Balik Pulau land for federal project
Posted on 5 July 2012 - 09:32pm Last updated on 5 July 2012 - 09:45pm Aaron Ngui newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN (July 5, 2012): The state government today revealed that the plan for a liberal arts institution in the up and coming Balik Pulau township was a federal government project. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the Asian Women Leadership University (AWLU) was an Entry Point Project (ETP) under the EducationNational Key Economic Areas (NKEA). He made the revelation following protests by land owners over the acquisition of their land in Bukit Genting on Wednesday as well as criticism that the state was taking away their land.
Citing a letter dated June 12, 2012, from Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Seri Idris Jala, Lim said the AWLU project was one of 21 new ETPs to transform Malaysia into a high income country. He quoted the letter saying that the project was expected to bring in RM492 million worth of investments as well as creating 190 new high value jobs. He said the state government has been requested to assist in transferring 40.46ha of land to the AWLU Malaysian Foundation.
“We believe the project will contribute in a significant way to transforming tertiary education in Malaysia as well as realise the plans for Malaysia as an education hub offering varied educational choices in the region,” he read from the letter. Lim also moved to soothe fears over compensation saying that the state will abide by the valuations set by the Malaysian Valuation and Property Services Department under the Finance Ministry. He said land owners unhappy with the compensation offer could also take to the matter to court.
“The state sympathises with the land owners and we will try our best to help them out,” he said while expressing that it was a hard decision to make but was made in the interests of education. In addition, Lim said there had been an amicable dialogue with about 40 land owners on Tuesday and they understood that the land was to be used for a public project and not for private gain. “Hopefully this matter will not be turned into a racial issue or be politicised as it is a collaboration between the state and the federal government,” he said. (here)
Allo Pek
What are you revealing?
A Collaboration between Federal and State on A Strategic Education Investment to improve Penang's overall competitiveness and strategic support infrastructure for Industries?
Tell us what you think of the Project? Tell us about the "hard decision to make"?
And tell us how Federal Government policies has assisted Penang in terms of drawing FDIs (here), improving tax collection efforts (here) and "reducing debts by 90 whatever percent "(here)..
Beng lu twisted siot...
Why would this be turned into a Racial Issue?
Or why should it be politicised?
A strategic infrastructure investment should be supported by all.
Oh...what were you telling them before this about the project sampai nak kena "reveal" to perbetulkan perception?
Care to share with us Beng?