Penang Watch

Dear friends in NGOs,

(I) LET US QUESTION THE PENANG GOVERNMENT
==============================

===========

It's your chance to question the Penang state government. If you
submit a formal list of written questions in Bahasa Malaysia to your
state legislative council members (ADUNs) before ***APRIL***, they may
present some of your questions to the State executive council (EXCO)
during the May 6-16 State Assembly meeting. The state technocrats
under the EXCO are then obliged to give written, researched, answers
and figures.

The purposes are many-fold. First, you get the info on issues you are
concerned with if the questions are submitted. Second, the answers can
stimulate other NGOs, media, and individuals to dig further. Third,
they may trigger new ideas, policies and rules even if they are only
discussed.

Our past problem has been a non-transparent state government and LEGCO
members who are unwilling to rock the boat. Let's see whether the new
state government will be more responsive.

(II) HOW DO WE DO THIS?
======================

I have created tentatively 162 questions below. I'm no expert, so you
are WELCOME TO TAKE OVER any sections of question, such as PGCC,
environment, etc. Please inform us (Cheah Kah Seng at saengch at gmail
dotcom or Ong Boon Keong at democracy4now at gmail dot com) so that we
can avoid duplicated efforts. Please publish your questions in a blog
for all to refer to, even if they do not make it into the LEGCO
meeting.

Technical suggestions:

* Final questions must be in written form in Bahasa Malaysia.
* Submit them to the ADUN by the end of March; they require more than
one month of preparation to get answer.
* I suggest submit in both hard and soft copies to allow the ADUNs to
modify/consolidate questions.
* Clever questions can elicit good figures and answers.
* If you want to send us the questions, please email by March 27, so
we have time to compile and translate.

(III) TENTATIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK PENANG EXCO
==========================================
[2008 March 20 version]

These questions are divided into 7 categories:

(A) State Governance
(B) State Revenues, Expenses and State Land
(C) Development Projects and Housing
(D) Transport Systems
(E) Economy and Business
(F) Tourism and Culture
(G) Environment

(A) State Governance
--------------------
(1) Local election: Please list all conflicting state and federal laws
that allow or disallow local election of city councils. What are the
key conflicts in the laws and regulations that will require
legislative amendments or court decision to resolve?

(2) Local election: Will the State government first challenge the
Federal laws that prohibit local election and then conduct local
election, will it go ahead and conduct local election as a challenge
to the Federal laws, or will it initially seek to circumvent the
Federal law by holding a sort of opinion-poll-and-appointment scheme
before sorting out the legal conflicts?

(3) Local election: What is the legal opinion given to the State
government if the state government sets up 10 opinion polling centers
around the state for a period of 2 weeks, and invite all MyKad holders
with Penang addresses to physically present their ICs to vote for
their favorite city council candidates in this "opinion poll?"

(4) Local election: What is the legality of the CM appointing the
winners of the above opinion poll to the city councils?

(5) Governance: Has the State government planned functions in the next
6 months to help familiarize the EXCO and LEGCO members with the state
bureaucrats, technocrats, as well as rules, regulation, and procedure?
Please list any events, discussion forums, education seminars,
motivation seminars, training camps, brain storm sessions, and others
that can help to familiarize the ADUNs, EXCO members, and department
officers with one another, and to familiarize the new members to the
laws, rules and regulation of the State.

(6) Internet presence: How many Web sites are currently owned,
financed, or managed by State government and departments? What are the
total historical development and operating costs up to today? What are
the on-going operating costs per year?

(7) Internet presence: How many contracts are outstanding with regards
to Websites financed by the State government? Who are the contractors?
What are the key terms, time periods, conditions, and costs for these
Web sites?

(8) Internet presence: How many users have been recorded in the past
year for these Websites financed or controlled by the State
government?

(9) Internet presence: What is the mechanism to manage the update and
feedback for these State-finance Websites? How frequently are these
Websites updated? How many of these Websites are regularly updated in
the past year?

(10) Feedback mechanism: What are the current channels for Penang
residents to provide feedback on State and city issues, including
government, transport, police, environment, and other issues?

(11) Feedback mechanism: How much money has been spent in the past 4
years to promote and inform Penang residents about these feedback
channels, either in advertisement, brochure, the Internet, or other
media? Will the Penang State government buy air time on Radio and
space on online or physical newspapers to advertise its services and
feedback channels? Can the State get bulk discount for such
public-service announcements?

(12) Think Tank: What is the historical governing and funding
relationships between the State government and Socio-Economic &
Environmental Research Institute (SERI http://www.seri.com.my/)? Will
the State government require more direct policy recommendations from
SERI and will the State government provide more or less finance for
these purposes?
See:
http://www.seri.com.my/oldsite/listing%20by%20article.htm
http://www.seri.com.my/ap/publication.html
http://www.seri.com.my/oldsite/publications.htm

(13) Law Enforcement: While the police are a Federal resource, to what
extent can the State government demand additional police presence on
the streets for foot and car patrol? What are the limits of
authorities between the Federal and State governments over the
management of police force in Penang?

(14) Law Enforcement: To what extent can the State government help
increase police professionalism in handling citizens' complaints and
reports? To what extent can the State government determine the
appointments of Police chiefs and officers within the State?

(15) State press and media: What are the licenses, permits, and rights
to publish that the Penang State government currently holds, whether
used or unused? Do State government publications fall outside of the
control of the PPPA?

(16) State press and media: Are online publications, news Website,
discussion forums financed by the State government free from the
control of PPPA and the above Federal licensing and permit
requirements?

(17) State press and media: What physical publications or periodicals
have the State government physically financed in the past four years?
What is the total and individual financial funding per year for each
major publication? Has there been any review of the quality, value,
and popularity of these publications and what are the results?

