Archive for October, 2009

UCAPAN TANGGUHAN AHLI MAJLIS LIM BOO CHANG

Kita mesti ada suatu proses pembaharuan undang-undang yang tidak putus-putus untuk membolehkan sesuatu masyarakat untuk bergerak maju. Ini bererti undang-undang yang ketinggalan zaman mesti dibuangkan dan undang-undang baru mesti digubal. Jadi pada akhirnya undang-undang hanya adalah suatu alat untuk mengawal masyarakat. Ia bukan sesuatu yang suci dan tidak boleh disentuh atau sesuatu yang berkekalan selama-lamanya.

MPPP merupakan peringkat ketiga kerajaan selepas kerajaan pusat dan kerajaan negeri dan mempunyai autonomi yang tertentu dalam pentadbiran hal ehwalnya melalui YDPnya dan 24 orang ahlimajlis. Kita bukan sahaja bertanggungjawab merumuskan dasar-dasar tetapi juga bertanggungjawab menggubal dan memansuhkan undang-undang,

Namum, kuasa menggubal undang-undang yang diperoleh oleh MPPP adalah agak kecil. Terdapat enabling Act atau parental Act yang memberi kuasa kepada MPPP untuk menggubal undang-undang kecil atau peraturan-peraturan. Oleh sedemikian kita mempunyai kuasa untuk menggubal dan menugaskan undang-undang hanya di peruntukkan di bawah Akta Kerajaan Tempatan 1976, Akta Jalan, Parit dan Bangunan 1974 dan Akta yang lain. Banyak lagi undang-undang kecil telah digubal oleh MPPP. Pada hakikatnya, banyak undang-undang kecil telah digubal oleh Majlis sebelum kemerdekaan.

Sejak tahun 1918, Majlis telah mengubal 44 UUK. Dalam kalangan mereka terdapat 10 UUK yang digubal sebelum Merdeka dan mereka adalah seperti berikut:-
1. UUK (Untuk Pelesenan Pemandu Gadi Lembu) 1918;
2. UUK (Pengawalan Pengangkutan dan Penyimpanan Petroleum dan Petroleum Membahaya) Perbandaran George Town, Pulau Pinang 1931;
3. UUK (Berkaitan Dengan Tempat-Tempat Hiburan Awam) Perbandaran George Town, Pulau Pinang, 1933;
4. UUK (Mencegah Penganiayaan Terhadap Binatang), 1947;
5. UUK (Beca), 1948;
6. UUK (Tempat Hiburan Awam) Luar Bandar, 1949;
7. UUK (Berkaitan Dengan Garaj) Perbandaran George Town, Pulau Pinang, 1952;
8. UUK (Basikal Roda Tiga), 1953;
9. UUK (Bayaran-bayaran) Perbandaran Pulau Pinang, 1953; dan
10. UUK (Loji Pembersihan Pembentungan) Majlis Daerah Luar Bandar, 1957.

Bagi 34 UUK yang digubal selepas Merdeka, ada sebahagian besar daripada mereka sudah ketinggalan zaman atau tidak relevan kepada Majlis dan orang awam masing-masing termasuk UUK yang terlibat kebersihan dan keselamatan awam, pasar-pasar, lembu kerbau, anjing dan lain-lain.

Nampaknya undang-undang kecil memberi kesan kepada kehidupan harian rakyat dan banyak sector termasuk penjaja-penjaja, kebersihan, perancangan, taman-taman, bangunan-bangunan, infrastruktur, pengangkutan, warisan, kesihatan dan alam sekitar.

Memandangkan di atas, saya dengan rendah diri mensyorkan kepada Majlis agar menubuhkan suatu jawatankuasa tetap untuk mengkaji semula semua undang-undang kecil Majlis yang sedia ada untuk memastikan ia mengikut zaman, menyenangkan orang ramai dan adil dan saksama kepada masyarakat pada keseluruhannya.

Ini adalah sebab dasar-dasar majlis mungkin tidak boleh dilaksanakan dengan teratur jika kita tiada undang-undang kecil atau peraturan-peraturan yang efektif untuk membantu kita dalam melaksanakan tugas-tugas kita.

Oleh yang demikian, saya dengan hati jujur dan menyeru kepada YDP dan Mesyuarat Biasa ini untuk meneliti dengan positif cadangan saya yang ternyata di atas.

