Media statement by Steven Sim, MP for Bukit Mertajam
19 JANUARY 2021 | BUKIT MERTAJAM, PENANG
Perikatan Nasional (PN) is slaughtering Malaysia’s FDI “golden goose” with the cancellation of FOUR important infrastructure projects in Penang when the state is responsible for 7 out of 11 high value foreign direct investment into Malaysia in 2020
According to Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Penang is the top FDI destination in the country accounting for 7 out of 11 high value foreign direct investment (FDI) projects into the country in 2020. This has proven that Penang, with its track record of anti-corruption and good governance, is the primary FDI attraction in Malaysia.
Hence it is pure political vengeance which did not make any good economic sense when the PN federal government canceled four important infrastructure projects in Penang, namely, the RM100 million cable car project, the RM800 million airport expansion, the Asian Development Bank loan guarantee for the development of LRT in the state and finally, our iconic ferry service.
With reports of multinational corporations choosing to invest in neighbouring countries and big companies such as Hyundai is closing their Asia Pacific headquarter in Malaysia to move to Indonesia, PN should wake up from their political honeymoon and stop their political games which they have played since the treacherous Sheraton Move on 23 February 2020.
The government has utterly failed to manage the pandemic in Malaysia with our daily Covid-19 cases now being one of the highest in Southeast Asia. We were the worst performing economy in the region last year being the only ASEAN 5 country to be downgraded in our sovereign rating. Now PN wants to slaughter the “golden goose” of FDI by denying much-needed infrastructure development in Penang.
These four projects should be reinstated immediately, or Penang and Malaysia will suffer further economic decline this year.
Steven Sim Chee Keong
Member of Parliament for Bukit Mertajam
大山脚国会议员沈志强媒体文告
2021年1月19日|槟州大山脚
国盟政府取消了槟城的四个重要基础设施计划，扼杀了马来西亚外国直接投资的“金鸡母”，而槟州在马来西亚于2020年的高价值外国直接投资（FDI）中占7个。
根据马来西亚投资发展局（MIDA）的数据，槟城是大马最大的外国直接投资目的地，占2020年进入大马的11个高价值外国直接投资项目中的7个。这证明了槟城拥有良好的反贪腐往绩和优良治理，成了外资来到大马的主要吸引力。
因此，当国盟联邦政府取消槟城的四个重要基础建设计划时，这纯粹是政治报复，没有任何经济上的意义，这些项目是：1亿令吉的缆车项目，8亿令吉的槟城国际机场扩建、为槟城向亚洲开发银行作的贷款担保、槟州轻快铁的发展，最后就是我们的标志性渡轮服务。
有报道称跨国公司选择在邻国投资，而大公司如现代汽车（Hyundai）则关闭了其在马来西亚的亚太总部，并搬迁至印尼。因此，国盟政府应该从政治蜜月中醒来，并停止他们自2020年2月23日喜来登行动后一直操弄的政治游戏。
政府完全无法处理马来西亚的疫情，我们的新冠肺炎每日确诊病例现在已成为东南亚最高确诊的地区之一。去年，我们是东南亚地区表现最差的经济体，是唯一一个被主权评级下调的东盟5国。现在，国盟想要通过拒绝槟城急需的基础设施建设来扼杀外国直接投资的“金鸡母”。
请立即恢复这四个计划，否则槟城和马来西亚今年将遭受进一步的经济下滑。
沈志强
大山脚国会议员