Monday, April 28, 2008

DAP 'graftbusters' to fight corruption





Malaysiakini | Soon Li Tsin | Apr 23, 08 2:33pm

There is new team in town that aims to fighting corruption - meet the DAP’s ‘graftbuster’ squad.

At a press conference today, several DAP politicians announced that the team will complement the work of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) in accepting complaints from the public.

Segambut parliamentarian Lim Lip Eng said complaints may be e-mailed to members of the team together with evidence, to enable checks to be conducted.

He said the scope of complaints accepted will include everything except malpractice in commercial transactions, as this would be better handled by the police commercial crimes department.

“We are targeting mainly (complaints about) civil servants and the past (state) governments. We don’t want bare evidence, we want corroborated proof,” he said in Petaling Jaya today.

Also present were other members of the team - Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo and Kampung Tunku state representative Lau Weng San.

“We will work with the ACA, Royal Malaysia Police and the public complaints bureau in the Prime Minister’s Department,” Lim said.

“Once we gather all the evidence and proof, we will forward it to those departments and we’ll follow up closely. If no action is taken, we will disclose it further (to the public).”

Pua said the team will deal with the increasing number of people who wish to send them documents that indicate corruption.

“I think those (complaints) are a good start because (we can question, for example) why the government is awarding a RM120 million contract to an unknown company with foreign directors,” Pua said.

“If there is no corruption, (there is) a possibility of abuse of power in awarding contracts and so on. It allows us to go to Parliament and ask questions to get more information from ministries. These are the things we’re trying to curb in the new government.”

‘Work with us’

Gobind said he has received numerous complaints about local councillors appointed by the previous (Barisan Nasional) state governments having solicited money in exchange for approval of licences. Some are said to have threatened people.

“We have complaints from people who have gone to the ACA. They said that, despite having the evidence, many cases have been left unattended. Some (complaints) have been investigated but no action was taken.

“This move by the DAP will offer the people an alternative avenue for complaints. It gives the people a more direct approach to us as politicians because we can raise all this in Parliament. What we require now is for the people to participate so that the system can work.”

Asked if the team would act if allegations are made against a member of the Pakatan Rakyat, the lawyer stressed that there will be no double standards.

“We are very firm that our governance is corruption-free. In the event that there are allegations against our members, we will take those complaints very seriously and we will have them investigated. In the probability that action needs to be taken, we will be the first to take such action.”

On whether the team will declare their assets as a first step to show its transparency, Gobind said the DAP has yet to make a decision on this.

“We have no problem with (declaring our assets) but that decision will be made by the DAP central executive committee. Most of us have no assets anyway so we’re not really afraid,” he mused.

The team can be reached via email at graftbuster@gmail.com and will also accept complaints at service centres set up by its members.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Stop-work order issued on luxury bungalows project

By CHRISTINA LOW (The Star, Tuesday April 22, 2008)

KUALA LUMPUR: A stop-work order was issued on the Damansara 21 project Monday after City Hall (DBKL) found that the developer did not comply with safety standards and did not have a proper drainage system.

“We have notified them to stop work until they are able to complete the safety works for the project,” DBKL Public Works Department director Siti Saffur Mansor said at a meeting chaired by DBKL director-general Datuk Salleh Yusup yesterday.

DBKL also found that the developer did not follow the geotechnical report which stated that they must work in stages and not continuously.

It issued two compound notices to the developer totalling RM100,000 in fines.
The Damansara 21 project, which began in early December, comprises 21 luxury bungalows costing between RM10mil and RM15mil each.

Siti Saffur said the developer promised to rectify the faults by May 20. It would also have to submit a report to DBKL every Friday.

She gave assurance that the hillside project posed no danger to the residents, as DBKL was reviewing development sites such as those located in Segambut, Mont Kiara, Damansara, Kampung Sungai Penchala, Batu and Bukit Jalil.

When asked if the area was the last 10% green lung stretch as claimed by the residents, Salleh said it was untrue as the area still had many trees.

Medan Damansara residents held a protest on Sunday for an immediate stop-work order because the project did not have silt-traps, hoarding and a plan to prevent erosion at the site.

Medan Damansara Hillside Development - Saravanan's promise

MP upset over City Hall snub

Monday, April 21, 2008

Samy Vellu Wannabe

There are reports that I raised only petty issues at the roundtable retreat held by FT ministry on 17-18/4/2008 at Hotel Istana. As a responsible Pakatan Rakyat MP for Segambut, I of course did more than that... (I am glad of all details, whether they seem to you to be relevant or not- Sherlock Holmes).


