Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Opposition rapped for rejecting Act
- Many vying for DCM II post
- ‘Perkasa has no right to demand action’
- Analysts: Free Anwar Campaign 901 opposition ploy to dupe public
- Special police team to probe dumping of pig heads at mosque
- Ambiga is FMT’s newsmaker of the year
- Ambiga: I’m flattered and humbled
- ‘Datuk fixit’ charged with cheating NFC boss
- Ringgit set for first annual decline
- Anwar plans 'innocence' tour as trial verdict nears
- Harakah hits back at Hasan Ali
- Ministry calls up editor on use of word Allah
- Eleven NGOs Lodge Police Reports On Free Anwar Campaign
- Ibrahim Ali sees plot to disrupt Sodomy II verdict
- Perkasa: Rev Eu’s Article 153 remarks ‘politically motivated’
- Ex-judge Arifin Jaka dies
- Despite claims, Zaid says not rejoining PKR
- The end may be near for Rama
- Ramasamy sends notice to Star
- PAS leaders: Apologies won’t save Hasan
- Hasan denies report
- Umno scared of undergrads, says Anwar
- DAP Perak’s Nga Kor Ming gets bullet in mail
- Anwar to tour M’sia ahead of sodomy verdict
- UBF ‘agrees’ to back ABU
- Ex-CID Chief urges police to zero In on Jamil Khir for ‘zakat abuse’
- No gag order, but no fodder for BN media
- MCA: Gag order reveals hypocrisy
- ‘Najib did not challenge my forecast’
- Chegubard: Enemies within PKR behind fake Twitter account
- ‘PKR will collapse under Azmin’
- DPM orders internal probe into aide
- DAP courts Umno veterans to blunt anti-Malay attacks
- Kit Siang has his hands full
- Ramasamy wants The Star to retract report
- Kong not aware of rail contract award
- Don’t debate Article 153, warns Muhyiddin
- Pakatan MPs claim Umno, Perkasa twisting Article 153
- No need for Race Relations Act if people behave, says Ibrahim Ali
- Perkasa: Charge people like Rev Eu with sedition
| Opposition rapped for rejecting Act Posted: 30 Dec 2011 11:59 AM PST (The Star) - The Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) has chided the Opposition for rejecting the proposed Race Relations Bill due to their failure to understand the necessity for it. BNBBC vice-chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the Opposition had failed to understand the intent behind the proposed Act and have misconstrued it because of its name. "The proposed law is more than just regulating race relations as its intention is to prevent discrimination based on race. "The law is drafted based on the United Kingdom's Race Relation Act 1976 to ensure that a person will not be discriminated in the employment sector as well as when purchasing goods," he said yesterday. It was reported that Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had announced that the Government was expected to table the Bill in the next parliament session in March. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S.K. Devamany noted that other countries also had similar legislation and said it would act as a guideline to prevent race-based discrimination. "We must understand that Malaysia is a multiracial country and we want to preserve unity. We do not want issues such as the Kampung Jawa temple demolition matter or the Interlok novel controversy to divide us even more," he said. Pakatan Rakyat MPs have rejected the proposed law, claiming there were adequate laws and policies to deal with racial discrimination and inequality. PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said it was unnecessary for the Government to table another Bill to regulate race relations and foster mutual understanding among the races. "Currently, we have the Sedition Act and the Penal Code which deals specifically with people who play up and create racial and religious tension. The current laws just need to be implemented properly," he said PKR vice-president Tian Chua said the Government should not rush into tabling such an important Act and should consult all relevant parties to ensure it was smoothly implemented.
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| Posted: 30 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST Several DAP leaders, even those outside of Penang, are said to be interested in the coveted post. (Free Malaysia Today) - Many DAP politicians are aspiring to take over the coveted post of Penang deputy chief minister II. The seat is currently held by the party's deputy secretary-general P Ramasamy, who is also the MP for Batu Kawan and Prai state assemblyman. Commenting about Ramasamy, who is now in the limelight due to a public spat with party national chairman Karpal Singh, who has openly asked the former to quit, a source said the academic is an inexperienced politician. "He failed to touch base and connect with the grassroots members and treated everyone as new members," the source told FMT. There are talks that Bukit Mertajam MP, Chong Eng, would contest a state seat in the next general election and assume the deputy chief minister post. "She considers herself half-Indian by virtue of having an Indian husband," said the source. It is also rumoured that Karpal's son and Datuk Keramat state rep Jagdeep Singh Deo is eyeing the post as well, but according to the source, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng does not favour this. Those aligned to Ramasamy said that Jagdeep should have accepted an exco post if he was interested. "This was not the case. Indians were allocated two exco posts. Ramasamy accepted one. "Jagdeep, (Bagan Dalam state rep) A Thanasekaran and (Seri Delima rep) RSN Rayer declined the offer," said one supporter.
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| ‘Perkasa has no right to demand action’ Posted: 30 Dec 2011 08:13 AM PST (The Star) - MCA said Malay rights group Perkasa has no right to demand a probe on Christian leader Dr Eu Hong Seng over his remarks on Article 153 of the Federal Constitution. MCA Young Professionals Bureau chairman Datuk Chua Tee Yong slammed the pressure group for accusing the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) chairman of making seditious remarks in his Christmas Eve message. The reverend caused a stir when he said Article 153 was like "bullying" the non-bumiputra groups in the country. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had reacted to the comments by refuting the suggestion that the constitutional provision had been used to bully any community. Eu's remarks sparked a furious response from Perkasa, with its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali accusing the pastor of making a politically-motivated statement. Perkasa has since lodged a police report against Eu and slammed non-Muslim political leaders for not taking action against the reverend. Chua said all Malaysians, including Perkasa members, are entitled to freedom of speech so long as they do not violate any laws or damage racial harmony. "This, however, does not give Perkasa the right to go overboard and demand that the police investigate Eu under the Sedition Act," he said in a statement here.
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| Analysts: Free Anwar Campaign 901 opposition ploy to dupe public Posted: 30 Dec 2011 07:24 AM PST (Bernama) - The Free Anwar Campaign 901, planned by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth, is seen as merely championing the interests of opposition chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The campaign, to be held simultaneously with the judgement on Anwar's sodomy case on Jan 9, is seen as a platform to convince the people that everything is a conspiracy to topple Anwar.
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| Special police team to probe dumping of pig heads at mosque Posted: 30 Dec 2011 12:16 AM PST (Bernama) - A special team has been set up by Johor police to investigate the dumping of several severed pig heads in plastic bags near the Al-Falah Mosque in Taman Desa Jaya here. State police chief Datuk Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the pig heads were found by the mosque's congregation early Friday when they turned up for the dawn prayers. "The team, which is headed by Johor deputy police chief Datuk Ismail Yatim, will seek the culprits until they are found," he said. Mokhtar, who visited the scene of the incident, urged all parties to be patient, refrain from speculating about the incident and not to take the law into their own hands. The mosque's committee chairman, Kassim Darim, 62, said residents in the area initially found a plastic bag believed to contain pig parts near the rear fence of the mosque at 5pm Thursday. He said it was the first time such an incident had occurred in the area. A police report was lodged at the Desa Cemerlang Police Station, he said. Meanwhile, about 100 people, including from non-government organisations, held a peaceful gathering in front of the mosque to protest against the act.
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| Ambiga is FMT’s newsmaker of the year Posted: 30 Dec 2011 12:11 AM PST Surprisingly 'people-savvy' Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak came in seventh after his wife Rosmah Mansor. (Free Malaysia Today) - Bersih 2.0 hero S Ambiga was named FMT's top newsmaker of the year after some 57% of its readers voted for her, drubbing more prominent figures like Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. This comes as no surprise, given the amount of headlines Ambiga, a former president of the Malaysian Bar Council, had accumulated throughout the year. The year 2011 showered on Ambiga both positive and negative coverage, much of it due to her involvement in several rocking controversial events. What does come as a surprise is that Shahrizat Abdul Jalil was next in line despite barely making the headlines, at least up until the RM250-million National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal broke out last month. The Women's Affair, Family and Community Development Minister is now facing growing calls to quit her post from her own Umno party members who view her as a liability. The "attention" given to Shahrizat, who is Wanita Umno chief, by FMT readers perhaps reflects the weight of the scandal and the potential damage it may do to the ruling coalition in the upcoming national polls.
Shahrizat received 534 votes or a 9% rating next to Ambiga, similar to the percentage received by Anwar who came in third in the chart after gaining five votes lesser. Meanwhile, Najib was two points behind his wife Rosmah Mansor. Rosmah came in fourth with 416 votes or a 7% rating. Rosmah, who is known for her love of luxury goods, made several headlines for allegedly owning "blings" or diamond ring and a bangle worth more than RM70 million. She has, however, denied these allegations.
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| Ambiga: I’m flattered and humbled Posted: 30 Dec 2011 12:09 AM PST FMT's newsmaker of the year also pays tribute to those on her personal list of heroes for 2011. (Free Malaysia Today) - Mainstream and alternative media were fed an almost daily diet of Bersih 2.0 updates in the weeks preceding July 9, 2011. On the earmarked day, downtown Kuala Lumpur was swallowed up by tens of thousands of Malaysians marching for a cause they believed in and the kind of future they wanted to bequeath the next generation. It is almost impossible to have been the driving force behind such power and not be handpicked as the newsmaker of the year. Yet Bersih 2.0 chairperson, S Ambiga, was genuinely taken aback when she learnt that she had topped FMT's Newsmaker for 2011 poll with 3,284 or 57% of the votes. "On the one hand I am very flattered and humbled," she told FMT. "On the other, I hope it is for the 'right' reasons that I made the news!" "I'm not sure if I'm thrilled to be in the company of some of the nominees but I'm delighted to be in the company of others." Bersih 2.0 wasn't Ambiga's first courtship with controversy. Her involvement, as the Bar chairman, to strongly support Lina Joy in the apostasy case and the March For Justice won her as many adversaries as they did allies. But amid the hate mails, death threats and Molotov cocktails, she refused to abandon Bersih 2.0. "I'd like to think that I was chosen (as FMT's Newsmaker for 2011) because of what Bersih 2.0 stood for and meant to Malaysians," she said. "The credit belongs to the people for their tremendous support in making it the success that it was."
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| ‘Datuk fixit’ charged with cheating NFC boss Posted: 29 Dec 2011 04:20 PM PST Shamsulbahrin Ismail is accused of cheating the NFC chairman of RM1.7 million. The 45-year-old businessman has claimed trial. (Free Malaysia Today) - A businessman has been charged in the Sessions Court here with cheating National Feedlot Corportation (NFC) chairman Mohamad Salleh Ismail of more than RM1.7million over the failed promise to provide "negotiation and consultation service". Shamsulbahrin Ismail, 45, dressed in a dark blazer, purple shirt and light blue jeans, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to two separate charges, both under Section 420 of the Penal Code. The first charge read that Shamsulbahrin, CEO of Shamsubahrin Ismail Resources Sdn Bhd, had cheated Mohamad Salleh by promising the NFC chairman his consultation and negotiation services, with the knowledge that the offer was false and intended to cheat him by inducing him to part with a service fee. This incident allegedly occurred at 6pm on Nov 20 at a restaurant in Bukit Tunku here. The second charge was that Shamsulbahrin had, between Nov 25 till Dec 6, received cheques amounting to RM1.755 million from Mohamad Salleh at Solaris in Mont Kiara. For the offence of cheating, Shamsulbahrin could face between one to 10 years jail, with whipping and can also be fined. It was reported last week that a 'Datuk fixit' was arrested by the police and handed over to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly attempting to bribe several senior investigators to "settle" the case over the NFC.
