Call for a halt on development projects

By Tan Karr Wei
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/7/22/central/4111296&sec=central

DEVELOPMENT projects in Petaling Jaya that have not been approved should be halted for the time being.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee said this would allow the authorities and stakeholders to study conditions in the city that residents were concerned about.

He said the current economic downturn was the right time to impose a moratorium on development of high-rise and high density buildings.

“Among the major grouses of people here are traffic congestion, poor infrastructure and security. A moratorium will allow an in-depth study on our town planning.

Rapid growth: The Lembah Suband area is saturated with high-rise
residential buildings and mixed development projects.

“What better time to do this than in a downturn when there is an uncertainty in property prices and an excess of office spaces,” said Lee.

However, he stressed that this did not mean that everything must come to a standstill because the city needed upgrading in many aspects.

“What takes place then is a concerted effort by the local government, professionals and all stakeholders to come together to make their demands known. Also, the relevant authorities like the local council planning departments, Tenaga Nasional, Syabas and the Irrigation and Drainage Depart-ment (DID) can come together to look at the shortcomings of amenities in the city,” he said.

One of the main complaints is traffic congestion and the council can conduct a major traffic study.

“Integrated transport systems can then be improved and a detailed plan of action to help alleviate this problem can be implemented immediately.

“Likewise, there have been flash floods in many parts of PJ and so the authorities need to look into major drainage projects.” he said, adding that help in terms of finance from the state government will be required in view of the high cost involved.

Lee said the approval of new development projects would have to take into account the provision of infrastructure, which could only be properly addressed when a full- scale planning study was carried out.

The moratorium is targetted mainly at high-rise commercial buildings which bring in heavy traffic into the city.

He said the large number of vacant office space was also posing a financial risk to developers of these projects.

One of the many projects: A file picture of a development project in Petaling Jaya
and which is a common sight in the city, especially along the LDP, which has been
targeted for commercial developments.

“A clear statement with statistics from the local council is required to advise the public and the developers if the city requires new office buildings,” he said.

Lee said public amenities like playgrounds, open spaces and carparks would be relooked at to see if these were sufficient and whether any unplanned new development would adversely affect such existing facilities.

“Security and safety is an issue now and innovative ways must be found to construct safety features.

“For a start, we should provide more fencing between the road and kerb in high-density pedestrian traffic areas in the form of either metal fencing or shrubs to provide security and at the same time beautify the place,” said Lee.

He said the Selangor government’s proposal to upgrade and improve the Klang River would provide many opportunities for jobs and investment.

“It is my hope that the government will allow the public to take part in mapping out a proper plan for such an action to take place before development plans are approved.

“We must remember that not all moratoriums are bad. Refurbishing, repair and reconstruction work can take place during that period and that provides ample jobs,” he said.

He added that another matter of concern which can be addressed during the intermission is to make sure that all existing properties and developments are in compliance and in conformity with overall structure plans such as the national physical plan, state structure plans and local plans.

“Non-compliance can result in infrastructure deficiencies which we can’t afford if we want to attract global investments,” said Lee.

Who's Next?

By Shahnon Teoh
www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/breaking-views/32786-whos-next--shannon-teoh

In October 2006, a 28-year-old woman died in gruesome fashion. She was either shot in cold blood, and then had her remains detonated with plastics explosives, or perhaps the Special Action Force policemen found guilty of the Mongolian beauty's murder skipped the shooting part.

But one of the most overlooked tragedies of Altantuya Shariibuu's death was that it shook the nation due to her alleged links with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, instead of the fact that a young woman with her whole life ahead of her was executed by the very men who are charged with keeping the peace in this country.

In October 2006, so intrigued by the possibility of a top-ranking politician being party to a murder, Malaysians did not ask, "Who's next?"

This despite another high-profile death linked to the police force in 2004. On April 16 that year, Francis Udayappan, then 23, went missing from police custody and was fished out of the Klang River a month later, minus his head.

The suspected petty thief's mother was even denied the right to bury her son as police claimed that the body was not Udayappan. Only years later was she allowed to bury whatever remained of her son and even then, with no one ever having to take responsibility for the death.

In April 2004, so intrigued by the possibility of a mother not being able to bury her own son, barely a man when he died, Malaysians did not ask, "Who's next?"

Earlier this year, it was suspected car thief A. Kugan, who died at age 22 in police custody, a case that is still in the midst of investigation to this day.

Again, after a person just out of his teens appeared to be beaten to death by policemen, Malaysians did not ask, "Who's next?"

These are just the highlights of a rather long reel if one includes those above the age of 30.

The death of 30-year-old Teoh Beng Hock is the latest, and perhaps most stunning episode in the series so far. It may be due to the fact that as a political secretary to a Selangor executive councillor, he has an actual political office. Or perhaps that his death was not in fact linked to the police, Malaysia's favourite boo-boys.

Instead, it is the hitherto "toothless" Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), ironically set up by former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as part of a reform package to turn back the tide of negative global perception towards the integrity of Malaysia.

But Teoh's death has further mired the nation in perceived lawlessness.

It is a death easily politicised. But this is not a time for anyone to be scoring points.

The young men and women listed above, and many others, seemed to have died pointlessly. Even freshly-drafted privates gunned down before they fire their first bullets are at least given the dubious honour of being nameless "heroes".

These young departed are not heroes, no matter how many protests and rallies are held in their names. They did not die in the name of any great cause, which perhaps adds to the tragedy.

Those in authority should not now add to the tragedy by thinking in terms of "damage control". The damage has already been done. So now let's fix it.

It is a time for contrition. It is a time to say that enough is enough.

It is a time to finally ask, "Who's next?"

For the sake of Malaysia and young lives not yet lost, let the answer be "No one."

I Cannot Remain Neutral About Issues Of Morality

By Goh Keat Peng
www.themicahmandate.org/2009/07/i-cannot-remain-neutral-about-issues-of-morality/

As a Christian, I cannot keep to my seat, or shut my mouth and stay neutral over issues of morality.

So I emerge today from my several months of silence and non-involvement to say that what transpired yesterday is immoral, unacceptable and unconscionable.

Why was a witness being held for questioning for ten hours and only released at 3.45am? What kind of case is it and what is the urgency of the case in question that the witness had to be deprived of sleep and forcibly kept awake till 3.45am? Was the nation deemed to be in grave danger had the witness in question been sent home at a respectable time and asked to report again for questioning the next morning?

The nation could endure long years of waiting over so many other much longer pending cases involving so much more public money and have much greater weight in public interest but this particular case could not wait for the next morning when the witness in question would have been fresher and better rested?

What kind of interrogation was he subjected to on the fateful night without end? Why was it that a witness had to be isolated from his lawyer and forced to be in the sole company of officers with no other neutral person/s present? Because he was in the sole company of officers who were interrogating him, how would his side of the story be ever told? And how would, why should the officers in question be trusted when they tell the nation what actually transpired during that fateful night the witness lost his life?

There were no other witness/es present so how would these officers in question clear their own involvement or clear their own names in this sad story?

Isn’t it true that a medical doctor should carry out the examination of a patient of the opposite sex in the presence of at least one other person? This is a wise procedure so that should any allegation of wrongful conduct be raised against him or her, the doctor would have some neutral testimony to defend him or her.

There have been too many instances of contravention against natural justice in this country involving the agencies and instruments of state. There have been too many victims. The neutrality of these instruments of state is questionable.

I CANNOT REMAIN NEUTRAL ABOUT ISSUES OF MORALITY.

This is not about partisan politics. I expect my friends from both sides of the parliamentary divide to speak up. I expect to hear from all political parties and all who hold public office at all levels to speak up. I want especially to hear from Maximus Ongkili, Bernard Dompok, Lee Hwa Beng, Loh Seng Kok who publicly profess the Christian Faith to speak up.

I expect the churches and the church leadership to speak up including those I know personally such as Hwa Yung, Ng Moon Hing and many others.

Of course all of the above persons should state their own views and even fault my manner of speaking or reasoning. But silence is not an option. Leaders do not have the option of keeping their opinion to themselves. They must lend their voices to voices which have been silenced.

A young life has been lost on the very eve of his wedding. Siblings, parents, colleagues and a fiancee are in inconsolable grief. WHY SO? WHO WILL BE NEXT?

Originally published on July 17, 2009 in onGOHing by Goh Keat Peng.

One Bow-WOW, One Heart 2009

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Concert takes a stand against animal abuse

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/7/7/central/4247192&sec=central

THE Operafest Children’s Choir will be staging a musical concert entitled One Bow-WOW, One Heart featuring classic and modern pieces from the famous West End and Broadway musical hits.

The concert aims to raise funds for animals and is at the PJ 1st Community Performing Arts Theatre, PJ Live Arts Theatre on July 24, July 26, Aug 1 and 2 at 8.30pm.

It is organised by Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee and Operafest choir led by Kam Sun Yoke and takes a stand against animal abuse.












Giving details: Lee and Kam at the media launch of the concert.

The Operafest Children’s Choir, founded by Kam in 1986, has staged a series of well-received performances in the United States Argentina, India, Australia, Macedonia, Greece, Spain, Britain, Netherlands, South Africa and China.

Through a great performance in 1991, the choir won second prize at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales with its presentation of Purcell’s Sound the Trumpet.

It was then placed third (in the light music category) at the Koorfestival of Arnheim, the Netherlands, a choir Olympics held every four years.

Even though the Operafest keeps a low profile in the local music scene, it is popular in the international arena. It was also granted the honour of singing alongside the Vienna Boys’ Choir twice.

Kam said the violence humans inflicted on animals went unoticed and that teaching children to be kind to pets through music was the sole purpose of Operafest.

PJ Live Arts excutive director Teri Choong said: “We must encourage our children to learn arts and music which help to enhance their talents and build a cultured, well-rounded younger generation”.

The concert hopes to raise at least RM20,000 through donations and this will be channelled to the Animal Sanctuary in Taiping and the Furry Friends Farm.

Tickets to the concert is priced at a minimum donation of RM30.

For details, call Pam at 016-6267 628. For tickets, Kam - 03-6081 5781, 012-399 0073.