Update : 12th december
State Health,Welfare,Caring Society and Environment Committee Chairman Phee Boon Poh has just been voted out of the DAP in Penang
quote excerpts from The Star :
GEORGE TOWN: Penang DAP saw some upsets Sunday with veteran DAP leader and state assemblyman Phee Boon Poh among six incumbents, including three assemblymen, losing their committee seats in the Penang DAP election here.
Phee, 60, was the sole DAP assemblyman in Penang after the 2004 general election, winning in the Sungai Puyu state seat but he was voted out this year.
Earlier, Phee seemed to sense that he would lose, saying that he was busy with his state executive councillor duties and had lost touch with the grassroots.....................
Phee, in an immediate reaction through a short messaging system (SMS) reply, apologised for losing.
“Sorry I lost. Too naive to survive in this cruel world of politics.”
Later, Phee said: “I am a soldier and I would die in the battlefield with my boots on. When the delegates make such a decision, it shows that I am not good enough for them. This inspires me to work harder.”
unquote.
my take: any rise in unpopularity credited to this no brainer recycling move?
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The current state government is forcing the green message down our throats.Let me put it this way,however you may twist,spin and beat around the bush with various green statements to save the world,the message to most people is,somebody's gonna make a killing selling biodegradable boxes.
In the end it is again we the consumers who are on the loosing end as we have to cough up extra for these damn boxes.
Don't worry though,the state under the Malaccan,has already thought of the hawkers first.Hawkers will be able to make a profit of 10 sen cos on top of subsidies,they are given the green light to charge us an extra 10 sen per box too.
Dear Lim family,boxes and plastic bags aren't the only things clogging up our drains.Leaves,twigs,tons of wastes from the construction industry,and hawkers soup pots everyday,every hour,every minute do the same job too.Why don't you send enforcement officers to nab them at night when they empty their wastes into the sea and drains?Or when those builders leave a trail of debris anywhere they like?
Oh,yes of course,you are understaffed,ever thought of fixing up cctvs to catch them in the act?Oh what's that?You lack resources,well why not get advertisers to print more billboards as a reward for sponsoring cctvs?No,you want me to look at advertisements each time I tapau CKT.
On the same note when they held an event in Queensbay and only five supporters turned up,they delude themselves with visions of 'Penang people will get it soon'.
Oh pulezz.Eh you make the initiative,then you credit yourself for whatever we do.We know you very well already by now ok?That explains why the usually loud mouthed NGOs are holding back.
Here are 2 articles from todays The Star
1st Article :State Serious About Ban
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Hawkers operating in premises owned by the local councils on the island and mainland are reminded that the ban on polystyrene utensils and packaging will take effect from Jan 1
The ban will run alongside the state's "No Free Plastic Bags"ruling which will also begin on jan 1.
It covers shopping centres,hypermarkets,departmental stores,pharmacies,fast food restaurants,nasi kandar outlets and convenience stores at petrol kiosks.
State Health,Welfare,Caring Society and Environment Committee Chairman Phee Boon Poh said while the hawkers had less than a month to conform,many of them were generally prepared for it.
'Many hawkers in our councils' hawker centres have started using washable plasticware and biodegradable fibre-based utensils.Some are also converting to using food boxes and microwave-friendly containers for takeways'he said.
He was speaking after opening the North Seberang Prai-level Green Citizen registration exercise at the Tow Boo Kong Temple in Raja Uda in Butterworth recently.
The ban will cover some 5000 hawkers in 73 hawker centres in georgetown as well as about 4000 in 50 centres in Seberang Prai.
Hawkers who do not adhere to the ruling will not have their licences renewed.Phee said all state and federal departments as well as agencies had been told to adhere to the ruling.
'We must lead by example.We do not want our departments to hold events where food and drinks are served in polystyrene containers'he said.
Phee said a few private companies had also taken up the state's suggestion to have their advertisements printed on biodegadable food boxes to help subsidise the costs borne by the hawkers.
He said each box cost 27sen to produce,of which the hawker pays 10 sen while the advertiser pays the remaining 17sen.
'The hawkers can charge their customers 20 sen per box and make a 10sen profit'he said adding that some hawkers could buy the boxes at lower prices depending on their orders.
Phee said private companies were also encouraged to sponsor a minimum of 20,000 boxes to be used in state-organised charity events in exchange for having their advertisements printed on the boxes and carried on the state government's official website portal for a year.
State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee Chairman Chow Kon Yeow,when contacted said the local councils were directed to remind the hawkers about the ban when they renewed their annual licences later this month.
'The state had made a decision,so it is up to the local councils to enforce it.Since the hawkers licences for 2011 will be renewed this month,those who do not comply to the ban may not have their 2012 licences renewed'he said
2nd article :Green Citizen Drive Postponed Due To Poor Response
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Only five people turned up for the launch of the Green Citizen campaign at the southwest district level at Queensbay mall,prompting the organisers to postpone it.
Campaign chairman Ng Wei Aik who is also Komtar assemblyman admitted the lack of publicity resulted in the poor turnout.
'Besides that our guest of honour Speaker datuk Abdul Halim Hussain who was supposed to officiate at the launch could not make it because of another engagement'he told reporters.
'The event was supposed to be see the launch of Green Drink,a table'talk programme coordinated by Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin.
'Maybe people are still not receptive to this concept of pledging to be a Green Citizen which is probably the reason for the poor turnout'he said
Ng added that the launch would be postponed to another date this month which he would announce later.He said the next district level launch would be at the Autocity in Juru tomorrow.The campaign was launched at the state level on Nov 13.
Sim urged non-governmental organisations(NGOs) to step up efforts in supporting the campaign.
'The state is the initiator,the organiser and is even getting the publicity done.We hope the NGOs can do their part in helping out'he said.
The Green Citizen Campaign is an initiative undertaken by the Penang Government under its green campaign to register Penangites as 'Green Citizens'
