Shadow Policy Committee

Flash floods following four hours of continuous rain forced 14 families in Kampung Mengkuang Titi, Bukit Mertajam to be evacuated to a temporary relief centre. Heavy rains from 3am Wednesday caused the nearby Sungai Kulim to burst its banks, sending the 70-odd residents scurrying to salvage their belongings. Resident Zakaria Ahmad, 32, said he jumped out of bed and started moving some of his electrical appliances to higher ground. ‘‘Two hours of continuous rain is all it takes for floods to hit our houses, which are near a monsoon drain,” he said at his home. Another resident Mariam Awang, 65, said flash floods have been a problem here for 30 years. ‘‘I am getting tired of cleaning my house after it floods. I hope the authorities would upgrade the drainage system in the area,’’ she said. Flash floods also hit Taman Bunga Raya, Siram Road, Sin Tatt Garden, Taman Meranti, Taman Ceri, Kampung Paya, Taman Teratai and Taman Aman in Butterworth. State Health, Welfare and Caring Society Commi...

A Gerakan Youth wing has lodged a police report over the safety of Penang Chief Minister and Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng following reports in Chinese dailies about an alleged plot to "assassinate" him. Its Tanjung Youth chief H'ng Khoon Leng said the reports had serious implication on the state's political, social and economic stability. "Lim, as the state chief minister, is a very important person. We are worried over his safety which is currently under threat. "The report lodged was meant to urge the police to provide Lim with extra protection," he told pressmen outside the Petani Road police station yesterday. Four Chinese dailies Kwong Wah Yit Poh, Guang Ming Daily, China Press and Oriental Daily reported yesterday that rumours were spreading like wildfire that "someone is out to finish off Lim." When contacted, Lim's political secretary Ng Wei Aik said the rumours were most likely spread by Lim's political enemies. "At the moment, ...