In Penang, what you see and what you feel.

While in Penang, whenever those senior citizens see the flats in Rifle Range, they will certainly recall the first Chief Minister of Penang, the late Tan Sir Wong Pow Nee of MCA. These flats for the lower income group were the feat of the first Chief Minister of Penang. The Rifle Range flats were also the first low cost high rise flats in the country. When the flats were completed in 1969 /1970, those from lower income, were only required to pay 2 months rental as the deposits and eligible to move in and stay.

While in Penang, whenever people drive past the Bayan Lepas Free Trade Zone, they will instantly recall the second Chief Minister of Penang, the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu. Because of the far-sightedness and the efforts of the late Tun Lim Chong Eu, many international corporations ventured in Penang and thus created employment for the people of Penang.

While in Penang, whenever people see the Penang Bridge , they will recall the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, the second Chief Minister of Penang. It was because of the strong and friendly relationship with the Federal Government, Penang was able to build this Penang Bridge with the financial support from the Federal. With the completion of the bridge, the transportation between the mainland and the island greatly improved. There has been much conveniences for the people coming to and flo the Penang island.

While in Penang, whenever one sees Komtar Tower, he or she will recall the late Tun Lim Chong Eu. It was the late Tun Lim Chong Eu who initiated the building of Komtar and thus activated the then gloomy business circles of GeorgeTown.

In Penang, if Penangites are using or crossing the Jelutong Highway and the Second Penang Bridge, they will immediately remember the former Chief Minister of Penang, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon. Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, the successor of the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, was the man who successfully instrumented the construction of the Jelutong Highway and the Penang Second Bridge. With the completion of the projects, it not only helps to alleviate the traffic problem but also enhance the economic competitiveness of Penang.

In Penang especially in George Town, when Penangites see a great influx of tourists and hawker stalls being crowded, hawkers are busily entertaining their customers, they will at once remember the efforts and hard work of Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon who had succeeded listing George Town as Heritage with the UNESCO. With the increase of influx of tourists, the tourism industry of Penang really enjoys the boom. Many hotels especially budget hotels and hawker stalls start to appear.

But the scenario has changed now. The change of scenario started to changed in 2008 when the General Election was held. That year, Lim Guan Eng, a rejected and defeated DAP member of Malacca came to Penang. He propagated the concept of Freedom and Liberty to the people of Penang. His articulated and eloquent speech successfully attracted and moved the hearts of the people of Penang. People of Penang thus rejected the good mannered and tolerable man , Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon. People of Penang totally forgot his hard work, achievements for Penang. People of Penang only wanted a politician who could scold and criticize UMNO days and nights.

After in power for almost 8 years, the natural beauty of Penang has changed. Though there are signage and billboards of “ Greener, Cleaner Penang “ in many roads and streets in the town, people can see it with their eyes that the hills are getting bald. Work of leveling, excavating and felling of trees are being carried out non-stop by the housing developers. With the development in the hilly areas, the rural areas are now prone to constant floods during the raining seasons. Maybe this is the so-called “ freedom” by Lim Guan Eng, as water now can flow freely during the rain.

Today , people of Penang have started buying expensive fish no thanks to the work of construction and development. The fish has come scare and expensive because of the reclamation project near the seafront approved by the Penang Government.

In Penang today, though people experience traffic jam and congestion daily they have forgotten that it was because of DAP that opposed the construction of coastal ring road when Barisan Nasional was in power that caused the acute situation today.

In Penang today, whenever Penangites see the officers from the Traffic Division of MPPP clamping those cars parking illegally, they seldom realize that the so-called “ illegal parking” are orchestrated by MPPP themselves. In spite of the increase in the volume of vehicles, there has been no plan to increase the parking lots for the motorists. Ironically, they increase the parking fees and extend the parking hours. This is the so-called “autocracy”.

In Penang today, the Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng always tells Penangites that the finance of Penang has been well managed and there has been surplus every year. But Lim Guan Eng has failed to state categorically clear that the Penang Government always sell lands to make profits for a surplus report in the annual treasury report.

People of Penang have forgotten the good work and feats of the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu and his successor , Tan Sir Dr Koh Tsu Koon. They do not realize that Penangites are earning more because of their far-sighted vision . Contradictorily, people of Penang are now paying more because of the existence of housing developers. These developers build high cost apartments, they claim land from the sea thus depleting the source of fish supplies.