Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Chinese politics in Malaysia: What's next?
- Pakatan seeks 500,000 volunteers for anti-EC action
- Proposal for BN to be single party could be made in desperation
- Political rebranding needs guts, ideas
- Tsunami tauke Cina berlaku di Petronas?
- APS won’t merge with Sabah PKR
- Anwar says 'no' to party appointees in state GLCs
- Election petitions should be disposed within 6 months of filing
- We are what we are today because of what happened in the past (part 1)
- Flaws in the voting system
- Sultan's insulter detained: MCMC
- Opposition agreed on peaceful gatherings but did opposite
- Ipoh Timor MP to be charged over ‘illegal rally’
- Minister confident police can contain PJ rally, denies political interference
- Anwar broke treaty with Najib by protesting polls results, reveals WSJ
- Only Malaysians can validate GE13 results
- Sabah an ‘expensive’ but useful lesson for Pakatan
| Chinese politics in Malaysia: What's next? Posted: 25 May 2013 11:27 AM PDT
A new generation of young Chinese do not want to play it safe. To them, Malaysia is their homeland and they do not see why they should be treated as second-class citizens when it comes to politics. To them, what is wrong in Malaysia is best exemplified by the ethnic-based approach of the BN. James Chin, Straits Times From the time the Chinese landed in Malaya in large numbers in the 19th and 20th century, the political question has always been the same: What role will the Chinese play in local politics? During the British colonial era, the answer was simple: no politics. All issues were channelled through a Chinese appointed by the British to act as a liaison person and known as "Kapitan China". All dealings with the Chinese community went through him. This "no politics" rule was to last a century; many forget that when MCA, the Malayan (now Malaysian) Chinese Association, was established in 1949, its aim was Chinese welfare, not politics. It was only when Britain granted self-rule in 1955 and when MCA became a member of the Alliance that it became political. Back then, the MCA could count on its Malay partner Umno to treat it as an equal. The rules were simple: Umno represented the ruling elite Malays while MCA had the funds to keep the Alliance going. MIC, the Malayan (now Malaysian) Indian Congress, came on board to represent the Indians. But it was clear that Umno-MCA ruled the country. The Malays wanted to control the government while the Chinese wanted the economy - a perfect match. MCA always kept the finance and trade ministries in the first decade of independence. This cosy relationship expired in the 1969 racial riots. In 1974, the Alliance was reconstituted as Barisan Nasional (BN) and the relationship was fundamentally changed. Umno was now numero uno while MCA and the rest were merely part of the larger coalition. MCA's status as co-driver ended when its Tun Tan Siew Sin lost the finance portfolio in 1974. Worse, two other Chinese-based parties, Gerakan and Sarawak United Peoples' Party, joined the top table in BN. MCA was no longer the sole voice in the coalition when it came to Chinese affairs. The New Economic Policy (NEP) caused the Chinese community to ask: Should we support MCA or the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP), formed in 1964, to show our frustration with NEP's ethnic discriminatory policies?
While the Chinese towkays decided that they had to support BN to "do business", ordinary Chinese wanted it both ways. They essentially split their vote; a smaller portion voted for the MCA/Gerakan while the majority supported the DAP. Another way was to vote for MCA/Gerakan at the state level while giving the parliamentary vote to DAP. This "split vote" tactic lasted more than two decades - until the 2008 General Election. In that GE, the Chinese, including the usual apathetic middle class, decided it was time for change and threw their support behind DAP. In this year's May 5 polls, the Chinese hardened their attitude and basically wiped out MCA/Gerakan in all 22 Chinese majority constituencies. And for the first time in Malaysia's political history, Chinese majority constituencies in Sabah and Sarawak voted en bloc for the DAP. What role will Chinese politics play now in Malaysia? Having it "both ways" no longer works. A new generation of young Chinese do not want to play it safe. To them, Malaysia is their homeland and they do not see why they should be treated as second-class citizens when it comes to politics. To them, what is wrong in Malaysia is best exemplified by the ethnic-based approach of the BN. Read more at: http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20130524-425005/2.html
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| Pakatan seeks 500,000 volunteers for anti-EC action Posted: 25 May 2013 11:18 AM PDT
(TMI) - Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wants to sign up some 500,000 volunteers to protest at the Election Commission (EC) offices until the members resign in favour of replacements who report directly to parliament. The coalition also wants voters to lodge reports against the EC forusing indelible ink that can be washed off immediately after the May 5 general elections, despite claims that it was introduced to prevent possible double voting. "The people will move to SPR until SPR is dibubarkan (disbanded). Can?" losing PKR candidate Badrul Hisham Shaharin asked thousands who crowded a rally here organised by 60 NGOs, referring to the EC by its initials in the Malay language. Emceeing the rally to protest alleged electoral fraud at the Dataran Petaling Jaya in Jalan Timur, Badrul led the crowd in chants of "SPR letak jawatan" (EC resign), singling out EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof and deputy Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar. PR has blamed alleged electoral fraud for not becoming government although it won the popular vote in Election 2013. It won 89 federal seats against the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) which took 133 seats in the 222-seat parliament. The politician better known as CheguBard heads Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), which is demanding that the EC should not be under the Prime Minister's Department but should report to parliament.