View issues with Tan Seng Giaw

Monday, April 27, 2009

The police should be under an unbiased minister

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw proposes that the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) be placed under a minister who has no party political, religious and racial bias.

The RMP is under the Home Affiars Minister Dato' Seri Hishammuddin who is from Umno. Hisham looks after the appointments, promotions and remunerations of the police with an annual allocation of over RM 3 billion. Hence, RMP is beholden to Hisham. We can only hope that he is not prejudiced in anyway.

Dr Tan spoke at the DAP dinner at the Crystal Crown in Jinjang on 26.4.2009, commenting on One Malaysia that includes integrity, meritocracy and loyalty.

For over 40 years, DAP talks about Malaysian Malaysia that stresses Malaysia for all Malaysians with all the races respecting and trusting one another. Now, Najib presents One Malaysia to look after all ethnicg roups as the pillar for the process of national solidarity. If he wants to call the concept One Malaysia. This is fine with us, as long as he truly practises it.

In 2005, the Royal Commission on RMP recommended the increase of the force from 90,000 to 150,000 within 5 years. We hope this will be achieved, making it more multiracial. The police should be paid commensurate with the nature of their work. We should try to stamp out police irregularities.

There are allegations of police favouring the Barisan Nasional Government such as its action in handling the issue of Speaker of thePerak State Assembly.

We propose that there should be serious consideration on having a truly unbiased minister in charge of the police. He or she acts in the interest of security of the nation, not on other bases such as party political.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Monday, April 20, 2009

Why were by-elections before 2008 not a waste of public funds?

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw asks the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib to explain why by-elections before 2008 were welcome by Barisan Nasional especially Umno but not now?

Najib said:"We are not afraid of losing to them but it is a sheer waste of public funds."

Why is it that after 2008, these by-elections are a sheer waste of public funds?

We believe that an administration should be clean and trustworthy irrespective of which coalition is in power, whether Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Rakyat (PR). If a minister or an exco member is proven to be corrupt, he or she should relinquish the post and pay the price according to the laws.

A by-election is held when it is necessary or when it cannot be helped. A fair election is part of constitutional democracy.

On 16.4.2009, former Penang deputy chief minister Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin resigned as the state assemblyman for Penanti. The 34-year-old Fairus is under investigation by the Commission for alleged corruption involving quarry operations.

BN usually welcome by-elections. After the March 8, 2008 general elections, things have changed.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Friday, April 17, 2009

Review police measures to combat crimes

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw urges the Royal Police to review the measures to combat crimes in the whole country including Kuala Lumpur.

The cooperation between the people and the police is very important. There is Rakancop, which should be made more effective. Other measures such as police patrols must be improved.

Dr Tan comments on the statement by the City Criminal Investigation Department Director Datuk Ku Chin Wah who revealed yesterday that between January and April 14, 2009, there were 2,254 robberies (290 in the same period last year) and 1,206 snatch thefts (606 last year ) in Kuala Lumpur. Snatch thefts and robberies increased by 99% and 80.5% respectively.

The police have mustered 400 policemen for the month-long operation in the city to combat these crimes. The operation includes checks on motorcyclists and houses. We hope it will succeed.

In fact, the number and efficiency of police personnel must be improved. We must increase the 90,000 police personnel to 150,000. Their salaries must be commensurate with their work. We must step up the quality and racial composition of the force.

Recently, there was a spate of robberies and snatch thefts in Jinjang and Kepong including Kepong Baru. The police have more patrols. But, the residents of Kepong Baru find that the number of patrols has decreased after a while. At the end of the above operation, will the incidence of such crimes return to the previous level? We need to review the varous measures to combat these crimes such as the mechanism of cooperation between the people and the police. We shall continue to pay attention on the efforts to fight these crimes.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Najib must ensure that those who take his words seriously will not punished.

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to ensure that the media report what actually goes on. He should not penalize media people who follow his advice.

While it may be true that certain matters reflected in their real forms may affect the society badly, it does not mean that most of the things in the country are in this category. Hence, there must be freedom of the media as long it does not destroy the nation.

Dr Tan feels strongly about Najib's first official speech as the sixth Prime Minister on 6th April, 2009, entitled Policy, Politics and the New Media at the MPI-Petronas Malaysian Journalism Awards in Kuala Lumpur on 6.4.2009.

Najib wants to encourage respectful and fair dialogue on Malaysia's future involving the whole nation that takes place in a vibrant, free and informed media. He wants a world-class, fact-based reporting and media that is fair and responsible to foster constructive debate about the nation's future.

He says that the country needs a media which can responsibly report what they see, without fear of consequences, and to hold government and public officials accountable for the results they produce.

While it is true that personal attacks, rumours, innuendoes may not benefit the nation, transparency, accountability and reporting on what actually goes on in the country will help the public to look at the true pictures.

I agree that 'the media best serves the public interest when it goes beyond the superficial, when it asks the tough questions of the rumour-mongers, when it does not lend credence to false innuendo and instead reports on facts and details - whether that is helpful to the Government or not'.

We can see that the media reportage on the three by-elections, Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambau and Batang Ai, shows that it has less tendency to go beyond the superficial. It is plausible that the media are afraid that if they were to follow the rhetoric, they may be penalised. For example, when Tun Mahathir became the Prime Minister in 1981, he advocated freedom of the media. Many believed him and they suffered; some newspapers were shut down.

Najib must show that what he says count. Those who follow his advice will not be punished. He has asked Tun Dr Mahathir to campaign with him at the Bukit Gantang. The latter has stated that he has full confidence that Datuk Seri Najib can address the problems in the country, taking Malaysia to new heights benefiting all the races in the country. Will Najib follow Tun Mahathir's foot step, by hounding the media people who take his speech seriously.

The new Prime Minister can read all the media reports on the above-stated by-elections in the last few days. He can judge for himself whether the reportage falls into the category that he mentions in his speech.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Monday, April 06, 2009

The new Prime Minister must prove that he has integrity

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw believes that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak must prove that he is a person with integrity.

On 5 April, 2009, Najib said in a TV3 interview,:" I only hope the people will adopt an open and positive attitude in evaluating my leadership and give me the chance to demonstrate my leadership--."

Najib has sworn in as the sixth Malaysian Prime Minister last week. As I told him in the Dewan Rakyat last month, a PM must be a statesman, representing all walks of life and all political parties. In February this year, he created two Menteri besars and two governments in Perak, showing a lack of statesmanship.

The PM has to demonstrate that he is open and positive, leading by example. He has been accused of a myriad of scandals. He must come out and show truly that he is completely innocent of these allegations. For example, he has to explain to the people that he is not involved in the kickback of RM 500 million in the French submarine deal. One submarine has been delivered to Malaysia while the other is pending.

Hajib has stressed the importance of integrity in leadership. This is the time for him to do as he says.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw