Selasa, 9 Julai 2013

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News


Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info
Sumber Asal Berita :-

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News


Rafizi: Putrajaya writing off RM163m NFC loan

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 07:07 PM PDT

PKR's Rafizi Ramli (picture) today alleged that Putrajaya was foregoing the outstanding RM163 million from the loan issued to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) after its cattle-farming project was transferred to another company.

The PKR strategy director pointed out that the federal government had reportedly agreed to appoint another consortium to take over the controversial National Feedlot Centre (NFC) project, but that the new operator would not be responsible for the RM250 million loan that was issued to NFCorp.

"In the current conditions, I am of the opinion that the RM163 million that was spent by NFC can be considered gone and that it will not be able to be recovered," Rafizi said in a statement.

News portal The Malaysian Insider quoted industry sources earlier today as saying that the NFC project would be managed by Malaysian-Japanese venture Kirimitonas Agro Sdn Bhd and that the federal government would recover the soft loan to NFCorp through litigation.

Rafizi noted that as of May 2012, RM181 million had been given to NFCorp, according to the Finance Ministry's parliamentary reply then.

The Pandan MP said that the properties seized from NFCorp — which is owned by former minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's family — so far are valued at RM18 million (RM14 million from two condominium units and RM4 million for two plots of land).

"The minister's reply that only RM18 million in assets have been seized thus far, and the decision to award the project to a new operator without taking over the RM250 million loan, confirms that the government will face difficulties in recovering the remaining funds that are estimated at RM163 million," said Rafizi.

He pointed out that NFCorp was no longer in operation.

"Therefore, it can be considered that the company can no longer service the loan and is bound to go through bankruptcy," said Rafizi.

He added that part of the loan was used for non-asset expenses, such as salaries, transport allowances and other expenses that could not be recovered.

"The government did not impose personal guarantees on the directors of NFCorp," he said. "So, their responsibility is limited to their shares in the company."

Rafizi was pushed into the limelight after exposing NFCorp's purchases of luxury condominium units through the federal government loan that was meant for the national cattle-farming project.

The Auditor-General's 2010 report had highlighted the failure of the NFC project in achieving its target of breeding 8,000 cattle in Gemas, Negri Sembilan, in 2010, besides noting NFCorp's management failures.

The trial of Shahrizat's defamation suit against Rafizi revealed last March that NFCorp had purchased a RM534,622 Mercedes-Benz in 2009 as a company car that was parked in her house.

In the trial, Shahrizat had also defended NFCorp's purchase of three luxury condominium units in the Orchard Scotts Residences and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore worth RM42 million, saying that the buy was part of the company's investment portfolio, according to her husband Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail, the executive chairman of NFCorp.

Mohamad Salleh is currently on trial over charges of criminal breach of trust and violations of the Companies Act involving the alleged misuse of funds from the project.

The Wanita Umno chief also testified that the RM42 million condominiums in Singapore and two condominium units in Bangsar here costing RM30 million in total made up more than one-fifth of the RM250 million government loan.

Shahrizat's senatorship was not renewed in April 2012, causing her to lose her women, family and community development portfolio in the Cabinet.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/rafizi-putrajaya-writing-off-rm163m-nfc-loan?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#sthash.SI5uIwAE.dpuf

(The Malay Mail) PKR's Rafizi Ramli today alleged that Putrajaya was foregoing the outstanding RM163 million from the loan issued to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) after its cattle-farming project was transferred to another company.

The PKR strategy director pointed out that the federal government had reportedly agreed to appoint another consortium to take over the controversial National Feedlot Centre (NFC) project, but that the new operator would not be responsible for the RM250 million loan that was issued to NFCorp.

"In the current conditions, I am of the opinion that the RM163 million that was spent by NFC can be considered gone and that it will not be able to be recovered," Rafizi said in a statement.

News portal The Malaysian Insider quoted industry sources earlier today as saying that the NFC project would be managed by Malaysian-Japanese venture Kirimitonas Agro Sdn Bhd and that the federal government would recover the soft loan to NFCorp through litigation.

Rafizi noted that as of May 2012, RM181 million had been given to NFCorp, according to the Finance Ministry's parliamentary reply then.

The Pandan MP said that the properties seized from NFCorp — which is owned by former minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's family — so far are valued at RM18 million (RM14 million from two condominium units and RM4 million for two plots of land).

"The minister's reply that only RM18 million in assets have been seized thus far, and the decision to award the project to a new operator without taking over the RM250 million loan, confirms that the government will face difficulties in recovering the remaining funds that are estimated at RM163 million," said Rafizi.

He pointed out that NFCorp was no longer in operation.

"Therefore, it can be considered that the company can no longer service the loan and is bound to go through bankruptcy," said Rafizi.

He added that part of the loan was used for non-asset expenses, such as salaries, transport allowances and other expenses that could not be recovered.

"The government did not impose personal guarantees on the directors of NFCorp," he said. "So, their responsibility is limited to their shares in the company."

Rafizi was pushed into the limelight after exposing NFCorp's purchases of luxury condominium units through the federal government loan that was meant for the national cattle-farming project.

