Concerned Penangites have scored a huge psychological victory in a battle of online petitions on the mega transport plans for the state.
The petition against the SRS Consortium’s extravagant RM46bn transport plan has sensationally pipped the petition in support of the plan by 12,226-12,218. (This is excluding the 2,000 hard-copy signed petitions against the Pan Island Link ‘monster’ highway that were handed over to Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin last Thursday.) Syabas to the people of Penang!
The dramatic come-from-behind victory for the petition against the SRS transport plan was achieved despite the rival petition in support of the plan getting a one-month head-start.
At one stage a month ago, the ‘against’ petition was trailing the ‘for’ petition by 3,500 to 10,000. Campaigners faced an uphill battle considering that the state government was riding on almost 70% of the popular vote in the last general election – which the state had erroneously cited as evidence of public backing for the SRS plan.
In early August, this blog had predicted that the activism among concerned Penangites, apart from the work of civil society groups, would create a groundswell of protests against the plans. Since then, this groundswell has grown and will continue to grow in the days to come – even larger than what we saw at the town hall meeting on the EIA for the Pan Island Link highway last Thursday.
The improbable victory in the petition battle was achieved largely due to the tireless campaigning work of concerned Penangites who worked hard to raise public awareness of the damaging social, health, aesthetic and environmental impact of the mega transport plans. It shows how grassroots mobilisation succeeded in overhauling well-oiled state and corporate media propaganda in shaping public opinion.
What these rival petitions have revealed is that the number of people actually willing to support the extravagant plan are fewer than what the state government had expected – with a large section of the population still largely unaware of the damaging impact of these mega transport plans.
The win achieved by concerned Penangites today coincides with the 24 September deadline day for public feedback on the EIA on the RM8.5bn monster highway that will mar and scar the face of Penang.
It also comes on the heels of the Penang state government’s adamant plan to go ahead with the RM8bn elevated LRT line from Komtar to the airport, despite unrealistic ridership projections and cheaper options available like bus rapid transit, modern trams and trackless tram systems.
What we are seeing today is also confirmation of the emergence of a green movement in Penang that will snowball in the months to come and perhaps one day spill over into electoral politics to give the mainstream parties a run for their (corporate?) money..
Meanwhile, politicians who choose to side with vested interests have been served notice that they can no longer ride roughshod over the concerns of many ordinary Penangites on the ground who have awakened to the damaging impact of the SRS plan.
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Petitions calling for more community reading rooms if not libraries, instead of mega environmental unfriendly structures.
Thumbs up if you support reading culture from young to retirees.
YB Sim please listen to the repeated pleas of Bayan Baru residents.
Newly elected YBs like Sim should not take voters for granted. Do not think you have next 5 years. Once the trust is broken, unlikely to survive the next GE while no respect from residents from now on.
A new paradigm shift in voters’ mindset has emerged with the demise of Kleptocrat BN regime. No more giving of another term (to try luck?) in office to recalcitrant political parties who think they are perennially worshipped by voters as there is no more ‘common fight together’ against a political front like BN so to speak to close both eyes to recalcitrance of worshipped parties. Voters now are king of politics in the era of Malaysia Baru. We may be ‘cheated’ of promises now (like environment caring gomen) but there will always be another GE coming. No more trying our… Read more »
Voters are king. I urge voters to monitor closely the words of Anwar, his que sera sera approach is opportunistic in nature such that he could collaborate with PAS if PKR is losing standing compared to Bersatu in the coming 2 years before he becomes PM. Port Dickson voters must be careful who they bring into our parliament, considering the pros and cons.
You want but do not want to pay. In west society, there are libraries for seniors and kiddies but they pay through taxrs
Cheers Kopi-O kau kau!
Afterwards, wanted more papers like Oliver twist. Many often take their sweet time to read top to bottom, left to right. Even all the obituaries taking 3 hours to finish. Not only one but a few orso lining up waiting for the papers. If ah pek, they may grab 2 at a time.
If there is good demand, then the library can provide more copies of daily newspapers and Buletin Mutiara. Opportunity for the state government to disseminate state policies and plans to rakyat.
If there is a demand, then that person go and subscribe it.
Waiting to read papers means times are bad people want to save money not willing to pay for newspapers.
Long time reading because there is no other good magazines and books available for reading.
Whatever it is, there is a demand for reading materials and a place to sit back to read comfortably.
Wanting to read utusan?
Everything must win and not willing lose typical kiasi and not kaisu. Wants to red umno nst and utusan?
Umno’s boycott and PAS’ reluctance to create a ”walkover” at Port Dickson by-election spook and stink of future favours from Anwar….. Beware, all stakeholders!
Why Anwar is so desperate to return to parliment when Mahathir has stated that he would relinquish the PM position to him in 2 years time?
Not too hard to understand why Anwar is not acceptable of LGBT.
If in Europe, he may sing another song!
DSAI not accepting LGBT because he need to show he has no such inclination with respect to Saiful’s sodomy case.
Yes. And others say UMNO wants Anwar to win.
With Malaysian politics, especially UMNO and ex-UMNO politicians, it’s a matter of what you see is not what you get (WYSINWYG) or (WISI NOT WYG).
Don’t hold your breath. Anything is possible in Bolehland politics.
Anwar vs Saiful at Port Dickson.
Fireworks? Sodom issues revisited.
Isa will now expose the infamous ‘Port Dickson Hotel Incident’ to gain points?
Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan will contest in the Port Dickson by-election as an independent candidate.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/09/28/mohd-saiful-bukhari-to-contest-pd-by-election/#Jsy4lzsPVsWfE5DW.99
Expect more revelations on Sodomy 2.0 from either party/partner?
CM Chow, I give you only one term (to correct intransigency), if not for Pakatan Harapan’s generous willingness to include your political party as a ‘convenient way’ to oust Kleptocrat BN in GE14. My angst is you are not following thro’ the PH Manifesto on caring environment after winning on PH ticket & CM chair & thus deceiving us voters. But in exhibiting your absolute pride + arrogance of ‘choi nie gong’ in spite of the 2,000 hard-copy signed petitions handed in your presence for your perusal, you still harbor the illusion that majority of Penangites still support the spendthrift… Read more »
Ah pek chameleon. Tokong was cm, you bodek chow. Now you don’t want to eat one ton mee and keow teow but now eat chow miem
Sim Tze Tzin is also serving one last term, Bayan Baru residents already lost faith in him favouring Crystal over Library!
“For Penangites so loved Penang that they shared their one and only beloved island, that whoever destroys it shall not prosper but have eternal condemnation.”
Cinta PuloPinang 3:16
Share this verse everyday with every soul for the Eternal Love of Penang.
Please do not bring religion into picture.
Use your own quote.
Don’t be a bigot! This is not about religion but passion. Did I quote word for word??? Get a life!
In the beginning, Gerakan created Komtar and Octopus Bridge. Komtar was without new tenants and customers, and gloom was over the face of the shop owners. And the Spirit of Halcriw was hovering over the development. And Niaokong said, “Let there be tunnel,” and there will be sea tunnel. And Chow saw that PTMP was good. And Chow separated the Halcrow from the PTMP. Chow called the rail LRT, and the highway he called PIL. And there will be LRT and there will be PIL, very soon.
A fresh twist to religious text, pioneered by tunlang.
It’s a common creative twist in advertising ads. Level headed souls take no offence, some even enjoy reading such headlines.
Ah pek, pushing and throwing your weight around??
Just hope the powers that be will LISTEN!!!
Jennifer Mourin exactly
Soon could be mourning if PIL and PTPM to be implemented?
SIM that Bayan Bari YB never listen to his residents who requested for library revival. Is he deaf?
Has the state government NOT published the specific DEIA for the North Coast Paired Road by Zenith? We’ve recently heard about the PIL’s EIA from July; we had in May 2017 seen the EIA for Penang South Reclamation; there’s recently the RSNPP 2030 or draft structural plan on mobile app (why not in un-watermarked PDF and HTML formats?). But what about that expensive Detailed EIA for NCPR that was supposedly completed and submitted in April 2017, and was given 59 conditions by the Department of Environment then? What are the 59 conditions? Are all the other EIAs distracting us from… Read more »
A bit of hyperbole, I don’t think the Penang government could care that much about online petitions. After all anyone can vote, not just Penangites. They’ve been quite arrogant lately after their overwhelming victory(thanks to Najib and BN).
However they could sit up and take notice if they see thousands of Penangites marching peacefully on the streets like Bersih. However will Malaysians do that for the environment?
Ah pek, why you start organise the march? Last time, you said pH will lose easily but kaisi to run for election
Non Penang items can also vote, so not really reflect true Penang sentiments?
Reflects sentiments of all those who care about Penang.
Sim Tze Tzin did not reflect the wishes of Bayan Baru residents for a library. No more vote from many angry senior residents that I am representing.
Either Sim does not read this blog or he simply act blur on the library request.
Another possibility is he has other priorities now he is a deputy minister not answerable to rakyat for at least the next four years.
There are other peng land lang care about opportunities. Imagine with spice convention, peng land lang will be holding their conventions and exhibitions in kongsi. If don’t care, why not shift the airport to Kedah. Pg will have more forest reserves
Are you arguing in a washing machine?
Ah pek, you act like umno. Only very good in insulting others, talk but no facts and unable to refute others with reasonings