Carolyn Khor's blog

Press Statement by Raveentharan ADUN Batu Uban on the Flash Flood and Landslide near Bukit Gambir Date: 19 October 2011 The approval of plan by the previous regime is very much suspicious because the developer can build a 3 feet wall and divert the river flow into a drain. This is tantamount to going against nature. After 40 minutes of downpour, a beautiful but life threatening waterfall appears from nowhere and this has also caused erosion of the rocks and soil. I think the only solution to arrest this problem is to provide several catchment areas and to build retention ponds at the top of Bukit Gambir. I have already proposed and expressed to the Dewan Undangan Negeri the need to turn this area into an ecopark to preserve the environment as a water catchment area and to build mini reservoir to stop the sudden flash floods. This will also help alleviate the flash flood problems at Jalan Satu and Jalan Enam at Changkat Minden and Sungai Dua area. I feel very sorry and sympat...

KENYATAAN AKHBAR KONGRES MELAYU PULAU PINANG, (KMPP) BELANJAWAN KALI KE 54 BAGI TAHUN 2011 Lanjutan dari belanjawan kali ke 54 bagi tahun 2012 yang diumumkan oleh Y.A.B Perdana Menteri pada 6hb Oktober 2011 secara keseluruhannya membabitkan sejumlah RM232.8 Billion. Perdana Menteri turut mengumumkan Dasar Transformasi Nasional (DTN) bagi menaungi program-program transformasi yang telah dan akan dilaksanakan oleh kearah menjayakan cita–cita mewujudkan bangsa Malaysia yang bersatu dan maju menjelang tahun 2020. Justeru itu maka belanjawan tersebut bertemakan “Dasar Transformasi Nasional Yakni Bajet Membela Rakyat, Mensejahtera Negara”. Bagi lebih menyakinkan kononnya belanjawan kali ini cuba memberi keselesaan kepada setiap lapisan rakyat daripada golongan–golongan Pemandu Teksi, Nelayan, Warga Emas, Pejawat Awam, Pesara, Golongan wanita, belia hinggalah kepada kalangan Kontraktor dan pelabur serta yang terpenting Peneroka Felda. Dalam ucapannya beliau memaklumkan bahawa Pelaburan S...

Devastation of the natural environment in the name of providing a Car park for Kek Lok Si. Sunday, 9 October, 2011 A. Illegal Acts 1. Done illegal construction that had intruded into public domain. All constructions are required to be set back from the legal boundaries of the property by between 2.0 – 6.0 metres. To build beyond the setbacksis illegal and plans would not be approved. Going beyond the legal boundary is a double breach of the law and illegal.If there is an Architect and Professional Engineer this could not have happened. 2. No permit given. All development and construction on site can only commence after plans have been submitted and approval given by the Local Authority. Any work done prior to permit being given is illegal. 3. No application for building submitted. If no plan application is made to the Authority for any development, work done on that site, especially if it is large scale, is extremely serious as public safety is involved and is illegal. ...

Press Statement: PSC Must Lead to Reform Political Financing. 1st October, 2011 With reference to the news reported by Malaysiakini titled “Government Shot Down Political Financing Reform Proposal” (http://malaysiakini.com/news/177299), I would like to congratulate the Bar Council for organizing the Forum on Political Financing. This is not a popular subject and many taboos exist. Most, if not all, politicians avoid addressing this subject publicly for fear of negative perception. However, this is a pressing issue among many honest politicians from both sides of the political divide. It is like an elephant in the room. Like it or not, politicians and political parties need money to run effective campaigns and serving their electorates. The more intense the political environment becomes, the more money is needed. This is especially true for Pakatan Rakyat as we have neither state-owned TVs nor Main Stream Media covering fairly for us. During the State Assembly sitting on 4th of Ma...

Statement: People Before Profit – Objection to Boustead Land Reclamation 2nd Oct 2011 I would like to extend my unequivocal support to the residents of Putra Marine, Gold Coast, Bay Garden and the surrounding communities in objecting a possible land reclamation project by Boustead. As their state assemblyman, I fully understand their anxiety and fully support their democratic rights to voice up against a greedy corporate giant that might soon affect their lives. The whole episode of this project goes back 3 years ago. Boustead Holdings Bhd is a corporate giant closely linked to UMNO. It got the approval from the previous administration to construct a high-rise hotel within the UNESCO World Heritage Zone. After Georgetown obtained its UNESCO Heritage Status, Boustead Hotel was requested to reduce the original proposed height to a max 18m in accordance with the new guidelines. As a result, the current state government under the leadership of YAB Lim Guan Eng was forced to negotia...

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,...