I LOVE my half-boiled eggs for breakfast and I regard it as one of the simple pleasures of life. It’s a very Malaysian breakfast because the nearest one can get elsewhere is soft boiled eggs but nothing beats half-boiled eggs with soya sauce and pepper.

My consumption of eggs doesn’t end at breakfast. Along the day, the egg would probably show up in some dishes for lunch or dinner.

I am fed up of people still telling me that eggs are bad or that I should leave out the yolk, the best part of the egg, which is simply unforgiveable.

Look, my 86-year-old mum is right – take two eggs and a cup of Milo daily and you would stay healthy. It is as simple as that. No arguments.

Then, not so long ago, some studies cropped up and advised us to stop eating eggs. Worse, some even said the consumption of half-boiled eggs should be stopped. Yes, purportedly because it was unsafe.

Well, that has since been debunked but the campaign against eggs has remained. The damage is done and nobody wants to update themselves with the latest study that there really isn’t much scientific evidence to limit the consumption of eggs.

According to one report, a study was done whereby people were split into two groups – participants in one group ate several (1-3) whole eggs per day while those in the other group ate something else (like egg substitutes) instead.

The researchers followed the people for a number of weeks/months. In almost all cases, the HDL (the good cholesterol) went up and total and LDL cholesterol levels did not change but sometimes they increased slightly.

In short, studies consistently show that people who eat whole eggs are no more likely to develop heart disease. Some of the studies even show a reduced risk of stroke, the report said.

Then there is the rice issue. Many people I know have stopped eating rice altogether. In a dramatic manner, I have been lectured that rice is equivalent to poison, on the same level of taking sugar.

I don’t know. My mom still tells me I should eat plenty of rice. The Chinese customarily greet each other with “have you eaten rice yet?”. But now, I am not sure if it’s politically correct. They may think I am being seditious.

But I love my rice – nasi lemak, chicken rice, nasi kandar, lotus leaf rice, fried rice and lor mai kai (steamed glutinous rice with chicken) for dim sum.

Now, I am warned that if I refused to listen to advice, my sugar level will shoot up and no insurance company will sell me any medical policy. My legs will be cut off, they warn.

It has frightened me like hell but another new medical report has surfaced – it has now been revealed that eating a daily portion of rice not only makes dieting easier but is linked to improved all-round health.

The report said new research shows that consumers can improve their diet simply by enjoying white or brown rice as part of their daily meals.

In a study published in the journal Food and Nutrition Sciences, study leader Dr Theresa Nicklas, of Baylor College of Medicine, looked at rice intake and diets among more than 14,000 US adults. Yes, a real serious study. Not one done by Ridhuan Tee Abdullah.

She was quoted as saying : ‘Our results show that adults who eat rice had diets more consistent with what is recommended in dietary guidelines, and they showed higher amounts of potassium, magnesium, iron, folate and fibre while eating less saturated fat and added sugars.

“Eating rice is also associated with eating more servings of fruit, vegetables, meat and beans. Rice is naturally sodium free and has only a small amount of fat, of which none is saturated.”

There you go! Eat all that you want – if you still have lingering doubts with what I have said – you just have to Google for the information. These are not reports from the National Enquirer, which is the only thing that Donald Trump reads.

Of course, you would have known by now that our all-time favourite – nasi lemak – has been recognised as one of 10 most healthy international breakfasts by TIME magazine.

It has to be the gospel truth. After all, most of us believe most things reported by foreign media.

The article describes nasi lemak as “supremely delicious” and “yes, there’s a bit more fat than is good for you (eat less rice to reduce), but it’s balanced with lots of manganese, protein and carbs.

According to the recent article, “the chilli in the sambal also boosts the metabolism (depending on which nutritionist you talk to).”

There you go. Go ahead, go for two packets this morning. It’s officially one of the top 10 healthy breakfast meals.

I can imagine health freaks, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez, eating nasi lemak every morning with this new trend. I am sure they can vouch that the hot belacan paste helps them to sweat even more and is better than any other exercise regimen.

There is more – our rambutans have been declared a wonder fruit. There are just too many articles I have found on the Net.

It has an active substance, known as Geraniin, which can cause the reduction of the sugar concentration and the substance is found only in rambutans.

It seems that rambutan seeds, whether consumed raw, crushed or even combined with other foodstuff, are effective in reducing body fat and even make the skin softer and healthier.

HealthBenefitstimes.com recommends –take a couple of rambutan leaves and clean them effectively.

It added, “include a little water and create a paste of the leaves utilising a blender. Filter the leaves’ extract with a clean cloth. Use the water extract towards the damp scalp and also continue doing this every day. You are able to watch an excellent hair regrowth.”

The benefits of eating nangka or jackfruit is even more amazing and more detailed. So who says eating nangka causes angin or wind which could lead to stomach complications and other effects to other vital organs?

The Mat Salleh medical community has gone crazy over our nangka – which has now become a wonder fruit!

One US nutrition website has described the fruit as a good source of antioxidant vitamin C, “provides about 13.7 mg or 23% of RDA and Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals. It is one of the rare fruits that is rich in B-complex group of vitamins. It contains very good amounts of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), niacin, riboflavin, and folic acid.”

I don’t know what it means but it sure sounds important and clever. I am definitely convinced that I should eat more nangka.

The moral of the story is this – just eat what you want and like everything else, just do it in moderation. Don’t go overboard and don’t be extreme – the same principle applies in our food intake and not just in politics. It’s food for thought.

Bald spot: Rampant farming and construction on Penang Hill has caused it to become bald in many parts. — Drone photography by Se Vena Networks Sdn Bhd

PENANGITES are furious over the continuing destruction of their beloved hills. We are incensed at the wanton destruction of our hill slopes, whether for agriculture or housing, leaving ugly bald patches on our hills.

The hills fronting the seaside resorts of Tanjung Bungah and Batu Ferringhi are more visible and we have seen how, over the years, the plush green slopes are no longer there. And also affected is the quality of the seawater and the beaches.

And we need to be on constant guard because there is always the fear that another spot on the hills there will be singled out for development. It is telling that even the DAP assemblyman there, Teh Yee Cheu, lashed out against hillslope projects in Penang. He even went bald in a symbolic protest over what he deemed as insufficient action taken against the landowner over the bald spot on Bukit Relau in January 2014.

Penang island is geographically unique in that the hills are in the centre of the island. That is why it is possible to cycle round the island, as what many of us did in our younger days. In the much earlier days, we could easily see the development going on in the hills fronting the popular beaches.

But today, the clearing of hillslopes on the other sides of the hills is not so clearly visible to the naked eye.

Which is why our Page One exclusive story last Saturday, “True picture exposed”, (The Star, April 23, 2016) really shook everyone up.

It is a sorry state of affairs for the pictures captured using drones reveal that this has been going on for some time now.

The bald patches caused by slope clearing are getting bigger and the terraced slopes indicate that they are almost ready for the farmers to move in.

This has gone on for far too long. Nobody seems to care and nor does anyone want to be responsible. All the big talk of protecting and respecting the environment by the politicians, especially during the elections, has remained empty promises.

The Star has continued to speak up on the degradation of Penang’s hills because this newspaper started in Penang 45 years ago.

Penang Hill, or Bukit Bendera, is a prime tourist attraction and we are always sensitive towards any development or activities that threaten its pristine environment.

Likewise, we are also sensitive to any activity that threatens the hills of Penang because they are environmentally-sensitive ecosystems. The ramifications to the rest of the island are immediate.

On the peninsula, for example, we are told that activities on the Main Range can have effects all the way to the coastlines. What more an island like Penang where the hills in the middle serve similar functions, like acting as a sponge to ensure water resources are protected?

Many of the senior editors of this media group, including this writer, started our careers in Penang. We are true Penangites because we were born and raised in the state, and we remain connected to the people.

We want our concerns on the continued rape of the hills to be heard because we have already lost much of our beautiful seas. We do not want to see our hills become a footnote in history.

Our seas are now filthy and no longer fit for swimming. We know what we are talking about because the beaches and waters were once clean when we were children.

Come every Sunday, our parents would take us to Gurney Drive to dig for small mussels and it was possible then to collect sea shells. Now, Gurney Drive is just mud and dirt when the tide is low. It’s a disgrace, really.

Take a ride on the ferry back then and one can see jellyfish floating by and even the occasional flying fishes. Even at the Esplanade, we could see sword fishes swimming by the walls of the promenade.

Concerned Penangites, wherever they may be, continue to bring up these environmental issues, including the loss of our forests, mudslides and the pollution of water catchment areas. It is sad when our views are greeted with defensive statements.

Worse, we are dismissed as troublemakers out to challenge the authorities or to embarrass the state government.

It is not just in Penang but in other states too, where each time we highlight such issues, the reactions are similar. We have been consistent in highlighting how rivers, once alive with fishes, have gone dead. In Cameron Highlands, for example, we have repeatedly exposed those who destroyed the hills.

It is incredible that Penang’s hills, as highlighted in our reports, have been cleared illegally and yet they have escaped the attention of the relevant authorities.

The officials boldly claimed they have not been sleeping when shown the evidence, but we wonder why they have not acted and still need to verify the status of such destruction.

Yes, of course, they are “monitoring the situation and studying the next course of action”. A committee will be set up and more sub-committees will also be formed even as the destruction proceeds.

The questions remain – why have the local authorities not monitored the situation and taken preventive action as the cutting down of trees continued.

The Penang Green Council, for example, has remained silent on the many reports that have been brought up by the media.

While the attention of the public and non-governmental organisations are against high-density property development in hilly areas, we must also not forget the illegal clearing by farmers, which is just as bad.

This has been going on for decades but Penangites are now waking up because the bald patches have become more visible.

It used to be known as just Bukit Relau but now Penangites call it Botak Hill to signal the seriousness of the destruction.

Its bald spot can be seen all the way from the Penang Bridge and on a clear day, from the mainland. Yes, that’s how bad it is.

Mitigation work is now being carried out costing possibly up to RM50mil but we have to see how successful the rescue work will be. And no one is prepared to give a commitment that the hill, once healed, would be protected.

Penangites have the right to demand answers and accountability. Enough of throwing challenges for debates, let’s just get the job done.

Things are slowly bouncing back and we must work at strengthening our economy further and getting our confidence back on track.

MALAYSIA needs to go forth. Too much precious time and resources have been wasted on non-stop politicking. We sound like a broken record.

We cannot continue to be a one-issue country, whether we like it or not. Malaysia needs to move forward.

The doomsayers continue to paint everything in a negative light even when the facts show otherwise.

The ringgit is making a bounce back and it has actually become Asia’s best-performing currency this year to date.

It is hovering around 3.88 to the dollar and some of us, especially the doomsayers, just would not admit that at one time, they had predicted that the ringgit would spiral downwards to 5.00 to the dollar.

The price of crude oil is now around US$40 a barrel. No doubt it would never return to US$100 a barrel but at least, it has not gone below US$20 as we feared. The price of crude oil has stabilised and it is indeed good news.

The trouble is that bad news always gets more prominence than good news. It is as if we like to dwell in negativity. Some say it’s a crisis of confidence.

Perhaps, some of us have grown cynical and sceptical. The hearts have hardened, as they say, but the reality is that we have to move ahead.

I agree that some of the good news have not had an immediate impact on the market, especially in instilling consumer confidence.

Many of us continue to question the statistics dished out by the authorities, pointing out that the positive sentiment is not felt on the ground.

The first quarter of 2016 has ended and most companies, which will be announcing their results soon, have already found that the going has been tough and profits have taken a dive, especially on the retail side.

But one small news item must have missed the eyes of most Malaysians. Last week, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Institute of Management Accountants reported that business confidence in Malaysia had picked up slightly in the first quarter of 2016.

That is certainly welcome news. ACCA said the Global Economic Conditions survey showed that Malaysia’s economy has at least weathered the fall in oil prices better than most big producers, growing by a relatively healthy 4.5% in the fourth quarter of 2015.

It added that “the recovery in prices has helped to stabilise the ringgit, which is important given that Malaysia’s foreign currency-dominated external debt is unusually high”.

The survey showed that the high number of Malaysian companies reporting negative effects from recent currency movements fell from 66% in fourth quarter of 2015 to 48% in the first quarter of this year.

In recent weeks, the local stock market has received the largest capital inflow in South-East Asia and chalked up a bull run.

We do not know if the bull will run out of steam but the momentum is encouraging as it helps to boost confidence.

And while some of us moan about the future of Malaysia, the Chinese government has shown greater trust in us.

It has started buying more Malaysian government securities (MGS) and this inflow of new foreign money could rise to 50 billion yuan (RM30bil) in total, according to International Trade and Industry Minister II Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.

If China were to buy RM30bil worth of MGS, it would mean supporting 8.5% of Malaysia’s debt in the current MGS market. According to Bank Negara’s website, the value of outstanding MGS stood at RM352.06bil as at April 5, 2016.

