What happens when Unesco finds out about this?

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George Town building spree threatens world heritage site

The Pier project along Weld Quay

The Rice Miller Hotel project (Images courtesy of http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=22767668) See poll at end of entry Barely has the news about George Town’s listing as a Unesco World Heritage Site sunk in than we learn of a building spree in the heritage and heritage buffer zones of this historical city. In fact, the three-day celebrations on 25-27 July to mark the heritage listing have not yet begun. But already, reports tell us that high-rise buildings and massive commercial development will be allowed in the historical zone. I am going to find it hard to celebrate for a single day, let alone three days. Property development projects in the pipeline:

  • AGB Sdn Bhd’s RM500 million “The Pier at Weld Quay” project including the 100-room Rice Miller boutique hotel at Weld Quay: 100,000 sq feet commercial plaza, 160,000 sq feet retail podium, 23 small office-house-office (Soho) townhouses and 105 condominiums;
  • Low Yat Group’s 23-storey hotel project along Millionaire’s Row (Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah), said to be in the heritage buffer zone;
  • Boustead’s RM100 million Royale Bintang Hotel (4 star, 295 rooms) project behind the post office in Downing Street;
  • Extension of E&O Hotel.
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Anwar lashes out at his treatment

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Read his press statement here. An incredulous Australian friend sent me an email this afternoon:
“Anwar’s plight is still a topic on the news here. Arrested by hooded and armed police it seems. I wonder if those that are behind these tricks know what it all looks like from a distance? That he has been taken away for DNA testing has also been reported.”

Hadi confirms Pas will remain with Pakatan

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Dark clouds hung in the sky this morning, reflecting the mood of the nation, and then it rained … showers of blessing, perhaps? Anyway, it’s turning out to be not a bad day at all for those yearning for justice and freedom in our land. Anwar released on bail (read his press statement here), Raja Petra freed on bail, and now this… After all the speculation in the media that the Hadi Awang faction in Pas was getting too close to Umno for comfort, the Pas president has today stressed (menegaskan) that Pas will continue its struggle with Pakatan Rakyat to create a government that is “trustworthy, clean and just”. This from Hakarah Daily:
Presiden PAS, Dato’ Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang menegaskan bahawa PAS akan terus berjuang bersama Pakatan Rakyat bagi mewujudkan sebuah kerajaan yang amanah, bersih dan adil.
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Raja Petra freed on bail (updated/corrected)

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Thank God he is out – for now. Next appearance in court: 15 August. Updated: According to The Star, they have charged him with three counts of criminal defamation after Raja Petra had earlier protested that the charges were defective. I got in touch with Zunar, the Suara Keadilan editor, who had just returned from overseas, and he told me he had received news that bail was finally reduced to RM2,000, which Raja Petra posted after consulting his wife. The earlier report on the Suara Keadilan website, picked up by Malaysia Today, appears inaccurate. Apologies for the confusion.

Next change: Anwar out, Raja Petra in

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So Anwar has been released on police bail and it’s now Raja Petra’s turn to face the music. He has been arrested and is being taken to court to face a charge of criminal defamation. What on earth is happening to Malaysia? Many have drawn comparisons with the events of 1998. But there are a couple of crucial differences between then and now.
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Anwar’s arrest: A day of high drama

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Gobind Singh Deo in the video above says Anwar is in good spirits and hopes that he will be released by the end of the day. The news of Anwar’s arrest has flashed across the world. It is one of the main headlines on BBC: “Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim arrested“. The Lingam videotape scandal has been completely forgotten. Earlier this afternoon, Anwar was arrested and taken into a police Mitsubishi Pajero where he was seen with his face covered with a cloth and flanked by two policemen in balaclavas, reports the NST. He was brought to the city contingent police headquarters. The Malaysian Insider reports that, soon after his arrest this afternoon, more pandemonium erupted in Parliament when Azmin Ali challenged the government to reveal who issued the order for Anwar’s arrest.
“What is Syed Hamid Albar, the Home Minister’s, stand? Who gave the order? Is it the IGP,” he spat out.
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Warrant of arrest out for Raja Petra

