There is a report on The Star today, titled “Penang May Ban Low Cost Homes”. The report was written by my friend Ian Mcintyre that quoted me on this issue. I have no complaint on the content of the report, but the title of the news report seemed to oversimplify a complex issue.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/21/nation/6694234&sec=nation

Allow me to clarify here. Low cost housing is still needed in Penang (including Penang Island), as well as other parts of the country. There are many low income families that still need it.

The idea that I want to expound here is “Affordable Home with Livable Environment”.

It is a trend nowadays that Developers are building homes way beyond the means of the general population. Young working adults find it difficult to even afford a home. The link houses in industrialized parts of Penang Island is selling at RM600,000 and above, Condos are selling at RM350,000 above. It is, without the slightest doubt, way beyond the means of around 70% of Penangites. However, these homes are still selling like hot cakes and therefore, driving the prices higher and higher.

Developers also continue to build Super-link house (3 storeys), Semi-D and Big bungalows. Prices are astronomical. The building size might be 3000 sq ft and above. I have no problem with developers building luxury homes, but generally for a single family (5 members average), we do not need such big floor space and Penang Island cannot afford to have these houses because of the scarcity of land. It is a wastage and environmentally unfriendly too. Imagine how many air-cond you need to install!

On the other end, developers are required to build cheap 600-700 sq ft low cost flats that are selling at RM 42k. It is very popular among young families, because many people can’t afford link house and this is affordable for most Penangites. When young people slowly move up their salary scale, they buy another house and they rent it out to others. Lack of maintenance and other issues quickly turn low cost flats into “unlivable” situations. That is the problem with low cost flats.

My suggestion is that we need to build something in between. We need more homes between the range of RM100,000- RM 300,000. It should be affordable and with a livable environment, having good amenities, perhaps a swimming pool, ample parking space, a garden etc. Land space is optimized and no wastage of our limited resources and environment. Low income groups can get help from Federal Government or State Gov for assistance in terms of financing it. Young people will have a choice of affordable homes with good living environment.

I do not think we can Ban low-cost homes, it is simply too far-fetched! Low cost homes should be sold strictly to families of the low-income group only.

We should make “Affordable homes” with livable environment the choice for majority of Penangites.

Press Statement from Parti Keadilan on Penang Second Bridge

22 June 2010

Read News:

http://malaysiakini.com/news/135265

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/pakatan-rakyat/7145-second-penang-bridge-uem-making-outrageous-demands-

http://www.merdekareview.com/news/n/13859.html

In March, 2008, I revealed a letter written by UEM Managing Director Dato Ahmad Pardas Senin to Director of Economic Planning Unit of Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr. Sulaiman Mahbob. The letter dated August 2007, titled “Projek Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang – Analisa Kewangan” was sent to Parti Keadilan Rakyat by a whistle-blower. There were several main points in the letter.

• Concession period 45 years.
• UEM requested the Government to provide Soft Loan (GSL) at 4%.
• UEM asked as high as RM22,872 million government assistance from the Government including Investment Tax Allowance (ITA), Government Grant, JBIC Loan and Soft Loan.
• Construction price was RM4,068 million.
• Projected Toll charges would amount to RM7,065 million
• Penang 2^nd Bridge’s Beginning Toll rate to be RM9.40 (Class 2) with 2% every year till end of concession 2051, to be reviewed every 5 years.
• Penang First Bridge to be adjusted together with Second Bridge to RM9.40, and eventually reached maximum toll rate of RM11.50 and continue till 2051. (In fact concession ends in 2018, why till 2051?)
• No more 20% discount for Touch & Go cards.

Former Chief Minister denied my statement at that time. With recent developments, my revelations have proven to be true. Recently, first came the controversial cancellation of Touch & Go discounts. Under immense public pressure, the Gov flip-flop and announced that non-Penangites will no longer enjoy the discount. Last week, Prime Minister has confirmed that Penang Second Bridge Toll will be RM9.40, consistent with my revelation. Now, we are worried that the Government will just go along with whatever proposal the UEM in this letter.

Something is not right with Penang Second Bridge Project. At a time where federal minister warned that the country would go bankrupt, huge amount of money has gone to subsidized crony companies (please refer Government Assistance section). Federal Government gave Penangites various construction costs, the construction cost keeps escalating although material prices have come down significantly, the toll rates jump 34% from RM7 to RM9.40. The terms and conditions of the contract are shrouded with secrecy. All these have to stop. Penang Parti Keadilan Rakyat demands accountability from the Federal Government.

Penangites have been short-changed for the first time when the Government proposed and selected the current alignment and design without consultation with the Rakyat. Then, the government again direct negotiated with UEM without open tender.

We believe open tender will bring the best deals for Penangites. Competitive bidding will bring the cost down significantly. Competition will also bring in the best expertise and technology to construct the bridge. Competition will benefit the Rakyat. Unfortunately, with the current Barisan Nasional usual practice, their crony companies “didahulukan”.

We need to put a stop to all these corrupt practices. Today, we are revealing the document that we got in 2008. This letter has not been disclosed to public before. It is an old document, we believe there will be more recent development. Under BN administration that has never practice transparency, this is the only financial analysis we have had. In the name of transparency, the rakyat has the rights to know.

Therefore, Penang Parti Keadilan Rakyat call upon the Prime Minister to de-classified the Penang Second Bridge Toll contract between The Government of Malaysia with UEM. Penangites have the rights to know what is in for them. They are the people who will use it everyday. They are the people who pay for it for the next 40 years.

Failure to do so, Penang Parti Keadilan Rakyat will intensify our campaign to halt the Toll Hike. We will mobilize the Rakyat to tell the Prime Minister, we don’t want toll hike. We want Competitive, Accountability and Transparency in Second Penang Bridge Project.

YB Sim Tze Tzin
Ketua Biro Komunikasi Parti Keadilan Rakyat Pulau Pinang
ADUN Pantai Jerejak

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!

Salam Tuan/Puan,
Sebagai usaha untuk merakyatkan kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang dan sejajar dengan prinsip pentadbiran yang CAT (Cekap, akauntable dan Telus), Saya sedang mengumpul cadangan soalan-soalan untuk ditanyakan kepada Dewan Undangan Negeri untuk Nov ini. T/Puan boleh cadang soalan mengikut aspek:
1. Maklumat atau Masalah Pulau Pinang
2. Maklumat tentang Dasar atau Pentadbiran Negeri
3. Maklumat atau Masalah KADUN Pantai Jerejak
 
Sila tujukan (email, tel, fax) cadangan soalan kepada saya sebelum 10 Oktober, 2008. Soalan yang telah ditanyakan dalam persidangan lepas seperti di bawah:
Terima kasih
 
1.       Apakh cabaran-cabaran dan halangan yang dihadapi oleh kerajaan negeri untuk melaksanakan pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan. Bagaimanakah kerajaan negeri mengatasi masalah tersebut.
 
2.       Apakah jenis-jenis dan punca-punca jenayah yang berlaku di Pulau Pinang dan juga KADUN Pantai Jerejak. Sila senaraikan dalam statistik secara terperinci bagi sepuluh tahun yang lepas. Apakah usaha dan initiatif kerajaan negeri, kerajaan tempatan dan badan-badan kerajaan yang lain dalam membanteras jenayah.
 
3.       Apakah visi dan perancangan kerajaan negeri untuk meningkatkan kualiti hidup Pulau Pinang sebagai “livable city” dari aspek perumahan, pengangkutan awam, kesenian dan kebudayaan. Apakah cabaran yang dihadapi sekarang dan bagaimana mengatasinya.
 
