apa ertinya kemerdekaan...

Salam Kemerdekaan to all.

Many men and women have lost the true spirit of sacrifice, but there are also others who are pushing forward for change.

“In our country, we have… acquired a spirit of complacency. We have lost in part our spirit and determination to stand up without fear or favour.

“Many have just chosen to accept instead of boldly stating what should be a strong impetus for the country and our people as a whole.

“There is a streak of egotistical self-sufficiency, which has become a major part of our individual life.

Great words of Mrs FR Bhupalan.

Read the full interview here:

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/09/03/cry-of-the-silent-millions-goes-unheeded/

saturday sept 3

Its Saturday again, the 8th after the historical 709 BERSIH march. Im sitting here with my Samsung Tab reflecting back on that great day.

Yeah, it was truly a special day and it brings a smile to my face each time i think, talk or recall that special day. I still distinctly remember having tears in my eyes while joining hundreds of others in singing the National Anthem on Petaling street. Smiling and shaking hands with complete strangers and friends, what an experience.

But now two months on, I wonder if that oomph, that 'semangat' is still burning inside us? It is still burning in me, to see Free and Fair elections come GE13. Of course the million ringgit question is when will be the GE13?

I feel sad to speculate that GE13 will come only after a turbulant time in Malaysia following Anwar's imprisonment. Yes, I am definitely sure he will be sent in yet again. Reformasi v2.0 cum BERSIH v3.0 will be a reality. This time round even more rakyat will be out on the streets. International attention will be even more than before.

UMNO will pull out all stops to 'fight' for their survival, grasping like a drowning man. Yes, it will indeed be a difficult moment for the nation but one that we would nevertheless have to go through. I just pray that there will be minimal blood shed and minimal damage and economic loss.

Emerging from that will be GE13 which will bring Malaysia into a new political chapter in our nation's history. What will we become after that?

I see changes but not immediate. Change will come slowly and i would rather see it come slowly but sustained instead of drastic but not long lasting.

The key factor would be in the hands of civil society who must keep the politicians in check. The new generation politicians must engage civil society to help bring Malaysia forward and to survive.

It has been 3 months since my last posting. The past 3 months have been interesting, challenging and thought provoking. Now on the 3rd day of syawal, after a very relaxing short break, i sit reflecting on what I have gone through.

I start with my sad reflection of my nation's 54th Independent year.

I call it Independence Day and not Freedom or National Day. It is certainly not National Day as Malaysia was not formed on 31st Aug nor was she formed in 1957. On this date and year, the Brits left our homeland but the rakyat did not grt their freedom. Malaya was free from British colonisation, but Malaysia was yet to be formed.

Thus, we commemorate our Independence but we certainly do not celebrate our National Day nor is there cause to celabrate our freedom or Merdeka.

I noticed there are very few Jalur Gemilang flying either on vehicles or on buildings. This is despite the government's concerted effort to encourage people to fly the flag.

This is a loud and clear message from the people that the government should be listening to and respecting it. There is indeed little to celebrate but a whole lot to reflect on.

Apakah ertinya kemerdekaan apabila negara kita masih dalam keadaan darurat?
Apakah ertinya kemerdekaan kalau rakyat tidak bebas bersuara atau berhimpun secara aman?


I certainly see that the state of our nation today is because those who came before us chose to be silent.

Can we continue to be silent? A regime will continue to rule with little care and respect for the rights of the people if the people continue to be silent for whatever reason: fear, ignorance or simply because they are not bothered.

I appeal to my fellow Malaysians to give serious consideration to what kind of a nation you want to leave for your children and the next generation.

We cannot afford to remain silent. We owe it to our children to leave for them a nation that is truly independent and free where there is justice and rule of law.

We must give oud children a cause to fly the Jalur Gemilang with pride and to celebrate MERDEKA!

Inflation, Price Increase and Subsidies

My Thoughts, week ending 21st May 2011

This week ended with talks or rather; with the UMNO Regime “preparing” the rakyat with news of the forthcoming price increase for RON95.

I am not one who advocates subsidies but as Najib has said, subsidies are like opium and the rakyat are addicted.

Therefore, it is very important indeed for the administration to look at its priorities especially when it comes to cutting subsidies.

Removing subsidies for RON95 and for sugar and diesel (as announced recently) are definitely not the way forward. These are basic items which will also be the “multiplier” – thus an increase in price would bring along a rolling effect on the price of many more basic necessities.

Whilst the UMNO regime has reported an inflation rate of 3% the truth and reality on the ground is that price of household items and basic necessities have increased by an average of 10% year to year with no corresponding increase in salary.

Thus at this point in time, reducing subsidies for RON95 as part of the administration’s subsidy rationalization plans is definitely not the way.

What more with the recent Bank Negara’s announcement of an increase in base rates means the rakyat would be burdened with higher loan repayments.

The average Malaysian family spends over 40% of their income on purchasing basic household necessities. Thus a big portion of our expenditure will be further hit by an increase in price of basic necessities.

Therefore with these real figures it would definitely not be morally right for the administration to even consider a reduction in the subsidies for RON95. Not at this point in time anyway.

What should rightfully be done instead is to have the political will to regularize the subsidies given that does not bring direct benefit to the lower income communities. Subsidies given to the Independent Power Producers for example, must definitely be re-looked at seriously.

Similarly, tightening the belt by the administration and leadership must be given serious priority. Unnecessary and wasteful spending must be curbed. Good governance and competency must be real and not just be given lip-service.

Public transportation must be on top of the list of priorities that the administration need to reform. The services must be efficient, user-friendly and affordable where the rakyat would be proud to use it and would encourage others to use it too.

Introducing minimum wages would be another way to spread the burden with businesses. With bigger take-home pay and thus stronger spending power, an increase in price of basic necessities due to reducing subsidies would bring lesser impact.

Yes I remain a proponent of rationalization of subsidies. The nation’s economic status must be real; based on real figures and not on these “subsidized reality”. There must come a point in time when we free ourselves of the addiction as suggested by Najib or as the doctor said,” we must get rid of the crutches.”

My thoughts 11-05-11

The week that was…
The last week saw the return of our annual visit by the haze.
If the hot weather continues, the haze will only get worse and of course out will come the face masks of all shapes and colours; the new fashion statements.
As Anak Bangsa Malaysia, the last week also brought about the dark political sky to our nation.
The suggestion by the mainstream press about DAP supporting the churches to make Christianity the official religion in Malaysia is a serious matter. However, despite its serious repercussions , our ministers were quick in making comments and remarks without due consideration to its consequences.
DAP nor any other political party would in any way even think about let alone suggest to touch on the question of the official religion for our country. Some have argued that there is in fact no official religion in the Constitution; whatever it is, the general public assumes and respects that Islam is the official religion.
Therefore all official state functions will begin by reciting the prayer according to the Islam faith. However, there is nothing stopping the non-muslim participants for quietly murmuring a prayer in their own faith.
I am a practicing Christian, and for me personally and to many of my fellow Christian brothers and sisters, mine is not a religion. It is in fact a relationship between myself and my God. When I pray, it means I am communicating with my God; sharing my thoughts and seeking for his guidance. This is what a relationship means.
Therefore I do not think even for a moment that the church leaders would even want to suggest making Christianity the official religion in Malaysia.
Thus Utusan Malaysia’s irresponsible reporting plus a misleading picture smacks of insensitivity and mischief. As a responsible Prime Minister, Najib has little choice but to publicly rebuke the editors of Utusan Malaysia. If he fails to do that, it means that he is in fact condoning such irresponsibility. He cannot hide behind the fact of freedom of speech, because this kind of freedom is indeed very selective.
In fact, Freedom of Speech which even Pakatan Rakyat supports, does come with responsibility. When someone practices this Freedom without the responsibility, than they must bear the consequences.
I applaud the Penang PR Government for taking the initiative of banning Utusan Malaysia from covering their programmes. This is one such consequence of irresponsibility. I urge the other Pakatan Rakyat state governments to do likewise.
However, this cannot be compared with taking away the rights of Utusan Malaysia from covering their events simply because Utusan is bias in their reporting. It is their right to be bias leaning to their masters but being irresponsible is another thing altogether.
Than came Tuesday with the report that sugar prices will be raised by another 20sen per kilo. As usual, our dear minister goes overboard to justify the increase.
Comparing the price of sugar here with Singapore without comparing the income levels of the citizens is akin to “hazing” the rakyat’s view. However, the rakyat today, is not that easily conned. The cyberworld has opened the eyes of the rakyat.
By reducing the subsidy for sugar the government is reported to have saved RM116 million. This makes perfect sense; but not so when we see the same government allocating RM110 million to an NGO which comes under the patronage of the wife of the Prime Minister. How can the government therefore justify either spending the money for the NGO or increasing the price of sugar.
So yes the week has been hazy but as always, the haze will go away. Likewise, the “haze” of incomplete, misleading and irresponsible information to the rakyat will also go away. The rakyat will see the clear picture sooner or later; sooner I hope. When the picture becomes clear, that’s when it matters most, what they would do with the clear picture. Vote for Change!

life sentences

Every life is sacred. Every person has a sacred right, not just to
breathe and have a heartbeat, but also to lead a normal, regular life
without unjustified persecution, harassment and victimisation. When
politicians and political parties destroy the lives of innocent people
in order to preserve their own power, that, to me, is evil. Or, to use
a milder term, let's just say it is immoral.

This is my bottom line: The PAP has no morals and no moral authority to
govern Singapore. Because it does not uphold the life and freedom of
individuals. Its stubborn refusal to drop the death penalty - including
mandatory death penalty for drug traffickers, giving judges no room to
consider specific circumstances of a case - only reinforces this lack
of respect for life.

public transport - MRT

Petaling Jaya is facing an acute traffic congestion problem in almost the whole city. Most arterial roads are already at levels E and F and even beyond that. Due to lack of proper planning in the bad old days, even residential roads are now being used at through-ways. The current council faces a challenging task of balancing between new approving new developments and solving the traffic nightmare. Thus any proposal including the MRT that can contribute towards improving the traffic problem in the city would be most welcomed.
Therefore I sincerely believe that the MRT can be a savior. That is why we see so many residents being concerned and taking an interest in the project.

There is no doubt that an efficient public transport system is the only solution to the city's traffic problems.

SPAD as the monitoring body is indeed going in the right direction by having public consultations on the project. However, there must be sincerity and commitment to listen to and respect public opinion and not do it purely as a public relations exercise.

Currently, our public transport is in a big mess with the general public having little or no confidence at all. Therefore only 10% of Klang Valley residents uses public transport. Why so?

The current system is not user friendly, built and operated not for the user in mind but profit motivated.

It took at least 10 years for the current existing rail systems to be integrated and interconnected. Even today ticketing systems between the various operators are not fully integrated.

The interconnectivity between existing lines is a disgrace. One only need to look at the Rapid bus services and the current LRT shuttle services.

The connectivity between services at Hang Tuah and Masjid Jamek is truly an embarassment and a major inconvenience to users. The link between Dang Wangi LRT and the monorail is incomprehensible.

The Rapid Bus system when introduced assured us of 15mins waiting time for laluan utama and 30mins for laluan tempatan. Ask any user and they will tell you this is absolute rubbish.

The excuse given by the management of Rapid is even more mind boggling. The schedule could not be met because at the time of planning we did not anticipate the high volume of traffic on the road thus slowing down our buses. Secondly we have 1500 buses but only 400 operating because of maintenace and breakdowns.

All these are merely excuses which are also insulting the intelligence of the rakyat. These problems are due to poor planning and management by the operators.

The proposed MRT system will be operated by the same people currently providing our public transport services.

Pray tell how on earth can the rakyat have any confidence at all on this proposed project. Even though we know it is much needed but the rakyat have little or no confidence in its effectiveness.

I propose that much more effort, time and investment be placed in improving the existing systems. Set a specific target of higher ridership using the current public transport services.

In the meantime, spend time engaging the public on the proposed MRT. There is little point in rushing through the project just for the feel good 'syiok sendiri' syndrome. We do not have to do it just because our neighbours have it.

We must do it properly and get it right the first time. We must fully engage the rakyat and make this a project that the rakyat feel that they are a part of it.

The MRT project must be the pride of the nation and not be allowed to be a national disgrace!

Re: Malaysia's Emergency Ordinance

PRESS RELEASE by N Surendran, PKR Vice President
Malaysia must end Emergency state
22 April 2011

Today Syria's authoritarian ruler Bashar al Assad was forced to lift
emergency rule which had been used to oppress and intimidate the
people of Syria for almost 50 years. The battle for freedom in Syria
is far from over, but this is a great new beginning for all
freedom-loving Syrians. The tyrant has been pushed into a corner and
it is only a matter of time before the people triumph. We in Malaysia
stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Syria.

We understand their struggle, for we too are involved in a peaceful
struggle to regain our political freedoms from the intolerant Barisan
Nasional government. In Malaysia several states of emergency continue
unrepealed and with full legal force. It is time to repeal all
Emergency proclamations and laws which are deliberately and
maliciously being kept in existence by the Government. These emergency
proclamations were made between 1964 and 1977, including the 1964
proclamation meant to deal with the confrontation with Indonesia and
the 1969 proclamation made in the wake of the May 13 riots. Many
oppressive ordinances promulgated under emergency powers remain
operative and continue to be used by the authorities.

Emergency powers are invoked under Article 150 of the Federal
Constitution. It is clear from a reading of Article 150 that a state
of emergency can only be maintained where there is a real threat to to
the security or economic life of Malaysia. A state of emergency
maintained otherwise than in accordance with the preceding
circumstances is nothing short of governmental tyranny; a tyranny
which the Barisan Nasional government has had no compunction in
continuing over the past 50 years. Barisan Nasional's motive is simply
to frighten the people into submission and thus prolong their unjust
rule by unconstitutional means.

It is a great shame to our country that some of the worst North
African and Middle East tyrannies have recently lifted their
respective states of emergency, whereas several states of emergency
continue in our country. The core and the strength of the BN's lawless
abuse of the law to achieve their selfish ends resides in these
emergency powers. We urge the BN government to put the people before
their own narrow political agenda and to immediately lift all existing
states of emergency in Malaysia.

And the verdict is - MONEY SPEAKS!

Malaysian politics is certainly a roller-coaster ride…..it goes up and it goes down but the only consistent factor is that the rakyat will vote for money.
All the recent by-elections were lost by Pakatan Rakyat because of two consistent factors outside of their control: ie Money and Postal Votes. These by-elections should be renamed BUY-elections.
So what can be done?
Pakatan Rakyat and especially PKR has lots to learn and change. Learn from past failures and learn from DAP’s campaign style and strategies.
PKR and to an extent PAS is still campaigning the old ways – the BN style. Sweet talk the rakyat, dish out a few candies here and there, “whack” the opponent. This approach does not work for PR because we lose out to BN’s huge machinery and endless bank account.
Look at DAP – their campaign is based on MARKETING; they sell themselves and their achievements with a mascot and theme song too. They even have cuddly toys that supporters buy and the voters see themselves as being a part of the whole campaign. It has been proven to work and being able to overcome even BN’s machinery and money.
We can argue that DAP’s win is because of the Chinese voters who cannot be easily bought. This is true too so BN may just spend more and do more in Chinese areas before the next General Elections.
So what is the next step for Pakatan Rakyat?
PR must seriously look into the issues that they are campaigning on. PKR’s approach of defending Anwar Ibrahim at all costs against Najib can no longer work. The REFORMASI struggle is no longer relevant if it remains focused on DSAI only.
Word on the ground in Sarawak is that they want to know what Pakatan Rakyat can do for them in real terms. They want to know how they can continue to earn a living and that their rice bowls will be protected.
The general man on the street in not bothered with talk of Justice for Teoh Beng Hock , of Kugan or Amirulrashid. In Sarawak for example, if a few people from Semenanjung is banned from entering Sarawak, so what – they are not bothered. If Taib is corrupt, so what – as long as I still can earn a living even though I dun have pipe water or electricity. I can still manage with a generator that the good BN government gave my village.
Clean and fair elections and a corruption free government: that is your problem. It does not matter to me – even when PR becomes government you cannot be clean. All politicians are the same. So I better stick with the ones I know from before.
So even here in Semenanjung, basic bread and butter issue matters to the makcik and pakcik in the kampong and they are the majority. Lopsided contracts, human rights are terms that are alien to them.
In as much as we are all concerned about these matters and it is these issues that form the basic fundamentals to our struggle, it does not work in an election campaign in the interiors and in the villages.
Even DAP’s wonderfully managed marketing campaign will not work in the interiors and in the villages.
Therefore PR must relook and rebrand themselves in order to have a fighting chance come the next GE. Perhaps, learning from DAP; PKR and PAS must start a Marketing Style campaign for the villages and the general middle and lower middle class Malay community.
It is undeniable that PR has got the Chinese and middle-class Malays and Indians in the pocket but PR must keep them in the pocket. PR has lots more to do to get into the hearts of the middle and lower-middle class Malays and Indian voters.
PR must be seen to be able to put food on their tables and a roof over their heads. PR must be seen to be able to give them a sense of security instead of being seen as people that always go protesting this and that; issues that they do not really understand.
For the urbanites, PR must ensure that in the States that they are governing now, pothole are patched, traffic lights are working, drains are flowing and developments controlled and sustainable. These issues if resolved assures that votes remain in PR pockets.
So the difficulty is in the bread and butter issues. BN has done a great job in telling the people that PR cannot do anything because they have never done anything. BN is right too because PR has never been in government to be able to do anything nor does PR have the money to do anything. So PR’s marketing must focus on educating the rakyat on PR’s current limitations and creating that dream of what PR can do and will do once in government.
Creating that dream (Yes We can) is what won Obama the presidentship. PR must likewise create that dream and certainly move away from REFORMASI and the DSAI shadow. Perhaps PKR should swallow humble pie and clinch on DAP’s ” UBAH” battle cry for the coming GE13 – and that dream of Putrajaya can indeed become a reality.
Berkhidmat Untuk Rakyat.

Residents want a sense of security before removing boom gates

THE debate on gated and guarded schemes is the hottest and a long standing community issue that has drawn divided views in recent years.

The schemes, which are categorised by the Housing and Local Government Ministry as ‘gated communities’ that has strata titles and ‘guarded neighbourhoods’ — should only be guarded and not gated. These are forced by-products of high crime rates.

Earlier, residents and authorities called for proper guidelines to put a stop to noise pollution. However, the clauses that did not address to realities actually created more questions.

Aside from ambiguously requiring the consent of the majority, the guidelines demand that every boom barrier be manned by a security guard. Have they any idea how many entry and exit points a typical housing estate in the Klang Valley has? Asking the guards not to request for identification from anyone entering the area defeats the purpose of having security. So are the guards supposed to say ‘hi’ to the suspicious-looking people?

In an attempt to set the rules straight, the Petaling Jaya City Council sent out mass notices instructing residents’ associations to remove all barriers built on public roads on Boxing Day last year. The move drew a huge outcry and the matter is still left unresolved.

The directive was insensitive especially when residents have invested thousands of Ringgit in the scheme which was beginning to show results.

Many families — mine included — who are not rich, have to agree to gate-and-guard our neighbourhood because all other housing estates around us have already implemented the scheme. If we don’t do that, then our housing area will become a target for thefts and robberies.

I must admit that subscribing to the scheme has eased my worries as my parents and grandparents are at home.

While the scheme has successfully reduced crimes, it has produced some adverse effects like hampering fire engines and ambulances from reaching the homes of patients and victims as quickly as possible in emergency situations.

While we have to resort to stay behind locked grilles, boom gates and security personnel to feel safe, the situation in some other countries are very different. Homes in Australia do away with perimeter fences and women in Singapore can take public transport at midnight without fear of being robbed.

We all want the same thing — a sense of security.

While becoming comfortable with the gated-and-guarded schemes, we do not want this to be our culture or worst-case scenario, an unwanted identity of a world-class city we aspire to be.

Instead of hitting at the local council to make the schemes work, residents should check how much we have progressed to reduce dependency on the schemes.

Get updates from the police during dialogues and monitor the length of time used by the force to address safety issues.

Also, are CCTVs and other safety measures working effectively to combat crime?

Giving us a sense of security does not happen overnight. Convince us that when we take away the boom gates, we will still feel safe.

Reduced crime rates do not fully reflect the police’s efficiency. There are fewer crime cases because people have compromised on their lifestyle and prefer to stay ‘behind bars’.

Authorities should brief residents on the effectiveness of alternative measures such as auxiliary police, community policing and personnel re-deployment. Explore other means such as mobilising Rela to work closely with the residents.

At the end of the day, I would rather have my tax contribution going to uniformed bodies than to private security firms.

My Frustrations....

I have commiteed my time, energy and resources to help bring positive changes to Malaysia. I have chosen to work through the Pakatan Rakyat because it is the only available avenue for the moment to fight against Barisan National.



BN has continued in their own manner despite the sounding they recieved in March 2008. Even though their "advisor and consultant" has been giving good advice to the PM, however the grassroots are not singing the same tune. The blatant disrespect of the voice of the people and corrupt practices continues.



Therefore, I have chosen to work through Pakatan Rakyat and i am indeed honoured to be able to serve the community through the office of the Member of Parliament for SUBANG, YB Sivarasa. I habour no political ambitions except to bring changes to the enitre system of governance and see good practices in operation.



I am therefore saddened to note that in many ways and far too often, our currently elected PR representatives seem to have too much ego in their heads. far too often I have noticed how our PR elected representatives are behaving exactly in the same way the BN counterparts were doing.



Although they started off in 2008 as being very people friendly and results orientated but as the months go by, they fall into the trap of their egos and pride. Arriving late to planned meetings, wanting to be "greeted" with grandiose are surely but slowly slipping in.



They want to take credit for almost everything and even when others are helping out, these elected representatives are not keen because they themselves are not present. It does not matter if the problems are not solved, it should not be handled because they still cannot find time to be present. The YB wants to be there first so they can claim credit; its their own ego that comes first - not the rakyat.



Therefore from my first hand experience, I know full well, Rakyat didahulukan is a load of rubbish not just with BN but also with many within PR too.



Some of the PR State government leaders (EXCO) continues to fall into the "trap" of listening to the existing civil servants who are indeed very good at "boot polishing". It was these same officers who were there with the BN government before this and thus the root of the administrative problems before. Now we are still listening to the same people.



Lest we not forget, it was this "poor management" of the government operations that got BN the boot. The average man on the street does not bother too much about the politics, but want to see proper administration - smooth flow of documentations, fair decisions for all, less pot holes, lamp posts that works, traffice lights that works, drains that flow ...... but when the operative fail to function with all kinds of excuses and our "leaders" listen more to them and buy their excuses instead of the residents, we are back to square one.



I admit that with our more open and people friendly approach, every resident is able to call us directly to complain and some of these complainants are a real nuisance but this is part and parcel of our job.



However, we should be good managers and get things done and be results orientated and in many cases be authoritative instead of being the nice guy, playing the "politician" even with these civil servants - who may proof to be our own downfall.



It is indeed a frustrating job......

My little part for Competency, Accountability and Transparency plus sustainabale development

Ara Damansara residents irked by changes to project
Story and photo by YIP YOKE TENG
teng@thestar.com.my


THE Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) spent much time drafting the Petaling Jaya Special Area Plan (RKK) but it is now said to go against the recommendations spelt out in the plan.

Residents of Ara Damansara found out the site for Ara Greens Wellness and Healthcare City project should have a plot ratio of 1:2 but the council had allowed 1:3.9.

The residents were also surprised to find out about the project’s conditional approval while it was agreed in the full board meeting in January the project was to be further reviewed.

They said another shocking find was that one of the blocks meant for service apartment later become a “hotel”.

A group of them visited the 3.24ha project site with Kota Damansara assemblyman Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim and Subang MP R. Sivarasa’s aide Peter Chong on Tuesday.

“The RKK recognises Jalan Lapangan Terbang Subang as a main road, development along the road can have a plot ratio of 1:4, and density should be reduced in accordance with its distance from the road and the LRT station. The project, as shown in this plan, should only have a plot ratio of 1:2,” said resident C.P. Lim, showing a print-out copy of the plan.


Concerns raised: Ara Damansara residents showing Dr Mohd Nasir (fifth from left) and Chong (second from left) the site on which the Ara Greens Wellness and Healthcare City project will be built and the relevant documents.
“The council has spent so much money commissioning the experts to come out with this plan, why are they not following it?” he asked.

He said the project had suddenly been changed to include a 180-room hotel, in place of the original service apartment with 180 units. The project will also include six blocks of medium-cost service apartments and one block of medical centre.

“The parking requirement will drastically change if they change the usage of the block from apartment to hotel. For service apartment, there must be 2.5 parking bays per unit and another 20% for visitors’ parking while hotel needs to have only one bay for every three rooms. Parking space will be reduced significantly,” Lim added.

The residents also highlighted that the site, as well as that of the adjacent proposed project named Lembah Penchala, was marked for recreational purpose in the Sime Pilmoor Development masterplan in 1995.

“Apart from the 5.3ha land, there were supposed to be two sites for secondary and primary schools but they are now occupied by a commercial area and an abandoned project. Where are the replacement sites? Why have the institutional land disappeared?” another resident Rajinderjit Singh said.

Lim pointed out that since the site was meant for recreational purpose, the utilities might not have enough capacity for such major development.

Chong said the council should explain as to why Form C, which means approval with condition, was issued to the developer while the council was supposed to review the project as requested by the full board.

“Once Form C is issued, all changes will need to be done at the state level, the council will no longer accept the appeals,” he said, adding there was a pressing need to look back at the minutes to find out what had happened.

Dr Nasir said he was also taken aback by the sudden changes in the development plan and questioned why the people were not consulted.

“We support development but there must be a balance. Development should not be done at the expense of the people,” he said.

On the other hand, a spokesman representing the developer clarified that the company did not have any intention to build a hotel.

“It could be miscommunication. The block is meant to be a service apartment, not a hotel” he said.

He added that the company was not aware whether the land was meant for recreational purposes but the current status was “commercial”, and the company had obtained conditional Development Order from the council.

As for the plot ratio, he said when the project was approved it was 1:3.9, and if a new plan had required the plot ratio to be changed, it should only be applied to future projects.

A truly Multiracial Chinese New year celebration

Surviving the Coming Hard Time !

By Stanley Koh

Stanley Koh was the head of research unit at MCA.

COMMENT




It turns out that the government you voted in will not hold your hand to see you through hard times. Instead, it will make sure to add to your suffering because that is the easiest way it can avoid going bankrupt.



Barisan Nasional has apparently decided that the time has come to remove or cut subsidies — the kind of subsidies that poor people depend on, not the kind enjoyed by big corporations and monopolistic suppliers of utilities and infrastructural support.

So what is the use of a government that will eagerly shake your hand during election time but will not hesitate to pull the rug from under your feet when it needs to save itself?

Few believe that the removal of subsidies on essential food items and fuels can save the Malaysian government from possible bankruptcy. If it does go bankrupt, it will be because it has failed to cleanse a corrupt system.

It is better for Malaysians to be rich and to control a bankrupt government than to be poor and controlled by a corrupt government. Many countries have rich citizens with bankrupt governments.

You do not need an economist to tell you that RM100 in Malaysia today does not buy as much as it did last year.

In what we may call the Malaysian Misery Index, we can see that food prices have been spiralling upwards for years. For example, fresh tenggiri, which was RM13.23 a kilo in 1997, now costs RM40 a kilo. A roasted duck cost RM13.47 in 1997, but is now at least RM38. And Malaysians have become used to the doubling in price of some food items during festive seasons.

Most Malaysians do not expect the situation to improve. Food prices will continue to go up and there is little hope that they will come down again.

Two years ago, the BN government announced that it had set up a US$1.25 billion fund to increase food production and that it was targeting 100% self-sufficiency in rice consumption. What has happened to the fund and the target?

Double whammy

When the GST (goods and services tax) is fully implemented in 2011, it will be a double whammy for poor and middle-income households, pensioners, the unemployed and single parents.

Some have argued that imposing GST on Malaysian does not make much economic sense when only 6.8% of the population are taxpayers and a large majority earn low incomes. Furthermore, it is acknowledged that most of us are paying hidden taxes in highway tolls and electricity tariffs.

Indeed, the future looks bleak.

Yet, quite a number of us are gullible enough to think that the government will protect consumers. Are we not being stupid? Isn't it better to be wiser and brace for tougher times ahead?

Instead of believing the promises of a government that has a dismal performance record, we should believe the law of inflation, which says, “Whatever goes up will go up some more.”

Ronald Reagan once described inflation as a violent mugger, a threatening armed robber and a deadly hit man. In the Malaysian context, that is an apt description not of inflation, but of the BN government’s behaviour and policies.

So how do we fight the inflation of food prices?

Economists generally agree that the average Malaysian household spends about 75% of its income on food. Food price hikes will therefore have an adverse impact upon disposable income and force us to make a lifestyle change.

To fight inflation

Here are some of the things we can do:

- Stop eating at expensive restaurants.
- Boycott traders, hypermarkets and hawker stalls that charge unreasonable prices.
-Shop intelligently for value and do not be too impressed by branding.
-Work out a budget before buying. Look out for special sales.
- Prevent wastage by not buying more than you can eat.
- Tell friends and acquaintances about shops that charge excessively.
- Avoid buying expensive beverages or foodstuff and find alternatives for nutritional value.
- Boycott chained markets and fast-food joints. They are monopolised by a few large companies and can therefore raise prices at whim.

Perhaps economist Milton Friedman was right when he said, “If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara desert, in five years there will be a shortage of sand.”

Malaysians do not take the official Consumer Price Index (CPI) seriously. They know it does not accurately reflect price rises in essential foodstuffs.

Many suspect that the government uses it as an instrument to deceive the public into thinking that things are hunky-dory when they are not. The government develops statistics so that the inflation-weary public would direct its hostility towards businesses, and not blame official mismanagement.

The average household consumption expenditure over the last 20 years has increased by 181.8%. In 1973, it was RM412. By 1993-94, it had gone up to RM1,161. In 1999, it touched RM1,631.

According to Prof Lim Teck Ghee, real household income has been growing, but at the snail-pace rate of 0.9% per year. More than half of the population are in the low-income category.

Today, a family of five spends 50% to 60% of household income on food compared with 20% in 1998 and 15% in 1988.

Not long ago, there was official acknowledgement that 95% of families are finding it hard to cope with the rise in food prices.

In fact, the biggest failure of the Ninth Malaysia Plan is that it did not help Malaysians improve their quality of living. Inflation, whether it is imported or locally generated, raises the cost of living and lowers the quality of living.

'Why not change the government?'

In 2006, when Najib Tun Razak was Deputy Prime Minister, he asked Malaysians to change their lifestyle in the face of the rising cost of living.

A blogger by the name of Chong wrote in response: “Perhaps, the prime minister should have done some simple calculations himself. People like us basically have no lifestyle, just merely surviving with our earnings. So how are we going to change (our lifestyle)?

“Inflation has gone up 4.5% (and above) and the government is pushing the cost of living higher by increasing electricity tariffs, but our income remains the same.”

Others felt it would be easier to change the government than to change a non-existent lifestyle.

“Instead of listening to Najib asking us to change,” one critic remarked, “why not we change the government at the next general election?”

To me, that makes a lot of sense. Any government that is willing to build air-conditioned toilets around a city at more than RM100,000 each has no business planning a national economy.

When such a government decides to cut subsidies, many of us will wonder whether the so-called “savings” will instead go towards more majestic arches, fanciful lampposts, refurbishments of VIP residences, luxurious government bungalows and fruitless overseas trips by ministers.

Any government that stands accused of having wasted RM320 billion in 20 years — through corruption, wastage and mismanagement — definitely does not deserve to be re-elected.

Stanley Koh was the head of research unit at MCA.

Pertahankan Selangor demi Menyelamatkan Malaysia

2011 – 365 days; 8760 hours - what lies ahead?
2011 is not only the beginning of a new year but also the beginning of a new decade. I do not know what lies ahead but what I know for sure, it would be a challenging year for Malaysia.
It begins with Selangor (the heart of the nation) being on the brink of a Constitutional Crisis. The appointment of the State Secretary would be the talk of the nation. The fed is bending the law, and trying to put in their own chosen candidate without consultation with the Mentri Besar.
Worst still, the palace bureaucrats seem to be in league with the Feds. Announcements and invitations to the swearing-in ceremony have already been sent out. The Selangor Constitution is specific in that the SS must be sworn-in in the presence of the Mentri Besar (effectively, his immediate boss) The same constitution is silent on the role of the Sultan in the swearing-in.
So, will the MB disobey the palace and refuse to attend the ceremony – and refuses to acknowledge the appointment of the SS?
I strongly believe that the MB should call for an Emergency State Assembly sitting, where the people’s voice through their elected representatives should be heard. A vote should be taken as to whether the nominated SS is acceptable or not; if not, ask the Fed to propose another name or select from one of those proposed by the MB.
This I believe is in the spirit of the Pakatan Rakyat manifesto of respecting the Voice of the Rakyat.
The Feds would probably not respect the vote of the State Assembly; let them do so at the risk of facing the wrath of the people.
The next step, would be going to the courts to resolve this constitutional problem. Let the courts decide on how the SS should be appointed. Again, we all know the Courts are controlled by the Feds with little or no respect to the Rule of Law. Let it be, because this is yet another nail into the coffin of the BN Government.
All this would remain fresh in the memories of the voters come the next elections as long as the rakyat are continuously reminded of this.
In the meantime, without an SS, the State would be in a limbo. The EXCO would need to work extra time to get the administrative arm to continue working. However, it cannot afford to use the non existence of the SS as an excuse for things not moving.
This would be an excellent test for the Pakatan Rakyat State Government on crisis management. Perhaps, Kelantan to be a good direction to look to for guidance and previous experience.
This would be a tremendously challenging task to start off the year on. Of course January 2011 will end with the Temang by-elections; the result would set the mood for the rest of the year.