teacher gets transfer after appeal to political party

/* August 16th, 2011 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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This is a pitiful story indeed. This teacher appealed for 3 YEARS to get a transfer back so can be with the mother who is a cancer patient. I wonder why the appeal was not approved before this. Always can give due to compassionate factors.

In the end, it needed political interference to solve this problem. Its more interesting because the deputy minister of education is from the political party.

This is why corruption, nepotism, and favouritism can occur.  These are the things that we should weed out from the civil service – interference from political parties and incompetent officers who not able to serve their customers honestly, fairly and with dedication.

AFTER more than three years of appealing for a transfer back to Penang, a teacher had his wish granted — thanks to the MCA.

Chiam Ming Jeng, 27, who was posted to a school in Subang Jaya, Selangor, had applied to come back to Penang to teach as his mother was suffering from cancer at the time.

His father had passed away in 2009.

After appealing to the party for assistance, Chiam had his wish granted in January when he was transferred to SMJK (C) Chung Hwa, Butterworth.

As a token of appreciation, his sister Wei Ping, 29, presented MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek with a ‘thank you’ plaque to express the family’s gratitude during the state party convention on Saturday.

“My brother, sister and myself are all teachers.

“My brother and I were posted to other states to teach when my mother was ill, so he requested to come back to take care of her.

“Thanks to MCA, the transfer application was finally approved,” she said.

Their mother succumbed to the illness two months ago.

source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/8/10/north/9254320&sec=North

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Temples in Section 19 PJ get land from developer

/* August 15th, 2011 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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One good thing is that the developer is made to fulfill their application conditions. However, I’m not sure of the pro and cons of allowing developer to keep the lease and the impact of perpetual lease agreement between land owner and temple. Who will determine the rate for rent of the land (if got any rent)? Is it possible the land given free, but later may be charged to temple? Can the land be revoked and used for other purpose by the land owner?

 

TWO temples that have been operating for more than 40 years in Section 19, Petaling Jaya, will be allocated 0.09ha (10,000sq ft) of land in the same area.

The Tow Boo Keong Taoist Temple and the Arulmigu Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu Temple had in May received notices from a developer of nearby condominium project to move out of the land that they have been using as places of worship at the former squatter area.

During a press conference at the Hindu temple on Saturday, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said Petaling Jaya city councillors had the planning approval for the Ameera condominium on March 29, 2007.

“One of the conditions in the planning approval signed by developer Selangor Dredging Bhd (SDB) states that they must provide 10,000 sq ft of land to each temple so we have asked them to comply,” said Pua.

Also present were temple chairmen Tan Kam Piew and Tanasakaran Rengasamy and MBPJ councillors R. Selvarajan, Mak Khuin Weng and Jeyaseelan Anthony.

Pua said after discussions with the developer, SDB had agreed to give 0.09ha to each temple but would be keeping the land title.

“The temples will enter into a perpetual lease with the land owner and it is now up to the committees of both temples to negotiate the location of the plots with the developer,” said Pua.

He said the DAP had a team of lawyers who could oversee the negotiations but he advised the committees to appoint their own to finalise the agreement.

Tanasakaran said they were relieved that they would not have to relocate the temple and his committee would be meeting the developers to discuss the matter.

SDB communications and corporate affairs manager Yeoh Guan Jin confirmed that they would be allocating a 0.09ha to each temple to build their place of worship and SDB would hold the land titles.

source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/8/15/central/9299361&sec=central

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unpaid land premium arreas for partially aided school in Perak abolished

/* August 15th, 2011 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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A very good news for schools in Perak, but I’m not sure if any Tamil schools are involved. Its a double bonus because their debt gets wiped clean, and the new land premium is set at RM1 a year.

The Perak government has abolished arrears in unpaid land premium, totalling RM10mil, by 278 partially-aided schools in the state, State Executive Councillor Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said.

He said the schools comprised the Chinese national-type schools and the mission schools.

“Each school is estimated to have outstanding debts of up to RM100,000. So, with the arrears abolished, it can help to ease the financial burden of the schools concerned,” he added.

Mah, who is the State Health, Local Government, Consumer Affairs, Transport and Non-Muslim Affairs Committee Chairman, said that with the land premium arrears abolished, the state government would now extend the payment of RM1 a year in land premium to the affected schools.

Prior to this, he said, several conditions were imposed, such as that the special rate would only be for land where the school building stood, while land with agriculture and other status would not enjoy the special rate.

There were also many partially-aided schools built on private land which did not enjoy the RM1 land premium, he added. – Bernama

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/8/13/nation/20110813164425&sec=nation

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piped water for folks, after 50 years

/* August 15th, 2011 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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Should I say “better late than never?”

AFTER waiting for 50 years, the Kuala Selangor Kampung Baru Estate folk have finally received piped water from Syarikat Bekalan Air Negri Selangor, reported Makkal Osai.

M. Kaniamma said the residents had depended on river and ground water, which had created many health problems like rashes and skin diseases for them.

She said Permatang assemblyman Sulaiman Abdul Razak had arranged for the water to be piped to their houses.

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/8/15/nation/9300798&sec=nation

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low cost flats are modern day slums?

/* August 12th, 2011 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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Wonder how true this is. I know some of the low cost flats look unhygienic, cramped and one feels unsafe to be in the vicinity.  Its takes some awareness on the residents part as well as the provision of proper facilities on the developer/authorities behalf.  Living in small flats or apartments is not conducive if crowded with 5 to 6 people (or even more). Some families take care of the elderly and/or siblings, so don’t be surprised if there are even 10 people living in one small flat. Have seen such cases in newspapers.

The lack of facilities (and maintenance) deprives the children and youths of outlet for their energy and time. They may end up associating with wrong groups and wrong activities that lead to social and criminal problems.

Having mixed-development projects is good way of integration, but nowadays we are seeing mostly high-end and very high-end projects being launched. Just reading newspapers on weekends can show how many housing projects being advertised, and I don’t think can find any below RM500k/unit.

Developers here will be asked to build affordable houses for those in the lower income group rather than flats which are cramped and “always associated” with social problems.

Likening poorly maintained flats as “modern-day slums”, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Moha- mad Hasan said the people, especially those with many children, should be allowed to live in a more conducive environment.

He said the state government was prepared to lower the 30% quota for low-cost homes in a project if developers were willing to build low-cost houses rather than flats.

“Also, since the demand for low-cost flats here is extremely poor, developers should look at ways to provide dwellings that are attractive,” he said, adding that it was pointless to relocate squatters to only house them in such units later.

Mohamad said building low-cost flats was also not a viable solution as property near such units might not be able to attract buyers.

“It would be better if the developer can build 30 to 40 affordable houses rather than build 100 units of flats which remain empty.

“We want a win-win situation for developers, house owners and low income earners. Build houses that everyone can call home,” he said.

Mohamad said the state government would also direct developers to increase the minimum width of low-cost houses from the present 16ft (4.8m) to 18ft (5.4m).

“Houses need to be bigger so that occupants are comfortable.

“We are reviewing this and its implementation is expected soon,” he said.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung made similar calls to developers, saying they should opt for low to medium-cost houses for the lower income group in areas where land was not expensive.

“Landed homes are more comfortable for those with a big number of family members,” he said.

He said if developers found it difficult to build landed low-cost houses due to the high prices of land, they must still ensure that the apartments they constructed were of good quality.

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/8/12/nation/9283985&sec=nation

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