Rabu, 7 Disember 2011

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How far is MCA prepared to go?

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 10:39 AM PST

It is time that MCA learned you can't play the race and religion card without something happening. Then, when the MCA headquarters building in Jalan Ampang is burned to the ground and the MCA leaders are killed in their homes, just like what happened in Indonesia, maybe the MCA people will shut the fuck up and not continue to play the race and religion card.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

(Bernama) - The Kelantan Pas government has admitted having built only one mosque in the state, the Sultan Ismail Petra Golden Jubilee Mosque, from its own funds during its 21-year rule in Kelantan.

State Economic Planning, Finance and Welfare Committee deputy chairman, Abdul Fatah Harun said all the other mosques in Kelantan had been built by the federal government.
 
"The Golden Jubilee Mosque, better known as the Chinese Mosque, was built with state government funding, without a single sen coming from the federal government," he told Bernama, here, today.
 
As for mosques in the other mukim (sub-districts), he said the state government was only responsible for giving allocations to carry out repairs and renovations.
 
Abdul Fatah was responding to the state opposition's (Barisan Nasional) claim that the Pas government had not built even one mosque since ruling Kelantan for over 20 years.
 
They had been built by the federal government or the BN government that ruled Kelantan from 1978 to 1990.

***************************

(The Star) - MCA has continued with its call that PAS must include its intention to implement its own brand of hudud law in its manifesto for the next general election.

The Islamic party must be fair to voters so they could be fully informed about their choices before making their decision, said MCA Young Professionals Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Chua Tee Yong.

"Voters deserve the right to know what kind of Government they are voting in," he told reporters.

"Previously, Pakatan Rakyat also declared that the implementation of hudud law was not possible. How are PAS and PKR going to explain this?"

"They choose not to respond to these type of issues to keep their marriage of convenience alive," he said.

***************************

Aren't you tired of hearing all this talk about Islam and Hudud? I don't know about you but I am. And that's because that is all it is, all talk. And this seems to be the problem with the Muslim world. It is all talk and no action.

Corruption, abuse of power, no respect for fundamental liberties and human rights, and much more, appears to be a predicament for mostly so-called Muslim countries. They talk and talk but they do the opposite of what they talk.

Now MCA has joined the bandwagon. They want Pakatan Rakyat to state its stand on the Islamic law of Hudud. Why is MCA so kaypoh? What business is it to these bloody kafirs? Islam has nothing to do with these bloody kafirs.

Why don't the 15 MCA Members of Parliament raise this matter in Parliament? If Malaysia is as democratic as they say it is then raise this matter in Parliament. After all, MCA has 15 members represented in Parliament. Raise this matter in Parliament and ask the Barisan Nasional-controlled government to pass a bill in Parliament to amend the Federal Constitution of Malaysia to remove Islam as the religion of the Federation.

Article 3(1) of the Constitution says that Islam is the religion of the Federation. MCA should ask Parliament to repeal this and remove Article 3(1) of the Constitution that says that Islam is the religion of the Federation. Once Islam is no longer the religion of the Federation then no longer can anyone talk about implementing Islamic laws in Malaysia.

It's no use for MCA to shout like mad dogs outside Parliament. Go to Parliament and shout. Shout loud and clear. Tell the government that Islam should no longer be the religion of the Federation and that Article 3(1) of the Constitution should be repealed.

Malaysia, since it is a Secular State, should not have Islam as the religion of the Federation. This is a contradiction. And once Article 3(1) has been repealed there will be no more talk about Hudud or any other Islamic laws being implemented.

What is most interesting to note is that the PAS-led Kelantan State Government built only ONE mosque in the state over 21 years since 1990. Even then it was a 'Chinese' mosque. No 'Malay' mosques were built. All the mosques that were built were built either by the Federal Government or by the State Government during the time that Barisan Nasional was in power from 1978 to 1990.

Does this not sound odd? PAS, which is being accused of trying to Islamise the country, built only ONE mosque over 54 years since 1957 -- one mosque in more than half a century.

Hello MCA! MCA is part of Barisan Nasional. And the Barisan Nasional government, which MCA is a member of, built all the mosques in Kelantan over 54 years since 1957. The Pakatan Rakyat government built only one mosque, and even that it was a 'Chinese' mosque.

MCA is very devious. They are trying to raise anti-Islam sentiments. They are trying to use Islam to turn the voters against Pakatan Rakyat. But the truth is MCA does not want to ask Parliament to repeal Article 3(1) of the Constitution whereby Islam is the religion of the Federation. And all the mosques in Kelantan, save one 'Chinese' mosque, were built by the Barisan Nasional government, which MCA has been a member of since Merdeka in 1957.

It is time that MCA learned you can't play the race and religion card without something happening. Then, when the MCA headquarters building in Jalan Ampang is burned to the ground and the MCA leaders are killed in their homes, just like what happened in Indonesia, maybe the MCA people will shut the fuck up and not continue to play the race and religion card.

Yes, I know, this is not MCA's fault. MCA is just playing the role of Umno's running dog in raising anti-Islam sentiments because Umno themselves can't do it since they claim to be the largest Islamic party in the world.

Well, then MCA has to pay the price for being Umno's running dog. And the price will be a very heavy price to pay indeed when blood flows on the streets. And I have no problems with this because you can't fry the egg unless you first break the shell. So, many shells need to be broken to fry the eggs.

The bottom line is: there is no such thing as a peaceful or bloodless revolution. And we need a revolution to see changes in Malaysia. And if MCA continues with this Islam hate-campaign we may yet see the revolution that we need to be able to see changes in Malaysia.

So carry on, MCA! What you are doing may just be what we need for the good of the country. We need a catalyst. And the MCA Islam hate-campaign may be that catalyst.

Bodoh punya MCA! Don't you know that fire burns and that when you play with fire it may burn you as well?

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Why I was refused entry into Sabah

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 11:12 AM PST

THE PEOPLES' PARLIAMENT

Since April this year, representing MCLM, I have made frequent trips to Sabah.

Met many people, and made many new friends.

MCLM members, political and grassroot leaders, and activists.

All of whom share the same viewpoint as I.

That UMNO and other BN leaders together with their cronies have plundered the wealth of this naton.

That if this nation is to be rehabilitated, if what remains of our national resources is to be properly applied to uplift the lives of the 40% who have been long marginalised, and if we are to have any chance at restituting some of the nation's wealth back to the rakyat, UMNO and BN had to be removed from Putrajaya.

Yesterday, at 3.30pm, I arrived at the Kota Kinabalu airport.

Upon reaching the immigration counter and presenting my passport, I was asked by the immigration officer to step into the immigration office.

Memories of my recent failed efforts to enter Sarawak immediately came to mind.

In the immigration office, an officer by the name of Ahmad apologised and informed me that they had received instructions from 'up above' that I was not to be allowed into Sabah, and that they were now processing to deport me on the next flight out of Sabah.

I immediately called friends who were waiting at the airport to receive me to inform them of this latest development.

Quick thinking by one of those who were waiting at the airport enables me now to leave you with a video clip of what transpired at the airport yesterday.

READ MORE HERE

 

Paranoid Musa afraid of being exposed

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 11:05 AM PST

Umno-led Sabah Barisan Nasional has come under attack for its 'stupid' act of denying civil activist Haris Ibrahim entry into Sabah.

(Free Malaysia Today) - The Sabah Umno-led Barisan Nasional leadership came under heavy condemnation for barring civil activist-cum-lawyer Haris Ibrahim from entering Sabah but did nothing to stem the flow of hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants into the state.

Political activist Daniel John Jambun, who was among those at the airport to receive Haris, was fuming that the state government had barred Haris instead of illegal immigrants and criminals from the state.

"Why BN did not use this power to deny entry to those illegal immigrants? Haris came here to promote good governance and civil society."

"He is a lawyer with the people's interest at heart."

"(Chief Minister) Musa (Aman), please explain yourself," he demanded.

Sabah lawyer Peter Marajin said the incident proved that the leadership in Sabah is 'paranoid and afraid of being exposed' and being examined by civil society movements like MCLM.

"Umno is scared of its own shadow..," said Marajin who is also a supreme council member of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

He said the the state government had clearly failed in its priorities when exercising its immigration powers.

Haris, who is also the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) president, was denied entry into Sabah as soon as he landed from Kuala Lumpur at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport here at 3.15pm yesterday.

Haris, who had been to the state recently to help stage the anti-Peaceful Assembly Bill protest here, was met by immigration officers at the airport and handed a letter that stated he was refused entry into the state on the instruction of Chief Minister Musa Aman who is in charge of all immigration matters in the state.

Barring Haris is 'unacceptable

When contacted by FMT while at the airport, Haris said he was least worried about the matter and warned Musa that such directives would work against the BN.

"Let me tell Musa, the message that we wanted to send to the people here would reach them."

"Though I am physically barred from entering Sabah, today's technology will do this for us," he said

Civil activists in the state in unison censured the Umno-led coalition for denying entry to Haris.

READ MORE HERE

 

How far is MCA prepared to go?

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 10:39 AM PST

It is time that MCA learned you can't play the race and religion card without something happening. Then, when the MCA headquarters building in Jalan Ampang is burned to the ground and the MCA leaders are killed in their homes, just like what happened in Indonesia, maybe the MCA people will shut the fuck up and not continue to play the race and religion card.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

(Bernama) - The Kelantan Pas government has admitted having built only one mosque in the state, the Sultan Ismail Petra Golden Jubilee Mosque, from its own funds during its 21-year rule in Kelantan.

State Economic Planning, Finance and Welfare Committee deputy chairman, Abdul Fatah Harun said all the other mosques in Kelantan had been built by the federal government.
 
"The Golden Jubilee Mosque, better known as the Chinese Mosque, was built with state government funding, without a single sen coming from the federal government," he told Bernama, here, today.
 
As for mosques in the other mukim (sub-districts), he said the state government was only responsible for giving allocations to carry out repairs and renovations.
 
Abdul Fatah was responding to the state opposition's (Barisan Nasional) claim that the Pas government had not built even one mosque since ruling Kelantan for over 20 years.
 
They had been built by the federal government or the BN government that ruled Kelantan from 1978 to 1990.

***************************

(The Star) - MCA has continued with its call that PAS must include its intention to implement its own brand of hudud law in its manifesto for the next general election.

The Islamic party must be fair to voters so they could be fully informed about their choices before making their decision, said MCA Young Professionals Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Chua Tee Yong.

"Voters deserve the right to know what kind of Government they are voting in," he told reporters.

"Previously, Pakatan Rakyat also declared that the implementation of hudud law was not possible. How are PAS and PKR going to explain this?"

"They choose not to respond to these type of issues to keep their marriage of convenience alive," he said.

***************************

Aren't you tired of hearing all this talk about Islam and Hudud? I don't know about you but I am. And that's because that is all it is, all talk. And this seems to be the problem with the Muslim world. It is all talk and no action.

Corruption, abuse of power, no respect for fundamental liberties and human rights, and much more, appears to be a predicament for mostly so-called Muslim countries. They talk and talk but they do the opposite of what they talk.

Now MCA has joined the bandwagon. They want Pakatan Rakyat to state its stand on the Islamic law of Hudud. Why is MCA so kaypoh? What business is it to these bloody kafirs? Islam has nothing to do with these bloody kafirs.

Why don't the 15 MCA Members of Parliament raise this matter in Parliament? If Malaysia is as democratic as they say it is then raise this matter in Parliament. After all, MCA has 15 members represented in Parliament. Raise this matter in Parliament and ask the Barisan Nasional-controlled government to pass a bill in Parliament to amend the Federal Constitution of Malaysia to remove Islam as the religion of the Federation.

Article 3(1) of the Constitution says that Islam is the religion of the Federation. MCA should ask Parliament to repeal this and remove Article 3(1) of the Constitution that says that Islam is the religion of the Federation. Once Islam is no longer the religion of the Federation then no longer can anyone talk about implementing Islamic laws in Malaysia.

It's no use for MCA to shout like mad dogs outside Parliament. Go to Parliament and shout. Shout loud and clear. Tell the government that Islam should no longer be the religion of the Federation and that Article 3(1) of the Constitution should be repealed.

Malaysia, since it is a Secular State, should not have Islam as the religion of the Federation. This is a contradiction. And once Article 3(1) has been repealed there will be no more talk about Hudud or any other Islamic laws being implemented.

What is most interesting to note is that the PAS-led Kelantan State Government built only ONE mosque in the state over 21 years since 1990. Even then it was a 'Chinese' mosque. No 'Malay' mosques were built. All the mosques that were built were built either by the Federal Government or by the State Government during the time that Barisan Nasional was in power from 1978 to 1990.

Does this not sound odd? PAS, which is being accused of trying to Islamise the country, built only ONE mosque over 54 years since 1957 -- one mosque in more than half a century.

Hello MCA! MCA is part of Barisan Nasional. And the Barisan Nasional government, which MCA is a member of, built all the mosques in Kelantan over 54 years since 1957. The Pakatan Rakyat government built only one mosque, and even that it was a 'Chinese' mosque.

MCA is very devious. They are trying to raise anti-Islam sentiments. They are trying to use Islam to turn the voters against Pakatan Rakyat. But the truth is MCA does not want to ask Parliament to repeal Article 3(1) of the Constitution whereby Islam is the religion of the Federation. And all the mosques in Kelantan, save one 'Chinese' mosque, were built by the Barisan Nasional government, which MCA has been a member of since Merdeka in 1957.

It is time that MCA learned you can't play the race and religion card without something happening. Then, when the MCA headquarters building in Jalan Ampang is burned to the ground and the MCA leaders are killed in their homes, just like what happened in Indonesia, maybe the MCA people will shut the fuck up and not continue to play the race and religion card.

Yes, I know, this is not MCA's fault. MCA is just playing the role of Umno's running dog in raising anti-Islam sentiments because Umno themselves can't do it since they claim to be the largest Islamic party in the world.

Well, then MCA has to pay the price for being Umno's running dog. And the price will be a very heavy price to pay indeed when blood flows on the streets. And I have no problems with this because you can't fry the egg unless you first break the shell. So, many shells need to be broken to fry the eggs.

The bottom line is: there is no such thing as a peaceful or bloodless revolution. And we need a revolution to see changes in Malaysia. And if MCA continues with this Islam hate-campaign we may yet see the revolution that we need to be able to see changes in Malaysia.

So carry on, MCA! What you are doing may just be what we need for the good of the country. We need a catalyst. And the MCA Islam hate-campaign may be that catalyst.

Bodoh punya MCA! Don't you know that fire burns and that when you play with fire it may burn you as well?

 

Demonising the opposition

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 09:07 AM PST

Instead of using the opposition as its punching bag, Umno has to wisen up and engage in some soul-searching, that too if there is any of it left.

There is no denying that Umno is all about hidden agendas. From the division head to the member of Parliament, everyone has only one goal in mind, which is to stay in power for as long possible. Does the rakyat's welfare cross their minds? Hardly.

Jeswan Kaur, Free Malaysia Today

The recently concluded Umno general assembly had the trappings of all things fake, from the speech and rhetorics of its president-cum-prime minister Najib Tun Razak to the personal hidden agendas of the delegates.

For Najib and the rest, the 62nd annual general assembly was nothing more than a misused platform to do the despicable – condemn and ridicule their adversaries, i.e. the opposition led by dethroned former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.

Such immature acts of trying to so very hard to make an impression among the people that Umno has everyone's interest at heart is pure gibberish. The truth is that Najib in all his desperation is playing to the gallery for the sake of his political survival.

Using the Umno general assembly to announce that the 13th general election is just round the corner is not going to win Najib and Barisan Nasional the rakyat's votes, going by the track record of the premier, Umno and BN.

To childish attack on the opposition for one reason or another merely reflects Umno's desperation and BN's anxiety at the fate that awaits them at the coming national polls.

Still, Najib refuses to learn. He decided to mock DAP saying it knew all of Anwar's secrets, only to end up earning DAP national chairman Karpal Singh's wrath.

Karpal took Najib to task for the latter's sardonic statement which the veteran lawyer said was unbecoming of a prime minister. Karpal also lambasted Najib for criticising Anwar's decision to give an unsworn statement from the dock in the on-going sodomy II trial.

To the fearless Karpal, the statement by Najib which mocked a lawyer-client relationship created an impression that DAP was holding Anwar to political ransom.

Is "Anwar Ibrahim" the only ammunition Najib has in trying to win the people's trust? Whatever happened to the recently-exposed controversy involving Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil who is embroiled in a multi-million ringgit scandal?

Umno has hidden agendas

There is no denying that Umno is all about hidden agendas. From the division head to the member of Parliament, everyone has only one goal in mind, which is to stay in power for as long possible. Does the rakyat's welfare cross their minds? Hardly.

Had the people's well-being mattered to Umno, Shahrizat who is also Wanita Umno chief would not have been spared the rod; instead she received support from Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin who is also deputy PM.

In his policy speech at the general assembly, Najib announced that only "winnable candidates" would be chosen to help in his ambitious move to turn Umno around. However, should he decide to retain politicians like Shahrizat who faces accusations of misusing the taxpayers' money, what would that say of Najib's promise to the rakyat, of putting the people first?

Najib had declined comments on whether Shahrizat would be dropped as a candidate in the coming general election. All he could say was: "We know how to handle it".

Should the rakyat then take it to mean that Najib and Umno have only one objective, to continue to hold the reigns of Putrajaya, that too at the people's expense?

READ MORE HERE

 

Will Wong form a new party?

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 09:04 AM PST

The animosity within Sarawak United Peoples' Party is so severe that it will be a herculean task to repair the party's battered public image, noted a former president.

Wong and his team know that it is an uphill battle for them to win party posts in the party elections, so his opponents accuse them of finding an excuse of bringing 'irregularities' of SUPP's branch meetings to the attention of the Registrar of Societies.

Joseph Tawie, Free Malaysia Today

Speculation is rife that Sarawak United Peoples' (SUPP) deputy secretary general Wong Soon Koh and his team will be forming a new party if they fail to get elected during the party's triennial delegates' conference (TDC) this weekend. The TGA is scheduled for Dec 9-11.

Wong, who is Minister of Local Government and Community Development and Second Finance Minister, is running against Peter Chin, party's organising secretary for presidency of the party.

Despite Wong's consistent denials (trice last week), rumours of him forming a new party are gaining momentum.

"SUPP is my first, and also my last party. I will not leave SUPP nor will I form a new party," he had reportedly said last week. Not many believe him least of all his opponents in the party.

The local grapevine said the idea of forming a new party had been in the pipeline from about three months ago.

Wong's group had allegedly met Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, James Masing, to discuss their temporary parking with the party in the event that the new party could not be registered immediately.

Wong and his team know that it is an uphill battle for them to win party posts in the party elections, so his opponents accuse them of finding an excuse of bringing 'irregularities' of SUPP's branch meetings to the attention of the Registrar of Societies.

Wong's team comprises five other elected representatives, who are Lee Kim Shin (Senadin), Francis Harden (Simanggang), Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Johnical Rayong (Engkilili) and Ranum Mina (Opar).

All except Mina hold ministerial positions in Chief Minister Taib Mahmud's state cabinet.

Bid to deregister SUPP

Last week Wong's group had lodged reports with the Registrar of Society (ROS) accusing several branches who have aligned themselves to Chin of breaching party constitution during their respective elections.

Accompanied by members of his team, Wong met officials of the national-level ROS and complained about the irregularities in SUPP branch meetings. He urged ROS to investigate immediately his claims.

Chin's supporters claimed the deregistration of the party will give Wong the opportunity to form a new party.

Besides lodging reports with ROS, Wong has also slammed SUPP secretary general Sim Kheng Hui and other principal office-bearers for not taking actions on complaints of irregularities in the branch and sub-branch elections held before the TDC.

He also accused Chin of spewing words detrimental to the Barisan Nasional, pointing out that he being a federal minister should not have uttered those words as SUPP is part of the BN coalition.

Chin was alleged to have told the Chinese media that "the inability of SUPP to let the people see its clear stand has caused the party to be on the downhill. It has not been able to get the support of the voters and has even been bullied by BN component parties".

Wong also accused Chin and the 'ruling group' of the party for not giving him and his team a fair treatment in branch elections.

"They are the ones who are making the decisions. We are not holding key posts. What we want is fair treatment according to the constitution," Wong said.

He said that there were irregularities and discrepancies in the branch elections which have been brought to the attention of the ROS for his action, pointing out that he does not rule out the possibility that the ROS may have to postpone the TDC or have the party deregistered.

"We want the central election committee to rectify the irregularities. The TDC is coming very soon and the ROS has to make a decision. We leave it to him to make a decision.

"Deregistration of the party is the last thing that we want to see," he said.

"But if ROS decides to deregister the party, don't blame us," Wong added.

He said he and his team cannot be blamed if the ROS decides to take action against the party including deregistering it.

READ MORE HERE

 

Power struggle in the DAP

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:36 AM PST

As the general election draws near, rival groups in the DAP are lobbying for their faction members to be picked as candidates, causing old animosities in the DAP to resurface.

In Perak, the tussle for control was won by the Foochow cousins – state DAP Chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham and secretary Nga Kor Ming — against then deputy chairman M. Kulase­garan and organising secretary Thomas Su.

Baradan Kuppusamy, The Star

LIKE in Perak and Selangor, the problems in Johor's DAP has to do with two party factions vying for control – control to decide who gets to contest in Johor – a state which Pakatan Rakyat considers a winning state in the next general election.

The problem is state chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau is not in the good books of DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Dr Boo is independent-minded and controls the state DAP quite firmly while Lim has been looking to develop an alternative leader in Johor who can cut Dr Boo down to size or even take over the state's chairmanship.

One of only two doctors in the DAP leadership, Dr Boo also holds a law degree and is seen as a party dissident along with Datuk Teng Chang Kim.

The two are always elected to the central executive committee (CEC) as outsiders and are not part of Lim's line-up.

"He is a no nonsense person.. definitely not a yes man to Lim," said a Perak DAP member.

Lim wants his man in Johor like in Selangor and Perak, two states that saw a hard tussle for power and were finally won by people loyal to the party secretary-general.

The choice of candidates in Johor, to be recommended by the state leadership and accepted by the central CEC, is causing old animosities to surface.

Public demonstrations, rare in the DAP, against Dr Boo outside a mall in the Bakri division in Muar have been organised.

The demonstrators carried placards and banners and shouted slogans accusing Dr Boo of being autocratic and pushing for the Johor DAP secretary Tan Chen Choon, the husband of Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan, to contest the Bentayan state seat.

Fong has distanced herself from all party functions and it is unclear whether she will be nominated to contest.

The demonstrators have the tacit support of the powers that be in the DAP and are seen as having the backing of DAP's Gwee Tiong Hiang, the Bentayan assemblyman, whose membership in the party was recently suspended for six months for allegedly diverting party funds to buy a four-wheel-drive.

Gwee was being groomed to take over from Dr Boo but has fallen short of the expectations of party leaders and it is unclear whether he would be renominated.

In the meantime, Dr Boo is said to be pushing Tan, the Johor secretary and loyalist to Dr Boo, as the candidate for Bentayan to replace Gwee.

The demonstrators argued that Tan had a poor track record in serving the people and should not be the candidate.

Infighting in Johor DAP is becoming rampant as the election draws near and rivals groups are lobbying for their faction members to be picked as candidates.

Dr Boo will have a big say as he is chairman and also controls the state DAP with an iron hand.

His few detractors have become the "eyes and ears" of the central leadership.

In Perak, the tussle for control was won by the Foochow cousins – state DAP Chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham and secretary Nga Kor Ming — against then deputy chairman M. Kulase­garan and organising secretary Thomas Su.

The winning factions than elevated Tronoh assemblyman and former state speaker V. Sivakumar to replace Kulasegaran as the new deputy chairman and Teh Hock Ke to replace Thomas as organising secretary.

Kulasegaran's candidacy in Ipoh Barat for the next general election is in question ever since the defeat.

Both men did not even make it to one of the 15 for the CEC.

This is the reason why Dr P. Ramasamy is in trouble with Karpal Singh for saying in a Tamil newspaper last week that Kulasegaran and four others will contest in the next general election in their respec­- tive seats.

Karpal warned that Dr Ramasamy is acting like a warlord by announcing candidates even before the CEC has decided.

In Selangor, Teng, also the state speaker, put a line-up against another fielded by Lim which was led by Teresa Kok, the Seputeh MP.

Kok and her entire line-up nearly lost to Teng's but were saved by Ronnie Liu, the disgraced Selangor exco member and loyalist of party supremo Lim Kit Siang, with whom Kok formed an alliance that brought about 200 voters to her side.

Old animosities in the DAP are resurfacing in Penang, Perak, Selangor and Johor – all key states – as the faction leaders and members battle to be picked as candidates in the upcoming general election.

The race to be a candidate is causing upheavals in state DAPs because the winners in the state elections want to ease out some of the losers and naturally put in their own supporters as candidates in their place.

But the losers are holding out and lobbying for one more term.

 

Malaysian Civil Liberty’s Movement chief barred from entering Sabah

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:30 AM PST

(Borneo Post) - Malaysian Civil Liberty's Movement (MCLM) chairman Harris Fadilah Mohd Ibrahim received an 'unwelcome' treatment from the state government upon his arrival at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) Terminal 2 here yesterday.

Harris, a Malaysian blogger and believed to be a close friend of Malaysian blogger Raja Petra, was prevented from entering Sabah upon his arrival on AirAsia flight AK 5106 at 3.10pm at the KKIA Terminal 2.

It was learnt that upon arrival, Harris was immediately taken to the airport Immigration office by an immigration officer and was served with a notice.

Speaking to reporters through a handphone of one of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) members, Harris said the notice was addressed to him, dated December 7, on behalf of the Sabah Immigration director.

"I have just been handed a notice of refusal of entry into the state of Sabah, dated today and address to me on behalf of the Immigration Sabah director.

"The notice says that the reason that I have been barred is that pursuant to Section 65 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, the state authority has directed that no pass be issued to me to enter the state of Sabah as such part required under Section 66 for me to enter the state.

"The reason for my refusal to enter Sabah today is because the state authority has directed that no pass be issued to me," he said through the handphone.

According to Harris, the officer who spoke and handed the notice to him claimed that the instruction came from the Immigration Department and they do not know the reason why he was refused a pass to enter.

"They also did not explain to me what the section is about, only that I have been refused to enter the state of Sabah," he added.

In a disappointed voice, Harris asked why he, as a Malaysian was barred and prevented from entering another state in Malaysia?

"Why a Malaysian cannot enter Malaysia?"

"Why is the Sabah government afraid of? Why are they afraid of one person from Peninsular Malaysia that they have to refuse me from entering Sabah?" he asked.

It was learnt that Harris was invited by SAPP members to exchange and learn about the struggle of MCLM.

Harris also said that this was the first time he had been barred from entering Sabah and twice being barred from entering Sarawak, during the Sarawak state election.

"The reason I flew into Sabah is to deliver a message to the people of Sabah and now we will show the Sabah government that with technology, we can deliver our message to the people without me being physically present," he said.

Harris was then deported back to Kuala Lumpur on the next flight at 4.20pm the same day.

Meanwhile, SAPP deputy president and Likas assemblyman Datuk Liew Teck Chan with about 15 SAPP members were earlier, at the KKIA Terminal 2 to great and welcome Harris.

After learning that Harris was prevented from entering the state, SAPP members then staged a five-minute peaceful protest in front of the arrival hall at Terminal 2 before they dispersed peacefully.

According to Liew, the party had invited Harris to gain more understanding of the MCLM's movement in regards to politics and economy.

"He, Harris, has been in the United Kingdom for some time, so we want to learn from him as he is well knowledgeable," said Liew.


Pas and DAP not in sync over casino

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:17 AM PST

(New Straits Times) - Inconsistent answers from Pas and DAP assemblymen on the fate of the casino in Genting Highlands drew flak from the backbenchers who claimed that the opposition was afraid to lose votes if they had a common stand on the issue.

Pas assemblymen Syed Hamid Syed Mohamad (Kuala Semantan) and Syed Mohammed Tuan Lonnik (Beserah) said that the party could not tolerate gambling and would close the casino if the opposition took over the state.

"Tell me which religion allows gambling? We (Pas) can never compromise on gambling and that is why we want to stop such activities (in Genting Highlands)," said Syed Hamid.

However, Leong Ngah Ngah (DAP-Triang) said the matter should be discussed further while Choong Siew Onn (DAP-Tras) said any decision on the issue should only be made after the opposition won the state in the next general election.

They were responding to a question raised by Datuk Chuah Boon Seong (BN-Mentakab) when debating on next year's budget in the state assembly yesterday.

 

PKR-DAP showdown over seat

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:15 AM PST

TUSSLE: Opposition coalition parties say their candidate would be best suited to win Johor Jaya constituency

(New Straits Times) - A tussle seems to be brewing between Johor DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) on who should contest the Johor Jaya state seat in the next general election.

State PKR chief Datuk Chua Jui Meng said that their candidate was more suitable because the seat was contested by Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) in the last general election.

"Since PRM had merged into what is now PKR, that seat should be contested by us," said Chua while admitting that the relationship between PKR and DAP "could be much better".

His statement is in contrast with what Johor DAP chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau said on Monday that they wanted to field more candidates in Johor, including in seats contested by PKR in 2008.

This, Dr Boo, said included the Johor Jaya state seat which was supposedly allocated to PKR.

He had said that Johor DAP would not give way to any other party within the coalition because in 2008, the PRM candidate was beaten with a huge majority of over 10,000 votes.

In 2008, MCA's Tan Cher Puk defeated PRM's Md Nashir Wahab. Chinese voters make up 48 per cent of the voters there, the others being Malays (44 per cent), Indians (7.5 per cent) and others (0.5 per cent).

Meanwhile, on the internal revolt faced by Dr Boo from a segment of DAP members in Johor, Chua said that PKR was concerned about it.

Chua, who is also PKR supreme council member, expressed his hope that Dr Boo would manage to overcome his "difficulties".

"I understand what he is going through but the problem is between Dr Boo and DAP and we (PKR) don't want to add to his burden. "I know he (Dr Boo) is currently under a lot of pressure and I hope he will manage to overcome it," said Chua when met at the Johor Baru Chinese Press Club on Tuesday night.

On Sunday, about 20 members of the Bakri DAP division gathered at the car park of the Wetex shopping mall in Muar to protest against Dr Boo.

They were carrying several banners accusing Dr Boo of being autocratic and wanted state DAP secretary Tan Chen Choon to become the party's candidate for the Bentayan state constituency in the coming general election.

The seat is now held by DAP's Gwee Tiong Hiang but his membership was recently suspended for allegedly misusing party funds to buy a vehicle for his own company.

The members also called on DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to interfere and take action against Dr Boo.

Chua insisted that he would assist Dr Boo in his time of crisis and that PKR and DAP would always work together.

"Sink or swim, we (PKR and DAP) must be together in the same boat."

Chua said he had requested for all Johor PKR members to refrain from making statements on the current situation faced by Dr Boo and Johor DAP.

He also stressed that all quarters within the loose alliance of DAP, PKR and Pas must abide by the agreement not to issue any statement on distribution of electoral seats for the coming general election.

Meanwhile, DAP deputy election director Anthony Loke said DAP, Pas and PKR had set up a three-member panel to discuss seat allocations for the general election.

The three are Cheras member of parliament, Tan Kok Wai; PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and Pas secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali.

"Currently, discussions are ongoing I will not say anything more," said Loke.

However, PKR vice-president Tian Chua said the party had already finalised the seat allocations before November as they had anticipated the 13th general election to be called at the end of this year.

"All I can say is some new faces will be fielded," he said when contacted on Tuesday.

Pas election director Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli said discussions were under way.

"I do not want to reveal whatever has been discussed as it is an internal matter."

On Monday, Bayan Baru member of parliament Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim had revealed that some independent members might not seek re-election in the next general election.

He said the matter was discussed during a recent meeting of the independent caucus.

 

Include hudud in manifesto, PAS dared

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:03 AM PST

(The Star) - MCA has continued with its call that PAS must include its intention to implement its own brand of hudud law in its manifesto for the next general election.

