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RM3 billion of your EPF money in Bakun Dam

Anil Netto
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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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Other concerns about the wi-fi project

Anil Netto
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Just Wi-fi sent in this comment, outlining concerns about the free wi-fi project in Penang – this time largely unrelated to health risks – which give us some food for thought:

I work as an engineer with a tech company; installing wi-fi networks is part of my job. To be honest, most of us do discuss how the devices are affecting us. Some of us feel dizziness and some us experience headaches, especially in areas near signal-boosted wi-fi antennas (amplifiers). But again, these powerful devices are to transmit data within building to building and should be ‘away’ from offices, residential areas.

What concerns me is that the installation plan and study have been carried out. There are many challenges for this project.

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Bangsa Malaysia observing RPK trial

Anil Netto
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Rakyat@Work shares with us his experience at the RPK trial today. It was the people who were there who caught his attention:

Day Two: arrived at about noon; court hearing began at 12.30pm till 1.30pm; already drizzling then. Met two interesting true supporters.

A man told me he left home very early to ensure he gets a seat for he is committed to follow through the entire case.

Very early means reaching the court house before 8am? I simply asked him about the jam.

He replied, not really a problem ‘cos he came by bus.

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Altantuya’s father wants justice for RPK

Anil Netto
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Susan Loone’s blog carries a message that was emailed to her by Altantuya’s father, Shariibuu Setev.

Prosecution’s bid to transfer case is “baffling”: Anwar

Anil Netto
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Anwar in court this afternoon

Anwar recalls that PM Abdullah said in no uncertain terms that Attorney General Ghani Patail should not be involved in any way in the case, but “we have seen letters to show that Ghani Patail is involved”.

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Meanwhile, at the RPK trial…

Anil Netto
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Two of the most well-known critics in the land, Anwar and RPK, are involved in legal proceedings today, both facing different charges.

Blog reader Stephen gives us a taste of what it was like in court on Day Two of the RPK sedition trial:

I went to the PJ Sessions Court this morning at 8.15am. It was full house. I went back to work and came back at 1.30pm. The court had a short break for 15 minutes at about 1.30pm, but no one came out to give up their seats.

We had to be seated in “transit” outside the court’s front office . As one visitor left, another went in. I went in from 2.15 to 2.26pm when one guy left to answer his phone and he let me ‘borrow’  his ‘seat’. Better than the Mama Mia! blockbuster showing in cinemas in PJ now.

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Judge Komathy dismisses preliminary objection

Anil Netto
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I see Malaysian Insider has since removed that bit where it reported that Sessions Court judge Komathy has ruled against the prosecution’s application to transfer Anwar’s sodomy case to the High Court.

Not quite sure what happened there.

Apparently, it was just a preliminary objection by the prosecution that Komathy dismissed. This is what Malaysiakini is reporting:

Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge SM Komathy Suppiah will deliver her decision today on whether the matter can be moved up to the High Court as applied by the prosecution.

This morning she dismissed a preliminary objection raised by the prosecution that she had no choice but to transfer the case to a higher court.

She said that she had the jurisdiction to hear the defence team’s objections against the transfer notice.

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Will Abdullah spring a surprise?

Anil Netto
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Hmm, I wonder what’s going on… Are we in for a surprise?

Mahathir, for one, suspects that Abdullah has something up his sleeve:

It is said that on 9th October, the day before the divisions are to hold their meetings, he will announce that he will not stand for election as President of UMNO. The question is, will he announce it? I have this suspicion that he will not. If he does not it would not be surprising. He is not a man of his words.

There really is no reason for this extension unless it is because of a possibility to influence the divisions into countering the Supreme Council and its demand that Abdullah steps down. In which case the extension may be further extended. Already SMS messages are denouncing Najib.

Meanwhile Suara Keadilan, citing sources, has a report predicting that Abdullah will defend his Umno presidency.

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Inspiring sense of one-ness outside RPK’s trial

Anil Netto
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Raja Petra arrives in court for his sedition trial this morning

Rakyat@Work sends us this eye-witness account from court:

Folks, keep supporting Raja and be there tomorrow? It was a fantastic experience. I got to shake hands with great people such as Marina, Din Merican, Lim Kit Siang, Ronnie and some famous bloggers. You wanna feel what justice is all about? Be there.

There were really generous people too, who gave out free T-shirts, drinks, and cakes. Of course, stocks of T-shirts for sales were also available. A feeling of one-ness was there: people of different races who share the same sadness but carry the same hope and resolve to see this through. It’s difficult to express in words.

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RPK in court now

Anil Netto
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Lim Kit Siang reports from the Sessions Court in PJ:

In Petaling Jaya sessions court now where the celebrated RPK sedition trial has just started.

Big crowd of RPK supporters and well-wishers including household names in Malaysian blogosphere like Haris Ibrahim, Zorro and Delcapo in court but space too limited to accommodate even a substantial number of people who had to overflow outside.

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