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Guan Eng explains wi-fi/Wimax plan – plus another view

Anil Netto
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25

I thought I would give the w-fi issue a rest, but then I received a couple of phone calls from assistants in the office of Penang Chief Minister Guan Eng, followed by an e-mail from his press secretary 🙂

After reading your blog with the posting of “Other concerns about wifi project”, CM have instructed me to send you 2 of his press statement during the launching of Wifi and WiMAX project which issued on 18 Sept and 25 Sept respectively.

So let me share those press statements with you. This one is on w-fi:

PRESS STATEMENT By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng

In Penang On September 18, 2008

PENANG State Government launches Wireless@Penang Which Will Provide STATE-WIDE FREE WIFI BROADBAND Within 2 Years.

GEORGE TOWN – Wireless@PENANG is taking shape and Penang is set to become the first in Malaysia to offer free broadband services on WiFi deployed on a state-wide basis.

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Downpour fails to stop 150 from showing up at vigil

Anil Netto
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6

Aliran president P Ramakrishnan addressing the crowd at the vigil

Music and song lifted the spirits of those present

Regular participant Jennifer with her brother-in-law Dato’ Kam U Tee

Heavy rain last night failed to deter some 150 people from turning up for the Friday candlelight vigil in front of the Dewan Sri Pinang. The downpour, which thankfully cleared up by about 9.10pm, did not dampen the spirits of Penangites who once again turned up to call for the release of all ISA detainees.

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Turning journalists into corporate media propagandists

Anil Netto
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18

Ever wondered what a “professional journalist” needs to do to get promoted or succeed in a mainstream media organisation? (Image courtesy of homepage.mac.com forwarded by Surind. The Asian version is shown below courtesy of bigozine2.com forwarded by Michael.)

Here’s an excerpt of a brillant must-read article about how the corporate media weeds out and sidelines journalists who think independently and differently (i.e. those who don’t subscribe to their corporate values). It’s written by the Nazareth-based freelance journalist Jonathan Cook.

If they are to survive long, writers must quickly learn what the news desk expects of them. Newcomers are given a small amount of leeway to adopt angles that are “not suitable”. But they are also expected to learn quickly why such articles are unsuitable and not to propose similar reports again.

The advantage of this system is that high-profile sackings are a great rarity. Editors hardly ever need to bare their teeth against an established journalist because few make it to senior positions unless they have already learnt how to toe the line.

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Abolish ISA candlelight vigil in Penang tonight

Anil Netto
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9

The Gabungan Mansuhkan ISA (Abolish ISA Movement) is holding another of its weekly candlelight vigils today at 9.00pm in front of Dewan Sri Pinang. Show your support for the call to abolish the ISA.

End of the road for BN’s reforms?

Anil Netto
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8

Was Abdullah’s announcement that he would not be defending the Umno presidency due to the BN’s poor electoral performance? Or did it have more to do with flagging investor sentiment, which sparked a huge outflow of portfolio investments in the second quarter?

That was something I mulled over when writing this article for IPS:

It took exactly seven months after a severe general electoral setback for Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi to announce that he would not be defending the presidency of the dominant party in the ruling coalition in party polls next year.

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RPK in high spirits as new faces show up (updated)

Anil Netto
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14

Blogger Whisperer sizes up the scene on Day Four of the RPK trial:

The crowd was more than usual this morning with many new faces adding to our undying support for RPK. Say or think what you like… there is something special about this crowd. They are there for one common cause and yeah, they are extremely sentimental about it too. That explains the daily atmosphere around the courthouse. And it is this sentiment that moves many to tears everyday. By all means, it certainly has nothing to do with sympathy here. Those who were present should understand what I mean here. All the gestures (big or small) come purely from the heart….

Nurul Izzah made her appearance with her small entourage today. She took time to mingle with us before she left. Over the past four days, we have had Lim Kit Siang, Ronnie Liu (daily basis), Anwar with Wan Azizah, and Teresa Kok gracing this hearing. I don’t remember meeting so many parliamentarian in such a short span in my entire life. Good change, eh?

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Has the Penang govt blundered?

Anil Netto
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27

This whole business of converting leasehold land to freehold appears to have been done without considering the long-term implications.

I know the state government, faced with budgetary constraints, is hoping to raise funds from land conversion. But has it considered the impact on the future price of land in Penang, which could put it beyond the reach of the lower-income group, and the future needs of the state for public land to build vital infrastructure and amenities? There is a good reason for some land to be classified as leasehold in the first place – though leasehold property owners may disagree.

Now, the Queensbay project, for which the land conversion was done under the previous administration and defended by the present administration, is embroiled in controversy. Senior conveyancing lawyer Agatha Foo is quoted in theSun as pointing out a provision in the National Land Code which expressly prohibits the state from disposing “any part of the foreshore or sea-bed for a period exceeding 99 years”. Land commentator Prof Salleh Buang agrees: “The law says it very clearly. It is on record that you cannot make such land freehold.”

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Abdullah, the biggest casualty of the ‘tsunami’

Anil Netto
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27

It’s People Power.

Exactly seven months after the 8 March political tsunami swept the land, Abdullah has announced that he will not be defending his Umno presidency. Consider it a delayed reaction to the stunning setback suffered by the Umno-led ruling coalition in the general election and the further erosion in support evident in the 26 August Permatang Pauh by-election.

Abdullah is the biggest casualty of the ‘tsunami’.

“It’s very disappointing,” said a Penang-based activist. “He was pushed out and he went away like a mouse.”

But before anyone celebrates, mull over this: it leaves the door open for Najib to take over, though he first has to navigate past Razaleigh in the party elections before Abdullah will hand over power. If he does, are we in for another round of repressive rule ala Mahathir?

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Anwar drops by at the RPK trial (updated)

Anil Netto
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26

kkitsam was in court this morning on Day Three of the RPK trial and sends us this report:

I was there this morning. First time to court. Arrived there very early at 7.45am, wearing the uniform “I am with RPK”. The crowd grew bigger by the minute. From my chat with Marina, she said the cards sent to RPK on which were written “No to ISA” would not be passed to him. So from now on, I’m going to avoid that.

Our hero RPK arrived at around 8.30am. The crowd was happy to see him; some even said it’s better for him to be in court rather than in the Kamunting cell. I got to squeeze into the court room, and by 8.40am, the room was full, with many others standing at the back.

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RM3 billion of your EPF money in Bakun Dam

Anil Netto
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16

RM3 billion of your EPF money has been lent for the Bakun Dam project (Photo credit: Raymond Abin/IPS)

One of the interesting things that I discovered when I was doing some research into the Bakun and Murum Dams was that as at December 2007, a total of RM3 billion of EPF money had been lent to the Bakun Dam developer. (The loan is guaranteed by the Federal Government.) The other startling fact is that there are still some affected residents of Bakun who have not yet received compensation after 10 years.

One of the firms likely to benefit from the abundant electricity from the Bakun/Murum Dams is CMS. Now CMS, one of the big corporate players in Sarawak, basically belongs to Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s family: its main shareholders are the chief minister’s daughters Jamilah Hamidah and Hanifah Hajar, son-in-law Syed Ahmad Alwee Alsree, and family concern Majaharta Sdn Bhd, each with a 14 per cent stake. Taib’s wife Lejla has an 11 per cent stake while sons Sulaiman Abdul Rahman and Mahmud Abu Bekir own 9 per cent each.

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