The Malaysian Insider

PENANG, Nov 22 — Penang profited RM8.2 million when it converted 1.4 hectares of land for the PDC Heritage Hotel (PHH) joint-venture project from leasehold to freehold, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said amid swirling controversy over the Pakatan Rakyat government's land policy.

Lim said the revenue came from RM6.32 million for conversion to freehold and another RM1.89 million as additional premium to change conditions for the prime land at the heritage buffer zone. The chief minister yesterday declassified minutes of meetings by the state exco, state land committee and the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) over the piece of land.

UPDATED

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 — The remains of Teoh Beng Hock are now undergoing a second post-mortem that is expected to take up to five hours by Sungai Buloh Hospital chief pathologist Dr Shahidan Md Noor under the watchful eyes of experts engaged by both the Selangor and federal governments.

Teoh family lawyer Gobind Singh Deo said the pathologists have just completed the second computed axial tomography scan (CT) and X-ray scan at 11am and would now proceed with the actual autopsy that will take between three and five hours.

KUALA  LUMPUR, Nov 21 – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim challenged Pakatan Rakyat (PR) states today to be role models of good governance and reforms in order for Malaysia to move towards a two-party system.

The Opposition Leader pointed out, however, that major constraints remained because of what he said were the corruption of government institutions under the Barisan Nasional (BN) which prevented a two-party system from being viable.

But he said that there was now space for PR states to carry forward this spirit of renewal and renovation.

MIRI, Nov 21 – The government has allocated RM600 million to rehabilitate nine military camps that are in a state of disrepair, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the rehabilitation work would start in March next year and involved building new housing quarters and upgrading office buildings besides providing other facilities.

Speaking to reporters after making a brief visit here today, he said most of these camps had plank buildings and were more than 30 years old.

PETALING JAYA, Nov 21 – MCA vice president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai says that a date for fresh party elections is being discussed with his rivals but that plans for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) next Saturday will proceed if no agreement is reached.

This comes after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak met the leaders of the warring factions in MCA, including the president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, his deputy Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and Liow.

Najib is understood to be supportive of fresh elections in MCA to end the protracted power struggle.