The forgotten children in Malaysia
The plight of refugee children in Malaysia is a sad one. They are among the forgotten children in our land.
“We’re sorry Pakatan has to deal with BN’s mess, but…”
Tanjung Bunga Residents Association chairman George Aeria reflects after handing in a residents’ memo calling for a ban on property development on steep hill-slopes in Penang:
With the submission of the memorandum to our state government (via YB Phee), the TBRA and the Chee Seng Gardens Action Committee have decided to give our new and better state government (from the last one-lah) a two-month period to see concrete action. In fact, in my discussion with YB Phee on the day of submission, he did indicate that he might come back to us earlier. We are pleased with his statement and his care for the environment of Penang. To put on record, the TBRA and Chee Seng Garden Action Committee is VERY aware that this whole mess is caused by the past government under the unresponsive Gerakan-Koh Tsu Koon and Umno government with all their irresponsible approvals. He lost badly and even had to get out of Tanjung Bunga to contest on the mainland because he knew the groundswell against him and he would have lost.
This is what a ‘walkabout in KL’ looks like
Mingling with the masses. Sipping a refreshing drink with your buddies at a local stall (but not finishing it despite all that stirring; too sweet?). Finding out how ordinary Malaysians live.
LIVE: No ‘kejutan besar’… Mansor Othman it is
Photo credit: Romerz (More pictures here)
2213: The worst kept secret is officially revealed: Mansor Othman has been chosen as the PKR candidate for the Penanti by-election on 31 May.
2207: The candidate is expected to be announced anytime now.
2148: Anwar is now addressing the crowd. The other speakers are Wan Azizah, Guan Eng, Zahrain, Fairus, and Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi.
2144: Manikumar, the victorious PKR candidate in the Bukit Selambau by-election, has just walked in.
2136: Former Penang Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin has made a surprise appearance with Anwar at a ceramah in Penanti that is now in progress, says my contact at the scene.
Ban steep hill-slope projects, urge Tg Bunga residents
Tanjung Bunga Residents Association chairman George Aeria hands over the residents’ memo to the Penang state exco member for the environment, Phee Boon Poh – Photo by TBRA
At 3.15pm today, sirens blared and then two thunderous blasts followed by a smaller one unnerved residents of the Coastal Towers apartment blocks in Tanjong Bunga. At the nearby Straits Regency apartments, windows vibrated – even above the 10th floor
It is not surprising that residents groups from Tanjung Bunga, Penang, have joined forces to call for a ban on current and future projects on steep hill-slopes. Yesterday morning, representatives from these groups handed over a memorandum, signed by 1,558 residents, urging the Penang state government to do something.
They are not interested in stop-work orders; they want a permanent ban.
Abad Naluri’s deposits seized; now what, PDC?
After the PGCC fiasco, the end of Abad Naluri’s interest in the Turf Club land (and its plans for a new racecourse in Batu Kawan) draws closer. The Turf Club has seized RM4.5 million in deposits from Abad Naluri after the company failed to start work on a new race course.
This from the NST:
“Abad Naluri has until March 30, 2011, to complete the RM375 million PIEC project,” Ong said after the club’s annual general meeting yesterday. The company entered into a RM488-million agreement to build an ultramodern racecourse in Batu Kawan in exchange for the club land and to pay the difference of RM103 million to the club. The developer paid the club RM10 million after signing the original agreement. It had proposed to redevelop the club land into the Penang Global City Centre (PGCC), a project that has since been scrapped. The two parties signed a supplemental agreement on April 1 last year on a timeframe for the developer to complete construction of PIEC.It is good to see the Penang Turf Club taking the right steps to enforce the conditions in its agreements with Abad Naluri.
The biggest financial fraud ever
People are discovering what a rip-off neo-liberalism has been, observes financial economist and historian Dr Michael Hudson, in this interview “The way we were and what we are becoming” aired on 4 March 2009.
Click to listen (or download)
Click to listen (or download)
Is liberalisation of services a good thing for Malaysia?
Blog reader KJ shares his thoughts with us:
Re liberalisation/de-regulation: I think the general literature is pretty clear on this that over the past quarter century or more liberalisation has meant de-regulation. It was said that over-regulation was the problem, hence the need to liberalise, i.e., de-regulate.
This should not be confused with competition and a competition policy. Many comments on this, and the previous, post appear to have confused a liberalisation stance with a competition policy stance. In many areas, liberalisation has, in fact, created monopolies, and allowed monopolies to flourish. One clear example is the media: the Murdoch group controls Fox, Star, the Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, The Times (UK), Far Eastern Economic Review, etc. The five largest banks in the US — most of them in deep s… — control over 70 per cent of the business, are busy raising credit card fees, cutting credit lines, etc.
Should there be a competition policy? Yes.
As for whether the foreign boys will do better than the local, well, in the first instance, at this time and the medium term, there isn’t going to be much investment.
Free market champion admits his ideology wasn’t right
They got it wrong:
- the regulators who thought the liberalised financial sector would work just fine by itself, and
- stock market pundits and the financial media who were giving the public a false sense of security ahead of the crash.
