Updates – In solidarity with MV Rachel Corrie

The MV Rachel Corrie is expected to approach Gaza sometime tomorrow. The world holds its breath as the spirit of Rachel Corrie returns to Palestine.

Live – Gaza protests

The latest on the protests at the Israeli attack on the Gaza humanitarian aid flotilla.

Live – Anwar trial

Another day in the trial of Anwar Ibrahim.

Beyond elections: The struggle for change

Elections are important but they should be seen in the context of a much larger struggle for reforms and change played out over decades. This is something I wrote before the Sibu by-election, but it still holds true any time.

Live – Anwar trial continues

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The cross-examination of Saiful continues with the defence also producing Dr David Wells, a forensics expert from Australia.

While they talk about removing subsidies…

Life could get harder for more people once subsidies are removed. Spotted this comment posted on the Aliran website. Mahasiswa marhaen reflects on the tough life faced by some university students as they struggle to make ends meet:
Saya baru sahaja menamatkan pengajian di kampus … dan akan bergraduasi tidak lama lagi. Baru saja tadi saya ingin menyemak keputusan peperiksaan, keputusan peperiksaan digantung. Alasan? Saya masih berhutang dengan universiti sebanyak RM360.90. Padahal saya telah menjelaskan pembayaran pada awal sesi pengajian.

Time to go, Samy, says Dr M; but White Hair?

Mahathir has said it’s time for Samy Vellu to go, but what about Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud? “In my (era of) leadership, almost everybody has retired, even me,” Mahathir was quoted as saying. “He (Samy) is the only one left.” The former premier added that the under-fire MIC president has set a record for being the longest-serving leader of a political party in the country. Few would disagree with Mahathir on that score. But what does he have to say about White Hair?

Protests at US embassy; BN opts for Wisma UN

Some 300 Pakatan elected reps and supporters have gathered outside the US embassy at noon to protest at the Israeli attack on the humanitarian aid flotilla heading for Gaza. It is the fourth protest today. Photo credit: Sim Tze Tzin Pakatan MPs are demanding that Najib summons Parliament within 48 hours to debate the Israeli attack on the Gaza flotilla. The situation warrants immediate action, they say.

Global outrage to attack on Gaza aid flotilla

There has been strong international condemnation of the Israeli attack on a humanitarian aid flotilla heading for Gaza from ordinary people world-wide. What does 1Apco have to say?

Pas Adun safe, fate of others unclear (updated)

A Selangor State Assembly member, Dr Abd Rani Osman of Pas, believed to be involved in the humanitarian aid mission heading for Gaza that came under Israeli attack, is safe in Dubai. An earlier tweet message from Selangor state exco member Elizabeth Wong indicated that Rani was on board the flotilla. Wong subsequently corrected her earlier tweet: Dr Rani is not on board the flotilla; she had just spoken to him after trying to reach him the whole day. Dr Rani, the Adun for Meru, is a physician and veteran in disaster management and rescue rehabilitation work.

Live – Anwar trial

The Anwar trial resumes at 2.15pm after proceedings were adjourned late this morning.

Second recreational park for Tg Bunga

A second recreational park, the Tanjung Bunga Coastal Park, is set to be officially opened in an area increasingly filled with high-rise condominium towers.

Live discussion – GAS or hot air?

The Gerakan Anti Samy protest is due to start at 3.00pm at the Mines Resort, after a one hour delay. We discuss whether it really makes a difference whether Samy Vellu stays or not.

Images from the PKR Congress in Kota Bharu

Parti Keadilan Rakyat is holding its congress in Kota Bharu over the weekend as it licks its wounds after a spate of defections and a by-election loss. It is a time for soul-seaching – but the party has bounced back before. Photo credit: Tian Chua

FTAs are dead – but US, EU won’t rest in peace

Both the United States and its trade rival, the European Union (EU), have been forced to modify their strategy in South-east Asia in pursuit of their ‘free trade’ and ‘liberalisation’ agenda. The Malaysia-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is effectively dead; negotiations had gone nowhere after eight rounds of talks. The Malaysian side was afraid of opening up access to government procurement contracts mainly awarded to bumiputera firms. The Americans, under the Obama administration, were worried that free trade would result in an influx of cheap goods into their country while American jobs are lost to low-wage countries.

Pakatan ceramah: Huge turnout in Tanah Merah

Thousands of people turned up tonight for a Pakatan ceramah in Tanah Merah, an hour’s drive south of Kota Bharu. The ceramah was described as the largest in the area since the 2008 general election Photo credit: Asrulhadi Among the speakers were Anwar Ibrahim, Nik Aziz, Kit Siang and Amran Ghani, the PKR MP for Tanah Merah.

Poll: Should sports betting be legalised?

Town councils in Selangor and now the Penang state government are opposed to the move to legalise sports betting. Here’s your chance to have your say. Political hot potato: Anti-sports betting protest in Bachok today Source: Harakah Daily [poll id=”56″]

Aliran Singers to perform in Klang Valley

The Aliran Singers are coming to the Klang Valley for a “People First, Democracy Now” dinner on Saturday, 26 June! Join them for a night filled with music, dance performances – and inspiration. That’s not all. Talented guest artistes – the multi-ethnic youth band FreeLoaders INC, popular singer Shanon Shah, dancers Marion D’Cruz, Judimar Hernandez and Elaine Pedley – will entertain you as you tuck in to dinner.

Interview with sacked TV2 producer Chow Z Lam

Chou Z Lam, a former TV2 producer sacked after two parts of his 10-episode documentary series on the jinxed Bakun Dam were screened, speaks his mind.

Sarawak NCR land development: A raw deal

Sarawak State Land Development Minister James Masing says Native Customary Rights land development has raised the socio-economic status of rural farmers – but the figures show a different picture. Check out the figures from the Malaysian Mirror:
He said that as at March 31 this year, joint-venture agreements for 30 NCR land development projects covering a total gross area of 275,926 hectares were executed in various phases of development.