Official: Penang given RM5.7b in 11th Malaysia Plan, not sidelined

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 3 — Putrajaya allocated RM5.7 billion to Penang to implement 144 projects under the 11th Malaysia Plan and did not sideline the state as claimed, said Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman.

The Penang Federal Action Council chairman also said the federal government plans to implement 81 new projects on top of 63 on-going projects that covered infrastructure projects, health, education and projects to spur the economy.

“For the Rolling Plan 2016, a total RM768 million is allocated to the state,” he said in a statement released today.

He said a total RM242.5 million was allocated for the construction of new roads and highways involving federal and state roads.

An additional RM125.68 million was set aside to build new schools and school redevelopment projects, he said.

For the health sector, Zainal said allocations exist to build new quarters for Penang Hospital, new multi-level blocks at Seberang Jaya, and the women and children’s block in Penang Hospital.

“RM50.3 million is allocated to build low cost and low medium cost housing projects such as low medium cost apartments in Butterworth and Sungai Nibong and public housing in Kampung Tok Suboh, Bukit Minyak and Mak Mandin,” he said.

For agriculture, a total RM18.5 million is allocated for irrigation development at the Sungai Acheh Irrigation Scheme, he said.

He added that RM182 million was also allocated to the expansion of the Mengkuang Dam, the sewage treatment project in Bayan Lepas and flood mitigation project in Tasek Gelugor.

“So, the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng must stop making false allegations that the federal government did not allocate anything to Penang in the 2016 Budget,” he said.

He pointed out that the Penang International Airport was expanded in 2012 and that it will be able to sustain its growing capacity until 2020.

Will China’s Slowing Economy Derail Its Africa Strategy?
African demands are growing, but Beijing's resources-for-infrastructure model is losing steam.

On Dec. 2, after a two-day visit to Zimbabwe, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, to attend the Sixth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a multilateral meeting held every three years which guides cooperation between China and African states. The continent has served as a major partner for Chinese trade and investment; in 2014, Chinese trade with Africa reached $200 billion. But this year, the summit comes as Chinese investment is slowing alongside its cooling economy, which in 2014 grew 7.4 percent, its slowest pace in decades — prompting concerns that African economies may falter as well. And leaders in some African nations have criticized Chinese business and investment practices, demanding that China do more to promote local economies and offer technology transfers. In this ChinaFile conversation, experts discuss these new challenges, and how they will shape the future of China-African relations.

Eric Olander, founder of the China Africa Project and co-host of the weekly China in Africa Podcast:

When Xi arrives in Johannesburg to lead FOCAC, he will be greeted as an old friend by his African counterparts. There will be smiles, the customary toasts to “win-win development” and a projection of confidence from both sides that all is well in China’s engagement strategy in Africa.

But all is not well. Lurking behind the diplomatic niceties is real worry that Africa’s fate is now dangerously intertwined with that of China’s. While Beijing may capably manage its own economic transformation from an agrarian to manufacturing to a consumer-driven economy, Africa’s largely commodity-driven economies are far more vulnerable.

From Angola to Zambia to Uganda, the once promising resources-for-infrastructure deals are creating severe liquidity crisesFrom Angola to Zambia to Uganda, the once promising resources-for-infrastructure deals are creating severe liquidity crises when these countries export natural resources to China but do not receive payment in cash. The problem is compounded by the ongoing slump in global commodity prices, so that even when clients do actually pay for their raw materials, there is little financial benefit.

Fear of China’s deepening engagement in Africa is also spreading across the continent’s manufacturing sector. With the Chinese economy slowing, Chinese manufacturers are now looking farther afield for new markets, which presents a direct challenge for Africa’s budding industrial sector to compete with the “China Price.” If Chinese imports further undercut local prices, that could lead to real problems in markets where unemployment is already a serious issue.

Xi should be well-advised to take these economic concerns seriously. African leaders across the continent want to see China as a positive force for economic development, but if their populations begin to link their own economic hardships to China, this could present a grave challenge to Beijing’s strategy on the continent. These are volatile economic times in Africa, China, and around the world, and that calls for a far suppler Chinese policy that both acknowledges this new reality and responds as genuine partner whose engagement benefits all Africans.

