The prolonged laughter over kangkung may be a sign of something deeper. Just as the Bersih yellow was the symbol of dissent over the unfairness of the present electoral system, the humble kangkung has become a symbol of the economic difficulties facing ordinary Malaysians.
“This kangkung obsession is fast becoming a laughing stalk,” tweeted comedian Kuah Jenhan. “Lettuce get to the root of the problem. We have mushroom for improvement.” That was the conclusion of a BBC commentary on Najib’s kangkung speech, which has been trending on social media.
Cycling as a commute requires a bold move that is connected to something bigger. Not a half-baked patched-up idea in piecemeal dressed up with lots of PR, writes blog visitor Islandjoe.
A couple of readers have left pointed comments about the bicycle share scheme that is being mooted in Penang.
Najib’s by now famous kangkung speech is the latest sign that the burden on the rakyat of rising food prices cannot be ignored by political leaders any longer.
This photo, a scene from Burma Road sent in by blog visitor Kevin, seems to show the little regard for traffic rules and MPPP regulations in Penang – and no doubt elsewhere in the country as well where similar rules are being ignored.
I am reproducing below a message from Ken Khor of Metro Bikes, calling on the Penang state government to prioritise public safety infrastructure for cyclists first before it moves on to the next stage.
A patient at the KL General Hospital (HKL) shares his experience:
I am a patient of our Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) and visit two specialist clinics regularly. It used to be four. I was warded in two different wards for biopsies and can attest that our hospitals are terribly overcrowded and rundown. The HKL is an old hospital, and I was born in the maternity section. Guess I will probably die there too.
Activist S H Tan reports:
I have received an alert from a resident in Bayan Bay near Queensbay Mall concerning a proposed new development next to their Gold Coast condomimium. The proposed development consists of four tower blocks with a total of 1900 Soho (small office, home office) units.
Hopefully, the Penang state government will put in place a large public park and other free recreational spaces, vegetable farms and fruit orchards for food security, and planned sustainable transport infrastructure, including bicycle lanes and top quality pedestrian networks in Batu Kawan.