Friday, December 11, 2020

Penang's endless battles and struggles

FMT:

Penang pours cold water on Kedah MB’s RM50 mil demand


Sungai Muda flows from the eastern hinterlands of Kedah and empties into Penang’s territory in the west. (PBA pic)


GEORGE TOWN: Penang has shot down the Kedah menteri besar’s demand for RM50 million a year demand as compensation for drawing water from Sungai Muda, a river that flows from the eastern hinterlands of Kedah and empties into Penang’s territory in the west.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said he had received letters of demand from the Kedah government but said Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor should instead ask for compensation from Putrajaya, as raw water matters were under the federal government.

Chow also said Penang would continue to draw water from its side of Sungai Muda as international conventions allow it to do so.

Sanusi had made the RM50 million demand after claiming that the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBA) has been raking in profits by drawing water from the river, asking the company to pay 10 sen per cubic metre.

PBA said it owed no one money as it was taking water from Penang’s side of the river near Butterworth.

Chow, who is PBA chairman, however told a press conference: “We will support Kedah in its efforts to claim for compensation arising from the cancellation of logging licences at the water catchment area at the Ulu Muda forest reserve.”

Yesterday, Sanusi said he was upset with the barrage of negative comments from Penang over its planned RM62 billion rare earth elements venture, which included the Ulu Muda forest reserve and two other rural areas, saying the state should mind its own business.

He slammed PBA for carrying out trips into the forest reserve repeatedly, saying it was encroaching into the “sovereignty of Kedah”.

In response, Chow said Sanusi’s statement was irresponsible, as Malaysians are allowed to crossover to any part of the states – be it on land or over water.

“If that is the case, are you saying I can stop the MB on his way to Kuala Lumpur if he enters Penang territory?” he asked.

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kt notes:

There has LONG been a Kedah resentment of Penang, most probably for Penang doing better than the Rice State. This resentment has seen regular occasions-outbursts of demands for Penang and its mainland component Seberang Perai (once known as Province Wellesley) to be returned to Kedah, or its annual (leasing) fee of 10,000 Spanish Dollars to be updated to today's values, instead of just RM10,000.

Going back into history, the island of Penang was initially leased to the British by the Kedah Sultanate in 1791 for an annual payment of 6,000 Spanish Dollars. Then Province Wellesley (today known as Seberang Perai) was added to the lease in 1800 for a further 4,000 Spanish Dollars. Later both territories were ceded to the Poms who declared it as a Crown Colony. However, the 10,000 Spanish dollars continued to be paid to Kedah annually.

After the then Malaya gained independence, Kedah still receives RM10,000 annually as the annual lease payment from the federal government.

In 1969 the federal govt took away Penang's free port status causing a humongous 16% drop in employment. T'was CM Lim Chong Eu's valiant effort, no doubt in fumbling with a version of 'Silicon Valley' that Penangites eventually overcame that unemployment problem. By the way, there's an interesting (and seditious) story behind the free port status with a threat of Penang's secession behind it but I will leave that for another day.

Then in 1974, the federal government again meddled with Penang's status, merging this council and that municipality with the resultant effect of Georgetown's city status being kowtim-rised. T'was only recently (2015) that Georgetown regained its city status, making it uniquely the only Malaysian city to have been conferred its city status twice, wakakaka.

Penang under the Mahathir federal government with a helpless and quite inefficient Koh Tsu Koon was grossly underdeveloped, marginalised and fell into economic doldrums, whilst KL and Selangor sapu-ed all the mega-giant projects and government funded developments.

I have to say that the Pakatan Rakyat (principally the DAP-led) State Government turned the (Mahathir-named) 'garbage state' into a modern, clean and effective state today with the lowest state debt in Malaysia. I gladly salute the DAP state government for this - Penang is now a clean wealthy state with even a koi canal (which underwent a recent 'spring cleaning'), wakakaka.




Prior to Sanusi's current demand of 'water fees', apart from the 'usual' Malay historians with 'ultra' proclivities and thus deep resentment against the State of Penang, and making demands of this and that of Penang vis-a-vis Kedah, two other Kedah politicians also made demands on the Island State.

Mahathir was one who once stressed on an increase in the annual leasing fees for Kedah (which should no longer applies as Penang is NOW part of Malaya-Malaysia) while his son Mukhriz (as MB Kedah, and with the encouragement of his father) also made 'water fees' demands from Penang, thus Sanusi was not the first Kedah MB who tried the kerbau-ish 'water fees'.

[Bizarrely, Mahathir's father was a Penang Malay, wakakaka]

Then there was Ku Nan, then Federal Territories Minister who made a bizarre grab for Penang by proposing to turn Penang into a federal territory, no doubt to be consequentially placed under his ministry with civil servants running the State a la KL, and of course wiping out the DAP dominance in Penang.

Yes, jealousy written all over, and worse, overlaid with racism.


19 comments:

  1. i believe unification is the way forward, its clearly a british conspiracy to divide n rule. mahathir shd have created a greater bay area that consist kedah, perai n penang under alor setar centralised administration. we cant let the british n penangites do whatever thay want.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This man is Stoopid or what?

