SHAH ALAM, 25 FEB: After five years being sullied by Umno-BN that it is an anti-Islam and anti-Malay party, now the Penang Pakatan Rakyat Government has proven that it has helped the Malay-Muslim community more than the previous Umno-BN Government.
Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng said that this was recognised by the Malaysian court itself when he won two suits against the Umno-BN-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia.
In both cases, Utusan Malaysia was found guilty of defaming Guan Eng as anti-Islam.
This was a result of the increase of allocations by the Penang State Government to religious institutions such as the People’s Religious Schools and the Penang Islamic Religious Council.
The Penang State Government has also established a Halal Industrial Site, increased monthly allowances by 80 percent for Tok Siaks and Bilals and to recognise Huffadz.
“In Penang, we increased the allocation for Islamic affairs several times more compared with the BN government.
“In fact, Islam’s status as the federal religion was also incorporated in the DAP constitution,” said Guan Eng.
He said this in front of 2,000 delegated at the Shah Alam Convention Centre (SACC) this morning in conjunction with the 4th Pakatan Rakyat Convention.
In the meantime, he also raised issues of illegal money flowing out of the country which is seen as becoming more chronic and is detrimental to the people.
The report of the international financial watchdog, Global Finance Integrity which is based in Washington, revealed that a total of RM197 billion in illicit withdrawals occurred in Malaysia in 2010.
The total makes the overall total to be RM871 billion within a span of 10 years beginning in 2001 to 2010.
“Therefore it is important for us to rise and eliminate corruption and mismanagement of money which is detrimental to the people.
“Imagine if the money could be saved, surely it can be channelled to the interests and welfare of the people,” he said.