Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Over 2 million foreigners registered under 6P programme: Hishammuddin
- Sosilawati murder trial: Court orders reporter, editor to explain article
- Why the truth only now, George?
- ‘Weak’ Najib vs ‘disobedient’ Muhyiddin
- Mat Zain: Dropping Tajuddin suits raises doubt over Umno funds
- Fraudulent PR campaign blows up in M’sia’s face
- Attempted arson on Penang DAP Hq
- AirAsia-MAS deal unfair to Sabah, S’wak
- Arrogance has a price
- Muhyiddin likens Bersih rally to violent UK riots
- Quek takes stake in American Airlines parent AMR
- CIMB denies receiving letter from Nazri
- Cops admit using preventive arrests after ban on confessions, says leaked US cable
- Utusan editor says Muslim schoolchildren being proselytised
- Close fight likely for Kapar in next polls
- A-G’s Chambers objects to Bersih bid
- JAIS raid video appears on pro-Umno blogs
- 3,500 voters over 100 years old in Sabah
- Odds against ‘betting for education’ fund winning Chinese votes
- Page accuses Putrajaya of ‘buying time’, wants English-language option restored
| Over 2 million foreigners registered under 6P programme: Hishammuddin Posted: 18 Aug 2011 05:48 AM PDT
(Bernama) - A total of 2,040,709 foreign workers and illegal immigrants have been registered under the 6P programme as at 8am Thursday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said. He said of the total, 936,732 were legal workers while 1,103,977 were illegal immigrants. "It is an unexpected number in the context of registration because after this, we still have to carry out the process of legalisation, amnesty, supervision and enforcement. "So, I would like to call on those who have yet to register to do so as soon as possible," he told reporters after breaking fast with the Home Ministry's staff here last night. He also refuted the allegation that those who had registered would be deported to their countries of origin and described the allegation as an attempt to sabotage the 6P programme. "Some people accused that there is a problem with the biometric registration system...it is indeed a baseless allegation because if there's a problem, the number of people registered would not reach two million," he said. Hishammuddin said registered illegal immigrants from Indonesia made up the highest number at 551,268, followed by Bangladesh with 241,538. "This means that the cooperation we have with the Indonesian and the Bangladesh governments had succeeded and I would like to thank the representatives of the two governments and ensure that we will continue to work closely with them," he said. The minister said the biometric registration process had to be carried out as the government did not know the exact number of foreigners in the country. "The two million people are legal workers and illegal immigrants who have registered voluntarily before we carry out the legalisation and enforcement processes and it is possible that the number will increase," he said. Earlier, Hishammuddin also gave away hampers and "duit raya" (cash) to orphans in Klang Valley.
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| Sosilawati murder trial: Court orders reporter, editor to explain article Posted: 18 Aug 2011 05:40 AM PDT
(Bernama) - The High Court here on Thursday ordered a reporter and an editor of Utusan Malaysia to come to court to explain an article which allegedly was a personal attack on Manjeet Singh Dhillon, a defence lawyer in the trial of the murder of cosmetics millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and her three associates. Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir made the decision after allowing an application for the order by Manjeet who is representing the first accused, former lawyer N. Pathmanabhan. Earlier, before the start of proceedings in the trial-within-a-trial to determine whether statements by two of the accused had been made under oppression, Manjeet directed the attention of the court to the article headlined "Manjeet always smears government." Displaying a photocopy of the article, he said TV3 had also highlighted it. Akhtar said he had read the article and found the linking of the trial with politics unacceptable. "An attack on the defence is also an attack on the court, especially if it is published in the papers," Akhtar said. "I want the reporter and his editor to come to court to explain." Manjeet, in his oral application, had said all parties involved should be asked to come to court to retract their statement and apologise. He said the order from the judge should extend to all who did not respect the court. Akhtar said: "You journalists must take heed and inform people above you that this action is subjudice and you can be held in contempt of court." In the trial-within-a-trial, ASP M. Mariappan, who is attached to the Selangor Police headquarters, said the second and third accused T. Thilaiyalagan and R. Matan had been transferred from Gombak to Kuang and Kundang near here, respectively on Sept 11 last year. This was for their own safety considering that it was a high profile case touching communal sensitivities, he said. Responding to a question, Mariappan said most of those locked up at the Gombak police headquarters were Malays, and he did not want them to be involved in any conflict with the accused. Pathmanabhan, 42, and farm hands Thilaiyalagan, 20, Matan, 21, and K. Kathavarayan, 31, are charged with murdering Sosilawati, 47, her driver Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 47, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and CIMB officer Noorhisham Mohammad, 38. They are alleged to have committed the murders in Jalan Tanjung Layang at Tanjung Sepat in Banting near here between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30 last year. The hearing continues Friday.
