Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Himpunan Hijau @ Dataran Merdeka
- Pluralism: The new bogey
- Mustapa: Kelantan Umno to field ulama as candidates in election
- K'tan govt firm on implementing Islamic law on non-Muslims
- Penyair Jalanan
- Kelantan refuses to budge from unisex hair salon ruling
- Shah Alam the battleground for urban Malay votes
- Is Pakatan really ready to govern?
- Green Walk a death knell for MCA?
- Set up Minority Affairs Ministry, says Hindraf
- Pulling a rabbit out of a hat
- MCA member slams leadership over education policies
- Dr M drums up support for Umno
- Bukan PAS, yang gelicir orangnya
- Behind the liberal front
- Najib’s message to Chinese voters
- Be careful who we vote for
- DAP worried hudud will cover non-Muslims
- Conspiracy to oust Karpal?
- Muhyiddin lambasted for bad education policies
| Himpunan Hijau @ Dataran Merdeka Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:30 AM PST
(The Malaysian OBserver) - Some 10,000 protesters gathered today in front of Dataran Merdeka to pressure the government to stop the controversial Lynas rare earth plant in Gabeng, Kuantan. Apart from that, this evening's gathering also marked the end of the 13-day walk of 300KM from Kuantan to Kuala Lumpur led by Himpunan Hijau chairman Wong Tat. Watch video at: http://www.mobtv.my/current_affairs-2462.html Ini lah semangat patriotik yang mencintai tanahair kita. Semangat menentang perosak alam LYNAS telah menyatukan berbagai bangsa tanpa mengira warna kulit, agama dan keturunan. Perjuangan yang mulia ini menyuarakan pencerobohan alam sekitar. Semangat patriotik bukan lah seperti mana berbunyi berjuang untuk Melayu, Agama dan bangsa, tetapi semangat patriotik adalah semangat berjuang untuk kesemua hak rakyat sehingga ke anak cucu cicit kita. |
| Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:26 AM PST
What the opponents of pluralism are saying is, it's offensive and wrong to make all religions equal because Islam, and by extension Muslims, are superior to all others. Jacqueline Ann Surin, The Nut Graph THERE is a new threat against Muslims in Malaysia and its name is pluralism. No less than Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself has flagged pluralism as an "enemy of Islam" and grouped it together with the other bad words, "LGBT" and "liberalism".  My Name is Khan promotional poster (source: Wiki Commons) Not to be outdone, some Muslims, who have been described as scholars, recently declared the spread of pluralism in Malaysia as "worrying", as if it were some kind of pandemic that needed to be controlled. Even popular Bollywood star, Datuk Shah Rukh Khan, has been accused of promoting pluralism through his rather inspiring and endearing movie, My Name is Khan. But just what kind of threat does pluralism pose to Malaysian Muslims? And if it's such a clear and present danger to the majority of the population, what are other nations, which also experience cultural and religious diversity, doing about pluralism that we may learn from them? Pluralism 101 Just what is pluralism anyway? According to Harvard University's Pluralism Project, there are four components to pluralism. Diana L Eck writes that diversity alone is not pluralism. There needs to be an "energetic engagement with diversity" for pluralism to exist. "Today, religious diversity is a given, but pluralism is not a given; it is an achievement," she writes, adding: "Mere diversity without real encounter and relationship will yield increasing tensions in our societies." Second, it's not about tolerance, which is tenuous, but "the active seeking of understanding across lines of difference". Eck argues that tolerance "does nothing to remove our ignorance of one another" and warns that in today's world, "our ignorance of one another will be increasingly costly". Thirdly, pluralism is not relativism. Rather it is the "encounter of commitments". What does this mean? It means that proponents of pluralism don't need to leave their identities and commitments behind. It's about "holding our deepest differences, even our religious differences, not in isolation, but in relationship to one another." And finally, pluralism's foundation is dialogue. That means both speaking and listening in a way that involves "give and take, criticism and self-criticism" so that the process can reveal both "common understandings and real differences". More sheep than Muslims Seen in this light, it's no wonder that institutions such as Harvard University in the US have embarked on initiatives to promote, rather than reject, pluralism. Indeed, the motivation for undertakings such as the university's Pluralism Project has been the radically changing religious and cultural landscapes that have emerged in the US because of immigration. The project's mission statement is "to help Americans engage with the realities of religious diversity".  Helen Clark (source: Wiki Commons) The US isn't the only place in the world where a predominantly white, Christian population views diversity as a gift that can be channelled for greater good by promoting pluralism. In a country where there are likely more sheep than Muslims, Helen Clark's administration lent support to a project by the New Zealand Diversity Action Programme that resulted in the Statement on Religious Diversity. Among others, the statement "encourages education about diverse religious and spiritual traditions, respectful dialogue, and positive relationships between government and faith communities". And just like in the US, New Zealand was spurred by the increasing religious and cultural diversity arising from migration from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. More Muslims than sheep In Malaysia meanwhile, there are clearly more Muslims than sheep. In fact, the Malay Muslim population in Malaysia is what the white Christian population is in countries like the US and New Zealand. More importantly, unlike the US and New Zealand, we've always lived with religious and cultural diversity. Our society didn't suddenly see a dramatic shift in demographics that led to citizens feeling befuddled about the appearance of mosques, temples, gurdwaras and churches.  Sheep (Todd Huffman | Flickr) And yet, what do we do about our plurality? From prime minister to so-called religious scholars to Muslim youth groups, we hear a clear and resounding rejection of pluralism. Here's what they're saying when they cast pluralism as the new bogey in town: "No" to engagement. "No" to dialogue. "No" to active understanding. "No" to equal and respectful relationships with others. In other words, "No" to what we've been historically and culturally since, at the very least, Malacca became a trading port in the 15th century. And "No" also to what we have already achieved which developed countries are only now trying to acquire. In fact, let's just demolish one of the bedrock of Malaysian life. Seen in this light, we shouldn't be at all surprised that there were attempts to denigrate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim through the distribution of leaflets in Slim River this month that condemned the Opposition Leader as a believer of religious pluralism. He's not the only one. Two years ago, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat was attacked at an Islamic seminar for attending a function at a Buddhist temple. Read more at: http://www.thenutgraph.com/pluralism-the-new-bogey/ |
| Mustapa: Kelantan Umno to field ulama as candidates in election Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:17 AM PST
(Bernama) - The Kelantan Umno will also be fielding ulama as its candidates to contest for state and parliamentary seats in the coming 13th general election. State Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said they comprised those who had contributed to the party and the country. "We have identified their names," he told reporters after closing the 1Cooperative 1Community programme here today. The International Trade and Industry Minister said the names of the candidates would be announced earlier to allow the people to evaluate their capabilities. Normally, the names of the candidates would be announced two days before nomination day, but this time the announcement would be made earlier, he added. |
| K'tan govt firm on implementing Islamic law on non-Muslims Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:14 AM PST
