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The shrine that Ting Pek Khiing built

Anil Netto
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19

Ting Pek Khiing built a shrine at the Bakun Dam site after its cofferdam collapsed more than 20 times, a business weekly has revealed.

Photo credit: Abdul Ghani Ismail/The Edge

The Ekran boss brought in a priest from Taiwan to conduct prayers, and six animals were slaughtered, the Edge weekly said in its latest edition: “It is believed that the shrine and prayers helped in getting the coffer dam done.” (A cofferdam is a temporary water-tight enclosure within a body of water that is pumped dry in order to create a dry work environment for the construction of the dam proper.)

Perhaps there were a lot of restless spirits hovering around who had to be appeased? Remember the Bakun Dam affects native ancestral burial sites, apart from destroying the forests and uprooting more than 10,000 people – which might explain why the dam appeared to be jinxed from the start.

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M’sia has “largest illicit cigarette incidence”

Anil Netto
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1

In 2009, as much as one out of three packets consumed in Malaysia was illicit, a cigarette firm has revealed.

The firm, JT International, cited the Global Tobacco Report by Goldman Sachs Research, which estimated that “the Malaysian market boasted the largest illicit cigarette incidence in the world in 2009”.

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Becoming global-caring people

Anil Netto
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3

We continue our thought-provoking discussion on the deeper meaning behind the issues at stake.

This time John Hilley, from that “piece of land called Scotland”, responds to tunglang’s views on work passion and creativity (see preceding post) and challenges some of the prevailing assumptions about nationalism, development, and global competition.

Dear tunglang

Thanks for that heartfelt statement on the higher moral value we might place on the work we do, or strive to do.

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A lack of work passion and creativity?

Anil Netto
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Are we a nation that lacks creativity and risk-taking?

Blog reader tunglang shares his thoughts with us:

Have you heard about work passion?

It has nothing to do with your  paycheck amount or job prestige or social status. It has more to do with your own inner calling, your love for the work you enjoy doing that makes Monday not that dreaded day of the week.

It is what some of us don’t care to listen carefully to in the busy, rat race to achieve or to meet social acceptance, regardless whether we are happy with our work or not.

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-08-15

Anil Netto
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0

Poll: Do you support capital punishment?

Anil Netto
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16

Of late, we have heard a lot of talk in the news about the death penalty. Some of our politicians talk as if the death penalty has widespread acceptance.

So I am curious to know to what extent ordinary people really support capital punishment. 

Personally I am against the death penalty for a number of reasons.

Globally, more and more countries are doing away with capital punishment.  According to Amnesty International, more than two-thirds of the countries in the world have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice:

  • Abolitionist for all crimes: 95
  • Abolitionist for ordinary crimes only: 9
  • Abolitionist in practice: 35

Total abolitionist in law or practice: 139
Retentionist: 58

Now, let’s see how many of you support or oppose the death penalty.

[poll id=”57″]

Wanted: Far-reaching reforms

Anil Netto
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28

I notice press reports mentioning the DAP’s three promises should Pakatan take over Putrajaya:

  • RM1,000 annually for senior citizens
  • Free nationwide wifi
  • Abolition of the postal summons (saman ekor)

Shouldn’t a progressive electoral platform highlight the following:

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Capital outflow from Malaysia – where to?

Anil Netto
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21

Much has been said about the capital outflows from Malaysia. But where exactly are Malaysian firms investing in?

The top 10 destinations outside the country for Malaysian investments in 2009 were:

  1. Singapore – RM5.8 billion
  2. Hong Kong – RM4.3b
  3. Mauritius – RM3.4b
  4. Indonesia – RM2.2b
  5. The Netherlands – RM1.9b
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Malaysia not very ‘happy’; many ‘struggling’

Anil Netto
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40

A Gallup global survey reveals that Malaysia is way down in the list of ‘happy countries’.

Respondents were asked how they felt the previous day and had to rate “whether they felt well-rested, respected, free of pain and intellectually engaged”.

Denmark is the ‘happiest’ country in the world, according to the Gallup survey results published in Forbes.

The ranking among Southeast Asian nations is as follows:

79 – Thailand
81 – Singapore
85 – Indonesia
91 – Burma (and Bangladesh)
94 – Malaysia and Philippines
96 – Vietnam
130 – Laos
148 – Cambodia

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A ‘spy camera’ that beeps?

Anil Netto
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25

I see a ‘spy camera’ has been found in Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim’s office.

Oh my, there’s never a dull moment in Malaysia.

This is a so-called ‘spy camera’ – actually a video camera placed among the curtains – that beeps when the battery level is low. (That’s how the camera was found.)

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