Mega-tower: A sense of deja vu

 Accountability, Development issues, Sustainable development  9 Responses »
Nov 022010
 

Najib’s recent announcement that a 100-storey tower will be built in the capital by a government investment fund comes as global liquidity is flooding the region and raises concerns the project could represent the front end of a coming new crisis. Najib unveiled the plans for the tower, to be known as the Warisan Merdeka, or Independence Heritage, on 15 October. Two weeks later, Asian Development Bank chief Huruhiko Kuroda warned of two risks facing developing Asian economies like Malaysia: that the recovery in developed economies could be elusive and speculative capital inflows into developing economies could prove volatile.

RFPs to benefit moneyed class?

 Development issues, Malaysian finance/business, People's Park/PGCC  8 Responses »
Nov 022010
 
RFPs to benefit moneyed class?

The state government has issued a flurry of requests for proposals to develop certain sites – but would this mean surrendering to the whims of high-end developers and pandering to the life-style of the moneyed class? View Larger Map Requests for proposals have been issued for the following: 62-acre reclaimed site (with another 35 acres in the future) in Bayan Mutiara, comprising prestigious offices, specialist medical facilities (private hospitals?), commercial blocks, residential enclaves, retail and public spaces. This was supposed to be Gerakan’s mini-Putrajaya site in the days when it was dreaming and had illusions of grandeur. Is medical tourism really a priority for the people? Who benefits? Don’t we have enough private hospitals? What about decent low-income housing here? We always claim there is not enough land for affordable housing. What about this space? What about a large public park and more green spaces? the controversial Penang International Convention [Read more]

Dried up stretch below Bakun

 Development issues, Energy resources, Environment, Sustainable development  16 Responses »
Nov 012010
 
Dried up stretch below Bakun

Another omen for Taib Mahmud: pictured below is a dried up stretch of river below the Bakun Dam. This picture was published in the front page of a local Chinese daily in Sarawak. View Larger Map Another photo can be found at the Sarawak Update website, which reports: The 51-door longhouse in Long Mejawah consists of 300 odd Kayan inhabitants who are now literally cut off from outside world due to the sharp decline of water level in the Balui River. Their communication with outside world has been interrupted, not to say obtaining essential supplies, sending children to schools, travelling to Belaga Bazaar to work or for official matters and other unexpected problems that may arise.

Ritual “to appease gods” in Sarawak

 Accountability, Development issues, Energy resources, Environment, Marginalised groups  17 Responses »
Oct 312010
 

Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud says that the interests of natives would be protected in all future dam projects. Can they believe that after the bitter experience of Bakun and Batang Ai? According to the Borneo Post, Taib said he was prepared to offer what the displaced natives would need – similar to what was done for the affected communities when building the Bakun and Murum dams. “We have plans to resettle our people, like the Penans, to adapt to the new way of life. Maybe the facilities given are not for them per se but will be for their generations to come.” Taib can’t even protect the interests of the displaced natives now and he is talking about protecting their interests in the future? I thought those displaced by the Bakun Dam were not exactly thrilled with conditions in the Sungai Asap resettlement scheme.

Rifle Range flats set for urban renewal

 Development issues  26 Responses »
Oct 302010
 

The results of a competition to come up with the best urban renewal design for the congested and run-down Rifle Range area in Penang will be revealed on 4 November. Rifle Range is one of the state’s oldest low-cost apartment projects, and when completed in the 1970s, the 17-18 storey blocks, were among the tallest buildings in the state. (Did you know that Rifle Range got its name because the site was originally used for target practice back in the 1950s?) The nine blocks contain one- or two-bedroom pigeon-hole apartments, measuring about 400 square feet each. Haphazard hawker stalls and parking of vehicles add to the general sense of congestion. The design competition, which closed on 22 September, has received 57 entries (17 from overseas), of which 22 have been shortlisted.

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