theSun | WEDNESDAY JULY 15 2009 5

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ZULKIFLI ERSAL/THESUN

Najib approves water taxi

system for Penang
by Himanshu Bhatt
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has
approved the plan to set up jetties for
the operation of regular and chartered
water taxis on the island and main-
land.
Najib gave his approval for the
conceptual plan for the sea transport
system in the Northern Corridor
Economic Region (NCER) meeting
last week.
“Penang (island) is surrounded by
water and it is time we look into this
mode of transport rather than just
building new roads,” said Penang
Port Commission (PPC) chairman
Tan Cheng Liang yesterday.
“As it is, land is very costly and
scarce. This project will help enhance
the economic development of Pen-
ang,” she told a press conference in
the PPC office here. Also present was
Northern Corridor Implementation
Authority (NCIA) senior vice-presi-
dent Chris Tan.
“Even though Barisan Nasional
(BN) lost the state in the last general
election, we still care for Penangites,”
said Tan, who is also Penang MCA
Wanita chief.
A committee, which includes of-
ficials from the Economic Planning
Unit, Transport Ministry, NCIA and
PPC, is being formed to oversee a pre-
liminary detailed study of the project,
she said.
Under Phase 1, 10 jetties are pro-
posed to be located in Teluk Bahang,
Tanjong Bungah, Tanjong Tokong,
George Town, Pantai Jerejak (in
Bayan Baru) and Batu Maung on the
island and Bagan Ajam, Butterworth,
Pulau Aman and Nibong Tebal on the
mainland.
The sea transport system would
effectively cut down travel time and
link remote places in the state.
For example, Bagan Ajam villagers
who now take some two hours to get
to work in a hotel in Batu Ferringhi
would take only 30 minutes by water
taxi, she said.
It would also complement the
existing cross-channel ferry service Chandra (in wheelchair) with
and the Penang Bridge which is oc- Y1M board of trustees (from
casionally jammed during accidents left) Mahani, Ismail, Lee,
and peak periods. Ratnam, Idris and Fernandes
Chris Tan said NCIA was now in at the launch.
the process of commissioning a study,
including feasibility and operational
details such as pricing levels, expected
passenger mass for the various routes
Yayasan 1Malaysia launched
and technical issues like flow of wind
and currents of the sea waters around to realise 1Malaysia concept
Penang.
KUALA LUMPUR: Yayasan 1Malay- Chandra also said the foundation
The federal government has set
sia (Y1M), an independent, non-profit has received contributions from
aside an initial allocation of RM50
foundation formed by a group of two companies – SP Setia and Sime
million for the project under the Ninth
eight prominent Malaysians to help Darby – and it hopes to get more
Malaysia Plan, he added.
foster national unity, was launched support from the private sector.
The working model for the project
yesterday. Meanwhile, Noorhaina Hirawani
would likely entail the federal govern-
The foundation aims to develop, Mohd Noor was appointed as the
ment funding relevant infrastructure
support and spearhead activities first CEO of the foundation and
like construction of jetties while pri-
and programmes that will engage will report directly to the board of
vate entrepreneurs would manage the
Malaysians towards national unity trustees comprising Tan Sri Lee Lam
operations of the water taxi system.
and the 1Malaysia concept. It will Thye, Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmud,
He said the project would also give
support government and private Emeritus Prof Datuk KJ Ratnam,
tourism a massive boost by giving
sector initiatives in developing these Datuk Dr Ismail Ibrahim, Datuk Seri
people faster access to remote places.
programmes. Idris Jala, Dr Mahani Zainal Abidin
“To ensure it is sustainable, the
“We are very happy to announce and Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes.
system must be run as a business,”
that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib “The board of trustees is fully rep-
he said.
Abdul Razak has graciously agreed to resentative of Malaysia across ethnic,
be the patron of Yayasan 1Malaysia. religious, gender and regional spectra.

MPPP seeks details from This is truly an honour and an early

endorsement of this initiative,” said
Y1M board of trustees chairman Dr
Each board member is involved in civil
society and is passionate about his or
her cause,” said Chandra.

