| The flawless wasatiyah? Posted: 11 Feb 2013 12:54 PM PST 
The poison is being stirred in the minds of the grassroots, that if the DAP is allowed to hold power with Pakatan, the Malays will lose all. The most interesting part of this campaign is that the Malays have already lost to the 'Chinese businesses' and are struggling to survive. Amir Ali, Free Malaysia Today An unchallenged BN has resulted in the coalition to be complacent, allowing the creeping of all forms of extremism within its ranks. A quick look at the ruling Barisan National's 'moderate' call shows how flawed it is, with a definite failure at home. Moderation is the name, says the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak who has joined in the creation of an international alliance of the moderates, to prove his commitment. Yet, with his flight to Gaza and his outright support for the Hamas, has it not exposed the flaws at the international level? By no means, is the Hamas a moderate movement. It has been said, in the past, that the BN government has one major flaw. Complacency is the name. The fact of being unchallenged for decades has led the BN to be complacent, allowing the creeping of all forms of extremism within its ranks. Pressed by the rising opposition forces, BN has acquired yet another major weakness. The ruling coalition, pushed in a corner, does not know how to deal with this forceful and powerful opposition. Hence, we saw the cats coming out of the bag of extremism. While the central powers within the BN claim they are in favor of moderation, their partners and supporters do not seem to agree with them. Many among the supporters of the ruling coalition reject the '1Malaysia' concept, insisting on the pursuing the ethnic divide. To them, Malay rule is sacred, but what is more important is the denial of others' rights. Nevertheless, the BN is pushing a silent campaign against the opposition. Among the Malays, there are fears that the 'Chinese will rule' if the Pakatan Rakyat comes to power. Many still believe, in the very heartlands of the Pakatan's power bases, that the Malays must go back to the Umno. When asked why? They would reply that the Malays owes a lot to the Umno, or that they cannot afford the Chinese to take over. The fact that Malay political rule is a salient point in the Umno-BN campaign is indicative of the failure of the 'wasatiyah'. It also shows a lack of control of the PM on his troops, and of the Umno grassroots. It simply does not make sense that a party leader promoting moderation, allows his grassroots to campaign solidly on 'Malay power'. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/02/12/the-flawless-wasatiyah/ |
| Who will light the fire? Posted: 11 Feb 2013 12:17 PM PST 
(Free Malaysia Today) - At the hint of a looming rout or even a hung Parliament, BN will dig deep into its arsenal for one last weapon to reverse the tide of defeat – and that is creating chaos in the country. Given the high stakes involved, the people can expect a bruising battle between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat. When the campaign for 13th general election starts, Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat will hit the trail for what is likely to be a bruising contest, with no holds barred. These two mortal foes will go all out for the knock-out blow in the race for political power. The contest will be most keenly fought because now, for the first time, BN is facing fierce opposition. There is a real chance for Pakatan to topple BN and write a new chapter in the history of Malaysia. The question then arises: Will violence erupt? Who will light the fire first that will turn the skies blood-red? There are any number of causes that can lead to trouble. Some may be minor ones that can be brought under control, while others may be major ones that can spin out of control. In any election for high office passions will run high and when emotions get the upperhand, reasons will flee, paving the way for hostile confrontations. The first hint of trouble came from the mouth of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak who vowed to defend the seat of government at any price, even if it meant at the cost of "crushed bodies and lost lives". This is no idle threat. It must be taken seriously because BN is unlikely to accept defeat graciously after more than 50 years in splendid power. It has come to a stage where BN believes it owns the country and is prepared to shed blood to keep its "property". But in typical BN fashion, Najib wants to put the blame on the opposition should the dam of popular rage burst wide open. He wags his finger at Anwar Ibrahim after reading a dire warning from Dr Mahathir Mohamad – the crusty, washed-out politician – that the opposition leader will provoke street protests should his ambition to become prime minister is thwarted. Najib paints himself as a principled democrat who believes in parliamentary democracy whereas Anwar is tarred as a rabid demagogue who will not respect the voice of the majority. In a subtle way, Najib is telling the people not to place their bets on the Pakatan firebrand. Anwar will destroy democracy. Anwar will bring utter ruin to the country. Art of deception Najib is wrong. It is BN that the people will have to fear the most. The BN dinosaur, now at its most vulnerable and dangerous, will strike out in every direction like a cornered, wild animal. It will summon up every last ounce of strength to push back the tide of destiny. It will fight to the death. This can only mean one thing: Najib and company will practise every art of deception to retain power. They have the Election Commission – the ever loyal poodle – to smooth the way to the finishing line. Even the police and the army will be Najib's shield. With such awesome firepower in its arsenal, BN will not hesitate to use foul means to achieve its end. It is highly probable that BN will cheat at the ballot box rather than accept defeat. At the hint of a looming rout or even a hung Parliament, BN will dig deep into its arsenal for one last weapon to reverse the tide of defeat – and that is creating chaos in the country. Even if the majority decides the baton should pass to Pakatan, Najib is unlikely to let it go. In the end, he will not respect or defend parliamentary democracy. He would rather see the country go up in flame than read his political obituary. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/02/12/who-will-light-the-fire/ |
| 10 Reasons Why We Must Vote in GE13 Posted: 11 Feb 2013 12:08 PM PST 
In a democracy, we, the people more literally, have the power to decide who wins or loses, who to serve us as our government and who to serve us as the opposition for the next 5 years. This election is really about us, the voters, being able to exercise our democratic right to vote in a free and fair election. Thomas Fann Without doubt, we are into the final lap of what must be the most hotly contested general election in our nation's 56 years of history and one that many would consider to be a pivotal moment. To many, the match is between the incumbent ruling coalition, the Barisan Nasional(BN) and the opposition coalition of Pakatan Rakyat(PR). To some the choice is between Najib and Anwar whilst to others it is between maintaining status quo or change. But I want to put it to you that this election is not about BN or PR. Why? For usually in any contest, the winner is the one with the better skills, strategy, funds and luck even. But in an election, the winner or loser is decided not by the contending parties but by the audience or in this case the voters. For in a democracy, we, the people more literally, have the power to decide who wins or loses, who to serve us as our government and who to serve us as the opposition for the next 5 years. This election is really about us, the voters, being able to exercise our democratic right to vote in a free and fair election. More than ever before, if we are registered voters, we must vote in the upcoming 13th General Election. If you are still undecided or unconvinced if you should vote, let me offer you 10 reasons why you MUST vote in this election. - IT IS OUR RIGHT – Under Article 119 of the Federal Constitution, if we are a Malaysian citizen above the age of 21 and have not been convicted of any crime or are of unsound mind, we have the right to one vote in the constituency where we reside. But currently if you want to exercise that right, you must be registered as a voter with the Election Commission.
- IT IS OUR DUTY AS A CITIZEN – Going beyond our right, it is also our duty as a responsible citizen to vote. Choosing not to vote is like a family member who chooses not to take out the trash in the house but then complained about the stench, or who chose not to participate in the decision-making process of repainting the family house but gripes about the colour chosen.We lose our right to complain about the state of affairs in this country when we choose not to vote when we can. Hazen Pingree who was Detroit's mayor in the late 19th century said, "Voter apathy was, and will remain the greatest threat to democracy."
- IT IS STRENGTHENING OUR DEMOCRACY – We are not a true democracy until the majority of eligible voters vote. Some would say that Malaysia has a healthy and vibrant democracy as in the last general election we had a 75 percent voters turnout.But because we have a electoral system where you have to first register as a voter before you can vote, the actual number of eligible voters casting their votes is only around 53 percent, if you include eligible voters who did not register and those who registered but did not vote. If you take voters turnout against the total population of 28 million in 2008, it is only 28 percent of citizens whose votes decided who governs all of us.
We can definitely improve on this number by making sure we register ourselves and then turn up to vote on polling day. Power to the Rakyat! - IT IS WHERE EVERYONE IS TRULY EQUAL – It doesn't matter if you are the Prime Minister or a labourer, rich or poor, young or old, male or female, as long as you are a Malaysian above 21 with no criminal record and are of sound mind, you have one vote each. That is the beauty of democracy, everyone is truly equal at the ballot box.In this way, in a functioning democracy, this system ensures that the rights of the masses are protected and the rich and powerful cannot exploit the system to their advantage. If we don't realise this fact and allow the rich and powerful to buy our votes or to bully us into voting for them, then we don't have a democracy.