      Delete
    2. Another ketuanan promotional fart for yr dangdut pals using that chronic unification excuse!

      Better stick to yr DON'T-SPOOK-THE-MELAYU-SENSITIVITIES theme. It sounds more real!

      Delete
    3. It ain't Stoopid but a paid toad to cloak its katak-ised fart!

      Delete
    4. historically penang was under kedah, its the british colonization that cause the ceded. whats wrong if penang is returned to kedah? if penangites disagree, we can hv a referendum that include all 30 mil msian, bangla oso welcomed to vote.

      Delete
    5. Get that point to yr dangdut pals!

      Historically, there were NOT that many melayu states as now. If that riverine fairy tale was correct there was only one Malacca sultanate!

      Do a referendum to get rid of these useless bloodsucking ketuanan idols.

      See whether yr toad end gets grill on melayu flame!

      Delete
    6. Referendum my foot. Where and when did màlausial ever had one? Another Stoopid notion of yours again.

      Delete
    7. motherland history u blur blur, homeland history u oso blur blur.

      jz, goood to have right? its a decent notion, n part n parcel of demoocracy. n u havent answer whats wrong penang return to kedah.

      Delete
    8. Katak under a fart filled well talking about history outside that deep shithole!

      Wow!!!

      What's wrong with Penang returns to Kedah?

      As a sovereign state why must Penang returned?

      That what's WRONG!

      But can a melayu palsu terlampau melayu, dying to promote ketuanan agenda, see the wrongness.

      Never mind that eventual projection of getting it's butt grilled.

      Delete
  2. I thought it was claimed Mahathir's father from Kerala ?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Regardless of international conventions, it is a fact of human nature that whoever's hand is on the controls has the upper hand.
    In the case of rivers that cross state or national boundaries, the guy upstream has the upper hand.

    Just look at what has happened to the once mighty Mekong River.
    Even shallow draft boats stranded on mustangs because of low water levels in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
    And because of the cluent-states they have become, their governments don't even dare to speak up against the Bully Upstream State.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you're referring to international flow; here the catchment area is about raw (untreated) water, thus the federal government is responsible

      Delete
    2. This old moneyed mfer is just farting with know-nothingness!

      The Mekong flows through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam before emptying into the South China Sea.

      A recent UN 1990 study (mfer, not Chinese!) found that upstream Mekong water volume from the Tibetan plateau contributes only 12% of the annual total volume (prior ). When it reaches the China /Myanmar border the volume raises to 20%. The remaining 80% is the combined water volume from the other tributaries/catchments scattering around those other countries. This huge catchment area used to provide the humongous water to Mekong due to the large subtropical rainforests environment.

      The current reduction of Mekong water flow is caused by irrigations diversions (mainly Myanmar & Thailand) & ground water lost due to huge deforestation initiated by Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The chief culprits have identified Myanmar, Thailand & Cambidia!

      Mfer, keep farting yr hp6 lies lah.

      Delete
    3. Then why don't kedah just build a dam across sg.muda and see what happened. Probably bankcrupted the state coffers. Kedahans will be very happy then. Choose a site where a lot of balak available and nusi balak can cut a lot of balak to offset the cost. Sound economic yeah??

      Delete
    4. CK...good to know, thanks ! Yeah, you are right about that "Mfer" who has proven time and again he is either lying or knows zilch about most things. Actually, nothing's wrong if one knows nothing much, but there's mucho wrong if such Mfer likes to spew his nonsense just to rant out his pet hatred, hehe. There's no fool like an old fool, and thank goodness he no longer says stuff like " this a fact well known throughout the world ", LOLOLOL

      Delete
    5. https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/04/22/science-shows-chinese-dams-devastating-mekong-river/

      For the education of know-nothing Dark Web Hard Core Porn peddlers.

      Delete
    6. Wakakakakaka…

      https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/04/22/science-shows-chinese-dams-devastating-mekong-river/

      Is this a scientific investigation report or a politically motivated fart?

      A foreignpolicy.com reporting vis-a-vis UN investigative report!

      Mfer, those dams that built within China boundary ONLY block the water sources from catchments within China. What about to those water sources from catchments within those other countries with their subtropical rainforest environment?

      Oooop that foreignpolicy.com properly think that all the Mekong water cones from the Tibetan plateau! Only a known-nothing mfer would believe that lie!

      BTW, don't keep this info in yr mind. It's NOT for yr understanding since u only read lies, propaganda & kayak farts.

      Delete
  4. These Kedah leaders so mundur otak. Only know how to korek lubang cari gali and jual ayer.

    Thousands of Kedahans work in Penang, earning higher salaries than possible at home. In fact the Kulim Industrial Estate would not exist today without the overflow effect from Penang's success, after Penang ran out of land, eg Intel.

    And soon Wee KHAT Siong will approve the Kulim airport to suck up to the PAS state gomen, and refuse the expansion of Bayan Lepas, just to spite Penang.

    Not to mention the Twit of A Twat "non-political" FM refused to back Penang's 2 Billion loan guarantee from ADB for the island's much needed LRT, even when it would cost Putrajaya nothing.

    ReplyDelete