Merdeka Review banned: Najib’s “freer media??? only for those who write nice things about him?

by

http://jelas.info/2009/04/09/merdeka-review-banned-najibs-freer-media-only-for-those-who-write-nice-things-about-him/

9 April, 2009

Tsk, tsk. Less than a week in and already cakap tak serupa bikin?

A Chinese online daily was today barred from covering Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s announcement of the new cabinet line-up in Putrajaya this afternoon.

The reporter and a photographer from Merdeka Review were told of the matter by Prime Minister’s Office security guards when trying to obtain security passes, half an hour before the press conference began at 3pm.

Read more

Najib plays it safe

by

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/SE%2BAsia/Story/STIStory_361909.html

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Premier Najib Razak yesterday presented a Cabinet line-up that stuck to the time-tested formula of drawing ministers from the ranks of the Barisan Nasional top leadership.

There were only two wholly new faces, both appointed to lesser portfolios, while eight veterans from the previous government were dropped.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister. Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was named Home Minister.

Read more

Why BN Lost The 2 Bukits & Will Lose The Country Too

by

http://notsleepinganymore.blogspot.com/2009/04/why-bn-lost-2-bukits-will-lose-country.html

 

Cognitive dissonance: An uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two contradictory ideas, attitudes or beliefs simultaneously.

UMNO/BN lost not because of poor machinery, or any other mechanism. Many will blame the factionalism within UMNO/BN but that doesn’t hold much water, seeing that Najib was elected as UMNO president unchallenged.

The real fundamental reason they lost was because the supporters were experiencing cognitive dissonance. There’s that uncomfortable feeling that what they’re saying and what they’re experiencing is not consistent. That what they think and what they say and do are two different things. And when you’re mentally being pulled in 2 directions, it’s impossible to be effective. So how is this happening with the UMNO/BN people?

Read more

PM’s message welcomed, but calls to free the media continue

by

http://sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=31988

PETALING JAYA (April 7, 2009) : Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s encouragement for “open, vigorous and informed debate and dialogues, and reporting without fear of consequences??? by the media was welcomed by various quarters, yet with strong calls for “action first???.

Urging the government to review the various media laws fencing the media operations in the country, the National Union of Journalist (NUJ) president Norilla Daud said Najib had made a very good point by encouraging more skeptical and critical reporting.

Read more

Malaysia– After the Battle on Bonkers Hills

by

http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/2009/04/pink-floyd-meets-gamelan.html

 

Two Hills were won – Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang.

I still remember when I was a child; the name “Bukit Gantang??? is associated with a “panglima??? or a warrior of fierce look and disposition equipped with the keris, Steroid-pumped up body and a tanjak (headgear). Hence Panglima Bukit Gantang. “Gantang??? is a unit of measurement used to calibrate the amount of rice. A bigger unit than “secupak???. The more powerful one is in society, the more gantang one gets. The lower the rakyat is in rung of the “dog-eat-dog world???, the less “cupak??? one gets. That’s the ugly side of the language of power/ideology/class  of the people of “semangat padi“.

Read more

By-election results news coverage and commentaries from different media sources (Updated)

by

 

Source: The Star

People’s Verdict from the 2 Bukit’s By-elections Results

Press statement

Dr. Lim Teck Ghee
Director, Centre for Policy Initiatives
 
The unsurprising verdict from the recent by elections in Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau is resoundingly clear – that the majority of Malaysia’s voters – rural and urban, Malays and non-Malays, rich and poor – no longer have faith in BN rule.  These are several key messages that BN leaders and their supporters have to take to heart if they want to win back the support of the electorate.

Read more

Kadar Kemiskinan: Antara Retorik dan Realiti

by

Malaysia telah mencapai kejayaan yang cemerlang dalam menangani dan mengurangkan kadar kemiskinan. Sejak tahun kemerdekaan, kadar kemiskinan telah dikurangkan daripada 50 peratus kepada 3.6 peratus pada 2007.

Tambahan pula, pencapaian yang luar biasa ini diiktirafkan oleh pertubuhan antarabangsa. Malaysia adalah sesebuah negara yang telah berjaya mengatasi penandarasan kemiskinan 8.25 peratus yang ditetapkan oleh UNDP di bawah Millennium Development Goals bagi tahun 2015.

Inilah kenyataan yang sering dikeluarkan oleh para pemimpin dan pegawai kerajaan bagi membuktikan kejayaan negara kita dalam membasmi kemiskinan.

Adakah kenyataan ini satu yang tepat dan jitu? Apakah data yang diketengahkan untuk menyokong pendirian ini?

Read more