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Penang tunnel, highway projects: CM’s meetings with NGOs

Some hoo-ha in the press about whether the state government really consulted NGOs regarding the highway and tunnel projects in Penang.

Four years since 8 March 2008

Few people remembered the fourth anniversary of 8 March 2012 today. Maybe because everyone is focusing so intently on the coming general election.

TPP: Malaysia needs to maintain tools for capital controls

Lim Mah Hui and Kevin Gallagher warn that the Trans-Pacific Partnership could make it difficult for participating nations to regulate speculative capital flows to protect their economies from financial crises.

Why did AK sell his power assets to 1MDB?

Ananda Krishnan’s sale of his power generation assets at this time raises a number of questions and concerns – more so as the assets are being sold to 1MDB, whose debt is guaranteed by the federal government.

The secret meeting on 11 March 2008

Khalid Samad, the MP for Shah Alam, had a bad throat and was sucking lozenges. He had been barn-storming the ceramah trail, countering criticism from his one-time Pas ally, Hasan Ali, that there was a “parasite” group within the party.

Penang hands over keys for 720 low-cost homes

The Penang state government has handed over the keys for a RM80m low- and medium-cost housing project developed by PDC in Sungai Dua.

Interview with Ambiga

BFM Uncensored interviews Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan on the (dirty) state of Malaysian politics and what she expects in the coming general election.

KL-Singapore high-speed rail link for ‘under RM30bn’?

Reports in the media have suggested that plans for a multi-billion ringgit high-speed rail service from Singapore to KL are being resurrected.

Malaysians struggle as household debt soars

It is not just household debt as a percentage of GDP that we should be concerned about, but household debt compared to disposable income is even more crucial. Take a look at the yellow bar to see where we stand.

Comparison of household debt/GDP and household debt/disposable income. Source: Yong, 2010; Endut and Toh, 2009; Bank Negara, 2010. - Graph: Penang Monthly

First, brain drain … and now, street food drain?

Are hawker maestros in the street food haven of Penang being lured to neighbouring cities and countries? Should we be worried?