‘It is just a service road’

BUTTERWORTH: A road that the state government claims to have built to discourage motorists from paying toll at the Sungai Nyior plaza here is nothing more than a service road, an MCA Youth leader here said.

“Jalan Bagan 29 in Taman Bagan is merely a service road that connects Jalan Siram and Jalan Bagan 1,” Bagan MCA Youth chief David Chua said yesterday.

He said the state government spent RM5.7mil on the 1.5km road but it was underutilised as only about 500 people live along Jalan Siram while most of the buildings are shophouses.

“If the state is sincere in wanting to provide a proper alternative road, it should build a road parallel to the Sungai Nyior toll plaza,” Chua said, responding to a point raised by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng during his recent debate with MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Lim had reportedly said during the debate that the Penang Government had built an alternative road for motorists to avoid paying the 50sen toll at the Sungai Nyior toll plaza.

Refering to a February 2007 posting on the DAP website that quoted Penang DAP secretary Ng Wei Aik as saying that the Sungai Nyior toll would be abolished if Pakatan Rakyat took a parliamentary seat and four state seats in the 2008 general election, Chua said DAP had failed to keep its pledge.

Asked if MCA would recommend to the Federal Government for the toll collection to be abolished, Chua said the Government had already reduced the toll rate from RM1 to 50 sen.

“The Government is subsidising 50 sen in the toll charged by the concessionaire,” he said.

The Star
Tuesday February 21, 2012
By DERRICK VINESH

Road ‘not good enough’

CHIEF Minister Lim Guan Eng has come under fire for misleading the public that his administration had built an alternative road Jalan Bagan 29 for motorists to avoid paying 50 sen toll at the Sungai Nyior toll plaza in Butterworth.

Bagan MCA Youth chief David Chua said the former Barisan Nasional state government had built the alternative road Jalan Todak which connected Chai Leng Park and Seberang Jaya even before Pakatan Rakyat came into power in Penang.

“If the state is sincere in wanting to provide a proper alternative road, it should then build a parallel road next to the toll plaza.

“Jalan Bagan 29 in Taman Bagan is merely a service road that connects Jalan Siram and Jalan Bagan 1,” he told reporters at Taman Bagan in Butterworth yesterday.

Chua was commenting on the statement by Guan Eng during Saturday’s debate with MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek that the state had built an alternative road for motorists to avoid paying toll in Sungai Nyior.

■Making a point: Chua (left) with Bagan MCA deputy chairman Sum Yoo Keong discussing the map of Jalan Bagan 29 along the road in Butterworth, Penang.

He also claimed the DAP had failed to keep a pledge before the 2008 general election to abolish the Sungai Nyior toll col- lection.

“A posting on the DAP website dated Feb 25, 2007, quoted party leader Ng Wei Aik as saying that the Sungai Nyior toll would be abolished if Pakatan wins a parliamentary seat and four state seats, including the Prai seat, in the March 2008 general election,” he said.

Asked if MCA would recommend to the Federal Government for the toll collection to be abolished, Chua said the Federal Government had already intervened to reduce the toll rate from RM1 to 50 sen.

“The Federal Government is presently subsidising the remaining 50 sen in toll charges to the concession holder,” he said.

Chua also said the state spent RM5.7mil on the 1.5km-long Jalan Bagan 29, which he claimed was underutilised, noting that fewer than 500 people live on Jalan Siram.

“Most of the buildings on Jalan Siram are shophouses, apart from a Hindu cemetery near the Jalan Siram-Jalan Telaga Air junction,” he said.

Meanwhile, state Public Works, Utilities and Transport Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng said the state government was willing to consider building an alternative road next to the toll plaza provided it was consented by the Federal Government.

“The Federal Government must give us a guarantee that the concession holder overseeing toll collection in Sungai Nyior will not claim compensation from us for causing traffic ‘leakage’ along the stretch,” he said.

Hock Seng said the state was looking at the possibility of connecting Jalan Todak in Seberang Jaya with the Jalan Bagan 1-Jalan Bagan 29 junction via a flyover at an estimated cost of RM35mil.

Ng could not be reached for comment.

The Star
Tuesday February 21, 2012
By DERRICK VINESH

Chor lashes out at Penang Govt

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THE Penang Government must fulfil its promise to the Rumah Hijau squatters in Mak Mandin to build affordable flats within their present village.

