NGO activists join DAP

Prominent NGO activists Charles Santiago and Petaling Jaya Section Five Residents Association president Edward Lee joined the opposition DAP today.

Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the duo will play a role in boosting support for the party in the next general election.

He also refused to dismiss suggestions that the two would be among the new faces the party would field in the polls.

Santiago had worked on economic and trade issues but turned his attention in recent times to the water privatisation issue.

On his foray into the political arena, he said joining DAP is an extension of his work as an NGO activist.

"Ordinary people like you and me are able to do something extraordinary to reclaim the Parliament for the people,"

Santiago added that Parliament is representing the political and economic elites rather than representing the people.

His initiatives are to coordinate the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC) to work for the minorities and have-nots, and also to press for more state funds for mother tongue education.

On water management issues, Santiago revealed that a large number of Malaysian families are now borrowing money to survive, and the sense of insecurity amidst the deteriorating living environment with price hikes and crime rate soaring.

"Over the past two years, there were 376,000 disconnections of water supply in Putrajaya, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, of which 270,000 are households. Re-connection alone costs RM50. This means that Syabas will earn an additional RM 21 million by just reconnecting the water supply," he said.

Santiago also said that the government should encourage the people to use rain water.

"It is also a worldwide practice in encouraging the use of rain water to save the planet", he added.

Meanwhile, Edward Lee commented, "It’s about time the voices of citizens be strengthened so that they could be heard loud and clear in the corridors of power."

Lee has been consistent in bringing up residential problems to local authorities in Petaling Jaya, particularly community issues covering areas like Bukit Gasing, Section 5, Puchong and PJ.

Sharing his experiences, he disclosed that many issues which should be discussed with residents were not done so but taken into their own hands by local councils.

"This is not the way to resolve community problems," Lee added.

On his decision to join DAP, he said, "I join a party that is truthful and people-oriented."

Commenting on the approval of six new primary schools and the relocation of 13 others by the government yesterday, Lim Guan Eng alluded it to a political ploy to fish for Chinese votes.

"Chinese Malaysians are not political beggars but it is incumbent on the government to fully subsidise the expenses of all vernacular schools," the DAP sec-gen added..