Dr Lim Mah Hui has stepped down as MBPP councillor representing the civil society coalition Penang Forum after serving six years. Penang Forum has nominated another individual to represent civil society in Penang for the coming year. This is Mah Hui’s resignation speech:
I wish to inform my fellow councillors that this will be my last speech to the council as I have declined to be nominated by civil society to the state authority for reappointment to the coasil.
I thank the state and the council for giving me the opportunity to serve the people of Penang as a city councillor for the last six years. It has been a truly educational experience. As Harold Laski, a famous political scientist once said, one learns more about politics in one year at the school of hard knocks than one learns from a decade of lectures in political science in classroom.
Allow me to begin by congratulating the council on some important progress achieved since I joined the council. Among the most recent and important is the introduction of a bike share system in George Town. I remember making a speech at MBM on promoting cycling as one important alternative and complementary sustainable transport mode. Many cities have done that, and we must redouble our effort.
Yes, the city is cleaner and segregation of waste has been legislated. But implementation is still wanting. We need to see results in higher recycling rates and lower generation of solid waste. The city is greener in some parts with more pocket parks and tree planting. One of the best things I did with my cleaner greener allocation is the planting of trees along almost the whole stretch of Persiaran Gurney. Every time I cycle or drive by that road, I feel very happy.
But I am concerned with the lack of care and maintenance of existing trees, the higher incidence of illegal cutting of trees and even of hill forest as is so evident with the Botak Hill episode. As I said before, our beautiful hills are seriously degraded. Council should demand imposition of heavy penalty include jail sentence to deter such irresponsible behaviour.
Council should be commended for upgrading the walkways around the Pulau Tikus area. This should be a benchmark for other parts of the city and island to follow. But once again, enforcement is sorely lacking. Walkability is impeded by motorcyclists riding on pedestrian walkways and cars parking on them.
One of the most serious threats facing the council is over building in the city. I will not call this development. Development is not about erecting more high-rise buildings in every imaginable plot of land all over the island, with scant regard to neighbourhood, street scape, traffic congestion and liveability. Buildings with heritage value, even if not yet designated as such, are torn down illegally, as with the Khaw Sim Bee mansion, or legally as in the dismantling of a heritage value building along Macalister Road, to make way for the Tropicana project.
Last month building guidelines on height control along Scotland Road, a designated protocol road, were changed to allow a developer to double the number of floors he can build from 12 to 22 on a small plot of one-acre land. In another case, submission for approval has been made for construction of a 38-storey hotel on a small plot of land measuring 29,000 sq ft in a residential area along Jln Tanjong Tokong and Pantai Molek. There is good development and there is bad development. Such practices, in my mind, do not constitute good or sustainable development.
Let me now touch on the running of the Council. The Council exists to serve ratepayers and the public. Section 23 of the Local Government Act 1976 states that all meetings of the local authority shall be open to the public and to representatives of the press unless the local authority by resolution at the meeting otherwise decides, although this clause does not apply to any committee unless such committee decides otherwise.
In the interest of promoting greater transparency and participation, and in accordance with Local Agenda 21 that encourages the promotion greater public participation, this council should be a leader to adopt the policy of allowing members of the public to speak at full council meetings, and also to open up its committee and sub-committee meetings to members of the public. We can then claim to be a CAT government.
Let me end by saying that there have been ups and downs in my tenure as a councillor. There have been moments of conflict but also more moments of cooperation. I offer my apologies if I have stepped on toes in the course of my duties. Rest assured that everything was done with the best of intention and for the betterment of our city.
Address to the full council meeting of MBPP on 22 December 2016
| Please help to support this blog if you can. Read the commenting guidlelines for this blog. |
Join the conversation
119 Comments on "Dr Lim Mah Hui’s resignation speech to Penang Island City Council"
as you said dr lim lagi best. dr lim is the best you have. period.
SO?
On The Star Property page today:
Official Launching of Quay West Residence (ver la excelente) at Queensbay Mall on 19-22 Jan.
The ePintas website can be found at epintas.penang.gov.my.
now you know where to complain. please do not pollute this site with your complains.your complains are like skinhead’s graffiti.
You own anilnetto.com?
GEORGE TOWN: Suburb township Pulau Tikus is set to become Penang’s first environmental neighbourhood with greenery in public spaces and walking pavements as part of its people-friendly infrastructure project.
Its assemblyman Yap Soo Huey said the five-phased neighbourhood improvement project is to create active and connected neighbourhoods with the aim of getting people living nearby to walk and exercise in public spaces and to reduce traffic and car dependency.
The five phases include the area in front of Burmah House, Tan Mark book centre, Bellisa Row, Immaculate Conception Church and near Jalan Brown.
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2109415
Anil should elaborate on such good initiative.
Lim Mah Hui should be proud of Yap Soo Huey.
Surprisingly Anil does not endorse the project.
Environment ministry set to propose new procedure in EIA, DEIA for all projects in the country
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/environment-ministry-set-propose-procedure-121117607.html
“The current EIA and DEIA only focuses on projects approved by the state government or federal government in protecting the environment. It is not inclusive as many elements are sidelines, which eventually affects the environment.” Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said
Better late than never!
This is what Malaysians good at. Copy and paste
Pls try harder (& for your good sake pls don’t copy my phrase)!
Go ask Niao Kong what CAT phrases to use for attacking others.
When and where did you patent the phase and is your trade mark? Similarly for goodness sake don’t use the phases associated with CAT which is trade mark of komtar. Try harder to use other phases.
Same here. Your complain about tokong are repetitve and like recycle oil to cook goreng pisang. Like sin chew the accusations are also “ridiculous and childish”.
So you love a CM with Big Cat Ego?
Penangites will dread the days when this Big Cat Ego rules everything including donkeys!
please prove i love cm but you hate cm even during xmas because you have a smaller ego than his.
You lick at everything this Deity of you’re does.
Dedak Komtar sure heboh!
please dont spin during xmas. roger teoh is doing his doctorate not master. you dont give people proper respect. soon we have to call him dr teoh if he pass.
Go tell that to The Star! You seem not to read properly, but jump…
Even if you copy, copy smart. No blindly. No wonder the cream has left Penang and remain the scrums at the bottom of the pot.
I am not like your Niao Kong ‘which’ only likes what ‘it’ reads!
Never mind that if Penangites are fooled beyond believe!
Pls try harder to fool us!
Bolehland is spinning downward barang mail so 2017 we readers hope no animosity btwn tunglang and zoro.
Anil can be mediator to bring peace.
🙂
Reality is, Niao Kong is creating for itself more enmity than any other Penang Chief Minister before it!
So, it should do a reality check before more damages is done comes GE14.
That’s the truth. Who would want to dwell on negativities which can consume the spirit inside. If we don’t care about this CM, we just let it be.
I can’t blame zero for his thinking as it is the circumstance created by those who think they can do no wrong, thus leading those along the path to self destruction.
in reality you fault everything gomen did. even the bike lanes and road improvements when cars are stuck burning co2 and money. petrol price going up and cars and buses are idle unable to move in jam wasting resources, money, polluting and causing global warning
Pity that zoro!
Another use of snake oil. When did you pity people as everyone complain about you when they respond to your comments.
So, now it’s snake oil in your vocabulary after ghee?
You Deity sure have excess of Komtar Snake Oil for you!
Pls lah, if you are lack of substance to comment, don’t ever copy others’.
Only Amazon Parrot does!
Have a Silent Night and Wonderful Christmas!
The Cat sings: Silent Night, Silent Everyone, All is Done, PTMP.
Meanwhile the MBSP councillor H’ng Mooi Lye came under fire for demolishing illegal toilet extension of Kaffa Cafe.
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/gerakan-youth-accuses-penang-councillor-abuse-punishing-critic-045900887.html
http://www.malaysiaoutlook.com/police-report-made-against-seberang-perai-councillor-over-cafe-demolition-remark/
Dr Lim Mah Hui was the best voice we ever had, courageous, principled and conscionable. I was surprised at the amount of vitriol in the comments section in Malaysiakini which followed the news of his resignation. LGE’s cybertroopers are as vacuous and ignorant as the red shirts that rally for Jamal. Enamoured of his developer cronies, LGE is [allegedly] intent on wreaking environmental and developmental havoc on Penang, and his … do the baying for him. The man is not a planner or architect and should not be let loose in the corridors of power.
you must be very happy over bn and gilakan cyber troopers over the demolition of illegal toilet in airport as mentionrd in fmt and demolition ikan bakar hotel operating without permits
“Dr Lim Mah Hui was the best voice we ever had”
Even a simple praise can evoke ….
Not architect nor planner but an accountant, so are we allegedly saying that accountant cannot be counted upon? Isn’t Anil an accountant 🙂
Yes, I am. But things like the proposal for the Penang transport masterplan have to be put online so that imdependent experts on sustainable mobility, both local and international, can provide their feedback on whether the SRS proposal is the right way to go.
then it will be of true service if Anil can compile online feedbacks from independent viewpoints of experts or typical voices of penang-lang for submission to the panel for rightful action ?
Anil we appreciate your alternate viewpoints from vintage perspectives over modern cosmothinking !
Thanks, Mannan. Unfortunately, modern cosmo thinking involves the de facto corporate takeover of much of the Commons.
Anil, why double standard? Ask federal to put online and reveal the HSR. similar to PTMP.
no problem when financing is by rakyat. but here are some private commercial involvement. if you are the person willing to put your billions investmeny you put your proposal to gomen online? your commercial will agree the same?
Cosmo koperasi rakyat (CKR) can be on the GE14 independent candidates?
you mean those trained in shenzhen, hong kong, singland are wrong where higher densities are used? we should use down under standard where houses are acre block with backyard for bbq?
Of course you are always wrong. In public housing the actual population density is higher than the design. Family in each home is like rabbits. Many living rooms are turned into sleeping rooms at night. Why no complains and double standards? In condos the design is higher but the actual population is even lower. Their children maybe in singland studying or working.
Condo occupancy low no issue as the owners still have to pay tax cukai pintu, the state revenues continue on the rise to help the needy Commons???
Condo occupancy low no issue?
Isn’t it irresponsible of state planner to create such unpalatable situation disrupting property price (at cartel control) & concretisation of breathing space (less greenery) & artificial demand for land & construction materials leading to spike in prices?
Who suffers? Still no issue?
Low occupancy no issue as rich people could be buying them now as legacy for their children.
Public housing pay no little yet it is overuse and few years late, full maintenance and painting I required as compare to condo which is under use.
Zoro wants to compare Penang’s planning to Singapore. Don’t joke.
Singapore has massive professional input into its Master Plan and Concept Plan, which are implemented via detailed local plans. It has entire departments and budgets for urban walkways and their famed forests in city spaces. Professionals, not politicians. Where are our Local Plans? What Structure Plan?
I trained and have worked in Singapore and the UK, and can comment on how different they are from Penang.
You want to compare how professionals are singland planners. If you are really a planner please take a good look at Google satellite plan and have a good look at how much brown field in singland than green field in Penang. Take a good look at how much land Penang airport is occupying penang island. What you say planner? Why singland has very wide roads usually with 3 or 4 lanes on each direction? Why not in Penang?
Please use your eyes. In condos, management landscape and green the surrounding within its boundary. In public housing or flats, you see cars, kapchais, ramli burgers or warung litter the landscape. Why no complains?
Hi, Lee Ba None.
Looking forward to more of your professional input to debunk the ‘myth’ of CAT’s state planning for the good of all.
Tun lang and anil. Here a very good example of talent Lee Ba None has to cari makan overseas. Tun lang please employ this planner to work in Penang. What sort of opportunities can Lee Ba None get in penang or Malaysia?
Lee Ba None, the way you put it – how the British planned & managed their practical + beautiful spaces brings back my fondness for British landscapes (gardens & gardening everywhere) & lifestyle thro’ the silver screens & lifestyle magazines.
Given a choice to emigrate, I would still choose Britain over New Zealand (my previous choice).
Garden City – a vision for Mega City
Of course tun lang suffer over minding developer’s money and land being use. No issues with polluted smoke from char kuey teow and buses emitting smoke in traffic jam.
Then don’t eat Char Koey Teow, don’t take bus lah.
Like some already boycotting McDonald’s!
Bikin serupa cakap.
Anil, here is your answer as why only 60% utilisation. Tun lang is trolling not to take public buses and go on fuel guzzling 4wds
Zoro, you want to see a pic of Rapid Bus tickets I have collect over the years from my travelling by Rapid?
I can submit a pic to anilnetto.com as proof of my environmental practice.
You can see it soon.
Anil, can you make an article of Rapid Penang using my picture of collected Rapid tickets?
Your response is appreciated before I submit it.
No money how to go to belum valley in 4wd with monkey bars?
Use your precious time not to spin & spin. Noise pollution is bad for blogging.
More so your incoherent English!
Nothing better to spin for the day but personal attack?
What a lousy troll not worth the Komtar Dedak!
If I were the CAT, “Pls Try Harder!”
There is a bigger stage in Iskandar Johor where Dr Lim can be an influential and recognizable vocal critic for sustainable development.
Iskandar Malaysia – Top 10 of the Year 2016
Good aerial video of the current major development (sustainable?) in Iskandar Johor.
It shows that Penang cannot escape even more unsustainable development if the state government is BN-Umno.
Jojo has plenty of land, yet they still reclaim land on coastal waters facing Singapore. Why?
The picture of Lim MH cycling could have been used to promote Link Bike?
I hope Lim MH will continue to voice his opinion, and not seal his mouth with black tapes (literally or not) like Gerakan Teng.
so much for lip service. why those praise him does the opposite. driving saloon cars and 4wds. pg with so many ngos big bark in thoery but never follow the leader who ride a bicycle when first class cycle lanes better than many world class city. even better than brisbane and perth
Singapore commuters share their passion of ‘Walk, Cycle, Ride’ lifestyle in Singapore:
Not sure how many Penangites are willing to adopt such lifestyle.
Need at least 2 decades for a wholly change in commuting. It took SingLand more than a decade since the 60s with improvement in public transport to get its citizens to ride buses. I took a bus from Bedok to Lion City in 1982 & waiting time was only 10 minutes.
Thanks to Lee kuan yew’s foresightedness and insistence. Otherwise the buses will be like Penang only 60% useage. Like soon many countries will follow and dance to gangnam style.
pg lang share their passiond on complains, cars, 4wds and dislike of public transport render 60% utilisation.
Haha.
What a loss to Penang and this is indeed the last nail on the CAT’s coffin.
what loss? many pg lang take asean scholar and work there happily. many chsnge their status because of race and religion. at least there is cat but bn no cat but rat
yes you better follow him and show better riding bicycle built for 2
What a loss.
Excellent speech by one of the best councillors to serve in the City Council!!
Whoa, such a long “resignation” letter weiwei !
Anyway, I really hope Anil will be in the council and I will endeavor to bring in as much as possible all friends and family members to join in the feedbacks in this blog.
Actually, it was a final speech to the full council.
Anil, what’s happening? So many good and qualified people leaving DAP! Surely Lim Guan Eng who is allegedly corrupt cannot be right all the time? Wake up Penangnites, let us work in unison to vote this allegedly corrupt CM out come PRU 14.
Air Putih wake up, create history by voting out a allegedly corrupt CM! You can do it!
worst than leaving. many have left penang for better work oppoetunties. others even left malaysia due to gilakan and its main partner. no one says anything on this
No walk out by political parties appointees? As usual in family always some disagreement.
You want everyone to agree with your Niao Kong? Is that what you love?
Pls lah, grow up fast!
you want everyone to disagree cm in everything. try harder.
Awang, diversity of races inevitably leads to diversity of frank opinions & sincere needs.
But this Arrogant Niao Kong wouldn’t buy any bit of it. How to be a party for all Malaysians?
Go on dreaming Niao Kong!
I feel sorry for those few good politicians in DAP like Tony Pua, Gobind Singh Deo & Liew Chin Tong.
We need another paradigm shift from this overtly-worshipped politician, a dimension as if the world will never see another ‘saviour’.
he resign on his accord and you can take over and see what action party in action.
Pls check REALITY: how many politicians & non-politicians have resigned in the past due to Niao Kong?
Something must be very, very wrong with this entity you worship 24/7/365!
Pls don’t pollute Penang political atmosphere with your worshipping incense!
You complain like ah gee and ah Jo 7\11\ and insert articles irrelevant to anil’s topic of discussion and off track causing pollution and clogging up like traffic in the server. Don’t treat it like belum valley where you can drive your 4wd where ever you like. No wonder anil insist tramline to keep you on track
Here comes the ghee! To grease your Niao Kong’s Big Cat Ego!
good try but not good enough. same like sin chiew report. nothing new. repetative and even good in copy and paste. can even copy wrong with no respect for roger teoh
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/12/22/penang-transport-master-plan-documents-to-go-on-display/
Penang Transport Master Plan to be openly display for Penang-lang, and we hope Anil’s readers can give valuable feedback despite the absence of DrLim now.
The PTMP is not up-to-date i.e. not incorporating the latest changes.
How can it be fully transparent???
And requiring viewers signing of non-disclosure (secret documents?) & no photographic copying
shows how kia-su CAT is in their Transparency Mantra!
tun lang after making noise over pg structure plan no comment. the same to this plan too.only talk big and no action.
What kind of transparency and openness this is when there are so many restrictions imposed and only displayed at KOMTAR? Might as well display these plans at Pyongyang.
you want gomen to put up in all pasar malams and wet markets so traders can use as wrappers?? what a joke. complain so much about structure plan but do not know to to read as there is no comment forthcoming.
What a pasar malam mentality!
Of course people like us frequent pasar malam and gurney drive for our daily needs. You frequently air cond shopping mall and supermarket and yet you accuse of development, destroying the environment and culture.
You always right. Pasar Malam is wrong. You shop in super and hypermarket built by developers with ample space and scratch free for your 4wd. When did you become a true green with your ego and self interest?
Never grow up from spinning!
How to admit own mistakes?
How many friends have you?
Calvin, CAT’s Transparency is akin to a snake oil salesman’s aromatic oil promise dipped in slippery concoction with a manufacturing date: 308, expiry date: eternal on a label made of cat’s skin.
Before structure plan was released, barking ferously and when release not even a comment or even copy and paste.
Pls whisper to Niao Kong to reveal the latest structure plan with the latest changes before you drunkardly declare Transparency.