Penang Turf Club member to move for EGM to reclassify land back to “recreational” status

Anil Netto
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turf club

In a surprise development, a prominent Penang Turf Club member, Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping, said he will, together with a group of members, “requisite for for an EGM to be convened as soon as possible to pass a resolution mandating the Turf Club committee to take immediate steps to submit application to the authorities to reclassify the racecourse back to its original open space for sports and recreational land use”.

This is to ensure once and for all that the racecourse shall forever be preserved as a green lung for the Penang people, he said in a press statement today.

If his call is heeded, it could present a way out of the Penang state government’s current predicament. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had indicated that the state government was concerned that if it initiated a move to reclassify the land back to recreational status, it could expose the state to claims of compensation.

Tan said he had been personally against the decision to sell the Batu Gantong land and build a new racecourse in Batu Kawan. He said he voted against the move during an EGM in 2002.

He also disagreed with a recent proposal, mooted by some members, for the Turf Club to consider selling the land to members and subdividing it into bungalow lots for members to profit from.

“I strongly believe that the racecourse be preserved as open space or green lung,” he stressed, adding that there should not be any form of commercial development for monetary gain to any group.

If one traces the history of the racecourse, the 260 acres of land was acceded to PTC by the Straits Settlement Government for a “nominal sum” in 1935 for recreational use as a racecourse, he pointed out.

“Since it was intended for recreational purposes from the beginning, PTC should safeguard and honour the trust bestowed upon the club at all times.”

The club cannot simply sell the land for commercial activity or financial gain, he said.

He questioned how the club could allow the land to be turned over for a mega project for the benefit of “a small group of politically connected individuals to rake in billions of ringgit in profit without considering the massive social, cultural and physical impact affecting the lives of Penang people”.

He said it did not make commercial sense to throw away the existing buildings and facilities that cost nearly RM50 million to acquire over the years and to give up the club’s “first grade” land in the heart of the city in exchange for 300 acres of 60-year leasehold land in Batu Kawan.

“The Batu Gantong racecourse is a well-known landmark in Penang and it is a real shame to destroy the iconic heritage, particularly as the Government is trying to get the UN to designate George Town a heritage or historic city,” said Tan. He noted that other well-known racecourses in the world, including the HK Jockey Club, are located within city limits.

He said if the Turf Club wanted to raise funds to upgrade its facilities and racetrack, it could expand its membership from the current 580 to generate additional funds through new membership entrance fees.

Tan had stood for election to the Committee in 1992 but was not successful. He said he was no longer interested in running for the presidency or for a committee position.

Instead, he now prefers to focus on serving the Chinese business community through the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and “closer to my heart, community service through education in Han Chiang High School, Han Chiang College and Han Chiang Primary School in Penang”.

Tan is the current chairman of the Board of Governors of Penang Han Chiang Associated Chinese Schools Association, a non-profit organisation. The Han Chiang school authorities allowed the DAP to hold a mammoth 60,000-strong rally a couple of days before the 8 March general election – a move which helped catapult the party to power in Penang.

Critics of the PGCC deal have urged the state government to investigate the background to the shady deal, in particular to discover who was really responsible for pushing for the relocation of the racecourse to the mainland and and to find out how over 1,000 acres of Batu Kawan land was allotted to Abad Naluri Sdn Bhd.

Tan is now expected to file a court case tomorrow on issues related to the sale of the Turf Club land.

Mokhzani follows Dad out of Umno: Mahathir’s multi-prong strategy

Anil Netto
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So Harakahdaily reports that Mokhzani is following his Dad out of Umno. He reportedly made the announcement this morning. The shrewd politician that he is, Mahathir probably has a few tricks up his sleeve. Scheming and scheming all the time… I believe he is opting for a multi-prong strategy in his battle to unseat Abdullah and put in place a crony who would protect his interests before Anwar and his Pakatan boys can take over. The strategy would work at various levels. From outside: By leaving Umno, Mahathir will be freer to step up his attacks against the current Umno leadership. From below: Through his son Mukhriz, Mahathir now has a Trojan Horse inside Umno. Mukhriz has already shown that he will step up the pressure from below. From the top: Razaleigh has already thrown down the gauntlet in his bid to challenge Abdullah for the Umno presidency. Will Mahathir now openly throw his backing behind his one-time archfoe in a bid to unseat Abdullah? From the flanks: By leaving Umno, he is also providing another option for BN members thinking of defecting. They could now become Independent MPs in Parliament, who will be “kingmakers” in the sense that their numbers could be crucial in deciding who is going to form a new government. They would then be in a position to demand key positions in a new administration, whether it is BN or Pakatan. Play up racial sentiments: Gone is all his rhetoric about Bangsa Malaysia. Now he is actively courting Malay support by manipulating base, primordial communal sentiments as he did in Johor a few days ago. He openly talked about Ketuanan Melayu and about the Malays losing their rights – pointing to Singapore and Hindraf as bogeymen! It is no contradiction. Mahathir will do or say anything as long as it serves his own personal interests, as Wong Kok Keong writes in Aliran. But Mahathir underestimates the Malays these days, many of whom can see through such language. The “market” for those willing to “buy” such rhetoric is rapidly shrinking, but that is not stopping him from whipping up sentiment among the hardcore remnants. Watch this guy’s next move… He is clearly petrified that Anwar will take over and open the books on the Mahathir years. The “Lingam Tape” Royal Commission of Inquiry recommendations jolted him and convinced him that he had to take decisive action now to ward off future threats to his “legacy”. For example, look what happened to Malaysia Airlines in the 1990s. I was just talking to a former senior finance officer in Malaysia Airlines. He told me that in the mid-1990s, just a couple of years after Tajudin Ramli had taken over the helm from Dato Kamaruddin, who was seen as incorruptible, Malaysia Airlines had RM1.3 billion in cash reserves and they had no problem securing billions in loans, if necessary. But within a few years, Malaysia Airlines was struggling even to pay staff salaries. Where did all that money go? If that wasn’t bad enough, the government bought back MAS shares from Tajudin at RM8 when the market value was around RM3.60. Where is Tajudin today? And where has Daim gone? How did Mahathir allow this to happen under his administration? In Mahathir’s case, parting is such sweet sorrow… and rather protracted too! Here are the different stages of his farewell after 22 years in power: 2002 – Announces shock decision to quit 2003 – Steps down as PM 2007 – Fails to get elected as a delegate to Umno general assembly 2008 – Quits Umno. Now what? This is a piece I wrote for Asia Times: Fake farewell for Malaysia’s Mahathir By Anil Netto PENANG – Former premier Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to quit the ruling United Malays Nasional Organization (UMNO) on Monday represents his strongest political protest yet against his hand-picked successor Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi – and perhaps his biggest gamble. His high-stakes decision came after a royal commission of inquiry last week recommended that the former prime minister and a number of his associates face probes under various laws for suspected involvement in the fixing of appointments, promotions and removal of judges, including the sacking of six top judges in 1988, which critics claim permanently undermined the judiciary’s independence. Full article

Ku Li tells 1,000-strong crowd he is going for top post after Mahathir quits Umno

Anil Netto
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5.30pm – Ku Li has addressed a crowd of over 1,000 people at the ballroom of another hotel in Alor Star. Commenting on Dr Mahathir’s shock decision to quit, he said that the former premier had wanted to send a strong message to Umno. Tengku Razeleigh also said he would be challenging for the top post in the party. He added that the quota system for nominations should be abolished. And he stressed that a more democratic culture is needed in Umno. One political analyst at the scene told me he now believes that Mahathir will be backing Razaleigh in the latter’s bid for the top post. Ironically, it was Mahathir who introduced the nomination quota system to ward off further challenges from Razaleigh after he narrowly squeezed through in the 1987 Umno election. 2.28pm – Tengku Razaleigh is expected to address a gathering in Alor Star this afternoon. It comes hot on the heels of Mahathir’s shock announcement here earlier today, in front of a crowd of around 2,000, that he is quitting Umno.

Mahathir quits Umno: What’s next – Umno Baru Baru?

Anil Netto
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So the man who established Umno Baru in 1988 quits the party he founded in a huff. Now this comes just a few days after he and a string of his cronies were accused of involvement in the fixing of appointments of judges. Over the last few months, Mahathir has watched from the sidelines as his house of cards, built over 22 years, came tumbling down. All that waste and corruption and cronyism and superficial nation building during his administration finally came home to roost. The last straw was probably the release of the findings of the royal commission report on the Lingam Tape. When I sent the news to a friend that Mahathir was leaving Umno, I received the following message in response: “And form Umno Baru Baru?” Another friend joked, in a text message: “He is joining PKR :-)” Later he sent another message: “You know Umno is in trouble when the r__s start abandoning ship.” The sandiwara continues – but I can only see Pakatan Rakyat growing stronger as Umno founders like the Titanic after hitting an iceberg, sinking inch by inch. The diehard band (on the Fourth Floor?) plays on but the passengers are scurrying helter skelter to abandon ship. But are there enough life-boats to go around? Is this the beginning of the end for Umno? What will Mukhriz do now? Is Najib all alone now? Will Razaleigh make his move now? I can only imagine the factionalism deepening ahead of the party polls at the end of December. But can we discount the Mahathir camp altogether? Surely he has a trick or two up his sleeve. Can we just expect him to remain a passive observer in the months leading to the Umno polls? His move could be aimed at heightening the sense of crisis within Umno, thereby making it easier for Abdullah Badawi’s rivals to launch a challenge for the top post. And if the rival aligned to Mahathir triumphs in the party election, would the Mahathir camp return to Umno as Mahathir himself has suggested they would once Abdullah is ousted? It ain’t over till it’s over. Meanwhile, what kind of impact will this have on the Sabah MPs who are already making their presence felt and making all kinds of veiled demands?

How did Abad Naluri get over 1,000 acres of Batu Kawan land?

Anil Netto
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When discussing the RM1.5 billion PGCC scandal along with the scandalous rezoning from “recreational” land to “new development”, we cannot afford to ignore what was going on in Batu Kawan, which is closely connected to the PGCC saga. The PGCC and Batu Kawan deals reveal some highly questionable circumstances. During a meeting between Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and activists a couple of days ago, I suggested to the Chief Minister that the state government initiates an in-depth probe to uncover the business-political connections in the PGCC-Batu Kawan deals while thoroughly examining the re-zoning of the Batu Gantung land. For there is more to these deals than meets the eye. It is important to recall that Abad Naluri did not actually own the Batu Kawan site in 2002 when it submitted its tender to the Penang Turf Club. After all, the principal or master agreement for the acquisition of the Batu Kawan land from the PDC was only entered into in 2004. Now let’s look at this revealing chronology of events – including the changes in the political leadership in Putrajaya during the crucial 2002-2004 period: 2002 May 9 – Abad Naluri submits tender for Penang Turf Club’s relocation and sale of Batu Gantung land. The tender letter, signed by a politically well connected individual in the firm then, claims that Abad Naluri would build a new race-course for the Penang Turf Club at a 250-acre site at Batu Kawan, which it says has already been “approved” by the PDC. Who exactly signed the “approval letter”? June – Mahathir annouces shock decision to quit. Umno issues statement confirming that Mahathir will be replaced by his deputy Abdullah Badawi towards the end of 2003. Nov 25 – Turf Club EGM approves sale of Turf Club land in Batu Gantung and acquisition of Batu Kawan site. 2003 March 21 – Preliminary agreement said to have been entered into between the Turf Club and Abad Naluri. Under this agreement, Abad Naluri pays advances totalling RM10 million, presumably as “compensation” to Turf Club members. Nov 1 – Abdullah Badawi formally takes over as PM from Mahathir. 2004 Jan 16 – Penang Development Corporation enters into a ‘master agreement’ to sell about eight parcels of land on the mainland in Batu Kawan, totalling over 1,000 acres, to one very “fortunate” company, Abad Naluri. One of these parcels, measuring 300 acres, is for the new racecourse site. The purchase consideration for this parcel is later said to be RM46 million. On what basis was 1,000 acres of potential prime land allotted to one firm? Mar 21 – Abdullah Badawi cements position as PM after leading BN to landslide victory in general election. May 12 – Agreement entered into between Turf Club and Abad Naluri for the sale of the Turf Club land in Batu Gantung on the island at a low, low “recreational land” price of RM43 per sq ft. (Why would the Turf Club sell to a property developer at such a low “recreational land” price when it knows the latter is going to develop the land? Doesn’t make sense, unless…) 2005 July 5 – Layout plan for Batu Kawan race-course approved by MPSP even though terms of PDC’s actual S&P agreement with Abad Naluri not yet finalised. 2006 By Sept/Oct – Abad Naluri submits application for planning permission re PGCC on the Turf Club land. Draft Penang Structure Plan indicates that rezoning almost a done deal – apparently and amazingly without any application from the developer. Nov 12 – Abdullah Badawi officiates at the ground-breaking ceremony of the proposed second bridge site in Batu Kawan, which by a happy ‘coincidence’ happens to sit right next to the proposed Batu Kawan race-course site and close to Abad Naluri’s other parcels of land. 2007 June 28 – Conversion of Turf Club land from recreational land to “new development” is gazetted under the Penang Structure Plan, turning PGCC developer Abad Naluri into instant billionaire firm, after spending only RM10 million on the land! Oct 17 – Prime Minister Abdullah launches PGCC project, flanked by then Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon, Patrick Lim and the Abad Naluri chairman – even though acquisition of Turf Club land not yet completed and work on Batu Kawan race-course has barely begun. Now, after all this, don’t you think that Guan Eng has strong grounds to look again at how the re-zoning of the Turf Club land to “new development” was carried out – and how over 1,000 acres of Batu Kawan land was allotted to Abad Naluri? I believe he shouldn’t worry about compensation claims from Abad Naluri as he stands on much stronger ground, considering the business-political connections behind the Turf Club-Abad Naluri-PDC deals and the highly questionable re-zoning. Onward towards the Penang People’s Park!