Read more at: http://thomasfann.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/10-reasons-why-we-must-vote-in-ge13/ |
| Suara Interview: The Future of Malays Part 3 Posted: 11 Feb 2013 11:55 AM PST 
Japan after the Meiji Restoration of 1868 sent thousands of its teachers and senior civil servants to the West to study its systems of education and administration. They were gone not just for a few weeks of "study tour" but for years. We take in a handful of teachers from America under the Fulbright Program and we make a big deal of it and deem it revolutionary. M. Bakri Musa [The original, in Malay, appeared in suaris.wordpress.com on January 31, 2013] Suaris: You advocate strategies that are generally deemed to be evolutionary in nature to change the collective Malay mindset. Should Malays be "shocked" with revolutionary changes as we saw with the Japanese and South Koreans that led to their quantum leap in achievement? MBM: When Mohamed Bouazizi burned himself to death in Tunisia on January 4, 2011, it was not his intention to start a riot or revolution. He had simply given up hope; he just wanted to end his misery. His personal action however, triggered a revolution not only in Tunisia but also the entire Arab world. Gamel Nasser was frothing at the mouth in wanting to revolutionize the Arabs; he was lucky that his Egypt was not totally whipped by Israel in the 1967 War. Senu Abdul Rahman and other Malay leaders like Abdullah Badawi, together with our intellectuals, were also intoxicated with their Revolusi Mental back then. Today, you could not even find the book of the same title that they wrote, and we Malays have remained the same. Whether a change is evolutionary or revolutionary depends not on action or intention but on results and consequences. Bouazizi merely intended to end his suffering but his action reverberated throughout the Arab world, taking down hitherto strong men like Ghaddafi and Mubarak. Evolutionary changes are small and incremental; revolutionary ones dramatic and disruptive. It is well to remember that we could bring down a mountain by aiming a jet of water at its base (as with the old hydraulic tin mining) as by planting explosives. James C Scott, the Yale political scientist who studied the peasants in Kedah's rice bowl, in his book, Weapons of the Weak, uses a different metaphor. When the ship of state runs aground on a coral reef, attention is directed to the shipwreck (revolutionary) but not the aggregations of petty acts that made those treacherous reefs possible (evolutionary). Your reading of the Japanese and South Koreans is not quite accurate. True, viewed today the changes in their societies are truly revolutionary. However, the steps their leaders took much earlier were all incremental and evolutionary in nature, stretching over decades. Japan after the Meiji Restoration of 1868 sent thousands of its teachers and senior civil servants to the West to study its systems of education and administration. They were gone not just for a few weeks of "study tour" but for years. Even today, Japan takes in thousands of English teachers from America. Those were all evolutionary not revolutionary initiatives. We take in a handful of teachers from America under the Fulbright Program and we make a big deal of it and deem it revolutionary. Likewise South Korea; during the 1970s it sent thousands of its students to the West for graduate work in the sciences and engineering. When President Pak visited America he met with many of them including those who opposed him, to cajole them to return. When they did, they were supported with loans to start their enterprises. Compare that to Prime Minister Najib; the only student he met was a Petronas University flunkie, one Saiful who was purportedly looking for a scholarship. I dealt more deeply with Japan and South Korea, as well as Ireland and Argentina, in my earlier book, Malaysia In The Era of Globalization (2002). To continue our "Look East," a closer example both in space and time is China. Mao Zedong was consumed with one revolution after another to, borrowing Najib's favorite word, "transform" his country. The result? Hundreds of millions of his countrymen suffered or were killed. Hundreds of millions! That would be the whole of Indonesia! Then came Deng; his philosophy was simple. He could not care less what the color of the cat as long as it catches the mouse. With that he changed the nature and character of China and its society. Today China has eclipsed economically Japan and Germany, and threatening to do likewise to America. Our neighbor Indonesia had one revolution after another under Sukarno, but its people remained destitute. Mahathir too aspired to revolutionize our culture and people. In the end it was he who cried. Returning to my earlier garden metaphor, revolution is where you indiscriminately spray Roundup. Yes, that would kill the lalang but also wipe out the useful plants. With evolutionary strategies, you would meticulously pour the concentrated pesticide right at the root of the offending weed while sparing the useful plants. They can now grow unimpeded, the lalang now completely eradicated. Liberate the Malay mind, one at a time, in a process that is evolutionary and incremental but cumulative and sure. The results would astound us and be deemed revolutionary. When a mind is liberated, it can no longer be imprisoned. We would then be no longer, to use the terminology of the Algerian philosopher Malek Bennabi, "colonizable." Even more beautiful, a liberated mind will see clearly that the green, lush grass in our garden is after all the tenacious and highly destructive weed lalang and not, as our leaders are trying to convince us all along, alfalfa. To continue. Suaris Interview # 4: It is said that Malays are at a crossroad. This is particularly so with the upcoming General Election 13 where the choice is between feudalism and liberalism. To what extent do you agree with that viewpoint? |
| Anwar Ibrahim is now Huguan Siou Posted: 11 Feb 2013 11:50 AM PST 
Furor against bestowing of Huguan Siou title on Anwar Ibrahim Matthias Hermes, Borneo Insider KOTA KINABALU, February 11, 2013: As if the 'Allah' issue has not done enough damage to the racial unity-and-harmony of this unique nation that is proud of its racial harmony, now another race-and-culture-sensitive issue has ensued. Not only that, this latest controversy involving opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has heightened the 'anti-Malaya' sentiment among the native people of Sabah. This happened when the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Ranau decided to bestow PKR de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim the coveted-and-sacred title of 'Huguan Siou of Malaysia', during his visit to Kg Paginatan in Ranau, to grace a political gathering there on Sunday. Huguan Siou means Paramount Leader for the Kadazan Dusun community. This has sparked a furor and strong protest among the Kadazan Dusun community in Sabah, with many questioning its appropriateness and demanding for an explanation from the party involved in this matter. Many have since expressed their anger through Facebook in response to a posting of the incident by Jonathan Yasin, Ranau PKR Chief which features a photo showing Anwar wearing the Kadazan Dusun headgear and a sash bearing the 'Huguan Siou' title around his shoulder with the caption: "DS Anwar Ibrahim telah dinobatkan sebagai Huguan Siou Malaysia di Kg Paginatan, Ranau-10/2/13" (DS Anwar has been coroneted the Huguan Siou of Malaysia in Kg Paginatan, Ranau 10/2/13). The said posting received more than 350 comments and shared by more than 50 people, with most of them expressing their disapproval and disgust against such an act which they deemed a gross insult to the Kadazan Dusun community. One top commentator, Amylia G Joannes stressed that the title of Huguan Siou is the highest honour of the Kadazan Dusun community and is only bestowed to a member of the community who is truly qualified and deserving of such a title. "Everyone realizes that Huguan Siou is synonym to the Kadazan Dusun. Hence one must understand that when someone mentioned about Huguan Siou, automatically people will refer to the Kadazan Dusun community. So, it's better to use other name (on Anwar) so as not to create any confusion and uneasiness to others," she said. Another commentator, Gaman Kodou expressed regret that such a coveted, sacred title that is exclusive to the Kadazan Dusun community has been given to someone who is not only an outsider, but also who has not contributed anything to the state. "Now that even the supreme title has been bestowed to a non-KDM and an outsider, imagine what else will be given away to the Pakatan Rakyat government if they come to power in Sabah? And they got the cheek to talk boast about safeguarding Sabah rights? This is what make us doubtful of the true objective of Pakatan Rakyat," said another commentator, David Tiptop. Read more at: http://borneoinsider.com/2013/02/11/anwar-ibrahim-is-now-huguan-siou/ |
| Sabah, Sarawak at historical crossroads come the 13th GE Posted: 11 Feb 2013 11:38 AM PST  Borneo can seize the reins of power in Putrajaya if it secures a united block of 50 seats in Parliament to lay claim to the Prime Minister's post in partnership with whichever coalition in Malaya is willing to eat humble pie and settle for the Deputy Prime Minister's post despite having more seats than the Borneo block. Joe Fernandez The unprecedented political divide in Malaya with the emergence of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) taking half the 165 Malayan seats in Parliament and five states (now four) and Kuala Lumpur on Sat 8 Mar, 2008 opened up a historical window of opportunity for Sabah and Sarawak to free themselves from the 50-year-long vice-like grip of the Malaya-dominated Federal Government in Putrajaya. In 2008, voters in Malaya voted against the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) -- and not so much for PR -- and hence, it's said, the Opposition Alliance won by default. PR turned in a miserable performance in 2004 at the 12th General Election. It can be said that PR jumped on the makkal sakthi -- people power -- bandwagon effect created by Hindraf's 25 Nov, 2007 Uprising when 100,000 Indians took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur. This was followed by the mid-Feb 2008 Rose Rally in Putrajaya. A series of local authority demolishing of Hindu temples was the proverbial last straw that broke the camel's back. Although the Indians don't have even one seat, parliamentary or state, in Malaya, this marginalised and disenfranchised Nation in Malaysia decides in 67 parliamentary seats. This time the new BN-PR status quo of 2008 is expected to remain in Malaya. Malaya has too many seats in Parliament Indeed, it will even be surprising if BN does not lose Perak once again as in 2008. Public anger against the ruling party is at a boiling point in the state. BN, using a ruthless carrot-and-stick approach including kidnapping the Speaker, the police raiding the state assembly and the Sultan reportedly being arm-twisted, wrested back Perak through defections of three vulnerable PR state assemblymen which sparked a constitutional crisis. The forthcoming 13th General Election -- expected between April 28 and Oct 28 -- in Sabah and Sarawak could be the unfinished, and long delayed, Borneo chapter of the 2008 political tsunami which was then confined to Malaya. The consensus in Borneo is that it's an opportune moment now for all local parties across both sides of the political divide in Sabah and Sarawak to come together and adopt a common position as follows on the 13th GE: (1) say no to the parti parti Malaya taking any seats, whether parliamentary or state, in Sabah and Sarawak; (2) Malaya, as provided by the constitutional documents on Malaysia, should not have more than one seat less two-third in the Malaysian Parliament, at the very maximum. This is not reflected in the 165 seats currently held by Malaya in Parliament i.e. 18 more than it should have given the present 222-seat Parliament. Taib Mahmud has finally run out of luck To add insult to injury, the parti parti Malaya hold both parliamentary and state seats in Sabah and Sarawak and