Saturday, May 31, 2008

Compost project for PJ folks

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/5/30/central/21390406&sec=central
By TAN KARR WEI

PETALING Jaya residents can volunteer to take part in an 18-month project to compost their household waste.

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development, Malaysia (Cetdem), signed an agreement to run a community household waste composting project on Wednesday.

MBPJ secretary Puasa Mohd Taib said PJ residents generated 145,000 tonnes of rubbish in 2007 and the recycling rate was less than three per cent.

He added that the council spent RM38mil and RM44mil in waste management in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

Through the Community Household Composting (CHC@PJ) project, 50 households from different geographical and demographical backgrounds would be selected and guided on the proper ways of composting.

The houses or high-rise residential units should have enough space to carry out the composting.
Materials like buckets, bins and recording charts would be given and participants would also attend training workshops and review meetings.

The project cost of RM120,000 would be funded by the Danish International Development Assistance solid waste management component (Danida-SWMC) Housing and Local Government Ministry national solid waste management department assistant director Dr Tan Beng Hoe said the initiative is in line with the ministry’s policy in promoting public participation in solid waste management, especially in waste separation and minimisation.

MBPJ is one of the 10 local authorities that would institutionalise public participation in solid waste management.

Also present at the signing ceremony were Danida-SWMC chief technical advisor Ib Larsen, Cetdem executive director Anthony Tan and Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee.
To apply or for more details, contact Tan Siew Luang of Cetdem at 03-7875 7667 or email of@cetdem.org.my; or MBPJ LA21 officer Lee Lih Shyan at 03-7956 3544 or email lee@mbpj.gov.my.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Selangor Assembly Passes Motion on Formation of SELCAT on Last Day

The first sitting of the 12th Selangor State Legislative Assembly today passed the motion on the establishment of the Special Select Committee on Competence, Accountability and Transparency (SELCAT).

The committee will regulate and inspect the competence, accountability and transparency in all administrative matters of the state government and all agencies, statutory bodies, local authorities and organisations linked to or are under the administration of the state government.

Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim told a press conference that the committee was empowered to hold public hearings and could recommend investigations like the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Datuk V.K. Lingam video clip.

The committee is chaired by State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Khim and his deputy Haniza Mohamed Talha, Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit Antarabangsa), Saari Sungib (PAS-Hulu Klang), Edward Lee Poh Lin (DAP-Bukit Gasing), Sulaiman Abdul Razak (BN-Permatang) and Ismail Sani (BN-Dusun Tua).

On the last day of the sitting which ended at 9pm tonight, the State Assembly also passed the motion calling on the federal government to abolish the Internal Security Act (ISA) and release all the ISA detainees or charge all of them in court. — BERNAMA

Selangor Assembly Passes Motion On Formation Of SELCAT On Last Day

www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=335497

SHAH ALAM, May 26 (Bernama) -- The first sitting of the 12th Selangor State Legislative Assembly today passed the motion on the establishment of the Special Select Committee on Competence, Accountability and Transparency (SELCAT).

The committee will regulate and inspect the competence, accountability and transparency in all administrative matters of the state government and all agencies, statutory bodies, local authorities and organisations linked to or are under the administration of the state government.

Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim told a press conference that the committee was empowered to hold public hearings and could recommend investigations like the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Datuk V.K. Lingam video clip.

The committee is chaired by State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Khim and his deputy Haniza Mohamed Talha, Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit Antarabangsa), Saari Sungib (PAS-Hulu Klang), Edward Lee Poh Lin (DAP-Bukit Gasing), Sulaiman Abdul Razak (BN-Permatang) and Ismail Sani (BN-Dusun Tua).

On the last day of the sitting which ended at 9pm tonight, the State Assembly also passed the motion calling on the federal government to abolish the Internal Security Act (ISA) and release all the ISA detainees or charge all of them in court.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

MB: Allocations for assemblymen spent before March

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/5/24/central/21351289&sec=central

MORE than 90% of the RM29,544,000 allocated for the state assemblymen for the year has been spent before March.



Khalid: The balance is
only RM2,901,156.67

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the state assemblymen had spent RM26,636,844.33 out of the total allowance allocated to them.

“That is 90.16% of the total allocation that has been spent this year. The balance is only RM2,901,156.67.

“Even the previous speaker (Tan Sri Onn Ismail) had spent a total of RM600,000 which was allocated to him,” he said,

Each state assemblyman is allocated RM500,000 to be used in their constituencies.

It includes the funding of various development projects for the residents in their respective constituencies.

