Ahad, 30 Disember 2012

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Umno looks to penetrate Permatang Pauh
Why is the court trying to block Rosli from giving his statement?
Dubious backers of regime change
MCA bantah harga siling telefon pintar RM500
Soi Lek kecewa dengan blogger Umno, dakwa tidak beretika
Could Malaysia elect an Islamist prime minister?
Trust your PM
Which will it be: Najib or Umno?
Don’t politicise ‘Allah’ issue, says PKR chief

Umno looks to penetrate Permatang Pauh

Posted: 29 Dec 2012 05:07 PM PST

Party insiders say Najib may opt for a more credible candidate with strong oratory skills and sound financial background.

Athi Shankar, FMT

PENANG: Local Umno is quietly confident of penetrating into PKR's virtually impregnable Permatang Pauh parliamentary fortress in the forthcoming 13th general election.

Confidence is said to be running high among Permatang Pauh Umno leaders that they can re-capture the constituency's Penanti and Permatang Pasir, and retain Seberang Jaya state seats.

Permatang Pauh Umno leaders also believe that this time they have an outside chance to upset incumbent MP and the Malay heartland "tribal king" Anwar Ibrahim, the Opposition Leader.

But observers believe Umno must apply the right candidacy jigsaw if the party is to realise its dream.

Sources said currently the division chairman and former Penanti assemblyman Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid had been earmarked to challenge Permatang Pauh favourite son Anwar for federal duel.

In Permatang Pasir, a PAS seat since 1999 general election, Umno is expected to field its constituency coordinator and division vice chairman Rahim Man.

Barisan Nasional's constituency coordinator and division committee member Ibrahim Ahmad has been listed for Penanti.

In Seberang Jaya, incumbent assemblyman Arif Shah Omar Shah, who won by a mere 553-majority largely thanks to postal votes against PKR's Rahim Bulat in 2008, is the choice.

However political observers and local leaders from BN component parties believe that the Umno division deputy chief and local corporate figure Mohammad Nasir Abdullah should be included in the candidature list.

Grassroots leader Mohammad Nasir was overlooked for 2008 general election and subsequent by-elections in Permatang Pauh, Permatang Pasir and Penanti.

Insiders said this was largely due to Abdul Jalil uneasiness with Nasir's political presence.

Seberang Jaya Umno branch chief Nasir rose from rank and file in the division, from being an ordinary member when Anwar was then its chief, to youth chief, then vice chairman and now deputy chief.

Observers said Jalil sensed that his position would face grave danger if Nasir, who has strong grassroots support among Permatang Pauh 17,000 Umno members from 95 branches, were to win a seat in general election.

They said that Jalil knew that Nasir, who has no political baggage, can topple him in the next party election.

Good ground support

A random survey showed many Umno branches, particularly among 44 branches in Seberang Jaya constituency, and BN local leaders backed Nasir as an election candidate.

Many want local boy Nasir (photo), who operates a Petronas petrol station in the constituency, to replace Arif Shah, in Seberang Jaya.

But Arif Shah is not expected to give up his seat with a strong fight.

After all if BN were to regain Penang, he stands a strong chance to become a deputy chief minister.

Seberang Jaya has 29,397 voters with Malays 18,882, Chinese 6,677 and Indians 3,682. In 2008, the constituency had 22,678 voters.

Postal votes in Seberang Jaya have also leapt drastically from 405 in March 2008 to 1,200 in mid-2012.

Insiders said it was time to replace Arif Shah with Nasir as the former had been a two-term assemblyman.

Recent vernacular press reports revealed Arif Shah, who speaks fluent Mandarin, would not be able to muster enough Chinese votes, a decisive factor to retain Seberang Jaya.

Local observers believe a fresh local born candidate like Nasir would be an ideal winnable replacement.

Grassroots sentiments are that Arif should be moved to Permatang Pasir which has 22,733 voters with Malays 16,643, Chinese 5,691 and Indians 363. In 2008, the constituency had 20,350 voters.

They feel Rahim would be a better candidate in Penanti, which now has 18,537 registered voters with Malays making up 13,194, Chinese 4,124 and Indians 390. In 2008, the constituency had 15,421 voters.

They said Arif Shah would be an ideal candidate in Permatang Pasir and Rahim had stronger grassroots backing Penanti.

Party grassroots want Umno president and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to give a strong consideration to their sentiments.

"This would give Umno a winnable electoral jigsaw," they said.

In the August 2008 parliamentary by-election, Anwar defeated Arif Shah by 15,671-majority to mark his national political comeback after 10 years absence.

Strangely though, as of June 2012, Permatang Pauh now has 70,667 registered voters, a huge leap by 12,208 votes within four years from 58,459 voters in 2008.

Posted: 29 Dec 2012 04:16 PM PST

What is it that the court is trying to block Rosli from revealing? How will Rosli's testimony hurt those who walk in the corridors of power? We should be concerned about what they are trying to deny us from knowing, not about exploiting issues for political gain.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Someone asked me why I no longer bother to expose the wrongdoings of those who walk in the corridors of power, in particular those wrongdoings by the Barisan Nasional government.

Well, first of all, in the past, I was the only one doing this. For eight years since August 2004 and for five years before that since 1999 I have been fighting a lone battle revealing the excesses and transgressions of those who walk in the corridors of power. And the police have raided my house and confiscated documents and computers from my house no less than half a dozen times. I have also been detained without trial twice and arrested and charged a couple more times because of my 'crimes'.

Today, we have many prominent people doing that job. So do you still need me to do that? We have Rafizi Ramli, P. Balasubramanian, Deepak Jaikishan, ex-IGP Musa Hassan, ex-Kuala Lumpur CID Chief Mat Zain, Ex-CCID Chief Ramli Yussuf, ex-Health Minister Chua Jui Meng, ex-Umno activists such as Aspan Alias and Mohd Ariff Sabri who joined DAP, ex-Umno Sabah leaders such as Lajim Ukin, Wilfred Bumburing, Dr Ibrahim Menudin and Yahya Lampong, and many, many more.

In short, there are scores of people now doing the job I used to do. And most of these people are whistleblowers. They used to be part of the corrupt system and now they are revealing insider information. Who better to expose these shenanigans than people who were once part of that corrupt system? Certainly they would have first-hand information that I do not have.

Secondly, for more than 13 years since 1999 (eight of those years with Malaysia Today) I have been revealing scandal after scandal but nothing was done about the matter. More importantly, I did not reveal these scandals AFTER they had happened like all the others. I revealed them BEFORE they happened so that something could be done about them, a sort of pre-emption strike. But nothing was done about the matter and what I warned would happen really happened in the end.

What is the point with screaming after the horse has bolted? You need to close the barn door before the horse bolts. Closing it after the horse has bolted is no bloody good. And this is what most of you do. You scream after it happens. When we reveal it before it happens you do nothing. And then you ask me why I do not talk about it.

What is the point of talking about something after it happens when you do nothing about the matter when I talk about if before it happens? What a bunch of idiots I have as readers. Waste of bloody time trying to educate you. Better I just sit back and watch Pakatan Rakyat get whacked in the coming general election and then write my "I told you so" article.

Malaysia Today revealed that George Kent was going to get the Ampang LRT project ONE YEAR before it was awarded to them. What was done about it? Now that it has already been awarded to George Kent you make so much noise and Rafizi Ramli holds press conference after press conference.

For what? For syok sendiri is it? I even revealed who Tan Kay Hock is plus his links to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak two years before the announcement of the project. And what did you do? Nothing!

Malaysia Today revealed that a company linked to the ex-Chief Justice and Umno lawyer was going to get the RM2.2 billion Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) project BEFORE it was awarded to them.

And what was done about it? You waited until the project was awarded to them and then you make so much noise. For what? For syok sendiri is it?

Years ago Malaysia Today exposed the RM8 billion MAS fiasco and also revealed how this matter is linked to the RM30 billion Forex disaster of 20 years ago. Malaysia Today also revealed the contents of Tajudin Ramli's Affidavit where he admitted that his takeover of MAS is linked to the Forex issue and was a move to camouflage this scandal.

And what was done about it? Now the matter has been settled out of court so that the truth stays hidden. And now you scream. For what? For syok sendiri is it?

Remember back in 2006-2007 Malaysia Today revealed the links between the police and the underworld? Remember my article 'All Roads lead to Putrajaya'? Today, everyone is singing the song about how the police are linked to the underworld. And the lead singer in this chorus is the ex-IGP himself, the head of the underworld in the police force. And you all scream what a great guy he is and that he should be a Pakatan Rakyat candidate in the coming general election.

What bullshit! What a bunch of losers you all are! I really hope that Barisan Nasional wins the general election so that I can have the pleasure of seeing your faces when I write my "I told you so" article.

A month ago I wrote a report called 'No, it is not over yet'. (READ HERE). And what did you do about it? Now read the Malaysiakini news report below called 'Jan 3 decision on AG's objection to Rosli's revelation'.

Yes, lawyer Rosli Dahlan is being fixed up by Malaysia's legal system. And I wrote about it a month ago and nothing was done about the matter. On Thursday this week, 3rd January 2013, Rosli is going to become yet another of the many victims of Malaysia's corrupt legal system.

Do you care? Will anyone do something about it? Will Rosli suffer the same fate as the many who came before Malaysia's legal system and were denied justice? Or will you just wait until it happens so that you can exploit this whole thing for political gain?

I suspect you want it to happen. I suspect you want Rosli to suffer injustice. And then when it happens you can use this episode as an election issue. You do not care about justice. You just want to use injustice as a political issue and to win votes. You want people to suffer so that you can win the election.

We should come out and warn the judge that on 3rd January 2013 if they deny Rosli justice then expect our wrath. We should make sure that Rosli receives justice and not hope that he suffers injustice so that we can use that as an election issue.

Okay, read (below) what are the secrets that they are trying to keep a secret. They want to block Rosli from testifying and also want to expunge his Affidavit so that Malaysians will never discover the truth. But Malaysia Today is going to reveal the truth anyway whether they block it or not.

And that is the job of Malaysia Today. We reveal the untold story. We engage in pre-emption strikes. Our job is not to exploit issues for political gain and to win elections.

And that is what makes Malaysia Today far better than all the others. We reveal secrets to educate you. Others do so to win votes. And idiots do not know the difference. Are you one of those idiots? Chances are you are.

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Jan 3 decision on AG's objection to Rosli's revelation

Hafiz Yatim, Malaysiakini

In a wicked twist, the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday refused to grant Rosli Dahlan time to file an affidavit in reply to the Attorney-General's application to remove certain paragraphs in the lawyer's witness statement regarding the 'Copgate' affair.

The senior federal counsel in the case had only affirmed an affidavit submitted on Thursday to oppose Rosli's witness statement and open testimony in court.

What was peculiar in the senior federal counsel Azizan Md Arshad's application was that he had deposed it himself, whereas it is usual practice for the affirmation to be done by another senior officer.

In the affidavit, the AG's Chambers reproduced all of Rosli's statements, which it opposed, making them public.

Despite this, Justice Hue Siew Kheng refused to grant Rosli time to submit his affidavit-in-reply to Azizan's application, ordering the parties to submit yesterday afternoon in her chambers.

Justice Hue then fixed Wednesday for a decision on the AG's Chamber's objection to expunge certain paragraphs.

On Nov 28 it was reported that the AG's Chambers, representing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's predecessor the Anti-Corruption Agency and the government, had opposed Rosli's application to read out his witness statement and also wanted expunged certain portions of it related to Copgate and other matters.

The Copgate affair involved former inspector-general of police (IGP) Musa Hassan and attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail alleged to be the hidden hands in providing protection to an underworld figure named Goh Cheng Poh, also known as Tengku Goh.

At the previous session, Justice Hue had allowed Rosli to read out his witness statement in open court, which had been fixed for Jan 25 during the hearing of the RM50 million suit.

'Goh's arrest viewed as disloyal act'

Rosli, in his writ filed in 2009, had described the acrimonious relationship between former Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Ramli Yusuff and Musa, and how the IGP had used the ACA and the AG's Chambers to implicate him and Ramli in the wake of Goh's arrest.

Rosli said he acted for Ramli and the then-deputy home minister Johari Baharom against Goh's habeas corpus application in 2007, after the AG's Chambers reneged on drawing up their affidavits.

The lawyer claimed that Musa saw Goh's arrest as an act of disloyalty on Ramli's part, resulting in the IGP initiating further ACA investigations against him, thus straining the Musa, Ramli and Johari relationship.

Rosli also claimed that he earned Musa's wrath and that of the attorney-general's when he drew up the affidavits for Ramli and Johari, triggering the ACA probe against him and his subsequent arrest.

He said an ACA officer kicked his leg, twisted his arms and handcuffed him tightly, resulting in lacerations and swelling of his wrists.

He gave his statement at the ACA headquarters, but was held overnight and taken to court and charged on the eve of Hari Raya, on Oct 27, 2007.

These were malicious actions out to tarnish his image, he added in his writ.

However, the KL Sessions Court had acquitted Rosli without calling his defence, on the charge of not complying with the agency's procedures to declare his assets.

The prosecution had withdrawn its appeal against the acquittal earlier this year.

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

WHAT THEY DON'T WANT US TO KNOW

Dubious backers of regime change

Posted: 29 Dec 2012 02:04 PM PST

AS Malaysia prepares for a general election, distrust of the political opposition and accusations of foreign interference have been major talking points in the political frequencies emanating from Kuala Lumpur.

Premesh Chandran, the chief executive officer of the nation's most prominent alternative media outlet, Malaysiakini, is a grantee of Soros' Open Society Foundations and launched the news organisation with a US$100,000 (RM300,000) grant from the Bangkok-based Southeast Asian Press Alliance, another organisation with dubious affiliations to the US State Department.

Nile Bowie, RT

Umno leads the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional, and has maintained power since independence in 1957.

One of Malaysia's most recognisable figures is former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has been credited with ushering in large-scale economic growth and overseeing the nation's transition from an exporter of palm oil, tin and other raw materials, into an industrialised economy that manufactures cars and electronic goods.

The opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, is headed by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who once held the post of deputy prime minister in Dr Mahathir's administration, but was sacked over major disagreements on how to steer the economy during the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Today, the political climate in Malaysia is highly polarised. Malaysia's current leader, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has pursued a reform-minded agenda by repealing authoritarian legislation of the past and dramatically loosening controls on expression and political pluralism.

Najib has rolled back the Internal Security Act, which allowed for indefinite detention without trial, and has liberalised rules regarding the publication of books and newspapers. During Malaysia's 2008 general election, the Barisan Nasional coalition experienced its worst result in decades, with Pakatan Rakyat winning 82 parliamentary seats.

For the first time, the ruling party was deprived of its two-thirds parliamentary majority, which is required to pass amendments to the Federal Constitution.

In the run up to elections scheduled to take place before an April next year deadline, figures from all sides of the political spectrum are asking questions about the opposition's links to foreign funders in Washington.

Dr Mahathir has long captured the ire of officials from Washington and Tel Aviv, and though he's retired, he has channelled his energies into the Perdana Global Peace Foundation, which recently hosted an international conference in Kuala Lumpur calling for a new investigation into the events of 9/11 and has sought to investigate war crimes committed in Gaza, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Dr Mahathir has been an ardent critic of Israel and organisations, such as AIPAC, and has recently accused US-based organisations, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the Open Society Institute (OSI), of holding a concealed intention to influence Malaysia's domestic politics through the funding of local non-govrnmental organisations (NGOs) and groups directly linked to Anwar's Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

In an article the former prime minister published in the New Straits Times, a leading mainstream newspaper, Dr Mahathir accuses financier George Soros and his organisation, OSI, of "promoting democracy" in eastern Europe to pave the way for colonisation by global finance capital. Dr Mahathir acknowledges how OSI pumped millions into opposition movements and independent media in Hungary, Ukraine and Georgia under the guise of strengthening civil society, only to have like-minded individuals nominated by Soros' own foundation come to power in those countries.

The former prime minister has also pointed to how Egypt (prior to Mohamad Morsi taking power) had cracked down on NGOs affiliated with NED, namely groups such as the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute (IRI) and Freedom House, which are all recipients of funding from the US State Department.

In Malaysia, high-profile NGOs and media outlets have admittedly received funding from OSI and satellite organisations of NED.

Malaysiakini has come under pressure from local journalists for the lack of transparency in its financial management and hesitance in revealing the value of its shares. Additionally, Suaram, an NGO promoting human rights, has borne heavy criticism over its funding and organisational structure. The Companies Commission of Malaysia launched investigations into Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd, a private company linked to Suaram, and found it to be a conduit for money being used to channel funds from NED.

The German embassy in Kuala Lumpur had reportedly admitted that it has provided funds to Suaram's project in 2010. Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman followed by making strong statements to the German ambassador and declared that Germany's actions could be viewed as interference in the domestic affairs of a sovereign state.

Since 2007, Bersih, an association of NGOs calling itself the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, staged three street protests in which thousands of yellow-clad demonstrators took to the streets in Kuala Lumpur demanding electoral reform. After coming under heavy scrutiny for obfuscating funding sources, Bersih coalition leader Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan admitted that her organisation receives funding from the National Democratic Institute and OSI.

Ambiga herself has been the recipient of the US State Department's Award for International Women of Courage, and was present in Washington in 2009 to receive the award directly from the hands of Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

While Ambiga's organisation claimed to be non-partisan and apolitical, members of the political opposition openly endorsed the movement, and some were even present at the demonstrations.

While a large percentage of urbanites with legitimate grievances are quick to acknowledge the government's shortcomings, many are hesitant to back Anwar because of his connections with neo-conservative thinkers in Washington and general disunity within the opposition. Anwar maintains close ties with senior American officials and organisations such as NED. In 2005, Anwar chaired the Washington-based Foundation for the Future, established and funded by the US Department of State at the behest of Elizabeth Cheney, the daughter of then vice-president Dick Cheney, thanks in large part to his cozy relationship with Paul Wolfowitz.

While Anwar was on trial for allegedly engaging in sodomy with a male aide (of which he was acquitted some time later), Wolfowitz and former US vice-president Al Gore authored a joint opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal in support of Anwar, while the Washington Post published an editorial calling for consequences that would affect Malaysia's relations with Washington if Anwar was to be found guilty. Anwar enraged many when he stated that he would support policy to protect the security of Israel in an interview with the Wall Street Journal; this is particularly controversial in Malaysia, where support for Palestine is largely unanimous.

Malaysian political scientist Dr Chandra Muzaffar writes: "It is obvious that by acknowledging the primacy of Israeli security, Anwar was sending a clear message to the deep state and to Tel Aviv and Washington that he is someone that they could trust. In contrast, the Najib government, in spite of its attempts to get closer to Washington, remains critical of Israeli aggression and intransigence. Najib has described the Israeli government as a 'serial killer' and a 'gangster'".

Members of BN have addressed Anwar's connections to NED in Parliament, including his participation in NED's "Democracy Award" event held in Washington in 2007. Independent journalists have uncovered letters written by Anwar, two of which were sent to NED president Carl Gershman in Washington that discussed sending an international election observer team to Malaysia and general issues related to electoral reform.

A third letter was sent to Soros, expressing interest in collaborating with an accountability firm headed by Anwar. Pakatan Rakyat's communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad verified the authenticity of the documents. This should come as little surprise as Anwar's economic policies have historically aligned with institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, in contrast to Dr Mahathir, whose protectionist economic policies opposed international financial institutions and allowed Malaysia to navigate and largely resurface from the 1997 Asian financial crisis unscathed.

An issue that concerns secular and non-Muslim voters is the role of Pas as part of the opposition. In sharp contrast to the moderate brand of Islam preached by Umno, the organisation's primary objective is the founding of an Islamic state.

Pas has spoken of working within the framework of Malaysia's parliamentary democracy, but holds steadfast to implementing syariah on a national scale, which would lead to confusing implications for Malaysia's sizeable non-Muslim population. The debate around the implementation of hudud is something that other Pakatan Rakyat coalition members, such as figures in the Democratic Action Party, have been unable to agree on.

Pas enjoys support from rural Malay Muslims in states such as Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, though it has limited appeal to urbanites. While certain individuals in Pas have raised questions about NGOs receiving foreign funding, Dr Mahathir has insinuated that Pas' leadership has been largely complicit: "They (foreign interests) want to topple the government through the demonstration and Nik Aziz (the spiritual leader of Pas) said it is permissible to bring down the government in this manner. They want to make Malaysia like Egypt, Tunisia, which were brought down through riots and now Syria. When the government does not fall, they (Pakatan Rakyat) can appeal to the foreign power to help and bring down, even if it means using firepower."

It must be acknowledged that the current administration led by Najib has made great strides towards improving relations with Washington. At a meeting with President Barack Obama in 2010, Najib offered Malaysia's assistance to cooperate with the United States to engage the Muslim world; Najib also expressed willingness to deploy Malaysian aid personnel to Afghanistan, and allegedly agreed on the need to maintain a unified front on Iran's nuclear programme.

Najib has employed a Washington-based public relations firm, Apco, to improve Malaysia's image in the US and has embraced American economic leadership of the region through his support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Some would argue that Najib is perhaps the most pro-American leader Malaysia has ever had.

Despite Najib having good rapport with formal Western leaders, it is clear with whom the think-tank policy architects, Zionist lobbies, and foundation fellows have placed their loyalties.

