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“Iconic towers” or eyesores?

Anil Netto
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If our experience with “iconic towers” in Penang is any indication, then look out for what could happen with other towers in the pipeline.

Thanks to a reader for bringing these to my attention:

komtar viewing gallery

Sad-looking Komtar: Why has its viewing gallery become a store?

fire exit blocked

And here’s a blocked fire-escape

menara umno cardboard

Cardboard on the windows of the keris-shaped Menara Umno (supposed to be another architectural masterpiece). Innovative way to reduce heat and cut air-con emissions, eh?

So if we have more “iconic towers”, do you really think our habits will improve?

While on the subject of high-rise towers, a reader wrote this from England:

England’s problems are in the areas where there is high unemployment due to collapsed industries, steel shipbuilding, coal – where entire towns were employed in one industry. Also areas where many immigrant communities have settled – and worked hard to look after their families… It’s also in the areas were decent housing (albeit ramshackle) have been replaced with emotionless high-rise towers, set in dry hard landscapes – enough to send anyone around the bend.

All sounds rather too familiar? Give Malaysia 20 years and you’ll see the same – unless there is some very sound social management.

I was once talking to (someone in Malaysia) and described the social problems created by high-rise buildings.

“Oh, not in Asia,” he said.

Want to bet? The (consequences could be) worse in Asia where family and social connections are so very important and high-rise buildings will destroy them.

“No matter the regime’s physical power, in the end they can’t stop the people”

Anil Netto
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Those words uttered by Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi could well apply to Malaysia.

Was it a stalemate on 10 Nov? After all, the demonstrators had been thwarted from gathering at Dataran Merdeka in the city centre. They were unable to accompany their chosen representatives to the gates of the palace to hand over their memorandum. And would the memorandum make any difference? What had they really achieved?

Would Suu Kyi consider the situation in Burma a stalemate – especially in the aftermath of the brutal crackdown of peaceful demonstrations there?

Here’s what she had to say:

“I am really not fond of that expression,” she replied rather sternly. “People have been on the streets. That’s not a stalemate. Ethnic people, like the Karen, are fighting back. That’s not a stalemate. The defiance is there in people’s lives, day after day. You know, even when things seem still on the surface, there’s always movement underneath. It’s like a frozen lake; and beneath our lake, we are progressing, bit by bit.”

Similarly, 10 November in Malaysia was not a stalemate. Malaysians have conquered their fear. There is a sense of defiance – witnessed when tens of thousands of good-natured, peaceful, justice-loving Malaysians waved defiantly at helicopters hovering overhead and at sullen-faced riot police seated in red trucks passing menacingly by. When they were confronted by a phalanx of riot police, they stood their ground and refused to blink.

Instead, it is the oligarchic political elites who now fear the people on the move, who tremble in anticipation of their next move.

Yes, we are progressing, bit by bit.

Read John Pilger’s full piece here.

50,000 Malaysians defy ban to demand electoral reforms

Anil Netto
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Bersih rally 10 Nov 2007

Sea of yellow: They came in their thousands to get their point across – Photo credit: Seng Keat Tan

So the chief of police puts the turnout at 4,000 in a report tucked away on page 8 of The Star. Interesting! But then he was probably referring to the crowd at Masjid Jamek alone, where police fired water cannons, dousing the protesters with chemically laced liquid. The way The Star reported it made it sound as if 4,000 was the total turnout, although it did add later that “thousands” had turned up at various spots.

If it was really 4,000, why did they need two (or was it three) helicopters to monitor the crowd?

My estimate of the total turnout – and that was the rough consensus among those at the scene at various points – was 50,000.

Still, the actual turnout is beside the point. The real story was the fact that tens of thousands of Malaysians had come out – despite repeated warnings and threats of arrest – to defy a ban and put across their demand for electoral reforms, loudly and clearly.

I was proud to be a Malaysian among the good natured and peaceful crowd that afternoon.

As for the mainstream media coverage, it was pathetic. I woke up this morning expecting it to be front page news. After all, news of the protest gathering had flashed across the globe yesterday. But when I saw the front page of The Sunday Star today… zilch, nada, nothing…. Was this for real? It seemed as if I must have been on a different planet. It was only reported half-heartedly on page 8. Tens of thousands of people had brought Kuala Lumpur to a virtual standstill the day before and… Page 8! Disgusting coverage. But then again, what else can we expect from our castrated mainstream media?

Meanwhile, check out Aliran president P Ramakrishnan’s statement here.

RIGHTS-MALAYSIA: Rally Defies Police Ban to Demand Poll Reforms
By Anil Netto

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 (IPS) – Tens of thousands of people defied riot police, water cannon and pouring rain to march through the capital city, on Saturday, to demand electoral and other reforms and deliver a strong rebuff to Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

On Friday Badawi had issued a stern warning that he would brook no challenge to his rule and officials said anybody around Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square), the planned venue of the protest gathering, would be arrested.

That made the turnout of over 50,000 people, sloshing through muddy grass verges by the highway, all the more impressive as they engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with police armed with water cannons and batons.

Full article

Penang Global City Centre: Activists step up campaign

Anil Netto
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Activists have stepped up the campaign as the stakes rise. The developer has taken its PR blitz to the shopping malls, but activists have been meeting residents neighbouring the PGCC project site who are worried about the impact of the project.

Here we see heritage conservationist Loh-Lim Lin Lee, architect Laurence Loh and heritage activist Dr Choong Sim Poey briefing Scotland Park residents and exposing the deception inherent in the development plan. Make sure you catch all four parts of the video and see them passionately and eloquently arguing against the project.

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And so the PGCC PR battle begins…

Anil Netto
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PGCC roadshow Queensbay Mall

The PGCC developer has taken its road-show to Queensbay Mall

Looks like the PR battle has begun. The Penang Global City Centre developer is on a road show promoting its project in Queensbay Mall and Gurney Plaza in Penang.

Just received in the email the following hypothetical conversation between the pro-PGCC lobby and a member of the public.

Would have been hilarious if there wasn’t a ring (more like alarm bells) of truth about the details of the project. Though the conversation below is probably hypothetical, I am told that those promoting the project do not have all the answers when questioned by people who are more in touch with what the plan actually entails. Makes you wonder if they really believe what they are being paid to promote.

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Milan and Penang: Trams vs Monorail/PORR/PGCC

Anil Netto
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Monorail Penang routeGreetings from Milan! I am here presenting a paper at a conference.

Walking around the city, I must say I have been impressed with Milan’s excellent network of underground trains, trams (old and modern), buses and taxies – though locals tell me there is still room for improvement.

But first, what’s this? Someone alerted me to a Penang monorail route map posted on Wikipedia. I am not sure who posted that entry:

“The Penang Monorail is a future monorail line to be constructed under the Ninth Malaysia Plan and Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER). It will be located on Penang Island. Two lines will be built, with possible extensions to Province Wellesley in the future. The 37km system is expected to cost RM 1.1 billion.

“The names of all the stations on the monorail are still mostly unknown, although the main stops are confirmed. The Red Line will run between Tanjung Tokong and the Penang International Airport via Scotland Road, Jalan Air Itam and the Penang State Mosque. The Green Line will run between Paya Terubong and Weld Quay Terminal, via Jalan Air Itam, Jalan Dato’ Keramat, and Komtar. The interchange will be situated at Jalan Air Itam.”

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“It is people like Hishamudin who should be heading the judiciary”

Anil Netto
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Justice Hishamudin has created waves with his decision to punish the government for its detention and torture of activist Abdul Malek Hussin. In the wake of his decision, some Malaysians are even suggesting that if the government really wants to restore the shine back to the judiciary, then judges like Hishamudin should be allowed to head the judiciary.

RIGHTS-MALAYSIA: Damages Award Exposes Internal Security Act

By Anil Netto

PENANG, Oct 24 (IPS) – A stunning court decision awarding a huge sum in damages to an activist who was detained without trial and tortured has galvanised activists campaigning for the repeal of Malaysia’s harsh Internal Security Act (ISA).

It has also put a little shine back in the judiciary, which has been rocked by an explosive video clip apparently revealing the fixing of judical appointments and promotions by a coterie of well-connected individuals in legal, business and political circles. Full article

It’s a PGCC jungle out there, folks!

Anil Netto
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PGCC with 38 towers from Komtar

Here is one guy’s impression of what the PGCC would look like from Komtar. KL Dude has had a go on photo editor with the earlier picture of the PGCC Twin Towers posted on this blog; only this time he has actually added the 38 towers in front of those “iconic” towers. Perhaps his impression is not really to scale, but you get the idea… It’s a (concrete) jungle out there, folks!

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It’s a home-grown resistance movement in Iraq

Anil Netto
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The New York Times has finally admitted in an op-ed video – in contradiction to some of its own reports – what many of us already knew: that the US war in Iraq is largely against a determined home-grown resistance movement against Occupation (yes, the ‘O’ word). Check it out.

Now you can watch Fahmi Reza’s hartal film

Anil Netto
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Go here to watch Fahmi Reza’s outstanding film on the 1947 hartal – the winner of the 2007 Freedom Film Festival. It’s worth the watch.

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