Saturday, November 28, 2015

Some important income statistics from Parliament

Source: Malaysiakini 

PARLIAMENT: 
Bumiputera households make up the majority of the country's top 20 percent income earners (T20), but the community also sees the widest intra-group income disparity.
According to data from a parliamentary written reply, the bumiputera make up 53.81 percent of the T20 category, followed by Chinese at 37.05 percent, Indians at 8.80 percent and others at 0.34 percent.
However, when the comparison is made within the bumiputera group itself, T20 earners only comprise 16.34 percent.
The remaining comprises the middle 40 percent income earners (M40) at 38.96 percent and the bottom 40 percent income earners (B40) making up the majority at 44.7 percent.
This is in contrast with the Chinese and Indian communities, where the M40 group makes up the majority.
Within the Chinese community, the T20 group makes up 29.66 percent, followed by the M40 group at 42.32 percent and B40 at 28.02 percent.
As for the Indian community, the T40 group stands at 19.98 percent, followed by the M40 income earners at 41.31 percent and the B40 at 38.71 percent.
The T20 group is defined as having a median income of RM11,610 or a mean income of RM14,305.
The M40 group has median income of RM5,465 or mean income of RM5,662, while the B40 have a median income of RM2,629 and mean income of RM2,537.
Compared across ethnicity, the bumiputera also make up the majority of the M40 group at 64.17 percent.
Chinese make up the remaining 26.43 percent followed by Indians at 9.10 percent and others at 0.30 percent.
However, the bumiputera disproportionately make up the majority of the B40 group.
They make up 73.61 percent, followed by Chinese at 17.50 percent, Indians at 8.52 percent and others at 0.36 percent.
The data, from the household income and expenditure 2014 report, was furnished by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Wahid Omar in a written reply to Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin yesterday.
The rural-urban divide is also apparent in terms of the income they earn.
For rural households, the B40 group makes up the majority at 64.06 percent, the M40 group at 29.35 percent while the T20 group only makes up a meagre 6.59 percent.
In contrast, the middle class M40 makes up the majority at 43.19 percent, followed by the B40 at 32.79 percent while the T20 group is at 24.02 percent.
Interestingly, for the T20 earners, one in five of them, or 20.5 percent, identify themselves as government servants.
Of the remaining in the T20 group, 8.1 percent identify themselves as “employees”, 57.8 percent as private sector workers and 13.5 percent as self-employed.
For the M40 group, three percent identified themselves as employers, 17.3 percent as government servants, 59.2 percent as private sector employees and 20.5 percent as self-employed.
As for the B40 group, only 0.8 percent identified themselves as employers, 8.1 percent as government servants, 56.9 percent as private sector employees and 34.1 percent as self-employed.

Read more: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/321081#ixzz3skVsHLCW



Post DAPSY Election

I am especially thankful to my team members. Despite our lost, I just wanna to tell you that we have fought a good fight. We have started to know each other more in this campaign period and I believe that the friendship we built will last beyond this election to our future works. Words cannot express how much I cherish each of your friendship, support and help.

In addition, I want to thank all of you who during this journey become friends in need for me. Some of you send me many texts to encourage me; some of you belanja me eat nice meals, I still remember one of you belanja me eat KFC when I was very down during the campaign period, that chicken tasted like heaven, haha! Some of you prayed earnestly for me; some of you campaigned harder for me than I for myself.....there are just so many of you that have helped me along the way, and after I have lost, every one of you who has cared and encouraged me, I will forever remember that.

Overall, I am just so grateful to each of you. With you, I know I am not alone.


社青团选后感言: 感恩再感恩


我特别要感谢我的团队成员。尽管我们输了,我只想告诉你们,我们已经打了一场漂亮仗。这次竞选期间我们开始更了解对方,我相信我们建立的友谊将持续到我们日后其他的工作。言语无法表达我心中对你们每一个的友谊,支持和帮助的珍惜及感恩。


另外,我要感谢那些在这个这个旅程中帮助我的朋友。有些人每天给我发信息帮我加油,有些人请我吃饭,我还记得有其中一位在竞选期间在我最低落的时候请我吃肯德基,哇,那炸鸡的味道美味到好像天堂一样,哈哈!还有你们当中有些人恳切的为我祷告, 有一些比我更努力的帮我竟选!我输了后,你们的关心,鼓励对我不离不弃的举动也让我感动不已。

恕我的语言能力不好(不好意思,我工程系的,哈哈!)不能好好的表达我对你们的感恩。但是我只想让你们知道,每当我想起你们的每一份付出,鼓励及帮忙,都让我的心感到很温暖。人家说政治没朋友,但是希望我们的友谊能够持续-为梦想,为党,为国家,为下一代。

有了你们,我知道我以后的路不会孤单。谢谢,谢谢,谢谢,谢谢,谢谢 你们!哈哈!

p/s:抱歉不能早一些写这些因为改选后一忙就忙到现在。同志们,我们一起继续努力吧!

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

杨美盈竞选民主行动党全国社青团总团长宣言


在我们的人生中,有时做决定比任何事情都困难。 竞选社青团总团长不曾是我在党内外做任何一个工作的目标。 而且这次竞选激烈,我自认处于下风,有不少人劝我不要打这场硬战,免得被人批评看笑话,但我最后还是选择不退缩,努力迎战,因为我认为青年是改变国运的关键力量,而我党在接下来两年如何装备、赋权、强化和动员党内外青年是取得下届大选胜利的关键。

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Lacklustre effort to find missing orang asli children from SK Tohoi

Joint media statement by Member of Parliament for Batu Kawan Kasthuri Patto and Damansara Utama State Assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin on Monday 12th October 2015 in Gua Musang, Kelantan.

We call upon the Malaysian government explain the sketchy, lacklustre search-and-rescue (SAR) performance by the authorities in the ill-fated incident of the 7 missing Temiar Orang Asli children from SK Tohoi, Gua Musang from the 23rd August 2015 to date.

On the 12 October, both Member of Parliament for Batu Kawan Kasthuri Patto and Damansara Utama State Assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin along with Tham Kar Lye coordinator for Impian Malaysia, Irene Tan and Johnny Goh, the DAP Kelantan representatives visited the families of the missing Orang Asli children from SK Tohoi in Gua Musang and to hand over a contribution of RM1000 from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) to each bereaved family.

We had convened in the house of a relative to one of the missing children where we were greeted by Dendi bin Johari who is the Chairman of the Jaringan Belia Kampung Orang Asli Kelantan as well as the Deputy Chairman of the Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Kelantan, Nasir bin Dollah. We spoke to the parents and were astonished to discover they had not been given a chance to have a proper dialogue with the fleet of Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other VIPs who had visited SK Tohoi despite the fact that the families are the main stakeholders in this entire episode.

Besides that, conversations with the families also revealed shocking discoveries on the chronology of events that had unfolded upon the incident of the missing children on the 23rd of August 2015.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Selangor should Avoid Off-Budget Spending

Media Statement written by Yeo Bee Yin, Committee Member of Selangor Agencies, Statutorary Bodies and Government-Link-Companies (GLCs) Select Committee (JP-ABAS) and State Assemblyperson of Damansara Utama on Thursday 10 September 2015. 

Selangor should avoid off-budget spending via Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) and incorporate such expenditure into the State Assembly approved Budget.

Recently controversy erupted in Selangor legislature when JP-ABAS tabled a report on Dahrul Ehsan Investment Group (DEIG) and expressed its concerns over the newly formed state-owned investment firm. 100% owned by MBI, DEIG will be the holding company for the 74 GLCs currently under MBI with a combined land bank of more than 5,000 acre of state lands and a combined asset value of RM6.3 billion. It is to also to be the “investment holding-arm for the state of Selangor.” [1]

The proponent of DEIG believes that DEIG is necessary in order to separate the conflicting objectives of MBI between people’s welfare and profit maximizing. It is also to ensure “sustainable value creation and broaden Selangor state’s income base away from its current reliance on land related levies and taxes” [2] by rationalizing the 74 GLCs under MBI and consolidating their assets under DEIG. 

