While the controversy over the megalomaniacal 100-storey tower is still swirling, many seem to be unaware of two other massive property development projects in the pipeline.
Three questions come to mind.
The Penang state government may be interested in promoting the state as a centre for meetings and conventions – but the state already has a reputation for being a hub for civil society activities, not just nationally but globally as well.
Over the weekend, two global forums were held – the Friends of the Earth International Asia Pacific forum “Ecological equity: Sharing the stories, reclaiming our rights” and the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action’s Global Breastfeeding Partners Forum.
I dropped by to find out what was being said at each forum. At Waba’s forum, delegates were pleased to hear that the maternity leave for Malaysian civil servants would be extended to 90 days (which is 12 weeks, still well short of the ILO target of 40 weeks.) And what about private sector employees? Still 60 days? Shouldn’t the 90-day maternity leave be included in our labour laws?
If you thought Malaysia’s press freedom ranking was already bad, think again.
Singapore has surpassed Malaysia in the latest RSF global ranking for 2010. Singapore! Now Singapore may have made great strides in terms of material progress but press freedom is not exactly its forte.
Singapore is now ranked 136th (133rd in 2009) – ahead of Malaysia’s 141st (131st in 2009). That’s about the same as our football Fifa ranking of 144th place! What else do you expect when even a cartoonist can be arrested?
The ‘democratic’ nation of Brunei, at 142nd, is now breathing down our necks.
Can we look forward to more affordable housing in Penang?
The Penang Chief Minister has announced a Penang Housing Board Bill – “next State Assembly by Housing Exco Wong Hon Wai,” tweeted Kit Siang last night.
No approval has been given so far for a high-rise condominium project on the green stretch opposite Shamrock Beach in Batu Feringghi.
But residents are worried that the council may eventually approve the project. Following howls of protest, the project was scaled down from 37 storeys to 22 storeys.
Since about a year back, the Botanic Garden has been regularly invaded by wild boars, according to a source.
These wild boars have destroyed most of the aroids (common name for members of the Araceae family of plants) in the Aroid Walk and the lawns.
Civil society groups under the umbrella of Penang Forum 3 are inviting the public to participate in elections on 14 November to determine their nominees to serve as MPPP and MPSP councillors in 2011.
These pilot elections are a small first step in the journey towards the full restoration of local council elections in the future. Although many shortcomings in the process leading up to 14 November will inevitably crop up (given the constraints Penang Forum is operating under), the aim is to get the public used to the idea of having elections at the municipal council level.
Not all ‘NGOs’ are public interest groups. Groups such as Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers and the various Chambers of Commerce are more like lobby groups representing the interests of their members.
On the other hand, the civil society groups that are under the Penang Forum (such as Suaram, Aliran, Sembang-Sembang, PHT, and Malaysian Nature Society) advocate issues that are of concern to the wider public i.e. public interest issues.
Penang is to follow Selangor and introduce a Freedom of Information Act.
The Bill will be tabled in the Penang State Assembly next week. This was announced by the Penang Chief Minister at a DAP fund-raising dinner tonight, according to a tweet by Lim Kit Siang.
Deputy CM Ramasamy headed the committee that drafted the Bill.
This move is to be welcomed, of course – but we should hold back on the standing ovation until we examine the contents of the Bill.
The Rajang River water level reportedly has dropped after flooding began at the Bakun Dam. Already the express boat between Kapit and Belaga has been suspended.
Will Kapit now be cut off from vital river transport? What about the area’s future water and energy supply?
Now this might or might not be the solution to overcoming bottlenecks that reduce the speed of buses. But it does show the sort of thinking and creativity that others are already putting in to improve public transport.
How about us? Can we think beyond highway tolls and Protons?