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was the last to address the rally but he also rejected the idea of working with the EC and supported calls that the current EC members resign immediately. "We will never cooperate or work or engage with such a deceitful Election Commission," the PKR de facto chief said, adding that an "ultimatum" will be issued if they do not resign. Anwar urged the public to lodge police reports if they had experienced the alleged premature washing-off of the indelible ink from their fingers on voting day. He said they should do so from tomorrow onwards up until Monday and send copies of the reports to PR. "This is to show the power and might of the people. We challenge you according to due process. We also respect the rule of law," said Anwar. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/pakatan-seeks-500000-volunteers-for-anti-ec-action/ |
| Proposal for BN to be single party could be made in desperation Posted: 25 May 2013 11:15 AM PDT (Bernama) - The suggestion could have been made in a 'desperate' situation with the Chinese community regarding Gerakan as no longer relevant and merely wanted to depend on BN. Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the suggestion by Gerakan that Barisan Nasional (BN) turns into a single party must be studied very carefully before its implementation. He said this was because the suggestion could have been made in a 'desperate' situation with the Chinese community regarding Gerakan as no longer relevant and merely wanted to depend on BN. "I don't think the Umno leadership will agree to the formation of a single party as suggested by the Gerakan party leader," he told reporters here today. He was commenting on the suggestion by Gerakan acting president Datuk Chang Ko Youn who wanted BN to merge into a single party to regain the people's support and to avoid racial problems. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said what was more important for Gerakan now was to strengthen the party and restructure its organisation. On another matter, he said the ministry, via the police, will work together with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Malaysian Cyber Security to check immediately the channelling of contents which violate social media law. He said the immediate action was to ensure that information channelled by individuals or cyber groups through the various social media such as the Facebook, Twitter and blogs were transparent and correct. "The complaints have been on the contents of the social websites and blogs including by the 'Red Bean Army' group which touched on matters contained in the Sedition Act concerning racial sensitivity as well as slanderous contents that exceeded legal principles," he said. Various groups have reportedly urged the government to take stern action against undesired elements in cyber space such as the Red Bean Army which jeopardised harmony between the people of various races in the country. These groups also called on the authorities to amend the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 to prevent slanders and sedition which the cyber troopers concerned were attempting to promote. Ahmad Zahid said the policy on the social media mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was to provide freedom of expression including the formation of the 'cyber troopers' by political parties and certain groups. However, he said these principles and policy must be respected on the basis of responsibility towards the country and the laws and must not be abused. "This is what we try to avoid. We want the MCMC and the Malaysian Cyber Security to be able to take action, not because of the existence of the cyber troopers such as the 'Red Bean Army' but because of the contents in the social media managed by them," he said. He said 85% of new media in the country were managed by the opposition in the country without any obstacles imposed by the government. What was puzzling was that the contents highlighted by the groups such as the Red Bean Army were believed to be done by the professional groups and technocrats who were highly educated, he said. Meanwhile, in PUTRAJAYA, Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the ministry will review all aspects of the law, control and education, pertaining to abuse of the social media. He said the review would also cover the latest technologies which could be utilised to check the abuse. "We will also take a closer look at existing laws to ensure they are adequate to tackle abuse of the social media," he told reporters here today. He said this was because irresponsible parties would endeavour to find means to disseminate negative matters through the social media. On the success of the MCMC in detecting the suspect who insulted the Sultan of Terengganu in his Facebook, he said the commission would continue to intensify efforts across the board. Ahmad Shabery said the commission would always cooperate with the police and other related quarters on issues pertaining to evidence. Earlier, the minister launched a Malaysia Customer Experience Carnival organised by the Customer Relationship Management and Contact Association of Malaysia, in conjunction with the 2013 Putrajaya Youth Festival.
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| Political rebranding needs guts, ideas Posted: 25 May 2013 11:14 AM PDT
MULTIRACIAL PARTY: The need to refresh the BN brand is seen to be more vital after the recent polls Ahmad A. Talib, NST A PIECE of news from Phuket, Thailand, has started a fresh round of debate. It started when Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin responded to an idea that Barisan Nasional be developed into a single party. By this, it means that all 13 component parties in BN should be merged into one national party. Of course, this is not automatic. The components in the national ruling coalition will need to think through this carefully, weighing the pros and cons. Earlier, Datuk Chang Ko Yuon, the acting president of Gerakan, a BN component which did badly in the May 5 general election, had initiated the idea of a single party union. If adopted, Chang said, BN would become the single biggest multiracial party in the country. The idea of merging the components is not without merit. Component party leaders had, at some point and privately, broached the idea among themselves. The idea is not totally new in that suggestions for a multiracial party had once been suggested by an Umno leader. Its founder president, Datuk Onn Jaafar, had suggested that Umno open its doors to non-Malay members, an idea that was strongly objected at that time. This was in the late 1940s, soon after Umno was founded. His idea was seen by Umno members as to be too ahead of the time then. While the idea didn't gain support, the three major political parties then -- Umno, the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) and the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC) -- instead formed a coalition representing the three major ethnic groups. Hence, the Alliance. Today, the need to refresh the brand is seen to be more vital after the recent polls. Even though BN was returned at the federal level, and wrested back Kedah from the opposition, many in the coalition want BN to be given a fresh, new look. Not just in look and feel, but in substance as well. BN, which replaced the Alliance as more components were added, is a strong brand, having been at the helm of national administration since Merdeka. A rebranding exercise may appear to be the answer, but this has to be holistic, deep and meaningful. The idea will not get automatic support. As Muhyiddin rightly said, many would agree and many would disagree. "This is something big, but I think it's important because I don't know if we can sustain our position for a period of say, five years... looking back at the recent elections, support at certain levels was not encouraging despite BN winning and forming the government. "Many in the BN leadership believe it may be time to review the coalition from the current coalition make-up," said Muhyiddin, the Umno deputy president. Having a lab to study and debate various aspects of BN is an excellent idea. There really is no harm in having some frank debates on the matter. Various reforms have already been undertaken in the BN components. To continue to be relevant and appealing, more needs to be done though. There are talents in BN. Fresh ideas can come from younger voices, and there are many. The coalition has tradition but that needs tampering to go with the times. A rebranding exercise will not be complete without tearing the brand apart and building it up with renewed passion, boldness and clear vision. Let's see what happens next.
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| Tsunami tauke Cina berlaku di Petronas? Posted: 24 May 2013 11:03 PM PDT
(Harakah Daily) - Sekumpulan kaki tangan Petronas menyifatkan 'tsunami tauke Cina' kini sedang melanda syarikat minyak nasional itu. Mereka hairan bagaimana Dialog Group Berhad tiba-tiba dikategorikan sebagai syarikat "tier 1" sedangkan, mereka mendakwa, ia bukanlah syarikat yang benar-benar berpengalaman dan layak untuk berada pada kategori itu. Pengerusi Eksekutif Dialog Group adalah Ngau Boon Keat (gambar) yang juga Pengerusi Yayasan MyKasih. Beliau juga terlibat dalam Kertih Terminals Sdn Bhd, Centralised Terminals Sdn Bhd, Pengerang Independent Terminals Sdn Bhd and BC Petroleum Sdn Bhd. "Nampaknya tsunami tauke Foochow Sarawak sudah melanda Petronas selepas Perdana Menteri mendakwa tsunami Cina dalam pilihan raya lalu"Kalau benar tsunami Cina menolak BN dalam pilihan raya lalu, itu untuk mendapatkan keadilan. "Tapi tsunami tauke Foochow Sarawak nampaknya untuk sapu habuan," kata seorang lagi dari kumpulan kaki tangan Petronas yang menemui wakil Harakahdaily itu. Mereka terus mempersoalkan, apakah yang menyebabkan Dialog layak dinaiktaraf kepada kategori "tier 1". "Sapura Kencana Petroleum yang dikuasai anak Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, iaitu Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir pun masih lagi syarikat kategori 'tier 2'. "Adakah Dialog lebih kukuh dan berpengalaman dari Sapura Kencana?" soal mereka. Ditanya bagaimanakah perkara itu boleh terjadi, salah seorang dari mereka terus menyoal kembali: "Apa keputusan besar yang boleh dibuat di Petronas tanpa kelulusan (Presiden dan Ketua Eksekutifnya, Tan Sri) Shamsul (Azhar Abbas)?" Lebih dari itu, kata seorang lagi, Petronas berada di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM). "Kalau di bawah JPM, bolehkah sesuatu perkara besar dibuat jika tidak diluluskan oleh (Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri) Najib (Tun Razak) dan (isterinya Datin Seri) Rosmah (Mansor)?" katanya. Secara sinis, kumpulan itu yakin Umno dan badan-badan seperti Perkasa tentu bersetuju dengan apa yang mereka sebut sebagai "tsunami tauke Cina di Petronas itu".
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| APS won’t merge with Sabah PKR Posted: 24 May 2013 10:29 PM PDT
Wilfred Bumburing's Angkatan Perpaduan Sabah (APS) is likely to lead the way to the formation of a common local opposition front for Sabah. Joseph Bingkasan, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Former Tuaran MP Wilfred Bumburing said his Sabah Reform Movement or Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) will not disband and merge with PKR but would instead focus on a unified Sabah opposition grouping. Bumburing, who won the Tamparuli state seat on a PKR ticket in the May 5 polls, said that APS leaders had decided that for now the Pakatan Rakyat friendly movement would remain an NGO. The APS leadership also discussed the possibility of registering as a political party. Also discussed was the possibility of consolidating with other local-based opposition parties and non-governmental organisations for a Sabah or Borneo-based united opposition front. Bumburing said APS would initiate discussions with Sabah-based opposition parties and NGOs about forming a united opposition front which the movement believes was reflected by voting trends during the general elections. Local opposition leaders in the state like the former Tuaran MP are just coming to terms with their near wipeout in the elections with voters opting for the more united Pakatan Rakyat alliance rather than individual Sabah opposition parties. Bumburing has been the first to bravely address what many had said was obvious and that a divided opposition was no force in facing the might of the Umno-led ruling Barisan Nasional. Local opposition leaders like SAPP's Yong Teck Lee and State Reform Party's Jeffrey Kitingan were caught by surprise by the overwhelming swing to the 'peninsula-based' opposition coalition by voters they had assumed would retain the Sabah bias they had displayed in past elections. They are now staring at irrelevance for the immediate future based on the performance of the Pakatan Rakyat based parties. The emerging picture is that only unity at local level can save them from being swamped. Bumburing said the 13th general election had also shown that winning the popular vote was not enough to topple the BN especially when the opposition vote was split between various parties.
