View issues with Tan Seng Giaw

Thursday, January 27, 2011

We hope the Royal Commission finds the cause of Teoh's death

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw hopes that the Royal Commission will succeed in finding out the cause of Teoh Beng Hock's death, so that the people especially the family will know the whole truth.

On 27.1.2011, Dr Tan comments on the setting up of the Royal Commission of Inquiry anounced by the Prime MInister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has consented to it under the Commission of Enquiry Act, 1950. It will take three months. On 5.1.2011, Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas returned an open verdict on Teoh's case.

The Commission, headed by Federal Court judge Tan Sri James Foong Cheng Yuen, will also inquire into Teoh’s death and the circumstances surrounding and contributing to it.

The other members of the commission are former Federal Court judge Datuk Abdul Kadir Sulaiman, former Court of Appeal judge Datuk Selventhiranathan Thiagarajah, Penang Hospital’s senior consultant forensic pathologist Datuk Dr Bhupinder Singh and Cyberjaya University College of Medical Science’s dean of medical faculty Dr Mohamed Hatta Shaharom. The Prime Minister’s Department’s Legal Affairs division director-general Datuk Saripuddin Kasim is the commission secretary.

The terms of reference of the commission is to inquire whether or not there was any impropriety in the conduct of the examination of Teoh in the course of an investigation by the MACC in relation to its standing orders and practices. It will also enquire into Teoh’s death and the circumstances surrounding and contributing to his death.

We hope the Commission succeeds in finding out the cause of death of Teoh. Once the whole truth is revealed, it will help to improve the confidence of the people towards the judiciary.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Monday, January 24, 2011

Natural Resources & Environment Ministry must improve the efficiency of Land Offices

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw urges the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry to raise its efficiency and improve its services, such as simplifying the procedure for land titles. This will help solve the problem of land titles involving 1124 houses in Kepong Garden.

In 2011, the allocation for Land Management and laws Department in the ministry is RM176 million. This money should be used effectively to improve the service in land offices in the country.

Ob 23.1.2011, Dr Tan met residents in Kepong Garden to explain the steps taken towards solving the land title problem.

For over 40 years, Kepong Garden residents have no final land titles. But, their land is freehold. Previously, it was not compulsory for a surveyor to get a licence. Neither was it compulsory for house owners to apply for final titles. Then,the developer, who is ultimately responsible for land titles, Survey and Mapping Department, City Hall and Housing and Local Government Ministry must play their parts.

There are two phases in Kepong Garden. Phase 1 consists of 524 units and Phase 2 600 units. The Survey Department must complete accurate survey before final titles can be issued by the Land Office. Hitherto, 47 units have their lots surveyed. Work is going on with the rest of the 524 units. We are going to the Survey and Mapping Department to ascertain when work will be done on the 600 units in Phase 2.

Besides Land Office and Survey and Mapping Department, City Hall, Housing and Local Government Ministry must review the problems of housing and land titles, cutting down bureaucracy and red-tape. Now, visitors to these departments see good and bad personnel. If they are lucky, they meet the good ones. Otherwise, they feel frustrated, being kicked from one place to another.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Monday, January 10, 2011

Land Ofice should try its best to overcome the problems of land titles

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw urges the Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Land Office to try its best to help the 1124 homes in Kepong Garden to solve the problem of temporary land titles. As their lots are freehold, they should get permanent titles.

The authorities must pay greater attention to housing developers so that the latter fulfill the conditions in the contracts such as proper land titles for the buyers. Meanwhile, the Government must reduce bureaucracy and red-tape.

On 9.1.2011, Dr Tan and representatives of Kepong resdients met the media to let the public know the steps taken by the Federal Territory KL Land Office.

Over 40 years ago Kepong Development Limited started to develop Kepong Garden. Then, surveyors did not have licence and application for permanent land titles was not compulsory. The unit for each lot was per square foot. Now, it is per square metre.

On 27.12.2010, residents' representatives and I met the Deputy Director of the Land Office Encik latif Ali. The department has inherited the land title mess. We hope that it will sort it out.

Phase one, Kepong Garden, has 524 units of houses and Phase two has 600. Hitherto, 47units have had their lots in per square foot converted to per square metre.

Some developers try their best to deal with various matters including proper certificate for land titles. They fulfill their agreement.

We press all concerned to increase their vigilance over all housing projects, ensuring that all buyers get suitable land titles.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Adequate security for 5.4 million students in 9,943 schools.

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Government to provide adequate security for 5.4 million students in 9.943 schools in the country.

Besides security, the Education Ministry must ensure the quality of nearly 400,000 teachers. It should use a fair and just system to transfer teachers from one place to another.

On 4.1.2011, Dr Tan comments on security for schools after watching students, in particular 7-year olds going to schools with their parents on 3.1.2011.

After the unusual holiday on 31.12.2010, students have been in schools for the new term since yesterday. It is good to see that parents are happy accompanying their children to schools. We must not spare any effort to ensure that these students are safe at schools.

Annually, the Central Gocernment spends over 20% of its nearly RM200 billion annual budget on education. While this is the right thing to do, there must not be wastage. Although the policy is to reduce the number of students per class to fewer than 35, many schools still have more than 35. We need greater efforts to reduce the size of each class.

Despite the Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's assurance that he has courses to improve the quality of teachers, he must look seriously into the effectiveness of some 12 types of courses for this purpose. Then, his Deputy Dr Wee Ka Siong talks about transferring teachers to areas far from their hometowns as compulsory. Apparently, last year there were nearly 11,000 applications for transfer and about 4,000 were approved. We require more dedicated teachers who must be treated fairly.

The Government must make sure that there are no irregularities in the transfer of teachers. The criteria used must be fair and just to all teachers.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw