Jerit campaign cyclist Ruben s/o Loganathan was freed on police bail at 7.50pm yesterday.
The Jerit cycling team from the north are now on the way to Penang. Tomorrow, they are due to hand over a memorandum to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at 12.30pm in the Komtar foyer in front of Maybank.
Just received word that one of the 45 Jerit cyclists on the way from Alor Star to KL via Penang has been arrested in the small village of Merbau Pulas near Kulim this evening.
According to Sungai Siput MP Jeyakumar Devaraj, Ruben was detained for distributing leaflets which did not indicate the Jerit office address. Leaflets are supposed to bear the publisher’s name and address. The Jerit leaflets only displayed the Jerit website address, the Jerit email, and the Jerit office phone number.
But the Jerit website shows the Jerit office address.
Political economist Andrew Aeria has sent in this comment, which I think reveals how out of touch Najib is with the hard reality facing low-income families in the country:
First, petrol price increase. He said: Change your lifestyle.
Then, crime: Change your perception.
Now, laundry drying: Change your habit by buying a dryer or dry your laundry downstairs.
This guy has no inkling of the life of ordinary people. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he has never known privation or hunger. So, when he talks, his ideas and suggestions are all in tune with his privileged world-view of his own creature comforts. Does he think everyone living in a high-rise can afford a laundry dryer?
Blog reader Sam Gopal has this to say:
Anil,
You have been advocating strongly for a STRONG and WORLD CLASS public transport system. At this very time you are asking the Government to lower petrol prices. Lowering petrol prices will only make the public go back to using their cars even more. I think the push is for the Government to maintain a levy of petrol and then use this MONEY effectively to IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION system. Lets not jump into the bandwagon and simply oppose for the sake of opposing.On the other hand LGE is making ludicrous demands of giving RM6,000 per family using PETRONAS money. Seriously, why can’t he talk about using this money to improve public infrastructure? The very thing China is doing, pumping in USD600 BILLION plus to improve infrastructure, and not handing out money to its citizens just like that, where ther is NO Return On Investment, except paying for more imports with this sort of money handed out.
To clarify, I am not advocating a total peg to the market price. So while a price of around RM1.50/litre might be the real market price price based on the current global market price for crude and the historical trend (as Penang CM Lim Guan Eng has suggested), it might not be prudent to use that price. A price reduction, yes (to provide immediate relief for people affected by the slowing economy), but not a total free float.
I believe in the long run, we need to tax fossil fuels, which are a polluting, non-renewable resource. This could take the form of a small levy to invest in renewable energy (solar, for instance), public transport and other conservation projects. Such a levy should accompany immediate significant improvements in public transport – but so far, all the past promises of improved public transport have not materialised. This levy must go into a special “green fund”, which must be carefully and transparently managed.
Only problem is I don’t think it’s possible to have such a transparently managed fund under this administration; if the fund is not managed properly, the money could so easily be squandered in dishing out inflated contracts to cronies, as we all know. It is risky to talk about pumping in billions into infrastructure when we know there are many “leakages” along the way. Public spending should be for the widest possible public benefit and not just to profit some big-time crony contractors.
The Power of Prayer: The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Pulau Tikus, Penang earlier tonight while an Abolish ISA Mass was being held.
A crowd of a hundred attending the Wednesday night Abolish ISA Mass was urged by parish priest Fr Marshall Fernandez to pray for law enforcers as well as the ISA detainees. He stressed it was important for the police to clean up their act and wipe out any corruption in the force.
Let’s update the chart which Ong Eu Soon prepared:
| Petrol price | Global crude | |
| RM/litre | US$/barrel | |
| 01/10/00 | 1.20 | 35 |
| 20/10/01 | 1.30 | 20 |
| 01/05/02 | 1.32 | 26 |
| 31/10/02 | 1.33 | 28 |
| 01/03/03 | 1.35 | 31 |
| 01/05/04 | 1.37 | 38 |
| 01/10/04 | 1.42 | 47 |
| 05/05/05 | 1.52 | 48 |
| 30/07/05 | 1.62 | 57 |
| 26/02/06 | 1.92 | 63 |
| 05/06/08 | 2.70 | 120 |
| 17/11/08 | 2.00 | 55 |
| 2/12/08 | 1.90 | 48 |
I think I spoke too soon. This was what I wrote in my blog posting yesterday:
Anyway, contrast this with how Zaid Ibrahim’s presence at Pakatan events has been greeted by the folks in Umno.
And now they go and sack him.
Umno’s failure to implement meaningful reforms is complete. Well, you might ask, what about the reforms in the pipeline by March 2009?
I fell off my chair laughing when I read a source quoted on the front page of theSun commenting on the proposed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which is supposed to be more independent than the Anti-Corruption Agency:
“This means, the commissioner (the director-general of the agency) will enjoy unprecedented independence as enjoyed by the A-G, the auditor general and judges,” said a source.
Well, we all know how independent they are, right?
If we are lucky, the MACC might even be as ‘independent’ as Suhakam! 🙂
Three possible reasons why someone invited Guan Eng to Gerakan’s Wawasan University for the inauguration of Chong Eu as its first chancellor:
Wish I was there to watch all those awkward looks.
Anyway, contrast this with how Zaid Ibrahim’s presence at Pakatan events has been greeted by the folks in Umno.
This report from The Star:
Guan Eng in ‘enemy territory’
GEORGE TOWN: After severely criticising his predecessor Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Gerakan leaders for the last eight months, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng found himself in “enemy territory” yesterday.
He made an unscheduled appearance at the inauguration ceremony of Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu as Wawasan Open University’s (WOU) first chancellor at the university’s campus. His attendance drew surprised stares from guests and newsmen present.
First, when the price of petrol was hiked, they told us to “change our life-styles”.
Now, when the crime rate appears to be high, they are telling us to “change our perception” of crime…
… and all will be well.
Najib was saying that our perception of worrying crime rates should be viewed in perspective: apparently Malaysia has lower crime rates than Japan and Hong Kong.
Maybe it was just my perception that my apartment was broken into last year and my personal belongings stolen.
So the Penang government will consult Unesco to come up with a solution to the scandal of the four proposed high-rise buildings in the George Town world heritage core and buffer zones. In the meantime, the developers concerned have been advised to halt their projects temporarily to placate the public and to avoid risking the world heritage status.
Are they trying to persuade Unesco to agree to those four high-rise buildings? It’s not a question of whether Unesco agrees or disagrees. It’s really a question of whether we value our own priceless heritage, which is unique in this region. Look at how other historical cities in Europe have strict guidelines as to what kind of buildings are allowed and what aren’t in their own heritage areas – even without a world heritage listing. Over here, guidelines are just for show (or to secure world heritage status); nobody cares about enforcing them… as long as quick (short-sighted) profits can be made.
Why is the state bending over backwards to please these developers? You tell me. Oh yes, that familiar line again; repeat after me, all together now, “They will claim compensation from the state if we don’t allow them.” That’s pathetic. Let them try and do that, and we shall see if the people of Penang will be amused.
An irate Penang resident and blog reader, Andrew, sends this comment:
Why does this DAP-PKR govt have to consult Unesco for a win-win solution? The only win-win should be for the people of Penang and for heritage conservation.