Anthony Loke: FTPA can reduce problems, political issues

BUTTERWORTH: The enactment of the Fixed-Term Parliament Act (FTPA) can reduce problems and political issues if successfully implemented, said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

"We agree (if FTPA is created) because it is good, in principle, and can reduce the problems or political issues during the parliament term.

"However, it must be seen in terms of its implementation," he said at a media conference when asked about DAP's views regarding the enactment of the FTPA here today.

He said this parliamentary system, which had been implemented in the United Kingdom when FTPA was created, meant that parliament could not be arbitrarily dissolved by the Prime Minister within five years and had to be brought to the Dewan Negara to be decided by the Members of Parliament.

However, Loke said he is confident that Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, who is studying the matter, would bring the proposal to the Cabinet.

When asked about the latest development in the implementation of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project in Penang, Loke, who is also the Transport Minister, said he held a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday and was instructed to prepare a Cabinet Ministers memorandum to be tabled to the Cabinet.

"We are trying to finalise the matter soon and the prime minister has proposed that a Cabinet Ministers' Memorandum be prepared for the Penang LRT project implementation to be approved.

Earlier, Loke witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) chief executive officer Datuk Azhar Ahmad and Penang State Housing Board (LPNPP) general manager 'Ainul Fadhilah Samsudi.

Through the MoU, LPNPP, as the state government agency tasked with housing affairs for low and middle-income groups, is crucial as it will help the RAC in relocating squatters in Kampung Manis to ensure no one is left out.

Following the signing ceremony, the 14.82-hectare squatter settlement, which is situated on railway land owned by RAC, is set to undergo a facelift turning it into a modern and developed area soon.

In his speech at the function, Loke said the development concept planned for the settlement will not just showcase the commercial aspects, but also other components like a transport hub, retail, educational institutions and, most importantly, housing.

"The potential of Kampung Manis has been highlighted in the RAC Property Showcase 2023 that was held on Aug 24.

"As a result of the showcase, eight railway land sites attracted the attention of developers to be developed via Request for Proposal (RPF), with two of the sites situated in the state, namely in Kampung Manis and Bukit Tengah," he said.

-- BERNAMA

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