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Amazing sight – ever seen a flooded hill-slope?

Anil Netto
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24


Another tourist draw for Penang?: This flooded hill-slope could be one of the Wonders of the World

Floods hit the Chee Seng area near Tanjung Bunga in Penang during heavy rain over the weeked. Incredibly, even the hill-slope was flooded.

Observed a couple of residents in the area:

On 6 September 2008, at about 5.45pm during normal heavy rain (this is the rainy season), massive amounts of rain water flowed down from the hills, overflowing all drains and onto Jalan Chan Siew Teong itself. This is due to the hills being recently cut by two housing developers. As a result, the entire road became a river of about 20 feet wide and about 6 to 8 inches deep with muddy water running the entire stretch of the road.

Residents living there for the last 39 years were shocked. During that period, they had never encountered such freak flooding in the housing area as the entire road is on a steep slope bordering the hills of Chee Seng Gardens.

This is utterly ridiculous. A police report has been lodged against the developer responsible and a complaint has been lodged with the MPPP, but still there is no action. Most of the residents there are elderly people who cannot take action by themselves.

The residents want the authorities to force the developer to do proper remedial work on the Bolton and Beverly Heights projects and to act more responsibly.

In the first place, how were such projects approved on treacherous hill-slopes? Perhaps the previous BN administration can explain.

Now the residents along Jalan Chan Siew Teong, Chee Seng Gargens want the authorities to pull the developers into line so that they act responsibly while developing the area. Now do you see the danger of having an administration that is too “business friendly”?

The residents are not against development:

but NOT at the expense of causing trouble, nuisance and monetary loss to residents in the areas. That is all we are asking for. The time for irresponsible developer activities under the old administration – i.e. BN must end. We hope the new DAP administration can force the MPPP to serve ratepayers better by forcing the developers into responsible development.

More pictures inside

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Why is Penang turning into the Venice of the East?

Anil Netto
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The floods in Penang last night created a lot of hardship and frustration. Let’s take a look at some of the root causes of the recurrent floods in Penang:

  • Concrete jungle development increases surface run-off
  • Hill cutting and hill-slope development
  • Indiscriminate development and lack of green open spaces
  • Poor drainage/clogging of drains
  • Poor planning and oversight by the previous BN administration
  • Climate change and rising sea levels?

Some of you have a good idea of what’s causing these repeated floods. But first, let’s hear from Dalbinder Singh Gill, who recounts his nightmare last night. He also discovers a little-known highway development:

I used the Jalan Tun Sardon road back to Bayan Lepas as the road from Batu Feringgi to Tanjung Tokong was closed due to a fallen tree. It took our 5-star authorities 90 minutes to clear one tree. WOW. I decided to U-turn and go up back. I should have stopped at a friend’s place but no, I used the road through Teluk Bahang-Balik Pulau-Bayan Lepas. I went through eight major landslides and eight major flood areas. Yes, I suffered (from the) massive floods. Having a big Bomba station up in Batu Feringgi-Teluk Bahang area is no use if the authorities do not know how to do its work. DAM IT!! In fact at certain strecthes we as drivers got down from our vehicles with umbrellas bracing through strong winds to clear some debris leaving small space for us to pass through as we dare not U-Turn or just stay there as we were fearing more rocks and trees and debris (after-rape products) to fall. Yet the newspapers reported that the authorities were busy clearing them up. Bulls*** or maybe not at the time when i was using that road.

Now I personally know how the rakyat are suffering. Yes, I had to pass urine in my water bottle thanks to our 5-star public toilet system and its locations. Along those roads, a major highway is being built. Isn’t the normal land road enough? Sounds like the previous government was making money behind closed doors like building this highway through the outskirts so nobody knows and the rakyat wont make noise as well especially those from the kampung whose voices are far from being heard. Yes, good way of making money. Our environment has been raped. Let’s do something: saying no to the reclamation of land is the first step.

