Selfish BN treating parliament as rubber stamp

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/04/19/selfish-bn-treating-parliament-as-rubber-stamp/ (By G Vinod, 19/4/2012)
The Dewan Rakyat is likely to bulldoze eight Bills and debate five motions today despite protests from Pakatan Rakyat MPs.
The five motions rushed through this morning were from the Finance Ministry. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong earlier told Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee that the government wanted the second reading of the eight bills and the five debates completed by end of the day.
At this juncture, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok stood up and protested saying the MPs won’t have enough time to debate the bills but Kiandee ignored her interjection.
Among the Bills that are to be passed for a second reading today are the Elections Offences (Amendment) Bill 2012, Universities and University Colleges (Amendment) Bill 2012, Private Higher Education Institutions (Amendment) Bill 2012, Education Institutions (Discipline) (Amendment) Bill and the Printing Presses and Publication (Amendment) Bill 2012. Liew’s motion was seconded by Deputy Works Minister Yong Khoon Seng.
Speaking at a press conference later, Kok criticised the speaker for rushing through the Bills saying that a lot of the legislation needed time to be debated. “We took more than a day to debate the Securities Offences (Special Measures) Bill 2012. “More time is needed to debate the amendments to the Printing Presses and Publication Act and the amendments to the Universities and University Colleges Act,” said Kok. She accused the government of rushing through the Bills as the general election was looming over the horizon. “The government is treating the Parliament as a rubber stamp. A lot of us didn’t expect this,” she said.
Selfish BN
Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him echoed Kok’s sentiments, saying the Bills being bulldozed are of public interest and should not be rushed. On why Kiandee allowed it, Sim said he would not want to speculate on the deputy speaker’s decision but said probably the government wanted to use the laws as its selling point for the general election.
Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng was more vocal, saying the rush job showed how selfish BN was at expense of the rakyat’s interest. “The whole month they never bothered. Only the last day they are doing this. They just want show that the prime minister (Najib Tun Razak) had fulfilled his pledge,” he said.
Liew: Ample time game
A cornered Liew later denied that the government was trying to bulldoze its way with the eight Bills, and claimed that all MPs present had been given due notice. “[There's] no such thing as bulldozed. All the MPs have been given notice on the Bills, so how can it be bulldozed?” he told reporters in Parliament. Asked if there was enough time to debate all Bills available, Liew evaded the question and blamed the MPs for wasting time during sittings. “As I said just now… time has been wasted because some of the MPs have been bringing up issues that are not related to the Bills that have been tabled. They talk about so many unrelated issues,” he said.

Taxi driver shot by cop to get RM33,000 in settlement

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/18/courts/11122556&sec=courts (18/4/2012)
A taxi driver whose legs were injured when a policeman shot at him, will get RM33,000 after a settlement was reached.
Sessions Court Judge Unaizah Mohd said the defendants Detective L/Kpl Norhesham Mohd Nor and the Government agreed to pay RM33,000 to plaintiff Yeow Leong Kang.
Sessions Judge Unaizah read the agreement in the presence of Yeow’s lawyer Lim Lip Eng who is also Segambut MP, and Federal Counsel Nur Aqilah Ishak. Yesterday, the civil suit was fixed for a full hearing.
Yeow had on Nov 9 last year filed the negligence suit against L/Kpl Norhesham who was attached to the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department at the Cheras police headquarters, and the Government.
In his statement of claim, Yeow, 42, alleged that during the incident at around 4.30pm on Sept 23, 2010, he was inside his taxi at a bus stand in Jalan Pudu when L/Kpl Norhesham came and shot at his legs without giving any warning or reason. He claimed he had to undergo treatment at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for three days during which L/Kpl Nor­hesham visited him. Yeow claimed as a result of the injuries, he now suffered pain in both his legs, which restricted his movements.
He was claiming general damages, special damages amounting to RM14,000, aggravated damages of RM100,000, exemplary damages of RM100,000 and other costs deemed fit by the court.
Related news: Cabbie gets payout over shooting http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/cabbie-gets-payout-over-shooting-1.74952
Cabbie settles in cop negligence case http://www.thesundaily.my/news/352467

Ministry: Hang Tuah is like Robin Hood

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/04/10/ministry-hang-tuah-is-like-robin-hood/ (By Teoh El Sen, 10/4/2012)
The existence of the Malay warrior cannot be proved but like Robin Hood he plays a crucial cultural role and can serve as a role model.
The existence of Chinese princess Hang Li Po and legendary Malay hero Hang Tuah have yet to be proven through “empirical or historically factual means”, according to the Ministry of Information, Communication an Culture. The ministry said this in a written reply to a question posed by Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng in Parliament asking the ministry to furnish credible evidence to proof the existence of the two famous historical characters as well as the four other Malay warrior friends of Hang Tuah. “The authenticity of the existence of Puteri Hang Li Po and the Hang Tuah five ‘brothers’ have yet to be proven through empirical or historically factual means but is mentioned in the Hikayat Hang Tuah and Sejarah Melayu,” said the ministry.
The ministry added that the Karya agung Sulalat al-Salatin, also known as Sejarah Melayu, written by Tun Sri Lanang included two chapters that depicted Hang Tuah. “The story of the Hang Tuah five is consistent with the Malay community and has become part of the intangible cultural heritage through oral tradition, poems, sayings and so on. “These stories live a furtile life in the cultural community such as Robin Hood and King Arthur in the West,” said the ministry, adding that these unverified legends which were still historically unproven play a crucial cultural role and could be great role models in a society.
The five warriors were said to have served the Malacca ruler Sultan Mansur Shah in the 15th century. Meanwhile, Hang Li Po was said to have come from China and was the fifth wife of Sultan Mansur Shah.
In January, renowned historian Prof Khoo Kay Kim opened a can of worms when he told BFM radio station that Hang Li Po, the the five warrriors Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu never existed. He had said that the Chinese Ming dynasty of the 16th century did not have records on them. The KDU college chancellor had also said he had read the writings of two Western historians and another prominent historian Wang Gung Wu on the Ming records which did not mention the characters either.

Illegal carpark operator doing 'smooth' business

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/194339 (By Leven Woon, 6/4/2012)
An illegal carpark has been operating on a plot of land located between Kuala Lumpur High Court and the former government complex in Jalan Duta for about six months now, without facing any harsh action by the authorities.
Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, at a press conference today, claimed the illegal operator, displaying a 1Malaysia Duta Car Park signboard, has been collecting RM4 parking fees from motorists on the plot of land, designated as Lot 6176 Grant 32320, since December last year.
Lim said a check with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) revealed that the operator, SP Tuah Sdn Bhd, was doing business without commercial, planning and signboard licences. He claimed that the “blatant illegal act” was condoned by DBKL, which only has issued three compounds, with a penalty of RM300 each, against the operator.
“If a restaurant operator puts tables and chairs on parking lots or any other vendor puts up a stall on the roadside, DBKL would swiftly come and confiscate all the furniture.
Similar signboard in Bandar Menjalara
“But how come a carpark operator who does not have any kind of legal documents can continue to operate under the bright sun?” asked Lim.
The MP became suspicious of the activity when he noticed another carpark operator displaying a similar signboard on a plot of land in Bandar Menjalara, Kepong, recently. This operator imposed RM2 parking fees on motorists who had previously enjoyed free parking in the area.
Lim then brought police officials and members of the media to the Jalan Duta illegal carpark and met SP Tuah’s director Chris Gary, whose office displays the portraits of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar.
Gary admitted that the land belongs to the Federal Territories Land and Minerals Office (PTGWP) and that he had failed to secure a permit from them in his latest bid in March. He also does not pay any rental to PTGWP. As a result, DBKL has also refused to grant him an operating licence. “But it’s good enough that PTGWP is considering my permit application.
"I am confident to get approval in two weeks’ time,” he said, adding that he will continue to collect parking fees from motorists who park their vehicles there.

151 officers from enforcement agencies were fired between 2008 to 2010.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/6/parliament/11057209&sec=parliament (6/4/2012)
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said the Government had dismissed 151 officers from enforcement agencies such as the police, Armed Forces, Customs Department and and Immigration Department between 2008 to 2010.
He stated in a written reply to Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) during Question Time that 51 officers were fired in 2008 followed by 44 and 47 officers in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Garbage, parking woes at Bandar Baru Menjalara

New Straits Times (3/4/2012)

Damaged road irks Jalan Kiara 5 residents in Mont Kiara

New Straits Times (2/4/2012)

TTDI Lembah Kiara park in deplorable conditions

In a sad state: The pond has become a mosquitobreeding ground. (Photo by The Star)

WELL-MAINTAINED OR RUN-DOWN? Lim showing a septic tank from which water flows into a stream that runs through the park. ABOVE: The fountain that Lim says has not functioned for a year (Photos by The Malay Mail)

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/4/2/central/11030653&sec=central (By FAZLEENA AZIZ, 2/4/2012)
RESIDENTS of Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur are concerned over the dilapidated conditions of the Lembah Kiara recreational park. The park’s water fountain has not been functioning for the past one year while the water lily pond has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Its hanging bridge has been out of order for two months with a sign erected by the authorities forbidding people from using it. The rubberised mats are also ridden with holes.
Residents said they believed the toilet’s septic tank was out of order causing some of the discharge to flow into the drain and the stream.
Wee Y.C. 53, who has lived in TTDI for 28 years, said the poor condition of the park would have an adverse effect on events held place at the park. He said it was important to preserve the park as it was a family place not only for the locals but also for Klang Valley folks. “Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has an allocation to maintain parks. The money should be used to spruce up the place,” he asked.
Meanwhile, resident James Ng, 58, is concerned for the aquatic life and tortoises living in the pond. “I am disappointed with the level of maintenance because the authorities should be aware of the problem and find a solution. “There is a site office for the Housing and Local Government Ministry which isn’t used. They should be consistent in addressing the problems here,” he said.
Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, who visited the park, agreed that there was a lack of maintenance of the park by the authorities. He said there was a question as to who was responsible for maintaining the park. “DBKL had handed over the park to the ministry. But on DBKL’s website, it states you need to liaise with them. It’s quite confusing who is the rightful authority, “In DBKL’s budget, they have allocated RM96mil for park maintenance, so why are they not using the funds to upgrade this park?
“When I contacted DBKL, they said the fountain and waterfall pumps will be fixed as they are finding contractors. “DBKL said they have no expertise to fix them but it is important that the relevant authorities address them as the park is heavily used,” Lim said.

MP, City Hall differ over Lembah Kiara Park
Source: http://www.mmail.com.my/story/mp-city-hall-differ-over-lembah-kiara-park (By Siti Nursuraya Ali, 2/4/2012)
WHAT constitute a good recreation park?
For residents and visitors to the Lembah Kiara recreational park in Taman Tun Dr Ismail here, as long as it is safe, clean and well-maintained, it is good.
For Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, however, the park is “run down” and, to prove his point, he took reporters on a tour of the park yesterday. Lim said it was sad to see the park in such a condition. “As a green lung, it deserves better maintenance than it is getting now,” he said. Lim said he had received complaints a septic tank there had malfunctioned, causing sewage water to leak into a stream, which runs through the park before ending up in a lake.
“Children play in this stream not knowing sewage water is flowing in it as well. There is a natural spring here and poor maintenance will destroy it,” he said. He said the other amenities at the park were also poorly looked after. “The water pump for an artificial waterfall and fountain in the middle of the lake have not functioned for at least a year,” he said.
“When I questioned Kuala Lumpur City Hall about it, they claimed they had no budget and manpower or skilled workers to repair it.” Lim said he was unhappy with the explanation as City Hall had allocated RM96 million or seven per cent of its 2012 budget of RM2.17 billion for recreational parks and green lungs upkeep alone.
He said there were rumours that City Hall was planning to re-gazette the park land and allow a development project just behind it. “Although the rumours are unconfirmed, they are enough to raise concerns,” he said.
In response, City Hall director-general Datuk Salleh Yusup said: “Don’t they have better things to do? The park is well-maintained. “And for their information, the Lembah Kiara recreational park is managed by the National Landscape Department, under the Ministry of Housing (and Local Government), and not the City Hall.”
Related news: Who's in charge? http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/who-s-in-charge-1.70063