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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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• Malay Chamber to hand over 20 resolutions to PM
• BN optimistic but no polls till March
• KL rally makes GE13 a keener battle, say analysts
• Malaysia opposition holds mass election rally (WITH PHOTOGRAPHS)
• ‘Bersih was Anwar’s baby, Ambiga his shield’
• Pakatan makes 10-point demand
• Jackie Chan calls US 'most corrupt' country in the world
• BN needs to milk Najib’s popularity harder, say analysts
• Pakatan expects large crowd in rally against BN rule
• Explain reports of new timber deal, Musa
• Kapar MP gets show-cause letter
• Fear of agent provocateurs
• Rally forces road closures
• Deepak offers to be Pakatan’s state witness
• Tunku Abdul Aziz condemns rally
• PKR: S’gor water crisis a political sabotage
• Pensions funds facing RM75 mil loss in FGVH shares: PKR
• Lawyers send letter to MAIS over decree
• Suhakam, Bar Council to monitor rally
• Sarawak Report: What ‘sins’ did we commit?
• ‘Police boycotting MyWatch’
• STAR willing to ‘cooperate’ not ‘work under’ Pakatan
• ‘Country’s fate in your hands’
• ‘Najib has the edge over Anwar’
• In tea leaves, economist sees slender Pakatan win
• Changing national flag akin to hating own country’
• NUBE disappointed with Pakatan on floor wage policy
• Selangor MB: Not wrong to use ‘Allah’ but don’t abuse it
• Mat Zain: Musa trying to save himself
• ‘Sultan cannot make rules for non-Muslims’
• Prejudice and the ugly face of BN in Sabah
• ‘Allah’ ban against court order, Cabinet decision, Selangor told
• Haron: I’ll never agree to allow non-Muslims use 'Allah'
• Ahead of polls, Putrajaya tells local media to ‘soften people’s hearts’
• DRB-HICOM to go private?
• Explain RM207 billion compensation, says Anwar
• Don’t repeat past mistakes, Jerit tells Pakatan
• MCA man sits on fence over ‘Allah’ row
• Despite royal decree, Protestant churches say will keep using ‘Allah’
• Ambiga: TI-M’s refusal to watch polls disappointing
• ‘Japan did not pay RM207 billion’
• Zahid to sue Rafizi for alleged defamation
• Mat Sabu: We expect trouble-free rally
• English murdered in a murder story
• IPF plans mammoth rally on Jan 12
• Senior lawyer sees red over judge-bashing
• Mustafa: Hudud application impossible for now
• Questions over ‘fatwa’ effect on non-Muslims after Selangor Sultan’s ‘Allah’ decree
• Muhyiddin: We are not bankrupt

Malay Chamber to hand over 20 resolutions to PM Posted: 12 Jan 2013 06:17 PM PST (Bernama) - The Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia (DPMM) will hand over 20 resolutions passed at the Malay Economic Congress last year to Datuk Seri Najib Razak in March. Its vice-president, Rizal Faris Mohidden Abdul Kadir said the resolutions,which had been discussed at the grassroots level, would serve as guidelines forthe future direction of Malay entrepreneurs in the march towards Vision 2020.    He said the resolutions were passed at the congress, which was attended byformer prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in October last year.      Rizal said the resolutions would be deliberated at the national-levelroundtable for dissemination at the zone and district levels before they were fine-tuned for submission to the prime minister.   "We do not want the Malays to lag behind and miss the economic opportunitieswhen the country is developed by 2020," Rizal told reporters after the opening of the East Zone Malay Congress 2013 by Kelantan State Secretary Datuk DrZainuddin Ibrahim at Bandar Baharu Tunjung here today.    The congress is organised by the DPMM Research and Development Foundation,the Kelantan DPMM and the Malaysian Economic Action Council.      He said two more zones - Putrajaya and Penang - had yet to hold the Malay Congress this year.

BN optimistic but no polls till March Posted: 12 Jan 2013 05:59 PM PST Federal Minister Peter Chin recalled that similar rallies in 1998 after the DPM Anwar Ibrahim's sacking, had not dented support for BN. (Bernama) - The Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat rally organised by opposition parties at Stadium Merdeka  yesterday will not influence support for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming 13th general election. Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) president Peter Chin Fah Kui said the estimated crowd turnout of between 50,000 to 60,000 should not be a yardstick of the support towards the opposition. "BN should not be afraid, when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sacked from the cabinet in 1998, there were similar rallies with 50,000 to 60,000 attending but support towards BN remained intact," he told reporters after visiting a Miri Home for the Aged, a privately run senior citizen care centre, in conjunction with the coming Chinese New Year celebration here today. Chin, who is Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister, said rather than resorting to street demonstrations, Pakatan Rakyat (Pakatan) should try to go to the ground always and explain to the people of their ability. "I hope PR (Pakatan) can stop street demonstrations. It's not the Malaysian way, what kind of message they are trying to pass or the result they want to achieve. Go to the ground and tell the people who will be the Prime Minister if PR (Pakatan) win the general election, they can't even tell people that," he said. Asked whether he had any indication of when the parliament would be dissolved, Chin who is also Miri Member of Parliament (MP) said it is unlikely to be this month or next month. "The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister are now actively going to the ground to assess the political situation and with Chinese New Year around the corner it would not be possible to hold an election," he said. He said the date for the election was an open secret to the public since the current term of the government would expire on April 28 this year. With Chinese New Year to be celebrated on Feb 10 and 11, as well as many financial assistance to be handed out between now and March, many had speculated that the Prime Minister would likely dissolve parliament in March, one month ahead of the expiry term. Political observers have speculated that parliament would be dissolved in the first week of March with voting expected to be held by end of the month.

KL rally makes GE13 a keener battle, say analysts Posted: 12 Jan 2013 04:38 PM PST Pakatan Rakyat have estimated that close to 500,000 turned up for the rally yesterday while police said the crowd was, at the most, 45,000. By Clara Chooi and Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider Kuala Lumpur's mammoth rally yesterday has revived Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) push to capture Putrajaya from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) which has used a combination of policy and handouts to claw back support, say political analysts. The analysts told The Malaysian Insider that PR's ability to organise up to 100,000 for the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat gathering and the crowd's interest in the issues being discussed will make the general election a close battle for both coalitions. PR have estimated that close to 500,000 turned up for the rally at the iconic Stadium Merdeka but police said the crowd was, at the most, 45,000. "Regardless of the actual crowd numbers, aerial photographs emerging from the event show a very large crowd, which reflects on the opposition and civil society's ability to mobilise the public," Merdeka Center's Ibrahim Suffian noted. "But apart from showcasing the capability of organisers, it also shows the enthusiasm and energy of the forces opposing the government, underlining the fact that the coming polls contest will no doubt be the toughest that the ruling coalition will face in its history," he added. Centre for Policy Initiatives director Dr Lim Teck Ghee said the rally was a "clear-cut victory" for both the opposition and civil society, citing the massive turnout, the disciplined behaviour of participants and the "formidable" consensus shown by all parties in opposing Barisan Nasional's (BN) rule. "All these indicators will strike dismay in BN," he said. But Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) political analyst Professor Datuk Dr Mohammad Agus Yusoff expressed a slightly different view. "When such a big rally is not disturbed and goes on so peacefully, why then did it not attract the one-million supporters as promised by Pakatan?" he asked. In the run-up to the event, rally organisers had estimated attendance at a whopping one million people, although the seating capacity at Stadium Merdeka is only 30,000. The gathering, which saw people dressed in T-shirts in a rainbow of colours to denote various causes, was organised by both political leaders from PR and non-partisan members of various civil society groups as a final showcase of their demands before the 13th general election is called by June. "So one impact from this event is that we cannot always believe what these parties tell us. They always boast figures. "Sometimes, they should just be realistic. You cannot promise something that is beyond your reach... you will just give false hope," Agus said. But on a more positive note, the professor said the smooth running of the rally, possibly the largest public gathering yet in years, should be marked as a milestone in the growth of democracy in Malaysia. He said scenes of the carnival-like atmosphere as rally-goers of all race and backgrounds came together for a cause was enough to reduce a person to tears. "It made everyone so happy to get the permit. It shows that we, Malaysians, can now express our rights in a peaceful way. This is what democracy is," he said. Agus added that one of the biggest takeaways from the rally was that it helped voters make up their minds for the polls by placing them in the "best position to assess which party is the best". PR's de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made several election pledges that appeared to strike a chord with the predominantly Malay crowd at Stadium Merdeka. Speaking to The Malaysian Insider after the event, many rally participants appeared enthused and determined to make sure there will be a change of guard in Putrajaya after the 13th general election. "This is the climax before PRU13," despatch rider Md Isa Ishak said, referring to the polls. "We are angry at cronyism. They are robbing us. We are angry at our leaders now." "I feel positive after this event. I always feel angry at BN," said 36-year-old videgrapher David Lim, adding that he would get all his friends to vote in the polls. READ MORE HERE

Malaysia opposition holds mass election rally (WITH PHOTOGRAPHS) Posted: 12 Jan 2013 03:57 PM PST Anwar Ibrahim's three-party alliance taps into anti-government sentiment ahead of key general elections in March. (AL JAZEERA) - At least 45,000 people have joined a massive opposition rally in Malaysia's largest city in a show of force ahead of key general elections due in months. Police sealed off main roads in downtown Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, allowing protesters to march peacefully to a nearby stadium for the rally by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's three-party alliance. The rally focused on demanding further transparency in elections that must be held by June. The polls are seen a major test for Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling coalition after its dismal performance in 2008 elections. The National Front coalition, which has governed Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957, lost more than a third of its seats in parliament to a resurgent opposition in 2008 amid public discontent over problems such as corruption and racial discrimination. Anwar on Saturday appealed to the public to oust the National Front and vote in his opposition alliance in this year's elections. "We ask for a chance so that the people's voice will become the sacred voice in ruling this country," he told the crowd. "Our government is so corrupt. The government should listen to us. They need to reform. For more than 50 years they have ruled Malaysia," said Azlan Abu Bakar, 29, a rally participant who travelled from the eastern state of Terengganu for the gathering. Peaceful gathering The rally tested Najib's tolerance for public dissent after police used tear gas to quell two similar protests over the past year. The protests have helped pressure the government to agree to new regulations to prevent people from voting multiple times and ensure fairer elections, but activists insist voter registration lists remain tainted. Police estimated Saturday's crowd at around 45,000, but organisers said more than 100,000 people showed up. The rally ended peacefully after more than three hours. Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin reacted to the rally by saying the ruling coalition has brought peace and prosperity for all Malaysians. "We have a good government and a good economy, so why do we need a change?" he was quoted as saying by the national Bernama news agency. In a statement, the government said that it was "pleased" that the rally passed off peacefully. "Today's events underline the government's commitment to freedom of assembly, and the strength of Malaysia's democracy. The rally was facilitated by the Prime Minister's political reforms, including the introduction of the Peaceful Assembly Act," the statement said. The government has intensified efforts to win back support over the past year with measures such as channeling more funds to the poor and abolishing security laws that were widely considered repressive. But the opposition insists that only a change of government will resolve problems such as corruption and racial discrimination. Most analysts believe Najib's ruling coalition will still have the upper hand in the elections because of its entrenched support in predominantly rural constituencies.

‘Bersih was Anwar’s baby, Ambiga his shield’ Posted: 12 Jan 2013 03:41 PM PST According to an ex-PKR official, Bersih 1 rally had proved to be a "wheel of fortune" for PKR and the party transformed from rags to riches Athi Shankar, FMT BUTTERWORTH: A former PKR official, who was once involved in organising party demonstrations, has alleged that the idea of Bersih was mooted by Anwar Ibrahim way back in 2007. Syamsul Hidayat Mohd Sharif, PKR's ex-Youth information chief, claimed said Bersih was not an independent, non-political movement championing free, fair and clean elections. He said Anwar, the party's de facto leader, mooted the idea to  revive his waning 1998 'reformasi' call, bolster PKR's finances and fuel public hostility against the Barisan Nasional government. "Truth is Bersih was never independent.  It's a political movement to vilify BN. "Bersih is Anwar's baby and he uses (S) Ambiga as a shield," said Syamsul, who recently joined Umno. Speaking at a political gathering in Raja Uda here last night, he further mocked  Bersih claims that it is purely seeking electoral reform under the current leadership of Ambiga. "Anwar first wanted to hold the Bersih 1 mammoth rally in Nov 2007 to stir up opposition against the government prior to the last general election. "He mooted the idea to cry for electoral reforms after receiving inside information that (then premier) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would hold the 12th general election in early 2008. "Anwar wanted to clone his reformasi rallies of 1998," said Syamsul. He said Anwar was convinced the Bersih rally would be an effective political vehicle given the success of previous 'refomasi' rallies in galvanising Malay voters against Umno and BN, and in toppling the Terengganu state government in the 1999 general election. Bersih, a windfall for PKR? He said Anwar also needed to 'recharge batteries' of his weary party members. "Hence he organised the Bersih rally to capture public imagination by accusing the nation's electoral process was dirty," said Syamsul. READ MORE HERE

Pakatan makes 10-point demand Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:54 PM PST Ensuring free and fair elections tops the list. G Vinod, FMT The opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, made up of PAS, PKR and DAP, has made a 10-point demand to the government and topping the list is for the government to ensure free and fair elections. Pakatan made its demands known at the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat, attended by some 100,000 opposition supporters, at the historic Stadium Merdeka here today. The list of demands was announced by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution at the rally. "If we come to power we would change the course of the government, away from corruption and race-based policies and politics. No Malaysian would be pushed aside. We will also move in tandem with each other for a better life," he said when presenting the demands. Apart from wanting free and fair elections, Pakatan also wants the administration of Felda to be reviewed. "We also demand that all Malaysians including those from Sabah and Sarawak be given equal treatment. We demand that all oil-producing states are given 20% of the oil royalty. "We also want all government servants to be professional in the administration of the country," he added. Pakatan also wants the government to provide a healthy living environment to all Malaysians. "The government should preserve Bahasa Malaysia while the usage of English should be upgraded. The government should also provide free education for all Malaysians," said Saifuddin. Pakatan also wants all political prisoners freed. "We also want the government to preserve our tradition, culture and heritage. We demand a better life for all Malaysians," he said.

Jackie Chan calls US 'most corrupt' country in the world Posted: 11 Jan 2013 03:04 PM PST (AFP) - Hong Kong action hero Jackie Chan has once again provoked criticism, this time from an American blogger, after suggesting on Chinese television that the US is the "most corrupt" country in the world. "When you talk about corruption — the whole world, is there corruption in  the United States? The most corrupt in the world!" the Rush Hour star, who has  made headlines recently for his controversial views, told Phoenix TV last month.    Chan reaffirmed his view after the show's host questioned him — "Of  course! Where did the great breakdown come from? The world, the United States  started it," Chan said, referring to the financial crisis and gesticulating as  he spoke.    His comments were rebuked Thursday by Max Fisher, a foreign affairs blogger  for the Washington Post, who called them "anti-American" rhetoric that was  rooted in China's insecurity.    "To the degree that Chan's comments were anti-American, they likewise  reflect a common Chinese view of the United States, one that is rooted not just  in attitudes toward America but in China's proud but sometimes insecure view of  itself," Fisher said.   Jackie Chan also said China is a relatively young country, where in the  first half of its history it was "bullied by so many people", and that it only  achieved "real success" in the past decade.    "Our country's leaders admit they are corrupted, etcetera. We are improving  — I can see our country is constantly improving and learning," he said, adding  that everyone is making an issue out of China because it is "powerful" now.     Chan, who is known for his martial arts skills and daring stunt work,  sparked criticism in Hong Kong, which was returned to China in 1997, after he  reportedly told a Chinese magazine last December that protest in the city  should be restricted.    In the same interview, he said that he was bullied by Hong Kong triads and  had to hide in the United States. He also said he needed to carry a gun  everyday to protect himself, leading to a police investigation.

BN needs to milk Najib’s popularity harder, say analysts Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:12 PM PST Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider The Barisan Nasional (BN) must do more to cash in on Datuk Seri Najib Razak's popularity as issues of the day could threaten their hold on Putrajaya, say analysts commenting on the latest Merdeka Center survey. The analysts also noted the BN government's approval remains low despite cash handouts and a raft of economic and legal reforms that Najib has introduced since taking power in 2009. "On the whole, although there are those who say they are satisfied, they may not vote for BN because there are other issues at play during an election ― the political party, the individual candidate, the influence of the local ministers in the area and so on. "Therefore, the good popularity rating could merely reflect the public's agreement with Najib and his policies," said Ibrahim Suffian from Merdeka Center, the independent pollster that conducted the latest survey released yesterday. The Merdeka Center found that Najib's ratings, while still relatively high, dipped slightly by two points to 63 per cent in the poll conducted late last month, from 65 per cent in November. The survey found that while satisfaction among Malay and Indian voters remained strong at 77 per cent and 76 per cent respectively, the sentiment among Chinese voters had dropped to 34 per cent. The survey also found that voters' response towards the government remained lukewarm, with only 45 per cent of the respondents saying they were "happy with the government". Ibrahim also suggested the possibility of "cultural bias" among the different racial communities that were interviewed for the poll, saying the Malays and Indians were more conservative when it comes to speaking negatively about their nation's leaders, while the Chinese are generally more outspoken. "So I am pretty certain that just because the poll says that Najib has 77 per cent support of the Malays, it does not mean he will get 77 per cent of the Malay vote. "The Indians, the Malay respondents... traditionally they tend not to be so openly negative about the ruling party leaders so there is a cultural bias there," he said. Universiti Teknologi Mara's Prof Madya Shaharudin Badaruddin echoed Ibrahim's views, saying the prime minister's good standing among the Malay and Indian communities may not translate to votes in the coming polls. He agreed that the rating of a person's popularity is an individualistic matter and would not reflect the total voting trend of the election. "You may vote for Najib, but it does not mean you want Umno," he said. Universiti Malaya (UM) political analyst Prof Datuk Mohamad Abu Bakar said the same, adding that the performance of an individual does not reflect the performance of the party this person represents. He pointed out that the survey results may not be consistent until polling as issues that may crop up between now and then could affect the prime minister and BN's popularity. "So, depending on whether these new issues make him popular or not, one cannot say for sure whether his popularity at this moment in time will be constant through and through until election day," he said. Shaharuddin added that the quality of candidates would also play an important role in determining the true support for BN among the country's various ethnic communities. He noted that Merdeka Center's survey methodology of collecting public opinions through phone calls could have also been a major factor in Najib's high popularity rating. "When it is face to face, direct contact, the behaviour and replies from a respondent could be different," he said. READ MORE HERE

Pakatan expects large crowd in rally against BN rule Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:08 PM PST Syed Jaymal Zahiid, The Malaysian Insider Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is confident of getting one million people in its "Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat" today, with its leaders saying last night the "historic" mega-rally will show the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition that its 54-year rule is nearing the end. Some 6,000 people attended a gathering at the Sultan Sulaiman Club here last night, where more than 70 opposition leaders and activists fired up the crowd with speeches of change and the imminent fall of BN. Among the speakers were PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu who called the rally at the historic Stadium Merdeka where Independence was declared, the start of the final battle for Putrajaya. "Tomorrow's rally will be the last before we take over the government," shouted Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, a favourite among the Islamist party and opposition faithful. The crowd, mostly Malays, appeared upbeat as PR leaders went over the opposition's election chances. A sense of camaraderie was also prevalent as the crowd of strangers, mostly donning yellow or green tees with "BN will fall" written on them, shouted in sync slogans of "people power" and "the end of BN". Playing up this sentiment was PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang, who said this spirited display of people power would send chills down rivals' spines. "This is not just about changing the government. It is about how the people will rise and rewrite history. That they will no longer tolerate a cruel regime," he said. READ MORE HERE

Explain reports of new timber deal, Musa Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:00 PM PST Why has Yayasan Sabah, headed by Chief Minister Musa Aman, awarded 80,937 hectares of land to Pemaju Holdings Sdn Bhd? Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah chapter wants Chief Minister Musa Aman to respond to the Business Times report on the purported timber deal involving 80,937 hectares (199,995 acres) to be awarded to Permaju Holdings Sdn Bhd by Yayasan Sabah. Party chairman Jeffrey Kitingan contended that as the chairman of Yayasan Sabah, Musa should clarify the issue, instead of getting the Director of Forestry Department to deny it. "The director of forestry is being used as a mouthpiece to deflect the issue and avoid the real facts. His mere denial is out of context as the deal was reported to be with Yayasan Sabah. "It is the chief minister having direct control of Yayasan Sabah, not the of director of forestry, who is the appropriate person to answer on the timber deal. "Many answers need to be given so that allegations of timber kickbacks like the RM40 million 'donation' to Sabah Umno will not arise," he said. A former chairman of Yayasan Sabah himself, Jeffrey also questioned why the foundation awarded a huge area of concession to such a company at this time and who stands to benefit. "Why are outsiders given priority in awarding of concessions and land instead of Sabahans? "If there is no truth to the alleged timber deal, why is the report so detailed? If the report is not true, the government should consider suing the parties involved and lodging reports with the police, MACC and other bodies. "If the report is true, which will not be surprising, the state government is selling the future of Yayasan Sabah, the state and Sabahans and the Umno-BN state government should be voted out in the coming general election," he said. He said that the Business Times report clearly re-affirms Sabah STAR's stand that the "future of Sabah lies in the hands of Sabahans, not outsiders or Sabahans under the control of outsiders".

Kapar MP gets show-cause letter Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:51 PM PST PKR issued the letter to S Manickavasagam for uttering derogatory words against another party leader. S Nantha Kumar, FMT Kapar Member of Parliament S Manickavasagam has been issued a show-cause letter by PKR for uttering derogatory words against another party leader. PKR sources confirmed that the show-cause letter was issued to Manickavasagam by the party's disciplinary committee a few days ago. "I do not know the contents of the letter as this is handled by the top leadership. It involves an MP but I can confirm a show-cause letter has been issued to Manickavasagam," said a source. PKR disciplinary committee chairman Dr Tan Kee Kwong, when contacted, refused to comment. "Why you want write about this?" he told FMT. Despite numerous attempts, Manikavasagam could not be reached for comment as his handphhone has been switched off since yesterday. Meanwhile, MIC Youth criticised PKR over the party's action to issue the show-cause letter to Manickavasagam for a verbal tirade against Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar. In a press statement, the Youth wing chief T Mohan claimed that the actions of the Sepang Municipal Council officers, who demolished a Hindu shrine at a house against the orders of the state government, were more hurting than the words uttered by Manickavasagam against the two state leaders. "The state government is practising double standard as it had failed to initiate action against the officers who barged into the house to demolish the Hindu altar. Rightfully, the officers should be suspended while an investigation is pending against them," he said. Mohan said the failure to act against the officers made it look like the state government was giving its green light for local authority officials to take the law into their own hands. "We [MIC Youth] want the people to judge for themselves the actions of the state government in discriminating against Indians and decide who committed an offence," he added. 'Manikavasagam's right to criticise' On Nov 20, 30 enforcement officers from the Sepang Municipal Council trespassed into the home of one S Gobi Kumar and demolished the Hindu shrine located within the compound of the residence. A week later, Jayakumar defended the council's action, prompting the MIC Youth to demand a public apology from him. However, Jayakumar later claimed that the action was done unilaterally by certain Sepang Municipal Council officers and that he suspected sabotage. Following the incident, two separate video clips had emerged showing Manikavasagam urging Khalid to resign over the demolition of the shrine. READ MORE HERE

