Tuesday, July 29, 2014

July 5th, 2014: Lawyer and human rights activist, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri makes an impassioned speech for soup kitchens to stand up for the needy of the city against the KL municipality and Federal Territories ministry.


These two authorities seemed intent on criminalising not only the homeless and the beggars but also those who aid them. However, after a massive public outcry, the FT Ministry has delayed implementing their 'no beggars, no homeless' exclusion zone within 2 kilometres of the city centre.

Freedom Film Fest 2014: Zunar makes a movie!



Who knows Zulkiflee Anwar Haque? Family and friends most probably. But everyone worth his or her political salt or who is remotely political, apolitical or rabidly partisan and everyone in between must know Zunar, the irrepressible political cartoonist. The thorn in the side of Barisan leaders.





He has teamed up with business graduate turned social activist Michelle Hoo to do a film on his determination to be heard through his cartoons.

Mic is a business graduate of St Andrews University and was on her way to a doctorate when fate made a turn and she found herself back in Malaysia. But instead of pursuing a career in the corporate world, she dove head on into activism, composing a song for Bersih:




She has also produced voter education and many others. When asked why she wanted to do the video with Zunar she says she admires his determine to reveal the wrongs in the society.

They are one of three recipients of this year’s Freedom Film Fest Malaysia pitch.

Zunar is an Opposition cartoonist who makes a mockery of Barisan policies and their politicians. Firmly on his 'gun' sight are the so-called 'First Couple, Najib and Rosmah.

He is perhaps the only local cartoonist who has been arrested for his cartoons because he says, "Even my pen has a stand ..." and that is his underlying philosophy.

 

Home ministry officials and police raided his office to confiscate a book that was banned.


They take the book that was banned and arrested him.



Sunday, July 20, 2014

Pakatan Welcomes Special Seating







Prime Minister Najib Razak has called for a special seating of Parliament this Wednesday July 22 to discuss the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in a disputed area of the Ukraine.

The aircraft was allegedly shot by a surface to air missile.

The Ukraine government and the separatist rebels are pointing fingers at each other, as to who fired the missile that brought down a passenger airliner on Thursday July 17 killing 298 passengers and crew.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Universiti Malaya's Best Kept Secret

Universiti Malaya has a secret and it's in the form of their Centre for Creative Content and Digital Innovation, Universiti Malaya or 3CDI for short. So what do they do? Listen to its Project Director (R&D), Khairulhazrin Hashim to tell you what the centre is all about.
Credits:
Images from 3CDI
Pua Kumbu video from Dream Weavers of Rumah Garie Longhouse

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Tian Chua to Ku Nan: Come, let's sleep on the road!




July 5, 2014 Kuala Lumpur: In the wake of the plan by the Federal Territories Ministry to impose a 'no-soup-kitchen' within a 2 km radius of the city centre and to impose fines on both beggers and givers, the Dapur Jalanan soup kitchen with operates on Jalan Panggong here in Kuala Lumpur got together with over a 100 supporters to provide food to the homeless in the area.

At the location to lend support were Nik Nazmi the Pakatan Seri Setia Assemblyperson, Tian Chua, Pakatan MP for Batu, Maria Chin Abdullah, Bersih Chairperson and several other activists.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Nik Nazmi: Ministers are out of touch


July 5, 2014 Kuala Lumpur: Soup kitchen, Dapur Jalanan organised by youth group Kelab Bangsar Utama came out in full force with over a hundred volunteers and supporters in a show of solidarity with charity movements that feed the homeless and the destitute of Kuala Lumpur.

We met with Selangor State Assemblyperson, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad who was there to show his solidarity for the NGO, the homeless and destitute of the city. What does he feel about the plan by the Federal Territories ministry to have a 2 kilometre 'no soup kitchen and beggars' radius from the city centre?

Dapur Jalanan with Isham Rais





July 5, 2014 Kuala Lumpur: Soup kitchen, Dapur Jalanan organised by youth group Kelab Bangsar Utama came out in full force with over a hundred volunteers and supporters in a show of solidarity with charity movements that feed the homeless and the destitute of Kuala Lumpur.

We catch up with activist, Hishamuddin Rais for his take on the plan by the Federal Territories ministry to have a 2 kilometre 'no soup kitchen and beggars' radius from the city centre.


Saturday, July 5, 2014

A religious lesson for 'Ku Nan'



Over a hundred volunteers and supporters turned up at Jalan Panggong near the iconic Petaling Street street market to show support and solidarity with Dapur Jalanan a weekly soup kitchen for the poor and homeless in the area.

Amongst them were Parliamentarian Tian Chua, Selangor Assembly Assemblyperson Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

The event today was an announcement by Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Mansor to move the homeless and beggars from the city's streets and he has threatened to fine those who give money to beggars as well.

He has also put a ban of a radius of two kilometres from the city centre against soup kitchens from operating.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Pushing for the cause through Freedom Film Fest




We meet with Mohd Affandi Ramli or better known as Ronasina Fandi. Ronasina is a reversed combination of his children's name; An Nur and Annisa who were both born with Cerebral Palsy. Annisa has sadly passed away

Ronasina once a teacher, his wife Raja Rohaisham and their two daughters were usually present at street protests, such as anti-toll hike demonstrations.

The lack of support mechanism in the country for children with special needs resulted in Ronasina doing additional work to supplement his teacher's salary to care for his girls.

And this is also why he and his wife have thrown their support behind any protests or events that they feel add on to the burden of orginary citizens.

He has since left the teaching profession for a fulltime life as cartoonist, columnist, author and publisher.

Ronasina and Raja Rohaisham are both passionate about pushing the government to provide more support mechanisms for children with special needs. This is evident in his writings and activities.

Recenty he won a grant to produce a short film for this September's Freedom Film Fest about this very same issue.