have plans to seize even more seats as both the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and PR try to outdo each other; (3) Taib Mahmud, who has painted himself into a corner through gross abuse of power and conflict of interest, should step down for the sake of Sarawak. He can thereby avoid being blackmailed by either PR or BN and as well prevent the parti parti Malaya from striking further roots in this Nation. In any case, Taib can no longer lead a charmed life as in the past three decades and more. He has run out of luck as Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak no longer trusts him, fearing the highly vulnerable leader's defection to PR, and will pick the parliamentary candidates in Sarawak, as in Sabah, himself. Najib is also picking the state candidates in Sabah. There will be no state election in Sarawak this year; (4) Sabah and Sarawak should not continue to be hoodwinked by Putrajaya's big talk on so-called development in Borneo. The fact that Sabah and Sarawak are the poorest Nations in Malaysia speaks volumes. In addition, not only Sabah and Sarawak but Malaysia as well compares unfavourably with Singapore which left Malaysia in 1965 after two years in the Federation and Brunei which stayed out at the 11th hour; and (5) the eradication of the grinding poverty of Sabah and Sarawak hinges on these Nations getting back control over their politics, resources and revenue from the racism, prejudice and opportunism-ridden Putrajaya. Sabah, Sarawak must regain control over its resources Last year, Putrajaya plundered Sabah alone to the tune of RM 50 billion by conservative estimates. This does not take into account losses incurred by Sabah under the National Cabotage Policy, rakings by Malayan companies sitting on native land and gambling monies flowing to the Peninsula. The objective of regaining control over politics, resources and revenue, in furtherance of its manifest destiny, will not be achieved if the parti parti Malaya continue to steal seats, parliamentary and state, in these Nations. It would be tragic if Sabahans and Sarawakians don't capitalise on the political divide in Malaya since 2008 to secure their rightful place in the sun. Borneons may quarrel among themselves but they need to unite in the face of a common external threat and enemy. Unity is strength. Putrajaya capitalising on disunity in Sabah, Sarawak Malaya has indeed emerged over the last half century as the arch enemy of Borneo, the real crocodile in the region, as warned by President Sukarno in 1964 at the height of his Ganyang Malaysia (Hang Malaysia) movement driven by Indonesia's policy of konfrontasi (confrontation) towards the neo-colonialist Malaysia created by the British disingenuously after both Sabah and Sarawak became free nations. Sabah obtained its independence on 31 Aug, 1963 and Sarawak the same year on 22 July. Malaysia only came into being on 16 Sept, 1963, dragging in Sabah and Sarawak without referendum, to facilitate Chinese-majority Singapore's independence through merger with almost Chinese-majority Malaya. The Orang Asal population of Sabah and Sarawak were ostensibly needed by the Malay-speaking communities in Malaya, and the tiny Orang Asal (Orang Asli) population there, to provide greater balance against the Chinese population. If Borneons don't unite, Malaya will take advantage of their disunity to continue creating proxies, stooges and rogue elements from among them to continuing serving their nefarious ends, for want of a better term. Once Borneons have disposed of Malaya from their politics, they can "go back to quarrelling among themselves". Sabah and Sarawak should not worry about which coalition in Malaya grabs Putrajaya. They need to foster in themselves a sense of professional detachment when dealing with Malaya. The abuses there, if any, are none of their concern. United Sabah, Sarawak can lay claim to PM's post Instead, they should be willing to work in pragmatic partnership, within or outside Government, with whichever coalition in Malaya can lay claim to Putrajaya. This ideal is being actively promoted by the State Reform Party (Star) led by Jeffrey Kitingan. The Star chairman, the de facto Orang Asal chief, prefers Borneo to throw its backing for strategic reasons behind whichever Malayan coalition emerges as the weaker one in Parliament. Sabah and Sarawak will indeed be in a spot if BN stakes claim to Putrajaya and PR refuses to concede defeat and instead takes to the streets. Conversely, PR could win a bigger share of parliamentary seats vis-a-vis BN, but the latter may claim having the single biggest block of seats since the former isn't a registered coalition but three parties contesting under their respective symbols. Again, it's unlikely that PR will cave in that easily into semantics. Borneo can seize the reins of power in Putrajaya if it secures a united block of 50 seats in Parliament to lay claim to the Prime Minister's post in partnership with whichever coalition in Malaya is willing to eat humble pie and settle for the Deputy Prime Minister's post despite having more seats than the Borneo block. Even, then the Malayan partner is not expected to have more than 70 seats at the very most. Agenda Borneo vs Agenda parti parti Malaya in Borneo A Malaysian Prime Minister from Borneo will be able to set aside the written Constitution of Malaya which is being passed off as the written Constitution of Malaysia and give the unwritten Constitution of Malaysia -- part of the Agenda Borneo -- its rightful place. That would underline Sabah and Sarawak as Nations in Malaysia and not the 12th and 13th states in a Federation of Malaya masquerading as the Federation of Malaysia. The local parties who refuse to co-operate on Agenda Borneo -- everything against the Agenda parti parti Malaya in Borneo -- are no doubt traitors, indeed treasonous elements, who are willing to betray their own people. No doubt they want to continue being proxies, stooges and rogue elements of Malaya, like Judas Iscariot in return for the proverbial 30 pieces of silver, in order to facilitate Putrajaya's internal colonisation policies in Sabah and Sarawak. It's only a matter of time before they realise the folly of their ways and hang themselves in shame and disgrace. It's a tragedy that there are people among the people of Borneo who take no pride in themselves and their people, and who have no guts to stand on their own two feet but prefer to shamelessly latch on to outsiders, willing to be sycophants for self-serving reasons. Their children and grandchildren will urinate on their graves. The outsiders, as evident from the grinding poverty of Sabah and Sarawak, are the worst form of parasites, leeches and bloodsuckers to ever walk the Earth. People of Borneo deserve better after 50 years of Malaysia There's the traditional falling out among thieves taking place in Malaya as they eye Borneo. PR has pledged that it will "steal less oil and gas" -- that's what it means -- from Sabah and Sarawak, i.e. only 80 per cent, compared with BN's 95 per cent in the inner waters and 100 per cent in the outer waters where most of the wells are situated. Already, BN apologists in Sabah and Sarawak are claiming that national oil corporation Petronas would go bust if PR makes good its pledge. The last thing on the minds of Sabahans and Sarawakians is any fate that may be in store for Petronas. Their only concern is to take the right path as they stand at a historical crossroads come the 13th GE. Indeed the window of opportunity opened up for Borneo by 2008 may never be repeated for another half century if Sabah and Sarawak were to root for either BN or PR or both. The people of Sabah and Sarawak deserve better after 50 years of suffering under a bad British idea called Malaysia. Joe Fernandez is a mature law student, among others, who loves to write. He feels compelled, as a semi-retired journalist, to put pen to paper -- or rather the fingers to the computer keyboard -- whenever something doesn't quite jell with his weltanschauung (worldview). He shuttles between points in the Golden Heart of Borneo formed by the Sabah west coast, Labuan, Brunei, northern Sarawak and the watershed region in Borneo where three nations meet. |
| We can still talk, Anwar tells SAPP Posted: 11 Feb 2013 11:35 AM PST 
(The Star) - Opposition chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is backtracking on his aides' move to stop negotiating with Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) ahead of the polls. Anwar said he considered negotiations between Pakatan Rakyat and SAPP, which is headed by former Chief Minister Datuk Yong Teck Lee, as still being open. He said Pakatan had, however, finalised the allocation of 90% of Sabah's 25 parliamentary and 60 state assembly seats. Anwar said Pakatan in Sabah comprised PKR, DAP, PAS and NGOs Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPS) and Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS), headed by Datuk Lajim Ukin and Datuk Wilfred Bumburingrespectively. In an immediate response, Yong said Anwar's remarks were typical of conflicting and confusing statements from the Pakatan leadership. "We have Azmin Ali (PKR deputy president) and Datuk Wilfred Bumburing of Angkatan Perubahan Sabah saying the door is closed for negotiations with SAPP. "Now, Anwar is saying the opposite," he said after the SAPP Chinese New Year open house here yesterday. Yong said SAPP was open to negotiations with any Opposition parties in Sabah, including Pakatan and STAR, headed by Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan. "Why should the doors be closed when Parliament and the state assembly have not been dissolved yet?" he asked. He said there had been conflicting formulas offered by Pakatan in the distribution of state and parliamentary seats. "At one point, they offered us six state and four parliamentary seats. "Recently, it was revised to all the seats being equally divided between PKR, PAS, DAP, PPS, APS and SAPP. So which is which?" Yong asked. He said Pakatan's move to allow APS and PPS to contest as political parties under the PKR symbol had added to the confusion. "These are NGOs masquerading as political parties. How will this work?" Yong asked. He said apart from an equitable seat allocation, SAPP's concern was also for Sabah autonomy in that the appointment of the chief minister and the state cabinet should be decided in the state, and not in Kuala Lumpur. "If Anwar can guarantee this, Yong Teck Lee will contest under the PKR symbol," he joked. |
| BN's PSYchological moves on Penang Posted: 11 Feb 2013 11:18 AM PST 
The "festivities" began, with the obligatory multi-cultural dances, emceed by a very over-exhuberant lady whose name escapes Walski. Kept egging the crowd, every now and again, to complete the sentence "ONE…..", and greeted with mostly silence from a crowd getting progressively impatient for the most important person for the day. Walski Even the most ardent of hip-hop/rap haters will know who PSY is. The Korean rapper became an overnight sensation worldwide with his Gangnam Style song and video, which had also spawned countless parodies the world over. And PSY was here in Penang to perform as the headline act at Barisan Nasional's Chinese New Year open house event earlier today. On BN's invitation, sponsored by some undisclosed corporate entity, as has been reported. It just so happens that Walski is up in Penang spending the Chinese lunar New Year with the in-laws, as he does every year. It also just so happens that the historic Han Chiang grounds, where the BN Open House was held this morning, is not far from where his in-laws are. And so Walski thought, what the heck. Not that he's a big fan of PSY, but as an old friend used to say, "He's International, and He's Here". That said, Walski doesn't dislike PSY either, and is quite impressed with the rapper's meteoric rise to international fame. For BN, bringing PSY to Malaysia was to be the coup de grâce, a gift to the people of Penang, in hopes that Penang would return to their fold come GE 13. The logic, apparently, was that BN could bring the real deal, while DAP could only manage a parody - Ubah Rocket Style. Did this strategic move work? By now, most of you reading this already know the answer.
(the day BN Kanna PSY, and more, in the full post) Before we delve into that, here's a quickie look at what went on at the BN Open House earlier today. This, by the way, is the first major political party/coalition open house Walski's been to. That said, he kind of knew what to expect. Being that its Chinese New Year, the obligatory ang pow and Madarin Orange giveaway was to be expected. 
Yes, BN was there in full force, and all their component parties participated in one way or another. The ang pow and orange giveaway was done by somebody from UMNO's Women's Wing, by the looks of it. For those who bothered to queue, what they got was a box of two mandarin oranges, and a red packet with RM 2 in it. 
For the record, the image above is not Walski's ang pow (he didn't bother to line up for it), but of a little girl who was kind enough to let him take a photo of the packet's contents. Most of you should know what two Mandarin Oranges look like, so Walski didn't bother snapping any photos of 'em. As for the box holding the oranges, it was a rectangular red-colored box that looked exactly like, well, a rectangular red-colored box. What else would it look like? So anyways, there were loads of people who came to the open house. Walski estimates that the crowd, at its peak, was probably somewhere around 50,000 thereabouts. Including the police, RELA, BN volunteers, etc. Malaysiakini in their report estimated around the same number. It is a wonder, therefore, how Gerakan Youth Leader, Tan Keng Liang, could have estimated 100k (via his tweet earlier today). 
Unless the man was seeing double. The Han Chiang grounds isn't all that big, and there were many tents and other structures on the grounds. No way could it have been 100,000 people. But never mind, based on Tan's optimistic tweet, more important is the REASON why a lot of folks came. Before we get to that, more on what happened. PM Najib and the other VIPs arrived at the grounds at around 11am, and the "festivities" began, with the obligatory multi-cultural dances, emceed by a very over-exhuberant lady whose name escapes Walski. Kept egging the crowd, every now and again, to complete the sentence "ONE…..", and greeted with mostly silence from a crowd getting progressively impatient for the most important person for the day. And Walski's not referring to our Dear PM Najib either. So on the stage they were: PM Najib and Rosmah, former PM Abdullah Badawi, BN Penang Chairman Teng Chang Yeow (an extremely uninspiring person, Walski might add), other ministers, etc. Najib's son addressed the crowd in Mandarin. You gotta give the guy points for trying. The response was lukewarm at best, however. More clues there as to WHO the crowd was really waiting for. After that Rosmah went up on stage, with a backup choir, to give the audience a couple of Chinese New Year standards. The crowd wasn't impressed. And then came the first of two embarrassing moments for the day. PSY SLAP IN THE FACE: Korean superstar refused to toss 'yee-sang' with Najib, BN
Korean superstar Psy handed Malaysia's ruling party a slap in the face when he declined to come onstage to toss the traditional 'yee-sang' with Prime Minister Najib Razak and other top members of his BN coalition at a gig to celebrate the Chinese New year.
(source: Malaysian Chronicle) If Walski were tasked with writing the headline, it would have read "Najib Invites to Yee-Sang, But PSY Doesn't Give A Toss". But that's just Walski... PSY is astute a professional artist enough to not get involved in Malaysia's political grandstanding , and therefore declined the invitation, much to the embarrassment of Team BN. Read more at: http://asylum60.blogspot.com/2013/02/bn-psychological-moves-on-penang.html |
| K-pop sensation Psy dances into Malaysia's political drama, Gangnam style (+video) Posted: 11 Feb 2013 11:11 AM PST 
In an effort to jazz the youth vote in Malaysia ahead of elections in which it faces a very strong opposition, the government called in K-pop sensation Psy. Simon Roughneen, CS Monitor Korean pop sensation Psy danced right into the middle of Malaysia's increasingly fractious politics today, following the prime minister on to the stage at a government-held Chinese New Yearcelebration in opposition stronghold Penang. Psy's two renditions of his hit "Gangnam Style" were the highlight of a scorching morning in the west coast city, where Malaysia's governing coalition, known as the National Front, made a local and youth vote pitch ahead of elections expected to be the closest-fought in Malaysia's history. "If you read most of the surveys, they show almost a neck and neck race, but most analysts think that the BN will win narrowly," says James Chin, a professor of political science at Monash University. The National Front, known by its Malay acronym BN, has run Malaysia since independence in 1957. But the stakes are high with 30 percent of Malaysia's 13 million voters due to cast their ballots for the first time in this election, slated to be announced by the end of April. The opposition, another coalition led by former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, is hoping to better its best-ever showing in the 2008 election, when it took 1/3 of the seats. Tensions have been heightened by two mass opposition-linked rallies in capital Kuala Lumpur, when tens of thousands of demonstrators were doused with water-cannons and tear-gas in July 2011 and April 2012. But Psy's appearance at today's event seems unlikely to sway these younger voters one way or another. "It will be seen as publicity stunt," says Professor Chin. Indeed, Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak pledged 20,000 new houses and a new monorail system for Penang just before Psy came out on stage. He ended his address by asking "Are you ready for Psy?" And was met with a sea of enthusiastic cheers. When he then asked "Are you ready for BN?" it was met by a less enthusiastic response from the crowd. "Everyone was here for Psy, not for politics," says Chang Myn-Kit, who works in Singapore, but made his way back to Penang to be with family for the Chinese New Year. Some government supporters in the crowd made their voices heard, however. "I'm here for Psy and for Najib," says Eddie Lau, waving an "I Love BN" banner. Read more at: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2013/0211/K-pop-sensation-Psy-dances-into-Malaysia-s-political-drama-Gangnam-style-video |
| Selangor MB to discuss dissolution next week Posted: 10 Feb 2013 07:52 PM PST 
(Bernama) - Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim will discuss the dissolution of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly next week. "I will discuss the matter with Pakatan Rakyat state asemblymen in Selangor. As I said earlier, several decisions will be made after Chap Goh Mei. "I will make an announcement after the discussion is over," he told reporters after attending the Diamond Jubilee celebration of Masjid Ar Rahman in Kampung Bukit Badong, Bestari Jaya, here today. On Jan 30, he said the Selangor state assembly would be dissolved after Chap Goh Mei, but the next day clarified it was made to pressure the Prime Minister into announcing the general election date. On the water issue, Khalid reiterated that Langat 2 project should be part of the restructuring of the water industry in Selangor. "We must act together (Langat 2 and restructuring of water industry). Come up with the overall cost of Langat 2, who will fund the project and how it will effect the water tariff water in Selangor," he added. |
| What we are fighting for Posted: 10 Feb 2013 07:31 PM PST 
You may not agree with some of our views but then you -- the government, that is -- must respect our right to these views. And if you do not then it is time for a change of government -- no two ways about it. If you disagree with us then you have the right of rebuttal as well -- just like we have a right to disagree with you. Whacking us just because you do not like what we say is so yesterday and the culture of an era of days gone by. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin The government, Barisan Nasional, Umno, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, and so on, do not appear to understand what the rakyat wants. They do not appear to know what we are fighting for. We are fighting for freedom of speech. We are fighting for freedom of expression. We are fighting for freedom of opinion. We are fighting for freedom of association. We are fighting for freedom of choice. We are fighting for freedom of thought. We are fighting for freedom of the media. And so on. Basically, this means we must be allowed the right to choose who to believe in, what to believe in, what to think, what to say, what to write, etc. And, this, the government does not seem to understand and does not allow. Hence Malaysians are being denied their fundamental rights. Any government that wishes to rule over us must first understand this. And if they don't then we just cannot accept them as our government. No longer can the government lord over us as in the days of the absolute monarchies. Those days are gone. In England they were discarded in the 1640s and in the rest of Europe in the 1840s -- much later in China, India and our home, Malaysia. In case you still do not understand what we are trying to tell you then read some of the comments below posted by Malaysia Today's readers over the last 48 hours or so. If you want you can read more comments HERE. You may not agree with some of our views but then you -- the government, that is -- must respect our right to these views. And if you do not then it is time for a change of government -- no two ways about it. If you disagree with us then you have the right of rebuttal as well -- just like we have a right to disagree with you. Whacking us just because you do not like what we say is so yesterday and the culture of an era of days gone by. The government, Barisan Nasional, Umno, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, etc., need to be more open and mature. In today's borderless and globalised world you cannot allow just what you like and disallow what you don't like. This is something that we are trying to change. So please read the comments below so that you can grasp the spirit of the right to dissent, to agree to disagree, and discourse in a civilised and mature manner. 