The Auditor-General's 2010 report had highlighted the failure of the NFC project in achieving its target of breeding 8,000 cattle in Gemas, Negri Sembilan, in 2010, besides noting NFCorp's management failures.

The trial of Shahrizat's defamation suit against Rafizi revealed last March that NFCorp had purchased a RM534,622 Mercedes-Benz in 2009 as a company car that was parked in her house.

In the trial, Shahrizat had also defended NFCorp's purchase of three luxury condominium units in the Orchard Scotts Residences and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore worth RM42 million, saying that the buy was part of the company's investment portfolio, according to her husband Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail, the executive chairman of NFCorp.

Mohamad Salleh is currently on trial over charges of criminal breach of trust and violations of the Companies Act involving the alleged misuse of funds from the project.

The Wanita Umno chief also testified that the RM42 million condominiums in Singapore and two condominium units in Bangsar here costing RM30 million in total made up more than one-fifth of the RM250 million government loan.

Shahrizat's senatorship was not renewed in April 2012, causing her to lose her women, family and community development portfolio in the Cabinet.

Read more here: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/rafizi-putrajaya-writing-off-rm163m-nfc-loan?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#sthash.SI5uIwAE.dpuf

 

PKR's Rafizi Ramli (picture) today alleged that Putrajaya was foregoing the outstanding RM163 million from the loan issued to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) after its cattle-farming project was transferred to another company.

The PKR strategy director pointed out that the federal government had reportedly agreed to appoint another consortium to take over the controversial National Feedlot Centre (NFC) project, but that the new operator would not be responsible for the RM250 million loan that was issued to NFCorp.

"In the current conditions, I am of the opinion that the RM163 million that was spent by NFC can be considered gone and that it will not be able to be recovered," Rafizi said in a statement.

News portal The Malaysian Insider quoted industry sources earlier today as saying that the NFC project would be managed by Malaysian-Japanese venture Kirimitonas Agro Sdn Bhd and that the federal government would recover the soft loan to NFCorp through litigation.

Rafizi noted that as of May 2012, RM181 million had been given to NFCorp, according to the Finance Ministry's parliamentary reply then.

The Pandan MP said that the properties seized from NFCorp — which is owned by former minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's family — so far are valued at RM18 million (RM14 million from two condominium units and RM4 million for two plots of land).

"The minister's reply that only RM18 million in assets have been seized thus far, and the decision to award the project to a new operator without taking over the RM250 million loan, confirms that the government will face difficulties in recovering the remaining funds that are estimated at RM163 million," said Rafizi.

He pointed out that NFCorp was no longer in operation.

"Therefore, it can be considered that the company can no longer service the loan and is bound to go through bankruptcy," said Rafizi.

He added that part of the loan was used for non-asset expenses, such as salaries, transport allowances and other expenses that could not be recovered.

"The government did not impose personal guarantees on the directors of NFCorp," he said. "So, their responsibility is limited to their shares in the company."

Rafizi was pushed into the limelight after exposing NFCorp's purchases of luxury condominium units through the federal government loan that was meant for the national cattle-farming project.

The Auditor-General's 2010 report had highlighted the failure of the NFC project in achieving its target of breeding 8,000 cattle in Gemas, Negri Sembilan, in 2010, besides noting NFCorp's management failures.

The trial of Shahrizat's defamation suit against Rafizi revealed last March that NFCorp had purchased a RM534,622 Mercedes-Benz in 2009 as a company car that was parked in her house.

In the trial, Shahrizat had also defended NFCorp's purchase of three luxury condominium units in the Orchard Scotts Residences and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore worth RM42 million, saying that the buy was part of the company's investment portfolio, according to her husband Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail, the executive chairman of NFCorp.

Mohamad Salleh is currently on trial over charges of criminal breach of trust and violations of the Companies Act involving the alleged misuse of funds from the project.

The Wanita Umno chief also testified that the RM42 million condominiums in Singapore and two condominium units in Bangsar here costing RM30 million in total made up more than one-fifth of the RM250 million government loan.

Shahrizat's senatorship was not renewed in April 2012, causing her to lose her women, family and community development portfolio in the Cabinet.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/rafizi-putrajaya-writing-off-rm163m-nfc-loan?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#sthash.SI5uIwAE.dpuf

PKR's Rafizi Ramli (picture) today alleged that Putrajaya was foregoing the outstanding RM163 million from the loan issued to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) after its cattle-farming project was transferred to another company.

The PKR strategy director pointed out that the federal government had reportedly agreed to appoint another consortium to take over the controversial National Feedlot Centre (NFC) project, but that the new operator would not be responsible for the RM250 million loan that was issued to NFCorp.

"In the current conditions, I am of the opinion that the RM163 million that was spent by NFC can be considered gone and that it will not be able to be recovered," Rafizi said in a statement.

News portal The Malaysian Insider quoted industry sources earlier today as saying that the NFC project would be managed by Malaysian-Japanese venture Kirimitonas Agro Sdn Bhd and that the federal government would recover the soft loan to NFCorp through litigation.

Rafizi noted that as of May 2012, RM181 million had been given to NFCorp, according to the Finance Ministry's parliamentary reply then.

