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Are We Being Served by Half-Past-Six Ministers?

By Kee Thuan Chye
Yahoo! News
13.11.2013

Do we have half-past-six ministers running the country? Well, from the utterances of at least three ministers in the last few days, that seems to be so.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim put his foot in his mouth when he declared in Parliament last Monday that the electricity and water bills incurred by the prime minister’s official residence in Putrajaya last year – amounting to a staggering RM2.55 million – was among the lowest in the world. And how did he come to this conclusion? Did he make comparisons with other countries?

No, he came to this conclusion based on his own “observation”!

Woooh! RM2.55 million of taxpayers’ money spent and that’s what we get? A personal observation by one of our top public servants that it’s relatively peanuts?

Asked by Opposition MPs for comparisons with the utility bills of the residences of other countries’ leaders, he said he did not have them. “If you want the specifics, you will need to give me time to collect the details,” he said. Which clearly showed he was simply tembak-ing (shooting in the dark). Continue reading “Are We Being Served by Half-Past-Six Ministers?”

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The relevant authorities in JB must not “do nothing” but must use the controversy over Zachas’ “high-crime” mural to launch a new initiative to wipe out JB’s reputation as the nation’s crime capital

It is sad and tragic that while “unusual creativeness” are being exhibited to remove the “sting” of Lithuanian-born street artist Ernest Zacharevic’s “high crime” mural in Johor Bahru, there are no signs that the relevant authorities – JB City Council, the Police and Johore State Government – are being moved to capitalise on the heightened public awareness in the past week of unacceptably high crime rate in JB to launch a new initiative to wipe out JB’s reputation as the nation’s crime capital.

Two local artists had worked through midnight to add a Lego policeman armed with a handcuff to the controversial mural – a Lego man wearing a ski mask and holding a knife waiting to rob a Lego woman carrying a “Chanel” bag – but Zacharevic has dissociated himself from the addition with the comment on his Facbook that this is “a true vandalism”.

The authorities show a completely wrong sense of priorities, in expending energy on how to remove the “sting” of Zachas’ “high crime” mural in JB with various “creative” ideas to allow the “offensive” mural to remain in JB, when what is most important of all is for the authorities to take meaningful and effective action to ensure that JB becomes a low-crime city which is safe and secure for residents, visitors and investors. Continue reading “The relevant authorities in JB must not “do nothing” but must use the controversy over Zachas’ “high-crime” mural to launch a new initiative to wipe out JB’s reputation as the nation’s crime capital”

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Cop ‘joins’ Zachas’ JB mural to ‘pounce’ on robber

By Aidila Razak | 11:59AM Nov 13, 2013
Malaysiakini

Local artists have added a Lego policeman to the controversial Johor Bahru mural by artist Ernest Zacharevic – a move that appears to soften the message and possibly, save the mural.

With his eyes set on a Lego woman carrying a Chanel handbag, the Lego mugger appears unaware that an police officer – complete with handcuffs – is ready to nab him.

It is unclear who the local artists behind the addition are, but according to the photograh uploaded by Zacharevic on his Facebook page, duo worked on the mural last night.

“Now that’s a true vandalism! Malaysia never fails to amuse me,” Zacharevic quipped in his caption.

A number of those commenting on the mural’s expansion were not too amused.
Continue reading “Cop ‘joins’ Zachas’ JB mural to ‘pounce’ on robber”

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Based on present redelineation, Pakatan Rakyat should aim to win 135 parliamentary seats in 14GE to capture Putrajaya with PKR, PAS and DAP each winning 45 seats , with a parliamentary majority of 48

Based on present redelineation, the Battle for Putrajaya in the 14GE will depend on the outcome in 80 marginal seats – 51 presently held by Barisan Nasional and 29 from Pakatan Rakyat.

Taking more than 55 per cent vote secured in the 13GE as a “safe” seat, BN has 82 safe seats while Pakatan Rakyat has 60 safe seats.

In the 13GE, Pakatan Rakyat won the popular vote but robbed of Putrajaya as Barisan Nasional is the federal government with the majority of seats – 89 for Pakatan Rakyat as against BN’s 133 seats.

If Pakatan Rakyat had won another 23 seats in the 13GE, PR would have the simple majority of 112 out of 222 seats.

In the 14GE, apart from retaining all our 89 parliamentary seats, Pakatan Rakyat should not just aim at winning 23 of the 51 BN marginal seats, but should aim to double this target to win over 46 out of the 51 BN marginal seats so that the Pakatan Rakyat can win a total of 135 out of 222 parliamentary seats with a parliamentary majority of 48 – with the seats evenly distributed among the three Pakatan Rakyat parties, i.e. PKR, PAS and DAP each having 45 parliamentary seats. Continue reading “Based on present redelineation, Pakatan Rakyat should aim to win 135 parliamentary seats in 14GE to capture Putrajaya with PKR, PAS and DAP each winning 45 seats , with a parliamentary majority of 48”