Speech by Sdr Ngeh Koo Ham at the DAP Perak State Ordinary Convention on 14th November 2010 (Sunday) held at Tower Regency Hotel, Ipoh.
1. Words of Appreciation
The last two years have been an exciting and yet challenging times for DAP Perak. Our membership has grown and increased significantly. We have now about 20,000 in our membership list. We have branches in all the 24 Parliamentary Constituencies in Perak. After the undemocratic grab of power by BN on 6/2/2009, we had to face numerous challenges including the use of force by the police and facing a judiciary that in the words of retired Court of Appeal Judge, Dato’ NH Chan ‘has on many occasions decided cases against the plain provisions of the law.’
I would like to thank the DAP National Leadership, the DAP Perak State Committee, elected representative of PR, members of PR and the public for their support. Not to forget the legal team led by Perak legal bureau chief, Sdr Nga Hock Cheh who has rendered excellent legal service to DAP and the PR with regard to the numerous legal cases on a pro bono basis.
2. Comparison between BN and PR rule of Perak.
Last year at our 15th Annual State Convention, I said ‘The Auditor General has confirmed that the Pakatan Rakyat State Government of Perak has caused improvement to each and every department and agency of the Perak State during its 11 months’ rule. The PR Government has succeeded in making historic achievements during this short period. It is without a doubt that PR is the hope of the people and it has brought the changes the people had voted for on 8/3/2008.”
The PR State Government has increased State Revenue by more than RM100 million from RM538,761,178 in 2007 to RM639,425,143 in 2008 despite not having increased any tax whatsoever on the rakyat and despite the PR State Government having reduced all land conversion premium and quit rent for not profit organizations to RM1,000 and RM40-00 respectively. The PR State Government increased revenue through hard work, open tender system and zero tolerance for corruption.
In the recently released 2009 report, the Auditor General reported that under the BN Perak State Government, the Consolidated Fund for Perak State has dropped from RM774.57 million to RM689.25 million. A drop of RM85.32 million.
The BN Perak Government which grab power undemocratically also show arrogance by refusing to be accountable to the people for what they do. They have refused to answer why lease renewal for Chinese New Villages residential houses is only 60 years when they have promised 99 years lease. They have refused to disclose the lists of lands approved after their power grab on 9/2/2009. I believe that the reason why the BN Perak State Government does not dare to reply or disclose the information requested is because what they have done will not be acceptable to the people of Perak.
BN State Government is also not able to defend its policies because Dato’ Seri Zambry Bin Abdul Kadir, the BN MB for Perak does not dare to authorize Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon to debate with me on BN and PR Perak State Government policies in the debate that was planned at the Kwangtung Association Hall, Taiping on 1/11/2010. Dato’ Dr Mah who was the one who challenged me to the debate chicken out and failed to turn up for the debate.
PR State Government has proven to be a better government and the people are hoping that we will come back to manage the State in the next general election. Let all members unite and continue to work together to ensure victory in the next general elections.
3. Democracy
Malaysia is a democratic country and we elect our leaders through democratic means. We condemned BN for the undemocratic grab of power of the Perak State Government on 6/2/2009. We know that a healthy democracy will help a nation grow. Myanmar (Burma) is a clear example of a rich nation that became poor because her leaders refused to allow a healthy democracy. Similar, DAP is a democratic party. As DAP members, let us nurture the democratic virtues in us so that it can become part of our culture. The purpose of a democratic election is to choose leaders to serve for a term specified. Those elected by members are to lead with service also in mind. Those who do not succeed in an election are still part of the team to work together with the leaders that have been chosen.
Members and the public must not always take an election contest as factional when differing views are expressed during the run up to an election. The expression of different views is part and parcel of a healthy democratic process. I regret to note however, that some media tend to sensationalise the run up to an election and I hope members will not be trapped into it.
Let the delegates expressed their democratic choice to elect the DAP Perak leaders for the next 2 years. Just as a Prime Minister is a prime minister for the people of the whole nation, those elected to position must act and carry out their duties as leaders for the whole membership of DAP Perak.
DATO' NGEH KOO HAM
CHAIRMAN OF DAP PERAK
16 comments:
DAP in Perak will fail during the coming General Election, keep my words. The future of DAP will be dimmed due to your self centered move and act. You are the only fellow holding the Datukship in DAP, where you only interested in your own and not the party and the people.Everybody knows how you sabotage YB Kula and his group. You are a bloody racist,and act aragont against non-Chinese. Due to greedy and power crazy Perak fall in to Barisan Nasional just because you and your cousin.
You two grabbed two seats,state and Parliament as though there is non others, and did nothing for the people of Perak.
