Chinese Catamaran Aircraft Carrier

This concept has been discussed in China. The Western media says it is not possible. I would not dismiss the Chinese so easily. They are really thinking outside the box.

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Was This An "Assasination Attempt"?

This video is taken from AIDC here

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Well folks you can see for yourself that it looks like him, walks like him, talks like him. The catch is he is walking and talking. And this video is from Reuters.

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So my question is how did this guy go from walking and talking in this video above to become like this (picture below) just a little while later ?

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It still looks like him. But here its not walking or talking anymore. He is obviously under some kind of intensive care. Could it be that it is now 'acting' like him?

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Any make up? What do you think? (Hold the lipstick, please. Thats for later).

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Violent Culture

This is not our Malaysian culture. But this is what they are cultivating. You can use the Pause button and play this video frame by frame. The guy was headed straight for the PM.

The Tung Shin Warriors

Feeling a little light hearted today. Maybe its the weather. Maybe buah dah jadi. It was reported that 11 doctots from Tung Shin Hospital made some statement about the Bersih mob. Here is an extract :

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"A group of senior medical officers have issued a statement condemning the authorities over the police' attack on participants in the Bersih 2.0 rally last Saturday that had violated universal recognition of hospitals as a place of sanctuary"

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That was the 11 doctors from Tung Shin Hospital who spoke up against the Police.

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I received an interesting phone call a few days ago from someone who knows some of these 11 doctors quite well. Interesting because the person who called me is an ex-politician and activist. He asked me to just check out the background of some of these 11 doctors. I did and it is quite interesting.

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Firstly, it is a fact that not all the 11 were present at the Tung Shin Hospital on that particular day. I am now wondering just how many of them (or if any of them) were actually present at the Tung Shin Hospital? If you were not present, can you verify something that you did not witness? Hmm..

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Secondly, there is some confusion if these doctors are full time doctors at Tung Shin, or they run clinics (where they pop in at certain days and times of the week) or do they just come by for consultation hours; or do they sort of "locum" at Tung Shin. (I know GPs locum, I dont know the word for 'specialists').

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When I first read about their statement I was under the impression that all these 11 doctors were indeed present at the Tung Shin Hospital on that day, busy delivering babies, performing heart surgery, brain surgery and stuff like that, when the tear gas wafted into their operating theatres and endangered the lives of their patients and such. I was mistaken. That was not the case.

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I think these 11 doctors owe the public an explanation exactly how many babies, mothers, heart patients or any type of patients at all were affected by all the huge volumes of tear gas that was floating around the wards. Because the Police have since shown videos that do not show any Policeman firing tear gas into the wards and rooms in the hospital. Tear gas was definitely fired outside the hospital grounds, no one denies that - and some of it most definitely drifted across the road and into the hospital grounds. But to imply that the Police were firing tear gas into the hospital - well the Police have refuted those allegations. And the Police have video.

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Before I go any further, let me reiterate that this is still a free country. This is still a democracy. Over 50 years now, we are becoming an even more vibrant and free democracy. People can say what they want, associate with anyone they want to, they can identify with whoever they want to. It is not a crime. You can support the Pakatan, you can support Chin Peng, you can support the Communists, you can support the corrupted sodomists, you can support liars and cheats, you can support the religious freaks. You can support whoever you want. This freedom is guaranteed to you. Why? Because this is a free country.

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How will you know this for a fact? Simple. Are you a supporter of any of those people I have mentioned above? Yes or no? Are you in jail as you are reading this? No? Where are you? At home? In your office? So you are NOT in jail. I have proven my point.

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In the same way I hope I can also be given my space to express my free speech and my beliefs. Surely freedom of thought and speech is not just reserved for the Pakatan folks alone? Boleh faham ke? So here goes.

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Firstly the "Tung Shin 11" who released the statement were :

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1. Dr Mazeni Alwi - Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist

2. Dr Sheikh Johari Bux - Consultant O & G

3. Dr Jeffrey Abu Hassan. - Consultant Chest Physician

4. Datuk Dr Musa Mohd Nordin - Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist

5. Dr David Quek - Consult Cardiologist (MMA past president).

6. Dr Mary Cardosa - Consult Anaesthesiologist (MMA president)

7. Dr Ng Kwee Boon - Consultant O & G

8. Datin Dr Low Paik See - Consultant Paediatrician

9. Dr Steve Wong - Consultant Plastic Surgeon

10. Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa - Consultant Cardio Thoracic Surgeon

11. Dr Ng Swee Choon - Consultant Cardiologist

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What I found out was that more than half of these 11 doctors were not only delivering babies and saving lives (which is a noble thing to do - congratulations guys) but they are also staunch Pakatan sympathisers, who are actively engaged in pro Pakatan work through their involvement in NGOs, through their writings and their sympathies.

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For example, I discovered this document on the Net, dated 24 June, 2011 (two weeks before the rally) which is strongly in support of Bersih. I have truncated the letter for quick reading :

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MPF Press Release – Death Threats to BERSIH organisers

JUNE 24, 2011

• We the undersigned board members of MPF read with horror and disbelief the open threats to commit murder on proponents of BERSIH 2 March planned for 9 July 2011.
• ..any threat of violence is malicious and jeopardises the peaceful co-existence of all in this beloved country of ours
• Regardless of one’s feelings about the correctness or otherwise of the planned gathering on 9 July 2011, nobody other than the insane or racial supremacist will be in agreement with the obnoxious wave of highly coordinated text messages ..
• All Malaysians who love this country must unequivocally condemn this dastardly and cowardly act of extreme provocation.
• We, members of civil society have had enough of the escalating threats by individuals and groups who have increasingly upped the ante on pursuing their parochial and racist agenda.

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Dr Mazeni Alwi

Dr Shaikh Johari Bux

Haji Mohamed Ali Ghazali

Dr Jeffrey Abu Hassan

Dato’ Dr Musa Mohd. Nordin

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Wow. This is very strong "political language" for good doctors who deliver babies and perform heart surgeries. If you notice, four of these signatories above : Dr Mazeni Alwi, Dr Johari Bux, Dr Jeffrey Abu Hassan and Dr Musa Nordin are also part of the "Tung Shin 11".

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In other words these four doctors already had preconceived notions about Bersih. Obviously they were already strongly in support of Bersih. And I picked up this document at a PAS website run by "Dr Zul" - I think the PAS think tank fellow. Sources tell me that Dato Dr Musa Mohd Nordin is not only a strong supporter of PAS but is also a committed political activist. Oh well.

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Now here is one more character : Dr David Quek, listed as Number 6 in the list of the "Tung Shin 11" above. Dr Quek was the former president of the MMA (medical association). A few days BEFORE Bersih, Dr Quek had written a very long and impassioned letter (which he has sent to various newsportals and also to members of the MMA) in strong support of Bersih. He has quite blatantly asked people to join "the revolution".

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Here is his letter. It is too long, so I have truncated it. You can read it at other sites including Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/169065)

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Outrage and anguish at gov't crackdown on Bersih

Dr David KL Quek

Jul 6, 11

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• Having just recently completed my two-year term as president of the Malaysian Medical Association, I cannot refrain any longer from expressing my personal outrage and that of many among my profession.
• .sadly...Bersih 2.0 is outlawed, although this is a loose coalition of some 65 NGOs, all of which are convinced about the need, nay the imperative, to improve our electoral processes and strengthen our stunted democracy!
• ..this burgeoning swathe of enlightened social activists as politically biased and opposition-influenced!
• ..a wiser government must choose on the side of righteousness and not ...political paranoia and high-handed cowardice!
• ..Few police states last for long-there is only so much that ordinary citizens can take lying down.
• ..the international community would if not already treat us as a 'pariah'
• .. the police have exerted its draconian and much maligned EO (Emergency Ordinance)
• ..Or would more and more of us join ranks with the frustrated and the disempowered, to hanker even more loudly and determinedly for change, for reform, for 'revolution' even, as have taken place elsewhere!?
• ..As the date towards a people's rally for electoral reform approaches, the authorities' paranoia has escalated to shrill decibels of painful mindless noises of disingenuous half truths and unbelievable mendacity.
• ..we call on you to do the righteous thing

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Wow !! Bravo !! "we call on you to do the righteous thing..", "to hanker even more loudly and determinedly for change, for reform, for 'revolution' even, as have taken place elsewhere!?".

