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Housing in Penang: Development for whom?

Anil Netto
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30

One of the worrying things about Penang is the rising prices of houses, even as communities in certain areas are displaced.

Some of these problems are probably inherited. But where are the displaced residents going to move to? Can they afford to buy new homes?

Penang needs to have a housing policy that caters to the needs of its own residents. At the moment it seems like developers are building for foreign and outside speculators/’investors’ even as home ownership and property prices soar across the island.

One reason for the property investment or speculation is that bank interests rates are low, and the other is that regional investors still find Penang prices fairly cheap compared to say, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

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Sarawak Pakatan agree straight fights for polls

Anil Netto
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20

The Sarawak Pakatan Leadership Council is taking shape.

It is constituted with five members each from DAP, PKR, Pas and Snap, according to a tweet by Kit Siang.

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Penang Port and federal-state relations

Anil Netto
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14

Big plans are in store for Penang Port, it would seem. But the Penang state government does not appear to have been kept in the loop.

Penang Port was ‘privatised’ in 1994 to Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) as the terminal operator, which comes under the federal Finance Ministry. The Penang Port Commission (PPC), on the other hand, continues to exist as a regulatory port authority under the Transport Ministry. Now, PSPB has major plans for a free commercial and industrial zone within the port area, a halal hub and a ‘tank farm’. (These activities may also entail massive land reclamation on the mainland – what is the environmental impact? – north of Butterworth.)

What is the impact of all this on the state government’s own plans for a halal hub and on the existing free trade and industrial zones elsewhere in Penang?

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Subsidies: PR and perception management

Anil Netto
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23

It is not surprising to read reports of government media advisers telling newspaper editors how to report on price hikes, following the move to reduce or eliminate subsidies.

It seems it is okay to say ‘upward price adjustments’ and ‘subsidy rationalisation’ but not ‘price hikes’ or ‘barang naik’. Ridiculous? It’s all part of the info-war.

Increasingly governments are using public relations experts to manage the way the public reacts to controversial new policies and to neutralise dissent. In public relations circles, this is referred to as ‘perception management’.

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-07-18

Anil Netto
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0

Khir Toyo’s ‘mahligai’: Status of MACC probe

Anil Netto
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28

The MACC probe of Khir Toyo is ongoing.

“The MACC has to carry out a thorough, detailed and comprehensive investigation into any corruption investigation to obtain adequate proof and explanation even though it might take a long time to complete,” said Nazri in response to a query from Nga Kor Ming.

Nazri added that the investigation paper would be put forward to the DPP once investigations were complete.

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180 gather for Beng Hock vigil in Penang

Anil Netto
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11

Some 180 people including onlookers gathered at Millennium Square near Speakers’ Square for a candle-light vigil to mark the first anniversary of the sudden death of Teoh Beng Hock.

They gathered from 8.30pm to 9.15pm today, according to a human rights activist. Several DAP reps addressed the crowd in turn.

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Biggest mega project: RM43b MRT proposal

Anil Netto
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53

For what is expected to be the biggest mega project of them all, the RM43 billion Mass Rapid Transit proposal has received little prominent media publicity and most Malaysians remain in the dark about it.

The ‘unsolicited proposal’ for a 180-200km partly underground railway network in Kuala Lumpur by Gamuda Bhd and MMC Corp is now undergoing feasibility studies by two government-appointed consultants, according to a report in The Star.

The actual project is expected to cost RM36 billion. Add land acquisition and rolling stock cost and the tab reportedly could come up to a jaw-dropping RM43 billion. (What about possible cost overruns?) That makes it the largest construction job under the Tenth Malaysia Plan.

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What is PM’s Dept doing with RM4 billion?

Anil Netto
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108

It is alarming to read that the government has set aside RM4 billion for the PM’s Department alone this year.

Equally shocking to hear that the number of civil servants in the same department has doubled in the space of seven years since Mahathir stepped down – from 21,045 in 2003 to 43,544 in 2010.

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Bala and the wider French probe into DCN

Anil Netto
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12

Officers of the National Financial Investigation Division (DNIF) of France are responsible for probing into the conditions of sale of submarines to Malaysia, especially a related 114 million euro payment, a French website has revealed.

The DNIF is a divison of the Central Directorate of Judicial Police (DCPJ) based in Nanterre near Paris. This was where Bala was questioned on Monday.

The DCPJ is the national authority of the criminal division of the French police tasked with leading and coordinating the actions of law enforcement forces (Police Nationale and Gendarmerie Nationale) against organised crime (either criminal or financial activities). In carrying out its investigations, the DCPJ works with other institutions such as the Customs and Revenue Service, according to Wikipedia.

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