Meanwhile, it has also been reported that Malaysia’s debt markets saw an inflow of RM11.5bil, versus RM1.4bil of outflow in February. The March foreign inflow was the largest monthly inflow since May 2014, according to a Nomura research note on April 7.

If we were to read certain blogs and social media, we would get the impression that Malaysia is turning into another Zimbabwe or Uganda, and that our grandchildren will soon become maids or labourers in some foreign countries.

But what sets us apart from some of these countries is that our system and vital institutions have remained intact. They may have been tested to the limits but on the whole, they continue to function.

That is important even if some of us refuse to accept it, given the rising political temperature in this country.

We are too quick to condemn, and sometimes we react too fast, especially those in authority. Because of their hyper-sensitivity, they see shadows when there are none.

At the extreme end, it has become fashionable and anyone can become popular by just wielding the stick at the Government.

But credit must be given when credit is due. The past one year has been a terribly difficult one for all of us. In fact, the headwinds continue to be a challenge for most businesses.

But there is a calm sea ahead and Malaysians must grab this opportunity to ensure we chart through the safe waters.

We must accept the fact that the challenge against the Prime Minister and Government has failed. The Citizens’ Declaration has failed and even PKR and PAS have refused to be a signatory to it. The reality is that it is going nowhere.

We must move on and refocus the country’s attention on further strengthening the economy and on the good news about our country.

Malaysia simply cannot afford to have any more self-inflicted wounds. Get the ringgit strengthened further, boost the economy, restore consumer confidence, create more revenue streams as we cannot just rely on oil and commodities. And also, we must keep Malaysia moderate.

Not welcome: The Kuching International Airport terminal is the furthest certain trouble makers can get in Sarawak.

IT sure wasn’t a surprise to many Malaysians that Red Shirt rabble rouser Datuk Jamal Yunos was barred from entering Sarawak. We are surprised that he was surprised.

We also hope that this Umno division chief isn’t surprised that he is not as popular as he thinks he is. Certainly not among reasonable Malaysians, whatever their political affiliations may be.

His brand of racist and confrontational politics isn’t what the founders of Umno had in mind when they formed the party.

It was their moderate and consensus-building politics that saw Umno forging a strong relationship with MCA and MIC to form the Alliance in the early days, and subsequently with more parties in the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Last week, Jamal was given a notice of entry refusal by the Immigration Department, signed by Kuching International Airport Immigration Office chief Kamarol Johari on behalf of the state Immigration director.

Other serial trouble makers who have been stopped included academician Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, who was stopped from entering the state in December 2014.

A Bernama report, quoting sources, said that Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem was not in favour of the presence of Ridhuan Tee for a religious talk and had instructed that the event be cancelled.

Adenan had said previously that Sarawak was tightening its immigration rules and stepping up the scrutiny of visitors from the peninsula to keep out “extremists, religious bigots and racists”.

Controversial Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali is also on the list of personalities from the peninsula who have been banned.

In fact, in March, Adenan had reportedly warned that “I am building a list of people I don’t want to come to Sarawak”, saying Sarawakians were peaceful people, adding “let it stay that way. That’s why I don’t want these people (extremists, religious bigots and trouble makers) to come.”

Adenan’s action may be questioned by some opposition politicians, who have also been banned from entering the state ahead of the state election on May 7, but no one can challenge the Chief Minister’s consistency.

In fact, many non-Muslims in the peninsula would wish we have a CM like him over here. He doesn’t need to play the racial or religious cards to score points.

We won’t be surprised if controversial Indian religious speaker Dr Zakir Naik was barred from entering Sarawak.

While his fans may see Dr Zakir as a misunderstood person, in the age of social media, anyone can check the videos on YouTube to make a more accurate assessment of him. As they said, the jury is out there.

The problem with politicians and religious figures who preach hate messages – and here, let me emphasise that I am not referring to anyone in particular – is that they do not see, nor bother to understand, that their speeches certainly do not unite. In fact, they clearly divide.

The effect of their acid-laced rhetoric on those who are unable to draw logical deductions by themselves is destructive.

All religions are unique but they also have similar values in promoting goodness, compassion, patience, tolerance and forgiveness.

People who claim to speak on behalf of God should emphasise the commonalities instead of just pointing out one’s religious superiority over others.

A preacher may have formal religious credentials but the person needs to be checked when he runs down other religions and worse, endorses violence in the name of religion, basing it on selective verses in the holy books.

When their authority is challenged, they often respond by claiming that others are not qualified to speak. When they expound such views from the pulpit, it is also a monologue as no one in the congregation can speak out.

I have attended a number of services in different churches during the election season when the calm of seeking solitude with God was disrupted by pastors who seemed to be rather partisan.

The sermons were interlaced with their political tirade and snide remarks which made the church service sound like a political ceramah. They also assumed that everyone in the congregation shared their political allegiance or enthusiasm.

I remember one Easter service when a pastor praised a certain blogger who was very popular at that time. This blogger has since changed his political slant and I wonder what the pastor has to say about him now. Let us be reminded that we worship God, not men.

Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz is known as a loose cannon whose sometime uncouth remarks make us uncomfortable. But we would surely agree with him when he said “I think if you want to talk about religion, then just talk about your own.

“When making comparisons between religions, you are bound to conclude that your religion is better,” Nazri was quoted in an interview with a news portal.

It was a joy, for example, to see Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi joining the Sikh community in celebrating the Vaisakhi festival.

Bravo to Zahid for taking time off from his busy schedule to join the community for a quick breakfast at the Gurdwara Sahib last week. His presence also sent a strong message – we must never be frightened of visiting a place of worship of another faith.

Not many of us are prepared to point out the shortcomings of our own religion and also the leaders for fear of being condemned by those of our own faith. So we keep silent for fear of reprisals or simply because we do not want to be seen as traitors to our community. Worse, if our views are considered blasphemous.

The edicts of religious authorities are regarded as the complete truth and are not to be challenged, as it would be perceived as challenging God. So many of us end up fearing men instead of God.

This is partially due to our society’s preference of submission to authority and unwillingness to challenge or question those seen as more learned and more powerful than us. Many of us prefer to conform too, so we just accept things as they are.

We can never go wrong even if we embrace moderation – respect and embrace the goodness of religions. We need more people who promote love and peace and not hate. Work together for Malaysia – we don’t need foreigners to come between us.

Spoilt for choice: When it comes to food, a true Penangite will not compromise.

I TURN 55 years old in a month’s time. It’s a milestone, or a half-way mark, in my life and I believe a certain degree of self-indulgence can be forgiven.

Well, I am not officially a senior citizen yet. Under our National Policy on Senior Citizens, that is still five years away.

But 55 has always been a milestone because that was the retirement age for private sector employees until it was changed to 60 in July 2013. So in a way, we all feel we are like senior citizens when we turn 55.

Never mind. I am defining myself as middle-aged rather than “old age”. I am feeling really good about myself as I believe that age is merely a state of mind.

Turning 55 has merely given me an excuse to get my friends, colleagues and associates, of different ages, to come together for a party.

I want to enjoy my life and since retirement is now fixed at 60, I don’t see myself as an old age pensioner but neither do I want to slave on.

I have no intention of whining about the insane politics in this country. I don’t bother to read the political stuff posted on social media by even more insane people.

But I did explore the Net to read about what turning 55 means and it was even worse than the political blogs and comments – they were all about preparing for the old folks home or, gulp, death.

There were many articles about insurance, savings withdrawal, drawing up wills and retirement planning. The common theme is that if you haven’t saved enough, you are in trouble.

At 55, if your bank account is empty, you don’t need to be told that you have a serious problem.

I had a hard time looking for stuff on how to party at 55 and where to splash money on some fancy machines or toys for middle-aged guys.

I am a positive person and I have a great life to lead and enjoy, although I know time will just fly past me and that precisely is the point.

There are still hundreds of places that I want to visit with my wife while we can still walk, climb and run. There are still exotic wines and food that we want to try.

I still want to be able to go for a cruise for weeks without having to worry about irritating phone calls from unreasonable bosses. Hmm… I am guilty myself on this front and I speak only for myself. But I owe the wife this one.

There are still many, many books in my home library that really make me look scholarly, especially when my visitors see them. But I have to confess that I haven’t touched many of them.

I also want to find time to write about “the best, the average and the worst people” that I have encountered in my three decades of journalism.

I still want to write about historic figures which made an impact in our country and my beloved Penang but which our historians do not care about or are blind to it.

Physically, I still have my turf of hair which grows very healthily. In fact, I need a trim every two weeks. I don’t need any special hair tonic, aloe vera or any extra virgin coconut oil to apply on my scalp.

I still cannot understand why they call it extra virgin. I have always thought that virgin was sufficient. Maybe my hair may stand with that extra help, I don’t know.

Yes, of course, parts of my healthy hair are turning grey. I accept that as part of the ageing process. If actor George Clooney, who also turns 55 in May, has streaks of grey strands, I can handle mine as well. Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp, too, have joined the post 50 club.

I have no intention of following the leaders of the Chinese communist party who all seem to have jet black hair, whatever their age. It’s too good to be true and quite honestly, I think they look terribly unnatural. If there is any consolation, they do have better haircuts than the North Koreans.

Every American leader who has served in public office, including President Barrack Obama, has got grey hair. But not the Chinese leaders.

Hell, the US presidential candidates – who have yet to get elected – have turned bald. Just look at Bernie Sauders of the Democratic Party while his opponent, Hillary Clinton, looks puffed.

Donald Trump, of course, is turning more orange with each passing day and has all the signs of a deranged or senile man with his loony remarks. We don’t even know if his hair is real.

Ok, I have a confession – I am vain and every bit the modern, experienced man, who is confident of himself, like many baby boomers of my age.

I enjoy dressing up to look good. Not for others but for myself as I believe that one must always dress up well and be well groomed. We must respect our appearance.

My wife buys me my aftershave lotion, eau de toilette and perfume so I smell good. I can’t imagine myself reeking of Tiger Balm ointment. No, not yet, at least.

I love my music and I enjoy attending concerts. I think I am pretty up-to-date with music, of diverse genre, and I am able to talk to my 25-year-old daughter on the music she’s listening to but I must confess that I still regard the 1980s as the best era for music.

After all, I am a product of the disco era. Oh, the days of Tin Mine, Cinta, The Cave, Unit One and the Bubble, when dancing was about real stylish movements.

That’s the only time warp that I am caught in but everything is about attitude. I am ageing but I am enjoying the process.

I’m enjoying my life. I’m enjoying my family and friends. I have the best colleagues in The Star, my home away from home for the last 32 years. I’m just happy and that can only happen if you are surrounded by positive-minded people.

I need to exercise more and eat more healthily, but I am a 55-year-old Penangite, and surely, I can’t be expected to eat like a rabbit. And when it comes to food, a true Penangite will not compromise!

Everyone will back the call for righteousness and freedom of the press. But some find it difficult to practise what they preach.

THERE is a Thai saying about the teeth and tongue which means that two persons, usually the husband and wife, are inseparable and dictated by their respective roles.

They need each other but sometimes, they take each other for granted and they inevitably have quarrels – just like the teeth sometimes bite the tongue, deliberately or by accident, when we eat too fast. But the two need to co-exist.

The saying, in some form or another in other Asian countries, is often a description of a married couple but it can also apply to the relationship between the press and the politicians.

Both professions know that they need each other but they also get into conflict sometimes.

That comes to the point – the Penang DAP government is used to being on the offensive with its party leaders taking daily hard-hitting punches at the Barisan Nasional.

The party, long in the opposition, is known for its press statements and in recent years, its video parody of government leaders. No one is spared.

But the controversy over the purchase of the Chief Minister’s bungalow has put the DAP on the defensive, and it is not handling it well. It has suddenly found itself in a position which the DAP is not used to.

Two DAP MPs, Liew Chin Tong and Zairil Khir Johari, called a press conference to complain about the page one report in the northern edition of The Star (March 21). They said the content was correct but that the headline was “inaccurate.” In typical political rhetoric and fondness for superlatives, Liew described the headline as “politically motivated, extremely misleading and malicious.”

Liew claimed that the bungalow controversy was due entirely to the heading, “CM: No idea of value,” saying “it all arises from here.”

But of course, the claim was shot down barely two hours after their press conference. A video clip went viral showing Lim Guan Eng telling reporters that he did not know the value of his bungalow.

The video came from the Facebook page of Buletin Mutiara, the bi-weekly publication of the Penang state government, in a March 20 post.

In the video of the press conference at Lim’s upper-middle class bungalow at Pinhorn Road, Lim could be clearly heard saying: “Because you know, I’m not a property agent, I wouldn’t know what is the price. But that was the verbal understanding.”

Liew, in his press conference which was held a week later, had claimed that Lim had “never said he didn’t know the value of the house”.

Since then, the two MPs, presumably in disgrace, have not responded to the fiasco they created. Nor have they found it appropriate or decent to say they got it wrong.

In fact, the two had not even read the blog of their party elder, Lim Kit Siang, who had earlier posted that the The Star report was accurate.

It never rains but it pours. For the DAP, this has been a period when a series of events truly tested its crisis management ability – from Teresa Kok’s feng shui remark to M. Kulasegaran’s “cultural prejudice possible for Lim Guan Eng’s below market price bungalow,” to a junior party leader ordering a restaurant owner to take down an advertisement that was a parody of the controversy.

No wonder a gag order – or an advisory, according to party leaders – has been issued to stop further self-inflicted horrors.

But two factors have helped the Penang DAP brave the storm.

There are national financial issues that cloud the controversy, and make the purchase of the under-priced bungalow pale in the shadow of international headline-grabbing articles about leakages.

Then there is the almost hero-worshipping status of Guan Eng, whom his critics call Tokong or deity, which has put the CM on solid ground. Nothing has shaken him politically except that the party has found itself on unfamiliar ground.

No one seems to care that two wrongs don’t make a right, as the saying goes, when political allegiance turns emotional.

Pinhorn Road is named after Englishman Ralph Henry Pinhorn, an Oxford graduate, who was the headmaster of the nearby Penang Free School for 20 years (1904-1925), and was known for being a disciplinarian who believed the cane was the cure to all problems.

He would have thrown a fit, if he were alive today, to hear of claims that the seller and buyer of a house on a road named after him had no idea of the property’s value, nor do they care, for some flippant reasons.

The Chinese press, which literally campaigned for the DAP, in the 2013 general election now has an estranged relationship with the state government.

It has gone down to a very low point, and like the idiom of the teeth and tongue, the Penang Chinese media still carry on their working relationship but it has never been the same since.

But politicians in power, regardless of their political affiliation, do not care, really. The media is something they can use, that’s all.

There are of course, Barisan Nasional politicians who have denied statements that they have made, often claiming they are misquoted. It’s always easier and more convenient to blame the press when one makes a stupid slip of the tongue.

Well, they bite their tongue and then blame the media – it is like a standard operating procedure in the handbook of politicians.

A veteran journalist friend recalled that a former Cabinet Minister once called up to claim that he had been misquoted and demanded a correction. The reporter produced the recording to the minister to prove he was right.

But the sheepish minister, not wanting to admit he was wrong, pointed out to him that as an experienced journalist “you should understand what I was trying to say. I may have said it but I did not mean it.”

I recall that in 1979, at the height of the arrival of Vietnamese refugees to our shores, then Deputy Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was widely quoted as saying that “the government would prevent Vietnamese refugees from setting foot on our shores by shooting them.”

If one reporter had got it wrong, we can understand but surely a whole troop of reporters couldn’t have committed the same error.

The then prime minister, Hussein Onn, had to defend him by saying that Dr Mahathir was not expressing the official stand. But it was the foreign minister, Ghazali Shafie, who came up with the best defence claiming that Dr Mahathir had actually said “shoo”, not “shoot”!

So, that comes to the point, if indeed Dr Mahathir had said “shoo and not shoot,” Hussein Onn would not have had to say the latter was merely making a personal stand when it became an international furore.

But in all fairness, the media too have made errors in their reports, putting politicians in hot water.

A poor command of the language, preconceived ideas, sloppiness and prejudices have resulted in bad reports and headings too.

But to err is human and to forgive is divine, as the saying goes. Politicians often insist on corrections for mistakes but seldom have I heard of politicians making an apology for their mistakes. Perhaps their ego is too big for them to say, “I am sorry.”

So for all the claims of righteousness and the freedom of the press, some find it hard to practise what they preach. In fact, some can’t even laugh at themselves – and Mr Pinhorn, who taught literature in PFS, would have chosen the word “pathetic” to describe the current handling of the episode.

CONTROVERSIAL columnist Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, who has created a name for himself with his outrageous racist rantings ­rather than his academic achievements, found himself denied entry into Singapore recently.

He complained that he was “treated like a terrorist” and whined that his photograph and thumbprint were taken by the Singapore immigration authorities.

If he expected sympathy, he can be assured he is not getting any. Even those individuals and groups who would normally see this as an opportunity to take a dig at Singapore were silent. Only his misguided fans who share his fanaticism cried for him.

The incident took place at Singapore’s Woodlands immigration checkpoint, where Ridhuan said he was questioned for more than two hours and subsequently given a ­letter saying he would not be allowed to enter.

He seemed surprised at the action taken against him, saying “there was no reason given” but added that “I am confident that it was due to my comments on the ‘ultra kiasu’”.

Ridhuan has obviously chosen to forget that three years ago, he wrote in a Bahasa Malaysia newspaper, that “it is fortunate that I was not the PM when solving the dispute over Pulau Batu Puteh. If I were, I would definitely have not brought it to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).The only resolution to the dispute over the island is to wage war.”

If he expects the island republic to give him the red carpet welcome, then he really needs to see a shrink. If he complains about being treated like a terrorist, he has to look up the English language dictionary to find out the definition of someone who preaches the use of violence.

If he feels he can get any sympathy from moderate Malaysians with this latest incident, we think he is trying too hard.

Through his writings and public speeches, he has carved a reputation for himself to prove that he is more Malay than Malay and more Muslim than Muslim.

Ridhuan may want to think and dream like a Malay but he is still a Chinese. As I have said before, the fact remains that Ridhuan was given the name of Tee Chuan Seng by his parents at birth.

We do feel sorry for him sometimes, because he seems to suffer from an identity crisis problem. No matter how much he tries, the reality is that one cannot change one’s ethnicity. Even his religion does not require him to do so.

I am sure he understands that we are only here temporarily in this world. We will return to our Maker at some point.

We want to be remembered for our good deeds, regardless of our religion and race. Nobody wants to be remembered for making damaging, presumptuous and racist remarks.

And for all the anti-Singapore remarks that he has made, we would like to know why he was still interested in making a visit to Singapore.

Before he makes more disparaging racist remarks against Singapore, he should be reminded that he is also not welcomed in Sarawak. Early this year, he was barred from entering the state.

Bernama reported, quoting sources, that Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem was not in favour of the presence of Ridhuan in giving a talk at a mosque and had instructed that the event be cancelled.

Adenan had said previously that Sarawak was tightening its immigration rules and stepping up the scrutiny of visitors from the peninsula to keep out “extremists, religious bigots and racists”.

While people like Ridhuan may have a limited sphere of influence with his line of thinking, we can see the greater danger when prominent individuals of the world stage subscribe to such views.

Like the bigger bigot who is making world news daily – that orange man Donald Trump who is making a bid to get elected as the next US president.

It’s frightening really that a loose cannon like him could possibly be elected to the most powerful position on Earth and would have his fingers on the buttons to send out ­nuclear missiles.

Trump thinks that everything is like a business deal, a term he keeps using in his rallies, and he thinks he could just get people out if they don’t agree with him. His red-neck supporters simply eject his detractors out of his rallies.

He literally talks of building walls. Instead of bringing people together, like what a good leader should do, he has single-handedly divided the whole of America. He has spewed racist remarks against immigrants, even poking fun at how the Chinese speak at business talks, but forgets that his ancestors come from Germany, and that is well-­documented.

The trouble with some politicians is that when they choose to play the racial card, they conveniently forget about their ancestors.

They thump their chests, declaring their super pure racial stock, without batting an eyelid that there could be some traces of “other blood” from elsewhere.

Even in Malaysia, our past and present prime ministers all can trace their lineage to the land of Siam, the Bugis, Turks, Indians and Chinese, and some of our royalty have Western blood in them.

It is always much easier to play the racial and religious cards, enjoying the popularity of your own kind, without thinking of the long-term implications to the nation, especially one as diverse as ours.

To be a communal champion is much simpler than to be a leader of all. And politicians often take the easy route.

Advocating moderation is a long and lonely journey. It is not sexy and one can suffer from fatigue as the campaign seems to only attract the converts, particularly those in the urban areas. But those of us who have committed to the cause, including this writer, are not giving up.

Moderation is more relevant than ever in Malaysia and on the world stage. We want moderation to triumph, that’s for sure. We also want Donald to be trumped in his march to the White House. The American people hold the trump card in ensuring that moderation triumphs.

This is Malaysia. We are enormously proud of our multi-ethnic heritage and we must never allow any force to turn Malaysia into a mono-ethnic or mono-religious country.

Worse, some of us are even advocating that we embrace foreign culture in the name of religion or, in some superficial cases, pop culture. Please, we are not Arabs, Koreans or African-Americans. We are Malaysians.

Malaysians, like the Americans, hold the trump card, in charting the destiny of the nation.

The silent majority who value the peace and harmony of this nation where diversity is our strength must speak up to drown out the voices of those who seek to divide rather than to unite. That is our only hope.

I wish all Christian readers a Blessed Easter and I am thankful that my friends of other faiths have no issue greeting me likewise as they understand the significance of this day to people of my faith. Just like when I openly wish them when they celebrate their special days.

Be it food, mementos or speeches, Malaysians need to learn to do away with unnecessary protocol and time-wasting practices.

A HOLDING room may not be familiar to many. But if you do a Google search, it can refer to a room that is located in a licensed facility for the storage or holding of dead human bodies prior to their being disposed. Well, that’s one meaning.

Another definition is that it is a place for candidates sitting for an examination to wait, before the test begins.

For hospitals, the holding room is where final preparations are made before the patient is wheeled into the operating theatre. Here is where he gets to meet the surgeon, the anaesthesia provider and other members of the surgical team.

Well, in Malaysia, the holding room is where the VIP – who is the guest of honour for an event – would spend barely 20 ­minutes before making the grand entrance into the hall.

The holding room, naturally, has to be paid by the organisers despite it being under-­utilised. There have also been instances when the VIP does not even want to be in the holding room because he is already late for the function or he does not care about such formality.

It is about time that Malaysian politicians encourage the organisers of such events to dispense with this silly practice.

I have had the opportunity to see first-hand how British Prime Minister David Cameron threw away such protocol by walking straight into the hall and making his presence simple.

London’s Mayor Boris Johnson is even better. He cycles to an event – without the fanfare and often arriving unannounced.

Last year, I attended the launch of a sales gallery of a housing project in a suburb in Sydney. The Malaysian developer and his staff waited respectfully for the mayor to arrive in an official car but he surprised them by walking to the function.

In Singapore, the Cabinet ministers are not judged by how many times their pictures or statements appear in the media but they are judged by their performances. Their informal style, without the need for the presence of an entourage of accompanying officers and party hangers-on, is well known.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in his blog posting on Feb 10, said expenses for official visits and events involving him and his Cabinet colleagues should be reduced in line with the Government’s austerity drive.

He mentioned that the organisers should avoid, wherever possible, red carpet welcomes, special meals and so on.

“Our main focus is the people, not protocol,” he said on his blog, NajibRazak.com.

This reminder is seriously long overdue but Malaysians want to see real action and not mere lip service. It will not be wrong to say that most Malaysians are generally tired of having to put up with the protocol involving politicians.

Such barriers do not help these leaders a single bit as it gives the impression, which the rakyat loathe, that they are special and must be treated special. More so when they constantly declare themselves as the people’s representatives. But they have to decide whether they wish to serve the rakyat or they want the rakyat to serve them.

And, of course, when can we do away with our 15-minute salutation of the special breed of Malaysians called “Tan Sri, Tan Sri, Puan Sri, Datuk Seri, Datuk Seri, Datin Seri, Datin Seri, Datuk Datuk dan Datin Datin” before it reaches the people who matter – the “tuan tuan dan puan puan”.

It may be a very Malaysian thing to be seen to be hospitable and appreciative by presenting a gift or a memento, as we like to call them here, at such events. But we know that most of these items end up collecting dust and are eventually disposed.

In short, these are items that the ­organisers should not spend money on. At one time, it was suggested that fruits be given instead, but it never caught on.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof must be commended for saying that his ­ministry has made it clear that no goodies are to be given to his staff, his deputy minister and himself during ministerial events.

“Even for all my working tours, we minimise or optimise cost by limiting the number of officers travelling and wherever we can, we cut cost,” he said, adding that he was more than happy to do away with protocol.

“I gave the instructions to my ministry and agencies when I became minister. Old habits die hard but slowly people are adjusting.”

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said the people should be able to have access to their respective leaders without too much red tape and bureaucracy, but most times, protocol gets in the way.

And this is not even Putrajaya but working visits by government leaders to various parts of the country to connect them to the people.

As what the Prime Minister said in the blog, Salleh reiterated that such working ­visits across the country must be about the people and not about protocol, red carpets and special meals.

We have to admit that food often takes centrestage at many such events graced by VIPs, whether organised by the public or private sector.

Malaysians like to treat their guests well and every function, even if not held over lunch or dinner, has a wide array of food served. We eat more than we should, as a result.

Most time this food is left unfinished and wasted. We only need three meals a day and really, anything in between should just be coffee, tea or plain water.

While cutting these frills may not save much, given the financial leakages that take place, the message we want to send out is that we must do away with unnecessary protocol and time-wasting practices.

Then there is more time to truly connect with the common people and listen to them. Such trips do not bring much benefit if it is just a one-way monologue. There must be genuine dialogue as these are rare opportunities when the rakyat can be that close to these leaders whose policies can have such an impact on them.

As has been said many a time, there are many good policies that have turned bad because of poor implementation. And the people on the ground are the best to tell the government leaders if that be the case.

But they have very little time to do so if they have to listen to long-winded introductions, sit through presentations of cendera­hati (mementos), and try and finish off the food. Not to mention the preparations before and the cleaning up after the event is over.

It’s all about politics now but sooner or later, healing the country’s bruised economy should take centre stage again.

THE unthinkable in Malaysian politics has taken place but it is mere wishful thinking if anyone believes that the Prime Minister is now in such a precarious position that he will now be forced to quit soon.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is certainly not in the most ideal position and certainly his image internationally has taken a beating but on the contrary, he has in fact strengthened his grip in the party.

Except for a few renegade divisions, most of the 191 divisions are solidly with him. So are the members of the powerful supreme council.

The branches that have come out to oppose Najib remain too insignificant to make any serious challenge.

By simple logic, the fact that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and suspended deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin have to solicit the support of the opposition basically means that they could not muster the troops in Umno.

Dr Mahathir and Muyhiddin understand the politics of Umno well. They must have looked behind their backs and realised the harsh reality that not enough soldiers were with them.

Politics is a numbers game. It is also about power – the ability to reward and punish. If you don’t hold the power, then one can only promise hope but is unable to place the rewards on the table to win support.

By now, Muyhiddin and his loyalist, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, would have realised that their political lives have become much lonelier. There will be fewer calls and appointments now.

Despite the negative international press coverage against Najib, giving the impression that he is living on borrowed time, the Umno president has grown stronger internally and gone on the offensive.

The instruments of power are with him and he wields tremendous political clout now, with only loyalists in place.

Even in countries like the United States where there is supposedly a clear separation of power to keep the three branches of govern­ment – the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary – in check, the fact remains that it is the White House that determines most of the appointments.

That is why there is so much debate now on who President Barack Obama will name to the Supreme Court to take over from Justice Antonin Scalia, who passed away recently.

The head of government in all countries always make sure that Cabinet appointments and other key positions in the police and army are filled by people whose loyalty is assured.

This is the power of incumbency and even first year political science students would know that is how leaders work to ensure they are in command.

Removing Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir as Kedah Mentri Besar and suspending Muyhiddin is just the beginning.

A leader can only strike when he is in a strong position whereas the weak has to go on the defensive. In this case, Najib, who has been in politics for 40 years, has realised by now that nobody listens to a nice guy, who is often mistakenly regarded as weak.

The Cabinet’s decision on Friday to remove Dr Mahathir as Petronas adviser is not unexpected. Expect Najib to swing his axe further – as he removes those holding influential positions but have not supported him.

Najib’s continued hold in Umno and govern­ment is not determined by the Wall Street Journal or New York Times but by his party. Likewise, no one in Umno can remove Lim Kit Siang or Lim Guan Eng from DAP except DAP members.

But for all their political experiences, Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin also committed a big blunder in seeking the support of DAP, which is unacceptable and even unforgivable in Malay politics.

Working with PAS, purportedly in the interest of the ummah, is politically acceptable. So too is flirting with PKR, as many PKR leaders were in Umno before.

But to sit next to DAP is a costly mistake for Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin, and the former has now conceded that Umno members are unhappy with the association. But he has defended his actions, saying he has few choices.

Only one thing holds the unimaginable alliance together – to remove Najib over the 1MDB investment fund controversy.

The majority of Chinese voters, especially in the urban areas with their anti-­establishment sentiments, have little understanding of how the rural Malay heartland feels.

They are unable to grasp the intrinsic of Malay politics and due to wishful thinking, they have convinced themselves that the Malay electorate would rise up and join them in voting against Umno.

They cannot comprehend why the Malays in the rural heartland do not embrace and love DAP as they do.

Their benchmark of Malay support of the opposition is also PKR and they forget that PKR’s base is mainly the urban Malays, mostly in Selangor.

After giving their huge support to PAS in the 2013 elections, and having actually convinced themselves that PAS would never implement hudud, the Chinese voters are now coming to terms that PAS theologians have consistently said they want an Islamic state.

It’s just that in the election euphoria, the Chinese voters have chosen not to accept this political reality.

The absence of PAS among the opposition ranks does make a difference as is obvious from the Bersih4 rally and the Citizens Declaration event.

What is clear is that a big Malay opposition party isn’t taking on Najib, as what an opposition is supposed to do.

For Chinese voters who are angry with Umno, perhaps they should ponder this: What happens if the majority of Malays dump Umno and vote for PAS instead?

Think of the implications to Malaysia. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.

Malaysians are also still shaking their heads in disbelief that the man whom Dr Mahathir put in jail for sodomy has now come out to support his nemesis in his plan to topple Najib.

The situation can be considered bizarre but Dr Mahathir has transformed himself to be the de facto opposition leader, although he prefers to call it the citizens revolt.

The 90-year-old leader himself described the group of mostly retired politicians “as a very strange group of people”.

Most analysts who care to read Malaysian politics in a balanced and rational matter would agree that the group would be unable to topple Najib but the group can also cause damage to Barisan Nasional and Umno as they continue to chip away the armour.

It will be naïve if Umno leaders arrogantly dismiss this movement, which is certainly going to make its voice heard.

Yang Razali Kassim, a senior fellow with S.Rajaratnam School of Inter­national Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological in Singapore, aptly wrote that “any misplaced sense of supreme confidence on the part of Umno could, however, backfire” and that “it would be foolhardy to take lightly what the 90-year-old warhorse is now doing, which may well lead to big changes in Malaysian politics”.

He warned of the impact to Barisan and Umno in the next general election, “if Dr Mahathir and his citizens’ movement grow, and the opposition recovers from its disunity”.

There’s never a boring day in Malaysian politics but the daily politicking could well take its toll further on the bruised Malaysian economy which needs the complete full attention of Najib.

An aerial shot showing the flattened ancillary buildings at the Runnymede property in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Penang.

IT’S a fact that not all of Penang’s state government leaders are true-blue Penangites. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was born in Johor and spent his childhood in Malacca.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr P. Ramasamy is from Sitiawan before settling down in Selangor as a university professor.

Senior executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow is also from Selangor but, to his credit, he has spent more time in Penang because he studied at Universiti Sains Malaysia and started his working life in Penang.

Penang Gerakan chief Datuk Teng Chang Yeow, a former Penang state exco member, is Batu Pahat-born but also studied at USM and settled down in Penang.

There’s a lesson they would have learned by now – that Penang’s non-governmental organisations are among the most active in Malaysia. Correction – it’s among the most active in the world.

The concentration of NGOs in Penang is surely among the highest in Malaysia and we are not talking about one-man group with no records but NGOs which are organised with good track records.

The Consumers Association of Penang is surely the best organised in the country and it has a large workforce which runs the NGO effectively. The Friends of the Earth and the Third World Network are also linked to CAP leaders.

Penang’s civil society is vibrant and loud – and no state leader can afford to snub them if they know what’s good for them.

After all, the state is the only one which has kicked out every chief minister. The casualties are the late Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee (MCA), the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu (Gerakan) and Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (Gerakan).

It also goes to show the independent streak of Penang voters. The results of ­previous elections have shown that voters do not simply mark a cross on the same party symbol for both state and federal seats. In the earlier polls before the political tsunami of 2008, it was not uncommon for them to vote a DAP candidate to Parliament while settling for a Barisan candidate at the state level.

Which is why DAP supremos like Lim Kit Siang and the late Karpal Singh have tasted defeat in Penang before.

Karpal, born in Penang, began his political career in 1970 when he joined DAP. He won a seat in the Kedah State Legislative Assembly in 1974. In 1978, he was elected MP for Jelutong, which he held for more than 20 years until losing it in 1999.

Kit Siang, on the other hand, has moved around the country a fair bit despite his Malacca roots. He made his entry into Penang by winning the parliamentary seat of Tanjong in 1986, defeating Koh Tsu Koon by a big majority. He retained the seat in 1990 and 1995. But in 1999, he stood in Bukit Bendera but was defeated by Gerakan’s Chia Kwang Chye by a narrow 104 votes. He also lost in the state seat of Kebun Bunga to Teng Hock Nan in that election.

At the state level, he clinched a momentous victory over Lim Chong Eu for the state seat of Padang Kota in 1990. But if he thought he was definitely welcomed in Penang, he was soundly defeated by Koh Tsu Koon in the 1995 election for the state seat of Tanjong Bungah. It was sweet revenge for the man he beat for a seat in Parliament in 1986.

Politicians who think Penang voters are die-hard party loyalists will learn soon enough that Penangites give much weight to the individual’s behaviour, regardless of party affiliation.

The voices of Penang civil society cannot be easily ignored, as they can influence the elections too.

From the protection of trees to conservation of heritage buildings to political consciousness, there is always a desire to be united, a desire for civic empowerment and rights-based action, as widely respected activist Datuk Anwar Fazal aptly puts it.

Long before moderation became a fashion­able word, the movement had taken shape under Aliran or the National Consciousness Movement under the leadership of Dr Chandra Muzaffar.

The former USM political scientist had already pushed for Malaysians to focus on common values instead of highlighting on their differences.

He led the NGO, which comprised many USM lecturers, for 14 years and what stood him apart from the other political commentators was his ability to analyse and explain national issues in a balanced and rational manner.

Always the educator, Dr Chandra has inspired many, including Penang-born prominent moderation activist Anas Zubedy, who is now the secretary-general of the International Movement for Just World, also founded by Dr Chandra.

In recent years, we have seen how a group of architects, communal landlords, environmentalists and historians have come ­together to form the Penang Heritage Trust.

Penangites have a history of fighting to save heritage buildings, including the failed attempt to rescue College General, a Catholic seminary that trained priests in Penang and Malaya for 176 years.

So, the state authorities can expect to face stiff protests if there are any attempts to cut down trees to widen one portion of Green Lane – or Jalan Mesjid Negri as it is known now.

Penangites will not be persuaded that these trees will not be destroyed but relocated. Let’s face it, we would sure like to know how the century-old grand old trees can be uprooted and relocated.

More recently, the Penang government also backed down from a purported move to acquire school land to expand Gottlieb Road.

A social media campaign “Save Penang Chinese Girls’ High School” was successfully launched and the anger has not abated despite reassuring words by Chow, with ­critics pointing out that state government leaders had given contradicting responses.

Penangites are also upset at the demolition of several buildings in the Runnymede proper­ty along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah recently. The buildings were on the site of Sir Stamford Raffles home in Penang.

Raffles, who went on to found Singapore, had worked under Sir Captain Francis Light in Penang before going to Singapore. He was assistant secretary to the governor of Penang in the early 1800s.

Penangites are enormously proud of their heritage – and while they want development, they also want to keep Penang as it is.

For older Penangites, who have lived through the times when Penang was physically better off, this is their last fight to keep the natural beauty of Penang.

They have seen how bad land reclamation has taken away their beach in Gurney Drive and what they see now is a large piece of ugly mudland during low tide.

Penangites are known to be independent-­minded, liberal, progressive, assertive and outspoken – they will come together for a common cause and, as one writer wrote, to “revitalise their sense of belonging”.

The NGOs of Penang have supported politi­cal parties who come to power and they have also worked against them when they do not keep to their side of the bargain.

Let no politician be mistaken and it’s best that they read up the history books on Penang’s dynamic civil movements.

In 1990, when Dr Lim proposed an extensive development plan for Penang Hill, NGOs such as PHT, CAP and others united to “Save Penang Hill” and condemned the plan’s environmental and cultural hazards. They ­organised sit-ins and directed as many as 3,000 spontaneous complaints to the Department of Environment.

As one report said, “Penang Hill being widely considered one of the island’s most important physical and cultural landmarks, the Hill incident attracted an unprecedented public outcry.

The battle to preserve the Hill became the key issue in the 1990 elections, costing Lim his state seat and ending his 21-year tenure as Chief Minister of Penang.”

There were, of course, other contributing factors but the point is that ideas of sustainable development, green policies and human rights have always been points of endearment among the Penangites, who can be counted upon to quickly organise themselves.

No one, especially politicians, should take for granted Penangites, as they fall in love quickly with politicians but also get into a fight just as quickly.

And let’s also not forget they can also count on the support of the Penang diaspora who are scattered all over the country, especially in the Klang Valley, and the world.

It has been said many a time that you can take a Penangite out of Penang, but you can never take Penang out of a Penangite. They have the power to influence, too.