Thursday, December 30, 2010

Pakaian Nie Ching "ketat"? Apa kata MCA dan MIC?



Kalau pakaian YB Teo Nie Ching semasa bersenamrobik menimbulkan masalah, bagaimana dengan Tarian Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia yang dihadiri oleh Perdana Menteri Najib Tun Razak dan isterinya Rosmah Mansor?

Gambar-gambar yang menunjukkan pakaian T-shirt yang dipakai oleh Nie Ching dengan mereka yang bersenamrobik di Dataran Merdeka tidak banyak berbeza.

UMNO dan Utusan Malaysia cuba memainkan sentimen perkauman sekali lagi dan saya bersimpati dengan Nie Ching kerana beliau sekali lagi dimangsakan.

Apa kata MCA dan MIC dalam hal ini? Jangan jadi hipokrit!

---

If what YB Teo Nie Ching wore during an exercise session causes problems, how about the attire of those participated in "Tarian Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia" program attended by none other than the Prime Minister and his wife Rosmah Mansor?

The photographs I posted here show that the Nie Ching's attire and the attire of those attended the exercise session in Merdeka Square are not much different.

UMNO and Utusan Malaysia is trying to stir up their racist sentiment again and I pity Nie Ching that she is again targeted and victimized.

What MCA and MIC have to say on this? Don't be a hypocrite!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Pelantikan Mohd Khusrin jelas membawa agenda politik UMNO dan Najib untuk menjatuhkan kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat Selangor

Adalah amat jelas bahawa pelantikan Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi oleh Ketua Setiausaha Negara Tan Sri Sidek Hassan sebagai Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Selangor membawa agenda politik UMNO dan Najib untuk menjatuhkan kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat Selangor.

Pelantikan yang berbau politik ini sekali telah merosakan hubungan antara kerajaan negeri dengan kerajaan persekutuan dan semangat persekutuan atau federalism sekali lagi dicemari dengan agenda politik UMNO dan Najib.

Undang-undang Tubuh Kerajaan Negeri Selangor 1959 telah menyatakan dengan jelas bahawa pelantikannya perlu dibuat daripada mana-mana Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan yang berkenaan dari kalangan anggota mana-mana perkhidmatan awam yang relevan. Ini jelas bermaksud bahawa pelantikan Setiausaha Kerajaan ini boleh dilantik sama ada dari kalangan anggota-anggota Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam atau tidak walaupun secara konvensyen pelantikan ini dibuat dari kalangan anggota perkhidmatan awam.

Sungguhpun soalan ini ialah soalan akademik, tetapi ianya perlu diperjelaskan dengan sejelas-jelasnya kepada rakyat jelata.

Selain itu, Ketua Setiausaha Negara seboleh-bolehnya berunding dengan Kerajaan Negeri terlebih dahulu sebelum membuat pengumunan ini atas semangat federalism. Adalah amat menyedihkan bahawa semangat federaslime ini sekali lagi dibelakangkan untuk kepentingan politik UMNO dan Najib.

Rakyat tidak harus lupa bahawa Najib pernah sekali mengatakan bahawa beliau mahu mengambil balik Selangor daripada Pakatan Rakyat walau apa cara sekalipun. Fasa pertama rancangan mereka telah gagal dengan pengorbanan Sdr Teoh Beng Hock dan kini mereka pulang dengan fasa kedua.

Ini boleh dilihat apabila Najib masih memegang jawatan Pengerusi Perhubungan UMNO Negeri Selangor seperti yang diumunkan beberapa hari yang lalu. Tambahan pula pelantikan ini dibuat pada akhir bulan Disember 2010 di mana kebanyakan pegawai dan kakitangan kerajaan telah bercuti.

Justeru itu, rakyat Selangor harus berwaspada supaya peristiwa hitam di Perak tidak berlaku di Selangor. Janganlah kita membenarkan pisang berbuah dua kali.

TIADA HAD ATAU TEMPOH UNTUK PELANTIKAN SETIAUSAHA KERAJAAN NEGERI

KENYATAAN AKHBAR
29 DISEMBER 2010
______________________________________________________________________________
TIADA HAD ATAU TEMPOH UNTUK PELANTIKAN SETIAUSAHA KERAJAAN NEGERI

Kerajaan Negeri Selangor menyangkal dakwaan kenyataan Setiausaha Sulit DYMM Sultan Selangor, Dato’ Munir Bani yang mendakwa kononnya Kerajaan Negeri lewat menghantar senarai calon untuk mengisi jawatan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri.

Kami menegaskan bahawa tidak terdapat dalam mana-mana peruntukan yang menyatakan bahawa pelantikan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri perlu dibuat dalam tempoh atau masa tertentu. Tambahan pula, jawatan Dato’ Ramli Mahmud selaku Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri sepatutnya hanya tamat pada 20 Mac 2011.

Perlu ditegaskan di sini, Kerajaan Negeri telah menjalankan proses pemilihan pada 27 November 2010 dengan menubuhkan Panel Pemilihan yang sejajar dengan Nota Amalan Perkhidmatan Awam.

Panel yang diketuai oleh Speaker Dewan Negeri Selangor, Dato’ Teng Chang Khim serta dianggotai oleh dua Ahli Majlis Kerajaan Negeri iaitu YB Dato’ Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali dan YB Dr. Xavier Jayakumar, telah menemuramah enam calon dari lapan nama yang telah dicadangkan oleh Pejabat Setiausaha Negeri dan Pejabat Sumber Manusia.

Panel Pemilihan telah menyenarai pendek calon-calon dan Dato’ Menteri Besar telah pada 17 Disember 2010, mempersembahkan nama-nama tersebut untuk pertimbangan DYMM Sultan Selangor bagi mengisi jawatan Setiausaha Kerajaan.

Meskipun penubuhan panel ini bukanlan satu kemestian, Kerajaan Negeri Pakatan Rakyat mahu menyemai satu tatacara yang baik yang mana pelantikan jawatan tinggi perlu melalui proses telus, bebas dan bertanggungjawab. Menteri Besar tidak mahu menggunakan kuasa penentu untuk memilih pegawai tinggi kerajaan.

Pakatan Rakyat Selangor kesal dengan perkembangan mutakhir ini dan merasakan ia adalah tindakan yang didalangi individu tertentu yang mahu menggunakan istana demi kepentingan politik mereka. Isu Dato' Khusrin Munawi ini timbul sejurus sebelum UMNO mengumumkan Datuk Seri Najib Razak kekal sebagai Ketua Perhubungan UMNO Selangor.

Justeru, Pakatan Rakyat Selangor memohon rakyat Selangor bertenang dan tidak mengeluarkan kenyataan provokasi yang tidak akan membantu dalam mencari penyeleaian terbaik.

Pentadbiran ini menggalakkan persatuan dan pertubuhan masyarakat mengadakan solat hajat di seluruh negeri bagi memberi kekuatan dan kebijaksanaan kepada DYMM Sultan Selangor dan pemimpin Negeri dalam menangani salah faham ini (miscommunication). Begitu juga kepada masyarakat bukan Islam digalakkan menjalankan upacara keagamaan menurut kepercayaan masing-masing.

FAEKAH HUSIN
SETIAUSAHA POLITIK KEPADA
YAB DATO MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

What the Selangor Constitution said in the appointment of State Secretary?


For those who cannot follow what I had written on the appointment of the new Selangor State Secretary, you can follow the two picture above. I have extracted page 28 and 29 from the Selangor Constitution (Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Selangor 1959) and it is stated very clear all the points that I put up in my statement.

Kenyataan bahawa pelantikan Mohd Khusrin sudah “confirm” tiada sebarang asas perlembangan

Saya ingin merujuk kepada lapporan suratkhabar yang disiarkan oleh Sinar Harian pada hari ini berkenaan dengan kenyataan yang dibuat oleh Setiausaha Sulit kepada Tuanku Sultan Selangor, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, bahawa pada “pendapat” beliau, keputusan untuk melantik Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi sebagai Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Selangor yang baru adalah “confirm” kerana Tuanku telah berkenan untuk melantik beliau. Kenyataan oleh Datuk Mohd Munir Bani ini sebenarnya tiada sebarang asas perlembangan.

Mengikut Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Selangor 1959 Perkara 52 (1), jawatan Setiausaha Kerajaan perlu diwujudkan dan pelantikan ke jawatan ini hendaklah dibuat oleh Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan yang berkenaan dari kalangan anggota mana-mana perkhidmatan awam yang relevan.

Perkara (2)(a) pula menyatakan bahawa Setiausaha Kerajaan hendaklah berbangsa Melayu dan menganut Agama Islam, dan hendaklah menjadi pegawai utama yang bertanggungjawab bagi hal-ehwal pentadbiran negeri.

Oleh itu adalah jelas bahawa pelantikan jawatan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri ini tidak semestinya dilantik oleh Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam malahan ianya boleh dilantik daripada “Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan yang berkenaan” termasuk Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Negeri Selangor. Perkataan “Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam” tidak disebut secara khusus dalam Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Selangor 1959

Selain itu, Setiausaha Kerajaan bersama-sama dengan Pegawai Kewangan Negeri dan Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri perlu mengangkat dan menandatangani Sumpah Simpan Rahsia di hadapan Menteri Besar dan bukan Tuanku Sultan Selangor mengikut Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Selangor 1959. Ini sekaligus bermakna bahawa Setiausaha Kerajaan negeri perlu bertanggungjawab terus kepada Menteri Besar.

Saya ingin menekankan sekali lagi bahawa pelantikan ini wajar dirujuk kepada Kerajaan Negeri Selangor dan lebih baik lagi pendangan dan pendapat Kerajaan Negeri Selangor diambil dan diterima pakai kerana Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri merupakan jawatan yang penting dan sesiapa yang memegang jawatan ini mestilah seorang yang berupaya dan berkebolehan. Sesiapa yang dilantik ke jawatan ini perlulah seorang yang tidak berkontroversi.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Perlantikan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Selangor Baru Harus Mendapat Persetujuan Daripada Kerajaan Negeri Selangor

Saya terkejut dan tergempar dengan pengumunan Ketua Setiausaha Negara Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan dalam satu kenyataannya bahawa Pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi akan dilantik sebagai Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Selangor yang baru, berkuatkuasa 1 Januari 2011.

Perlantikan ini difahamkan belum mendapat persetujuan daripada Kerajaan Negeri Selangor dan saya berpendapat perkara ini tidak boleh diumumkan langsung sebelum mendapat persetujuan daripada Kerajaan Negeri Selangor.

Mengikut Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Selangor 1959 Perkara 52 (1), jawatan Setiausaha Kerajaan perlu diwujudkan dan perlantikan ke jawatan ini hendaklah dibuat oleh Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan yang berkenaan dari kalangan anggota mana-mana perkhidmatan awam yang relevan.

Perkara (2)(a) pula menyatakan bahawa Setiausaha Kerajaan hendaklah berbangsa Melayu dan menganut Agama Islam,dan hendaklah menjadi pegawai utama yang bertanggungjawab bagi hal-ehwal pentadbiran negeri.

Oleh itu adalah jelas bahawa perlantikan jawatan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri ini tidak semestinya dilantik oleh Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam malahan ianya boleh dilantik daripada “Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan yang berkenaan” termasuk Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Negeri Selangor.