MACC on arrest of consultant

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island
Municipal Council (MPPP) president will
meet the Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC) state director soon
to get details on the arrest of a senior
consultant of a government project for
alleged graft.
Council president Tan Cheng Chui said
the council will need to get information
on the case from the MACC.
“This is a very serious case. We will
need to confirm the identity of the per-
son, although we more or less know who
he is, before we conduct internal discus-
sions on whether the consultant will be
able to continue with his work,” he said
at a press conference after an Excellent
Service Award presentation ceremony at
the Town Hall here yesterday.
Tan said MACC has yet to approach
the council for details on the project the
Chandra Muzaffar. The foundation’s first move was
According to Chandra, Y1M to set up a website (www.1malaysia.
plans to work with key stakeholder org.my) which would be a platform
groups, in particular non-govern- for fair and rational discussions on
senior consultant was involved in. action,” he said. mental organisations, that share issues among the races and a place
The senior consultant was arrested Ooi had on July 3 called for a do- their aspirations to develop and pro- for the people to express feelings
on Wednesday for allegedly demanding mestic inquiry to be carried out on a mote activities that will strengthen and sentiments about the 1Malaysia
RM350,000 from contractors involved MPPP councillor for alleged abused of national unity. concept.
in the RM11 million upgrading works of power over a stop-work order issued
the Free Industrial Zone (FIZ) in Bayan against a condominium developer in
Baru. He has since posted bail and was Batu Lanchang. He also complained that
released pending further investigations another PKR councillor was slacking in
under Section 16A of the MACC Act.
Tan said the FIZ upgrading works is
his duties.
On the stop-work order issued against
Urumqi
tense
CM to meet ‘High
a federal government project but the
council is facilitating it.
the Batu Lanchang project, Tan said it
would stay. after
police
Chaparral’
On Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi’s criticisms “The developer Insa Properties Sdn
against the conduct of two PKR coun-
cillors, Tan said the council will leave
Bhd, has also submitted an appeal against
the stop-work order and we will table it
shooting villagers tomorrow
it to the state government to take the tomorrow for a decision,” he said. pg 8
by Himanshu Bhatt
appropriate action. The Central Park project was issued newsdesk@thesundaily.com
“We will only conduct fact finding and a stop-work order last month after the
then submit a report to local government council received complaints that works GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has
and traffic management committee on the project continued till late every scheduled a meeting with Kampung Buah Pala or “High
chairman Chow Kon Yeow for further day. Chaparral” villagers tomorrow but insists no lawyers
should be around to avoid “third party” disturbance.
Lim said the discussions were important for him to
have “heart-to-heart” talks directly with the villagers on
how the state can help them.
Duo charged with “It is not difficult to come forward to just discuss.
There will be no signing of documents,” he said at a press
human trafficking conference in his office here yesterday.
The villagers were scheduled to meet Lim last Thurs-
day in his Komtar office but decided not to enter after
BUTTERWORTH: A lo- less than three years they were told their lawyer Darshan Singh Khaira could
cal man and a Chinese and not more than 20 not accompany them.
national claimed trial in years and a fine, on When asked by reporters what would happen if Dar-
the sessions court here conviction. shan Singh is brought along this time, Lim questioned
yesterday to a charge Deputy public pros- Darshan Singh’s use of his Sikh Punjabi name when he
of human trafficking ecutor Yusaini Amer had converted to Islam.
“Is this Darshan Singh or Dahan Abdullah? … We have
involving a 17-year-old Abdul Karim asked
already stated that we only want to meet villagers,” said
girl. judge Julie Lack Abdul- Lim.
Choong Loke Kiang, lah to deny bail, saying “If Dahan Abdullah or Darshan Singh is not a villager,
49, of Taman Boundry that it was a serious of- I feel he should not be present.”
and Yang Wenna, 23, a fence and might involve He also stressed that lawyer Cecil Rajendra, who
Chinese national, are al- a local syndicate. represented the villagers in their case in the High Court,
leged to have committed However, Julie set would also not be invited.
THESUN

the offence with a few bail at RM50,000 with Meanwhile, Sri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer
others still at large in a one surety for Choong said he would distribute 20,000 CDs containing video
room in Pearl View Hotel, and ordered that his footage of a speech and signing ceremony involving
MASRY CHE ANI/

Jalan Baru, here, between
1pm and 8pm on June 26.
The charge, under sec-
tion 14 of the Anti-Traffick-
ing In Persons Act 2007,
carries a jail term of not
Choong (left) and Yang are escorted out of the court by police personnel after they claimed trial to the charge.
passport be surrendered developer Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd and new
to the court while Yang landowner Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang
was denied bail because over the development of Kampung Buah Pala.
He said the copies would show that the party be-
she is a foreigner.
hind the current plight of the villagers, who have been
She fixed July 28 for given an eviction deadline of Aug 2, was the previous
mention. – Bernama state government.
“The present government wants to sincerely help
the villagers,” he said.