(18) Transparent Government: Will the State government, CM, LEGCO
members, EXCO members, MPPP and MPSP councilors hold regular press
conference to update Penang residents, or hold town hall meetings to
exchange views with Penang residents?

(19) Civil society: What are the current guidelines on the use of
public schools, fields, playgrounds, "balai rakyat," Pusat Penyanyang,
and other public spaces for  political and NGO events? How will the
new Government simplify the rules and approval process, and make the
spaces more easily available for public uses? More specifically, will
the school and public fields be available for political gatherings
over the next five years? Will any refusal to approve the use be made
with transparent reasons?

(20) Civil society: Will the State government draw up guidelines to
permit peaceful public demonstration within the State of Penang? Will
the State government or the police publish a guideline for
demonstration stating its requirements for notification of organizer
details, objectives, time, location, and organizers' measures to
maintain crowd and traffic control? Will the State government provide
physical space for public demonstration?

(21) Civil society: What are the limits for the State government to
allow peaceful demonstration and political gathering under existing
Federal laws? Will there be a situation where the State government
allows a peaceful gathering, while the police under Federal Ministry
of Interior overrides the decision and ban the gathering?

(B) State Revenues, Expenses and State Land
-------------------------------------------

(1) State Revenues: What are the top five revenue sources for the
State government, MPPP, and SPPP respectively? Please list the
individual amounts and the average growth in the past four years
respectively.

(2) State Revenues: How much Federal grants has the State government
budget received in each of the past 10 years?

(3) Outdoor Ads Signboard Revenues: How much revenue has the State
government, MPPP, or MPSP received from the contracts to lease out
outdoor advertising signboard locations along the streets of Penang to
contractors of leaseholders?

(4) Outdoor Signboard Revenues: Given Penang's high rate of
urbanization, commercialization, dense traffic that are favorable to
the value of outdoor advertising, what is the estimated total FINAL
rental value of all the sign boards locations owned by Penang State
government (the final value paid by advertisers)? An estimated range
of values will suffice.

(5) Outdoor Signboard Revenues: What is the difference between the
above two values - the estimated final value paid by advertisers and
the lease value that the State government received from the
leaseholders who contracted all the outdoor signboard locations owned
by the State government?

(6) Outdoor Signboard Revenues: What are the contract details for
renting out outdoor advertising signboard spaces in the whole Penang
state? How many contracts are outstanding, who are the contractors and
their major shareholders, what are the terms, length of period, value,
and other relevant details? When are these contracts due to be
renegotiated? Can the State renegotiate for better deals with the
contractors?

(7) State Contracts: What are the contract details for traffic light
maintenance and repair in Penang? Who are the contractors, what are
the terms and values, maintenance agreements, and assurance of service
quality?

(8) State Land: How many pieces of State-owned land have been leased
out to private sectors in the past 4 years? What are their sizes? What
are the lease terms and values?

(9) State Land: How many pieces of State land have been converted from
leasehold into freehold to benefit private developers in the past 4
years? What are the revenues generated from each of this land
conversion? For example, was there such a lease-to-freehold conversion
in Kampong Kastam in Bukit Gelugor?

(10) State Land: How many pieces of state land and properties are
currently under negotiation to be leased, and how many pieces are
currently leased land that is under negotiation and approval process
to be converted into freehold land?

(11) Reclamation and State Land: What is the state government's
ownership in any of the reclaimed land in (1) Tanjong Tokong (TT), (2)
along Jelutong Expressway (JE) north of Penang bridge, (3) PDC
reclamation south of Penang Bridge (PDC), and (4) the future PORR
reclamation along Gurney Drive if the latest proposal were to go ahead
without changes? Please list any sub-plots from the reclaimed areas
that the developers have to transfer to the State government by
agreement, their size, their value, and the agreed reasons for the
transfers.

(12) Reclamation and State Land: Regarding the above four reclamation
areas, what are the major outstanding applications for additional
permits, access, infrastructure, and development revision that will
require Penang State government's favor and approvals?

(13) Reclamation and State Land: For the above four reclamations, is
there any proposal by the Penang state government to secure any
portions of the reclamation lands in exchange for giving out any
remaining or additional permits and approvals? Have these reclamation
projects developers requested additional zoning, access, and other
state permissions that will allow the Penang State government to
acquire a portion of the reclaimed land in exchange of such favors?

(14) State Land and Revenues: Will the Penang State government
continue the previous practice of allowing private developers to
privately approach the State government with proposal to develop
certain pieces of State-owned land, and to pay for the land in a
non-transparent, closed-bidding, procedure?

(15) State Land and Revenues: Will the Penang State government
establish a long-term program to publicly auction off individual
pieces of State-owned land, at a preplanned schedule adjusted for
market conditions, whether existing or reclaimed, in order to generate
regular revenues for the State government?

(16) State Land and Revenues: Has the State government drawn up a
policy and procedure to maximize the value of pieces of State land
before they are sold or auctioned off, by planning and providing them
with access roads, infrastructure, favorable zoning status, and other
commercially-valuable features, and then time the auction sale to
maximize the State revenues they can generate from the auction?

(17) State Land and Revenues: Has the State government completed the
transfer of state land to the PORR concessionaire? What is the status
of each piece of real estate involved? Has the State government
insisted on obtaining more valuable pieces of land, along PORR's route
or on reclaimed land, in exchange for these State lands?

(18) State Expenses: What are the top five expenses for the State
government, MPPP, and SPPP respectively? Please list the individual
amounts and the average growth in the past four years respectively.

(19) State expenses: What was the electricity cost for street
decorative lights in Penang in each of the past four year?

(C) Development Projects and Housing
-------------------------------------

(1) PGCC: [Anti-PGCC group are welcome to suggest more questions,
modify the below, or take over the questions]

(2) PGCC: Although the new Penang government stated that no approval
has been given to PGCC, what other pre-approval documents have been
issued or signed, such as memorandum of understanding, letters of
intent, and other preliminary permits? Are they issued by the State
government or the Federal Government?

(3) PGCC: Although not yet approved, what application documents have
been received by the Penang State government or the Federal
Government?
See:
http://penangwatch.net/index.php?q=pgcc
http://www.pht.org.my/press_releases_20070915_pgcc.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang_Global_City_Centre

(4) Northcoast and Tanjong Bungah: [NGOs are welcome to suggest more
questions, modify the below, or take over the questions]

(5) North coast and Tanjong Bungah: How many development projects have
been approved by the State in the past four years, and how many are
currently being considered for approval, in the Tanjong Bungah, Batu
Fringe, and Teluk Bahang areas, in which the projects involve High
rises over 30 storeys, or where the projects require substantial hill
cutting?

(6) North coast and Tanjong Bungah: What measures are being taken by
the State government and MPPP to consult with local residents'
association, such as Tanjong Bunga Residents Association, before
formulating the LOCAL PLAN for Tanjong Bunga area?

(7) North coast and Tanjong Bungah: Please clarify whether the Tanjong
Bunga–Teluk Bahang corridor of low-density-per-acre development
identified in the State Structure Plan includes the gazetted
boundaries of Tanjong Bunga, starting from Hotel Tanjong Bungah? What
are the reasons given by developers to propose shifting the
low-density boundary westward to the edge of Batu Ferringgi, to allow
Tanjong Bungah town to be developed with high density?

(8) North coast and Tanjong Bungah: Will there be a moratorium on
APPROVAL of high-rise apartments especially on hill slopes,
beach-front sites and in established housing areas, considering the
rapid hill cutting in the north coast of Penang until the Local Plan
is approved and better procedures are in place to monitor hill
cutting?

(9) North coast and Tanjong Bungah: Will the State take action against
any land reclamation off Tanjong Bunga – Teluk Bahang Corridor that
has not carried out proper Environmental Impact Assessments?

(10) North coast and Tanjong Bungah: A reclamation projects,
locally-called "The Sore Thumb" connecting to the Tanjong Club, has
been carried out on a State-owned plot with an expired lease to
operate a marina and to reclaim a small area for breakwater. However,
the actual reclamation is roughly doubled the size and height on the
approved but expired marina project. Further more, the developer has
applied to build a twin tower of 40-storey apartments on the Tanjong
Club ground (Lot 47) and include Lot 48 (public land under expired
TOL) as part of the access road. Is there an application by the
developer to the State government to convert this expired leasehold
land and illegally-expanded reclamation into freehold land? Has this
conversion approval been rejected or does the State government
consider it to be reasonable enough to continue to go through the
approval process?

(11) North coast and Tanjong Bungah: Will the Penang government take
action against the "Sore Thumb" developer described above, and
decisively disapprove the twin-tower high-rise residential project,
and remove the illegal reclamation at the cost of the developer? Has
the State government given any deadline to the developer to remove the
illegally expanded reclamation on an expired marina lease? (Because
MPPP has no jurisdiction over reclaimed sea area, the State government
is responsible to take this decision and action.)

(12) North coast and Tanjong Bungah: With the rapidly increased
population density in Tanjong Bunga and Batu Ferringgi, what
green-area and open-space projects will the State government undertake
now to improve the quality of life in these residential areas, and to
continue to attracts tourism and Malaysia Second Home residents?

(13) North coast and Tanjong Bungah: Will currently-approved
medium-height (25-30 storeys) apartments receive approval to be
converted to become super-height (40+ storeys) apartments or condos?
There is such an application in Tanjong Bungah by the BSG on Lot 4202
off Jalan Cheah Seng Khim, which conversion has been rejected so far,
but an appeal is pending. What are the criteria for approving super
condo with over 35 storeys in heights anywhere in Penang?

(14) High Rise Development: Why are high rise developments exempted
from providing 10% public open space that are required of low-rise
housing projects?

(15) Local Plan: When will the latest Local Plan become available to
the public for review and feed back? Will the State government
undertake to advertise the feedback period more broadly, and extend
the feedback period to at least 3 months?

(16) Heritage Area Development: Will Penang government strictly adhere
to the 5-storey limit of development within heritage area in
Georgetown? Will any 10-storey development proposal near the old clock
tower near Fort Cornwallis be rejected?

(17) KOMTAR Development: What is the status and progress of further
development of the KOMTAR project? What is the schedule for new
components and their expected completion dates? Who are the owners,
developers, and contractors, of the new phases of KOMTAR development?

(18) KOMTAR Development: How do the new phases of KOMTAR developments
integrate into the existing KOMTAR and the surrounding area,
transport, and businesses? How are the new phases different from the
existing KOMTAR, in order to avoid simply cannibalizing on the
businesses of the existing KOMTAR?

(19) KOMTAR Development: Who are the new anchor tenants that the State
government plans to attract to fill in the first phase of KOMTAR? Is
Penang government actively inviting private colleges to consolidate
their campuses into KOMTAR? Is KOMTAR management looking creatively
for new tenants such as clinics, high tech offices, fitness center,
large book stores, factory outlets, and providing the necessary
infrastructure to attract them?

(20)  KOMTAR Development: What is the organization structure of KOMTAR
management? Who owns the management company and what are the contract
terms of the management of KOMTAR? What are the curriculum vitae of
the management, marketing, and financial teams?

(21) Low-Income Housing: How many units of low-income housing have
been completed (occupancy certificates issued) in each of the past
four years? Where are most of these units located within Penang?

(22) Low-Income Housing: How many more units of low-income housings
are estimated to be completed in the next four years (OC obtained)?
Where are most of these units located within Penang?

(23) Low-Income Housing: What is the estimated low-cost housing unit
demand estimated for the next four years, divided into geographical
regions? What is the difference between this estimated demand and the
above estimated completed units for the next four years?

(24) Low-Income Housing: At what price range are most of these units
purchased by the owners in the past 4 years? How many of these units
are discounted to compensate for residents having to move out of other
locations?

(25) Low-Income Housing: How many units of low-income housing under
construction are currently postponed and abandoned due to developer
financial difficulties? What are the locations, who are the
developers, and what has the State government done about each
abandoned project?

(26) Tsunami Temporary Housing: 40 months after the Dec 2004 tsunami,
how many families are still living in temporary tsunami evacuee
housing in the State? How many families are located in each temporary
housing site? Have they been assigned future low-cost housing units?
When are the units expected to be completed.

(27) Tsunami Temporary Housing: What are the reasons for the delay in
moving into these housing units? How many have not been promised
permanent low-cost housing units and where will they be living? When
will all temporary tsunami housing and plots revert to their rightful
owners?

(D) Transport Systems
---------------------

(1) Transport and Bus System: [NGOs are welcome to suggest more
questions, modify the below, or take over the questions]

(2) Bus Transport: What is the status as reported by Rapid Penang with
regards to its passenger load and profitability?

(3) Bus Transport: What are the plans by Rapid Penang regarding
additional routes and services?

(4) Bus Transport: What can the Penang State government do to assist
Rapid Penang during the initial years when Penang residents slowly
gain confidence in a public bus transport system, and slowly shift
from buying cars to using buses?

(5) Bus Transport: How much has the State and Federal government
provided to Rapid Penang in terms of funding and bus station real
estate in the past 2 years? What are the terms, conditions, and total
value?

(6) Bus Transport: Who are the owners of Rapid Penang and what equity
and debt capitals have been invested into the company? How often does
State government meet with Rapid Penang directors and senior managers
for reports and coordination?

(7) Bus Transport: What other variations of bus services are being
planned for Penang? Will there be community mini buses that circulate
within small community area? Will there be buses that cut across Rapid
Penang routes and supplement Rapid Penang? Will there be more buses
that run between the island and Seberang Prai? Will there be buses
that shuttle or run in rings around tourist destinations?

(8) Taxi Transport: What has the State government concluded about the
difficulty of establishing a widely-available metered taxi system?
What has been the historical bottleneck or hindrance? Are the problems
economic, legal, political, geographical, or cultural in nature that
Penang cannot establish a fleet of convenient, reliable, and widely
available, metered taxis?

(9) Taxi Transport: More specifically from State government research,
do taxi operators suffer from the lack of Federal license,
unreasonable costs of multiple layers of sub-licensing, inadequate
economies of scale in Penang, excise tax which raised car price and
rental price, or high cost of petrol?

(10) Taxi Transport: What percentage of all taxis in Penang is
regulated by Federal licenses, vs. State licenses? What are the laws
that prohibit the State government from issuing taxi licenses? Can the
State government circumvent these Federal licensing requirements or
sue the Federal government in order to improve the transport and
economic efficiency of Penang?

(11) Taxi Transport: How feasible is it for the State government to
help convert most taxis to operate on Liquid Petroleum Gas?
http://www.shellgas.com.my/site.html?page=43

(12) Taxi Transport: How feasible is it for the State government to
assist taxi companies to purchase taxis without paying federal excise
tax? How feasible is it for Penang taxi fleet to circumvent import and
excise tax by buying or leasing vehicles through Kedah's Langkawi?

(13) Sungai Nyior Toll: What is the status of the alternative surface
roads being constructed to bypass the Sungai Nyior Toll?

(14) Sungai Nyior Toll: How many more alternative routes can the State
government build to benefit the local residents, businesses, and
factories, since the crooked shape of Sungai Prai has always limited
development and commercial potential in the area?

(15) Sungai Nyior Toll: Can the State government build underground
routes instead of bridges to connect more existing roads in the Prai
delta area? Wouldn't more bypasses and alternative routes creates more
commercial value for the neighborhood, at the same time make the
Sungai Nyior Toll less valuable, so that Penang State government can
induce the toll road operator to abolish the Sungai Nyior toll in
exchange for other benefits? Who owns the blocks of land on both sides
of the Sungai Nyior toll stations, as well as another block southeast
of the toll and west of Sg Prai?
(http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=5.405348&lon=100.382016&z=16&l=0&m=a&v=2)

(16) Airline and Tourism: What direct flights are currently available
between Penang and India, China, and ASEAN countries, and how
frequently per week for each route? What future flights are being
planned and what is the hurdle in getting these additional flights
approved?

(17) Transport and Tourism: What entities are in charge of maintaining
and operating the Penang Hill trams and stations? Who are the owner,
shareholders, and the board of directors for this entity? What are the
terms of the management contract in terms of time period, value, and
assurance of high quality of service?

(18) Ferry transport: Who are the owner, shareholders, and board of
directors for the current ferry operator? What are the hurdles for
more frequent ferry trips? How many cars, motorcycles, pedestrians
were transported in the past 4 year? What were the revenues and profit
in the past 4 year? How does the operator determine the balance
between car, motorcycle, and passenger capacity offered to the public?

(19) Ferry transport: Does the State government have any plan to offer
ferry service between Georgetown and southern Prai, Northern Prai,
Kuala Muda, Teluk Bahang, and Batu Maung? Does it plan any lighter
ferries such as hover ferries?

(20) Highway: What is the status of road improvement between Teluk
Kumbar and Balik Pulau?

(21) Highway: What is the status of the planned northern coastal
highway? What is the main reason that it  has been planned but not
implemented? Is the main reason economic, political, environmental,
legal, or timing?

