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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Mat Sabu tells of UMNO's '3R' strategy
- Shamed Sabah Gerakan officials should quit
- Transparency needed for financial improvement, TI-M tells government
- Dr M is against full human rights
- Music fans slam PAS Youth over call to ban Elton John
- Loud-mouthed Ng ripe for roasting
- Mat Sabu's trial on Bukit Kepong remarks on Dec 19
- Michelle Yeoh to join Malaysian politics?
- ‘Monument of Corruption’ still gets flak
- Keeping the faith
- Najib defends Australia’s ‘Malaysian solution’
- Mat Zain claims Najib knew of AG’s alleged wrongdoings
- 'Modern' Malays not so pure: M'sian study
| Mat Sabu tells of UMNO's '3R' strategy Posted: 26 Oct 2011 09:52 PM PDT
(Harakah Daily) - PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu has cautioned the people about what he termed as UMNO's "3R" strategy, using the racial, religion and royalty cards, in order to win the next general election. Addressing some 3,000 people at the party's 60th anniversary even held in Kerdau, Pahang last night, Mat Sabu said the strategy was adopted after UMNO lost confidence about ever regaining lost support after the 2008 election.
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| Shamed Sabah Gerakan officials should quit Posted: 26 Oct 2011 05:10 PM PDT
The possibility of Sabah Gerakan getting three seats to contest in the coming general elections has riled friend and foe. (Free Malaysia Today) - Two Sabah state assemblymen, who resigned from their parties two years ago in order to retain their places in the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, are being mocked by the opposition for their weakness. The two – who had pleaded with their BN coalition members not to criticize them – are Gerakan Sabah state assemblymen Raymond Tan Shu Kiah (Tanjung Papat) and Au Kam Wah (Elopura). Both have been advised by their former 'master' Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) to resign from all their government posts immediately to retain their dignity. Tan had reportedly called on his collegues in BN component parties to stop being unfriendly to Gerakan. SAPP information chief Chong Pit Fah described Tan's call as feeble. He said Tan, who is also the State Industrial Development Minister, is mistaking the hard truth that the peninsula-based party is irrelevant in Sabah. Chong said that Tan and Au, who had joined Gerakan after leaving SAPP when it left the BN in Sept 2008, had still not understood that they had lost the respect of their BN colleagues. "Now that Raymond Tan and Au Kam Wah have lost face and the respect of their BN colleagues, the only honourable thing for them to do is to resign all their government posts immediately," Chong said in a statement here recently. Three seats for Gerakan
Tan was a Deputy Chief Minister and the deputy president of SAPP when the party was still in the government coalition, while Au was the party's youth chief. Both defected from SAPP when the party leadership decided to withdraw its support for the BN government after the coalition lost its two-thirds majority in parliament. SAPP believed their withdrawal would precipitate the collapse of the government and open a "window of opportunity" to address the scores of issues affecting Sabah that had been ignored by the federal government. Tan and Au decided to join Gerakan, gifting the peninsular-based party, two state seats in the process and Tan was appointed as one of the party's vice-presidents later. Gerakan gained a third state seat when Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) former vice president, Peter Pang, who was then also a Deputy Chief Minister (replacing Tan), left his party after disagreeing with LDP over its stand that it could not work with Chief Minister Musa Aman. The prospect of Gerakan being given the three seats to contest in the coming General Election has alarmed the state BN coalition members with the MP for Kalabakan, Abdul Ghapur Salleh urging Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak not to field any candidate from Gerakan in the state in the coming election. His call was supported by several Sabah Umno, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) and LDP members who said it had been proven in the last election that Gerakan had been rejected by the people in the peninsula and was unproven in Sabah.
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| Transparency needed for financial improvement, TI-M tells government Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:49 PM PDT
By Lisa J Ariffin, The Malaysian Insider Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) today called for government transparency in order to bring about significant improvement to the country's financial management. "With the increasing government budget deficit and the removal of subsidies, the public is demanding more accountability and public disclosure of how and what decisions are made," TI-M president Datuk Paul Low said today in a press statement. "Going for significant improvement would require identifying the root causes that gave the abusers the opportunities to extract gains for themselves or for their proxies," he added. Low said that corruption is often fed by the process of "state capture", whereby those in a position to determine or influence important decisions abuse this privilege to change policies, procedures and processes to favour themselves or their proxies. "In many cases, the civil servants who are involved in these processes do not benefit personally from them. But, either for fear of reprisal, or because they want to be obedient to their bosses, they may carry out certain instructions," he said. "Furthermore, with the opaqueness in government decision making as fettered by the all-encompassing Official Secrets Act, public accountability is undermined."
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| Dr M is against full human rights Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:41 PM PDT
By Syed Jeymal Zahiid, FMT KUALA LUMPUR: Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today Malaysia should support human rights but "only as far as we're able to", given the country's "unique" nature. Mahathir, whose 22-year reign as prime minister had been described as "dictatorial", said Malaysia should ignore critics who call for greater human rights, calling the demands "excessive". "In general, we have to support human rights but only as far as we're able to," he said after speaking at the National Entrepreneurs Corporation Bhd (PUNB) symposium here. He added that Malaysia's multi-racial society and conservative religious values could not accommodate excessive human rights that, among others, would allow gay marriages. Mahathir was responding to criticism against former Inspector-General of Police Rahim Noor who equated the fight for greater rights with the communist insurgency at yesterday's general assembly of right-wing Malay group Perkasa. Rahim had said the push for human rights was dangerous and could lead to racial strife, adding that the signs are already prevalent after activists allegedly question the existing "social contract". The former IGP was known for giving former deputy prime minister and current opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim a black eye when the latter was detained for sodomy charges in 1998. Mahathir was quick to point out that civil liberty fighters here often look to the West as the model for human rights but forget that developed democracies, like the US, often resort to greater restrictions when in crisis. "We detain people under ISA (Internal Security Act) but they detain people without laws… and even torture them," he said, referring to the abuse cases on detainees at the Guantanamo Bay camp which was widely reported by the international media.
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| Music fans slam PAS Youth over call to ban Elton John Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:39 PM PDT
(The Star) - Critics have lambasted Pahang PAS Youth for its call to ban Elton John. They say PAS should not impose its values on other Malaysians and not oppose the legendary singer-songwriter from performing in Malaysia without being intimidated. Pahang PAS Youth chief Shaahril Azman Abdul Halim was reported by Harakah as saying Elton promotes "hedonism" and his gay marriage would have a negative effect on young Malaysians. Elton, who has sold more than 250 million records in a career spanning four decades with hits such as Rocket Man and Your Song, married David Furnish in 2005 when same-sex marriage was legalised in Britain. Elton's concert, scheduled to be held in Genting Highlands on Nov 22, is his first in Malaysia.  First in Malaysia: Elton John, who will perform in Genting Highlands on Nov 22, has sold 250 million records in a career spanning four decades. Politician Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said PAS Youth should not object to the "harmless" concert and should focus instead on addressing society's problems. The Kita president said Elton had performed for years and had many avid Malaysian fans who were keen to see his first concert in the country. "Let them watch the concert, it can do no harm. PAS must show its progressive image and be more flexible," he said. In a sarcastic note on his tweet, musician-turned-businessman Jason Lo said: "Dear PAS Youth, if you are against Elton John, please ask your members to stop calling me for free tickets." Karyawan president Datuk Freddie Fernandez said: "These people (from PAS) should all go and live in a cave." KRU member and Recording Industry Association of Malaysia chairman Norman Halim said the PAS Youth members were "just a few narrow-minded people trying to impose their values on everybody". Sisters In Islam communications member Akmal Zulkifli said there were far more corrupting influences on YouTube than at an Elton John concert. "He will go on stage to play the piano and perform not to kiss another guy," she said. Voice of Women president Chew Hoong Ling said there was a similar protest against eighth season American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert last year. She said the call for a ban on Elton John's concert was "sheer extremism", adding that PAS is "dangerously pushing Malaysia to become another Iran".
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| Loud-mouthed Ng ripe for roasting Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:30 PM PDT By Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz The more pointed criticisms about deficit budget are the hidden financial indiscipline that goes along with wanton spending. The ministry waiting and wanting to be crucified is the Tourism Ministry because its minister, Dr Ng Yen Yen, is loud and appears to be pushing her bravado image to the limits. And so she shall reap what she has sowed. The Tourism Ministry overpaid nearly RM270 million for advertisements when it chose to use direct bookings instead of open tenders. So the paying of RM1 million to RM2 million for setting up websites is peanuts compared to the cost of placing advertisements. It is indicative of the minister's inability and incompetence of putting her ministry in order. The same vendor has been at it – placing exorbitant advertisement fees for years. If the same vendor can control the Tourism Ministry in an almost a cartel-like embrace, it does raise concerns of a possibility that ministry officials are more than just good friends with the particular vendor. Paying for lost racks It can suggest that corrupt practices and favouritism in return for consulting fees is rampant at the Tourism Ministry and the loud-mouthed Ng is not able to do anything about it. The ministry also spent a whopping RM1.95 million to buy 1,000 racks – at RM1,950 per rack – to hold its tourism pamphlets for the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign. Perhaps it's time for the ministry to set up an in-house workshop for the fabrication of display racks since these are going to be used continuously.
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| Mat Sabu's trial on Bukit Kepong remarks on Dec 19 Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:23 PM PDT (Bernama) - BUTTERWORTH: The Sessions Court here set Dec 19-23 to hear the case against PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu who was charged with defaming Bukit Kepong policemen and their families during a ceramah in Tasek Gelugor here in August. Judge Ikmal Hishan Mohd Tajuddin set the date after an application by Deputy Public Prosecutor Lailawati Ali for the court to fix other trial dates because the prosecution had to attend a conference during the Dec 5-9 trial dates set by the court earlier. On Sept 21, Mohamad, 57, also known as Mat Sabu, pleaded not guilty to a charge under Section 500 of the Penal Code for criminal defamation against the policemen and their families who had been attacked by communists in the Bukit Kepong tragedy in Johor in 1950. He was alleged to have committed the offence in front of a kindergarten at the PAS education centre at Padang Menora in Tasek Gelugor last Aug 21. Mat Sabu was alternatively charged with defaming Constables Marin Abu Bakar Daud, Jaafar Hassan and Yusoff Rono and their families at the same time and place. The charge followed a report by three family members of the constables, Jamilah Abu Bakar, Azlas Jaafar and Nazir Yusoff.
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| Michelle Yeoh to join Malaysian politics? Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:03 PM PDT
By Noorsila Abd Majid, The Daily Chilli If life imitates arts, Datuk Michelle Yeoh, who is in the spotlight for playing Myanmar's freedom fighter Aung San Suu Kyi in The Lady, could be joining Malaysian politics soon. According to sina.com, the Malaysian superstar actress is seriously considering making her political debut in Malaysia's next general election. The former Bond girl has yet to reply to The Daily Chilli's e-mail, seeking her personal clarification on the matter. But when contacted, her parents - Datuk Yeoh Kian Geik and Datin Janet Yeoh deny having any knowledge of their famous daughter's political ambition. "I don't think she will," opines her dad Datuk Yeoh, who is a well respected politician in Ipoh, Perak. "She's never mentioned it to me. But I will ask her." Echoing the same sentiment, Datin Janet says with a laugh: "I've heard the news from my friends. I find it funny. I don't know how the story came about. My daughter has never discussed politics with me."
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| ‘Monument of Corruption’ still gets flak Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:49 PM PDT By M Jegathesan, FMT BAKUN DAM: The first turbine is spinning, electricity is pulsing out, and the water level is climbing in the Borneo jungle behind Malaysia's huge US$2.2 billion Bakun hydroelectric dam. But questions continue to swirl around the viability of a project described by critics as a graft-plagued human and ecological disaster – and as opposition mounts against a dozen other planned dams in Sarawak. The first turbine from French giant Alstom began producing electricity in August and the dam's reservoir has swelled to the size of Singapore since impoundment began a year ago. After years of warnings about the impact on Sarawak's pristine jungles and the forced removal of thousands of local tribespeople, the dam's head Zulkifle Osman sees light at the end of the tunnel. During a tour of the facility, the managing director of Sarawak Hidro, who has overseen construction since 2000, defended the dam despite an electricity surplus in the state and the lack of a market for its power. "It is a chicken-and-egg game," Zulkifle told AFP. "I am confident there will be a lot of demand for electricity in Sarawak." But dam opponents say the situation confirms warnings about Bakun as an ill-planned and unnecessary boondoggle. The facility is located on the Balui River, a mighty waterway that drains a vast rainforested area of northern Borneo – home to orangutan, spotted leopards, rare plants, and a renowned biodiversity. White elephant The project was first approved in 1986 under then-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a cheap electricity source for more-developed peninsular Malaysia even though the country is a net oil and natural gas exporter. But in a 2005 report, anti-graft watchdog Transparency International termed the dam one of the world's "Monuments of Corruption," citing years of delays, ownership changes, and overall costs that more than doubled. "No users have made any legal written commitment for the usage of the energy," said Elli Luhat, a former Sarawak forestry official, now an environmental activist. "I have a real fear that Bakun dam will one day become a white elephant." Tribal residents say warnings about the dam's ecological and human impact are coming true. Residents living in the shadow of the dam, one of the world's highest at 205 metres (673 ft), say the river's biodiversity has degenerated, fish catches have plunged, and once-clean waters smell foul and are unsafe to drink. Silting has occurred, inhibiting navigation in the river, natives say. Climbing into his boat in Uma Nyaving village about 10 kilometres (six miles) from Bakun, Kayan tribesman Richard Let complained of the thinning fish numbers. "Now there is not enough for my family and the fish are small. The river is choking under silt and is making it difficult to fish with our boats," said Let, 31. Rampant poverty Downstream from the dam, nearly 12,000 indigenous Kayan, Kenyah, Ukit and Penan people live in traditional wooden longhouses in a resettlement area in the town of Sungai Asap. Their ancestal homes are now underwater. They enjoy amenities unknown when they dwelt in the forest – piped water, electricity, schools, Internet access and health services. But Bulan Merang, 43, who moved to Sungai Asap 12 years ago, struggles to feed her eight children amid high food prices and new social strains. "Children no longer respect their elders. Even my 21-year-old son says I am a useless woman whenever he gets drunk," she said. The tribes, who previously grew rice and bananas and hunted wild boar, say their new land is infertile. Age-old hunting grounds are submerged and they must purchase staple foods. "We were not dependent on money (before). Here everything is money," Bulan added. Ironically, Sungai Asap's electricity comes not from Bakun but from a huge diesel-powered generator – the dam's electricity is sent away on power lines criss-crossing the green terrain, headed to a state grid already at capacity. Sarawak is rich in natural resources but poverty is rampant. Its leaders are keen to diversify from mining, agriculture and forestry and into high-tech industries and say ample power sources are needed to lure foreign investment. "I am confident the power from Bakun will be taken up. MITI (the Ministry of International Trade and Industry) is working hard to get investors," Zulkifle said. Grandiose projects Zulkifle brushed aside concerns over the safety of Bakun, one of the world's largest rock-filled embankment dams, calling it "sound." He said released water was treated to ensure it was clean and denied corruption allegations. "All the money that is paid is audited. We are scrutinised," he said.
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| Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:10 PM PDT Here's a thought provoking article from The Canberra Times. By Graham Downie Like any captain of a Catholic college, Adam Refki plays a leading role in the religious life of the school. The difference is that he is a Muslim. As the popularly elected school leader of Canberra's St Mary MacKillop College, Adam has found his Muslim faith has opened opportunities for interfaith dialogue. From his exposure to Christianity through his Catholic education, he said, ''There are great parallels between the two religions''. ''I find there are a lot of similarities. It kind of makes me wonder why it seems like there is such a difference out there in the world.'' The 18-year-old said that as a Muslim with a Catholic education, he had experienced acceptance first hand. ''And having received acceptance I can now offer acceptance.'' He has found many of the students at the college are intrigued by his faith. ''I attend masses and I am reverent but I don't participate.'' His role as captain includes reading at the college's masses. Though he takes part in prayers, he does not make the sign of the cross, which has caused other students to ask why. ''I tell them I am Muslim. ... The advantage here is that I can tell them about my faith.'' Similarly, when he fasts during Ramadan, he has a further opportunity for interfaith dialogue. College principal Michael Lee said that when Adam was elected, ''he very beautifully approached me and said, 'What is it you would want of me in terms of the faith life of the school?''' He took part to the extent he was comfortable. Mary MacKillop had worked with people of all faiths. Mr Lee said Adam's role as captain was a tangible sign of the tolerance and inclusion of this Catholic school. ''I thought it was a great honour for us. ''I think Adam's election to our school is a gift also to the Islamic community and I was pleased our school in a small way could make that further understanding between the two communities.'' He had been elected because he was Adam, not because he was Muslim, Mr Lee said. ''In no way did we feel our Catholic identity was diluted. We were always comfortable about that.'' The male and female captains of the college are elected by Year 11 students and staff. ''It was a huge honour that I was voted as college captain,'' Adam said. ''I don't see that I was voted as a token Muslim.'' He is concerned the impression given by the media is that Muslims are terrorists. ''Seeing me, they see Muslims are just like us. They are in our school; they study hard; they can be elected in leadership positions at St Mary MacKillop College.'' He plans to begin studying civil engineering at the University of NSW next year. He also hopes to contribute the leadership skills he has developed at the college to university life. This might include an Islamic group, but he said, ''I wouldn't want to limit myself to that.'' ''I know I will be comfortable in seeking some kind of interfaith dialogue at university.'' He also hopes one day to complete the Hajj - the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.
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| Najib defends Australia’s ‘Malaysian solution’ Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:01 PM PDT
By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak urged Australians to keep politics out of attempts to resolve the human smuggling problem in an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) today. Malaysia's prime minister is currently in Perth for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting with his Australian counterpart Julia Gillard. "People traffickers do not respect international borders and legal jurisdictions any more than they respect the human rights of their victims, which is why Malaysia and Australia worked together to develop a way of stopping them," Najib wrote in the SMH. He reminded Australians of the Christmas Island tragedy last December when an overcrowded boat carrying nearly 100 migrants struck rocks and saw dozens drown, including at least five children and three babies. "As the prime minister of a progressive, liberal nation, I'm not prepared to stand by and watch that happen," he said. He said Malaysia has been at the forefront in Southeast Asia of dealing with international problems and pledged to continue working with Australia to find new ways to stop human traffickers. Najib also noted some Australian opposition lawmakers have been painting Malaysia as a "bad place" and claimed the country has a poor human rights record, especially in its treatment of refugees. "Malaysia is not some repressive, backward nation that persecutes refugees and asylum seekers," he said.
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| Mat Zain claims Najib knew of AG’s alleged wrongdoings Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:59 PM PDT
By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail should not have been involved in falsifying evidence in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's 1998 "black eye" probe, a former senior policeman said today of his private meeting in October 2008 with the prime minister. Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim, who has led a one-man campaign to remove the Attorney-General (AG), said he had met Najib, who was then the deputy prime minister, to discuss his allegations against Abdul Gani (picture) and the then Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan. "Even though Gani's intention might been to help the IGP (Tan Sri Rahim Noor), falsifying evidence is still wrong which he should not have done," Mat Zain quoted Najib as telling him. The former city criminal investigation chief also quoted Najib as saying "I got to know that (former IGP Tan Sri) Musa (Hassan)'s role was not as bad as Gani's and I think he can get away with it." Excerpts from the conversation between Mat Zain and Najib are contained in a letter to the prime minister which the former policeman made available to the media today. Mat Zain was the man responsible for investigations into former IGP Tan Sri Rahim Noor's role in the assault of Anwar while he was in custody in 1998. Rahim eventually confessed to assaulting Anwar, resulting in a black eye that Anwar sported during his court appearances then to face charges of sodomy and abuse of power. Mat Zain has claimed that Abdul Gani, who had led the sodomy and corruption prosecutions against Anwar, and Musa fabricated evidence in the black-eye case. In his latest letter to the PM, Mat Zain also accused the administration of "doing everything possible to avoid criminal charges" against Abdul Gani as the government would also be guilty of abusing its power in the last two decades. "YAB Datuk Seri and the government will do everything possible to avoid any criminal charges against Gani. "The government is worried that should Gani be proven to have abused his powers ... then simultaneously the government would be guilty of having done the same thing since 1990," he wrote. In the letter, Mat Zain accused Abdul Gani of "screening criminal wrongdoings, abuse of power and corrupt practices, linked to VVIPs, prominent corporate figures and senior government officials, involving property and cash to the tune of several hundred of millions of ringgit ... traceable to the early 90s."
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| 'Modern' Malays not so pure: M'sian study Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:43 PM PDT "In response to an Article by Michael Chick in 2008, about the "Malays not being a race", Professor Zilfalil Alwi, of USM has conducted DNA research on Malays in Malaysia. The following article provides more information. By Diyana Ibrahim, The Brunei Times A MODERN Malay cannot be easily identified based on physical characteristics alone, said a medical geneticist from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), who presented a paper at the 2nd Borneo History Seminar held at the International Convention Centre last week. "'Modern Malays' are an admixture of races," said Professor Zilfalil Alwi, whose paper "Asal Usul Melayu Berdasarkan Fakta Genetik" (Tracing the Origins of the Malays by Analysing Genetic Data) discusses a three-year study involving around 50,000 volunteers. |
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