Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Youth in Asia Pacific face serious employment issues
- Looking eastward after the Arab Spring
- Malaysia’s Troubling “Peace” Bill
- Najib’s Transformation Programme in fighting corruption a major wash-out
- Who lied – Najib/Muhyiddin or Chua Soi Lek? Or all three?
- Pakatan banks on NFC, corruption index to counter Umno attacks
- Bar Council, Suhakam say A-G glossed over street protest ban
- The UMNO General Assembly 2011
- PAS, DAP answer UMNO's stooge allegation
- Understanding our rights
- Put loyalty pledge on paper, says Mukhriz
- Ex-IGP Musa may take legal action against bloggers for slander
- Radar on Middle Rocks
- Why fear a Malaysian Spring
- Liberal, Muslim, feminist, and comfortable
- ‘Pas’ hudud too narrow and destructive’
- Will PR be better than BN?
- Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #91
- We need another ‘May 13’
- Richer Than The Queen! Top TV Coverage In Canada, As Taibs’ Wealth is Exposed
- Race-based ideology and Islam: The Malaysian enigma
- Why does Umno fear DAP so?
- National Feedlot Centre
- DR. J : USNO Supports UBF and Forms Alliance to Fight for Sabah’s Rights
- Umno to field many new faces
- Dr Chandra: Parties that subscribe to hudud should not be empowered
- No easy task to transform Umno
- Karpal raps Najib over ‘secret’ remarks
- PAS should include hudud law in manifesto, says Chua
- Najib kata Umno pulih sepenuhnya. Hebat!
- Soi Lek challenges PR to put hudud in common policy platform
- Guan Eng questions Umno’s logic behind dominant DAP claim
| Youth in Asia Pacific face serious employment issues Posted: 04 Dec 2011 10:29 AM PST "In Malaysia, the median age of the population is 27, we are talking about 110 million young people in Indonesia and Malaysia alone. Employers here are constantly complaining that there is no talent and that university graduates are unemployable. Boys are expected to be engineers and girls are expected to be accountants. Attitudes towards women are very stereotypical. Employers have to give young persons a chance. If companies have to survive, they have to be innovative and they can't be that unless they hear the voice of the young," Ms. Mun says. Mismatch between potential and experience confounds many a job-seeker, say managers. By Meena Menon, The Hindu Mun Ching Yap had gone as a journalist to an airline company to interview its executive official, but her excitement, passion and ability to learn earned her a job as the head of the company's strategic planning department. |
| Looking eastward after the Arab Spring Posted: 04 Dec 2011 10:23 AM PST Today, the question facing a region living in the shadow a revolution is, "what next?" The Arab Spring took the world by surprise and it is therefore unsurprising that detailed plans for what to do next do not exist. How do new leaders begin the long work of building the democratic foundations their citizens' demand? By Matt Baker and Nathan Gamester, The Jakarta Post On Dec. 17, 2010, the single, desperate act of a 26 year-old Tunisian entrepreneur plunged a country and ultimately an entire region into chaotic and violent protests that marked the start of a revolution. The power of example — the need for a model to inspire positive change — should not be underestimated. But because no model can ever be perfect, it is prudent to hold up more than one, and to keep in mind what the Prosperity Index continues to demonstrate: That the world changes, regions and countries change, but the foundations of national prosperity remain the same. |
| Malaysia’s Troubling “Peace” Bill Posted: 04 Dec 2011 10:18 AM PST After Bersih, everybody expected the government to implement reforms that would convince the people about its commitment to democracy and transparency. But with this bill, it seems the government prefers to provoke its enemies and weaken their ability to shape public opinion by banning street protests. The bill appears proof that the government is afraid of the radical potential of Bersih and the emergence of a Malaysian Spring that could finally deliver the fatal blow to the ruling coalition's decades-old reign in Malaysia. By Mong Palatino, The Diplomat The Malaysian Parliament has unanimously approved the controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill, which critics warned would make it extremely difficult for citizens to organize protest activities. Activists denounced it as a repressive measure intended to curtail the people's freedom of speech and expression. The opposition, for its part, was so outraged by the hasty introduction of the measure (MPs received copies of the bill only on November 22) that they staged a walkout during the voting process. Outside the parliament, lawyers organized a "freedom walk" to dramatize their rejection of the bill, which they think is in violation of several international human rights norms. Protesters also took Prime Minister Najib Razak to task for reneging on his pledge during the Malaysia Day celebration in September to review section 27 of the Police Act 1967 in order to uphold the people's freedom of assembly. Lim Chee Wee, president of the Malaysian Bar, identified the dangerous provisions of the bill that could undermine the constitutional rights of Malaysian citizens: 1) Prohibition of street protests; 2) Prohibition of organization of assemblies by persons below the age of twenty one years; 3) Prohibition of participation in peaceful assemblies of children below the age of fifteen years; 4) Unduly onerous responsibilities and restrictions on organizers and assemblies; 5) Excessive fines for non-compliance of the bill. Civil libertarians are also horrified over the other insidious provisions of the bill, like the prohibition of rallies near a place of worship or any area that the government may declare as "protected," the banning of foreign journalists in a protest assembly, and the granting of power to the police to use tear gas, chemical-laced water, batons and shields as well as arbitrary arrests on participants if these are deemed necessary by authorities to make the assembly peaceful and orderly. Activists are also worried over a provision that gives police forces the right to disperse an assembly if participants are heard giving statements that "promote feelings of ill-will, discontent or hostility among the public." Police are given such extensive powers to disperse assemblies without official permits that even an outdoor birthday party can be classified as an event that needs police approval. Furthermore, the police can impose numerous conditions when they approve the conduct of an assembly. And, if they decide to disperse a crowd, they are given the right to use "all reasonable force" in dealing with protesters.
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| Najib’s Transformation Programme in fighting corruption a major wash-out Posted: 04 Dec 2011 10:13 AM PST By Lim Kit Siang When Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2011 was released Thursday, Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) said Malaysia's latest ranking is the worst in 10 years – falling from 56th place last year to 60th place out of 183 countries while its CPI score fell to the lowest-ever of 4.3. The TI-M statement is incorrect. In fact, Malaysia's 2011 TI CPI ranking is the worst in 17 years since the introduction of TI's annual CPI in 1995. In the nine years from 1995 to 2003, Tun Dr. Mahathir as Prime Minister saw Malaysia's TI CPI score stuck in the narrow groove between 4.8 in 2000 to 5.32 in 1996 while the CPI ranking fell 14 places from No. 23 in 1995 to No. 37 in 2003. (10 is highly clean while 0 is highly corrupt) In the five-year premiership of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysia's TI CPI ranking fell 10 places from 37 in 2003 to 47 placing in 2008, while the CPI score stuck between 5.0 to 5.1. In his 2 ½ years as Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak presided over the worst TI CPI ranking and score for Malaysia on many fronts, viz:
There was no mention or reference to the worsening TI CPI ranking and worst TI CPI 2011 score for Malaysia by anyone, whether leader or delegate, in the UMNO General Assembly, although the results were announced on the same day as the UMNO Presidential Speech by Najib Razak last Thursday.
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| Who lied – Najib/Muhyiddin or Chua Soi Lek? Or all three? Posted: 04 Dec 2011 10:11 AM PST By Lim Kit Siang The 65th UMNO General Assembly closed yesterday with one big question among thinking and patriotic Malaysians, regardless of political affiliation: – "Who lied – Najib/Muhyiddin or Chua Soi Lek? Or all three?" At first the lies and poison were only told and used at closed-door UMNO meetings. Then they were spread by anonymous UMNO blogs and cybertroopers on the Internet, followed by the UMNO media. When these lies and poison failed to achieve the desired public and political impact with the approach of the 13th General Elections, UMNO strategists became more irresponsible, reckless and desperate. In the past week, these lies and poison became the staple diet of UMNO leaders in the meetings preparatory to and during the sessions proper of the 65th UMNO General Assembly, with the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, in their capacities as UMNO President and UMNO Deputy President giving their personal stamp of approval by adopting and retailing these lies and poison to sway votes in favour of UMNO in the coming polls. Culminating in Muhyiddin and Najib, one UMNO leader after another in the past week have taken to the public pulpit in a carefully-orchestrated campaign to demonise the DAP and frighten Malay voters with the lies that the Malays will lose their rights and power should Pakatan Rakyat win more federal seats in the next general election, or in the words of the UMNO information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan, "the Malay language will be lost, say goodbye to the Malay Sultans, Say goodbye to Islam because they (DAP) are agents of Christianisation". Muhyiddin was completely unabashed in playing the race card when he falsely accused the DAP of being anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay Rulers, even telling the lie that the DAP's agenda is to establish a Republic in Malaysia. Muhyiddin made history as the only Deputy Prime Minister in the world who was caught out telling a bare-faced lie, for he had been completely silent to my challenge to him to substantiate his allegation that the DAP wanted to abolish the constitutional monarchy and establish a Republic. I had publicly said that Muhyiddin's "despicable, irresponsible, incendiary and seditious" allegation that the DAP's agenda is to form a republic is completely founded on a lie, particularly his rhetorical question to buttress his allegation: "If not, do they dare to suggest the prime minister's position be selected based solely on elections and without being chosen by the Yang di Pertuan Agong? What is the meaning of this?" (Muhyiddin quote)
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| Pakatan banks on NFC, corruption index to counter Umno attacks Posted: 04 Dec 2011 10:02 AM PST By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider
Under attack from Umno at its annual congress, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) last night fell back on its administrative track record in four states to hammer home its claim that the ruling party has failed to improve the lot of Malaysians. Making full use of the alleged financial irregularities in a national cattle farming scheme and this year's dip in Malaysia's corruption score, PR leaders hit back at Umno in a concerted show of force after enduring five days of attacks during last week's Umno general assembly.Pulling no punches, a fiery Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pointed out that Umno has doubly wronged the people by first misusing public funds meant for the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) and then defending Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil. The Wanita Umno chief, who is also the women, family and community minister, has been dogged by controversy over her family's role in the NFC ever since the Auditor-General labelled the project in November as a "mess" for failing to meet production targets. PKR has alleged that Shahrizat's husband, Datuk Mohamed Salleh Ismail, who runs the NFC, used a multi-million ringgit federal loan to pursue unrelated ventures — including a RM13.8 million condominium buy — as well as to fund personal expenses. "Only those with no morals can hurl abuse (at Pakatan), can steal RM250 million... and then defend themselves. "Their first wrong was to misuse funds, and their second was to defend their actions," Anwar told over 2,000 supporters who had gathered in the car park next to Malawati Stadium here despite the drizzle. The PKR de facto leader was joined by other top opposition leaders, including Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, Lim Kit Siang, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and Azmin Ali. Also present was national laureate Datuk A. Samad Said, who emerged as a fierce critic of the Najib administration earlier this year during the Bersih 2.0 rally for electoral reform. PAS president Abdul Hadi similarly made reference to the NFC scandal in refuting Umno's charge that the Islamist party was the DAP's stooge and the MCA's claim that the DAP was under the thumb of PAS. "PAS diperkudakan oleh DAP. DAP diperkudakan oleh PAS... Umno diperlembukan (PAS is being ridden like a horse by DAP. DAP is being ridden by PAS... Umno is made to look the cow)," he said to raucous laughter from the partisan crowd. "Lebih baik diperkuda daripada diperlembukan kerana kuda untuk perjuangan, lembu untuk disembelih (It's better to be ridden like a horse than to be made to look the cow as horses are for fighting, cows are for slaughter)." PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz had earlier turned Barisan Nasional's (BN) accusations on its head, claiming instead that Umno had abandoned true Islamic principles on the MCA's account. "Umno is forced to reject Islam because it wants to please MCA," he said. READ MORE HERE.
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| Bar Council, Suhakam say A-G glossed over street protest ban Posted: 04 Dec 2011 09:59 AM PST By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider
The two statutory bodies disclosed too that Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail had sought their views over the controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill but failed to provide them with written copies of the draft before its tabling in Parliament last November 22. "The Bar Council was not given a copy of the Peaceful Assembly Bill during the consultation stage," its president Lim Chee Wee told The Malaysian Insider when contacted over the weekend. "It was read out to us, and even then there were differences between the two versions, during consultation and what was tabled in Parliament. Notably, during consultation we were told assemblies in motion were allowed," he said. Assemblies in motion, better known as street demonstrations, are barred under the new law to replace section 27 of the Police Act. It is one of the most controversial aspects of the new law, which was hastened after Datuk Seri Najib Razak's government was globally panned for its harsh treatment of thousands of demonstrators in the Bersih 2.0 street rally seeking to pressure the prime minister for cleaner and more honest elections. Lawyer Syahredzan Johan, who also attended the consultation meeting, clarified that the A-G had "glossed over" some aspects in explaining the new law. The A-G, who prohibited street protests but told the Bar Council he was referring to "riots", created a more positive impression of the new law, said Syahredzan. "A riot is not a peaceful assembly, so we could understand why it was prohibited," said Syahredzan, who helms the Bar's constitutional law committee. He added his Bar Council colleagues did not push the government for a black-and-white because they were given the impression there would be further meetings held to "fine tune" the draft. "We didn't think it would be tabled so soon. The meeting was two to three weeks; definitely less than one month before the tabling," he said. The Bar Council, which represents some 12,000 practising lawyers in the private sector, was taken aback at the government's haste in pushing the Bill through in the Dewan Rakyat on November 29, just a week after it was tabled. Lim, who led a lawyers' march to protest the Bill on the day it was tabled, has urged the government against bulldozing through the plan and urged the Najib administration to set up a parliamentary panel to seek further public consultation. READ MORE HERE. |
| The UMNO General Assembly 2011 Posted: 04 Dec 2011 09:51 AM PST SAKMONGKOL AK47 People called me and asked when will I come up with part two in the article where I wrote about Anwar jumping up and down at the place gates. Where he does a Sivaji the Boss routine and maybe sang a few Hindi songs. I ended that article by suggesting, it's Tengku Razaleigh who will become the pace setter and the play-maker. That will have to wait a little while more as I analyzed a few things more. At the moment I am more interested to write about the recently concluded UMNO GA2011. Some people thought I treated the GA as a nonevent. Of course it wasn't. It wasn't a congregation of minds meeting to discuss how the real Malay agenda of uplifting them, their economics, and their future are being discussed. It wasn't that event. It was just an event allowing mediocre and uncultured minds to let out their own frustrations and sense of absolute fear. UMNO fears for its future. It was speaking about the UMNO agenda. Not Malay agenda. For those reasons- we must do the exact opposite. Deny these so called Malay leaders a chance to concentrate power. Its power which they shall apply to the misfortune of the majority of Malays and to the misfortune of this country. Give us power bellowed Najib because we want to continue with the agenda? Why wasn't the agenda, whatever it is, debated in that GA? Give us power intoned KJ so that the nikmat or tidings we enjoy with having power is kept. Nikmat to do what? To pillage and plunder? Instead it's an event of love fest and blood fest. This delegate loves Najib. That delegate says more about how Najib is the savior and all that. The agenda of the GA was actually to whip delegates into frenzy about how to defend UMNO and defend the life as the leaders and UMNO warlords have always known. It's the life of the leeching aristocrat feeding off the fears and hopes of the silent Malay majority. It's a life of living a lie pretending to fight for the interests of the majority and the interests of the nation. When KJ said that we have to defend UMNO because of tidings ( nikmat) that comes along with having power- that's the real weltanschauung of UMNO. That's its real raison-detre. UMNO exists to secure power so that through power they can do all the bad- corruption, pillage and plunder of the nation's wealth. As far as the Malay agenda is concerned, yes, the GA2011 is a non-event. It wasn't worth my mental effort to exert. Let me ask you why the real big issues are not and never discussed? Why do UMNO leaders have this self-conceited idea that it is when we, good people like ourselves hold power we can do more good that those evil in DAP, PAS and PKR and whoever else. The answer to this seeming paradox is this. I find it a pleasure repeating the seminal ideals of Milton Friedman in his preface to Hayek's The Road to Serfdom. In the passages which I marked with highlighter:-
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| PAS, DAP answer UMNO's stooge allegation Posted: 04 Dec 2011 09:46 AM PST (Harakah Daily) - PAS and DAP leaders have dismissed accusations by UMNO of their parties being undermined and acting as stooge for each other, with PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang telling a gathering last night that it was better to ignore the taunts. "It's time to change, just ignore the taunting of 'PAS being used as a horse' or 'DAP being exploited by PAS. That is still better than UMNO which is like a cow awaiting slaughter," Hadi said to applause from some 10,000 people converged at the 'Rapat Rakyat' programme in Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam. Hadi said that PAS, together with Pakatan Rakyat partners PKR and DAP, has a common objective to achieve justice and erase racism. "We stay together to build a stronger racial relationship which has failed under UMNO-BN's 50 yearsrule. This has been due to UMNO culture of prioritising Malays and sidelining Islam. Their struggle is to safeguard their leaders by fanning racial sentiments, not to save the country," said Hadi. DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang meanwhile pointed out that UMNO and MCA were adjusting their racist agenda for their respective audience. This includes UMNO telling Malay that PAS was being exploited by DAP, and MCA, namely its president Chua Soi Lek, accusing the DAP of being a PAS stooge. "Who has lied? Najib and Muhyiddin or Chua Soi Lek?" Lim asked in a statement, and said that Chua, UMNO president Najib Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin had all lied. No 'Big Brother' in PR Lim stressed that Pakatan Rakyat was a coalition of equal political parties based on mutual respect and political consensus founded on common policy programmes. "In Pakatan Rakyat, no political party plays the role of Big Brother like UMNO in Barisan Nasional – which means that Najib, Muhyiddin and Chua have all been perpetuating lies in their struggle to keep their political parties alive in the next general election," he added. On the now familiar allegation that Malays would lose power should Pakatan Rakyat wins the next general election, Lim countered by saying, "Those who will really lose power will be UMNO and UMNO-putras." |
| Posted: 04 Dec 2011 09:23 AM PST Rights are not something to be played with. It is not a political tool to be bandied about. It is fundamental and inherent. It exists in us simply because we are civilised men and women. Related to human rights is democracy. When we choose our own leaders, we ensure that we are not led simply by someone who is going to force himself or herself onto us. AZMI SHAROM, The Star RIGHTS are the weapons of the powerless. And just who are the powerless? Well, in my view, it is most of us. Ordinary folks who either do not hold the reins of government machinery or have the means to control those who hold the reins. That is why only those who are powerless or who have been powerless can truly appreciate rights. We only have to look at history to see that to be true. The Magna Carta was created because the nobility of Britain felt powerless against the King. The American Declaration of Independence takes the shape that it does because the founding fathers wanted to ensure that they would never again be under the yoke of a distant king. Our own leaders, during the early days of our existence as a nation also understood this need for rights, having been ruled by an oppressive force more powerful than them. Of course there are those with short memories who belittle rights when they have power, bemoan the lack of them when they lose power and belittle them again when they have power once more. But then, there will always be the utterly unprincipled in any community. The human race has evolved. We have values which prevent the strong simply taking what they want from the weak. Our laws are in place so that we can be assured a person who is bigger than us can't simply knock us out and take our wallets. And just as we have laws to protect us against thieves and thugs, so too do we have principles which prevent the rulers from abusing us. As a race we have come a long way from "only the strong will survive". And that is due to the civilising of human kind. Rights therefore are the current pinnacle of this civilising process. It indicates that we are civilised. Related to human rights is democracy. When we choose our own leaders, we ensure that we are not led simply by someone who is going to force himself or herself onto us. Once again, we see a principle which empowers the powerless. This is why I care so much about human rights and democracy. This is why I get furious when those who do not understand or choose not to understand, take my rights away. That is why I work on the premise that we must have as much rights as possible. Of course I understand there are limitations to everything, including rights, but those limitations must be made with the aspiration that a complete right is the ideal. It is only with these aspirations in place will we ensure that whatever limitations imposed are the barest minimum and with the smallest effect on our rights. Rights are not something to be played with. It is not a political tool to be bandied about. It is fundamental, it is inherent. It is not something that can be given for it exists in us simply because we are civilised men and women. The powerful do not wish to see this. It is up to us, the powerless, to remind them.
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| Put loyalty pledge on paper, says Mukhriz Posted: 04 Dec 2011 09:17 AM PST (The Star) - JITRA: All Umno members should be made to sign a letter swearing that they will remain loyal to the party and work hard to ensure the party's candidates win in the next general election, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said. The Kedah Umno deputy liaision committee chairman said he was proposing the idea following the loyalty oath by Umno delegates during the party's general assembly which ended on Saturday. "Making the oath verbally is not enough. We need to put it on paper so that it will be legally binding. Action can be taken against them if they break the oath. "The letter will ensure that there's no backstabbing or sabotage of party candidates," he said after opening a 1Malaysia Shop in Padang Serai here. Asked about winnable candidates for the next election, Mukhriz, who is also Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister, said the party should not focus only on young faces as there were still senior politicians who were much loved by young voters. "Our candidates must include professionals with a good education background and they must be willing to give their best to the people. "There is no point having professional candidates who are not willing to work hard and be on the ground with the people," he added. Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said winnable candidates should be those well accepted by the rakyat. "What if a candidate is young but not acceptable to the people? "It is important for members to close ranks at all levels and focus on achieving victory for the party," he told reporters after opening the RTM Sports Festival in Merlimau, Malacca, yesterday. Bernama quoted International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed as saying that leaders, especially Barisan Nasional ones, should search within themselves to see if they were still acceptable to the people. If they felt that the people had rejected them, they should allow the leadership to choose new candidates to replace them, he told reporters after opening the Kubang Kerian Agrobank branch and the handing over of tithe to Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council in Kota Baru yesterday. Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said in Bagan Datoh that about half of the candidates' winning ability would be determined by their skills in solving problems faced by their constituents. He said the party's three vice-presidents had been tasked with monitoring constituencies facing problems and working on solving them ahead of the next election. |
| Ex-IGP Musa may take legal action against bloggers for slander Posted: 04 Dec 2011 09:11 AM PST By Sira Habibu, The Star PETALING JAYA: Former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan is thinking of taking legal action against bloggers for reports slandering him that he married an artiste in a hush-hush RM15mil wedding. Musa, who retired last year, said he did not have that much money to splurge. "Every time the rumour-mongers make wild accusations, it will backfire on them when the allegations are proven baseless. "The (then called) Anti-Corruption Agency investigated me over allegations of a RM2mil bribe from the underworld and I was cleared," he said yesterday. He added that his wife Puan Sri Juriah Ahmad was not shocked by the marriage rumours because she knew they were not true. "She knows I did not go anywhere to marry anyone because I was with her. I have only one wife, four children and six grandchildren. "And if I ever marry again, I will certainly not keep it a secret as a wedding is a sacred affair. It is not like committing adultery," he added. Allegations about the "lavish wedding" between Musa and local artiste Syella Kamaruddin surfaced in the blogsphere recently with claims that the ceremony cost RM15mil, with bridal gifts that included a RM5mil bungalow and an RM800,000 Audi R8. Syella, who did not want to reveal the identity of her husband, had reportedly said her husband did not look like Musa, adding that he was younger and sturdier. Photographs of Syella cutting a multi-layered cake with the groom are being circulated in the blogs and were published by the Chinese media. Musa said he taught at the Centre for Media Warfare at Universiti Teknologi Mara. He said he had turned down several other offers, including a diplomatic posting and teaching at the Anti-Terrorism Academy in Langkawi. "I am content with my current post as a lecturer," he said. |
| Posted: 04 Dec 2011 09:08 AM PST By Marhalim Abas, The Sun PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will build a permanent installation on Middle Rocks, which the International Court of Justice had four years ago ruled as belonging to the country. Sources said the RM70 million project will comprise two structures – a radar station and living quarters. The two structures will be linked by a bridge as the rocky outcrops located on the western edge of the South China Sea are 250m apart. The permanent installation, it is said, will be bigger and more prominent than the Horsburgh lighthouse on nearby Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra Branca) which the ICJ had ruled as belonging to Singapore. A jetty and a helipad are also planned for the rocky outcrops, which stand only one metre above sea level, about 15km southeast of Johor and 1.1km away from Batu Putih. Sources familiar with the matter told theSun that the National Security Council is the coordinating agency for the project and the Public Works Department will oversee the construction of the two structures. It is understood that three companies have been shortlisted for the construction project from the nine invited for the restricted tender exercise. Once completed, the station will be manned by Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) personnel. With the Middle Rocks station operational, MMEA will have 10 radars to monitor the country's sea borders. The new radar station is expected to enhance the surveillance of the waters of Tanjung Pengerang and the Singapore Straits. Pengerang is only 30 minutes boat ride from Batam. Currently, MMEA relies on the radar on its patrol boats for surveillance of the busy waterway. The MMEA is also working with Singapore's Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) to monitor and carry out surveillance off the Pengerang waters, as Singapore also operates a radar station at the lighthouse on Batu Putih. Both Malaysia and Singapore had previously claimed Batu Putih, Middle Rocks and South Ledge as their territory. After long negotiations, both countries agreed to take the matter to the ICJ, which began hearings in 2007. In 2008, in a 15-to-one ruling, the ICJ awarded Middle Rocks to Malaysia, and Batu Putih or Pedra Branca to Singapore by a 12-to-four ruling. The status of South Ledge, however, remains unresolved. A team from the Mapping and Survey Department constructed a flag pole, five markers and a monument on Middle Rocks between June 4 and 12, 2008 shortly after the ICJ ruling. |
| Posted: 04 Dec 2011 08:56 AM PST That is why Pakatan and Malaysia civil society are pushing passionately for the electoral reforms that the Bersih movement champions. Elections are the best and most legitimate way to bring change in a society. As John F. Kennedy once said: "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable." Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, The Malaysian Insider In his speech at the 2011 Umno general assembly, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir claimed that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan Rakyat are trying to topple the federal government through a form of democracy that is alien to Malaysia. This desperate statement illustrates how out of touch the Umno-BN government has become. Mukhriz justified his claim by referring to Anwar's interview with Bloomberg recently when the latter predicted that a "Malaysian Spring" would emerge to bring political change in the country. Mukhriz probably missed the part when Anwar told Bloomberg, "When will the Malaysian Spring be? The next elections." While opposition parties in Malaysia have faced an uneven playing field for decades, most — including Pakatan Rakyat — have faithfully participated in the various elections. Disgruntled opposition parties sometimes resort to extra-parliamentary measures when they get disillusioned with unfair elections, but this has not and will never be the case in Malaysia. That is why Pakatan and Malaysia civil society are pushing passionately for the electoral reforms that the Bersih movement champions. Elections are the best and most legitimate way to bring change in a society. As John F. Kennedy once said: "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable." Indeed, we believe that free and fair elections are crucial for any state to be legitimate. Unfortunately, Umno-BN has thus far resisted the most substantive measures advocated by the electoral reform movement. It is mind-boggling how a party that claims it is democratic can be so opposed to any effort to improve the electoral process. This came to a head during Bersih 2.0 when Malaysians from various backgrounds witnessed the crude and confused response of Datuk Seri Najib Razak's administration. How can a demand for clean and fair elections be controversial unless one does not subscribe to democracy, a principle that is enshrined in our Federal Constitution? The Bersih 2.0 committee was even willing to compromise by shifting the peaceful assembly to the stadium as first offered by Najib and then advised by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong when they were granted an audience with him. But as the record will show, Najib reneged on his promise and forced tens of thousands of Malaysians from all races and background to take to the streets. Thousands of Malaysians abroad also gathered across the world in solidarity with Bersih, an act that, banana republic-like, was deemed "illegal" in Malaysia. Thanks to the backlash from his indecisive handling of Bersih 2.0, Najib relented and formed a Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms — an admission that Bersih, Pakatan Rakyat and the civil society were right all along: that there are deep and serious problems with our electoral system. The rationale of the PSC was supposedly to ensure the credibility of the upcoming elections. Two days later, however, the government appeared to dither, saying that Parliament can be dissolved any time and would not be subject to the result of the parliamentary select committee. Similarly, on Malaysia Day 2011, Najib announced plans to revoke the country's archaic Emergency laws, repeal the Internal Security Act and amend the Printing Presses and Publications Act as well as the Police Act, among other things. Interestingly, Najib's own Cabinet was not informed of the sweeping announcement, underlining the fact that at best our prime minister seems to be the only man in his Cabinet who believes in the need for reform — assuming of course he actually does so. Of course, the Cabinet publicly had to appear to be enthusiastic about the announcements.
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| Liberal, Muslim, feminist, and comfortable Posted: 04 Dec 2011 08:45 AM PST Shanon Shah, The Nut Graph DATIN Paduka Marina Mahathir is a renowned and often controversial Malaysian activist, writer, and commentator. She has worked in a variety of fields, from heading the Malaysian AIDS Council, to kicking off the successful feminist television programme 3R, to holding a bi-weekly column in The Star. She is currently a board member for Muslim women's organisation Sisters in Islam. But controversy surrounds Marina also because of her lineage — she is the eldest child of Malaysia's longest serving and controversial Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. In this exclusive interview with The Nut Graph in Kuala Lumpur on 23 March 2010, Marina talks about her childhood, her roots, and the Malaysia she wants to see in the future. The first version of this interview was published exclusively in Volume 1 of Found in Malaysia. TNG: When and where were you born? Marina Mahathir: I was born in Alor Setar, in 1957. I am just two months older than the country. [I was born in the] Alor Setar General Hospital and so were all my siblings. We used to live in Jalan Maxwell. At the back [were] the padi fields and the railway road. We lived [in the government quarters] until I was 10. We [then] moved to Jitra, [and we lived in government quarters] because [my mum] was the civil servant; my dad went into private practice quite early. In 1968 or 1969, we moved into our own house in Titi Gajah. Did the violence of 13 May 1969 touch Alor Setar? As far as I recall there were no riots. But there was fear. I remember the elections. I remember asking my dad, "So, did you win?" And he said, "No, I lost." And I couldn't believe it, because at that time he ran in Kota Setar Selatan. He lost to (former PAS chief) Haji Yusuf Rawa, who happens to be my mum's cousin, [but] not a first cousin.  Std 1A at St Nicholas Convent: Marina (second row, third from right), Standard One A at St Nicholas Convent, 1964 So you are related to PAS central committee member Muhajid Yusof Rawa? Yes. But it's not like we've ever met lah. On my mum's side, my grandfather is Rawanese. He came from Sumatera. We still have relatives in Sumatera. In 1968, our first overseas holiday was to Medan. A couple of years ago, after the tsunami, [my parents] went to Medan and visited all these relatives as well. My mum is very keen on all this, and she will keep track. So you can trace your ancestry on your mum's side. This is the million ringgit question: What about your dad's side? We don't know. My dad had these two older sisters whom he was very close to. The second sister, Mak Bibi, had a very good memory [about] all sorts of family connections. But unfortunately, she passed away first. The older sister — she's 10 years older than my dad, who is the youngest — was hard of hearing. She passed away last year.  Marina Mahathir giving a talk (1998) But there is a Malabari connection on your dad's side? Well, actually this was news to me recently. I have another aunt, [a close family friend] who is not directly related, [who] once told me where the family came from. I was quite young, so I didn't really take note. But it formed the impression in my mind that we must have come from the Eastern coast of India. But I never checked it out. It was only when I went for this aunt's funeral that I asked my cousins where they thought we came from. And that was the first time the word Kerala came up. I looked it up and I thought, "Eh, that's funny — it's on the Western coast [of India]." […] But then with ports, what does it matter? You get on a boat and then you go. And there are a lot of Keralans here — Hindus, Muslims and Christians — so there is a long connection between Kerala and here. So it's possible [to trace], but I wouldn't know where to start. Because this would be my dad's grandfather, my great-grandfather Tok Iskandar. […] Iskandar came over and married a local woman and had my grandfather, Mohamad, and at least one other female sibling…my father's auntie. So, I only know of one sibling [of my grandfather's]. But we don't know what happened to my great-grandfather, or our great-grandmother. Nobody knows her name. It's all [because of] very poorly kept records, or nobody thought of [keeping records]. So all these people who keep saying my grandfather's name was Iskandar Kutty — we don't know where that comes from. We've never heard the name. How does that make you feel, though, the way detractors discredit your dad by pulling this out? Many would consider it racist. Of course it is. And I think that's why he's so sensitive about it, because it [questions] his Malay-ness. I had this ex-schoolmate who used think it was funny, who still thinks it's funny, to make jokes and tease us for being keling. So it's a sensitive thing, because you're subjected to so much racism. [But] when I went back for my aunt's funeral, I looked at everyone around and it was quite clear that we all have sub-continental origins. My grandfather's mother was Malay, and he was brought up by her. And then he married a Malay, my grandmother, who is a Wan. Wans were palace[-connected], so that Wan side is well-documented. My dad's mum was Wan Tempahwan. Was Alor Setar very cosmopolitan [when you were growing up]? We had a mixed group of friends. My first best friend when I was in kindergarten was Ann Wong, who lived across the road. [I also went to] a convent [school]. A lot of Malays didn't want to send their daughters there, because takut jadi Kristian, kan? So in my class, I think there were no more than four Malay girls at any one time. When I was in Form Four, I went off to TKC (Tunku Kurshiah College). In Form Five, I sent a postcard back to my old school: "Good luck for MCE (Malaysian Certificate of Education), hope to see you all here." And that was a big faux pas, because obviously I wasn't going to be seeing the Chinese ones there. So apparently I upset a lot of people. But I really didn't think of it in that way. How has all of this, including the faux pas, shaped the kind of Malaysian you are today? I'm very sad. I don't understand all this segregation. I went through it when [convent schools were] English medium, and I know, for instance, that there was no attempt to convert anyone either way. At first I didn't want to go to TKC because it was single-race. And my dad got a bit upset about that. But [in the end] it was quite good in one thing. You know, early impressions can really get into your head. I had grown up with the impression that Malay [Malaysians] were not clever. I used to get first or second, but there's the impression that others are cleverer than you. So when I went to TKC, I saw Malay girls who had gotten 7As, 8As. Adakah? It really did something to your head. It's possible [to achieve this] — we're not genetically backward. So the positive aspect of that was good. The other idea I grew up with was that girls were not as clever as boys. It's only when I went to Sultan Abdul Hamid College (SAHC) — briefly in Form Four before going to TKC and then in Lower Six — that I realised that not all boys are smart. So sometimes you need this change of environment to open up the world for you. In TKC, I was exposed to a whole variety of Malays — all classes and all type of faces. The hitam legam and the putih melepak. The Mat Salleh type pun ada. It was quite diverse.
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| ‘Pas’ hudud too narrow and destructive’ Posted: 04 Dec 2011 08:40 AM PST A narrow interpretation and non-Muslims will suffer (New Straits Times) - THE effects of hudud on non-Muslims is very real, said human rights activist Prof Dr Chandra Muzaffar yesterday. The president of the International Movement for a Just World said most countries which had adopted hudud had failed to protect their people and their rights. "Not a single hudud state can be an example to us. "Non-Muslims will suffer should Pas implement hudud laws," he said during a forum entitled "Hudud and the Legal Implications on non-Muslims". The forum was organised by the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap). Also present were Insap president Tan Sri Dr Fong Chan Onn and MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek. Dr Chandra also hit out at Pas for its narrow interpretation of hudud, which he said did not emphasise on forgiveness and reform as stated in the al-Quran. "The emphasis should not be on prohibitions and punishment, as Islam is about educating and enlightening. A narrow interpretation can destroy a nation." Another speaker, Ustaz Mohd Kamal Saidin, who is religious adviser to the Terengganu menteri besar, criticised Kelantan's hudud guidebook. He claimed the enactment did not follow the proper Islamic hudud guidelines, including on sodomy and rape. He also said it would be unfair to just implement hudud on Muslims but not on non-Muslims, as this would create confusion.
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| Posted: 04 Dec 2011 08:32 AM PST Jacqueline Ann Surin, The Nut Graph ON 4 Nov 2011, Penang became the second state in Malaysia, after Selangor, to enact a Freedom of Information (FOI) law. Neither the Penang nor Selangor FOI laws are perfect and both Pakatan Rakyat (PR)-led state governments have already been criticised for not doing better. That's no different from the public criticisms against the Barisan Nasional (BN) government over its Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011, which was passed by the BN-controlled Dewan Rakyat on 29 Nov 2011. Or is there a difference? Not just between the two political coalitions but also between how each understands basic human rights? Additionally, what does it all mean for us as citizens? International standards lacking The Penang FOI law has been criticised for not adopting internationally-accepted standards in guaranteeing freedom of information. For example, the law does not provide for proactive routine publications of information held by the government. Indeed, this is actually something that some government agencies under the BN federal government, such as the Statistics Department, the Department of Environment, and the Communications and Multimedia Commission are already practising. Six civil society groups have also pointed out that the Penang law has removed a clause that stipulates a penalty for any information officer who destroys, alters or withholds information or if she or he intentionally denies access to information. "Such a preventive clause is standard inclusion in most freedom of information bills worldwide, including the Selangor Freedom of Information Enactment," the groups said in a statement. The lack of internationally-recognised standards is also apparent in the BN's Peaceful Assembly Bill. Among others, the Bill, which has now been passed despite public objections, prohibits street protests. And as we already know, it also prohibits the participation of children in rallies, places too much power in the hands of the police and too many restrictions on rally organisers. What's the difference? So, what's the difference, from a human rights perspective, of having either a BN or a PR coalition in government? The difference, if I may venture to argue, is that with at least the PR governments of Selangor and Penang, there is some inkling about what human rights is about. The fact is, even though both the Selangor and Penang FOI enactments are imperfect and fall short of civil society groups' expectations, the new laws were enacted to improve transparency. Citizens in Selangor and Penang now have recourse to a FOI law within the state. Prior to this, any information including about air quality, the causes for landslides, and water concession agreements could be and has been kept from public scrutiny under the federal government's Official Secrets Act. Conversely at the federal level, the replacement of Section 27 of the Police Act with the Peaceful Assembly Bill is meant to make things worse. No matter if the federal government denies it repeatedly. For example, the Bill prohibits "street protests" when these kinds of protests are already legally recognised in Section 27 of the Police Act.
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| Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #91 Posted: 04 Dec 2011 07:43 AM PST M. BAKRI MUSA Chapter11: Embracing Free Enterprise Malaysian Capitalism In the decade following independence, the Tunku's administration adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards the economy. He was committed to free enterprise and capitalism, but he wrongly read the Malaysian economy and marketplace. They were neither open nor free. Powerful forces effectively controlled the economy and marketplace. The first were the large and entrenched foreign-owned corporations (usually British) that essentially corralled the major sectors (the "commanding heights"), from plantations and mining to manufacturing and banking. Through their sheer size and well-established network, these companies ensured that their dominance was never threatened. They neither welcomed nor tolerated new entrants and competitors. The second group was made up of ethnic Chinese and Indian "mom and pop" retailers and sundry merchants. Their enterprises were small family affairs. They too protected their economic turf ferociously. They effectively controlled their domain through their clan organizations, often using extralegal means to enforce their code. The "triad" organizations of secret societies are manifestations of this phenomenon. Between the ethnic retailers and the major colonial corporations, the economy of Malaysia was essentially "locked up." They imposed stiff and insurmountable barriers to new entrants. In short, despite the government's commitment to a free market, the economy was far from being free. The game was rigged. Had there been enterprising and competent Malays, they would have been effectively shut out. Even a super entrepreneur like Ted Turner or someone with a Harvard MBA would have a tough time cracking in an honest way such a closed and rigged system. Much had been written in the past on the supposed lack of business acumen of Malays. The residuum of that thinking still exists today. Had a careful analysis been done, the fault would lay more with the prevailing economic system. It had all the trappings of a free market but the reality was far different. As a result the system actually perpetrated and aggravated existing inequalities while protecting the prevailing monopolies and monopsonies. Apart from the ensuing inter racial hostilities, such inequities also retarded economic growth. This was not unique to Malaysia. Forty years later the Harvard economist Robert Barro empirically showed that such high levels of inequality, especially in a poor country, reduce economic growth. Perversely, in rich countries like America, such inequities encourage growth. In the 1960s Malaysia was a poor country. Tunku's misguided strategy and his denial of the aggravating inequities culminated in the country's worse race riots of 1969. Tunku's knowledge of free enterprise was gleaned only from the lecture halls and libraries of Cambridge; he had no real life experience of the free market. His entire career before entering politics was in the civil service. Fortunately for Malaysia, Tun Razak, Tunku's successor, intuitively knew what Barro and other economists would later discover. He ignored the conventional wisdom and intervened in the economy aggressively through his New Economic Policy. This massive social engineering initiative upended the entire economic and business scene in Malaysia, effectively leveling the economic playing field. His interventionist policies resulted in Malaysia becoming more of a true free market. Tun Razak's interventions succeeded because he did not take the economy away from free enterprise system and free market rather he pushed it towards those goals. As a consequent, the nation is far better of today than it was a generation ago. Thus many of the criticisms leveled at the free enterprise system are in reality criticisms of highly controlled economy that are masquerading or having the veneer of a free market. There are of course valid criticisms and imperfections of the free market. By appealing to the lowest common denominator (that is, the most profitable), capitalism threatens traditional values and indirectly also our freedom. American mass media, being commercial enterprises, depend on advertising for their revenue; the higher the ratings, the bigger the revenue. Thus programs that offend one's sensibilities continue to be aired because they garner high ratings. This coarsening of mass culture through the media may encourage some to argue for government intervention. However I prefer a market solution first, as illustrated by the following example. A few years ago one of the popular comedy shows wanted to break new grounds. The producers wanted to "out" the hostess's homosexuality by showing her kissing her lesbian lover. An outraged public led by some church leaders initiated a mass boycott of not only the station but also the show's sponsors. It was very effective; the series was terminated and the star dumped.
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| Posted: 04 Dec 2011 07:09 AM PST
The Barisan Nasional government is built on a house of cards. And houses of cards tend to not last and will fall when least expected. The general elections give this appearance of legitimacy. It gives us the illusion that we have a democratically elected government in power. But that is all it is, an illusion. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin There may be no doubt that Barisan Nasional will win the next general election and will get to form the federal government yet again. The question remains, however, as to whether Barisan Nasional can win on a level playing field and will they win because they really do have the peoples' support or for entirely different reasons. ************************************** We want a strong government, says Najib ************************************** Muhyiddin outlines seven winning ingredients |
| Richer Than The Queen! Top TV Coverage In Canada, As Taibs’ Wealth is Exposed Posted: 04 Dec 2011 05:57 AM PST SARAWAK REPORT The campaign to expose the corruption behind the deforestation and land grabs in Sarawak has received a top TV billing on Canada's Global News station. During a prime-time slot aired on Saturday night's 16X9 programme, investigative reporter Sean O'Shea focused on the massive property portfolio that has been developed in Ottawa, London and the US under the name of Jamilah Taib, the Chief Minister's oldest daughter [see 'Family Trees' 16X9 Global TV]
This means that for the first time the questions about the money laundering of Taib's corrupt kickbacks have been publicly raised in North America. In response Sean (Hisham) Murray, Jamilah's husband, threatened Sarawak Report. he stated "Jamilah and I find these statements about ourselves and our business false, highly defamatory and very damaging." However, the couple refused to be interviewed by the programme. Devastating report on the Taib family's company ownerships The show was aired just before the publication of a separate, devastating 'blacklist' of Taib family companies by Switzerland's Bruno Manswer Foundation, now available online. BMF's Stop Timber Corruption Report lays out extensive research into the Taib family's company ownerships in Sarawak, Malaysia and elsewhere. It establishes that Taib and his immediate family (his children, siblings and cousin Hamed Sepawi) have beneficial shares in more than 400 companies in Malaysia alone. In many of these companies they also act as the controlling directors. The Taibs also have a further 80 companies in 25 countries across the world including Australia, the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand, Jersey, Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands, Fiji, Cayman Islands, Indonesia, India, Jersey, Saudi Arabia, Labuan, Cambodia, Brunei, China, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam ! Richer than the Queen – assets of at least one and a half billion US dollars !
BMF acknowledges that this research only covers publicly available information from Malaysia's Register of Companies and other official company registers. This means it is likely to represent just a fraction of the Taibs' actual wealth. However, by calculating just the share values of 14 of the major companies on this list, they have estimated a total worth of one and a half billion US dollars (4.6 billion Malaysian ringgit). Not counting their more hidden wealth, this puts the Taib family firmly into the category of one of the richest families in the world and makes them far richer than the Queen of England (whose assets are a mere half billion pounds). Proceeds of corruption Given that it can be clearly demonstrated that the majority of these Taib family companies have made their wealth from the receipt of contracts from the Sarawak State Government and land grants from the Sarawak State Government, it is impossible to deny that this wealth has come from the proceeds of corruption by Taib, who is Chief Minister, Finance Minister and Planning Minister of the Sarawak State Government!
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| Race-based ideology and Islam: The Malaysian enigma Posted: 04 Dec 2011 05:51 AM PST Joshua Woo, New Mandala In the recent United Malays National Organisation's (UMNO) general assembly, the "Prime Minister and Umno President Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched a Bumiputera Economic Transformation Roadmap" as a gesture to inform the Malay community that his political party will continue to advance the Malay agenda.[1] UMNO's Deputy President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin further affirmed this race-based ideology by saying that "it is vital" to protect "Malay political power."[2] He justified such ideology by painting the picture that the interest of the Malay race, given its demography in the country, dictates the well being of the whole nation. "[W]hen we talk about Malay interest it does not mean we are racist because the largest group in the Malaysian society whether you like it or not is still Malays, Bumiputeras and Muslims."[3] Seeing 'Malays', 'Bumiputeras', and 'Muslims' being juxtaposed next to each other certainly stirs up curiosity as to what actually has the third group (Muslims) to do with the other two:
It is common understanding among theologians and scholars of comparative religions that Islam promotes racial equality. One of the clearest indications of this is in the fact that Allah's Prophets consist of individuals from different races. There is no distinction made among them:
Not all of these messengers are Arab, yet all are considered equally authoritative. There is simply no relevance to their prophethood whether they came from the Jewish, Arabian, or any other race. Besides the Prophets, there are also Qur'anic teachings concerning equality of humankind:
Here, the Islamic Scripture teaches that all ethnic groups are created in the same way, and bear close ties to one another. Reflecting on this, Abd-al'Aziz 'Abd-al-Qadir Kamil, Professor at the University of Cairo and Minister of Waqfs and Azhar Affairs of Al-Azhar University, commented that: "God […] commands us to fear two things: God and 'the wombs' (al-arham). 'The wombs' refers here to the human bond that links all men, however remote they may be from each other in space or time, and however unlike they may be in language and colour, and however much they may differ in economic or social position. We are charged to fear God's commands, and this applies first and foremost to the observation of human brotherhood on the widest scale…"[4] At another place of the Qur'an, we find similar teaching:
Although it is commonly interpreted that this passage is talking about race, some said that it actually refers to 'tribes' and not 'race'. Responding to this, Paul A. Hardy, who lectured on Islamic thoughts at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the Universityof London, remarked that there is no difference between tribe and race in this passage. He pointed out two early Islamic commentators—the eighth century C.E. Sufyan ath-Thawri and the tenth century C.E. Tabari—who understood this verse as reference to genealogy.[5] In other words, this verse is indeed referring to race. It describes the creation of the various ethnic groups with their own genealogy. No race or genealogical lineage is declared superior or should be favoured than others. The only superiority is that of piety, between those who are loyal to Allah and those who are not—Not between those who are Malay and non-Malay, Bumiputeras or non-Bumiputeras. Besides, this verse also states that the diversity of races is intended for mutual learning ("that you may know one another"). The instruction to cultivate multi-racial learning is understood by Hardy as "a motivating force for mutual love."[6] If this is followed, then this further undermines the ideology that one race is or should be more favoured than others. Turning to the Hadith, we find in Prophet Muhammad's Farewell Sermon his conviction of racial equality: "All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action."[7] The Prophet has a deep sense of racial impartiality. Probably this is the reason why he condemned those who claim supremacy over others because of their ancestral-racial lineage:
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| Posted: 04 Dec 2011 05:44 AM PST Terence Netto, Hornbill Unleashed Looked at forensically, in politics the strength of some leader or party cannot be measured merely by the size of support he or she commands or that the party is capable of delivering. The torrent of abuse that the DAP drew from speakers, both prominent and obscure, at the ongoing Umno general assembly testifies to this reality of leaders or parties weighing in the political balance in ways disproportionate to their strength in terms of membership or representation in legislatures. Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin (left), expected to be menteri besar of Johor after the general election, acknowledged this reality when he speculated on the reasons why speakers at the Umno assembly targeted the DAP with special venom. Deputy Prime Minister and deputy president of Umno Muhyiddin Yassin led the way in his address to the youth and women wings of the party where he branded the DAP as anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-royals.
Umno's protection of royals has been proven to be expedient rather than principled. Nevertheless, Muhyiddin had no hesitation in inducting them into the trinity of DAP's alleged abjurations because that way, it would make the opposition party especially worthy of Malay opprobrium. Muhyiddin's strictures set the cue for the rest of Umno to engage in a round of DAP-bashing the like of which has seldom been seen before in Malaysia's race-warped politics. Subterranean fear Though Khaled offered reasons for the DAP-centred ire of Umno delegates – that the party is seen, realistically or imaginarily, as the dominant force in the Pakatan Rakyat coalition and that its partners, PAS and PKR, are viewed by Umno as beatable – he only touched the surface of the fears that Umno harbours towards the DAP.
In sum, he has been a success in the last three-and-a-half years of his tenure and, if things continue the way it promises, his success would be more undeniable and would resound throughout the country. That would only do more good to the idea that a DAP-fueled Pakatan would not be what Umno want Malays to think it would, which is that is a disaster for the Malays, their religion and rulers. The dispelling of that fear scares Umno stiff – for good reason.
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| Posted: 03 Dec 2011 11:58 PM PST On December the 2nd, Deputy IGP Datuk Khalid Bakar issued a police statement stating that police investigations have so far not revealed any criminal breach of trust elements in the management of the NFC. This is rather a perplexing move as the PDRM is forbidden to issue any statements regarding any on-going investigations before it has been completed. The PDRM has also admitted that they have not called in Shahrizat for questioning even though she is the key figure in this controversy. Hakim Joe Under the 9th Malaysia Plan in 2006, the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) was targeted as a High Impact Project with an objective to attain 40% self-sufficiency for beef production by 2010. The Badawi government then allocated RM4.4 billion for modernizing agriculture On March 2007, the Ministry of Agriculture under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, chose two companies to manage the NFC. They were Agro Science Industries Sdn. Bhd. and Lambert Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. with the former being given a 2,000-hectare land and the latter a 200-hectare land to start off the project. The NFC obtained RM73.64 million from the GOM to establish the project. In December 2007, the government approved a soft loan (2% annual interest for a 10 year period) amounting to RM250 million to National Feedlot Corp Sdn Bhd, a JV company between Agro Science Industries Sdn Bhd and the GOM to start a feedlot in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan, the first step in a plan to help Malaysia cut its reliance on beef imports with an initial target of 60,000 heads of cattle a year. Malaysia was then importing 80% of all beef consumed. In February 2008, NFC obtained the first batch of 1,000 heads of cattle from Australia. In July 2008, just five months after starting operations, the NFC announced that the company would target a 28% self-sufficiency level for beef production by 2010 as opposed to the 40% level set by the GOM under the 9MP. In March 2010, the NFC stated that they should achieve the 40% self-sufficiency beef production target by 2015, five years later than expected. In October 2011, the Jabatan Audit Negara released the much-delayed 2010 Auditor- General Report in which it revealed wasteful spending by government departments as well as weaknesses of governance which have contributed to the Federal Government's embedded deficit and debt problems. One of the items being highlighted was the NFC Project whereupon an audit was undertaken between January and March 2011 revealed that the objectives of the NFC were not completely achieved because the development of 130 satellite farm entrepreneurs under the Entrepreneur Development Programme was not carried out, and that the main operator withdrew from the project in 2008. Another item was that the NFC only produced 3,289 heads of cattle in 2010 instead of the 8,000 target and that the entire operations were "in a mess". In November 2011, the Opposition exposed financial irregularities in the NFC when it alleged that the NFC gave out loans amounting to over RM84 million to companies owned by Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development and wife of NFC chairman, Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail. It was also alleged that NFC channeled out funds for the purchase of a luxury condominium in Bangsar for RM9,758,140 (it was later exposed that NFC purchased two luxury condominiums at One Menerung in Bangsar for RM6.9 million each), two plots of land in Precinct 10 in Putrajaya for RM3,363,507 and a Mercedes Benz CLS 350 CGI for RM534,622 (through the National Meat and Livestock Corporation) and transferred out RM588,585 to Meatworks (Singapore) Pty. Ltd. Both the National Meat and Livestock Corporation and Meatworks (Singapore) Pty. Ltd. are owned by Shahrizat's family. The Opposition additionally stated that NFC issued 15 cheques from its CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad account in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail to tour agency Impian Global Network Services over a span of seven months on a monthly basis for a total of RM455,423. When questioned, Shahrizat said that she had nothing to do with the NFC issue. "I will not clarify (on the NFC issue) but there will be two messages I would like to convey at the Wanita Umno assembly to those outside. Let's wait. As a leader, we need to be patient and calm, and not get easily hysterical. If anyone wants to ask about the NFC, they should ask the NFC people. I will only be focusing on Wanita Umno." NFC's chairman is Datuk Dr. Mohamad Salleh Ismail (her husband), NFC's executive director is Wan Shahinur Izmir (her son, age 31), NFC's CEO is Wan Shahinur Izran (her other son, age 27) and NFC's director is Wan Izzana Fatimah (her daughter, age 25). When NFC purchased the luxury condominium on December the 2nd, 2009 for RM9.8 million, the company reported a RM11 million loss on its annual accounting report. It is also reported that the Chairman received a monthly salary of RM100,000, the executive director RM45,000 a month, the CEO RM35,000 a month and the other director also RM35,000 a month. When Kuwaiti-born and Oxford educated Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin came out in defense of Shahrizat, he stated that it was a "good business decision" by the National Livestock and Meat Corporation to invest in a luxury condominium instead of letting the excess (public) funds idly sit in a bank account and that there was nothing improper about the transaction. When the current Minister of Agriculture, Datuk Seri Noh Omar (of the "if foreigners think that Malaysia police are brutal, please go back to their own countries and not to stay here" statement) was questioned about NFC's inability to reach its target of 8,000 heads of cattle, he responded that NFC has indeed produced over 8,000 heads of cattle between 2008 and 2010, and that the project is indeed a success. A few days later, the Agriculture Minister amended his statement and stated that all NFC has to do is to slaughter another 5,742 cattle before the last day of the year (actually 8,000 minus 3,289 equals 4,711) and the project would be a resounding success as the target would then have been met. When a report was made by Penang PKR Youth to MACC, the anti corruption agency passed the case to PDRM stating, "The case has been referred to the police because our investigations showed that the offence is not under the jurisdiction of the commission under the MACC Act 2009," When Datuk Dr. Mohamad Salleh Ismail was questioned by PDRM in relation to the two luxury condominiums, he stated that the two units were currently rented out to two different oil and gas companies to provide housing for their expatriate staff and that NFC receives a RM75,000 rental a month, one unit fetching RM18,000 a month and the other unit fetching RM57,000 a month (even a 27,000sf fully furnished bungalow with a swimming pool and spa on Kenny Hills does not command a RM57,000 a month rental). This figure was later amended to RM18,000 a month for both units but the PDRM saw no discrepancy between both answers. On December the 2nd, Deputy IGP Datuk Khalid Bakar issued a police statement stating that police investigations have so far not revealed any criminal breach of trust elements in the management of the NFC. This is rather a perplexing move as the PDRM is forbidden to issue any statements regarding any on-going investigations before it has been completed. The PDRM has also admitted that they have not called in Shahrizat for questioning even though she is the key figure in this controversy. For those uninformed, the NFC was first mooted in 2003 by Dr. Rosli Mai Lam of Lazuli Sdn. Bhd. who remains a partner in this project. Dr. Rosli of Lazuli, as known to the players in the industry, is a supplier of cattle and other complementary livestock supplies to anyone entering the livestock industry in Malaysia.
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| DR. J : USNO Supports UBF and Forms Alliance to Fight for Sabah’s Rights Posted: 03 Dec 2011 11:54 PM PST By Datuk Dr. Jeffrey G. Kitingan, UNITED BORNEO FRONT Chairman The newly revived USNO became the latest entity to support the United Borneo Front (UBF) and the fight for the restoration of Sabah's rights in Malaysia. This was the message conveyed by protem USNO Vice-President, Abdullah Sani Hj. Salleh and protem Secretary-General, Datuk Arifin Datuk Abdul Salam in the presence of USNO die-hard supporters at a recent gathering at the birthplace of USNO in Kg. Tanjung Kapur, Kudat. Abdullah Sani told the large and mixed crowd of Bajau, Suluk, Sungai, Dusun, Rungus, Kagayan and other races that the State Government leaders and UMNO in particular have failed to safeguard and protect the rights of Sabah and Sabahans. "Pemimpin-pemimpin USNO menyokong UBF and perjuangan UBF serta pejuang tulen Sabah, Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan. Penyokong-penyokong USNO juga harus menyokong UBF dan Dr. Jeffrey demi mengembalikan hak-hak Sabah" advised Abdullah Sani to the villagers. "USNO will work towards the unity of all races in Sabah regardless of whether they are Bajau, Suluk, KDM, Rungus, Brunei or others to reclaim the rights of Sabah and Sabahans in Malaysia" added Abdullah Sani. Abdullah Sani told the villagers that their land problem was just one of the many examples of the State Government failing the people and that the State Government and the "wakil rakyat" have victimized the villagers by alienating the land where their homes to outsiders. Since the State Government has done little to help, Sabahans should unite to change the State Government. The crowd was informed that Kg. Tanjung Kapor was the birthplace of USNO in 1961 and USNO will assist the villagers to defend their kampong land. Abdullah Sani further said that Tun Datu Mustapha although once the leader of the Sabah Government, the late leader had not taken an inch of the lands of the villagers other than the land for his own house which still stands today, although powerful as he was, unlike the present Barisan Nasional leaders who would do everything to alienate lands to their cronies and to the extent of "stealing" land from the local native villagers and evicting them. Abdullah Sani then announced that "at its birthplace, USNO and its supporters will support UBF and the Borneo Agenda advocated by Dr. Jeffrey and will form an alliance with UBF and Dr. Jeffrey to change the State Government and "evict" UMNO and other Semenanjung parties from Sabah." The crowd roared in approval with shouts of "HIDUP USNO". In a follow-up speech, Dr. Jeffrey told the crowd that their land problem was not unique to Kg. Tg. Kapor and that the State Government has failed to protect the rights of the natives to their own land throughout Sabah as can be seen in the recent cases of land grabs and demolition of the homes of natives and the destruction of crops and plants in Sukau and Tongod. Dr. Jeffrey welcomed the support of USNO and added that "together with the cooperation of USNO, UBF will form an alliance for all Sabahans regardless of race and religion to stand united to protect and safeguard our interests and rights and follow the motto of UBF – KALAU BUKAN KITA, SIAPA LAGI! KALAU BUKAN SEKARANG, BILA LAGI! and "UNITY IS DUTY". Dr. Jeffrey then advised the crowd not to be misled again by the sweet talk of the so-called leaders of Barisan Nasional and to use their vote wisely. "Sabahans do not need leaders who are pulled by their noses by leaders from West Malaysia or dictated by their political bosses from Kuala Lumpur." "Sabah needs genuine "pejuang-pejuang" for Sabah and Sabahans' rights and every patriotic Sabahan should be a "pejuang" for Sabah".
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| Posted: 03 Dec 2011 11:19 PM PST In the fourth objective, Najib wished for the assembly to become a fulfilment and to give a strong message to the 12.4 registered voters and 28 million population of Malaysia that they could rely on Umno to bring the country to a greater heights. Daily Express Umno is expected to field many new faces in the next general election compared to the previous elections. Umno President Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the move was not only necessary to strengthen the party but also to show that Umno was a dynamic party that was always willing to undertake changes. "We normally do this during the general election...there will certainly be changes and in some areas, we find that innovations are certainly needed. "Probably this time the line-up of new faces may be bigger, probably more than in the last general election in terms of new faces...," the Prime Minister told reporters at the conclusion of the Umno General Assembly 2011, here. Also present was Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Umno deputy president. Commenting further, Najib said there were Umno elected representatives who had seen him personally, expressing their willingness to make way for new faces in the next general election. On the suggestion by the delegates that the names of candidates be announced much earlier, Najib said the announcement could not be too early nor too late. "We are studying for the right time. If in the past, we found it very difficult to make the announcement late, but if the announcement is too early, there may be other problems," he said. Responding to a question whether the existing elected representatives would be retained for the next general election, Najib said those showing good performance could possibly be renominated in the 13th general election. "Because, when we sounded out the concept of a winnable candidate, we did not say two or three terms after which we replace them. We hold on to the concept of a winnable candidate," he said. Asked whether Umno and the BN would hold discussions with Independent candidates to contest in a particular constituency, Najib said this would be decided later. Meanwhile, Najib hoped that the present Umno elected representatives who might not be renominated for the next general election would continue to give their support to the new candidate chosen by the top leadership. "I hope that they support the new candidate because when they were first nominated, the people supported them and they had risen up because other people had made way for them, otherwise, they could not go up. "So, when the time comes, they must make way for the sake of the party. I hope they understand and will support the party, and accept the fact that they had benefited before from the support given by the other people," Najib added. Najib also said Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno want to form a strong government in the next general election. "Whatever constitutes the definition of a strong government, this is what we want. A two-thirds (majority) is something which is ideal but what is important is a strong government," he said. He was responding to a question on whether he would be happy with a two-thirds majority or a simple majority for the BN in the election. He added that a strong government could be formed from a working majority or a two-thirds majority. Najib said that the BN was capable of winning the four opposition-ruled states in the coming election but said that he would not want to underrate the opposition. He added it would be a mistake to underrate the opposition. "When we want to take over a State, we need preparations and strategies which are far greater than usual," he said. Asked whether he would want to announce that the assembly this year was the last before the next general election, as was speculated by many, he said, "If I do that, that would mean I'm giving the cue." Preparations for the national polls would continue, he said, adding that BN and Umno leaders would carry on meeting the people throughout the country. "It's an ongoing process. We are going to make rounds, more rounds and several more; for how many more, I won't know," he said. On the BN convention in Perak next month, he said, nearly all the states had held similar conventions and that the next convention could be held in Umno's name. To a question, Najib said, the BN had yet to decide whether to field candidates in areas contested by Independent Consensus members. On the assembly, Najib said it had achieved all the four objectives which he had set out. Firstly, he said, he wanted the assembly to showcase Umno as a potent and united party and instil confidence among the millions of voters and the people that Umno was a family and a political organisation, and that the country's political backbone was strong and solid. Secondly, Najib said, he wanted the assembly to prove that Umno was a party with dignity and in a state of preparedness to face the election. "Thirdly, I want, through this assembly, the government to get the support for our vision to institute major changes as spelled out in the national transformation plan," he said. Najib said the objective of the assembly was to get a full mandate from the delegates to make the transformation programme a success. In the fourth objective, Najib wished for the assembly to become a fulfilment and to give a strong message to the 12.4 registered voters and 28 million population of Malaysia that they could rely on Umno to bring the country to a greater heights. He said the assembly also created history when it ended with a unanimous pledge of Umno delegates, led by Deputy President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, to remain loyal to the party and its leadership. Najib said Umno's dismal performance at the 2008 general election was mainly due to betrayal. "Like what was said by Muhyiddin, we have to have team spirit because when we analysed the reasons for our losses (in the last general election), we found out that we lost the battle because some Umno members had betrayed the party, right?" he said to loud cheers from the delegates and observers. He said if all Umno members remained loyal to the party, Barisan Nasional would win the general election at any given time. "When you go back to your constituency, don't frown when you see the face of your division head, and to the division head, when you see your deputy's face, please do not think that he is trying to topple you," he said. Najib said all Umno members should realise that they had no choice because if Umno were to be defeated, the position of Islam and the Malays in the country would also be destroyed. "This is the sign that the party's biggest transformation has begun. In this historic moment, let us take the call of Allah, let us prepare ourselves with all our might to go to the battle field as a strong fighting team," he added. Najib said the assembly this year was both historic and successful because it has not only inspired the revival of the party but created an awareness to face the challenges that lie ahead. "Armed with unity, commitment and confidence, God willing, we can face and overcome any challenge. The assembly, based on my assessment, I feel this assembly is the most successful and a historic because it has triggered the start of Umno's complete revival after the past election." On comments that his speech when opening the assembly was not fiery enough compared with today's closing speech, Najib said he had saved his best for the last, in order to inspire the delegates during the closing. "I want to stress that Umno's concept must be understood. When we look at history, Umno has contributed immensely to the country and the Malays," he said.
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| Dr Chandra: Parties that subscribe to hudud should not be empowered Posted: 03 Dec 2011 11:06 PM PST (The Star) - The effect of hudud law on non-Muslims is very real, said speakers at a forum entitled Hudud: Its implications on non-Muslims in Malaysia' here on Sunday. International Movement for a Just World president Prof Dr Chandra Muzaffar said parties that subscribed to hudud should not be empowered. He noted that most countries that have adopted hudud law had failed in protecting their people or their rights. "Not a single hudud state can be an example to us human kind," he said to during the session entitled Hudud and its legal implication on non-Muslims', which was moderated by Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee. The forum, which was organised by the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap), was held at Wisma MCA. Dr Chandra said non-Muslims would also suffer should PAS implement hudud laws. "It does not recognise the principle of shared rights and responsibilities. They have the notion of protecting you but not according you your rights," he added. Dr Chandra hit out at PAS for its narrow interpretation of hudud in Kelantan and previously in Terengganu, which he said did not emphasise on forgiveness and reform as stated in the Quran. "The emphasis should not be on prohibit and punish, as Islam is meant to educate and enlighten. A narrow interpretation can destroy a nation," he added. Another speaker, Ustaz Mohd Kamal Saidin, who is the religious adviser to the Terengganu Mentri Besar, criticised Kelantan's hudud law guidebook. He said that the enactment did not follow the proper Islamic hudud guidelines, including on sodomy, rape and the option for non-Muslims that he said was not true. Ustaz Mohd Kamal also said that it would be unfair to implement hudud law on Muslims but not non-Muslims, and that this would also create confusion. Lawyer Philip Koh said Malaysia was a secular country and anyone who wanted to change the laws should remember that it should not be restrictive or affect the rights of any one community. He noted that every faith may have ideas as to how it wanted the laws to be framed to govern society but it should not impede on the rights of those from other faiths. Koh said the Reid Commission, which was the base of which the Federal Constitution was formed, had clearly stated that Malaysia is a secular nation. Economist Fui K.Soong said implementing hudud law in Malaysia would not be popular with foreign investors. The Centre for Strategic Engagement (CENSE) chief executive officer said the dual judiciary systems under the hudud laws meant that businesses would also have to comply with Syariah requisitions. "It is definitely going to have an impact on foreign direct investment," said Fui. She urged Malaysians to object to hudud law now rather than wait for it to happen.
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| No easy task to transform Umno Posted: 03 Dec 2011 11:01 PM PST The progressive ideas advocated by the liberals in the Malay party do not seem to sit well with the majority of the old-mindset members. But the reality is, the transformation agenda is a minority agenda. Umno still remains entrenched in the old ways of politicking along racial and religious lines judging from the debates that took place in the five-day proceedings. Syed Jaymal Zahiid, Free Malaysia Today The central theme at the 62th Umno annual general assembly which ended last week has been about "transformation", an initiative that party president Najib Tun Razak tried to champion as Umno – the Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin – gears up for national polls.From the shift in conservative mindset to a more progressive one and to the call for unpopular incumbents to make a graceful exit, it was clear that the transformation branding was aimed at winning back non-Malay support. Najib had admitted that Umno cannot rely on its Malay power base alone; it desperately needs a stronger mandate to ensure his survival. Hence, winning back non-Malay support or the fence-sitters is key to realising his target. But the reality is, the transformation agenda is a minority agenda. Umno still remains entrenched in the old ways of politicking along racial and religious lines judging from the debates that took place in the five-day proceedings. Only a few delegates spoke of Najib's transformation quest while the others used age-old tactics of rousing the hardline elements in the party by focusing its fire on a predominantly Chinese party, the DAP, which they accused of having only one agenda – "to corrode Malay rule and the sanctity of Islam". Najib's deputy Muhyiddin Yassin himself played on the same sentiment when he opened the Youth and Wanita assemblies, saying that Malay rule will diminish if Pakatan Rakyat, led by a dominant DAP, were to be voted in. Furthermore, apart from some progressive ideas thrown around in the party's Youth wing proceedings, the general undertone of the debates signalled clearly Umno's refusal to shed its right- wing skin, thus exposing its arrogance. It appeared that the majority of the delegates believed that all the party needs is greater Malay support. To many of them, the non-Malays are no longer reliable, and are possibly traitors who do not recognise the good the Malay party had done for them. This could be seen in the repeated calls for seats belonging to Umno's allies in BN with Malay-majority voters be returned to Umno.
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| Karpal raps Najib over ‘secret’ remarks Posted: 03 Dec 2011 10:52 PM PST The DAP national chairman says it was unbecoming of the prime minister to make a sardonic statement. (Free Malaysia Today) - DAP national chairman Karpal Singh today rapped Umno president Najib Tun Razak for his irresponsible statement that DAP knew all of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's secrets. He also chided the prime minister for criticising Anwar's decision to give an unsworn statement from the dock in the on-going sodomy II trial. Karpal accused Najib of mocking a lawyer-client relationship by creating an impression that the DAP was holding Anwar to political ransom. He said Najib was suggesting that he (Karpal) was a crooked lawyer misusing his position as Anwar's defence counsel in the sodomy trial to find out the PKR supremo's secrets and use them to DAP's political advantage. He criticised Najib for making a sardonic statement unbecoming of a prime minister. "It was irresponsible," Karpal told reporters during a visit to his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency here. Najib in his winding-up speech at the Umno general assembly last week said Karpal's appointment as Anwar's lawyer in the second sodomy trial had made it possible for DAP to gain confidential information from the PKR leader. Najib claimed that DAP has been so bold now because Karpal knew everything about Anwar. Karpal also took Najib to task for criticising Anwar for making an unsworn statement in the sodomy trial, pointing out that it amounted to "contempt of court proceedings and defamation". He warned Najib to be prepared to face the music and hinted that the premier could even face a defamation suit if he repeated such rash remarks. He clarified that under the law, Anwar, the Permatang Pauh MP, has the right to choose to testify under oath or make an unsworn statement from the dock. 'Najib should not interfere' Karpal said that Anwar had acted on his (Karpal's) legal advice to choose the option to give an unsworn statement. "It's up to court to decide on how much weight it is going to give to the statement. Najib should not interfere in the court proceedings. "I hope the court would not be influenced by Najib's remarks," said Karpal.
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| PAS should include hudud law in manifesto, says Chua Posted: 03 Dec 2011 10:49 PM PST The MCA president wants the opposition party to spell out details about the law. (BERNAMA) - PAS should include the hudud law in its election manifesto and make it a common agenda for the opposition pact in the coming general election, spelling out all the details about the law, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek said today. "I would suggest, as a matter of transparency, that PAS include the hudud law and its implementation, in their general election manifesto. "And since they always say that they will never do anything without consulting their partners, I would suggest that it be made a common agenda of the opposition," he said. Speaking at a forum on "Hudud and Its Implications on Non-Muslims in Malaysia" organised by the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research, here, Chua said the hudud law would affect all Malaysians although PAS had claimed that it would not affect the non-Muslim community. The panellists at the half-day forum comprised legal practitioners and government officers dealing with Islamic affairs. Among them were the International Movement For a Just World (JUST) president Prof Chandra Muzaffar and Religious Adviser to Terengganu Menteri Besar Mohd Kamal Saidin
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| Najib kata Umno pulih sepenuhnya. Hebat! Posted: 03 Dec 2011 10:40 PM PST Dalam pilihanraya nanti mereka akan bercakap agenda Melayu lagi tetapi Melayu tidak maju juga. Pendeknya Umno telah gagal sama sekali untuk memperjuangkan agenda Melayu sejak beberapa ketika dahulu. Aspan Alias, The Malaysian Insider Umno akhirnya menampakkan (walaupun cuba untuk berselindung) yang pemimpin-pemimpin, ahli-ahli dan penyokong-penyokongnya sebenarnya memusuhi diri mereka sendiri. Perhimpunan Agung baru berakhir dan segala-galanya yang berlaku dalam perhimpunan itu, saya ulangi: Umno sebenarnya memusuhi diri mereka sendiri. Samada mereka sedar atau pun tidak itu tidak pula saya ketahui.Apa kah sebabnya saya berkata demikian? Sebabnya mereka dalam ghairah menghentam semua parti lawan, mereka tidak sedar yang mereka sedang mengaku kelemahan mereka yang sebenarnya. Kecaman yang tidak terkira itu melambangkan kelemahan mereka sendiri. Jika Umno dan pimpinannya kuat dan mendapat sambutan masakan mereka terpaksa melakukan kecaman yang keterlaluan yang sudah jauh terkeluar dari semangat demokrasi yang kita kononnya anuti sebagai wadah politik kita semua. Kerana rasa ketakutan Umno telah bertindak dengan mengadakan ikrar sumpah taat setia kepada Umno dalam menghadapi pilihanraya ini. Ini di sebabkan ada para perwakilan kalau tidak silap saya perwakilan Pulau Pinang yang mengatakan salah satu dari sebab besar kekalahan calon-calon Umno di mana-mana ialah kerana ahli-ahli Umno sendiri telah memberikan undi dan sokongan kepada parti lawan. Kata-kata Musa Sheikh Fadzir ini benar. Saya telah menulis banyak kali tentang isu ini. Dalam ucapan penangguhan petang semalam, Presiden Umno telah mengatakan PKR sedang menghadapi ahli-ahli parti yang keluar dari parti itu. Kata beliau 6 ahli parlimennya dan beberapa orang ADUN PKR telah keluar parti kerana tidak berkeyakinan terhadap PKR kononnya. Tetapi elok kita ingatkan pucuk pimpinan Umno yang telah hampir berucap bagaikan halalintar semalam yang sebenarnya yang paling ramai meninggalkan parti mereka ialah ahli-ahli atau apa yang di sebut sekarang ini sebagai orang Umno. Dalam pilihanraya yang lepas lebih dari satu juta ahli Umno telah mengundi parti-parti pembangkang di dalam peti undi… bukannya enam orang atau lima orang sahaja. Itu merupakan jumlah yang terbesar meninggalkan Umno selepas Dr Mahathir Mohamad meninggalkan Umno dan membawa ahli-ahli Umno kedalam parti yang baru yang meminjam nama Umno itu. Mengenali sikap dan perangai ahli-ahli Umno, bai'ah yang dilakukan dalam Perhimpunan Agong itu tidak akan pergi ke mana pun. Bai'ah itu hanyalah melibatkan 5,447 orang perwakilan sahaja. Silap-silap ramai di antara mereka juga akan tidak membantu Umno dalam pilihanraya nanti. Saya yakin kerana ada empat atau lima orang perwakilan yang saya kenal telah datang ke TTDI berjumpa dengan saya dan mereka sendiri berkata mereka juga tidak akan memberikan sokongan kepada Umno kerana kepada mereka Umno sudah begitu teruk tercalar dan tidak lagi di hormati oleh orang ramai. "Umno sekarang ibarat dahan yang telah rapuh. Kalau dahan dah reput bang, takkanlah kita nak bernaung di bawahnya lagi! Takut-takut dahan itu patah dan jatuh, mati kita di hempapnya" kata salah seorang yang berjumpa dengan saya yang masih berbaju Melayu yang keluar dari Dewan Perwakilan PWTC itu. Perwakilan yang datang dari dua bahagian di Johor ini mengakui yang keadaan di Johor pun tidak begitu sedap bagi Umno ini. "Lantak dia oranglah bang. Dia orang kata Umno boleh menang selepas perhimpunan agong ni, itu dia punya pasallah. Kalau dengan perhimpunan agong boleh menang, panggil lah perhimpunan agong khas sehari dua sebelum mengundi nanti. Lebih indah khabar dari rupa bang! Walhasil balik asal bang! Biarkanlah dia orang buat kerja. Kita releks," kata seorang lagi. Sesungguhnya Umno bermusuh kepada dirinya sendiri. Umno memusuhi siapa sahaja yang buat kritikan. Umno masih lagi melakukan mengambil wang rakyat secara haram tetapi dengan penuh sistematik dengan berbagai-bagai cara. Pemimpin-pemimpin rasuah ini akan bermati-matian untuk mempertahankan Umno kerana Umno itu merupakan modal perniagaan mereka. Kalau Umno jatuh ia bermakna mereka akan hilang modal untuk berniaga dan "commission" yang mereka selalu dapati. Umno sekarang sudah takut kepada bayang-bayang sendiri. Pemimpin-pemimpin Umno tahu yang ramai ahli-ahli Umno akan sabotaj calon mereka sendiri. "Kita tunggu bang, apabila Umno mengumumkan senarai calon nanti. Umno akan kalah dalam banyak kerusi yang mereka pegang sekarang nanti. Cakap bolehlah! Pembangkang tidak payah berkempen sangat nanti," bentak seorang dari mereka. "Kalau Umno merasa kuat apa payah-payah hentam pembangkang gila-gila? Dah kuat! Tak payah hentamlah! Jemu lah! Tiga hari kami mendengar kata-mengata orang lain. Parti sendiri tidak terjaga nak ambik tahu parti orang lain…menghina orang lain, mencaci... tak habis habis," kata seorang perwakilan yang hanya di panggil dengan nama rengkas Man. Kata seorang lagi, "Dah 50 tahun bercakap tentang agenda Melayu, tetapi Melayu tak kemana juga. Berjanji-berjanji dan berjanji… pendusta besar!"
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| Soi Lek challenges PR to put hudud in common policy platform Posted: 03 Dec 2011 02:53 PM PST By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek today dared Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to include hudud in its Common Policy Framework. He said the opposition pact should not hide its intention to enact the Islamic criminal law once in power so voters can make an informed choice on polling day. "Put it in the manifesto. Lay all your cards on the table so the people can decide. "Then if the people vote Pakatan Rakyat knowing full well they will implement hudud, we will respect that," Dr Chua said. He was speaking at the opening of the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research's (Insap) forum on hudud at the MCA headquarters here. Dr Chua also criticised non-Muslim opposition leaders for not speaking out against PAS's plan to enact hudud at a federal level once PR seizes Putrajaya from Barisan Nasional (BN). He singled out DAP for trying to "delude" the public into thinking the Islamic law would not be introduced due to lack of parliamentary support. This was because Muslim MPs from both sides of the political divide would face "tremendous pressure" to support any hudud Bill tabled in Parliament, he said. "So hudud is a possibility in this country. Do not dismiss it...
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| Guan Eng questions Umno’s logic behind dominant DAP claim Posted: 03 Dec 2011 02:39 PM PST By Melissa Chi, The Malaysian Insider Lim Guan Eng challenged today Umno's charge against the DAP by portraying it as the dominant party in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact. Lim, who is DAP secretary-general, pointed out that his party had the least number of contests compared to its two allies in PR, PKR and PAS, which stood 97 candidates and 66 candidates respectively in the 2008 general elections. "How can a party contesting in just 47 seats lead PR? This is clearly a dangerous racial game to incite hatred and fear against the DAP and the non-Malays," he said while opening the Penang state DAP Wanita congress in George Town today. A copy of his speech was emailed to The Malaysian Insider. "To cover up their weaknesses in financial irregularities in BN, Umno had used its last weapon which is to play up racial and religious issues against the DAP, Christians, the Chinese community, and DAP voters," he (picture) added, referring to Umno's general assembly that ended yesterday. During the five-day-long Umno assembly, the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition's Malay party had concentrated its attacks on the DAP and warned that should PR come to power in the next polls coming soon, the next prime minister will be a leader from the Chinese-majority opposition party.
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This trinity of the DAP's alleged antipathies sums up what Umno construes as its raison d'etat, although given what had happened as recently as two decades ago, Umno cannot really be said to be for the royals.
Left unspoken is the subterranean fear that in Lim Guan Eng (right in photo) at least, the DAP may have a leader that ordinary Malays would eventually acknowledge as worthy of support for reasons that help explain Umno's slumping popularity: he has run a frugal and clean government in Penang enabling the administration to adopt the welfare aspects of a social democracy that are bound to impact beneficently on poor Malays; and he is presiding over an impressive revival of the state's industry through increased FDIs.| 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 |
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