Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Japanese embassy: What RM207b?
- Embassy clarifies report on 'Death Railway' compensation
- Deepak offers to buy back Astacanggih from Boustead unit
- Lim: Umno lying about DAP and BM bibles
- Pakatan: Non-Muslims can use ‘Allah’
- Death Railway: Ships or billions?
- Anwar’s suit: Scathing attack on judge
- Show proof, MIC tells PKR
- Leaders of change
- Villagers warn: We’ll holdback support for BN if..
- Indonesia province to ban women from straddling motorbikes
- Anwar and Taib playing ball?
- Anwar: RM207b ‘not sent through Treasury’
- Ex-Youth chief: PAS ulama council should make ‘Allah’ call
- 300,000 for Himpunan rally?
- ‘Dr M, Anwar and Daim must explain the RM207b’
- Guan Eng to await Mansor's report on aide's arrest
- Army Chief to Suara Pakatan Rakyat: "If you insult Kanang, you insult us"
- SUPP feels the heat over ‘unaccounted’ RM11 bil
- Government aid to be paid out between January and March
- 'Political tsunami' has ended under Najib's leadership
- Syrian regime faking news to the world
- PKR says will help Deepak expose deals
- Pakatan talks over ‘Allah’ issue
- NGOs not told to keep info on discussion with EC ‘confidential’
- Exco member’s aide arrested in anti-graft sting
- Raja Ropiaah, NFC issues hurting Wanita Umno and BN, analysts say
- MACC: Facebooking during office hours a form of graft
- All’s quiet at Tamil school with only two pupils
- Taiwanese gamblers bet on cancer patients
- Muslims urged to be brave and firm in defending Islam
- DAP covering up ‘schoolboy error’
- DAP: Election fiasco an embarrassment
- No permit yet for Pakatan rally
- EC slams NGOs for revealing info on discussions
- Tear gas decision at Bersih called for, says top cop
| Japanese embassy: What RM207b? Posted: 07 Jan 2013 07:23 PM PST
The embassy says it has never confirmed that the sum was paid to the Malaysian government as compensation for the Death Railway project. Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT The Japanese embassy today denied any knowledge of the RM207 billion compensation for Japan's Death Railway project as pursued by PAS' Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin. Japan's second secretary to Malaysia Takaharu Suegami said today his government never confirmed that RM207 billion was paid to the Malaysian government to compensate some 30,000 Malaysians once recruited as forced labour in its Death Railway project. "Regarding the compensation of RM207 billion inquired by (Nizar), it is outside of the involvement and knowledge of the government of Japan," he said in a statement. "We must remind you that the embassy of Japan has never confirmed that RM207 billion was paid to the Malaysian government as compensation for the victims of the 'Death Railway' project," he added. Suegami's statement followed claims that RM207 billion in compensation was paid a decade ago, but neither the surviving victims nor their families had received any payment. Nizar had earlier told FMT that he had obtained internal information regarding the issue from the Finance Ministry in the form of a memorandum quoting the sum of RM207 billion. Agreement for RM25m settled in 1972 He added there was also a mutual agreement between Malaysia and Japan in 1967 whereby Japan had agreed to supply Malaysia with grants, products and manpower totaling RM25 million. "The necessary arrangements for its implementation were already conducted by the two governments," he explained. "The government of Malaysia has agreed that all questions arising out of the unhappy events during the Second World War which may affect the good relations between the two countries are fully and finally settled. "All the supply in accordance with the agreement was completed by May 6, 1972," he added. Suegami assured that his country was dedicated to building future-oriented and cooperative relationships with Asian nations, and would continuously work to achieve "peace and prosperity of the world in the future as well". Finance Ministry memo
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| Embassy clarifies report on 'Death Railway' compensation Posted: 07 Jan 2013 06:22 PM PST
(Harakah Daily) - The Japanese embassy in Kuala Lumpur has clarified a report by Harakahdaily quoting Bukit Gantang member of parliament Nizar Jamaluddin. Nizar, who heads Jejak, a secretariat formed to investigate the claim that compensation paid by Tokyo to the Malaysian government for victims of the Death Railway project has yet to reach them, had last week met officials of the embassy to get more details.
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| Deepak offers to buy back Astacanggih from Boustead unit Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:55 PM PST
(The Malaysian Insider) - Carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan has offered to buy back Astacanggih Sdn Bhd shares sold to a unit of Boustead Holding Bhd last year, a deal that is linked to land swapped for the scandal-hit Puspahanas project. The controversial businessman declined to give reasons for the earlier sale but said he wants back shares in his company. "I want to buy back the shares from Boustead," Deepak (picture) told reporters here today. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia last December 27, Boustead said its wholly-owned unit Bakti Wira Development Sdn Bhd was acquiring an 80 per cent stake in Astacanggih for RM30 million. Boustead said the shares were purchased from Prestige Dimension Sdn Bhd and other minority shareholders of Astacanggih on December 20. Bakti Wira Development and Astacanggih also signed an agreement with Awan Megah (M) Sdn Bhd on December 27 to acquire 80.94ha of freehold land in Klang, Selangor, for RM130 million. Awan Megah is the developer of the National Defence Education Centre project or Puspahanas in Putrajaya that is behind schedule. The project was awarded to Senator Raja Datuk Ropiaah Abdullah's Awan Megah in 2005 and was due to be completed in 2011. Despite the controversy over RM100 million Puspahanas project and the land swapped for the project, Boustead said the acquisition will present an opportunity for the group to expand its land bank. "Moreover, the land was adjacent to 283.28ha of development land held under Jendela Hikmat Sdn Bhd, a company which the group and Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera jointly holds 60 per cent equity interest," it said. Boustead said it was optimistic of the land's prospect considering its strategic location. "The demand for industrial land in this location has been on the uptrend with the completion of UMW's latest storage and testing plant in Bukit Raja, Klang," it said.
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| Lim: Umno lying about DAP and BM bibles Posted: 07 Jan 2013 03:22 PM PST
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said that the allegation that his party will print 100,000 Bahasa Malaysia Bibles with the word Allah are insane lies. Athi Shankar, FMT The DAP said today that the allegations it planned to print 100,000 Bahasa Malaysia copies of the Bible using the word Allah are insane lies. Deputy Education Minister Mohd Puad Zarkashi made this allegation at a press conference in Putrajaya yesterday. Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng demanded Puad, an Umno supreme council member, to show proof or else withdraw and apologise for what he termed as "insane lies." Puad is also quoted to have said that the copies would be distributed for free in several states, including Kedah and Kelantan. Unfortunately, said Lim, Puad's lies were printed in Umno-controlled newspapers – New Straits Times, Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia. "Puad's lies are insane and without any basis whatsoever. I will direct the DAP leaders to lodge police reports against Puad and the three Umno-controlled papers tomorrow for such insane and dangerous lies to create public disorder. "The DAP will also consider other legal measures against Puad and the newspapers," Lim, the Penang Chief Minister, said in a statement today. Lim insisted that DAP had never got involved in religion, believing that religion was a matter of personal faith for the individual that should neither be exploited nor politicised. Moreover, he pointed out that the DAP neither has the resources nor the financial muscle to print and distribute an astonishing 100,000 Bahasa Malaysia edition of the Bible. He said Puad's statement was just another Umno lie against DAP to win votes in the coming general election. He wonders whether Umno would next even accuse the DAP of being responsible for Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder.