Kenyataan Ketua Setiausaha Negara Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan bahawa perlantikan Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi sebagai Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Selangor yang baru telah mendapat perkenan daripada Tuanku Sultan Selangor juga merupakan satu kenyataan yang mengelirukan kerana tidak disebut dalam Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Selangor 1959 bahawa perlantikan Setiausaha Negeri perlu mendapat perkenan daripada Tuanku Sultan Selangor.

Malahan Setiausaha Kerajaan bersama-sama dengan Pegawai Kewangan Negeri dan Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri perlu mengangkat dan menandatangani Sumpah Simpan Rahsia di hadapan Menteri Besar dan bukan Tuanku Sultan Selangor mengikut Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Selangor 1959.

Tindakan Ketua Setiausaha Negara membuat pengumuman ini tanpa mendapat persetujuan daripada Kerajaan Negeri merupakan satu tindakan sabotaj terhadap Kerajaan Negeri Pakatan Rakyat.

Adalah amat malang bahawa ianya juga telah dilihat sebagai satu tindakan balas dendam terhadap keputusan Kerajaan Selangor melarang penggunaan logo “1Malaysia” di atas papan tanda iklan luaran dan papan tanda perniagaan.

Saya berharap perlantikan jawatan ini dapat dilakukan dengan cara yang telus dan beramanah tanpa sebarang bentuk unsur sabotaj di mana hanya mereka yang betul-betul komited, berupaya dan independen sahaja yang dilantik ke jawatan ini.

Memandangkan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri merupakan pegawai utama yang akan bekerja bersama-sama dengan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor, maka perlantikan ini harus mendapat persetujuan daripada Kerajaan Negeri Selangor.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Officiating Section 22 Rukun Tetangga Badminton Court




I was invited to attend a programme to officially open the Section 22 Rukun Tetangga badminton court this morning.

Also attending are Petaling Jaya DAP Councillor, Mr Jeeyaselan T. Anthony, Mr G. Rajendran, chairman of Section 22 Rukun Tetangga and his committee members.

I used to call Mr G. Rajendran as "Uncle Raj" and I met him numerously before and after 2008 General Election. The last time I met him was to resolve the pending back-lane street-lighting works left over by BN during election time. That issue was resolved already and during that meeting, he thrown me an idea of upgrading a large piece of empty land which was then grown with bushes into a badminton court.

Jeeyaselan agreed to look into the request and I wish to thank MBPJ that some RM16,000 were spent to build the court and we officiated it this morning. Children and women folks were very happy as they will have a new place for all their recreational activities. There will still some repainting works to be done by the contractor and I hope the RT can make full use of the court to promote neighbourhood spirit and healthy lifestyle.

Townhall meeting in SS3



I thanked the residents of SS3 for attending the inaugural townhall meeting held in Jalan SS3/14 basketball court several weeks ago.

The townhall meeting was attended by about 100 residents from all walks of life in SS3. Also attending are Petaling Jaya DAP Councillor, Mr Darren Tiong and Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara (PJU), YB Tony Pua.

Among the issue raised were infrastructure problems like drainage system, road resurfacing, traffic congestions, crime rate etc. Residents also raised concern on certain on-going development surrounding SS3, notably the proposed re-development of former Matsushita factory in SS8. They also took the opportunity to pose questions on several welfare programmes undertaken by the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor State Government.

Darren Tiong and I took the chance to explain some of the works done by the council and works to be completed by the council. A resident also raised his dissatisfaction on the poor condition of the two council's tennis courts next to the basketball court. Mr Darren Tiong has taken note about this and I have received emails from the resident regarding the proposed upgrading works to be done in the two tennis courts.

Meanwhile, YB Tony Pua also took the opportunity to brief the residents on the ongoing restructuring water service industry in Selangor.

This is a good experience for me and my service team as the townhall meeting serves as an outreach programme for us to reach out to the people face to face and deal directly with their issues. We use to meet the people in a lot of official functions but due to time contraint, we are not able to speak to everyone. Townhall meeting is different and it can help us to pull everybody together to discuss in depth in an unofficial gathering.

Townhall meeting is also very important to enlighten and inform the people about how allocations and works are processed in the government. More townhall meeting will be held in Kampung Tunku and the next stop will be in Section 22 Len Seng Garden.

Friday, December 24, 2010

More details needed for MRT project

This is the report you get from The Star today. A lot of people were shocked to know that the Federal Government is embarking on another massive infrastructure project, the Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) system in Klang Valley, without proper consultation with the people although the people have been talking about the massive infrastructure project in Klang Valley.

By and large, there are a lot of public consultations and discussions on the proposed LRT extension of the existing Putra and Star LRT system. Discussions were held at the grassroot level, local council level as well as in the state level. Detailed discussions and briefings were also done. The authority, Syarikat Prasarana Sdn. Bhd., is scheduled to submit their application of development order to the respective local councils this month and works shall start next year.

However, it is not the same for the MRT system. The very first question raised is how is the Federal Government going to finance the massive infrastructure project as it is going to cost the Federal Government some RM36billion without taking into consideration land acquisition cost which is expected at about RM10billion.

Can we have more details about the project?

===

Friday December 24, 2010

MRT tender in April, work starts in July
By ZUHRIN AZAM AHMAD and SHARIDAN M. ALI
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: The country’s biggest infrastructure project, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), will be built almost entirely through open tender to be called in April and construction work will begin in July.

Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chief executive officer Nur Ismal Kamal said the competitive bidding process would be evaluated by the Government, project owner Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd and project delivery partner MMC-Gamuda Joint Venture Sdn Bhd.

He said two independent bodies – an independent checking engineer and value management consultant – would evaluate all bids.

The checking engineer, most probably an experienced foreign engineering firm, would vet all tenders, approve designs as well as look at the safety and quality of work once construction has started.

The value management consultant would ensure that costs are kept at a minimum without compromising safety.

Work on the first phase of the MRT system, which would see the construction of a new rail line from Sungai Buloh to Kajang, is expected to start in July.

“The MRT work scope includes underground stations, elevated stations, depots, track works, system works and rolling stock.

“While the work scope will be via open tender, tunnelling work will be via the Swiss challenge method where the PDP is also allowed to submit a competitive bid,” Nur Ismal said after a briefing yesterday.

Swiss challenge means a private sector participant submits an unsolicited proposal and draft contract principles for undertaking a project to the Government and competitive counter-proposals are invited.

While the PDP would oversee the delivery process of the whole project and provide a single point of accountability, Prasarana will be the project and asset owner of the MRT system and Syarikat Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL) will be the system operator.

The Sungai Buloh-Kajang line would have a population catchment of 1.2 million with estimated daily ridership of 442,000.

The project is expected to be completed by 2015.

On the cost of the first phase, Nur Ismal said they were still finalising the alignment of the first MRT system line, and thus could not nail down the exact figure yet.

“If we disclose it now, it will not be to our advantage because it’s an open tender bidding. We want to get the best price from the contractors,” he said, adding that even the RM36.6bil figure for the MRT system was not final as it was a figure quoted from the MMC-Gamuda joint proposal.

SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said the entire project would be funded by the Government and a special-purpose vehicle under the Finance Ministry would be set up to advise, manage and raise the funds.

On land acquisition, Syed Hamid said it was expected to take place in May and June, immediately after its proposed routes were put up for public display in March.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

新建溝渠數月坍塌‧劉永山抨豆腐渣工程

SS9A/7路新建的溝渠發生坍塌,劉永山(左)批評為豆腐渣工程。
左2起為陳友財、甯生、陳亞枸和葉再發。(圖:星洲日報)

星洲日報雪隆 2010-12-11 10:44

(雪蘭莪‧八打靈再也10日訊)新建的溝渠短短數個月便發生坍塌,甘榜東姑州議員劉永山直批豆腐渣工程,浪費公帑!
他指出,位於雙溪威SS9A/7路與SS9A/17交界處的溝渠,大約在兩三個月前由聯邦村委會撥款所興建,無奈才短短數個月,其中2公尺長的溝渠,在不堪重型車輛日夜輾過的壓力下,便已坍塌。

他召開新聞發佈會時批評這項工程。其他出席的包括村長陳友財、市議員助理葉再發、州議員助理甯生及陳亞枸。

未按照施工指示

“我們已向八打靈再也市政廳瞭解工程,坍塌原因因為施工時沒有按照市政廳的施工指示,當然我們也不排除所使用的洋灰不足所致。”

他促請有關單位儘快將問題處理,否則不知情的駕駛人士可能因此不小心將車子駛入溝渠內,或在下雨天時造成水災。

今晚SS3辦與民對話會

劉永山也將在即將來臨的星期六(11日),晚上8時30分,在SS3/14有蓋籃球場舉辦一場其服務中心與居民的對話會,歡迎居民們踴躍出席,反映民生投訴、治安或各項問題。

星洲日報/大都會‧2010.12.10

Friday, December 10, 2010

Snap polls: DAP machinery fired up

By Teoh El Sen (Free Malaysia Today)

Earlier, Kampung Tunku DAP state assemblyman Lau Weng San said in his speech that the rakyat must reject Barisan Nasional.

"You need somebody to lose power then only that person will change. Just like when you teach your children not to do something bad, you scold them or don't give pocket money... the same applies.

“You must feel the pain of losing power then only can BN rejuvenate itself. Many say that Pakatan is not perfect, but we are on the path to reform," he added.

===

PETALING JAYA: DAP is gearing up its election machinery in anticipation of a snap polls being called, said party publicity chief Tony Pua.

Pua, who is also Petaling Jaya Utara MP, said the DAP election committee met yesterday to discuss the upcoming tasks and activities for the general election.

"We have to step up our preparations now, though in the strict sense we have not yet formally started," Pua told reporters after a fund raising dinner here last night.

"We aim to be ready within the next two months. We hope to achieve peak condition by then and will continue to maintain that," he said.

Among the activities discussed by the election committee, he said, included the printing of leaflets and brochures and the creation of an election manifesto.

Asked when the election would be called, Pua said it could be held anytime and even members of the election committee had differing views on this.

"There are those who are saying March, April, while others are speculating late 2011 in September perhaps. Whatever it is, we hope to be prepared much earlier," he said.

On Pakatan Rakyat retaining power in Selangor, Pua said the coalition still had an edge but it cannot rest on its laurels.

"We have to continue to send the message to the people that we are the better choice. And we must be in a continual state of improvement mode.

“One key difference is that we don't find our MB enriching himself through improper means," he said, in an obvious swipe at former MB Dr Mohd Khir Toyo who was facing a corruption charge.

'BN must suffer pain of defeat'

Earlier, Kampung Tunku DAP state assemblyman Lau Weng San said in his speech that the rakyat must reject Barisan Nasional.

"You need somebody to lose power then only that person will change. Just like when you teach your children not to do something bad, you scold them or don't give pocket money... the same applies.

“You must feel the pain of losing power then only can BN rejuvenate itself. Many say that Pakatan is not perfect, but we are on the path to reform," he added.

PKR's Lembah Pantai MP and newly minted vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar also agreed that Pakatan was not perfect.

"Eventhough we are not perfect, we have to showcase that we are different from BN. We have to do a lot more to prove that we deserve the position we are in," she said.

"This is not the time for us to pat ourselves on the back. It is not the time to relax or sleep. This is the time for action, to move faster and smarter for the upcoming storm," she added.

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Town hall meeting in SS3

Residents of SS3 are invited to attend the first town hall meeting held by the office of Kampung Tunku Assemblyman, Lau Weng San on 11th December 2010 (Saturday), 8pm in SS3/14 MBPJ basketball court.

Residents are welcomed to raise any issues regarding to their surrounding as well as state and national issues and Lau Weng San will answering the questions to the best of his knowledge and ability.

Light refreshments will be served and Petaling Jaya City Council Councillor for Zone 20 (SS1, SS3 and SS9A), Mr Darren Tiong Boon Keong will be attending the town hall meeting as well.

If you do not know what is a town hall meeting, you can know more about it here. According to Wikipedia, a town hall meeting is "an informal public meeting. Everybody in a community is invited to attend, voice their opinions, and hear the responses from public figures and elected officials about shared subjects of interest, although attendees rarely vote on an issue".

So, for those who reside in SS3, see you at Jalan SS3/14 basketball court on this coming Saturday 8pm. Look out for more details here on my blog!

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

奉劝马华议员不要针对雪州水供课题说风凉话

雪州水供私营化导致人民必须承受昂贵水价是铁一般的事实,可是马华州议员却一直 顾左右而言他,态度令人失望!马华双溪比力州议员叶怡华谴责本人,若不能保证州政府接管之后水费不会上涨。叶怡华更表示如果民联政府不能作出这个担保,那么民联不应该责问马华是否认同雪州水费涨价的幼稚问题。

其实,民联的立场是反对前朝政府把雪州水供私营化,阻止私营公司Syabas每三年调涨水费牟取暴利。甚至本人的标题也在质问为何黄冠文对Syabas牟取暴利一事静若寒蝉!

我要问民联何时何日表示水费不能上涨?民联反对的是国阵的私营化计划、私营公司每三年大幅度调涨水费的政策、私营公司没有遵守合约以及联邦政府滥用纳税人金钱提供3亿2000万令吉免担保及免利息贷款予Syabas等等百害无一利的政策。如果叶怡华有阅读本人日前针对其同僚黄冠文所发表的文告,叶怡华就不会对本人作出错误的指责。

当雪州民联政府第二次以93亿令吉的献购价格收购雪州所有水务资产,当时雪州政府便表示可以马上降低水费5%,并且在未来的日子里继续减低。然而,中央政府却对雪州政府的这项要求不加以理会。随后拥有雪州水务控股(SPLASH)40%股份的金务大献议以马币108亿令吉收购雪州的所有水务资产,并把水价维持在原有的位置,而每年的涨幅仅为两至三巴仙。

如果一家如金务大的私人公司能够以比雪州政府稍高的价格献议收购雪州水务资产,而且还能把水价维持原位,以后涨幅仅仅2至3巴仙。可见Syabas一直以来所牟取的都是暴利!民联反对的恰好就是这一点。

民联政府也在谈判桌上一直让步,从当初57亿令吉的献购价格,然后升高至93亿令吉,联邦政府都是一直回避民联的价格,甚至当金务大提出108亿令吉的献购价格,联邦政府也无动于衷。直至今年11月,为展示诚意和打破谈判僵局,州务大臣再次表示只允许水价一次过上涨15巴仙,但是了联邦政府依然无动于衷。联邦政府如此动机,不外是告诉雪州人民联邦政府倾向于让Syabas继续掌管雪州的水供,以及Syabas可以继续根据现有的合约每3年调涨水费。

其实只要联邦政府要求部长陈华贵行使他的权利,决定把水供管理权交回给雪州政府,那么人民老早就可以享有更低廉的水费(原因乃Syabas过去所牟取的利润实在太高了)。为何国阵的部长不愿意这么做?为何马华的州议员针对这点连提一提的胆量都没有,反而通过媒体说风凉话?

Monday, December 06, 2010

为何黄冠文对Syabas通过朋党合约牟取暴利静若寒蝉?

本人对新古毛州议员黄冠文批评民联所号召的“还水于民”大集会是民联“一贯使用的政治把戏”感到不满。黄冠文也引用错误的数据指责民联没有清楚交代如何解决雪隆地区水供短缺的问题。他也说唯有解决了水供危机,雪州人民才可长期享用合理价格的水源。

黄冠文的文告无法说服民众雪州如何在2012年面对水供危机的问题。很明显地,黄冠文的说法是根据雪州水供公司的数据所作出的结论。问题在于,雪州水供公司的数据是否正确?雪州水供公司是一家获得前朝政府颁发水供特许经营权的私人公司,由这家公司所提供的数据是否具公信力呢?

第二,我不认同解决黄冠文的说法,即唯有解决雪州的水供危机,雪州人民才可长期享用合理价格的水源。黄冠文的说法简直支持联邦政府耗资13亿令吉兴建彭亨—雪兰莪跨州输水隧道工程。根据媒体报道,这项工程将从彭亨州的加叻公园通过蒂蒂旺沙中央山脉兴建水管输送水至雪州乌鲁冷岳。

能源、绿色及水务部长陈华贵说也说这条东南亚最大及最长的输水隧道长达44.6公里,直径达5.2公尺,建成后,每日可以输送18亿9000万公升的生水。他说,这项庞大的水供计划足以应付雪兰莪州、吉隆坡及布城水供至2025年;雪州将以每立方米马币10仙的价格向彭亨州购买生水,每五年进行检讨。整个计划估计耗资89亿令吉,其中39亿令吉是彭亨州建造水道、抽水站、输水管及水坝的成本,另外50亿令吉供雪州在乌鲁冷岳兴建第二座滤水厂。

我要问黄冠文,即使有了这项计划,人民是否因此必须缴付更加昂贵的水费?兴建成本是否会转嫁予老百姓的身上?

第三,跨州输水计划最早也得在2014年才竣工,但是黄冠文开口闭口就谈2012年雪州面对水供危机,既然如此,联邦政府还兴建跨州输水计划来干什么?黄冠文岂不是自打嘴巴?

第四,黄冠文可以抨击雪州民联政府“玩弄把戏”,但是为何黄冠文对雪州水供公司在过去数年通过朋党合约牟取暴利静若寒蝉?法庭也判决水供公司必须公开稽查报告,把事实告诉人民,为何水供公司不愿意公开报告,反之要求上诉推翻法庭的判决?到底水供公司有什么好隐瞒?黄冠文为何对这一连串不公事件视而不见?

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Price hike - it won't stop now!

Prices of several essential items gone up today again. The DAP has always maintained a stand that distortion of market via subsidy system should not continue and the government should put in place a proper and comprehensive social safety net to cover the needs of the poor in embracing higher living expenses.

Please do not misunderstand this as a support for the federal government to increase prices of essential items. The government can take away subsidies provided that there are sufficient alternatives. For example, the people will not grumble too much if there is a proper public transportation system in place even if the government increase petrol prices to more than RM3 per litre!

The question is of whether the government has thought through it enough or not before any decision made.

My immediate response to the "4 in 1" price hike is very simple, that it is not going to stop here. It will continue to happen. It means prices of essential items will be increased, not at one shot but bit by bit. Maybe there will be another round of price hike after every two months.

By end of 2011, the price of essential items will reach the desired level (of the federal government, of course!) without any need for Barisan Nasional to explain to the people all the wastages incurred due to low level of competency, accountability and transparency of them running the federal government.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Email, instead of posting comments

Dear All,

Some readers of this blog has been trying to post comments not related to the blog post. Such comments will not be published as I think the comments and the blog post should be inter-related.

For those who wants to express their opinions on some other issues including the upcoming state convention, please email me at lauwengsan@gmail.com and identify yourself.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Lau Weng San

MCA should reveal how many study loans were offered to Chinese applicants in states run by BN

It is quite disturbing to read statement from several MCA leaders attacking Selangor State Government by implying that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR)-led state government only approves 12 Chinese applicants for study loan, when MCA leaders are not prepared to reveal how many study loans were offered to Chinese in states ruled by Barisan Nasional (BN).

In fact, I was the first assemblyman who helped promoting the study loan scheme offered by the state government as early as in August 2010. All elected representatives in Selangor received letters and brochures from the state government requesting helps from elected representatives to promote such scheme and to recommend suitable students to apply for the study loan irregardless of race and religion.

This prompted me to request for more details about the almost-interest-free study loan in August 2010. I also called a press conference to promote the study loan, which is opened to applicants from all races provided that the applicants must be born in Selangor.

It is clear that lately, some MCA leaders are playing racist politics by blaming the Selangor state government for not helping Chinese when there are only 12 successful Chinese applicants.

Selangor government EXCO Teresa Kok had clarified that while it is true that there are only 12 successful Chinese applicants, but the hard fact that MCA leaders choose to ignore is that there are only 12 Chinese students who applied for the study loan!

In fact, each state government in Malaysia does offer study loans to deserving and qualified students from their state to pursue tertiary education. However, Selangor State government study loan is probably the first study loan offered by any state government in Malaysia to accept application from Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) holders of whom majority of them are non-Malay.

I urge MCA leaders like Ti Lian Ker and Wee Ka Siong to reveal how many Chinese students have benefitted from the Pahang and Johore State Government study loan in 2009 and 2010.

Monday, November 22, 2010

打击非法马机店——警方不应等新总长或大选将近才行动


网络媒体《辣手杂志》引述消息人士指出新任总警长依斯迈上任后将首度展开大规模的扫荡行动,而矛头则瞄准赌博性质的马机,并将从下月起全面扫荡马机,以达致「零马机」的目标。

民联和雪州行动党非常欢迎警方大规模扫荡马机。其实,警方老早就应该配合民联政府和县市议会眼里打击跑马机活动。在过去两年,民联政府一直无法获得地方上警方的配合扫荡跑马机的活动,间接促成马机店四处林立。

因此,在过去两年,民联政府仅仅能够发动地方政府的执法人员进行扫荡活动。即使是县市议员或行政议员亲自监督扫荡工作,马机活动容易死灰复燃,乃因背后操控这些马机店乃大型集团,马机货源充足,即使地方政府执法人员扣留马机,但是非法集团依然有能力立即补放新的马机。

在这次刚刚结束州议会,我们得知莎亚南市政厅曾经把非法马机店业者控上法庭。最后法庭判决有关业者有罪,罚款2000令吉,惟市政厅必须支付2万5000令吉的律师费给市政厅的律师。再加上这2000令吉的罚款并非缴付给地方政府,而是缴付予中央政府,因此得不偿失。

此外,地方政府没有法律权利扣留非法马机,也没有权利要求水务公司、国能以及马电讯切断非法马机店的水电供应和电话联络,反之警方却拥有更大的权力。在衡量法律权力的悬殊,地方政府执法单位肯定无法应付如此繁重的取缔工作,除非获得其他政府部门,尤其是警察的协助。

如今,新上任的全国总警长犹如新官上任点三把火。我们希望警方能够真正身体力行,和民联政府和地方政府配合打击非法马机活动,而不是每一次要出现新任全国总警长,或者将近大选,警方才动作频频取缔非法马机店。

Friday, November 19, 2010

優異生申請不到貸學金‧致函撥電公服局無回應



李聰美(左起)、劉永山及洪秋娟展示他們為李兆生申請公共服務局貸學金,致給教育部、公共服務局及蔡細歷的公函。(圖:星洲日報)

(雪蘭莪‧八打靈再也3日訊)一名華裔生申訴在大馬教育文憑考試(SPM)中考獲10A與1B的優異成績後,卻無法申請到首相署公共服務局貸學金,感到失望不已。

該華裔生是李兆生(22歲),家住森美蘭州的瓜拉庇朥,來自小康之家,家有4名兄弟姐妹。

李兆生是以“2+2”(泰萊學院2年+伯明翰大學2年)的形式來考取化學工程碩士,明年7月畢業。

9月致函林星豪吳秋花

李兆生的叔叔李聰美(67歲)表示,他在今年9月間先後致函給教育部副部長拿督魏家祥機要秘書林星豪及馬華總會長拿督斯里蔡細歷秘書吳秋花(要求會見蔡細歷)。

李聰美說:“林星豪曾在電話上告訴我,公共服務局已經沒有錢了。吳秋花也說,倘若李兆生考獲10A1,要取得貸學金根本就不成問題。”

李兆生的媽媽洪秋娟(52歲)表示,她傳送兩次郵件給公共服務局,並撥電給各相關單位,可是無任何回訊。

她說,她曾把李兆生申請貸學金的所有文件和資料呈交給公共服務局一名叫仄松的巫裔女職員,並不斷撥電詢問進展,令他們驚訝的是,對方最近表示她已辭職兩年。

甘榜東姑州議員劉永山在新聞發佈會上說,李兆生來自小康之家,7萬5000令吉的學費對其家人來說是相當昂貴和吃力的經濟負擔。

雙親湊學費英國深造

“他的父親是經營祖傳的五金店,做的是小生意,母親是退休教師;他是靠雙親東湊西借,才能到英國深造,並且必須半工半讀才能完成學業。”

他說,蔡細歷將此事交給魏家祥處理,他上個月14日協助他致函給公共服務局人文發展部主任拿督莫哈末達祖丁反映(副本呈交給慕尤丁),但同樣沒有任何回音。

劉永山:若沒行動將向首相署交涉

他說,倘若此事見報後,有關方面仍沒有行動,他準備向首相署、公共服務局和教育部交涉。

吳秋花:已過上訴期可尋求馬華教育局援助

蔡細歷特別助理吳秋花受詢時指出,其實她有告知對方,李兆生已過了上訴期,不過他可以尋求馬華教育局的援助。
她說,李兆生的親人可尋求馬華教育局的協助,以解決他向公共服務局申請貸學金遭拒的問題。

星洲日報‧2010.11.03

雪州议会服务法案乃带领议会改革的重大第一步


我在周一结束的雪兰莪州议会辩论关于《2009年雪州立法议会服务法案》的提案时提出,州政府必须尽快提呈有关法案,让州议会能够独立和专业操作。

我在州议会上提出,随着议会的运作日益壮大,开会的数量逐渐增加、所处理的事务和课题也越加繁重,因此州政府必须严正考虑提呈这项法案,让州议会拥有本身独立运作的空间。

此外,随着议会所处理的事务日益繁重,加上州议会已经成立三个专案委员会(Select Committee)监督地方政府、土地局以官联公司的运作,因此州议会也必须提供足够的人力和专才协助这三个专案委员会。

我在州议会辩论这个提案的时候强调,若《2009年雪州立法议会服务法案》最终能够通过,那么这将再次让雪州耀视国内所有议会,因为雪州州议会比国会成为马来西亚议会民主改革的先驱。这绝对符合雪州作为马来西亚先进州的称号。

《2009年雪州立法议会服务法案》将会是议会民主改革的第一步。英国西敏斯特议会民主制度,以及其他先进英联邦国家议会民主制度将是民联议会改革的参考模式。例如在英国国会,议长的遴选制度是以秘密投票的方式进行,意即朝野议员都可以依据本身的意愿,无需受制于党鞭而投下心中所属一票。议长必须获得至少50巴仙的选票,如果没有获得50巴仙的选票,那么获得最低票的候选人将会被淘汰出局,然后进行第二轮选举,直至选出获得50巴仙多数票的议长为止。

议长中选后必须保持超然的态度,甚至必须辞掉党籍、推出政党政治。当议会解散之后,议长仍然可以参与选举。根据英国国会传统,一般朝野政党都不会派员出战议长的选区。虽然如此,英国媒体报道议长的选区最近也有英国数个小党派员参选。

另外一点,虽然英国国会和大马国会一样,即必须经由首相向国王/英女皇(最高元首)进谏解散议会,但是英国和大马不同的是英国国会的解散日期众人皆知,不像大马往往依靠首相的灵感或喜好。

其实,《2009年雪州立法议会服务法案》不是什么新的改革,因为过去60年代也曾制定《1963年国会服务法令》(Parliamentary Services Act 1963),只是随后在90年代废除了,如今则是恢复有关体制而已。

因此,我希望州行政议会最终能够提呈这项法案予来届州议会,加强州议会的问政能力。

Restructuring of the Water Industry in Selangor

The Selangor State Government cordially invites you to a Briefing on “Restructuring of the Water Industry in Selangor”

The objective of the event is to allow the Selangor State Government to provide a briefing and explanation on its position in regards to the restructuring of the water services industry in Selangor, which has taken more than two years and has not yet been resolved.

The water services industry in Selangor used to belong to the state government, but over the years was corporatised and eventually privatised to four water concession companies. The Water Services Industry Act 2006, together with several other national policies, set out to reverse the wrongs of the privatisation. This briefing is meant to clarify the Selangor State Government’s position on the matter and allow an avenue for discussion, questions and dialogue with those present. We look forward to meeting with you.
Selangor is embarking on a campaign to return the rights of water to the people of Selangor. Please visit www.airuntukrakyat.net for more information. To support the Selangor government in taking over the water industry, sign the signature petition at http://www.airuntukrakyat.net/main/petition.php

2.30 pm: Arrival of Guests and Registration
2:45 pm: Welcoming Remarks
Y.B. Teresa Kok, Selangor State Executive Councillor
3.00 pm: Presentations
Y.B. Tony Pua, MP for PJ Utara (Selangor State Water Review Panel)
Y.B. Charles Santiago, MP for Klang (Selangor State Water Review Panel)
4.00 pm: Discussion
5.00 pm: Closing

Monday, November 15, 2010

Motion on Malpractices #2 - Mischievous house sales in Kuala Selangor

Ucapan pencadang oleh ADUN Kampung Tunku, Lau Weng San semasa mambahas Usul No. 14 di bawah Peraturan Tetap 27(3) oleh ADN Hulu Kelang pada:

Saya selaku ADUN Kampung Tunku dengan ini turut membahas satu usul yang dibawa oleh ADUN Hulu Kelang di bawah Peraturan Tetap 27(3), di mana usul adalah seperti yang berikut:

“Bahawa Dewan ini menarik perhatian terhadap manipulasi penjualan sejumlah sembilan (9) unit rumah teres milik SAP Holdings Bhd di Taman Malawati Jaya, Kuala Selangor dengan mengkelaskan penjualan unit-unit tersebut sebagai pembelian pukal dengan harga potongan sebanyak 50.90% yang menyebabkan syarikat kehilangan hasil penjualan sebanyak RM617,000.

“Bahawa dengan ini Dewan yang mulia ini menggesa Kerajaan Negeri Selangor untuk mewujudkan satu badan bebas di bawah Kerajaan bagi menjalankan penyiasatan dan membentangkan siasatan ke Sidang Dewan Negeri.”

Tuan Speaker,

Saya juga telah membuat semakan secara kasar daripada laman web yang sama dan saya telah mendapati bahawa harga jualan seunit rumah teres satu tingkat ialah RM130,000.

Adakah harga jualan ini mencerminkan harga pasaran? Saya telah menjalankan satu pengiraan di mana saya telah menggunakan harga RM130,000 ini sebagai harga dasar dan harga ini dikenakan potongan sebanyak 50.9%. Selepas potongan ini, maka harga jualan baru ialah RM64,000, ini bermakna potongan yang dikenakan ialah RM66,170 untuk setiap satu rumah.

Jika RM66,170 didarab dengan sembilan, maka jumlah potongan yang dikenakan ialah hampir RM600,000 dan angka ini tidak jauh berbeza dengan potongan yang ditawarkan oleh SAP Holdings Bhd di Taman Malawati Jaya, Kuala Selangor, iaitu RM617,000.

Saya juga telah menyemak lokasi ini dan saya mendapati ianya terletak berhampiran dengan bandar Kuala Selangor dan jaraknya di antara Taman Malawati Jaya dengan Gedung Pasaraya Teso Kuala Selangor hanya lebih kurang 2km sahaja.

Oleh itu, saya tidak begitu mengerti rasionalnya untuk menjual rumah ini dengan potongan harga yang begitu tinggi. Saya menggesa kerajaan untuk menjalankan siasatan seperti yang berikut:
1. Adakah Jabatan Audit Negara telah mengaudit transaksi ini?
2. Bilakah dan siapakah yang memutus untuk memberi diskaun yang begitu tinggi? Apakah rasional di sebalik keputusan ini?
3. Siapakah pembeli-pembeli rumah ini?
4. Sekiranya didapati terdapat elemen-elemen penyalahgunaan kuasa, apakah kuasa atau tindakan undang-undang yang boleh diambil oleh Kerajaan Negeri Selangor terhadap mereka yang tidak bertanggungjawab?

Motion on Malpractices #1 - Dengkil land deal

Ucapan pencadang oleh ADUN Kampung Tunku, Lau Weng San semasa mambahas Usul di bawah Peraturan Tetap 27(3) oleh ADN Hulu Kelang pada:

Saya selaku ADUN Kampung Tunku dengan ini turut membahas satu usul yang dibawa oleh ADUN Hulu Kelang di bawah Peraturan Tetap 27(3), di mana usul adalah seperti yang berikut:

“Bahawa Dewan ini menarik perhatian terhadap kecuaian pengurusan KDEB/KHSB dalam membuat keputusan untuk membangunkan tanah seluar 9.554 ekar milik KDEB/KHSB di HS(D) 18264 PT No. 32547 Mukim Dengkil Daerah Sepang kepada pihak ketiga dengan hanya menerima bayaran sejumlah RM4,154,849.40 tanpa mengambil kira peruntukan jumlah premium yang akan ditanggung oleh KHSB dan dengan hanya mendapat pulangan sebanyak RM37,026.40 atau RM3,875.81 seekar di tanah berlokasi amat strategik.

“Bahawa dengan ini Dewan yang mulia ini menggesa Kerajaan Negeri Selangor untuk mewujudkan satu badan bebas di bawah Kerajaan bagi menjalankan penyiasatan dan membentangkan siasatan ke Sidang Dewan Negeri.”

Tuan Speaker,

Saya telah mambuat sedikit siasatan melalui internet dan saya telah membandingkan harga jualan tanah milik KDEB ini dengan sebidang tanah yang dmiliki oleh pihak lain.

Perbezaan harga jualan antara kedua-dua bidang tanah ini ialah RM5/kaki persegi, iaitu tanah yang dimilliki oleh KDEB ini dibangunkan dengan harga pulangannya lebih rendah daripada harga yang sepatutnya sebanyak RM5/sekaki.

Jikalau kita back-calculate, maka nilai yang sepatutnya diterima oleh KDEB/KHSB ialah RM6,159,349.10 iaitu sekurang-kurangnya RM6juta.

