Penang Free Wi-Fi Spots

Okay, so it's been awhile since I updated this blog, I've been preoccupied with stuffs of late...
Anyway, I'm sure every Penangite must have heard about the great Penang Free Wi-Fi project by the state government.

Well, let's make one thing clear. It's not installed by the state government but approval was given by the state government. The project is by RedTone, some telecommunications company. And the CM, who loves to harp on something on and on, is merely promoting it and of course, taking credit for it too. Anyway, essentially, it's a private project, condoned by the state government and promoted by the state government. 'For the good of the people' or so it's said.

Whether it's any good or not (the wi-fi service), one should not be complaining too much right? After all it's free (so said the CAT minister). Whatever it is, his claims of almost whole of Penang will have free Wi-Fi should ALWAYS be taken with a bucket of salt.

Why? Well, from the looks of phase one, the hotspots are only at certain locations and shops. Not exactly at some kampungs or public parks or anything. Here's the list in case you want to try using the free service. Oh yeah, and another thing, before using, you need to register and enter personal details like your name, IC, race, income, age group, profession, etc. It's a rather long questionnaire.






And if you can't see the list clearly, to put it in a nutshell, it's available at Prangin Mall, Komtar, Queensbay Mall, some shops and restaurants in Bukit Jambul, BJ Complex, two shops in Jalan Dato Koyah (Lee Car Engine Servicing & Commass Construction), one shop in Argyll Road (Kaiser Hardware), Jalan Kampung Malabar, one shop in Jln Kangsar (Perniagaan Ban Seing) and over at the mainland, Megamall Pinang, some car accessories shop, Synergy College, computer shops, some restaurants and some other shops (check the list).

Oh well. The stupid Wi-Fi card in my laptop is not working so I won't be surfing outside the house for now. But if you want to surf, go to Starbucks, the wi-fi is also free and pretty good too.

By-election in Penanti

I have to hand it to PKR and their whole messy politics. In a time when the economy is barely stable, they are too busy finagling and fighting over who hold what post.

There are two perfectly eligible PKR assemblymen for them to choose to be the DCM I but instead of choosing, they decide not to choose at all. So, they have a by-election. Really, this is getting to be so tiresome.

Including this Penanti seat, there will have been six by-elections since the GE. That's ridiculous. Okay, so, three of it in Sarawak, Perak and KT are unavoidable since the reps keeled over and died but what about the other three?

First there's Permatang Pauh. There's a by-election because Anwar wants to go back to parliament.

Then there's Bukit Selambau. A by-election over some scandal regarding the rep.

Now, in Penanti, another by-election over corruption scandal regarding the rep.

Which means, three of the by-elections are caused by PKR and their shenanigans. Seriously, PKR really need to get it together. Can't they have chosen the right candidates in the first place instead of this?

What we really don't need now is a by-election but more concrete plans to keep the economy afloat and help people who have lost their jobs. So far, the focus seemed to be more on politics than the economy both on the BN and the PR side.

It is just too much. Enough is enough already. People are losing jobs and the poor are getting poorer and these politicians are too busy fighting over this seat or that seat just so they can get on the gravy train.

It is blardy obvious. They don't care about the economy or the people. They only care about their own pockets and for power.

Nothing but a bunch of good-for-nothing power crazy idiots.

Since when Anwar Ibrahim became the Penang CM?

The very controversial DCM I Fairus has officially resigned on April 8. So, the Chief Minister felt obliged to issue this press statement:

Press Statement by Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng in Georgetown, Penang on 8 April 2009

The Penang State Exco has decided to let Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng decide on the position of Deputy Chief Minister I. This appointment is the prerogative of the Penang Chief Minister who will consult with all relevant parties.

The Penang Chief Minister will held a Press Conference at 11.30am tomorrow on this matter. YB Mohammad Fairus resignation as Deputy Chief Minister I takes effect immediately today and is no longer on Exco member. However YB Mohammad Fairus still retains all privileges as Penang PR ADUN.

Lim Guan Eng

If you notice, it is written that "This appointment is the prerogative of the Penang Chief Minister who will consult with all relevant parties."

Anyone with any sense at all will take it to mean that it is the prerogative of the Penang chief Minister to decide on the appointment of the new DCM I. Right?

Right.

Besides, the CM has been given the power by the exco to decide on who becomes the new DCM I.

So, this means, the CM has the power and the right to decide on who becomes the new DCM I.

Which leads me to this puzzling bit of news:

GEORGE TOWN: PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will nominate a candidate from the party for the post of Penang Deputy Chief Minister (I) within a week, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said.

He said although it was his prerogative to appoint the candidate to replace Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin, he would wait for Anwar to name the party’s nominee.

“Since the post belongs to a Malay PKR state assemblyman, it is only right for PKR to identify the candidate.

[Staronline]

Let me get this straight. The CM decides to push aside his responsibility and let Anwar decide on who to be the next DCM I. Does this mean that the CM has no power at all to decide who he wants to appoint as the DCM I?

Sure, this is a PR state government and the DCM I is the PKR's post. But we are talking about the state government here, not some PKR party post. If it is a PKR party post, the CM has no right to intervene.

But this is a state government post and who is Anwar in the Penang state government for him to decide on the DCM I post?

This goes to show that there is obviously some sense of disunity within the PR coalition. Obviously, the DAP fellas (as in the Penang CM) steer themselves clear away from PKR and let PKR deal with their own problems. And obviously, PKR has kept a distance from DAP too.

And not only that, why did the CM's prerogative to appoint his DCM I became a PKR leader's prerogative?

As far as I know, Anwar is not the Penang CM. He is not part of the Penang state government. In fact, he has no say whatsoever in how the Penang state government was run. And yet, he was suddenly given the power to decide on who will become the second top guy in the state government and not only that, he was also the one to make the announcement too.

So, why did the exco give the CM power to decide on the DCM I's post when obviously he has no such power to do so? Why not from the start just say it is all up to Anwar and be done with it instead of issuing that kind of press statement to say it is the CM's prerogative when clearly it is not?

Whatever it is, it is obvious that the CM chose to do this to distance himself from whatever decision that PKR makes, which goes to show that PR still has a lot to work on before they could all work together smoothly.

Why a tiger park is such a BAD IDEA

Okay, so the CM is a CAT man through and through but a tiger park?

He is really going overboard with his catty harebrained schemes. Enough already. And his reasons for proposing a tiger park?

1. Eco-tourism
2. to provide a sanctuary for tigers

Okay. Lets look at number one. Eco-tourism. Nobody in their right mind will book a holiday to Penang just because we have a tiger park. It will not draw tourists in in droves. Please be realistic. There are so many tiger parks / zoos in this world, what makes him think tourists will come to Penang just to look at tigers?

Ridiculous.

Now, let's look at number two.

Dear, dear CM. Please don't be such a child. The only place that tigers belonged are the forests. Not some park where they are ogled at. If you really care so much for tigers, then do something concrete. Like joining with WWF's fight for stricter conservation laws to protect tigers and all endangered animals in their NATURAL HABITAT.

Fight for keeping of tigers to be outlawed.

Fight for laws and enforcement that will stop illegal trade of tigers and tiger parts.

Fight against tigers being exploited in many ways at parks, theme parks, etc just so the owners can make a fast buck.

Fight for tigers' natural habitat to be preserved and conserved.

Fight for tigers to continue to live on in the wild and for our dwindling tiger in the wild population to be doubled.

Placing tigers in a park IS NOT saving the tigers but showing a stamp of approval that it is the right move for people to buy tiger cubs for entertainment and for humans to ogle at behind enclosures.

Placing tigers in a park IS THE SAME AS CAGING THEM. No matter how big an enclosure they are placed, they are still caged and locked up. They are NOT FREE.

Tigers belonged in the wild. PERIOD.

And all his talk of getting some private companies to fund and handle the project, please use your brain and think ahead.

What happens if the company suddenly goes belly-up and could not afford to maintain the tigers? Then what? Let the tigers starve? Sell off the tigers?

Mind you, feeding a single tiger costs RM30,000 a year. And that does not include veterinarian costs and park maintenance costs.

So, this tiger park idea is probably the most harebrained idea our CM has thought up.

Want to save the tigers? Go symbolically adopt one at WWF lar. Much better than placing them in some enclosure of a park.

To all the cowards and political nuts out there

First off, THIS IS MY BLOG so I have the liberty of thrashing any idiotic politician in Penang and Malaysia and wherever as and when I see fit. That includes the so-called popular favourites the DAP big mouthed politicians and the BN losers.

Anonymous cowards who thinks they are SO smart leaving stupid comments in my OLD posts challenging things I blog about A LONG TIME AGO only serve to prove how moronic and cowardly they are. And I know the reasons for the brainless attacks...much like rabid dogs foaming at the mouth over some negative posts about their idols, they probably think they are belittling me for their idols.

HAH.

Stupid

Bunch

Of

Moronic

IDIOTS.

Go ahead, foam at the mouth and leave brainless comments here all you want. It just proves how stupid you are.

And to Jeffrey Chew, I know you work for the biggest Cat of them all so of course you are obliged to defend your employer.

After all in such an economic downturn, one must always be nice to the hand that feeds one. But really, this is MY BLOG. You wanna defend your boss, go do it in your blog. Don't sully my blog with your undying devotion for the Cat. It is just too sickening for me to bear. I may even need to boil this blog in disinfectant to get rid of all the germs. And I really hate to do that.

Cats may seem all nice and clean but do you know that their feces are toxic? Do you know that cat fur can cause asthma? Do you know that cats aren't all that loyal and frankly, I've never heard of a cat that protected its owners from robbers or burglars. Cats are also known to scratch their owners too.

If I've said it once, I will say it again:

Lim Guan Eng is CHILDISH and PETTY.

Lim Guan Eng only say what he DON'T mean and means what he DON'T say.

And I still think his spat with the media is prove enough what a control-freak and an all-talk but NO ACTION leader he is.

And it's been one year.

What has he done but play his old role as an Opposition leader of blaming all and sundry over whatever that went wrong?

Some investor decided not to come here, blame the BN.

People are losing their jobs, blame the BN.

Some drains are blocked, blame the BN.

Yeah, might as well change his surname to Lua since that's all he is good at. BN may have done wrong but isn't it time the PR government do something to right the wrongs instead of playing the blame game?

We blardy well know what the BN government did so please get over it. Time to do what you are elected to do instead of working only your mouth.

And to the Gerakan losers, Cat Watch????!!!??? Is that the best you could do? Dr Teng, either you are too blur or just plain senile but seriously, shouldn't you have something better than Cat Watch?

Maybe you guys need to learn a lesson or two from the PR fellas. They are damn good at being Opposition, so good in fact, that they seemed stuck in that mentality.

Politicians. *roll eyes* Bunch of pond scum.

Okay, now I know there will be loads of cowardly 'Anonymous' comments especially after my attack against the PR and even the Gerakan leaders. Let 'em rip.

I DON'T BLARDY CARE WHAT YOU THINK!!

The war between NST and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng

Frankly, I think the Chief Minister is acting like a small sulking kid but that's my opinion so even if you don't like it, it's not my problem. This is my blog after all...

Anyway, I'm not going to write much but paste here the first commentary that started this war of words between the NST and the CM:

THE MARCH 8, 2008 WATERSHED: Guan Eng trait that's difficult to swallow

WHILE public relations people and press secretaries are often considered to be stumbling blocks by pressmen in gaining access to industrialists and politicians, the need to be media savvy appears to be what the doctor may prescribe for Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Lim's CAT (Competency, Accountability and Transparency) mantra in running the state government has been put to the test by and on the media this week.

After refusing requests for exclusive interviews from certain publications to commemorate his first year in office, Lim had decreed that he would hold a joint media briefing for all reporters, ahead of the March 8 anniversary.

The Penang press corps was not amused when they discovered that Lim had gone against his word and given an interview to one newspaper, several days before the mass press conference.

This is not the first time that preference has been given to selected media organisations, although his almost-daily media briefings are covered by everyone.
It would have been a different story if a publication had got a "scoop" on Lim. But in this case, it was apparent a game of divide and rule was played with the media.

Any media practitioner worth his salt would tell any public figure that playing favourites with the press does not pay.

And the media is not the only one which has been crying foul over Lim's treatment.

Some businessmen have also been lamenting how certain personalities and projects are being given preference by Lim.

Others, or the less favoured ones, are made to withstand public embarrassment and are exposed during media briefings.

Lim may be right when he told off a journalist that he was the chief minister of Penang and thus deserved more than just a balanced story.

Declaring that he was the "dictator of policies in the state" may be the truth in so far as his position is concerned. However, no journalist -- junior or senior -- relishes being threatened with calls to his editor if they do not write "more than balanced" articles on him.

Just how does Lim expect to build goodwill in Penang if he and his aides go around proclaiming that it is a level playing field for everyone, while in reality the reverse is true?

If the Penang government wishes to continue expounding on its CAT tag, perhaps the time has come for the chief minister to practise what he has been preaching.
- NST

Okay, so that piece of commentary got LGE hopping mad. In fact, so mad that he dropped the NST from the mailing list of all the press statements from his office as claimed by this second commentary by NST:

SHARANJIT SINGH: What's your beef, Guan Eng?

IT was supposed to be a joyous day to mark his first anniversary as Penang chief minister and also a chance for him to bask in the glory of having dethroned Gerakan from their crown jewel state.
However, far from being in a celebratory mood, Lim Guan Eng -- who is also DAP secretary-general -- was enraged after reading an opinion piece in last week's New Sunday Times.

What's his beef? The astute politician admitted he screamed with rage after reading the article which chastised his administration's style.

