Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Powerless or Powerful?
- Targeting RM800b oil 'field'
- Where is Sabah’s oil money going?
- Is Pairin winding down his political career?
- PAS — opposition power house or federal ruling party?
- Malaysia plays hardball over asylum swap deal with Australia
- PAS ulama to table motion on sex video at party assembly on Friday
- Perkasa: Respect Malay rights, then talk national unity
- Get your ‘concert’ act together, Pakatan told
- WIKILEAKS: Power struggles in Perak
- Scorpene deal: Najib must come clean
- Will PAS delegates rally behind Nik Aziz?
- Behind and Beyond the IPPs
- Longing For A Free Mind (Part 13 of 14)
- Politik dan Garis Politik
- 7 sins of addiction
- A riposte to Mukhriz's defence of brain drain policies of the father
- Umno has lost Malay middle class, says EIU
- WikiLeaks Disclosures and Diplomacy
- Blogger given 14 days for defence over Rais suit
- Khairy calls IPP contracts ‘unfair’ to the public
- Anwar Gets SNAPPED: The Failure of an Opposition Leader Comes Home to Roost
- Anwar says SPNB now cash cow for UMNO
- 'General election this month'
- Kes Felda saman Suara Keadilan Julai depan
| Posted: 02 Jun 2011 11:58 AM PDT By Tony Pua The Minister of Energy, Water and Green Technologies, Peter Chin had earlier in the week expressed that the Government is helpless in "declassifying" the Power Purchasing Agreements (PPAs) between the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) in the light of the demand by the public. The Ministry's reply to me back in 29 February 2009 for my parliamentary question said the exact same thing, which at the very least showed that they are steadfast and consistent in backing the interest of the IPPs. The Minister then had replied to me that "dokumen Perjanjian Jual Beli Tenaga (PPA) merupakan satu dokumen perjanjian antara dua entiti swasta, iaitu di antara Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) dan pihak penjana bebas (IPP) yang terbabit. Di bawah perjanjian tersebut, kedua-dua pihak perlu memberikan persetujuan terlebih dahulu sebelum mana-mana kandungan perjanjian tersebut boleh diumumkan. Sekiranya pihka TNB bercadang untuk menamatkan perjanjian PPA tanpa sebab yang kukuh, TNB perlu memberi pampasan penuh kepada pihak IPP." The Ministry's reply to me on 23 March 2010 again emphasized the Government's sheer reluctance to right the wrong in the PPAs which make the rakyat pay significantly more for its electricity. "Kerajaan sentiasa menghormati sebarang perjanjian atau kontrak yang telah ditandatangani oleh pihak Kerajaan. Oleh yang demikian, Kerajaan tiada rancangan untuk merombak semula atau menamatkan kontrak Perjanjian Pembelian Tenaga (PPA) secara unilateral dengan pihak IPP sebelum tamat tempoh kontrak tersebut. Sebaliknya, pendekatan yang diambil oleh Kerajaan ialah supaya PPA tersebut dirundingkan semula.Memandangkan rundingan semula PPA merupakan perkara yang rumit dan memerlukan tempoh masa yang agak lama untuk menentukan hasilnya, ia akan ditangani secara berasingan." The "powerless" nature of the BN government when it comes to declassifying and renegotiating the PPAs, is in direct contrast to the "powerful" role it played to ensure that the IPPs were ensure astronomical profits. In a revealing interview published by The Star on 26 June 2006, former TNB chairman, Ani Anope who was "involved" in the power agreements with the IPPs had said: "There was no negotiation. Absolutely none. Instead of talking directly with the IPPs, TNB was sitting down with the EPU. And we were harassed, humiliated and talked down every time we went there. After that, my team was disappointed. The EPU just gave us the terms and asked us to agree. I said no way I would." As for the pricing and terms of the contracts, "It was all fixed up. (They said) this is the price, this is the capacity charge and this is the number of years. They said you just take it..." Hence when TNB was forced to sign these lobsided PPAs, it was the Prime Minister's all-powerful Economic Planning Unit (EPU) which dictated all terms. But when it comes to making public these PPAs, its now TNB's own choice as a "private company" and there's not the Government can do about it. The responses from the Minister are at best "misleading" and at worst a lie, for the Government has a vested interest in not declassifying these contracts, for it was the BN government itself who dictated the terms of these contracts to be signed. Now it just does not want the public to know what it did, and the fact that it prioritised the astronomical profits of these IPPs at the expense of the man-on-the-street. In fact Ani Anope disclosed that an agreement has been struck between TNB and an IPP, understood to be Genting Sanyen for the former to purchase electricity at 12 sen per kWh. However the "EPU said that unless the IPP raised its price, the contract would not be given to the IPP. So he got it for 14 sen per unit," while other first generation IPPs got 16 sen per kWh. Now that the interest of the IPPs have been served, the Government reverts to its meek and timid role using the excuse that its an agreement between "private entities" and that any renegotiations can only be done after the existing contracts expire. On the contrary, as there is no "contract" between the Government and the rakyat, the Government can choose to raise electricity tariffs any time it so chooses, even if it were to mean that these IPPs were to continue to profit at the expense of increased sufferings of the rakyat. The Prime Minister, Najib Razak must demonstrate moral and economic leadership by doing what is right and just for the people, instead of dithering over the declassification of the PPAs as well as their renegotiation. Otherwise, all the rhetoric of "transformation" becomes just a facade for continuity and business as usual, where political cronyism comes first.
TONY PUA is DAP National Publicity Secretary and MP for Petaling Jaya Utara |
| Posted: 02 Jun 2011 11:55 AM PDT By Eileen Ng, NST KUALA LUMPUR: A one-stop centre to coordinate and promote the country's oil field services and equipment (OFSE) industry, to be known as Malaysia Petroleum Resource Corporation, will be set up, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. This government body will look into creating an attractive business environment for industry players and investors. "The government is in the midst of establishing the corporation to attract multinational companies by ensuring administrative ease as well as to promote Malaysian OFSE industry to overseas companies and investors," he said in his speech at the 13th Asian oil, gas and petrochemical engineering exhibition (OGA 2011) yesterday. Touted as the largest oil and gas show in the region, the event attracted some 1,500 oil and gas companies from over 50 countries, with products worth more than RM100 billion on display. Saying that the global OFSE market stood at RM800 billion and had undergone an annual growth rate of 25 per cent in recent years, Muhyiddin said the Asian market for oil field services alone had grown by 20 per cent per year over the past decade, primarily driven by the shift towards more technically challenging fields and increases in the price of crude oil. Muhyiddin said Malaysia's aspiration was to attract 10 to 20 major international companies to bring 10 per cent of their OFSE business operations to Malaysia. "International companies have the cutting edge technology and expertise to assist Malaysia in the deep water sector and exploration services. Our local oil and gas players can also grow their capabilities by working together with these international companies." |
| Where is Sabah’s oil money going? Posted: 02 Jun 2011 11:51 AM PDT By Queville To, Free Malaysia Today KOTA KINABALU: Sabah, as major gas producing state in the country, should not be included in the electricity tariff hike or in any fuel susbidy cuts. Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) women's wing chief Melanie Chia said yesterday that there "is no reason to revise electricity tariff in Sabah, more so when Sabah is a major producer of gas in the country". Chia, who is the state assembly representative for Luyang, questioned the logic behind the increase, citing that being a net exporter of crude oil, the government was supposed to be making a huge profit each time there is an increase in the oil prices in the global market. "The government has repeatedly said that they need to review the subsidies because of the increase in the prices of oil and gas. "But it has been reported that every time the price of oil and gas increased by US$1, there is an additional income of RM500 million. "The US$1 increase will increase the subsidy by RM350 million, there is still a net excess of RM150 million. "So, where has this excess gone to? "By this calculation, the recent increases in the prices of oil and gas should have brought about a win-win situation to the government and the people of Malaysia. "If the government has to cry foul each time the price increases, we need to ask the government where has the excess due to the higher prices of our natural resources gone to? "Instead of a win-win accruing from our natural endowment, we are burdened with the eventuality of higher cost of living. "Where is the logic?" she asked. Why a refinery in Johor? SAPP is also demanding accountability and transparency in the dealings of Petronas since Sabah is a major producer of oil and gas in the country, but is not represented in the advisory board of national oil company. "Before our natural endowment in oil and gas is depleted, the Malaysians living in Sabah need to be assured that Sabah will benefit from the exploitation of the oil and gas here. |
