The political outlook there does not look rosy for Taib Mahmud and the other BN component party leaders who are so dependent on his patronage.
For more information, go to the Aliran website here.
Why did Oxford University invite Taib as its star speaker? Sarawak Report explores the connections, if any, between Sarawak, Taib and Oxford in its latest piece here. Sleepless in Sarawak; restless in Oxford
The latest Aliran Monthly focuses on the situation in Sarawak.
The political outlook there does not look rosy for Taib Mahmud and the other BN component party leaders who are so dependent on his patronage.
For more information, go to the Aliran website here.
Why did Oxford University invite Taib as its star speaker? Sarawak Report explores the connections, if any, between Sarawak, Taib and Oxford in its latest piece here.
The political outlook there does not look rosy for Taib Mahmud and the other BN component party leaders who are so dependent on his patronage.
For more information, go to the Aliran website here.
Why did Oxford University invite Taib as its star speaker? Sarawak Report explores the connections, if any, between Sarawak, Taib and Oxford in its latest piece here. RMAF school: MPPP enforces stop work order
The Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) is believed to have sent its officers out to enforce a stop work order at an RMAF school construction site in Tanjung Bunga.
These photos were taken earlier today before the MPPP took action.
The MPPP action followed a complaint by a neighbouring resident that work was still proceeding despite a stop work order.
Taib: “Most successful CM since Independence”
I am not making it up. That’s what it says in Taib Mahmud’s biography on the Oxford University website.
And since Oxford University – that centre of academic excellence and rigorous research – says so, it has got to be true, right?
Get to know the Chief Minister of Sarawak up close and personal. Read the bio here.
Did you know that he wrote a piece titled ‘Appropriate Strategy for Developing Countries in a Period of Resource Scarcity’? No doubt leaders of other developing countries will be able to pick up many useful tips.
Botanic Garden fiasco: Who was responsible?
The Penang Botanic Garden case is a bit complicated if you are trying to establish who exactly is responsible and who contributed to the mess.
The ill-conceived eco-stream walkway and the bambusetam projects were approved during the previous administration. So that part is clear.
Two other projects – the garden mall and the administrative and visitors’ centre – were approved during the tenure of the present administration in Penang.
Taib Mahmud invited to Oxford University
The Sarawak Report has issued an apology and correction.
Apparently, the website had incorrectly reported the monthly income of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud. See here.
The folks at Oxford University are obviously nonplussed by the Sarawak Report (if they have read it). They have honoured Taib by inviting him as a special speaker at a major event.
Our ‘favourite’ millionaire cavorts with Paris
So our ‘favourite’ Malaysian millionaire, Low Taek Jho, is making waves with Paris Hilton in … where else but Paris.
The celebrity gossip blogs and websites are full of it.
And to think young Jho Low only graduated in 2005 from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is believed to have established Middle-East connections.
Tengku Idaura is new Botanic Garden chief
The Penang state government has appointed Tengku Idaura Tengku Ibrahim as Chief Controller of the Botanic Garden in a move seen as a positive development after months of wrangling over controversial ‘upgrading’ projects.
Victoria Amazonica lilies at Kew Garden: One suggestion is for the dug-up area between the two soon-to-be-demolished arches at the PBG to be converted into a large pond for giant water lilies and other water-based plants
The present Director of the garden, Nor Wahida Hassan, is expected to report to the new Chief Controller, who will in turn report to the Chief Minister and the State Secretary.
In recent months, the Botanic Garden has hit the news for all the wrong reasons after ill-conceived federally-funded ‘upgrading’ projects marred the lush garden surroundings.
Victoria Amazonica lilies at Kew Garden: One suggestion is for the dug-up area between the two soon-to-be-demolished arches at the PBG to be converted into a large pond for giant water lilies and other water-based plants
The present Director of the garden, Nor Wahida Hassan, is expected to report to the new Chief Controller, who will in turn report to the Chief Minister and the State Secretary.
In recent months, the Botanic Garden has hit the news for all the wrong reasons after ill-conceived federally-funded ‘upgrading’ projects marred the lush garden surroundings. ‘Retrocommissions’ for Pakistan subs: Lawyer
A judge in France investigating a 2002 bombing in Karachi that killed 11 DCN employees has confirmed the existence of “illegal rétrocommissions” linked to the sale of submarines to Pakistan.
This was revealed by a lawyer for the victims’ families, according to a French general information magazine.
‘Retrocommissions’ are funds skimmed off ‘commissions’/kickbacks paid which are then illegally remitted to French officials i.e. individuals or entities in both countries get a share of the ‘commissions’.
The Paris-based Le Nouvel Observateur (or Le Nouvel Obs), a prominent weekly in terms of audience and circulation, along with AFP reporting, observed on 19 June:
Judge Marc Trévidic in charge of the investigation into the bombing of Karachi in 2002, confirmed the existence of “illegal rétrocommissions” outside the contract of sale of submarines to Pakistan, said Friday, June 18 counsel families of victims, Mr. Olivier Morice.
Housing in Penang: Development for whom?
One of the worrying things about Penang is the rising prices of houses, even as communities in certain areas are displaced.
Some of these problems are probably inherited. But where are the displaced residents going to move to? Can they afford to buy new homes?
Penang needs to have a housing policy that caters to the needs of its own residents. At the moment it seems like developers are building for foreign and outside speculators/’investors’ even as home ownership and property prices soar across the island.
One reason for the property investment or speculation is that bank interests rates are low, and the other is that regional investors still find Penang prices fairly cheap compared to say, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Sarawak Pakatan agree straight fights for polls
The Sarawak Pakatan Leadership Council is taking shape.
It is constituted with five members each from DAP, PKR, Pas and Snap, according to a tweet by Kit Siang.
Penang Port and federal-state relations
Big plans are in store for Penang Port, it would seem. But the Penang state government does not appear to have been kept in the loop.
Penang Port was ‘privatised’ in 1994 to Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) as the terminal operator, which comes under the federal Finance Ministry. The Penang Port Commission (PPC), on the other hand, continues to exist as a regulatory port authority under the Transport Ministry. Now, PSPB has major plans for a free commercial and industrial zone within the port area, a halal hub and a ‘tank farm’. (These activities may also entail massive land reclamation on the mainland – what is the environmental impact? – north of Butterworth.)
What is the impact of all this on the state government’s own plans for a halal hub and on the existing free trade and industrial zones elsewhere in Penang?
Subsidies: PR and perception management
It is not surprising to read reports of government media advisers telling newspaper editors how to report on price hikes, following the move to reduce or eliminate subsidies.
It seems it is okay to say ‘upward price adjustments’ and ‘subsidy rationalisation’ but not ‘price hikes’ or ‘barang naik’. Ridiculous? It’s all part of the info-war.
Increasingly governments are using public relations experts to manage the way the public reacts to controversial new policies and to neutralise dissent. In public relations circles, this is referred to as ‘perception management’.
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-07-18
- Soft copy of Freedom of Information (Sgor) 2010 Enactment Bill http://scr.bi/b6jfcc #
- Happy retirement, Paul the octopus! http://bit.ly/d71jb7 #
- Aung San Suu Kyi's unseen photo album http://bit.ly/apgG40 #
- Harakah: Bala to meet French police today http://bit.ly/bZ8lAG #
- Great. RT @zaidibrahim: Historic… Selangor, appointing BN as Chairman Pac. Bila… PM … appoint Opposition MP as Chair pac diParlimen #
- Exposed: The truth about Israel's land grab in the West Bank http://bit.ly/9X6Et1 #
- Lovely pictures of Penang from the BBC. http://fb.me/Epmxr1Ay #
- Facebook, is this true? http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_6073.shtml #
- Talk by Marcus Langdon: Fort Cornwallis and Defence of early George Town. Contact 04-264 2631 or email: reg@pht.org.my #
Khir Toyo’s ‘mahligai’: Status of MACC probe
The MACC probe of Khir Toyo is ongoing.
“The MACC has to carry out a thorough, detailed and comprehensive investigation into any corruption investigation to obtain adequate proof and explanation even though it might take a long time to complete,” said Nazri in response to a query from Nga Kor Ming.
Nazri added that the investigation paper would be put forward to the DPP once investigations were complete.
180 gather for Beng Hock vigil in Penang
Some 180 people including onlookers gathered at Millennium Square near Speakers’ Square for a candle-light vigil to mark the first anniversary of the sudden death of Teoh Beng Hock.
They gathered from 8.30pm to 9.15pm today, according to a human rights activist. Several DAP reps addressed the crowd in turn.
Biggest mega project: RM43b MRT proposal
For what is expected to be the biggest mega project of them all, the RM43 billion Mass Rapid Transit proposal has received little prominent media publicity and most Malaysians remain in the dark about it.
The ‘unsolicited proposal’ for a 180-200km partly underground railway network in Kuala Lumpur by Gamuda Bhd and MMC Corp is now undergoing feasibility studies by two government-appointed consultants, according to a report in The Star.
The actual project is expected to cost RM36 billion. Add land acquisition and rolling stock cost and the tab reportedly could come up to a jaw-dropping RM43 billion. (What about possible cost overruns?) That makes it the largest construction job under the Tenth Malaysia Plan.
What is PM’s Dept doing with RM4 billion?
It is alarming to read that the government has set aside RM4 billion for the PM’s Department alone this year.
Equally shocking to hear that the number of civil servants in the same department has doubled in the space of seven years since Mahathir stepped down – from 21,045 in 2003 to 43,544 in 2010.
Bala and the wider French probe into DCN
Officers of the National Financial Investigation Division (DNIF) of France are responsible for probing into the conditions of sale of submarines to Malaysia, especially a related 114 million euro payment, a French website has revealed.
The DNIF is a divison of the Central Directorate of Judicial Police (DCPJ) based in Nanterre near Paris. This was where Bala was questioned on Monday.
The DCPJ is the national authority of the criminal division of the French police tasked with leading and coordinating the actions of law enforcement forces (Police Nationale and Gendarmerie Nationale) against organised crime (either criminal or financial activities). In carrying out its investigations, the DCPJ works with other institutions such as the Customs and Revenue Service, according to Wikipedia.