Home Blog Page 372

Penang port: Why MCA; why Soi Lek?

Anil Netto
-
35

The appointment of Chua Soi Lek as Penang Port Commission chairperson comes at a crucial time for the port.

One of the prime rules of journalism is, always follow the money. Where the money is, that’s where things happen. Two major factors could explain the relatively high-level appointment of an MCA leader to head the Penang ports’ regulatory authority:

1) Privatisation of Penang port and wharves’ operations could be on the cards. The politically well-connected Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary’s name has been mentioned in various reports. Penang Port Sdn Bhd CEO Ahmad Ibni Hajar was reported in September as saying they were also awaiting the government’s approval on plans to list the company. Big money stakes will be up for grabs if the listing does proceed. (I maintain that Penang Port should remain in government hands. Preferably it should come under the state government’s purview.)

2) And let’s not forget that major expansion and upgrading work is in store for the Penang piers, deep water wharves, container terminals and ferry operations.

Continue

Soi Lek, PPC and centralisation

Anil Netto
-
15

I just wrote something for Aliran on Chua Soi Lek’s appointment as Penang Port Commission chairman. I used that as a peg to show just how centralised our federal government has become – and the process continues.

Already there has been much debate online about the appointment of Chua Soi Lek as the Penang Port Commission chairperson.

Penang Port Commission (PPC) was established on 1 January 1956 under the Penang Port Commission Act, 1955. PPC is a statutory body under the Transport Ministry tasked with providing, maintaining and upgrading port and ferry services in Penang Port.

Continue

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-11-28

Anil Netto
-
2
  • How's this for real gratitude? Trapped whale winks and nuzzles up to divers after they freed her. True story: h… http://y.ahoo.it/kTJvXfFN #

Shocking revelation in Sarawak

Anil Netto
-
18

Sarawak Report has come up with a stunning revelation exposing who it claims owns Royal Mulu Resort.

See the report here.

Meanwhile Baru Bian, the State Liaison Chief for PKR Sarawak, has brought the revelation to the attention of MACC Sarawak.

Baru, Baru, don’t waste your time with the MACC.

Continue

Sarawak: Poverty and opulence

Anil Netto
-
7

There are two opposite extremes in Sarawak that are worlds apart.

First, an example of the harsh reality that faces the marginalised:

Hishamuddin’s aide falls into Sarawakian marsh
November 21, 2010

KUCHING, Nov 21 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was today shocked to see his special officer Datuk Firdaus Ismail fall into a marsh when a wooden bridge leading to the dilapidated home of an elderly villager in Kampung Gersik, here, collapsed. (From a Bernama report in Malaysian Insider)

Continue

Learning tree-planting from Singapore?

Anil Netto
-
33

A delegation from Putrajaya is planning a two-day study trip to Singapore next month to learn more about tree-planting.

Huh? Read this Malaysian Insider report.

A blog reader visited Singapore earlier this month and snapped a few pictures.

Surprisingly, I noticed that trees and plants at public places, by the roadside, at HDB condos etc are in better shape than those at private premises/condos. Can’t even find old sick trees or a branch of brown foliage, serious no exaggeration!

Continue

Missing fountain and Ipoh’s heritage

Anil Netto
-
6

The Perak government is desperately trying to promote heritage tourism, but as one writer observes, there is no evidence that this “top down, bottom up” approach, requiring love and respect for our heritage, exists anywhere in Ipoh.

Saw this piece by Ian Anderson in the Ipoh Echo:

Once there was a beautiful Italian marble fountain on this site (in Little India). It was put there not by government, but by the businessmen of Ipoh in memory of the 8th British Adviser, E W Birch, who unlike his father had been good to Ipoh and Perak during his tenure. Indeed without his assistance, New Town would not have been built. However in the 1980s the memorial was removed by the City Council in the name of development.

Continue

Chong Eu: A chequered legacy

Anil Netto
-
78

The late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu will be remembered as a leader who left his imprint on Penang during a time of turbulence and ferment in Malaysia’s post-independence years.

His experiment with multi-ethnic politics with Gerakan – in its initial years at least – fired the imagination of many Penangites and other Malaysians.

His economic policy of promoting export-oriented, foreign investor-driven development – the standard World Bank model in support of MNCs – gave birth to the electronics industry and the Free Trade Zone in Penang. It compensated somewhat for the loss of Penang’s duty-free status.

Continue

Noynoy worth RM3.6m; our PM, CMs?

Anil Netto
-
18

Philippine President Aquino has declared his assets showing that he is worth RM3.6 million (50 million pesos). Now when will we get to know how much the Malaysian Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and Chief Ministers are worth? Transparency anyone?

Aquino submitted his ‘Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth’ to the Ombudsman’s office soon after he assumed office. Notice, it is not a statement of income but of assets.

In contrast, his predecessor Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo started her term of office with a net worth of RM4.8 million. By the time she stepped down from office, her wealth had soared to RM10.2 million.

Continue

NO to Penang Port privatisation

Anil Netto
-
37

I don’t know about you, but I got that sinking feeling when I heard that Penang Port could be privatised.

At present, Penang Port comes under the federal Finance Ministry. The government reportedly has already spent RM1 billion over the last five years to upgrade Penang Port.

Now the news is that Malaysia’s seventh richest man, Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, could take over the port, as reported in the Singapore Business Times. Just how many ports do they want him to take over? His MMC already controls Port of Tanjung Pelepas and the Johor Port in Pasir Gudang.

Continue
1...371372373...569Page 372 of 569