Beware those who want to hijack Malaysia’s People Power movement

Anil Netto
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In a parting shot, Thierry Rommel, the European ambassador who left his post on Tuesday, castigated the Malaysian government for its deplorable human rights record and the “discriminatory” New Economic Policy (NEP).

News reports quoted Rommel as saying the executive in Malaysia is “all-powerful and not accountable” while the judiciary remains beholden to the executive because the prime minister directly makes the appointments. He said Umno runs the country like its own backyard and that the Malaysia was “a one-party state”.

“The parliament (is) useless. No fair elections, no freedoms. Police is unaccountable. Internal checks and balances? Forget it. So where do you find characteristics that (represent) democracy?”

Malaysians struggling for greater democracy, who marched in the tens of thousands on 10 November, might be forgiven for thinking that they had found an influential ally in Rommel and the European Union.

Big mistake. Although most of Rommel’s remarks ring true, they must be seen in the context of the forthcoming negotiations for the EU-Asean FTA which begins next year. With this FTA, the EU hopes to prise open the Asean market for unfettered access by European multinational corporations. This will no doubt also accelerate the neo-liberal agenda across the region.

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“Iconic towers” or eyesores?

Anil Netto
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If our experience with “iconic towers” in Penang is any indication, then look out for what could happen with other towers in the pipeline.

Thanks to a reader for bringing these to my attention:

komtar viewing gallery

Sad-looking Komtar: Why has its viewing gallery become a store?

fire exit blocked

And here’s a blocked fire-escape

menara umno cardboard

Cardboard on the windows of the keris-shaped Menara Umno (supposed to be another architectural masterpiece). Innovative way to reduce heat and cut air-con emissions, eh?
So if we have more “iconic towers”, do you really think our habits will improve? While on the subject of high-rise towers, a reader wrote this from England:
England’s problems are in the areas where there is high unemployment due to collapsed industries, steel shipbuilding, coal – where entire towns were employed in one industry. Also areas where many immigrant communities have settled – and worked hard to look after their families… It’s also in the areas were decent housing (albeit ramshackle) have been replaced with emotionless high-rise towers, set in dry hard landscapes – enough to send anyone around the bend. All sounds rather too familiar? Give Malaysia 20 years and you’ll see the same – unless there is some very sound social management. I was once talking to (someone in Malaysia) and described the social problems created by high-rise buildings. “Oh, not in Asia,” he said. Want to bet? The (consequences could be) worse in Asia where family and social connections are so very important and high-rise buildings will destroy them.

“No matter the regime’s physical power, in the end they can’t stop the people”

Anil Netto
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Those words uttered by Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi could well apply to Malaysia. Was it a stalemate on 10 Nov? After all, the demonstrators had been thwarted from gathering at Dataran Merdeka in the city centre. They were unable to accompany their chosen representatives to the gates of the palace to hand over their memorandum. And would the memorandum make any difference? What had they really achieved? Would Suu Kyi consider the situation in Burma a stalemate – especially in the aftermath of the brutal crackdown of peaceful demonstrations there? Here’s what she had to say:
“I am really not fond of that expression,” she replied rather sternly. “People have been on the streets. That’s not a stalemate. Ethnic people, like the Karen, are fighting back. That’s not a stalemate. The defiance is there in people’s lives, day after day. You know, even when things seem still on the surface, there’s always movement underneath. It’s like a frozen lake; and beneath our lake, we are progressing, bit by bit.”
Similarly, 10 November in Malaysia was not a stalemate. Malaysians have conquered their fear. There is a sense of defiance – witnessed when tens of thousands of good-natured, peaceful, justice-loving Malaysians waved defiantly at helicopters hovering overhead and at sullen-faced riot police seated in red trucks passing menacingly by. When they were confronted by a phalanx of riot police, they stood their ground and refused to blink. Instead, it is the oligarchic political elites who now fear the people on the move, who tremble in anticipation of their next move. Yes, we are progressing, bit by bit. Read John Pilger’s full piece here.

50,000 Malaysians defy ban to demand electoral reforms

Anil Netto
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Bersih rally 10 Nov 2007
Sea of yellow: They came in their thousands to get their point across – Photo credit: Seng Keat Tan
So the chief of police puts the turnout at 4,000 in a report tucked away on page 8 of The Star. Interesting! But then he was probably referring to the crowd at Masjid Jamek alone, where police fired water cannons, dousing the protesters with chemically laced liquid. The way The Star reported it made it sound as if 4,000 was the total turnout, although it did add later that “thousands” had turned up at various spots. If it was really 4,000, why did they need two (or was it three) helicopters to monitor the crowd? My estimate of the total turnout – and that was the rough consensus among those at the scene at various points – was 50,000. Still, the actual turnout is beside the point. The real story was the fact that tens of thousands of Malaysians had come out – despite repeated warnings and threats of arrest – to defy a ban and put across their demand for electoral reforms, loudly and clearly. I was proud to be a Malaysian among the good natured and peaceful crowd that afternoon. As for the mainstream media coverage, it was pathetic. I woke up this morning expecting it to be front page news. After all, news of the protest gathering had flashed across the globe yesterday. But when I saw the front page of The Sunday Star today… zilch, nada, nothing…. Was this for real? It seemed as if I must have been on a different planet. It was only reported half-heartedly on page 8. Tens of thousands of people had brought Kuala Lumpur to a virtual standstill the day before and… Page 8! Disgusting coverage. But then again, what else can we expect from our castrated mainstream media? Meanwhile, check out Aliran president P Ramakrishnan’s statement here. RIGHTS-MALAYSIA: Rally Defies Police Ban to Demand Poll Reforms By Anil Netto KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 (IPS) – Tens of thousands of people defied riot police, water cannon and pouring rain to march through the capital city, on Saturday, to demand electoral and other reforms and deliver a strong rebuff to Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi. On Friday Badawi had issued a stern warning that he would brook no challenge to his rule and officials said anybody around Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square), the planned venue of the protest gathering, would be arrested. That made the turnout of over 50,000 people, sloshing through muddy grass verges by the highway, all the more impressive as they engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with police armed with water cannons and batons. Full article

Penang Global City Centre: Activists step up campaign

Anil Netto
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uytQneOgEu0] Activists have stepped up the campaign as the stakes rise. The developer has taken its PR blitz to the shopping malls, but activists have been meeting residents neighbouring the PGCC project site who are worried about the impact of the project. Here we see heritage conservationist Loh-Lim Lin Lee, architect Laurence Loh and heritage activist Dr Choong Sim Poey briefing Scotland Park residents and exposing the deception inherent in the development plan. Make sure you catch all four parts of the video and see them passionately and eloquently arguing against the project.
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And so the PGCC PR battle begins…

Anil Netto
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PGCC roadshow Queensbay Mall
The PGCC developer has taken its road-show to Queensbay Mall
Looks like the PR battle has begun. The Penang Global City Centre developer is on a road show promoting its project in Queensbay Mall and Gurney Plaza in Penang. Just received in the email the following hypothetical conversation between the pro-PGCC lobby and a member of the public. Would have been hilarious if there wasn’t a ring (more like alarm bells) of truth about the details of the project. Though the conversation below is probably hypothetical, I am told that those promoting the project do not have all the answers when questioned by people who are more in touch with what the plan actually entails. Makes you wonder if they really believe what they are being paid to promote.
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Milan and Penang: Trams vs Monorail/PORR/PGCC

Anil Netto
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Monorail Penang routeGreetings from Milan! I am here presenting a paper at a conference. Walking around the city, I must say I have been impressed with Milan’s excellent network of underground trains, trams (old and modern), buses and taxies – though locals tell me there is still room for improvement. But first, what’s this? Someone alerted me to a Penang monorail route map posted on Wikipedia. I am not sure who posted that entry:
“The Penang Monorail is a future monorail line to be constructed under the Ninth Malaysia Plan and Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER). It will be located on Penang Island. Two lines will be built, with possible extensions to Province Wellesley in the future. The 37km system is expected to cost RM 1.1 billion. “The names of all the stations on the monorail are still mostly unknown, although the main stops are confirmed. The Red Line will run between Tanjung Tokong and the Penang International Airport via Scotland Road, Jalan Air Itam and the Penang State Mosque. The Green Line will run between Paya Terubong and Weld Quay Terminal, via Jalan Air Itam, Jalan Dato’ Keramat, and Komtar. The interchange will be situated at Jalan Air Itam.”
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“It is people like Hishamudin who should be heading the judiciary”

Anil Netto
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Justice Hishamudin has created waves with his decision to punish the government for its detention and torture of activist Abdul Malek Hussin. In the wake of his decision, some Malaysians are even suggesting that if the government really wants to restore the shine back to the judiciary, then judges like Hishamudin should be allowed to head the judiciary. RIGHTS-MALAYSIA: Damages Award Exposes Internal Security Act By Anil Netto PENANG, Oct 24 (IPS) – A stunning court decision awarding a huge sum in damages to an activist who was detained without trial and tortured has galvanised activists campaigning for the repeal of Malaysia’s harsh Internal Security Act (ISA). It has also put a little shine back in the judiciary, which has been rocked by an explosive video clip apparently revealing the fixing of judical appointments and promotions by a coterie of well-connected individuals in legal, business and political circles. Full article

It’s a PGCC jungle out there, folks!

Anil Netto
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PGCC with 38 towers from Komtar Here is one guy’s impression of what the PGCC would look like from Komtar. KL Dude has had a go on photo editor with the earlier picture of the PGCC Twin Towers posted on this blog; only this time he has actually added the 38 towers in front of those “iconic” towers. Perhaps his impression is not really to scale, but you get the idea… It’s a (concrete) jungle out there, folks!
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It’s a home-grown resistance movement in Iraq

Anil Netto
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The New York Times has finally admitted in an op-ed video – in contradiction to some of its own reports – what many of us already knew: that the US war in Iraq is largely against a determined home-grown resistance movement against Occupation (yes, the ‘O’ word). Check it out.

Now you can watch Fahmi Reza’s hartal film

Anil Netto
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Go here to watch Fahmi Reza’s outstanding film on the 1947 hartal – the winner of the 2007 Freedom Film Festival. It’s worth the watch.

Surprise! Migrant workers from Malaysia remit more home

Anil Netto
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While Malaysians tend to look down on neighbouring countries because their workers are forced to work abroad and remit money home, few of us realise that, as a percentage of GDP, migrant workers from Malaysia remit more home than those from Indonesia and Thailand.
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Wanna peek into the future…?

Anil Netto
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PGCC from Komtar

From one sorry-looking tower to another two: This is what the PGCC will look like from Komtar – but please, please remember that there are going to be 38 other high-rise towers in front of the crooked twin towers!

Just read a Star report that says Penang Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon has rejected ‘suggestions’ (I thought they were demands) from NGOs for more public hearings on the PGCC. He was echoing State Local Government Committee chairman Teng Hock Nan’s statement on Sunday that there would not be any public hearings on the project.
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Why are we subsidising the profitable IPPs?

Anil Netto
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Why are Malaysians – via Petronas – providing billions of ringgit in gas subsidies to the profitable IPPs? And yet, the government is always complaining it has to pay so much in fuel subsidies for the people. What about the gas subsidies to the IPPs? The owners of the IPPs are not exactly poor. In fact, they are prominent billionaires. So why is all the focus only on Tenaga, which is being squeezed in the middle? That’s the question I tried to explore in this article for IPS.
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Toh Kin Woon, the BN’s most principled politician

Anil Netto
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I was glad to see the Malaysiakini interview with Toh Kin Woon and sorry to hear that he is retiring from politics soon. I would say Toh, the Gerakan vice-chairman and Penang state exco member, is the most principled politician in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. He has called for the abolition of the Internal Security Act and was one of a handful of ruling coalition politicians to say he disagreed with ISA arrests in the past. What I find most remarkable about Kin Woon is his down-to-earth nature, his sincerity and utter humility – the total absence of any arrogance of power. What a stark contrast to many other BN politicians!
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Public meetings for lamp-posts – but not for PGCC

