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Blogger Jed Yoong investigated for sedition

Anil Netto
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First it was bloggers Raja Petra and Sheih Kickdefella investigated for sedition.

Now it’s the turn of Jed Yoong, who was hauled up and questioned. Four police personnel also arrived at her house and confiscated her laptop, its power cable, a desktop CPU, a router and a modem, according to Jed in her blog. She was told she was being investigated for sedition.

Jed argued that her blog was not particularly influential, compared to the mainstream media. “I strongly feel it is ludicrous and absurd to say that I can even influence anyone what more incite racial hatred or any sort of hatred towards anyone,” she wrote in her blog. “If anyone is hateful, they will be so without reading my blog.’

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S’gor MB probes Saudi apartments purchase in 2007

Anil Netto
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Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim has hit back with queries over the purchase of a dozen apartments in Saudi Arabia in 2007 by a wholly owned Selangor government subsidiary, Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad (PNSB).

These must be some apartments: they cost about RM2 million each.

In a press release issued by his office tonight, he put the spotlight on a puzzling set of transactions. This is an excerpt from the press statement:

According to the PNSB Directors Circular Resolution dated 14 September 2007, PNSB had approved for the purchase of five units of properties amounting to RM8,352,427.66.

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Govt approves 45 private hospitals, undermines GHs

Anil Netto
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Just when you thought the BN federal government would put a cap on the number of private hospitals, it does the reverse. It approves licences for 45 new private hospitals.

Mind you, this will worsen the brain drain from general hospitals and lengthen their waiting lists. The irony is that these licences have been approved at the onset of an economic recession, when thousands of Malaysians will think twice about being treated at private hospitals – simply because they can no longer afford them – and instead turn to general hospitals.

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Malaysia’s foreign reserves fall by US$34 billion

Anil Netto
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Malaysia’s foreign reserves plunge (US$ billion) Source: Bank Negara

Over the last eight months, the country’s foreign reserves have dropped by US$34 billion. They have dipped from a high of US$125.8 billion on 30 June 2008 to US$91.6 billion as at 13 February 2009.

Total gross international reserves:

2008

31 Mar               US$120.3 billion

30 June              US$125.8 billion

30 Sept              US$109.7 billion

31 Dec                US$91.3 billion

2009

13 Feb                US$91.6 billion

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Sarawak: “Don’t be fooled by crowd numbers, Anwar”

Anil Netto
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A by-election will soon be called in Sarawak after the death of the BN state assembly member for Batang Ai, Dublin Unting. In the 2006 state elections, Unting defeated a Snap candidate, Nicholas Bawin Anggat, who has since joined PKR, by an 806-vote majority.

PKR must have received a boost from the reported 4,000 crowd that turned up in Bintulu to listen to Anwar. While the crowd size may have appeared encouraging to many, a former resident of Bintulu cautions Pakatan and Anwar not to get too carried away. They still have much work to do:

I read the report that Anwar Ibrahim drew a large crowd in Bintulu. That is good. But please realise that a large turnout does not mean support for Anwar in Sarawak’s case.

All the same, I believe  many in Bintulu are not happy with the government as they have (one of) the highest assessment rates in Malaysia. I was posted there for four years (1997 – 2000).

Many people would come to town if there is an event, and so when Anwar was coming, they all came down in droves using kereta sapu. Even if there is a circus clown coming, the crowd would be the same.

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Images from the Federal Court today

Anil Netto
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rpkhearingThe Federal Court reserves judgment on RPK’s application to have Justice Augustine Paul recused from hearing the government’s appeal against RPK’s release from ISA detention – Photos by Rakyat@work

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Perak women express solidarity with Elizabeth Wong

Anil Netto
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Over the weekend, various groups have been expressing support for Elizabeth Wong after her painful ordeal. This is one such message from the Perak Women for Women group:

To our dearest sister and friend, Elizabeth

Our reason for writing is for several reasons.

First and foremost to say thank you. Thank you for being YOU. Thank you for having the courage to follow your purpose. Thank you for making us proud of our gifts of womanhood. We all know about the painful ordeal you are going through. We deeply feel the pain and agony you are feeling. The fact that you’ve been through all that and have not let it get in your way is such an inspiration to all of us! Bravo to you!

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Review judgment reserved; RPK remains free

Anil Netto
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Updates from Rakyat@work at the Federal Court:

1118: Judgment of the review of RPK’s applications has been reserved and will be delivered at a future date. RPK is  free – for now.

1052: The first step is won; the court has agreed to hear the review of RPK’s applications. At the moment, the court is hearing the appeal to have Augustine Paul recused.

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The man who gave Indonesia its name rests in Penang

Anil Netto
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Here’s something that could be a drawcard for visitors to Penang. Few Malaysians are aware that the man who gave Indonesia its name lies buried in Malaysia – in Penang to be specific.

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James Richardson Logan, the man who coined the name ‘Indonesia’ in the 19th century, lies buried in the Protestant cemetery in Penang – Photos by Anil Netto

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The Logan Memorial

I did not realise it myself until Indonesia’s blogger of the year 2007, Andreas Harsono, alerted me to it.

Logan was born in Berwickshire, Scotland, in 1819 and studied law in Edinburgh. Arriving in Malaya when he was just 20, he was later viewed by segments of the non-European local communities as a champion of their rights. He was editor of the Penang Gazette and the 27-volume Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia, which were also called Logan’s Journals. The Logan Memorial (pic above) describes him as “an erudite and skillful lawyer, an eminent scientific ethnologist and he has founded a literature for these settlements…” He died of malaria in 1869 – a passing the Memorial describes as a “public calamity”.

The following is an excerpt from The Idea of Indonesia, Cambridge University Press 9780521876483 – The Idea of Indonesia – A History – by R. E. Elson:

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Building bridges to create a socially just economy

Anil Netto
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4

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Harnessing collective energy: Drummers rock the auditorium during the USM Kungfu Club’s annual performance yesterday

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Global economy in free fall Source: IMF.org

The global economy is in terrible shape and it is obvious that our export-oriented economy will not be spared a mauling.

As Malaysians, we should be rallying together and cooperating to protect the local economy while all around us the system of global capitalism, neoliberalism and financial liberalisation is brought to its knees.

We need to find new ways of building a more sustainable, resilient and socially just domestic economy, which also protects the environment and respects indigenous cultures and livelihoods.

But the official criteria used to determine whether a listed company is ‘bumiputera controlled’ will make it difficult for meaningful business cooperation and partnerships to emerge. According to the Foreign Investment Committee’s 27 Feb 2007 guidelines, to be regarded as bumiputera-controlled, a listed company has to satisfy all the following criteria:

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