Fear of agent provocateurs Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:48 PM PST Police trucks were seen dropping off plainclothes policemen around the city, alleges a PKR leader. Leven Woon, FMT Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) fears that agent provocateurs have been planted by the police to instigate trouble at the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat Rally, scheduled for 2pm at Stadium Merdeka today. SAMM chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin alleged that early this morning, police trucks were spotted dropping off individuals "who we think are policemen in plainclothes." "We fear these people will become agent provocateurs and cause trouble. Then the police will blame us for starting trouble," he told reporters at the Kampung Baru mosque, where a group of opposition supporters had gathered before marching to Stadium Merdeka. Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat has eight meeting points and one of them is the Kampung Baru mosque. Badrul Hisham said the group will march through Lebuh Ampang, Jalan HS Lee, and Jalan Petaling before heading towards Stadium Merdeka. Badrul Hisyam, who is also a PKR leader, also asked opposition supporters not to carry any weapons with them during the rally. Meanwhile, opposition supporters have started marching towards the historic Merdeka Stadium from their respective meeting points. For now, no trouble has been reported. However, several roads have been closed to facilitate the march, bringing traffic to a snail's pace on major roads leading to the city centre. Meanwhile, according to The Oriental Daily and China Press, police have received reports on suspected explosive materials in front of KLCC and the Bar Council this morning. After dismissing the crowd at KLCC, police detonated the explosive materials. However, the reported discovery of such materials at the Bar Council building turned out to be not true

Rally forces road closures Posted: 11 Jan 2013 11:26 AM PST   (Bernama) - Most roads in the city had to be closed and traffic diverted in stages from 9.45am this morning because of the rally planned to be held by the opposition at Stadium Merdeka in the afternoon.   The roads had to be closed because of the entry of the participants of the rally which caused major congestion in the city's main arteries.   Checks by Bernama found traffic  police station all over the city since 6am but no roads were closed till 9.30am.   Kuala Lumpur traffic chief ACP Rusli Mohd Noor told Bernama the closures and diversions were necessary to smoothen traffic flow.   "We will close roads as the situation demands," he said.   Among roads involved were :-   1. Seremban- Kl/ Jalan Istana Baru 2. Jalan Sungai Besi/ Sungai Besi Roundabout (Kl-Bound) 3. Sungai Besi Roundabout 4. Jalan Sungai Besi / Pudu Roundabout 5. Pudu Roundabout / Jalan Pudu 6. Pudu Roundabout / Jalan Pasar 7. Jalan Kajang / Sungai Besi Roundabout  8. Chan Sow Lin / Jalan Tun Razak (Pd 105) 9. Cochrane / Jalan Tun Razak (Jalan Pasar) 10. Jalan Tun Razak / Kondo Ezora 11. Kondo Ezora / Jalan Sultan Ismail/ Jalan Imbi Exit 12. Kampung Pandan Roundabout 13. Jalan Selatan 14. Jalan Tun Razak Exit To Bukit Bintang 15. Tun Razak / Jalan Bukit Bintang Traffic Light Junction 16. Jalan Kampung Pandan / Flyover To Pd 92 17. Jalan Tun Razak / Kia Peng 18. Jalan Tun Razak / Jalan Eaton 19. Jalan Tun Razak / Persiaran Stonor 20. Jalan Tun Razak / Lorong Kuda 21. Jalan Tun Razak / Jalan Ampang (Esso) Exit 22. Jalan Tun Razak / Jalan Ampang 23. Jalan Tun Razak / Megan Phileo 24. Jalan Tun Razak / Yap Kwang Seng 25. Jalan Tun Razak / Terowong Klcc 26. Jalan Tun Razak / Perkeso 27. Jalan Tun Razak / Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz 28. Jalan Tun Razak / Parking Ijn 29. Jalan Tun Razak / Bangunan Ijn Baru 30. Jalan Tun Razak / Kuala Lumpur Hospital (Hkl) Football Field 31.  Tun Razak Exit To Pahang Roundabout 32. Pahang Roundabout 33. Jalan Genting Kelang / Pahang Roundabout Tunnel 34. Jalan Pekeliling / Stesen Bas Pekeliling 35. Pekeliling  Exit/ Jalan Ipoh 36. Jalan Ipoh / Jalan Rahmat 37. Jalan Tun Razak / Jalan Tun Ismail 38. Jalan Tun Razak /  Jalan Kuching Exit 39. Jalan Tun Razak /Pwtc (Sek Maxwell)Exit 40. Jalan Tun Ismail /  Jalan Kuching (Susur Kibat)Exit 41. Jalan Tun Ismail / Jalan Putra 42. Jalan Putra / Jalan Raja Laut 43. Jalan Pahang / Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz / Jalan Ta Rahman 44. Jalan Mahameru / Parlimen Exit 45. Jalan Duta / Jalan Parlimen Exit 46. Jalan Mahameru / Parlimen (Muzium)Exit 47. Jalan Mahameru / Wisma Tani Exit 48. Jejambat Wisma Tani 49. Jalan Mahameru / Carcosa Exit 50. Susur Jalan Damansara / Jalan Travers 51. Jalan Bangsar / Jalan Travers 52. Jalan Travers / Jalan Damansara (Balai Travers Lama) 53. Jalan Kl Sentral / Muzium Negara 54. Jalan Klang Lama / Lebuhraya Persekutuan 55. Jalan Klang Lama / Salak Expressway (U-Turn) 56. Federal Highway/ Jalan Syed Putra 57. Jalan Tun Sambathan Exit/ Jalan Sulaiman 58. Jalan Sulaiman (Ktm)

Deepak offers to be Pakatan’s state witness Posted: 11 Jan 2013 12:14 AM PST The one-time Rosmah associate says he is ready to reveal it all if Pakatan Rakyat is willing to guarantee to protect him against prosecution when they come to power. K Kabilan, FMT Carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan today urged Pakatan Rakyat to give him an undertaking that he would be protected against prosecution if they want him to expose all alleged wrongdoings of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor. "I am urging Pakatan Rakyat's future prime minister, the future home minister and the future law minister… give me an undertaking for my safety and freedom," he was quoted as saying in an interview with Harakahdaily.net today. He said that he was ready to give evidence of all alleged wrongdoings that can help Pakatan topple Barisan Nasional in the next general election. However he does not want to be left standing alone, or worst, prosecuted along with the alleged wrongdoers. "I am confused now. How can I expose when the way PKR is revealing all the information is incorrect and without protecting me as a whistleblower?," he later told FMT when contacted. "They should protect me under the Whistleblowers Act. I need protection against prosecution from them," he said. "Give me an undertaking that I will not be prosecuted for my exposés. I can be Pakatan's state witness and will expose it all," he repeated. He said that if he was given such an understanding, he was willing to join forces with Pakatan leaders at the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat at Stadium Merdeka tomorrow to do his duty as a Malaysian for the nation. When asked if he had met up with any Pakatan leaders over his request, Deepak said that he was hoping to meet some Pakatan leaders tomorrow. "I am going to the rally and I hope to meet up with some of them," he said. Foreclosure notice Deepak also claimed that he was being continuously harassed by the powers-that-be over his recent exposés. "The current administration is politically intimidating me in order to keep me silent. "I shall not succumb and will ensure that all the truth prevails in the days ahead," he said. He revealed that he had been issued a foreclosure notice to shut down his company unless he was able to pay off his debts amounting to RM33 million within 14 days. "The legal firm which issued the notice is the firm where Najib's brother is a senior lawyer," he said. He added that the income tax department was also investigating him for alleged tax evasion from 2004 to 2009. "These are all activities undertaken by the current administration to stop me from telling the truth," he said. READ MORE HERE

Tunku Abdul Aziz condemns rally Posted: 10 Jan 2013 08:15 PM PST Umno has dubbed the rally 'Taharin Square', after Shamsidar Taharin Dr Chandra said he was disturbed to learn that the appearance of a witness in a court case related to a defamation suit would be raised during the Saturday rally.  (The Sun Daily) - Two internationally-acclaimed Malaysian social activists have condemned the so-called Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (People Uprising Rally) to be held here tomorrow, which they refer to as nothing more than a betrayal of public trust and a mockery of democracy. Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim sees clearly, the hands of some opposition leaders behind the rally to obscure the truth about numerous personal problems afflicting them. On his part, Dr Chandra Muzaffar says it is a shameful act that all champions of freedom and democracy should condemn as crude, vulgar and despicable. Tunku Abdul Aziz told Bernama that the rally was actually not a protest against any critical national issue but rather a non-issue, at best, and a betrayal of public trust, at worst. "An opposition leader is again doing what he does best and that is to pull the wool over our eyes so as to obscure the truth. "The truth is that this is a matter for the man to resolve, without dragging innocent thousands into the stadium to support a cause that is both selfish and cynical in the extreme," said Tunku Abdul Aziz, better known for his various roles in worldwide anti-corruption movement and a former special adviser to former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan. "He who makes the bed should lie on it himself, but then it would not be that Opposition Leader, would it?" he asked. Tunku Abdul Aziz could not hide his contempt over the organisers of the rally. "I should have thought members of the public would have seen through this little charade but I am disappointed that there are reasonable people among us who are willing to be led by the nose to endorse an act that morally reprehensible. "The opposition will obviously stop at nothing to cause maximum chaos and anxiety in a society that has become tired of the sort of irresponsible antics that have become the opposition's weapons of choice," he added. Tunku Abdul Aziz was a strong opponent of the Bersih 3.0 rally held here last year and he showed this by resigning from the DAP which supported street demonstrations. He was then a DAP vice-chairman. "I would urge my fellow Malaysians, in particular, not to allow themselves to be hoodwinked by an irresponsible opposition bent on getting to Putrajaya, no matter what it takes in human costs, not their own, naturally." Dr Chandra, who is president of the International Movement for a Just World (Just), said if the rally became a channel for merely ventilating hate and anger based on outrageous lies and distortions, it would make a mockery of democracy and a subversion of freedom. He said he was disturbed to learn that the appearance of a witness in a court case related to a defamation suit would be raised during the Saturday rally. "If this is true, there is an attempt to use 'people power' to prevent the judicial process from taking its course. "It would be a terrible travesty of justice. Only fascists manipulate the masses against the court system," he told Bernama.

PKR: S’gor water crisis a political sabotage Posted: 10 Jan 2013 08:09 PM PST PKR's Rafizi Ramli claims the Selangor water crisis is politically motivated and announces steps to combat Putrajaya and Syabas' 'sabotage'. Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli today claimed Selangor's water crisis is a political sabotage by Putrajaya to cultivate hatred among the people towards Pakatan Rakyat. Rafizi claimed Putrajaya was resorting to dirty politics under the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to garner more votes for the ruling coalition ahead of the upcoming general election. He claimed the only way for Putrajaya to get votes was to "make the people's life as difficult as possible" in Selangor. Rafizi made this statement today in response to Syabas chairman Rozali Ismail's claim on Tuesday that the water problem may extend until the Chinese New Year period. Residents in Gombak, Ampang and Pandan have been facing intermittent water supply since Dec 29 last year after the Wangsa Maju water pump house broke down. Najib had previously said that BN would do its best to wrest Selangor away from Pakatan in the next general election. Pakatan's game plan Rafizi today revealed Pakatan's immediate actions to combat BN and Syabas' "sabotage". The opposition's action plan includes: PKR and PAS have formed a Water Squad in every affected constituency to ease the burden of those who have to transport water to their respective households. The squad will also provide water pumps so water can be transported directly into homes. PKR will fund entirely new pumps to replace those that are broken or not in full working order. Talks with Syabas and the relevant authorities will continue to ensure water transporting trucks are adequate and following its schedule. A specialist group will be voluntarily formed to study the technical aspects of the problem and to answer Syabas' accusations. A campaign to expose Umno and Syabas' sabotage will be held concurrently across all affected areas. READ MORE HERE

Pensions funds facing RM75 mil loss in FGVH shares: PKR Posted: 10 Jan 2013 08:05 PM PST (The Sun Daily) - PKR has claimed that two pension funds, the Employee's Provident Fund (EPF) and Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP), have collectively suffered an estimated paper loss of RM75 million as a result of buying Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH) shares. The party's trade and investment bureau chairperson Wong Chen said this is because the pension funds had bought the shares despite market analysts generally recommending against the stock since Aug 9 last year. He said the funds should not be allowed to invest in risky deals as it involved the public (EPF) and civil servant (KWAP) retirement funds which should be guarded by the government. "We (PKR) believe that EPF holders and the civil servants have a right to know whether these buys, a significant portion of which is against analyst recommendations and market views, are politically motivated," he told a press conference at the PKR headquarters today. Wong provided a data from financial news broadcaster "Bloomberg" detailing the FGVH price and market analyst regarding the share trends. Almost all financial firms analyse that the shares which were now valued at RM4.60 could go lower. In the opening Initial Public Offering in June 2012. the shares were valued at RM5.39. Wong said EPF originally brought 185 million shares valued at (RM842 million) before increasing its share by 46% or 90 million shares valued at RM455 at the average price of RM5.05 after the analysts' warning. He said the current trading loss of EPF is now RM40 million. KWAP, meanwhile, increased their initial 194 million shares (RM 880 million) in December to another 59 million (RM 5.19 million) or 35% and is facing a RM35 million loss. "The situation could get worse. If the price drops to the Alliance Research target of RM3.53 (the second lowest among the 12 most recent recommendations on the stock), EPF and KWAP would have paper loss of about RM327 million and RM295 million," he said.

