GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state government will thoroughly review several aspects before deciding on the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672).
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow indicated that they have agreed to engage in further discussions with the Federal Government, taking into account that the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation had briefed the State Government Council a few weeks ago.
"The decision is pending further discussions. We will assess the comparison between states that adopt (Act 672) and those that manage it themselves, including the pros and cons, etc," he said during a press conference at his office on Thursday (March 14).
He was addressing the statement by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, who announced that the government is actively negotiating with the Selangor and Penang governments to ratify the Act.
Nga noted that if the negotiations prove successful, both states will align with seven others that have ratified the pertinent Act, to establish legal consistency in overseeing matters on solid waste management and public cleansing.
Regarding the imminent closure of the Penang House of Music (PHoM) due to financial constraints, Chow mentioned that the state government had provided a grant of RM500,000 to the centre for the past few years.
"The grant was intended to offer assistance wherever possible, but the state's responsibility extends only to providing the grant. It ultimately depends on how well it is managed. I believe the revenue generated may not be sufficient for the centre to operate. It is now between the owner and tenant to resolve the issue,” he added.
PHoM was set up in 2016 with an initial fund of RM3 million from the Penang Water Supply Corporation.
On another note, Chow highlighted that 43 students have been selected to receive the Penang Scholar Award and eight students for the Mutiara Scholar Award under the Penang Future Foundation (PFF) scholarship programme this year.
Chow, who is also chairman of the Penang Future Foundation Selection Committee, explained that these two distinct scholarship awards serve different purposes: the Penang Scholar category aims to incentivise academic high-achievers to maintain strong performance, while the Mutiara Scholar category aims to provide support to those from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
An estimated 700 students have received the PFF scholarship awards so far, covering undergraduate degrees in a diverse range of fields. - Bernama