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| Ringgit set for first annual decline Posted: 29 Dec 2011 01:43 PM PST (Bloomberg) - Malaysia's ringgit was poised for its first annual decline in three years on concern growth in Southeast Asia's third-biggest economy is slowing. Gross domestic product will rise 5 percent to 5.5 percent this year, compared with an earlier estimate of 5 percent to 6 percent, the government said on Oct. 7. "There is going to be a risk" to Malaysia's economic growth should Europe's credit crisis worsen, central bank Governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz said on Nov. 15. | |
| Anwar plans 'innocence' tour as trial verdict nears Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:30 AM PST (Sydney Morning Herald) - THE Malaysian opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, is planning a whirlwind tour of his country next week before the verdict in his controversial trial on a sodomy charge. The outcome of the trial, which has captivated Malaysia, will help shape the future of the majority-Muslim country of 28 million people as it struggles to break away from a system of race- and religion-based politics. Mr Anwar, 64, a father of six, who was once heir-apparent to the former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, says while he is ''optimistic'' of walking free on the charge of having consensual sex with a 23-year-old male aide in 2008, he is a ''political realist'' and ''ready to accept the worst''. Under a British colonial-era law criminalising consensual sexual acts between people of the same sex, Anwar faces up to 20 years' jail if found guilty when the Kuala Lumpur High Court announces the verdict on January 9. Human rights groups have called for the charge to be dropped and the law revoked. ''The Malaysian government uses its outdated sodomy law to slander political opponents and critics,'' the deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, Phil Robertson, said. ''Whether or not Anwar Ibrahim engaged in consensual 'sodomy' is irrelevant … it's time to reject this law and end the farcical theatre that promotes discrimination based on sexual orientation and destroys people's lives,'' Mr Robertson said. Malaysia's Prime Minister, Najib Razak, has moved to open the country's political system before elections next year, including a promise to scrap the harsh Internal Security Act. The accusations against Mr Anwar emerged shortly after he had led the opposition to unprecedented gains in parliamentary polls against the ruling coalition that has governed the country for five decades. ''These are trumped-up charges,'' Mr Anwar told journalists. ''It is another coincidence that the verdict comes so close to elections. ''The aim is to deny me the chance to participate in the elections. A lot of people pray that I should be acquitted.'' Anwar said that during the tour, beginning on Tuesday, he will reiterate his innocence. During the marathon trial, which began in February last year, Mr Anwar delivered a long courtroom tirade accusing the trial judge and government of conspiring to send him ''into political oblivion''. ''It is a vile and desperate attempt at character assassination,'' he told the court. ''They can do all they want to assassinate and sully my character and threaten me with another 20 years in jail, but, mark my words, they won't be able to cow me into submission.'' Quoting the Koran and Shakespeare during a one-hour courtroom speech, Mr Anwar accused the trial judge, Mohamad Zabidin Diah, of demonstrating a ''complete lack of impartiality''. Mr Anwar's lawyers called a series of expert witnesses who raised doubts about the credibility of forensic evidence presented by prosecutors. An Australian forensic expert, Brian McDonald, told the court that DNA testing and labelling was not up to international standards and was riddled with errors. This is the second time Mr Anwar has been embroiled in a sex trial. He lost his post as deputy prime minister in 1998 after being charged with sodomising his family's former driver and abusing his powers to cover up his actions - both of which he denied. Two years later he was found guilty and sentenced to nine years' jail. The conviction was overturned in 2004. While in jail Mr Anwar suffered severe facial injuries from a beating by a senior police officer. His lawyers claimed rights violations against him including lack of access to legal counsel and witness harassment. Anwar's aide Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan initially filed a complaint that Mr Anwar had forcibly sodomised him. Police charged Mr Anwar with having consensual sex after it was determined his bad back would have made him incapable of forcing himself on Mr Azlan, who has not been charged. | |
| Harakah hits back at Hasan Ali Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:03 AM PST (The Star) - PAS organ Harakahdaily has hit back at embattled party leader Datuk Dr Hasan Ali for accusing it of twisting facts when claiming he had apologised to spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat in a recent closed-door meeting. The publication ran a piece online Thursday carrying a transcript of its interview with Nik Aziz, highlighting excerpts to back an earlier article quoting the Kelantan Mentri Besar as saying that Hasan had apologised to him at the Tuesday night meeting. Written in Malay and backed by a video clip, the contentious line read: Datuk Hassan Ali menarik balik kenyataan-kenyataan dia yang sensitif. Ini tanda kelelakian dia, anak jantan. Kita buat salah, bila kita sedar buat salah, tarik balik, minta maaf. Ini ajaran agama. Bukan senang manusia buat salah nak tarik balik, bukan senang. Tiba-tiba dia ni tarik balik. (Datuk Hasan Ali retracted his statements that were sensitive. This is a sign of his manliness, a real man. We make mistakes, and when we realise we make mistakes, we take it back, apologise. This is what religion teaches. It is not easy for people who do wrong to take it back, not easy. Suddenly he took it back.) Late Wednesday, Hasan issued a statement denying that he had apologised to Nik Aziz at their meeting in Kota Baru, saying he retracted his comments on the party's welfare state policy and apologised to party leaders during a press conference at his residence on Dec 24. He said he was disappointed with Harakahdaily for claiming such, adding that he had reminded them "many times" not to twist facts which could create confusion and disunity. Hasan's spat with the party organ is the latest to hit the former Selangor Pas commissioner, who has been at loggerheads with party colleagues over the past several weeks for criticising their leadership. Both he and former deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa also got in trouble for pushing for a revival of unity talks with arch-rival Umno.
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| Ministry calls up editor on use of word Allah Posted: 28 Dec 2011 09:49 PM PST (Daily Express) - The Home Ministry called up the Chief Editor of Nanyang Siangpau concerning the use of the word "Allah" in an article published by the Daily. Deputy Secretary-General (Security) of the ministry Datuk Abdul Rahim Mohd Radzi said the article carried the word "Allah" in the form of a logo in the article entitled "Hudud Law Becomes Controversial Issue" on page A8 on Dec 27, 2011 and the article "Hudud Law Raises Concern for Non-Muslims" on page A8 on Dec. 28, 2011. "The showing of the word is clearly against Section 7 (1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 which can appal the people and jeopardise public peace," he said in a statement. He said the Ministry also issued a show-cause letter to Nanyang Siangpau following the publication of the word which could cause tension and confuse the Malaysian public. "KDN (Home Ministry) will take stern action on any press which commits this offence in future based on the provision in the Act," he said.
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| Eleven NGOs Lodge Police Reports On Free Anwar Campaign Posted: 28 Dec 2011 09:30 PM PST (Bernama) -- Eleven non- governmental organisations (NGOs) in Pahang today lodged police reports on the move by the opposition parties to hold a campaign and stage a "Free Anwar" gathering on Jan 9. A spokesman for the NGOs, Ngah Ismail who is also the secretary of the Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islamiah dan Dakwah (PEKIDA) Kuantan district, said the reports were made to protest against and prevent the "Free Anwar" campaign which was described as a provocation on the court case involving Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
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| Ibrahim Ali sees plot to disrupt Sodomy II verdict Posted: 28 Dec 2011 05:54 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Ibrahim Ali alleged today of an attempt to organise a mass gathering on January 9 to disrupt the High Court here from delivering a verdict in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial, and warned the assembly could cause chaos and unrest. The Perkasa president claimed to have received text messages and obtained leaflets of plans for a big gathering in front of the High Court next month, and urged the police to investigate the matter immediately. "I believe there is an attempt by a group to spread leaflets to have a gathering at the High Court on January 9 to disrupt the trial process of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy case. "To me, the move is clearly in contempt of court, disrespectful of the law and constitution, and can cause public unrest and endanger the safety of the people," he told reporters here. According to the Malay rights leader, the leaflets contained messages like "Free Anwar 901", "Lawan tetap lawan" and "Rakyat Hakim Negara." Predicting Anwar's supporters would trigger chaos on the day, Ibrahim said "the police need to investigate the matter to ensure the safety of the people and the country is guaranteed." "Probe who is behind this plan for a gathering and take strict action against them. Don't let them take the law into their own hands."
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| Perkasa: Rev Eu’s Article 153 remarks ‘politically motivated’ Posted: 28 Dec 2011 05:53 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Malay rights group Perkasa today accused a senior Christian leader of creating intercommunal friction with his remarks on the constitutional protection for Bumiputeras, claiming the speech was politically motivated. Calling it "provocative", Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali claimed of a link between Reverend Dr Eu Hong Seng's controversial Christmas Eve remarks and an impending general election. "I believe Dr Eu's statement is politically motivated in light of word of elections being around the corner. There is a political motive here to confuse the people into thinking that the government has not been fair to other races. "That is Dr Eu's motive. Article 153 cannot be questioned... there is a political motive (to) erode Malay rights," Ibrahim told reporters here. The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) chairman had said on Christmas Eve that the Federal Constitution's Article 153 was akin to "bullying" if it only protected the rights of one group. Article 153 states that it is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's responsibility "to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article". In his speech, Eu had stressed that he did not have problems with rights of the Malays and the Sultans but "what irks many of us are the 'shifting rights'" of the majority. His remarks prompted demands from Perkasa chief Ibrahim for Eu and others like him to be probed by the police. Ibrahim along with Perkasa deputy president Datuk Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar and 30-odd Perkasa members lodged a police report against Eu based on an article by The Malaysian Insider and several other publications. The Pasir Mas MP said Eu's remarks should be viewed by the police seriously, as it was said at a gathering that included non-Malay Barisan Nasional political parties like MCA and Gerakan as well as opposition parties DAP and PKR. Abdul Rahman pointed out that Article 153 protected not only the rights of Malay, but also Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak, many of whom are Christian. He said Eu's statement was seditious, and urged the police to charge the Christian leader under the Sedition Act.
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| Posted: 28 Dec 2011 05:52 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Former Court of Appeal judge Tan Sri Arifin Jaka died earlier this morning at the Serdang Hospital here, English daily The Star reported. He was 78. The cause of his death is as yet unknown.
Arifin (picture) shot into the limelight as the trial judge in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's first sodomy indictment in 1999 against the former deputy prime minister's family driver, Azizan Abu Bakar. Born in 1933 in Rembau, Negri Sembilan, Arifin was one of six children in a family of rice farmers. He won a scholarship to read law in London and, upon his return in 1970, entered into the judicial and legal services. He set up his private law firm in 1976 and dabbled in politics for a while before quitting it after losing in the 1978 general election for the Terentang state seat against Umno's Yazid Baba. He became a judicial commissioner in 1992 and was appointed to the High Court two years later.
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| Despite claims, Zaid says not rejoining PKR Posted: 28 Dec 2011 05:50 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today denied rumours that he would be rejoining PKR, saying that allegations of discussions between him and Nurul Izzah Anwar on the matter were untrue. The KITA president was responding to the contents of a letter being circulated on blogs, which alleged he had met the PKR vice-president to discuss his return to the Pakatan Rakyat leadership. "I do not know anything about these allegations. Since leaving PKR, I have not been in touch with either Nurul (Izzah Anwar), (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim) or Kak Wan (Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail).
"So do not connect me to this; they have to settle their own problems," Zaid (picture) said today. The letter circulated online claimed that Nurul Izzah had offered Zaid to contest the Petaling Jaya Selatan seat in the next general election. The seat is now held by PKR's Hee Loy Sian. Online portals and blogs, including Malaysia Today, have claimed the letter was written by Nurul Izzah's political enemies within PKR, following speculation that she would become PR's future candidate for prime minister. Zaid was once in the running for PKR's deputy presidency against Azmin Ali and Mustapha Kamil Ayub before he pulled out and quit the party last year.
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| Posted: 28 Dec 2011 05:42 PM PST DAP grassroots demand that he sue Makkal Osai besides The Star. (Free Malaysia Today) - Beleaguered Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy has failed to impress his critics in his attempt to clear his name by threatening to sue The Star over a controversial news report. The critics—mostly DAP grassroots leaders—want him to disprove allegations of violating the party's code of conduct by suing Makkal Osai as well. They are giving him 48 hours to do so, failing which they will lodge a police report against the Tamil daily for criminal defamation. They also want Ramasamy to heed DAP chairman Karpal Singh's call to quit his position as second deputy chief minister. The grassroots group first called for legal action against Makkal Osai last week. They blame a Nov 28 article in the daily for the current public spat between Karpal and Ramasamy. The paper appeared to have retracted the article in a "clarification" it carried on Dec 14. It said Ramasamy did not issue the press statement that claimed he had selected three DAP candidates for the coming election. "If it was not Ramasamy, who was it?" said a grassroots leader. "The party should get to the bottom of this." The Star, in its Dec 23 article, quoted Ramasamy as saying that there was a plot to oust him because he turned down requests for projects and favours from the party grassroots. The report prompted Karpal's call for his resignation. Ramasamy has since accused The Star of publishing a "baseless and frivolous" report. Whispering campaign Even if Ramasamy manages to clear his name, the DAP grassroots are in no mood to allow him to remain in Penang. They have started a whispering campaign to send him back to his hometown of Sitiawan and contest a seat in Perak. Some have suggested that he be fielded against a top Indian leader from Barisan Nasional.
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| Posted: 28 Dec 2011 05:38 PM PST The deputy chief minister wants the English daily and its journalist to apologise within seven days, failing which, he will sue. (Free Malaysia Today) - Embattled Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy has demanded an apology from English daily the Star and its journalist Ian McIntyre within the next seven days over an allegedly defamatory article published on Dec 23. Failing which, Ramasamy warned in his notice of demand dated Dec 28 that he would sue both for defamation. The DAP MP for Batu Kawan also demanded an undertaking from the national daily and journalist that the impugned statements "shall not be printed, published and circulated in future." Ramasamy also demanded that an appropriate sum be paid and/or offered as damages for the defamatory article. In the said article, the Star quoted Ramasamy as saying that there was a plot to oust him because he turned down requests for projects and favours from the party grassroots. The report prompted party supremo Karpal Singh to call for Ramasamy's resignation from the Pakatan Rakyat state government. But Ramasamy has since accused the Star of publishing a baseless and frivolous report. The notice of demand was sent to the Star head office in Petaling Jaya and the Penang-based journalist via AR Registered post by Ramasamy's legal representative – A Sivanesan and Co. 'Defamatory caption' The notice also mentioned that the caption referred in the article entitled "Distress in DAP Continues" were defamatory to Ramasamy. The notice claimed that the words referred bore and were understood to bear that DAP leaders were corrupt and abusing their power and office, and those impugned statements gave rise to adverse effects. The notice said the article caused serious damage to Ramasamy's reputation. It insisted that the defamatory words on Ramasamy were baseless, unfounded, frivolous and tainted with falsehoods.
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| PAS leaders: Apologies won’t save Hasan Posted: 28 Dec 2011 09:41 AM PST While Nik Aziz has accepted Hasan's apology, many in PAS feel the time is ripe to drop Hasan fro contesting in the next polls. (Free Malaysia Today) - Party officials say they are sceptical that Hasan Ali's apologies to PAS's top leadership will remove the clouds over his bleak future, with some saying the scars are too deep to heal. According to party's online mouthpiece Harakah Daily, embattled Hasan had met president Abdul Hadi Awang, PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat and his deputy Haron Din in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, last night in what appeared to be a reconciliation meeting. However former party deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, who like Hasan, has his future hanging by the thread after openly attacking the party and accusing it of deviating from its Islamic agenda was not present at the meeting. The two are also advocating unity with archrivals, Umno, in the name of Islam and Malay brotherhood, something many in PAS consider as blasphemous and impossible. The Harakah report said Hasan had apologised for his outburst and that the influential Nik Aziz had accepted his apology. "I am thankful (to God) that Hasan has shown humility in apologising and withdrawing negative statements made against the party. "It is not easy for someone to admit to a mistake and apologise, thus his actions has touched me. I hope others who have such problems to be open like Hasan," Nik Aziz was quoted as saying. But party sources said the reconciliatory tone of the meeting will not undo the damage done by Hasan. They suggest that this will likely lead to him being dropped from contesting in the upcoming national polls as he would be viewed as a liability to the party. "The scar is too deep. What Hasan does not realise is he may have charmed his way with the party's top leadership and they (leaders) may have accepted it but not the party grassroots," a party source told FMT.
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| Posted: 28 Dec 2011 09:37 AM PST (The Star) - PAS rebel Datuk Dr Hasan Ali has denied that he was in Kota Baru to apologise to PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat over his remarks against the party hours after the Harakahdaily claimed he had done so. Former Selangor PAS Commissioner Hasan pointed out that he had already retracted his comments regarding the welfare state issue during a press conference at his residence on Dec 24 and had apologised to the party leaders at the same time. In a statement last night, he said he was disappointed with Harakahdaily which had been reminded many times not to twist facts which could create confusion and disunity. He clarified that he had been invited to attend a gathering involving former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa along with PAS deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din and Nik Aziz at the Mentri Besar's home at JKR 10 Kota Baru. "The gathering went smoothly and it was pleasant and sincere. "Among the things touched upon during the gathering were the party's direction, preparation for the 13th general election and Harakah's path as the party's official voice," said Hasan. He pointed out that they had given their views on how to strengthen the party's development and the rakyat's support. Hasan also stated that he was moved by the recognition shown by the leadership in his mission to elevate Islam in the country. Harakahdaily had quoted Nik Aziz as saying that Hasan had withdrawn all his statements criticising the party after a meeting with the party's top leaders in Kota Baru on Tuesday night. Both Hasan and Nasharudin have been embroiled in a war of words with party colleagues for questioning the party's direction under the new crop of non-ulama leaders. Hasan also drew flak for pushing for a revival of unity talks between PAS and arch-rival Umno. The spat got to a point where some top leaders told him that he was free to leave the party to join the other side.
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| Umno scared of undergrads, says Anwar Posted: 28 Dec 2011 09:35 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Umno is desperate and resorting to physical threats to intimidate undergraduates from pushing for greater academic freedom and taking an active role in politics, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. "While the awareness of academic freedom is growing and maturing among undergraduates, the Umno leadership is becoming increasingly vicious and restive in facing this push and is acting blindly in an apparent physical threat that is rude and reckless," the PKR leader said in a statement late last night. "Datuk Seri Najib Razak's commitment to purportedly amend section 15 of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) and give more academic freedom to undergraduates in partisan politics is nothing more than empty talk," he added. The de facto head of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) opposition pact urged the ruling Barisan Nasional's (BN) lynchpin party to quit pressuring undergraduates following recent news reports concerning student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim. The 21-year old student at the Sultan Idris University of Education (UPSI) hit headlines after he was purportedly caught lowering a banner bearing the likeness of Prime Minister Najib from a flagpole outside Umno's headquarters here on December 17. Adam Adli claimed to have received death threats and was allegedly punched by a policeman following the incident. His university administration has also issued a show-cause letter to him for tarnishing the institution's name, according to UPSI Undergraduate Solidarity chairman Ahmad Syukrie Che Abd Razab as cited in a Bernama Online report.
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| DAP Perak’s Nga Kor Ming gets bullet in mail Posted: 27 Dec 2011 09:45 PM PST (The Star) - Controversial DAP Perak leader Nga Kor Ming has received a bullet in the mail. He tweeted Wednesday that the bullet was mailed to his mother's home together with a threatening note. "About 2pm today, my mum received letter containing bullet with a letter threatening to murder me. This is really a despicable and shameful act," he tweeted. The Taiping MP said he would lodge a police report over the matter soon. "This is too much," he said in his second tweet on the incident.
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| Anwar to tour M’sia ahead of sodomy verdict Posted: 27 Dec 2011 06:59 PM PST While optimistic of walking free, Anwar says that he is ready to accept the worst. (AFP) - Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today said he will tour the country to declare his innocence ahead of the verdict in a sodomy trial he says was cooked up to bar him from coming polls. Anwar, who heads the PKR and is the figurehead for a strengthening opposition alliance, will visit nine states in the whirlwind six-day tour beginning Jan 3, he said. The verdict is set for Jan 9. "A lot of people pray that I should be acquitted. I will reiterate my innocence during the tour," Anwar, 64, told AFP. Anwar, who was once heir-apparent to former strongman prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has been fighting charges that he sodomised a former political aide in June 2008. The accusations emerged shortly after Anwar led the opposition to unprecedented gains in parliamentary polls against the ruling coalition that has governed the country for five decades. Sodomy is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia and Anwar faces up to 20 years in prison. Anwar added the timing of the trip was motivated in part by concerns that he would be found guilty and jailed after a trial he slams as a smear campaign aimed at ruining his political career. While "optimistic" of walking free, Anwar added that he was "a political realist" and "ready to accept the worst." "These are trumped-up charges. It is another coincidence that the verdict comes so close to elections. The aim is to deny me the chance to participate in the elections," he said. Fresh elections are due next year but Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has hinted he may call them sooner. Najib denies any involvement in the case. | |
| Posted: 27 Dec 2011 06:41 PM PST The Borneo Alliance (UBA) is unlikely to support Pakatan Rakyat, prefering to throw its support behind Sabah based parties (Free Malaysia Today) - The organisors and sponsors of peninsular-based the 'Anything But Umno' (ABU) movement, which is calling for the removal of Umno in the next election, are seeking partners in East Malaysia. Leading civil advocate, Haris Ibrahim, yesterday flew to the Federal Territory of Labuan, defying the Sabah government's "persona non grata" order slapped on him recently, to hold talks with Sabah political activists led by Daniel John Jambun. Jambun said they held a series of talks with Haris and that he (Jambun) would report back to two major stakeholders in Sabah's current opposition front – the United Borneo Front (UBF) and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) – on what transpired at the meeting. "We agreed in principle to support this ABU campaign because Umno has shown that it has been making decisions and policies against Sabahans and Sarawakians in the past 48 years we are in this Federation. "The very fact that both Sabah and Sarawak are the poorest states now speak volumes of what (the) Umno-led Barisan Nasional had done to our gas and oil resources. "So we agree that Umno must go in this coming general election," said Jambun who is considered among the most senior leaders in UBF, and possibly also in the reactivated State Reform Party (Star). Also at the meeting were Sabah activists Michael Liew and famed local rap singer turned activist, Atama. Haris, who was barred from entering Sabah as well as Sarawak after he was deemed a "threat to security", beat the order by entering Labuan, a former Sabah free port that was ceded by Sabah to the federal government and made a federal territory in 1984. He said that though he faced no problem disembarking, police officers took photographs of him when he arrived. The ABU campaign in East Malaysia will be known as UBA or United Borneo Alliance. While ABU organisors in the peninsular are set to back Pakatan Rakyat, state opposition leaders in East Malaysia, especially Sabah, are however backing state-based parties. Jambun said Haris understood the Borneo Agenda sensitivities and acknowledged that Pakatan in Sabah would face an uphill task to ensure a one-to-one fight with BN in all state seats.
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| Ex-CID Chief urges police to zero In on Jamil Khir for ‘zakat abuse’ Posted: 27 Dec 2011 04:20 PM PST (Malaysian Digest) - Former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim today called on his former police colleagues to be consistent by investigating Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and two others for allegedly abusing zakat funds. In a letter written to the Inspector-General of Police, Mat Zain had asked the police force to conduct the investigation on the alleged misappropriation of zakat funds with the same vigor they had shown in pursuing a tithe collector for the same offence recently. The letter also said that Johor police had taken pains to investigate and locate Reduan Mohd Said including publishing his photograph in newspapers for misappropriating RM19,510 in zakat money. "Kuala Lumpur Police should also take the same action in the misappropriation of RM32,150 in zakat money by Jamil, Datuk Che Mat Che Ali and Shamsuddin Hussain," he wrote, referring to the minister in the prime minister's department, the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) director and chief prosecutor respectively.
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| No gag order, but no fodder for BN media Posted: 27 Dec 2011 04:14 PM PST DAP rejects MCA's allegations as it tries to contain the damage from the Karpal-Ramasamy spat. (Free Malaysia Today) - DAP has denied that it has issued a gag order on members or that it is trying to cover up malpractices, as alleged by MCA figures in their comments on the current quarrel between party chairman Karpal Singh and Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy. DAP information chief Tony Pua said today that members had merely been advised against making public comments on the spat, adding that this was to prevent the pro-BN media from blowing it out of proportion. The allegation about a gag order and a cover-up attempt has come mainly from Penang MCA Secretary Lau Chiek Tuan and the party's national organising secretary, Tee Siew Kiong. They said it was typical of the opposition parties to resort to those measures when negative developments surfaced. The Karpal-Ramasamy spat took a new turn on Thursday when the Star, which is owned by MCA, quoted Ramasamy as saying that there was a plot to topple him. According to the paper, Ramasamy, referring to DAP grassroots leaders and hinting at corrupt practices, said: "I think you would be astounded if I relate to you some of their demands." Zeroing on this, MCA said it was possible the spat involved graft and other criminal offences. DAP has not announced a gag order, but the panel it has formed to resolve the spat has said the party would solve internal problems using internal channels.
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| MCA: Gag order reveals hypocrisy Posted: 27 Dec 2011 04:04 PM PST When taxpayer's money are at stake, Perak MCA leader Tan Chin Meng says Pakatan will impose another gag order. (Free Malaysia Today) - The gag order imposed by DAP on its internal squabbles reveals the party's hypocrisy, said Perak MCA secretary Tan Chin Meng. He cited the gag order issued by party stalwart Lim Kit Siang on DAP vice chairman M Kulasegaran after he gave the party's Perak secretary Nga Kor Ming a dressing down over his alleged abuse of power. Nga, who is MP for Taiping, came under fire when an Umno blog claimed his wife's company, Ethan and Elton Sdn Bhd, was awarded the tender to tailor lounge suits for Ipoh city councillors when Pakatan Rakyat was in power in Perak. The award was given despite the company having charged the highest price for the suits. Rivals also pointed to the fact that the company was registered with the Companies Commission Malaysia barely 42 days after Pakatan formed the state government. Nga, who is considered one of Lim's blue-eyed boys, denied any wrongdoing and said the contract was awarded via an open tender process. Lim was forced to intervene when Kulasegaran, who openly rebuked and demanded en explanation from the Taiping MP, saying the matter was internal. "When taxpayers funds are at stake, another gag order is the standard order of the day from Pakatan," commented Tan on the matter. The MCA leader also pointed to the ongoing public spat between DAP chairman Karpal Singh and Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy. While the differences between the two were purportedly resolved, Tan said the three-men panel comprising DAP life adviser Dr Chen Man Hin, advisor Lim and his son, secretary general Guan Eng, failed to launch an internal probe the into allegations of cronyism against Ramasamy.
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| ‘Najib did not challenge my forecast’ Posted: 27 Dec 2011 04:01 PM PST An economic programme that fails to substantially improve the income of the majority while actually increasing the number of the poorest citizens is scandalous, says Anwar Ibrahim. (Free Malaysia Today) - Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim shrugged off the Najib administration's criticism of his income gap forecast. The former deputy prime minister and finance minister had warned that the Najib's Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) would widen the income gap and benefit only the rich at the expense of the poor. Come 2020, he noted, seven to 8.3 million Malaysian citizens would be earning less than RM1,500 monthly and would be consigned to the urban poor category. This represented 51% of the nation's workforce in 2020, as compared to 56% for 2009 which is a dismal increase of 5%, he added. "For all the fanfare and self-serving publicity extravaganza that came with the ETP unveiling, this indeed is a serious let down for the people. "Prime Minister Najib (Tun Razak) has failed to challenge my analysis that the ratio of wages to the Gross National Income will shrink," said Anwar in a statement. Anwar also questioned the Najib government's projected annual income growth of 3.6% from 2010 to 2020. Based on his research, the income growth in the said period would only increase by 2.6%, a depressing figure considering the rate of increasing cost of living would "far exceed" the wage increment percentage. He added that a Labour Market Survey of 2009 involving 24,000 employers and 1.3 million workers showed that 33.8% of these workers earned less than RM700 monthly. Extrapolated against the nation's entire workforce, it would tantamount to 34% being below the poverty line, argued the Permatang Pauh MP. "The projected figure of 3.6% is therefore not only marginal but misleading in that it fails to show the increase in real wages which is a standard indicator of economic growth. "Additionally, the projection that inflation will be around 2.8% annually till 2020 is also unrealistic considering that the inflation rate for the last 12 months has been constantly above 3%," he said.
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| Chegubard: Enemies within PKR behind fake Twitter account Posted: 27 Dec 2011 03:35 PM PST (Malaysian Digest) - PKR leader Badrul Hisham Shahrin who was detained by police yesterday over allegedly seditious posts on what he claims is a "fake" Twitter account suspects that the act was the work of his adversaries from within the party. "This AMK Rembau account existed since the party polls, and is managed by those who want to malign me. This is the type of nasty political strategy which exists within PKR," he said. There is no Twitter account by the name AMK Rembau, reportedly, although a search for the account on Twitter returned one result – an account called Umno Baru.
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| ‘PKR will collapse under Azmin’ Posted: 27 Dec 2011 12:11 PM PST A pro-Umno blogger predicts doomsday for the opposition party if Azmin Ali becomes the president. (Free Malaysia Today) - PKR will be doomed once its deputy president Azmin Ali takes over the top post, predicted pro-Umno blogger Anuar Mohd Nor. In a posting on his blog umno-reform2.com, Anuar said Azmin controlled party supremo Anwar Ibrahim and the latter controlled the former, "so PKR is controlled by Anwar and Azmin". He advised Umno not to make any mistakes with regard to attacking PKR or engineering its downfall as the party would self-destruct when Azmin is given the reins. Citing Batu MP and PKR vice-president Tian Chua, he said: "Once branded as a great reformist who stuck to his principles, he now prostrates before Azmin in worship." Anuar also blamed Azmin for Badrul Hisham Shaharin's defeat for the PKR Youth chief post and the wing's weakness. He also claimed that Azmin's hold on the party was growing and Anwar silences the issue by playing up the reformasi agenda among PKR members to retain their support.
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| DPM orders internal probe into aide Posted: 27 Dec 2011 10:35 AM PST (The Star) - Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has ordered his office to probe allegations that one of his aides received bribes. Muhyiddin said he had read about the allegation on a blog, adding he would let his office investigate the matter first. "No, I am not aware, except what I read in the blog. I will look into this and whatever is said to be linked to me, I will look into. "Until then I will will not comment further," he said, when asked by reporters about the matter during an event at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) at Puncak Alam here yesterday. The posting on the blog had alleged that one of his aides had received bribes of more than RM100,000. The blog had also alleged that aides to the Prime Minister and a deputy minister had also received bribes. The allegations, posted by the blogger on Dec 15, suggested that one of Muhyiddin's aides had been receiving "a steady contribution" from a company amounting to about RM160,000 since early last year. In the same blog post, which is the second part of a series titled Corruption within Corruption, the blogger also alleged that an aide to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had also been receiving such "contributions". Last month, the blogger also claimed that a deputy minister had been receiving bribes. The anonymous blogger describes himself as "an ordinary Joe, with flaws of a human being" and interested in reading, researching and travelling.
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| DAP courts Umno veterans to blunt anti-Malay attacks Posted: 27 Dec 2011 10:31 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - DAP has approached several Malay figures including at least two Umno veterans in a bid to reverse eroding support from the community after repeated accusations of being anti-Malay from the ruling party. The Malaysian Insider understands that influential bloggers Datuk Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz, who is also former Pulau Manis assemblyman and Aspan Alias, a Negri Sembilan Umno veteran, have been invited by DAP to join its ranks, with a view to contest in the next general elections. Mohd Ariff's blogging pseudonym is Sakmongkol AK47. DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke, who is informally tasked with increasing Malay support along with strategists Liew Chin Tong and Zairil Khir Johari, confirmed the duo have been approached to join the party. "We approached them but no decision has been made. But there is no condition that they must run in elections. That is a secondary concern," the Rasah MP said when contacted. Loke added that for now, the party was happy that both veterans have been publicly critical of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) in their blog postings. Both attended a social media convention called "Friends of Penang" organised by Zairil two weekends ago. "We want to reach out to influential people on social media. But we are not building a cybertrooper army. Unlike Umno, we can't pay and friends can't be bought," he said but refused to comment on whether the two would be joining the party. Zairil, son of Umno's former Education Minister Tan Sri Khir Johari, was himself recruited as secretary general Lim Guan Eng's political secretary early this year in what was widely seen as a move to burnish the mainly Chinese DAP's multiracial credentials. But DAP and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders admitted in a recent report by The Malaysian Insider that Umno's attacks have hurt the opposition's Malay support base. The Malaysian Insider also reported in October that a survey commissioned by DAP showed Malay support in Penang, where it leads the state government, has dipped to 30 per cent, down from nearly 50 per cent just a few months after Lim took office as chief minister in 2008. Umno has repeatedly accused PR, especially DAP, of being anti-Malay, most recently when at its general assembly where several delegates and leaders including deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin said the opposition was anti-Malay, anti-Islam, agents of Christianisation and disrespectful to Malay rulers. Umno's newspaper Utusan Malaysia also claimed earlier this year that DAP had conspired with the Church to turn Malaysia into a Christian state.
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| Posted: 27 Dec 2011 07:49 AM PST (The Star) - While the feud in Penang DAP continues between national chairman Karpal Singh and Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy, party adviser Lim Kit Siang has his hands full with another squabble blowing up in Perak. This follows the war of words between party vice-chairman M. Kulasegaran and Perak DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming over the latter's alleged involvement in a tailoring contract awarded to his wife during Pakatan Rakyat's brief rule in the state in 2008. Stepping in to calm the simmering quarrel, the veteran Lim issued a gag order on the issue. In his tweet yesterday, Lim wrote: "Both Kula n Nga agree int. party channels x BN msm 1st resort 4 thrashing out matters affecting party leaders. Nga 2 explain 2 party leadership." The message said Kulasegaran and Nga both agreed it was an internal matter and party channels, not the Barisan Nasional mainstream media, should be used to thrash out matters affecting party leaders. Lim also asked Nga to give an explanation to the party leadership. Nga, who is Taiping MP and Pantai Remis state assemblyman, is alleged to have given a lounge suit sewing contract to Ipoh company Ethan & Elton, of which his wife Wong Seow Ching is said to be a director. Allegations on the Internet said the company was formed 42 days after Pakatan took over the Perak government in 2008. While several groups took Nga to task over the issue, Kulasegaran, who is Ipoh Barat MP, also asked him to come clean over the matter. Contacted by The Star yesterday, Kulasegaran confirmed Lim had contacted him. He declined to comment on what transpired in their conversation. In his tweet, however, Kulasegaran defended his action of calling Nga to come clean on the tailoring contract. He claimed he had not made any allegation or accusation and that his comments had been misinterpreted as an internal problem and bad blood between him and Nga. Meanwhile, Nga said in his blog he respected the party's directive and was therefore refraining from commenting on the issue. "I shall leave it to the party leaders and members to judge his (Kulasegaran's) conduct," he said. He had earlier accused bloggers of smearing his reputation, saying the accusations were slanderous, defamatory and irresponsible. Meanwhile, MCA Youth vice-chairman Yit Lee Kok said the DAP should not turn a blind eye to the claims that Nga had awarded a tailoring contract to his wife's company.
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| Ramasamy wants The Star to retract report Posted: 27 Dec 2011 07:38 AM PST (The Star) - Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P Ramasamy wants The Star to retract and apologise for a report on Dec 23, headlined Distress in DAP continues' quoting him. If the paper failed to do so, he said Tuesday he would file a lawsuit against the daily. He said he would send a letter of demand Wednesday, insisting he had never said there was corruption among DAP party leaders nor uttered the words "grand design" to oust him. "I deny categorically having said that," he told a press conference at his lawyer's office here on Tuesday. Continuing his salvo against the paper, he accused it of practising unethical journalism.
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| Kong not aware of rail contract award Posted: 27 Dec 2011 12:16 AM PST (Bernama) - Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha says he is not aware of any multi-billion ringgit contract being awarded to a Chinese firm for the construction of the Gemas-Johor Baru electrified double tracking project (EDTP). The Ministry of Transport is totally unaware as the awarding of the contract comes under the Ministry of Finance, he told Bernama when contacted today. Quoting sources, the report said CRBC was picked instead of another front runner -- China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) -- for the project estimated to be worth between RM7 billion and RM8 billion, after it was put under a mid-term review in the Ninth Malaysia Plan. The project includes the building of nearly 200km of parallel railway tracks, stations, depots, halts, yards and bridges and cover systems such as electrification, signalling and communications. It would also see a realignment between Pulau Sebang, Melaka and the Gemas section. The Gemas-Johor Baru sector would be the final link in the EDTP, with the other links being the Ipoh-Padang Besar and Seremban-Gemas lines. | |
| Don’t debate Article 153, warns Muhyiddin Posted: 27 Dec 2011 12:05 AM PST He says Rev Eu's statement about Malays bullying others could cause racial tension. (Free Malaysia Today) - Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today rejected a Christian leader's allegation that Article 153 of the Federal Constitution allows the Malays to bully other Malaysians. He also said the statement by Eu Hong Seng, chairman of the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship, could cause racial tension and warned against continuous debate on the subject. Eu, speaking on Saturday at a Christmas hi-tea, said Article 153 ought to cover the rights of all Malaysians, not just the Malays and the natives of Sarawak and Sabah. "When we talk of the rights of only one group, if I may suggest, that is bullying," he said. Speaking to reporters here, Muhyiddin said: "There is a reason, a rationale, behind the article. There is a history behind it." He did not elaborate, but referred to the so-called unwritten social contract that Barisan Nasional politicians are fond of citing when confronted with questions about preferential treatment of the Malays. He said the Barisan Nasional government had "done much to help everyone" and that this obligation was "sealed in the social contract". "I hope that there will be no debate on this matter as it could incite racial tension. What is already enshrined in the Constitution should not be questioned." Eu's statement provoked an angry reaction from the hardline Malay group Perkasa. It accused the church leader of attempting to instigate animosity against Malays. Perkasa's secretary-general, Syed Hasan Syed Ali, said Malaysian Christians must remember that they were free to practice their religion because of Article 153. According to his interpretation of the article, its safeguard of bumiputera rights mitigates against the community's economic discontent and thereby ensures the peace that makes free religious practice possible. The spat is the latest in a series of disputes that have lately soured Christian-Muslim relations.
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| Pakatan MPs claim Umno, Perkasa twisting Article 153 Posted: 27 Dec 2011 12:03 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - The constitutional provision outlining the special position of Bumiputeras has been manipulated by Umno and is now being used as a weapon of aggression, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers claimed today amid growing debate on the subject. On Saturday, National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) chairman Reverend Dr Eu Hong Seng said Article 153 of the Federal Constitution is akin to "bullying" if it only protects the rights of one group. Today, several PR lawmakers suggested that Article 153 was being intentionally conflated with the concept of "ketuanan Melayu", or Malay supremacy. "Reverend Eu mentioned it should be inclusive and I think it did try to cover it (inclusiveness)," PAS Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad said today. "Fundamentally it is inclusive but has been manipulated and it is not about protection anymore but aggression." Eu's remark sparked protest from Malay rights group Perkasa and drew a denial today from Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin that the provision had been used to bully any community. On Sunday, Perkasa claimed the provision kept the country peaceful, further claiming that the race riots of May 13, 1969 happened because it was not implemented properly. "This country is peaceful because of Article 153 which protects the rights of Bumiputeras who are the majority in this country. "The reverend needs to remember that Christians are able to practise their religion without worry in this country because of Article 153," Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hasan Syed Ali had said last week. Article 153 states that "it shall be the responsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article." Constitutional expert Prof Abdul Aziz Bari also chimed in on Sunday to say this meant "the King must also make sure that (safeguarding Bumiputeras) must not be done at the expense of the legitimate interests of other communities." Today, Khalid echoed the view and similarly noted the inclusion of the phrase "other communities."
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| No need for Race Relations Act if people behave, says Ibrahim Ali Posted: 27 Dec 2011 12:00 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Putrajaya need not table a Race Relations Act to govern interaction between the communities and curb racial extremism if "everyone behaves", Datuk Ibrahim Ali said today. "If everyone behaves, if nobody touches on (Article) 153, nobody questions this and that, condemns this and that, and at the same time recognises the disparity of wealth between Malays and non-Malays, I don't think we need any additional Act. "We've lived harmoniously for the last 54 years. We faced a problem once during May 13 but after that, nothing has happened. So the system has worked well," the Perkasa chief told reporters here. The Malay rights leader blamed the rise in racial tension on the opposition's big gains in Election 2008, saying politicians were now capitalising on racial issues for political mileage. He also denied that the general election, which saw Pakatan Rakyat (PR) sweep into power in four states, amounted to a referendum on Barisan Nasional's (BN) "well-received" policies. "I still believe the people rejected Barisan Nasional in 2008 because of the weakness of (Tun) Abdullahj Badawi as a prime minister. Nothing to do with policies," the Pasir Mas MP said.
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| Perkasa: Charge people like Rev Eu with sedition Posted: 27 Dec 2011 12:00 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - The authorities must charge those who question Article 153 of the Constitution like Christian leader Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng with sedition to safeguard national security, Datuk Ibrahim Ali said today. "We demand the government use the Sedition Act on anyone who makes statements like this from now on and charge them in court," the Perkasa chief told reporters today. He was referring to a statement made on Saturday by National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) chairman Eu, who likened Article 153 to "bullying" for only protecting the rights of one group. Article 153 states that it is the King's responsibility "to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article". Calling Eu's statement "irresponsible provocation", Ibrahim said use of the Sedition Act would deter further attempts to question the provision and preserve racial harmony. Disputing the article would only lead to civil strife as it was part and parcel of an established social contract that could not be amended without consent from the Malay Rulers, he said. The Malay rights leader also cautioned Christians against repeating statements similar to Eu's in light of past controversies like the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) raid, as this would only give the impression that Christians wished to make enemies of Muslims. "We're only upholding what's in the Federal Constitution... Please don't keep provoking us on and on because it's not good for the country. And we have been patient for so long," he said. Ibrahim added that Perkasa might lodge a police report against Eu on Thursday to help protect Article 153.
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