Guan Eng sworn in as Penang CM - TheStarOnline.tv

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng took his oath as Penang’s fourth Chief Minister on Tuesday. The new chief minister later outlined his plan for the state at a press conference.

Perak MB post: Three names submitted - The Star

By Hah Foong Lian and Chan Li Leen

IPOH: The new Mentri Besar from the DAP-PKR-PAS coalition will be sworn in as early as Wednesday after Regent of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah decides among three potential candidates.

The candidates are state DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham, state Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) treasurer Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and state PAS secretary Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

Revealing this at a joint press conference, Ngeh said the names were submitted to Raja Nazrin Shah at Istana Kinta here at 2pm on Tuesday.

"All parties within the coalition have jointly agreed on the submission of the three names for his decision.

"We would like to impress upon the people that all three parties have unanimously agreed to fully endorse whichever candidate is chosen," he said at the Perak DAP headquarters.

Also present were state PKR chief Zulkifly Ibrahim, Mohammad Nizar and other DAP assemblymen.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/election/story.asp?file=/2008/3/11/election2008/20080311154411&sec=Election2008]

Penang Administration Will Be Free From NEP, Says Lim - Bernama

PENANG, March 11 (Bernama) -- Just a few hours after being sworn in as Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng Tuesday announced that the DAP-Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) coalition government will run its administration free from the New Economic Policy (NEP) which he claimed could breed cronyism, corruption and systemic inefficiency.

In his maiden speech as the Chief Minister, Guan Eng said the new state government would implement an open tender system for all government procurements and contracts.

The NEP's stated goals are poverty eradication and economic restructuring so as to eliminate the identification of ethnicity with economic functions.

The policy, which was implemented in 1971, also espouses the redistribution of wealth and affirmative action for Malays and bumiputeras to have at least 30 per cent of the country's wealth.

Following Guan Eng's statement, he was asked on Malay rights and responded that "the fate of all races and their destiny are very much the same."

"I don't want to talk about any particular race because our fate are all the same and our direction is also the same," he said.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=319962]

Sack bad advisers, PM urged - The Star

By Sim Leoi Leoi and Raphael Wong

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik let rip on the last day of his office in Government by issuing the strongest advice to the Prime Minister.

Change the advisers because they are giving the wrong advice, which partly led to major losses for Barisan Nasional in the general election, the Gerakan adviser said.

Dr Lim, who retired from active politics last year, said although he still had confidence in Abdullah’s leadership, Abdullah had got to think a lot and much deeper on issues of the day and “do something.”

“There is no leadership issue. The advice given to him has been wrong. If his advisers have been giving the wrong advice, remove them all. If it’s been the right advice, why should we be here now?

Dr Lim was talking to reporters after handing over his Energy, Water and Communications Ministry tag at his office here yesterday.

Other reasons contributing to the losses included the arrogant attitude of some Barisan politicians, the lack of cyber campaigning and the discriminatory implementation of government policies by certain civil servants, he pointed out.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/11/nation/20602704&sec=nation]