An unusual Christmas homily for our time
(The singer above is Majida El Roumi Baradhy, a Lebanese soprano and UN Goodwill Ambassador.)
A good friend of mine shared with me his Christmas homily. I thought it was too good to keep to myself; so I am sharing it with you – though he prefers to remain anonymous. The homily touches on how the “religious observance” vs commercialisation of Christmas contestation has masked the radical message of Christianity against the “domination systems” of our world.
Dr Lim Mah Hui’s resignation speech to Penang Island City Council
Dr Lim Mah Hui has stepped down as MBPP councillor representing the civil society coalition Penang Forum after serving six years. Penang Forum has nominated another individual to represent civil society in Penang for the coming year. This is Mah Hui’s resignation speech:
Ill-conceived proposal for Penang Hill cable cars over eco-sensitive areas
Penang Forum notes: “A special review panel was appointed by the state government to study the Special Area Plan (for the Botanic Garden). The cable car proposal was put in at the last stage and NOT presented to the public. The state review panel itself strongly objected to the cable car for various reasons of environment, usage and traffic.”
So whose idea was the cable cars and how was it quietly put in over the objections of the state review panel? This kind of reminds me of the way the tunnel and three highways were inserted into the Penang transport masterplan prepared by Halcrow.
This is the full Penang Forum statement:
It is with great concern and trepidation that Penang Forum wishes to issue a statement about the proposed cable car link announced in the press today.
Penang land reclamation: ‘The incompetent leading the unwilling to do the unnecessary’
Our guest writer today is Eric Britton, who discusses the land reclamation in southern Penang island, which is linked to the over-the-top SRS proposal for the Penang transport masterplan.
Step 1: Dump the land reclamation plan which has no good reason for existing. It is a rapacious, wrong-minded insult to the people of Penang, to the environment, nature, culture, wellbeing and way of life. You are being held hostage by your government for no good reason. And certainly, not that of needing more money to finance a ridiculous “transport master plan” that cannot stand independent international inspection.
Fisherfolk slam massive land reclamation plan at EIA public consultation
A large crowd has packed a hotel convention room in Teluk Kumbar for a public consultation on the environmental impact assessment study of the massive land reclamation plan off the coast of southern Penang Island.
Penang transport masterplan: A scandal in the making?
This is another piece by Roger Teoh that is worth reading. He expresses more or less the same concerns that Penang Forum has been articulating, but this time from a rigorous academic background in transport studies.
So why are the project delivery partner and the Penang state government pushing for this kind of regressive transport infrastructure proposals?
Debunking the Penang transport masterplan ‘spin’
This is an article by Roger Teoh, who debunks the rationale for building more highways in Penang:
Three tell-tale signs that Malay support for Umno could be ebbing
If we were to study the images of Umno Baru president Najib Razak and Pas president Hadi Awang together at the rally for the Rohingyas, we may discern signs of a budding alliance between their two parties.
Sia Boey: Battleground for two competing visions of Penang
Update: Now, there is talk that there is a plan for a much smaller station at Sia Boey. This could be located at the car park so the archaeological findings and the canal are not disturbed. But then this would make it difficult for the planned monorail from Tanjung Bungah (under Phase 2 of the SRS proposal) to come by. So, who knows, that monorail line could be scrapped. All the same, the people of Penang are being sold the idea that a ‘Big Bang’ approach that requires massive land reclamation is needed – which is not the only option available to us. We shall see how things pan out.
Three months after the responsibility for Sia Boey was transferred from the Penang Development Corporation to George Town World Heritage Inc, this is the derelict state of the site.
Flashback: KL Eco City – SP Setia’s deal with Umno foundation raises questions
This is something I wrote on 7 August 2011, for your information:
Cadangan S P Setia untuk mengambil-alih 40 peratus baki saham dalam KL Eco City dari Yayasan Gerakbakti Kebangsaaan (YGK) dengan nilai RM75 juta telah menimbulkan beberapa soalan.
Welcome back, Maria Chin; now everyone can be an activist!
Brilliant news about Maria Chin’s release. Take a bow all you Malaysians who campaigned hard for her release. The above award-winning song of light overcoming darkness is dedicated to all those who persisted with the campaign.
Police restore calm after hecklers try to disrupt Esplanade vigil for Maria, Zunar
About 15 hecklers created a ruckus to try and disrupt a vigil by about 200 people for Maria – and Zunar, who is being released – at the Penang Esplanade this evening.
Zunar brought to court this morning
Political cartoonist Zunar has been brought to court in Penang for a remand application hearing.
A day after his exhibition is disrupted, Zunar is arrested
Imagine that. His cartoon exhibition was disrupted by a pro-Umno mob yesterday but it was Zunar who was arrested this evening for investigations for sedition and under Section 504 of the Penal Code (for insult or whatever) after reports were lodged against him.
Save Pulau Jerejak
This piece was written by Rexy Prakash Chacko, an avid hiker and nature-lover, who is also part of Penang Forum. More Penangites must speak up to save Pulau Jerejak.
Like many other Penangites, I was flabbergasted when reports started surfacing in mid October about development plans for Pulau Jerejak.
Is the Penang transport masterplan a violation of social equity?
This piece is by Roger Teoh, a postgraduate student studying for a PhD at the Centre for Transport Studies, Imperial College London:
The link between transport policy and social equity is often an important issue left undiscussed in the developing world. This article attempts to provide a fresh perspective, analysing the element of social equity in the proposed Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).Unruly mob disrupts Zunar’s exhibition in Penang
What’s going on in our country when even the authorities seem helpless to contain the lawlessness perpetrated by another pro-Umno mob?
URGENT: Go through draft revised Penang Structure Plan with a fine-tooth comb
Hello everyone, the draft revised Penang Structure Plan 2020 is available for public viewing from December for two months.
Reject Hadi’s bill
MP for Kelana Jaya Wong Chen has alerted Malaysians that the amendments to Hadi’s bill have been delivered to MPs.
According to Wong Chen, “He (Hadi) has finally abandoned his hudud punishment agenda and he will now pursue instead a maximum of 30 years jail sentence, RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes.”