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The Penang government will speed up the process of approving applications for and conversion of state land to improve their productivity and attract foreign investors. News From Bernama, 18 November 2008.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng announced that a certain time frame would be set to ensure a smooth process.
"In some cases, land approval may take a few years but I hope that by next year, we can set a time frame of three months to complete the process," he told reporters after a dialogue session with Penang industrialists on the anti-recessionary measures, here, Tuesday.
He explained that usually after the state government had approved a land application, the technical committee would meet to discuss it before submitting its report.
Meanwhile, Lim urged the federal government to adopt anti-recessionary measures by implementing a RM48 billion fiscal stimulus plan instead of just RM7 billion announced recently by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the Finance Minister.
He said the federal government should reduce wasteful spending on nonessentials such as the 12 Eurocopter helicopters costing RM1.6 billion so that the money could be used to help the people affected by the economic recession following the global financial crisis.
Lim said the state government had already cancelled the purchase of new cars and resorted to flying officials on economy class for investment missions, holding government functions in government buildings and deferring all renovation works.
"We also have an expansionary budget with a RM39.4 million deficit for 2009 compared to RM35.7 million previously. The 2009 development expenditure of RM186 million is up by RM23.5 million from the 2008 budget of RM162.5 million," he said in his speech.
However, he also hoped that the federal government would approve the RM500 million job retraining scheme over the next two years.
"So far, there have been no reports of retrenchment of workers but I am not sure what will happen next year. The money is to equip retrenched workers with new skills to enable them take up different jobs if the situation warrants it," he said.
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