Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Kumpulan Semesta CEO sacked
- Pak Lah takes on Dr M in 'tell-all' book
- Mahathir behind Project IC, says Anwar
- SEB committing a bigger sin, says DAP
- Malaysian Election Deadlock Seen Possible
- Scrapping for every vote
- Chua: Government to present Chinese schools a fixed allocation from next year
- Vote only for Muslims, says PAS rep
- Johor in dissenting gales
| Posted: 31 Jan 2013 06:39 PM PST
Wan Ab Halim Wan Ismail has been on leave since November, and terminated from service last month. Meena Lakshana, fz.com Wan Ab Halim Wan Ismail, who is chief executive officer (CEO) of sand mining company Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB), a subsidiary of the Selangor government, had been sacked effective last month for abuse of power and violating company procedures. ALSO READ:1. EPISODE 4: The Selangor sand-mining scandal 2. Sand mining: RPK reveals 'dirt' on two reps 4. Haris: What happened to the 2010 findings? When contacted, sources in the Selangor government confirmed to fz.com that Wan Ab Halim, who was appointed CEO in July 2010, had received notice of his firing in early January. A Sinar Harian report today, quoting sources, said the KSSB board of directors fired Wan Ab Halim for abuse of power and violating operating procedures. The move came as a surprise for many quarters within KSSB as Selangor mentri besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had extended the CEO's contract for another two years last July. The company, too, has been doing financially well under his watch. The sacking follows an independent investigation by a firm appointed by the board of directors to look into financial operations of the company. Sources close to KSSB told the Bahasa Malaysia daily that Wan Ab Halim was alleged to have sanctioned illegal sand mining last year. Last November, he received notice to go on leave from the Selangor MB, and this was then extended till end-December. The CEO position at KSSB was created after two of the company's directors, who are state assembly members, were investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2010. Wan Ab Halim, 62, has wide prior experience with companies that are involved in the mining of mineral resources such as sand, tin, iron and gold. KSSB was established on June 26, 2008 to pioneer the mining of sand and other minerals in the state.
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| Pak Lah takes on Dr M in 'tell-all' book Posted: 31 Jan 2013 06:25 PM PST
'Elegant silence' no more. 'Mr Nice' is set to do battle with his predecessor over spiteful remarks. Mohsin Abdullah, fz.com Former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is finally countering allegations hurled at him by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in a "tell-all" book to be published after the coming Chinese New Year, say sources. The book is edited by well-known academics and political analysts Bridget Welsh and James Chin. If this is indeed true, then it will be the first time Abdullah is addressing attacks from his predecessor, which began soon after he took office in 2003. The attacks arose from what was seen as Abdullah "pushing aside" development projects started by Mahathir (including cancelling the "crooked bridge" link to Singapore) and unwillingness to continue certain policies. The barrage of attacks escalated following Barisan Nasional's poor showing in the 2008 general election, which Mahathir blamed on Abdullah, accusing him among other things, of being "a weak leader leading a half-past-six government". And that was one of Mahathir's "softer" tirades. Mahathir also openly called for Abdullah's resignation and famously quit Umno in May 2008, citing a lack of confidence in the party leadership. (Abdullah eventually stepped down in April 2009, to make way for current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak). Abdullah's response to Mahathir's attacks was, well, a non-response – prompting former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam, who agreed with the former's stance, to coin the now famous term "elegant silence". And Abdullah or Pak Lah as he is fondly known, has stuck to his code of "elegant silence" religiously, at least in public. Until now. With the publication of the book the "elegant silence" will finally, it seems, be broken. "Well, it is done in Pak Lah's style which is different from Dr Mahathir's," said another source, who is privy to the publication of the book. This means whether it would "satisfy" those who expect a hard-hitting response from the veteran politician remains to be seen.
