THE culmination of a month-long Unesco World Heritage Site anniversary celebration was held in George Town's heritage enclave last Saturday and Sunday (July 25 & 26, 2009). Read here and here for reports on the celebrations and here for an insightful article on Muslim heritage in Penang prompted by the event.

Meanwhile, on the Kampung Buah Pala front, in an unprecedented move, CM Lim Guan Eng has directed the immediate revocation of a development order issued to Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd allowing for the construction of an apartment project in the vicinity. This would mean that even if the developers were to demolish the village, they would not have permission to rebuild anything else in the area. Read here.

This news received reactions from many quarters:

• Residents association assistant secretary C Tharmaraj, said the villagers were disappointed Lim waited “till the 11th hour” to use his executive powers to revoke the development order issued to the developer. Read here
• Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang Bhd, owner of the 2.6ha disputed land, has regarded the state government's move as a threat and said it would not succumb to the threat and would find ways to go ahead with its plan to develop the land in the interest of its members. Read here
• On the other hand, Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd is considering a state government proposal to allocate an adjacent plot for the villagers there who are facing eviction. Read here
• Blogger Anil Netto stated that the revocation order was a bold and decisive move. "In this case, the Chief Minister has had to choose whose side the state government would be on come 2 Aug: the people’s or the developer’s. It must have been an agonising choice, as the state government risks being sued". Read here

For more news on SOCIAL ISSUES, read here

Other news

• Thousands attend St Anne’s novena and feast: Tens of thousands of pilgrims made their way to the St Anne’s Church, in conjunction with the annual St Anne’s novena and feast. Read here
• MPPP to seek RM557mil: The Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) will apply for an allocation of RM557mil to implement 55 projects on the island under the 10th Malaysia Plan. Read here 
• 2,100 find jobs: A total of 2,100 workers who were retrenched in Penang have found jobs over the past 10 months after registering themselves with the Penang Labour Department. Read here
• Penang political aides want better protection: Special assistants to Penang government political leaders said that they will only be available to attend any queries for graft investigations in their work premises and not anywhere else. Read here
• RM1.40 minimum bus fare beginning Aug 1: Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd will introduce a new fare structure from Aug 1, in line with the government's announcement to improve the delivery system of public transportation services. Read here
• Penang welcomes Tiger Airways: Penang welcomes the new international airline to the Penang International Airport. Read here
• Prasarana may take over Penang ferry services: Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd is likely to become the new operator of the Penang ferry services. Read here
  

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