Lawyers send letter to MAIS over decree Posted: 10 Jan 2013 04:01 PM PST (The Star) - The Selangor Islamic Reli­gious Council (MAIS) has received a letter by a group of lawyers over the decree by the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah to ban non-Muslims in the state from using the word "Allah". The lawyers are claiming that this conflicted with a decision made by the High Court and Government. MAIS corporate communication head Rohana Hassan, who confirmed receiving the letter, said the lawyers attached exhibits as evidence to prove that a settlement on the matter had been reached and it should not have resurfaced. "We have not really gone through the documents as we only received them after office hours on Wednes­day. "The council will issue a press statement once everything is finalised," Rohana said. MAIS secretary Datuk Mohd Misri Idris reportedly said Sultan Shara­fuddin had expressed shock and regret over DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng's recent statement urging the Government to allow the word "Allah" to be used in the Malay version of the Bible. Perkasa, meanwhile, urged the institution of the Malay rulers to take action on the matter to preserve the sanctity of Islam. Its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said it was only ideal that the institution act on the issue. Umno Veterans Club secretary Datuk Mustapha Yaakub urged the Opposition political parties to stop abusing the word "Allah" to garner votes.

Suhakam, Bar Council to monitor rally Posted: 10 Jan 2013 03:50 PM PST Both bodies will send monitoring agents for the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat rally at Stadium Merdeka tomorrow. G Vinod, FMT Suhakam will send 20 officials to monitor the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat rally tomorrow, said commissioner James Nayagam. He also said that a few commissioners would be present at the location to monitor the proceedings. "Our focus will be at the seven meetings points towards the stadium," he told FMT. The rally participants for tomorrow would march from several locations to Stadium Merdeka. Among them are Central Market, National Mosque and KLCC. Nayagam said that so far, he had seen some improvements from the police and organisers in their conduct to handle the crowd expected for the rally. "Looking at the response from both sides, I don't foresee anything untoward happening," he said. Meanwhile, Bar Council said that it would also send 20 monitoring agents for the rally. "We will also assign at least three lawyers to be on stand-by, in case anyone needs legal assistance in the event they are arrested by the police," said Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee. He urged the police to exercise restrain and only use force when absolutely necessary. "We also call upon the police to put on their identification tags. Don't use water cannon, tear gas or beat up rally participants. Learn from the Bersih rallies," he added.

Sarawak Report: What ‘sins’ did we commit? Posted: 10 Jan 2013 03:04 PM PST 'We made clear it [Najib suffering a mild stroke] was a rumour and speculated that the most likely cause was rumour mongering by rivals.'  Pushparani Thilaganathan, FMT Online investigative portal Sarawak Report has denied that it committed "unforgiveable sins" by reporting a widespread rumour that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had recently suffered a mild stroke. Its editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown also denied being "paid" to write the article. Rewcastle-Brown had on Jan 5 posted a report headlined "Najib Stroke?" which stated that "word is seeping out that the Prime Minister of Malaysia suffered a 'minor stroke' over the weekend. Given the scandals building around him, perhaps the pressure has started to tell?" The article alluded to the scandals linked to Najib, and Deepak Jaikishan's latest revelations. Following the article, another blog The Mole.my posted an article headlined "Sarawak Report commits unforgivable sin" and accused Rewcastle-Brown of using "subterfuge, calumny and sensationalism" in her report. It pointed out that using "disinformation to fool the public are unforgivable sins for which Sarawak Report needs to atone". Rewcastle-Brown yesterday issued a statement in response to a letter from one Cecilia Victor from The Mole.my. She said: "You accuse us of 'unforgivable' sin in having made public a widespread and persistent rumour in political circles that the PM has had a light stroke. "We made clear it was a rumour and speculated that the most likely cause was rumour-mongering by rivals. "Despite the denial, the rumours that Najib is receiving medical attention for TIAs are still persisting, so it is only right that there should be an official response to them, which Najib took the opportunity of our article to supply". (TIA stands for Transient Ischemic Attack. A TIA is sometimes called a mini-stroke and is the medical term for stroke-like symptoms that occur and resolve spontaneously within 24 hours. A TIA is treated very seriously and may be the harbinger of a stroke in the near future.) Najib has since denied that he suffered a stroke. MACC investigation? In the letter, Victor had also asked Rewcastle-Brown if she was paid to write the article. To which Rewcastle-Brown said: "No, I am not paid for the work I do on Sarawak Report. "I do find it a very sad reflection on the mentality of so many of the Malaysian establishments that they seem to find it impossible to believe that someone might be doing something because of conscience rather than for money. "I have witnessed an appalling human rights and environmental tragedy take place on the island of Borneo, driven purely by the staggering greed and ruthless selfishness of a handful of people in government. "These people have neglected their duty towards their people, but I do not intend to neglect my moral duty in making these matters public. And I am happy to do that for free." To Victor's second question as to whether SR was prepared to be investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Rewcastle-Brown asked "on what basis" this would be. "The MACC, I believe, is tasked with investigating official corruption in Malaysia, so on what possible basis would it have any remit to investigate a London-based journalist? "And what would MACC exactly be planning to investigate – the fact that I reported on a rumour that has had KL gossiping?" she asked. READ MORE HERE

‘Police boycotting MyWatch’ Posted: 10 Jan 2013 02:59 PM PST MyWatch chief R Sri Sanjeevan claims that the IGP has instructed the police not to participate in programmes organised by the NGO. G Vinod, FMT Crime watchdog MyWatch today alleged that the Royal Malaysian Police has been instructed not to engage with the NGO in any of its programmes. MyWatch chief R Sri Sanjeevan said it was evident when two state police chiefs refused to attend programmes on crime prevention arranged by his NGO. "I have asked state police chiefs to send their senior officers to the forums on crime prevention scheduled for February. I also told them that our patron, ex-IGP Musa Hassan, will be one of the panelist. "Initially they agreed to it but later on, they turned down my offer saying they did not know the status of my NGO," he added. Sanjeevan also said that he attempted to assure the officers that MyWatch was legally registered with the Registrar of Societies and they would not face any problems attending the forums. "When I pressed for answers, the officers told me that it an instruction give by [Inspector-General of Police] Ismail [Omar] himself," he added. Training his guns on the IGP, Sanjeevan said Ismail's attitude towards MyWatch reflected his "true character". "We are trying to assist the police in crime prevention but Ismail is acting like this. I don't blame the officers as they are just following orders," he said. Sanjeevan also threw brickbats at Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for keeping mum over Musa's expose on the state of the police force. In recent months, Musa had criticised his successor of being a "weak" leader and alleged that criminal elements had infiltrated the force. He also accused Hishammuddin of meddling in police affairs, an accusation the latter had denied. On a related matter, Sanjeevan said that he would hold a press conference next week to reveal the real crime statistics for last year. "It will be done in stages. We want the public to know the real crime situation in Malaysia," he said.

STAR willing to ‘cooperate’ not ‘work under’ Pakatan Posted: 10 Jan 2013 02:52 PM PST Former Upko deputy president Wilfred Bumburing, now APS chief, has been urged to be realistic in his strategy to contest all KDM seats. Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah chapter has officially conveyed to Anwar Ibrahim that it is "agreeable" to Pakatan Rakyat components contesting in Sabah to topple Barisan Nasional federal and state governments. STAR information chief Edward Linggu said while STAR would "cooperate" with the Pakatan coalition, it was not willing to "work under them". "This [stand] has been conveyed by our chairman in writing recently to the top leadership in Pakatan including Anwar. "In our official letter, we have also conveyed that while we suggest that Pakatan focuses on seats in the Peninsula, we are agreeable to Pakatan components contesting in Sabah to achieve a 1:1 contest to bring down BN," he said. Linggu was responding to Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) president Wilfred Bumburing's comment last week that "it is difficult to talk to Sabah STAR". Bumburing had also inferred that APS should be left to lead the charge in the KDM-majority seats. According to Linggu, Pakatan component parties have been in direct discussions with STAR on seats distribution in Sabah. "Obviously Bumburing is not aware of this [direct discussion]. How will he be able to look after Sabah's rights and interests when he is not officially inside Pakatan? "He will have no say and unable to sway even Sabah PKR as he is an outsider to Sabah Pakatan," said Linggu. Urging Bumburing to be "realistic", Linggu claimed neither APS nor Bumburing had the capacity to contest in all KDM seats in the coming general election. "He [Bumburing] must not be over-confident of its [APS] capability. People are saying he is just a small fish in a big pond but thinks he is a giant and demands to contest all the KDM seats. "Even if he had taken on the entire Upko, he is in no position to demand for all the KDM seats," he said, alluding to Bumburing's previous role in Upko as its deputy president. Bumburing, who is Tuaran MP, defected in July last year. He immediately set up APS and pledged support for Anwar and Pakatan but refused to become a member of any party within the coalition. READ MORE HERE

‘Country’s fate in your hands’ Posted: 10 Jan 2013 10:53 AM PST   (The Star) - MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said that with the general election coming, the people should know what was best for the nation and endorse leaders who had been able to steer the economy away from uncertainties. Although Malaysia's economic fundamentals are backed by strong reserves and the country is free of any debt crisis, the present Government needs the mandate to rule for the next five years to ensure continuous growth. MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said that with the general election coming, the people should know what was best for the nation and endorse leaders who had been able to steer the economy away from uncertainties. He added that the Government was optimistic that 2013 would be another good year and experts, both local and foreign, had vouched for this. "Several sectors of the economy, such as construction, tourism and manufacturing, are expected to continue to do well despite the economic uncertainties in many parts of the world. "But despite the good indicators, the country's destiny is in your hands," he said at the Air Kuning Kim Lan Association annual dinner on Wednesday night. Dr Chua said the Government had introduced sound policies to ensure the nation registered a growth of 5% last year, at a time when many developed nations in Europe as well as the United States were experiencing problems. "This goes to show that the Government's well thought out economic transformation programmes have yielded results and we expect the coming years to be good as well," he said. Dr Chua said the Opposition was not capable of managing the nation as they neither had the experience nor the ability to do so, and the fact that they were constantly at loggerheads with one another was also detrimental to the people's wellbeing. "Until today, the Opposition has been unable to produce a convincing and comprehensive economic and social development plan for the nation. "Whatever they propose such as abolishing the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) and giving every household RM4,000 a month will bankrupt this country in a matter of months," he said. Citing another example, Dr Chua said some PAS leaders were against non-Muslims using the word "Allah" but there were others in the party who said Islam allowed this. "The Opposition has been raising petty issues to hide their own weaknesses. They have been unable to even agree on who would be their choice of Prime Minister. "Such uncertainties will be bad for business," he said, adding that investors would shy away from Malaysia as there would be no political stability. "The first to be affected would be the businessmen, especially the Chinese," he said. Dr Chua said some Malaysians might be impressed with the promises made by the Opposition but they should do their homework to see if these could be realised. "Has any of you given a thought where Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will get the money to fund the programmes he has promised to carry out if they are elected?" he said, adding that the Opposition's proposal to abolish PTPTN scheme alone would cost taxpayers RM43bil. Dr Chua later donated RM10,000 to the Air Kuning Kim Lan Association while Tampin MP Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor gave another RM5,000 to enable the body to carry out its programmes.

