Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Action against Bank Islam chief economist on the cards?
- Video of forum speaker insulting student goes viral
- Nik Aziz makes u-turn over word "Allah"
- DAP slams PAS over Kedah CNY guidelines
- Anwar, Chandra told to settle out of court
- KDEB explains Selangor gov't stake in Syabas
- Where were the Indians during Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat?
- Himpunan rally: Taib’s men ‘shocked’ and divided
- Constitution gives no licence to expand syariah jurisdiction, says ex-CJ
- Shadow Budget doesn’t add up
- PAS-led government takes the bang out of CNY stage performances
- PAS Syura Council: Prevent translation of ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims
- People’s rally in Sabah a ‘fiasco’
- PBS founder-president Pairin to retire?
- In which direction is Proton driving?
- Guidelines for CNY celebration in Kedah threaten rights of non-Muslims - Chua
| Action against Bank Islam chief economist on the cards? Posted: 13 Jan 2013 10:20 PM PST
(Harakah Daily) - A prediction about the outcome of the next general election has landed Bank Islam Malaysia's chief economist in trouble, with a possible disciplinary action on the cards. On January 11, Singapore's Straits Times reportedly quoted Bank Islam's Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajuddin (pic) as telling a forum in the city-state that Barisan Nasional may win only between 97 and 107 seats in the coming polls, not enough to form the next government. Presenting his views at the Regional Outlook Forum, Azrul warned that Pakatan Rakyat's slim win could spell some "instability", and even said there was a possibility of "economic sabotage" by businesses aligned with BN. BIMB managing director Zukri Samat immediately wrote a disclaimer to the daily, saying it had nothing to do with Azrul's views. "The views expressed by Mr Azrul are entirely his personal view and should not be linked or attributed to Bank Islam whatsoever," he added. According to news portal The Malaysian Insider, the BIMB's management would meet over Azrul's statement. Deputy Finance minister Awang Adek Hussin meanwhile criticised Azrul for his views, saying he should not be talking about politics "in view of his influential position in a bank that is based on the Islamic concept in Malaysia". Awang also added that he would let BIMB decide on the "type of action" against Azrul. "True, Azrul Azwar expressed his personal view, but does that show his professionalism?" asked Awang as quoted by UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia. The right-wing paper has however claimed that Azrul had predicted a "narrow win" for BN.
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| Video of forum speaker insulting student goes viral Posted: 13 Jan 2013 10:11 PM PST
(Yahoo! News) - A video of a public university forum speaker insulting a student has gone viral on online forums and Facebook. (http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/letterssurat/53851-mahasiswa-standard-malaysia)
The 24-minute video showed the speaker - Sharifah Zohra Jabeen, president of little-known women's organisation called Suara Wanita 1Malaysia or SW1M - dismissing a student who stood up to highlight points on Bersih and free education with remarks including "when this is our programme, we allow you to speak' and 'when I speak, you listen".
(*All quotes are verbatim) The forum entitled "Seiringkah mahasiswa dan politik?' (Are graduates and politics aligned?) was held at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) in Sintok, Kedah on Dec 8. The video began with students taking an oath to go against 'deviant culture', 'destroyers of peace', 'street demonstrations' and support 'peace and harmony among multi-racial Malaysians without the interference of third parties'. It then cuts to the student, Bawani KS, who stood up to highlight a court ruling about Bersih and question why Malaysia was not able to offer free education like other countries. Halfway through, Sharifah cuts her off by incessantly repeating "Listen, listen, listen, listen..." before thanking her for 'having the guts'. She then asked the crowd: "Students in the hall, 2,300 students everywhere. Did I give her respect? Did I give her respect? I came up to her, shook hands with her and gave her respect as another woman? Do you think I need to answer her question with this attitude?" Accusing Bersih leader Ambiga Sreenevasan of being an 'anarchist', Sharifah slammed the student for highlighting the need for free education in the country as is done in other nations. She told the student that "if you equate Malaysia to other countries, what are you doing in Malaysia?". "Go to Cuba, go to Argentina, go to Libya, go everywhere. Because all the students in this hall are happy with whatever the government does for them," she said. She then berated the student for having the 'very least of education'. "Today each person here has education and today, I'm very sorry that simultaneously, you have proven that you have a very least of pendidikan (education). You know what pendidikan you need? Respect the adults. Always have a differentiation gap between age. That's why you have a mother, grandmother,daughter, child, babies." "Do you think humans have problems? Animals have problems too," she stressed, citing an example of cats that do not get leftovers in restaurants, along with dogs, cows and fish. 'The difference between you and me is a degree and a O'Level. That's all.
"Whatever you say, you are still in UUM. If you are not happy, you are very much suitable to go to another university," she said. Another panelist stood up to interject and she cut him off saying "You know what Peter, I think all these people are tired. Who wants a Galaxy Note (Prizes had been up for grabs at the forum)?" she said. Angry Netizens began sharing links to a Facebook page said to belong to Sharifah while SW1M's fan page was flooded with angry comments from the public. Some of them are as follows: Khai Hokage: I think ur president Sharifah should change her field coz she talk about animal better then she talk about democracy. hahaha.. Mohd Syukri Sulaiman: You got degree meh?when you die you also become dust lorh,for God sake,respect other people please? Jo Ven Teh: Listen listen listen..lights,tv,lifts,leaves and air cond all have problem 2... Listen listen listen .. SyedAdie Al-idrus: aku rasa esok tutup page nih! (I think it is best to close this page) hahahaha! James Gan: After watching your speech in the forum suara Mahasiswa, other than the fact that you are older than me, I am not sure what else is worth respecting. Darren Sim Chee Hui: Hey you racist !!! You better make apologize to the Indian girl...!!! Give you an advice: If you don't respect all races, we won't respect you either !!!! Akram Ahmar: Presiden paling banggang.... shame on U...u want a respect??? respect others first!!! Shakir Ameer: and you wonder why your page has very little 'likes' despite the publicity. Shame on you people. Sunil Rendawa: If this Sharifah Zohra Jabeen character is the head of Suara 1 wanita, You people have a very sad organisation indeed. Headed by an idiot, where do you lot think you are going ? Abd Hanif Rahmat: sharifah zohra jabeen listen.. listen.. listen.. u degree i no have pmr.. i dont know speak english, but i want u apologise to bavani infront all student uum and must take a video for the apologise.. tell them u wrong that time.. u follow perasaan bila bercakap.. and tak mo listen bavani speak.. take note.. :) Nicholas Cheng Yee Shen: Dear Shafirah, For an individual who is supposed to have possessed a degree and university education, your command of English is rather poor to begin with. I've seen high school students with better command of English than you. If you believe that you are entitled to respect from me, think again. May I remind you, it is because of people like you that this country, this great country of Malaysia, is going downhill. Precisely that. What do you think of Sharifah's comments towards Bawani? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
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| Nik Aziz makes u-turn over word "Allah" Posted: 13 Jan 2013 07:58 PM PST
(Bernama) - Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who previously agreed that "Allah" could be used in Bibles, has made a U-turn in his stand by clarifying why the word cannot be used by non-Muslims. The PAS Syura Council last night decided that non-Muslims should not use the word in translation of their religious texts, but are free to use it orally following outcry from the Muslim community over Nik Abdul Aziz and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's stand. Nik Abdul Aziz, who attended the council's meeting, said the council's decision was made out of fear that if "Allah" was used in Bibles, the meaning would run contrary to the actual meaning understood by Muslims. "There is only one God. The Almighty. If other religions have one or more God, that's ridiculous. If they want to use it, it is wrong," he told reporters on his return from Kuala Lumpur at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, Pengkalan Chepa here, today. The controversy erupted after DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, in his Christmas message, urged the federal government to allow Christians to use 'Allah' in the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible. PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang drew the flak when he said Islam did not restrict non-Muslims from using the word "Allah" as long they did not misuse it to the extent of confusing Muslims. Nik Abdul Aziz, who is PAS spiritual leader, said the Christians, who believed in the Trinity, could not use the word at all for it was against the actual meaning. In its decision, the PAS Syura Council said the Arabic word cannot be translated into or translated from other languages for it is a specific word used to refer the Muslims' God.
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| DAP slams PAS over Kedah CNY guidelines Posted: 13 Jan 2013 07:47 PM PST
Syed Jaymal Zahiid, The Malaysian Insider The DAP has lashed out against its allies PAS over the controversial guidelines issued by the Kedah government, calling its ban on adult females from appearing for Chinese New Year stage performances as ridiculous, unacceptable and unwise. "Not only does the guideline not respect the right of non-Muslims, but it also discriminates against women. The PAS-led Kedah State Government must immediately review and abolish this guideline," its assistant national public secretary Teo Nie Ching said in a statement. The PAS-led Kedah administration again saw itself mired in controversy when it recently issued guidelines for the organisers of the 1 Malaysia Chinese New Year Celebration 2013 scheduled for February 15 at the Star Walk Alor Setar in Kedah. The guidelines included, among other things, the appropriate attire for officers and singers involved. It also stated that performers are encouraged to sing motivational songs and that if extreme singing and dancing activities were to take place, the state government has the right to shut down the programme. In the past, the Kedah government under Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak (picture) has faced severe criticism, including from fellow Pakatan Rakyat leaders, who deemed his conservative policies as insensitive to non-Muslim rights. Some had described his administration as a liability to the bloc's polls preparation while a few had admitted that the controversies could see PR facing an uphill task in defending the rice-bowl state at the 13th general elections. Teo raised this prospect again, saying that the Kedah PAS government was alienating supporters just months before the bloc takes on its rivals in what will be the keenest polls to date. "As a matter of fact, it is not the first time that the PR Kedah Government has found itself in this type of controversy. "It has not only resulted in PR coming under heavy criticism from BN component parties, therefore weakening PR's chances during GE13, but moves such as these distance the rakyat further away from the administration," she said.
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| Anwar, Chandra told to settle out of court Posted: 13 Jan 2013 05:13 PM PST
(NST) - The High Court today advised parties in the RM10 million defamation suit by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim against academician Dr Chandra Muzaffar (above) to settle the matter out of court. Counsel Datuk Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin who acted for Chandra told the Press that judge Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad set April 3 for mediation. "If the parties fail to mediate, the suit will go for trial on the same day," he said. Yesterday, Nik Hasmat also allowed Anwar's application to amend his statement of claim. Anwar was represented by lawyers N. Surendran and Latheefa Koya. Anwar is suing Chandra over his alleged defamatory statements made at a forum at Menara Star in Petaling Jaya on March 3, 2008, which were subsequently published in newspapers. He claimed that Chandra spoke the offending words to disparage him in both his private and official capacities. In his statement of defence, Chandra denied uttering maliciously and falsely any defamatory comment concerning Anwar. Alternatively, he claimed that if the words were defamatory, which he denied, then they were published on an occasion of qualified privilege without malice. |
| KDEB explains Selangor gov't stake in Syabas Posted: 13 Jan 2013 04:34 PM PST
(Bernama) -- Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad (KDEB), the investment arm of the Selangor government, said today the Selangor government only had a minority share limited to board representation in Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas). Its president, Suhaimi Kamaralzaman, said the state government only owned 30 per cent equity and had two directors in Syabas. He said Syabas was still the key player in handling the operations and maintenance of water facilities. "The day-to-day operations and maintenance of the water facilities are carried out by the management of Syabas who are appointed by the majority shareholder of Puncak Niaga Holdings Berhad," he said in a statement to Bernama. Suhaimi was referring to comments made by Universiti Utara Malaysia academician and senior lecturer Dr Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri on Saturday. Ahmad Zaharudin Sani had said that under the Selangor water concessionaire agreement, river cleaning and water catchment, giving approval to operators of water treatment or supply for construction of new pump stations and upgrading plants and pump stations were under the jurisdiction of the state government. Suhaimi said the State Water Monitoring Committee (SWMC), chaired by the Selangor state secretary, had been monitoring Syabas, particularly its action and recovery plans, on a daily basis. "KDEB representatives, who are also members of the SWMC, are responsible for constant liaison with the Syabas management to ensure that all action plans are implemented expeditiously and efficiently," he said.
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| Where were the Indians during Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat? Posted: 13 Jan 2013 03:30 PM PST
Deepak Jaikishan keeping the Indian flag flying (Malaysian Digest) - The Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (HKR112) assembly on Saturday may have been considered a success, questions have been raised regarding the low turnout by the Indian community. The minimal involvement of the Indian community in HKR112 could be due to the perception that the event is skewed more towards PAS members and does not encompass all races, Universiti Sains Malaysia's deputy dean of the Social Sciences Faculty, Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said.
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| Himpunan rally: Taib’s men ‘shocked’ and divided Posted: 13 Jan 2013 03:22 PM PST
A federal-leaning Sarawak MP has warned Pakatan Rakyat that it is playing with fire with such rallies. Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: Chef Minister Taib Mahmud's Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) party is divided in its view of the mammoth Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat rally in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday. Whilst some see the rally as the people rising to demand change, others have condemned it outright. The divided views are perhaps indicative of aging Taib's personal struggles to keep in check his federal-leaning party leaders. PBB deputy information chief Peter Minos, when contacted, described the rally as a "wakeup call". "It is a wake-up call for us. Do not underestimate the strength of the opposition. "We should be wary of the threat from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat pact in the coming general election. "I was surprised the organisers could draw a big crowd which I could see from a distance, and they are mostly Pakatan supporters." Minos went on to add that the rally turnout showed that the opposition alliance was a force to be reckoned with. Another PBB insider, who declined to be named, said peninsular-based Umno and BN reports had in the past given the impression that the "situation was under control". "But I am shocked at the crowd. The blogs are full of ground reports and they all cannot be lying. "Umno intelligence have been downplaying the opposition's strength. Najib (Tun Razak) must take note of this," the insider said. Pakatan playing with fire PBB secretary-general Stephen Rundi said street demonstrations did not augur well for the country's prevailing peace, political stability and economic prosperity. "I don't agree with the trend of politics as we have law and order as well as proven system to safeguard the nation and its sovereignty. "We have full confidence in the system which also protects the opposition. "Hence, going to the street and staging demonstrations will only cause chaos and disorder or even worse, ruin our harmony and the future of our beloved country, especially our economy, deterring foreign investors from coming," he said.
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| Constitution gives no licence to expand syariah jurisdiction, says ex-CJ Posted: 13 Jan 2013 03:18 PM PST
Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider An amendment to Article 121 of the Federal Constitution does not empower syariah courts to take over the jurisdiction of civil courts, former Chief Justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad said today, giving heft to the protracted conflict arising from Malaysia's dual-track judicial system. He said the amendment was "not a licence to expand the jurisdiction of Shari'ah Courts and to oust the jurisdiction of the civil courts." The Muslim-dominant country, which provides for syariah courts to run alongside civil courts, has created several grey areas due to an overlap of powers. The retired top judge noted that many people, especially syarie law experts, have been mistaken in the belief that clause (1A) in Article 121, which lays out the extent of judicial power, absolutely excludes civil courts from trying disputes that touch on Muslim rights. Abdul Hamid (picture) said that many arguments have been put forward in legal conflicts that if an offence is within the jurisdiction of the syariah court, it is no longer to be tried in a civil court any more by virtue of Article 121(1A). "What about cases in which one party is a Muslim and the other is not?" he asked in his speech at a law conference in the city. "Secondly, the amendment is not a licence to expand the jurisdiction of Shari'ah Courts and to oust the jurisdiction of the civil courts," he said. Abdul Hamid, who was chief justice between 2007 and 2008, recounted that the question had cropped up before the Court of Appeal nearly a decade ago in a sodomy conviction, saying that the courts had failed to address the issue of constitutionality of section 25 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997. "To me, that section is unconstitutional and void," he said today. Disputes of jurisdiction between the Islamic courts and the civil courts have been increasing of late especially in matters dealing with religious conversion and child custody as well as the latest ongoing storm over the right of non-Muslims to call their gods "Allah", a word conservative Islamic scholars insist be reserved for their god. Civil liberty activists and lawyers have noticed a trend that the judiciary has been putting Islamic law above all other laws in Malaysia, signalling an erosion of the Federal Constitution.
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| Posted: 13 Jan 2013 02:35 PM PST
(The Star) - The Opposition's shadow Budget failed to consider that Petronas' profits are shared with, among others, the petroleum service contractors, says International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. He said a certain amount of profit should be apportioned to petroleum companies as agreed upon earlier. "The Pakatan Rakyat's Budget aims to increase oil royalties to the states from 5% to 20%. This means that less profits will be shared between Petronas and the petroleum service contractors like Shell and Esso. "Hence, Petronas will give lower annual dividends to the Government," he said at his ministry's office in Jalan Duta here. Mustapa said if the Opposition were to form the Federal Government and went ahead with its own Budget, it would not have enough funds to fulfil their general election pledges. "They will lack funds to make foreign investments and yet, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he wants to offer free education to the people," he said, adding that the shadow Budget was "reckless, irresponsible and foolish". Mustapa said the National Higher Education Loan Fund (PTPTN) had disbursed RM46.8bil in loans, of which RM25.7bil was borrowed from various finance agencies. "If the Opposition wants to offer free education, how are they going to pay off these loans? The Pakatan Budget also includes its pledge to abolish tolls, which would require an expenditure of RM6bil to compensate concessionaires," he said. "We are saddened by such populist moves. The Opposition is hiding facts while the people are tricked into believing that it is workable." Mustapa claimed that "not a single sen" was incorporated into the Pakatan Budget to fulfil their promises to the public and likened it to "cheating people in broad daylight". Pakatan also claimed that it could reduce the country's deficit from 4.0% to 3.5%. However, Barisan Nasional leaders have countered this, alleging that the Opposition Budget would cause the country to have a deficit of 7.2%.
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| PAS-led government takes the bang out of CNY stage performances Posted: 13 Jan 2013 02:32 PM PST  Dr Chua showing a copy of the directive to reporters. With him are MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha (left) and MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai. (The Star) - In yet another controversial decision, the PAS-led Kedah government has enforced new rulings for stage performances during Chinese New Year. The state government will stop Chinese New Year stage performances on the spot if they failed to meet the guidelines. The state has banned professional female singers in shopping malls and other open public places. Only male performers are now permitted to sing and dance in shows held in such places. As for female performers, only secondary schoolgirls will be allowed to do so. But with bands providing live music also barred from open entertainment events, performers can only use recorded music accompaniment or minus-one recordings (pre-recorded music). Malls and shopping centres have been told that only songs with religious themes or those with positive messages will be allowed to be performed, effectively excluding pop songs. Besides submitting lists of performers and songs, the organisers must ensure the artistes are not carried away or do not go overboard. Kedah Health, Youth and Sports, Culture, Art, Heritage and Biotechnology Committee chairman Datuk Dr Hamdan Mohamed Khalib issued the directive to Kota Setar district officer Datuk Haji Bakar Din on Jan 9. First in the four-point guidelines list is a rule that artistes as well as those in charge of the shows must be dressed conservatively and not menjolok mata (indecently). A copy of the directive was given to MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek in Sungei Petani on Friday. He showed it to reporters after the Perak MCA anniversary celebrations here yesterday. Dr Chua said the guidelines violated the rights and freedom of non-Muslims. He said the DAP, as part of Pakatan Rakyat and being an ally of PAS, owed non-Muslims an answer to this latest violation. "This is because DAP helped PAS take over Kedah. Is the DAP saying again that this is a small matter?" he asked. He said non-Muslims had their rights and freedom over food, attire, music, entertainment and leisure. MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung said non-Muslims could lose their identity under such policies. "If non-Muslims continue to accept these, then all things Chinese and Indian, including their culture, could be lost if Pakatan continues to run the state," said the Alor Setar MP. Chor said an agreement to such regulations would spell the end of a pluralistic society. He added that such guidelines were never imposed in Kedah until the Pakatan government took over. Gerakan also slammed the Kedah government for its "restrictive" policy on Chinese New Year entertainment activities. State party chairman Dr Cheah Soon Hai said the directive eroded the rights and interests of non-Muslims, adding that the state government was insensitive and disrespectful to the Chinese community. "Female artistes are being discriminated against as singing and dancing are their sources of income. The guidelines will have far-reaching effects on celebrations like Chap Goh Meh, the Hungry Ghost Festival, the Lantern Festival and Deepavali," he said.
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| PAS Syura Council: Prevent translation of ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims Posted: 13 Jan 2013 02:14 PM PST  PAS leaders said the word 'Allah' is a universal word and can be spoken by those who are not Muslims. – File pic Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider The PAS Syura Council yesterday decided that non-Muslims should prevent the use of the word "Allah" in translations of their religious texts, but are free to use it orally. Following weeks of controversy over the usage of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims, the party's religious council said that the Arabic word cannot be translated into or translated from other languages. The council explained that the word "Allah" is a specific and holy word used to refer to the Muslims' god. "Therefore, translating the word God or Lord from any non-Muslim kitab agama (religious texts) to the word Allah tidak dibolehkan (cannot be allowed) because it is wrong from the aspect of meaning and wrong usage, does not fulfill the actual purpose and can bring about an obvious confusion. "Therefore, it has to be prevented," PAS' spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and his deputy Datuk Dr Haron Din wrote in a statement yesterday. But the PAS leaders said that the word "Allah" is a universal word and can be spoken by those who are not Muslims. They said that this statement clarifies the meaning of the statement by the PAS spiritual adviser, the party's president and the whole party leadership. Political allies PAS and DAP had recently appeared to send mixed messages over the use of the word "Allah" by Christians in their Bahasa Malaysia bible, before the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leadership made their stand clear last week. Last Tuesday, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang explained PR's position, saying that non-Muslim communities should not abuse the word to spread confusion among Muslims, but said that this did not mean they were not allowed to use the word. "Islam does not stop those of other faiths from using kallimah 'Allah' in their practice, although [in the usage of the word by non-Muslims] it does not refer to the original meaning of the word as according to the al-Quran," he read from a statement.
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| People’s rally in Sabah a ‘fiasco’ Posted: 13 Jan 2013 02:00 PM PST
A political pressure group in Sabah has taken to task local oposition leaders' misplaced priorities. Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: While more than a 100,000 are said to have attended the Himpunan Kebagkitan Rakyat rally in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (photo), the affair in Sabah proved to be a flop. Just a couple of hundred youths turned up for the event at the Chong Thien Vun Park here on Saturday. The blame was placed on the organisers and the lack of charismatic leaders to motivate would-be attendees in the run-up to the event. Blogger and activist Ronnie Klassen described the rally as a fiasco with an estimated 300 participants at the park. Klassen believes that the event here was poorly organised and reflected the discord and disunity among the organisers comprising youths aligned to the various opposition parties such as Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), DAP, PKR and PAS. "Instead of showing solidarity among themselves, these youths were literally elbowing each other in order to steal the limelight. But, I don't blame them; I blame their so-called leaders for they themselves were fighting with each other most of the time. "With such an attitude, they (the opposition) must be dreaming or hallucinating if they really think they can defeat the BN in the coming general election. Anyway, I wish them good luck," he said. The confusion was demonstrated at the press conference held at the end of the rally with speakers merely shouting slogans such as "Jatuhkan Umno/BN" and "Tenggelam BN". Klassen, who is also the deputy chairman of Demokrasi Sabah (Desah), a Sabah-based political pressure group who are pushing for a 'one-to-one' fight between the opposition and BN, also pointed to the conspicuous absence of state opposition leaders at Saturday's rally here.
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| PBS founder-president Pairin to retire? Posted: 13 Jan 2013 01:51 PM PST
Rumours of leaders aiming to retire is affecting morale in an embattled Parti Bersatu sabah (PBS). Luke Rintod, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Sabah Chief Minister-cum president of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Joseph Pairin Kitingan may be having seconds thoughts about contesting in the coming elections. PBS insiders said Pairin, 73, is finally "convinced" of the opposition's strength in his Keningau and Tambunan constituencies and is worried about the growing threat. Pairin has been Tambunan assemblyman uninterruptedly for almost four decades, since 1976. He has been Keningau MP for almost 30 years from 1986. He first won Tambunan at the age of 36 under Berjaya, the party he ousted from power in 1985 after a prolonged skirmish with Berjaya president Harris Salleh. Pairin, who is PBS founder president, is also the only chief the party has seen since its inception in 1985 (28 years ago). Pairin is the Huguan Siou or Paramount Chief of the Kadazandusuns in Sabah. But that too may soon be history. According to a senior PBS leader who spoke to FMT, Pairin is aware of his own precarious position in Keningau and Tambunan. Requesting anonymity, the PBS leader said: "Pairin may not even contest at all at the coming poll because it would be humiliating if he is defeated. "But I think he will still win in Tambunan if he decides to go for only one seat.." Not healthy The leader, who is a PBS supreme council member and has helped Pairin in previous elections, hastened to add that Pairin could decide to stay away from the 13th GE. "(But) Pairin not contesting at all cannot be ruled out from now onwards…" said the leader. Pairin, who is far from healthy, has taken pains to calm growing worry among his PBS members upset by rumours that he was leaving the scene. At the party general meeting last year, he repeatedly reassured them that he was ready to be renominated and was in fact prepared to defend his Tambunan and Keningau seats. According to the leader, Pairin's choice of words – "prepared", "ready" – lacked the affirmative "wanting" or "wanted". "Even then he only spoke about it as a reaction when it is no longer tenable to keep silent amid rumours and whispers," observed the leader. According to the PBS leader, there is a strong likelihood that other PBS assemblymen too would refuse renomination if Pairin is to leave politics altogether at this election, contributing to more worries and intrigues that would choke and plague PBS in the end. "Even deputy president Dr Maximus Ongkili has been texting his friends that he foresees the coming election could be his last term in active politics. "Other PBS leaders including its assemblymen, in return had started whispering to friends what would become of PBS without a strong presence of the once charismatic Pairin," the leader said.
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| In which direction is Proton driving? Posted: 13 Jan 2013 12:33 PM PST
(Free Malaysia Today) - Proton has only one viable engine in production, and another unproven design bought from Petronas recently. It has dubious research and development capabilities and proven unreliability in quality control. Proton wants to play a starring role in Southeast Asia, but there are many road bumps ahead. With the flurry of news and rumours surrounding Proton Holdings Bhd and its owner DRB-Hicom Bhd last week, Malaysians had a reason to revisit their love-hate relationship with the national car company, contemplate its chequered past and ponder its future. On Wednesday, we were told that DRB-Hicom was to spearhead the development of an "Asean" car in which Proton would be playing a starring role, and that DRB-Hicom may be taken private for as much as RM4 per share, besides listing what used to be Proton and DRB-Hicom distribution outfits. Last Thursday, the DRB-Hicom management denied the delisting part, which burst the balloon that sent its shares to a 10-month high of RM2.78, to as low as RM2.65. After a long silence about Proton since Syed Mokhtar AlBukhary-controlled DRB-Hicom bought its controlling stake from Khazanah Nasional Bhd more than a year ago, the sudden news flap is interesting. If you believe that there's no smoke without fire, Syed Mokhtar's financial advisers must be talking about something more substantial than the weather around the water cooler. But that is the trouble with trying to fathom anything about Proton, because literally anything can happen at the last minute, like the collaboration with Volkswagen AG (VW) that was called off the night before it was supposed to be signed. Frayed analysts, after seeing countless analyses on Proton disproved by what seemed to be random acts, have kept their sanity remembering one important thing: Proton is not so much of a car company as the centrepiece of government policy, and therefore normal commercial considerations may not apply. People of a certain age (that is, older people) will remember the day in 1985 when the Proton Saga was unveiled to great expectations. Though boxy, and decidedly dated because it was based on the 1983 Mitsubishi Lancer, the Saga caught our imagination and carried our hopes for a while. Since then, due to many unfortunate issues with quality control and the fact that to make the Proton cheaper by comparison, the government raised taxes on other cars to make them more expensive. Malaysians love to hate the Proton – whether deservedly or not. To us, it is a national icon, but to somebody else, let's say a foreign car company of immense size with aspirations of world dominance, Proton is not a viable car company and should be brought under the wing of the said car company with world domination in mind. Dubious R&D capabilities
It is also not selling enough cars and being overtaken at home by foreign-backed rivals even at competitive pricing. However, it has two things going for it. Its underutilised production capacity and its favoured position in Malaysia, which is an important member of Asean. DRB-Hicom, being an automotive and property development conglomerate, has several partners that can make full use of these assets. Chief among them are Honda Motor Co and Volkswagen AG (VW) of Germany. While Honda has stated that it wants Malaysia to be the regional production hub for its hybrid cars, only VW has designs on being No 1 in the world with a target to sell 10 million cars a year by 2018. That VW is really keen on owning Proton, or at least its assets, is obvious because it fits into its global design to tap into a major slice of Southeast Asia's appetite for two million cars a year. Also any Malaysian-produced car, if local content is at 40% or more, would enjoy duty-free status to all Asean member-countries under the Asean Free Trade Agreement. This is a huge a leg-up on rivals such as Toyota and other Japanese pretenders. Furthermore, Malaysian-made VWs could also be exported to other markets where they drive on the left side of the road, like India for example. The Wolfsburg, Germany-based company had previously made an offer to tie up with the then public-listed Proton in 2007 but discussions eventually foundered because of opposition from parties that wanted the company to remain Malaysian-owned. Crucial market In July last year, VW was also reported to have considered making a bid for Proton's share that Khazanah Nasional was divesting, which a German magazine said might include a full-scale acquisition in the long run. The German carmaker wants a foothold in Southeast Asia after its surpassed Toyota in 2011 as the world's second-largest manufacturer behind General Motors because it is a crucial market for increased sales as part of its ambition to become No 1. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/top-news/2013/01/14/in-which-direction-is-proton-driving/ |
| Guidelines for CNY celebration in Kedah threaten rights of non-Muslims - Chua Posted: 13 Jan 2013 12:22 PM PST
He said the guidelines, issued by the Kedah state executive council on Jan 9, involved among others, the aspects of attire, singing and dancing. (Bernama) - MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has described the guidelines issued by the PAS-led Kedah government to organisers of Chinese New Year celebrations in Kedah as threatening and eroding the rights of the non-Muslims which are provided for in the Federal Constitution. He said the guidelines, issued by the Kedah state executive council on Jan 9, involved among others, the aspects of attire, singing and dancing. Dr Chua said MCA was of the opinion that the issue was not a petty one because it involved respect for matters clearly stated in the Federal Constitution and the rights of the non-Muslims. "The DAP will say that this is just a petty issue...when we say it's a political eunuch and it's right and apt, they (DAP) will keep quiet and will raise other issues to confuse the people," he told reporters after opening the 64th anniversary of Perak MCA, here today. He was commenting on the guidelines for the organising of the 1Malaysia Chinese New Year Celebration 2013 scheduled to be held at the Star Walk Alor Setar, Kedah on Feb 15. The guidelines prescribed, among others, appropriate attire for officers and singers involved and that the singers are encouraged to sing motivational songs and that if extreme singing and dancing activities were to take place, the state government has the right to put an immediate stop to the programme. Dr Chua also expressed hope that the Chinese community would not give their support to the DAP as the party had repeatedly caused them to fight among themselves and influenced them to vote for PAS and support the guidelines that denied the rights of the non-Muslims. He said the opposition pact did not have any future as they were willing to use the people just to achieve their own political agenda and that they did not have any strategy to further develop the country besides raising issues and organising demonstrations. "If we vote for Barisan Nasional (BN), we have the assurance that the Prime Minister is Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and we have the assurance of political, social, economic and religious stability. "We have the assurance of development every year, of satisfactory growth rate, of the fact that the country's heading towards becoming high-income nation and of our freedom intact," he said. Meanwhile, Dr Chua also reminded farmers in the state not to fall for the opposition's sweet talk to solve their land issues because only the ruling government could do so. "The opposition does not even understand the issues. We will help the 1,500 farmers to solve the issues," he said, adding that MCA had so far helped 1,150 farmers in the state to solve their land applications involving approximately 4,000 hectares of land. |
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