Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Najib consolidates
- Asia’s (re)invitation to Obama
- Najib consolidates
- No more Judgment Day shivers this time
- Take lead in boycotting CHOGM in Colombo
| Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:17 PM PDT
At the end of the day, it's all about Najib. Can he rise to the occasion and be the leader we want him to be? Karim Raslan, The Star The Umno elections have strengthened Najib but he now has to put in the hard work to transform the nation. HOW times change. Five months ago – back in May – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak appeared to be extremely vulnerable, having just presided over an uninspiring Barisan Nasional outing in the 13th general election. Losing the popular vote and vast swathes of middle-class Malaysia, Najib's future seemed as dim and lacklustre as his performance on election night. Last Saturday, he erased that painful memory – albeit briefly – as he tightened his hold over Umno, eliminating all the challengers to his men (and women). Of course, the most prominent loser was Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, whose bid to enter the major league and win a vice-presidential slot was rebuffed. For the Mahathirites, this will be a bitter pill to swallow and there will no doubt be recriminations and some high-octane rhetoric. Najib needs to bear in mind that consolidating his control over Umno does not mean that he's achieved the political transformation that's necessary to take the country forward. Consolidating power is just the first step. Now comes the hard work. Indeed, the retention of many of the "same old" faces (such as Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil) will only deepen the cynicism of the hundreds of thousands of new voters joining the electoral rolls every year. The Umno hands have to ask themselves – do their mantra "gradual change" or "evolution rather than revolution" still resonate amongst voters? Having delayed change, will they have fallen too far behind the curve? Can they ever catch up with popular expectations? Still, with a victory in the bag, it's time for the PM to "kick ass" and do things "his way, or the highway" and yes, I am serious. Furthermore, Najib is a man who belongs in the middle of the political debate. He should not be embarrassed about his essential moderation and erudition. He has a sharp mind and enormous experience. However, all this good sense and knowledge is nothing if he lacks the courage to act, silencing the rabble-rousers and trouble-makers. Having side-lined the Mahathir faction within Umno, he must show us his true mettle. Moreover, now that he has regained the upper-hand politically, Najib must act decisively. The Prime Minister must push through his transformation agenda – and use his newfound clout to get the buy-in of the Umno rank and file (failing which he should either sack the dissenters or just ignore them). |
| Asia’s (re)invitation to Obama Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:12 PM PDT
This is especially so in Malaysia, where there are concerns that the TPP's demands will impact the bumiputra policies of entitlements to Malays and other native-born. Elections of the ruling Malay-based party, UMNO, have just been held and while he did well, Premier Najib Razak must guard against a conservative backlash against reform. Meet him as the first incumbent American President to visit Malaysia since Mr Lyndon Johnson, and please smile more than your trade negotiators have. Simon Tay, Today Online Mr President, Congratulations on handling the domestic crisis of the government shutdown and debt ceiling. The problem will recur, but most see you as a winner for holding your ground. Now, about that trip you cancelled to Asia. Yes, Secretary of State John Kerry filled in but, with due respect, your invitation was non-transferable. The pivot to Asia comes from your first term and, with many Cabinet changes, your presence is required to show that political commitment continues to flow from the very top. I — and many others across the region — therefore (re)invite you to visit, as soon as you can. Yes, Beltway politics continues, but you have some weeks before the next showdown threatens. Making the trip off-schedule will underline, all the more, that the region deserves special priority. We can be ready to receive you. The ASEAN (Association of South-east Asian Nations) Summit was held earlier than usual and, from now into December, activity is winding down. No dancing girls and batik shirts, but a warm welcome is waiting. If you come, what should you bring? While many feel the Chinese leaders stole attention in your absence, I do not think you need to respond like-for-like. No one is expecting you to bring economic presents as did the Chinese leaders (that is more an Asian habit) —America's history of engagement has banked away much goodwill. Nor is anti-Chinese rhetoric necessary. Indeed, be mindful of the Philippines and Japan, your allies who are anxious about maritime disputes with China. Reassurance is good, but keep it soothing, rather than possibly stirring more actions or proclamations. Instead, update Asians on US-China ties and on the "great powers" bilateral discussion that is emerging.
CONCERNS THAT YOU SHOULD HEAR
What you may want to do is to call for the ASEAN-US Summit that you initiated and have held every year until now. Also, call a special consultation about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, the centrepiece of American economic engagement. Time is ticking on the deadline — yet there remain concerns that you should hear directly from fellow leaders. This is especially so in Malaysia, where there are concerns that the TPP's demands will impact the bumiputra policies of entitlements to Malays and other native-born. Elections of the ruling Malay-based party, UMNO, have just been held and while he did well, Premier Najib Razak must guard against a conservative backlash against reform. Meet him as the first incumbent American President to visit Malaysia since Mr Lyndon Johnson, and please smile more than your trade negotiators have. For more economic impact, bring in American multinationals doing business in the region. In contrast to the government shutdown, the American private sector is revving up. Emphasise quality over quantity. Forge a pact for American investors to help the economies grow while delivering meaningful jobs to citizens, partnering local small and medium enterprises where possible and greening their supply chain. Corporate America is not perfect, but more credible in these aspects than many others, and such promises will fit well with concerns in large emerging markets like Myanmar and Indonesia.
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| Posted: 21 Oct 2013 04:23 PM PDT
The Umno elections have strengthened Najib but he now has to put in the hard work to transform the nation. Karim Raslan, The Star HOW times change. Five months ago – back in May – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak appeared to be extremely vulnerable, having just presided over an uninspiring Barisan Nasional outing in the 13th general election. Losing the popular vote and vast swathes of middle-class Malaysia, Najib's future seemed as dim and lacklustre as his performance on election night. Last Saturday, he erased that painful memory – albeit briefly – as he tightened his hold over Umno, eliminating all the challengers to his men (and women). Of course, the most prominent loser was Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, whose bid to enter the major league and win a vice-presidential slot was rebuffed. For the Mahathirites, this will be a bitter pill to swallow and there will no doubt be recriminations and some high-octane rhetoric. Najib needs to bear in mind that consolidating his control over Umno does not mean that he's achieved the political transformation that's necessary to take the country forward. Consolidating power is just the first step. Now comes the hard work. Indeed, the retention of many of the "same old" faces (such as Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil) will only deepen the cynicism of the hundreds of thousands of new voters joining the electoral rolls every year. The Umno hands have to ask themselves – do their mantra "gradual change" or "evolution rather than revolution" still resonate amongst voters? Having delayed change, will they have fallen too far behind the curve? Can they ever catch up with popular expectations? Still, with a victory in the bag, it's time for the PM to "kick ass" and do things "his way, or the highway" and yes, I am serious. Furthermore, Najib is a man who belongs in the middle of the political debate. He should not be embarrassed about his essential moderation and erudition. He has a sharp mind and enormous experience. However, all this good sense and knowledge is nothing if he lacks the courage to act, silencing the rabble-rousers and trouble-makers. Having side-lined the Mahathir faction within Umno, he must show us his true mettle. Moreover, now that he has regained the upper-hand politically, Najib must act decisively. The Prime Minister must push through his transformation agenda – and use his newfound clout to get the buy-in of the Umno rank and file (failing which he should either sack the dissenters or just ignore them). But here, I have to pause. Can the same old team help transform the party? Wasn't this the same "dream-team" that got the ruling coalition less seats than it did in 2008? Yes, we all know Umno did better in terms of number of seats – but Malay support also declined in four key states, namely Terengganu, Perlis, Pahang and Penang. If Umno is ever going to transform with these same faces – then they must do things differently and drastically. It should not be business as usual in the next few years. Therefore, given the new emphasis on competence, the newly voted batch of Umno leaders will need to up their game, perform and deliver. Najib needs a team which can balance big picture, macro policies with the grassroots. This is a tough job and the PM needs to be brave and "thwack" those who cross him. At the end of the day, it's all about Najib. Can he rise to the occasion and be the leader we want him to be? Can he face down the hot-heads who would lead Malaysia off to the extremes? Having secured his base, the choice is his and his alone.
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| No more Judgment Day shivers this time Posted: 21 Oct 2013 04:03 PM PDT
Mukhriz Mahathir lost narrowly but even his camp in its hour of defeat was quite composed and unflappable despite the discovery of dirty tricks against him at the 11th hour. By Syed Nadzri Syed Harun, FMT The 'Padang Mahsyar' quip could have come on again at the end of the blistering battle for Umno vice-presidency on Saturday. But it did not and that is a good sign for the party rooting for stability in the aftermath of the 13th general election (GE13). Probably the person who had uttered it on stage about 10 years ago lost too badly this time to even think about repeating the same lament regarding unkept promises of votes from delegates. It provided a big sigh of relief for Umno leaders that such disputes over results have been kept to a minimum. Mohd Isa Samad won one of the three VP seats in the 2004 Umno election, yet in his rounding up speech at the end of the assemby, he openly expressed regret at how he had failed to get votes from some of the delegates who "were supposed" to have voted for him. "I hope these people will not have trouble searching for me on Padang Mahsyar," he said. Padang Mahsyar, in Islam, is where all souls would be summoned in the hereafter to assemble on Judgment Day. And among other things, those who have failed to settle their debts when they were living, must do so here or else their souls would not be in peace. Isa lost in his latest bid for VP on Saturday, tying on only seven votes with Mohd Ali Rustam, who like him was comfortably in the VP seat 10 years ago. Both were disqualified the last round and although this comeback bid fizzled out badly, they accepted the defeat well, saying that it was the wishes of the delegates. There was no Judgment Day fears being thrown for now. There were whispers all round no doubt regarding divisions not voting a certain way and of opponents buying support but these did not accrue enough decibels to create a storm. The candidates, however, do keep a running log especially on divisions that did not vote for them. And perhaps they could use this to raise the 'Padang Mahsyar' flap later. Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir lost narrowly but even his camp in its hour of defeat was quite composed and unflappable despite the discovery of dirty tricks against him at the 11th hour. The victorious Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Shafie Apdal and Hishammuddin Hussein meant it was the first time in Umno election history that the incumbents for VPs were all returned.
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| Take lead in boycotting CHOGM in Colombo Posted: 21 Oct 2013 03:53 PM PDT
As a sponsor of the World Moderate Movement, the Malaysian government should lead by boycotting CHOGM and hold the Sri Lankan government responsible for war crimes. By Kua Kia Soong, FMT The Malaysian government's transformation programme does not seem to extend to foreign policy and human rights. Thus while the Canadian government has decided to boycott next month's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka over human rights concerns, the Malaysian government chooses to charge a human rights defender Lena Hendry of Komas for screening a British television film on Sri Lanka's atrocities against its Tamil citizens. Hendry has been charged under the Film Censorship Act for organising a screening of 'No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka', an award-winning documentary about alleged war crimes by the Sri Lankan government during the final months of the civil war in 2009. Hendry faces up to three years in prison and a fine. Although its civil war ended in 2009, the Sri Lankan government has still not accounted for its war crimes especially during the closing stages of the war nor desisted from its human rights abuses. Troubling new evidence keeps on appearing with disturbing new proof that Sri Lankan government forces under Mahinda Rajapaksa committed violent crimes with impunity and continued to torture, rape and violently abuse Tamils, even after the war. (The Economist, Feb 26, 2013) A British television broadcaster, Channel 4, previously showed images of Sri Lankan soldiers executing several naked, presumably Tamil, prisoners. These were recorded at the end of the war, in 2009. Tamil political leaders suggested that 10,000 Tamils had been killed in the closing stages of the war, and that over 1,000 survivors remain missing. They spoke of mass graves hidden in the north of Sri Lanka and of the murder of many civilians. A new report by Human Rights Watch, an activist group, released on Feb 26, 2013, publishes testimony from victims, doctors and others, who describe how Sri Lanka's security forces—its army, police, intelligence agents—use arbitrary detention, violence, torture and rape against Tamil suspects. It documents cases of Tamil men and women who were detained, violently interrogated, threatened with execution, raped, burned with cigarettes, tortured and forced to sign confessions of supporting the former rebel army. More recently, UN human rights commissioner Navi Pillay has expressed grave concern about the lack of accountability, unresolved enforced disappearances, and decreasing fundamental freedoms. After a visit to Sri Lanka, she noted the country's worrying "authoritarian turn" and the government's failure to independently or credibly investigate the allegations of war crimes during the country's armed conflict. She pointed out that surveillance and harassment of human rights defenders, journalists, and many ordinary citizens appeared to be getting worse. Security forces intimidated some of those she met or intended to meet, and interrogated human rights defenders.
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