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KLPAC insists Singapore ballet application was rejected

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 05, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 — The KL Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) maintained today it had submitted a permit application for the Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) to federal authorities a month ago, refuting a federal minister’s claim that it had not done so.

KLPAC executive producer and co-founder Datuk Faridah Merican explained in a statement here that the application was “personally” submitted to Puspal, or the Central Agency for the Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artists, on March 7 by KLPAC production manager Freddy Tan.

Tan, she said, was subsequently “advised” by a Puspal officer last Wednesday that the application had been rejected for two reasons – costuming and foreign performers.

“This was most unusual because we had applied for performances by the Singapore Dance Theatre on two previous occasions and both were approved,” Faridah said.

“In fact, we have always found Puspal to be most helpful and understanding.”

It is believed that the two reasons given by Puspal were not communicated in great detail to Tan.

Faridah said that following the permit rejection, an appeal was submitted on the same day.

But despite this, she confirmed that the ballet performance, titled “Ballet Illuminations”, originally scheduled for April 6 and 7 at KLPAC, had to be cancelled. Continue reading “KLPAC insists Singapore ballet application was rejected”

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‘Duduk means sit, Bantah means protest’, so let’s ‘Jom Duduk Bantah, Malaysians’

— May Chee Chook Ying
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 05, 2012

APRIL 5 — I must apologise for such a weird title for my write-up this time. I’m doing it for the benefit of some upstart whose tweet went like this: “…jumping like Monkeys in d street not going to solve anything in Malaysia….we r not Planet of the Apes. Be civilized Pakatan #Bersih3…”

Our Twitter friend above, firstly, has a very poor command of the national language. Go, take some tuition, it helps to understand the national language better for some politician wannabe like you.

Secondly, for calling your paymasters “Monkeys”, you ought to be sacked!

Thirdly, what have you solved, so far?

I used to think that Gerakan were notches above the MCA. They were the lean ones, you see. Till today, I feel kind of sorry for Koh Tsu Koon. Still believe he’s a good man, may not be the right man for the job, nevertheless, don’t see any evil in him. (Will keep you in my prayers, KTK.)

Looks like the GE13 will be the dirtiest yet. If what we hear is true, the incumbent government is pulling no stops to be voted in. That means the plundering will not stop. Neither will we see an independent judiciary, MACC, and what-nots. Justice will not see the light of day for many. The education system will go to the pits. Idiots will use the name of the Almighty in vain. The poor will become poorer, the thieves will become richer. We will die because with 1 Care, we will be robbed blind and not have the means to seek proper treatment. We can’t help our neighbour without being accused of proselytising! Murderers, thieves and criminals can still roam free! Malaysia will go bankrupt in no time! I’d better stop before I throw up! Continue reading “‘Duduk means sit, Bantah means protest’, so let’s ‘Jom Duduk Bantah, Malaysians’”

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DAP gives thumbs up to Bersih 3.0

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 05, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 – The DAP formally voiced its support today for Bersih’s third rally for free and fair elections this April 28, agreeing with the group that the Parliamentary Select Committee’s (PSC) electoral reform proposals were inadequate.

Its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said in a statement here that the PSC’s report, approved in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday, had shown a “serious lack of commitment” to addressing fundamental issues of electoral irregularities, which was the panel’s main objective.

“Given the lack of commitment to provide a clean electoral [roll] so that the next general election is free and fair, the DAP fully supports Bersih 3.0’s call to gather at Merdeka Square from 2pm to 4pm on April 28.

The DAP also reiterates its support for the full implementation of Bersih 2.0’s eight demands, out of which only one – the use of indelible ink – was sufficiently addressed in the PSC report,” Lim (picture) said in the statement. Continue reading “DAP gives thumbs up to Bersih 3.0”

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Gross stupidity might be a good reason for you to march

— Abdul Haleem Abdul Rahiman
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 05, 2012

APRIL 5 — I will join the Bersih 3.0 rally because I can’t stand the gross stupidity that is crippling the entire nation. Honestly, as much as I agree stupidity has no limit, I can’t take this absurdity which has been feed to us in high doses on a daily basis.

Day in, day out the events unfolding in Malaysia make you sick and drive you insane. With all the transformation programmes and what-not, I believe we are on full speed in a very wrong direction. Almost every institution in this country is failing. Religious bigotry is at its peak. Most MPs, if not all, are busy politicking rather than working. Corruption is nothing but the norm. A priority list is something unfamiliar in our daily life in Malaysia. Common sense is not so common anymore.

What irks me the most lately is the amount of stupidity and bigotry.

The latest, in declining a permit for a Singapore ballet group to perform here, is just absurd. The reason given is indecent costumes. Ballet costumes deemed indecent? Are you joking? I will not buy that reason simply because it’s insane to agree ballet costumes can poke your eye! Assuming it does, how do we justify swimsuits then? A gymnast who will be performing in the coming Olympics? Are we going to censor all female categories in gymnastics? Perhaps we should censor all female sports from being broadcast then. When countries like Saudi Arabia are sending female athletes to participate in the Olympics, we are banning ballet costumes. We have banned books, movies, T-shirts, yoga and what-not. Can we ban idiots who can’t even speak or write English from standing for elections? Continue reading “Gross stupidity might be a good reason for you to march”

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Pak Samad ready for Bersih 3.0, ‘disturbed’ by lagging reforms

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 05, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 — National literary icon Datuk A. Samad Said made headlines last year when it was his slightly-hunched, barefooted frame that was seen leading a group of Bersih 2.0 marchers to deliver a memorandum on electoral reforms to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Today, he is “disturbed” that no real electoral reforms have taken place since the chaotic July 9 event.

The soft-spoken septuagenarian told The Malaysian Insider repeatedly that he was “not happy” with the 22 recommendations put forward by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on polls reform in its report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday.

The government’s and PSC’s failure to suggest total reform, he said, was “good reason” why Bersih 3.0 “should” be held.

“I’m not happy with what has happened. I’m not happy. Not happy,” the bearded poet said yesterday, shaking his shock of white hair.

“So that’s why I think, because of what’s happening, it is very disturbing as far as I’m concerned.

“That’s a good reason why we should have this (Bersih 3.0),” he said. Continue reading “Pak Samad ready for Bersih 3.0, ‘disturbed’ by lagging reforms”