Penangites have never asked for mega projects in the first place. We have vociferously objected to the PORR (Penang Outer Ring Road) and now the PGCC (Penang Global City Centre). Penang has developed too fast too soon for its own good. Roads are congested. Property price is getting ridiculous. Whatver is left of the beach in Gurney Drive is full of rubbish.
What Penangites want is sustainable development, not showy mega projects. These projects benefit only certain parties more than the people of Penang. That is why we are so against it. The previous government never bothered to listen to the voices of the people. They deserve the fate that befell them.
So, if Penang UMNO is going to “persuade” the Federal Government to scrap all mega projects, I say go ahead. I for one will not shed a tear for the loss of these projects. To the people in Penang UMNO, carry on with this offensive attitude and you will be seeing more seats change hands in the next election.
Nation
Friday March 14, 2008PENANG: The state Umno will “persuade” the Federal Government to scrap all the mega projects in the state in view of the people’s clear rejection of Barisan Nasional.
Since Penangites do not want development, the Federal Government should not force it on them, said state Umno liaison committee secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim.
He said that this was not Penang Umno taking revenge “but we are actually giving the people what they want”.
Struggle continues: Azhar (third from left), Abdul Rashid (left) and other Penang Umno leaders showing their fighting spirit after the emergency meeting on Thursday. — Bernama
“They voted for change, so let us see what the DAP can do,” he said after the party’s emergency meeting at Menara Umno yesterday.
Azhar, who is Penaga assemblyman, was appointed the state Opposition Leader at the meeting.
Meanwhile, Umno liaison committee deputy chief Datuk Abdul Rashid Abdullah hit out at the new administration for its decision not to practise the New Economic Policy (NEP).
Mega projects by themselves aren’t bad, as long as the considerations have been taken into account, tenders awarded to deserving parties and that the long term economic benefits are clear. The statement by the Penang UMNO sounds like sour grapes, but then the new government should properly review instead of killing all prior projects willy nilly. The Siber Party of Malaysia (M) will be watching, as always.
Peter:
True, mega projects are not bad by itself but when the people object to it, there certainly is a basis and this should have been taken into account and adressed properly.
i agree with you, peter. what the hell we penangites care if the mega projects are scrapped. all the better for us! but will they really scrap the project? because these projects benefit the UMNO cronies you know.
btw, it seemed that these UMNO people had demonstrated in front of komtar toady after their friday prayers (why always after prayer one? pray pray already… and then fight fight?). about 500 of them and the FRU was called in. i wanted to blog about it but can’t as i’m in office. see malaysiakini and the star for the news.
Peter:
Ah! A perhimpunan haram by the opposition. Interesting.
oh sorry forgot to add. your heading shouldn’t be ‘screw you, penangites’ but ‘screw you, penangites UMNO’. i was shocked at first just reading the heading… thought why you after moved to KL, angry at us penangites or what. 🙂
Peter:
Haha. When I wrote that entry, that title was all I could think of. If you read that news article, Penang UMNO was essentially saying that to the people in Penang.
lol..wondered what the heck the penangites did to you.
they’re going to…persuade…..can anyone even take BN statements seriously anymore?
Peter:
Penang loves me. I love Penang. 😀
Peter – I believe our PM is trying to distract and consolidate his power base since his dismal leadership. By allowing his konco konco to speak and demonstrate, he will consolidate his power. After all, this is the man whom we look up to as a moderate voice. Sadly, his frustrations are clearly showing with Dr. M’s son asking him to “undur”. Hence, he needs a life vest. He can’t even hang on to Penang island for all it matters.
The racial divide is so big its past the mending stage.People are made conscious of race from cradle to grave.I voted with my feet when I was told I was an “orang pendatang” when my ancestors were here longer than some of these folks.
I don’t see things improving.
Peter:
There is hope yet.
lol.. that joker (who ask for mega project cancellation) is trying to put himself an early retirement in political career. he thinks he is agong or pm when saying something like that without passing it to his common sense before spitting it out. i say, let him say anything he want. those big project is not benefits the local. it is just another scheme to suck all the tax payer money into their big pocket hole. thank god the big and badly designed bridge project not approved yet and i hope it will not with the current design. why can’t they build a decent bridge like in china and japan. observation platform is plain silly idea. i hope the bridge plan is going to be reorganized and refunded under the Barisan Rakyat government. show to the Barisan Nasional government that the state government can also build big things with a good transparent and fair corporation management style.
Let them try to take away the mega projects. They have invested too heavily in Penang, they will lose not only money but also ground support if they try to impose an economic blockade of Penang. Besides, I think Penang is way too overdeveloped. I miss the days when one could drive from Sungai Ara to Georgetown in 20 minutes.
– MENJ
Peter:
I miss the days when I could cross the road outside Convent Green Lane without the risk of being run over by vehicles. Those were the days.