Despite the screaming headlines, “S’gor BN to scrap Batu Caves condo if we win” (Malaysiakini), “Najib promises Indians no Batu Caves condo if BN regains Selangor” (The Malaysian Insider), “PM: We’ll scrap Batu Caves project if we win Selangor” (New Straits Times); “Najib: Return Selangor to Barisan and Batu Caves ground will be safe” (Star) and “PM: Bt Caves development will stop if BN regains S’gor” (Sun), the first reaction of fair-minded, reasonable and patriotic Malaysians is one of distinct unease and discomfort, even feeling of being repelled by an inchoate sense that something is wrong or just not right in what the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had done.
Why is this so? Why are these people, who want the 29-storey Dolomite Park Avenue condominium project to be scrapped, not welcoming Najib’s announcement with open arms and unqualified support?
This is also my immediate response. In 1980, I had announced a “DAP Save Batu Caves Campaign” to join forces with all conservationist and environmental groups to save the 500 million-year-old Malaysian natural heritage and the religious shrine of 800,000 Hindus in Malaysia by stopping all quarrying activities at Batu Caves.
Having saved Batu Caves once, DAP and Pakatan Rakyat would have no hesitation to spearhead another “Save Batu Caves Campaign” as a result of the MIC/BN approval of the 29-storey condo project in Batu Caves in 2007.
However, DAP and Pakatan Rakyat have not launched a second “Save Batu Caves Campaign” as the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor State Government has immediately issued a “stop work” order as the condominium project should not have been approved by the Barisan Nasional authorities in 2007 as for example, objections of the state Department of Environment (DOE) had been ignored.
Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has announced an independent task force to examine the issues surrounding the 29-storey Dolomite Avenue Park condo project in Batu Caves and to make recommendations to the Selangor State Government how best to safeguard the sacred site while allowing development in the surrounding areas.
Why then should Najib’s announcement that the Dolomite Avenue Park condo project would be scrapped if BN retakes Selangor create a sense of unease, discomfort and even a repelling feeling, when it is an end everybody wanted?
This is because Najib’s announcement of scrapping of Batu Caves condo project if BN wins Selangor is not a “triumph of light over darkness”, of truth over deceit, or good over evil, but the continued spreading of darkness to prevent the triumph of light.
It causes unease, discomfort and a repelling feeling because it desecrates the essence and spirit of Deepevali.
Yesterday, I had sought public views on my blog on their responses to Najib’s announcement. The following is a sample of these views:
1. “If Selangor did not fall into Pakatan’s hands in 2008, there would have been a condominium now… Remember TBH (Teoh Beng Hock). He also promised to leave NO STONES UNTURNED. TBH is still turning in his grave.”
2. “This has to be a wake-up call to all Indians. Najib is trying to take you for a ride. First, BN steals the rakyat’s money, and when exposed, they promise to pay back the money provided they win Selangor. We all know that Najib has zero leadership qualities, but to make a pledge like that during Diwali?”
3. “FIRST, umno whacked you black and blue.
NEXT, umno promised to let you have some medication.
AND FOR THAT, you are supposed to feel mighty grateful; and give umno all your nambekei and more importantly, your vote too.”4. “Right now whatever he promises – whether to proceed or reverse- apart from whether or not subsequent deed will honour the promise – is not dictated by right or wrong having regard to balancing all competing considerations but by whether or not the promises will secure more votes that they alienate. Electoral victory and preservation of his position that he cannot afford to lose are the imperatives in his mind, and hence this purely populist approach to issues. Nothing else.”
5. “BN is now becoming a comedy. They have lost their marbles / senses. Create the problem, then scraps it, ignoring the cost to the people who bought. This is totally irresponsible. They want to win so badly, by hook or by crook.”
There is no doubt that Najib’s announcement has left a bad taste in the mouth of all right-thinking and decent Malaysians, desecrating the sacred day of Deepavali!
Najib would have come over with greater honesty and rectitude if he had publicly apologised for MIC/BN approval of the 29-storey condominium project in Batu Caves in 2007, identified and punished all the MIC/BN councillors and leaders responsible for the project (nobody would believe that top MIC/BN leaders were not involved in giving the green light for such a project), as well as declare what would be the MIC/BN contributions to undo the 2007 MIC/BN approval for the condo project, as for instance how much MIC/BN would contribute if there is any element of financial compensation involved.
