It’s going to be straight fights – BN vs Pas – for the Kerdau and Merlimau by-elections, the 15th and 16th by-elections since the 2008 general election.
The score as it stands now is 8-6 in the Pakatan’s favour. The BN has a good chance of levelling the score, if, as many expect, they win both these both by-elections. In fact, a source within Pas, who has been accurate in his predictions so far, told me the party has little chance of winning these by-elections.
These by-elections will be the prelude for the Sarawak state election, expected to be held in early April 2011. The BN will be watching all these polls carefully, and if all goes well for them, maybe we can expect a general election a few months later.
The Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) has ordered Klassik Tropika, a subsidiary of the Mah Sing Group, to rebuild an illegally demolished colonial-era bungalow to its original condition.
This is a step in the right direction. The even bigger question is, what’s going to happen to the RM280 million high-rise plan for the Pykett Avenue site? Will MPPP reject the plan as a lesson to all? Or will the plan eventually be approved when the uproar has died down? The developer had bought the site from a private company in December 2009 for RM38.7 million (RM262 per sq ft), according to a filing with Bursa Malaysia.
See this report from theSun:
Restore building to original condition, developer told
Himanshu Bhatt
GEORGE TOWN (Feb 23, 2011): A developer that has been ordered to rebuild a colonial-era bungalow here after illegally demolishing it last year is required to restore it to its original condition, the Penang government has clarified.
Here’s an interesting series of seminar lectures on Culture, Media and Identity brought to you by the Centre for the Study of Communications and Culture, University of Nottingham Malaysia campus.
Farish Noor is first in line to speak at these Saturday talks beginning at 10.00am tomorrow at the University of Nottingham KL Teaching Centre,
Level 2, Chulan Tower, 3 Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur. If you are interested, the Centre requests you to email agnes.selvaragi@nottingham.edu.my to confirm attendance, mainly for catering purposes.
Here’s how the Centre describes these series:
The series will be in three parts, each comprising six lectures or multimedia presentations by renowned scholars and cultural activists. The main aim of the series is to examine and evaluate the importance of culture and the media in the construction of identities in an increasingly globalised world. This is important in a region comprising multiple cultures and at a time when greater cultural awareness, understanding and respect is needed but, unfortunately, has not been forthcoming.
Who is responsible for Taib Mahmud’s worst nightmare? Clare Rewcastle Brown, sister-in-law of Gordon Brown, and Peter John Jaban aka ‘Papa Orang Utan’, the grandson of a Dayak headhunter, are the driving force behind the mysterious Radio Free Sarawak.Clare and Papa - Photo credit: London Evening StandardThe report in the London Evening Standard
Clare, a former BBC investigative journalist, is also the author of the Sarawak Report website.
The Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) continues to climb to a healthier financial position after wasting lots of money on mainland Penang pre-2008.
Today, I am attending a workshop on gender responsive budgeting in Penang.
“Gender responsive what?” I hear you ask. Basically it means incorporating the gender perspective – too often overlooked – in every stage of the budget planning process, including measuring the impact or outcome of the actual spending.
This was the sort of day for me that encapsulated a lot of what it means to be Malaysian today.Interfaith dialogue, understanding one another
In the afternoon, I dropped by at the St Anne’s Catholic Church in Bukit Mertajam, which was holding a dialogue session with Dr Dzul, the MP for Kuala Selangor and Pas central committee member.
This is Dr Dzul engaging in open and frank dialogue with Fr Henry Rajoo, the parish priest over some of the contentious issues in Malaysia. This was a dialogue and not a debate, the crowd was told. The mood was one of willingness to listen to the other’s point of view, trying to get to know and understand one another.
Astonishing courage. Thousands of determined pro-democracy Bahrainis have reclaimed the symbolic spot in the capital at Pearl roundabout, the same place where security forces had massacred others over the previous two days. Pro-democracy protesters take over their spot again - Photo by hadeelalsh via TwitterPhoto by NickKristof via Twitter
As part of the effort to promote Penang street food against the onslaught of fast-food culture and gentrification, I thought a poll to determine once and for all the signature street food dish of Penang would help to whet everyone’s appetite.
But first, nominations, please – for the dish that uniquely captures the essence of authentic Penang street food culture and satisfies the most number of taste buds.
Thirty years in power is a long time – an eternity in politics – whichever way you look at it. Parting is indeed is such sweet sorrow for those who do not know when their sell-by date has expired.
From Aljazeera:
Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, has said in an interview to America’s ABC News that he is “fed up” and wants “to go” after 62 years in public service.
However, he fears the consequences if he were to quit immediately, saying his resignation would bring chaos to Egypt.
A Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement was signed yesterday between India and Malaysia.
The agreement, “which was reached after seven rounds of negotiation, will see Indian mangoes, cotton, motorcycles, trucks and basmati rice attract less duty in Malaysia, among other things,” reports PTI. “As a quid pro quo, the South-East nation will face less barriers on the sale of its fruit, engineering goods and chemicals in India.”
Disturbing scenes as security forces fire live bullets on pro-democracy supporters in Bahrain. Dozens have been massacred over the last three days. Even medical staff were not spared the outrageous brutality.
A Japanese multinational company is demanding RM10 million by today and a public apology from lawyer-activist-blogger Charles Hector after he highlighted problems faced by Myanmar migrants working at the firm’s plant in Malaysia.
Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn Bhd claims the workers are not employed by the firm and are instead supplied by an unnamed third party and that Hector had thus defamed Asahi Kosei through his blog postings by suggesting that the firm was responsible for the alleged poor treatment of the workers. Before he was slapped with the RM10 million demand, Hector had sent two e-mails on 8 and 9 February 2011 to the company expressing concern about the workers’ problems – but did not receive any reply, clarification or denial.
Hector had also released a joint statement, endorsed by 82 civil society groups and published on his blog, to express concern about the workers’ plight.
This is the people’s victory celebration in Tahrir Square in Cairo today. Egyptians are not resting on their laurels and letting down their guard in their quest for real and meaningful democracy.Twitter photo by SherineT
They are not content just because Mubarak has left, leaving behind his henchmen.
The Special Area Plan, a plan prepared for the George Town World Heritage Site (GTWHS) to guide and control development in the area, has been submitted to Unesco.
Among other things, the plan provides for water taxis and the enhancement of back-lanes.
Basically, the Plan is to formalise the management of the world heritage site under the George Town World Heritage Incorporated and provide zoning control. It will:
– ensure suitability of use within the cultural landscapes
– systematic monitoring of change of use of land and buildings within the WHS
– provide for an activity zoning map that will take effect
– outline a landscape and pedestrian network masterplan including a waterfront promenade, new park areas, streetscape and backlane enhancements and a water taxi route
Pro-democracy fervour is sweeping the North African and West Asian region. First Tunisia. Then Egypt. Now the people of Bahrain are rising.
This is the most popular song to emerge from the Egyptian pro-democracy uprising and vividly captures the mood of freedom and hope that is ripening in the region. (Click ‘cc’ on bottom right of the video box for English subtitles.)
Karpal Singh pointed out today during the Sodomy II trial that a standard form filled by a Hospital Kuala Lumpur doctor only mentions ‘attempted sodomy’ and ‘attempted oral sex’.
I had to burst our laughing when I read this reader’s comment about a Malaysiakini report ‘Sodomy II: Dent in prosecution case’ on this latest development by someone going by the name of Keturunan Malaysia:
Anyone want to join The Suzanne Mubarak Women’s International Peace Movement?Photo courtesy of jehanara.wordpress.com
“Our collective vision of peace is one that goes beyond the absence of war or the silencing of guns. It entails creating the conditions that lead to the foundation of secure societies — societies that are empowered to assume a major role in defending and preserving peace,” said Suzanne, the founder and president of the movement – and now ex-First Lady of Egypt.
I wonder if she is in good health now.