Jaime Lerner, the former mayor of Curitiba who transformed the Brazilian city, says budgetary constraints can force urban planners to think more creatively about sustainable development.
Planners in Malaysia might want to consider some of his ideas. Thanks to soohuey for the link.
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I am sure these 4 lorries are government properties which are subjected to rules and regulations on it’s usage and maintenance. Govt vehicles are sent to authorized workshops (usually JKR) for repairs, so LGE cannot choose any Tom, Dick or Harry foreman. All Govt servants are bound by the General Orders, Treasury Instructions and any other Govt circulars in carrying out their duties and one of that is they have no liberty to abuse or misuse Govt properties. You cannot even simply dispose of an obsolete or beyond-repair equipment without going through a lengthy write-off process.
Small little thing like repairing 4 lorries, LGE failed miserably. You expect him to do big thing like public transport? You must be dreaming! A fool is just a fool no matter how his die hard supporters want us to believe that he is great.
4 lorries broke down in Pulau Burung, the state need 45 days to solve the problem. Need to import in the parts? Can’t the foreman just take the parts from other lorries and repair at least one or two of the lorries? Little problem like this LGE allows the garbage to pile up disregard how the garbage might pollute the environment. Want to tell me not enough fund to do the repair? No foreman to do the job? No spare parts? We are not in such a desperate situation right? If the state has no money, Penangites are willing to… Read more »
mm, First of all, I am not saying one can’t be creative. Hey, Me engineer man. Me got to be innovative to resolve some technical problems. We always joke around. Solutions are plenty. Problems are always about cost Frankly, one must understand due to 52 years of Great BN rules, most power revolves around Putrajaya. It’s not whether if LGE capitulates to BN demands. By judging from Najib’s armtwisting even the Perak ahem……in giving away the power to BN, sometimes LGE & State government’s hands are tied. MM, Let recapitulate what the Great Chief Secretary has said……State Civil servants seconded… Read more »
Looes74 has a valid point about finances.
If LGE capitulates to BN and allows them to dictate terms, has them implement their PORR and other grandiose schemes [which aren’t intended to make life better for Penangites but rather, to fill coffers for certain people], there will be a political backlash.
If BN is seen as withholding the funds and unfairly punishing Penangites, the backlash will be on them at the next GE.
The way the country is going, I think BN will be out in a few short years. LGE has to just be a bit creative in the meantime.
@ Jerry(September 20th, 2009 at 5.56pm) and *anyone still considering trams*: I’d like to share that trams are actually quite problematic. In Melbourne, I think at least once a day a tram gets derailed (happens more easily compared to trains) or someone decides to dart in front of a tram causing a collision. Each time something like that happens, the trams stalls and that section of the road becomes closed to all trams. Yarra trams (the company that runs/manages Melbourne trams) then has to go into damage control – They have people ready to go to these sites and coordinate… Read more »
@ mal99 (September 20th, 2009 at 7.48pm): “Thanks, SooHuey, for the great links.” – No worries. By exchanging info and sharing ideas, we can all work together towards a better future. Actually I’m quite humbled that Anil has highlighted the videos I put up, so really he is the one to thank. 😉 “LGE wants to make Penang more ecologically friendly. Banning plastic bags on Mondays is nowhere compared to what he could really do if he invests in some good urban design and planning input. He needs a mindset change.” – I attended the public forum on whether to… Read more »
looes74:
Sorry to appear ignorant or even idiotic perhaps, but why exactly are you addressing Anil as Great Anil?
What is so Great about Anil please?
