Prime Minister’s Department – more staff than European Union’s bureaucracy?
Those behind the Brexit vote often painted the bureaucracy of the European Union as bloated.
So let’s take a look at the EU staffing headcount: 32,900. According to Malaysia’s former head of mission there in the 1990s, these EU civil servants responsible for 28 nations were of the highest quality.
How does this compare with Najib Razak’s Prime Minister’s Department? Well, the last figure I could find was reported in Utusan in 2010. Headcount: 43,544. (What is the figure now?)
Guan Eng’s arrest
Chow Kon Yeow’s response:
Over 1,000 attend raucous debate on Penang tunnel, highways
Just back from the debate at the Caring Society Complex in Penang, and I can’t say I was edified or any the wiser from what transpired.Penang debate of the year on undersea tunnel: Dap LimHockSengvsGerakanLiangTeckMeng @caringsociety @malaysiakini pic.twitter.com/iJf8YKwlvY
— susan loone (@susanloone) June 28, 2016
Why are vested corporate interests influencing Penang’s urban planning?
Today an important meeting in Penang was held, away from the public eye, to discuss a revised Local Plan for Penang Island.
Behind Miami Green, a project higher than 250 feet above sea level?
The MBPP has to explain this project on a 5.0ha plot of land on environmentally sensitive steep hillslopes. About two thirds of the plot is above the Penang Structure Plan threshold of 250 feet above sea level.
Support Aliran’s fundraising dinner in KL on 23 July
For a worthy cause … the struggle for Justice, Freedom and Solidarity. And God knows we need that in the country. good cause. Hope to see some of you from the Klang Valley there.
More details on the Aliran website.
Penang transport infrastructure cost balloons from RM27bn to RM46bn
When Halcrow first came up with its transport masterplan, the projected cost of implementing the Penang masterplan was reported to be RM27bn. This figure included the RM6bn-plus for the tunnel and three highways (under Zenith), which was the state government’s idea.
Keep a sharp eye on the Relau Agriculture Station land
Talk has it that housing developers are eyeing 60-80 acres of at the Agriculture Station land in Relau, the last major green lung in this area.
Penang’s FOI joke
All kinds of hurdles are placed in the way of releasing information under the Freedom of Information Enactment in Penang.
First, you have to apply. Fair enough.
Kuala Kangsar, Sungai Besar by-elections: Quick comment
So it looks as if the BN is heading for a comfortable victory in both parliamentary seats, judging by the congratulatory tweets issued by the likes of KJ.
What is clear is that the BN and, let’s not forget, Hadi’s Pas have succeeded in driving a wedge among opposition supporters, who have divided their votes between Amanah and Pas. Otherwise, the total opposition votes would have been closer to the BN’s tallies.
Farewell to the Gurney Drive we knew and loved
Look at the massive sedimentation along the entire stretch of Gurney Drive today.
This is the sad state of Gurney Drive today as land reclamation work is in progress for a massive property development project on the western end (in front of Gurney Plaza).
Muhammad Ali’s greatest fights were outside the ring
The screen from the small black and white television flickered in front of a hall full of excited primary schoolchildren.
Something’s seriously wrong: Ipic seeks arbitration for disputed RM27bn with 1MDB
So it has come to this: Ipic, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, is seeking arbitration in London for some US$6.5bn, which it claims is owed to it following a dispute with 1MDB.
Mahathir campaigns for Amanah in by-elections (video)
Mahathir explains why he is supporting the opposition candidates in the parliamentary by-elections and opposing Najib’s leadership and Hadi’s hudud bill.
Why it’s crucial for Amanah to put on a strong showing in by-elections
The nation is at a crossroads now: we are faced with a choice between going down a more conservative route to religion, which we could alter the long-accepted character of public life in the nation, or we could adopt a more enlightened approach to Islam.
Penang shouldn’t follow Klang Valley road-building frenzy
A short comment piece by MBPP councillor Dr Lim Mah Hui:
I welcome Roger Teoh’s comments on my article “Road to folly: Will building more roads resolve traffic congestion” as a healthy debate over an issue of great importance.
The Curitiba model: Towards a sustainable, liveable community and city
A short commentary by MBPP councillor Lim Mah Hui:
Today I wish to share with you a short video on Curitiba, a medium sized city of 2m in eastern Brazil that transformed itself into one of the most liveable in the world. In 2010, it was given the Global Sustainable City Award.
Appointed to the Penang Transport Council; your suggestions, please
So I have been appointed to the Penang Transport Council. I thank the state government for appointing this “vocal critic” (cough, cough) to the council as a representative of Aliran.
Whatever happened to 1MDB’s Cayman Islands funds?
In early May, the Financial Times of London carried an in-depth feature on the City of London as a global money laundering hub, which included an expose of the Swiss private bank BSI in the UK.
Moscow mulls closure of troubled monorail
There aren’t that many monorail systems in Europe. One of the few is in Moscow – and it is bleeding red ink, burdening taxpayers.
This is Vukan R Vuchic, a public transport expert, professor of the University of Pennsylvania, and former consultant for the US Department of Transportation on planning, design and operations of transport systems. Notice that he says the best tried and tested modes are buses, trams and metros.