A relaxed Speaker Sivakumar safe and sound after a tumultuous day – Photo by Anil Netto
Blow to democracy: Police enter the Perak State Assembly this afternoon
I ran into Sivakumar a couple of hours after he was literally dragged out from the Speaker’s chair in the Perak State Assembly by police and other officers. He looked relaxed after what must have been the most difficult day of his life.
2316: The dragnet widens with 19 arrests since last night.
But two of the 14 at the candlelight vigil for Chin Huat tonight have been released and it appears as if the remaining 12 will be also gradually released tonight after police record their particulars. It doesn’t appear as if their statements are being recorded.
1) Wong Chin Huat in KL last night.
Altantuya birthday cake incident in Putrajaya today
Three activists from Solidariti Anak Muda
2) Sani Md Shah
3) Saufi Mihat
4) Yasir Sheikh Abdul Rahman
Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) aims to put up a candidate for the Penanti by-election in Penang on 31 May. It has already shortlisted a few candidates, believed to be locals.
These were among the issues discussed at a PRM committee meeting this afternoon at its office in Selayang.
The committee is expected to hold another meeting on 22 May, a day before Nomination Day, when it would confirm PRM’s candidacy and candidate for the by-election.
The on-off project to lay undersea cables to transmit electricity from the jinxed RM7 billion Bakun Dam to the peninsula is now on again.
This time we are told the undersea cables will cost RM9 billion and that the cables will transmit electricity to the peninsula as well as Sabah. Brunei is reportedly also interested.
MRCB has been mentioned in a Star news analysis as a leading contender for the land-based transmission network. The same Star report also notes:
Maybank Investment Bank also observed that among the states, Sarawak had the largest allocation under the second fiscal stimulus. Political analysts noted that Sabah and Sarawak had become politically important states.
The rollout of projects in these two states will provide opportunities for home-grown contractors such as Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd, Naim Holdings Bhd and Hock Seng Lee Bhd. They have an advantage in being more familiar with the local landscape and people.
There are many things in life we cannot understand. So many difficult questions, the answers for which me may never discover in our life-time. Why, for instance, is there so much injustice and suffering in this world?
The recession has reached our shores, with the IMF forecasting that the Malaysian economy will shrink by 3.5 per cent this year.
Is it affecting you? Is your job secure or have you been laid off? How are you coping? Have you stopped eating out?
Tense situation?: Drummers thump rhythmically as others jive to the beat during Nomination Day for the Permatang Pauh by-election last year – Photo by Anil Netto
Here’s another ‘bright’ idea: The Election Commission and the police want to restrict the number of supporters who turn up on nomination day to 5,000 (for each party?). This follows their attempt to ban the “pondok panas” (voter assistance booths) set up by political parties outside the polling centres.
In the first place, how do they plan to ensure that the crowd does not exceed 5,000? What if 5,001 people turn up? Are they going to put up turnstiles outside the nomination centre and issue tickets?
MCA Wanita Chief Chew Mei Fun is trying to spin what the public really feels about the ISA. “Everybody is actually looking forward to a review of the ISA,” she says.
Really? Everybody? Most people I know want the ISA repealed not “reviewed”.
Chew seems to be against detention without trial, which is good. So why can’t she come out and demand the outright abolition of the ISA? Okay, she wants the ISA to be renamed Anti-Terrorism Act. But does she think this will stop abuse of power? Remember 2001, when 10 reformasi activists were detained for suspected terror activities – only to be released much later? Remember the Hindraf Five? Remember all those languishing in Kamunting?
Out with this obnoxious law!
[poll id=”36″]
Perak Speaker V Sivakumar has written to the Perak Sultan to request a postponement of the State Assembly proceedings scheduled for 7 May.
The letter was sent to the Istana Kinta office at 11.00am.