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Free Malaysia Today
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Penang sets up committee to push for more autonomy, funds
Machang Bubok assemblyman Lee Khai Loon said the committee will help protect Penang's rights and ensure the people's voice reaches the federal level clearly and effectively. (Bernama pic) GEORGE TOWN : The Penang assembly has revived a select committee on federal-state relations set up three years ago to press for greater autonomy and fairer funding from Putrajaya. In proposing the motion, Lee Khai Loon (PH-Machang Bubok) said the committee would look at federal policies and development projects in Penang that require allocations from Putrajaya. 'In a federal system, both the state and federal governments have their roles. But in practice, there are many gaps and imbalances that need long-term, structured solutions, not just one-off fixes. 'That's why this committee is important. It helps protect state rights and ensure the people's voice reaches the federal level clearly and effectively,' he told the state assembly today. Lee said the committee will also push for a more transparent revenue-sharing model, demand better federal-state cooperation in infrastructure, economic and social development, and seek greater autonomy through devolution of powers to Penang. He said the committee was first formed during the previous term of the assembly and needed to be revived to keep federal-state relations accountable and constructive. Lee nominated Gooi Hsiao Leung (PH-Bukit Tengah) to chair the committee, and for the other members to comprise himself, Azrul Mahathir Aziz (PH-Bayan Lepas), Teh Lai Heng (PH-Komtar), Connie Tan (PH-Seri Delima), Fauzi Yusoff (PN-Sungai Dua), and Izhar Shah Arif Shah (PN-Seberang Jaya). The motion was passed without debate after the speaker urged the legislative assembly to proceed with a voice vote. Lee maintained that the committee would not act as a confrontational body but as an institutional platform to strengthen federalism and ensure local concerns are not ignored. 'This is about good governance, not politics,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Penang PAS rep, backbenchers clash over Songkran beach party
Yusni Mat Piah and Gooi Hsiao Leung traded barbs in the Penang legislative assembly today over the appropriateness of the Songkran party in Batu Ferringhi. GEORGE TOWN : A PAS assemblyman sparked a row in the Penang legislative assembly today over a Songkran beach party in Batu Ferringhi, when he held a poster that he claimed showed 'scantily dressed women' promoting immoral activities. Yusni Mat Piah (PN-Penaga) said the music event last month was against the spirit of Songkran and was culturally inappropriate. Songkran is a traditional Thai new year festival known for water fights symbolising cleansing and renewal. Penang PAS had objected to the two-day festival in the past. The event in question went viral after clips of scantily dressed women dancing circulated online. 'This is not our culture. This is not the culture of the Malays, or the Chinese and Indians,' Yusni said during the debate on the motion of thanks to the governor. He said Songkran itself was not the issue, but that it had been manipulated by certain parties. 'There's nothing wrong with the Songkran festival, it's part of Siamese culture. But, it has been hijacked and no longer reflects its true meaning. 'I saw the ad, it was disgusting. It openly shows half-naked women. We all have daughters. This should not happen,' he said. Yusni said other PAS-led states like Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah had held Songkran events 'without issue'. Gooi Hsiao Leung (PH-Bukit Tengah) stood up to say that swimwear had been expected since the event was a beach gathering. 'What exactly was in the ad? What was so wrong about it? People wear swimsuits on the beach. This isn't new. 'You uttered words like 'indecent', 'improper' and 'nude' as if Penang is a sex-crazed, party-crazed state. Don't try to inflame this issue for political purposes and play with racial sentiments,' he said. Chee Yeeh Keen (PH-Bagan Jermal) also stood up to object to Yusni's comments, before deputy speaker Azrul Mahathir Abdul Aziz calmed the situation. Last month, PAS's Permatang Pauh MP Fawwaz Jan had urged Penang to ban Songkran events as they promoted 'hedonism' and ignored Islamic values.
Free Malaysia Today
20-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Return part of Penang's SST share to ease cash flow, says backbencher
Bukit Tengah assemblyman Gooi Hsiao Leung said returning just 1% of the federal SST collection to states would give Penang RM1 billion, enough to fix its shortfall. (Facebook pic) GEORGE TOWN : A backbencher has urged Putrajaya to return a portion of the sales and service tax (SST) collected in Penang to help address the state's cash flow problems. Gooi Hsiao Leung (PH–Bukit Tengah) said the state contributed RM435 billion in exports last year and accounted for 7% of the national gross domestic product (GDP), yet received only RM14 per person under the federal per capita grant. A per capita grant is a federal payment to states based on their population. 'Penang bleeds for this country, but barely survives for itself. We're not begging. We're asking for what is fair, what is right,' he said during the debate on the motion of thanks to the governor in the state assembly today. He was commenting on the RM100 million advance Penang sought from Putrajaya last year, which chief minister Chow Kon Yeow yesterday said was motivated by a cash flow crunch the state was facing. Chow said Penang would ramp up efforts to recover unpaid taxes and boost state revenue through higher fees and charges, including increased hotel taxes, liquor licence fees, and the urgent recovery of quit rent arrears, as part of 24 strategies being implemented to address the state's cash flow issue. He said the cash flow problem was caused by a failure to control expenses and a general increase in the cost of running the government. Lim Guan Eng (PH-Air Putih) earlier today demanded that Chow explain the deterioration of the state's finances which led to the administration requesting the RM100 million. The former chief minister said the state's consolidated revenue plunged to RM50 million in 2024 from the RM1.15 billion recorded in 2019, representing a RM1.1 billion drop in five years. Gooi said the state's financial statements showed that as of May, the consolidated fund stood at just RM199 million. Penang only made RM593 million, or 0.5% of the national GDP, and recorded 13 years of fiscal deficits, with last year's being the largest among all states. 'We're among the bottom four states in terms of revenue, only ahead of Perlis, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan,' he said. He suggested there should be a new SST sharing formula based on each state's GDP contribution under the 13th Malaysia Plan, and that it should factor in the economic performance of the states to ensure fair distribution. He said federal SST collections were projected to reach RM51 billion in 2025, and returning just 1% to states would give Penang RM1 billion, enough to fix its shortfall.
