penang NGO consultants forum

PENANG FORUM

Date: 13 April 2008 (Sunday)
Time: 9. 00 am to 4. 30pm
Place: Disted College (Jalan Macalister/Jalan  Cantonment)

Fee: RM5/participant to cover lunch and refreshments (payable on the day) Registration:  Phone 04-658 5251 (from Tuesday to Saturday during office hours) or email aliran@streamyx.com

Organised by: the two dozen-odd NGOs who organised last year’s Pesta Rakyat Merdeka.

Who should participate: Anyone and everyone interested in helping to chart a better future for Penang.

How to prepare: Think about concrete plans of action in areas which concern you, which can be  presented to the new state government or other state agencies.

Join us at the Penang Forum to debate and propose plans of action on how NGOs and other groups can  work with the new Penang Government to implement people-centred development and to promote more  democratic, participatory and transparent governance.

We will be looking at issues including environment, transport and urban issues, governance, women,  workers, disabled, youth and students, and arts, culture and heritage.

The purpose of the 13 April forum is to start a process that would enable us to we establish our own  agendas and plans of action for consideration by the state government and its agencies; we would be  looking to develop follow-up action (for example: the formation of specialised working groups to further  develop proposals on particular topics) and to establish a regular official scheduled forum of exchange  with the state government so that our plans and proposals can be systematically fed in and discussed.

Please forward this to anyone you think may be interested. Forward to a better Penang! Together we can  make a difference!

PENANG NGO CONSULTATION

Date: 13 April 2008 (Sunday)
Time: 8. 15 am to 4. 30pm
Place: Disted College (Jalan Macalister/Jalan  Cantonment)

The presenters in the program will introduce the topic and highlight certain areas in 10 minutes. There will  be an open discussion on the topic for another 15-20 minutes.

PROGRAMME

8.15 – 9.00am             Registration

FIRST SESSION:             Moderator:  Loh Cheng Kooi, Women’s Centre for Change

9.00 – 9.15             Opening Remarks : Ahmad Chik, Penang Heritage Trust

9.15 – 9.45             Topic 1: Environmental Issues

                        Speaker: Leong Yueh-Kwong,  Malaysian Nature Society

                        Open Discussion (15-20mins)

9.45 – 10.15             Topic 2: Traffic and Urban Issues

                        Speaker: Dr Choong Sim Poey, CEPAT

                        Open Discussion

10.15-10.45             Topic 3: Culture, Arts, and Heritage

                        Speaker: Tan Sooi Beng, Ombak-Ombak

                        Open Discussion

10.45 – 11.00             Tea Break

 

SECOND SESSION:             Moderator:  Kanda Kumar, Malaysian Nature Society

11.00- 11.30             Topic 4: Women’s Issues

                        Speaker: Prema Devaraj, Women’s Centre for Change (WCC)

                        Open Discussion

11.30 – 12.00             Topic 5: Labour Issues

                        Speaker: Pusat Khidmat Pekerja Tanjung

                        Open Discussion

12.00 – 12.30             Topic 6: Disabled People’s Rights

                        Speaker: Lim Kah Cheng, Sustainable Independent Living Access (SILA)

                        Open Discussion

 
12.30- 1.00             Topic 7: Youth and Students

                        Speaker: Lau Shu Shi, Suaram

                        Open Discussion

1.00 – 2.00             Lunch

 

THIRD SESSION:             Moderator: Anil Netto, Aliran

2.00 – 2.30             Topic 8: Local Government and Peoples’ Participation

                        Speaker: Francis Loh Kok Wah, Aliran

                        Open Discussion

2.30 – 3.00             Topic 9: Other issues

                        Everyone welcome to contribute

FOURTH SESSION:  Plenary:             Moderator  Ahmad Chik

3.00 – 4.00              Open Discussion and Adoption of Draft Declaration

4.00 –5.00pm             Formation of Working Groups and Tea

OPEN TO ALL PENANG NGOs and CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS