Happy New Year

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Wishing friends and visitors: Happy New Year.

 

Malaysia’s media-State relations

Media Prima’s TV head Ahmad Farid Ridzuan reportedly has been seconded to the Prime Minister’s Department starting from January 1, 2011.

This is part and parcel of a political and ideological preparation on the part of the ruling coalition for a general election that has been increasingly expected to be held next year.

It also illustrates a symbiotic relationship between the mainstream media and the State in Malaysia, a situation that is reinforced by the fact that the media are owned by certain component parties of the ruling BN or their friends. 

For a complete story, see here.

Who wants to be a Billionaire?

At a time when millionaires are sought after, wanting to be a billionaire is a ‘logical step’ to moving up another notch.

Merry Christmas

(Photo credit: touchreviews.net)

Wishing my friends and visitors (of the blog) of the Christian faith: Merry Christmas.

GM mosquitoes meet in Bentong

The planned release of GM mosquitoes has aroused increasing interest as well as deep concern among Malaysians.

In Bentong, one of the places where these mosquitoes are scheduled to be released, a meeting will be organised by a coalition of concerned citizens on 26th December 2010 at 2.00 pm to discuss this issue. The meeting will be held at the DAP office there.

Who wants to be a millionaire?

Samy Vellu’s successor, G. Palanivel, seems to have found the solution to what ails the Indian community in Malaysia: millionaires! Yeah, create a pool of ethnic Indian millionaires.

I suppose this so-called panacea can be applied to other communities that require similar help. There you go.

See here for context.

Najib’s plan ‘nuked’?

Prime Minister Najib’s plan to build two nuclear power plants have encountered strong opposition from the state governments of Penang and Selangor.

Both Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, who categorically said no to this nuclear plan, are mindful of the fact that this is a ‘dangerous technology’ and the country’s abysmal maintenance culture would make it an even more risky venture. 

One only has to remember things such as “collapsing stadiums, dysfunctional dams” and leaking roofs, among other embarrasing and dangerous things. Which is why there were those concerned Malaysians who were cynical enough to suggest that for starters these nuclear plants be built in Putrajaya — if they’re purportedly safe for every Malaysian.

Malaysians also wonder why the government leaders seem not keen to seek alternative sources of energy, such as the solar energy.

These nuclear plants are expected to generate 1,000 megawatts each beginning 2021 as part of the overall long-term plan to increase energy supply.

Democrazy a la Malaysia

What happened in Malaysian Parliament today may well earn the so-called august house vital points from the Guinness Book of Records, or at the very least, the Malaysian Book of Records.

Why, four Parliamentarians from the Pakatan Rakyat were suspended for six months within a day!  

According to The Malaysian Insider, Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was suspended for claiming earlier this year that PM Najib Razak’s public relations consultants APCO Worldwide had been behind both the slogans 1Malaysia and One Israel.

Subsequently, three more PR lawmakers — Subang MP R. Sivarasa, Gombak MP Azmin Ali and Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh — were booted out for contempt for revealing and discussing the proceedings of the Rights and Privileges Committee on Anwar’s APCO claims.

No PR lawmakers were present in Parliament during the debate to suspend the three MPs because all opposition MPs had left soon after the motion to suspend Anwar was passed without any debate.

See here and here for context.

Sorry seems to be the hardest word

Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi tried to explain his remark on the ‘lack of strong patriotism’ among non-Malays, but stopped short of offering an apology.

He added that he didn’t mean to hurt their feelings.

But that seemed enough to rub salt into wound.

Goodbye Sam-y

Remembering the exit of an individual from the world of party politics…