How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Government fed by the people

Government fed by the people

Career options

Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?

When there's too much dirt...

When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.

Prevent bullying now!

Prevent bullying now!
If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist? “Orang boleh pandai setinggi langit, tapi selama ia tidak menulis, ia akan hilang di dalam masyarakat dan dari sejarah.” - Ananta Prameodya Toer (Your intellect may soar to the sky but if you do not write, you will be lost from society and to history.)

Monday, July 01, 2013

KL's proposed Mega Tower: shouldn't we have a referendum on it?

How ironic: FT Kuala Lumpur's major decisions are decided by minority voters.

By now, we are familiar with the 9 Pakatan MPs having no say at all, in matters relating to KL City Hall. Only 2 MPs are from BN. KL Mayor is a federal appointee and he is answerable to BN FT Minister, whose popularity is nothing to shout about, having won in FT Putrajaya, the smallest constituency (15,791 voters) out of 222 parliamentary seats.

The 9 Pakatan MPs consist of 5 from DAP (with total votes of 229,377); and 4 from PKR (with total votes (including one candidate who lost) of 173,807). Including the unsuccessful PAS candidate, Pakatan obtained a total of 425,352 votes.

The 2 Umno MPs (Setiawangsa and Titiwangsa) together with 2 other unsuccessful Umno candidates, received a total of 105,134 votes. Together with the other unsuccessful BN candidates: 4 from MCA (64,032 votes); 2 from Gerakan (50,572 votes) and 1 from PPP (7,530 votes), BN obtained a total of 227,268 votes. Others (a Berjasa candidate and some independents) received a total of 5,230 votes.

If we assume all those who voted for Pakatan Rakyat (425,352 voters) are against the project, then it would appear that 227,268 voters could ride roughshod over the majority. In other words, had there been a referendum in KL, I believe the project will be shot down.

But this is Malaysia. After GE 13, we are being ruled by a government supported by only 47% voters, yet secured 133 parliamentary seats (or 60%), because of the FPTP system which turned out to be blatantly unfair because of mal-apportionment in constituencies.

Update:

From Facebook:

1M Malaysians Reject 100-storey Mega Tower shared Kassim Muhamad's photo.

'Mayor of Kuala Lumpur Ahmad Phesal Talib put up 1 notice near Stadium Merdeka and 4 ads in print papers on 17-19 June announcing that there is request to Change of Layout Plan and Converting Land Reserved for People's Owned Park, Merdeka Stadium, Stadium Negara and surrounding sites into Land for High Class Hotel, Apartment, Shopping Mall, 118 storey Mega Tower. For who? For 'PNB'.

He gave 14 days notice for those who want to object, which the dateline is end of TODAY.

Datuk Ketua Pangarah, DBKL, Datuk Salleh Yusof yesterday said the KL Mayor will only meet and listen to those who submit the objection letter.

Meaning,
no prior community & public consultation, no exposure of layout plan, survey plan, no social impact studies etc, just a notice board and 4 ads without applicant's name, but all 'questionable' sentences in the notice which even the Ketua Pengarah cannot answer, DBKL may proceed to approve the project after today.

What say you, warga Kuala Lumpur,
and Rakyat Malaysia?'

Link

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Despite having 9 out of 11 Member of Parliaments in Kuala Lumpur, this is not reflected in the City's Advisory Board or the selection of the Mayor. Maybe ALL the 9 opposition MPs could follow the early American's solution,viz "No Taxation Without Representation".
The residents of Kuala Lumpur could withhold paying their annual assessment until their MPs are represented.