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Floods submerge parts of Penang

Anil Netto
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24

Floods hit parts of Penang late this evening after continuous rain over the last 18 hours.  Twenty house in the Pulau Betong area were submerged.

A newspaper editor told me he was wading in waist-deep to chest-high waters in the Jalan P Ramlee area. Some parts are submerged in five feet of water. “It’s the worst flood here since 1995,” he said.

Francis Light School has been turned into a relief centre. About 250 families in the P Ramlee/Perak Road area are being provided with food and rations.  It is now drizzling and the floods appear to be receding.

Meanwhile, about 2,000 affected residents in Balik Pulau are refusing to evacuate, but no action has been taken as flood waters are receding.

The Teluk Kumbar to Balik Pulau road is blocked; and it will take several hours for it to be reopened.

Crotalus reports from Sungai Ara:

Went to Sg. Ara area in Penang. The main road was totally flooded. I don’t think my car is gonna start tomorrow. Was stuck in the flood…covering the height of my car tyre.

Over on the mainland, BM area as usual was totally in chaos…flood everywhere.

Lucky8 too reports on his not-so-lucky experience in Sungai Ara:

My place in Sungai Ara was having some flash flood … 6″- 1 foot high… need to relocate our cars to other place for parking and move things at home to a higher place as well. It lasted for about 1/2 hour plus, I guess. This morning, I could see many people cleaning their houses especially the car porch and in front of each house with a lot of mud on the road…

Lucia reports from the Green Lane/Macalister Road area:

I wanted to attend the 916 forum too but due to the rain and flood, i didn’t! First time our church (in Macalister road) was flooded! (Not inside, just outside, I mean). It’s terrible!

… It’s terrible that each time there is heavy downpour, flood! What was KTK  doing?

Lilian reports from Taman Lumba Kuda:

My place in Taman Lumba Kuda, opposite the State Mosque, next to St. Xavier’s Primary school Air Itam is flooded as well. Wanted to go to Han Chiang for the forum, got there, but the water was rising fast in the car park. After considering the risk, I left. One of my cars was already in the workshop due to a freak flood about two weeks ago. Already alerted the staff of the Adun in my area (the CM’s constituency of Air Putih-lah) and hope they find out what’s the cause.

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All my bags are packed – but to China, Taiwan or Oz?

Anil Netto
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One more day to go for the scheduled study trip, but they are still not sure where they are heading. It’s scheduled to start from tomorrow-lah!

Perhaps all they want is just to get those BN MPs out of the country for a while. The official term for this trip is “educational agricultural field trip”. Meanwhile, Anwar has gone off for his own lawatan kerja to Indonesia – and he is still insisting the defections are on track.

Barisan Back-benchers’ Club chairman Tiong King Sing is quoted in The Star as saying:

Asked if it was true that the MPs were headed to Australia as was reported on some websites, Tiong said he had met with the sub-committee in the club arranging the trip.

“However, we have yet to decide whether we should go to China or Taiwan. We have to weigh the pros and cons of these two destinations because for China, we will need to apply for visas.”

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FT Gerakan chief joins PKR

Anil Netto
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Gerakan FT chief Dr Tan Kee Kwong (photo credit: The Star) has joined PKR. He said he had lost faith in the leadership of Gerakan, Umno and the BN.

He is a former Segambut MP and son of the late ‘Mr Opposition’, Dr Tan Chee Khoon.

Has the exodus begun ahead of the lawatan sambil belajar? We wait and watch…

Latest on Penang mega projects

Anil Netto
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This is the latest status of all the mega projects in Penang. These remarks are based on the Prime Minister’s reply to a question raised by the Penang Chief Minister in Parliament on 20 August 2008.

What the first three projects have in common is that the financial models were all messed up.

My comments and recommendations, for what they are worth, are in italics.

Second Penang Bridge: Federal government now studying the financial model put forward by Syarikat Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned federal government subsidiary, based on a new bridge model. (I guess they messed up with the earlier financial model.) It is also drafting terms and conditions of a concession agreement before starting negotiations with the company. (Sounds like right hand going to negotiate with left hand.)

