Georgetown: Pantai Jerejak State Assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin today launches an ambitious RM50,000 project to build seven or more mini libraries across his constituent. He plans to bring mini libraries directly to where community lives with good books and internet facilities. He plans to build an intellectual and cultured community where reading is the hobby of most people.

“Libraries should be nearer to where people live and work. It should be condusive and pleasurable place for people to read, surf internet and gather. It should be a place where old friends meet, new friendship made, new ideas get generated and with an intellectual environment. It should have coffee too.” He said that during a ceremony to hand over RM3,000 books to MPPP Library at Bayan Baru Market.

Today, he also announced allocating an addition RM5,000 to install computers and internet facilities to the Library and another RM1,000 to buy periodic magazines. He urges more people including old and young to read at that place. He urges Mr. Apollo and Puan Latifah who are both present there, both chairman of Bayan Baru Market Traders and hawkers, to read after their work to have fun reading and improve their lives.

“I grew up studying at Batu Lanchang Mppp library. I benefited tremendously because I got good result after studying there. I feel appreciative to be what I am now. I wanted to do something to improve the library system in Penang.” He told the fellow students who were present.

Sim will be implementing his plans in three phases. He will first set up two mini libraries, one in Bayan Baru Market and another in Kampung Sg. Nibong Kecil, Kawasan D. Last week, on April 12, he announced allocation of RM3,000 to buy books and another RM3,000 to install an air-cond in the community hall there.

In  the second phase, he plans to set up mini libraries at three other locations: Kg Sg Nibong Pantai, Kg Jawa and Kg Sg Nibong Tengah. His taskforce is now identifying suitable locations. In the third phase, he plans to set up in Taman Sri Nibong and Mahsuri Area. Lion’s Club has initiated an idea to turn an abandoned foodcourt at Taman Sri Nibong into a mini library and community center. The idea is still in the process of negotiation.

YB Sim has pledged to allocate RM50,000 or more, a substantial portion of his ADUN fund, every year to make this project successful. He will also engage Multi-National Companies to perhaps adopt the mini libraries, in order to furnish, donate computers and support on-going expenses.

He also ask for book and computer donation to these mini libraries. Please contact project coordinator on mini libraries, Miss Loh Ker Chean at 012-3620530 and kerchean@gmail.com if interested.

I would like to wish Happy New Year to Tamil, Malayalees and the Sikhs community and friends.

Last Sunday, I was invited to attend a Tamil New Year Celebration at Kawasan D, Kg Sg Nibong Kecil. I was shocked and saddened by what I have seen. After 51 years under BN, the community of Kg Sg Nibong Kecil is still living in poverty. The entire kampung had 1000 homes, 5000 residents, and they were all “urban pioneers” (I hate to use this word: squatters). Kawasan D is mainly Indians, but Kg Sg Nibong Kecil is majority 80% Malays and some small community of Chinese. In short, Malays, Chinese and Indians are just left behind in this kampung.

The kawasan D community was living in a slump area, houses were small and close to each other. There were many old and sick people. A man who was undergoing dialysis every week almost cried in front of me because he just couldn’t afford the bills. A single mother without job asked me to help her feed the family. A lady who recently met accident, ask me to help pay for their hospital bill. There were just too many poor people. They all came up to me to ask for assistant. I did not know how to help them, frankly. I promised to bring the Welfare Department to help them. Hopefully, they will get something.

I too saw hope in the kampung. The hope was with the kids. They were energetic, cheerful and lovely. I urged the parents to focus on the kids and make sure they send the kids to school. I believe education is the only way to ride the community out of poverty.

I also immediately pledge to set up a mini-library at their community center called Dewan Hindu Sangam. I will allocate RM3,000 to buy books to set up this library. Also, I will install an air-cond at their community center so that the kids will have a  good environment to read and study.

I hope by cultivating the habits of reading, they will excel in their school and eventually lift their families out of poverty. Happy Tamil New Year.

Sim Tze Tzin

I love Spring, the blossoming flowers and the superb weather.

Last week, when I drive along Jalan Mayang Pasir near PISA, I was surprised to discover spring blossom, our very own Bayan Baru Sakura Blossoming! Spring Time coming to Penang! I immediately slowed down my car, to a point of irratating the trailing cars, but who cares? I couldn’t resist to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

Today, before I go to my service center for meet-the-people session, I took out my digital camera and took a few shots. Sharing with you my pictures.

Pls share with me your blog if you happened to blog on it too!

Chief Minister of Penang YAB Lim Guan Eng will make major policy annoucement on public housing land titles on new year day Jan 1st, 2009. He will make the annoucement during a dialogue with all Residents and Residents Association of PDC’s low and medium low cost flats. He is expected to annouce the details of changing status of landownership from lease hold to freehold.
 
He will make the annoucement together with State Assemblyman of Pantai Jerejak YB Sim Tze Tzin during an event hosted by the state assemblyman. Pantai Jerejak is the constituent with many low cost and medium low cost PDC Flats, estimated to be 54 blocks.
 
The PDC has sent out invitation to all Resident Associations. At the same time, it is also an open invitations to the residents of PDC flats. It is a good opportunity to spend the first morning of the new year with the CM and discuss about public housing problems. It also showed that the Chief Minister is truly concern about the rakyat’s problem even on the very first morning of the new year.
 
The details of the event:
Date: 1 Jan 2009 (Thursday)
Time: 11 am
Venue: Block 7, Lebuh Mahsuri Flat Area (refer the map attached)
 
The program:
11.00am Arrival of CM
11.05am Welcoming speech by RA President
11.15am Opening Speech by YB Sim Tze Tzin
11.30am YB Dato Zahrain’s speech
11.40am YAB CM’s Speech
12.00noon Dialogue with RA
12.30pm Press Conference