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So the good doctor is calling for people "to do the righteous thing, for 'revolution' even as have taken place elsewhere. Cool doc. Really cool.

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May I suggest another simpler option : why not just try the ballot box? Afraid to lose ke? Too many Malays living in the country lah. Thats the real prohblem isnt it? Apa nak buat? Its called Malay-sia.

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Let me digress a little, should we change the name of the country to better reflect our racial mix? Other than Malays, Chinese, Indians we have the Kadazans, the Ibans, the exquisite Bidayuhs and Kelabits. Maybe we can change the name of the country to "The McKikebabes" - pronounced ma-ki-key-babes. M is for Malays, C is for Chinese, K for Kadazans, I for Indians and Ibans, 'babes' for Bidayuhs and Kelabits. Apa macam? Boleh ke?

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I can hear the Punjabis rattling somewhere in the corner. Maybe if we put a little Bangra in the national anthem?

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On second thoughts, I think we better not lah. "Malaysia" is just fine. "Tanah Melayu" is actually perfect. (When I was a child I used to love the 'Persekutuan Tanah Melayu" logo and also the "Keretapi Tanah Melayu" logo). Where else in the world can there be a land for the Malays. The Indians have India. Even my ancestors have Tamil Nadu (the "Land" of the Tamils, fuiyyo). The Chinese have China. So kasi chan lah - orang Melayu pun mesti ada tanah sendiri - Tanah Melayu ke, Malaya ke, Malaysia ke.

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Anyway Dr Quek has been busy writing many things in favour of Bersih. Here is that same article he wrote in some other news portals. This is according to Dr Quek's own testimony ok, bukan saya yang cakap. Jangan marah saya ok.

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TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 (Note the date : all these are BEFORE the Bersih mob took place)

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Arbitrary power and partisan police action disillusions and undermines our nationhood…

By Dr David KL Quek

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Malaysian Mirror is the first to publish my article, 5 July 2011:

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Senseless Detention And Arbitrary Police Action Disillusions Our Nation

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Malaysiakini publishes this on 6 July 2011: Outrage and anguish at gov't crackdown on Bersih

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Here are some other sites which have articles supporting BERSIH written by Dr Quek as well as some of the other "Tung Shin 11". All these articles were written before the Bersih mob took to the streets.

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http://dq-liberte.blogspot.com/2011/07/arbitrary-power-and-partisan-police.html

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http://blog.drdzul.com/2011/06/24/mpf-press-release-death-threats-to-bersih-organisers/

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Finally there is Dr Mary Cardosa, No. 6 in the list of the "Tung Shin 11" above. Dr Mary Cardosa is a big time social activist and is said to be a supporter of PKR. She has written extensively against the Government about that Lynas Project in Kuantan. There is more about her involvement and her writings tapi malas nak tulis. Just search Dr Mary Cardosa and you can satisfy yourselves.

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So six out of the 'Tung Shin 11' doctors are actually pro Pakatan sympathisers and / or serious social and political activists. And I thought they were just concerned doctors who spent their time delivering babies and operating on heart patients. (I am sure many of you thought the same thing).

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As I said, this is free country. We are a democracy. You can say what you want, believe in what you want and support whoever you want to. That is your right. But try to stick closer to telling the truth. Otherwise, your goose will eventually get cooked. It always does.

