Gerakan speakers heckled
Mon, 28 Jun 2010
A senior citizen waves the front page of a Chinese daily which featured a report on Gerakan losing Penang in the March 8 general elections, while Kedah Gerakan secretary Tang Hing Lye was giving his speech at Speakers’ Square in George Town.
Speakers’ Square: Hecklers enter the fray
Another historic day for Penang, Sunday, 27 June 2010: That’s when hecklers first made their presence felt at the recently opened Penang Speakers’ Square.
Hecklers are of course a regular feature at London’s Speakers’ Corner, and now they have become part and parcel of Penang’s Speakers’ Square. It’s good practice for up-and-coming public speakers when they have to contend with a less than receptive crowd. And all part of the fun.
The Penang Speakers’ Square, open in the evenings on Wednesdays and Sundays, is fast turning into a local attraction and a must-see for visitors to Penang. Dozens turn up especially on Sundays to listen to the speakers – and now the hecklers.
This report from theSun:
Drop in Felda reserves: Make accounts public
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Ahmad Maslan revealed that Felda’s cash reserves had dwindled from RM4.1 billion in 2004 to RM1.4 billion last year.
Photo credit: Utusan/Felda.net
View Larger Map The agreement to buy Menara Felda at the Platinum Park Site, Jln Stonor, KL, for RM641 million was signed in 2008 and the building was reportedly expected to be completed in four years (2012). Has the full payment for the building be made now? When will the building be ready? Felda’s cash reserves have dropped by RM2.7 billion in five years. This was explained as follows:
Photo credit: Utusan/Felda.net
View Larger Map The agreement to buy Menara Felda at the Platinum Park Site, Jln Stonor, KL, for RM641 million was signed in 2008 and the building was reportedly expected to be completed in four years (2012). Has the full payment for the building be made now? When will the building be ready? Felda’s cash reserves have dropped by RM2.7 billion in five years. This was explained as follows:
When it rains in northern Penang…
This is the scene when it pours in Chee Seng Gardens, next to a controversial condo development project, which has exposed the hill-slopes. Elsewhere, the sea off Miami Bay and Moonlight Bay turns a muddy orange.
Photos by Chee Seng Garden residents and Hymeir Kamarudin of Batu Feringghi
Abolish ISA protest in Trafalgar Square
The Abolish ISA Movement (UK) held another demonstration outside the Tourism Malaysia office on Saturday, 26 June 2010.
Click on icon on bottom right of frame to toggle to full-screen mode – Photos by Danny Lim
Economic parallels to England’s World Cup flop
Germany 4, England 1. The English Premier League may be the most popular league in the world with its players paid ludicrous wages, but for all the league’s global mass appeal, the host nation, England, is hard-pressed to deliver a top-class national team.
(Check out the ref’s funny blind spot here.)
The influx of foreign players and coaches and the lack of space in the top clubs for the development of promising English talent have contributed to the stagnation – if not regression – of the England national side.
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-06-27
- Thanks to all those who turned up for the Aliran dinner at the PJ Civic Centre for your support. Wish I had more time to chat with all of you #
- Gearing up for the Aliran fund-raising bash tonight at the PJ Civic Centre. The Aliran Singers are raring to hit the big stage! #
- Tourism Minister is expected to hold a press conference at TAR College at noon to announce decision on Botanic Garden leaning arches #
- Chow Z Lam's Bakun documentary (that was not shown on RTM) is now on Youtube http://youtu.be/Dkd-RSDfbbc #
Botanic Garden arches to come down!
The much criticised Penang Botanic Garden arches, one of which is tilting, are to come down, the Tourism Minister announced today.
Apparently the decision was made after another survey in USM revealed that 71 per cent of 1,225 respondents surveyed at the Garden wanted the arches removed. I am told Ng Yen Yen also said that in future, all Ministry projects affecting Nature and the environment would require consultation with civil society. I don’t think she mentioned the tilt at all.
The decision comes after weeks of public complaints and disquiet expressed in opinion polls and civil society protests.
The whole saga provides several salutary lessons for us; in fact, the decision to bring down the arches is highly symbolic.
Turmoil in PKR over Selangor
The way I look at it, the tussle in PKR over the leadership of the Selangor state government is essentially between a party which was elected to power to serve the people’s interest and a faction within that party that appears more interested in personal ambition.
Some politicians – and they can be found in all political parties – are in the game for self interest. This type is always on the prowl, on the look out for contracts, positions of power, largesse. Serving the rakyat takes second place. They have gone into politics not primarily to serve the public but to serve their own interests and personal ambitions. These are the types who think political party workers and leaders must be rewarded for their efforts through the award of contracts and appointments to positions of influence or power.
Defiant Zunar vows to continue drawing
Here’s a defiant statement from cartoonist Zunar yesterday over the banning of his publications. After all, what else can a cartoonist do but draw what he feels for?
At press time, I have yet to receive an official letter from the Home Affairs Ministry on the banning of my books. Based on the news report in Malaysiakini (24 June 2010), the Home Affairs Ministry was quoted as saying that three of my publication were banned, namely ‘1Funny Malaysia’, ‘Perak Darul Kartun’ and ‘Isu Dalam Kartun (IDK)’.
Longest tennis match: A lesson for all of us
While most people are focusing on World Cup football and its pampered celebrity players, the stuff of legends was being played out on a Wimbledon tennis court by two virtual unknowns.
The longest tennis match in history provides us with a compelling lesson on commitment to the cause no matter what the odds.
According to the Busted Racquet blog:
Epic doesn’t even begin to cover it. After 10 hours, 163 games and almost 1,000 points, American John Isner and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut were locked at 59-59 in the fifth set of their historic first-round match at Wimbledon when play was suspended for the second straight day due to darkness.
Raub gold mining: Who owns the company?
Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd has started gold mining in Bukit Koman near Raub, raising concern among neighbouring communities about health risks. But who exactly owns RAGM?
View Larger Map This is from the Peninsular Gold Ltd website:
View Larger Map This is from the Peninsular Gold Ltd website:
Aussie firm builds rare earth plant in Kuantan
Something we will have to pay close attention to: an Australian firm, Lynas Corporation, is building an ‘Advanced Materials Plant’ in Gebeng, Kuantan to process rare earth concentrate.
View Larger Map Malaysians now are familiar with rare earth and the problem of radioactive waste after what happened in Papan. Lynas, however, argues that its radioactive levels will be safe (see response below). The firm appears to have engaged public relations firm Fox Communications to handle the Malaysian public. Lynas had a concentrate plant in China but the firm moved that back to Australia, where it owns large rare earth deposits. If the raw materials are in Mt Weld, why would it choose Kuantan as the site for its ‘advanced’ processing plant? Let’s look at the reasons given by Lynas for choosing Kuantan:
View Larger Map Malaysians now are familiar with rare earth and the problem of radioactive waste after what happened in Papan. Lynas, however, argues that its radioactive levels will be safe (see response below). The firm appears to have engaged public relations firm Fox Communications to handle the Malaysian public. Lynas had a concentrate plant in China but the firm moved that back to Australia, where it owns large rare earth deposits. If the raw materials are in Mt Weld, why would it choose Kuantan as the site for its ‘advanced’ processing plant? Let’s look at the reasons given by Lynas for choosing Kuantan:
More details needed on Sg Juru land sale deal
More details are required on the Penang state government’s sale of 8.1ha of land near one of the most polluted rivers in the country, the 8km-long Sungai Juru.
The land was sold to Juru Auto-City, which will now have to rehabilitate the river.
Under the arrangement with the state government (reported in the Sunday Star on 13 June), Juru Auto-City would revive the river and its banks for activities such as fishing, boating and the breeding of prawns and crabs.
Are they going to throw some mud balls in and hope for the best? See here and here too.
More images here.
Is the food you eat natural?
After you view this film, you may never want to order a hamburger – and more – again. This is the world of agrobusiness dominated by multinational corporations.
This film comes in 10 parts, but after watching just three or four parts, you’ll get the picture.
Thanks to MalaysianinNewYork for the heads up.
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-06-20
- Not surprised. RT @anwaribrahim: Court:our appeal for docs rejected!Can't we prepare our defense?Why deny us? #
- http://twitpic.com/1wxm3o #
- Here we go again! RT @chunwai09: Perak DAP Adun Keshvinder Singh quits party and declares support for MB Zambry. #
- Hmmm, I should be rotating the photo in my phone first so that it comes out the right way up! #
- Just testing sending photos on twitter 🙂 #
- http://twitpic.com/1wwsht #
- Side effects of cholesterol-lowering statins: more risk of liver problems, kidney failure, muscle weakness, cataracts http://bit.ly/dsbxda #
- RT @malikimtiaz: TBH inquest resumes. Porntip video link application this morning. http://fb.me/B86jHIEK #
- Hey whadayaknow, U.S. Knew About Afghan mineral bonanza back in 2007 and that could have influenced military buildup http://huff.to/aItZoI #
- US oil spill is 'environmental 9/11' – a defining moment that cud change how Americans view the environment http://bit.ly/cDPv7w #
- U.S. eye massive iron and copper deposits in Afghanistan worth US$1 trillion. Economic colonialism beckons? http://nyti.ms/b9xJcU #
- RT @shenloh Watch as those involved manipulate the vote on the Botanical gardens arches http://screenr.com/3nK #
- RT @shenloh Watch as those involved manipulated the vote on the Botanical gardens arches http://screenr.com/3nK #
Is this the shape of things to come?
The way we go about planning the economy without a thought to the environment is worrying. Sometimes a cartoon can say so much more than words.
Berjaya-owned Sun spotlights sports betting
Of late, the Berjaya-owned Sun newspaper has been highlighting the issue of sports betting and illegal betting syndicates. It’s news coverage, however, should be seen in the light of who owns the free tabloid.
On 15 June, the paper front-paged Mahathir’s dismissal of opposition protests on the issue with the headline “It’s all politics”.
The following day, the paper wheeled out ex-Magnum director and former Anwar ally S Nallukarupan with the headline “Anwar’s ploy”. Nalla lashed out at Anwar, saying “the issue has been manipulated by PKR for political mileage”. Keshwinder’s defection was sidelined to the left-hand column of the front-page.
Today’s Sun frontpages the arrests of 10 people for running illegal online betting on World Cup football matches.
Leaning Arch: Now you can’t measure the tilt!
Talk about a cover up! Someone has just put up a barrier around the ‘Leaning Arch of Penang’ after the revelation yesterday that its tilt has worsened.
Notice that the fencing is not to protect the unsuspecting public from danger in case the arch collapses (it is too small for that). But it appears aimed at blocking Penang’s newest ‘tourist attraction’ from further public scrutiny.
Notice that the fencing is not to protect the unsuspecting public from danger in case the arch collapses (it is too small for that). But it appears aimed at blocking Penang’s newest ‘tourist attraction’ from further public scrutiny. Leaning Arch of Penang: A poem
Blog reader, cheahst, was so ‘inspired’ by the ‘Arc of Folly’ (as he calls it) in Penang that he immediately penned a poem.
what could be more beautiful or symbolic…
than a slowly tilting crumbling arch.
representing all the trespass, all the folly,
of governance in decline.
Canadian property market receives lift
Hey, maybe I shouldn’t have gone into journalism.
Perhaps I should have gone into politics or property investment.
Then I would be interested in some of these exclusive properties displayed on the Sarawak Report website.