Penang Govt seeks good ties with states held by Barisan
0 comments Posted by YB. R.S.N. Rayer at 3:11 PMPENANG: The state government here wants to work closely with all states, not just with the Opposition-led Kelantan, Kedah, Perak and Selangor.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government would be moving forward into the future, focusing on strengthening ties with other states as well as with the Federal Government.
“Now is not the time for finding faults or differentiating between the states. It is the time to fulfil the trust bestowed on us by the people,” he told a press conference after welcoming a Rakyat Kelantan delegation to Penang yesterday.
The delegation of 160 people arrived in a convoy of 40 cars and called on Lim at Komtar in a goodwill visit.
Lim said the state was keeping an open mind and ready to work with all parties, including the Federal Government, and give its support to federal projects that were beneficial to the people.
To encourage foreign investments, he said the state would also be reaching out to other countries.
Lim said although Penang and Kelantan differed in culture and background, both state governments shared the same aim – to set up a good, clean and fair administration to serve and lead the people well.
In his welcome speech, he also expressed his hope that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would accept him as a Chief Minister of all Penangites.
“The people have decided and we must honour their decision. This is the beauty of democracy.
“I hope the Prime Minister will accept me, just as the people are accepting him as a Prime Minister of all Malaysians,” he said.
Lim later commented on the state’s selection of municipal councillors, saying that DAP, PKR, PAS and also NGOs would have representatives in the line-up.
“No final decision has been reached yet, but we expect to be able to announce the selection sometime next week,” he said.
PENANG: DAP life adviser and founder Dr Chen Man Hin said it will not be difficult for the party to regain its hold on Penang in five years’ time if it practised transparency and honesty.
“If we can build a clean, honest and efficient government through perseverance and diligence, it will not be difficult for the party to win another general election,” he said during an appreciation night for Bukit Bendera DAP members and supporters organised by the party's national chairman Karpal Singh.
However, he cautioned the state leadership and party members to not let their victory get the better of them.
“Be cautious about your win and do not let your new posts give you airs. It was the people who brought us victory and we must focus on our service to the people,” he added.
Over 250 party members and supporters attended the appreciation dinner held at Long Say Building in Jalan Burmah on Saturday.
Polling station leaders were presented with tokens of appreciation.
Also at the dinner were Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, his wife Kota Laksamana assemblyman Betty Chew, Karpal Singh and his wife Gurmit Kaur, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and his wife Neo Yok Tee.
Also present state executive councillors Chow Kon Yeow and Ong Kok Fooi, MPs and assemblymen.
PENANG: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has agreed to meet Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to discuss state-federal relations.
Lim said yesterday his request for a courtesy call on Abdullah had been fixed for 10am next Thursday in Putrajaya.
Lim, who was happy that his request for a meeting had been granted so quickly, said he would also request that the Federal Government proceed with infrastructure projects proposed for Penang.
“We would like the relationship between the state and federal governments to be maintained although there has been a change in the state government.
“We consider him (Abdullah) as the Prime Minister for all Malaysians including Penangites,” Lim told a press conference at his office in Komtar.
Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, showed the press copies of his letter to Abdullah dated March 25 and the reply from the Prime Minister’s chief private secretary dated March 26.
He said he would appeal to Abdullah to restore some funding under the Ninth Malaysian Plan (9MP) which was reduced by more than 50% last year for certain projects in the state, including that for industrial infrastructure.
On infrastructure projects announced under the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), Lim said the state government had received courtesy calls from government-linked companies requesting that the projects be carried on.
He also said he would invite the Prime Minister to make an official visit to Penang.
On the second Penang bridge, Lim said he hoped Petronas would finance the construction of the link as a gift to Penang.
He said it would cost RM3.5bil to build the bridge which was a small amount compared to the over RM80bil profit made annually by the national oil company.
He disputed a statement made by Petronas corporate planning and development division vice-president Datuk Nasarudin Md Idris that the oil company does not fund public infrastructure projects, saying that Petronas had financed numerous building and bridge projects in the country through various subsidiaries and investments.
Lim said Petronas owned 51% share in KLCC Property Holdings Bhd which engages in rental of investment properties and hotel operation with its property portfolio including the Petronas Twin Towers and a five-star hotel.
“Petronas was also the key funder of the entire Putrajaya development comprising large scale buildings, bridges and other infrastructure,” he added.
Nasarudin was quoted by the press on Thursday as saying that Petronas only financed infrastructure projects related to the oil and gas industry such as the petrochemical complex in Kerteh.
PENANG: The trial of five men charged with murdering a discotheque manager four years ago will begin at a High Court here on Sept 29.
The five are Mohd Izam Abd Rahman, 25, from Baling, Norzaidi Jabal, 32, Ardy Azhar, 28, from Kamunting, and two others who were aged 17 and 16 at the time of the alleged incident.
They are jointly charged with the murder of Nigel Ivan Samson, 37, near the Batu Uban jetty in Sungai Nibong Besar here at 6.30am on March 28, 2004.
When the case was called up at the High Court for the first time on Feb 13, the youngest accused, from Kuala Nerang, sought the court to appoint him an assigned counsel.
Yesterday, the court heard that counsel Abu Bakar Kugaselva Abdullah had been appointed to represent him.
Counsel Ranjit Singh Dhillon is representing Ardy while the other three by counsel R.S.N. Rayer, with DPP Melissa Mohd Akhir prosecuting. Justice Abdul Rahim Uda fixed Sept 29 to Oct 1 for hearing.
Except for the youngest one, the other four are also facing trial for the murder of schoolteacher Pong Teng Toon, 49, at Sungai Tawar in Baling, Kedah, between 1.15am on April 4 and 5am on April 5, 2004. They are jointly charged with Ardy’s brother Azly, 29, from Petaling Jaya, and another person, from Bera in Pahang, who was only 17 at the time of the alleged offence. That case will be mentioned at the Alor Star High Court on April 2.
PENANG: DAP will support Barisan Nasional’s anti-hop law proposal if it is tabled in Parliament, its national chairman Karpal Singh said.
“Barisan just needs the support of eight more MPs to pass the proposal. We have 28 MPs.”
In 1992, the High Court ruled an anti-hop law unconstitutional as it contravened the freedom of association provision enshrined in the Federal Constitution. A constitutional amendment, needing two-thirds majority, will be needed to pass such a law.
“We also don’t welcome renegades defecting to DAP,” said Karpal Singh. “The trust of the voters is sacred. There must be honour among the representatives who won under the Barisan ticket.”
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Saying thank you: Karpal Singh and Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer (left) thanking voters at the Air Itam market yesterday. |
PENANG: With Dr P. Ramasamy as the first Indian deputy chief minister in the country, Penang could have become the only state with two Indian executive councillors.
A second spot on the exco was offered to two assemblymen, both lawyers. Both turned it down.
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Other interests: Jagdeep Singh (left) and Rayer celebrating their wins in the general election on Saturday. Both rejected the offer to be state executive councillors. |
However, both rejected the offer, as they preferred to remain in legal practice.
Bagan Dalam assemblyman A. Tanasekharan, who is also a lawyer, was then sounded out but he was non-committal, saying it was the chief minister's prerogative to appoint anyone.
Tanasekharan, however, denied that Guan Eng offered the post directly to him.
“Other assemblymen asked me whether I was interested and I told them that I will abide by whatever decision the party makes.”
The post was subsequently given to another leader of the party.
Social activist and Berapit assemblyman Lydia Ong Kok Fooi is among seven DAP assemblymen who will be sworn in as state executive councillors today.
The others are deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy (Prai), lawyer Wong Hon Wai (Air Itam), businessman Phee Boon Poh (Sungai Puyu), full-time politicians Chow Kon Yeow (Padang Kota), Lim Hock Seng (Bagan Jermal) and Danny Law Heng Kiang (Batu Lancang)
The three PKR assemblymen who will join the state exco are Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin, full-time politicians Abdul Malik Abdul Kassim (Batu Maung) and Law Choo Kiang (Bukit Tambun).
Nine of them, except for Hock Seng, were present at the swearing-in rehearsal held at Dewan Sri Pinang yesterday.
Party insiders said Dr Ramasamy's portfolio would include Science, Technology, Innovation, Research and Human Resources.
Sources also said PKR's Abdul Malik would handle the portfolio that include Trade and Consumer Affairs while his counterpart Choo Kiang, would head the portfolio that includes Agriculture and Agro-based Industries.
From Makkal Osai Tamil News Paper 11.03.2008
DAP chairman Karpal Singh has retained the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat in Penang after beating Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Koay Kar Huah with a bigger majority of 21,015 votes.
Karpal Singh received 35,140 votes while Koay attained only 14,125.
In Seri Delima, DAP’s R.S.N. Rayer received 8,402 votes, beating Barisan’s Loh Nam Hooi who obtained 6,274 votes.
In Paya Terubong, DAP’s Yeoh Soon Hin edg-ed out his Barisan opponent Koh Wan Leong. Yeoh received 16,848 votes while Koh obtai-ned 5,727 votes.
In Air Itam, DAP candidate Wong Hon Wai won, obtaining 7,401 votes, to defeat Barisan’s Cheang Chee Gooi who received 4,674 votes.
Koay said he was surprised with the defeat but accepted the people’s verdict.
“The Barisan needs to change its strategy,” he said.
Yeoh thanked the people for believing in people’s power.
“I did not expect to win by such a large margin,” he added.
Koh said he respected the people’s decision.
“I will still stick to MCA and find a way to serve the people. I also have to find a new job as I have resigned from my teaching post to contest in the election. But I have no regrets,” he said.
Cheang said he was shocked by the result.
“I will take a short break and ponder on my political career,” he said.
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
YB. R.S.N. RAYER
WIN FOR SERI DELIMA
RAYER - 8402
LOH NAM HOOI - 6274
Majority = 2128
A FEW hawkers and patrons at a coffee shop clapped when they saw incumbent Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh approaching in his wheelchair on his first rounds in his constituency. Karpal Singh, who insisted on visiting constituents at the shophouses in Island Glades on Thursday despite the rain, was touched by the positive reaction during his 45-minute visit. “The response was encouraging. I really did not expect it. I am surprised at their understanding, as they had not seen me here for a long time. It is unfortunate that I cannot walk around like I used to,” he said. Karpal Singh said he was still able to serve his constituents, and they knew how to find him.
He said DAP recently opened a new service centre in Tingkat Tembaga, Island Glades, in addition to the existing one in Bandar Baru Air Itam, and he could also be reached through his legal firm at Green Hall. 
He added that if the three DAP candidates for the state seats in Bukit Gelugor were all elected with him, they could play a major role in assisting him to serve the constituents.
The three are R.S.N. Rayer for Seri Delima, Wong Hon Wai for Air Itam and Yeoh Soon Hin for Paya Terubong.
Rayer accompanied Karpal Singh on his rounds as the area was within the Seri Delima constituency in Penang.
Earlier, at a press conference, Karpal Singh called on the Government to allow the opposition equal airtime on the radio and television, and mass media coverage, and to do away with campaigning through the press.
Utusan Malaysia -
MENYEDARI ‘Harimau Jelutong’, Karpal Singh akan tiba bila-bila masa ke lokasi ceramah di Seri Delima, Pulau Pinang, ratusan penyokong DAP tidak berganjak walaupun hujan lebat selama setengah jam sebelum ketibaannya.
Kesabaran mereka yang menunggu sejak pukul 8 malam, nyata berbaloi apabila Karpal, calon bagi kerusi Parlimen Bukit Gelugor tiba di lokasi pada kira-kira 9.25 malam.
Ketibaan beliau diikuti dengan hujan renyai yang kemudiannya berhenti.
“Nampaknya, hujan pun takut Harimau Jelutong,” umum pengerusi majlis yang juga calon DAP bagi kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Seri Delima, R.S.N. Rayer yang kemudian disambut dengan sorakan ratusan penyokong di situ malam semalam.
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