Archive for November 14th, 2012

Najib’s announcement of scrapping of Batu Caves condo project if BN wins Selangor desecrates Deepavali as it is not a “triumph of light over darkness” but continued spreading of darkness to prevent the triumph of light

Despite the screaming headlines, “S’gor BN to scrap Batu Caves condo if we win” (Malaysiakini), “Najib promises Indians no Batu Caves condo if BN regains Selangor” (The Malaysian Insider), “PM: We’ll scrap Batu Caves project if we win Selangor” (New Straits Times); “Najib: Return Selangor to Barisan and Batu Caves ground will be safe” (Star) and “PM: Bt Caves development will stop if BN regains S’gor” (Sun), the first reaction of fair-minded, reasonable and patriotic Malaysians is one of distinct unease and discomfort, even feeling of being repelled by an inchoate sense that something is wrong or just not right in what the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had done.

Why is this so? Why are these people, who want the 29-storey Dolomite Park Avenue condominium project to be scrapped, not welcoming Najib’s announcement with open arms and unqualified support?

This is also my immediate response. In 1980, I had announced a “DAP Save Batu Caves Campaign” to join forces with all conservationist and environmental groups to save the 500 million-year-old Malaysian natural heritage and the religious shrine of 800,000 Hindus in Malaysia by stopping all quarrying activities at Batu Caves.

Having saved Batu Caves once, DAP and Pakatan Rakyat would have no hesitation to spearhead another “Save Batu Caves Campaign” as a result of the MIC/BN approval of the 29-storey condo project in Batu Caves in 2007. Read the rest of this entry »

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A stirring of discontent

— Christine SK Lai
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 13, 2012

NEW DELHI, Nov 13 ― The blurb on Facebook was catchy. “Come experience the Ubah Dream Machine”.

There were some interesting names bandied about, though no big-time personalities apparently. That suited me fine actually, because I didn’t fancy stomaching political ra-ra-ra speeches. I wanted to hear from ordinary folks like myself.

So for the first time in my 52 years of being a Malaysian citizen, I attended a “ceramah umum”.

It was awful timing, actually. Saturday nights are for enjoying with family and frens, partying, R-n-R stuff. Who would want to come and hang out at a car-park listening to more of the same-same things that have been said umpteen times already?

Add to that the unkind weather which literally washed out the whole idea of an open air gathering, and any smart event organiser will conclude it’s bound to be a PR disaster on your hands.

But I went anyway, more out of curiosity than anything else, since personally I am not a die-hard of any political party.

I didn’t expect any crowd as the rain was a real dampener, and indeed as I looked across to the car park grounds, it was miserably empty. Read the rest of this entry »

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