| Is Pairin winding down his political career? Posted: 02 Jun 2011 11:49 AM PDT By Luke Rintod, Free Malaysia Today KOTA KINABALU: Speculations are rife that a subtle power shift may be taking place in Parti Bersatu Sabah. Indication of change came to light with rumours that Kota Marudu parliamentarian Maximum Ongkili was shifting his political base to his hometown in Tambunan where his family is building a big house on an ancestral land, just a stone's throw from his uncle Joseph Pairin Kitingan's home. Pairin is currently Tambunan assemblyman and also Keningau MP. Pairin, 71, is said to be contemplating winding down his public roles, which have reportedly been quite taxing for him. He's had to deal with complaints about his productivity and efficiency. The aging Pairin has been an assemblyman for Tambunan for the past 35 years, uninterrupted since 1976 when he was still with Berjaya. He also is the 'Huguan Siou' or paramount leader of the Kadazandusun, a Deputy Chief Minister-cum-state Minister of Rural Development, president of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), president of KDCA (Kadazandusun Cultural Association) and sits in many committees, including the Asean Eminent Persons Committee. Maximus, 58, being a senior deputy president of PBS and also KDCA, seems the obvious choice to takeover some of Pairin's But observers say there is discontent with Maximus, both within PBS circles and in Kota Marudu, lending credence to rumours that he might be moving to Tambunan or Keningau in the coming general election. Maximus, who is a federal minister, has held Kota Marudu since 1985 when it was known as Bandau. His fourth term as MP, has seen a steady fall in his popularity which has been translated into less votes in Dusun majority areas. Poor track record In the 1995 general election, when pitted against another uncle, Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, then of Barisan Nasional, Maximus won by garnering 64% of the total votes cast. In 1999, while PBS was still in opposition, Maximus defeated yet another BN candidate, local boy Maijol Mahap, but garnered only 51% of the total votes. In 2004 general election, Maximus, who by then was in the ruling BN, retained his seat, defeating his closest rival, the relatively unknown Anthony Mandiau, by garnering 56% of the votes. In the 2008 general election, he once more defeated Mandiau but his previous popular votes was slashed by 2%. Maximus has been in the federal cabinet since 2004, but his vast constituency of Kota Marudu is still lagging in infrastructures and economic opportunities. In many places the roads are in a deplorable condition. |
| PAS — opposition power house or federal ruling party? Posted: 02 Jun 2011 11:47 AM PDT By Sheridan Mahavera, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — There are two competing but telling narratives of PAS, the Islamist and second largest party in Malaysia post-2008. In Kedah, there are grassroots members and Muslims who voted for them who complain that there are more karaoke joints and pubs that have sprouted up in the past three years where the Islamist party has been in power. Also in Kedah and every other state in the peninsula, there are significant numbers of non-Muslim supporters who compare PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat to Mahatma Gandhi, the world symbol of all non-violent revolutions. Both of these groups of people helped give the party its historic 23 parliamentary seats and its two state governments. The party also scored a bonus by getting the post of mentri besar in three of the five states Pakatan Rakyat won. Yet these sentiments also pose a dilemma. If PAS decides to please its traditional supporters and go back to the PAS of old, with its focus on anti-vice laws, moral policing and its version of an "Islamic state" it alienates its new non-Muslim and moderate Muslim support base. But if it holds off on realising hudud law (which calls for cutting off the hands of thieves and stoning adulterers), some its most hardcore supporters feel they've been betrayed. And then there is the possibility of co-operating with arch-nemesis Umno. Though it has been fervently refuted by its leadership, the matter still crops up and haunts the imagination of many members. So when the party meets from today for its 57th party muktamar (assembly), it will have to decide which narrative or combination between the two will decide the party's direction moving into the 13th general election. Its Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners the DAP and PKR are keenly watching this muktamar. Not just because of the elections taking place but because the party's leadership will have to chart PAS's direction going into the 13th general election which they expect to be later this year. What comes out of the muktamar will determine if PAS can live up to its billing as the "Umno of PR" who will gain the necessary Muslim support to propel PR into federal power. Movement or ruling party? PAS members, says one Kedah party activist, can be roughly divided into two types. And no, it's not "Erdogan"/professionals versus ulama/conservatives. One type believes that PAS is, first and foremost, an Islamic movement. Its main purpose is to spread the religion and pressure the government to adopt so-called "Islamic laws" such as hudud and qisas and to outlaw unIslamic practices such as gambling. "The idea is that PAS should just preach Islam to the public, regardless as to whether people listen or not," says Mohd Monier Mat Din, a member from Padang Serai. |
| Malaysia plays hardball over asylum swap deal with Australia Posted: 02 Jun 2011 11:46 AM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — Malaysia is pushing hard over the proposed refugee swap agreement with Australia and has removed all references to human rights in the deal. According to the draft agreement obtained by Australian broadcaster ABC TV's Lateline, Malaysia wants to decide which asylum seekers it accepts and for Australia to cover almost all costs of the refugee exchange. "Where the Transferee do (sic) not agree to return to their country of origin, voluntarily forced returns may be necessary. In this event, the Government of Australia will be fully responsible to accept and ensure voluntarily forced returns," stated the document, as quoted by ABC. ABC said Malaysia has insisted on sending 4,000 refugees to Australia, regardless of how many asylum seekers it accepted in return. Malaysia also does not want the United Nations Refugee Convention, which it is not a signatory of, to cover its side of the agreement. "The treatment of the Transferee while in Malaysia will be in accordance with the Malaysian laws, rules, regulations and national policies," said the document. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed concerns with Malaysia's amendments to the agreement that were made last Monday. "What the document shows is that there is a real reluctance by Malaysia to commit to a clear inclusion of human rights standards and guarantees," Australia's Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre co-ordinator David Manne was quoted as saying. "For example, in the document refugees are referred to as illegal immigrants. There's no reference to the word asylum seeker. There's certainly no reference to human rights," he said. An internal UNHCR document has also suggested that Australia had a position on sending children to Malaysia, according to ABC. "AUL (Australia) doesn't want to provide exceptions for UAMS (unaccompanied minors) and vulnerable individuals for fear if (sic) this being a pull factor exploited by smugglers," the document said. |
| PAS ulama to table motion on sex video at party assembly on Friday Posted: 02 Jun 2011 01:19 AM PDT (BERNAMA) - The PAS ulama assembly unanimously passed a motion Thursday to bring the sex video issue involving a man resembling an opposition leader for debate at the party's 57th muktamar (general assembly) on Friday. The motion will be tabled by a member of Kelantan PAS ulama council, Nik Razi Nik Mat, and seconded by a delegate from Kubang Pasu, Kedah. Nik Razi is Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's youngest brother. He said the move would allow the delegates to identify the reasons behind the distribution of the sex video recording. |
| Perkasa: Respect Malay rights, then talk national unity Posted: 02 Jun 2011 01:07 AM PDT National unity can only be forged if all Malaysians respected the special privileges accorded to the Malays, says the Malay rights group (Free Malaysia Today) - Only when the special privileges accorded to the Malays is respected by all races can national unity be forged, said Malay extremist group Perkasa. Its secretary-general, Syed Hassan Syed Ali, disputed MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek's call yesterday to think as Malaysians first to work together to maintain a peaceful nation. He said it was not wrong for Perkasa to voice out issues affecting the Malay community. "Even other races vent out on issues affecting their respective communities," said Syed Hassan. The English daily, The Star, quoted Chua as urging Malaysians to stop identifying themselves with the racial group they belonged to and accept the multi-racial reality of the country. Syed Hassan said national unity could only be forged if all Malaysians respected the special privileges accorded to the Malays under the Federal Constitution. "We respect anyone who identifies himself as a Malaysian but we will continue voicing out for the Malays as long as we are neglected," said Syed Hassan. On whether Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties such as Umno should the spearhead the unity call by turning itself into a multi-racial party, Syed Hassan said Malaysians were still not ready for it. "Even when DAP calls itself a multi-racial party, who calls the shots? Do the Malays get equal representation in the party? "However, BN itself is multi-racial as it has all the races in the coalition," he said. Umno MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan echoed Chua's sentiments but pointed out that not everyone who fights for their own race were racists. "Umno is the protector of the Malays and we are not shy about it. However, that doesn't make us racists," said the Kota Belud MP. 'Respect the nation's history'
He said that it all boiled down to how people interpreted what being Malaysian is all about. "For me, a Malaysian is one who adheres to the Federal Constitution, knows our historical background and respects the understanding that allowed the formation of our country," said Rahman. Citing an example, Rahman said it was all right for a citizen to think as a Malaysian and a Bumiputera at the same time.
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| Get your ‘concert’ act together, Pakatan told Posted: 02 Jun 2011 01:05 AM PDT On the MTV concert in Shah Alam, Pakatan Rakyat leaders are at cross-purposes. The mentri besar is all for the show ,while his PAS colleagues are against it. (Free Malaysia Today) - Pakatan Rakyat leaders in Selangor have been urged to stop confusing the people with "inconsistent" statements on the MTV concert to be held in i-City, Shah Alam, on July 24, Kedah Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang said. "DAP should come out and state its stand. PKR and PAS, too. Better yet, all Pakatan Rakyat leaders should come out with a collective stand, and not confuse the people," he said. "Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim is saying one thing, and PAS MP for Shah Alam Khalid Samad is saying something else ," said Tan. Yesterday, the Selangor government gave the go-ahead for the MTV World Stage concert despite protests by Shah Alam residents and PAS. The menteri besar said approvals for the concert were given last year and there is "no problem with the event", though some restrictions should be observed. The restrictions were to ensure a minimum sound system impact on the neighbourhood and decent standards of dress and behaviour. "This may be just a concert, but the implications are bigger than this. If PAS and Khalid (Samad) said it's about infrastructure, I can accept that, that's a fair comment… but is it really the reason behind their protest? " If it is about western cultures which they deem immoral, then I think its wrong," said Tan, who thinks that PAS was trying to impose their own religious views on other non-Muslims. "A concert is just an entertainment event where performers show off their singing and dancing. If there's a striptease, then it's immoral," he said. "You remember when they wanted to ban alcohol in Selangor: first they wanted the ban (imposed), then the MB said there was no ban… what does that really mean? Pakatan leaders tend to portray themselves differently when a problem arises," said Tan. Coalition of convenience
He said that Pakatan was merely a coalition of convenience and it is not good for the country to have a coalition that cannot have a common stand as it would cause instability. MCA vice-president and Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Gan Ping Sieu had reportedly said yesterday: "As usual, PAS is imposing its prejudices on things they don't even understand… sometimes, they are just playing to the gallery." However, Khalid Samad today claimed that Gan had misunderstood PAS, which has started a petition campaign against the concert.
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| WIKILEAKS: Power struggles in Perak Posted: 02 Jun 2011 01:00 AM PDT
The BN now has firm control of Perak and is working to regain some of its lost influence among voters, having allocated resources into projects to win back support of the people. With the Chinese vote firmly supporting the opposition, the deciding votes in any future election rest with the ethnic Malays, not because they hold a majority among the populace (they represent just over 50%), but because their support is most split between the ruling coalition and the opposition. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KUALA LUMPUR 000107 SIPDIS FOR EAP/MTS AND INR E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2020 TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, KJUS, MY SUBJECT: POWER STRUGGLES IN PERAK: RULING COALITION WORKING HARD TO REGAIN VOTERS' SUPPORT
REF: A. 09 KUALA LUMPUR 342 -- PANDEMONIUM IN PERAK STATE ASSEMBLY B. 09 KUALA LUMPUR 78 -- NAJIB LEADS TAKEOVER OF PERAK C. KUALA LUMPUR 92 -- COURT DECISION IN PERAK
Classified By: Political Counselor Brian D. McFeeters for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
Summary and Comment 1. (SBU) Poloff and Pol Specialist visited the politically turbulent state of Perak from February 1-3. Perak is one of five states won by the opposition People's Alliance (PR) coalition in the March 2008 general elections, but through political defections in February 2009 it subsequently reverted back to authority of Malaysia's ruling National Front (BN) coalition (refs A and B), and is firmly under BN control after a February 9, 2010 Federal Court decision affirming the BN Chief Minister (ref C). Perak is a microcosm of Malaysia's ethnic diversity with party affiliation drawn clearly along ethnic and religious lines. Ethnic Malays are split between the BN's dominant United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party and the opposition's People's Justice Party (PKR) and Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS), while nearly all ethnic Chinese and a slight majority of ethnic Indians support the opposition PR over the BN, according to a February 5 Merdeka Center poll. 2. (C) Comment: Events in Perak are significant for two reasons. First, for the past year it has been ground zero for the fight between the two political coalitions. Perak is the only state that had an active fight over control of the state for the past 12 months, so the issues there reflect national sentiment. Second, the fight and ultimate victory by the BN in Perak was a successful political power play both in terms of brute and refined power, reminding us that of the two coalitions, only the BN has the clout, money, and ability to manipulate the government system (election commission, courts) to muscle its way to power. The BN now has firm control of Perak and is working to regain some of its lost influence among voters, having allocated resources into projects to win back support of the people. With the Chinese vote firmly supporting the opposition, the deciding votes in any future election rest with the ethnic Malays, not because they hold a majority among the populace (they represent just over 50%), but because their support is most split between the ruling coalition and the opposition. That said, while the opposition PR is united in its criticism of the ruling BN coalition, they remain somewhat fragmented both within their coalition, and within their component parties. End Summary and Comment. Setting the Scene: Political Background 3. (SBU) Perak had been a bastion of the ruling BN coalition since Malaysia's independence in 1957 until the March 2008 general election, when the opposition PR coalition stunned the BN and took control of the state government by winning 31 of 59 state assembly seats. Within the PR, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) won 18 seats; the People's Justice Party (PKR) won 7 seats; and the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) won 5 seats. Although the DAP earned more seats than their coalition partners combined, the position of Chief Minister went to PAS assemblyman Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, because the Perak state constitution stipulates that only a Muslim can hold the position of Chief Minister (CM). On the BN side, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) won 27 of their 28 seats while the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) took the remaining seat. Two other BN partners, the Malaysian Peoples Movement Party (Gerakan) and Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), were all but rendered obsolete as neither won a single contested seat. The DAP's dominance came as a result of ethnic Chinese and Indian discontent with the MCA, Gerakan, and MIC, who traditionally have represented their interests within the BN coalition. In February 2009, after 11 months in power, the PR state government lost its majority in the state assembly following the defection of three PR state assembly members to become independents friendly to the BN. The net change in 3 seats left the BN with the majority of seats and resulted in a protracted controversy when the Sultan of Perak replaced PR Chief Minister Nizar (equivalent to a governor of a U.S. state) with BN's Zambry. The Federal Court ruled on February 9 that the change of chief minister was legal (ref C). Insights from Perak Politicians 4. (C) Poloff and Pol Specialist visited Perak from February 1-3, and met with representatives from every major political party in peninsular Malaysia: from the ruling National Front (BN) coalition, the coalition-leading United National Malays Organization (UMNO), the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), Gerakan, and the Malaysian Indian Coalition (MIC); from the opposition People's Alliance (PR), politicians from the People's Justice Party (PKR), the Democratic Action Party (DAP), and the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS). In a February 1 meeting with PAS Perak committee members at their headquarters, including former Perak Chief Minister (CM) Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin and Perak PAS Chief Ustaz Abu Bakar Hussain, Nizar called the policies implemented by the PR government from March 2008 thru February 2009 "successful and people friendly." He noted that the current BN government has copied and implemented many of the PR's government policies while claiming full credit for them. DAP MP Fong Po Kuan later told Poloff that she didn't mind if the BN claimed credit for these policies, stating that it was more important that they were implemented, and that "they clearly benefitted the people." Nizar also claimed that during his term of office, the PR state government had managed to increase revenues by cutting waste and promoting open tenders. In the past the BN government only extended "negotiated tenders to their cronies." 5. (SBU) In a brief February 1 meeting, current Chief Minister Zambry (UMNO), exuded confidence in his performance during his first year. He saw himself as the rightful Chief Minister because "it is clearly the will of the people." Zambry opined that the BN in Perak has acted in a more professional and competent manner than the PR did when they were in power. Noted Zambry: "We were a responsible opposition for eleven months," but when the opposition lost the majority, they "refused to abide by democratic principles." Zambry commented that in the 12 months since the BN took back control of Perak, the BN has been working very hard to gain the confidence of the people, noting that the BN had embarked on "people friendly policies" -- the same term Nizar used -- by focusing on poverty eradication irrespective of race and a good economic development policy. Perak State Secretary Dr. Abdul Rahim Hashim reiterated that the two policies were the main thrust of the BN government policies in the state. Zambry said the results of the BN were showing, noting that when compared to opposition gatherings, "there is marked increase in support for BN gatherings" and that he has received feedback that "the people are generally happy with the BN state government." 