How to stop any development of Penang Turf Club for now

Anil Netto
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The dream of a Penang People’s Park lives on. But Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng seems concerned that if he rezones the Penang Turf Club land back from “development” status to “recreational”, it could expose the state government to claims of compensation. But he needn’t have to worry too much. For the Penang state government holds a trump card. It can take back the Batu Kawan land and, in doing so, foil any bid to develop the Penang Turf Club land by 2011. In April 2008, the Penang Turf Club signed a supplementary agreement with Abad Naluri Sdn Bhd, extending by three years its original agreement signed in 2004 to March 2011. Under this agreement, the requirement for Abad Naluri to build a new racecourse in Batu Kawan is still there. But there are concerns that new parties could be taking over the reins at Abad Naluri or Equine with other plans for property development on the Penang Turb Club land. One way to preserve the Turf Club’s green lung for now is for the Penang state government to block the sale of the Batu Kawan land to Abad Naluri. It can easily do this. The master agreement between the Penang Development Corporation and Abad Naluri for various parcels of land totalling more than 1,000 acres (wow, 1,000 acres to one company! very lucky one!), was signed in January 2004. Under this agreement, Abad Naluri was given four years to settle the purchase consideration. But until now, the actual sale and purchase agreement for the Batu Kawan racecourse parcel of 300 acres apparently has not yet even been signed, and the land has not been paid for – even though payment should have been made by January 2008. So the PDC can take back the Batu Kawan land, effectively making it impossible for Abad Naluri to build a new racecourse on the mainland for the Turf Club. If the PDC were to do this, Abad Naluri would be unable to fulfil its part of the agreement with the Turf Club. Now, the background to how Abad Naluri was awarded the tender in 2002 for the relocation of the Turf Club gets very interesting. In 2002, four parties were said to be involved in the bidding for the Turf Club relocation plan, namely firms linked to two different tycoons in KL, another one in Penang and Abad Naluri. One of these parties is now said to be eyeing the Turf Club land again. Abad Naluri’s tender is believed to have been submitted and signed in May 2002 by someone in the company then who was politically well-connected (try and guess who it was – it’s not Patrick Lim, who many believe was just a ‘front man’). Abad Naluri is believed to have been awarded the tender because of its ability to build a new racecourse in Batu Kawan. The firm had claimed that it had a land bank of 250 acres in Batu Kawan which it could use to build the new racecourse and it had a “letter of approval” (from the PDC?) to support that claim. But the funny thing is that the master agreement between PDC and Abad Naluri for the Batu Kawan land was only signed in January 2004. The agreement included the parcel of 300 acres for the Batu Kawan racecourse. So this means that when Abad Naluri submitted its tender, it had not yet entered into the master agreement with Batu Kawan. But that did not stop Abad Naluri from already claiming it had 250 acres to build the race-course. And the Penang Turf Club believed this – based on a letter of approval? Blog reader dontplaypuks left this comment:

Knowing state governments, government departments and local councils, I will bet my bottom $ that proper procedures were not adhered to and that the decision was ultra vires their powers. e.g an EIA may not have been done or there was no quorum in the approval given by the State Govt. or a public inquiry that ought to have been held, was not.

Under those circumstances, if the conversion can be proven illegal or beyond the powers of the state, then the conversion can be reversed.

I am sure LGE, who now has the resources of a whole state and access to the best local lawyers, can get cracking on this, pronto!!

Another blog reader, rhino, says Penang desperately needs more recreational space:

We need the PEOPLES PARK!!! Ask LGE to take a walk in Botanical Gardens and Youth Park during the weekends. See for himself how utterly bad the situation is, and how desperate people are for that little space to exercise.

And, it is a tourist stop-over. Utterly shameful for Penang. Even weekdays go and see for yourself how badly a park is needed.

No more space for people to exercise!

Blog reader Andrew sent in this message: “I don’t care how Guan Eng does it; I am not interested in all the legal and business obstacles. We elected him to do something different – and we want the People’s Park!”

Bloggers launch “Penangites for Trams” campaign

Anil Netto
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Today, several Penang-based bloggers and websites simultaneously launched a “Penangites for Trams” campaign. bloggersWe hope more bloggers and webmasters – especially all those who care for Penang – will join in the campaign by placing these graphics on their blogs or websites. You may link the graphic to the URL for this post or choose to link to any other article or post about trams. Leave a comment here and you will then be added to the list below of blogs/websites supporting the campaign. This will help to raise awareness of the viability of trams. Of course, trams work best as part of an integrated public transport system, complementing an efficient and extensive network of buses and other forms of eco-friendly transport. The latest issue of business weekly The Edge carries a full-page article in support of the re-introduction of trams in Penang. But one major caveat: Any proposal to bring back trams must be based on the soundest financial feasibility study, with room for possible cost overruns provided. The over-riding concern is that the project should not be a drain on public resources. So far, these are the bloggers and websites that support the re-introduction of trams in Penang:penang trams
  1. Mustafa K Anuar
  2. Susan Loone
  3. Mucked in a Jam
  4. Penang Watch
  5. Kris Khaira
  6. Surind
  7. Anything Goes
  8. LAH-mour
  9. No Kacau and Don’t Kacau
  10. Stephen Doss
  11. Contemporary Malaysia
  12. Black and White (Justin Choo)
  13. The Kuala Lumpur Traveller
  14. Forest Explorers
  15. Apprize
  16. News for Malaysians
  17. Wartawan Rasmi Laman Reformasi
  18. DanielYKL
  19. Lucia Lai
  20. I am a Malaysian
  21. Carol and Jeffrey’s Big View of the World
  22. Lestari Heritage Network
  23. Motivation in Motion
  24. World Messenger
  25. Brand Bounce
  26. Sources of Life
  27. Maaran Matters
  28. Messy Christian
  29. Sivin Kit’s Garden
  30. u-jean
  31. Fair is what fair wants
  32. BalikPulau.org
  33. Sally Knits
  34. Accidental Blogger
  35. The Freak
  36. The Stray World
  37. Rainstormz
  38. The Dreamkid Lair
  39. pbsiew
  40. Binding Love
  41. Everything under the Malaysian Sun
  42. Strategic Analysis and Thoughts
  43. Justice4otk
  44. Ecowarriorz
  45. Teohyj
  46. prashant’s trashpan
  47. anilnetto.com

Suaram activists released on police bail, complain of “mala fide”

Anil Netto
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This morning, Suaram Penang coordinator Lau Shu Shi, who is also Penang coordinator for the Abolish ISA Movement (GMI), and Teh Chun Hong were released on police bail. Shu Shi told me she is required to report to the police on 21 May to find out about a possible charge under Section 90 of the Police Act. Section 90 covers disorderly conduct in police stations and states that “any person who, in a police station behaves in a riotous, indecent, disorderly or insulting manner shall be guilty of an offence under this Act”. She also has to report on 24 May pertaining to a possible charge under Section 27 of the Police Act. This section is about police powers to regulate assemblies, meetings and processions including the requirement for organisers to apply for a licence for an assembly. She said she was brought to the court premises this morning but remained in the court lock-up cell without being actually produced in court. They were both later released on police bail. “So it was mala fide (bad faith),” she said. Suaram activists are arguing that there was no need to hold them overnight at the police station if they were not going to be produced in court the next day. They already had their statements recorded yesterday. One activist at the scene told me the case was not registered for the morning. The press had turned up in full force with video camera crew but after waiting for a couple of hours, nothing happened. Shu Shi and Chun Hong, a Suaram secretariat member who also works for Pesticide Action Network, are represented by lawyer Darshan Singh. Both the Suaram activists had participated in an Anti-ISA gathering in Penang yesterday in support of ISA detainee and Hindraf adviser P Uthayakumar’s attempts to seek medical treatment in IJN. The above videoclip shows how Chun Hong was detained and handcuffed yesterday soon after he had filmed the scene at the Patani Road police station. Hmm, instead of curbing crime, they are arresting and charging peaceful activists and demonstrators. Remember, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, when faced with an Umno-led demonstration soon after he took over the helm of the state government, had said he does not oppose peaceful demonstrations. In fact, the Chief Minister himself had recently participated at an Anti-ISA forum organised by some of the groups involved in yesterday’s demonstration. So, if the state government doesn’t mind such demonstrations and in fact even supports the GMI campaign to abolish the ISA, whose interests were the police really serving by locking up Shu Shi, the Penang GMI coordinator, and her colleague last night?

PGCC the biggest land scam: Guan Eng slams Koh and Teng

Anil Netto
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The PGCC project has been the biggest land scam in Penang, Penang Chief Minister Guan Eng said today, adding there were a couple of other large scams still under investigation. He was responding to a statement by Teng Hock Nan yesterday (see full statement below). The previous Penang state government had converted the Turf Club land from open recreational area to “new development” under the Penang Structure Plan gazetted in June 2007. Critics claim the state lost between RM120 million and RM400 million in conversion fees as the conversion was done before the PGCC project was approved while the state forfeited RM1.5 billion in potential revaluation surplus, which it would have earned had it purchased the land from the Penang Turf Club itself instead of allowing the land to be sold to Abad Naluri. A priceless green lung has also been put in danger of being turned into a congrete jungle instead of into a People’s Park. Teng said yesterday the Municipal Council had not made any decision on the PGCC nor had the previous state government decided whether and how much premiums or charges to levy on Abad Naluri, the PGCC developer. “Therefore, since no decision has been made as yet, it is up to the new state government and the MPPP to make whatever decision that they think suitable with respect to the site and any development proposal, including whatever charges to be imposed.” In response, Guan Eng said: “I want to ask Koh Tsu Koon what are the consequences of (re)rezoning the land.” He said he knew the consequences but he wanted Koh to tell him. “Show me you are on top of your job. You have been chief minister for 18 years. You tell me what are the consequences should we want to rezone it,” he challenged Koh. Guan Eng said all this with a smile. “Koh Tsu Koon is in big trouble,” observed one journalist who was present. Some believe that rezoning the land back to recreational status could leave the state open to claims for compensation. So the state might not want to do anything with the land at the moment and just leave things as they are – but that could open the land to other forms of property development later, dashing hopes that it could be turned into a People’s Park. As one activist observed, Teng’s statement yesterday just reinforced the fact that nothing has been approved, but failed to answer why the previous state government rezoned the land without waiting for an application from the developer. Guan Eng posed more pointed questions to Koh and Teng. When the change was made from tanah lapang dan rekreasi to pembangunan baru, how does this benefit the public interest, he asked. “Why and how did you change this?” As for the previous administration holding public hearings to obtain the views of the public, Guan Eng said he would let the NGOs reply to this. He said as far as he knew, civil society groups were largely unaware of these public hearings. The Penang Chief Minister added Koh and Teng had misled the Prime Minister when they got him to officiate at the launch of the PGCC last October, when the project had not yet been approved. “Why did you allow the PM to embarrass himself in launching an illegal project?” One activist remarked that he finds it hard to believe that Abdullah was not aware of the background and status of the project. The PM had said back then he wanted all approvals to be expedited. Another activist commented:
Looks like more and more of the chickens are coming back to roost. I’m waiting for more fireworks to light up the Malaysian new dawn especially now with the Police coming into the picture.
Who knows more of the buried worms will also emerge from the turf club…… ??
Syabas to the small (or should I say little) sparks painstakingly labored by the PGCC campaign group.
The remnants (NGOs) have done it again—– to bring on light out of darkness!
And here is Teng’s statement in full:

Statement by Dato’ Dr Teng Hock Nan Former Penang State Exco Member in charge of Local Government

THE PROPOSED PGCC PROJECT: PREVIOUS STATE GOVERNMENT DID NOT APPROVE AS YET PRESENT GOVERNMENT CAN DECIDE AND IMPOSE LEVIES

It must be emphasised that the application for planning permission by the developer of the proposed Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) project has not yet been approved by the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) under the previous state government as of 8 March 2008.

The previous state government has also not made any decision as yet on whether and how much premiums or charges were to be levied on the developer relating to the proposed PGCC project.

The formulation of the structure plan, which made provisions on zoning of development for the whole state, followed the proper provisions and procedure for structure plan under the Town and Country Planning Act. Public exhibitions and hearings were held in 2006 – 2007 on the draft structure plan which was finalised and gazetted in June 2007.

