SPEECH BY THE HONOURABLE MR. WONG MUN HOE, STATE ASSEMBLYMAN FOR
PANTAI JEREJAK AT THE
Dato’ Speaker. I wish to thank Dato’ Speaker for giving me
an opportunity to speak and to participate in the debate on the Motion of Thanks
to the Governor’s Speech. Indeed, the
Governor’s speech is laced with so many good advices and views, which reflects
the genuine concern the Governor has, for the development of
For this Assembly, I would like to touch on several issues, and would like to begin with matters relating to the Multimedia Super Corridor, better known as the MSC. The MSC Penang was launched in January 2005 by our beloved Prime Minister, in a ceremony that was symbolical, filled with pride, and full of hope. The development of MSC Penang is divided into 4 phases. The first phase focused on the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone Phase 3, including the Technoplex and the Bayan Baru township. Phase 2 includes Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone Phase 1 and 2. Phase 3 involves the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone Phase 4, as well as the Fisheries Institute, while Phase 4 includes the coastal zone, incorporating both residential and commercial units. Indeed I feel very proud that the entire area of my constituency falls within the MSC. Hence, as the local Assemblyman, I am naturally very interested to play a role towards the success of this project. I am aware that Invest Penang has been given the responsibility to manage and ensure the development of MSC Penang. Please allow me to present some of my comments and opinion regarding MSC Penang.
I understand that MSC Malaysia
has guaranteed 10 Bills of Guarantee, in which one of them is to provide both
physical and information-related infrastructure of worldwide standards. According to the document entitled, “MSC
Malaysia Cybercities & Cybercentres: Facts and Figures” which was published
in February this year, the infrastructure of the MSC area in Penang, better known
as the Penang Cyber City 1 or PCC I in short, seems a bit lacking, compared to
other MSC areas. Let me make some
comparisons between PCC 1, and the MSC area in Kulim, better known as the
MSC
Dato’ Speaker. The provision of electricity supply within PCC 1, seems not to have achieved a satisfactory standards, when we compared to MSC Kulim. For example, PCC 1 did not achieve the 99.9% service reliability, and electricity interruption in the area was more than the maximum of 6 times allowable a year, whereas MSC Kulim had achieved both the standards set out in the document. Is this true, and if the answer is yes, why has this happened? If not, can we obtain the true and accurate report of the PCC 1 achievements in this aspect of service reliability percentage for electricity supply, and how many a times were the electricity provision actually interrupted within the MSC Penang for the year 2005 and 2006?
MSC
It was also reported in the document, that PCC 1 is without a City Wide Emergency Response Plan whereas MSC Kulim has one. From what I understand, a City Wide Emergency Plan is an overall MSC area plan, which provides the necessary steps that need to be taken, in response to any kind of emergencies that may affect the area, at any one point of time. For PCC 1, why is there still no such plan, and what is preventing us from having one.
MSC Managers and Developers Need To Be In Tune With
Recent Developments
Dato’ Speaker. Although I seem to have raised some shortcomings of MSC Penang, I do recognize that PCC 1 has nevertheless succeeded in achieving several better standards when we compare to MSC Kulim, for instance in terms of achieving ISO 9000 and so on. However, we should not forget that MSC Kulim was launched about a year later after the PCC 1. I am not sure whether PCC 1 can achieve all the MSC standards within a certain time period, so as to ensure that new MSC areas that are going to be developed, will not overtake us and thus, we fall behind. There is a need for our PCC 1 managers and developers to be more sensitive about developments happening elsewhere in other MSC areas, so that we can learn and refer to new methodologies, to continue our own development initiatives. There is an ancient Chinese saying which says, “We need to always learn to improve, because the effort of learning is like rowing a boat upstream. If we do not advance forward, we shall be swept behind by the tide.”
Dato’ Speaker. Now, please allow me to bring your attention to two more guarantees under the “Bill of Guarantees” which is, the offering of infrastructure contract to companies desiring to locate its regional centres in MSC Malaysia, as well as the existence of the one-stop agency, which is to help coordinate the efforts of MSC Malaysia. I am also aware that these responsibilities have also been entrusted to Invest Penang.
Invest
In the course of one of my
routine conversation with friends, I was given to understand that there was an
IT R & D company from a European country that was trying to find a centre,
for the pilot testing of its new technology, as well as to transfer their
research centre from its country of origin, to the new centre. This also includes the transfer of contract
manufacturing of their equipment out of
MSC Lacking In Cultural Element
Dato’ Speaker. One of the things that trouble me of MSC Malaysia, is the cultural element, or the lack of it. Has any cultural element been included in MSC Malaysia? I asked this question, because cultural pieces are certainly not apparent in any of the Bills of Guarantees, or the 7 flagship applications? If this is the case, why? What is the use of all the infrastructure and economic development, without cultural enrichment for the enjoyment of the people. Culture is an important element that maintains the development of any civilization. History has taught us that many strong and developed civilizations fell because of the lack of cultural enrichment. Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), a famous and influential American architect, once said, “Lack of culture means what it has always meant, ignoble civilization, and therefore imminent downfall.”
Perhaps we can take the example
of the effort to establish the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra or the MPO, as
an indication of cultural development.
MPO has succeeded in being well known, and is perhaps, one of the best
orchestras in
The MPO is in the
Dato’ Speaker. Although I have brought up several weaknesses and shortcomings, it does not mean that we have failed in our achievements. On the contrary, our achievements are undeniable, and we have every reason to feel proud of what we have achieved to date. I am only of the opinion that there is still a lot that we can do, to justify the special grant of MSC status. I am sure that all of you will agree with me that there is still a lot of room for improvement. Just last week, our beloved Prime Minister has also stated this as a fact.
Bayan Lepas Expressway =
For instance, I am sure that all
of us have experienced traveling by the impressive Bayan Lepas Expressway,
especially after coming across the
The Infamous Black Drain of Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah
Then, there is this infamous
black drain, all the way along the busy Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah from the Bayan
Baru roundabout to the PSDC. The sight
and smell of this drain is so famous, that at one time, a special board was put
up, to proudly declare the area to be the fragrant smell of
For the first-time visitor to the
Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zones, or even for those who are traveling daily,
there is no feeling at all that they are in an MSC area. Why is there no landmark to indicate that we
are now in an MSC area? The Bayan Baru
roundabout, the biggest roundabout in the whole of
Importance of After Sales Services
Ever since I first highlighted the problems of high rise in Bayan Baru, the PDC has been reasonably pro-active and has been helping to settle some of the problems. However, many problems still remain, the main ones being, most of the flats and apartments still face the problems of having weak management corporations, and basic repair works still unresolved. Although PDC may be correct to say that this is no longer their problem as they have already transferred the strata titles to the residents, hence, this is now their babies, I am of the opinion that as a responsible Corporation and organization, PDC should not let them remain in the lurch, and that the PDC can do a little bit more. We can better illustrate this point by taking for instance, in the case of a consumer who has purchased a branded electronic product by a famous company, say Sony. If the Sony product continuously has problems, despite the many times it has been sent for repairs and back, what do you think the company will do. Just say that, look, I have repaired it so many times, and now that it is already past the guarantee period, this is just your bad luck? I am sure if any reputable company were to say this, this is going to be the end of the hard earned reputation the company have had built all these years. A responsible company, like Sony will most certainly not only apologise for the shortcomings and the inconvenience it has cost the consumer, they will probably replace a brand new one for the consumer in question.
PDC Should Provide Special Grants For All PDC-owned High Rise
Buildings
Similarly in this case, while the PDC, as I have said, have actually attended to quite a lot of issues, I feel that it is not enough. I am not going to continue to debate on how the transfer of strata titles and the formation of the Management Corporations were badly done in the first place, which has led to these problems, as this is all water under the bridge now. Instead, I would like to suggest that in order to help resolve this problem once and for all, the PDC should consider giving a one-time grant of between RM10,000 to RM20,000 to each block of flats and apartments, depending on their size. This grant will enable them to settle all the existing debts they may still have, especially those relating to utility companies, such as Tenaga, Perbadanan Bekalan Air and others or to help pay these utility bills in advanced, for instance up to 3-6 months, as the newly appointed management committees which is going to take over the management services will most certainly encounter problems of collection of service charges during the initial period. These grants can also enable them to carry out some of the basic important repairs, including the replacement of their common rubbish bins, the pruning of trees, the purchasing of missing fire safety equipments and the replacement of faulty corridor bulbs. At the same time, I would like to suggest that the PDC should also undertake the responsibility of helping to train or retrain, if you like, each of the Management Corporations that has been set up by them, until they are capable enough to stand on their own two feet in the not too distant future. I know this is all hard work, but I am sure that if PDC were to do this, their reputation will be tremendously enhanced as an extremely responsible developer and organization, and that this will set an example for all other developers to follow.
Closer to home, Dato’ Speaker, please allow me to highlight a few important issues concerning my kawasan. The Taman Sri Nibong Hawkers Complex is presently lying in shambles. None of the stalls is currently operating. No customers patronize the complex. As a result, all the stalls are closed and the problem of maintenance becomes a big issue. Vandalism is on rampage, and the MPPP suffers not only in terms of not receiving any revenue through rental, but it has become a liability through continuously maintaining, repairing and replacing lost and vandalized items. This has been going on for 10 long years, Dato’ Speaker and we have been told that the MPPP is still keen to have a last throw of the dice. Why can’t we be honest to ourselves, and decide now, and say that this complex is not workable, and we should convert it into something more beneficial for the people, for instance, the setting up a public library and an IT community centre.
A Mere
Bayan Baru has emerged truly, especially within the last 10 to 15 years as an almost complete and self-sufficient township. Still, more and more development is pouring into the township, the latest being the Sun Tech, D’Piazza and possibly the revived Penang Jaya project. As it is, traffic congestion in the kawasan is horrendous. In the mornings between the hours of 7:30 – 9:00 am and the after working hours of 6:00 – 7:30 pm, the traffic can be so bad that Jalan Mahsuri and Jalan Mayangpasir, the two main roads within the Bayan Baru township, is simply crawling with traffic. So is the main Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah road. Although Bayan Baru township started in 1976, today, 30 years later, the important link road joining Jalan Mayangpasir to Jalan Tun Dr Awang remains unlinked. A mere 200 metres road which will bring about so much relief to a now very disorganized and disjointed traffic system, is not considered important enough to be included under the RM9. In the meantime, vehicles which will need a mere 1-2 minutes distance, now take 10 minutes and even 20-30 minutes during peak hours to reach their destination. What a waste of money, in terms of petrol usage and what a waste of time, in terms of the time spent on the road. I would like to suggest that the Government immediately take steps to acquire the land for the construction of this singularly most important road in the entire Bayan Baru township.
Flash Floods In Jalan Pantai Jerjak 1
In Jalan Pantai Jerjak 1, flash floods occur almost always. Each time there is a rain lasting less than an hour, flash flood occurs, and the water goes into a number of houses. Even though this problem has been there for almost 10 years, by right, such a problem should not have existed. After all, we are talking about a modern housing estate which has got enough infrastructure amenities. So, wherein lies our problems? I am asking all those Government departments which have got the relevant expertise, such as the JPS and MPPP, to please give some serious attention to this issue, and help to resolve the problems faced by the people in the shortest period of time.
Before I end my speech, I wish to congratulate all the civil servants for getting a pay rise which was just recently announced. The pay rise is timely, and is a special Merdeka gift to them. I hope that with the pay rise, our civil servants will be more motivated and dedicated in providing services to the people, and ultimately, let us ensure an improvement to our delivery system. Finally, I also wish to take the opportunity to wish all the people in Penang, a Happy 50th Independence Day, and may our beloved country remains developed and rich, and the people continue to live in peace and harmony. With these words, Dato’ Speaker, I wish to support the Motion of Thanks.