In his maiden speech in Parliament after nearly a decade-long absence, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) extended an olive branch to his political rivals.

Lim first became a MP when he won the Kota Melaka seat in 1986, and retained it in the subsequent two general elections.

lim guan eng In 1995, however, he was charged and later sentenced to 18 months in prison for breaching sedition laws and publication laws in connection with a scandal involving former Umno youth chief and Melaka chief minister Rahim Tamby Chik.

Released from the Kajang prison in 1999, he returned to active politics as DAP secretary-general five years later when the time period barring him from doing so expired.

Rather than expressing bitterness about the past, Guan Eng today called for an end to vindictive and partisan politics and for cooperation between the Pakatan Rakyat-led state governments and Barisan Nasional (BN) for the collective benefit of Malaysians as a whole.

The Penang government, on its part, would seek to avail services of anybody with talent and ability regardless of race, gender or political affiliation, he said.

"I extend my hand of friendship to the government. Let us work together for the development of the country. Let past politics pass. Let us work and stand shoulder to shoulder so that Malaysia can compete and develop further," he added in his debate on the royal address.

Accept the results

Lim said all parties should accept the results of the March 8 general election which saw Pakatan parties controlling five states, the majority of parliamentary seats in Peninsular Malaysia and the cutting of BN's two-third majority in Parliament.

"In the spirit of democracy, we accept the central government as the government chosen by the people.

"Similarly, BN should also accept the state governments that have been chosen without directing the (state) education departments to disallow (the invitation of) state government leaders (to public functions).

"I understand that even the picture of the Kedah Mentri Besar (Azizan Abdul Razak) cannot be hung on walls or the set up of 'parallel governments' by establishing federal committee officers to deny the (continued) role of the village security and development committees," he said.

On this matter, Lim backed the call by Sarawak and Sabah leaders for the federal government to accord them better treatment.

He also called for the abolition of draconian laws like the Internal Security Act, the Official Secrets Act, the Sedition Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act.