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Hillslope unsafe after
unapproved clearing
by Himanshu Bhatt
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: A hillslope above a
residential area in Tanjung Bungah is unsafe
after the developer of an adjacent project
cleared the area without approval, Penang
environment committee chairman Phee Boon
Poh said yesterday.
Slope activity next to the Surin condo-
minium project by Bolton Bhd has now
necessitated urgent stabilising work on the
hill, he said.
Phee said the developer was conduct-
ing remedial cutting on the hill to stabilise
the slope. “If you stop them now, there
will be the possibility of a landslide,” he
said.
Approved under the previous state
government, Surin and another nearby
project, Beverly Hills by Taman Ratu
Developers Sdn Bhd, were slapped with
temporary stop-work orders by the Penang
Island Municipal Council (MPPP) late last
year.
Phee said state local government commit-
tee chairman Chow Kon Yeow and he would
meet with the developer to discuss remedial
work.
“We may take the developer to court for
illegal work done beyond the company’s
boundaries,” he said. “They have to do dam-
age control immediately. They must take
responsibility.”
Phee also said the need for stabilising work
was not included in a geo-technical report for
the project.
“Here is a crime to cover up and how it
goes past the technical committee of the local
council concerns me,” he said.
“I was shocked when the tanah lapang
(open land) which was to be surrendered to
the local council and the government for pub-
briefs
‘MACC must have more
watchdog officers’
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC) must increase the number
of its “watchdog” officers as its internal investiga-
tions team of about 20 members represents only
about 1% of the total workforce of over 2,000.
The commission’s Corruption Consultation
and Prevention Panel chairman, Tan Sri Ramon
lic usage was on Class III (gradient of 26°-35°)
to Class IV (above 35°) hill land.
“How can you give a piece of tanah
lapang which is on a Class III? How would
people have access? What are you going to
do with the land?”
Opposition to the projects became public
in September last year when flood waters
streamed down the slopes into the houses of
residents of the Chee Seng Gardens area at
the bottom of the hill.
Residents have since held protests, ask-
ing how the two projects had come to be
approved by the MPPP in the first place.
Navaratnam, said yesterday “it will be great” to
expand the pool of internal investigators.
“The mechanism to investigate corruption
within the MACC must be strengthened con-
siderably to improve public perception.”
“Prevention of corruption can be tediously
difficult unless the public perception of the
MACC improves considerably.
“If the core is weak and shows signs of
corruption, then it makes it very difficult for
any anti-corruption agency to deliver on the
bottom line.”
He also said the MACC must step up its
public relations to project a credible image.
“The MACC may be doing more than what
the public knows but unless the public is fully
informed of the good (work), the poor public
perception will continue,” he said.
“So the PR must be stepped up.”
Transparency International of Malaysia
president Datuk Paul Low said a proper whistle-
blowing mechanism should be in place at the
MACC to project a better image.
He told theSun although the MACC has
several independent committees and panels,
it will be suitable to use a whistle-blowing
mechanism to channel information on officers
who could probably be corrupt themselves.
Councillor gets SMS threat
SEBERANG PERAI: A Seberang Perai DAP
municipal councillor received an SMS threat
on Sunday morning in connection with the
council’s crackdown on illegal hawkers.
Soon Lip Chee received an anonymous
message written in Chinese at about 5am,
warning that he would receive a live bullet
if he did not stop the crackdown. “But the
action was decided by the council’s licens-
ing department and carried out by the en-
forcement division, not by the councillors,”
he said.
Soon, who is the DAP whip in the coun-
cil, said it was unclear whether the threat
was meant for all councillors or a personal
attack on him. “But this does not deter me
from my duty as a councillor and a lawyer,”
he told a press conference in Bandar Perda
yesterday after lodging a police report.
theSun | WEDNESDAY JUNE 24 2009
MASRY CHE ANI/ THESUN
State Forestry
Department
staff plant
Paltry allocation points
trees along
Pantai Bayan
Mutiara,
to marginalisation: CM
with Penang GEORGE TOWN: Penang has been RM60 million.
Bridge in the allocated a miniscule 0.4% of the fed- “That is less than half a per cent,” he
background. eral government’s critical budget for said after officiating a state-level World
development and management under Forestry Day celebration at Pantai
the second stimulus package, Chief Bayan Mutiara.
