Being unpopular is fine with me, says Lim

PUTRAJAYA: From a senior executive in a bank to a member of parliament, then becoming Penang’s chief minister and finally, the finance minister, Lim Guan Eng’s political career can be described as an amazing race, nothing less.

“From Penang to Putrajaya; from a sea of black ink, as we have more money to spend (in Penang), to a sea of red ink (in Putrajaya),” he said.

The Penang government, in adhering to a philosophy of competency, accountability and transparency, was acknowledged in the auditor-general’s report as the best financially managed state after doubling its asset reserves to RM1.83 billion and reduced its debts to RM65 million.

On his current job, Lim saw it as cutting down excesses.

“So, I am going to be a very, very unpopular finance minister.

“I have no money to give, I am cutting down,” the 57-year-old said in an interview at his office here.

But, he said it was absolutely fine to go down in history as the most “unpopular” finance minister, “as this process of cutting down, cleaning up and turning around the nation is for our children”.

Emphasising the magnitude of the financial fiasco created by the previous government through 1Malaysia Development Bhd, he said: “1MDB’s last tranche of RM5 billion 30-year bond, guaranteed by the Federal Government, is due in 2039.”

Recalling his first day as finance minister on May 22, Lim said he was given a 1MDB-related document to sign.

“I told them ‘no, I am not going to sign this. Bring me something else’.”

It was on the same day that he spilled the beans on the Finance Ministry’s “bailout” of 1MDB’s debt since April last year to the tune of RM6.98 billion.

“We want our children to live a better life than us.

“So, this fight is for our children because they deserve a better future than we have today.

“We need to make sure that we do not mortgage our children’s future.

“They (the previous government) have done that for the last 10 years, at least.”

However, Lim said it would not have been possible without the people speaking out in the 14th General Election, which ended Barisan Nasional’s “grip” on the country.

He believed that if not for the change in government, the “RM1 trillion debt could have easily ballooned to RM2 trillion, or even RM3 trillion — a level where no medicine can be prescribed”.

“The Pakatan Harapan government knows exactly what to do.

“From that experience in Penang, we know what we need to do.

“The question is whether we can take the strain. That is the challenge.

“It is not going to be easy, but together, we can.”

On criticism of the finance minister talking as if he were still in the opposition, especially on the country’s astounding debt, Lim was convinced that there was nothing wrong in telling the truth.

“It used to be the ‘don’t tell them everything-lah’ mentality. They (the previous government) are not used to this. We are telling you (everything) as it is.

“And, just because I am in the Federal Government now, I am not going to be any different. This is my style.

“It is a different league and ball game but rest assured, I know my job. I am an accountant,’’ said the down-to-earth minister, banking on the “accounting pragmatism” that all would add up well in the end.

From Penang to Putrajaya; from a sea of black ink, as we have more money to spend (in Penang), to a sea of red ink...