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In uncharted waters, 1MDB’s fourth auditor faces formidable task

Anil Netto
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In uncharted waters, 1MDB’s fourth auditor faces formidable task

Parker who? That was a common reaction on 5 January 2017, when 1MDB revealed its latest auditor – a little known firm – after three Big Four auditors had fallen by the wayside for one reason or another.

Parker Randall was reported to be an “international auditing firm” with its website revealing “independent member firms” in 50 countries around the world.

One of them is a Malaysian firm by the name of Afrizan Tarmili Khairul Azhar, also known as aftaas with its head office in Rampai Business Park in Setapak and offices in Shah Alam, Ipoh, Kuantan, Johor Bahru and Kota Bharu.

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Saifuddin Nasution faces tricky balancing act as Penang CM’s adviser

Anil Netto
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Saifuddin Nasution faces tricky balancing act as Penang CM’s adviser

PKR secretary general Saifuddin Nasution’s appointment as the Penang chief minister’s strategic adviser has raised eyebrows among certain quarters.

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Penang government must provide itemised breakdown of land sales, profits since 2008

Anil Netto
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Penang government must provide itemised breakdown of land sales, profits since 2008

So we now know that the Penang Development Corporation, a state government agency, sold land parcels for proceeds totalling RM1.9bn from 2008 to 2015.

But PDC recorded a “net profit” of only RM147m after deducting RM1.8bn for “land acquisition, development costs over the land in providing infrastructure and holding costs” (see below).

As questions have been raised over land sales, the state government must provide an itemised listing of the PDC land sales totalling RM1.9bn: date sold, selling price per square foot, size/area, location, buyers, the market prices at the time, and payment terms.

[The state government should provide a separate listing of its own land sales totalling RM1.1bn – or is it RM658m (see figures in press statement below dated 4 January 2017)? So are we talking about RM2.5bn-3bn in land sales in total by both the state government and PDC?]

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Rafizi’s Invoke to hold fundraising dinner in Penang on 15 January

Anil Netto
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Rafizi’s Invoke to hold fundraising dinner in Penang on 15 January

Dinner invitation cards are available from Dr Toh Kin Woon 019-4144392. Donations for tables going for RM1,000, RM3,000 and RM5,000. Single loose seats going for RM100 per person at the RM1,000 tables.

8pm, 15 January at Penang Chinese Town Hall.

Funds can be transferred to INVOKE Solutions’ bank account:

INVOKE Solutions Sdn Bhd
Maybank account number: 5622 0964 0698

Rafizi’s message below:

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An unusual Christmas homily for our time

Anil Netto
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An unusual Christmas homily for our time

(The singer above is Majida El Roumi Baradhy, a Lebanese soprano and UN Goodwill Ambassador.)

A good friend of mine shared with me his Christmas homily. I thought it was too good to keep to myself; so I am sharing it with you – though he prefers to remain anonymous. The homily touches on how the “religious observance” vs commercialisation of Christmas contestation has masked the radical message of Christianity against the “domination systems” of our world.

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Dr Lim Mah Hui’s resignation speech to Penang Island City Council

Anil Netto
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Dr Lim Mah Hui’s resignation speech to Penang Island City Council

Dr Lim Mah Hui has stepped down as MBPP councillor representing the civil society coalition Penang Forum after serving six years. Penang Forum has nominated another individual to represent civil society in Penang for the coming year. This is Mah Hui’s resignation speech:

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Ill-conceived proposal for Penang Hill cable cars over eco-sensitive areas

Anil Netto
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Ill-conceived proposal for Penang Hill cable cars over eco-sensitive areas

Penang Forum notes: “A special review panel was appointed by the state government to study the Special Area Plan (for the Botanic Garden). The cable car proposal was put in at the last stage and NOT presented to the public. The state review panel itself strongly objected to the cable car for various reasons of environment, usage and traffic.”

So whose idea was the cable cars and how was it quietly put in over the objections of the state review panel? This kind of reminds me of the way the tunnel and three highways were inserted into the Penang transport masterplan prepared by Halcrow.

This is the full Penang Forum statement:

It is with great concern and trepidation that Penang Forum wishes to issue a statement about the proposed cable car link announced in the press today.

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Penang land reclamation: ‘The incompetent leading the unwilling to do the unnecessary’

Anil Netto
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Penang land reclamation: ‘The incompetent leading the unwilling to do the unnecessary’

Our guest writer today is Eric Britton, who discusses the land reclamation in southern Penang island, which is linked to the over-the-top SRS proposal for the Penang transport masterplan.

Step 1: Dump the land reclamation plan which has no good reason for existing. It is a rapacious, wrong-minded insult to the people of Penang, to the environment, nature, culture, wellbeing and way of life. You are being held hostage by your government for no good reason. And certainly, not that of needing more money to finance a ridiculous “transport master plan” that cannot stand independent international inspection.

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Fisherfolk slam massive land reclamation plan at EIA public consultation

Anil Netto
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Fisherfolk slam massive land reclamation plan at EIA public consultation

A large crowd has packed a hotel convention room in Teluk Kumbar for a public consultation on the environmental impact assessment study of the massive land reclamation plan off the coast of southern Penang Island.

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Penang transport masterplan: A scandal in the making?

Anil Netto
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Penang transport masterplan: A scandal in the making?

This is another piece by Roger Teoh that is worth reading. He expresses more or less the same concerns that Penang Forum has been articulating, but this time from a rigorous academic background in transport studies.

So why are the project delivery partner and the Penang state government pushing for this kind of regressive transport infrastructure proposals?

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