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You've got a friend, says Guan Eng

Posted by admin

Wednesday, 19 March 2008 08:38

PENANG (March 18, 2008): Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng says the government must avoid cronyism and corruption while the people should view "us like a 'kawan setia' (faithful friend).

Addressing about 2,500 civil servants in an assembly in Komtar's Geodesic Dome today, Lim received several rounds of cheerful applause when he said the government would give top priority to public interest by being fair and just, no racial or cultural discrimination, just like Umayyad caliph Umar Abdul Aziz.

"Like a friend, we are prepared to criticise and to respond positively by taking measures to resolve issues. At the same time, we are also prepared to receive criticisms and act accordingly," he told the assembly organised by state secretary Datuk Jamaludin Hasan.

Lim told the civil servants that the people expect the delivery service system to continuously improve and raise the quality of services.

"We're focusing on two aspects. Efficiency in fulfilling our assigned responsibilities and integrity in getting our work done fairly and with public credibility," he added.

On the rumours cicrculating via the SMS regarding demonstrations to be held during the Maulidur Rasul celebration tomorrow, Lim said no permit had been issued for the demonstration. "Don't worry, don't believe such rumours."

"The state government and police are in control of the situation. It is a holiday, let it be a holy day," he said.

Deputy Chief Minister II Prof Dr P.Ramasamy said he was happy to see such an interesting response from the civil servants and their show of support for the new government.

"We are a government that is open to dialogue with the people to fulfil our duties for the progress of the state. The public is urged to address problems through the proper channels," he added. - THE SUN

Comments (12) Add Comment

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written by singam, March 19, 2008 08:45:24

Being the first off the block, with a clear-cut mandate and a co-operative previous administration, Guan Eng has the unique opportunity to demonstrate what a government of the people, by the people for the people is all about. I wish him all the best.

I have no doubts about his sincerity or leadership calibre. My only concern is the possibility of his still carrying anti-PAS baggage. I hope he will do what is necessary to absorb the lone PAS ADUN into his State Exco and make it a truly Barisan Rakyat government.

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written by malaysianohope, March 19, 2008 08:46:02

Hat's off to you, Mr Lim,

By your gestures you have won many 'dieheart' hearts but the roads ahead have just begun. You have the wholehearted support of every PENANGNITES.

From a TRUE BELIEVER!

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written by Bill Gates, March 19, 2008 08:52:18

Good start Guan Eng. People are watching. So the first 100 days is critical. Just like running the 100m dash. First few seconds is critical.

Ignore the UMNO's threat as they will fall into the grave they dig

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written by rayfire, March 19, 2008 09:06:16

Good move, good start Guan Eng and Co
Hope you keep u pthe spirit and prove to the Penangites and Malaysians in General that the new state government will be capable of addressing concerns of all Malaysians regardless of race or religion.
Also prove to the critics especially UMNO leaders in the state that you can lead the state just as well if not better.
Wish you and the team the very best!
Let's show em the way to do it
smilies/cheesy.gif

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written by MsLim, March 19, 2008 09:54:59

BEWARE - There are many, many, UMNO supporters who will make trouble. Page 8 in today's theSun "Seven kindies vandalised". We do not know who they are but just BEWARE. YB Lim, would appreciate you trust PAS. Have to work together to drop the racial and religious politics. Make Malaysia a lovely place for ALL !

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written by Umar Rentaka, March 19, 2008 10:52:00

My friend was there when YB Guan Eng spoke. Apparently he spoke for only 5 minutes, but he received loud applause from all the Malay Civil servants when he quoted Khalifah Umar on just and fair administration of the state.

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written by renoir, March 19, 2008 12:06:21

Guan Eng, excellent! Truly, great leaders of the world must come from the young. To paraphrase JFK, DAP must never cooperate out of fear; but it must also never fear to cooperate. There're sincere people in both PKR and PAS who share DAP's drive for an equal, just, multicultural Malaysia. DAP must never disappoint them. Just look at Harakah and see how supportive PAS is for a better Malaysia.

I think many farsighted people in PAS have understood that it is better to realize some Islamic values than none at all. These Islamic values are universal ones - the battle against corruption, inequalities, racial discrimination, crimes, etc., are shared by other religions as well. Most encouraging is their plan to educate people and get a consensus before they implement laws that restrict alcohol and gambling (which, contrary to MCA propaganda, was frowned upon in Chinese culture as well). By going slow, using reason instead of edicts, all parties will come up on top and Malaysia WILL one day become not only a great, modern industrial nation, but also a moral one.

All fundamentalisms are bad if we take that word to mean holding on to ideas and practices without considering the context in which they arise. Thus in addition to religious fundamentalism, we also have secular fundamentalism, economic fundamentalism, etc. While most people could identify religious fundamentalism - whether Islamic or Christian - few could recognize secular fundamentalism, such as an insistence that everyone must regard MAN as the sole reason for existence. Clearly, the Greeks were against that, especially Socrates who would rather die than compromise what he thought was the truth (so for him an abstract idea was more important - as shown in his theory of Forms). And in economic fundamentalism "market" or capitalist economy is often regarded in the same light as the law of gravity. Gone is the recognition that economics, after all, is of SOCIAL origin, something obvious to classical economists as disparate as Adam Smith and Karl Marx.

So let all be flexible and be guided by only one main principle: serve the people.

LChuah

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written by kent chong, March 19, 2008 13:08:13

Yeah.. just becareful to all Malaysian and new State govt.. UMNO or MCA will try all necessary o make racist... as been reported by PKR, some of their flag been missing..worry this UMNO guy will hold the Keadilan flag and demostrate.. Then at IPoh, PAS logo been misuse by printing some Islam interest to scare the chinese in Ipoh by using Pas Logo...dont trust all this.

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written by teo siew chin, March 19, 2008 15:59:36

Dear Renoir

As always, your comments are deep smilies/cheesy.gif

.
And great leaders really need not come from the young.
After all it has been said something like - some are born of greatness, some have it thrust into them, some work d*** hard for it.
Your last para is ever so true - "SERVE THE PEOPLE"
and serve with passion.

How's about you team up with YM RPK to help serve?
you be the brain, he the brawn smilies/grin.gif

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written by bayan, March 19, 2008 16:58:21

YAB Lim if you want to be fair to all, just like Umayyad caliph Umar Abdul Aziz then you are a true leader of all races in Penang .To hell with the Umno demo ,let them bark ,let them shout and jump like mongkeys .(That's what they say )

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written by renoir, March 20, 2008 04:12:24

Hi teo,

>After all it has been said something like - some are born of greatness, some have it thrust into them, some work d*** hard for it.]]

I think it's "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Probably in Shakespeare's 12th Night, in a letter by Olivia(?) to - possibly - Andrew Aguecheek or Malvolio (too long ago to really remember - I used to design the stage for that play).

>How's about you team up with YM RPK to help serve?
you be the brain, he the brawn]]

I think RPK might kill you for that