Shadow Policy Committee

Date: 26th Dec 2010 (Sunday) Time: 7.30pm to 11pm Venue: MPSP Field, Butterworth, Jalan Bagan Luar to Jalan Raja Uda Last Sunday, Penang island witnessed the biggest Pesta event, Penang Pesta Chingay, Lion & Dragon Dance Parade held through the streets of Penang in conjunction with the month-long Pesta Carnival in Penang! This week, the teams from the Penang Wushu Lion Dance, Penang Chingay Association, North Malaya Chingay Association, Kedah Chingay Association, Sungai Dua Chingay Association, Lebuh Presgrave Chingay Association and more will be paraded through the street of Butterworth from Jalan Bagan Luar to Jalan Raja Uda. This Parade is an annual street parade held in Penang. Today, the parade has evolved into a massive multi-cultural and international event.

By Shazwan Mustafa Pakatan Rakyat (PR) appealed for unity amid speculation of snap polls, as they gathered here to work out policies and strategies to unseat the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) from power. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng told a crowd of 2,000 at the PR convention that the BN, chiefly Umno, would try their best to “politicise” the ties among PR members. “Umno will always try to play up the relationship between PAS and DAP. They want to politicise this. They will use the 3Rs — Race, religion and ‘Raja’ (the Rulers) to try and drive a wedge between us,” said the Penang chief minister. Umno along with its newspaper, Utusan Malaysia, have consistently attacked the DAP and PAS for their inability to agree on several key policy issues — including the Islamist party’s insistence on forming an Islamic state. Echoing Lim, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang warned of the same threat, saying that PR needed to focus on balancing living and interacting within a “multi-religio...

By Regina William The Penang state government has issued a stop work order on the RM12.485 billion MMC-Gamuda JV Sdn Bhd double tracking project. Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng said on Friday, Nov 12 the stop work order will be in force until MMC Gamuda fulfills certain assurances sought by the state government following floods in Kedah which have been attributed to the double-tracking project. Both the Housing and Local Government minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha and Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Razak had been quoted saying the double tracking project had worsened the floodings in the state. "These statements are not politically motivated and non-partisan as both sides of the divide have expressed the same views. "We want assurances with attached conditions from MMC Gamuda that they will be willing to break any part of the tracks which prevents the flow of the flood waters. "They must also bear full responsibility and all costs if that happ...

Support for the Penang state government's appreciation for the elderly programme in the form of financial aid has been expressed by about seventy senior citizens in Seberang Prai. Urging chief minister Lim Guan Eng to continue with the programme, which recently received bad publicity from UMNO-owned press amid the party's allegation that the money was derived from gambling revenues, the group expressed dismay that state Opposition Leader Azhar Ibrahim had called Penangites to return the money as a sign of protest over its alleged non-halal origin. In the past few weeks, UMNO has been organising several made-for-media protests, gathering elderly individuals to announcing that they were returning the RM100 'compassionate allowance' received from the Penang state government. Permatang Pasir state representative Saleh Man, however, reminded Penangites not to be influenced by "evil lies" from the state opposition, saying it had "run out of political capital...

Date: 1st to 3rd October 2010 Venue: Wawasan Open University For more details, please send an email to Mr Khor Khan Khai at khorkhankhai@gmail.com Blogfest.asia 2010 will be held in one of the top tourism spot in Southeast Asia – Unesco Heritage Site, Georgetown, Penang. Blogfest.asia is a festival for bloggers in Asia. This is the region’s 2nd cross-border gathering for blogger community. Everyone is welcome to join the festival and meet hundreds of bloggers from the neighborhood community. Participants will be able to learn blogger / blogging activities in perspective countries / territories, and interact with key bloggers in Asia. The 3-day Blogfest.Asia ’2010 event program at-a-glance will consist of: • one half day tour of Penang Unesco Heritage site. (1st Oct) • one evening gathering / welcome dinner exclusively for participating bloggers (1st Oct evening) • half-day conference (2nd Oct) • 2010 Mybloggercon award (2nd Oct evening) • workshops and group discussion (2nd Oct & ...

The Penang state government will call for an all party meeting to mobilize and unite support amongst all penangites against the proposed RM9.40 toll rate for both the Penang first and second bridge. I'm surprised at Gerakan’s opposition to the increase in toll rate to RM9.40 by 2013 for both bridges when the Cabinet, including Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, has already approved the toll increase. Does it mean that Barisan National component party do not know what they are doing in Cabinet or the tail does not know what the head is doing. Or is this another example of double faced politics. However the Penang State Government welcomes all political parties and organizations who oppose the Penang bridges toll increase. We are willing to invite the Barisan National component parties to this anti RM9.40 Penang Bridge Toll Rate Meeting even though they may have supported this in Cabinet. The Penang State Government opposes the RM9.40 toll rate because of the lack of transpa...

