Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Eligibility for Permanent Residency
- MCA to be wiped out in S’gor in GE 13
- Pakatan to unveil ‘national budget’ before Najib’s
- MAS, AirAsia in share swap to rescue ailing flag carrier
- Time to stop being “dumb and deaf”
- A nation divided, a country devastated
| Eligibility for Permanent Residency Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:17 PM PDT By The Grumbler For years now, foreign spouses have been voicing out their grievances about the Immigration Department dragging their feet in giving them PR, many professional spouses were forced to leave the country, to where they can enjoy the right to reside and employment without restrictions.Those of us spouses still in the country had given up hope and could only expect PR posthumously (ie by being buried in this country!!) Only recently under the present Home Minister and thanks to him, the backlog of PR applications have been cleared, many who have lived in the country for decades were finally given PR. As per a media release all PR applications submitted until 2009 have been cleared. However some who have been visiting Immigration Department at Putrajaya on a fairly regular basis, have noticed since 2009, there have been a large number of Indonesian male workers who are in their 40s at the counter for Permit Masuk, to be specific counter 2 & counter 3 receiving submitting their documents. However it is highly unlikely that these men fall under any of the categories for PR as provided by Immigration. The Immigration website, http://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/entry-permit clearly indicates the ways in which one can get Permanent Residency Status in Malaysia, as per the Immigration Act and Regulations 1959/63: 1. Individual Investor with minimum USD 2 million Fixed Deposit (FD) in Malaysia (High Net Worth Individual) 2. Expert (Highly Talented and High Skilled Individual) 3. Professional 4. Spouse to Malaysian Citizen 5. Application for Permanent Resident Through Point Based System Spouses have to be accompanied by their Malaysian spouses, so one can easily recognise this category of persons submitting documents for PR. As recent as July 2011, on a particular visit and within a three hour duration at immigration, it was noticed that there were around 5 spouses of various nationalities waiting and at least 20-25 such persons, Indonesian male workers within the age group of 35-45 were present, only 2 of them were over the age of 50 years and looked like they could have been in the country for 5 years and above. Ask some of the Contractors in the Housing or Building Industry, they will tell you, that many of their Indonesian workers are getting PR, some of them have not resided in the country for more than three years, it known that some of them have the Blue IC. Oh, just for information, Foreign Spouses with Malaysian Families, are eligible to apply for PR, after they have been on five, one year long term social pass, approximately after about 7 years. Then it depends on who is approving the PR, under the previous Home Minister, some spouses were residing in the country even upto forty years were waiting for their PR. Then again, Spouses with Malaysian Children who are widowed or in estranged marriages get their PR applications withdrawn. They are required to have a sponsor to secure a visa to live in the country, perpetuating a situation of dependency. This pass does not allow the person to be employed, how then are they supposed to earn a living to support themselves and their families in dignity? On the other end of the spectrum, if these workers are being given PR, they will have the right to reside and be employed and though PR does not allow voting rights, who knows how citizenship has been fast tracked and these people perhaps even vote for the political masters who have given them PR & Citizenship. An informal chat with some officers revealed that these people come with political recommendations. Perhaps all this needs verifications and a Parliamentary Committee be immediately called for to conduct an impartial inquiry and an audit as to the number of PR and Citizenships awarded, their gender, nationality and under which category they come under. On what basis are these workers being given PR or Citizenship? |
| MCA to be wiped out in S’gor in GE 13 Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:13 PM PDT
By Lee Kee Like Umno, MCA cannot change for the better to serve the rakyat (people).I was amused because it displays the MCA leadership's continuous selfish and arrogant attitude – only "our agenda", irrespective of party interest or the Chinese community. The leadership's sole concern in decision-making has always been to protect the interest of the party warlords, thereby leading to serious infighting. There is no room for those outside their circle. Capability is not a factor, neither the interest of constituents. Like Umno, MCA cannot change for the better to serve the rakyat (people). I was also amused because this will signal the end of Selangor MCA in the next general election. In the 2008 General Election or more popularly referred to as the 2008 political tsunami, both the Ongs (Ong Tee Keat and Ong Ka Chuan) survived. Tee Keat was the only MCA MP (Pandan) left standing in Selangor. With the MCA leadership's continuous refusal to reform and start making decisions in the interest of the party and constituents based on meritocracy, the party is expected to make history for itself in Selangor – that is failing to win a single parliamentary seat in the state. Given MCA and its leadership's current continuous deteriorating performance, especially its porno-president Dr Chua Soi Lek and his bumbling deputy Liow Tiong Lai's defence of the police attack on Tung Shin Hospital in Bersih 2.0, one wonders when the party leaders will realise they have reached rock bottom in political support from the rakyat. To them, it appears to be a bottomless pit, so to speak. It also clearly mocks Barisan Nasional (BN) and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's "only winnable candidates" will be fielded in the next general election. They must be candidates with a reasonable proven track record or someone with professional or academic achievements to command the confidence of the rakyat. We don't need a rocket scientist to tell us who these candidates are because common sense will tell you that the majority (repeat majority) of those who survived the political tsunami are likely to be politicians who command some level of confidence. What more, both Tee Keat and Ka Chuan (Tanjung Malim) have proven track records. Instead, the MCA warlord leadership has ignored the public's cry for quality leaders and chose to nominate 2008 and past rejects. The party leadership is consciously losing touch with the rakyat. The Chinese adage, Bu Jian Guan Cai Bu Luo Lei (Only the sight of a coffin will you know the meaning of death) most aptly describes the current MCA members and leaders. Most unfortunately and foolishly, MCA leaders are prepared to even venture beyond the bottomless pit, as displayed by their current political attitude in Penang, despite a whitewash in 2008. |
| Pakatan to unveil ‘national budget’ before Najib’s Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:27 PM PDT
By Tarani Palani, FMT PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat is busy preparing a strategic budget for 2012 and is hopeful of revealing its details before Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak reveal's the nation's expenditure plan in October this year. Disclosing this today PAS MP Dzulkifli Ahmad said the Pakatan budget will focuses on specific areas and objectives. This will be the coalition's second strategic budget, the first was done in 2008. "When the Prime Minister announced the budget (last year) it had focused on big projects and big businesses. "That was the take home message but this will drag the nation into a deficit economy if such expenditure is not curbed. "We will take a strategic approach, where all the sectoral parameters are to be addressed. "We will define what our objectives are and move backwards on how to allocate funds to various sectors to avoid the mistakes of the BN in the last budget," said Dzulkifli adding that the strategic budget was themed "Prosperity for All" (Kesejahteraan Untuk Semua). He said with this in mind, the budget will focus on a more "decent and sustainable growth" whereby top consideration was given to "means to increase disposable income", "redistributive justice" and a "sustainable and not reckless' national expenditure. 'We welcome plagiarism' He added that the strategic budget also plans to look into addressing the problems of 60% of households earning less than RM1500 a month. He said that further details and progress of the budget will be announced on consecutive Fridays for the next "five to six" weeks following the working committee's meeting.
|
| MAS, AirAsia in share swap to rescue ailing flag carrier Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:22 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — State-owned Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will swap shares with Asia's largest budget carrier AirAsia this week in a deal that will see Tan Sri Tony Fernandes help stop the ailing flag carrier from plunging any further into red ink, said industry sources.
The Malaysian Insider understands that the share swap that could see Fernandes getting a 20 per cent stake in the national carrier, will allow both Malaysian carriers to rationalise their fleet, frequencies and destinations within the country and abroad while ensuring MAS returns to becoming a premier airline. "The deal is on and it should be signed Monday at the earliest," a source told The Malaysian Insider. AirAsia's main shareholders Tune Air Sdn Bhd, owned by Fernandes (picture) and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, is expected to benefit most from the share swap with MAS as it hold 26.28 per cent of the budget carrier as of July 6, 2011. The budget carrier's market capitalisation of RM11 billion yesterday is now two times more than MAS which stands at RM5.3 billion, a decade after Tune Air took over the two-plane operation. AirAsia closed at RM3.95 per share when the stock market closed yesterday while MAS was at RM1.60 per share. "This is a deal that has taken such a long time to get done but the current situation benefits Fernandes as MAS is in a bad shape," another source said, adding that the MAS's main shareholder Khazanah Nasional Berhad and the AirAsia boss have negotiated five separate times previously. It is learnt that while MAS moves to reclaim itself as a premier airline, AirAsia X will continue to ply as a long-haul budget carrier while domestic operations will be rationalised with MAS's Firefly focusing on turbo-prop operations out of the Skypark terminal in Subang. Firefly began operations out of KLIA this January for flights to east Malaysia, competing with both MAS and AirAsia flights. It also launched a coach service this week for passengers looking for alternatives to the Express Rail Link. A MAS source also disclosed that the fate of company managing director Tengku Datuk Azmil Zahruddin remains unclear as Fernandes will likely change the management to pull the airline from the brink after its first quarter losses. It is understood that one of Khazanah's executive director of investments, Mohd Rashdan Mohd Yusof, could be named as chief operating officer after the share swap. Popularly known as Danny, the former investment banker is the Khazanah representative in the MAS board. The flag carrier recorded a first quarter net loss of RM242.3 million against a profit of RM310.6 million in the same period a year ago. Azmil took over the reins of the company on August 28, 2009 after the previous chief executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala was made a minister in the Najib administration.
|
| Time to stop being “dumb and deaf” Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:13 PM PDT By Lim Kit Siang The time has come for the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek and the four MCA Ministers to end being "dumb and deaf" and declare whether they agree with the Bar Council that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and MACC officers must be held responsible for Teoh Beng Hock's (TBH) death at the MACC headquarters in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009. The Bar Council submission to the TBH Royal Commission of Inquiry made public yesterday had recommended that five MACC officers be investigated under Section 304A of the Penal Code for culpable homicide not amounting to murder for the death of TBH, viz: former Selangor MACC deputy chief and "mastermind" of the massive and unlawful 33-men MACC operation which resulted in Beng Hock's death, Hishamuddin Hashim; Selangor MACC investigations chief Hairul Ilham Hamzah; investigation officer Mohd Anuar Ismail, interrogation officer Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus and Klang MACC assistant enforcement officer Zulkerfly Aziz. The five should also be investigated under Section 304A of the Penal Code for causing Teoh's death by negligence. The Bar also want the authorities to investigate 10 MACC officers for criminal conspiracy in the cover up of TBH's death under Section 120A of the Penal Code, the five named and the other five being Bulkini Paharuddin, Effezul Azran Abdul Maulop, Arman Alies, Raymond Nion and Mohd Nadzri Ibrahim. These ten should also be investigated for abetment or attempting to abet in Teoh's death and its cover-up. The 10 and other MACC officers should also be investigated for giving false evidence and fabricating evidence under Section 191 and 192 of the Penal Code as well as for destruction of, tampering with, causing the disappearance of evidence, and framing incorrect records or writing with intent to save a person from punishment with respect to the death of TBH, i.e. ss. 201 to 204, 218 and 464 of the Penal Code. In its submission, the Bar Council had called on the Royal Commission of Inquiry to send a strong and clear message to all law enforcement agencies in Malaysia that: · Abuse of power will not be tolerated. · Human dignity of suspects/witnesses must be preserved and respected. · Perjury and/or concealment of facts will be severely punished. · Law enforcement agencies have a duty of care to persons in their custody. · Law enforcement agencies bear the burden to explain death in custody or suspicious death of suspects/witnesses. The James Foong RCI failed miserably in sending out these five messages. What is the MCA President and the four MCA Ministers doing in Cabinet and the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council to remedy the failings of the TBH RCI to ensure that Beng Hock did not die in vain? The next question is what all the Cabinet Ministers, regardless of race, religion or political party, propose to do about the glaring failings of the TBH RCI Report if the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia slogan is really meaningful to Malaysians?
|
| A nation divided, a country devastated Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:46 AM PDT By J. D. Lovrenciear Times have changed and are fast changing even in ultra-traditional societies. The lessons we are drawing from even recent episodes as in the likes of Egypt Springs is most edifying for the selfless and wise. The well worn cliché 'a nation divided is a country devastated' has sprung back with profound meaning in this century. It applies very aptly to Malaysia. Religion is not spared. Race is not spared. Sex is not spared. Institutions are not spared. Ethics is prostituted. Justice is clouded. And how long can the main stream media continue to orchestrate to the whims and fancies of those embroiled in winning at all costs? Meanwhile the world is being swept without warning by financial tides of devastation; weather havocs that predict imminent food crisis; and the rise of civil society to fight the 21st century's worst enemy namely corruption and political tyranny. These, the governments around the world – including even our neighbors like Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia are better braced to combat as they have no political party survival wars to be preoccupied with. Neither do they subscribe to the stone-age 'kill at all cost' mantra. But in our own yard here, just look at the volume of files mounting within the Palace of Justice as thousands of reports are lodged against corruption and misuse of power. Look at the breaking news every day. Listen to the talks at warongs. Scan the online forums. Look at the way politicians from BN are spending money; or how about their families and spouses? Look at the way the government denies brutality inflicted on its own citizens (Bersih 2.0), only to be exposed by the international media. Look at the scandals that keep surfacing one after another – scandals that not only involve Malaysians within its borders but also those that have global implications involving international players. Do not forget the many episodes of custodial deaths and how the cases are being battled and dragged in court. Look at our daily news rations. What do all these tell us? Indeed this nation is being divided left, right and centre in the name and want for power and control. The victims are the knowing and unknowing rakyat of today those who are yet to be born. The leaders are not interested in knowing that a nation divided is a country devastated. Who cares anyway? "If this country crumbles, I have my safe haven on the Gold Coast" seems to be the hidden assurance amongst the powers that be. Take a look at all the social pages of glossy magazines that are spilling over in Malaysia. What do you see? No different. One set of laws for the knowing and unknowing rakyat and another set of freedom for the rich, famous, well heeled and power brokers. Yes, the fact that some lone and brave voices with still some conscience and integrity left behind are stepping forward from behind the curtains of the ruling BN to state the truth about this nation's governance, is a crystal clear indication that this country is in a perilous state of affairs. While the world is collaborating and partnering with all of its political parties within each nation, ours is one that is going after the opposition's throat. While others around the globe are re-focusing on the four crucial parameters of politics, social, economic and environment to be better prepared in protecting its citizens against the ravages of weather, corruption, abuse, power and control, and financial uncertainty, we are saying "everything is okay" while we are dead bent on dividing the nation along race, religion, politics, social, economy. Therein remains the assessment that Malaysia is on the highway of being a devastated country. |
| 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