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Who’s behind Sime Darby?

Anil Netto
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17

Of late Sime Darby has been very much in the news with its proposed – and then postponed – IJN takeover and now with a proposed new low-cost carrier airport in Negri Sembilan.

While many have questioned the economic feasibility and viability of a new airport so close to the present Kuala Lumpur International Airport, nothing much has been said about the environmental impact of having two large airports so close to each other (not to mention global warming).

So who exactly is behind Sime Darby? According to its 2008 Annual Report, its substantial shareholders are:

  • Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputera – 34%
  • EPF – 14%
  • PNB – 15%
  • Yayasan Pelaburan Bumiputera – 15% (deemed interest)

So basically we are talking about a government-linked corporation and groups managing public money here.

Sime Darby’s Board of Directors (again, according to its 2008 Annual Report) is made up of:

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Who is the real man – Rambo or RPK?

Anil Netto
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13

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Malaysia’s polar opposite non-violent answer to Rambo

Photo by Rakyat@work

The Man With D Video Cam tells us why he thinks we have “the real deal” in our midst:

Rambo is a film character, a man with bulging muscles brandishing a serrated knife and creating havoc among his enemies. In the world of make believe, Rambo has drawn quite a following.

Men who walk around, exhibiting a bulky load of muscles with women clinging to either arm are the real men in this fanciful, make-believe world. Driving fast cars with branded sunglasses, they saunter around as if the world is their playground.

In contrast, what I have is a comfortable car that can still provide me with an uninterrupted journey to my destination and a woman who will stand by me – come what may. This is my world and I love it!

But there are still many things missing in my life. I want to live in the real world, which is more interesting and exciting than any imaginary world, which can be so deceiving.

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If a UN Special Rapporteur can be humiliated…

Anil Netto
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5

If a United Nations Special Rapporteur from the United States can be humiliated this way, what hope do the suffering citizens of Gaza, which now resembles a vast open-air prison camp, have?

This report from The Guardian:

My expulsion from Israel

When I arrived in Israel as a UN representative I knew there might be problems at the airport. And there were

by Richard Falk

On December 14, I arrived at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, Israel to carry out my UN role as special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories.

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PJ vigil spot turns into rakyat’s Speakers’ Corner

Anil Netto
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6

vigilPhoto by Rakyat@work

A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices as Rakyat@work reports from the 11th Abolish ISA vigil in PJ:

Yes, last night was special, last night was different. The united rakyat had a chance to experience and sing O Holy Night together as ONE bangsa. Thanks to a handsome young lad (that would be Sivin Kit!) with a guitar who led the crowd into the season of Christmas. You had to be there to feel it. It was something we hardly experienced before. It was special! Everyone participated either by singing, humming along, or just soaking in the wonderful tune of gratitude and hope.

Ever faithful city councillor Richard Yeoh started the event on time and recited the usual SOP before getting into the event proper. Last night’s event was dedicated to the Sukhree’s passing, and rightly so because of his dedication and commitment to pursuing what is right as a rakyat of Malaysia. We remember him as one of ours and may his soul rejoice with God. A minute’s silence were observed. A friend of Sukhree’s read a poem in remembrance of him and Raja Petra Kamarudin later provided additional information about Sukhree.

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Give details of PFI for Sime Darby/Air Asia airport

Anil Netto
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21

First, Sime Bank tak boleh tahan.

Then, Sime Darby turns down Bakun undersea cables project – cannot make money-lah.

Next, public outcry forces postponement of IJN privatisation.

Now, it’s a new low-cost carrier (LCC) airport in Negri Sembilan.

The government has given the green light for a RM1.6 billion low-cost carrier airport, about 20km away from the KLIA. It will be built by Sime Darby and Air Asia under a private finance initiative (PFI).

The rationale is that the KLIA cannot cope with the expected influx of LCC passengers. (Didn’t Mahathir say, when he tried to justify the KLIA, that it was being built to meet the country’s needs for the next 100 years? What about Subang – is it now fully utilised?)

The government must give us details of what kind of PFI is involved. Will any government or public money be indirectly used for this project?

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What Sime Darby was eyeing in IJN

Anil Netto
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0

The government-owned National Heart Institute (IJN) is in the midst of a RM230 million expansion plan – that would be public money – to buy more equipment and to build a new wing, which would be completed next year.

This from The Edge:

The new wing would give it an additional 192 beds, four new operating theatre complexes, new intensive care units and coronary care units, dialysis centre, health screening centres, cafes and shops, according to the website.

Apparently, the plan was for Sime Darby to ride on IJN’s reputation, painstakingly built by the government and the IJN team over the years, and its “captive market” as a base to draw more patients – locally and from the region (medical tourism) – possibly into a private wing.

From another Edge report:

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Citizen Journalism 101 training in Penang

Anil Netto
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1

citizen-journalism-workshopMalaysiakini and Seacem are jointly organising a certified video journalism course in Penang over four weekends. Scholarships worth RM3,000 are being offered to suitable participants.

Training objectives:

* To empower trainees through experiential training and give them the knowledge, technical skills and networks necessary for them to address issues of importance
* To encourage diversity, tolerance, acceptance, unity and democracy

Details:

* Practical workshops held every fortnight (four weekends) for two months – 10.00am till 6.00pm in the Aliran building.
* Workshops will focus on reporting skills and the production of video news content

Courses:

* Citizen Journalism
* Scriptwriting for Documentaries
* Video Editing
* Video Camera

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Here’s why the Chee Seng residents are worried

Anil Netto
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17

surin

surin2

Photos sent in by a concerned Tanjung Bunga resident

From these two pictures of the Bolton Surin project in Tanjong Bunga, Penang, you can get an idea why the Chee Seng residents (living on the left in the top photo) are worried and want the project stopped.

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IJN privatisation postponed: Umno elite out of touch

Anil Netto
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33

The sudden postponement of the scheme to privatise the National Heart Institute (IJN) suggests that the government under-estimated the depth of public opposition to the move.

The postponement comes just a day after Najib revealed that the green light had been given to Sime Darby to acquire a majority stake.

The Umno elite appear to be out of touch not only with the masses but also with their own BN component parties such as the MCA, which is opposing the privatisation. Or were they just testing the waters (to gauge public reaction), as some of you suggest?

To me, the real heroes are the 33 IJN specialists (out of a total of 35) who stood up to oppose the move. Their stand is all the more commendable as chances are they would have stood to gain in terms of a more lucrative pay package. It is great to know there are public-spirited specialists in Malaysia, for whom money is not everything – something which the corporate predators find hard to understand.

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Mysterious masked man who took a stand for justice

Anil Netto
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12

syukree1

We salute you, Muhamad Syukree Hussain

Photo and tribute by Rakyat@work

I was shocked, then sadness engulfed me, and now I feel a sense of regret for not taking the time to get to know him better. I quickly sent a text message to all my friends; they were equally shocked as well. Why?

You see, when we attended the Abolish ISA vigils from the very beginning, everyone was like part of a new family, the Barisan Rakyat. All of us come in different shapes, colours and sizes.

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