In a twist to the usual practice of political parties hosting dinners for voters, residents of Long Tengoa today said they want Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian to return on 9 April so that they can throw a party for him. View Larger Map
More on deforestation in Sarawak. View Larger Map
Taken from a comment on the Aliran website:
While Sean’s warning about Google Earth’s images is useful, what it means in practice is that the extent of deforestation it shows is an under-estimate of the actual situation on the ground. For Sarawak, it is mostly about five years out of date.
This handout on the Batu Kawan deal was passed to me by a journalist. I think it is of public interest, so I am reproducing it here. From horse-racing to power-boat racing: Former Equine chairman Patrick Lim moved on to become Executive Chairman of the World Match Racing Tour. During his time in Equine, the firm owned 25% of Abad Naluri, the failed PGCC project developer - Photo credit: valenciasailing.blogspot.comIn 'happier' days: (from right) Patrick Lim, Koh Tsu Koon and Abdullah Badawi at the launch of the PGCC project, later aborted
PDC has just renegotiated the 750-acre Batu Kawan land deal with Abad Naluri under the original principal agreement, which was signed in 2004, which should be seen together with the Penang Global City Centre project.
It was only this morning that I read a report that the MACC would be installing close circuit security cameras for use during interrogation.
And now, another death at the MACC premises. A 56-year-old Customs assistant director, Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, who was being probed has fallen to his death from the third floor of the MACC office.
Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud says that 70 per cent of the rainforest in Sarawak is intact and he is prepared to invite independent and international inspection teams to verify this.
But Mark Bujang, the executive director of Brimas, says that 85 per cent of Sarawak has been deforested. He says the Sarawak government includes plantations in its calculations of forest cover.
A couple more images from the PKR ceramah last night in Lawas, Sarawak, where a crowd turned up to listen to Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian.
In Kampung Long Tuma at 7.30pm
and in Kampung Siang-Siang at 9.30pm
2000: Sarawak PRK leader Baru Bian is drawing the crowds at ceramahs, according to a PKR source at the scene. He is now speaking before 700-800 people – and this is just a village, Long Tuma in Lawas. Up next to speak will be Anwar.
The crowd at Long Tuma listening to PKR speakers including Baru Bian
Just received word from a source that the agreements between the Penang Development Corporation and Abad Naluri in 2004 and 2011 involving 1,400 acres of Batu Kawan land will be made public soon.
Apparently the PDC had to honour the price in the 2004 agreement, which involves 750 acres, and did some kind of trade off involving 650 acres of industrial land. An abandoned low-cost housing scheme involving 320 flats will be revitalised and completed.
YouTube has pulled out a copy of the controversial video that was uploaded yesterday depicting a woman with someone purportedly resembling the opposition leader, clad in a towel, and another man.
The Anglican Bishop of Kuching’s response to the federal government’s decision on the Malay-language bibles and its 10-point concession appears to contradict the Catholic Bishop of Malacca-Johor, who is the Chairman of the Malaysian Catholic Bishops Conference.
Got-meh? Yes, RM3.05 per square foot for 126.04 acres of prime land on Batu Kawan on the mainland within 4km of the landing site of the second Penang bridge.
Don’t believe it? Check this announcement by Equine Capital Berhad on the Bursa Malaysia website here. Look at item 2.5, which says “RM3.05 per sq ft” and “No valuation was carried out on the land”.
More demolition of shophouses appears to be underway this weekend to make way for Komtar phase 5, sparking outrage in heritage circles. The George Town World Heritage Inc office had earlier commissioned a study of the heritage significance of the area.
Twitter pic by alaramkalai