‘Najib has the edge over Anwar’ Posted: 10 Jan 2013 10:50 AM PST   Academician Sivamurugan Pandian believes the Najib factor will prevail and pull BN over the finishing line in the next general election. "It's not an overstatement to say Najib has transformed himself from being seen as a Malay leader to a Malaysian leader," said Sivamurugan, a lecturer at the School of Social Sciences in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Athi Shankar, FMT For the first time in Malaysian political history, Barisan Nasional will face the most serious challenge to its 55-year-old political supremacy. But political analyst Sivamurugan Pandian believes the Najib factor would eventually prevail and pull BN over the finishing line in the next general election. He, however, was unsure if the Najib factor can help BN regain its two-thirds parliamentary majority. Since taking over from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2009 as the prime minister, he said Najib Tun Razak had managed to come out from the Umno's racial political sphere to become a Malaysian leader for all. He pointed out that Najib had enhanced his reputation via his walkabouts to reach out to various communities and young voters on his own. He said Najib was now perceived to be addressing problems faced by various communities on his own, rather than depending on third party, or BN coalition partners. He said Najib's direct approach and personal touch had convinced the grassroots, including young Malaysians, that the prime minister has come of age. "He has managed to erase initial scepticism on his leadership capabilities. "It's not an overstatement to say Najib has transformed himself from being seen as a Malay leader to a Malaysian leader," said Sivamurugan, a lecturer at the School of Social Sciences in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Anwar's political strength He also complimented Najib's political rival and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim for elevating himself to be a Malaysian, rather than a Malay, leader. He said one cannot deny that Anwar's political strength was instrumental in the emergence of Pakatan Rakyat as an alternate government-in-waiting in the national political landscape. "Anwar, apart from Hindraf, was a major factor behind the unprecedented results in the 2008 general election. "He is a major factor keeping Pakatan together," said the academician. Sivamurugan has no doubt that the Najib versus Anwar factor would be decisive in the forthcoming election. Although both have good oratory skills and strong support, he believes that the prime minister has an edge in the race, and this is not just because he was helming the BN federal government. "Comparatively, Najib had delivered better than Anwar," claimed the academician. He said Najib had enthusiastically driven through his transformation plans and managed to unite and enhance cooperation among BN component parties. He said Najib had managed to standardise the administrative operations of all BN-led state governments and delivered successive people-oriented budgets to allay public fear on bread and butter issues. "Malaysians wake up each morning without having to worry about their daily meals and shelter," said the lecturer. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/01/11/najib-has-the-edge-over-anwar/

In tea leaves, economist sees slender Pakatan win Posted: 10 Jan 2013 10:47 AM PST   (The Malaysian Insider) - Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will notch a slim victory over the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) in Election 2013, according to calculations by Bank Islam Malaysia's chief economist Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin. In a report by The Straits Times of Singapore, Azrul's computations found that BN was likely to win only between 97 and 107 of the 222 parliamentary seats — insufficient to reform the next administration. But the result would also mean that PR will only gain a shaky hold over Parliament and far from the supermajority once enjoyed by its rival. The outcome was considered the most probable during the banker's presentation at the Regional Outlook Forum in Singapore yesterday, and took into account factors such as race and demographics. Later, Azrul forecast that fallout would result from the PR win, with the stock market set to respond in "knee-jerk" fashion as well as an extended period of perceived instability. He also did not rule out the possibility of "economic sabotage" by businesses and the civil service that are aligned with BN. The ruling BN government has ramped up efforts to secure a victory against its most organised opposition in the general election that must be called by April 27. In Budget 2013, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced a smorgasbord of handouts and benefits in an effort to court electoral support ahead of polls. These include a second round of RM500 cash handouts to lower income families, dubbed "BR1M 2.0", as well as an expansion of the programme to include payments of RM250 to single youths earning below RM3,000 monthly. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/in-tea-leaves-economist-sees-slender-pakatan-win

Changing national flag akin to hating own country’ Posted: 10 Jan 2013 10:44 AM PST   (Bernama) - In the latest incident, banners urging the people to choose flags other than the Jalur Gemilang were seen in several areas in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, including at the Abdullah Hukum LRT station in Bangsar. Azman said it was possible that this was deliberately done by certain quarters to cause disunity among the people in order to serve their own political agenda.   The attempt to change the national flag with another indirectly symbolises the hatred towards one's own country, said National Unity and Integration Department director-general, Datuk Azman Amin Hassan. He also described the attempt as unhealthy and should be viewed seriously and stopped immediately.   "The Jalur Gemilang should be proudly flown and protected by Malaysians on national occasions," he told Bernama, here, yesterday. He was commenting on attempts by certain quarters to change the national flag which symbolised national unity, with other flags.   In the latest incident, banners urging the people to choose flags other than the Jalur Gemilang were seen in several areas in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, including at the Abdullah Hukum LRT station in Bangsar. Azman said it was possible that this was deliberately done by certain quarters to cause disunity among the people in order to serve their own political agenda.   At the last national day celebration, a group of "People's Flag" activists was seen promoting another flag and earlier in 2011, Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan of DAP in his Facebook said the opposition would change the national flag if it comes into power in the coming general election.   Meanwhile, Umno Youth exco member Datuk Sohaimi Shahadan said the action should be stopped immediately so that Malaysians were not influenced by the craftiness of certain parties to poison the minds of the younger generation. "There is no need for us to change our national flag. Only people who are blind to the country's history and don't love the nation would try to do this," he said. In another development, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib when contacted by Bernama said DBKL had issued orders to remove all such banners. He also advised the organisers and participants of the public rally this Saturday to abide by the rules set for the well-being and safety of the people.

NUBE disappointed with Pakatan on floor wage policy Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:24 PM PST Bank employees union says rejection of RM1,500 wage proposal is disheartening and urges the opposition coalition to be consistent in its policies. Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT The National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) today said it was disappointed with Pakatan Rakyat for rejecting the RM1,500 minimum wage proposal. NUBE general secretary J Solomon said Pakatan's rejection of the proposal was very disheartening to workers and urged the opposition coalition to be consistent when it comes to workers' welfare. He pointed out that the Selangor government had already implemented RM1,500 as the minimum wage in all government-linked companies last year. Soloman was responding to assertions by several Pakatan leaders that the Malaysia Workers Network's demand of RM1,500 as the base salary was not applicable at the moment. PKR director of strategy, Rafizi Ramli, had said the country could only afford a minimum wage of RM1,100, otherwise it would have adverse impact on industries. Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad also said the RM1,500 proposal was not sustainable as it would be counter-productive to workers in the market. Base salary criteria taken from ILO Solomon in a press statement today said: "We believe RM1,500 is an appropriate figure for the minimum level of sustenance for anyone anywhere in the country." He explained the criteria used to arrive at RM1,500 was from the International Labour Organisation's Convention 131, which protects disadvantaged groups of wage earners. READ MORE HERE

Selangor MB: Not wrong to use ‘Allah’ but don’t abuse it Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:13 PM PST (The Star) - It is not wrong for non-Muslims to use the word "Allah" as long as it is not intended to ridicule or abuse the term, said Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. He said this was clearly stated in the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Selangor) Enactment 2003. "When you are singing the Selangor state anthem, it is not an act of ridicule. But if someone is using the word to preach and convince Muslims to convert then that is wrong," he said when asked if it was appropriate for non-Muslims to sing the state anthem, as one of its verses contained the word "Allah". On the state Government's stand regarding the use of "Allah" in Malay Bible, Khalid said Islam and its relevant laws were under the authority of the Sultan. "His authority is accepted by the state government because the laws had been passed by the state legislative assembly," he said.

Mat Zain: Musa trying to save himself Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:54 PM PST Former KL CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim says that former IGP Musa Hassan is attacking his successor to cover up for his own admission of guilt in fabricating evidence in Sodomy 1 trial. G Vinod, FMT Accusations and counter -accusations by two former high ranking cops have still not abated. This time around former KL CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim is accusing former IGP Musa Hassan of being involved in a cover up. Mat Zain said all Musa Hassan's allegations against the current Inspector General of Police Ismail Omar and the police force was an attempt to divert from his own errors and misdeeds. In an open letter to Ismail, Mat Zain claimed that Musa was trying to divert people's attention from his own controversial admission of guilt made in an interview with Malaysiakini in May last year. "Without realising, Musa admitted in the interview that he had fabricated DNA evidence against former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim in the Sodomy 1 trial. "In an afterthought, he is now attacking the incumbent IGP in order to divert public attention from his mistakes," alleged Mat Zain. In recent months, Musa had criticised Ismail for being a "weak" IGP and claimed that several top brass officers are working in cahoots with underworld figures. He also accused Ismail of being behind the arrest of Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng in 2008 under the Internal Security Act (ISA). In addition, Musa alleged Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein of interfering in police affairs, and that he (Musa) was forced to retire after he had voiced his reservations on the matter. Hishammuddin had since denied Musa's accusations. READ MORE HERE

‘Sultan cannot make rules for non-Muslims’ Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:51 PM PST The vocal Bishop Paul Tan says that the Sultan's role is merely to protect Islam. He also underscores the fact that Malaysia is not an Islamic state. RK Anand, FMT The Sultan of Selangor's decree that non-Muslims in the state are forbidden from using the term "Allah" has drawn the ire of a senior clergyman, who felt that the ruler has acted in an unfair manner. Bishop Paul Tan, who heads the Johor and Malacca diocese, said the Sultan's role was to protect Islam and not to make rules for those of other faiths. "We non-Muslims have our own heads. Besides, our country is a constitutional or parliamentary democracy not a theocratic state i.e. Islamic state. Our Federal Constitution protects the rights of all our people, not only Muslims," he told FMT. Tan also pointed out that the matter was still pending appeal after the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled on Dec 31, 2009 that the ban on non-Muslims using the word "Allah" was illegal. "As said many a time, historically the word is pre-Islamic and therefore cannot be claimed as a creation of Islam. We also have documents that in the early 17th century, translations of the Bible into Malay, the word 'Allah' was used. "In all countries, except Malaysia, including Arab countries and Indonesia, there is no ban on Christians using the word 'Allah'," he said. "If the Malaysian government forbids people of faiths other than those who profess Islam from using the word 'Allah', we would be the laughing stock of more enlightened people in other countries," he added. Tan also questioned if the faith of Malaysian Muslims were so fragile that it had to be protected because the use of this word by others would endanger their belief. "I personally do not think so. How many leaders of this country have been educated in Christian schools and remained faithful to their Islamic faith? Many. By trying to forbid people of faiths other than those who profess Islam from using the word 'Allah' on the pretext of protecting the Muslims is actually casting aspersion on Malaysian Muslims for having a weak faith," he said. Furthermore, the bishop noted that there were at least three Surahs in the Quran – Surah 2:62,(the Cow), Surah 5:69 (The Table) and Surah 22:17 (the Pilgrimage) that say Jews, Christians and Sabeans believe in "Allah". "Sikhs have also clearly declared that their holy scriptures use the word 'Allah'. There is only one God who created everyone and everything, there are no two Gods. It is only human beings who understand the Almighty in different and variegated ways," he added. Politicians to blame Responding to a question, Tan, who was the immediate past president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, blamed politicians for the imbroglio. READ MORE HERE

