STANDING IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS?

Why is it that the very people who say they are in favour of reform and change have a proven track record of blocking progress and development?

When the Penang Bridge was originally proposed in the 1970s, the opposition party strongly opposed and protested against the project.  They said it was unnecessary and a waste of public money.

With the benefit of hindsight, few people would agree with this view today as Penang Bridge 2 is set to be launched at the end of the year to accommodate escalating traffic.  Furthermore, those who opposed the construction of Penang Bridge are mulling a third bridge linking Seberang Perai with Penang island.

The same can be said of many development projects which have taken place since and are still yet to come.

When the Subang Airport was proposed, the opposition party said it wasn’t needed as there were no planes yet. Similarly they were quick to point out the faults of KLIA even though air traffic has gotten so high that LCCT had to be built, followed now by the construction of KLIA2.

This is not to say that the opposition party should be prohibited from raising valid points about developmental projects.

However, time and time again, they have proven to be short sighted and cynical in relation to many of the major developments that many Malaysian’s now see as essential parts of their lives, such as the North-South Highway, the iconic KLCC, the biometric system and the railway double track project.

It should come as no surprise then that the opposition are voicing out yet again against more Federal government-led projects such as RAPID which will create an petrochemical hub in Johor and Langat 2 treatment plant in Selangor which will increase treated water for the Klang Valley by 20 per cent.

Whether or not the opposition are making noise for the sake of doing so, the government has to act decisively because Malaysia can not afford to lag behind in terms of progress and development. 

The opposition should learn to give credit where and when it's due.  For the sake of development, please Pakatan Rakyat, give the rakyat a break.