“Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng failed to account for the massive 66% drop i n PBAPP profit,” said Wong Mun Hoe in response to the ‘explanation’ given by Chief Minister in his capacity as Chairman of the Penang Water Authority.

Wong thinks that it is just a dismal excuse and is even more cavalier when addressing the bread-and-butter concerns of the rakyat. “the CM asserting that Penangites still enjoyed a rate lower than many in Malaysia, despite the hikes in water rates has impact on the lives of many of the working poor,” added Wong.

The water rates increase adversely and disproportionately affect the poor and those with larger families. “This is such a travesty of the basic tenet of principles the present democratic socialist Penang State Government – from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs,” Wong comments on treating everyone equally and therefore will subject the poor and the disadvantaged to the same rate.

The proportion of household income and expenditure puts us in a developed country status, but the state government fails to recognise that the poor and the majority of Penangites would be disadvantaged. “The CM probably doesn’t even know the cost of living in Penang, and is further adding to this cost!” But Wong is not surprised, since the CM is not a Penangnite.

Moreover, the flow on and multiplier effect of the water rate hike is clear. The poor rakyat will be hit multiple times: food prices will rise, or each time they go to the public toilet. “The dirty hands of this ‘democratic socialist’ government is there to remind them that we are there to grab your money!” said Wong.

Equity and equality have become mere words the Penang State Government employs. “Their actions are totally incongruent with democratic socialist principles,” Wong emphasized, “because the burden imposed on the poor is significantly higher than those who are rich.”