Prejudice and the ugly face of BN in Sabah Posted: 09 Jan 2013 11:49 AM PST   (Free Malaysia Today) - Yet another leader of the Sabah chapter of the State Reform Party (STAR) has cried foul over religious discrimination against the native Christians in the state. Sabah STAR women's wing chief, Melanie Annol, said there had been increasing reports and claims that both the federal and state governments are willfully sidelining native Christians in job opportunities and promotions in public service and government-linked bodies in the state. In supporting STAR leader Daniel John Jambun's recent call on authorities and politicians to stop harrasing Christians in Malaysia, Annol stressed that victimisation in Sabah is real and that the native Christians had chosen to keep it to themselves until now. "I would like to direct the world attention to this systematic racial discrimination against native Christians especially the Kadazandusun – Murut groups, the original people in Sabah. "These natives were supposed to lead the state and be as dominant but what had happened was they had been willfully left behind and sidelined by the ruling Barisan Nasional in almost every spectrum of opportunity in government offices," she said in a statement issued here today. Annol who is also STAR head for Penampang, claimed that in some cases of new recruitment of staff, certain departments were taking in only Muslim applicants and no Christians, no matter how well qualified. "There had been reports where the entire intake of staff were always Muslims and only one or two from the Kadazandusun natives managed to get in, even that was because they were Muslim Kadazandusuns. "I stand proud to be able to highlight this discrimination now before it gets out of hand and as we look ahead to seek a fair treatment from a fairer government. "What I am saying is the truth and its happening in Sabah. "We never envisaged it to be like this bad. The late Tun Mustapha Harun and Tun Fuad Stephens must be cringing in their graves seeing the unbelievable now is happening in Sabah," she said. Annol also pointed out that even in institution of higher learning like Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) one can see the overwhelming "imbalance" in term of opportunity for the Christian natives staff. "I don't believe that race and religion were not a criteria when the authorities recruit or promote officers in their departments. It just defies logic that Kadazandusun Christians find it is very hard now to get employment in public services and those once inside find it even more difficult to get promotion. "In UMS I only see two prominent Kadazandusun names – Prof Felix Tongkul and Prof Marcus Jopony – among the most senior officers," she said based on what was printed in the university's book for its recent convocation weeks ago. Marginalised by Muslims and Malayans She said according to latest record all the top seven officials of UMS are from one community. Currently the vice-chancellor is Prof Mohd Harun Abdullah, three deputy vice chancellors Prof Shariff Abdul Kadir Shariff Omang, Prof Shahril Yusof, and Associate Prof Kasim Md Mansur, the registrar is Abdullah Mohd Said while the Bursar is headed by Rizal Othman. The chief Librarian is Dayang Rukiah Awang Amit. The 32-member UMS Senate are all from the same community except for one Indian, one Chinese and Dr Jopony and Dr Tongkul. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/01/09/prejudice-and-the-ugly-face-of-bn-in-sabah/

‘Allah’ ban against court order, Cabinet decision, Selangor told Posted: 09 Jan 2013 11:41 AM PST   (The Malaysian Insider) - Lawyers in the "Allah CD" case have formally written to tell the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) that the Selangor Sultan's latest ban on the usage of "Allah" by non-Muslims is disrespectful of a 2009 High Court order and in conflict with a 2011 federal government decision on the matter. In a letter to MAIS yesterday, the lawyers affixed documents to both decisions to remind the council that a settlement to the controversy had long been reached, despite the latest religious storm over the same issue. "MAIS's action, which is inconsistent and contrary to the order of the court, appears to belittle and disrespect the court decision," the lawyers said in the letter signed by Annou Xavier, who is also a member of the Kuala Lumpur Catholic Lawyers' Society (CLS). The first document attached to the letter is a copy of the 2009 court order where Jill Ireland, a Sarawakian Christian, was granted permission to challenge the government's previous confiscation of several of her religious CDs which bore the word "Allah". The second document is a April 2011 circular to Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) chairman Bishop Ng Moon Hing that was signed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself, stating that Christians and those of other faiths can import and use bibles in any languages including Bahasa Malaysia. In the run-up to the heated Sarawak state polls, the federal government had on April 2, 2011, issued a 10-point solution to the "Allah" controversy, allowing the publication and distribution of the AlKitab, the Malay-language Bible that it had impounded due to its usage of "Allah" to refer to the Christian God. As such, Annou said that by suddenly banning non-Muslims in Selangor from using "Allah", MAIS had not only contradicted both the court and federal government's decisions, but had also contravened Article 11(3) of the Federal Constitution which, he said, stipulates that those of all other faiths in Malaysia had the right to conduct their religious practices freely. "We hope MAIS will not prolong this issue of non-Muslims using 'Allah' in the media and instead respect the court decision as well as every individual's right to freedom of religion," the lawyer wrote. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/allah-ban-against-court-order-cabinet-decision-selangor-told/

Haron: I’ll never agree to allow non-Muslims use 'Allah' Posted: 09 Jan 2013 11:00 AM PST   (The Star) - PAS deputy mursyidul am Datuk Dr Haron Din says he will never agree to any decision allowing the use of "kalimah Allah" by non-Muslims. "Kalimah Allah dominates every surah in the Quran, while the word Allah cannot be found anywhere in the Bible," he said. He said this in response to the resurfacing of the contentious issue after DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said recently that Christians should be allowed to use the word "Allah" in the Malay version of the Bible. The PAS Syura Council meeting on Saturday is expected to be highly charged as many of the religious scholars in the party are not agreeable to Pakatan Rakyat's consensus to allow non-Muslims to use "kalimah Allah". Some members of the Syura Council were caught by surprise over the decision that was made without consulting the supreme body of the Islamist party. PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said on Tuesday that Islam did not forbid non-Muslims from using the word "Allah" but it should not be abused. Dr Haron described as kufur (disbelievers) those who allow non-Muslims to use the word "Allah", as it could lead to syirik (shirk) when the word is used on the cross and other prayer paraphernalia. PAS Ulama chief Datuk Dr Harun Taib had also expressed shock over Pakatan Rakyat's claim that a consensus had been reached. In an immediate response on Tuesday, Harun said that as far as he could remember, the Syura Council had never made a decision on the matter. PAS mursyidul am (spiritual leader) Datuk Seri Nik Abdul Aziz was quoted in a Malay daily as saying that on a personal basis, he believed non-Muslims should be allowed to use "kalimah Allah", as it could be the first step to preach Islam to them. However, Nik Aziz said he would abide by the Syura Council's decision. Meanwhile, Selangor Barisan Nasional coordinator Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed hit out at Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for defying the Selangor Sultan's advice to abide by a fatwa barring non-Muslims from using "kalimah Allah". Mohd Zin said Anwar, who claimed to be adviser to the Selangor Government, should be ashamed for being ignorant of the fact that the ruling prohibiting the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims for the propagation of other religions apart from Islam was stipulated in Section 9 of the Non-Islamic Religion Enactment (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) 1988. "What kind of message is he trying to send? "Is he trying to instigate Pakatan supporters to commit sedition?" he asked.

Ahead of polls, Putrajaya tells local media to ‘soften people’s hearts’ Posted: 09 Jan 2013 10:51 AM PST File photo of the Bersih street rally in Kuala Lumpur in April last year. BN has told the local print media to play up objections to street rallies organised by the opposition for various causes. One such rally will be held this weekend.  (The Malaysian Insider) - Putrajaya has told the local media to "soften people's hearts" and provide more good news before this year's general election to showcase the ruling Barisan Nasional's (BN) administrative record, say executives who have attended a series of hush-hush meetings since New Year's Day. The Malaysian Insider understands that newspaper and television news editors have also been told to play up positive economic stories and businessmen's objections to street rallies such as this weekend's Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (HKR) rally in Stadium Merdeka. "The minister wants us to 'soften people's hearts' with positive news and programmes," said a media executive who attended a meeting chaired by Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim. "The focus is more on the Chinese and Indian communities as BN feels they are not getting enough support from them," the executive added. BN suffered historic losses in Election 2008, ceding four states and more than one-third of the 222-seat Parliament to several opposition parties that later formed Pakatan Rakyat (PR) under sacked Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The swing has been attributed to widespread discontent among the Chinese and Indians, who form a significant minority among the country's 28 million population. But the opposition pact has found it difficult to expand its influence through the mass media as the government controls national radio and television broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), state news agency Bernama and its broadcasting arm BernamaTV and Radio24. Rais's ministry is also in charge of licensing private broadcasters such as Syarikat Televisyen Malaysia Bhd (STMB), Astro, TV AlHijrah and private radio stations. It is understood the minister had asked for a list of positive programmes to be aired in the next few months ahead of Election 2013 which is now expected to be held before the first week of April. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ahead-of-polls-putrajaya-tells-local-media-to-soften-peoples-hearts/

DRB-HICOM to go private? Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:13 AM PST FIRST QUARTER TARGET: Tycoon Syed Mokhtar may make standalone offer, says source (Business Times) - Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar AlBukhary may make a standalone offer to privatise DRB-HICOM Bhd, the country's biggest automotive company, people working on the plan said yesterday. Business Times understands that the plan is being helmed by privately-held Meridian Solutions Sdn Bhd. Meridian is a unit controlled by Syed Mokhtar's top financial aide, Ooi Teik Huat. The low-profile 53-year-old Ooi is one of the Syed Mokhtar's top backroom boys, who sits on the board of many companies in which the Kedah-born businessman has a controlling stake. Ooi currently sits on the board of Malakoff and MMC Corp Bhd. It is further understood that Hong Leong Bank Bhd and Public Bank Bhd are the two top banks working with Ooi on the privatisation. "Hong Leong and Public Bank will help provide the financing for the exercise. It is scheduled to take place in the first quarter of this year," said the source. Business Times was also told that DRB-HICOM could be taken private for between RM3.50 and RM4 a share, and that the exercise will be solely driven by Syed Mokhtar, who controls some 55 per cent of the company. Syed Mokhtar, 61, could fork out as much as RM7.73 billion to take DRB-HICOM private. The exercise comes barely a year after he bought Proton Holdings Bhd at RM5.50 a share or 24 times estimated earnings. At RM4 a share, DRB-HICOM is valued at RM7.73 billion. The stock closed at RM2.63 a share yesterday, giving it a market capitalisation of RM5.08 billion. "None of the other shareholders are involved. It is a standalone bid as DRB-HICOM is severely undervalued. Its landbank itself has a net worth of RM10 billion," said the source. Neither Syed Mokthar nor his representatives on the board of DRB-HICOM have briefed the board on the planned exercise. "When they are ready with the money and the numbers tally, they will file in straight the offer to take DRB-HICOM private to the company secretary," said the source.

Explain RM207 billion compensation, says Anwar Posted: 08 Jan 2013 05:04 PM PST (Anwar Ibrahim's Blog) - PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is taking the BN government to task and wants it to explain what became of the RM207 billion compensation allegedly paid by the Japanese government to surviving victims and the heirs of over 30,000 Malayans used as forced labour for the infamous Death Railway from Siam to Burma during World War II. He has claimed that the money was not transferred to the Treasury when he was finance minister back in the 1990′s. "I have said that this money was not dispersed to the Treasury. This RM207 billion is something which the present BN government can't stay silent." "Like the issue brought up in the transfer of suspected illicit funds following the report by the Global Financial Integrity group, where over RM190 billion was unaccounted for. So far, there has not been any comment from the prime minister or the Treasury on this issue. There is a clear neglect of the country's finances," he said. Anwar was asked to comment on the revelation by former Perak menteri besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin that the Japanese government had allegedly paid the compensation to the Malaysian government in the 1990′s. Nizar had said that he does not know if the money is still in the keeping of the government or had already been disbursed to the victims. "There were 30,000 who had survived to come back to Malaysia, though some had died, they have heirs who formed the Association of former labourers and heirs of the Siam-Burma 1942-1946 railway construction," Nizar was quoted saying in a Harakahdaily report.

Don’t repeat past mistakes, Jerit tells Pakatan Posted: 08 Jan 2013 04:52 PM PST Workers are furious that Pakatan has rejected its 'reasonable' floor wage proposal of RM1,500. Anisah Shukry, FMT Non-governmental organisation Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) has flayed Pakatan Rakyat for using "lame excuses" and "unsound judgment" in rejecting Malaysian workers' recent RM1,500 minimum wage proposal. Jerit said Pakatan's outright rejection of the RM1,500 minimum wage was "not of sound judgment or justified", especially since the Wold Bank Report was prepared on the advice of the Malaysian government and classified as "not for citation". "The PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli's sudden dependence on the World Bank Report, a document used by the BN government, is really baffling us," Jerit said in a statement today. On Sunday, more than 20 workers' union under the coalition of the Malaysian Workers Network (MWN) had proposed a monthly a minimum wage of RM1,500 ahead of the 13th general election. But the following day, several Pakatan leaders told FMT the figure was not applicable for the time being and maintained that the floor wage should be set at RM1,100. Citing the classified World Bank report, Rafizi had said anything higher than the rate Pakatan had proposed in its alternative budget would have an adverse impact on the economy. PAS MP Dzulkefly Ahmad also told FMT that RM1,500 would not be sustainable as it would be counter-productive to workers. But Jerit today questioned whether Pakatan had truly done its research before making such statements, and cited the nation's per capita income as proof that RM1,500 was reasonable. "Taking into account the income per capita figure which is RM RM26, 420 per year per Malaysian citizen, which means each Malaysian roughly should be taking home RM2,291 as a wage, the demand for RM1,500 minimum wage is very reasonable and has a basis," said Jerit "Thus, for PKR to reject outright the RM1,500 demand for minimum wage without knowing the rationale of the workers is akin to the pot [PKR] calling the cattle [BN] black." Jerit was referring to the fact that Pakatan has continuously slammed BN for setting the country's minimum wage at RM900 for the peninsula and RM800 for Sabah and Sarawak. Jerit also cited Indonesia as an example that implementing a minimum wage of RM1,500 was possible. "Indonesia, our neighbouring country, just in November 2012 gave its minimum wage a 40% increase from 1.5 million rupiah [about RM472] to 2.2 million rupiah [about RM692]," said Jerit. "Even then, the Jakarta Globe on Nov 6, 2012 reported that 'despite hefty minimum wage increases across the country next year, Indonesia remains an attractive destination for foreign companies due to the solid pace of its economic growth, global banks UBS and Deutsche Bank say.'." RM 1,500 not viable? Jerit also questioned whether "Rafizi and the Pakatan leadership" were aware of the rakyat's cost of living and whether Pakatan's proposed minimum wage of RM1,100 would suffice. READ MORE HERE

MCA man sits on fence over ‘Allah’ row Posted: 08 Jan 2013 04:39 PM PST Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider An MCA leader refused today to make a stand on the Selangor Sultan's decree banning non-Muslims from referring to their gods as "Allah". When asked if non-Muslims should be allowed to use the word "Allah", MCA deputy publicity chief Loh Seng Kok (picture) evaded the question by saying: "I'm not making a statement." He noted, however, that many state anthems contained the word "Allah". "Are we being barred from singing the state anthem now?" asked Loh, who is also an MCA central committee member. Muslim-majority Malaysia has 13 states and three federal territories. More than half the state anthems contain the word "Allah" in their lyrics. The Selangor Sultan instructed the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (JAIS) yesterday to take firm action against all groups, including non-Muslims, who continued to question the state fatwa (edict) and a 1988 state law restricting use of the Arabic word. MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was unavailable for comment. Former Perlis mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has said that the royal ban would force many states to create a "special" version of their anthems. Christian church leaders have questioned if a fatwa could be applied to non-Muslims. Council of Churches in Malaysia (CCM) secretary-general Rev Hermen Shastri also pointed out that the High Court's 2009 ruling, which said that the word "Allah" was not exclusive to Muslims, was still in effect pending the Home Ministry's appeal against it. CCM president Bishop Datuk Thomas Tsen has highlighted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 10-point agreement, issued in April 2011, that allowed Christians in Borneo Malaysia to use the word "Allah" in their worship.

Despite royal decree, Protestant churches say will keep using ‘Allah’ Posted: 08 Jan 2013 04:02 PM PST Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider An umbrella body representing Malaysia's Protestant churches said today Christians nationwide have been calling their god "Allah" in their worship for centuries and will continue exercising their constitutional right to do so, notwithstanding a Selangor state decree barring the term from them. The heads of churches of the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) said it had noted the current discourse over the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims. The church leaders who are meeting in Ipoh, reiterated that they have been using "Allah" in Malay-language bibles "for centuries" and that many indigenous communities here have incorporated the word that was of Arabic origin as part of their everyday language. "That being the case, we shall continue this practice ― a right guaranteed to us in our Federal Constitution (Article 11) ― and call on all parties to respect this fundamental right," they said in a statement to The Malaysian Insider. The CCM clergymen's statement comes on the heels of a similar statement issued yesterday by the umbrella body for all Sikh temples in the country. The Malaysian Gurdwaras Council (MGC) added that any move to stop non-Muslims from using the word "Allah" in a religious text would be a restriction on Sikhs from practising their religion. "The Malaysian Gurdwaras Council (MGC) is saddened to note that a decree has been issued by His Highness the Sultan of Selangor that non-Muslims in the state are banned from using the word Allah as it is a holy word exclusive to Muslims. "The MGC is further dismayed that no exceptions have been made in the decree," MGC president Jagir Singh said in a statement. Sultan Sharafuddin has called for an emergency meeting with state Islamic religious officials to bar non-Muslims from using the Arabic word for god, the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) said yesterday. The statement from the state's highest Islamic authority came despite a High Court ruling in December 2009 that the word "Allah" was not restricted to Muslims and the Catholic Church had the right to publish the word in the Malay section of its weekly newspaper, Herald. Despite the Selangor Sultan's latest decree banning non-Muslims in the state from using the word "Allah", Pakatan Rakyat (PR) confirmed today its stand on the controversy, insisting that Islam does not prohibit others from using the word. READ MORE HERE

Ambiga: TI-M’s refusal to watch polls disappointing Posted: 08 Jan 2013 03:57 PM PST (The Star) - Bersih 2.0 steering committee co-chairperson Datuk S. Ambiga says Transparency International-Malaysia's (TI-M) rejection of the Election Commission's (EC) invitation to monitor the general election is "disappointing". She said this was because accredited bodies had the advantage of gaining access into polling stations. However, she deemed most of the EC's conditions as "ridiculous", and urged the commission to review its conditions if it was truly committed to inviting independent bodies to monitor the elections. In an immediate response, TI-M secretary-general Josie Fernandez said she was "surprised" by Ambiga's criticism, adding that it was the executive committee's unanimous decision to reject the offer. She said this was because some conditions were not agreeable. "I hope Ambiga realises that for us to take part, we must first address issues such as a limited number of observers permitted in each constituency and limitations such as not being able to speak to the press," Fernandez said. She said TI-M also faced financial and human resources constraints and would not be able to deploy the several hundred observers required. Meanwhile, Ambiga introduced the new election monitoring campaign launched by Bersih 2.0 in partnership with Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections and Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat. Called the Pemantau Pilihan Raya Rakyat (Pemantau), she said the body hoped to get 10,000 volunteers to serve as observers, adding that they would have to sign a pledge and code of conduct. "Those who have not adhered to the code of conduct will have their reports devalued," she said.

‘Japan did not pay RM207 billion’ Posted: 08 Jan 2013 03:44 PM PST (The Star) - Japan never paid RM207 bil to the Malaysian Government as compensation for victims of the Death Railway project in the 1940s, according to the Japanese Embassy. Its Second Secretary Takaharu Suegami, responding to PAS working committee member Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin who was reported to have said so, said the latter's claim was "outside the involvement and knowledge of the Government of Japan". "All questions arising out of the unhappy events with regard to Malaysia have been fully and finally settled under the San Francisco Treaty which entered into force in 1952," he said in a statement yesterday. Nizar was quoted by Harakah Daily as saying that the embassy had confirmed that the money was handed to the Malaysian Government in 2004. The report stated that the money had yet to be distributed to families of the estimated 30,000 Malaysians who were forced labourers of the project between 1942 and 1946. Suegami said both countries had also signed an agreement on Sept 21, 1967, whereby Japan agreed to supply services and products to Malaysia totalling RM25mil. The grants, he said, had been used to build two ships, among other projects, but there was no transfer of an undisclosed amount of money. "Malaysia agreed that any question from the events of the Second World War that might affect our good bilateral relations would be fully and finally settled with the agreement. "All the supply in accordance with the agreement was completed by May 6, 1972," he said.

Zahid to sue Rafizi for alleged defamation Posted: 08 Jan 2013 03:36 PM PST (The Star) - Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will sue PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli for alleged defamation. He said Rafizi had gone overboard by accusing him of abuse of power over the acquisition of a company and land by Boustead Holdings Bhd, which is a subsidiary of Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT). Boustead in a filing with Bursa Malaysia last month stated that it would acquire an 80% stake in Astacanggih Sdn Bhd, linked to controversial carpet businessman Deepak Jaikishnan, through subsidiary Bakti Wira Development Sdn Bhd. Zahid said Boustead, as a public-listed company, did not take instructions from any minister or individual. "They (Boustead) did purchase the company for RM30mil and land for RM130mil but Rafizi should be aware that the market price was more than RM300mil. "The said transaction is fully commercialised and does not involve the Defence Ministry or me. "Not a single sen of LTAT's money was used in the transaction... LTAT takes care of its contributors," he said yesterday after announcing plans for the Lang- kawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima) in March. Zahid challenged Rafizi to lodge a police report against him if he was "man enough" and to issue an open statement, adding that the latter should not destroy the trust contributors had in LTAT. "We will see each other in court. I hope he stops the lies. "He should get his facts right and not play such politics," he added.

Mat Sabu: We expect trouble-free rally Posted: 08 Jan 2013 03:33 PM PST (The Star) - Organisers of the gathering at Merdeka Stadium on Saturday are expecting a trouble-free rally. Organising chairman PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu said that there would be no marching to Merdeka Stadium and participants were expected to make their own way and gather at the venue from 2pm to 5pm. He told reporters after meeting Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar to discuss the Saturday gathering yesterday. Mohamad, however, said that the organisers had yet to receive official notification from the stadium management on whether they would be allowed to use the venue for the gathering or otherwise. He said that they would wait until 1pm today for the green light to use the stadium, failing which, they would make an alternative plan. "We will make the final decision tomorrow and announce it by 4pm," he said. Meanwhile, city police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohmad Salleh said police were finalising their preparations for the gathering. "We will inform road users on the traffic situation and road closures as soon as a plan has been formulated," he said. Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said that the Opposition pact must ensure that the assembly they propose to hold on Saturday does not develop into a riot. "They should apply to Stadium Nasional, Bukit Jalil, if they wish to organise the assembly there and ensure that the capacity stipulated was complied with," he said. He said everyone must ensure that the assembly did not turn into a riot as had happened during the "Bersih" gathering last year.

English murdered in a murder story Posted: 08 Jan 2013 03:16 PM PST Black Rose - the much-hyped tell-all - falls short of expectations but provides enough inside jokes and hints to keep its readers gripped. Anisah Shukry, FMT By this time, avid followers of The Confessions of the Carpet Man have no doubt winced and chuckled through every misspelt word and thinly-veiled nicknames in the book The Black Rose, presumably written by the Carpet Man himself. Never mind that Deepak Jaikishan, the star of the real-life saga, has denounced the free e-book as being a fake – such a fact makes for even more salacious reading and adds further intrigue to the unfolding drama. And what a drama: By reading the first paragraph alone, the reader can guess just how complex the issue is – and the bad language certainly doesn't help. "This is a true version of the events leading to the 2nd SD by LABA on the instruction of Black Rose, on the day the first SD was announced by LABA flanked by the head of the opposition, Black Rose called me in the same evening, she wanted KAPEED to help solve the SD issue as the repulsion was very severe, she explained to me that LALA's people were going to see the SD by LABA to convince a direct participant in the 4C incident to come forward and make a SD and confess that he had been instructed by whom to initiate 4C and that ABCD instructed him and ABCD was instructed by BIJAN." And that's just the first sentence. But whether the writer intended this or not, there is a plus side to the run-in sentences and disregard for punctuation – it makes for a hilarious book that just cannot be put down. For example, the Selangor Umno Wanita chief Raja Ropiaah Abdullah land deal is just that more gripping when described so eloquently in the following manner: "…Raja Popiah was a very strong person in state politics, she was very chauvinistic and greedy and unlike popiah stall owners who once they have sold their popiah to one person will never dare to sell it to another, Raja Popiah darest do the unimaginable…" This unintentionally humorous writing is especially useful since readers will find that the book holds nothing new in terms of information. But on the down side, the writer's brutal murder of the English language makes it very difficult for the reader to take the contents, and the writer himself, seriously. Content-wise, for those who haven't read the book, you don't miss out on anything except for a lot of laughs, because it is just a (bad) re-telling of information Deepak previously divulged to the press. Analysing the symbolism From the Raja Ropiaah land deal to the events leading and following the second statutory declaration by P Balasubramaniam, everything appears to be recycled from Deepak's interviews and press statements. Even the documents included in the PDF file, which make up half the book, were apparently already available on PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli's website. Regardless, those who have free time should definitely give this book a try; the nicknames the writer came up with alone are worth it. READ MORE HERE

IPF plans mammoth rally on Jan 12 Posted: 08 Jan 2013 03:06 PM PST The gathering is to show support for BN's attempt to retake Selangor in the 13th general election.  B Nantha Kumar, FMT As Pakatan Rakyat prepares for a mammoth rally dubbed "Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat" (People's Uprising Rally) on Jan 12 at Stadium Merdeka, a BN-friendly party is also scheduled to hold a massive rally on the same day. The All Malaysia Indian Progressive Front better known as IPF confirmed that the party was  planning a rally on Jan 12, at Dataran Tesco, in Semenyih where Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is expected to be the guest of honour. Speaking to FMT, party president M Sambanthan (picture), who is also director of the rally, said the gathering was to show support for BN's attempt to retake Selangor in the 13th general election. "The peaceful assembly is really important to IPF. It is the time for us to show our adherence to the prime minister and BN," he said. He said IPF would mobilise 20,000 people to attend the rally and this would send " a strong message to Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor that Indians were unhappy with the opposition coalition." "We have informed all our branches to mobilise support for the rally. We hope the rally would be peaceful," he said. Sambanthan also quashed speculation that the IPF rally was to counter Pakatan's Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat also planned on the same day at Stadium Merdeka. "This is not something we planned just last week. We started planning for it since last year and the prime minister gave the date some three months ago. Some Pakatan leaders are going around saying our rally is to counter their rally. IPF's rally does not have anything to do with their rally," he said. READ MORE HERE

Senior lawyer sees red over judge-bashing Posted: 08 Jan 2013 03:01 PM PST Sankara Nair wants action to be taken against those responsible for the incredulous and vile attack on Justice VT Singham. RK Anand, FMT The scathing attack against a high court judge has left a senior lawyer seething with indignation and demanding that action be taken against the perpetrator. Referring to an article published on the Perkasa website yesterday, Sankara Nair told FMT that he was both outraged and appalled by the incredulous and vile statements. "The writer is incredibly moronic and his allegations are scurrilous, vilifying and wholly unwarranted. The writer has gone on a vicious, baseless, and defamatory personal tirade against the judge and it is prima facie contempt of court. "The writer is clearly politically motivated and as such incapable and not qualified to give substantial, constructive and reasonable criticism of Justice VT Singham or any judicial officer for that matter," he added. Sankara said that if the Attorney-General's Chambers did not direct the police to lodge a report, he would be more than willing to file a police report on this matter. The lawyer also urged the chief justice as head of the judiciary to call upon the AG Chambers to act against the individual or individuals of Perkasa who were involved in this matter. "Judges are always vulnerable and it is most unfortunate that they are unable to defend themselves personally against attacks against them. Thus, it is the public duty of all lawyers and the Bar Council to guard against such attacks on judges and to protect the sanctity and integrity of all judges in performing their judicial duties. "It is reiterated that it is the legal and bounden duty of the Attorney-General's Chambers to take a stand and to come out strongly against such atrocious behaviour by this writer and institute contempt proceedings and also order the police to commence investigations by issuing an Order to Investigate (OTI) with a view to prosecute the writer," he said. The article penned by Zainuddin Salleh had questioned Singham's impartiality, his past judgments and also insinuated that he could be a homosexual due to him being a bachelor. Singham is the presiding judge in the RM50 million defamation suit filed by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim against Utusan Malaysia. He is scheduled to deliver his judgment on Jan 22. 'Article aims to intimidate him' Commenting further, Sankara, a former Anwar lawyer, said the judge had yet to deliver his verdict and the contents of the article was clearly premeditated and timed as such with an intention to intimidate him and to interfere with the administration of justice. "This amounts to a clear commission of a criminal offence under Section 228 of the Penal Code, the objective of which is to preserve the prestige and dignity of the court by punishing any person who intentionally insults in any way the court administering justice," he added. READ MORE HERE

Mustafa: Hudud application impossible for now Posted: 08 Jan 2013 09:45 AM PST   (fz.com) - Hudud, the Islamic system of criminal law, is destined to remain entangled in a series of legal, political and administrative processes that will prevent its application for a long time to come, says PAS Secretary-General Datuk Mustafa Ali. At the mention of the complexities that surround Hudud - ranging from the implementation issues that it entails, the differing stances on the subject taken by Pakatan Rakyat coalition members and its incessant appearance in the headlines since 2008 - Mustafa chuckles.   "But you have never seen Hudud being implemented," he responds, drawing attention to the contrast between all the talk over the matter on the one hand, and the lack of any legal or practical steps taken to implement such laws.   Speaking to fz.com in an interview recently, the Islamic party strongman says that he would not be surprised if the issue makes another comeback just as the general election approaches.   He says that although the Pakatan parties - PAS, DAP and PKR - have "agreed to disagree" over the issue, it will not just go away as it is close to the heart of any Muslim and it was a matter of principle for followers of Islam to uphold.   "No Muslim, whether in PAS or Umno, can say that Hudud is not in Islam or that it is against the teaching of Islam. But if you speak to an Umno person, although they would agree with this, there are so many "buts" and "buts" (to justify its lack of implementation)," he says.   Hudud, says Mustafa, must be discussed in a broader perspective, as it is a "very small" portion of the Islamic justice system.   "It is more of a deterrent than a form of punishment... more to instill fear in the people. It is just a small part of all the different systems of life in Islam such as economics, education and social well-being. Hudud is a very small part of criminal law," he said.   In what (for now) appears to be the last word on the issue, Pakatan decided in September 2011 that DAP will stick to its opposition to the issue and PAS cannot be forced to abandoned its principle to implement the law.   Flanked by 20-odd top Pakatan leaders, the coalition's head Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said then: "Pakatan respects the PAS initiatives and aspirations (to implement the Hudud in Kelantan), but we have to reach a consensus… DAP is opposed to that and PKR and PAS respect that decision".   He also said that the matter was a non-issue as the existence of the Second Syariah Kelantan Criminal Enactments 1993 and the Terengganu Syariah Criminal Enactments 2003 required amendments to the Federal Constitution.   Referring to these state laws, Mustafa reiterates, as he has done many times before, that the passage of any laws containing elements of Hudud must follow the democratic process.   "Even in Kedah (where PAS holds 16 out of 36 state seats), we don't have the numbers to implement Hudud (or pass any related legislation)," he says, noting that the state laws passed in Kelantan and Terengganu were voted for by a two-thirds majority in their respective state assemblies.   Read more at: http://fz.com/content/mustafa-hudud-application-impossible-now

Questions over ‘fatwa’ effect on non-Muslims after Selangor Sultan’s ‘Allah’ decree Posted: 08 Jan 2013 09:27 AM PST   (The Malaysian Insider) - Christian church leaders have expressed concern over the effect of the Selangor Sultan's royal decree banning followers of faiths other than Islam from using the word "Allah" to describe their gods. The state Ruler had also instructed the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (JAIS) yesterday to take firm action against all groups, including non-Muslims, who continued to question the state fatwa (edict) and a 1988 state law restricting use of the Arabic word. "Can a fatwa be applied to a non-Muslim?" asked Father Lawrence Andrew, the editor of the country's sole Catholic newspaper, Herald, when contacted by The Malaysian Insider yesterday. In December 2009, the High Court ruled that the word "Allah" was not restricted to Muslims and the Catholic Church had the right to published the word in the Malay section of its weekly newspaper, Herald. The priest declined further comment, saying he would leave the question to be answered by legal experts, after pointing to a key issue raised in the Herald's court challenge three years ago. In her 2009 ruling, High Court judge Datuk Lau Bee Lan found that "a non-Muslim could be committing an offence if he uses the word 'Allah' to a Muslim but there would be no offence if it was used to a non-Muslim". Rev Hermen Shastri from the Methodist Church told The Malaysian Insider that the High Court's judgment is still legally in effect pending the Home Ministry's appeal to ban non-Muslims using the word, which it had argued in court was a security threat. "Until overturned, Christians have the right to use it," Shastri, who is secretary-general of the Council of Churches in Malaysia (CCM), an umbrella body representing all the Protestant churches nationwide. CCM president Bishop Datuk Thomas Tsen told The Malaysian Insider he was worried about the consequences of the decree on Sabah and Sarawak Christians living in the state. "Of course I am concerned about the effect on our people who live here, especially when Najib talks about 1 Malaysia and we want to speak in one language," the Lutheran bishop said, referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's remarks. Like Andrew, he declined comment on the Selangor sultan's statement, but highlighted a 10-point agreement issued by the Najib administration in April 2011, allowing Christians in Borneo Malaysia the freedom to use it in their worship, ahead of the Sarawak state election. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/questions-over-fatwa-effect-on-non-muslims-after-selangor-sultans-allah-decree/

Muhyiddin: We are not bankrupt Posted: 08 Jan 2013 09:23 AM PST   (The Star) - Malaysia is not bankrupt but is cash rich with a record collection of RM125bil in taxes last year, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said. Refuting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's allegation that the country was on the verge of bankruptcy, he said the Government would not have been able to afford RM560mil aid for 5.6 million students or the BR1M aid if the Government was strapped for cash. "Therefore, I would like to appeal to all of you not to fall into the Opposition's trap," he said during a meet-the-people session at the district padang here. Citing another example, he said critics had accused the Government of implementing the AES project because it had run out of cash to fund its programmes. "Malaysia is not the first or only country to implement AES. "We were forced to do so as thousands of Malaysians are dying on the roads annually due to accidents," he said, adding that 6,000 fatalities were registered last year. Muhyiddin, who was here for a one-day working visit, said Malaysia had not only received huge foreign investments but had been recognised as one of the most progressive economies in the world. "While most countries, including Europe and the United States, were facing economic uncertainties, we have continued to register a 5% growth." "In fact, experts have forecast that we will be able to do equally well, if not better, this year as our country and economy are well managed." Muhyddin said the per capita income of the rakyat was also set to increase to US$15,000 (RM45,250), by 2020. The per capita income of Malaysians was only US$7,500 a year ago and this had since increased to US$9,700 (RM21,120), he said. He said Pakatan Rakyat could not be an alternative to Barisan Nasional because its members were always at loggerheads with each other. "They cannot agree to simple things as we have seen in Kelantan and Selangor on several occasions," he said. During his visit, Muhyiddin handed over RM20.65mil to the state government for the RM100 aid to be given to 206,500 students in the state, RM4.1mil for several projects here and RM3.5mil for the redevelopment of a hawker centre.

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