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| Anwar says 'no' to party appointees in state GLCs Posted: 24 May 2013 10:24 PM PDT
(The Sun Daily) - A PKR delegate from Selangor today proposed for state Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to help groom "potential" party leaders through appointing them to positions in government-linked companies. PKR Selangor information chief Shuhaimi Shafie, in his debate at the 9th PKR National Congress, said the move should also be extended to all Pakatan Rakyat-controlled states. "We are however against any attempt by appointed leaders to abuse the positions as a means to enrich themselves," he stressed. Shuhaimi's proposal was made in support of a call made by PKR deputy president Mohamad Azmin Ali, and echoed by many leaders throughout the congress proceedings, on the need for the party to strengthen its members and the organisation. Shuhaimi also said that PKR now have garnered enough clout after helming the Selangor state administration for five years to take actions against individuals within the local councils and GLCs who are not in line with the party's policies or struggle. "With the new mandate, we should be free to axe those in GLCs and local authorities who don't believe in our party policies and struggles," he said. He also hit out at unnamed leaders whom he claimed had failed to execute decisions reached in the party's Congress or meetings, stressing that actions should also be taken against them. Meanwhile, PKR de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his closing speech later reminded delegates that positions in GLCs are not reserved for party members or politicians. "Those who are appointed must have the relevant capabilities and not mix up party matters with that of governance. "Maybe that was not the intention (to demand for positions), but I feel that I must clarify the matter," said Anwar who had also described Abdul Khalid as a leader with "integrity" in his running of the state. He also said he had reminded Abdul Khalid to be mindful of the people's plight, as it is also an integral part of practising good governance. When met later, Anwar reiterated that any individuals appointed to positions within the local councils or GLCs must be qualified to do so and not due to party connections. Earlier in his winding up address, Abdul Khalid had pledged to fully utilise the state's funds in order to bring development to more villages. "I know that I am stingy but this is how I was raised by my mother who always reminded me to be careful with money that does not belong to me. "However, I do understand that the money should be spent in order to develop the villages in the state to bridge the gap between the rich and poor," he said. He also promised to only spend the state's wealth according to the needs of the people. Abdul Khalid, who is in his second term as Selangor MB is also looking to increase the wealth of the state under his administration. "I am looking forward to increase Selangor's capital and also will focus on finding individuals who had misused the state's money, and ensure that it is returned back to us," he said. Abdul Khalid however concedes that unlike other politicians, he does not know how to play the political game. "Politics is an ever-changing game and I am too old to study the field in university. "That is why I set up a political liaison office within the Mentri Besar's office to help me on the matter," he added.
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| Election petitions should be disposed within 6 months of filing Posted: 24 May 2013 05:41 PM PDT
(Bernama) -- Election petitions by candidates in the 13th general election must be disposed within six months of filing. Chief Justice of Malaysia Tun Ariffin Zakaria said this would ensure the petitioners received a fair hearing of their case. "I hope the judges concerned would hear the cases with an open mind and not bow to pressure from any quarters," he said while opening the 47th Judges' Conference here today. Among the 101 participants present were Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Mohd Raus Shariff, High Court of Malaya chief judge Tan Sri Zulkifli Ahmad Makinuddin and Chief Judge of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjun. Ariffin said the six-month period was realistic in view of the likelihood that some of the petitions might be in Sabah, Sarawak and other states in the peninsula. Meanwhile, he advised judges not to respond to any comment in the internet expressing dissatisfaction with any ruling or judgement as every decision made was final. "Even though the comments might be negative and aimed at tarnishing the image of the judiciary, we (judges) do not need to entertain them as they might not have understood the facts of the case," he said. He also reminded judges to make their decisions based on the proceedings and testimonies to protect the interest of the public. "This matter must be given attention as there had been a trend in the past where judges try to expand their human rights scope in their decision," he said, adding that such action would paint an inaccurate picture of the country's judiciary which upheld justice.
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| We are what we are today because of what happened in the past (part 1) Posted: 24 May 2013 05:19 PM PDT
This was a complication that the British did not need. More than 80% of the businesses, tin mines, estates, and so on, in Malaya belonged to the British and 30% of Britain's economy -- which had been practically bankrupted by the war -- depended on Malaya. Hence the last thing the British wanted was another India-Pakistan type of conflict in Malaya. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
Since the 2008 general election, the favourite 'war cry' was: the Malays must wake up. They were referring to the Hindraf rally of November 2007, of course, and the Bersih (1.0) rally about two weeks before that -- which for the first time since the rise of the Reformasi movement in September 1998 a rally managed to attract a reasonable level of non-Malay support. This was followed by the most impressive March 2008 general election result a few months later (for the opposition, that is), which saw Penang, Perak and Selangor fall to the opposition, and which would not have been possible purely on Malay votes alone and unless the non-Malays too voted opposition. Actually, for a long time before 2007-2008, the Malays had been saying that the non-Malays must wake up. The Malays realised that kicking out Umno and Barisan Nasional would be impossible unless the non-Malays also joined the 'resistance movement'. However, in the past, the non-Malays have always given many reasons as to why they could not join the Malays to kick out the ruling party. To understand Malaysian elections you need to analyse all the general elections since 1959 and the municipal elections four years before that in 1955 plus understand why and how Malaya was given independence or Merdeka in 1957. Without sounding as if I am repeating myself here, when the Japanese surrendered in 1945 and Britain 'repossessed' Malaya, the British tried to 'restructure' the country. Part of this restructuring exercise was to create the Malayan Union whereby the feudal system would be eroded somewhat and the Monarchs whom the Malays call 'Raja-Raja Melayu' would lose some of their powers. Now, the normal 'Malay-in-the-street' or Malay layman did not have any strong opinions on the matter. However, the Malay elite plus the Malays from the intellectual community could not agree to this move. They felt that to erode the feudal system plus to reduce the powers of the Monarchy meant that the Malays would lose their status as the Tuans (Lords) of the land. Thus was born the concept of Ketuanan Melayu or Malays as the Lords of the Land. The Chinese and Indians were not too bothered about what was going on while the natives of East Malaysia were not involved since this was a Malayan issue and East Malaysia was not part of Malaya. The majority of the Chinese and Indians were not citizens anyway so it did not matter what the British wanted to do to Malaya since any system was not going to change the lot of the Chinese and Indians in any way. The Malays did not have a political movement in which to resist the British. They did have many associations, societies and movements but these were very specific to the group that they represented. What they needed was a national movement so that the hundreds of associations, societies and movements could be combined into one national organisation. And this was what triggered the birth of this national coalition called the United Malays National Organisation or Umno, a coalition of many groupings and sub-groupings. Hence Umno, in a way, was a coalition rather than a political party. In fact, Umno was not even called a political party, not with a name like United Malays National Organisation. Nevertheless, Umno was the new platform to unite the many smaller groupings so that the Malays could talk to the British as one voice. If you were to look at the old black-and-white photographs of the Umno demonstrations of 1946 you can see that the people in the demonstration were not fishermen and farmers. From their dressing it is clear that these people were from the elite community. Back in 1946, only those from the elite community dressed like that. In short, Umno was not a people's movement as such but an elitist movement of Malays who were related or linked to the palace plus Malays who had gone to school and had received an education. And, more importantly, Umno was not set up as the platform to fight for independence or Merdeka but to resist the Malayan Union. Independence or Merdeka was never the endgame or in the minds of the Malays back in 1946 when Umno was born. Three months after that, the Malayan Indian Congress or MIC was formed followed by the Malayan Chinese Association or MCA three years later. MIC was called the Malayan Indian Congress because it was strongly influenced by the Indian National Congress or INC of India (or Congress party for short) that was formed about 60 years earlier. MIC, however, did not get much Indian support especially when its second President, Budh Singh, who was a Communist, opposed the Malayan Union. The Malayan Indians were more interested in matters back home in India than about matters in Malaya. And MCA, too, was more concerned about raising money to support the Kuomintang that was fighting the Communists in China than about Malayan politics. Hence both MIC and MCA did not really have any solidarity with Umno. It was not until some MCA leaders from Melaka travelled to London to raise the issue of independence with the British that Umno began to have similar thoughts. The Umno leaders also made a trip to London to meet the British to talk about Merdeka but only after the Chinese had first raised the issue. So now it looked like two different groups wanted to talk about Merdeka, which would have complicated matters. It must be noted that the British already had a very bad experience in India in 1947 when India was partitioned and which resulted in an estimated one million deaths. So are we going to also see Malaya partitioned into 'Malay Malaya' and 'Chinese Malaya'? What will happen to the Indians then? Will they all be sent back to India? This was a complication that the British did not need. More than 80% of the businesses, tin mines, estates, and so on, in Malaya belonged to the British and 30% of Britain's economy -- which had been practically bankrupted by the war -- depended on Malaya. Hence the last thing the British wanted was another India-Pakistan type of conflict in Malaya. TO BE CONTINUED
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| Posted: 24 May 2013 03:57 PM PDT
Although the LibDems boasted a multitude of supporters, they were scattered quite evenly in most constituencies that are either loyally Conservative or Labour. It took an average of 120,000 votes for the LibDems to win just one single seat in the Parliament while the Tories and Labour only needed around 35,000 votes to get the same. Tay Tian Yan, Sinchew The most intriguing thing about the results of GE13 is none other than the fact that Pakatan Rakyat only took 89 parliamentary seats despite securing 51 per cent of popular votes while Barisan Nasional clinched 133 seats with only 47 per cent of popular votes. Under the country's existing electoral system, the decisive factor is the number of seats, not the percentage of popular votes won. This phenomenon could happen in any country practising the Westminster-style of electoral system, and is the principal subject of contention for the first-past-the-post voting system. The political party winning the largest number of votes could be in the opposition while the party with minority votes gets to rule. This has given rise to controversies and arguments over the dissimilar weightage of each of the votes cast. The UK elections in 2010 generated the same type of contention. The old-time Conservative and Labour parties fell out of favour among voters and a third entity, the Liberal Democrats, emerged a new star in British politics. Young generation voters, in particular the middle class and intellectuals, were generally leaning towards the LibDems, which was devoid of historical burden and boasting progressive, distinct, moderate and open-minded ideologies. Its leader, Nick Clegg, provided a refreshing alternative to the staleness of conventional politicians. Election results showed the LibDems performed exceptionally well despite the fact it was only third placed with almost a quarter of votes won, a mere 6 per cent behind the Labour Party. However, the party only won a paltry 57 seats vis-à-vis the Tories' 306 seats with 36 per cent popular votes and the Labour Party's 258 seats with 29 per cent popular votes. It took an average of 120,000 votes for the LibDems to win just one single seat in the Parliament while the Tories and Labour only needed around 35,000 votes to get the same. Although the LibDems boasted a multitude of supporters, they were scattered quite evenly in most constituencies that are either loyally Conservative or Labour. Such even distribution rendered the LibDems a victim of the first-past-the-post system. The party later joined the coalition government with the Tories on a condition, among others, that the Constitution be amended over the existing electoral system into one that more resembles the alternative vote system adopted in continental Europe in hope of achieving a more proportionate popular vote to seat ratio. The UK subsequently held a nationwide referendum to let the electorate decide whether the existing system should be changed. As the Conservative and Labour parties were the biggest beneficiaries of the existing system, the referendum failed to pass in the end, allowing the UK to continue with the first-past-the-post voting system. This shows that while there is justification for a change of the electoral system, such a move could be met with strong resistance even in matured democracies. There are indeed weaknesses in Malaysia's electoral system, but the current situation does not yet warrant a direct challenge to the existing system. In its stead, the constituencies should be redelineated in a way that would better reflect the one-man, one-vote principle.
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| Sultan's insulter detained: MCMC Posted: 24 May 2013 02:08 PM PDT
(Bernama) -- The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has managed to locate a suspect who insulted His Majesty the Sultan of Terengganu on his Facebook page. With cooperation from the Police, the suspect has been detained for questioning. If found guilty, he may be fined not more than RM50,000 or a year's jail or both. MCMC views very seriously the abuse of social media when uploading contents that are derogatory in nature especially those involving the monarchy. "The laws of the nation is enforced whether it is offline or online. A crime is still a crime, even if it's on social media," said MCMC Chairman, Dato' Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi. "Social media users should be aware that they are not invincible as they thought. Therefore, we urge members of the public to be careful and to be more responsible when communicating in cyberspace. Those who break the law will be brought to justice," added Dato' Sharil.
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| Opposition agreed on peaceful gatherings but did opposite Posted: 24 May 2013 02:03 PM PDT
(Borneo Insider) - Unknown to the public, Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zahid Hamidi had held discussions with several opposition leaders whereby the latter agreed to stage peaceful assemblies. However, he said they "sang a different song" when they got back to their supporters. "I welcome differences in opinions and agreed to discuss with them. They agreed to hold peaceful assemblies and give at least 10-day notice with the gatherings to be held in closed areas and without any provocation whatsoever," he told reporters after appearing in an interview on Bernama TV's Hello Malaysia programme at Wisma BERNAMA here Friday night. The agreement was reached to avoid problems, he added. However, Zahid declined to name the opposition leaders concerned. The opposition has organised numerous gatherings nationwide, purportedly to protest the 13th general election results, claiming that they should be in Putrajaya based on popular votes. Ahmad Zahid said most of the gatherings were held without a police permit and were provocative. "When they were with me, they concurred with me (on the peaceful assembly), but when they are with their supporters, it is a different story," he added. Zahid said he respected PAS leaders for accepting the general election results. He regarded the action of the opposition leaders not on the same page as the PAS leaders as desperate as they were willing to do anything to achieve their objective of conquering Putrajaya. Zahid said they became desperados because they could not accept their defeat in the May 5 general election. Actually, they were more disappointed in not realising their dream of taking over the federal government, compared with Barisan Nasional's inability to get a two-thirds majority, he added. On the action by the police in detaining the two opposition figures and a social activist and confiscating editions of opposition party organs for breaching the Printing Presses and Publications Act, he said the police and agencies under his ministry were doing their job to enforce the laws. He said they acted professionally without interference from him as the Home Minister. "Is it wrong for the police to enforce existing laws and regulations," he asked.