The Pandan MP said that the properties seized from NFCorp — which is owned by former minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's family — so far are valued at RM18 million (RM14 million from two condominium units and RM4 million for two plots of land).

"The minister's reply that only RM18 million in assets have been seized thus far, and the decision to award the project to a new operator without taking over the RM250 million loan, confirms that the government will face difficulties in recovering the remaining funds that are estimated at RM163 million," said Rafizi.

He pointed out that NFCorp was no longer in operation.

"Therefore, it can be considered that the company can no longer service the loan and is bound to go through bankruptcy," said Rafizi.

He added that part of the loan was used for non-asset expenses, such as salaries, transport allowances and other expenses that could not be recovered.

"The government did not impose personal guarantees on the directors of NFCorp," he said. "So, their responsibility is limited to their shares in the company."

Rafizi was pushed into the limelight after exposing NFCorp's purchases of luxury condominium units through the federal government loan that was meant for the national cattle-farming project.

The Auditor-General's 2010 report had highlighted the failure of the NFC project in achieving its target of breeding 8,000 cattle in Gemas, Negri Sembilan, in 2010, besides noting NFCorp's management failures.

The trial of Shahrizat's defamation suit against Rafizi revealed last March that NFCorp had purchased a RM534,622 Mercedes-Benz in 2009 as a company car that was parked in her house.

In the trial, Shahrizat had also defended NFCorp's purchase of three luxury condominium units in the Orchard Scotts Residences and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore worth RM42 million, saying that the buy was part of the company's investment portfolio, according to her husband Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail, the executive chairman of NFCorp.

Mohamad Salleh is currently on trial over charges of criminal breach of trust and violations of the Companies Act involving the alleged misuse of funds from the project.

The Wanita Umno chief also testified that the RM42 million condominiums in Singapore and two condominium units in Bangsar here costing RM30 million in total made up more than one-fifth of the RM250 million government loan.

Shahrizat's senatorship was not renewed in April 2012, causing her to lose her women, family and community development portfolio in the Cabinet.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/rafizi-putrajaya-writing-off-rm163m-nfc-loan?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#sthash.SI5uIwAE.dpuf

 

Police force most corrupt, says TI survey

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 07:04 PM PDT

(FZ.com) - Police scored four on a scale five – five being most corrupt – in a list of institutions, a public survey conducted by Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) found.

This was revealed in the graft watchdog's Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) survey which was conducted from September 2012 to March, this year.
 
However, when asked if the survey results indicated a necessity for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), TI-M's new president Datuk Akhbar Satar declined to comment.
 
TI-M has been a strong advocate of institutional reforms, particularly as the police force's lead position as the most corrupt institution in two surveys in a row – the previous one in 2010.
 
The GCB is conducted biennially and is based on 1,000 surveyed on public experience of bribery and corruption. The survey was done through computer assisted telephone interviewing.
 
Placed behind the police are political parties which scored 3.8 out of five, in the public opinion perception index.
 
This was followed by the category of public officials/civil servants and Parliament/Legislature which stood at 3.3.
 
The results also found 39% of the respondents thought the level of corruption had increased, compared to the 37% in 2011.
 
However, 47% felt the height of graft remained the same while only 14% believed that it had decreased.
 
This had also translated to the decline in perception of Putrajaya's effectiveness in combating corruption to 31% compared to 49% in 2011.
 
According to statistics, 79% avowed to report an incident of corruption while an impressive 87% agreed that ordinary individuals can make a difference in fighting corruption.
 
Correspondingly, those which admitted to paying a bribe in the poll remained at a relatively low 3%.
 
The Malaysian statistics, however, paled in comparison to the global ranking where 27% respondents said they have paid bribes, meanwhile the number stood at 36% in Indonesia and 18% in Thailand.
 
However, Akhbar conceded that the respondents may have not been all that truthful on owning up to having paid bribes.
 
"The barometer survey asked people if they had come into contact with identified service providers in Malaysia and for each of these service they have engaged, they were asked if they had paid a bribe - 12% have paid the police, 8% in the judicial system and 3% in the education system," said Akhbar who presented the results.
 
"These results indicate that the incidence of petty corruption continues to remain at low levels demonstrating the rakyat's abhorrence to corruption and commitment to make a difference.
 
"However, the more dangerous form of grand corruption involving collusion and state capture continues to be a cause for concern," he said.
 
Akhbar, a former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) official, said to achieve the government's 70% aim in its fight against corruption by 2015 "much more needs to be done."
 
He also called on the government to nab the "big fish" and asked for a thorough review and reform of the police force and political parties which are viewed as being corrupt.
 
"Enhance the autonomy and independence of investigative agencies such as the MACC and the Enforcement Agencies Integrity Commission (EAIC)," he said as well as a better protective framework for whistleblowers.
 

 

'Lower teaching entry bar'

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 06:54 PM PDT

(NST) - The government must lower the teaching entry requirement for students who excel in sports and those from the Orang Asli community, said the National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP) president.

Hashim Adnan said the government's decision to set the basic requirement of a minimum of 7As for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia students from the peninsular who wanted to be teachers and 5As for those from Sabah and Sarawak would boost the profession.

"However, it should also consider lowering the benchmark for students who have been active in sports and those from the Orang Asli community.

