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Pak Lah in ‘Awakening’ anger at Dr M

Posted: 05 Aug 2013 10:53 PM PDT

(MM) - After years of "elegant silence", Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is now firing back at his number one critic and former boss Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, accusing his predecessor of leading the "unwarranted attacks" that led to his eventual ouster.

Although handpicked by Dr Mahathir to be his successor, Abdullah later came under relentless attack from the nation's longest-serving prime minister and ultimately was forced to relinquish his presidency of Umno and position as prime minister to Datuk Seri Najib Razak in April 2009, after leading Barisan Nasional (BN) to its then-worst electoral showing in Election 2008.

"I didn't like what Mahathir did. I gave Mahathir the opportunity to give me his views. I went to see him but he chose to be public in his attacks against me and my administration," read an excerpt of his book Awakening reproduced by Malaysiakini today.

"Mahathir cannot deny that he contributed to the erosion of BN's support in the 2008 general election through his open and unwarranted criticism and attacks.

"Calling my administration, which included a majority of people from his own Cabinet, as a 'half-past-six government' and accusing us of corruption and all kind of things," Abdullah continued,

According to the 73-year-old fondly called "Pak Lah", the "core issue" was with Dr Mahathir's inability to accept any vision of the country beyond what he had mapped out before his retirement.

"Mahathir is set in his ways. And he believes that his way is the only way. When I tried to do things differently, he believed that I was doing things wrongly. But that is Mahathir," read another excerpt.

The previously cordial relationship between the two turned sour when, after coming to power, Abdullah discontinued the double-tracking rail megaproject approved during Dr Mahathir's time, citing the country's weak finances.

Dr Mahathir had then taken the cancellation, as well as that of the controversial "Crooked Bridge" to Singapore, as personal affront, saying these insinuated he had mismanaged the country's finances.

In his book, Abdullah revisits the double-tracking project, among others, insisting the country would have succumbed to the 2008 banking crisis had he not cancelled the projects when he did.

"Can you imagine if I had succumbed to Mahathir's continued pressure to spend when the deficit was already so high, how would Malaysia have weathered the oil and financial crisis which subsequently came up in 2008?

"If we had not been prudent then, and continued to spend, I can tell you we would be bankrupt by now," he said in an interview, which was published in the book that is slated to be launched later this month.

The new remarks are unlikely to improve relations between the two former prime ministers, which have remained chilly despite the years since Abdullah made way for Najib.

In an earlier excerpt, Abdullah lashed out at Dr Mahathir for accusing him of sleeping on the job although Dr Mahathir was aware that Pak Lah's bouts of public napping were due to a now-corrected disorder of sleep apnoea.

"He knew the problem and yet he chose to say all these things."

Awakening, jointly edited by political analysts Bridget Welsh and James Chin, is due to be launched by Pak Lah later this month.

Abdullah was prime minister from 2003 until 2009 after serving as Dr Mahathir's deputy starting in 1999.

He was the member of parliament for Kepala Batas from 1978 until Election 2013, when he made way for current MP Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

He is also the father-in-law of Youth and Sports Minister and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

 

In new book, ‘sleeping’ Pak Lah says Dr M knew of condition

Posted: 05 Aug 2013 08:21 PM PDT

(MM) - In a soon-to-be-released book entitled "Awakening", former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi reveals that predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad knew of his sleep apnoea problem but still went on to accuse him of sleeping on the job.

"I did tell Mahathir of my condition so for him to say I doze off because I am not interested in the job is most unkind," read an excerpt of the book reproduced by new portal Malaysiakini today.

"He knew the problem and yet he chose to say all these things."

Images of Abdullah (picture), affectionately called "Pak Lah", apparently dozing in meetings and other events were distributed across the internet during his tenure. These coincided with worsening economic conditions in the country, leading to accusations he was letting the country slip out of control.

The allegations also forced Abdullah to come out and defend himself then, saying in an interview with Chinese-language daily Nanyang Siang Pau that he was "no sleeping PM".

Although handpicked by Dr Mahathir to be his successor, Abdullah came under incessant attack from the nation's longest-serving prime minister and ultimately was forced to relinquish his presidency of Umno and position as prime minister to Datuk Seri Najib Razak in April 2009, after leading Barisan Nasional (BN) to its then-worst electoral showing in Election 2008.

In the coming book, Abdullah repeats his previous revelation of suffering from obstructive sleep apnoea, a disorder that may cause snoring and nocturnal sleep deprivation leading to daytime drowsiness in sufferers.

"My late wife, staffers and close associates pointed out to me that I had a tendency to doze off. I then consulted a good friend of mine, Dr Balvinder of Putrajaya Hospital who then suggested they do a sleep study on me," Abdullah says in the book.

Abdullah previously said he has since undergone surgery to correct the issue and no longer suffers from the condition.

"Awakening" is due to be launched by Pak Lah later this month.

"Awakening", jointly edited by political analysts Bridget Welsh and James Chin, is due to be launched by Pak Lah later this month.

Abdullah, 73, was prime minister from 2003 until 2009 after having served as Dr Mahathir's deputy beginning in 1999.

He was the member of parliament for Kepala Batas from 1978 until Election 2013, when he made way for current MP Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

He is also the father in law of Youth and Sports Minister and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin. 

 

Syiah practices allowed under Pak Lah

Posted: 05 Aug 2013 04:31 PM PDT

Malaysia is a signatory of the Amman Messages, which gives recognition to Sunni, Syiah, Ibadi and Thahiri schools of jurisprudence.

K Pragalath, FMT

Former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi allowed the Syiah minority to practice their religion in Malaysia by signing an agreement called the Amman Messages in November 2004 in Jordan.

He was one of 552 signatories representing 84 countries.

Other Malaysian leaders who endorsed the Amman Messages were opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, former minister in the prime minister's department Abdul Hamid Othman and current ministers Shahidan Kassim and Khairy Jamaluddin.

The first point in the Amman Messages gives recognition to schools of jurisprudence within the Sunni, Syiah, Ibadi and Thahiri sects.

"Whosoever is an adherent to one of the four Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali ), the two Shi'i schools of Islamic jurisprudence (Ja'fari and Zaydi), the Ibadi school of Islamic jurisprudence and the Thahiri school of Islamic jurisprudence, is a Muslim. Declaring that person an apostate is impossible and impermissible," the agreement stated.

Signatories to the agreement are also not allowed to declare practitioners of Sufism and Salafism as apostates.

This contradicts Minister in Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom's statement last week that any individual propagating the Syiah ideology could be prosecuted in a civil court under the Control and Restriction of the Propagation of Non-Islamic Religions Enactment.

Action also can be taken under the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment on Contravening Fatwa.

"The country adopts the Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jamaah ideology and stern action will be taken against those propagating the Syiah ideology," Jamil Khir was reported as saying.

Human rights violations

The second point of the Amman Messages highlights the similarities among the various schools of jurisprudence.

The third point pertains to the issuance and limitation of fatwas.

"No one may issue a fatwa without the requisite personal qualifications which each school of Islamic jurisprudence determines [for its own adherents]. No one may issue a fatwa without adhering to the methodology of the schools of Islamic jurisprudence.

"No one may claim to do absolute Ijtihad (reasoning) and create a new school of Islamic jurisprudence or to issue unacceptable fatwas that take Muslims out of the principles and certainties of the Shariah law and what has been established in respect of its schools of jurisprudence."

READ MORE HERE

 

Election Court rules by-election in Klias

Posted: 05 Aug 2013 03:55 PM PDT

(FMT) - KOTA KINABALU: The Klias state seat in Sabah will see a by-election, the Election Court decided today. The court's decision in allowing the first GE13 election petition, paves way for the by-election.

The decision is likely to court protest by the opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat, whose election petitions so far have been dismissed with high costs.

In the last polls, the Klias seat was won by Sabah opposition chief Lajim Ukin who beat Barisan Nasional's Isnin Aliasnih by a majority of 342 votes.

The decision is the first challenge allowed by the courts on the 13th general election, held on May 5.

The court, however, threw out Lajim's election petition challenging the result of the Beaufort parliamentary seat, which he lost to Barisan Nasionl.

The petition for the Klias seat, which Lajim won with a 342-vote majority, was filed by Barisan Nasional's Isnin.

Justice Yew Jen Kie, in making the decision however, struck out Isnin's petition against the Returning Officer (RO) and Election Commission (EC) and ordered Isnin to pay them RM10,000 each in costs.

He said Isnin did not plead how the RO and EC's actions had affected the outcome of the Klias seat.

Isnin was represented by counsel Japar Estaban, Saiful Aizat Moktar and Rizwandean Bukhari Borhan.

Justice Yew also struck out Lajim's petition challenging the validity of the Beaufort results. The seat was won by Barisan's Azizah Mohd Dun.

Justice Yew ordered Lajim, who was represented by counsel Chau Chin Tang and Lawrence Thien, to pay RM30,000 in costs to Azizah and RM10,000 each to RO Jupari@Jupri Etok and the EC.

READ MORE HERE

 

‘Don’t be hasty in using Sedition Act’

Posted: 05 Aug 2013 12:49 PM PDT

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Saifuddin-Abdullah1.jpg 

"Just because something happens and went viral through social media doesn't mean you have to charge a person for it." 

Umno's Saifuddin Abdullah urges the authorities to be thorough in their investigation before using the Sedition Act.

Umno's Saifuddin Abdullah has urged the government to refrain from "being too hasty" in using the Sedition Act 1948 when charging an accused person.

The former Temerloh MP was responding to the recent controversial video of dog trainer Maznah Mohd Yusof, better known as Chetz, bathing her dogs and wishing viewers Selamat Hari Raya.

Last week, police arrested Maznah under Section 298A of the Penal Code as well as the Sedition Act after her video resurfaced online on Wednesday.

"In Malaysia, we are always rushing to use certain laws. To me, you should take a closer look. Is this deviant behaviour or is this really seditious material," Saifuddin told FMT in an exclusive interview.

"Why always so hasty to use certain laws?" he asked.

Saifuddin admitted that he was not an "expert" and therefore could not comment if Maznah's actions are considered deviant or seditious.

"We are always rushing to use (certain) laws. I don't think developed nations think that way," he said.

Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/08/06/dont-be-hasty-in-using-sedition-act/ 

MPM calls for setting up of rehabilitation centre for those stirring up ‘sensitive issues’

Posted: 05 Aug 2013 12:47 PM PDT

http://www.mole.my/sites/default/files/images/namewee.storyimage.jpg 

(Bernama) - The Malay Consultative Council (MPM) has suggested the setting up of a civic rehabilitation centre for individuals who play up sensitive issues in the country.

Its secretary-general, Dr Hasan Mad, said individuals like Maznah Mohd Yusof, Alvin Tan, Vivian Lee and Namewee, who had all caused a stir for playing up sensitive issues, should be sent to such a centre.

They should be sent to a civic rehabilitation centre, instead of a detention centre or a lock-up, he told a media conference here today.

Hasan said the civic rehabilitation centre served to guide and counsel them, as well as instill self-identity and spirit of patriotism.

"We need civic rehabilitation centre, because it is not all the time that legal consequences or punishment is the solution," he added.

 

Bumiputera discount: A sensitive topic that must be addressed

Posted: 05 Aug 2013 12:44 PM PDT

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HBA honorary secretary-general Chang Kim Loong said one must look at the spirit of the bumiputera discount, which was to allow not so well off bumiputeras to own homes and avoid polarisation of neighbourhoods. 

Terence Fernandez, fz.com

A CAP on the 7%-10% discount for bumiputera house buyers is a controversial but much-needed initiative to address spiralling house prices.

The National House Buyers Association (HBA) said the powers-that-be have to just bite the bullet and explore such reforms if it is sincere in providing affordable housing to all.

In its presentation on July 17 at a discussion in housing issues, the HBA proposed that bumiputera discounts be limited to the first two properties.

HBA honorary secretary-general Chang Kim Loong said one must look at the spirit of the bumiputera discount, which was to allow not so well off bumiputeras to own homes and avoid polarisation of neighbourhoods.

"It gives food for thought as to why the well-off should also enjoy this privilege," he said, revealing that the HBA proposed high-end properties such as penthouses, semi-detached houses and bungalows be exempted from the bumiputera discount privilege.

It also proposed a price cap of RM1 million to enjoy the discount.

Other than that, a growing number of unsold bumiputera lots is also contributing to the glut.

"Instead of looking for more development sites, these unsold units should be opened up faster," Chang said.

This is one area where the HBA and the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) are on the same page.

Rehda president Datuk Seri Michael Yam had last year proposed that unsold bumiputera lots be allowed to be disposed of to non-bumiputeras six months after the property receives its certificate of fitness (CFs).

There are about RM4 billion worth of unsold bumiputera property and Rehda has also been championing for a review of the 30% bumiputera quota imposed on developers.

Read more at: http://www.fz.com/content/bumiputera-discount-sensitive-topic-must-be-addressed#ixzz2b9o7NnK8

 

Opposition relying on court of public opinion to highlight electoral fraud

Posted: 05 Aug 2013 12:14 PM PDT

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/assets/uploads/resizer/Bersih-People-Tribunal-060813_360_242_100.jpg

The Bersih People's Tribunal panelists. The tribunal will be one of the avenues for Pakatan Rakyat to voice their electoral fraud claims.  

(The Malaysian Insider) - The opposition coalition said this was the path it had to take since its petitions before the court were thrown out even before the merits were heard.

After failing in the court of law, Pakatan Rakyat is turning back to the court of public opinion to press its case on election fraud.

The opposition will present its evidence before two commissions of inquiry and the Bersih People's Tribunal to expose wrongdoings in the May 5 general election.

The opposition coalition said this was the path it had to take since its petitions before the court were thrown out even before the merits were heard.

Pakatan - comprising PKR, PAS and DAP - and the Barisan Nasional had filed 69 petitions an almost all were dismissed on preliminary objections

Parties were also slapped with heavy costs, an issue that drew concern from lawyers, political parties and interest groups.

An election court awarded RM150,000 after allowing a preliminary objection for the Kuala Berang state seat in Terengganu.

Similarly, the judge presiding over the Pasir Panjang state seat in Perak, ordered the petitioner to pay RM120,000 in costs to three respondents, including the Election Commission (EC).

For the election petition filed for the Balik Pulau federal seat in Penang, another court ordered payment of RM120,000.

PKR political bureau member Sivarasa Rasiah said appealing these case were pointless.

"Our petitions were knocked out on technical grounds and the costs were puniive. It will be a waste of time and money going to the apex court," he said.

Sivarasa said so far seven petitions filed by PKR were knocked out and the petitioners, whether candidates or voters, were ordered to pay a total of more than RM500,000.

Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/opposition-relying-on-court-of-public-opinion-to-highlight-electoral-fraud 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

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