masterwordsmith-unplugged

Having lived in Penang for all my life, I am greatly saddened by the problem of traffic congestion in my home state. The situation is worsening and the light at the end of the tunnel is dimming.

To illustrate, it used to take me ten minutes to drive to college but now it takes me at least 30 minutes and another twenty minutes to look for a place to park.

Recently, the state government announced its 6 billion RM plan for the integrated system. Many NGOs and individuals have been up in arms over this project for many reasons.

This evening, there will be a dialogue on "A Vision For An International Livable City", - A TUNNEL AT LIVABLE GURNEY?" at Hotel 1926, 227 Burmah Road, Penang (TEL 04 2271926).

The speakers for this evening are Dr Lim Mah Hui Phd. MPPP councilor and Professor Dr. Jimmy Lim who is an esteemed architect, former PAM PRESIDENT, winner of the 2012 SIA-GETZ architecture prize for Emergent Architecture in Asia and past winner of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

Prof Dr. Jimmy is a very passionate conservationist. I helped him to edit the videos he filmed yesterday and this will be screened tonight. It will showcase evidence of how Penang is changing...for the better or worse? Please come and judge for yourself.

Free admission. Light refreshments will be served.

The following is the address by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at the Penang Forum in Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang In George Town on 4 August 2012 as published in the CM's Facebook page here. I have not changed or corrected any part of the speech and am posting it exactly the way it was posed in FB. Just one comment - the title of the movie should be Dances With Wolves. If you have the time, please read my post Will It Make Any Difference? on the same topic. Please share your comment or response. Thanks!

Penang As An International And Intelligent City Is Leveraged On Building A Liveable City That Attracts Human Talent And Formulates People-Centric Policies That Transforms Penang Into A Developed, Sustainable And Inclusive Economy Without Poverty.

I wish to thank the Penang Forum for inviting me to be here to speak to you this morning on my vision for Penang as an International Liveable City. I think that it is a tribute to the vibrancy of Penang’s civil society that the Penang Forum has continued year on year to organise and to mobilise Penangites to take an interest and to play their part in determining the future of their city and their State.

I was told that I would be walking into a wolves’ pit but one of my favourite films is the Oscar award winning movie, Dancing With The Wolves. Even though I expect to be criticised and even roundly abused, this is part of participative democracy, which this 4 year old PR state government is proud to initiate as well as be involved. Even Lim Mah Hui who is so so critical continues to serve at Penang Institute and the MPPP as councillor, which is never found in BN-controlled states.

But criticise us for the right reasons not for the wrong ones. We will admit honest mistakes but not bear the sins of the past. We will act against corruption and abuse of power but will also react strongly against the false allegations against our integrity. This government is clean and we are proud of our integrity in leadership which is acknowledged far and wide.

We are proud of not only being the first state in Malaysia to enjoy freedom of speech but also freedom after speech with Speaker Squares at both the island and the mainland. As Chief Minister, my doors are always open to members of civil society in Penang, and I welcome this opportunity to engage with and to listen to the Penang public.

Penang is never easy to govern much less rule. I was told that a former Ketua Setiausaha Negara once proclaimed that if a federal civil servant can handle the people of Penang and can do well in Penang, then he is good enough to handle a position anywhere in Malaysia. I think this is due to 2 success factors that is quintessentially Penang.

One is to forge a strong civil society, society must first be civilized. In that respect Penang takes the lead with a strong education base and tradition with democratic institutions. Two, Penang boasts of producing some of the the best and brightest in Malaysia – our quality human talent.

In 1951, A.S.M. Hawkins, the British Supervisor of Elections for the local elections for George Town, the first to be held in Malaya, reported that:

“Penang is a suitable ground for the growth of democratic institutions ... Its long and honourable record in education has given it a higher degree of literacy than other towns. [Local institutions] help to weld the people into a community not only of common interests, but of common ideals. There are also local pride and local patriotism, not split by the schizophrenia of a metropolitan town. A town that has on its lips the words “Penang Leads”, as Birmingham has “Forward”, and uses the motto neither as a prayer nor an aspiration, nor yet as a boast but as a simple assertion of fact, is obviously a place of quality.”

Penang is still a place of quality. But over the previous 18 years, we have seen the motto “Penang Leads” fall away from the lips of Penangites, and have suffered instead the indignity of being branded “Pulau Pinang Darul Sampah” by a certain doctor from Kubang Pasu. We have suffered from neglect and mismanagement.

The historical Penang Port, once the principal port of the Federation, two and a half times larger than Port Klang in 1950, is now only No. 5 in Malaysia, behind Bintulu and Johor. The Federal government has given up and now offers to privatise it or piratise it since there was no open competitive tender. The neglect of our roads and physical infrastructure is such that no less than Lee Kuan Yew said in 2009 that we were in danger of falling behind Ipoh and Seremban.

The only way out is to go back to basics – follow the secrets of Penang’s successes in the past, which is to be part of the global commnity. We must transform Penang to be an international and intelligent city with world class standards, best practices and a magnet for human talent.

Penang as an international and intelligent city is leveraged on building a liveable city that attracts human talent and formulates people-centric policies that transforms Penang into a developed, sustainable and inclusive economy without poverty. Naturally this is focused on 3 key areas of growing the economy that is inclusive, establishing centers of excellence in our core competencies and improving liveability.

We have the Penang Blueprint until shelved to allow a collaborative effort with the Federal Government through the Greater Penang Masterplan. I spoke to Datuk Seri Idris Jala last week who said that he is still trying to get a date with the Prime Minister to present the conclusions reached together. Let’s hope it would not be after the general elections.

Being an international city does not mean that we have to ape cities like Singapore or Hong Kong or even KL. Penang has to find its own niche based on its own comparative strengths and advantages. So long as KL remains the administrative and financial centre of the country, Penang must play a secondary role.

