WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THIS PUBLIC SPACE IN BATU FERRINGHI?

 

WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THIS PUBLIC SPACE IN BATU FERRINGHI?

Some time ago, I wrote about a public space in Batu Ferringhi after it was suddenly closed off to the public. Following that appeal, the area was reopened. Today, on Sunday, July 5th, 2026, I returned.

Sadly, here we go again.

The parking area has once again been blocked, with no clear notice explaining why or what the long-term plans are. As the photographs show, visitors are now forced to park along a narrow access road, making it inconvenient and potentially unsafe - especially for families with young children. What saddens me even more is that this place, once full of life, is now largely empty – even on a Sunday.

Over the years, I have spent enough weekends here to appreciate what made this spot so special. This was never just an empty piece of land or a free parking lot; it was one of the few remaining places in Batu Ferringhi where ordinary Malaysians - especially families facing economic challenges - could enjoy a day by the sea without having to spend a small fortune.

These families do not come only from Batu Ferringhi or Penang. I have met people from Kedah and other neighbouring states who make the trip simply because it is affordable. Many times, I have seen small cars packed with parents, grandparents, and children. They bring their own mats, pack their own food or buy simple meals from nearby hawker stalls, let the children play, and spend precious time together.

Perhaps even more heartwarming is what this place represents. It is one of those rare spaces where Malays, Chinese, Indians, and others naturally come together. Nobody organises it. Nobody plans it. It simply happens. People from different backgrounds sit under the same trees, enjoy the same sea breeze, and share the same public space. This is grassroots nation-building at its best.

Please don't misunderstand me. I enjoy Batu Ferringhi's newer developments like Feringghi Bay. My family and I recently had dinner at Santai there  and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. But not every Malaysian family can afford RM40 or RM50 per person for a meal. Parking alone there could cost RM30 if you stay for a few hours! For many households, that amount is enough to feed the entire family.

A world-class tourist destination should not only cater to tourists and those who can afford premium dining. It should also make room for ordinary Malaysians.

When I asked people around the area why the place had been closed again, I received various answers. Some shared rumors that the land may eventually become another commercial or higher-end development, like Ferringhi Bay. I do not know whether that is true.

That is precisely why I respectfully appeal to the Chief Minister of Penang, the Member of Parliament, and the State Assemblyman responsible for this area. Please tell us: What is the plan for this site?

If redevelopment is planned, announce it openly. The people deserve to know. If nothing is happening in the immediate future, why not reopen the space for public use until work actually begins?

And if this land is eventually developed, another crucial question deserves an answer: Where is the equivalent space for ordinary Malaysians?

Where is the large, comfortable, clean, well-planned, Astaka-style food court with ample free or affordable parking, where families of modest means can enjoy Batu Ferringhi with dignity? Not a small corner. Not a temporary arrangement. Not an afterthought. We need a proper public space designed with the rakyat in mind.

Development is important. Investment is important. Tourism is important. But so is ensuring that Batu Ferringhi remains a place for all Malaysians, not only for those who can afford premium experiences.

The true measure of a developed society is not simply how many luxury projects it builds. It is whether it continues to make room for ordinary people.

I sincerely hope our leaders will clarify the future of this site - and, equally importantly, explain how the interests of B40 and middle-income Malaysian families will continue to be protected in Batu Ferringhi.

Peace.

Anas Zubedy

Penang

 

MATURE VOTERS CREATE GREAT POLITICIANS

 

MATURE VOTERS CREATE GREAT POLITICIANS

Every election season, Malaysians spend endless hours criticizing politicians. We complain about corruption. We complain about incompetence. We complain about empty promises. We complain about racism and religious politics. While these complaints are entirely valid and remain matters of grave concern, perhaps it is time we asked ourselves a much harder question.

What if the real problem is not only our politicians? What if the real problem is also us, the voters?

Democracy is a mirror. The quality of our politicians will rarely rise above the maturity of the people who elect them. If voters reward competence, integrity, and service, political parties will field better candidates. Conversely, if voters reward fear, personality cults, and racial or religious emotions, political parties will continue producing exactly those kinds of politicians.

Furthermore, many of us judge political parties with broad brushes instead of assessing individual leaders fairly. We assume an entire party is either inherently good or bad, and we stop looking at the person standing before us. In doing so, we ignore those who struggle to do their best and do things right within their respective organizations - individuals who may even be suppressed or pushed aside because they are seen as change agents who might dilute the current power structure, self-interest, and bureaucracy.

Let us look at some objective examples.

Some dismiss PAS as backward simply because it is an Islamist party. Yet, under Sanusi Md Nor’s administration, Kedah has attracted significant foreign investment from multinational companies. Investors are interested in execution, stability, and productivity - not stereotypes. Furthermore, Dr. Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, their likely Prime Minister-in-waiting, is an aerospace engineer.

On the other hand, there are Malaysians who continue to see DAP as nothing more than a Chinese chauvinist party. Yet, leaders such as Hannah Yeoh have consistently tried to project a more inclusive and Malaysian approach. Whether one agrees with her politics or not, she should be judged on her own words, actions, and record - not simply by old labels attached to her party. The same applies to other capable talents within the party, like Yeo Bee Yin and Liew Chin Tong.

The same principle applies to UMNO. The party deserves criticism for the corruption scandals and abuses of power that have damaged public confidence over the years; those criticisms are entirely justified. At the same time, mature voters must recognize another historical reality: from Merdeka until today, every single Prime Minister of Malaysia has either come from UMNO or received significant political training and experience within it, including Anwar Ibrahim. For decades, UMNO operated as one of the country’s principal leadership schools, producing not only Malay leaders but many who carried national responsibilities as Malaysian leaders. Leaders such as Idris Jusoh and Ahmad Shabery Cheek are clear examples of politicians respected for their capability, commitment, and public service, regardless of whether one agreed with every policy they championed.

A mature voter is able to hold both truths at the same time. Reality is rarely black and white. People are nuanced; parties are not.

Unfortunately, we have seen capable leaders lose not because they suddenly became ineffective, but because they were swept away by national narratives and emotional waves. Shabery Cheek is a case in point. Whatever one’s political preference, few would deny his commitment as both a minister and a Member of Parliament, particularly in preparing Kemaman for floods and serving his constituency. Yet, he lost during a period when national emotions overpowered personal performance.

The same happened to Saifuddin Abdullah. Although widely respected for his moderation and intellectual depth, standing as the UMNO–Barisan Nasional candidate, he lost the Temerloh parliamentary seat in GE13 to PAS Information Chief Nasrudin Hassan. Ironically, many voters who chose PAS over UMNO in that instance would ordinarily have disagreed with many of Nasrudin’s positions. Yet, the political narrative of the day proved stronger than an objective assessment of the individual candidate. When mature leaders lose simply because they belong to the "wrong" party, everyone loses.

Political parties are intensely practical organizations. They observe who wins, they observe who loses, and more importantly, they observe why.

If voters reward racial rhetoric, parties will produce more racial champions. If voters reward fear, parties will manufacture more fear. If voters reward personalities, parties will promote celebrities. But if voters consistently reward integrity, competence, inclusiveness, and service, every political party - whether PAS, UMNO, DAP, PKR, Bersatu, Amanah, Warisan, MUDA, or any other - will gradually promote more leaders who embody those qualities.

There is another vital reason why mature voting matters: every vote strengthens a specific current inside a political party.

When voters repeatedly support leaders like Hannah Yeoh because they believe inclusive politics deserves encouragement, they strengthen that progressive current within DAP. When voters reward leaders like Sanusi Md Nor for effective administration and economic performance, they strengthen the results-oriented faction within PAS. When voters support capable leaders such as Saifuddin Abdullah, Shabery Cheek, Idris Jusoh, and many others because of their competence and character, they send a powerful signal that Malaysians value quality leadership above blind party loyalty.

In time, these leaders become more influential within their own organizations. Others begin to notice, and political parties adapt. That is how succession planning works - not only in corporate companies, but also in politics.

The succession planning of great political leadership begins with mature voters. Every mature vote is an investment - not just in one candidate, and not just in one election, but in the future leadership of that political party and, ultimately, the future leadership of Malaysia.

Perhaps that is the uncomfortable truth we must face. The next election is not merely a test of political parties; it is a test of us.

If enough Malaysians vote beyond race, religion, personalities, fear, and blind party loyalty, every political party will eventually receive the exact same message: "If you want our vote, send us your best women and men."

Only then will we consistently raise the quality of Parliament. Only then will we consistently raise the quality of government.

Because mature voters create great politicians.

Peace,

Anas Zubedy

 

CHOOSE POLITICIANS WITH VALUES, NOT TRANSACTIONS

 

CHOOSE POLITICIANS WITH VALUES, NOT TRANSACTIONS

One of the biggest mistakes voters make is assuming that politicians and political parties are driven primarily by values. More often than not, politics is driven by interests.

History offers many examples.

During the Cold War, the United States saw Communist China as an important strategic partner in balancing the Soviet Union. Washington and Beijing found ways to cooperate despite having fundamentally different political systems and values. Once the Soviet Union collapsed, that strategic need gradually disappeared. Today, China is increasingly viewed by the United States as its principal geopolitical competitor.

The lesson is simple. In politics, today's ally can become tomorrow's adversary, and yesterday's enemy can become today's partner. Relationships are often transactional.

Malaysia is no different.

The Johor election reminds us that political calculations change according to circumstances. Parties that once criticised one another may find common ground when it suits their immediate objectives. Parties that once worked together may suddenly become bitter opponents.

This is not unique to one political party.

PAS, DAP, UMNO, PKR, Bersatu and others have all, at different points in our political history, adjusted their alliances or positions in response to changing political realities. Each side explains its decision as being in the nation's interest. Sometimes those explanations may be genuine. Sometimes they may simply be political necessity.

That is the nature of politics.

The real question, therefore, is not whether politicians behave transactionally. Many do. The real question is whether citizens recognise it.

This is why voters must stop becoming emotionally attached to political parties and start paying closer attention to the individual candidate.

Before asking which party deserves our vote, we should first ask whether the person seeking to become our Member of Parliament deserves our trust.

• Is this person consistent?
• Does this person have integrity?
• Is this person competent?
• Does this person have the courage to speak up, even when it is uncomfortable?
• Will this person put the rakyat above party interests?

Only when we elect men and women of strong character can we begin to improve the quality of our politics. Good people can exist in any political party - or even as independents.

Take Wong Chen, Hassan Abdul Karim and Saifuddin Abdullah as contemporary examples. Voters may agree or disagree with the parties they belong to, or the political decisions they have made. That is perfectly legitimate. Yet many Malaysians regard them as politicians who are willing to speak their minds, ask difficult questions, and remain relatively consistent with their principles, even when it is uncomfortable.

In earlier generations, leaders such as Lee Lam Thye and Tan Chee Khoon earned public respect not merely because of the parties they represented, but because of their integrity, courage and commitment to the public interest.

These are the kinds of people we should be looking for.

Whether such individuals are in PAS, UMNO, DAP, PKR, Bersatu, MCA, Amanah, Bersama, or whether they contest as independents, should be secondary. Character should come first. Party should come second.

Strong institutions begin by electing strong individuals.

If politicians choose transactions, then the rakyat must choose values.

Peace,

Anas Zubedy