HAVING spent half of his life in politics, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow is still looking very sharp, determined and passionate about his role for Penang and its people.
In an interview with The Star on June 12 at his office in Komtar, Chow was asked about many issues, including the state’s development in various areas, his personal performance recap heading towards the end of his first term as Chief Minister, political views and many others.
But the one comment that defined Chow as the most appropriate leader to spearhead the current government was when he said that despite the challenges he had faced in the last five years or so, he was still happy to be given the opportunity to continue to have the passion to uplift the state and its people.
“I believe one of the most important qualities a leader must have is to put the people first in anything he or she does.
“As a leader, especially when you are given the mandate to run a state, it is important to create opportunities for the rakyat, be it employment, or livelihood, as well as to create a livable and convenient environment through the implementation of infrastructure projects.
“If you know me well enough, you will know that I have always prioritised the importance of following rules and regulations, as well as good and clean governance.
“People are all good until they turn bad. We must create an environment for them to do good things to be responsible citizens.
“Ultimately, all state governments can do better with the help of civil societies and relevant bodies. We can all play a part in making a difference.
“I am not alone in this; I am just here to provide leadership and to be a guide for the people of Penang.
“I sincerely hope that in my 30-year political career so far, including 10 years as a state executive councillor and five years as a Chief Minister, I have somewhat contributed to the betterment of the rakyat’s livelihood and the state’s development.
“And with blessings and continuous support from the people and the state’s constitution, I look forward to another opportunity of serving my second term with renewed hope, energy, conviction and passion,” Chow said during the interview.
When asked about Chow’s executive councillors’ line-up and their performances so far, he said his brainchild, the Penang2030 vision has kept them focused on their respective portfolios.
“For the four themes and 16 strategic initiatives under the Penang2030 vision, there is a champion exco for each executive councillor, mainly playing a role in obtaining feedback and communicating on relevant issues within their respective areas.
“The champion exco arrangement is part of the state government’s vision of making sure the executive councillors are assisted accordingly while carrying out their duties,” Chow said.
As Chow nears the end of his first term as Chief Minister following the announcement by the state government that the State Legislative Assembly had been proposed to be dissolved on June 28, Chow recalled a couple of important thrusts that he holds dear in his term of office.
“First and foremost was fulfilling the manifesto of the 14th General Election (2018) and working on my Penang2030 vision for a Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation.
“The manifesto contains 68 electoral commitments, and it has been reported previously that over 90% of the promises have been met, including the appointment of the Opposition leader and the Chief Minister’s term limit to two terms.”
On June 9, Chow announced in a ceremony that the state had achieved 47% of the Penang2030 vision’s strategic initiative, which he also said was made possible through the dedication and commitment of his staff and relevant parties.
“I took the occasion to share the good news with the civil servants, and since it is a 12-year plan, we are still left with seven years to go, which means there’s more work to be done.
“What my administration and I have learnt in the course of my five-year leadership is that it is equally important to have the footprint implemented than just the blueprint of a particular cause,” he added.
In the interview, regarding the proposed first alignment of Penang’s first Light Rail Transit (LRT), Chow said the state government has proposed for the LRT depot to be built at the Sungai Nibong Pesta site.
“Although we have this site in mind, the MRT Corp (Mass Rapid Transit Corporation) as the appointed project manager by the Federal Government, is contemplating as they have a different proposal to make,” Chow added.
Meanwhile, when asked about the issue of the water crisis in Penang, Chow said the state government was aware of it and several solutions have been lined up to address it on a short and long-term basis.
“The Penang government, through the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP), has planned to invest about RM1.185 billion in important water supply projects over the next five years.
“These projects include the five original key components and three new components of PBAPP’s Water Contingency Plan 2030 (WCP 2030).
“The five original key components are the new Bukit Panchor dissolved air flotation (DAF) water treatment plant (WTP), Package 12A, Sungai Dua WTP: an Additional New Water Treatment Module, new Mengkuang Dam WTP, the new Sungai Kerian WTP (Phase 1), and the Sungai Perai Water Supply Scheme (including pre-treatment of raw water).
“These five original components will optimise and increase PBAPP’s water treatment capacity in Penang.
“As for the three additional new components of the WCP 2030, the first two are the laying of 13km of 1,800mm water distribution pipelines from the Sungai Dua WTP to Butterworth in Seberang Perai and the laying of 3.9km of 1,800mm water distribution pipelines from the Macallum area to the PBAPP Bukit Dumbar Reservoir and Pumping Station Complex on the island.
“These two new WCP 2030 projects will facilitate the pumping of more treated water from the Sungai Dua WTP in Seberang Perai to the island.
“The third new component is to build an additional new WTP at Sungai Muda to increase water treatment output by 114 million litres per day (MLD),” Chow said.
Separately, it is looking increasingly likely that the state election is around the corner after Chow confirmed during the interview that the latest it could happen is in the second week of August this year.
“It is a time of reflecting on our achievements for the past five years, and how are we to use them to capture the hearts of the voters once again.
“The five years of hard work, implementing policies and projects, introducing new initiatives for the benefit of the people and many others, it all comes down to the wire on election day,” Chow added.
Although 30 non-incumbent new faces have been interviewed to contest in the upcoming state election, Chow said fielding sufficient female candidates remains a concern following the lack of nominations.
“We will try our best to strike a balance in meeting the 30% women representation in the State Legislative Assembly,” he added.
In a related development, once the State Legislative Assembly dissolves, Chow said the current government would become the caretaker government.
“We can remain in office but most likely, we won’t be holding meetings to make decisions.
“Minor administrative matters can still be handled until the end of the caretaker period.
“As for state executive councillors who won’t be contesting, this will be the best time to vacate their offices.
“Likely, we will only hold another two more state executive councillor meetings before the dissolution takes place,” Chow said.
As for the Penang Hill cable car project, Chow said contractor Hartasuma Sdn Bhd has won the open tender Request for Proposal (RFP) for the project and is now finalising the detailed design of the cable car stations and pylons.
It is learnt that they are also applying for approvals from the local authority and government agencies.
Lastly, on qualities a Chief Minister should have to be qualified to govern a state, Chow said it was important for the Chief Minister to be a people-centric person.
“At the end of the day, whatever we do in the name of many multi-billion projects, it is all to give back to the people and to accelerate the state and country’s reputation.”
Story by Kevin Vimal