Pop quiz: If you led a state government …

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Let’s assume a hypothetical situation:

If you led a state government and there was some idle governmental land within close range of a handful of private hospitals as well as an overcrowded public/general hospital, what would you do with that land?

  1. Leave the land idle and let it appreciate in value.
  2. Enter into negotiations to sell the land to the nearest private hospital so that it can expand its facilities to cater to more medical tourists, better-off local patients and those who can afford private medical insurance or who are covered by their employers.
  3. Hold an open tender to get the highest price for the land. The bidders could include private hospitals, hoteliers and property developers.
  4. Offer the land at minimal price to the federal government, which runs the public hospital, so that it can expand and spread out its overcrowded facilities for the comfort of those who are unable to afford private medical treatment or medical insurance.
  5. Use the land for the common good: a public park and genuinely affordable housing (perhaps for rental) for those who work in the services industry eg staff working in the nearby hospitals, hotels and shopping complexes. Perhaps encourage a community organic garden on some part of land as well. All this, properly planned at an appropriate density, without disrupting the peace of the neighbouring community.

From a neoliberal economic angle, maybe items 2 and 3 would be attractive options, never mind the conditions at the nearby general hospital. And from a purely ‘good governance’ point of view, option 3 would be better than option 2. Perhaps the money raised from the sale could then be used for social amenities including ‘affordable housing’ further away from town (but then such housing would also be further away from where a lot of the jobs in town are).

On the other hand, if you really had the interest of the B40 and much of the M40 at heart, options 4 and 5 would be what you would think of straight away, taking into account the interests of the existing residents living near the land.

Your thoughts, please.

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Black Mage
Black Mage
1 Dec 2018 2.27pm

Better to upgrade skills, learn to be resilient and thrifty, spend on needs not wants. Focus on your circle of influence, forget about handout mentality, the sooner the better. Get real and not fantasize on hypothetical things.

tunglang
2 Dec 2018 5.19pm
Reply to  Black Mage

Yes, if you have a pair of hands & pair of legs, be self reliant*
Don’t expect gomen to “perkasi-kasi” privileges when gomen of the day has little left in national coffer but to service bad theft-debts by previous gomen of lies, shame & irresponsibilities.
* U kha, u chhiu. Kho ka-ki. Ai ha-mih tongkat?

Shriek
Shriek
3 Dec 2018 7.08pm
Reply to  tunglang

Totally agree with ah pek. If have any issues with peng land gomen, complain straight to macc with your evidences and don’t rely on other. Shoot straight.

tunglang
5 Dec 2018 8.07pm
Reply to  Shriek

If every complaint @ anilnetto.com goes straight to MACC, finished lah DAP!!!
CM Sin Chow will be very busy like Naik Jeep going in & out of MACC office!!!
You like that???

Shriek
Shriek
6 Dec 2018 5.01pm
Reply to  tunglang

Yes, finish off and then rest in peace. No wonder tun lang is so powerful. No need to teh tarik with macc?

tunglang
9 Dec 2018 7.17pm
Reply to  Shriek

So fast give up? You’d disappointed Niao Kong!

V Ramesh
V Ramesh
2 Dec 2018 2.34pm

Why is it everything MCA leaders say lately is the opposite of what I feel? The morons just said PH is the stumbling block to our happiness, whereas the reality is PH made me so happy they ousted BN and is recovering money lost in 1MDB scandal. In fact MCA, MIC, UMNO & PAS are the real stumbling blocks.

Xiao Wei
Xiao Wei
4 Dec 2018 11.40am
Reply to  V Ramesh

MCA east mountain cannot rise because its new leadership change soup but not medication, so dead road one strip.

Scot Polo
Scot Polo
5 Dec 2018 11.48am
Reply to  Xiao Wei

Other than the RM2 billion assets, MCA has ran out of ideas, really Mountain Poor Water Finished already!

V Ramesh
V Ramesh
2 Dec 2018 1.02pm

The government should quickly pass laws in Parliament to prohibit political ownership of universities and to compel political parties to divest or be deregistered.

glissantia
glissantia
15 Dec 2018 2.16pm
Reply to  V Ramesh

Let anyone own any “university”. E.g. TNB has its “university”, Burger King and McDonald have “colleges” in USA. Just don’t expect assistance from govt. money. This should also apply to “religious” univerities/colleges.

tunglang
1 Dec 2018 3.18pm

Already, we fed-up Penangites have too many private hospitals on the island which majority of us cannot afford to pay for any of their ‘hotel-like’ services marketed for the rich & famous! And Penang General Hospital is now almost crowded to the door hinges with daily in & out patients seeking affordable mercy medical services & medicine. Example: At the Bilik Ujian Darah (Blood Test), the daily out-patient counter can easily reach 300 or more! Good luck waiting if you are registering for a blood test later than 9am. Anil, are you pointing to that tract of idle gomen land… Read more »

PenangLang
PenangLang
2 Dec 2018 10.24am
Reply to  tunglang

C’mon, leave Polo ground alone.

Xiao Wei
Xiao Wei
4 Dec 2018 11.42am
Reply to  PenangLang

Polo ground near Scotland Villa is for horse stable, not new condominium?

Shriek
Shriek
6 Dec 2018 10.17am
Reply to  Xiao Wei

Who can afford to play polo? Only peng lang?

Shriek
Shriek
2 Dec 2018 11.13am
Reply to  tunglang

Ah pek, u no no how state and central gomen run? Who is the exco for state heath exco? Might as well have state university state mata mata

V Ramesh
V Ramesh
2 Dec 2018 1.04pm
Reply to  tunglang

Stay healthy eat correctly (less oily hawker food, drink Kopi-O without sugar) exercise regularly (walk don’t drive) and you do not have to worry about hospital visit.

Shriek
Shriek
3 Dec 2018 7.11pm
Reply to  V Ramesh

Too bad pg forum lost the opportunity. Oppose highway and forget to tell gomen to build cycle lanes.

Uneno Bueno
Uneno Bueno
5 Dec 2018 2.01pm
Reply to  V Ramesh

Avoid sweet chendol!!!

Shriek
Shriek
6 Dec 2018 5.04pm
Reply to  Uneno Bueno

Orso one ton mee to heavy and kopi o too black.

tunglang
7 Dec 2018 8.23am

If I led Penang state gomen, I would: 1) Abolish CAT (calls) & replace it with “Berkhidmat Kepada Rakyat PP” 2) Resurrect the Penang Local Plan. MACC should investigate who was behind the ‘paralysis’ of this legit master blueprint for proper-rule-of-law development in Penang. 3) Rezone all untouched hill lands to nature reserves. Revoke all controversial special area plans (SAP) for hills side development including Bukit Kukus & Tanjung Bungah / Batu Feringhi. Every SAP for hillsides should be reviewed publicly & CM has no jurisdiction whatsoever of implementation over it. Arrogance of state stewardship should not exist in Pakatan… Read more »

tunglang
7 Dec 2018 8.24am
Reply to  tunglang

If I led Penang state gomen, I would: 5) Impose city vehicle entry tax on all vehicles except bikes, bicycles & OKU vehicles. 6) Impose strict limits on buying spree of prewar houses in George Town by foreigners. Intending buyers should furnish details of intention to refurbish properties, to resell or rent out or operate business. 7) Execute a moratorium on new high end property development until affordable housing is realised. Mandatory ratio of affordable > high end property for new developer applications must be 70% > 30%. The rationale being majority of Penangite households earn not more than Rm5K.… Read more »

Tan Wee Theng
Tan Wee Theng
1 Dec 2018 5.50pm

If I led the state government, I would be focusing on
1. generating enough well paying jobs for all Penangites, B40 included
2. finding continuous source of fund to support B40 and more importantly moving B40 out of B40.
3. forget about give extra land to GH. GH is sitting on a large plot of land. The problem at GH is POOR PLANNING AND POOR MANAGEMENT. It’s congested because MOH keeps adding single storey buildings within its compound probably on ad hoc basis.

Wei
Wei
4 Dec 2018 9.55am
Reply to  Tan Wee Theng

i second your thought. sell the land to whoever can utilize the land more efficiently, of course for purpose suitable for that area. the revenue can then be channeled back to help B40. GH should instead focus on improving delivery of services and get your medicine stocked up first. seen too many government offices housed in fancy building yet the service still sucks big time..

but obviously to those who can only think straight, think developer is evil, hotel is sinful, private hospital is blood sucking vampire, this is not acceptable..hehe

Uneno Bueno
Uneno Bueno
5 Dec 2018 2.01pm
Reply to  Wei

Now powerful ones can gazette land for own development!

Shriek
Shriek
6 Dec 2018 10.16am
Reply to  Uneno Bueno

Macc not powder full and act like tokong case? Any proof on making own laws?

tunglang
6 Dec 2018 1.05pm
Reply to  Uneno Bueno

Just watch the Botak Hills (near Bukit Gambir) later or sooner (may) UBAH to residential hills for the rich + famous! May happen within the 2 terms of arrogant + irresponsible leadership. This is the price we (may) have to pay for politicians tango-ing with greedy-opportunist developers….

Cygnus Knight
Cygnus Knight
10 Dec 2018 2.07pm

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa, who is in charge of Islamic Affairs, confirmed that Tabung Haji had been in deficit since 2014 but continued to issue dividends in violation of the Tabung Haji Act 1995.

Lembaga Tabung Haji had effectively paid dividends (hibah) using depositor’s savings. However, on paper, Tabung Haji structured the deals to give the impression that the dividends were coming from profits,

Cygnus Knight
Cygnus Knight
10 Dec 2018 10.50am

PUTRAJAYA: Local council elections are not part of the Pakatan Harapan government’s agenda, says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Prime Minister said local government elections may end up causing race-related conflicts in the country.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/12/10/no-to-local-council-elections-which-may-cause-racial-strife-says-dr-mahathir/#5d9OCZ1jMMwT8BwS.99

Black Mage
Black Mage
4 Dec 2018 12.39pm

Greenpeace’s “Rang-tan” video on palm oil plantation.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=DUCh_xyDiHY

No wonder price of palm oil is falling.

Black Mage
Black Mage
4 Dec 2018 9.53am

The “Dondang Sayang” has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage under Unesco’s Representative List.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/12/03/unesco-recognition-for-dondang-sayang-will-promote-national-identity-says-minister-mohamaddin/#TKcYRyBZ4FVT5HgT.99

It is the malay identity not engulfed by Arabisation?

V Ramesh
V Ramesh
2 Dec 2018 1.08pm

“Angka rasmi dan sahih tunjukkan FDI jatuh tiga kali ganda dan bukannya naik 3 kali ganda sebagaimana diumum oleh Lim Guan Eng. FDI untuk suku pertama yang tinggi pun sudah menjunam turun bagi suku ke-2 dan suku ke-3,” kata Najib dalam satu hantaran di Facebook beliau.

Anil,
Who to believe, MO1 or LGE?

Xiao Wei
Xiao Wei
4 Dec 2018 11.41am
Reply to  Anil Netto

Ha ha, subsidy mentality do not know what is value added!

glissantia
glissantia
1 Dec 2018 2.21pm

Though climate change is now knocking harder, we are still in the dream state of attracting investment and growth. The private hospital, medical tourism and medicines policies all adhere to the worst (most anti-social) fascist demands. They do not assist the non-wealthy patients, and do not begin to address the causes of illness.

Neoliberal is just the latest, polite word for fascism.

tunglang
1 Dec 2018 7.57pm
Reply to  glissantia

Adventist Hospital was created by the Christian missionary but now it looks like under the spell of conglomerate of money-spinning! Not different from some churches of humble little shed beginning morphing into mega building with amphitheatres! The same with Lam Wah Ee Hospital. My advice is to stay healthy even if you don’t earn a lot. Earning a lot to live better than thy neighbor Joneses can take its toll on health like stress of office politics, overtime, irregular meals, meeting unrealistic targets, bad bosses, etc. We can change our life expectations to suit our innate psyche & real needs… Read more »

Shriek
Shriek
2 Dec 2018 11.17am
Reply to  tunglang

Stay. Healthy by complain less, one ton mee too heavy and kopi kau kau too black.

V Ramesh
V Ramesh
2 Dec 2018 1.06pm
Reply to  tunglang

Yes, stay healthy and walk at least 10,000 steps a day. You can do it if you can stop driving and try walking instead.

Xiao Wei
Xiao Wei
4 Dec 2018 11.44am
Reply to  V Ramesh

10000 steps can only burn calories equivalent to one roti canai + teh tarik! So eat wisely if you cannot walk long duration.

glissantia
glissantia
2 Dec 2018 1.26pm
Reply to  tunglang

All the sects and places of worship have such problems. Start small, build obedience, capture the management, extract money for “noble” causes, and launch the big projects. Even better if developer wants you to relocate. Unlike Singapore, gomen won’t interfere on the grounds of “sensitivity”. The typoons in charge invite tycoon gurus who fly in first class or on their own jets. There is no cure for stupidity.

I AGREE that Adventist Hosp. has joined the mon
I AGREE that Adventist Hosp. has joined the mon
2 Dec 2018 10.28pm
Reply to  tunglang

I AGREE that Adventist Hosp. has joined the money-spinning bunch of overcharging patients…
But also, Anil, I was disappointed to read under 4: “those who are unable to afford private medical treatment or medical insurance.” As if going for private medical care is the best, not public hospitals. There are excellent doctors in GH, just overworked, don’t make it sound so third class. Money cannot buy health… true, the best solution is: don’t get sick

tunglang
3 Dec 2018 2.04pm
Reply to  Anil Netto

Anil, to say the GH doctors are overworked doesn’t justify the many medical graduates still waiting for call to service. And why engage foreign Pakistani doctors when we have the supply of graduates to train locally? If the situation warrants for more local doctors, pls get those local graduates to work immediately. And also to amend the CGPA 4.0 entrance qualification for non-bumis applying for medical courses in public unis. How much is CGPA for bumis??? The long impractical race based discriminative entrance qualifications to unis is now not serving the nation well at all except for the kia-su attitude… Read more »

Xiao Wei
Xiao Wei
4 Dec 2018 11.46am
Reply to  tunglang

Different KPIs for different race under 1Malaysia.
Malaysia Baru must be brave to implement education policy beyond black shoes black socks.
Admit non Bumi to UiTM, just like getting hotels to open their swimming pools to students.

Shriek
Shriek
6 Dec 2018 10.22am
Reply to  tunglang

Doc overlook because people sick. pg forum should ask online to take bus n not drive.

glissantia
glissantia
5 Dec 2018 6.50pm
Reply to  glissantia

Tunglang and Anil have brought up the issues of unemployed doctors, overworked medical staff and underfunded govt. hospitals. There is also the issue of so many preventable diseases. These are the “trees”; I hope you can see the forest behind these needless problems. Promoting the private sector, profits, growth, “development”, boosting investor confidence, selectively cutting trade barriers, IP rights… these are different facets of the root of most evil.

Shriek
Shriek
6 Dec 2018 10.26am
Reply to  Anil Netto

Yes, Penang forum should orso focus on this. Who make all these problems? Tokong, chow? It is the people themselves. Overseas NGOs promote solar, recycle, compost, build highways but must orso build cycle lanes.

Shriek
Shriek
6 Dec 2018 5.06pm
Reply to  Anil Netto

Ask the 23k and kawan to sign online no plastic bags, compost all the unwanted or rotten fruits n begs.

tunglang
6 Dec 2018 9.30pm
Reply to  glissantia

You know what – MBPP contractors simply cut off/shorten the tree branches of roadside trees to almost no branches sans the leaves! Go to Jalan Free School after the Heng Ee High Sch. roundabout to witness the senseless brainless tree trimming. The dire consequence of such trimming exercise are forcing tree birds to flee or die. These birds actually feed on insects like mosquitoes & by reducing the bird population via senseless tree trimming, we actually will see a rise in dengue cases. In fact for the past 2 months, I personally witnessed more than 6-7 fogging in Taman Free… Read more »

Wei
Wei
10 Dec 2018 9.53am
Reply to  tunglang

your ‘tree birds” s… a lot and spread diseases, tunglang very romantic but forget about maintenance. maybe tunglang can help by cleaning up the s… on the ground ?