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Malay contractors association apologises to Guan Eng

By Himanshu Bhatt
The Sun
Jan 7, 2011

GEORGE TOWN: The Malay Contractors Association of Malaysia, which has in the past accused Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s administration of marginalising Malay businesses, apologised to him today through a delegation to his office here.

The association’s deputy president Datuk Mohammed Fadzill Hassan, who headed the delegation of about a dozen members, personally tendered his apology to the state government.

He said they wished to cooperate and work along with the administration. Lim responded by describing the new outcome as a “positive turn of events”.

“I hope we can start a new relationship based on facts and not emotion,” he said.

Lim stressed that accusations that Malay contractors were sidelined under the current Pakatan Rakyat government were untrue.

“Malay contractors are able to perform very well, as most of those who have won contracts under the state’s open tender policy are Malays,” he said. Continue reading “Malay contractors association apologises to Guan Eng”

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Learn from BN’s mistakes, Guan Eng tells DAP

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
December 12, 2010

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 12 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact can only retain power if its state governments show policies carried out have helped and not harmed the public, in sounding the rallying cry ahead of the next big fight at the polls against the rival Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

“If we are to retain power at the next general elections, then PR must be a people’s government trusted by the people to help and not harm them,” the DAP secretary-general told party members at its state convention here today.

“PR can be trusted by the people not only by showing competency and honesty, but that we are a people’s government that listens to the people, does the people’s work and gives hope to the people,” he added. Continue reading “Learn from BN’s mistakes, Guan Eng tells DAP”

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Chong Eu a great Penangite, a great Malaysian, and a great patriot

By Thomas Lee
Mysinchew.com
2010-11-25

Wednesday 24 November 2010 was a sad day for Malaysians, especially Penangites. It was on that day that the beloved Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu passed away.

Chong Eu was born in Penang on Wednesday 28 May 1919 to a young medical doctor Dr Lim Chwee Leong and his wife Cheah Swee Hoon. He was given the name Chong Eu, which roughly translated from Chinese means “heaven’s blessing”.

Dr Lim Chwee Leong was just 22 years old when he graduated as medical doctor and left his hometown of Singapore to work and settle in Penang. The young doctor’s decision to make Penang his permanent abode was certainly a heavenly blessing for the island state as his first child Chong Eu was destined to be the person who would bring abundant blessings to the people of Penang.

Chong Eu was born and grew up during a very exciting epoch-making period of world history, involving two great World Wars, several national revolutions, especially those of Russia and China, many regional wars, including the Korean War and Vietnam War, and the emergence of the anti-colonialism liberation movement in the Third World countries. Continue reading “Chong Eu a great Penangite, a great Malaysian, and a great patriot”

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Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu 1919-2010 – Malaysia has lost last surviving giant of Merdeka era

With Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu passing yesterday after a month-long stroke, Malaysia has lost the last surviving giant of the Merdeka era who became Penang’s longest-serving Chief Minister.

Malaysia and Penang have lost a great son.

Tun Dr. Lim’s contribution to Malaysian nation-building in general and the Penang state and economy in particular is acknowledged by all Malaysians.

Although we were opponents in the political and electoral arenas, I always have the highest respect and regard for Tun Dr. Lim’s political struggles and integrity.

My deepest condolence to the bereaved family particularly Toh Puan Goh Sing Yeng, Chien Aun and Chien Cheng.

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Halal? Haram? Heck if I know…

By Hafidz Baharom

It’s really surprising that people want to talk about halal and haram, but not just in Penang. It’s truly impressive, in Penang, how a bunch of geriatrics say that they don’t want money from any source that is considered haram.

It seems as if we are back to the same holier-than-thou mentality in politics that was visible in the 70s, where even graveyards and grieving for a dead relative were politically segregated. This was the age when Umno and PAS supporters were so passionate to the point that the arguments clearly extended after death.

There should be no paranoia when it comes to the question of halal and haram. Not in this nation where we are opening up to the rest of the world to prove that we are, in fact, truly a moderate Muslim majority nation that in all honesty respects the rest of the population as equals. That was the true Malaysian goal.

What we have now in the 1 Malaysia campaign, is a farce. A cover-up of gigantic proportions. All talk and no “meat”, per se.
Continue reading “Halal? Haram? Heck if I know…”

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There must be some degree of decency in politics

by P Ramakrishnan
President
Aliran
24th August 2010

There must be some degree of decency in politics.

Why are the police taking such a long time to complete their investigation into the serious allegation that the name of His Majesty, the Yang di Pertuan Agong, had been substituted with the name of the Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, during the Friday sermon in certain mosques?

That is the question that is bothering Penangites.

This allegation has the potential to disrupt the harmony and unity that we enjoy in Penang. This controversy has been deliberately hatched to create political turmoil and destroy our peace. It can have terrible repercussions that will affect the existing goodwill among the various communities.

When there is so much to lose, why is there no urgency to bring the mischief-makers to book immediately? What is causing the delay and what is the problem facing the police? Continue reading “There must be some degree of decency in politics”

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Penang’s Special Area Plan

by Thomas Lee
mysinchew.com
2010-08-24

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has invited the public to help provide input, meaning ideas and suggestions, to the state government as it seeks to prepare a special area plan (SAP) for Georgetown, a requirement as a world heritage site under Unesco

Guan Eng said the feedback from Penangites was important as they are the biggest stakeholders as residents of Georgetown, which was listed as world heritage site in 2008.

The SAP provides for the protection of the heritage sites and would be prepared by Putrajaya according to Section 16(B) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976. The plan covers an area of 259.42 hectares within the city of Georgetown, and must be submitted to Unesco on or before 1 February 2011.

The massive area has more than 1,700 historic buildings in hundreds of sites, representing the different stages in the historic development of Penang.

In view of the extensive and expansive scope of the whole SAP, with wide-ranging socio-economical implications, it is obvious that the state government would not be able to go it alone in this undertaking. Certainly, the private corporate sector and concerned individual residents of Penang must be enlisted to participate and be involved to make it a resounding success.

I suggest that the state government should consider embarking on the SAP with a new strategic preservation, maintenance and development schema involving a sort of decentralized pursuance of the SAP based a tripartite set-up involving the state, the residents of the particular site, and a private development company. Continue reading “Penang’s Special Area Plan”

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Penang PR joint statement on baseless allegation of “Guan Eng gantikan Agong”

KENYATAAN BERSAMA PAKATAN RAKYAT PULAU PINANG DALAM MESYUARAT TERGEMPAR PADA 22.8.2010 DI KOMTAR, GEORGE TOWN.

Mesyuarat tergempar PR dipanggil hari ini berikutan permainan isu “Guan Eng gantikan Agong” yang digembar-gemburkan oleh UMNO dan media massa. Permainan politik oleh UMNO ini adalah begitu karut kerana hanya orang tak siuman dan berniat jahat baru berani menggantikan nama DYMM YDP Agong dengan nama lain.

Dalam mesyuarat tersebut Ahli EXCO Negeri Pulau Pinang portfolio agama Islam YB Abdul Malik Kassim telah menjelaskan teks khutbah yang disediakan oleh MAINPP dan JAIPP.

10 usul telah diluluskan dalam mesyuarat tergempar PR Pulau Pinang yang dipengerusikan oleh Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang dan Pengerusi Pakatan Rakyat Lim Guan Eng:-

1. Melafazkan ikrar taat setia kepada DYMM Yang di Pertuan Agung sebagai pemimpin terunggul negara atau Kepala Utama bagi Persekutuan menurut Perkara 32 Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan juga sebagai Ketua agama Islam bagi Negeri Pulau Pinang menurut Perkara 5(2) Perlembagaan Negeri Pulau Pinang. Continue reading “Penang PR joint statement on baseless allegation of “Guan Eng gantikan Agong””

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Tweets on Aminulrasyid killing, Subang airport closure and whether a non-Malay can be PM

@limkitsiang

Anger against police over Aminul’s death building up on Facebook http://bit.ly/b7apG9 5:09 PM May 3rd

1wk since police killing #Aminulrasyid Najib has spoken Y UmnoYouth @Khairykj MCAYouth still silent though @weekasiongmp support Hanif RCI 5:15 PM May 3rd

Full support 4Sgt Roslan fractured leg rammed by motor-cyclist @roadblock Police shd catch n mete out most severe punishment agnst culprit Have always supported police injured in course of duty But IGP irresponsible w fallacious equation n argument as if condemnation of trigger-happy killing #Aminulrasyid equivalent 2disregard 4legitimate rights of police 2proper welfare n compensation 4injuries or even lives lost suffered by policemen in course of duty RT @syafiqjosen: @limkitsiang I m in support of azamuddin but would appreciate if u would also stand by the police when they are victims. about 23 hours ago via UberTwitter

Powerless SpecialPanel into#Aminulrasyid’s police killing neither fish nor fowl even w/ TunHanif as member.. http://ow.ly/1GDA1 about 20 hours ago via HootSuite

Appears 2b d case Off stmts have conspicuously omitted dis pt RT @thamss: @limkitsiang The Brunei oil issue,we signed away our oil field? about 19 hours ago via UberTwitter
Continue reading “Tweets on Aminulrasyid killing, Subang airport closure and whether a non-Malay can be PM”

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Gerakan has lost Penang for good, says Keng Yaik

The Edge Financial Daily
Thursday, 18 February 2010 11:12

In the first part of our interview with Gerakan adviser Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik yesterday, he spoke about the problems plaguing both the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalitions. What of his own party?

Lim expressed concern over whether his anointed successor, current Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, can take the party out of its decline.

Although the veteran politician said Koh was the best he had in terms of intellectual capacity and integrity, he feels that Koh is unable to make politically difficult decisions and provide leadership.

He thinks that Gerakan would need to go back to its core ideology based on a multiracial approach before it can pick itself up again.

Lim, who headed Gerakan for 27 years, believes that Gerakan has lost Penang for good.

“Should it (regain Penang)? No! We missed our chance. In cricket, they say you had a good innings and 39 years is a long and good one. What more do we want?” said Lim in his office in Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya recently.
Continue reading “Gerakan has lost Penang for good, says Keng Yaik”

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PR Penang greatest legacy – prove right policies can make Malays and Malaysians compete and succeed against the best

by Lim Guan Eng

Pakatan Rakyat Penang’s greatest legacy to Malaysia and greatest threat to BN’s stranglehold on power is to prove that the right policies can make Malays compete and succeed against the best in the world. Ever since the Pakatan Rakyat Penang state government took power in March 2008, we have made integrity and CAT governance(Competency, Accountability and Transparency) the hallmark of financial administration.

New measures implemented includes competitive and public open tender, payments directly to recipients without going through middle-men, priority given to Penang contractors, e-tender through the internet and a 2 week objection period to ensure that successful contractor no longer need “political cables” but “computer cables”. There is no doubt that competitive open tenders saves costs and improve quality.

Many contractors have been liberated with the implementation of open tenders at all levels. For Class F contractors which is only open to bumis, open tender system has allowed non-UMNO linked contractors in Penang to get contracts for the first time. In the past contracts are usually reserved for UMNO cronies and those outside the state. Clearly the competitive open tender system of PR is more transparent, accountable and beneficial to the people compared to the negotiated tender system for BN cronies.

What is more surprising is the outcome of the open tender system open to all races. Instead of perception that Malays cannot compete and that the non-Malay contractor would win all open tender contracts, this is not true. Since the new PR government took over, Penang Development Corporation(PDC) had issued 23 tender awards, of which 7(30%) were won by non-Malay contractors and 16(70%) won by Malay contractors. Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang(PBAPP) had issued 66 tender awards of which 22(33%) were won by non-Malay contractors as compared to 44(67%) by Malay contractors.

The performance by Malay contractors in an open tender system with non-Malays proves that Malay contractors can compete with others and win tender awards on their own merit. Clearly it is not the race that is an issue but failed policies that encourage dependency especially when it helps BN maintain the status quo and its grip on power. Continue reading “PR Penang greatest legacy – prove right policies can make Malays and Malaysians compete and succeed against the best”

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A Pig in a Poke

by G. Krishnan

High Chaparral, the pig abattoir, the race card, double standards…. What you see is not what you get. It seems as if many politicians – and I use that term to also include some activists – have gotten all hot under the collar about the DAP’s failings in the Kampung Buah Pala and for locking horns with PAS on the pig abattoir matter in Kedah.

Get a grip people. First, Hindraf and Uthayakumar needs to cool-off; perhaps have some refreshing chendol and think through the High Chaparral matter a bit more constructively. Does he really think Lim Guan Eng is in bed with the developers? For a lawyer, he must know better the potential implications of a breach of contract – in this case, a contract the former state government – had undertaken – under the former chief minister’s watch. Yes, perhaps a stroke of the pen by the current chief minister may save the homes of the residents of Kampung Buah Pala. But at what cost to the rest of the residents of the state? Now that the current DAP state government finds itself in a dilemma like this, does it not matter what it might cost the rest of the residents of Penang to go back on their word? Continue reading “A Pig in a Poke”

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Penang Kampung Buah Pala controversy – Koh Tsu Koon should speak up as to whether he would make amends for his decisions as Penang Chief Minister by securing Federal Government grant to Penang State Government to resolve issue with “a stroke of the pen”?

The former Penang Chief Minister and now Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon should speak up as to whether he would make amends for his decisions as Penang Chief Minister in the Kampung Buah Pala, Penang controversy by securing a Federal Government grant to Penang State Government to resolve the issue with “a stroke of the pen”?

The Penang Pakatan Rakyat government is now caught in a vice created by Koh’s administration although it had prevented the eviction of the residents in the area since the middle of last year.

Firstly, Koh must explain why as Chief Minister, his Executive Council had approved the state government land of Kampung Buah Pala to Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang, first time on 18th August 2004 and second time on 8th June 2005 at a very low premium of RM6.42 million or RM20 per square feet.

Secondly, why Koh and his Exco subsequently halved the premium to RM3.21 million or only RM10 psf on the recommendation of the Umno Deputy Chief Minister – far below the market price of the prime land.
Continue reading “Penang Kampung Buah Pala controversy – Koh Tsu Koon should speak up as to whether he would make amends for his decisions as Penang Chief Minister by securing Federal Government grant to Penang State Government to resolve issue with “a stroke of the pen”?”

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If The Tang Hak Ju Land Scam Involving Undeveloped Quarry Land For A Period Of 15 Years May Finally Cost The State Government RM 40 Million, Forcible Acquisition Of Kampung Buah Pala Involving Developed Land Would Be Of A Frightening Magnitude

By Lim Guan Eng

If The Tang Hak Ju Land Scam Involving Undeveloped Quarry Land For A Period Of 15 Years May Finally Cost The State Government RM40 million (RM29 million + Interest), Forcible Acquisition Of Kampung Buah Pala Involving Developed Land Would Be Of A Frightening Magnitude.

The Penang state government wishes to rebut the lies of Hindraf leaders and collaborators of BN and MIC who claims that acquiring Kampung Buah Pala would cost at the most RM30 million or even very much less. Where is it stated in the land acquisition laws or approved by the courts that government can acquire land for the public interest at a sum far below the market price?

If the Tang Hak Ju land scam involving undeveloped quarry land for a period of 15 years may finally cost the state government RM40 million (RM29 million + interest), forcible acquisition of Kampung Buah Pala involving developed land would be of a frightening magnitude. The Penang state government simply does not have the financial capability to afford the acquisition of Kampung Buah Pala. We are not talking of millions of ringgit. Neither are we talking of tens of millions of ringgit here!
Continue reading “If The Tang Hak Ju Land Scam Involving Undeveloped Quarry Land For A Period Of 15 Years May Finally Cost The State Government RM 40 Million, Forcible Acquisition Of Kampung Buah Pala Involving Developed Land Would Be Of A Frightening Magnitude”

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Penang High Chaparral Issue, statement by Penang CM

By Lim Guan Eng

Hindraf Must Wake Up And Realise That Kampung Buah Pala Is Still Standing Today Because The Penang Pakatan Rakyat State Government Had Successfully Prevented Them From Being Evicted In The Middle Of Last Year.

The Penang Pakatan Rakyat state government has never consented nor approved any demolition of Kampung Buah Pala. Any action taken is by the private developer via a court order issued by the relevant courts.

Up to RM200,000 per family was offered by the developer to the residents which was accepted by many families but not by those remaining in Kampung Buah Pala. The state government respected the decision of those remaining in Kampung Buah Pala to reject any compensation offer and to fight it out in courts.

If the state government had not been sympathetic to the plight of the residents, then the developer would have evicted the residents in the middle of last year when a court order was obtained. Only the determined preventive efforts by Penang DCM2 Professor P Ramasamy and Penang State EXCO Abdul Malek stopped the developer from entering the village with bulldozers several times last year.

All parties must therefore realise that it is only because of the efforts of the present Pakatan Rakyat state government that the Kampung Buah Pala residents are still living there.

Koh Tsu Koon Owes The Public A Full Explanation Why He Sold The Kampung Buah Pala At A Cheap Price Of Only RM10 Per Square Feet In 2007 And Without consulting the residents.
Continue reading “Penang High Chaparral Issue, statement by Penang CM”