Penang losing its shine to Xiamen

Penang a ‘poor’ relative of Xiamen - The Star 27 Nov 2006:
"IT is a general consensus that Xiamen’s development is much faster than its twin city, Penang.

This was how people perceived Penang in the past few years, said Penang Xiamen Friendship Association president Datuk Dr Kang Chin Seng.

He said Penang was lagging in many ways.

“When we visit Xiamen, we feel like a poor relative visiting the home of a richer relative.


“We freely admit that Xiamen is doing better. And that includes the view of our Chief Minister (Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon) and his exco members.

“But things may be starting to change from now on with the groundbreaking of the second Penang Bridge recently,” he said at the association’s fourth anniversary dinner in Traders Hotel recently.

He said the launching of the RM3bil project showed that the state and Federal governments had finally put their act together to bring back some shine to Penang.

He also said under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the Government had committed two more infrastructure projects for Penang – the Monorail and Penang Outer Ring Road.

Dr Kang said if all three projects were to take off in the next year or so, this would give a fresh and positive boost to Penang."

So whose fault is it that Penang is in such a dour state?