Invalid drainage and construction damaged nearby houses since 2014 must complete its mitigation quickly!

Underground Pipe Culverts from IJM Trehaus site on the left and nearby pond on the right

Behind BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 is an IJM Trehaus Project. 

Approximate Coordinates : 5°20'38.47"N,100°16'52.82"E

Reported  in August 2016. Photos taken in November 2016 and 2014 by Penang Forum

PHW Report 

https://hillclearinginpenang.ushahidi.io/views/map

Sources: Penang Hills Watch (PHW) | Penang Forum

Hill clearing activity by IJM Trehaus Project

Clearing and construction for a condo and semi-detached housing project, Trehaus, reported in http://anilnetto.com/ 26 Aug 2016. Photo taken in 2014 ...

IJM sign-boards

Behind BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 is an IJM Trehaus Project.

Underground Pipe Culverts from IJM Trehaus site on the left and nearby pond on the right

  Two invalid pipe culverts formed sinkholes at BJ Cove houses

Originally, there were two natural rivers/streams from the IJM Trehaus site and a nearby pond. No proper drainage system was implemented when housing development started, only two invalid hidden underground pipe culverts were built to channel the waters from the Bukit Jambul hill to Relau district.

The invalid underground pipe culvert from the IJM Trehaus project directly converged at BJ Cove houses from another invalid underground  pipe culvert from a nearby pond were burst, caused soil erosion, house slabs collapsed, multiple wall cracks, PBA water pipe burst, floods, sinkholes (by two pipe culverts converged in red) and damaged  to  BJ Cove houses due to blockages of waters whenever rains and because of lack of drainage system there.  The sinkhole which later converted into a manhole by IJM,  is a clear sign of soil erosion under the ground.

It is a common sense that waters from the natural rivers or streams are naturally running, seeped  through underground even the surface is covered by land-filled soil or with man made culverts.

Therefore, damages to houses were caused by severe soil erosion due to water movement under the road and buildings. 

The following shows the invalid underground pipe culvert from the IJM Trehaus site behind BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1:

IJM Underground Pipe Culvert to BJ Cove houses 2018

Waters rising from the IJM Pipe Culvert behind BJ Cove houses 2018

Waters are flowing back from another pipe culvert at IJM site to BJ Cove houses 2018

IJM Underground Pipe Culvert at bottom to BJ Cove houses 2018

IJM modifying/constructing their underground pipe Culvert in 2014 to BJ Cove Houses

IJM modifying/constructing their underground pipe Culvert in 2014 to BJ Cove Houses

IJM Underground Pipe Culvert to BJ Cove Houses 

IJM Drains

IJM Drain Waters go  to the underground Culvert

IJM Underground Pipe Culvert next to BJ Cove Houses

The above and below show the bottoms of  IJM underground pipe culvert 

Waters gushing down from IJM Trehaus site to BJ Cove houses:

Waters flow from IJM Trehaus to BJ Cove houses

 

Waters gushing down from IJM Trehaus site to BJ Cove houses

Waters from IJM site stucked at behind BJ Cove houses

The nearby pond besides IJM Trehaus site:

The nearby pond was flooded

IJM Hill cutting and hill Clearing 2014

Serious Drainage Issues

The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID or JPS) has just started in September 2017 constructing the drain from the pond to divert waters:

A drain under construction by JPS to divert waters from the nearby pond

Drain waters flow plan under construction by JPS to divert waters from the nearby pond

 Letter from Penang Dept of Irrigation and Drainage (DID or JPS) in 2015 blamed IJM  failure to comply with sedement control plan (ESCP) when its Trehaus started in 2014.

Clearly, the underground pipe culverts leaked and waters seeped through the ground and multiple cracks,  as it did not happen immediately but over a period of time!

Developers dishonored directives/letters issued by Penang City Council (MBPP - Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang) in 2015 to rectify the damaged house

Developers have not completed their committments to rectify the damages despite  acknowledged their liability as per letters from Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, an subsidiary of IJM Land since 2014!

 

 

Despite the underground pipe culverts declared invalid by JPS and the Penang City Council's (Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang, i.e. MBPP) issued stop work orders directing the developers, Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of IJM Land to rectify the damages within 1 and 2 weeks time since 2015 (as per the above attached letters), the multiple wall cracks, slabs collapsed, PBA water pipes burst, leakage charges, damaging ceiling, electrical DB board, and tiles fallen, broken/popped up,  are still pending settlement and remedial works to be carried out by parties responsible for the damages since 2014 !!

IJM Land only started in December 2017 constructing new drainage to divert waters from Trehaus Site to the pond and underground pipe culverts:

 

Pictures show IJM only started in December 2017 constructing drainage system to divert waters to the nearby pond and underground pipe culverts

Waters are flowing back to the pond during heavy rain 2018

Waters from IJM site overflown to the pond 2018

For waters to flow out smoothly, the pond must level up with more soils, 2018

Waters in the pond gone up during heavy rain 2018 - must build a wall  to prevent waters from seeping thru houses.

Waters cannot move out smoothly due to obstructions which are being removed by a man  2018

 

It is important that the pond should be made a dried pond instead of existing wet pond on the following reasons:

i) The area was originally a natural river/stream where waters will still be naturally running, seeped through underground even when the underground culverts are to be closed/abandoned later.

 

ii) More waters were being diverted from the IJM site to their underground pipe  culvert and to BJ Cove houses.

 

iii) Now, drain waters from IJM site are being channeled back to IJM pipe culvert to BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 where a manhole next to house no. 20 constructed by IJM is not closed despite it has been declared invalid and illegal by JPS!  This poses concerns to residents at BJ  Cove houses.

c

IJM Drain water Pipe Culvert Site to BJ Cove houses

IJM Drain water Pipe Culvert Site to BJ Cove houses

Waters stuck behind BJ Cove houses at IJM site 2018

IJM Drain  waters  gushing  down to pipe culvert

Sinkhole at house 20 is covered up by IJM's underground pipe culvert from  IJM Trehaus

 

The damaged houses are still pending, not being completely rectified to date !

Damages appeared after IJM began construction works in 2014, like hill clearing, rock-blasting, piling and digging culvert at Trehaus site.  As a result, sinkholes appeared, floods, waters seepage through multiple cracks on the ground, walls, tiles fallen from roofs and popped up from the ground due to vibration from rock-blasting and piling works.

 

Sinkhole converted to manholes (2 in cycles) at BJ Cove houses are visible from the top of IJM Trehasu site

Pictures showing floods, sinkholes at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1, 11900 Penang,  damaged to BJ Cove houses, cracks, waters leakages seeped through the cracks, slabs collapsed, ceilings & tiles broken & fallen, electrical DB board explosion, etc caused by severe soil erosion due to water movement under the road and buildings. The underground pipe leaked and waters seeped through the cracks!

A big Sinkhole near BJ Cove house no. 20

IJM converted the sinkhole into a manhole waters from their underground pipe culvert at Trehaus

These are IJM Manhole converted from Sinkhole:

Sinkhole at house 20 is covered up by IJM's underground pipe culvert from  IJM Trehaus

IJM converting the Sinkhole into Manhole next to  BJ Cove no. 20

Outside house drain and fence damaged by IJM during mitigation of Sinkhole

A big Sinkhole occurred due to invalid underground pipes culverts choked near house no. 20

 

Waters at the underground pipe culverts flown out from the house No. 20 to outside drain

 

Slabs collapsed due to cracks without compacted hardcore

  Ceiling Board fallen due to strong vibration caused by IJM rock-blasting works 2014

Roof top Ceiling Board fallen due to strong vibration caused by IJM rock-blasting works 2014

Electric DB Board explored due to burst pipe waters seeped thru the wiring.

RM25k Kitchen damaged by concealed water pipes burst due to IJM Rock-blasting works 2015

Waters leaked from the burst pipes entered into Bedrooms

 Multiple Cracks in Bedrooms 

External drain  and fence broken due to the sinking ground caused by the underground pipe culvert developed into Sinkhole (IJM Manhole from Trehaus site) just next to the house 

 

Plumbers repaired the broken water pipes

 

Truth Be Told:

The truths be told,  as echoed, reinforced and justified by recent events in  Penang floods on 15th Sept 2017,  Landslides in Tanjung Bungah on 21 October 2017, the storm on Nov 4 & 5 2017, floods again on Jan 5, 2018, and the Huge 'bleeding' landslide in Tg Bungah hill  on May/June 2018  in related posts,

.... see more on links to following reports:

Penang hit by floods again !

https://youtu.be/ooyXvqmxbvw GEORGE TOWN: Some 20 houses located on a slope in Hong Seng Estate in Mount Erskine were flooded due

Hills, landslides, floods and damaged houses ...

Penang landslides & flooding are natural disasters man-made...  

Penang floods and landslides, looking beyound natural causes!

Penang landslide, whose faults?

Penang Paya Terubong Residents living under shadow of fear!

Penang landslide tragedy, why it happened?  

Penang landslide tragedy, plea went unheeded, no one listened ! 

Call to reassess Penang hillside projects, councillor addresses full council meeting of MBPP

Penang Forum-nominated councillor addresses full council meeting of MBPP

PAC blamed Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for failing to enforce laws on hillside development  

 

We demand immediate enforcement & Actions to complete the remedial works:

 

1. The parties responsible must quickly without further delays, without condition to settle the claims and start the remedial works to the damaged houses, as both JPS has declared underground pipe culverts invalid and  MBPP has  issued stop work orders directed the developers, Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of IJM Land to rectify the damages within 1 and 2 weeks time since 2015!

2. Enforce IJM's & MBPP' Letters/Stop-work Orders (attached in above), and divert waters from the two invalid underground pipe culverts deemed illegal at the IJM Trehaus site and nearby ponds which must be closed and grouted as a long term solution to the problems. 

 

3. Enforce a fresh cease and desist to Stop Work of IJM Trehaus construction project until the structural damages to house at 20 Lintang Bukit Jambul 1, BJ Cove have been resolved and settled the claim for damages and distress caused by the fear and danger of living in the house, without further delays and their suffering more than four years since 2014.  Repairs and remedial works must start promptly as more damages and suffering will fellow!

 

4. Beef up the enforcement and accountability not just in government agencies but also in professional bodies, like the Board Of Engineers Malaysia (BEM),  the Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), etc to uphold the professional ethics, integrity and standards, to ensure public safety of the buildings and people life.

 

5. The pond must be made a Dried pond for waters to flow out smoothly, because there was originally two natural rivers/streams in the area where waters will still be running/seeping through naturally under the ground. 

 

 6.  Now, drain waters from IJM site are being channeled back their underground pipe culvert flowing to BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 where a manhole next to house no. 20 constructed by IJM  is not closed despite it has been declared invalid and illegal by JPS!  This is a great concern to residents at BJ  Cove houses. We want JPS and MPPP to close & grout the manhole promptly.

 

7. Damaged house owners firmly reserve all their rights to take all necessary legal steps against those responsible exclusion their liabilities.

Findings from Penang Forum 

Dr Kam, a scientist, focused on expansion of impermeable surface area (caused by ill­ planned development and replacing natural ground cover such as hills, fields and trees that act as a water ­absorbing sponge) and soil erosion and landslides (caused by cutting and development in hill areas) as two factors that need special attention.

She quoted Datuk Kam U Tee, the Penang Water Authority general manager (1973~­90), as having correctly explained the Penang floods of October 2008, as follows: the floods were caused by conversion of the Paya Terubong and Bayan Baru valleys into “concrete aprons that do not retain water. The water immediately flows into streams causing flash floods even with moderate rainfall. Because of hill­cutting activities, the flowing water causes erosion of the slopes which carries mud and silt into the river beds”. ( The Star, Oct 24, 2008).

See more  ....
 

Penang floods and landslides, looking beyound natural causes!

Credits - Slides presented by Environmental, health and safety consultant Aziz Noor, and scientist Dr Kam Suan Pheng at the Penang Forum event on Oct 29, 2017

See more ....

Penang bald Hillslopes a "time bomb"

Practise true CAT for Sustainable Development

• Penang government must provide a COMPETENT flood mitigation plan for the state starting with a comprehensive Drainage Master Plan Study and not slogan.

• The Penang government has to be ACCOUNTABLE to the people and not private developers. In other words, ‘Politicians should be ‘wakil rakyat’ and not ‘wakil pemaju’. If certain waterways and catchment areas have to be gazetted as permanent drainage and storage areas, then so be it. 

• The safety and well-being of the Rakyat has to come first.  In the interest of  TRANSPARENCY, Penang has to launch an inquiry into how the local council approved property developments on slopes without adequate slope protection.

 See more ...

1. Wanted: Leaders who listen !
2. Sustainable Development in Penang
3. Call to reassess Penang hillside projects, councillor addresses full council meeting of MBPP
4. Penang landslide, whose faults?



Related:   

Include Penang Forum in panel probing Bukit Kukus landslide tragedy

   

 

Penang landslide: Stop passing the buck

Danger still lurks at Bukit Kukus landslide site

Another call to stop all hill-slope development immediately

  At Penang landslide memorial, group questions silence of PH MPs

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Risky building on hillslopes - Nation

 

Come together to save our state 

 

In Malaysia, an island drowns in its own development

Watch "Slope Stability" on YouTube

https://youtu.be/2wT2he6Numk

Maintenance key for slope safety | The Star Online

 

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GEORGE TOWN: When the storm hit, everyone in the north prayed it would soon blow over.

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Bruised in sinkhole fall at home - Nation

Penang CM must stop blaming past govt for problems

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Former councillors claim Penang government abuse caused floods

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Deluge brings chaos to northern states - Metro New

Penang floods: Body of missing woman found in Bukit Jambul river

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https://www.nst.com.my/.../updated-penang-flash-floods-claim-life-second-death-due-...

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Boast to end floods rings hollow - Nation

Anti-flood plan in pipeline - Metro News 

Chant: Set up unit to monitor hill projects - Nation

CAP: Halt projects in flood-prone areas until wet spell ends - Nation ...

Penang mayor Maimunah quits job to accept UN post

Hiking trail in awful condition - Metro News

Clogged drains main cause of floods - Metro News

 

  Narrow drains contribute to flooding

 The narrow drainage system which Chua claims results in flooding in the area.

 

Related posts:

Cracked drain causes road cave-in, house nearby on brink of callapse

https://youtu.be/9yXuW1pdrt4

MBPP, contractor, engineers and DOSH named as responsible in fatal Penang landslide

Khoo Salma

 

Bukit Kukus main contractor fined RM22,000  The Star Online

Contractor for Penang paired road projects gets RM22,000 ...

 

Kudos to Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin for holding the four parties accountable for the Bukit Kukus landslide tragedy. The inquiry still begs a lot of questions, e.g. why was the contract given to Yuta Maju from Terengganu? Could the accident have been prevented if a proper EIA was done? It is not just a "bureaucratic hurdle" but supposed to identify risks and advise mitigation. If the authorities wish to go on with the project, it is not too late to commissi...
See more

nst.com.my

 MBPP among four named as responsible in fatal Penang landslide
 

 “This is no simple incident as nine deaths resulted from it. Very stern action must be taken against the MBPP, and that includes strong disciplinary action against the mayor and officers responsible.

“Otherwise, it will be business-as-usual in the MBPP as the officers will be allowed to go scot-free with impunity.

freemalaysiatoday.com

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https://youtu.be/i4NtiDVrwvs

Citizen Liow' plays dual role in National Day video

国民 CITIZENS https://youtu.be/bR7xQMHrE3w

Myself and I: Citizen Liow (left) comes face-to-face with the politician in ‘Citizens’ in conjunction with National Day.

Malaysia is all about us - On The Beat

‘Citizen Liow’ vents his frustration in short film

KUALA LUMPUR: It is Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai as we have never seen him before – shabby, dispirited and a little rude.

Without his signature full-rim spectacles, Liow, playing an ordinary citizen in a video with a poignant but powerful message, vents his spleen about the country’s current mood.

From the hurtful balik tongsan comment to corrupt practices, Citizen Liow is determined to get his frustrations off his chest.

He even throws a fistful of sweets at a guest in his home. The guest is also played by Liow, who essentially portrays his everyday role of a politician.

The on-screen sparring between both Liows is a creative, yet brutally frank, account of the general sentiments of the local Chinese community.

It is almost painful to watch the heated encounter, but that is exactly why the six minute-long video Citizens is so compelling.

Producers Pete Teo and Liew Seng Tat did not attempt to paint a rosy and glowing picture even though the clip was meant for the upcoming National Day celebrations.

