Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- New York priest says child often seducer in sex abuse cases
- End hudud tiff, PAS told
- Nasharuddin not among PAS candidates
- Hadi: DAP cannot stop us
- Pahang PKR warns DAP about seat allocation
- Pakatan now aiming for more support from women
- China editor's suicide sparks web debate
- Stop fanning rumours, DAP man tells PR
- 'Exodus if PBRS has to give up MP seat'
- PKR disagrees with Lajim
- Najib: Six Umno divisions can spearhead recapture of Kedah
- Rafizi’s ‘NOW’ centre to make whistleblowing Malaysian culture
- Government has fulfilled all promises through NEP
- Malaysia’s New Internet Law
- Courts sending out mixed signals over statutory rape
- Jho Low's RM4.9 mil 'proposal' to Taiwanese singer makes waves (UPDATED with video)
- Chinese businesses give Najib thumbs-down
- PAS intensifies push for hudud
- Discord in SNAP over BN membership
- ‘Young Power’ wants Indian-based Pakatan party
- ‘Unseen hands involved in leak’
- Musa remains our leader, says Umno man
- Suaram funded by US, Finland, Canada
- PAS will not push ahead hudud law without majority support in Parliament: Hu
- Report confirmed by Mat Sabu before going into print
- Janji Demokrasi gathering is definitely on
- Pakatan: Sabah defections not party-hopping
- AG to explain Section 114a: Nazri
- Johor cop jailed, fined RM1.7m for money laundering
- ‘Suspend all who attended meeting’
- Police disallow Janji Democracy
- Senator Syed Husin Ali sued over alleged defamation in book
- DAP says has always been against defections
- ‘Free water policy unwise’
- Anwar urged to resolve dispute over allocation of seats
- DAP recruits political analyst
- Guan Eng denies DAP at war with PAS
- Guan Eng continues to push for anti-hopping law
- Why re-negotiate oil deal in private?
- ‘Musa making same mistake as Harris’
- Merdeka ‘no relevance’ to Sabah, Sarawak
- British paper fires pro-Israel columnist over undisclosed Malaysia news fixing
| New York priest says child often seducer in sex abuse cases Posted: 30 Aug 2012 05:35 PM PDT
(Reuters) - A Roman Catholic priest in New York expressed sympathy this week for some clergy who sexually abuse children, saying that it was often the "youngster" who was the seducer, then later apologised for his remarks. Comments by the Rev. Benedict Groeschel, 79, co-founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in Westchester County outside New York City, in which he expressed sympathy for convicted child rapist Jerry Sandusky, drew strong criticism from the Archdiocese of New York and the support group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him. A lot of the cases, the youngster — 14, 16, 18 — is the seducer," Groeschel said when asked by an interviewer from the National Catholic Register, the nation's oldest Catholic newspaper, about his work with priests who abuse children. Groeschel, who has published numerous books and hosted shows on the Eternal Word Television Network, suggested that children might seduce priests because they lacked a father figure, adding, "They won't be planning to get into heavy-duty sex, but almost romantic, embracing, kissing, perhaps sleeping, but not having intercourse or anything like that." Yesterday evening, Groeschel apologised, claiming his mind and ways of expressing himself "are not as clear as they used to be". "I apologise for my comments. I did not intend to blame the victim. A priest (or anyone else) who abuses a minor is always wrong and is always responsible," he said in a statement. " I deeply regret any harm I have caused to anyone." The Catholic Church has been rocked in recent decades by accusations that it tried to cover up the sexual abuse of children by priests and has paid out billions in settlements to abuse victims, bankrupting several US dioceses. Similar scandals have shaken the lucrative world of college sports, most notably the conviction of Sandusky, a former Penn State assistant football coach, for sexually abusing 10 boys over 15 years, most of them in the campus football showers. Groeschel referred to Sandusky as "this poor guy". Pondering how Sandusky's attacks could have gone on for so long, Groeschel added, "Well, you know, until recent years, people did not register in their minds that it was a crime". The interview was published on Monday but was removed from the National Catholic Register's website by yesterday. It was replaced with a note from Jeanette De Melo, the Register's editor in chief, apologising for what she called an "editorial mistake", saying the publication should have attempted to clarify or challenge his comments. "Child sexual abuse is never excusable," she wrote. The Archdiocese of New York said Groeschel's comments were "simply wrong" and could not go unchallenged, although it does not have direct authority over Groeschel, who retired from teaching in the archdiocese's seminary last year. 'Said something like grandpa would say' Colleagues of Groeschel suggested yesterday that he was recovering from a fall and was mentally frail. The Rev. Glenn Sudano, a spokesman for the Franciscan Friars, likened him to an elderly relative. "He said something like grandpa would say and it's like 'Grandpa, why would you say that?'" Sudano told Reuters in a telephone interview. "Obviously we don't agree with what he said. Obviously it's terribly disappointing that people are hurt or upset," Sudano said. "We feel very bad about it." Sudano said he did not know if Groeschel would face any consequences for his remarks. Barbara Blaine, president of Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests, called the remarks "callous". "A teenager does not have the power to seduce anyone. The adult is in the position of power and authority," Blaine said. "He should be removed from speaking as a Catholic leader." Archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said, "The harm that was done by these remarks was compounded by the assertion that the victim of abuse is responsible for the abuse, or somehow caused the abuse to occur. "This is not only terribly wrong," he said in a statement, "it is also extremely painful for victims."
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| Posted: 30 Aug 2012 03:06 PM PDT  DZULKEFLY: Hudud issue will only hamper party's performance in election Spat with DAP will hamper election results, say party leaders Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, The Malay Mail PAS leaders have called for the party to stop the hudud tiff with DAP and avoid creating unnecessary distractions, stressing the need to solely focus on the general election.
 KHALID: PAS needs to get act together, leaders should be more understanding "The party must be wise in handling the issue. The public knows the party's Islamic agenda. Even though we don't talk about it, it doesn't mean that they don't know it," he said. Universiti Utara Malaysia School of International Studies Dean Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani, however, said the war of words between DAP and PAS was only a "political gimmick." "I think this is a political gimmick before the election. They want to maintain their core support but they also do not want to scare away the Chinese voters because PAS was able to win several seats due to Chinese support. "That is why they have their top leaders reassuring that hudud will not be implemented but their grassroots are saying the opposite," he said. Independent political analyst Khoo Kay Peng also said the hudud debate was a "political necessity" for both parties. "I don't think there will be an all out war but it is a political necessity. Their sole purpose is to defeat Barisan Nasional (BN) at the polls. Hudud will not become an issue for both parties and will be set aside when election takes place," he said.
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| Nasharuddin not among PAS candidates Posted: 30 Aug 2012 02:52 PM PDT
(The Star) - Nasharuddin Mat Isa's chances of defending the Bachok parliamentary seat are as good as gone. The controversial former PAS deputy president's name is not in the list of contenders for the seat, said Kelantan PAS deputy commissioner II Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah. "I have received information that Nasharuddin's name is not in the list of those nominated for the seat," he said at a Hari Raya gathering here. He added that it had also come to his attention that Nasharuddin's name had not been mentioned at the grassroots level in Bachok. He added, however, that the PAS central committee would decide on Nasharuddin's fate. The MP's fallout with PAS and spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat started after the 2004 general election when then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi led the Barisan Nasional to a landslide win. Nasharuddin, at that time, was accused of trying to engineer a "unity government" with Umno. In the 2008 general election, he defeated Barisan's Datuk Awang Adek Husin to take the seat. Matters got to head a year later when Nik Aziz, who is Kelantan mentri besar, demanded that Nasharuddin quit as Bachok MP and join Umno if he persisted on the unity government agenda. Nasharuddin's political mettle was again tested when he was accused of being in the "good books" of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when they met in Medina. A meeting by the Syura council on Sept 9 will either make or break the deadlock that is crucial to Nasharuddin's future in the party. However, PAS Ulama chief Datuk Harun Taib said the syura council would unlikely give in to pressure from certain quarters to kick Nasharuddin out of the party. "Whether Nasharuddin would still be fielded as a candidate in the next election is immaterial. "The party needs his energy and ideas," he said. Harun said the list of candidates had not been officially confirmed. "Even if Nasharuddin is not fielded in the next general election, he is still a potential candidate for following elections," he said.
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| Posted: 30 Aug 2012 02:46 PM PDT
(The Star) - PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has strongly upheld his party's hudud agenda in the face of opposition from a Pakatan Rakyat partner. He said DAP had no authority to compel PAS to forgo its hudud agenda. "DAP has no power to stop PAS from expressing its right just as PAS cannot stop DAP from objecting to hudud," he added in a statement yesterday. Hadi said PAS had stood by its principles when DAP aired its views during open dialogues. "PAS can collaborate on matters of common interest without imposing its views on others. "We can give and take on some matters, but will not budge on others," Hadi said. He said PAS would not give up its struggle to uphold Islamic laws, adding that the Malacca sultanate centuries ago had imposed syariah laws on Muslims and customary laws on non-Muslims. Stressing that hudud would not be forced on non-Muslims, Hadi said it was clearly a "seasonal issue" that popped up in the run-up to elections. DAP newcomer Datuk Aspan Alias, a former Umno leader, said DAP had not officially objected to hudud. "DAP respects the aim of PAS to implement hudud," he added in his blog. Aspan said hudud should not be a barrier to collaboration among Pakatan parties. He added that DAP chairman Karpal Singh could object to hudud because he was not a Muslim. Meanwhile, MCA Publicity Bureau deputy chairman Loh Seng Kok called on Pakatan leaders to issue a joint statement declaring their decision on hudud law once and for all and "stop confusing the Chinese community". He noted that Hadi had stated that implementing hudud was the responsibility of all Muslims while DAP had told the Chinese community that the Islamic law issue was merely being stirred up by MCA. Loh said DAP members should stop deceiving themselves and hiding behind the Pakatan common policy framework Buku Jingga on the issue of hudud.
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| Pahang PKR warns DAP about seat allocation Posted: 30 Aug 2012 02:41 PM PDT
(The Star) - Pahang PKR fired the first salvo against its coalition partner, reminding the DAP to exercise discipline in the allocation of seats. State PKR chairman Datuk Fauzi Abdul Rahman said although it was not wrong for the DAP to request for additional seats, it must be done through the proper channels and with "mutual consent". Recently, the DAP hinted that the party hoped to contest in Damak, a seat alloted to the PKR, in the coming general election. In retaliation, Fauzi said: "We would also want to contest in seats allocated to the DAP but out of respect for one another, we must adhere to the decision of the central leadership. "The DAP can request for a swap in seats such as giving up its Tanah Rata seat in exchange for Damak. "We are willing to swap but not give up any of our allocated seats." Fauzi, a former deputy minister and ex-Kuantan MP, said Pakatan Rakyat was not an individual party or belonged to certain leaders such as (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim or (Penang Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng. He said as such, any important decisions, including the allocation of seats, must be agreed upon by all leaders of the coalition during its central meeting. In the 2008 elections, PKR contested six parliamentary seats and 13 state seats while the DAP stood in two parliament and seven state seats. Fauzi said PKR had already finalised potential candidates in all the seats allocated to the party. On the lack of professionals joining the party as compared to their DAP counterparts, Fauzi brushed it aside, claiming the party had at least five lawyers and three engineers but not enough seats to contest. On the senior Opposition man who was arrested for suspicion of committing incest, Fauzi said the suspect was not from the party. "He is not a PKR leader and neither do we have any dealings with him. "Although he had met me before to discuss seat allocations, nothing was concluded as his party was not part of Pakatan," he said.
