Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Lim Guan Eng's RM 8 billion Chinese New Year Economy Stimulus Package
- Statement by YAB CM Musa Aman on Filipino conman
- The ‘Allah’ Debate: Be like Jesus. Be like Muhammad
- The Prime Minister’s RM120 million handout to Syabas proves both Syabas incompetence and ...
| Lim Guan Eng's RM 8 billion Chinese New Year Economy Stimulus Package Posted: 03 Feb 2013 12:10 PM PST
Do we need a state government in which the state legislative assembly and public opinion was effectively ignored, so that the CM can decide everything to suit his own ambitions? Ong Eu Soon On Jan 27, Lim Guan Eng just unveiled his grand road infrastructure expansion plan costing total RM7billion. The road infrastructure expansion plan involved the following 4 projects: 1) a 4.6km bypass linking Bandar Air Hitam to Lim Chong Eu Expressway 2) 6.5km Sea Tunnel connecting Gurney Drive to Bagan Ajam 3) 12km Tanjung Bungah to Telok Bahang paired road 4) 4.2km road from Gurney Drive to Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypassing the city center Those projects are in the final stage of so-called open tenders which no one seem to notice or realize. The very next day, the Lim Guan Eng administration unveiled another RM140 million road expansion plan for 1.5km Jalan Bukit Minyak-Alma. This is the most expansive road expansion project in Malaysia since independence. The announced spectacle reveals one of the most important developments in Penang politics — the widening gulf between politicians' policy decisions and the preferences of the people toward specific issues. This announcement can be added to the long list of policies that failed to mirror public opinion. The arrogance of the CM shows a continuing trend of declining responsiveness to the public's policy preferences. The conventional wisdom that politicians habitually respond to public opinion when making major policy decisions is proven wrong by this cocky arrogant tokong. The 6.5km Sea Tunnel connecting Gurney Drive to Bagan Ajam in particular is deemed a white elephant project by sustainable transit advocates. With the second bridge, designed to cater for traffic needs until 2022, near completion, the undersea tunnel is rendered unnecessary in near future. Why do we need to spend billions of ringgit for a dead-end to Gurney Plaza? The decision to build the undersea tunnel was rammed through without public debate especially when there is a genuine concern on how it will affect the Penang port as a transhipment port. A transhipment port is one where the shipment of goods or containers are transloaded to a bigger vessel for the next destination. Thus, it required a deeper channel up to 18.5m to cater for larger vessels. The decision to build the undersea tunnel should be based on a feasible study that evaluate it's impact on the growth of Penang port, it should not be pursued for the adrenaline rush of Lim Guan Eng for a political legacy. If Penang wants to be a transhipment hub like Singapore it could ill afford to make a decision based on an adrenaline rush. Penangites expect the Pakatan state government to restore Penang's free port status once Pakatan captures Putrajaya. The free port status will be of no meaning once the Penang port is unable to assume the role of regional transhipment hub like Singapore or Hong Kong. Critics have pointed out that Gurney Drive and the surrounding Pulau Tikus neighbourhood have become a traffic quagmire during rush hour and weekends and it's difficult to imagine how the proposed tunnel will solve the problem. The decision to build more roads instead of improving the public transport system go against the motto of Penang Transport Council: moving the people, not cars. This goes against it's promises of seeking a new approach in handling public transport and mobility. The state government promised to adopt a new vision paradigm in tackling transport, one that moves people away from our dependence on private transport mode to a more economically and ecologically sustainable public transport system. The biggest and most formidable challenge for the Penang Transport Council is to fight against the the adrenaline rush of Lim Guan Eng which it failed dismally. The council is made up of "state and city council members, civil servants, university professors, professionals, stakeholders, and members of the public with no spine or sense of dignity. They have failed to deliver their promises of moving the people, not cars. They have allowed Lim Guan Eng to usurp their decision making authority and trivialize their expertise. They have allowed Lim Guan Eng to persist in pressing onward all the road construction solution to the bewilderment of sustainable transit advocates. Another major decision was how the construction was to be financed. According to Lim Guan Eng, no monetary payment or funding should be given by the state for the construction of the projects as cost incurred would either be recovered through concession, land swap, toll or any other form. Costs for the sea link tunnel would be recouped from toll charges expected to be same as the Penang Bridge and second bridge while construction of the roads would involve land swapping deals. Tunnelling is a major engineering challenge. A serious risk with underwater tunnels is major water inflow due to the water pressure from the sea above under weak ground conditions. The Channel Tunnel also had the challenge of time — being privately funded, early financial return was paramount. We have witnessed the scandalous concession given to highway operators in the past which literally sold out the people and the government. We do not expect the present leadership to travel this treacherous road again. We do not expect the ill-thought-out schemes to be driven by corruption and serve as new conduits for filching government lands. We want the state government to be transparent and come out clean on the concession and land swapping deals. The announcement of the project with the concession and all the land swapping deals shrouded in secrecy, the state government had dropped all pretense of competency, accountability and transparency. Lim Guan Eng's unwavering decision to sail against public opinion and then to openly defend his undemocratic actions was just one aspect of his one man's executive decision process that was atypical. Lim Guan Eng is a politician that will not hesitate to change public opinion not by directly persuading the public on the merits of his policy choices but by "priming" and distracting public opinion with the opinion that the urgency to defeat BN for change should take precedence over policy decisions that affect the people. Do we need a state government in which the state legislative assembly and public opinion was effectively ignored, so that the CM can decide everything to suit his own ambitions? This is the betrayal of the highest order. It is unacceptable and must be stopped at all costs. This is a lousy attempt to hold our desire for change for ransom. A leader who ignores the voice for change poses a more insidious threat to democracy than BN's machinations. Time has proven that Lim Guan Eng sought to circumvent our desire for change and defied the public at almost every turn. Only the heat of an imminent election and the elevated attention that average voters devote to it motivate politicians to respond to public opinion and absorb the costs of compromising their policy goals. Lim Guan Eng wants to use the coming election as a referendum for his policy choice. If Guan Eng wins reelection, it will be seen by many, especially those who have made their careers in politics, as a vindication of his ambitious property and construction-centric policy agenda. Regards, Ong Eu Soon
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| Statement by YAB CM Musa Aman on Filipino conman Posted: 03 Feb 2013 12:07 PM PST
The arrest of a man named Manuel Amalilio reached me like it reached most people, through the news.
