州议会 Badminton 通过修宪 academy on 槟领先全国 《珍珠快讯》 the cards pg16 封面版 DECEMBER 1 – 15, 2018 DECEMBER 1 – 15, Historic move Penang first state to impose two-term limit for head of govt Story by Victor Seow amendment to the Penang State Pix by Ahmad Adil Constitution had been forwarded to Muhamad the Attorney-General’s Chambers through the Office of the State Legal DESCRIBING the move as ‘unprec- Adviser on June 11 and it was dis- edented’, Chief Minister Chow Kon cussed at great length in a series of Yeow on Nov 16 tabled the bill to meetings of the state exco in July and limit the holder of the chief minis- August. ter’s post to two terms which was Earlier on, while debating the bill, passed with a two-thirds majority, Gooi Hsiao-Leung (PH-Bukit Ten - with 33 assemblymen voted in fa- gah) said the amendment was a clear vour while three Opposition assem- indication that the Pakatan Harapan blymen from Umno and PAS ab- state government is fulfilling its stained. The remaining four PKR promise to strengthen the country’s lawmakers were absent with notice. system of parliamentary democracy. The bill was passed with a two- “This proposal was made for thirds majority, with 33 assembly- obvious reasons. During the time of men voting in favour while the three the previous Barisan Nasional fed- Opposition assemblymen from eral government, Malaysians faced Umno and PAS abstained. The re- a situation where the prime minister maining four PKR lawmakers were was given excessive power and the absent with notice. Penang Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang (seated, centre), Chow (on Law’s right, in blue tie), elected country’s whole administrative sys- With this move, Penang becomes representatives and government officers taking a group photo after the State Legislative Assembly sitting. tem was misused to protect him from the first state in the country to place In his winding up speech, Chow am doing that,” he added. criminal investigations. a limit on the tenure of a chief min- said the “unprecedented” move As the holder of a “In line with the direction taken “On this day, Nov 16, 2018, it’s ister. served to restore the faith of the by the federal government, the Pen- not just for Penang, as we are setting The amendment to the Penang people towards political parties and public office, we ang state government has given a fantastic example for other states State Constitution which has been the governments they elected into are expected to priority to this aspiration to fulfil too. We should appreciate the chief enforced since Aug 30, 1957 will power. Pakatan Harapan’s General Election minister’s efforts. The chief minister result in Article 7, Clause 2, para- “A saying that we hear a lot is ‘by do our best and I manifesto. has only held the post for six months, graph (a) having an additional line the stroke of a pen, we can do some- am doing that “Penang will once again be creat- the seat is not warm yet but today, he which says “a member of the as- thing good or undo something bad’. – Chow ing history by being the first state in has tabled the bill,” noted Gooi. sembly who has never held a chief I don’t see what we are doing this Malaysia to impose a limit on the Lee Chun Kit (PH-Pulau Tikus) minister’s post for two terms”. evening as robbing the right of some- tenure of its chief minister to two shared Gooi’s views and said that the So far, the State Constitution had one to become the CM but more so ment this office I am now in as terms which will result in a progres- amendment to the state constitution been amended 18 times with the last as the restoration of confidence the something personal. I am in this as sive political approach,” the chief would enable new faces, especially one in 2012 which concerned an rakyat has in us,” said Chow, who’s the holder of a public office. minister said during the state assem- the next generation of younger lead- anti-party-hopping law for assem- also the Padang Kota assemblyman. “As the holder of a public office, bly session. ers, to have the opportunity to as- blymen. “I have never assumed for a mo- we are expected to do our best and I Chow added that the proposed sume the highest post in the state. 