(22) Penang Bridge: What are key terms currently governing the
concessionaire of the Penang Bridge and its widening, in terms of time
period, quality requirements? When is the bridge widening expected to
be completed?

(23) Penang Bridge: What are the legal hurdles stopping Penang State
government from publicly revealing the concessionary agreement terms
for the Penang Bridge? Will the State government go to the court to
get a court order to reveal the concessionary details, since this
project does not concern foreign threat and national security?

(24) Penang Bridge: What are the options available for Penang
residents to participate more closely in determining the future of
Penang Bridge? Will the Penang government set up an oversight board
comprising private residents and experts to oversee the safety,
expansion, quality of service, and future fee increase?

(25) Penang Second Bridge: What is the status of the planning and
construction of the Penang Second Bridge? When is the bridge expected
to be completed given current progress?

(26) Penang Second Bridge: Who are the concessionaire and main
contractor for the Penang Second Bridge? What are the main
concessionary terms of the Second Bridge? Will the State government go
to the court to get a court order to reveal the concessionary details,
since this project does not concern foreign threat and national
security?

(27) Penang Second Bridge: How much will the bridge cost? Will the
Federal government or the State government issue bond to finance the
Second Bridge, and pay back the bond with the expected bridge toll?

(28) Bridges and Ferries: How are the owners of the Ferry, The Penang
Bridge, and the Second Bridge related? How are the operating contracts
or concessions related?

(29) Penang Monorail: What is the status of Penang Monorail project?
Who are the owners, shareholders, and board of directors of the
Monorail project? What is the expected time of completion?

(30) Penang Monorail: What are the key terms in the Monorail
concession? Will the State government go to the court to get a court
order to reveal the concessionary details, since this project does not
concern foreign threat and national security?

(31) PORR: Is the Letter of Intent given to Peninsular Metroworks
revoked, by either the Federal or State government, now that the time
frame has been delayed for so long? If the LOI is not revoked, why
not?

(32) PORR: Will the State government go to the court to get a court
order to reveal the concessionary details, since this project does not
concern foreign threat and national security?

(33) PORR: In consideration that the current "concessionaire" has
financially troubled shareholders, has failed to carry out any
meaningful progress, and lacks sound environmental studies, why do the
Penang State and Federal government continue to regard Peninsular
Metroworks as the legitimate "concessionaire?"

(34) PORR: What steps can be taken by the Penang state government in
order to reopen the PORR contract to open bidding by a consortium that
is financially and technically proven to be stronger than the current
"concessionaire?"

(35) PORR: Can the Penang government issue bond to build the PORR,
repay the bond with toll, and then eliminate the toll after the bond
has been repaid?

(36) Pedestrian Walkways: How many kilometers of pedestrian sidewalks
have been improved (widened, re-paved, railing added, or handicapped
access added) in Georgetown in the past 4 years? How many more km are
being planned and where are they located?

(37) Pedestrian Walkways: What are existing policies to ensure
adequate shading from the sun for pedestrian walkways? What kind of
shading is in the planning?

(38) Pedestrian overpasses: How many pedestrian overpasses have been
built in the past 4 years? How much do they cost? Where are they
located? What kinds of design features are used to ensure they are
pedestrian-, handicap-, and commerce-friendly and safe from crime?

(39) Pedestrian overpasses: How many pedestrian overpasses have been
built in the NEXT 4 years? How much are they estimated to cost? Where
will they be located? What kinds of design features are used to ensure
they will be pedestrian-, handicap-, and commerce-friendly and safe
from crime?

(40) Pedestrian underpasses: How many underpasses are planned in
places where overpasses are not feasible, too hot, or too expensive?
What are the features to make them crime-safe at all time?

(41) Pedestrian overpasses and underpasses: How and does the State
government encourage commercial buildings and hotels to interconnect
with overpasses and underpasses, to enhance pedestrian traffic and
commercial value? Will the State finance the middle portions that are
located on State land?

(42) Penang Hill Cable Car Proposal: What is the status of the
proposal to connect Teluk Bahang and Penang Hill with a cable car
system? Has a finalized project been proposed, environmental impact
studies completed, and financial feasibility conducted? What company
is the proposer, who are the shareholders, and what are the terms
proposed? When will the State government open the project to public
commentary, counter proposals, and open bidding to build and operate
if such a system is approved?

(E) Economy and Business
------------------------
(1) Economy, Electronic and High-Tech Industries: [NGOs are welcome to
suggest more questions, modify the below, or take over the questions]

(2) NEP/MEA: Since the State government is abandoning NEP, what
measures will it take to buffer the transition so that genuine,
middle-class, Malay entrepreneurs who had geared up financially and
operationally under the existing system, will not be suddenly
disrupted and cut off from revenues to sustain their businesses? Is
the new State government aware and concerned that any sharp turn in
economic policies may permanently damage the current crop of mid-tier
Malay entrepreneurs?

(3) Multi-Ethnic Chamber of Commerce: To create private groups that
will help replace the race-base NEP business model, will the Penang
State government provide the initial funding for a Penang-based,
multi-racial, multi-state, and multi-national, northern Malaysia
chamber of commerce? Will the Penang State government support an
objective such as the sharing of business connections, local insights,
and exploring economy of scale across the northern states and regions
of Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Perak, Perlis, Southern Thailand, Sumatra,
and later southern Myanmar?

(4) MSC Penang: Since MSC around Putrajaya has achieving very little
after heavy investments and a long period of time, how will the
extension of MSC to Penang make a difference in fostering the growth
of IT industry in Penang? How will the Penang government handle the IT
industry initiative differently from the Federal government to avoid
falling into the same unproductive trap?

(5) Electronic FDI: What have been the top 10 complaints, demands, or
worries from Foreign Direct Investors when approached for new
investments and re-investments that the government can surmise after
the many overseas trips and meetings between the State administration
and FDI owners in the past 4 years?