The Islamic party must be fair to voters so they could be fully informed about their choices before making their decision, said MCA Young Professionals Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Chua Tee Yong.

"Voters deserve the right to know what kind of Government they are voting in," he told reporters after launching the Malaysia Youth 4 Ecogreen Initiative here yesterday.

He said PAS must also listen to its own member, PAS Supporters Congress chairman Hu Pang Chaw, who had emphasised that if the party wanted to implement hudud law, it must hold more forums and seminars to allow the public to better understand the issue.

Chua also refuted PAS' claim that MCA did not invite the party to its public forum on hudud on Sunday.

"MCA did send the invitation," he said.

Kelantan MCA secretary Tan Ken Ten said both DAP and PKR could not stop the implementation of hudud in the state, as shown by the case of a coffeeshop owner who was fined by the Kota Baru Municipal Council when her employee unintentionally uncovered her arms while serving a customer.

"This is not only unfair but also proves that the implementation of hudud law will affect non-Muslims," he said, adding that the reasons given by the enforcement officers were ridiculous because staff would have to fold up their sleeves when they work.

"Previously, Pakatan Rakyat also declared that the implementation of hudud law was not possible. How are PAS and PKR going to explain this?"

"They choose not to respond to these type of issues to keep their marriage of convenience alive," he said.

Johor MCA vice-chairman Jason Teoh Sew Hock said DAP's absence at the hudud forum was mainly due to its ambiguous stand.

"(DAP secretary-general) Lim (Guan Eng) and his colleagues chose to become political deserters as, apparently, they are unable to change PAS' intention to implement hudud law.

"Probably his absence was because he was not brave enough to face the challenge given by MCA, which requested Pakatan Rakyat to list hudud law in their Buku Jingga or Orange Book," he said.

 

Civil servants to get up to 13% pay rise from Jan 1

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST

(The Star) - A new civil service remuneration scheme has been unveiled giving government employees a pay rise of 7% to 13% effective Jan 1.

Public Service director-general Tan Sri Abu Bakar Abdullah said the increments for the civil servants would be based on four principles: hierarchy: talent and experience; their position and subject matter expertise; and their performance.

He said the increments would be performance-based, which also means that if the top civil servants do not do enough to merit bonuses, there would be no pay rise for them either.

The performance of the top-level civil servants will be evaluated through their Key Performance Indicators.

Citing an example of how a top management officer would be paid, he said a doctor with a salary range of between RM4,431 and RM6,439 is now eligible for a salary of between RM4,520 and RM8,840. However, the doctor will not immediately move to the new maximum rate if he is currently earning RM6,439.

He will instead earn a similar salary and continue to enjoy increments of up to RM8,840 (37% higher than the previous ceiling) even before he is promoted to the next grade.

Giving an example for the lower category staff, he said: "If a driver earns between RM1,222.51 and RM1,882 under the current scheme, he can earn between RM1,245 and RM2,965 under the new scheme."

 

Portrait of a Malaysian Hero: Fan Yew Teng (1942-2010)

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 07:38 AM PST

MAGICK RIVER

A year ago today I was jolted by the news that Fan Yew Teng had succumbed to cancer in a Bangkok hospital. I hadn't been in touch with the man since the mid-1980s, though I recall bumping into him a couple of times, either in theatre foyers or at public forums, but the last real conversation I had with Fan was perhaps when he commissioned me to do a campaign poster in 1984 for his Social Democratic Party which never saw the light of day, apparently because he couldn't find a printer willing to do the job.


In retrospect the cartoons I did for the poster weren't all that hot, but it was my first attempt at political cartooning and laid the groundwork for the drawings I did four years later for ADOI!

Fan Yew Teng, the public
intellectual, in 1980
Malaysians were terrified of Mahathir's secret police – and for good reason. A certain amount of dissent was tolerated but whenever it cut too close to the bone or threatened to make an impact in the public psyche, the full force of the regime's monolithic power would come into play, making life utterly miserable for anyone who dared speak truth to power openly.

Fan Yew Teng and Mahathir Mohamad are what you might call diametric opposites – not unlike Arthur Koestler's Yogi and Commissar archetypes, the ultraviolet and infrared ends of the psycho-emotional spectrum. The Yogi, representing inner evolution, envisions a world where every single soul is enlightened, liberated and in a natural state of bliss; while the Commissar, representing external revolution, has wet dreams about lording it over a perfect mechanical anthill colony where every atom knows its proper place and nothing irregular goes unpunished.

The Yogi and Commissar polarity is more or less the same as the Christ-Caesar dichotomy. Is it possible for these polar opposites to align and merge? I would say it's not only possible but absolute necessary if we are to survive as a tool-using species – however, the only way such a magical fusion can arise from the general confusion is if the Yogi or The Christ is accorded supreme and ultimate power, to be equitably shared with all strata of life and consciousness. What characterizes a true Yogi or Christ is the conscious renunciation of wielding power over others - and loving compassion for each and every expression of life, even apparent enemies.

The Commissar or Caesar types are what we might call younger souls - brash, ego-driven and reckless, but charged with a pragmatic dynamism that can and must be harnessed to loftier goals than crass power-over-others world domination. In the Pentagonian Hawk or Umno Warlord we see a classic example of Little Boys with Dangerous Toys whose playground brawls will inevitably bring about massive carnage and ruin.

Fan at a socialist convention in Paris, 1976
The Commissar or Caesar personality is a jealous, vengeful, spiteful, insecure and malicious Old Testament god who becomes utterly anal and aggressive when confronted with the prospect of having to share power. You can observe this behavior pattern among the Greek gods who were known to devour their own children rather than accept the possibility that one day their offspring will grow strong and take over.

Indeed, you don't have to go so far back in time – only 14 years ago, Mahathir Mohamad did exactly that to his hand-picked successor Anwar Ibrahim. As usually happens when demented old gods devour their own progeny, the outcome is a gigantic bellyache, followed by violent convulsions, a great deal of vomiting and angry rivers of diarrhea destroying all that we deem decent and honorable.

Well, as one who embodied everything we deem "decent and honorable," Fan quickly became marked as an "enemy of the state" – and the state took pains to crush Fan's political aspirations and thwart his dream of an enlightened and liberated Malaysia.

Fan & Noeleen in Salzburg, Austria, 1976
Fan experienced this faceless form of bureaucratic intimidation repeatedly but remained defiant and undaunted. In the 1960s he became active in the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and took over editorship of The Educator, the union's bulletin. He was among the organizers of the 1967 nation-wide teachers' strike demanding fairer wages and benefits for this very important profession. The Ministry of Education tried to break his spirit and browbeat him into silence by transferring him to increasingly remote towns and villages. This only served to nudge Fan into full-time politics.

He joined the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in 1968 and was soon appointed Acting Secretary-General and editor of the party organ, The Rocket. In 1969, Fan was elected MP for Kampar and in 1974, for Menglembu. The home ministry used the archaic Sedition Act against Fan for publishing a speech by the Penang DAP Chairman. Although he was never formally disqualified as a Member of Parliament, Fan was deprived of his MP's allowance, salary and even his pension.

READ MORE HERE

 

‘Apologise or hell will break loose’

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 07:25 AM PST

A DAP leader has called on P Ramasamy to apologise to Karpal Singh with immediate effect.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy must apologise for labelling Karpal Singh as a party godfather.

Or else all hell would break loose during the party's state convention this Sunday, warned Seri Delima DAP assemblyman and Karpal's protégé RS Nethaji Rayer.

Rayer also chided Ramasamy for being ignorant of Karpal's immense contributions over the past 45 years.

"Withdraw your remarks and apologise to Karpal publicly," he told the academic-turned-politician

If he fails to do so, Rayer insisted that the party consider taking disciplinary action against Ramasamy.

"Karpal is the party national chairman.

"Ramasamy should not hit out in the press that the party does not need godfathers.

"He should retract his statement and stop behaving like a warlord.

"If he can't show respect, he is not fit to be the DCM," he  told reporters here.

'Don't forget the past'

Rayer also accused Ramasamy of being absent- minded, conveniently forgetting that if it was not for Karpal's intervention, he would not have been appointed as DCM.

Rayer said he was present at the Penang General Hospital when Ramasamy visited Karpal there after the 2008 general election.

He claimed that Ramasamy  practically begged Karpal to get him appointed as DCM.

He said Ramasamy was appointed as DCM only after Karpal spoke to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

"Don't forget that Prof Rama. Don't be kacang lupakan kulit," he said.

Rayer said veterans like Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal and Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang were  godfathers due to their sacrifices and contributions.

He said Karpal and Lim underwent various tribulations including being detained under the Internal Security Act, charged with sedition and other cooked up allegations.

On the contrary, he said Ramasamy had no such battle scars.

Unprecedented announcement

Rayer noted that the current controversy was caused by Ramasamy's unprecedented announcement regarding his choice of candidates for the next election.

On Nov 28,  Tamil newspaper Makkal Osai published Ramasamy's  "announcement" that the party will field three Indian women – D Kamachi, P Kasturi (daughter of the late DAP stalwart P Patto) and an unknown lawyer from Penang, K Mangaleswari.

Ramasamy was also quoted as saying that parliamentarians M Kulasegaran (Ipoh Barat), Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong), Charles Santiago (Klang) and M Manogaran, and assemblymen A Sivanesan (Sungkai), A Sivasubramaniam (Buntong), V Sivakumar (Tronoh) and P Gunasekaren (Senawang) were certain of contesting in the coming general election.

READ MORE HERE

 

Kalau pilihan kali ini salah lagi, salahkan diri sendiri

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 07:18 AM PST

ASPAN ALIAS

UMNO mengakui yang pilihanraya kali ini merupakan ibu kepada semua pilihanraya. UMNO menganggap ia sebagai ibu kepada semua PRU kerana UMNO menganggap pertukaran pemerintahan dari mereka kepada pihak lain itu merupakan satu jenayah dan tidak boleh dan tidak patut berlaku.

Kepada negara-negara lain yang mengambil demokrasi sebagai cara politik mereka, pertukaran pemerintah itu adalah perkara biasa dan ia nya adalah hak rakyat ramai untuk menentukkan kepada siapa yang mereka hendak berikan mandat untuk mentadbir mereka. Di antara parti buruh dan conservative di Britain tidak tahu berapa kali pertukaran pemerintahan di antara kedua-dua parti itu dan sekarang pula adalah kerajaan campuran conservative dengan liberal democrat.

Di negara kita lain pula keadaannya. Pada UMNO rakyat mesti mendengar semua cakap dan arahan mereka. Hak rakyat hanyalah untuk pergi ke peti undi dan pangkah lambang dacing sahaja….tidak payah berfikir dan tidak payah membuat penilaian terhadap mereka. Rakyat hanya diarah untuk jadi burung balam sahaja…mengangguk walaupun tidak bersetuju.