Let all MIC/BN leaders, whether national or state, who had given their approval to the 29-storey condo project in Batu Caves in 2007 step forward to confess their roles.
“W”-tongued.
One never know which side of the fork is speaking.
So dont take him too seriously.
The plague itself promises a cure? And worse, in exchange for votes?! OMG.
Imagine me driving recklessly and seriously grazed & dented your car as a result. Do I then say to you:
“Hey, if you call me taiko, be thankful to me, do me some favours, e.g. mow my lawn, clean my toilet, etc etc.. then maybe I’ll think about fixing your car!”.
Gosh. Speechless.
This is the normal BN approach to all his partner like MIC and MCA.
They will squeeze and discreminate you on:
1) Education to university
2) approval for Chinese and indian school.
3) Budget allocation to built new school.(chinese and indian with a 25% of population but only getting less than 10% of the total budget to built and upgrade their school)
but will give you some sweetener during the Election and they will called them
” We, BN will take care of you regardless any race – 1Malaysia”
Only the stupid indian and MCA will take this “slogan” after 55 years.
This is bribery . Mother of corruption. Shame on you nPM
“U can bully/gang-r ape some of d people all of d time, n all of d people some of d time, but U cannot bully/gang-r ape all of d people all of d time” (With apologies 2 Abraham Lincoln)
Bully/gang-r ape, NO, NO; gang-r ape some1 fr another country, kena probed
Health D-G pleaded guilty 2 khalwat
(Leadership by example: Following d example of a former Health Minister)
Both in d news n they reflect d culture under UmnoB/BN
Najib loves making deals.
For Batu caves project…he is actually saying..”Umno B made the mistake to approve the project.
Vote BN control S;gore…and I will scrap the project.”
He never ever dare to say..”Support me and I will catch all the murderers …especially the master minds behind Alantuya horrible death….Teoh Beng Hock…Kugan and those all of you want justice to be done.”
Najib still think he can fool Malaysians with his twisting tongue.
Selangyang Municipal Council head is the scape goat…to divert attentions.
Just like the two bodyguards on Alantuya’s death.
Everything is done to protect Najib at all cost.
I go back to why Kohilan and 3 MIC rep on the council have no recollection of the project UNTIL they organised an elaborate and EMBARASSING political masturbation exercise of 300 people on this? And the head of the Selayang council’s transfer is full of questions including the speed. The simple answer – SOMEONE ELSE i.e., likely UMNO-linked was the ones who made the project happened.
If what caused this was UMNO-linked – ALL THE MORE NAJIB’S PROMISE IS FLATULATING i.e.,IT STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN…
So, now darkness is trying to triumph over light?
The scum has done everything under the sun to stay in power.
Now, a little bit of blackmail will be just wonderful.
First, the devils do the deed.
Then, they blame the opposition for it.
After being proven that they are the devils who committed the act, they even has the gall to try to blackmail the Selangorians into voting for them in order to stop the evil deed that they have perpetrated.
So, evil is to be rewarded?
What they ended up with, will be more lost votes!!!
No wonder they are scared out of their wits in calling for the next GE!!!
Why are these people, who want the 29-storey Dolomite Park Avenue condominium project to be scrapped, not welcoming Najib’s announcement [“ We’ll scrap Batu Caves project if we win Selangor”] with open arms and unqualified support?
The unease is because he’s able to pull wool over BN’s act in 2007 in approving the project – shift the blame to the current PR Selangor state govt as if it were responsible for this unpopular project- and then take an about face turn to promise cancel it if BN gets the votes to win Selangor. If he were successful in this spin it would mean BN is able to politically leverage and capitalise on what apparently was its own doing. It means it could do something wrong in the past, fool the people of the present by shifting the responsibility of its own first wrong doing to its political rival and then present the picture that it would correct that wrong doing of its political rival (when actually it is its own in the first place) if the people vote BN in. In a nutshell his represents being rewarded instead of punished by one own’s wrongdoing by shifting the blame of its own wrong doing to the opposite Opposition and getting the credit for scrapping that which ought not to have been initiated in the first instance in the face of protest from the Opposition that is now blamed for it. Najib should be commended for the excellent spin.
In darkness, Deepavali’s light is good.
BN’s ‘ light ‘ could be an oncoming train!
Ok lah vote BN, and this Condo will be scrapped. However, must remember the timeline history of this Condo, as a few years after GE13, a new condo will be approved again in vcnty of same area
Make-no-sense peeM out 2 fish 4 votes n speak rubbish 2 con voters
If he were so concerned n sincere abt d Batu Caves condom project, he could hv EASILY scrap d project IMMEDIATELY, since d project was approved in 2007 by UmnoB/MIC/BN kaki
Who r d developers of dis condom? UmnoB/MIC/BN kaki or cronies? DAP/PKR/PR kaki or cronies? Not likely d latter in 2007
Lots of Indians n other ethnic grps flocked to a medical centre in SJaya 2 witness an IMAGE
Dis nation is in distress, bleeding n being drained of resources by incompetent, racist n corrupt governance 4 so long
Dis must b a MESEJ 2 all believers 2 save dis nation fr evil n corrupt politicians, national bankruptcy n blatant corruption
B courageous! Don’t sit on d fence – b enlightened n ready 2 VOTE WISELY
D caveman, d 1 who once tot he would b peeM, declared his support 4 AhCheatKor n dat UmnoB/BN will win GE-13
Let’s PROVE d guaman wrong! ABU
Only idiots,imbeciles and opportunists cum hypocrites will give support to the corrupted and incompetent current regime for another term in the next GE.Enough is enough.ABU.
The Indian community has a grave responsibility to stand by Malaysia. In other elections, we did not matter much but in this one our vote is crucial. Support the true Malaysia. Support the spirit of 1957 and vote Pakatan Rakyat. This country needs cleaning. Pakatan Rakyat is not perfect, but it is far better than a group of corrupt liars.
The project has been approved way back in 2007. Can it be scrapped? Now? I am no expert in planning laws. But I believe the laws does not empower the authority (or even the PM for that matter, so jib hold your tongue pls – yes, both forks) to ban the development once it has been approved.
There are only two possibilities: (1) The planning approval in 2007 was irregularly obtained (e.g. by corruption for instance). In which case the approval was invalid and has no legal effect. (2) If the approval is valid, the government of the day would have to utilise the necessary laws to mount a compulsory acquisition action “in the public interest.” That means compensating the developer. But do expect the developer to challenge this decision. And the courts may have an entirely different view of whether there was sufficient public interest for the government to do so.
So jib, apa cakap you?
Lang.
Kui.
Both rolled into one.
And you get jib.
Najib is incredible. He is devoid of a sense of reality.
Surely by now he realises that the mess was created by BN when they were in power. The decent thing to do would be to apologise and and find out how BN can help to redress the issue. Instead he shamelessly tried to capitalise on the issue to blackmail for votes.
This seems to be the modus operandi of BN and their leaders. They discriminated against the nons in education and then go around offering money to schgools in order to buy votes (Hulu Selangor “buy” election).
For years they have marginalised the SRJKs. Then when elections are around the corner, they offer RM30m to upgrade the schools.
These are the tactics used by hostage takers. They threatened and mistreat their victims and then when they offer crumbs, the victims will feel ever so grateful.
This won’t work on us. We know better.
This announcement that come none other than PM himself was the latest and most shameful that has happened to BN leadership. They have completely lost their integrity, they have come to the lowest state of being and simply shameless. We all know who has approved the project and we also know why the complete U turn of minds. BN can do many many things to undo their mischief by they choose the stupidest way and they believe they people of Batu Caves in particular are just blind. They also believe the Indian community are that easy to be cheated again-again. More so PM chose the occasion of the Deepavali celebration to make such shameless cheats on the Indian communities. And the saddest was the MIC leaders that have sing along with PM’s promises are simply unbelievable. MIC who was the culprit in the approval of the project has thicken their skin and come back to cheats the people and its happen none other during Deepavali.
BN down fall is none other than their own asking. They ask for it.
Was it NOT that BN state govt approved the project in 2007?
so what rubbish that Jib is talking about?
Anyway PR state govt now oledi on hold the project,
So NOW, this BN head really talking RUBBISH !