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Malaysia Today reports that Raja Petra Kamarudin has been ordered to report to the ninth floor IPK KL (opposite Pudu Jail) at 10.00am tomorrow. He could be charged for criminal defamation in relation to the sworn statement on 18 June that Deputy Prime Minister Najib’s wife Rosmah was present when Altantuya was blown up. The NST reports that police have obtained a warrant of arrest against Raja Petra.

Anwar “wins” debate hands down – but is now arrested

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Almost all (97%) of you picked Anwar as the more convincing of the two debaters last night (see also: Anwar gets bloggers’ vote) – but today he is arrested – again.  Here we go again – it’s like a re-run…no, a re-make… of a bad movie, complete with the balaclava-clad special squad. You just don’t want to sit through such a sordid saga again. Once in a life-time is enough, thank you very much. Anwar was detained on his way back from the ACA office by a team of police officers just before 1.00pm – an hour before a 2.00pm deadline for him to report to the police station. Nurul Izzah writes in her blog:
Dad was arrested by the cops whilst on his way to the IPK to give his statement. The cops gave till 2pm for dad to report but still arrested him before the deadline. Dad was on his way back home to have lunch in Bukit Segambut, and then head to the IPK but the cops blocked off the road and arrested him like a criminal. And the cops who arrested him were Special Squad cops with balaclavas!!! Is that necessary!!! I hope and pray for our nation today. I ask all Malaysians to be calm but strong in this event. I truly do believe our nation’s future rests on what happens in the next weeks. Please please do not give the authorities any reason to crack down on us. Let us do everything by the book and do what’s right. And most of all, please pray. Izzah
Minutes before his arrest, pandemonium broke out in Parliament when Khairy asked for Anwar’s DNA sample to be given to the police (see Harakah report below). His family and many other Malaysians are already deeply concerned about how he will be treated in custody. Abdullah Badawi and his administration will be held accountable for this.
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LIVE: Anwar vs Shabery in the Great Oil Price Debate

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Anwar and Shabery shake hands at the end of the debate. So what do you think? Who was the more convincing? Respond to the poll on the sidebar. 2151: Why don’t you give your ideas without talk of changing government, Dato Seri? Anwar: If they accept our suggestion, we will support them. In Feb 2006, after an earlier price hike, there was 4.8 per cent inflation. Now, after the price hike, inflation has soared to nearly 8 per cent in a month. Venezuela and Iran may have low oil price and high inflation, but we now have high oil price and high inflation! Look at the countries around us – how we have lost out to them in competitiveness. I still believe Malaysia, with its resources, has the potential if it cleans up its act. Shabery: Mahathir has been blamed for the IPPs, but Anwar was once singing the praises of Mahathir. He should have resigned back then. Why is he only talking about a 50-sen reduction now when the oil price was RM1.92 before the election and he promised to reduce it then? We will only burden the country with high subsidies and could end up in debt to international “money lenders”. Petronas alone (not the group) gives 91 per cent of its profit to the government. What else is there to give? Petronas is strong because of the government of Umno and BN. We do not burden Petronas but allow it to reinvest. About this talk of abuse of power – we are not alone in raising prices; it’s a global problem.
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Petronas barrels in record RM96b profit as oil prices soar

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Petronas has posted a record profit before tax of RM96 billion, a 25 per cent increase from the previous year. Its turnover rose 21 per cent to RM223 billion ringgit for the financial year ended 31 March 2008. Revenue from international operations made up 40 per cent of the total figure. The results were released about 15 days later than in the past five years, when they were out by 30 June. The record profit for Petronas comes at a time when many Malaysians are struggling to cope with a 41 per cent hike in the retail petrol price and its inflationary impact.
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Undersea cable cost for jinxed Bakun doubles to RM15b