Jika ada rakyat yang berbeza pendapat atau pun menyebelahi parti-parti lain rakyat ini akan dikatakan pengkhianat, pembelot, anti Melayu, anti Islam, DAP mengkristiankan orang Melayu, DAP nak jadikan negara ini negara republik dan sebagainya. Walaupun DAP parti halal, siapa yang menyertainya adalah pengkhianat dan pembelot seperti yang di ungkapkan oleh Muhyiddin Yassin. Saya tidak tahu parti halal itu adalah parti pembelot.

Rakyat, khususnya orang Melayu ditakut-takutkan oleh UMNO yang Melayu akan hilang di dunia ini dan hanya UMNO sahajalah yang berkebolehan untuk menyelamatkan orang Melayu….seolah-olah tidak ada elemen-elemen lain yang boleh menyelamatkan bangsa yang di pimpinnya seperti kehendak tuhan dan afa'al tuhan. Pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO pergi sejauh menuduh DAP sebagai pencetus 13 Mei dan isu inilah yang di timbulkan setiap kali pilihanraya tiba.

Pemimpin mereka akan berkata yang UMNO sahaja yang boleh memberi mereka makan. UMNO sahajalah yang boleh melanggar undang-undang kerana pengaruh UMNO boleh memberikan 'immunity' kepada penjenayah kolar putih. Hanya UMNO yang boleh memberikan pinjaman ratusan juta jika isteri atau suami mereka berada di dalam kabinet.

Jika Shahrizat Jalil itu hanya seorang bidan di klinik desa, suaminya tidak akan dapat mendapatkan pinjaman RM250 juta dan membelanjakan wang hasil pinjaman mudah dengan interest hanya 2 peratus itu untuk membeli kondominium, dua lot tanah di Putrajaya, kereta Mercedez dan bercuti keluar negara serta mengerjakan Umrah. Hebat betul bila dapat jadi menteri walaupun mengikut jalan belakang.

Hanya UMNO boleh melanggar undang-undang dan perjanjian dan hanya UMNO boleh memasukkan atau mengeluarkan sesiapa dari penjara. Hanya UMNO boleh melakukan penderhakaan terhadap Raja-Raja Melayu seperti yang berlaku pada tahun 1993 dahulu yang di ketuai oleh Dr Mahathir Mohammed. UMNO merupakan satu 'tool kit' untuk sesiapa yang memegang parti ini tetapi sekarang ini sudah terlalu banyak trend yang membuktikan rakyat sudah berani menentang 'hegemony' UMNO ini. Kenapa rakyat sudah berani?

Jawapannya ialah kerana rakyat sudah tahu rupa-rupanya negara ini mereka yang punya, bukannya kepunyaan UMNO seperti yang mereka sebut dari dahulu hingga sekarang. Rakyat sudah insaf yang segala yang UMNO katakan itu kebanyakkannya merupakan tindakkan menyesatkan pemikiran mereka.

Rakyat baru sedar sekarang ini UMNO hanya mempunyai 56 kerusi parlimen di Semenanjung dan 13 lagi kerusi di Sabah dan jumlahnya hanyalah 69 kesemuanya. Rakyat sudah mulai sedar yang UMNO bukanlah parti yang memimpin parlimen itu dalam erti kata yang hakiki. UMNO hanyalah parti yang sudah begitu kecil penyertaan dan Dewan parlimen jika dibandingkan dengan masa-masa yang lalu. UMNO sekarang sudah menjadi parti yang menadah tempurung untuk mendapatkan lanjutan kuasa yang mereka telah alami sejak dulu lagi.

Rakyat sudah sedar yang rupa-rupanya UMNO bukanlah parti yang 'invincible' dan boleh diketepikan oleh rakyat apatah lagi dalam keadaan UMNO yang paling lemah dalam sejarah 23 tahun kewujudan parti itu. Baru sekarang UMNO hendak mencari calun-calun boleh menang tetapi sayangnya ia dilakukan semasa parti itu sudah tidak 'winnable' lagi. UMNO sesungguhnya sedang menghadapi krisis keyakinan yang paling teruk dalam sejarahnya.

Sebagaimana yang saya katakan tadi, di Semenanjung UMNO hanya mempunyai 56 kerusi dan ditambah dengan 13 kerusi dari Sabah yang belum tentu dapat bertahan atau tidak ke mana. Rupa-rupanya UMNO hanya mempunyai 20% suara dalam parlimen dan tahulah kita sekarang kenapa pemimpinnya bercakap bergegar-gegar dalam semua perjumpaan dalam persediaan menghadapi rakyat dalam tempoh yang terdekat ini.

Barulah rakyat sedar yang BN selepas pilihanraya ini hanya ada satu parti di Semenanjung ini kerana MCA dan Gerakan sudah hampir pupus dari scenario politik perdana negara ini. MCA dibawah kepimpinan CSL yang famous itu merupakan zaman yang paling getir dalam sejarah parti itu. Dijangkakan hampir semua baki-baki kerusi MCA itu akan hilang dan parti itu tidak akan lagi menjadi parti yang mempunyai apa-apa 'consequence' selepas ini.

Jika UMNO keseluruhan hilang 10 lagi kerusi kali ini ianya memberi makna yang UMNO sudah sampai ke penghujung hayatnya. Kalau UMNO mendapat kurang dari jumlah kerusi yang mereka menangi di dalam pilihanraya dahulu, waimma dengan hanya satu kerusi tambahan UMNO sudah boleh kita anggap secara 'conclusive' yang parti itu sudah mati dari segi hakikatnya.

Kalau keadaan itu berlaku keyakinan ahli-ahli UMNO sendiri akan menurun, apatah lagi bagi Melayu atau rakyat yang tidak menyertai mana-mana parti. UMNO sudah hilang kelayakan untuk memimpin BN kerana parti yang angkuh ini hanya mempunyai 23% perwakilan di parlimen. Apabila BN kehilangan komponen yang kedua terbesar dalam BN iaitu MCA maka BN tidak lagi mempunyai kredibiliti sebagai pemimpin komponen yang suatu ketika dahulu gagah dan perkasa. UMNO tidak akan lagi dihormati dan disegani oleh parti-parti komponen yang berada di dalam BN keseluruhannya.

READ MORE HERE

 

PROF KHOO KAY PENG SPEAKS OUT ON WHAT IS TRULY 1 MALAYSIA

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 07:12 AM PST

THE BROKEN SHIELD

Few People realise that UiTM that takes in only Bumiputera including from Singapore!...has a current enrollment of something like 130,000 students, and it is expected to reach an enrollment of 200,000 by 2013!...

In comparison University Malaya has only an enrollment of 23,000 students, and there they are talking about ensuring that more than 60%+ are Bumiputeras in University of Malaya.

Do you know that there is a University Science Islam?...that is also producing dentists and doctors as well?? This University is different from International Islamic University, which is also producing doctors and dentists.

Do you know that UiTM has more than 1,000 PhD. holders on their staff? UiTM now takes in 200 students for medicine every year!...all Bumiputeras of course! Selayang and Sg. Buloh Hospitals have become their teaching hospitals.

If you go to the PNB website and read the Annual report of Amanah Saham Bumiputera you will realise that that fund alone has about 80+ billion....and compare that with Public Mutual a subsidiary of Public Bank, the Largest Mutual Fund in this Country, which runs some 35 Funds or so with a total value of only less than 30 billion!

Although they say that there is cap of 200,000 units in ASB...Please read the Annual Report, carefully, and you will realise that there are several thousand Bumiputeras having an Average of about One Million Units in that Fund...Tax Free, Paying anything from 8+ to 11+ % per year!...and we are only talking about that one Fund!...ASNB manages Funds to the Total Value of about 130+ billion Educate yourself

All Older Malaysians have much to be accountable for what Malaysia is today…

Tolerances had been abused, and patience had been taken for granted… We are now what we had been—–By doing nothing. Right then, that is how we had ended up to what it is today!! If we choose to remain as what we had done, then we can expect nothing more than what we already had today!!

1Malay or 1Malaysia?

Malay, Chinese and Indian are all Malaysian brothers and sisters. But BN has screwed Malaysians and Malaysia up.

READ MORE HERE

 

Media Advisory

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 06:56 AM PST

ABU

Asalkan Bukan Umno/BN

 

Gerakan Rakyat Membebaskan Malaysia Dari Cengkaman Umno/BN

Dijemput menghadiri sidang media pelancaran gerakan Asalkan Bukan Umno/BN (ABU)

 

Tarikh:

Jumaat, 9 Disember, 2011

3.30pm

 

Lokasi:

 

KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH)

1, Jalan Maharajalela, 50150 Kuala Lumpur

 

The MPAJ Cover Up (Episode 1)

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 10:51 PM PST

The odd thing is that the MPAJ council is not interested in pursuing this issue and a cover up is in progress to conceal the details of this subject. No inquiries were initiated and nothing on the MPAJ agenda has been planned to look into this issue. Everything seems Umno-like where it is swept under the carpet.

Hakim Joe

Bazar Larut Malam has been a proposal mulled over by the Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya (MPAJ) for quite some time back in 2008/9 but was resoundingly rejected by most of the MPAJ council members, as it would create a lot of social issues and security problems to the residents in that area.

MPAJ council representatives from both the DAP and PAS would not condone this proposal and the only supporting votes came from council representatives from PKR. The initial target area was Ampang Waterfront on Jalan Ampang itself, a then new commercial development by Tan Sri Dato' Dr. Ir. Chan Ah Chye of the infamous Talam Corp. Berhad.

Bazar Larut Malam has a pasar malam concept except the operating hours are between 9pm and 2am.

When the proposal was repeatedly rejected by MPAJ, a new proposal was resubmitted whereby the Bazar Larut Malam will be situated in the carparks of the Jelatek Putra LRT Station instead of Ampang Waterfront. Again this proposal was rejected, as this was basically a cosmetic change of venues and the subject in pertinent to the social and security issues are merely transferred from one location to another location and henceforth not addressed. Additionally, the Ampang PDRM was against this proposal as they foresee a lot of problems.

However the Bazar Larut Malam proposal, with conditions, was finally approved in 2010 after constant pressure was applied by the PKR Wanita Chief to approve this proposition as one of the National PKR Wanita activities (in conjunction with MPAJ). YB Zuraida Kamaruddin is also the MP of Ampang Jaya.

One of the conditions is that this approval is on a temporary basis for a period not exceeding three months and should there be constant complaints from the residents of Jelatek or the PDRM, this temporary approval will be rescinded.

Three months led to six months and eventually the Bazar Larut Malam at Jelatek was abandoned after nine months in operations, not because of any social or security issues but for the fact that business was bad and the stall operators were losing money (and sleep)
over it.

As with any pasar malams anywhere in Malaysia, all stall operators must apply for a license to operate their stall in the pasar malam. The respective municipal councils additionally collect a token sum of three Ringgit every time they set up their stalls there and this amount is used to pay the MPAJ cleaners or an independent cleaning company fees to clean up the mess before the next workday. MPAJ itself does not collect this fee but allows the respective Ketua Zon to do so on their behalf.

Let me elaborate. Every municipality is divided into 24 zones and each zone is headed by a Ketua Zon elected by the Municipal Council. Usually these are politically affiliated individuals on their second step up the political ladder (the first being a member of the respective
zones).

The Municipal Council specifically does not allow the Ketua Zon to collect the license fee on their behalf as these applications needs to be processed at the municipal council itself but turns a blind eye when the Ketua Zon does it and pays accordingly.

When the Bazar Larut Malam @ Midnite Jelatek kicked off on the 2nd of October 2010, the MPAJ issued the respective licenses to the stall vendors as per instructions from someone powerful enough to order so, without the collection of any fees. Nobody except YB Zuraida Kamaruddin and the Yang Dipertua (YDP) Dato' Mohammad Yacob, possess the clout to do so as it infringes on the municipal regulations whereby the stall vendors are required to apply for the licenses in person. As the Ketua Zon (Puan Hayati Abd Samad) does not have authority or power to order the Licensing Board of MPAJ to do so, the command must have been issued from either the YB or the YDP.

When the Bazar Larut Malam @ Midnite Jelatek project was abandoned nine months later, the license fees were still outstanding at approximately RM19,000. Here comes the kicker: all the stall vendors say that they have paid their respective license fee, else they would not have been allowed to set up their stalls for a single night let alone for a continuous nine months, but MPAJ says that they have yet to collect a single cent.

The odd thing is that the MPAJ council is not interested in pursuing this issue and a cover up is in progress to conceal the details of this subject. No inquiries were initiated and nothing on the MPAJ agenda has been planned to look into this issue. Everything seems Umno-like where it is swept under the carpet.

Question: Could someone with enough power and authority, within MPAJ or the PKR Selangor State Government, have collected these license fees from the stall vendors on behalf of the MPAJ but has not remitted the monies to them? Should the PKR President, Datin Seri Wan Azizah, personally look into this issue considering the fact that the Selangor PKR Chief is Azmin Ali?

M’sian Malaise: The govt as everybody’s cash cow

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 10:43 PM PST

The bigger the loan that is provided by the Government, the surer it appears to become transformed into a bad debt – this appears to be another financial axiom of life in Malaysia.

Koon Yew Yin

Since my retirement from active business, I have been more and more concerned about our increasing financial profligacy and irresponsibility. Every day new details emerge about how spendthrift we are as individuals, as households and as a nation.

At the national level, the Auditor-General's recent report pointed out that Malaysia's national debt rose 12.3 percent to over RM407 billion in 2010. The amount is equivalent to 53.1 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and is the second straight year that the national debt has exceeded 50 percent.

At the micro level, details of how ordinary Malaysians who have accumulated huge debts and are hotly pursued by Ah Longs (loan sharks) fill the papers. These stories sit beside constant advertisements urging Malaysians to apply for credit cards with generous spending limits – ads which we have not been able to resist. At last count, there are more than eight million credit card holders, owing over RM30 billion. About one quarter – over two million of card holders – earn less than RM3,000 a month, meaning that many are unlikely to be able to settle their debts.

As for household debt, this has also been rising steadily. According to recent estimates, household debt had reached RM560 billion by the end of August 2010. Household debt-to-GDP ratio had increased sharply from 66.7 percent in 2004 to 76 percent in 2009 making it amongst the highest in Asia. What is especially worrying is that this rate of household debt increase is rising more quickly than the level of increase of household income or wages, meaning that most households are spending more than what they are earning and making up for the difference through borrowing.


Fostering culture of financial insouciance

Besides borrowing from Ah Longs, family members, friends, pawn shops, credit card companies and banks, Malaysians are heavily indebted to the government.

Borrowing from the government for many Malaysians start at an early age and is in the form of loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN). Between 2000 and 2009 over 1.3 million young Malaysians in the public and private higher education institutions had received loans ranging from RM8,500 to RM20,000. In all, a total of RM20 billion, RM39 billion and RM71 billion were allocated to the PTPTN for loans to students for the 9th, 10th and 11th Malaysia Plan periods respectively.

Whilst it is encouraging that many young Malaysians are prepared to pursue higher education even though they may not be able to afford it, what is worrisome is the widespread failure to repay the loans taken for the purpose. Authoritative data on loan defaults is not easily available but estimates from a World Bank study in 2007 indicate that the PTPTN management estimates that it recovers only 25 percent of the total amount it should be receiving. As until 2004, the number of graduates making their repayments was only 44 percent of the total number of loan beneficiaries.

In my opinion, some of the blame for the culture of financial profligacy and irresponsibility in our society is traceable to this government policy aimed at providing cheap and easily accessible loans to higher education of our young. Providing low interest loans for educational purposes is in itself an admirable policy. But its noble intentions become subverted when implementation is seriously flawed as students from well-to-do families who can afford the tuition fees are provided access, and there is an inability or unwillingness by the authorities to enforce the repayment of loans.

Once young people learn that they can get away with not paying back their loans or are able to get access to credit despite being ineligible, the bad apples amongst the graduate to scamming the public exchequer and private financial institutions in other ways after they obtain their degrees and diplomas. How else does one explain the massive loans given out to finance businesses in every sector of the economy which have gone sour and have not been repaid?

Readers can identify a sector – whether agricultural or non-agricultural; hi-tech or low-tech; rural or urban – and I am willing to donate a large sum to any charity of their choice if they can show me proof that the repayment of loans provided by the government has been able to exceed more than 70% in that sector.

The bigger the loan that is provided by the Government, the surer it appears to become transformed into a bad debt – this appears to be another financial axiom of life in Malaysia. Recently during the Dr Ling Liong Sik cheating trial, we heard that the Port Klang Authority (PKA) cannot afford to pay back its RM4.6 billion loan for the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project to the government. This was according to the prosecution's witness, Adnan Abidin.

Mind you, this was a project in which the development cost ballooned from RM1.088 billion to RM4.6 billion in 2007 and which the cabinet, according to Dr Ling's lawyers, had given their retrospective approval. It is not surprising therefore that the cabinet is not concerned about the small fry of student loan defaulters when it is blind to other possible financial scandals that involve billions of dollars.


Publish the names of all govt debtors

Clearly too, those who are likely to have access to government loans are those with the most powerful political strings such as happened in the RM250 million cattle-farm scandal linked to Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's husband and children.

Although I am critical of students who have taken out loans for their education and have refused to repay them, it is unfair for the government to put their names into a blacklist for public consumption as has been done periodically.

However if the government intends to continue carrying out this measure, I would like to propose that it also publishes the names of other Malaysians who have obtained loans for their projects and businesses and failed to repay them, especially those with large multi-million ringgit loans.

Only if this non-discriminatory public disclosure of all Government debtors (and not just of student defaulters) is undertaken can justice be said to be equally meted out. Needless to say, it would be especially revealing to read the names of these large debtors and the amounts that they owe to the government – or actually, to the people of Malaysia.

Thailand's lese-Majeste Witchhunt

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 08:37 PM PST

Concern rising over government's curbs on political expression

The number of lèse-majesté charges has grown almost exponentially in recent years, though the exact numbers of those charged and convicted are not available. Some estimates say that the caseload has tripled over five years, to 478 charges in 2010. 

Simon Roughneen, Asia Sentinel

Thailand's growing curbs on freedom of speech have seen a grandfather sentenced to twenty years in jail for insulting the country's monarchy, while a U.S citizen awaits a possible similar fate in a ruling due tomorrow.

Last month Ampon Tangnoppakul, 61 was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of insulting Queen Sirikit in four sms texts sent to an official working for Thailand's former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejajjiva.

Ampon's crestfallen wife Rossamarin spoke to Asia Sentinel on Monday in a coffee shop near her home in Samut Prakarn in eastern Bangkok. Her jailed husband, she said, "is still very stressed by everything and gets sick often." In court last month, Ampon claimed innocence and his family insist that he does not even know how to send mobile phone text messages.

The number of lèse-majesté charges has grown almost exponentially in recent years, though the exact numbers of those charged and convicted are not available. Some estimates say that the caseload has tripled over five years, to 478 charges in 2010. Statistics obtained by The Associated Press, which came from Thailand's Office of the Attorney General, show that 36 cases were sent for prosecution in 2010. That is a doubling of numbers since 2005 and up from just one in 2000.

Ampon's conviction has spurred some public and online support. A peaceful march seeking his release is planned for next Saturday, and a Facebook drive headed by Singapore-based academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun, entitled 'Thailand's fearlessness", has generated hundreds of supporters. The campaign emulates a prize-winning display by photographer James Mackay, honouring Burma's political prisoners.

Earlier on Monday, Rossamarin and millions of Thais watched as a frail-looking and wheelchair-bound King Bhumibol Adulyedej made a rare public appearance as tens of thousands of pink and yellow clad Thais chanted 'Long live the King", as the long-serving monarch made his way from the riverside hospital where he has stayed since September 2009, to the famous Grand Palace on the other side of the Chao Praya river that weaves through the vast city.

The main focus of the King's speech at the palace was to exhort Thailand's politicians to set aside differences in dealing with the aftermath of the country's recent flooding crisis, which has left over 600 people dead. Water management has been an ongoing focus for the King's public pronouncements over the years, and he has in the past made various recommendations to Thailand's governments on how to pre-empt floods and droughts.

Monday morning's blanket TV coverage had a poignant and revealing moment, however, when attempting to turn to the second sheet of his public speech, the monarch fumbled, and was momentarily seen receiving assistance from Crown Princess Sirindhorn. TV coverage then hurriedly panned over the assembled crowd at the sun-lit Grand Palace – an assembly of Government representatives, soldiers and diplomats – before reverting to the King a few seconds later as he resumed his address.

Wearing pink – like thousands of other Thais last Monday – Rossamarin said that "our family always celebrated the King's birthday like other ordinary people". King Bhumibol Adulyadej has reigned since 1946, and his 84th birthday – marking the seventh 12-year cycle of his life – is deemed auspicious in Thailand's numerologically-infused public symbolism. Donning pink is an astrological reference to the King's age and is a mass 'get well soon' wish for the monarch, while yellow is the standard color for Thailand's monarchy. Rossamarin's husband's case – like that of Joe Gordon, a U.S. citizen born in Thailand as Lerpong Wichaikhamma who is currently under arrest after a lese-majeste charge – are seen as litmus tests of Thailand's commitment to freedom of speech. As the King ages and talk of a succession to the much-less popular and influential Crown Prince grows, there appears to be a similarly-growing determination by Thai royalists to shut down any criticism of the "institution", as the monarchy is sometimes called, in a country that often prefers euphemism to straight talk.

A verdict in Gordon's case is due on Dec. 8 in Bangkok's Criminal Court. The charges center around The King Never Smiles, an internationally-acclaimed biography of King Bhumibol Adulyedej by former Far Eastern Economic Review correspondent Paul Handley that is proscribed in Thailand. The accused is said to have translated excerpts of the book into Thai and then posted the clippings online while living in the US.

Perhaps with the Gordon case in mind, the US State Department issued a statement saying that "The United States government has the utmost respect for the Thai monarchy", but urging Thailand "to ensure that freedom of expression is respected and we're troubled by recent prosecutions and court decisions that are not consistent with international standards on freedom of expression".

The Peua Thai government, which Yingluck heads, came to office amid speculation that it might try to amend or relax the lese-majeste laws. Such changes would be in keeping with demands from some supporters of her Pheu Thai party, which is linked to the redshirt protest movement that occupied various locations in downtown Bangkok in 2010.

To understand the government's apparent reluctance to modernize Thailand's lèse-majesté laws, some quick background is instructive. After royalist protests in 2006, Yingluck's brother Thaksin was ousted as prime minister by a military putsch. Despite Thaksin's proxy party winning a subsequent election in 2007 (as it did earlier in 2011), more royalist protests ensued, culminating in what was effectively a judicial coup in December 2008, allowing the royalist-linked Democrat Party assume office without winning an election.

READ MORE HERE

 

Air crash more than historical event

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 07:31 PM PST

(WikiSabah) - United Borneo Front (UBF) chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan told the court that the air crash on June 6, 1976 that killed former Chief Minister Tun Fuad Stephens and all 10 others on board a Nomad aircraft is more than a historical event.

Jeffrey, 63, said it was a tragedy of huge proportions not only affecting the families of the crash victims but also affecting the State and the future of its people.

He said he did not know the real causes of the incident but he would like to know and was curious to know what really happened on that fateful day.

"I really would like to know what happened before that as it might have significant implications after the event," Jeffrey said during examination-in-chief by counsel Datuk Simon Shim.

He said from his understanding of the causes of the incident after reading the papers the next day after the crash and also read books about it later, at that time there were people merely speculating as no investigation had been done at that time.

"From what I read, they talked about possibilities such as overloading, pilot error, maybe technical defect.

"These are being speculated upon at that time and when you think about it, this speculation raises more questions than answers," he said.

Jeffrey was testifying before Justice Dato' Abdul Rahman Sebli on the on-going hearing of a RM50 million suit brought by Tan Sri Harris Salleh against Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee and the party for allegedly insinuating that he (Harris) was involved in causing the plane crash.

Simon is the counsel for Yong and the party who are the first and second respondents respectively.

Harris, 81, who filed the suit on June 6, last year, is claiming for general damages, aggravated and exemplary damages of not less than RM50 million to be assessed separately against Yong and SAPP as the first and second defendants respectively.

He is also seeking an injunction to restrain the defendants whether by themselves or their servants or employees or agents from printing and publishing further the statements and similar libel in any form or means.

Harris is represented by counsels Yunof Maringking and Trevor Maringking.

To another question from Simon, Jeffrey said he was still interested to know what happened as there had been so many unanswered questions.

"This is a big tragedy involving half of the cabinet ministers and they were supposed to be in Labuan to sign an oil agreement and from what we know, the agreement was not signed and there was a crash including the Chief Minister (CM) who was supposed to sign the agreement.

"And then one week later it was signed by the next CM who took over who was not in that plane and who invited the Petronas chief, the other party to the agreement, out of the plane to another plane.

"So won't you want to know? Would that not raise so many questions? Would that not lead to so many speculations? Some may even speculate that this incident might have been planned, otherwise why did this tragedy happen? Why was the agreement not signed? Why some people went out of the plane? Why was the agreement rushed when the State and the families were still in mourning?" he questioned.

To a further question from Simon, Jeffrey told the court that on the evening of April 2, 2010, he attended a talk by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah entitled, 'Minyak Sabah Siapa Punya?'

In that talk, Jeffrey said Tengku Razaleigh was talking about the history of Petronas such as how Petronas was formed and his role in it and whether the five per cent royalty could ever be changed.

Jeffrey said Razaleigh in his speech had also talked about the air crash which really disturbed him.

READ MORE HERE

 

Zaid is spot-on...

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 07:02 PM PST

...UMNO General Assembly speeches portend dangerous trends in the nation's politics as they make nonsense of Najib's 1Malaysia call, New Economic Model and proposal for a "Global Movement of Moderates"

Lim Kit Siang

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim is right and spot-on. Recent statements from UMNO leaders about the Opposition parties at the UMNO General Assembly are both regrettable and worrying.

They portend dangerous  trends in the nation's politics as they make nonsense of the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia call, New Economic Model and his proposal for a "Global Movement of Moderates".

Has Najib decided to cancel his initiative to  launch  "the Global Movement of the Moderates" in Kuala Lumpur with an  inaugural International Conference of the Global Movement of Moderates from Jan 17 to 19 as his speeches and those of UMNO leaders at the UMNO General Assembly are completely antithetical to any acceptable definition or concept of "moderates" or "moderation".

I challenge Najib to conduct a public opinion poll whether he is perceived by Malaysians as speaking for 1Malaysia and for all Malaysians, as well as whether he is speaking as a "moderate",  in his UMNO Presidential Address, or just for UMNO and in particular UMNOputras?

Or have an opinion poll whether Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy UMNO President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin had not come across as an out-and-out extremist and racist in his speech to the joint general assemblies of UMNO Wanita, Pemuda and Putri – not only to Chinese, Indians, Kadazans and Ibrans or but also to thinking and enlightened Malays.

If the race-baiting and incitement of religious hatred and tensions by UMNO leaders and delegates at the UMNO General Assembly had taken place at Opposition conferences, the police and special branch would have already hauled up Opposition leaders and delegates for committing crimes of sedition and other offences. Why the immunity and impunity for UMNO leaders and delegates?

UMNO leaders, especially Najib and Muhyiddin, are guilty of the height of irresponsibility when they led other UMNO leaders in playing the 3R cards of race, religion and Malay rulers, for instance, falsely accusing the DAP of being anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay rulers.

Thinking and patriotic Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans are concerned when UMNO leaders upped the ante after the UMNO General Assembly in escalating the exploitation of the 3R cards – as illustrated by Najib's speech  at the Perkida general assembly on Monday.

Are there no UMNO national leaders who are prepared to put nation before party and self and dare to step forward to draw the line to declare like Zaid Ibrahim that there should be an end to the irresponsible politics of playing the 3R cards of race, religion and Malay Rulers, especially when based on lies and falsehoods?

 

Bill to redevelop Kampung Baru tabled in Dewan Negara

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 06:58 PM PST

(Bernama) -- The Kampung Baru Development Corporation Bill 2011 will explain in detail the functions and roles of the corporation in the redevelopment of Kampung Baru in the capital, said Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.

He said the bill would encourage, stimulate, increase, facilitate and coordinate the redevelopment of Kampung Baru and provide relevant provisions associated with it.

The government is transparent and open in drafting the bill by taking into accounts complaints, views and counter proposals made by landowners and heirs to the land in Kampung Baru, he said when tabling the bill for second reading at the Dewan Negara today.

"The land ownership will not be compromised in the redevelopment of Kampung Baru as it would be a symbol of the Malay success and prosperity in the middle of Kuala Lumpur metropolitan," he said.

Raja Nong Chik said the redevelopment of Kampung Baru would benefit all quarters while generating the Malays' economic prosperity in the capital, particularly among landowners and heirs to the land.

The 92.2ha Kampung Baru, which was opened 110 years ago, has a population of 35,000.

 

Has BN done enough to battle it out in Selangor?

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 06:53 PM PST

State Umno leaders have hinted that there are signs in many places that the Malay ground has begun to turn in Umno's favour. However, of concern are areas where Chinese voters account for a substantial number. The Chinese make up about 34 per cent of voters in Selangor while Malays account for 49 per cent and Indians, about 14 per cent. 

Bernama

As it stands, Selangor remains the toughest state for either side of the political divide to wrest control in the next general election.

For that reason, the race for Selangor has begun in earnest with Barisan Nasional (BN) embarking on various strategies. Its latest campaign, 'Sayangi Selangor, Yakini BN' (Love Selangor, Have Confidence in BN), enters the final push for the state with weekly programmes in various constituencies.

Prime Minister and BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also Selangor BN liaison chief, has openly stated that he wants BN to win back the country's most developed state.

While the recently-concluded Umno General Assembly seems to put the fighting spirit back into the largest BN component party, especially its members having a better sense of purpose about wresting back Selangor, some political observers are wondering whether BN components are doing enough to get the voters' support.

Selangor's electorate is said to be the most sophisticated and discerning in the country, as reflected by the relatively high Internet penetration and well-educated population.

Of the 56 state seats in Selangor, an estimated 60 per cent are solidly Malay-majority constituencies while the rest are either Chinese-majority or mixed seats. BN currently has 20 seats and it needs only nine more to regain power.

Of the seats up for grabs, 35 are for Umno to contest, 14 for MCA, four for Gerakan and three for MIC.

In the 2008 general election, Umno won 18 of the 35 seats it contested while Gerakan and MIC, contesting four and three seats, respectively, failed to capture even one.

MCA secured only two of the 14 state seats and one of the seven parliamentary seats it contested.

State Umno leaders have hinted that there are signs in many places that the Malay ground has begun to turn in Umno's favour. However, of concern are areas where Chinese voters account for a substantial number. The Chinese make up about 34 per cent of voters in Selangor while Malays account for 49 per cent and Indians, about 14 per cent.

Some questions beg to be answered. What have Umno's counterparts done to make up for lost ground since the last general election? Have MCA, Gerakan and MIC made good progress since then?

An internal survey in BN indicates a significant swing to BN by Malay and Indian voters although the Chinese are still taking a 'wait-and-see' attitude.

Given this situation, it is incumbent upon MCA and Gerakan to do more. Have they?

A divisional leader from one of the BN component parties claimed that MCA and Gerakan members do not seem to be working hard enough while MIC members have at least, been doing something to reach out to Indian voters.

Selangor BN information chief Datuk Yap Pian Hon said the reason for such a misconception was that there was not much publicity in the mainstream English or Malay language newspapers.

"But you can see our programmes in the Chinese newspapers, sometimes even politicians from both sides (MCA and Gerakan) appear at the same function," he said.

"When one doesn't see the news in the Malay or English language newspapers, there is a tendency to believe that other parties, besides Umno, are not doing anything when actually, we (MCA) have been carrying out a lot of activities with the (Chinese) community," he said.

Yap said that another reason for MCA programmes not attracting media coverage was that they included small group activities like dialogues with the community.

For Selangor MCA secretary Wong Koon Moon, he believes the lack of effective fund distribution to BN component parties has hampered efforts to reach out to more people.

"If you have a good coordinator, then the funding will be equally distributed among all the components," he said, explaining the need for fair and effective distribution of funds.

"I give you an example. When a Chinese organisation invites you for a fund-raising dinner, obviously it is asking for contributions. Even if you can't give much, at least, some amount will do. However, without such allocations, how are you going to contribute at all?," asked the Kuala Kubu Baharu state assemblyman.

Some BN component leaders in the state also shared similar opinions. They claimed that in some of the constituencies where the BN had been defeated, there were meagre allocations or none at all.

To make matters worse, there were also allegations that some politicians from other component parties had asked their political colleagues to make way and give up their seats since their chances were considered "slim."

"If such is the mentality, how do you want those in the grassroots to reach out to the voters?," asked a BN component leader at a divisional level, who declined to be identified.

In addition, some state BN insiders have conceded that some state leaders had not been doing much to win back the hearts of the voters, especially in areas which had fallen to the Opposition.

Even MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was reported to have publicly expressed that some MCA leaders in Selangor were 「lazy」 and were not performing up to expectations.

As the general election draws near, some political pundits feel there is still room to make up for lost time. Or, is it a little too late, already?

 

MCLM chief barred from entering Sabah

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 06:20 PM PST

Haris Ibrahim has been barred from entering the state and was sent back to KL on the next available flight.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) president Haris Ibrahim has been barred from entering Sabah and was sent back to Kuala Lumpur on the next available flight.

Contacted by FMT prior to his departure, the lawyer said he had landed at the Kota Kinabalu airport at about 3.15pm.

"I have just been told that 'atas arahan atasan' (orders from a higher authority), I have been denied entry. I am still at the immigration awaiting details," he said.

He later added that the formal notice stated that he was detained under Section 65 (1) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 and that he had been denied entry on the direction of state authority.

Asked if he was there for MCLM-related activities, Haris said that the movement had some work with political parties and NGOs in Sabah.

"I presume the order (to prevent entry to Sabah) is related (to the political activities in Sabah)," he added.

Haris, who was previously attached to election watchdog Bersih 2.0, was also denied entry into Sarawak twice — in April during the state election and September this year.

It is believed that he was stopped from entering Sarawak under the similar law.

Under the Malaysia Agreement, Sarawak and Sabah have the power to bar anyone from entering the states, including persons from Peninsular Malaysia.

 

Respect elders, ‘newcomer’ Rama told

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 02:43 PM PST

A DAP division in Penang is peeved with the deputy chief minister for branding party veterans as godfathers and demands a clarification.

(Free Malaysia Today) - The Bagan DAP division has launched a broadside against Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy for describing party elders as "godfathers".

According to the division, this is a mark of disrespect and called on the academic-turned-politician to clarify who he was referring to.

The division also urged the leadership to take stern disciplinary action against the "newcomer".

"Never before has a DAP elected representative criticised party elders as godfathers. Its 'un-DAP-like'," said division deputy chairman and Bagan Dalam assemblyman A Tanasekharan.

He said party elders, like national chairman Karpal Singh and Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang, have been the pillars of strength for DAP over the years.

"They have sacrificed so much and been the backbone of the party, we must respect them. As a newcomer, Ramasamy should not be disrespectful towards the party veterans. He should not act like a warlord," Tanasekharan told FMT in the presence of the division's liaison committee members.

Ramasamy, the Penang DAP deputy chairman, told an online media that DAP should get rid of not only warlords but godfathers as well.

He was responding to Karpal's warning to certain party leaders against becoming political warlords by circumventing the leadership to promise and announce seats for their cronies.

Karpal also cautioned against using the term godfathers to describe veteran leaders, stating that the latter are also needed for the party's progress.

The row was caused by Ramasamy's announcement in Tamil newspaper Makkal Osai on Nov 28 that the party will field three Indian women – D Kamachi, P Kasturi (daughter of the late DAP stalwart P Patto), and an unknown lawyer from Penang, K Mangaleswari.

Ramasamy was also quoted as saying that parliamentarians M Kulasegaran (Ipoh Barat), Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong), Charles Santiago (Klang) and M Manogaran, and assemblymen A Sivanesan (Sungkai), A Sivasubramaniam (Buntong), V Sivakumar (Tronoh) and P Gunasekaren (Senawang) were certain of contesting in the coming general election.

According to the article, Ramasamy also announced that he will re-contest both his Prai state and Batu Kawan federal seats, which is against the imminent party's "one man – one seat" policy.

Although he denied stating it, the Makkal Osai article, sub-titled the report as Ramasamy's announcement.

Why deny it now?

The unprecedented announcement was described by the Bagan division as running foul of "DAP's political culture amounting to usurpation of the Central Executive Committee's (CEC) powers."

Tanasekharan said the majority of division leaders and members backed Karpal on this matter.

He also questioned why Ramasamy denied making such an announcement only after Karpal's outburst.

"Instead of accusing the reporters and media of twisting (his remarks), he should have denied the report a week ago," he added.

Bagan division head and Penang DAP vice-chairman Lim Hock Seng clarified that the CEC is the party's highest decision-making body to finalise and announce the candidatures.

READ MORE HERE

 

Is Pakatan ready for Putrajaya?

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 02:36 PM PST

Yes, say political analysts despite the perennial naysayers from Barisan Nasional.

"If you look at a democracy, it is the civil service that is pulse of the nation. Politicians are there for making policies. The civil service runs the country, not the politicians!" said Jacob.

Patrick Lee, Free Malaysia Today

With general election just around the corner, talk is rife whether Malaysia's opposition is ready to helm the federal government.

Certain parties, especially the ruling BN government, have rubbished this notion. Their claim is that of chaos – that the country will fall into disarray if Pakatan Rakyat takes over.

However, several political observers interviewed by FMT, say the opposition, backed by their state government experience, can take Putrajaya, and keep it.

Going by 2008 general election, independent analyst Khoo Kay Peng said that Pakatan had no idea it was going to be in control of several state governments.

"Which alternative government is ready? Were they (Pakatan) ready in Penang and Selangor? I don't think they were ready, but those places did not collapse," he told FMT.

Khoo said that despite their inexperience, previous Auditor-General Reports have given Pakatan-run states a good mark.

He disagreed with claims that Pakatan needed to run their individual state governments for another term before going for the federal jugular.

"All the parties have had a hand and experience in running their state governments. You see it with Penang and Selangor," he said.

Although admitting that Malaysia had a long way to go in terms of governance, Khoo said that Pakatan would succeed if it was "smart" and "got rid of the corrupted people".

The March 2008 general election saw a major political shift, with many voters backing Pakatan, instead of Barisan.

Four states (Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Perak) fell into the hands of the opposition, in addition to Kelantan which was retained by PAS. BN however won back Perak through a constitutional crisis in 2009.

Why not give Pakatan a try?

With talk of the general election coming up every now and again, BN leaders have been quick to warn Malaysians not to vote for the opposition.

They have raised the spectre of hudud, economic collapse and racial strife if Pakatan were to take over the government.

Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam (CASSA) president Jacob George said that it was very "unfair" of BN leaders to make this claim.

A government's survival, he said, does not hinge on its political masters, but rather its civil service.

"If you look at a democracy, it is the civil service that is pulse of the nation. Politicians are there for making policies. The civil service runs the country, not the politicians!" said Jacob.

BN's warnings of the opposition gaining power, he claimed, were due to their fear of losing power.

A "political Renaissance", Jacob added, was also in motion across the world, with its effects seen in Egypt and Libya.

"I don't think there will be chaos (if Pakatan takes over), unless Umno wants to make chaos. Umno is so frightened of losing the power they've had since 1957.

"They've never looked at this power as a trust…They act as if this power is a God-given right. If anyone says that, it is very vulgar," Jacob said.

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Indelible ink: Scholars reject call for new fatwa

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 02:33 PM PST

The EC may be looking for an excuse to delay its decision, according former mufti Mohd Asri.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Several Islamic scholars have rejected the call for another fatwa on the use of indelible ink to mark those who vote in an election.

They said the fatwa that the National Fatwa Council issued in 2007 made another one unnecessary.

They were commenting on Election Commission (EC) secretary Kamaruddin Ahmad Baria's statement last Friday that the commission was awaiting approval from the National Fatwa Council. Kamaruddin was speaking to DAP representatives last Friday.

Former Perlis Mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said that the EC should not use Islam as an excuse to dilly dally over its decision on whether to impose the use of indelible ink as a measure against cheating in the coming general election.

"Actually, I am amazed," Asri told FMT. "It is very interesting that the EC is now mentioning religion even when there is already a fatwa on this.

"Don't use Islam as an excuse and an obstacle to implementing actions that will bring justice. That's a very bad attitude."

The issue of whether the ink would be allowed in Islam was raised recently by Pasir Mas MP Ibrahim Ali. He said in Parliament that the ink might make ablutions invalid.

The National Fatwa Council said in 2007 that the ink had been chemically tested and found to be free of substances considered impure in Islam, medically safe and porous enough to make ablutions valid.

"The use of indelible ink is allowed," said Asri. "Otherwise in principle we can't use ordinary pens as well because the ink sticks everywhere.

"The spirit of Islam is to seek justice. For me, where justice is concerned, even if there is no fatwa on the matter, Islam would accommodate it.

"You have mechanics who deal with oils which cannot be washed off thoroughly or a policeman who has to work with dogs. If there are no other options and you absolutely have to work with it, then you may do so.

"To me this is a simple issue which even a village religious teacher can answer. It is about justice."

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Hospitals in Malacca out of medicine

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 02:25 PM PST

(The Star) - The state government has promised fresh supply of medicine at public hospitals following a shortage which caused misery to patients for nearly a month.

State Health, Project Rehabilitation, Suburban Development and NGO committee chairman Datuk Seet Har Cheow assured the patients that the problem would be resolved by tomorrow.

"The shortage of medicine has placed patients in a limbo. The state is addressing the situation," he said, adding that new supplies had been dispatched.

"We expect things to normalise in a day or two."

Seet blamed the shortage on "several inevitable factors" but said the state was in constant touch with the Health Ministry.

"I can't divulge these factors. But I strongly dismiss allegations that medical personnel were hoarding the drugs and secretly supplying these to private pharmacies," he said, adding that the ministry was putting in place measures to prevent a recurrence.

Asked if the quality of the medicine would be compromised in the rush to stock up, Seet said: "Health isn't something we gamble with."

In Putrajaya, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the shortage should be dealt with immediately by the respective administrators.

He, however, was not aware of the situation in Malacca.

"It was not reported to me, but it shouldn't have happened," he said, adding that he had reminded all hospital and clinic admini­strative staff members to ensure there was enough stock.

"Although hospitals and clinics can sometimes run out of medicine at the end of the year, they should have a plan to prevent it from happening," he said.

Malacca Pensioner Associations chairman J. Ram said its 2,000 members, who relied heavily on public hospital medicine, had been left in the lurch.

"Even pharmaceutical products to treat high-blood pressure patients were unavailable for almost a month," he said.

"Many of us are elderly patients who cannot afford to get supplies from private pharmacies."

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net
 

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