(Bernama) - The Kelantan government remains firm on implementing Islamic law on non-Muslims despite strong objection from DAP national chairman Karpal Singh. State Housing, Tourism, Arts and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said the state government was prepared to face the risk of being sued by non-Muslims as each policy made in Kelantan was in line with the provisions in the Constitution. "I don't want to comment on Karpal's statement. Firstly, I did not hear it directly from him, and secondly, if Karpal sees this legislation, he will agree with me. He's a lawyer. "It's his right to sue the Kota Baharu Municipal Council (MPKB)...but read this law carefully, otherwise he (Karpal) will have to pay the (court) costs. We are not trying to be smart when we draw up a law or an act," he told a press conference at the MPKB building, here, today. Newspapers reported today that Karpal has called on the Kelantan PAS government to explain the enforcement of Islamic law on non-Muslims in the state. Karpal had said that non-Muslims in Kelantan who were issued summonses by MPKB based on Islamic law could challenge the summonses in court. It was recently reported that a Kota Baharu hair salon manager, Ong Lee Ting, claimed that she was issued with a summons 11 times by the local authority since 2010 because her non-Muslim women workers had cut the hair of non-Muslim men. As result, she was fined RM200 to RM350 each time and she also claimed that other hair salons also faced the same problem. Takiyuddin said the state government implemented the policy to protect women's honour, whether they were Muslims or not, in order to prevent them from being exposed to sexual harassment and prostitution. He said hair salons had often been reported to be doing business only as a guise but behind that, were involved in illegal and immoral activities. "Is a father willing to allow his daughter to be sexually harassed while at work or a husband willing to accept his wife being disturbed by male customers?" he asked. |
| Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:12 AM PST Rakyat malaysia memang berbakat, menyuarakan ketidakadilan melalui syair dan puisi, sekali lagi membuktikan bahawa kaum tiong hua tak cekap berbahasa melayu ada lah salah, terasa ini adalah satu penghinaan yang melampau, kalau bagi peluang untuk pak menteri berpatun tepi jalan, agar mereka gagal dan tidak berupaya secara spontan berpatun di khalayak ramai. |
| Kelantan refuses to budge from unisex hair salon ruling Posted: 25 Nov 2012 09:02 AM PST  Unmoved by flak: State Local Government, Culture and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, at a press conference, holding up The Star which highlighted the municipal council's gender-segregation by-laws. (The Star) - KOTA BARU: Kelantan refuses to back down from enforcing its gender-segregation rules for unisex salons where women are prohibited from cutting the hair of men and vice-versa. State Local Government, Culture and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said the by-law was enforced by the Kota Baru Municipal Council in line with the Islamic policies propagated by the PAS government more than 10 years ago. "It is in line with our government's policy to safeguard women and curb sexual harassment at work places," he said, adding that the rule applied to all districts in the state. Takiyuddin, who is PAS assistant secretary-general, cited the Local Government Act 171, Section 107 (sub section 2) and the Local Government Act, which stipulate that licences and permits can only be issued based on the local government's rules and conditions and can be revoked at any time. As far as the state government was concerned, the ruling for unisex salons was a non-issue, he said at a press conference at the council yesterday. "But we need to clarify the matter because the media has blown it out of proportion. "We need to provide the rationale behind the introduction of the by-law," he said while holding up Friday's copy of The Star. He said the by-law was introduced in 1991 when the councils froze the issuing of licences and permits to unisex salons state-wide in line with the PAS state government's slogan of "Growing with Islam" that applied to both Muslims and non-Muslims. Takiyuddin said the Kota Baru council decided to include stricter conditions in 1999 after it found salon operators continually violating certain conditions stipulated in their permits. "It is a known fact that hair salons and unisex establishments are the most convenient places for immoral activities. They provide a cover for men and women to engage in illicit activities. "If I were Chinese, I will never allow my wife to patronise such salons or even consider allowing my children to work in such places because of their reputation as a hotbed for immoral activities. "And even a Chinese wife will feel uneasy to allow her husband to go to such places. Frequenting such places will always lead to scandals," he said. He said there was nothing wrong for a woman salon worker to provide hairdressing services to a female patron or for a male barber to cut a male customer's hair. "But when a woman worker gives upper body massages to a male customer, one thing will eventually lead to another, ending with illicit activities," said Takiyuddin. He said that in Kuala Lumpur, there were special coaches provided by KTM Komuter and Rapid KL for women. "My question here is when it comes to salons, why is it a forbidden cut and when it comes to trains, why not call them forbidden coaches ... They are not forbidden, it is just man for man and woman for woman," he said.
|
| Shah Alam the battleground for urban Malay votes Posted: 25 Nov 2012 08:56 AM PST
The next general election is expected to be the closest fight to form the new Malaysian government. And several seats across the nation are likely to be heated battles with the slimmest of majorities. The Malaysian Insider takes a look at some of these hot seats in what will be an intense election for control of Malaysia. In Shah Alam, the total registered voters as at last June numbered 96,066 people where Malays made up about 70 per cent and the rest consisting of Chinese, Indians and others. Amin Iskandar, The Malaysian Insider The capital city of the country's richest state, Shah Alam, is peopled by pensioners, civil servants, businessmen, traders, undergraduates and assembly-line workers who are predominantly Malay and Muslim. The political landscape in this parliamentary seat underwent a sea change in Election 2008 when for the first time a PAS contender, Khalid Abdul Samad, beat the incumbent, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin, from the mammoth Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition by a whopping 9,314-vote margin. It seemed like a David-vs-Goliath battle. And since then, Khalid's popularity appears to be on the upswing. But the battle is not quite over for BN.
It may have been stunned by the unexpected blow four years ago but BN has caught a fresh wind and is likely to field a fresh man to go toe-to-toe with Khalid (picture) in the ring — local-born Datuk Ahmad Nawawi Md Zin, who is the the Umno division chief and Shah Alam BN chief. Ahmad Nawawi may not be as high-profiled as his PAS opponent nationally, but his political pedigree is just as illustrious as Khalid's, who is the younger brother to long-time Johor Baru MP Tan Sri Shahrir Samad and bats for the Umno team. Ahmad Nawawi is the son of Datuk Md Zin Sulaiman, a former three-term assemblyman for Batu Tiga — one of two state seats that falls within the Shah Alam parliamentary constituency, the other being Kota Anggerik. Md Zin was state lawmaker from 1982 to 1994, and died while an incumbent, just ahead of the 1995 general election. His son is counting on old-time voters with fond memories of his father's service in Batu Tiga to contribute to the BN's bid to reclaim Shah Alam at the next polls due soon. "Batu Tiga is categorised as a white area, that is one the BN can confidently win while for Kota Anggerik, its status is currently more grey-white where it is possible to win but the ruling federal coalition will have to work much harder," Ahmad Nawawi told The Malaysian Insider in a recent interview. Ahmad Nawawi though is no electoral novice. As the former Kota Anggerik assemblyman, he speaks from experience and he is confident BN can wrest control of the Selangor capital. He said BN has a key performance index (KPI) and a realistic breakdown of the percentage of support that showed one of the main factors that had contributed to its defeat in Election 2008 was due to the coalition fielding non-Shah Alam natives as candidates or, in the local lingo, "parachute candidates". Ahmad Nawawi said in 2008 one of the main reasons that led to BN's crushing defeat was that the locals no longer accepted Aziz Shamsuddin.  Ahmad Nawawi is confident of winning back Shah Alam. "With the suppport of the Malays who have returned to BN compared to previously, we feel more confident of taking over Shah Alam," he said. In Shah Alam, the total registered voters as at last June numbered 96,066 people where Malays made up about 70 per cent and the rest consisting of Chinese, Indians and others. Ahmad Nawawi, who was also a state executive councillor during the administration of Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, said the Malay support towards BN had slid, similar to during the 1999 general election, but in the 11th general election the coalition was saved by Chinese and Indian support. "In the present situation, when we look at the positive response from the public, especially the Chinese when we are on the ground, this gives us the confidence that the chances are better. "The government pensioners' club is actively helping us, previously where were the retirees who wanted to help us? Now everyone is volunteering themselves because they are worried, including Umno veterans," he said.
|
| Is Pakatan really ready to govern? Posted: 25 Nov 2012 08:48 AM PST
If what Anwar has done in PKR and Pakatan is testimony to what he is capable of doing, then he is not acceptable to the Malays. CT Ali, FMT The thing with a general election is this: politicians stand in front of us minus their arrogance, minus their latest Mercedes, minus their mansion in their gated community, minus their secretaries, aides, friends and all the trappings that money can buy to humbly ask you for your votes. And no matter who they are, in politics there will come that moment when doubt enters their mind and they will nervously ask themselves if maybe this will be the time when karma will hit them in the face. Will they raise their arms in triumph after the returning officer have declared them the winner or do they gamely extend their hands to their opponent to congratulate them for their victory even as they desperately look for an exit to go commiserate with themselves for their loss? But before they arrive at that moment in time, there is still a life to be lived and an election to be won by these politicians. The nation is their oyster! And what they have done or promised to do to our nation bears reflection – be it Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Rakyat or the Independents – before you decide whom to vote for. Today we are a nation in a flux. There are verbal and physical political scuffles, racial unrest, religious turmoil and, some say, our economy is in free-fall while others insist that we are poised for growth. The ebb and flow of political rhetoric emitting from within BN and Pakatan is deafening and impossible to ignore and the 13th general election hangs like a cloud threatening to bring floods to low-lying areas or much-needed rain for farmers – take your pick! Over all this presides Najib Tun Razak. He is confident of electoral victory and why should he not be? He makes Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's attempts at reforms look unimaginative. His pace in announcing, initiating and implementing reforms is robust but his disregard for fiscal propriety is worrying. But in an election year he will do what he must to try and ensure that a public sated with BN largesse will reciprocate by casting their votes for BN. BN believes that electoral victory is at hand, but Najib is still unsure if BN can retake Selangor and so for now he waits to find a way to do so before calling for the games to begin. For the opposition, the Internet chatter and a perceived surge of support from the people point to a glittering final furlong in the run-up to the 13th general election. But all that glitters is not gold. Pakatan claims it is in ascendancy politically – not yet totally able to fully dominate all that it surveys but there are reasons to think that Putrajaya beckons. After all, Pakatan ceramahs are well attended and the juggernaut of Anwar Ibrahim seems to cut a swathe even through the rural areas where Umno dominates. Johor totters invitingly towards its side of the divide and the defections of once Umno stalwarts is heartening. Surely, Pakatan says, the people of this nation have had enough of a BN government. Pakatan says it is time for change. DAP, PAS and PKR will overcome their distrusts for each other and work for their common good – that of trying to take political power from the Umno-led BN. But in politics trying is never enough. In politics what matters are the numbers that you methodically accumulate. Vote by vote, constituency-by-constituency, state-by-state, one MP at a time marshalling them all into a momentum of sorts that moves in tandem towards ensuring ultimate victory at the polls. This is no easy task. It requires organised manpower, adequate financial resources, an electoral machinery in synch with the tasks demanded of it by its political masters and yet able to gauge and accommodate the nuances of a fickle electorate. Put all this together and you will have the general election handed over to you on a plate. Huh… easier said than done. Now who, between BN and Pakatan, have done that? Both sides of the divide are desperately positive that their side will triumph. Both sides are desperately optimistic that they have the numbers to ensure that enough of their MPs will be elected to enable their side to form the government. Of course, you need to be optimistic and positive… but desperately so? Why desperately so? Let me tell you why. Is Pakatan really ready? Pakatan has asked that we give the opposition alliance the mandate to form the government, but who from Pakatan will govern our nation? Or more to the point, who do we want from Pakatan to govern us? Who will be prime minister, deputy prime minister and who shall be in Cabinet? Who will be the menteris besar and who will be governors and datuk bandars? What are the policies they will implement? How will the sharing of power between PKR, DAP and PAS be reflected in reality? Surely not with three deputy prime ministers and enough ministers to field five football teams (and reserves) without outside help. All these questions we have asked of Pakatan leaders but they have yet to answer to our satisfaction. We ask and Pakatan tells us: "Let us get into government first and then we will see! We will know what to do." How can they know what to do in Putrjaya when they do not know what to do with PKR and Anwar – or are they in denial that there is a problem with PKR and Anwar? They know that it is Anwar who calls the shots in PKR, not Azmin Ali. If Azmin talks about Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim's "promotion" into Cabinet, then it is Anwar who wants Khalid to be in the Cabinet. Then what of Selangor? Who does Anwar want to be menteri besar of Selangor? If Pakatan is unable to resolve this at state level, then the matter of who will become what at federal level only portends ill for Pakatan – what more for our nation. This is but one issue that Pakatan has failed to address. There are others.
|
| Green Walk a death knell for MCA? Posted: 25 Nov 2012 08:45 AM PST
MCA veterans are of the view that things could only get worse for the party in Pahang as long as the party continues to worship Umno feudalism while paying lip-service to the people. Stanley Koh, FMT The anti-Lynas one-man 300-kilometre journey initiated by Himpunan Hijau chairman Wong Tack from Kuantan to Kuala Lumpur had attracted thousands of ordinary Malaysians, mostly Chinese, to join in his cause to protect the environment. The overwhelming support at stop-overs along the way in towns and new villages in Pahang had generated numerous "touching" human stories on the rapport and silent support towards the protection of the environment, which had been abused and grossly neglected by the Barisan Nasional government. It is therefore not surprising that worrying murmurs of deep concerns are haunting the MCA's rank and file in Pahang, which is also the home state of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. MCA has distanced itself from the opposition against the Lynas rare earth operations located at Gebeng, Kuantan, and quietly banned all party rank and file leaders from actively supporting the protest walk. By abandoning and isolating the party's dutiful role, the leadership had chosen to be in a self-denial mode, underestimating the impact it can cause in the upcoming general election. However, many MCA veterans are not so sure of the party leadership's reassurances and confidence anymore. The Pahang MCA's electoral performance in 2008 embodied tale-tell signs that nothing should be taken for granted.
A disconnected party In 2008, MCA garnered only some 59,784 popular votes in Pahang, winning two out of three parliamentary seats contested. Out of the eight state seats, the party won six, namely Cheka, Damak, Teruntum, Bilut, Mentakab and Semambu. The opposition DAP won Tras and an Independent candidate Ho Yip Kap claimed Tanah Rata and had since since declared himself pro-BN. But the electoral fortunes of the party's performance in Pahang are changing. The Green Walk is more than just a simple human endeavour. What emerged out of it is a strong political will by a conscientious few. It also reflected how disconnected the BN coalition is from the aspirations of ordinary Malaysians on environmental issues. The public resentment in Pahang against MCA's impotent role on environmental protection will deepen and is expected to cause a bigger electoral backlash. Aggravating matters, the MCA top leadership, including its Pahang state leadership, had shown a disappointing response towards public grievances on controversial environmental issues since the 2008 election. However, the MCA leadership has been quietly undertaking moves to strengthen its electoral performance in the state. According to 2008 figures, only 46% of the 29,086 valid MCA members had registered themselves as voters although there were some 62,593 Chinese voters in Pahang. There are onging efforts to enlarge the base of electoral support by actively registering party members as voters, including shifting pro-MCA voters to safeguard future party candidates in winnable seats. The party wants to be able to retain its two parliamentary seats that has given it two ministerial positions – Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen in Raub and Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai in Bentong. The party is also constantly reminded of its defeat in Kuantan in 2008 – to PKR's Fuziah Salleh – that no seat is safe. Two other MCA state seats are also in danger of falling, namely the Damak and Teruntum seats which the party had won with narrow margins of 509 and 293 votes respectively.
|
| Set up Minority Affairs Ministry, says Hindraf Posted: 24 Nov 2012 06:02 PM PST
The movement says that it will throw its backing to any coalition that sets up the ministry and endorses its five year blueprint. G Vinod, FMT Hindraf today demanded the government to set up a Minorities Affairs Ministry right after the general election. Hindraf national advisor N Ganesan said this at the movement's fifth anniversary gathering, held at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, to commemorate its hugely succesful November 2007 rally. "Let Hindraf run the ministry as we are the only NGO that is steadfast in our cause. "We will only throw in our support to the coalition that will endorse our demand and our five year blueprint," said Ganesan, addressing the nearly 2,000 attendees. In Nov 25, 2007, tens of thousands of Indians marched to the nation's capital seeking for a betterment of the Indian community plight but the incident was marred when police used heavy handed tactics to break the crowd. Following the Hindraf rally, the traditional Barisan Nasional supporters threw their backing to Pakatan Rakyat in the general election in the following year, denying the ruling coalition its customary two thirds majority at the Parliament, and delivered five states to the opposition. Hindraf's six demands 1) Stop displacing Indian plantation workers and provide reasonable compensation, as well as, offer skills training to them, 2) Resolve Indian stateless issue, 3) Provide equal education opportunity to all Indian students via meritocracy, 4) Provide equal job and business opportunities to Indians, 5) Stop police brutality and death in custody, and set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), and 6) Stop institutionalised racism and ratify United Nations convention against racial discrimination. Ganesan said that Hindraf would be able to resolve the six issues affecting the Indian community through the Minority Affairs Ministry. He also urged the government to allocate RM4.5 billion annually to the ministry for that purpose. "And don't tell me that the amount is big. Budget 2013 is worth RM230 billion and the amount we seek is not even five percent of the budget," said Ganesan.
|
| Posted: 24 Nov 2012 04:02 PM PST
First of all, I don't think that the next general election is going to be held in December this year. It would most likely be around February-March next year. And the timing of the general election would all depend on whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is able to pull a rabbit out of his hat. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin There are four very interesting news reports that I would like to comment on today. (Maybe you can read those four news reports below before you read what I am going to say). First of all, I don't think that the next general election is going to be held in December this year. It would most likely be around February-March next year. And the timing of the general election would all depend on whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is able to pull a rabbit out of his hat. Assuming Najib fails to perform his magic trick and things more or less remain the same, then this is what I forecast we may see. Umno will sail through with about 70-75 parliament seats in Peninsular Malaysia. MCA will not win more than ten seats. MIC, Gerakan and PPP will get wiped out. Barisan Nasional Sabah and Sarawak will pull through with 30-35 seats while 20-25 seats will go to Pakatan Rakyat plus some 'independent' parties. This would mean Pakatan Rakyat could win 100-110 parliament seats while Barisan Nasional would win 110-120 seats. If Pakatan Rakyat wins 110 parliament seats this will mean Malaysia will see a hung parliament with Barisan Nasional winning only 112 seats. Then about 5-10 Barisan Nasional MPs will cross over to help Pakatan Rakyat form the new federal government. And the majority of these crossovers will be from East Malaysia. However, it can also work the other way. In the event of a hung parliament, 5-10 MPs from Pakatan Rakyat can cross over to Barisan Nasional to help Barisan Nasional increase its majority in Parliament. Hence both sides need to be very careful in their choice of candidates because 'negotiations' are ongoing by both sides of the political divide for potential crossover candidates. Kelantan, Penang and Selangor are safe states for Pakatan Rakyat. Sabah, Sarawak, Perlis, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor are safe states for Barisan Nasional. Kedah, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka can go either way. For the 13 Federal Territory seats, five can go to Barisan Nasional and eight to Pakatan Rakyat. ***************************************** Najib: GE could be in Dec, or next year Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said the 13th general election can be held in December, even though the country will be facing the monsoon at that time. He was confident that despite the monsoon season, the machinery of the political parties contesting in the election could face any eventuality. "If it rains or a flood occurs, (then we) can use the boat," he said in jest when asked whether the GE would be held in the near future or Parliament would dissolve on its own on the expiry of the current mandate. He said this in an interview with editors of Bernama and Utusan Group in conjunction with the Umno General Assembly 2012 at his office in Parliament House, recently. Najib, who is also Umno president, however, did not rule out the possibility that the election would be held next year if it is not held next month. "If there is no election in December, then it will be held next year," he said. Najib has up to April 28 next year to dissolve Parliament to make way for the 13th general election before the Parliament dissolves on its own, and the Election Commission is compelled to set a date for the general election within two months of the dissolution of Parliament. ***************************************** Dr M: Barisan can retain power with two-thirds majority Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has predicted that Barisan Nasional will keep Putrajaya and that regaining a two-thirds majority in Parliament is not an impossible target. He said Kedah, Selangor and Penang were winnable on condition that Umno did not indulge in the politics of sabotage and members supported the selected candidates. Dr Mahathir has been driving home the "no sabotage" message at a string of meetings he has had with Umno leaders and groups from all over the country. He also made it crystal clear that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has his unreserved support, slamming pro-Pakatan Rakyat news portals which keep claiming that he wanted Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to take over. "That is their propaganda. Have they ever heard me promoting Muhyiddin? During Pak Lah's time, yes, I did try to promote Muhyiddin. But Muhyiddin told me he is fully behind Najib and would not go against Najib. They are harping on this because they want to make Umno weak. "I have spoken to Umno all over the country. I told them they have to support Najib to win the election," he said. "Najib has done a lot of good, maybe there are things which could be improved but we can tackle that after the general election." He was confident that Johor and Negri Sembilan would stay with Barisan despite the Opposition's ambitions in these two states. He said that although Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was so powerful that he was known as tokong (deity), there were people who were not happy with him. Dr Mahathir also said it was time Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat kept his promise to retire. "He promised to step down when I stepped down. These people never keep their word. They are supposed to be religious people but religious people who don't keep their word are not very religious," he added. ***************************************** Professor: Barisan can win 120 seats if polls are held now (The Star) - Barisan Nasional can win 120 seats if the general election were to be held now, said National Council of Professors deputy chairman Prof Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin. However, he told Sinar Harian that 24 seats were still considered "grey areas" while Pakatan was expected to win 70. He predicted that Barisan would still be able to form the Federal Government in spite of a comparatively slimmer majority than in 2008. "They will win no fewer than 120 seats. Now, Barisan has 140 seats, 24 are "grey areas" while the remaining are taken up by Pakatan Rakyat. Overall, the majority is narrow," he said in a pre-Umno annual general assembly interview. Currently, Barisan has 137 seats in Parliament while Pakatan holds 72. Seven seats are held by independents, PSM has one while SAPP has two. Dr Shamsul Amri said his prediction was based on research conducted in September by his team. ***************************************** BN confident of recapturing Selangor (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) is confident of re-capturing Selangor from the opposition pact in the 13th general election, said Selangor BN Coordinator Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed today. "The momentum is with us now. Based on the response and support shown by the Selangor people the advantage is on our side. "Therefore, we should build up the momentum and not do anything that can weaken it," he said when opening the Selangor People's Progressive Party Convention at SJK (C) Yuk Chyun, Jalan Klang Lama near here. Towards this end, he said, members of all BN component parties should move in one group and made decisions collectively so that BN would remain strong. He also told members of BN component parties in Selangor to unite and not to sabotage one another or the parties in BN.
|
| MCA member slams leadership over education policies Posted: 24 Nov 2012 03:22 PM PST
The grassroots leader vows to pull out from the party if MCA fails to change the outcome of National Education Blueprint. Leven Woon, FMT The 6,000-strong Dong Zong rally against the National Education Blueprint 2013-2025 today saw the surprise attendance of a grassroots MCA member from Kota Tinggi, Johor. Breaking ranks with the party leaders who had openly snubbed the rally, the Kota Kecil MCA chairman Tai Foo Him led three busloads of people to support the rally which was held in Padang Timur here. He told reporters that majority of 110 people who came with him were MCA members. He drew a mixture of cheers and boos when asked to speak at the rally where some of the protesters had carried banners reading: "Shameless MCA president betrays Chinese education" and "BN MCA, Corrupt and Abuse of Power". "I feel ashamed when I saw your placards condemning our party. I think our leaders must change," he said. "If they don't, then maybe it's about the time for us to change," he added, without elaborating. He then cited the example of Black American activism in the 1960s to encourage the crowd to continue the struggle.
Speaking to reporters later, Tai said the MCA leaders did not dare to speak out against the blueprint because they were afraid to lose their government positions. The branch chairman who joined MCA in 1989 also criticised the party for openly rejecting the rally. "MCA and the Chinese community are from the same root. Nevermind if you don't support the rally, but why oppose the rally?" he said. Tai warned that should MCA failed to change the outcome of the blueprint, he would pull out from the party. He also said he has done nothing wrong for the party to level a possible disciplinary action against him.
|
| Dr M drums up support for Umno Posted: 24 Nov 2012 03:12 PM PST  Top driver and VIP passengers: Dr Mahathir is committed to helping Najib and Umno win the general election. They are seen here with their spouses in a golf buggy during the last Hari Raya open house at Seri Perdana. Umno's grand old man is doing whatever he can to help Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak lead Umno and the Barisan Nasional to a convincing electoral victory. Joceline Tan, The Star EVERYONE seems to want a piece of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The Umno general assembly is just days away and the media has been after him for interviews. They want to know what Umno's grand old man has to say about the party. Just a year ago, the former Premier was still unsure and fretting about how Umno and the Barisan Nasional would fare in the polls. At that time, he could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. But it was quite a different story last week. Dr Mahathir was sanguine and in a mellow mood despite juggling a hectic week. His replies to questions were brief, sharp and, well, rather cheeky at times. The prognosis of the "Doctor In The House" – to borrow from the title of his best-selling memoirs – is that the party is in a much better state than it was last year. Umno has made it out of the tunnel under the stewardship of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. This is a busy month for Dr Mahathir. Outside the suite at the PWTC where the interview was taking place, there was a hive of activity connected to his Perdana Foundation for World Peace. There was an exhibition on War Crimes and inside one of the halls, the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission was hearing testimonies on war crimes against Palestine. Last year, the commission held a mock trial that convicted George W. Bush and Tony Blair of "crimes against peace" in the Iraq war. Dr Mahathir's commitment to the Palestinian cause is not just about commiserating with the Muslim brethren. It also has to do with his life-long conviction against imperialism and colonialism.  Faizal: 'Either we make it or we are finished' But all that may not quite rival his commitment to Umno. Dr Mahathir has been working quietly behind the scenes, doing his part to assist Najib in drumming home the message that if Umno wants to win well in the general election, it has to stop the old culture of political sabotage. He has met one state Umno delegation after another at his Perdana Foundation premises in Putrajaya. "The key message was: do not sabotage the party. He told us, whoever contests, please support him or her. One of the reasons we did badly in 2008 was because our own people sabotaged the party. There is a Malay shift back to Umno so if we still lose it will be because of internal sabotage," said Cheras Umno chief Datuk Syed Ali Alhabshi, who was part of the Federal Territories Umno delegation that met Dr Mahathir last month. Umno plays a largely supporting role in Kuala Lumpur where it contests only three out of 11 seats but the session was packed because members were keen to hear what he had to say. "It was a bit emotional for us, the fact that at his age he is still out there rooting for us especially when he said that even if his son is not nominated as a candidate, he would still go all out for the party," said Syed Ali. The hall was just as packed when it came to Selangor Umno's turn. "He said this is going to be the mother of all battles. He appealed to us to come together as one. We are at the crossroads – either we make it or we are finished. He was pleading with us, I thought he came close to tears at one stage," said the Kapar Umno deputy chief Datuk Faizal Abdullah. Umno needs to go the extra mile to convince people that the party is open to change and reform. Najib is preparing to embark on a bold slate of candidates that will include experienced as well as new and fresh faces. If he is going to convince voters, especially the undecided ones, that Barisan candidates are the team of the future, he cannot have people who have overstayed or those with baggage clinging on. Najib's problem is how to ease them off as smoothly as possible. Some of the people who are dropped may be Umno warlords and no one likes to be told they are no longer needed. Umno's election history has had its share of the local party machinery closing shop or "tutup bilik gerakan" when their man is not selected. Dr Mahathir has seen it happen many times in his 22 years as Prime Minister. He was almost disqualified in the 1999 general election because of an error in his nomination forms. Fortunately, he was able to submit a new set of forms before the deadline but his political secretary who prepared the forms had to quit after the election. And that is why the party leadership is working hard to psyche members against internal sabotage so that they will be mentally ready to accept the candidate line-up when the election is called. Dr Mahathir has also used the sessions to ask those present to give their full support to Najib so that he can lead the coalition to a convincing victory. He is aware of pro-Pakatan news portals carrying reports that he is trying to topple Najib and that he prefers Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.  Suraya: 'Mahathir factor will have impact in Kedah' Common agenda The reports do not make sense because Dr Mahathir has no reason to want to topple Najib. Both of them have a common agenda – they want Umno and Barisan to win well, they aim to finish off Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's career, and they have no love for PAS and even less for DAP. What many are not aware of is that Najib and Dr Mahathir have a warm relationship. Quite a lot of it is due to Najib's personality because he has been able to maintain cordial ties between the two warring former premiers. Besides, Najib's office has many Mahathir admirers who understand that Dr Mahathir is not the sort of man who indulges in flattery or praise. He is an exacting man who gives credit and makes criticism in equal measure. When the elder man criticises government policy they understand that it does not mean he is against the government or their boss. "We are very confident that Tun Mahathir is with us," said a staff member. Dr Mahathir has dropped by for tea with the PM on a number of occasions and the staff always behave as though a movie star has arrived. They rush to kiss his hand and have their photos taken with him. He is ushered up via the private lift and when he leaves, Najib personally sends him down to the car. Both men are also known to invite each other to their homes for dinner. During the last Hari Raya open house at Seri Perdana, Najib left his lunch when he was told that Dr Mahathir and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali were at the entrance so he could escort them to the VVIP table. At functions attended by Dr Mahathir, Najib often whispers to his staff to make sure than Dr Mahathir's car drives out first when the event finishes. Protocol dictates that the Prime Minister's car should leave first but Najib will insist that Dr Mahathir be shown the top respect. The Prime Minister's aides are very aware of these gestures of respect. Dr Mahathir has amused reporters with his tongue-in-cheek remarks about who is most suited to be Pakatan's candidate for Prime Minister. On Wednesday, he said that DAP chairman Karpal Singh is the most qualified because of his legal background and the fact that he has been around so long. "If he puts on his turban, he can compete with Nik Aziz (Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat) but he is not a Malay although that can be easily corrected," he said with a broad grin. Actually, he added an even more cheeky remark that is best not repeated. On Thursday, he told reporters that PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang is more qualified than Anwar to be prime minister because the former has no baggage. But he said that Hadi, who had referred to Umno as an "evil party" or "parti syaitan", should know he is working with the devil himself. "He is in a coalition with the devil. I know this devil. Hadi is in cahoots with this devil," he said with a devilish grin. It was vintage Mahathir. He was basically saying that Karpal is a good lawyer but has overstayed in politics, Nik Aziz has the religious but not the professional credentials, Hadi accuses Umno of being an evil party but is working with the devil and Anwar has too much political baggage.  Syed Ali: Drumming home 'no sabotage' message That is the advantage of knowing when to let go after 22 years in power – it gives him the licence to say what others cannot. Nik Aziz would be in the same privileged position had he kept his promise to step down after Dr Mahathir goes. Nik Aziz marked his 22nd year as Kelantan Mentri Besar last month and Dr Mahathir is not about to let him forget the past. "These people never keep their word. They are supposed to be religious people but people who don't keep their word are not very religious. They called me firaun (pharoah), syaitan. It doesn't affect me; it's like water over a leaf. I trust the public; I think they can see through it," he said. Many people are simply amazed at the way that Dr Mahathir, 87, is going all out for Umno. So is Dr Siti Hasmah. "I know Tun Siti was so sad when Kedah fell. They were outside Umno in 2008 but they are back and that's going to make a difference especially in Kedah," said Sungai Tiang assemblywoman Datuk Suraya Yaakob. The former First Lady's eyesight is failing but she is there at all the Umno functions. At the session with the Kedah Umno delegation, Suraya noticed that Dr Siti Hasmah's eyebrows looked lop-sided – one eyebrow was only half pencilled in. They had a good giggle especially after Dr Siti Hasmah confessed that she had been at another function the whole morning looking like that. Dr Siti Hasmah also confessed that she would sometimes ask Dr Mahathir to help draw her eyebrows. He would oblige but he would also tease that this sort of thing was not part of their marriage contract. "They are such a cute couple, so devoted to each other," said Suraya. The former First Couple are equally committed to seeing that Umno succeeds in the general election. "Umno enabled me to become Prime Minister. Now is my time to pay back what it did for me," said Dr Mahathir.
|
| Bukan PAS, yang gelicir orangnya Posted: 24 Nov 2012 03:00 PM PST
Mungkin yang dikatakan PAS tergelincir dari pimpinan ulama kerana Mohamad Sabu yang bukan ulama telah mengalahkan dua calon ulama dalam pertandingan jawatan Timbalan Presiden dalam Muktamar sebelum ini. Subky Abdul Latif, The Malaysian Insider Telah timbul isu PAS dikatakan tergelincir dari dasar Islamnya dan kepimpinan ulama gara-gara dikatakan setelah ditembusi oleh para parasit. Justeru itu PAS telah ditohmah mulai leka mengtamakan untuk berkuasa dari memajukan politik dakwahnya sambil meningkatkan dakwah politiknya. Tetapi menjelang muktamarnya dari 15 hingga 18 November 2012 nampak adanya gelombang orang yang keluar dari PAS. Yang ada ialah gelombang orang menyertai PAS oleh orang-orang yang bersara dari perkhidmatan kerajaan dan orang-orang Umno yang bersara dari partinya. Antara yang bersara dari Umno itu Tamrin Ghafar Baba dan Tan Sri Kadir Shaik Fadzir. Kadir tidak mendaftar jadi PAS, tetapi hati dan jasadnya sudah bersama PAS. Mungkin yang dikatakan PAS tergelincir dari pimpinan ulama kerana Mohamad Sabu yang bukan ulama telah mengalahkan dua calon ulama dalam pertandingan jawatan Timbalan Presiden dalam Muktamar sebelum ini. Ia tidak cukup untuk mengatakan ulama telah dipinggirkan kerana sistem kepimpinan PAS bertunggakkan kepada Majlis Syura Ulama, pimpinan bersama Tok Guru Nik Abdul Aziz dan Dr. Harun Din. Wibawa Mursyidul Am dan Presidennya yang ulama belum tercabar. Pemilihan Mohamad Sabu belum menjadikan status kepimpinan ulama terlucut. Seperti Iran, Presidennya boleh ulama dan boleh juga bukan ulama. Pernah bukan ulama menjadi Presiden seperti Bani Sadr, Rajai seorng guru matamatik dan Ahmadenejad sekarang. Ia juga pernah ada Presiden ulama seperti Ayatullah Ali Khaminae, Hojatul Islam Mashimi Rafsanjani dan Khatami. Tetapi tidak pernah Iran terlucut dari pimpinan ulama. Dua kerajaan negeri pimpinan PAS sekarang — Kelantan dan Kedah — berMBkan ulama. Benar MB Perak dulu bukan ulama tetapi ia disebab ulama yang berstatus pemimpin kalah dalam pilihanraya. Adapun kerjasama dalam Pakatan Rakyat bersama PKR dan DAP dibuat mengikutkan lunas siasah syariyah yang diluluskan oleh Majlis Syura Ulama. Kerjasama politik atau tahaluf siasi sudah PAS jalani sebelum Anwar Ibrahim dipecat dari Umno sejak tahun 1985 menjelang PRU 1986. Uztaz Ibrahim Libya yang terkenal keras itu sebelum terbunuhnya tidak menentang tahaluf itu kerana ia diputuskan mengikut kaerah siasah syariyah. Politik PAS itu ada turun naiknya, tetapi tidak pernah ia tergelincir dari pejuangan Islamnya. Ketika ia berada dalam kerajaan BN telah merasa sedap dengan nikmat kerajaan, tetapi PAS mengambil langkah sedia ditendang dari mengikut arahan Hussein Onn dan Dr Mahathir. Ia kembali kepada perjuangan tulinnya. PAS telah selamat dari tergelincir tetapi dari semasa ke semasa, orang ada yang tergelincir. Hatta dua orang yang pernah menjadi Presidennya tergelincir — Haji Ahmad Fuad dan Dato Asri. Sejak pimpinan Dr. Burhanuddin Alhilmy hinggalah ke zaman Ustaz Haji Abdul Hadi ada yang bertaraf pimpinan tergelincir baik tergelincair dari parti mahupun pemikiran Islam yang dibawa PAS. Sebagai sebuah parti yang terbuka ia disertai oleh semua lapisan rakyat yang berbagai latarbelakang pendidikan. Maka tidak terlepas ia dari dibolosi oleh orang yang dikatakan parasid. Tetapi para parasit yang tidak dapat menjadikan dirinya benar-benar PAS, maka satu demi satu telah gagal menjadi ahli yang baik. Ada parasid yang melarikan diri dan ada juga yang disuruh lari. Mereka juga tergelincir. Jika jenis itu belum hari, mereka juga akan tergelincir pula. PAS pernah berkawan dengan Tengku Razaleigh, Rais Yatim dan Datuk Harun Idris. Mereka juga tergelincir. Tetapi PAS tetap seperti ketika ia ditubuhkan dulu.
|
| Posted: 24 Nov 2012 02:51 PM PST
The policies of PAS in Kelantan have put its Pakatan Rakyat allies in an awkward spot. For the DAP, the value of hanging on to PAS is not in winning new seats but having a partner who can provide the Prime Minister or Mentri Besar if they win big, as was the case in Perak before the defection. Baradan Kuppusamy, The Star THERE is more to the hair controversy in PAS-ruled Kota Baru than meets the eye. For one, the woes of doing business have just multiplied and it also tells of the unfriendly business environment in Kelantan, which prides itself in allowing pig farms but not a woman cutting a man's hair and in full and open view. It also shows, especially to the business-oriented Chinese community, that supporting the Islamist party, no matter what the DAP does to justify and whitewash it ahead of the coming general election, is a step backwards. PAS is set to be dominant in Pakatan Rakyat and the intolerant rules it is imposing in Kelantan will eventually be translated into national policies by its representatives. Remember the protest against cinemas in Bangi and the gender segregation seating in cinemas in Sabak Bernam? Once the genie is out of the bottle it is impossible to wish it back in. By all counts, DAP is resurgent and while it is on course for a big victory at the polls, it is also urging Chinese voters to back its partner PAS. But no matter how liberal PAS pretends to be, it stumbles ever so often. It shows its inherent intolerance and narrow mindedness, all in the name of Islam, an intolerance that appears intrinsic to all religious parties. If PAS becomes dominant, which is within reach with its one million card-carrying members, and with DAP and PKR giving it added clout, what is to stop it from implementing the same policies nationwide? At stake is our liberal way of life. Salon operators in Kota Baru have been repeatedly summoned for allowing females to cut the hair of males or vice-versa, a prohibition imposed by the Kota Baru Municipal Council that is filled with PAS members. Gender segregation is openly enforced in Kelantan, and PAS says this is in accordance with Islam. But this is the first time where a non-Muslim female hairdresser has been summoned for cutting the hair of a non-Muslim male, a common enough practice everywhere else in the world except in Kelantan now. Islamic rules were only for Muslims but now that rule has clearly encroached into non-Muslim space, and such space is narrowing and likely to get worse with PAS on a dominant path. Can the DAP, which defends all things PAS and even goes about uttering Islamic verses, explain this intolerant tendencies? The same PAS party is in the news for praying for God's help to run down Umno and Barisan Nasional, wanting their destruction allegedly for being hard on Muslims. Thus far the DAP as well as PKR are silent on this prayer asking for the destruction of Umno/Barisan Nasional, a desperate attempt to energise rural Malay support that is slipping from under PAS. In the past, this very party had called Umno infidels, pig farmers and pharaohs, and told all who want to hear that Umno members won't go to heaven when they die. This is the party that is partnering with DAP and PKR and wants to get to Putrajaya in a big way. It shows a temporary liberal face that becomes unhinged ever so often, leaving red faces in the liberal PKR and secular DAP. A religious party advocating a theocracy simply has no role in a modern democracy, and a secular party like the DAP should have been aware of the limitations of a religious party before entering into a partnership. Despite the ever so often hiccups from PAS, the DAP has been advancing the political interest of PAS and in return gets the support of PAS Malay members in the urban centres the DAP will contest. But this support would only enlarge its majority in the urban centres, not win for it new seats. For the DAP, the value of hanging on to PAS is not in winning new seats but having a partner who can provide the Prime Minister or Mentri Besar if they win big, as was the case in Perak before the defection. Pure political expediency is at work here between DAP and PAS. Each gains something out of their alliance PAS gets Chinese voter support and wins in many marginal seats against traditional rival Umno, and DAP gets a Malay partner in government. As the hair cutting controversy unravels, the woes of the Chinese business community continue to multiply in Kelantan. One salon manager was summoned 11 times, the latest on Tuesday, another was issued with 10 summonses, and a third with four. It's a wonder the salons are in business at all. "I would understand it if we were fined for allowing our women workers to cut the hair of Muslim men. But they were attending to non-Muslim men," said a salon manager remonstrating against the rule. What will be next on the PAS list of don'ts ... female doctors for females only?
|
| Najib’s message to Chinese voters Posted: 24 Nov 2012 02:46 PM PST
(Bernama) - Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the Chinese community who likes his leadership, must give solid support to Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) if they want him to bring more successes to the nation through the national transformation programme. The prime minister said this in a special interview prior to the 66th Umno general assembly next week, when asked to comment on remarks by political observers, that some parties in the Chinese community liked Najib's leadership but not his party and BN, and were divided over giving support. Najib, who is also Umno president, in the one-hour interview with Bernama and Utusan Malaysia, nevertheless, said he saw the wind of change blowing in the level of support towards the government including from among the Chinese community compared to 2008 because they liked the government's direction. Commenting further on the parties in the Chinese community who were still divided in their support of the government, he said: "If they want me as the PM who can bring transformation to the nation, as they had been convinced all these while, they must give their support to me." "Because a strong PM is a PM who has comprehensive support, so that more successes can be brought to the nation," he added. Najib said a prime minister without a comprehensive mandate was weak and could be disputed, including whatever innovation he wanted to implement because any change would face many challenges. "A leadership without political support is a leadership without moral strength. If a leader has no moral strength, the leader will find it hard to face challenges to bring about big changes to the nation," Najib said. Since becoming prime minister in April 2009, Najib has introduced numerous comprehensive transformation programmes encompassing the government delivery system and politics and economy which were starting to show very positive preliminary results. The prime minister said although Umno or BN had several weaknesses, yet they were much better if compared to the opposition pact. "So if they don't like UMNO or BN, at least we are solid, having the same aim and talking in the same tone compared to the opposition who are basically at odds, even in terms of ideology. They are also not in tune (among the opposition) as to who will become the PM. Najib also said in national political system, if the groups liked his leadership, whether they wanted to or not they must give support to his party, namely, Umno and BN. "Otherwise, another party will be PM and not me. This means, someone else they don't want will become PM. And the pillar in our system is whoever becomes the PM," he said. Commenting further on the increase in support from the Chinese community towards the current government, Najib said he was aware that a change in attitude took time. Conceding that the government had problems with Chinese voters, he said, nevertheless, the government should not shunt them aside but to intensify engagements to understand their needs and demands, and respond accordingly. He said he understood the Chinese in towns were not overly dependent on the government but they must be aware their successes as individuals and a community were the result of government policies. "The government created conducive surroundings where they can find business opportunities, opportunities to develop themselves. If they look at the future, they would also need a country that is well-administered. "So BN can do this and make adjustments to our policies they are unhappy about and the weaknesses they say we must correct… for example crimes in towns." He stressed that so long as the people were not satisfied with the rate of drop in crimes, the effort would be escalated to erase all their concerns. Najib also refuted allegations by opposition parties that Umno was racist when urging towards the unity of Malays, and purportedly, its struggle was only in the interest of Malays. "Malay unity does not mean we oppose other races because, as I had said, we must bring other communities together with us." "We have carried this spirit since long ago from the time of Tunku (Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj) and Tun Razak (Hussein). Why should we set aside what had been founded by our founding fathers." Najib stressed that the current Umno leaders, like its founding fathers who set up the Alliance and then BN, were aware the strength of the country hinged on cooperation between the communities. "This we must hold on to," he said, adding that several actions which gave the perception that Umno was racist should and would be corrected. Najib said, when the government introduced the 1 Malaysia concept, all communities understood better, that, in this country, all communities must benefit from the national leadership. He said, as a result of the efficiency in the administration of the country, the government could ensure quite a strong national economic growth, whereby, the third quarter of this year recorded a 5.2 per cent growth and 300,000 jobs were created. The increase in foreign direct investment continued to go up from RM5 billion in 2009 to RM29.3 billion in 2010 and RM36.6 billion last year. "All these achievements, people say went against the world economy," he said, adding that the nation developed a high level of confidence with the achievements. The prime minister said the policies and programmes of the opposition as contained in their "Orange Book" and 2013 Budget did not get rave reviews from economists. "If we ask investment bankers and their fund managers' financial analysts, they do not give a high valuation to what was forwarded by the opposition. This means that they only see BN as a viable government." He said the current national transformation programme to boost Malaysia into becoming a developed and high-income nation could not possibly be achieved in three or four years but needed a much longer time. "President (Barack) Obama also demanded another term as president (of the United States) because he said it was impossible to make amends on what was done during the tenure of (President George) Bush, in four years. Furthermore, Najib said if BN received a strong mandate from the people in the 13th general election, God willing, he would commit himself to using his post and the strength of moral leadership to carry out greater and grander achievements for Malaysia.
|
| Posted: 24 Nov 2012 02:40 PM PST
We should be on guard against politicians who try to pass themselves off as theologians, regardless of their religion. Wong Chun Wai, The Star IT'S incredibly silly and nave to actually believe that the religious push by PAS, especially the implementation of hudud and syariah laws, will not affect non-Muslims. There are many Chinese voters, swayed by anti-establishment sentiments towards Barisan Nasional, who have been easily convinced that the Islamist party is perfectly acceptable and that hudud laws would not encroach into the lifestyle of non-Muslims. So they take a light, if not cynical, response towards the call by the Chinese-based component parties in the Barisan and have dismissed the red flag raised by the MCA and Gerakan as no more than a scare tactic. Last week's report that a female Chinese hairstylist has been fined regularly by the Kota Baru Municipal Council for cutting the hair of male Chinese customers has revealed how the PAS agenda is affecting non-Muslims. Salon operators have learnt the hard way that gender segregation regulations in the PAS-controlled state apply to non-Muslims as well. The KB municipal council by-laws forbid women from cutting men's hair and vice-versa regardless of their religion. E-Life Hair Salon manager Ong Lee Ting said she has been paying fines of between RM200 and RM350, adding that she was warned the licence for the salon would be revoked because of the many summonses issued to the operator. While many of us may be used to the way the PAS state government has been running Kelantan with its strict religious regulations, including gender segregation at concerts and supermarket check-outs, some might not be aware that the party's leaders in other states have been doing something similar. In Bangi, Selangor, the PAS state assemblyman Dr Shafie Abu Bakar has stood firm against any proposal to set up a cinema in his constituency. A Chinese businessman reportedly tried to set up a cinema in Bangi but the PAS politician was the biggest stumbling block. When the issue was reported in February, Dr Shafie questioned the need for a cinema in his constituency when one could watch movies on television and the Internet. He claimed that his constituency was 97% Muslims who preferred to attend religious and educational classes. In July, PAS in Kuala Selangor insisted on putting up notices in a cinema forbidding unmarried couples from sitting together. State PAS Commissioner Dr Rani Osman said the directive was made by the licensing department of the Kuala Selangor district council. The state deputy commissioner Khalid Samad, who is purportedly a liberal, was reported as saying that the cinema was frequented by families and they had complained of couples making out there. He also reportedly described it as a poor man's nightclub! In Kota Baru, the PAS state government at one time reportedly insisted that the lights in cinemas must be switched on during the movie to prevent patrons from conducting immoral activities. In 1995, when PAS came to power in Terengganu, the first thing the state's then Mentri Besar Hadi Awang did was to demolish the replica of a turtle at a roundabout in Kuala Terengganu, saying it was akin to idol worshipping. This is the same man who has indicated his interest to be Prime Minister of Malaysia. But we must accept the fact that PAS politicians have always been very clear on what they want to achieve if they are in power. They have consistently and clearly made it known that implementation of hudud laws are on top of their agenda. It is only the apologists outside PAS that have tried to reassure their non-Muslim supporters that this would not happen or that hudud laws, even if implemented, would not affect non-Muslims. Try telling that to a non-Muslim rape victim if the perpetrators are Muslims. We should be on guard against politicians who try to pass themselves off as theologians, regardless of their religion. Those who challenged the authority of such politiciantheologians have found themselves being reminded that dissent means challenging God's laws. They are also put down by such figures who dismiss their critics as unqualified and incapable of carrying out a debate because the challengers are not religiously qualified. Suddenly, religion has become the monopoly of these political-religious characters. Malaysia is veering towards a dangerous situation where there are many non-Muslim voters who are prepared to vote in orthodox PAS leaders. They don't realise that they would be turning the clock back with their political adventurism. It could be a hair-raising experience!
|
| DAP worried hudud will cover non-Muslims Posted: 24 Nov 2012 02:35 PM PST
(The Star) - The DAP is worried that hudud law will be extended to non-Muslims, with the latest controversy involving hair salon operators in PAS-led Kelantan. Its chairman Karpal Singh said he was surprised that Kelantan decided to enforce a ruling prohibiting non-Muslim women from cutting the hair of men and vice versa. "The Kelantan Government has publicly declared that Islamic laws will not be extended to non-Muslims. PAS has also stated that hudud will only be applied to Muslims. "There's a lot of concern among the public on what has just happened in Kelantan. If hudud is allowed, they will come to be extended to non-Muslims," he told a press conference yesterday. Karpal, who is the Bukit Gelugor MP, said the municipal council ruling was unconstitutional. "In fact, it should be challenged in court. Those concerned should not pay the fines imposed. It is unlawful. "The municipal council in Kelantan is collecting fines on the basis of an unlawful law. "I hope that the PAS leadership will intervene on this matter and do something about it as soon as possible," he said. Karpal said Barisan Nasional should not be presented with issues that could be exploited with the general election looming, likening the law relating to hairdressers as an "unkind cut". On the upcoming two-day DAP national conference from Dec 15, he said 66 party members had been nominated for 20 positions in the central executive committee.
|
| Posted: 24 Nov 2012 02:23 PM PST
Ringleaders are upset with Karpal's insistence on one man-one seat electoral formula as part of party strategy to face the next GE, claims a former DAP man. Athi Shankar, FMT Is there a grand design – purportedly mooted by the Lim Dynasty faction – to oust DAP national chairman Karpal Singh in the party national election next month? According to former DAP grassroots leader Tan Tuan Tat, such a plan is already allegedly in place to vote Karpal out from the central executive committee (CEC). Tan, a former Selangor DAP publicity secretary, said the plan was hatched to protect the self-interest of a few. "The warlords don't want the Singh to be their King. They feel Karpal is against their selfish interests," the former DAP's Taman Seri Sungai Pelek branch chairman told FMT here. These ringleaders, he said, were extremely upset with Karpal's insistence on one man-one seat electoral formula as part of party strategy to face the next general election. Karpal's single seat proposal for a party candidate to contest only either a federal or a state seat, albeit some exemptions, has been overwhelmingly popular among party grassroots and lay public.
But Tan said some of the party's current nine double-seat holders from the Lim Dynasty were unhappy with Karpal's initiative to streamline their multiple positions and multiple perks. He alleged that the warlords were also unhappy with Karpal outspoken criticisms against PAS Islamic state and PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim's unsuccessful Sept 16 Putrajaya coup in 2008.
|
| Muhyiddin lambasted for bad education policies Posted: 24 Nov 2012 02:20 PM PST
An Indian NGO rep tells some 6,000-strong crowd at the Dong Zong rally that Muhyiddin is a failed education minister. Leven Woon, FMT The Dong Zong rally against the National Education Blueprint kicked off today with various speakers training their guns at the ruling government, including one who labelled Muhyiddin Yassin as the "dumbest education minister in the world". Dubbed as "Peaceful Appeal Against National Education Blueprint", the rally saw more than 6,000 people gathering the Padang Timur here since 10am, many holding umbrellas under the hot Sunday weather. The protesters also displayed banners that among others read: "Safeguard SJK (C) and SJK (T)", "Guarantee existence and development of multi-stream schools", "Education blueprint stumbling block to unity" and "National school syllabus to fuse Chinese school". Both Barisan Nasional and the MCA were targeted by the protesters, as several placards were spotted reading: "Shameless MCA president betrays Chinese education", "BN MCA, Corrupt and Abuse of Power".
Thasleem Mohd Ibrahim, who heads the National Indian Rights Action Team (NIAT), said in his addressing speech that the people respected Bahasa Malaysia as the national language and only demanded the rights to learn mother tongue. He criticised Muhyiddin, who is also the deputy prime minister, over his controversial policies such as the introduction of the Interlok novel to secondary school students and the National Education Blueprint. "What does he know? He knows nothing about education. He is the most stupid education minister in the world," he said, drawing the protesters' applause.
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan