Screenshots

It's appalling how this government can't tolerate even an ounce of dissent.

Wheres the videos? So we'll know who was the one who started the 'retaliation' first and if its really justifiable as its claimed.

All differences need to be settled at the negotiating table or if that fails - the ballot box. Protests & Demonstrations are the extreme last resort which in a small multi-cultural country like Malaysia may wreck havoc. We don't need demonstrators on the streets but negotiators at the table - that is the only path in a Democratic Nation. But then again, what do creeps like PAS know about Democracy? Hope I don't get a warning for this!?!

PAS never started May 13. We know who did.

Looking at the photos, we hope in 12 years' time we won't have to say deja vu. That's when the oil runs out. Then we'll be importing it; by then the barrel price would be above a hundred dollars; our economy may even grind to a halt; we have to start now to build scenarios of what will happen to the rakyat and the economy when the oil taps run dry. Truth must prevail; exactly how many Petronas investments overseas made so far have yielded credible returns. How many largesized multinationals have built plants here in the last five years, and if they have not, what were the reasons they had given. Exactly what does this umno govt (must as well call a spade a spade) have in mind, clearly, for biotechnology. How does this umno govt measure, and give the formula, the output from the MSC? What's the passing marks for some of the subjects in the local unis, if quality higher education is a linchpin for the future of any knowledge economy as a key feature of modernization towards 2020?

Tough questions need to be asked by one and all. Not tomorrow, not five years later. Now. Don't prevaricate, don't procrastinate because this umno government has shown that it not only has zero foresight about anything, it is also incapable of conducting proper negotiations, lax in monitoring releasing progress payments against proper work delivered in construction projects, and yet have the gall to use the media to praise itself.

When the oil runs out, the people you see in the photos will number more, and there may be more than just demonstrations or riots. Happened at the footsteps of Petronas this time. May happen everywhere else then.

If the economy is doing so well, why did common people demonstrate?

A firstworld mentality is not just about edifices or glistening highrises only. It's also about having enough confidence to speak the truth, to admit follies and felonies, and to get up and do what must be done, not deny, cosmetise, even brutalise.

My fire and fortitude are waning. How's yours?

Pardon me. When did this take place? Was this during the time when the govt raised the price or did this just happen a few days ago? All I could remember the major dailies only carried a small picture of the demostration within a very small small small article. HOw come they print big big pictures of civil unrest of other countries but hide such incidences from the rakyat when it happened in our own backyard?

Correct me if i am wrong.... I thought Malaysia is a net exporter of oil. Why then the stiff hike? Have we done too many forward sell of our oil at an incredible low price? Have we sold our future away so that the future generations would have to live with the baggage?

Expecting news blackout on anti-fuel hike demo in the mainstream media today.

I strongly agree with what govt says about fuel price. We should be wasting all our profit on fuel subsidy.

Then again, if the profit is channeled back to rakyat, who will complain?
Public transportation is in dire state, car prices is sky high.We are being screwed up down left riight.

So when you go protest, it is not the fuel price we shall be protesting against. It is the reason behind billions of ringgit went unknown that we need to be protesting.

Petroluem income doensn't belong to one party. It belongs to each and every malaysian.

This happened yesterday 28 May 2006

yeah expect a total new blackout by all mainstream medias ...

Malaysia Boleh

congrats jeff for highlighting this event!

So that's why they weren't detaining kids and cracking skulls at The Exploited gig.

There is no complete news black out of the above in our media.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/5/29/nation/14379472&sec=nation

The star reported that "At about 11am when the protest grew rowdy, police used a water cannon on demonstrators who refused to disperse."

I wonder the definition of "Rowdy" used by the police.

Neil,

First of all, national oil will not run out in 12 years. Current reserve stands at 17 years and I am pretty sure there will be new discoveries between now and then. For your info, the reserve stands at 16-18 years 10 years ago too. So in the last 10 years, we have discovered another 10 years' oil reserve at current production rate.

