Pantai Jerejak Blog

Hi and welcome to my weekly column.  Being a new kid on the block, I hope to share some of my thots with you on various issues, from social, economic, political and non-political including some of my personal hobbies.  This has been a big overdue.  No excuses even if I have them.  Anyway, better late than never.  I will try my best to write more often on a weekly basis if possible.  I like Fridays so I will try to upload them each Friday. Remember that this is but my personal
views and opinions and does not reflect organizations or parties which I belong to.  Hope you will enjoy reading some of the stuff and help send them to whoever else you think may be interested. Perhaps some food for thots before each weekends.

God bless our beloved country and you all!

Mun Hoe

Whew, what a year 2011 had been!  With so many political happenings throughout the year, we are struggling to cope with nothing but politics, politics each passing day.  And guess what?  2012 is barely starting and we are already staring at even more politics.  Jan 9, Judgement Day for DSAI and PR has already declared that they will be mobilising 100,000 of their supporters to rally support for DSAI.  100,000? For what?  Either he is going to be found guilty or not guilty.  What’s the point of getting 100,000 supporters to surround the court area?  I wonder if this can be construed as a form of harassment of judges?  Of course Pakatan will deny it.  We are there only to show our support.  Really?  You need 100,000 people to do it?  Why not 200,000?

So, after Jan 9, then what?  If DSAI is found guilty, will Bersih 3.0 take place?  Perhaps some of us would like the Malaysian Spring to happen.  After all, April and May is spring time in the West, isn’t it?  I wonder what would a Malaysian Spring do to us, ordinary Malaysians.  What do you think?

So, what’s really wrong with us Malaysians?  Have we all actually arrived at such a cross-road that it is either right or left turn? Isn’t there a possibility that if we examined carefully, the road we have reached is not a cross-road but a three or four fork roads, meaning we don’t have to make just a right or left turn.  All we need to do is to explore this possibility, then stop and think carefully before making a decision.  Is Malaysia such a terrible place to be, so much so that there are even some Malaysians who are saying that we are worse than Myanmar?  Really? Have you been to Myanmar?

Well, what then is the real problem we have in Malaysia today?  Is it a problem that only the Chinese is having?  Are the Malays having problems too?  What about the Indians?  So are we saying that everybody in Malaysia having problems?  I am a Malaysian Chinese, having stayed in this beautiful land for more than 50 years.  Sure I do have problems from time to time.  So what?  That’s life.  In life, everybody has problems. So when we have problems, why should that make us lose our sense of thinking and rationality.  By and large, while acknowledging that we, Malaysia could have done better, I am very sure that we have not done that badly either.  So what’s our real problem?  In my mind, the problem we are having is that we have been made use of by skilful and eloquent politicians who wish to further their their own personal agenda and interest, and who have no qualms at all about what’s going to happen to this delicate and fragile multi-ethnic and multi-racial country of ours.  If Malaysians are not careful and continue along this dangerous path of spreading the politics of hatred, this whole country is going to disintegrate into chaos and destruction.

On another matter, I would like to pose a question to you. What is your take on voting?  I have often posed such a question to people I met, “In an Election, would you rather vote for A, a good candidate  that you know who has a proven record of service but who is from a party you don’t support, or vote for B, a terrible candidate but happen to be from a party you support?”  If your answer is B, then you have my deepest sympathy.  I am so so sorry for you.  One can help people who are physically blind, but it is impossible to help one who is mentally blind.

Happy New Year to all Malaysians and God bless this beautiful country of ours!

My life-long interest in movies started at a very early age.  Being born in town, our house was within walking distances of practically all the cinemas.  My father was a great movie lover as well.  My earliest recollection of movies was watching them in the Great World Park (now known as New World Park) in Swatow Lane where the famous late Rose Chan used to perform (naturally, we did not get to see her shows!).  Odeon, Cathay, Capitol, Paramount, Eastern, Royal, Rex, Majestic, Gala, New Majestic, Wembly, Federal, you name it and I can remember these cinemas just as it was yesterday.  We went to so many movies that we even made good friends with either the ticket seller or the ticket collector.  It was important to know them as they could ‘book’ the tickets in advance for you, if they were your friends.  You may not realize it but in my days, we had to queue up for tickets, sometimes for hours and if you do not know anyone working in the theatre, or queue early like an hour or two before the office opened, the likelihood is that tickets would be sold out for the popular shows.

Will it surprise you if I were to tell you that my record for watching movies in a single  year is something like about 260!  Yes, 260 movies in just ONE year!  I can tell you this because you see, I kept the record of all the movies I went to in my diary, with data such as date, name of film, name of cinema, time, the name of the main actor or actresses and even the  grading of the film that I went to (my own grading).  I have seen as many as 4 movies per day, starting with the Morning Shows usually at 11:00 am, went home for lunch, continued with a second show at 3:00 pm, came home for dinner, then a third show at 7:00 pm, after which went for supper before proceeding with the Midnight Show at 11:00 pm!

When I was in secondary schools, usually on each Mondays, I would find pieces of blank lined papers and a pen, courtesy of my classmates, who would expect me to write down the synopsis of the Saturday Midnight Movies I went to.

With this background, it will therefore be of no surprise to you any longer why I am such a movie buff and why as at the time of writing, I am the proud owner of close to 2,000 movies in my own personal movie library.  Don’t ask me how much it is worth, as I have forgotten how much was the cost of each of them.

One thing I can tell you is that I really believe I learnt a lot about lives through movies. This is because movies actually depict our lives.  If someone can think about how a certain plot unfolds in a movie, then certainly in real life, there will be someone, somewhere who probably has done the same thing albeit some differences either in timing or sequences.

One of my favorite genres is the horror stuff.  I remembered the Chinese horror stuff where the ghosts are usually green-faced and long-haired with creepy music that made your skin crawl.  But it is the Western ones that really make a lasting impression on you.   My all-time favorite is Dracula and Christopher Lee.  He made such an impression on me in my early primary school days that I remembered having to get an adult member in the family, usually my mother to wait for me beside the lavatory each time I had to answer nature’s call at night for fear that Dracula would appear otherwise!  Our lavatory then was an isolated stand-alone small building within our house compound.

As a wuxia fan (in case you don’t know what is wuxia, in simple terms, it just means sword-fighting stuff), I grew up with the Wang Yu, Cheng Pei-Pei, David Chiang and Ti Lung from the Shaw Brothers stable.  These were magic moments when people would fly around like a kind of Superman, having acquired some special martial art skills and with a swish of a sword or a clash of palms, tens of his enemies would lie dead. Incredible but true!

But for me, the greatest of them all was surely the epics.  Ben-Hur, The Ten Commandments, The King and I, The Sound of Music, Gone With The Wind and so many others.  For sure, no one can ever say they can get tired of watching these epic movies no matter how many times they have watched them.  I remembered one of my neighbors who were in her mid-age proudly telling everyone she had watched Bobby, the Hindi blockbuster (not exactly considered an epic, more a blockbuster) close to 30 times! When you watched these epics, you would feel awe by them and you usually watched them with your mouth opened wide.

To me, movies then, have a big impact on our lives, at least on mine.  Be it any time when we feel like having a good laugh by watching a good comedy, watching a tearjerker with a lump in your throat, enjoying Errol Flynn swinging either as Robin Hood or some pirates, looking into the future with great sci-fi stuff such as 2001 Odyssey, Soylent Green or the Blade Runner or frightening yourselves with The Omen or The Ring, all we have to do is to just put on a DVD.  When the movie ends, there is no better satisfaction than muttering this under your breath, “What a damn wonderful movie this is!’  After all, the world as they say, is just a stage and all of us are just actors and actresses in it.  So likewise, in the world of movies, everything is an escapism like a Fantasy Island, where you can hide yourselves away for just an hour or two, either to laugh, to cry, to cheer or jeer or to have just a great feeling.  Movies … movies.  What will we do without them?  What will I do without them?

I don’t know if there is anywhere else in the world where the question of when a General Elections is going to be held, is so often discussed and speculated.  Of late, it has intensified with some saying that the PM would be announcing on November 11 (his supposedly favourite number) the dissolution of Parliament..

The Opposition has also jumped onto the wagon with Penang’s CM Lim Guan Eng giving 5 reasons why the Penang State Assembly would not be dissolved concurrently should Parliament do so this year.

Of course this has now been laid to rest after the PM said that the GE would not be held this year.

One of the key demands of the electoral reform so often put up by the Opposition is the so-called short period of campaigning for General Elections.  This is a cock and bull excuse.  Since when have the Opposition stopped campaigning.  Malaysia must surely have the longest period of election campaigning as the Opposition Pakatan has never stopped having ceramahs and the likes, right from when the last General Elections ends.  So perhaps we will make it into the Guiness Book of World Records after all, if someone from the Guiness Book will care to verify this and I can assure you that there will be no shortage of people who can testify to this.  And yet they say that the short period of campaigning is unfair to them!  Sigh!

And yes, it also seems that we also have the most unfair democratic space in the world.  Try opening up the alternative media and see what percentage of space the Pakatan has versus Barisan.  Try looking at the regular publications by any of the 3 major opposition parties like The Rocket or the Harakah, which incidentally are available publicly either in shops or by their supporters going on their rounds so regularly in coffee shops and eating outlets, or even by some NGO.  From the first page to the last, there is never anything good about the Federal Government.  As if the Federal Government has not done a single thing right.  And this does not equal to democratic space. Sigh .. sigh ..

Recently we have the Penang DAP Government so unashamedly announcing so proudly  that they now have put in place the Freedom of Information Act after passing it in the State Assembly.  Yet, they ban some newspapers from covering the State Assembly and the CM’s press conferences.  And the terms and conditions of some of their ‘open yet close’ tender processes, is shrouded with mystery and secrets that it will take more than Da Vinci Code to crack it open. Even State EXCO members do not have the privilege to view them, what’s more the 24 Municipal Councillors who are supposed to have approve them!  Shortage of time, they say.  Sigh … sigh .  and more sigh..

So the next time, if someone tries to draw you out on possible dates for General Elections, just tell them, if it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. That’s the way the world moves.  After all, this is no big deal for Malaysians, or is it? Looks like we eat, pray and live politics daily, don’t we?

Since 308, a lot have been written about how Guan Eng has managed to make Penang into a model state for others to follow.  The CM has been praised to the sky by some analysts for everything that is perceived to be good in Penang.  From the excellent and highly-skilled labour force to the well-developed infrastructure.  From the ability to reduce cost and increased savings to clean Rapid Penang buses.  From being a successful heritage city to a CAT Government.  These analysts said that all the above never happened under the previous Government. Formerly the Government was all rubbish! This is all due to the change of Government and under Lim Guan Eng. In other words, this CM is perceived to be perfect, a demi-God.  He is singularly the man responsible for what Penang is today, so say these analysts.

I must commend the way these articles were written and articulated as it is indeed very convincing.  Forget about die-hards DAP and Pakatan members.  Even if you are a BN supporter, read these articles and you will find it difficult but to nod in agreement. After all, all the above praises are factually correct except for one thing.  Who is actually responsible for all these? The perception of the people both within Penang and out of Penang is that Guan Eng is responsible for all these. While this may not be actually right, unfortunately, the problem of the BN is that they have allowed this perception to grow unchallenged, so much so, that more often than not, perception eventually becomes the truth.  BN has been too slow to react and to explain, and even when reacting, lack the necessary punch.
Perhaps a better way for an ordinary layman like me and you to understand or to follow the above debate on who’s actually responsible is to pose and ask ourselves a few questions.

(1) Can it really be true that it was just within the last 3 ½ years that Penang’s workforce has suddenly turned excellent?  Can anyone remember any specific programme or project the present State Government has done which have been initiated by them to improve our work force in the last 3 ½  years?

(2) Can it really be true that our entire so-called well-developed infrastructure was built just within the last 3 ½  years?  Can anyone remember if Penang has developed any kind of substantial infrastructural project in the last 3 ½ years?
(3) How much of a savings did the Pakatan Government has when they took over the State? (Notice that this has almost never except for one occasion when the amount was disclosed by Guan Eng).

(4) How and when did Rapid Penang take to the streets in Penang? Was it before or during 308?  Who brought Rapid Penang to Penang?

(5) How and when did Penang achieve Heritage City status? Was it before or during 308?  What have the State Government done to further improve our heritage city status since?

(6) Has the Pakatan Government in Penang openly listed all the tender exercises for public viewing as what has been claimed to be as part of a CAT Government? Is the present sPICE project or the free Wi-Fi project, for instance, considered as an open tender exercise?

Enough said!

Finally, for once, the Penang State Government is bowing to people’s power.  It is understood that a press conference was called this morning by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to announce that the State Government has decided not to purse the land reclamation at Bayan Bay to Boustead Holdings.

Never mind the reasons given, in the first place, this should not have happened.  It was fortunate that the residents of Bayan Bay got wind of it and decided to show their displeasure via a mass demonstration.  This was followed by another demonstration by Barisan Nasional in support of the residents. There was even talk that an even bigger demonstration was on the way. If not for these series of demonstrations, the Penang State Government would never have made this decision.

Now that the decision has been made, it has proven that all the efforts taken by the residents of Bayan Bay and Barisan Nasional has been successful in the cancellation of this proposal.  Our demonstration has been worthwhile and we will continue to apply such people’s power on the Penang State Government. Congratulations once again to the residents of Bayan Bay.

WONG MUN HOE

I refer to YB Sim Tze Tsin’s statement in the press on his objection to Boustead Land Reclamation.  Not surprising, he has once again, just like the present Government, attempt to put the blame on the previous Government.

Before we go further, there is a need to ascertain in the first place, if there is a real issue.  Has the State Government signed any contract with Boustead Holdings?  If there is, it is important to tell the people of Penang when was the contract signed. What are the terms?

However, following YB Sim’s statement, we should therefore assume or rather conclude that the contract has indeed been signed.  Being the case, allow me to state some of the real facts.

Fact 1 – It is the present Government that started and finished all the negotiation with Boustead Holdings. The entire negotiation process started AFTER the 2008 General Elections and DID NOT involve anyone from the previous Government so this process of negotiation has nothing to do at all with the previous Government.

Fact 2 – Nobody is sure how the mode of the negotiation went except that finally, the present Government seem to have found an easy way out and proposed a solution, that is to allow Boustead to reclaim 100 acres of land at a minimal cost. Had we been involved, we certainly believed that the negotiation WOULD NOT have been concluded this way.

Fact 3 – It is the present Government which has MADE THE OFFER to Boustead Holdings to reclaim the 100 acres of land.  This has nothing to do with the previous Government.

Fact 4 – It is the present Government which has CHOSEN THIS SITE to offer to Boustead Holdings.

Fact 5 – YB Sim is not sincere in making his ‘strong objection’ now.  From his statement, it is obvious that he was already in the know of such an arrangement as he had brought it up to the State Assembly back in May 2011. As such, surely he would have known the grave implications.  Did he then immediately engage the residents on this?  No, it was only recently when residents got wind of what’s happening, it was only when the residents decided to show their displeasure via a peaceful demonstration, it was only when he realised that the General Elections may be coming near, that he had tried to ‘champion’ the cause?  Isn’t it a joke that one and a half years later after his speech in the Assembly, he is only now starting to urge Boustead to put the rakyat and the Penang Heritage status first before financial profits?  As the local Assemblyman, if he has been sincere, he should have championed this from the start by engaging the RAs, the residents and the Government one and a half years ago. Not now when the rice has become porridge!  Tell me, can the State Government now rescind the project? To me, it is a question of you are just putting on a show, YB Sim.

Fact 6 – The Boustead Land Reclamation case has once again made a complete mockery of the CAT Government.  It has been handled very inefficiency with no accountability and total lack of transparency.  Maybe, the State Government probably feel that they can get away with this. Sounds familiar to another recent happening around the area?

It is obvious therefore that once again Penangnites is treated to yet another sandiwara, another show time when the State Government will only reveal anything when forced to except this time, it is the turn of the unfortunate residents of Gold Coast, Putra Marine, Putra Place, Bay Avenue and Villa Mas who have become the innocent victims.  It does not make sense if any engagement with the RA and the residents is done only AFTER the contract is signed, and not before. If the State Government is sincere, during the process of negotiation with Boustead Holdings, they could even have involved the RA and the residents.

So don’t pass the buck, YB Sim and the present State Government.  The entire Boustead reclamation issue is your and your own doing alone.  It is also unfortunate that YB Sim has deliberately and cleverly piggy-backed on the demonstration by the residents to get for himself, maximum publicity and political mileage. However, don’t think that the residents of Gold Coast, Putra Place, Putra Marine, Bay Avenue and Villa Mas are stupid that they can’t see this, that they have been manipulated. If you are really serious and sincere as what you have put up in your ‘hard’ statement, resign now and do not contest in the forthcoming General Elections if this project were to go on. Otherwise we will leave it to the RA and the residents of these affected apartments to pass judgment on you and your integrity.

