MCA Betraying Penangites by Supporting Umno's Plan in Relocating Penang Port

By Admin

It appears that MCA through it's Umno Masters want to punish Penang and Penangites by proposing the moving of Penang Port. The announcement by Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat of MCA last week that the 224-year-old port, which was set up by Captain Francis Light, may be moved to a more "suitable" location is certainly said with evil intent at the behest of the Evil Zionist BN/Umno Regime of Najib Razak.

Ong was quoted as saying that suggestions for this move came from port users. This statement was suppose to be 'backed' up by a representative of the freight forwarding industry in Penang by the name of Krishnan who said that "anywhere in the northern part of Malaysia should be acceptable".

No mention was made on whether all those involved in the running and using of the port have been consulted and whether all parties think this is a good move. Also silent was the role which is supposed to be played by the port as the logistics centre of the Northern Corridor Economic Region. It also did not appear as if the tourism sector has been consulted on the possible move to relocate the port, which in the past year, has seen increased activity in the form of multiple economic spin offs to the state. Penang's position as a preferred port of call for luxury cruise liners has only been restored this year with the opening of the RM62.9 million Swettenham Pier.

The busload of tourists being shuttled to eateries, hotels and other attractions on the island cannot be missed on days that the big ships drop anchor or berth at the port. The issue of repeated dredging, which is needed at the port to accommodate all types of vessels, is one which should have been addressed and made provisions for a long time ago.

All hopes are now being placed on the federal government to follow through with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin's pledge in April for a financial allocation for a proposed dredging scheme of the Penang channel in the upcoming 10th Malaysia Plan. The RM322 million project was shelved under the Ninth Malaysia Plan mid-term review. Terminal operator Penang Port Sdn Bhd has been targeting to develop Penang Port into a premier port by 2012 if the deepening of the north channel proceeded.

The Chairman of Penang Port is Tan Cheng Liang who is an ally of Ong Tee Keat in MCA and who was also dumped by the voters in Jawi in the last General Election. Tan was 'rewarded' by BN/Umno the Chairmanship of Penang Port by Umno for being Umno's obedient and loyal lapdog in the previous Koh Tsu Koon BN administration in Penang's. Tan has been ineffective as a Chairman of Penang Por but continues to hold her post because of Umno. MCA's dirty hand in wanting to move Penang Port was further seen when Penang MCA Youth Chief Eng Hiap Boon (pic above) supported the moving of Penang Port.

This is not the first time the Umno led BN Regime had tried to suffocate Penang economically. Sometime back during the Dictator Mahathir Mohamed's rule, he wanted to move the Penang International Airport to Kedah, Mahathir's home state. However, this idea got shot down because the proposed location of the airport would be dangerous as it was in a busy flight path.

This must be seen as a betrayal of MCA and BN on the People of Penang who like their comrades in Sibu and in the rest of the country must remember this and other betrayals and vote out Evil Zionist Barisan Nasional!