Can Sarawakians tolerate the scandals?

Despite an enormous series of scandals involving the long-serving Sarawak chief minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud, the betting is that Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, which the 73-year-old Taib heads, will once again dominate the state legislature, as Taib has done since 1981. In addition to serving as chief minister, Taib also heads the state finance and…

MRT proposal fails integration

“The proposed MRT system fails the integration test and poses the question as to whether the Gamuda-MMC driven project and designed alignment serves the interest of the public transport users or other hidden commercial interest,” said Pua in a press conference today. He noted as an example that the Bandar Utama MRT station in Petaling…

Stop Lynas! Save Malaysia

Thorium is the radioactive element found in nearly all rare earth deposits. Howver Dr Jayabalan A. Thambyappa, the toxicologist who treated radiation victims linked to the Bukit Merah rare earth plant, has also dismissed claims there will be no health hazards from a renewed attempt to process the valuable metals in Gebeng. He told The…

BN’s fatal screw-up

The Malaysian government’s astonishing arrogance in insisting that it would proceed with plans to build nuclear power stations despite the waves of fear unleashed on the Japanese people by damage to four of its reactors could well, I believe, prove its long-deserved downfall.

Sex video – A red herring

Umno has served up a red herring in the shape of a sex video which was meant to make us take our eyes off the ball. They wanted us to forget about Sarawak and its Chief Minister, Taib Mahmud. The end game of the latest sex video is not an attempt by Umno to hide…

Damning book on Bakun

Excerpts: It is not only the political context in which the Bakun Dam contract was awarded which raises questions of viability. More urgent questions surround the very many factors and assumptions on which the projections for Bakun’s viability rest. Why is Bakun necessary at all? Why is it claimed that it will provide the cheapest…

Bible Desecration Shows Puerile Insensitivity

This should be a warning to all of us that the Barisan Nasional government has been in power for much too long, so much so that they think they are not answerable to the people of this country. For sure this is definitely not a government for the people. They have shown by their deed…

BN’s bickering partners

The MCA today said it is “saddened” by Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz’s comments, which were published today in the Chinese daily, Nanyang Siang Pau, comparing the second largest party in the ruling coalition to a “grieved woman” who was “sexually abused” but refusing to divorce her husband, in this case, the Barisan Nasional (BN).

MACC too busy looking for ikan bilis?

On Friday the Star newspaper said Telekom Malaysia had suspended the company from tenders and contracts for 12 months from January 5, while Axiata will impose the suspension from February 18. Transparency International Malaysia welcomed the the decisions but described the 12-month punishment as “mild” by international standards. The group’s president Paul Low urged anti-graft…

Taking a Risk for Rare Earths

For Malaysia and the world’s most advanced technology companies, the plant is a gamble that the processing can be done safely enough to make the local environmental risks worth the promised global rewards. Once little known outside chemistry circles, rare earth metals have become increasingly vital to high-tech manufacturing. But as Malaysia learned the hard…