anilnetto.com

Why the crowd restrictions and pondok panas ban?

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4 May 2009

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?

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MCA spin on the ISA

Human rights

Anil Netto

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4 May 2009

15

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 Most people I know want the ISA repealed not “reviewed”.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!

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Speaker writes to Sultan requesting Assembly deferral

Anil Netto

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4 May 2009

12

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.

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Stop work order imposed, but…

Anil Netto

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4 May 2009

12

A crane pierces the hill-slope… while residents below live in fear

These look like Class IV slopes – Photos by Tanjung Bunga residents

Residents of Tanjung Bunga are claiming that the developer of a controversial project is defying a stop work order to cease land development work on three plots which they say are not supported by a geotechnical report.

They have taken photos to show that work is continuing on these plots. From these photos, it appears obvious that work is being carried out on Class IV slopes.

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Zambry now says some bloggers can report on 7 May

Anil Netto

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3 May 2009

35

Zambry has distanced himself from the Perak Information Department’s notice restricting the media coverage of the 7 May State Assembly proceedings to 13 pro-BN mainstream media organisations. Remarkably, he said the restriction was to ensure the comfort of journalists due to the limited space in the Dewan.

In a blog posting at 5.42pm, Zambry now says that “sesetengah media baru (new media) termasuk rakan-rakan blogger” would be allowed in. What does “sesetengah” mean? Who decides?

Walaupun arahan ini bukan datangnya daripada saya ataupun pejabat saya, adalah menjadi tugas saya untuk menjelaskan mengapa cadangan berkenaan dibuat oleh pegawai-pegawai kanan kerajaan negeri.

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Media may apply to Perak Speaker to cover 7 May

Anil Netto

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3 May 2009

13

Perak Speaker V Sivakumar has given the green light to all media to write to him for permission to cover the state assembly proceedings on 7 May. His decision is based on Standing Order 84 of the Perak State Legislative Assembly.

Under the Standing Order, cited on Sivakumar’s blog, the Speaker “may grant a general permission to the representative of any journal to attend the sittings of the Assembly under such rules as he may from time to time make for that purpose. If such rules are contravened, such permission may be revoked.”

The Perak State Information Department had earlier issued a written notice saying only journalists from 13 pro-BN mainstream media organisations would be allowed in.

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817 elected Perak village chiefs to sue over dismissals

Anil Netto

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3 May 2009

18

“Setuju!“: The 817 elected village chiefs in Perak unanimously endorsing a six-point action plan – Photo by Kinta Kid

Zambry’s – and the BN’s problems – are multiplying as the Perak crisis deepens.

All 817 elected village chiefs in Perak have come together to take legal action over their dismissals without notice by the Perak BN and the dissolution of their village JKKK committees, which resulted in the termination of services of over 8,000 committee members. They also plan to lodge police reports against the Perak BN.

These village chiefs had been elected and they received appointment letters from the Pakatan state government to serve from 1 August 2008 to 31 July 2010.

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Freedom of Information Act for Selangor by year-end

Accountability

Anil Netto

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2 May 2009

6

The Selangor state government has taken the lead again. It is hoping to pass a Freedom of Information Act by the end of the year.

“For a country that practises democracy, oppressive laws like
Printing Presses and Publications Act and Official Secrets Act used to keep media in line and prevent ordinary citizens from exercising their full rights to access information, should not be allowed to remain in Malaysia,” said Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim in a statement this evening to mark World Press Freedom Day.

Acknowledging that the powers to abolish such draconian laws lie with the Federal Government, he said the Pakatan government in Selangor has tried its best to promote Freedom of Information (FOI).

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As recession bites, workers demand retrenchment fund

Workers' rights

Anil Netto

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2 May 2009

4

The scorching sun did not deter some 500 people and activists who turned up for the Workers’ Day gathering in Seremban yesterday.

They carried banners and placards, wore headbands and chanted slogans such as “Implement minimum wage now”, We want retrenchment fund” and “Jobs for all”.

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Economist: Deep recession won’t bottom out this year

Anil Netto

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2 May 2009

2

Economist Nouriel Roubini says that an L-shaped near depression may be avoided given the policy measures undertaken by the Obama administration. All the same, in his RGE Monitor, he is now predicting that the current protracted U-shaped recession will not bottom out in the third quarter but will instead continue until next year:

One should recognize that US policy authorities – as well as the authorities of many other countries looked into the abyss of the risk of a near depression – given the free fall in global economic activity in the last two quarters – and decided to start using most of the weapons in their arsenals – bazookas, missiles, rockets, artillery, etc – in a financial policy equivalent of a Powell doctrine of overwhelming force in order to avoid a near depression. This is why now the risks of an L-shaped near depression – like the one that hit Japan after the bursting of its real estate and equity bubble – have been reduced.

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