It looks as if the lure of profits has crept into the paradise of Bali. In south Bali, a developer wants to reclaim 1,730 acres and create artificial islets under a US$3bn luxury resort development that would cover half of Benoa Bay – an area that had conservation status until it was overturned in 2014 for so-called “revitalisation”.
This has spawned a ‘Tolak Reklamasi’ protest movement – and tens of thousands of angry Balinese have protested against the project.
Over in Jakarta, a mega project, initiated by Jakarta city administrators in 1995, would see private firms building 17 artificial islands in Jakarta Bay off northern Jakarta.
This project has been the subject of a corruption investigation while environmentalists and fishing communities want to press charges against those involved in the project, especially in three of the proposed islands.
A study by the Research Center for Marine and Fisheries Socio-Economics estimates that at least four types of losses would occur because of the reclamation project.
The study shows that for every hectare of reclaimed seabed, fishermen would lose Rp 26.89 million (US$2,068) annually, which would total Rp 13.44 billion annually if the total reclamation area amounted to 500 hectares. Meanwhile, the cost of losing the ability to harvest green mussels would amount to about Rp 85 million per annum.
Furthermore, the value of every 1 ha of fish pond lost to reclamation would be about Rp 27.9 million per year, while the cost of relocation and regenerating mangrove ecosystems would be about Rp 28 million per month for at least 10 years, totaling Rp 3.36 billion.
“We can charge them under Article 86 of the Fishery Law,” Marthin said.
The article stipulates that anyone who intentionally conducts activities in a fishing area that causes pollution or damage to fisheries could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and Rp.2 billion (US$152,000) in fines.
Marthin said those involved in the project could be charged under Article 69 of the Spatial Planning Law. According to the article, those who do not comply with a spatial plan could face three years’ imprisonment and Rp 500 million in fines.
Other than pressing for criminal charges, the fishermen and activists also plan to file a separate lawsuit against the city administration on allegations of damaging the environment and maladministration.
Does all this sound familiar?
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Crude oil price has doubled in one year from USD25 to USD55 today, but Ringgit is still going down. So what excuse can Najib offer?
Why the young audience did not ask Najib during the Dialog Perdana TN50 last night live on TV? I suspect the event is pre-arranged to suit BN agenda. What say you, Mr Anil?”
I think most such events would be pre-arranged and planned.
More likely to see upheavals among the Felda settlers soon?
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ti0wlBxEFw4
The worms in Felda are coming out, thank to the expose by Rafizi.
I think some Malays are being awakened.
Najib is getting Shahril to cover the …
Felda chairperson Shahrir Samad admitted that there are “leakages” in the federal agency, more specifically in investment arm Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FIC).
https://youtube.com/watch?v=MVk5iDEUCDk
MARA, not Felda, is currently in spotlight as MACC is investigating Annuar Musa for suspected misappropriation of fund to fund Kelatan FA. MACC should also investigate Mara for the inflated purchased price of the Melbourne Commercial Building for A$22 millions when the market price was A$17.5 millions.Who has pocketed the A$4.5 millions under Mara Chairman Annuar Musa watch.Until now,nothing seems to have happened and no-one has been charged for corruption and abused of power.But when it comes to Penang CM Lim Guan Eng purchased of the 35 year old bungalow at Pinhorn Rd. for RM2.8 millions,the AG is leading the… Read more »
It is said that it was (allegedly) a conspiracy of Sabri Ismail to bring down Annuar Musa, in order to enhance his standing in Umno. Expect more infighting within Umno in tussle for power. If only Annuar Musa has the critical info on that Port Dickson incident…
Felda is selling its UK assets to raise money to pay dividends to its settlers?
PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli wants to know if Felda has sold off two luxury condominium units worth RM8.4 million that its subsidiary Felda Global Ventures (FGV) had reportedly bought in 2014.
He said checks on FGV’s latest financial reports for the year 2015 showed that the firm still owned the units at The Troika – a building on Lorong Binjai and next to the Kuala Lumpur City Centre park.