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I have always believed that the Bakun Dam has been jinxed, ever since the developers messed with the ancestral lands of the indigenous people and displaced them from the site. Now we are witnessing a re-run of the scandal involving the second Penang bridge, which we might not even need in the first place. The figures are almost identical – except that for the Bakun Dam, the cost of the undersea cables is quoted in US dollars instead of ringgit. In the case of the second Penang Bridge, the estimated cost has soared from RM2.7 to close to RM5 billion in a year or so. In the case of the Bakun undersea cables, according to an Edge report, the cost of the cables has soared from US$2.5 billion (RM8 billion) to US$4.7 billion (RM15 billion), which is the figure quoted by a consortium led by Sumitomo.
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MV Agusta sold for 1 euro; Harley buys it for US$109m

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I think Proton has some explaining to do. It sold MV Augusta for 1 euro after buying it for RM368 million. Now look at this – AP reports on 11 July the following:
Harley-Davidson Inc. said Friday it will buy Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta Group for about $109 million to boost its presence in Europe, giving it entry into the popular performance bike market there.
And here’s a report from Bernama a couple of years ago.
Proton Defends Sale Of MV Agusta KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) — In what appears to be an unending saga, Proton Holdings Bhd has again come out in defence of its sale of financially-troubled MV Agusta, reiterating that there were no synergies between the motorcycle maker and Proton as a car maker. Describing continued criticisms over the sale and change in management announced by Proton in July 2005 as “uninformed speculation”, the national car company said there was “a refusal among some to acknowledge explanations provided earlier”.
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Foreign spies in Malaysia?

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Apparently there have been people in the country gathering information for foreign security or surveillance agencies. Nine peoople are being detained under the ISA for “mengumpul maklumat untuk agensi perisikan/keselamatan asing“. That’s a major news story, don’t you think? So why are most people unaware of these “spies”? Were these arrests reported in any of our mainstream media? According to the “Menteri Dalam Negeri”, the nine are part of 68 ISA detainees at the end of April 2008. These people have been detained without trial. The Minister was responding to a question in Parliament from Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli, the MP for Kuala Krai.
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85% of motorists ready to switch to buses and trams

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Photo by Henk Graalman, Adelaide

Trams in Adelaide, the “twin city” of George Town, Penang Photo credit: lightrailnow.org

It looks as if a huge majority (85 per cent) of urban motorists in Malaysia are ready to leave their cars behind at home if there is an effective and integrated public transport system comprising buses and trams. That is the outcome of a just concluded poll of 551 visitors to this site. The main reason I put out this poll is that I wanted to allay the fears of those who are worried that dedicated bus and tram lanes may cause road congestion for motorists. The results confirm what many of us may have already guessed: many motorists are ready to abandon their cars in favour of buses and trams. So why are we still talking about new urban highway projects, ring roads, and other infrastructure for more cars? Here are the poll results:
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Abdullah buys more time with 2010 handover deadline

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It looks as if Abdullah Badawi has bought himself a little more time with this new handover deadline – he wants to hand over power to Najib in June 2010. Remember, before this latest development, many analysts were predicting that Abdullah’s shelf life would expire by December. The PM probably knows that a lot of things could happen in two years which could jeopardise Najib’s chances of taking over. Najib’s ‘baggage’ could weigh down heavily on him in the coming months. His prospects have already dimmed somewhat after the allegations linking him to the Altantuya case surfaced last week. If a week is a long time in politics, two years is an eternity. Najib is in no position to argue. He probably figures he needs a couple of years anyway to recover from all the negative publicity – so 2010 would now suit him nicely.
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38% of households struggling to make ends meet

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According to the latest household income survey, the following are the percentages of families in the various monthly household income brackets.
Household monthly Percentage
income range of families
< RM 1000 8.6
RM 1001 – 2000 29.4
RM 2001 – 3000 19.8
RM 3001 – 4000 12.9
RM 4001 – 5000 8.6
RM 5001 – 10,000 15.8
> RM 10,000 4.9
100.0
Source: Figures presented by Senator Amirsham A Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, in response to a query in Parliament by Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, MP for Sungai Siput
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World Heritage listing: Some words of caution

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Following Unesco’s recognition of George Town and Malacca as world heritage sites, LW wrote these important words of caution, which I thought I should highlight:
I just hope, though, that this listing will actually bring about more context sensitive and local-culture-based modes of development in Penang and Melaka that are sustainable in the long term – not speculative and profiteering projects that will only earn quick cheap dollars from tourists but suck the life out of the cities.
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George Town, Malacca now Unesco World Heritage sites

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Armenian Street in George Town, which has the largest collection of pre-war houses – over 12,000 in all – in South-East Asia. Photo credit: Wikipedia

The Stadhuys Square in Malacca Photo credit: Wikipedia

Rua das Flores (Flowers Street), the main street in Curitiba, Brazil, has been a pedestrian avenue since 1972. Penang Road and other streets of George Town could be turned into pedestrian malls, serviced by buses and trams. Photo credit: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=377289

The historical Straits Settlement cities of George Town and Malacca have just been classified as Unesco World Heritage sites. “The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia,” said the citation on the Unesco Heritage list website. This comes as a major boost to the lack-lustre economies of these two states. The new status is the result of a 11-year-long struggle. “It has been a touch and go affair until the last minute,” said heritage conservationist Loh-Lim Lin Lee, when contacted.
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Gloomy outlook for Malaysian economy

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Today I was chatting with someone who owns a few stationery shops in Penang and I was told that “business is down” because prices have gone up. Later in the evening I chatted with the cashier at a petrol station and he told me that sales volume was down. So it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that we are in for some gloomy times ahead especially with a global economic slowdown expected in the second half of the year. I culled the following from various analyst reports on Malaysia:
  • Global economic slowdown 2H 2008
  • Slowdown in Malaysian exports to US and UK (esp electronics)‏
  • Trade surplus will narrow
  • High commodity prices support palm oil, oil exports
  • Fiscal deficit could soar to 5% of GDP in 2008-2009
  • Possible fiscal pump-priming
  • RM1.5 billion to subsidise rice farmers
  • More imports of rice from Thailand
  • Delay in large infrastructure projects
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LIVE: Oil price hike protest

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Malaysia Today is now accessible at this URL: http://202.75.62.194/ 2245: Anwar has addressed the crowd of not more than 10,000 people, about 85-90 per cent Malay, mostly young people. He explained the political circumstances surrounding the sodomy allegations at this time, saying there was great fear among the BN that they could lose power. Najib came under fire too and Anwar told the crowd they could see the DPM’s office if they had any problems. He also maintained that he could reduce the price of oil. How exactly he would accomplish this, he didn’t say. Instead, he said he would reveal more details on the 15th. My source at the scene believes that, from the hints he got from Anwar’s address, this could involve plugging leakages of funds. The event has now drawn to a close, thankfully without any major incident. Malaysians have once again asserted their right to freedom of expression and to freedom of assembly. 2200: Charles Santiago in the stadium reports that the crowd has now swelled to 10,000 as Kit Siang address the crowd. 2105: About 7,000 people are in the stadium now as the main speakers start arriving one by one. 2042: The stadium and the field are filling up. People are still arriving. The roads to the stadium are jammed. 1947: Malaysiakini reports that sections of the crowd were unhappy with a couple of the performances by two different rock bands. A member of one of the bands had shown his rear to the crowd; it was unclear if he had boxer shorts on. A mob rained projectiles on them, mostly water bottles. Earlier, about 700 Pas Amal members pulled out in protest at another rock band performance. That could partly explain the traffic jams later.
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