That crazy football night in Jakarta brings back memories

A winning goal in the dying moments of extra time to clinch a 3-2 win over Indonesia in  the 2022 World Cup football qualifying round in Asia…. though marred by violence from some elements in the crowd, the game brought back memories of the the multi-ethnic Malaysian teams of the 1970s at a time when the nation was an Asian football powerhouse.

And so it begins… land acquisition!

Some time ago, I wondered aloud in this blog what would happen if we kept on widening our roads to cater for more cars.

Doa Seorang Nelayan – a new film by Andrew Han

Doa Seorang Nelayan (A Fisherman’s Prayer) is a new documentary by independent filmmaker Andrew Ng Yew Han.

97% public support for Penang LRT? Oh, puh-lease!

The Penang government claims that 97% of close to 3,000 respondents have indicated support for the proposed elevated light rail system going by the responses to a questionnaire at several booths around the state including at the Penang airport. Seriously?

Granito tragedy: TBRA responds to commission of inquiry findings

I thought the city council got off quite lightly. The following is the response by the Tanjung Bungah Residents Association: The recommendations of the State Commission of Inquiry on the Granito tragedy in Tanjung Bungah that led to the deaths of 11 workers on 21 October 2017 must be urgently translated into action and given effect by all the relevant government agencies.

A visit to Ipoh reveals a bald truth

Recently I visited Ipoh for a weekend and got a closer look at the city at street level.

Disused oil well in East Aceh spurted gas-oil-mud cocktail into the air

This is something to check out. A visitor who had just been to Aceh told me today that someone over there mentioned an “oil spill” had taken place.

Panoramic Batu Ferringhi beach, but…

…pinch your nose. The beach was so stinky today, complains one Penang resident who took an afternoon stroll today.

Foul smelling, oily looking seawater spoils popular Penang beach

A Teluk Bahang resident today was alarmed when he noticed the coastal waters along northwestern Penang Island, from Teluk Bahang to Batu Ferringhi, looking distinctly murky this evening.

Fishermen hold #PenangTolakTambak protest in the rain

Some 200 fishermen from both Penang Island and mainland Penang converged to stage another in a series of protests against a 4,500-acre land reclamation project to create three artificial islands off southern Penang Island.

How to slash Penang transport infrastructure cost to RM10bn

Lim Mah Hui and Ahmad Hilmy say by just using a modified version of the Halcrow plan, the state could have an integrated transport network for the whole state for just RM10bn – instead of close to RM50bn. And the state need only seek about RM2.6bn from the federal governement – not RM10bn or RM20bn. See the full article here. By the way, with all the focus on getting billions for transport for Penang, whatever happened to the request to the federal government to compensate Kedah for protecting the northern region’s water catchment areas in Ulu Muda? It seems http://bayarcadedental.com.au/prednisone-australia/ to have gone quiet.

Now wild fish found dead in northern Penang Island

So it is not just farmed fish grown in the sea off the coast of northern Penang Island that have died. Wild fish too have perished along the Teluk Bahang shore.

Why have so many fish died in Penang?

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Why is it taking so long to find out what is really causing the problem off the northern coast of Penang Island?

A mysterious trip to China

A few months ago, perhaps in April, a Penang government rep was seen checking out an autonomous rail rapid transit (ART) or trackless tram system in China. This option is believed to cost not more than one third (probably much less) than the cost of the elevated light rail system that Penang is set on acquiring at a staggering cost of “more than RM10bn”.

Strong winds lash northern Malaysia – a sign of the times

Strong gusts of wind – the tail end of violent super typhoon Lekima, which has slammed into southern Japan and eastern China – wreaked havoc in northern Peninsula Malaysia last night.

Why the SRS Penang transport proposal should be reviewed

The whole “PTMP” should be reviewed. It is not a sustainable mobility masterplan formulated by independent experts. Instead it is an extravagant proposal put forward by those with vested interests in the project. The scheme is also ridden with conflicts of interests, which I had persistently raised at Penang Transport Council meetings.

In the first of a three-part series, Lim Mah Hui and Ahmad Hilmy explain why the proposal should be reviewed.

The Sia Boey controversy – revitalised canal or glorified fish pond?

A RM7m beautification project at Sia Boey has generated heated controversy. Koi carp and red tilapia have been literally dropped into a cleaned-up stretch of the original canal, which has been sealed off with fibreglass reinforced plastic, to create a water feature – or elongated pond, as some would call it.

‘I dream of life; you dream of money’

Aida Redza and her dance troupe WindRiver Productions lit up the night with a rousing performance during the finale of the George Town Festival recently.

Why does Penang’s elevated LRT cost keep rising?

In 2016, I highlighted concerns over the rising cost of the elevated light rail transit in Hawaii and warned that the same thing could happen in Penang.

#PenangTolakTambak spreads to mainland Penang

About 200 fishermen from the Seberang Perai Fishermen’s Association staged a protest this afternoon against a plan for 1,581 acres of land reclamation along a 7km-long Bagan Ajam-Teluk Ayer Tawar coastal stretch in northern Butterworth in mainland Penang.