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As MIC wanes, Najib uses direct approach

Anil Netto
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The MIC appears to have slid out of the picture after its poor showing in 2008 as Prime Minister Najib reaches out directly to Indian Malaysians in a series of events.

Giant cut-out of Najib at Batu Caves - Photo courtesy of Mkini

30 Jan – Najib visits Batu Caves on Thaipusam eve. He becomes only the second PM to visit the site after his father. But a giant replica of him at the venue becomes an issue – as did the refusal to allow the Selangor MB to speak at the same venue.

23 April – Najib officiates at the 1Malaysia Vaisakhi Open House at the Indera Mulia Stadium in Ipoh. He announces an allocation of RM4 million to assist in “strengthening cultural aspects, language teaching and repair and maintenance of Sikh houses of worship across the country”. See Berita Harian report here. “You help me…”?

12 June – Najib launches SMC2010, endorsed by the Sri Murugan Centre, and reportedly offers “more scholarships and direct financial aid for Tamil schools under the 10th Malaysian Plan”. See Malaysian Insider report here.

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Man forgives soldier who blinded him

Anil Netto
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If you are finding it difficult to forgive someone, then this tale of reconciliation might be helpful.

Richard Moore has forgiven a British soldier who fired a rubber bullet and blinded him when he was just a child aged 10 in Northern Ireland. Now, they are friends.

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Video excerpts from the Beng Hock inquest

Anil Netto
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Selected highlights from the Teoh Beng Hock inquest featuring DPP Razak sparring with Pornthip. (Notice the lawyer at the bottom left with his hand on his forehead!)

Merdeka! Oppressive laws must go

Anil Netto
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Happy Merdeka, folks! It’s time once more to reflect on the state of our nation and where we are at the moment.

We have much to be thankful for. Despite the best attempts of certain quarters to divide us on the basis of race and religion, Malaysians by and large haven’t fallen for the bait. We have grown into maturity and can now see through such diabolical tactics.

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Malacca tales

Anil Netto
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18

A two-day trip to Malacca proves to be an eye-opener. And a cruise along the Malacca River after dark reveals more than just the gaudy lights of the illuminated river banks.

When I arrived in Malacca last weekend for a two-day stay, residents there told me quite a bit about the city and its questionable spending on various projects. Mostly they centred on and around various modes of transport:

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New roads lead to more traffic

Anil Netto
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17

Here’s a good reason for moving to public transport: we are not going to significantly reduce traffic congestion anytime soon by using improved traffic modelling and management methods.

Traffic congestion, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Traffic snarl in Sao Paulo - Image via Wikipedia

Building new roads is not the solution either. The Wall Street online quotes Martin Wachs, director of RAND Corp’s transportation, space, and technology programme, as saying that new roads lead to more travel (traffic) due to an effect known as ‘triple convergence’: if new roads are built, many drivers who had shifted their trips 1) to off-peak hours, or 2) to different roads, or 3) to public transport, would resume their previous pattern and converge onto the new highway. See Wall Street article here.

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Sukiyaki performed by Alfred Ho

Anil Netto
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2

Alfred Ho entertains us this weekend with the late Kyu Sakamoto’s Sukiyaki.

Food security: Are we doing enough?

Anil Netto
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12

Global food prices are projected to rise in future as a result of changing weather patterns, water scarcity, higher oil prices and increased demand from emerging markets like China and India.

Agricultural and farming research centre in no...
Agricultural research station, Thailand

As if that’s not enough, financial speculators are turning their attention to agricultural commodities and gambling on food products. See the Spiegel article here and the Green World Investor blog here.

We were warned in 2008 of a global food crisis. But have we learned any lessons? Are we doing enough to promote food security and sustainability in Malaysia (other than corporate agriculture)?

While we are obsessed with FDI, are we doing enough to chart out a sustainable – and the key word is sustainable or organic – agriculture blueprint that would meet the needs of our people in the future?

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Careful with those flu jabs on children

Anil Netto
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12

Alarm bells have started ringing after it was found that children under five in Australia who had been given seasonal flu jabs suffered from fits at a rate that was ten times higher than normal.

Doctors have been alerted to use alternatives. Adults were not affected.

Up to one in 100 children given the jab, made in Australia by CSL and marketed in the UK by Pfizer, suffered febrile convulsions in the following hours and days, reports the Daily Telegraph.

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A raw deal for KTMB?

Anil Netto
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7

Did you catch the front page of theSun today? It’s an important story not to be missed – for KTMB needs all the money it can get to upgrade its archaic rail system.

For a glimpse at what visitors think of our railway system, check out a feature in TIME here.

Yesterday, we saw how the Sarawak government would lose hundreds of millions of ringgit if land in Kuching was sold at bargain basement prices. And now this. The big question in this case is – apart from KTMB being deprived of the full value of the land – who is going to be the ‘lucky’ developer?

A 3-car KTM Komuter Class 82 EMU (Union Carria...
Image via Wikipedia

An unfair deal?
Terence Fernandez and Llew-Ann Phang

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 26, 2010): Is Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) getting a raw deal in the development of a piece of railway land in Bangsar?

This is the question on the lips of those concerned with recent developments of the 8ha site behind the former the Unilever headquarters along Jalan Bangsar.

Said to be worth at least RM400 million, the national railway company may be paid only RM50 million for giving up the prime real estate.

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