19 arrests; those at vigil being gradually released
2316: The dragnet widens with 19 arrests since last night.
But two of the 14 at the candlelight vigil for Chin Huat tonight have been released and it appears as if the remaining 12 will be also gradually released tonight after police record their particulars. It doesn’t appear as if their statements are being recorded.
1) Wong Chin Huat in KL last night.
Altantuya birthday cake incident in Putrajaya today
Three activists from Solidariti Anak Muda
2) Sani Md Shah
3) Saufi Mihat
4) Yasir Sheikh Abdul Rahman
PRM shortlists candidates for Penanti by-election
Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) aims to put up a candidate for the Penanti by-election in Penang on 31 May. It has already shortlisted a few candidates, believed to be locals.
These were among the issues discussed at a PRM committee meeting this afternoon at its office in Selayang.
The committee is expected to hold another meeting on 22 May, a day before Nomination Day, when it would confirm PRM’s candidacy and candidate for the by-election.
Bakun undersea cables on again; new dam in Pahang?
The on-off project to lay undersea cables to transmit electricity from the jinxed RM7 billion Bakun Dam to the peninsula is now on again.
This time we are told the undersea cables will cost RM9 billion and that the cables will transmit electricity to the peninsula as well as Sabah. Brunei is reportedly also interested.
MRCB has been mentioned in a Star news analysis as a leading contender for the land-based transmission network. The same Star report also notes:
Maybank Investment Bank also observed that among the states, Sarawak had the largest allocation under the second fiscal stimulus. Political analysts noted that Sabah and Sarawak had become politically important states. The rollout of projects in these two states will provide opportunities for home-grown contractors such as Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd, Naim Holdings Bhd and Hock Seng Lee Bhd. They have an advantage in being more familiar with the local landscape and people.
Chin Huat’s arrest: Tell me why…
There are many things in life we cannot understand. So many difficult questions, the answers for which me may never discover in our life-time. Why, for instance, is there so much injustice and suffering in this world?
The recession is biting; how are you coping?
The recession has reached our shores, with the IMF forecasting that the Malaysian economy will shrink by 3.5 per cent this year.
Is it affecting you? Is your job secure or have you been laid off? How are you coping? Have you stopped eating out?
Why the crowd restrictions and pondok panas ban?
Tense situation?: Drummers thump rhythmically as others jive to the beat during Nomination Day for the Permatang Pauh by-election last year – Photo by Anil Netto
Here’s another ‘bright’ idea: The Election Commission and the police want to restrict the number of supporters who turn up on nomination day to 5,000 (for each party?). This follows their attempt to ban the “pondok panas” (voter assistance booths) set up by political parties outside the polling centres.
In the first place, how do they plan to ensure that the crowd does not exceed 5,000? What if 5,001 people turn up? Are they going to put up turnstiles outside the nomination centre and issue tickets?
MCA spin on the ISA
MCA Wanita Chief Chew Mei Fun is trying to spin what the public really feels about the ISA. “Everybody is actually looking forward to a review of the ISA,” she says.
Really? Everybody? Most people I know want the ISA repealed not “reviewed”.
Chew seems to be against detention without trial, which is good. So why can’t she come out and demand the outright abolition of the ISA? Okay, she wants the ISA to be renamed Anti-Terrorism Act. But does she think this will stop abuse of power? Remember 2001, when 10 reformasi activists were detained for suspected terror activities – only to be released much later? Remember the Hindraf Five? Remember all those languishing in Kamunting?
Out with this obnoxious law!
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Speaker writes to Sultan requesting Assembly deferral
Perak Speaker V Sivakumar has written to the Perak Sultan to request a postponement of the State Assembly proceedings scheduled for 7 May.
The letter was sent to the Istana Kinta office at 11.00am.
Stop work order imposed, but…
A crane pierces the hill-slope… while residents below live in fear
These look like Class IV slopes – Photos by Tanjung Bunga residents
Residents of Tanjung Bunga are claiming that the developer of a controversial project is defying a stop work order to cease land development work on three plots which they say are not supported by a geotechnical report.
They have taken photos to show that work is continuing on these plots. From these photos, it appears obvious that work is being carried out on Class IV slopes.
Zambry now says some bloggers can report on 7 May
Zambry has distanced himself from the Perak Information Department’s notice restricting the media coverage of the 7 May State Assembly proceedings to 13 pro-BN mainstream media organisations. Remarkably, he said the restriction was to ensure the comfort of journalists due to the limited space in the Dewan.
In a blog posting at 5.42pm, Zambry now says that “sesetengah media baru (new media) termasuk rakan-rakan blogger” would be allowed in. What does “sesetengah” mean? Who decides?
Walaupun arahan ini bukan datangnya daripada saya ataupun pejabat saya, adalah menjadi tugas saya untuk menjelaskan mengapa cadangan berkenaan dibuat oleh pegawai-pegawai kanan kerajaan negeri.
Media may apply to Perak Speaker to cover 7 May
Perak Speaker V Sivakumar has given the green light to all media to write to him for permission to cover the state assembly proceedings on 7 May. His decision is based on Standing Order 84 of the Perak State Legislative Assembly.
Under the Standing Order, cited on Sivakumar’s blog, the Speaker “may grant a general permission to the representative of any journal to attend the sittings of the Assembly under such rules as he may from time to time make for that purpose. If such rules are contravened, such permission may be revoked.”
The Perak State Information Department had earlier issued a written notice saying only journalists from 13 pro-BN mainstream media organisations would be allowed in.
817 elected Perak village chiefs to sue over dismissals
“Setuju!“: The 817 elected village chiefs in Perak unanimously endorsing a six-point action plan – Photo by Kinta Kid
Zambry’s – and the BN’s problems – are multiplying as the Perak crisis deepens.
All 817 elected village chiefs in Perak have come together to take legal action over their dismissals without notice by the Perak BN and the dissolution of their village JKKK committees, which resulted in the termination of services of over 8,000 committee members. They also plan to lodge police reports against the Perak BN.
These village chiefs had been elected and they received appointment letters from the Pakatan state government to serve from 1 August 2008 to 31 July 2010.
Freedom of Information Act for Selangor by year-end
The Selangor state government has taken the lead again. It is hoping to pass a Freedom of Information Act by the end of the year.
“For a country that practises democracy, oppressive laws like
Printing Presses and Publications Act and Official Secrets Act used to keep media in line and prevent ordinary citizens from exercising their full rights to access information, should not be allowed to remain in Malaysia,” said Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim in a statement this evening to mark World Press Freedom Day.
Acknowledging that the powers to abolish such draconian laws lie with the Federal Government, he said the Pakatan government in Selangor has tried its best to promote Freedom of Information (FOI).
As recession bites, workers demand retrenchment fund
The scorching sun did not deter some 500 people and activists who turned up for the Workers’ Day gathering in Seremban yesterday.
They carried banners and placards, wore headbands and chanted slogans such as “Implement minimum wage now”, We want retrenchment fund” and “Jobs for all”.
Economist: Deep recession won’t bottom out this year
Economist Nouriel Roubini says that an L-shaped near depression may be avoided given the policy measures undertaken by the Obama administration. All the same, in his RGE Monitor, he is now predicting that the current protracted U-shaped recession will not bottom out in the third quarter but will instead continue until next year:
One should recognize that US policy authorities – as well as the authorities of many other countries looked into the abyss of the risk of a near depression – given the free fall in global economic activity in the last two quarters – and decided to start using most of the weapons in their arsenals – bazookas, missiles, rockets, artillery, etc – in a financial policy equivalent of a Powell doctrine of overwhelming force in order to avoid a near depression. This is why now the risks of an L-shaped near depression – like the one that hit Japan after the bursting of its real estate and equity bubble – have been reduced.
More worries about liberalisation of services
It is disconcerting to see neoliberals in both Pakatan and the BN whole-heartedly welcoming Najib’s liberalisation of services. The DAP, MCA and Gerakan want liberalisation to be extended to other sectors; the MCA even mentioned national security and defence.
No one is saying there shouldn’t be competition in certain sectors. But we are proceeding with liberalisation when some of the regulatory mechanisms are not in place. For instance, health care regulatory mechanisms to cover areas such as laboratory services that were promised a long time ago are not in place.
What has happened to one of the biggest issues of them all – health care financing? The Coalition against Health Care Privatisation had demanded universal health care accessibility and greater allocations for the public health care system. If at all an insurance scheme was implemented, the coalition wanted it to be a universal national health insurance scheme.
Perak Speaker wants all media to report on 7 May
Yesterday a media notice sent out by the Perak Information Department indicated that only 13 media groups – all of them mainstream media – would be allowed to cover the controversial Perak State Assembly proceedings on 7-13 May.
The 13 mainstream media outfits are RTM, Bernama TV, TV3, The Star, New Straits Times, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, China Press, Sin Chew Daily, Nanyang Siang Pau, Tamil Namban, Tamil Nesan and Bernama. They are expected to provide pro-BN coverage.
The Assembly proceedings on 7 May will be closely followed by Malaysians – given the constitutional crisis in the state and the BN attempt to replace the Speaker, who is from the DAP. Even the seating arrangements in the Assembly could be disputed.
Today, Perak Speaker V Sivakumar said he would meet with the State Secretary to seek clarification on the media restrictions.
Najib goes on a different sort of walkabout
Najib with Muhyiddin Yassin, Musa Hitam and Mohamed Al-Amin Abdul Majid, the Small and Medium Industries Development Corp (Smidec) chairman, unwinding at the golf-course on Valentine’s Day.
Save the workers, not the cronies
Some 500 workers gathered this morning to observe Labour Day at Dataran Seremban.
This year’s theme is ‘Economic crisis: Save the workers, not the cronies’.
Civil society and workers groups are demanding:
- a retrenchment fund with an initial contribution of RM0.5 billion from the government,
- a stimulus package that really provides jobs for unemployed Malaysians,
- discussions with banks to reschedule and reduce monthly housing loan replayments for low-income workers,