First of all, let me clarify that I am not representing the state government when I speak but rather in my own capacity as a citizen and a DAP member. The Penang state government is well capable of explaining the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) to anyone who approaches them directly. It is regrettable that some would rather go to the press first.

I would also like to regrettably say that once again, you have considered my explanations as spin due to not meeting your high standards of research in the matter. Look, it does not take a research paper to figure out that Penang’s old roads and links are due for upgrades, when one is stuck in traffic jams due to high traffic especially during rush hour and long weekends. That is not spin, that is reality.

It is also not spin when I said that the federal government holds the approvals of public transportation at their discretion, as it is, many roads in Penang are also under federal jurisdiction. That in mind, an elected government still has to satisfy the demands of the citizens for traffic solutions despite the obstacles. That is reality.

It is easy for scholars to point out what should or should not be done without having to face the people like an elected government must do. Tell the gentleman or lady who is stuck in a traffic jam that he or she must endure this inconvenience until the federal government gives the thumbs up for new public transportation without any timeline or immediate solutions. Do you think citizens will have any mercy on such a government during the elections?

It is easy to comment when you do not have to meet people nor think of ways to keep the economy strong in the face of growing competition for investment in Asia. This is reality.

Not everything can be settled through a research paper no matter how many cities you have based your findings on. If everything can be settled by theory, Mao Zedong’s ‘Great Leap Forward’ would not have resulted in the deaths of millions after all, his theories were based on theories by world renowned sociologist Karl Marx. It took the pragmatic approach of Deng Xiaoping to turn China into the economic powerhouse it is today. That is not spin, that is history and reality.

I will say it again, scholars can not figure out all the solutions of society’s problems without coming down to the ground and understanding the challenges society is facing. This goes from society's level of civic mindedness to society’s ability to accept your solution. We live in a democracy and society can opt not to follow your directives by voting for a party with an alternative plan.

And society never stays the same, it evolves and changes through time. Again, this is not spin, it’s reality.

Finally, when a person joins an organisation, whether it is a political party or even a private company, your academic qualification may help you get through the door. Respect however, must be earned through hard work and perseverance, never through demands.

This is the real world and you, me and everyone else who has ever worked a day in their lives have either been through or will have to go through because the world does not owe anyone respect, each of us will have to earn it. That, finally.... is not spin but reality.

CHRIS LEE CHUN KIT is a city councillor with the Penang Island City Council (Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang) representing the DAP.