Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Utusan mocks Nik Aziz over his age
- No need for new proselytisation laws, says Jamil
- Hadi reprimands Selangor PAS
- Dr M: Continue support for BN
- DAP’s Ramasamy unrepentant about 'godfather' remark
- Ramasamy says ready to leave DAP
- Utusan: PAS just a wing of DAP, selling out Islam
- PAS drops Hasan Ali, Nasharudin from upcoming polls, says Utusan
- DAP's Karpal Singh lashes out at Ramasamy
- Chua: Nonsense to say we can’t talk about hudud
- Umno challenges DAP to field Malay candidates in Kelantan
- Two DAP leaders get death threats
- UMNO'S pledge of loyalty an historic occasion
- Deputy minister says will investigate UM for stopping UUCA debate
- Parti Rakyat Malaysia to slug it out with more seats
- Jeffrey: How threatening can Haris be?
- Bar Ah Long and illegals, not activist – SAPP
- Yusof Noor, Rozali urged to clear name over Felda listing
- Banning activist abuse of immigration power – Jeffrey
- PAS won’t let DAP stand in Malay-majority areas
- Rayer: I dare you to name DAP leaders
- Sultan Sharafuddin: Stop covert attempt to convert Muslims
- PKR says will contest more federal seats in coming election
- Dr M: Shahrizat should know when to step down
- In Friday sermon, Jakim warns Muslims against selling out to ‘others’
- ABU dilancarkan besar-besaran, desak rakyat tolak Umno
- Musa: Haris denied entry ‘for security reasons’
- DAP’s internal squabbles ‘poetic justice’
- No candidates, Kita beats a retreat
- NGOs want Indian as Malacca CM
- Groups protest against homosexual lifestyle
- CM: We had reason to bar Haris
- No need for expensive presents and fancy emcees, says Sultan
- MACC pledges fair probe
- EU bank capital hole deepens to €115b
- Wall St falls on dashed euro zone hopes
- Najib: Appreciate history of Umno's struggle
- Don’t be scared by doomsday predictions
- KLCC threatens flashmob organisers with injunction
- ‘We have proof that MB lied’
- PRM has not confirmed on creating Third Force with NGOs, says President
- DAP winning over Malay voters
- Political branding just rhetoric
- ‘Umno agent in PAS’ gets a drubbing
- Paranoid Musa afraid of being exposed
- Malaysian Civil Liberty’s Movement chief barred from entering Sabah
- Pas and DAP not in sync over casino
- PKR-DAP showdown over seat
- Include hudud in manifesto, PAS dared
- Civil servants to get up to 13% pay rise from Jan 1
| Utusan mocks Nik Aziz over his age Posted: 11 Dec 2011 06:11 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia today mocked and poked fun at PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat for wanting to contest in the next general elections, despite turning 80 this year. "Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat, who is elderly, still wants to contest in the 13th General Elections. Unbelievable but that's the reality. "The decision has been made. He has been a representative for more than 40 years, what more does he want? "Once upon a time, Nik Aziz mocked a few Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders as power crazy. Looks like he is worse than that," wrote its editors, under the pseudonym "Awang Selamat". Some of BN's long-serving leaders include Sarawak Chief minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who has been part of the state administration since it joined Malaysia in 1963, and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who is Malaysia's longest-serving MP after being elected in 1969. Nik Aziz, who became Kelantan MB in 1990, was first elected as Kelantan Hilir MP in 1967 but no longer sits in Parliament. "Awang does not mind if the Tok Guru is still healthy. Go ahead. But he should admit that physically he is getting weaker, his mind is not as sharp as it once was, his hearing and speech are also not as good. "Rumour has it that even giving speeches is a chore because of his old age," said Awang in his column published in the paper's Sunday edition Mingguan Malaysia. Nik Aziz announced on December 5 his intention to contest in the coming general election. Rejecting Umno pressure for him to relinquish his spot, he said there was no need for him to do so. The 80-year-old leader continues to be popular both in the state and nationally, where he is often considered the face of the Islamist party and its brand of Islam. The Malay-language newspaper also said that ever since Nik Aziz held the post of the Kelantan Mentri Besar from 1990, there hasn't been much accomplishment or progress in the state.
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| No need for new proselytisation laws, says Jamil Posted: 11 Dec 2011 05:51 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Existing laws are adequate to address a claimed rise in the proselytisation of Muslims, said Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom today, adding that failure to enforce such laws was what needed redress. The minister in charge of Islamic affairs was responding to newspaper reports alleging that attempts to convert Muslims were increasing in the country. According to Jamil, enforcement of the Enactment on the Control and Restriction of the Propagation of Non-Islamic Religion to Muslims has been scant despite its introduction in the 1980s. The enactment, effective in ten states, was responsible for the recent Home Ministry ban on the Al-Kitab Malay-language bibles last year. The ban was lifted in April this year, ahead of the Sarawak state election. "In this matter, what is crucial is to brief officers on the enactment so that the law can be enforced," Jamil was quoted by Bernama Online today. Claims related to incidences of proselytism towards Muslims have increased of late, following a controversial raid by Selangor's Islamic Religious Department (Jais) on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in August over allegations of proselytism. Proselytisation of Muslims is illegal in Malaysia.
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| Posted: 11 Dec 2011 05:39 AM PST (Bernama) - PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has reprimanded the Selangor PAS leadership for speculating on the candidacy of Datuk Dr Hasan Ali in the coming general election. He said the party had yet to finalise its list of candidates as "we don't know when the general election will be called". "Not true (that Hasan would be dropped), as we haven't even looked at the list of candidates," he told reporters after launching a 10-point document titled, 'PAS offers a nation of care and opportunity', at the PKNS Complex near here today. Abdul Hadi was commenting on a news report that quoted unnamed sources as saying that Selangor executive councillor Hasan would be "removed" by Selangor PAS (as a candidate for the coming election), with blessings from the PAS central committee. The report follows Selangor PAS information chief Shaari Sungib's remarks, published in several blogs, that it was highly likely Hasan would be dropped as candidate. Meanwhile, Selangor PAS Commissioner Dr Abdul Rani Osman, when contacted by Bernama, said Shaari should not speculate on Hasan's candidacy as it might jeopardise the chances of other potential candidates. |
| Posted: 11 Dec 2011 05:38 AM PST (Bernama) - The people should continue supporting the Barisan Nasional (BN) government as it has proven itself capable of fulfilling the needs of the people, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today. He said since after the country's independence, the BN goverment had struggled for the people's well-being regardless of race. "Why should we change the government for another party? There are people who ask for the government to be changed, accusing the BN of being evil, thieves, robbers, corrupted and so on, but the other parties have not been tested like we (BN) have. "There is an English saying which means that we should not repair something which is already in a good state because a worse thing can happen. "It's the same with support for BN....its balanced policies for all races are seen as good. "Hence, there is no need to change the current government to one whose ability to take care of the people's welfare is highly suspect," said Dr Mahathir at a talk event between the Ampang Umno division and the former premier at Dewan Datuk Setia Mufti Suib in Ampang, near here, today. Later when asked by reporters on the government's proposal to amend the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) 1974, Dr Mahathir said the Act was created in the interest of Malay undergraduates. "At that time, there were many more Malay undergraduates actively involved in politics than those from the other races. Hence, the Act was implemented to ensure that they (Malay students) fully focus on their studies to succeed in education. "There were not that many highly educated Malays at the time and if the Malay students were preoccupied with politics, when would they be able to study? "I was also active in politics when I was young but left it for almost six years to concentrate on my (medical) studies," he said. On Nov 24, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced in the Dewan Rakyat that the government would be amending the UUCA to allow undergraduates to be members of political parties.
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| DAP’s Ramasamy unrepentant about 'godfather' remark Posted: 10 Dec 2011 04:58 PM PST (The Star) - Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy remains unrepentant for calling DAP chairman Karpal Singh "godfather" of the party. When asked if he would apologise to Karpal, Dr Ramasamy said "I don't understand the meaning of that word (apologise)". He was also asked what his next course of action would be, he said he had yet to decide on the matter. "For now I will take things as they are. I am not affected and I will not be intimidated by anything. "I have my own way of dealing with things like these," he told reporters after the lunch break at the convention on Sunday. Meanwhile, a Kuala Juru DAP branch chairman has lodged a complaint against Dr Ramasamy over his "godfather" statement to the party's disciplinary committee. Karpal Singh said the branch chairman, Tan Ah Huat, lodged the complaint on Dec 8. "We'll let the (disciplinary) committee handle the complaint," he said in a press conference at the party's state convention at a hotel here on Sunday. Referring to the protest by some 150 people in support of Dr Ramasamy before the convention started, Karpal said it was unfortunate that it had happened. "Dr Ramasamy has to apologise. DAP can take action against its members, however high (their position)." He added that if Dr Ramasamy claimed to have been misquoted in an Indian daily, then he should have asked for a correction. "If it's not corrected, then what he said, stands," he said in reference to a news report where Dr Ramasamy named several candidates for the next general election.
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| Ramasamy says ready to leave DAP Posted: 10 Dec 2011 04:55 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy declared today he was prepared to leave DAP after being referred to the party's disciplinary committee over his public spat with chairman Karpal Singh. "If I have to leave party, I will leave party. I'm not after positions and I'm not interested in those kinds of things," the Penang DAP deputy chief said in his speech at the state chapter's conference today. Karpal also earlier announced the party had received a complaint against Ramasamy from a local leader — Kampung Juru division chief Tan Ah Huat — over the row, which began when the Batu Kawan MP said he would defend his federal and state seats in the general elections. "If someone does not conform to DAP practices, the party can take action against anyone, no matter how high (the position). It is as simple as that," the Bukit Gelugor MP told reporters when asked what action the party would take against Ramasamy if the latter fails to retract his "godfather" remark and apologise to Karpal. But Ramasamy, who is also Prai assemblyman, said "I don't understand the meaning of that word" when asked if he would apologise to Karpal. A group of nearly 200 threw their support behind Ramasamy this morning following the recent row between the two leaders. As Karpal arrived at the convention venue at about 9am this morning, the group shouted "we want Ramasamy" and "pension-lah" at the Bukit Gelugor MP.
