This plan, the draft Penang Structure Plan 2040, is already well in progress. It has been put up for public display and feedback – but chances are, most people in Penang are not even aware of it.
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Najib’s ‘house arrest’
Aliran has released a statement on the latest developments:
The news has made headlines both at home and abroad, and for good reason. For many, this decision has crossed a red line.
The political significance of the Pardons Board’s decision can hardly escape the attention of various groups of people.
BN-PN topple PH in Negeri Sembilan
The Negeri Sembilan state assembly has 36 seats.
Actual results:
BN 18 seats + PN 7 seats = 25 seats
PH 11 seats
Ilham Centre’s prediction:
- BN-PN: 22 seats
- PH: 9 seats
- Five seats too close to call
Ong Kian Ming’s prediction:
- BN-PN: 23-25 seats
- PH: 11-13 seats (including PKR one seat)
BN retains Johor in state election
Total seats up for grabs: 56
Unofficial results:
- BN: 48 seats
- PH 8 seats
- Others: 0
Let’s see if the dark horses Bersama and the progressive block of Muda and PSM can upset the durian cart and confound mainstream analysts and even AI.
Abdul Rahman Kasim, who is now campaigning for Pas in Endau, predicts:
- Pas: 4-5 seats
- Bersatu: 1-2 seats
- Total PN: 5-7 seats
- BN: 30-35 seats
- PH: 16 seats
- Bersama: 2 seats
Poll: Which party will implement pro-people reforms?
The ucoming state elections and general election are set to be the most unpredictable so far, with multiple parties entering the fray. Which party or parties do you think will implement progressive or pro-people reforms to improve the quality of life and enhance our democracy? (You may choose more than one option.)
Penang Island: One big construction site?
Residents around Karpal Singh Drive today submitted a memorandum at the Penang State Assembly protesting reclamation plans in their area.
The plan refuses to go away even after the Department of Environment rejected the environmental impact assessment report for the fifth time (yes, you read that right). The must be some kind of record! Read this piece on the Aliran website.
Mega-projects are dotting many parts of Penang Island so much so some people are calling the place “one big construction site”.
Open mic for Penang: Residents ‘rant and rave’ about state’s growing pains
Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia (GBM) and Aliran held a Rant & Rave 2.0 session in Penang on Saturday.
This was a platform designed to let participants speak openly, without fear or favour, on the performance of the “unity government”.
True to its concept, the session had no keynote speakers. The floor was given entirely to participants, encouraging authentic, ground-level feedback and diverse perspectives.
Held at Coex @ Kilang Besi, the event drew active engagement from participants who valued the openness and inclusivity of the platform.
Traffic congestion, overdevelopment and housing affordability were the issues that dominated the discussion. These are longstanding concerns among people in Penang.
God, oil and empire: Behind the US-Israel war on Iran
Picture the scene: a group of about 20 Christian pastors at the Oval Office, a couple of them with their hands placed on Donald Trump’s shoulders, praying for him during the second week of the US-Israel war on Iran.
As Trump closed his eyes and clasped his hands, the pastors prayed for “wisdom from heaven to flood his heart, his mind” and for divine protection for the president and his troops.
Royal commission needed to probe Bloomberg’s allegations against MACC
Aliran has released this statement. Do you agree with call to set up a royal commission of inquiry?
Aliran is encouraged to note that the government has finally grasped the gravity of the allegations that have surfaced against the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s chief commissioner and some of its officers.
These unsettling allegations have increasingly become a matter of public concern.
A multi-billion ringgit scandal that dwarfs 1MDB?
Check out this story in The Edge about the MBI pyramid scheme which emerged about a decade ago: The Ponzi scheme that rocked Penang
(I remember back then there were questions about whether Ivory Property had the financial muscle to handle the ‘Penang World City’ project in Bayan Mutiara. It had acquired the land from PDC for RM1.07bn – in several instalments. Today, Ivory Property has fallen to PN17 status.)