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As a postscript I found this very critical article about Dr Quek on Malaysia Today. Hentam habis. You may want to read it for yoiurself. Calling Dr Quek a "Lame Duck MMA President" the article dated Tuesday, 22 December 2009 also says :

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"To the disgust of many, David has been part and parcel of MMC hearings involving the suspensions or reprimanding of 6 leading specialists and 10 senior GPs, one of whom subsequently died of a heart attack after being informed he was suspended..."

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Aiyyo! You mean to say that a doctor died of a heart attack after he was suspended from the MMA under the tenure of Dr Quek (as president) ? Maybe that doctor was a quack. So Dr Quek had no choice but to suspend a Dr Quack. You know as the ducks would say it : quack, quack.

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Just bear in mind, it is 'Malaysia Today' which carried that article about Dr Quek (as well as the doctor quack). I am just providing you the link.

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Its lunch time now. Careful. Dont cut your nose.

Excellent News, Good News, Really Strange News

Well first of all here is the excellent news. Car manufacturers, car importers, AP holders all please take note. There are going to be major changes to the National Automotive Policy.

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• National car policy review to be announced by year-end
• A review of the current National Automotive Policy (NAP) by the Government is expected by year-end.
• the new NAP would streamline the 2009 NAP to facilitate the technological advancements and trends of the global automotive industry.
• ..many of the policies under the NAP needed to be relooked.
• “since 2009.. many global OEMs have changed their business and technology-related strategies. ...the NAP to ensure that it is in line with the latest developments.
• NAP being reviewed announced by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
• ..the Government would “take a hard and objective look” into current policies and “do its part to facilitate growth”.
• “Various OEMs were met ...as it is important to have them continue investing in Malaysia.”
• (the NAP) was widely criticised for not tackling key issues, such as the oft-abused approved permit system and protectionism of local car companies.

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Well it looks like all my preaching against the APs has not been in vain. Thank you Tan Sri Muhyuddin Yassin. I have said many times before, these useless APs and the ridiculously high car prices in Malaysia are going to become a major election issue. If we do not reduce the car prices, we are going to lose votes.

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This is also why we cannot have the General Elections this year or even next year. Get rid of the APs, reduce the protectionism for the local cars (we pay 192% import duties for cars above 2500 cc), get the local car manufacturers to lower their prices and allow more reasonable prices for imported cars.

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To the AP holders, you better start clearing your old stocks. Lower the price and push your cars out of the showrooms. Otherwise you may be left with "old stock". You have been advised. Now here is some good news:

Good News

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• M'sia on target to reach FDI of RM10bil this year
• FDI inflows to Malaysia rebounded more than six fold last year to US$9.1bil from the US$1.4bil in 2009 UN Conference on Trade and Development's (Unctad) annual investment survey reports.
• “.. encouraging recovery for Malaysia after the country suffered a sharp drop in FDI inflows in 2009 at the height of the global economic crisis ..”

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This is great news too. US$9.1 billion is about RM27.0 billion. (That's more than enough to buy two 50 foot boats - according to The Star's journalism). Anyway its good news. A lot of this investment is going into the oil and gas industry, which is fine. The oil and gas industry is getting to be very high tech (compared to say palm oil, rubber, timber and textiles). The value added in the oil industry plus the technology multiplier effects are manyfold.

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This year we are expected to attract US$10.0 Billion in FDIs. Thats great news too. Things should be moving in the economy soon. Now here is very strange news. This is about Egypt.

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Strange News

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Egypt's generals, protesters moving to open clash