I believe that the objectives of the formation of DEIG are noble. In fact, as a commitee member of JP-ABAS, the select committee has gone through many cases of low performance of Selangor GLCs and one of the reasons is the conflicting social and economic functions of GLCs resulting in GLCs inability to benchmark the firms’ financial and operational performance indicators against the industrial average and subsequently the lack of corporate discipline to improve their performances. In addition, restructuring of GLCs and asset consolidation is also what JP-ABAS was pushing for in December 2014 state assembly session by tabling a select committee report listing the reasons why it needs to be done. 

Nevertheless, I believe the above objectives do not need to be achieved by forming DEIG. 

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Malaysia Day: We Are Better Together

Happy Malaysia Day! Since Merdeka Day leading to Malaysia Day, I've been thinking about this question - what made our forefathers from different communities joint hand to give birth to this country, which we now call home? Did they really know each other? Did they really love each other? I don't think so.

I think perhaps what they thought then was that it was better that they learn how to live together despite the differences to achieve a greater goal - freedom from colonialism. They knew that it was better to live together despite the differences than to live under the tyranny of the colonialist. I believe it was the pragmatism of our forefathers and their desire for freedom that bind us together. Our forefather realised that WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER.


Tuesday, September 1, 2015

What has Bersih 4 achieved?


“So what exactly has Bersih 4 changed?” a lot of people asked. Many detractors said it was nothing but an “urbanites-feel-good” rally. I beg to differ. 

Monday, August 24, 2015

KiniBiz Online: Does Selangor need another state investment arm?

By Sherilyn Goh
The Selangor state assembly has been heated over the past few days over the debate on the operations of an obscure state investment arm known as Darul Ehsan Investment Group (DEIG), a new entity incorporated to manage state investments under the purview of the existing Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI).
The main reason for the heated debate is that the DEIG is answerable chiefly to its board of directors headed by the Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali. It is not subject to any state enactments and as a result, is not required to table its financial report to the state legislative assembly, raising concerns on whether there is sufficient check-and-balances in place.
The lack of oversight has struck concern among the assemblypersons, as this had come while the controversy surrounding self-styled strategic development company 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which had cooked up RM42 billion in debts, is far from over. 
Incidentally, 1MDB is also a Finance Ministry-owned company reporting to among others, its board of advisers chaired by Prime Minister Najib Razak who is currently finding himself embroiled in the 1MDB scandal. 
Selangor Darul Ehsan Investment Group (DEIG)The virtually unknown state investment arm to-be (at least up until last month), was quietly established as a private limited company under the Companies Act 1965 from as early as December 4, 2014, just three months after Azmin Ali was appointed Menteri Besar. This was following the ‘Kajang Move’ which saw former Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim ousted from office.

Friday, August 21, 2015

Independent Integrity Units a Step Closer to Ombudsmen Enactment

Yesterday I tabled a motion in the state assembly session to urge the State Government to make all the integrity units of the agencies in Selangor fully independent. The motion was subsequently passed. This is a step closer for us to enact Ombudsmen law. Ombudsmen enactment will further strengthen the check and balance system of Selangor legislature. Hopefully we'll see that through before this term ends. If you are interested to know more, see below the full motion speech. 


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Thursday, August 20, 2015

My 3 Concerns on DEIG

Media Statement by Yeo Bee Yin, Committee Member of Selangor Statutorary Bodies and Government-Link-Companies (GLCs) Select Committee and State Assemblyperson for Damansara Utama on Wednesday 19 Aug 2015.

We call upon the state government to restrict its involvement in businesses, redefine the role and jurisdiction of Darul Ehsan Investment Group (DEIG) and focus first to establish proper accountability mechanism for Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI).

While we welcome MBI’s plan to consolidate and restructure the 74 GLCs under MBI to ensure the GLCs are run efficiently, we are very concerned with MBI’s proposed method - through the formation of a new state investment company Darul Ehsan Investment Group (DEIG).

100% owned by MBI, DEIG will be the holding company for the 74 GLCs under MBI with a combined land bank of more than 5,000 acre of state lands and a combined asset value of RM6.3 billion. It is to also to be the “investment holding-arm for the state of Selangor.” [1]

Below are my three concerns on this newly formed state investment company.  

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

My YSEALI Experience

It's been more than a month since I am back from the US and Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). I had been wanting to write down my experience but was a bit too pre-occupied with other things since touching down especially catching up with works. Anyway, here it is, better late than never. :) 

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It's 25th April mid-night, I looked at my empty suitcase and thought, "o crap, I am flying tomorrow night to the US and I have not prepared anything!" After all, I have just finished a crazily packed day. Our office has been busy since the beginning of the month - we completed SS2 Wall Art project in the first week, ran anti-rape campaign together with All Women Action Malaysia (AWAM) in the second week, organised Youth Leadership Camp (LEAP) in the third week and just launched Change Your World's anti-human trafficking campaign on 25th April. I needed to cramp everything so that I could spare some time to go the US without short-changing our annual goals. 

Frankly, at this stage, being an introvert, all I wanted was to retract to my personal corner (you'll understand that if you are an introvert too, haha), definitely not to attend leadership program with many new people to meet and connections to make, not to mention the hassle to pack in the middle of the night! Argh. I started to regret and thought to myself, "Why on earth did I apply to this YSEALI?". 

But I was reminded of the reasons I applied to this program - to learn new knowledge, to gain new information, to challenge my current perspectives and to seek new ways of doing things. A person will only move backward if he/she starts living in his/her own world and repeating everything he/she has done before. So I cleared my mind, got myself a coffee, opened my eyes wide, and yes, started packing. And off I went to the U.S on Sunday 26th April 2015!

5 Things I Learnt in the US and YSEALI


Monday, July 20, 2015

MCMC must explain why Sarawak Report is blocked?

Media Statement by Yeo Bee Yin, DAP Social Media Strategist and State Asselywoman for Damansara Utama on Monday 20 July 2015.

MCMC Must Explain How the Decision to Block Sarawak Report Website Was Made

We are greatly disturbed by the action of the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in blocking access to whistleblower website Sarawak Report. We have not forgotten the incident when BBC’s “kangkung” webpage entitled “#BBCtrending: Be careful what you say about spinach” was blocked temporarily in January 2014.

Whether the websites are blocked temporarily or partially, such practice sets a dangerous precedence for Internet freedom in Malaysia. It seems to us that Putrajaya has increasingly abused its power in Communication and Multimedia Ministry to restrict the dissemination of news that are not in favor of the ruling government.

Friday, June 19, 2015

Whacking a prince, 800 years after Magna Carta

I rarely share article written by others on my blog. But I think this article from Malaysiakini written by Lu Wei Hong offers clarity in this disturbed and distracted world of Malaysian politics. You may not agree with the writer but I believe it worth deep thoughts from us, especially those who wish to pursue a full parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. UMNO or Nazri supporter or not, the eventuality is to pick between upholding a system governed by votes or by bloodline. We cannot have the best of both worlds. 

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The Malaysian political arena is now embroiled in a whacking match between Culture and Tourism Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz and Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim over Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s absence at the 'Nothing to Hide' forum.


In defence of “kurang ajar”, Nazri parried himself, as an elected representative for five consecutive terms, with the member of the Johor royalty, who hooked up a 2,000-strong “Daulat Tuanku” rally in front of the Bukit Serene Palace.

As the heated exchange continued, there was a significant, historical event taking place 10,500km away in Britain, the former coloniser of Malaya, on June 15.

A fleet of boats, led by the royal barge Gloriana, was carrying a replica of the Magna Carta on the Thames River and heading for Runnymede, where the charter was signed between King John and a group of rebel barons in 1215.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Can’t see, can’t hear’ policy on refugees must stop

Media Statement by Yeo Bee Yin, State Assemblyperson of Damansara Utama on Wednesday 13 May 2015 in Petaling Jaya.

The number of refugees in Malaysia will continue to increase and the government can no longer practice “can’t see, can’t hear” policy on refugee.

It was reported that more than a thousand of Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees have just arrived at Malaysian shore. According to UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) report entitled “Irregular Maritime Movement”, about 25,000 people are estimated to have departed from the Bay of Bengal in the first quarter of 2015 in the hope to reach Malaysia by sea[1]. Therefore, we believe that this is just the beginning of more refugees to arrive in days to come.


Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Protect the Kids not Paedophiles


Below is my full statement responding to the intention of Shafie Apdal and MARA of giving Nur Fitri the Paedophiles an easy second chance. 




Media Statement of Yeo Bee Yin, State Assemblywoman of Damansara Utama on Wednesday 6 May 2015 in Petaling Jaya. 

No Unconditional Second Chance for Nur Fitri the Paedophile

We are disgusted by the statement made by the Minister of Rural and Regional Development Mohd Shafie Apdal on the government intention to appeal to the court of London to lessen the Nur Fitri's sentence in London. Shafie Apdal must explain to the public why the government should spend tax payers money (our government resources in London) to lessen the punishment for a paedophile? Such government action will send a terribly wrong signal to Malaysian that paedophile is alright.  Nur Fitri is a disgrace to our country and the fact that Shafie Apdal intend to appeal for him is even more disgraceful. 

Our children's right to protection is far more important than the freedom of paedophile. If we want to protect the most vulnerable, we must be stern to the convict. Where is Datuk Rohani Abdul Rohani on this issue? She should speak up against her colleague for the right of the children to be protected. 

In addition, we strongly disagree with MARA and the student group which are calling to give Nur Fitri a second chance by allowing him to study in the local institutions in Malaysia upon his return. In fact, MARA should now review its scholarship selection policy on why was he given scholarship? Tax payers monies wasted on a paedophile! 

Thursday, April 23, 2015

No Excuse to Rape Campaign

Rape is a very serious issue in Malaysia. And it probably will affect the victims and their families for a life time. When I discussed how we can help to raise the awareness with Karen, my assistant who's doing our women work, we had an initial idea of doing forums. But after much thought, we decided that we should release a video to reach out to more. We are thankful that AWAM (All Women’s Action Society) came onboard to be our partner in this campaign. 

Many time rape is perceived as a women's problem, but it is actually about men. So the target audience for this video is the men. I hope that you can help us to increase awareness about rape, watch and share this video to your friends. 


Below is my our picture during the video launch and my statement on rape. 



Media Statement by Yeo Bee Yin, State Assemblywoman for Damansara Utama on Tuesday 20 April 2015

No Excuse to Rape Campaign (Rogol adalah rogol. Tiada Alasan)

Pusat Khidmat ADUN Damansara Utama and AWAM (All Women’s Action Society) have teamed up to run a digital campaign that aims to break the general victim blaming culture in Malaysia and to raise awareness about statutory rape, substance-related rape and marital rape.

On average, there are 3,000 rape cases reported every year in Malaysia and only 2 out of every 10 cases are reported. In another words, every 35 minutes there is one girl or woman being raped somewhere in Malaysia.

Rape can only be reduced when we as a society have greater awareness about the severity of the issue and start addressing the taboos, myths and mindsets that exacerbate rape culture. One fact that should be understood clearly is that the act of rape is never the fault of the victims but the rapists.  Many people think that rape is about women but it is more about men. Hence this digital campaign main target audience is the men.  

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Skim Teksi Percuma



Skim Teksi Percuma (STP) is a social assistance program initiated by Pusat Khidmat ADUN Damansara Utama, Pusat Khidmat ADUN Bukit Gasing and Pusat Khidmat ADUN Kampung Tunku with the support of MyTeksi to provide free taxi rides for low-income families, the underprivileged and the disabled to the government hospitals in the Klang Valley area. In addition, beneficiaries can also use the free taxi services to manage matters related to citizenship and welfare in any Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) and the Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) in the Klang Valley area.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Rogol Adalah Rogol Tiada Alasan


Secara purata, 3,000 kes rogol dilaporkan setiap tahun di Malaysia dan hanya dua daripada setiap 10 kes yang dilaporkan. Dalam erti kata lain, setiap 35 minit, akan ada seorang gadis atau wanita dirogol di suatu tempat di Malaysia.  Hormatilah wanita, tonton dan sebarkan video ini. 



Rogol Adalah Rogol. Tiada Alasan! 











Thursday, April 16, 2015

REPORT ON STATE ASSEMBLY SESSION (30 MARCH - 9 APRIL 2015)

The state assembly was in session from 30 March to 9 April 2015. In this session, my policy speech focused on my concern over government involvements in business. Below are the details of my speech on this issue and the reply by the state government. In addition, I tabled five select committee reports (see below).  



Note: Select Committees are legislative committees which roles are to check on the government at different aspects of governance. I am in two of the 10 select committees in Selangor State Assembly - GLC and Raw Water Management. We have weekly select committee meetings and table reports every state assembly session. The government will have to respond to each recommendation on the reports the next state assembly session. Such legislative scrutiny is the result of legislative reforms in Selangor State Assembly and aims to improve the accountability and transparency of the government. As backbenchers, we are not to be the rubber-stamp of our own government. Our role is to continue to check and monitor the government, speak out when it is not doing right and ensure continuous improvement in governance. 

THE MAIN CONTENT OF MY POLICY SPEECH at STATE ASSEMBLY SESSION on 1 April 2015

Menteri Besar Incoporation (MBI) of Selangor has recently announced its intention to develop a total of 5,000 acres different parcels of state land to townships through joint venture with private developers. The total gross development value of these developments is estimated at RM 60 billion. I have reservation for such a plan and raised my concern in the recent state assembly session.  

I am not a proponent of government entering into business. I believe that profit-maximizing companies in the free market will generate greater economic impact than government-linked companies (GLCs), i.e creating more jobs and generating higher economic output.

Nevertheless, it is not uncommon to see different types of GLCs at both federal and state level in Malaysia. In fact, Malaysia is among the countries in the world with the highest GLCs presence, ranking fifth after China, United Arab Emirates, Russia and Indonesia.

Researches have found that GLCs usually generate less return compared to private companies in the same competitive industry. According to a McKinsey study, the average return on assets (ROA) at GLCs in China was less than half that of the private sector. The Economist also published similar results in an article “Fixing China Inc” dated 30 August 2014. It further elaborates the inherent problems for GLCs in China, which are also widely seen in Malaysia and Selangor, namely the social obligations of GLCs, bureaucracy, rent-seeking behavior due to lack of transparency and the lack of comparable industrial benchmarks.

In Selangor context, according to the report tabled by Selangor GLC Select Committee in the state assembly session November 2015, Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) and Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad (PNSB), which are state GLCs in property development, perform much worse than property developers with private management. PKNS and PNSB recorded ROA of 0.12 and 0.0027 compared to Sunway 7.31, YTL Land 1.21, Mah Sing Group 6.97 and UEM Sunrise 6.92. The same goes to return on equity (ROE) with PKNS and PNSB recorded 0.21 and 0.069 while Sunway 16.39, YTL Land 2.61, Mah Sing Group 17.67 and UEM Sunrise 11.59.