2 DECEMber 1 – 15, 2018 Step in the right direction Story by Christopher Tan on ESTEEMA (English, Science, Ahmad Zakiyuddin, who is gone the Technical and Voca- Technology, Engineering, Math- also the state Islamic Religious tional Education Training PENANG is setting a path to be ematics and Arts) education. Affairs, Industrial Development (TVET) in PSDC managed to at the forefront of Industry 4.0. “The setting up of Tech Dome and Community Relations Com- secure a job. Deputy Chief Minister I Da- Penang, Penang Science Cluster, mittee chairman, said the Penang “About 60% of them managed tuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abd @CAT Centre and Penang Math government cooperated with to get a job in local large com- Rahman (pix) said the state gov- Platform ensures that Penang Penang Skills Development Cen- panies and in small and medium- ernment set up the Penang Digi- continues to be a centre of excel- tre (PSDC), as well as public and sized enterprises (SMEs). tal Library, Butterworth Digital lence in science and technolo- private institutes of higher learn- “The remaining 40% are cur- “The seed fund was set up to Library and the Penang Islamic gy,” he said in his winding up ing to increase the development rently working in multinational assist small entrepreneurs and Digital Library to face the Indus- speech on Nov 16 during the level of human resources. corporations (MNCs),” he said. company start-ups which are trial Revolution 4.0. State Legislative Assembly sit- “I am happy to announce that He also spoke on the US$1 involved in technology,” he “These digital libraries focus ting. all the students who had under- million Penang i4.0 Seed Fund. added. Exco members contribute over RM80,000 to Tabung Harapan from pay cut ELEVEN Penang executive country,” he told a press con- council (exco) members joint- ference during lunch break at ly contributed RM81,159.63 the State Legislative Assem- to Tabung Harapan, after a bly. 10% salary cut from June to Chow said the state govern- November this year. ment delivered what it has Chief Minister Chow Kon promised and that the amount Yeow said the state govern- collected would be channeled ment on May 31 had agreed to Tabung Harapan. to impose the 10% salary cut from the basic pay of the Chow, Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Chief Minister and all 10 exco Rahman (third from left), state members. Financial Officer Datuk Sarul “The pay cut was imposed Bahiyah Abu (second from right) to service the national debt. and other executive council “The Penang government, members (from left) Soon Lip Chee, Datuk Abdul Halim in the spirit of patriotism and Hussain, Dr Afif Bahardin and love for Malaysia, wanted to Phee Boon Poh in a group photo extend our help to rebuild our after the press conference. Property declaration by exco members, assemblymen PENANG Pakatan Harapan execu- declared their properties early this tive council members (exco) and its year,” Chow told a press conference assemblymen remained steadfast in during lunch break at the State their promise to declare their prop- Legislative Assembly on Nov 12. erties. Chow said the declaration made Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow by the 13 Harapan elected repre- said three newly-elected Harapan sentatives was for the period up to exco members - Datuk Ahmad Jan 31 this year. Zakiyuddin Abd Rahman (PH- He added that the Penang gov- Pinang Tunggal), Zairil Khir Jo- ernment had appointed an accred- hari (PH-Tanjong Bungah) and ited independent audit firm to Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain (PH- conduct the auditing. Batu Maung) - together with 21 “The audit firm found that the newly-elected Harapan assembly- information and documents pro- men have declared their properties vided were in order. as promised. “The Penang government has “The declaration is for the period again delivered its promise and will up to May 31 this year. continue to propel the state forward “This Declaration of Property is based on the CAT (Competency, only for the newly-elected exco Accountability and Transparency) members and newly-elected as- policy,” he said. semblymen. The Declaration of Property can “This is because 13 Harapan be viewed at the Penang govern- elected representatives, who had ment’s portal www.penang.gov.my By Me been elected before, had already under the Popular Topic section. DECEMber 1 – 15, 2018 3 Budget paving the way for Penang2030 Story by Victor Seow cating RM39.3 million for the up- ment sector, especially the tele- sideration the increased in prices grading and construction of new communication industry which is of a range of items such as petrol, CHIEF Minister Chow Kon Yeow roads in the state. Furthermore, in most willing to invest in Penang. cooking oil as well as subsidised who tabled the 2019 Budget on order to enhance accessibility and This success also has much to do items and therefore, have approved Nov 9 reiterated his goal of achiev- to improve on roads in the villages, with the 3M and 1S which we adopt a year-end bonus of equivalent to ing what’s stated in his vision for a sum of RM2 million will be al- in our practice in telecommunica- 0.5 month or a minimum of the state under Penang2030 espe- located while an additional RM5 tions infrastructure – ‘Maju, Mu- RM1,000.