View issues with Tan Seng Giaw

Monday, August 27, 2007

Scholarships for good SPM results & non-racial policies in all sectors.

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw reiterates that only with non-racial policies in all sectors will more talented Malaysians remain in the country, otherwise certain countries may be more attractive.

Some well-qualified people feel happy overseas. Others may be frustrated.

The attitude of some Government leaders must be changed. Whenever they see high achievers leaving the country, they straightaway say good riddance as the latter are assumed to be disloyal to Malaysia. Hence, the Government should investigate how widespread is this ridiculous attitude and attempt to change it.

Dr Tan comments on 26.8.2007 concerning the intention of the Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha to set up a scholarship scheme for excellence for students with straight A1's in Malaysian Education Certificate (SPM) including making sure that at least 30% post-SPM scholarship holders continue their education in the country.

Every year, over 80,000 and more than 130,000 students respectively enter public and private institutes of higher education. Thousands further their studies overseas. Owing to various factors, many good graduates within the country work overseas and those overseas do not return. Certain people feel that this is a good thing, as they will eventually come home. The Government must study the real reasons for Malysians with excellent results to remain overseas.

Yesterday, Datuk Mustapha said:"This new scheme of scholarships called scholarships for excellence will be non-racial, offering SPM students with straight A1's and active in co-curricular activities to apply. It is expected that 2007 SPM students will be the first batch to benefit."

We hope that the scholarships committee being set up will be truly professional, awarding scholarships to deserving students fairly and justly.

Since time immemorial, brian drain occurs. Those areas that can retain and attract talents prosper; those that lose good people become backward. After finding out the true reasons for talented Malaysians of all races to leave this country, the Government must institute non-racial policies in all sectors. Otherwise, it will be much ado about nothing.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Effective implementation of the Highway Safety Plan (2006 - 2010)

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Government to improve immediately the effectiveness of implementing the Highway Safety Plan (2006 - 2010), so as to prevent the repeat of the North South Highway disaster.

Every year, the Government spends billions of ringgits on road safety. Still, the annual incidence of road accidents is over 300,000 cases with over 6,000 deaths.

Dr Tan comments on the incident of the Express Bus that plunged into the drain at the North South Highway between Kuala Kangsar and Taiping on 13.8.2007, causing 20 deaths and 9 injured.

Just like the Prime Minister, we feel aggrieved at the disaster. We hope that it will not be repeated. There are speculations such as the bus driver had 16 traffic offences, he was sleepy, the duration of driving was too long and there was no standby driver. The Government must investigate the accident to ascertain the causes and the ways to prevent such a calamity.

The public are concerned with the frequency of traffic accidents. For example, in 2004, there were 326,814 cases with 6,223 deaths; 2005 328,268 cases with 6,188 deaths; 2006 341,232 with 6,287 deaths and 2007 (up to 31 March) 87,668 with 1,482 deaths.

Motorists and pillion-riders are 35 and 25 times respectively more at risk of injuries and deaths compared with car passengers. The death rate of van and bus passengers is 1.5 and 1.4 times respectively compared with that of car passengers.

Some believe that the causes of accidents are mainly due to the negligence of drivers, followed by problems of environment and machine.

The Government has introduced the Highway Safety Plan ( 2006 -2010) for the second year. It must raise the effectiveness of the implementation. For example, every bus, lorry and van has a speed limit of 70/80 kilometres per hour. Very often we see these vehicles racing at over 110 km an hour. We wish the Transport Minister to be looking at not only new lessons for drivers and safety belts for bus passengers, but also the monitoring of bus speed along the highways.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

This is to inform you that DAP Kepong will be holding a dinner on 18.8.2007 at 7.30 pm at the Chooi Wah Restaurant, Jinjnag North, to commemorate the 50th Merdeka Day, 41st Anniversary of DAP and the purchase of a party premises. The speakers will be Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Tan Seng Giaw, Fong Po Kuan, Fong Kui Lun, Tan Kok Wai, Theresa Kok, Teng Chang Khim and Ooi Swee Lim.

These leaders will analyse current issues such as the federal constitution, politics, economy, education aand culture.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Let us know the annual allocation for changing road names in Kuala Lumpur

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the City Hall Kuala Lumpur (CHKL) to announce the annual allocation for erecting signposts with new road names, including the project in Jinjang North and the contractors appointed.


Dr Tan comments on the statement by The Federal Territory Parl;iamentary Secretary Yew Teong Lo0k on 8 .8.2007 that the New Road Names project in Jinjang North was stopped temporarily.

Five years ago, CHKL changed the signposts in Jinjang North, retaining the old names. The residents did not protest. A month ago, it put up new signposts with Sarawakian names. Each signpost is said to cost RM 500. There are 87 roads. The total amount may be RM 43, 500. As CHKL has stopped the new signpost project, will it be spending a similar additonal amount to change back the signposts bearing the original names.?

