The real enemies

Wu Hui Fang (translated name)

China Press, 16-02-2016

Is it right for Penang government to cut down trees to widen the roads?

This question is very subjective. Recently, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) has issued a statement to strongly object the plan of widening the Scotland road in Penang Island. The reason is that there will still be traffic jam even after cutting down the trees by adding one more lane.

On this issue, the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has been condemning the NGOs during this Chinese New Year (CNY) season, claiming that the Penang government is just removing 15 trees of Jalan Masjid Negeri and they are “making so much noise”. Yet they pretend like they didn’t hear when BN or states which are governed by other political parties made the whole forest “disappeared”.

Chief Minister Lim has been condemning for at least four times on the topic of cutting down the trees since CNY eve to the seventh day of CNY. This shows that he is really angry.

Actually, Chief Minister Lim doesn’t need to be so enraged. Because on one hand it’s bad for health, on the other hand, this gives an opportunity for the political enemies to make a big fuss out of this on the internet world. Lastly, one must prioritize the harmonious atmosphere during CNY. Instead, he could have used some examples of thunderstorm hitting the Penang Island and caused the trees in many places to fall down to explain the situation.

Just like last year on the 16th of September evening, the thunderstorm has caused many old trees failed to endure, “torn” and fell down. Among the trees, a hundred year-old tree at Scotland Road was even pulled out from its roots and almost fell on a motorcyclist.

I happened to be driving through Scotland Road that night, when I looked out from the car at the tree branches outside that seemed to fall and the hundred year-old tree that was fallen, I was scared to the core.

How about the abovementioned road widening plan?

Chow Kon Yeow has made clear on 5th of February that the 15 trees will remain and the fate of another 18 trees will be revealed after two weeks. Rajendran from the Engineering Department of the Penang Island City Council has explained that among the affected trees, most of them are sick or already out of shape.

Therefore, he only has to show the botanist’s reports to prove that the trees which have to be cut down already have potential danger. Wouldn’t this prove that everything that the government does (including cutting down the trees) is the best method which is logical and taking care of the public safety?

One of the most active NGOs

As for some NGOs, are they really pretending not to hear about the forest or other issues in the states governed by BN? If one is talking about the CPA, then one has to keep in mind that this is one of the most active NGOs in Penang. It not only hold press conferences concerning topics like flora, vaporizer, junk food, it has also issued a statement at the end of last year to urge the Kedah state government to investigate and stop the opening of plantation project in the Inas reserved forest near to Kulim. Because this would harm the environment and endanger the daily lives of the locals.

The real enemies of a government are not dissidents. They are corruptions, dictatorship, not listening to advice, self-righteous and ignoring the voice of the people.