anilnetto.comanilnetto.comThe journalism and other writings of Anil Netto - featuring real journalism in the cause of justice, freedom and solidarity Articles
Questionable land deals give Guan Eng huge headache
2008-03-22 15:19:00 Lin Lee presents the PGCC Campaign Group’s concerns as Guan Eng, Jeff Ooi and Liew Chin Tong listen It has been over a week since Lim Guan Eng was sworn in as Penang Chief Minister, but already he is discovering some of the serious challenges facing the new Penang state government. He faces a daunting task. ... More About: Environment , Democracy , Land , Give , Huge
Why did they put Jesus to death?
2008-03-21 16:29:00 Good Friday service at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Penang Christians believe Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified and died for our sins. But that doesn’t answer the question - if he was a good man, even a prophet or claiming to be divine, preaching love, compassion and forgiveness, why did ... More About: Christianity , Poverty , Death , Militarism
Rumours prove unfounded as day passes peacefully in Penang
2008-03-20 14:12:00 Start of the Maulud Nabi procession outside Kapitan Keling Mosque Women and children in colourful attire participated Police didn’t expect any trouble but kept a watchful eye I thought I would head to George Town to see what was going on during the Maulud Nabi celebration today. Arrived near the Kapitan Keling mosque and saw a ... More About: Islam , Democracy , Penang , Rumours , Prove
What now after NEP?
2008-03-19 16:43:00 If the NEP goes, what will replace it? The Malaysian Economic Agenda? This policy calls for providing assistance to all those who need it, irrespective of ethnicity. Fine, but PKR, DAP and Pas leaders must realise that the people voted for more subsidies and greater government social spending. This is what they were promised. They did ... More About: Neo-liberal economics , Poverty , Democracy , Malaysian politics
The woman who masterminded Samy?s defeat
2008-03-19 08:32:00 Kumar and Rani in Penang fresh after their triumph in Sg Siput While everyone knows Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj as the guy who finally toppled Samy Vellu in his Sg Siput bastion, few are aware that his victory owes a lot to his wife and campaign manager, Rani Rasiah, a PSM central committee member, who played ... More About: Woman , Malaysian politics
Zaid Ibrahim, Shahrir IN; Rafidah, Tengku Adnan OUT
2008-03-18 05:34:00 PM Abdullah Badawi has just announced a “reformist” cabinet of sorts which includes critic Zaid Ibrahim as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department serving as de facto law minister. Zaid is likely to be made a senator first before he can take up his new appointment. The independent-minded Shahrir Samad makes a surprise entry as Domestic ... More About: Malaysian politics , Adnan
New Perak MB impresses Chinese crowd
2008-03-17 10:56:00 Looks like the new Pas MB in Perak has an impressive command of languages. This should stand him in good stead. This report from Sin Chew (click on link to see pictures): Perak MB-designate wows Chinese crowd IPOH, MALAYSIA: Perak Menteri Besar-designate Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin of PAS turned up at the ?What’s Coming Next? political forum held in ... More About: Crowd , Malaysian politics
Mainstream media trying to stir discord among opposition parties
2008-03-17 06:14:00 They are at it again, playing the same old game. This time they are trying to fracture the opposition parties’ unity of purpose and the stability of the new state governments they control. The NST, for instance, carried this report on the frontpage of its website: Pas’ proposal for Islamic govt irks DAP veteran ... More About: Media , Parties , Opposition parties , Mainstream Media , Malaysian politics
Malaysiakini surges past The Star Online
2008-03-16 15:56:00 Well, at least according to this Internet traffic ranking comparison chart from Alexa. Obviously, compared to the last time I checked, The Star has either slipped up or Malaysiakini has caught up, thanks perhaps to its decision to provide its service free in the run-up and immediate aftermath of the general election. There have also ... More About: Media , Online , Past , The Star
New Perlis MB chosen: It?s the Sultan?s choice
2008-03-16 15:32:00 The NST reports that Shahidan Kassim has failed in his last-ditch attempt today to secure the Perlis Mentri Besar post. It is learnt that Abdullah had already met the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail where they reached a consensus that Datuk Dr Md Isa Sabu, who is the Ruler’s choice, would be ... More About: Sultan , Choice , Malaysian politics
There?s a new opposition newspaper in town
2008-03-15 15:24:00 Soon after it became clear that opposition parties had swept to power in five states, a senior staff member of The Star told me, with a laugh, “Do you know, I am now working for an opposition newspaper - in five states.” Which is true, because The Star is owned by the MCA, now ... More About: Media , Democracy , Town , Newspaper
1,000 join pro-NEP protest in Penang
2008-03-14 09:50:00 A friend of mine provides an eye-witness account and pictures of the pro-NEP demonstration around Komtar, Penang , this afternoon. (The Komtar tower houses the offices of the Penang state government offices and the Chief Minister.) The crowd, which included several Umno leaders and reps in the state, were protesting against Penang Chief Minister Lim ... More About: Join , Protest
?Business-friendly? or people-friendly state govts?
