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THREE unrelated sets of events have revealed the intricate set of circumstances in Penang now when it comes to governance with openness. They are (1) the resignation of Deputy CM I Fairus Khairuddin (2) the open, almost acrimonious, debate over RapidPenang and (3) the proposal to set up a tiger park. On balance, despite the great deal of energies spent, the public debate is good because it throws up information and views that would otherwise remain away from public scrutiny.
Deputy CM’s resignation: The resignation of 33-year-old Fairus Khairuddin (read here) has come about amidst intense speculation about his ability and integrity (read here and here) although he has denied all these charges. Read here. The phrase “internal sabotage” has also been mentioned. Read here. Even as he went on leave, it was still claimed that he was coming back (read here) however the matter was confirmed Saturday Mar 21 when his official resignation became public. He will cease as DCM I on April 8. Viewed as a Pakatan Rakyat mistake, the matter was seized upon by BN leaders as an opportunity to hit PR even at the national level. Read here. It is now believed that Batu Maung PKR assemblyman Abdul Malik Abul Kassim is to take his place. Read here.
For latest on POLITICS, click here.
RapidPenang: The issues surrounding RapidPenang, as have been reported, were sparked off by chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad saying there are not enough depots in Penang to house the 200 buses it is due to receive from May. Read para on "More busing woes in the offing" here. As public transport development is critical in Penang and in the light of the current sensitivities, the announcement was viewed as a threat to the state government, a charge denied by RapidPenang. Read here, here and here. In the ensuing public airing of views, several matters became more public: - The Federal government in the person of Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop stepped in to be arbiter and has seemingly resolved the matter. Read here and here.
- Opposition Gerakan got embroiled declaring it the first project of their "CATwatch". Read here.
- With transportation in the limelight, it was not surprising that the RM2 billion Penang Sentral project was brought back into focus again. Read here and here
For latest on TRANSPORT, click here.
Tiger park: The government’s proposal to set up a tiger park in Relau (read here) as an “eco-tourism” product drew flak right from the start. Read here, here, here and here. CM Lim Guan Eng, however, defended the project, talking about the “wow” factor and that it is privately-driven. Read here. The debate also reflects the linkages Penang has with NGOs worldwide and the access to information these NGOs have. For latest on TOURISM, click here and OPINION here. The following are some matters that stood out last week: - VSS gaining momentum: The number of multinational companies offering VSS is mounting. First, it was Dell with a reported 700 job cuts (read here and here) and now Jabil Circuit and Flextronics. Read here.
- CAT on the move: The Career Assistance and Training (CAT) Centre has reported that over 2,600 jobs are available and it has matched over 400 applicants with prospective employers. Read here and here.
- Penang International Food Fair draws 460 contestants for "Battle of the Chefs": The PIFF held at PISA last weekend drew 460 contestants from across the Asia Pacific for its “Battle of the Chefs” competition and over 100 stalls for its Penang Food Delights. Also under the PIFF umbrella was the the Food and Culinary Expo (iFOODex). Read here, here and here. A booklet "Tummy Treats" was launched in conjunction with the fair. Read here.
- NST saga continues: The state government has persisted in the matter, demanding an explanation from the NST bureau chief over his recent comments (read here) while drawing criticisms from others. Read here.
- Food blog and must-visit lists: On a lighter note, over the week, we came across two interesting lists: 15 food blogs that are read by Penangite Sam Yeap (read here) and 12 things you must do in Penang by writer Nowal Khan. Read here
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