Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim today expressed disappointment that Bahasa Malaysia was not being given its due respect in Penang after the opposition took over the state two years ago.

rais yatim pc 070809 01 He said this was abundantly clear at an official function he attended in the state, where the organisers spoke only in Mandarin and English.

"Only I was talking in the national language and a little bit in English. This shows they do not appreciate the language, which is not good for national unity," he told Bernama after attending a community function at an Orang Asli settlement at Kampung Putra in Simpang Durian, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan.

He urged the Malays in Penang to question this turn of events in the state as they still commanded much influence there.

'LGE arrogant, dishonest'

Rais said he viewed the Penang government and, in particular, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng ( below ), as arrogant and dishonest.

"They are trumpeting their chests that Penang is progressing by leaps and bounds under the DAP when in fact the state was developed since it was ruled by Gerakan under (former chief minister) Koh Tsu Koon.

NONE “Penang was not developed within a space of two years (under the opposition)," he said.

Rais  said as two years was to short a time to bring about tangible development, Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan should use this fact to expose the arrogance of Guan Eng.

He also viewed the DAP's using its economic strength in Penang to "showboat" as rather unethical and more so if the "cake" was not shared equitably among the various races.

Should this (unfair distribution of the economic pie) happen, the existing harmony forged by Gerakan in Penang would erode slowly if the state were to be in the hands of the DAP for a long time, he added.

- Bernama