I wrote this piece together with Chuah Chong Lai mainly to explain that there are other cheaper, quicker and more effective transport options for Penang.
Penang’s mega-reclamation project does not jive with Madani principles
The heat is on. This morning CAP held a press conference, as the pressure intensifies for the ecologically damaging project to be scrapped.
Shocking federal approval for artificial islands in Penang
This conditional ‘approval’ is being given just a few months before the state election in Penang. It is shocking. Whoever is responsible for this doesn’t give a hoot about the damage it will cause to fisheries and food security. Plus the whole basis of the so-called PTMP (the extravagant Penang transport master plan) is gone.
Choice of Energy Commission chairman puts him in serious conflict-of-interest situation
It’s good that Anwar says he plans to look into this. But how could such an appointment be made in the first place? Aliran has released this statement:
Aliran is alarmed by the recent appointment of a senior executive from Gamuda Bhd as the chairman of the Energy Commission, the country’s national energy regulator.
Gamuda group deputy managing director Rashdan Yusof was appointed as the head of the commission with effect from 15 February.
Najib deserves to remain in prison! Desist from steamrolling pardons process
Aliran has just released this statement:
Umno appears to be in a hurry to push for an early pardon for convict Najib Razak using as its basis the sole dissenting judgment against the guilty verdicts of 13 other judges at the High Court, the Court of Appeals and in two Federal Court panels.
So what is the problem?
The royals have spoken, Muslims have visited the Dalai Lama and even the Pas president has visited churches, so what is the problem, really?
T Rajamoorthy, deep thinker on global issues, passes away
Malaysia has lost one of its deep thinkers on global issues. T Rajamoorthy from Third World Network, based in Penang, has passed away after a period of illness.
Was there an agreement between Goldman Sachs and the Malaysian government for higher compensation?
Aliran released this media statement yesterday:
In Tommy Thomas’ autobiography My Story: Justice in the Wilderness, the former attorney general said he was “confident of recovering” from Goldman Sachs the huge losses the Malaysian government suffered from three 1MDB bond issues.
A great day for Michelle Yeoh and Asia at the Oscars … and for a refugee too
Let’s forget the kerfuffle over the Mentega Terbang movie for the time being and celebrate Michelle Yeoh’s win at the Oscars for best actress in the sci-fi movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, making her the first Malaysian and first Asian woman to win the award.
Combat corruption across the board
This is Aliran’s latest media statement in response to certain quarters claiming selective prosecution:
I asked ChatGPT how long Anwar would last as PM…
I was feeling a bit bored, so I decided to give ChatGPT, the online artificial intelligence (AI) tool, a test drive:
Keeping George Town’s living heritage alive
It’s a battle to keep alive the living heritage of George Town and to protect the traditional trades of the city in the face of gentrification.
Vote-buying by any other name … is still an offence
Latest release from Aliran:
On 21 January Pas president Hadi Awang said it was not against election rules for others to distribute money as “charity” during election campaigns.
Stunning victory for Sungai Ara residents, Penang NGOs: Federal Court blocks sensitive hill project
A group of Sungai Ara residents have scored a stunning victory in the Federal Court as top judges decided in their favour after a decade-long struggle to block a development project on hill-slope land above their residential area.
To win over fence-sitters, Anwar must quickly improve five areas
Many ordinary people simply could not see a qualitative improvement in their lives in the 22 months after the 2018 general election – and that is why PH did not fare well in a string of by-elections in that period.
Malaysia’s stagnant population: This changes everything!
A major new item broke recently with little public comment: The population of a couple of key Malaysian cities is declining while the national population is plateauing. This trend will have a profound impact on development planning.
Butterworth comes into its own as a food paradise
For too long, Butterworth in mainland Penang has been in the shadow of Penang Island as a food paradise. But that is slowly changing, as more people settle on the mainland as opposed to the island.
Influx of visitors from proposed cable car could exceed Penang Hill’s carrying capacity
This is a statement from Sahabat Alam Malaysia:
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is very alarmed to learn about the Penang chief minister’s announcement that the cable car project to Penang Hill has been awarded to Hartasuma Sdn Bhd, at an estimated investment of RM245m and is based on a 30-year concession period and will be located in the Penang Botanic Garden area.
Are the Michelin guide awards a good thing for Penang and KL?
There has been mixed public reaction towards these awards. A major concern is whether this will lead to higher prices putting meals at affordable places beyond the reach of locals. What do you think?
Get independent sustainable mobility experts to review Penang’s bloated PTMP
Penang Forum congratulates Anwar Ibrahim on becoming Prime Minister of Malaysia.
So far, the PM has set the tone for his new administration by commendably shunning extravagant spending, especially in his choice of official car, saving the government a large sum of money. He also wants to trim ministerial pay and slim down the cabinet to reflect the new administration’s commitment to financial prudence.