| Development? Really? For whom? Posted: 17 Oct 2011 12:25 PM PDT By Gan Pei Ling, The Nut Graph MOST of us living in Peninsular Malaysia take electricity for granted as we have hardly experienced a blackout since the 1990s. But how many of us have stopped for a moment to think where the electricity, that allows us to turn on our TVs and computers, comes from? What are the impacts of the power plants that generate our electricity — be they coal, hydropower and perhaps in the future, nuclear — on the environment and local communities living near these plants?
Coal plant and fishes At a climate and energy forum in Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur on 8 and 9 Oct 2011, Peninsular Inshore Fishermen Action Network president Jamaluddin Mohamad, from Johor, talked about the impact of the Tanjung Bin coal plant.
"They are using chlorine to prevent sea water from corroding the pipes in their power plant. But it is polluting the ocean, and the water that they use to cool the plant is being released back to the sea in high temperature. Our catch has been dwindling over the years," Jamaluddin told the forum that was jointly organised by Third World Network, Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia.
Run by independent power producer Malakoff Corp Bhd, the 2,100MW Tanjung Bin coal plant was built in 2003. The power producer intends to expand the plant's capacity by another 1,000MW.
Jamaluddin noted that Tanjung Bin was rapidly developing into an industrial area: "The areas where we can fish are shrinking and becoming increasingly limited."
He said none of the affected communities are against "development" but the coal plant and rapid industrial development are threatening their livelihoods: "That's why we're protesting against the coal plant's expansion."
Dams and livelihoods
Across the South China Sea, natives in Sarawak have been displaced by the Bakun dam and more will be displaced by 12 dams the state government is planning to build to boost its power capacity to 7,000MW, over 600% of its 2008 capacity.
Philip Jau, a Kayan from the Baram valley, said 20,000 people from various communities will be displaced by the Baram dam the Sarawak government intends to build. "This does not include those who are living downstream yet. Up to 38,900 hectares of our native customary land will be submerged. Our land is our life. We cannot live without it. It is as simple as that," said Philip.
The Baram dam will also cause deforestation and biodiversity loss.
Philip said the communities affected by these dams are establishing a network to create a united movement against what he described as the "damned" dams. "We want electricity but we hope the government will explore other alternatives like micro-hydro, which is more environmentally-friendly, though it may not generate as much profit as building a mega dam," he said.
Philip said he has been to the Sungai Asap settlement where the affected communities from Bakun were relocated to. "They're suffering. Most of the villagers feel that they have no future," said Philip. The communities in Baram do not want to suffer the same fate with good reason.
Of broken promises
The Bakun dam flooded 69,000 hectares of land, around the size of Singapore, and forced the relocation of 10,000 people. Construction began in 1996 and the project eventually cost RM7.5bil.
Wing Mikiu from the Sungai Asap settlement told the forum the Sarawak government only allocated three acres of land to each family that were relocated from Bakun in 1999. "My family has eight children. Three acres of land is not enough for us. We've 2,000 new couples in our settlement to date and most of them have no land [to cultivate]," said Wing.
He said the government promised to build the villagers a new town with an airport, jetty, highway and even an international school in the effort to persuade villagers to leave their ancestral homes. But today, many youths have moved to Bintulu or other towns due to the lack of job opportunities in Sungai Asap.
To add insult to injury, Wing said the compensation villagers received for their now submerged native customary lands range from RM0.30 to RM3 million. "If you're unhappy with the amount, you can bring it to court or complain to the district office, but you'll have to pay for the cost to resurvey the land yourself," Wing explained.
"Perhaps the project profited the company and the people in this state [when the dam starts producing energy], but what about us? Our people didn't enjoy any development as promised, and we've lost our land and heritage," said Wing. READ MORE HERE. |
| Ignorance on top Posted: 17 Oct 2011 12:13 PM PDT By R. Nadeswaran, The Sun THE Malaysian civil service has over the years come under severe criticism – sometimes unfounded but most of the time on target. Bloated as it may be and described as such, civil servants keep in motion the machinery that keeps the government ticking. From collecting taxes to enforcing rules of the state and from drawing up economic forecasts to implementing development projects, these are left in the hands of people whom we perceive as competent, knowledgeable, experienced and capable. Heads of department including directors, directors-general and permanent secretaries are appointed after they have proven themselves and many start at the bottom and work their way up, based on merit. If you don't know the General Orders, you are likely to remain stagnant; if you do not know financial procedures, you are not likely to be given the responsibility of handling taxpayers' money running into millions. On the same score, only the best and brightest get to move up the ladder, with meritocracy being the deciding factor. We have to take that at face value and respect appointments made in the belief that they are in the best interest of the country and its people. But after a period of time, when it is discovered that not-so-competent people and not-so-knowledgeable people have been put in places of responsibility which have caused the country financial loss, who do you hold responsible? If one headed, say, the Department of Environment at state level, he or she would have to be competent in related laws, rules and procedure. If he or she is promoted to a higher posting at federal level, handling administrative matters, can he or she plead ignorance of provisions of the law relating to pollution? Similarly, if one had served in the Treasury and was subsequently transferred to another department, surely you don't leave behind what you learnt on finance when you are promoted to another statutory body. I have to sympathise with Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, the current Chief Secretary to the Government. He seems to have inherited a team of leaders whose competency and knowledge on matters they are responsible for seem to have suddenly abandoned them. It may not have been permanent loss of memory or temporary amnesia. They had been dealing with millions of ringgit in people's money and making decisions on multi-million ringgit projects undertaken by the government and yet, when it is crunch time, what they learnt for their degree in university fades away, what they learnt for the Master's on government money becomes discoloured and the civil service is made a laughing stock of. Mohd Sidek has set high standards not only for his officers, but also for himself. He replies his email promptly, delegates authority, adjudicates fairly and does not micro-manage. Above all, he is competent and knowledgeable on all matters related to his portfolio and much more. This, we are told, comes with working in the International Trade Ministry under the tutelage of Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, where everyone was trained to acquire knowledge and skills, to think outside the box and apply these intelligently. Not surprisingly many of "Rafidah's Babes" have worked themselves up the ladder to head quite a number of government departments. This brings us to the "knowledge" and "skills" of our top civil servants. Do they know what is going on in the outside world? Do they read the newspapers? Do they read journals relating to their profession? What do they acquire on lawatan sambil belajar and other related programmes to enhance their knowledge and skills? Despite displaying, at times, what can be described as sheer foolhardiness, how do they sit on the boards of international organisations? If one of our junior reporters had told the editor "I don't know anything about bonds", he or she would have been told to go and read up on it before showing his or her face on the editorial floor. But when someone who has worked in the Treasury says "I don't know about bonds", it becomes worrying because the Treasury is supposed to be the financial nerve centre of the government. Is the Treasury not the place where you have to be on the ball because of fluctuating markets, currency rates, bond rates, etc? Such a claim could have been forgiven if it was told in jest by a clerk in a local municipality, but not by a senior civil servant with 30 years of experience. To add insult to injury, such a statement was made under oath. Prior to that, at a parliamentary hearing, the same civil servant who had been involved in million-ringgit dealings and approvals declared that "I do not know about cash flow". Are we to assume that the top brass in our civil service have nincompoops for company? Is it suggested that incompetent people have been appointed to head government agencies and oversee government expenditure running into millions? If that is the case, it is not Mohd Sidek but his predecessors who have more than just a case to answer. |
| ‘Illogical’ that 250,000 Muslims have left faith, says Perlis mufti Posted: 17 Oct 2011 11:52 AM PDT By G Manimaran, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Perlis Mufti Dr Juanda Jaya today dismissed as "illogical" claims that over 250,000 Muslims in Malaysia have renounced their religion. While agreeing that apostasy exists in the country, the Muslim cleric said the issue should not be overly publicised as it was a sensitive matter and would destroy the image of the country's religious school as institutions incapable of protecting its own devotees. "It is illogical what has been written on the Internet that more than 250,000 Muslims in this country have abandoned their faiths. "If it is true, prove it and do not be emotional. Every state has enactments governing religious propaganda from being spread to Muslims, so why are they not being charged?" he was quoted as saying in Utusan Malaysia today. The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday a planned gathering of a million Muslims this Saturday to rally against Christians "challenging the sovereignty of Islam", a momentous event that could raise religious tension that has intensified in recent months after alleged proselytising by Christians. The Himpunan Sejuta Umat (Himpun), or Gathering of a Million Faithful, is being organised by various right-wing groups such as Perkasa with the backing of both Umno and PAS Youth in what appears to be a coming together of conservative Muslims. About 1,000 Facebook users have confirmed their attendance so far but should Himpun draw much more to the Shah Alam Stadium this weekend, it could push Umno and PAS to seek relevance among more religious Malays. With ethnic tension already rising in the years following the 2008 general election, it could raise already simmering fears of Islamisation among non-Muslims and more liberal Malays. The gathering will later produce a declaration calling for the enactment of a law to punish individuals guilty of proselytisation, Himpun secretariat secretary Aminuddin Yahaya told The Malaysian Insider. READ MORE HERE. |