written by bumiputar2, February 11, 2013 14:53:03 most of the times pariah dogs like to bark. and they always bark at the wrong tree. when its master tell it to sit, it never ever dare to even think of standing. ***************************************** written by Randholm Lee Siew Hong, February 11, 2013 11:16:08 This Bootlicker is doing what he doe s best. He should also be actively helping the Plastinians, not Malaysians.. That is his calling, same as the most famous immigrant in Malaysia. ***************************************** written by Mah Thian Kan, February 11, 2013 10:41:55 Matthias oh Matthias, always feeling & thinking he is more intellectual than others and forever spewing Tun M deceitful propaganda & make believe plots & fairy tales. Take a walk, go to ground, you will know groundswell truth & Rakyat aspiration for change and ABU. When one's brain has relocated to arse, sitting on it for too long, Matthias sure can concoct grandstanding tales that try serve BN @ cronies But remember many Malaysians are of high intellect too & will understand your outer manifestation of "intellect superiority posturing" that actually hides yours & BN's deep deep sense of submerged inferiority complex & great loss now. ***************************************** written by enikalila, February 11, 2013 10:27:29 One does not need to finish reading d article to know that its writer is a 'running dog fun kuat chai'. I thought that this traitor has repented but then again how can he repent when d sifu is an evil karTun. ***************************************** written by Kabir, February 11, 2013 09:19:57 Hey Mahathirs Mongrel If BN wins 1) BN under Mahathirs control will strip our citizenship easily by changing the constitution.2) They will continue the 2 nation 1 country policy. 3) Taxes collected from us will be used for the benefit of all races but Zakat which is completely deductable against tax not income is only for muslims. Which means non muslims shoulder the development of this country and the other lives on our expense. 4) Education is gone to the rocks. and soon be completely islamised 5) Teaching of English in Science and maths withdrawn which PR will reintroduce or establish english language schools ***************************************** written by robert ng, February 11, 2013 08:28:53 The Opposition has also run out of ammunitions and their rank and file is woefully battle-fatigued. Self-doubts have emerged and major policy disagreements between DAP and PAS have divided the rank and file as well. Karpal Singh has done an invaluable service to the BN government. Whatever surprises that were touted as game-changers, such as the so-called political realignments in Sabah, could not be sustained and have not been transformed into any major groundswell. By Matthias Chang – Future Fast-forward YEOH, CHOW KOW..... LONG TIME NO BARK EH??? SO, ITS THAT TIME TO MAKE YOURSELF RELEVANT AGAIN AH???? PLS SHUT UP AND GO LICK YR MASTER'S N*TS ***************************************** written by Sulaiman Lim Abdullah, February 11, 2013 07:51:47 Matthias oh Matthias, always feeling & thinking he is more intellectual than others and forever spewing Tun M deceitful propaganda & make believe plots & fairy tales. Take a walk, go to ground, you will know groundswell truth & Rakyat aspiration for change and ABU. When one's brain has relocated to arse, sitting on it for too long, Matthias sure can concoct grandstanding tales that try serve BN @ cronies But remember many Malaysians are of high intellect too & will understand your outer manifestation of "intellect superiority posturing" that actually hides yours & BN's deep deep sense of submerged inferiority complex & great loss now. ***************************************** written by tan wai kong, February 11, 2013 01:33:10 I am reading trash from a Tun's dog. I thought you are better than Tun. ***************************************** written by lynn, February 11, 2013 01:28:55 Thought this guy has gone awol, suddenly he popped out of the sewers with his near perfect english. It's amazing, how what is published in the media can sway ppl's opinions - this mouthpiece is hooked-up with that kerala mamak fr the southwest. Ptui. We must stand our ground, vote PR, put Anwar into power. ANWAR AS PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA. ***************************************** written by Philip Yap, February 11, 2013 01:08:36 This is mamak goon, nothing can be worst than bringing back the mamak, voting for BN is same as bringing mamak back to control the country, more corruption, more police brutality, bias and unreliable judiciary, more IC project, revoke citizen of decent citizen who want and fight for a clean and fair election, allow and encourage Ibrahim Ali and the likes to burn holly bibles, may be burning of Church, criminalize those who possess and read bible, computerize and track those who do not agree or dissenting voices and black mark them and deny them all economic opportunities, bla..bla...mamak style. ***************************************** written by Yap T W, February 10, 2013 23:20:50 What a load of rubbish. Are you going to say next that the Zionists are helping DAP to win seats in the next election? Your statements are obviously made to please your racist master none other than the devious Mamak. ***************************************** written by Li Xiang Lan, February 10, 2013 22:34:47 I can't be bothered to read the trash by this man who sold his soul to the Devil (U-no-hoo) as the Devil's Advisor for monetary gain. In the process he also sold the rights of his own community and relegated the Chinese to 2nd Class citizens. Now he speaks for he knows his BIG Benefactor is in BIG trouble when PR takes over the seat of the Federal Govt. My time will be better spent if I go and get those dishes that have been stacked after CNY dinner, washed and cleaned. Fellow Malaysians, be steadfast to our cause, don't let these baboons influence you in any way. Watch the fireworks when PR is in power. Oh yes, you bet some Mamak's "lord" will comment on my Form 5 "degree" and compared it to another doctorate or some crappy papers of this writer, or he too cannot sleep knowing the Fall of BN is imminent. ***************************************** written by Harvey, February 10, 2013 22:18:38 Did TDM ask him to write something so tha it will save the face of the naton traitor. ***************************************** written by anakrakyat, February 10, 2013 21:12:07 Do we take this sell out mongrels propganda seriously? He is undremining the Opposition without a word on the Foillies of BN. ***************************************** written by East-highlander, February 10, 2013 20:46:42 Here is man who talks about everything he sees around him except for the what the rakyat wants, lapping up his his master's sputum at every opportunity. ***************************************** written by MICHAEL ZECHARIAH, February 10, 2013 19:48:28 Hey fellas, Look who is talking. Its Dr.Mahathir's mongrel. What do you all think it is doing? Doing its master a loyal favor. Mathias 'Elvis' Chang. (Check out the Elvis style speactacles its wearing). Unfortunately this mongrel can't sing. |
| The Pearl of the Orient not so pearly any more Posted: 10 Feb 2013 06:13 PM PST 
What I can't understand is, while the federal government terminated Penang's free port status in 1969 and withdrew Terengganu's oil royalty in 1999 (or rather in 2000, a few months after the state fell in November 1999) because the opposition had won those states, when these two states went back to the ruling party Penang's free port status and Terengganu's oil royalty were never reinstated. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin Reinstate free port status to Penang Port, government told (Bernama) - Reinstating free port status to Penang Port will stimulate economic activity in diverse sectors in the state, said Penang Chinese Assembly Hall chairman Datuk Lam Wu Chong. He said many sectors, particularly the tourism sector, would benefit immensely if the free port status was reinstated. "Economic activities will flourish if Penang was granted the status. Penang will emerge as a shopping haven and a tourist paradise. "I believe Penangites are looking forward to the reinstatement of the status," he said at the Chinese New Year open house hosted by the assembly. Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas, his wife, Toh Puan Majimor Shariff, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng attended the open house. Lam said the state economy needed injection of fresh economic elements to provide the impetus for a vibrant economy. He said reports from professionals showed Penang's economy, which relied heavily on the industrial sector, was losing its competitive edge and this has caused the economy to slow down. Penang has been a free port since the colonial days until the status was revoked in 1969. On another matter, Lam said Penangites supported the plan to introduce monorail services as the move would considerably ease traffic congestion which has become a major problem in the state. "Traffic woes have become a major concern to Penangites. A permanent solution has to be found for this problem. This must be addressed soon. "If we look at major cities around the world, the cities have adequate traffic systems, subways or underground train services to help ease traffic congestion," he added. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak had recently promised a monorail service for Penang if the Barisan Nasional (BN) was given the mandate to govern the state in the soon-to-be-held 13th general election. ********************************* What the Penang Chinese Assembly Hall chairman, Lam Wu Chong, said is a subject close to my heart because I have been saying the same thing since way back in the 1970s. Now, after 40 years, someone else is saying the same thing. I always tell my friends that I love Penang of the 1950s and 1960s but not the Penang of today. In fact, the same applies to Port Dickson, Cameron Highlands, Frasers Hill, and so on. All these places have lost their charm. They no longer have 'character'. They are nothing like what I remember them to be before and soon after Merdeka. When we were kids -- soon after Merdeka when my grandfather was the Governor of Penang -- we would spend two weeks every December holidaying in Penang. One week would be spent on the beach and another week in Bel Retiro up on Penang Hill (the house where Tunku Abdul Rahman would stay when he was in Penang). 
Bel Retiro, Penang Hill It was paradise and we would look forward to our year-end holidays in Penang. I wished we could have lived in Penang and not have to go back to Kuala Lumpur. The beach was superb. Penang Hill was lovely. And you can't beat the shopping in Penang. We would never go to Singapore because Singapore could never beat the shopping in Penang. Then, in 1969, Penang fell to the opposition. And then Penang's free port status was terminated. Penang was no longer the shoppers' paradise like it used to be. And what a shame indeed! This was also what happened when Terengganu fell to the opposition 30 years later in 1999. The federal government withdrew the oil royalty and brought the state to its knees. What I can't understand is, while the federal government terminated Penang's free port status in 1969 and withdrew Terengganu's oil royalty in 1999 (or rather in 2000, a few months after the state fell in November 1999) because the opposition had won those states, when these two states went back to the ruling party Penang's free port status and Terengganu's oil royalty were never reinstated. And why was this? Penang had been established as a free port back when Captain Francis Light first conned the island from the Sultan of Kedah. If you read the (Malaysian) history books, they will tell you that Penang was a deserted island that was founded in 1790 after Captain Francis Light of the East India Company leased it from Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah of Kedah. That is as true as the story that Yap Ah Loy founded Kuala Lumpur in 1873 or that Umno fought the British in 1946 to gain Merdeka for Malaya in 1957. Actually, Admiral Cheng Ho of the Ming Dynasty, who went to Malacca in the 1400s, reported the existence of an island called Penang in "The Nautical Charts of Zheng He". At that time China and Penang were already engaged in trade. (Does this surprise you? -- because you did not learn about this in Malaysian schools). Hence Penang already existed since the 1400s and was not 'founded' 300-400 years later, as what we are told. Furthermore, in April 1591, privateer (the politically-correct word for 'pirate') Sir James Lancaster sailed the Edward Bonadventure from Plymouth and reached Penang in June 1592. He returned to England in May 1594 after two years of plundering the island and all the ships that sailed nearby (not called 'piracy' though, since Lancaster was a 'privateer' and not a 'pirate' -- now do you know why 'privatisation' is called 'piratisation'?). And all this happened hundreds of years before Francis Light was supposed to have founded Penang. Anyway, what may be noteworthy about Francis Light is he gave Penang free port status (as if it was his kuasa to do that). Then, almost 180 years later, when Penang fell to the opposition, the island's free port status was removed and, soon after that, Singapore became the new shoppers' paradise. By the mid-1970s, we no longer bothered to go to Penang. Instead, we went to Singapore to shop. I first knew Dr Ibrahim Saad when he was Anwar Ibrahim's Political Secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports. In 1990, Ibrahim Saad contested the Bukit Gelugor state seat in Penang and won. He was then appointed the Deputy Chief Minister of Penang. Soon after that I made a trip to Penang and met Ibrahim Saad and his wife for dinner. I then asked him why don't the federal government re-establish Penang as a free port and give Singapore a run for its money, like how it used to be before the 1970s. And this was what Ibrahim Saad told me. He said he had in fact raised this matter with his boss, Anwar Ibrahim, but Anwar told him: what for? It will only make the Chinese rich. All the businesses in Penang are owned by the Chinese, not by the Malays. So the Malays are not going to benefit from Penang's free port status. Might as well the government tax all imports and earn some revenue. When politics overrides economic decisions then over the long term the country will suffer. Do you know that over the last five years about 12 million tourists a year visit Singapore? More than two million of these tourists are from Indonesia while roughly a million each are from China, Malaysia, Australia and India. Hence about half the tourists are from just five countries with the other half from Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, the UK, the US and other countries from Europe and Asia. And shopping is the main attraction of Singapore, like what Penang was once before politics overtook common sense. And don't tell me that this is why we need to change the government because some of these 'decision-makers' who once were in the government are now in the opposition. |
| Deepak promises second book of revelations Posted: 10 Feb 2013 04:03 PM PST 
Zurairi AR, The Malaysian Insider Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's suggestion yesterday to ignore all Deepak Jaikishan's allegations has stirred the hornet's nest as the controversial carpet dealer today promised more revelations in his second book. Titled "Black Rose 2.0: Black Magic Women", the 47-page book will discuss rituals used in the country"s administration. "i will be launching my 2nd book BLACK ROSE 2.0 'BLACK MAGIC WOMEN' where d names, photos, address, payments made & rituals ... will be published in this 47page book," Deepak (picture) announced in a text message here. Early last month, the launch of Deepak's first 26-page book "Black Rose 1.0" was derailed after PKR's Rafizi Ramli made his revelation alleging Deepak's involvement as a jewellery middleman for a local dignitary. Yesterday, Dr Mahathir had advised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to not entertain any accusations put forward by Deepak. The longest-serving prime minister said that Najib should expect various allegations to surface while holding a political post, drawing parallels to his time in administration. Deepak has been in the limelight of late, lobbing repeated accusations against Najib and Umno leaders, and has promised to dish more dirt on other scandals linked to other politicians. On Wednesday, Deepak had announced that he will seek immunity under the Witness Protection Act 2009 before exposing further alleged power abuse involving the country's top leadership. PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar had promised to look into the carpet dealer's request for protection after Deepak claimed he had been a victim of government intimidation. The carpet dealer had recently admitted that he helped private investigator P. Balasubramaniam repudiate the latter's earlier statutory declaration on the 2006 murder, including finding two lawyers to draft the new statement. A cloud of mystery has hung over the identity of the lawyer who drew up Balasubramaniam's second SD, dated a day after his first on July 3, 2008, regarding Altantuya's 2006 murder, for which two elite police commandos have been convicted and are facing death sentences. Deepak's first book claims to tell the true story behind Balasubramaniam's second statutory declaration (SD), and can be found online for free. |
| Polls losers might cause ‘Arab Spring’, says ex-IGP Posted: 10 Feb 2013 04:00 PM PST 
(Bernama) - Former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said an "Arab Spring" can happen here if losing parties in the general election are dissatisfied with the result. "I am confident that the losing parties will use their supporters to create chaos to topple the government just like what happened in the Middle East. "Political parties must restrain themselves and behave appropriately starting now," Musa (picture) told a special briefing to Komuniti 1 Malaysia members at Kompleks Penyiaran Kedah here today. He said the police should start gathering information to prevent an "Arab Spring" from coming to Malaysian shores. "The Internal Security Act (ISA) that was preventive in nature had been abolished while the effectiveness of the new Act is questionable. "Some people were charged with promoting terrorism in a foreign country while those who rioted in our country are not arrested and charged." To a question, Musa said he would not join any political party but would fight alone in the best interest of the religion, race and nation. He lamented that several politicians were willing to gamble the nation's dignity and religion in order to achieve their political ambitions. "Previously, the US intelligence agency the CIA infiltrated governments to cause chaos but now the Jews and Westerners use NGOs to adopt liberalism. "They use NGOs demanding that the government become more transparent, encourage lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). "All these are done to weaken Islam. If liberalism is not adopted, the government is deemed as cruel." Musa said that opposition lies that federal government is corrupt and weak are aimed at influencing the people. "This tactic has managed to influence the people although the opposition which rules four states can't do a good job. "National security will be threatened if the government fails to deal with greedy leaders, organised crime, loan sharks, religious fanatics, incitement and underground movements. "Action must be taken against those involved and it must not be made selectively," said Musa. |
| Police warn against foreign interference in general election Posted: 10 Feb 2013 03:55 PM PST 
(Bernama) - The police will not hesitate to act against any interference from foreign parties during the upcoming 13th general election. Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Salleh Mat Rasid said police were monitoring the possibility of such situations. "So far there is no information on such interference,' he told reporters after a briefing on road safety at the district police head quarters here today. Also present were Kelantan deputy police chief Datuk Mazlan Lazim and district police chiefs. He was commenting on fears by certain parties of the possibility of foreign interference in the 13th general election due to the current political scenario. On concerns that the opposition may cause an "Arab Spring" if it loses in the general election, he was confident such a thing would not occur as people were increasingly aware of the importance of national security. He added that the police were prepared to face the general election and will co-operate fully with the Election Commission. The police also needed the co-operation of the people for the general election to proceed smoothly, without any untoward incidents. |
| Musa’s ‘Arab Spring’ prediction will frighten voters, says Pakatan Posted: 10 Feb 2013 03:49 PM PST 
Syed Jaymal Zahiid and Nomy Nozwir, The Malaysian Insider Tan Sri Musa Hasan's prediction of an "Arab Spring" here after Election 2013 will intimidate Malaysians from voting freely, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) said today, urging the ex-top cop to trust that all parties would respect the democratic process. National news agency Bernama quoted the former Inspector-General of Police yesterday as saying losers in the coming national polls would create chaos like the uprising in the Middle East to topple the elected government. "As a former IGP he should stop making speculation like this. It is not giving confidence to the people to vote freely in the next election. "His statement is not going the help anything. He should put more trust in the people's choice," DAP central executive committee member Anthony Loke told The Malaysian Insider. Bernama also quoted Musa as saying the police should start gathering information to prevent this "Arab Spring", the term used to describe the violent uprisings in the Middle East, from coming to Malaysian shores. The former IGP also lamented that the fight to curb violent coups has been hindered with the repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA), a British-enacted law that allowed detention without trial. The Act was recently repealed and replaced with another security law, as a part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's promise to widen civil liberties. Previously, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed there was an opposition conspiracy to replicate the uprisings should PR fail to wrest Putrajaya. He had alleged that Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had spoken openly about it in an interview with an Australian media recently. Several leaders from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition have also made similar allegations. In retaliation, PR leaders said the accusations were intended to coerce voters against backing at the upcoming polls an opposition that was steadily growing in strength. "If it's anyone that is going to launch an 'Arab Spring' it's going to be BN," said PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub. READ MORE HERE |
| For God’s sake? Posted: 10 Feb 2013 03:33 PM PST 
Those of us who know something about Malay village life, either as inhabitants of that older, now disappearing world or else as intrusive cultural analysts and reporters, know of the role of the village bomoh, the spirit healer, and of its great social and human importance. Clive Kessler, New Mandala Disputation in Malaysia over the Kalimah Allah, the name of God, has not abated. On the contrary, it continues to become ever more acrimonious and worrying. These days we now even have some enthusiastic "idealists" who give advance notice of their readiness for a virtually premeditated amok —— or to excuse others who might resort to that kind of intimidatory violence —— in order, paradoxically, to uphold their notions of moderation, mutual acceptance and tolerance in interfaith relations. A question of many parts There are many aspects to this dispute, all of them requiring close and serious consideration. There is the constitutional and legal aspect, which is fundamental, and which —— especially in habitually litigious Malaysia, where everybody always seems ready for a large and long-lasting "lawyers' picnic" —— can never be ignored or taken lightly. There are important considerations in the areas of political philosophy, especially of democratic and multicultural theory, which are relevant and need to be acknowledged. There are questions in the area of historical linguistics, especially in the field of comparative Semitic philology (from old Syriac and Ugaritic through Hebrew and Aramaic to Arabic) which must be considered. After all Middle Eastern Christians have been using the name of Allah to denote, and reverentially to address, their God for many long centuries going back to the time before the birth of Muhammad. There are issues that arise from the religious and civilisational history of the Southeast Asian world, especially the fact that the Bible, or key parts of it, have been translated into Malay in which the idea of the Christian God has been rendered as Allah for several hundred years. All these aspects of the current dispute are important. They need to be fully discussed. But I shall not go into them here. Others have already explained these matters with great patience and precision. Instead I wish to suggest and explore another, different dimension of the present controversy over the invocation of God's name. The cultural anthropology of the Malay world I wish to address and highlight a cultural aspect of the problem. I want to suggest that this controversy is "a very Malay thing". Here I mean "a very Malay thing", or "something that is in its own way very Malay", in a very specific sense and manner. I mean in a "cultural" sense, as old-fashioned cultural anthropologists used to, and might still, understand the matter. Those of us who know something about Malay village life, either as inhabitants of that older, now disappearing world or else as intrusive cultural analysts and reporters, know of the role of the village bomoh, the spirit healer, and of its great social and human importance. How does the bomoh work? By calling upon the "spirit world" through spirits with whom he is familiar, with whom he has a continuing relation, upon whom he may make some kind of moral claim. And how does the bomoh do this? He does so by summoning those spirits to him, into his presence, in a séance or spirit mediumship session. He summons them by means of powerful jampi, invocations. If you have ever heard these jampi recited —— or read about them in the old works of Skeat, Gimlette, Annandale, Wilkinson, Winstedt and the like —— you will know how they work. Through these jampi the bomoh calls upon his connections in the spirit world. He calls upon them, imploringly but at the same time commanding them, virtually requiring them to come and help him. He does do by asserting ritually, in his densely coded jampi or incantation, his right to their presence, assistance and serviceable intervention. He does so by reminding them they are not strangers to him, nor he to them. That he has a claim upon them, and that they are obliged to recognize his claim upon them. How does he assert this? He does so by means of a number of the standard "formulaic" expressions of his ritual language —— through the arcane phraseology and idioms of his jampi. "I know you!" he declares. "I know your name. I know your origins." That is crucial. Knowing its name and then to assert knowledge of a spirit's origins and place in the hidden recesses of the cosmos is to be able to hold it to oneself, and its power to one's needs and purposes. By the affirmation of this relationship —— a special and very personal, even exclusive, relationship —— the bomoh not only reminds the spirit that he, the bomoh, is there. He affirms his claim, and asserts an obligation on the spirit's part, for that power to come to him, to help him, to render some special assistance to him: some special assistance that the spirit would not and need not render to others who do not know its name —— who do not know and therefore have no basis or right to call upon it, since they do not have that same special relationship with the spirit. The spirit has a superhuman or supernatural power. By the ritual affirmation of that special relationship, the bomoh asserts and establishes his right to recognition, consideration and assistance from that extra-human power. He voices his claim to enjoy the benefits of that power that he is able to invoke. Power and knowing names in the Malay world This matter of knowing the names of things and their origins —— and the idea that this knowledge is both empowering and that it is also an entitlement of power, that this knowledge confers and revalidates and announces a great moral power that the person who knows these things may enjoy —— is not just a matter that applies to bomoh. It is a more general and pervasive theme in what used to be called "traditional Malay culture". To give but one example, one of some recent and contemporary significance, people may recall how on a number of occasions in modern memory various state rulers have intervened with the designated road, highway and mapping authorities to insist that certain street and place names be changed. The names given by the road and mapping authorities may, by the latest standards and conventions, have been linguistically impeccable. They may have pleased the sign-makers and mapping experts, but so far as the Malay rulers were concerned they were simply wrong. And, in the end, it is the Malay ruler who truly knows the proper, correct names of places. He knows because it is he who —— perhaps ironically, as part of his pre-Islamic Hindu-Buddhist cosmological inheritance as focus of the human world and anchor of its relation to the wider universe —— gives them their names, on the basis of his authoritative knowledge of their true if obscure origins. So "incorrect" place names and signage are changed. They are changed because the ruler says so. But not capriciously. He says so because that is what, in part, it means to be a ruler. In the "traditional Malay cultural universe", places and people have no names and no fixed, clear social existence or identity until they are named and recognized by a ruler —— in their royally-given names. The leading scholar Anthony Milner has written an important work entitled Kerajaan expounding this idea. And he does it with great clarity and scholarly depth. READ MORE HERE |
| Australia, Malaysia refugee deal in limbo Posted: 10 Feb 2013 03:17 PM PST 
(couriermail.com.au) - THE immigration department has admitted that Malaysia has not yet agreed to strengthen human rights protections for asylum seekers under the people-swap deal between the two nations. Department secretary Martin Bowles said the two nations had discussed the deal since the federal government's expert panel recommended in August that Malaysia provide more protections for minors. "Until there is a clear way forward here, it's not in the budget and ... we're not changing anything between us and Malaysia in relation to the agreement," Mr Bowles told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Monday. Asked whether Malaysia had agreed to pass laws to strengthen protections for asylum seekers, Mr Bowles replied, "Not to my knowledge." The expert panel's 22-point plan to stop asylum seekers making the dangerous voyage to Australia by boat recommended the government pursue regional solutions including its Malaysia people-swap deal. Under that plan, Australia would have sent 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia for processing and received 4000 processed refugees in return. But the deal was quashed by the High Court and the government couldn't get enough support in parliament to change legislation to make it legally acceptable. |
| Spitting on the grave of a ‘great man’ Posted: 10 Feb 2013 03:11 PM PST 
Building a civil society is less about monumental buildings, grandiose projects, stealing from the poor in the name of governance. By Howl Pillay, FMT
We were brought up not to speak ill of the dead. At home and in school, we were taught that we must have the courage to say our peace; not excoriate the dead long after they are gone. It is a sign of cowardice. Restraint and respect for the departed is a sign of civilised behaviour. At times we fail the test. Our conscience pricks us and it hurts but we learn. The next time around we desist from such behaviour. We then are on the road towards building a civil society. Surely building a civil society is not about monumental buildings or grand projects. Or of grabbing the wealth of the rich and stealing from the poor in the name of governance. Building a civil society is about a scrupulous adherence to the rule of law. It is about men and women behaving in a civil manner in the simple things they do everyday in their everyday lives. It is about politeness; about grace; about fairness. We hold our tongue and our horses, especially when we hold the reigns of great political power. Truly great men are humbled by that experience. They are transformed by it. And after retirement they retreat to within themselves to better understand themselves and the people they governed; to acknowledge their mistakes and their weaknesses. The exemplariness of their lives carry a message for future generations; a message that acts as a light and a lamp to guide us in our journey to the better place we seek. These, readers, are the Lincolns, the Rizals, the Ho Chi-minhs, the Tunku Abdul Rahmans, the Kartinis, the Gandhis, the Mandelas of history. Lincoln's emancipation speech will serve as an inspiration for as long as there are enslaved people. Rizal's incredibly courageous farewell message to his people – Mi Ultimo Adios – written on the night before facing a Spanish firing squad and smuggled out in an old lamp is the proud patrimony of every Filipino. And Ho Chi-minh's words, deeds and steely courage inspired the Vietnamese to defeat two Western powers and unite a country after thirty years of war and sacrifice and yet he died as poor as a Vietnamese church mouse. And Kartini's educational endeavours on behalf of girls and women in her country is still honoured and her birthday is celebrated by two hundred and fifty million Indonesians as Kartini Day and school children solemnly pledge to continue her legacy every year. Pissing and puking on graves
