DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua criticised the ruling party for disagreeing with his suggested reforms to Selangor’s economic policies, claiming that if anything, they were in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s New Economic Model (NEM) and the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).
“Ever since I first suggested certain reforms to the Selangor state economic policies to create a more business-friendly environment to attract more investors as well as to become more equitable to the poor and less fortunate in the state, I’ve come under daily attacks by Umno leaders as well as their mouthpiece, Utusan Malaysia.
“I would have thought that my proposal was completely in line with both the NEM and 10MP proposed by the government,” Pua said in a statement today.
The DAP lawmaker had recently called for the abolishment of Bumiputera discounts for luxury property purchases, suggesting that the savings from the move be used for corporate social responsibility programmes for the poor.
Pua’s suggestion irked many in Umno and led to 22 Umno Youth divisions reportedly lodging police reports against him, alleging that his remarks were “dangerous, sensitive and provocative while inciting hatred and dissatisfaction against government policies” and was also threatening public peace and order.
“The prime minister himself has proposed in the NEM as well as the 10MP that affirmative action programmes will be reformed to be ‘market-friendly and merit-based’ and will be focused on the bottom 40 per cent of lower income earners,
“Why should the government impose a policy to continue to subsidise those who can already afford a property costing millions of ringgit?” Pua questioned.
He added that the “Umno president” (Najib) and the “Umno Youth chief” (Khairy Jamaluddin) have been doing a “song and dance” on how the party was capable of change and reform.
“However these are proving to be empty rhetoric, for now it has been demonstrated clearly that Umno leaders are only interested in upholding ‘Ketuanan Melayu’, even if it is at the expense of public policy, principles of social and distributive justice as well as the greater needs of the poorer Bumiputeras.
“The police reports by Umno Youth proves beyond reasonable doubt that Umno and its youth wing, despite the loud reform rhetoric by the wings’ leaders to be inclusive, progressive and focused on the poor, [are] only interested [in] protecting the interests of those who have benefited lucratively from their connections to Umno,” he said.
Pua asserted that he would not be threatened by the reports for he believed that the majority of Bumiputeras would understand and support his proposals.
“The police reports were completely frivolous and childish, and the party that is really dangerous and provocative is Umno itself,” he said.
Malaysian Insider
05/08/10
“Ever since I first suggested certain reforms to the Selangor state economic policies to create a more business-friendly environment to attract more investors as well as to become more equitable to the poor and less fortunate in the state, I’ve come under daily attacks by Umno leaders as well as their mouthpiece, Utusan Malaysia.
“I would have thought that my proposal was completely in line with both the NEM and 10MP proposed by the government,” Pua said in a statement today.
The DAP lawmaker had recently called for the abolishment of Bumiputera discounts for luxury property purchases, suggesting that the savings from the move be used for corporate social responsibility programmes for the poor.
Pua’s suggestion irked many in Umno and led to 22 Umno Youth divisions reportedly lodging police reports against him, alleging that his remarks were “dangerous, sensitive and provocative while inciting hatred and dissatisfaction against government policies” and was also threatening public peace and order.
“The prime minister himself has proposed in the NEM as well as the 10MP that affirmative action programmes will be reformed to be ‘market-friendly and merit-based’ and will be focused on the bottom 40 per cent of lower income earners,
“Why should the government impose a policy to continue to subsidise those who can already afford a property costing millions of ringgit?” Pua questioned.
He added that the “Umno president” (Najib) and the “Umno Youth chief” (Khairy Jamaluddin) have been doing a “song and dance” on how the party was capable of change and reform.
“However these are proving to be empty rhetoric, for now it has been demonstrated clearly that Umno leaders are only interested in upholding ‘Ketuanan Melayu’, even if it is at the expense of public policy, principles of social and distributive justice as well as the greater needs of the poorer Bumiputeras.
“The police reports by Umno Youth proves beyond reasonable doubt that Umno and its youth wing, despite the loud reform rhetoric by the wings’ leaders to be inclusive, progressive and focused on the poor, [are] only interested [in] protecting the interests of those who have benefited lucratively from their connections to Umno,” he said.
Pua asserted that he would not be threatened by the reports for he believed that the majority of Bumiputeras would understand and support his proposals.
“The police reports were completely frivolous and childish, and the party that is really dangerous and provocative is Umno itself,” he said.
Malaysian Insider
05/08/10
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