| ‘Najib’s budget inferior to Pakatan’s’ Posted: 17 Oct 2011 11:33 AM PDT By Stephanie Sta Maria, FMT PETALING JAYA: A non-profit research institute has produced a focus paper thwacking Budget 2012 for "scattering the rakyat some fish, while building lavish yatchs for a privileged few". The same paper also heaped praise on Pakatan Rakyat's shadow budget which it hailed as being "holistic". Entitled "Budget 2012 – Eclipsed by its Shadow", the paper was written by the executive director of the Research for Social Advancement (Refsa), Teh Chi-Chang, who is also a contributor to the shadow budget. He however clarified that neither he nor Refsa were paid for his services. In comparing both budgets, Teh concluded that Budget 2012 is inferior on three counts – its overspending, its castles in the air and its move towardsRM1 trillion debt by 2020. The government has projected that deficit will fall to 4.7% of gross domestic product (GDP) for 2012 but Refsa believes that this is over-optimistic. "The government's real GDP growth projections of 5-5.5% for 2011 and 5-6% for 2012 are widely considered as over-optimistic," Teh said in his paper. "The government's nominal GDP growth forecast for 2011 is also exceptionally high". He explained that deficit is calculated as a percentage of nominal GDP not "real" GDP, and a slower GDP growth would affect the deficit in two ways. First it would mean a smaller GDP total which would amount to a higher deficit based on GDP percentage. Second the smaller GDP would result in smaller-than-anticipated tax collections and the revenue shortfall would increase the deficit. "Together with the government's historical record of consistently exceeding its budgeted spending we are of the view that the 2012 deficit will be closer to 6% than the targeted 4%," Teh predicted. "If we were to recalculate using BN's RM230 billion expendicture plans and Pakatan's more conservative revenue and GDP forecasts, the deficit would be equivalent to 5.5% of GDP." "Conversely if we used Pakatan's RM221 billion expenditure plans and BN's more optimistic revenue and GDP forecasts the Pakatan deficit would be 3.7% of GDP." A focus on hardware Teh then pointed out that the 100-storey Warisan Merdeka project introduced under the previous budget was been stealthily proceeding despite strong protest from the rakyat. Although Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak made no mention of it in his budget speech this time, Teh noted that the Economic Report stated that Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) is finalising the building design and work is set to begin next year. "Mega-projects and government largesse still loom large in the budget and we cannot help but feel that it is built on delusionary foundations," he said. "The reality is that 70% of our workforce is qualified to SPM-level at best, 40% of Malaysian households subsist on monthly incomes averaging RM1,500 and more than a third of household heads are employed in the informal sector." Teh questioned whether policy makers notice the contradictions between the upper middle income status and massive subsidy bill which is expected to balloon to RM33 billion this year. He also wondered which upper middle income Malaysian would shop in the Kedai 1Malaysia thrift stores or sample the Menu Rakyat 1Malaysia meals. "The budget's focus is still very much on "hardware" even when it concerns education spending," he said. "There is a glaring absence of any mention of quality or employability of school-leavers." READ MORE HERE. |
| Forward, back but don’t touch Posted: 17 Oct 2011 10:57 AM PDT By Karim Raslan, The Star The allegation that Malaysia had violated Indonesian territory is symptomatic of political issues in Indonesia – they rise, gather momentum, seemingly explode and then just as quickly disappear. WITH Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono preparing for their annual bilateral meeting in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, tomorrow, this tukang cerita found himself pondering over the ever-changing landscape of bilateral relations: first at a gleaming, if half-deserted upscale shopping mall and, secondly, at a rooftop party high above the Jakarta skyline. The Belleza Permata Hijau is a flamboyantly rococo shopping centre in the heart of Jakarta. It also happens to be almost empty. I had been invited to participate in a talk show (called Big Baz) for the recently-launched Kompas TV station. Our topic was the latest Indonesia-Malaysia bilateral spat – over allegations that Malaysia had violated Indonesian territory – and the show's host was an old friend and fellow columnist Pak Budiarto Shambazy. Since we columnists stick together, I'm here despite knowing next to nothing about border markers, the 1824 Anglo-Dutch Treaty, MOUs or Camar Bulan and Tanjung Datu in West Kalimantan ("Kalbar"). The Belleza's echoing atrium provided an elegant, if slightly surreal backdrop for the weekly show. There was also a string quartet of four pretty girls in brightly coloured dresses practising their music. They appeared to be having difficulty keeping the time. Truth be told, they're not that tuneful either. In the meantime, the producers and cameramen were testing the sound and lighting. For some reason, I was sweating profusely. I tried not to think about how wet my hair was or the moisture on the back of my batik shirt. The thought of looking drenched on national television made me sweat even more. So, in an effort to cool down, I sat and chatted with my fellow guests: a leading PDI-P politician, Pak TB Hassanuddin (who's partly responsible for the way the issue exploded into the public domain); a nervous bureaucrat, Pak Sutrisno; and a supremely calm and efficient foreign policy specialist, Connie Bakrie – who assured me that she wasn't a member of "that family". Since I had been totally baffled by the controversy, I asked Pak TB (who's also a former general) to explain what's going on. Given that he's the deputy head of the influential First Commission of the Indonesian Parliament which deals with issues of national security, I received a thorough briefing. Later (and on air), I suggested that he should visit Kuala Lumpur to explain to the Malaysian public what's going on since most people, including me, are both bemused and confused by the whole affair. Pak TB and I had faced each other many times on Indonesian TV. As such, our encounter was accompanied by a good deal of gentle joshing. Indeed, the last time we met he even threatened to eat me! The actual taping was slightly disappointing. The Belleza had terrible acoustics and we could barely hear one another speak. A number of scenes had to be retaken and Pak TB's robust enthusiasm was swamped by the technical details. Finally, in the penultimate section, a sinetron star – Marcella Zalianty – joined the panel. This immediately caused a frisson of excitement. Tall, fair-skinned and very good-looking, Marcella had earlier released a documentary called Cerita dari Tapal Balas ("Stories from the Frontier") that delved into the lives of ordinary Indonesians at Kalbar's Entikong border crossing. Her presence reminded me how the lines between celebrity, politics and activism were blurred in Indonesia. Sadly, even with Marcella on board, the technical details still overwhelmed the rest of the production. Finishing up, I salam my fellow guests as Pak TB introduced me to the latest and youngest addition to his family. We laughed and agreed to meet for lunch. Jumping into my car, I headed off for a party in Jalan Sudirman. As I watch the city pass by my window, I realise that there's a certain rhythm to political issues in Indonesia. They rise, gather momentum, seemingly explode and then just as quickly disappear. What I'd just experience was the tail-end of the latest bilateral spat – an issue that was reaching its natural end. Later, and high above Jakarta's streets on a hotel balcony with the glittering lights of the city's countless skyscrapers below me, I watched the party guests dancing the poco-poco. Swaying gently, the dancers moved forward then back, their footwork surprisingly neat and precise. There's a lilt to the poco-poco and subdued energy as all the focus was directed into maintaining the overall form while the dancers' bodies never touched. The restrained elegance of the dance – with its careful self-containment – is an apt metaphor for our bilateral relationship: maju, undur tapi gak sentuh. Have fun in Lombok, guys! |
| Focus On Real Targets Posted: 17 Oct 2011 10:44 AM PDT By Walla Those who can must get the word out to focus on real targets.
First, the situation.
One, the latest budget was to bribe the fixed deposit voting cohorts. Civil servants, teachers, militia and farmers; the amount for pensioners, due only in 2013, is paltry. In addition, no action has been taken on Taib so as not to lose Sarawak. With Sabah in tow under Umno and its fast-tracked citizenship program for illegals, six fixed deposits are now primed for Barisan to retain its government, abetted by Umno-friendly royalty, judiciary, enforcement, mainstream media and election commission constructs. The last card is of course to cheat at the polls.
Two, where finance and education are concerned, the present government plays to only one gallery - the Malays, and with only one goal - to win the next general elections.
Money is spent minor for their targets, major for themselves - because Umno has become the official engine for whitewashing cronyism, with the result the bills including financing charges based on increasing debt servicing will be for the account of the still-dreamy young of the future.
And education is based on denialism which will result in irrelevance and loss of competitiveness. After fifty four years and billions, it is still a delivery issue. And their way of solving it is to entrench the challenges even further. Because the teachers can't, education will become less about imparting real and relevant knowledge, more about imparting grades made to look good by lowering standards, with the specter that one day overseas admitting institutions will deny entry because they will have avalanches of richer students from other countries, furthermore with better international results and stronger command of the medium of instruction - there.
Three, the demographics have changed. Once the Chinese were over thirty percent of the population; today in the twenties. The slide will continue because the birthrate has dropped since more will be too busy working harder to try and maintain livelihood while dispirited of future prospects in the face of increasing costs but crumbs in state support. How the latest budget has been distributed says it all. Ask the MD of SPSetia what he now thinks of the NEP rearing its real head, and for effects what is the size of Umno's political puissance over PNB's RM124 Billion in funds as well as Petronas and EPF monies?
Four, the US and European markets for our local products are going to be sundered on the shores of fiscal calamity. The rates at which they can service their debts will never catch up with the rates at which the interests on those debts are compounding. Ergo, even if they work flat out and unless a global trade miracle happens, they will be paying just the interests due without reducing the principal debt. In the next two years, another recession may spurt which will run contrary to the wild projections of revenue paraded in the latest budget of easy dispensations, all happening when one third of national revenues come from oil and gas, depleting commodities, with its attendant effects on the other two-thirds of direct and indirect taxes. Currently our national yolk is rm442 Billion of debts, and real productivity in terms of elastic skills, not population growth numbers, is stagnant. Meanwhile the present government continues to spin, and continues to hire expensive spinners, while living it up like there's no tomorrow. That, they are correct. READ MORE HERE. |
| The Penan – Still Struggling to Save Our Jungle [FILM TRIBUTE] Posted: 17 Oct 2011 10:43 AM PDT By Sarawak Report The Penan are the iconic people of the Sarawak jungle. Most communities had settled into villages and rural life of one form or another over the last hundred years, but the Penan steadfastly stuck to their nomadic ways. With just a few possessions, easily carried on their backs, they have had nothing to lose but the jungle they live from. Which is why they are the community that has fought hardest and longest to prevent its destruction by greedy and relentless logging. However, we would be unwise to dismiss them as simple or backward people. One should reserve that judgement for those narrow-minded, unimaginative IQs who can think only of the ringgit and jewels and houses they can buy from cutting it down. The Penan understand the deeper value of the Borneo jungle, the world's oldest and most bio-diverse environment on earth. If Taib had not been so eager to get rich as quickly as possible, he too would have done well to consider the pharmaceutical, DNA, tourism, scientific and other values of this region of enormous weatlh, variety and promise. Instead he is turning it into a single crop plantation that will soon run out of soil due to to massive erosion and turn to desert. He is also converting one of the earth's two key 'lungs', the great jungles that breath water into the air and suck out dangerous carbon dioxide, into on of the major causes of Global Warming. The Penan understand these things, even though few have gone to school, and they hold a deep love for the beauty and life that thrives in their paradise on earth. But, Taib either does not understand or worse, blinded by money, he doesn't care. Victims who refuse to give up It is because the Penan are still striving to live off the forest and to defend their hunting areas, that they have had some of the worst treatment at the hands of Taib's licenced loggers and unlicenced gangsters. Many, many communities in Sarawak have suffered from these problems, but it is the Penan who have been almost wiped out in numbers. Taib refuses to give them the slightest respect or to allow them the smallest remaining area of jungle to call their own. His ministers are on record as saying that the jungle needs to be 'cleared' of such communities (to make way for their rape of the environment of course). For this reason we can add genocide to the list of crimes this man will one day have to answer. One of the most shocking examples of his arrogant small-mindedness has been his refusal to perform his most basic duty as a Chief Minister in maintaining law and order and preventing vile crimes in these areas. There have long been reports of rapes by loggers against the gentle Penan tribespeople, yet he has refused to take action to protect them or to acknowledge the problem. READ MORE HERE. |
| Muhyiddin Whips Up Anti-BN Support Again Posted: 17 Oct 2011 10:41 AM PDT By Mariam Mokhtar Cabinet ministers must think us stupid. Any unexpected improvements to a normally dilapidated area can only mean two things – a forthcoming by-election or a ministerial visit. Residents throughout Malaysia are aware of the tell-tale signs: Potholes are repaired, instant gardens appear, buildings are given a face-lift and the much touted problems of litter, blocked drains and public toilets disappear overnight – like a fairy godmother has waved her magic wand. In addition, the area is heavily policed to prevent crime, drug addicts are forcibly removed and homeless people are moved on. And so it was for the Ampangan community which noticed the frenzied activity in the days before the visit of the Deputy Prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Muhyiddin arrived last Saturday for his scheduled walkabout to Ampangan. After he toured the UDA flats, the wet market and Pasar Tani, he then presented the government's case to the public, with a view to winning their votes. Sadly, Muhyiddin rubbed the residents up the wrong way. Instead of treating the rakyat with respect and humility, Muhyiddin talked down to them and told them that the BN government had done much to improve the lives of Malaysians. He told the audience that we should be 'grateful' to BN. Muhyiddin might be seen as a chubby cherub in his Ministry but his arrogance is enough to vote him out of office. Since when has a government servant, who was elected to serve the people, been so obtuse and insolent? Being patronising will cost him votes. Cynics might ask if we should be grateful for BN's racist and discriminatory policies. Or for its flip-flop policies in education which are destroying the future of our youth, teachers and educational establishments. Did he want us to be thankful that our country has one of the highest levels of corruption in all levels of public office? What about the low wages given to our workers? Or the preferential treatment for migrant workers who have more voting rights and privileges than many Malaysians? Has Muhyiddin forgotten that criminal acts by those in high office are unchecked by the enforcement agencies? And that our women and children are discriminated against? Muhyiddin told the public: "It's not easy to be the government; the opposition is only good at making promises which they never have to fulfil." He could have added: "Just like BN." Muhyiddin also said that Malaysia would go bankrupt, if the opposition were to win the general election. But his claims are not substantiated by economic successes in Selangor and Penang. Many will recall that earlier in the year, the DPM had already chastised Pakatan for their 100-day reforms when he said: "Pakatan can promise the sun, moon, stars and mountains... But that is not the way of the BN government. We cannot squander our nation's wealth." Really, Muhyiddin? What about those multi-billion ringgit projects with commissions to high ranking politicians and their cronies that go undetected, or if they are reported, are swept under the carpet? Think Scorpene, the offshore patrol boats and other arms deals. Think of all the timber exports from Sarawak and the Bakun dam. What about the millions paid out by his boss, the Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, to media companies like FBC and CNBC, to paint a glossy picture of Malaysia under Najib's rule. Our PM flits about the world spending millions on air travel, but many of our people can't afford one decent meal a day. Muhyiddin must live in his own dream world. People are disillusioned with 54 years of Umno/BN and we are more divided than ever. Zimbabwe was once the Bread-Basket of Africa, but look at it now. Malaya was a colony that was once the pride and joy of the British Empire but our economy is failing and our status diminished. We might soon join President Robert Mugabe, in the world ranking of failed nation states. Standards in education are pitiful, the civil service is expanding but is less productive, whilst our defence spending has spiraled into orbit. So Muhyiddin claims that Pakatan never fulfils their promises. Does he remember the time when Umno's Kalabakan MP Abdul Ghapur Salleh submitted a full report on the terrible condition of the schools in East Malaysia, including structurally unsafe schools in Tawau and schools in Sibu, where holes in the ground served as toilets? Abdul Ghapur complained that Muhyiddin's Ministry sat on the report for over a year without doing anything about it. Perhaps, these students, their parents and the teachers should have been smarter and requested an official visit from Muhyiddin. At least that way, they can be assured of some cosmetic changes to their buildings. That was the same conclusion reached in Ampangan. Dr Mohamad Rafie Abdul Malik from the PKR supreme council, doubts BN's sincerity to help the public and he estimated the cost for beautifying the area in preparation for Muhyiddin's visit, at a few hundred thousand ringgits. Others speculate that the bunting and banners to publicise the DPM's visit cost another few hundred thousand ringgits. He said, "I'm not questioning the upgrading and instant development, which will benefit the residents here. But why wait for Muhyiddin's visit to do this upgrading?" Apparently, the complaints by residents, about lack of maintenance to the building's infrastructure, went unheeded for years, until the DPM's visit. Muhyiddin must think us blind. BN's frenetic activity only occurs in the weeks before the election and not in the years between general elections. On the other hand, Muhyiddin's promises of aid for Ampangan could have been fuelled by Pakatan Rakyat claims that a marginal five per cent swing in four key seats in the state would unseat the BN government. This desperate pouring of assistance for the area is driven by fear. Should the rakyat be grateful to BN for that? |
| Mukhriz confirms Najib wants meritocracy for Malays Posted: 17 Oct 2011 10:34 AM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak's call for meritocracy over the weekend meant finding the best Malays in the country but not abolishing pro-Bumiputera policies despite liberalising the economy, says Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir. The prime minister was reported to have said that affirmative action under the New Economic Policy (NEP) is "here to stay" by a pro-Umno blogger who attended a closed-door session with the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) Junior Science College alumni. Mukhriz, who is the alumni president, confirmed the blog report with The Malaysian Insider, saying yesterday that Najib's message was "that we are getting rid of rent-seekers and helping Malays become more competitive instead." The report quoted Najib as saying that the NEP would not be abolished but that meritocracy would be implemented among Malays to find "the best amongst Malays." "We no longer want to see Malay businessmen sell away assets, especially when they face a major crisis. We have seen this before. "If I wanted to be popular, then I would pander to the economic rent-seekers," he was quoted as saying by a blog. The Umno president was reported as explaining that government-linked companies (GLCs) prioritised doing business with Malay companies because "when they go outside, their new markets ask them 'did your government buy your product?'" He said last month there was a need to eventually do away with Bumiputera quotas but said the government must continue to support the community's best talent to ensure a more competitive business environment. Although Najib quickly insisted he had no intention to abolish quotas immediately, he has continued to stress that Malays should no longer "hide" behind government protection. He told Malay economic NGOs last month that his New Economic Model (NEM) promotes affirmative action based more on meritocracy, saying "we must promote the right Bumiputera." Najib has moved to liberalise the economy since taking office in April 2009, most recently removing Bumiputera equity requirements for 17 services subsectors. But analysts have said that his plans are being threatened by Malay hardliners who have forced Putrajaya to revise pre-qualification criteria for the RM50 billion Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) mega project and sale conditions of billion-ringgit prime land by UDA Holdings — a government agency tasked with boosting Bumiputera participation in the urban economy. READ MORE HERE. |
| Why Islam has become the New Communism Posted: 17 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT 
This article is targeted at the Muslim audience. I realise most Muslims would not receive it in the spirit it was written but will probably take it in a negative vein. So be it because the truth can at times be a bitter pill to swallow. Non-Muslims are, of course, most welcome to comment as long as it is also done in the spirit of seeking for the truth. NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin Muslims are probably perplexed as to why non-Muslims view any discussion and discourse on Islam, or anything at all related to Islam, with suspicion and distrust. The hostility demonstrated by non-Muslims is probably unsettling for most Muslims who interpret it as an attack on Islam.
This has always been the stance of religionists: either you are with me or else you are my enemy. There is no middle ground. It must always be one extreme or the other. And this is not just the problem with Muslims. Jews and Christians too take this very uncompromising stand. It appears like the Abrahamic faiths are founded on militancy and aggression.
And can you blame people for thinking this way when the Abrahamic faiths have been propagated at the point of the sword and based on the principle of convert or die? You may say that this was in the past. But do you expect the past to be so easily forgotten and forgiven when the wounds might have already healed but the scars still remain? And is what is happening in many parts of the Middle East and other Muslim countries reflective of the past or an indication that we are still living in the past?
Religionists, whether they are Jews, Christians or Muslims, speak with arrogance and in a very condescending attitude. Humility and humbleness appear to be virtues that religionists do not possess. It is always I know better than you and I speak on behalf of God. Where is that so-called religion of peace and love and forgiveness that they talk so much about? What people see is mere rhetoric and insincerity. How can they be trusted when they are unable to demonstrate good faith?
Religionists, in particular Islamists, espouse the virtues of an Islamic State and try to convince their audience on how much better life would be under an Islamic State as opposed to a Secular State.
The opposite of a Secular State is a Theocracy. But when we refer to an Islamic State as a Theocracy it is met with resistance. Islamists insist that an Islamic State is not a Theocracy. If it is not a Theocracy then what is it? Can we call it a Democracy? Yes, that is what they would like us to call it, a Democracy.
But that is just it. A Theocracy is not a Democracy. Which Islamic State since the time of the Prophet Muhammad until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1922 was founded on free and fair elections? It has always been founded on the basis of totalitarian governments. Free and fair elections can never work in a Theocracy because free and fair elections are about the wishes of the majority while Theocracies are about the will of God. The wishes of the majority do not count. The will of God overrides the wishes of the majority.
I have always argued that if Prophet Muhammad had to stand for elections he would have been defeated and ousted as the leader of his community. Let us not forget that the Muslim community, then, was in the minority and they were surrounded by Jews, Christians and Pagans who constantly plotted against the Muslims.
There has never been a single example of a successful Theocracy, whether Islamic State, Christian State, or whatever, since time immemorial. All have been totalitarian regimes where the wishes of the majority are not supreme. Human rights are not respected. In fact, the concept of human rights does not even exist. Even the so-called 'Golden Age of Islam' was founded on a totalitarian system where the rights of the people did not matter.
How can right-thinking Malaysians agree to turn back the clock and take a journey back into the past to live in the Middle Ages? And when we argue this point it is interpreted as that we are Islam-haters or defiant of Allah's command -- the characteristics of Satan and the reason why God has condemned Satan to an eternity in hell.
Islamists fail to realise that the problem is not the laws itself but the application of the laws. Under the present judicial system and form of government, where dissent and opposition is not tolerated, even good laws can become bad. The word 'justice' is non-existent in Malaysia. How can Malaysians trust any amendments to the present system when the present system itself has failed and no reprieve appears over the horizon?
Malaysia needs to move forward. And the way forward has to be based on more democracy, tolerance, and respect for civil liberties. No Islamic State over 1,500 years has proven to possess these qualities. Quality of life improved not when these countries embraced an Islamic State but when they removed the shroud of totalitarian regimes and abolished the Caliphate.
Few citizens of the world would want to consider a Theological State -- whether it is a Hindu State, Buddhist State, Jewish State, Christian State, or Islamic State. The experiment with Theocracies has ended and all ended in failure and disaster. It is time to move forward and the way forward is by majority rule.
Nevertheless, if the majority opts for a Theocracy then so be it. That is how democracies work. But for the minority to impose their values on the majority is not on. So expect the majority to resist. And opposition by the majority against the minority should not be interpreted as a war against God. It is merely the majority upholding their democratic right of freedom of choice, a right, in the first place, given to us by God Himself.
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| Malaysia’s environment needs help Posted: 17 Oct 2011 04:56 AM PDT NEW MANDALA While Malaysia has enjoyed impressive rates of economic growth over the last forty years, there has been substantial, irreparable and avoidable loss of her natural capital. Recognised as one of twelve countries blessed with mega biodiversity, Malaysia has difficulty securing her remaining wildlife. If forest cover is about 60 %, it is thanks to the Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) generous definition of a 'forest'– land with at least 10 % of tree crown cover and which can include forestry-type plantations such as rubber wood. Malaysia's forests, degraded by logging, replaced by plantations – oil palm or latex timber clones, fragmented by roads, and raided frequently by poachers hired by syndicates, harbour alarmingly declining numbers of wildlife. In the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List (IUCN Red List), Malaysia has the world's third highest number of plants and animals threatened with extinction. The list warns of the disappearance of the tiger, sambar deer, rhinoceros, elephant, tapir, sunbear, pangolin, orangutan, hawksbill and leatherback turtles, among others, if business-as-usual continues, and it does. In a trade powered by demand from China, Vietnam and Thailand, Malaysia has emerged as a major hub in the smuggling of wildlife and wildlife products. To stop the demand and the trade, Malaysia needs help. High conservation value lowland forests have been all but lost to plantations and urban development. More forests and habitats are being lost to oil palm, latex timber clones and mega projects to supply energy or water, phenomena mostly driven by top down decision-makers working in concert and non-transparently with private sector players. In this regard, Chief Minister of Sarawak Abdul Taib Mahmud's headlong conversion of peat swamp forests to oil palm, embarking on the "necklace" of twelve hydro-electric mega projects and concessions for high-impact logging (to clear the way for plantations), all of which simultaneously dispossess native people of their customary lands, show naked abandon. The judiciary and mainstream media do not enjoy sufficient autonomy to fulfil their check-and-balance roles. To stop Abdul Taib Mahmud, Malaysia needs help. Meanwhile, Malaysian logging and oil palm companies take their plunder-for-profit expertise to countries around the world bringing little or no benefit to local communities, and sometimes misery. It would be useful to compile a list of such companies for worldwide reference. To reform these companies, Malaysia needs help. READ MORE HERE |
| WIKILEAKS: CONTROVERSIAL SQURES OF CHRISTIAN BOOKS Posted: 17 Oct 2011 01:00 AM PDT 
The Malaysian Council of Churches immediately condemned the confiscation. Council Secretary Reverend Herman Shastri stated on January 17 that the government officials have "no right (to confiscate the Christian books) and have over stepped their bounds." Shastri argued that such actions offended the sensitivities of Christians, and he urged the government to take immediate action to stop enforcement officials from undermining inter-religious harmony. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin 
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b and d). Summary 1. (C) Ministry of Internal Security officials confiscated some Christian children's books from stores in early January. Officials took the action because the books contained pictures of Moses and Noah, and they judged portraits of these figures, who are also prophets in Islam, would offend Muslims. On January 21, the Ministry returned all the books following public condemnation by the Malaysian Council of Churches. In a separate case, the Evangelical Church of Borneo filed a lawsuit after Ministry of Internal Security officials confiscated children's Sunday school books. The books are in the Malay language and use "Allah" when referring to God in contravention of a GOM decision to reserve the term "Allah" for Muslims. Separately, the Internal Security Ministry recently banned 11 books on Islam. While the GOM took corrective action in one instance, institutional mandates and policies based on the preeminent position of Islam will continue to generate controversy in multi-religious Malaysia. End Summary. Christian Books Confiscated, Returned 2. (U) The Ministry of Internal Security's Publications and Al-Koran Texts Control Department confiscated several Christian children's titles containing pictures of Moses and Noah from bookstores in early January. Ministry officials deemed the pictures were "offensive caricatures of prophets" recognized by Islam. The Malaysian Council of Churches immediately condemned the confiscation. Council Secretary Reverend Herman Shastri stated on January 17 that the government officials have "no right (to confiscate the Christian books) and have over stepped their bounds." Shastri argued that such actions offended the sensitivities of Christians, and he urged the government to take immediate action to stop enforcement officials from undermining inter-religious harmony. On January 21, Deputy Internal Security Minister II Fu Ah Kow announced that the ministry had returned the Christian titles to bookstores. A representative from one of the largest publications companies confirmed to poloff that government authorities returned all confiscated books. God by any other name 3. (U) In December 2007, leaders from the Evangelical Church of Borneo, in the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, filed a lawsuit against Prime Minister Abdullah and the government for banning the importation of Christian publications using "Allah" when referring to God. This followed the August 2007 seizure at Kuala Lumpur International Airport of a shipment of Christian children's books destined for Sunday school programs in Sabah. Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharom justified the action by saying only Muslims could use the term "Allah" (to describe God) as "it is a Muslim word." He added that we cannot let other religions "use it because it will confuse the people." Minister Abdullah Mohammed Zin, responsible within in the Prime Minister's Department for religious affairs, backed Johari's comments, referring to a 1986 Cabinet decision that reserved the name "Allah" and several other Arabic terms for the exclusive use of Muslims. 4. (U) In their suit, church officials are seeking a declaration that they have the constitutional right to use the word "Allah" in all their religious publications and practices, and not just within the church. They claim that the GOM failed to take into account that Malay language-speaking Christians had used "Allah" in printed Malay language materials since 1629. Church officials also seek a court ruling against any faith having exclusive right to the use of any word. A magistrate's initial hearing of the case on January 29 failed to set any date for further action before the court. 5. (U) Separately, the Internal Security Ministry banned 11 books about Islam in a decision finalized on January 17 under the Printing Presses and Publications Act, according to media reports. Officials found that the books deviated from state-sanctioned interpretation of Islam. Eight of the books are English languagetexts from U.S. publishers, while three are Malay language texts. During 2007, the Ministry banned a total of 85 books of various subjects because of religious or sexual content, according to Embassy records. Comment 6. (C) Government machinery set up to uphold the state-approved interpretation of Islam and protect Muslim sensitivities has again generated controversy in Malaysia's substantial non-Malay/non-Muslim community. The number of books seized may be limited, but the symbolism and precedent of officials confiscating Christian children's books are nevertheless damaging to inter-faith relations. The Internal Security Ministry's quick about-face in one highly publicized case suggests that some senior leaders recognize the risks to religious and ethnic harmony. Institutional mandates and policies based on the preeminent position of Islam remain firmly in place, however, and we can expect further controversies of this sort in multi-religious Malaysia. KEITH (January 2008) |
| Economic system can sustain global downturn, says Nor Mohamed Posted: 17 Oct 2011 12:52 AM PDT (The Star) - PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia does not need another plan as its present system can sustain any global economic downturn, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop. "Even in the worst case scenario when things go really bad, we already have an in-built system that can adjust itself. "So, there is really no reason to have a discreet policy called "Plan B" because the plan that we have is adjustable in and around itself," he told reporters after launching The Report Malaysia 2011. Nor Mohamed said given the challenging global economic situation, the five per cent growth target was achievable as the economy has been managed quite well. He said although Malaysia's exports are still to the United States, Japan and Britain, they have been diversified with a major portion of the nation's economy now on intra-Asean as well as on India and China. |
| BREAKING NEWS: Penan block logging road in Baram, Sarawak Posted: 17 Oct 2011 12:03 AM PDT By Bruno-Manser-Fonds 
We have just received the news that the Penan communities of Ba Abang and Long Kawi in Sarawak's Middle Baram region have started blockading a logging road to prevent the further felling of their rainforests. According to community information received by the Bruno Manser Fund, the blockade has been erected last Thursday, 13th October 2011, and has been attended by more than 70 Penan tribespeople. The blockade is located near the Ba Bunau river within the claimed Native Customary Rights land of the Ba Abang community. It is mainly directed against Interhill, a Malaysian logging company based in Miri, Sarawak. Interhill is also known to be the owner of the Pullman 5-star hotel in Sarawak's capital, Kuching. The Pullman Kuching hotel is being operated by the French Accor group. 
The Penan accuse Interhill of particularly aggressive and environmentally destructive logging during the past months. Several attempts by the communities to nego! tiate with Interhill responsibles have failed. Interhill had already been accused of similar conduct in 2009. An independent study commisioned by the French Accor group showed at the time that Interhill had been involved in illegal and unsustainable logging practices. Following pressure from Accor's sustainability department, Interhill promised to better its conduct but has obviously failed to live up to its promises.
The Bruno Manser Fund has learned that Interhill called the police and forestry department officials to dissolve the blockade but the Penan are currently upholding their protest. In December 2009, six Penan communities of the Middle Baram region jointly filed court cases to claim land titles over their customary land and asked for the logging licences to be declared null and void. The cases are currently pending at the Miri High Court.
The Bruno Manser Fund is calling on the Interhill management to instruct their staff to! immediately stop the destructive logging of the Penan forests and to send a high-ranking delegation to the blockade site to apologize for the company's conduct. We are particiulary disappointed to learn that Interhill failed to live up to the promises made to the French Accor group and to the international community two years ago.
Your BMF campaign team For more information, please consult: www.stop-interhill.com |
| #CleanBefore13 Global BERSIH 2.0 Launch in Australia with Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan Posted: 16 Oct 2011 10:16 PM PDT 
BERSIH 2.0 CHAIRPERSON DATO' AMBIGA SREENEVASAN MELBOURNE-SYDNEY-CANBERRA #CleanBefore13 Global Campaign - Fulfil the 8 Demands Before GE-13 TUESDAY 25 OCTOBER 2011 - 6.30PM- 8.00PM FREE PUBLIC LECTURE Electoral Reform and the Quest for Democracy in Malaysia Venue: GM15- LAW BUILDING, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE RSVP Essential: http://alc.law.unimelb.edu.au/index.cfm?objectid=6A3FF7F9-1422-207C-BAF8B4E4EFE99C64&DiaryID=5569 FRIDAY 28 OCTOBER 2011 - 6.30PM- 10.00PM CleanBefore13 - BERSIH2.0 SOLIDARITY NIGHT / Nasi Lemak Dinner served
(Vegetarian Option Available) $15 non-students/ $10 students Venue: Clayton Hall, 264-268 Clayton Road RSVP Essential: http://bersihstories.eventbrite.com SUNDAY 30 OCTOBER 2011 - 6.30PM- 8.00PM AN EVENING WITH DATO' AMBIGA SREENEVASAN Dinner $40 /pp Venue: Emperor's Garden, 96-100 Hay St, Haymarket, NSW, 2000 MONDAY 31 OCTOBER 2011 - 12.30PM- 2.00PM FREE PUBLIC LECTURE (Light lunch served) Venue: Boardroom, Level 2, Law Building, UNSW RSVP ESSENTIAL: https://register.eventarc.com/event/view/5951/tickets/ahrcentre-seminar-with-dato-ambiga-sreenevasan MONDAY 31 OCTOBER 2011 - 6.00PM- 7.30PM FREE PUBLIC LECTURE New Law School Lecture Theatre, Room 24, University of Sydney TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2011 - 6.30PM- 8.00PM FREE PUBLIC LECTURE Law Theatre, ANU College of Law (Building 5), Australian National University TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2011 - 8.00PM- 10.00PM INFORMAL DINNER WITH MALAYSIANS IN CANBERRA
RSVP for all events essential. Email us at sabm.melbourne@gmail.com or contact us on facebook HAVE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? Register to vote at any of these events. Bring a photocopy of your Malaysian NRIC with you. 
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| Don’t stir up hornet’s nest, Selangor PAS warns Himpun organisers Posted: 16 Oct 2011 08:47 PM PDT 
(The Malaysian Insider) - Selangor PAS wants the organisers of the planned gathering of a million Muslims to guarantee that the event will not be abused to incite religious tension between Muslims and non-Muslims. The Himpunan Sejuta Umat (Himpun), or Gathering of a Million Faithful, is being organised by various right-wing groups such as Perkasa with the backing of both Umno and PAS Youth in what appears to be a coming together of conservative Muslims. The planned rally against Christians "challenging the sovereignty of Islam" this Saturday could raise religious tension that has intensified in recent months after allegations of proselytism of Muslims by Christians. Today, Selangor PAS deputy commissioner Khalid Samad said his party was "worried" about the true purpose of the gathering, and stressed that it should focus on addressing real threats faced by Muslims instead of pitting the country's main religions against one another. "We are not happy with the noticeable trends and directions (of the gathering). We want an assurance that it will not be used to incite religious, racial tension," he told The Malaysian Insider. The Shah Alam MP added that Selangor PAS has not decided whether to take part in the event. "We've not said yes, we've not said no. We've set some conditions in which we will agree to participate — [such as] if the gathering truly focuses on problems affecting the Muslim faith, and not blaming another faith," said Khalid. He said Selangor PAS will make a decision in a few days' time, and that the national leadership will also discuss the matter during the party's political bureau meeting tomorrow night. About 1,000 Facebook users have confirmed their attendance to the event With ethnic tensions already rising in the years following the 2008 general election, it could raise already simmering fears of growing Islamisation among non-Muslims and more liberal Malays. In a video promoting the gathering, Himpun said "There is no other choice but to rally Muslims". Distrust between Muslims and Christians peaked when the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) raided the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya on August 3, claiming there was ongoing proselytisation of Muslims. This came after repeated disputes between Christians and Muslims, such as the legal battle over the use of the word Allah to refer to the Christian god. A December 31, 2009 court ruling allowing the Catholic Church to use the term Allah in its newspaper had led to places of worship being firebombed in January last year. The government also buckled under pressure and ordered the release of Malay-language bibles seized before Sarawakians, half of whom are Christians, voted in the April 16 state polls. Before the Jais raid, Umno's Utusan Malaysia and Malay rights lobby Perkasa accused the DAP of conspiring to turn Malaysia into a Christian state. Although DUMC has denied Jais' claims, Utusan Malaysia fanned the flames with allegations that Christian groups in Kuala Lumpur and Johor were actively trying to convert Muslims. READ MORE HERE |
| Anwar dares Najib to debate on budget Posted: 16 Oct 2011 07:30 PM PDT By Syed Jaymal Zahiid, FMT KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has dared Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to an open debate on their respective budgets in response to the latter's accusation that Pakatan Rakyat's alternative financial plan was "right-wing". Anwar, the former deputy prime minister and finance minister, said that Najib, as finance minister, is more than capable of debating on the matter. He said that an open debate was the best way for voters to decide whose budget is better rather than taking potshots via government-owned media. Najib, in his speech to Gerakan members attending their party's annual general assembly yesterday, labelled Pakatan's 2012 alternative budget as a "right-wing Republican budget that failed to address the needs of the people". "He shouldn't be criticising our budget only through their (government) media… he should be able to defend our criticism of his budget as he is the finance minister. "He is more than capable of presenting his case (in the open debate)," Anwar told a press conference at the Parliament lobby. The budget row between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan has taken a front seat as both are trying to use their respective budgets as an election push as national polls is expected to be held within the next six months. BN has used the same argument on the federal opposition's "Orange Book" financial policies against Pakatan's budget, accusing it as populist and unworkable while the latter claimed Najib's 2012 spending plans are aimed at buying votes. Among key plans in Najib's budget are cash handouts to the poor and increasing money for civil servants – working and retired staff – which are seen as ways to retain support from BN's traditional votebank. Breaching the debt ceiling Anwar said the "irresponsible" spending in the 2012 Budget is set to put Malaysia on course to breach the national debt limit. In Bank Negara Malaysia's latest report issued on Oct 14, Anwar said the country's national debt currently stood at RM437 billion (as of June 30, 2011), with domestic debt amounting to RM421 billion and foreign debt at RM16 billion. "This translates to a 51% local debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio as governed by Acts 637 and 275, which allows for approximately RM33 billion additional debt to be raised by the government (before the limit is reached)," he said. Anwar said this meant Putrajaya has insufficient funds to finance the remainder of the 2011 expenditure while the RM46 billion deficit will be funded through additional debts.
READ MORE HERE. |
| A right to PPSMI Posted: 16 Oct 2011 07:28 PM PDT By Lan Boon Leong via The Malaysian Insider The abolishment of PPSMI will benefit students whose mother tongue or first language is not English because studies have shown children learn better if the language of instruction is their first language. Furthermore, the United Nations, in its various declarations and conventions, has continually affirmed the universal right to an education where the language of instruction is the first language. This fundamental right for students whose first language is Bahasa Malaysia or Mandarin or Tamil is thus respected by abolishing PPSMI. However, the abolishment of PPSMI will in turn be unfair to students whose first language is English. Malaysian students whose first language is English are growing in number from diverse ethnic backgrounds. They include Chinese, Indians and Malays. These students are already discriminated against in education on the basis of language because there are no English-medium national-type schools to accommodate them. This discrimination on the basis of language contravenes the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The abolishment of PPSMI will further discriminate these students on the same grounds. They have the right to continue studying science and mathematics in English and also the right to study all other subjects in English, their first language. Thus, PPSMI must at least be retained as an option so that they can learn science and mathematics optimally as their peers whose first language is Bahasa Malaysia or Mandarin or Tamil. If we were to have English-medium national-type schools, it would be justice indeed. To vote for PPSMI as an option, please go to www.pagemalaysia.org/news.php. Parents can vote for the establishment of English-medium national-type schools at www.surveymonkey.com/s/NKRJVDH and join PENS (Parents for English-medium National-type Schools) at www.facebook.com/groups/PENSmember/ to support the campaign. * Lan Boon Leong is an associate professor at Monash University Sunway Campus. |
| Soi Lek says may contest in Perak, Johor or Negri Sembilan Posted: 16 Oct 2011 07:22 PM PDT By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 – Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek is considering standing for elections in Perak, Negri Sembilan or his homestate Johor, a move likely to invite flak from the MCA president's detractors in the party. Chinese-language daily Nanyang Siang Pau reported today Dr Chua's speech during a Deepavali dinner in Seremban last night where the senior politician purportedly claimed to have received invitations from all three state mentris besar to stand in the coming polls. But, added the daily, Dr Chua (picture) had stressed he would first consider the feelings of MCA leaders in each state and gauge local sentiment before making his decision. "Just because I am the party president, it does not mean I can simply contest anywhere, or take over someone else's position for my own interest," he was quoted as saying. Dr Chua currently chairs both the Johor and Perak state liaison committees. His announcement comes just two weeks after he declared himself a "winnable candidate" despite his sex scandal past, in the heat of his squabble with Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, his predecessor in MCA. Ong, Dr Chua's most outspoken critic in MCA, had said he did not consider the party president a qualified candidate for the polls due to his scandalous past, adding the latter would not fit Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's "winnable candidate" criteria. But with Chinese support for Barisan Nasional (BN) still weak, it appears the veteran politician cannot afford to shy away from the coming polls, viewed as the pact's most crucial, and will have to lead his party into the foray by standing as a candidate. READ MORE HERE. |
| Malaysia set to hit national debt ceiling, warns Anwar Posted: 16 Oct 2011 06:40 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim accused the government today of failing to resuscitate the country's "under-performing economy", warning that Datuk Seri Najib Razak's Budget 2012 was setting Malaysia "on course" to breach the national debt limit. Citing Bank Negara Malaysia's latest report issued on October 14, Anwar said the country's national debt currently stood at RM437 billion (as of June 30, 2011), with domestic debt amounting to RM421 billion and foreign debt at RM16 billion. "This translates to a 51 per cent local debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio as governed by Acts 637 and 275, which allows for approximately RM33 billion additional debt to be raised by the government (before the limit is reached). "This is clearly not adequate to finance the remainder of 2011 expenditure and the RM46 billion deficit to be funded through additional debts announced in Barisan Nasional's Belanjawan 2012," the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader said in a statement. The national debt level is governed by various laws that impose a debt ceiling for the government. Act 637, which is the Loan (Local) Act 1959, and Act 275, the Government Investment Act 1983, state that combined loans raised domestically should not exceed a ceiling of 55 per cent of the nation's GDP. Act 403, which is the External Loans Act 1963, limits external loan exposure to RM35 billion at any particular time. "The proposed operational budget for a particular year should never exceed the revenue projection. Likewise, loans raised by the government should strictly be used for developmental budget," said Anwar. The opposition leader was responding to the prime minister's critique yesterday of the opposition's shadow budget. Najib described PR's alternative financial plan as a "right-wing Republican" budget that failed to address the needs of the people, and that it only focused on Malaysia's budget gap and national debt but made no mention of public welfare. "This is a clear attempt to deflect from the fundamental issue of poor governance, endemic corruption and BN policies to enrich family members and cronies," said Anwar. He said the best way to discuss the contrast between the economic policies offered by both coalitions was through a nationally-televised debate between himself and Najib. READ MORE HERE |
| Sudden switch to BM for science students Posted: 16 Oct 2011 06:38 PM PDT Students who had been studying in the English stream from Standard One to Form Three now have to do their Science and Maths in BM when they move to Form Four next year. (Free Malaysia Today) - Students who began their Standard One in 2003 under the English stream – where Science and Mathematics were taught in English – are now expected to learn Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics in Bahasa Malaysia when they go to Form Four next year. The change in the "teaching process" has got parents in the urban Klang Valley are all frantic with anxiety. They are trying to get the Education Ministry to clear up the matter. So far the bewildered parents have received no statements from their respective school heads but worried students have told their parents that "all Form Four subjects will be taught only in Bahasa Malaysia". A housewife, who wanted to be known only as Siva, from Subang Jaya said: "Everyone is confused… I went to inquire from my son's school and was told that they were waiting for the ministry's directive. But they said they were unofficially told that the teaching will be in Bahasa Malaysia if you have more than 15 Malay students in Form Four. "I called the Education Ministry last week to verify this and an officer told me that the teaching of all science subjects in Form Four will be in Bahasa Malaysia. "She also said some schools have a choice of teaching in English or Bahasa Malaysia depending on how many Malay students they have." Let them complete SPM Another worried parent, who preferred to be called Tan, from Taman Desa, said the new policy was "not fair to our children". "We were told at the onset when this batch started Standard One in 2003 that they will complete their Science and Maths in English until SPM (Form Five). "They should just let them finish it. How can they (the ministry) victimise this batch of students now? "It's rubbish to say the exams will be set in dwibahasa (dual language), but all the teaching in the class will be in Bahasa Malaysia. "Why confuse the students? Already, they are under so much pressure. "What will happen if the students answer the exam questions in English? Are there enough English proficient teachers and examiners who can give them a fair reading? "Can the ministry guarantee that our children who answer their exam paper in English will not be victimised?" asked Tan. No 'dwi' bahasa textbook Another concerned parent, Dr Raja, from Damansara, said he had gone around the bookshops and private stores looking for Form Four Chemistry and Biology books for his son and was shocked to find only Bahasa Malaysia textbooks. He said the government had promised that the Science and Mathematic books would be ready before it implemented the MBMMBI (Upholding the Malay Language, Strengthening the English Language) policy in 2012. But now that parents are wanting to prepare their children for the hard days ahead, there are no books available. "How are we supposed to assist and prep our children if we cannot find dual language textbooks? I assume the teachers are also not readyto teach the subjects," said Raja. "This is crazy. We are not against the Education Ministry's Bahasa Malaysia policy. "But it is absolute stupidity to teach the students in English from Standrad One until Form Three and then switch to Bahasa Malaysia in Form Four and Form Five. "What assurance is there that there are sufficient and capable examiners who will mark their English answers in SPM fairly? "As it is, my wife spotted so many errors in the ministry-level quarterly tests papers the students sat for regularly before PMR," said Raja. READ MORE HERE |
| Hutang negara berjumlah RM437.2 bilion Posted: 16 Oct 2011 05:58 PM PDT (HARAKAH DAILY) - Hutang Kerajaan Persekutuan sehingga 30 Jun 2011 berjumlah RM437.2 bilion atau 52.7 peratus daripada Keluaran Dalam Negeri Kasar (KDNK). Daripada jumlah tersebut, sebahagian besar hutang Kerajaan Persekutuan merupakan hutang dalam negeri yang berjumlah RM421 bilion atau 96.3 peratus daripada keseluruhan hutang, manakala baki RM16.2 bilion atau 3.7 peratus merupakan hutang luar negara.
Dengan jawapan bertulis Kementerian Kewangan kepada soalan Ahli Parlimen Seputeh, Teresa Kok yang meminta Menteri Kewangan menyatakan hutang luar negara mengikut negara yang memberi pinjaman kepada Malaysia.
Jawapan itu juga memberitahu sumber hutang, pinjaman dalam negeri diperolehi melalui terbitan Bil Perbendaharaan, Terbitan Pelaburan Kerajaan Kerajaan (TPK), Sekuriti Kerajaan Malaysia (SKM), pinjaman Kumpulan Pinjaman Perumahan dan terbitan Sukuk Simpanan Rakyat serta Sukuk 1Malaysia.
Pemegang instrumen berkenaan terdiri daripada institusi kewangan, syarikat insurans dan pertubuhan keselamatan sosial seperti Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja dan SOCSO.
Dalam pada itu hutang luar negeri Kerajaan Persekutuan pula diperoleh daripada sumber pasaran modal antarabangsa melalui terbitan sukuk global dan pengeluaran pinjaman projek melalui institusi multilateral seperti Bank Dunia, Bank Pembangunan Asia dan Bank Pembangunan Islam serta bilateral dalam mata wang asing iaitu Dolar Amerika Syarikat, Yen, Dolar Eura, Dolar Kanada serta Dinar. |
| IIU professor takes UMNO daily to court Posted: 16 Oct 2011 05:53 PM PDT 
(HARAKAH DAILY) - A senior lecturer of the International Islamic University Dr Abdul Aziz Bari is taking UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia to court following its reports portraying him as being disrespectful to the Sultan of Selangor.
Recently, Aziz disagreed with Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah's decision over the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department's action against Muslim guests at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) last Ramadan. The Sultan had said there was no sufficient evidence to initiate legal action against DUMC although he was convinced of attempts to undermine the Muslim faith.
"I have only given my comment on whether it was appropriate for Sultan Selangor to give his statement on DUMC's controversy. I agreed that indeed the Sultan has the power as provided in Federal Constitution. I have never disputed the power, and I don't see why I have been attacked everyday for such a short comment," explained Aziz, widely regarded as an expert in the Malaysian constitution.
Several police reports had been lodged against Aziz, led by UMNO senator Ezam Noor.
He was also criticised by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had once led a major media campain criticising Malay rulers during the brief 1993 constitutional crisis sparked by the late Sultan of Johor's assault on hockey coach, the late Douglas Gomez.
Aziz also rubbished accusations of being disloyal and disrespectful to the Selangor Sultan.
"Show me where I went wrong in my comment," he added. |
| Works ministry defies Finance, Health over Shah Alam Hospital Posted: 16 Oct 2011 05:49 PM PDT 
(HARAKAH DAILY) - The Works ministry has snubbed objections from the Finance and Health ministries by appointing Gadang Holdings Bhd to take over the much-delayed Shah Alam Hospital project, according to a report. Online news portal Merdeka Review reported that Gadang Holdings on October 10 announced at Bursa Malaysia that its subsidiary Gadang Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd had been awarded the project with a 24-month contract worth RM410.87 million.
"When the tendering period ended in December 2010, the Works ministry proposed Gadang Holdings to the Finance Ministry. But, Finance issued an instruction on March 22, 2011 to Works saying the appointment of Gadang as Shah Alam Hospital's contractor had been rejected, and instead proposed Frontier Structure Sdn Bhd, which was qualified to be listed in the re-tendering list," said the report.
As a result, the cost of the project escalated by more than RM74.91 million from the original RM556.51 million, which means it can be only approved by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU).
According to the report, the Health ministry delayed the approval requested by the Works ministry, but the latter defied the Finance ministry and announced Gadang Holdings as the project's contractor.
"Even the Prime Minister's Department did not know about the decision," the report said, adding that Gadang's appointment would not solve the woes which befell the project due to its lack of experience and technical expertise.
The construction of the 300-bed hospital, originally scheduled for completion this year, had been saddled with delays due to contract termination of its previous contractor GM Healthcare Sdn Bhd (GMH), a sub-contractor for project contractor Sunshine Fleet Sdn Bhd, citing failure to carry out duties on schedule. |
| Ketua Umno: Rakyat tolak MCA, Gerakan Posted: 16 Oct 2011 05:44 PM PDT "Tetapi kemenangan Umno sendirian tidak cukup kerana Gerakan dan MCA kalah semua kerusi yang mereka bertanding," kata ketua Umno Bukit Gelugor. (Free Malaysia Today) - Umno Pulau Pinang menegaskan BN tidak akan mampu merampas Pulau Pinang jika Gerakan dan MCA terus ditolak pengundi dalam pilihan raya ke 13 nanti. Ketua Umno Bukit Gelugor Datuk Omar Faudzar berkata, Gerakan dan MCA kalah besar dalam pilihan raya umum 2008. Menurutnya, Umno cuma kalah empat kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) dari 15 yang ditandingi dan dua dari empat kerusi Parlimen pada 2008. "Tetapi kemenangan Umno sendirian tidak cukup kerana Gerakan dan MCA kalah semua kerusi yang mereka bertanding. "Prestasi kedua-dua parti itu sangat buruk dalam pilihan raya umum 2008. Pulau Pinang mempunyai 40 kerusi DUN" katanya hari ini. Omar mengulas keyakinan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak bahawa BN mampu merampas Pulau Pinang dalam pilihan raua umum akan datang. Najib membuat kenyataan demikian ketika berucap merasmikan perasmian perhimpunan agung Gerakan di Kuala Lumpur semalam. Janji Umno kepada Gerakan, MCA Ketua Umno Bukit Gelugor itu juga mengulas kenyataan Najib bahawa pemimpin Umno tidak akan dilantik sebagai Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang jika BN menang dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang. Omar berkata, Umno telah mem READ MORE HERE |
| Angry natives give BTN boss an earful Posted: 16 Oct 2011 05:35 PM PDT Biro Tata Negara director Ibrahim Saad was taken aback when he visited villagers in Tandek, Sabah, on a fact-finding trip recently. (Free Malaysia Today) - KOTA MARUDU (Sabah): The director of the Biro Tata Negara (National Civics Bureau), Ibrahim Saad, was taken aback when he heard the grouses of the people in Tandek here last Thursday. In a meeting with the residents there, Ibrahim was jolted when he heard stories of the systematic land grabs, government lies about MyKad and the illegal immigrants, and the long delay in processing the natives' applications for land titles. Ibrahim went to the ground to feel the pulse of the people – and got a earful for his pains. Now residents here are wondering whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will get an unvarnished report from Ibrahim about his "bruising encounter" with the villagers here. Ibrahim, who has served in the BTN as the federal government's "eyes and ears" for 10 years, appeared shocked as he listened to about a dozen elders, including women – who took to the microphone in the new Tandek Hall here – tell sad stories of their long suffering. As the villagers recounted their tales of woe, Ibrahim was seen assiduously taking down notes. One resident said about 50 kampungs in Tandek are being threatened with eviction by a company that has been allotted 65,000 hectares of fertile land stretching from Beluran to the edge of Pitas and Kota Marudu. One headman, KK Bandawa Sandigan, from Kampung Malangkap, Marak-Parak, said land applications by the natives dating as far back as 1973 were never processed, while similar application by a company was approved in "lightning" speed allegedly during Yong Teck Lee's tenure as chief minister. "Please do something about this. If our applications are not in order, please tell us so, guide us, don't simply put our applications away. "We have rights here," said Sandigan. Double standard on increments An elderly resident questioned the 1Malaysia slogan – People First, Performance Now – saying it is "hollow and insincere". Yet another elder took Najib and the government to task for leaving Sabah out when announcing the the 2010 increments in allowances for ketua kampung (village headman) and Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) chairman. "While our counterparts from the Peninsula now enjoy a RM800 monthly allowance, in Sabah the JKKK chairman and ketua kampung are still receiving their old allowances (RM250 and RM400 respectively). Where is 1Malaysia?" he asked. A woman leader from another village near Tandek told Ibrahim that it was very hard for her to go around explaining government policies when the only topic of interest to the villagers was the land grabs. "There is no point (explaining government policies). We want developments but very little is coming while our lands are being threatened by big companies," she said. Another activist from Tangkarason, Jaipin Mohigal, told how 32 houses were razed to the ground in Kampung Koiboton, Tangkarason, in 2006, as the Sabah forestry officers tried to chase them out of their NCR (native customary right) land. "Something must be done to solve these serious land grab issues in Tandek before it gets out of control…" he said. READ MORE HERE |
| New witnesses to prove Anwar ‘can do it’ Posted: 16 Oct 2011 05:29 PM PDT 
While the defence closed its case today, the prosecution will be calling four witnesses to show that Anwar is capable of committing the alleged offence. (Free Malaysia Today) - The prosecution in Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy II trial will attempt to prove that the opposition leader was capable of performing the alleged sexual act. They will be calling in rebuttal witnesses to give evidence to counter testimony by defence witness, spine specialist Dr Thomas Hoogland, who had testified that Anwar's bad back made it unlikely for him to have sex. Lead prosecutor Solicitor-General II Mohamed Yusof Zainal Abiden told the High Court this morning that he was making an application to bring in their witnesses in light of the evidence tendered by Hoogland. The application was made at the end of the defence case. Hoogland, Anwar's orthopaedic surgeon, had said that Anwar was unable to perform certain actions. Yusof said that the prosecution needed to bring in new witnesses following Hoogland's testimony which had unearthed "new developments on whether Anwar had the ability to perform the action he is accused of doing". "These were not expected and not proposed during the prosecution's case," said Yusof. Yusof said he had discussed with Anwar's lead counsel Karpal Singh about bringing in the new witnesses, and that the defence had no objections. READ MORE HERE |
| ‘Queen E’s dress sense nothing to do with Bersih’ Posted: 16 Oct 2011 05:19 PM PDT 
Subang MP Sivarasa's connection between Queen Elizabeth and Bersih 2.0 was ridiculed in the Dewan Rakyat today. (Free Malaysia Today) - Queen Elizabeth II's yellow dress had nothing to do with her support for the Bersih (Coalition for Free and Fair Elections) movement. Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Kohilan Pillay claimed that the Queen's yellow dress choice was not to snub Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak when she received him at Buckingham Palace on July 14. "The Queen's choice of dress for official occasions during spring and summer in the United Kingdom (UK), and her foreign visits are in soft and bright colours," he told the Dewan Rakyat today. The deputy minister also said that the Queen also had been known to wear yellow in many occasions, including to her grandson's – Prince William- wedding's with Kate Middleton earlier this year. He was responding to a question raised by PKR's Subang MP R Sivarasa, who asked if the Queen's dress choice would affect the Malaysia's relationship with the UK. Sivarasa was referring to the aftermath of the July 9 Bersih protests. With Bersih's official colour being yellow, many wondered if Queen Elizabeth's golden dress five days later was in support of the KL demonstrations. He claimed that the government should not take the Queen's dress choice lightly, adding that Putrajaya should have looked further into why the Queen chose yellow that day. Although Sivarasa did not explicitly mention Bersih, Kohilan nevertheless appeared amused and ridiculed the PKR MP's query. READ MORE HERE |
| ‘Cop kills man outside ‘no Indians allowed’ pub’ Posted: 16 Oct 2011 04:57 PM PDT By G Vinod, FMT PETALING JAYA: A father of four was shot dead after a scuffle outside a karoake outlet in Ipoh which apparently bars Indians from patronising the waterhole. The deceased's employee has lodged a police report claiming that P Kathir Oli, 31, was gunned down by a plainclothes policeman moonlighting as a bouncer. In his report filed with the Ipoh Central police headquarters, K Sashiteren, 21, said that he, Kathir and two others had gone to the outlet called Angel Fun Pub & Karaoke on Sept 14. However, they were not allowed to enter the premises. "A man told us that Indians are not allowed to patronise the pub. Kathir got upset and asked why can't an Indian enter the pub?" said Sashiteren, adding that a heated exchange ensued. At one point, he said, a patron threw a bottle from inside the pub which hit Kathir's face and the latter grew enraged and threw the bottle back. Following this, he added, a man and a woman emerged from the pub and started hurling obscenities
at them. The first man, who had denied them entry, then calmed the duo and told them to return to the pub while Kathir, Sashiteren and their friends walked back to their car. "But the second man from the pub reappeared and pushed Kathir, and so Kathir got mad and pushed him back," said Sashiteren. As they were reversing the car to leave the area, Sashiteren claimed that a third man, who is believed to be the pub's bouncer, approached them with gun in hand. "The third man told us not to leave the place or he will start shooting at us," he said. Fearing for their safety, Kathir and his friends came out of the car. Sashiteren claimed that at this juncture, the armed man started assaulting Kathir and the latter fought back. "I tried to stop them from fighting and that's when I heard a gunshot. Kathir fell on me after getting shot on his chest," he said. Shashitheren later realised that the shooter was a cop when he handcuffed the trio after the arrival of a patrol car. "We were taken to the police station by the patrol car and remanded for 11 days. Kathir's body was still on the road when we were taken away," he said. 'Blindfolded and assaulted'
At the police station, Shashitheren alleged that he was blindfolded and assaulted. READ MORE HERE. |
| Pakatan accuses Najib of pushing ‘Bush policies in disguise’ Posted: 16 Oct 2011 04:49 PM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — The federal opposition accused Datuk Seri Najib Razak today of practising "Bush policies in disguise" by implementing the "trickle-down economics" of George W. Bush, the last Republican president of the United States. Yesterday, the prime minister called the opposition's shadow budget a "right-wing Republican" budget that failed to address the needs of the people. The prime minister said Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) shadow budget, unveiled three days before his own Budget 2012, had only focused on Malaysia's budget gap and national debt but made no mention of public welfare. "When they debate in Parliament they sound like very fiscal, right-wing Republican conservatives. About fiscal deficit, about debt ... (but) nothing about the people," the PM had said. Responding today, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers involved in drafting the shadow budget told The Malaysian Insider that the prime minister was following in the footsteps of Bush by announcing mega projects and maintaining monopolies but spending little in comparison to help the poor. DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong (picture) said that while all parties recognised the need to boost domestic consumption as global demand will shrink next year, "we have focused on the bottom 60 per cent and believe in a 'rising tide' to spur the economy." "The RM50 billion Mass Rapid Transit, approved permit system and rice monopoly for Bernas are Bush policies in disguise. "He is using 'trickle-down economics', hoping the rich will spend and benefit the poor," the Bukit Bendera MP said, referring to the US president who left office in 2008. The Bush administration was criticised for shifting the burden of taxation from the rich to middle and lower-income earners in hopes of spurring the US economy. "We have announced a RM1,100 minimum wage to help the poor. So who is more Republican?" the Bukit Bendera MP said in response to Najib's statement yesterday that PR's budget focused purely on the fiscal deficit but not public welfare. PAS research chief Dzulkefly Ahmad said that while the government announced RM2 billion in direct aid and RM2.5 billion in civil service pay hikes, PR had proposed RM4.9 billion and RM5.9 billion respectively for the same initiatives. "Firstly, I don't think he understands the ideological difference between Republicans and Democrats. Secondly, he is drawing the line far away from the reality outlined by all investment analysts," the Kuala Selangor MP said. READ MORE HERE. |
| Will we be disappointed yet again? Posted: 16 Oct 2011 04:36 PM PDT By Teo Nie Ching
When Najib became Prime Minister in 2009, he ambitiously appointed 6 Ministers to lead the 6 National Key Result Areas (NKRA): widening access to quality and affordable education, crime prevention, fighting corruption, raising the living standard of the low-income people, upgrading infrastructure in the rural and interior regions, and improving public transportation in a moderate period of time. The targets and details of these NKRAs were announced on 27 July 2009.
Although electricity supply coverage for West Malaysia is about 99%, the coverage in Sabah and Sarawak remains low at 80%. Consequently, Najib placed special emphasis on improving basic amenities in rural and remote areas of East Malaysia with special allocations of RM4 billion to construct 1,500 km of tarred roads in Sabah and Sarawak, RM2 billion to improve the water supply in East Malaysia to enable 90% of the population to have access to clean tap water, and RM3.9 billion to improve power-generation facilities to ensure that 95% of households have access to electricity supply.
According to the Prime Minister's announcement on 27 July 2009, these projects were projected to be completed by the end of 2012 to benefit 2 million rural folks in Sabah and Sarawak. After more than 2 years, with the projected completion date just a little more than a year away, how much of the above ambitious projects have been implemented?
In his parliamentary answer on 11 October, Minister in the PM's Department Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon said that the level of achievement with regard to the said projects was "satisfactory".
In Sabah, as at September this year, 180.48 km of tarred roads have been completed or improved (target for 2011 was 366.67 km, therefore target achieved is 49%); 3,463 rural and remote households received clean water supply (target for 2011 was 18,063 households; target achieved 19%); 1,080 rural and remote households received electricity supply (target for 2011 was 4,509 households; target achieved 24%).
Things are not much better in Sarawak. As at September this year, 112.84 km of tarred roads have been completed or improved (target for 2011 was 222.95km theefore target achieved is 51%); 8,823 rural and remote households received clean water supply (target for 2011 was 13,024 households; target achieved 68%); 4,360 rural and remote households received electricity supply (target for 2011 was 21,792; target achieved 20%).
The actual achievements of the 6 NKRAs as at September 2011 falls way short of the Prime Minister's grand targets and is much lower than the milestones projected for the end of the year and yet, Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon shamelessly rated the achievements as "satisfactory" (hasil yang memuaskan). I believe not many individuals can claim to be on par with the Minister when it comes to being thick-skinned, as well as the extent of his self-denial and cockiness.
Every year, the federal administration showers us with promises but how many of them were actually realized? How many of them were mere lip service? How many of them sounded great but were impractical, hence they were "all form but no substance"?
In the 2012 Budget, Najib announced that 5 new highways will be constructed: Lebuhraya Pantai Timur Jabor-Kuala Terengganu, Lebuhraya Pantai Barat Banting-Taiping, Lebuhraya Segamat-Tangkak, Lebuhraya Central Spine and upgrade of the Kota Marudu-Ranau road.
However, let us not forget that in the 2011 Budget, Najib had also promised that 6 new highways were to be constructed. As 2011 draws to a close, not a single one of these highways has been built.
How much hope should we place on this new round of promises?
TEO NIE CHING
DAP Assistant National Publicity Secretary-cum-MP for Serdang |
| Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #85 Posted: 16 Oct 2011 04:31 PM PDT 
By M. Bakri Musa Chapter 10: Freedom, Justice, and the Law Personal Liberty in Malaysia Freedom is not absolute. In the West where personal freedom is held in the highest esteem, there are still definable limits. Freedom of speech, in the words of an American jurist, does not include the freedom to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theatre, unless of course there is a fire. America has enshrined in its constitution the Bill of Rights with the specific purpose of protecting the civil liberties of its citizens. Among its provisions are the freedoms of speech, religion, and peaceful assembly, together with the rights of due process. These statutes notwithstanding, they did not protect Japanese Americans from being forcefully relocated and incarcerated during World War II, and more recently, the detention of thousands of Arab-Americans following the 9/11 attacks. Today the injustices perpetrated on those Japanese-Americans are widely acknowledged, but significantly, the Supreme Court decision affirming the legality of that mass detention has yet to be overturned. There will always be limits to freedom; the pertinent question is where those lines are drawn and the role they play in the ordinary lives of the citizens. An analogy will help clarify my point. Visiting San Diego Zoo I was impressed to see how free the African antelopes were on their little man-made island surrounded by a narrow strip of shallow moat. The animals could easily jump over that barrier and escape. The attendant explained that the moat is a natural barrier (limit) and that the animals felt safe behind it. Indeed they seemed content, munching close to the very edge without ever attempting to jump over. Had they been enclosed behind a high wire fence, the ground near the fence would be barren with the animals pacing to look for an escape route. The moat serves as a limiting boundary but unlike the fence, it does not interfere with the daily lives of the animals. Indeed the animals behave as if there is no boundary even though their movements were limited. Limits on human freedom can be viewed likewise. In America there are definite limits but they are more like the moat; the citizens are hardly aware of them. They are not intrusive. Executive powers to establish military tribunals for example, are definite boundaries and gross infringements on the citizens' freedom. Similarly Canada has its War Powers Act that gives its prime minister as sweeping a power as Malaysia's ISA. Indeed the War Powers Act was used in 1970 by no less than the libertarian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Because these statutes are rarely invoked except in national emergencies, citizens do not feel constrained by them. There are other less intrusive but no less potent restraints. I may own private property in California but I cannot even pave my driveway without first getting a permit from the county. A colleague had long dreamed of building his retirement home in the countryside. Unfortunately the county discovered a rare specie of salamander inhabiting his land, thus he could not build where he wanted to! A neighbor had a ranch raising pony horses, but an accident involving another neighbor's child resulted in a messy lawsuit that ultimately ended with his getting rid of his beloved animals. I may be a trained and licensed surgeon, but I cannot practice my profession unless I carry adequate medical malpractice insurance. If I cannot afford or find one, then I cannot practice. Thus my freedom to practice my profession is infringed by and dependent on some insurance underwriters. A more dramatic example would be the constraints American liability laws have on businesses. Many huge and otherwise successful firms have been forced into bankruptcy because of massive liability claims on their products. Manville Corporation was done in by the avalanche of asbestos lawsuits, and Dow Corning over its silicon implants. There is in America at present a massive redistribution of wealth through the tort system, with the bulk of that bounty ending up in the pockets of plaintiffs' lawyers. A major concern of the present Bush administration is to rein in these legal robberies. The battle is severely handicapped because these super rich lawyers are also the wealthiest and most powerful political contributors and lobbyists. These tort restrictions are real and they affect the daily lives of all citizens but somehow they do not appear as ominous or threatening as the rigid rules of a totalitarian state. They are like the moat in the zoo. Unlike America, Malaysia does not have a moat, instead ugly and menacing metaphorical barbwire fences. They announce their limits crudely and in no uncertain terms. Challenge them at your own risk! As such they are much more intimidating and affect individual behaviors much more profoundly. Malaysia has many such highly intrusive rules, ranging from the Printing Press Act to the Universities Act. But the mother of all restrictive laws is its infamous Internal Security Act (ISA). The ISA, with its provision for preventive detention without trial, is meant to protect the stability and security of Malaysia from subversive elements. It is a legacy of colonial rule, and in its original incarnation was meant to fight the communist insurgency in the 1950s. Since then it has been "strengthened" (made more intrusive) despite the fact that the country no longer faces any communist or subversive threat. Originally the orders of the minister were subject to court review; now that protection is gone. Detainees can appeal to the King, but the same minister also advises the monarch. Some checks and balances! In effect the minister's power to incarcerate a citizen is absolute. Malaysians tolerate the ISA partly because they have seen how quickly society's stability can be easily disrupted, with disastrous consequences. One merely has to look at Indonesia and Sri Lanka to be reminded of this grim reality. Better that we jail a few, ISA apologists argue, if that prevents Malaysia from degenerating into another Bosnia. The genius of the American system is its diffusion of powers and the delicate checks and balances. Despite that, egregious abuses do occur. The Watergate scandal of the 1970's involving senior Nixon administration officials was perhaps the most pervasive and disturbing. More recently, the coziness of the FBI and the White House resulted in confidential files of many Americans being surreptitiously viewed by President Clinton's political operatives. As long as humans wield power, there will be abuses: hence the importance of checks and balances. The process must also be transparent, with adequate and effective review mechanisms. The more awesome the power, the more we must have meaningful oversight. That the decision of a mere minister is not subject to judicial review is the most menacing aspect of the ISA. Next: The Abomination That is the ISA |
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