Seven New Projects for Selangor worth RM38.22 Billion

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SHAH ALAM, 25 Oct: The Selangor economy is expected to grow through seven development projects involving a land area of 3,771.81 hectares with an estimated total value of RM38.22 billion.

The seven projects have already been approved by the National Physical Planning Council involving land owned by the government and private parties, chaired by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak during a meeting on 17 October.

The planned development projects involve mixed development in Bandar Bukit Raja, Kapar (Sime Darby), mixed development in Rawang (Kudang Properties), an 18-hole golf resort in Batang Kali (Mines Gold & City Sdn Bhd) and a mixed development in Beranang, Hulu Selangor (Riverside Hills Sdn Bhd).

In addition, other projects involve residential and commercial projects in Dengkil, Sepang (Tristar Acres Sdn Bhd), a housing project in Semenyih, Hulu Langat (UEM Land Berhad) and the redevelopment of the Rubber Research Institute Malaysia area in Sungai Buloh (Kwasa Ldn Sdn Bhd).

The Department of City and Rural Planning in the State Economic Action Council (METS) meeting yesterday confirmed that 85,415 housing units will be built through the development for 401,700 people to live in.

Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said the state government will be actively involved in the project because it provides a significant impact and will directly benefit the people.

Abdul Khalid, who chaired the weekly meeting, directed government employees and state agencies to fully cooperate with federal agencies involved in the development of the project.

Abdul Khalid said the water company will be appointed by the state government after the restructuring of the water industry is completed and will play an important role in supplying clean water efficiently as a key service to residents of the new area.

“The Selangor Government is committed to settle the restructuring of the water industry and hopes that the acquisition will be settled by the end of the year as determined by the minister.

“Our team consists of a group of professionals who are experts and experienced in the current management of water. Their first task will be to reduce the rate of non-revenue water (NRW),” he said in a statement, here, this morning.

MPSJ Urban Poverty Eradication Programme Increases Participants’ Income

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SUBANG JAYA, 21 Oct: The step by the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) to have the Urban Poverty Eradication (PKB) programme showed a positive development when s study found that the average income of the programme’s participants increased.

MPSJ found that the average income of the participants increased to RM1,153 compared to about RM793 per month prior to joining the programme.

Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said that the programme should be continued and emulated by other Local Authorities, thus increasing the quality of life and education of participants.

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“This effort should be emulated by other local authorities because we must find a way to help them increase revenues; for example, single mothers. Children of every local authority participant should be monitored so that they are properly educated,” said Abdul Khalid at the MPSJ Urban Community Wellbeing 2013 Award Ceremony here at Sunway Hotel Resort & Spa yesterday.

The PKB programme involved coaching classes and skills training to help residents of MPSJ to improve their family’s side income by selling items that can be manufactured on a small scale but have a positive impact on them.

Among the training provided were sewing workshops, beading, making decorative food covers, repairing computers, jambu (water apple) entrepreneurs, making cupcakes, cakes and bread, and a Back To School Programme.

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In 2009, MPSJ allocated RM100,000 to implement the programme and the amount has been added to RM300,000 since 2010.

At the same ceremony, a beading business operator, Noor Ashikin Ramli and a decorative food cover entrepreneur, Rabitah Yusuf, were awarded the MPSJ Urban Community Wellbeing 2013 Award.

Noor Ashikin said the beading workshop was beneficial in diversifying attractive stitching, thus attracting customers to purchase.

Meanwhile, Rabitah said she did not think that the decorative food cover business she operated on a small scale could generate a decent income for her family.

Contributions in forms of daily necessities worth RM100, given to 20 orphans, single mothers and the needy was also held at the event.

CM: 3 Million Land Records Replace Filing System to Avoid Fraud

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SHAH ALAM, 20 Oct: The Selangor Government managed to record a total of three million land ownership files in the state into a digital computerised system to ensure a more effective storing and retrieval system.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said through the ‘Land Bank’ problems of loss and difficulty in finding files on land ownership can be resolved because now it can be found quickly and accurately.

