Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- RM400, 000 for a dinner that was attended by Anwar Ibrahim and rich tycoons
- DAP: Punishing teens will torch BN’s non-Malay support
- UN rep: OK for NGOs to get foreign funding
- Suaram firm to face 5 CCM charges, says minister
- Time to re-define development
- Soliciting money: ‘Wipe out this scam’
- ‘Clones’ likely ruined Malaysia’s Twitter record bid, says research house
| RM400, 000 for a dinner that was attended by Anwar Ibrahim and rich tycoons Posted: 08 Sep 2012 05:54 AM PDT
(Kuala Lumpur Post) - A whopping RM400,000 for a fund-raising gala dinner? According to blogger Yuseri Yusoff, that was the amount spent on Malam Gala Keadilan 2012, a PKR fund-raising dinner which was held in May. The blogger has also attached a formal letter sent by PKR's president Datuk Sri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to the event organising chairman Datuk Dr Tan Tee Kwong, seeking clarification and financial details. "RM400, 000 for a dinner that was attended by PKR top leadership and rich tycoons, is that not a big waste? "Its an irony as they (PKR) have always been accusing Barisan Nasional (BN) for being lavish and for wasting people's money, but now they are the ones doing it. Where did the money come from…from Anwar (PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim)'s salary of RM1 per month as Selangor's economic advisor? the blogger questioned. Meanwhile, Anwar, as reported in a pro-opposition blog Merah Tinta MSO, had praised the organisers for the event. The blogger said that Anwar, in his fiery opening speech, had slammed the BN-led federal government and federal institutions. He had also singled out the Royal Malaysian Police force for allegedly not handling the Bersih rallies accordingly. Another blog, Gelagat Anwar, pointed out that the fund-raising dinner was meant to raise sympathy from the people and also to boost up Anwar's declining popularity. PKR vice-president Tian Chua, when contacted, claimed that the fund raising dinner was successfull due to the high turn-out. Asked about the details of the expenditure, Tian Chua kept it short: "All the fund raised were from private firms and individuals. The difference nowadays is that many big corporate players are willing to support us". Other top PKR leaders refused to comment on the matter.
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| DAP: Punishing teens will torch BN’s non-Malay support Posted: 08 Sep 2012 05:50 AM PDT
Teenager Ong Sing Yee reacts after offering her apology for stepping on the pictures, during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur September 6, 2012.—Picture by Saw Siow Feng Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Lim Guan Eng today suggested that Barisan Nasional's (BN) harsh treatment of those responsible for last week's Merdeka Day misadventures despite a failure to address similar transgressions by hardliners in Umno and Perkasa will alienate its non-Malay support. The DAP secretary-general said the action will also serve to highlight the government's apparent bias after having ignored unruly behaviour displayed previously by to Malay right wingers. Lim pointed out that unlike the political leaders, the youths who mooned over or trampled on photographs of the country's leaders and raised a pre-independence flag during last week's Merdeka Day celebrations had not committed the acts with malicious intent. "But this Perkasa... they are extremists. These youths, they just want to have fun, they do not know what they are doing. "But others, they have done this three, four times. Not only stepping and burning photographs but even performing Hindu funeral rites for me. This is not just an insult to the Hindus but also to the Muslims," he said in a press conference in Penang earlier today. The Bagan MP pointed out that unlike the young mischief makers, several of whom have apologised for their actions over the week, those from Perkasa and other pro-Umno supporters have yet to come forward to do the same. Despite this, Lim said the authorities appeared overly determined to throw the book at the youths, even opening a probe against them under the Sedition Act, a law that the government has promised it will repeal soon. He urged the government to have a "big heart" and accept the apologies offered by the two teenagers over the picture-stomping incident, saying it was punishment enough their actions were heavily publicised. In a separate statement here, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang suggested the same, and urged a Cheras-based private college to reverse its decision to expel one of the teenagers, the 19-year old boy from Batu Pahat. "This incident just shows that Perkasa is Umno and Umno is Perkasa. Clearly, they do not need the non-Malay votes," Guan Eng said. "The way they behave... BN does not need the non-Malay votes, they do not want the non-Malay votes and I think this message has been passed throughout Malaysia." Other opposition politicians have railed against the authorities for the speed with which they have reprimanded the youths for the incident, noting a failure to do the same against pro-Umno, pro-BN and Perkasa activists who previously committed the comparable offences. Malay right wing group Perkasa had in May this year organised a mock funeral for Lim. The group's leaders, as well as other pro-Umno activists have also held numerous protests where the photographs of prominent Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders and civil society activists like Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan were trampled on or even torched. Shortly after the April 28 Bersih rally in the city, a group of army veterans had also performed butt exercises outside Ambiga's home.
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| UN rep: OK for NGOs to get foreign funding Posted: 07 Sep 2012 06:37 PM PDT
Even the Malaysia government received foreign funding but nobody has accused it of being a 'foreign agent', argues United Nations Special Rapporteur, Maina Kiai. Teoh El Sen, FMT There is nothing wrong for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to receive foreign funding, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, Maina Kiai, said today. The prominent human rights activist and lawyer from Kenya said that if governments and businesses can receive foreign funding, the same standards should also be applied to NGOs or associations. "If the work of an association demands funding, there should no restriction about funding, whether domestic or international," he said at a forum here about international standards and practices in exercising freedom of assembly and association. "Just the same way government receive funding… I know Malaysia received a lot of foreign funding in its early days, it should now be a provider of funding. Nobody accused the government of being a "The same standards that apply to the state, must also be extended to NGOs or businesses. I can bet you that more than half of these companies access foreign funding, that's the way the world works, that's what globalisation is about…" he said. Kiai said that people would not be able to exercise their fundamental right to freedom of associations without any funding. However, he also reminded that there was also the duty for civil society to be accountable. But, he added that such accountability must be independently done, and not forced upon in a manner that restricts or controls the society. "The demands to be accountable must be made by citizens, that's what the international law says," he said. The UN expert's views come in the wake of recent public scrutiny over the funding and organisational structure of a popular human rights body, Suaram, since July. Suaram's "independence" was questioned after some quarters revealed that it was consistently a recipient of annual allocations from the US-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) organisation since 2006. Foreign powers Pro-establishment Malay rights groups demanded to know why Suaram was registered as a company, Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd, with a paid-up capital of RM2. Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) and Perkasa have accused the NGO of being funded by foreign powers to "destabilise the peace of the country".
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| Suaram firm to face 5 CCM charges, says minister Posted: 07 Sep 2012 06:35 PM PDT
(Bernama) - Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) had identified five charges under the Companies Act 1965 to be made against Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd (Suara Inisiatif). The first charge would be made in court in about a week or two, he told reporters after opening the Pekan Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri delegates meeting here today. He said the action taken against Suara Inisiatif was not politically motivated, but because of the offence it allegedly committed. Prior to this, the CCM was criticised by several quarters for failing to act against Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), which confessed to receiving funds from foreign countries and individuals. This followed a report that claimed that Suaram was not a non-governmental organisation, but a company registered with the CCM.
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| Posted: 07 Sep 2012 05:08 PM PDT
Development is reaching saturation level in many parts of the country, says PKR MP Yusmadi Yusoff. Hawkeye, FMT There is a need to re-define what development means to the average Malaysians given the rapid pace of modernisation, a PKR parliamentarian said. Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff said development has reached saturation level in many parts of the country and hence, there is a need to re-define development. He said this is necessary in view of the rapid growth of infrastructure, industries, roadworks, housing and social amenities over the last 50 years. Citing Penang, Yusmadi said there is now a widespread sense of unhappiness over the level of development taking place here. Penang is said to be over-devloped to the extent that even hillslopes are not spared in the hectic race to modernisation. This has caused some adverse effects: environmental degradation, traffic congestion and the emergence of slums in midst of luxurious condominiums and landed bungalows. Pockets of squatters are also facing eviction as developers scurry around to ensure their projects get underway before the effects of global recession set in. Yusmadi said the country can no longer deal with development through half-baked solutions and an unholistic approach. The time has come to re-visit development in the proper context. Don't give in to greed "What does development mean to Malaysians? Is more wealth generated from it? Have we progressed in our own age of industralisation, or are we slowly but surely becoming the urban poor?" Yusmadi asked. "Do Malaysians want to see their green lungs disappear or do they want to salvage them?" He said he would raise this matter in Parlaiment when it convenes this month.
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| Soliciting money: ‘Wipe out this scam’ Posted: 07 Sep 2012 05:03 PM PDT
Senior lawyer Karpal Singh wants the Attorney-General's Chambers to investigate a scam where lawyers allegedly solicit big bucks to secure release of criminal detainees. Athi Shankar, FMT The Attorney-General's Chambers must investigate an alleged scam where lawyers allegedly solicit big bucks to secure release of criminal detainees via the back door, senior lawyer and veteran MP Karpal Singh said today. Under the scam, lawyers signed agreement with those charged with criminal offences, especially major crimes, or their representatives promising to "somehow secure the accused release" with a big cash payout to the main players in the case. Karpal, whose client was directly affected by it, wants the AG's Chambers to get to bottom of this scam and wipe it out once and for all. He criticised lawyers who enter into such agreements, saying they are being unprofessional and unethical, and bringing the legal system into disrepute. "It gives the impression that prosecutors and witnesses can be bought over. Such agreements are shocking, which the AG must probe immediately. "With so many capital cases in the country, if it [this practice] is not stopped, we are heading for a lot of trouble," said Karpal. He claimed that his client, an Iraqi businessman Sayed Omeid facing extradition to Australia, was a victim of this scam. Omeid lodged a report at Dangi Wangi police station last Thursday accusing two lawyers of fleecing his family of US$50,000 by falsely promising to secure his release through their contacts in the Home Ministry. Omeid's family agreed to pay the lawyers US$100,000, with 27% to be paid upon signing the agreement and 23% within eight days of the first payment. The balance of 50% was to be kept in a joint account until Omeid was freed.
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| ‘Clones’ likely ruined Malaysia’s Twitter record bid, says research house Posted: 07 Sep 2012 10:34 AM PDT  A screen capture from the Politweet Facebook page showed a series of identical entries on Twitter that were registered during the National Day record attempt. Politweet.org pointed out in its report yesterday on the #Merdeka55 hashtag movement that despite Putrajaya's claim that Malaysians had breached the 3.6 million tweet mark in just one hour on August 31, no other third-party authority has since verified this declaration as true. "So assuming the figure is true, it is possible that the 3.6 million tweets are a world record," the research house wrote in its report. "However to date, Twitter has made no announcement on their blog about #Merdeka55. There is also no mention of the #Merdeka55 record online by other tracking websites," it pointed out. "Without a third party to verify the data, the 3.6 million tweets figure is doubtful," Politweet said.  A screen capture shows a Twitter post made during the record attempt. But Rais' record-beating claim was immediately met with disbelief by Malaysian Twitter users, many of whom have accused the organisers of rigging the contest by using "bots" to generate false publicity. "Bots doing retweeting 4 thousand times, then u proud of hvg mils of tweets?" Twitter user @Amir_Shari had written earlier this week, referring to computer programs designed to send out automated responses on the service. Another user, Cyril Dason, tweeted on his account @cyrildason that "#merdeka55 stats online: 1,500 tweets generated 493,610 impressions, reaching an audience of 185,482 followers within the past 24 hours", in an apparent rebuttal of the federal government's record-setting claim. Fuelling these users' claims in its report yesterday, Politweet said it had begun tracking mentions of #Merdeka55 on Twitter from August 28, the moment Rais had announced Putrajaya's aim to hit a one million-tweet mark for tweets sent within an hour from 8.15pm to 9.15pm on August 31. But during the targeted hour, Politweet said it had observed an "odd pattern" during the live stream — "large blocks of identical tweets were being sent at the same time". "Further investigation revealed that a small group of users were responsible for a large volume of tweets. "These users had similar characteristics, e.g. account creation date, profile photos, location and follower/following relationships. All of their duplicate tweets were sent using Tweetdeck," Politweet wrote, calling these duplicate tweets as "clones". Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/clones-likely-ruined-malaysias-twitter-record-bid-says-research-house/ |
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