(6) Electronic and High-Tech Industry: What measures will the new
State government take to ensure the storage and transport security of
manufacturing industries that require high-value raw materials? How
will the State government manage the Federally-controlled police force
to ensure substantial improvement in business and private security?
What have been the historical bottlenecks to increasing security for
Penang's industrial firms?

(7) Economic Strategy: How will the State government take advantage of
past and future research by SERI into Penang's economic opportunities?
Will the new State government stimulate public discussion based on
SERI's research conclusions on Penang's electronic, aquaculture,
tourism, transport, textile, medical, automation, and other industries
which have been recorded in its publication since 2000?
See:
http://www.seri.com.my/oldsite/listing%20by%20article.htm
http://www.seri.com.my/ap/penang-economic-monthly-2003.html
http://www.seri.com.my/ap/penang-economic-monthly-2004.html
http://www.seri.com.my/ap/penang-economic-monthly-2005.html
http://www.seri.com.my/ap/penang-economic-monthly-2006.html
http://www.seri.com.my/ap/penang-economic-monthly-2007.html
http://www.seri.com.my/ap/penang-economic-monthly-2008.html

(8) Economic Think Tank and Transparency: What has been the reasons
that SERI's research had been kept under low profile by the past State
government? Was it a fear of criticism, a fear of transparency, or
unspoken hindrance put up by the patronage system of the NEP? How will
the new Penang State government encourage more straight-talking
recommendations from SERI, which appears to have been over-cautious
historically?

(9) High-End Agriculture: Given Malaysia's high production cost yet
persistent agricultural and aquacultural demands from China, India,
and the rest of the world, has the Penang State government formulated
concrete steps to liberalize and promote investments in high-end
agriculture and aquaculture in Penang, such as the breeding of fish
seeds (juveniles) for up-market marine fish, crustaceans, molluscs,
cloning and culturing of rare tropical plants, cut flowers, ornamental
fish, bacterial research for agricultural, aquaculture, nutritional,
and sewerage treatment uses, swiftlet and birdnest production, premium
tropical fruits, to be exported to aqua farmers and consumers in ASEAN
countries, India, China, and the Middle East?

(10) High-End Agriculture: What are the government's plans to promote
and regulate the environmental impacts of the above high-value
agricultural products in conjunction with the coastal regions of
Kedah, Perak, Thailand, and Sumatra?

(11) High-End Agriculture and Transport: Does the State government
have any integrated plan to support a high-end, regional, agricultural
production system by making Penang an efficient regional transport hub
for air cargo, ferries, rail links and highways to support both supply
collection and timely export distribution?

(12) High-End Agriculture: How will the new State government work more
closely with and encourage productivity of the marine and fishery
research institutes available in Penang, such as the WorldFish Centre
– formerly known as the International Center for Living Aquatic
Resources Management (ICLARM), Fisheries Research Institute, Centre
for Marine & Coastal Studies (CEMACS), and Universiti Sains Malaysia
(USM)?

(13) Pasar Malam Entrepreneurs and Tourism: How will the State
government further organize, expand, and promote the Pasar Malam
network and other markets to encourage cottage industries and
individual entrepreneurs?

(14) Pasar Malam Entrepreneurs and Tourism: Will the State government
systematically expand the promotion of pasar malam into the
cyberspace, to include the pasar malam culture as part of the tourism
promotion drive?

(15) Fisherman Economy: What is the status of the newly established
Teluk Bahang Fishermann Market? What is the size of the market, how
many stores have been prepared, and how many are occupied on a regular
basis? How many hours per day on average has it operated in the past 6
months, when more than 50% of the stores are open for business? How
much has been invested in this market? How were the stores allocated
to interested fisherman?

(16) Fisherman Economy: Will the State government encourage the
investments of wet market stall owners to add capacity to selling life
seafood, to upgrade the wet markets, create higher-margin outlets for
fishermen and fishmongers, increase consumer choices, and encourage
high-end aquaculture? Will the State aquaculture or fishery department
guide and educate the fishmongers about the initial set up of low-cost
filtration and aeration system to supply life seafood in the wet
markets?

(17) Wet Market: Will the State government review the environmentally
unsanitary practice of slaughtering chicken within semi-enclosed space
in Penang's wet markets? Although Penang consumers demand freshly
slaughtered chicken, the water pollution and localized air pollution,
and possible negative impact on business in case of avian flu outbreak
are undesirable effects. Chicken mongers will also justifiably fear a
new monopoly slaughter house if slaughtering is moved away. But how
will the State government balance these concerns against the long-term
need to reform the sanitary conditions of the market?

(18) Wet Market: With the increase of foreign tourists touring the
local wet markets (eg in Tanjong Bungah) in addition to pasar malams,
what investment and improvements will the State government make to wet
market hygiene and transport to benefit local consumers as well as
tourism?

(19) New Wet Market and Hawker Buildings: How many new wet market
buildings and hawker centers have been completed by the State
government and the spaces tendered in the past 4 years? What are the
operating rates? How many are substantially under-used because the
stores were assigned in a non-transparent manner, without giving the
opportunity to all local entrepreneurs? If the new markets and hawker
centers are under-utilized because of inconvenient access, location,
how will the State government rectify the situation?

(F) Tourism and Culture
-----------------------

(1) Tourism Publication: What are the existing publications financed
by the State government to promote tourism and Penang culture? Please
list the publications, contractors, their shareholders, terms of
editorial and publication contracts in time period, value per year,
and other key conditions.

(2) Tourism Resources: What are the existing state-owned tourism
resources that have been privatized by lease arrangements, such as
Fort Cornwallis, the War Museum, KOMTAR top floor, Penang Hill top
hotel, Penang Hill old teahouse, and others? Please list state-owned
tourism resources, contractors or lease holders, their shareholders,
and the terms of lease or contracts, including time period, value per
year, key conditions, methods of evaluating their performance, and
other relevant details.