Abdul Khalid said the system which was implemented since a year ago also helps the State Government identify the land owned and also can plan land development better.

“Now I can know the actual number of land owned by the State Government which was previously unknown,” said Abdul Khalid.

He said this when he inaugurated the Land Convention and National Municipality which was held here at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Building Silver Jubilee Hall.

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Abdul Khalid said that management of land using filing system was changed because it did not benefit the people and it was open to fraud.

“The three million files have been placed in that Shah Alam Stadium, so there are no more missing files and we can find out more efficiently.

“We are open and transparent on the issue of land ownership. Everyone deserves to know who the landowner is. Because of that, land ownership records are very important,” he said.

About 300 people attended the convention, which was also attended by PAS Vice-President, Salahuddin Ayub, Mahfuz Omar and the Exco in charge of Housing, Building Management and Urban Settlement, Iskandar Abdul Samad.

Best Western Develops Hotel in I-City

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SHAH ALAM, 16 Oct: The Selangor State Government welcomes the strategic partnership with I-Berhad and Best Western International (BWI) in efforts to develop the first hotel in I-City, Shah Alam.

Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said that the collaboration in constructing the hotel will change the landscape of the Shah Alam city.

“This would be a new benchmark for development in Shah Alam and its surrounding areas, and the result of this agreement will meet the needs of foreign investors who will further transform the landscape of Shah Alam into an International City.

“If previously Shah Alam was famous for its manufacturing industry, now, it will also be known for its tourism industry,” he said in his speech here at the Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) ceremony between i-City and Best Western International.

Best Western International has enhanced the Best Western hotel brand and is the world’s largest hotel chain, with over 4,195 hotels in 100 countries.

The MOU was signed by the Vice-President of I Berhad, Datuk Eu Hong Chew and the Vice-President of BWI’s Asian and Middle Eastern Internal Operations, Glenn de Souza, and was observed by Abdul Khalid.

The construction of the hotel on 72 acres of land involves a Gross Development Value (GDV) of RM50 million.

It will be carried out in stages, including 826 units of Service Suits which are expected to be completed in 2016, while 216 hotels are expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2014.

With the opening of the hotel, it is expected to increase the number of visitors to I-City.

Previously, a giant Thai company, Central Pattana, invested RM500 million through its subsidiary companies to build the CentralPlaza@i-City shopping complex here in i-City, Shah Alam.

Meanwhile, Abdul Khalid added that the State Government is currently in the process of upgrading the infrastructural facilities in its surrounding area.

Prior to this, the Mayor of Shah Alam, Datuk Jaafar Atan informed that a junction connecting the Federal Highway with Shah Alam is under construction and is expected to have a positive impact to the socio-economy of the residents of the city of Shah Alam, especially in Section 7.

The intersection will be an alternative route to enter and exit Section 7 as well as become a gateway to i-City from Klang.

With the latest infrastructure, Shah Alam is expected to become more urban and play an important role in the Greater Kuala Lumpur Master Plan.

In addition to the intersection which will be completed in September, a hospital with 300 beds is currently under construction on 25 acres of land near i-City.

State Government Helps C.Sugumar’s Family

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HULU LANGAT, 15 Oct: The Selangor State Government handed an assistance of RM10,000 to the family of C.Sugumaran who died while in police custody.

The contribution was personally presented by the Selangor Executive Councillor in charge of Welfare, Rodziah Ismail, to the mother of the deceased, Manaigalai Kuppamuthu, recently at the victim’s family home in Taman Sri Nanding.

Rodziah was accompanied by the Assemblymen for Dusun Tua, Razaly Hassan.

“I urge for the Home Affairs Minister to be careful and to be humane when he talks about issues concerning safety and the lives of people. Does the minister even think of the lives in his hands to a point of him issuing a statement when such things happen – we shoot first? Is shooting the best way to solve it?” she asked.

“In my opinion, defending the people is when equality is given, regardless of who he is, or if the party is in the wrong. Bring it to court so that it can be proved accordingly,” she said.

Rodziah said that the Sungai Tua constituency Office proposes to settle the registration of the victim’s mother under the Skim Mesra Usia Emas (SMUE) senior citizen scheme.

Meanwhile, the cousin of Sugumaran, K.Anantha Kannan who was met hopes that those responsible for the death of his cousin will be brought to justice and prosecuted under Section 302.

According to him, to this date, the case has not been filed in the civil court and the family has rejected inquests by the police.

“The police has obtained all of the old document stating that he (Sugumar) is a psychiatric patient to humiliate the late C.Sugumar. We feel humiliated because the police is in the wrong,” said Anantha sadly.

“The police had already handcuffed him, and then spread curry powder on his face. He fell and the people from a nearby coffee shop came to beat him up. The police just watched. So far, only one witness has been questioned in the Kajang Magistrate Court,” he said.

He added that several witnesses will be called to testify in the case hearing after the Eid al-Adha celebration.

Sugumar, a security guard, was arrested in January this year after allegedly suffering from mental problems and damaging public property.

The autopsy report stated that he died of a heart attack; however witnesses claimed that during the arrest, a policeman stepped on his neck when he was handcuffed.

The incident photograph also showed the turmeric powder spread on his face.

Witnesses claimed that about 20 people from a nearby restaurant helped the police to arrest him and together beat up C.Sugumar.

PKPS Opens 335 Hectare Oil Palm Plantation

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SHAH ALAM, 14 Oct: The Selangor State Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS) has opened a 335 hectare oil palm plantation which was inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim recently.

The Jelutong Jati PKPS Plantation was initiated after the State Government gazetted the Sungai Karang Forest Reserve in May 2012, with 21-year lease.

According to the PKPS Group General Manager, Ali Ahmad, despite the project initially receiving objections from environmental NGOs, since it involves the forest reserve, the 10,700 acres of land was actually reserved for a PERHILITAN (forestry and wildlife protection department) Forest the area nearby.

In addition, NGOs also objected because this area can easily catch fire.

“PKPS policy is to manage water, not channel water. Each palm tree requires 90 litres of water daily. It is impossible for us to drain all the water. We focus on saving water.

“We have drains and sluices. In this area, we have the Jalang sluice heading to Sungai Besar which will control the water level. We will make sure the water level is not low. We will control by government road culverts,” he said at a briefing session.

In effort to address the occurrence of fire, PKPS has established a PKPS Rapid Fire Team which will receive training from the fire department in addition to placing workers on the oil palm plantation.

In addition to that, PKPS intends to build an oil palm mill in the same area with a capacity of 30 tonnes per hour in 2014 which will begin operations in 2016.

It was informed that PKPS plans to build a chicken coop in Ulu Tinggi and a slaughterhouse in Rawang.

He added that if this effort is successful, small-time farmers and residents in the Sabak Bernam area will benefit from employment opportunities.

CM’s Reply to Anwar: Selangor’s Fund Management Strategy is Different from Penang’s

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KLANG, 13 Oct: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim welcomes the views of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the management of State Government funds under his administration.

In fact, Abdul Khalid said criticism is a healthy practice which is cultivated by the Pakatan Rakyat leadership.

“That is normal, we (Pakatan Rakyat) always encourage discussion and the celebration of opinion,” he said.

Yesterday, while speaking on the open stage at a forum regarding the Auditor General’s 2012 Report in Petaling Jaya, Anwar said that Abdul Khalid had failed to make good on the state’s revenue and instead was proud to have surplus funds was a normal criticism.

Instead, Anwar likes the Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng’s way, and examples of PR leaders who successfully managed a balanced budget.

Replying to Anwar’s view, Abdul Khalid said the process of accumulating surplus funds by the state government was something difficult to achieve and a careful strategy was necessary to expend the money.

“What sets it apart is the fund management strategy (between Selangor and Penang). I think that it is very difficult to raise funds compared to spending funds,”

“In Selangor, the spending of funds is done meticulously so that the people know where their money is being spent,” he explained to TVSelangor after handing over cows for the Aidiladha sacrifice at Masjid Kampung Pendamar, Klang.

CM: Train Youths to Repair Aeroplanes

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KLANG, 13 Oct: The State Government will be organising training in maintenance and reparation of aircraft mechanical equipment to youths in rural areas.

Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said, the programme aims to give exposure to new careers as well as enhance the skills ability among youths.

“Not only does it provide additional skills, but it also helps to create job opportunities with a good income for the youth of Selangor.

“With the certificates they receive in the training, they would have the opportunity to work with aircraft maintenance companies,” he said.

He said this to TVSelangor after presenting the sacrificial cattle in a simple ceremony at the Kampung Pendamar Mosque today.

Elaborating, Abdul Khalid said that the State Government is working with a company from Switzerland for this purpose.

“The company from Switzerland will start operating in January next year.

“The company owns a building in Shah Alam and approval in relation to this training is expected to be approved by next November,” he explained.

He added that the State Government will deal with all village heads across Selangor to track youths with the potential to be developed in the programme.

“We will hold a meeting with all heads of villages so that these village heads can recommend youths who are still unemployed to be incorporated into the programme,” he said.

Selangor Distributes 753 Sacrificial Cattle in Conjunction with Aidiladha

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SABAK BERNAM, 10 Oct: The Selangor Government has donated 753 cattle worth RM2,259,000 to be distributed to every district, mosque and Assemblymen in the state.

Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said that most of the 200kg cattle were obtained from local farmers including the PKPS Livestock Farm Sdn Bhd and some were imported from Thailand.

It was funded by the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS), Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd (PNSB), Worldwide Holdings Berhad (WHB), Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB), Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB), Perbadanan Kemajuan Pertanian Selangor (PKPS) and Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI).

In conjunction with the Aidiladha celebration, he said, PKPS has been entrusted to manage the distribution which is scheduled to begin simultaneously in all districts from 12 October till 14 October.

“Among the monitoring jobs PKPS is conducting is the tagging of each cow to prevent confusion at the delivery location. This monitoring will be done by 28 PKPS staff,” he said.

He said this at the Opening Ceremony of the Sacrificial Cattle Presentation 2013 at the PKPS Farm in Jeloting Jati. He also visited the cattle ranches constructed by PKPS.

Also present was the PKPS Group General Manager, Ali Ahmad and the Executive Councillor in charge of Agriculture Modernisation, Sallehen Mukhyi, as well as two other Excos, Dr Yunus Hairi and Dr Daroyah Alwi.

PR Assemblymen: Acknowledgement of Opposition Inseminates Democracy

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SHAH ALAM, 10 Oct: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Assemblymen welcome the acknowledgement of the Selangor Opposition Leader’s role through a special enactment which will be tabled later.

The decision of the Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, is deemed as a very positive change for political development and the democratic system in Selangor.

“In developed countries, the Opposition Leader is highly appreciated for their role. Therefore, Selangor wants to make the first move by giving this acknowledgement so that we can educate the public to better understand real democracy,” said the Assemblyman for Sri Muda, Shuhaimi Shafei.

Meanwhile, the Assemblywoman for Kuala Kubu Baharu, Lee Kee Hiong, also praised and said that the ruling party should show fairness and equality to all legally elected representatives.

She hopes that the Central Government and State Governments under Umno-BN’s administration will emulate this maturity and stop marginalising the opposition.

“I welcome the efforts of Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Khalid, who recognises every representative of the people, be it from Pakatan or Umno-BN, in the state administration. It should be emulated by other states,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Assemblyman for Paya Jaras, Khairuddin Othman, hopes with this initiative, the Opposition Leader would carry out his trust effectively.

