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LIVE: Perak Privileges Committee issues summons

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30 Jul 2009

1714: The Perak Rights and Privileges Committee wants Zambry, BN-appointed exco member Hamidah Osman and the state secretary to appear before them over the next few days, according to a source: Zambry and Hamidah for proposing and seconding a motion on 7 May to suspend the Speaker when they themselves had already been suspended from the assembly; the state secretary for blocking elected reps from entering the state government complex today.

Hamidah – and her staff, on her behalf – apparently refused to accept her summons while someone from the state secretary’s office accepted his. Both Hamidah and the state secretary are required to appear before the committee on Tuesday while Zambry is required to appear tomorrow.

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Kg Buah Pala land title prohibits development: Lawyer

Anil Netto

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30 Jul 2009

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Bingo! Could this be it?

Lawyer Derek Fernandez has come up with a surprising finding that should strengthen the Penang state government and the residents’ hand in negotiations with the developer.

The temporary title document (Borang 11AK), registered with the registrar of land titles and issued on 27 March 2008, contains a clause “Sekatan-sekatan kepentingan“, which states:

Tanah yang diberi milik tidak boleh dipindah milik, cagar, pajak, pajakan kecil atau sebarang bentuk urusniaga.

Fernandez therefore argues that any form of business transaction is prohibited. So, the state government could just buy back the land by paying the original premium plus interest, he says. It could also issue a notice to the developer to stop any demolition work.

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Gerakan Youth lodges police report against Penang govt

Anil Netto

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30 Jul 2009

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The Penang Gerakan Youth has reportedly lodged a report with the MACC over the alienation of the 2.6ha Kampung Buah Pala land.

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Torture and the depths of human depravity

Anil Netto

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29 Jul 2009

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After so many millennia of human existence, you would think people would have become more enlightened.

Not as much as we would like to think. As this documentary ‘Torturing Democracy’ clearly shows, the depth of depravity that those in power can sink to needs to be seen to be believed.

Here you can see former US president George Bush pretending as if torture was the work of a few bad apples, after it had been exposed for the world to see in Abu Ghraib. In reality, however, torture had already been sanctioned at the highest levels.

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Police block movie screening in Kg Buah Pala

Democracy

Anil Netto

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27 Jul 2009

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Police blocked the screening of the movie “Gadoh” at Kampung Buah Pala tonight.

Dozens of police were at the kampung to stop the residents association from showing the movie in the open air along the main lane passing through the village on the grounds that it was an illegal gathering, the movie was controversial, and the event didn’t have a police permit.

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LIVE: Drama as Perak Privileges Committee holds meeting

Anil Netto

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27 Jul 2009

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The Perak Rights and Privileges Committee holding a press conference after meeting at an alternative venue – Photos by Jong

The scene this morning as Perak Rights and Privileges Committee members are denied entry into the Perak state government complex – Photo by an eye-witness

1548: Earlier, one DAP officer refuted the claim that the Perak state government personnel had not been informed of the Rights and Privileges Committee meeting this morning. “How could they (say that) when we faxed over to them the notification yesterday and they have acknowledged it?!” he exclaimed. “If they had not known, how come those uniformed police were waiting for us early in the morning? They have no business to be there to stop the people’s elected state representatives from entering the (SUK) building.”

1137: After being denied entry, the Committee has switched the meeting venue to a function room inside the Syuen Hotel coffee house. A press conference will be held at 1.00pm.

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Koh’s performance the worst: Former exco member

M'sian politics

Anil Netto

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27 Jul 2009

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Former exco member Khor Gark Kim has rated Koh Tsu Koon’s performance as the worst among Penang’s chief ministers so far. (And to think that Koh is now in charge of monitoring Key Perfomance Indicators at the federal level…)

All I can say is if you look at the quality of life in Penang – the overall environment including congestion, the state of cleanliness, water and sea pollution, the cutting of hill-slopes, haphazard property development – since the 1970s, it has clearly deteriorated over the years.

This report from The Star:

Guan Eng’s situation likened to Chong Eu’s struggle
July 27, 2009

THE challenges faced by Lim Guan Eng as Penang Chief Minister are similar to those faced by Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, China Press quoted former Penang exco member Datuk Khor Gark Kim as saying.

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Tg Bunga folks: Stop work on unapproved lots

Anil Netto

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26 Jul 2009

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Photos by a concerned Tanjung Bunga resident

While the Penang state government seems to be taking a firm stand in the High Chaparral crisis, the village isn’t the only hot potato around. Residents in Tanjung Bunga want the administration to take a similar firm stand against work on unapproved lots in Tanjung Bunga.

Five individuals from the Tanjung Bunga Residents Association and the Chee Seng Action Committee attended a meeting with Penang state exco member Phee Boon Poh on 20 July. The residents are willing to accept a scaled-down version of the project on the approved lot, but they want all “stabilisation” work on unapproved lots to be stopped until a geotech report on how to stabilise the steep hill-slopes is ready.

One of the residents reports on the outcome of the meeting:

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Guan Eng takes a bold, high-stakes gamble

Anil Netto

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26 Jul 2009

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Guan Eng’s announcement that he would direct the Penang Munical Council to immediately revoke the development order issued to Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd is a bold and decisive move.

He is finally using the powers of his office to act decisively in the interests of the villagers of Kg Buah Pala.

In this case, the Chief Minister has had to choose whose side the state government would be on come 2 Aug: the people’s or the developer’s. It must have been an agonising choice, as the state government risks being sued.

But if any developer sues the state government, it would effectively be taking on the people of Penang and as Guan Eng vowed, it would be a long and difficult suit.

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