Two more by-elections in Perak?
Just when you thought it was safe to breathe again…
Two by-elections could now be held after Jamaluddin Mat Radzi and Mohd Osman Jailu reportedly resigned their posts as assembly members of Behrang and Changkat Jering respectively.
And now the Perak deputy speaker is reportedly missing – so we could be in for some interesting times.
Obama slams huge Wall Street bonuses, Citigroup jet
President Obama has lashed out at Wall Street for taking huge bonuses totalling over US$18 billion last year while their firms were being bailed out by taxpayers.
That is the height of irresponsibility. It is shameful, and part of what we are going to need is for the folks on Wall Street who are asking for help to show some restraint and show some discipline and show some sense of responsibility.he was quoted as saying by news.com.au.
California is broke; “the US is busted”
That”s right, the state of California – which has one of the biggest economies in the world – has no money left to pay income tax refunds; so now it is planning to refund taxpayers with IOUs.
It is also asking state employees to go on two days unpaid leave every month.
California is now staring at a US$42 billion budget deficit. How did this happen? Oxbury Publishing provides an analysis here.
You gonna be back, Arnie? I think you have just terminated California (as a going concern). Oops.
Who is going to bail out California?
Jabil Circuit to retrench 3,000 workers worldwide
Electronics contract manufacturer Jabil Circuit is set to cut its manufacturing capacity in certain regions and close 10 of its facilities worldwide.
It will reportedly retrench 3,000 of its 85,000 workers; 90 per cent of these retrenchments will take place outside the United States.
Is US media reporting on Israel/Palestine changing?
It appears that even in the US, things are beginning to change. First there was Jon Stewart taking on the business of self-defence and the one-sidedness of US officialdom especially in relation to the recent invasion of Gaza. Now, it’s the turn of ’60 Minutes’ over CBS…
Is the tide turning?
Says CBS in the synopsis of its documentary:
Haunting images as Kugan is laid to rest
Photos and report by Rakyat@work
Paula’s police bail not extended – but probe continues
Paula (in light blue shirt) with friends at the police station this morning – Photo by Paula’s 10-year-old son.
The emcee at one of the Abolish ISA vigils in Penang, Paula Khoo, found out when she turned up at the Patani Road police station this morning that her police bail was not going to be extended.
The police instead told her they would call her once their investigations are completed.
Panasonic to shut Malacca site and “merge” S’gor plants
More bad news.
This time it’s Panasonic, which is reportedly shutting three plants in Asia. Media reports suggest the company is likely to report an annual net loss of some US$1.1 billion on the back of restructuring charges, a slump in demand for consumer electronics and a stronger yen. That would be its first net loss in six years.
The plants targeted for closure include two of the three Panasonic plants in Malaysia.
The Malacca plant, which produces capacitors for mobile phones, reportedly will be shut in March. Some 500 jobs will be lost.
Kugan’s final journey: An end to custodial deaths?
Riot police take up positions as an officer orders the crowd to disperse
This was the scene outside the University Hospital at about 1.20pm today. Police probably outnumbered the crowd as half a dozen riot police trucks waited along Jalan Universiti outside the hospital.
Kugan is expected to make his final journey to Puchong today.
BBC Scotland occupied!
Photo by Glasgow Palestine Human Rights Campaign
About 50 activists occupied the BBC Scotland headquarters in Glasgow on Sunday, 25 January, to protest at the BBC’s failure to broadcast a Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for Gaza. The DEC is made up of 13 aid agencies, which are leading UK registered humanitarian charities that fulfil certain criteria. The Committee is traditionally supported by “a network of television and radio broadcasters, the banks, the Post Office, BT, regional and national press and a range of organisations in the corporate sector”. The idea is “to rally the nation’s compassion, and ensure that funds raised go to DEC agencies best placed to deliver effective and timely relief to people most in need”. Among the activists who occupied the BBC Scotland headquarters was John Hilley, who has written in the past for Aliran Monthly. Here is his account of the “occupation”:Last night (25 January), saw our inspiring occupation of the BBC in Glasgow in protest at their decision not to air the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal on behalf of Gaza.
