Archive for category Penang Government
Guan Eng calls BN hypocrites in non-Muslim portfolio flap
Posted by Kit in Lim Guan Eng, Penang Government, Religion on Tuesday, 22 February 2011
By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
February 21, 2011
GEORGE TOWN, Feb 21 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today accused the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition of double standards for rejecting the state’s new non-Muslim affairs portfolio while endorsing the same in Perak.
Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, appeared taken aback by the verbal attacks from his political foes — particularly Gerakan chief Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon — following his government’s decision to set up a portfolio to complement the existing one for Muslims in the state.
He said the state believed the initiative would “promote civilisational dialogue, interaction and understanding” among followers of different creeds as all religions talk about peace.
He pointed out that the BN-led state government in Perak also has a similar portfolio to care for followers of religions other than Islam, which is headed by Datuk Mah Hang Soon, according to the silver state’s official website.
Mah refused to comment on his portfolio when contacted by The Malaysian Insider this evening, saying he was in the middle of a discussion.
(Mah’s portfolio is described on the Perak State government website as “Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kesihatan, Kerajaan Tempatan, Hal Ehwal Pengguna, Alam Sekitar, Pengangkutan dan Hal Ehwal Bukan Islam) Read the rest of this entry »
Non-Muslims back Penang interfaith portfolio
Posted by Kit in Penang Government on Monday, 21 February 2011
By Debra Chong | The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — The national non-Muslim council has given its thumbs-up to the Penang government for setting up a new interfaith portfolio, and called on other states to follow its example in a bid to counter rising religious extremism.
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) applauded Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s (picture) initiative to form and head the new executive portfolio to handle non-Muslim religious issues in the state.
“Further, we are deeply encouraged that he has taken it upon himself to head it to give the seriousness it deserves,” it said in a statement today.
Religious tensions in multicultural Malaysia have been on the rise in recent years and have led to clashes in court and on the street between Muslim and non-Muslim communities last year in disputes over religious terminology and places of worship, among others.
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Syabas to Penang’s interfaith panel
Posted by Kit in Lim Guan Eng, Penang Government, Religion, Thomas Lee on Wednesday, 16 February 2011
By Thomas Lee
Mysinchew.com
2011-02-16
Penang has become the first state in the country to establish a state executive council portfolio to handle religious matters relating to the non-Islamic religions like Buddhism, Christianity, Sikhism, Taoism and Hinduism.
The high-profile Exco Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee is headed by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng himself, with Deputy Chief Minister (II) Prof Dr P. Ramasamy as the deputy chairman.
The proposal for the committee was tabled by Ramasamy at the recent weekly state executive council meeting and approved.
The establishment of the exco committee marks the high point in the state’s celebration of the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week this week. Read the rest of this entry »
Guan Eng blames Umno for ‘misleading booklet’
Posted by Kit in Lim Guan Eng, Media, Penang Government, UMNO on Saturday, 5 February 2011
By Adib Zalkapli
The Malaysian Insider
February 05, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — Lim Guan Eng denied today that his Penang administration was behind a tourism booklet which Umno claimed has challenged the early existence of the Malays in the island.
The Penang chief minister also demanded that the Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad to apologise within a week for blaming the state government had distributed the “My Balik Pulau” booklet.
“To make matter worse, the Pulau Betong assemblyman and Utusan Malaysia through its reports have attacked the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government accusing us of publishing material containing historically misleading facts and insulting the Malays when it was Umno and the federal government that should be made responsible,” said Lim in a statement.
In an Utusan Malaysia’s report on February 1, Farid reportedly accused the Penang state government of twisting historical facts in an attempt to mislead the younger generation.
The Malay daily said that the booklet was published by the Penang Arts Education Society and sponsored by the Penang Education Council, which Utusan Malaysia claimed to be an advisory body for the DAP’s state government.
On February 3, the Umno-owned daily carried another report calling the My Balik Pulau booklet as dangerous.
The report quoted Penang campus of Malaysian teachers institute alumni president Abdul Said Hussain who claimed that the booklet was aimed at convincing the Chinese that their ancestors were the first to settle in Balik Pulau and not the Malays.
Lim revealed today that among the sponsors for the tourism booklet were Farid’s resource centre and other Balik Pulau Umno leaders. Read the rest of this entry »
Playing Survivor every day
Posted by Kit in Lim Guan Eng, Penang Government on Thursday, 13 January 2011
by HIMANSHU BHATT | The Sun
Almost three years after taking over the Penang government, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is firmly in the seat. On New Year’s Eve, Lim spoke to HIMANSHU BHATT of his experiences as a selfconfessed “Survivor” and about the state government.