Ahlimajlis Lim Boo Chang

Lim Boo Chang’s Adjournment Speech at the Penang Island Municipal Council Ordinary Meeting on 30th October, 2009

For a society to progress we must have a constant process of law reform. This means that out-dated laws must be discarded and new and relevant laws must be made. After all, law is just an instrument to regulate the society.  It is not something sacrosanct that cannot be touched upon, or something that will remain the same forever.

The Council being the third tier of government, after the federal and state, enjoys certain autonomy in running its own affairs, basically through the YDP and the 24 councillors.  We are not only responsible to formulate policy but also responsible to make and unmake by-laws.

However, the power of making by-laws enjoyed by the Council is relatively smaller. There are enabling acts or parental acts which empower the Council to make by-laws, or rules and regulations. In short, we have the power to make delegated legislation. Under the Local Government. Act, 1976, for instance, the Streets, Drainage and Buildings Act, 1974, many by-laws have been made by the council. Many of these by-laws were, in fact, made by the Council before independence.

Since 1918, the Council passed 44 ‘Indang-undang Kecil’ (UUK) or by-laws. Among them 10 by-laws were made before Independence and they are as follows:-
 1.   UUK (Untuk Pelesenan Pemandu Gadi Lembu) 1918;
2.    UUK (Pengawalan Pengangkutan dan Penyimpanan Petroleum dan Petroleum Membahaya) Perbandaran George Town, Pulau Pinang 1931;
3.    UUK (Berkaitan Dengan Tempat-Tempat Hiburan Awam) Perbandaran George Town, Pulau Pinang, 1933;
4.     UUK (Mencegah Penganiayaan Terhadap Binatang), 1947;
5.     UUK (Beca), 1948;  
6.     UUK (Tempat Hiburan Awam) Luar Bandar, 1949;
7.    UUK (Berkaitan Dengan Garaj) Perbandaran George Town, Pulau  Pinang, 1952;
8.   UUK (Basikal Roda Tiga), 1953;
9.   UUK (Bayaran-bayaran) Perbandaran Pulau Pinang, 1953; dan
10.  UUK (Loji Pembersihan Pembentungan) Majlis Daerah Luar Bandar, 1957.

 For the 34 by-laws which were made after Independence, many of them are out-dated and are no more relevant to the Council and general public. These by-laws are in relation to cleanliness, public safety, markets, cows, dogs, etc.

In fact, Council by-laws are affecting the daily lives of the rakyat and many sectors including hawkers, cleanliness, planning, buildings, heritage, parks and gardens, infrastructure, transportation, health and environment.

In view of the above, I humbly submit that the Council set up a standing committee to review all the existing by-laws of the Council so as to make sure that they are catching up with the time, convenient to the public,  and being fair and just to the society as a whole. Council policy may not be smoothly implemented if we do not have effective by-laws or rules and regulation to assist us in doing our jobs.

槟岛市议员林武灿休会演词 （30-10-2009）

为了社会的进步，我们必须有一个永恒的法律改革。这意味着过时的法律必须被废除而新的与适合时宜的法律必须被制订。其实法律也只不过是一个协调社会的工具而已，它并不是一个神圣而不可侵、犯或长久不变的东西。

市政局作为在联邦与州政府外的第三层次政府，通过市政局主席跟24 名市议员在管理它事务的时候拥有一定的自主权。我们不只负责拟定政策，同时也负责订立与废除法规。

然而，市政局订立法规的权力是比较小的。它必须依靠国会法令的赋予下放能进行。这些法令包括1976年的地方政府法令与1974年的街道、沟渠与建筑物法令，简称“母法”或“授权法”。其实，许多这些法规是市政局在我国独立前经已订立。

自1918 年开始，市政局已订立了44件法规。其中有10件法规是在独立前所订立的。

至于另34 件在独立后所订立的法规，它们的大部分也已经过时或者对市政局和公众人士来讲，已不合时宜，其中包括有关清洁与公众安全，巴刹，牛狗等。市政局的法规对人民的生活有重大的影响，它所涉及的领域包括小贩，清洁，策划，花园，建筑物，基础交通，古迹，卫生与环境。

有鉴于此，我吁请市政局成立一个常务委员会以从新检讨槟岛市政局所有的现有法规，以确保它与时并进，以及为公众人士带来方便，以及为社会带来公正与平等。

这是因为市政局的政策将不可能会获得顺畅的推行，如果我们没有有效的法规来协助我们去落实我们的任务的话。

有鉴于此，我更衷心吁请槟岛市政局主席以及这次的月常会议积极地 看待我的上述建议。

By the Administrator

The Management Committee of Penang PKR met last night to discuss on issues which affect the management of party affairs.

Senator Mustafa Kamal (Pak Muss), the Penang State PKR Secretary and also the Management Committee Chairman and the Penang State Senator, chaired the meeting.

“Every party division committee must meet and also hold at least one activity every month,” said Pak Muss

Responsible Committee Members from the divisions (cabang) of Penang state

The state Wanita and AMK (Angkatan Muda KeADILan) also represented. During the meeting, Sdr. Jamil Mohamad Noor reported on activites and programmes to be organised by the state PKR,whereas Sdr. Cikgu Idrus Ibrahim also reported on the training programmes to be installed for the members.

By the Administrator

Above is a view of KOMTAR , below are views from KOMTAR

By the Administrator

(Photos taken by Sdr. Jamil Bin Mohamed Noor and the Adminstrator)

By the Administrator

The audience of Pakatan Rakyat ceramah were brought to stitches when the orators joked that a rejection of Isa Samad (BN) is a rejection of the ISA (the Internal Security Act, 1960).

Many wonder why Isa Samad , an old hack who served 6 terms as wakil rakyat and 22 years as Mentri Besar of NS, has been rehabilitated and suddenly dished out as the BN/UMNO candidate for the Bagan Pinang by-election.

ISA was the strong challenger to Muhyidin Yasin for the UMNO Vice-President post but was soon brought down for his dishonourable indulgence in money politics, a code-name in UMNO for vote-buying or corrupt practice since Tun Dr. Mahathir era.

It is a great disappointment to all those who believe that UMNO under the new leadership of Dato Seri Najib Razak could carry out what he promised to do, that is to transform UMNO and the nation to a cleaner start. By redeploying Isa Samad, Najib tok the biggest bet and got the biggest blame too  as what Isa committed was with full evidence, proper conviction and sentence by UMNO Supreme Council by removing him from the Cabinet and suspending him as a member.

Isa was only short of being taken to task by the Anti Corruption Agency at that time, whilst one see how Teoh Beng Hock was pursued in desperation by the MACC (Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission) and lost his life, the cause of death remains a mystery till now.

Therefore, the battle of Bagan Pinang has become one of a symbolic fight against money politics and corruption in the country. Tok Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, the Religious Council leader of Pas calling UMNO leaders as being hypocrates as they do not practise as what they preach in real life.

It is interesting to note that what is the reaction of the Mentri Besar of Negeri Sembilan to Isa’s return to active politkics. According to Syamsul Iskandar, the Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) leader, Dato Seri Mohamad Hassan, the NS Mentri Besar, whilst performing a Friday prayer in his own constituency yesterday instead of Bagan Pinang, also endorsed the prayer theme of “Down with Corrupt Leaders” for all the mosques in the state on the same day. “What a co-incident!” exclaimed by Syamsul who was performing his Friday prayer there too.

Though Isa has denied any ambition to return to the state as Mentri Besar or as Ex-Co Member, the more he brought up this sensitive issue the more he has frightened  Mohamad Hassan, who already suffered from a fobia of his reassumption of UMNO top leader’s trust.

Najib has brushed aside the money politcs issue and instead he defended Isa for only committed a ‘technical offence’. In this case the voters of Bagan Pinang ought to show their wisdom as they could not be fooled into that.

On the other hand, Pakatan Rakyat/Pas offered a clean and dedicated young professional by the name of Zulkefly Mohgamad Bin Omar. He is aged 45, a Master in Science UPM) and a degree holder in Communication (UITM). He is the Pas State Commissioner of NS who lost in the last General Election. He sacrificed a lucrative job in the public sector and then the corporate world to venture into politics and his idealism of “Pas For All”!

As Dato Kamarul Baharin Bin Abbas, the MP of Telok Kemang and the Election Director of PKR for Bagan Pinang put it, the wind of change in 308 stop short at Bagan Pinang in the peninsula. NS  just needs four more seats to tilt the balance to become  a Pakatan Rakyat state government. “Lets hope October 11’s election result will set the new momentum for change, something we are capable of promising to the people but not material goods and cash as they do!”  he said.

By the Administrator

Tomorrow is the ‘D’ day for BN/UMNO as the nearly 15,000 voters of Bagan Pinang will deliver their judgement as to which party and who shall be elected to take this state seat which is right in the heart of Port Dickson.

Port Dickson has just been named the Military Town by BN after the nomination day, obviously as an attempt to woo the about 4,700 military voters who had voted earlier on 8th and 9th October. Many rounds of activites have been organised in the Military camps there lately. Apart from the Hari Raya Aidilfitri feasts where many godies were delivered, seminars and forums were also organised to promise alocation of land to the Military men who will retire soon and care for their children’s education, etc.

Berita Harian, which was full of what BN/UMNO wanted the readers to know, but not what the readers should know, carried reports such as the potential of the ‘new’ Military Town for the Military personnel when they retire opportunities for commerce and trade. It failed to mention a word on the brutal attacks on the Pakatan Rakyat/Pas election workers on last Wednesday and Friday nights by gangsters which was as being perceived as an act of desperation of those who were afraid of losing in this battle.

This by-election is the eighth in the peninsula after the last General Election in Malaysia where Pakatan won all the previous seven. But this is also the first UMNO seat to be grapped as all the previous ones where held by Pakatan’s peoples representatives before the by-election.

No wonder the Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Razak commented in Paris lately that what he was concerned was a win, regradless of whether it is going to be a big or small majority. This change of the previously arrogant stance of BN/UMNO scoring a bigger majority than that in 2008 has been popularly perceived as a sign weakness of the power of the day which could not afford to have a loss here, as it will set thew trend for a new political Tsunami until the 13th General Election of Malaysia which must be held not later than mid 2013.

By the Administrator

The Bukit Gelugor Area Residents’ Welfare Association successfully organised a forum on ‘Penang Housing Problems And Solutions’ on 4th October at the 1926 Heritage Hotel in George Town.

YB Mansor Othman, the Penang Deputy Chief Minister I, officiated the Forum and surrounded by the pressmen. He announced that the low cost housing policy of Penang state will be reviewed in favour of affordable homes. The size of such flat unit is expected to increase from the present 550 sq ft to 850 sq ft, but the price range will increase from the present RM25,000 to RM60,000 to RM100,000.

Dato Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim, the MP for Bayan Baru, Penang, hoped that the state government does not create slums as they did in the past which had created cramped and dense housing which breeds social problems such as crimes, juvenile delinquency and threats to residents security.

Yusmadi Yusof, MP for Balik Pulau, questioned the type of housing which costs Rm300,000 and above which is now on the offer by the private sector in Balik Pulau, as there is almost no local taker due to affordability. He further questioned the residential pattern that will take place as a consequence of this new negative impact.

Lim Chien Aun, the Valuer and Estate Management consultant who was at the rostrum, lamented on his practical experience on housing problems. He even questioned the ownership of land shares in relation to strata titles in terms of its legal implications in the long run.

Whereas Dr. Goh Ban Lee, a columnist of the star and an expert on Housing and Local Government, criticised on the previous state government’s decision to have built the Golf Course on Equatorial Hill. He shared Dato Seri Zahrain’s idea of moving away the Golf Course and to replace it with affordable housing for the people of Penang.

Below are some more pictures of the forum :

Boo Chang as the Chairman of the Association and moderator, sharing the bench with Yusmadi, Penang Senator Mustafa Kamal (Pak Muss), and Chien Aun.

Councillors Thanaletchimi, Fauziah Mahadi, Lim Kah Cheng, Mohd Razali Abdullah and many also took part in the Forum.

Loh Lean Hye took the former state leader to task for giving empty promises. He also gave numerous constructive proposals.

Active interaction between the speakers and the participants during question time.

Fauziah and Ramlah working hard on the minutes, as the forum rersolved to summarise the good points expressed and present memoranda to the Federal,  State and Local Governments respectively.

An active and inqusitive reporting team

A friendly encounter during the break

Like brothers and sisters, and we shall meet again!

By the Administrator

Penang PKR Election Committee met to discuss on what kind of  help we could give to our Pakatan Rakyat (PAS) candidate in the Bagan Pinang (state seat) by-election in Negeri Sembilan.

Nomination falls on 3rd October, whereas polling is on 11th October. In the last general election, PAS only polled 4,097 votes (i.e.39%) out of the total  votes caste, whereas BN/UMNO obtained 6,430 votes, a good 61%.

Whilst admitting that it is an uphill struggle, it was also thought to be a mission that is not impossible, though.

YB Senator Pak Muss, a seasoned election-manager, chaired the meeting

and followed by a fruitful discussion

YB Maktar of Sungai Bakap, Kairil Anuar, the AMK Penang Secretary, Jamil ( on the left), and Councillor Abdul Rahman (on the right)

Norhayati, the Penang Wanita Chief and many others

all joined in and got excited to assist our candidate to win the seat