For the record, on the 1st day of the retreat I have reiterated all issues that were raised by my Pakatan Rakyat MPs before me. I have also raised issues such as when and how Jalan Segambut can be widened/upgraded to tackle the 24/7 traffic woes there, whether the hillside “Damansara21” project to build only 21 bungalows selling at more than 10 millions each is still safe to proceed, to be given the list of names of all key holders to all Segambut community halls which are owned and managed by DBKL but in control by BN people, whether City mayor is waging a war on Pakatan Rakyat MPs by conducting activities/programs under the names of respective Parliament constituency without even informing let alone inviting the rightfully elected MP there and yes, the double standard issue on hotel parking. I further criticized city mayor & FT minister in wasting tax payers’ money on having the retreat at 5-star Hotel Istana while there are available many unutilized DBKL big halls. I even disclosed the misery of a former BN MP in KL who couldn’t get help/cooperation from DBKL even while his term as a MP. And I was the first one to query city mayor and his gangs why the media were not allowed to cover the whole morning session.

As expected, all my issues raised have not been answered at time of writing this blog and yes, I got to pay RM10 for parking.

Unlike Samy Vellu wannabe Datuk M. Saravanan who disappeared at the retreat right after having 5-star hotel lunch only to show himself at the end of the afternoon session and the pompous Tengku Adnan who stormed off the venue shortly after his grand arrival at 2:30pm, FT Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique sat throughout the 9-hour meeting on the 1st day of the retreat.

I didn’t attend the 2nd day of the retreat because Adnan already said that the retreat was rubbish and also of threat by Saravanan not to hold the retreat anymore. They are part of the retreat organizer yet they don’t encourage the need of such forum, so why should I?


LIM LIP ENG
DAP MP for Segambut
20/4/2008

Friday, April 18, 2008

Second Dialogue Ends with Tengku Adnan Storming Off

(New Straits Times Fri, 18/5/08) - The second dialogue between the 10 opposition MPs in Kuala Lumpur and the Barisan Nasional after the general election left much to be desired.

It was marked by the raising of petty issues culminating in Putrajaya MP Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor storming off shortly after lunch.

While the early hours of the meeting, which began at 9am, saw tension in the air, the testy exchanges eventually saw Tengku Adnan losing his cool.

He had arrived at 2.30pm to hear Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng complaining about the venue for the forum and what he claimed was preferential parking for representatives of the Federal Territories Ministry which had organised the event. Lim had asked why the two-day forum was held in a five-star hotel and not at City Hall headquarters here.

He had also asked why Pakatan Rakyat MPs had to pay for their parking while FT Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique and other senior ministry officials had parked in front of the hotel.
"Why should there also be double standards between the BN and the Pakatan MPs," he asked.

As soon as Tengku Adnan left after describing the dialogue as "rubbish", Zulhasnan's deputy, Datuk M. Saravanan, called for a press conference where he accused the opposition of being arrogant and not using the forum to raise constructive issues.

"The MPs have been given an opportunity to voice their opinions to improve the lifestyle of city folk. But I regret their behaviour. The meeting was a waste of time," he said, adding that such forums should not be organised in the future.

Former Labuan MP Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman agreed with Saravanan, calling the forum a "waste of time".

He said the ministry should not organise such forums in future.

"This forum was not used as it should have been. Opposition MPs should use the opportunity to interact and voice their opinions positively.

"But what I saw was arrogance. They just launched their attacks. How are we going to solve problems?," he asked.

Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong repeatedly attacked the mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan, calling for the post to be filled by election and the FT Ministry scrapped.

Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai was also vocal, calling City Hall the "sleeping beauty" as he claimed many long-standing issues had not been settled.

Saravanan and Suhaili suggested that only "professional opposition MPs" be invited for meetings in future.

Batu MP Tian Chua is believed to fit this bill, as he mingled freely with Zulhasnan and other top officials from the ministry and City Hall.

His speech called for more open dialogues with the ministry besides being focused on issues affecting his constituency. Other MPs who left a positive mark on BN officials and City Hall were Bandar Tun Razak MP and Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim who called on Zulhasnan to work with the opposition.

"Let's work together. We can be partners. This is a good forum to solve the various issues affecting city folk."

He suggested that illegal trading, housing and cleanliness be topmost on the ministry's agenda.

Credit, however, goes to Zulhasnan, who sat throughout the nine-hour meeting, leaving only for an hour-long lunch. He first met the opposition MPs two weeks ago where he stressed that he wanted more dialogues to open communication between the BN and the opposition.

He had also proposed dialogues between the MPs and him between parliamentary sessions.

Article taken from MT

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Headline!

(Guang Ming Daily 11/4/08 - 4 MPs don't want AP, second from left MP Lim Lip Eng)

Friday, April 11, 2008

The Road Blocks to City Hall

As a follow up to a recent meeting with the Federal Territories(FT) minister and his deputy, of which turned out to be an utter disappointment and waste of time due to agendaless show of power, Saravanan has again lambasted the "real" FT representatives with a series of half truth and self pleasing comments (please see Malaysiakini report on 7/4/2008 titled Saravanan tells KL MPs to work with ministry).