Anil Netto
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gold bazaar penang A few years ago, the government allocated funds to turn parts of the area around Jalan Kapitan Keling in Penang into a “Gold Bazaar”. According to Seri:
…the Gold Bazaar was proposed by former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohammad after a trip to Dubai and upon being told that the majority of the jewellery on display were from Penang, Malaysia. Having seen the vast market potential, it was then proposed that the areas of Jalan Kapitan Keling, Buckingham Street and Campbell Street be gazetted as the Gold Bazaar of Penang. (In 2004), the Federal Government allocated RM6 million to start the project.
Never mind how the project turned out – I haven’t heard anyone talking about the “Gold Bazaar”, so that is an indication – but what is relevant to the PGCC is that the council invited the local business community, the Penang Heritage Trust and environmentalists for discussions on the project. I understand this was not required by law, but the council, to its credit, allowed some measure of public participation. Imagine, this could be done for a project worth only a few million ringgit.
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Amidst the judicial shambles, a stunning Federal Court decision

Anil Netto
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All that bad news about the judiciary and the shambles it is in. Yet, amidst the uproar and outrage (and rightfully so) over the Lingam tape, there was much cause for rejoicing especially in Sarawak: a sweet victory for natives over the Sarawak state government on the issue of native customary rights, courtesy of a landmark Federal Court decision. Thanks to a reader for sending this news item to me with the following comments:
This was a bit dicey — but now, this is the end of the line for the Sarawak government’s position; the State AG, if he repeats the position he has been stating all this time, will be in breach of the law as this is now the law of the land. It is truly a great victory for the natives and for customary rights. Congratulations to the Federal Court.
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Guitarist-singer Alfred Ho turns to blogging, opposition politics

Anil Netto
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Just received the following in the mail:
Dear Anil, Allow me to introduce myself. I am a blind individual in my 50s, and a singer, guitarist by profession. Just like yourself and many other right-thinking Malaysians, I am truly fed up of the Barisan government what, with their many unjust policies. Needless to say, their corrupt practices know no bounds, and their divide-and-rule policies are most despicable to say the least. For your information, I have placed numerous comments over Malaysiatoday. By the way, I have enjoyed reading some of your articles both over Malaysiatoday and Malaysiakini respectively. Do keep up with your writings, for who knows, you might just be able to wake up more Malaysians from their slumber. Finally, Anil, I wish to inform you that I have started a blog where I talk about retro music and about my political views. On my blog, you will find newspaper articles about my profession and letters that I have written to numerous government officials for assistance, but who have chosen to ignore my pleas for help. My blog address is as follows alfredhosinger.blogspot.com Please feel free to visit my blog.. .Looking forward to your early reply. Yours sincerely, Alfred Ho
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Penangites fume over PGCC deception at packed forum

Anil Netto
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PGCC forum crowd Angry and disgusted: Strong views from Penangites Before the public forum this morning, organisers in the PGCC Campaign Group, a network of activists representing more than half a dozen Penang-based NGOs, were privately fretting over whether they would get a decent turnout at the seminar rooms of the Dewan Sri Pinang. They needn’t have worried. Close to 300 people showed up to express their concern and disgust over the implications of the proposed Penang Global City Centre, referred to by some as the “Penang Graveyard and Crematorium Complex” due to its proximity to the Batu Gantong crematorium and the Western Road cemetery, not to mention its resemblance to an array of tombstones. Extra chairs had to be brought in, and even these were not enough and some had to stand at the back and at the sides of the hall. These concerned Penangites sacrificed their Sunday morning and spent an hour and a half listening to two panel speakers before taking to the floor to express their own strong views against the PGCC.
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PGCC and the “National Policy on the Environment”

Anil Netto
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A reader has alerted me to a creature known as the National Policy on the Environment. It can be found on the Mida website. Just one question: do you think the PGCC complies with it – especially the bit about “ensuring the highest commitment to environmental protection and accountability by all decision-makers in the public and private sectors, resource users, non-governmental organisations and the general public in formulating, planning and implementing their activities”?
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