The video boldly addresses the grievances and fears of the Chinese community in Malaysia, which means there will inevitably be “anger, helplessness and conflict”, as Teo explained on his Facebook.

Liow, in his real life as Transport Minister, Bentong MP and especially MCA president, must have often been at the receiving end of the kind of harsh comments hurled by “Citizen Liow” in the clip.

“Politicians only know how to talk!” is perhaps the most common sweeping statement that disregards the efforts and contributions of community and government leaders. In the video, Liow the politician admits there are shortcomings.

The seasoned politician says: “I can find excuses and try to defend ourselves by saying that circumstances do not work in our favour, but no, I won’t do that.”

“We didn’t say there weren’t mistakes. We did not handle many things well, but it is not easy to rule a country.”

“We have seen many politicians from both sides dwelling on the negatives when support for them fades. This alienates the people even further,” he said.

With the National Day just days away, the video is a timely reminder to those with political ambitions to reflect on their vision for the country.

Similarly, the public can look back at the past 60 years of the country’s development, from a mining and agricultural-based economy to today’s multi-sector economy anchored in manufacturing and services.

Of course, there will always be challenges and sacrifices as we progress. Good governance is a must if we are to continue on that path of growth and prosperity.

But as Citizens reminds us, it is important not to lose hope. We must believe that our founding father Tunku Abdul Rahman’s vision of Malaysia will come true.

At the end of the video, “Citizen Liow” has a change of heart. He quietly retrieves the Jalur Gemilang from storage and displays it on his balcony, with his real-life wife Datin Seri Lee Sun Loo at his side.

When met by reporters yesterday, Liow was visibly pleased with how the video has turned out. He said the message he wanted to send through the video was for Malaysians to unite and work together to make the country a progressive nation.

“We love this nation. We are proud to be Malaysians and we are working hard to make this country a stronger nation. That’s the aspiration and message we want to send out,” he said.

By Tho Xin Yi The Star/ANN

‘Youths worry about future, not politics’

Future wave: Liow and Chong (second from left) sharing a light moment with students after the TN50 DialogueUTAR in the Sungai Long Campus.

CHERAS: Youths are more concerned about their future than politics. This is the feedback gathered during the recent TN50 dialogues with students from several universities, said MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

“However, I don’t think they are indifferent towards politics. They are aware of issues.

“For instance, they know that this is about TN50 and about a future that they want,” Liow said after attending a TN50 Dialogue @UTAR with 700 students at UTAR Sungai Long Campus here yesterday.

He cited education and health issues, including the ability to earn a decent living, as some of the aspirations raised by the students during the hour-long dialogue session.

Liow said it is crucial for youths to continue upholding the core value system practised by Barisan Nasional.

He added that Barisan’s core values such as consensus, mutual respect, unity, cooperation and harmony are shared by Malaysians.

“Barisan upholds values of consensus and mutual respect but DAP is sowing the seeds of hatred. The party is also sowing the seeds of anger towards the Government which is causing a split in our society,” he said.

Liow added that the Opposition lacked the core values and was now in a chaotic state.

There was a casual air about the dialogue session where students were asked by moderator MCA youth chief Datuk Chong Sin Woon to address Liow as “Ah Liow” and himself as “Ah Chong”.

Earlier during the dialogue, Chong warned students to be wary of fake news on social media.

“The reality is that most news on social media are fake.

“You should check the source and not blindly believe all that you read,” he said.

He also said that youths were more concerned about “bread and butter” issues rather that politics.

At another function, Liow said more skilled workers were needed as the country progresses.

“It is important for us to train more technical professionals. For MCA, we would like to expand VTAR Institute because of our significant growth in students from 100 to 700 in these few years.

“We will find the right place to expand VTAR and we hope to have more than 1,000 students here,” he told reporters after launching the PW2 wireman competency licence course at the institute in Setapak here yesterday.

VTAR is the vocational education arm of MCA.

Earlier during the function, VTAR CEO Tan Cheng Liang signed a memorandum of understanding with the Federation of Malaysian Electrical Appliances Dealers Association (Fomeda) president Gan Cheng Swee to run the PW2 programme. - The Star

'Citizen Liow' plays dual role in National Day video

国民 CITIZENS
https://youtu.be/4aL7AdI9qdU

A screengrab from the video short "Citizens".

