Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- MALAPETAKA ROSMAH DAN NAJIB
- Who’s calling the shot: Najib or Muhyiddin?
- Race supremacists making a meal of the Star
- Voter Registration at Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia this Saturday
- Over 2 million foreigners registered under 6P programme: Hishammuddin
- Sosilawati murder trial: Court orders reporter, editor to explain article
- WIKILEAKS: MALAYSIA’S CHINESE MINORITY: THE POLITICS OF MARGINALIZATION
- Loyalty to the King and Country
- Special investigation: TV company takes millions from Malaysian government to make ...
- Do you know what we are fighting for?
- Now the picture becomes clearer
- CIMB’s unethical brokering
- 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
- Projek Jambatan Kedua PP: Kontraktor Melayu dipinggir
| Posted: 18 Aug 2011 12:02 PM PDT
DARI JELEBU Hishamuddin Rais Setiap tahun semenjak 31 Ogos 1957 Tanah Melayu telah menyambut Hari Malapetaka ini. Ertinya selama 54 tahun Malapetaka telah menimpa kita. Memang betul, pada awalnya ramai warga tidak memahami apa yang saya paparkan. Tetapai generasi muda agak terbuka dan selesa untuk memahami dan menerima konsep Malapetaka ini. Kali ini saya meminta para pembaca terbuka hati untuk melupakan segala fitnah dan tohmah yang telah dilemparkan kepada Rosmah dan Najib. Saya ingin membawa pembaca kepada realpolitik. Politik tentang kelas, ekonomi dan masa depan negara ini. Seperti yang sering saya tuliskan - kuasa politik ialah kuasa ekonomi. Siapa menguasi ekonomi akan menguasai politik. Ini realpolitik yang di eja dengan huruf k. Read more at: http://tukartiub.blogspot.com/2011/08/malapetaka-rosmah-dan-najib.html |
| Who’s calling the shot: Najib or Muhyiddin? Posted: 18 Aug 2011 11:58 AM PDT Such flip flop coming from the flip-flop prone Premier Najib Razak should not have raised any eyebrow, if not for the lightning speed with which he made the reverse turn in apparent deference to his deputy DPM Muhyiddin Yassin who publicly contradicted his boss by saying that Malaysian elections have always been above board, and that the PM's proposed PSC is only for the purpose of fine tuning the electoral process. By Kim Quek
One moment, the Prime Minister surprised almost everyone when he suddenly proposed to form a parliamentary selection committee (PSC) to seek consensus over electoral reforms, in tacit concession to the heated demand spearheaded by Bersih 2.0. But next moment – barely 48 hours later – he backtracked by saying that there is nothing wrong with the present electoral system, and that he only proposed the PSC because the agitators demanded for reforms. Such flip flop coming from the flip-flop prone Premier Najib Razak should not have raised any eyebrow, if not for the lightning speed with which he made the reverse turn in apparent deference to his deputy DPM Muhyiddin Yassin who publicly contradicted his boss by saying that Malaysian elections have always been above board, and that the PM's proposed PSC is only for the purpose of fine tuning the electoral process. This public statement from Muhyiddin on Aug 16, coming on the heel of Najib's PSC proposal only the day before is a slap on the face of the latter. GALLANT ATTEMPT AT ELECTORAL REFORM When Najib announced the PSC proposal on Aug 15, there was no mistaking his sincerity when he said: "The committee will discuss all electoral reforms that need to be implemented in order to achieve bipartisan agreement without any suspicion that there is manipulation by the government" Najib further stressed that his administration will not form the government unless it is truly elected by the people. These are words that clearly admit the presence of structural flaws and that these flaws are serious enough to warrant the establishment of a parliamentary select committee. And Najib's avowed intention to seek consensus and to govern only if "truly elected by the people" is further manifestation of the desire to right a wrong that has been long overdue for correction. In the face of such gallant and apparently serious attempt to restore some shine to our democracy to the approval of all decent minded Malaysians, Muhyiddin's daring contradiction of his boss almost in the same breath must have stunned many. But what is even more shocking is that Najib made an almost immediate U-turn so as to toe the line of his deputy when he practically regurgitated what Muhyiddin said about our electoral system being transparent and credible. Speaking to a buka puasa function on Aug 17, Najib denied that the PSC proposal is an admission of any defect in our elections. He further said: "We will improve the election process, if it is disputed. "We don't dispute it but to satisfy them, we will implement the changes to the system." Such a wishy-washy statement does not befit a prime minister. If there is no fault, why reform? Making changes just because someone makes a complaint? Hasn't the Prime Minister a stand and a conviction of his own? Forming a PSC is a serious affair that occurs rarely and only in the event of a grave issue that needs to be probed into deeply by Parliament. It is the height of frivolity for the prime minister to propose such a solution to quell complaints against an electoral system that in his opinion is perfectly sound. Surely a man of the intelligence of the Prime Minister could not have meant what he said – forming a PSC just to silence critics. FORCED TO MAKE U-TURN Isn't it obvious that the PM has succumbed to the stronger will of the hard line DPM? Looking back over Najib's two-year helm of the nation, one cannot help but lament that it is a premiership that started off with a bang but looking increasingly like ending with a whim – not unlike the path trodden by his lame duck predecessor Abdullah Badawi. His grand reforms sounded correct - political reform under the 1Malaysia banner to unite a fragmented people, and economic transformation through removal of race-based protectionism to revive a dormant economy – but a series of retreat in the face of recalcitrance from the conservative faction within his own party Umno have virtually reduced his so-called transformation to mere sloganeering exercises. In the midst of such disappointments, his sudden nod to the much yearned for electoral reform was seen as a strategic move to regain the middle ground which would otherwise be irretrievably lost through his ill-advised repression of the the Bersih 2.0 movement, in particular, the cruel and totally unjustified crackdown on the July 9 Bersih rally. All is not lost, however, if Najib can marshal enough courage to re-assert his prime ministerial authority to push through some meaningful reforms to an election system that has lost all credibility. After all, the prime minister is fully empowered by the Constitution to engage or dismiss his cabinet members, and any move of his towards restoration of constitutionality will surely be supported by not only the right-minded faction within his own party but will also be heartily applauded by all decent-minded Malaysians including opposition members. HONOURABLE PLACE IN HISTORY Correcting the wrongs of a flawed electoral system need not be all disadvantages to his party, as the rush of goodwill and respect that he will accrue through such a course of action (which will translate into votes in due course) may more than offset the anticipated loss of ill-gotten votes. Besides, win or loose, Najib will have earned for himself an honourable place in Malaysian history as the prime minister who restored democratic election to his people. He still has two years to prove his mettle, as election is not due until mid 2013. Why gamble away the chance to walk on the right side of history by rushing into a hasty election which is universally condemned as unfair and flawed, and risk losing everything – for himself, his party and his people? |
| Race supremacists making a meal of the Star Posted: 18 Aug 2011 11:52 AM PDT Is there anything Islamic about the race supremacists of Perkasa and the taxpayer-funded KDN or the taxpayer-funded Minister of the taxpayer-funded federation? By uppercaise Ketuanan Melayu and its partner Ketuanan Islam are trying to make a meal of The Star's Dining Out supplement having featured pork dishes while running a cover story on Ramadan Delights. Typically, it is being viewed as un-Islamic and the Star labelled as an un-Islamic paper. Calling it "un-Islamic" makes it sound like the Star is against Islam, a convenient way of putting pressure on the paper, its staff, its publisher and its chief editor. But which paper is not un-Islamic? The Star is un-Islamic? So are the New Straits Times, the Utusan Malaysia, Sinar Harapan and every other mass circulation newspaper in the country. None of them are Islamic publications. Memo to Home Ministry: Have you labelled all newspapers as being un-Islamic? Why single out the Star? Because it is a convenient target:
The recent attacks have been coordinated by Perkasa, the rabid Malays First movement that was spawned by Mahathir (I Am Not A Racist) Mohamad, and led by that political buffoon Ibrahim (mass comm grad) Ali. It is no surprise, looking back on Mahathir Mohamad's long antagonism towards the Star from the early days of his ascendancy to Umno power, his urging the New Straits Times to kill the Star and his urging tycoon Vincent Tan to start the Sun and knock down the Star. Read more at: http://uppercaise.wordpress.com/2011/08/18/race-supremacists-making-a-meal-of-the-star/ |
| Voter Registration at Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia this Saturday Posted: 18 Aug 2011 11:50 AM PDT
Come register as a voter this SATURDAY at Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia (RABM) from 5 - 7.30pm. Details below: Date: 20 August (Saturday)Time: 5 - 7.30pm Venue: If you're already a registered voter, you can drive all your friends and family who are not yet a voter to RABM this Saturday!!! |
| 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.
|
| 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.
|
| WIKILEAKS: MALAYSIA’S CHINESE MINORITY: THE POLITICS OF MARGINALIZATION Posted: 18 Aug 2011 01:00 AM PDT
Nevertheless, Chinese voters have poor alternatives. DAP and KeADILan are not sufficiently organized to provide a real alternative to BN, particularly given the disproportionate powers wielded by the UMNO-led coalition. The Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS), the strongest Malay-based opposition party, holds no appeal for the Chinese electorate. Without better alternatives, MCA and Gerakan will not lose their dominance of the Chinese vote. 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 001975
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2016 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA'S CHINESE MINORITY: THE POLITICS OF MARGINALIZATION
REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 942 B. KUALA LUMPUR 1935 C. KUALA LUMPUR 1942 D. KUALA LUMPUR 1913
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b, d).
Summary 1. (C) Malaysia's Chinese minority struggles to find new footing in national politics. In September Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew ignited a nation-wide debate on the marginalization of Malaysia's Chinese minority. Leaders from across the Chinese political spectrum agreed, at least privately, with LKY's conclusion and confided that most Chinese Malaysians feel marginalized by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO)'s race-based, Bumiputera policies. As the Chinese community grows restless, Chinese parties of the UMNO-led National Coalition (Barisan Nasional, BN) fear losses to opposition parties in the next general election. The People's Movement Party (Gerakan) faces change at the top and candidates have begun to vie for the coveted chief minister's job in Penang. Many Chinese have questioned their own leaders after Prime Minister Abdullah humiliated current Penang Chief Minister and claimed the Gerakan-led state government is marginalizing ethnic Malays in Penang. The Democratic Action Party (DAP) stands to gain Chinese votes, but remains unorganized and ill-prepared to capitalize on Chinese discontent. Opposition parties in general fail to present a valid alternative to the BN. A think tank report on Bumiputeras' economic share created another rallying point for the Chinese community's expressions of marginalization. While post-Mahathir political openings allow Chinese political discontent to bubble to the surface, ethnic Chinese voters appear to have no realistic alternatives. End Summary. Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew Ignites a Fire 2. (SBU) In September, Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew ignited a political firestorm when he commented during a seminar that Singapore's neighbors, Malaysia and Indonesia, systematically marginalized their Chinese minorities. Cries of outrage were heard from Malaysia's ethnic Malay leaders. Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi publicly demanded an apology from Lee, and the two exchanged highly-publicized letters demanding and feigning apology. Dozens of senior Malay officials derided Lee for his comments and a few Chinese members of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition government came to the defense of GoM and denied there was any systematic marginalization of Malaysia's minorities. But most Chinese Malaysians agreed with Lee, and Chinese politicians that denied the accusation are now viewed with growing disdain. MCA admits marginalization and fears backlash 3. (C) Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) Vice President Ong Tee Keat, who also serves as the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, was one of the few ministerial level Chinese politicians who refused to deny publicly or privately the fact that Chinese Malaysians are marginalized. In a private meeting with poloff Ong commented that although Chinese leaders from MCA and the People's Movement Party (Gerakan) were bound to support government (i.e. UMNO) positions, their Chinese constituents were not satisfied with their responses. Ong commented that in cases such as this, "silence is sometimes our only valid response." But he acknowledged, "of course we are marginalized, big business to small stall owners know that -- but MCA cannot admit it." So when pressed by reporters for a public response to Lee's accusation, Ong related an old Chinese proverb -- "Whether the water in the tea cup is hot or cold, he who drinks it knows best." 4. (C) According to Ong, MCA will face its greatest electoral challenge ever in the next two years. In his opinion, there was great dissatisfaction with the status quo in the Chinese community that was only partially seen in the Sarawak elections when the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) won six seats (Ref A). "Sarawak was a wake-up call for all Chinese parties," Ong told poloff. MCA and Gerakan have studied the results of the Sarawak elections, but are not sure they can counter the growing discontent in their communities. The Chinese component parties of BN no longer have community focused development projects to show their constituents, as these have all been redirected to Malay communities. "There was once a day in Malaysia when MCA would get the left-overs, but now we are just hoping to get some crumbs from the UMNO table," said Ong. Ong admitted that an example of only getting the crumbs could be seen in the Ninth Malaysia plan wherein the government planned for the construction of 180 new elementary and secondary schools, none of which would be vernacular schools for either the Chinese or Indian communities. Only after loud outcries from the Chinese community did the Ministry of Education "cave in" and announce that two of the 180 schools would be designated as Chinese vernacular schools. Again, MCA could not provide a proportional voice for the Chinese minority, and Ong believed the community took note. Prime Minister claims Malays marginalized in Penang 5. (C) In an ironic exercise in hypocrisy and political expediency prior to the UMNO district meetings in September, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi echoed the earlier remarks of his son in law, Khairy Jamaluddin, and publicly charged Penang's Chief Minister Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, with systematically marginalizing the ethnic Malays of Penang. Penang is Malaysia's only Chinese majority state (but only by a razor thin margin) and is led by BN coalition partner Gerakan. Despite the conflict resolution principles touted by the Barisan Nasional, at an UMNO divisional meeting in Penang, Abdullah publicly chided Koh and demanded immediate action to address the needs of the marginalized Malay community. Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak later called for the Penang Chief Minister to more equally divide his executive powers with the Malay deputy chief minister, while federal Education Minister Hishamuddin Tun Hussein demanded Koh take unconditional immediate action to address the needs of the Malay community in Penang. According to sources who attended the meeting, Koh was dumbfounded and unprepared to respond to the Prime Minister's accusations. Penang State Executive Councillor Dr. Toh Kin Woon later admitted in a private meeting with poloff that the PM thoroughly humiliated Koh, and although Malays in Penang have a higher per capita income than Malays in many other states, Koh was unprepared and unable to respond. Gerakan Central Committee member, Lee Kah Choon, stated to poloff that Koh was viewed by the whole Chinese community as weak: "it is just his personality, and everyone comes to expect it." It was this type of weakness, opined Toh, that places BN's Chinese component parties in danger of losing ground to DAP or the People's Justice Party (KeADILan) in more mixed districts. (Comment: Chief Minister Koh is an intellectual, who holds a doctorate in physics from Princeton. His technocratic style makes him popular with corporate leaders, who appreciate his business friendly approach to governing, but is ill-suited to the cut-and-thrust of party politics. End Comment.) Gerakan plans for leadership change 6. (SBU) Koh, who in addition to duties as the Chief Minister of Penang is also Deputy President of Gerakan, is expected to become the Gerakan president in April 2007 when current president Dr. Lim Keng Yaik steps down. Koh's elevation to party head will likely mean he will move from state politics to a federal ministerial position, and several Gerakan politicians are already jockeying for the anticipated vacancy as Penang Chief Minister. The three front runners for the job in Penang are currently Lee Kah Choon, Gerakan Deputy Secretary General and Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Health; Dr. Teng Hock Nan, Gerakan Vice President; and Chia Kwang Chye, Gerakan Party Secretary General. 7. (C) In a separate meeting with poloff, Lee Kah Choon admitted that, like MCA, Gerakan too would face a strong political challenge in the next general election, as they have not been able to overcome the perception that the Chinese community is continually discriminated against by the Malay majority government. Lee's only hope was that DAP "would continue to run dishwashers and truck drivers" for state and federal parliamentary seats, and thus would remain uncompetitive in the general elections in Penang. In another meeting, Dr. Toh Kin Woon lamented that UMNO was resorting to "blatant racist tactics that Malaysia has not seen since the late 1980s." He attributed the rise in UMNO's racist rhetoric to PM Abdullah's weakness as a leader. "Malaysians need a strong leader who knows when to be ruthless. Mahathir knew how to be ruthless, but he became cruel, and that's when he lost respect. Abdullah is not cruel, but neither is he ruthless when he needs to be. He is just weak; so he resorts to racist tactics to hold on to the majority Malays." He faulted Koh for not standing up to Abdullah regarding his accusations of the Chinese marginalizing ethnic Malays in Penang, and opined that such weakness in the party opened the door for the opposition to make significant gains in then next general election. The Democratic Action Party lacks a national strategy 8. (C) Notwithstanding their successes in the Sarawak elections (ref A), DAP has not yet formulated a national campaign strategy aimed at capitalizing on the growing discontent in the Chinese community (also see ref B). In Penang, Member of Parliament Chow Kon Yeow (DAP - Tanjong) admitted to poloff that his party traditionally has had very little success in recruiting high caliber candidates for parliamentary elections. Such past failures have influenced the party's motivation to recruit more viable and electable candidates. According to Chow, DAP often struggled with supporting issues germane to the Chinese community, such as promoting vernacular schools, and therefore, at times seems to alienate itself from its natural voting base. Chow indicated that DAP's current plan was to continue to run young party activists who had previously contested elections in Penang and hope that discontent with BN policies would draw voters to vote merely for the party rather than the quality of the candidate. Since many of the seats in Penang currently are held by third term parliamentarians, term limit laws prevent the incumbents from seeking re-election. DAP hoped for a more level playing field if their candidates were not battling incumbents, Chow said, and thus anticipated better electoral results in Penang and other metropolitan areas of the country where Chinese voters are concentrated. 9. (U) DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng has completed his term of exclusion following his conviction under the publications act, and DAP insiders expected him to contest for another seat in parliament in the next election. Lim and his wife have fallen out of favor with party members in Melaka, so Lim likely would challenge a seat in Penang or in Kuala Lumpur. Such mobility is common among Chinese candidates, and due to his relative popularity, party officials were quite optimistic of Lim's election and ability to join his father Lim Kit Siang as a leader in the opposition. Bumiputera Equity: Chinese cry foul 10. (SBU) The GOM's negative reaction to the recent public release of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI)'s analysis of bumiputera equity in the marketplace has stoked the fires of Chinese discontent (Ref C). With characteristic cries of sedition for daring to challenge government statistics, ethnic Malay politicians, including PM Abdullah and DPM Najib have done all in their power to discredit the ASLI report. Despite pressuring the Malay president of ASLI, Mirzan Mahathir, to retract the report, the Prime Minister and UMNO have not been able to quiet the discussion of bumiputera equity and their race-based policies aimed at perpetually increasing Malay market share. (Comment: Mirzan Mahathir is the son of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Ironically, the elder Mahathir and his two sons, Mirzan and Mukhriz, continue to publicly champion bumiputera set-asides, leading one to question the possible political maneuvers behind the release of the ASLI report. End Comment.) 11. (SBU) Perhaps emboldened by his announcement that he will retire as Gerakan president in April 2007, Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, Minister of Energy, Water and Communications, stepped forward to challenge the government to release its statistics and explain how Bumiputera equity is only 18.9 percent rather than the 45 percent ASLI found. DPM Najib replied that the GoM can certainly release its methodology for its more "exhaustive study" and that Lim should not imply that the government is not transparent. Despite Najib's remarks, the GoM has not released its methodology, and UMNO continues to hope that this issue will die a quick and quiet death. Chinese politicians and activists, however, do not yet seem willing to let the issue die, and although the study reiterates what many Chinese have long believed, it now gives quantifiable evidence to support their feelings of discrimination. Comment 12. (C) The increasingly strong Islamic identity of the dominant Malay population has a natural corollary -- an increase in race based politics. As Chinese sensitivities heighten regarding Malay-centric policies, discontent with the status quo grows. Of note, political openings in the post-Mahathir era have allowed greater public airing of such discontent, albeit with limits. Abdullah's inability to shut down the divisive debate stands in stark contrast to Mahathir's firm control. Comprising 25 percent of the total population, ethnic Chinese Malaysians have the most to lose of all the minority groups from the Bumiputera policies aimed at ever increasing Malay equity in the marketplace, often at the expense of Chinese equity. While no one is yet predicting the collapse of the coalition Barisan Nasional, growing discontent in the Chinese community has led many political pundits to forecast that many Chinese will abandon MCA and Gerakan and vote for DAP in the next election. We anticipate the next general election will be held in the fourth quarter of 2007 or first quarter of 2008, and although UMNO is not in danger of losing significant numbers of votes, Chinese component parties fear they will take a hit. Nevertheless, Chinese voters have poor alternatives. DAP and KeADILan are not sufficiently organized to provide a real alternative to BN, particularly given the disproportionate powers wielded by the UMNO-led coalition. The Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS), the strongest Malay-based opposition party, holds no appeal for the Chinese electorate. Without better alternatives, MCA and Gerakan will not lose their dominance of the Chinese vote. LAFLEUR
|
| Loyalty to the King and Country Posted: 17 Aug 2011 07:06 PM PDT RIGHTS2WRITE I was appalled by the reaction of the AF Chief over the vote manipulation by the serviceman in the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). The Armed Forces chief had described those claiming that its rank-and-file had been involved in electoral fraud as an act of betrayal. To me, this is the face of a man who has shown nothing but disloyalty to King and the country. Are the allegations that surfaced lately true? I am not from the rank and file. As an officer who formerly served in the AF, I say it clearly that it is true. My own ballot paper was marked by a corporal in Mindef during the 1999 GE. If my words are not good enough, please ask the honorable Brig-general at mind no evil blog. To me anyone that manipulates the voting system in this country is treacherous. The one who ordered the lower rank personnel are a bigger traitor. A general who comes on TV and says it did not happen is clearly nothing more than a political pawn. I would give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he never had opportunity to be involved in the vote rigging. Therefore I can say that he made a statement based on his own experience. However, I expect a serving General to come to the fore and says that he is not sure about it in the past (because he was at a lower rank back then and was not aware of the scam) but while he is holding the fort he will ensure that it will not happen. That is my expectation from this man and not calling those who had declared what they did as traitors.
|
| Special investigation: TV company takes millions from Malaysian government to make ... Posted: 17 Aug 2011 06:41 PM PDT
Corporation suspends relations with leading film-maker accused of conflict of interests over 'palm oil' programmes An investigation by The Independent has established that entries in the Malaysian government's Supplementary Budget 2010 show that FBC Media (UK) was allocated 28.35m Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) – nearly £6m – for work on a "Global Strategic Communications Campaign" ordered by the Malaysian government in 2009. A similar sum (MYR29.34m) was designated to the company the previous year. Concerns over the arrangements have been raised in the Malaysian parliament. By Ian Burrell and Martin Hickman, The Independent The BBC has launched an investigation into how it broadcast to millions of people around the world programmes made by a company that had received millions of pounds in payments from the government of Malaysia. It has suspended all programming from the London-based production company, FBC, which since 2009 has made at least four BBC documentaries dealing with Malaysia and controversial issues such as the country's contentious palm oil industry and its treatment of rainforests and indigenous people. In a statement, the BBC said: "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." An investigation by The Independent has established that entries in the Malaysian government's Supplementary Budget 2010 show that FBC Media (UK) was allocated 28.35m Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) – nearly £6m – for work on a "Global Strategic Communications Campaign" ordered by the Malaysian government in 2009. A similar sum (MYR29.34m) was designated to the company the previous year. Concerns over the arrangements have been raised in the Malaysian parliament. Documents filed with the United States government's House of Representatives in 2008 show that FBC Media (UK) contracted the Washington-based American lobbying company APCO Worldwide, which it paid more than US$80,000 (£50,000) in 2008 for the purpose of "raising awareness of the importance of policies in Malaysia that are pro-business and pro-investment as well as [showing] the significance of reform and anti-terrorism efforts in that country". The BBC's guidelines on conflict of interest state: "Independent producers should not have inappropriate outside interests which could undermine the integrity and impartiality of the programmes and content they produce for the BBC." Having obtained this information on the Malaysian payments, the BBC is conducting an investigation into whether any of the FBC material it broadcast was in breach of BBC guidelines on impartiality. At the same time, CNBC, a business channel owned by the giant American NBC network, has withdrawn "indefinitely" its weekly show World Business, which was made by FBC and featured Malaysia on many occasions. In a statement issued to The Independent, the broadcaster said: "In light of serious questions raised two weeks ago, CNBC withdrew the programme World Business indefinitely and immediately initiated an examination of FBC and its business practices. CNBC has made a formal inquiry to FBC for its explanation in relation to the allegations that have been made." FBC denies any impropriety in its programmes for any broadcaster and said via its lawyers that "at no time have the television programmes made for the BBC ever been influenced or affected by our client's commercial activities". Its lawyers said that FBC ran both production and commercial divisions, which "are and always have been quite separate and distinct". They added: "Our client, having reviewed its procedures, is now taking steps to ensure that even the merest appearance of bias or overlap is fully avoided." Last night, media regulator Ofcom said: "Ofcom is currently assessing this matter in accordance with our published procedures. We will shortly decide whether to launch a full investigation of the content in question under the broadcasting code." The BBC and palm oil With its lush vegetation and smiling workforce dressed in polo shirts, the footage from the Tuan Mee palm oil estate, to the north of Kuala Lumpur, gave no obvious reason for BBC viewers to think they were being shown anything more than an exotic travelogue and an intriguing business story. But the coverage of the workings of one of Malaysia's most important industries, shown on BBC World News's Third Eye series this summer under the title "The Power of Asia", formed part of a much bigger picture. The programme was made for the BBC by a London-based company called FBC Media, which has been hired by Malaysia to conduct a Global Strategic Communications Campaign, and has paid American lobbyists to raise "awareness of the importance of policies in Malaysia that are pro-business and pro-investment". In the Third Eye programme, one of several productions made on Malaysia for the BBC in the last three years, viewers were told of the key role of the Malaysian palm oil industry in meeting the growing demand for food in countries such as China and India. "Once an efficient production centre for rubber, Malaysia over the years has increasingly turned to oil palm," said the voiceover. "The country is now one of the world's biggest exporters, producing 40 per cent of global supply, and is reaping the economic benefits of higher demand from Asia." Azman Abdul Majid, of the Tuan Mee estate, was happy to tell his positive story. "The market now is so high that plantation in palm oil is a very good business in terms of profit, in terms of our benefit," he said. The BBC show also featured Kuala Lumpur Kepong, another Malaysian palm oil business, and other Malaysian business figures. The programme dealt with the growing food crisis in Asia and the economic instability and social unrest that may result. It highlighted failures in harvesting rice in China and contrasted that with the successful Malaysian palm oil industry. "There are now more than 200,000 smallholders depending on the sale of palm oil," the programme stated. It noted that "stocks in Asia's food companies from Mumbai to Kuala Lumpur are now hotly traded", but stressed the need to expand to meet the vast food demand. Indian companies were anxious to invest in Malaysian palm oil plantations "but land prices are now too high". Only a brief reference was made to the reasons why the palm oil industry is the subject of fierce debate. Environmental groups complain that its spread has caused devastating levels of deforestation which harm biodiversity, threaten the livelihoods of indigenous people and put at risk the survival of the orang-utan. The programme took the view that production needed to be stepped up fast: "Asia is now experiencing rising demand and rising prices for grains and oils but production is lagging, as is investment and increases in yield." It concluded with a sense of urgency: "Asia is going to have to grow its way out of trouble – and the clock is ticking." It was not the first time that BBC viewers had shown programming on Malaysia produced by FBC. In February 2011, BBC World News broadcast on its One Square Mile programme a piece from Sarawak in which presenter Rian Maelzer, who describes himself as the "South East Asia Correspondent" for FBC's CNBC programme World Business, explored the lifestyle of the tribal Iban people and took a boat ride to visit a traditional longhouse. "Tourism not only brings in money, it also encourages youngsters to keep alive skills that might otherwise have died out," he reported. "For the past 40 years, the Malaysian government has practised an affirmative-action policy aimed at raising the living standards of indigenous groups." The attractive portrayal of Sarawak, and the fight to preserve traditional culture, is at odds with the area's reputation among environmentalists, who have highlighted the battle of indigenous people in Sarawak to preserve the rainforest against logging and the development of palm oil plantations. Similar subjects were examined in FBC's Develop or Die documentary for the BBC in March 2009. The programme opened with a cartoon that drew comparisons between colonialists who asked "Are the natives friendly?", and modern-day environmentalists who ask "Are the natives eco-friendly?" It examined the benefits of the Malaysian palm oil industry and its value to the economy, quoting smallholders whose lives have been transformed for the better by palm oil production. While it quoted environmentalists, it reported that "the major players in the industry resent the sweeping nature of environmental campaigns". The programme concluded by pointing out the pressure on nations such as Malaysia to develop. "Now that their economies are more likely to fuel global growth in the next few years, they are more than ever questioning why they should be punished by Western-imposed standards." As part of its Develop or Die series, BBC World News also screened an FBC co-production, "World Debate: Islam and Democracy in 2009", featuring Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak sitting alongside the host on the panel. FBC's 'blue-chip service' FBC is a media company with offices in London, Mumbai and Rome. It told The Independent that the programmes it has made "have always been fair, balanced and impartial". It also said that it was no longer working for Malaysia. When The Independent first questioned the company about its business at the end of last month, it denied that it had ever done work for Malaysia. Confronted with evidence of contractual arrangements listed in Malaysian public records, the company's lawyers said they had made an "error", having "failed to spot an amendment made by our client to a draft letter that we had prepared". It stated: "It is no secret that FBC received funds and performed consultancy work and media-buying for the Malaysian government in the past." Of its hiring of American lobbyists to promote Malaysia, it said: "The object of that work involved showing the economy of Malaysia to be attractive to investors and committed to battling terrorism." After FBC was contacted by The Independent, most of its website was replaced with a single page, giving only the most basic of information. In its online promotional material for potential clients – now removed from the internet – FBC boasted: "We control blue-chip television editorial time-slots" and can "guarantee controlled messaging from A to Z on the world's leading news channels". Telling would-be customers that "FBC is not a traditional PR firm", it stated that it "can guarantee that your message is endorsed by prestige third-party ambassadors". FBC also talked of its "broadcast news feeds" and informed clients that "by facilitating independent editorial coverage, broadcast news feeds can raise awareness amongst a highly targeted audience". In another statement on its former website, it said: "FBC specialises in the planning and execution of strategic communications and branding campaigns, helping raise awareness across the international media landscape". It then promised "an elite audience via" and listed a series of prestigious media brands including BBC World (now BBC World News), CNN, CNBC Europe and a number of print publications including The Economist, the Financial Times, Business Week, the Wall Street Journal and the International Herald Tribune. FBC says that its company is split into two distinct divisions, one for television production and the other for branding. It says its references to "time-slots" were "to paid advertising commercial spots and paid advertorial programming that is clearly labelled as such". The founder and chairman of the FBC Group, which is the 100 per cent owner of both FBC Branded Content and FBC Media (UK), is Alan Friedman, an award-winning journalist and former banking correspondent at the Financial Times. Friedman was credited as the "executive producer" of three of the FBC programmes featuring Malaysia made for the BBC. Before the BBC broadcasts, it is understood that FBC, which has made 20 programmes for the BBC, 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 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 World News attracts 78 million viewers a week, is available in more than 200 countries and reaches around 300 million households and more than 1.8 million hotel rooms. The channel's content, which includes advertising, is also available on 57 cruise ships, 42 airlines, 35 mobile phone networks and a number of major online platforms including bbc.com/news. The American-owned business channel CNBC has also begun an examination of "FBC and its business practices" and "withdrawn indefinitely" the programme the company produces, World Business. In the past two years, FBC has made at least 10 programmes for CNBC's World Business featuring Mr Razak. In other editions, the previous prime minister, Abdullah Badawi, appeared as well as senior figures from Iskandar Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines and palm oil company Sime Darby. In March this year, the channel showed Deforestation in Sarawak, which was syndicated to other broadcasters, including US state broadcaster PBS. The programme featured Sarawak leader Taib Mahmud talking positively about the condition of the state's rainforests and highlighted the area's attraction to tourists. Eckart Sager, the president of FBC, is a former producer with CNN who, since joining FBC, has personally conducted interviews with Mr Razak, and separately his wife Rosmah Mansor, for CNBC's World Business. Friedman, who is an American and lives in Rome, has also personally interviewed Razak. FBC is also linked to another award-winning journalist, John Defterios, the host of CNN show Marketplace Middle East, since 2007. Defterios, the former group president of FBC Media, last month conducted an exclusive interview for CNN with Mr Razak during his official visit to London. During the interview, Defterios questioned the Prime Minister on recent mass street protests by democracy campaigners in Malaysia. "Some would say you had 1,600 arrests of some 20,000 protesters. Are you satisfied with the security response to that particular round of protests, yourself?" he asked. Razak responded: "It was quite mild, you know, because although they were taken in, they were released after eight hours and they were treated very well. There was no undue use of force." CNN issued a statement to say it had "never had an editorial relationship with FBC" and that FBC Media had not been involved in setting up interviews. "FBC has released a public statement that John Defterios resigned from the company," it said. "While we appreciate that John Defterios's relationship with FBC during his tenure with CNN could present the appearance of an editorial conflict, we have been reviewing the situation and have found no indication that CNN's editorial standards were – or are in any way – compromised by that prior relationship." The movers and shakers at the TV company Alan Friedman, chairman and founder of FBC Group The award-winning journalist, who studied at Johns Hopkins University, New York University and the London School of Economics, describes himself as a "media entrepreneur". He has worked for the Financial Times, the International Herald Tribune and the Wall Street Journal. In FBC material he is described as "one of Europe's most respected economic and political commentators". He is the author of books on the Italian industrialist Gianni Agnelli, and on America's arming of Iraq. Friedman was the executive producer of many of FBC's programmes for the BBC and has conducted some of FBC's interviews, including with Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak. Eckart Sager, president and head of production for FBC German-born and educated in the US, Sager is a former senior producer for CNN, based in London. He previously worked for CNN in New York, travelling the world profiling leading business figures. He is the executive producer of many of FBC's documentaries and also "provides key strategic communications advice and support on behalf of FBC clients". Sager has also personally interviewed Mr Razak for FBC. John Defterios, former group president of FBC Media from 2000-2011 Since 2007, he has been the presenter of CNN International's Marketplace Middle East programme and is a journalist with 25 years' experience. He is a CNN news anchor and former Reuters bureau chief. In July this year he conducted an exclusive interview with Mr Razak for CNN during the Malaysian Prime Minister's visit to London, CNN said the interview did not involve FBC. Defterios resigned from FBC in March, the company has told CNN. The money trail * Malaysian budget records show that MYR28.35m (nearly £6m) was allocated to FBC Media (UK) for a "Global Strategic Communications Campaign" in 2009. A similar allocation was made in 2008. FBC Media (UK) is a subsidiary of FBC Group Ltd * Documents filed with the United States House of Representatives show that FBC Media (UK) hired the Washington lobbyists APCO Worldwide in 2008 for the purpose of "raising awareness of the importance of policies in Malaysia that are pro-business and pro-investment as well as the significance of reform and anti-terrorism efforts in that country" The palm oil industry's history of misleading claims The Malaysian palm oil industry has a history of offending the authorities by making false claims on BBC World. Three years ago, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) criticised a campaign from the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) for carrying "misleading" claims about its impact on the environment. The advertising from the MPOC, which was not made by FBC, appeared on BBC World in 2007 and showed a palm oil plantation interspersed with shots of a rainforest and wildlife. In a voiceover, it asserted that "its trees give life and help our planet to breathe, and give home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna. Malaysia palm oil: a gift from nature, a gift for life." The MPOC also claimed that palm oil had been "sustainably produced" since 1917. A second advert showed a man running through a forest, cut with shots of a palm oil plantation and wildlife. The voiceover said of the palm oil industry: "Its trees give life and help our planet breathe. Its fruit provides vitamins for our bodies and energy for our daily lives." But the ASA upheld a complaint from Friends of the Earth International and Friends of the Earth Europe that the advert was misleading on the grounds that much palm oil was produced in a way that was not socially or environmentally sustainable. The advert was made before the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil completed a verification system for sustainable palm oil. The ASA ruled that the advert "was likely to mislead viewers as to the environmental benefits of palm oil plantations compared with native rainforest". It also said viewers were misled "because there was not a consensus that there was a net benefit to the environment from Malaysia's palm oil plantations". In July this year, another campaign from the MPOC was banned by the advertising watchdog in Belgium for once again claiming that the production of palm oil is "sustainable". The Jury d'Ethique Publicitaire ruled that production had impacts on the environment and the campaign was in breach of its environmental advertising code.
|
| Do you know what we are fighting for? Posted: 17 Aug 2011 06:14 PM PDT
Those are just some of the issues from my end. I am sure the committee will come out with more. One more issue that could be considered would be, just like for Senators, you can only serve a maximum of TWO terms. If Senators can only serve for two terms then why can't Members of Parliament and State Assemblypersons also do the same? Why do Members of Parliament and State Assemblypersons serve for life while Senators can only serve for two terms? THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
(New Straits Times) - The parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms will be headed by a minister with eight members of parliament, including from the opposition and an independent. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, said the formation of the committee was approved by the cabinet yesterday and a motion on it would be tabled at the next parliamentary session in October. The committee will have five representatives from Barisan Nasional, three from the opposition and one independent. Nazri said the cabinet also agreed to meet with the Election Commission soon to discuss the framework of the committee. Read more: 9 to sit on polls panel http://www.nst.com.my/articles/9tositonpollspanel/Article/ ************************************* Probably 50,000 or so Malaysians came out for the BERSIH march on 9th July 2011. There were marches simultaneously organised all over the world in more than 30 cities. And the reason you marched is because you want to see electoral reforms. But are you clear on exactly what type of reforms you would like to see? If you were asked to deliver a talk on electoral reforms would you know what to say? Well, maybe we can discuss that matter today. 1. The first issue would be regarding disenfranchised voters. About one million or so Malaysians live outside Malaysia, according to what the Minister told Parliament. But most of these one million Malaysians can't vote during the general elections. If you were to look at Article 119 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia (below), you can see that there is a provision in the Constitution for overseas Malaysians to vote (or, if not so resident, is an absent voter). These overseas Malaysians would be regarded as 'absent voter'. So this is the first reform we need: to ensure the right of overseas Malaysians to vote. 2. Next would be the variance between seats. Currently, the differential between Parliament seats is as low as 5,000 voters to as high as 125,000. This variance is too large. The variance should be not more than 20% plus-minus (or even 15% if possible, which would be better). That means we need to set the 'benchmark' for each Parliament seat. For example, if the benchmark is fixed at 50,000 voters, then each Parliament seat should be between 40,000 to 60,000 voters (to achieve the 20% plus-minus variance). For state seats the benchmark would, of course, be lower. If it is going to be 50,000 voters for Parliament seats, then for state seats it can be 20,000-25,000 voters. Now, assuming we have a total of 15 million registered voters and the benchmark for Parliament seats is 50,000, this would mean we would have 300 Members of Parliament. If this is too many then the benchmark can be increased to 60,000 voters. Then the number of Members of Parliament would be reduced to 250 (from the current 222) -- or 65,000 voters if you want it to be reduced further to 230 Members of Parliament. Anyway, this is for the committee to decide. The important thing, however, is that there must be a variance of 20% to 25%, plus-minus, between the Parliament seats. We can't have one seat as low as 5,000 voters and another as high as 125,000 voters. This is just not on. And if the state seats are half the number of voters for Parliament seats, then we will have two state seats in one Parliament constituency and twice the number of State Assemblypersons as there are Parliamentarians. 3. Third would be the voting age. Currently, you can own a gun, get married, drive a car, work, get hanged for the crime of murder/drugs, etc., at 18 (and ride a bike at 16). But you can't vote at 18. Imagine that! The government treats you like an adult and takes your life at 18. But the government will not allow you to vote. The government trusts you enough to drive a car and raise a family at 18. But the government does not trust you to vote. The voting age needs to be 18 and not 21. If you can hang an 18-year old Malaysian, then he or she certainly has a right to vote at that age. If an 18-year old is old enough to have a wife/husband and children, then he or she is certainly old enough to vote. 4. The other issues, of course, involve gerrymandering (which will be addressed once we address the issue of the variance between seats), fraud (which needs to be addressed through some detection method so that people can't vote more than once), postal votes (postal voting should be your choice like in the UK and not by compulsion like in Malaysia), etc. 5. Another issue I would like to see addressed is compulsory voting. A law should be passed to make it compulsory for all citizens to vote. If you do not vote then the government should impose a RM1,000 fine on these people. Australia has this system. Furthermore, when you apply for a loan, credit card, hire purchase finance, electricity/water supply, telephone/internet, and so on, two documents need to be produced. One would be your identity card and the other your voter registration slip. In short, if you do not have BOTH an identity card and a voter registration slip then you do not exist. You are a 'ghost'. You can't get a loan, credit card, electricity/water supply, telephone/internet, and so on. Your proof of address and your proof of existence will be in both your identity card and voter registration slip. If you do not have an identity card PLUS a voter registration slip then you are not a Malaysian. In fact, you are not even a person. You just do not exist. 6. Those are just some of the issues from my end. I am sure the committee will come out with more. One more issue that could be considered would be, just like for Senators, you can only serve a maximum of TWO terms. If Senators can only serve for two terms then why can't Members of Parliament and State Assemblypersons also do the same? Why do Members of Parliament and State Assemblypersons serve for life while Senators can only serve for two terms? If we impose a two-term rule for Members of Parliament and State Assemblypersons, this will ensure that the old cocks and old hags will be retired to make way for fresh meat. 7. Oh, and one last thing, are we brave enough to follow the example of some other countries and make it law that not less than 30% of the candidates contesting the election must be women? Yes, in some countries this is law (I think Sweden is one such country). And since more than 52% of Malaysian voters are women (yes, only 48% men vote) why should the candidates not, by law, be not less than 30% women? ************************************* Article 119 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia (1) Every citizen who - (a) has attained the age of twenty-one years on the qualifying date; and (b) is resident in a constituency on such qualifying date or, if not so resident, is an absent voter, is entitled to vote in that constituency in any election to the House of Representatives or the Legislative Assembly unless he is disqualified under Clause (3) or under any law relating to offences committed in connection with elections; but no person shall in the same election vote in more than one constituency. |
| Now the picture becomes clearer Posted: 17 Aug 2011 03:55 PM PDT
The BBC researches many different stories, it is the normal process of news and current affairs throughout the media that not all make it to air for a variety of editorial reasons. The suggestion that the item was dropped due to political pressure is untrue. All BBC programmes adhere to the same strict editorial guidelines which ensure complete editorial independence and impartiality. -- BBC, 1st September 2010 NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin
Fraudulent PR campaign blows up in M'sia's face
(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." ***************************************************  The BBC researches many different stories, it is the normal process of news and current affairs throughout the media that not all make it to air for a variety of editorial reasons. In this case, it became clear in our research that any comprehensive interview with former Malaysia Today Editor Raja Petra Kamarudin would prominently feature issues that are currently the subject of a current court case in Malaysia, which raise issues of defamation.The suggestion that the item was dropped due to political pressure is untrue. All BBC programmes adhere to the same strict editorial guidelines which ensure complete editorial independence and impartiality. BBC Global News Please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to. http://www.bbc.co.uk This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically stated. If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system. Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it and notify the sender immediately. Please note that the BBC monitors e-mails sent or received. Further communication will signify your consent to this. ***********************************
|
| Posted: 17 Aug 2011 03:39 PM PDT
The 'pakat pakat' MAS-Air Asia merger is a reflection of the government's modus operandi. I am also reminded of the P Ramlee's "Ali Baba and the 40 thieves" tale. Remember, the thieves don't rob on Saturdays and Sundays. Those are public holidays. But then Ramlee's 40 thieves were a disciplined lot. Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz, Free Malaysia Today How come CIMB is acting as the common adviser or broker in the Malaysia Airlines-AirAsia deal? It is difficult for the public to accept that CIMB, the merit-driven, results-focused bank, does something for altruistic reasons. I am reminded of a story told to me by an accountant friend. He said even the Pharaoh during the time of Moses had only one broker – Haman. Haman, he said, only brokered for Pharaoh and not for Moses. Even Haman was principled in that he advised only one client – the Pharaoh. CIMB is the modern-day Haman, who is advising both Pharaoh and Moses, that is, MAS and AirAsia. I am also reminded of the P Ramlee's "Ali Baba and the 40 thieves" tale. Remember, the thieves don't rob on Saturdays and Sundays. Those are public holidays. But then Ramlee's 40 thieves were a disciplined lot. But the present-day thieves loot every day. Public holidays included! So, it raises the suspicions that people in Khazanah Nasional Bhd, CIMB and AirAsia chief Tony Fernandes huddled together in some watering hole somewhere, and "pakat pakat" and decided to "do a sting". But then I remember, this has always been the modus operandi of the government. Perimekar Sdn Bhd, for example, the notorious service provider, was paid over RM500 million for support services. The company was paid before completing its support services. The MAS-AirAsia deal offers no advantage to minority shareholders. Khazanah Nasional, being the largest shareholders of both MAS and Tune Air Shd Bhd, is flexing its muscle and disregarding the smaller holders. In certain countries this is deemed illegal due to anti-trust laws; but it's all ignored here in the name of making sustainable profits for Khazanah. What does the deal look like? It looks like a deal for Khazanah to "fund" Fernandes to buy MAS' stake. Of course, at the moment MAS balance sheet is shitty. Besides costs improvement, which is clearly the effort of MAS boss Tengku Azmil Zahruddin, there are pertinent assets in MAS that are experiencing encouraging growth, such as MAS engineering which is among the best and competitive aircraft maintenance outfit. And it is making money. Firefly too is within this bracket. With all the financial wizards and brilliant accountants in MAS, surely they can come out with a leveraging blueprint. Of course, Khazanah and CIMB have to be in it. Count me in, count me in! Now, I have a final misgiving.
|
| 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.
|
| ‘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.
|
| 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.
|
| 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".
|
| Projek Jambatan Kedua PP: Kontraktor Melayu dipinggir Posted: 17 Aug 2011 03:24 PM PDT
(BERNAMA) - Persatuan Kontraktor Melayu Malaysia Pulau Pinang (PKMMPP) hari ini menggesa kerajaan pusat supaya segera mengkaji semula pengagihan projek Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang yang didakwa telah meminggirkan kontraktor Bumiputera tempatan. Yang Dipertua PKMMPP Datuk Muhamad Fadzill Hassan berkata, setakat ini, persatuan itu masih belum mendapat sebarang maklum balas mengenai agihan projek jambatan bernilai lebih RM4 bilion itu sedangkan kerja-kerja pembinaannya telah ditahap hampir 50 peratus. "Menurut janji kerajaan pusat, sebanyak 30 peratus daripada projek pembinaan atau pembekalan akan diberikan kepada kontraktor Bumiputera tempatan tetapi sehingga kini, tiada sebuah syarikat dari PKMMPP dipelawa untuk menyertai projek itu," katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini. Katanya, PKMMPP kecewa apabila kontraktor tempatan hanya menjadi pemerhati dalam sebuah projek raksasa di negeri sendiri. "Kami desak supaya kerajaan bersikap telus dan dedahkan jika telah terdapat kontraktor tempatan yang diberikan projek," katanya. Beliau, yang juga Timbalan Presiden PKMM berkata, pihaknya telah menghantar beberapa pucuk surat mengenainya kepada Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Menteri Kerja Raya Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor dan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, namun tiada sebarang jawapan yang diberikan sehingga sekarang. Fadzill berkata, projek itu tidak seharusnya diagihkan kepada kroni-kroni tertentu atas kepentingan parti politik kerana ramai kontraktor Bumiputera di negeri ini tidak terlibat dengan parti-parti politik. Katanya, terdapat 1,800 kontraktor dari kelas A hingga kelas F yang berdaftar di negeri ini dan kebanyakan mereka, terutamanya kontraktor Kelas F, kini telah gulung tikar atau menjalankan perniagaan lain kerana tidak mempunyai sebarang projek. Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang adalah sebuah jambatan baharu yang menghubungkan Batu Kawan di Seberang Perai dan Batu Maung di Pulau Pinang dan kerja-kerja pembinaannya telah bermula pada 2008 dan dijangka siap pada November 2013. Jambatan sepanjang 24 km itu bakal menjadi jambatan yang terpanjang di Malaysia dan Asia Tenggara dan ia dilaksanakan secara usahasama antara China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Ltd (CHEC) dan UEM Builders Bhd. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan