I do wish the Penang state government leaders would declare their assets as a fine example of accountability and transparency for the federal government and other state governments to emulate.
This is yet another reminder.
Another blow for Big Pharma
The diabetes drug Avandia, which generated US$1.2 billion for GlaxoSmithKline last year, has been banned in Europe and restricted in the US.
It is yet another blow for Big Pharma. AFP reports that in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has severely restricted the drug after data suggested “an elevated risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, in patients treated”.
Concern has been mounting over the drug’s active substance rosiglitazone. Sales of Glaxo’s other diabetes drugs Avandamet and Avaglim, which contain the substance, have also been halted in Europe.
GM mosquitoes plan squashed for now
The plan to introduce GM mosquitoes in Malaysia will not be implemented “at the moment”.
“Seemingly it is quite an interesting (solution) to deal with such a problem but I think… not until and unless every aspect of research being carried out is clinically tested and… environmental issues have been addressed,” AFP reported Muhyiddin as saying.
That is of course welcome news; good sense has prevailed. Now can we look into eliminating the breeding sites of the aedes mosquito? It was shocking to hear that a spot check for dengue breeding grounds by the authorities found the Penang Hospital compound teeming with aedes mosquitoes and larvae, as reported in theSun.
Your mission: Do the impossible
Are progressive reforms – real change – and social justice possible in Malaysia? Who says ‘No’? Your mission: Achieve the impossible.
That’s Korean acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Sungha Jung.
Khairy says min wage “a moral obligation”
Along with Nazri’s straight talking to Utusan comes another pleasant surprise: Khairy Jamaluddin has called on the government to implement a minimum wage.
- Image via Wikipedia
In an opinion piece in The Edge (20 September), the Umno Youth leader said a minimum wage has become a moral obligation that the government must fulfil immediately.
Khairy rightly pointed out that a third of the workers in the country earn less than RM700 a month – which is below the poverty line. And the average annual increase in wages was only 2.6 per cent over the last decade – below the global average of 3.2 per cent.
Nazri takes on Utusan and Awang Selamat
Nazri’s criticism of Umno-owned Utusan over its support for Perkasa reflects growing unease – even within Umno circles – of the paper’s leanings and a growing realisation that the right-wing group is going to cost BN plenty of votes.
Nazri has asked Utusan if its wants Mahathir to replace Najib. His outburst can be found here.
He has also taken on the Utusan columnist who goes by the pseudonym Awang Selamat and challenged him to reveal his identity: “I hope he can be a man like me and prove that he is not scared of criticism by coming out in the open and not hiding behind the pseudonym that he uses.”
Live – Interpreter used Google Translate
The inquest into Teoh Beng Hock’s sudden death resumes at 9.30am. The investigating officer is expected to take the stand. The ‘suicide note’ may make an appearance as well.
Number of VIPs per capita
Someone should carry out a global survey to rank countries by the number of ‘VIPs’ per capita. This is one survey we might rank right up there along with the most status-conscious countries.
In Malaysia, apart from all those with official honorifics (and there are quite a few of them), there are those wannabe VIPs who are actually willing to pay good money to acquire instant ‘titles’.
Why is it that many Malaysians crave for titles? Perhaps they think an honorific would draw fawning attention at various public events, denote status, and offer privileges (like at airports, whether local or foreign).
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-09-19
- London's new buses using hybrid electric technology http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11336395 #
- Read this: http://www.news.com.au/technology/brain-surgeon-dr-charlie-teo-warns-against-mobiles-home-appliances/story-e6frfro0-1225791947213 #
- Mega project 'a gift from god'? I wonder which 'god' though! http://bit.ly/cNJocy #
School still without a principal?
From what I hear, the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Putra Secondary School in Johor has been without a principal on duty for over a month.
School principal Siti Inshah Mansor has been away since 16 August after she was alleged to have uttered racist remarks to pupils.