I was alerted of online allegations that I had intervened to prevent the deportation of this individual to the Philippines.
Let me make it very clear that the Sabah State Government did not and will not intervene in this matter.
This is a police and Interpol matter.
I have a large family and I have just recently been informed that this individual is a distant relative.
Whether or not Amalilio is a relative, the authorities should investigate the matter and take the necessary action. No one is above the law.
Let the due process of the law take its course. I hope both countries will cooperate to solve the matter quickly.
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| The ‘Allah’ Debate: Be like Jesus. Be like Muhammad Posted: 03 Feb 2013 11:56 AM PST
Anas Zubedy Dear Brother and Sister Muslim and Christians, We need to resolve this issue and reconcile with one another. There are things we can do that are not opposed to our faith, but ironically require us to be more true to our calling. 1. Be like Jesus. Be like Muhammad. First of all, at the heart of it – Muslims must be more like Prophet Muhammad and Christians must be more like Christ. The message taught by both Prophet Muhammadand Jesus is one of reconciliation and love between all Allah's people. We need to havemore empathy, to be gentler with one another. All of us need grace. Most importantly, let us have faith that if we truly desire to follow the ways of Allah demonstrated by Muhammad and Jesus, Allah is with us. The Bible in Colossians 3:12-13 says, "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." – Colossians 3:12-13 The Quran in 3:159 says, "It was by the mercy of Allah that thou wast lenient with them (O Muhammad), for if thou hadst been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round about thee. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult with them upon the conduct of affairs. And when thou art resolved, then put thy trust in Allah. Lo! Allah loveth those who put their trust (in Him)." – Quran 3:159 I know it is not easy to do this. I understand the struggles this involves. But it is something we must all try to do, lest we end up arguing over the use of the word 'Allah' and leave Allah Himself out of the picture. Let us always bear in mind the gentle humility and wisdom with which Jesus and Muhammad responded to others, even those who tried to cause them harm. They were kind even to those who were unkind to them. They forgavethose who denied them and hurt them. Instead of revenge, they outpoured love. They did not mind taking blows from people as long as they were true to Allah. All their actions were guided by love. Friends, let us seek to follow these examples and trust that Allah Himself will guide our words and actions. 2. Make Allah a universal name of God in each corner of the World! "Verily Allah is my lord and your lord: Him therefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight." - Quran 19:36 Let us make the best of the situation. Let us find a compromise. Let us look at this episode as a chance for us to get to know each other better. Perhaps this conflict will bring us to a place where we can learn how to love one another amidst our differences.Maybe this is Allah's way of showing us how we can work together at being better Muslimsand Christians. Let's be like Jesus. Let's be like Muhammad. How would they have handled a similar situation? Surely they would not have been petty because they know that in the bigger picture, it is about the kingdom of Allah on earth. Let us recognizethat this kingdom cannot be built on hatred, or through legal quarrels with each other. This kingdom can only be built on the love and comradeship between Allah's people to defend one another and take care of all His creation, whoever and whatever they may be. Let us learn to work towards our common values. Perhaps making 'Allah' the universal name for God is a good place to start as we come to share the understanding of the Good God whom we all serve. 3. Practice Empathy Let us practice empathy. Let us unearth the root of the issue, which is fear. Let us do what we can to dilute each others' fears. The Muslims are wary of overzealous proselytism by some Christians. Any discussion of religion should be done with understanding and mutual respect. But when there are some who are overzealous, the Muslims are on guard and see their brother and sister Christians in Malaysia in the same light without recognizing the difference. The task of Malaysian Christians is to show that they are not overzealous Christians who are out to convert others at all cost, but true practitioners of Christ's call to love our neighbours. On the other hand, Malaysian Christians are fed up with inconsistent rules and hindrances in practicing their religion. This is a frustration that they go through day to day. To get permits, they have to plow through red tape and shifting administrative requirements. They need to wait a long time, sometimes years, before they obtain approvals. Christian groups in some schools and varsities face difficulty getting permission to gather. These barriers do not only happen to churches, but also to the Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh communities, to social and business organizations. Sometimes these conditions are not explicitly stated, but when it comes to administration it seems as if these obstacles are placed on purpose. What seems as unfairness has actually a lot to do with unclear processes and inefficiency that happens across the board. Let us clean up and clarify administrative processes, as this will go long way to reduce misunderstandings. Let us make clear laws and standardize the processes in matters regarding religious activities in all states. This will need the attention of the King and all the Sultans as religion is under their care. We need to make it very clear so that our officers working at the ground level will know the exact processes to follow and our people will know the exact procedures and requirements involved. 