6. (C) On February 2, Chang Ko Youn, the state chief and national deputy president for the marginalized Gerakan party, admitted that the Chinese voters "deserted the BN by droves" in the last general election. (Note: Gerakan went from 10 to 2 MP seats in the March 2008 general elections, and from 4 to 0 seats in the Perak state assembly. End Note.) He cited UMNO's "racist policies" as one cause, adding that the Chinese media were "unfriendly" towards BN. Chang pointed out that, unlike the government-influenced mainstream media, the Chinese newspapers are more independent and at times favor the opposition rather than BN parties. The veteran leader said it would be difficult for BN to win over the Chinese voters in the next general election. 7. (C) Dr. Mah Hang Soon, the MCA state youth chief and sole non-UMNO state assemblyman for the BN, was a bit more optimistic. Mah noted that the BN is "now more aware of the Chinese problem" and is "working on overcoming it." He cited the case of Chinese farmers, who have farmed on state land for decades, who were recently given land titles. The state government has also started funding the nine independent Chinese schools in the state, whereas in the past the BN state government had completely ignored the plight of independent Chinese schools. Mah opined that the previous PR government only "made promises" but the BN state government "is now delivering" on them. Dr. Mah also noted that the Chinese community was especially concerned about the ongoing inquest into the July 2009 death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock while under investigation, opining that the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) needs to get to the bottom of this soon, even if they themselves are to blame. 8. (C) MIC Perak state secretary and new Perak state Speaker R. Ganesan echoed Mah's views, claiming that the 12-month old BN government has enacted numerous polices for the benefit of non-Malays. Ganeson proudly stated that for the first time the state government has allocated funding for Hindu temples. (Note: The previous PR government started the policy of allocating funds to non-Islamic religious institutions, but it is the BN who is seeing this through. End Note.) Ganesan added that he could see the Indians returning to the BN based on the number of people attending BN-sponsored meetings and political rallies. Both Sides at Risk as Snap Elections too Risky to Consider 9. (SBU) Prior to the February 9 court decision, both Zambry and Nizar publicly claimed that they had enough support from voters to win any snap election, fueling speculation that regardless of how the decision panned out, the legitimized Chief Minister would call for elections and end the controversy once and for all. Zambry told Poloff on February 1 that if snap elections were held, he was confident the BN would win 34 out of 59 seats in the state assembly, citing discontent with PKR and PAS among voters. When asked by Poloff if he would call for snap elections should he win the February 9 decision, Zambry said he would not dissolve the state assembly, saying that "the Perak BN state government does not operate based on the dictates of the opposition." Nizar, in turn, countered that he had the support of 80% of the Chinese and Indian vote, and at least 50% of the ethnic Malay vote, challenging Zambry that the only way to prove his claim would be to call for a snap election in Perak. Nizar told Poloff that even with fresh elections, there is no guarantee that the PR would win a majority of seats to form a government. Nizar stated that the BN has managed to "poison the minds of the rural Malays" by convincing them that he was "a lackey of the DAP" and "had committed treason by defying the Sultan" after the defections. PAS State Treasurer Abdul Rahim Ariff concurred with Nizar's view, adding that if elections were held today the Malay votes would split evenly between UMNO and PAS, unlike in March 2008 when there was clear swing of Malay votes towards PAS and PKR. 10. (SBU) State senior UMNO Cabinet Minister Ramly Zahari concurred with the Chief Minister's views that the BN has no reason to dissolve the state assembly. He stated that the opposition is the one who "started the game" by wooing BN Members of Parliament and state assembly to cross the floor. As such the veteran state UMNO leader added that when the BN managed to outflank PR, "the opposition now wants to rewrite the rules." (Note: Ramly is referring to an UMNO assemblyman who crossed over to the PR in January 2009. A few days after the crossover, he returned to the BN and was joined by the three ex-PR assemblyman who claimed to be BN-friendly independents. The opposition believes that the initial crossover was orchestrated by UMNO to prepare the ground for the three others to jump to the BN side. End Note.) 11. (SBU) DAP Perak State Chief Ngeh Khoo Ham and DAP State Secretary Nga Kor Ming (who are first cousins) were optimistic on February 2 that magic of March 2008 would continue to prevail in Perak if snap elections were held. While admitting that there is a slight shift in Malay support in favor of the BN, Ngeh stated that a majority of urban Malays and most of the Chinese and Indians would vote for a PR coalition party. After the Ruling: What's Next for PR and BN? 12. (C) PKR Vice President and MP in Perak Lee Boon Chye told Poloff on February 2 that despite the setback caused by the BN takeover and subsequent court rulings, the PR is still very popular in Perak. Lee claimed that "80 percent of Perakians are still behind us." Ngeh and Nga (DAP) claim that the opposition has continuously been harping in their numerous political gatherings through out the state that the current state government "is an illegal court appointed entity" and vowed they would continue their disharmonious campaign after the Federal Court ruling of February 9. However, Nizar announced after the court decision that the opposition would instead cooperate with BN. 13. (C) Zambry said on February 1 that PR leadership in Perak was becoming increasingly desperate. Decreased numbers and a general lack of enthusiasm at recent opposition rallies showed that people were tired of the PR acting like a sore loser, and were ready to move on. As a result, claimed Zambry, the PR has embarked on a strategy to smear the image of the BN-led state government. He cited two examples of the smear campaign: that he was accused of being denied entry to the US recently for "being involved in terrorist activities," and news reports that investors are shunning Perak since the BN wrested power. Zambry is suing the PKR newspaper "Suara Keadilan" for RM 400 million for what he says were libelous claims about his US trip. He noted that investments have actually increased since the BN took over, claiming that the Perak state government has attracted RM11 billion (about USD 3 billion) in one year. (Note: Regarding the investments, Nizar and other PR leaders in Perak dispute this figure, claiming that some of the investments came to the state when the PR was in power. End Note.) Zambry expected the opposition to continue with their smear tactics, commenting that "their position is increasingly under threat." Coalition, Party Infighting Continue to Impact Opposition 14. (C) DAP MP and Vice President Kulasegaran admitted that all is not well with the DAP in Perak. Kula claimed that the "Ngeh-Nga clan" referring to the cousins, is running the show in Perak. The veteran DAP leader claimed that the top party leadership is unable to control the two, as they have managed to bring the state DAP machinery completely under their control. Kula claimed that due to their dominance, the DAP may face some problems in the future because they are not popular among all the Chinese in the state. For example, the cousins tried to force out popular DAP MP Fong Po Kuan from running in the 2008 general election in order to replace her with their own crony, but her constituency fiercely resisted this move against the three-term MP, forcing the cousins to back down. Poloff raised this topic while meeting Fong for lunch, but she refused to be drawn into a conversation on this issue. Poll: Voters Split Along Ethnic Lines 15. (U) The independent Merdeka Center announced results of a poll taken of Perak voters on February 5. Current CM Zambry has an approval rating of 43%, while former CM Nizar has an approval rating of 46%. Zambry's base of support comes from 2/3 of the ethnic Malays and 1/2 of the Indians; Nizar's support comes from the remaining 1/3 of the Malays, the other 1/2 of the Indians, and nearly all of the Chinese. (Note: the ethnic breakdown for Perak's 2 million citizens is approximately 52% Malay, 32% Chinese, 13% Indian, and 3% others. CM Zambry is an ethnic Indian but is Muslim by religion. End Note.) In addition, 38% of respondents believed Perak is moving in the right direction, up from 31% polled in April 2009, while 44% believed the state was moving in the wrong direction, with distinct differences of opinion when broken down by ethnic lines. KEITH |
| Scorpene deal: Najib must come clean Posted: 02 Jun 2011 01:00 AM PDT Suaram's suit over the Scorpene deal will be heard in a French court soon, and the onus is on Najib to prove his innocence, says PKR's Saifuddin Nasution. (Free Malaysia Today) - Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak must come clean on the trip his associates made in connection with the Scorpene submarine deal. PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said little is known about about the 2002 travel destinations made by his associates to broker the submarine deal. He said the onus is now on Najib to prove his innocence in the RM6.27 billion deal between the Malaysian government and French company DCNS following an allegation of a "third person" in the negotiation that took place in Macau. The allegation was made by local human rights group Suaram which also said that Mongolian Altantuya Shariibuu, who was murdered for her alleged connection in the deal, was also present in the meeting. Saifuddin claimed it has now been established that the deal was brokered by Najib's close associates, including his one-time adviser Abdul Razak Baginda and Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) chief Lodin Wok Kamaruddin. Businessman Lodin Wok has recently been cited by WikiLeaks as one of Najib's close friends. Lodin Wok was also stated to be one of the directors of Perimekar Sdn Bhd until last year. Perimekar had acted as the go-between for the procurement of two French-made submarines by the Malaysian Defence Ministry. In the process, the company made RM534.8 million in commission. Saifuddin said of the players one of them is already dead, and one of them was charged in court. "One more is still alive and could be holding a high position… we don't know, but we will know when the trial starts," he told a press conference here today.
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| Will PAS delegates rally behind Nik Aziz? Posted: 02 Jun 2011 01:00 AM PDT The battle for top posts will be a bellwether for the party as it gears up to face the coming general election. (BERNAMA) - As PAS delegates go to the polls at the party's muktamar (general assembly) tomorrow, many political observers are keenly watching if they will heed PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's call for candidates from Kelantan to be elected to the party leadership. Nik Aziz, who is also Kelantan menteri besar, has openly called on the delegates to pick candidates who can bring about what he called the "Kelantan experience" to the national level as he is seen to be very determined this time around to have leaders from the state at the highest level of the party hierarchy. In the last party election in 2009, candidates from Kelantan were wiped out from the top leadership, including his (Nik Aziz's) golden boy Husam Musa, who was vying for the deputy presidency then. "It is difficult to say. If Kelantan emerges as the winner this time, it will pose a big challenge for Hadi (PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang). It will show that there is persistent support for Nik Aziz. "No doubt it will be a very hard tussle between all candidates, but I don't think they would settle for both Husam and Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah this time around," said political analyst Sivamurugan Pandian, who is a lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia. Husam and Nik Mohd Amar are Kelantan state executive councillors and both of them are contesting for the vice-president posts against incumbents Salahudin Ayub and Mahfuz Omar as well as two other newcomers, namely Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin and PAS information chief Idris Ahmad. Sivamurugan believes it will still be difficult for the leaders from Kelantan to make a breakthrough at this party election simply because he thinks the delegates will not want any split in the party as it faces the next general election. "The same goes for the deputy president post. At the last election, the (Kelantan) group was pushing for Husam. This time around, they are pushing for Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who is also Nik Aziz's nephew. There must be some persuasion in order for Tuan Ibrahim to contest the number two post. However, I still find it difficult for the (Kelantan) group to make a breakthrough in this election," he said. Even though the PAS leadership has denied there is any such tussle between Hadi's supporters or better known as the "Terengganu Group" and Nik Aziz's "Kelantan group", some political observers believe the rivalry does exist. They said even through Hadi has been unchallenged as president for the fifth term, the observers said things had not been normal since the 2009 election, which was billed as the most intense in the party's history and caused a rift of sorts between its leaders in Kelantan and Terengganu. Some claimed that Nik Aziz still has not got over his disappointment that Husam lost in the fight for the No 2 post and this may explain why in this party election, the leaders from Kelantan have been making a strong bid for the number two and number three posts in the party. Party insiders believe Tuan Ibrahim, a former lecturer, is the "trump card" by the leaders from the Kelantan group to split the ulama (religious leaders )votes while at the same time trying to persuade incumbent Nasharudin Mat Isa to give way. However, till now, the effort has not been successful as Nasharudin, who is said to be aligned to Hadi, has said that he is staying put to defend the number two post. Despite the setback, some leaders still believe Tuan Ibrahim will make it in this election as he is considered acceptable to all quarters. "Tuan Ibrahim is known as the person who is very well accepted by the ulama as well as the professionals. The delegates will not have problems accepting him as he was voted in as vice-president in the last party election," said an insider. However, PAS central committee member Kamaruddin Jaafar said the relationship between Hadi and Nik Aziz had improved as there were no more open clashes as had reportedly happened before. Whether there are clashes or not, many are in agreement that the contest between Tuan Ibrahim, Mohamad Sabu and Nasharudin for the party number two post is still the most keenly watched by the political observers and party members in this election. |
| Posted: 01 Jun 2011 10:12 PM PDT "There is nothing much TNB can do as long as there is no revision to the Power Purchase Agreements (PPA). By Masterwordsmith
As we all know, power rates have increased by an average of 7.12% or 2.23 sen per kilowatt hour (kWh). Natural gas will rise to RM13.70 per British thermal unit (mmBtu) from RM10.70 and go up by RM3 every month until December 2015, after which market rates will apply (Source: FMT).It is a hefty increase to a retiree like me. Filled with much indignation, I started to read up on IPPs to unravel the true story behind the energy puzzle.  According to Jeff Rector in his paper The IPP Investment Experience in Malaysia: A massive blackout in 1992 shut down much of the country for up to 48 hours, prompting a fierce public outcry and threats of lawsuits against Tenaga. An inquiry cleared Tenaga of negligence but the incident severely damaged its reputation. READ MORE HERE. |
| Longing For A Free Mind (Part 13 of 14) Posted: 01 Jun 2011 09:52 PM PDT What I prefer would be to have the Koran taught in the best oral tradition, in the Socratic manner of open discussions and questionings. You are more likely to elucidate the truth of the message than with the current ritualistic and mindless recitations. By M. Bakri Musa [Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.] Q&A (Cont'd): Islamic State and Leaders Q9: Would you prefer a Muslim leader who is corrupt and incompetent over a non-Muslim who is both honest and competent? A9: One of the speakers commented earlier that this is a difficult question. To me the choice is glaringly clear. Go for competence and honesty. Let me go further. I want my leader to share my values and aspirations for my country. If a leader no matter how honest, brilliant and competent were to lead my country towards totalitarianism, I will be the first to express my opposition against her. Your question gives a false choice; it implies that we lack honest and competent Muslim leaders. Yes, looking at the world today one cannot be faulted for drawing such a conclusion. For Malaysia, may I remind you that there was a time when we do not lack for Malay leaders who were both competent and honest! The follow up questions should be: Why are Muslim specifically Malay leaders today so corrupt and incompetent? The other, how can we groom future honest leaders who are honest and competent? I hope the panel discussions we had helped answer that. Q10: You criticized (former) Minister of Education Hishammuddin for making Malay school children read the entire Koran by end of their primary school. Do you not believe that there is merit in reading the Holy Book and that the exercise itself has educational value? A10: Yes, there is great merit in reciting the Koran. The Koran is a guidebook from Allah to lead us along the Straight Path. When the Koran is recited properly giving due diligence to its exquisite tajweed, it brings tears to listeners. There is innate poetry and music to the verses of the Koran, quite apart from the spiritual values. However, far too often the Koran is recited merely as a ritual, with the overriding objective of getting it over as quickly as possible so food could then be served, or the sermon be over with and we can then leave. I fail to see the educational value of having our kids recite the entire Koran in class. I would rather have them be taught a few short verses, especially the early Meccan ones, and to learn from those the beauty of the cadence, imagery and language, among others. Read the various translations of those verses and try to appreciate the differences. The messages of the Koran were delivered to Prophet Muhammad at a time when the Arabs were still steeped in the oral tradition; the culture had not yet transited into the written word; thus the style. To read the Koran as you would a book (as Hishammuddin is advocating in our schools) would be as boring and as to hear somebody giving a speech reading from a text. Add a soporific voice and it would beat Ambien hands down in putting you to sleep. What I prefer would be to have the Koran taught in the best oral tradition, in the Socratic manner of open discussions and questionings. You are more likely to elucidate the truth of the message than with the current ritualistic and mindless recitations. Earlier Dr. Waleed asked you to cite a verse of the Koran that was most meaningful to you and why. An excellent exercise! I was touched by some of the remarks. That simple exercise conveys the richness of the Koran and its messages. It also made you think and communicate your ideas! So why not give our school children similar exercises, like giving their personal examples of what is meant to be gracious and merciful – the Arr Rahman and Arr Rahim of the al Fatihah, the opening and most recited verse. Let me share a contrasting experience. I took an upper level year-long (two semesters) course on Shakespeare during my undergraduate days. Despite a full year-long course, we covered only about 15 percent of his works. Out of that we discussed in class only about a third, while the rest in the form of term papers and other out-of-class assignments. Meaning, at best we covered in class only 5 percent of Shakespeare's corpus. However, by studying intensively only that 5 percent we could then on our own pursue the rest at our leisure. I favor that approach to studying the Koran in school. Q11: Is Malaysia an Islamic state, and if it is not, should it be one? A11: I have no clue what an Islamic state is. Those who vociferously advocate for one, whether from UMNO or PAS, have yet to clarify what they mean. What do they hold as the model Islamic state, Iran? Pakistan? Saudi Arabia? I shudder to think that we would aspire to be anywhere close to any of those states. Tun Mahathir had at various times asserted that Malaysia is already an Islamic state. If that is so, then I would suggest that the further away we are from an Islamic state, the better. I want to be as far away as possible from where corruption is accepted and rampant, and where our basic human rights are being trampled daily as with the ISA and other brute laws. That is where Malaysia is today. To Emory University's Abdullah An Naim, there is no such thing as an Islamic State; there never was. The concept of a state as a political entity is fairly recent. Up till the Middle Ages the world was essentially a collection of fiefdoms and villages headed by the various dukes and other hereditary rulers. So were the Arabs at the time of the Prophet, s.a.w. Those advocates of an Islamic state look longingly to the leadership of Prophet Mohammad, s.a.w., who was not only a spiritual but also a political leader. His was a special circumstance, although many Muslim leaders today delude themselves into thinking that they are the modern re-incarnations of the prophet. If those currently advocating for an Islamic state, however nebulous that concept may be, would instead focus on achieving the ideals of Islam in the administration of the state, then they would be much further ahead. By that I mean a state and leaders that, among others, respect the sanctity of our basic human rights and value us as individuals beyond our race or ethnicity. If that is what they mean by an Islamic state, then all Muslims would agree and few non-Muslims would disagree. Instead what most advocates of an Islamic state are consumed with are such inanities as whether Muslim women should shake hands with men and non-Muslims, and whether the Azzan should be blasted in the early morning hours. Get rid of corruption, eradicate poverty, respect your citizens' rights; those are the true path towards an Islamic state, or a state that cherishes Islamic values. Q12: Why are we arguing about an Islamic state or doubt the ability of Islamic laws to carry our country forward? The answers to all our problems are right there in the Koran. Why not look there? A12: As a Muslim, I believe the Koran carries the "message for all mankind, at all times, and until the end of time." That is a matter of faith for me as for all Muslims. Again, like all Muslims I regard the Holy Book and its message with deep reverence. To treat it like a Merck Manual, where you would look up the index and then flip to the appropriate page to seek the remedy for what ails you, would be disrespectful if not downright blasphemous, quite apart from insulting the intelligence of Muslims. The late Fazlur Rahman, the distinguished University of Chicago scholar, suggested an enlightened approach to understanding the Koran. The Koran teaches through parables, anecdotes, and concrete examples taken from the ordinary lives of those Arabs during the Prophet's time. That was the only and effective way to take the message to the people. Obviously we Malays are very different from those ancient Bedouins, so too our culture, aspirations and environment. We live in a humid not dry climate, in lush jungles not sparse desert. We use water buffaloes not humped camels. Fazlur suggested that we should deduce from the particularities of the Koran its underlying guiding principles. To do so intelligently would require us to understand the totality of the message, and to discern the texts and the contexts, to use the language of social scientists. Once we have established those underlying principles, then we should apply them to the particular problems we face today. Both exercises demand considerable intellectual exertion, not to mention humility. Let me illustrate this point. If I were to explain gravity to the simple kampong folks, I would relate to them the apple (I would of course substitute coconut!) falling to the ground, as per Newton's original observation. Now if I were to take those folks on a Ferris wheel ride with an apple in their hands and then asked them to release it when they are at the top, the apple would fall skywards (assuming that the velocity was sufficiently high so the centrifugal force would exceed the gravitational pull). You all being engineers would readily comprehend what I am saying. To the village folks, however, the coconut falling towards the sky would seem to defy the laws of gravity. Thus we have to explain to them the more general and universal underlying principle to explain the apparent contradiction. Now if I were to explain gravity right away as g=md2, where "g" is gravitational force, "m" the mass; and "d" the distance between the two masses, the elegant simplicity of the formula would enthrall only math geeks; those village folks would have their eyes glazed over. Likewise in reading the Koran; we should go beyond the literal and simplistic apple falling to the ground and instead try to seek the underlying universal principles. The easiest and intellectually lazy way out would simply be to quote selected passages to support whatever viewpoint you advocate. Yes, the Koran says stoning to death for adultery. However, to have the necessary four eyewitnesses for conviction as specified in the Koran, you would have to be fornicating in the open park, and during broad daylight! Far too often in our zeal with our newfound favorite verse to support our conviction, we forget the numerous other messages extolling the greater virtues of mercy and forgiveness. I always have difficulty when I hear an Imam or scholar recite the Koran and then confidently if not arrogantly assert, "And it means …." Imagine! All translations are at best interpretations, yet that does not in any way disabuse these folks of their ingrained certitude. I have made it my practice whenever quoting the Koran to add the proviso, "approximate translation." We carry that same certitude and arrogance in our understanding of hadith and sharia. There is a hadith to the effect that the ummah will be divided into 73 sects, and all but one will be doomed to Hellfire. To many Muslims that hadith implies that his or her sect is the only right one, and the others wrong or misled. What is the consequence to that thinking? A messianic urge to "correct" the others; in the process we also become intolerant of their beliefs. You are all engineers, comfortable with probabilities and quantitative valuations. If you were being told that you have a 1 in 73 chance (less than one and a half percent) of being right, what do you conclude? If I were to tell my patient that she has only a 1 in 73 chance of surviving an operation, no one except those with a secret death wish would submit to my operation. So why not accept the quantitative risk expressed by the Prophet and assume that your sect is one of those 72 that have been misled. After all there is an over 98.5 percent chance of that being so. The immediate effect of such a posture would be that you become humble and tolerant of other sects and possible interpretations of our faith. Because you believe that your interpretation has a high probability of being wrong, you would want to learn about the other sects. You would have the urge or inspiration to learn from others, or at least be inquisitive of their interpretations. You would become more receptive and forgiving of those who disagree with you. And if you are a leader you would not likely condemn or arrest members of the other 72 sects lest you risk arresting those destined for Paradise and thus incur God's wrath. As is evident, your whole attitude and mindset change towards being more healthy and positive. Remember this when someone quote you a Koranic verse or hadith and then confidently assert his translation is the only true one. Back to the second part of your question about all the answers being in the Koran, Hamka once said that Allah in his wisdom and generosity had given us two Korans. One he revealed to Prophet Muhammad, s.a.w., which Caliph Othman, r.a., had codified in a written form. That is the Koran familiar to all Muslims. The other Koran is the vast universe that Allah had bequeathed upon us. As His vice-regents, we have an obligation to also study this Koran. Just as Allah has provided us with Prophet Muhammad to guide us to the first Koran, He (Allah) too has provided us with the necessary tool to understand this second Koran: He has endowed us with an intellect, a gift unique only to humans. To me, cosmonauts exploring the outer reaches of the universe are studying this second Koran, just as the scientists slicing the genes are studying our inner living universe. Likewise on Monday when you go back to the lab to discover the properties of a material or try a new circuitry, you too will be studying this second Koran. Yes the answers are all there in the Koran, the book as well as the universe, but we have to exert intellectually to find the answers. The answer will not come merely by looking at the index and then flipping the pages. Come to think of it, no one has indexed the Koran, and wisely so. Next: Q&A (Cont'd) Contemporary Leaders
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| Posted: 01 Jun 2011 09:48 PM PDT
DARI JELEBU Hishamuddin Rais Justeru untuk saya, perjuangan politik ialah untuk melupuskan kuasa kumpulan kaya yang sedikit dan mengambil alih punca-punca ekonomi yang ada dalam tangan mereka. Harta kekayaan wajib diambil kembali untuk di agih-agihkan kepada rakyat terbanyak.
BANGUN MELAWAN! Read more at: http://tukartiub.blogspot.com/2011/06/memahami-garis-politik.html |
| Posted: 01 Jun 2011 09:39 PM PDT The poorer you are, the harder you should work By Lee Wee Tak Najib has pin-pointed the cause of decades of budget deficits – Malaysia has a bunch of irresponsible addicts that consume petrol subsidy like as if there is no tomorrow and the solution is really market forces efficiency. Read more at: http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2011/06/7-sins-of-addiction.html |
| A riposte to Mukhriz's defence of brain drain policies of the father Posted: 01 Jun 2011 09:30 PM PDT He states that the NEP serves to "eradicate poverty, irrespective of race''. I believe we need to be convinced that the implementation matches the rhetoric. Sometimes it appears like "eradicate (some) race irrespective of poverty". By Ice Cream Seller Having got somewhat tired of the cesspool that has become of our politics, I found something to whet my appetite in reading Deputy Minister Mukhriz response to Shaun Tan's essay (World Bank 2011 - Brain Drain). Reading the writings of his (Mukhriz's) sister Marina, it is difficult to believe they are siblings! Maybe she took after her mother! Coming back to Mukhriz's article, he states that the NEP serves to "eradicate poverty, irrespective of race''. I believe we need to be convinced that the implementation matches the rhetoric. Sometimes it appears like "eradicate (some) race irrespective of poverty". He contends that 70 % of our economy is private sector driven and not affected by NEP type policies. Then why can't all private sector companies bid for government projects or contracts? Take for example private sector developers. Can they sell their houses without imposition of a percentage for Bumiputras by local councils? Take the MNCs. Can they employ their management staff free of quotas? When I got my first job in Malaysia, my expat MD told me that I got the job in part because they couldn't find a "chicken with teeth' (as he put it). That was in 1981!!!!! He writes that he is pained to see structural discrimination being practised by those in the private sector. No doubt, discrimination exists but let's look at the underlying reasons. After independence for 53 years, we are capable of looking at the larger picture. Private sector organisations are driven to make profits and they will employ people, consultants, systems that help meet that objective foremost. The ones most hungry, capable, honest, diligent, loyal and competent are always sought after. A competent Malay, capable Chinese, diligent Indian, loyal Eurasian put together in a team can be formidable. Even if one has one leg, 12 fingers or 3 kidneys, is he up to it and can he deliver? This begs the question - who are hungry, capable, honest, diligent, loyal and competent? I suppose it depends to an extent through which lens one looks through. In the case of Ibrahim Ali, the lens will be as opaque and dense as that between his ears. He attempts to have us believe that "the public sector (as the name implies) is open to public scrutiny whereas the private sector is 'kept nice and private'. For starters, the public sector is synonymous with the OSA to many. We would like to scrutinise the accounts for example of some of the ministries - eg what it costs to run the NS. Private (without govt. involvement) companies are not necessarily 'private' in many instances. Private sector companies which are listed are under very public scrutiny. On the contrary, 'public'corporations like Petronas are kept very private!! An assertion is made that the wealthiest 20 in Malaysia are dominated by one race but argues that this is because of the conducive environment created by BN. With due respect, it should be stated as "DESPITE the environment created by BN". As I see it, with all the obstacles put in the way , they made it. It should be remembered that many of our 'businessmen' make a handsome sum clearing 'obstacles'. Tellingly, he states that the big corporations that secured gaming and telecommunication licences SURELY DID NOT GET THEIR BIG BREAKS PURELY ON MERIT ALONE!!!!!! THEY WERE GIVEN IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR IDEAS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND TAXES. That says it all doesn't it? What great idea is there in gaming? Was the exchange just ideas, entrepreneurship and taxes? Deputy Minister Mukhriz refers to a pea to a durian example when relating to Singapore and Malaysia. To a degree he is right. But let's not forget that "pea'' was once part of our durian tree. In a biblical context, Jesus (Nabi Isa) asserted that if the tree bears bad/no fruit, cut the tree!!!! (Which is what I did to my durian tree at home after waiting for years for it to bear fruit. Should have called it the NEP tree!) Towards the end of his article, he postulates that the government has to help rural folk keep up with the Joneses. I do believe most want dignity, basic amenities that work, good education, health services more than keeping up with the Joneses - or the Zakarias and Toyos. Finally, he touches on the issue of corruption - by pointing the finger at the 'briber'. At least we agree that it takes two to tango. But let's stop the music and haul both the dancers into the sin bin. After all, the Mufti of Perak in his wisdom has outlawed the Poco Poco - let's extend it to the tango. Haramkan 'tango'! What say you Mufti? |
| Umno has lost Malay middle class, says EIU Posted: 01 Jun 2011 05:45 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Despite continued support from rural voters, Umno appears to have been rejected by urban Malays, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Its latest country report on Malaysia said that the "decline in support may have intensified" among middle-class Malays due to Internet sites "exposing government corruption and political intrigues of individual members of the ruling administration." "Although voters in the rural heartland of Peninsular Malaysia continue to support Umno, there have been suggestions that the party has lost the support of a significant number of educated, liberal middle-class Malays," the research arm of the London-based Economist weekly said. But the EIU also warned that "conservative Malays have meanwhile been voicing concerns about the government's plan to reform policies favouring Bumiputera (ethnic Malays and other indigenous peoples), as they believe that the special rights accorded to them in the constitution may be rescinded." Racial and religious tension has escalated of late with right-wing Malays accusing the Chinese community of trying to usurp political power. A few weeks ago, Umno's Utusan Malaysia accused church and DAP leaders of plotting to install a Christian prime minister and turning Malaysia into a Christian state. The Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) has also strung together consecutive by-election victories recently in rural and semi-urban constituencies with an increased majority among Malay voters. But observers say that the April 16 Sarawak election saw an urban-rural divide which resulted in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties more than double its tally from seven to 15 seats in the 71-member state assembly. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is expected to call a general election within the year where BN will expect an improvement on the 2008 result.
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| WikiLeaks Disclosures and Diplomacy Posted: 01 Jun 2011 04:31 PM PDT
What did the diplomatic dispatches amount to? One view is that they are proof that the US was struggling to get its way in the world, a superpower entering a long period of decline. Another is that they showed the State Department staff to be competent and professional, hardworking and committed. Malaysia Digest The release of US State Department diplomatic cables by a maverick website WikiLeaks since November 2010 has caused widespread embarrassment to many political leaders in countries around the world. The United States has been discomfited by the exposure of its secret communications and discussions about its friends and foes. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hit out at the concerted action as an attack not just on the US but also the international community. Some European and American politicians liken the massive disclosures to a diplomatic equivalent of the 911 attacks on New York's Twin Towers and the Pentagon in 2001. It is not clear if these politicians were referring to the leaked State Department cables alone or also the earlier release by the same website of 391,000 classifies military reports on the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Whatever the case it is a moot question if the leaks had any substantive impact on US national security or cleared or clouded up the smoke and mirrors of US foreign policy. So what were the State Department cables all about? What are the implications for relations and intelligence exchange between nation states? The cables were dispatches from US embassies and consulates around the world, over 350 of them, ranging administrative matters to political reports and appraisals of the countries of their accreditation. There were some frank and unflattering assessments of political leaders. There were analyses, some of them of good quality, as well as comments about personalities, reports and records of meetings and summations of situations. There were essays on US-China relations or intractable problems and conflicts in the Caucasus. They highlighted the geopolitical interests and preoccupations of the US, such as nuclear proliferation and illicit drug trafficking, the supposed threat from Iran, the hard to control military situations Afghanistan and security threats in Pakistan. The US embassy cables offered an incomparable detailed mosaic of life and politics in the early 21st century, as observed by American eyes. They also included disclosures of things that were of concern to citizens of the US and the world: human rights violations, corrupt practices and dubious financial ties between leaders of advanced countries. They spoke of corporate espionage, dirty tricks and hidden bank accounts. Implications for Relations What are the implications for relations between the US and the countries reported on, and among those countries and third parties? Some leaders brushed off the embarrassing revelations, at least in public, while others went on the offensive. In some cases the US found it prudent to withdraw its ambassadors as their ability to function was compromised. In less prickly situations the offended countries registered their protests to the State Department. Damage Control Secretary Clinton visited the Middle East in January 2011 on what she described half jokingly as an "apology tour". She had to reach out to leaders and others who had concerns abut either the general message of American confidential comments being exposed in this way or specific questions about their countries or themselves. That aspect of it had receded, she said, adding: "I have not had concerns expressed about whether any nation will not continue to work with and discuss matters of importance going forward." Diplomatic Fallout The US is not alone in sharing and exchanging assessment with other countries, particularly with allies and friends. Diplomats of friendly countries exchange notes about third parties in confidence. The online news portal Asia Sentinel published on January 20, 2011 the full cable from the US embassy in Canberra reporting an exchange of intelligence between officials of the US State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research and Australia's Office of National Assessments in October, 2008. They traded assessments on a wide range of subjects from Iran to Japan and Southeast Asian countries and their leaders. The officials exchange notes about what regional officials had told them about the politics and personalities of certain countries. Long Term Impact on DiplomacyThe assessment of the impact of the WikiLeaks disclosures has wound down to a more realistic one of embarrassment to parties concerned, but no real harm done to the US and its partners. The exposures of corrupt practices or crooked acts in some developing countries or illicit deals between developed countries have had lasting effect on the countries concerned, because those are common knowledge to their people. The cables have shown that American diplomats are hardworking, well informed, quite reliable in their reporting and astute in assessing the situation in their host countries. They are assiduous in compiling profiles of political leaders and key officials to assess whether they are pro or against US interests. The cables are a trove of information or observations about countries and leaders around the world.These cables serve as examples of what most diplomatic representatives do or should do for countries of major interest to their governments. Collecting information and assessing people, places, actions and events form the staple of the tasks of diplomatic missions, beside the promotion of good relations and exchanges of communications and visits between the leaders and officials of their countries. That aspect of diplomatic work will continue. And so will the collection of intelligence by agents and representatives of intelligence agencies posted overseas. However, if anything, the US cables have shown the need for officials and political personalities to be more discreet and circumspect in sharing views about politics and personalities of neighboring countries with diplomats from the US and indeed all countries. The disclosures would probably result in a more cautious environment for diplomats in their interactions with local contacts and sources; the latter could well begin with a disclaimer that what they said was off the record, and certainly not for passing to WikiLeaks! *Taken from dinmerican.wordpress.com. Mushahid Ali is a Singapore Ambassador and Senior Fellow of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer.