Lim was apparently upset and felt maligned over the assertions that he was dishing out preferential treatment to the media and also businesses in the piece entitled "Guan Eng trait that's difficult to swallow".

It is normal for politicians to vent their anger against journalists (and their editors) whenever a story not to their liking sees print.
However, he has since gone a step further and barred all press releases from the chief minister's office from being sent to selected media groups and certain journalists are now persona non grata at his press conferences.

It is Lim's prerogative to give such a directive but he should be mindful that in his one year in office, he has already had clashes with various journalists.

Shortly after assuming office, national news agency Bernama and Utusan Malaysia were the first to come under his line of fire, when they were accused of playing up sensitive issues.

As chief minister, Lim should realise that unleashing his fury this way is at his own peril and his attitude towards the press has become the talk of the town.

All this from the same person who claims to be a champion of press freedom.

Lim had condemned the shortlived ban on reporters covering press conferences at Parliament lobby last year.

Was it also not the same Lim who expressed "dismay, disappointment and shock" six months ago when a Penang-based journalist was arrested for 24 hours under the Internal Security Act?

He was quoted at the time as saying that journalists should be free to report the news and not be intimidated by any party.

While he has been equally vocal in condemning the suspensions of newspapers previously, Lim is now suffering from amnesia about the party's stand on press freedom when a commentary not to his liking is printed.

It is ironic that after just a year in power, Lim has lost the goodwill of the media, including bloggers and non-governmental organisations.

His administration style is now under close scrutiny; a fact acknowledged by his own chief of staff Jeff Ooi in a recent posting on his Screenshots blogspot.

Never has there been such knee-jerk reaction to media reports from the chief minister's office, even during the much criticised 18-year leadership of Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

"Never before, no matter how unhappy we were with press reports did we ever ban any paper from the chief minister's office.

"It is outrageous that the media is being barred from a public office which dictates policies for all of Penang," a Gerakan member said.

Other state Pakatan Rakyat leaders have now gone behind Lim's back and expressed the view to prominent investors here that Lim should realise DAP is not the only party running the state administration.

Now DAP chairman Karpal Singh has waded into the controversy, stating he would raise the matter at the party' central executive committee meeting later this month.

"I will bring this matter up internally. It is serious and requires discussion.

"It affects the integrity of the state administration and I will not let it go just like that."

Perhaps Lim should consider taking a leaf from the book of former US president Theodore Roosevelt, who based many of his policies on the West African proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
- NST

And I have to say that I totally agree. Lim Guan Eng has always been championing for press freedom and yet he's the one getting all hopping mad over a single commentary / opinion piece. Why champion for press freedom when he does not even believe in it? Seems like he only wants news that paint the good side of him. Anything critical, he gets hopping mad and acts like a childish sulking kid, turning his face and giving a resounding 'huh, I don't want to friend you anymore'.

For a state leader, that is hardly what we should expect from him. Much as I don't like Koh Tsu Koon, at least he never go around championing one cause and then when that very cause does not suit him, turn around and twist it all about.

It is only one year, and here are Lim Guan Eng's true colours. What makes this whole sordid issue even worse is that he is indulging in his childish sulk with a childish, almost stupid, reply to the column above with this (which I procured from a friend in the media):

Where Is The List Of Businesses Where Lim Guan Eng Was Alleged To Have Embarrassed Or Given Preferential Treatment To That Was Promised But Not Handed Over By NST's Sharanjit Singh?

Disparaging opinion pieces and columns by the NST editorial staff on the Penang Pakatan Rakyat government in general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in particular is nothing new. However the Penang Chief Minister considers it offensive that the Penang NST bureau Chief Sharanjit Singh has chosen to adopt a gross partisan stance to the extent of attacking Lim's personal integrity. Starting in the NST on 9 March 2009 titiled, " THE MARCH 8, 2008 WATERSHED: Guan Eng trait that's difficult to swallow", Lim was accused by the NST of giving preferential treatment to certain businesses.

"Some businessmen have also been lamenting how certain personalities and projects are being given preference by Lim. Others, or the less favoured ones, are made to withstand public embarrassment and are exposed during media briefings."

When Lim remonstrated with Sharanjit, he was promised to be given a list of businesses that Lim had allegedly given preferential treatment to. Sharanjit also told Lim that he had never requested for a special interview from Lim as his bosses in KL will never publish the interview. Lim was also told that this attack against him was done partly by KL editors who had an agenda to conduct a hatchet job on the PR government as their BN masters could not find any traction in attacking his administration.

