| I Didn't Expect Kit Siang To Ridicule SAPP In Public - Yong Posted: 28 May 2011 10:03 AM PDT (Bernama) - KOTA KINABALU -- Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Yong Teck Lee said he was surprised by the harsh way DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang attacked SAPP. "As a matter of fact, Sabah DAP chief, Jimmy Wong Sze Phin, had called and SMSed to invite me to the DAP Kaamatan (harvest festival) celebration (Friday). In reciprocating, I invited Wong as a guest to my house and we had a nice chat on politics. "We agreed that it was important that we build mutual confidence between SAPP and DAP, to meet Lim Kit Siang at the DAP harvest festival and exhibit goodwill so that the future relationship between SAPP and DAP can be improved," he said in a statement, here yesterday. Yong, a former Sabah chief minister, said as a guest at the DAP function, he did not expect to be issued a public ultimatum by Kit Siang in a harsh manner that put him and his colleagues in an embarrassing situation and their party ridiculed in public. "Lim caught all of us by surprise by his harsh tone, the abrasive way in pinpointing me by name and ridiculing SAPP.
"My immediate feeling was that, after their super victories in the April Sarawak state elections, Lim Kit Siang's DAP has already become super confident of taking over Putrajaya and the Sabah state government at the coming general elections" said Yong in an immediate reaction to Lim's speech in which he (Lim) had issued an ultimatum for SAPP to join Pakatan Rakyat (PR) on the grounds that "only PR can beat Barisan Nasional (BN)". Yong said he wondered if it was because Lim now felt that DAP did not neeed anybody else, as Pakatan alone could beat the BN, then why the need to demand SAPP to join Pakatan. The SAPP president recalled that at the DAP rally on September 16, 2008 at Kian Kok School in Kota Kinabalu, Lim had called for a Pakatan-plus coalition with SAPP. "This means that SAPP need not be a member of the fledgling Pakatan," he said. Yong had also spoken at that "916" DAP rally which took place a day before SAPP left the Barisan Nasional.
"Has Lim now unilaterally dropped his own Pakatan-plus formula?," asked Yong. However, Yong said he still remained hopeful that SAPP's relationship with PKR, DAP and PAS could improve further before the general elections. "I only hope that the super confidence of DAP leaders will subside in the coming months and realise that their promise of 416 (April 16) change of Sarawak government failed miserably because the "416 change" turned into a "416" Taib victory," he added. |
| Shine a light on problem procedures Posted: 28 May 2011 10:01 AM PDT (The Star) - THE kerfuffle over irregularities in scholarship awards by the Public Service Department (PSD) continues to wend its way through the public consciousness. There should be no doubt about the very pressing and public interest nature of these irregularities. At stake are not just issues of news interest but also public welfare and the national interest. Before closure can be achieved, there must be transparency about the whole selection process. Vital questions include: How many irregularities have there been, why did they arise, how deep do they go, when did they all begin and who are involved? The misallocation of scholarships has revealed official procedures as haphazard, inconsistent and incongruous or wholly incompatible with stated official policy. The seriousness of the implications cannot be underestimated because of their negative impact on both national human resource capacity and the nation's administrative credibility. As more missteps are revealed, there is more for those responsible to answer for. Consequently, more issues have surfaced. Among these is the requirement for students who have qualified and been selected to undergo an interview. If they have already been deemed suitable and deserving, why extend the bureaucratic process when the PSD's own human resources can be more meaningfully applied elsewhere? Also, at least 66 deserving students did not get the course they had chosen and another 102 who had applied for degree courses were given diploma courses instead. Full and satisfactory explanations are needed for such glaring discrepancies. Surely such procedures should constantly be streamlined and minimised instead of devising additional obstacles to impede and disable our most promising young people? Students who have worked hard and done well should be rewarded accordingly, particularly by investing in the nation's productive capacities. Nobody should work to disappoint or discourage promising young talent. A risky multiplier effect is also at work, with each succeeding generation seeing what the generation before has had to go through, and reacting pre-emptively. Young people can see that the conduct of such bureaucratic procedures so far is typical of a chronic Third World country. A spring-cleaning of sorts is thus in order. But rather than sweep anything under the carpet, it is time to check around the floorboards and hang out any problem rug to dry, then beating it soundly. |
| PKR off the blocks in battle to keep Selangor Posted: 28 May 2011 09:46 AM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 – In the small towns and villages of Malaysia's biggest state, PKR politicians are already on the hustings to defend their tenuous hold on power in Selangor even though elections do not have to be called until early 2013. At a recent rally, about 1,000 locals were gathered in and around a small hall in rural Kampung Bukit Changgang, where just 10km away, huge commercial planes take off and land at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). One of the biggest airports in the world, it spans over 100 square kilometres and has a capacity of 35 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo per year. But in Bukit Changgang near Banting, it is 9pm on a Monday night recently and the only shops open are the stalls around the ceramah, which can only be found after driving through kilometres of roads without streetlights. Kuala Langat MP Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid is talking up Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) promises of subsidies, abolishing tolled roads and increasing allowances for civil servants under its Buku Jingga pledge if it takes over Putrajaya. The PKR leader tells the crowd that Barisan Nasional (BN) was busy talking about "video, video, video, mani, mani, mani (semen, semen, semen)," referring to the sex video and sodomy allegations against Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. "But they don't talk about money," he says before listing alleged abuses of power by BN. The Malaysian Insider asked a stall owner selling drinks earlier that evening what was the main issue for him heading into a general election expected this year. He simply rubbed two fingers against his thumb and said, "We're all looking for rezeki (livelihood)." PKR launched its Jelajah Selangor Tawan Putrajaya (Jelas) series of ceramahs at the beginning of the month and has since blitzed 16 different venues in its first three weeks. But at least three-quarters have been held in what state information chief Shuhaimi Shafiei terms "enemy territory." "We believe that the seats already won by PR in 2008 will see a status quo. So we are going into the five seats that BN won," he told The Malaysian Insider, naming Sabak Bernam, Tanjong Karang, Sungai Besar, Sepang and Pandan as the targeted seats. The plan to sweep all of Selangor's parliamentary seats in a general election expected to take place within the year is ambitious. Among the BN incumbents are a current and two former Cabinet ministers, including former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, who is MCA's only MP in the Klang Valley. But Shuhaimi, who is in charge of the Jelas campaign, is confident as BN's majorities in these highly-populated seats range from as low as 989 votes to 5,009. PKR state chief Azmin Ali also told The Malaysian Insider that the state government, which his party leads, will not dissolve the state assembly if elections are called this year. This will relieve PR of having to micro-manage the 56 state seats and concentrate on the main prize — Putrajaya. READ MORE HERE. |
| Where voters outnumber local population Posted: 28 May 2011 04:40 AM PDT (Bernama) - The Election Commission (EC) has been urged to monitor state and parliamentary constituencies where registered voters outnumber the local population, to prevent any irregularity. Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Umno had detected a questionable pattern of voter registration in certain areas that was likely to favour the opposition. He claimed this was happening in places like Penang where those living on the island were purposely registered as voters on the mainland. Speaking to reporters after opening the Kota Melaka Umno divisional meeting here today, he said: "It appears that the same strategy is being used in Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Malacca." "Only voters from the constituency involved should be allowed to vote there, not those who are turned into phantom voters," he stressed. He said Umno was prepared to present evidence of the opposition's scheme to the EC for further action. |
| Kazim The Crazy Cleric That Preaches Hate Posted: 27 May 2011 11:07 PM PDT 
By Mariam Mokhtar If you are asked to watch the clip called "Ustaz Kazim Elias kutuk Cina India?" (Kazim the Cleric condemns the Chinese and Indians?) on YouTube, don't bother.
It is a waste of 11 minutes and far from being inspirational or motivating, the clip was clearly an incitement to violence and every Malay/Muslim should be ashamed of Kazim. Come to think of it, the Malays who were listening to this mad mullah preach, should have walked out of the congregation. Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak goes around the nation trying to sell us his 1Malaysia slogan. So if the Chinese and Indians are prepared to accept this unity concept, why has Najib not been able to reach out to Malays like Kazim the cleric?
Kazim is not the only one who is deaf to Najib's slogan for there are others, like Ibrahim Ali and Najib's own deputy, Muhyididin Yassin, who are averse to Najib's 1Malaysia dream.
So why bother with 1Malaysia then? Why do Malays like Kazim escape censure but the non-Malays, who use less inflammatory speech get punished? Why the mixed messages from the government? Why the double-standards? It is obvious that Najib and his Cabinet do not take racism and extremism seriously.
Perhaps the only time Najib and his merry men will take racism seriously, will be when colourful characters like Namewee (Wee Meng Chee) make more videos about racism.
Mohammad Kazim Elias Al Hafiz, is the chairman of the Pusat Pendidiakan Al Barakah, a religious educational establishment which is located in Kampung Manjoi, Ipoh, in Perak.
It is baffling that Kazim has not been hauled up for sedition. In the clip, he denigrates both the Chinese and Indians, and reproaches these two communities for taking advantage of the Malays, rebukes them for their constant disagreements with the ketuanan issue and for enslaving the Malays – because 'they (the Chinese and Indians) have never tasted what is like to be 'slaves''.
He also says that these two races are lucky to live in a land which is free of conflict.
But the puzzling thing is that Kazim was invited to preach on one of the naval ships.
He described how the bunk beds were cramped and how the sailors had to live onboard ship for three months when they are at sea.
Obviously this cleric has no idea what it is like to be in the service. Perhaps he imagines that every sailor would have the stateroom on a cruise liner and 70 virgins to nurse him every night.
He described the hardships a sailor or soldier in the jungle has to go through, as if the service personnel had been totally unprepared for those privations.
Kazim then makes unfair comparisons with the Chinese who are able to go drinking and to the disco, whilst the 'poor Malay' has to suffer in the jungles or on the high seas, in defence of his country; to provide the peace and tranquility enjoyed by the Chinese and Indians.
But his most damning statement was to say that the navy, army and police are composed solely of Malays, that they were prepared to sacrifice life and limb, whilst the non-Malays enjoyed the good life.
Following this description, he then asks: "Who is the master and the slave here?" and "How dare they tell us that they do not want 'Ketuanan Melayu'".
Is Kazim so ignorant that he does not realise that it is his government's policies that have turned the non-Malays from the services?
He asks if we find any Chinese or Indians in the services. He informs us that there are few Indians in the army but that many Indians are criminals.
He tells us that the Malays have been too tolerant, giving the non-Malays land and titles. The rest of his speech is littered with more racist comments.
Why did Kazim not mention the endemic corruption that is crippling the country?
Why did he fail to mention the rempit culture of the Malay youth? He may have condemned the Chinese for going to bars at night, but he did not breathe a word about Malay teenagers who hang out, until the early hours of the morning, in the mamak stalls.
Why did he not condemn the government ministers and 'elite Malays' who drink heavily at the casinos of London and Monaco?
Why did Kazim not talk about the deaths caused by the moral police, when raiding hotels and homes?
He forgot about the numbers of sexual assaults on Malay children by older Malay men. He failed to mention the high levels of incest and the illegitimate children borne by unmarried Malay women.
He did not talk about the wives who contracted HIV-AIDS from their husbands who practise unsafe sex with other women, including prostitutes.
And he failed to talk about irresponsible Malay men who marry several women simply because they had got bored with their latest 'young' wife, or consider that a wife is too old once she has hit twenty.
The high drug use by Malays is another scourge on the community that he failed to address.
What Kazim talked about, his incitement to violence, is criminal. But the worse crime is that our religious authorities and the police, have failed to censure him for his seditious and inflammatory remarks. to5w7r_WxTk |
| Enforcement officers offered bribes as high as RM1mil Posted: 27 May 2011 11:02 PM PDT (Bernama) - KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 442 people have been arrested since April last year until March this year for bribing enforcement officers, with the highest bribe offered at RM1mil. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Community Education division director, Datuk Samsiah Abu Bakar, said 422 of those arrested were men and 282 were locals. "The arrest shows that the MACC is firm and we hope the public are also firm in rejecting bribes, no matter how small the amount involved," she added. She said this during a forum," Towards Zero Corruption: Role of NGO in Fighting Corruption", here Saturday. Meanwhile, MACC deputy chief commissioner, Datuk Sutinah Sutan, said associations and non-governmental organisations (NGO) should be active in helping MACC to fight corruption. This, she said, was because the NGOs interacted a lot with the public and they could help explain on the dangers of corruption. "The NGOs can be the eyes and ears or watchdog to report any malpractices, misappropriation, corruption and power abuse," she told reporters after the forum. She said eradication of corruption was the responsibility of everybody and not that of the enforcement authorities or MACC alone. - Bernama |
| Handphones riskier than Lynas ore, says Pahang MB Posted: 27 May 2011 10:58 PM PDT By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider GENTING HIGHLANDS, May 28 — Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob today said concerns over Lynas Corp's Gebeng refinery were exaggerated, claiming the public have more to fear from cell phones than the rare earths to be processed there. "There is nothing really...handphones have more radiation," the Pahang mentri besar said during an MCA retreat here today. Adnan accused Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers, specifically PKR's, of "creating fears" about safety issues and blowing the matter out of proportion. "PKR is smart, they are using the nuclear issue in Japan, radiation... of course people are scared," he said. Adnan added that the federal government should have "nipped the problem in the bud" when the issue first arose, by countering PKR's attacks against the plant's construction. "In Lynas, we made a mistake... to the point where MCA ever tried taking over the role of the opposition," said Adnan. The Pahang MB, however, refused to add anything further during a press conference later. "I don't want to prejudge anything... I advise that you do the same, don't write about Lynas, let the independent panel evaluate," he told reporters. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Liow Tiong Lai, who was also present during the press conference, repeatedly stated that the safety of Malaysians was of paramount importance, and that the Najib administration would not "compromise the safety of its people." Green groups here and in Australia have lobbied their respective governments to scupper the project ahead of Lynas Advanced Materials Plant LAMP's September start date, citing the company's opaque plans on waste storage and transport management between the Mount Weld mine in Western Australia and the Gebeng refinery. The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has expressed "grave concern" that waste products could wreak harm on those living nearby. The association, representing the country's 13,000 doctors, stressed that the possible health risks presented by radiation from "extremely toxic" thorium outweighed the economic benefits from the project.
READ MORE HERE.
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| Kuantan MP: Putrajaya selling out people for Lynas funds Posted: 27 May 2011 10:56 PM PDT By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Putrajaya has committed "an act of treason on the rakyat" by asking Lynas Corp to set aside earnings from its Gebeng rare earth plant to fund research into waste disposal, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said today. She claimed the existence of the condition, imposed on the Australian mining giant by the Najib administration in exchange for a manufacturing licence, showed that the government had doubts about the controversial plant's safety. "Why should we be doing research on waste management now? Should not Miti (Ministry of International Trade) have gathered all the facts prior to awarding them the strategic pioneer status?" Fuziah said in a statement. The Malaysian Insider reported today that Lynas was asked to pay the government a "certain percentage" from its annual gross profit to undertake research and development on the management and disposal of radioactive waste or pay financial security. Currently, rare earth waste products can only be buried, recycled or transmuted into non-radioactive material, although many small operations in China release toxic waste into the general water supply. A government source said the requirement was mooted as a condition of Lynas's manufacturing licence by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) during a meeting that also included representatives from the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida) and Miti. While the source stressed that AELB — and not Mida or Miti — had asked for the security, he insisted that the payments should not construed as indemnity against potentially hazardous waste that may result from processing rare earths at the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Gebeng, Pahang. Fuziah said today it was "immoral" for Lynas to pay what she described as a surety fund given its assurance that the plant will be safe, and claimed this was proof the company was ready to sacrifice fundamental principles just to obtain a local manufacturing licence. She added that the government should make every doubt about LAMP a reason to nix the project as people's lives and safety was non-negotiable and too priceless to trade.
READ MORE HERE.
Mida and Miti successfully pulled Lynas to set up shop here after China — the world's biggest rare earths producer — closed its doors to foreign firms to maintain its 97 per cent chokehold on the global rare earths market. |
| Kalau ada 'fulus' apa pun boleh lulus Posted: 27 May 2011 09:50 PM PDT Aspan Alias Ramai juga yang tidak selesa dengan komen saya dalam banyak isu yang berkaitan dengan 'intution' saya yang tidak begitu sedap dalam menghadapi pilihanraya yang akan datang. Kadangkala saya berfikir juga kenapa saya perlu sibuk untuk menulis tentang isu-isu itu kerana ianya hanya memungkinkan saya di rembat dengan hebatnya oleh pihak yang tidak gemar dengan pandangan saya. Kadangkala ada juga penyesalan kerana saya terlibat mengambil tahu tentang politik ini. Walaupun tidak bergiat secara fisikal lagi benak saya tetap berfikir tentang politik ini.. Saya tetap juga memberikan pandangan secara terbuka kerana saya tidak pernah berusaha untuk menaiki tangga kejayaan politik dan saya tidak pernah menyesal dengan keadaan itu.
Oleh itu saya tetap dengan pendirian untuk bercakap dan menulis ketika ada ruang untuk berbuat demikian kerana saya tidak dapat mengelak dari melihat dan mendengar apa yang berlaku di sekeliling saya. Saya bukan seorang 'social climber' dan apa yang saya perkatakan itu adalah pemikiran yang sejati tanpa dikotori oleh kepentingan peribadi. Justru saya tidak ada perasaan gentar dan takut untuk memberikan buah fikiran dan pandangan saya secara terbuka.
Mungkin apa yang saya perkatakan tidak keseluruhannya benar, tetapi terpulang kepada sesiapa yang terbaca untuk menilainya dan membuat komen yang berpatutan tanpa menggunakan bahasa yang kesat dan mengkritik saya secara peribadi. Saya mengalu-alukan jika pandangan serta komen yang di berikan itu hanya dalam 'parameter' isu dan tajuk yang saya perkatakan sahaja dan tidak menyimpang darinya.
Yang terbaik sekali komen itu biarlah menggunakan bahasa yang baik dan tidak menggunakan bahasa yang kotor kerana bahasa itu melambangkan bangsa. Menggunakan bahasa yang baik juga akan membawa maksud yang sama untuk menyatakan perbezaan dengan pandangan saya. Tetapi ianya memberikan perbezaan yang amat ketara untuk memberikan penilaian dan membezakan tahap budi dan keperibadian seseorang pengomen itu.
Saya tidak segan dan silu untuk menzahirkan perasaan kurang keyakinan terhadap 'jargon-jargon' besar yang diwar-warkan kerana masa yang begitu lama terlibat dan bergiat secara kecilan dalam politik memberikan persepsi yang segala-galanya adalah retorik politik kosong yang akhirnya akan kita sama-sama melihat kegagalannya.
Bermula dengan retorik slogan bersih, cekap dan amanah dahulu. Akhirnya bersihnya berkurangan , cekapnya tiada dan jauh sekali beramanah. Zaman slogan ini lah pelacuran terhadap semua institusi demokrasi berleluasa dan di zaman ini jugalah korupsi dan sifat tidak amanah itu mula hidup subur. Akhirnya zaman slogan ini berkumandang inilah segala budaya negatif dalam politik dan kerajaan menjadi masalah kepada negara dan kita sekarang sedang berperang mulut di atas isu-isu ini.
Sejak dari saat itu semuanya telah hilang dari kawalan seolah-olah kereta dipandu hilang kawalan sehinggakan terjunam ke dalam gaung yang dalam dan tidak tahu bila boleh keluar dari kejatuhan yang begitu dalam itu.
Apabila seorang lagi pemimpin datang dia minta pula semua orang bekerja bersama beliau dan jangan bekerja untuk beliau. Akhirnya kerja pun tak ada untuk kita bekerja dengannya sampailah beliau meletakan jawatan.
Datang pula seorang pemimpin yang lain dengan slogan 1Malaysia. Entah mana letaknya 1Malaysia itu kita pun tak tahu. Satu Malaysia tak faham sehinggakan Dr Mahathir sendiri mengaku tidak faham. Slogan hanya tinggal slogan. Masih lagi sekolah Cina naik macam cendawan tumbuh. Setahu saya jika benar untuk menjayakan 1Malaysia ianya mesti bermula dari sekolah dengan hanya mengadakan satu jenis sekolah sahaja seperti di Indonesia dan Thailand misalnya. Saya tidak menerima slogan ini kerana saya bersetuju dengan adanya sekolah yang berbagai di dalam negara ini.
Lain yang dislogankan lain pula yang dibuatnya. Ini semua membuatkan orang tertanya-tanya, mana dia 1Malaysia itu. Maka ini satu slogan yang lain. Kita akan menyanyikan slogan yang berlainan mengikut siapa yang memimpin. Tidak ada dasar yang kekal untuk rakyat melaksanakannya. Dulu tidak ada slogan-slogan canggih tetapi tidak pula ada banyak masalah yang membebankan rakyat. Seingat saya hanya satu slogan yang amat berjaya di dalam sejarah negara, iaitu slogan Muhibbah. Tetapi slogan itu telah dibiarkan begitu sahaja kerana tidak secucuk dengan pimpinan Dr Mahathir itu.
Lepas pimpinan Najib ini tidak tahu slogan apa pula yang akan dinyanyikan media letronik kerajaan. Akhirnya kita kenyang dengan slogan. Dalam pada itu sahajalah rakyat dikelirukan semata-mata kerana hendak meletakan jenama kepada kepimpinan yang memimpin waktu itu.
Slogan-slogan sekarang ini ibarat lagu pop yang hanya popular sementara sahaja. 1Malaysia kata orang 1Malaysia kata kita. Hasilnya entah di mana. Yang sesuai dengan kehendak negara masih lagi slogan Muhibbah sebenarnya. Slogan ini amat penting kerana rakyat tidak lagi hidup dalam muhibbah samada intra kaum mahu pun inter kaum.
Dalam perpecahan rakyat yang mendapat keuntungan dan labanya ialah pemimpin yang lemah yang disaluti dengan imej rasuah dan imej-imej yang tidak keruan. Ramai orang yang menyampah kerana saya tidak berhenti bercakap tentang rasuah. Mereka kata mereka sudah jemu dengan isu itu.
Kepada mereka yang memberikan pendapat itu, saya ada jawapannya. Perasaan jemu saudara itu merupakan perasaan yang 'mutual' dengan perasaan saya sendiri. Mereka jemu kerana saya tidak berhenti menulis tentang isu rasuah, saya pula jemu kerana ramai pemimpin yang tidak berhenti melakukan rasuah itu. READ MORE HERE |
| War is about winning, not about how you play the game Posted: 27 May 2011 08:01 PM PDT 
Another good use of 'turn coats' is to infiltrate enemy lines to spy on them. You masqueraded as the enemy behind enemy lines to gather intelligence on them. Then you went back to your own side and reported what you saw. NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin SUPP makes a 360-degree turn After thumbing its nose at the Taib government, party makes an about turn and decides it needs its two candidates in the state cabinet (Free Malaysia Today) - KUCHING: The Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) has made a 360-degree turn. Last month, after its poor election showing, it said it wanted nothing to do with Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's government. The Central Working Committee (CWC), at a meeting last month, decided not to recommend any of SUPP's elected representative to serve in the cabinet of Taib Mahmud after the party's dismal showing in the election. That decision nearly tore the party apart. But at today's CWC meeting, it unanimously agreed that Wong Soon Koh and Lee Kim Shin should represent the party and the Chinese community in the new cabinet of Abdul Taib Mahmud. (Read more here: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/05/28/supp-makes-a-360-degree-turn/) ****************************************** Okay, that was what Free Malaysia Today reported today. I am not too sure, but I think they meant a 180-degree turn. If you do a 360-degree turn then you have not turned anywhere. Only if you do a 180-degree turn do you go in the opposite direction or backwards from where you were originally going. But then I suppose if you make two 180-degree turns then it becomes a 360-degree turn -- if that was what Free Malaysia Today meant. Since the 2008 general election the terms 'frogs' and 'turn coats' have been used quite a lot to describe those who have changed sides or are perceived to have changed sides. The use of the term 'frogs' may be because frogs hop and those who hop to the other side are then called frogs. But then people who change sides may not necessarily hop to the other side. They could saunter, stroll, walk casually, glide, skip, run, or whatever, to the other side. So maybe 'frogs' may not be quite the right word to use. 'Turn coats', on the other hand can mean many things. This is the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of 'turn coat': As the dominions of the duke of Saxony were bounded in part by France, one of the early dukes hit upon the device of a coat blue one side, and white the other. When he wished to be thought in the French interest he wore the white outside; otherwise the outside colour was blue. Hence a Saxon was nicknamed Emmanuel Turncoat. It used to be a tactic in the old days for soldiers to be given coats with their army's colours on the outside and the enemy's colour on the inside. This was so that when they spotted the enemy they could turn the coat inside out. The enemy soldiers, seeing that the other chaps had their same colour coat, would come close. Then, once you could see the whites of their eyes, you would shoot the unsuspecting enemy dead. This was basically a trap to lure the enemy close so that they can be killed. And you had to get them quite close to be able to kill them with those very unreliable flintlocks. So, 'turn coat' is not just about changing sides or defecting. It is also about fooling the enemy into thinking that you are on their side so that they can be lured into a trap and killed. Another good use of 'turn coats' is to infiltrate enemy lines to spy on them. You masqueraded as the enemy behind enemy lines to gather intelligence on them. Then you went back to your own side and reported what you saw. This worked during the civil war between the Royalists and Republicans during the time of Charles I. The Republicans or Parliament's army wore orange sashes. And the fighting was everywhere -- in York, Birmingham, Reading, Oxford, etc. -- so there was no clear 'frontline'. The Royalists lifted the sashes from the dead Republican soldiers and infiltrated the Earl of Essex's army. They then reported back what they saw so that Charles I could decide on his military strategy. Charles I, in fact, had spymasters working for him and their job was intelligence gathering. Of course, this works well when both sides look the same and speak the same language and dialect. But if it were the Japanese fighting the Americans then this would not work as a Japanese could never pass for an American never mind what uniform he wore. So, yes, sometimes it is good to have 'turn coats' in your army. 'Turn coats' make good spies and help with the planning of military strategies. Today, of course, in the age of technology, you have other more useful ways of spying on the enemy. But when the battle lines are not clear and you never really know who is fighting whom then 'turn coats' are a very useful tool in warfare. Another good use of 'turn coats' is to send thousands of your men over to the other side to infiltrate the ranks of your enemy. For example, like during the Royalist-Republican civil war in England, many Royalists marched from London with the Republicans. Then, when the Royalists met the Republicans on the battlefield, the infiltrators attacked from the rear and sandwiched the Republican army in between and slaughtered them. The fact that the Republicans outnumbered the Royalists two-to-one made this diversionary tactic necessary. When you lack the numbers you need to use a good strategy and dirty tricks to win the war. We saw this in the last general election in Kelantan. Umno spent millions to send thousands of Kelantanese living and working in the West Coast back to Kelantan to vote. They were, however, mostly opposition supporters. So when they went back to Kelantan they voted for the opposition and not for Umno. And Umno financed this whole operation -- to send 'turn coats' back to Kelantan to vote for the opposition. Considering that Pakatan Rakyat is 'outgunned' compared to the massive Barisan Nasional machinery we can't beat them in face-to-face combat. So we need to use all sorts of strategies and tricks to beat them. And 'turn coats', misinformation, disinformation, 'red herrings', diversionary tactics, etc., will need to be used to the hilt. And we do not need heroes in a war. A dead soldier can no longer serve the cause. We should not die for our cause. We should make the other bastard die for his cause. As General Douglas MacArthur said: your job is not to die for your country. Your job is to make the other bastard die for his country. And these are some other sayings of General MacArthur: Only those are fit to live who are not afraid to die. In war there is no substitute for victory. We are not retreating - we are advancing in another direction. You are remembered for the rules you break. A general is just as good or just as bad as the troops under his command make him. Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul. In war, you win or lose, live or die - and the difference is just an eyelash. Never give an order that can't be obeyed. Old soldiers never die; they just fade away. The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself. They died hard, those savage men - like wounded wolves at bay. They were filthy, and they were lousy, and they stunk. And I loved them. I am concerned for the security of our great Nation; not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within. Our government has kept us in a perpetual state of fear - kept us in a continuous stampede of patriotic fervour - with the cry of grave national emergency. One cannot wage war under present conditions without the support of public opinion, which is tremendously moulded by the press and other forms of propaganda. |
| Anwar shouldn’t unilaterally decide on Sabah, S’wak CM Posted: 27 May 2011 04:53 PM PDT 
He dosen't seem to realise that people in Sabah and Sarawak prefer their chief ministers to be elected by democratic means The people in Sabah and Sarawak prefer the chief minister to be elected by democratic means and decided by the respective governors in accordance with the constitutional provisions. Any departure from this would be an exercise in illegality, and ultimately, futility. Joe Fernandez, Free Malaysia Today De facto Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) chief Anwar Ibrahim attributes his poor showing at the April 16 Sarawak state elections to, among others, the idea of a Dayak chief minister. Anwar was entertaining an online news portal's TV network earlier this week on his monumental failures in Sarawak, as in Sabah earlier. Like his equally naïve interviewers, he didn't seem to know whether he was coming or going on Sarawak. Anwar's take was that the Malays in Sarawak were put off by the idea of a Dayak chief minister and refused to award even one seat to the party. He claimed that the minority Malays, only 20 per cent of Sarawak, accused him of promoting the idea of a Dayak chief minister at their expense. Anwar, it appears, tried to unsuccessfully reason with them that the Dayaks were in a majority in Sarawak and therefore the chief minister should come from that community. For those unfamiliar, Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud is a Melanau and therefore a Dayak. The difference is that unlike the great majority of Dayaks who are Christian if not pagan, Taib is a Muslim. However, he has a Christian paternal grandfather and as many Christian relatives as Muslim ones. He also avoided talking about Islam like the plague since he knew that the Dayaks were watching him like a hawk. Taib even blasted the recent seizure of bibles in Malay print in Kuching as "stupid". It was enough to secure the release of the bibles. Interestingly, no Sarawak Malay has ever been chief minister of the state. All four chief ministers so far have been Dayak, Taib and his predecessor and maternal uncle Abdul Rahman Yakub being Muslim, and the first two being Christians i.e. Stephen Kalong Ningkan and Penghulu Tawi Sli, both Iban Dayaks from the Sarawak National Party (SNAP). The Ibans, the biggest community in Sarawak, failed as chief ministers, because of opposition from the other Dayak communities i.e. Bidayuh, Orang Ulu and Melanau. The Sarawak Malays are in no position to object to a chief minister on the grounds that he's Dayak or a non-Muslim. To digress a little, the Sarawak Malays are in fact Bidayuh living on the coasts of the Kuching division and Ibans along the coast of the other division who converted to Islam. The Brooke dynasty referred to them as Malays after the fashion of the colonial British who used it as an umbrella term to describe various ethnic groups in Peninsular Malaysia. Also, it's unlikely that the Dayaks will ever support the idea of a Sarawak Malay being chief minister of the state. If one is thrust on them, he won't last in the tumultuous politics of Dayak country. It's more likely that a Sarawak chief minister would continue to come from among the non-Iban Dayaks – the creed is not in question – and this would ensure political stability in the state. If a Sarawak Malay wants to be chief minister he should not deny his Dayak heritage. PKR's emphasis on a Dayak CM, in any case, led to allegation among the Sarawak Malays that such a candidate would turn the state into a Christian one, according to Anwar. The de facto PKR chief is like a "bull in a china shop" raising a preposterous non-issue. He naively treads, like all Peninsular Malaysians, where even devils and angels dare not. Sarawak is Anwar's second monumental blunder in Malaysian Borneo after Sabah. In Sabah, Anwar thundered that there was no way he would have Jeffrey Kitingan as the Sabah PKR chief". Jeffrey, who has many Musli relatives, was accused openly by Anwar of being a racist and harbouring a hidden Christian agenda, whatever that means. Anwar was playing politics where he should not be doing so. Jeffrey pushed for the idea that the Sabah PKR chief should be democratically elected by the division chiefs and not appointed by the party headquarters (read Anwar) in Kuala Lumpur. Anwar would have none of it and wanted a Muslim to head Sabah PKR although the majority of the members were non-Muslim Dusun, including Kadazan (urban Dusun), and Murut. Anwar's excuse is that the Muslims, no doubt the illegal immigrants with MyKads included, were now in a slight majority in Sabah. Baru Bian seen as stooge for Anwar He decided unilaterally that the Sabah chief minister should be Muslim. He does not seem to realise that the local Muslims in Sabah were not a homogenous community and were further divided into Dusun Muslim – Ranau, Bisaya and Orang Sungei, among others – Bajau, Suluk, Brunei Malay, Irranun, Banjar, and Cocos-Keeling, among others. In "compensation", Anwar decided also unilaterally that the chief minister of Sarawak would be Dayak and Christian. He went on to appoint Baru Bian, an Orang Ulu Christian, as Sarawak PKR chief. No one in Sarawak accepts Baru because he was not elected but thrust on the membership by the party headquarters (read Anwar). That's one reason why PKR failed to interest the people of Sarawak on April 16. Baru was seen as a proxy and stooge for Anwar and Peninsular Malaysians. Jeffrey's stand in Sabah, meanwhile, was that if the division chiefs in Sabah elected a Muslim head, so be it. Anwar did not want to risk elections and deal with the possibility of a non-Muslim head. Eventually, Jeffrey left amidst accusations that he was the King of Frogs, a label he has explained, and interested only in party posts and positions and in being number one and chief minister. Jeffrey's explanations that his politics was all about the people, the issues, principles, policies and priorities, and not posts and positions, were pooh-poohed by Anwar and drowned out by the propaganda barrage from party headquarters. Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan thinks that Anwar made many promises to Jeffrey, all of which he had no intention of keeping, made use of him to build up the party in Sabah and eventually played him out. If anyone is obsessed with the ethnicity and faith of the chief ministers of Sabah and Sarawak respectively, it's politicians from Peninsular Malaysia. They don't seem to realise that Peninsular Malaysia – Malay, Chinese, Indian – is no political model for Sabah and Sarawak. READ MORE HERE |
| Mana surat pemecatan saya? – Jayagopal Posted: 27 May 2011 04:48 PM PDT "Parti (PKR) tidak beri surat kepada saya. Mengapa tidak beri surat? Kerana mereka takut jika saya membawa surat itu kepada Pendaftar Pertubuhan (ROS)," katanya. (Free Malaysia Today) - Jayagopal a/l Adaikkalam mendakwa beliau masih ahli PKR dan kini sebagai Ketua Cawangan PKR Pokok Sena kerana tidak pernah menerima surat pemecatan dari ibu pejabat PKR. "Parti (PKR) tidak beri surat kepada saya. Mengapa tidak beri surat? Kerana mereka takut jika saya membawa surat itu kepada Pendaftar Pertubuhan (ROS). "Saya terima surat yang ditandatangani bekas Setiausaha Agung PKR, Datuk Salehuddin Hashim pada 2009 yang mengatakan saya bukan ahli PKR. "Ini surat apa? Saya yang tubuh PKR Pokok Sena dan parti mengesahkan saya ahli parti. Mengapa dia kata saya bukan ahli parti. "Saya dipecat kerana bertanding sebagai calon bebas dalam pilihan raya kecil (PRU) Dewan Undangan Negeri (Dun) Bukit Selambau pada April 2009? "Tetapi tidak ada sekeping surat pemecatan dihantar kepada saya, Saya tahu, Dr Syed Husin Ali, timbalan presiden PKR waktu itu buat sidang akhbar memberitahu pemecatan saya tetapi surat tidak diberi kepada saya," katanya ketika dihubungi hari ini. Tindakan lanjut Rajagopal membawa perkara itu kepada ROS untuk tindakan lanjut. Pada 9 Mei lalu, ROS menghantar surat kepada PKR menyatakan pendaftaran parti itu boleh dibatalkan kerana memecat Jayagopal tanpa disoal siasat dan dibicarakan oleh Lembaga Disiplin PKR. Surat itu ditandatangani oleh Pendaftar ROS, Datuk Abdul Rahman. Bagaimanapun, dalam jawaban balas, Setiausaha Agung PKR Saifuddin Nasution Ismail berkata, Jayagopal dipecat melalui keputusan Majlis Pimpinan Pusat (MPP) pada mesyuarat bertarikh 26 April 2009 kerana bertanding dalam PRK Dun Bukit Selambau sebagai calon bebas. READ MORE HERE |
| Managing inflation Posted: 27 May 2011 02:50 PM PDT By P Gunasegaran, The Star The authorities should watch what they say about inflation because of the danger of self-fulfilling prophecies. There is an interesting hypothesis in economics called the rational expectations theory - the idea of which is that players in an economy are likely to behave as if an expected event has already happened. That has wide implications in a country like ours where everyone is talking about an increase in the price of products, especially subsidised ones such as sugar, cooking oil, rice, flour, petroleum products, electricity and so on. The consequences can be quite serious because if prices of these goods are raised, then there is a knock-on effect on a whole lot of other consumer products from your teh tarik, roti canai and nasi lemak to transportation. Add to these the spectre of further increases in interest rates which a section of economists and other analysts advocate and you have a potent mix of factors that spell just one thing – higher prices all round and the dreaded inflation. Let's take an example. If sugar price is expected to increase then what will happen to sugar supplies. If you were a sugar supplier and you had a lot of sugar would you release all of your supply in the market if you expected prices to rise anytime soon? Of course not. The suppliers who have their eyes on profit will hold out until the price increase happens and then the full supply will be released. Repeat the scene for a whole lot of scenarios, and the unpleasant big picture is hoarding and rising prices. I am all for public debate almost all the time but when it comes to adjusting prices, the Government must keep its cards close – very close – to its chest and no one must be allowed to take a peek. Its much like a central bank keeping mum about what it wants to do about interest rates or the currency for instance – you know the card only when it is played and if you can help it, you don't want anyone to second guess it. By all means the Government can and should indicate that it wants to roll subsidies back as a long term aim, but it must not disclose or give clear clues as to what it is likely to do in the very short term. It can invite debate on the topic, listen to all the various views, make its own research on the issue but it should not hint at what it is going to do. That means top government officials must seal their lips fairly tightly beyond saying what their long-term policy is. When they have acted, that is the time for them to explain what they have done. That is why the Government has in the past never said anything about an oil price increase until it was made. Now it looks like top officials who should know better are too hasty when they hint that a decision on whether to increase petrol prices will be taken by a certain date. That must be a clear no-no because it smacks of hinting at what card might be dealt before it's the Government's turn to actually deal it, causing unnecessary speculation and hand wringing well before the date. The best way to announce a price increase, especially of subsidised products, is unexpectedly and immediately. That minimises inflationary expectations and allows the economy to make a quick, if painful, adjustment. Taking an unexpected blow, falling down, and then recovering is far preferable to living in constant expectation of one, which basically means you make your every move as if the blow will land. That considerably hinders your mobility and your ability to act. Managing editor of The Star, P Gunasegaram, is tired of all this talk about raising electricity tariffs. Either do it or hold your peace. |
| PM: New air force base in Sendayan to replace Sg Besi base Posted: 27 May 2011 02:48 PM PDT By Sarban Singh, The Star GEMAS: A new air force base will be built in Sendayan in Negri Sembilan, to replace the Sg Besi base in Kuala Lumpur. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the details of the project would be announced soon. He was speaking to reporters after launching the community rehabilitation centre here on Saturday. It has long been speculated that the Sg Besi air base would be redeveloped into a commercial hub but the high cost of a relocation, estimated to cost several hundred millions of ringgit, if not more, has been a major sticking point. On June 10, last year, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that the air base would be closed to make way for the "Greater KL" development project as laid out in the 10th Malaysia Plan. Apart from Royal Malaysian Air Force and the police air wing, the air unit of the Fire and Rescue Deparment (Bomba) also operates from the airport, as well as the Royal Selangor Flying Club with its fleet of three Cessna aircraft and a Robinson R44 Raven helicopter. The Aerospace Medical Institute and the RMAF museum are also located there. The Sungai Besi Airport is the country's first international airport. The 162-hectare airport, also known as Simpang, served as the main air link from 1952 to 1965, before Subang Airport was opened. Sungai Besi Airport was originally used as an airstrip in the 1930s but was turned into an airport after World War 2. |
| Non-Muslims in Sabah in a limbo Posted: 27 May 2011 02:46 PM PDT By Michael Kaung, Free Malaysia Today KOTA KINABALU: Many non-Muslims in Sabah are living in a limbo. In their birth certificates, there is no indication of their religion or citizenship status. In the space for citizen and religion columns it is stated "maklumat tidak diperolehi" (information not available)." A former researcher and analyst who only wanted to be known as Steve, says that there is a big need for improvement as data gathered by federal government departments is hopelessly and perhaps willfull wrong. The root of the problem, he says is that right from the beginning departments like the National Registration Department (NRD) failed to gather accurate information about citizens or others who do not fall into the category of Muslims. He said that when he recently scrutinised government forms he was surprised that the forms failed to provide for the large population of non-Muslims in Sabah who were simply bracketed "information not available" group. He said this is abuse is because of the inconsistency in the birth certificate application forms for Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. Relating his experience, he said: "On May 20, the place I was staying was burned down. As a consequence, I lost all my personal documents including the original copies of my birth certificate and MyKad. "On the same day, I went to the Penampang Police Station to make a report and was told to collect the type-written report on May 23 which I did. "From there I went straight to the Fire Department and obtained a confirmation letter from the officer in charge and then proceeded to the NRD, Penampang Branch to apply for a replacement of MyKad and birth certificate. "There was no problem with my MyKad application as everything went smoothly and I obtained a temporary identity document. I was asked to collect the MyKad in one month's time.
READ MORE HERE. |
| Declassify IPP agreements, DAP tells Putrajaya Posted: 27 May 2011 02:42 PM PDT By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — The government must declassify the independent power producer (IPP) agreements to justify its failure to restructure the contracts and to allow public scrutiny, the DAP has said. "The government must declassify the independent power producer (IPP) agreements to justify their refusal and failure to restructure these wildly unfair contracts which allows them to make astronomical returns at the expense of the people," DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua (picture) said in a statement today. The opposition has stated that the Najib administration would only spur inflation by removing the diesel super subsidy before cutting "big opium" gas subsidies worth RM19 billion for IPPs and commercial power sectors. But MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek countered that argument by saying that Putrajaya is unable to do so because it is tied up in agreements with various IPPs, and to restructure the agreements would put the government in a bad light. Pua stressed that there was a need to make public the IPP purchasing power agreements (PPA), and used the highway toll concession agreements as an example. After the agreements were declassified in 2009, "close scrutiny" showed well-defined terms which allowed the government to buy back the concessions. The declassification of the highway toll concessions, according to the DAP leader also proved that former Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu was "lying" when he charged that the government would have to fork out billions of ringgit in compensation should the concession contracts be terminated. "It is only with the declassification of the PPAs from the Official Secrets Act (OSA) that Dr Chua can prove that he is not another Samy Vellu who tried to protect the interest of the crony concessionaires while hiding behind the OSA," said the Petaling Jaya Utara MP, who added that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had no confidence with the government's political will in renegotiating the IPP contracts. READ MORE HERE. |
| Lynas offered to fund waste management R&D in deal for licence Posted: 27 May 2011 11:18 AM PDT By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Australian mining giant Lynas Corp will set aside part of its earnings from its controversial processing plant in Gebeng to help Putrajaya sponsor research into how toxic rare earth can be disposed off safely, government sources have said. A source told The Malaysian Insider that Lynas was asked to pay the government a "certain percentage" from its annual gross profit to undertake research and development on the management and disposal of radioactive waste or pay financial security. Currently, rare earth waste products can only be buried, recycled or transmuted into non-radioactive material, although many small operations in China release toxic waste into the general water supply. It is understood that the requirement was mooted as a condition of Lynas' manufacturing licence by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) during a meeting that also included representatives from the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida) and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). While the source stressed that AELB — and not Mida or MITI — had asked for the security, he insisted that the security should not construed as indemnity against potentially hazardous waste that may result from processing rare earths at the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Gebeng, Pahang. "There's no such thing as an indemnity fund," the source said. Lynas told The Malaysian Insider last week that it had deposited money with Putrajaya "to ensure safe management of any remaining residues as required by the AELB". However, the company did not elaborate on the deposit or disclose the sum paid to AELB, charged by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to approve and monitor radioactive industries. But AELB director-general Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan was quick to deny that his agency had made the deposit a requirement. "It's got nothing to do with AELB. You got to check with Mida, check with MITI," he told The Malaysian Insider. Mida and MITI successfully pulled Lynas to set up shop here after China — the world's biggest rare earths producer — closed its doors to foreign firms to maintain its 97 per cent chokehold on the global rare earths market. READ MORE HERE. |
| Lynas’ plant environmental, radiological reports for public scrutiny till June 30 Posted: 27 May 2011 11:15 AM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Two key assessment reports for the controversial Lynas rare earth refinery in Kuantan — environmental and radiological — are available for public viewing from May 30 to June 30 at various government offices, the International Trade and Industry Ministry said in a statement. The ministry also told The Malaysian Insider that it ran public announcements in Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil newspapers on May 25, 2011, inviting the public to submit their views to the international review panel that will sit from May 29 to June 3.
This was in response to Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh's (picture) claims only selected papers ran the advertisements for the panel reviewing the RM700 million rare earth plant in Kuantan.
"On 25 May 2011, the ministry inserted the said public announcement in 8 major newspapers," it said in a statement sent to The Malaysian Insider.
MITI listed Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, The Star, New Straits Times, Sin Chew Daily, China Press, Malaysian Nanban and Makkal Osai as the newspapers.
As for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Radiological Impact Assessment (RIA) reports, the ministry said it will be available for public viewing at the Department of Environment library, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, the library of the Pahang Department of Environment, the Kuantan Municipal Council and the Pahang Land and District Office.
Both reports are also available at the Pahang police headquarters, the National Library of Malaysia, the police beat base at the Gebeng Industrial Estate, the Pahang State Library, Balai Penghulu Mukim and all Department of Environment and Atomic Energy Licensing Board state offices.
Putrajaya bowed to public pressure last month and put the plant being built by Lynas Corp on ice last month pending a month-long review by international experts.
READ MORE HERE. |
| Khairy: Pakatan immature for taking credit in petrol issue Posted: 27 May 2011 11:12 AM PDT (The Star) - HULU TERENGGANU: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has called the Pakatan Rakyat immature for taking the credit in the Government's decision not to raise the price of RON95 petrol. The Opposition's claim that the decision came about due to their pressure on the Government was "immature politics" for political mileage, he said, adding that it was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's decision not to raise the petrol price. "I could have taken credit, too, but it would be a foolish thing to do," he said after launching the Hulu Terengganu Umno Youth meeting here yesterday. On allegations by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution that Khairy had backtracked on his support for the rationalisation of subsidy, the latter said he still believed in reducing subsidy but the timing must be right. "Reducing it (subsidy) now would be wrong given the high prices of goods as well as a high inflation rate. "There is nothing wrong in changing one's stand if it is for the benefit of the rakyat," he said. Meanwhile, in Petaling Jaya, Wanita MCA deputy secretary-general Tan Cheng Liang has ticked off Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for "sounding off an unnecessary alarm" when he claimed that the RON95 price would increase in July. Lim's claims were quashed after the Government announced it would not be increasing the price of the fuel for the time being, she added. "His false prophecy not only undermines his authority, but does not benefit the people in riding out the storm. "We hope Lim, as a chief minister, and his party will be more specific in tending to the plight of the people rather than seeking popularity in riding out the high tide of inflation," Tan said. |
| Rules of prudence: Serving in a new era Posted: 27 May 2011 11:02 AM PDT The people have given us a clear mandate to carry out our programmes. We must fulfil what we have promised to do in our manifesto. We must never break faith with the people, but always carry out our duties to them responsibly, address their worries and advance their interests. By Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore Our Party has won 81 out of 87 seats in the just concluded General Election. The opposition contested 82 seats, of which the PAP won 76, with 60.1 per cent of the votes.
The people have given us a clear mandate to carry out our programmes. We must fulfil what we have promised to do in our manifesto. We must never break faith with the people, but always carry out our duties to them responsibly, address their worries and advance their interests.
The elections have shown that voters have concerns which need to be addressed. The Government will have to significantly improve our outreach to voters, our approach to formulating policies, and our policies themselves.
As MPs, you play key roles in all these areas. You have to listen hard to voter concerns, help them to tackle pressing needs, reflect their worries and aspirations to the Government and persuade them to support policies which are in their own long term benefit.
Singapore is in a new phase of its political development. The PAP Government has to operate and govern in a different way than before. But two things should not change. First, we must always hold fast to the spirit of service to the people, and work hard on their behalf. Second, we must never compromise the high standards of honesty and integrity, which have enabled the PAP to keep trust with the people all these decades.
The PAP's reputation for clean, incorruptible government is one of our most precious assets. As PAP MPs, your standing in society reflects this high standing of the Party as a whole. I cannot stress strongly enough that every MP must uphold the rigorous standards that we have set for ourselves, and do nothing to compromise them. Never give cause for accusations that you are misusing your position, especially your access to Ministers. This would discredit both you and the Party.
As MPs, you will come across many different sorts of people. Some will be altruistic, public spirited people who will help you without wanting anything in return, spending their time and money to get community projects going and to serve your residents.
But a few will cultivate you in order to obtain benefits for themselves or their companies, to gain respectability by association with you, or to get you to influence ministries and statutory boards to make decisions in their favour. Gift hampers on festive occasions, entertainment, and personal favours big and small are just a few of countless social lubricants which such people use to ingratiate themselves to MPs and make you obligated to them.
You must be able to distinguish between these two groups of people, and be shrewd in assessing the motives of those who seek to get close to you. At all times you must be seen to be beyond the influence of gifts or favours.
You should be scrupulously proper in your contacts with government departments or public officers. Do not lobby any ministry or statutory board on behalf of anyone who is not your constituent or grassroots activist. Do not raise matters with public officers on behalf of friends, clients, contractors, employers or financiers to advance their business interests. To be above board, conduct business with public officers in writing and avoid making telephone requests. If you have to speak, follow up in writing to put your requests on record.
MPs are often approached by friends, grassroots leaders or proprietors of shops and businessmen to officiate at the openings of their new shops or other business events. They usually offer a gesture, such as a donation to a charity or constituency welfare fund. Though you may find it awkward to refuse such requests, once you accept one, you will be hardpressed to draw a line. As a rule, you should decline invitations to such business events unless you have obtained prior approval from the Whip. The Whip will grant approval only if the business is one that will add much value to the economy.
SEPARATING BUSINESS AND POLITICS
You must separate your public political position from your private business or professional interests. MPs who are in business, who occupy senior management positions in companies, or who sit on company boards should be especially vigilant.
You must not exploit your public position as Government MPs, your close contacts with the Ministers, or your access to government departments and civil servants, for your personal business interest or the benefit of your employers. Your conduct must always be above board.
MPs who are employed by companies or industry associations may at times have to make public statements on behalf of their company or industry association. If you have to do so, make it clear that you are not speaking as an MP, but in your private, professional or business capacity.
When you raise questions in Parliament related to your own businesses, you should first declare your pecuniary interest in the issue. Do not use Parliamentary questions as a means to lobby the Government on behalf of your businesses.
You may, however, speak freely to Cabinet Ministers, who are your Parliamentary colleagues. Ministers will listen carefully to arguments on principles, especially when they relate to the general policy of their Ministries. But Ministers will not change individual acts of discretion, unless they have very good reasons which they can justify publicly.
Parliamentary Secretaries and Ministers of State who intervene in their Ministries to reverse or alter decisions should promptly report the matter to their Ministers to protect themselves against possible accusations of misconduct. The Government must always base decisions on the merits of the issues, and cannot yield to pressure from interested parties.
ON DIRECTORSHIPS
MPs are often invited to serve on the Boards of private and publicly listed companies. This is a sign that private sector values PAP MPs' integrity and service, and reflects the high standing of the Party and of PAP MPs in general. The Party permits MPs to serve as directors, provided you keep your private and public responsibilities rigorously separate. The public will closely scrutinise your involvement in companies, because you are a PAP MP. You should conduct your business activities so as to bring credit to yourself and to the Party. Adverse publicity on your performance as a director, or lapses in the companies you are associated with, will tarnish your reputation as an MP and lower the public's regard for the Party. You should not solicit for Directorships in any companies, lest you appear to be exploiting your political position to benefit yourself. You should not accept directorships where the company just wants to dress up the board with a PAP MP or two, in order to look more respectable. Some grassroots leaders are businessmen who own or manage companies. You should not sit on any boards of companies owned or chaired by grassroots leaders appointed by you, so as to avoid the perception that you are obligated to them or advancing their business interests. If you are offered a Directorship, you have to decide for yourself whether to accept. The Party is not in a position to vet or approve such decisions. Before accepting, consider the possible impact of the Directorship on your political life. Ensure that the company understands that you are doing so strictly in your private capacity, and will not use your public position to champion the interests of the company, or lobby the government on its behalf. Make every effort to familiarise yourself with the business, track record and background of the key promoters of the company. Satisfy yourself that the company is reputable, and that you are able to make a meaningful contribution. Specifically, just like anyone else contemplating a Directorship, you should ask yourself: a. How well do you know the company, its business strategy, financial status, shareholding structure and the underlying industry? b. Do you know your fellow directors, the way the Board and its committees fulfil their responsibilities, the reporting structure between Board and Management and the relationship between shareholders and the company? c. Do you have sufficient industry, financial or professional expertise to fulfil your expected role and responsibilities as a Director? Do you understand your obligations under the law and the Code of Corporate Governance? Will you be able to discharge your fiduciary duties properly and without fear or favour? d. Will you face any conflicts of interest, and if so can you manage them? If you are in any doubt, you should decline. PARLIAMENT ATTENDANCE Once you have decided to accept an offer of a Directorship, please inform the Whip. MPs are expected to attend all sittings of Parliament. If you have to be absent from any sitting, seek the prior permission of the Government Whip. Please inform the Whip if you have to leave the Parliament premises while a sitting is on. If you travel abroad, or need to be absent from Parliament for any reason, you must apply to the Speaker for leave, with copies to the Leader of the House and the Government Whip. You should also inform the Whip where you can be reached while away from Singapore. I will ask the Speaker to give all MPs, particularly new MPs, ample opportunity and latitude to speak in Parliament. Your first opportunity will be during the debate following the President's Address at the opening of Parliament. At the Budget Debate, all MPs should speak up. Script your speeches or put your key points in note form to organise your ideas, and help the media. The public expects PAP MPs to express their views frankly, whether for or against Government policies. In debates, speak freely and with conviction. Press your points vigorously, and do not shy away from robust debate. However, please exercise judgement when putting your points across. Bring out grapevine talk for the Government to rebut, but do not unwittingly lend credence to baseless gossip. By doing so, you help ministers to put across the facts, explain the reasons for policies and decisions, and hence maintain public confidence in the openness and integrity of our actions. Your honest, informed views are an important political input which Ministers will consider in formulating and calibrating policies. Ministers will accept valid, constructive suggestions, but they have to correct inaccurate or mistaken impressions. Over time, the public will see that PAP backbenchers are as effective as Opposition MPs, if not better, at holding ministers to account, debating issues fully, and influencing policies for the better.
GIFTS, FINANCES AND DISCLOSURE On certain occasions, like the National Day Parade and the Investiture Ceremony for National Day Awards, the whole Establishment - the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary - will be there. Those who cannot attend must have very good reasons. Those who have accepted the invitation must attend, otherwise they leave empty seats, which does no credit to them or to the Party. At all public functions and constituency events, punctuality is of paramount importance. You should not accept gifts which might place you under an obligation which conflicts with your public duties. If you receive any gifts other than from close personal friends or relatives, you must declare them to the Clerk of Parliament who will have the gifts valued. If you wish to keep the gifts, you must pay the Government for them at the valuation price. Party Branches should not raise funds on their own without permission, for example by soliciting advertisements for a souvenir magazine or a carnival. If you intend to raise funds, please clear it beforehand with the Organising Secretary. When your branch embarks on a collective fund-raising activity, eg a Family Day or Walk-A-Jog, you must follow the rules strictly. As MPs, you should manage your personal financial affairs prudently. Do not over-extend yourself, or become financially embarrassed. This would be not only a potential source of personal embarrassment, but also a weakness which may expose you to pressure or blackmail. In particular, you should not make major financial commitments assuming that you will continue to receive your MP's allowance. While MPs typically serve several terms, you cannot assume that you will automatically be fielded in future General Elections, or that if fielded you will definitely be re-elected. There is no tenure or job security in politics. For your own protection, every MP should disclose to me, in confidence, your business and professional interests, your present employment and monthly pay, all retainers and fees that you are receiving, and whether your job requires you to get in touch with officers of Government Ministries or statutory boards on behalf of employers or clients. Office holders need not do so because you will be subject to the reporting requirements of the Code of Conduct for ministers. This should be done by June 30, 2011. We have held our position in successive elections because our integrity has never been in doubt, and because we are sensitive to the views and attitudes of the people we represent. MPs must always uphold the high standards of the Party and not have lifestyles or personal conduct which will embarrass themselves and the Party. Any slackening of standards, or show of arrogance or indifference by any MP will erode confidence in him, and ultimately in the Party and Government. New MPs can pick up the dos and don'ts from older MPs, so that they conduct themselves always with modesty, decorum and dignity. You must win respect, not popularity, to stay the course. |
| 58 residential areas face landslide risk Posted: 27 May 2011 10:56 AM PDT (Bernama) - KUALA LUMPUR: Based on a Public Works Department (PWD) ) study last year, an estimated 58 housing estates in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor situated in hilly areas face the risk of landslides, said PWD director-general Datuk Mohd Noor Yaacob. "All 58 housing estates are situated within four local council areas, namely Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), Kajang Municipal Council (MPKJ) and Selayang Municipal Council (MPS)," he told Bernama when contacted, here, today. The highest number of areas at risk, 39, are listed under MPAJ, among them, Bukit Antarabangsa, Taman Melawati, Kampung Pasir, Taman Wangsa Ukay, Ukay Heights, Ukay Perdana, Kampung Tengah, Taman Keramat and Sering Ukay. The others are Beverly Heights, Taman Hillview, Dataran Ukay, Taman Sri Ukay, Villa Sri Ukay, Bukit Utama and its peak, Taman Sri Watan, Taman Tun Abdul Razak, Taman Kesuma, Taman Cheras Utama, Kampung Cheras Baru, Taman Bukit Permai, Taman Muda, Taman Saga, Taman Teratai and Taman Mega Jaya. Taman Mulia Jaya, Taman Permai Jaya, Lembah Jaya Selatan, Kampung Bukit Sungai Seputih and Taman Bukit Indah are also locations at risk. There are such 11 locations under DBKL's area of jurisdiction, which are, Taman Melati, Desa Melawati, Wangsa Maju, Setapak, Taman Keramat Permai, Setiawangsa, Kampung Warisan in Jalan Jelatek, Kampung Setia Jaya, Keramat Wangsa and TAR College. The areas under MPKJ are Taman Perkasa Indah, Taman Melur, Taman Tasek Permai, Ampang-Hulu Langat and the hilltop link road, with MPS having the least Cemerlang Heights, Gombak Setia and Karak Highway toll plaza. According to Mohd Noor, dangerous hillsides fall into two categories, the first, hazardous but not life threatening as there are no housing areas around, and the second, life threatening due to houses in the vicinity. Areas at the highest risk are within 100 metres from the hill slopes. Mohd Noor urged people building homes in hilly areas to include systematic safety features and ensure proper drainage as hill slopes could be weakened by water retention. |
| RMAF to have training base Posted: 27 May 2011 10:49 AM PDT By Adrian David, NST KUALA LUMPUR: The new air force base, to replace the one at Sungai Besi, will primarily served as a training establishment. Royal Malaysian Air Force chief Gen Tan Sri Rodzali Daud said the new base would house the numerous training facilities in the organisation 'under one roof' as a management and leadership centre, especially for non-commissioned officers.
"At the moment, our various training institutions, like the Air Force Specialty School in Tanjung Bungah, Penang, are scattered all over the country but soon, it will be centralised in one base. "It will allow us to restructure our operations and relocate the air divisions and command headquarters to forward operational bases just like how the navy and army has done." As part of the 'Air Force-Next Generation' strategy, Rodzali said the force would emphasise on courses in aero-mechanics, avionics, aerospace support equipment and information communications technology for the future generation of technically skilled personnel.
"Under our 'Engaging the Talent' mission, we want to nurture people with calibre and quality with skills in handling sophisticated equipment like digital avionics, as a way of keeping up with global challenges." He declined to identify the exact location of the new air base, which will not have a runway, but it is reportedly believed to be at Kota Warisan in Dengkil, near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang.
"Having a runway will not be feasible as the Klang Valley already has a congested airspace," he told a press conference held in conjunction with RMAF's 53rd anniversary on Wednesday.
He said the bunkered air defence operations centre at the Sungai Besi base would be relocated, possibly to the air force commando base in Bukit Jugra in Banting, while the helicopter squadrons to Subang, home to the RMAF's VVIP jets and helicopters, Hercules C-130s, maritime patrol squadrons and a national disaster air relief centre. The 160ha Sungai Besi air base will make way for the multi-billion ringgit upscale Bandar Malaysia, undertaken by 1Malaysia Development Bhd (IMDB) via the Armed Forces Superannuation Fund.
Meanwhile, he said the RMAF's development plan included buying the muti-role combat aircraft, radars, sensors and the airborne early warning and control system.
The shopping list also include the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F/A-18E/F Super Hornets of the United States, Dassault Aviation's Rafael from France and the Saab JAS 39 Gripen from Sweden.
"We are looking at acquiring between 12 and 18 ultra-modern fighter jets per squadron, to replace the aging MiG-29N Fulcrums by 2015. Ideally, we want to operate not more than two types of fighters for ease of logistics, maintenance and the like."
Rodzali added the RMAF would take delivery of 12 Eurocopter EC-725 from next year, six Airbus A400M medium-lift aeroplanes were due for delivery from 2015.
"In the meantime, at least 15 of our Nuri S-61 Sikorsky helicopters will be refurbished with upgraded avionics to complement the Eurocopters."
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| Najib: Stop the infighting Posted: 27 May 2011 10:42 AM PDT (The Star) - KUALA LUMPUR: Umno division leaders must give priority to the needs of the people instead of being caught up with infighting, said party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. "The main objective of the party which we have nurtured all this while is to gain the trust of the people. "In a parliamentary democracy, the absolute measurement is to win the elections and form the government. There would be no meaning in having so many members, divisions and branches unless we succeed and form the government," he told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting here yesterday. To a question, Najib who is also Prime Minister, said he and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, as well as division chairmen, council members and the different wing chiefs regularly went down to the ground to look into people's needs. "The supreme council members have been entrusted to monitor five divisions each," he said, adding that as of May 25, 90 Umno divisions, 134 Wanita, 135 Youth and 152 Puteri divisions had completed their annual general meetings. On another matter, he said the council had decided to appoint former Perak Mentri Besar Tan Sri Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghazali as the chairman of the supreme council election committee for the 2011-2013 term. He also announced that the three-year suspension imposed on Bandar Tun Razak Wanita Umno chief Salma Pin, Bukit Katil division Puteri vice-chief Zalinah Ismail and Bukit Katil division committee member Saadun Basirun, who is also the political secretary to the Malacca Chief Minister had been lifted. The Umno disciplinary board suspended their membership from March 12, 2009 after they were found to be involved in money politics. On the 13th general election, Najib said an election simulation exercise would be undertaken in the middle of the year. "The preparations are continuous and efforts would be increased towards the general election," he said. |
| PM: Govt did not promise overseas scholarships to all top students Posted: 27 May 2011 10:41 AM PDT (The Star) - KUALA LUMPUR: While the Government promises scholarships for all top students, not everyone will be sent overseas, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said the Government was committed to giving Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships to SPM students with results of 8A+ and better.
"We didn't promise that everyone will get overseas scholarships. This is what the public did not understand," he told reporters here yesterday.
Najib said students given scholarships for diploma and matriculation courses were still eligible for degree-level scholarships.
"We will guarantee to sponsor students with a degree scholarship. Some people misunderstand that the sponsorship will stop at the diploma level and not be extended further," he said, adding that the scholarship issue had been discussed with various groups, including MCA, MIC and Gerakan.
In a statement, PSD said students were chosen according to criteria approved by the Cabinet in 2009 and agreed to last year.
It said it had received 16,900 applications this year.
It said due to limited places and competition, candidates unsuccessful for overseas scholarships were offered courses in local varsities.
The department said 58.8% of overseas scholarships were granted to Bumiputra students while the rest were for non-Bumiputras.
Najib also said the Government would study the National Economic Council report on the electricity tariff review.
On reports that the increase had already been decided, he said: "We will see first. I cannot say anything."
Najib said the subsidy rationalisation study was not about reducing subsidies but about reducing its rate of increase.
"The subsidies are increasing from the current RM12bil to some RM20bil. This means we have to find an estimated RM8bil, which is not a small sum," he added. |
| Have our parents generation caused the rift between races in Malaysia? Posted: 26 May 2011 09:37 PM PDT I remember as a child being told by my parents that I am not to forget my heritage, my culture, where my ancestors are from. I was sent to classes to learn my native language and to learn classical singing. All this was expected of me, to ensure I did not forget my roots. By Nitya Kamalanathan I am currently a PhD student in the United Kingdom, my first time in England. When people ask me about Malaysia, I beam, telling them how wonderful our country is and our food! Oh that is my favourite topic of discussion. We come from a country bursting with flavour, warmth, culture and diversity all of which have been the building blocks of the country. The three representing races of Malaysia each have rich traditions and cultures, which have blended together to produce a Malaysian culture of which I am proud to say I am a part. I remember as a kid celebrating the lantern festival with my neighbours, buying little lanterns and watching them float away into the darkness of the night; I remember in school making ketupats during Hari Raya and hanging them around school and I remember for Deepavali having little girls dance bharata natyam in school, and sharing murukku and mixing with my friends. As I grew older, I felt the rift between the respective groups. What caused this? I remember as a child being told by my parents that I am not to forget my heritage, my culture, where my ancestors are from. I was sent to classes to learn my native language and to learn classical singing. All this was
expected of me, to ensure I did not forget my roots. In this rush to enforce remembrance of heritage, some parents, in my perception, have been distracted by the need to preserve their culture and have forgotten to show their children the importance of intermingling among the races. I am sure a variety of factors exist causing this rift and dissecting each factor would probably be like working on another PhD thesis. While having a little chat with my friends over here in my research area, one particular friend (a foreigner who lived in Malaysia for several years) mentioned how evident it was that the races are struggling to preserve their own individual identity. This triggered a recollection of memories and encounters in the past which too made me wonder if being caught up in preserving one's unique culture and traditions, people have drifted from embracing the uniqueness of Malaysia and the rich diversity in cultures, traditions and ancestry. I understand the pressing dilemma of culture dilution, and the striving to maintain each group's uniqueness and identity. However does mingling with others dilute mine? I have grown up with exposure to people of all walks of life and yet I enjoyed listening to my grandparents stories of their childhood and how things were then. I also enjoyed learning to sing classical songs and learnt to read and write my mother tongue, but that never caused me to want to surround myself only with people of 'my own kind'. Personally, I have valued the time spent with my friends learning about their culture, traditions and experiencing the difference. Recently a string of my best friends got married; one was a fairytale Christian wedding, one was a dazzling Malay Nikah ceremony and the other a bright and colourful Indian wedding. Each of them was beautiful and special in their own way and wearing different outfits according to the different ceremonies was exciting. We are so gifted to have the opportunity in Malaysia to experience such a variety of traditions that bring two people together. Embracing the diversity of the cultures, tradition and food has always been a delight to me. Everyone has some good and some not so good to offer. At the end of the day we are all human and we all have some good and some not so good to offer. Mingling with others and participating in their traditions has never threatened my own identity, as at the end of the day I am aware of who I am and who I want to be. Once, I was also told by someone I look up to, that a culture can best be defined in relation to other cultures. It is the differences in cultures that make each culture perceptibly different, and therefore unique and individual. So, experiencing the differences between your own and other cultures leads you to recognise the good and bad points of your own. This shouldn't, of course, mean that you are liable to reject or neglect your own cultural traditions. Globalisation has made us all 'citizens of the world', for better or worse. This gives us all more opportunities to see other cultures, to compare them with our own and to share in their traditions. At the same time we can appreciate our own culture and traditions more realistically, without having to abandon them. So to all Malaysians like me, I say let's celebrate the gift of diversity presented to us. |
| That Effing Show 54: How to spot a racist? Posted: 26 May 2011 09:35 PM PDT Dear fellow Malay-sians, If there is one credo that we Malaysians stand by, it's that we're all a little bit racist, sometimes.
Whether it's UMNO or PAS. Whether it's MCA or DAP. Whether it's some teacher in a rural school telling the Chinese to go back to China. But how do we distinguish between the real racists from those folk who are just having a laugh; from all those folk who have just been misinterpreted and misunderstood? How do we tell them apart?
But do not fret. Have no fear. You've come to the right place. Because we've done all the work for you. We tell you just how to spot a racist.
We are not racist,
PopTeeVee
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latest projek: 1955 Baling Talks at 2011 Singapore Arts Festival
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| A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against……. Posted: 26 May 2011 06:58 PM PDT Barisan Nasional has still not learnt its lesson. Racism no longer works. Okay, maybe a few small-brained people are still gullible enough. But that group is getting smaller and smaller. Malaysians are becoming more internet-savvy and are no longer 'frogs under a coconut shell' like in the past. There is an expiry date on racism and that expiry date is getting closer. NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin MCA sticks to its 'no govt posts' call if party performs poorly in polls (The Star) - The MCA will stick to its 'no government posts at all levels' call, if the party performs poorly in the next general election, said president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek. He said some quarters in the Chinese community had expressed their worries that they would have nowhere to go for help if MCA was not in the Government. "We are not so fickle-minded. MCA has the integrity, courage and political morality to keep its words." "If you still need us in the Government, you have to support us," he told a press conference here Thursday after a dialogue session with Chinese guilds and associations. Dr Chua, backed by the party's presidential council, had recently called for MCA to give up government posts if the Chinese community did not support its candidates in the general election. *********************************** Disgruntled members urged to return to Umno (Bernama) - Umno members who feel marginalised or hurt by the party should rise above such feelings and return to the party's fold to help with the ongoing political and government transformation process. Party vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said their contributions were needed to support prime minister and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak's push to turn Malaysia into a developed nation of high income. He said Najib's approach was different from the ones taken by previous leaders and, for this reason, party members who felt marginalised, unwanted or hurt should return to the party. The same goes for members who had previously been suspended from Umno or even those who had joined the opposition, he told reporters after opening the Alor Setar Umno divisional meeting in Alor Setar today. "Others may have felt disappointed over not being chosen as election candidates. "A study conducted following our experience in Perak in the 2008 general election which saw Umno losing seven seats showed that this was 100 per cent due to dissatisfaction among Umno members. Some had even sabotaged the party," he said. Ahmad Zahid, who is defence minister, said experience would show that a decision made when a person was angry, sad or under pressure would not be an accurate one. He recalled his own experience of being an Umno Youth chief without any government post. "In Umno, we need to have resilience and competitiveness. We can already see changes among those who have opened up their minds," he said. He said it was impossible for the government to achieve its goals without political supremacy and support from all Malaysians. "Umno members must lead the way in casting aside feelings of hurt and dissatisfation," he added. *********************************** Can you see the game they are playing? The Chinese Barisan Nasional leaders are telling the Chinese community that if they do not vote MCA then they are not going to have any Chinese representatives in the government. The Malay Barisan Nasional leaders are telling the Malays that if the Malays do not want to become slaves and second-class citizens in their own country then all Malays must unite under Umno. The Indian Barisan Nasional leaders are telling the Indian community that…actually I don't know what the hell MIC is telling the Indian community because I don't speak Tamil. Anyway, it's all about race. And they are even using religious leaders or ustaz and imams to spread the message of hate through sermons and talks. (See here: http://www.malaysia-today.net/component/content/article/58-video/40691-ustaz-kazim-elias-kutuk-cina-india-berita-hairan-online-). And this is not an isolated case mind you. It is happening all over the country, even in the Kamunting Detention Centre (and I should know since I have been there). In fact, one of the allegations against me, which resulted in my detention, is that I had insulted Islam. And the 'proof' that was used against me was my article about the mosques spreading hate sermons. Barisan Nasional has still not learnt its lesson. Racism no longer works. Okay, maybe a few small-brained people are still gullible enough. But that group is getting smaller and smaller. Malaysians are becoming more internet-savvy and are no longer 'frogs under a coconut shell' like in the past. There is an expiry date on racism and that expiry date is getting closer. When next you go out to vote just remember that: A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against racism. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against religious extremism and manipulation. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against sacrilege against Islam and the abuse of Islam for political gains. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against corruption, mismanagement and abuse of power. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against persecution and discrimination. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against gambling the future of our children and grandchildren. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against corrupt and lying politicians. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against distortion of the truth and manipulation of the media. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against the violation of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against a manipulated and non-independent judiciary. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against the use of all the instruments of government to stifle dissent and opposition. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against a fraudulent, unfair and unclean election. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against the stifling of a civil society. A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against…well, why not you fill in this last one, which I sure many of you are capable of. |
| BN Federal Government paid 73% higher than the market value of Syabas bonds to bail out its ... Posted: 26 May 2011 04:44 PM PDT Media Statement by Tony Pua, DAP National Publicity Secretary and Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara On Wednesday 25 May, The Edge Financial Daily reported that Syarikat Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB) will acquire the bonds issued by the Selangor state water concessionaires through its-wholly owned subsidiary Acqua SPV Bhd for the amount of RM6.5 billion. The paper further quoted a market source that "in terms of price, the buying back is at 94.49 against mark to market value of only 54.54 at the end of last month". It is bad enough that the Federal Government has decided to bail out the Selangor water concessionaires, but for it to pay a whopping 73.2% higher than the market vallue of these bonds borders on being outrageous and an abuse of taxpayers' monies. This rescue deal for the private concessionaires is reminiscent of the Malaysian Airlines System (MAS) bailout when the Federal Government paid RM8.00 per share, or 121% higher than the market price of RM3.62 per share to Naluri Bhd, owned by Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli in December 2000. In fact, the Government has yet to see any returns on its "investment" for the stock price has slumped to RM1.59 (as at yesterday) or a 80.1% decline for its investment after 10 years. MAS continues to be troubled as it made RM242.3 million in losses for its first quarter this year in its financial results released this week with no end in sight to its problems. It is inexplicable that the Government has decided to settle the outstanding bonds of these privatised water companies when it should be the shareholders of these companies themselves who should be responsible for their own debt. In fact, when these companies were profitable, they have declared handsome dividends for their shareholders. Among the concessionaires, Syarikat Pengeluaran Air Sungai Selangor Holdings (SPLASH), whose parent company is Gamuda Bhd, declared dividends of RM578.6 million in 2007 while Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd had declared dividends amounting to RM214 million between 2006 and 2010. The above certainly makes true the dictum of the BN Government privatising profits and socialising losses by taking over the debt burden of these companies. The debt bailout is worsened by the fact that the Government has not been transparent with the whole exercise when the Minister of Energy, Water and Green Technology, Datuk Peter Chin announced that there has been no cabinet decision on the matter earlier this week. To date, we still do not know how the Federal government plans to restructure the water industry in Selangor based on the Water Services Industry Act 2006 after taking over these debts and whether these private concessionaires would be required to repay the Government for the bailout, despite the denial of a "bailout" by the Minister. The Minister must no longer pretend to be clueless about the entire exercise and disclose the full terms of the bailout exercise as this affects the basic right to water of all residents in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya as well as billions of ringgit of tax-payer's monies. Unless of course, he is completely powerless in his own Ministry, with key decisions made without his knowledge, in which case, he should then just resign honourably to protect his personal reputation and integrity. |
| Is the Tunku’s dream dead? Posted: 26 May 2011 03:47 PM PDT 
As a nation, we are moving backwards in time. We are almost tribal in the way we defend our racial space. The tudung has become a symbol of hypocrisy. If it is supposed to signify that the girl is chaste, then it is maddening to see tudung-clad girls in parks openly kissing and fondling their boyfriends. It makes a mockery of the tudung and what it is supposed to signify, if anything. Mariam Mokhtar, Free Malaysia Today How ridiculous that 54 years after Merdeka, we are still talking in terms of Malays, Chinese and Indians, and that we cannot and will not think and work as Malaysians. In the article, "Big Unity Plan" (Sunday Times, May 28, 1961) the Federation Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, warned of the communist threat: "We want citizens to think, feel, believe and work for the good of Malaya and look to Malaya as the sole object of their loyalty. This, I am sure, is the desire of all in the country except for a small minority." Last week, I spoke with a 77-year-old Malay lady, who used to work in the Tunku's secretarial pool. The lifestyle that she described then, is a far cry from the one that we read about today. She had photographs in which Malays dressed in sarong kebaya and had bee-hive hairdos, or long flowing locks. Young people went to dances with music played by live bands in town. Her friends and work colleagues were of different races. Although her mother and her mother's peers, dressed conservatively, the selendang was the norm, even among the older generation. In some typical Malay families, men and women ate separately. This was probably in deference to the breadwinner, who was the man of the house. Parents sent their children to the mission schools, to be taught by nuns. There were no issues with the morning assembly, when the Lord's prayer was said. During catechism, the Malays had their agama classes, but every child went to "moral class" or "civics" as it was also commonly known. Children who were sent to board in Convent schools, shared many experiences. During Sunday mass, the Muslims stayed behind and read while waiting for their friends to return from chapel. One couldn't help notice the interaction and bonding between the girls, for in the schools, children of various races, including Europeans and non-Malayans, were thrown together. So what went wrong in the intervening years? Symbol of hypocrisy Today, the Malay has replaced the sarong kebaya with the unflattering sack-like baju kurung. At work, women don the tudung, not because they want to but because of peer pressure and career advancement. The tudung has become a symbol of hypocrisy. If it is supposed to signify that the girl is chaste, then it is maddening to see tudung-clad girls in parks openly kissing and fondling their boyfriends. It makes a mockery of the tudung and what it is supposed to signify, if anything. However, no one I asked, would dare volunteer that their grandmothers and grand-aunts were not as religious, just because they lacked today's standard tudung. Children, including toddlers, are told they cannot play with children of the opposite sex. Conservatively clad girls in baju kurung cannot easily run around in the playground or play on a climbing frame because they are told it is not ladylike, or the "baju" is a physical impediment. When boys are not familiar with girls and vice-versa, apart from their own brothers or sisters, they find it awkward to relate to members of the opposite sex, when they are later thrown into a social, work or study environment. 
Young hormones and a lack of exposure play havoc with teenagers' feelings and they mistake mutual attraction or curiosity, for love. The need to explore their feelings may lead to sex, which both are mentally and physically unprepared for. Today, mission schools are in a terrible state of disrepair. It was as if these physical structures were being punished for churning out hundreds of thousands of educated children, some of whom became excellent scholars, administrators, scientists, academics and captains of industry. Symbols of Christianity had by the 80s been eroded. Gone were the crosses from school badges. Chapels in convents were stripped of their religious artifacts, some of which had been around for several decades and were of historical and religious significance. Even corporations were not spared. The much loved Christmas party for the staff children, all but disappeared. Few treated these parties – with Santa Claus and his cotton-wool beard, or the decorated Christmas tree, which was really a Casuarina tree – with any religious significance. Today, these Christmas parties are not politically correct, at least not in Malaysia. And if they are held, all religious symbols and hymns are banned if senior government officials are invited. Fear of causing offence Many Malay weddings are increasingly becoming "his" and "hers" affairs where the sexes are segregated as soon as they arrive. The racial and religious scarifying of Malaysia has gone to such an extent that many non-Malays are afraid to invite their Malay friends to their homes for fear of causing offence. Among the Malays, there is probably more fear of the moral police than of breaking God's bond, when people go out for drinks with friends or when they are having a relationship with people they are not married to. As a nation, we are moving backwards in time. We are almost tribal in the way we defend our racial space. The lady I know, who once worked in the PM's office half a century ago, has now altered her outlook of Malaysia. Today, she is convinced the Chinese and Indians are out to take control of Malaysia. Had she been to Perkasa's or Umno's ceramahs, I asked. What about the efforts of the opposition, I ventured. "No," she replied. "I watch TV and the television says that Umno is doing so much for the nation." When asked to quantify "so much", she volunteered "like building roads for the kampungs". "Now you tell me, what the opposition has done?" she challenged. READ MORE HERE |
| Umno pastikan Anwar kembali ke tembok batu Posted: 26 May 2011 03:21 PM PDT 
Sedangkan ramai tidak lupa seorang peguam daripada pasukan pendakwa yang mengendali kes liwat II digugurkan kerana dakwaan mempunyai hubungan dengan Saiful. Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Farah Azlina Latif dikatakan ada hubungan dengan saksi utama pihak pendakwa. Hubungan romantik mereka dibongkarkan blogger, Raja Petra Kamarudin. M Faqih, Harakahdaily "APA yang pasti Anwar Ibrahim tidak lagi dibenarkan bebas seperti sekarang. Kes liwat kedua hanya sebagai penyebab semata-mata," ujar satu sumber Umno di Kuala Lumpur. Sebelum ini ramai berhujah Anwar tidak mungkin bebas kalau Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad masih berada di kerusi lamanya. Buktinya tidak lama selepas Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menggantikan Dr Mahathir, Anwar dibebaskan. Anwar dibebaskan pada September 2004. Pak Lah menggantikan Dr Mahathir pada Oktober 2003. Sekarang Pak Lah sudah disingkirkan dan kuasa politik Dr Mahathir mulai mencengkam kembali. Anwar dipecat sebagai Timbalan Perdana Menteri pada 1998. Tidak lama kemudian dihumbang ke penjara atas alasan mengugut penjawat awam. "Alasan yang dimasyhur ketika itu bukannya kesalahan liwat versi pertama seperti diuar-uarkan, sebaliknya mengugut penjawat awam," kata puteri sulung Anwar, Nurul Izzah. Nurul Izzah muncul ikon baru politik di Tanah Malaya. Baru-baru ini ceramahnya di Machang dan Kuala Krai menarik ribuan pendengar. Sebaliknya versi liwat kedua memperlihatkan Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur awal-awal lagi menyimpulkan Anwar ada prima facie. Mengejutkan apabila Hakim Dato' Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah membuat rumusan Mohd Saiful Bukhari seorang yang berwibawa dan keterangannya boleh dipercayai. Saiful ada hubungan Sedangkan ramai tidak lupa seorang peguam daripada pasukan pendakwa yang mengendali kes liwat II digugurkan kerana dakwaan mempunyai hubungan dengan Saiful. Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Farah Azlina Latif dikatakan ada hubungan dengan saksi utama pihak pendakwa. Hubungan romantik mereka dibongkarkan blogger, Raja Petra Kamarudin. Ramai juga masih belum lupa adik ipar kepada Saiful menafikan dia melarikan adik saksi utama pendakwa itu ke selatan Thailand. Sebaliknya Faez Khairi, 28 mendakwa adik Saiful, Saidati Adha secara rela mengikutinya ke negara itu untuk berkahwin. Sebelum itu Saiful ada membuat pengakuan di mahkamah, Faez dan Saidati melarikan diri. Pendedahan mengenai keluarga saksi utama terbabit terbongkar ketika beliau menjawab soalan peguam Karpal Singh. Pada keterangan tersebut Saiful memberitahu ibu bapanya sudah bercerai ketika beliau berumur tujuh tahun. Oleh itu rumusan awal dibuat hakim seperti menyimpang daripada senario yang berlaku. "Biar apa pun saya sering mendengar pemimpin Umno bercakap mengenai Anwar. Setiap kali ada mesyuarat Majlis Tertinggi isu Anwar menjadi fokus," ujar sumber Umno tadi. Maka berdasar kepada fenomena yang berlaku sekarang ledakan reformasi 1998 sekali lagi bakal menarik simpati pengundi Melayu. Fakta Anwar dan kemelesetan ekonomi yang berlaku ketika itu menyebabkan orang Melayu beralih daripada Umno kepada Barisan Alternatif (BA). Inilah yang dikatakan ramai sarjana budaya baru politik di Malaysia. Prof Dr Loh Kok Wah dari USM mentafsirkan perubahan tersebut sebagai gambaran politik baru mulai dicetus di negara ini. Keberanian orang Melayu turun ke jalan-jalan raya menuntut keadilan untuk Anwar mencetus ledakan perubahan pada pola pengundian pilihanraya umum 1999. Kesannya BA berjaya menawan negeri-negeri majoriti Melayu iaitu Terengganu dan mengekalkan Kelantan di tangan PAS. Selain itu berjaya menembusi kerusi-kerusi majoriti Melayu di Selangor, Perak, Pahang, Perlis dan Pulau Pinang. Perkembangan reformasi memberi saham berganda buat PAS sehingga berjaya menduduki kerusi di Dun Selangor, Perak dan Pahang. PAS juga mengukuhkan kedudukan di Kedah. PAS ketua pembangkang Tuahnya buat PAS apabila berjaya menghantar seramai 27 wakil rakyat ke Parlimen ketika itu. Walhasilnya bekas Presiden PAS, Dato' Fadzil Mohd Noor buat pertama kali dalam sejarah parti Islam dilantik sebagai ketua pembangkang. Berdasar kepada percikan reformasi fasa pertama, orang Melayu beramai-ramai meninggalkan Umno. Ternyata strategik Dr Mahahir silap apabila 'membunuh' karektor utama dengan cara yang sukar diterima resam Melayu. Dan hari ini situasi itu seperti berulang kembali. Orang Melayu yang berpegang teguh dengan agama tidak boleh menerima fitnah dicetus secara mudah. Liwat versi kedua dan adegan video seks yang cuba dipalitkan terhadap Anwar menyebabkan pengundi Melayu menjadi mual. Mereka tidak mampu menerima cerita lama mengulangi apa yang pernah terjadi kepada Nabi Yusof. Baginda dianiayai adik beradik sendiri sehingga dibuang ke dalam perigi. Kemudian dicetus fitnah Zulaikha mahu mengoda baginda. Namun kemaraan Nabi Yusof tidak mampu disekat. Baginda akhirnya bangkit memimpin umat Islam ketika itu. Sudah lama cerita itu difahami orang Melayu beragama Islam. Orang Melayu Islam yang sering bertandang ke masjid setiap bulan Rejab juga pastinya pernah mendengar kisah di sebalik peristiwa Israk Mikraj. Ustaz dan ulama sering memberitahu baginda Rasulullah SAW menghadapi cabaran paling hebat dalam sejarah dakwah baginda. Semasa baginda menyampaikan dakwah di Taif, baginda SAW dilemparkan dengan batu dan diejek-ejek pemuda nakal. Baginda dilempar batu sehingga berdarah kaki. Selepas itu baginda meninggalkan Taif sambil berehat membalut lukanya di sebuah kebun kepunyaan adik beradik iaitu Utbah dan Syaibah bin Rabiah. Di saat itulah baginda SAW merintih kepada Allah SWT dengan doanya; "Wahai Tuhanku, kepada Engkaulah aku mengadu segala kelemahanku, sempitnya daya usahaku dan hinanya aku di kalangan manusia. Wahai Tuhan Yang Maha Pengasih Lagi Maha Penyayang, Engkaulah pelindung orang-orang yang lemah dan Engkaulah Tuhanku. "Kepada mereka yang jauh dan menghadapi aku dengan muka masam, atau kepada musuh, atau kepada musuh yang menguasaiku? Kalau Engkau tidak murkaiku, tidaklah aku pedulikan. "Tetapi kemaafahan Engkaulah yang sangat aku harapkan dan memberi kelapangan kepadaku. Aku mohon berlindung di bawah cahayaMu yang menerangi semua kegelapan dan di atasNyalah semua urusan dunia dan akhirat menjadi baik. "Agar janganlah kiranya Engkau turunkan murkaMu dan kebencianMu kepadaku. Kepada Engkaulah aku merayu sehingga Engkau meredhainya. Tidak ada daya usahaku dengan kekuatanMu." (Lihat Abu Fathan dalam Peranan Islam Dalam Masyarakat Melayu, 1996). Kisah sentimental itu tidak mampu dijarakkan daripada jiwa orang Melayu yang masih kuat berpaut kepada Islam. Setiap kali bulan Rejab kisah tersebut diulang-ulang semula sebagai pengajaran buat orang beriman. Namun malangnya, masih ramai orang Melayu hanya Islam pada nama dan tidak amalnya. Bagi golongan tersebut tiada pengajaran mampu diambil daripada kisah Israk Mikraj. Maka tidak hairanlah diuar-uarkan kisah lucah dan hantu bagi menghalang kebenaran Islam bertapak subur dalam jiwa orang Melayu. Maka ramai berhujah situasi politik hari ini mengundang fenomena 1999 berulang kembali. Ia sudah dibuktikan di Singapura baru-baru ini apabila pengundi Melayu beralih kepada Parti Buruh. |
| WIKILEAKS: ‘Anwar lacked Dr M’s clout in tackling Islam’ Posted: 26 May 2011 02:31 PM PDT 
A leaked 1997 diplomatic cable shows that the US had backed Dr Mahathir's version of moderate Islam but felt that Anwar was too soft to handle the religious conservatives. Following the messy beauty contest incident, Mahathir had then announced that by early 1998, the government would unify syariah laws at the federal level, thus sharply curbing the autonomy of local religious authorities. K Kabilan, Free Malaysia Today 
The US embassy here had given its tacit approval to Dr Mahathir Mohamad's hardline approach against Muslim conservatives in Malaysia as it was in line with the "US interests and values", revealed a leaked US confidential cable from 1997. However, the US diplomats were highly concerned if Mahathir's successor as prime minister could cope with the growing Muslim conservatism. They were specifically worried if Anwar Ibrahim, who was Mahathir's deputy at that time, had the "political position or the desire to take on Muslim conservatism as vigorously as Mahathir has done". "Moreover, Anwar, if he does become the next PM, will not have Mahathir's almost unquestioned authority. Thus, for political reasons he may be reluctant to take strong stands that upset the vocal religious constituency," they added. And they concluded that in the long run, the "growing proportion of Malays in Malaysia's ethnic mix will probably lead inexorably to the further Islamisation of Malaysian society". The details were revealed in a cable sent by the then US ambassador in Malaysia John R Malott to the US State Department in Washington on Dec 23, 1997. The confidential cable was leaked by whistleblower site WikiLeaks exclusively to FMT today. The year 1997 was a critical year for Malaysia as Mahathir was facing a major financial crisis. He was also facing problems with haze and the country's zealous religious officials, added the cable. Mahathir takes charge The cable said several incidents involving "zealous Islamic authorities" have angered Mahathir during this period. They include: - a proposal by a unit within the education ministry to introduce compulsory Islamic civilization studies for all students. This proposal was then broadened to become Asian civilization following protests and Mahathir's intervention.
- the arrest of three Malay women by the Selangor religious authorities for taking part in a beauty contest.
- an open warning by the Sarawak religious authorities against Muslim men from taking part in a bodybuilding competition.
Following the messy beauty contest incident, Mahathir had then announced that by early 1998, the government would unify syariah laws at the federal level, thus sharply curbing the autonomy of local religious authorities. "Theoretically, the government's plan for standardisation of syariah law will require the agreement of the states' ruling sultans, but such constitutional niceties have rarely delayed the PM before. "The 'unification' of syariah law early next year is already a fait accompli and conservative clerics know it, but don't like it," added the cable from the ambassador. The cable further stated that Mahathir then in his keynote address at the Umno meeting in September 1997 had called on Malays to reject extremism and noted the results of sectarian violence in Bosnia and the Middle East. 
The confidential cable added that Mahathir also criticised Muslims who put more stock in outward appearances (such as traditional clothes and beards for men and headscarves for women) than in leading a moral lie. "Such a speech might sound sensible enough to Western ears, but by all accounts it was a disaster with the largely Malay audience, including Deputy PM Anwar, sporting traditional dress and goatees and most of the women, including Anwar's wife, wearing headscarves," it stated. Malott said that Mahathir's "attack" on "extremist" Islam soon saw a fiery reaction from conservative Muslims, including the Selangor mufti who had apparently labelled the prime minister as an apostate. "Reportedly, Friday sermons at many mosques have included both oblique and direct criticism of the government. The police confirmed publicly that anonymous 'poison pen' literature criticising the PM is circulating at mosques," added the US cable. The Selangor mufti, who had denied ever calling Mahathir an apostate, was replaced by the state religious authorities on the grounds that the state needed a mufti whose views "were acceptable to all" and that a replacement was needed due to the mufti's advanced age. This prompted the US embassy to point out that the age reasoning was curious as "the PM himself has repeatedly stated that he will not step down, though he is one year older than the mufti". Anwar will lack authority The US cable stated that Mahathir's moves to modernise Islam made even the moderates feel anxious over the tone and direction taken by the prime minister. However, the top US diplomat felt that Mahathir "consistently advocates a moderate Islam squarely in line with US interests and values". 
"The PM, for better or worse, is not afraid to take on anyone, including conservative Islamic groups that generally have negative views toward the US. "Mahathir is also important as a voice of moderation within the international Islamic community," added the secret cable. The cable then went on to describe how Anwar, labelled as Mahathir's "good conscience", "has not proven he has either the political standing or the desire to take on conservative Islam". Malott, who was a firm Anwar loyalist following his sacking as the deputy prime minister in 1998, felt that Anwar who started off as a Muslim activist seemed loath to confront his former Muslim associates. "Anwar's reaction to the beauty pageant incident, which happened while the PM was out of the country and Anwar was in charge, was much less vigorous." Malott said that "Anwar, if he replaces Mahathir, will not have his predecessor's almost unquestioned authority". "Thus, for political reasons he may be reluctant to take strong stands that upset the vocal religious constituency," Malott added in the cable. READ MORE HERE |
| An Evening with Art Harun & Raja Petra Kamarudin Posted: 26 May 2011 01:00 AM PDT 
7.00pm, Tuesday, 31st May 2011 (with dinner)
Holiday Villa Hotel
37 Leinster Gardens
London W2 3AN
Art Harun, Malaysian lawyer and blogger, "believes that he is a failed government experiment, abandoned and left alone to roam the streets after all remedial efforts yielded no positive results. He calls himself a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), practices law for a living and tries very hard to play the guitar, sing, race cars and writes the occasional column for The Malaysian Insider to stay alive".
Really, Art gives himself too little credit. As a defender of free speech and a fierce critic of the abuse of the 'Special Position' accorded by Article 153, Art Harun is indeed very respectable failure.
Incidentally, Art was in the team of lawyers who made Malaysian legal history by successfully 'breaking out' Raja Petra Kamarudin from the Kamunting Detention Centre.
Raja Petra should need no introduction - recently returned to the UK after he almost walked into the Malaysian Embassy one evening in Bangkok - had he not been refrained by wife Marina and two lawyer friends.
It has been a year since RPK emerged in London for a public speaking engagement. With yet another lawyer present, will this be another night of drama with the Authorities? Let's hope not – dinner beckons at 7.00pm.
£15 per person; pay at the door. |
| Voter registration this weekend Posted: 26 May 2011 01:00 AM PDT 
DAP FT/Selangor is having a mega statewide (Selangor & FT) voter registration exercise this weekend, 28-29 May, at 12 locations. We're hoping to hit 10,000 new voters!
Venues include markets (for the semi-urban areas) and shopping centres for the urban areas, locations are: 1. KAJANG: Metro Point (near Old Town White Coffee); 11am-9pm 2. KEPONG: Waterfront, Desa Parkcity (near Coffee Bean); 10am-8pm
3. KLANG: Klang Parade (Renren Book Store); 10am-10pm
4. KUALA KUBU BHARU: KKB Market; 8:30am-10:30am
5. PANDAN: Pandan Perdana Morning Market (Sat) & Taman Muda Market (Sun); 8am-11am
6. PETALING JAYA: 1Utama (1st Floor, Oval); 10am-10pm & Digital Mall, Sect 14; 10am-9pm
7. PUCHONG: IOI Mall (Guardian, Old Wing); 10am-10:30pm
8. SEKINCHAN: Restaurant Sheng Hui (Sekinchan Market); 8am-12pm
9. SERDANG: The Mines Shopping Mall ; 11am-9pm
10. SUBANG JAYA: Empire Shopping Gallery (P1 Travelator); 10am-10pm |
| Three parties can’t form the federal government Posted: 25 May 2011 04:58 PM PDT If Barisan Nasional can't make it with just three political parties even with everything working in its favour (plus election fraud and vote rigging thrown in), what makes you think that Pakatan Rakyat can do so when the playing field is extremely far from level? NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin Way back in 1969, Umno already realised that it can't form the federal government with a coalition of a mere three political parties. At that time the coalition of Umno, MCA and MIC was called the Alliance Party. That was why Barisan Nasional was formed a few years later -- so that they could enlarge the three-member coalition to include more parties. A total of 7,944,274 Malaysians voted in the 2008 general election. Umno garnered 2,381,725 votes while MCA and MIC garnered 840,489 and 179,422 votes respectively. Combined, the 'Alliance Party' managed only 41.89% of the votes. In terms of parliament seats, Umno, MCA and MIC won 79, 15 and 3 respectively. But we must remember that Umno's 79 seats included 11 from Sabah. Therefore, minus Sabah, Umno won only 68 seats -- which means the 'Alliance Party' minus Sabah won only 86 out of the 222 seats in Parliament (or 97 seats if including Sabah). With or without the 11 Umno Sabah seats, the 'Alliance Party' of Umno, MCA and MIC can't get enough seats to form the federal government. They need Barisan Nasional to be able to form the federal government. And, today, Barisan Nasional is a coalition of 14 political parties (if you do not include the Election Commission, Police, Judiciary, AG's Chambers, etc. -- which would then make it a coalition of 20 or more members). The bottom line is: with a mere three political parties, Barisan Nasional can't form the federal government. It needs 14 political parties to do that. Now let us look at Pakatan Rakyat. It is also a coalition of three political parties. If Barisan Nasional can't form the federal government with just three political parties (even with the help of the Election Commission, Police, Judiciary, AG's Chambers, etc.) can Pakatan Rakyat do so (with the Election Commission, Police, Judiciary, AG's Chambers, etc., all working against the opposition)? I have said this before and I am going to say it again: Pakatan Rakyat must enlarge the coalition to include more political parties. It can't expect to form the federal government with just PKR, DAP and PAS. It needs more parties to join Pakatan Rakyat, not only from West Malaysia but also, and in particular, from East Malaysia. Pakatan Rakyat, in particular PKR, must not be sombong. It can't make Pakatan Rakyat an 'exclusive club' of three parties. It has to reach out to more parties and invite them to join Pakatan Rakyat. If not Pakatan Rakyat is never going to form the next federal government. The 2008 general election was the peak for Pakatan Rakyat. Pakatan Rakyat can't expect to better the 2008 general election result with just three parties. Even if Pakatan Rakyat can just maintain its 2008 election result that would be a consolation enough. My fear is that in the next general election Pakatan Rakyat will drop from its 2008 height of 82 parliament seats to a mere 52 seats or so (a repeat of what it did in 1999 when it used to be known as Barisan Alternatif). Pakatan Rakyat, in particular PKR, should stop making enemies and start making friends. It should remove that chip from its shoulder and stop looking down on those who share the common agenda of seeing change in Malaysia. There are many who share this aspiration for change. But Pakatan Rakyat acts like only it has that exclusive right of fighting for change. That is very sombong. Let me repeat that: if Barisan Nasional can't make it with just three political parties even with everything working in its favour (plus election fraud and vote rigging thrown in), what makes you think that Pakatan Rakyat can do so when the playing field is extremely far from level? There are ten non-Barisan Nasional political parties. But only three are in Pakatan Rakyat. Why can't Pakatan Rakyat become a coalition of at least seven parties even if it can't be a coalition of ten parties? |
| WIKILEAKS: Islam as a tool of Umno's political game Posted: 24 May 2011 01:00 AM PDT 
In the current case, the three women, previously unknown to the public, were caned and the public was not informed for over a week. The canings were administered by federal prison officials in a federal women's prison. This gives rise to a possible violation of federal law that the GOM has yet to explain or address. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUALA LUMPUR 000108 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2020 TAGS: KTIP, KCRM, KWMN, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, SMIG, MY SUBJECT: CANING OF THREE WOMEN REFLECTS UMNO'S POLITICAL TACTICS REF: A. KL 20 WHAT IS GOING ON IN MALAYSIA? B. KL 14 UPDATE ON THE ALLAH ISSUE C. KL 11 OVERNIGHT ATTACKS ON 3 CHURCHES D. KL 03 GOM APPEALS KL HIGH COURT RULING ON USE OF THE WORD ALLAH E. 09 KL 716 CANING PUNISHMENT POSTPONED Classified By: Political Counselor Brian McFeeters for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). --- SUMMARY AND COMMENT --- 1. (SBU) Summary: On February 17, Home Minister Hishammuddin announced that three women and four men who had been found guilty of illicit sex under Syariah law had been caned on February 9. The three became the first women to be caned in Malaysia. Caning of women in Malaysia had recently become the subject of international scrutiny, and Malaysian legal scholars are wondering what the decision means for the legal system, since caning of women is against federal law. On July 20, 2009, Malaysian Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, a Muslim woman, was sentenced by a state-level Syariah court to six lashes with a cane and a fine for consuming alcohol in public. To date, Kartika has not yet been caned. Viewing the caning as a political maneuver, the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) was critical of the GOM's actions contending they were not consistent with Islam. NGOs too were critical of the caning contending that it does not comport with federal law. End Summary. 2. (C) Comment: Kartika's case put Prime Minister Najib's new administration in the difficult position of balancing the competing forces fighting for Malaysia's Muslim identity. While concerned about preserving Malaysia's image as a moderate Muslim State, Najib has been unwilling to date to criticize Syariah law or otherwise downplay the seriousness of Kartika's offense for fear that it could damage United Malays National Organization's (UMNO) Islamic bona fides. That the GOM chose to cane three anonymous women, rather than the internationally renowned Kartika, seems to be a tactical maneuver by UMNO to retain or lure back conservative Malay voters as well as perhaps a testing of the waters presaging Kartika's caning. That Najib feels the need to placate the most conservative Malays suggests that his stated intent to change to a more inclusive, less Malay-centric economic and political model is facing considerable, resistance within his own coalition. End Comment. --- FIRST WOMEN CANED IN MALAYSIA --- 3. (SBU) Home Minister Hishammuddin announced on February 17 that GOM officials caned four Muslim men and three Muslim women found guilty of illicit sex under Syariah law. Sex out of wedlock is unlawful under Syariah law. The canings took place on February 9, and the three women are believed to be the first women to be caned under the law in Malaysia. Two of the women received six strokes of the cane and the other received four. The women were caned in a female prison. According to the Home Minister, one was released on February 14, one will be released in the coming days, and the third will be released in June. --- MALAYSIA'S DUAL LEGAL SYSTEM --- 4. (SBU) Article 3 of the Malaysian Constitution states that "Islam is the religion of the Federation; but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation." Article 3 further provides that issues of Islamic law are state, rather than federal, matters. Thus, states, and the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory, have individual Syariah law codes and have established Syariah courts, with jurisdiction over Muslims, to deal with family law and certain infractions under Islamic law. The constitution makes clear that federal law has precedence over state law (articles 4 and 75, "if any State law is inconsistent with a federal law, the federal law shall prevail and the State law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void"). Hence, because Syariah law is a state matter, any inconsistencies between these two legal systems should, according to the language of the Federal Constitution, be resolved in favor of the federal system. However, Article 121(1A) of the Constitution, added under former Prime Minister Mahathir in 1988 says, "the courts referred to in Clause (1) (the High Courts) shall have no jurisdiction in respect of any matter within the jurisdiction of the Syariah courts." This amendment introduced ambiguity about Syariah versus civil law that has yet to be resolved clearly. --- CANING IN MALAYSIA --- 5. (SBU) Under federal law, Malaysian judges routinely include caning in sentences of individuals convicted of kidnapping, rape, and robbery. The law also prescribes caning for illegal immigrants and their employers and as an additional punishment for those convicted of some nonviolent crimes such as narcotics possession, criminal breach of trust, and alien smuggling. The caning is carried out with a half-inch wooden cane that can cause welts and scarring. Federal law exempts men over 50 and all women from caning. Conversely, some states prescribe caning under Syariah law, for which there are no exceptions for women. In Syariah caning, a smaller cane is used and the caning official cannot raise the cane above his shoulder. Additionally, the subject is fully clothed so that the cane will not touch the flesh. Local Islamic officials claim that the intent is not to injure but to make the offenders ashamed of their sins and repent. --- THE CURIOUS ROLE OF THE GOM IN CANING THREE WOMEN --- 6. (C) In the February 9 case, the three women were sentenced to caning for committing adultery in violation of Section 23(2) of the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Syariah Criminal Offenses Act of 1997. The sentencing of women to such corporal punishment under Syariah law contradicts the federal law outlined in Section 289 of the Criminal Procedure Code that states that women are not to be subject to caning. In the current case, the three women, previously unknown to the public, were caned and the public was not informed for over a week. The canings were administered by federal prison officials in a federal women's prison. This gives rise to a possible violation of federal law that the GOM has yet to explain or address. 7. (SBU) The federal government has highlighted its role in meting out these sentences, indicating that the decision had Najib's support. Home Minister Hishamuddin (Prime Minister Najib Razak's cousin) placed himself at the forefront of this issue, announcing on February 17 that the women had been caned, commenting that "the punishment is to teach and give a chance to those who have fallen off the path to return and build a better life for the future," sounding much like an Islamic cleric. In a February 19 interview, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin did not address the legal issue, focusing instead on the need to explain that Syariah caning is ritualistic rather than severe. The government-influenced daily, Bernama, on February 19, quoted Minister for Religious Affairs in the Prime Minister's Department Seri Jamil Khir Baharom as saying that the women were remorseful and "welcomed their sentence." In a separate article, Bernama reported that Minister of Women, Family, and Community Development Shahrizat, said that her Ministry will monitor future caning of women noting that "as the minister in charge of women affairs in this country, I really hope that the whipping sentence on Muslim women will be carried out fairly and judiciously." --- REACTION FROM PAS --- 8. (SBU) When the canings were announced, some observers wondered whether the punishments could be seen as an effort to divide the opposition coalition People's Assembly, expecting PAS to support the punishments, while the secular Democratic Action Party (DAP) would likely oppose the canings. However, PAS Central Working Committee Member and Member of Parliament Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad of Selangor urged his party not to fall into the trap of allowing UMNO to portray itself as the defender of the Islamic agenda. He asserted that there is a political motive behind the caning of the three women. If UMNO were sincere about upholding the principles of Islam, it would address the source of problem rather than just implementing the sentence and would be combating corruption, abuse of power, cruelty, and embezzlement of the wealth of the country by political cronies. 9. (SBU) PAS Women's Movement Chief Nuridah Salleh asserted that the GOM's caning of the seven individuals did not conform to Islamic principles because it was done in private and not in the open as required by Islam. She explained that canings are to be public in order to educate and instill awareness among the people and to ensure the violators do not commit the crime again. She called on the Home Minister to remember this intent prior to carrying out future caning sentences. --- REACTION FROM CIVIL SOCIETY --- 10. (SBU) Civil society groups have condemned the GOM caning of the women. The Malaysian Bar Council, on February 18, issued a press release expressing its "shock and disappointment" and elaborating, "given that the Kartika issue remains unresolved and the public outcry on issues of constitutionality in regards to the fact that corporal punishment is forbidden for women under Section 289 of the Criminal Procedure Code, it is indeed shocking that the Government has made the announcement only after the punishment has been carried out." Similarly, Sisters in Islam questioned the GOM's motive behind caning the Muslim women while the issue of Kartika's case remains unresolved. All Women's Action Society president Sophia Lim asserted that "the Home Minister needs to explain why the government allowed the punishment to be carried out in secret on an issue that is of high public interest with very far ranging and damaging consequences." KEITH |
| The burden of proof Posted: 23 May 2011 06:05 PM PDT That's why! These lowly educated Melayu from Umno want to try to play psy-war and spin-doctoring. But they don't know how. Maslan may be the Umno Information Chief but that does not mean he is clever. NO HOLDS BARREDRaja Petra Kamarudin Ball is in Anwar's court, says Umno info chief (The Malaysian Insider) - Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan said today that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must prove Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah's allegations are false following the latter's exclusive interview with Utusan Malaysia. (Read more here: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ball-is-in-anwars-court-says-umno-info-chief/) Shazryl Eskay gave a mere interview with Utusan Malaysia. I signed a legal document, a Statutory Declaration, and my lawyer, J. Chandra, sent it officially by way of letter to the prosecutors in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial. Going by what the Umno Information Chief said, then the Malaysian government has to now prove that what I signed in that 2008 SD is false. I need not prove what I signed is true -- just like Shazryl Eskay does not need to prove what he said about Anwar is true. This means the government has to first of all drop the three S.501 Criminal Defamation charges against me (not just 'discharge not amounting to an acquittal'). Then the government needs to investigate my SD and prove that what I signed is false. Only when it is proven that what I signed is false can the government, again, charge me -- but this time for the crime of signing a false statutory declaration under S.203. That's why! These lowly educated Melayu from Umno want to try to play psy-war and spin-doctoring. But they don't know how. Maslan may be the Umno Information Chief but that does not mean he is clever. Remember, back in 1999 Anwar Ibrahim was convicted of corruption and sodomy and was sentenced to 15 years jail because, according to the court, he had failed to convince the court of his innocence. Get it? Anwar was jailed 15 years not because he was found guilty. He was jailed 15 years because he failed to convince the court of his innocence. Okay, our laws may be based on the doctrine of innocent until proven guilty. But that only applies to people who suck up to Umno. For those who oppose Umno it is the other way around. So, can I hear it from the Malaysian government? Are you going to drop the three Criminal Defamation charges against me and, like what the Umno Information Chief said, prove that what I signed in my SD is false? Then, and only then, if you can prove that what I signed in my SD is false, can you charge me for the crime of signing a false SD. This is what Umno says must be done and I, for once, would be most happy to listen to Umno. |
| Charity starts at home Posted: 23 May 2011 07:10 AM PDT If we attack the government we are towering Malays, great Malaysians, patriots, and all that crap. But the minute we expose the wrongdoings of the opposition we have been bought, we have turned, we have sold out, we are Trojan horses.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin Raja Petra, a well known Malaysian blogger, would shock his audience by signing an affidavit implicating the current Prime Minister and his wife in that murder. Raja Petra has since retracted his claim, by saying that he only wrote what he was told. The curious timing of his retraction, coinciding with both the Sarawak elections and the upcoming open court hearing on the Armaris contract in France, has given rise to speculation that he has been turned. – Malaysia Chronicle *****************************************
I have just finished watching the movie 'Fair Game'. I suggest you watch it as well. I am not going to spoil it all by telling you the whole story other than it is about how governments lie to us and manipulate us. It is also about how the media is used as a propaganda tool. The most interesting part is the closing scene. Take special note of the speech in that closing scene.
Why do we oppose the Barisan Nasional government? Or at least why do I oppose the Barisan Nasional government? Well, it is because the Barisan Nasional government is exactly like what the US government is as featured in that movie I am talking about. It is manipulative and it lies to us.
So I want to get rid of the Barisan Nasional government. I have said this before and I will say it again: either the Barisan Nasional government changes or we have no choice but to change the government. And you and I both know that the Barisan Nasional government is incapable of changing. So we have to change the government. There are no two ways about it.
But we want to replace the Barisan Nasional government with a government that is not also manipulative and also lies to us. That is the bottom line.
Now read what Malaysia Chronicle a.k.a. Suara Tian Chua wrote above.
"Raja Petra, a well known Malaysian blogger, would shock his audience by signing an affidavit implicating the current Prime Minister and his wife in that murder."
Okay, have you read my Statutory Declaration that I signed in 2008? In that SD I alleged that a certain Kolonel Azmi Zainal Abidin alleged that Rosmah Mansor and her ADC and her ADC's husband were at the scene of the crime the night Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered (three people were named).
Let me repeat that: I alleged that a certain Kolonel Azmi Zainal Abidin alleged that Rosmah Mansor and her ADC and her ADC's husband were at the scene of the crime the night Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered.
Now, do you see the name Najib Tun Razak mentioned anywhere in that sentence? Read it again. Do you see the name Najib Tun Razak in that sentence?
And did I allege that those three people were there or did I allege that Kolonel Azmi Zainal Abidin made that allegation?
That is point number one.
Point number two is the part that Malaysia Chronicle wrote: "Raja Petra has since retracted his claim, by saying that he only wrote what he was told."
Did I retract my claim or did I do the opposite: I reiterated my claim?
And did I not state in my 2008 SD that this is what I was told? And I still say this until today. So have I retracted my claim or have I instead reiterated my claim?
So you see, even the opposition manipulates us and lies to us just like Barisan Nasional. And we are trying to kick out Barisan Nasional and change it with another government because it manipulates us and lies to us. But the opposition is not even the government yet and it is already manipulating us and lying to us.
Since last year Malaysia Chronicle a.k.a. Suara Tian Chua has been doing this (long before my TV3 interview). It has been distorting the news and has been lying to us. But when I attack the opposition for acting just like Barisan Nasional they respond by saying that "he has been turned".
If we attack the government we are towering Malays, great Malaysians, patriots, and all that crap. But the minute we expose the wrongdoings of the opposition we have been bought, we have turned, we have sold out, we are Trojan horses.
As they say, charity starts at home. But then other things start at home as well. If the opposition can't be honest with us then what hope do we have of seeing change if we kick Barisan Nasional out and replace it with the opposition?
When Malaysia Chronicle attacked me from as far back as last year, I did not accuse Tian Chua of being Trojan horse, or having been bought off, or whatever. I took that as their right to disagree with me. Why can't they also allow me my democratic right to disagree with them?
Why must I automatically agree with everything that the opposition does? Don't I also have rights? And is not one of my rights is to agree to disagree? Why is it when I disagree with them then that makes me a traitor or is taken as 'evidence' that I have been bought off?
Yesterday, I published the second instalment of the Wikileaks cables on Malaysia. Free Malaysia Today and The Malaysian Insider both picked up the story and made a reference to Malaysia Today. Malaysia Chronicle also picked up the story but made no reference to Malaysia Today.
In short, Malaysia Chronicle stole Malaysia Today's story. Is this an honest thing to do? It just shows the 'journalistic standards' of Malaysia Chronicle.
I am not the opposition. Malaysia Today is not an opposition mouthpiece. But we do propagate a change of government. But we want a better government, a government that does not manipulate us and lie to us. However, if Malaysia Chronicle a.k.a. Suara Tian Chua is the example of the type of new government we are going to get, would you blame the voters for having second thoughts about the opposition?
Malaysia Chronicle a.k.a. Suara Tian Chua and opposition portals of their ilk can continue with these lies and deception if they so wish. They are only hurting themselves. The voters are watching and taking note. And the voters will demonstrate what they think of the opposition come the next general election.
We just can't whack Barisan Nasional and accuse it of all sorts of things and then act just like them. Do you think the voters are that dumb? We vilify Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, New Straits Times, The Malay Mail, The Star, etc. -- and with just cause, may I add. Then we have Malaysia Chronicle a.k.a. Suara Tian Chua acting just like Utusan Malaysia and the rest of those scumbags and slime-balls, a.k.a the mainstream media.
So where do we go from here? Kick out Barisan Nasional and replace one lump of shit with another lump of shit?
Come on lah Brader Tian Chua. Stop hurting the opposition cause. It is people like you who are making the voters disgusted with the opposition. Why don't you do us a favour and go join MCA so that we can focus on our work of kicking out Barisan Nasional?
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| WIKILEAKS: Shazryl Eskay Abdullah tells the US that Malaysia is a terrorist safe haven Posted: 22 May 2011 01:00 AM PDT Even on Malaysian soil, Thai Malay militants did not feel safe from possible assassination or kidnapping. On at least one occasion, a Thai bounty hunter had bribed local Malaysian police to abduct a separatist who was in Malaysia. Eskay had intervened to release the target, whom the Malaysian police officer had locked in the trunk of his police car. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 KUALA LUMPUR 000263 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2027 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, PINR, MOPS, ASEC, TH, MY SUBJECT: HONORARY CONSUL NOTES MALAYSIA AS SAFE HAVEN FOR THAI INSURGENCY, RELEVANCE OF OLD GUARD REF: A. 06 KUALA LUMPUR 1764 - NO TEARS FOR THAKSIN B. 06 KUALA LUMPUR 1976 - SURAYUD'S VISIT 
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b and d). Summary 1. (S) The Honorary Thai Consul in Langkawi, Malaysian businessman Shazryl Eskay Abdullah (protect throughout), described Thai Malay separatist use of Malaysian territory as a safe haven and insurgents' views of the conflict during a February 5 meeting with polchief. Eskay, who was a leading Malaysian facilitator of the dialogue with Thai insurgents hosted by former Prime Minister Mahathir, argued that the older generation insurgency leaders, mostly resident in Malaysia, remained relevant as they provided needed support services and safe haven to younger leaders. He identified only one old guard leader as actively ordering attacks, and estimated that criminal gangs and Thai security services were responsible for 70 percent of the recent violence. He said he did not see links yet between the Thai insurgents and regional or international terrorists, but recognized the potential and encouraged the U.S. to keep a close watch. He also noted, however, that the insurgents received financial assistance via Singapore from unknown sources. The now-ended peace initiative by Mahathir produced a ten-page "peace proposal" signed by old guard leaders, but which failed to gain much response from Bangkok. Eskay believed that the February 11-12 visit to Thailand by Prime Minister Abdullah would result in the Malaysian external intelligence organization (MEIO) taking up a "facilitation" role in discussions between Thai intelligence and southern insurgents, though Eskay was pessimistic as to the prospects. Eskay shared a 12-page paper on the insurgency and Thai Malay views, resulting from his interviews with numerous separatist leaders, which he had submitted to MEIO February. End Summary. Honorary Consul as Mediator with Separatists 2. (S) Polchief called on the Honorary Thai Consul in Langkawi, Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, on February 5 as part of a February 5-9 visit to Malaysian states along the border with Thailand (septel). Eskay, a Malaysian businessman of mixed Malaysian-Thai parentage, described his significant "mediator" role in the 2005-2006 dialogue with Thai Malay insurgents, which featured former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, and his frequent interaction with separatists on both sides of the border. Eskay said he carried out his work on the Thai insurgency largely independent of the Thai and Malaysian governments, and maintained direct links with most known Malay separatist leaders resident in Malaysia. To bolster his credentials, he showed polchief video footage he had recorded of various meetings with men he described as elder separatist leaders and younger operators. Old Guard Not Calling the Shots, but Still Relevant 3. (S) Eskay noted that most of the older generation of Malay separatist leaders lived in Malaysia with the Malaysian Government's knowledge and acquiescence. The older generation included those affiliated with the United Pattani Freedom Front (BERSATU), and the constituent groups the National Revolutionary Front (BRN-Congress), the Pattani Mujahiddin Movement (GMP), and the Pattani United Liberation Organization (PULO). In addition, Eskay confirmed that younger generation separatists, including those involved in recent attacks in southern Thailand, frequently entered Malaysia, particularly when the situation became "too hot" and they required safe haven. The GOM was not always aware of the identity and travel of younger separatists. With some exceptions, the older generation did not direct the actions of the younger insurgents. However, Eskay argued that the relevance of the "old guard" should not be underestimated. The older leaders, with well-established networks in Malaysia, constituted the support service for the insurgents, providing shelter and transportation, and arranging jobs, including in Thai restaurants and on rubber estates. Because the older generation provided needed safe haven services, they remained influential and relevant to a potential peace dialogue with Thailand's Malay south. (Comment: Many of our other interlocutors dismissed the Mahathir-led dialogue because it focused on the older Malaysia-based separatists who no longer represent the insurgency on the ground. End Comment.) The Murky Business of Violence 4. (S) Like many other Malaysians we interviewed during our trip to northern Malaysia, Eskay described the Malay insurgency as splintered, with operations currently carried out by very small cells, comprised of two or three persons. "Brokers" would task the cells with orders and money. Often times the affiliation of the brokers would not be clear to the cells, opening the possibility that they represented other parties, but cells would carry out "orders" nonetheless both for monetary gain and for fear that they otherwise would run afoul of other insurgents. The cell members generally were technically unsophisticated and the brokers often provided the improvised explosive devices to be planted and detonated by the cells. Eskay crudely estimated that Malay separatists accounted for only 30 percent of attacks in the south with Thai army, policy and intelligence agency factions, along with criminal gangs, responsible for the balance. Eskay relayed that many insurgent leaders believed deposed Prime Minister Thaksin and Thai Rak Thai party advisor General Chavalit were funding much of the recent violence. Insurgent members had denied association with New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok. They also disassociated themselves from many of the attacks on schools. The fracturing of the separatist movement and use of small cells added to the complexity and the difficulty in identifying any leaders for dialogue. Eskay named only one old guard leader, BRN-Congress Vice President Abdullah bin Idris, as responsible for ordering some of the ongoing attacks in southern Thailand. Safe Passage 5. (S) In addition to the Mahathir-led dialogue and frequent informal meetings with Thai separatists, Eskay said he had arranged meetings between Malaysian intelligence and various insurgents operating in Thailand, meetings which included an understanding of safe passage within Malaysia. Even on Malaysian soil, Thai Malay militants did not feel safe from possible assassination or kidnapping. On at least one occasion, a Thai bounty hunter had bribed local Malaysian police to abduct a separatist who was in Malaysia. Eskay had intervened to release the target, whom the Malaysian police officer had locked in the trunk of his police car. No International Terror Links...Yet 6. (S) Eskay stated that he had seen no evidence the Malay separatists had linked up with external terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda or Jemaah Islamiyah. He noted, however, that some insurgents received funds from a bank in Singapore (NFI), which passed through money changers in the Malaysian border town of Padang Besar, Perlis state. Eskay did not know the origin of the funds. Though there was in his view a clear potential for a link-up with terrorist groups, Eskay commented that Malaysian intelligence did not pay adequate attention to this risk and he encouraged the U.S. to keep a close watch on developments. February 2006 "Peace Proposal" 7. (S) The Mahathir-led dialogue had resulted in a "peace proposal" in February 2006, signed by old guard leaders of BERSATU, BRN-Congress, GMP, and PULO, Eskay noted. This had met with no substantive response from the Thai Government, but might constitute a good starting point for future dialogue. Eskay provided us with a copy of the ten-page document, which demanded Thai Government actions in eight areas, namely: -- Improvements in "leadership," through appointment of a Muslim Affairs Minister and a Muslim affairs coordinating body. -- Improved government communication and networking with Malay Muslim communities. -- Confidence-building measures, including establishing ethnic Malay quotas for government service and security forces in the south. -- Steps to promote investment and economic development. -- Improvements in the education infrastructure. -- Amnesty, with individual cases approved by a Board of Review. -- Establishment of a tribunal to investigate and try cases of human rights violations. -- Establishment of a monitoring committee to ensure implementation of the above steps. Malaysian External Intelligence May Take the Lead 8. (S) Eskay said the Mahathir initiative was now over, and the Malaysian Government had made clear that the phase of "NGO involvement" in dialogue with Thai Malay separatists had come to an end. The February 11-12 visit to Thailand by Prime Minister Abdullah likely would confirm a role for the Malaysian External Intelligence Organization (MEIO) as a "facilitator" for future informal talks between Malay separatists and Thai Government intelligence. Eskay supported a Malaysian Government mediation role, but he was pessimistic MEIO and its Thai counterparts would make progress. Instead, Eskay anticipated continued violence. The Honorary Thai Consul shared a 12-page "confidential" paper on the insurgency and Thai Malay views, resulting from his interviews with numerous separatist leaders, which he had submitted to MEIO February 1. Eskay requested that we not share the paper and February 2006 "peace proposal" with others (we have forwarded the documents via classified email to EAP/MTS and Embassy Bangkok). Comment 9. (S) Eskay credibly appeared to have contacts with a large pool of old guard leaders, insurgents, and sympathizers from Thailand's Malay south. His views on the insurgency were the most detailed we heard during five days of travel in northern Malaysia and tracked well in many respects with information and opinions from others. His belief in the usefulness of engaging the old guard, however, contradicted the opinion of Malaysian politicians, officials and police who generally dismissed the old timers as irrelevant. Several Malaysians volunteered they were suspicious of Eskay's contacts with Malay separatists and alleged Eskay had been involved in controversial business deals in the past (unrelated to Thailand). Eskay informed us that he had lived some ten years in the United States circa the 1980s. LAFLEUR |
| Martyrs or victims of corruption? Posted: 21 May 2011 06:17 PM PDT I think it is time we started appointing women Muftis in Malaysia. After all, if the Muftis do not have any balls what difference does it make if we appoint men or women as Muftis? NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin Anak yatim maut tertimbus syahid SHAH ALAM - Kematian mereka bukan sia-sia. Allah sudah janjikan ganjaran syahid bagi sekumpulan anak yatim terkorban dalam tragedi tanah runtuh di Hulu Langat, petang semalam. Mufti Selangor, Datuk Seri Mohd Tamyes Abdul Wahid berkata, mengikut hukum, Islam yang menemui ajal secara tragis se-perti akibat kebakaran, kemalangan jalan raya atau bencana alam dan mati ketika tidur, dikategorikan sebagai syahid. "Mereka dapat syafaat Allah, itu janjiNya," katanya. Beliau mengulas kematian anak-anak yatim penghuni Rumah Anak-anak Hidayah Madrasah Al-Taqwa di Jalan Sungai Semungkis, Kampung Gahal, Hulu Langat, petang semalam. Bagaimanapun menurut Mohd Tamyes, jenazah mereka masih perlu diurus seperti jenazah mati biasa, iaitu mandi, kafan dan disolatkan. Beliau mengingatkan pengasas rumah kebajikan, termasuk rumah anak yatim di seluruh negara, pastikan bangunan mereka tiada risiko musibah. "Jangan bina di lereng bukit atau berhampiran dekawasan bahaya kepada penghuni," katanya. ******************************* The death of 16 orphans in a landslide in Hulu Langat, outside Kuala Lumpur, yesterday was not in vain (bukan sia-sia), said the Mufti of Selangor. According to Islam, said the Mufti, these orphans died a martyr's death (syahid). And the same goes for anyone who dies in a traffic accident, or whatever tragedy, added the Mufti. I suppose this is one way of looking at it. When someone dies we try to look at the 'positive' side of his or her death. And this is probably the Mufti's way of making us feel good about those deaths. After all, is not Malaysia an expert at the 'feel good' factor? I bet they can even make us feel good about May 13 -- it taught us that racism is bad and can lead to race riots so Malaysians today are no longer racists. Yeah, right! The more fundamentalist Muslim would say that the 16 orphans were fated to die in the landslide yesterday. The time, date, place and manner we will die has already been determined even before we were born. So, yesterday, the 16 orphans merely kept their appointment with death. It was their fate which had already been decided and there was nothing anyone could have done to avoid it. Is that so? What about the reports of the previous incidences of landslips in that area? Wasn't that a sign (from God or whatever) that we have a tragedy in the making? What was done about the many landslips of past that yesterday became a landslide? (Menteri Kerja Raya Datuk Shaziman Mansor dilaporkan berkata bahawa kawasan itu dipercayai telah beberapa kali mengalami kejadian tanah runtuh namun tidak dilaporkan - Bernama). When the Tsunami hit our shores and other Asian countries on 26 December 2004, they said the same thing. Some even said that this is God's punishment for all those sinners. I wonder what sin the babies and children committed to incur God's wrath on them. Actually, the death toll of the 2004 Tsunami could have been reduced had greedy people not cut away (for profit) all the mangrove plants along the coast. The mangrove would have acted as a buffer and the waves would not have gone so far inland and been so destructive. A lot of tragedies could have been avoided. And they could have been avoided if humankind were not so greedy and corrupt. Greed and corruption, not God, causes tragedies. And those who die in tragedies should not be classified as martyrs but as victims of greed and corruption. On a per capita basis Malaysia has ten times more fatal road accidents than Britain. And this is all because of greed and corruption. Those who die in traffic accidents are not martyrs, as the Mufti said. They are victims of greed and corruption. The Muftis have a duty to perform. They must condemn greed and corruption. They must not tell people that 16 orphans dying in a landslide is not in vain, it is okay, it is a good, it means they are going straight to heaven. They must tell the people that this is yet another of the many signs of rampant greed and corruption in Malaysia. Don't tell us that the orphans' deaths are NOT sia-sia. Tell us that their deaths ARE sia-sia. And tell us that their deaths and the deaths of thousands of other Malaysians every year is because of greed and corruption. Are the Muftis scared of doing this? Are they so worried that they will get sacked from their jobs and will lose their comfortable income and lifestyle? Are they not brave enough to teach Malaysians proper Islam, in that we must oppose greed and corruption? I think it is time we started appointing women Muftis in Malaysia. After all, if the Muftis do not have any balls what difference does it make if we appoint men or women as Muftis? |
| The proof of the pudding is in the eating Posted: 19 May 2011 05:55 PM PDT The Balinese Hindus are a perfect example of good Muslims. That is what troubles me. The Balinese Hindus are what Muslims should be but are not. And I really need to find out why this is so even if it is the last thing I do. NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin My wife and I spent three weeks in Bali in April this year. We were there to celebrate our 38th wedding anniversary as guests of a very good friend who allowed me to stay in his exquisite villa for free. It would have cost me USD1,100 a night otherwise. That was after my Australian trip and just before the talk Haris Ibrahim I gave in Bangkok followed by all that drama. What impressed me most about Bali was the honesty of the people, who are 90% or so Hindu (but very different from Malaysian Hindus). We left all our things including our cash in our room. The staff walked in and out freely and we did not feel any anxiety. In fact, our bedroom did not have any locks but just glass shutters. I asked one Balinese girl who was giving me a two-hour massage how come the Balinese are so honest. It is because we believe in karma, she replied. Oh, I responded, that means whatever you do to others the same thing will happen to you (balasan yang sama). No, she replied. Whatever you do to others ten times more will happen to you. And that includes both good and bad things. Whenever we took a taxi the taxi driver would automatically switch on his meter. And they never took the longer route to get where we wanted to get to. It was always short cuts. Whenever we stopped at the shopping complex to buy our groceries and stuff the taxi driver would switch off the meter and wait, however long it took. So we did not have to pay for 'down time'. On one occasion my friend left his Blackberry at Macdonalds. We were halfway back to the villa before he realised he had lost his Blackberry and we suspected he may have left it at Macdonalds, the last pit stop we made. We asked the driver to turn around and go back to Macdonalds, although we did not really think that his Blackberry would still be there. But lo and behold, it was still there. Someone had found it on the counter and had handed it to the manager. What a relief it was for my friend who could ill-afford to lose all his data. There were many other instances regarding the honesty of the Balinese that impressed us immensely. I joked that if I did not yet have any religion and was looking for a religion I would probably become a Balinese Hindu. That's how impressed I was. After Bali we went over to Jakarta and suddenly it was another world altogether. Jakarta is predominantly Muslim but you did not feel safe in that city. You felt like you were constantly under siege. "Why can't the Muslims in Jakarta be like the Hindus of Bali?" I commented to my wife. I was so impressed with the Balinese Hindus and disgusted with the Jakarta Muslims. And it is the Muslims who cause all the commotion in Bali with the bombings and whatnot. I would like to believe that Muslims have reduced Islam to a religion of rituals minus the commitment to the ideals of the religion. But then the Balinese are even more ritualistic than the Muslims. In fact, they appear to be constantly in prayer. I am yet to put my finger on it. There is something about the Balinese version of Hinduism that makes them extremely honest and decent people. But what is it? I think I am going to go back to Bali and spend some time studying the people there, in particular their religion. I need to find out what it is they are doing right and we are doing wrong. The Balinese Hindus are a perfect example of good Muslims. That is what troubles me. The Balinese Hindus are what Muslims should be but are not. And I really need to find out why this is so even if it is the last thing I do. |
| Is PDRM playing politics? Posted: 18 May 2011 07:18 PM PDT Is it probably because the man in the video is NOT Anwar and that is why the Deputy IGP refuses to confirm this? If it is Anwar tell us. Then we can prepare ourselves for the next stage of developments. If it is not Anwar then it is only fair that we are told. NO HOLDS BARREDRaja Petra Kamarudin One-time federal minister Mokhtar Hashim, who was convicted for murder, said that the most troubling thing for death row prisoners is not knowing when you are going to be executed. And he said this in front of the then IGP, Tun Haniff Omar. Once the trial is over and you are convicted and sentenced to death, a feeling of peace engulfs you, Mokhtar Hashim said. But then you have to wait years in death row for your turn to come. And when you hear that the next day someone is going to be executed, every prisoner in death row goes into depression because they do not know which one of them is going to be executed the following day. Mokhtar Hashim added that most prisoners would rather the hanging is done as fast as possible so that they can get it over and done with. I suppose if this had been done then Mokhtar Hashim would have never received his pardon and would not have walked out of the Pudu Prison a free man. This is probably how many of us feel as well with regards to the 'Anwar' porn video issue. It is most perturbing to see the Malaysian Police or PDRM playing politics. Why does the Deputy IGP not want to tell us whether the man in the video is Anwar or not? Is it probably because the man in the video is NOT Anwar and that is why the Deputy IGP refuses to confirm this? If it is Anwar tell us. Then we can prepare ourselves for the next stage of developments. If it is not Anwar then it is only fair that we are told. This is not about Anwar. This is about us. We need to know so that we then know what we should do next. I am really not concerned about Anwar's future. I am concerned about the country's future. The entire future of the country cannot rest on just one man. And currently with this issue still hanging we just cannot more forward. My suspicion is that the Deputy IGP refuses to confirm who the man in the video is because it is not Anwar. So he is prolonging our agony just like what Mokhtar Hashim said about those who are waiting many years in death row for their turn to die. While on the subject of the police playing politics, let me give you another example. The Selangor state government is facing a lot of problems with premises being used for gambling, prostitution, and other vices. The problem is, the local councils can do very little if the police do not act. And in this case the police are not acting so it appears like the Selangor government is in cahoots with the underworld and crime syndicates. The local councils have no power to arrest anyone. Only the police can do that. And if the police do not then the local councils' hands are tied. No doubt the local councils can try to close down those establishments. But the process is cumbersome and those establishments that are closed down just open up in a new place the very next day. The only way to stop these vice activities is to arrest the people behind them and send them to jail. But only the police can do this. The local councils can just harass the building owners. The building owners, however, are not the ones running the prostitution or gambling dens. So no action can be taken against them. We need the police to stop playing politics and to start doing something. I suspect the police are purposely doing nothing so that the Selangor state government gets a bad name. And the same goes for the so-called 'Anwar' porn video. I am sure that if it is Anwar in that video they could not wait to announce it. It is because it is not Anwar that they are refusing to tell us who the man in that video is. |
| WIKILEAKS: The people with the big cables in Malaysia (UPDATED with Chinese Translation) Posted: 18 May 2011 04:38 PM PDT Today, we are revealing this first of almost 4,000 cables specifically on Malaysia that were leaked to Wikileaks. Today's seven-page cable is about the political and business cronies of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. Some of these names may be familiar to you but many of you were probably not aware who the personalities behind Najib are. These are the people with 'big cables' who decide what happens in Malaysia. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 KUALA LUMPUR 000268 SIPDIS FOR EAP/MTS AND INR E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2029 TAGS: PGOV, PINR, PINS, ECON, MY SUBJECT: NAJIB'S NETWORK - A PRELIMINARY LOOK REF: A. KL 266 - NAJIB UNVEILS CABINET B. KL 253 - NAJIB SWORN IN AS PM C. KL 78 - NAJIB LEADS TAKEOVER OF PERAK D. 08 KL 193 - NEW MINISTER PORTFOLIOS E. 08 KL 192 - MALAYSIA'S NEW CABINET Classified By: Political Counselor Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b and d). Summary 1. (C) This cable provides a preliminary review of Prime Minister Najib Razak's close aides and political associates, known associated companies, and business contacts, as well as summary information on Najib's four brothers. The review is based on information available prior to Najib's confirmation as Prime Minister on April 3 and his formation of his Cabinet on April 9. Najib's aides could find themselves in positions of influence with the PM's office, while four political associates from his inner circle have taken positions in Najib's cabinet. Post identified 16 companies with strong links to Najib and his family, with many of the companies having substantial business interaction with the government. Among the 19 key business leaders listed, Rohana Mahmood stands out as deeply embedded in the Najib family's commercial interests. Najib's family has personal links to the Sultan of Perak, of note given Najib's involvement in wresting control of the state from opposition hands in February (ref B). Syed Mokhtar Albukharry, a major Malaysian investor in Iran, has significant business operations in Najib's constituency and in the defense sector. The Embassy provides this information, not as a definitive study, but to help guide Department offices as they examine Najib's emerging administration and policy decisions, and identify actors of influence. End Summary. Political Aides 2. (C) According to Embassy's information, including one well-placed source, Najib's three closest advisors are Shahlan Ismail, Alias Anor, and Shafie Mohd Abdullah. Previously, Alias was Najib's political secretary, but has since assumed the role of a key advisor. Shahlan and Shafie are Najib's current political secretaries, with Shahlan filling the position since April 2008. Political Associates 3. (C) Post developed the following list of close political associates by speaking with informed observers, including those on Najib's current political team, and by identifying individuals who have worked closely with Najib, some since he was the UMNO Youth Chief from 1988-1993. -- Hishamuddin Tun Hussein, named Home Minister in Najib's new cabinet. He was the former UMNO Youth Chief and Minister of Education under PM Abdullah Badawi. Najib and Hishamuddin are cousins (their mothers are sisters). Hishamuddin was elected to one of three UMNO Vice President posts during the March party elections. -- Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Najib's choice as Defense Minister. He was a Minister in the PM's Department for religious affairs under PM Abdullah Badawi. He was also a former political secretary to Najib and former UMNO Youth Chief. Ahmad was elected to one of three UMNO Vice President posts during the March UMNO party elections. -- Nazri Abdul Razak, retained by Najib as Minister in the PM's Department in charge of parliamentary affairs, a position he also held under former PM Abdullah Badawi. Former UMNO Perak Youth Chief and was the UMNO International Bureau Chief when Najib was the Youth Chief. Nazri had lobbied for the position of Foreign Minister in Najib's new cabinet. -- Shafie Apdal, named by Najib as Rural Development Minister. He was Minister of National Unity, Culture, Arts, and Heritage under former PM Abdullah. He is Najib's point man in Sabah, former UMNO Youth Sabah chief and was Najib's deputy at the Ministry of Defense (1999-2004). Shafie was elected to one of three UMNO Vice President posts during the recently concluded party elections in March. -- Jamaluddin Jarjis, former UMNO Youth Chief for the state of Pahang. He was Najib's chief campaign strategist during the party's elections in March. Jamaluddin is a member of UMNO's Supreme Council. Some observers expected Jamaluddin to be included in Najib's Cabinet, but he was not. -- Johan Jaafar, former editor in chief of Utusan Malaysia newspaper owned by the ruling party, is Najib's media point man. According to sources, Johan will be appointed as executive director of The New Straits Times Press Berhad (NSTP) (the publisher of the government-dominated mainstream newspapers New Straits Times, Berita Harian and Harian Metro) as well as chair of Media Prima Berhad, which operates all of Malaysia's private television stations and two private radio stations. -- Mohd Zin Mohamed, Minister of Works under PM Abdullah and former UMNO Youth leader. He is a member of UMNO's Supreme Council. Political Ally 4. (C) Newly-named Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin emerged as a key Najib ally over the past year. Muhyiddin was the most prominent UMNO leader responsible for forcing former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi to agree to step down in favor of Najib after the March 2008 elections. Najib personally but quietly supported Muhyiddin as the choice for Deputy UMNO President after Ali Rustam, Melaka Chief Minister and former UMNO Senior Vice President, was barred from contesting for the post for corruption. During the March 24 - 28 UMNO General Assembly, Muhyiddin pledged to be "ultra loyal" to Najib. Muhyiddin won the UMNO deputy president post, which by tradition carries with it the Deputy Prime Minister position. In addition, Najib made Muhyiddin Education Minister, an important patronage position but without access to the central levers of power. Observers debate how close Muhyiddin really is to Najib as some consider him as ambitious and a possible rival to Najib under certain circumstances. Some observers have indicated Muhyiddin has yet to completely satisfy Najib of the new DPM's loyalty. Their relationship bears watching before we can draw firm conclusions. Associated Companies 5. (C) Post used both open as well as informed sources to build an initial picture of the companies associated with Najib and or his family members. The companies listed below all have Najib or one of his immediate family members on their executive boards. Most of the companies listed also hold government contracts or are believed to have substantial business interaction with the government. -- Commercial International Merchant Bankers (CIMB) Group: Malaysia's second largest financial services provider and the fifth largest in Southeast Asia. It is owned by Bumiputra-Commerce Holding Berhad (BCHB), which is listed on Malaysia's stock exchange, the Bursa Malaysia, with a market capitalization of 26.6 Billion ringgit (about USD7.4 billion). -- Symphony House Berhad: A publicly listed company mainly involved in business process outsourcing. -- Johan Holdings: A publicly listed company involved in manufacturing ceramic tiles, distribution and sale of health foods and supplements, property development, and resorts and hotels. -- Sapura Group: Has businesses interests in the secured communications and oil & gas industries with investments in Australia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Pakistan and China. -- Hong Leong Group: A Malaysian-based conglomerate with investments in financial services, manufacturing, and property and infrastructure development. The group's shares are listed on the stock exchanges of Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Europe. -- Paramount Corporation Berhad: A publicly listed company with diverse interests in property development and investment, construction, and educational services. -- TH Group Berhad: A publicly listed company involved in plantations, contracting, biohealth care and information technology. -- Dijaya Berhad: A publicly listed company involved in property development, investment, and management as well as investment holding and manufacturing. -- MMC Group: A utilities and infrastructure group with interests in transportation and logistics, energy and utilities, engineering, and construction. Its international business dealings focus on the Middle East, with investments in utilities and logistics in that region. -- DRB Hicom: The largest totally integrated automotive company in Malaysia, with operations in the manufacturing, assembly, and distribution of passenger and commercial vehicles. It also is involved in property and infrastructure development, and provides the Malaysian military land-based vehicles. -- Hiap Teck Venture Berhad: A publicly listed company, it is the leading manufacturer of steel products in the country. -- Mamee Double Decker Berhad: A publicly listed company involved in the manufacturing and marketing of a wide range of soft drinks, food and dairy products; other activities include property development. -- Delloyd Ventures Berhad: An investment holding company with subsidiaries engaged in the manufacture and sale of automobile parts and accessories, palm oil plantations, repair and maintenance of motor vehicles, manufacture and export of agrichemicals, and magazine publishing. -- Yeo Hiap Seng Berhad: Principally involved in the production, marketing, and sale of food, beverages, and sweetened condensed milk. -- Nylex Berhad: Manufactures and markets vinyl-coated fabrics, calendered film and sheeting, and other plastic products, including geotextiles and prefabricated sub-soil drainage systems. -- Daiman Development Berhad: Principally involved in property development and trading. -- Ethos Capital: A boutique investment company chaired by Rohana Mahmood. Business Leaders 6. (C) Post compared the executive boards, used open sources, and spoke with informed contacts to identify key individuals within businesses that are linked to Najib and his family. -- Rohana Mahmood, Chairman and partner of Ethos Capital, a RM200 million (about USD56 million) private equity firm. Rohana also sits on the boards of Paramount Corp Bhd, TH Group Bhd and Dijaya Corp Bhd. She and another close aide of Najib, Abdul Razak Baginda, co-founded an independent think-tank, the Malaysian Strategic Research Centre (currently dormant). (Note: Razak was acquitted in October 2008 of abetting the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya. End note.) Rohana appears connected in some manner to most of the companies associated with Najib. -- Azman Mokhtar, the managing director of Khanazah Nasional Bhd. He has been playing a prominent role in the reforms of government-linked companies (GLCs). -- Mohamed Azman Yahya, director of Khazanah, and founder and group chief executive officer of Symphony House Bhd, an outsourcing firm. He is also the ex-CEO of Pengurusan Danaharta Bhd and sits on several advisory panels for the development of the capital market, venture capital, and public service delivery system. -- Tan Kay Hock, chair and chief executive of Johan Holdings Berhad. Najib and Tan Kay Hock have known each other for a long time and are golfing buddies. Tan is also a member of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA). -- Shahril Shamsuddin of Sapura Group, which has interests in communications, information technology, and oil and gas. -- Syed Mokhtar Albukharry, whose privately owned company, SKS Ventures Sbd Bhd, has announced involvement in major oil and gas deals with Iran's National Iranian Oil Company, including to develop Iran's southern Golshan and Ferdos gas fields. He also controls DRB-HICOM, and is one of the largest employers in Pekan, Pahang, Najib's parliamentary constituency, and political base. Syed operates a huge vehicle assembly plant there. He also owns Defense Technologies Sdn Bhd or Deftech a DRB subsidiary and Malaysia,s leading supplier of land-based defense vehicles. Syed Mokhtar also is believed to have a good (and some say stronger) relationship with Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin. -- Danny Tan Chee Sing, Group Chief Executive Officer of Dijaya Berhad and Vincent Tan's brother. -- Nor Yusof, an ex-banker, who was the former managing director of Malaysia Airlines and past chair of the Securities Commission. He is currently director and chair of Khazanah's executive committee. He has a wealth of experience in banking and a keen insight on capital markets. -- Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, chair and MD of express bus operator Konsortium Transnational Bhd. The former Proton boss was called upon by the Government in 1996 to revive the ailing public transport company. He was former PM Mahathir's prodigy and has expertise in transportation. -- Dr. Gan Wee Beng, the executive director of CIMB Group (the CEO is Najib's brother Nazir Abdul Razak). Gan was a consultant to Bank Negara (the central bank), the Economic Planning Unit, Finance Ministry, and the World Bank. -- Omar Mustapha Ong, a former special assistant to Najib, is the co-founder of Ethos Capital with Rohana Mahmood. His father, Mustapha Ong, was the diplomat in Washington who allegedly tried to bribe a limousine driver in Washington to fabricate evidence against deposed Deputy Prime Minister (and current opposition leader) Anwar Ibrahim in 1998. -- Quek Leng Chan, Chairman and Chief Executive of Hong Leong group of Companies. -- Teo Chiang Quan, Group Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Paramount Corporation Berhad. -- Lei Lin Thai, Group Managing Director, TH Group Berhad. -- Pang Tee Chew, Chief Executive Officer, Mamee Double Decker Berhad. -- Kenneth Eswaran, CEO Multi Vest Resources Bhd (MVest), whose primary business interest is the palm oil sector. Informed sources say he is close to Rosmah Mansor, Najib's wife. -- Vincent Tan, Berjaya Group, a former Mahathir crony who is now close to Najib. Tan managed to obtain a lucrative license to conduct additional lottery draws after Najib became Finance Minister in October 2008. He is also rumored to be close to Rosmah Mansor. -- Bakke Salleh, CEO of Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) Holdings Berhad. Najib is the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on FELDA, the land authority established by his father. -- Lodin Wok Kamarudin, Chief of Armed Forces Fund Board. Najib and his Brothers 7. (C) Najib, who is the eldest son of former Prime Minister Abdul Razak, is said to consult closely with his four brothers, who all have extensive commercial ties. -- Johari Razak, the second eldest brother and a close friend of Perak Crown Prince Raja Nazrin Shah. He is a lawyer and senior partner at Shearn Delamore & Co, a large law firm in Kuala Lumpur. His areas of practice include corporate and commercial joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions; corporate restructuring; and the listing of public companies. He is also the Chairman of Courts Mammoth Pte Ltd and Daiman Development Berhad, a director of Hong Leong Industries Berhad, Nylex Berhad, Daiman Golf Berhad, and Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) and a non-executive director in several publicly listed companies. -- Mohamed Nizam Razak studied politics, philosophy, and economics at Oxford University. He was a stockbroker and CEO of PB Securities Sdn Bhd in the 1990s. He is currently a non-executive director in several publicly listed companies including Hiap Teck Venture Bhd, Mamee Double-Decker (M) Bhd, Delloyd Ventures Bhd, and Yeo Hiap Seng (M) Bhd. Like Johari, Nizam is also a director of Deutsche Bank. -- Mohamed Nazim Razak, the fourth brother, studied architecture in the UK. He is Chairman of Meru Utama an outdoor advertising company that received a seven-year advertising concession in 2007 to advertise the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Low-cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT). He is also Chairman of the Governing Council of Masterskill, a private University/College (the Pro Chancellor is Raja Azureen Raja Azlan Shah, the daughter of the Sultan of Perak) and Director of OYL Industries (a subsidiary of Hong Leong Group of Companies). -- Nazir Razak, the youngest brother, is the most well known. He obtained a Master of Philosophy at Cambridge University. He is a career banker, joining CIMB Investment Bank almost 20 years ago and rising through its executive ranks to become its CEO in 1999. Following the merger of CIMB and Bumiputra-Commerce Bank, to become Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Bhd (BCHB), Nazir became CEO of the merged group. Under his watch, the BCHB group, which is branded as CIMB group, was transformed into a GLC bank that could compete with its peers in the private sector regionally. Informed observers widely believe Nazir advises Najib on finance and economic policy issues. KEITH Translated into Chinese at: http://ccliew.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_20.html |
| Tan Sri Dato' Dr. Khoo Kay Peng Posted: 16 May 2011 06:23 PM PDT Ah, but then we must not forget the 'hedging of bets' and 'putting your money on all the horses' that only the Chinese tycoons know best how to do. And the likes of Vincent Tan, Francis Yeoh, Khoo Kay Peng and Tan Kay Hock will not hesitate to donate generously to Ibrahim Ali's 'cause' just to keep him off their backs. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin Back in the 1980s, Khoo Kay Peng became the target of the Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The joke then was that 'Ku' Kay (Khoo Kay Peng) and Ku Li (Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah) were 'brothers'. They were of course referring to the close association between the two. When Ku Li was the Minister of Finance, Khoo Kay Peng was reported to have received a lot of favours from the government. And this riled up the Malay Chamber of Commerce who saw the newly launched New Economic Policy (NEP) as mere lip service while Chinese tycoons like Khoo Kay Peng received more favours than the entire Bumiputera business community combined. And this was one of the reasons for Ku Li's failure to win the Umno Deputy Presidency -- which would have resulted in him becoming the Deputy Prime Minister and possibly, later, the Prime Minister of Malaysia. The Umno and Malay Chamber of Commerce members perceived Ku Li as a tool of the Chinese tycoons, in particular Khoo Kay Peng. It was believed that if Ku Li were to become the Deputy Prime Minister, and later the Prime Minister, then Chinese tycoons like Khoo Kay Peng would become the Lord of the Malaysian corporate scene. So the Malays rejected Ku Li in favour of Musa Hitam, a Malay nationalist who was considered loyal to the Malay cause. Khoo Kay Peng and his flagship company, Malayan United Industries Berhad (MUI), were untouchable. The fact that Khoo Kay Peng financed Ku Li's political activities, in particular his bid for the Deputy Presidency of Umno, made 'Ku' Kay very powerful. One wonders why Khoo Kay Peng survived the political fallout when his 'horse', Ku Li, did not. This is because, as is customary for all Malaysian Chinese tycoons, Khoo Kay Peng financed all sides. He not only financed Ku Li but all the other top Umno leaders as well. Umno leaders come and go. Khoo Kay Peng, however, remained powerful. And his policy on placing his money on all the horses in the race ensured this. Chinese tycoons are notorious for hedging their bets in case their horse does not win the race. So never mind who eventually wins the race in the bid for the Umno leadership. In the end, whoever wins or loses, they who financed all sides end up the winner. But Khoo Kay Peng is smarter than the other Chinese tycoons. While those such as Vincent Tan, Francis Yeoh, Robert Kuok, etc., are always in the news, not much is written about Khoo Kay Peng. The only thing that most people know about him is that he is a staunch Born Again Christian like that slime-ball from PKR, Chua Jui Meng. And, just like Chua Jui Meng, Khoo Kay Peng is not exempted from un-Christian activities as well. Talk amongst the Chinese tycoon community is that Khoo Kay Peng's MUI Bank lost RM500 million in a bad deal and in 1994 was sold to Hong Leong Credit Berhad and renamed Hong Leong Bank. Nevertheless, Khoo Kay Peng is still unknown so the many moves he is making is hidden from the public eye. But a storm is about to hit. The shareholders of MUI are questioning why RM400 million of the shareholders' money has been illegally transferred to the Hope Foundation, an arm of the Born Again Christian movement. Many are asking why what is clearly a crime of criminal breach of trust is going unpunished. When Teoh Beng Hock has to die for an alleged RM2,000 or so, how can this crime of RM400 million get amnesty and immunity and go unpunished? Another shady deal is the acquisition of Eon Bank, which is a fait accompli. Khoo Kay Peng and Tan Kay Hock are trying to sabotage the deal and take it for themselves. Khoo Kay Peng owns The Bank of East Asia Limited in Hong Kong, which in turn owns 20% of Affin Bank, while Tan Kay Hock owns Johan Holdings Berhad. It is no secret that Tan Kay Hock is linked to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and on Thursday we shall publish the Wikileaks cables to show you the link between the two. What is Ibrahim Ali doing about this? He is screaming about how the Chinese control Malaysia's economy and how the Malays are second-class citizens in their own country. But when these shady deals involving two Chinese tycoons, Khoo Kay Peng and Tan Hock Hock, are perpetuated, Ibrahim Ali is as silent as a church mouse. Ah, but then we must not forget the 'hedging of bets' and 'putting your money on all the horses' that only the Chinese tycoons know best how to do. And the likes of Vincent Tan, Francis Yeoh, Khoo Kay Peng and Tan Kay Hock will not hesitate to donate generously to Ibrahim Ali's 'cause' just to keep him off their backs. And that is how the 'smart partnership' between the Malays and Chinese are perpetuated in Malaysia. The Malays do all the screaming and the Chinese do all the feeding. So the Malays will focus on screaming about the Chinese opposition while leaving the Chinese tycoons alone no matter how crooked they may be. And that is why Chinese tycoons like Khoo Kay Peng can buy off the Malays, conduct their shady deals, and escape punishment. Anyway, we shall continue on Thursday with the Wikileaks cables from the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur that were sent to Washington to show the links between the Malays in the corridors of power and the Chinese tycoons who finance these Malays and get away with murder because of this political patronage. So stay tuned for more. ***************************************** Laura Ashley Holdings PLC Tan Sri Dato' Dr. Khoo Kay Peng serves as Non-Executive Chairman of Laura Ashley Holdings PLC. He joined the Board in February 1999. He is the Chairman and Chief Executive of The MUI Group, which is a diversified group with business interests in the Asia Pacific region, the United States of America and the United Kingdom. He is also the Chairman of Corus Hotels Limited, UK and Morning Star Resources Limited, Hong Kong. Tan Sri Dr Khoo is a Director of Pan Malaysian Industries Berhad, Malaysia, SCMP Group Limited (South China Morning Post) and The Bank of East Asia Limited in Hong Kong. Previously, Tan Sri Dr Khoo had served as the Chairman of the Malaysian Tourist Development Corporation (a Government Agency), the Vice Chairman of Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) and a Trustee of the National Welfare Foundation, Malaysia. Tan Sri Dr Khoo is a trustee of the Regent University, Virginia, USA, and a board member of Northwest University, Seattle, USA. He also serves as a Council Member of the Malaysian-British Business Council, the Malaysia-China Business Council and the Asia Business Council. Tan Sri Dr Khoo is Chairman of the Nomination Committee as well as the Remuneration Committee. The Bank of East Asia Incorporated in Hong Kong in 1918, The Bank of East Asia ("BEA") is dedicated to providing comprehensive commercial and retail banking services to its customers in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and other major markets around the world. BEA is the largest independent local bank in Hong Kong, with total consolidated assets of HK$534.2 billion (US$68.7 billion) as of 31st December, 2010. The Bank is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and is one of the constituent stocks of the Hang Seng Index. BEA also operates one of the largest networks of any bank in Hong Kong, with 87 branches, 57 SupremeGold Centres and 3 i-Financial Centres throughout the city. In Mainland China, BEA's operational presence dates back to the opening of the Bank's Shanghai Branch in 1920. Today, BEA Group operates one of the largest networks of any foreign bank, with nearly 100 outlets in major urban centres nationwide. (Read more here: http://www.hkbea.com/hk/ci/company_profile/index.htm) Malayan United Industries Berhad Malayan United Industries Berhad (MUI) is listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad. It was incorporated in Malaysia on 28 May 1960 and listed on 30 June 1971. MUI is an investment holding company. Through its subsidiaries and associated companies, the MUI Group is primarily engaged in retailing, hotels, food & confectionery, financial services, properties and travel & tourism. With its corporate headquarters based in Malaysia, the Group's international operations span the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, the United States, China and the Asia Pacific region. The MUI Group today has total assets of RM2.8 billion and shareholders' funds of RM698.6 million. The corporate philosophy of the Group has remained constant for over 45 years, conceptualized by three key attributes defined as strong, efficient and trustworthy, which together form the guiding principles for its business practices and corporate governance. (Read more here: http://muiglobal.com/) |
| Behind the curtains Posted: 14 May 2011 03:23 PM PDT 
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin 
 
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| If Prophet Muhammad came back today Posted: 12 May 2011 07:21 PM PDT If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims have reduced Islam to a set of empty rituals while the spirit of Islam is no longer in the hearts of Muslims.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims are now divided into many sects and cults and each classifies the other as infidels or kafir.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims have invented a new religion which was not what he taught humankind and which he can no longer recognise.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims are propagating racism, religious intolerance, discrimination and persecution and are threatening fellow Malaysians with bloodshed.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims are upholding fitnah as a way of life and embark on character assassination for worldly gains even though Islam says that this is worse than murder.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims regard corruption and abuse of power as a 'necessary evil' in the pursuit of wealth and power.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims are defying the Quran by classifying haram as halal and halal as haram so that they can satisfy their lust for worldly gains and pleasure.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims have become arrogant because they believe that even extremely bad Muslims go to heaven while very good kafirs go to hell.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims believe that a person born a Muslim will always die a Muslim even though by their own acts and omissions they may have fallen out of Islam and have become kafirs without even being aware of it.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims live in countries with the highest corruption and abuse of power and the worst human rights abuses.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that the kafirs in the Western countries are more Islamic in their conduct than Muslims who live in Islamic countries.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims have reduced Islam to a set of empty rituals while the spirit of Islam is no longer in the hearts of Muslims.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims have attributed a set of false sayings and teachings to him, which in many instances contradict the Quran or violate what Islam stands for.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would be very disturbed and sad to see that his followers who call themselves Muslims have adopted many pagan beliefs, traditions and rituals and are confused as to what is real Islam and what is contaminated Islam.
If Prophet Muhammad came back today he would finally be convinced that his followers have abandoned him and have turned their backs on him as had happened to all Prophets before him and as what God had warned him would happen according to the Quran.
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| Remember May 13? (UPDATED with Chinese Translation) Posted: 12 May 2011 04:11 PM PDT On 24 September 1999, I wrote a very long article on May 13 for the PAS party newspaper, Harakah. Those who may not have read it yet can read it below. It was republished in the Free Anwar Campaign website in January 2003. Also read what Tunku Abdul Rahman had to say in 'The Tunku Tapes'.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin The Tunku on how "May 13" began
From his residence in Penang, 1972:
"It was clear to me as well as the police that in the highly charged political atmosphere after the police were forced to kill a Chinese political party worker on May 4th, 1969, something was bound to happen to threaten law and order because of the resentment towards the Government by the KL Chinese on the eve of the general election. This was confirmed at this man's funeral on the 9th May when the government faced the most hostile crowd it had ever seen.
Therefore, when the opposition parties applied for a police permit for a procession to celebrate their success in the results of the general election, I was adamant against it because the police were convinced that this would lead to trouble.
I informed Tun Razak about this and he seemed to agree. Now, without my knowledge and actually "behind my back," there were certain political leaders in high positions who were working to force me to step down as a PM. I don't want to go into details but if they had come to me and said so I would gladly have retired gracefully.
Unfortunately, they were apparently scheming and trying to decide on the best way to force me to resign. The occasion came when the question of the police permit was to be approved.
Tun Razak and Harun Idris, the MB of the state of Selangor, now felt that permission should be given knowing fully well that there was a likelihood of trouble. I suppose they felt that when this happened they could then demand my resignation.
To this day I find it very hard to believe that Razak, whom I had known for so many years, would agree to work against me in this way. Actually, he was in my house as I was preparing to return to Kedah and I overhead him speaking to Harun over the phone saying that he would be willing to approve the permit when I left. I really could not believe what I was hearing and preferred to think it was about some other permit. In any case, as the Deputy Prime Minister in my absence from KL, he would be the Acting PM and would override my objection. Accordingly, when I was in my home in Kedah, I heard over the radio that the permit had been approved.
It seems as though the expected trouble was anticipated and planned for by Harun and his UMNO Youth. After the humiliating insults hurled by the non-Malays, especially the Chinese, and after the seeming loss of Malay political power to them, they were clearly ready for some retaliatory action. After meeting in large numbers at Harun's official residence in Jalan Raja Muda near Kampong Bahru and hearing inflammatory speeches by Harun and other leaders, they prepared themselves by tying ribbon strips on their foreheads and set out to kill Chinese. The first hapless victims were two of them in a van opposite Harun's house who were innocently watching the large gathering. Little did they know that they would be killed on the spot.
The rest is history. I am sorry but I must end this discussion now because it really pains me as the Father of Merdeka to have to relive those terrible moments. I have often wondered why God made me live long enough to have witnessed my beloved Malays and Chinese citizens killing each other."
The REAL Story of May 13 (Part 1) http://www.freeanwar.net/jan2003/article020103.htm
The REAL Story of May 13 (Part 2) http://www.freeanwar.net/jan2003/article080103.htm
The REAL Story of May 13 (Part 3) http://www.freeanwar.net/jan2003/article170103.htm
The REAL Story of May 13 (Part 4) http://www.freeanwar.net/jan2003/article300103.htm
Translated into Chinese at: http://ccliew.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_5160.html |
| The day Big Dog demanded RM400 million from Ku Li (UPDATED with Chinese Translation) Posted: 11 May 2011 04:02 PM PDT In that sense Ku Li maintained his principles although after the meeting Big Dog grumbled that Ku Li is so rich but so kedekut (stingy). He could afford RM400 million easily, lamented Big Dog. If he hopes to win the Umno Presidency without paying any money then good luck to him, said Big Dog.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin Pro-Umno blogger Zakhir Mohamad a.k.a. 'Big Dog' a.k.a. 'Christian PM basher' is actually quite a delightful character. Many a time have we met for dinner and drinks together with Sallahuddin Hashim a.k.a. 'A Voice' a.k.a. 'Another Brick in the Wall'. Wow, everyone is using a.k.a.s nowadays. (For the less English proficient readers of Malaysia Today, a.k.a. means 'also known as').
Big Dog is not only a delightful character but highly intelligent as well. And I have this penchant for intelligent people. Whether they are from the opposition or Umno/Barisan Nasional, I enjoy meeting up with them to eat, drink and shoot the breeze. And Big Dog is one such 'enemy' I used to love to meet and spend hours with to stuff our faces and talk about politics and other issues.
Anyway, there was this one fasting month (Ramadhan) when John Pang (Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's strategist) phoned me and asked me to arrange a meeting (followed by a buka puasa) with Umno and opposition bloggers and political activists. The number of 30 was agreed on -- the number of people who should be invited.
I then sat down and worked on the invitation list to make up that figure of 30 and passed it to Tengku Razalaigh Hamzah's (a.k.a Ku Li) office for them to invite these people.
Almost everyone we invited came. And it was great to see bloggers and political activists from both sides of the political divide sitting in the same room to discuss how to make Ku Li the next Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Nik Azmi Nik Daud a.k.a. Bulat a.k.a. Bul gave his opinion -- which was actually quite a stupid idea and I could see Ku Li cringe with a 'can you sit down and shut up' look on his face.
I thought Bul's idea was most stupid and it sounded as if he had just learned politics yesterday. No wonder Ku Li has never done well in politics. With Bul as one of his strategists I doubt Ku Li could even win the post of Chief Dog Catcher.
Big Dog then asked Ku Li whether he was prepared to spend RM400 million to win the premiership. That, according to Big Dog, was what it was going to cost Ku Li.
Earlier Big Dog had told me that it is going to cost at least RM400 million to 'buy' 40 Umno divisions if Ku Li wants to become Prime Minister. I said that that was quite a lot of money and Big Dog replied that Ku Li could afford it. He is worth much more than that, said Big Dog.
Ku Li looked hard at Big Dog -- as if he could not believe his ears -- and said that he is not prepared to 'buy' the premiership. If he spends RM10 million to buy each of the 40 Umno Divisions (total RM400 million) just to get 40 nominations so that he can contest the Umno Presidency, then what difference would he be to the other Umno leaders who play 'money politics'?
He wants to become the Umno President and Prime Minister so that he can clean up the party and the government. If he gets in by using bribery, then how can he later clean up the party and the government when he himself is dirty?
So Ku Li rejected Big Dog's proposal, not because he could not afford RM400 million, but because it would not have been ethical to buy the party elections on a platform of trying to get in to rid the party of corruption. You can't get in using corruption and then scream that you are against corruption.
Some of you may remember that I wrote about this some years back. I said then that the task ahead of Ku Li is to get his 40 nominations. If he can get 40 nominations, winning the Presidency is easier. It is getting the 40 nominations which is difficult.
In that sense Ku Li maintained his principles although after the meeting Big Dog grumbled that Ku Li is so rich but so kedekut (stingy). He could afford RM400 million easily, lamented Big Dog. If he hopes to win the Umno Presidency without paying any money then good luck to him, said Big Dog.
Big Dog and I met Ku Li a couple more times, once around midnight in his private residence. But try as we may, we could not get Ku Li to agree to all the different ideas that were bandied about on how he could get his 40 nominations and go on to contest and win the Umno Presidency, which would be the route to becoming the new Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Some ideas were actually quite seditious and treasonous and Ku Li once chided one of the chaps who proposed it and told him that what he was proposing could end up with all of us being charged for treason with a death sentence thrown in. (Yes, some of the ideas were actually quite dangerous and could have ended with us sitting in death row if someone had talked).
Anyway, in the end nothing happened and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi a.k.a. Pak Lah resigned and Najib Tun Razak took over as Prime Minister and Ku Li continued sitting in his house waiting for the day when he would become Prime Minister.
Well, at least he is not RM400 million poorer, which would have happened had he listened to Big Dog.
I must admit that Umno politics is far more interesting compared to opposition politics and I must also admit that I enjoyed myself immensely running with that pack of wolves. Learned a lot as well, which of course we can now use against them. 
Translated into Chinese at: http://ccliew.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_14.html |
| Why Pakatan Rakyat is NOT going to form the next federal government (UPDATED with Chinese ... Posted: 10 May 2011 06:48 PM PDT This is not a new subject matter. I have written about this so many times in the past. Some of you may remember my article entitled "Votes do not translate into seats"? Well, today, I have no choice but to repeat what I have already told you before.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin My friend Nat Tan has hit the nail on the head in his article entitled 60pc of vote, 93pc of seats? published in The Malaysian Insider today (which you can read here: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/60pc-of-vote-93pc-of-seats/)
A similar article written by Nia Nymue in his Blog entitled PAP won 90% of seats but only 60% of votes can be read here: http://nianymue.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/pap-won-90-of-seats-but-only-60-of-votes/
They were of course talking about the recent Singapore elections. But they could easily have also been talking about the Malaysian elections. And this is what I want to talk about, again, today -- in spite of sounding like I am repeating myself too many times.
On 11th May 1969 (two days before 'May 13'), the ruling party (then the Alliance Party of Umno, MCA and MIC) won less than 50% of the votes. Yet it managed to form the federal government because it still won more the 50% of the seats in Parliament (66% of the seats to be exact).
In 1974, the newly formed ruling coalition called Barisan Nasional won less than two-thirds of the votes (60.7%) but it still won 88% of the seats in Parliament.
In 1978, the votes for the ruling coalition dropped to 57.2% but it sill won 84% of the seats in Parliament.
In 1982, the votes for the ruling coalition were still below two-thirds (60.5%) but it managed to win 86% of the seats in Parliament.
In 1986, the ruling coalition's votes dropped to 55.8% but it won 84% of the seats in Parliament.
In 1990, the ruling coalition's votes dropped even further to 53.4% but it still won more than two-thirds of the seats (71%).
In 1995, the ruling coalition 'recovered' by winning 65.2% of the votes which gave them 84% of the seats in Parliament.
1999 was a blow to the ruling coalition. That was the era of Reformasi and the Anwar Ibrahim 'Sodomy 1' crisis. In November of that year the ruling coalition won only 56.5% of the votes. Yet it won 77% of the seats in Parliament.
2004 was the best performance in history for the ruling coalition. It won more than 90% of the seats in Parliament. But it managed this on less than two-thirds of the votes (63.9%). So the best Barisan Nasional could do is less than two-thirds of the votes.
Then we come to the 'landmark' March 2008 general election. The ruling coalition did its worse since May 1969. It won only 52.2% of the votes (because of Sabah and Sarawak -- if not then less than 50% like in 1969). And for the first time since May 1969 it lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament when it won only 63% of the seats.
So, 2004 was the best since Merdeka for the ruling party. And 2008 was the worse in history. But can you see what the figures show? And that is Barisan Nasional loses votes but wins seats. And it is the seats that give it the federal government, not votes.
Note this also.
In the first election (Municipal elections) two years before Merdeka in 1955, Umno and its cronies swept the country in a landslide election victory (they lost only one seat to the opposition).
In the second election (the First Parliamentary election) two years after Merdeka in 1959, the ruling coalition went down.
In the third election in 1964 (the Second Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went up.
In the fourth election in 1969 (the Third Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went down.
In the fifth election in 1974 (the Fourth Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went up.
In the sixth election in 1978 (the Fifth Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went down.
In the seventh election in 1982 (the Sixth Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went up.
In the eighth election in 1986 (the Seventh Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went down.
In the ninth election in 1990 (the Eighth Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went down.
In the tenth election in 1995 (the Ninth Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went up.
In the eleventh election in 1999 (the Tenth Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went down.
In the twelfth election in 2004 (the Eleventh Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went up.
In the thirteenth election in 2008 (the Twelfth Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition went down.
In the fourteenth election, (2011, 2012, or 2013) whenever it may be, (the Thirteenth Parliamentary election), the ruling coalition will go up or down? If according to the 'trend' since 1955 then it must certainly be UP -- unless trends lie.
Now, the two points I want to make is this.
The ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional, can still form the federal government even with a minimum of votes. The question would be whether it is with a two-thirds majority or a simple majority. But it will still form the government nevertheless.
The second point is the ruling coalition yoyos from one election to another. It goes down one election and up the next. 2008 was the 'down' period. Will the next election be 'up' if this trend proves consistent?
Ponder on that. To kick out Barisan Nasional it requires a huge mother of all Earthquake-cum-Tsunami. A slight swing is not enough. Just an Earthquake or just a Tsunami will also not do. It must be a combination of an Earthquake and a Tsunami.
Malaysia Today's readers are experts when it comes to grumbling, bitching, complaining, lamenting, and blowing hot air. Expert cakap banyak. What are YOU going to do about this sorry scenario? Are you prepared to bite the bullet?
Never mind whether Raja Petra Kamarudin has done a U-turn. Never mind if Raja Petra Kamarudin has sold out or gone over to the other side. Forget about Raja Petra. Fuck Raja Petra. Raja Petra is just one man amongst 28 million Malaysians and he is no longer even living in Malaysia. What are YOU doing?
The billion ringgit question is what are YOU going to do about this predicament other than grumble, bitch, complain, lament, blow hot air, cakap banyak and use Raja Petra Kamarudin as a punching bag to vent your frustrations at not even having the balls to reveal your true identity in Malaysia Today?
Translated into Chinese at: http://ccliew.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_5707.html |
| The honeymoon is over Posted: 05 May 2011 04:32 PM PDT
Never underestimate the people. You make false promises to the voters and they will punish you the next time around. And, today, we are seeing this happen in the UK. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin Just a year in office and the honeymoon is over. Even my wife and son voted against my party, LibDem. While I voted LibDem, my wife voted Conservative and my son voted Labour. And no, I did not divorce my wife or disown my son like what would happen in many parts of Malaysia (I have seen this with my own eyes happen in Terengganu). So there you have it. People's Power! It shows what your vote can do. It also shows that the darling of the voters barely a year ago can be the pariah today. So where does that place Pakatan Rakyat? Pakatan Rakyat was the darling of the voters three years ago. Is it a pariah today? If the 13th General Election were to be called later this year can it retain its 80 plus seats in Parliament, retain the four states it presently commands, and win back Perak, or will it drop to 50 Parliament seats and two states (Penang and Kelantan)? Never underestimate the people. You make false promises to the voters and they will punish you the next time around. And, today, we are seeing this happen in the UK. That's why I just love the UK. In the UK the government works for us. The politicians are our servants. And if they screw up we can screw them back good and proper. Okaylah, I know. I have heard all your arguments before. Malaysia different, Britain different. In the UK the people are civilised, matured and educated. In Malaysia we are mostly barbarians. In England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland you use your brains. In Malaysia we use our emotions and racial and religious sentiments. The British can't be bribed, they have principles. Malaysians can be bought with just RM100 and they will let you screw their daughter or wife for a mere few thousand. As I said, I have heard all these arguments before so no need to post them again in the comments section below. And I accept without dispute your argument that most Malaysians are prostitutes and will prostitute themselves to Barisan Nasional for any small amount of money. I am convinced so no need to convince me any further. Hey, the fact that the PKR leaders are telling everyone that I have been bought just proves what is always in the minds of Malaysians. It is always about being bought. Nothing but about being bought. That is the only thing in their minds. Well, let me show you how WE British do things. Read the news reports below. ****************************************** Vote 2011 Live: Lib Dems routed at polls in Greater Manchester council elections Furious Liberal Democrats rounded on Nick Clegg as the party suffered a hammering in Greater Manchester. A string of shock results saw the Lib Dems lose control of their long-term stronghold of Stockport. They also suffered a complete wipeout in Manchester – failing to win a single seat and losing their group leader Simon Ashley. Voters across the region appeared to be expressing anger at swingeing government cuts to town hall budgets that have seen the urban north hit harder than the rural south. Read more here: http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/politics/s/1419977_vote-2011-live-lib-dems-routed-at-polls-in-greater-manchester-council-elections Vote 2011: Labour wins all 33 seats in Manchester as Lib Dems are wiped out Manchester's Liberal Democrats suffered a wipeout in a sensational night for the city's ruling Labour group. The Lib Dems lost all the seats they were defending on a shocking night for the party at Manchester Central. It proved a momentous count for Labour – which won all 33 seats up for grabs, boosting its majority to the highest level in more than a quarter of a century. Read more here: http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/politics/s/1419998_vote-2011-labour-wins-all-33-seats-in-manchester-as-lib-dems-are-wiped-out Election results show collapse in support for Lib Dems Nick Clegg suffered a humiliating reverse in his Sheffield backyard when the Liberal Democrats were ejected from power in the city, amid heavy losses for the party across northern England. As voters punished the Lib Dems for their performance after a year in government, the party blamed a "decapitation strategy" by Labour and the unions which saw it lose power in Hull and suffer big losses in Manchester and Liverpool. Read more here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/may/06/election-results-collapse-lib-dems Poll bloodbath for Lib Dems Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg suffered a massive blow to his authority today as his Liberal Democrat party fell victim to a bloodbath in elections in England, Scotland and Wales - and probable defeat on the totemic issue of electoral reform. The Lib Dems lost swathes of seats in former council strongholds in the north of England to Labour, while haemorrhaging support to the Scottish National Party north of the border. Read more here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/av/poll-bloodbath-for-lib-dems-2279970.html Clegg suffers double blow and faces party backlash Nick Clegg was heading for a humiliating double defeat early today in the English council elections and the referendum on the voting system. There were signs of a backlash against Mr Clegg from some of his MPs and councillors as the first local authority results emerged in the early hours of this morning. Lib Dem officials conceded they would suffer a bloody nose in the North of England, where Labour mounted a fightback in its traditional strongholds. Read more here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/av/clegg-suffers-double-blow-and-faces-party-backlash-2279854.html |
| Good versus bad Posted: 04 May 2011 03:03 PM PDT If you want to form the federal government there are five states you need to conquer – Selangor (22), Perak (24), Johor (26), Sabah (25) and Sarawak (31). These five states control 128 seats in Parliament while the balance eight states control less than 100 seats (94 to be exact). NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Chua Soi Lek is a bad Chinese. That is not because he was caught on video having sex with a woman who is not his wife. It is because he is a leader of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional. And anyone from Barisan Nasional is automatically bad. If they were good they would never be in Barisan Nasional. Chua Jui Meng is a good Chinese. Although he was once a very corrupt health minister in the Barisan Nasional government, he has since left the ruling coalition and is now with the opposition PKR. Anyone from Barisan Nasional who leaves the ruling coalition to join the opposition is a good person even if he or she happens to be a corrupt Chinese. Chua Jui Meng is said to be a Born Again Christian. This means he 'died' and got reborn. Muslims become 'Born Again Muslims' by going to Mekah to perform the Haj. When a Muslim completes the Haj it is as if he or she died and was reborn. Chua Jui Meng may have become a Born Again Christian. But he is not returning the 'under-the table' money he took while he was yet to be 'Born Again' and was still with Barisan Nasiional. That means, only from now on he will be good. The bad he did before he became 'Born Again' and all the illegal money he took before that is not part of the arrangement. The money stays with him. He does not have to make up for that sin by returning the money. No wonder many MCA Chinese I know (including certain people in The Star) become Born Again Christians. It is a form of money laundering. All their old sins are erased and at the same time all the corrupted money they make is theirs to keep. Funny people these Born Again Christians. They are almost like carbon copies of the 'Born Again' Muslims. Anyway, that is not my main concern. What is my concern is the fact that Chua Jui Meng may not really be as 'Born Again' as he pretends to be. Did he really see the light? Did he really reform? Did he join the opposition because he has now seen the truth? Or is there more to this whole thing? When he first joined PKR there were parties and celebrations all over. A big fish from MCA has finally come to his realisation. Chua Jui Meng will be pitted against Chua Soi Lek in Johor. Now, take note, if you want to form the federal government there are five states you need to conquer – Selangor (22), Perak (24), Johor (26), Sabah (25) and Sarawak (31). These five states control 128 seats in Parliament while the balance eight states control less than 100 seats (94 to be exact). This is the same with the Umno elections. You need to conquer the 'big' states to win the Umno party elections. So, Perak, Selangor and Johor are crucial, as is Sabah (there is no Umno in Sarawak yet but should be very soon). Chua Jui Meng will therefore have to make sure he defeats Chua Soi Lek in Johore. But the problem is: Chua Soi Lek is more popular than Chua Jui Meng. Even the people in the ministry of health and the doctors/nurses in the government hospitals condemn Chua Jui Meng and sing Chua Soi Lek's praises. So how is Chua Jui Meng going to deliver Johor? That is one problem. The other more pressing problem is: is Chua Jui Meng a Trojan horse? I sometimes wonder. Chua Jui Meng was part of the team that hammered out and agreed on the PKR Sabah 'peace treaty'. The PKR Sabah crisis had been settled and those who were going to leave PKR to form a new party together with Dr Jeffery Kitingan agreed to abort that plan and stay with the party. Then someone in the party HQ did a U-turn (a favourite phrase nowadays). They denied the existence of the peace treaty and instead took disciplinary action against the dissidents. That smashed all hopes of PKR being able to take over Sabah. But Chua Jui Meng was there. He was privy to what happened. Why did he remain mum and not speak up and instead allowed the matter to deteriorate beyond repair? Did Chua Jui Meng do a U-turn? Did he suddenly lose his balls? Was he told to shut up? Or did he intentionally remain silent so that the matter could explode? Chui Jui Meng could have said something to prevent this matter from going beyond the point of no return. But now it is too late. PKR Sabah is now in deep shit. And looking at the results of the recent Sarawak state election, it appears like PKR Sarawak is also in deep shit. Johor, also, does not appear any better. So that leaves only Selangor and Perak. Can the opposition do well in Selangor and Perak? I really hope so. But even if they do that is not good enough. That is only two of the states. They also need the other three states. Let us look at the opposition track record. It did well in 1990. It went down in 1994. It did better in 1999. It got massacred in 2004. It excelled in 2008. What can we expect the opposition to perform in the next election? That is certainly something to ponder on. The opposition has never done well two elections in a row. It is always one up election and down the next. And this is what I fear we might see if we are not careful. |
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