2008-03-13 06:05:00 There’s been a lot of reaction over the selection of the Perak Mentri Besar, which has gone to a Pas candidate. Kit Siang should not have asked his DAP state assembly members to boycott the swearing in. After all, there was an agreement among the DAP, PKR and Pas at the state level that they ... More About: Business , People , Neo-liberal economics , State , Friendly
BN?s popular vote dips below 50% in Peninsula
2008-03-11 07:00:00 Greetings from Ground Zero, three days after the political hurricane that struck a wide swathe all the way from Kedah to Selangor. This morning, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng was sworn in as Penang Chief Minister even as Zakaria Md Deros passed away. (Oh, what good is storing worldly treasures in earthly palaces when you can’t ... More About: Popular , Vote , Peninsula , Malaysian politics
Jubilation in Sungai Siput as Samy rides into the sunset
2008-03-09 15:08:00 Photo credit: PSM Operations Room, Sungai Siput So Jeyakumar Devaraj of Parti Sosialis Malaysia has finally triumphed over S Samy Vellu. When I spoke to him early this morning, he sounded tired but happy. It had been a long, long struggle - more than nine years. “I think the victory was largely due to the nationwide swing ... More About: Sunset , Neo-liberal economics , Poverty , Malaysian politics
After an incredible night, BN loses two-thirds? majority!
2008-03-08 13:01:00 Headline news: Penang, Kelantan, Kedah, Selangor, Perak fall to opposition hands. In: Jeyakumar Devaraj, Charles Santiago, Nurul Izzah, Prof Ramasamy, Tian Chua, Khairy(!) Out: Samy Vellu, Zam, Sharizat, Awang Adek, Koh Tsu Koon 5.47am - The results couldn’t be any better in terms of the fine balance among the opposition parties. PKR has the ... More About: Night , Democracy , Incredible , Malaysian politics
It?s a sacred day? Share with me your polling day impressions
2008-03-08 06:06:00 This is the moment we have been waiting for. I have already cast my ballot, have you? It was peaceful and orderly at the polling booth. I could see dedicated volunteers and officials. But I think the Election Commission must be allergic to ink - especially the indelible variety. Instead of a ball-point pen, they ... More About: Democracy , Polling , Share , Impressions , Sacred
Campaign in Penang ends on a multiracial high as Anwar warns of phantoms
2008-03-08 02:11:00 The Opposition campaign in Penang ended last night on a multi-racial high as 8,000 people crowded the main road in Sungai Ara near the Pas markas. For the first time in Penang, I noticed that all the ethnic groups were well represented. Malay men shouted Makkal Sakthi along with their Indian counterparts while everyone shouted ... More About: Campaign , Democracy , High , Anwar
Massive 60,000-strong rally in Penang raises Opposition hopes
2008-03-06 16:45:00 Photo credit: DAP Ceramah; More pictures here. If you thought last Saturday’s ceramah attended by 10,000 people at the Han Chiang High School indoor stadium was huge, think again… The crowd tonight, this time out in the open in the vast Han Chiang school field, was massive. My engineer friend, a maths whizz, at first tried to ... More About: Politics , Hopes , Rally , Democracy , Penang
PKR, DAP candidates vow to oppose PGCC; BN reps fail to show up
2008-03-06 07:54:00 The PKR and DAP candidates have assured residents at a condominium complex next to the Penang Turf Club that they would firmly oppose the Penang Global City Centre project if they are elected. All the election candidates in the area - both BN and Opposition - were invited to meet the residents of the 72 Scotland ... More About: Environment , Show , Candidates
Indelible ink U-turn casts shadow over election
2008-03-06 05:48:00 The Election Commission’s decision not to use indelible ink just does not sound right. If they have nothing to hide, then there should be no hesitation in using such ink. It certainly doesn’t look good for the EC and the government, coming so close to polling day. How are you going to spot multiple voters? This ... More About: Politics , Democracy , Shadow , Accountability