Now Chee Seng residents worry about dengue
Indiscriminate disposal of blue plastic sheets around the Bolton site area – Photos by Chee Seng residents
Over 500 attend Abolish ISA vigil & forum on Palestine
More than 500 people packed the PJ Civic Centre auditorium last night for an Abolish ISA/Solidarity with Palestinians vigil followed by a forum.
Police were present but left about an hour later.
German firm with Malacca plant files for bankruptcy
More bad news in the electronics industry in Malaysia.
German firm Qimonda, which has a plant in Malacca, has filed for bankruptcy in Munich – thanks to a global glut in memory chips.
From the Qimonda website:
Region: Malacca / Senai Established: 1973 No. of employees: approx. 1,100 Areas of activity: Research and Development, Design and Testing, Production, Purchasing, Logistics, Planning and Controlling, Information Technology and Service, Support and Staff FunctionsMeanwhile workers at Intel are worried they might end up with no proper compensation following the closure of the firm’s two plants in Penang, as the excerpt from this NST report suggests. No severance package?
While Intel has assured that it intends to offer some 1,000 affected Malaysian employees comparable jobs within its existing facilities in Penang and Kulim, a veil of insecurity and uncertainty is now shrouding those affected.
Hotel set to tower over George Town heritage buildings
The hotel being built behind the GPO in Penang – Image credit: NST
Happy Lunar New Year
Wishing all of you a very happy Lunar Year. May your coming year be filled with love, peace, joy, compassion and everything good.
And here’s a special message from Rakyat@work:
A New Year gift to Paula Khoo Date: 28 Jan (3rd day of Chinese New Year) Venue: Pattani Road Police Station, Time: 8.00am Dear peaceful rakyat of Penang and Malaysia. Please make time to be with Paula Khoo because she have stood for you, possibly for your children too, in calling for the abolition of the ISA. (She has to report at the police station to find out if the police are going to press charges over her participation in an Abolish ISA vigil.)
Govt audit reveals serious AP irregularities
The government is introducing new rules to plug serious abuses in the Approved Permit allocations for car imports.
I guess most of us will not be surprised by the scam that has been going on in the AP system. It’s all very muhibah, don’t you think? But not the best example of Malay-Chinese cooperation, unfortunately.
This excerpt from a Singapore Straits Times report:
The rules came about after a yet-to-be published government audit exposed serious irregularities. The audit looked into the business practices of a small clique of well-connected Malay businessmen who received their AP allocations each year. The audit revealed that a large number of the businessmen were hawking their import permits to mainly ethnic Chinese car dealers who dominate the country’s luxury vehicle dealerships, documents reviewed by The Straits Times show.
Umno not alone in struggle to adapt to new conditions
If there’s any consolation for Umno as it struggles to adapt to a changing political landscape, it is that it is not alone. After having been in power for a long time, political parties tend to think they have the natural right to rule – and then they fail to tackle the rot and adapt to the changing landscape. Like Umno leaders, the Republican leadership too is struggling to come to terms with the new reality and to heed the message of voters.
Check out this Bloomberg report:
Republican Battle for Party Chief Pits Leaders, Base (Update1) By Heidi Przybyla Jan. 23 (Bloomberg) — Republican leaders’ efforts to select a new national party chairman are stirring concerns among a vital constituency: Republican voters. Rank-and-file Republicans are telling their leaders they want more ethnic, gender and age diversity in a party that is dominated by white males. They also want party leaders to cooperate with President Barack Obama, according to surveys.
Heartfelt prayers at interfaith vigil for peace in Gaza
A bashful Sukerit Kaur, 9, sings a message of human solidarity
He is my father
She is also my mother
She is my best friend
He is my brother
An interfaith prayer vigil and reflection for peace in Gaza was held in the hall of the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Penang last night, attended by about a hundred people.
Among those who led the prayers for peace was Fr Francis Anthony, the parish priest of the Cathedral. JIM central committee member Mohd Rashid Hasnon (centre) sang the azan and stressed the importance of peace in Islam.
Kuala Terengganu a “major blow” for Najib