In this respect, the structure plan did not specify the type (residential or commercial or “mixed”) and the scale (density, plot ratio, etc) of “new development” zoned on that site.

The MPPP can still decide whether to reject or approve any development proposal, including the type and the scale. It is also up to the State Planning Committee chaired by the Chief Minister to provide guidance.

Therefore, since no decision has been made as yet, it is up to the new state government and the MPPP to make whatever decision that they think suitable with respect to the site and any development proposal, including whatever charges to be imposed.

Sat, 10/5/2008

Two Suaram activists still held, five others released

Anil Netto
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9.00pm – Five of the activists are released. But Suaram’s Teh Chun Hong and Lau Shu Shi, who is also Penang coordinator of the Abolish ISA Movement (GMI), are still being held. Shu Shi in particular has been actively involved in organising a number of well-attended forums after the 8 March general election. Both are expected to be produced in court in Penang tomorrow morning for possible extension of remand. This reflects badly on the BN federal government’s stance on basic rights and is not likely to win it new friends. Malaysians are not going to be impressed. 7.00pm – Blog reader Kah Seng reports:

MP Liew Chin Tong (Tg Bungah, Bukit Bendera, DAP) was reported there in the afternoon. You reported PKR DUN Ravi was also there.

I was a busy body there from 5pm to 7pm. The police handling was very slow. Went in afternoon, and still taking statements around 7pm. Efficiency? Cepat, cekap, whatever that motto that keeps changing?

Police seemed to be consciously aiming at photo and video takers. Ong was reported to be taking photo when arrested. Satish also said to be following the police with a camera around Gurney Plaza when arrested. Others taking phone video at the police HQ were hassled.

Is the police afraid of multi-racial sympathy toward the ISA detainees?

5.30pm – Three more Hindraf activists or supporters are also said to be held by police: Vimal, Hindraf activist Selvam and press freedom activist Stanley, who had earlier campaigned for a boycott of The Star. This brings the total to seven detained. 3.15pm – About 10-15 people are at the police station. B K Ong, Satish, Suaram Penang coordinator Lau Shu Shi and Suaram secretariat member Teh Chun Ong are being detained. Lawyer Darshan Singh is said to be around. Teh was taken away in handcuffs after he had used his camera at the station while Shu Shi is now being held in the hall of the police station, guarded by policewomen. When Shu Shi tried to resist upon seeing the police handcuffing her colleague Teh, the policewoman told her not to struggle as she (the policewoman) was pregnant. Shu Shi is not sure if she is under arrest but her IC has been taken away and she is being confined to the hall. B K Ong is believed to be somewhere upstairs in the station. 2.00pm – Penang-based Ong Boon Keong, better known as B K Ong, and blogger Satish were detained around noon today after participating in an hour-long demonstration said to be organised by Hindraf to raise awareness of ISA detainee Uthayakumar’s medical condition. They were rallying in support of his attempts to seek further medical attention at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in KL. The two were among 30-50 demonstrators who gathered along Gurney Drive outside Gurney Plaza for about an hour, while some of them were said to have attempted to enter the mall. Police and FRU personnel were at the scene. It is not immediately known what circumstances led to the two being held. A similar demonstration was held at the Prai Megamall on the mainland. Ong, who runs the Penang Watch website, and Satish are now being held at the Patani Road police station. Supporters are waiting in the hall downstairs while Penang State Assembly member Ravi from PKR is now at the scene. I had only met B K Ong at a forum in Penang last night when we were both on the same panel at a Suaram forum discussing the role of Public Service Media and how it can be strengthened. We also critiqued the Pakatan Rakyat’s plans to set up its own newspaper for five states and discussed whether this was a good move. Ong felt that steps should be taken to make it more independent than what was being planned. For my part, I felt that any attempt to set up a state government-backed newspaper would run into problems as it would suffer from credibility issues as a result of public perception of it being backed by the state – especially if editors and key staff are appointed by the party. Such journalism would serve the interests of political masters rather than the public. Good journalism should challenge and critique oppressive power structures. And it would be difficult to do that if a newspaper is funded or owned by the state or if its editors and key staff were appointed by political parties. Surely, that would compromise its editorial independence and journalistic integrity.

Who’s profiting from higher food prices? Certainly not the rice farmers

Anil Netto
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Some people are making big bucks from the higher prices of food, including rice. But not the farmers. The Star (8 May) carried this tiny report on page 32 – it should have been front page headlines, Chun Wai! – telling of how over 2,000 rice farmers in the country’s “rice bowl” state of Kedah are now threatening to turn to oil palm cultivation because of the low price they are getting for their padi. And who can blame them? Many of them are just hovering around the poverty line. The farmers want the padi price to be raised from the current ceiling of 65 sen/kg to RM1/kg. They complain that they have to sell their padi cheap, cheap but when they buy rice, the price is between RM2.20-2.80/kg. Where got meaning? (There’s no ceiling price for rice.) “Farmers have to absorb the escalating costs of fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and seeds,” said Ramli Kasa, the Aman C-III Area Farmers Organisation chairman, in The Star report. So it’s obviously not the farmers who are making big bucks. It has to be the parties in between the farmers and the consumers, right? And the speculators… Meanwhile, Bernas, which was privatised in 1996, made a profit before tax of RM178 million for its 2006 financial year. Are you surprised? Bernas handles rice imports and local distribution.

Top 5 Shareholders (as of 19 April 2007)

No

Shareholders

No. of Shares Held

%

1.

Budaya Generasi (M) Sdn Bhd

144,829,500

30.79

2.

HSBC Nominees (Asing) Sdn Bhd

87,381,800

18.58

3.

Serba Etika Sdn Bhd

30,143,500

6.41

4.

Lembaga Tabung Haji Sdn Bhd

22,590,000

4.80

5.

AIBB Nominees (Tempatan) Sdn Bhd

20,422,000

4.34

Source: Bernas website

Budaya Generasi is controlled by Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary. And of course the share price of Bernas has been surging over the last year even as the rice farmers suffer. There is now talk that Bernas will be taken private. With rice prices surging, it’s a good time to ensure a monopoly of profits as well, eh? See this Business Times report:

Bernas surges on talk it will be taken private

SHARES of the country’s only licensed rice supplier, Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas), closed at their highest in more than two months yesterday on renewed speculation that it will be taken private. The stock rose 2.4 per cent to close at RM2.13. Budaya Generasi (M) Sdn Bhd, controlled by Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary, holds 31 per cent of the company. Other major shareholders like Wang Tak Co Ltd and Lembaga Tabung Haji have been raising their stake in Bernas over the last year or so. Fund managers said the rumour of a buyout is not new. “The share price has been rather firm these few weeks, bolstered by the continued purchase of the company’s stock by existing shareholders,” Philip Capital Management’s Ang Kok Heng said.

Actually, we have neglected our rice farmers for far too long. At one time, we were 90 per cent self sufficient. Then along came Mahathir. He looked down on agriculture. Instead of ensuring that we could produce enough food to meet the needs of the population, he pursued heavy industrialisation – with all its attendant failures and shortcomings – like a man possessed. Under his administration, Universiti Pertanian Malaysian was changed to Universiti Putra Malaysia. He was not alone. Many other Malaysians also felt we could always import cheaper rice – comparative advantage, they said, using an economic term; so why bother about food security and self-sufficiency? Today, such irresponsible neglect of agriculture has come back to haunt us with rising food prices. The newspapers tell us that we are only 70 per cent self-sufficient in rice. But a Bernama report on 19 April had this give-away line:

Malaysia, which imports between 700,000 to 800,000 tonnes annually to complement its 1.1 million local production, buys about 50 to 60 percent from Thailand and the rest from Vietnam, India and Pakistan.

Let’s do the calculation: Local production 1.1 million tonnes divided by total rice requirements (1.1 million tonnes + 750,000 tonnes) = 59 per cent self sufficiency. No wonder we are vulnerable to rising prices and speculation in food prices. Is there an alternative to the pesticide-intensive corporate model of agriculture? How about organic farming? Now, before you say, “Come on, be realistic, it will never be enough to feed the whole country!”, check out the video clip below featuring the amazing organic farming revolution in Cuba, which had the BBC presenter enthused with obvious admiration. In Malaysia and elsewhere, young people are turning away from farming in rural areas and migrating to towns. But in Cuba, many young people and professionals are actually turning to farming – even in their towns and back gardens – and taking obvious pride in it. They see themselves as making a useful contribution to local communities. They use natural pesticides – and the vegetable farms are close to the markets; so they cut down on transport costs too. Let’s give a major role to organic agriculture – which has a tremendous global market potential in the face of the GM food menace and the onslaught of pesticide-laced food products. Remember, we can’t eat semiconductor chips. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRz34Dee7XY&hl=en&rel=0] So there’s nothing to stop us from emulating the Cuban farming revolution. Have a look at this piece I wrote for IPS to discover the likely culprits behind rising food prices. MALAYSIA: Food Futures Behind Rising Prices Analysis by Anil Netto PENANG, May 6 (IPS) – With stock markets and the property sector in the United States weakening, speculative investors are turning to fuels and the food sector as a “safe haven”, driving up prices in the process, say some food security activists. This is the logical sequence from the transformation of food from a basic human need to an economic ”commodity”, they point out. This has made it a lot easier for investors and trading houses to regard agricultural food as a legitimate target for speculation, hoarding and market manipulation, especially though the futures market. Full article.

Candlelight vigil for Raja Petra at Dataran last night

Anil Netto
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Looks like another ‘happening’ night at Dataran Merdeka yesterday. A candelight vigil for Raja Petra. Check out Teoh Jit Khiam’s photoblog here. Great pictures and witty write-up. Nice to see more creative people emerging in Malaysia. And delighted to hear Raja Petra is out on bail. Welcome back, Pete!

Two hot potatoes in PGCC/Penang Turf Club deal

Anil Netto
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It looks like we are going to hear more about the Penang Turf Club in the news. The controversy is simply not going away. Here are two more hot potatoes: First hot potato: No conversion fee charged When the status of the Penang Turf Club land was converted from open recreational to mixed development land, by right the state government should have collected a conversion fee from the developer – even if the developer had not applied for the conversion. But the conversion was nonetheless handed over on a silver platter by the previous state government for the PGCC developer’s benefit. The state waived hundreds of millions of ringgit in one fell swoop. How much would the fee be? Few outside the local government know for sure what the actual rate should be in this case. From one source, I hear it should be 25 per cent of the original value. A second source tells me that it could be RM50 per square foot. (In Green Lane, for instance, if you want to convert houses from residential to commercial, the conversion fee is apparently around RM100psf.) Let’s do the calculations for both methods, based on purchase price of RM488 million for 260 acres (with only 180 acres that may be developed, the remainder being hill-slopes and cemetery land): Based on 25 per cent of the value: RM488 million x 25% = RM122 million Based on RM50/sq ft conversion fee: 180 acres x 43,560 sq ft/acre x RM50/sq ft = RM392 million So the conversion fee would have been in the ball park range of RM120 million to RM400 million. Either way, we are talking about hundreds of millions of ringgit of lost revenue for the state. The developer should have been charged this fee – even if it had not applied for the conversion itself. Let’s not also forget the profit made by the developer arising from the higher market value of the land following the conversion. Based on the current market value of mixed development land of around RM250psf: Current value (180 acres x 43,560 sq ft/acre x RM250/sq ft) – purchase price RM488 million = RM1.5 billion revaluation profit! Less: the cost of a constructing a new racecourse RM300 million = RM1.2 billion surplus. Hey presto! The developer becomes an instant billionaire, thanks to the government. So this is one good reason for the Penang government to immediately regazette the land back to recreational status and turn the whole place into a People’s Park. Second hot potato: Prime land sold cheap to Abad Naluri (but still unpaid) Now, Abad Naluri was supposed to build a new replacement race-course in Batu Kawan over 300 acres of land acquired from the Penang Development Corporation. This land is now prime land in Batu Kawan as it is just next to the site of the proposed second bridge for Penang (what a “coincidence”!), the ground breaking ceremony for which was held in 2006 by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi. And how much did Abad Naluri pay for this land? According to one source, the purchase consideration was RM46 million for 300 acres (still not paid). Let’s do the calculation: RM46 million divided by 300 acres divided by 43,560 sq ft/acre = RM3.52psf! And this probably includes the cost of earth filling by the PDC. RM3.52 per square foot for prime land?!! What the… It is now said to be worth 15psf, which means that Abad Naluri would have made; Current market value (RM15/sq ft x 300 acres x 43,560 sq ft/acre) – Purchase consideration RM46 million = unrealised revaluation surplus of RM150 million for Abad Naluri if the sale were to bes completed. It’s time for the Penang state government to take back the Batu Kawan land and sell it at its real value or use it for the people’s benefit e.g. low-income housing. Now, let’s look at the chronology of events: 2002 Nov 25 – Turf Club EGM approves sales of Turf Club land in Batu Gantung and acquisition of Batu Kawan site. 2003 March 21 – Preliminary agreement said to have been entered into with Abad Naluri. Under this agreement, Abad Naluri has paid advances totalling RM10 million, presumably as “compensation” to Turf Club members. No mention in Annual Reports of progress of deal since then. 2004 May 12 – Agreement entered into between Turf Club and Abad Naluri for sale of the Turf Club land in Batu Gantung. Abad Naluri also enters into Principal Agreement with PDC for purchase of Batu Kawan land, for which it has still not paid RM46 million for 300 acres. Terms and conditions apparently still not finalised. 2005 July 5 – And yet, layout plan for Batu Kawan race course approved by MPSP. 2006 By Sept/Oct – Abad Naluri submits application for planning permission for PGCC. Nov 12 – Abdullah Badawi officiates at the ground-breaking ceremony of the proposed second bridge in Batu Kawan, right next to new race-course site. 2007 March 28 – Earthworks approval for Batu Kawan site obtained from MPSP; earthworks said to have commenced after this – even though purchase consideration not fully paid! June 28 – Conversion of Turf Club land from recreational land to mixed development gazetted under the Penang Structure Plan, thus turning PGCC developer into instant billionaire! Oct 17 – Prime Minister Abdullah launches PGCC, flanked by then Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon and Patrick Lim – even though acquisition of Turf Club land not yet been completed. Penang civil society groups launch concerted and successful anti-PGCC Campaign, mobilising Penang public, who send 2,500 letters and 500 emails to Chief Minister Koh. 2008 Jan 14 – Koh issues directive to return the planning application to the PGCC developer, who now has to revise the plan before it can be approved. March 8 – But it’s too late. Penang ruling coalition is shockingly trounced in the general election. Gerakan loses all state seats and Koh is dumped in Batu Kawan parliamentary seat. It’s a complete wipe-out. March 12 – New Chief Minister Guan Eng says no approval has been given for PGCC. Over in Batu Kawan, Abad Naluri has made hardly any progress in constructing replacement race course. Instead, cows seen grazing on the site! April 1 – Supplementary agreement entered into between Turf Club and Abad Naluri extends the original agreement, which should have lapsed. The agreement is extended to 2011. April 7 – Penang Turf Club holds AGM, amidst uneasiness among members over the deal. April 10 – Abad Naluri chairman resigns. April 14 – PTC opens documents for inspection by members, but says documents not for circulation to members; members only “free to make notes of the documents”. Some Turf Club members unhappy that allegedly material changes to the original deal not brought to their attention. May 1 – New vultures said to be entering the picture through the back door, showing interest in Turf Club land. May 8 – Turf Club members lodge police report.

