NEWS

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COUNCIL has decided to allocate the ground floor of the to-be restored Town Hall for a civic centre. This will include space for a Rent Control Unit for the concerns of people affected by the Rent Control repeal. Cultural, performing arts and music groups may use the auditorium for exhibitions and performances and rooms allocated for dressing. Music lovers think that the acoustics should be  superior to the nondescript Dewan Sri which does not respond to the sound of an orchestra.   

DOES it mean the end of the argument? The PHT is keeping its fingers crossed

For history of the controversy go to ISSUE No 1-News ;  sub-heading "Town Hall".

For news of PHT activities see  www.pht.org
 

HOPE?

TEN per cent of Penang's 1.25 million population are Indian.  It is reported that State is going on a "comprehensive action plan" to "upgrade the quality and standard of living of Indians" to enhance their "socio-economic status." Cheap homes will be provided for the lower income group. 
A recent study by the Socio-Economic and Environmental Research Institude (SERI)  showed that  27.9 % of Indians were squatters or occupying Temporary Occupation Licence  land. The Indian share in paid up capital investment was 0.2 per cent. Seventy five per cent of Indians in the manufacturing centre were employed at the lower levels
 

RELIEF?

THE Star newspaper reports that by end May, 100 poor tenants of rent controlled houses including the handicapped will be allocated units at River Road. The  CM has asked for ten names each from SaveOurselves (SOS), the Consumers Association and the Penang Heritage Trust (PHT).  SOS's Ong  responded by saying that what was needed was a public hearing on how best to utilise the RM100m soft loan provided by the government
 

DIRTY WORK

THE reported difficulties facing privatised companies has led to calls for garbage collection to be done by Council. Assemblyman Lim Boo Chang and MP Chong Eng, the  Penang Ratepayers Association and the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers have asked the state government to study privatisation further. What they want to know is why the authorities here are waiting for an answer from the Federal government
 

DIGGING UP THE FORT

OLD Fort Cornwallis may be dug up for clues on its original development by the Department of Museum and Antiquities. Built in 1810 when Norman Macalister was governor the Fort was gazetted as National monument in 1977 by the National Museum. Management was privatised in 1991. Sri Ramai, a   1603  cannon salvaged from the sea off the Esplanade, is a prominent feature on the ramparts
 

FLYOVER

ASSEMBLYMAN Lim Chien Aun wants an "impact" study to be done on the proposed flyover at the Bayan Baru roundabout. The assemblyman expressed surprise that it was only recently that he learnt about this proposed Federal government project. He thinks that a dialogue should be held with those concerned and affected by the proposed flyover
 

FISH

SIAKAP (sea bass) exports from Penang are soaring. Now worth RM10 million a year it is planned to increase it 10 fold with Hong Kong as the main target. The trade involves 150 fish farmers 
 

ON THE BEACH 

WATER scooters and galloping horses are not the only terrors for the tourist seeking the sunshine on our golden beaches. A letter in the New Straits Times from an "expatriate female" relates her experience with two locals who tried to chat her up. The reaction of the policeman at the police station where she made her report is revealing. According to the woman the policeman comforted her with, "Maybe the guys thought you were Japanese"