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| Pakatan now aiming for more support from women Posted: 30 Aug 2012 02:34 PM PDT
Hafidz Baharom and Joan Lau, The Malaysian Insider Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is ramping up its efforts to win over women voters with the formation of an initiative called Agenda Wanita Malaysia (Malaysian Women's Agenda) this September 13. This comes on the back of political observers and analysts saying that both the youth and women are the swing voters who will determine who takes Putrajaya, as the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and PR are locked in an almost even tussle for support. As women make up half of the country's electorate, the fight for women voters is something the federal opposition is taking very seriously. While reluctant to go into the details of the initiative ahead of the launch, Wanita PKR information chief Ramlah Bee Asiahoo said: "The agenda will focus on the enforcement of law, increasing quality of life, providing opportunity for women to involve themselves in the economy, revamping the educational policy, social harmony and the empowerment of young women." Although this sounds very much like political rhetoric, the initiative seems to be more than just talk. Srikandi PKR chief Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail said they would also head to the ground and host forums as well as ceramahs. "Once Agenda Wanita Malaysia is launched, we will head to the ground starting with rural areas, and then suburban areas and finally target the young working professionals in the cities.  Wong said apart from welfare, Pakatan will concentrate more on policies. PR leaders are going to focus on bread-and-butter issues like safety and economy as it is believed that women vote principally on issues and established experience. PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail recently began an initiative for mothers against crime, a growing issue especially among women in urban areas. Another issue taking centre-stage the past week is the apparently lenient sentence for two men convicted of statutory rape, which both BN and PR have protested. PAS Muslimat information chief Aiman Athirah Al-Jundi said the party's women's division would go door-to-door, a method that worked very well previously for Wanita Umno as well. In recent years though, this personal touch has been replaced by mass gatherings where cash handouts are given to underprivileged families but now Agenda Wanita Malaysia is picking up where they dropped off. "Giving aid is good, but it is very piecemeal and not enough. So apart from welfare, we must concentrate more on policies," said PKR central committee member Elizabeth Wong. These policies have to be explained and this is where door-to-door visits can help to drill down the nuts and bolts of these proposed policies. "We need to step into their houses, sit down and spend some time explaining what we have to offer," said Aiman. In the race to win the next general election, it looks like the opposition is willing to do something a little retro — go down to the ground and meet potential voters face to face.
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| China editor's suicide sparks web debate Posted: 30 Aug 2012 11:32 AM PDT  People's Daily newspaper is the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party (BBC) - "My pain is I dare to think, but I don't dare to speak out; if I dare to speak out, I don't dare to write it down, and if I dare to write it down, there is no place to publish. The suicide of a senior editor working for China's Communist Party newspaper has sparked strong reaction from Chinese cultural and media circles and on the internet. Xu Huaiqian, 44, was editor-in-chief for the Dadi (Earth) supplement of the People's Daily. According to its official microblog, he jumped to his death on 22 August. The official People's Daily microblog said he had taken time off because of depression and had sought medical help. Xu Huaiqian was born in 1968 and graduated from the prestigious Peking University in 1989. After a year of work experience in a steel plant, he started working for People's Daily, where he stayed until his death. 'Can't leave system'Zhu Tieszhi, deputy chief editor of Seeking Truth journal, said he could not believe that Mr Xu had chosen this route. Many people praised his excellent writing, and quotes from his interviews and publications have become instant hits. In an interview he gave before his death, Xu Huaiqian was quoted as saying: "My pain is I dare to think, but I don't dare to speak out; if I dare to speak out, I don't dare to write it down, and if I dare to write it down, there is no place to publish. "I admire those freelance writers, but I can't leave the system because if I do that my family will suffer." In an article entitled "Let Death Be the Witness", he also wrote: "Death is a heavy word, but in China, in many cases, without deaths society will not sit up and pay attention, and problems won't be resolved." These quotes were widely circulated on the internet and resonated with netizens who expressed shock and anger as they asked why a talented journalist ended up taking his own life. 'Unpublished script'A reader posted in Tencent Weibo (one of China's Twitter equivalents): "I am only starting my career as a journalist and I have encountered such difficulties in my work already, and I feel that I can't fight them." A reader asked on Sina Weibo: "Did Xu Huaiqian die to serve as a witness? Was it personal depression or the depression of an era? What kind of country is this?" Another netizen commented that Mr Xu experienced the 1989 student movement as a young man but he had to live in lies, which caused his illness. Some netizens mentioned the fact Mr Xu's suicide happened just days after the Burmese government said it was lifting its censorship, and lamented the sad state of affairs for Chinese intellectuals and journalists. An eulogy posted on QQ Weibo by Gao Shixian summed up like this: "People are the editors of a country; People only have their lives to publish; Their life is their article, and their death is the payment; Your sad end to life is like an unpublished script."
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| Stop fanning rumours, DAP man tells PR Posted: 29 Aug 2012 10:38 PM PDT
(The Sun) - Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow has urged Pakatan Rakyat leaders to nip rumours in the bud to prevent uneasiness fermenting among the grassroots. Chow said instead of adding to such controversies, leaders instead should disseminate the right information to party members. "If something does not happen (not true), kill it and not fuel it," the Tanjung MP told theSun. Chow was commenting on the recent controversy involving Penang PKR chairman Datuk Mansor Othman after it was reported that he had described Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng as "arrogant and cocky" as well as seen a "tokong" (temple or deity). The deputy chief minister I was alleged to make the remarks in a PKR meeting over seat negotiations with DAP. The remarks were contained in the minutes of the meeting which was leaked to a blog. Mansor has denied describing Lim as arrogant but defended using the word "tokong" as it was made in reference to the esteem and respect of the people had towards the DAP secretary-general. Chow said the issues raised during the PKR meeting would not have repercussions with the DAP as he was of the opinion that the matter were were just the concerns of a particular group in the party (PKR). "The views of these groups in the party does not necessarily reflect the reality on the ground," he added.
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| 'Exodus if PBRS has to give up MP seat' Posted: 29 Aug 2012 07:39 PM PDT
(Daily Express) - Keningau: The public spat between Barisan Nasional components Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) and Umno in the Interior seats in the coming general election continued with PBRS Sook Youth Chief Kahirin Bador predicting that BN will lose thousands of members if PBRS loses one of its two seats here to Umno. Nevertheless, he said PBRS Sook Youth remained loyal to the BN and fully supported the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman. The incumbent for the Pensiangan parliamentary seat is Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, President of PBRS. The court ruled in favour of the Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister when his rival claimed that he was prevented from filing his nomination papers on time. Kurup also faced an angry mob at the nomination centre that day in 2008. According to Kahirin, PBRS has 26,630 members in Pensiangan with 13,850 in Sook and 9,780 in Nabawan. "This is the up-to-date figure as of June 2012 and not as stated by Umno Pensiangan Youth assistant secretary Khairil Abdullah who was referring to an outdated report that was based on the 2008 figure," he said. Kahirin advised Khairil to respect the power sharing concept of BN and respect whatever decision made by the leadership. He said Khairil should have not tabled the motion to ask for one of the three seats in Pensiangan during the Umno Pensiangan Youth annual general meeting. Kahirin praised Nabawan Upko Assemblyman Datuk Bobbey Suan and Upko members as always cooperating with PBRS leaders to resolve problems of the people in the constituency. "This is a true example of the BN concept, which is in line with the unity and peaceful spirit, not bully small parties like what Umno Pensiangan Youth is doing," he said. "I suggest Umno Pensiangan Youth stop discussing the seat distribution because it will only cause disunity among the BN parties," he said. "Respect whatever decision by the BN leadership as well as the statement by Umno Pensiangan Chief, Datuk Abdul Ghani Yassin, who promised to cooperate with whoever is the BN candidate in Pensiangan," he said. Meanwhile, Pensiangan Umno urged its members to unite and ensure BN wins and remains the government. Its chief, Ghani, said they should support all BN candidates irrespective of which party they represent. Pensiangan Umno deputy chief Ahuar Rasam said the Division had yet to receive any information on whether Umno will be contesting the parliamentary seat. Ahuar said anyone has the right to apply to contest in Pensiangan including Umno. Nevertheless, the decision rests with the BN leadership, he said. On his son joining the PKR, he said anyone has the right to choose whatever political avenue. However, he did not discount the possibility of his son supporting the BN in the future. Such scenario, he said, is not strange and cited PBS President Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan and his brother, Star Sabah Chairman, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan. "My son's decision to join another party is his choice and has nothing to do with me," he said. Ahuar is an influential figure in Pensiangan. He was instrumental in relocating villagers from five settlements on the Kalimantan-Sabah border to Kg Salarom Taka near Sepulut Kalabakan. The villagers were given a longhouse as dwelling and also 74 houses to continue their livelihood. According to him, there are 15,464 Umno members in Pensiangan that include Sook and Nabawan. A former secretary of a BN component, James Jamil, 58, said PBRS President Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, as BN chairman for Pensiangan, should call for a meeting of all the component parties and discuss the issue. "This is the best way to resolve the crisis," he said, adding that any BN component has the right to request to stand in Pensiangan or Sook and Nabawan. However, he said it was better the matter not be debated in the media. "The opposition will gleefully take the opportunity if the crisis between the two component parties cannot be resolved," he said. According to him, during the formation of PBRS on March 15, 1994, he organised the party in Pensiangan, which at the time covered Tambunan, Bingkor and Pensiangan itself. "At that time the BN component parties were facing a very tough situation and the PBRS branches at that time had to be re-organised until 2004 the time when I retired. "However, I know more about Pensiangan especially its people," he said. In 2004, the electoral boundary re-delineation exercise saw Pensiangan separated from Keningau to cover the state seats of Sook and Nabawan with the incumbent being Datuk Ellron Alfred Angin (PBRS) and Datuk Bobbey Ahfang Suan (Upko), respectively. "I was made to understand that the BN government had in 1994 until today given the Pensiangan and Sook quota to PBRS until last year when Umno Pensiangan demanded Pensiangan to be represented by Umno," he said.
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| Posted: 29 Aug 2012 07:35 PM PDT
(Daily Express) - Kota Kinabalu: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah Chief Ahmad Thamrin Jaini said it is not true that all Muslim majority seats in Sabah are to be contested by Sabah Reform Alliance (PPS) as mentioned by its chief Datuk Lajim Ukin. Thamrin who attended Lajim's Hari Raya open house on Aug. 28 in Beaufort said, in fact, Lajim admitted that all Muslim majority seats were still currently being discussed among the PKR, PAS and PPS. Ahmad Thamrin said Lajim whose power base is mainly in Beaufort needs to continue to champion the cause of Pakatan Rakyat so that more Umno-BN members would join Pakatan Rakyat for the sake of justice for the people and the nation. He believed everyone has a right to voice his or her own opinion including Lajim, but that all final decisions are to be collective in nature among the parties in Pakatan Rakyat. "The strength of Pakatan Rakyat is that all decisions are decided by consensus and not by dominance like Umno-Barisan Nasional," he said. Ahmad Thamrin was confident that the on-going closed door seat negotiations and allocation among Pakatan Rakyat parties namely PKR, DAP and PAS and also with the newly formed PPS as well as Sabah Reform Movement (APS) headed by Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing would be concluded soon in preparation for the 13th General Election. On another note, he said the Pakatan Rakyat Malaysia Day National Celebration will be held from Sept 15-16 in both Sabah and Sarawak, respectively. The theme for 2012 is "Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa" (One Race, Once Country, One Soul), which would be jointly-organised by all three parties from Pakatan Rakyat together with PPS and APS. Ahmad Thamrin welcomed PPS and APS into the Pakatan family. "Much space will be given to them to grow and to mature in the Pakatan family for the sole objective of bringing about a new and just government both in the federal level and also in Sabah," he said.
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| Najib: Six Umno divisions can spearhead recapture of Kedah Posted: 29 Aug 2012 03:09 PM PDT
(The Star) - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants the six Umno divisions in southern Kedah to be the catalyst for Barisan Nasional's victory in the general election. He said the divisions of Baling, Merbok, Sik, Sungai Petani, Padang Serai as well as Kulim-Bandar Baharu formed the backbone of the party in the state. "I chose to visit southern Kedah because this region has been our fort all this while. "As Baling had played an important role in our country's history, then let the voice of Baling be etched in the history of Umno and Barisan Nasional in our struggle to return Kedah back to Barisan," he said when opening the Umno delegates conference for the six divisions here on Thursday. He said other areas such as Alor Setar and Jerlun were equally important, stressing that the divisions should work together and fight hard to win back Kedah. He said party members should have resolved all internal problems that by now. "Enough is enough. It has been over four years since the last general election and they should stop pointing fingers at each other. "We, at the top leadership, have spoken about this issue countless times and now its time for the members to fulfill their pledges of loyalty to the party. "Let us not merely look at what the (Barisan) government had promised to do for us, but rather what we can do for the government," he said. The premier stressed that if all Umno members and fellow Barisan component party members voted for Barisan's candidates in Kedah, there was no reason why the party could not win in the state. He said party members should understand the meaning of unity and loyalty as well as put the party's interests above all else, including personal interests. "Umno is 66 years old while the nation will be celebrating 55 years of Independence. "People say we should be matured as a party by now, with a lifetime of experiences. "But, we need to further explore the knowledge of rational thinking to make wise and acceptable decisions. "That is what maturity should mean, where leaders know the true meaning of unity and loyalty, not merely by the party's age," he said. Najib advised Kedah Umno members to take the party's defeat in the last general election as a valuable lesson to do better this time. He said with an oath of loyalty that was earlier taken by Umno leaders from all six divisions in southern Kedah, led by Baling Umno division chief Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim earlier, he was confident southern Kedah would return to Barisan.
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| Rafizi’s ‘NOW’ centre to make whistleblowing Malaysian culture Posted: 29 Aug 2012 12:54 PM PDT  Rafizi and NOW director Akmal Nasir (right) pose outside the centre's entrance during an interview with The Malaysian Insider. — Pictures by Saw Siow Feng Rafizi told The Malaysian Insider that NOW will be a "civil society alternative" to government authorities like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the police, whose reputations have been marred by numerous reports of custodial deaths as well as assault and intimidation by armed officers. "Malaysians have been spooked from coming forward, but whistleblowing should become a culture in Malaysia, and that is what we hope to create," he said in an exclusive interview. Rafizi explained that the centre will prepare a step-by-step process for whistleblowing, which will include offering advice to informants on the legal risks they may face with their disclosures should they agree to proceed.  By providing a support structure for potential informants, the NOW centre aims to make whistleblowing a part of local culture. But the final step in the process ― publicly disclosing the scandal through the media ― is the stickiest of all, Rafizi admitted, as it would immediately open himself, the centre and the whistleblower to legal risks, if any law was broken in the process of investigation. The country's sole whistleblower law ― the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (WPA) ― only offers protection to whistleblowers if they make a "disclosure of improper conduct" to an authorised enforcement agency. As it does not accord protection to whistleblowers who go to the media, NOW's system will likely result in a mountain of lawsuits and prosecutions in court. "That is why we need some funds raised for legal fees. Most probably, we will be sued left, right [and] centre," Rafizi said.  Rafizi is experiencing the lack of whistleblower protection firsthand. "But we have to do it and take the risk. After all, the law is such that if you lodge a report with the MACC, for example, you have to submit all your evidence to them and you cannot speak to anyone else or go to anyone else. "If the MACC actually functions well, we would not need NOW. But does it?" he questioned. "So at this point, what we have are two choices: Either we live and work within the current framework of the WPA, which is used to suppress whistleblowing, or we prove to and convince the society that whistleblowing is actually good for the country. "We can show them that there is a support system from the non-governmental organisations and the civil society movement to hopefully increase pressure on the government to amend the Act," he said. Rafizi said another provision in the WPA renders the intention of the Act useless ― it stipulates that a whistleblower cannot break any other law when making his disclosure to the authorities. "So if the documents disclosed are confidential, even if you are revealing them to the authorities, you have no protection," he said. This is reflected in Rafizi's NFC court case, where he was charged for violating Section 97 of the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia) for exposing the confidential banking details of the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp), the firm that runs the NFC project. But the politician is determined to push forward with NOW, saying the centre must serve as a civil society movement to help spread awareness of the importance of whistleblowing as a "Malaysian culture" and increase pressure on the government to move legislative reforms. On this note, the politician said another primary objective of NOW was to be a legislative reform lobbyist and an "oversight" centre to make parliamentarians, governments and government-linked companies accountable for their actions. Whistleblowing, he said, was only 50 per cent of the centre's main work. "We need a centre like this now because if we rely on the government, we will continue to be stagnant. And the best way is to take the civil society route to it," he said. He pointed out that it was through decades of pressure from civil society movements that the government finally agreed to repeal the controversial British-enacted Internal Security Act 1960, which allows for detention without trial. "It has worked before. In this case, we want to change the way society views whistleblowing so that maybe five or six years down the road, there will be enough public pressure that no government can actually ignore it," he said. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/rafizis-now-centre-to-make-whistleblowing-malaysian-culture/ |
| Government has fulfilled all promises through NEP Posted: 29 Aug 2012 12:50 PM PDT
(Bernama) - The New Economic Policy (NEP) has managed to free Malays from the clutches of poverty and allowed them to be counted among the prominent entrepreneurs, professionals and corporate figures of the country. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's (UKM) Professor Dr Kamaruddin M. Said pointed out that the NEP is a development and socio-economic restructuring programme, geared towards eradicating poverty among the Malays as well as the Bumiputera people of the Sabah and Sarawak. |
| Posted: 29 Aug 2012 12:48 PM PDT
(The Diplomat) - Malaysians are right to protest the recent amendments that the government made to the Evidence Act of 1950. Although they deal specifically with the internet, the amendments could have wider implications on media freedom, democracy, and human rights. Section 114A of the bill seeks "to provide for the presumption of fact in publication in order to facilitate the identification and proving of the identity of an anonymous person involved in publication through the internet." In other words, the section makes it easier for law enforcement authorities to trace the person who has uploaded or published material posted online. According to the amended law, however, the originators of the content are those who own, administer, and/or edit websites, blogs, and online forums. Also included in the amendment are persons who offer webhosting services or internet access. And lastly, the owner of the computer or mobile device used to publish content online is also covered under section 114A. This means that a blogger or forum moderator who allows seditious comments on his or her site can be held liable under the law. An internet café manager is accountable if one of his or her customers sends illegal content online through the store's WiFi network. A mobile phone owner is the perpetrator if defamatory content is traced back to his or her electronic device. Critics of the amendment contend that under section 114A, a person is considered guilty until proven innocent. Their fear is not entirely baseless. Indeed, the Thai government has used a similar law to prosecute a blog moderator for an allegedly seditious comment which she approved to be posted on her website. The Malayisn government has rejected these criticisms with one cabinet member calling some of the objections "childish." The Centre for Independent Journalism was quick to denounce the provisions of the bill which went into effect at the end of last month. It warned that "internet users may resort to self-censorship to avoid false accusations made under Section 114A. Bloggers, for example, may excessively censor comments made by their readers. As a result, Section 114A inadvertently stifles public discussion about pertinent political or social issues and protects public authorities, such as the State, from public scrutiny." Internet users signed a petition opposing the amendments and lectured the government about the importance of allowing online anonymity to protect the identities of human rights and democracy advocates. But the amendments, according to the petition, "reduce the opportunity to be anonymous online which is crucial in promoting a free and open Internet. Anonymity is also indispensable to protect whistleblowers from persecution by the authorities when they expose abuses of power." When the petition was ignored by the government, netizens and media groups organized an online blackout on August 14, which succeeded in mobilizing thousands of internet users. The global attention which the action generated was likely what convinced the Prime Minister to agree to have the cabinet review the controversial amendments. Although this announcement was initially welcomed by opponents of the amendments, the Cabinet ultimately upheld the amended law. The amendments are supposed to empower authorities to prosecute people publishing seditious, libelous, and harmful content on the internet. But it doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to envision how these same authorities could abuse the law to restrict media freedom, violate the privacy of individuals, and curtail the human rights of ordinary internet users. |
| Courts sending out mixed signals over statutory rape Posted: 29 Aug 2012 11:57 AM PDT
(The Star) - NOW that their trials are over, former national youth squad bowler Noor Afizal Azizan can go on to fulfil the promise of his bright future and electrician Chuah Guan Jiu can focus on his fixed job and many years ahead. Through it all, no one spoke of the 13-year-old girl Noor Afizal took to a hotel to spend the night with, or the 12-year-old schoolgirl who was "coaxed" to go to her 21-year-old electrician boyfriend's flat instead of to school because he said he was too sick to take her. These were prepubescent girls who were deemed to have consented to sex with the older boys they were dating and Court of Appeal president Justice Raus Sharif wrote in his written judgment that Noor Afizal had not "tricked the girl into submitting to him". In the electrician's case, Sessions judge Sitarun Nisa Abdul Aziz also thought the "sexual act was consensual", even though DPP Lim Cheah Yit recounted how the girl had repeatedly asked Chuah to take her to school. If she did give consent, there was certainly trickery and fraud involved. The fact remains that the girls were 12 and 13, children barely out of primary school. They are not old enough to be able to legally buy cigarettes, or even obtain medical treatment if they had contracted sexual transmitted diseases. The law on statutory rape was meant to protect these very girls. Section 375(g) of the Penal Code states unequivocally that a man has committed statutory rape if he has sexual intercourse with a girl under 16 years of age, with or without her consent. It is rooted in the presumption that girls below 16 have not attained the mental maturity to consent to sex, and this law was enacted to protect children from abuse. It places the onus on those around her to not have sexual intercourse with her, even if she gives consent, because she is not deemed mature enough to give consent. In other words, the older guys should have known better. Noor Afizal and Chuah were found guilty of raping the underaged girls, but were not jailed. They were bound over for five years and three years respectively on a RM25,000 good behaviour bond. The public uproar has been over how these young men got away with a slap on the wrist, and how the emphasis has been on not blighting their future. Our teenagers are growing up inundated with overt sexual messages from the media and the Internet, without the benefit of a full-fledged sex education curriculum, or avenues to get answers. Clearly, our young people are having sex with each other but there is a line drawn by the law. And that is sex with girls below 16 – children – is off limits, even to their peers. By letting Noor Afizal and Chuah off lightly, are the courts sending out mixed signals? Are they saying these two girls – aged 12 and 13 – are capable of giving consent for sex, and are they saying future good behaviour is sufficient punishment for having sex with minors? What is the message that teenage boys and younger men are getting? At the root of it all, this is about protecting our children – boys and girls. A 12-year-old girl was lured by a man twice her age into his flat, and coaxed into having sex with him, and he got away with a promise to behave himself for the next three years. Where does that leave her? What about her worth? What are we doing for these two girls? How do we protect other naive young girls from being sweet-talked by an older teen into a sexual relationship if he knows he could be found guilty of statutory rape but walk away with a promise to behave? If we do not uphold unequivocally our intolerance of sex with underaged girls, what does that say about us?