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| Why the truth only now, George? Posted: 17 Aug 2011 03:37 PM PDT
Former Sarawak deputy chief minister's disclosure that the BN does not take heed of the Chinese community's interests a boost for DAP (Free Malaysia Today) - Sarawak United Peoples Party president George Chan's 'revealing' statement that Barisan Nasional coalition does care about the Chinese was well received by the DAP. Chan, a former deputy chief minister, said that 'if DAP joined BN, it will be also useless like SUPP, MCA and Gerakan' because BN does not care about the Chinese. Chan, who lost his Piasau seat in the recent state election, was referring to an invitation by Nazri Aziz, the minister in the PM's department for DAP to join the Barisan Nasional. Nazri last week end urged DAP and PAS to join BN in an interview with Sin Jew Jit Poh. Sarawak DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jien said: "We have to thank George Chan for telling us the truth that even if DAP was to join BN, it will be useless as the BN does not take heed of the Chinese interest. "The policy is that the BN does not take heed of what the Chinese want because they don't care. Whoever joins BN, it is no use. That is the situation in BN. "This is truth and George Chan's honesty is appreaciated. But (unfortunately) it comes 15 years too late." Chong also chastised Chan and other members of the leadership for speaking the truth only after they had lost their seats and positions in the state Cabinet. "Why are you telling us now? Why not 15 years ago when you were still the deputy chief minister? "All this while, you have been telling the Chinese in Sarawak only in BN that you can achieve what the Chinese want. As the opposition you cannot do anything. "But after you lost the election and your official post you are being truthful to the people. The reason is that there was a conflict of interest when you were inside. "The only conclusion that we can draw now is that SUPP leaders only tells the people of Sarawak the truth when they lose the election and their official posts," he said.
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| ‘Weak’ Najib vs ‘disobedient’ Muhyiddin Posted: 17 Aug 2011 03:32 PM PDT
Kita president Zaid Ibrahim says that all is not well in Putrajaya and warns the premier that he may see a repeat of the coup that sent his predecessor packing. (Free Malaysia Today) - Kita president Zaid Ibrahim suggested the possibility of a rift between Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin since the latter consistently contradicted the premier's policies. The former Umno law minister said voters could see Najib's leadership as weak following the failure to discipline Muhyiddin's open display of inconsistencies. "Someone asked me if there is a power struggle going on in Umno right now. I said no, only in the Cabinet. This poser was perhaps brought about by the way Muhyiddin skilfully contradicted Najib on several important issues," said Zaid in a statement today. He cited Muhyiddin's open contradiction of Najib's effort to foster racial harmony under his 1Malaysia clarion call when Muhyiddin declared he was "Malay first" and "Malaysian second". Zaid also alleged that it was a known fact that Najib would like to have Science and Mathematics to be taught in English but Muhyiddin, who is the education minister, decided against it. Almost immediately speculation that there was a split between the two spread in light of Najib's inaction but the two subsequently denied the allegation and attributed the rumours to the opposition. Zaid said several days ago, the deputy prime minister once again refuted Najib's decision openly – this time on his administration's plan to set up a Parliamentary Select Committee on polls reforms. The move was seen as an attempt to contain the likely voter backlash from Najib's administration's high-handed handling of the Bersih 2.0 rally. It was also seen as an admission that Bersih 2.0′s demands for electoral reform were valid. Muhyiddin, however, said the committee was merely to "tweak" an otherwise clean elections system.
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| Mat Zain: Dropping Tajuddin suits raises doubt over Umno funds Posted: 17 Aug 2011 03:28 PM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 — A former senior police investigator has questioned Putrajaya's directive for all GLCs to drop civil suits worth billions of ringgit against Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli, stating that the move raises the question of whether hundreds of millions of ringgit were being held by Umno nominees. Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim wrote in an article sent to The Malaysian Insider that the former MAS chairman held RM70 million in trust for Tun Daim Zainuddin who was finance minister during Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's administration. "The question of whether the money belonged to Tun Daim, or was shared with someone else or if it belonged to Umno will become an issue. In short, the public has the right to raise 1,001 questions on this issue," said the former city CID chief. Putrajaya had directed earlier this month all government-linked companies, including Malaysia Airlines and the national debt restructuring company Danaharta, to cease all civil suits against Tajuddin, a poster boy of the Mahathir-era plan to groom Bumiputera entrepreneurs. Mat Zain today cited his privileged position as the investigating officer in 1995 when an unnamed minister and Umno supreme council member asked police to investigate money held in trust by another of Daim's nominees, former Renong chairman Tan Sri Halim Saad.
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| Fraudulent PR campaign blows up in M’sia’s face Posted: 17 Aug 2011 03:27 PM PDT
Millions spent on a public relations campaign abroad to boost Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's image and the Barisan Nasional government has turned sour. (Free Malaysia Today) - British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has suspended all programming from the London-based FBC Media after it was 'confirmed' that the TV production company had received payment to produce and air, as genuine content, at least four documentaries on Malaysia's palm oil industry and its 'treatment of the rainforest and indigenous people'. BBC in a statement to UK's prestigious daily The Independent yesterday said that "FBC has now admitted to the BBC that it has worked for the Malaysian government". "That information was not disclosed to the BBC as we believe it should have been when the BBC contracted programming from FBC. "Given this, the BBC has decided to transmit no more programming from FBC while it reviews its relationship with the company." It is understood that prior to it's TV productions for Malaysia, FBC had already produced some 20 programmes for the BBC and had signed the BBC's standard producer guidelines which guarantee to "not accept money or other services or benefits from any individual, company or organisation with a view to endorsing or promoting such services and/or products in the series or series publicity or which could lead to doubts about the subjectivity or impartiality of the series". In a published statement to The Independent, the BBC said: "All independent TV companies who produce programmes for BBC World News have to sign strict agreements to ensure programmes meet the BBC's editorial guidelines, including avoiding any conflict of interest." BBC's World News attracts 78 million viewers a week and is available in more than 200 countries. The Independent had further flogged the fact that FBC received "almost £6 million" (RM28 million) from the Malaysian governmnent and the amount had been reflected in the Malaysian government's Supplementary Budget 2010. The report noted that the payout had been for work on a "Global Strategic Communications Campaign" in 2009. It also noted that a similar sum of RM29.34 million was also allocated to the company for the previous year and that the matter had been raised in Malaysian parliament. FBC, with offices in London, Mumbai and Rome, has however denied any impropriety in its programmes for any broadcaster. Speaking through its lawyers, FBC media said: "At no time have the television programmes made for the BBC ever been influenced or affected by our client's commercial activities".
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| Attempted arson on Penang DAP Hq Posted: 17 Aug 2011 12:42 PM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider Penang DAP today claimed there was an attempt to burn down its headquarters in George Town. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said in a post on micro-blogging site Twitter this morning that this was the second such attack on the premises. "Cowardly attack 2try 2burn down Pg DAP Hq early dis morning. Only 4days earlier red paint splashed on Hq n @nweiaik office. Reject violence!" the DAP secretary-general said. Ng Wei Aik, political secretary to the chief minister, had alerted his colleagues at about 3 this morning, claiming as evidence the torched remains of a stack of newspapers in front of the office. "Someone tried 2 torch down DAP Penang HQ around 3am. All the newspapers put outside the HQ have been burnt down. 2nd attack after 4days," the Komtar assemblyman had tweeted at about 5am. When contacted by The Malaysian Insider, Ng said the DAP was informed of the attack by a Malay man living across its headquarters on Jalan Talipon. "We believe that all the attacks are related and it is by those unhappy with the loudspeaker ban," he said, referring to the barring of the use of loudspeakers for reciting verses from the Quran before dawn prayers. The ban has been played up, especially in the Umno-controlled media, as evidence that the DAP-led state government was impinging on the rights of Muslims. However, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and Perlis Mufti Juanda Jaya have insisted that the ruling is in line with the religion.
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| AirAsia-MAS deal unfair to Sabah, S’wak Posted: 17 Aug 2011 12:33 PM PDT By Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Residents in Sabah and Sarawak are likely to end up paying more in airfares following the recent tie-up between competitors AirAsia and national carrier Malaysia Airlines. Under a share swap deal between the Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Tune Air Sdn Bhd, the holding company of AirAsia, the budget airline will own a 20.2% stake in MAS, while the government will have a 10% stake in AirAsia. Opposition Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is concerned with the move as it has created a monopoly in the air travel industry in the country. Senior SAPP official Carrie Fong said the deal has eliminated competition and she fears travellers from Sabah and Sarawak making trips to and from the peninsula would no longer get the best bargains that came from the open battle for customers between the two airlines in the past. She sees prices of goods spiralling due to the deal. "Many goods are also transported by air and higher air fares will drive up the cost of living for us in Sabah." Many observers say the collaboration with AirAsia is supposed to help MAS, but doubt it will, if its business culture does not change. They also say the share swap deal is aimed chiefly at eliminating the threat posed by the other low-cost airline, Firefly. "(AirAsia CEO) Tony Fernandez has admitted that one of the reasons Tune Air agreed to this deal is Firefly. Firefly was stealing its domestic market share. "Out of every three Firefly passengers, two were from AirAsia and one from MAS. Some 60% of AirAsia's revenue comes from the domestic market, so Firefly was a threat," Fong said. Boon to Sabah, Sarawak With the AirAsia-MAS collaboration, there is no more competition, which essentially means the days of bargain rates for domestic travellers are over. "We Sabahans and most likely Sarawkians as well are going to be on the losing end again. Competition is always healthy as market forces should determine prices," Fong said. At present, the government investment arm owns 69% of MAS, but this will be diluted to 49% after the share swap. The deal is said to have come about when Azman Mokhtar, managing director of Khazanah Nasional, and Fernandes had a long chat on a flight to the US a few months ago. When AirAsia commenced operation at the end of 1996, it had introduced spectacularly low fares that allowed more Sabahans and Sarawakians to fly. Up to then, MAS was charging around RM800 for a return ticket to Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia, however, turned this on its head when it charged less than RM100 if passengers booked early.
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| Posted: 17 Aug 2011 12:27 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - You would think that by now the Najib administration will act with some humility and acceptance that Malaysia has grown up faster than the politicians in its fold.
After all, since the Sarawak polls the government has been drifting, floundering, from one mistake to another. Barely a week passes by without a minister putting his foot in the mouth; without the opaque nature of decision-making laid bare. Only this past week, de facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had to defend a letter he wrote to GLCs asking them to stop all legal proceedings against Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli, the man who left Malaysia Airlines with a heap of debts. The minister said that an out-of-court settlement was being worked out, a point finessed unsuccessfully by the prime minister who said that it was not an out-of-court settlement but "an off-site" settlement. You would think that Nazri having been caught out with the publication of the letter would hold his tongue and be more humble. But talking about the electoral reform select committee in the Sun today he refused to acknowledge Bersih, the organisation that has forced the government to go down on bended knees and agree to electoral reform. "I don't know who Bersih is... Bersih is not a registered body," he said. He then suggested that individuals under the Bersih umbrella make suggestions to the committee as "there is nothing special about them and it is not for them to tell us what to do." He is missing the point because it is not whether Bersih is special or not. The simple fact is that without Bersih, the need for electoral reform would not have been on the agenda. Bersih is made up of individuals who have studied the election system and have suggestions to improve it. More importantly, they are Malaysians and the government of the day has an obligation to hear them out and not just pay lip service to the need to reform the electoral system. The Najib administration can either win big or lose big with this move to set up an electoral reform select committee. If it is serious and honest about making sure the select committee does a sterling job, then the government will come out with much credit.
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| Muhyiddin likens Bersih rally to violent UK riots Posted: 17 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT
By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today drew parallels between the recent UK riots and last month's Bersih rally even after the prime minister distanced himself from the harsh crackdown on the march for free and fair elections. Seemingly out of step with Datuk Seri Najib Razak's new, more conciliatory stance, Muhyiddin congratulated the police for their handling of the Bersih rally after citing the UK riots as a "clear example" of how a country can descend into chaos if "elements that threaten peace and security" are not stopped. "Although it is a modern nation, there were people... who took the opportunity to riot and create chaos to fulfil certain needs that are not in line with the needs of the majority," he said at the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) College here. "The government is very proud and pleased with the role and bravery of PDRM in handling the illegal Bersih demonstration on July 9, 2011 that was, in fact, dirty (kotor)." Muhyiddin's comments today comes one week after Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said Malaysians should be thankful that police action had prevented the Bersih rally from turning violent like the UK riots. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar has also previously said on his Facebook page that the riots in London and other major cities in Britain were evidence of the "nightmares" that could be prevented by avoiding street protests. Najib said on Monday that a bipartisan parliamentary select committee will be formed "as soon as possible" to examine the current electoral system, a key demand of Bersih.
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| Quek takes stake in American Airlines parent AMR Posted: 17 Aug 2011 05:06 AM PDT
(Dallas News) - Malaysian investor Quek Leng Chan and a series of related companies have purchased 7.3 percent of AMR Corp.'s shares, according to disclosures filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. |
| CIMB denies receiving letter from Nazri Posted: 16 Aug 2011 09:48 PM PDT
(Bernama) - CIMB Group Holdings Bhd said today that it has not received any letter from the government, which has been reported in the media as having been sent to government-linked gompanies (GLCs) with regards to an out-of-court settlement of legal suits involving Tajudin Ramli. According to media reports, a number of GLCs are negotiating for global settlement of all civil suits and at all level of courts against the former executive chairman of Malaysia Airlines.
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| Cops admit using preventive arrests after ban on confessions, says leaked US cable Posted: 16 Aug 2011 07:07 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - A senior officer said in 2006 that police had to resort to using preventive detention after an amendment then to the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) barred the use of police-obtained confessions in trying defendants, according to a leaked US cable. The diplomatic note sent from Kuala Lumpur to Washington cited current Bukit Aman criminal investigation chief Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin as criticising the amendment that eliminated prosecutors' use of police-obtained confessions in trying criminal defendants. The cable leaked by whistleblower site Wikileaks and published on the Malaysia Today news portal quoted Mohd Bakri, who was then acting Sabah police chief, as saying that the amendment — which only allows for confessions made before a magistrate — "will hurt our ability to get convictions." "As a result, we'll likely make greater use of (Malaysia's four preventative detention laws), even though we know this will bring criticism from Suhakam and the NGOs," he was quoted in the document. According to the document penned by David Shear, then deputy chief of mission, the US embassy here believed in late 2006 that 700 to 1,000 Malaysians suspected of criminal activity were being detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) alone.
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| Utusan editor says Muslim schoolchildren being proselytised Posted: 16 Aug 2011 05:11 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - An Utusan Malaysia editor said today that Muslim primary schoolchildren are being taught about Jesus by Christian youths aiming to convert them, which is illegal under Malaysian law. Its assistant chief editor Datuk Zaini Hassan wrote in his column today that poor Malay children living in squatters along Jalan Klang Lama. Lama were singing "Yes, I know Jesus loves me" and reciting the story of Jesus Christ's crucifixion in their primary school. He said that an Indian teacher from the school, known only as Cikgu S, had informed him Malay children were being given free English classes by young Christian evangelists every Sunday. "To me, what is happening in these tuition classes is a subtle move. It is not done out of fun," he wrote in the Umno-owned newspaper today, adding that the same was true of a dinner held in Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) last week. The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) was accused of raiding and interrupting a thanksgiving dinner held by a local NGO but the religious authority said that it was acting on a complaint that 12 Muslims were being proselytised at the event. "This is not a coincidence but planned in detail," Zaini added. In his Cuit column in the Umno-owned daily, he said that Cikgu S told him how the students from Standard One to Six "could sing with vigour songs that praise Jesus." "They can even tell stories about Jesus including how he was crucified," he quoted Cikgu S as saying.
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| Close fight likely for Kapar in next polls Posted: 16 Aug 2011 04:52 PM PDT
There is no assurance that PKR will be able to retain its Kapar seat in the 13th general election. (Free Malaysia Today) - The intervention of the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) in Kapar will turn the fight for the Kapar parliamentary seat into a close call. The seat is held by PKR's S Manikavasagam. He wrested it from MIC's Komala Devi by a 12,297- vote majority in the 2008 general election. Last month, MCLM introduced Dr Nedunchelian Vengu as the Barisan Rakyat independent candidate (BRIC) for Kapar, taking the battle for the seat to a new level. The local-born dentist, who chose to run in Kapar, has a thriving dental practice in the constituency and has been actively involved in social work for 20 years. Kapar is the largest constituency in the country with 125,000 voters. Despite PKR having won the seat with a comfortable majority, there is no guarantee that the party will retain the seat in the 13th general election. A local Umno leader, who declined to be named, told FMT that PKR would be facing a tough fight in Kapar. "Internal problems in the division and the clash between Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and Manikavasagam are a few things that might drown the PKR 'ship' in Kapar in the upcoming election," he said. MIC could still win He said that Nedunchelian, who is better known as Dr Nedu, is a prominent figure in Kapar, especially among the Indian community. "We should understand that in 2008, PKR won the seat because of a major swing of the Indian community to Pakatan Rakyat after the rise of the Hindraf movement. "This time we cannot expect the same scenario," he said. He also said that Nedu will definitely play a major role among Indian voters. "Although Manikavasagam had done some good stuff to the Kapar people, it is still not enough," he said, adding that the current political climate favoured parties and not candidates.. When asked about MIC's contribution in the constituency, he said that the Barisan Nasional ally was a "forgotten history". "MIC has already lost ground in Kapar. The party is now riding on Umno shoulder," said. He, however, believes that Kapar could return to MIC if the Malay votes swing back to BN. He said in the 2008 general election, PKR won with a 14% vote majority, which was considered small in a constituency like Kapar. "I believe MIC will regain the seat if 5% of the Malay votes go back to Umno and 15% of the Indian votes are clinched by MIC," he said.
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| A-G’s Chambers objects to Bersih bid Posted: 16 Aug 2011 04:45 PM PDT
The affidavit affirmed by Ambiga to support the leave application was defective, says federal counsel. (Free Malaysia Today/BERNAMA) - The Attorney-General's (A-G) Chambers is applying to strike out the leave application for a judicial review filed by the Bersih 2.0 movement to remove the order declaring it an unlawful society. The High Court will hear the A-G's Chambers preliminary objection to strike out the application on Sept 19. Judge Rohana Yusuf set the date in chambers after meeting the parties involved. On July 8, 14 members of the movement's steering committee, including S Ambiga, filed the leave application naming the Home Minister, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the government as respondents. They were represented by counsel Tommy Thomas, Fahri Azzat and K Shanmuga, while senior federal counsel Kamaludin Md Said, Azizan Md Arshad and Andi Razalijaya A Dadi acted for the respondents. Kamaludin told reporters that the A-G's Chambers wanted the court to strike out the application on the grounds that the affidavit affirmed by Ambiga to support the leave application was defective. |
| JAIS raid video appears on pro-Umno blogs Posted: 16 Aug 2011 04:18 PM PDT
A video of JAIS' raid on DUMC claims proof of proselytising and implicates Annou Xavier and Teresa Kok in covering up the issue. (Free Malaysia Today) - A video purportedly showing scenes of a raid by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) surfaced on a number of pro-Umno blogs yesterday. The six-minute clip has been presented by the bloggers as evidence of the church proselytising to the 12 Muslims who attended its multiracial thanksgiving dinner two weeks ago. The clip, which was first posted on a blog called "Screwkuat", showed snippets of JAIS officials entering the church, a man sharing his Muslim upbringing with the crowd and the officials questioning guests dressed in the Malay national costume. The man sharing his religious upbringing was accused of having converted out of Islam although he made no mention of being a Christian. A woman named Sophia – who was clad in a baju kebaya – was accused of being involved in the event organisation by inviting Muslims for the purpose of conversion. One of her guests, a Chinese women, later told JAIS that no Muslims had attended the dinner. The blogger then trained his guns on Seputeh MP, Teresa Kok, and Annou Xavier of the Catholic Lawyer's Society as conspirators in concealing DUMC's attempts to convert Muslims. Xavier is also the lawyer for the dinner organiser, NGO Harapan Komuniti, which has insisted that the dinner was for a HIV/AIDS support group. "Annou Xavier has plotted with Teresa Kok to defend the 12 but has only managed to 'control' eight so far," wrote the blogger of Screwkuat. "He also issued a letter requesting a postponement of the statement that the 12 meant to give JAIS last week." "This is an insult to JAIS and the Sultan of Selangor (Sharafuddin Idris Shah). The question is, why are the 12 being defended by a lawyer from the Catholic Lawyer's Society?" Clip an 'afterthought' The blogger claimed that in order to cover up their conspiracy, the duo had engaged Muslim lawyers who shared their views as well as secured the support of Father Goh Kiat Ping who is reputed to have an in-depth understanding of Islam. "The 12 will hold closed-door talks with PAS because Teresa Kok believes that only PAS can be used to cover up these acts of conversion," the blogger concluded. "So we will await the next statement from PAS. No wonder PAS keeps blaming Umno in this issue." In an immediate response, Xavier branded the clip as an "afterthought" to justify the raid. He pointed out that the clip was taken from a narrow angle by an anonymous person and questioned its authenticity. But he stopped short of speculating that JAIS had leaked the clip to the blogger. "What I will say is that it's very irresponsible for bloggers affiliated to a certain political party to come up with an insinuation that puts down their fellow Malaysians," he told FMT. "Investigations are still ongoing but these bloggers are acting as investigators and prosecutors." Xavier drew attention to Section 6 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Selangor) Act 1995 under which the 12 Muslims are being investigated. "This section states that anyone who accuses a Muslim of converting and the accusation is found to be false the accuser can be liable for up to a fine of RM5,000 or three years in jail or both," he said. "This is a very serious offence and carries the same sentence as the offence of conversion. So just because one is a Muslim and with JAIS doesn't mean he knows the law." When contacted, Kok told FMT via text message that she was unable to comment due to the gag order imposed by Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, pending the investigation findings.
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| 3,500 voters over 100 years old in Sabah Posted: 16 Aug 2011 01:52 PM PDT
By Michael Kaung,, FMT KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Election Commission (EC), which is still verifying the status of some 3,500 registered voters aged over 100 in the state, will retain "active" centenarians in its electoral rolls. State EC chairman Md Idrus Ismail said the commission is verifying with the National Registration Department (NRD) whether those centenarians are still "active". He said those who are verified as "inactive" will be struck off the electoral rolls. He added that this is in line with the nationwide programme announced by EC chairman, Abdul Aziz Yusof, recently to clean up the rolls of dubious voters. Responding to recent statements by PKR Sabah and DAP on the matter, Idrus said the 3,500 names of centenarian voters were collated from the state electoral rolls over the last few months. He said ridding the electoral rolls of "inactive" and dubious voters is an on-going process nationwide. He said it wil take quite a while to obtain verification from the NRD on the status of the centenarian voters. "We cannot expect to obtain the verification and strike out the inactive voters overnight. It will take some time," said Idrus. However, he believes that some of the centenarians are alive and active. "We are verifying their status with NRD because the department is responsible in issuing the death certificates," he said in response to the PKR Sabah deputy chairperson Christina Liew's statement that more than 200 voters here are between 100 and 120 years old. Liew, who is also Kota Kinabalu PKR division chairperson, said that the party has brought the matter up with the state EC for verification but the officials claimed that they cannot do anything unless the family members of the registered voters come forward to rectify the matter Report deaths According to EC record, as of Dec 31 last year, a total of 848,473 people have registered as voters in Sabah. Abdul Aziz, in his recent statement, said that those aged above 90 and "considered" to be "inactive" will be struck off in line with the effort to clean up the roll, which is updated every three months. |
| Odds against ‘betting for education’ fund winning Chinese votes Posted: 16 Aug 2011 12:45 PM PDT
By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider A Putrajaya-backed plan to pump up to RM20 million in gambling profits annually into Chinese and Indian vernacular education is unlikely to sway the Chinese vote back to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), pundits say. The RM2.1 billion takeover of billionaire Ananda Krishnan's Pan Malaysian Pools Sdn Bhd by a consortium of Chinese tycoons led by Tan Sri Lim Kok Tay of gambling giant Genting last week, will also lead to profits channelled to "Jana Pendidikan" — a trust fund for vernacular schools. But politicians and analysts told The Malaysian Insider that the purchase will not be seen as a government effort, or worse, a case of the Najib administration abdicating its responsibility to the education needs of minorities. "I don't think this will translate into votes for Barisan Nasional at all. I fail to see any fundamental change in government policy toward mother tongue education," said Chinese educationist Kua Kia Soong (picture). DAP publicity chief Tony Pua also agreed, pointing out that "all this time, Chinese businessmen have donated to Chinese schools, so what is the difference now that its profits from a company run by Chinese?" The Singapore Straits Times had recently cited financial executives involved in the deal as saying that it could improve Barisan Nasional's (BN) standing among Chinese and Indians who swung away from the ruling coalition in the landmark 2008 election. Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is expected to call an election within the year, has been tasked with reversing losses that denied BN its customary two-thirds majority of Parliament and five state governments. The take-over of the gambling company came just before Najib announced a parliamentary select panel to review the electoral system and an end to crude media censorship this week, in a concession to the middle class and urban vote after being criticised for the security crackdown on the July 9 Bersih rally. Education has also long been a source of dissatisfaction from the Chinese and Indian community. While Malays enjoy extensive state support for education including financial grants, scholarships and enrolment quotas in public universities, Chinese and Indian schools struggle each year for funding. Kua said the government's cap on the number of state-funded vernacular schools has seen the number of Chinese and Tamil schools drop from 1,350 and 880 respectively in peninsular Malaysia at independence in 1957, to just 1,280 and 550 today despite their combined population doubling.
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| Page accuses Putrajaya of ‘buying time’, wants English-language option restored Posted: 16 Aug 2011 12:27 PM PDT
By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider The Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (Page) wants Putrajaya to restore 'teaching science and maths in English' option before it kicks off a new policy next year. Its vice-chairman, Sulaiman Mahran, ticked off Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for saying the Education Ministry will study further the possibility of using two languages to teach the two subjects in national schools, as reported by state news agency Bernama yesterday. "It's only buying time until 2012 when the MBMMBI will be fully implemented," Sulaiman said in a statement, referring to the "Upholding the Malay Language and Strengthening Command of English" policy that is to take over the existing language policy for science and maths (PPSMI). The English-language lobbyist pointed out that the long-term advantages of English had been identified during the Mahathir administration but that its implementation was miscarried during the Abdullah administration. "Datuk Seri Najib's administration should repair its implementation, not dismantle it, "What should be studied deeper is MBMMBI, which is clearly defective because it reduces the students' exposure to English by 50 per cent," Sulaiman said. Prior to the Sarawak polls on April 16, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had also announced he would consider using dual languages as the medium of instruction for Mathematics and Science in schools. PPSMI was first introduced in 2003 but the Education Ministry decided last year to stop it by 2012 after consulting with teachers and parents around the country.
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