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| Pakatan: Non-Muslims can use ‘Allah’ Posted: 07 Jan 2013 03:19 PM PST
G Vinod, FMT Pakatan Rakyat today announced that it has no qualms about non-Muslims using the word "Allah" to refer to God as long as it is not misused. Speaking at a press conference here today, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said that "Allah", which is written in the al-Quran, is special and cannot be translated properly to other languages. "That's why Muslims of all races refer to God as Allah. So non-Muslims can use the holy word although it may not reflect the original meaning," he explained. Also present were PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang. However, the decision made by Pakatan runs contrary to the Selangor Islamic Religious Council's (MAIS) stand today that non-Muslims in the state are forbidden from using the word "Allah". "The Sultan of Selangor, Sharafuddin Idris Shah, had decreed that non-Muslims are forbidden from using the word "Allah", as mentioned by His Majesty on Feb 18, 2010, as the name is a sacred word for Muslims," said MAIS secretary Mohd Misri Idris in a statement issued this morning. Misri added that the ruler had also urged MAIS to take action against Muslims or non-Muslims should they go against the decision under Selangor's Non-Islamic Religions Enactment (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) 1988. Hadi, who is also Marang MP, said he regrets that Umno has resorted to use the holy word as a political tool to further its agenda. "Umno, a party that represents a large number of Malay-Muslims, has politicised the matter without considering the sensitivity of Malaysia's multi-religious society," he added. Asked on the ruler's decree, Hadi refused to comment. saying his statement was sufficient. Commenting on the matter, Anwar praised PAS for its move, saying the decision was in tandem with Islamic teachings. "While we don't object to non-Muslims using the word Allah, we also urge all quarters including the churches not to misuse the holy word as the name is revered greatly by Muslims," he said.
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| Death Railway: Ships or billions? Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:01 PM PST
The Japanese embassy claims that compensation was paid in the form of two ocean-going cargo ships, but Nizar Jamaluddin says the ships were for Japanese atrocities during World War II, not the 'Death Railway'. Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT Confusion reigns over the compensation for Japan's Death Railway project, with the consulate saying it has reimbursed in the form of two cargo ships while PAS' Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin continues to pursue the RM207 billion allegation. According to Nizar, the Japanese embassy claimed it had already fully compensated some 30,000 Malaysians once recruited as forced labour in its Death Railway project – in the form of two cargo ships "and all others". Japanese envoy to Malaysia Shigeru Nakamura had made this claim when approached by the Bukit Gantang MP following allegations that RM207 billion in compensation was paid a decade ago, but neither the surviving victims nor their families had received any payment. Nizar told FMT today that during a meeting with Nakamura, the latter claimed that compensation was paid fully in the form of two ships "and all others" in 1967 and that he (Nakamura) believed "all matters pertaining to the death railway are settled". However, once pointed out by Nizar that the two "blood debt" ships were presented to the Malaysian government for Japanese atrocities during World War II and had "nothing to do with the Death Railway", Nakamura promised to consult his Tokyo counterparts to determine if the allegations are true or otherwise. "We are now waiting for confirmation of the total amount and exact amount and who had acknowledged the acceptance of the RM207 billion," the PAS leader told FMT today. "I have approached the Japanese embassy to find out if the allegations are true and they are committed to find out," he added. Nizar said he had obtained internal information regarding the issue from the Finance Ministry in the form of a memorandum quoting the sum of RM207 billion. "It was a memo from the Finance Ministry mentioning they will cooperate with the Attorney-General's Office and the Human Resources Ministry to make a Cabinet paper to approve how the particular amount shall be dispersed," he said. "That's why in parliament I tried to ask the minister of finance (Najib Tun Razak). Because from the memo, I was made to understand the amount was kept in the treasury," he added. However, until today, there had yet to be a response from the minister.
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| Anwar’s suit: Scathing attack on judge Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:56 PM PST
An article published on the Perkasa website questions Justice VT Singham's political leanings and casts aspersion on his sexual orientation. RK Anand, FMT An article published on the Perkasa website launches a scathing salvo against High Court Judge VT Singham, who is presiding over Anwar Ibrahim's defamation suit against Utusan Malaysia. Among others, it cast aspersion on the judge's sexual orientation, political leanings as well as his past judgments. Singham is scheduled to deliver his verdict on the RM50 million suit on Jan 22, and the writer believes that it would favour the opposition leader. "Singham is known to lean towards the opposition. According to observers, when there are cases involving politicians, he would ensure a victory for the opposition," read the article. As an example, the writer said in 2011, the judge rejected the application by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to strike out certain parts in Anwar's defence statement pertaining to a suit over a sex video. Singham had also ordered Hishammuddin to pay RM25,000 in cost to Anwar. "The home minister filed a suit against Anwar over the opposition leader's statements to the media… where he accused Hishammuddin of being responsible for showing the video to a group of editors and reporters, organising the screening and being part of a plot involving the prime minister and the police top brass. "These accusations did not make sense because those who were responsible [for exposing the video] did not conceal their identities. That is why there are doubts about Singham." The writer was referring to the video which depicted a man resembling Anwar having sex with a prostitute. The opposition leader had denied that it was him in the footage and accused his political rivals of attempting to tarnish his image. Meanwhile, the article also claimed that Singham's judgments in non-political matters have also been disputed, for example, a rape case involving a National Service trainer. "He had freed the accused on the premise that the credibility of the victim was in question for reporting the matter late. "This was a weak reason because in almost all rape cases, the victims are late in lodging a report because of the dilemma and trauma endured. The comments in the social media revealed that many were displeased with Singham's decision." 'Why is he not married?' Stooping to a personal level, the writer also questioned Singham's unmarried status despite the judge being in his fifties and insinuated that he could be homosexual. "Imagine a judge who is capable in every sense still unable to find a match even at this age. He must have been a 'desired man' in the early years of his career. "The only explanation for a man who does not choose any woman as a partner despite being capable and in the pinnacle of his career is that he does not desire any woman. "Perhaps he agrees with Anwar that the laws concerning homosexuality in Malaysia are outdated because he himself has led a difficult life because of these laws. Is this the factor that has shaped the 'manner' of how Singham executes his judicial duties?" The writer claimed that if the judgment favoured Anwar, then it would prove that there is something amiss with the judicial system, that it is not fair and independent because it is controlled by the opposition. Anwar sued Utusan based on a Jan 17 report published on its frontpage quoting former PAS leader Hasan Ali, who called on the people to reject the opposition leader based on the former's views on laws regarding homosexuality in Malaysia expressed during an interview with BBC.
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| Posted: 07 Jan 2013 11:57 AM PST
A MIC leader tells Chua Jui Meng not to spin tales over the compensation for the Death Railway workers. B Nantha Kumar, FMT A MIC leader has challenged PKR vice-president Chua Jui Meng to expose the evidence regarding the Death Railway compensation. S Vell Paari claimed that the opposition leader had come up with another tale to confuse the Indian community. "Since [PKR vice-president] N Surendran failed to convince the Indians on the 'stateless Indians' issue, now its Chua's turn…" said the MIC publicity and communication chief. In a FMT article on Sunday, Chua urged former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to clear the air over the alleged compensation given by the Japanese government. The compensation, believed to be amounting to RM207 billion, was meant to be distributed to some 30,000 Malaysians who had been recruited as forced labourers by the Japanese to build the Thai-Burma rail link. The money was believed to have been transferred by the Japanese government to Malaysia in the 1990s. Vell Paari, however, found it odd that apart from Pakatan leaders, nobody else was aware of the compensation. "He (Chua) said the money was given in the 1990s. Then, how come there was not a single media report about this?" asked the MIC central working committee (CWC) member. Furthermore, he said that it was not a small sum which could be concealed. "It is a huge amount. And the Japanese government would not have paid the compensation without the knowledge of international bodies such as the United Nations," he added. Vell Paari also challenged Chua to ask his de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim about the compensation since the latter was the deputy prime minister in the 1990s. "Let's say, if Chua is talking the truth that the Umno led government 'hijacked' the money, then Anwar must have also been a part of it," he said. Anwar was deputy prime minister and also finance minister between 1993 and 1998. Yesterday Anwar had confirmed that RM207 billion Death Railway compensation was sent to the Malaysian government but added that the money did not go through the Treasury. He also called on Mahathir to explain the matter.
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| Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:32 AM PST
(Al Jazeera) - Meet three inspirational leaders committed to tackling their countries' most stubborn problems. Watch the video at: http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/south2north/2013/01/201315819281981.html What do you think of your leaders? Do you think you could do a better job than them? Are they corrupt and tired old men or are they youthful and energetic, but do you still wonder if they are going to turn out one day just like the old bad guys? All three of our guests on this week's South2North know what it takes to be a leader. Joining Redi in the studio are two people who have been hand-picked as future leaders of Africa. They were both chosen from hundreds of candidates by the prestigious African Leadership Institute to join a selected group of Tutu Fellows, named after their patron, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. For the past year, Al Jazeera's cameras have been following the Tutu Fellows, and next week we start a four-part documentary series about them. Zied Mhirsi, a Tunisian doctor, fiery revolutionary, media entrepreneur and public health expert, is very outspoken, endearing and provocative. Having been involved in the Tunisian revolution, he now has high hopes of making another change. Swaady Martin-Leke, originally a child refugee from Liberia, is now a businesswoman, calling herself a citizen of the world. A glamorous, cosmopolitan entrepreneur, Swaady founded a tea company to show that African products are more than handicrafts. She uses her mixed heritage to provide an international perspective to Africa's problems. "In our generation what is unique is that we had to experience a lot of changes in a very short period of time. Also we are born with a responsibility and as Africans we are born with that responsibility to change our continent in our lifetime and see all these changes happen and be part of it." The two young leaders have different opinions on many things like Swaady believes in having benevolent dictators in Africa. She says: "We are not really ready for democracy but it's not acceptable in the current global context to actually say that we are not ready for democracy. So what's happening is until we get benevolent dicators like in Rwanda we are basically at the mercy of our governments and in the meantime we're just almost victims of democracy." Zied Mhirsi, who was involved in using social media during the Tunisian uprising is appalled by her opinion: "Democracy is not based on the president, it's based on the citizens. We are one billion Africans ... and I'm shocked that you go back to the example of a benevolent dictatorship .... This is where we are because of this kind of dictatorship. I can go back to the example of Rwanda, they can only do it to a certain extent. We did it in Tunisia for 20 years, we educated the population ... You need to have freedom so people can thrive and have ideas and exchange and do things, so they can innovate and bring the new economy that will bring growth. We are young leaders and we are here to promote a new style of leadership - you can't go back ... and say what we need is another dictatorship." The two also discuss the Arab Spring, Aids, women's rights and how selling luxury tea can make a difference in Africa. On this episode of South2North we also hear from someone who is already a leader of his country. Earlier Redi Tlhabi spoke to Najib Tun Razak, Malaysia's prime minister, who has been in politics almost all his adult life, about leading his country of nearly 29 million people - and how he is using social media to do so. "As a politician I believe that we have to be adaptive, we must adjust our style ... I think the young people today want a government that listens to them, that would create opportunities for them, social mobility, create jobs for them ... It's about bringing about real change and real change is taking place in Malaysia and I believe the young people here have the confidence ..." He also discusses modern and progressive Islam and the issues of violence and extremism: "The Global Movement of Moderates will give a very positive image of Islam to the world, especially to the western world ... If moderates get together and if moderates speak out, if moderates occupy the centre stage then we can drown out the voices of hatred, violence and extremism ... Islam as it is applied in Malaysia is consonant with modernity, with progress, with social justice, including respecting the rights of women ... we are proud of our achievements." |
| Villagers warn: We’ll holdback support for BN if.. Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST
(Free Malaysia Today) - Village leaders in the Mas Gading constituency are wanting to know why SPDP is lying to the people by saying that their sacked elected reps are no longer in BN. Several community leaders from the Mas Gading parliamentary constituency in Sarawak have allegedly threatened to withold their support for Barisan Nasional if the incumbent Dr Tiki Lafe is not retained. Lafe, who won the seat on a BN ticket while in Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), is currently in no-man's land. He along with four other elected representatives were sacked from SPDP last year following a protracted crisis with party president William Mawan. The other elected representatives were Peter Nansian (Tasik Biru) Sylvester Entri (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Gumbang (Batu Danau). The five have since formed a controversial 'Kelab BN Sarawak' which although unregistered as yet, seems to have the backing of Sarawak's Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud. SPDP has refused to recognise the BN Club or its members and has pledged to field its own candidates in its two parliamentary seats in the coming general election. SPDP has nominated Anthony Nogih, Deputy General Manager of Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) to contest the Mas Gading seat. In a joint statement today, the unnamed community leaders pleaded with the top BN leadership to reject SPDP's candidate (Nogih or anyone else) in Mas Gading in the coming election. "This is because SPDP has been rejected in Mas Gading, and we, being very strong BN supporters, can also be rendered helpless to help BN retain the seat," said the statement. The statement also further urged the top BN leadership not to blame the community leaders as it was "the party (SPDP) that had got rid of the people in the first place."
They alleged that the real intention of SPDP in sacking Tiki and four other elected representatives was to get BN's top leadership to also sack them from BN. "SPDP should realise that these elected representatives effectively stood on BN tickets and were BN wakil rakyat and have remained that way until now. "So how can BN be so trigger happy to shoot itself in the foot like SPDP? "Furthermore, the BN wakil rakyat of Mas Gading is the incumbent and is still serving the government in various capacities and serving the rakyat very well," they said. The villager leaders further pointed out that Tiki still commands overwhelming support of the rakyat and is in command of BN machinery on the ground. "But for SPDP to always claim that the elected representatives they sacked were not BN or half BN and partyless is rather ridiculous. "The fact that these wakil rakyat are still full-fledged BN reps clearly show that SPDP is misleading and worst, lying to the people especially in Mas Gading by saying that these wakil rakyat are not in BN and partyless? Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/01/07/villagers-warn-well-holdback-support-for-bn-if/ |
| Indonesia province to ban women from straddling motorbikes Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:17 AM PST
(The Guardian) - Proposed sharia law in Aceh province would force women to ride side-saddle in order to make their curves less visible Authorities in Indonesia's Aceh province are pressing ahead with a proposed Islamic law that would ban female passengers from straddling motorbikes despite reported opposition from the central government. Aceh introduced a version of Shariah, or Islamic law, in 2009, after it gained autonomy from the government in a 2005 peace deal to end a long-running separatist war there. The Aceh laws regulate women's dress and public morality, require shops and other places to close at prayer time, and are enforced by a special unit. Punishments can include public caning. On Monday, authorities in northern Aceh distributed a notice to government offices and villages informing residents of the proposed law, which would apply to adolescent girls and women. It states that women are not allowed to straddle motorbikes unless it's an "emergency," and are not allowed to hold onto the driver. Suaidi Yahya, mayor of the Aceh city of Lhokseumawe, said a ban was needed because the "curves of a woman's body" are more visible when straddling a motorbike than when sitting sideways with legs dangling. "Muslim women are not allowed to show their curves, it's against Islamic teachings," he said, declining to give details of what the punishment would be for violators. Last week, Home Ministry officials told local media they would try to block the law because it was discriminatory. While rare in the West, riding sidesaddle on a motorbike is common in much of Southeast Asia, particularly for women wearing skirts. There appear to have been no studies on which is safer, straddling or riding sidesaddle, though many women say they feel more secure and comfortable straddling. Nurjanah Ismail, a lecturer on gender issues at the Ar Raniry Islamic Institute in Aceh's capital, Banda Aceh, criticized the proposed law. "There is no need to question this practice, let alone regulate it, because people do it for safety," she said. "Women sitting in that way cannot be considered bad or in violation of Shariah. Islam is beautiful, so do not make it difficult." It is unclear how popular the Shariah provisions are with locals in Aceh, which while devout by Indonesian standards is a far cry from parts of Pakistan or the Middle East. Enforcement of laws is patchy and mostly targets young men and women. Caning, when applied, typically is aimed at causing humiliation rather than pain. Since 2005, many other regions in Indonesia have issued Shariah-inspired bylaws that ban such things as alcohol or tight clothing, alarming rights activists and others who value the country's secular heritage. The government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, which relies on the support of Muslim political parties, has not spoken out against the laws, much less challenge them.
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| Posted: 06 Jan 2013 06:57 PM PST
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is rumoured to have dropped at least nine PBB incumbent MPs who are very loyal to Taib, replacing them with pro-federal candidates. Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: It's no longer whispers and rumours spinning out of Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu's (PBB) corridors in Sarawak. In fact it is now common knowledge that Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, who also helms BN's leader party PBB, is betting on more than one horse in the general election. Taib is towing the talk in Barisan Nasional whilst shaking hands with Pakatan Rakyat. At least that's what Anwar Ibrahim insinuated to FMT here today when he said that he has made "some contacts with some state BN leaders". It also further confirms rumours that Taib had sent a strong message to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak not to interfere with PBB's recommendations and sent a 'senior' PBB man to meet with Anwar. Said Anwar, who is de facto leader of Pakatan Rakyat: "Yes I do have some contacts with them many times. I met them at the airport, in Parliament and outside Parliament. We are very civil in politics." Anwar, who was here on a three-day visit to assess the the political situation in Sarawak, was commenting on rumours that he had met some of state BN leaders over the possibility that they might join Pakatan Rakyat before or after the general election. Anwar, they said, had discussed the 'latest development' with PAS and DAP leaders and it appears everyone is in agreement. Rumours were rife that Taib and some component party members are unhappy with Najib's insistence on choosing the candidates in the coming election. Najib is rumoured to have dropped at least nine PBB incumbent MPs who are very loyal to Taib replacing them with pro-federal candidates. Others unhappy with similar moves by Najib are Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party president William Mawan and the Parti Rakyat Sarawak chief James Masing.
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| Anwar: RM207b ‘not sent through Treasury’ Posted: 06 Jan 2013 04:45 PM PST
Former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim claims both Japanese and Malaysian officials "have evidence" that the money was sent to the government. Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: Former deputy prime minister-cum finance minister Anwar Ibrahim today confirmed that RM207 billion Death Railway compensation was sent to the Malaysian government but added that the money did not go through the Treasury. "Why you have to ask the former finance ministers to explain? If the money came to the Treasury, I would surely have been informed. "During my time as finance minister, it was not sent through the Treasury. "But they (both Japanese and Malaysian officials) have evidence that it was sent to the government. "So I think the then Prime Minister (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) needs to explain. What is the present Prime Minister (Najib Tun Razak) is doing? "Najib should conduct a full investigation," Anwar said, adding that the issue had been raised in Parliament by one of the Pakatan Rakyat MPs. Anwar was commenting on the 'missing' RM207 billion paid by the Japanese government as compensation to the Malaysian government over the 'Death Railway' project in the 1940s. The money was meant to be distributed to some 30,000 Malaysians who had been taken as prisoners of war and used as forced labour by the Japanese to build the Thai-Burma rail link. The infamous Death Railway was to boost Japan's supply route for its forces in Malaya and nearby Asian countries during the Second World War. According to PAS, the Japanese Embassy had recently revealed that it had in the 1990s paid a compensation of RM207 billion to the Malaysian government for families of the victims. Today blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin had called for former finance minister Anwar and Daim Zainuddin, along with Mahathir, to explain the whereabouts of the RM207 billion.
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| Ex-Youth chief: PAS ulama council should make ‘Allah’ call Posted: 06 Jan 2013 03:54 PM PST
(The Malay Mail) - The PAS Syura Council has been urged to publicly make their stand on Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's call to the government to allow the use of the word "Allah" in the Malay version of the Bible in his Christmas message. This is to clear the confusion among the grassroots over who should issue statements on the matter — the PAS leadership or the Syura Council, said former Penang PAS Youth chief Mohamed Hafiz Mohamed Nordin, who is also the coordinator of Jaringan Melayu Pulau Penang (JMPP), a non-governmental organisation.
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| Posted: 06 Jan 2013 03:46 PM PST
Pakatan Selangor, aiming to mobilise a mammoth crowd on Jan 12 for its people's uprising rally, hits out at Stadium Merdeka management for delaying approval of the venue. G Vinod, FMT Pakatan Rakyat Selangor announced today that it would mobilise 300,000 people for the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat scheduled for Jan 12 at Stadium Merdeka. Selangor PAS commissioner Abdul Rani Osman said that he had informed all his branches and divisions to mobilise its members for the rally. Speaking at a press conference held at the PKR headquarters, Abdul Rani said: "I hope my fellow PKR and DAP friends from Selangor would urge their members to attend the rally." Also present at the press conference were Selangor DAP chief Teresa Kok and state PKR secretary Amirudin Shari. Rani urged the public to attend the rally, saying that it would be an ideal avenue to voice their grouses against the government. "Come to Kuala Lumpur a day earlier," he urged the public, "And please use the public transport to avoid traffic congestions." The PAS leader also urged rally participants to maintain decorum at all times during the rally and to be "wary of agent provocateurs on that day". Kok criticised the Stadium Merdeka management for dragging its feet in giving approval for the use of the venue for the rally. "During Bersih 3.0, the government said it will allow rallies in a stadium. "But till now, the stadium management, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the police have not responded to our application," she said.
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| ‘Dr M, Anwar and Daim must explain the RM207b’ Posted: 06 Jan 2013 03:31 PM PST
The former PM and two of his finance ministers must be held accountable for the 'missing' billions in compensation paid by the Japanese to Malaysia. Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad as well as previous finance ministers Anwar Ibrahim and Daim Zainuddin must explain what happened to the RM207 billion in compensation paid by Japan to the Malaysian government, said prominent blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin today. "Both the finance minister as well as the prime minister must be held accountable for any wrongdoings and transgressions," said Raja Petra, better known as RPK, in his blog posting. During World War II, the Japanese had conscripted over 30,000 Malayans as forced labour and used prisoners of war to build the infamous Death Railway to boost its supply route for its forces in Malaya and nearby Asian countries. The Japanese Embassy revealed that it had paid RM207 billion in compensation to the Malaysian government in the 90s for families of victims. Raja Petra also supported opposition advisor Lim Kit Siang's call that Daim, the one-time finance minister, must be held accountable for wrongdoings and transgressions during his watch and that he could not just wash his hands and shift the blame solely to Mahathir. Kit Siang said: "Anwar Ibrahim, the finance minister from 1991 to 1998, must also be accountable for whatever happened during his watch. Prior to that, from 1984 to 1991, Daim was the finance minister and was reappointed in 1998 after Anwar was sacked." Raja Petra said although the 'missing' RM207 billion was a good election issue and favourable to the opposition, it could have repercussions on Pakatan Rakyat if the allegations were true. "If the government were to release information to prove that Anwar had a hand in the matter yet chooses to remain silent, this issue could backfire badly on the opposition," he said. Anwar should go public He said Anwar could easily settle the issue by denying knowledge of the matter, or say that the money was "hijacked" at the behest of Mahathir and that the matter was beyond his (Anwar's) control. "From my dealings with the finance ministry since 1977, I'm aware that the ministry has certain autonomy and has been known to override the wishes of the prime minister," he said. He explained that the prime minister's department, finance ministry, and Bank Negara are very protective of their respective turfs and were careful about infringing on each other's territory. "The relationship of the prime minister, finance minister, economic adviser to the government, and Bank Negara governor was a complicated relationship and we never knew at each point of time who we should be talking to if we wanted things done," he said. "Each was the boss of his own turf. Anwar knows this and hence should go public so that Malaysians can get to the truth of the matter because RM207 billion is a lot of money. "The truth should not remain hidden," said RPK.
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| Guan Eng to await Mansor's report on aide's arrest Posted: 06 Jan 2013 01:33 PM PST
(The Star) - Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government will cooperate fully with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in a graft case involving an aide to Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mansor Othman. "We will wait for Mansor to return from overseas and submit his report on the matter by Thursday," he said here Monday. Lim said the state would take action if the aide was a contract officer with the state government. Mansor, who is the Penang PKR liaison chairman, is away in Mecca. It was reported earlier that the 56-year-old aide was arrested with two others in a MACC sting operation in Seberang Jaya. The three were arrested for allegedly offering a bribe and abusing their positions when handling a sexual harassment case.
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| Army Chief to Suara Pakatan Rakyat: "If you insult Kanang, you insult us" Posted: 06 Jan 2013 01:20 PM PST
(Malaysian Digest) - A pro-Opposition news portal's act of trivializing the contributions of the late national hero Datuk Temenggong Kanan Kanang Anak Langkau is tantamount to insulting all army personnel and their families. This is the opinion of Armed Forces general Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin, who also believes that the portal's report, titled "Kanang Bukan Hero Sebenar' (Kanang Isn't A True Hero) is not only rude, but also ignorant. Zulkifeli said it was regrettable that some people are unclear of Kanang's sacrifices.
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| SUPP feels the heat over ‘unaccounted’ RM11 bil Posted: 06 Jan 2013 12:33 PM PST
Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP), hoping to redeem itself in the general election, must explain the secrecy behind the 'missing' RM11 bill from the state coffers. Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: Sarawak DAP's flogging of the 'missing' RM11 billion from seven years of the state budget has got rival Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) all hot and furious. Demanding that DAP 'show proof', SUPP Youth secretary-general Wilfred Yap said: "If the RM11 billion had indeed gone into a black hole as alleged, then that would amount to a criminal breach of trust, corruption, corrupt practice and abuse of power. "DAP is being very irresponsible to the public at large in its intention to try to create or paint a picture of corrupt practice or abuse of power by the Sarawak government. "They should produce evidence to either the police or MACC for investigation. Otherwise DAP should stop and refrain from manipulating and confusing the public just for votes." Yap was reacting to opposition DAP's flush of flyers on the issue. Tens of thousand of copies of the flyers printed in English, Chinese and Malay have been distributed in Kuching, Bau, Serian and Sri Aman. According to the flyer, launched late last week, since 2006, more than RM11.373 billion which was about 50% of the state development expenditure of RM23.281 billion, have gone into a 'black hole'. The flyer and its content is now posing a major threat to SUPP which is aiming to redeem itself in the 13th general election after a disastrous outing in the state polls. In a statement today, Yap who is tipped to contest the Stampin seat, challenged the opposition to name those responsible for the alleged malpractice. "The figures quoted are from accounts of the Sarawak government which had already been audited by the National Audit Department. "Any accountant worth two cents would understand that there is no such thing as itemisation of each individual grant or allocation to approved agencies or itemisation of each individual item of expenditure of approved agencies from the grant or allocation. "The approved agencies have already been referred to as corporations, companies or organisations which had been approved to promote the economic, social or educational development in the state. "It is also clear that the approved agencies are in turn audited by qualified accountants both from the public and private sectors. The lumps sum figure does not mean that it had gone into a black hole," he said adding that the issue might undermine his chances of retaining the seat. DAP's rebuttal Reacting to Yap's statement, Sarawak DAP secretary general Chong Chieng Jen urged Yap to do his homework before shooting his mouth. "If Yap does not how to read the budgets or where to find them, I can show him. He can fix a time with me so that I can bring him to the State Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) where there are stacks of budgets in the DUN library," said Chong, who is the Kota Sentosa assemblyman.
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| Government aid to be paid out between January and March Posted: 06 Jan 2013 11:55 AM PST
(Bernama) - Payment of various aid announced in the 2013 Budget would be held between January and March, said Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah. He said this included the 1Malaysia People's Aid 2.0 (BR1M 2.0), Early Schooling Special Assistance, 1Malaysia Book Voucher and 1Malaysia Contribution for Veterans Without Pension (SVTB1M). "In January, we will focus on schooling aid that involves schools nationwide. The BR1M 2.0 will be paid in February. "We will then give out RM1,000 to veterans without pension, and this will be organised by the defence ministry through the Ex-Servicemen's Association," he told reporters here today. He said distribution of 1Malaysia Book Vouchers to university students and Form Six students was expected in March. However, Ahmad Husni said there might be some payment after the set period as a result of various factors. "March is not the final date for payment. For example, some BR1M payment may be late because of late applications. "We want payments to be made, according to each institution such as schools, with students enrolling in January, so we want to ensure payment is made then. "University students begin in March, so payment should be done during that time," he added.
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| 'Political tsunami' has ended under Najib's leadership Posted: 06 Jan 2013 11:53 AM PST
(Bernama) - The 'political tsunami' of 2008 came to an end when the Barisan Nasional (BN)-led government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak carried out various changes to look after the lot of Malaysians. Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan said, the demise of the 'political tsunami' was based on 10 things carried out by the prime minister.They included promises honoured, transformation, justice for all, turning Malaysia into a developed and high performance nation, prioritising the people and being outstanding on the world stage. "Datuk Seri Najib has indeed, stopped the 'political tsunami'. In 2008, we were worried of the 'political tsunami', but in 2013, I am confident it has ended," said Ahmad after the 'A Morning With The People' programme at the Karentina Housing Programme in Batak Rabit here today. He described Najib's achievements since he became prime minister as "excellent" because he gave new enthusiasm and confidence to face the coming general election. In this regard, Ahmad was confident the BN would win at the 13th general election, including in Teluk Intan, when the people of various races were getting more confident of the prime minister's reforms. "The confidence is not based on theory but in going down to the field. I have been going down to the field for many years. "I see the people like us, they come to our programmes and listen to our explanations. All these indicate that the 'political tsunami' has ended," he said.
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| Syrian regime faking news to the world Posted: 06 Jan 2013 11:35 AM PST
After a massacre in the Syrian town of Houla in May, news sites scrambled to find photos to run with their stories. Marco di Lauro, a photographer for Getty, was shocked to find his 2003 image, taken in Iraq, posted under the headline, "Syria massacre in Houla condemned as outrage grows." A Syrian activist had circulated the photo. And the BBC ran with it. (Global Post) - Don't get fooled again. Here are the most popular dubious videos and images being passed around by the Assad regime and the opposition Videos posted to the internet have played a key propaganda role in Syria's bloody civil war. The footage typically shows brutal attacks, beatings and mass executions. Many clips show rows of dead women and children. But are these videos reliable? Last month, a fighter in Aleppo handed a reporter his cell phone, shaking his head in disbelief. "Assad, Assad," he said. On the screen was a video of someone beheading a prisoner with a chainsaw. It had been circulating in Syria for at least a year. The footage itself is very real, but it is five years old, and was shot in Mexico. Drug lords carried out the crime. The video has been used by rebels in conflicts all over the world. The sham videos can have very real effects, creating sympathy for one side or the other. Last week, the United Nations accused the rebels of war crimes, based on a YouTube video of fighters executing prisoners. This type of atrocity makes intervention less appealing to the West. While that video appears to have been real, many other bogus ones have found their way onto major television networks in the United States and beyond, and are spread widely by social media. It's not uncommon for the two sides to use the same footage to make opposite claims. Here is a look at some of the most widely seen — fake or misrepresented — footage and images being used by both sides of the Syrian conflict. Read more and view the videos at: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/syria/121109/fake-syria-videos-images
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| PKR says will help Deepak expose deals Posted: 05 Jan 2013 07:35 PM PST
PKR's Rafizi Ramli said Deepak (left) handed several documents to a PKR leader, which eventually arrived in his hands. Zurairi AR, The Malaysian Insider Despite doubts, PKR's Rafizi Ramli says he will back Deepak Jaikishan to expose the truth in controversial projects, in the public's interest. The well-connected carpet dealer is back in the spotlight over a lucrative land deal that involved Wanita Umno chief Senator Datuk Raja Ropiaah Abdullah's firm, the armed forces pension fund for a military project—all of which had gone sour. "Most importantly, this is not about political mileage, this is public interest," Rafizi told The Malaysian Insider in a recent interview. "Our interest is just one. "We don't want the RM160 million from the army's pension fund used for this," the PKR strategy chief said, referring to the Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) land deal. The under-pressure Deepak had called for politicians to help him in his moment of need, which he described as akin to facing "a thunderstorm and 350 km/h typhoon". The controversial businessman had earlier criticised Rafizi for revealing bank transaction records between him and two jewellery suppliers amounting to US$4 million (RM12.15 million), accusing the PKR strategy director of using him for political mileage. Deepak has denied the documents were his. He also denied meeting Rafizi to hand over the papers as alleged. Rafizi maintains that it was Deepak who handed the documents in question to a PKR leader, which eventually arrived in his hands. He said PKR was initially reluctant to help when Deepak first approached them, fearing a backlash if the party were accused of conspiring to entrap its political foes. "He wanted us to champion his cause but we didn't want to," Rafizi said. According to Rafizi, PKR only decided to stand by Deepak after government investment fund LTAT was found to be implicated in Deepak's accusations. "It was tricky for us. If there were photos of (PKR leaders) sitting together with Deepak, then people would say that we were planning a conspiracy. "Now that he has told to the world that we have nothing to do with it, that's fine," Rafizi added. Rafizi said he has informed Deepak through a third party that PKR is willing to sit down with the businessman and hear what he has to say. He also said Deepak had met party advisor, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim once, when the businessman pleaded through a mutual friend for legal assistance. Deepak had told reporters he met Anwar the night before his court suit against Raja Ropiaah for allegedly cheating him in the Bukit Raja land sale. He was subsequently represented by PKR lawyers R Sivarasa and N Surendran in the case, before he decided to throw the case without consulting his counsel, said Rafizi. Deepak's lawsuit against Putrajaya for an alleged breach of agreement over land in Bukit Raja, Selangor was withdrawn on the same day LTAT-owned Boustead Holdings Bhd reported it bought an 80 per cent stake in Astacanggih for RM30 million. Raja Ropiaah has mainatained her silence about her company Awan Megah Sdn Bhd's failure to build the RM100 million National Defence Education Centre.
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| Pakatan talks over ‘Allah’ issue Posted: 05 Jan 2013 05:02 PM PST
(The Star) - The on-off Pakatan Rakyat meeting to discuss Lim Guan Eng's controversial "Allah" statement is on again, this time scheduled for Tuesday. PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin confirmed that the top leadership of the Opposition coalition would discuss the controversy sparked by the DAP secretary-general's recent reference to it. "The Pakatan leadership is schedule to meet at PKR's head office this Jan 8 to discuss and resolve the matter," he said after attending the Pakatan Youth secretariat meeting here yesterday. Shamsul refused to elaborate, only saying that the Pakatan youth leadership would take its cue from the outcome of the leadership's meeting next week. DAP publicity chief Tony Pua confirmed the issue would be brought up during the Pakatan monthly leadership meeting. Controversy over the "Allah" word cropped up when Lim, in his recent Christmas message, urged the Federal Government to allow Christians to use the word in their Malay version of the Bible. Lim's message caused an uproar among Muslims, while some Muslim NGOs held protests in front of his Penang office last month. PAS also hit out at Lim, stating firmly that the word "Allah" should not be used by Christians to refer to God; as it would only lead to confusion for both Muslims and Christians. On Dec 27, Anwar conceded that an urgent meeting to discuss the matter was needed to resolve the issue, although discussions were held by the Pakatan leadership when the controversy surfaced in 2010. On a separate issue, PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi described RTM's decision to scrap a proposed forum, to allow its president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang to explain his infidel' label against Umno and its supporters, as a political ploy just when the general election is about to be held. He chided Umno's claim that the National Fatwa Council had issued an edict against Hadi's 1981 message (amanat Haji Hadi), saying that only the Malacca Fatwa Council had done so.
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| NGOs not told to keep info on discussion with EC ‘confidential’ Posted: 05 Jan 2013 04:40 PM PST
(The Star) - Two of the 16 NGOs involved in a discussion with the Election Commission (EC) on their role as observers in the coming general election said they were never told the content was confidential. Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian (picture) and Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Datuk Paul Low said they did not remember being told not to disclose the information to others. However, they also said their organisations had not leaked any information shared during the discussion. "On my part, I respected the contents of the discussion by not making it public knowledge," said Ibrahim yesterday. The EC had said some NGOs revealed information on the discussions to a political party despite being told multiple times that the contents were confidential. EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar had said informing a political party on the issues raised during the discussion showed the NGOs lacked impartiality. Low said TI-M had remained silent. "Throughout our discussions with the commission, we had decided that until the time we received official accreditation as observers, we would be silent," he said.
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| Exco member’s aide arrested in anti-graft sting Posted: 05 Jan 2013 10:30 AM PST
(The Star) - The aide is an office bearer of the Permatang Pauh PKR division and is now a coordinator for Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the constituency. The aide of a Penang state exco member has been arrested in an anti-graft sting. The man, in his 50s, and two others were arrested for allegedly offering a bribe and abuse of power over a sexual harassment case. They were alleged to have given RM30,000 to a woman as an inducement for her to drop a sexual harassment complaint on a top civil servant. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission director of investigations Datuk Mustafar Ali confirmed the arrest but declined to elaborate. The woman, a clerk, had earlier complained that her former employer had sexually harassed her. The civil servant was produced in court to be charged several months ago. The civil servant then sought the help from his friend, the political secretary. The latter then contacted the woman. A source familiar with the investigations said that the woman lodged a report with the commission which mounted a sting operation late on the night of Jan 3 at a restaurant in Seberang Jaya. At the meeting with the woman, three of them allegedly dropped off the hush money to her. It was only after the money changed hands and the woman was forced to sign a document promising not to continue with the court case, that anti-graft officers moved in. "They were arrested on the spot at about 11.30pm," said the source. The source added that the three were held for about 24 hours after they were first arrested. They have since been released on bail. The aide is an office bearer of the Permatang Pauh PKR division and is now a coordinator for Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the constituency. He is also said to be a powerful figure in the Penanti state constituency. The three are likely to be charged in court once the commission wraps up its investigations.
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| Raja Ropiaah, NFC issues hurting Wanita Umno and BN, analysts say Posted: 05 Jan 2013 10:28 AM PST
(The Malaysian Insider) - Scandals engulfing top Wanita Umno leaders are undermining the backbone of the ruling party and will affect Barisan Nasional (BN)'s chances in Election 2013, say analysts. The latest scandal is a lucrative land deal for a defence studies facility that has yet to be built by Selangor Wanita Umno chief Senator Datuk Raja Ropiaah Abdullah's firm, nearly a year after the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal cost her boss Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil her senatorship and a Cabinet post. "Issues that are raised by the Opposition can undeniably affect Wanita Umno's image, and we know that Umno's strong support comes from the women's wing," Universiti Utara Malaysia's (UUM) lecturer Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani told The Malaysian Insider. "So, it is up to Wanita Umno to change to menangkis tohmahan (dispel these accusations)," he said of the wing whose members have been effective in canvassing votes for BN. Azizuddin said as many outside the party are watching Wanita Umno, the movement must change to ensure that they are seen to be clean and free from scandals that could hurt BN's chances in this year's general election. "It's all up to them," Azizuddin repeated. Raja Ropiaah has kept mum about her company Awan Megah Sdn Bhd's failure to build the RM100 million National Defence Education Centre (Puspahanas) in Putrajaya despite selling the government land that was swapped for the construction cost. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/raja-ropiaah-nfc-issues-hurting-wanita-umno-and-bn-analysts-say/
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| MACC: Facebooking during office hours a form of graft Posted: 05 Jan 2013 10:22 AM PST
(The Star) - Civil servants and staff of government-linked companies (GLCs) surfing social media or engaging in personal matters during working hours may be categorised as having committed corruption, said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). "For instance, if a person spends three hours during his or her stipulated working hours for personal tasks, it can be deemed a form of corruption as the Government trusts and pays its employees to fully utilise the working period to complete tasks relating to the respective jobscope," said MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Sutinah Sutan. This also applied to those who surfed Facebook or other forms of social media, as such actions could be considered as straying from their job specifications, she said after witnessing the signing of the corporate integrity pledge by Kumpulan Melaka Berhad (KMB) at a hotel here yesterday. KMB is the first state government agency to sign the pledge aimed at creating a business environment free from corruption and upholding anti-graft principles. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam was the guest of honour at the event. Sutinah said the act of engaging in other personal tasks during work hours could be considered as contravening the employment contract and culprits could face disciplinary action if initiated by respective disciplinary boards. She noted that although such offences were not covered under the MACC Act, the commission could advise the disciplinary board on the types of actions to be meted out against errant staff of such government departments and GLCs. Meanwhile, Sutinah confirmed that the commission had started screening general election candidates following the request from both Barisan Nasional and the Opposition. Meanwhile, Cuepacs president Datuk Omar Osman urged civil servants to give priority to their duties during working hours. "While social media is a good way to encourage people to be more tech-savvy and updated on current affairs, civil servants should dedicate their work hours to their respective ministry, department or agency," he said. He also proposed a proper mechanism to define what websites, if surfed by a civil servant during working hours, could be considered straying from their job specifications. "There should be clear guidelines, not only for the workers to understand what actions can be penalised, but also for the disciplinary committee to determine what is within the job scope and what is not," he said.
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| All’s quiet at Tamil school with only two pupils Posted: 04 Jan 2013 04:45 PM PST
Three's company: (From left) S. Kishare Kumar teaching his students Sharvin and Shavatha at SJK (T) Sungai Papan in Pengerang. (The Star) - PENGERANG: The start of a new year is usually the busiest and noisiest for any school but in SJK (T) Ladang Sungai Papan, there is only silence in its hall. Its Parent-Teacher Association chairman L. Krishnasamy is now pinning his hopes on the Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project to boost the school's fortune. The school, located in the middle of an oil palm plantation, currently has only two pupils in Year Six, outnumbered by the school staff comprising a principal, two teachers, two security guards and two gardeners. Its Parent-Teacher Association chairman L. Krishnasamy, who runs a sundry shop in the estate, said student numbers had been dwindling since the other estate workers started migrating to the bigger towns of Ulu Tiram and Pasir Gudang. "For the past few years, there has been no new student enrolled for Year One," he said, adding that the school was equipped with classrooms, an office and even a resource centre. Fretting about the school's future by year-end when it would no longer have any pupil, Krishnasamy, who has been the PTA chairman for the past decade, said there used to be over a hundred Indian families living there in the 1960s and 1970s. "Now, only a dozen people are left and most of the rubber has been replaced with oil palm. Most of the workers here are also Indonesians," he said, adding that the nearest Tamil school was 45km away in Kota Tinggi. However, Krishnasamy is upbeat that the opening of the RAPID project here over the next few year will see pupils trickling in. "There will surely be many people who will move here. We can be an option for those who intend to send their children to Tamil schools," he said. As for pupils Sharvin Raj and N. Shavatha, they do not mind being the only ones studying in the school. "We enjoy each other's company," said Sharvin, whose father, R. Ravichandran, is the school principal for the past two years.
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| Taiwanese gamblers bet on cancer patients Posted: 04 Jan 2013 04:36 PM PST
(The Star) - PUNTERS in Taiwan are wagering on a macabre game to predict the date when terminally ill cancer patients die, reported China Press. The punters, with bets running up to NT$100mil (RM10mil), included the patients' family members and even the doctors. Those who wished to participate in the game had to pay a membership fee of NT$2,000 (RM200) to the bookies, who would visit hospitals to seek permission from the patients' family. The bookies would then take the gamblers to the hospital on their next visit to observe the patients. According to the rules, the bookies win if the cancer patients die within a month. However, if they die between one and six months after the bets were placed, the gamblers would be paid three times their wager. It was reported that more than 10 gaming houses, set up by senior citizens' clubs, had mushroomed in Taizhong city.
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| Muslims urged to be brave and firm in defending Islam Posted: 04 Jan 2013 04:30 PM PST
(Bernama) - Muslims in the country must be brave, firm and strong in facing challenges from parties which endeavour to interfere with the position of Islam as the official religion. Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang (picture) said the threats and attempts to weaken Islam in Malaysia had never subsided including the attempt of late to deny Islam as the religion of the federation by those with vested interest. "Recently, there are those in Malaysian society who refute Islam's position as enshrined in Article 3 of the Federal Constitution. "They only regard Islam as an official religion, and its position that is lower than the constitution. This thinking has spread, and, if not corrected, will become a big problem for our country," he said in his speech when opening a seminar "Upholding Islam, The National Religion" (Semaian) at Pusat Islam here today. He said Muslims in the country must realise that the threat towards Islam came in many forms, including the latest, the demand to use the term Allah, which was raised again in the Malay version of the Bible, was a clear effort to weaken Islam in the country. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng in his Christmas message on his blog recently urged the Federal Government headed by Barisan Nasional to allow the use of the term Allah in the Malay version of the Bible.
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| DAP covering up ‘schoolboy error’ Posted: 04 Jan 2013 04:13 PM PST
The party says the recount of the party elections was a schoolboy error and was a technical glitch. Athi Shankar, FMT It looks like the DAP is practicing double standard. They screwed up in the counting of the Dec 15 party elections. But they just brushed it aside as a technical glitch. If this had happened to a Barisan Nasional party , DAP would have been screaming 'election fraud and money politics' As far as DAP is concerned this 'technical glitch' does not affect the party's credibility or integrity. Nor does it undermine secretary general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's CAT slogan – competency, accountability and transparency. Due to this technical "schoolboy" error, candidate Zairil Khir Johari who initially received 305 votes, had suddenly garnered 803 votes. Now the latest vote count puts Zairil in 20th elected position of CEC. Vincent Wu Him Ven, who was initially elected to CEC with 1,202 votes, has now only 669 votes and is in 26th position. But he has been re-appointed into the CEC as a co-opted member. Zairil, fast emerging parachute Malay politician in the DAP, is Lim's political secretary and state-sponsored research body, Penang Institute, chief executive officer. In its Thursday report, portal RoketKini.com played down the issue claiming that the "schoolboy" error would not affect many of 20 elected positions of CEC. Some grassroots members are not happy with the recount and say the party had allegedly violated the law by amending the election results to accommodate Zairil. They are now plan to submit a resolution to the CEC to declare the party polls as null and void, and hold fresh election for office bearers. Members also want to know why it took so long to admit that the counting was flawed as the secretary general knew about the mistake the very next day.
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| DAP: Election fiasco an embarrassment Posted: 04 Jan 2013 04:03 PM PST
Party chairman Karpal Singh dismissed talk that the technical glitch was a way to bring in a elected Malay CEC member. Athi Shankar, FMT National chairman Karpal Singh was frank that the technical glitch that caused miscalculations of party election results at the 16th DAP National Congress in Penang on Dec 15 was a "bona fide error." He said such electoral technical glitch was unprecedented in DAP's history and expressed hopes it would not recur in future. He however, dismissed criticisms that the fiasco had undermined the party credibility and that DAP was no longer qualified to criticise the Election Commission. "It was unwarranted criticisms … party credibility is intact.It was a bona fide error, an honest mistake. "But of course I admit it was a political embarrassment to us.We accept it," Karpal told reporters at his office. Despite mounting criticisms against the party over the fiasco, Karpal said the public would eventually understand that the DAP had "made right the wrong" and was open about it. "The CEC unanimously supported the decision to reveal the issue publicly.No CEC members objected and no one wanted to keep it away from the public eye," said the Bukit Gelugor MP. Due to the technical "schoolboy" error, candidate Zairil Khir Johari who initially received 305 votes in the contest for 20 elected positions in the central executive committee (CEC) has now garnered 803 votes. The latest count put him in the automatic 20th elected position of CEC, the DAP's supreme decision-making body. Vincent Wu Him Ven, who was initially elected to CEC at joint 5th position with 1,202 votes, has now only 669 votes and is in 26th position. But he has been re-appointed into the CEC as a co-opted member. Zairil is party secretary general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's political secretary. He is also the state-sponsored research body, Penang Institute, chief executive officer. Karpal dismissed cynical views that the the "technical glitch" was a leadership manipulation to bring in Zairil as an elected Malay CEC member. "There was no sinister motive attributed to the error.It's not a way to bring in an elected Malay member into the CEC … not the reason," clarified Karpal.
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| No permit yet for Pakatan rally Posted: 04 Jan 2013 04:00 PM PST
Pakatan Youth wants to hold the rally at Stadium Merdeka but so far the stadium management have not responded Leven Woon, FMT The management of Stadium Merdeka has yet to give permission for Pakatan Rakyat's Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat rally. The rally is scheduled to be held at the stadium on Jan 12. PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan Tantawai said they have filed an application with the stadium authority but have not received an answer so far. "Hence, the Pakatan Secretariat would submit a memorandum to the stadium authority on Monday to press for the permit," he said at a press conference after the Pakatan Youth meeting today. He said the government had before this criticised them for staging street demonstrations and asked them to move to stadium. "Now we are requesting for stadium, and if they failed to give us the permit, they lied," he said. Nasrudin also said the Pakatan Youth has yet to draft a back up plan because they want the rally to be held at the stadium. The rally was to show the peoples dissatisfaction over clean and fair elections, anti-rare earths and listing of Felda Global Ventures Berhad. Spearheaded by PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, the rally is scheduled to begin at 2pm on Saturday. Nasrudin said the Pakatan Youth hopes to attract 100,000 youths to the rally and would conduct a nationwide pre-rally road shows beginning next Tuesday. The entourage would travel to Kluang, Johor on Tuesday, followed by Larut, Perak (Jan 9), Gombak, Selangor (Jan 10) and Petaling Jaya, Selangor (Jan 11). Meanwhile, the Pakatan Youth would also stage a mass gathering of youths on Feb 2. Nasrudin said the opposition pact would touch on economics, politics, social and cultural and education. |
| EC slams NGOs for revealing info on discussions Posted: 04 Jan 2013 11:28 AM PST
(The Star) - The Election Commission (EC) has blasted certain non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for providing a political party with information on their discussions. Its deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar described this as unethical and a clear breach of the confidentality that both the EC and the NGOs, which would be monitoring the general election, had agreed on. "We have met three times and the representatives agreed with the stipulated conditions. If they did not agree with the conditions, why not raise the matter during the meetings? "Why must they go behind us and run to a political party to voice their dissatisfaction?" he told The Star yesterday. Informing a political party on issues raised during these meetings, said Wan Ahmad, showed that the NGOs were not impartial – a vital "must have" criterion if they wanted to be objective in monitoring the elections. "The NGOs can be perceived as a political informer. This is clearly a breach of confidentiality that each of the NGOs involved is aware of. The EC had impressed on them many times that the discussions were confidential. "They are being unethical. We also want to find out who among them is the one with a 'big mouth'," said an upset Wan Ahmad. The EC, he clarified, had identified 16 NGOs to be given observer status during the elections but they were yet to be accredited. "The plan was for the commission to have a ceremony to hand over the accreditations and allow the NGOs to tell the press their work plan," he said. PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had earlier been quoted in an online portal as saying that the EC's conditions for bodies monitoring the elections did not reflect transparency and fairness as they included barring observers from the counting of ballots. Dismissing this claim, Wan Ahmad insisted that observers would be allowed in the counting area but that their number would have to be capped due to space constraints. He added that this was in line with international standard operating procedure. "Ballot counting is an important election process. How can we not allow them to observe this? But we cannot allow too many of them because of space. "Agents of candidates will also be present to closely monitor this," said Wan Ahmad. "I do not know whether the NGOs involved do not understand us or that the political party has twisted the issue." |
| Tear gas decision at Bersih called for, says top cop Posted: 04 Jan 2013 11:27 AM PST
(The Star) - City police chief DCP Datuk Mohmad Salleh said the decision to release tear gas during the Bersih rally last year was the right course of action but admitted his officers could have exercised more care. "Although I did not give the instructions to fire tear gas on the day, I stand by the decision. It was the right thing to do, given that the situation was turning ugly. "However, looking at the injuries some participants allegedly sustained from the canisters, I think the officers could have been more careful when firing," he said yesterday during Suhakam's inquiry into the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28. Mohmad was the last of 49 witnesses who testified in front of the panel comprising Suhakam vice-chairman Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee and commissioner Detta Samen. He also explained that while he was in charge, he had been based at the operations centre in the KL police contingent headquarters. "My team monitored the situation via real-time video feed, and had kept in touch with officers on the ground through walkie-talkies. "I did not interfere with the instructions they were receiving until the commotion, after which I issued an order via walkie-talkie to all officers to retreat immediately," he said. Mohmad added that most of the instructions on the day had come from then Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman, including the order to fire the tear gas. On a related matter, Mohmad told the panel that some changes had been made in police training after Bersih. "In accordance with the spirit of the Peaceful Assembly Act, we are training police officers to understand the difference between a riot and an assembly and how to act based on the situation." The panel will hear submissions from the inquiry's observers on Jan 10, before listing its recommendations.
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