Najib’s “liberalisation” could open Pandora’s Box
Pardon me for raining on Najib’s sweeping economic “liberalisation” parade.
For one thing, I don’t think the government fully understands the ramifications of its gung-ho approach to liberalisation in the services sector, especially the financial services sub-sector. Still beholden to the FDI-driven model of economic growth, the government is obviously hoping that its “liberalisation” will result in hordes of foreign investors stampeding into the local market. Sure, more big investors might come in – but at what price to the local economy and small-timers?
The Chinese Malaysian business sector might welcome the removal of bumi quotas. Fed up with paying high prices for “protected items” such as locally made cars, many ordinary Malaysians too might actually welcome “liberalisation” – and I can understand where they are coming from.
Fried chicken, anyone?
We live in a globalised world that is full of inequalities. Unfortunately, these inequalities are not always visible to most of us.
IMF: Malaysian economy to shrink by 3.5% this year
The International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook report for 2009 is just out here.
It projects the Malaysian economy to contract by 3.5 per cent in 2009 (compared to -2.8 per cent for the US and -1.3 per cent for the world). The Malaysian government, for its part, has been sticking to its -1.0 to +1.0 per cent range, which in the light of the IMF’s projections, seems hopelessly optimistic (as ever). The Malaysian Institute of Economic Research’s latest projection is a contraction of 2.2 per cent.
Not only that, the IMF warns that all the risks are on the downside, i.e., hugely dependent on what happens to the US. In addition, Malaysia is also dependent on Europe, Japan and China.
My own forecast for Malaysia is grimmer than the IMF’s projection. Just a casual look at the sharp drops in our exports and manufacturing sales is enough for me to say GDP could be minus 5 per cent this year.
80% don’t want Mahathir to lead BN’s Penanti campaign
Will he take the hint?
Why our education system is in trouble
The raging debate surrounding our education system seems to be over the medium of instruction for maths and science.
Sadly, however, not enough attention is being paid to the content and approach we have adopted, which straitjackets and stifles young minds.
Let me relate an anecdote told to me by the parents of a 11-year-old boy, J:
J was asked by his school teacher to write a short karangan (composition) about a Malaysian hero he admires and to give reasons for his choice.
The boy promptly penned a few lines about Anwar and Nizar and to support his choice, he said they had korban (sacrificed) a lot for the country, etc.
Is the Tg Bunga Residents Association anti-Pakatan?
Here’s a comment by blog reader madmonkey that I thought should be highlighted for discussion.
Dear Anil,
Came across some more (Tanjung Bunga Residents Association) TBRA-bashing in (a blog) and some kind but deluded soul was saying poor Anil has been taken in, has had the wool pulled over his eyes by this BN-loving, LGE-hating, self-serving ogre called TBRA…
To those who would believe TBRA has a secret anti-Pakatan Rakyat agenda, please go to their website. You will see that, in early 2007, TBRA had taken the former CM, KTK, to task, (alleging) he was responsible for the “sell-out of Penang”:
Dayaks “lack element of smartness”?
What does James Masing mean when he condescendingly says the Dayaks “lack the element of smartness” and are thus easily politically manipulated?
Does he mean that the rural Ibans who voted for the BN are lacking the element of smartness? Or were the Dayaks in Batang Ai who voted for the BN lacking the element of smartness?
Who are these leaders who are manipulating the rural Dayaks with projects and promises of development especially during an election campaign? Who are these individuals who have promised the Dayaks fantastic returns under the Salcra plantation development scheme.
I suppose the Dayak leaders from the BN like Masing consider themselves smart and clever. But the question is smart in what?
Dayaks lack element of smartness: Masing 20 April 2009 SRI AMAN: Dayaks are easily politically manipulated because they lack the element of smartness, said Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dato Sri Dr James Masing.
“You are not green unless your food is green”
More people are now talking about the need to reduce our carbon footprint. But the discussion is largely focused on improving public transport, avoiding plastic bags (a commendable move which the Penang government is now implementing) or recycling and re-using.
But that is not enough. A study of the population in Cardiff, Wales has shown that the biggest impact on the environment comes from the choices we make in the following areas (in this order):
- the food and products we buy
- the energy we use
- our mode of travel
- the infrastructure which surrounds us
- the waste we produce
Pesticide lobby shudders at Obamas’ organic garden
The public campaign for an organic farm on the grounds of the White House…
… bears fruit – Photo credit: White House blog
The White House garden has gone organic.
That’s enough to get Big Agrobusiness – also known as the pesticide or genetically modified food lobby – worried.
… bears fruit – Photo credit: White House blog
The White House garden has gone organic.
That’s enough to get Big Agrobusiness – also known as the pesticide or genetically modified food lobby – worried.
Pakatan leadership to deliberate on Penanti
Anwar in Penanti last night, flanked by Penang PKR chief Zahrain Mohamed Hashim (left) and Penang Pas commissioner Mohd Salleh Man – Photo by Kalvin
Constitution: Court can’t question assembly proceedings
The Federal Court has ruled on the suspensions in the Perak State Assembly.
What does Article 72 of the Federal Constitution say?
(1) The validity of any proceedings in the Legislative Assembly of any State shall not be questioned in any court.