4.       Apakah purata pendapatan, distributasi pendapatan, dan gini koefisyen (gini coefficient) untuk negeri Pulau Pinang dan KADUN Pantai Jerejak 2002-2007. Apakah punca kejadian tersebut dan langkah-langkah untuk mengurangkan ketidakseimbangan pendapatan (income inequality).
 
5.       Sila terangkan dengan perinci dari A sampai Z, proses pemilihan, proses penyiasatan dan kriteria pemberian rumah kos rendah kepada pemohon-pemohon.

–
Sim Tze Tzin
ADUN Pantai Jerejak
State Assemblyman of Penang
22, Jalan Talipon,
10400 Georgetown, Penang
Tel: +6019 443 2088
Fax: 04-2260633
www.pantaijerejak.com
www.simformalaysia.com

Dengan segala hormatnya, saya ingin menjemput semua penduduk Pulau Pinang ke Perayaan dan Perarakan Hari Merdeka peringkat Negeri.

Ia akan diadakan ulung-ulung kali di KADUN Pantai Jerejak. Tuan Yang Terutama Negeri Tun Dato’ Seri Utama (Dr.) Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abbas, Ketua Menteri YB Tuan Lim Guan Eng dan semua pimpinan Negeri akan turut hadir.

Tarikh: Ahad, 31/8/08
Masa: 8 am
Tempat: Depan Queensbay Mall

Sama-sama kita meraikan hari merdeka dengan makna dan semangat yang baru.
Merdeka dari kezaliman dan penindasan!
Merdeka dari kemiskinan!
Merdeka Rakyat!

Sebarkan!

Press Statement of YB Sim Tze Tzin

8 April, 2008

Online Employment System

In view of recent downturn in global economy especially from the US, Penang, at the forefront of global supply chain, is undoubtedly facing tumulus time ahead. Penangites have to brace ourselves for challenging times.

First few challenges have come in as no surprise when several factories started to lay off their employees. My office has received several calls from the affected workers, asking for help. I am aware of their plights and would like to help as much as possible.

We are aware that in fact several companies are actually in dire need of workers. Informal statistics showed that in fact worker turnover rate is as high as 14%, that showed that there are plenty job opportunities out there. However, there seem to be mismatches between jobs and jobless, between different geographical locations, between skill sets and experience. It is therefore important to make market as efficient as possible to match the jobless and job openings.

I see tremendous opportunity to match these affected workers with job openings with new technology. The internet has provided the leveled playing fields of this global employment phenomenon. We intend to use the internet to help the mismatches find their best match. We intend to capitalize on the new technology to make employment market more efficient.

As a younger generation ADUN, I intend to serve the people in Penang in conventional and unconventional ways. With the help of young and experience generation of community volunteers, we have successfully innovated our services to the people with new and exciting ways.

We are creating an online system to allow job seekers, especially the factory workers, to submit their resume online as well as to let employers list their job openings. The system will then allow both parties to search or perform a match. However, in view of the current situation where there are many people being jobless lately, we have broken down the system implementation into a few phases in order to be able to meet the current critical need first.

Phase one is to collect all the resumes and details of those who have just lost their job recently to determine the extent of the problem. And since majority of them do not have any internet access, we will be collecting their details in hardcopy and have their resumes entered into an online database. We will then approach employers to see if they have any job openings that are suitable for these people. The first phase would be rather semi-automated and as we move forward to develop the online system further, it would eventually be automated when we fully launch it.

Please also be aware that, this service will not guarantee employment and it only serve as a platform to make employer and employees to match each other more efficiently.

We would like to provide the first service to the affected workers on this coming weekend.

Date: 12 April, 2008 (Saturday)

Time: 2-4pm

Venue: Bilik Operasi KeADILan Opposite Hotel Vistana

It is time we converge our workers into global human capital resources.

Sim Tze Tzin

‘Zhuan’ (转) now campaign keyword

PENANG: A banner war has erupted in various parts of the island, targeting the Chinese population.

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Full story on TheStar