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news without borders
Penang seeks RM5b
federal guarantee for
investment authority
by Opalyn Mok
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: The state gov-
ernment hopes the federal govern-
ment will approve its application
for RM5 billion guaranteed capital
to set up Penang Investment Au-
thority (PIA).
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng
said yesterday Penang would like
to establish such an authority,
similar to the state-owned Ter-
engganu Investment Authority
(TIA).
“We are only asking for a
capital of RM5 billion, to be raised
via an Islamic bond issuance and
fully guaranteed by the federal
government,” Lim said at a press
conference in his office after a
courtesty call by a delegation
from the Thai senate committee
on foreign affairs.
“We are only asking for equal
treatment as the federal govern-
ment has approved a guaranteed
RM5 billion capital and made
available a further RM6 billion to
TIA.
“We are not asking for RM11
billion but only RM5 billion. PIA
will raise (the additional) RM5
billion from the guaranteed RM5
billion.”
Lim said he has written a for-
mal letter to Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who is
also the finance minister, asking
for the funds to set up PIA.
He said the proposed author-
ity will focus on several key
economic projects in high-end
value-added manufacturing, bio-
technology, knowledge economy,
Information, Communications
and Technology (ICT), research
and development, and tourism
in Penang and in other parts of
Malaysia.
He said the authority will be
100% owned by Chief Minister
Incorporated, with the Ministry
of Finance holding a preference
share that entitles it to certain
approval rights with respect to
the appointment of directors, and
also 10% of PIA’s annual after-tax
profits.
Lim said the authority will
channel its returns to strategic
development and social projects
related to healthcare, education,
infrastructure, poverty eradica-
tion and knowledge economy to
boost the standard of living of the
people of Penang.
The authority will also focus
on key growth areas such as the
electrical and electronics value-
added chain, diversifying the
manufacturing sector, reviving
Penang as an international tourist
destination, improving interme-
diate and final services such as
logistics and port services, invest-
ing in knowledge-based economy
sectors and creating an integrated
halal manufacturing hub.
“We hope the prime minister
will approve our application
for the good of the people and
the economy of Penang and the
country,” he said.
Gark Kim hails budget
for Chinese schools
by Himanshu Bhatt
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: A former Gerakan
state executive councillor has hailed the
Penang government’s move to allocate a
yearly budget for Chinese primary schools
For many as one that would have “far-reaching
years we consequences and possible tremendous
could not political mileage”.
do that, Datuk Khor Gark Kim, who served as
an executive councillor from 1978 to 1984,
now it is said Chinese schools had been requesting
an annual such aid for years without any result.
effort.” “Since the general election last year,
things began to change, as we see the
determination of the state government to
allocate an annual sum of RM4.5 million
to cater to the needs of Chinese primary
schools in the state, he said.
“This is a tremendous change and one
with far-reaching consequences and pos-
sible tremendous political mileage.
“For many years we could not do this,
now it is an annual effort.”
Khor, who had also served as acting
chief minister when Tun Dr Lim Chong
Eu was on leave, said this in a speech at
the opening of a new block at Hun Bin
School by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng
in Tanjung Tokong yesterday.
Present was Penang Chinese Schools
Affairs Coordinating Committee chair-
person Chong Eng, who is also the Bukit
Mertajam MP.
The event was significant because it
was the first time that Lim or any state
Education and enforcement,
not total ban, the answer: Khir
by Maria J. Dass
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: Education and enforce-
ment, and not a total ban, are the keys to
curbing problems arising from the excessive
consumption of alcohol, former Selangor
mentri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo
said yesterday.
He said education on the ills of excessive
alcohol consumption should be extended to
both Muslim and non-Muslim youths.
“They should be taught that alcohol is not
good for health, and on the ills of excessive
consumption,” Mohd Khir said when com-
menting on issues raised during a dialogue
between stakeholders pertaining to calls for
a ban on the sale of alcohol and beer in areas
where Muslims form the majority.
The dialogue, organised by the Selangor
state government, was aimed at listening
to views before the government comes up
with a guideline on the sale of alcohol in the
state.
While religious organisations argued
that easily-available alcohol and beer would
entice the young and Muslims, and that
non-Muslims who drank posed a danger to
themselves and people around them, those
opposing the ban said this is a problem that
should be addressed by the inculcation of
strong religious values and self-discipline so
that those involved will not easily be tempted
to take up habits against their religion.
“In terms of enforcement, during our ad-
ministration, there was strict enforcement on
the sale of alcohol to minors and Muslims and
any outlet found selling alcohol to Muslims
will have their licences revoked immediately,”
Mohd Khir said.
“This is a sensitive matter and there can
be no total ban as we have to be careful about
the sensitivities of the non-Muslims.
“However, in certain areas like Bangi,
theSun | TUESDAY MAY 26 2009
government leader had officially attended
a school event after the general election
last year.
Lim, who said he respected the school’s
“bold gesture” to invite him, announced
that the state government would allocate
RM45,000 for the school, founded in 1934
and which now had 732 pupils.
The RM4.5 million annual allocation
for Chinese primary schools and mission
schools was approved by the state assem-
bly in November last year. One hundred
and eight of the 124 eligible schools have
applied for the funds.
Lim said the committee held a meeting
last Friday to discuss allocations from the
budget. The state assemblymen have been
given three weeks to submit findings on
the needs of the schools in their constitu-
encies.
“The committee will give priority to the
schools that have serious building struc-
ture issues that could endanger the lives of
teachers and the pupils,” he said.
“We will help to repair what the federal
government has failed to do.”
Khor also lamented the fact that while
notable schools sought after by parents
were resourceful and could afford to keep
expanding, small schools may find their
enrolments dropping every year, resulting
in the possibility of closing down.
“Any small-sized school facing im-
minent closure can still be salvaged and
given a new lease of life, if such efforts and
resources can be properly and effectively
coordinated and synchronised,” he said.
whether the majority of the population are
Muslims, we did not allow the sale of alcohol
and beer as there was no reason for anyone
there to purchase these products.”
Asked if there was any study done to de-
termine the population of an area and if a ban
on the sale of alcohol there was warranted,
he said: “That depended on the discretion of
the local authority.”
On the ban on the sale of beer in Shah
Alam, Mohd Khir said: “We should see which
area is involved to avoid infringing on the
sensitivities of the non-Muslims.”
Another issue raised at the dialogue was
the attitude of overzealous local authority
officers who imposed bans on the sale of
alcohol in some areas.
Some had also refused to renew the
licences of alcohol traders although these
establishments had been in business for
years, and others had allowed their personal
perceptions to influence their decisions to
not renew or issue licences.
These were among the reasons why the
state held an open dialogue to address the
issue of non-uniform guidelines pertaining to
the issuance of licences to shops, retailers
(including 24-hour stores), hypermarkets and
Chinese medical halls.
On May 13, 7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn Bhd
received a letter from the Shah Alam City
Council (MBSA) informing them that the sale
of alcoholic drinks and beer was not allowed
in their stores in Sections 1-25 in Shah Alam,
Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh (Section U20) and
TTDI Jaya (Section U2).
It is learnt that some local authorities
such as those servicing areas like Bangi have
already implemented this ban on their own
accord. A spokesperson for Sepang Municipal
Council, which services a section of Bangi,
said the ban is not in force in areas like the
southern part of Sepang because there are
many non-Malays there.