Aarvidi’s Weblog

Is this a veiled threat Minister of Information Ahmad Shabery? Only last month you appreciated that bloggers views cannot be ignored, and they give feed back on nation building, etc etc, - forgotten have you. Now you are talking about touchables and untouchables as if this group is obnoxious to you. Please decide.

If your newspapers print the truth do you think people will be stupid to waste time finding out the truth from blogs. Do what you have to do and do not blame the bloggers.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 (Bernama) — Saying that local bloggers’ views cannot be ignored, Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek intends to meet them soon to get feedbacks on nation-building.
He said his ministry was concerned over the role played by the alternative media such as the internet and websites as they have their own functions in nation-building.
“For instance, they played a role in the just-ended general election. Many middle-class voters wishing to convey a message to the government turned to the alternative media to source for information.
“They surfed the internet and I feel we need to know the role played by the bloggers,” he told a news conference after meeting the media at his office.

Alternative Media Is Not Untouchable - Ahmad Shabery

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) — The alternative media are not as untouchable as the public might think they are, Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said Tuesday.
As such, he said, even though the people had the right to write whatever they wish through blogs and other online media, they could still be subjected to actions under the law if they spread slander online.
“People think that the alternative media could do what they want. This is not true. Recently there were cases against some of these bloggers,” he told reporters after launching the First International Journalism Fellowship organised by the Malaysian Press Institute at the University of Malaya here.
Ahmad Shabery also said that the government had the responsibility to protect others from untruths and slander.
With technology available today, cyber forensics would be able to trace and detect the identity of online writers or slanderers even though they might use the anonymity of the Internet or a different name as a shield, he said.
To a question on the possibility of alternative media becoming more popular than the traditional media, Ahmad Shabery said it would depend on the reputation and credibility of the media concerned.
“The bottom line is reputation and credibility. If you have that and you report the truth, base on facts, the people will continue to read your articles. This is the new challenge for newspapers and for any form of media out there,” he said.
In his speech, he said, even though the big names in the media industry had long reach, with glitzy presentations and cool-looking presenters, the media in the developing countries could still do better in terms of substance.
“Today’s media trend is no longer about the business of informing the masses. It’s about creating demands and changing opinions,” he said.
The 40-day fellowship from April 14 to May 24, is participated by 33 young journalists from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Laos, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Seychelles and Malaysia.

Alternative Media Is Not Untouchable - Ahmad Shabery :: Bernama.com

Green light for Indian priests, musicians and sculptors

Are not the Indians in Malaysia proud of this monumental start of the new Minister of Human Resources Dr S Subramaniam. He has raised the issue at cabinet; it is a worthy point. His action belittles his boss Samy Vellu who in his heyday, would have just said I have spoken to the Prime Minister. Did not Mahathir say Samy did not, as claimed, bring many matters to the attention of the cabinet. This came from the horse’s mouth and there must be some truth in it.

If Dr S Subramaniam continues along the same vein by mentioning what he had done in the Government or cabinet, it would make him in the eyes of the Indians a person who acts and not spewing empty babble. The results may not be yes always, but the issue has been raised. That will satisfy the Indians.

Carry on Minister.

Green light for Indian priests, musicians and sculptors

Apr 15, 08 2:27pm

The government has decided to allow temple priests, musicians and sculptors from India to continue rendering their services in the country, according to Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam.

In a statement today, Subramaniam said he raised the issue during the last cabinet meeting on April 9.

In view of this, he said the cabinet agreed to “permit/renew” the visas for those in the country to continue with their services for specific categories.

Subramaniam, who is also MIC secretary-general, added that he will hold a meeting with Hindu and Sikh organisations to discuss the categories which had been agreed upon.

He will also meet with Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar and Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Shafie Apdal to discuss the implementation of this decision.

On the same note, Subramaniam said the cabinet wants efforts to be carried out to train the locals in these fields in the long run in order not to depend on those from India.

However, the statement did not mention the status of the ban on bringing in new priests, musicians and sculptors from India.

Revoke ban

On Saturday, MIC president S Samy Vellu had urged the government to lift the ban on the recruitment of priests from India for Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras.

He said the temples and gurdwaras urgently required about 500 and 300 priests respectively.

“I am appealing to the government to take into consideration the sensitivity involved as the priests are needed urgently to conduct daily prayers,” added the MIC president.

If the matter is left unresolved, Samy Vellu warned that it could spark off “major dissatisfaction among the Hindu and Sikh communities.”

Green light for Indian priests, musicians and sculptors

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Some really bad news for the super rich in Malaysia. One was Patrick Lim in Penang, His PGCC in Penang is no more, and we are also told Patrick is no more close with the Badawi family. You can read this here in Anil Netto’s blog.

Another mighty hit is for another favourite son Francis Yeoh. His bullet train is now a dream. Dream on Francis. This is the Bernama report that says:

The government has not made a decision on the RM8 billion Kuala Lumpur-Singapore bullet train project, said Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

Our new MP and blogger Jeff Ooi has said it correctly, “follow the money, follow the gravy train”. Read this below.

April 15, 2008

Francis Yeoh and his urgent train

Remember Francis Yeoh, who got one of the first Independent Power Producer (IPP) licenses — Terengganu and Johor — during Dr Mahathir’s time? Remember the Francis Yeoh who swiftly dumped Dr Mahathir soon after Abdullah took the helm in 2004? Remember the Francis Yeoh who proposed the RM10 billion “bullet train to reach Singapore in 90 minutes”?

Citizen Nades had an earful for this Francis yesterday. Quote:

Yeoh was quoted by the NST as saying: “This project is economically viable, so I think the government will listen to the people and put this project an urgent basis again.”Well said! The key phrase is “listen to the people”. There were also other clichés like “environment-friendly”; “save the government billions in fuel subsidies”; and “the government is supportive of this project”. Anyone can give a thousand and one reasons for the project to go ahead, but very importantly, two questions have to be answered: One, do we need such a link, and two, can we afford it?

The people, I dare say, do not want their hard-earned money to go into land acquisition, soft loans and one-sided contracts and agreements. The people, I dare say, want their money to be used prudently to meet their needs – not those of businesses. The people, I dare say, want an efficient public transport system and not some form of luxury travel which they cannot afford and to which they become unwitting and unwilling contributors to a monopoly.

I think I speak for the majority – We would rather spend six hours on a slow train than watch fellow citizens suffer, unable to pay for medical treatment. How many hospitals and how many rural clinics can we build with that kind of money?

If Yeoh and YTL still want to proceed with it, please go ahead without touching our money. You do the feasibility study; you acquire the land at your cost and pay the prevailing market price; you don’t ask for soft loans or handouts from the government, or letters of guarantee for that matter and don’t even ask for protection by asking the existing efficient bus service to be restricted to keep you in business.

After all, Yeoh himself has said that “nobody looks at it as a mega project, an artificial project that you do for prestige”. If that’s the case, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is.

Remember this Francis Yeoh? I ain’t. But I do remember the quo pro quo in the rich KTM land bank around the Tanjung Pagar train station.

Follow the money! And the gravy train.

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