(3) Tourism development: What is the business model that the Penang
government will use to promote and protect new eco-tourism resources,
such as the fire flies river of Nibong Tebal and wetland? For this
example, what State department will be involved and what laws,
regulation, rules, and guidelines will be invoke to respond in an
integrated manner, such as to plant light-shielding palms along the
river, remove light-emitting structure too close to the river, monitor
water quality, and ensure local entrepreneurs will get to participate
fairly in the new ventures but are also regulated so as to ensure
tourist safety and minimize damages to the ecological system?

(4) Park and Hiking Trails: Will there be a coordinated campaign to
mark the name, destinations, and distance of the trail junctions on
the hills of Penang for the benefits of hikers and tourists? Will the
trails be promoted as part of tourism resources for foreign,
out-of-state, convention, medical, and dental tourists? How will the
State government coordinate with or provide incentives to land owners
when existing trails trespass on their land?

(5) Medical and Dental Tourism: What are the measures taken by the
State government to support the private hospitals and dental clinics
in promoting their medical and dental tourism programs such as freer
access of transport vehicles to and from the airport and Web
information services?

(6) Cultural and Botanical Tourism: What measures will the State
government take to promote cultural and scientific tourism such as
better use of the various museums, libraries, botanical garden,
cultural performance, art exhibition, aquarium of the Fishery Research
Institute in Batu Maung?

(7) Botanical Garden Expansion: What is the existing size of the
Botanical Garden and Youth Park? What is the proposed increase in size
to each of Botanical Garden and Youth Park? What is the status of the
expansion plan? What are the legal, financial, and time requirements
to complete the expansion project? How many more approvals are
required from various authorities?

(8) Botanical Garden: In addition to expansion, what long-term
measures will the State government undertake to revitalize the
scientific, research, educational, and international conservation role
of the Botanical Garden? The cultural, economic, and tourism values of
tropical botanical gardens remain high and untapped, considering that
there are no other major botanical garden in Malaysia, the Penang
botanical garden has a shared history with Singapore and Indonesia's
Bogor prestigious botanical gardens, and that a single tropical U.S.
state -- Hawaii -- alone houses over 30 tropical botanical gardens.

(9) Integration of tourist destinations: How will the State government
link together Penang's various attractions, shopping areas, and food
outlets to create an overall experience that are greater that the sum
of individual attractions? Will the State government emphasize
promotional brochures, travel documentary films, advertisement, Web
sites, an integrated bus system, hotel packages, or local tour
companies?

(10) Tourism Perspectives: Will the new State tourism authority reform
its own thinking, and promote Penang from the subjective and romantic
perspectives of foreign tourists, rather than remain preoccupied with
our own nationalistic agenda that turn off tourists? As a service
industry, tourism must satisfy the tourists' fancies, not our own.
Will Penang tourism policies aim to fulfill the European tourists'
romantic search for colonial history, to attract intellectuals with
botanic and architectural history, to attract tourists from China and
India with immigrant history, to attract Middle East tourist as a
family destination, Muslim trading outpost history, Australian
tourists with RAAF nostalgia, and ASEAN tourists seeking out
variations of home-like temples, cathedrals, food, and architecture?

(11) Tourism and Media: Will the State government tap into the rise of
regional film talents, cable TV channels, and strong international
demands for quality documentary films on travel, nature, culture, and
food? Will the State government kick-start a merchant-sponsored
contest for local producers to produce documentary films of
international commercial value on culture, history, food, travel,
natural history of northern Malaysia and Indonesia, and South
Thailand?

(12) Tourism and Eateries: While food is a memorable and integral part
of tourism, Penang hawkers, seafood and other restaurants, coffee
shops, and pubs need to have some standardized accreditation or
certification in order to assure and attract tourists to achieve
greater volume and margins. What type of certification or
accreditation will Penang State government provide to the eateries to
secure their place on the standard tour itinerary?

(13) Tourism and Eateries: Most local food are exotic to tourists and
will need introductory notes. What will the new State government do to
systematically promote and introduce standard local food that are
available widely from many hawkers and restaurants? Will the State
tourism board sponsor pictured signboards, pictured menus, or
explanatory brochures in multiple languages, at least meaningful
English?

(G) Environment
---------------
(1) Hill cutting: Do State government surveyors regularly monitor hill
cutting and earth removal from steep slopes, such as in Paya Terubong,
Tanjong Bungah, during the past 4 years? What kind of statistics does
the State government maintain about how many acres of hill slope (more
than 30 degrees) have been denuded in the past 4 years, respectively
in Penang's north coast, Air Itam, Paya Terubong, Relau, Balik Pulau,
for each of these purposes -- housing projects, earth extraction for
reclamation, agriculture, and others?

(2)  Hill cutting: What are the regulations concerning removing earth
from hill slopes for land reclamation elsewhere? What rehabilitation
measures are required by law for hill land owners if they carry out
earth removal for reclamation, since no building, commercial planting,
and infrastructure will replace the removed earth?

(3) Hill cutting: With regard to housing projects approved on steep
hill slope, how many times have State surveyors or engineers visited
and examined the soil run-off condition during rainy season in the
past years? How many warnings, fines, or stop-work orders have been
issued with regard to inadequate control of soil run-off over the past
4 years?

(4) Water pollution: What is the status of projects to rectify the
pollution of Sungai Pinang caused by residential housing and the
livestock slaughter house? What is the funding proposed, approved,
disbursed, and paid out over the past 4 years? Who are the contractors
to implement the various aspects of the cleaning up measures?

(5) Indah Water Operations: What is the percentage of residential and
commercial properties that paying service charge to Indah Water in
Penang state? How many of these properties are actually connected to
collective or individual sewerage treatment facilities operated by
Indah Water?