Mon, Jul 25, 2011

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• CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's ruling military and protesters are moving into an outright collision, as the generals try to strip away public support for the movement while cozying up to the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood.
• generals have launched an intensified media campaign against the protest activists, depicting them as a troublemaking minority.
• At the same time, the military is cultivating ties with the powerful Muslim Brotherhood, which joined liberal and leftist youth in the 18-day uprising that toppled Mubarak but has since split with them on multiple issues.
• By cultivating the Brotherhood, the generals can take advantage of their large popular support base to counter the young protesters' influence.
• the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, praised the Brotherhood on Monday, saying they were playing a constructive role in post-Mubarak Egypt.
• "Day by day, the Brotherhood are changing and are getting on a more moderate track," he said in a speech in Washington at the United States Institute of Peace.
• The generals have also encouraged street protests by pro-military groups. Dozens of army supporters have held daily rallies the past two weeks in a square in northeastern Cairo, getting heavy TV coverage, aimed at counterbalancing a tent camp by the youth activists at Tahrir Square, the center of the anti-Mubarak uprising.
• If the tension between the two camps boils over, it could plunge Egypt deeper into chaos, even sparking clashes. That could derail the country's transition to democratic rule, a failure that could have wider implications on a region that is looking to Egypt to provide a role model for pro-democracy uprisings elsewhere in the Arab world.

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Folks, the Egyptian people are being sold down the Nile River again. Its George Orwell's Animal Farm again. Some animals are more equal than other animals. Finally it will be Orwell's pigs again. The pigs are more equal than all the other animals.

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In Egypt (and Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) the Armed Forces have always played a larger than necessary role in the affairs of the country. Especially in the economy and business. The Generals are usually rich people. They have had it too easy for too long. They are not going to give up their perks so easily.

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However there is another factor working in their favour. In Egypt the street mobs are not well organised enough to set up feasible political platforms, put forward credible candidates to run for office or have the networking and the organisation necessary to run a democratic campaign or run the government. All this takes time. This is new ground for them in Egypt. A few wrong moves and the country can easily slip into chaos again.

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With the exception of the Muslim Brotherhood or Ikhwanul Muslimin. The Ikhwan has been around for decades and is well organised, especially among the fellaha (farmers) in the villages.

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Which is why the Generals are courting them. Not too long ago, the Generals implemented the policy of "shoot on sight" for the Ikhwan. Once in the 90s, I rode a bus in rural Egypt. Armed security men would board the buses for security checks holding weapons in their hands. It was scary.

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Now it appears to be 'love at first sight' between the Generals and the Ikhwan. The Ikhwan and the Generals can sense that the Ikhwan cannot secure a big majority in the coming Egyptian Elections (in November 2011?). But still it is likely that they will be the single largest bloc. The Ikhwan may then need to form a coalition to form the Government.

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This is where the Ikhwan may need the endorsement of the Egyptian Army (as well as their assurance that the tanks and machine guns will remain inside the barracks). I think the deal will be the Ikhwan allows the Generals their perks (money for the Armed Forces, businesses for the Army, licenses and projects for the Generals and so on). Life will continue as usual for the Generals.

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The Ikhwan will get to rule, cane some women in public, maybe stone some adulterers to death and all the regular fun stuff like that.

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What about the poor Egyptian people who demonstrated in the streets to win their freedom? Well they can always eat fuul (its pronounced fool). Here is a picture. Fuul is red bean paste. It is a poor man's food and is eaten with chappati type bread.

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Popularity That Never Was

This is taken from MatKilau Penang here.

This is Tanjong Tokong, Penang. This is L*wat home state. There was some ceramah delivered by L*wat. See for yourself - its a very thin crowd. Obviously these are party workers. There are no other people in sight. No support - in his home State. Where is Lim Guan Eng? This is the reality.

Huh? No stadium? No dewan millenium? Just a small room? And oh me gosh, its empty. No overflowing to the brim with supporters? We can safely assume this was not too long before the ceramah started.

This is the same room. The same green walls. Backdoorsman is welcoming the 'audience'. There is no crowd mobbing him or asking for his autograph. Takde seorang pun.

This is an outside ceramah. Can you count the number of people listening to this loser? I count 15 people only. I did not count the guy at the back, in the green T shirt wearing the baseball cap. Why? Because he is not even listening, he is looking away somewhere else.

Conclusion :

Tinggalkan pada kuuuuuu,

racuuuun berbisaaaa-a,

membaaara di hatiiii,

membakar dijiwa.

(Hope got the words right).

Giving Money.

