Friday 31 July 2009

Pakatan's sudden interest in Maika shares, a ruse

I'm just wondering after all this years, suddenly everyone in the opposition is ready to take on the Maika shares issues that has been lingering around for 20 over years.

Do I smell a ruse to deviate from the Kg Buah Pala issue? Yes. As more facts are being uncovered on the shady transaction of Kg Buah Pala, the DAP led opposition in Penang needs a diversion.

As usual the Indian MP mandores need to play their part to bury the current Penang government's fault in the Kg Buah Pala issue with a diversion.

Why the diversion, I can give you many reasons. No action was initiated on the fraudulent land transfer; no assistance was rendered to the residents in their fight against the developer when the latter is not even the legal owner of the land.

No state authority had raised the issue on the transfer of the trust land to the state land nor do documents exist to prove it. So what about this rule of law? Close an eye for the poor and defenceless.

Then what about the premium that was paid way after when it should be paid? It does not matter.

How plausible that development plan is approved when it subjected to a premium being paid within time or even without the land having been transferred.

Yes KSK did it, but what did the LGE government do to question all this to safeguard the residents and question the fraudulent transaction or invalidate it.

There are many legal nitty gritty that LGE could have pursued to expose the fraudulent land transfer if he was serious in saving Kg Buah Pala.

The icing on the cake, now since it is public, one lawyer comes out states that "The temporary title document (Borang 11AK), registered with the registrar of land titles and issued on March 27, 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"

So, what happened Guan Eng, all your propaganda with your Indian kuncu-kuncu that the state government needs to fork out RM150 million to the developer.

The game is up Guan Eng, we are not so stupid anymore as we have citizen vigilantes to question the fair and just moves rather than playing politics.

The truth is there is no RM150 million to pay, nor was there any real attempt by the present Penang government to actually safeguard the interest of the residents in Kg Buah Pala. It was all an eye wash for the public.

By raising the Maika isues, it is very clear that it is but a camouflage to hide the inherent flaws that is so obvious in the Penang government which is supposed safeguard the interest of the poor and defenceless.

Since when in history have the opposition been interested in the Maika battle that has always been internal. You walk on a thin line in misinterpreting the judgment of the public with your actions.

Don't insult our intelligence and what we can grasp when more truth is exposed on the shaddy deal around Kg Buah Pala and your government's inaction.

Sure, I don't want an Umno-led BN to rule Penang, but expect you to be truthful in your dealing with residents in Kg Buah Pala rather than diverting the attention with your load of hocus pocus.

It is still not too late Guan Eng, do the right thing for the residents and we will respect you for it, for we will appreciate that you stood by them even in your time of despair for political survival.

The above is a letter originally written by Wong Mun Chee, in Malaysiakini.

Saturday 11 July 2009

Prime Minister YAB Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak marked his 100th day in office with a whole bunch of goodies, aimed at helping Malaysians during this time of economic uncertainties. Thank you Datuk Seri, especially for the 15 million specifically allocated to Indian entrepreneurs. We look forward to more reforms and progress under your Prime Ministership, and I am confident that the BN will shine once again under your stewardship.

A 100-day birthday gift from Najib
Jul 11, 09 1:23pm

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today announced 11 populist measures in the bid to win back support from voters after the ruling coalition suffered an unprecedented electoral setback last year.

Speaking before a large crowd at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre this morning, the sixth prime minister marked his 100 days in office by announcing a 20-percent discount for frequent toll users and up to 70 percent reduction for driver's licence fees for motorbikes.

Najib hinted that more new measures would be introduced as these latest announcements were just “a beginning” for his three-month-old government.

The 11 measures are:

1) From Sept 1, motorists who use tolls 80 times or more in one month will enjoy a 20-percent discount.

2) Tenants in the Federal Territory will be given the opportunity to buy their own houses from the 44,000 units offered by the government.

3) Small traders and vendors in the Federal Territory will be given a 50-percent discount for their licence renewal fees. Meanwhile, the government will also allocate RM150 million to Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (Tekun) and RM15 million to Indian young entrepreneurs.

4) The government will add more taxi permits. As of now, 70,000 individual taxi permits have been offered and 3,000 more permits will be approved in the next three months.

5) The government will take some drastic measures to fight crime and corruption, the details of which will be revealed at the end of this month.

6) The government is also in the midst of overcoming the birth certificates issue in Sabah and Sarawak. Since 2005, Sabah has 36,000 applications and 92 percent of which have been approved. At the same time, Sarawak has 19,000 applications and 80 percent of which have also been approved. The rest will be resolved in the near future.

7) As of June 2009, the government has also resolved 46 percent of 34,000 delayed citizenship applications. The rest of it will be settled at the end of the year.

8) The government will build more roads in Sabah and Sarawak - from 750km to 1,500km - and this will be addressed in the 10th Malaysian Plan.

9) Water and electric supply in Sabah and Sarawak will also be improved, the details of which will be revealed at the end of the month.

10) Driving license fees for motorcyclists will be reduced from the existing RM500-RM700 to RM211.

11) 20,000 family members of hardcore poverty in urban area will be given 10,000 houses under the trust fund, Skim Amanah Saham Wawasan. In addition to this scheme, a new '1Malaysia' trust fund will be set up and is open to Malaysians aged 18 years and above.

Tuesday 7 July 2009

Is the Kedah government planning to demolish temples?

Ever since the internal political trouble between DAP and its partners PKR and PAS started to boil out in the open, several accusations have been traded. We all know the Tamil High Chapparal issue. A conclusion is nowhere in sight, instead we have Lim Guan Eng blaming all and sundry, when it was his DAP party who promised the villagers that their problems would be solved if his party came to power. Well, it is always easy to promise the world when you are not in power. Perhaps he never expected to come to power.

Anyway, another issue is now slowly leaking out. The DAP in Kedah is alleging that the PAS government running the state now, was quietly planning to demolish several temples. The denials came swiftly. But the DAP insisted again.

Today, a rather 'interesting' article appeared in the Star. The article, quoted a 'devotee' giving a statement denying that there are any plans to demolish any temple. Instead he refers to one particular temple, the Devi Sri Karumariamman Temple in Jalan Pegawai, Alor Setar. This 'devotee' further puts the blame on the temple committee for enroaching into private land, and further seems to question why the temple is not following agamic rules pertaining to various devotees in the temple. He also 'assures' others that only the temple hall is at risk of demolition, which he further adds will be carried out by the temple itself. Then we hear that the hall is currently being used as a makeshift temple, as the main temple is under renovation.

This seems like a blatant attempt at public relations, to quickly sweep the problem under the carpet. First, why is this 'devotee' issuing statements? Who is he? Where are the Municipal Council representatives? I note with concern that THEY have not denied there are plans to demolish temples! This 'devotee' seems to have access to notices issued by the authorities. He seems to know details as to whom the land belongs to. Is this devotee another eyewash? Is this similar to the case where a PKR division women leader, also a resident of Kg. Buah Pala, tried to hold a press conference praising the Penang State Government?

Second, where are the temple committee members? If all is well, why did THEY not release a statement that everything is ok? Have they been asked to remain silent while some third party defends the PAS government and issues denials? This entire article stinks of last minute damage control by the PAS government, and their PKR bedfellows. Will the DAP dare expose the minutes of the Municipal Council meetings where the decision to demolish temples were made? I mean, they do claim to be 'Competent, Accountable and Transparent'!

The 'Pakatan Rakyat' is a marriage of convenience. A partnership between three organizations at odds with each other. A coalition glued together by one man, who wants to be prime minister, at any cost! Now, we are slowly seeing the coalition tumble. Many predicted the downfall of the Barisan Nasional after the last GE. Internal conflicts, they claimed. "The BN is imploding" they cried! Well, look who's stuggling to keep their coalition afloat now!