Two weeks ago, we met the Vice Director-General of CHKL Haji Mohd Amin Nordin. He is also the Chiarman of the Road Names Committee. We handed in a memorandum protesting against doing away with local and historical names. He promised to raise the matter at the meeting with the Public Works Department and City Transport Department, CHKL. YB Yew confirms that Amin has fulfilled his promise.

Most of the 87 signposts in Jinjang North have been changed into Sarawakian names. We do not know whether the contractor has received payment for the works. The statement that the project has been temporarily shelved does not reflect the truth: virtually all signposts have been replaced. We are waiting for the decision of CHKL whether to take down the new signposts to be replaced with newer ones bearing original names.

CHKL intends to meet the residents to listen to their views. This is reasonable as to do otherwise is riding roughshod over the people. Over a month a go, CHKL changed the signposts in Jinjang North, causing a public furore. The above-stated memorandum contains the logical method to retaining old names in the area.


For example, Main Street can be changed to Jalan Jinjang Besar and a series of roads can be Lorong-Lorong Jinjang 1,2,3, and so forth. As it is, CHKL alters Main Street to Jalan Limbang, followed by Jalan Limbang 1 to 16. Ulu Klang Road is changed to Jalan Samarahan 2. In fact, Jalan Cheras , Jalan Tanjung Malim, Jalan Selangor and Jalan Ulu Klang should be retained. East Road can be renamed Jalan Timur and so forth. During the Emergency in 1948, people from Cheras, Tanjung Malaim and Ulu Klang were forced to move to Jinjang North. Hence, the names of the streets where they have resided.

Although there are representatives from such agencies as Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, in the Road Names Committee, CHKL, they have hardly noticed the widespread use for decades of Persiaran (Announcement , Broadcast) instead of Pesiaran (Drive). For instance, Persiaran Mergastua in Kepong Baru whereas Pesiaran Mergastua is correct.

The project involves tens of thousands of ringgits, not hundreds of millions. Still, it is a wastage of public fund.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Monday, August 06, 2007

Why ask Cabinet for allocation to repair 2000 bridges, only two years after assessment?

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw presses the Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to explain why he requests for the Cabinet approval of RM500 million for repair of Malaysian bridges only two years after assessing the state of these bridges.

Dr Tan remarks on the statement by Samy who indicates that we need about RM 500 million for the renovation of 2,000 bridges in the country on 6.8.2

The Works Minister says that he has informed the Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister Department, about the repair of old bridges and that the Governemnt has approved the allocation. This answer is not convincing.

We understand that some bridges are 60 years old. What we cannot understand is that the Public Works Department inspected these bridges two years ago and yet it only seeks the approval of the Cabinet for repair allocations now.

Recently, the collapse of the Interstate Bridge in Minneapolis, United States, resulted in deaths and injuries. Apparently, there are 70,000 bridges in the US, requiring US$188 billion for repiar that will take 20 years.

Other countries such as South Korea had a similar bridge disaster in Seoul a few years ago..

The Government must improve the inspection of bridges, roads, drains, buildings and so forth. It should not wait for two years before action is taken. At the beginning of this year, the PWD spent RM70 million to repair 31 cracked pillars of the Kepong flyover (MRR2). It is still claiming the extra expenses from the main contractor.

We have submitted questions on the state of bridges in the country, their inspection and repair. These require replies from the Works Minister.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Let City Hall KL announce the budget for changing road names and the names of road sign contractors

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the City Hall Kuala Lumpur (CHKL) to make public the annual allocation for having new road names and the names of the road sign contractors appointed.

The other 143 local governments in the country should do likewise. We would like to know how local governments create simple and systematic road names, convenient for the people. Or is it beneficial to only a few?

The amount involved may be hundreds of thousands of ringgit, not billions. Still, there should not be wastage of public fund.

On 29 July, 2007, Dr Tan received complaints from residents in Jinjang North, Kuala Lumpur, that each new road sign cost RM 500.

Three weeks ago, CHKL installed new road signs bearing completely new names for many of the 87 roads in Jinjang North . This has caused a furore. Five years ago, the then Datuk Bandar, Mayor, Tan Sri Kamaruzaman changed all the road signs without altering the names.

Some suspect that CHKL Road Name Committee got the views on new road names from Jinjang representative, besides Pos Malaysia and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. If so, who was the representative?

Apparently, each road sign, made of steel and aluminium, costs RM 500. The old road signs can be recycled or reused. The 87 roads in Jinjang North may cost RM 43,500. If 1000 road signs are changed in KL each year, the total cost may be RM 500,000.

CHKL states that it changes roads which only have numbers, such as in a new housing area. Simple and systematic road names help users. Let Datuk Bandar Datuk Ab. Hakim tell us the annual budget for road signs and the names of road sign contractors appointed.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw