anilnetto.com

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16 Dec 2010

Farewell to the arches. Now, we are going to see a Lotus Square in the Penang Botanic Garden that would be more in tune with the garden.

I just wonder who will absorb the cost of constructing those monstrous arches and then demolishing them. Who finally foots the bill: those responsible for approving the arches, the contractor or the public?

No thanks to those responsible for approving all the other ‘upgrading’ projects earlier, we will now have more concrete structures invading the greens: a so-called visitors’ centre with auditorium (an auditorium???), retail outlets and more car parks…. sheesh!

It’s going to be tough to undo the mess at the Garden. Unfortunately, we had to spoil a priceless treasure that was handed down to us intact for over a hundred years since its establishment in 1884. And the worst part is that we called that ‘development’ and ‘upgrading’.

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Pykett Avenue demolition: Update

Anil Netto

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16 Dec 2010

14

While the MPPP are going through the motions of taking legal action against those responsible for the sudden demolition of 20 Pykett Avenue, it appears to be also going through the motions of processing the development plans for the area.

From what I hear, the MPPP has not (yet) approved any development plans. Meanwhile, though, take a look at this: the MPPP is now calling for neighbours’ objections to the plans.

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Should Pakatan emulate the BN?

Anil Netto

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15 Dec 2010

22

Defence Minister Zahid Hamidi, in announcing hefty pay increases for the armed forces, made a claim that the Constitution stated that salaries in the armed forces should be higher than in any other government service.

See the NST report here.

I asked a couple of experienced lawyers about this reference to the Constitution and they said they were not aware of such a provision. I looked up the Constitution and I couldn’t spot the provision either. Can anyone point me to the specific provision in the Constitution to that effect?

Meanwhile Najib was reported (in The Star here) as saying that it is impossible for the Opposition to take over the Barisan Nasional’s role in leading the country. “From the days of the Alliance until the Barisan leadership, we have proven that we keep to our promises…. Barisan brought the nation independence and we will be the one to steer the nation to be a highly-developed one.”

Actually, who wants to emulate the BN, which has driven this country into the ground slowly but surely?

Let’s compare the human development record of South Korea and Malaysia from 1970 until now.

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Race is on to grab Penang port

Anil Netto

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14 Dec 2010

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The race is on to grab Penang Port Sdn Bhd from public ownership as the spotlight falls on private corporations expressing interest. But is serious consideration being given to the Penang state government’s interest in taking over the port?

At first it was reportedly just Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary and parties close to him. Now, the Edge reports that another consortium has entered the picture: Oriental Pearl Harbour Sdn Bhd.

Oriental Pearl Harbour has apparently submitted a preliminary proposal to the federal government. Its directors are Rosli Abdul Latif and Mohd Ramli Abu Bakar, a former Navy chief. No information on shareholders or accounts is available as the company was only registered this month.

The latest Edge makes no mention of the Penang state government’s interest in taking over the port.

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Azmin’s promise to Sarawak

Anil Netto

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13 Dec 2010

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PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has made a pledge to the people of Sarawak that could change the dynamics of the local political situation in the run-up to the next state election.

What is his pledge? Go here.

Malacca monorail goes kaput

Anil Netto

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12 Dec 2010

52

There, it didn’t take long for the RM16 million ‘toy’ monorail in Malacca to grind to a screeching halt. Penang, which is still grappling with the idea of rail transit, can learn from Malacca’s costly experiment with monorail.

Embarrassingly, a skylift had to be used to rescue 20 stranded passengers from a monorail coach, just 100 metres from the station. The launch of the monorail had been timed to mark Malacca’s recognition as a ‘developed state’.

There’s some poetic justice in there somewhere, especially when you consider the unequal heritage conservation funding allocations for the two historical cities.

Malacca monorail by night as seen from a boat cruising along the Malacca River

So what’s going to happen to the RM13 million extension plan under phase two of the Malacca monorail?

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Fearless Fan: The principled politician

Anil Netto

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10 Dec 2010

13

I couldn’t help feeling a sense of loss over Fan Yew Teng’s passing. He was one of a kind, a freedom fighter with a strong passion for justice, tempered with a hearty laugh and a friendly disposition.

He was a politician but a principled one – which may explain why he never struck fame or fortune. He may have quit his party, started a new party and then left formal politics – not because he was a katak or for personal gain. As always with Fan, it was on a matter of principle, a matter of conscience.

After his departure from politics, he led a fairly secluded lifestyle. But he never truly left the scene. Every now and then, he would send articles to Aliran, which the social reform group happily carried in its publication, Aliran Monthly.

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Penang-Malacca double standards

Anil Netto

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10 Dec 2010

21

The federal government’s double standards in the allocation of funding for conservation and revitalisation projects in Penang and Malacca are disturbing. Malacca receives RM30 million while Penang gets only RM20 million.

First, the disparity in the amounts given is hard to understand, given that Penang has the largest collection of pre-war shop-houses in the region. Unless the reason is political – you know, Malacca comes under BN and Penang under Pakatan.

Second, the RM20 million for Penang doesn’t go to the state government but to Think City. Now, Think City is a wholly owned special purpose vehicle established by Khazanah Nasional Berhad (under the Finance Ministry) to implement and manage a so-called ‘George Town Grants Programme’.

View ThinkCity Physical Projects Map Round 1 & 2 in a larger map

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Pykett demolition: MPPP takes action

Anil Netto

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10 Dec 2010

8

The Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) is set to take action against the preemptive demolition of a building at 20 Pykett Avenue, the site of a large property development project. But will such action be enough of a deterrence in the future?

The building, though not gazetted as a heritage structure, was demolished without prior planning permission, prompting the Council to take legal action under the Town and Country Planning Act 1976. The MPPP is in the process of seeking a judgement and penalties including applying for a mandatory order to take appropriate future action.

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