Kemo Bosielo, masters candidate in international relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China:

The current state of the China-Africa relationship is being scrutinized with arguably more doubt and trepidation than at any time during recent history. The success of the China-Africa relationship was built on the seemingly simple convergence of interests: the Chinese need for minerals and the African need for investment, infrastructure, and an alternative trade partner. Currently China-Africa relations appear to be struggling to deal with a divergence of interests. Chinese demand for raw materials is decreasing steadily as China manages its economic slowdown. Furthermore, the Chinese government has implemented measures to transform the Chinese economy from one based on investment to one based on domestic consumption, which has caused a drastic drop in Chinese investment in Africa. Coupled with a sharp decline in global commodity prices, the current situation does not bode well for African countries. How Africa and China deal with the shifting and seemingly conflicting interests will be a crucial question at FOCAC.

Amid the frantic reactions to China’s economic slowdown and the downturn in global commodities prices, it is essential to continue to analyze the China-Africa relationship with a sober mind. Given the unbelievably rapid increase in China-Africa trade witnessed from the early 2000’s, it is possible that we are witnessing a trade relationship still very much in its infancy. Should this be the case, the trade relations will surely develop a significantly greater level of complexity and depth. If anything the current shock should force African states to reassess what some have labeled an overdependence on China. This reassessment potentially could lead African countries to diversify their trade portfolios by seeking out other emerging economies also in need of raw materials. More importantly, it could prove to be the necessary catalyst in transitioning African economies away from a trade profile dominated by raw materials. This can only be beneficial for Africa’s development.

Fifteen years after the first FOCAC, the most pressing concern at this year’s FOCAC should still be the issue of African agency. It often has been argued that while China has an “Africa Policy,” Africa does not have a cohesive and unified “China Policy.” Africa seems to be a passive beneficiary of Chinese interests. The role of the African Union (AU) and other regional and sub-regional organizations in this regard is of vital importance. With agricultural reform; structural transformation of key economies; diversification of trade portfolios; and continued investment in infrastructure topping the agenda for African development, it is essential that a coherent policy position is presented to China which will ensure that African interests become decisive factors in the championed “win-win” cooperation.

Huang Hongxiang, founder of the Nairobi-based China House Kenya:

Today Chinese business has been everywhere in Africa. Along with many great successes, there are many challenges facing sustainable development of Chinese business in Africa: lack of local knowledge and localization which lead to business failure, labor relations challenges, environmental conflict, wildlife trade and the image problem it presents, the communication gap. There have been intensive conflicts in Ghana, in Zambia, in Kenya, in Tanzania. Many Chinese businessmen in Africa have expressed their concerns to me: they are afraid that one day Chinese may be kicked out of AfricaMany Chinese businessmen in Africa have expressed their concerns to me: they are afraid that one day Chinese may be kicked out of Africa.

Public diplomacy is the key to address such challenges. So far, China-Africa engagement is more on the government and business level; we do not have enough exchange in terms of civil society and media. Believe it or not, with 1 million Chinese in Africa, there are almost no Chinese NGOs on the continent.

Such Chinese non-governmental actors should be the ones who can build a bridge: they can speak to Chinese stakeholders, and can freely speak to local and international communities as well. Unlike companies who need to focus on earning today’s bread, Chinese NGOs could spend more energy and time studying the challenges that are more long term but more substantial. Unlike government, NGOs and media could quickly respond with more open conversation, and therefore would help people understand Chinese in Africa better. Unlike the old generation of Chinese in Africa, they would be more open, more internationalized, more devoted to community development, and wildlife conservation, and therefore could help build a different image of Chinese in Africa.

Yu-Shan Wu, foreign policy researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs:

The FOCAC platform indicates how much China-Africa relations have evolved and expanded over time. Yet unlike the past, the relationship appears to be more of a crossroads scenario than ever before. Concerns are growing over a changing (and normalizing) Chinese economy, in particular the impact on Africa’s commodity exports. Yet this development also opens up the opportunity for relations to progress beyond the trade narrative.

China is already placing greater emphasis on multilateral relations. During Xi’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly in September, he pledged 8,000 troops to the U.N.’s peacekeeping mission. In early 2015, China and the AU also signed an agreement to connect major African capital cities through transport routes, and in May, China officially opened its permanent mission to the AU. These developments run against concerns that China-Africa ties essentially are a set of bilateral trade relations.

It is not just China’s domestic economy that could impact Africa. There is uncertainty about where FOCAC (and Africa) fits in China’s current global agenda. For example, since 2013 China has promoted the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, which is reviving a historical overland trade route between China and Europe that now includes a maritime component across the Indian Ocean. However, besides port and railway assistance in East Africa, there is a lack of understanding about how this drive would impact or include southern or western Africa. Of course, similar questions can be raised about FOCAC’s relationship with other platforms such as the BRICS New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.


It is likely that FOCAC will also address new issues, such as the Chinese economy’s “new normal,” the recent Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa, the changing peace and security environment, and the seriousness of the global illegal wildlife trade. Of particular interest is how these issues will be approached, and what specific links are made between them and China’s broader global initiatives.

Gold traders robbed of RM1.4 million in daring Tapah RNR heist

IPOH: In a daring heist, five men armed with guns and a hammer surrounded a Mercedes-Benz and robbed travelling gold traders of RM1.4 million in cash on Wednesday night.

In the 9.15 pm incident at Tapah Rest and Recreation (RNR), the suspects, who were in two separate cars - a Toyota Vios and a Honda Civic surrounded the victims’ car and commanded two of the four victims to stay in the vehicle.

Tapah police chief ACP Som Sak Din Keliaw said the victims, who were gold traders, were on their way from Penang to Kuala Lumpur and two of them had left the vehicle to buy some food.

“Initial investigations found that all of the suspects wore face masks and helmets but only two of them were armed with guns while another suspect was equipped with a hammer,” he said during a press conference here today.

“They approached the victims’ vehicle and smashed the windscreen and side mirrors before opening the vehicle’s bonnet,” he said, adding that they managed to flee with the money that was placed inside two boxes.

“No shots were fired and we are still conducting an investigation under Section 4 of Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971,” he said.

Tabung Bencana NSTP-Mediaprima gives aid to flood victims in Kuala Selangor

KUALA SELANGOR: Two hundred and seventeen families affected by the recent flash flood in Kampung Parit Mahang, Jeram received aid from Tabung Bencana NSTP-Mediaprima, here, today.

Each family received basic necessities worth RM200, including cooking oil, soap, toothpaste, cleaning utensils, canned foods, packets of biscuits and grocery items.

Led by Badan Khairat NSTP deputy president Roslan Ibrahim, the one-day event was a joint effort by Badan Khairat NSTP, NSTP's volunteer brigade, and GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Giant).

Badan Khairat NSTP, NSTP's volunteer brigade, and GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Giant) distribute aid to two hundred and seventeen families who were affected by the recent flash flood in Kampung Parit Mahang, Jeram, Kuala Selangor. Pix by Faiz Anuar

Roslan, when met after distributing the aid said the total allocation for the supplies was worth more than RM40,000.

"We would like to thank the Welfare Department and Kampung Parit Mahang village chief Baharom Hussin, who have helped us to identify the affected families.

“The response from the families was overwhelming. This is part of the company's corporate social responsibility and we have been providing aid to victims affected by natural disasters since 2009," he said.

Recipient Ahmad Kamal Hassan, 42, from Kampung Parit Mahang, thanked NSTP-Mediaprima and Giant Hypermarket for the contribution to his family.

"I appreciate any kind of assistance and this aid will at least ease our burden. Many of our belongings especially cupboards and beds have been damaged by the flood.

"The total loss we suffered is estimated to be between RM3,000 and RM4,000. There is much work to be done and for now this aid will be very handy for my family. It came at the right time," he said.

Last month, several areas in Kuala Selangor were hit by flash floods after a nearby river burst its banks.

The areas affected, besides Kampung Parit Mahang were Kampung Bukit Kuching, Kampung Bukit Cerakah, Kampung Bukit Hijau, Simpang 3 Mosque in Jeram and a mosque in Tuan Mee estate.

12-hour shifts, instead of 24-hour ones for firemen from next month

KUALA TERENGGANU: The nation's 14,000-strong regular firemen will work 12-hour shifts from next month, said the department's chief.

Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim said they would do away with the 24-hour shifts which were no longer suitable as they were labourious and taxing on the firemen who often faced ardous tasks in handling distress calls, emergencies and other operational duties.

For the record, the department handled a total of 98,000 distress calls for last year alone, he said.

"Working 24-hour shifts over a long period takes a toll on the firemen, despite off days in between. Their efficiency, concentration and morale can also be affected. Being humans, there is a limit to how much they can do.

"Our studies have shown that they are more receptive to the 12-hour shifts which also allows them to enjoy better rest, spend better quality time with their families and carry out personal administrative duties.

"The 12-hour shifts has also improved the competency of firemen, with 45 per cent of the 279 fire stations nationwide being able to respond to emergencies within 10 minutes of a distress call," he said at the graduation ceremony for the second batch of 414 auxilliary firemen at the department's academy in Wakaf Tapai.

Wan Mohd Nor added that apart from the 14,000 regular firemen who held permanent jobs, the department also had 1,156 auxiliary and another 13,000 volunteer firemen nationwide.

'These auxiliary and voluntary firemen supplement the regular force, especially in smaller towns and villages where fire stations are scarce. They also help to reduce the overhead and operating costs for the department which at the moment is not allowed to hire permanent staff owing to the government's freeze on new employment," he said.

To bolster the force, Wan Mohd Nor said an additional 300 auxiliary firemen would be trained next year and 300 new fire stations would be built by 2020, with 14 of them being constructed on a fast-track basis at a cost of RM42.9 million by 2017.

"These measures are necessary to better serve the people and improve our response time and efficiency," he said.

On another note, Wan Mohd Nor said Wakaf Tapai had been made the East Coast Logistic Operation Centre to store rescue assets for the monsoon floods.

The department has 608 aluminium boats, 63 fibreglass boats, 16 kevlar boats and 11 amphibious boats.

"Training and preparations have been enhanced with other participating agencies the past few months to provide exposure and increase the skills and readiness. We have equipped ourselves with a few hundred generator sets, floats and safety jackets.

"Among the training provided is water rescue, boat handling and giving emergency first-aid that tests the resilience and capability of the personnel when confronting a difficult or hazardous situation," said Wan Mohd Nor.

He added that the public living in flood-prone areas should be aware of flood preparations and how to tackle such situations.

"Of paramount importance is for the lead agency to properly manage victims during a flood disaster, which needs further sprucing up and required an integrated disaster management mechanism," he said.

Nationwide, he said, the department had ample assets such as 608 aluminium boats, 63 fibreglass boats, 16 kevlar boats and 11 amphibious boats which would be mobilised to affected areas.

TPPA cost-benefit analysis out today

KUALA LUMPUR: Two documents on the cost-benefit analysis of Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) have been made public today.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the analyses by international auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers and Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) will be presented at the Parliament and made public at the same time.

The two documents, totalling about 600 pages, will come with full appendixes of TPPA for members of parliament as a reference guide. The documents have been uploaded on the ministry’s website.

The TPPA is a free trade agreement negotiated between 12 countries, namely Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Brunei, Singapore, Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia.

'Bomb joke' on plane lands Chinese national 5-day jail, RM7k fine

SEPANG: Chinese national Zheng Hao's bomb joke when onboard an Air China flight four days ago landed him jail and a RM7,000 fine.

Zheng, a 38-year-old insurance broker from Tianjin, nodded his head calmly when told of the punishment by a Mandarin-speaking interpreter over his "silly joke" while onboard Beijing-bound Air China Flight CA872 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) around 12.20am on Nov 30.

The accused admitted during the open-court proceedings that he jokingly told the female steward that he had two bombs as he was trying to push his carry-on bag into the overhead compartment in the plane before its scheduled departure.

Zheng, who had come to Malaysia to setup an insurance brokerage here last week, was on the flight in order to fly back to China for business purposes.

However, the alarmed stewardess had informed the rest of the crew about his bomb joke, and the flight was then grounded as security personnel searched the aircraft for any bombs.

Zheng was hauled off the aircraft and remanded at a police station here. Today, he pleaded guilty to committing criminal intimidation.

Before passing sentence, Magistrate Sharifah Muhaymin Abd Khalib sternly reminded Zheng that what he did was still an offence despite it being a joke.

Sharifah ordered Zheng to begin his five-day jail sentence from Nov 30. She also ordered him to serve an additional five-months' jail if he failed to pay the fine.

After proceedings, Zheng's lawyer James Ee Kah Fuk said his client's joke was based on an old saying from China which basically meant "as heavy as a bomb".

Ee also confirmed that Zheng's wife, who is also a Chinese national, is currently arranging the payment of the fine.

Deputy public prosecutor Ungku Alfiati Ungku Ismail prosecuted.

Malaysia Airlines cancels flight to Chennai following floods

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines has cancelled one flight to Chennai, Tamil Nadu, following floods which have crippled the city and its airport.

The airline announced that it had canceled flight MH182/183 from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai, and was closely monitoring the situation.

”Malaysia Airlines will adjust flights operations into and out of Kuala Lumpur and Chennai if necessary,” it said in a statement.

Passengers on the affected flights would be allowed a full refund while those with non-refundable tickets would be given a travel voucher to be used as credit for their next booking.

Meanwhile, an airline spokesman said all flights in and out of Chennai have been cancelled

until further notice.