Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- PKR to probe ‘cocky, arrogant, tokong’ issue
- British prime minister fails UK citizenship test questions on TV talk show
- 23 reports lodged over FB posting
- Chandra expresses shock over Mkini-Soros link
- No Pakatan feud over seats
- Chinese chambers disappointed with Budget
- GE only after February, say analysts
- Battle for Tambunan: Pairin unshakable?
| PKR to probe ‘cocky, arrogant, tokong’ issue Posted: 28 Sep 2012 05:43 PM PDT
The party is expected to conduct an internal inquiry to find out the culprits who leaked details of a closed-door meeting. Athi Shankar, FMT Penang PKR may conduct an internal preliminary fact-finding inquest soon to zoom in on the culprits who leaked details of an internal meeting. All seven members, who attended the exposed casual meet-up with the party's Penang chief and Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman, are expected to be called up. Sources said the eight-man state party political bureau, currently headed by Mansor, may be tasked to carry out the fact-finding mission. But being a material witness to the case, Mansor is expected to recuse himself from the hearing to avoid a conflict of interests as he would testify before the panel. Sources said party state vice chairman and state assembly speaker Abdul Halim Hussain could head the panel that would shed some light on the controversy, which had embarrassed Mansor. The panel might constitute other bureau members including party state deputy chairman Law Choo Kiang, vice chairman Abdul Malik Kassim, secretary Mustafa Kamal, information chief Johari Kassim, Batu Uban assemblyman S Raveentharan and councillor Francis Joseph. It was not clear whether Law would sit on the panel since he also attended the leaked meeting. A top PKR official said the inquiry would compile facts and evidence from all witnesses and submit them to the party top brass for further action, probably disciplinary action. When contacted, a possible witness told FMT that "the whole picture would be clearer after the inquiry", while another confirmed he would attend and testify because he had nothing to hide. The seven who met Mansor in the closed-door discussion were state PKR deputy chief Law Choo Kiang, Bukit Bendera division deputy chief Felix Ooi Keat Hin, Bayan Baru vice chairman Tan Seng Keat, 2004 candidate for Bayan Baru federal and Batu Uban state seats – Raymond Ong Ting Cheow, Tanjung Youth chief Ng Chek Siang; Bayan Baru member Cheah Peng Guan and Mansor's special assistant John Ooh Sin Hwa. Notable absentees were assemblymen Jason Ong Khan Lee of Kebun Bunga, Tan Hock Leong of Machang Bubok, Sim Tze Tzin of Pantai Jerejak and Ong Chin Wen of Bukit Tengah. The internal meeting was apparently held to discuss seat allocations for the party's Chinese candidates in Penang. But leaked details revealed that Mansor had allegedly referred to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng as being "cocky, arrogant and tokong (deity)". The leaked details were first published in June postings of a blog called "Gelagat Anwar". Mansor had initially denied chiding Lim as "cocky ad arrogant" but admitted to have used the word "tokong" in a positive note. This time the Penanti assemblyman did not deny its contents but rather mused on how much the TV station paid to obtain the recording. Two conspiracy theories had emerged since the issue cropped up.
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| British prime minister fails UK citizenship test questions on TV talk show Posted: 28 Sep 2012 03:12 PM PDT
Time to scrap the test Ever since it was instituted, the test has come in for strong criticism. Quite apart from the fact that it has been discovered to have factual inaccuracies, the reality is that such artificial examinations of an individual's worth as a potential resident - rooted as they are in a particular socio-cultural and ethnic outlook - have no place in a democratic and multicultural nation. And Cameron's abysmal showing was not an aberration. It has been demonstrated that most British citizens would be unable to pass the test. When over 11,000 of them took a sample test, they had a pass rate of just 14% - far below the pass rate for actual candidates from other countries. For instance, between 2005 and 2009, Indian candidates had a pass rate of 79.2%.
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| 23 reports lodged over FB posting Posted: 28 Sep 2012 02:44 PM PDT
(The Star) - Police have received 23 reports nationwide against a postgraduate who had allegedly insulted Islam in his Facebook posting. The 25-year-old student has been remanded until tomorrow. Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Mohd Adnan Abdullah said police had yet to make any arrest on the group which vandalised the suspect's house and car in Klang. The student studying for his Masters' degree at a local university, had allegedly made derogatory statements in his Facebook posting in July. The issue was highlighted on Tuesday after a man lodged a police report an hour after the suspect's house in Taman Klang Jaya was attacked. The suspect was picked up the following day despite claiming that he didn't make the posting. In an unrelated matter, SAC Mohd Adnan said police arrested five men, aged between 19 and 37, in connection with the murder of a 65-year-old woman in Port Klang. "In a special operation last Tuesday, police nabbed the men at several locations in the Klang Valley," he said. The five have been remanded until Wednesday. On Sept 12, the victim, who lived alone, was found dead with her hands and legs bound together in her house, which was also ransacked.
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| Chandra expresses shock over Mkini-Soros link Posted: 28 Sep 2012 02:42 PM PDT
(The Star) - Mkini Dotcom has come under fire for having George Soros-linked Media Development Loan Fund (MDLF) chief executive officer Harlan M. Mandel as one of its directors. Expressing shock over the appointment, International Movement for Just World (JUST) president Dr Chandra Muzaffar said it was preposterous to allow a foreigner to hold such a strategic position in an influential media channel. He was responding to The Star's report that Mandel was appointed in July last year as one of three directors of Mkini, which operates online news portal Malaysiakini. "This is a very significant disclosure," Dr Chandra said. He said the media had the potential to shape the people's outlook, attitude, choices and preference in politics. "Foreigners have no business shaping the thinking of Malaysian society," he said, adding that changes should be inspired by locals and not instigated by foreigners with vested interests. He said Malaysians have to be particularly concerned as Soros was linked to bodies such as National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and Open Society Institute (OSI) that had a certain track record around the world. Soros had an unsavoury reputation in various parts of the world because of his manipulations and manoeuvres in global finance, Dr Chandra said, adding that he had been linked to financial crises in South-East Asia, Russia, Latin America and Britain. "It is very naive to believe that they are genuinely concerned about freedom and democracy," he said. "I am astonished that individuals from Suaram and PKR, who claim to be socialists, are hobnobbing with outfits linked to Soros, who is perceived as an unscrupulous capitalist," he said. Dr Chandra said the Soros-linked outfits had been active in Malaysia over the last 10 years, adding that they were linked to the US agenda in South-East Asia aimed at containing China. Netizens also questioned if Malaysiakini was truly independent, as apart from Mandel being on its board, some of the shareholders are Opposition figures. National Council of Professors Politics, Security and International Affairs chief Prof Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak said Malaysiakini's credibility was at stake as the presence of foreign and Opposition figures was inconsistent with its claim of being a free and independent media. "They have to prove that they are not being used as a tool by foreigners with vested interest," he added.
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| Posted: 28 Sep 2012 02:11 PM PDT
A local PKR leader in Penang claims that the matter has been resolved and blames BN for spreading false rumours. Athi Shankar, FMT GEORGE TOWN: A local PKR leader has rubbished claims of feuding allies over Pakatan Rakyat's electoral seat formula in Penang for the next general election. State vice chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kassim blamed Barisan Nasional for spreading rumours that PKR and DAP were at loggerheads over the seat arrangement. He insisted that the issue had been resolved amicably at the state level, indicating that the seat allocation for Penang was still being finalised at the national level. "Rumours of us quarreling over seats are untrue. We are all one family and work like a family. We have reached consensus at the state level on seat allocations. "There are no problems over seats among PKR, DAP and PAS in Penang. We have resolved the issue like a family," he said. Abdul Malik alleged that BN component parties – Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan – would always try to depict Pakatan as a loose and split political bloc. In the 2008 general election, PKR contested four federal and 16 state seats, DAP contested seven and 19 while PAS' share was two and five in Penang. Asked if the status quo would remain in the coming election, Abdul Malik said it would only be known on nomination day. "No one will know until then," he said. It was an open secret that DAP had been demanding for a larger share of seats, especially PKR constituencies, for the next polls. It was rumoured that two top DAP leaders had a massive argument over seats arrangements. One leader purportedly wanted the state party leadership to demand some of PKR's 16 state seats, especially in Malay dominant areas, to enable DAP to field Malay candidates.
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| Chinese chambers disappointed with Budget Posted: 28 Sep 2012 02:08 PM PDT
The chambers was hoping for some relief in the minimum wage debacle but was disappointed to find none. Syed Jaymal Zahiid, FMT Chinese businesses expressed disappointment that Budget 2013 did not provide any "relief" for companies that may struggle due to the minimum wage policy. "Yes. We are a bit disappointed that there was nothing on this in the Budget," CK Teo, vice president of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM), told reporters at its office after watching the prime minister unveil the Budget. A similar sentiment was echoed by its deputy president Ter Leong Yap, who said they were expecting for some leeway in terms of more time to adjust to the new policy after conveying their concerns in a meeting with top government officials earlier this year. "I was hoping the Budget would have taken into consideration our concerns (on the issue)," said Ter, who is also the president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (KLSCCCI). The group had recently released its survey on Chinese perception towards the economic policies of the Najib administration, with the majority receiving the prime minister's reforms with scepticism. Among the report's chief concerns was on the minimum wage and expectations that Putrajaya heed calls to delay putting in place the popular floor wage plan until all related concerns, including gradual implementation of the idea, are addressed. The report also showed that majority of the Chinese small and medium enterprises is not confident that the Najib administration can lead Malaysia out of its middle-income trap despite making it a key goal under its grand Economic Transformation Programme. The ACCIM had described the decision to execute the floor wage plan, a key election push for the Barisan Nasional chairman, as hasty and claimed that most businesses could fold if the government went on with the idea. However, the group said apart from that issue, it welcomed the 2013 Budget as "responsible" and people-friendly.
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| GE only after February, say analysts Posted: 28 Sep 2012 02:02 PM PDT
BN will need time to disburse the goodies promised in the Budget 2013 to target groups in order to generate a feel good factor. Leven Woon, FMT Following Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's tabling of Budget 2013, analysts predicted that the 13th general election will be called after next February. Independent pollster Ibrahim Suffian said the polls would likely take place after the Chinese New Year in February as the government would only start disbursing the goodies in January. Referring to the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M) 2.0 scheme, he said it would take time for the government to disburse the cash to some 4.7 million eligible households and to some three million eligible singles. He described the handouts as "very comprehensive" since the lower-income households with two children in school would be entitled to at least RM700 under BR1M and student voucher programmes. However, Ibrahim doubted if the handouts could translate into ballots for the ruling party as many benefitting from the handouts might not be registered voters. "There are those who are registered and those who are not registered. At the end of the day, it is not sure whether the RM250 recipients will go out to vote," he said. Ibrahim also said that the goodies would have minimal effect on urban voters. 'Handouts may backfire' Independent political analyst Wong Chin Huat also agreed with Ibrahim that the polls would be called after February. He however warned that the handouts might backfire on BN, especially with voters who understand the current state of Malaysia's economy.
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| Battle for Tambunan: Pairin unshakable? Posted: 28 Sep 2012 01:50 PM PDT
Despite views that Joseph Pairin Kitingan failed as a leader, it is unlikely that the Kadazandusun community will vote against him in the 13th general election. Joseph Bingkasan, FMT TAMBUNAN: Opposition parties and their candidates are lining up to have another go at toppling Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan from a seat that he has held for over a generation. Others have tried and failed but the times are changing and the opposition is gaining momentum mostly because of the growing perceptions of corruption in high places and the slow pace of development in the resource-rich state. Now a veteran of Sabah's murky politics, Pairin, can expect to be challenged by candidates from State Reform Party (STAR) and PKR, to name two, in the Tambunan state constituency in the coming 13th general election. The Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president can also expect challenges from several independents for the state seat which he has held for well over three decades since 1976 when he won the seat for Berjaya. The septuagenarian politician who many say has become irrelevant in the Umno-led Barisan Nasional state government recently announced that he intended to defend his state and (Keningau) parliamentary seats, one more time. The talk in the constituency of mostly Kadazandusun farmers is that the community's Huguan Siou or paramount chief will easily get what he wants despite having accomplished little during his tenure both as chief minister during PBS reign from 1985 to 1994 and then as current deputy chief minister in the ruling coalition government. The sleepy town of Tambunan nestled in the valley of the Crocker Range is located 80 kilometers east of Kota Kinabalu and is bordered by Ranau in the north and Keningau to the south. Lawyer Mozes Iking who contested against Pairin, now 72, in the 2008 general election contrary to the belief of many garnered 2,820 votes to the surprise of many against Pairin's 5,601 votes. Another contender Francis Koh managed 157 votes. Iking has told FMT that he will not be contesting under any of the political party banner in the coming election. A former police officer, he is now a close aide to the Sabah STAR chairman Jeffrey Kitingan who is the younger brother of Pairin. According to a Tambunan PKR member, Pakatan "will definetly be fielding a candidate". John Jinus Sibin – Pairin's right-hand man since his time in Parti Berjaya 1976-1985 and PBS Chief Minister 1985-1994 who like Pairin is from Tambunan – is likely to be that man. Pairin will win again The PBS president has faced numerous challenges for the seat which has become shaky for the BN due to perceptions that the community has been sidelined despite having a deputy chief minister as their representative. In the 1999 election, Pairin led PBS as an opposition party to a convincing win polling 6,791 votes against BN's Petrus Francis Guriting's 2,116 votes. Independent Joseph Jouti Ajun's 169 votes. The likely contender from STAR is Nestor Joannes whom the Huguan Siou defeated in the 2004 general election.
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