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| Ipoh Timor MP to be charged over ‘illegal rally’ Posted: 24 May 2013 01:56 PM PDT
(The Star) - Ipoh Timor MP Thomas Su Keong Siong is expected to be charged at the Sessions Court here on Monday with violating the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. The charge is believed to be in connection with a rally organised by the Perak DAP on May 9 here. Su said he would fight the charge, describing the provision in Section 9 (1) of the PAA as "ridiculous". "I got the call earlier today from the investigating officer informing me that I will be charged on Monday," Su said yesterday. "They will serve a notice to my office later in the day." He said the provision stipulated that the organisers of rallies should inform the police in advance prior to holding them. Su, who is a lawyer by profession, posted on his Twitter account on the charge. His tweet said: "Just been informed by IO that I'll be charged under S.9(1) PAA 2013 @ Ipoh Session Court on 27/5/2013 @ 9.00am". Another one read: "I'm charged under S.9(1) PAA 2013 for organising the DAP ceramah at Chin Woo, on 9/5/2013. LAWAN TETAP LAWAN!". On May 17, PKR communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad was charged under the PAA for alleged failure to inform the district police regarding the location of a recent Opposition rally.
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| Minister confident police can contain PJ rally, denies political interference Posted: 24 May 2013 01:47 PM PDT
(Bernama) - Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is confident that the police are capable of handling the gathering planned by the opposition in Petaling Jaya today. He said the planned gathering would not be in compliance to the provisions in the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. The organiser did not inform the police and the assembly will be held at an open area, he added. "I see the gathering as an act of provocation in their attempt to challenge the police's credibility. So, I'm leaving it to the Inspector-General of Police to handle the matter," he said in an interview on Bernama TV's "Hello Malaysia" programme at Wisma Bernama here last night. Ahmad Zahid also reminded participants planning to attend the assembly not to create chaos or stir provocation that could disrupt public order. He further dismissed the perception that the action by the police and agencies under his ministry in going after those allegedly bent on causing trouble reflected his firmness as the new home minister. This came about following the detention of two opposition figures and a social activist by the police under the sedition Act yesterday. "They are firm in enforcing the laws," he added. He said he was leaving to the professionals to take action based on provisions in the law, without any interference from him as the home minister.
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| Anwar broke treaty with Najib by protesting polls results, reveals WSJ Posted: 24 May 2013 01:42 PM PDT
Clara Chooi, TMI Former Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla has accused Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of reneging on a peace deal to respect the outcome of Election 2013 that he brokered between the opposition leader and Datuk Seri Najib Razak in April. The Wall Street Journal reported today interviews with all three parties confirming the secret peace deal, and quoted Jusuf as claiming that he had phoned Anwar a day after the May 5 polls and urged the opposition leader to respect the commitment and "look at reality". "We had a commitment," Jusuf was quoted as saying. "But they said, 'No, no, no, no.' '' The renowned international newspaper said that Anwar admitted to making the pact but told the WSJ that his opponents had nullified the deal by the way they ran their campaign. "How can you talk reconciliation when you demonise your opponent in this manner?" Anwar was quoted as saying. The WSJ wrote that it was Anwar who had approached Jusuf on the agreement two months ago, seeking the latter's help in securing his opponent's commitment for a peaceful election outcome. The deal — that both sides refrain from personal attacks during campaigns and to accept the outcome of the polls — was subsequently made in April. The two rivals had apparently rejected a clause in the accord to offer the loser a role in a "reconciliation government", the WSJ wrote. An adviser to Najib reportedly confirmed the deal, telling the WSJ that Anwar had sought Jusuf's assistance to secure a mutual agreement to accept the results of the polls peacefully, regardless which way it goes and even in the event of a slim majority. "The prime minister reiterated privately to Jusuf Kalla and in public before the election that BN would respect the will of the people and accept the election results, even if the opposition wins," the paper quoted the aide as saying. But Anwar's version of the events surrounding the peace deal appeared to differ. Quoting Anwar, the WSJ wrote that it was Jusuf who reached out to offer his assistance in ensuring an orderly outcome to the polls. "There were many friends around the region who were concerned about the transition of power and whether it would be peaceful," Anwar reportedly said. According to the paper, Jusuf is known for his role in brokering peace deals during his term as vice-president from 2004 to 2009, having done so in Thailand and Sri Lanka to help resolve conflicts across the Indonesian archipelago. In the May 5 polls, Najib and the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) was returned to power in Putrajaya after a heated contest that saw Anwar's Pakatan Rakyat (PR) win the popular vote but lose the polls.