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| Mahathir behind Project IC, says Anwar Posted: 31 Jan 2013 04:54 PM PST
The opposition leader points his fingers at former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed instead. Anisah Shukry, FMT Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today reiterated his stance that he had nothing to do with the citizenship-for-votes granted to Sabah immigrants in the 1990s. Instead, he accused former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad of being responsible for the task force allegedly responsible for the citizenships granted to the immigrants. He also claimed that the exercise was ongoing and suggested that the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) haul up Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as well. "I am ready for the [Royal Commission of Inquiry]. You can ask all the ministers, it was never discussed with me in the Cabinet, there are no minutes no reports, no related records," Anwar said at a press conference today. "Because the task force [to oversee Project IC] was managed by the then prime minister and handed over to (Mahathir's political secretary) Aziz Shamsuddin and (former Deputy Home Minister Tan Sri) Megat Junid (Megat Ayub)," claimed Anwar. "This is Mahathir's method [to make accusations against me]; but can he deny that he is responsible for founding the taskforce? All the reports were to his knowledge. He must answer this first." Yesterday, Mahathir had claimed his former deputy was the main man behind the so-called "Project IC", which is now under probe by the RCI. He said that there were times when Anwar had acted without his orders, and that the exercise was Anwar's own initiative. "He normally takes the initiative and sometimes do more [than is required]," online news portal Malaysiakini quoted Mahathir as saying. "What happens on the ground is often different from the directive [from above]," added Mahathir. Last week, Anwar had stated his willingness to testify in the ongoing RCI, but was quick to add that he was in the dark about the project. He also said that the RCI had not summoned him because "they know I have nothing to do with it". Today, Anwar again said that he would readily testify before the RCI. "As I said from the beginning, I am prepared to be investigated," he stressed.
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| SEB committing a bigger sin, says DAP Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:40 AM PST
(FMT) - "About RM100 million worth of electricity consumed is not accounted for and the SEB has gone on a rampage trying to catch these electricity thieves. On the other hand, it thinks nothing of giving discounts to the tune of RM1.3 billion to four companies" Giving discounts in the billions to favoured companies is worse than electricity theft committed by local factories and businesses. Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) in giving discounts in the billions to four companies is committing a worse sin than electricity theft by local factories and businesses, said DAP. "About RM100 million worth of electricity consumed is not accounted for and the SEB has gone on a rampage trying to catch these electricity thieves. "On the other hand, it thinks nothing of giving discounts to the tune of RM1.3 billion to four companies," said Chong Chieng Jen, the state DAP secretary. "I think SEB has got its priority wrong. We do not encourage stealing of electricity, but if we look at SEB projects, it has given mega discounts to cronies and individual companies. "The amount is more than 10 times the RM100 million it is attempting to recover. For example, the Murum dam which was initially valued at RM3.7 billion went up to RM4.52 billion." "This alone is RM550 million over the budget," said Chong. "The second project is the tender for the construction of the 500KV backbone transmission line from Samalaju, Bintulu to Tondong in Bau." "The project was to be awarded to a company allegedly owned by a son of Sarawak Chief Minister [Taib Mahmud] at RM1.15 billion, although the lowest tender was RM 1billion," he added. Chong said that the SEB had entered into an agreement with Press Metal Bhd (smelting plant in Mukah) to sell electricity up to 600MW at a price of 10.5 sen. "If you compare to what the local manufacturers, factory owners and businessmen are paying [at 10.5 sen per kw/hour rate], there is a discount of RM671 million per year to the company. "For Tokuyama, SEB is selling 140MW at a price of 11.5 sen. If you compare this rate with what is paid by the local companies, it gives this company a discount of RM145 million. "These figures add up to RM1.3 billion. This amount, given in the form of discounts, wastage or favourable rates payment to cronies is more than 10 times what the alleged theft has cost SEB. "If SEB wants to make profits and reduce expenses, it should look into those over-run projects, fishy deals and mega discounts to individual companies instead of persecuting the public," he said. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/01/31/seb-committing-a-bigger-sin-says-dap/ |
| Malaysian Election Deadlock Seen Possible Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:34 AM PST
(Asia Sentinel) - One Malay businessman told Asia Sentinel recently that he plans to vote as early as possible on election day, which hasn't yet been announced, and then get on an airplane immediately to get out of the country until he sees which way the wind blows. Several of his friends have made the same decision, he said. Even before the election is called, the political scheming grows in volume Malaysia's national elections, tentatively to be held sometime in late March or early April, are shaping up as a free-for-all that could end with neither the government's Barisan Nasional nor the Pakatan Rakyat opposition winning enough votes to take power, resulting in what is called a hung parliament, political observers in Kuala Lumpur say.
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| Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:28 AM PST
(The Economist) - THE smell of fresh paint in Taman Sentosa, one of the poorer districts of Malaysia's capital, can mean only one thing: elections are at hand. And lest anyone forget to whom they owe their good fortune, prominent signs up outside every block remind them: the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition government. THE smell of fresh paint in Taman Sentosa, one of the poorer districts of Malaysia's capital, can mean only one thing: elections are at hand. The walls of the numerous public-housing blocks in the area are gleaming, all painted within the past year. The redecoration of one block, 1A Pinang, was finished only on January 3rd, and the lucky residents got some shiny new guttering as well. The caretaker says it is the first time the place had received any attention since it was built 20 years ago. And lest anyone forget to whom they owe their good fortune, prominent signs up outside every block remind them: the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition government. The paint-job is a federally funded project in an opposition MP's constituency. A general election must be called before the end of April, and it might be the tightest ever. The BN has never lost an election since Malaysia's independence from Britain in 1957. Last time round, however, in 2008, the party suffered its greatest rebuff at the polls, losing its two-thirds parliamentary majority as well as five out of 12 contested state governments. This time the opposition People's Justice Party (PKR) and its allies, led by the veteran Anwar Ibrahim, hope to go one better, so the BN is leaving nothing to chance. Taman Sentosa is in the Lembah Pantai constituency in central Kuala Lumpur, and what happens there will decide the fate of the election as a whole. It had always been a BN stronghold but was lost by a narrow margin in the electoral meltdown of 2008. The new MP was Nurul Izzah Anwar, the daughter of Mr Anwar, who won by just 2,895 votes. If the BN can wrest back this seat they will be safe; if the PKR win again they will know they have a chance of ending the BN's run in power. It has thus become a totemic race, and Nurul Izzah believes that the BN are not only deploying paint brushes to give them the edge. The constituency used to have 149 postal votes, but the total has now jumped to 2,180, she says—all policemen, traditionally BN supporters. As in other urban constituencies the overall number of voters has risen since 2008, by about 15,000. Many of these live elsewhere but have registered to vote in Lembah Pantai, and Nurul Izzah claims that hundreds of these are known BN voters, which could make a big difference in a tight race.
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| Chua: Government to present Chinese schools a fixed allocation from next year Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:26 AM PST
(The Star) - A fixed allocation will be given to Chinese schools from next year. MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said he was informed of this by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, also the Education Minister, on Wednesday. Dr Chua said Chinese primary schools had been allocated RM100mil last year and the same amount this year as development fund. He warned that with the general election approaching, the Opposition had been going all out to mislead the people on the status of Chinese schools in the country. Dr Chua said the DAP had to intensify such efforts this time around to counter the positive development for Chinese schools under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the last two years. He added that the increasing demand for places in Chinese primary schools among the Chinese and other races also showed the people's confidence in the schools. "Over 92% of Chinese send their children to Chinese primary schools now. "Non-Chinese pupils comprise 15% of pupils in Chinese primary schools now, against 5% some 20 years ago," he said. The expansion for Chinese primary schools between 1999 and 2010 also saw the building of 17 new schools, relocation of 75 schools to areas with high demand for places and the rebuilding of more than 1,000 classrooms, said Dr Chua. "The people must be made aware of the development so that they will not fall prey to the opposition," he said after the ground-breaking ceremony for a new block of classrooms for SJK (C) Kopisan here yesterday. Dr Chua said 820 tertiary institutions in China and 71 universities in Malaysia had mutual recognition. Another 157 tertiary institutions in Taiwan and 121 in Malaysia also had similar recognition. This, he added, had opened more tertiary education opportunities for students from Chinese schools, especially Chinese independent school students who hold the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) which is equivalent to STPM. "The graduates are recognised in Malaysia," he pointed out, adding that this showed the Government had neither neglected Chinese education nor the students or belittled UEC. Pending recognition for UEC, Dr Chua said the MCA and Government had been making all efforts possible to make tertiary education accessible to the students. Every year, beginning last year, 50 top UEC scorers get a RM45,000 scholarship each without any bond, he said. Dr Chua also advised Malaysians to strive to be multi-lingual to enhance their competitiveness. Citing examples, he said many of the Chinese in China speak good English compared to 20 years ago. Later in Ipoh, Dr Chua advised grassroots leaders in all divisions not to organise any overseas group holidays from now until after the general election. "It is important to focus fully on our election preparations, especially in our services to the people and reaching out to them," he said after chairing the Perak MCA liaison committee meeting. |
| Vote only for Muslims, says PAS rep Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:18 AM PST
(The Star) - "If the PKR candidate is a non-Muslim, it is best for voters to vote for the Umno candidate to safeguard the interests of Islam" A PAS assemblyman has urged Muslim voters to vote for a Muslim Umno candidate if a non-Muslim PKR candidate is fielded in a seat in the general election. PAS Gaal assemblyman Dr Nik Mazian Nik Mohamad was quoted by online portal Mole.my as saying that it was better to vote for a fellow Muslim to ensure that Islamic principles are defended. "In choosing between a Muslim Umno candidate and a PKR candidate, a voter must evaluate which candidate is better. "If the PKR candidate is a non-Muslim, it is best for voters to vote for the Umno candidate to safeguard the interests of Islam," he said. He also noted that Malaysian Muslims have two choices of leadership, the Islamic and non-Islamic governance, and it is vital for them to choose the party that fights for Islam. However, Dr Nik Mazian stressed that between Umno and PAS candidates, it was wajib (compulsory) for Muslim voters to vote for PAS. "Muslims in this country have a better choice for a government that upholds the Islamic principles. "Only PAS has been upholding Islam in its struggle, unlike Umno and Barisan Nasional. It is a clear choice for Muslims," he said. Asked why PAS had chosen to work with DAP which does not share the same principle of upholding Islamic principles, he told The Mole online that: "In democracy and politics, it is only wise for PAS to accept help from other parties which can help us to topple the Barisan Nasional Government. "They can have their own opinion. We work together to ensure that the Barisan Government will be defeated." |
| Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:15 AM PST
(My SinChew) - The opposition's landslide win in the by-election at Punggol East of Singapore might signify little to the central, northern and eastern Malaysians but was definitely an inspirational impact to the neighbouring Johoreans. "Will this gale-force dissenting wind in Singapore a paragon for Johor state?" is the question posed by my politically aware acquaintances these days. No definite answer is available though. Accurate prediction is wanting since the date for the general elections is not finalised and ballots are not cast. My rejoinder could go as such: There definitely will be impact but I am not sure how strong it will be. One thing I am very sure of is that the some hundred thousand Malaysian workers in Singapore could play a crucial role in the next election. Supposing the election is to be held after Chap Goh Meh as raised, then those working in Singapore will have to abandon their voting rights since they have to oblige office. But this is only a matter for conjecture notwithstanding reasonable basis. Yet another undeniable reality is that the voters nowadays are in general politically aware. Under this dissenting umbrella, one thing I am sure of is that those who work abroad or in Singapore might take leave to exercise their civil right back home. It could be a bit too far to travel back to east Malaysia but going back to west Malaysia for voting will not be that woeful in this transportation advanced age. I believe those who work in Singapore are predominantly Johoreans. To these Johoreans, faring home to cast their ballots is not a trouble. The question is whether you are politically aware, taking this as an obligation. The tricky question currently is, given that the mentioned permanent residents and workers of Singapore are politically aware, which party will they fancy, BN or Pakatan Rakyat? Pakatan Rakyat has since taken these expatriates as their immediate supporters. The truth seems to be so nonetheless the MCA would argue as the result is still fluid. What's more, polling is strictly confidential. The past election result in Skudai constituency probably can serve as a reference: in the 1999 general elections, Gerakan Rakyat's Khoo Kong Ek defeated DAP's Boo Cheng Hau with a majority of 11,245 votes. But in 2008, Boo was given the mandate contesting against Gerakan's Teo Kok Chee. In these eight straight years, Skudai turned from BN's strong bastion to an indifferent neighbourhood. The reason, to a great extent, has something to do with Boo Cheng Hau's personal charisma and endeavour. Another inextricable element is, there are many expatriates working in Singapore and they exerted their crucial role in the 2008 elections in response to DAP's calling. MCA president Chua Soi Lek stated last year that there wasn't any secured region in Johor for their party. The remark could be goading but under the 2008 dissenting wind blowing southward along with the forceful northward gale from neighbouring Singapore, MCA is set to confront a life-and-death fray, formidably. |
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