Most state assemblymen including Seri Kembangan, Serdang, Damansara Utama and Bukit Lanjan have spent RM500,000 each.

Several constituencies including Kota Anggerik, Bukit Gasing, Kota Damansara and Sungai Panjang spent RM597,000 to RM600,000 while others including Sungai Pinang, Sekinchan, Paya Jaras, Subang Jaya had spent RM492,000 each.

Former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo (BN – Sungai Panjang) said the assemblymen did not spend the money on themselves but for the benefit of the people.

He also explained that there was no set time on spending the allocations and the approval was given for applications as long as there were no issues of the assemblymen benefiting from it.

“The current state government should stop giving people the wrong impression over the allocation,” he said.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Social activist gets his mandate

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/9/myrepresentative/21180524&sec=myrepresentative
By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ

My ADUN: Bukit Gasing

Full name: Edward Lee Poh Lin
Party: DAP
Age: 58
Marital status: Married with three children
Education: A-level (Methodist Boys School, Kuala Lumpur)
Profession: Retired businessman


LONG before he was elected the assemblyman for Bukit Gasing, Edward Lee Poh Lim was already a well-known social activist in Petaling Jaya.

He was and remains the president of the Section 5 RA, protem president of All-PJ Pro Action Committee (APPAC) and an advisor of Condominium, Apartment and Highrise Committee (CAHC).

He has been an outspoken champion of issues connected with the well-being of the residents in the Bukit Gasing area in particular and in Petaling Jaya in general.

Lee became a well-known environmental crusader in 1999 when he, together with some neighbours, started a campaign to save Bukit Gasing when the then Petaling Jaya Municipal Council proposed to have the hill developed.

Lee won the Bukit Gasing state seat under the PJ Selatan parliamentary constituency at the recently-concluded 12th general election by beating incumbent assemblyman and the then state executive councillor Datuk Dr Lim Thuang Seng of Gerakan by a whopping 8,812-vote majority. Lim polled 15,735 votes while Lim obtained 6,923.

Becoming an assemblyman has given Lim the people's mandate and an extra punch in his crusade for the people's welfare.

The political greenhorn from the DAP said his schedule was now packed with activities and meetings of all sorts.

“There is always something happening. A meeting there and another here, I am always kept busy. It is certainly taxing and exhilarating at the same time. But I must keep going as I know the latest happening in the city and am also involved in the process of making things happen for the betterment of the community,” he said.

“I am more busy because I have to look after a bigger number of people,” said Lee, who lives with his wife Christina Lee and their three children in Bukit Gasing.


StarMetro: How much time to do you spend on the computer? Do you blog? And do you have a website?
Lee: About two hours each day. But I used to spend more time on the computer before I became an assemblyman. Yes, I do blog. My website is http://www.edwardleepj.blogspot.com/.

StarMetro: Do you play a musical instrument, dance or sing?
Lee: I used to play the organ but after many years I have lost touch. I can also sing and dance but not professionally.

StarMetro: What kind of music do you listen to?
Lee: I like Light and Easy. I listen sentimental music that is calming to the mind.

StarMetro: Name a favourite song.
Lee: Most songs I like are by Lionel Richie.

StarMetro: Are you into movies?
Lee: Yes, I go to the movies with my learning disabled friends once in a month.

StarMetro: Favourite actor?
Lee: Charlton Heston and Gregory Peck.

StarMetro: Favourite actress?
Lee: Jennifer Lopez.

StarMetro: What do you read?
Lee: I read mostly legal and spiritual books.

StarMetro: What was the last book you read?
Lee: Louder Than Words by Andy Stanley.

StarMetro: Are you into English Premier League football?
Lee: No.

StarMetro: If not football, what are your favourite sports?
Lee: Golf and badminton.

StarMetro: Coffee or tea?
Lee: Tea, Earl Grey.

StarMetro: What is your usual drink at dinner functions?
Lee: Red wine.

StarMetro: Got a nickname?
Lee: Uncle Ed. When I write to younger people, they reply by addressing me as Uncle Ed.

StarMetro: What languages can you speak?
Lee: English, Malay, German and Russian.

StarMetro: Do you smoke?
Lee: No. Never ever smoked.

StarMetro: What is the gadget you can't do without?
Lee: Handphone.

StarMetro: You have a weakness for ....
Lee: Shoes. I walk about a lot. I have about 10 pairs of shoes.

StarMetro: Do you have a dog or a cat?
Lee: I have a dog, a Basset Hound called Duke.

StarMetro: Any phobia?
Lee: Failure of any kind.