Carolyn Khor's blog

Two types of investment, says Heah Press Statement by Penang Gerakan Economy & SME Bureau Chairman Michael Heah Aug 24, 2011 A Penang Gerakan leader has urged InvestPenang executive committee chairman Lee Kah Choon to concentrate on his portfolio to bring investments to Penang for the benefit of the people. Penang Gerakan economy and small and medium-scale enterprises bureau chairman, Michael Heah, said Lee should spend more time improving on his network to reach to more foreign investors, with the aim of attracting them to come to Penang. “Don’t sleep on your job and wake up trying to pick up quarrels with people. You are paid with public money and you should repay your gratitude with good results and achievements,” said Heah in a statement. Heah said Lee should know that there are two types of investment, namely new and reinvestment, as far as Penang is concerned. He said for reinvestment, a firm decision can be made faster, especially when the existing company is ...

I didn’t approve the Jelutong dumpsite, says Dr Teng Press Statement by Penang Barisan Nasional Working Committee Chairman Dato’ Dr Teng Hock Nan Aug 24, 2011 Former state executive councillor Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said today that the Jelutong dumpsite has been existing for umpteen years and certainly it is not “me who approved” the site. Dr Teng, who is also Penang Barisan Nasional Working Committee chairman, said in fact when he was Exco in charge of local government, he had stopped the Jelutong dumpsite from taking in organic waste and instead had it transferred to the Pulau Burong landfill in Seberang Prai. “For Exco in charge of health, welfare, environment and caring society Phee Boon Poh to say that I had approved the Jelutong dumpsite is sheer ignorance and nonsense,” Dr Teng said in a press statement. However, Dr Teng agreed that he had advocated a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) system when he was a State Exco member. “Yes, I advocate MRF but whether it ...

KENYATAAN MEDIA 25 Julai 2011 Kerajaan Negeri Pakatan Rakyat Pulau Pinang Membela Semua Kaum, Tidak Pinggirkan India Muslim Selain memperkenal dan mengamalkan urustadbir Cekap, Akauntabiliti dan Telus (CAT), Kerajaan Negeri Pakatan Rakyat Pulau Pinang terus mendokong prinsip pentadbiran kerajaan berjiwa rakyat, adil kepada semua kaum. Demi rakyat – inilah yang membezakan pentadbiran Kerajaan Negeri Pakatan Rakyat Pulau Pinang yang baru berusia 3 tahun berbanding kerajaan negeri terdahulu yang mengutamakan kroni dan suku sakat sejak lebih 50 tahun. Sebab itu tidak menghairankan, apabila wujud kaum dan kelompok tertentu terus terpinggir. Biarpun media yang dikuasai Umno Barisan Nasional sentiasa mengelapkan kejayaan demi kejayaan kerajaan negeri, namun hakikatnya rakyat Pulau Pinang khususnya, dapat mengecapi kejayaan dan menghadam manfaat ini bersama-sama. Kenyataan Presiden KIMMA Kebangsaan, Senator Datuk Syed Ibrahim Kader dalam akhbar Sinar Harian bertarikh 25...

Kenyataan Media Oleh Pengerusi DAP Pulau Pinang Dan Ahli Exco Kerajaan Tempatan Dan Pengurusan Lalu Lintas Chow Kon Yeow Selepas Melawat Projek Perumahan Vista Mutiara Di Jalan Jelutong, Pulau Pinang Pada 19 Julai 2011 Dakwaan SPNB Bahawa Kerajaan PR Sengaja Ubah Syarat Untuk Lengah CF Adalah Tidak Berasas. Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) mendakwa bahawa Kerajaan PR sengaja ubah syarat untuk lengah CF adalah tidak berasas. Saya telah mengarah Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) dan Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP) untuk menyiasat dakwaan tersebut dan mendapati ianya merupakan tohmahan sahaja. MPSP telah melaporkan bahawa ia tidak mengenakan sebarang syarat tambahan yang baru semasa CF dipohon. Permohonan diproses mengikut syarat yang telah diluluskan dalam Pelan Bangunan. Pada masa kini, MPSP sedang memproses permohonan CF daripada SPNB untuk 1 blok rumah pangsa kos rendah 4 tingkat (82 unit) di Taman Sejahtera Indah, Telok Ayer Tawar dan permohonan t...

Press Statement: Response to MP’s call for halt in Balik Pulau projects Jul 19, 2011 I refer to Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff’s comments, published in FreeMalaysiaToday.com yesterday, calling for a blanket halt on all development projects in his constituency. The state government cannot arbitrarily halt projects that have been approved unless they are found to violate the conditions set on its approval. Stop-work orders can be issued in the event projects do not comply with the many conditions such projects need to adhere to. These conditions include environmental, traffic, as well as social impact concerns. In this regard, I welcome MP Yusmadi’s concern for Balik Pulau and await his official input on the matter. Indeed, the State Government refers project applications to local representatives for their comments before approvals are decided upon. We have rejected applications before, especially those involving hill slope development and active agricultural land. As for squatters,...

Kenyataan Media Isu Penswastaan Sisa Pepejal Negeri Pulau Pinang Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang baru-baru ini menerima surat daripada Datuk Ahmad bin Haji Kabit, Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan bertarikh 8hb Julai 2011 mengesahkan bahawa Kerajaan Pusat telah memberi kelulusan kepada Negeri Pulau Pinang dan Selangor supaya kecualikan daripada penguatkuasaan Akta Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal dan Pembersihan Awam 2007 yang akan dikuatkuasa mulai 1hb September 2011. Perkara ini juga mendapat mengesahan daripada jawapan Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan kepada YAB Lim Guan Eng, merangkap Ahli Dewan Rakyat Bagan di dalam Dewan Rakyat pada 28hb Jun 2011. Ini bermakna, Kerajaan Negeri telah berjaya menolak penerimaan penswastaan pengurusan sisa pepejal dan pembersihan awam di bawah Akta Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal dan Pembersihan Awam 2007. Oleh yang demikian, semua tanggungjawab berhubung dengan pengurusan sisa pepejal dan pembersihan awam akan dipikul oleh Pih...

Yeap Ban Choon, a businessman from Penang and an avid Facebook user relates his experience as a demonstrator during the Bersih march on 9 July 2011. Bersih is a coaliation of NGOs demanding free and fair elections. The ruling government outlawed the Bersih movement together with its yellow T-shirts and other related materials, and severely clamped down on Bersih supporters. Even the media was not spared. Four Chinese dailies were called up by the government for publishing articles that were described as "uncomfortable" to the ruling party although the authorities claimed that they were just regular meetings. Currently, six members of Parti Socialis Malaysia (PSM) are still detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO), which is detention of up to 60 days without trial for purportedly supporting the Bersih movement. Bersih 2.0 is also dubbed as "709".

Jenice Lee, ADUN for Teratai was spotted among the crowd of Bersih protesters on 9 July 2011, outside of Tung Shin hospital at around 3:30 p.m. This interview was conducted just moments before the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Most of the protesters ran inside Tung Shin Hospital the second time. However, this time the police charged into the hospital grounds to arrest the peaceful demonstrators.

Sever ties with PAS, DAP told Press Statement by Gerakan Vice-President and Penang Gerakan Chief Dato’ Dr Teng Hock Nan July 14, 2011 Gerakan vice-president Dato’ Dr Teng Hock Nan today challenged DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to have the guts to sever ties with PAS, now that PAS has been persistently pursuing its intention to establish an Islamic state of government in Kedah. Dr Teng said that Lim and DAP should stop bluffing and misleading the people that PAS would discard its intention of establishing an Islamic state of government in Malaysia. “Stop promising the people that they should not worry and should support Pakatan Rakyat to take over the federal government in the next general elections and that PAS has given up its intention. PAS has no such intention and in fact is using its power in Kedah and Kelantan to vigorously implement policies which encroach into the rights and freedom of other Malaysians who are not of Muslim faith,” said Dr Teng in a statement. ...

A 70 year-old lady travelled all the way from Kuantan to participate in Bersih 2.0. Interview by Tan Ewe Keat from Penang.