theSun | MONDAY JULY 13 2009
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Highway threat
to forest park
IN LINE with the master plan for traffic
dispersal in the Klang Valley, a highway is
being built to link Templer Park with Kuala
Selangor. The Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selan-
gor Expressway will form part of Kuala
Lumpur’s Outer Ring Road.
I am concerned about the proposed
Templer Park-Kundang section of the high-
way which will cut through the Common-
wealth Forest Park (CFP), thus inevitably
destroying the plants and scaring away the
animals of this protected forest.
Were the Malaysian Nature Society and
World Wide Fund for Nature consulted?
Was there a proper EIA conducted?
If the CFP section of the highway were
to be built at ground level, this would cut
the park into halves, thus depriving a free
passage for the movement of wild animals
in the area. In short, this would be the
beginning of the end of the park as one of
Selangor’s natural heritage.
I urge the Malaysian Highway Authority
to realign the highway to avoid encroach-
ing into the CFP. In the worst-case scenario,
an elevated section of the highway through
the park will have to be built to provide a
free passage for wild animals. However, at
best, this will only be an ad-hoc solution
because noise pollution from vehicles us-
ing the highway will inevitably affect the
animals’ habitat.
The CFP was launched to commemorate
the 14th Commonwealth Forest Confer-
ence in Kuala Lumpur in 1993 and serves
as Selangor’s showpiece to the Common-
wealth that the state government has the
commitment to preserve the forest.
WCM
Rawang
Put the money
in local talent
BRITONS first heard of him last
spring. The English were brooding
that they had not qualified for the
European Cup when he landed
his helicopter on the hallowed
grounds of the Lords with bags
full of money. He offered US$20
million (RM71.6 million) in a win-
ner-take-all cricket match between
England and West Indies to be
played in Antigua. Even before the
match started, the British tabloids
went to town with pictures of him
with wives of cricketers sitting on
his lap. At the match which was
televised live, he had golfer Vijay
Singh for company, sipping cham-
pagne as the West Indians won
and each player going home with a
million in cash. He was referred to
as the “Texan Billionaire” who was
doing his little bit for the game.
While the cricket season took
a break over winter, he was in
the news again. This time for
a different reason and sans the
three-piece suit. He was brought
to a court-house in Houston, wear-
ing an orange jump-suit, with his
wrists and ankles in chains. The
flamboyant Sir Allen Stanford
pleaded not guilty to charges
that he orchestrated a US$7 bil-
lion (RM25 billion) fraud at his
TELLING IT AS IT IS
Managing Editor: Chong Cheng Hai
Consultant Editor: Zainon Ahmad
Executive Editor: Lee Boon Siew
Deputy Editor: Patrick Choo (Production),
Editor: R. Nadeswaran (Special Reporting and Investiga-
tions)
CitizenNades
by R. Nadeswaran
sprawling financial empire. Bail
was refused and he’s still in jail.
Thereafter, all hell broke lose
at the England and Wales Cricket
Board which promptly cancelled
all dealings with him. So, these
days when foreigners arrive with
wads of money wanting to buy
clubs in England, they are treated
with some trepidation. But not
so with media tycoon Tan Sri T.
Ananda Krishnan, or AK as he is
better known in Malaysia. In fact,
he did not even make a bid for
Newcastle and yet the tabloids in
England went gaga over his sup-
posed bid.
They quoted the Press Associa-
tion which reported as follows: A
11
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Malaysian’s move to snap up New- ing a major impact on Malaysian
castle could have a major impact football which has already hit
on the development of football in
that country. That is the view of the
rock-bottom? Then, there is web-
TV which the ministry wants to
nation’s sports minister, Datur (sic) spend RM14 million on. It appears
Ahmad Shabery Cheek, as interest
in the club from the Far East hots
to be another syiok sendiri exercise
which benefits a few.
up. He said: “We should be proud if The message to the minister
it really happens that a Malaysian and all other promoters of glam-
is involved in such a huge transac- orous events, hoping that the tax-
tion. It’s not impossible and I hope payers will foot the bill, is that let’s
it goes through. It can have a big invest in local talent, especially the
impact on the development of Ma- youth. It’s no use hosting an ATP
laysian football.” tournament when we can’t even
Sounds familiar? If not here’s get past the first round of the Davis
a re-cap of previous foot-in-the- Cup. The ministry, three years ago,
mouth quotes by spent an arm and
Malaysian person- Shabery should find a leg to bid for the
alities: Youth Olympics
» Spending RM1.6 out how the funds which Singapore
million for Austral- of the National Sports eventually won.
ian aerobic dancers Council dwindled from Such bidding
at the opening of an all-time high of RM400 exercises are
the Women in million to its near- always carried
Sports Games will out by Olympic
enhance Malaysia’s insolvency status now. associations and
image as a good not by govern-
organiser of sporting events. ments.
» The forward base in Bricken- Why the ministry ventured into
donbury will help our athletes to it will perhaps make good read-
prepare and acclimatise for com- ing for those doing their thesis
petitions in Europe. on government abuses. Shabery
» By sending a youth team to should find out how the funds
Arsenal, our players will have of the National Sports Council
experience and they can enhance dwindled from an all-time high
their skills. of RM400 million to its near-
Malaysian personalities, politi- insolvency status now. National
cians included, have the penchant associations are owed large sums
to shoot themselves in the feet of money and the ministry’s funds
and trundle on as if they offered are being used to bail out a trou-
their best opinion but barely take bled organisation which was set
cognisance that they make major up to enhance sports.
boo-boos.
Yes, the taxpayers’ money is not R. Nadeswaran and Terence Fern-
going down the drain a la Bricken- andez are in London to hone their
donbury or the World Youth Cup, skills in investigative journalism.
but then, how does buying a club Nades can still be reached at citizen-
in north England co-relate to hav- nades@thesundaily.com.