Guan Eng: We will listen

Guan Eng: We will listen
Posted by kasee
Saturday, 15 March 2008

PENANG (March 14, 2008): The Penang government is always open and will listen to any views by any dissenting groups but if they insist on holding demonstrations, it is their right to do so as long as it is held peacefully, said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

"We believe in the freedom of speech and assembly as long as it is peaceful. Anybody who wants to protest, we have no qualms about it but please do it based on facts and not based on certain interests or to try and test the state government," he said.

Speaking in a press conference after a meeting with 21 Muslim non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in his office in Komtar, Lim said the state government is a united front that should not be tested on their commitment to represent all Penangites.

"Don't test us on our commitment towards establishing integrity and accountability and don't test us on our commitment to listen to all the voices of Penangites," he said.

"If they want to come and give their views, we are willing to listen but if they want to demonstrate, that is their right. I hope they won't provoke sentiments that are not true," he added.

He was commenting on a plan by certain groups to stage a protest in Komtar against the state government's stand in not using the New Economic Policy (NEP) but an open tender system instead.

"We will not back down on the open tender system because the NEP is associated with corruption, cronyism and inefficiency," Lim reiterated.

"We want an open tender system but they raised so much hue and cry. If they want to test us, they can go ahead and test us. We have the full exco support on this and we won't back down on that," he said.

Earlier, on his meeting with the 21 Muslim organisations, Lim again reiterated that the state government has no intention of sidelining any group or races.

"We are a state government for all and we listen to the voices of the people and we want to represent everyone in Penang," he said.

He reassured Muslims that the state government emphasised on integrity and the status of Islam in the state will never be disputed.

"Please do not listen to any rumours about the state government wanting to tone down Azan (the call for prayers) or anything like that. In fact, this is the first time I've heard about such things," he said. - THE SUN