consumers from assessment rates with full retrospective effect.
If the Penang State Government, MPPP and MPSP reject the NERP proposal, the people of Penang are entitled to know the reasons why. If they support the proposal, then why are the State Government and the two Municipal Councils so inefficient and incompetent that they have not implemented the proposal with full retrospective effect?
The second proposal calls for a five-year extension to the Rent Control (Repeal) Act, suspending the decontrol of the pre-war premises until after the end of the national economic crisis.
The third proposal is to oppose the unfair toll rate increases and the imposition of unfair new tolls, which will affect all Malaysians, whether motorists or non-motorists, whether in Penang or other parts of the country.
The fourth proposal calls for an assurance from the Penang Chief Minister that there would be no increase of the Penang Bridge toll during the economic crisis.
The fifth proposal is that Penang should demand for the immediate establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the "black eye" and other injuries suffered by former Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim while under police custody and to bring to book, regardless of position, all those responsible for perpetrating such heinous crime in the very inner sanctum of the police high command at Bukit Aman.
I hope the Penang State Government would not disappoint the people of Penang and latest by the next Penang State Exco meeting declare its official stand on the five-point "Justice for Penang" proposals.
(23/1/99)