“Be a true Malaysian… and join Yayasan 1Malaysia”?
I don’t know about you… but yesterday I received a couple of text messages from unknown sources urging me to “be a true Malaysian and join Yayasan 1Malaysia!”
My knee-jerk reaction was, you mean I can’t be “a true Malaysian” without joining Yayasan 1Malaysia?
The question on my mind was, who exactly is behind this Foundation?
Remembering Richard de Zoysa, journalist, author, activist
Richard de Zoysa was a well-known Sri Lankan journalist, author, rights activist and actor, who was kidnapped and murdered on 18 February 1990. He was the nephew of the Malaysian political scientist Dr Johan Saravanamuttu.
Richard’s death, widely believed to have been carried out by a death squad linked to elements within the Sri Lankan government, sparked outrage across the country.
Poll: Why the reduced majority for Pas?
Well, most of you didn’t get it quite right with your prediction for Pas to win by a bigger majority. So what’s the reason for the reduced majority?
[poll id=”45″]
Poll: Who will win the Manek Urai by-election?
Okay, all you political pundits out there, let’s see what your prediction is for the outcome of the Manek Urai by-election in Kelantan today. So far, you have by and large accurately predicted the results of previous by-elections.
[poll id=”44″]
High Chaparral: What happened to the trust document?
The Kampung Buah Pala land in Gelugor was once owned by David Brown, a wealthy spice plantation owner during the early British colonial era in Penang who died in 1825.
Title to the land eventually reached one of his descendants, Helen Margaret Brown. For more information on David Brown and his descendants, go here and here.
Check out this copy of the Straits Settlement “Grant of Land” bestowing title to Helen Margaret Brown in 1938:
A lot has been said about the High Chaparral residents being “squatters” (setinggan). Many of them are actually descendants of workers brought in by the Brown family, who allowed them to live on the land.
On the reverse side of the Grant of Land, we can see the “sub-divided Lot 691 acquired by Crown for housing Trust – vested in Crown on 12.4.(1954?)”.
A lot has been said about the High Chaparral residents being “squatters” (setinggan). Many of them are actually descendants of workers brought in by the Brown family, who allowed them to live on the land.
On the reverse side of the Grant of Land, we can see the “sub-divided Lot 691 acquired by Crown for housing Trust – vested in Crown on 12.4.(1954?)”.
Trump card that could save High Chaparral?
Could this be the lifeline that could save Kampong Buah Pala from demolition on 2 Aug? This adds to the uncertainty faced by the developer. Check out this excerpt from a Sun report:
The Kampung Buah Pala saga took a twist today when the state government revealed a trump card in its bid to protect villagers from an impending demolition after the Aug 2 eviction deadline. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng showed reporters a provision under section 116 of the National Land Code that stipulates a building on alienated land cannot be demolished, altered or extended without prior consent in writing of the appropriate authority.
High Chaparral: Should Koh give a detailed explanation?
Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy has reportedly said that the High Chaparral case is another example of a land scam.
A-ha! Just as we thought.
Ramasamy said there were hints of foul play in the transfer to the government officers’ co-operative:
We have been going through the minutes of the exco meetings when the decision was made to lease the land to the co-operative and some of the remarks made by the state exco members were shocking.Which brings us to today’s poll question: [poll id=”43″]
Fr O C Lim’s surgery a success
Catholic priest Fr O C Lim successfully underwent heart surgery this morning. His heart valve was also repaired.
How to boost newspaper circulation…
Here’s one way to boost the circulation of certain “fortunate” newspapers.
Check out this report in theSun. Guess which newspapers’ circulation will go up….
… the Gerak Bakti Project for the UPSR Amanah Raya Berhad will provide newspapers in the Malay and English languages to rural schools every Monday.
Outspoken lawyer-turned-priest rushed to hospital
Jesuit priest Fr O C Lim, a vocal critic of the ISA, has been rushed to hospital and is believed to be undergoing heart surgery now.
Text messages have been flying around among the Catholic community, urging one another to pray for his recovery.
Teaching of Maths, Science in English at crossroads
It looks as if the teaching of Maths and Science in English has reached a cross-roads.
There have been protests against the teaching of two subjects in English while others claim the approach is helpful.
High Chapparal: Investigative team to lodge report soon?
Things seem to be picking up pace.
The state investigative committee probing the High Chaparral issue appears to have uncovered some interesting information, possibly gleaned from various documents, including previous state exco minutes.
Groups want to be co-respondents in Herald case
The case involving the Catholic Herald weekly’s usage of the term “Allah” was heard in chambers today.
A string of ‘interveners’ – mostly state Islamic religious councils and the Malaysian Gurdwara Council – filed their applications to be co-respondents in the case. The hearing was fixed for 17 July.
Manek Urai showdown
Scenes from nomination day yesterday for the Manek Urai by-election in Kelantan.
The house that Khir Toyo bought…
Has Samy Vellu’s mansion met its match?
Selangor opposition leader Khir Toyo has refuted a DAP rep’s allegation that his house in Shah Alam cost RM24 million. Instead, the former Selangor chief minister insists he bought it for RM3.5 million with an additional RM0.5 million thrown in for roof renovations.
Opinion sharply split on Pg govt’s hill-slope management
It looks as if you are sharply divided on how well the present Penang administration has handled the ‘hot potato’ of property development projects on steep hill-slopes, if the opinion poll (now closed) on this blog is any indication.
[poll id=”42″]
Federal govt “ready to help”; Koh: Don’t blame me
Now we hear that the federal government is “ready to help” the High Chaparral residents, says Deputy Minister T Murugiah.
“Although the Barisan Nasional (BN) is not in power in the state, the Federal Government still belongs to BN and we should help the people, regardless of their race,” he said. Check out the Bernama report here.
Meanwhile, former Penang chief minister Koh Tsu Koon has washed his hands off the Kampung Buah Pala crisis, saying he would not interfere to avoid getting blamed.
Nusmetro Ventures: The Balik Pulau connection
Who exactly owns Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd, the developer of the Oasis luxury condominium project?
According to the latest records for the developer filed with the Companies Commission of Malaysia, Asia Link-up Sdn Bhd holds 96 per cent of the RM250,000 issued share capital of Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd.
That makes Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd almost a wholly owned subsidiary of Asia Link-up.
But who owns Asia Link-up then? It’s now time to lift its corporate veil as well.
According to the Companies Commmission, Asia Link-up documents registered as at 24 April 2009 show that Mohamad Faridz Karim of Balik Pulau owns 80 per cent of the company’s RM500,000 issued share capital. Faridz has also been director of Asia Link-up since October 2004 and director of its subsidiary, Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd, since April 2005.