Ahad, 23 Disember 2012

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News


Queen's chaplain says Church of England has racism problem

Posted: 22 Dec 2012 04:13 PM PST

AFP - Queen Elizabeth II's chaplain Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, tipped to become one of Britain's first women bishops, said Saturday that the Church of England is struggling with "institutional racism".

Jamaican-born Hudson-Wilkin, a chaplain to the monarch and also to parliament's lower House of Commons, told The Times newspaper that she had been a victim of racism in her ministry.

The church's second-highest cleric, John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, is of Ugandan origin.

But Hudson-Wilkin asked why there were not more people of minority ethnic backgrounds in leadership roles within England's state church.

"There's still an element of racism running through people's veins," the 51-year-old said of Britain.

"I've had people who did not want me to do a funeral. I can smile because it's their sheer ignorance, I feel sorry for them. I know that it's not about me, it's about them."

She is worried about a sense of prejudice in the Church of England hierarchy.

Only 15 of the 467 members of the General Synod, the Church's governing body, are from black or South Asian backgrounds.

"We need to ask why there are not more people of minority ethnic backgrounds in leadership within the Church," said the mother of three.

"We have been encouraging people to stand and people have been putting themselves forward and have not been elected. I think there is a level of racism around that."

Hudson-Wilkin, also a vicar in Hackney, east London, put herself forward for the Synod a few years ago but was not elected.

"It did not occur to them to ensure that one of the priests elected should be from an ethnic minority -- even the ones who stand up Sunday after Sunday in front of a predominantly black congregation," she said.

"I'm not one of these people who lifts up a stone to look for racism.

"But that shook me because I thought, 'My God, it's as if we don't exist'.

"That told me very clearly that they don't give a damn about the congregations that they serve.

"The Church, although it has made a lot of steps forward, is still struggling with institutional racism."

The General Synod failed to pass legislation last month that would have permitted women bishops. Hudson-Wilkin, who came to Britain in 1985, was tipped to become one of the first.

"The whole women bishops thing is crazy," she said.

"I'd like to see the church going with the courage of its conviction and say, 'We're having women bishops, full stop'."

 

Karpal: Tunku Aziz trying to ‘poison Malays’ against DAP

Posted: 22 Dec 2012 04:03 PM PST

DAP chairman Karpal Singh accused today former colleague Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim of mounting a smear campaign to turn the Malay community against the party and its leaders by claiming members were barred from accepting state awards from Malay rulers.

Karpal, a lawyer and federal lawmaker, rejected allegations that the Chinese-dominant party was opposing Malay rulers by snubbing the awards, saying the DAP's policy has been consistent in rejecting state honours except for those issued for bravery.

"We are not against the Malay rulers. The policy is just to tell our members they can't accept state awards of any kind except for bravery," he told a press conference in Air Itam today.

"By saying that I issued an edict prohibiting party members from accepting state awards from Malay rulers is a half-truth and coined to put me in a bad light in the eyes of the Malays," the Bukit Gelugor MP said.

The veteran politician was responding to Tunku Aziz, a former DAP vice chairman-turned-critic, who was yesterday reported accusing Karpal of issuing an order prohibiting party members from accepting any award given out by Malay rulers.

Karpal clarified that the party's policy applied to all state honours, including those issued by state governors in Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak.

The party policy was introduced a few years ago as a move towards transparency.

"This prohibition is only for active members as we want to ensure transparency. So, the rulers should not construe this as a decision that is against them. They should understand that it is our stand for transparency sake," he said.

He said DAP members may accept awards after they have retired from active politics, citing as examples the late Chian Heng Kai, a former Bukit Mertajam MP; former Batu Lanchang assemblyman the late Tan Loo Jit; and former Berapit state lawmaker Wong Hang Yoke who were conferred state honours carrying the title "Datuk".

 Karpal said strict disciplinary action will be taken against those who breached the party policy.

Karpal also chided Perak DAP chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham and Selangor Assembly Speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim for accepting the awards from the Perak Sultan and the Selangor ruler conferred in 2008 and 2010 respectively.

"I have told them to surrender their Datukships but they have not done so. This is wrong and against the party principle," he said, even though the duo have not been hauled up for accepting the awards.

READ MORE HERE

 

‘Tunku Aziz is lying’

Posted: 22 Dec 2012 03:54 PM PST

Karpal Singh says he had never issued an edict prohibiting DAP members from accepting awards from Malay rulers.

Athi Shankar, FMT

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh today denied that he had ever issued an edict prohibiting party members from accepting state titles and awards, especially Datukships, from Malay rulers, as alleged by former party vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim (pic).

He blasted Tunku Aziz for "lying publicly" and demanded an immediate retraction of his statement published in an English daily article yesterday.

Karpal insisted that he had only told party leaders, assemblymen and MPs not to accept Datukships or, state titles or awards, as long they were active in politics.

He said the party rule was DAP leaders and members can accept such titles and awards after retirement from active politics.

"The statement by Tunku Aziz attributing my having issued what amounts to an edict prohibiting DAP members from accepting awards from Malay rulers is certainly a half-truth.

"It was perpetrated for the sole purpose and objective of putting me in bad light in the eyes of the Malays in the country.

"I consider this an exceptionally sharp and unkind cut devoid of justification.

"I have never mentioned Malay rulers. Tunku Aziz has lied.

"He should publicly withdraw his statement," Karpal, the two-term Bukit Gelugor parliamentarian read out his statement to newsmen here today.

Expressing shocked over Tunku Aziz's statement, he said DAP had considered the ex-vice-chairman as a paragon of virtue and man of integrity after having presided over the Transparency International Malaysian Chapter.

But now, Karpal said the transparency of Tunku Aziz was more than suspect due to his poisonous and obnoxious utterances against DAP.

"He should cease and desist from attacking DAP and its leaders," said Karpal.

Facing the CEC

He said the policy of not to accept Datukships, any state titles or awards so long as DAP leaders were still active in politics and public duties was a long standing party principle constituted back in 1990s.

The rule was reaffirmed when Perak chairman Ngeh Koo Ham and Selangor Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Khim accepted Datukships in their respective states after the 2008 general election

Nonetheless they were given a dressing down during a central executive committee (CEC) meeting for serious breach of ethics.

"At the conclusion of a CEC meeting, Tunku Aziz had come up to state that it would be better for the CEC to resolve the issue from then onwards that Datukships ought not to be accepted and leave Ngeh and Teng alone," recalled Karpal.

Since then, he said no one had accepted Datukships, or any state titles or awards, including himself, senior leaders Dr Chen Man Hin and Lim Kit Siang, and Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng.

"Penang government is with us. We could have easily accepted all awards. But we didn't," pointed out Karpal.

In Penang, the DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat state government had honoured former Bukit Mertajam MP the late Chian Heng Kai, former Batu Lanchang assembly the late Tan Loo Jit and former Berapit assemblyman Wong Hang Yoke with Datukships.

"All three had retired from active politics," clarified Karpal.

He warned party leaders and elected representatives to observe the "no to state titles and award" rule strictly or else they would pay penalty for breach of party code of conduct.

"They would be disciplined," he warned.

READ MORE HERE

 

Saudi website editor could face death for apostasy-rights group

Posted: 22 Dec 2012 03:33 PM PST

(Reuters) - The editor of a Saudi Arabian website could be sentenced to death after a judge cited him for apostasy and moved his case to a higher court, the monitoring group Human Rights Watch said yesterday.

Raif Badawi, who started the Free Saudi Liberals website to discuss the role of religion in Saudi Arabia, was arrested in June, Human Rights Watch said.

Badawi had initially been charged with the less serious offence of insulting Islam through electronic channels, but at a December 17 hearing a judge referred him to a more senior court and recommended he be tried for apostasy, the monitoring group said.

Apostasy, the act of changing religious affiliation, carries an automatic death sentence in Saudi Arabia, along with crimes including blasphemy.

Badawi's website included articles that were critical of senior religious figures, the monitoring group said.

A spokesman for Saudi Arabia's Justice Ministry was not available to comment.

The world's top oil exporter follows the strict Wahhabi school of Islam and applies Islamic law, or sharia.

Judges base their decisions on their own interpretation of religious law rather than on a written legal code or on precedent.

King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia's ruler, has pushed for reforms to the legal system, including improved training for judges and the introduction of precedent to standardise verdicts and make courts more transparent.

However, Saudi lawyers say that conservatives in the Justice Ministry and the judiciary have resisted implementing many of the changes that he announced in 2007.

 

Karpal Singh ticks off two party leaders who accepted Datukships

Posted: 22 Dec 2012 03:27 PM PST

(The Star) - DAP chairman Karpal Singh (pix) has chided two party leaders, Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham and Datuk Teng Chang Khim, for accepting Datukships from state rulers, which is against the party's long-standing principle.

He said that according to the principle agreed upon by party members since the mid 1990s, DAP state assemblymen and Members of Parliament were not to accept Datukships during their tenure in office.

"From now on, the party will take action against members who don't follow this ruling," he said, adding that the form of punishment would be decided by the party's disciplinary board after a hearing.

Ngeh, who is also Perak DAP chairman, was conferred the title in 2008 while Teng, who is the Selangor state assembly speaker, accepted a Datukship in 2010.

 

Sabah to get new constituencies next year

Posted: 22 Dec 2012 03:21 PM PST

Several constituencies in the west coast of the state is to be carved up due to rapid population growth.

Queville To, FMT

PAPAR: Sabah is set to get several new electoral constituencies when the re-delineation exercise takes place next year.

Deputy State Speaker Johnny Mositun said he had met several high-ranking Election Commission officers here and in Kuala Lumpur and they had informed him that many constituencies on the west coast of the state would be carved up due to rapid population growth.

"I have been given to understand that Sabah will get some additional constituencies," said Mositun who is also PBS information chief, while speaking at the PBS Bongawan Division annual general meeting here on Saturday.

"I have put forward my view that the recent emergence of big industries and rapid population growth along the west coast justifies the creation of several new constituencies between Papar and Sipitang," he said.

Mositun said the creation of new constituencies should not be based on ethnicity alone but rather the overall population and geography of the locality, among other things.

"The important thing is for the electoral constituencies to enable a balanced and equitable representation of Sabahans based on the overall demography of the state," he said.

The mini-boom taking place in the area due to the oil and gas hub being built by Petronas in Kimanis has resulted in the area south of the capital experiencing rapid growth after years of slumber.

There has been a tremendous increase in vehicular traffic in the Papar district in the wake of rapid industrialisation and business opportunities that have opened up at Kimanis and Sipitang over the past year with commuters now complaining of daily traffic jams at bottleneck areas close to the towns along the way.

"I hope the state government will take up my suggestion for a diversionary road from near the the Pengalat-Dambai junction and an additional bridge over the Papar River," Mositun said.

"This will ease the daily bottleneck at the entry to Papar town itself. Additionally I suggest the state government treat calls for upgrading the Kinarut-Pengalat-Papar road to a dual carriageway as a matter of urgency," he added.

READ MORE HERE

 

Stay away from trouble, DAP leaders told

Posted: 22 Dec 2012 03:20 PM PST

Karpal Singh responds to questions on the controversial Kelantan land deal allegedly involving DAP's Perak chairman Ngeh Koo Ham and secretary Nga Kor Ming

Athi Shankar, FMT

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh has called all party leaders and elected representatives to stay away from trouble that could create negative public perception on their integrity and dignity.

He said it would be bad for the party party leaders or elected reps were to be perceived of any wrongdoing.

"Hence, DAP leaders and elected reps should not put themselves into a position where there would be a public perception of any wrongdoing.

"They should be extra careful and stay away from such trouble," he told a press conference during his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency visit here today.

He was responding to questions on the controversial Kelantan land deal allegedly involving DAP's Perak chairman Ngeh Koo Ham and secretary Nga Kor Ming.

The two cousins from Perak have issued denials and legal threats in the past week following revelation that they were allegedly given 10,000 acres of prime forest land by the PAS-led Kelantan administration as part of an elaborate deal to have PAS' Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin appointed as Perak Menteri Besar after Pakatan Rakyat captured the state in the 2008 general election.

The allegations were made by the Pisau.net blog and by the Mole portal which said the land at Gua Musang, Kelantan was being held by the Perak DAP senior leaders under a company named Upayapadu Plantation Sdn Bhd.

Having been in denial, silent and switch off modes on their alleged involvement with Upayapadu, the duo have now confirmed they were investors in the project.

But they denied any wrongdoing.

Ngeh confirmed on Friday that the federal government had given out a loan for the project, adding however that it was wrong to suggest that they were "awarded" the land.

However, Ngeh and Nga have not addressed the main allegation that the land deal was part of a discussion to allow Nizar to assume the Mentri Besar job.

The Pisau.net blog alleged that Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, the PAS spiritual leader, brokered the controversial deal.

READ MORE HERE

 

‘PPO has no authority to review Bala’s SD’

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 04:44 PM PST

Does the Corruption Prevention Advisory Board (LPPR) have powers to override decisions made by MACC and the Public Prosecutor?

Alyaa Azhar, FMT

Former KL CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim has questioned the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) operations evaluation panel's (PPO) authority to review its governing decision involving  investigations into P Balasubramaniam's second statutory declaration (SD) or any other matters.

Mat Zain has also similarly questioned the PPO's power to review the Public Prosecutor's (PP) decisions.

PPO chairman Hadenan Abdul Jalil had recently announced that the case involving carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan was discussed during the PPO pre-meeting on Nov 8.

But Mat Zain said today that Hadenan had no authority to review decisions made by MACC and the PP.

His argument was based on a personal case in which he had appealed to the MACC advisory board to review a decision with regards to an investigation into a police report made by Anwar Ibrahim on July 1 2008. Anwar had accused Abdul Gani Patail, Musa Hassan, Abdul Rahman Yusof and himself for falsifying evidence in the investigation of the "black eye" incident.

Mat Zain said on  July 23 2009, he received an official letter from Abdul Hamid Mohamad, the chairman of Corruption Prevention Advisory Board (LPPR), a MACC panel which is above the PPO.  The letter he said was also copied to Hadenan.

In the letter Abdul Hamid stated: "LPPR's jurisdiction as provided by MACC Act Section 13 (Act 694) DOES NOT include reviewing any decision made by MACC and the Public Prosecutor in any particular case."

Said Mat Zain: "If LPPR realised (then) that it did not have the authority to review decisions made by MACC and the Public Prosecutor, why did LPPR discuss in great detail my appeal on three occasions, on April 20, June 15 and June 25 2009?

"I can only conclude that the answer given was to cover up the criminal misconduct made by Gani Patail and Musa Hassan so that they would not face legal punishment."

Bearing this in mind, Mat Zain questioned how Hadenan and his PPO could now review a MACC's decision regarding Balasubramaniam's second SD, when Abdul Hamid himself confirmed that the LPPR had no authority.

"There is no difference in whether Hadenan agrees or not with MACC's decision because the PPO does not have authority to review cases, as confirmed by Abdul Hamid.

"If there really is a new law which enables PPO to review cases, then I want to make another appeal to LPPR to review the case on Gani and Musa which has been distorted," he said

READ MORE HERE

 

Illegal Capital Flight Handicaps Asian Economies

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 04:31 PM PST

But report by Global Financial Integrity may be misstating the case

Private capital outflow by the disadvantaged non-bumiputras has long been a feature of Malaysia but the GFI report suggests that the number is even greater than hitherto assumed. Its puts the average unrecorded outflows at US$28 billion a year for the past decade and US$64 billion in 2010 alone.

Philip Bowring, Asia Sentinel 

The recent report by Global Financial Integrity, a US-based group aimed at improving governance, contains some mind-boggling data about the prevalence of illicit money transfers costing developing countries hundreds of billions of dollars. 

The bottom line, the report says, is that over the past 10 years these countries have lost a total of US$5.8 trillion. Of this, Asia has accounted for nearly half, with China leading the field by a long way and Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and India all appearing in the top ten list of losers, who together account for 75 percent of the global total. 

However, although the numbers are useful indicators of the extent of evasion of currency regulations and taxes, they can be criticized as greatly over-stating national as opposed to purely government revenue losses. 

The figures comprise two principal components. Primarily they are the sum of discrepancies between export and import data of the countries concerned with the comparable data of their trading partners. Thus export values are understated in order to accumulate funds offshore and import values are overstated for the same reason, the differences between declared and actual value accumulating in offshore accounts. These account for some percentage of the total. Second are what the report terms "Hot Money Flows," essentially the difference between recorded transactions and balance of payments data. 

The report details different ways of calculating these two ingredients but even the lowest one shows, for example, an illicit global outflow of at least US$738 billion in 2010 alone while the largest calculation puts it at US$1.19 trillion. 

However, the report is essentially a compilation and analysis of data that doesn't attempt to show actual trade and other transactions or explain the motives. Thus China apparently lost US$420 billion in 2010 alone and a total of $2.7 trillion over the past decade – almost 50 percent of the global total. 

Although superficially horrifying, it actually looks odd given that over this period China's foreign exchange reserves have risen at a pace that suggests massive financial capital inflows, not outflows, as its reserves grew far faster than its trade and investment account data would suggest. In other word China could have been a net winner, not the world's major loser from illicit transactions. 

This circle can in fact probably be squared by reference to Hong Kong through which a still large (but diminishing) trade is conducted. It has long been well know that under-invoicing of trade through Hong Kong has been on a massive scale mainly aimed at taking advantage of the territory's lower tax rate. Similarly Hong Kong's apparent huge capital inflow reflects not actual investment but round-tripping by mainland enterprises, again primarily for tax reasons. 

The net impact is a loss of revenue by Beijing but no loss to the nation as a whole. While it may be technically illegal the under or over-invoicing game is played by almost all multinationals – not least brand names like Google, Apple and Starbucks which divert most of their profits in developed as well as developing countries into tax havens where they have located patents. 

That is a serious global problem but the GFI report muddies the issue by making it one of the developing countries always being the losers. In the case of China there is of course large illicit capital outflow, into real estate in the US, Australia etc, Swiss and Singapore bank accounts, often ill-gotten gains laundered through Macau gambling tables. But clearly there must have also been large informal inflows. These may now have dried up and been partly reversed but they were clearly on a huge scale when speculation on yuan revaluation was at its height. 

That said, the data for Malaysia and the Philippines should be especially worrisome as these suggest that massive outflows are a cause of the very weak levels of private investment in the both countries. The Malaysian case is already quite well known. For a decade the current account surplus has been running at a massive 10 percent or more of GDP but foreign exchange reserves have only partially reflected this. Some large scale capital outflow is well-known – not least foreign investments by government and quasi-government entities such as Petronas and Malayan Banking. 

Read more at: http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5065&Itemid=422 

 

Anwar Ibrahim vs Dato Nalla, Utusan Malaysia and Datuk Aziz Ishak

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 04:24 PM PST

As follows is the Affidavit filed by Datuk S. Nallakaruppan on 24th September 2012 in reply to the civil suit filed by Anwar Ibrahim.

 

Malaysian ruling party mobilises for crisis election

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 04:19 PM PST

http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/media/k2/items/cache/bee6fcca10b0c290fa3542a31abd9436_M.jpg

With next year's vote shaping up to be the closest since 1957, UMNO will have no hesitation in resorting to vote-rigging, thuggery and police repression to win. 

John Roberts, World Socialist Web Site 

After repeated hints over the past year of an early election, Malaysia's ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) now appears likely to hold the poll close to the deadline for the dissolution of parliament in April next year. The indecision appears to reflect government concerns that the opposition parties might make further gains on top of those at the 2008 election.

Addressing UMNO's general assembly earlier this month, Prime Minister Najib Razak called for party unity, saying: "We will be going to the battlefield before too long from now." He said that the election would be no ordinary poll and that the party would have to fight for every vote.

Najib is well aware that his job is on the line. He replaced Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as prime minister in 2009, after the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition lost its two-thirds majority in the national parliament in the 2008 poll, as well as five of the country's 13 state governments. As a result, UMNO, which has ruled Malaysia continuously since formal independence in 1957, lost the ability to change the constitution as will—a power that it had used repeatedly to reinforce its autocratic rule.

During the assembly, UMNO's women's wing leader Shahrizat Abdul Jalil menacingly warned that there could be a repeat of the 1969 race riots, if "Malays", namely UMNO, lost power. UMNO used its thugs to instigate the race riots after electoral support for the party slumped in the 1969 election. In the wake of the riots, UMNO adopted the so-called New Economic Policy that heavily favoured the Malay majority in business, education and public sector jobs, over the country's ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.

The New Economic Policy fostered rampant cronyism as Malay businesses closely linked to UMNO took advantage of the racially-biased measures. The economy, however, has dramatically altered since the 1960s and 1970s, and is heavily dependent on the continued inflow of foreign investment to feed its export-oriented industries. As a result, the New Economic Policy has come into conflict with the demands of both foreign investors and significant sections of Malaysian business.

The policy dilemma facing the government erupted in the midst of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, with an open split between Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who advocated currency and investment controls to protect Malay businesses, and his deputy, Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who pushed the IMF's demands to open up the economy to foreign investors.

Mahathir dismissed Anwar, and expelled him and his supporters from UMNO. When Anwar began holding protest rallies against corruption, he was detained, beaten up and eventually convicted on bogus charges of corruption and homosexuality. Released from jail in 2004, Anwar now heads the opposition People's Alliance (PR), comprising his own Peoples Justice Party (Keadilan), the Islamist Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS) and the ethnic Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP).

None of the underlying issues that emerged in the 1998 crisis has been resolved. In a bid to retain business backing, the BN government under Badawi and Najib has edged closer to the policies advocated by Anwar. But Najib's own limited pro-market restructuring and changes to the New Economy Policy has provoked resentment within UMNO. As far as the corporate elite is concerned, however, the government has not gone far enough.

Malaysia is increasingly being hit by a downturn in its export markets in the US and Europe. Official estimates put growth for 2013 between 4.5 and 5.5 percent, but some analysts have predicted it will be as low as 3.5 percent. Najib has announced a target of $444 billion in private sector-led investments by 2020, of which only $70 billion has been received in investment commitments over the past two years. There is also frustration in ruling circles with the government's attempts to woo voters with budget handouts and an increase in the minimum wage.

As a result, significant sections of big business have come to view Anwar as more able to impose the policies they require: opening up the economy to foreign investment, ending racially-based cronyism, and implementing an austerity agenda.

Read more at: http://wsws.org/en/articles/2012/12/21/mala-d21.html

 

 

Young voters now in favour of BN: Muhyiddin

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 04:04 PM PST

(Bernama) -- Young voters, key to the country achieving developed nation status by the year 2020, now are in favor of the Barisan Nasional (BN), said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin.

He said the awareness of young voters to the BN's ability to continue leading the country was stronger now because they knew only the BN could assure a better future for Malaysia.

"With the (general) election nearing, it seems that this wave of consciousness is very evident, I say congratulations to the young people ... just a while go I saw a banner captioned "Orang muda sokong BN" (Young People Support the BN).

"We gathered a million youths in Putrajaya and they wanted Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to remain as the Prime Minister of Malaysia," he said when addressing guests of the 1Malaysia People's Feast at Kampung Sungai Bahagia's football field in Manir here today.

Also present were Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said and Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

Muhyiddin said BN would assure that no group of people whether in Peninsular Malaysia , Sabah or Sarawak would be left out of mainstream development if it remained in power till 2020.

He said the BN government today was entrusted with the responsibility ensure the people's well-being.

He said, in implementing the trust, the government always ensured the national economy expanded, job opportunities increased, industries became more advanced and better social facilities such as in health and education.

"We promise Malaysia will become a developed nation in eight years. Every level of people, old, young, all communities, Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak will be given attention and will be well looked after," he said.

He said it was not an empty promise because BN would assure that by 2020, Malaysia would become a developed nation according to the people's aspiration.

In the meantime, he said PAS would not be able to become the party to look after the welfare of the Malays and Islam in the country as Umno had done all these all this while.

'When we help the people, PAS calls it corruption. I do not know what decree they use, as it is our duty to the people," he said.

He said the BN government had never played favourites in helping the people because what was important was that they were loyal to King and country.

He also said that he was confident that Terengganu would remain under BN with the support of every layer of society who wanted to see continuous change and development in the state.

He expected the support of the people of Terengganu towards Umno and BN would be higher compared to the previous general election.

"Let us together, with determination and resolve, bring changes to the Muslim community in the state under Umno and BN," he said.

During the ceremony, which was attended by some 15,000 people, he also announced an allocation of RM2.9 million to repair houses of the poor and to build facilities for the people in the Manir state constituency.

 

2.3 million register for BR1M 2.0

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 03:53 PM PST

(Bernama) -- Eligible people who register for the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) 2.0 by Dec 31 can get the payment in the first quarter of 2013, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said today.

"We will make the payment in the first quarter of 2013. Those who have yet to register are advised to do so before Dec 31 so that they can be paid when we make the payments.

"If they register late, they will receive the payment late. They can register online or manually. When we make the payment in the first quarter, all those who registered will be paid," he told reporters after launching an entrepreneurs' carnival of SME Bank, here.

However, Ahmad Husni said, no closing date had been set for the BR1M 2.0 registration which opened on Nov 1.

He also said that more than 2.3 million applications had been received for BR1M 2.0 as at Dec 17, with more than 1.6 million of the applications from single unmarried people and more than 720,000 from households.

Malaysians with a household income of less than RM3,000 a month are eligible or the one-off RM500 cash aid, while single unmarried individuals aged 21 and above and earning not more than RM2,000 a month are eligible for a one-off RM250 aid.

Ahmad Husni said 54 per cent of the applications were made manually and the rest, online.

The application forms can be obtained free from the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) service centres and branches, Federal Development Department, Social Welfare Department, Information Department and government agencies or downloaded from or filled online at the LHDN website, www.hasil.gov.my.

He said BR1M 2.0, which involved an allocation of RM3 billion, was expected to benefit 4.3 million households and 2.7 million single unmarried individuals.

Last year, 4.2 million people benefited from the BR1M payment made for the first time, involving an allocation of RM2.1 billion.

 

Malaysian drivers have no skill

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 03:47 PM PST

http://sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/20221_491882180845723_800752646_n.jpg 

road runner

Hi,

From my daily observations and experience (and accident statistics), I dare say that more than 90% of Malaysian drivers have little or no driving skills at all. Most car drivers blame motorcyclists, calling them road terrors etc, but car drivers are actually the bigger culprit, and pose even more danger to motorcyclists.

Here are the top ten "offences"

1- Speeding

They drive like an F1 driver, but can't even keep to their own lane when cornering. Imagine what will happen if they stray into another lane and touch another vehicle at speeds of 110kmh and above. And many drivers think that they are Michael Schumacher, speeding even in torrential rain. These people only know how to press the accelerator, but have little idea how to control their car. Most accident reports are of "drivers losing control of the vehicle".

2 - Staying on own lane

Mentioned above, these drivers don't seem able to STAY on their own lane, drifting to the right or left lane. This happens everywhere, in roundabouts, in corners and even on straight roads. This is pure bad driving habit. They expect other drivers to give way. That's the best case scenario. The worst case, they cause fatal accidents by grazing an unfortunate motorcyclist.

3 - Speeding in the rain

Again related to the first, most drivers continue to speed even in heavy rain and limited visibility. They have no idea that in such conditions, their car's wheels will lock up and drift when sudden brake force is applied. Not everyone drives a Mercedes or BMW with tons of safety features. Driving in the rain requires extra caution because vehicle stopping distances, slippery road conditions and limited visibility present extra challenges.

4 - Different types of vehicle, different types of control

I have seen many drivers driving big vans and 4x4 utility vehicles as if they are driving a small family car. They speed and weave in and out with little concern that the physics and controls of these bigger, taller and heavier are totally different from typical family sedans. Vans have a very short frontal section and poses extra risk in a frontal collision. And their tall build presents an inherent instability, especially when cornering.

5 - Not bothering to use indicator lights / turn signals

This must be counted as one of the worst and most "popular" habits of the majority of Malaysian drivers out there, and undoubtly the cause of many fatal accidents. I have actually suggested car manufacturers make turn signal indicators "OPTIONAL". Why? Almost 90% of the time, the drivers REFUSE to indicate where they want to turn. This again happens in almost every driving situation, whether in roundabouts, junctions, parking etc. This is especially dangerous when the driver suddenly changes lane because even a slight touch or graze to a motorcyclist will knock him down, even at moderate speeds. An unfortunate example was the 4x4 vehicle which switched lane (according to a news report) without notice and grazed a few big motorcyclists at the NKVE highway recently, causing a fatal accident.

Maybe they think it is a hassle. Maybe some young drivers think it is cool. How much effort does it take to turn on the turn signal indicator?

Can they live the rest of their lives in peace if they caused a fatal accident?

6 - Driving in slow motion

Amazingly, I have come across not once but many times, drivers cruising at 20-30km/h in major highways, at their leisure. These motorists don't seem to realize that by driving at such a slow pace, they are forcing other drivers to overtake them, sometimes dangerously, on the left or right lanes. This is worse if the road has only a single lane. And many motorists, driving at normal speed, can be caught unawares by a very slow vehicle in front, and fail to brake on time because they are conditioned to think that all cars on the highway are moving constantly at a reasonable speed.

7 - Road Hogging and tailgaters

Includes those who seem to be daydreaming and hogging the fast lane, refusing to budge even when flashed numerous times by the car behind. However, some habitual tailgaters are also included in this section.

8 - Indiscriminate Parking

These offenders park where and when they like. Have you seen cars parked on a two lane road, taking up one whole lane? I have, surprisingly many times. Some actually stop in the middle of the road, without giving any sign of their intentions. And many people leave their cars at corners, blocking other motorists' view coming out of junctions. This could cause mishaps because motorists are unable to see oncoming vehicles properly.

9 - Housing Area Menaces

The worst culprits, from my observations, are young people; the bane of all residents, and nightmare of many cats and dogs. They drive at frightening speeds, and can't seem to comprehend that small children and animals may dash out anytime.

10 - The last is actually for readers to list down, because there so many, ten is not enough

The only skill most Malaysian drivers have, is causing accidents.

 

 

 

All Barisan candidates must be cleared by MACC, says Najib

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 03:19 PM PST

(The Malaysian Insider) - All Barisan Nasional election candidates must be vetted and cleared by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also Barisan chairman, said it was the coalition's standard practice to submit names of its potential candidates to the MACC to be vetted.

"All Barisan candidates go through the vetting process by MACC. We refer their names to MACC, and if they have doubtful files, they will not pass the vetting process.

"It is the stand of Barisan that every candidate must pass the MACC vetting process," he told the Malaysian media delegation here yesterday.

He was responding to a suggestion by the MACC's Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel chairman Datuk Johan Jaafar that all political parties send their list of candidates for vetting by the commission.

Najib is in New Delhi to attend the two-day Asean-India Commemo-rative Summit, which celebrates 20 years of Asean-India relationship.

Asked if the electoral candidates list has been finalised, Najib said it was an ongoing process.

"Although we have a list, if we get the latest input or information, changes can be made as long as the announcement (of the candidacy) has not been made," he said.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal as saying that the proposal for candidates to be vetted by the MACC would prevent any problems later if the candidates were found to be involved in corruption after they were elected.

"I'm all for it because we do not want to find out later that the candidate has problems and a by-election has to be called.

"This will not only involve costs, but also inconvenience the people," Shafie told reporters after a working visit to the Tok Bali fishermen resettlement project in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan, yesterday.

 

DAP leader refutes Kelantan land-for-Perak MB deal

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 03:13 PM PST

Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider

Perak DAP chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham has admitted to being a director in a logging firm awarded land in PAS-led Kelantan but refuted that the project was in exchange for letting the Islamist party take the silver state's mentri besar post, the New Straits Times (NST) reported today.

Ngeh told the English-language daily that he and another Perak DAP lawmaker, Nga Kor Ming, had invested in the project but stressed that the deal was above board.

"The Inland Revenue Board is aware of this transaction. So is the federal government.

"The federal government even gave out a loan as the project is for the good of the country," the Beruas MP was quoted as saying by the NST.

Last Thursday, Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen alleged in the state assembly that both Ngeh (picture) and Nga had been awarded a piece of land, said to be worth RM30 million, and linked it to the appointment of PAS's Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin as Perak mentri besar after the 2008 general election.

Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib was reported as saying that Ngeh and Syarikat Efektif Kirana Sdn Bhd had bought 4,000 hectares in Gua Musang, Kelantan for a logging project. The BN assemblyman for Slim claimed that Nga, the Perak DAP secretary, was also involved.

At a press conference yesterday, Ngeh, who is also a lawyer, had explained that the Perak duo had invested in the project upon invitation by their client Upaya Padu Plantations Sdn Bhd.

Yesterday, The Star Online reported Ngeh as saying the original sales and purchase agreement of the land was signed in May 3, 2006, which he said showed that the claims against him and Nga amounted to slander.

"This shows that the transaction between Yayasan Islam Kelantan and Upaya Padu Plantations Sdn Bhd was conducted even before Pakatan Rakyat was in power in 2008.

"Therefore claims that the land was given to us by PAS in exchange for a mentri besar position are slander.

"As a lawyer maintaining my professional ethics, I could only reveal that the group of investors, who were also my clients, only purchased the company this year.

"It is only a personal transaction and a private sector investment into the state," he was quoted as saying by The Star Online.

Both Ngeh and Nga, who are cousins, are also lawmakers for the Sitiawan and Pantai Remis state seats.

Ngeh was reported as saying he will sue those who have defamed them over this matter.

 

Bar decides discretion is the better part of valour

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 03:05 PM PST

Furthermore, should the Bar Council launch an inquiry based solely on the rantings of Deepak Jaikishen who claims to have played an instrumental part in the signing of the SD2 but who has changed his stand completely now? What about Balasubramaniam, the protagonist in this tale? He recants his first SD saying he was forced to sign it under duress, and signs the second SD for cash. Then he starts bleating 'duress and force' again.

FMT LETTER: From Prudent Observer, via e-mail

The response to Harris Ibrahim's insistence that the Bar Council investigates the so called 'father and son' legal team over the drafting of the SD2 has been cautious and rightly so.

Opinion in the legal circle is divided. Some senior lawyers have expressed the need for caution. PI Balasubramaniam was never a client of the lawyers in question.

A lawyer's paramount duty is to his client. The client wanted SD2 drafted and it was done. The lawyer's work is done. Is he liable for what the client does with the document?

So the Bar Council's cautious stand is understandable. Furthermore, should the Bar Council launch an inquiry based solely on the rantings of Deepak Jaikishen who claims to have played an instrumental part in the signing of the SD2 but who has changed his stand completely now?

Would not Jaikishen be dismissed as an unreliable witness in a court of law, even impeached?

What about Balasubramaniam, the protagonist in this tale? He recants his first SD saying he was forced to sign it under duress, and signs the second SD for cash. Then he starts bleating 'duress and force' again.

He and Deepak are not far different, wavering and solely motivated by self interest and gain. Rightly, the Bar Council has asked for more evidence. They have not said they would not investigate.

If what Balasubramaniam says of the first SD is true, why were the lawyers concerned not reported for coercing Balasubramaniam. Where were you Harris Ibrahim then?

And the rest of your shadowy supporters in the background baying for blood. Why did not you call the Bar Council to investigate then? Did Balasubraniam instruct the lawyers of SD1?

Why the haste and insistence? Be sure of the brief given to the lawyers of SD2. Or is there a hidden agenda?

 

‘We have proof top cops pally with crooks’

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 03:00 PM PST

Top police officers have been involved in criminal activities, according to MyWatch, which claims to have the evidence.

Teoh El Sen, FMT

The Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force, or MyWatch, today claimed that it has in its possession evidence that top police officers are involved in criminal activities.

R Sri Sanjeevan, the chairman of the watchdog NGO, threatened to make public the information unless the Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar agrees to meet with the group so that an open, high-profile investigation can be carried out immediately.

"We have all the evidence that top police officers are involved in money laundering, illegal gambling, prostitution, football bookies and have direct links with underworld figures and kingpins. Yet to date, there is no answer and no action by the IGP," Sanjeevan said in a statement.

Sanjeevan also cited a case where a top police officer was given an "all-expense paid trip overseas to play golf with an underworld kingpin" as well as as one where "one senior police official's son and daughter is working for a kingpin with special privileges".

"Aren't they [officers] obliged in some ways to them [kingpins]? Isn't that conflict of interest?" asked Sanjeevan.

He said that Ismail cannot choose to keep quiet and must act without fear or favour against corrupt officers, which are now being slowly revealed by former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan.

"I again invite the IGP to meet with us so we can pass such evidence to him or we will be forced to make this information public. All police officers should be accountable for their actions and must have more sense of responsibility when dealing with crime or public," said Sanjeevan.

Aside from Ismail, Sanjeevan urged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, and the Home Ministry secretary-general Abd Rahim Mohd Radzi to respond to Musa's past allegations.

Several bombshells

"Musa has clearly mentioned that there is meddling and interference by the Home Minister and the secretary-general into police matters. For example, giving direct instruction to state police chiefs, CID chiefs, and junior officers but since then there has been no answer by anyone.

"So [by keeping silent] I assume they silently 'agreed' to what we have revealed," he said.

In recent weeks, Musa had dropped several bombshells, alleging that politicians have been interfering with police work and that criminal elements have infiltrated the force.

He also pointed out that there may have been cases of abuse of power at the top level when several senior policemen were transferred out for refusing to approve an "unsound" walkie-talkie project.

Musa also labelled Ismail a "yes man" and had urged the latter to be tough, revealing one example when Ismail allegedly cried after he was scolded for following the orders of former home minister Syed Hamid Albar to arrest a reporter under the then Internal Security Act (ISA).

Following these disclosures, several quarters have hit back at the former top cop, questioning Musa's timing and credibility. They also brought up the "copgate" issue where Musa is alleged to have links to underworld figures.

Musa's detractors included Hishammuddin, businessman Robert Phang, former KL CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim, former Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Ramli Yusuff and his lawyer Rosli Dahlan.

Responding to the attacks, Sanjeevan said that these are merely attempts to divert the NGO's focus on crime, and threatened to take legal action against "those who continue to make false and malicious accusations".

READ MORE HERE

 

Musa denies knowledge of SD, Najib’s SMS

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 02:55 PM PST

Musa Hassan confirms that he met then DPM Najib Tun Razak to tell him that analyst Abdul Razak Baginda was to be arrested. Najib, however, told him to "carry on". 

Teoh El Sen, FMT

The intensifying chatter of an alleged conspiracy in the 2006 murder of Altantuya Shaarribuu has put a SMS purportedly sent by Najib Tun Razak to his close friend Abdul Razak Baginda back in the spotlight.

The SMS was first mentioned in P Balasubramaniam's first statutory declaration [SD], where the private investigator claimed that Razak Baginda showed him the text message from the then deputy prime minister the morning before he was arrested.

"On the day Abdul Razak Baginda was arrested, I was with him at his lawyers office at 6.30 am Abdul Razak Baginda informed us that he had sent Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak an SMS the evening before as he refused to believe he was to be arrested, but had not received a response."

"Shortly thereafter, at about 7.30 am, Abdul Razak Baginda received an SMS from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and showed, this message to both myself and his lawyer. This message read as follows :- 'I am seeing IGP at 11.00 a.m. today …… matter will be solved … be cool'," according to the SD.

However, any instances of impropriety was dismissed by former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan today, who said that he did meet Najib at the time but the latter did not attempt to interfere into the case in any way.

Speaking to FMT, Musa recounted that he had briefed the then Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi about the case. Musa had previously told online news portal Malaysiakini.com that top cops were summoned in 2007 by Badawi about the case.

"The Prime Minister Badawi asked me whether Najib was involved or not. I said no. Our investigations showed he was not. I told him my men will be arresting Razak Baginda because of his involvement, " he said, adding that the former premier then directed that he inform Najib of this.

"I met Najib telling him that I was going to arrest Razak Baginda. He replied 'carry on'. That's all. He did not try to interfere with what the police was going to do."

Asked about the alleged SMS message, Musa said he was not privy to that as Najib did not show him anything of the kind.

He also explained that police investigations were focused on the murder and the issue with the SD was being handled by another enforcement agency.

"I don't know about the SD. The SD was actually investigated by somebody else. I only monitored the murder case."

On whether further investigations should be done on the SD matter, Musa replied: "I think if they want to find the truth it should be investigated."

In the interview with Malaysiakini, Musa had said that it was untrue that Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor was at the scene of the crime.

He said investigations also showed military was not involved.

Murky saga

In Oct 21, Musa had denied that he was to hold a press conference in Bangkok the next day.

This was information posted on the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) website, where it was written that the press conference was supposed to reveal new details about the Altantuya murder.

On several occasions, Musa's name would be dragged into the dramatic but murky saga.

Aside from being identified in the first SD, Musa's name was mentioned during an alleged exchange of text messages between Najib and an Umno-linked lawyer.

This transcript, which was published in the Malaysia Today blog, had suggested that Musa had met Najib over the murder. Najib had reportedly said that there was no abuse of power over the case.

READ MORE HERE

 

Diam saja tentang hudud

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 01:08 AM PST

Subky Latif, Harakah

Eloknya PAS dan pemimpinnya diamkan saja  tentang hudud dan ada lebih baik tumpukan dalam lain-lain isu yang perlu masyarakat ketahui.

Jangan layan sangat sakatan UMNO mengenainya yang tujuannya adalah demi mengelirukan orang ramai dan memerangkap PAS.

Hudud adalah program PAS bagi mengabdikan diri kepada Allah dan agamanya. Ia tidak mungkin dilaksanakan selagi PAS tidak berada dalam kerajaan baik ia memerintah sendiri atau kerajaan yang disekutuinya.

Sudah  cukup setakat ini dengan pendiriannya yang sudah diketahui umum. Bahawa hudud itu sebahagian dari cita-cita politik.

PAS sudah nyatakan cita-citanya dan sebagai tanda  kesungguhannya dengan cita-cita itu ia sudah meluluskan enakmen mengenainya di Kelantan dan Terengganu.

Kedudukannya sekarang ialah seperti kenderaan yang berada  di simpang lampu trafik. Ia berhenti kerana isyarat lampu merah. Ingin kenderaan tidak dihenti. Ia menunggu lampu hijau. Bila datang lampu hijau, ia boleh berjalan.

Oleh itu jika ada orang menyakat PAS tentang hudud itu, kerana kononnya PAS munafik dengannya dan  sudah melupakannya, maka tidak perlu dilayan dan dijawab. Politik menuju ke Putrajaya boleh celaru dan keliru sama sendiri apabila ia dipolemikkan.

Cita-cita PAS itu sudah  diketahui oleh semua sama ada ia diulang atau didiamkan. Tidak perlu dinyatakan lagi. Semuanya  tahu jika PAS bersama memerintah negara, ia akan berusaha sedaya mungkin untuk menyempurnakannya.

Tidak ada makhluk yang percaya PAS melupakannya. Kalau dasar PAS berketul dapat dilihat dengan mata, kiranya perut iblis dapat dibelah, nescaya kita dapat lihat ketul itu ada dalam hatinya.

Ia tahu PAS tidak melupakannya hinggalah ia dapat menjadikan  PAS sama seperti lawannya iaitu UMNO.

Selama 66 tahun usia UMNO, sudah 55 tahun ia memacu negara merdeka, jika dibelah perut, ketul hudud tidak ada dalam hatinya. Yang ada dalam hatinya hudud PAS.

Akan iblis tadi, kurus kering ia kerana dalam hatinya ada ketul hudud yang tersimpan rapi dalam cita-cita politik PAS. Baik PAS bercakap tentangnya atau PAS berdiam saja, ia lihat dan ia rasa ketul itu ada. Ia seperti kanser baginya. Lalu ia berusaha untuk memadamkannya, menghasut PAS supaya melupakananya. Kesnernya itu akan sembuh apabila dapat menjadikan PAS sama dengan seteru politiknya.

Walaupun UMNO sudah menyakat PAS, dikatakannya cita-cita hudud PAS itu sudah jadi cacamarba apabila ia bersekongkol dengan DAP dan PKR, dan DAP terang-terang menyatakan ia menolak hudud, tetapi tetap MCA, Yahudi, Amerika dan lain-lain, jika perut masing-masing dibelah, ada dilihat ketul cita-cita PAS dalam hati mereka.

Dan katakanlah ketika menunggu 100 haru PRU13 ini tiba-tiba PAS membuat pengumuman betapa ia tidak lagi menyimpan  cita-cita politiknya, tidak lagi ia mahu meneruskan ibadatnya itu, ia tidak bercadang untuk meneruskan hudud, tiada ahli MCA yang percaya, tiada seekor Yahudi dan Amerika yang percaya.

Jika selepas ia mengumumkan mahu melupakan hudud, dibelah perut MCA dan perut  Yahudi, tetap ketul hudud itu dijumpa dalam hati mereka. Mereka tidak  akan percaya PAS sudah melupakannya sekalipun PAS betul-betul melupakannya.

Begitu juga iblis. Ia pun tak percaya PAS melupakannya. Sekalipun PAS betul-betul melupakannya, ia tetap curiga bahawa PAS mungkin taubat  dan kembali kepada cita-citanya. Selagi PAS tidak mati, ia tidak percaya PAS benar-benar melupakannya.

Atas kedudukan itu PAS tidak perlu lagi melenting atas isu hudud itu. Buat saja kerja yang patut hingga sampai ke Putrajaya.

 

Mayan calendar, Malaysian quagmire?

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 01:01 AM PST

Back to the Malaysian quagmire. What is this "new politics" many have been talking about, whether understood or not? Old Mayan deadly concoction in a new bottle? Or a bottle of spirit brewed to perfection from the warm springs of the meadows of a new Malaysian hope?

A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE

Dr Azly Rahman

"The centre cannot hold." - WB Yeats.

At the eleventh hour of the Mayan prediction of an Armageddon, what has the world been experiencing? Tsunami, hurricanes, earthquakes, Arab Spring, Gaza invasion and a world that still goes round and round in circles of misfortune - as if it is created to let Evil triumph over Good.

But then again, one can make any interpretation of what the Mayans were up to and, if indeed it is all a hoax.

Closer to home, what have Malaysians seen these last few decades - triumph of Evil versus Good as well? Rallies after rallies in colours of rainbow of multicoloured hues, a Malaysian Spring that some are calling a Hibiscus Revolution; increasing structural violence, as if orchestrated by some divine hands baptised in a fountain of Evil; a human being blown into smithereens over what many say is a dispute over the sale of a submarine; increasing authoritarianism of the state that is said to be robbing and bribing its people all at once; the rise of state-sanctioned fascist-ethnic groups; society praying to neon and material gods that the Greek sage Socrates would curse - all these, and more, point to the Mayan period of the Malaysian pathos. We are seeing an apocalypse of our own making.

As I was writing this I was also listening to Jim Morrison's 'The End', a 60s cult classic of a song aptly used in Francis Ford Coppola's anti-war Vietnam era movie 'Apocalypse Now' - a haunting Doors-composition indeed, which brought me to memories of the scenes of the movie.

Coincidentally, I had on my bookshelf Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness', a masterpiece of a novel about the nature of the human self when possessed by the need for greed, and the instinct to kill, and to reason through this via the belief in the morality of war, or the "moral force of it" some might say, and the inevitability of capitalism and the march of it.

Malaysians live in a world of dread and despair

I see rupture in Malaysian politics, of the one perhaps emblematic of a Kafkaesque world - of that character Gregor Samsa of 'The Metamorphosis', in which dread and despair had become a comfortable numbness (as the rock group Pink Floyd would say); in which in the novel, a man suddenly turns into a vermin, a cockroach-looking insect and the powerful theme of existentialism sets in. How does the family deal with the metamorphosis?

Malaysians seem to have been living in a world of dread and despair, and are yet unaware of the changes and transformations that further alienate, marginalise, and even humiliate them - all because that world is created by those who own the means to manipulate the lives of others by building this facade of "progress", in which circuses come to town often and bread (crumbs, these may be) are given on a daily basis... to make those enslaved happy - as happy as Albert Camus' Sisyphus in a world in which, as the great Afrikanist Chinua Achebe would say, "Things (Have Fallen) Apart," in which the centre can no longer hold. A matrix of politics commonly called "neo-feudalism cemented by Mahathirism".

In a world of dread and in a place wherein the industrialised man - our post-modern man "Hank" of Henry Miller's 'The Hairy Ape', gets caged and ultimately frustrated when his labour is exploited, his spirit caged, and his body consumed by industrial fumes, the only way to get out of all these is to dream and to hope for a saviour to translate that dream of being free... into a revolution that will bring back human dignity.

'A renewal of life-force ahead?'

That Mayan prediction is perhaps not about the end of hope and of everything (it is midnight in New York City as I write this...) but about the renewal of hope. Will the world see a better way of living, doing things, or even thinking about new and peaceful ways of solving conflicts?

It is for those living in this generation to teach those of the next on what their world ought to look like; beyond the dread and despair of the Kafkaesque metamorphosis or a world wherein things have fallen apart and beyond repair.

Back to the Malaysian quagmire. What is this "new politics" many have been talking about, whether understood or not? Old Mayan deadly concoction in a new bottle? Or a bottle of spirit brewed to perfection from the warm springs of the meadows of a new Malaysian hope?

I don't know. Our Mayan calendar is ending. The priests are tired of predicting. But where is the Messiah?

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

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While the opinion in the article/writing is mine,
the comments are strictly, respectfully, and responsibly yours;
present them rationally, clearly,  politely, and ethically.

 

AND - VOTE WISELY!

So, what’s the solution then?

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 08:08 PM PST

 

And not all these property buyers in the UK are Malays or Malays from Umno. Many are Chinese and many are Chinese who support Pakatan Rakyat (I know because I am acting for some of them as their property agent). So in what way can we blame the government? And will all these people be happy if the Malaysian government demonetises the Ringgit and make it worthless outside Malaysia?

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

RM200b outflow Najib's best achievement as Finance minister, says PAS Youth chief

(Harakah) - The high ranking recently given to Malaysia among developing countries suffering illicit funds outflow means the country's Finance minister Najib Razak has broken a records of sorts, according to PAS Youth leader Nasrudin Hassan.

"It is something which has surprised many. What is not surprising is the fact that mainstream media do not report it," he said, adding that the public would eventually come to know details of the damning report issued by Washington-based Global Financial Integrity.

Nasrudin reminded that Najib himself had admitted during UMNO's recent congress that young Malaysians were now more equipped with information due to information technology.

In its latest report on illicit funds outflow released on Tuesday, GFI ranked Malaysia second only to China among other Asian economies in terms illicit funds outflow, while it is placed third globally.

Noting that some 80 percent of illicit financial flows were due to trade mispricing and 20 per cent due to corruption, GFI said that between 2001 and 2010, a total of US$285 billion was transferred out of Malaysia illegally.

Nasrudin compared the figure for illicit funds outflow provided by Najib last year - RM135.4 billion between 2000 to 2009 - with GFI's figure of RM662.6 billion for the same period.

He added that one should not be surprised if the government denies the figure by GFI.

He also said the revelation reflected badly on giant government-linked companies such as Khazanah Nasional and Petronas.

"It proves the existence of illegal acts to avoid taxes and siphoning out the country's revenue through property investment, foreign bank accounts and others to shore up personal wealth," said Nasrudin, who cited the recent revelation of unusual wealth owned by the family of Sarawak chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, when some RM100 million was demanded for a divorce settlement involving the latter's son.

Nasrudin also reiterated the urgency for public office bearers to declare their assets.

Earlier today, Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he would write to Bank Negara Malaysia governor Zeti Akhtar to participate in a discussion on how to weed out illicit funds outflow.

"Urgent steps must be taken to finalise an action plan, not by avoiding the issue as the case has been so far with Najib Razak," said Anwar.

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

While it is good that we reveal the transgressions and excesses of the government, plus the mistakes it makes, we should also be prepared to offer a solution to the problems. If we just point out that the government is no good and that we must change the government without mentioning in what way it is no good and what we need to do to make it a better government it is no bloody good.

I mean most Malaysians know that the government is no good but they do not really understand in what way it is no good. Then they think that the solution to this is to just change the government without a second thought on whether by changing the government we shall be a getting a new government or the same type of government, sort of like old wine in a new bottle.

That is why I sometimes shy away from writing these types of articles. As much as I try to take the middle road and not be seen as propagating one side or the other, because I do not scream ABU that is interpreted as I am pro-government. If I do not support the 'death to Israel' war cry does that mean I am a Zionist? Not all Muslims believe that the Middle East solution is to drop a nuclear bomb on Israel.

Do you know that many Muslims danced on the streets in November 2001 when the New York Twin Towers was brought down? They openly celebrated the destruction of the Twin Towers, a symbol of American capitalism. But how many Muslims died in that tragedy? And how many Zionists died?

It was like the discussion on the social problems amongst Malaysian youths (I think it was two years or so ago). Invariably, how strict Islam may be, the biggest social problem is amongst the Muslims. So who has failed here? Has Islam failed? Or have the parents failed?

If Islam has failed then in what way has Islam failed? Islam is strict enough as it is so it must be the implementation that is the problem then.

Okay, just for the sake of this discussion, let us say that the implementation or the enforcement of Islam has failed. And that is why we have a big social problem amongst Muslim youths. Can we then solve the social problem amongst Muslim youths by tightening the rules? And let us look at some examples from other Muslim countries.

To start of with, no female can leave her home un-chaperoned. When a girl or woman leaves her home she must be chaperoned by a male member of her family. If she leaves her home alone she will be arrested and jailed. She also cannot drive or work.

It is easy to scream about the social problems amongst youths and then blame Islam, Umno, the government, or their parents. But what is the solution to this problem? That, no one is talking about. And most times the solution may be worse than the problem.

Let us not blame Islam. Let us blame the government. Why is the government not doing anything about the problem? Let's therefore change the government. So a new government takes over. But what is the new government going to now do?

Can the new government impose a curfew on kids? All those below 18 must be at home by 7.00pm. If after 7.00pm they are still outside their home they will be rounded up and then their parents will be arrested and will be jailed up to a maximum of three years.

Is this too draconian? If that is not done then how to solve the problem? And if the problem is not solved you will blame the government, whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.

Hence screaming about the problem and blaming the government is not going to solve anything. Are you prepared to suffer the consequences of the solution?

Take the bad driving habits of Malaysians and the extremely high death rate on Malaysian roads as one more example. How do we solve that problem other than blame the government for it?

Can we ban those under 21 from driving? Then can we install number plate recognition cameras all over Malaysia and on every street and every street corner of Malaysia like in the UK? And when drivers commit a traffic offence their driving licence is endorsed and they get banned from driving for two years the first time, five years the second time, and for life for the third time?

All this would be done by computer (the number plate recognition cameras all over Malaysia are computerised), which means we can eliminate the human element (no policemen involved). This means we will also eliminate corruption since the entire process is fully computerised like in the UK.

Probably more than half Malaysian drivers will lose their right to drive.

That will for sure reduce the problem. It will also reduce the number of drivers and the number of car owners. It will also mean half of Malaysians will need to hop onto a bus to move around.

No doubt this will make life very difficult for most Malaysians but at least the government can no longer be blamed for the problem.

Okay, now what about the problem of funds outflow? Who is to blame for that and how would the government solve that problem? Anwar Ibrahim wants to meet the Bank Negara Governor to suggest a solution. That is good but maybe Anwar can give us an insight into what his solution is going to be.

Pakatan Rakyat makes it sound like the entire problem should be blamed on the government and that the opposition has a solution to this. Okay, say Pakatan Rakyat was the government and Anwar was the Prime Minister, how would he solve the problem?

Trust me, never mind who forms the government and who becomes the Prime Minister the solution is not as easy as they try to make it sound. So what are they going to do? Are they going to demonetise the Ringgit? That would mean the Ringgit cannot be exchanged for any other currency and will only be worth in Malaysia. Outside Malaysia the Ringgit would be worthless.

How would Malaysia trade? We can't exchange Ringgit for any other currency. Zambia did this by delinking its currency. In turn inflation increased like crazy and the country's economy collapsed. But at least their money stayed in the country.

One of the strongest economies in the world is the US. And there are more US Dollars floating outside America than in America.

Do you know that property prices in Australia are higher than in the UK? And that is because the Chinese are buying up property there, mostly in cash. The Australian property market is benefiting from the huge outflow of funds from China. But local Australians are suffering because property prices are beyond their reach.

Malaysians are the second largest buyers of property in London. Because of that I live in Manchester. London property prices are too expensive for my taste. I can buy three or more houses in Manchester for the price of one in London.

And not all these property buyers in the UK are Malays or Malays from Umno. Many are Chinese and many are Chinese who support Pakatan Rakyat (I know because I am acting for some of them as their property agent). So in what way can we blame the government? And will all these people be happy if the Malaysian government demonetises the Ringgit and make it worthless outside Malaysia?

Janganlah semua salahkan kerajaan! In some of those things we are talking about we are actually the culprits. And if they government was to act against us we will get angry. But when the government does not act we also scream.

Susahlah rakyat Malaysia! Ini pun salah. Itu pun salah.

 

‎#Justice4Oma solidarity Vigil tonight at 8pm, in front of Kajang Prison

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 07:30 PM PST

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bq0tt-JBe4I/UNQ3sCq75II/AAAAAAAAV3c/yPs8_fGXbUw/s1600/dataran+merdeka+masuk+jel.jpg 

Students/Mahasiswa groups have decided to #OccupyKajangPrison from 8pm tonight until Monday morning, when hopefully Umar will get his appeal hearing at the High Ct.

Umar was sentenced to 1 month jail & RM1,000 fine for 'obstructing DBKL officer from carrying out his duty', during the lead-up to BERSIH 3.0 in Dataran Merdeka in protesting for free education.

‎#OD Update terkini:

Saudara Umar akan dibawa ke Penjara Kajang. Sila berkumpul dan berkhemah di hadapan Penjara Kajang pada pukul 8 malam hari ini.

Kumpulan2 Mahasiswa akan berada di sana. Sila sebarkan dan bawakan khemah sebagai tanda solidariti dengan Umar.

Terima kasih. 

 

Student sent to jail for obstructing public servant from discharging duty

(The Star)

- A final year student of a private college was sentenced to a month's jail and fined RM1,000, in default a month's jail, by the Magistrate's Court here on Friday for obstructing a public servant from discharging his public functions.

Magistrate Zaki Asyraf Zubir ordered Umar Mohamad Azmi to serve the sentence from Friday.

Umar, 23, was charged with obstructing a Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) enforcement officer, Mohd Masran Mamat, 34, from discharging his duty by arresting a man at Dataran Merdeka, Jalan Raja here.

The offence was committed at 8.05am on April 23 this year.

Deputy public prosecutor Wong Chai Sia prosecuted, while Umar was represented by lawyer Syahredzan Johan. 

Legal action threat over oil, gas rights

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 07:28 PM PST

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/m_kitingan.jpg 

(Borneo Post)State Reform Party (Star) Sabah is giving the State Government six weeks to restore ownership rights of Sabah's oil and gas resources, or the people would proceed with legal action, according to its chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

He told a press conference at TNGC Beverly Hills yesterday that Petronas missed the point when it acted as if it was the sole custodian of Malaysia's oil and gas.

 

He was responding to the statement by Petronas that it could not afford to increase the cash payment to 20 per cent to the oil-producing states as proposed by Pakatan Rakyat.

 

"The Federal Government is also irresponsible in using Petronas as its mouthpiece to reject the claims of the oil-producing states for increases in the cash payment from the current five per cent.

 

"The Federal Government and Petronas have totally ignored the fact that oil and gas resources belong to Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak, in the first place. It did not belong to the Federal Government and definitely not Petronas," Jeffrey asserted.

 

He said from Sabah and Sarawak's point of view, it should not be trapped into discussing the increase of the five per cent cash payment. In fact, he said, many of Sabah's leaders were still confused with the five per cent cash payment.

 

"It is not royalty as in the 1976 Oil Agreement; the State Government was pressured to reject or waive its right to collect royalty.

 

The real issue now, said Jeffrey, was not the amount of cash payment but the validity of Tun Abdul Razak's Vesting Order to Petronas as the oil and gas belonged to Sabah and Sarawak.

 

"Such vesting to Petronas has to be unconstitutional and invalid," he said.

 

"Therefore, Petronas and the Federal Government, and Pakatan Rakyat as the alternative front, and their leaders should be talking, firstly about restoring and returning the ownership of the oil rights to Sabah and Sarawak and then, secondly re-negotiate for the state to contribute a portion of the oil revenue to the Federal Government or Petronas.

 

He said Star Sabah would be handing over a memorandum to the Chief Minister's office by Monday or Tuesday, calling for restoration of the ownership of the oil and gas, otherwise the people of Sabah, with the support of Star Sabah, would bring the issue to court, including the issue of Blocks L and M.



Mustafa: Pakatan seat talks at tail-end

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 06:20 PM PST

Tarani Palani, fz.com

With seat negotiations between Opposition allies at its tail end, any party which demands for additional seats at this juncture would have to bear in mind whether there is a supply of additional seats left to be distributed.

PAS Secretary General Datuk Mustafa Ali said this in response to his DAP counterpart Lim Guan Eng's announcement during the weekend party congress that the party would like three more parliamentary seats and 10 more state seats.
 
However, the PAS party veteran was quick to add that Lim's request was nothing to be jittery about as it was understood that he was playing to party supporters.
 
"There is nothing wrong with asking for seats because every political party is seeking for more seats. But (if there are) seats left to be distributed (is something to bear in mind)," he said in an interview with fz.com recently.
 
For Mustafa, who was present at the congress in Penang to hear Lim's speech, the DAP leader's announcement was neither suprising nor the opposite.
 
"I was there, I heard what he said, but I didn't ask him," said Mustafa chuckling. "I feel (the announcement) was more to pacify (party) grassroots who are looking for a seat increase".
 
Mustafa who heads the PAS team in the Pakatan Rakyat election consultative council on seat negotiations, said that talks usually took place in the committee and that there was "not much" left to negotiate. He was mostly tight lipped on the matter, merely saying that most of the negotiations had already taken place this year.
 
DAP Deputy Chairperson Tan Kok Wai and PKR Deputy President Azmin Ali are the heads of the other parties in the committee.
 
Mustafa repeated what many Pakatan leaders had said on the criteria for seat allocations. For the coalition, which will face its first general election as a formal alliance, the formula would be to more or less stick to its status quo in 2008.
 
"Each party forwards its suggestions. But we mostly use as one of our guidelines the 2008 status quo. We know what the status quo is, so it's plus or minus that. (That will be the basis) for exchange of seats or discussions similar to that," he said.
 
He added that despite of announcements made by party leaders, the final outcome would depend on negotiations between the parties.
 
Mustafa also said that he did not foresee any difficulty in finalising Pakatan's list of candidates as it could be settled at the committee stage.
 
He said that in case one particular candidate cannot be agreed upon, then the matter will be brought up to the party Presidents. He however said that it may not come to that extent as most of the negotiations have gone on smoothly.

 

Perak Speaker Ganesan: I am not involved in any sex scandal

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 05:25 PM PST

Ganesan speaks to reporters denying any involvement in a sex scandal outside the state assembly on Friday. 

(The Star) - Perak Assembly Speaker Datuk R. Ganesan has denied any involvement in a sex scandal and will lodge a police report on the claim.

"I will ask the police to investigate the claim. I'm not shocked because they are only made-up stories," he told reporters here on Friday.

"I am also extremely sad that my family has to face such allegations," he said, adding that he viewed this as an Opposition tactic to attack him.

He was commenting on the envelopes which Opposition assemblymen V.Sivakumar and A. Sivasubramaniam received outside the assembly earlier in the day.

The envelopes contained a printed online article and a compact disc (CD) with a lewd picture, Ganesan's portrait and a woman's portrait on the cover.

Sivakumar said he would be lodging a police report on the matter.

 

‘PKR got it all wrong on power rates’

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 04:22 PM PST

Several IPP managers say that forcing IPPs to renegotiate their PPAs will have serious implications.

Zainal Epi, FMT

PKR has gone off the mark when it said that it would slash the power rates if it comes to power, say independent power producers (IPPs).

They were commenting on PKR investment and trade bureau chief Wong Chen's statement on Dec 7 that Pakatan would reduce the independent power producers' (IPP) return of investment (ROI) from 19% to 10% if it forms the next government.

Wong has said even if the return of investment (ROI) was at 10%, which is the global benchmark, it was still a lot of money for them (IPPs).

(The ROI measures the profitability on an investment and can help in making investment decisions.)

"What we want is to cut their [IPPs'] obscene profit," Wong has said.

He said under the current contracts, the IPPs' return of investment stood at a whopping 19% and a Pakatan government would reduce it to 10%.

However, IPP players said Wong's notion that renegotiating the PPAs (power purchase agreements) with the IPPs was a silver bullet to ensure power prices remain at current rates in the future was wrong and off the mark.

They said his analysis was probably driven by poor understanding of the power industry.

"It is incorrect, for example, to use take Tenaga Nasional Bhd's 2011 capacity payment as a proxy for IPP earnings and dividing it by IPPs' total capital expenditure, resulting in a ROI of 19%," said a senior IPP manager who did not want to be named.

(Capacity payment is payment received in exchange for making electrical capacity available.)

He said this is because capacity payment is a composition of revenue and not profit, "so it is wrong to treat it as earnings".

"Capacity payment is primarily used to service debt obligations of the power plant developer, so earnings is derived only after deducting debt servicing payments and other fixed costs such as insurance and taxes.

"The time value of money, which is basic in financial economics, is ignored in his [Wong's] analysis – there is a need to consider capital investment made in a year and also the annual earning streams recurring for 21 years, to work out the true ROI, and not just taking into account one payment in one particular year…," said one IPP senior manager.

Another IPP manager said Pakatan's proposal to force IPPs to take a 50% cut on revenues – primarily used to service their debt obligations – has the following serious implications:

  • It will trigger defaults in the IPP bonds, causing substantial uncertainty in the capital markets;
  • It will send negative signals to investors and raise the cost of doing business for the entire economy of the country; and
  • It is also result in capacity shortages and supply interruptions.

'Tariffs need to go up'

On PKR's Wong contention that power tariff need not be increased, an IPP manager said: "Tariffs do need to go up. This is due to increasing fuel cost and the capital-intensive nature of the industry. Globally, fuel cost has also been increasing substantially.

"For example, oil has increased from below US$30 per barrel in 2000 to currently above US$90 per barrel [over 200% increase for the period].

"To get an inkling of the capital-intensive nature of the industry, just look up the TNB website and discover the capital expenditure of TNB each year [in the range of RM4 billion to RM7 billion].

"If the opportunity cost of gas were to be added to the present gas price, that alone will raise TNB's fuel cost by more than RM10 billion annually," he said.

READ MORE HERE

 

‘Probe the five involved in Deepak’s claims’

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 04:16 PM PST

PKR piles pressure on the authorities to investigate Cecil Abraham, Arulampalam, Nazim, Deepak and Balasubramaniam. 

Leven Woon, FMT

The police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) have been urged to investigate the five individuals allegedly involved in the preparation of private investigator P Balasubramaniam's second statutory declaration (SD).

PKR vice-president Tian Chua said the authorities should probe lawyer Cecil Abraham who was allegedly said to have prepared the second SD and Arulampalam, who has appeared with Balasubramaniam at the press conference to issue the second SD on July 4, 2008.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's brother Nazim Tun Razak, Balasubramaniam and businessman Deepak Jaikishan must also be called up for questioning, Chua added.

"Malaysian laws stipulate that conspiracy to falsify or subvert sworn statement is a criminal offence.

"Those involved in abetment and conspiracy can be charged under Section 107 of the Penal Code, or Section 120a for criminal conspiracy, and Section 191 for false evidence under Statutory Declaration Act 1960," he said at a press conference here today.

Nazim allegedly met Balasubramaniam on behalf of the prime minister and provided the latter with the money to retract the explosive first SD linking Najib to the murder of Mongolian national Altantuyaa Shariibuu.

Chua said since both Balasubramaniam and Deepak had concurred that the second SD was prepared under intimidation and enticement, it is the duty of the enforcement authorities to verify the allegations with the other three individuals.

He pointed out that the authorities have shown they are capable of carrying out swift investigations when six federal agencies targeted NGO Suaram over allegations of receiving foreign funding lately.

"Unless the MACC and police act immediately, their [already] tainted reputation and image will be tarnished further," he said.

Second defamation

The Batu MP also ticked off MACC over its clarification yesterday that Cecil, who is a member of the MACC's operation review panel, was not involved in the decision to halt investigation of Balasubramaniam's second SD.

Describing the statement as an "utter disappointment", he said MACC is more concerned with defending its decision to stop the investigation than to discharge its duties properly.

Meanwhile, Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul said the allegation that Najib had asked his brother to offer money to Balasubramaniam could be considered as a second defamation on the premier after Deepak's claims that Najib was involved in the murder of Altantuyaa.

"If what Deepak said is true, then there are elements of corruption and MACC should investigate. Don't drag the matter anymore," he said.

Chua also challenged the MACC to find out whether PKR was involved in paying Deepak to defame Najib.

When asked whether the enforcement authorities should also probe Najib, since the premier was directly implicated in the allegations, Chua said the focus now should be on the five individuals first.

"To be fair to [Najib and Rosmah], they are not materially present at the meeting. Let's leave them alone first. But if Deepak's allegations are proven to be true, then they must follow the lead and investigate further," he said.

 

Najib is too proud to bow before the people

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 04:08 PM PST

Hell would freeze over before the prime minister would apologise for his wrongdoings. 

Mariam Mokhtar, FMT

Last July, the New York Times (NYT) carried a report on the apology by the outgoing South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, for the various corruption scandals said to have undermined his government. Several close colleagues and relatives of the president had been prosecuted and jailed. Many of them had influenced the workings of the government.

In recent weeks, Malaysians have noticed a succession of people who have come forward to implicate Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor, his brother Nazim Abdul Razak as well as those in positions of responsibility, such as Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

These people, whose reputations are tarnished, appear to have no desire to clear their names, nor deny the allegations. Have they complete disregard for the rakyat?

Was it pure coincidence that Rosmah has announced the publication of her biography, which she and her "publishing adviser", Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Ahmad Maslan, claim will address the various allegations made against her? Had she been prepared for a day of revelations by disgruntled former associates?

The pre-launch is most unusual. JK Rowling did not have a pre-launch for her books. Most authors launch their books with a promotional tour.

What is significant about president Lee's humiliating apology and the NYT claim that "he could hardly lift his face", was that when he came to office, Lee described his government as "morally perfect".

During his television appearance, Lee said, "The more I think about it, the more it crushes my heart. But whom can I blame now? It's all because of my negligence. I bow before the people in apology".

Hours after Lee concluded his nationwide apology, two of his colleagues were arrested for corruption. In all, three of Lee's relatives, four senior presidential aides and several former senior officials in the Cabinet and government-run companies had been implicated.

Corruption menace

Malaysian leaders don't apologise and hell would freeze over before Najib would bow before the rakyat and apologise for his wrongdoings or the various scandals which have hit his government.

In September 2010, a year and a half after becoming prime minister, Najib told Malaysians that "combating corruption is not only a moral imperative but a prerequisite for national survival".

In a speech that was delivered by his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, at the Asian Development Bank/Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (ADB/OECD) Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific's 10th Regional Seminar: Criminalisation of Bribery, Najib said that three organisations would fight the corruption menace – the police for investigating the criminal acts, the Attorney-General's Chambers for dealing with prosecutions and the Prime Minister's Department for "crafting the preventive eco-system".

Najib stressed that "prevention and education should be given equal attention alongside enforcement in the fight against corruption".

He praised the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for receiving an increased amount of information from the public which led to investigations, arrests and prosecutions. This, Najib concluded, was a reflection of the public's confidence in the government.

Despite the recent revelations by carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan and former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan, the rakyat has yet to see an investigation being initiated by the police or the MACC. The Attorney-General's Chambers has also remained silent.

In 2010, Najib claimed that "…studies reveal that corruptors tend to hide themselves or their ill-gotten gains in foreign jurisdictions. The denial of a safe haven for corruptors and their proceeds of crime is vital in any strategy to combat corruption".

READ MORE HERE

 

DAP a symbol of racism after Perkasa?

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Karpal-Kit-Siang-Guang-Eng-300x202.jpg 

Since Devan Nair, the only other Indian who rose to prominence in DAP is Karpal Singh. Since its establishment, no other Indian has held a top post in the party. If that is astounding, it is even more shocking that there has never been a Malay leader holding any top position in DAP. The nation's most populated ethnic group has little or no say in DAP. 

 

Easow Verghese

 

Democratic Action Party, or better known as DAP was established in the 1960's by Mr. Devan Nair. DAP declared to be irrevocably committed to the ideal of a free, democratic and socialist Malaysia, based on the principles of racial and religious equality, social and economic justice, and founded on the institution of parliamentary democracy. 

Is DAP really upholding their principles of multi-ethnicity? Since Devan Nair, the only other Indian who rose to prominence in DAP is Karpal Singh. Since its establishment, no other Indian has held a top post in the party. If that is astounding, it is even more shocking that there has never been a Malay leader holding any top position in DAP. The nation's most populated ethnic group has little or no say in DAP. 

Time and time again DAP has been accused of practicing race-based politics. Despite the leaders of DAP claiming false to the allegations, results of the last DAP elections speak for itself. None of the Malay candidates who contested for a Central Executive Committee (CEC) position managed to get into the Top 20. Before a national uproar could occur, as an eye wash, two Malay candidates were appointed to the CEC. Only time will reveal how much they can contribute with their representation. The number of Indian candidates is also kept to a bare minimum. 

Being a party that claims to be multi-racial, the representation of non-Chinese ethnic groups is a worrying sign. Till today we still see some members of DAP at war with its coalesced party PAS over the hudud issue. What if DAP-PKR-PAS does someday form the government? Are we, a small nation like Malaysia, heading towards separation of states? 

The biggest opposition party with the most amount of representation in parliament after Barisan Nasional seems to lack genuine multi-ethnic representation at the elected leadership level. DAP is definitely not practicing multi-ethnicity as preached by their leaders. DAP will not represent and will not reflect the diverse cultures and beliefs which constitute the people of Malaysia.

 

Malaysia's Elections: Down to the wire

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 12:18 PM PST

http://aliran.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/election.jpg 

With so much at stake, every vote counts…but only if every vote is counted. 

Now, with the end of the year in sight and no further announcements, it seems that Mr Najib will take this down to the wire. Given that he can only go to the country after Chinese New Year next February, most people expect him to plump for the latest date he can in the electoral calendar, which would be about late March or early April.

The Economist

ALL year, it seems, Malaysia has been on a war footing. For elections, that is—and thankfully, rather than anything more martial. The country operates on a Westminster-style parliamentary system, so the prime ministers' five-year term does not officially end until early next summer. Nonetheless, Najib Razak and his people have been talking up the chances of going to the polls before then pretty well continuously over the past 18 months or so, which keeps everyone guessing.

Now, with the end of the year in sight and no further announcements, it seems that Mr Najib will take this down to the wire. Given that he can only go to the country after Chinese New Year next February, most people expect him to plump for the latest date he can in the electoral calendar, which would be about late March or early April.

His supporters say, why rush? With a generally favourable economic outlook, tame state media and all the advantages of incumbency, there is no reason why Mr Najib can't enjoy the rest of his term of office without worrying about the 13th general election. After all, he has a bit of history on his side, to put it mildly—the ruling political alliance, Barisan Nasional (BN), has never lost a general election since independence in 1957.

His critics, however, detect signs of nervousness about the outcome—mainly, the endless indecision about when to go to the polls. Indeed, all the evidence suggests that this will be the closest race in Malaysia's history, even more so than the last general election in 2008. On that occasion, the BN lost its two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time, thus losing its powers to make changes to the constitution. Just as bad, five of the 12 contested state legislatures were won by the opposition, compared with only one in the previous election. Mr Najib knows that to placate his hardline critics within the BN he has to not only win, but win big. They want the BN to claw back most of what the party lost last time. It's a tall order.

With so much at stake, every vote counts…but only if every vote is counted. Democracy activists and other election-watchers are concerned that many of the criteria for a free and fair election have not been met by the government and the government-appointed Election Commission.

Over the past few years the campaign for open and fair elections has been led by Bersih (meaning "clean" in Malay), a loose coalition of civil-rights and human-rights NGOs and others.

The head of Bersih, Ambiga Sreenevasan, sounded gloomy last week about the prospects for this election. "It will be the dirtiest election we have seen for a long time", she warned. She points to the more overt signs of this, such as "increasing political violence" (at political rallies, for example) and more subtle signs such as "constant reports of discrepancies on the electoral roll in west Malaysia."

Read more at: http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/12/malaysia%E2%80%99s-elections 

 

Don’t see DAP congress with Umno mindset

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 12:13 PM PST

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The worse thing any Malay DAP member or leader can do is to read what has just happened at the 16th DAP national congress with an Umno mindset. And what is this Umno mindset? The Umno mindset is that you deserve to get something just because you are Umno.

Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz, Free Malaysia Today

The recent DAP polls showed that Malays in the party must earn their keep and keep their peace.

A total of eight Malay candidates contested for places in DAP's central executive committee (CEC) last week. But no Malay candidates won any place.

Also, more Indians offered themselves in the contest but only M Kulasegaran got in.

I don't hear them grumbling or getting gruffy. Perhaps the Malay DAP members must learn from them a thing or two.

Why didn't any of the Malays get selected? Perhaps it's the fault of the candidates and the delegates and also the DAP leadership.

But first let's set aside one issue – viewing the results with an Umno mindset.

The worse thing any Malay DAP member or leader can do is to read what has just happened at the 16th DAP national congress with an Umno mindset.

And what is this Umno mindset? The Umno mindset is that you deserve to get something just because you are Umno.

Umno is built on the idea that you can get ahead by cutting corners, leveraging politics, exploiting inherited status and so forth.

But the world does not operate on these terms. The world moves on, driven by people's abilities and on what they can contribute.

And this is typically NOT the Umno mindset.


DAP leadership's weakness

In DAP, recognition, respect and appreciation must be earned irrespective of creed and stature.

All of us, not only Malays, must now begin to think if we have not already done so, that we move on in life being assessed by:

  • what we can do rather than who we are. That would depend on our abilities, resolve and single-mindedness; and
  • the belief that anyone and not just specific persons with specific surnames can do specific jobs. Today, it's Lim Guan Eng who is the secretary-general. In a few years, it may be another person with a another surname, judged by his peers as having the qualities and abilities to do the job.

The DAP leadership has not abandoned its agenda for "inclusiveness".

But what the results did reveal is that it has some weaknesses in translating this agenda into practice.

It showed that the leadership hasn't done enough to educate the delegates and DAP members of the importance of inclusiveness.

Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/12/21/dont-see-dap-congress-with-umno-mindset/ 

Bentong villagers want DAP to explain

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 12:09 PM PST

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(The Star) - BENTONG villagers have given a date for DAP to explain its decision to abruptly stop a singing show during a dinner, reported China Press.

They had challenged Bentong Dapsy chairman Chow Yu Hui to cut the head of a cockerel and perform a vow at Guan Di Temple in Kampung Telemong at 1pm tomorrow.

The act of cutting a cockerel's head at a temple is a Chinese tradition to prove one's innocence in settling disputes.

In a statement signed by 15 village heads and Bentong MCA deputy chief Woong Choo Yak, the group urged Chow to show his bravery in politics and not be a "deserter".

"Come to the temple on time and tell us everything. Many villagers know the show was halted because DAP bowed to pressure from PAS and used many tactics to cover this up.

"In fact, the incident on Nov 17 should not have happened because DAP was the organiser of the event, which was mostly attended by the Chinese. DAP did not have to follow the orders of PAS members," said the group, adding that this proved that the party had no status in Pakatan Rakyat.

During the incident, PAS guests had reportedly demanded that the performance be stopped because they were apparently disturbed by a singer's dressing, which was "too revealing".

Villagers, who had raised thousands of ringgit to hire the singers, were furious.

 

PKR’s Tanjong Malim dilemma

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 11:55 AM PST

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Two viable candidates - one Malay and one Chinese - are eyeing the seat 

In the 2008 election, the PKR had great difficulty in finding suitable candidates to field in this semi-urban constituency. Now, it has one too many.
 
Chen Shaua Fui, fz.com 
 
In part two of a three-part series focusing on the Tanjong Malim parliamentary seat, we look at the challenges facing PKR in picking the right candidate to stand here in the next general election
 
THE opposition in the Tanjong Malim parliamentary seat has an unfamiliar problem in the coming general election.
 
In the 2008 election, the PKR had great difficulty in finding suitable candidates to field in this semi-urban constituency. Now, it has one too many.
 
There is a laid back air about Tanjong Malim that hides the intense political attention that this constituency is attracting. Many people have left the area for higher education and in search of better job opportunities. Kuala Lumpur is an accessible 70km from the main town.
 
The electorate of some 53,000 voters consists of 53% Malays, 28% Chinese, 14% Indians and 5% others. A local politician says that Malay voters will decide who wins the coming contest, especially since there has been an increase of some 2% of their numbers since the last election, due to a rise in the number of auto workers in the Proton City in the constituency.
 
For the PKR, the lesson from the 2008 general election was that it needed to do the groundwork long before the next election if it hoped to gain the public's backing. A young, vocal NGO worker was chosen by the party to build up support on the ground.
 
Chua Yee Ling, 29, was selected because of her track record as the councillor for Hulu Selangor, which is adjacent to Tanjong Malim. She was also an aide to Selangor state exco member Elizabeth Wong and was elected to the PKR women's wing as an exco member in the party's election in 2010. Chua was an active member of a youth group, Youth4Change before she joined politics.
 
Chua has been working on the ground since two years ago and has built up a team consisting of young former MCA members. In that time, she has opened two party branch offices in Tanjong Malim and Bidor towns, organised fundraising dinners and talks and walkabouts in the Felda settlements.
 
"In these small towns, you have to turn up at weddings, funerals and any social functions that are going on, so that people get to know you personally," she tells fz.com in an interview.
 
Chua sees some change in the people's mood in the Malay-dominated Felda areas. 
 
"Previously, we could only turn up at kenduris (feasts). Now, we can organise ceramah (talks), and the turnout  is quite encouraging," she says.
 

Two viable candidates
 
About a year ago, Chua had to deal with a new factor. Another potential candidate for PKR appeared in the form of Jeneral (retired) Datuk Abdul Hadi Abdul Khatab, a retired air force officer.
 
The local PKR leaders want Chua to contest the seat, as they believe that a young Chinese leader like her will be able to win Chinese votes that went to the MCA in 2008.
 
The PKR Tanjong Malim division chief Mejar (retired) Kamal Badri said the division had conveyed the message to the party leadership at the state and national levels.
 
He said that during the last election, there was no Chinese candidate from the opposition to contest in the parliamentary and three state seats – Behrang, Slim and Sungkai – and he believes that this was why the 1,500 Chinese voters in Slim River did not vote for the PKR.
 
He said that Chua had been working in the area for a year before Hadi appeared in the picture, and considered that as "a little bit late." Kamal said that the voters have seen Chua as the potential candidate, and they may not endorse Hadi if he were to stand in her place. 
 
"This will not only affect (Pakatan Rakyat's chances for) the parliamentary seat but also the state assembly seats," said Kamal, who is the potential candidate to contest in Behrang state seat.
 
Chua said that the party may be working on the basis that Hadi could gain the Malay votes in view his rank as a retired general.
 
Another factor, according to a Perak PKR leader who spoke to fz.com, is that the seat is being held by a former federal minister, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, and the party's top leadership was concerned that Chua could be too young  to take on a political heavyweight.
 
On her part, Chua is being supported by the PKR women's wing to contest the seat, to meet the 30% women's candidacy quota set by the party.
 
However, she stressed that she has no problem if Hadi is chosen, and will work hard to make sure the party's candidate wins the election.  "We have been going to the ground together. Let us compete to win the chance to stand in the seat," she said.
 
Chua also pointed out that, although she and Hadi are competing with each other, they are united in the aim of making sure the party wins in the election.
 
The MCA, however was affected by factionalism, she opined, as Ong Ka Chuan's faction and the other division leaders do not work together.
 
For example, she said, the publicity materials of MCA leaders reflect this lack of unity. While Ong has his own banner, the MCA Tanjong Malim Division Chief Loke Yuen Yow's banner has the party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek's photo on it.
 
However, Chua acknowledged that PKR needs to be cautious about the candidates it fields so as not to repeat its experience with representatives who have defected. 
 
Since 2008, at least six legislators have left PKR, including Behrang assembly member Jamaluddin Radzi, and the party's image has suffered as the voters have felt betrayed by these defections. The party had promised to screen its candidates more strictly. 
 
Chua proposed that the party holds a debate between she and Hadi to see who is more suitable to contest.
 

The danger in race-based campaigning 
 
Hadi, when contacted, shared Chua's view, promising that he would work hard to ensure that whoever contests the seat would win. He said he has been promoting the party rather than himself personally. 
 
"I'm selling the party, not myself. I think that should be the way," he said 
 

 

Pas: Hadi diserang kerana dicadang jadi PM

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 11:52 AM PST

http://www.sinarharian.com.my/polopoly_fs/1.2939.1351995305!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_400/image.jpg 

(Sinar Harian) - Mungkin ramai yang masih ingat bagaimana Pertubuhan Al-Arqam mengeluarkan sebuah buku yang menggambarkan Ashaari Mohammad sebagai bakal Perdana Menteri. Selepas itu, Al-Arqam terus diserang habis-habisan sehingga segala perniagaan, program dan perkumpulannya dipantau; bahkan galakan poligami turut diserang.

SERANGAN ke atas Presiden Pas khususnya berhubung Amanat Haji Hadi dilakukan semata-mata kerana ada ura-ura nama beliau disenaraikan sebagai calon PM.

Sedangkan sebelumnya beliau jarang diserang sebegini hebat. Di Malaysia, jawatan Perdana Menteri seolah-olah hak Umno. Sesiapa sahaja yang disebut-sebut akan mengambil alih jawatan ini akan diserang habis-habisan.

Mungkin ramai yang masih ingat bagaimana Pertubuhan Al-Arqam mengeluarkan sebuah buku yang menggambarkan Ashaari Mohammad sebagai bakal Perdana Menteri. Selepas itu, Al-Arqam terus diserang habis-habisan sehingga segala perniagaan, program dan perkumpulannya dipantau; bahkan galakan poligami turut diserang.

Sedangkan asal bantahan hanya kepada amalan Aurad Muhammadiah. Begitulah nasib sesiapa yang disenarai sebagai Perdana Menteri. Walaupun kita mengakui ada beberapa amalan dan keyakinan bertentangan dengan syarak, tetapi antara sebab hebatnya serangan adalah kerana ada cita-cita untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri.

Sudah tentu, rakyat masih ingat bagaimana Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim diserang kerana namanya disenarai sebagai Perdana Menteri. Kini Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang pula diserang sedangkan namanya hanya disebut oleh perwakilan dalam Muktamar Pas bagi menolak tohmahan Umno bahawa kalau Pakatan Rakyat menang, DAP akan jadi Perdana Menteri.

Itulah yang diwar-war di kalangan pengundi Melayu di kampung-kampung. Kini terbukti apa yang dicanang bahawa DAP akan menjadi Perdana Menteri itu berjaya ditolak dengan munculnya cadangan ini.

Hasilnya, kini muncung senapang Umno mula dihalakan kepada Presiden Pas pula. Kita yakin selepas ini pelbagai tohmahan, tuduhan, fitnah akan dibuat ke atas beliau kerana di Malaysia sesiapa yang dicadangkan sebagai Perdana Menteri akan menjadi sasaran serangan media BN.

Rakyat mempunyai satu peluang cerah untuk menyedarkan Umno supaya jangan lagi berfikiran bahawa seolah-olah jawatan Perdana Menteri itu hak eksklusif Umno sahaja di PRU13 dengan menyokong Pakatan Rakyat sebagai kerajaan persekutuan yang baru.

Nik Aziz ulangi pendirian mahu tanding PRU

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 11:50 AM PST

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(Bernama) - Menteri Besar Kelantan Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat mengulangi pendiriannya untuk tetap bertanding pada pilihan raya umum walaupun keadaan kesihatannya dipersoalkan.

Menurutnya untuk bertanding pada pilihan raya, ia sama sekali tidak memerlukan seseorang calon itu sihat tubuh badannya tetapi cukup mempunyai pemikiran yang baik.

"Insya-Allah...apa sahaja yang Umno tidak suka, itulah yang saya akan buat (bertanding). Bertanding politik bukan perlu kepada tubuh yang sihat tetapi akal yang sihat. Bertanding bukan semestinya untuk bertumbuk. Kalau bertumbuk saya minta maaf," kata Nik Aziz, 82, sebelum ini pernah menerima rawatan jantung.

Ketika ditanya tentang kenyataannya yang pernah membayangkan untuk bersara daripada politik, beliau menjelaskan ia hanya terpakai sekiranya Umno menerima dasar Islam sebagai perjuangannya.

"Selagi Melayu sokong Umno, wajib bagi saya melawan," katanya kepada pemberita di kediaman rasmi Menteri Besar di JKR 10 di sini, hari ini.

Utter confusion

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 11:46 AM PST

http://en.selangorku.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/aes.jpg 

We have heard that the system has been under study for many years. From the mouths of those Highers-up (ad presumably wise people), you would think that this system is almost perfect. Why haven't the legal issues been considered during the supposedly thorough study period?

Dr. Hsu 

If you have received a notice of speeding under the AES system, do you now pay up or not? What about if you received a notice under AES and then a summons from police for the same offence, what recourse do you have?

The government has said that it is merely studying the legal aspects of the AES system and not suspending it. But what if the legal issues cannot be resolved? If that is the case, will our Parliamanet amend existing laws just for the sake of AES?

If there are legal issues and these cannot be resolved, what about those who have been summoned to court and paid up, do they get a refund?

We have heard that the system has been under study for many years. From the mouths of those Highers-up (ad presumably wise people), you would think that this system is almost perfect. Why haven't the legal issues been considered during the supposedly thorough study period?

Read more at: http://hsudarren.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/utter-confusion/

 

RM200b outflow Najib’s best achievement as Finance minister, says PAS Youth chief

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 02:49 AM PST

(Harakah) - The high ranking recently given to Malaysia among developing countries suffering illicit funds outflow means the country's Finance minister Najib Razak has broken a records of sorts, according to PAS Youth leader Nasrudin Hassan.

"It is something which has surprised many. What is not surprising is the fact that mainstream media do not report it," he said, adding that the public would eventually come to know details of the damning report issued by Washington-based Global Financial Integrity.

Nasrudin (pic) reminded that Najib himself had admitted during UMNO's recent congress that young Malaysians were now more equipped with information due to information technology.

In its latest report on illicit funds outflow released on Tuesday, GFI ranked Malaysia second only to China among other Asian economies in terms illicit funds outflow, while it is placed third globally.

Noting that some 80 percent of illicit financial flows were due to trade mispricing and 20 per cent due to corruption, GFI said that between 2001 and 2010, a total of US$285 billion was transferred out of Malaysia illegally.

Nasrudin compared the figure for illicit funds outflow provided by Najib last year - RM135.4 billion between 2000 to 2009 - with GFI's figure of RM662.6 billion for the same period.

He added that one should not be surprised if the government denies the figure by GFI.

He also said the revelation reflected badly on giant government-linked companies such as Khazanah Nasional and Petronas.

"It proves the existence of illegal acts to avoid taxes and siphoning out the country's revenue through property investment, foreign bank accounts and others to shore up personal wealth," said Nasrudin, who cited the recent revelation of unusual wealth owned by the family of Sarawak chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, when some RM100 million was demanded for a divorce settlement involving the latter's son.

Nasrudin also reiterated the urgency for public office bearers to declare their assets.

Earlier today, Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he would write to Bank Negara Malaysia governor Zeti Akhtar to participate in a discussion on how to weed out illicit funds outflow.

"Urgent steps must be taken to finalise an action plan, not by avoiding the issue as the case has been so far with Najib Razak," said Anwar.

 

Talks going on well with SAPP, says Anwar

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 01:59 AM PST

Anwar Ibrahim today played down talks of tension between the 'original' Sabah PKR members and allies of Wilfred Bumburing and Lajim Ukin. 

Teoh El Sen, FMT

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today dismissed reports that talks were not going well with former Sabah chief minister Yong Teck Lee's Sabah Progressive People's (SAPP) party.

He said Pakatan Rakyat, which he leads, has been "more successful with SAPP" as there has been a more active process of negotiations and "they have been attending our joint meetings".

Anwar's comments contradict a report on Tuesday quoting a SAPP insider who claimed that Yong had implied that SAPP could well be on a collision course with its "allies" PKR and DAP (Pakatan members) in many seats.

Speaking to FMT after SAPP's supreme council meeting on Monday, the insider said Yong told his comrades that SAPP must stick to its "principle" that a local-based party must take the majority of the State Legislative Assembly seats.

But Anwar insisted that talks were going smoothly and that seat negotiations in Sabah were underway.

Anwar said that the opposition allies are more inclined towards a one-to-one fight against Barisan Nasional parties.

"We have taken a clear position that we are moving towards that direction, that's it's one-to-one," Anwar said in a press conference at the PKR headquarters today.

When asked about Jeffrey Kitingan-led State Reform Party (STAR), Anwar said that Tuaran MP Wilfred Bumburing, who helms Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS), had been appointed to negotiate seats with Jeffrey in Sabah.

"We think we have a problem with the STAR because STAR says it is opposed to all Peninsula-based parties while we say that we are opposed to all corrupt leaders irrespective of whether peninsula or state-based. There is a difference there.

"Notwithstanding that, we have assigned Wilfred (Bumburing) to proceed with the negotiations, including with the STAR," said Anwar.

'We want to kill Umno'

Asked if peninsula-based Pakatan was focusing its efforts on only parliamentary seats and leaving the state to the locals to fight out, Anwar said: "There is no way we are only fighting in the parliamentary seats and giving the state to Musa [Aman]. We want to kill Umno."

He also touched on reports that Sabah PKR was dysfunctional following Anwar's ready acceptance of BN defectors Bumburing and Beaufort MP Lajim Ukin.

Both declared their alliance to PKR-Pakatan but declined to become members of the coalition. Lajim has set up his own platform Pakatan Perubahan Sabah which is Pakatan-friendly.

FMT had last month reported tension within Sabah PKR between the "PKR ori"[original] or "PKR photocopy", the former referring to genuine members of the party while "photocopy" addresses those with APS and PPS who "refused" to be members of PKR but have declared support for Anwar.

But Anwar played down such allegations, saying that it was not an accurate assessment of the current situation.

"Not really, of course; there are questions raised, for example: 'why do you consider this candidate… we think another candidate is better'. Things like that. We've had sessions, [PKR] state leader Ahmad Tamrin will be present in all the other meetings, similar with Wilfred and Lajim."

"It is not about new or old, [former health minister and MCA leader] Chua Jui Meng came in later but he is still the head of Johor and doing similarly well national. I don't think that is quite correct."

When asked about the details of the "deal" with the newcomers, Anwar merely said that the collaboration with Lajim and Bumburing was going "smoothly".

"They come in as partners in Pakatan. They are committed to the Pakatan agenda. We are working very well. In fact, next week I am going to [meet] Wilfred and Lajim as part of the campaign programme. I don't have a problem, seriously."

"There will be questions. Particularly now with people clamouring for seats or lobbying for seats; it is something which is quite normal. But we have to draw the line, you know."

READ MORE HERE

 

Press Statement by Americk Singh Sidhu

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 01:47 AM PST

I wish to place on record that I find these allegations extremely surprising as I know Cecil personally. He is a barrister of the highest integrity with at least 40 years of impeccable service to the Malaysian Bar and is held in high esteem by all those who have had the privilege of making his acquaintance, both personally and professionally.

Americk Singh Sidhu

There has been much speculation in the press recently over the identity of a "Tan Sri lawyer and his son" who were both supposedly involved in the preparation of my client's 2nd statutory declaration (SD), the contents of which were specifically designed to withdraw the allegations made in his earlier statutory declaration and to state that my client, Bala, was 'compelled' to make those allegations 'under duress'.

The reasons for this alleged 'compulsion' leading to the alleged 'duress' were never explained in the 2nd SD.

As far as I am concerned, the 1st SD was transcribed, produced and eventually affirmed by my client over a period of two months during which time every detail was painstakingly checked and cross-checked to ensure the highest accuracy. There was never any reason for my client to withdraw those contents unless he had been forced to, which is now apparent.

Let me make it very clear that my client does not know the identity of the lawyer(s) who drafted this 2nd statutory declaration. He had not instructed any lawyer to do so. This is because the contents of his 1st statutory declaration were true to the best of his knowledge and belief. Therefore there was never any necessity to alter the contents of his 1st SD. However, Bala was forced to sign a 2nd SD because of a threat to the safety of his wife and children.

My client was presented with this 2nd SD when he was being held in a room at the Hilton Hotel, KL Sentral, on the morning of July 4, 2008. In the hotel room with him at that time were Deepak Jaikishan, his brother Dinesh and one ASP Suresh.

At about 8am Deepak received a phone call from the reception desk informing him that some documents had just been delivered to the hotel. Dinesh went to retrieve them and brought them back to the room.

A few minutes later an elderly Malay gentleman turned up at this room. His name was Zainal Abidin bin Muhayat. He introduced himself as a commissioner for oaths and proceeded to attest Bala's signature on the 2nd SD. Bala had not read the contents of this 2nd SD. He was merely requested to sign it. This commissioner for oaths then placed his stamp over his own signature.

The address on this stamp is Suite 17.01, 17th Floor, Menara Pan Global, Lorong P Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur. It has been pointed out that this address is the same as that of the law firm of Zul Rafique & Partners in 2008. I presume this commissioner for oaths must have been working from this office, unless of course a false address had been used.

The commissioner for oaths then informed Deepak to make sure he showed my client where his office was situated whilst Deepak was driving Bala to the Prince Court Hotel for a press conference scheduled to take place later that morning.

This commissioner for oaths was concerned that Bala would know exactly where his office was as a commissioner for oaths is only supposed to attest signatures at the premises at which he is registered. He wanted to ensure Bala knew where his office was situated in the event he was asked. Deepak however, did not show Bala where this office was.

At the Prince Court Hotel, Bala was held in an area above the main lobby where he was introduced to a lawyer named Arunampalam, whose presence at the hotel had been organised by Deepak. This lawyer informed Bala that he was not to say anything to the press, who were waiting in the main lobby, as he, Arunampalam, would do all the talking.

Bala had never met this lawyer Arunampalam before that and neither had Bala engaged him to represent him in the scheduled press conference.

At the conference that followed, Arunampalam handed out copies of the 2nd SD to all the journalists present and informed them that Bala had been forced to sign the 1st SD under duress. This, of course, is totally untrue.

The only duress Bala had been under was when he was forced to sign the 2nd SD as threats had unequivocally been made to the wellbeing of his wife and children by both Deepak and Nazim Tun Razak. These threats have been documented in earlier revelations Bala has made and are in the public domain. Both Deepak and Nazim Tun Razak havenot denied these allegations.

It is pertinent to note that whilst this press conference was being held at the Prince Court Hotel, Bala's wife and children were at the immigration department at Pusat Bandar Damansara with Deepak's secretary, a Miss Wong, having their passports hastily processed for the intended flight from Malaysia, due to take place that very afternoon.

This was one of the conditions imposed by Deepak and the parties behind him as a guarantee for the safety of Bala's wife and children….that they immediately leave the country until such time that Najib Tun Razak became prime minister.

Having laid out the circumstances in which Bala was made to sign that 2nd SD, I would now wish to comment on the speculation surrounding the lawyers involved in preparing that second SD.

The Bar Council president, Lim Chee Wee, has made a statement to the effect that the Bar Council would no doubt urge the Advocates & Solicitors Disciplinary Board to investigate this matter should a complaint be lodged against the lawyers who prepared this second SD.

I wish to clarify the position at present.

Bala is unable to lodge a complaint with this Disciplinary Board for the simple reason he is unable to identify the lawyer(s) who attended to the drafting of that 2nd SD, as this was done in his absence and without his permission.

All he is able to do at this point in time is to confirm that he had not instructed any lawyer to prepare that 2nd SD, nor was he present before a lawyer when it was being prepared. The contents of that 2nd SD are also totally false.

Deepak has gone on record to say that the lawyers involved in the preparation of that 2nd SD were in fact a 'Tan Sri and his son who is also a lawyer'.

This statement has, in the circumstances, publicly perpetrated, by insinuation and deduction, the identification of Tan Sri Cecil Abraham and his son Sunil as the possible culprits due to a strange series of coincidences, which in themselves are indeed unfortunate.

I wish to place on record that I find these allegations extremely surprising as I know Cecil personally. He is a barrister of the highest integrity with at least 40 years of impeccable service to the Malaysian Bar and is held in high esteem by all those who have had the privilege of making his acquaintance, both personally and professionally.

It is therefore unthinkable that someone who possesses such an ingrained sense of dignity, integrity and professionalism and who has dedicated over 40 years of his life in upholding all that is sacrosanct to the honour of being a member of an historically noble profession, would in any way so blatantly compromise those ideals by partaking in something as undignified and as irresponsible as knowingly formulating a false statement to be sworn by someone he had never met, under circumstances of obvious duress and coercion, knowing at all times that I was representing Bala.

It is for this reason Bala will not, at this point in time, be lodging a complaint with the Advocates & Solicitors Disciplinary Board for the simple reason he is unable to identify the lawyer (or lawyers) concerned who were involved in preparing a knowingly false statutory declaration without any instructions from him to do so.

As this is a rather serious matter, may I suggest that the president of the Bar Council organise a simple email to be sent to all members of the Malaysian Bar requesting that the member(s) responsible for drafting that 2nd SD do the right thing and make themselves known, as it appears innocent parties may be publicly falling victim to the blame game and finger pointing which has emerged since Deepak's revelations, to which I certainly do not subscribe.


Malaysia poised for pivotal polls

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:37 PM PST

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Simon Roughneen, Asia Times

Ahead of what reform campaigners believe will be Malaysia's "dirtiest ever elections", the long-ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) has engineered something of a clean-up. In recent months, it has reformed some old and oft-derided laws, such as allowing indefinite detention without trial and forcing local newspapers to apply each year for a publication permit, a stipulation that encouraged self-censorship. 


UMNO and its allies have governed Malaysia consecutively since achieving independence from colonial rule, a longevity not usually associated with electoral democracies. UMNO and its Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition survived the last election in 2008, though it ceded its two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time and lost five out of 13 federal states to the opposition, a coalition of three parties led by controversial former UMNO firebrand Anwar Ibrahim that includes the Islamic party PAS and the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP). 

While some in the Malaysian opposition and rights groups have criticized the recent reforms as piecemeal electioneering for next year's vote, there are indications that the government has made some real positive changes, particularly regarding the overhaul of certain emergency laws and repealing the old Internal Security Act, a law which has in the past been used against the government's political opponents. 

Noting some improvements, Amanda Whiting, a law academic at University of Melbourne who carries out research on the Malaysian legal system, told Asia Times Online that "there now cannot be lengthy detention without trial, there must be a criminal court process, not extrajudicial detention." 

It remains to be seen whether the "two steps forward, one step back" reforms will be enough to help UMNO and its fellow members in the BN (or National Front) coalition to retain power over the Pakatan Rakyat (or People's Justice) opposition coalition, said James Chin, a political scientist at Monash University's Malaysia campus. He views the reforms as an appeal by Prime Minister Najib Razak to voters to stick with the devil they know. 

"Najib is trying to say, 'you can have an UMNO that is trying to reform, or you can opt for uncertainty with Anwar and PAS'," Chin told Asia Times Online. 

Many of Malaysia's main political parties held internal conferences in late November and early December, with the election foremost on members' minds. UMNO delegates rehashed old themes about continuity while accusing the Anwar-led coalition of being foreign-funded stooges with an anti-Malay, anti-Islam agenda. 

These were viewed in some quarters as diversionary tactics. Najib and UMNO have come under fire of late with renewed allegations centering around a possible cover-up of the murder of a Mongolian model living in Malaysia in 2006 who associated with government officials, which in turn has been linked to a kickback scandal involving the government's purchase of French submarines. 

At times, the fear-mongering took unwittingly comic turns. Ibrahim Ali, president of Perkasa, a Malay supremacist organization with links to UMNO, suggested that Malays are economically disadvantaged against non-Malays due to Islamic law and therefore the government's long-standing effective subsidization of the Malay population at the expense of other ethnic groups should continue. 

"Gambling, liquor, entertainment outlets... how could Malays afford, be able to compete?" Ibrahim asked, citing businesses prohibited by sharia law.

 

Read more at: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/NL21Ae01.html 

Are we setting up Miss Universe Malaysia to lose?

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:34 PM PST

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Instead of answering eloquently about battlefields and patriotism, most times you can see their eyes glaze over, or open wide like a deer caught in headlights as they stare dumbfounded at the host. 

Chew Wan Ying, The Daily Chilli

Time and again we've seen beauty pageant contestants score in the swimsuit competition, entertain in the talent segment, and stun in the evening wear parade—only to falter at the finish line. That's the moment they emerge from the isolation booth to answer the question, "What would you do to prevent war?"

Instead of answering eloquently about battlefields and patriotism, most times you can see their eyes glaze over, or open wide like a deer caught in headlights as they stare dumbfounded at the host, and then giggle and plead, "Can say in Chinese please?" (Not that we're singling them out.)

But therein lies the problem. Contestants can be flawless and elegant in a beautiful gown, show-off their sexy bodies in an itsy-bitsy bikini, and flash a winning Vaseline smile. But when comes that make-or-break moment—speaking their minds intelligently and wittily—it's truly a nerve-and-soul wrecking moment for them and the audience.

There's a huge reason why the Q&A remains one of the most anticipated moments of any beauty pageant—right after the swimsuit competition.

And as long as the "I want world peace" joke has been making the rounds, Miss Universe has had an admirable history of posing the kind of questions that challenge our perception of these "beauties with no brains"—that they are indeed smart, clever, educated, informed women.

At times the questions have been tough, philosophical ("Who has it easier in life: men or women?"), driven by issues (the death penalty, same-sex marriages, public nudity), thought-provoking ("What is it about fame that makes many people, including you, want to be famous?"), creative ("If a man from the moon landed in your hometown, what would you do to entertain him?"), sweet and a little bizarre ("What makes you blush?").

Carey looks surprised that she beat Natalia for the crown.

Carey looks surprised that she beat Natalia for the crown.

 

 

May Salitah, Carey and Natalia are your Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 top three.

May Salitah, Carey and Natalia are your Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 top three.

 

 

Carey kissed by second runner-up May Salitah and first runner-up Natalia. On the far left is third runner-up Symren Kaur.

Carey kissed by second runner-up May Salitah and first runner-up Natalia. On the far left is third runner-up Symren Kaur.

 

We can only imagine what waits for Carey Ng if she makes the cut at the Miss Universe final next year.

At last week's Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 pageant, the last eight girls were lobbed softball questions that completely avoided national issues or world affairs—except for Symren Kaur who was asked, "What do you think is the biggest problem affecting the youth of Malaysia?" She ended up in fourth place. 

Read more at: http://dailychilli.com/happenings/19621-are-we-setting-up-miss-universe-malaysia-to-lose- 

 

Lawyer not part of MACC review on Bala’s SD probe, says panel chief

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:21 PM PST

http://hazrul7.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/dato-cecil-abraham.jpg 

(The Malaysian Insider) - Prominent lawyer Tan Sri Cecil Abraham was not part of the graftbuster review team that had closed the file on P. Balasubramaniam's controversial second sworn statement over the 2006 murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, the head of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Operations Review Panel (PPO) said today.

Abraham had been named as the mystery lawyer suspected to have drafted the private investigator's (picture)contradictory second statutory declaration (SD) by several high-profile figures questioning a possible conflict of interest as the former also sits on board of the MACC review panel.

"PPO had agreed with the decision by the Deputy Public Prosecutor to stop investigating the case on grounds the main witnesses' testimonies were not supported by any other witness and the credibility of the main witnesses were disputable.

"PPO wishes to state that one of the panel members, Tan Sri Datuk Cecil Abraham was not present and was not involved in that meeting," Tan Sri Hadenan Abdul Jalil, chairman of the eight-man MACC operations review panel, said in a media statement today.

Hadenan said the case, which was linked to that of carpet merchant Deepak Jaikishan Rewachand, had been presented at a PPO pre-meeting on November 8.

However, he was silent on the allegations surrounding Abraham.

Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/lawyer-not-part-of-macc-review-on-balas-sd-probe-says-panel-chief/ 

Kita’s president crisis remains unresolved

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:19 PM PST

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/zamil-ibrahim-KITA-PC-300x225.jpg 

(Free Malaysia Today) - Outspoken Kita leader Zamil Ibrahim has issued an ultimatum to ROS to resolve the leadership crisis in seven days.

Parti Kesejahteraaan Insan Tanah Air (Kita) has been plunged into a leadership crisis since the sudden announcement by its supposed president Zaid Ibrahim to dissolve the party in February this year.

The party's Kedah chief Zamil Ibrahim and his Penang counterpart Tan Tee Beng who spoke against the dissolution were expelled on Feb 7.

The situation quickly spiraled out of control as Zamil proclaimed that the party's delegates through the Annual General Assembly (AGM) on Feb 25 passed resolutions to elect him as the new president replacing Zaid.

However, the party's supposed secretary-general Masrum Dayat, widely seen as Zaid's man, claimed that he was the party boss following Zaid's departure.

Demanding a solution to the leadership dispute today, Zamil took the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to task for failing to resolve the matter despite a complaint lodged on Feb 29.

"I personally visited the office and submitted all the documents detailing the AGM proceedings on Feb 25. But until today, after some 295 days, the ROS has yet to make any decision," he said.

Zamil said the delay could be equated to being prejudicial to the party members' right under Article 10 (1) of Federal Constitution because it affected the functioning of the party.

He said this was even more damaging with the general election around the corner.

"There are 18 individuals in Kedah and 40 in Sabah who were previously announced to be the party's candidates in the elections. They are now left wondering what to do.

"The ROS must resolve the matter within seven days," he added.

Zamil also claimed that Zaid had violated the party constitution Clause 11.3.1 to appoint Masrum as Kita chief.

He said Zaid who had left the party earlier could not have chaired a meeting to appoint Masrum.

 

Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/12/20/kitas-president-crisis-remains-unresolved/ 

‘Beware of BN temporary withdrawal gifts in polls run-up’

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:15 PM PST

http://www.themalaysiantimes.com.my/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/1-2183-262x300.jpg 

(The Malaysian Times) - The suspensions of several unpopular initiatives by the government, including the Automatic Enforcement System (AES), the Goods and Services Tax (GST), electricity tariff hike and tax on prepaid mobile will be temporary in the run-up to the general election, warned PAS.

Following is the full report carried by the Harakahdaily. "These 'gifts of withdrawals' are just waiting for the next general election. If the result favours BN, then the suspensions will be revoked and the public will be burdened with all sorts of ridiculous regulations," said PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

Tuan Ibrahim said BN decided to defer many of its mega projects to avoid giving political bullets to Pakatan Rakyat during election campaign.

He however pointed out that the decision whether to revoke the withdrawals or not rests with the people, urging them to deny BN a fresh mandate.

"Retaining BN means these temporary suspensions will be lifted. Toppling BN will see all of them permanently cancelled," he said.

On the recent suspension of AES by the Attorney General's Chambers despite earlier insistence by Transport minister Kong Cho Ha defending the system, Tuan Ibrahim, who is also Pahang PAS commissioner, said the contradiction only showed the government's messy administration.

"We don't know who makes the policy and who enforces it," he chided, adding that either the AG or the Transport minister should be sacked for the AES fiasco.

 

PAS shows Indians the door

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:09 PM PST

http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/2008/0207/p04s01-woap.html/odemolitions_p1.jpg/5892459-1-eng-US/ODEMOLITIONS_P1.jpg_full_380.jpg 

"You scratch my back, I'll claw you back". That's PAS's gratitude for you.

Mohan Dass 

Indians who form the bulk of the non-Muslim supporters of PAS have been shown the door by the party hierarchy. They should therefore walk out of PAS.

 

It's time Indians should realize this: You are there to look after PAS interests, but PAS is not there to look after your interests.

 

In effect PAS is saying to you "You scratch my back, I'll claw you back". That's PAS's gratitude for you.

Just look at the unfolding events.  PAS is accusing its non-Muslim supporters of undermining the party's Islamic stand. How so? The National PAS Supporters Congress had merely defended non-Muslim rights when PAS took action against non-Muslims for alleged indecent behaviour. Now, the PAS Assistant Secretary-general and State Executive Councillor Datuk Takuyuddin Hassan claims that the congress has bad intentions and must not question what the party decides.

 

Wake up Indians. Don't turn a blind eye to the problems of your community.  Know which side of your bread is buttered.

 

 •   Where was PAS when Indians highlighted the plight of stateless persons within the community?

 •   Where was PAS when temples were being demolished in Selangor with impunity?

 •   Where was PAS when you protested the proposed condominium near Batu Caves that would threaten the caves and the Murugan      

      statue?

There is no Nambikei with PAS. Know where to place your trust!!

 

Anwar: DAP mahu kerusi lebih tidak munasabah

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 03:31 PM PST

Permintaan DAP untuk lebih kerusi parlimen dan DUN masih lagi di peringkat perbincangan jawatankuasa perundingan Pakatan Rakyat.

Fazy Sahir, FMT

Ketua Umum PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berkata jika permintaan DAP yang mahu mendapatkan  lebih kerusi pada Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU13) akan datang adalah tidak munasabah kerana ia tidak akan diterima baik.

Menurut Anwar, baik PKR, DAP mahupun PAS permintaan untuk mendapatkan  lebih kerusi adalah dibenarkan terutama apabila parti berkenaan mempunyai peluang baik untuk memenangi kawasan tersebut.

Namun ujarnya, perkara itu belum sampai ke pengetahuan beliau dan masih dalam peringkat perbincangan oleh Jawatankuasa Perundingan.

"Pembahagian kerusi sudah selesai 90 peratus. Cuma ada beberapa kerusi di Pulau Pinang (1), Kedah (1), Perak (2). Ada sikit di Sabah dan Sarawak. Namun keseluruhannya 90-95 peratus dah selesai.

"Dalam tradisi Pakatan kita akan bincang namun akhirnya peringkat jawatankuasa yang akan buat keputusan. Secara rasminya ia belum sampai kepada saya.

"Pertambahan dan pengurangan kerusi bagaimanapun akan dibuat berdasarkan prestasi parti dan kawasan mereka pada 2008. Tetapi kita juga sentiasa mengelak perbincangan terbuka kerana ia akan merumitkan negeri dan parti masing-masing," katanya di sidang media di Ibu Pejabat PKR hari ini.

Minggu lalu, Setiausaha Agung DAP, Lim Guan Eng berkata partinya mahu tambahan 13 kerusi iaitu tiga kerusi Parlimen dan 10 bagi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) untuk Semenanjung Malaysia pada pilihan raya umum akan datang.

Pertambahan 13 kerusi itu katanya adalah atas dasar semangat setiakawan dan tulus kepada PAS dan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Pada pilihanraya umum 2008, DAP menang 28 kerusi parlimen daripada 82 kerusi keseluruhan yang dimenangi Pakatan Rakyat.

Anwar ulas kekalahan calon Melayu

READ MORE HERE

 

‘Tan Sri lawyer must come forward’

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 03:20 PM PST

Businessman Robert Phang says that Cecil Abraham must clarify if the latter is the senior lawyer involved in drafting PI Bala's second statutory declaration.

Anisah Shukry, FMT

MACC advisory panel member Cecil Abraham must clarify whether he is the senior lawyer allegedly involved in the second statutory declaration (SD) by P Balasubramaniam.

Making the call at a press conference here, businessman Robert Phang said he was told that Abraham was the only lawyer with the Tan Sri title.

"Cecil Abraham is a very senior lawyer and is known to be a close advisor of Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail. I have always questioned his impartiality.

"Why is everyone so afraid to mention that the Tan Sri lawyer is Cecil Abraham and that the legal firm is ZulRafique and partners?" he said.

However, Phang stressed that he could not confirm whether Abraham was the lawyer allegedly involved in the second SD and added that the onus was on the latter to clarify the matter.

Carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan had recently revealed in an interview that a "Tan Sri" lawyer and his son had been allegedly responsible for the preparation of Balasubramaniam's second SD.

The second SD reversed Balasubramaniam's first SD, released the day before, which implicated Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in the murder of Altantuyaa Shaariibuu.

READ MORE HERE

 

I’m not behind Deepak, Anwar says it again

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 03:17 PM PST

Refuting the speculation of his involvement once again, the opposition leader tells the prime minister to 'deal with it'.

Teoh El Sen, FMT

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has again brushed aside claims that he and his party members are masterminding the recent exposé by Deepak Jaikishan and instead asked Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to "deal with it".

Asked about the accusations, especially in pro-Umno blogs that PKR had a hand behind Deepak's re-emergence, Anwar replied with sarcasm: "I'm not surprised because I am behind everything. In fact I wrote GFI [Global Financial Integrity] and asked them to come out with the report on the RM197 billion [of illicit financial outflows in 2010]."

The opposition leader also said that if the controversial carpet businessman was revealing issues about him, the mainstream media would go to town with the issue.

"But in this country, imagine if he [Deepak] had said something about Anwar. Just 10% of what he said will be in the frontpage of Star, Utusan, everyday, for the next… 32 days," he said.

READ MORE HERE

 

Money Laundering? Questions In Australia For Taib’s Brother Onn

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 02:01 PM PST

Sarawak Report 

Chief Minister, Taib Mahmud's business-partner brother Onn has left some very awkward questions to be answered in Sydney, where his family lives in one of the city's smartest houses, over-looking the harbour bridge.

Documents obtained by Sarawak Report plainly show that Onn Mahmud has offered conflicting information to the Australian authorities, in order first to obtain a Business Visa and then to export the profits from a series of multi-million dollar property transactions.

Incorrect information given to the authorities includes claiming that a foreign based company, Ryan Park Limited, which was used to sponsor his visa application, was an "Australian Private Company" registered in Australia.

We can further reveal that Onn Mahmud has bought and sold tens of millions of dollars worth of investments in Sydney real estate, through an elaborate network of off-shore companies, based in the Cayman Islands and managed by a top American bank, Merrill Lynch, from offices located in the Isle of Man.

The visa application, submitted by the Chief Minister's brother to the Australian authorities, clearly states that Ryan Park and its associated companies (which all appear to have been ultimately controlled by Onn himself) owned commercial properties in Australia worth in excess of A$50 million:

"To date, the total financial commitment of Ryan Park and its associated companies to Australia has been for a sum in excess of A$50 million through investment in commercial properties in Sydney by Ryan Park and its associates, Ferncroft, Golden Arrow and Cherry Blossom" [Business Visa Application submitted by Onn Mahmud, 2002]

 

Visa application – in excess of AUS$ 50 million invested by Onn Mahmud's companies in Sydney.

The application explains that Onn holds the position of 'General Manager – Australia" for these companies, acting as their "sole employee", who "reports directly to the Directors".  However, Onn's ultimate ownership of the companies is also implied:

"In addition to the investment in excess of A$50 million in the Australian economy, Mr Mahmud and his investment companies are also creating employment opportunities.. " [page 4, visa application form]

Yet, we can demonstrate that Onn Mahmud appears to have supplied incorrect details to obtain Australian Business Numbers (ABN) for one of the companies Ryan Park Limited, which is described as an "Australian Private Company", although it does not in fact exist on the Australian Company register (ASIC).

Read more at: http://www.sarawakreport.org/2012/12/money-laundering-questions-in-australia-for-taibs-brother-onn/ 

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net
 

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