MCA vice-president Datuk Chor Chee Heung said Pakatan Rakyat’s alleged pledge to the Rumah Hijau squatters in Butterworth during the 2008 general election has apparently vanished into thin air.

“The state government is now trying to push this to the Federal Government to solve but our hands are tied as the land belongs to the state. Nonetheless, I will try to help,” he said.

If Barisan Nasional manages to win back the state in the next general election, Chor said he would take it upon himself to ensure that the long-suffering Rumah Hijau villagers got what was promised.

He said this during a dialogue session with the people at the Bagan MCA division headquarters on Sunday.

Sixty-six families there are demanding that the current state government build new flats within the village for them, as allegedly promised.

★Squatters in Butterworth open Dialog with Dato' Wira Chor Chee Heung,10 July 2011. from left to right Loo Khay They, Chor Chee Heung, David Chua & Sum Yoo Keong.

On a separate matter, Chor, who is also the Housing and Local Government Minister, said his ministry would investigate a developer allegedly involved in building an inferior quality housing project in Ampang Jajar.

The Ampang Jajar project is located near Rumah Hijau.

“I will wait for an official report from Bagan MCA and if it is true, the developer will be blacklisted,” he said.

Chor also urged Chief Minister and Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng to assist the Ampang Jajar homeowners in getting a soil test report, as they could not afford it.

“I understand that this is a big problem as some houses are now sinking. The state must look into this because the hard-earned money of the buyers is at stake.

“Meanwhile, I will check with the Seberang Prai Municipal Council president (Maimunah Mohd Sharif) to see how my ministry can help,” he said.

Later in Jawi, Chor presented appointment letters to the Village Safety and Development Committee members and presented two Proton Arena cars to the Sungai Jawi and Kampung Valdor voluntary firemen there.

He said at present, there were about 26,000 firefighters nationwide — half of whom were volunteers.

“It’s just not possible to have fire stations in every kampung nationwide, hence we need volunteer firefighters on standby, especially in villages,” he said.

He added that the Government was actively looking at ways to improve the welfare of volunteer firefighters.

Also present was Jawi Barisan coordinator Tan Cheng Liang.

In her speech, Tan said under Chor, the constituency’s drainage and flooding woes would be taken care of as they came under his ministry’s purview.

U-turn on eviction plan

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Government has backed down and softened its stand against residents of the Taman Bagan Jaya flats in Butterworth who have not settled their rental arrears.

State Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai assured residents that their flats would not be repossessed by the state Housing Depart-ment.

Bagan Barisan Nasional co-ordinator David Chua – who had highlighted to the state government that more than 20 families, including a blind man and a single mother, had been given an ultimatum to settle their arrears or have their flats repossessed by Thursday – welcomed the news.

★In high spirits: Chua (back row, centre) posing with some of the families at the Taman Bagan Jaya flats in Butterworth yesterday.

“The residents can now sleep peacefully,” he said.

“The housing department officials should have come down to talk to these people and find ways to solve the problems,” he said when visiting the residents here yesterday.

Also present was Sungai Puyu BN coordinator Sum Yoo Keong.

“I call on the state government to put a stop to such cruel acts and politics of arrogance,” said Chua, who is also the Bagan MCA Youth chief.

Visually-impaired Fadzil Mohd Hassan, 61, who owes RM5,300 in rental, said he was thankful to Allah for not having to leave his home.

“I am so happy. A thousand thanks to the MCA especially David Chua for highlighting my position.

“I am already old and blind and the department wanted me to find the money within a week,” he said.

Single mother Roshimah Ishak, 48, who was asked to settle RM4,500 in arrears, said she was worried the state government might come after her when things cooled down.

Wong said counselling and interview sessions would be held for the affected residents to assess their financial status.

“They will not be evicted. We will also help them with their problems,” he said after launching a health awareness programme at Desa Mawar Community Hall in Jalan Thean Teik, Bandar Baru Air Itam, yesterday.

Blind man and single mother may lose homes

BUTTERWORTH: A blind man and a single mother have been told to pay their rental arrears by next Thursday or have their flats at Taman Bagan Jaya here repossessed by the State Housing Department.

Fadzil Mohd Hassan, 61, who became blind 13 years ago and who owes the housing department RM5,300 in rental arrears, claimed he received a call from the department at about 11.30am on Thursday.

★Helpless: Fadzil at his home in Taman Bagan Jaya. He has been given seven days to settle his rental arrears by the Penang State Housing Department.
“They are giving me seven days to settle my arrears and if I fail to settle the amount, I will be forced to vacate the unit,” he said.

Fadzil alleged that the caller refused to accept his plea when he asked for some time to settle the dues as he was seeking assistance from Bagan Barisan Nasional coordinator David Chua.

“My wife has high blood pressure and does part-time jobs.

“We have three children including two schoolgoing kids,” he added at a press conference.

Single mother Roshimah Ishak, 48, claimed that she received a call from the department to settle the rental arrears amounting to RM4,500 within a week.

“I became jobless after a forklift's tyre rolled over my feet several years ago,” said the mother of two children, aged 17 and 25.

“I now wonder about the sincerity of the state government which claims to be a caring government,” she said.

Both Fadzil and Roshimah sought Chua's help when he visited the Taman Bagan Jaya public housing project on Thursday.

Chua, who is also Bagan MCA Youth chairman, called on Penang Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai to help such people.

from The Star

Widow and disabled man face eviction by state govt

BUTTERWORTH: Soon to be evicted from a public housing project, widow Rokiah Md Isa cuts a pitiful sight.

The 74-year-old is worried sick about her unit being repossessed by the State Housing Department.

“I have been living here since the Taman Bagan Jaya public housing project was completed five years ago.

“My husband passed away in 2008 and the department sent me a notice in March, telling me that I cannot stay here any more.

“I was shocked. Where will I go if I’m evicted?” she said at her home here yesterday.

Rokiah, who receives RM250 wang zakat monthly, has fallen behind on her rent payments. She owes RM1,188 in arrears.

The state housing authorities issued her a letter dated March 17 to move out within 15 days. They have yet to enforce the notice.

Bagan Barisan Nasional coordinator David Chua, who was also present, urged the state government to give Rokiah and other tenants like her a chance to pay up before considering repossession of the units.

“It is not that she doesn’t want to pay but she cannot afford to. We cannot just throw her out.

“While we understand that the public housing project is not for single occupancy, Rokiah should be exempted from this rule because she was actually living here with her family before the children moved out and her husband passed away.

“If rental is the issue, give her some time to work it out,” said Chua, who is also the Bagan MCA Youth division chief.

Disabled labourer Mohd Radzi Othman, 39, was told to move out because he was married to a foreigner.

He claimed that he did not owe any rental arrears.

“I rushed to the department after receiving the eviction notice and was told that my unit would be repossessed because my wife is an Indonesian,” said the father of two who lost his arm in an accident.

Chua said Rokiah and Mohd Radzi were just two of some 20 residents who were worried about losing their flats.

On Tuesday, Penang Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the state government had repossessed 154 flat units in eight public housing projects since last year after their tenants breached the tenancy terms and conditions.
from The Star.Metro

MCA issues warning on Islamic state agenda

KUANTAN: PAS’ intention to set up an Islamic state and impose Islamic laws in Malaysia should serve as a warning to the DAP and all non-Muslims in the country, said the MCA.

“If it (PAS) comes to power at the federal level, it would need to fulfil its political agenda in line with its party constitution.

“Article Two of the PAS constitution clearly states the formation of an Islamic state,” MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.

“But, when we bring up this matter, certain quarters allege that the MCA is trying to scare the Chinese.

“We do not need to do that but suffice if the Chinese can give serious thought to the implications on their lives,” he told reporters after presenting red packets to senior citizens here yesterday.

The event was organised by Kuantan MCA in conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New Year.

PAS has repeatedly said it will go ahead with its Islamic state agenda even if its allies in Pakatan Rakyat – the DAP and PKR – are against the plan.

At a party function in Labis on Monday night, Johor PAS commissioner Datuk Mahfuz Mohamad reiterated his party’s stand and told the crowd that PAS would push for the setting up of an Islamic state if the party and its allies take over the federal government.

Dr Chua said it was evident that PAS had brought up the issue to gain Malay support for the upcoming Tenang by-election although it had toned down on the matter in previous by-elections.

With regard to PKR, Dr Chua questioned why only one Chinese was elected and not a single Indian won at the recent party elections.

On the DAP, Dr Chua said that except for Karpal Singh, the party does not have any prominent leaders from among the non-Chinese.

source from : -The Star-