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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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RPK not landing up in Kamunting on Monday

Anil Netto
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4

In a surprising development, RPK announces that he will not be landing up in Kamunting on Monday. This might mean that he could still be free to campaign in the by-elections in April – a prospect Najib will not relish:

… lo and behold, my lawyers just called to say that my appeal against the three-member Federal Court’s decision to reject my four applications is going to be reviewed by another quorum of judges. I suppose that would mean the Federal Court will not be able to send me back to Kamunting on Monday after all — at least not until after the judicial review, and only if the second quorum of judges upholds the Federal Court’s decision. If the judicial review is of the opinion that the Federal Court had erred, or was indeed biased, then back to the drawing board we go. I will then be able to get a second bite of the cherry.

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Water concessionaires reject S’gor govt’s offer

Anil Netto
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9

With the federal National Water Services Commission (Span) intervening and with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission targeting Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim, is it any surprise then that the private water concessionaires have rejected the Selangor government’s offer for the takeover of water assets?

The interventions of these two federal-level commissions came just before the expiry of the Selangor government’s 20 Feb deadline for the offer to be accepted by the water concessionaires.

Abbas and Splash have now turned down the offer.  Puncak Niaga too. From the point of view of these concessionaires, why accept the Selangor government’s offer when they know that its position has been weakened by the actions of federal bodies – and when they know there could be a more attractive offer elsewhere?

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IPP team leader brandishes gun at talks with Sabah TNB

Anil Netto
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Big money is at stake in negotiations between national electricy corporation TNB and private electricity producers (IPPs).

The stakes can get really high. Check out what happened in Sabah during negotiations between TNB subsidiary Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) and an IPP said to be Sabah-based.

This report from the NST:

Present were 14 people, including TNB officers, representatives from the IPP and the TNB subsidiary, as well as lawyers and an official from the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry.

The discussion was to thrash out a deal for TNB to purchase power from the IPP, which has a 100MW capacity.

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Sarawak timber firms blamed for mass fish deaths

Anil Netto
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Dead fish floating in a river Photos by Brimas

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Fish being sold in a market in Miri

Once again, another wave of mysterious fish deaths in Sarawak – around Bakun, Mukah, Kapit, Marudi and in the Baram River near Miri. The worst hit is reportedly the Balui River around the jinxed Bakun Dam.

In Baram, the affected fish species include ikan baung, ikan burih, ikan tapah and ikan padi as well as various types of prawn. Sarawak NGO Brimas observed that “most of the fish seemed weak, tired and have difficulty breathing. As a result, the fish surfaced for air but after some time suffocated to death. Also, the fish appeared blind.”

Brimas found that the gills of the fishes were not clogged with mud or blocked by silt.  No mud was found within the stomach or intestines of the dead fish, but the insides seemed watery.  The river was described as “brownish, muddy and polluted with silt due to logging, oil palm plantations and industrial development activities.”

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Crucial day

Anil Netto
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24

Today is the crucial last day for the four private water concessionaires to respond to the Selangor government’s Letter of Offer to take over the water assets in the state in its bid to avert a 37 per cent water tariff hike.

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Tenaga goes downhill – and it wants to take over Bakun

Anil Netto
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14

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Tenaga has posted a loss before tax of RM0.8 billion for its first quarter ended 30 November 2008 compared to a profit before tax of RM1.6 billion for the same period in 2007.

The amazing thing is that it made a forex translation loss of RM1.4 billion in the first quarter.  That’s right, RM1.4 billion in one quarter.

And now it wants to take over the jinxed and problem-plagued Bakun Dam from Sarawak Hidro. Good luck, Tenaga – you will need it.

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Span throws spanner into S’gor govt water takeover bid

Anil Netto
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9

Just when you thought the Selangor government was taking a commendably tough position in its negotiations to take over water assets from four private concessionaires ahead of a water tariff hike from April…

Now we hear that the federal National Water Services Commission (Span) is trying to bypass the Selangor government in negotiating directly with the four concessionaires. Why?

The Selangor government had given the concessionaires until 20 February to accept its Letter of Offer. But before that deadline can expire, Span has potong jalan.

Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim said in a statement today:

Instead of supporting the State Government’s initiative to buy back these water concessions in the interest of the rakyat with our fair and reasonable offer, (Span CEO) Dato’ Teo (Yen Hua) appears now to be pandering towards the interest of private concessionaires. We urge that he declares his interest on the matter. If any irregularity is found, we call for his resignation.

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“I am starting a canopy rental business”

Anil Netto
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46

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Canopy rental in Kuala Terengganu: RM6 million

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Scores of police vehicles were on standby during the Kuala Terengganu by-election campaign

Here’s the bill for the deployment of 3,376 police personnel during the Kuala Terengganu by-election (as reported by Bernama with my comments in brackets):

  • Travelling and living allowance – RM2,700,000
  • Foodstuff and accommodation – RM4,500,000
  • Dried food and beverages – RM65,000 (Dried food? Do they mean snacks?)
  • Communication and utilities – RM50,000
  • Canopy rental – RM6,000,000 (Sounds like a good business, no? Some of these canopies even had airconditioning.)
  • Fuel and spare sparts – RM698,000 (Does this include helicopter fuel?)
  • Raw material and others – RM310,000 (Raw materials? Huh? What raw materials?)
  • Maintenance and minor repairs – RM830,000 (Doesn’t sound ‘minor’ to me! Helicopter maintenance included?)
  • Total expenditure incurred by rakyat – RM15,153,000

Blog reader Ganesh from KL is thinking of quitting his job:

This figure is utterly shocking in an environment of economic downturn. Is this how the BN-led government conserves money during an economic downturn? If the police alone can spend RM15 million on such a small election, what was the final bill for all government agencies during the whole by-election?

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