"We cannot expect students active in sports to be able to produce results like inactive students as they would need to go for training and may miss lessons or have less time to study.

"Instead of ignoring them, the ministry must make allowances for those who have represented the state or the nation in sports," he said.

He said the ministry should also consider lowering the benchmark to 3As in SPM for Orang Asli students. "We should give more leeway to Orang Asli children who live in remote areas and want to become teachers.

"If we lower the basic requirement, more of them will be able to become teachers and they can then go back to their villages to teach the children."

Hashim was reacting to Second Education and Higher Education II Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh's statement when wrapping up the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday that SPM students from the peninsular interested to enter the teaching profession needed to score at least score 7As, while the minimum requirement for students in Sabah and Sarawak was 5As. The move was implemented this year.

"People think highly of the teaching profession and, of course, we need to ensure that we have quality teachers. In the peninsula, if you don't have 7As, then don't ask to be a teacher because that is the minimum requirement now.

"But for Sabah and Sarawak, we are more lenient."

Previously, post-SPM candidates wanting to take up teaching needed to score only a distinction in any three subjects and credits for Bahasa Malaysia, English and History.

He said the ministry was reviewing the School-Based Assessment system (PBS) to lessen the burden of teachers.

"We are also looking into increasing the number of teacher aides.

"This has been implemented in several states, such as Kedah and Sabah."

Idris said 500 schools were involved in the pioneer project.

PBS was introduced in 2011 in all government and government-aided primary schools, and implemented in all government and government-aided secondary schools last year.

The programme assesses students based on different evidence markers, like their ability to read or count, grading them into bands, starting from Band One to Band Six.

 

GE13: MACC says no proof of vote buying in Penang

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 06:03 PM PDT

(The Star) - The Penang Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) has recommended to the Attorney-General to close all seven cases of alleged vote buying in the state during the 13th general election, due to a lack of evidence.

Its director Datuk Samarajoo Manikam said details obtained from the witnesses did not show any offence against the MACC Act 2009.

"Therefore, we recommended to the Attorney-General late last month to close all seven cases, and I believe they have accepted our recommendations," he told reporters after a dialogue with heads of department and political parties in a hotel here Tuesday.

He said some of the witnesses could not provide details of who issued the alleged vouchers and how they were being distributed.

He said some of them claimed to have received between RM100 to RM200.

"The alleged offences had taken place in makeshift areas and were short-lived because by the time our officers went there, the persons concern were all gone.

"Some of the alleged distributors were foreign citizens," he said.

On May 13, seven Pakatan Rakyat candidates who lost in the 13th general election lodged reports with the Penang Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over alleged vote-buying.

They were PKR's Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain (Teluk Bahang), Mohd Tuah Ismail (Pulau Betong), Norhayati Jaafar (Teluk Air Tawar) and Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abd Rahman (Pinang Tunggal) and Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (Balik Pulau parliamentary seat), and PAS' Asnah Hashim (Bayan Lepas) and Rosidi Hussain (Penaga).

Most lost their seats by fewer than 1,000 votes.

 

Corruption seen on the rise, global study finds

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 03:16 PM PDT

(AFP) - More than half of respondents in a global corruption survey released Tuesday think that graft has worsened over the past two years, and a quarter reported having paid officials a bribe in the last 12 months.

The survey by Berlin-based non-profit group Transparency International (TI) also found that people have least trust in institutions meant to help or protect them, including police, the courts and political parties.

Respondents also believed official anti-corruption efforts had deteriorated since the 2008 start of the world financial and economic crisis.

The group's Global Corruption Barometer 2013 is the world's largest public opinion survey on corruption. It surveyed 114,000 people in 107 countries, the group said.

It found that 27% of respondents had said they had paid a bribe to a member of a public service or institution in the past 12 months, revealing no improvement from previous surveys.

The group pointed to a link between poverty and graft. Eight of the 10 countries with the highest bribery rates are African, said a TI spokesman.

In 36 countries, respondents viewed police as the most corrupt, while 20 countries view the judiciary as the most graft-ridden. In 51 countries political parties were seen as the most corrupt institution.

People's appraisal of government efforts to stop corruption was worse than before the financial crisis began in 2008, falling to 22% now from 31% then.

Still, the group said that there was a growing will to fight back, with two-thirds of those who were asked to pay a bribe saying they had refused.

"Bribe paying levels remain very high worldwide, but people believe they have the power to stop corruption and the number of those willing to combat the abuse of power, secret dealings and bribery is significant," said Huguette Labelle (picture), chair of TI.

She added that "governments need to make sure that there are strong, independent and well-resourced institutions to prevent and redress corruption. Too many people are harmed when these core institutions and basic services are undermined by the scourge of corruption." 

 

Umno needs to change, says Muhyiddin

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 02:15 PM PDT

(Bernama) - Deputy Prime Minister  Muhyiddin Yassin  said Umno must make comprehensive changes in order to remain relevant and to retain power in the future.

He said whatever decisions made by the voters in the last general election must be accepted and that Umno members should not give up, but to stay strong in facing the ever-challenging political landscape.

"When I go to the ground, I find that some Umno members are less enthusiastic now…and when asked, they said the political ecosystem has changed and that they were worried that we will lose.

"In a situation like this, it's important for us to face whatever decisions made by the voters.

"However, if Umno wants to retain power, it must make some changes. Not just for the sake of making changes, but to change towards achieving our goals," he said at the simultaneous opening of Pagoh Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri Annual Conference here.

Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, said the changes were vital because without them, Umno would not be able to last and Umno's relevancy would always be questioned over the next five years.

Meanwhile, he also called on Umno leaders to be at the frontline in fighting for issues concerning the Malays and the Bumiputeras.

He said this was because certain quarters, especially Umno Youth and Wanita, were seen to have been keeping silence when matters concerning the rights of the Malays and Bumiputeras were being debated.

If certain quarters are threatening the rights of the Malays, the people would expect Umno to champion the issue and to defend their rights as stipulated in the Federal Constitution, he said. 

 

New oil fields: Sabah must re-visit old ‘deal’

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 02:10 PM PDT

With new oil fields opening and bigger productions, it is vital that the Sabah government push for better returns from Putrajaya. 

Queville To, FMT

The Musa Aman administration must fight for a  higher royalty, especially now that new oil fields are being opened "with bigger productions and more revenue".

Luyang assemblyman Dr Hiew King Cheu maintained the Sabah government cannot be happy and smug with the existing five percent it receives in oil royalty.

"We deserve to have more especially with new oil fields are being opened up with bigger production and more revenue," he said.

He cited the Kikeh oil field, noting that it is producing almost 50% of the total oil production in the Sabah oil fields put together.

"What happens when other new oil fields open up and new reserves are found in Sabah?

"The amount of money will be huge and why not we secure higher percentage on the sharing now?" he asked.

He said the state government should not be content with the meager 5% oil royalty and the money from Kuala Lumpur.

"Sabah deserves to get a bigger share. Just imaging when we have 20% on the oil royalty, just for 2012, we should be getting RM3,765.00 million.

"There is an extra of RM2,823.75 million," he pointed out.

Hiew thus questioned the logic for not fighting for a higher oil royalty especially in the instances of new oil fields.

"The oil resources belong to the people of Sabah, not the state or federal cabinet," he stresesd.

Look at bigger picture

He maintained that it is the duty of the state cabinet to set up the special committee to study the oil royalty issue and to forward their recommendations to the federal cabinet for decision on an increment in the oil royalty to Sabah.

He said the State government should not reject such a call just because it came from an opposition elected representative like him, but must look at the bigger picture, in the best interest of the state and its people.

The state cabinet has the duty to fulfill the wish of the people, and it is their job to get the best for the Sabahans.

For this, the ruling parties and the opposition parties should stand together to achieve the goal, because we all represent the people of Sabah.

READ MORE HERE

 

Analyst: Pakatan blowing hot air over GE results

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 01:45 PM PDT

Muhammad Fuad Othman said the federal opposition is only attempting to "prolong its popularity" while it lasts to "make it to the next national polls.

by Pathma Subramaniam, fz.com

Pakatan Rakyat's discontent over the results of the 13th General Election is nothing but to release their "frustration", said a political analyst today.

Universiti Utara Malaysia School of International Studies senior lecturer Dr Muhammad Fuad Othman said the federal opposition is only attempting to "prolong its popularity" while it lasts to "make it to the next general election".

"They are just blowing hot air like a pressure cooker to show their frustration... rather than they break down inside, it's better to shout out," he said when asked whether the post-election street rallies were justified.

"They want to ride on that popularity so that they can prolong their popularity to the next general election," opined Muhammad Fuad, while speaking at the "GE13: An analysis and aftermath" seminar today.

"Most of the people who go to the Black 505 rallies are not even eligible to vote... they will be voting in 14th general election, if at all," he said.

While Pakatan is aware that the Malaysian electoral system has always followed the first-past-the-post mechanism, the opposition is attempting to recreate a sort of "nostalgic feeling" by harping on popular votes it had garnered.

He insisted that voters aged 18 to 25 years are returning to the government while voters aged 25 to 45 are likely to continue supporting the opposition.

"This group is what we like to call the reformasi voters. They have been gassed by the government and feel like they are in a ditch, therefore they tend to be with the opposition," said Muhammad Fuad.

"Meanwhile, the first channel of voters, those aged 50 and above, are solidly with the government," he asserted.

 

In the Malay Press: Karpal gets flak over conversion of minors issue

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 01:23 PM PDT

The Kota Baru MP has chastised Karpal over his statement regarding the conversion of minors, saying he should not call all 51 PKR and PAS MPs to join DAP in supporting the latter's bill to amend the Federal Constitution.

Sean Augustin, fz.com

DAP chairman Karpal Singh is uneasy with anything to do with Islam, including on matters stipulated in the Federal Constitution, former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa said.

Calling for action to be taken against the Gelugor MP, Nasharudin urged party leaders and members to support PAS assistant secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan on the conversion of minors issue.

The Kota Baru MP has chastised Karpal over his statement regarding the conversion of minors, saying he should not call all 51 PKR and PAS MPs to join DAP in supporting the latter's bill to amend the Federal Constitution.

The proposed bill is meant to amend Article 12(4) of the constitution to stop the unilateral consent of a parent in deciding a minor's religion.

Speaking to Utusan Malaysia yesterday, Nasharudin said Takiyuddin had given his views as a lawyer and a leader in Pakatan Rakyat.

"The constitution is quite clear on this. Islam's position in the constitution is something that has been agreed upon by the opposition coalition," he said.

The daily went on to quote other PAS members on the issue, including activist Mohd Riza Kammaruddin who said it was compulsory for the party not to compromise on matters of the Islamic faith.

Fellow member and Penang Muslimin network head Hafiz Mohamed Nordin meanwhile said Karpal presented a danger to the country's harmony.

In a related story, Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim said Karpal should not raise issues for political mileage.

"I'm not saying the issue raised by Karpal was for publicity, but as a veteran politician, he should be a statesman and offer view to develop the nation," the former DAP vice president told the Malay daily.

Tunku Abdul Aziz also urged Karpal to rethink his intention to amend the article to avoid prolonging the controversy.

Former DAP Sungai Pelek chairman Tan Tuan Tat meanwhile said Karpal was a leader who was famous for making threats.

 

Ex-editor: Mahathir wanted memory of Anwar 'erased'

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 10:09 AM PDT

http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/h/www.fz.com/sites/default/files/styles/1_landscape_slider_photo/public/xkadir,P20jasin_1.JPG.pagespeed.ic.EytHNygp3B.jpg

Kadir Jasin felt that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to erase Anwar from public memory as the editors had built up his image for 16 years.

"For 16 years, we developed Anwar from a rabble rouser, from a street fighter to a consummate politician listened to by Americans"

Pathma Subramaniam, fz.com

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad wanted media giant New Straits Times (NST) to "try and do away" with his adversary Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister, a prominent former editor revealed today.

"His (Mahathir's) feelings were that we should try to do away with Anwar. Maybe we should try to erase the memory of Anwar," said former NST group editor-in-chief Datuk A Kadir Jasin.

At the "GE13: An analysis and aftermath" seminar today, Kadir said that he told Mahathir that it would be a "Herculean task" as Kadir had groomed Anwar's image as Mahathir's successor for 16 years.

Anwar was axed by Mahathir on allegations of corruption and sodomy in 1998 and sentenced to six years in prison for graft, while the conviction for sodomy was overturned.

"What I told the party president (Mahathir) then and people who were carrying out the instructions on his behalf is that it is difficult, and (moreso), if we are talking about having to face an election in the next few months.

"It is almost impossible because (it was) fait accompli… that Anwar (had become) what he was then and still is. We developed Anwar for 16 years," Kadir said.

"He (Anwar) wasn't like that when we first met him. In 1982, he was a scrawny fellow, poorly dressed - in batik lusuh (faded batik shirt), not-so-nice pants and sandals.

"He was socialist, a poor person and he was leader of the downtrodden," said Kadir.

"But we made him into someone who loves shoes made in Milan. I know a guy who went to Milan just to order shoes for Anwar. For 16 years, we developed Anwar from a rabble rouser, from a street fighter to a consummate politician listened to by Americans," he added.

 

Dr M: Law cannot be drafted, abolished on mere demands

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 10:08 AM PDT

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ4AUFNoEHvf21UNo27yGuhqw02sIRfBt3tmDi36ihASFwMHtkJ 

(fz.com) - "The problem in not the law, but the people who are abusing the law." 

A law cannot be simply drafted or abolished following demands from certain quarters, including the opposition, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said. 
 
In fact, he said a study must be carried out to collect input and opinions from various quarters, or other countries which had enforced or abolished such and act, as well its impacts. 
 
"If we bow to the demands of the opposition, there will be no law. Right now, they are demanding to have a rule of law, but if there's no law, how can we have a rule of law," he told reporters after launching Naza World Cup Asia Paintball (NWCAP) 2013 here yesterday. 
 
He said this in response to the demands made by certain quarters to abolish the Sedition Act 1948. 
 
Mahathir said if the Act were to be abolished, the people would be free to do anything or insult anybody. 
 
"We used to have a courteous society where we don't easily insult people, but now, we have people easily bad-mouthing us, insulting our religion and our Prophet, but we can do nothing about it. 
 
"The problem in not the law, but the people who are abusing the law," he added. 

 

Chua: Clarify how conversion Bill was allowed to pass, causing unnecessary disputes

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 10:05 AM PDT

http://www.thenutgraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Chua-Soi-Lek-02.jpg

(The Star) - Non-Muslim Cabinet members should give the people an explanation as to how they allowed the controversial Administration of the Religion of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013 to be passed unanimously by the Cabinet, said MCA.

Its president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said although they welcomed the decision by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister to withdraw the Bill, he said the Bill had triggered many unnecessary controversies.

"The move to withdraw the Bill shows that the Government listens to the people and that it has heeded the people's aspirations.

"However, I believe that the Bill was thoroughly deliberated in the Cabinet before it was tabled for first reading in Parliament.

"I cannot understand how the non-Muslim Cabinet ministers were not aware about the differences in using the term of 'mother or father' and 'parents' in Section 107(b) of the Bill until it was passed by the Cabinet for tabling in the Parliament," he said yesterday.

He said the move would also cost the Barisan Nasional Government its image, therefore the non-Muslims Cabinet members have the responsibility to explain to the public.

"We also support the call that Section 95 of the Administration of Islamic Laws (FT) Act 1993, which also uses the same wordings of 'mother or father', and other relevant state enactments, be amended so that conversion of a minor would need the consent of both parents," he said.

Various groups have voiced their opposition to the Bill, which includes a controversial provision allowing a child to be converted with the consent of only one parent.

The Bill was withdrawn yesterday from Parliament following a motion by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.

Two other related Bills – the Syariah Court Civil Procedure (Federal Territories) (Amendment) Bill 2013 and Syariah Criminal Procedures (Federal Territories) (Amendment) Bill 2013 – were also withdrawn.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said it was good the Bill was retracted in the interest of religious harmony.

"Now we will have more time to iron out what's not accepted by all races," he said adding that MCA wants the word "parent" (ibu atau bapa) in the Bill to be replaced with "parents" (ibu dan bapa), in line with the Federal Constitution. 

Catholic Church moves to strike out Putrajaya’s ‘Allah’ appeal

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 10:04 AM PDT

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articleslawrence-andrew1-080713_484_323_100.jpg

Lawrence is editor of the Herald, the Catholic Church's sole newspaper. 

(The Malay Mail) - Its patience seemingly worn thin, the Catholic Church has finally initiated a bid to strike out the federal government's appeal against a landmark High Court ruling that Christians have as much right as Muslims to call their god "Allah".

The Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur filed an application yesterday afternoon to throw out Putrajaya's appeal, which has been languishing in the Court of Appeal for the past four years, the editor of Herald, the Church's sole newspaper, told The Malay Mail Online.

"We have filed the application to strike out their appeal," said Father Lawrence Andrew.

The Church was moved to act as the government had shown no signs of dropping its suit, the priest said, despite the Najib administration's initial overtures to mend the cracks that have appeared in Malaysia's multireligious society that has left Muslims on one side and believers of other creeds on the opposite ledge.

"This appeal case has to be struck out because the prime minister had in a letter dated 11 April 2011 offered a 10-point solution to the problems faced by the Christians in procuring the Al-Kitab for their worship, study and prayer," Lawrence added.

The 10-point solution was an assurance given by Datuk Seri Najib Razak to the country's Christian population that they were free to bring in and use their bibles in Malay as well as in other indigenous languages that contained the word "Allah", after shipments of the holy book were banned.

Christians are Malaysia's third-largest religious population at 2.6 million people, according to statistics from the 2010 census, behind Muslims and Buddhists.

Bumiputera Christians form about 64 per cent, or close to two-thirds of that figure, and have prayed in the national language and their native tongues for centuries.

And the Catholic Church makes up the largest numbers of all Christians in Malaysia. The Official Catholic Directory 2012 puts its congregation as numbering 1,007,643 people at the end of 2010, but the figures would have spiked in the past three years.

The Herald's readership is also estimated at roughly one million people.

Lawrence noted that the government has also recognised the rights of Christians to "Allah" and pointed to a compromise reached with the Christian groups who agreed to allow copies of their holy book to bear the Home Ministry's stamp, which marks the Malay and native-language bibles to be Christian publications for a Christian readership only.

"By the Cabinet decision and the subsequent letter of the PM, it has been stated that the Christians can procure the Al-Kitab freely but with the words for 'Christians only'.

"The action of the government is an indication of admission and acceptance from the government that makes pursuit of the case academic," the priest said.

Lawrence said the government's actions indicate it admits the "Allah" word has been an integral part of Christian Scripture and a core of the creed's dynamics in the country for more than four centuries.

The "Allah" row erupted in 2008 when the Home Ministry threatened to revoke the Herald's newspaper permit, prompting the Catholic Church to sue the government for violating its constitutional rights.

In 2009, the High Court made a landmark ruling in favour of the Catholic Church, when it said the Middle Eastern word was not the exclusive right of Muslims and the Herald could publish it in its Bahasa Malaysia section, which caters to its Bumiputera congregation.

The federal government's appeal to reverse the 2009 High Court judgment is scheduled for case management in the Court of Appeal today.

But in light of the latest development, the Court of Appeal will have to attend to the Church's strike-out application before it can decide a hearing date for the government's challenge.

 

Guan Eng: Penang should be afforded its long overdue city status

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 09:59 AM PDT

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZ_Go-85356l-lZ2KuKkb0YD4_0YCq4jjMl2U3T0eB86TsGOVIIWymbXNJvfZY9ylOEAf3nUX_2C0QBujEGa_59x2ata37jiR06pYmWfuRTTopqNRjaxMfduQW2R7OVm-GCUg5oitGQU/s400/Lim-Guan-Eng.png 

(The Malay Mail) - We are the second most important city in the country so we should be given the city status instead of remaining as a municipal.

Penang should be afforded its city status and its municipal council be given the city council status by the Housing and Local Government Ministry, said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

"We are the second most important city in the country so we should be given the city status instead of remaining as a municipal," he said.

Speaking at the swearing in of municipal councillors for the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP), Lim said it is time that the ministry make haste to recognise George Town as a city and the council become a city council.

"Why is it that until now, Penang can't be given a city status? It can't be that Penang can't compete with the 12 cities in the country so I do hope that the ministry will speed up the process of giving George Town its city status," he said.

He had pointed out that the Europe Business Assembly (EBA) had recently awarded the MPPP president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail as the Best Municipal Manager and also given MPPP the Best Municipality Award.

"This international recognition should be enough to convince the housing and local government ministry that George Town should be given its city status and its municipal council be recognised as a city council," he said.

George Town's city status has been a bone of contention raised by the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government since 2009 as George Town was declared a city by a royal charter granted by Queen Elizabeth II on January 1, 1957.

However, it lost its city status and is no longer recognised as a city by the federal government and the PR-led state government has been demanding that the federal government reinstate its city status.

"I hope that this delay in giving George Town its city status is not due to unexplainable reasons and that the ministry will speed up the process," Lim said.

On the newly appointed councillors, 12 of whom are new faces, Lim advised that they perform in their duty as municipal councillors.

"Be sure to go down to the ground and look at drainage or the roads if you must because it is your duty and do not turn away from your duty just because it is not within your scope of responsibilities," he said.

He told the newly sworn-in councillors that they were picked by their respective parties so they must fulfil the expectations placed upon them by their parties.

"You must perform because once we return the third vote to the people, you will be elected based on your performance by the people so if they do not want to elect you, there is no one else to blame but yourselves," he said.

The Bagan MP also touched on the increase of street crimes in Penang after five years of being the state with the lowest crime index in the country.

"It is alarming to note that our street crimes have increased by 72 per cent between January and May this year to place Penang as the state with the highest street crimes in the country," he said.

With this in mind, he had instructed MPPP to install at least one street lamp each day and also to allocate an additional RM1.4 million to install 70 new CCTVs on the island.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/guan-eng-penang-should-be-afforded-its-long-overdue-city-status?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#sthash.pLWXShVY.dpuf 

Snowden made the right call when he fled the U.S.

Posted: 08 Jul 2013 09:55 AM PDT

http://nsarchive.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/ellsberg_time1.jpg

One lesson of the Pentagon Papers and Snowden's leaks is simple: secrecy corrupts, just as power corrupts. 

Daniel Ellsberg, Washington Post 

Daniel Ellsberg is the author of "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers." He was charged in 1971 under the Espionage Act as well as for theft and conspiracy for copying the Pentagon Papers. The trial was dismissed in 1973 after evidence of government misconduct, including illegal wiretapping, was introduced in court. 

After the New York Times had been enjoined from publishing the Pentagon Papers — on June 15, 1971, the first prior restraint on a newspaper in U.S. history — and I had given another copy to The Post (which would also be enjoined), I went underground with my wife, Patricia, for 13 days. My purpose (quite like Snowden's in flying to Hong Kong) was to elude surveillance while I was arranging — with the crucial help of a number of others, still unknown to the FBI — to distribute the Pentagon Papers sequentially to 17 other newspapers, in the face of two more injunctions. The last three days of that period was in defiance of an arrest order: I was, like Snowden now, a "fugitive from justice."

Yet when I surrendered to arrest in Boston, having given out my last copies of the papers the night before, I was released on personal recognizance bond the same day. Later, when my charges were increased from the original three counts to 12, carrying a possible 115-year sentence, my bond was increased to $50,000. But for the whole two years I was under indictment, I was free to speak to the media and at rallies and public lectures. I was, after all, part of a movement against an ongoing war. Helping to end that war was my preeminent concern. I couldn't have done that abroad, and leaving the country never entered my mind.

There is no chance that experience could be reproduced today, let alone that a trial could be terminated by the revelation of White House actions against a defendant that were clearly criminal in Richard Nixon's era — and figured in his resignation in the face of impeachment — but are today all regarded as legal (including an attempt to "incapacitate me totally").

I hope Snowden's revelations will spark a movement to rescue our democracy, but he could not be part of that movement had he stayed here. There is zero chance that he would be allowed out on bail if he returned now and close to no chance that, had he not left the country, he would have been granted bail. Instead, he would be in a prison cell like Bradley Manning, incommunicado.

He would almost certainly be confined in total isolation, even longer than the more than eight months Manning suffered during his three years of imprisonment before his trial began recently. The United Nations Special Rapporteur for Torture described Manning's conditions as "cruel, inhuman and degrading." (That realistic prospect, by itself, is grounds for most countries granting Snowden asylum, if they could withstand bullying and bribery from the United States.)

Snowden believes that he has done nothing wrong. I agree wholeheartedly. More than 40 years after my unauthorized disclosure of the Pentagon Papers, such leaks remain the lifeblood of a free press and our republic. One lesson of the Pentagon Papers and Snowden's leaks is simple: secrecy corrupts, just as power corrupts.

Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/daniel-ellsberg-nsa-leaker-snowden-made-the-right-call/2013/07/07/0b46d96c-e5b7-11e2-aef3-339619eab080_story_1.html 

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan

 

Malaysia Today Online

Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved