The Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) has issued a clarification over a report in The Star yesterday that is at pains to stress there is no difference in position between the Council and state government over the Penang International Convention Centre (PICC).
The clarification seems to be an attempt at damage control. The MPPP chief’s views reported yesterday would not have pleased the state government. Let me just say, for what it’s worth, I fully support her position that no Council funds should be used for PICC. Remember what happened to Batu Kawan Stadium, that white elephant? Two more convention centres are coming up under private projects – so why get the MPPP to undertake PICC (even with private assistance)?
In the MPPP clarification (below), they say they are inviting the private sector to help reduce the burden of building PICC. But if there is no private interest, the MPPP will abide by the state government’s decision – which means using Council funds? Please, NO!
Even if there is private interest in the PICC, all dealings have to be at arm’s length/market prices to protect the interests of the public and to ensure the financial feasibility of the project. Also, all the relevant studies must be carried out, including market studies, traffic dispersal and parking facilities and the impact on Pisa (why can’t it just be upgraded? why this insistence on yet another convention centre?).
What do you think?
Bil : 32/2010
Pengarang The Star,
Tuan,
Keratan Akhbar : The Star Bertarikh 27.03.2010
Tajuk : ‘MPPP Head Not Infavour Of The Council Funding RM50 Mil PICC’
________________________________________________________________Majlis merujuk kepada laporan seperti tajuk di atas yang disiarkan di dalam akhbar tuan pada 27.03.2010.
Majlis ingin membetulkan laporan akhbar tuan berhubung dengan kenyataan bagi projek PICC.
Untuk makluman tuan, MPPP menyokong penuh cadangan projek PICC seperti mana yang dinyatakan oleh YAB Ketua Menteri dan ingin mempelawa pihak swasta sama ada menanggung kos atau mengurangakna kos pembinan.
Sekiranya tiada pihak swasta yang sesuai, maka MPPP akan akur kepada keputusan Kerajaan Negeri untuk meneruskan projek PICC.
Oleh itu, tidak timbul langsung perbezaan pendirian di antara MPPP ataupun Cik Patahiyah dengan Kerajaan Negeri.
Sekian, dimaklumkan.
Dikeluarkan oleh :
Bahagian Perhubungan Awam
Majlis Perbandaran Pulau PinangBertarikh: 27 Mac 2010
s.k : Yg. Bhg. Yang Dipertua
Setiausaha Perbandaran
Pengarah Khidmat Pengurusan
Pengarah Perkhidmatan Perbandaran,
Kesihatan Awam dan Pelesenan
Penasihat Undang-undang
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See http://cj.my/video/18903/picc—mppp-clarifies.html
Better to use the money for maintenance of current utilities like roads, street lights, flyovers, public transports, etc….
So much needs upgrading too. As there’s hardly any follow-ups on most projects after being built.
Only when a structure collaspe, then you see them “pointing” fingers…!
For heaven’s sake lah..! Need us to tell these goverment “servants” how to do their jobs…?????
The convention centers undertake by private companies are bigger than the PICC. Why spend our RM50million on a kaisu mini convention center? No big no small.
Plain and simple.
Those “yadda yadda” people never saw a REAL convention center before.
For them, any building with four walls plus a roof is good enough to be a convention center already.
And for them, any building larger than their tiny little apartment is “large enough” to become a convention center already.
They have no idea what “BIG” is, neither they have any inkling how a CONVENTION CENTER functions.
KL also has traffic jams, narrow roads and garbage. Why they have even bigger hyper size Convention halls and people from all penang still love to flock down to KL Convention halls and never complain the expensive rumah tumpangan and lousy char keow teow and hokkien mee?
If Penang State Government insisted that PICC to be built with MPPP fund, it better assured that corresponding infrastructure is readily available.
Georgetown’s narrow roads, flash flood, dirty streets are all to be improved before PICC is ready, traffic jams too should be eased, else PICC will further affect the Rakyat than to help them.
Until and unless the PBG issue is settled, no negotiation of any kind about the PICC, and Penangnites must come out, bangkit, and let us meet at PBG on a suitable date to show our displeasure to DAP!
Talk big, but cannot handle small issue like the PBG, if anything happens in Penang, folks, you just handle it yourself! Small issues – solve it yourself, Big issues – please do not tell me, medium scale issues? Blame it on the previous Government!
Senang nak memerintah aje!
If you want the PICC make sure that you can hold at least 12-18 major conferences/ seminars a year. Otherwise forget it and redirect all those who want to hold conferences/ seminars in Penang to Kuala Lumpue where the existing Conference centres are grossly under utilized.
Dear Anil,
I am not sure about the law, but is there a law that clearly stated that the money belongs to MPPP (Municipal Council) must be used to support ANY and ALL state projects?
If there is no such law, is there something we Penangites can do to ensure that the RM 50 Million not be used to build that white elephant?
Vote LGE out in next election!
Then vote you in?