Jimmy Leow

CM Lim Guan Eng proposed to link Jln Bagan 29 to Jln Siram to enhance better traffic flow and convenience for the residents of Tmn Bagan, Penang.

Watch the video here

Video by : Jimmy Leow (Citizen Journalist)

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng told reporters that the preparation for the coming Permatang Pasir by election will treated seriously to retain the seat.

Watch the video here.

Video by Jimmy Leow Beng Hock, Citizen Journalist

The differences between a PKR and BN dinner during campaigning in the Bukit Selambau by election was plenty as CJ Lim Boo Seng and I witnessed last night. We did a coverage at the PKR dinner and the atmosphere there was thunderous and cheerful, people shaking hands with PKR’s officials and so forth. Even the reporters looked lively and jovial. According to a PKR official, there were 106 tables (1060 seatings) and every seat was taken.

I noticed that the itinerary of the event was important and there were some differences in the way both parties arranged them. For example, PKR would get all the big guns to finish their speeches and then serve food. While MCA served food as they addressed the crowd.

Over at MCA’s dinner, much to our amaze, the crowd was very quiet, everyone seems attentive, well to the food, that is. Even when Ong Tee Keat was giving his speech, there was no reaction from the crowd. I believed the crowd figure was approximately 600.

The worst part was, when BN candidate S. Ganesan was giving his speech, some supporters had left, in particular the table right in front of us. Was that a sign of rejection? Well, we will know come 7 April 2009.

The only good thing that happened during the MCA dinner was a surprising statement by Mrs S. Ganesan in Hokkien and she spoke the dialect well. And that brought some cheers from the crowd. Maybe she should be the candidate for BN in this by election….

“If they (BN) offer free food, go and eat! If they give money, take it and spend it, why worry? By the way, the money is actually from people like you and me, so what is wrong? But vote PKR ok?” said a 70 Pak Haji that I came across at Youth Park Hill 3 this morning.

If he is corrupted then he has to pay the price. Of course, many will say that MACC acted so efficiently when the suspects are from the opposition parties. What about Khir Toyo, Norza, Azalina, and so many others? Since Fairus is from PKR, MACC jumped queue, quite understandable, if you know what I mean.

Well, as far as I am concerned, the Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng had openly said in his speech on the 8th March 2009, that anyone in his administration found to be “lacking” in the commitment to the state or to the people of Penang will be taken out. 

Like I mentioned in my previous post the other day, it was definitely fishy when Fairus went on leave without the knowledge of his superior Lim Guan Eng and Anwar Ibrahim had to “apply” the leave for Fairus.

Initial, it was fishy but now it really smells. I just hope that he will come out clean.

Malaysian Insider JOHOR BARU, March 26 — PKR’s Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin, who has been embroiled in graft allegations in Penang, has been detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for questioning.

The Penang Deputy Chief Minister I was stopped by Immigration officers at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex at about 11 last night.

He was subsequently handed over to Johor MACC officers.

Johor DAP deputy chief Norman Fernandez, a lawyer, was among Pakatan Rakyat leaders who rushed to the CIQ last night on hearing the news but was unable to speak to Fairus.

Fernandez said Fairus was taken to the Johor MACC headquarters in Air Molex at about 2.45am.

MACC investigating director Datuk Syukri Abdul told The Malaysian Insider that Fairus was detained only to facilitate investigations into allegations of illegal activities with quarry operators in Penang.

Sounds like a movie about a few good guys on a do or die mission to get rid of the mafias….Well, to think of it, there was a movie named The Untouchables (1987)  starring Shaw Connery, Andy Garcia, Robert De Niro and Kevin Costner, not a good ending though.

How is this related to our local politic scene? The story line seems to be the same but of course with a lot of Malaysian twist.

Everyone knows the Untouchables in Malaysian politics are the members of UMNO, the latest addition to the list of many is Ali Rustam, CM of Melaka. Barred from contesting for the UMNO vice president post for condoning money politics because he allowed his agents to distribute money to the UMNO delegates to vote for him in the upcoming UMNO general assembly, yet he is free as a bird.  

Not suspended, no pressure to resign from the CM post, nothing shocking, no drama, it is like another day in paradise. No wonder so many Malays joined UMNO for the ultimate protection under its umbrella.

Corrupt is corrupt! Chief Minister or not, out you go! There are no two ways about it, some people say. But here in Malaysia, there are. So, tell me how will UMNO get rid of corruption in the party when a corrupted leader (found guilty by its own discipline body) still walks freely among the delegates and still have the ultimate control of the state of Melaka? How can this be the role model for the future generations to come? 

On the other hand sadly, we also have the Disposables (sound like diapers or like the nasi lemak wrappers) represented by the rest of the Opposition Parties such as DAP, PKR, PAS and the public. “Sikit sikit salah minta resign, tak salah pun minta resign.”

We are who the government is today, therefore we must be crystal clear who we want to represent us in the future. 

Kok was political secretary to Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang from 1990 to 1995. In 1995, she contested the Ipoh Barat 

Parliamentary seat on a DAP ticket but was defeated by the MCA candidate. Kok resigned as political secretary after that to further her studies.

In the 1999 General Elections, Kok won the Parliamentary seat of Seputeh in Kuala Lumpurwith a majority of 5,200 and was re-elected in 2004 with a majority of 12,895, the largest winning margin among the 13 elected DAP MPs. In the 2008 General Elections, Kok retained her Parliamentary seat of Seputeh in Kuala Lumpur with a majority of 36,492, the largest majority in any constituency. In the new Selangor executive council, she was named senior executive councillor and put in charge of investment, trade and industry to ensure all fund are directed to all the Malaysians.

Teresa was reelected into Central Executive Committee of DAP during the party’s National Congress (23-24 August 2008) in Kuala Lumpur. She is currently the DAP National Organising Secretary, prior to this position she was DAP Publicity Secretary. She is also the National Secretary of DAP Wanita (the women‘s wing of the DAP) and a member of the DAP Disciplinary Committee. In Parliament, she was a member of the Select Committee on Review of Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.

Kok is the Secretary of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC). She was an active lobbyist for Burmese democracy and human rights since 1996 when she was the Coordinator of Political Leaders Network Promoting Democracy in Burma (PD Burma) in Southeast Asian region.