PETALING JAYA: You're not seeing double – it really is Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai playing two roles in a National Day video by producers Pete Teo and Liew Seng Tat.

The six minute-long video short entitled Citizens was released on Monday in conjunction with the upcoming National Day celebrations.

In the video, he portrays himself in his everyday role as Transport Minister, having a no-holds-barred conversation with a citizen who has grouses about the way the country is run – a role also played by Liow.

Liow, the minister, is smartly dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and slacks, while "Citizen Liow" is dressed very casually, with his hair a little unkempt and wearing a grey T-shirt, without spectacles.

Teo, in a Facebook post on Friday, said the project took months to put together.

"Largely this was because the script required a Federal Minister who had the gumption to submit to what we wanted to shoot.

"We kept trying and eventually found our man," he said.

Teo said they did not want to make a film that could be confused for a "tourism video."

Citizens reflects the current mood of the country, especially the fears of the Chinese community.

"It would therefore have to contain anger, helplessness and conflict. Yet it must contain hope – for we are even now not without hope – and so the film should also unite us in hope across the political spectrum," said Teo.

This is not Liow's first film. He previously acted in other 15Malaysia and Hari Malaysia shorts, also produced by Teo.

"What is different this time is that while he was civilly treated as a cabinet minister before, he will be brutalised this time; and while he was stereotyped as a politician before, he is now a human being – filled with the same fears, regret, conflicts and hope as all of us," said Teo, adding that he thought long and hard about the casting.

Also making an appearance in the film is Liow's wife Datin Seri Lee Sun Loo.

Teo said that it took courage for Liow, who is MCA president, to act in the film especially since he and MCA "are deeply maligned in sections of the Chinese community".

‘Citizens’ Liow trends at second spot

PETALING JAYA: As Pete Teo expected, his National Day video in which Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai plays two roles is gaining traction among Malaysians.

The six-minute clip Citizens clinched the second spot on YouTube’s Malaysian trending list as at yesterday afternoon. It had 127,766 views, trailing Taylor Swift’s new music video. The rest were content related to SEA Games.

In the video, Liow, 56, portrays himself as the Transport Minister having an honest conversation with a citizen, also played by Liow, who has grouses about the way the country is run.

Teo, who produced the video with Liew Seng Tat, was glad to see it attracting attention.

“We expect the video to do well, because we think it is a good video and it has something important to say that goes beyond party politics,” he told The Star.

Teo said there were twice as many likes as dislikes.

He applauded Liow for being able to rise above his persona as MCA president and act as an ordinary citizen.

The video was released on Monday in conjunction with National Day celebrations.

Meanwhile, Tan Sri Pheng Yin Huah said the video was “unpretentious and right to the point” and therefore, was well received by the community.

The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Hua Zong) president said it rightly captured the country’s current situation.

“A main point stressed is that the situation warrants the need for us to listen to each other, consolidate our strengths, stay united and be loyal to our country.

“This is a way to overcome the challenges, instead of just venting our frustrations,” Pheng said.

Apart from acknowledging the people’s disappointments and empathising with them, he said Liow had been tirelessly reaching out to the community to guide and help them in whatever ways possible.

Pheng pointed out that Liow had to draw on the party’s strengths and his role in the Government to help the community effectively.

In conjunction with National Day, Pheng said it was timely for all Malaysians to reinforce respect, love and tolerance among themselves and for the country so as to move forward together.

'Citizen' producer all praise for Liow - Nation

PETALING JAYA: The producer of the National Day video titled Citizen says it was brave of Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai to come onboard a production which had an “edgy” script.

Saying he would absolutely cast the Transport Minister in such a role again, filmmaker Pete Teo (pic) brushed aside some of the adverse comments on the casting choice.

“We think he did a great job playing the dual role of minister and citizen.

“That his casting is controversial has nothing to do with the job he does.

“We hope Datuk Seri Liow’s contribution will at least be acknowledged in the good spirit that it was given,” Teo said when contacted.

Teo, who produced the clip with writer-director Liew Seng Tat, said they had expected some form of backlash as soon as they decided that the role would be best played by a real-life politician.

“The fact that we eventually cast a Barisan National politician is besides the point, really. If we had picked an Opposition politician, the situation would be the same, except the accusations would be from Barisan supporters.