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| Jho Low's RM4.9 mil 'proposal' to Taiwanese singer makes waves (UPDATED with video) Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:16 PM PDT
This time, the 30-year-old is the star of a video which features what is claimed to be an elaborate marriage proposal to Taiwanese singer Elva Hsiao. Hong Kong tabloid Apple Daily recently reported that a video had surfaced on popular video-sharing site Vimeo, titled 'Atlantis Engagement, Dubai', with the caption 'Surprise Engagement Proposal Rumoured To Cost Over £1m.' niiYU1KBuBw
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| Chinese businesses give Najib thumbs-down Posted: 28 Aug 2012 06:24 PM PDT
A survey conducted by the Chinese trade chambers also showed most are not happy with the minimum wage policy. Syed Jaymal Zahiid, FMT Chinese businesses have given Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's economic policies the thumbs-down, according to a survey conducted by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCIM). The report revealed that many of the community's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) or industries believe they have not benefited from the prime minister's economic initiatives despite the raft of reforms introduced since Najib took office in April 2009. "This has led to many respondents not believing that Malaysia is on its way to being successful in moving its economy out of the middle-income trap," said the survey. Najib had made the promise to drive Malaysia into a high-income economy by 2020 as one of his policies under the grand Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). The blueprint, which promises to strengthen and make the local market its primary drive, is seen as a key election push as Najib aims to score a stronger mandate at the upcoming national polls. His administration has so far managed to weather the global economic turmoil with a strong back-to-back growth that surpassed expectations, giving him the boasting rights against heavy opposition criticism that he has done little to improve the ailing economy. Negative performance Heavy government spending under the ETP – to create a strong local market to help offset dipping exports – was said to be a major factor behind Malaysia's steady growth. The ACCIM survey, however, said 73% of its respondents are discouraged by the country's economic outlook leading up to the 13th general election. Much of the survey indicated negative performance, and slowing demands and employment among the Chinese businesses. Close to half of the 374 respondents polled blamed it on weak government policies. "It should also be noted that despite efforts to transform the Malaysian economy, the effects and benefits appear to have not filtered down more significantly to the SMEs," said the survey. More than half of the respondents said they are pessimistic with this year and 2013′s economic outlook although they are cautiously optimistic for 2014. The ACCIM also urged the Najib administration to reconsider its minimum wage policy, with close to 60% of the respondents saying it would affect their businesses.
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| PAS intensifies push for hudud Posted: 28 Aug 2012 03:17 PM PDT
(The Star) - PAS is intensifying its push for the implementation of hudud law with more of its senior leaders coming out to say it is on their agenda. They said that it is no longer a question of whether hudud should be implemented but how it is to be enforced.  Datuk Mohd Nik Amar Nik Abdullah More than that, the leaders hope the non-Muslims would accept Islamic law in due course. Kelantan PAS deputy commissioner Datuk Mohd Nik Amar Nik Abdullah said: "Although only applicable to Muslims, it will be ideal if non-Muslims one day accept hudud and Islam jurisprudence towards the creation of a just society." Mohd Nik Amar, who is also a PAS central committee member, maintained that hudud would remain the clarion call of the party. PAS national unity bureau chairman Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said there should not be any dispute over hudud. "It is not whether hudud is right or wrong but how it can be implemented in a broader context to encompass Islamic principles of good governance," he said. "Not all Muslims may agree with hudud but I believe the majority of Muslims in the country want to see it implemented after seeing the failure of secular laws in dealing with crime," he added.  Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa On the opposition of the DAP to hudud, Dr Mujahid, who is Penang PAS deputy commissioner, said no party in Pakatan Rakyat could force its views on another. "As much as they cannot force us to abandon our ideals, we also cannot force them to accept ours," he said. The assertions on hudud came a day after PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu was quoted as saying that the party would propose constitutional amendments in Parliament to implement Islamic law if it forms the Federal Government. He later denied making the statement to Sin Chew Daily. In a related development, Terengganu PAS Youth chief Mohd Nor Hamzah said that hudud would be implemented in the state if the party captured it. Perak PAS Dewan Ulama chief Noz Azli Musa, meanwhile, said that the party had always been fighting for hudud and would continue to strive for it.
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| Discord in SNAP over BN membership Posted: 28 Aug 2012 03:11 PM PDT
According to SNAP secretary-general Frankie Nyumboi, the party has 'chosen to remain independent' but its president appears to have other ideas. Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: Sarawak National Party (SNAP) president Stanley Jugol and secretary-general Frankie Jurem Nyumboi appear to be on a collision course over the issue of SNAP returning to the fold of Barisan Nasional. Jugol wants SNAP to return to BN, while Nyumboi is against it. "If he insists I will resign because I disagree with the direction he is taking with the reasoning that SNAP officials may be appointed senators and to other government posts. "I do not subscribe to that brand of politics for personal gains and grandeur. "I believe in protecting the rights and autonomy of Sarawak under the 18-Point Agreement…," Nyumboi told FMT. He added that rumours that the party's recent central executive committee (CEC) meeting was stormy is not true. "The recent CEC meeting was not stormy except for my reminder that any change of policies must have the consent of the CEC members in accordance with the [party's] constitution, but he [Jugol] said that CEC had already agreed to return to BN. "This puzzled me and other CEC members," he said. Nyumboi said that Kebing Wan, SNAP deputy president and a couple of others, had expressed their disappointment at the unilateral decision of the president. "As far as I know, Kebing Wan cannot support BN because of the Baram dam issues," he said, pointing out that Jugol had the support of the immediate past president Edwin Dundang. 'Naughty rumours' The disagreement over the issue of returning to the BN fold is certain to undermine SNAP's preparations to contest in at least four seats in the coming general election. It has named Mas Gading, Lubok Antu, Saratok and Baram as the seats it wants to contest. Earlier in his statement, Nyumboi said that SNAP will remain as an opposition party and this position will continue until a new direction is decided by the CEC in accordance with the party's constitution. "There will be no about-turn on SNAP's position as an opposition party "Any rumours of SNAP being BN-friendly or rejoining BN are naughty rumours. Furthermore, the party abides by its constitution which does not allow unilateral decisions to be made on the party's policies. "The party has chosen to remain independent because it wants to voice out issues affecting Sarawak. "Among others there is the issue of non-fulfilment of the 18-Points Agreement, which has given rise to numerous policies and actions detrimental to Sarawak. "As a result, progress in structural and human development was painfully slow," he said, adding that SNAP is in a better position to address all these issues, because it is homegrown and does not need to report or answer to anyone else. Nyumboi said that SNAP is an old and a respectable political party that does not betray its members and supporters as well as its friends in the Borneo alliance with whom it shares a common Borneo agenda on the 18- and 20-Point Agreements. "If there is 'Jangi Ditepati', why is the 18-Point Agreement unfulfilled for 49 years?" he asked, referring to this year's Merdeka Day theme. "SNAP shall continue to provide Sarawakians with a channel to voice their dissatisfaction over their rights and autonomy," he said.
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| ‘Young Power’ wants Indian-based Pakatan party Posted: 28 Aug 2012 03:03 PM PDT
Fed up with way things are, a group of young Indians are planning to form an Indian-based component party in the opposition coalition. B. Nantha Kumar, FMT A group of young Indians are planning to form an Indian-based component party in Pakatan Rakyat. Talking to FMT, one of the members G Krishnan said they were fed-up with both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan leaders with regard to issues affecting the Indian community. "We call our group 'Young Power' and our goal is to help the Indian community become on par with the other races. Look at our nation. It is a Malay-dominated Chinese-controled nation," he added. He insisted that Young Power was not against the Malays and Chinese but focussed on upholding the rights of Indians. "It is unfair to talk about multi-racialism when the Indians live in deplorable conditions compared with other races," he added. Krishnan said that Young Power had been collecting feedback from community leaders regarding the possibility of forming a new party within the Pakatan framework. "We sent SMS to about 30 Indian Pakatan and BN elected reps, NGO leaders, businessmen, celebrities on Aug 25," he added. According to Krishnan, the response was positive with even DAP MPs welcoming the move. He said that on Aug 26 and 28, Young Power sent text messages to grassroots leaders, who also mostly backed the suggestion. Krishnan pointed out that there was only one Indian in Pakatan's 30-member council. "Is Pakatan going to say that there are no capable Indians to be members in the council. How many state chairmen or bureaus are headed by Indians in PKR or DAP?" he asked. "Do not ask why we [Young Power] did not raise the same issue with BN because we voted for Pakatan and not for BN in the last general-election," he said. "The issue is not not about how many seats Pakatan is going to give to the Indians but how are they going to treat the community," he added. Krishnan also said that Young Power had identified several business tycoons who were willing to fund their movement and more details would be made public soon.
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| ‘Unseen hands involved in leak’ Posted: 28 Aug 2012 02:50 PM PDT
The leaking of minutes of a private meeting between the Penang deputy chief minister (I) and Chinese representatives was the work of ambitious politicians within the party, claim some PKR insiders. Athi Shankar, FMT GEORGE TOWN: The unseen hands of some master plotters are at work again within the Penang PKR. This time the fall guy is Deputy Chief Minister (I) Mansor Othman. Those out to drive a wedge between DAP and PKR have succeeded to an extent. Minutes of a private meeting between Mansor and several Chinese representatives were published verbatim in a blog, namely Gelagat Anwar, in its June 16, 18 and 19 postings. Some insiders say the leak was to trap Mansor and expel him from the state PKR. The sabotage and back-stabbing is nothing new within the state PKR. Since the 2008 general election, there have been two other such cases. Internal politicking has resulted in Mohammad Fairus Khairudin been booted out as Penang deputy chief minister (I) and Penanti assemblyman in April 2009. Then Bayan Baru MP Mohd Zahrain Hashim was removed as state PKR chief in November 2009. In the latest episode, the leak revealed that Mansor had described Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as "cocky and arrogant". He had also said that Lim was revered like "tokong" (deity) by Chinese voters in Penang. Mansor's depiction of Lim as "cocky and arrogant" is not a surprise as there is no love lost between the two parties. Local PKR leaders have always felt marginalised under the DAP-helmed Pakatan Rakyat state government. Although Mansor denied saying "cocky and arrogant" in last Friday's press conference, the damage was already done. It's learnt that Mansor's colleagues in the state executive council have persuaded him to "eat humble pie" by reading out a prepared text before an army of pressmen. But if only Mansor had sought a second opinion from other PKR grassroots leaders, he could have avoided the embarrassing situation. Some party loyalists suggested that Mansor should have instead instructed those who attended the meeting to clear the air at a press conference. "It would have put the conspirators in an embarrassing situation instead," said insiders. Conspiracy to oust Mansor Mansor aside, the blog disclosed that PKR's state deputy chief and Batu Kawan division chief Law Choo Kiang, Bukit Bendera division deputy chief and island municipal (MPPP) councillor Felix Ooi Keat Hin, and Bayan Baru division appointed vice-chairman and MPPP councillor Tan Seng Keat attended the meeting Others at the meeting were PKR's 2004 general election candidate for Bayan Baru parliamentary and Batu Uban state seats Raymond Ong Ting Cheow; Tanjung Youth chief Ng Chek Siang; Batu Uban branch chief Cheah Peng Guan and Mansor's assistant John Ooi. They are representatives of an internal all-Chinese group called "Pasukan Keadilan". Party grassroots are now pointing accusing fingers at "Pasukan Keadilan" for the leak.
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| Musa remains our leader, says Umno man Posted: 28 Aug 2012 02:45 PM PDT
Umno insiders are warning of serious repercussions should Najib Tun Razak refuse to reinvigorate the BN in Sabah, which is fast losing support. Luke Rintod, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Umno has brushed off claims of a shake-up in the party and that its strongman Musa Aman could well be on the way out ahead of the crucial general election. Senior Sabah Umno leader, Masidi Manjun, quickly dismissed the news report in FMT as mere rumour, claiming even Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was impressed by Musa's performance, both as Umno head and chief minister. "Musa is doing an excellent job leading the party and the state government and the prime minister himself has complimented Musa's leadership," he said recently. "Sabah Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) are fully behind Musa to continue leading the state," he insisted when reporters asked him on the FMT article that the chief minister was marking time and could be replaced soon. Local newspapers here yesterday carried Masidi's denial prominently but party insiders whom FMT contacted insisted that many in Sabah Umno do not subscribe to the party line that Musa is doing an excellent job. Said one: "If Musa is doing an excellent job as Masidi claimed, how come leaders like Lajim Ukin and Wilfred Bumburing had left? Please explain too why the Kadazandusuns and Chinese and even more Muslims in Sabah are leaving BN?" According to the report, an increasingly embattled Umno could well be forced to do a rescue reshuffle in its "fix-deposit" Sabah's party hierarchy and state leadership. The rationale for the reshuffle getting the go-ahead from Najib is reportedly due to grumbling among the business community in the state as well as a series of high-profile defections from Umno as well as other BN parties. According to well-placed sources, the shake-up would involve Musa taking leave and either Masidi or Hajiji Mohd Noor acting as Sabah chief minister until the general election. However, talk of a shake-up in Sabah Umno is also being seen as a gambit by those close to another Sabah Umno strongman and Musa rival, Shafie Apdal, the current Semporna MP who is a trusted man of Najib, to eventually pave the way for him to helm the state. This is plausible but Umno insiders are warning of serious repercussions should Najib refuse to reinvigorate the BN in the state which is reportedly steadily losing the support of almost all the communities in the state. They claimed that party's interest must be put first and ahead of personal agenda and failure to do so would result in more defections as the election looms.
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| Suaram funded by US, Finland, Canada Posted: 28 Aug 2012 05:35 AM PDT
(Bernama) - Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) director Kua Kia Soong on Tuesday revealed that the non-governmental organisation has been receiving funds from foreign countries and individuals nationwide. He said the human rights group was being funded by countries, namely the United States, Finland and Canada, as well as some Malaysian state governments and individual donations. Kua, however, kept a close guard on the funding issue and the amount Suaram had so far received from funders and primary sponsors. "Do I really need to tell you where our funds come from? Why does everyone want to know where our funds come from?" he asked at the unvealing of the Malaysia Human Rights Report 2011 here. He also questioned a local Malay daily reporter whether he knew the daily's source of funding. Kua urged any party dissatisfied with the NGO to lodge a police report. In July, Suaram and its role as an independent NGO was questioned for being a recipient of annual allocations consistently from the US-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) since 2006. According to the AIDC portal, as stated in NED's annual report, Suaram had received a total amount of US$385,000 (RM1,218,328.65) for 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. Besides Suaram, other Malaysia-based NGOs being funded as listed by the NED include the International Republican Institute, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, Southeast Asian Press Alliance, Centre for Independent Journalism, Open Dialogue Centre and Mkini Dot Com. It had been widely reported that Suaram was not even registered as an NGO with the Registrar of Societies, instead it was registered as a company under the name of Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd with RM2 paid-up capital. Since then, Suaram has remained tight-lipped over allegations concerning its NGO status, and its source of funding.
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| PAS will not push ahead hudud law without majority support in Parliament: Hu Posted: 28 Aug 2012 05:27 AM PDT
(Sin Chew Daily) -- PAS Supporters Congress national chairman Hu Phang Chaw said PAS advocated the implementation of hudud law through democratic proceedings. In other words, if support from two thirds of MPs in the Parliament could not be secured in order to amend the Constitution to implement the hudud law, then it will be shelved. He said that was the decision of the party's political bureau. Hu pointed out that hudud law was a part of the Islamic penal code that could never be abolished, just like Buddhism's advocacy of vegetarianism and the Ten Commandments of Christianity, which must never be challenged. As such, he said PAS hoped to decide whether to implement the hudud law in the country through democratic proceedings. He said during a media conference this afternoon that he was recently appointed a member of the party's central political bureau, becoming the first ever non-Muslim in the party's 61-year history to have the opportunity of taking part in the party's decision-making mechanism. He believed the move showed that PAS was willing to accept the reality of Malaysia's plural society, and had thus adopted a more open and more plural political direction. The membership of PAS' political bureau, which has just been established recently, comprises the party's president, deputy president, four vice presidents, secretary-general, Youth national chairman, Wanita chairman, national chairman of PAS Supporters Congress, election bureau chairman and central strategy research centre chairman. Hu pointed out that other than the issue of hudud law, the political bureau also discussed Nasharudin Mat Isa's proposal that PAS withdraw from the opposition pact. He also said the party would organise a seminar in Selangor early September to seek public opinion on the party's policies so that these policies could be implemented for the well-being of all Malaysians if it won the next general election. He added that the chances of Pakatan taking the helm at Putrajaya was on the rise following changes in the political situation in East Malaysia and Johor. He also urged the MCA to stop instilling Islamophobia among the people from the hudud law in a bid to solicit support from Chinese voters. As a political party, he said MCA should instead highlight its own political ideologies and not persistently distort Islam just to win the election. He said MCA was playing with fire trying to fan up emotions among the Chinese community by using the hudud law, adding that this would kill any chance of MCA candidates in Malay constituencies because no one would tolerate his religion being insulted and sabotaged by other people. Besides, Hu also felt that the hudud law forum organised by MCA in the past was indeed a good beginning. He said MCA should organise more of such forums to allow the Chinese community and Muslims to look into this issue in a more macroscopic and rational approach. He said if needed he would be willing to help make arrangements for PAS leaders to meet up with their MCA counterparts and to hear their views on various issues.
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| Report confirmed by Mat Sabu before going into print Posted: 28 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT
(Sin Chew Daily) -- On the front page report on Tuesday, Sin Chew Daily reporter had on Monday repeatedly clarified with PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, who confirmed that his party indeed had the intention of implementing the hudud law through constitutional amendment in the Parliament if it won the next general election. However, he said the party had yet to discuss tabling of constitutional amendment in the Parliament. Online media have been playing up the news Tuesday morning that Mat Sabu had denied the report. We have, nevertheless, tried without success to contact Mat Sabu to get his further clarification on this matter. As a matter of fact, we called up Mat Sabu on Sunday and forwarded him the question, "Can you explain the remark made by PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang after the party's political and election bureau meeting on August , that PAS will implement the hudud law through democratic proceedings?" The above remark was made by Hadi Awang on the party's Harakah Daily website last Saturday (August 25). Mat Sabu replied, "Democracy is about forming the government through the ballot box. The amendment of any policy needs to go through the Parliament, and the support of two thirds of all MPs is required for constitutional amendment." As such, we based on the reply of Mat Sabu to come up with the headline news of the evening edition whereby Mat Sabu said PAS had decided to seek constitutional amendment in the Parliament to implement the hudud law if Pakatan Rakyat won the next general election. However, having learned that Mat Sabu denied to an English daily the report appearing on Sin Chew Daily, we called him again Monday afternoon to seek further clarification. Mat Sabu said, "What I was saying was any law that needed to be amended had to go through the Parliament. I did not mention hudud law." He also said PAS had not discussed tabling constitutional amendment in the Parliament. However, since we sought the explanation from Mat Sabu in relation to the remark made by party president Hadi Awang, so we asked him again whether his so-called "any law" would include the hudud law, and he said affirmatively, "Yes." We sought further clarification from him, "Can we say PAS indeed has the intention (memang berhasrat) to amend the Constitution to implement any law, including the hudud law, but then the party has yet to discuss tabling this motion in the Parliament?" He also replied affirmatively, "Yes, you can." As such, we changed the headline on the morning edition of Sin Chew Daily to: "Mat Sabu says PAS has intention to seek constitutional amendment in the Parliament in order to implement the hudud law if the party wins the next general election." PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub said when contacted Tuesday that the political bureau's meeting last Saturday had decided that all issues related to the hudud law could only be answered by the party president alone and as such, he was not in any position to answer the question. We tried again today (Tuesday) to call Mat Sabu for clarification, including ringing up Shamsuri Ahmad, political secretary for PAS president Hadi Awang, but unfortunately we still could not get the line through.
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| Janji Demokrasi gathering is definitely on Posted: 27 Aug 2012 06:08 PM PDT
The organisers have decided to ignore a police warning that the gathering would be considered illegal. Teoh El Sen, FMT The Janji Demokrasi gathering on the eve of Merdeka Day will go on despite a police declaration that it would be illegal. Gabungan Janji, the group organising the event, reiterated today that the gathering was being planned as a celebration of Independence Day, "not a demonstration, not a protest, and not a rally". "Gabungan Janji" translates as "Coalition of Promises" and "Janji Demokrasi" as "Promise of Democracy". Yesterday, referring to a statement by Gabungan Janji representative Maria Chin Abdullah, Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Zainuddin Ahmad denied that he had been vague about allowing or disallowing the gathering to go on. Several hours before that, there was a meeting between Dang Wangi police and Gabungan Janji and another group—the Preservation of Jalan Sultan Committee, which is planning a march in the city, also on the eve of Merdeka Day. Chin told a press conference afterwards that the meeting went well, adding that Zainuddin did not specifically say police was against the Janji Demokrasi gathering at Dataran Merdeka. She maintained that position today. She told FMT that police briefed the two groups about the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) and told them to maintain order during their events. Police "did not say yes or no" to the gatherings, she added. In the FMT interview yesterday, Zainuddin said Chin had given reporters the wrong impression that police were agreeable to the Dataran Merdeka gathering. He said he had made clear during the meeting that Janji Demokrasi would be in violation of Section 9 (1) of the PAA, which requires any group planning a gathering to notify police 10 days before the event. "Since that was not done, it is illegal under the law, and I did not allow it," he said. "But if they say they'll go ahead anyway, which I advised against, then I may have to take action based on public safety and order." Chin confirmed today that Zainuddin did mention Section 9. "He did talk about it, but not at the beginning of the meeting. I would still say it was a friendly meeting and that there was no clear answer." She called on the authorities to consider Janji Demokrasi as "part of the countdown" to the Merdeka Day anniversary. "Every year there is a countdown at Dataran Merdeka," she said. "Are they saying every year people must have approvals? I mean, is Zainuddin saying that everyone who appears at Dataran Merdeka must have that approval? "I'm going there just like any other citizen." Self-imposed conditions
About the PAA, she said: "We disagree with it, but that doesn't mean we'd violate it on purpose. "We've already put in so many conditions for ourselves. There is no elaborate programme except for Pak Samad (national laureate A Samad Said) reading a poem. That's about it. This is a very low-key event. Are the police saying we can't even wear yellow and celebrate Merdeka and be part of a national event?"
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| Pakatan: Sabah defections not party-hopping Posted: 27 Aug 2012 05:07 PM PDT
PKR's Tian Chua claims that Sabah MPs Lajim Ukin and Wilfred Bumburing 'resigned' from Barisan Nasional, so there was "no party-hopping." Syed Jaymal Zahiid, FMT Under fire for what has been described as a 'contradictory' stand on party-hopping, Pakatan Rakyat leader Tian Chua said today he saw no wrong in the recent 'defections' by two Sabah lawmakers. The PKR vice-president said the opposition pact are also against party-hopping but the defections of Umno's Beaufort MP Lajim Ukin and Tuaran UPKO MP Wilfred Bumburing were merely resignations following disillusionment with the ruling coalition's "failed" leadership. "They just don't believe in the Barisan Nasional leadership anymore so they resigned and said they would back Pakatan. That is not party hopping," Tian, who is also PKR's vice-president, told a press conference after the pact's secretariat meeting here. The duo's resignation from BN, followed by rumours of more possible resignations by lawmakers from the key state of Sabah, prompted some leaders from both sides of the political divide to call for an "anti-hopping" law. Pakatan component party DAP said it would try and introduce the law in Penang where they head the administration in a move seen as critical of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's ongoing move to court more defections. Sabah provides 25 out of the 222 parliamentary seats which makes it a crucial state to infiltrate for Pakatan in the upcoming polls. With the pact winning just a few seats less than BN in the landmark 2008 elections, Sabah, known as the ruling coalition's "fixed deposit", became the ruling coalition's saving grace next to Sarawak when it provided the majority it needed to maintain power. 'Hypocritical'
The party secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said his party's silence on Lajim and Bumburing's exit from their respective parties was "self-explanatory" of the DAP's position on the matter. But the move came under immediate fire with rivals accusing Lim of being hypocritical for his alliance with Anwar who was seen as the architect behind the Sabah defections.
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| AG to explain Section 114a: Nazri Posted: 27 Aug 2012 01:23 PM PDT
(The Sun) - The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has been asked to explain to the public the government's clarification over the confusion surrounding the controversial Section 114a of the Evidence Act. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Aziz told theSun however it is up to the AGC on how it intends to communicate to the people. "They are (already) engaging stakeholders, such as the Bar Council. "I have also arranged a meeting on Wednesday between (Umno Youth chief) Khairy Jamaluddin and the AGC as Khairy met me last week and requested for a meeting with the AGC," he said. Last week, Khairy had in a tweet called for the section to be revoked. This came after the Centre of Independent Journalism (CIJ) had organised Malaysia's first Internet Blackout Day on Aug 14. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak tweeted on the same day that the cabinet had been told to look into the legislation. However, a cabinet meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last week decided to maintain it. Critics and lawmakers from both sides of the divide have been lobbying for the law to be repealed after it came into force last month, stressing that internet users are now automatically presumed guilty for any offensive content posted through their registered networks, hand-held devices, blogs and web portals. It was reported that last Friday, the Bar Council had met the AG to discuss the amendments made to the Evidence Act. Nazri said there has been much confusion as many do not understand the legal terms of the amendment, and the matter is taken out of context. "People are free to talk but be more responsible, (don't cause) unsubstantiated fear," Nazri said. "I think most (people) who write (or talk) about this don't understand. It's not presumption of guilt. "It is presumption of fact and the safeguard is the court. If in any situation the court is convinced, only then the burden of proof will shift to the accused and he (the accused) can challenge this later through a balance of probabilities. "People who are legally trained will know that the threshold in rebutting on the balance of probability is very much lower than trying to prove beyond reasonable doubt. "But if you come and say you don't trust the court, then there is nothing I can do because in any developed country, the court is the arbiter of all this... You need to trust the court … If you come up to me and say you don't trust the court, then you are being childish," he said. Citing the case of Umno Youth where a seditious message was posted on a Facebook page created in Umno Youth's name, Nazri said since the wing has lodged a police report the presumption of probability has shifted. Nazri reiterated that the amendment was meant to protect the country's security, adding that people must look at the spirit of amendment as a whole as 114a is to complement the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, Penal Code (amendment) Act 2012 and Criminal Procedure Code (amendment) (No2) Act 2012. He added that people should be more responsible and prudent, especially when lending their smartphones or gadgets to others. Asked on the presumption that even the owner of a coffee shops or outlets that offered a free Wi-Fi facility could be presumed to have published an online publication originating from a computer using the Wi-Fi facility, Nazri said it does not automatically mean that the owner will be charged. "The only thing that will happen is that we will get your cooperation to trace to the person (who allegedly posted matters deemed seditious), we are not going to charge you because someone else used your Wi-Fi facility," he said, rubbishing claims that the amendment curtails people's freedom. |
| Johor cop jailed, fined RM1.7m for money laundering Posted: 27 Aug 2012 04:15 AM PDT
(Bernama) - A police superintendent was today sentenced to two years jail for each of the four counts of money laundering by the Sessions Court here. Azmi Osman, 55, was also fined RM1.75 million for the offences committed between 2002 and 2005. Johor Baru Sessions Court Judge Salawati Djambari ordered the sentence on Azmi to run concurrently after finding him guilty under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001. Salawati later allowed Azmi to be freed on RM900,000 bail in two sureties and a stay of execution pending an appeal on the decision. In November last year, Johor Baru High Court Judge Datuk Abdul Halim Aman had set aside the decision of the Sessions Court and directed the case to be transferred back to the Sessions Court in which Salawati had acquitted Azmi following the failure of the prosecution to prove a prima facie against the accused. Azmi, who is currently suspended from duty, was alleged to have committed the four offences of money laundering totalling RM3.8 million between 2002 and 2005 when he was an officer of the Secret Societies, Gambling and Vice Division in Johor. For the first and second charges, the accused was alleged to have received RM2.08 million and RM679,850 proceeds from money laundering through his Maybank current account in Mentakab, Pahang between February 6 and December 20, 2002 as well as January 15 and October 2 in 2003. For the third and fourth charges, he was alleged to have received RM941,930 and RM250,000 for the same activity through another Maybank current account at the City Square Shopping Centre, Johor Baru on January 13, 2004 and April 5 in 2005, respectively. Prosecution was conducted by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission deputy public prosecutors Hazril Harun and Mohd Farez Abd Rahman while the accused was represented by Adam Yap and CN Sritharan.
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| ‘Suspend all who attended meeting’ Posted: 26 Aug 2012 09:23 PM PDT
The recent leak of a closed-door meeting involving Penang DCM Mansor Othman was a 'clear act of sabotage', claims PKR. Athi Shankar, FMT GEORGE TOWN: PKR's top brass must immediately suspend those who attended the now leaked closed-door unofficial meeting with state chairman Mansor Othman, pending a probe on their alleged internal misconduct. State PKR information chief Johari Kassim insisted that the leadership should not hesitate to sack any of them if found guilty as charged in the internal investigation. He said the leak was a clear act of sabotage on the party that the central leadership cannot ignore and step aside. He said it was obvious that one or more among them could have leaked out the information to serve own selfish interests and the party disciplinary committee must act fast to punish them. "Obviously the culprits who leaked the meeting details did not hold dear the party's best interests. "All those who attended the meeting should be hauled up to the dock and suspended immediately pending investigation. "If anyone is found guilty, sack instantly to teach others a lesson. It's the best way to deal with it or else it will happen again," warned Johari. Lim 'cocky and arrogant' The meeting was held in May in Mansor's DCM office in Komtar. In the leaked details, Mansor had allegedly described Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng as "cocky and arrogant". However, last Friday, Mansor denied describing Lim as "cocky and arrogant" but admitted saying that Lim was being revered like a "tokong" (deity) by Chinese voters in Penang. In its postings in June 16, 18 and 19, the blog revealed that PKR's state deputy chief and Batu Kawan division chief Law Choo Kiang; Bukit Bendera division deputy chief Felix Ooi; Bayan Baru deputy chairman Tan Seng Keat; 2004 candidate for Bayan Baru parliament seat Raymond Ong; Tanjung Youth chief Ng Chek Siang; Batu Uban branch chief Cheah Peng Guan and Mansor's assistant John Ooi attended the meeting. Party insiders and political observers view the controversy as part of a conspiracy by certain PKR local reps to kick out Mansor from state PKR altogether.
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| Police disallow Janji Democracy Posted: 26 Aug 2012 09:20 PM PDT
It will violate Peaceful Assembly Act, says top Dan Wangi cop. Teoh El Sen, FMT Police today declared as illegal the Bersih-linked Promise of Democracy (Janji Democracy) gathering to be held at Dataran Merdeka on the eve of Merdeka Day. Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Zainuddin Ahmad has told the organisers to cancel it and warned the public against participating in it. Speaking to FMT, Zainuddin said the statements made this afternoon by Maria Chin Abdullah, a representative of the Coalition of Promises (Gabungan Janji), were inaccurate. Chin's statements came after the group had a dialogue with the police chief. "I did not give them the green light actually, if that was the impression given [in her press conference]," he said. "In fact, the first words that came out of my mouth were that they had already violated the law." He said that under Section 9(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, the organisers should have submitted an official notification to the police of their gathering 10 days before the event. "Since that was not done, it is illegal under the law, and I did not allow it. But if they said they would go ahead anyway, which I had advised against, then I may have to take action based on public safety and order," he said. Asked if anyone would be charged with the violation, he replied: "We shall see. If they The law provides for a maximum fine of RM10,000. Asked if police would make arrests, Zainuddin said it was possible under the law. "We will monitor it," he said. "We have the right to detain or take action against those who break the rules." He added that under Section 83 and 84 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which deals with unlawful assemblies, the police were empowered to order the dispersal of such assemblies and use reasonable force if such orders were ignored. He said that so far no police station in the Dang Wangi district had received any complaint against the gathering. Asked if he accepted the group's argument that the gathering was simply to celebrate Merdeka, Zainuddin said the group was obviously promoting Bersih, which "has done all sorts of things". Referring to plans by the Preservation of Jalan Sultan Committee (PJSC), Zainuddin said the group was celebrating their community and heritage and he did not see any problems arising from them having a gathering. However, he said this group too would be breaching Section 9(1).
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| Senator Syed Husin Ali sued over alleged defamation in book Posted: 26 Aug 2012 09:14 PM PDT
(NST) - Kulim-Bandar Baru member of parliament Datuk Zulkifli Noordin has sued Senator Dr Syed Husin Ali over alleged defamation contained in the latter's Malay language book entitled 'Memoir Perjuangan Politik Syed Husin Ali'. Zulkifli, who filed the suit through Messrs Kamarul Hisham and Hasnal Rezua on Friday, alleged in his statement of claim that the book implied that he had agreed to resign as Kulim Bandar Baru MP in order to allow Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest in a by-election. He further alleged that the words in the book implied that he had asked Parti Keadilan Rakyat for RM60,000 to vacate the seat and that he had conspired with Umno to gain politically and financially by smearing PKR and Anwar. Zulkifli added that the allegations were not true and had damaged his reputation. He is claiming for general, exemplary and aggravated damages and an injunction to stop the defendant from re-producing the said words. Zulkifli's lawyer Hasnal Rezua told reporters yesterday that this suit emanated from the defamation suit filed by Syed Husin against Zulkifli and two others earlier this year. In that suit, Syed Husin alleged that Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd and its editor in chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Izhak had, with malicious intent, published words defamatory to him in an article dated Nov 20, 2011 headlined, "Zul Noordin nafi dakwaan Syed Husin" (Zul Noordin denies allegation by Syed Husin). Syed Husin had also claimed that Zulkifli had posted the same article in his personal website although under a different heading, "Anjing-anjing Pencen" (Retired Dogs). Yesterday, Hasnal and Syed Husin's lawyer N. Surendran, met High Court judge Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera in chambers for case management. The suit by Syed Husin against Zulkifli, Utusan Malaysia and Abdul Aziz is fixed for trial on Thursday. |
| DAP says has always been against defections Posted: 26 Aug 2012 04:53 PM PDT
Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Lim Guan Eng today deflected criticisms of hypocrisy against the DAP's plan to enact anti-hopping laws in Penang, insisting that the party has always been against defections as a means to gain political power. The DAP secretary-general acknowledged that in Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) September 16 takeover attempt in 2008, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had pre-empted Barisan Nasional's (BN) fall in Putrajaya through mass defections into PR, but said that even then, the DAP had been against the idea of using crossovers to wrest federal power. "This was suggested by Anwar, when he mentioned the disillusionment of some MPs but DAP's position is clear. "Anyone can jump parties but it is important that there should be a fresh mandate," Lim said today. The September 16 affair led by Anwar has continued to haunt the federal opposition, and was raised again recently when Lim's DAP-led administration in Penang proposed an anti-hopping law to prevent such crossovers. Lim repeated today that his government's proposal would not curb an individual's right to free association under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution as it does not forbid the individual from joining another party. What is most important, he said, was to uphold the democratic right of voters by allowing the electorate to re-elect their representative if a parliamentarian or assemblyman decides to switch political camps. The Bagan MP questioned BN's rejection of the DAP's anti-hopping law proposal, suggesting that this meant the ruling pact was still keen on trading elected representatives to help them gain political power when needed. Lim again cited the case of Perak, which saw a shift in government in 2009 from PR to BN when two PKR and one DAP assemblymen left their respective parties to become BN-friendly independents. "Why does BN refuse to have this anti-hopping law? Do they still want to trade in defections?" he asked. The DAP's proposal in Penang has been met with harsh criticism from several BN leaders, with MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek sniping at the party for maintaining silence when PR welcomed defectors from BN into its fold. The most recent case was the crossover of two senior Sabah BN MPs — Datuk Seri Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing and Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin — who left their posts in BN to form PR-friendly political movements in the east Malaysian state. But Lim pointed out today that the DAP has not made any direct statements regarding the duo's twin defections, insisting again that the party was still opposed to crossovers that do not result in re-elections. "We have not commented on their decisions. We have only said that there should be an anti-hopping law. "By leaving BN, it just shows that they have lost confidence in the prime minister and the Sabah chief minister... but what we add is this — let us have an anti-hopping law," he said. Asked if the DAP planned on raising the issue in the PR leadership council to push for similar laws to be enacted in all PR-led state governments, Lim said: "Let us start with Penang first. Let this be the first step." He said the DAP's proposal in Penang will soon be formalised during the next state executive council meeting.
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| Posted: 26 Aug 2012 04:39 PM PDT
(Bernama) - The Selangor Government's policy of giving free water over the last four years is unwise and non-sustainable, says an academic. Prof Dr Suhaimi Abdul Talib said the policy had resulted in shrinking revenue for the state that would have been useful for improving infrastructure facilities. "Although free water looks good as a short-term gain, from the long-term view we are not educating the people to value water," he said in an interview. Dr Suhaimi, who is assistant vice-chancellor for Development, Facilities Management and ICT of Universiti Teknologi Mara, warned that "we don't have the luxury of infinite supply of water. We have to realise that our sources of water are depleting simply on account of a sharp increase in demand." He said the state would also come to a stage where it could no longer draw raw water from outside sources and new sources of water would have to come from how it could manage its own internal sources best. Dr Suhaimi said he was against a free water policy because the question of affordability was not an issue. "If we have to pay our water bill at RM40 per month, what is RM40? Your kids spend more than RM40 on their (handphone) prepaid (bills). So it's not a question of affordability. We should be paying for our water." Dr Suhaimi said the people of Selangor must be made to change their perception on water by appreciating the true value of water and this could not be done as long as they get free water. "The people of Selangor must use water wisely so that each resident can reduce consumption by 20%. This means the capacity at our reservoirs can increase accordingly by 20%. This is something that we have overlooked." Dr Suhaimi explained that if a water tariff increase was inevitable, it had to be justified and with the agreement of the government. He said water, being a basic necessity for everyone, should not be given free because it would mean that the precious commodity did not have a value.
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| Anwar urged to resolve dispute over allocation of seats Posted: 26 Aug 2012 04:11 PM PDT
(The Star) - Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should step in and resolve the alleged dispute between PKR and DAP over seat allocation in Penang for the coming general election, said Penang Malay Congress president Rahmad Isahak. "It has become clear that segments in PKR do not like the overbearing style of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng based on the transcript of a conversation among PKR leaders. "This is not some NGO or Barisan Nasional making callous remarks. It came supposedly from within the Pakatan Rakyat ranks - allegedly from Penang PKR chairman Datuk Mansor Othman," he said. Rahmad was referring to the news reports which quoted Mansor as describing Lim as "cocky, arrogant and tokong (deity)", in what was apparently a leaked citation from a conversation with other Chinese PKR leaders here. He said the congress was not bothered by the name-calling or the alleged criticism of Lim, as it was part of politics. "What's important is that Anwar must be aware that there is a declining interest within PKR over the need to field more Malay candidates." The congress is said to be an impartial civil movement entity, but Rahmad stressed that it was formed to uphold the Malay political rights in Penang which he claimed had eroded.
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| DAP recruits political analyst Posted: 26 Aug 2012 04:05 PM PDT
(The Star) - DAP has welcomed more new recruits to the party, including political analyst Dr Ong Kian Ming and oil and gas engineer Yeo Bee Yin. Both University of Cambridge graduates, Ong and Yeo are one of the few high-profile young professionals that the party has been aggressively recruiting. Ong in particular is famed for his political analysis published in Malaysiakini, apart from his day job as a lecturer at UCSI University. In announcing their entry, party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said Ong will be helping him in the party's election strategy while Yeo, will be assisting DAP in crafting social media strategies in their effort to woo young voters. Meanwhile, in the press conference here Monday, Lim said the party will be pressing on with its effort to legislate anti-party hopping laws in Penang. "We're not denying the basic human rights in their freedom of association. But we are talking about the democratic choice of the voters who have voted for the party," he said.
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| Guan Eng denies DAP at war with PAS Posted: 26 Aug 2012 03:33 PM PDT
The DAP secretary-general was responding to the public spat between his party chairman Karpal Singh and PAS heavyweight Nasharuddin Mat Isa over hudud. Syed Jaymal Zahiid, FMT DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today denied that his party is at war with its Islamic ally PAS over hudud. "No, its business as usual," said the Penang chief minister when asked by reporters if the public spat between DAP chairman Karpal Singh and former PAS No 2 Nasharuddin Mat Isa had driven a deeper wedge between the two parties. Karpal is mulling to sue Nasharuddin after he accused the DAP leader's staunch anti-hudud stand as being "anti-Islam". The hatchet over PAS' plan to implement the controversial Islamic penal law was again unearthed after Nasharuddin criticised the party for what he described as a subservient posture and said he would continue to speak out on the subject. Nasharuddin had first made the statement during a controversial meeting with Saudi Arabia's ulamas in the presence of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and repeated his criticism upon returning to Malaysia two weeks ago. The meeting drew accusations of disloyalty from within PAS since Nasharuddin had suggested that he was prepared to break ranks in pursuit of implementing hudud. Some claimed that the former PAS deputy president's statement was aimed at creating internal friction and was engineered by Umno.
The federal opposition bloc had been forced to contain the damage over the long-standing hudud debate several times following PAS' insistence that the law would remain as part of its core agenda. The pact then agreed that hudud was no longer an issue after the Islamist party said it would respect the Common Policy Framework that excluded implementing the Islamic penal law. Lim said Karpal's plan to sue Nasharuddin was done on his own accord and had nothing to do with the party. "I think we should just leave what Karpal said to himself," he added.
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| Guan Eng continues to push for anti-hopping law Posted: 26 Aug 2012 03:27 PM PDT
Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng says the anti-hopping law proposal will be formalised to include views from other fellow Pakatan Rakyat state reps. Syed Jaymal Zahiid, FMT KUALA LUMPUR: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng will go ahead with his "anti-hopping" law enactment plan, even though it will go against Anwar Ibrahim's pursuit of more defections in Sabah. Lim said that he will bring his plan to the state's top-level meeting to formalise a proposal. Lim had announced the proposal last week, a move that drew flak from the ruling coalition who described the move as hypocritical when the opposition leader, his ally, is openly courting lawmakers in the key state of Sabah ahead of national polls. Two Barisan Nasional MPs, one of them a deputy minister, had recently resigned from the ruling coalition citing as reasons their disillusionment with Putrajaya's inability to deal with the state's longstanding illegal migrants issue. While Umno's Beaufort parliamentarian Lajim Ukin is vague about his political leaning, Upko's Tuaran representative Wilfred Bumburing said he will be campaigning for the federal opposition bloc Pakatan Rakyat. Anwar was believed to have engineered the defections. The PKR de facto leader also said that more "surprises" are expected in the near future. Lim was questioned on his position on the defections but avoided criticising it openly, saying the DAP's silence on the two defections is "self-explanatory". "Have we commented on that? I believe that is self-explanatory," the Bagan MP told a press conference at the party's headquarters here. Legal blockade Pakatan leaders had said that any proposals for new policies will have to observe its binding Common Policy Framework which adheres to only what is provided in the Federal Constitution. The anti-hopping law is not one of them. Lim's decision will only be proposed in Penang where his party controls two-thirds of the state's legislative assembly. He said there are no plans to raise this with Pakatan's top leadership.
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| Why re-negotiate oil deal in private? Posted: 26 Aug 2012 03:13 PM PDT
Why is Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, who has been silent about the 5% oil royalty for the past 30 years, keen to look at the issue again? Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: Sarawak opposition has questioned the need for secrecy in the re-negotiations of the existing oil agreement with the federal government. "I am curious to know as to why Chief Minister [Taib Mahmud] should think royalty negotiations are better done in private. Why is that so?" asked Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian. Bian, who is a senior lawyer and Ba Kelalan assemblyman, said oil and gas issue was of public concern. "The oil and gas in Sarawak is not the property of the chief minister – it belongs to all the people of Sarawak, hence we have a right to know what is being discussed. "We want to know what the chief minister intends to do about it… we would like to remind him that he is a servant of the people and is accountable to them," Bian said. He pointed out that Sarawak has been lagging behind the Peninsula in every aspect including roads and infrastructure, education, healthcare, jobs, transport, industry and development. "One could say that Peninsular Malaysia and many individuals have prospered or benefited via Petronas at our expense. "Sarawakians now say kini masa balas budi to quote a line from the infamous Barisan Nasional Merdeka theme song 2012. "The former prime minister (Dr Mahathir Mohamad), in a Freudian slip, had referred to the current administration as the 'devil' and the opposition as the 'angel'. That in itself says it all. "I trust that the rakyat are astute enough to judge for themselves whether to choose more of the same or to give themselves the hope of a better and brighter future with the Pakatan Rakyat," he said. Why now Taib?
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| ‘Musa making same mistake as Harris’ Posted: 26 Aug 2012 02:44 PM PDT
Neither Chief Ministers, Musa Aman nor Taib Mahmud, have any right to re-negotiate the states' oil rights; "only" the respective State Legislative Assemblies can do that. Joseph Bingkasan, FMT KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Barisan Nasional government will be making the same 'mistake' it did more than 30 years ago by agreeing to negotiate its oil rights with the federal government, a politician here has warned. Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Liawan vice-chairman Joseph Wilfred Lakai said today that there was no necessity to re-negotiation terms between the East Malaysian states and federal government on the Petroleum Agreement 1976 . "Why should Sabah and Sarawak renegotiate the Petroleum Agreement when even in the first agreement Malaya did not honour the terms?" He said that being the main producers of oil, Sabah and Sarawak should rightly be the sole beneficiary of the oil income. Lakai claimed that the terms of the agreement are not only lopsided but grossly unfair to the oil-producing states. He said records showed that in 1976 Sabah and Sarawak's right to their oilfields were signed away for just 5% "royalty" which seems not to be what it really is. "Malaya did not honour the agreement and all the other agreements including the 20 Points Malaysia Agreement for Sabah and 18 Points Malaysia Agreement for Sarawak. Malaya had repudiated the terms. "Sabah and Sarawak are not bound by these Agreement to the extent where they are entirely for the benefit of Malaya. If these agreements are voided then Sabah and Sarawak are free from all the legal lies with Malaya," he told FMT today. Lakai, a pilot, accused the Malaya-centric government of acting as a colonial master by annexing, Malayanising and looting Sabah and Sarawak since 1963 to fulfill its objective to create a "Greater Malaysia". "Today, both the Chief Minister of Sabah and Sarawak wants to re-negotiate…(but) the issue is that the petroleum belongs to the people not the leaders. "They have no right to re-negotiate on behalf of the people," Lakai said. He pointed out that only the State Legislative Assembly of both states have that power to re-negotiate on this matter. What about export tax? "Who collects the export tax? Why does Sabah and Sarawak have no say to the export tax? What about tax on petroleum products into Sabah and Sarawak? Why is Sabah and Sarawak not getting any of it," Lakai said. On the 5% royalty Sabah and Sarawak are now being paid by the federal government, Lakai said it was never a royalty but total sale based on FOB. "The global petroleum and gas price for the last two decades was excellent. Why does the amount paid to the state government remain constant," he said. Meanwhile, the SAPP leader agreed with Sabah State Reform Party (STAR) chief Jeffrey Kitingan that the 5% is a cash payment payable by Petronas under Section 4 of the Petroleum Development Act, 1974 and had nothing to do with royalties.
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| Merdeka ‘no relevance’ to Sabah, Sarawak Posted: 26 Aug 2012 02:24 PM PDT
The true 'National Day is Sept 16, according to Sabah opposition STAR as that was when Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya committed themselves to a 'common identity. Michael Kaung, FMT RANAU: The federal government should stop duping Sabah and Sarawak into celebrating Merdeka Day when the 55th anniversary had "no relevance" to the two states, STAR Sabah chairman Jeffrey Kitingan said. "How can these leaders continue to twist history to suit their political interests without considering our feelings and the truth? "How could they [federal government] insist we must celebrate Malayan independence which has no relevance to Sabah and Sarawak?" asked Kitingan when launching STAR's Kundasang zone in Pinampadan near here. He said what was important and relevant to Sabah and Sarawak is their own independence – July 22, 1963 for Sarawak and Aug 31, 1963 for Sabah – and that of Malaysia Day or the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963. "This date – Sept 16, 1963 – is the true 'National Day' that gives all three territories of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak, a common identity as Malaysians", said Jeffrey. He said that by continuing to impose Malaya's version of history on Sabahans and Sarawakians, "the government is alienating the two territories". "By insisting that Malaysia is 55 years old now and not 49, the federal government is sending the wrong message to the people. "Firstly, what the government is doing is teaching the people how to lie and manipulate the facts of history. "Secondly, the Peninsula-controlled federal government is now telling Sabahans and Sarawakians [intentionally or not] that Malaysia was nothing more than a 'takeover' project for Malaya and that Sabah and Sarawak are now Malayan states/territories so they [Sabah and Sarawak] must now adopt Malayan historical independence," he said.
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| British paper fires pro-Israel columnist over undisclosed Malaysia news fixing Posted: 26 Aug 2012 01:18 PM PDT
Trevino reportedly called a Gaza flotilla a 'Nazi convoy'. — Picture courtesy of globalpost.com British newspaper The Guardian has terminated the services of conservative American columnist Joshua Trevino as its United States correspondent over his alleged relationship with a company implicated in a news-fixing campaign financed by the Malaysian government and for running a website that attacked Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and other opposition interests here. In a short statement issued over the weekend, the newspaper said it had recent learned that Trevino "was a consultant for an agency that had Malaysian business interests and that he ran a website called Malaysia Matters. In keeping with the Guardian's editorial code this should have been disclosed." Trevino had recently been hired by The Guardian to be its conservative columnist in the United States. His appointment drew a firestorm of protests from liberal activists after it emerged he had urged Israel to shoot at the humanitarian flotilla in 2011 that was seeking to break its naval blockade of Gaza. When boats carrying unarmed civilian activists attempted in June 2011 to break the blockade of Gaza, Treviño tweeted out a message to the Israeli army: "Dear IDF: If you end up shooting any Americans on the new Gaza flotilla — well, most Americans are cool with that. Including me." Trevino also reportedly called the flotilla a "Nazi convoy." The Guardian made no mention of the criticisms, but instead pointed to Trevino's previous ties with an "agency" it did not name but is alleged to be FBC Media, the now-defunct company at the centre of the Malaysia news-fixing scandal involving broadcasters BBC and CNBC last year. "Under our guidelines, the relationship between Joshua and the agency should have been disclosed before the piece was published in order to give full clarity to our readers," said Janine Gibson, editor-in-chief, Guardian US. In response Trevino said: "I vigorously affirm that nothing unethical was done and I have been open with the Guardian in this matter. Nevertheless, the Guardian's guidelines are necessarily broad, and I agree that they must be respected as such." Trevino is a well-known conservative commentator and a former speechwriter in the President George W. Bush administration. He has reported extensively in the past few years on Anwar's Sodomy II trial on his Malaysia Matters website, which is now defunct. Trevino had also frequently criticised Anwar in his other columns in other publications such as the Huffington Post. FBC Media, the company alleged to have been referred to by The Guardian, made eight programmes for the BBC about Malaysia while failing to declare it was paid £17 million (RM85 million) by the Malaysian government for "global strategic communications" which included positive coverage of Malaysia's controversial palm oil industry. The BBC also used FBC to make a documentary about the spring uprising in Egypt without knowing the firm was paid to do PR work for the regime of former dictator Hosni Mubarak. The BBC was forced to make a public apology over the matter. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/british-paper-fires-pro-israel-columnist-over-ties-with-malaysia/
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