Lynas: Now to weed out the real parias

Read Mahathir does not want Lynas treated like an outcast

ddd

Dirty Dozen, 27 Aug: Clearly, this message by the Prime Minister is meant primarily for his 12 ministers who signed last year the akujanji on Lynas, promising to shut down the RM1.7 billion rare earth plant in Gebeng, Pahang if they win the 14th general election and take over Putrajaya. They included the Deputy Prime Minister and the bungling Finance Minister. 

Recognise this one?

None of the Dirty Dozen turned up at the last illegal protest organised in Kuantan by dubious NGOs that are curiously still against Lynas despite all the scientific findings and export reports on the safety of the plant but Lim Guan Eng has pledged to continue to try and persuade the Prime Minister "to understand the genuine concerns of the environmentalists". Last week, immediately after the illegal protest, Anwar Ibrahim decided to differ from Mahathir on the Lynas issue ( Anwar backs calls to review Lynas' licence renewal) but,  not surprisingly, until yesterday the so-called PM-in-waitng has made no formal proposal on the matter (No proposal on Anwar on Lynas' license renewal, says Gobind). 

In other words, while Dr M is trying to get the investors to come and stop the economy from sliding further, those around him continue to undermine his efforts to score a few political points more. Because, maaf kata, that's all they were, are and will always be good for. 

But of course the Old Man knew that.

After the glitch, even darker days ahead for KLIA unless ...

Taman Tun, Aug 26: I'm happy to hear that things at the KL International Airport are back to normal after the four-day glitch. Honestly, I was sick, sad and tired of the things said about our airport and about MAHB, the people running our airports. The fact is, computer glitches happen to the best of airports. The KLIA even started off in 1998 with a glorious glitch, just like airports in Hong Kong, Thailand, Denver did [read Other airports' rocky start]. 

The important thing is, did we handle the crisis well? Some said yes (.. praise for MAHB handling of glitch); others are not too convinced (When an airport loses its value). Yet some others may agree with Senyum Kambing that the reputation of KLIA is now completely in tatters, destroyed!

I certainly do not share Kambing's view for I still believe that KLIA can still fulfil its potential and promises. But the Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad people need to go back to basic. And that means putting passengers first (again) instead of minding petty squabbles and suing the client because their CEO was too critical for the MAHB's liking!

Even the Prime Minsiter has raised concerns about unfair charges that passengers are being made to pay at the KLIA. Not to mention the potentially-disastrous airport departure levy that will take effect on Sept 1. 

It is the MAHB - not the airlines - that should be championing such causes for passengers. For a start, it can take the cue from Dr Mahathir and bring the levy up with the Ministry of Finance and talk to MAVCOM about the "unfair" Passenger Service Charge (PSC). 

Before the four-day computer glitch, some people were already asking why they needed to pay both the levy and PSC when they fly Malaysia and KLIA. After the glitch, we might want to ask why anyone would want to fly here at all ...

From deportation to dinner (The rise and fall of Syed Saddiq)

A commenter responds to Syed Saddiq's tweet

Puchong, Sun: Continuing from my last posting Zakir Naik responds to haters, fake news and (maybe) challenges Syed Saddiq to a debate on Aug 18 ... Youth and Sports Minister who said Enough is enough, deport Zakir Naik is still drawing so much flak on socmed for telling the ZN-haters to "Let's move on" - SS says after hosting dinner for Zakir Naik". 

Ambiga S. Sreevanan won't be healed. "You're (were?) one of my favourite ministers and this is dissapointing," she said h e r e.

Another angry commenter
\ 

Me, I am Malay and a Malay is known to be forgiving. Sometimes too forgiving. But I shall not add fuel to fire. I will just heed to Syed Saddiq's call and move on to another blog posting ....