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Share your impressions of the debate on questionable land deals in Penang in the comments below and vote in the poll:
This debate also allowed Koh Tsu Koon an opportunity to provide a public rebuttal to Guan Eng’s accusations.
Hi everyone,
Just watched on TV the debate.
Very disappointing that even though LGE on at least 2 specific occasions touched on the PGCC land conversion from recreation use (before the land was sold by PTC) to mixed development use (after land sold to Abad Naluri), but KSK totally avoided this issue. KSK totally side-stepped this issue, didn’t even make a fleeting mention on it!
KSK’s silence draws even more questions on the issues now!
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Overall the debate left much to be desired as it did not shed much light into the question posed in the debate. It was just a big waste of time watching!
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As i said once ‘ianya satu kesilapan bukan kesalahan’well the ex cm proved it.bn dulu kini dan selamanya menipu.
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agree with tan, the previous government’s reluctance to explain the issue will lead to further disagreement between rakyat. Pls, shed a light so that people won’t continue blaming the previous government.
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Instead of harping on the RM40mil issue which KTK already explained was a mistake made 40 yrs ago, LGE should have proceeded using PGCC as example and force KTK to make some statements… sigh…
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KTK “explanations” on the land scams seemed to be that it should not be discussed because it might affect the on-going court case and that he wasn’t aware of the other cases that happened during his administration, otherwise he would have dealt with it.
These “explanations” are lame, to say the least. If the LGE’s administration who will be handling the court case, are not worried about the impact of the discussions on the court case, why should KTK be?
Times are hard. Ordinary folks, decent and hard-working, are all tightening their belts and we deserve and demand that there is accountability to all these land scams which ultimately will be borne by the people.
It is a disgrace to try to sweep all of it under the carpet when everyone in town is talking about it.
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i agree with fishhook but again this is the 2nd time after anwar and biribiri debate that PR has nailed those BN ….. KTK is lost for speech. he just keep harping on the 40m issue and i guess he thinks that way people will forget about the rest of the 4 other ‘scam’ deals.
no way hose! people of penang has long memory and it will also very long before BN has any more chance of becoming a government.
the one thing i like about PR/LGE is that he stress the need for exposure – public exposure. while TSK claims that it is not necessary to all the time expose. what the f***, he thinks the land is private property no need to expose. the land is belong to and accountable to the people of penang, if issues such big as this a clean and accountable govt would want to make it public because it is a public matter! Thank god i put my vote for PR on March 8.
i think gerakan can go file for disolving the organisation. it’s still not too late to save some grace.
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LGE made a good job telling Malaysians his vision of bersih cekap amanah, saying that BN may have had it since 1982 but paid lip service to the same, and that a scandal is one too many. He was the better debater of the two.
Perhaps one thing that LGE let slip was KTK’s response that the RM40mil scandal was investigated and cleared by BPR so the state government’s only action against the relevant land office personnel was a warning, and the “error” happened 40 years ago. LGE merely said that the officer was not punished further to avoid double jeopardy, so he/she was transferred, so it is left open who is right. I suppose one could say that LGE got his information from other sources, which is incomplete, so he is not about to confirm nor deny what KTK provided as “facts”.
Overall, KTK appear rattled, emotional and was clearly on the defensive. His repeated refrain was that LGE was telling half truths, but that’s hardly LGE’s intention since he’s not receiving the full picture that KTK could have provided him.
Verdict – it’s another debate BN has lost.
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frankly … how bloody transparent you think the ACA isbefore the March 8 election????? really think about it. you think just by saying ACA has investigated it twice is good enough. I say the ACA must be sleeping on their a****, if you have been given full access to govt documents and yet you cannot find evidence????
my say, ACA is just another part of the big show then by UMNO/BN govt or being made use like a bloody pond to cover up the case.
ACA sudah menyiasat, tak cukup bukti – tutup case. Is this justice system in Malaysia????
I say what tutup case, leave the bloody file open until someone talks. Even in commercial corporate, if a person is found to be of suspicion of corruption, case or no case he will be ask to tender his resignation or transfered. This is a blatant 40 million deal, and only give warning – so how to encourage civil servants to be like what use to be Mahathir’s administration motto – Cekap Bersih Amanah.
Everyday, I see more crap and BS from the UMNO/BN govt. I cannot imagine what kind of crap when PR totally take over the federal administation.
As a rakyat and penangite, I demand justice for this motherland!
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I think LGE is better on facts while KTK is better on delivery. Both are the winners in tonight’s debate. This is a much better quality debate than the Shaberry Chik – Anwar debate which was way lopsided. In the earlier debate, Shaberry Chik had nothing to contribute to the debate other than personal attacks.
KTK showed that he is a powerful debater and had all the facts on his fingertips although he is out of the administration. However, it is quite obvious that KTK side-stepped 4 out of the 5 land scams brought up by LGE. LGE, on the other hand, showed his sincerity in tackling corruption and his firm commitment on accountability and transparency. That’s why both are winners – on different paths!
I thought that LGE should have pinned KTK down on the PGCC issue because it looks like a slam dunk and I thought it is odd that he didn’t. Could it be that LGE doesn’t want to show his hand on what action he is going to take on PGCC or that he got instruction from the moderator that both should not go deeper into that territory?
I am happy that Penang leaders are more matured and transparent in debating openly than most of their counterparts in other states that are led by UMNO. (They showed they) are miles ahead in their capability in leading a good state administration and are not that susceptible to widespread corruption and mismanagement.
At the end of the day all Penangites irregardless of race benefitted from their leadership. UMNO should emulate the quality of leaders that Penang had so far! If not for UMNO adherence to the dogmatic “Ketuanan Melayu”, Malaysia should already be miles ahead of Singapore and many other Asian countries!
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Hi malaysian niah,
KTK has admitted that after the first ACA report on the RM40 million land issue, he and his exco were not satisfied and that was why there was a request for a reinvestigation of the case by ACA. Isn’t this an admission by KTK that the ACA must have done a slipshod investigation in the first instance?
I’d like to ask KTK why he is so afraid to talk about the PGCC/Batu Kawan land case? Why the deafening silence when Penangites are waiting for answers from him?
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The KSK is just to pretend to be very innocent during the debate!
May be he can just get some sympathy support from some aunty only la!
Just admit the mistake that he did wrongly during his administration, don’t keep on trying to cover up and say PR govt merely make it an issue!
As a leader, with no guts to admit the mistake you ever did, how you expect to convince your followers?
Just wonder how Gerakan members expect him to lead the party in the future?!
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Ever noticed that Anwar and Guan Eng had to take a few more steps to shake their opponents’ slimy hands at the end?
And Koh had the gall to proudly proclaim himself a gentleman for not pursuing Guan Eng for an answer to his question.
Well, the people of Penang beg to differ because it is HIM who isn’t answering the questions which he thought he would never have to answer in a thousand years.
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Koh tried hard, very hard, to sound like the elder statesman and wise teacher. But failed miserably for lack of substance in his arguments. Rot. Pure, unadulterated rubbish. Plus ample doses of under-handed personal attacks on Guan Eng.
And not a pip about his previously reported allegations that Anwar had told the Penang state govt not to act against BFSB and caused the RM9m loss by the state. I wonder if Koh’s silence had anything to do with Guan Eng’s revelation of a letter to prove Koh’s inaction over the RM9m debt?
Guan Eng is not a gifted debator or orator, but was well-prepared. So while he was not a pleasure to listen to, I think he did knock Koh’s house of cards down well enough. I can only imagine the nuclear-blast effect a more gifted speaker like Anwar may have had!
For all his bluster and pomp, Koh came across to me like a tin kosong playing an off-beat has-been tune which fooled no-one but those who chose to be deaf.
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KTK did not adressed the PCCG indeed, simply he can’t because he still “KAW TAW” guy.
Again personal attacks ….mmmmm Is it a style of BN !!
5 cases …LGE brings up …… he is just addressing one ….the the biggest PCCG …. he just skip it. Pls anwser it KTK, come on explain it what’s the real story
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Obviously, when LGE asked about why land has been given to one individual despite objections from various authorities. What answer was KTK given? due to environment, kuali ni kuali tu, only single tender, blah blah… that’s why govt given to this chap?
Is KTK really don’t know what is the question or pretend not to know the question ?
KTK apparently very evasive on most of the questions.
RM84 juta? KTK even dare to argue the figure may not be correct, could be less or asked to revalue the lost again as an accountant. The bottom line is not becos whether it is RM84 juta or RM48 juta, it’s why the scam taking place, the debate is not about whether figure reported is accurate or not. Just like u tell ppl, when one person rob a bank for RM1 juta, in court, are u going to focus on arguing whether the crime has been committed or whether the figure correct or not. My goodness!!
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Sometimes I wonder how impartial your readers are Mr Netto. I watched the same debate these guys did and I found both sides had legitimate claims to being ‘winners’.
Frankly in my honest opinion, I thought that KTK was being his honest self. Do not mistake his honesty for his reluctance to defy the evil UMNO. If we can make this distinction, then we have room to debate further.
LGE had his points too concerning the lack of action against the wrongdoers but in my honest opinion, I think LGE and DAP has an issue with UMNO but unfortunately chose the wrong people to vent their anger against.
Frankly if you ask me, this quarrel and debate serves no other purpose than to to further the evil objectives of UMNO. The divide and rule stuff which they do so well.
I do know the evils of UMNO but I find this unaccommodating attitudes towards previous BN supporters (non-UMNO) frightening.
Those of us who put the old status quo in place are trying hard to make right all those wrongs we did.
Please make it easier to transit to your side without the rhetoric unless you are so arrogant to say that the numbers crossing over are not needed.
We may not win but we can still hurt you. Don’t let it come down to actions forced upon us by your hatred for the perpetrators of injustices in this country that you forget those who are caught in between.
I’m not a member of any political party but having voted Gerakan in the past, give me room to to take those who have a conscience still out from BN and lend their voice to the cause of justice for all.
I’m already leaning towards you but the insensitivity shown might make me rebel.
Sorry. I’m only human.
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I would like to voice my personal opinion. Can future debates be held on a neutral platform ie…in neighbouring countries,like Thailand,Singapore.Do you think the moderator was faired?
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The neutrals would not have been swayed by the arguments put up by either party. KTK appeared collected throughout and managed to deflect most of the attacks thrown by LGE. The senior neutrals amongst us would have probably sympathised with the “maligned gentleman” image portrayed successfully by KTK.
A crafty debater would have come at his opponent from other angles when the thrust of his original argument stops making any headway. LGE failed to do that. He seemed desperate to prove his point in the latter stages of the debate after initially looking confident and strong. He never attacked nor disproved the replies/reasoning provided by KTK. LGE unfortunately is not a crafty debater. A stump speech is not a debate.
KTK did a fairly good job defending the indefensible.
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The point of the debate was not to explain, it was above everything a political contest, something KTK wanted as a defense and LGE did not mind getting into because he knew he was going to win.
You can’t explain complicated details in public debates. Its not like a trial with long discourse and details. Public debate is a check on the overall picture. Its useful but its no cure for any issue.
In fact KTK was relying on it being easier to handle than to be in a room with LGE where more details was going to bury him even more. But KTK lost anyway – it was sheer stupidity for him to take the debate on. I would have sent a team of lawyers to meet up with LGE and dragged it out until the public got tired of it.
KTK is finished mark my word. Penang is as good as in DAP hands for the next election 4 years from now if KTK leads Gerakan.
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KTK was still arrogant, seems like the peoples verdict has still not set into KTK mind.
Wake up GERAKAN, you have lost your way, find your way back through Pakatn Rakyat, this is your only salvation
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i think it is an unfair debate as the title of the debate has already put BN/gerakan into guity suspect and defensive mode just like the previous debate. however BN are so stupid to engage themselve into such a debate and they have just let the rakyat see how incompetent they are. so stupid.
anyway i was fairly surprised both of them can speak bahasa very well, much better that most of the UMNO leaders!
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To sitonthis, no, because that would be deemed as interfering in the internal affairs of a member nation.
An easier option might be to invite someone from Al Jazeera to moderate.
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Romerz:
“I do know the evils of UMNO but I find this unaccommodating attitudes towards previous BN supporters (non-UMNO) frightening.”
In one of my articles in the run-up to Mar 8, I said that voting for MCA, Gerakan, MIC or any other BN component party is a vote for UMNO. We are voting for our children and our children’s children future. There is no such thing as accomodating in politics. Get real! You either do or don’t do. No pussyfooting in-between!
“We may not win but we can still hurt you. Don’t let it come down to actions forced upon us……..”
Is this a threat?
“….you forget those who are caught in between.”
Again, there is no such thing as in-between. They have to make a choice to be or not to be. Life is too short to play footsies and try to look good. The rakyat are smarter today, you know?
cheers
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out of the 6 scnadals that LGE mention, KSK only answered 1. He avoided the rest of it, and try to look smart and make LGE looks bad, but the problems is KSK NEVER GIVE ANY DETAILS ON THE REST OF THE LAND SCAM. Isn’t this perplexing and more suspicion on the previous government. and this is not debate, how come they can only ask only one question to the other?
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