But being a secondary city does not mean that we can or should accept being second-class or second-rate. Secondary cities such as Barcelona, Melbourne and Edinburgh can be as rich and of comparable international stature as the capital cities in their own countries. Well-run secondary cities should be refreshing counterparts to mega-metropolises, given the latter’s pressures of “grime, crime and time”.

Of course, we need a fair allocation of resources by the Central Government. But we also need a change in mindset, to one that demands and expects international standards of governance and development, and one that recognises Penang as a world-class city that is able to attract international talent and that is deserving of a place on the world stage.

We want to build a Penang that has space and opportunities for all. One of the issues facing Penang today is a shortage of opportunities for our young people. A common lament that I often hear among parents in Penang is how they maintain large homes for Chinese New Year and Hari Raya when the family is together, but for the rest of the year their homes are empty because their sons and daughters have left for KL and Singapore to find jobs and to raise their families.

As much as we welcome and respect our senior citizens, Penang deserves better than to become just a retirement community. A successful Penang will grow, and to be successful Penang has to grow in population, in order to develop the economic density that is necessary to create and sustain high-paying jobs, cultural facilities and good public transport.

There are those who will oppose this, fearing increased traffic and property prices. But the truth is that the price of stagnation has been that Penang has lost the best and brightest of her sons and daughters, while over the past twenty years the populations of towns in the Klang Valley and Singapore have doubled through the economic migration of our young people.

If increased economic pressures on space are the price of growth, then we must manage these pressures so that Penangites are not priced out of their own homeland. We believe that the State Government has an active role to play in the building and financing of affordable housing, and we have set up a State Housing Board and have recently announced a RM500 million fund to finance 18,000 affordable homes, including 1,328 in Jln SP Chelliah (Lines Rd) in George Town, 12,000 units in the new industrial park in Batu Kawan and the remainder elsewhere in the State.

We have increased the minimum threshold for foreign purchases of land to RM2 million for landed property on the Island, [and we are also now reviewing development charges and registration fees for transfers of luxury properties to ensure that property development is not skewed towards speculative luxury developments for the few at the expense of affordable development for the many]. At the same time, we have to use our land more wisely through better planning. And we also want to improve connectivity between the Island and the Mainland to reduce the pressures on land on the Island and to spread the benefits of growth to the majority of the population who live on the Mainland.

Penang today benefits from having not only a skilled and educated population but also the attractions of its hills, its beaches, its food and its colourful social and physical heritage. These are the treasures of Penang that attract people, investors and tourists to Penang and that make it the most liveable city in Malaysia and 8th most liveable in Asia.

You have my assurance that this Government will protect these treasures. We have prepared or are in the midst of preparing Special Area Plans to conserve, improve and protect the George Town World Heritage Site, the Botanic Gardens and Penang Hill, and several public consultations have already taken place. We have also recently announced for public consultation our proposals for a new public park, open square and arts and culture centre beside the Prangin Canal as our Phase 5 of KOMTAR, and we hope to be able to carve out new public parks to reclaim public places for Penang in the future.

We hope that even though the Federal Government jealously guards its control over public transport, the Penang Public Transport Masterplan will solicit Federal Government support and cooperation. Doing nothing is not an option. We have undertaken an ambitious building of public infrastructure. Whether we succeed or fail will be determined by the people of Penang.

But let it not be said that we did not dare to try. I say that I am willing to fail trying than fail to try. This State Government has been elected by the people of Penang to end the stagnation of Penang and to deliver clean, efficient and equitable development. We will do so based on our belief that Penang can once again lead, and show the way forward for the rest of Malaysia.

LIM GUAN ENG

Decades ago, I had a warm and caring History teacher, Datin Anwar Fazal, who showed much passion and love not just for the syllabus for HSC (now known as STPM) but also for the history of Penang. As the advisor the the MBS Historical Society, she mooted a project on the history of roads in Penang long before Khoo Salma wrote her book on the Streets of Gorgetown. Khoo Salma's older sister was my sixth form school mate then. My friends and I loved Mrs Fazal's history lessons and we even visited her a few times at her home along Jalan Masjid Negeri. After I graduated, I had the opportunity to work with her husband Datuk Anwar Fazal when he was the IOCU chairman in the 1980's. Indeed, I have high regard for both of them - sincere and socially conscious Malaysians who try their best to bring about a better world wherever they may be.

Tomorrow, Datuk Anwar Fazal will be chairing a public dialogue "A Vision For An International Liveable City" with the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to be held at Kompleks Penyayang from 2 to 5pm. Datuk Anwar Fazal must be commended for his letter to NST HERE highlighting a few points that NST missed in their write-up on the press conference.

I appreciate the noble motives of the organizers to "address new challenges..and for the betterment of Penang, its livability and its Unesco World Heritage Site status and outstanding universal values on which that recognition was based...and to enhance Penang's status through public engagement..."

Personally, I believe that while this dialogue is a good start to perhaps help many to get a better perspective of the situation, I hope it will not be a platform to launch a 'syiok sendiri' feeling, especially if any choose to brag about certain achievements and disregard pressing issues that Penangites face. Just ONE such event may allow some to feel they have done their 'duty' but the truth is - it is not even a prelude for action as public pressure for better governance must be consistent, dedicated, sincere and a continual process- and not a hit-and-run event. There has to be balance in all things. Penangites must not elevate the status quo to demi-God status. Neither should they lambaste till kingdom come. But, ADUNS, MPs and civil society need to play their roles responsibly failing which efforts would go in all directions and little would be achieved.

For me, it is pointless to have all the talk, rhetoric, questioning etc if in reality, what is being carried out may not seem to put the rakyat first. There is a lot of spending for social/environmental projects in Penang such as the Penang Heritage Square as discussed in detail HERE.

The state is also spending 499 000RM on the ‘Revitalising Intangible Cultural Heritage’ study is to help safeguard, preserve and conserve the site besides managing the living and built-up heritage of the area?

According to The Star, in the first part of the study, some 40 GTWHI surveyors will be going from door to door, covering thousands of homes and shops, with questionnaires for the survey. The second part will be a cultural survey of intangible heritage. The third part, that will commence next year, is a series of pilot development activities that includes oral history projects, artisan development and working with the young, she said.

Of course there are other achievements but far beyond all that, the fact remains that the traffic congestion problem remains unsolved and is getting worse. I really wonder how the State government intends to solve our traffic congestion woes. The Penang Transport Council has capable members. However, the Traffic Management and Decongesting of Roads was last updated on 8 Jan 2010; the entry for LATEST ISSUES is dated 12 October 2006 while that for RESOURCES was last updated on 2nd March 2011. Where I am concerned, there is no point dreaming about an internationally liveable city if we have problems getting into the city. Granted that the state government cannot do it alone as it needs Federal aid but what is the long term plan? I reckon things will get worse once the second bridge and third link are completed for these will merely bring more traffic into the island.

To me, accolades or statistics do not matter as much as our quality of life. Why develop when the infrastructure cannot support the increase in population density and intensive development that is being carried out? It is as if some are intent to transform Penang into something like Singapore or Hong Kong. God forbid!

Dr. Lim Mah Hui once asked:

• What kind of development do we want?
• Is it development that destroys our heritage and culture?
• Is it sustainable development?
• Is it green development or development that aggravates climate change?
• Who benefits most from this development?
• Who loses out in this process?
• Is it development for the top 1 per cent or development for the 99 per cent?

Development must be located within a vision. What is the vision for Penang’s development? Perhaps the best way to concretise this vision is to ask ourselves, what is the “model” city that best approximates our vision? I am not suggesting we copy blindly another city. But what I am suggesting is we learn from and choose what are the best characteristics to suit our own situation. (Source: HERE)

Bear in mind that the CM is currently riding on the wave of glory after Penang was named as the country's most liveable city for two consecutive years as assessed by the annual **ECA Location Ratings research in April this year (The Star, 23rd April, Andrea Filmer). Penang had maintained its position as Asia's eighth most liveable city, while Kuala Lumpur had dropped from ninth to 10th. The criteria listed for the ranking included quality of living, climate, health services, isolation, social network and leisure facilities, infrastructure and political tensions.

According to the survey, Singapore maintained its grip on the top spot and also retained its global ranking as the number one most liveable city in the world. Kobe, Japan stayed at the second spot of Asia’s most liveable cities, followed by Hong Kong, Tokyo and Yokohama (tied at fourth), Taipei and Macau. Seoul, that was ranked as Asia’s 10th most liveable city in 2011, edged Kuala Lumpur to tie with George Town in this year’s ranking.

Is that anything to shout about? There is no point saying we are the most livable city in the country when in Asia, we are 10th! We have to get our perspectives right!

These are the world's most livable cities based on The Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Report

1 Melbourne  Australia  97.5
2 Vienna  Austria  97.4
3 Vancouver Canada  97.3
4 Toronto  Canada  97.2
5 Calgary   Canada  96.6
6 Sydney  Australia  96.1
7 Helsinki  Finland  96.0
8 Perth  Australia  95.9
Adelaide  Australia  95.9
10 Auckland   New Zealand  95.7

You can get more results AT THIS LINK.

In this speech given at the 4th LawAsia Family Law Conference, the CM said:

For the past two years running, George Town has been ranked the most liveable city in Malaysia for Asian expatriates. We believe that Penang is also a good place to do business, and we have topped the investment charts in Malaysia for manufacturing investment again for the second year running. In fact, Penang has contributed 30% of Malaysia's Foreign Direct Investment over the past 2 years.

Yes, all that is good but what about the quality of life in Penang????

The State government has succeeded in some areas but they need to get down to the brass tags of improving the quality of life of Penangites eg the built environment, physical and mental health, education standards, providing more places for recreation and leisure time, and developing a deeper sense of social belonging. I have observed that over the past few years, more and more have become self-centred, selfish etc exhibiting the malaise of materialism.

I just feel that we cannot look at Penang through rosy-tinted glasses. It is very dangerous to feed the egos of anyone. A check and balance system is always needed to ensure that those in power do not become arrogant, delusional or too big for their boots. Humility is the key and most of all, a listening ear to people's problems, concerns and to translate these into people-centric policies.

When considering how liveable is a place, the authorities should consider The Economist Intelligence Unit’s quality-of-life index where they carry out a survey based on nine quality of life factors to determine a nation's score including:

1. Healthiness: Life expectancy at birth (in years). 
2. Family life: Divorce rate (per 1,000 population), converted into index of 1 (lowest divorce rates) to 5 (highest). 
3. Community life: Variable taking value 1 if country has either high rate of church attendance or trade-union membership; zero otherwise. 
4. Material well being: GDP per person, at PPP in $. 
5. Political stability and security: Political stability and security ratings. 
6. Climate and geography: Latitude, to distinguish between warmer and colder climates. 
7. Job security: Unemployment rate (%.) 
8. Political freedom: Average of indexes of political and civil liberties. Scale of 1 (completely free) to 7 (unfree). 
9. Gender equality: Measured using ratio of average male and female earnings. 

I am glad that The Star carried a brief report about the concerns of some NGOs. I really hope they will voice these at the dialogue tomorrow. Excerpt:

Penang Consumer Protection Association president K. Koris said he planned to pose five questions. 

He said the previous administration was strict, resulting in two major developers leaving the state in disgust after their proposals were rejected. 

“Now they are back here. So, does this mean the state government is not as strict as the previous administration?” he asked. 

Koris said he would also ask for the rationale behind ap-proving “special projects” on hillslopes. “What's so special about these projects that the Penang Municipal Council must approve them?”

 Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Penang branch adviser D. Kanda Kumar said the perception by certain quarters that the NGOs were less critical of Pakatan Rakyat was inaccurate.

“We (the NGOs) send letters, meet elected representatives and question the authorities when we feel something is not right but sometimes, these go unreported so the public do not know (what we've done),” he said. 

Meanwhile, former PKR leader Lim Boo Chang said public dialogue sessions should not be used by the state government as a “window dressing” to put on a show of adopting best democratic practices. 

He said Guan Eng liked to jot down notes when engaging with the public. “What is the point if there is no intention of incorporating the feedback into policies?” he asked.

So will it make any difference? I believe it will only if Penangites become more vocal, have greater social consciousness and dare to speak up for their well-being, even that of their neighbours without being blinded by selfishness or misguided political allegiance. It is our state and we have to ensure that this Pearl of the Orient does not ever lose its shine, especially because of greedy parties.

I hope that at the dialogue tomorrow, Penang Forum can give participants a progress report of their Resolutions and Memorandum from Penang Forum 4 (held on December 18 2011) which was handed to the CM.

Recommended Reading:

Quo Vadis, Penang?

Preservation and destruction in Penang’s development by Dr Lim Mah Hui (A Must-Read)
_____________________________________

**The official website of ECA states that it "is the world’s leader in the development and provision of solutions for the management and assignment of employees around the world. Our highly skilled teams help to ensure that businesses’ international assignments operate efficiently and cost-effectively."

It has been a crazy week so far. My son is attending the Musica Simfonietta 2nd Music Camp and everyday, I have to drive him to Kompleks Penyayang at 8.30am and then drive home, pick him up at noon and then go home for him to shower and rest after lunch, send him back at 2.00 pm and then drive home to do my chores, pick him up at 5p.m for him to rest and have dinner, then send him to Kompleks Penyayang at 7pm and pick him up again at 10.30pm.  The climax of the camp will be the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola on Monday night at Dewan Sri Pinang featuring guest conductor Donald Maurice, Professor of Music, New Zealand School of Music and Soloists Lo Mei Yoke (violin) and Andrew Filmer (viola). My son is playing the first violin in the main orchestra.

I am very happy that my son is enjoying the camp, honing his musical skills and smiling each time we pick him up - ever ready to share with us the developments in the orchestra's preparation for the concert and about the workshops he has been attending.

However, what has been most stressful is the horrible traffic jams and rude drivers on the road. As it is the long weekend, the roads are packed with out-of-town visitors. In areas that are near to coffee shops, double parking seems to be the norm.

At about half past twelve yesterday, I was so horrified to see a woman driving a Mercedes-Benz who nonchalantly double- parked her car smack between two empty parking lots!!! Can you believe there are people who can afford to buy a luxury car, but cannot afford to pay 30 cents for half an hour's car park fees and to have the audacity to deprive others from parking there??? Unbelievably stingy and selfish!!

I really don't know what is worse - her selfishness or the apathy of others, including the parking attendant. If not for the fact that my son was with me, I would have walked up to her to ask her to park properly!

A few days ago, I was driving carefully and obeying all traffic rules when lo and behold came another car who wanted to cut queue into my lane without indicating any signal light. The traffic was moving at a snarl and to my horror, this guy tried to inch his way even though the car in front was NOT moving at all. Of course I let him cut queue for otherwise, goodness knows what might happen. As if that was not enough, he had the cheek to show me his middle finger!!! What the ???????

What has happened to courtesy on the road?

In fact, what has happened to social etiquette and manners? P's and Q's (mind your please and thank-you's) are quite rare for some who take others for granted. Even a simple greeting such as 'Good morning' seems to require great effort by some. Honestly, is it that difficult to show a little bit of love, kindness and consideration to others???

In many ways, I believe that despite whatever developments we may proclaim, society as a whole is regressing - moving backwards in terms of values, ethics, manners and in many other areas.

“Love people, not things; use things, not people. ”
― Spencer W. Kimball

CLICK HERE to listen to BJ Thomas singing "USING THINGS, LOVING PEOPLE".

A few days ago, I was not feeling well as I was having gastric problems. At a local coffee shop, I ordered a hot cup of Milo to go with my soup. When the waiter brought the drink in a glass mug, I looked at the brown liquid suspiciously.

Firstly, the colour was not right. It was too brown. I thought perhaps it was because they did not use enough milk.

Secondly, there was 'Milo' powder sprinkled on top of the froth reminiscent of raw sugar, cinnamon, or other spices are often sprinkled onto the top of a hot cup of Cappucino. How can that be when we all know how the price of 'Milo' has increased????

Hesitatingly. I stirred the cup of 'Milo' and was puzzled as to why there was so much 'Milo' powder at the bottom of the mug. I thought it did not make sense that they did not add sufficient milk and yet were so generous with the 'Milo' mixture.

Gingerly, I sipped the so-called 'Milo' and almost baptised my son with that concoction which the coffee shop owner regarded as 'Milo'.

Well, it did not look or smell or taste like 'Milo'.

Feeling quite cheated, I carried the mug and walked up to the coffee shop owner. I have been patronizing that coffee shop for almost twenty years now.

"Ah Chek, what is this?" I asked him.

"Milo-lah," was his reply.

"This is NOT 'Milo'," I answered. "I ordered 'Milo' but what is this? Did you use 'Milo'?"

"No," he replied sheepishly.

"Please change this for me. Kindly give me white coffee instead," I asked quietly and walked back to my table.

The waiter then brought me a hot cup of white coffee. 

It was bad enough years ago when I ordered 'Nescafe' and was given something else. And now, 'Milo' has been replaced with something else and we are still expected to pay "Milo" prices!

We have to stand up for our rights - not just for a cup of genuine 'Milo' but fundamental liberties which are rightfully ours!

I am so saddened that every which way I turn, there are those who will not hesitate to make use of others for their own advancement/benefit or profit.

And is it any wonder that such developments have taken place? The cost of living is increasing and I dread to think of what might happen by early next year. The outlook seems to be bleaker and the only thing I am hanging on to is hope - that Malaysians will be wise enough to vote out the wrong people and vote in the right government.

It is clear that some quarters are playing hard ball and yet have the audacity to pretend that they are doing us good.

With education standards declining, cost of living spiralling and ethics/etiquette at stake, I really dread to think of the kind of society that may prevail if the current regime wins in the next general election. Clearly, there are those who have no qualms about robbing us in broad daylight in direct and indirect ways. And the rot has to stop.

People, please vote wisely. Take part in civil society activities and avail yourself in as many ways as possible. Give of your time, talent and resources to develop a better nation. Volunteer and make the effort to effect change.

We have to, if we love this country we call our own.

Penang Island has seen an unprecedented pace of development over the last few years. Our shorelines have been progressively reduced by reclamation. This has created pressure on the environment and affected the livability of the island. Reclamation works at one location will affect the shoreline of downstream area. Traffic congestion in many parts of the island has grown from bad to worse. Come to this public talk this Sunday and listen to what the experts say. Come to this forum and get engaged for our future, and our children's future.

Born and bred in Penang, I have always loved this island and all it offers to us (except for the horrible traffic jams). As we all know, the Opposition is now governing Penang after a landslide win in the last General Elections. Unlike in the past where there was a tough fight, BN only won two of the 13 parliamentary seats and eleven of the 40 state seats. In short, history was created for BN as that was notably its worst performance in any General Elections. Prior to this, Gerakan had been leading the state since 1969 and was bulldozed to ground zero.

In a recent statement HERE, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the Barisan Nasional (BN) will definitely wrest back the state from its rival Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in the next general election. The BN chairman and Umno president told reporters he sensed a shift in voter sentiment during his walkabout earlier in the day. I doubt a mere walkabout in selected areas can offer an accurate snapshot of voter sentiments in Penang.

The 12th GE was a very timely wake-up call for all political parties. Losers have to reinvent themselves for the next GE while winners have to deliver their promises and present an impeccable report card of their performance for voters to decide whether they should retain the status quo or vote for change.

So far, the Penang government (which is NOT perfect and has its share of flaws like any other government) has given Penangites many benefits via the thirty policies implemented (as announced in their pamphlet called 30 People-Centric policies which you can download HERE).

Perhaps the PM is not aware of the pamphlet for he said in The Malaysian Insider that many of the locals he spoke with had complained of neglect and having a tough time making a living under Lim Guan Eng’s state administration compared to when BN held power.

I believe that the next GE will be the most critical one in Malaysian history in that there will be very close fights, including in my home state of Penang. Whilst I may hope that voters will maintain the status quo in Penang, I foresee that they will lose some seats in Penang to BN but am unable to tell how many and which one.

It is critical that the state government wins the support of civil servants and maintains good rapport with the Federal government to facilitate the execution of state plans and day-to-day routine.

On a positive note, it is heartening to read HERE:

The Greater Penang Transformation Programme reflects the stable and mature Federal-state relations, said Chief Mini­ster Lim Guan Eng.


He said this major effort proved that – political differences aside – the state and Federal governments were able to work together for the greater good of the people.


“For example, Penang topped the investment charts in Malaysia last year, with the highest ever inflow of investments totalling RM12.2bil.


“This achievement would not have been possible without the close cooperation of Mida (Malaysian Industrial Development Authority) as well as the support of International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad,” said Lim in a press statement here yesterday. CLICK HERE for more.

I am glad CM LGE realizes that to develop Penang as a viable and competitive international city, major infrastructural enhancements such as improvements to public transportation, roads, airports, port services, Internet penetration and communications are needed - all of which require $$$. A good rapport with the Federal government can hopefully facilitate the provision of resources to develop Penang.

Civil servants and all voters must have the confidence to vote without fear or favor and that their votes will not be traced back to them. Each of us should vote based on our conscience and conviction for the collective good of the state and ultimately, the country.

If one gleans through the headlines of many news portals, it is obvious recent focal points of reports have been on:

• the sex video
• the Alkitab issue
• the Sarawak elections
• statements by many BN leaders claiming that they have the upper hand in the next elections for the dose of feel good ecstasy
• sexist/controversial remarks about women drivers
• etc etc

Have we reached a stage where we can see maturity in the leadership? To me, the central focus of leaders seems to be on who will win the next elections.

Shouldn't the rakyat be the central focus/priority in all their deliberations? What is wrong?

Most of the time, we see the same ritual whereby political leaders wax lyrical about their pipe dreams for the state/constituency just before an election. Next on the menu would be reports on ineffective/inefficient implementation of development visions and programmes. Worse still, leaders could somersault on policies or even abandon them.

To demonstrate maturity of thought/leadership and governance, the time has come for our political leaders who act in such a way that they show us in no uncertain terms that they are putting society interest first and that they are fully committed to development visions and programmes.

As citizens, we have to hold political leaders accountable to their election campaign promises to ensure that we are not getting a raw deal. Gone are the days when voters vote blindly. The power of the net/social networking media combined with an empowered and enlightened civil society mean that voters, especially those in cities/bigger towns, are more likely to scrutinize lawmakers very closely.

The bottom line is cut the talk about who is going to win the next election. Stop all that public relations balderdash about who is gaining more ground. Keep that to your own department.

BUT.....

Tell the rakyat EXACTLY what are the plans, hopes, projects you have for US. SHOW us your record of achievement. Do not give us general statements about who is unhappy BUT show statistics to increase credibility of such claims.

We do not want to see chicken-hearted leaders who stumble in the implementation of plans. We do not want to see leaders implementing projects solely to enrich their cronies/stooges.

Those who make a habit of acting like royal choristers or sycophants can pursue more worthwhile activities.

If the elections are imminent, we do not want to hear any speculation about who is making progress but tell us how visions have been realized with excellent results and no regrets. Show us reviews of projects and the direction that will be taken FOR THE RAKYAT!

For far too many decades, we have seen how some non-performing leaders can continue in office even after it is obvious that he has lived beyond his 'shelf life'.

In this new technological era, information is power and the people are not the feeble lot that used to cower to threats. A more informed electorate is a tougher electorate to crack. As such, a sensitized and sensible politician MUST not only tell us his pipe dreams BUT ALSO SHOW how his coalition's development visions will see serious and efficient implementation. Remember - a sensitized populace will hold the political party accountable to whatever statements/promises made publicly.

We do not want a situation where a leader leaves and then his/her successor does a copycat act of the visions of the previous leader and repeats the circle of chanting vision slogans that only leads to inaction or hopeless actions!

Our nation is rich in human and vast mineral, natural and agricultural resources and yet, we are not developing as quickly as other neighbouring nations which are smaller and who have fewer resources!

Why? 

Corruption has crippled our economy, ruined our roads, health and educational institutions. It has put so much money in the pockets of a few privileged people and rendered the vast majority of the people poor. The level of impoverishment is getting more acute and the pains of the ever growing legion of the poor has become very unbearable.

Corruption seems to be a serious cancer that seem to have penetrated many visions, policies, plans, principles. Just look at the Auditor-General's Report HERE. When conscience and accountability are absent, corruption will abound. We may have institutions that are watchdogs but they appear more like toothless bulldogs barking only when it sees fit and some even watching porno movies on the job!

We need more hard evidence to show how the corrupt has been brought to task, how the money siphoned has been returned to the rakyat, how the government has tightened the ropes to prevent corruption. Statements such as THIS ONE is too general to be convincing. What were the initiatives? What has been the impact in specific terms?

Work to convince us that the authorities are serious about establishing a clean and efficient government. Until and unless this is done transparently, please put to an end all the rhetoric about who will win the next elections.


THAT IS NOT IMPORTANT TO THE RAKYAT! THE RAKYAT ARE THE VIPs.

Do what is right and important FOR THE RAKYAT for we are the ones to elect you to office.

Leaders can start by addressing common problems that have held our nation back - the key one being CORRUPTION!

Eliminate corruption and remove inept leaders. All the deadwood in public office should be thrown out and competent leaders be selected to lead the country to the development of practical dreams, achievable visions, just and fair policies and workable plans - all of which MUST PUT THE RAKYAT first.

As such, to convince us that they are competent enough to be elected to office, corruption must be exterminated together with any public servant who initiates, breeds and perpetuates it!

With a clean fair and just government that serves the rakyat, they can then present their credentials to us for our consideration in the next elections.

If they are unwilling to put THE RAKYAT first, perhaps then they might repent at leisure when they lose their seats of power.

As a Penangite, I am so proud that the CM of Penang made this statement which has been reported by The Malaysian Insider HERE:

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today public interest and not politics is his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration’s motto, tossing out the likelihood that the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition could win back the state in the next polls.


But the first-term CM said the state PR would not rest on its laurels and would work redouble its efforts to improve service and counter the BN’s challenge....


“Putting public interest first ahead of political interest has always been the governing creed of the Penang PR state government,” Lim said in a statement today, refuting allegations of bias.


He said the Penang government treats and enforces the laws equally, and pointed to the state’s booming economy, which he said had lifted investments to a record high of RM12.2 billion topping the national chart and created more jobs.


“The Penang PR state government will not compete with the federal government in improving the lives of the people as long as there is a public benefit,” he added.


Lim repeated his previous stance yesterday that his administration would willingly work with Putrajaya so long as the public benefits.


“That is the principal reason why the Penang state government shelved our completed Penang Blueprint for Industrial Masterplan 2011-2015 in favour of the proposed Greater Penang Masterplan by the federal government,” he stressed.

Way to go, PR in Penang!!! Want to catch up, BN? Show us what you can do for the rakyat too!!!

* If you have the time, please let me know your feelings about whether BN will win back Penang in the poll I have put up in the top right hand corner of the blog page.  Take care and do leave a comment to share your input. Thanks! Have a nice day!

* If you have time, please read this excellent book review which discusses the types of leaders. Scroll down to the paragraph that begins with Politics of Disjunction.

*Invitation to Screening of Documentary Films That You May Not Get To Watch*

Penang Chinese Town Hall Youth Section, SUARAM (Penang branch), Student Progressive Front (SPF) USM, Persatuan Bahasa Tionghua (PBT) USM, Penang Diocese Campus Ministry Office and Sembang-Sembang Forum would like to invite you to attend the screening of documentary “Exiled” in Penang. We will organise two sessions of screening in Penang which will be in English and Chinese. Please refer to the detail as below:

*Film Screening of “Exiled” documentaries and sharing (Mandarin session)*

*Date :18.3.2011 (Friday)*

*Time :8.00 pm – 11.00pm*

*Venue :2nd floor, Penang Chinese Town Hall (PCTH) *

a) Bakun Trilogy: Episode 1 Flood (42mins)

b) Bakun Trilogy: Episode 2 Injustice (48mins)

c) Defend Our Homeland (60mins)

*Film Screening of “Exiled” documentaries and sharing (English session)*

*Date :19.3.2011 (Saturday)*

*Time : 2.00 pm – 5.00pm*

*Venue :Caring Society Complex, Jalan Utama, Penang*

a) Bakun Trilogy: Episode 1 Flood (42mins)

b) Bakun Trilogy: Episode 2 Injustice (48mins)

c) Defend Our Homeland (60mins)

Free admission.

Through these films, we hope to engage people in Penang to have a better understanding on Sarawak issues and some other community issues.

We also strongly recommend all Sarawakians in Penang, people who are facing community issues like land, telecommunication towers, urban and town planning etc to join us to for exchange of views.

We sincerely look forward to your enthusiastic participation. Thank you.

Please kindly contact Ong Jing Cheng 012-7583779 for further information.

The Malaysian Insider featured a report HERE about how trader who once challenged Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to a fist fight attempted to send a coffin to the house of an assemblyman today.

The report said that Mohamed Ghani Abd Jiman, deputy president of the Komtar Merchants Association, was stopped by police as he tried to send the coffin to the house of Komtar Assemblyman Ng Wei Aik after staging a peaceful demonstration against Ng at Komtar Walk along with representatives of several non-governmental organisations.

He told reporters that he protesting there because he heard that Ng planned to kick him out of Komtar after the current renovation is completed.

I was quite shocked to read how Mohamed Ghani later drove a lorry from Penang Road to Happy Valley near Paya Terubong to deliver the coffin but was stopped by the police following a protest by residents. The article said it was his second attempt to send a coffin after police seized the first one.

Earlier, more than 200 people claiming to be members of Malay-Muslim non-governmental organisations staged a protest at Komtar over issues pertaining to Malay land and the alleged marginalisation of Malays in the state. The leader of the group, Anuar Khan Ali Azqar Khan said that they did not want the Malays in Penang to suffer because of the poor management by the current state government whom he claimed was allegedly marginalizing them.

As many of you know, I am a true blue Penangite and am VERY impressed not just by the report card of DAP but also by the loyal and increasing support of Penangites for the current state government.

Reports of incidents such as discussed earlier are most disconcerting because it should not have arisen in the first place.

1. Note that there is freedom of assembly because there were no arrests at the demonstration.

2, Note:

a) no clarification from the complainant as to why Ng planned to kick the complainant out of Komtar after the current renovation is completed.

b) no statement from Ng Wei Aik (yet) about the issue

3. Is sending coffins to someone who is still alive a pleasant and acceptable practice in ANY culture? How does it reflect on the sender's character?

In any culture, coffins are used to place the departed before their final journey for burial or cremation.

What did the person hope to achieve by sending a coffin? What was the message that he was trying to convey?

In this day and age, I am sure there are BETTER and more congenial methods of mediation rather than having to resort to the sombre and bizarre act of sending coffins. But alas, some have strange habits and perspectives!

On December 8th 2010, The Star carried a report HERE about how Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng who turns 50 on Wednesday received three heart-shaped “black” chocolate cakes from several non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The representatives of the NGOs said the cakes were given to him to express their unhappiness over the state government’s failure to address several issues.

In the last three years, the Penang State government has emphasized good governance which is based on the CAT principle - Competency, Accountability and Transparency - upholding five core principles of justice, freedom, truth, social welfare and piety in God.

Penang has benefited from the thirty policies implemented (as announced in their pamphlet called 30 People-Centric policies which you can download HERE). That pamphlet documents the achievements of the State government for the Penang of Penang, regardless of age, sex and gender.

The state government launched its 3Es Mission of a People Centric Government to Enable, Empower and Enrich the People. Towards that end, they have sought to:

• enable the people with skills, knowledge and education to provide equal opportunity for all to create wealth
• empower them with fundamental rights, basic freedoms and responsibilities according to the rule of law
• enrich the people by sharing wealth and economic benefits to pursue socio-economic justice

You can read more in my post titled Let's Make It Happen!

On September 24th last year, Global corruption watchdog, Transparency International (TI), has ranked Malaysia as the 47th least corrupt nation in the world and commended the island state of Penang for its anti-corruption efforts. (CLICK HERE for more.)

Obviously, there are some who refuse to acknowledge the many achievements of the Penang State government. On Jan 19th this year, theSun reported HERE that Penang attracted the highest amount of investments in the country last year, recording a total RM12.238 billion, a jump of 465% compared to the total investments in 2009.

No government is perfect. Not even the Penang State government BUT I must acknowledge that they have tried very hard to propel Penang forward. yes, there are still loads of traffic jams and unresolved issues but when we take a step back and look at the bigger picture, we cannot help but clap when we see the MANY ACHIEVEMENTS that Penang has chalked up in the last three years compared to the disappointing record left behind by the previous government.

So what should it be then? Sending coffins, black heart-shaped chocolates of bouquets of accolades for the Penang State government?



The answer is obvious except to those who choose to blind themselves to the truth for reasons known to themselves.

*Update @ 9.48am 13thy March 2011* Please read The Star report HERE. TQ.

Gary McKechnie of Budget Travel wrote an article on 10 Islands to Explore Before You Die that was featured in Yahoo! Travel. There, Penang was ranked No. 8 ahead of Galapagos and Palm Islands Dubai. Bali is No. 1 in the list. Himanshu Bhatt of The Sun also reported it HERE.

As a true blue Penangite, I am really so happy to read about this. Hopefully, the Penang government will step up its efforts to promote Penang in the international tourist market without incurring high costs.

I still believe that there is no need to develop expensive buildings such as the proposed RM300 million sPICE project which you can read HERE. What tourists look for would be the innocuous charm of Penang, its heritage buildings and culture, the awesome food and the unique fusion of all that it has to offer just because of what it is - a beautiful, idyllic island in the sun!

However, much has to be done to tackle its inherent problems such as traffic congestion and cleanliness. All must work diligently to preserve the natural beauty and character of Penang and to ensure it continues to keep its World Heritage Site status bestowed by Unesco.

So if you have never visited Penang for a long time, swing by for a weekend! Take care and have a nice day! Next post will be up after lunch.

The Penang Forum is a series of forums organised by a coalition of concerned NGOs, communities and individuals that is working towards playing a more involved consultative role with the Penang State Government.

The Penang Forum consists of the following groups:

• Persatuan Kesihatan and Keselamatan Perkerjaan Pulau Pinang.
• Persatuan Kebudayaan Tamil Pulau Pinang
• WCC
• 3Gs
• Suaram
• Aliran
• PHT
• Malaysian Nature Society
• Sembang-Sembang
• Tg Bungah Residents Association (TBRA)
• Friends of Penang Botanic Gardens Society (FOPBGS)
• CEPAT
• Taman Sri Nibong Residents' Association

At THIS SITE, Penang Forum 3 (PF3) invites you to participate in an election to determine civil society nominees to serve as MPPP and MPSP Councillors for 2011. There are currently over 15 nominees who have submitted themselves to be elected as councillors for MPPP and MPSP.



Click HERE to read more about Local Council FAQs.

Click HERE to see the list of nominees, their profiles and manifestos.

Click HERE to read more about Qualifications Required To Become Civil Society Nominees to serve as MPPP and MPSP Councillors for 2011.

Who Can Vote?

All residents of Penang age 18 and above are eligible to vote at Penang Forum 3 to elect civil society nominees to serve as councillors in MPPP and MPSP for 2011. Voters need not be Malaysian citizens to be eligible to vote. Such practice is based on the principle that all rate payers are entitled to fair representation at local governments.

Nominations are still open and will close on Nov 10.

All participants are urged to pre-register with the address/contact number below before Nov 12. Participants who want to have food at the forum need to register in advance. Those who do not pre register for the forum will not be able to get food but will still have to pay the RM10 registration fee which would go towards meeting PF3 expenses.

Registration of Voters

Please register by 12th November 2010, to facilitate the arrangement of catering.
Early registration will help us a great deal. So please fill up the form below and Email to aliran@streamyx.com. Registration fees will be collected on the day itself.

Name :_____________________
Email Address : ______________
Phone : ____________________
See You There!

Contact Details"

Address: Penang Forum 3, c/o Aliran, 103 Medan Penaga, 11600 Jelutong, Penang.
Email : aliran@streamyx.com
Phone : Aliran at 658 5251
Fax : 04-6585197 during office hours, Tuesday to Saturday.

The old adage says that birds of the same feather flock together but the same cannot be said of Gerakan. The clash of the old blood with the new blood is evident in a recent report by Susan Loone in Malaysiakini HERE.


The report stated that a group within the party dubbed the "voice of the grassroots", submitted 60 signatures to the state liaison committee calling for an extraordinary general meeting to get Teng to step down. The group is appealing to the 393 state delegates to cast a vote of no-confidence against Teng on Oct 10 and to decide on the future direction of the party which lost its grip on Penang in the last GE.

Gerakan Youth members are unhappy with Teng's statement to the media the party may lose in the next general elections. Teng emphasized that Gerakan should focus on other issues of greater important and urgency.

In sharp contrast, The Malaysian Insider reported HERE that Gerakan has the confidence and resoluteness to regain the seats it lost to the opposition in the last general election.

Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the party was working very hard and was mobilising its party machinery to achieve this goal.

Earlier, Penang Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi suggested that Gerakan hand over the seats it contested in the last general election to the other Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties if it was not confident of winning.

Interestingly, another report in FMT by Hawkeye reported that Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) is calling for an infusion of new blood in Barisan Nasional if the coalition wants to recapture Penang in the next general election.

Well, it looks as though there might be a minor earthquake in Penang. One group wants to oust the state Gerakan head Datuk Dr. Teng Hock Nan who believes that "the party may lose in the next general elections". The National Gerakan President Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon thinks otherwise.

Penang Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has in no uncertain terms voiced his opinion of Gerakan's prospects in the next elections while newbie PCM's recent statements has shown us their intention that goes far beyond being a BN-friendly entity.

So with all these contradictory statements and in-fighting, they still expect to capture Penang and dislodge the PR-led government?

Tsk tsk tsk....dream on in your fairy tale make-believe wonderland ....!!!

Yoges Palaniappan wrote an interesting article in The Malaysian Insider about how Gerakan concedes Penang to DAP for another term. The report said Penang Gerakan chief Datuk Teng Hock Nan conceded that DAP can keep the state in the next general elections but said his party has a good chance of recapturing it later.



Teng predicted the ruling Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government will not be in power for a long time and said that the popular chief minister, Lim Guan Eng, will not helm the state after the 14th general elections due to “how Lim handles the state affairs”, adding the people need a strong opposition if they want to keep the Lim Administration.

“With his style of running the government, he will be appointed the chief minister in the next general elections, but ... not the following general elections,” Teng told The Malaysian Insider.

While I acknowledge that the current state government has certain flaws, we have to acknowledge their many achievements recorded in the last 29 months. I blogged about it in this post called Let's Make It Happen where I highlighted key accomplishments as spelled out in the Penang state government's 30 People Centric policies pamphlet.

What did the previous government have to show in Penang after such a long reign? More importantly, what problems did they leave behind for the current government to settle? How has the previous group reacted to the present PR state government? Penangites are well aware of the many incidents and I have no wish to repeat them. The many records in various online news portals bear testimony to those run-ins.

While it can be seen as a gallant admission that the current PR-led state government has gained more ground, could it be a reverse psychology ploy to fish for sympathy votes?

Note that Teng urged Penangites to give the party “a chance” in the next general election to play the role of a constructive opposition in the state assembly.

Have they been constructive so far??? Or have they been throwing spanners in the works?

I do agree with Datuk Dr. Teng that Gerakan is 'pereived as weak' and that it is possible to gain more ground in the 14th GE - but only if there is a complete overhaul in the leadership, vision and manner of executing their mission for the rakyat.

Till then, perhaps Gerakan can work to show us their mettle and many reasons why they merit a second chance. Less talk and more action will certainly do the trick.

Kudos to the present state government but whilst they can gloat over some accomplishments, I sincerely hope that they will not rest on their laurels but will continue to do their utmost for the rakyat and give us more reasons as to why we should vote them again in the next GE.

Always, RAKYAT FIRST!!!