This blog had been down since last Friday for certain reasons that I’d like to keep to myself for the time being.

Meanwhile, I’m working hard to resuscitate the web hosting and before you know it, I might have transferred the hosting back to Malaysia.

I’m down, but still alive and kicking.

Stay tune.

Early this month, the Coalition Against Toll Hike (Protes) or Gabungan Protes Kenaikan Tol revealed a copy of the agreement between the Government and Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd (Litrak) to reporters.

In an immediate response, Parti Keadilan Rakyat information chief Tian Chua, who is also a Protes member, the Cabinet’s decision confirmed what the coalition had said earlier that the content of the contract was unfavourable to the public.

"The government needs to explain how and why this contract had been signed. Instead of being transparent, they (the government) have decided to declare this an Official Secrets Act document.

"It’s greatly unfair to the public as they are the ones who pay taxes and tolls."

On the other hand, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad admitted that the Cabinet relied on the senior government officers in the relevant ministry who prepared Cabinet papers for approval, minus details in fine print. Once the papers were presented by the relevant minister, the Cabinet merely approved them in principle.

“We did not have very much experience. We didn’t know about growth and reaction from people. Civil servants don’t think of reaction as much as politicians. They think they see a reasonable agreement and they send it to the cabinet and the cabinet okays it. And now we are stuck." […]

"This is something we must correct."

Truth spoken, Tun suggested that concessionaires should reveal how much they have collected in toll to date so as to address people’s dissatisfaction over the recent toll hike.

"By right, the income of highway concessionaires should have gone up. So I think it is best that information on the collection is revealed."

"Toll could be increased but the rates shouldn’t be too high."

However, yesterday, Works Minister S Samy Vellu said that the Cabinet is not prepared to make public the toll agreements inked between the government and highway concessionaires and suggested that those who had revealed the agreement to be punished.

"I have also suggested that the Cabinet take appropriate action against the person (or persons) who had stolen and exhibited an agreement. The agreement is solely between the government and the company and it is a secret document,"

"It is classified secret … a restricted document of the government. It has been stolen by some people and we have suggested we are going to ask the Attorney-General’s office to take appropriate action against those who stole the document and exhibited it without the authority, and they have to pay for it,"

Instead of rectifying mistakes done and right what is wrong, apparently, the authority is still very much in controlling mode, evidently through the suggestion by Samy Vellu to punish parties involved in exposing an agreement which is not beneficial to the people of Malaysia, the people who’ve voted them into the administration.

However, the scariest part is, even though the underlying cause has been made known, void of action is one thing, the act of continuing to live in active denial mode is something that you and I needs to concern about.

Probably I should have thanked Penang Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon for reminding us to vote wisely. "No sympathy vote," he said.

True enough.

The Star SMS alert at 12:42pm.

KL High Court has set Feb 22 to hear blogger Rocky’s application to strike out suit filed by NST, application for interpartes injunction adjourned.

Stand tall, bro. We’re walking with you.

[UPDATED VERSION] I’m in the midst of upgrading this blog, apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Thank you.

By 1am, it’s up and running on WordPress 2.1. So far, so good.

First Global Business Center (GBC) outside the US, by Dell Inc in Malaysia.

Good news #1.

Starting from September 9, budget carrier JetStar, which is owned by Australian flag-carrier Qantas Airways, will start direct flights between Sydney-Kuala Lumpur, making it the second foreign budget airline to fly to Malaysia, after the Filipino carrier Cebu Pacific Airways commenced operations in December.

(SOURCE: Jetstar)

Jetstar started long-haul international flights in November 2006, serving five international markets from either Sydney or Melbourne, flying an existing 18 weekly return services, which include Bangkok and Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City, Bali and Honolulu in the United States.

However, Jetstar spokeswoman Simone Pregellio denied the new flights are part of an arrangement to allow Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia to fly to Australia.

What about the price for cheapest fares, including surcharges, fees and taxes, you may ask?

(SOURCE: Jetstar)

Not interesting enough? Sit tight.

Malaysiakini News Team reported that Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan will address the Who’s who of the global media industry at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, next week.

Gan is the only Southeast Asian selected and one of nine Asians.

He is among 100 ‘most influential and respected media leaders in the world’ picked to join the WEF’s inaugural International Media Council (IMC), a new body set up by the organisers of the WEF. Over 3,000 journalists around the world were asked to suggest potential members and 900 nominations were received.

Gan will be among those speaking at the opening session themed ‘Old Questions, New Answers’ which will examine the challenges facing the old and new media. He will also be on a panel session entitled ‘Journalism is Dead - Long Live the Journalist’ which explores the meaning of journalism in the new media world.

"I assume malaysiakini was picked because we are a new media with a healthy dose of old journalism," said Gan.

 "There has been a lot of excitement - as well as hype - over the potential of new media. A lot of us - journalists who are facing the painful process of migrating from old to new media - are still trying to make sense of the rapid changes we see around us."

We’re proud of you!

Just when you’re pondering if you’re not to vote for Barisan Nasional in the next GE and what’s the alternatives available, Penang Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon appeared in Batu Talam election campaign and telling you and I great stuff.

I mean, really great stuff.

(SOURCE: The Star, 22 January 2007)

Am I stupid or is it only Tsu Koon thinks that generally, Chinese who don’t vote for the Barisan Nasional’s candidate because they are feeling sympathy towards non-Barisan Nasional candidate?

Then again, my gratitude to Tsu Koon for telling us that if we didn’t vote for the  right candidate, we’ve have wait for another 5 years before we’re able to cast the precious vote again.

You get what I mean?

Blood Diamond, a film directed and produced by Edward Zwick and stars by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly.

(SOURCE: IMDB)

The movie’s title refers to conflict diamond that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments, and are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments, or in contravention of the decisions of the Security Council.

Set in the civil war of Sierra Leone, the film portrays a country torn apart by a struggle between sides equally vicious and heedless of the suffering of innocent noncombatants.

It’s a must watch movie, where the movie presents itself as an action thriller but the genre trappings can’t hide the fact that Zwick wants to teach audiences another history lesson and lecture them on political correctness.

Meanwhile, I’m currently away and will do a book review on The Undercover Economist by Tim Harfod when I’m back.

Malaysian Asian Games doubles gold medallists Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong secured their berth in the finals on Sunday after clearing the semifinal hurdles in the Malaysia Open 2007 badminton championship held at Kuala Lumpur Stadium.

Koo-Tan, who is currently ranked at number 116 in the world, continued their superb performance by edging the much high ranking Indonesian duo and world number 4 Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan 21-19, 21-17 in 29 minutes.

They will face the American and Indonesian pair of Tony Gunawan-Candra Wijaya.

Meanwhile, surprise of the day came from Malaysia’s woman single Wong Mew Choo when she defeated Japanese Eriko Hirose 21-18, 21-19. Her opponent in the final is Zhu Lin of China.

Since 1982, no Malaysian women had ever qualified for the semis after Rosalind Singha Ang won the title in 1965.

Let’s throw our full support behind them, Malaysia Boleh!