Sentiment among Malaysia's youth and "pro-democracy" activists, who constitute a small but vocal minority, tend to be entirely dismissive of the "regime change" narrative, viewing it as pre-election diversionary rhetoric of the ruling party. While bogeymen of the Zionist variety are often invoked in Malaysian political discourse, it would be negligent to ignore the effects of Washington-sponsored "democracy promotion" in the global context, which have in recent times cloaked mercenary elements and insurgents in the colours of freedom fighting, and successfully masked geopolitical restructuring and the ushering in of neo-liberal capitalism with the hip and fashionable vigour of "people power" coups.

As the United States continues to increase its military presence in the Pacific region in line with its strategic policy shift to East Asia, policymakers in Washington would like to see compliant heads of state who will act to further American interests in the Asean region.

Let's not ignore the elephant in the room; the real purpose of America's resurgence of interest in the Asean bloc is to fortify the region as a counterweight against Beijing.

The defence ministries of Malaysia and China held a landmark defence and security consultation in September, in addition to frequent bilateral state visits and enhanced economic cooperation. It was Najib's father, second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak, who made the landmark visit to Beijing to normalise relations in 1974, and under his son Najib, Sino-Malaysian relations and cooperation have never been better.

Following the global economic crisis of 2008, Najib looked to Beijing to revive Malaysia's export-oriented economy, emphasising increased Chinese investment in Malaysia and expanding the base of Sino-Malaysian trade in areas like education and student exchange, finance, infrastructure development, science and technology, yielding lucrative and mutually beneficial results. In asking the question of regime change in Malaysia, Chandra reflects on Washington's moves to bolster its military muscle and dominance over the Asia-Pacific region:

"Establishing a military base in Darwin (Australia), resurrecting the US' military alliance with the Philippines, coaxing Japan to play a more overt military role in the region, instigating Vietnam to confront China over the Spratly Islands, and encouraging India to counterbalance Chinese power, are all part and parcel of the larger US agenda of encircling and containing China.

"In pursuing this agenda, the US wants reliable allies -- not just friends -- in Asia. In this regard, Malaysia is important because of its position as a littoral state with sovereign rights over the Straits of Malacca, which is one of China's most critical supply routes that transports much of the oil and other materials vital for its economic development.

"Will the containment of China lead to a situation where the hegemon, determined to perpetuate its dominant power, seek to exercise control over the straits in order to curb China's ascendancy? Would a trusted ally in Kuala Lumpur facilitate such control? The current Malaysian leadership does not fit the bill."

Pakatan Rakyat has yet to offer a fully coherent organisational programme, and if the coalition ever came to power, the disunity of its component parties and their inability to agree on fundamental policies would be enough to conjure angrier, disenchanted youth back on to the streets, in larger numbers perhaps.

What is ticklishly ironic about reading op-eds penned by the likes of Wolfowitz and Gore, and how they laud Malaysia as a progressive and moderate model Islamic state, is that they concurrently demonise its leadership and dismiss them as authoritarian thugs.

Surely, the ruling coalition has its shortcomings; the politicisation of race and religion, noted cases of corrupt officials squandering funds, etc -- but far too few, especially those of the middle-class who benefit most from energy subsidies, acknowledge the tremendous economic growth achieved under the current leadership and the success of its populist policies.

Najib has acknowledged the need for broad reforms of Malaysia's state-owned enterprises over concerns that crony capitalism may deter foreign investment; this should be rolled out concurrently with programmes to foster more local entrepreneurship. To put it bluntly, the opposition lacks confidence from the business community and foreign investors; even the likes of JP Morgan have issued statements of concern over an opposition win.

It should be noted that if Islamists ever wielded greater influence in Malaysia under an opposition coalition, one could imagine a sizeable exodus of non-Muslim minorities and a subsequent flight of foreign capital, putting the nation's economy in a fragile and fractured state. And yet, the US has poured millions into "democracy promotion" efforts to strengthen the influence of NGOs that distort realities and cast doubt over the government's ability to be a coherent actor.

Malaysia does not have the kind of instability that warrants overt external intervention; backing regime-change efforts may only go so far as supporting dissidents and groups affiliated with Anwar.

According to Ambiga, Malaysia's electoral process is so restrictive that a mass movement like Bersih is required to purge the system of its backwardness. These are curious statements, considering that the opposition gained control of four out of 13 states in 2008, including Selangor, a key economic state with the highest gross domestic product and most developed infrastructure.

In response, Najib has adhered to Bersih's demands and has called for electoral reform, forming a parliamentary select committee comprising members from both Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional.

As elections loom, Ambiga is already dubbing them "the dirtiest elections ever seen" -- unsurprising rhetoric from a woman being handed her talking points by the US embassy.

MCA bantah harga siling telefon pintar RM500

Posted: 29 Dec 2012 01:51 PM PST

Mohd Farhan Darwis, The Malaysian Insider

MCA menyuarakan bantahan terhadap penetapan harga siling telefon pintar bagi rebat RM200 kerana golongan belia hanya akan mendapat telefon pintar "cikai" pada harga tersebut.

Presidennya Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek menegaskan, penetapan harga RM500 dan ke bawah bagi pembelian telefon pintar untuk rebat yang diumumkan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak ketika pembentangan Bajet 2013 September lalu akan menyekat golongan belia untuk mengoptimumkan penggunaan telefon pintar tersebut.

"Saya tak setuju smartphone harga RM500 ke bawah ... RM200 itu menunjukkan keprihatinan BN (Barisan Nasional) supaya pemuda kita optimakan penggunaan smartphone," katanya kepada pemberita malam tadi.

Sepatutnya tiada harga siling ... itu smartphone "cikai", tak tahan lama," tegasnya lagi.

Jelas Dr Chua, penetapan harga RM500 itu bukanlah satu keputusan yang baik walaupun seteru BN, pembangkang dari Pakatan Rakyat (PR) tidak mempunyai inisiatif sedemikian.

"Pada hemat saya itu keputusan tidak bijak ... namun begitu kalau dibandingkan dengan PR kita lebih baik, mereka tak prihatin belia dalam bajet mereka," katanya dan mengambil contoh PR tidak mensasarkan golongan belia dalam bajet mereka seperti tiada bantuan murid membeli buku, rebat untuk telefon pintar, serta menggalakkan golongan wanita menceburi perniagaan.

Najib ketika pembentangan Bajet 2013 mengumumkan rebat RM200 khas kepada golongan belia untuk pembelian telefon pintar.

Bagi tujuan itu, kerajaan BN telah memperuntukkan sebanyak RM300 juta untuk rebat yang layak diterima oleh golongan belia berusia lingkungan antara 21 hingga 30 tahun dan berpendapatan kurang RM3,000 bagi rebat tersebut.

Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (SKMM) baru-baru ini telah menetapkan bahawa rebat RM200 itu hanyalah untuk telefon pintar yang berharga maksimum RM500.

1.5 juta belia dijangka akan menerima manfaat daripada rebat tersebut.

Soi Lek kecewa dengan blogger Umno, dakwa tidak beretika

Posted: 29 Dec 2012 01:47 PM PST

Mohd Farhan Darwis, The Malaysian Insider

Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek hari ini mengecam tindakan blogger Umno memutar belit kenyataannya ketika pertemuan dengan mereka Rabu lalu, dan menuduh blogger pro Umno itu tidak beretika.

Presiden MCA itu menegaskan, beliau kecewa dengan tindakan segelintir blogger tersebut yang mendedahkan butiran perjumpaan mereka malah menegaskan beliau tidak akan berjumpa dengan mereka lagi kerana dakwanya ingin menghancurkan MCA.

"Saya sangat kecewa dengan blogger pro Umno ... mereka tidak ikhlas tentang apa yang telah dibincangkan.

"Ia perjumpaan tertutup dan saya ada bercakap tentang persiapan MCA hadapi pilihan raya umum ... Ada sesetengahnya hanya gurauan dan tidak patut didedahkan," jelasnya menyuarakan rasa kecewa dengan tindakan blogger Umno tersebut.

"Mereka tiada etika melaporkan dan kefahaman dalam apa yang dibincangkan ... mereka melanggar janji itu," tegasnya kepada pemberita ketika sidang media selepas majlis makan malam bersama NGO dari Bandar Tun Razak di sini.

Soi Lek bagaimanapun turut menegaskan beliau tidak akan mengambil sebarang tindakan terhadap mereka serta tidak lagi akan melayan sebarang permintaan daripada blogger tersebut selepas ini.

"Jangan datang dan kacau saya lagi, mereka lebih suka 'spin' daripada membantu MCA.

"Saya telah dimainkan oleh blogger pro Umno," katanya lagi, dan menambah, akan lebih berhati-hati dengan blogger Umno.

"Saya akan lebih berhati-hati, saya mempertikaikan tujuan mereka ... adakah mereka mahu bantu MCA atau hancurkan MCA," tegasnya.

Ketika pertemuan dengan blogger pro Umno Rabu lalu, Dr Chua dilaporkan berkata Ong menggunakan "faktornya" untuk mendapatkan sokongan di Melaka bagi mensabotaj beliau.

Menurut Syed Akbar Ali, blogger pro-Umno yang menghadiri pertemuan itu, presiden MCA itu turut menjangkakan Ong akan meninggalkan parti jika berlaku penggantungan Parlimen.

"Melihat kembali isu kurangnya sokongan dan beliau berbicara tentang Ong Tee Keat cuba mensabotajnya di Melaka. Dr Chua merasakan jika berlakunya penggantungan Parlimen selepas pilihan raya, Ong Tee Keat mungkin akan mengemas begnya dan pergi. Seperti Chua Jui Ming," kata Syed Akbar dalam blognya.

Could Malaysia elect an Islamist prime minister?

Posted: 29 Dec 2012 01:41 PM PST

Farish M. Noor, East Asia Forum

The recent general assembly of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) was notable for less talk of theology or doctrine and an increased focus on PAS' upcoming campaign for the 13th general election, scheduled to be held anytime between December this year and next April.

PAS, which ranked third for the number of parliamentary seats won at the federal-level general election of March 2008, will be aiming to gain more parliamentary seats at the coming polls. Discussion at the general assembly was directed toward that goal.

That PAS would want to expand on its gains at the next general election is understandable, considering that the party — which was formed in 1951 — is the oldest opposition party in the country. In 2008, however, PAS joined the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, which also comprises the People's Justice Party (PKR) and Democratic Action Party (DAP). The coalition is headed by Anwar Ibrahim, leader of the much smaller PKR, who is touted to be prime minister of any future Pakatan government.

An interesting development at the general assembly was the idea that PAS' president, Abdul Hadi Awang, should instead be the preferred candidate for prime minister if the Pakatan Rakyat coalition were to defeat the ruling Barisan Nasional government. This was met by strong approval by delegates at the general assembly, and signalled a shift in PAS' posturing within the opposition coalition.

Thus far, PAS has been willing to take the backseat in Pakatan's campaign for power on the assumption that Anwar would be the most likely candidate for prime minister. This stance was developed on the grounds that he is best positioned to bridge the differences between the Malay-Muslim-dominated PAS and the Malaysian-Chinese-dominated DAP.

The prospect of an Islamist prime minister, in the form of Abdul Hadi Awang, is a possibility that has never been seriously contemplated until now (although a similar proposal was raised at the 2008 PAS general assembly). Just why PAS members were keen to propose their leader as the next prime minister is an interesting question, coming as it does so close to the general election.

Firstly, there is the question of whether PAS' membership of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition has cost PAS some of its votes and support from its traditional Malay-Muslim vote bank. Over the past five years the coalition has had to address issues ranging from environmental politics to the welfare state, which have not traditionally been the party's focus. Some PAS members feel the party has veered off its Islamist path by its engagement with other issues. This was reflected in criticism by PAS' youth wing that the party's newspaper, Harakah, ought to serve the interests of the party first and foremost rather than focusing on broader concerns.

Secondly, there is the question of simple arithmetic: if PAS was and remains the biggest party in the PAS-PKR-DAP coalition, then why should the leader come from one of the smaller parties? PAS members may feel that as the oldest and biggest party in the coalition they should have the right to lead Pakatan and any government formed in its name.

However, this is all contingent upon PAS winning its share of 40 parliamentary seats at the election. Some PAS leaders have confided that while party members may be enthusiastic about an Islamist prime minister, the rest of the country may not be as excited by the prospect. This view is supported by UMNO leaders like Saifuddin Abdullah, who noted that 'PAS has so far campaigned on things like the welfare state, and the DAP keeps saying that Anwar is their choice for prime minister. To have a PAS leader as prime minister is another matter'.

READ MORE HERE

Trust your PM

Posted: 29 Dec 2012 01:34 PM PST

Everyone must understand that BN MPs are already disclosing their assets to the prime minister who is the keeper of the gate. If you cannot trust your own PM, who else can you trust?

CT Ali, FMT

I am shocked! I am shocked, dumbfounded and flabbergasted that anyone could suggest that election candidates from Barisan Nasional should make public declaration of their assets.

How can they be asked to do anything that could jeopardise their safety or endanger their lives?

Several BN MPs have said that a public declaration of assets by potential election candidates may jeopardise their safety, ahead of what is expected to be the country's most intensely-fought polls.

Some have gone so far as to suggest that BN members of parliament would look more credible if they disclose their assets publicly.

Can you imagine what could happen to a BN MP if it became public knowledge that he had millions and millions of ringgit stashed at home or in his local or overseas banks or even in parts unknown?

That YB will become the target of every samseng who will not only proceed forthwith to the MP's gated mansion to rob him blind, but more worrying they will track his wife, girlfriend or mistress on their shopping trips to Milan, London or New York and then have the wife, girlfriend or mistress kidnapped for ransom.

Aiyah sure die one lah – not only got to pay out but also if the wife hears about the girlfriend or mistress, sure die twice!

BN MPs have already done enough untuk bangsa, negara, ugama dan lain lain……more of the lain lain than anything else.

Some of them have braved the wraths of their first wives by marrying another one or two other wives on the sly – an actress, a model or perhaps even a singer. Call it love, call it libido, call it anything you like. I call it the stupidity of aged fat lothario whose only attraction to the opposite sex is a fat bank balance.

One of them was 'brave' enough to confront the authoritative Malacca Custom and Excise Office and demanded that they 'close one eye' while he himself would probably be closing both his eyes in this game of dare.

That was brave of that MP because who can deny that the one eye is more at an advantage than the man with two eyes closed.

What about the "courage" of that BN MP caught with his pants down? Not only did he admit to the act after DVDs of the said act were distributed in Muar (well what else can he do when faced with such evidence already seen by the good people of Muar and elsewhere!) but he also courageously resigned from all his political post.

His supporters were so impressed with his 'berani mati' act that they soon elected him to be their party president. That just goes to prove that this really is Bolehland.

Being arrogant and obnoxious

BN members of parliament are not frighten to call a spade a spade and damm the consequences.

Nazri Aziz knows why he is being attacked all the time. It is not because he is arrogant nor was it because he is such an obnoxious character…no…as he said it:

"Don't you think that I am an asset, that there's an attack on me now? If I'm just an ordinary MP or I'm not important to Umno, you think they'll attack me? They won't, right?"

I guess being arrogant and obnoxious is part and parcel of being a valuable asset to Umno and BN.

These BN MPs will leave no stone unturned, will climb any mountain and will swim through shark infested waters in their tireless efforts to serve bangsa, negara, ugama dan lain lain.

Even if they fail time and time again in trying to serve bangsa, negara dan ugama, and even if they have never done their duty towards their electorates – what matters is that they did try. Give them credit for lying, cheating…… I mean trying!

Who suggested to Najib Tun Razak that his coalition candidates should be screened by MACC? Aisehman, as if the MACC are not flat out investigating the corrupt practices in Selangor, Kedah, Penang and in Kelantan.

Thank god BN was able to take back Perak and give some breathing space to MACC. MACC knows that states under Barisan Nasional are free from graft, plenty of corruption but no graft.

It has been suggested by some anti-national elements (well Pakatan Rakyat MPs actually – are they not one and the same thing?) that all this asset declaration exercise is an attempt by Najib to ensure that no candidates from Muhyiddin's camp will be allowed to stand as candidate for BN.

It is mischevious of anyone to suggest that Najib would do something underhand to rid himself of any political threats from within Umno.

READ MORE HERE

Which will it be: Najib or Umno?

Posted: 29 Dec 2012 01:32 PM PST

Dissatisfied Umno members believe Najib Tun Razak and Rosmah Mansor are the party's "main liabilities" that threaten the future of Umno.

Awang Abdillah, FMT

The recent 66th Umno general assembly sent out clear signs of increasing dissatisfaction among delegates with Najib Tun Razak's leadership and that a decision must be made before the 13th general election.

Since Najib took over from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as PM in early 2009, the former's leadership has been directionless. He has been inconsistent and indecisive with his policies.

Though Najib is not as weak as his predecessor, he has nothing better to offer – no good leadership traits and no political and economic models on nation-building.

Umno members, from top to bottom, are very concerned about the party's future.

What they hear are only hollow slogans and rhetoric such as the 1Malaysia concept, transformation plan, financial painkillers like BR1M, KR1M, TR1M and other crap that play on the mindsets of the people.

In a nutshell these are just Najib's psychological propaganda to compensate for his inability to perform.

Any sincere leader who under-performs should switch to team leadership or resign.

Najib did neither. Instead he teamed up with his spouse, Rosmah Mansor. He gave more political clout to Rosmah who is neither an elected MP nor a cabinet minister than the delegates.

She has travelled all over the country and overseas acting as if she is the de facto premier overshadowing the cabinet ministers and extends her sphere of influence over their ministries and their respective departments and agencies.

She even went overboard by getting entangled personally with a number of nasty wrongdoings that threatened the credibility of the government and the party.

Najib must go

The party elite groups are so alarmed by the power wielded and abused by Rosmah and condoned by her husband.

Never in the history of Malaysian politics has the wife of a premier wielded so much personal control over the affairs of the government.

Hence the Umno elite groups believe the only way to save their party is to plot for Najib and company's downfall before the polls.

Posted: 29 Dec 2012 01:25 PM PST

(The Borneo Post) - KUCHING: The basis for arguing whether or not non-Muslims can use the word 'Allah' to refer to God must rest on its context, etymology and the relevant laws surrounding it.

Pointing this out yesterday was PKR Sarawak chief Baru Bian, who said political expediency should not and must not dominate the debate.

"Too much is at stake for it touches on the very heart, soul, and spirit of one's belief and faith regardless of what one believes.

"I, therefore, urge those with differing viewpoints to exercise restraint, tolerance and goodwill. We must be reminded that we are indeed treading on Holy ground," he told a news conference here recently.

Baru, who is also Ba Kelalan assemblyman, also called on both ruling and opposition coalitions to not use the issue as political posturing for the forthcoming 13th general election.

"This is not to suggest that we must avoid discussing it at the appropriate forum."

He said that 10 per cent or more than two million of the population in Malaysia are Christians, and of this, about two thirds are non-Malay Bumiputera Christians mainly in Sabah and Sarawak.

"They rely on the Malay language or Indonesian Bible known as the Alkitab, which uses the word 'Allah' to refer to God.

"The word is of Arabic origin, which predates Islam. Christians of other ethnic communities like the Ibans in Sarawak refer to God as 'Allah Taala' or God Most High in their Bible known as the Bup Kudus."

He, however, said not all Christians used the word 'Allah' to refer to God.

"The context of the Malay-speaking world using the word 'Allah' to refer to God rests on its etymology or the historical development of it.

"The first portion of Christian Scriptures translated into Malay was done in Indonesia for the Gospel of Matthew in 1612, which is 400 years ago.

"This was one year after the authorised version of the Bible was translated into English known as the King James Version (KJV). The Malay translation was also the first non-European language translation of the Bible. Surely, we can treasure this rare heritage as Malaysians."

Baru stressed that East Malaysian Christians had been using 'Allah' to refer to God for generations, and had never caused confusion among Muslims before or after the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

"Why should this cause confusion now after half a century?"

He noted that Rukunegara uses 'Tuhan' and not 'Allah' to refer to God just like the Indonesian Pancasila.

"In terms of common usage, this is a reasonable expression. However, in the Biblical context, the world 'Tuhan' refers to Lord and not God or Allah.

"It is therefore not acceptable to ask Christians to switch the two words and take them to mean what they do not mean in their liturgy and worship.

"One cannot force someone of another religion to change words in their Holy Scriptures simply to satisfy believers of another religion. This is wholly untenable."

He recalled the Kuala Lumpur High Court, on Dec 31, 2009 ruled in favour of the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, who is the publisher of the Herald, that even though Islam is the religion of the Federation, this does not empower the government to prohibit the use of the word 'Allah' in the Malay edition of the Herald.

"It also found that the word Allah was not exclusive to Muslims."

Hence, it must be noted that the said high court verdict was a decision made in the light of Malaysians' religious rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution, he asserted.

"The government has appealed against the decision and the Court of Appeal is yet to rule on the matter.

"But for now, the high court has spoken clearly on the issue and in the circumstances, we should respect our legal system and allow the law to take its course."

Among those present at the news conference were PKR Sarawak vice-chairman See Chee How, who is also Batu Lintang assemblyman, and Wanita PKR vice-chief Voon Shiak Ni.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net