Lim could only wait for the promised list to determine which businesses he had favoured and who he had embarrassed. If there is any business group that is unhappy, it is probably the RM 25 billion Penang Global City Centre project by Abad Naluri Sdn Bhd which Lim had declared is "as good as dead". Was Sharanjit referring to the PGCC "as good as dead" RM 25 billion project?

However instead of providing the promised list, Sharanjit went on the attack by repeating his allegations of preferential treatment to certain businesses in his column piece on 13 March 2009 entitled "SHARANJIT SINGH: What's your beef, Guan Eng?"

Lim was apparently upset and felt maligned over the assertions that he was dishing out preferential treatment to the media and also businesses in the piece entitled "Guan Eng trait that's difficult to swallow".

Again Sharanjit did not provide the list of businesses as promised. If these attacks originated from NST political masters and owners in UMNO and BN, Sharanjit had done no wrong as he was only doing his job as a journalist. However he had crossed the partisan line between a professional journalist and a professional politician when he took it upon himself to launch those attacks on Lim's integrity. To equate his actions with the detention under ISA of Sin Chew reporter Miss Tan Hoon Cheng misses the point completely as Tan was detained merely for reporting the racist and seditious utterances of extremist UMNO politicians. One can only say that, "Sharanjit, You are no Tan Hoon Cheng!".

Lim believes passionately in freedom of the press but not in the freedom to lie. The Penang Chief Minister wishes to make it clear that he has no issues with NST reporters who have conducted themselves professionally under the difficult constraints of working for an UMNO paper. The issue lies with NST editoral staff like Sharanjit who is behaving more UMNO than UMNO against Lim and his PR state government.

The question to Sharanjit and NST is this, "Where is the list?"

CHEONG YIN FAN
Press Secretary to Chief Minister of Penang

The worse of this statement is not how childish Lim Guan Eng seems, nitpicking and literally picking a fight but he didn't even have the nerve to put his name behind it and hide behind his press secretary by using her name.

Seriously, pick your own fights and be a man, Lim Guan Eng!

And yes, I have disabled comments here because seriously, I don't care what you DAP minions or PR worshippers or Lim Guan Eng fans think.

Sue or no sue, just repair the field

Much has been said about the failed Kings of Tennis event in Esplanade so isn't it time that they just move on and repair the blardy field already?

So, the committee has called for the council to sue the organiser. Whatever. It is obvious the organiser has upped and left. Meanwhile the Esplanade field still has a slab of tar and who-knows-what in the centre. Worse still, around the ugly tar, the grass are destroyed due to the construction works for the stupid hyped-up failed tennis event.

I say the council can sue whoever it wants but it is really time to just repair the field so that others could have a chance using it. Just don't make it such a big issue and leave the field as it is. This tiny patch of greenery is the only one around that area so they should really take good care of it.

A note to the local council:

I remember how the Esplanade field was given a nice makeover costing hundreds of thousands a mere few years ago and many activities were not allowed to be held on the field so as not to destroy it. So, why the heck did you allow the kings of tennis organiser to rent the field knowing full well that they will build a tennis court and ruin most of the field?
The worst part is you are not even getting a cent out of this whole debacle. Now, why don't you just stop dragging your feet and repair the field already?

Finally, to all involved:

Just get over it already. So, the event failed. No point pointing fingers now. Damage has been done. You can sue Ms Celebrity Former Beauty Queen till kingdom come and still the field will remain damaged if you don't do something about it.

Let's just dig out the tar and restore the field, okay?

Oh, and yes, please, don't just let any tom, dick or Arianna into the field to destroy it again.

A smoke-free Penang with non-smoking areas?

When I read that some researcher has this hope of turning the whole state into a non-smoking zone, I thought that guy must have been high on something.

I mean, err, hello? How idealistic can you be? Sure, it is a fine enough dream but I can say it's just gonna be a dream. That's all. Just think la. Even something so simple as putting on your seat belts in the backseat most Malaysians can't seem to do and he thinks they can adhere to non-smoking rules?

Ceh.

I've seen lawyers smoking INSIDE the courtroom (during adjournment) even with the No-Smoking sign clearly stuck on the wall.

I've seen doctors smoking INSIDE enclosed, air-conditioned places despite there being small children around.

I've seen politicians puffing just outside the state legislative building and then throwing the cigarette butts on the ground.

And here, we are talking about the general population? Heck, you think the Ah Beng who have no qualms spitting on the road could even be bothered with the idea of non-smoking areas? Don't even get me started on those who'd simply lit up anywhere they like and then throwing their cigarette butts everywhere.

So, having a smoke-free Penang may have been a great idea but without strict enforcement (which we ALL know we DON'T have), it will remain an idealistic dream.