Minister Lim Guan Eng said yesterday. “If this not neglecting or marginal-
Saying the paltry allocation was ising development in the state, what
an indication that the state was being else can you call it?”
marginalised, he urged Minister in the Lim said he would personally bring
Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri the matter up with Nor Mohamed, who
Nor Mohamed Yackob to examine and is also Tasek Gelugor MP, in parliament
address the matter. tomorrow.
Lim said the unjustified sum did On a separate matter, Lim accused
not reflect the state’s contribution to federal Penang Port Commission (PPC)
the national economy, pointing out chairman Tan Cheng Liang of mislead-
that some 30% of the country’s total ing the state and public with his state-
exports come from Penang. ment that the current operator of the
Nor Mohamed had told reporters cross-channel ferry network wanted
on Sunday that Penang has not been the federal government to take over
left behind in the country’s develop- the service.
ment and was part of the nation’s Tan’s reported statement had
mainstream development. prompted Lim to express the state’s
Iran: He was responding to Singapore interest in taking over the operation
Courts Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s of ferry services, which led to a pro-
will teach reported statement on a recent visit to tracted war of words between the two
Penang that the state’s infrastructure in the press.
protesters seemed inferior compared to that of The operator, Penang Port Sdn Bhd,
a lesson Ipoh and Seremban. which comes under the Finance Minis-
Lim noted that from a budget of try, had on Monday cleared the air by
pg 8 RM15 billion allocated for manage- saying it was working on a plan to turn
ment and development under the the company around. PPSB incurred
package unveiled in March, Penang losses of some RM21 million since it
had been allocated only about took over the ferry services.
Arrest warrant for Kapar MP
KUALA LUMPUR: The Coroner’s Court yester- Rahimah Hospital in Klang on June 25, 2007 – six
day issued a warrant of arrest for Kapar MP S. days after she admitted to drinking weed killer.
Manikavasagam after he continued to avoid a Earlier, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospi-
subpoena to testify at an inquest into the death tal’s Forensics Department head Prof Madya Dr
of actress K. Sujatha. Shahrom Abdul Wahid told the court the medical
Coroner Mohd Faizi Che Abu said the court was officer at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital did
satisfied with police efforts to serve the subpoena not follow correct procedure in releasing Sujatha’s
and had no choice but to issue a warrant to compel body without a post mortem.
on Manikavasagam to appear before the court. “Conducting a post mortem was a must when
The warrant was issued after Deputy Public the police issued Form POL 61, even though the
Prosecutor Geethan Ram Vincent asked Chief cause of death was already known,” he said.
Inspector Tay Chew Thwa to elaborate on efforts Shahrom said the medical officer had failed to
made to serve the subpoena. comply with Section 328 of the Criminal Procedure
Tay said he had received the warrant from the Code which states that in a medico-legal case,
investigation officer at about 12.30pm yesterday, other than clinical findings, a forensics examina-
and on contacting Manikavasagam on his hand- tion should be carried out to establish the cause
phone, was told by the MP to meet him in the of death.
parliament lobby at 2.30pm. He said an internal inquiry into the conduct of
On his arrival in parliament, Tay again called doctors and support staff of the hospital involved
Manikavasagam, but was told he was out for lunch in handling Sujatha’s case indicated that they
and would not be back since he had a meeting to had failed to strictly comply with procedure, and
attend in Kapar. showed miscommunication in the handling of a
“Manikavasagam also informed me via SMS case involving police investigations.
that his lawyers were still overseas and requested “This could be seen when the doctor sought
a postponement of the inquest as he was busy the consent of Sujatha’s family for a post-mortem,
attending parliament proceedings,” Tay said. which in fact was not a requirement when the
Vincent said police had previously on June 17 investigation officer wanted further examination
and 18 attempted to serve the subpoena on Man- to confirm the cause of death.”
ikavasagam, but were given the same excuse. Asked by DPP Anselm Charles Fernandis about
“Since there is enough evidence to show his expert findings in the case, Sharom said the
Manikavasagam was aware of the court proceed- actress was given the best treatment possible for
ings and was evading the subpoena, it is up to the paraquat poisoning and that she had consumed
court’s discretion whether to issue a warrant of the weed killer without being physically forced
arrest,” he said. to do so.
Counsel Datuk K. Kumaraendran, representing He said that had a forensics examination been
Maika Holdings chief executive officer S. Vell Paari, conducted, the results would have been more
also pressed for an arrest warrant. conclusive to show whether Sujatha had commit-
He was addressing the court at the inquest into ted suicide, or whether she had been pregnant.
the death of Sujatha, 28, at the Tengku Ampuan The inquest continues on July 7. – Bernama