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| Only Malaysians can validate GE13 results Posted: 24 May 2013 01:36 PM PDT
For Kalla, Anwar broke a pre-polls treaty with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to respect the results. The Malaysian Insider Former Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla is unhappy that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his colleagues are protesting the Election 2013 results. For Kalla, Anwar broke a pre-polls treaty with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to respect the results. Let's get this clear. Kalla should not interfere in Malaysian affairs just as much as Malaysia does not poke its nose in other countries' affairs, especially when it comes to polls results. Whether the May 5 general election results are acceptable or not will be decided by Malaysians themselves ― not Barack Obama, Lee Hsien Loong, Julia Gillard, David Cameron or even Kalla. According to the Wall Street Journal that broke the story today, the treaty ― that both sides refrain from personal attacks during campaigns and to accept the outcome of the polls — was made in April, a month before the polls. Well, it is quite clear that both sides had broken that key condition of no personal attacks during the campaign. The campaigning was vicious and personal, be it online or offline in print, television and on the stump. And the results speak for themselves. Malaysia is divided by fractious politics ― a government unhappy with its wins and an opposition unhappy with the conduct of the polls. But diplomats have also been urging Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to end the "Black 505" rallies, due to concerns about stability and their countries' investments here. Respectfully, if these countries cannot compel or impress the government of the day on alleged electoral fraud and their diplomats are keen to go back to their days on the cocktail circuit, they also should stay silent. The election court will take care of the petitions filed by either Barisan Nasional (BN) or PR, notwithstanding the rallies. And the court of public opinion will ultimately decide whether Election 2013 was held in a clean and fair manner, and tell both the government and the opposition to get down to work for a better Malaysia.
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| Sabah an ‘expensive’ but useful lesson for Pakatan Posted: 24 May 2013 01:27 PM PDT
Opposition forms shadow cabinets in Sabah and Sarawak, begins readying itself for state polls in 2016 and next GE14. Free Malaysia Today Smug from having won just over 51% of the popular votes in the recent general election, Pakatan Rakyat is re-aligning its strategy and focusing on Borneo. Sabah DAP's Junz Wong, who is also the national youth (DAPSY) wing publicity secretary said last night among its strategies was the early registration of young voters. "We are not waiting till the last minute. Our targeted youth are between 17 and 21 years old because they will reach the eligible voting age of 21 years in four to five years time. "There will be at least another three million more unregistered but eligible voters who missed their chance to vote in GE13. "What we are looking at is another new six million voters in GE14. "These group of voters will determine whether there will be a change of government in GE14," said Wong, who is also Likas state assemblyman. Wong's comments backs party advisor Lim Kit Siang's latest statement that the coalition had learnt an expensive lesson in Sabah in GE13 and would re-strategize its battle plans to win more seats in Sabah and Sarawak in GE14. In the recent May 5 polls, although Pakatan only won three parliamentary seats, it did remarkably well in winning 11 state seats in Sabah. This despite the months of puerile spewing by its leaders, internal sabotage and widely felt inconsistency with PKR and DAP's stands in the months preceding the polls. What is acknowledged here is that Pakatan surfed the "Inikali lah" wave triggered by a former party vice-president – now Sabah State Reform Party chief – Jeffrey Kitingan. Jeffrey 's two-year long ground breaking campaign to inform Sabahans about the 20 points and Malaysia Agreement while rekindling an 'old flame' within the KDMs failed to follow through in terms of structure and strategy –vital in any war. In the end the Borneo Agenda gave Pakatan a leverage into state politics which in all honesty it did not really have to begin with. All Pakatan partner PKR did was to add "tukar" to the "inikali lah" and allowed its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's charismatic persona do the work. And before long Sabah was awash with "tukar, ini kali lah" drowning STAR. To counter if not contain its bickering Sabah-based party 'warlords' Anwar brought in Lajim Ukin and Wilfred Bumburing and propped them up despite widespread discontent which divided the party. Anwar handed over 10 parliamentary seats to Lajim's PPPS and Bumburing's APS movements. Both movements' candidates stood under the PKR banner but failed to win a single seat. In the end only Lajim and Bumburing won their Klias and Tamparuli seats respectively. The investment did not pay off in seats but it did help with the branding Pakatan and its partners. Sabah PKR and DAP took a leap securing 11 state seats from one in 2008 general elections. Good job in Borneo Across the border, earlier in the Sarawak state polls in 2011, both parties won 15 seats – DAP (12) and PKR (3). It was a good job, considering both Sabah and Sarawak are decades behind West Malaysia in terms of socio-political and economic empowerment. One must remember that West Malaysia's political reformation was seeded in the 1990s and spilled over in 2008 when the opposition wrested five states from BN. Sabah and Sarawak were jolted out of their slumber only in 2008, when to quote PACO's Anne Lasimbang "we realized we could shake Kuala Lumpur (Putrajaya). "When PBS toppled Berjaya, we were young, ready to fight. But after winning the battle ( PBS took over the government) , we only then realized the power was with (the) federal (leaders). The rest is history as you know it," she told FMT days before the GE13. Now that the heat of anger and denial over an alleged fraudulent GE13, acceptance is setting in with the Pakatan camp. DAP and PAS at least are showing signs of moving on. In Sarawak, the coalition is in the midst of forming its own shadow cabinet to stalk the performance of state ministers. In Sabah Lajim said they would do the same. Sarawak is due for state election in 2016 at the latest. Pakatan is aiming to up its score from 15 to at least 25 in the next state elections. If 2011 was tough, the next polls will be an even tougher one for the opposition in Sarawak.
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