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| Utusan: PAS just a wing of DAP, selling out Islam Posted: 10 Dec 2011 04:53 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Umno's Utusan Malaysia continued to attack PAS today, calling it a wing of DAP for bowing to political pressure from its allies in Pakatan Rakyat (PR). "I am disappointed because never before in history has PAS been seen as such a coward. Islamic principles and integrity have been pawned. The party will not change because it is like a wing of DAP. "Islamic society has long been disappointed and has sent a clear message to PAS, although it has been ignored," wrote Awang Selamat, a pseudonym for the newspaper's editors. The Malay-language daily pointed out that although the party has been fighting to implement hudud laws, it has since come out to say that it will not include the controversial Islamic laws in the PR manifesto for the 13th General Elections. "If they are afraid to include the issue in the manifesto, they might as well cover their faces with a paper bag. The party is an embarrassment to its members and supporters," Awang said in his column published in the paper's Sunday edition Mingguan Malaysia. The newspaper also said that while pandering to DAP, PAS has become the victim, referring to DAP's plan to field its own Malay candidates in Malay-majority areas. "In other words, DAP does not respect PAS and more than that, does not believe in PAS' ability to attract Malay majority votes. PAS' strategy will backfire," said Awang. He also claimed that because of pressure from its allies, PKR and DAP, PAS dropped the fight for an Islamic country, replacing it with its Negara Berkebajikan (Benevolent State) policy.
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| PAS drops Hasan Ali, Nasharudin from upcoming polls, says Utusan Posted: 10 Dec 2011 04:51 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Dr Hasan Ali and Nasharudin Mat Isa have been dropped as PAS candidates for the coming general elections, Utusan Malaysia reported today. Quoting unnamed sources, the Umno-owned newspaper said Selangor executive councillor Hasan will be "removed" by Selangor PAS, with blessings from the PAS central committee. "Mingguan Malaysia understands that the PAS central committee has also dropped a few other PAS leaders who are not well-liked by the pro Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim group, otherwise known as Erdogan, and among them is former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa. "The decision to drop Hasan ... has been heatedly discussed in local blogs such as MyKMU.net (an Umno supporters group), brojinggo.blogspot.com (current affairs) and darikakigunungjerai.blogspot.com," the Sunday edition of the newspaper, Mingguan Malaysia, reported. The decision comes on the heels of Selangor PAS information chief Shaari Sungib's remarks, published in several blogs, that it is highly likely Hasan will be dropped as a candidate. According to Mingguan Malaysia, Shaari had said that the former Selangor PAS chief did not garner enough nominations. But the Malay-language daily said dropping Hasan was because the Gombak Setia assemblyman has become a thorn in the side for Selangor PAS and the opposition alliance, especially DAP.
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| DAP's Karpal Singh lashes out at Ramasamy Posted: 10 Dec 2011 04:47 PM PST (The Star) - After keeping mum for days, DAP chairman Karpal lashed out at Deputy Chief Minister II Dr Ramasamy at the party's state convention on Sunday. In his speech, Karpal demanded that Dr Ramasany retract his statement for calling him a "godfather" and apologise for his action. "Who built DAP? It's the veterans who built the party and don't ever forget the sacrifices of the veteran leaders. "The party would not be around without the sacrifices of such leaders, and leaders of today won't be leaders without the veterans and I don't mince my words," he said. Karpal then went on to rap Dr Ramasamy further by saying that the latter "cannot just join the party and impose things his own way". "No one can be a warlord in DAP and Ramasamy has no business to be one and just name the candidates of his choice. "Who is he to do so?" asked Karpal. Karpal went on to admit that he had indeed called Dr Ramasamy a "warlord" and that he (Dr Ramasamy) had retaliated by calling him a "godfather". "He did refer to me as a godfather and he shouldn't lie," he added. "Top leaders are ones who have gone through wars and battles and you just can't come in and strut around," he said. Karpal also voiced his regret over the short protest that was going on below Pearl View hotel where the convention was taking place. "Who is Ramasany anyway?" asked Karpal. Dr Ramasamy's supporters had gathered outside Pearl View Hotel where the convention was taking place to show their anger at Sri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer for backing up Karpal last week and shouted in protest. Karpal also asked Dr Ramasamy to behave. "If he (Ramasamy) does not behave, then action will be taken against him," said Karpal. At this juncture, Karpal's speech was disrupted by a war of words amongst members who then had to be calmed down by the convention's facilitators. Karpal then continued his speech and stressed that Dr Ramasamy should apologise and withdraw his statement.
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| Chua: Nonsense to say we can’t talk about hudud Posted: 10 Dec 2011 08:57 AM PST (The Star) - MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has maintained that he has a right to question PAS' version of hudud. He said while the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) had a right to ask him for an apology, he too had the right to talk about PAS' hudud and its impact on non-Muslims. "Abim must also recognise the right of MCA as a political party. A forum was unanimous in finding that PAS' hudud would have an impact on non-Muslims. "You must specify it as PAS' hudud and not just hudud," he said after launching the Malaysia Si Gong Organisation annual dinner here. Dr Chua said it was the "biggest nonsense" to say that non-Muslims had no right to talk about hudud. "Ultimately, it impacts all Malaysians; we are all a part of Malaysia," he said. He called on DAP to convince non-Muslims that PAS' hudud would have no impact on them and the country's social, economic and political system. "That's why we want DAP to come clean as they are so comfortable with PAS' hudud that they are willing to ask the Chinese to support PAS," he said. Dr Chua said Pakatan Rakyat should include hudud in its election manifesto so that it can be endorsed by the people. "If the people want Pakatan, then Pakatan can implement PAS' hudud as the people have given their endorsement. "But they are not doing so and that's not being honest with the people," he said. As such, he said Abim should instead ask PAS for an apology and DAP for an explanation, he said.
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| Umno challenges DAP to field Malay candidates in Kelantan Posted: 09 Dec 2011 05:17 PM PST (Bernama) -- The Kelantan Umno Liaison Committee today issued a challenge to the DAP to field Malay candidates in the state in the next general election. Its deputy chairman, Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin, said the people of Kelantan should be allowed to decide between the DAP and the Barisan Nasional (BN). The power behind the opposition pact is the DAP and not PAS or Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), he told reporters after closing a unity programme in Kampung Kubang Telaga, here. Eighty-four distance-learning undergraduates participated in the programme, organised by the Faculty of Islamic Studies of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Dr Awang Adek was asked to comment on the reported intention of the DAP to field Malay candidates in Malay-majority areas in the 13th general election. Selangor PAS deputy commissioner Khalid Abdul Samad had confirmed that the DAP proposal was discussed in a meeting with PAS and PKR. Awang Adek, who is deputy finance minister, said the DAP intention proves Umno's claim that the most influential party in the opposition pact is the DAP. The intention to field Malay candidates is proof that the DAP wants to dominate all states and administer the country by ignoring its partners in the pact, he claimed. "We welcome them and are ready to face them at any time," he said.
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| Two DAP leaders get death threats Posted: 09 Dec 2011 05:15 PM PST Caller warns RSN Rayer and A Krishnan not to bring up embattled Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy's name at the party's state convention tomorrow (Free Malaysia Today) - An assemblyman and a branch leader have received death threats for supporting the DAP's Indian grassroots members' uprising against Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy. DAP's Seri Delima assemblyman RS Nethaji Rayer has been receiving death threats repeatedly from the same unidentified caller since 9pm last night, while Datuk Keramat branch vice-chairman A Krishnan received the same threat at 11.20am today. Rayer said he has identified the mobile number from which the death threats were made to him by a male caller speaking in Tamil. "The caller told me not to talk about Ramasamy at the state convention if I wanted to see my family alive," he told FMT. Rayer has been vocal against the embattled Ramasamy who recently called DAP national chairman Karpal Singh a godfather. Krishnan said he received the death threat today while he was chatting with friends at coffee shop in Butterworth for going against Ramasamy. "The caller told me in Tamil I will be finished if I spoke up against Ramasamy," said Krishnan, who is also the state DAP Indian bureau vice-chairman. Police reports On Tuesday, Krishnan and several other party ethnic Indian grassroots leaders and members called on Ramasamy to make a public apology to Karpal over his 'godfather' remark. Krishnan said the caller used vulgarities on him for teaming up with assemblymen RS Nethaji Rayer (Seri Delima) and A Tanasekharan (Bagan Dalam) to criticise Ramasamy.
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| UMNO'S pledge of loyalty an historic occasion Posted: 09 Dec 2011 05:13 PM PST (Bernama) - The 2011 Umno General Assembly last week created history of its own as 5,447 delegates from 191 divisions pledged their loyalty and allegiance to the party. There were two pledges made, in fact. The first was on Nov 30 during the presidential briefing in front of party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the second was at the end of the assembly on Dec 3, led by deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
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| Deputy minister says will investigate UM for stopping UUCA debate Posted: 09 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said today he is investigating the move by Universiti Malaya (UM) to halt a debate on the Universities and Unversity Colleges Act (UUCA) last night. The Temerloh MP asked on micro-blogging site Twitter that those who were at debate to inform him of the actual events that occurred. "I am disappointed that the UUCA debate in UM last night was interrupted. I am investigating it. "Whoever was at the UUCA forum last night, please give me information of the real story of why it was cancelled by UM management," Saifuddin wrote. Student activists Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independen (Kami) had said in a statement today security officers forced the debate to end prematurely after acting on orders from deputy vice chancellor Datuk Rohana Yusof. Kami secretary general Khairul Naim said the academic debate was interrupted by security guards and "special branch" officers who shouted at those attending to leave the hall at the Law Faculty and stop the debate immediately. But Rohana, who is in charge of student affairs, said today the organisers did not ask for permission to hold the event. "They made no application to hold the debate. Even the dean of the Law Faculty had no idea the event was being held in his faculty," she said. Academic freedom has come under the spotlight recently after a recent court ruling declaring section 15 of the UUCA unconstitutional.
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| Parti Rakyat Malaysia to slug it out with more seats Posted: 09 Dec 2011 11:23 AM PST (The Star) - Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) will now contest more seats upcoming general elections and was also willing to slug it out in three-cornered fight with Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional. PRM, which only contested in the Stulang state seat and the Johor Baru parliamentary seat in the 2008 last general elections, is now eying two more seats in the state. The party's deputy national president S. K. Song said that the party was well prepared for the upcoming general elections and would focus on issues such as education, corruption and the increasing cost of living in the state. "We will contest in Johor Jaya, Stulang as well as Johor Baru and Gelang Patah parliamentary seats," he told reporters during a press conference here yesterday. He believes there would even be a possible four-cornered fight in Johor Jaya as the area was a hot seat. "The area consists of many Chinese votes and is a pro-opposition seat so we believe we can get a good number of votes from Johor Jaya," he said. The veteran politician, who was once in DAP, has since announced that he would not be contesting in the coming election and all the candidates would be new faces. Asked whether the party's move to contest in three and four-cornered fights might split the votes and be at a disadvantage for the opposition, he said, "Everybody had the right to contest in an election and to fight for their rights". Song admitted that the party has been suffering losses over the years and in some cases even lost their deposits, but this would not deter them from contesting in the four seats. Song added that the party was open to working alongside DAP and PKR and but would not compromise by merging Pakatan. Asked if there have been any formal talks on seat negotiations, he said that so far there has been none. "We have done a lot of ground work since the previous general elections like meeting with non-governmental organisations (NGO) and the people to understand more about the problems that they face," he said. He also said that the party would persist and would not give up just because they lost badly in the previous elections.
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| Jeffrey: How threatening can Haris be? Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:27 AM PST Musa Aman's ban on Haris Ibrahim's entry into Sabah shows that his decisions are heavily vested in 'political interest' and not 'in the interest of the people as a whole.' (Free Malaysia Today) - Political maverick Jeffrey Kitingan, who has been at the forefront in the fight for Sabah's absolute rights as set out in the Malaysia Agreement 1963, is alarmed that some powers are being misused by the government. He views the banning of rights activist Haris Ibrahim from entering the state as a gross abuse of the state's immigration powers by Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman. "It is outrageous that Chief Minister Musa Aman decided to ban the president of the Malaysian Civil Rights Movement (MCLM) supposedly due to security threats to the state but without giving any details or elaboration. "Haris is only an activist promoting civil liberties and freedom of movement and speech which are rights guaranteed by the Federal Constitution," said the Harvard scholar whose name is synonymous with the struggle to ensure the autonomy of the state within Malaysia is not diluted further. Haris, a lawyer-cum-rights activist, was on Dec 7 barred by Federal Immigration officers under orders from the chief minister. This was the first time the state has used this power again after many years. Sabah Immigration Director, Mohammad Mentek, had also said Friday that another West Malaysian activist, who he refused to name, is already on the list as "persona non-grata" in Sabah. "How much threat can Haris create for the state? Is the movement for democracy also a threat?" asked Jeffrey. He said by banning Haris, the Sabah Chief Minister had actually proved that the state government is afraid of its own shadow apart from showcasing the state's immense immigration powers.
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| Bar Ah Long and illegals, not activist – SAPP Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:20 AM PST (Borneo Post Online) - The state authorities should take action against the Ah Long (loan sharks) from other states and illegal immigrants in Sabah instead of barring a NGO activist from entering the state, said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Youth chief Edward Dagul. He said the latest action in barring Haris Ibrahim, president of Malaysian Civil Rights Movement (MCLM), from entering Sabah has made many people ponder on the priorities of the authorities. "Wouldn't it be more beneficial for the people of Sabah if the relevant authorities, namely the Immigration Department stop along operatives from other states coming to Sabah or for that matter, to stop the influx of illegal immigrants entering the State?" he said in a statement yesterday. Edward said the reports in the local newspapers that three moneylending premises were being probed by police had confirmed the fear of SAPP. He said SAPP had warned against the extension of the Money Lending Act 1951 in 2008 which arbitrarily replaced the Sabah Money Lenders Ordinance. According to him, the authorities then had claimed that the extension of the Money Lenders Act would enable them (the authorities) to be able to tackle unhealthy lending activities, loan sharks etc. but what was reported in the local news suggests otherwise. To many, if not all, in Sabah, the problems of alongs and illegal immigrants, are matters of State security. These directly threaten the livelihood of the people and should be accorded top priorities whereas the barring of an NGO activist from entering Sabah under the lame excuse of state security is nothing more than an act of political cowardice. "Haris Ibrahim is a well known, respected civil liberty activist whose Bersih and MCLM roles have received wide acclaim. There is no basis for barring him from the State. He was a guest at SabahTV.net and as such, we will continue to welcome him," Edward said. |
| Yusof Noor, Rozali urged to clear name over Felda listing Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:06 AM PST (New Straits Times) - Bayan Baru Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim yesterday called on two corporate figures to clear their names over their alleged involvement to stop the listing of Felda Global Ventures on Bursa Malaysia. The Independent MP claimed that former Felda president Tan Sri Yusof Noor and Syabas executive chairman Tan Sri Rozali Ismail could be "in cahoots" with the opposition coalition to halt the plan. |
| Banning activist abuse of immigration power – Jeffrey Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:29 AM PST (Borneo Post Online) - The United Borneo Front (UBF) is strongly against the state's decision to ban activist Harris Ibrahim from entering the state, saying it is a total abuse of immigration power. In a statement here yesterday, UBF chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said it was outrageous to ban the entry of president of the Malaysian Civil Rights Movement (MCLM) supposedly due to security threats without further elaboration. "Harris is only an activist promoting civil liberties and freedom of movement and speech which are rights guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. So how much threat can he create for the state? Is the movement for democracy also a threat?" he asked. On Wednesday, Harris, a Malaysian blogger believed to be a close friend of well-known blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, was prevented from entering Sabah upon his arrival on AirAsia flight AK5106 at 3.10pm at Terminal 2 of Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the relevant authority could stop anyone from entering the state with valid reasons. Sabah, he pointed out, welcomes visitors to the state but the Immigration Department will bar the entry of any individual(s) if there was a reason for it to do so.
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| PAS won’t let DAP stand in Malay-majority areas Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:20 AM PST (The Star) - PAS is opposed to DAP's plan to field Malay candidates in Malay-majority seats in the next general election. Selangor PAS deputy commissioner and Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad told Utusan Malaysia that PAS would not back down on its opposition because it felt that the Malay community could not accept the idea yet. "Besides, it is not guaranteed that DAP will win those seats in the next general election," said Khalid, who revealed that the issue was discussed in a meeting between PAS and PKR. "DAP is planning to field Malay candidates in Malay-majority seats because it wants to move away from its current image as a single-race party to a multi-racial party. But the move will take time," said Khalid. "Nevertheless, we feel this is unfair and we will not bow to its demands," Khalid added. Asked about an Utusan columnist's view that former Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali was the key to unity among the Malays, Khalid said this was the writer's personal opinion. On talks that Dr Hasan would receive the Datuk Paduka Mahkota Selangor, which carries the title of Datuk Seri, Khalid said he might because both the Selangor Mentri Besar (Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) and Selangor state assembly speaker (Datuk Teng Chang Khim) had already been bestowed the award. "I think the Sultan is fair because the awards are given in sequence to the Mentri Besar (Abdul Khalid), who is from PKR, state assembly speaker (Teng), who is from DAP, and now Dr Hasan, from PAS," said Khalid.
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| Rayer: I dare you to name DAP leaders Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:19 AM PST (The Star) - Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer has challenged Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy's personal assistant (PA) M. Satees to back his allegations over the misdeeds of two assemblymen. "I dare Satees to name the DAP leaders and provide evidence about the allegations in his tweet within 24 hours. "If he is brave enough, he can also lodge a report with the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission," he added. When asked if he felt targeted in Satees' tweet, Rayer said he was sure that the PA was referring to him and Bagan Dalam assemblyman A. Tanasekharan. Tanasekharan also challenged Satees to name the leaders failing which "he will face a legal suit." Rayer and Tanasekharan had criticised Dr Ramasamy for showing disrespect to party senior leaders including national chairman Karpal Singh. Rayer had warned that "all hell will break loose" at the Penang DAP convention tomorrow if Dr Ramasamy did not retract his statement. Meanwhile, Satees, at a press conference at Dr Ramasamy's service centre in Prai denied his tweets referred to any DAP or Pakatan Rakyat leaders.
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| Sultan Sharafuddin: Stop covert attempt to convert Muslims Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:16 AM PST (Bernama) - The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has ordered the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) to take strategic steps to root out a subtle attempt to proselytise Muslims. "I was informed that the proselytisation of Muslims, which occurred over the last few years, was done covertly and those involved were cunning in concealing evidence," he said when opening the RM5mil Kampung Gulang-Gulang Mosque here Friday. He said Jais must continuously give explanation and counselling to Muslims who had committed apostasy. "Let me remind Jais to be discreet in its actions and approaches so that Muslims who have began distancing themselves from Islam will be enchanted to return to the fold and repent," he added. The Sultan said he was worried over the emergence of apostasy among Muslims, apart from Islamic deviationist teachings, as it would damage the growth and development of Islam in Selangor if left unchecked. On his instruction that only those who were qualified and certified by Jais could preach in mosques, Sultan Sharafuddin said it was aimed at preventing Muslims from being misled or confused. He called on residents of Kampung Gulang-Gulang to live in harmony and goodwill despite embracing different beliefs and ideologies. The Sultan also urged Muslims to use the mosques to foster friendship and understanding as it would help entice the younger generation to emulate the integrity of congregators. The Sultan later joined the Yasin recitation and thanksgiving prayers led by Selangor mufti Datuk Mohd Tamyes Abdul Wahid in conjunction with his 66th birthday and 10th year reign as the Sultan of Selangor. He also received payments of tithes amounting to RM100,000 from the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation and RM600,000 from Maybank Islamic Bhd.
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| PKR says will contest more federal seats in coming election Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:10 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - PKR has said it will contest more federal seats in the next general election despite already taking the lion's share of seats and suffering the most number of party defections since 2008. PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution told The Malaysian Insider although seat negotiations for some states have yet to be finalised, PKR will most likely have "slightly" more candidates running in parliamentary seats than in 2008. "Although discussions are currently on-going, the numbers on paper so far show that there is a slight addition to the seats which PKR will be contesting. "This is due to the contribution of Sabah and Sarawak seats which PKR will contest. The seats in peninsula are likely to remain status quo," he said. The Machang MP said state-level seat negotiations ended last month, and the PR central leadership was now deliberating and finalising the respective seats and candidates. "There are currently three categories — clean seats where a candidate is accepted by all parties, incumbent seats where a particular seat was won by, say, PKR but DAP expresses an interest to contest. "There is also a case of overlapping of seats, whereby a particular seat was not won in the last GE but two or three Pakatan parties have expressed interest in contesting that seat," Saifuddin added. He stressed that seat talks among PR's top guns were coming along "smoothly", but said that there was no "timeline" as to when the matter would be concluded. "I am optimistic it can be settled soon," said the PKR leader. PR leaders have dispelled talk of squabbling among its state leaders over seat negotiations for the coming polls despite reports of bickering among PR party members, leading to talk of fractures within the pact. PKR contested 97 federal seats in 2008 while PAS and DAP ran in 66 and 47 respectively. But PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had said in September that the party aims to win 60 federal seats in a general election expected soon.
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| Dr M: Shahrizat should know when to step down Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:08 AM PST (The Star) - Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil should be mindful on the right time to step down, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. But short of calling for her resignation, the long-time former premier said it was up to her to do so. "When I wanted to resign, I didn't ask anyone about it. "I thought it was a good time to resign, so I resigned. I hope others are like that. No need to wait for people to chase us out," he said after the launch of the e-book version of his memoirs A Doctor in the House here yesterday. However, he said if people thought that they could contribute to their own party better by staying on and contesting, then it would be up to them. "If we think we will be doing the party a favour by quitting, we should quit," he said. When pressed further, Dr Mahathir, however, refused to state if Shahrizat should step down after the controversy with the National Feedlot Corporation in which her husband is the executive chairman. "It is up to her. I want to advise (PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat) to step down. I want to advise (Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) to join (former World Bank Group president Paul Wolfowitz). "I can only advise. Whether they follow it is up to them. I'm not a British adviser where the advice must be followed," he said. Shahrizat, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, had previously maintained that she had nothing to do with the company and refused to answer the allegations.
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| In Friday sermon, Jakim warns Muslims against selling out to ‘others’ Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:23 PM PST The sermon appeared to suggest that Muslims who associate with non-Muslims or stand up for non-Muslim causes were betraying their faith. (The Malaysian Insider) - The government's official sermon delivered today suggested that the position of Islam and the royal institution was being questioned because Muslims were selling out the religion to "certain quarters" which it did not name. The sermon appeared to suggest that Muslims who associate with non-Muslims or stand up for non-Muslim causes were betraying their faith, and echoed a few racially divisive views espoused at the recent Umno general assembly. It was delivered at all mosques today and was prepared by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim). A copy of today's sermon — sighted by The Malaysian Insider — appeared to hit out at Muslims who "conspire with certain groups in questioning Islam as the official religion in this country on the excuse of defending the fundamental rights of others" for personal gain. It described those Muslims as "deviating from the teachings" of Prophet Muhammad, as well as "committing a big sin, oppressing Muslims and threatening national harmony" in the sermon that was to mark the end of Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's five year reign as Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. "Remember, if Muslims lose their integrity, their pride and are manipulated by others, in the end, Islam in this country will suffer the same fate that has befallen other nations where their people were insulted and driven from the country of their birth," it said. The sermon did not directly refer to any one person in particular but appears to echo the political rhetoric heard at the Umno general assembly last week. According to the Jakim sermon, purported attempts to convert Muslims also fall foul of Islam's exclusive rights under the country's Constitution. It urged all Muslims to unite and uphold the constitutional monarchy system, reminding them that without a ruler, the administration of religion would be chaotic and would cause animosity. "Avoid involvement in any action that could potentially threaten or pollute the royal institution and disputes what is contained in the Constitution, including that which pertains to Islam as the country's religion," it added.
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| ABU dilancarkan besar-besaran, desak rakyat tolak Umno Posted: 08 Dec 2011 06:56 PM PST
Ia menggesa rakyat menyatakan rasa jijik dan meluat terhadap penyelewengan dan rasuah yang dilakukan Umno/BN. (Free Malaysia Today) - Satu gerakan rakyat yang dikenali sebagai Asalkan Bukan Umno/BN (ABU) akan dilancarkan secara besar-besaran pada 15 Disember ini di Markas Tarbiyah PAS,Taman Melewar,Gombak. Ia menggesa rakyat menyatakan rasa jijik dan meluat terhadap penyelewengan dan rasuah yang dilakukan Umno/BN. Pengerusi Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), Badrul Hisham Shaharin berkata, gerakan dibuat di seluruh negara ekoran kemusnahan sistem negara yang dilakukan oleh Umno. Beliau yang turut dikenali sebagai Chegu Bard berkata, gerakan di Sabah dan Sarawak akan dibuat secara senyap-senyap. "Sumber dalaman kami memberitahu bahawa kempen ini tidak boleh dibuat di Sabah dan Sarawak atas alasan keselamatan. "Sasaran adalah kemusnahan yang diciptakan Umno. Malaysia akan menjadi lebih bersiap sedia tanpa Umno. Malaysia lebih dinamik dan berdaya saing. Rakyat lebih berkaliber dan cerdik jika tidak diperbodohkan Umno. "ABU yang digerak dan dipacu oleh rakyat. Kami gambarkan ia gerakan rakyat," katanya dalam sidang media di Dewan Perhimpunan Cina Selangor/Kuala Lumpur hari ini. Kempen rakyat Chegu Bard menjelaskan bahawa kempen ini didokong sepenuhnya oleh rakyat tanpa penglibatan mana-mana parti politik. "Ia gerakan rakyat. Ini bukan urusan parti politik ,tapi hal rakyat yang dimunculkan oleh Umno. Ia bukan sekadar program tapi satu gerakan," jelas beliau. Sementara itu, Presiden Pergerakan Hak-hak Sivil Malaysia (MCLM) Haris Ibrahim pula berkata, ABU membawa kebenaran kepada rakyat agar mereka sedar apa yang dilakukan oleh Umno selama 40 tahun memerintah.
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| Musa: Haris denied entry ‘for security reasons’ Posted: 08 Dec 2011 03:20 PM PST Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers share the dubious honour of banning civil rights activists and embracing illegals and alleged illicit activities. (Free Malaysia Today) - Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman has refused to explain why his government barred human rights activist Haris Ibrahim from entering the state this week. Haris was, on arrival at the Kota Kinabalu airport on Wednesday, served with a Notice of Dismissal of Entry to Sabah by an immigration officer and immediately put on the next flight back to Kuala Lumpur. The letter dated Dec 7 was signed by one 'Syamilin" on behalf of the Sabah Immigration director Mohammad Matek. Musa and the state government have come under heavy criticism for barring Haris, who is a lawyer and president of the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM), whilst allowing thousands of illegal immigrants into the state. Yesterday Musa told reporters the decision to deny Haris entry into Sabah was because of 'security reasons". Declining to elaborate, Musa when pressed by the media, merely said: "the incident is related to security issues" and that the authorities "had strong reasons … that is all I want to say." According to Haris the reason given in the notice specified that it was in accordance with the Immigration Act 1959/63 that stipulated that the state authority has the power to bar him from entry, Haris said. All entry points monitored The Sabah government's ban on the outspoken lawyer mimics the action of the Sarawak government under Chief Minister Taib Mahmud which had also barred Haris from entering the state in September. They had flexed the same law. Meanwhile, Sabah Immigration Department director Mohammad Mentek revealed that apart from Haris, another Malaysian citizen was also barred from entering the state but declined to disclose his name. He said the department had received an order from the state government not to issue a visit pass to the man who is a member of an NGO in the country, according to local media reports. "So far only two persons have been barred from entering Sabah," he was quoted as saying. Apart from Haris, the second, whose identity Mohammad said he could not reveal, is from Kuala Lumpur "and is involved in spreading issues related to deviationist teachings". Mohammad said the department would monitor all entry points in Sabah to prevent that person's entry into the state.
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| DAP’s internal squabbles ‘poetic justice’ Posted: 08 Dec 2011 03:18 PM PST Everyone embroiled in the present dispute are 'paying back' for the empty promises they made to Kampung Buah Pala villagers in 2008, says residents association chief. (Free Malaysia Today) - The past is coming back to haunt Penang DAP Indian leaders here following the recent outburst between factions linked to its chairman Karpal Singh and Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, said Kampung Buah Pala residents association chairman M Sugumaran. "I believe God is punishing them and this is the consequence," Sugumaran said in response to the recent open-ended spat between Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer and Ramasamy. This is also followed by reports quoting local DAP veterans as saying that Ramasamy's alleged remark of "godfathers" in the party as uncalled for. Sugumaran, who continues to battle on for the village although it is no longer in existence and that 24 out of the 33 families affected were peacefully resettled, said everyone embroiled in the present dispute made alleged "empty"" promises to the villagers in 2008. "I'm not stirring up things for the sake of antagonising anyone or exploiting the faultline between Penang DAP Indian leaders. This is a perception from some sections of the Indian community in Penang, which is that DAP had failed the community. "It is not just the nine Buah Pala families who refused to take up the offer of relocation who feel this way about DAP, it is sections of the Indian community here, who felt that the controversy could have been handled in a better way," said Sugumaran. And it is not just on Buah Pala, it is a host of other issues which the community are aggrieved about, such as affordable housing and the lack of attention given to constituency issues, he added. Sugumaran said the facts of the Buah Pala issue remained unchanged despite that the traditional village, said to be over 100 years old, have long been demolished to make way for a condominum. In 2005, the villagers were battling against the Barisan Nasional-led state government over the eviction order issued to them and in 2008, the likes of Karpal, Rayer and Ramasamy made promises that the opposition would fight against the order. Subsequently, Sugumaran said the village supported DAP in the 2008 general election based on the promise but when the pressure was piled on by the developer, the state could not find a win-win solution. Even Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim made a similar promise when he visited the village, said Sugumaran. He insisted that he remains as the now-defunct Buah Pala village residents association chairman as it is a registered body. "We are still pursuing legal avenues as we have obtained documents from the National Archives Department to illustrate that the demolition of the the village may be illegal." 'DAP's Indian leaders inexperienced' Sugumaran said Penang DAP Indian leaders are ill-equipped to see to the needs of the community, and one example is how the Buah Pala issue dragged on for several months before it was demolished. "If you ask me, it is the question of experience. I think the Penang DAP Indian leaders are now quarelling among themselves because they are inexperience and they are beholden to the DAP top leadership. "If the issue of 33 villagers here cannot be resolved, how can the people expect DAP to govern the entire country?" asked Sugumaran.
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| No candidates, Kita beats a retreat Posted: 08 Dec 2011 12:11 PM PST Party insiders believe this predicament is the reason for Zaid's decision to field candidates for selected seats. (Free Malaysia Today) - Kita chief, Zaid Ibrahim, may have unwittingly offered a glimpse of more possible turmoil within his party with his latest decision on Kita's involvement in the upcoming general election. On Tuesday, Kita announced that it would refrain from fielding candidates if doing so meant jeopardising Pakatan Rakyat's chances of victory. Zaid said his decision to offer "unconditional" support to the opposition stemmed from the racist statements made by Umno leaders during the party's recent general assembly. Kedah state chief, Zamil Ibrahim, further clarified yesterday that Kita would steer clear of Pakatan strongholds like Permatang Pauh and Bagan, and would only field candidates for seats where Pakatan faced a 50-50 chance of winning. He also hinted that Zaid may not be running for the Petaling Jaya Selatan seat as previously reported but could be eyeing a seat in Kedah. "Kita will definitely be contesting because we have already launched our party manifesto," he told FMT. "And it is impossible for Zaid as party chief to not contest. It's just a matter of which seat he chooses." "As of now, I myself have identified six parliamentary and 12 states seats for Kita to contest in Kedah. All that is left is to select the right candidates from the list of hopefuls." And this is where Kita may be facing an excruciating predicament. According to a party insider, the list has since crumbled as almost all those on it have retracted their interest to be fielded as Kita candidates. Pandering to BN The insider said that Zaid's apology to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for misjudging his political will to abolish the Internal Security Act was the first of many moves that spooked potential candidates. Furthermore, Kita's supposed neutrality has come under a cloud with Zaid seen as cosying up to Najib and compounded by Kita's apparent pandering to Barisan Nasional (BN). All this was enough to convince them that they would lose their deposits if they contested. The insider speculated that Najib probably gave Zaid the cold shoulder and, left with a nearly dried up pool of candidates, the latter was forced to announce that Kita would only be contesting in selected seats. One candidate who will be contesting whether under the Kita banner or as an independent is Penang state chief and Nibong Tebal MP, Tan Tee Beng. "I have no fear contesting as an individual because Penangites are more familiar with me than they are with Kita," he told FMT. "Kita doesn't have a significant image in Penang." "Many people still confuse it with Parti Cinta. So maybe novice candidates would need Kita's image to support them but not me." "Whatever the party's decision I respect it, but as an incumbent and a politician I must also have my own back-up plan," he added. When asked about candidate selection in Penang, Tan's reply corroborated the party insider's earlier account of potential candidates withdrawing their names.
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| NGOs want Indian as Malacca CM Posted: 08 Dec 2011 11:51 AM PST A coalition of 36 Indian NGOs feel that the time has come for the country to show its appreciation for the contributions of the Indian community. (Free Malaysia Today) - A coalition of 36 Indian NGOs have urged both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat to consider appointing an Indian as chief minister of Malacca after the next general election. On its part, the People's Welfare and Rights Coalition (Power) president S Gobi Krishnan said the coalition would submit memorandums to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim stating their claim. "We find this request timely and most suitable as an appreciation to the Indian community in Malaysia," he said, adding that to date no states had been helmed by an Indian chief minister. He also said appointment of an Indian chief minister would also be a way for the two political parties to show their gratitude and fairness to the 1.8 million Indians in the country. Gobi pointed out that Malacca had a rich heritage and history related to Indians evident from the many Indian settlements in this state. "For example, the Sri Subramaniam Thuropathai Amman temple is one of the oldest in the country which dates back to about 200 years and the presence of the Indian Chitty sub-race," he added. Indians make up 10% out of the 788,706 population in the state. It has the highest concentration of Indians in terms of percentage compared to any other state in the country. He said the idea of appointing an Indian chief minister in Malacca is not new as it was mooted by former MIC president John Thivy in the 1950s. However, the request was not successful then, taking into account various considerations. "We believe the time is right for such an appointment now. We have gained independence for over 54 years, as such this is possible at this moment," said Gobi. As Malacca is part of the Straits Settlement in Malaysia, other than Penang, this appointment is in line with the state constitution and can be done legally, he argued. Recognising the Indians Meanwhile, the Human Rights Party (HRP) said the request by the NGOs has some merit especially with the prime minister's 1Malaysia slogan. Central executive committee member S Thiagarajan said that the proposal is a long standing one but "Umno is still deaf to the issue." According to him, in 1956 the Penang Tamil Representative Council proposed to the Reid Commission for election of a Resident Commissioner in Penang and Malacca respectively. The council then also proposed that the chief minister's post in these two states be on a rotational system between Malays, Chinese and Indians. "However, Umno has been reluctant to practise such a system," he added. "I can daringly say that the Indian community is a major contributor for the nation's development."
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| Groups protest against homosexual lifestyle Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:51 AM PST (New Straits Times) - Five non-governmental organisations from Bangsar here held a peaceful demonstration against homosexuality yesterday. The demonstration saw the participation of some 100 supporters, comprising members of Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM), Lembah Pantai 4B Youth Movement, Hindu Youth Organisation, Young Malaysians Movement, Federation of Peninsula Malay Students and parent-teacher associations from several schools in the area. |
| CM: We had reason to bar Haris Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:18 AM PST (The Star) - Sabah barred lawyer-activist Haris Ibrahim from the state for valid reasons, Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman said. "The authorities have valid reasons for not allowing him to enter Sabah," Musa told reporters yesterday after launching the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's open day for civil servants to eradicate corruption. However, Musa did not disclose the reasons for the persona non grata order against Haris who was put on a flight back to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday by Immigration officers. Haris, who is Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement president, had come to Sabah to carry out the movement's roadshow with local NGOs and political parties.
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| No need for expensive presents and fancy emcees, says Sultan Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:18 AM PST (The Star) - The Sultan of Selangor doesn't want anything lavish for any function he attends, and has asked organisers to stop giving him mementoes. Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah asked the state government and the public not to make any elaborate preparation to honour his presence which he said would be a waste of money. "There is no need to spend RM60,000 to engage a singer to entertain me, or hire a well-known emcee for the event. What purpose does that serve? I am fine with an emcee provided by the state information department," he said. He advised organisers to give him books instead, saying he could pass them on to the public library after he had read them.
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| Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:15 AM PST (The Star) - The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has pledged to carry out investigations into the corruption allegation involving French engineering firm Alstom without fear or favour. "This is in line with Section 29(4) of the MACC Act 2009," the commission said in a statement yesterday. The MACC said it was liaising with the relevant authorities, both locally and abroad, to conduct the investigation. However, the Commission declined to reveal details of the ongoing probe. Swiss authorities had last month ordered Alstom to pay 31 million euros (RM130mil) in fines for failing to stop bribery by some employees over contracts in Latvia, Malaysia and Tunisia. The Swiss Attorney-General's Office cited the company for "corporate negligence" but not criminal wrongdoing. Alstom Malaysia had said in a statement that investigations confirmed that there was no systematic bribery and that sufficient controls were in place. Swiss prosecutors recently removed from its website an unendorsed document linking two Malaysians to the Alstom scandal.
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| EU bank capital hole deepens to €115b Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:49 AM PST (Reuters) - Europe's banks must find €114.7 billion (RM482 billion) of extra capital, more than predicted two months ago, to make them strong enough to withstand the euro zone debt crisis and restore investor confidence. Europe's banking watchdog, confirming a Reuters exclusive earlier yesterday, said the capital shortfall across 71 banks was almost 8 per cent higher than the €106.4 billion estimated in October, telling banks in Germany, Italy, Austria and Belgium to find more cash. Banks will look to fill any shortfall through rights issues, shrinking loans to customers, selling assets or cutting dividends or pay for staff. National governments may have to bail out any lender unable to find the cash. German banks need to find €13.1 billion, more than double the €5.2 billion estimated in October, the European Banking Authority (EBA) said. Commerzbank needs €5.3 billion and Deutsche Bank needs €3.2 billion. Spanish banks need to find an unchanged €26.2 billion, including €15.3 billion at Santander and €6.3 billion at BBVA. The average core capital of EU banks, excluding those in Greece, was just over 9 per cent at the end of September, not far from the average for their top US peers. But Europe has been criticised for less effectively stress testing its banks than the United States did in 2009. That is mainly because European governments have not forced weaker banks to capitalise, lacking the power of the Federal Reserve, which immediately provided the funds to shore up US lenders to revive investor confidence. European governments now face the prospect of having to plough more money into lenders struggling to balance a weaker economic backdrop against tougher regulation. Germany's Commerzbank stood by its commitment to avoid taking more help from Berlin, which would tip it nearer to full nationalisation. "We stand by our intention not to make use of additional public funds," Eric Strutz, finance director, said in a statement. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he expected banks to meet their commitments by mid-2012. "In arranging the recapitalization everything possible is being done to avoid giving the wrong incentives to reduce business," he said. "In particular there are no grounds for trying to improve capital ratios by selling sovereign bonds." In all, some 31 of the 71 banks tested need extra capital. They have until January 20 to present their plans and need to fulfil the capital requirements by end-June, the EBA said. Several banks have taken action to improve capital since the end of September. The EBA's recapitalisation plan is part of a three-pronged approach that also deals with sovereign debt exposures and improving access to funding. The aim is to restore confidence without crimping lending in a fragile economy. The European Central Bank said yesterday it would start offering banks liquidity funding for 3 years for the first time ever, to try to head off a credit crunch. EU leaders are meeting yesterday night at a high-stakes summit aimed at agreeing a plan to defuse the crisis, with France and Germany pushing for rule changes to enforce stricter budget discipline in the bloc. The EBA said banks should have core Tier 1 capital of at least 9 per cent of risk-weighted assets, which exceeds the 7 per cent minimum world leaders have agreed to phase in from 2013. Europe's banks may need to tap shareholders for less than €30 billion to plug the hole, analysts have estimated. Greek banks have been told they need an extra €30 billion of capital, but this should be covered by an existing programme of aid, while €9 billion of the shortfall in Spain will be met by debt that converts into equity. BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, UniCredit, Commerzbank and other banks are reducing loans, an alternative to raising equity, which is costly at present due to depressed share prices. That has sparked fears of tighter credit hurting economic recovery. Europe's banks could "deleverage" by up to €3 trillion in the next two years, or by €4.5 trillion over the next 5-6 years, analysts at Morgan Stanley estimate. The EBA said it will limit deleveraging banks can do to meet targets, saying national regulators could exclude it from the calculation. Banks should first try to raise funds, retain earnings, reduce bonus payments and other liability management measures. Banks in France will need €7.3 billion, down from €8.8 billion in October and banks in Italy will need €15.4 billion up from €14.8 billion. Austrian banks need €3.9 billion up from €2.9 billion and Belgian banks need €6.3 billion up from €4.1 billion. British banks, as previously, do not need any extra capital.
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| Wall St falls on dashed euro zone hopes Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:46 AM PST (Reuters) - Wall Street fell yesterday after the European Central Bank dashed hopes that policy-makers were preparing a financial "bazooka" to contain the debt crisis, and Germany rejected some proposals to add power to the euro zone's bailout fund. US markets have been on edge all week in anticipation of a summit deal that would come to grips with the euro zone's growing debt crisis, and pave the way for greater action by the ECB to hold down bond yields. But actions from Europe — both early and late in the day — were a stark disappointment. Before the market's open, ECB President Mario Draghi discouraged expectations that the central bank would massively increase its purchases of government bonds after a crucial Brussels summit today. Shortly before the closing bell, Germany rejected some measures in draft conclusions from the summit, including giving the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) a banking license and issuing common euro-zone debt. US stocks and the euro fell sharply following the news. "It looks like it's (the opposition) coming from Germany. That just spells more trouble ahead in the days to come," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York. More than 44,500 S&P E-Mini futures contracts traded between 3.40pm and 3.45pm, when the Germany headline appeared. This was the busiest five minutes of the day, other than the last five minutes of trading, which typically has the highest volume. The S&P financial sector index was the biggest loser, falling 3.7 per cent. That followed sharp losses in European banks' shares as sources told Reuters the European Banking Authority (EBA) sees the capital shortfall at European banks at €114.7 billion (RM482 billion). Shares of Morgan Stanley (MS.N), a barometer of risk aversion due to its perceived exposure to Europe's crisis, fell 8.4 per cent to US$15.88. The latest developments from Europe overshadowed a cut in the bloc's interest rate to a record low one per cent and extra liquidity provisions for banks. The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 198.67 points, or 1.63 per cent, to end at 11,997.70. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 26.66 points, or 2.11 per cent, to 1,234.35. The Nasdaq Composite Index lost 52.83 points, or 1.99 per cent, to close at 2,596.38. The decline comes after three days of gains for US stocks when the S&P 500 tried and failed to stay above its 200-day moving average, which has been a key level for investors to watch this year, and one that could prove tough to break. But yesterday's pullback, concentrated in economically sensitive areas, was a far cry from the wild swings of recent months when uncertainty over Europe has dominated headlines. That is being seen as a sign of resilience by many investors who are hoping for seasonal strength into the end of the year. Yields on European sovereign debt spiked. Ten-year Italian government bond yields rose 44 basis points to 6.51 per cent — the day's high. German Bund futures hit a session high of 136.89, up 109 ticks on the day. Earlier, data showed US jobless claims fell more than expected in the latest week, a sign the labor market recovery was gaining momentum. Claims slid to a nine-month low. About 7.55 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Amex and Nasdaq, slightly below the daily average of 7.95 billion. Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq by a ratio of slightly more than 6 to 1.
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| Najib: Appreciate history of Umno's struggle Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:29 AM PST (Bernama) - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has urged the people to appreciate the history of Umno's struggle so that they would acknowledge its capability in helming the Barisan Nasional (BN) government. The prime minister said by looking back at history, the people would realise the immensity of Umno's struggle all these years. By appreciating history, the Malays would realise that they had no reason to forsake Umno, he said when opening Wisma Umno Langkawi in Kuah, here, today.
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| Don’t be scared by doomsday predictions Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:25 AM PST (Global Times) - The yuan has gone through seven days of consecutive depreciation, sending confusing signals around the world. The doomsday prediction for China's economy has resurfaced again. It appears that uncertainty has become a popular tune in evaluating the country's economic future. Yet the rules may be unfit and the results inaccurate when measuring China's large scale economic growth by Western concepts. The economic components in the West are much simpler, while business activity and implication here in China are more complicated.
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| KLCC threatens flashmob organisers with injunction Posted: 07 Dec 2011 07:34 PM PST The organisers however say they will urge their friends to wear yellow and shop for yellow items at the KLCC this Saturday afternoon. (Free Malaysia Today) - The organisers of a protest campaign against the Peaceful Assembly Bill have been forced to change their activity from holding a flashmob to shopping for yellow items this Saturday after a legal threat from the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) management today. The organisers of the Free to Assembly campaign were issued legal notice via Facebook today by lawyers representing the KLCC management, stating that they will be applying for a court injunction to stop the flashmob from taking place this Saturday. KLCC management – which runs the Suria KLCC shopping complex and the KLCC Park – is claiming that the two previous protest gatherings by the opponents of the Peaceful Assembly Bill have disrupted business operations of the tenants ot KLCC. The lawyers for the KLCC management added that it has come to their knowledge that another gathering is to be held this Saturday at the KLCC shopping centre and that this had raised concerns among the tenants. The lawyers urged the organisers – seven of whom they had named in their legal letter – to immediately revoke their invitations to others to participate in the gathering. They added that they have noted that so far 3,555 people have been invited through the Facebook and have urged the organisers to similarly uninvite these people from gathering. The lawyers said that if the organisers failed to do so in 24 hours, they will then take all necessary action, including filing an application for an injunction to restrain the organisers from proceeding with the gathering on Saturday. Organisers unmoved, to buy yellow items They also said that the attempt by the KLCC management was perhaps the first time in Malaysia, if not also the world, "where a flashmob is seen as a major threat that warrants a court injunction". "We reject completely the KLCC's accusation that our gatherings in the KLCC could have had "eroded and impeded the regular shoppers and visitors and members of the public to the premises and thereby disrupted the business operations of [the KLCC's] tenants". "None of the tenants operate in the KLCC Park. Rather than disrupting their businesses, our friends who attended have supported them by spending in the mall," they said in a statement today. The organisers said that they will not stop inviting their friends to gather public places, adding that they will not respond to the 24-hour notice by the KLCC.
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| Posted: 07 Dec 2011 07:32 PM PST A logging company wants the police to investigate Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob and Umno secretary Rahim Abas for alleged cheating. (Free Malaysia Today) - A police report has been lodged against two Pahang Umno leaders, including Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob, for allegedly cheating a logging company over the ownership of a plot of land in Pekan, Pahang. Seruan Gemilang Makmur Sdn Bhd (SGM) shareholder Lee Sin, who filed the report today, alleged that Adnan and Rahim Abas, the Pahang Umno secretary, committed a criminal offence when they previously claimed that the 10,000 acre land belonged to the party. Lee claimed that he had obtained several documents from Umno members during the party's recent annual assembly that proved that Adnan and Rahim had "lied" and cheated SGM. He said one of the documents, which was shown to the media, indicated that Umno had failed to pay premium for the plot of logging land. This, according to Lee, meant that Umno never owned property as the state land authority would have reclaimed it. The letter dated Dec 28, 2002 sent from the land office to the Pahang Umno office was the approval for a final time extension to pay up RM4.8 million in premium for the land. "We want the police to investigate and ascertain the rightful owner of the land and take action against the two leaders if it is found that they committed a crime," said Lee, adding that his personal investigations revealed that Pahang Umno never owned any land in the state. Did MB act on his own? Lee said it should also be investigated if Adnan, who is also Pahang Umno chairman, had acted on his own or received a resolution from the Umno board of trustees. "If he had acted on his own, wouldn't it be against the regulations of the Registrar of Societies for Pahang Umno to issue a court action against our company?" he asked.
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| PRM has not confirmed on creating Third Force with NGOs, says President Posted: 07 Dec 2011 03:59 PM PST (Malaysian Digest) - Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) President Dr Rohana Ariffin today said that the party has not confirmed any move to join forces with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to offer itself as the 'third force' for the next general election. Referring to a statement made by PRM's vice-president Koh Swe Yong in the Sun Daily yesterday, Dr Rohana said it was a statement made in his own capacity, and not a statement by PRM's central administration. "Not a statement made by the party... it's a statement made by Koh's own capacity."The authenticity of PRM comes from statements made by the party's three leaders – president, deputy president and the secretary-general," she said when contacted by Malaysian Digest today. She said, as far as the party is concerned, the decision to work with other groups is still in the process of discussion. She added that the same goes for the decision on the three parliamentary seats in Balik Pulau, Selayang and Petaling Jaya Selatan as to whether it is just a suggestion or an open negotiation because the party wishes to avoid three-cornered fights. "We are still in the process of negotiation and have not confirmed anything yet... We are still working it out," she said when asked to comment on the possibility of the party working together with NGOs and contesting in the three parliamentary seats. Nevertheless, Dr Rohana said other parties should not misconstrue the party's suggestion to contest in the general election. However, she said for now PRM is planning to reestablish the party again by reactivating the branches in few states of the country. "But for now our main focus is to rebuild the party by activating its branches in various states including Kedah, Penang, Pahang and Johor," she said. Yesterday, the Sun Daily reported a statement from Koh that PRM is planning to join forces with more than 10 NGOs to offer themselves as the third force in the next general election. However, according to a report in China Press on Dec 5, the third force's (parties not under Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat) candidates will be contesting under the PRM banner, and the party has identified three parliamentary seats in the Klang Valley to contest in.
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| Posted: 07 Dec 2011 03:52 PM PST Seen as a Chinese-based party, DAP is making slow but steady inroads into the Bumiputera community, according to party leaders. (Free Malaysia Today) - DAP appears to be gaining ground in seemingly uncharted territory: the Malays. Despite having been around since the mid-60s, the party has been perceived as a predominantly Chinese-based party, causing many Malays to shy away from it. This perception, however, according to DAP members, is changing, albeit slowly but surely. Party member Zairil Khir Johari said that the DAP was only recently able to tap into the Malay grassroots after the 2008 general election. "Before 2008, the Malay support for DAP was almost non-existent," he said, adding that the alternative political choice was usually the Islamic-based PAS. "If you joined the opposition, if you had problems with the government, the natural appeal would be PAS. They have (access to) the suraus and the mosques, which DAP does not have. "Umno would have its ketua kampung (village chief), while PAS has the religious (advantage), but if the DAP wanted to open a branch in a village, it would be so artificial," said Zairil, who is also DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng's political secretary. DAP's lack of a large Malay support base for the past 40 years, Zairil claimed, was partially because it was an "urban-based" party; it was more attractive to the city-living Chinese. The government's control of the mainstream media did not help the party either. According to Zairil, the Umno-linked Malay-based media groups such as Utusan Malaysia blacks out anything DAP-related, unless it was negative. These factors, according to Zairil, made sure that even urban Malays were kept unaware of the DAP's handiwork. However, the party's entry into the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, coupled with access to the alternative media, appears to have helped its position, Zairil claimed. He said that the party has been able to open a few Malay branches in Penang, with forays into Perlis as well. Though acknowledging that its Pakatan allies – PKR and PAS – were there to attract Malay voters, DAP president Karpal Singh said that the party needed to make its own effort in reaching out to the Malays. "PKR and PAS are there, but we shouldn't rely on them. We have to go ahead with our own Malay support. Recently, there have been some Malays who have joined us." "They're not shying away from the DAP… but they're not coming in at the extent that we'd want," he said. Karpal said that the DAP had seen some Malay representation over the years, such as through former Bayan Baru MP Ahmad Nor and current Senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim. Even so, he said these efforts into the Malay heartland were not enough.
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| Political branding just rhetoric Posted: 07 Dec 2011 03:49 PM PST Political observers believe that the rakyat are now able to see past political rhetoric and are demanding 'responsible' candidates. Stephanie Sta Maria, Free Malaysia Today An impending and critical 13th general election has spurred the country's two political coalitions to start branding of candidates. Barisan Nasional (BN) has hammered the word "winnable" over the heads of its future candidates with Umno president, Najib Tun Razak, defining them as those accepted by the new generation. Pakatan Rakyat, having recovered from a series of blows, has promised to field "principled" candidates whom PKR president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, described as those who hold true to the principle of struggle and are not tempted by wealth. But neither terminology has impressed political observers who unhesitatingly stripped both brandings down to their rhetorical basics . Associate Professor of the Political Science School in Singapore Management University, Bridget Welsh, called it nothing more than politicking as well as an indication of the different broad orientations of both coalitions. "One is driven to win at all costs and hold on to power while the other is trying to portray itself as the political high ground," she noted. "The focus of both sides should not be on terminology but on efforts to select and groom strong candidates." "Malaysian voters are sceptical of both sides and are less interested in the talk than they are in the evidence and delivery of strong viable candidates who can improve governance and represent people well." Political analyst, Khoo Kay Peng, said should such candidates be found and fielded, they would be better pitched as "responsible" or "effective" rather than "winnable" or "principled". "Politics is not about winning but serving," he said. "Right now, political parties are hard-pressed to come up with something new and convincing enough to garner solid public vote and support."
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| ‘Umno agent in PAS’ gets a drubbing Posted: 07 Dec 2011 03:45 PM PST A PAS-linked blogger launches a vitriolic attack on a veteran party leader following an article in Utusan Malaysia which praised the latter. (Free Malaysia Today) - A PAS-linked blogger did not mince his words when he labelled a veteran party leader as an Umno agent within Pakatan Rakyat. According to the blogger, who uses the monicker Tulang Besi, it is an open secret that Selangor exco for religious affairs Hasan Ali works for the other side. In a posting on his blog Malaysia Waves, Tulang Besi commented on an article in the Umno mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia which praised the PAS leader. Among others, the daily described Hasan as a fighter, who is not afraid of losing his position in order to safeguard Islam and Malay unity. "Since Umno's defeat in several states (in the last general election), when has Utusan praised any Pakatan leader?" asked Tulang Besi. "The praise heaped by Utusan (on Hasan) is akin to the devil commending someone for his religious devotion," he added. Continuing his attack on Hasan, the blogger pointed out that it is the PAS leader who lobbied the party president to join hands with Umno. "Hasan also spreads Umno's cheap propaganda amongst PAS members. He is a 'munafik' (hypocrite) of the highest order and may Allah punish him for this," he said. Tulang Besi also accused Hasan of attempting to sabotage Pakatan on numerous occasions and that his people were involved in the conspiracy to engineer the downfall of Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim.
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| Paranoid Musa afraid of being exposed Posted: 07 Dec 2011 11:05 AM PST Umno-led Sabah Barisan Nasional has come under attack for its 'stupid' act of denying civil activist Haris Ibrahim entry into Sabah. (Free Malaysia Today) - The Sabah Umno-led Barisan Nasional leadership came under heavy condemnation for barring civil activist-cum-lawyer Haris Ibrahim from entering Sabah but did nothing to stem the flow of hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants into the state. Political activist Daniel John Jambun, who was among those at the airport to receive Haris, was fuming that the state government had barred Haris instead of illegal immigrants and criminals from the state. "Why BN did not use this power to deny entry to those illegal immigrants? Haris came here to promote good governance and civil society." "He is a lawyer with the people's interest at heart." "(Chief Minister) Musa (Aman), please explain yourself," he demanded. Sabah lawyer Peter Marajin said the incident proved that the leadership in Sabah is 'paranoid and afraid of being exposed' and being examined by civil society movements like MCLM. "Umno is scared of its own shadow..," said Marajin who is also a supreme council member of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP). He said the the state government had clearly failed in its priorities when exercising its immigration powers. Haris, who is also the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) president, was denied entry into Sabah as soon as he landed from Kuala Lumpur at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport here at 3.15pm yesterday. Haris, who had been to the state recently to help stage the anti-Peaceful Assembly Bill protest here, was met by immigration officers at the airport and handed a letter that stated he was refused entry into the state on the instruction of Chief Minister Musa Aman who is in charge of all immigration matters in the state. Barring Haris is 'unacceptable "Let me tell Musa, the message that we wanted to send to the people here would reach them." "Though I am physically barred from entering Sabah, today's technology will do this for us," he said Civil activists in the state in unison censured the Umno-led coalition for denying entry to Haris.
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| Malaysian Civil Liberty’s Movement chief barred from entering Sabah Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:30 AM PST (Borneo Post) - Malaysian Civil Liberty's Movement (MCLM) chairman Harris Fadilah Mohd Ibrahim received an 'unwelcome' treatment from the state government upon his arrival at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) Terminal 2 here yesterday. Harris, a Malaysian blogger and believed to be a close friend of Malaysian blogger Raja Petra, was prevented from entering Sabah upon his arrival on AirAsia flight AK 5106 at 3.10pm at the KKIA Terminal 2. It was learnt that upon arrival, Harris was immediately taken to the airport Immigration office by an immigration officer and was served with a notice. Speaking to reporters through a handphone of one of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) members, Harris said the notice was addressed to him, dated December 7, on behalf of the Sabah Immigration director. "I have just been handed a notice of refusal of entry into the state of Sabah, dated today and address to me on behalf of the Immigration Sabah director. "The notice says that the reason that I have been barred is that pursuant to Section 65 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, the state authority has directed that no pass be issued to me to enter the state of Sabah as such part required under Section 66 for me to enter the state. "The reason for my refusal to enter Sabah today is because the state authority has directed that no pass be issued to me," he said through the handphone. According to Harris, the officer who spoke and handed the notice to him claimed that the instruction came from the Immigration Department and they do not know the reason why he was refused a pass to enter. "They also did not explain to me what the section is about, only that I have been refused to enter the state of Sabah," he added. In a disappointed voice, Harris asked why he, as a Malaysian was barred and prevented from entering another state in Malaysia? "Why a Malaysian cannot enter Malaysia?" "Why is the Sabah government afraid of? Why are they afraid of one person from Peninsular Malaysia that they have to refuse me from entering Sabah?" he asked. It was learnt that Harris was invited by SAPP members to exchange and learn about the struggle of MCLM. Harris also said that this was the first time he had been barred from entering Sabah and twice being barred from entering Sarawak, during the Sarawak state election. "The reason I flew into Sabah is to deliver a message to the people of Sabah and now we will show the Sabah government that with technology, we can deliver our message to the people without me being physically present," he said. Harris was then deported back to Kuala Lumpur on the next flight at 4.20pm the same day. Meanwhile, SAPP deputy president and Likas assemblyman Datuk Liew Teck Chan with about 15 SAPP members were earlier, at the KKIA Terminal 2 to great and welcome Harris. After learning that Harris was prevented from entering the state, SAPP members then staged a five-minute peaceful protest in front of the arrival hall at Terminal 2 before they dispersed peacefully. According to Liew, the party had invited Harris to gain more understanding of the MCLM's movement in regards to politics and economy. "He, Harris, has been in the United Kingdom for some time, so we want to learn from him as he is well knowledgeable," said Liew. |
| Pas and DAP not in sync over casino Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:17 AM PST (New Straits Times) - Inconsistent answers from Pas and DAP assemblymen on the fate of the casino in Genting Highlands drew flak from the backbenchers who claimed that the opposition was afraid to lose votes if they had a common stand on the issue. Pas assemblymen Syed Hamid Syed Mohamad (Kuala Semantan) and Syed Mohammed Tuan Lonnik (Beserah) said that the party could not tolerate gambling and would close the casino if the opposition took over the state. "Tell me which religion allows gambling? We (Pas) can never compromise on gambling and that is why we want to stop such activities (in Genting Highlands)," said Syed Hamid. However, Leong Ngah Ngah (DAP-Triang) said the matter should be discussed further while Choong Siew Onn (DAP-Tras) said any decision on the issue should only be made after the opposition won the state in the next general election. They were responding to a question raised by Datuk Chuah Boon Seong (BN-Mentakab) when debating on next year's budget in the state assembly yesterday. |
| Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:15 AM PST TUSSLE: Opposition coalition parties say their candidate would be best suited to win Johor Jaya constituency (New Straits Times) - A tussle seems to be brewing between Johor DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) on who should contest the Johor Jaya state seat in the next general election. State PKR chief Datuk Chua Jui Meng said that their candidate was more suitable because the seat was contested by Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) in the last general election. "Since PRM had merged into what is now PKR, that seat should be contested by us," said Chua while admitting that the relationship between PKR and DAP "could be much better". His statement is in contrast with what Johor DAP chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau said on Monday that they wanted to field more candidates in Johor, including in seats contested by PKR in 2008. This, Dr Boo, said included the Johor Jaya state seat which was supposedly allocated to PKR. He had said that Johor DAP would not give way to any other party within the coalition because in 2008, the PRM candidate was beaten with a huge majority of over 10,000 votes. In 2008, MCA's Tan Cher Puk defeated PRM's Md Nashir Wahab. Chinese voters make up 48 per cent of the voters there, the others being Malays (44 per cent), Indians (7.5 per cent) and others (0.5 per cent). Meanwhile, on the internal revolt faced by Dr Boo from a segment of DAP members in Johor, Chua said that PKR was concerned about it. Chua, who is also PKR supreme council member, expressed his hope that Dr Boo would manage to overcome his "difficulties". "I understand what he is going through but the problem is between Dr Boo and DAP and we (PKR) don't want to add to his burden. "I know he (Dr Boo) is currently under a lot of pressure and I hope he will manage to overcome it," said Chua when met at the Johor Baru Chinese Press Club on Tuesday night. On Sunday, about 20 members of the Bakri DAP division gathered at the car park of the Wetex shopping mall in Muar to protest against Dr Boo. They were carrying several banners accusing Dr Boo of being autocratic and wanted state DAP secretary Tan Chen Choon to become the party's candidate for the Bentayan state constituency in the coming general election. The seat is now held by DAP's Gwee Tiong Hiang but his membership was recently suspended for allegedly misusing party funds to buy a vehicle for his own company. The members also called on DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to interfere and take action against Dr Boo. Chua insisted that he would assist Dr Boo in his time of crisis and that PKR and DAP would always work together. "Sink or swim, we (PKR and DAP) must be together in the same boat." Chua said he had requested for all Johor PKR members to refrain from making statements on the current situation faced by Dr Boo and Johor DAP. He also stressed that all quarters within the loose alliance of DAP, PKR and Pas must abide by the agreement not to issue any statement on distribution of electoral seats for the coming general election. Meanwhile, DAP deputy election director Anthony Loke said DAP, Pas and PKR had set up a three-member panel to discuss seat allocations for the general election. The three are Cheras member of parliament, Tan Kok Wai; PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and Pas secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali. "Currently, discussions are ongoing I will not say anything more," said Loke. However, PKR vice-president Tian Chua said the party had already finalised the seat allocations before November as they had anticipated the 13th general election to be called at the end of this year. "All I can say is some new faces will be fielded," he said when contacted on Tuesday. Pas election director Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli said discussions were under way. "I do not want to reveal whatever has been discussed as it is an internal matter." On Monday, Bayan Baru member of parliament Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim had revealed that some independent members might not seek re-election in the next general election. He said the matter was discussed during a recent meeting of the independent caucus.
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| Include hudud in manifesto, PAS dared Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:03 AM PST (The Star) - MCA has continued with its call that PAS must include its intention to implement its own brand of hudud law in its manifesto for the next general election. The Islamic party must be fair to voters so they could be fully informed about their choices before making their decision, said MCA Young Professionals Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Chua Tee Yong. "Voters deserve the right to know what kind of Government they are voting in," he told reporters after launching the Malaysia Youth 4 Ecogreen Initiative here yesterday. He said PAS must also listen to its own member, PAS Supporters Congress chairman Hu Pang Chaw, who had emphasised that if the party wanted to implement hudud law, it must hold more forums and seminars to allow the public to better understand the issue. Chua also refuted PAS' claim that MCA did not invite the party to its public forum on hudud on Sunday. "MCA did send the invitation," he said. Kelantan MCA secretary Tan Ken Ten said both DAP and PKR could not stop the implementation of hudud in the state, as shown by the case of a coffeeshop owner who was fined by the Kota Baru Municipal Council when her employee unintentionally uncovered her arms while serving a customer. "This is not only unfair but also proves that the implementation of hudud law will affect non-Muslims," he said, adding that the reasons given by the enforcement officers were ridiculous because staff would have to fold up their sleeves when they work. "Previously, Pakatan Rakyat also declared that the implementation of hudud law was not possible. How are PAS and PKR going to explain this?" "They choose not to respond to these type of issues to keep their marriage of convenience alive," he said. Johor MCA vice-chairman Jason Teoh Sew Hock said DAP's absence at the hudud forum was mainly due to its ambiguous stand. "(DAP secretary-general) Lim (Guan Eng) and his colleagues chose to become political deserters as, apparently, they are unable to change PAS' intention to implement hudud law. "Probably his absence was because he was not brave enough to face the challenge given by MCA, which requested Pakatan Rakyat to list hudud law in their Buku Jingga or Orange Book," he said.
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| Civil servants to get up to 13% pay rise from Jan 1 Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST (The Star) - A new civil service remuneration scheme has been unveiled giving government employees a pay rise of 7% to 13% effective Jan 1. Public Service director-general Tan Sri Abu Bakar Abdullah said the increments for the civil servants would be based on four principles: hierarchy: talent and experience; their position and subject matter expertise; and their performance. He said the increments would be performance-based, which also means that if the top civil servants do not do enough to merit bonuses, there would be no pay rise for them either. The performance of the top-level civil servants will be evaluated through their Key Performance Indicators. Citing an example of how a top management officer would be paid, he said a doctor with a salary range of between RM4,431 and RM6,439 is now eligible for a salary of between RM4,520 and RM8,840. However, the doctor will not immediately move to the new maximum rate if he is currently earning RM6,439. He will instead earn a similar salary and continue to enjoy increments of up to RM8,840 (37% higher than the previous ceiling) even before he is promoted to the next grade. Giving an example for the lower category staff, he said: "If a driver earns between RM1,222.51 and RM1,882 under the current scheme, he can earn between RM1,245 and RM2,965 under the new scheme."
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