GEORGE TOWN – Former DAP bigwig Jeff Ooi has taken the party to task over the “limited successes” despite leading Penang for the last three electoral terms as well as a handful of mega projects.
Ooi, who is now Penang Warisan chief, said there are signs that all is not well in the state despite reports of record foreign direct investment (FDI) post-Covid-19.
He also took aim at DAP’s championing of the Penang Transport Master Plan and its related mega projects, which is said to address traffic congestion in the state, especially on the island.
“Where are such projects? Instead, we have a corruption allegation involving an incomplete undersea tunnel. Lands linked to it have been sold but where is the project?” he said at a Warisan fund-raising dinner held at the Penang Chinese Town Hall here last night.
He then cited angry Kepala Batas residents who were opposing plans to construct hostels for foreign workers.
“Why build hostels for foreigners? It shows the type of investments coming in are mostly low-end manufacturing projects and does not match the skills set of the locals.”
Although the FDI is a plus point, Ooi said it seems to only attract foreigners to work here whereas the locals either have low skillsets or those highly trained left to work overseas.
He added that tech giant Apple chose to manufacture its electronic chips and smartphone parts in Vietnam rather than in Penang.
“This is another example that something is wrong in Penang.”
To achieve greater things, he said the state needs a party that is in the federal government as well as dominant in the state.
“Pakatan Harapan had its chance in 2018 but they squabbled,” he said, referring to the Sheraton Move in February 2020 that saw several lawmakers leave the coalition, causing the federal government to collapse.
Ooi said Warisan has the aspiration to be in federal power if it performs well in the next general election.
Meanwhile, Warisan vice-president Datuk Junz Wong said no coalition is strong enough to secure a sizable majority in the next general election and will need parties from Sabah and Sarawak to help secure federal power.
“Warisan is in a pole position to be in federal power if it fares well.” – The Vibes, September 17, 2022
