This is the scene when it pours in Chee Seng Gardens, next to a controversial condo development project, which has exposed the hill-slopes. Elsewhere, the sea off Miami Bay and Moonlight Bay turns a muddy orange.
Photos by Chee Seng Garden residents and Hymeir Kamarudin of Batu Feringghi
The Abolish ISA Movement (UK) held another demonstration outside the Tourism Malaysia office on Saturday, 26 June 2010.
Click on icon on bottom right of frame to toggle to full-screen mode – Photos by Danny Lim
Germany 4, England 1. The English Premier League may be the most popular league in the world with its players paid ludicrous wages, but for all the league’s global mass appeal, the host nation, England, is hard-pressed to deliver a top-class national team.
(Check out the ref’s funny blind spot here.)
The influx of foreign players and coaches and the lack of space in the top clubs for the development of promising English talent have contributed to the stagnation – if not regression – of the England national side.
The much criticised Penang Botanic Garden arches, one of which is tilting, are to come down, the Tourism Minister announced today.
Apparently the decision was made after another survey in USM revealed that 71 per cent of 1,225 respondents surveyed at the Garden wanted the arches removed. I am told Ng Yen Yen also said that in future, all Ministry projects affecting Nature and the environment would require consultation with civil society. I don’t think she mentioned the tilt at all.
The decision comes after weeks of public complaints and disquiet expressed in opinion polls and civil society protests.
The whole saga provides several salutary lessons for us; in fact, the decision to bring down the arches is highly symbolic.
The way I look at it, the tussle in PKR over the leadership of the Selangor state government is essentially between a party which was elected to power to serve the people’s interest and a faction within that party that appears more interested in personal ambition.
Some politicians – and they can be found in all political parties – are in the game for self interest. This type is always on the prowl, on the look out for contracts, positions of power, largesse. Serving the rakyat takes second place. They have gone into politics not primarily to serve the public but to serve their own interests and personal ambitions. These are the types who think political party workers and leaders must be rewarded for their efforts through the award of contracts and appointments to positions of influence or power.
Here’s a defiant statement from cartoonist Zunar yesterday over the banning of his publications. After all, what else can a cartoonist do but draw what he feels for?
At press time, I have yet to receive an official letter from the Home Affairs Ministry on the banning of my books.
Based on the news report in Malaysiakini (24 June 2010), the Home Affairs Ministry was quoted as saying that three of my publication were banned, namely ‘1Funny Malaysia’, ‘Perak Darul Kartun’ and ‘Isu Dalam Kartun (IDK)’.
While most people are focusing on World Cup football and its pampered celebrity players, the stuff of legends was being played out on a Wimbledon tennis court by two virtual unknowns.
The longest tennis match in history provides us with a compelling lesson on commitment to the cause no matter what the odds.
According to the Busted Racquet blog:
Epic doesn’t even begin to cover it.
After 10 hours, 163 games and almost 1,000 points, American John Isner and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut were locked at 59-59 in the fifth set of their historic first-round match at Wimbledon when play was suspended for the second straight day due to darkness.
Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd has started gold mining in Bukit Koman near Raub, raising concern among neighbouring communities about health risks. But who exactly owns RAGM?
This is from the Peninsular Gold Ltd website:
Something we will have to pay close attention to: an Australian firm, Lynas Corporation, is building an ‘Advanced Materials Plant’ in Gebeng, Kuantan to process rare earth concentrate.
Malaysians now are familiar with rare earth and the problem of radioactive waste after what happened in Papan. Lynas, however, argues that its radioactive levels will be safe (see response below).
The firm appears to have engaged public relations firm Fox Communications to handle the Malaysian public.
Lynas had a concentrate plant in China but the firm moved that back to Australia, where it owns large rare earth deposits. If the raw materials are in Mt Weld, why would it choose Kuantan as the site for its ‘advanced’ processing plant?
Let’s look at the reasons given by Lynas for choosing Kuantan: