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Koh Tsu Koon's demand for info for debate deviate from his own practice

16 August 2008 - 4:37am

Ex-Penang's CM Dr Koh demand for some official information to facilitate his debate with current CM LGE seems to be hypocritical if it is seen in the background of how much he withheld official information from the public and Opposition during his 18-year reign! Public information which he withheld are many eg the real investment Vs approved investments figures. This is a single example from me which could speak volume of Koh's disclosure policy:

In the course of publishing a comment on the densest housing in Macallum St I wrote to PDC and state government web site to enquire about Macallum St flats' density. There was no answer to the numerous queries-both phone in as well as written. The reason was later sort of disclosed by a respected academic to me: Koh doesn't want to disclose the info because he think you would use the info to attack him!

So information which is suspected to be able to put the ex-CM in negatively light is good enough reason to withhold official info! Public concerns are given less priority to private kiasu calculations! Perhaps being such well practiced information constipator himself the ex-CM is pressing for official information -which he himself perhaps had known more than the current administration. What for? To make it as though he is being denied information by the current CM -something he never admit, is following in his own footstep! 

 

Comments

17 August 2008 - 11:08am — saengch

I've attended a meeting with

I've attended a meeting with Koh, which he first insist would be "closed door."

Then he set a pre-condition that everything discussed will "stay in this room."

Koh has demanded the same with other NGOs. This has the powerful negative-information effect that the NGO's cannot report back to their constituencies. Any thing raised becomes off limit. Then the NGO leadership is weaken, because they can't discuss and be honest with their members.

After a while, smart NGOs had to quickly and clearly reject Koh's condition. This has the effect that Koh will not meet them, or will not talk much during meeting.

Many NGOs finally got fed up with Koh and supported campaigns to vote out Gerakan.

18 August 2008 - 6:09pm — jooguan

I wish Koh would get the

I wish Koh would get the relevent official info or documents that he asked for before the debate. So that, we could see a meaningful debate which is based on facts and no lame excuses (e.g. info was withheld) to be given after the debate. We all believe in fair competition and transparency, and as mentioned in the early postings that you don't agree with information 'censorship'. We should keep our principal even when we deal with someone whom is lacking of that. There should always be only one standard that apply to everyone.

18 August 2008 - 6:22pm — ong

I think it may not be a

I think it may not be a right impression that Koh is lacking in information to go for the debate. This may just be a `propaganda' he create to get sympathy where none is due. Of course by pointing this out we are not saying that we should in any real sense deprive him of the info for debate.