This is from today's Star. This is the entire report, I have not edited it.

Guan Eng: Money given is not a bribe

BALIK PULAU: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has refuted claims that the state government’s initiatives such as the Senior Citizens Appreciation Programme and the new Penang Golden Child Programme are a form of “bribery”.

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“The source of the money allocated for the programmes comes from the state govern-ment’s excess budget, so what is wrong in channelling this money back to the people?

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“Recently, we gave these ‘one-off’ financial aid of RM1,000 each to 889 people, whose parents have died,” he said after handing out the aid to 139 such people in the Balik Pulau district here yesterday.

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Lim said the aid was to lessen the burden of the grieving families, adding that more than 115,000 senior citizens had registered for the programme as of May 31 this year.

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“Such initiatives are introduced because the state government is concerned about the people.

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“Initiatives such as the Golden Child Programme and financial aid for single mothers were conceived with the people’s well-being in mind,” he said.

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Then I received this in the email today.

Selangor has allocated up to RM10 million to take senior citizens grocery shopping Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said today. The Mentri Besar said senior citizens aged 60 years and above will be given a RM100 coupon each and ferried to selected supermarkets in the state under the Pakatan Rakyat government’s new “mesra rakyat” programme for the elderly which begins next month.

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“The state has agreed to allocate between RM5 million and RM10 million for this programme and we will channel the funds to all Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen and our representatives in non-PR held state seats “Those who are interested will be brought to the supermarkets to go shopping and we will then send them home ” he told reporters after hosting a dialogue session with community leaders at the Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi multipurpose hall here this morning.

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Khalid said three outlets — Tesco, Giant and Ecosave — have so far expressed interest in participating in the programme “They will also prepare food and drink for the senior citizens” he said. Selangor presently offers another programme for senior citizens — Skim Usia Mas — whereby the families of those who have passed away are given a one-off compensation of RM2,500.

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“But many senior citizens have complained that they do not get to benefit from this money because they have to die first before their families get it ” Khalid joked to the audience earlier.

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I have not seen the second report in the media myself (about Khalid giving RM100.00 to senior citizens). The person who sent me the email is a former Judge.

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I have no other comments.

Updated : Tanjong Story

Hi folks. The picture below is the “1926 Hotel” on Burma Road, Penang. The year “1926” is embossed on the façade of the old building. The hotel has ‘character’ - old style windows, curved staircase with wood railings and such. It’s a nice place to stay, within easy reach of most parts of Penang.

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I was in Penang from Friday to attend the wedding of Dr Muhammed Abdul Khalid on Saturday. I blogged about Dr Muhammed earlier (Part 3 : Ethnic Wealth Disparity In Malaysia)

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Here are some pictures of Dr Muhammad’s wedding.

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His wife, Patricia Lapointe, is a French Canadian from Quebec, Canada. The bride’s family and friends (22 of them from Quebec) were also in attendance. They are French speaking ‘Quebecois’ (qee-be-sua). Dr Muhammed (who did his PhD in France) also speaks excellent French - hence the French connection.

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It was a traditional Malay wedding in Tanjong Tokong in Penang, complete with silat players, traditional serunai, a local band, bunga telur girls and everything. Being Penang, the mamak food was excellent.

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Also in attendance at the wedding was the aide to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (above). The young man appeared a little out of place in an over friendly Malay crowd where everyone salams and says hi to each other.

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While in Penang and also at the wedding I spoke to old and new friends about the present scenario in Penang. Since the DAP won the State in 2008 the dynamics of Penang society are changing drastically. Firstly, Penang is still the same. Here is a classic old part of town (below).

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There was also this interesting signboard (below) right by the roadside. It is evidence of a more assertive faith in town. Religion shall always be man’s undoing.

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I was also in Gelugor, Penang Road, Burma Road, Pulau Tikus, Tg Tokong, and Tanjong Bungah - it is still the modern Penang with its rapid urbanisation and new buildings everywhere. Penang has seen very rapid growth since the 90s.

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Sadly the island is not too clean (there is trash everwhere, broken pavements and broken five foot ways are an eyesore) and yes there are still stalls everywhere selling mee, bah kut tehe etc right to the road‘s edge - Penang style. The complaints by some stallholders that they have been victimized (when their stalls were destroyed) does seek some justification.

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One Malay friend is happy with the new DAP Government. She says that the State administration is more efficient and there is less cronyism. However my friend works for the Federal Government (in Penang). Another Malay friend in Penang who depends on his own business for survival says that there is a new elite, including a Malay elite, in Penang, which has replaced the old elite. Yet another Malay friend said that as far as the Malays are concerned, the new DAP Government makes no difference to them. Nasib Melayu sama juga. Things have not improved a whole lot for them. I tend to agree with these last two people.

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In Tanjong Tokong I was able to see most clearly how the Malays in Penang will fare in the years ahead. This picture here is the entrance to Dr Muhammed’s kampong in Tanjong Tokong. The people have been living in this kampong for easily over a hundred years. I recall in the 1960’s we would stop at the shops along Tanjong Tokong to buy kaya and rubber floats - on the way to the beach in Tanjong Bungah and beyond.

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What has happened now is that the land on which the people have been living for so long has been sold to private developers who are now developing the whole area. The kampong people will have to move to rumah panjang, flats etc. The sea front has also disappeared, the sea has been reclaimed to make way for development. Exactly opposite the kampong is this brand new Tesco that has come up - built on reclaimed land.

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A little to the right are these condominiums. The kampong folks as well as other Malays in Penang have very little part in all this development. They are being left out completely.

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These are more high rise condos further up the road just after Tanjong Tokong.

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The people in Tanjong Tokong blame the BN Government for selling the land to private developers. They are angry with the BN. But I feel that the BN has a long track record of resettling urban ’kampong’ people in flats and apartments. They may be slow but resettlement has never been a major problem. There is a very long history of urbanisation and resetlement in this country.

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Unfortunately the BN lost Penang in 2008. Now with the DAP in power they are more efficient at issuing Development Orders, Building & Planning Approvals and such. So the pace of development is picking up. And in Tanjong Tokong at least, the DAP faces less political fallout because it was the BN Governmenmt which got the kampong land sold to the private developers.

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Here is something else I want to explain - since the DAP won in 2008, land and property prices in Penang have shot up to the sky. In just three years, a 20 year old double storey terrace sells for RM750,000 in Georgetown. Semi-Ds go for RM1.2 million. Old apartments of 850 sf have a market value of RM250,000.

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And here is the new reality : new apartments are being launched at nothing less than RM500,000. They are larger (1200 - 1500 sf) but the price is astronomical.

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In the late 70s and early 80s we lived in Minden Heights in Gelugor - which is considered a prime area in Penang. My father had bought our house in the mid 70s. Yesterday’s Star Classifieds lists a 4000 sf house in Changkat Minden at “RM2.0 million above”. This is an unbelievable price, even for Minden Heights.

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In Bayan Lepas, a 9740 sf piece of land is listed at RM1.1 million. That works out to RM112 psf. In the 90s, land in the area was a few Ringgit a square foot.

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Even as far as Gertak Sanggul (in Balik Pulau) terrace houses are being launched at RM400,000 to RM600,000. Bungalows are being offered at RM1.5 million and above - in Balik Pulau ! Across in Seberang Perai, new Semi-Ds are being offered at RM500,000. Double storey terrace houses in the interior are starting at RM300,000.

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This is the new reality in Penang since 2008. So the question is where are the Penang Malays headed? They certainly cannot afford any of these new homes - these homes are way beyond their reach.

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At the wedding in Tanjong Tokong, I met many Malay professionals who were from Tanjong Tokong but they live and work in Kuala Lumpur now. This is the Malay diaspora in Kuala Lumpur. Many have settled down in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor and will not be ‘buying homes’ in Penang. But even for them, these new prices are prohibitive. And we can forget about their Penang cousins being able to afford the new house prices in Penang.

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The large Chinese community in Penang are mostly business folks or engaged vibrantly in the State’s economy. They make up the vast majority of new home buyers in Penang.

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This is the new reality in Penang. Shooting land and home prices are putting the pressure on everything. Business rentals too are going up. The Malays are being even more displaced.

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Coincidentally while in Penang the Star’s northern edition carried a supplement on property developments. Here is the Member of Parliament for Balik Pulau Yusmadi Yusoff (above) lamenting the things that I have stated here.

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MP: Housing projects should benefit those in the area

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BALIK Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff has challenged the Penang Government here to reveal how many of the locals in his constituency had purchased units in the new housing schemes under construction in the area.

..many of the housing units under development in the hilly terrain in the area cost around RM400,000 to RM2mil each — prices which are beyond the reach of most villagers.

..to inspect three ongoing projects in Kampung Kongsi, Kuala Jalan Baru and Titi Teras.

He claimed that many villagers in the area were victims of the development projects, as they became squatters when the land they were residing on were sold to the private developers.

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This is the plight of the Malays not just in Penang but also in Selangor. The PKNS is now building terrace houses for RM450,000 in Selangor. Tell me folks, siapa dia orang Selangor yang mampu beli rumah teres dua tingkat dengan harga RM450,000? Its not the Malays. Bukan orang Melayu.

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Don’t get me wrong but housing and property prices is NOT a racial game. It depends on land and material cost and demand. It has nothing to do with race.

But the question is - if left entirely to “Malaysian Malaysia” forces, the Malays can go and live up in the trees. Kampong pun dah tak ada. Di Pulau Pinang - Kampong Kongsi, kawasan Gertak Sanggul, Sungai Ara, Bayan Baru semua dah lenyap. Gone. Habis macam mana kesudahannya? Takkan pula orang Melayu kena cari batang pokok untuk menjadi penginapan?

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Jadi orang Melayu di Pulau Pinang dan juga di Selangor yang sokong pembangkang perlu fikir baik-baik perkara ini. Tuan-tuan menghadapi ancaman dan bahaya menjadi setinggan di tanah air sendiri.

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There are other ways of handling the poor and the disadvantaged. Syarikat Perumahan Negara (a Federal Government outfit) has built some medium cost apartments in Penang. This will enable the Malays and lower income groups to afford living spacein Georgetown. However there is a problem with the Certificate of Fitness for two of these projects (which comes under the purview of the State Government). So the completed apartments are not occupied. The Syarikat blames the DAP Government for dragging their feet while the DAP Government blames the Syarikat for delaying fulfilling some requirements. Siapa rugi? Orang Melayu yang rugi dulu.

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What are the UMNO dungus in Penang doing? Now they appear at Federal Government functions (MARA, Heritage Foundation etc) and look for 'projek' to keep them in the money. They invite everyone to attend - to show they have support. But it is just a ploy to get "projek". An old friend I met says that while the Dato is speaking at the podium, the people at the back whisper 'yang duduk depan tu saja yang dapat projek. Kita semua tak dapat habuk pun.' The same old crap is still going on with UMNO.

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But I see that as a minor problem. The more important issue is the disenfranchisement of the Malays in Penang. It is now gathering pace at light speed. A few more years and that land in Bayan Lepas may go to RM150 or RM200 psf. Then the Malays will really be in trouble.

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Here are some other places I visited in Penang. The first one here is the famous Penag Road Cendul run by the second generation Mr Tan (?). Come rain or shine, this Cendul stall is just packed, standing room only.

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Next up are the shops at Chowrasta Market nearby - buah pala, tau sa piah and stuff

This last shot was looking back at Penang from the Bridge as I was driving back. Penang is still the Pearl of the Orient. It is such a beautiful and historical place. I have so many fond memories of Penang - going back to the early 1960s. Very nice "island people" live here, including the Hokkiens. But the horizon is darkening a little. Its uncharted water now.