4. Ban direct proselytism for the time being Let us stop direct proselytism to convert people into religions through enticement or campaigning perhaps for the next fifty years. Let us discourage direct proselytization for any religion, be it Islam or Christian. We are in a time of history where the faithful of each religion are in the hundred millions. In such a context, let us focus on tending to our own sheep first. Let's encourage our own brothers and sisters to be better Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs… Let us share our beliefs not through empty words but through our everyday actions. Let us compel people not through fear or rules or superficial compulsions, but because he or she sees good people practicing a good religion. Actions must speak louder than words. As a businessman, I find an analogy in marketing. In marketing we always focus on engaging our existing clients first, before trying to approach a fresh contact and convince someone completely unfamiliar. Similarly, it is my belief that at this point of time, instead of increasing the number of converts, what we need are Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs who are true representatives of the ways of their faith. When Muslims follow the true teachings ofMuhammad and Christians become more Christ-like, others will be attracted to younaturally – not because of your convincing words, but because you are a good personwho makes the world a better place. You become like an airborne positive virus and people simply will catch your fever. 5. Use love, logic and wisdom Finally, in all our considerations, may all of us guide ourselves with love, logic and wisdom. Love, because love will make us fair Logic, because logic will make us fair and Wisdom, because wisdom will lead in the way of God and for the benefit
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| The Prime Minister’s RM120 million handout to Syabas proves both Syabas incompetence and ... Posted: 03 Feb 2013 11:52 AM PST
The BN government has already extended bailout funds of RM3.41 billion to Syabas in total. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced on 2nd February an additional allocation of RM120 million to Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) to help resolve the water problem in Selangor. Tony Pua This latest bailout fund for Syabas proved that the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur water crisis has nothing to do with the shortage of raw water which requires immediate water transfer from Pahang via the exhorbitant RM9 billion Langat 2 project. Instead, it proved that the crisis was a result of a deliberate under-investment by Syabas to upgrade its treatment plants, build additional treated water capacity as well as to repair and replace old and broken pipes. With the RM120 million meant for the above exercise, it showed that the current crisis could have been prevented had Syabas invested its own funds on the exercise earlier. It should be emphasized that under the Water Concession Agreement, there is absolutely no obligation by the federal and state government to provide financial grants or loans for Syabas to carry out its obligations to upgrade all the required water infrastructure to fulfil its obligations to provide quality water services to the people of Selangor and KL. Hence, the RM120 million handout to Syabas is not a grant by the Federal Government intended to assist the people of the state but is instead a well-disguised scheme to bailout Syabas. Over the past 3-4 years, the Federal Government has bailed-out Syabas to the tune of billions of ringgit to keep Syabas afloat. In December 2009, the BN Government has extended a 20-year RM320.8 million zero-interest soft loan to Syabas. In October 2011, the BN Government again extended another 20-year RM110 million loan to Syabas for the same purpose. And in November, when Syabas outstanding bonds of RM2.9 billion was nearing its due date for repayment, the Federal Government again bailed out Syabas by taking over the entire RM2.9 billion bond. To date, the Mininster of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Datuk Peter Chin has not revealed if Syabas has even repaid a single sen of the RM2.9 billion bond bail-out by the Federal Government. Over the above period, the BN government has already extended bailout funds of RM3.41 billion to Syabas in total. Despite the repeated offers by the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor state government to acquire Syabas or even to terminate the Syabas concession for the latter's failure to fulfil its obligations, the Federal Government has refused to support Selangor's offer or to agree to the termination of the concession. It is clear to all Malaysians that the BN Government would rather continue to keep Syabas afloat by keeping the company on life-support with billions of ringgit of the rakyat's money to protect it's crony's profit and interests. Najib's economic transformation call is hence a complete sham as he has shown complete unwillingness over the past 4 years to allow the people interest to come first, ahead of BN's cronies.
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