The Myth of Joint Venture

We have often heard that joint venture with private companies will increase the return for GLCs. It is not necessarily so. According to the answer to my written questions in state assembly session November 2015, there are a total of 38 projects completed by PNSB through joint venture. However, PNSB still suffer return that is much lower than industry average.

We have also always heard that joint venture will help to transfer skills to GLCs. It is also not necessarily so. I would like to point out one example here - Selaman Sdn Bhd. According to auditor-general (AG) report 2013 Series 2, Selaman was formed in 1977 and have been using joint venture to develop its lands. Unfortunately, up until 2013 when the audit was done, the company was reported to be unable to do the development itself. From 1999-2013, Selaman managed to complete 14 projects, out of which only there projects were developed solely by the company itself. For the 3 projects, one at Sg Bakau, Kundang, Gombak was canceled, another one at Sg Merab, Dengkil, Sepal is still having land problem, and the only completed one was Karya Residensi 1 and it was also delayed for 52 weeks. This example shows that joint venture doesn't guarantee skill transfers.

As a matter of fact, we see that most of the time GLCs become sleeping partners in the joint ventures and sometimes being ‘manipulated’ or ‘play-out’ by the business partners.

In Selangor, we have no less bitter experience in GLC joint ventures. One of the most recent one is PJ Sentral case, of which PKNS entered into joint venture with Nusa Gapurna and was later forced out of it due to unfavorable clauses signed in the shareholder agreements, resulting in a lost of more than RM20 million in cash and 8 acres of prime land in Petaling Jaya. We also do not forget how “smart partnership” with Djiya for the 1,172 acres of Canal City land has turned into a “not so smart” deal for the government.

What is the business of the government?

All in all, what we really need to ponder is why does the government involve in business and what business should the government be involved in?

I believe that the government should only enter into business for one of the three reasons: i. to correct negative externalities of free market economy to achieve social and economic justice, for example, building low-cost flats as a result of income inequality ii. to manage the important natural resources, for example Petronas for Malaysia’s oil or water in Selangor iii. to stimulate the growth of certain strategic industries.

Therefore, I do not agree with MBI entering into joint venture with private developers to develop townships. Instead, I believe the state government through MBI should look into the strategic direction of certain parcel of lands, bringing in strategic international or local investors and tender out different parcels of lands according to that strategic direction. When joint venture is needed for strategic reason, such joint venture should be conducted in an open and transparent manner.

I believe it is more important for the government to attract investment, technology advancement and most importantly human talents to a particular area than to be involved in building the concretes.  I believe the business of the government is to create the macroenvironment that is conducive for businesses to grow and flourish, not getting into the business ourselves.

As a government, we should mind our own business.

REPLY FROM THE GOVERNMENT ON GOVERNMENT IN BUSINESS AND MBI JOINT-VENTURE PLAN (in Malay): 



GLC Select Committee Report on Selaman Sdn Bhd 




Raw Water Management Select Committee Report on Sungai Selangor Supply





Raw Water Management Select Committee Report on HORAS 600





Raw Water Management Select Committee Report on Water Disruptions due to Semenyih River Manganese Contamination




Raw Water Management Select Committee Report on Ammonia Contamination at Batu 11 Cheras and Bukit Tampoi in 2014 


Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Selangor to investigate all water disruptions

Selangor to investigate all water disruptions 

17 February, 2015

yeo bee yin kidexThe Selangor state government will be calling for a hearing with relevant water concessionaires over the shutdown of the Semenyih water treatment plant, which led to some 450,000 households with dry taps recently.
In addition, it will also be investigating all future water disruptions in the state.
Selangor Raw Water Management Special Select Committee chairman Yeo Bee Yin in a statement today said the committee will call Sungai Semenyih WTP operator Konsortium ABASS, Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (LUAS), Jabatan Alam Sekitar and Syabas to explain the shut down of the plant. 
“We will conduct a hearing next week to investigate the shut down of Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant. We are disappointed with the sudden shut down of the plant due to contamination, which has caused water disruptions four districts of Selangor – Petaling, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang,” she said.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Putting an End to Kidex: In Response to Azmin's Announcement

Finally a decision on Kidex was made. Below is our joint statement responding to the cancellation. We've been following-up with the issue since end of 2013. This is the photo in our press conference to call the work ministry to consider public transport alternative back in April 2014. 


Joint Media Statement by Rajiv Rishyakaran, Yeo Bee Yin, Ng Sze Han and Lau Weng San, State Assemblypersons of Bukit Gasing, Damansara Utama, Kinrara and Kampung Tunku on 16th February 2015. 

With YAB Azmin Ali's pronouncement putting an end to the proposed Kidex highway, which is bypassing the heart of Petaling Jaya, we are one with the residents of our affected constituencies who are thankful that this issue has finally come to a close. 

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Baseless to Relate Women Attire with Rape

Media Statement by Yeo Bee Yin, Chairwoman of DAP Wanita Petaling Jaya Utara Division and State Assemblywoman for Damansara Utama on Saturday 14 February 2015. (Malay and Chinese translations below) 

Statistics shown that it is baseless to claim that rape correlates with women attire.

Recent JAIS sermon correlating women attire to rape and the disagreement of DAP Wanita Chief Chong Eng followed by the involvement of police have sparked the debate on whether women should make certain choice of dress to avoid being raped.  

Tidak berasas untuk mengaitkan rogol dengan pemakaian wanita

Kenyataan media oleh Yeo Bee Yiin, Pengerusi Wanita DAP Petaling Jaya Utara dan ADUN Damansara Utama, pada hari Jumaat 13 Februari 2015.

Statistik menunjukkan bahawa adalah tidak berasas untuk mengaitkan rogol dengan pemakaian wanita

Khutbah terbaru oleh JAIS yang mengaitkan pemakaian wanita dengan jenayah rogol, serta bantahan Ketua Wanita DAP Chong Eng dan diikuti penglibatan pihak polis telah mencetuskan perdebatan tentang sama ada wanita perlu membuat pilihan pemakaian tertentu bagi mengelak daripada dirogol.

Sekiranya dakwaan menutup aurat untuk mengelak dirogol itu benar, maka kita pastinya boleh melihat trend sedemikian di negeri-negeri di Malaysia, di mana negeri yang lebih konservatif di Malaysia mencatatkan bilangan kes rogol yang lebih rendah berbanding negeri yang lebih urban.

Menggunakan angka-angka terkini kes rogol mengikut negeri[1] serta populasi setiap negeri[2], kami telah mengira angka kes rogol bagi setiap 100,000 daripda populasi seperti rajah di bawah. Negeri yang menduduki tangga teratas adalah Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Perlis dan Kedah dengan 20.6, 20, 18.7 dan 17.64 kes rogol bagi setiap 100,000 daripada populasi. Negeri-negeri paling urban di Malaysia seperti Pulau Pinang, Selangor dan Kuala Lumpur berada di tangga paling bawah dengan kadar 11.47, 11.41 dan 9.28 kes rogol bagi setiap 100,000 daripada populasi.

Friday, January 30, 2015

A Few Issues on Kidex

Here's my statement on the current status of Kidex and our position. 

Media Statement by Yeo Bee Yin State Assemblyperson of Damansara Utama on Tuesday 27 January 2015.

On Keeping Quiet on Kidex

I am writing this to clarify the allegation that we have been keeping quiet on the issue of Kidex. We have not and will not run away from our responsibility to raise issues that concern the people.  

Before I go any further, I would like to stress here again that Kidex now holds neither the State government nor MBPJ approval. The only approval they have now is from the federal government, which is extended until 15 Feb 2015.