ON LIM CHONG EU
HOW was your relationship with former chief minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu after you assumed office?
Tun Lim said he felt it would be very challenging for me, as it was for him … I think he felt I was facing the same circumstances and conditions as he experienced when he won power in 1969.
He advised that it was important to take charge. And I agree that we have to take charge. Take charge not by compulsion, but by example and by persuasion. He felt that it was important that we must be fully in command, to be in control of all aspects of government. I told him that I don’t think that I am that capable. So I rely on my trusted comrades. For instance, he said I should also handle local government. I said I can’t cope. So I leave it to Chow (Kon Yeow).
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Councils save millions in managing waste disposal
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Local Goverment, Pakatan Rakyat, Penang Government on Thursday, 2 December 2010
By Susan Loone
Dec 2, 10
Malaysiakini
Just by renegotiating with the contractor to reduce the cost of transporting solid waste within the state, two local councils in Penang have saved RM33 million of the people’s money.
The money, in the form of surcharge payment to the contractor, will be reclaimed by the two municipal councils – Penang Island and Seberang Perai.
“Imagine how much Umno cronies had profited before this and caused a burden to the people,” said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at a Seberang Perai Municipal Council function today.
He said following the Auditor-General’s advice, the municipal councils were tasked to reclaim the surcharge money paid to the contractor , which amounted to RM222,880.
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Neo-Colonisation or Neo-Liberation?
Posted by Kit in DAP, Pakatan Rakyat, Penang Government, UMNO on Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Did you just say what I thought you did?
It is back to the grind as the Penang State Assembly gets underway, as does the UMNO-BN’s theatrical onslaught on the State Government.
Last week, they managed to round up a motley group of protesters ostensibly comprising angry Malay residents from Balik Pulau and a member or three from the BN-friendly Parti Cinta Malaysia, a party made up of disgruntled former members of the DAP and the once-relevant ‘political NGO’ called Gerakan (I posit that a political party with unelected nominees in government more closely resembles an NGO than a political party proper).
Their grouse this time? Over an area of land in Balik Pulau that has been allocated for the development of an educational hub. Of course, it was invariably portrayed as yet another case of the sacrilegious ‘Chinese government’ cruelly robbing the ‘poor Malay peasant’ of his land and rights.
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Will Muhyiddin return to Treasury his salaries and allowances as Federal Minister for past 15 years so as not to be associated with forbidden money?
Posted by Kit in Finance, Muhyiddin Yassin, Penang Government, UMNO on Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Umno Ministers should decide at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow whether they will return their salaries and allowances to Treasury as they do not want to be associated with gambling money.
Ten days ago on September 25, Bernama carried the following report:
MUAR, Saturday 25 September 2010 (Bernama) — Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has called on Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to answer allegations made by Umno Youth on the state government’s financial source to fund its poverty eradication programmes.
Muhyiddin said Muslims would not want to be associated should gambling money were used for the programmes.
“We want an answer from Lim. If the money is from a forbidden source, Muslims will have no part in it,” he told reporters after launching a Pagoh education excellence programme at the Dewan Sri Pekembar, here.
Muhyiddin was asked on a news report today quoting Umno Youth as claiming that funds from gambling activities were used to finance poverty eradication programmes in Penang.
Don’t turn cash aid matter into a religious issue
Posted by Kit in Penang Government, Religion, UMNO on Friday, 1 October 2010
By Thomas Lee
More than 40 Muslim senior citizens have returned cash aid from the Penang state government due to suspicion and uneasiness over the sources of the funding.
Bernama quoted an imam from Pulau Mertajam, Saidin Chik, 72, as saying that he decided to return the money as he learned that it was from non-halal activities.
“I received a RM100 aid sometime this year, but I heard over television and read in the newspapers that the money was from gambling activities. We have been praying everyday and suddenly we get a cash aid from non-halal sources and spent it. What is going to happen to our prayers?” he said.
Saidin told reporters this after handing over the money to Penang Umno secretary Azhar Ibrahim on Wednesday 29 September 2010.
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What does UMNO Penang fear?
Posted by Kit in Penang Government, UMNO on Monday, 23 August 2010
Some Muslims in Penang were highly agitated when the khatib ( the man who reads sermons) offered prayers for the Penang chief minister. In what manner was it said? Was LGE’s name mentioned in the context of something?
Actually we have not heard what actually transpired other than listening to a few emotionally charged statements from some people. Who are these people? If they are UMNO members, then their response was hardly surprising.
To me, the fearful responses thus far only reflect how desperate UMNO is in re capturing the Malay support in Penang. I won’t say re-capture Penang, because that is already impossible. what UMNO fears now is losing Malay support in Penang. That is like the end of the world.
What UMNO fears is a rising consciousness among Penang Malays that despite detaching themselves from UMNO, their lot can still be improved. This will be the beginning of a wider consciousness debunking the myth that equates loyalty and allegiance to this country to loyalty and allegiance to UMNO. The two things are not the same. If Penang is successful in demolishing this long perpetuated myth and this awareness becomes a national phenomenon, UMNO is in serious trouble.
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Utusan Malaysia’s front-page headline is the most irresponsible act in history of Malaysian journalism
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Media, Najib Razak, Penang Government on Friday, 20 August 2010
The Utusan Malaysia’s front-page headline today “Nama Guan Eng ganti Agong – Disebut dalam doa khutbah Jumaat: Umno Pulau Pinang bantah” is the most irresponsible act in the history of Malaysian journalism – utterly baseless, a mischievous and dangerous incitement to religious hatred, tension and discord in plural Malaysia and goes against all the principles and values espoused by 1Malaysia.
The first Merdeka month celebrations themed “1Malaysia Transforming the Nation” should celebrate Malaysia’s unity in diversity of ethnicity, religions, cultures and beliefs, the concepts of inclusiveness, social justice and the 1Malaysia principles of culture of excellence, integrity, wisdom, humility, loyalty and the twin commitments of People First, Performance Now.
But we have the opposite as illustrated by Utusan Malaysia’s front-page headline of falsehood and dangerous incitement to religious hatred, discord and tension.
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Senior Citizen’s Outrage: Open Letter To Sharizat
Posted by Kit in Penang Government on Friday, 13 August 2010
By Orang Lama Malaysian
Open letter to Sharizat
Sent: Tue, 3 August, 2010 12:55:42
Many senior citizens are outraged by your uncalled for comments about the RM100 given to them by the Penang state government in appreciation of their contributions to the development of Penang.
Your comments indicate how uncultured you are, totally unbefitting of a cabinet minister. You said you are ashamed and offered your sympathies to Penang’s senior citizens because they are worth — according to your absurd calculation — less than RM10 a month in the eyes of the state government.
Can I ask you how much a senior citizen was worth when the BN ruled Penang? Absolutely nothing, Yes Nothing at all.
You went on to say that you thank God that there is a federal government and a Barisan Nasional government to take care of the people’s welfare without which the poor in Penang will be starving. Yes, the BN government looked after the people of Penang so well that on 8 March 2008, they kicked the BN of Penang!
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Penang open tender spree shows up Putrajaya
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Penang Government on Tuesday, 3 August 2010
By Lee Wei Lian | The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — The Penang government’s open tender spree in the past few months could put the federal government in a bad light as both strive to show the public that they stand for transparency and excellence.
While both have initiated efforts to make procurement more transparent to the public, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Penang government seems to have taken the lead with a stream of open tenders announcements for its big ticket items while the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government has appeared very slow off the mark.
Among landmark projects that were tendered out by the Penang state government include the multi-billion 100 acre Bayan Mutiara township project, the restoration of Fort Cornwallis, restoration of Crag Hotel, management of the Penang International Sports Arena and the Penang Hill facelift. Upcoming tenders include that for the Pulau Jerejak tourist development project.
In the case of the Bayan Mutiara project, the Penang government seems to have taken a leaf out of the Singapore playbook and has opened the tender to international bidders in an attempt to build an “iconic, prestigious and sustainable” development.
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Restructuring federal-state relations: Critical issue in next polls
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Penang Government, Tourism on Friday, 30 July 2010
Power must be devolved, decision-making must be decentralised, and development funds must be shared all the way down, asserts Francis Loh.
An important issue in the next general election, no doubt, must be the restructuring of federal-state relations. Our federal system of government needs to be transformed from a highly centralised to a more equal and co-operative one. Indeed, cooperative federal systems are the norm throughout the world, not only in Canada, Australia and Switzerland, but also in India, South Africa and Nigeria.
This means that more devolution of power must occur. As well, decentralisation of decision-making and of course disbursement of development funds from the federal government to the state governments. And the civil service must act more professionally to serve the government of the day, regardless of party affiliation.
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Efforts to de-stabilise & sabotage Penang intensified – video
Posted by Kit in Lim Guan Eng, Penang Government, UMNO on Saturday, 24 July 2010
Decline in moral accountability?
Posted by Kit in Penang Government, public service on Thursday, 22 July 2010
By Thomas Lee Seng Hock | Mysinchew
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan has made himself look very foolish by asking whether it is wrong for civil servants to attend functions held by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, as he is the DAP secretary-general.
Sidek is apparently trying to justify the presence and participation of Penang state development officer Nik Ali Mat Yunus at an Umno press conference, where the officer verbally lambasted Guan Eng and issued prepared press statements to criticize the chief minister.
I am simply amazed that the country’s top civil servant doesn’t even understand the simple basic difference between a government and a political entity, and respect the very important fundamental principle of impartiality and neutrality of the civil service.
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Chief Secretary Sidek himself guilty of being “excessive” in taking sides instead of reprimanding Nik Ali for doubly violating civil service code
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Penang Government, public service, UMNO on Thursday, 22 July 2010
It was only on Tuesday that the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that there is no place for little Napoleons in the public service who do not understand the importance of innovation if the Government Transformation Programme is to succeed.
It is regrettable however that when Little Napoleons rear their ugly heads, they are given full defence and support instead of being reprimanded and put in their proper place.
The latest example of support for Little Napoleons instead of smacking them down is the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan’s defence of the Penang State Development Officer Nik Ali Nik Yunus for the latter’s attack on the Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng. Sidek said Guan Eng’s allegations against Nik Ali was “excessive”.
It is Sidek who is guilty of being “excessive” in taking sides instead of reprimanding Nik Ali for doubly violating the civil service code of being strictly non-partisan, non-political and civil by appearing at an UMNO press conference to attack the Penang Chief Minister as “biadap” (insolent or uncivilized) and “dayus” (coward).
What is most shocking is that no Cabinet Minister appeared outraged and all seemed to have sanctioned the “Little Napoleonic” conduct of Nik Ali.
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A gross violation of the civil service code
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Penang Government, public service on Wednesday, 21 July 2010
By Thomas Lee Seng Hock | Mysinchew
The current spat between Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and the state development officer Nik Ali Mat Yunus highlights a fundamental flaw in the Malaysian civil service.
In the democratic system of government, of which Malaysia professes to practise, the civil service is a politically non-partisan and neutral body, with all its officers supposed to function and operate impartially in the implementations of the policies, programmes, and projects of the elected government.
Article 132 of the Federal Constitution states that federal civil servants hold office at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and state civil servants at the pleasure of the respective Sultan. Which means that the civil servants are not beholden to any political party but to His Majesty’s government of the day. His Majestic is above politics, and so must all those civil servants appointed under his royal command and name.
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The Prime Minister and the Cabinet tomorrow must censure Nik Ali for crossing the line as a model civil servant in calling Penang Chief Minister “biadap” at an Umno press conference
Posted by Kit in Lim Guan Eng, Najib Razak, Penang Government on Tuesday, 20 July 2010
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Cabinet at their meeting tomorrow must censure the Penang State Development Officer of the Federal Government, Nik Ali Mat Yunus for crossing the line as a model civil servant in calling the Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng as “biadap” at an Umno press conference in Penang yesterday.
In disregarding the vital distinctions between party and state, and hitting out at the Penang Chief Minister at a Penang Umno press conference, Nik Ali was acting as if he was an Umno operative if not the Chief Umno Plenipotentiary in Penang, forgetting that he is first and foremost a civil servant albeit the top Federal government officer in the state who must fully co-operate with the State Government for the welfare of the state and its people.
In showing disrespect for the Penang Chief Minister, Nik Ali is showing utter contempt for the democratic process, right and decision of the people of Penang to elect the government and Chief Minister of their choice.
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War of words
Posted by Kit in Penang Government on Tuesday, 20 July 2010
BY HIMANSHU BHATT AND BERNARD CHEAH | The Sun
20 July 2010
GEORGE TOWN: Simmering tensions boiled over yesterday when Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and the federal-appointed State Development Officer (SDO), who oversees the channelling of all federal allocations for projects in Penang, traded verbal blows at separate press conferences.
Lim accused Nik Ali Mat Yunus (pic) of “openly and blatantly” sabotaging the state government, while the latter, in an outburst uncharacteristic of a civil servant, called Lim biadap (uncivilised) and said he had no right to question his qualification and competency for the job.
“He (Nik Ali) is like a little Napoleon in the civil service who gets high pay and does nothing for the people, but instead causes losses to them,” Lim said during a visit to the Botanic Gardens. He asked who should be held responsible for the RM150,000 plus losses over the scheduled demolition of controversial twin arches, one of which is tilting, that were built only recently for the gardens’ expansion project by the Tourism Ministry.
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