Penangnites are increasing getting fed up of this blame game and Mickey Mouse way of resolving issues.  In just 3 and a half years, the Penang State Government have been compromising the people of Penang’s interest. How long is this going to go on?  The people of Penang must demand that this be stopped, starting from now.

(WONG MUN HOE)

Vice Chairman

PGRM Penang

When I first heard that our PM Najib will be making an important announcement live on TV on Malaysia Day, nothing could tear me away from being in front of the TV that evening.  Yep, I did attend a public function that night but left early.  After all, it is not everyday that the PM would be talking live to Malaysians.  Earlier there were rumors that he would be announcing this, announcing that, even announcing the dates of the General Elections!  Does it surprise us to hear this?  No it doesn’t.  After all, this is Malaysia, land of rumor-mongering.
In a short speech which lasted no more than 30 minutes, what he announced stunned the nation. In one stroke, he announced several changes to the law.  Amongst others, he announced the abolishment of the Internal Security Act and the Emergency Ordinance.  He also amended the Printing presses and Publication Act by declaring that publishers will now no longer need to apply for their annual permit.  While Malaysians rejoiced at the news, the Opposition grimaced and made a bold attempt to play it down, some even claiming credit that it was because of them that Najib did it.  Sigh!  So typical of our Malaysian Opposition who will always claim credit when something is right and quick to push the blame to the Federal Government when something is wrong.  They never take responsibility as leaders should, do they?

This was the fourth series of transformation which the Najib Government had announced since he took over as PM back in March 2009  Starting with the Government Transformation Plan when he announced the 6 NKRA targets, now 7, the last one focusing on addressing the increasing cost of living, he subsequently announced the Economic Transformation Plan with a series of high-impact economic development projects.  Then just recently, he went into an Electoral Transformation Plan by setting up a Parliamentary Select Committee to look at issues relating to elections and voting.  And now a political transformation plan.  No wonder the Opposition is starting to reel.  These issues, which was once seems to be the core ownership of the Opposition, has now been taken over by Barisan Nasional and Najib.

So what’s next for Malaysians.  I am sure that the forthcoming National Budget due on October 7 will see further steps taken by the Najib Government to address the issues of increasing cost of living.  I won’t be surprised if this may translate into a fifth transformation plan too, that is, a social transformation plan addressing the social impact rising cost has on the common people.

I don’t know about you but I sensed that Malaysians are increasing getting excited and emboldened by a Prime Minister who has demonstrated clearly that UMNO and Barisan Nasional is capable of renewal, never mind if not all UMNO leaders may be with him, and that as the Prime Minister, he is capable and able to adapt and discard outdated thinking quickly and effectively.  It is good to know that UMNO and BN are now back to the middle ground. It is good to know that BN is listening to the people. Happy Malaysia Day.

The recent issue regarding a ‘mere’ RM8,434.05 medical bill claim by Mat Sabu, PAS Deputy President as well as a Board Member of the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) highlights the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde attitude of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is also the Chairman of PBAPP. On one hand, he considers himself to be spearheading a crusade against corruption, abuse of power and preaches accountability and transparency.  On the other hand, whenever there is an issue involving one of his comrades in Pakatan, he chooses to close an eye, or both eyes and ears.  Worse still, he often speak up to deflect any criticism on such issues.  So can the real Lim Guan Eng please stand up?

Anyone, even those uneducated will know that medical bills paid for by an organization to its Board members is normal and perfectly okay, except for the fact that in Mat Sabu’s case, he was claiming for something which has nothing to do with his duties as a Board Member of PBAPP. Mat Sabu was participating in Bersih 2.0 when he sustained injuries. His participation in Bersih 2.0 has zero relevance to his position as PBAPP Board Member.  In other words, he was not there attending a PBAPP Board meeting at that time.  Neither was he representing the Board at any meetings or conferences.  And surely he was never authorized by the Board to participate in such activities.

That the Chief Minister then, in his ‘noble’ attempt to explain and defend, and at the same time, employing his favourite past time of sidetracking and diverting attention by questioning the presence of a first and second receipt is laughable.  At the same time, he questioned the motive of such attacks over what he termed as “small amount” compared to bigger ones.  And my God, he has also told us that he is going to print his version of the matter and distribute it to the public, using again ratepayer’s money. Aren’t you all concerned at all how the Penang State Government is continuously using your funds for ‘political’ purposes? Here, let me pose a few of my thoughts on the matter.

Firstly, how can a public listed company like PBAPP, which is answerable to its shareholders, in the first place, allowed such a claim in an activity which has no relevance to the organization? For the GM of PBAPP to state that they had paid the money as they were worried that otherwise Mat Sabu may fail to recover from his injuries thereby preventing him from attending the next Board meeting, is a joke. That the other basis for approving the claim is that PBAPP is not like other companies which sent their directors around the world for holiday and since they don’t do that , so they can allow such claims, is a real comedy of error.  If you have a GM like this in your company or organisation, I think you better review his position fast!

Another fundamental question which we all should be asking is that, are we saying that it is okay to make a ‘small’ amount claims even if it is not correct to do so? Please bear in mind that if a person is caught for shoplifting, irrespective of whether the item being shoplifted costs a few thousand dollars, or a few cents, it is still a shoplifting offence.  Similarly, if a person robs a bank, irrespective if the loot amounts to hundreds of thousands or a mere few dollars, it is still a robbery.  In other words, a crime is a crime, an offence is an offence, period.  After all, if a person can get away with such ‘small’ claims now, what is there to stop the same person from committing a ‘bigger’ claim in the future?

So if this then is the attitude of the Penang Chief Minister who can just shrug off a ‘small  issue’ such as this one, as if he was merely brushing away flies, then it is time for the people of Penang to please stop and think if we can all just sit back, enjoy more and more of such comedies of error,  and still agree that this is a Government for you.  At least, do think about it, won’t you?

In the midst of crying out that the price of everything is rising, from RON95 to RON97, from essential items like sugar, rice and so on, yet it is ironic that the Penang State Government is equally responsible when it comes to matters relating to those under their control. Take for instance, the 27% hike in water bills, something which is fully managed by them.  Surely this is a burden to the people. But we have to take off our hats to them because as usual, they have a reason for it.  Their reason? We are doing it to promote the conservation of water!

Another more significant item that has seen a spiraling increase is house prices in Penang.  Especially in the last 3 and a half years, the increase has been indeed steep.  We can argue and say that prices of houses are also increasing elsewhere in Malaysia, but statistics have shown that the rate of increase in Penang is probably the highest.  Of course don’t expect the Penang State Government to boast of this!

When I appeared on the Bicara Rakyat programme, a talk show in RTM in July 2011, I briefly answered one of the questions posed by the audience on affordable housing in Penang.  I gave an example of how new apartments in Bayan Baru which is just a mere 1,000 square feet in size, and does not belong to the luxurious class, is now costing RM400,000 and above, that is RM400 per square feet!  Imagine if an apartment like this were to cost so much, what about landed properties?  Today, if you wish to consider purchasing a landed property which is just about to be launched, be prepared to pay at least RM800,000!  Can ordinary folks in Penang afford this? So, why has this happened?

The Penang State Government cannot run away from the fact that singularly, they are the  major contributor to the house price increase.  Let me explain. Land prices have now skyrocketed in Penang due to the following:

1. Increase in premium for any land which needs to be rezoned.

2. Increase in premium for any land which needs to change of its usage.

3. Remember Kampong Buah Pala where the Penang State Government, in order to save their hide, imposed an exorbitant price on the developer, that is literally  ‘forced’ the developer to compensate double storey houses for the evicted.  Unfortunately, by doing so, this has now become an unprecedented precedent, and developers who wish to develop properties in land which has squatters, will now have to factor in this possible high cost of compensation.

If the above three factors are going to affect the cost of doing business for developers, please tell me if these costs are going to be absorb by whom?  The State Government?  The developers?  Sorry, the answer is none of the above.  Eventually, it is going to be pass on to poor you, the consumers, meaning house buyers.

To make things worse, in the last 3 and a half years, the Penang State Government has not built a single low-cost unit, thereby creating an acute shortage of houses for the poor!  This is yet another record, for under the previous Government, never has this happened because it has always been a priority for the BN Government to build low-cost houses for the lower-income and lower-middle income group of people.  Yes, I know that the Penang State Government has refuted this and pointed out that some hundreds of units have been built by the developers.  This is a mandatory requirements which has been in force even before they came in. The question we should be asking is, “Should the responsibility of providing low-cost and affordable housing be left alone to just the developers?  Is there no role at all for the State Government to build low-cost and affordable housing?”  This cannot be the case. The point I am making here is that the Penang State Government has totally neglected their core responsibility as they themselves have not built a single unit thus far.

I am aware that the Penang State Government has also recently announced that they will be building an affordable housing project in Batu Kawan, Seberang.  Yet, not for the first time, political reasons are imposed.  These houses can only be sold to Penangnites who are voters.  Are we aware that there are many Penangnites who are voters, but who are also earning their trades elsewhere in Malaysia or even abroad?  Are we also aware that there are many Penangnites who may be non-voters but who are living in Penang all their lives?  They have chosen not be voters for whatever reasons it may be, but this is surely their democratic rights, to be a voter or not to be a voter.  Now, why are they being  penalized for exercising their democratic rights.  Anyway, the announcement is good but what about the people of Penang on the island?  Are there any plans for them?  Do they really expect all Penangnites who are presently living on the island to buy and move to live on the mainland?  I am asking why are there no plans to  provide affordable housing on the island, for instance, in Georgetown City so as to bring back lives to the “dead” city, say by building houses in the range of RM100,000 to RM250,000?

Does the Penang State Government have any  idea at all on how to resolve this important issue of affordable housing?  From what has been seen thus far, we have no reason to be optimist.  After all, this present Penang State Government has somehow mastered the arts of creating fantasies and a make-believe world to Penangnites.  However, when the dust finally settles and the people realizes that they have been duped and they don’t have a roof over their heads, then, perhaps then only they will be prepared to change these magicians and wizards who are living in their ivory towers in KOMTAR.

Today, I am paying tribute to a special group of people – the artiste.  Be it they are actors, singers, writers, magicians, artists or even professionals such as lawyers, engineers or architects, they bring joy to what we see and what we hear.

I believe that all of us at some point of time in our lives have fantasised that we are or hope to be a Lady Gaga, a Barbara Streisand, an Eric Clapton or a Jeff Chang.  Some of us imagined that we are a Leonardo de Caprio or a Sandra Bullock. There is nothing wrong with our fantasies for as someone says, “As long as there is a dream, there is a hope.”  Dreams keep our hopes alive and even if we cannot be one, at least we have a hero, an icon or a role model to look forward to.

Artistes are special groups of people who are blessed by God with certain skills to please the world and the rest of the people like us.  How else can it be that with just a simple facial or body expression, actors can make millions of people either laugh or cry or even in some instances, instil love or hate.  There are some actors who played their baddie role so well (remember Larry Hagman who played J.R. Ewing in the popular TV series, Dallas in the late 70s and early 80s) that everywhere they go, they became associated with wickedness and are shouted at and even threatened.  How else can it other than God’s gift when by just singing a song between 3 to 4 minutes long, they can make us sway our bodies, tap our fingers, stamp our feet and feel like going down to the dance floor along with the music they provide us. How else can it be that when we read a book, we find ourselves deeply immersed and transported into another world just by mere words alone? How else can it be that when we look at a certain painting or a building, we are so overawed by it?  We admired a certain painting and some of us who are loaded enough are even willing to pay millions of dollars just to acquire the painting in our personal collection. Some buildings like the famous La Strada Familia in Barcelona or the Taj Mahal in India, for instance, are built by the hands of a great architect and take our breath away each time we look at the building. We can only wonder how on earth was it done?

Surely artiste then are God’s creation, for no matter how much we trained to be one, there is only a limit to what we can achieve without the natural skills and talents that are God-given to us. So as our nation moved towards a developed nation state by 2020, in my opinion, a reflection of a developed country is the way culture and arts are being allowed to flourish.  It is very difficult to put a price on how much is it worth for an art item.  Just as for antiques and heritage, there is no singularly right price for an art item.  As long as you are happy with it and are prepared to pay for it, that is the right price.  Similarly, to promote culture and arts, it is difficult to put an exact budget to it.  Other than the Government, we need to get more patrons from the corporate and private sectors.  After all, if we remember our History, those famous artists and sculptors during the great days of Renaissance like Michelangelo all have their own patrons.  Otherwise, they would never have made it and the world would have been much more poorer for it.

Therefore, in paying a special tribute to those men and women that have made the world more beautiful either with their actions, their voices or their words, I hope that together, the Government and more corporate bodies will come forward to support the arts. After all, isn’t God-given talent and skills deserving of more recognition, appreciation and support?