Jeyakumar vs Samy Vellu: Epic battle that?s too close to call
2008-03-04 15:21:00 If there is one electoral contest that epitomises GE 2008, it has got to be the epic battle of Sungai Siput. A titanic contest is taking place between Samy Vellu and Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj of PSM, standing under a Keadilan ticket - and so far, it’s neck-and-neck. The scenario is more akin to 1999, when Kumar ... More About: Close , Call , Battle , Epic , Malaysian politics
Heard on the grapevine
2008-03-03 03:17:00 Here’s what some people are saying: Guan Eng is expected to win easily in the Bagan parliamentary seat on mainland Penang. Koh Tsu Koon could find the going tough in the Batu Kawan parliamentary seat against the DAP’s Prof Ramasamy. The BN is concerned about its prospects in Perlis, Kedah, Penang and even Pahang. Last night, I dropped by ...
Anwar, Guan Eng join hands to rock Penang
2008-03-01 16:50:00 This was one of the big ones. It was one those evenings where you just had to be there to experience the growing sentiment among Penang ites seeking change and reforms. Some 10,000 converged at the indoor stadium of the private Han Chiang High School in Penang. Though the stadium could said to have a seating capacity of ... More About: Rock , Democracy , Join , Hands
Pro-Opposition sentiment rising in Penang
2008-02-29 16:34:00 Some 250 people turned up at the Catholic Church in Pulau Tikus in Penang tonight to listen to Dr Francis Loh presenting a talk on election issues that should concern Malaysians. Though the crowd might seem small, a similar talk at the same church in 1999, at the height of the reformasi period, drew only about ... More About: Christianity , Sentiment , Malaysian politics
Intense interest in Malaysian polls across the Causeway
2008-02-28 08:54:00 I am just back from Singapore, where I took part in a forum on the Malaysian general election with some old friends. The forum on Tuesday was organised by the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in the island republic. I was delighted to meet my friend, Farish Noor, ... More About: Media , Democracy , Polls , Interest
Pas makes a breakthrough by fielding a non-Muslim woman candidate
2008-02-22 12:42:00 Well, well, well, what do we have here? Pas is fielding a non-Muslim Indian Malaysian woman as a candidate for the Tiram state seat in Johor: 29-year-old law graduate Kumutha Rahman. Okay, it might be a gimmick to attract non-Muslim votes. After all, even Hishamuddin “the keris man” Hussein has agreed to re-open the original Damansara Chinese ... More About: Fielding , Woman , Candidate
Have you read this not-so-secret diary?
2008-02-21 16:21:00 Already tired of the mainstream media’s bias in covering the election campaign? Don’t fret, you are not alone. And I have got just the right antidote for you. In case you haven’t noticed, there is a new blog in town. The Malaysian Election Media Monitors’ Diary , which is now in full flow. This is an initiative launched on ... More About: Read , Democracy , Secret
?Lingam?s Devil Curry? by Comedy Court
2008-02-20 11:44:00 Just spotted this hilarious skit and I thought you should check it out. It’s from the brilliant Comedy Court , which has been around since 1997. The outfit features the talented duo, Indi Nadarajah and Allan Perera. But at the end of the day, when you think about the Lingam saga, you don’t know whether to laugh ... More About: Curry , Judiciary , Devil
Armed Forces fund pays 16%; EPF only 5.8%
More articles from this author:2008-02-17 15:03:00 This is an excerpt of a report from The Star: …Najib also announced that contributors to the Armed Forces Superannuation Fund (LTAT) would receive a 16% dividend and bonus payout, the highest since 1997. He said the LTAT would pay out 7% in dividends, 3% bonus and another 6% in special bonuses to its 120,000 contributors ... More About: Accountability , Pays 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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