Kampung Tunku dengan ini menyokong usul ini dan meminta Kerajaan Negeri untuk tidak memandang remeh terhadap aduan yang dikemukakan ke Dewan yang mulia ini. Sememangnya, tanah merupakan aset yang paling penting untuk kerajaan negeri dan kita tidak boleh sekalipun membiarkan harta rakyat yang berharga ini disalahgunakan oleh pihak-pihak tertentu untuk kepentingan sendiri.

Biarpun kerajaan negeri masih perlu menyiasat dan mengesahkan aduan ini, tetapi saya mengucapkan syabas kepada Yang Berhormat Hulu Kelang kerana membangkitkan usul ini kerana usul ini membuktikan bahawa Pakatan Rakyat menentang penyalahgunaan kuasa, kronisme dan nepotisme dan kita tidak sekalipun berundur walaupun yang dituduh melibatkan pegawai atau syarikat kerajaan negeri yang diterajui oleh Pakatan Rakyat.

Saya menggesa kerajaan untuk menjalankan siasatan seperti yang berikut:
1. Adakah Jabatan Audit Negara telah mengaudit transaksi ini?
2. Bilakah dan siapakah yang membuat keputusan membangunkan tanah ini dengan pulangan yang lebih rendah daripada harga pasaran?
3. Apakah rasional di sebalik keputusan ini?
4. Adakah kawasan ini terletak berhampiran dengan Lapangan Terbang Antarabngsa Kuala Lumpur? Jika ya, maka saya meminta supaya satu siasatan dijalankan terhadap potensi tanah serta jangkaan pulangan maksimum yang boleh diperolehi?
5. Sekiranya didapati terdapat elemen-elemen penyalahgunaan kuasa, apakah kuasa atau tindakan undang-undang yang boleh diambil oleh Kerajaan Negeri Selangor terhadap mereka yang tidak bertanggungjawab?

大臣:盼收集逾10万户‧雪发动签名促“还水予民”


《星洲日报》雪隆 2010-11-14 15:19

雪州“未来主人翁”向州政府表达要“还水予民”的意愿,后排左一起为查尔斯、卡立、郭素沁及刘天球。(图:星洲日报)

(雪兰莪‧巴生13日讯)雪州大臣丹斯里卡立表示,雪州若继续让雪州水供公司(Syabas)管水,雪州水价一定会再调涨;因此雪州政府极力要求重组水供工业,並把水供管理权交回给州政府是势在必行之事!

他说,只要州政府成功取回水供管理权,届时州政府则可控制水价並保持在合理价格水平,並且能为雪州子民提供更有品质的水源。

他今日出席“还水予民”运动主持推介礼时指出,雪州政府早前向中央政府提出的收购雪州水供工业的价格与条件是合理的,而且符合2006年水供法令,惟却遭中央驳回。

30日截止12月呈备忘录

“为了雪州子民的利益,雪州政府决定发起签名运动,誓要中央政府‘还水予民’,目標暂定至少要收集到超过10万户人的签署,截止日期为本月30日。”

他表示,州政府会於12月5日提呈这份备忘录,並到国家回教堂展开大游行,拉大队步行到皇宫,向中央政府反映民声,表达要重组雪州水供工业的意愿,对国阵政府施压。

雪苏丹拒出席开销大宴会对州机构是“好教训”

卡立说,雪州苏丹沙拉弗丁因雪州基金会40週年庆宴会开销预算超过30万令吉而拒绝出席的举动,对雪州各政府机构来说,是一个“好教训”。

“殿下要提醒大家,凡事都勿过於劳民伤財,更不要做无谓的浪费,应把钱花在正当的用途上。”

他表示,基於殿下不赞成该基金会铺张和奢侈的做法,进而拒绝出席宴会,他已促该基金会取消相关宴会。

出席者包括巴生区国会议员查尔斯、雪州高级行政议员郭素沁及雪州行政议员刘天球等。

星洲日报/大都会‧2010.11.13

Saturday, November 13, 2010

KEMBALIKAN HAK AIR KEPADA RAKYAT!

Bermula tahun 1997, kerajaan BN telah menswastakan syarikat-syarikat air di Selangor.
Sejak ini, Syabas dan syarikat-syarikat lain telah merugikan ratusan juta duit rakyat.

Kerajaan negeri Selangor yang diterajui Pakatan Rakyat kini ingin mengembalikan pengawalan syarikat-syarikat air ini kepada tangan rakyat.
Pelan Syabas:

Tahun

Kenaikkan Tarif

2009

37%

2012

25%

2015

20%

  1. Laporan audit terhadap SYABAS menunjukkan bahawa lebih daripada 72% kontrak bernilai RM 600 juta diberikan kepada syarikat-syarikat yang dipilih melalui rundingan terus dan tanpa tender terbuka.
  2. RM 325 juta ‘hilang’ apabila perbandingan teliti dibuat antara kontrak yang dianugerahkan dari 2005 hingga 2007 dan akaun awam Syabas.
  3. Pada Jun 2005, SYABAS melanggar perjanjian dengan menggunakan paip yang diimport daripada Indonesia bernilai RM 375 juta. Syarikat Indonesia tersebut dimiliki oleh Tan Sri Rozali Ismail, CEO Syabas. Gaji beliau adalah RM 5.1 juta setahun atau RM 425,000 sebulan.
  4. RM 51.2 juta dibelanja untuk mengubah-suai pejabat SYABAS sedangkan Jabatan Kawalselia Air Selangor (JKAS) hanya meluluskan sebanyak RM23.2 juta.
  5. Setelah kerajaan Selangor menghentikan Syabas dari menaikkan tarif air dengan mendadak, Syabas kini berhasrat menyaman Selangor untuk pampasan sebanyak RM 1 billion.

Pelan Selangor:

Tahun

Kenaikkan Tarif

2009

12%

2012

12%

2015

12%


Apakah pelan Selangor?
  1. Kerajaan negeri Selangor yang kini diterajui oleh Pakatan Rakyat berhasrat membeli balik konsesi air demi menjamin hak rakyat untuk mendapat air yang mencukupi pada harga yang berpatutan.
  2. Aset awam seperti air harus dikendalikan oleh kerajaan yang berjiwa rakyat, bukan Syarikat yang hanya pentingkan keuntungan.
  3. Empat syarikat swasta air akan dibeli balik dan diletak dalam satu badan di mana rawatan dan agihan air akan dilakukan oleh satu pengendali tunggal. Ini akan meningkatkan kecekapan dan mengurangkan tarif air kerana tiada isu "kos pemindahan".
  4. Penekanan terhadap integriti dan ketelusan - seperti yang termaktub dalam Enakmen Kebebasan Maklumat yang diperkenalkan oleh kerajaan Selangor - akan mengelakkan dari sistem yang hanya menguntungkan kroni dan merugikan rakyat.
  5. Dengan sokongan rakyat yang mencukupi, kerajaan Selangor akan mampu mendapat balik kawalan syarikat-syarikat air demi rakyat, menekankan integriti dan ketelusan, dan memastikan akses air yang mencukupi dengan harga yang berpatutan untuk semua lapisan rakyat.
Pilihan di tangan anda!

Pertahankan Hak Rakyat Untuk Dapat Air Bersih & Murah

Beri sokongan anda kepada Kerajaan Negeri Selangor dengan menghadiri perhimpunan penyampaian memorandum kepada DYMM Yang di-Pertuan Agong pada 5 Disember, 2010 di Masjid Negara Kuala Lumpur.

Pengurusan Perkhidmatan Air akan lebih terjamin di bawah kelolaan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor.

Kembalikan Hak Air Kepada Rakyat!

Friday, November 12, 2010

The role of the Speaker

[Another interesting article from BBC website]

The Speaker presides over the House of Commons and is responsible for keeping order during debates and ensuring that the rules of the House are obeyed.

The Speaker must always act impartially and protect the right of all MPs to speak during debates. He or she does not take part in debates and votes only if there is a tie and a casting vote is needed.

The Speaker also represents, or speaks for, the House of Commons in its dealings with the monarch and has the responsibility for maintaining the dignity and privileges of the Commons.

Elected by all members of the House of Commons, the Speaker is a respected senior MP. Once elected, however, the Speaker ceases to represent any political party.

Traditionally, in the event of a general election, the Speaker's seat is not contested - though Betty Boothroyd was opposed by two minor parties in 1997.

Ancient title

The Speakership dates back under its present title to 1377, when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed.

Equivalent presiding officers before this time were called parlour or prolocutor, and existed as far back as 1258, when Peter de Montfort is said to have presided over the "Mad Parliament" held at Oxford.

The Speaker acts as chairman during debates, and sees that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying on of its business are observed.

In recent years Speakers have tended to have three spells in the chair: 1430 to 1630, 1830 to 1930, and a period near the end of the day. For the rest of the time, one of the deputies will preside.

Reprimands offenders

It is the Speaker who selects members to speak. He or she acts as the House's representative in its relations with outside bodies, the House of Lords and the Crown.

It is also the Speaker who reprimands any offender brought to the Bar of the House.

The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House.

The Speaker must preserve order in the House.

For instance, an MP who makes an allegation against another member, or uses language which the rules do not permit, may be ordered to withdraw the remark concerned.

In the case of serious general disorder, the sitting may have to be suspended.

In the event of disobedience by an MP, the Speaker can "name" him or her, which will result in their suspension from the House.

Speaker's House

The Speaker has an official residence at the Westminster Bridge end of the Palace of Westminster.

From here begins a formal procession before every sitting of the House, via the Library Corridor, the Lower Waiting Hall, Central and Members' Lobbies to the Chamber.

The Speaker is preceded in the procession by a Bar Doorkeeper and the Serjeant at Arms with the Mace, and followed by the Chaplain, Secretary and Trainbearer.

Black silk robe

On normal sitting days, the Speaker wears a black cloth court suit with linen bands, over which is worn a black silk robe with train.

Betty Boothroyd decided against wearing the full-bottomed wig used by her predecessors.

On state occasions, such as the opening of parliament, he or she wears a robe of black satin damask trimmed with gold, with a lace jabot at the neck and with lace frills at the sleeves.

The Speaker is paid a salary similar to that of cabinet ministers.

The Speaker

[An interesting article from UK Parliament Website]

The Speaker of the House of Commons chairs debates in the Commons chamber. The holder of this office is an MP who has been elected to be Speaker by other Members of Parliament. During debates they keep order and call MPs to speak.

The Speaker is the chief officer and highest authority of the House of Commons and must remain politically impartial at all times. The Speaker also represents the Commons to the monarch, the Lords and other authorities and chairs the House of Commons Commission. The current Speaker is John Bercow, MP for Buckingham.

Chairing debates in the House of Commons

The Speaker is perhaps best known as the person who keeps order and calls MPs to speak during Commons debates.

The Speaker calls MPs in turn to give their opinion on an issue. MPs signal that they want to speak by standing up from their seat (a custom known as 'catching the Speaker's eye') or they can notify the Speaker in advance by writing.

The Speaker has full authority to make sure MPs follow the rules of the House during debates. This can include:
  1. directing an MP to withdraw remarks if, for example, they use abusive language
  2. suspending the sitting of the House due to serious disorder
  3. suspending MPs who are deliberately disobedient - known as naming
  4. asking MPs to be quiet so Members can be heard
Election of the Speaker

John Bercow was elected House of Commons Speaker on 22 June 2009.