BN had never put up one candidate in two seats, this can only be seen in DAP. So, BN is much better then the racist DAP. One of the reason why the Malays hate DAP.
Please take my words, there is no better future for DAP if DAP is monopoly by one race.
2008 tsunami was the result of the Indians and the Hindraf, This time it's going to be other way round.
Are you scared to comment on my reply.
What has happened to the debate with Mah Han Soon? was is a failure or you have no guts or balls to accept the challenge.
If you fail to response my reply , of course I 'll attack you in other forum where all your weakness and failures will be exposed.
Salam bahagaia, YB. Datuk Ngeh, apa dah jadi dengan jawapan saya berkenaan dengan text ucapan sauadara tempoh hari di Ipoh. Dimana awak belum jawab.
1. Adakah debat dengan Dr.Mak Han Soon terjadi. Jika tidak kenapa? Adakah awak takut nak berdepan dengan Mah Han Soon atau awak tidak ada modal untuk berdebat. Awak ada otak untuk menhancurkan orang kuat DAP, tapi tak berani berdabat. Awak ini jenis manusia apa?
2. Adakah awak dan sepupu awak akan membolot dua kerusi ADUN dan Parlimen pada pilihanraya akan diadakan leka? Sekiranya ini berlaku, sudah tentu awak dan sepupu awak adalah kukubisi di DAP, tidak mahu beri peluang kepada orang lain bertanding.
3. Kini orang ramai sudah tahun, awak dan sepupu awak ini sanggup mengadai maruah dan martabat unutk kepentingan diri. Tuhan sudah ajar kamu berdua supaya jangan tamak sangat, ini akan hancurkan arena politik kamu berdua. Berwaspadalah.
4. YB.Kula adalah satu satunya ahli parlimen yang sentiasa bawa isu-isu rakat khasnya orang Perak diParlimen, kamu bedua dah lama hilang di Parlimen, apakah isu isu yang kamu berdua berbincang diParlimen. Kali ini tolong beri peluang pada orang orang berani untuk betranding untuk Parlimen, pengecut seperti kamu berdua tak perlu pergi ke Parlimen untuk tidur dan ponteng .
How many times police arrested you?
Hi,'Dharmarai'your link leads to no where,why don't you show yourself so that we have a fruitfull discussion? Show yourself.
Did the Police arressted Ngeh for defending the public. He is very cunning, hiding behind others.
The cousins only good at issuing statements, practically zero.
As lawyers, how many cases they attended free for the Public?
They use Ds Niza as their puppet.
He is no more a senior excutive councillor, then why he tag himslef as a senior exco of Perak.?
The short-term gains of the victory of the current Perak DAP leadership may turn out to be a long-term political loss for Pakatan Rakyat in the 13th general election, which political pundits are speculating will be held early.
A raw nerve of the Indian community has been touched nationwide and the fury of the marginalised community has once again been rekindled by the defeat of DAP national vice-chairman M Kulasegaran in the state party elections held on Sunday.
What was supposed to be a normal state party election had turned out to be a nationwide affair after the media hyped on the feud between the Ngeh-Nga cousins and the team of Kulasegaran (left) and
Pasir Pinji assemblyperson Thomas Su for the control of the party in Perak.
However, several attempts by the national DAP leaders to dose the flames of political enmity between the two factions have failed.
This is despite the Perak DAP elections having been conducted fairly and strictly, with neither faction complaining over the democratic process.
However, public perception, especially among the Indian community which supposedly sees Kulasegaran as the replacement for the late DAP political giant P Patto, is that the former has been "victimised to end his political career" in the Chinese-majority party.
Indians 'resent' Perak DAP election outcome
This belief has been further strengthened by the various mobile calls from concerned quarters, including BN component parties that are Indian-based, NGOs, trade unions and lawyers to party national labour bureau chief A Sivanesan.
Sivanesan told Malaysiakini today that he received numerous such calls on Sunday inquiring about the outcome of the Perak elections.
He claimed that yesterday his mobile phone was jammed with such calls and that he could not attend to the calls as he was in the midst of a court case.
Sivanesan (right) said such public resentment of the Perak DAP election results among Indians at ground level might affect the chances of Pakatan recapturing Perak in the next general election.
In the 12th general election of March 2008, the mood raised by the Hindu Rights Action Force rally in Kuala Lumpur in November 2007 was the turning point that denied BN its two-thirds majority, besides losing five states in the process.
This time around, this Indian factor may once again turn the political tide in BN's favour, should a snap general election be called in April next year as speculated.
The BN under the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is going all out to regain the lost confidence of the Indian community, making special allocations to cater to the needs of the community that sees itself as marginalised.
He has also been moving aggressively to initiate on-hand and on- ground programmes, such as offering business loans and solving problems affecting the basic rights of Indians as Malaysian citizens.
According to media reports, Najib has even gone to the extent of asking veteran MIC supremo S Samy Vellu, who has been perceived as an obstacle in the regaining of Indian confidence in the BN, to move into the foreign service as a Malaysian ambassador, with full ministerial status.
Dharmaraj,you seem to be annoyed by his doing of what?Care to share it with me?
Najib moves with the Indians
At times, Najib avoids the influence of Indian-based parties and moves directly with the Indian community to try to change their mindset and win their hearts back to the BN.
Another factor that is working against the Pakatan coalition is that it has failed to acknowledge the Human Rights Party (HRP), which is championing the basic rights of all Indians.
On the other hand, Indians in Pakatan seem to be unhappy with their status quo in the presumed alternative party to BN, especially in PKR and DAP, which they claim have sidelined them, just like the BN did for the past 53 years.
However, under the renewed political energy of Najib, who has gone to great pains to try please the community, the Indians could well do a face-turn, seeing a new political dimension in the BN to address their grouses.
In the Perak scenario, MIC is working overtime with community projects and roadshows, especially in Sungai Siput and Buntong, to ensure that the support of the Indian community returns to BN.
Menteri Besar Zambry Abd Kadir, with the cooperation of BN leaders, is also making the silver state the launchpad for many national and festive programmes to boost the state BN's political image among Perakians.
Zambry (below) is also giving importance to ensure that Buntong shines in the limelight, with state-level and religious functions even, to capture the minds and hearts of the residents, especially the Indian community.
Buntong biggest vote bank of Indian community
Buntong is the biggest vote bank of the Indian community in the country and MIC, HRP and DAP are trying to influence the votes into their party stream.
DAP considers Buntong its stronghold, but the reality on the ground is that MIC and HRP are sapping up the support of the voters, with the HRP possibly becoming a spoiler to the DAP's efforts to retain the seat.
There is a possibility that the BN, with its huge political machinery, can recapture the state seat with the MIC now as an advantage in the political picture.
It will be Waterloo for the DAP if its claim of being multiracial does not materialise in getting the support of the Indian community and loses Buntong in the next general election.
The ground reality in Perak is such that DAP is expected to lose many state seats in the next general election as many DAP representatives are allegedly not doing their homework in addressing the problems of their constituents.
An DAP insider told Malaysiakini that the party leadership is reviewing the performances of all elected state representatives and many non-performers would be dropped in the next election to boost the failing party image and resolve voters' concerns and expectations.
Another bone of contention among Perakians is the political stand-off between BN and Pakatan lawmakers each time the state assembly sits, with the lawmakers failing to live up to the expectations of the voters in addressing shortcomings in the state system.
Perakians are fed-up with these political antics of the lawmakers. What is needed is not political mileage in the state assembly sittings but safeguarding the people's interests as they are the stakeholders who will determine Perak's political direction.
The cousins must step down to save Perak from BN. They thought themself as smart leaders, in real picture they are the real culprits for the fall of Perak to BN.
Dear Dharmaraj,
You sound very angry. For that reason I have to delay my reply. An angry man will not accept any reply or reason because his emotion will has overtaken his reason. Another reason I have to delay in my reply is that I have to attend to various matters that urgently need my attetion. I will reply you shortly. Hope you will bear with me
Dear Dharmaraj,
Are you suggesting that DAP must no longer hold elections and the present leadership hold on to their posts forever? If DAP must still continue to hold elections then you must respect the decisions of the delegates.
The 972 delegates have voted and V. Sivakumar, the Perak Assembly Speaker ( under PR ) came up top amongst the Indian candidates and was elected deputy Chairman. Why can't you accept him ? He has a law degree and a Masters degree. He had performed superbly during the Perak crisis and has done the Indians and other Malaysians proud.
What will the Indian Community say if we elect M. Kula who lost to the post and sideline V. Sivakumar who has won? What do you say ?
YB Sivasubamaniam was also elected into the committee. The Committee has co opted YB M . Kula and YB Sivanesan as Vice chairmen into the committee. Why do you say DAP is anti Indians. There are more than a dozen chinese candidates who lost. Hope you will not be so racial in your outlook.
I do not wish to boast about my contributions. Since you ask, I would like to inform you that I had been arrested twice by the police for defending the rights of the people. I probably lodge the most number of police reports against the police in my district.Since the setting up of my legal firm 20 years ago, my firm has always done public interest cases and helping the poor on a pro bono basis. They are too many to enumerate here.
Wishing you well
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