6 theSun | MONDAY JULY 27 2009 news without borders

Samy: Subra’s no loss by Bernard Cheah New hope in abandoned projects [email protected] Analysis by Ng Kee Seng What makes the announcement Maju, which wound up in 1999. and rationalise the current SEBERANG PERAI: MIC president Datuk Seri S. [email protected] worthy of mention is that it was In addition, the buyers will government’s successful revival of Samy Vellu says the party is not affected by former made by a (PR) receive compensation of 50% of Taman Cemerlang. vice-president Datuk S.S. Subramaniam’s move OVERSHADOWED by last week’s state government led by the DAP. the purchase price and if they wish The answer is really not too to quit and join Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). headline grabbing news of political What the Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu to buy into the new development mind boggling – transparency and “I congratulate the former Segamat MP. His aide Teoh Beng Hock’s death while Koon Gerakan-led Penang Barisan project, they will be given a cash sincerity in resolving the plight of resignation is no loss to the MIC,” he said. in the “custody” of the Malaysian Nasional (BN) government could discount of RM5,000 each. the man in the street. “He has not been serving or contributing to Anti-Corruption Commission was not resolve in 12 years, Lim Guan Belleview’s subsidiary, Lem- Besides Taman Cemerlang, the party or the Indian community. We do not an announcement that deserved Eng and his executive councillors baman Development Sdn Bhd, is Penang Town and Country Plan- feel a sense of loss. It is up to him what he wants mention and attention. delivered in a few months. to turn Taman Cemerlang into a ning, Housing and Arts Committee to do in PKR,” said Samy Vellu. Deserving because it concerned After several meetings with the RM400 million mixed development chairman Wong Hon Wai said there Subramaniam recently announced his entry the revival of an abandoned hous- Belleview Group, the state govern- project. were a total of 21 abandoned to PKR in a function in Taman Medan, Petaling ing project in Penang, an issue that ment succeeded in sealing a deal A few kilometres away is the in- projects in the state with 14 in Jaya, , claiming that 10 MIC branches involves the hard-earned savings of with the “white knight” developer famous Majestic Heights, Penang’s “very problematic position”. in the Klang Valley, with 1,700 members, will the man-in-the-street. to revive the Taman Cemerlang largest abandoned mixed develop- Wong said fi ve projects, includ- follow suit. Malaysia is notoriously famous housing project. ment project which shattered the ing Taman Cemerlang, are being “Only 300 members quit the party. This is for abandoned housing projects Taman Cemerlang was aban- dreams of about 6,000 people to revived while two others have been a bluff,” said Samy Vellu in a press conference due to poor regulatory manage- doned in 1998, leaving about 1,200 own a home. completed, awaiting occupancy before offi ciating at the Penang MIC 63rd Con- ment and lack of political will. buyers in the lurch. They had paid Koh had, three general elections certifi cates. vention here yesterday. On another matter, Samy It’s an issue that has shattered between 10% and 20% of the pur- ago, promised and assured Majestic There is now hope for the vic- said MIC may amend the party’s constitution the hearts of many Malaysians for chase price. Heights buyers that his government tims of unscrupulous developers to reduce the minimum number of members decades, while unscrupulous and Lim said Belleview would repay would revive the project, probably in the state and it will surely be a required to form a branch. irresponsible developers, exploiting RM40 million outstanding loan to with the help of a “white knight”. feather in the cap for the PR gov- the loopholes of existing laws, get the charge bank owed by the previ- It will do well for the BN govern- ernment if it succeeds in the case ‘Don’t build prayer away scot-free. ous project developer, Penangan ment to do some soul searching of Majestic Heights. houses indiscriminately’

TAIPING: Malaysians are advised not to build houses of worship illegally and indiscriminately as this could lead to unnecessary tensions when such structures are demolished by the authorities. Illegal foggers spread to KL Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Depart- ment Datuk T. Murugiah said those wishing to Worldwide by Llew-Ann Phang This time, of the 18 opera- pesticides, as permitted by have no regard for the law,” build such structures should get prior approval protests [email protected] tors for the various zones in the Pesticides Board. he said. from the authorities. the city, the Pest Control As- “When they breed and Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Speaking to about 2,000 worshippers at the against : While sociation Malaysia (PCAM) their lifespan expires, their Giaw, when contacted, Sri Mariamman Temple here during a special Teheran Selangor deals with reports said only four are legal and larvae already have devel- said reports of the illegal prayer in conjunction with Prime Minister Datuk regime that 80% of the pest control possess an applicator’s li- oped resistance so the cor- operators have been around Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s 56th birthday, he said operators in the state are il- cence by the Pesticides Board, rect amount of chemicals is a long-time and might be a although Malaysians can practice their religion pg 8 legal, City Hall (DBKL) has as of late last month. essential,” he added. phenomenon nationwide. freely, it did not mean they can build houses of found itself having to deal President Ang Tan Loong Ang also expressed con- “This figure is worrying. worship anywhere they liked. – Bernama with the same allegations. told theSun the association cern over the public being It’s a scam and there must does not intend to step on “punished” by the authorities be concerted efforts against anyone’s toes or deprive them as illegal fogging is being car- illegal fogging companies of their bread and butter. ried out at residential areas. especially since it exposes “However, it is increas- “It has already been the risk of aggravating the ingly important that fogging reported that residential outbreak instead of contain- activities had the elements contributes only 2% of the ing it or curbing it,” he said. of the right dosages and outbreaks and the areas that Mayor Datuk Ahmad concentration in pesticides should be of concern are Fuad Ismail could not be in the constant battle against construction areas, office reached for a response. dengue. buildings and other such Last month, the Health “We don’t mind them places and yet, fogging is con- Ministry said dengue was on doing their business as long tinuously done in residential the increase with 748 cases as they know what they’re areas,” he added. in Kuala Lumpur. Selangor doing,” he said. The next step the PCAM and the Federal Territory of Ang holds strong to his is taking is to highlight the Kuala Lumpur were re- belief that non-professionals names of the fi rms involved ported to be two out of the will be of no help in the fi ght to the Agriculture and Agro- three states with the highest against dengue as mosqui- based Industry Ministry’s recorded number of deaths toes develop resistance, even Pesticides Board for action to this year due to dengue. in their short lifespan of up be taken. Selangor recorded 43 to 10 days so it is necessary “It is high time they go to deaths while Kuala Lumpur for operators to be licensed the ground and bring these and had seven and are qualified to apply culprits which incidentally deaths each. Cuepacs wants to take over loan deductions function KUALA LUMPUR: Cuepacs “What we are proposing servants” despite earning wants to take over the to the government is to al- such huge sums from them. monthly deduction service low Cuepacs to take over He said Cuepacs had the for government sector loans the deduction service for capability of taking over the from the National Coop- loans of civil servants and let deductions and all it needed erative Movement, Angkasa, Angkasa continue with the was some initial assistance with an eye on the lucrative service for the private sector. from the government to set commission of some RM4 If the proposal is accepted, it up the infrastructure. billion a year. will allow Cuepacs to earn “Maybe the government This is to enable the about RM4 billion annually can give us a soft loan which congress to utilise the com- from the service,” he said. we can easily repay within mission from the service to This earning, he said, a short period when our benefit the 1.2 million civil would be channelled back system is up and running,” servants. to the civil servants through he said. Cuepacs secretary-gen- a foundation in the form of Bernama understands eral Ahmad Shah Mohd Zin scholarships, medical aid, both the Treasury and Ac- said Angkasa was raking in grants and other financial countant-General’s Office some RM8.1 billion a year in and material assistance. are receptive to the proposal commission by providing the “Assistance can also and will assist Cuepacs if the deduction service for both be given to government government approves the the government and private retirees, thus reducing the scheme. sectors. burden on the government. “Setting up the infrastruc- “Of this amount, 50% is This is a win-win situation, ture is not a big deal and it contributed by civil servants as both civil servants and the can be done easily as the through their various deduc- government will benefi t from basics are already in place,” tions,” he said. the scheme,” he said. said a source in Mampu (Ma- Angkasa charges 2.5% of Ahmad Shah pointed out laysian Administrative Mod- the loan amount monthly as that Angkasa had not con- ernisation and Management commission for its service. tributed “anything to civil Planning Unit). – Bernama