“So in a way, it was a no-win for us unless we had cast an actor,” he pointed out.

According to Teo, the film would have lost immediacy if they had cast an actor to play the role.

“So the decision was made to cast a politician. In fact, our choices were more limited than that because the script ideally required a Federal Minister.

“This narrowed down the choice to only several people. In the end, Datuk Seri Liow agreed to play the role and we went with him,” he added.

Teo said through the film, he and Liew wanted to drive home the message that it was important not to lose hope and to stay united when the going got tough.

“As said in the film’s opening lines, the last decade or more have been tough for the country. Non-Malay communities, in particular have felt alienated, helpless and fearful.

“That is why we are getting such hyper-emotive response to a Merdeka PSA film promoting hope and unity featuring a serving Cabinet minister from the MCA.

“It would be easy to dismiss these aggressive social media outbursts as rantings of opposition cybertroopers, but these are real people with real grievances,’’ he added.

Teo, a multiple award-winning singer-songwriter, also praised Liow for having the courage to be involved in a film with “brutally frank dialogue”.

“Many have ignored the fact that the minister explicitly said in the film that he doesn’t mind who citizens voted for as long as they let their conscience be their guide.

“This is a massively important statement. It underlines our film’s non-partisan credentials,” Teo said.

In the six-minute video, Liow portrays himself in his everyday role as Transport Minister, having a no-holds barred conversation with a citizen who has grouses about the way the country is run – a role also played by Liow.

The video clocked in more than 200,000 views in four days since it was uploaded on YouTube.

'MCA dares to face criticisms' ,  Liow: We understand the voices and feelings of the people

https://youtu.be/zJWcdKjcDgQ

Liow chatting with China’s Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Huang Huikang.

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA understands the voices and feelings of the people and dares to face criticism, said Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

The party president said having understood the people’s grievances, MCA is committed to overcoming the problems.

“I must stress here that I am aware of the people’s opinions and feelings. Therefore, I am willing to face the reality as I know that is the only way for us to change for the better,” he said.

Liow, speaking at the Blossom Arts Festival Malaysia (BAFM) 2017 awards ceremony and closing at Wisma MCA last night, was responding to some of the responses towards his double role in “Citizens”, a National Day video.


https://youtu.be/4aL7AdI9qdU

In the clip produced by Pete Teo and Liew Seng Tat, Liow portrays himself as the Transport Minister having an honest conversation with a citizen, also played by Liow, who has grouses about the way the country is run.

Liow also explained that the video aimed at telling people to have faith in the country and never give up, besides showcasing the inner voices of a Cabinet minister and a layman.

Liow added that MCA is steadfast in performing its role in Barisan Nasional.

“We will continue to be the defender of the Federal Constitution, the corrector and the balancing force against hegemony.

“History would reveal that during critical moments, be it fighting for citizenship, persistency on multi-stream education, pushing for the establishment of National Economic Action Council or the recent movement against PAS’ Private Member’s Bill to amend Act 355, MCA has been consistent in playing its role in Barisan,” he said.

Meanwhile, MCA vice-president Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said the next edition of BAFM would be put on hold pending the general election.

“My comrades and I, as well as MCA staff, must turn our full attention towards preparing for the coming general election,” Chew, who is also the Malaysian Chinese Culture and Arts Consultative Council chairman and BAFM organising chairman, said.

Big celebration: Drummers performing during the closing ceremony of the Blossom Arts Festival Malaysia at Wisma MCA. (Right) Liow chatting with China’s Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Huang Huikang.

She said BAFM has received the attention of foreign academicians.

Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, for instance, sent professors and students to observe the event, she added.

“If we persevere, we are confident of becoming a household name and a premier event among artists,” she said in her speech.

The month-long BAFM concluded yesterday. Also present at the event was China’s ambassador to Malaysia Dr Huang Huikang.

By Yimie Yong The Star Online

Related Links:

PM: Chinese not 'pendatang', but loyal citizens


https://youtu.be/LnsplasFImQ

Head to Bentong to refresh your lungs

Ti: 'Citizens' parody shows DAP's true face - Nation

Merdeka video not meant to offend anyone

 

Rail business on track - Nation 

 

Enough is enough, Penang govt told - Nation

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