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| Blogger given 14 days for defence over Rais suit Posted: 01 Jun 2011 04:27 PM PDT (NST) - A blogger sued by Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim over alleged defamatory articles was given 14 days by the High Court to defend himself. Counsel Norhani Nordin, representing Rais, told the media that Judicial Commissioner Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah ordered Ahmad Mutalib Mohamed Daud to file his statement of defence within 14 days from May 30. She said that Ahmad Mutalib had filed a memorandum of appearance on May 30. On May 23, Tee gave Ahmad Mutalib until today to file the memorandum of appearance. In the last proceeding, Norhani had said that Rais would enter a judgment against Ahmad Mutalib if he or his counsel failed to appear in court on June 2. Rais filed the suit on Feb 10 after four articles he regarded as libellous, dated Jan 1, Jan 3, Jan 5 and Jan 7, were uploaded by Ahmad Mutalib on the Sabahkini weblog. He also said the articles were absurd and wicked in misrepresentation of his character and office.
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| Khairy calls IPP contracts ‘unfair’ to the public Posted: 01 Jun 2011 04:08 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has added his voice to the growing chorus against the power purchasing agreements signed with independent power producers (IPPs), calling them "unfair" and "lopsided". The highly-profitable IPPs have come under renewed scrutiny following the government's decision to raise electricity prices earlier this week, prompting concerns that it would worsen inflationary pressures. Khairy (picture) said the system of procuring power from private producers needs to be revamped and instead of the concession-type purchasing power agreements (PPAs), which have thus far remained a secret, the government needed to move towards a transparent auction-based system instead. "Look at transparent auction systems for power in the future, not lopsided PPAs like those signed early on in the '90s. Those were unfair to the government and ultimately the people," said Khairy during a chat session with the public hosted by Internet portal Yahoo! Malaysia today. He added however that IPPs were still needed as Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) "cannot be the sole generator". The PPAs signed by the IPPs and TNB have been criticised as "sweetheart deals" but have remained confidential thus far. The prime minister said two days ago he would look into opening the books even as his Cabinet colleague Datuk Seri Peter Chin, who is in charge of the Energy, Green Technology and Water portfolio, said Putrajaya had no power to reveal the PPAs as the deals were between private companies. Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee said today the federal government should and could make public the controversial PPAs in the public's interest based on the law. In a 2006 interview with The Star, former TNB chairman Tan Sri Ani Arope gave some insight into the PPAs when he claimed that TNB was "humiliated" by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and directed to accept terms and conditions that were "grossly unfair." "There was no negotiation. Absolutely none," Ani said. "Instead of talking directly with the IPPs, TNB was sitting down with the EPU. And we were harassed, humiliated and talked down every time we went there. After that, my team was disappointed. The EPU just gave us the terms and asked us to agree. I said no way I would."
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| Anwar Gets SNAPPED: The Failure of an Opposition Leader Comes Home to Roost Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:56 PM PDT
Hantu Laut In a development that should be viewed as welcome by supporters of one of the relatively few functional Muslim-majority democracies in the world, signs are continuing to mount that Anwar Ibrahim's opposition coalition may be beginning to crumble. Earlier this month, Anwar was sharply criticized by Sarawakians for only offering the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) three seats, which many Sarawakians considered to be an insultingly lowball number. Anwar attempted to deflect criticism for this move by claiming that he had an agreement signed in writing with the President of SNAP in which SNAP agreed to only contest three seats. SNAP's response, essentially, was to call Anwar a liar:
Fortunately (or, one suspects, unfortunately) for Anwar, his claim was not that he had a formal understanding or a verbal agreement with SNAP regarding the allocation of seats, but that he had an agreement in writing. Therefore, this whole matter ought to be easy to clear up for Anwar – all he has to do is produce the written agreement and all will be well. Given SNAP's flat denial of its existence, and given Anwar's failure to produce the written agreement when he first claimed it existed, it is not difficult to guess whether or not Anwar is lying about this agreement. More ominous than SNAP's flat rebuttal of Anwar's specific claim, though is the clear signal from SNAP that it is willing to walk away from Anwar and PKR, if necessary:
These political troubles are anything but welcome for Anwar, who is trying together a bizarre coalition with disparate interests – almost none of which are any sort of good news for Western interests or for the ultimate fate of Democracy in Malaysia, especially given that Anwar has been apparently caught on a DNA test doing what the kids today refer to as "pulling a Dominique Strauss Kahn."
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| Anwar says SPNB now cash cow for UMNO Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:45 PM PDT (Harakahdaily) - Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has charged that funds from government-owned housing development company Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad were now channeled to UMNO. Anwar said SPNB, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance Incorporated which was established to undertake construction of affordable housing, had now become irrelevant and was acting like private developers.
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| Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:44 PM PDT (Harakahdaily) - A political analyst has predicted that general election will be held this month. "A lot of factors have been thrown in this wild guess. But I opine that regardless of the impact from the hike in power tariffs, Prime Minister Najib Razak will meet Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve the 12th Parliament in the nearest time – as early as June this year, yes, as early as this month!" said Ooi Heng, executive director of the political research group Kajian Politik Untuk Perubahan.
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| Kes Felda saman Suara Keadilan Julai depan Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT "Kita sudah bersedia menghadapi kes ini," kata Ahmad Maslan. (Free Malaysia Today) - Kes saman Felda terhadap Suara Keadilan akan mula dibicarakan di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur pada Julai depan, kata Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Ahmad Maslan. "Ini yang diberitahu oleh peguam Felda, Datuk Hafarizam Harun. Kita sudah bersedia menghadapi kes ini," katanya ketika ditemui di pejabatnya di sini petang semalam. Pada 17 Ogos lalu, Felda dan syarikat pelaburannya memfailkan saman fitnah bagi menuntut ganti rugi RM200 juta terhadap enamdefendan termasuk penerbit dan pencetak akhbar Suara Keadilan kerana didakwa menyiarkan artikel fitnah bertajuk 'Felda Bangkrap'. Felda dan Felda Global Ventures Holdings Sdn Bhd (plaintif) menamakan Presiden PKR, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail dan bekas timbalannya, Dr Syed Husin Ali, sebagai pemegang jawatan dalam PKR mengikut Seksyen 9 (c) Akta Pertubuhan 1966, sebagai defendan pertama dan kedua. Plaintif menyaman PKR sebagai penerbit akhbar Suara Keadilan yang sudah tamat tempoh permit penerbitannya pada 30 Jun lalu. Empat lagi defendan adalah penerbit akhbar itu, Pelita Koridor Sdn Bhd; pencetak, Percetakan NPK Sdn Bhd; penyunting, Dzulkarnain Taib dan penulis artikel itu, Rusnizam Mahat. Artikel tersebut disiarkan di halaman muka depan Suara Keadilan keluaran 22 hingga 29 Jun 2009. Beberapa pemimpin utama PKR turut membawa isu itu dalam ceramah-ceramah politik mereka. Sementara itu, 766 peneroka Felda Serting di Negeri Sembilan memfail saman RM200 juta terhadap Felda di Mahkamah Tinggi Seremban, Mac lalu.
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