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RM300m ‘Penang Sky Cab’ project?

Anil Netto
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25
RM300m ‘Penang Sky Cab’ project?

Some quick observations on the Penang budget speech.

The Penang state government has requested Penang Sentral Sdn Bhd to undertake a feasibility study for a RM300m Penang Sky Cab project, presumably a cross-channel cable car system (point no.58 in the Penang budget speech below). The state government acknowledges this is not meant as an alternative to public transport modes like LRT and trams, but more as a tourist attraction.

But cable cars are not an unusual gimmick; Malaysia already has them in Genting and Langkawi (see video above); and they would not be unusual for tourists from developed nations. Besides, the fares are unlikely to be cheap. So, hopefully no public funds will be used for this.

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New Canadian PM unveils ethnically diverse cabinet with equal men and women

Anil Netto
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10
New Canadian PM unveils ethnically diverse cabinet with equal men and women

An example for the rest of the world.

They really have come a long way since 25 years ago when there was a huge controversy over whether Sikhs could be allowed to wear the turban in the Royal Canadian Mounties.

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Taman Tun Dr Awang flats: Finally … what a difference a coat of paint makes!

Anil Netto
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28
Taman Tun Dr Awang flats: Finally … what a difference a coat of paint makes!

Great news! What a world of difference.

This was what the Taman Tun Dr Awang flats in Butterworth looked like before (see below) when I tweeted about it a month ago, after yet another foreign visitor, this time from Singapore, asked why the the powers that be were not doing anything about it.

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Five questions Obama must answer when he visits Malaysia this month

Anil Netto
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12
Five questions Obama must answer when he visits Malaysia this month

What, Obama back again? So fast, ah? Not content with a trip to Malaysia last year and a golfing rendezvous with Najib over the last Christmas break, Obama is visiting us again for Asean and related summits on 18-22 November. Gosh, he must like Malaysia golfing with Najib the TPP a whole lot.

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Penang government’s ferry takeover offer: What’s holding it up?

Anil Netto
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16
Penang government’s ferry takeover offer: What’s holding it up?

Commuters using the ferry service in Penang are suffering interminable delays following a reduction in the number of ferries in service.

The Penang state government has offered to take over the privatised ferry service and increase the number of ferries. But it has reportedly not heard anything since meetings were held.

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Does George Town’s 4th place in Lonely Planet’s list put it among world’s top 10 cities?

Anil Netto
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Does George Town’s 4th place in Lonely Planet’s list put it among world’s top 10 cities?

While there is much back-slapping over the accolade of being listed No. 4 in Lonely Planet’s ranking of places to visit in 2016, it is important to be clear what that list represents and what it is not.

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KTM on right track with new Butterworth-KL electric trains, but …

Anil Netto
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26
KTM on right track with new Butterworth-KL electric trains, but …

… most people in KL and Penang are unaware of the new service or the train schedules and fares.

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Six things you may not know about UKM

Anil Netto
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8
Six things you may not know about UKM

1. UKM is the only public university to receive an increased allocation in the 2016 Budget. Its estimated allocation will be increased by 5 per cent from RM488m to RM512m in 2015. All other public universities, including UTM, which is the highest ranking Malaysian university, have had their budgets trimmed, leading to concern among many that next year could see university tuition fee hikes. The above image is an excerpt from the 2016 budget allocations. What makes UKM so special?

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Despite falling oil prices, we could have managed without GST

Anil Netto
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16

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t watch Najib’s Budget 2016 speech. I thought it would be too painful to listen to. Not just because of the bad news but because of the thought of what could/might have been.

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Kit Siang the latest victim of 1MDB uproar

Anil Netto
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11
Kit Siang the latest victim of 1MDB uproar

A sad day for Malaysia. Instead of a no-confidence motion against the PM being allowed to see the light of day, veteran opposition parliamentarian Kit Siang was suspended from Parliament. Kit Siang claimed he was “the latest victim of the 1MDB monster”. This was his parting shot.

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