KEDAH PAS AGAIN FLIP FLOP ON HOUSING POLICY

I refer to the reported news in a local daily today (Sinar Harian) whereby Kedah’s Housing and Local Government EXCO Datuk Ir Phahrolrazi Zawawi claims that the implementation of 50% Bumiputera Quota for housing projects in Kedah, involving swapped Malay Reserve land is fair.

Previously, under the Barisan Nasional led government, the quota for bumiputera in such housing projects was 30%.

On 8th December, 2009, the PAS-led Kedah government had agreed to defer the implementation of the 50% Bumiputera Quota for these housing projects. This was after numerous complains by Kedahans over the iirational policy over a period of more than a year.

However, with the statement today by the said PAS-led Kedah’s Housing and Local Government EXCO, it is doubtful whether the Kedah PAS-led government had actually deferred the implementation of the 50% Bumiputera Quota.

In such uncertainty, the Menteri Besar of Kedah must come out to clarify the actual policy of the PAS-led Kedah state on this matter.

Kedah’s development would continue to be stagnated if the PAS-led state government unable to come out with clear and rational policy.

The PAS-led Kedah government must understand that their failure to boost the housing industry and related industry in Kedah would indirectly affect the livelihood and income of Bumiputera in Kedah, such as Bumiputera housing developers, contractors, labours and other people related in the housing industry.

This matter has persisted in Kedah almost 2 years since PAS took over the state government.

As such, I hope that the PAS-led government would be able to set aside their political ambition to resolve this matter once and for all in the interest of all Kedahans.

RECOGNIZE NON-MALAY AS BUMIPUTERA, IF 2 GENERATION RESIDED IN MALAYSIA

According to statement of the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (as reported in Bernama), there are some 60,000 Siamese in the peninsular, who are categorised as Bumiputeras and enjoy Bumiputera rights like the Malays. Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri further said that the Siamese have been living along the border of Thailand with Kelantan, Kedah, Perlis and Perak and had lived in the country for a long time.

He urged all quarters to understand the Siamese citizenship status and their Bumiputera rights.

In regards the said statement, I would like to applaud the government for recognizing the rights and status of local Siamese in our country. The grant of citizenship and Bumiputera status is certainly justified in view of the local Siamese contribution to our country development after a long time.

On the same note, it is hope that the government would consider categorizing all Malaysians born in Malaysia as “Bumiputera” in the near future, disregarding their ancestors’ country of origin.

Many Malaysian family, such as Chinese and Indian, have lived in this country for more than 100 years. They have contributed to our country’s development, including assistance in liberalizing our country from the Bristish Empire in 1957.

Most of them have not even step their foot on their ancestors’ country of origin and may not even have contacts with any person in their ancestors’ country of origin. To them, the only country associated to their life is Malaysia.

As such, I hope that the government would consider categorizing all non-Malay Malaysians as “Bumiputera” if:-

1. they are born in Malaysia; and

2. their parents and grandparents are Malaysians.

I believe this move would be in the spirit of our Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak’s “1Malaysia” concept. The recognition of non-Malay’s status as “Bumiputera” would definitely be the best appraisal by the Barisan Nasional government for the contribution of non-Malay to our country’s development after a long period of time.

In time, the difference of race of Malaysians would no longer be a barrier towards the unity of our country. There would no longer be the issue of any race discrimination in our country.

ABORT PLANS TO SPEND LAVISHLY FOR NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE IN PUTRAJAYA

I refer to the announcement today in Parliament that the government is considering the option to move the Parliament house to Putrajaya and the new Parliament may cost upto RM800 million. It was further reported that the current Parliament house would require repair works for its roof and electrical wiring, which would cost RM150 million.

With due respect to the government, our country is currently not in the best position to spend lavishly on new amenities for the sole comfort of Members of Parliament.

Recently, we have seen the government announcing the implementation of Good & Services Tax (GST) in due time, implementation of additional tax such as the RM50 tax on credit cards and proposed reduction of various subsidies.

All this new taxes and reduction of subsidies would be burdening the people.

Apart from improving the country’s financial coffers by introduction of news taxes and reductions of subsidies, Malaysians would equally expect the government to be more prudent on its spending and cancellation of any unnecessary government expenditure.

Unless the government can give assurance that subsidies would not be reduced, GST would not be introduced and the financial condition of the country is in solid state, the government should immediately abort any plans to move the Parliament house to Putrajaya.