The Speaker was elected using an exhaustive secret ballot system, the first time this procedure had been used for the election of a Speaker.

The process is as follows:
  1. MPs are given a list of candidates and place an x next to the candidate of their choice
  2. if a candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the votes, the question is put to the House that he or she takes the chair as Speaker
  3. if no candidate does so, the candidate with the fewest votes, and those with less than five per cent of the vote, are eliminated
  4. in addition, any candidate may withdraw within 10 minutes of the announcement of the result of a ballot
  5. MPs then vote again on the reduced slate of candidates and continue doing so until one candidate receives more than half the votes
Speaker's election FAQs

Politically impartial

Speakers must be politically impartial. Therefore, on election the new Speaker must resign from their political party and remain separate from political issues even in retirement. However, the Speaker will deal with their constituents' problems like a normal MP.

Speakers and general elections

Speakers still stand in general elections. They are generally unopposed by the major political parties, who will not field a candidate in the Speaker's constituency - this includes the original party they were a member of. During a general election, Speakers do not campaign on any political issues but simply stand as 'the Speaker seeking re-election'.

Frequently Asked Questions: Speaker's Election

When was the current Speaker elected?
The election of Speaker Bercow took place on 22 June 2009.

What happened on that day?
  1. Nominations were formally tabled between 9:30 and 10:30am.
  2. In the absence of a Speaker the Father of the House (Rt Hon Alan Williams MP, Swansea West, elected 1964) took the chair and presided over proceedings of the House.
  3. After the business began at 2:30pm, each candidate had a chance to address the House. The order of candidates speaking was chosen by the Father of the House by drawing lots earlier in the day.
  4. All MPs were then able to vote for their preferred candidate by secret ballot. As no candidate achieved over half the vote there were further rounds of voting.
  5. For following rounds, any candidates who achieved less than 5% of the votes, the candidate with the fewest votes and any candidates who chose to withdraw from the election were removed from the ballot paper. This continued until one candidate achieved over half of the votes cast or only one candidate remained.
  6. A motion was put before the House proposing the successful candidate as Speaker.
  7. When the question was agreed, the Member then took the Chair as Speaker-elect. Traditionally he is pulled ‘reluctantly’ to the chair.
  8. The Speaker-elect goes to the House of Lords to receive the Queen’s approbation from a Royal Commission.
How long does the process take?
The time taken to get a candidate with the support of half of the votes cast in a ballot will depend on how many candidates present themselves for the position. There may be several rounds of voting each of which may take up to two hours. At the election of Speaker Bercow proceedings started at 2.30pm and there were three rounds of voting with the Speaker-elect taking the chair at 8.30pm.

Was this the first time the Speaker has been elected?
No, the election of a Speaker takes place at the beginning of every Parliament and every time a Speaker steps down from the post. The timetable and procedure for the election of a Speaker are set out in Standing Orders 1, 1A and 1B. Standing order 1A has been used before in the re-election of the Speaker in 2001 and 2005, but this is the first time the system of exhaustive secret ballot introduced in 2001 and set out in Standing Order No. 1B will have been used to elect a new Speaker.

What is different from the old system to elect a Speaker?
The old system was based on a motion put to the House. In the motion, one candidate would be proposed as Speaker and the other candidates would be presented as successive amendments to the main motion. One key change in the new system is the introduction of an exhaustive secret ballot system. Each MP will be able to vote for their candidate without anyone else knowing who they voted for. The new system will also allow MPs to vote for any of the candidates on the first ballot.

Why was the system changed?
The old system put an emphasis on the candidate who would be proposed first to the House and this provided the Father of the House with a difficult decision. The system also meant that it was possible for candidates to be presented as later amendments to the first name not to be considered at all by the House, as an earlier candidate might win before they were reached. The new system was adopted by the House following recommendations made by the Procedure Committee in a report published in 2000-01.

Escaping the middle-income trap

Posted by Michael Schuman The Curious Capitalist Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 12:49 am TIME

Read more here

I returned a few days ago from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, where the talk of the town – well, at least among economists -- is the “middle-income trap.” What's that, you ask? A developing nation gets “trapped” when it reaches a certain, relatively comfortable level of income but can't seem to take that next big jump into the true big leagues of the world economy, with per capita wealth to match. Every go-go economy in Asia has confronted this “trap,” or is dealing with it now. Breaking out of it, however, is extremely difficult. The reason is that escaping the “trap” requires an entire overhaul of the economic growth model most often used by emerging economies.

Malaysia's caught in the “trap” right now, and getting out if is going to be tough. Simply put, Malaysia needs to change what it has been doing economically for the past 40 years. How Malaysia got itself into the “trap,” and how it could escape from it, can provide us with some valuable lessons on development and, more specifically, how developing nations can graduate into becoming fully advanced economies.

The concept behind the “middle-income trap” is quite simple: It's easier to rise from a low-income to a middle-income economy than it is to jump from a middle-income to a high-income economy. That's because when you're really poor, you can use your poverty to your advantage. Cheap wages makes a low-income economy competitive in labor-intensive manufacturing (apparel, shoes and toys, for example). Factories sprout up, creating jobs and increasing incomes. Every rapid-growth economy in Asia jumpstarted its famed gains in human welfare in this way, including Malaysia.

However, that growth model eventually runs out of steam. As incomes increase, so do costs, undermining the competitiveness of the old, low-tech manufacturing industries. Countries (like Malaysia) then move “up the value chain,” into exports of more technologically advanced products, like electronics. But even that's not enough to avoid the “trap.” To get to that next level – that high-income level – an economy needs to do more than just make stuff by throwing people and money into factories. The economy has to innovate and use labor and capital more productively. That requires an entirely different way of doing business. Instead of just assembling products designed by others, with imported technology, companies must invest more heavily in R&D on their own and employ highly educated and skilled workers to turn those investments into new products and profits. It is a very, very hard shift to achieve. Thus the “trap.”

South Korea is probably the best current example of a developing economy making the leap into the realm of the most advanced. Companies like Samsung and LG are becoming true leaders in their fields. Taiwan isn't far behind. China's policymakers are fully aware that, with labor costs rising, it needs to follow suit.

Malaysia, though, is quite far from where it wants to be. That's a bit surprising based on its remarkable recent history. Malaysia has been among the best performing economies in the world since World War II, one of only 13 to record an average growth rate of 7% over at least a 25-year period. The country has an amazing record of improving human welfare. In 1970, some 50% of Malaysians lived in absolute poverty; now less than 4% do. Yet Malaysians also feel that they've become somewhat stuck where they are. GDP growth has slowed up, from an annual average of 9.1% between 1990 and 1997 to 5.5% from 2000 and 2008. Meanwhile, other Asian economies have zipped by Malaysia. According to the World Bank, the per capita gross national income (GNI) of South Korea in 1970 was below that of Malaysia ($260 versus $380), but by 2009, South Korea's was almost three times larger than Malaysia's ($21,530 versus $6,760). Malaysia is getting “trapped” as a relatively prosperous but still middle-income nation.

Can Malaysia escape? The initial indications are not encouraging. The economy's growth engine remains unchanged – export-oriented manufacturing backed by foreign investment. Its companies are just not innovating or adding much value to what they produce. You can find all of the ugly details in a very thorough study by the World Bank, released in April. Private investment has sunk precipitously, from more than a third of GDP in the mid-1990s to only some 10% today. Labor productivity is growing more slowly than in the 1990s. The “value-added” in manufacturing in Malaysia trails many of its neighbors – an indication that Malaysian factories are mainly assembling goods designed elsewhere. R&D spending remains frighteningly low, at about 0.6% of GDP (compared to 3.5% in South Korea). If Malaysia is going to break the “trap,” it has to reverse all of these trends.

How can Malaysia achieve that? The World Bank report has pages of recommendations. The basics include slicing apart the bureaucratic red tape that stifles competition and suppresses investment, bolstering the education system so it can churn out more top-notch graduates, and funneling more financial resources to start-ups and other potentially innovative firms. To its credit, the government of Malaysia is fully aware of what it needs to do. In March, Prime Minister Najib Razak introduced a reform program called the New Economic Model. You can read the initial report here. The NEM shows that Najib realizes that excessive government interference in the economy is dampening investor sentiment and holding back Malaysian industry. All eyes now are waiting for the more detailed policy recommendations for the NEM (though it is not clear when those might appear).

Yet I'm wondering if getting policy right is really enough. Of course, it would help, by setting in place better incentives for private businessmen to invest in innovative projects, and creating the tools they need to make those projects work. But I don't think that's the whole story. I've been musing on the differences between South Korea and Malaysia. Why has Korea jumped so far ahead? I think the reason is embedded in the different methods the two countries used to spur rapid growth.

Both countries relied exports to create rapid gains in income, but they did so differently. South Korea, from its earliest days of export-led development in the mid-1960s, had been determined to create homegrown, internationally competitive industries. Though Korean firms supplied big multinationals with components or even entire products, that was never enough – Korea wanted to manufacture its own products under its own brands. The effort was often a painful one – remember Hyundai's first disastrous foray into the U.S. car market in the late 1980s and early 1990s – but Korea is where it is today because its private companies have been working on getting there for a very long time, backed in full by the financial sector and the government.

Malaysia, on the other hand, relied much, much more on foreign investment to drive industrialization. That's not a bad thing – multinational companies provide an instant shot of capital, jobs, expertise and technology into a poor country. MNCs, however, aren't going to develop Malaysian products; that has to take place in the labs and offices of Malaysia's private businesses. But those businessmen have been content to squeeze profits from serving MNCs and maintaining their original, assembly-based business models.

In other words, what is needed for Malaysia to break from the “middle-income trap” is a greater national commitment to innovate on its own. Entrepreneurs and bankers have to be willing to take more risks to support inventive ventures and new technologies. Talented workers have to be willing to take jobs at home instead of Silicon Valley. The Malaysian private sector has to be more devoted to the country's future. This is fuzzy stuff, outside of the realm of usual economics. But I fear the kind of commitment needed to escape the “trap” unfortunately can't be created by government initiatives alone.

Free Mammogram For 1 Million Women In Selangor

Do you know breast cancer is the most common form of cancer afflicting Malaysian women of all races. Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate - whether you’re Malay, Indian, Chinese or everything in-between.

Breast Cancer in Malaysia – the stark facts
* Breast cancer was the commonest overall cancer as well as the commonest cancer in women amongst all races from the age of 20 years in Malaysia for 2003 to 2005.
* Breast cancer is most common in the Chinese, followed by the Indians and then, Malays.
* Breast cancer formed 31.1% of newly diagnosed cancer cases in women in 2003-2005.
* The Age Standardised Rate (ASR) of female breast cancer is 47.4 per 100,000 population (National Cancer Registry Report 2003-2005). Amongst the Chinese, it is higher at 59.9 per 100,000 population, for the Indians, the ASR is 54.2 per 100,000 and it is lowest in the Malays at 34.9 per 100,000 population.
* A woman in Malaysia has a 1 in 20 chance of getting breast cancer in her lifetime
* The cumulative life time risk of developing breast cancer for Chinese women, Indian women and Malay women were 1 in 16, 1 in 17 and 1 in 28 respectively.
* The peak incidence appeared to be 50-59 years old.

Over the years from 1993 to 2003, there were a total of 1818 breast cancer patients in the University Hospital. The number of breast cancer patients increased annually, with the highest recorded in 2003. This was 6 times the number of breast cancer patients in 1993.

Breast cancer is more common in Chinese women compared to Malay women. 2% of these patients were below 30 years of age. The majority of the cancer patients were in the 40-49 year age group when they were first diagnosed. However, this is NOT age-specific incidence but hospital incidence that could be influenced by the population it serves. Perhaps, there is a younger urban population or perhaps, the older folks prefer traditional/kampung treatment. 30-40% of the patients presented in the late stage and although women are now presenting with smaller tumours, the decrease in size is not significant. (Source: http://www.radiologymalaysia.org)

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The Selangor State Government launches a new scheme under its "Merakyatkan Ekonomi Selangor" to cater for the health of women.

The scheme is named as "1 million Healthy Selangor Women Campaign - Women Health Scheme" or "MammoSEL"

The State Government under its Women Affairs Standing Committee is providing free mammogram screening for ladies who are 40 years old or above.

For women residing in DUN Kampung Tunku, please call the ADUN's office for registration at 03-78754724. Members of the public can also call toll free hotline at 1300-800-800 for more information.

The program will be a monthly program in DUN Kampung Tunku on eveery 20th of each month. Transportation will be provided.

Elizabeth Wong claims plastic bags are ‘massive’ environmental problem

By Boo Su-Lyn November 12, 2010

SHAH ALAM, Nov 12 — Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong has defended the state government’s plastic bags policy by declaring it a “massive” environmental issue but provided little evidence of the severity of the problem in the state.
Scientists and international environmentalists have dismissed plastic bags as a non-issue, pointing out that anti-plastic bag campaigns are based on exaggerated claims and flawed science.

But Wong, a major proponent of the policy which has caused unhappiness among some voters in the state, said it was an issue of waste.

“It (plastic bag) is an issue of waste,” she told The Malaysian Insider yesterday.

“Waste is an environmental threat. It’s a massive environmental issue. When it (plastic bag) breaks down, it breaks down to dangerous particles,” she said, adding that plastic bottles and styrofoam also contributed to waste.

The state Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Committee chairman, however, did not provide the percentage of plastic bags in the state’s total waste stream.

Selangor’s “No Plastic Bag Day” policy, which bans free plastic bags on Saturdays, has caused business declines, and annoyed voters who deride the ban as inconvenient and ultimately having little impact on the environment.

Hypermarkets and retail shops in the country’s wealthiest state say they have suffered business declines of up to 30 per cent on Saturdays since Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s administration implemented the policy across shopping malls, retail chains and hypermarkets, among others, in January this year.

Selangor charges 20 sen per plastic bag on Saturdays.

Wong, however, stressed that the state’s anti-plastic bag policy was not a form of token environmentalism as the state government also ran other environmental campaigns.

“That’s not the only thing the Selangor government is doing. There’s water, waste, rivers, protection of forests, transport. We’re also running a climate change policy,” said the Bukit Lanjan assemblywoman.

“We want to show people that if you change a little in consumer habits, it goes a long way,” she added.

Wong also said the state’s “No Plastic Bag Day” policy was run under the Consumer Affairs branch of her committee.

“I’m running this campaign under Consumer Affairs, not Environment,” she said.

During the state assembly sitting yesterday, Wong stressed that the government’s aim was to reduce usage of plastic bags, but not to eradicate it.

“We’re not running a campaign to ban, or stop the usage of plastic bags, but to show users that plastic bags have their value. It’s not free or gratis. The basis of plastic bags is petrochemical which is a limited resource,” she said.

On the Selangor government’s “No Plastic Bag Day” campaign website, plastic bags are blamed for the deaths of marine animals and for polluting rivers and beaches.

There is, however, little evidence that plastic bags pose a huge threat to the environment as the state government has made it out to be.

Scientists, politicians and marine experts have reportedly slammed the British government for joining a “bandwagon” based on flawed science, after then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced in 2008 that he would force supermarkets to charge for plastic bags.

“This is one of many examples where you get bad science leading to bad decisions which are counter-productive. Attacking plastic bags makes people feel good but it doesn’t achieve anything,” Sense about Science chairman Lord Taverne was quoted as saying in British daily The Times in 2008.

Experts have also reportedly dismissed widely stated claims that plastic bags kill 100,000 marine animals and a million seabirds every year.

This figure is reportedly based on a misinterpretation of a 1987 Canadian study in Newfoundland, which found that more than 100,000 marine mammals, including birds, were killed by discarded nets between 1981 and 1984. There was no mention of plastic bags in the study.

According to David Santillo, a marine biologist at Greenpeace, evidence showed that few animals were killed by plastic bags.

“With larger mammals it’s fishing gear that’s the big problem. On a global basis plastic bags aren’t an issue. We are not going to solve the problem of waste by focusing on plastic bags,” he was quoted as saying in The Times.

The British daily also quoted Professor Geoff Boxshall, a marine biologist at the Natural History Museum in London, as saying: “I’ve never seen a bird killed by a plastic bag. Other forms of plastic in the ocean are much more damaging. Only a very small proportion is caused by bags.”

But Wong announced this week that Selangor would extend the anti-plastic bag policy by another day.

“It will be on Sunday... starting January next year,” she told The Malaysian Insider later.

The federal government has also decided to launch a “No Plastic Bag Day” campaign beginning January 2011, said Wong.

In Penang, the “No Plastic Bag Day” policy would be enforced every day starting from January 1 next year, said the state’s Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng recently when tabling the 2011 Budget at the state assembly.

The Penang ruling is already seeing opposition from the public.

拆除蒲种兴都庙部分建筑物乃是为了扩建淡小幼儿园

我要谴责马华雪州副财政兼华团咨询局主任李万行针对梳邦市议会早前拆除蒲种兴都庙部分建筑物的行动所发表的言论。

李万行把所有民联政府无关痛痒的政策扯进来谈,但却故意掩盖整个事情的真相。我认为这是非常不负责任的从政态度,更何况李万行以种族角度的思维,即通过拆除兴都庙部分违规建筑物来煽动印裔同胞的种族情绪来评论此事。

李万行应该知道,地方政府拆除兴都庙部分违规建筑物是为了让路给隔壁的淡小建立幼儿园,更何况土地是属于淡小的。兴都庙和淡小都是印裔社群的资产,所谓民联政府压制印裔族群,拆除兴都庙的指责根本是无中生有。

众所周知,在提升印裔社群的整体地位,教育扮演非常重要的角色。雪州民联政府每年固定拨款4百万令吉给州内97所淡小。州政府也已经拨出一块坐落在巴生Taman Sentosa约2.74依格的土地建立州内第98所淡小。

和华小400万拨款不同的地方就是,从这400万淡小的拨款之中,一部分拨款是用于提升淡小的教学素质,包括和淡米尔教育组织(诸如华社的董教总)联办活动以加强淡小三机构的组织等等。

我希望马华各级领袖在高调问政的同时也必须秉持专业态度,而不是故意捏造事实逞英雄。

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Pas desak siasat PKNS

Dipetik daripada laman web Sinar Harian

SHAH ALAM – Pas Selangor mendesak Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim menyiasat dakwaan salah guna kuasa pengurusan Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS).

Timbalan Pesuruhjaya III Pas Selangor, Dr Che Rosli Che Mat berkata, Abdul Khalid perlu mendapatkan maklumat tentang kesahihan dakwaan yang dibongkarkan Ahli Dewan Negeri (ADUN) Hulu Klang, Shaari Sungib dalam ucapan perbahasan Bajet kelmarin.

Menurutnya, sekiranya maklumat itu berasas, maka tindakan drastik mesti diambil sebagai langkah membebaskan PKNS daripada segala gejala yang boleh merosakkan dan meruntuhkannya.

“Sebagai sebuah parti yang menghormati ketelusan, amanah dan kebertanggungjawaban Pas Selangor terkejut dengan fakta yang dikemukakan.

“Jika tidak ditangani dengan bijak, ia akan menjejaskan imej dan kredibiliti PKNS yang menjadi agensi utama kepada usaha pembangunan di Negeri Selangor,” katanya.

Che Rosli berkata, Pas Selangor juga mengarahkan Iskandar Abdul Samad yang dilantik sebagai Ahli Lembaga Pengarah PKNS membawa mesej Pas Selangor ini di dalam mesyuarat Lembaga Pengarah Perbadanan tersebut dijangka selepas sambutan Aidil Adha.
Beliau berkata, antara dakwaan tersebut adalah pelantikan pegawai kontrak yang merupakan kenalan pengurusan PKNS yang dibayar gaji lumayan berbanding pekerja tetap PKNS dengan gaji lebih rendah.

“Mereka ini ditempatkan di satu syarikat PKNS untuk melaksanakan projek ‘join venture’, sedangkan arahan sudah ’join venture’ dengan PKNS tidak boleh lagi.

“Malah PKNS dikatakan menjadi penaja perkahwinan angkawan (Datuk Dr Sheikh Muzaffar) dan angkasawan luar ke majlis itu dengan jumlah yang besar,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Abdul Khalid sudah mengarahkan PKNS membentuk pengurusan selari ‘Integrity Pact’ melalui kerjasama Transparency International (TI).

Menurutnya, PKNS mesti mempunyai kumpulan audit luaran yang bertugas menyemak jika terdapat perkara yang dikatakan tidak mengikut pengurusan baik bagi PKNS termasuk rasuah.

“Kalau saya menerima apa-apa perkara yang dibangkitkan, kita mempunyai pasukan audit MBI yang akan ke PKNS untuk mengaudit dan kita akan menyiarkan maklumat tersebut,” katanya.

MB digesa beri respons isu pegawai kanan

Dipetik daripada laman web Sinar Harian

SHAH ALAM – Dewan Pemuda Pas Negeri Selangor (DPPNS) mendesak Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim memberi maklum balas kedudukan terkini dakwaan salah laku pegawai kanan kerajaan negeri.

Ketua DPPNS, Hasbullah Mohd Ridzwan berkata, salah laku tersebut berkaitan pemberian kontrak oleh Pejabat Kewangan Negeri kepada kontraktor pilihan mereka bagi kerja membina dan membaiki longkang untuk Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya (MPSJ).

Menurutnya, desakan tersebut susulan memorandum yang dihantar kepada Abdul Khalid dan Speaker Dewan Negeri Selangor, Teng Chang Khim semasa sidang dewan lalu untuk siasatan dan tindakan sewajarnya.

“Memandangkan belum ada tindakan yang diambil pihak berwajib, maka sekali lagi DPPNS mendesak agar pejabat Menteri Besar memberi maklum balas mengenai kedudukan terkini perkara tersebut.

“Perkara ini telah ditimbulkan semula Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Kampung Tunku, Lau Weng San dalam perbahasan Bajet kali ini,” katanya.

Hasbullah berkata, DPPNS amat prihatin tentang hal berkaitan dengan amanah, kebertanggungjawaban dan ketelusan dalam pengurusan Kerajaan Negeri terutamanya melibatkan kewangan dan pengurusan projek pembangunan melibatkan agensi Kerajaan Negeri.

Beliau berkata, DPPNS juga sentiasa mengikuti perkembangan dalam hal-hal sedemikian dan mengambil tindakan yang wajar setakat yang difikirkan munasabah.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

劉永山:保障購屋者利益雪州應推行先建後售

《星洲日报》雪隆 2010-11-10 10:42

(雪蘭莪‧沙亞南9日訊)甘榜東姑區州議員劉永山認為,雪州政府目前是時候應該推行先建後售政策,以保障購屋者的利益和減少房屋計劃擱置所引起的問題。

他說,在目前的先售後建制度下,發展商如果不負責任,購屋者會非常吃虧。除此之外,政府得花費很多資金和人力來復甦擱置的房屋計劃。

無塑膠袋日有待改善

他認為,雪州政府應該首開先河推行先建後售政策,不必等待房屋及地方政府部門的指示,畢竟房屋發展計劃是否通過,權力落在州政府和地方政府的手上。

另外,劉永山在辯論雪州2011年度財政預算案時指出,無塑膠袋日運動從去年實施以來,仍存在很多缺點。

他說,很多消費者都不清楚,星期六每購買一個塑膠袋所花費的20仙究竟用在甚麼地方,這方面應該要有透明的管理。

另一方面,他建議州政府研究是否可以讓單親媽媽和失業人士以合約方式為地方政府打工,做清理溝渠、馬路等性質的工作。

他認為,與其付錢給阿南弗拉承包商卻還要被批評,地方政府不如考慮直接聘請弱勢群體,既能減少地方政府對阿南弗拉的依賴,並可協助改善弱勢群體的生活素質。

星洲日報/大都會‧2010.11.09

州政府须检讨额外开销

雪州州议会将于从11月8日召开5天至11月12日。这是雪州民联政府上台以来第三个财政预算案州议会。预料州务大臣将会提呈14亿3千万令吉的2011年州政府平衡财政预算案。2010年的财政预算案是13亿令吉。惟过去三次州议会(包括这次州议会),州政府一直都有提呈附加预算案。迄今,州政府今年已经提呈共1亿9400万令吉的附加预算案,因此2010年的州政府的总开支是14亿9400万令吉。

州政府在规划明年的财政预算案依然秉持“取之于民,用之于民”的政策。因此,在这14亿3千万令吉的开销之中,州政府拨出将近42巴仙或6亿令吉予发展开销,另外58巴仙则用于行政开销之中。

这和联邦政府提呈的财政预算案有很大的不同,因为联邦政府2011年的财政预算案之中,行政开销占77巴仙,只有不超过24巴仙是用于发展用途之中。

从过去数次州议会州政府必须提呈附加预算案,我们也看到州政府在规划控制开支方面尚未做全面考量,导致出现额外开支的现象。此外,一些地方政府长期拖欠自然花乐的服务费导致必须向州政府举债,也导致州政府必须承担额外开销。这是州政府必须严正关注的。

健全机制监管预算案

首相在马华代表大会上指出,大马华人不应被视为“外来者”。他也说,以前华人曾是外来者,但现在已是第三四五代人,大马华人现在是忠诚的大马人民,因此,人们不应再以从前的情感回头望,而是必须往前看。

毫无疑问地,我对首相的这番话感到非常高兴。但是,仅仅依靠首相一人领导高喊“一个马来西亚”,同时说大马华人不应被视为“外来者”是否足够?不仅是首相必须展示诚意,甚至首相的团队和下属必须时时刻刻贯彻所谓的“一个马来西亚精神”。

其实,非土著公民追求的并不是国阵补选时期所派的小糖果,而是政策上的平等。非土著选民和其他土著选民希望他们的下一代能够继续在这个国土过着安宁、和谐、有尊严甚至是富裕的生活。

至于居住在穷乡僻壤的土著同胞,他们只有在补选或大选期间才能获得联邦政府的小恩小惠。当我是行动党乌雪补选总指挥时,就发现乌雪县郊区土著同胞长期面对基本设施不足的困境。这些问题并不是一夜之间才发生,而是长年累月累计下来。国阵执政这个国家53年(雪州51年),掌控国家各个机关,理应能够善用政治和经济资源把一个个穷乡僻壤的基本建设建立起来,为何50多年之后还有人民生活在没有水电,甚至没有手机、电视甚至电台讯号的地方?

联邦政府是否能够在政策上公平对待各族人民?联邦政府是否能够开放马来西亚的经济领域,让外国吸引更高素质的外国投资者前来马来西亚投资?联邦政府是否有决心提升国立大专的学术风气,让学术人员和大专生能够在更自由的环境下追求知识,进而提升国家整体竞争能力?这些问题都是决定我们能否提供下一代更好的生活素质。

众所周知,教育乃建国之本。联邦政府如果推崇“一个马来西亚”的理念,就必须言行一致,通过简化行政手续、提高拨款、加强行政透明度等等措施来协助母语教育。

因此,我们质问:联邦政府是否愿意通过制度性拨款来协助华淡小?联邦政府如何能够加强国小的教学素质?联邦政府如何提升马来西亚的考试制度?联邦政府如何能够打造享誉全球的大专教育?

其实联邦政府在数年前已经关注以上部分问题,但是令人遗憾的是,联邦政府不是虎头蛇尾,就是治标不治本,没有解决问题的根本原因。

另外一点就是,联邦政府必须检讨政府拨款的发放制度。就以雪州的经验来说,我们继承前朝政府遗留下来的许多弱点。地方政府和州政府如此,联邦政府应也难逃面对同样的问题。缺乏完善监督机制也是联邦政府行政的弱点。雪州民联州政府在州议会成立三个监督小组,强化议会问政制度、设立SELCAT、强化公账会、设立公听会机制等等,确保纳税人所缴纳的每一分每一毫都能够发挥它的功能。

现在联邦政府推出2011年财政预算案,也拨出各项拨款、大型计划、收费大道等等,问题在于,这些大型计划是否能够收效,利惠尽归人民?这是一个非常大的问号。尤其是国家总稽查师报告书往往对政府机构浪费公帑毫不客气作出批评,我们就可以知道政府的拨款是否花得真正物有所值。

我所担忧的是,政府每推出新的拨款,外界便有寻租者(rent-seekers)忙于筹组公司申请拨款。例如当初政府拨款协助推动资讯工艺,市场冒出许许多多巧夺名目的DotCom公司向政府申请拨款。一旦DotCom泡沫破了之后,这些公司顿时从市场上消失得无影无踪。诺干年前,政府拨款推出生物科技和生物燃油,如果这些拨款能够发挥用处,现在就是收成的时候,奈何时至今日我们依然原地踏步?

我相信各位都能够知道个中原因。因此,政府的政策必须反映在预算案上,而预算案的落实也有赖于健全完善的监管机制,不是数目上的多寡。

雪州甘榜东姑州议员
刘永山

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Ucapan Bajet: Pembangunan semula bandar di Petaling Jaya berjalan dengan perlahan

[Ucapan semasa membahas Bajet 2010 Kerajaan Negeri Selangor]

Saya ingin menyentuh tentang program pembangunan semula bandar dan program pembaharuan bandar yang diumumkan oleh Kerajaan Selangor sebagai sebahagian daripada pakej rangsangan ekonomi yang dilancarkan oleh Kerajaan Selangor pada tahun 2009.

Sementara kerajaan menumpukan perhatian kepada pembaharuan Bandar Klang sebagai Bandar DiRaja yang dikomplimen dengan pembersihan Sungai Klang, saya ingin menarik perhatian kerajaan tentang program pembangunan semula yang berjalan dengan perlahan di Petaling Jaya.

Terdapat beberapa kawasan di Bandar Petaling Jaya yang memerlukan pembangunan semula. Kawasan-kawasan ini sama ada telah uzur, menjadi semakin tidak “livable” ataupun telah bertukar wajah menjadi penempatan warga asing.

Saya menggesa kepada kerajaan untuk menyiasat kerana terdapat banyak tanah yang berpoket-poket di Petaling Jaya sama ada masih belum dibangunkan ataupun dibiarkan begitu sahaja walaupun mempunyai hakmilik. Terdapat juga bangunan-bangunan yang sekarang sudah menjadi bangunan hantu. Tempat-tempat ini termasuk lah beberapa kawasan lapang di SS2, Sea Park dan sebagainya. Justeru itu, kerajaan harus memainkan peranan yang proaktif untuk membangunkan tanah-tanah ini supaya seluruh bandar Petaling Jaya menjadi bandar yang berdaya maju.

Ucapan Bajet: Pembangunan modal insan

[Ucapan semasa membahas Bajet 2010 Kerajaan Negeri Selangor]

Pembangunan modal insan di Selangor harus mengambil kira penarikan balik golongan cendekiawan untuk berkhidmat di Malaysia amnya dan Selangor khasnya.

Untuk tahun 2011, kerajaan telah memperuntukkan RM7.8 juta untuk 390 program, latihan dan kursus di bawah Jawatankuasa Tetap pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan.

Perkara pertama yang saya ingin sentuh ialah koleksi buku di Perbadanan Perpustakaan Awam Selangor (PPAS) perlu diperbanyakkan dan dipelbagaikan. Koleksi buku berbahasa Inggeris, Tamil dan Mandarin masih berada dalam peratusan yang sangat rendah dan PPAS perlu menggiatkan usahanya untuk menambahkan koleksi bukunya dalam bahasa-bahasa lain. Saya mencadangkan PPAS untuk mengadakan program anjuran bersama dengan NGO, JKKK dan lain-lain.

Saya turut berasa gembira dengan beberapa perjanjian persefahaman yang ditandatangani di antara UNISEL dengan beberapa universiti-universiti terkemuka di dunia.

Namun begitu, kerjasama ini tidak harus setakat menandatangani perjanjian persefahman dan perlanjutan pengajian mahasiswa-mahasiswi UNISEL ke universiti-universiti ini yang memang terkenal dengan ilmu teknikalnya, malahan UNISEL harus bersaing dengan unversiti-unversiti terkemuka ini dan membandingkan diri dengan mereka.

Saya berharap UNISEL dapat mengambil bahagian dalam kajian-kajian yang dijalankan oleh badan-badan akademik antarabangsa supaya UNISEL dapat mengetahui kelebihan dan kelemahan yang ada padanya agar UNISEL dapat berkembang menjadi sebuah universiti teknikal yang berprestij di persada antarabangsa.

Saya juga ingin mencadangkan kepada kerajaan untuk mengambil langkah proaktif bersama-sama dengan kerajaan persekutuan untuk menarik balik profesional warga Malaysia yang berkhidmat di luar negara untuk kembali berkhidmat di Malaysia dan Selangor khasnya.

Untuk rakyat Malaysia/anak Selangor yang telah berhijrah ke luar negara, kita tidak harus berputus asa kerana saya percaya kita masih boleh menggunakan jaringan network yang ada pada mereka untuk menarik pelaburan ke Malaysia dan Selangor khasnya.

Cadangan saya ini sebenarnya diambil daripada negara jiran Singapura yang telah mengadakan satu jaringan antara sektor swasta dan awam di Singapura dengan rakyat Singapura yang telah berhijrah ke luar negara. Malahan satu laman web http://www.majulahconnection.com/ telah diadakan untuk memainkan peranan ini. Justeru itu, saya menggesa Jawatankuasa Tetap Pembangunan Modal Insan dan jawatankuasa Tetap Pelaburan untuk mengkaji cadangan ini.