Chow Kon Yeow: 曹观友

Ucapan semasa membahas RUU Perbekalan 2008 di Dewan Rakyat pada 29 Oktober 2007
6.10 ptg.
Tuan Chow Kon Yeow [Tanjong]: Terima kasih Tuan Yang di-Pertua. Saya akan
membangkitkan isu-isu yang berikut. Langkah KWSP untuk membenarkan pengeluaran caruman
sebagai tujuan seperti untuk membayar ansuran pinjaman rumah, membeli insurans hayat dan
membuat pelaburan saham unit trust dan sebagainya telah menimbulkan reaksi yang bercampurcampur.
Kalau begitu ini bermakna bahawa langkah KWSP ini kelak menimbulkan perasaan
yang kurang senang di kalangan pencarum dan pekerja-pekerja. KWSP ditubuhkan untuk
memastikan para pekerja boleh bersara dengan satu tabung untuk menyara hidup tetapi
hakikatnya ramai pekerja di Malaysia cuma boleh hidup di bawah paras kemiskinan selepas
bersara kerana pada puratanya pencarum KWSP cuma ada RM475 sebulan untuk menyara
hidup. Apakah ini bermakna KWSP telah gagal memainkan fungsi untuk menyediakan tabung
persaraan yang mencukupi bagi pekerja-pekerja kita. (more…)

Press statement by DAP Penang chairman and MP for Tanjong, Chow Kon Yeow on Saturday, 6 October 2007 in Penang.

DAP slams Dr Teng Hock Nam and MPPP President for their arrogance in denying public participation over the Penang Global City Centre project.

The Penang DAP is unhappy that the state Local Government Committee Chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nam and MPPP President Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman have decided to close the door for a public hearing on the PGCC project.

Last week the Penang DAP has called for greater transparency in the project as the public are now kept in the dark as to the full impact of the PGCC.

The stands taken by Dr Teng and Datuk Zainal to close the door on public consultation smacks of their arrogance and their ignorance of the Local Agenda 21 which adopts a bottom-up approach in sustainable development issues.

Datuk Zainal has said: It is impossible for us to get the views of the whole population of Penang before the project is approved.

Nobody is asking Datuk Zainal to consult the whole population. But this should not be used as an excuse to deny the right to information by interested Penangites.

The PGCC is a mammoth project and its impact goes beyond the residents of the neighboring lots. So why is Dr.Teng and MPPP so afraid to allow more Penangites to aim their views?

CHOW KON YEOW

Note: The PGCC Campaign Group is organising a public forum on 7 October 2007 at the Dewan Sri Pinang. Event starts at 9.30am.

We gathered at Gurney Drive this morning to call for a review of the Penang Outer Ring Road project (PORR). Yesterday the Second Finance Minister announced that the open tender for the project would be called next year.

We welcome the decision. The original concessionaire PMW should not have been awarded the project in the first place. It had no track record whatsoever. In essence it is a Penang Umno-linked company.

Now that there is an open tender, Penangites should take the opportunity to readdress the issue. Will the PORR be effective in alleviating traffic congestion on the Island?

Next why should the PORR be a toll-road? Pak Lah had promised several gifts to Penang and why the people must be made to pay toll for the next 30 years? It should be built by the Federal government.

If the government if dead-set about privatization, then why not consider the financial module used in the construction of the Jelutong Expressway. It is toll-free and road users need not pay to use it!

The developer, IJM builds the expressway with their own funding in return for an exclusive right to reclaim land off the Jelutong shore for property development.

Chief Minister Tsu Koon said many times that he had no power to set terms because the PORR is a Federal project. Surely Tsu Koon could fight for a toll-free road for Penangites before he moves on to Federal politics after the next general election.