The big chasm of rich/poor divide is causing the discontent?
Already many B40 unhappy cannot afford to buy their dream home.
BY 2030, Malaysia can expect its population structure to see a dramatic shift towards aged nation status, if existing trends in fertility and life expectancy rates are to continue on their current trajectory. In simpler terms, here’s what’s happening: Malaysians are living longer, which means death rates are decreasing. Conversely, birth rates are not increasing, as younger marriage-ready Malaysians choose to focus on their careers over starting families, while economic pressures means young couples cannot afford to raise large families. The result of this is an aged nation, a phenomenon the country is ill-prepared to face. The challenges wrought by… Read more »
Most retirees used up their EPF within 3 years after reaching 55 years old.
Frustration brewing when global and 1domestic economy not seeing brightly yet in 2017.
Already many in Penang especially those aged 40+ get retrenched and cannot find ideal jobs not saying career to sustain daily life with bin chui challenges not forgetting condo cars to maintain, wife and children to feed, and aging parents to take care of.
So I believe Penang Forumers alike must get to the root of problem and cannot solely blame on the ills commercialization which incidentally may create jobs for those in need not thru fundings.
Najib told us to supplement income by selling nasi lemak or driving Uber.
Household debt nearing 90% of GDP.
How much more can one continue to borrow while interest is likely to go up?
Najib is hinting that the nation too is deeply in debt and may not disburse more money via BR1M, thus asking us to help ourselves.
Anil wants Penang Islanders to resist present state of development and to earn livings by growing organic foods and catching fishes or rearing kampung non-caged chickens???
That is exactly what is part (understand ‘part’) of a sustainable culture or civilisation.
Even Japan as a 1st world culture does that ‘part’ to thrive as a nation.
The same with Taiwan.
When was Penang sustainable? Since Malaya is independent, Penang depends on tourists and build snake temple, monkey temple in botanical garden, aquarium, butterfly farm. When working farmer clear hillslopes to sustain the local population and reduce carbon foot prints brought by flying or car driven tourist, why a big whine?
why federal allow millions of imgrant workers from viet, blanga, india, nepal etc for service related jobs?
“If we want something, we have to work for it,” M1Fella said, recalling a Malay proverb that implied fortunes did not fall from the sky.
Yeah, simple to say that esp. for one who has a truly-out-of-this-world Arab Donor.
Jho L must be Eric Cantona fan to adopt such name, so may be Eric T the one who sponsored Psy concert in Han Chiang after all?
Wonder where got mood to Psy when in perpetual self-exile?
Karma is good!
Mahathir: ‘GST to go if we win GE14’
https://youtube.com/watch?v=88zYs4wc87M
No GST is good for retirees.
For that I will vote for Bersatu/Pakatan.
This is happening because times are bad and most low income people are frustrated due to money not enough thus venting their frustrations on projects that do not benefit them. Such thing could happen in Malaysia soon for the same reason.
Whether in good times or bad times, environmental-damaging projects are still that bad. If lack of money is the angry-bird factor, then money can kautim a lot of human woes. Then developers can kautim the anger. But the fact that human recalcitrance is repeating history of Atlantis calls for awakening. Why not throw money & see what happens to frustrations? People in Bali are not that stupid to accept these recalcitrance (whether in good times or bad times) but have gathered to face-off these greedy entities. May the ancient gods of Bali gather to bring curses to these greedy developers… Read more »
Get rid of the airport and free up the land for housing and farming and turn into belum valley so that tun lang need not a 4wd. Transplant airport to Kedah. Airport commodity Penang. More tourists will jack food and property prices
Majority of Penang Forumers do not understand the real plight of islanders as they like to speak Queen English not the local hokkien dialect.
If English is uncommunicable, pls write in Hokkien, can or not?
Hokkien refers to province in China. the language of Amoy and quanzhou is minan and they do not understand Penang minan language.