He even acknowledged that "The Speakers’ Square may result in unfair criticism, including of the state government. I believe that we are all mature enough to listen to different views and allow people the freedom to express them freely. We hope this will give us the most important freedom of all, which is the freedom from fear."
All this is ideal but is reality anywhere close to such idealistic talk?
PCM is appalled at how the current state government is outrageously practising double standards, double talk and double speak.
1. Who sets rules and allows his own people to break the same rules?
One of the conditions for the use of Speakers' Square is that "All speakers are prohibited from using loudspeakers, megaphone and any other public address system."
Who used a hailer last weekend at the Speakers' Square?
Joceline Tan of The Star reported that one of the DAP guardians in the audience was using a loud hailer to shout at state Barisan Youth chief Oh Tong Keong when he began his “Penang For Sale” talk via the Barisan Nasional’s mobile war truck.
There is freedom of expression as promised by the CM but this only exists when the speaker is saying things that the CM wants to hear.
Who is the hypocrite?
2. Who says one thing and does another?
It is the CM who on May 4th 2010 promised that "the rakyat will have the opportunity to express their views and opinions freely whilst ensuring that their rights are being protected. Speakers’ Corner should be an avenue to allow the citizens and individuals to have gatherings and candle vigil peaceful demonstrations, press conference, various other forms of peaceful and artistic forms of expression and to demonstrate their citizens’ rights."
Those privileges do not seem to apply for BN leaders or gatherings. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has threatened to use the illegal gathering laws on state Barisan Nasional leaders for flouting "illegal gathering" and "illegal ceramah" laws because of their illegal ceramah at the Esplanade grounds last weekend.
“If they do it again, I will inform the police and MPPP (Penang Island City Council) to take action.”
3. Who is the hypocrite who denies people of their right to speak and their right for peaceful assembly when it suits him?
It is none other than the same CM who has spoken up against Section 114A of the Evidence Act 1950 and the new Peaceful Assembly Act 2011 which he said should rightfully be called the Illegal Assembly Act as it is worse than the Police Act which has been used to deny the people’s right to peaceful assembly for years.
4. Who created a smokescreen by legislating Penang’s Freedom of Information Act and its CAT policy to promote competency, accountability and transparency?
None other than the same CM who barred newspapers which dared to criticize him, his policies or his politics. He has even sued one for defamation and went into a fit threatening to sue reporters who dared to write on the Rainbow issue. Such state legislation appears to be mere shadow play.
5. Who bends laws at his whims and fancies just so he can launch his master plan?
When Penang Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan, a former MPPP president, had questioned the legality of Patahiyah’s appointment, CM Lim turned and accused Dr Teng of being anti-woman and slammed him as “chou nan ren (bad man)”. So who seems to be above legislation?
6. Who has the highest seat of power and yet can stoop down to undignified name-calling?
It is the CM who seems to get away with many baseless accusations and whose hobby is blaming/accusing the previous government for anything and everything.
This chameleon-like hypocrite is showing his true colors. Penangites must not put him on a pedestal and regard him as a 'tokong'.
Do not be deceived! Worship him no more!
Wake up before he continues to betray Penangites by selling state land or worse still, whatever that can be sold!!
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