At long last, finally an entry from yours truly to kick off Walski’s venture into KL MetroBlogging… with apologies to the rest of the KL MetroBlogging crew!

Well, what can I say… as August 31 approaches, we are indeed living in interesting times. The big hoo-harr about blogs and blogging that we’ve been hearing about of late has gotten me thinking - what gives? Why the sudden heightened paranoia about citizens having an unrestricted voice?

Well, a few things come to mind… but most of all, what Walski sees as the real implication of blogs and blogging, in view that a General Election may not be too far away…
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News of Nat’s detention and the subsequent 4-day remand has hit the mainstream media today. The Star reports that his arrest is related to “police case files on detainees or suspects investigated under the Emergency Ordinance.

KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information bureau staff Nathaniel Tan, 27, has been remanded for four days under the Official secrets Act (OSA).

Tan, who is also secretary of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Foundation for Future, is believed to been remanded under the Section 8 of the OSA over allegations that he had documents linked to Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharom’s alleged involvement in corruption. [Nathaniel Tan remanded for four days under OSA. The Star. July 14 2007]

Initially, the Star reported that the arrest is “believed to be in connection with a doctored picture of Deputy Prime Minister which was posted on the Internet.”

PETALING JAYA: An aide of Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was arrested, believed to be in connection with a doctored picture of Deputy Prime Minister which was posted on the Internet. [Anwar’s aide held over doctored DPM pictures. The Star. July 14 2007]

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Demand Middle East Peace Now!

Photo from flickr.com by moroiu.

Possibly aware that they have to make some noise in parliament to boost support for the looming general election, two MPs slammed the Youth and Sports Ministry for allowing ’scantily’ clad sexy models in the Super GT Grand Prix held in Malaysia.

But it’s the reply that takes the cake.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Youth and Sports Ministry S. Vigneswaran said the models did not wear swim suits but were attired in hot pants.

PKR in need of CPR? Photo from flickr.com by eesti.

At the rate things are going for PKR, it may soon change its status from political party to social club in memory of the misnamed Reformasi (Reformation) movement of 1998, which should have been more accurately called Resusitasi (Resuscitation) as its main aim was to save the suddenly sacked deputy premier, Anwar Ibrahim.

Founding leaders are deserting the sinking ship while the party’s self-declared de facto leader, Anwar, is on tour in some part of the world.

So Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People’s Justice Party) may soon be Parti Kenangan Reformasi (Reformasi Memorial Party). Party on, dudes!

CLUEDO: Despite claims of increasing racial and religious polarisation, Malaysians may now be united in a game of Cluedo.
Photo from flickr.com by Mountainbread.

Monday, June 18, 2007
SHAH ALAM, Malaysia (AP)

The long-awaited murder trial of a political analyst in the slaying of his Mongolian lover started Monday with prosecutors promising to prove that the accused conspired with two policemen to blow up the victim with explosives.

The case has been one of Malaysia’s most lurid scandals. The accused political analyst, Abdul Razak Baginda, is close to the governing party as well as Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, and his extramarital affair that ended in a macabre death has been the talk of the country.

Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah told the court that he has evidence to show that the policemen killed Altantuya Shaariibuu, a 28-year-old freelance translator and interpreter, on Oct. 19, 2006.

He said he will prove that Abdul Razak, 47, “abetted them by planning and giving instructions to get rid of her by killing her” because she was pestering him for money.

Continue reading @ China Post

The hearing continues tomorrow.

Photo from flickr.com by akbar1947.

KUALA LUMPUR (SUN - Jun 17, 2007): The freedom given to the press and political parties is not to be abused, said Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin.

“It is not the Prime Minister’s intention to allow the freedom to be breached and for questions to be raised on the fundamental rights of Malaysians under our social contract,” he said yesterday.

“It (freedom) was also not granted to the media to raise sensitive issues relating to religion and the rights of any particular race.”

More @ The Star.

Meanwhile, there may be stealth attempts to suppress freedom of speech by censoring the internet. Read Access blocked is access denied by StarOnline editor, Raslan Sharif.

In cooperation of Alumni Yayasan Tun Abdul Razak and Akademi Pemuda UMNO, the seminar, ” Legasi Tun Abdul Razak” was brought together at the Sime Darby Convention Center at Mont Kiara last Friday and Saturday, 15 - 16 June 2007. In addition, Sime Darby contributed to the success of the event as the main sponsor.

The purpose of the conference was to recap the legacy of Tun Abdul Razak’s (TAR) policies and strategies for state development. He was Malaysia’s second Prime Minister, who was in office from 1970 to 1976. He took over from Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj at the point of crisis - Malaysia’s black day, May 13, 1969. It was indeed a trying time for Malaysian leaders; they need positively develop the country and to bring about change in people’s mindset from the colonial period to being citizens of an independent country.

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Words may have different meanings. And some may be misleading, especially the acronym for the city’s RM1.9bil (USD543mil) Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel — SMART.

Among the definitions for ’smart’ as an adjective in Dictionary.com are:

7. quick or prompt in action, as persons.
8. having or showing quick intelligence or ready mental capability: a smart student.

Hence, when it rained last Sunday (Jun 11), we didn’t really expect this

A main road in the heart of the city, Jalan Sultan Ismail, submerged. In the background is the city’s signature skyscraper, the Petronas Twin Towers.
Photo by GLENN GUAN/The Star on flickr.com.
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I received an alert from Malaysia Forum on a piece of news from Business TImes today:

GUOCOLAND (Malaysia) Bhd, a property developer controlled by Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan, has made a bid to relocate University Malaya from Petaling Jaya to Sepang, sources said yesterday.

As part of the plan, GuocoLand will then own the land in Petaling Jaya and develop it into a commercial and residential township. The proposal is based on a private finance initiative.

A company source said such a development is estimated to have a gross development value of RM10 billion.

I plan to do my graduate work in a year or two and Universiti Malaya is the only local institution that I am considering, hoping it to be my safety net. If it goes to Sepang however, I would cross it out of my list and find another safety net.

A reason why I am contemplating Universiti Malaya is its city life. What city life would there be to talk about if it goes to Sepang?

Since it would be close by to the international airport, I might as well take a flight out all the way to Sydney.