(6) Indah Water Operations: How many older apartments in the State are
not connected to Indah Water's collected treatment plants, and yet
have not invested in their own sewerage treatment tank and machinery
that are acceptable to be taken over by Indah Water? Although some of
these older apartments have septic tanks operated by private
contractors, they are obviously substandard and likely to discharge
half-treated effluent into the sea. What action will the Penang State
government take to survey, monitor, motivate, or penalize these older
apartments for their lack of fully-functioning sewerage treatment
system?

(7) Quarries, Air and Noise Pollution: Specifically how many
quarry-related operations exist in Penang, including in Relau, Batu
Maung, Bukit Bendera, Tanjong Bungah, Batu Ferriage-Teluk Bahang,
Seberang Prai, and others? What are the specific operations carried
out by each of these quarries, including rock quarrying, rock crushing
and sorting, concrete mixing, tar making, and others?

(8) Quarries, Air and Noise Pollution: What types of permit have been
issued for the above quarry locations, to what companies, for what
time period, and with what key conditions? Are all these operations
running with updated permits?

(9) Quarries, Air and Noise Pollution: Given the significantly
increased risk of lung cancer from long-term inhalation of super-fine
rock dust, has the State government conducted updated environmental
and health studies and formulated any plans to stop renewing quarry
permits at these locations? For example new apartments have been built
near quarries in Relau, while in Tanjong Bungah, Hunza's Alila landed
houses and apartments and TAR College are built downwind (afternoon)
and within 1 km and 0.5 km, respectively, from a quarry where wafts of
dust from its rock crushing operation are visibly blowing eastward
during operation hours.

(10) Quarries: Given the adverse health impacts of quarry air
pollution, but the need for quarries to be located close to
development due to the high cost of transporting (lorries and diesel)
rock and concrete, will Penang government slow down approvals of new
housing developments near each quarry, in order to reduce the need for
quarry production, and reduce the impact of quarry pollution on
existing residences?

(11) Quarries, Air and Noise Pollution: Since it is likely not
feasible to halt all developments, will the State government construct
temporary piers at new reclamation areas (Tanjong Tokong, future
Gurney Drive, JE reclamation, PDC reclamation), so that quarry
products can be transported more cheaply by sea from quarries that are
located farther, at less populated areas?

(12) Quarries, Air and Noise Pollution: To motivate the removal of
quarry activities out of densely populated areas, what incentive will
the State government provide to the quarry companies? Is the State
government open to the conversion of existing quarry locations into
commercial or residential developments as an incentive to relocate the
quarries?

(13) Rubber Plant Air Pollution: The Lee Rubber processing plant in
Paya Terubong has caused long-term air pollution in this rapidly
growing and densely populated valley, which is surrounded by 600m high
hills on its east, west, and south. The smell of smoked rubber is not
only strong deep within the valley, but is clearly noticeable in the
northern opening of the Paya Terubong valley on humid evenings, for
example, at SMK Air Itam in Farlim (3.5km northeast) and Bukit Bendera
tram around mid-station level (4km north and 400m above sea level).
What is the latest proposal by the State government to provide the
carrot (incentive) and stick (regulatory pressure) to induce Lee
Rubber to move to a less-populated area, that is more open to moving
air currents, and that is closer to the source of its raw materials?
What are the key hurdles being discussed now with the owners of Lee
Rubber factory?

(14) Rubber Plant Air Pollution: Has the State government offered
alternative locations for the rubber processing plant? Has the State
government offered to rezone the existing location to allow
redevelopment into more valuable commercial or residential area?

(15) Mangrove: Has there been State government survey of mangrove
coverage in Penang 10 years ago and the coverage recently? Which
specific locations are the most affected, and for what reasons
(development, reclamation, prawn farm, others)? Is there any plan to
rebuild mangrove areas previously cleared by prawn farms that have now
failed because of prawn diseases?

(16) Plank Walks in Prai Utara: When were the wooden plank walks
completed at Tasek Gelugor and Pantai Kamloon, both in Prai Utara?
What percentage is still functioning now? How much had been spent in
the building of the plank walks, hanging bridge, and other facilities
so far? Who were the main contractors and subcontractors, as well as
their main shareholders?

(17) Youth Park: Why was the simple and cheerful name of "Taman Belia"
(Youth Park) changed to Taman Perbandaran (City Admin Park), a more
complicated name that smacks of City Council self-glorification and
self importance? Will the new State government rename the park back to
"Taman Belia" or "Youth Park?"

(18) Youth Park: How much expenses have been spent on the "hanging
garden" that now lacks maintenance and appears as "hanging grassland?"
Will the City Council dismantle it or plant easier-to-maintain cactus
and turn it into a "hanging desert?"

(19) Youth Park: Who are the contractor which supplies and maintains
the outdoor exercise furniture at the Youth Park? What are the key
terms of the supply and maintenance contracts: Length of contract,
value, maintenance and repair, warranty, etc?

(20) Cemetery Grass Burning: What is the State government's stance on
the annual or semi annual open burning of grasses (lalang) at Chinese
cemeteries through out the State? (The burnings cause air pollution,
ash rain, traffic disruptions, and are threats to houses and schools.
They are pre-planned burning, as herbicides are applied weeks before,
and fire engines are called to stand by).

(21) Cemeteries as Green Lung: Since Penang population has moved to
live densely around cemeteries (previously outskirt areas), will the
State government initiate a long-term plan to negotiate with the
cemetery trusts to upgrade the cemetery grounds into green lungs that
will integrate better into the populated neighborhood? Will the State
government consider the regular funding of grass cutting, landscaping,
jogging path paving, rain shelter construction, fence improvement, and
employing of security guards, etc?

By: Cheah Kah Seng