“I hope that the Opposition Leader would be more proactive in sparking ideas to develop Selangor together. We need the opposition to balance the role of the rulers in the Selangor State Assembly (DNS),” he stressed.

For the Assemblyman of Sekinchan, Ng Suee Lim, this step makes Selangor a role model in strengthening the DNS and making the democratic system healthier.

“It looks like my recommendation in the recent opening of the DUN has been finally realised. As an Assemblyman, I welcome the State Government’s move for being able to make this reform. It is in line with the role of the DNS which is admired and respected,” he said.

Selangor Opposition Leader Receives Allowance and Privileges

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SHAH ALAM, 10 Oct: For the first time in the state’s history, the state government will be giving allowances and benefits to the Opposition Leader of the Selangor State Assembly (DNS) as an acknowledgement of the importance of this position in a democratic government.

Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said the decision was made taking into consideration that the Opposition Leader is an important component in a government which practises democracy, to play the check and balance role to the ruling government.

With this, the Opposition Leader will receive a fixed allowance, driver’s allowance, executive secretary allowance and a government official car and other allowances amounting to RM8,620 per month. Allowance payment is also in line with the remuneration paid to the opposition leader in the Parliament under the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980.

“This importance could be seen, for example, when priority is given to the opposition leader to debate first after a bill is tabled in the state assembly and debate the motion of thanks for the Sultan after the Chief Minister,” he said after the Selangor State Executive Council Selangor (MMKN).

The State Executive Council convened on 9 October will be considering and approving additional privileges which will be implemented under Section 5 of the Members of Administration and Members of the State Assembly (Remuneration) Enactment 1980.

This approval will be enforced after it is tabled at the Third Meeting of the First Term of the 13th State Assembly which is expected to convene on 19 November.

“It is also in line with the Pakatan government’s desire to plant and inseminate genuine democracy in this country to provide equality or rights for the welfare of the people,” he said.

Teng – Urban Agriculture Concept the Best Formula

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SHAH ALAM, 1 Oct: The State Government will formulate am Urban Agriculture (UA) concept in a series of meetings involving the Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, the responsible Exco Offices, Local Authorities, Offices of Assemblymen and residents which will be held in the near future.

The Executive Councillor for Local Government, Studies and Research, Datuk Teng Chang Khim said that the meeting is aimed at finding a formula to adopt and implement Urban Agriculture holistically, effectively and efficiently.

“Urban Agriculture is a concept that is still in the pipeline. There is yet to be any concrete plans to be developed.

“Therefore, my department and the Chief Minister will hold meetings and discussions with Local Authorities, Assemblymen, Councillors, and residents of the relevant Local Authority areas to find the best formula so that when it is implemented, it will run smoothly,” he said.

The US mentioned by Abdul Khalid at the 2014 Budget Dialogue in Subang Jaya on 23 and 24 September is a response to the rapid urbanisation in Selangor. By 2020, he expects 85 percent of Selangor to become cities.

Driven by the need to ensure continuous food supply, the need to ensure that the source of nourishment for the people is not broken, and to open new income opportunities for the low and medium income earners, Selangor is now joining an initiative to map UA in urban planning.

UA places farming systems, processing and the marketing of vegetables, fruits and fresh meet, as well as agro-based products in zones that have been developed and around the intercity on lands that are publicly or privately owned and community land.

Creating UA infrastructure based on the community means to place local systems for farming, food processing and linking farmers to consumers. In the United States alone, UA programmes from community gardens such as the Seattle P-Patches contributes around USD 1.25 million of agricultural products each year.

“Once we have the concept, we will look at the elements that will be placed in the programme and from these elements, what are the constraints that may be encountered and so on.

“However, it is the State Government’s planning to make the people’s lives more comfortable and peaceful,” stressed Chang Khim.