It's a bold step forward towards freedom of speech. In an unprecedented move, the Penang government will launch a "Speaker's Square" at the Esplanade for the public to air their views. The square will be located at the Millennium Square concrete stage near the seafront. It is expected to draw social activists and members of non-governmental organisations to take the limelight and speak their mind. Penang Local government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the public would be allowed to speak whatever they hold to be important every Wednesday and Sunday from 6pm to 9pm from May 9. “It is for spontaneous demonstration of free speech as anyone can turn up unannounced and talk. Of course, you will have to wait until the person on the stage has finished before you go up to talk," said Chow. “There will be no PA system. So, those who wish to speak will have to bring their own equipment,” Chow told the press . “Although our aim is ...

The Penang state government has set up a legal advisory committee with former Bar Council president Yeo Yang Poh as the chairman to look into the legal aspects of carrying out local government elections. Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng said Yeo, who is also the deputy chairman of the Penang Pardons Board, will work with a legal team to pave the way to bring back the polls and decide on the state government's next course of action. "The committee will look at the various legal points raised in the 10-page reply from the EC on why the local government election cannot be held. "The EC had also pointed out in the reply that the state government should have raised the matter with the local government council chaired by the deputy prime minister as it was the right avenue to decide on this matter. "The state government via the state local government exco chairman Chow Kon Yeow had twice written to the local government committee, on July 1...

The Penang state government today questioned the neutrality of the Election Commission (EC) after it turned down the request for local government elections without consultation with the state. Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng said the state had requested to discuss the local polls request with the EC via a letter dated March 4 after its executive councillors on March 3 unanimously agreed to hold local elections for the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) and Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP). He maintained that Article 113(4) of the Federal Constitution empowered the EC to conduct elections apart from those involving state and parliamentary elections, stressing that the Penang government also was relying on provisions in the Local Government Act 1976 and the Local Government Elections Act 1960 in restoring the local government elections. "The Local Government Elections Act 1960 has not been repealed. If the EC is unsure whet...

Date: 5 February 2010 ( Friday ), 8.30pm Venue: Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang Penang, Jalan Utama, Penang. (Next to Governor's Residence) Speakers: YBM Senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim (Vice-Chairman DAP) Founder of Malaysian Chapter of Transparency International YB Dr HJ. Dzulkefly Ahmad (Central Committee Member PAS, MP Kuala Selangor) YB Sivarasa Rasiah (Vice-President PKR, MP Subang) Moderator: Anil Netto (Independent Journalist & Blogger) The admission is free and all are welcomed.

The Penang Umno liaison committee headed by Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is now demanding the current Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman (who is also the Gerakan president) Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to vacate his BN position to pave way for an Umno leader to take over the said position. The Penang Umno reasoned that the current chair held by the Gerakan president could no longer command the state BN coordination committee effectively as the party had lost all its state assembly and parliamentary seats to PKR and DAP in the last general elections. Besides, the Penang Umno is also urging the BN supreme council to appoint the new chair of Penang BN from amongst Umno leaders as soon as possible to enable it to function effectively. The BN said they are being fair to their component parties all these while, but what we saw recently was Umno again took advantage by flexing their muscle against the already weakened Gerakan in Penang. Come on Gerakan! Are you going to continue staying in the BN f...

Penang should be granted equal treatment in preferential airport charges and benefits as enjoyed by the Malacca Airport, said Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng. "Penang as a Unesco World Heritage Site just like Malacca should also be given such incentives,” he said during the Penang Development Corporation and InvestPenang appreciation dinner at Bukit Jambul Country Club yesterday. Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam had earlier said he received a letter from Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat for the Malacca Airport to enjoy benefits under the Government’s incentive schemes to promote tourism in Malaysia. This includes a RM25 incentive for each incoming passenger for the first 12 months for new airlines flying to new routes or increasing flight frequency. Another benefit is the RM10 to RM15 incentive for each incoming passenger after the period, depending on the performances of the air carriers. Also included is a deferment of landing cha...

The Penang Gerakan is making a hell of noise over Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s departure from his official residence Seri Mutiara and his subsequent shifting into a rented house. Guan Eng’s departure from his official residence, reasoned that the white ants had infested the entire building and it would not be save for the chief minister to continue staying in the said residence. Then Guan Eng moved into a rented house to await repairs to be carried out on his government residence. Is that wrong? What are the elements of corruption as claimed by the Penang Gerakan leaders and where is your evidence which led to this “corrupt practice” which you all had mentioned. We wish to remind Gerakan, of all the years of their rule in Penang, why didn’t they root out the corruptions and wrongdoings of their political master Umno? These Umno leaders are hundred times more corrupt then anyone else in this country. In fact the entire BN coalition is corrupt. Gerakan, like Umno is also still in denial...

DAP Bagan Jermal Branch held its annual general meeting recently at the DAP Bagan Service Centre on 19 May 2009 and elected the following office-bearers for the ensuing year. Chairman: Phee Boon Poh Vice Chairman: Lim Chin Seng Secretary: Wong Hoi Cheng @ Viktor Wong Assistant Secretary: Anthony Selvaraja Publicity Secretary: Ngu Lek Wah Treasurer: Silvarajoo Regasamy Committee Members: Chew Chin Seng, Ragavan Ramiah Delegates to the National Congress: Phee Boon Poh, Lim Chin Seng, Wong Hoi Cheng, Anthony Selvaraja Delegates to the State Convention: Phee Boon Poh, Lim Chin Seng, Wong Hoi Cheng, Anthony Selvaraja, Ngu Lek Wah, Silvarajoo Regasamy Honorary Auditors: Goh Hock Lee, Gunalan Krishnan At the meeting, Chairman Phee Boon Poh also announced the appointment of five more additional committee members pursuant to the party constitution. The appointed committee members are Lim Hooi Phong, Cheem Ah Chai, Tan Tean Oi, Ong Poh Lim and Ragumani Sundram. Phee later congratulated the elect...

By: Jeffrey Chew, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Penang WITH reference to “Judge CM Lim on his record” (April 13), I wish to reiterate that the writer is continuing his barrage of critical comments based on baseless observations. Although he is entitled to his comments, I believe he should focus on what is best for Penang. After all, asking the present government to give credit to the past government clearly shows that he has a short-term memory that it was the rakyat that was instrumental in bringing progress to the state and not solely residual efforts from the past government. Therefore, I hope the writer will take this important note to heart and allow the present government to govern and create a good environment for progress to happen. The writer’s comments are fast portraying himself as an apologist for BN. After all, he seems to know so much but yet he continues to shy away from giving constructive comments to further improve. Hence, his choice of writing to the pre...

The Penang state government has asked the Rural and Regional Development Ministry to explain what has happened to its reported RM1.1 million allocation meant for 22 hardcore poor families in the state. State health, welfare, caring society and environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said he has sent a letter to the ministry’s adviser, Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman, to seek clarification after Zainal announced the allocation in February.Phee said the state was reviewing the list every three months and needs to have the names of the 22 getting aid from the ministry. He also asked why only 22 families were getting federal aid, noting that it also meant that each family would receive RM50,000 on average if RM1.1 million was to be divided by 22.“What is the rationale to only reach out to 22 families and not all the 728 needy families?” he asked at a press conference where Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was also present. Phee said information on the beneficiaries would help the state governmen...

The Penang state government has nominated DAP vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim and PKR Penang information chief Dr Mansor Othman as senators. Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng, who made the announcement in his Komtar office today, said a motion on their nominations will be tabled at the upcoming state legislative assembly. “They will fill the seats vacated by Senator Datuk Omar Faudzar and Senator Datuk Gooi Hoe Hin on May 30,” he said. Lim said the state assembly will approve the nomination of the two candidates during the assembly starting April 29. “The candidates we nominated are solely based on their capabilities and abilities, so we expect both of them to defend the interests of Penangites and be good senators in ensuring competency, accountability and transparency (CAT),” he said. Tunku Abdul Aziz, 75, founded the Malaysian chapter of Transparency International, the global coalition against corruption and has written and spoken widely on corruption and ...

Penang has become the first state in the country to eradicate hardcore poverty by arranging financial aid and economic activities for all 726 households registered under the hardcore poor category. Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng said the initiative was successful partly because of the support of the private sector and social groups who chipped in to aggressively alleviate the hardships of the poor. "Even though it is difficult, including facing bankruptcy, I am more willing to have the state becoming bankrupt to help the poor and be burdened than to be bankrupted by corruption," he said today. The implementation mechanism, overseen by the Welfare Department, consists mainly of funding affected families to ensure their incomes are topped up such that they get at least RM500 every month. The department even helped some individuals set up bank accounts to receive the funds. Lim said checking the state's poverty rate was one of the first things that he ...

Penang Government’s move to reward senior citizens aged 60 and above for their contributions to the state will help those affected by the economic slowdown. Penang Senior Citizens Association president Lawrence Cheah said senior citizens appreciated the gesture. “The senior citizens have, and are still contributing to the state, and they deserve such a reward from the state government. “The timing is appropriate as well, with the economic slowdown affecting so many people including the senior citizens,’’ he said yesterday. Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng had announced during Pakatan Rakyat’s first anniversary gathering at the Esplanade on Saturday night that all assemblymen and MPs had been instructed to reach out to senior citizens in their respective constituencies. They will collect data on the senior citizens and define the form of contributions. During the same event, Penang Health, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said that to be e...