It’s all happening today: Updates from the Beng Hock Commission of Inquiry and the Sodomy II trial.
Radio Free Sarawak: Who’s behind it
Who is responsible for Taib Mahmud’s worst nightmare? Clare Rewcastle Brown, sister-in-law of Gordon Brown, and Peter John Jaban aka ‘Papa Orang Utan’, the grandson of a Dayak headhunter, are the driving force behind the mysterious Radio Free Sarawak.
Clare, a former BBC investigative journalist, is also the author of the Sarawak Report website.
MPSP stands on firmer footing
The Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) continues to climb to a healthier financial position after wasting lots of money on mainland Penang pre-2008.
Penang: Gender-responsive budgeting
Today, I am attending a workshop on gender responsive budgeting in Penang.
“Gender responsive what?” I hear you ask. Basically it means incorporating the gender perspective – too often overlooked – in every stage of the budget planning process, including measuring the impact or outcome of the actual spending.
Malaysian realities: View from the street
This was the sort of day for me that encapsulated a lot of what it means to be Malaysian today.
Interfaith dialogue, understanding one another
In the afternoon, I dropped by at the St Anne’s Catholic Church in Bukit Mertajam, which was holding a dialogue session with Dr Dzul, the MP for Kuala Selangor and Pas central committee member.
This is Dr Dzul engaging in open and frank dialogue with Fr Henry Rajoo, the parish priest over some of the contentious issues in Malaysia. This was a dialogue and not a debate, the crowd was told. The mood was one of willingness to listen to the other’s point of view, trying to get to know and understand one another.
Amazing Bahraini protesters are back
Astonishing courage. Thousands of determined pro-democracy Bahrainis have reclaimed the symbolic spot in the capital at Pearl roundabout, the same place where security forces had massacred others over the previous two days.
HRW: 86 massacred in Libya
Pro-democracy protesters in Libya too have been killed: 86 over the last few days, according to Human Rights Watch.
Penang’s signature street food dish
As part of the effort to promote Penang street food against the onslaught of fast-food culture and gentrification, I thought a poll to determine once and for all the signature street food dish of Penang would help to whet everyone’s appetite.
But first, nominations, please – for the dish that uniquely captures the essence of authentic Penang street food culture and satisfies the most number of taste buds.
India-Malaysia market pact signed
A Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement was signed yesterday between India and Malaysia.
The agreement, “which was reached after seven rounds of negotiation, will see Indian mangoes, cotton, motorcycles, trucks and basmati rice attract less duty in Malaysia, among other things,” reports PTI. “As a quid pro quo, the South-East nation will face less barriers on the sale of its fruit, engineering goods and chemicals in India.”