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
Good question! – Anil
Friends, Though I have yet to go through this youtube, there is one thing I truly believe in. There is no such thing as free lunch. Till date, I have understood that Penang has a 457 million. Last check, Penang spends 60% on operational costs & emoluments. Salaries for civil servants. Not sure how much that percentage has reduced. On top of it, Penang has perhaps the most 2 billion Malaysia dollars in reserve Malaysia is a federal system where there are several level government. Like it or not, most power lies with central government in Putrajaya. This is the… Read more »
Thanks, SooHuey, for the great links. They should be absolutely mandatory viewing and reading material for LGE! Time and time again, it has been proven, in all cities of the world, that you cannot solve traffic woes with wider and more roads. You only hasten traffic towards another massive jam somewhere else. You need creative thinkers and planners, honest politicians. You need to think outside the box. When Lerner became mayor of Curitiba, they were about to implement more massive road infrastructural work that would have carved out beautiful parts of ther city… the way Penang seems to be headed.… Read more »
I think every home should have a worm bin for their organic waste which the earthworms will recycle into the highest quality fertilizer which in turn can be used to plant your organic vegetables:
http://www.jerrymohan.blogspot.com
What about tram cars?
LGE has no vision and solution for Penang. Take the example of solid waste management. He want another landfill cause BN willing vto provide the solution. Now when the Relau waste trasfer station get into troble, (his administration) prepare to … allow the waste to dump at the already closed Jelutong landfill. If not because of the action of the … police, … the waste (would have been dumped) at Jelutong. So (his administration) has no choice but to send it to Pulau Burung, a sinitary landfill which (allegedly) has flout all the spec for sanitary landfill. This landfill also… Read more »
LGE can easily save us RM12 billion if he implement BRT on Penang Bridge and defer the construction of Penang Second Bridge. Read about how to implement it. http://anilnetto.com/development-issues/proposal-to-ease-congestion-on-penang-bridge/ LGE can later extend it to the whole island and defer the construction of PORR that will save us another billion. But LGE want Penangites to live the way of KL folks; PAY FOR TRAFFIC CONGESTION with toll booths every where. I can guarantee you that with LGE as CM, Barisan will not touch the state government. He is the kind of CM that UMNO love best. He (appears to be)… Read more »
khensthoth, LGE is talking about LRT, which cost billion of ringgit to build the structure to support it. The BRT is using the existing infrastructure to provide efficient public transport. Why talk about something that cost us a fortune? The underlying reason is LGE is not prepare to do anything himself. He is expecting BN government to provide the solution. BN can only talk about LRT not BRT. They must make the people spend to make money out of it. The concept of BRT save billion of ringgits and you can’t see it cost minimal budget but want a LRT… Read more »
Thanks for highlighting the video, anil. More links for anyone who’d like to know more: 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRD3l3rlMpo&feature=related This video explains how things are done in Curitiba a little better 2. http://www.citiesforpeople.net/how/index.html Some of our leaders might find it useful to read Step #2-Action from ‘How to Make Cities for People? : 7 Steps for success’. Haha! Also while you’re there, check out statements on http://www.citiesforpeople.net/cities/curitiba.html When looking for transportation solutions, don’t forget car-sharing. It is another idea I like. I’ll leave it to interested readers to google for more info. At the end of the day, it boils down to… Read more »
Very Nice one.. The best transport system i have came across is the swiss.Very well connected and timed.
In UK , the City council provide with 2 Bins .. 1 for organic waste & other for recyclable waste. and collected every week once.. There is lot we can copy from these countries established system and make our country a better place.
They question is how our Planners are selected.. Based on “intelligence & creativity” or mere “quota and others”
Our DAP politicians are so busy trying to win the next election that they haven’t the time to improve the state. I have heard so many excuses of how underfunded they are, or some other reason. Penang has remained stagnant for a year now. 3 more years to go. No action, talk only.
In Malaysia, the authorities and those in power have to improve their personal financial status, then thier relatives, followed by their friends…….and finally city (perhaps).
The BRT system in Curitiba is great, and I would like to see it implemented in Penang, or any state in Malaysia, but he didn’t actually talk about anything in the video about changing the public transport system in three years, not doing it with minimal budget.
Yes, Harry, it would great if more people are aware of the possibilities in creating a more sustainable environment.
Anil, thanks for sharing. Like Jaime at the end of the presentation said , ‘it is possible’, lets hope city planners learn something from it too.