To cut a long story short: Still under study.

My recommendation: The cost has nearly doubled to RM5 billion. Turn it into a shorter rail link at a different location and allow the Penang State Government to hold a majority stake in the company.

Penang Outer Ring Road (Porr): Supposed to have been built under build-operate-transfer privatisation model. But not feasible without strong federal government support or high tolls. Federal government now facing financial constraints so unable to use development expenditure under the Five-Year Malaysia Plan to implement it. But project may be considered if private companies are interested.

To cut a long story short: No federal government funding.

My recommendation: Scrap it because of environmental concerns and future congestion. Move away from private vehicle ownership and introduce an integrated public transport system.

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200 new buses for Penang, but…

Anil Netto
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10

Some RM100 million has been allocated for 200 new buses for Rapid Penang, which already has 150 buses.

The additional buses will slash the average waiting time from 25 minutes to 10 minutes and enable Rapid Penang to add 14 new routes to its existing 33. The target is to raise the daily passengers from 48,000 to 120,000.

Rapid Penang, funded by the Ministry Of Finance Incorporated, is a subsidiary of Syarikat Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (Rapid KL).

From the grapevine, I understand that the 200 new buses for Rapid Penang have already been ordered: 100 buses are meant for Penang Island and 100 for Seberang Perai (mainland Penang).

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Now every BN MP can fly – plus free travel tips

Anil Netto
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Seems to me that the BN MPs have caught a severe case of the jitters as 16 September approaches.

So it’s just as well they are planning a long vacation, err, I mean lawatan sambil belajar. 🙂

As blogger Susan Loone says, now we get to experience what the country is like without a bunch of BN MPs.

Their sudden interest in agriculture is a laugh. Najib says it’s gonna be a constructive trip. Right.

This excerpt from a Sun report:

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Iraq War a “task that is from God”? Utter rubbish

Anil Netto
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This is the woman the US corporate media are hailing as a “star is born” – the new US vice-presidential candidate from the Republican party.

This from an AP report:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a “task that is from God.”…

Palin asked the students to pray for the troops in Iraq, and noted that her eldest son, Track, was expected to be deployed there.

“Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God,” she said. “That’s what we have to make sure that we’re praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God’s plan.”

What utter rubbish. She should look up her bible.

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What the corporate media won’t show you

Anil Netto
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6

Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman arrested while trying to come to the aid of her colleagues during a large anti-war protest on Monday

The corporate media are the same everywhere. Somehow there is great reluctance to highlight popular people’s protests including anti-war protests. Instead the news is invariably presented from the perspective of those in power or from the vantage point of Big Business. And war is generally good for Big Business in the United States’ media-military-industrial complex. It drives up the price of oil, promotes weapons sales, improves media ratings and boosts the popularity of “war-time” presidents, at least initially.

And when independent media journalists such as Amy Goodman try to counter the propaganda, lies and spin, they are harassed, persecuted – and even arrested. (She and her colleagues were later released.)

This is an account of a large anti-war protest during the Republican Convention that you wouldn’t have found reported over the major global media stations.

It’s from Juan Cole’s excellent Informed Comment blog:

Thousands of protesters rallied against the Iraq War at the Republican Convention on Monday.

The thousands of protesters were almost all peaceful. I had US cable news on all day off and on, and never saw anything on it about the protests. Some teenager was pregnant, which is not their business or mine, but that was what they were talking about. Protesting the Republican Party’s warmongering and lethal corruption for the past 8 years– a record that has made it impolitick for George W. Bush to attend the conference of the party he still technically leads– now that was unworthy of public comment.

A few at the rally were accused of breaking windows or throwing bottles at the police. 284 arrests were made.

The press accounts suggest that in some instances police acted overly aggressively (i.e. unconstitutionally), moving in on protesters who were peaceful.

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