By Himanshu Bhatt.

WHEN the Penang government took the country by surprise last week by asking the Election Commission (EC) to run elections in the state’s two municipal councils – something not seen in Malaysia for 45 years – all eyes inevitably turned to the prime minister for a response.

"Local council election," Datuk Seri Najib Razak told a packed news conference on Tuesday, "was abolished a long time back… So there is no need to revive it as it would place emphasis on politicking at the local government level."

Najib’s comment may have been blunt, but it was by no means conclusive. Note that he only said local government elections were unnecessary; there was no mention of it being impossible.

By Khoo Salma Nasution.

THE closure of the Penang Hill Railway – the only one of its kind in Southeast Asia – is an event of great sadness in the rich history of Penang. It is claimed that Penang’s historic funicular railway is being closed on 22 February 2010 for “upgrading”. The public is generally unaware that the project will irrevocably alter the character of the existing railway as we know it, and entail the destruction of many of its important elements.

The Penang Heritage Trust would most certainly welcome a cautious upgrading of the Penang Hill Railway for the convenience of passengers and tourists. However, we would insist that any upgrading be done with a thorough understanding and appreciation of history, heritage and environmental issues. We would also insist that important heritage elements of the original railway are retained. We believe that this is not the case with the present project.

By Kee Thuan Chye.

WHERE we once compared nations, we must now compare cities. Penang can exude vibrant  culture if we all first envisage our dream, and then take the necessary steps to realise that. Along the way, let's not let political considerations thwart the project.

I have a dream. That one day Penang will become a cultural hub and that it will not only be one for the Malaysian north but for the region as well.