YB. R.S.N RAYER - A.D.U.N. SERI DELIMA, PENANG

GEORGE TOWN: The state assembly yesterday passed a motion urging the Federal Government to reinstate the RM4.7bil “people-centric” mega projects in Penang.

All 29 assemblymen from the DAP, PKR and PAS voted in favour of the motion while the 11 Umno assemblyman voted against it.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he would refer the motion to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“The state assembly is the highest body and its views should be respected,” he told newsmen after the passage of the motion at the state assembly here yesterday.
The projects are the RM2bil Penang Monorail, RM1.5bil Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR) and the RM1.2bil expansion of the Mengkuang Dam.
Lim also claimed there was a split in the Opposition in Penang since

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GEORGE TOWN: The state government under the previous administration sustained losses estimated at RM84mil from questionable land deals, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
He said although land acquisitions were carried out under Section (1)(a) of the Land Acquisition Act 1960, there was misappropriation in the land acquisition process.

Lim told the State Assembly yesterday that several lots of land were added to the acquisition list without justifiable records.
“It can be considered that the lots were placed on the list for the owners’ profit,” he said.
He also said that 18 lots of land identified for acquisition changed ownership from one company to another, adding that he strongly believed that the transaction was planned to influence the value of the land and the compensation.

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A BARISAN Nasional assemblyman got brickbats when he claimed that the Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen who went to the 12th Sukma in Terengganu to support the Penang team had used the trip as a holiday.
Several backbenchers insisted that Datuk Jasmin Mohamed (BN – Sungai Dua) withdraw the statement. He did so grudgingly after being told to do it by Speaker Abd Halim Hussain.
It all began when Jasmin lamented the poor performance of the Penang Sukma contingent. He asked if any Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen went to support the Penang athletes in Terengganu, following which several backbenchers said they did.
Jasmin then claimed they went there for makan angin (sightseeing).
An uproar erupted with R.S.N. Rayer (DAP – Seri Delima) insisting that Jasmin withdraw the statement.

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SPARKS flew when R.S.N. Rayer (DAP-Seri Delima) targeted oppo-sition members for their sandiwara (drama) in the House when debating the motion of thanks on the Yang di-Pertua Negri’s opening address.

Rayer repeatedly used the word sandiwara to describe opposition members who said one thing but did another thing.
“Many of the opposition members have titles such as Datuk and Datuk Seri. These leaders want to project themselves as humble but this is all a sandiwara,” he said.

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GEORGE TOWN: Penangites will have the opportunity to watch the 12th State Assembly proceedings live via the Internet from July 21 to July 31.

State Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kassim said the eight-day session would be aired via the portal http://dunpenang.ipglobal.tv or linked through www.penang .gov.my.
“The full coverage is consistent with the state’s aim of operating a CAT (competency, accountability and transparency) government.
“Penangites will have the opportunity to judge the performance, quality and credibility of their 40 elected representatives,” he said, adding that there would be no censorship.

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GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Government needs to be daring in embarking on private initiated mega projects, said the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber president Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping said this measure might be the state’s solution to postpo-ned federal projects.
“If the Federal Government has decided not to subsidise and fund the state in these initiatives, the state government needs to be brave enough to enlist the help of private companies,” he said yesterday during courtesy call on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Tan cited the stalled Penang Hill funicular train and shelved Pe-nang Outer Ring Road (PORR) as examples of projects that could be handed over to private companies.

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GEORGE TOWN: The state government has launched the ePerolehan system to ensure transparency in the tender awarding process.
The system is equipped with an eBidding site for interested contractors to place their bids and eBantahan for the public to voice objections.

"We want to award projects using computer cables, not political cables. Penang is the first to produce such an application to enhance efficiency, save cost, reduce red tape and reduce risks in decision-making," Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Thursday when launching the system at Dome Komtar here.

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PENANG, MON:
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng will table a motion urging the federal government to proceed with development projects planned for the state at the State Assembly sitting beginning July 21.
According to a statement issued by his press secretary, Cheong Yin Fan here today, if the projects were to be shelved, the state government wanted the federal government to replace them with a cash payment of RM4.7 billion to continue with the economic development of the state.

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GEORGE TOWN: Penang wants to be the first state in the country to broadcast its state assembly proceedings live over RTM.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said a formal request would be made to RTM.
Speaking after the investiture ceremony at Dewan Sri Pinang Sunday, he said the state government had informed the station verbally.
“Of course if they feel that it is too long, they can show parts of it. The purpose is to allow the public to see democracy in action,” he said, adding that the live broadcast was in line with the state government’s practice of CAT policy (competency, accountability and transparency) initiative.

““This is Pakatan Rakyat’s first sitting. My hope is that everyone will unite regardless of political leanings so that we can work for the benefit of all Penangites.

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PENANG: Penang’s long wait for a convention centre for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) may end soon as it has received three proposals, each worth more than RM1 billion to undertake such a project.
State tourism committee chairman Law Heng Kiang said the three proposals were for a MICE centre along the coastal road near the Penang Bridge, another in George Town and one more for Bayan Mutiara.

While the first two proposals are from local companies, the Bayan Mutiara project is to be a joint venture between a local company and a Middle East party. Law said all the proposals were for a convention facility to accommodate between 5,000 and 8,000 people.