Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng reeled off a list of measures that have been implemented to raise the living standards of the Malay community in the state.

This was to fend off allegations by assemblypersons from Umno who accused the state government of being ‘anti-Malay’.

Among the items in Lim’s checklist was the doubling of the allocation for Islamic affairs from RM12.5 million in 2008 to RM24.3 million this year, and implementation of the open tender system.

The latter move, he said, has enabled 67 percent of the Malay contractors to obtain contracts from the Water Department and 70 percent from the state-owned Penang Development Corporation.

“This shows the Malays can compete on their own without being dependent on anyone,” said Lim, during the Question session at the state assembly sitting today.

“Only Umno and BN contractors need projects from cronies to survive,” he quipped.

He was responding to Raveentharan Subramaniam (PKR-Batu Uban), who asked if the Malays have been sidelined during his tenure.

Lim also said the state practises a  fair recruitment system which places priority on “credibility and talent” among those recruited for important government posts.

“Penang Municipal Council president Patahiyah Ismail, district officer Rohani Hassan and general manager of the Georgetown World Heritage office Maimunah Mohd Sharif, were all appointed based on merit and not race,” said Lim.

Reason for action

On enforcement action against unlicensed hawkers, Lim clarified that those concerned were removed from their place of operation because they had flouted the law and not due to their ethnicity.

“In 2009, four Malay hawkers were removed, compared to 16 hawkers who are non-Malays,” he added.

Jasmine Mohamed (BN-Sungai Dua), however, insisted that the state has neglected the Malays by driving away hawkers , including those from the Ramadan bazaar, from their original sites.

He alleged that no action has been taken against non-Malays hawkers who pose a nuisance to traffic in Lim’s constituency of Air Putih.

Opposition Leader Adhzar Ibrahim (BN-Penaga) lamented the poor housing conditions of the Malays.

Lim challenged him to provide evidence of Malays who fall into the category of the ‘hardcore poor’ so that the state can extend help.