He alleged the 10 Members of Parliament(MP) chosen by the people were "misbehaving" by not kow-towing to him after attending a last minute meetings called by his UMNO leader (whom have won the Setiawangsa seat merely on postal votes).

I would like to point to the MIC representative for Tapah that being elected representative, I am tirelessly working on the ground, helping the people where I can in KL. With the close to 60,000 voters in Segambut alone, I am rather tied down my time with the people than to say "hello" to Saravanan. The utter disrespect the Ministry show for us the 10 Pakatan Rakyat MP by the way the meeting has been scheduled, left much to be desired and I seriously doubt their claim that they are here to serve the people. While Saravanan mentioned that this is how the government operate and ask us to "embrace" the system, I would like him to check his facts. The way the Government has operated in KL for many many years and working reasonably well was without having the FT Ministry, even less him playing second fiddle in it.

Saravanan also mentioned that the MP should give the minister and the ministry opportunity to improve the lives of people in the federal capital. I would like Saravanan to face the fact that the people seems to have enough of BN running or “ruining” the city as shown by the overwhelming rejection of UMNO, BN, MCA, GERAKAN and yes, MIC. They don't want to work with this so call ministry and I would be betraying their votes if I am to be subservient to the ministry. The way I see it, the existence of this ministry serve nothing more than just to pay high wages to several loyalist and to add further roadblocks to the already congested bureaucratic system in the local government.

As a MP for this area, I can't wait to pour my all into making things better for people in Segambut. But apparently Zulhasnan and Saravanan are mounting political roadblocks to stop me and the other MPs from doing so by barricading the gates to City Hall advisory council and even City Hall itself by refusing us a direct route to the civil servants who are suppose to serve the people, through us. Saravanan blatantly accused us of playing politics but the real fact is that they are the real party doing "small movement" to stop us from effectively serving the people.

My call as Segambut MP remains the same. Mr Minister by postal votes and your deputy, get out of our way to City Hall. Do you part for the little trust people still have with you in Setiawangsa and Tapah, but don't expect us to forsake our people to rub your ego by attending whatever so call urgent workshop or last minute meeting. For Saravanan specifically, look at the agriculture and tourism problems of your constituency. On a further note, the Prime Minister should shelf the Ministry as it really seems to be doing absolutely nothing constructive and beneficial to the people of the Federal Territory while actively preventing those whose genuinely want to serve from doing so.


LIM LIP ENG
DAP MP for Segambut
11/4/2008

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

雪兰莪州民主行动党宣傳秘書林立迎国会议员于2008年4月9日在八打靈发表的文告

拿督黄家泉日前对马华党员所发出的严厉警告,若不辞掉市议会会员,就不能继续再作马华党员,此举不禁让人感受到其专横及不开明的一面。
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要知道,若是以马华普通党员的身份,继续在不同阵营的政府继续服务人民,有何不可呢‭? ‬雪兰莪州新政府成立此刻,急需“贤”与“能”的人士,只要有表现,有成绩,真心为人民,并可以超越政党背景的市议员,都可以有机会继续服务人民。

按着黄家泉的言论‭,马华的原则就是不论民主行动党的立场是几对,多麽正确,马华党员一定要反对到底,无论如何就是要是把党的利益放在高于人民的利益之上。试问他,马华在白小重开事件,猪农迫迁,印裔社群权益课题等等,是不是都一慨不分皂白,全盘反对,完全背负民意?

在许多非政府组织和华团中,有许多领袖也是马华党员,甚至身兼马华高职。这些团体当中,有许多立场和民主行动党是一致的。他们是否也应当辞掉所有在华团的职位,不然,就该放弃成为马华党员。‭‬同样身份冲突情况,为何在某情况可以允许发生,某些情况却完全不允许,这岂不是双重标准吗?
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身份冲突的情况,若是当事者清楚明白自己的职责所在,这种情况自会得以避免。但是,若强制性要求并警告所有党员不准在新政府服务人民,那就显得本身政党的不开明和不民主。

我猜想,家泉这一番言论并不是完全代表马华,倒是出之于“黄家马华”的政治胸怀吧了。


林立迎
9/4/08

Monday, April 7, 2008

Bar council in DBKL advisory board?

Dear Honourable Bar Councils,

Last Friday, I attended a meeting called by FT minister Datuk Zulhasnan Rafique whom I believe at one time was one of us in the Bar. KL city mayor & about 30 heads of various FT Ministry/DBKL departments were there in the meeting.

During the meeting, one of the many questions I asked the minister was to let the Malaysian Bar have a seat in the DBKL advisory board. It can be done because their rule allocates 3 seats for professionals. The role of the board members is similar to local councillors at the states' local governments.

Zulhasnan's first response was "We will study it". I pressed him for an answer in a given date. His response was still "We will study it".

Fellow councils, please make noise if you agree that there must be a representative from the Bar to sit in the powerful DBKL advisory board.


Lim Lip Eng
DAP MP for Segambut KL
6/4/2008

民主行动党泗岩沫区国会议员林立迎于2008年4月4日

行动党领袖于昨日当面呈交要求释放五名代表印裔社群的兴权会领袖的信函给首相,再次呼吁政府立刻释放在内安法令下被扣押的五位兴权会领袖。国阵在大选丧失三份二大多数优势后,首相曾说过已听到人民的声音了,但事实证明了并非如此。说明国阵政府并未认真检讨大选失败原因。难道压制人民争取诉求的各种管道还指望获得人民的认同和支持?

国阵成员党的国大党党魁三美更直接或间接成为这场逮捕行动的帮凶,兴权会就是在多数印裔族群认为国大党不能为他们谋取福利下诞生的。一直号称代表印裔社群的国大党根本名不符实。早前在报章上宣称会协助释放五名兴权会领袖根本就是一场政治做秀。要不然就是国大党在国政内没有牙力,其党作风一再证明被巫统的霸权领导下不足以再代表印裔社群。印裔选票流失是最好的证明。三美在国大党惨败后也不曾为他的领导失败给于印裔一个最基本的道歉。

而今,政府却一再以内安法令压制人权。如果有证据就能当堂堂正正把人控上法庭,而不是援引内安法令排除异己。国政政府的这种做法也让大马人权纪录跌至新低点,马来西亚人权纪录在国际上一再滑落不是偶然的。司法制度是公器,不要让还存在着弱点的司法制度如此的被一再被滥用。如果当初警方发出准证,那场集会只会是一场和平请愿。国大党的无能,印裔为了争取权益,而走上街头请愿又不被批准,请不要把当初一起争取独立三大民族之一的印裔逼向另外一个死胡同。民主的真意就是能包容各种不同声音意见,和平请愿不能总是在某个族群才能获得申请。街头请愿也是印证民主自由度的标准之一,马来西亚再次错失向世界证明民主的机会。

人民的眼睛是雪亮的。如果首相真的是全民首相,请不要再一边说听到人民声音,话悠在耳,另一边还继续的滥用司法,难道说要到下一届大选首相才会再次聆听人民的声音?知耻近勇,承认错误并不会让一个好的领袖失去威信。而一再用一个错误掩盖另一个错误才真的会让人民唾弃。

林立迎
4/4/08

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Malaysia Education Ministry

It is now clear to me that certain manipulative power brokers has actively attempt to make all schools Barisan Nasional's only territory as evident by the response of the Education Ministry’s director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom when he “refused to elaborate when asked if the Education directors had been instructed not to approve requests for visits by politicians from Opposition parties” (The Star article or page 3 of The Star 30/3/2008).

If the Education directors had been indeed instructed not to approve requests for visits by politicians from Opposition parties, this blatant move disregards the choice of the people and its only purpose is to make school functions reserved only for the scions of Tun Hussien Onn and his pawns within the Education Ministry. I was denied at least once of such visit by the school principal apparently under instruction (The Star article).

I had thought that being a supposedly learned educationist, the Director of Education will be able to sort out the mess by putting the wrong right. Much to my disappointment, he further reiterated that only "the Education Minister, the deputy minister, the director-general, and state level Education Department directors and their representatives" are allowed to be invited to school events. A little additional caveat allows the State Director to "approve" other persons to such invites, obviously they shall only come from Barisan Nasional.

I abhor such selective manipulation of the school hallowed grounds for political mileage by the Barisan Nasional. I also completely reject those government servants within the Education Ministry who disallow visits by politicians from Opposition parties. If any school authority allows such undemocratic and lopsided move to be carried out, shame on you being teachers of our children.

I demand a clear answer from the Education Minister on whether Education directors had been instructed not to approve requests for visits by politicians from Opposition parties. If the Education Minister refuses to answer and instead is adamant to proceed with this “hidden” measure, I call on all parents to inform us at DAP if they come to know of any visits to the schools by any Barisan Nasional politician, even if it is Badawi, Najib, Ong Kah Chuan or even some lower ranks like MIC’s Saravanan. And I will seek the assistance of DAP members, friends from the other Opposition parties, NGOs and even Royal Malaysian Police force to shut them out of the school grounds. Since the parents didn't want Barisan Nasional in 6 states (including Wilayah Persekutuan), I am sure they even less want them in the schools influencing their much loved children.



Lim Lip Eng
DAP MP for Segambut
31/3/2008