by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Sunday, 2nd February 1992:
Call on Penang State Government to clarify the latest status of the Penang Hill project
It was reported last week that the Department of Environment (DOE) had rejected second environment impact assessment (EIA) report on the Penang Hill project on the ground that it lacked considerations on environmental impact which could be caused by the project.
The Penang State Government should clarify the latest status of the memorandum of understanding which the Penang State Government had signed with Bukit Penang Leisure Sdn. Bhd. on the Penang Hill project as the preservation of Penang Hill is a matter which is very close to the heart of the people of Penang.
DAP calls on the TEN management and the TEN Executive Association and unions to return to the negotiation table to reach an amicable settlement of their differences
The Chairman of Tenaga Nasional (TEN), Tan Sri Ani Arope, yesterday accused the TEN executives for being ‘childish’ in beating his effigy and that TEN secretary, Datuk Mahmud Badri and deputy secretary, Puan Azizah Osman with rattan at a picket by 300 executives on Friday.
Tan Sri Ani said that the TEN executives are still “new to corporate culture” and said: “My advice to them is to pray more often. God willing, one day they will see the light.”
I do not think that in making these remarks, Tan Sri Ani is giving a very flattering illustration of the ‘new corporate culture’ he wants the TEN executives to acquire.
Although the TEN acting managing director, Datuk Mahamed Ariffin Abdul Rahman, said that the bonus and ex-gratia payment offered by TEN is final, the DAP calls on the TEN management and the TEN Executive Association and four unions to return to the negotiating table to reach an amicable settlement to their differences.
Datuk Ariffin’s said that the TEN management had rejected the claims of the TEN Executives Association for increments because the workers did not have a collective agreement.
This is a very weak reason and completely unacceptable.
The TEN Executives Association have submitted claims for higher bonus, more salary increments and better promotion opportunities.
As TEN made a $691.9 million pre-tax profit on a $3.7 billion turnover for the year ended August 31, 1991, the TEN management should be more sympathetic to the claims by the TEN Executives Assoociation.