Petronas is obviously aware of this and actively invest in oversea operations, mainly at Africa. Revenue from oversea investments was around 1/3 of the total, a respectable achivement considering our relative short history in international oil and gas business.

Gozie,
Yes, we are still a net exporter, at least for another 5-10 years if I remember correctly. It was rojected that Malaysia stands to benefit about US$100 million per year in income for increment of every dollar in crude. I can't give you the link now but I am sure you can find something similar.

Baffles me why this demonstration is not a worthy news item on paper.

Our reserves are stated as those which are viable to extract at the present moment. There's still plenty of oil, it's just economically viable to complete extraction of these reserves. When crude price continues to go up, then these supplies become economical, and there will still be oil to be extracted. Just more expensive.

I totally agree with Syne that is the oil reserves have been 'adjusted' to show it will be depleted when and when just so the rakyat will not know the real facts!But I do believe we have sold forward a lot of our oil exports for current gain and the price hike in the world market now has little impact on Petronas earnings.
Yes the protest is basically against how the gomen is run thanks to the 20 plus years of TM rule and the oilprice hike is merely a result of this as with Tenaga hike and the MAS ,Proton ,forest rape and the 'close one eye' mentality we enjoy .

Brutality is part of the demonstration game. It's not cool, but the whole concept doesn't enrage me.

What's disgusting is media blackout. So they had a report, but someone getting married got more coverage than that.

I feel like a kid being told by my mom I was born out of a rock when I asked about my origin.

Thank you, Jeff, for covering this. As usual the mainstream media remained silent.

I would not have hesitated in joining in the protest if I was in KL.

bnaipal, negotiation is no doubt the best way in a democratic nation. In a country where the government has violated democracy by not listening to its people, however, isn't non-violent civil disobedience a necessary thing?

KY,

The '12-year' figure came from the CEO of Suruhanjaya Tenaga (Jan 24 2006)and BP World Statistics June 2005

see Page 5 in:
http://tinyurl.com/hlcy3

quote-

9. Let us now take a strategic look at the supply side. Malaysia’s proven oil reserves at the end of 2004 stood at 4.3 billion barrels. Our current reserve - to - production ratio will make our indigenous oil last for another 12 years or so (based on BP World Statistics in June 2005).

-unquote

Hassan Marican of Petronas might have mentioned the same figure in one of his speeches sometime last year.

The figures you quoted are found in the EPU article available by cache:

http://tinyurl.com/h274o

My reading of what is not said is that it is alright that this country's dependence on oil, and hence a large part of her future comfort, stability etc, is predicated on Petronas' oil exploration performance, meanwhile insured with a domestic window of 20 years.

To say the least, this is dicey but then some will say semuanya will be ok.

Bnaipal... [ deleted - the Sunday demo was about some people's reaction to fuel price hike, not May 13 ]

As for the riots... they were asked to leave peacefully before.. and they chose not to. Hence a reaction.

I'm doing a university assignment on objectivity in journalism. I would like to know if any other mainstream media other than The Star reported the strike. (NST in particular). Someone pleases help...i need the info quick

Dun think so.. but journalism is never objective. It will always carry an opinion that is beneficial to someone... Even in the states, journalism is seen as trying to promote the interests of the owners of the news company....

In every fairly democratic country, there are forums to talk called parliament via elected MPs.

If the protestors want to take matter to the street, then be prepared to be treated equally in a streetly manner.

Riot police were not trained to be gentlemenly nice to trouble makers.

The picture of the FRU officer standing with his legs apart reminds me of Urko, a key commander of the gorilla pack in Planet of the Apes. All the FRU officer needs now to complete the picture is a horse.

I'm reluctant to compare the FRU to that Gorilla pack, but it's hard not to: charging into the humans in the movie, charging into peaceful demonstrators in our case. Clubbing humans in the movie, clubbing peaceful demonstrators in our case. And oh...! Did the FRU forget to bring their nets and cages along?

Jeff, resonse to bnaipals comment... nothing more.