Utter fiasco! Here’s why CCTV cameras won’t work in Penang

Anil Netto
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Now this is why the Penang state government should not go ahead with its plan to install CCTV cameras in crime-prone areas. The only people to benefit will be the camera and equipment suppliers. The UK has the most CCTV cameras – but it has been an utter fiasco as this report from This is London: reveals:

Billions spent on CCTV have failed to cut crime and led to an ‘utter fiasco’, says Scotland Yard surveillance chief

Last updated at 11:22am on 07.05.08

The billions of pounds spent covering Britain with CCTV cameras has been an “utter fiasco” and failed to slash crime, Scotland Yard’s surveillance chief has said.

Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville said a Metropolitan Police pilot project found just three per cent of street robberies in London were solved using CCTV images.

He claimed the vast swathes of money spent on cameras had been wasted because criminals don’t fear the cameras.

But Mr Neville also castigated the police and claimed officers can’t be bothered to seek out CCTV images because it’s “hard work”.

The comments from Mr Neville, who is the head of the Visual Images, Identifications and Detections Office (Viido) at Scotland Yard, will further cast doubt on the spread of surveillance in Britain.

Britain has one per cent of the world’s population but, incredibly, 20 per cent of its CCTV cameras – the equivalent of one for every 14 people.

Last year it emerged the £200m spent on 10,000 crime-fighting cameras in London had had little effect on reducing offending.

A comparison of the number of cameras in each London borough with the proportion of crimes solved there found that police were no more likely to catch offenders in areas with hundreds of cameras than in those with hardly any.

Speaking at a security conference in London, Mr Neville claimed the use of CCTV images for court evidence had been very poor so far.

He said: “CCTV was originally seen as a preventative measure.

“Billions of pounds have been spent on kit, but no thought has gone into how the police are going to use the images and how they will be used in court.

“It’s been an utter fiasco: only three per cent of crimes were solved by CCTV.

“Why don’t people fear it? They think the cameras are not working.”…

So please don’t waste public money on CCTV cameras. Rather, get to the root causes of the rising crime rate and tackle them. Meanwhile, hot off the oven:

Question #47 – Mei 2008

Liew Chin Tong (Bukit Bendera) asks the Minister of Housing and Local Government to state the direction and time frame to establish local council elections to start a new chapter of democracy in Malaysia.

Minister’s Response: The Government does not plan to conduct any local council elections.

Well, we can’t wait for the BN-led Federal Government, which is so out of touch with the people’s aspirations. The Pakatan state governments must come up with a quick road map to push through local government elections.

Malaysia’s folk hero Raja Petra opts for jail to prove a point

Anil Netto
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Spent the evening working with Mus on a press statement in response to the action taken against Raja Petra. It is just three days after we marked World Press Freedom Day. Not good. And downright depressing. But mind you, this move could backfire. It is high stakes poker, and I guess they didn’t anticipate that Raja Petra would refuse bail. Now he is in jail and the glare of the international media will focus even more on him, the Malaysian government, the judiciary and the Altantuya trial. Certain people are going to be shifting in their seats rather uncomfortably – or maybe having sleepless nights. They have no idea what Raja Petra is going to say in court, come October. As Malaysiakini observes, hauling Raja Petra to court has only turned him into a legend – if he is not already one. For it was Raja Petra and his Malaysia Today website that played a not insignificant role in the fall of five states to Pakatan Rakyat.

Farewell, blogger Rustam; welcome, blogger Mustafa

Anil Netto
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And so the baton is passed in the relay of life.

From one true Malaysian and leading public intellectual, Rustam, and his blog… …. to another, as Mustafa K Anuar, the asst secretary of Aliran, kicks off his blog with his first full entry on World Press Freedom Day.

When Mus told me he was starting a blog, I remarked that he would be taking up the blogging baton that Rustam has handed over. Mus is also coordinator of Charter 2000-Aliran, a citizens’ media initiative to promote press freedom, and fellow of the Asian Public Intellectuals (API) programme.

Some of the best journalists in Malaysia today were taught by Mus and his colleagues – and they will undoubtedly be delighted to see his blog.

Rustam and Mustafa – both wonderful people with a broad, universal outlook; both involved in the media; both passionate about the cause of justice; both Aliran members – and both genuine Malaysians.

One blog goes dormant and another springs to life.

Mus says he is starting his blog because he has

“this nagging desire to know how it feels to be a monkey, a prostitute and an unemployed, among other unsavoury things!

For the uninitiated, these ‘labels’ were hurled against Malaysian bloggers by the powers-that-be especially before the 12th general election”.

Visit Mustafa’s brand new blog.

Odds and ends on World Press Freedom Day

Anil Netto
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I was about to wish you Happy World Press Freedom Day, but… …they are at it again. Harassing Raja Petra, that is, over his posting on Altantuya. What exquisite timing. Come on, give the guy a break. And give him back his laptop. Anyway my choice for quote of the day has got to be from the man himself as reported by Malaysiakini.

Meanwhile, Raja Petra, when asked if his posting contained seditious elements, replied: “The whole website (is seditious). The whole Malaysia Today (is seditious)”.

So there! What a guy… On another note, someone sent me this link with the message:

Lim Guan Eng spotted by Ning Baizura’s manager/agent at the airport and on a plane. Click here.

Have we have finally found a Chief Minister truly for the People?

You’ve got to give credit where credit is due. To the other CMs in Malaysia, watch and learn. Finally, blog reader Maliku has highlighted the latest threat to Penang’s hills:

There is a piece of land on a slope just behind the leader garden condominiums in Tanjung Bungah, Penang where we saw surveying points and cleared brushes/trees during one of our runs in the hills. It is located just beside a catchment area and about 200 to 300 feet high on a little valley in the hills. Could it be earmarked for residential development? Can Ms Anil (err, I’m male!) check this out and bring it to the authorities’ attention because we need to preserve the remaining hills before Penang Island become a barren land!

Can anyone verify this? Those living around that area for instance?

Bridge near Shanghai works out cheaper per km than second Penang bridge

Anil Netto
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Is the cost of the second Penang bridge way too high? China yesterday inaugurated one of the longest sea bridges in the world – a six-lane 36km link (27km over sea) to connect Jiaxing city near Shanghai with Ningbo in the province of Zhejiang. And what is the cost? 11.8 billion yuan, which is RM5.3 billion (RM147 million per km). In comparison, the cost of the proposed four-lane second Penang bridge, which is 24km (of which only 17km is above sea), is expected to cost at least RM4.3 billion (RM179 million per kim). It’s more than a third shorter than the bridge in China, and yet the cost is only about a fifth lower. The Edge even reported that UEM was seeking as much as RM4.8 billion for the Penang job. So how? Something doesn’t look right. Why don’t we just expand the ferry service for a start to considerably ease congestion on the bridge while we explore a shorter rail link. Oh yeah, I forgot, that is too cheap a solution! Still on the subject of transport, while Malaysian officials and planners can only think of multi-billion ringgit monorails and subways for our urban centres, the UK is rapidly turning to guided buses, guided trolley buses and trams as low-cost but efficient solutions to urban public transport in a string of British cities and towns. Check out this list of proposed schemes in the UK. Again, this may be too cheap a solution for our planners’ liking… For some reason, they just love those multi-billion ringgit price tags.

Penang Turf Club: Here come the vultures

Anil Netto
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As expected, barely has the dust settled from Abad Naluri’s failed attempt to get the PGCC moving than renewed interest has been shown in the Turf Club land in Batu Gantung. The talk in the market is that a major property player involved in the building of shopping malls in KL has been showing interest in the Turf Club land. Overtures are apparently being made. For now, the agreement between Abad Naluri and the Turf Club still stands – though some Turf Club members are said to be disputing the way it was formalised. So any renewed interest by other players will have to come through the back door. We already know that there have been boardroom changes in Abad Naluri and Equine Capital. So what’s going to happen next? It is time for the Penang state government to probe the entire deal. In particular, who or what really persuaded the Turf Club members to sign an agreement to give up its precious asset for a pittance (RM43 per sq feet) to a developer who was bound to profit from a substantial jump in valuation (to about RM250psf)? Something just doesn’t square up. I mean, why would you give up your prized possession for just RM43psf? Yes, it was based on recreational land value, but why would anyone want to pay RM488 million for recreational land? Unless he was confident the land would be regazetted to “mixed development”. But what gave him that confidence? Of course, Turf Club members received compensation of RM20,000 (supposedly inconvenience allowance for travelling to the new racecourse in Batu Kawan) totalling RM10 million. But that’s chicken feed compared to what’s at stake. In any case, why would they be paid upfront, when work on the Batu Kawan race-course hasn’t even started? Unless the payment was just meant to “persuade” ordinary members to come on board and give up their prized asset. So was there a “kingmaker” behind the scenes – or more than one – acting as the driving force for the deal? How was the status of the Batu Gantung race-course land changed on the quiet from “recreational” land to “mixed development”? Those of us who want to keep the Turf Club land as a precious green lung and turn it into a People’s Park had better remain alert, as the vulture(s) circle and swoop for this prized land.

Banana-leaf lunch with cartoonist extraordinaire Zunar and blogger Fazlina

Anil Netto
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Zunar and Fazlina

One of the most rewarding aspects of my line of work is that I get to meet some outstanding Malaysians. Really cool people.

Like Malaysia’s most famous political cartoonist, Zunar, and his wife Fazlina, who runs the Roti Kacang Merah blog.

A couple of colleagues – Ramakrishnan of Aliran and Kris, a human rights activist – and I caught up with them for lunch at a banana-leaf restaurant in Penang.

Zunar was in town on work. He is the editor of Suara Keadilan, which has just received its publishing permit, three years after their first application.

“Instead of saying thank you, Prime Minister, my thanks would go to our readers, vendors and printers, who have been intimidated in the past,” he told me. “We have been denied a permit for three years, so his announcement is three years too late … These reforms are half reforms, too late and too little.”

Contrary to earlier impressions, the sales of the fortnightly paper remain restricted to party members, though I guess the authorities will have a tough time enforcing this ridiculous and oppressive condition.

According to Zunar, Suara Keadilan’s circulation has jumped from 30,000 before the general election to close to 100,000 presently.

We had some good laughs. Zunar, who also contributes cartoons to Malaysiakini, has this hearty laugh that almost shook the walls of the restaurant. The man obviously has a great sense of humour and he has the gift of spotting the funny side of political life. Fazlina is bubbly and chatty and clearly appreciates his wit. Such a warm and down-to-earth couple. Check out her impression of our lunch together.

They were on a trip that took them from KL, past Perak to Penang and southern Kedah. “It was a good feeling to know that our entire journey was in Pakatan Rakyat territory,” they laughed.

I told them, yeah, you didn’t have to bring your (political) “passports” along! So it’s not just Celcom territory, eh…

How times have changed.

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