YOURSAY ‘It is reliable, spacious and economical. Lead by example, Guan Eng.’
Delegate raps Guan Eng at Penang DAP convention
Kawak: DAP should instead thank DAP delegate Shamsher Singh Thind for bringing up Penang CM Lim Guan Eng's purchase of Mercedez and the parking issue.
It is a good reminder to the CM and Penang DAP that success and power should not go into their heads.
LGE travelled economy class after he was elected CM. The rakyat were impressed. I don't know if he is still doing it for all flights, both in and outside Malaysia.
He was easily accessible when he first became CM. Now, I am not sure anymore. I hope Selangor MB Azmin Ali, who now spends a lot time on the ground with rakyat, would continue to do so for many years.
Leaders can be easily overcome by position and power. Only a few can maintained humility. It is no difference whether you are in BN or Pakatan Rakyat. So, LGE and Penang DAP, be mindful of the rakyat’s perception.
Mushiro: The good practice in Pakatan is anyone can critic or question anyone, including the CM. In this case, the 'big crime of LGE' is buying a car within his entitlement and his driver had parked in a non-parking area.
Though it is within his rights to question, Shamsher should have better and bigger questions for LGE. I suggest DAP send this lecturer to the Umno GA and see if he dared question PM Najib Razak.
EmEmKay: I think the car issue has been explained clearly by both the chief minister and the Mercedes Benz supplier.
The car was a previous year model so they gave a RM100,000 discount to whoever who wish to purchase as long as there is stock. Case closed.
Vijay47: I agree that the issues raised by Shamsher may be stale news or previously discussed but three things must be remembered here.
First, Shamsher as a member of DAP has every right to ask whatever question he wishes - that is the democracy that Pakatan advocates.
Those who condemn him for raising this matter are also those who condemn Umno for proposing that the 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) scandal not be discussed at their assembly. The sauce applies to gander and to goose.
Second, by raising the issues at the Penang DAP convention, Lim has the forum to explain the matter directly to the delegates without the topic being subject to Bernama's usual twists and turns.
Third, if everyone is expected to table only major complex issues, who is going to ask about the simple things that the layman can understand and identify with?
No Fool: What is the big issue on buying a new Mercedes for CM, which is nothing compared to the BN government corruption, leakages and private jet.
Please raise more important issues like good governance, accountability, transparency and efficiency.
P Dev Anand Pillai: Shamsher has the right to ask. Why not? Further if he is to lead by example then it would be better to really show it by continuing the use of the old car, or to use a cheaper new car.
The best of people of this designation would be a Toyota Innova. It is reliable, spacious and economical. Lead by example, Guan Eng.
Bemman: There is no need for the supporters of Lim to get uptight here. Firstly, this is a Bernama news report after all.
Secondly, as a DAP delegate, Shamsher has the right to raise any issue that he feels is relevant to DAP and expect some answers in return.
If what Bernama reports here is correct, then Lim's answer ("When I talk on matters which are more important, the media do not report it at all. They would however, make a big story out of small issues like my new car") sounds like one that which one may expect from some BN politicians.
YF: This is democracy in action. Whether true or otherwise, a criticism has been made and the leader would have to respond. Did the leader sue? No!
That's politics and as long as one has the facts or if they did acknowledge the mistake, then that shows the leader has character unlike those who can't even differentiate a lawful query and responds with a lawsuit instead. That's not democracy; that's dictatorship.
World Citizen: No one should be above the law, plain and simple. Not even the PM, sultans, MBs, CMs. No one.
Grey Matter: I think sometimes we carry things a little too far, let's be reasonable. Firstly, what law did LGE break? Did he park the car himself? It was an offence made by his driver, so why blame him?
Are you aware that the head of states are driven with outriders and these outriders travel above speed limits, beat traffic lights, make illegal U-turns and park indiscriminately? Is that not breaking the law too?
Where do we draw the line? All this is done in the interest of security and the need to accommodate our leaders’ busy schedule.
On the question of a new car, as the head of the second richest state, he has to represent the image of Penang and its people. This image is very important to both local and foreign businessmen.
Anyway, a car after a certain number of years has to be changed before it gives you trouble. You don't expect the CM's car to break down on the way to an important appointment?
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