What more need we say of Tunku Abdul Rahman who forged a nation and a people out of lands divided by race, religion, creed and colour and that were ruled as a colony for hundreds of years, without shedding a drop of blood. But the minds of the unscrupulous leaders, the incorrigible ones, the recalcitrant ones are different. They turn up the volume of politics and fill it with racial hatred and tension. They invoke ancient animosities and stoke the flames of religious intolerance to achieve their own ends. They hit out at all and sundry; they trash their rivals. They conveniently forget; they selectively remember and they humiliate those who have the courage to stand up to them. They piss and puke on the graves of others who had come before them. They rave and they rant; they twist and turn until all meaning is rendered meaningless. And they enrich themselves at every opportunity for their greed is insatiable. It is they, who through their speech and deed come closest to making the dead turn in their graves. They are not content doing the dirty work of dirty politics when in office. They continue with the same even after leaving it. And they do it with even more vehemence and venom. Old habits indeed die hard. But still we who are civilised know that it is wrong to wish the death of another. It's a no-no-no! And so we take our unconscious thoughts with us to bed. And in sleep they become our dreams and nightmares; often forgotten on waking and if remembered, often nightmarish. 'You will be judged'
But at rare times they wake us up, imbued with the rare persistence of a dream memory that is as clear as day, like the one below: A long line of men and women are streaming past a bier. The line stretches back miles to some unknown place like ants streaming out of an undetectable hole in the ground. And yet more people are waiting patiently in groups and clusters both large and small in the streets of the capital. They speak in quiet, dignified whispers. And soldiers guard the dead man, the 'great man', heads bowed. I walk, unhurried, looking for the end of the line. I must not jump the queue; I am part of building a civil society. And then out of the blue I spot an old friend. We exchange greetings politely. All his life he spoke of his disgust for the man now lying in state. I am puzzled. I ask him, in a whisper: "Why are you here?" And he whispers back: "To make sure he is really dead". A nod of my head, and I continue. I have walked hardly a hundred meters when yet again I see an old friend from my university days. Once a journalist, he gave up writing on anything at all after the newspaper he worked for was closed down by this 'great man'. Again we exchange greetings. He shakes my hand vigorously, like he is energised and happy. I say to him that he was the last person I expected to patiently wait his turn to pay his respects to this man. He suppressed his laughter before whispering: "I will bow low before him so that I can see from close quarters how a mouth can fall silent forever". READ MORE HERE |
| Lim will not attend BN CNY open house Posted: 10 Feb 2013 03:09 PM PST 
He is giving the event a miss as he needs to be at the airport to welcome Raja Permaisuri Agong who is on a private visit. (Bernama) - GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he will not be able to attend the Penang Barisan Nasional's Chinese New Year open house which will be held at the Han Chiang High School field here this morning. Lim said could not make it as he had to welcome Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah at the Bayan Lepas International Airport at 11am. He said Her Majesty is scheduled to attend the Chinese New Year open house of a friend. "As the Chief Minister of Penang, I have to welcome the arrival of Her Majesty in Penang. I have informed Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that I will not be able to attend the (BN's) open house," he told reporters after attending a Chinese New Year open house hosted by the Penang Chinese Assembly Halls at its premises here today. The open house was also attended by Najib. Among the other dignitaries present were Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas and wife Toh Puan Majimor Shariff, former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Koh Tsu Koon and Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Minister of Tourism Dr Ng Yen Yen and Penang Chinese Assembly Hall chairman Lam Wu Chong. Najib meanwhile arrived at 9.20am and was welcomed with a lion dance performance after which he shook hands and mingled with the guests who had eagerly awaited his arrival. At the function, Najib was also entertained to various cultural performances of the Chinese community and presented a souvenir in the form of a replica of eight horses from the assembly. Later, the prime minister will be joining some 80,000 people at the 1Malaysia Chinese New Year open organised by the Penang Barisan Nasional at the Han Chiang High School field here, the highlight of which will be a performance by South Korean singing sensation Psy. |
| General Election 2013 – BN, Shifting From Strategic Defence to Strategic Offense Posted: 09 Feb 2013 06:19 PM PST 
The Opposition has also run out of ammunitions and their rank and file is woefully battle-fatigued. Self-doubts have emerged and major policy disagreements between DAP and PAS have divided the rank and file as well. Karpal Singh has done an invaluable service to the BN government. Whatever surprises that were touted as game-changers, such as the so-called political realignments in Sabah, could not be sustained and have not been transformed into any major groundswell. By Matthias Chang – Future Fast-forward In my previous articles, I suggested several reasons for having a General Election in 2013, one of which was that as long as the Opposition controlled four State Governments, it would be a strategic disadvantage to the BN Government to have an early election. The four State Governments controlled by the Opposition parties would not be dissolved in the event of an early election so that they could harness their limited resources and concentrate on the Parliamentary Election in an attempt to seize Federal power. The four State Governments would be the "impregnable forts" offering shelter and resources to opposition forces and afford them opportunities to conduct strategic forays in BN controlled areas. Since 2010, the strategists in the Opposition camp have been baiting the BN Government to hold early elections and each time, I had warned of such a danger. The four "impregnable fortresses" have now been encircled and whatever forays outside the fortresses had limited battlefield success. If I were Anwar Ibrahim, I would sack those strategists who were conducting continuous and relentless battles against the BN government since 2010. If Tommy Thomas was one of them, he should be the first to be "decapitated", figuratively speaking. How can any strategist be so stupid to adopt the blunders of Brutus (especially riding on the wrong tide) in the famous final Battle of Philippi as the winning strategy for the Opposition? Brutus, casting aside the advice of the more cautious Cassius, misread the tide and plunged into a disastrous defeat. To salvage what little honour remaining, Brutus committed suicide, as did other conspirators who murdered the great Caesar on the false pretext that the assassination was necessary to save Rome. And as they say, the rest is history! History will repeat itself in the "Second Battle of Philippi", which will commence soon enough. One must not ride on the crest of every tide for there are tides that will assuredly lack the force and momentum to guarantee victory. Low tide comes to mind. In July 2012, the strategic balance changed for BN – from Strategic Defence to Strategic Parity. Since December 2012, we are witnessing a new phase – Strategic Offense – the gathering momentum for an irreversible High Tide! A good analogy of what has happened would be the great victory by the greatest boxer in history, Muhammad Ali over the big puncher, George Foreman in Africa. Employing the "rope-a-dope" tactic, Ali baited George Foreman to punch relentlessly for eight critical rounds until exhaustion took over. Ali took every punishing blow to the head and the body, absorbing the pain and the relentless pace. When Foreman was all spent and worn out, Muhammad Ali unleashed a devastating blow that floored Foreman for good. Well, the Opposition has thrown every conceivable punch at the BN for the last three years but there was no knockout punch. Like the abovementioned boxing match, the pace was relentless, and the blows punishing but BN took it all and is still standing. The Opposition has also run out of ammunitions and their rank and file is woefully battle-fatigued. Self-doubts have emerged and major policy disagreements between DAP and PAS have divided the rank and file as well. Karpal Singh has done an invaluable service to the BN government. Whatever surprises that were touted as game-changers, such as the so-called political realignments in Sabah, could not be sustained and have not been transformed into any major groundswell. Initially, the Opposition held the high ground, having the tactical advantage and when they over-estimated their strength, they launched a blitzkrieg offensive on several fronts, all at once and gained massive ground. But, the offensive sputtered in the second half of 2012 and by December stalled. It is clear that the Opposition "Generals" are at a lost as to which front-lines are to be abandoned, the troops pulled back to a more defensible perimeter and how to prepare for the inevitable counter-attack. Napoleon made the same strategic mistake and so did Hitler when they attacked Russia. The critical blunder was to launch a broad frontal attack in the hope of a rapid collapse of enemy's forces thereby exposing the weakness of the supply lines, stretched thin by the wide frontlines. When the great Marshal Zhukov counter-attacked, the entire Eastern Front collapsed leading to the defeat of Nazi Germany! The Opposition has now consolidated and reduced their frontlines to the battle for Penang and Selangor with expeditionary forces in Sabah and Sarawak as diversions. But, it is too late. Exhausted troops are manning the frontlines, not sure of fresh supplies or reserves. If truth be told, the Opposition has no reserves at all. The Barisan Nasional has already launched its counter-attack with a full Division of fresh troops kept in the rear as reserves for two years for this one objective. And they have abundant supplies. Additionally, the Opposition's propaganda campaign is losing momentum and has no longer any bite. It was a huge strategic mistake for the Opposition to latch on to the coattails of Deepak, a blackmailer whose agenda was hijacked by an opportunist legal goon to project himself as the "Knight in Shining Armour", who has opened himself to future prosecution for being complicit in drawing up the so-called first statutory declaration for private-eye P. Balasubramaniam. My reasons are as follows. The clue is in the followings words of the press release dated December 20, 2012 by the solicitor of P. Balasubramaniam: "As far as I am concerned, the 1st SD was transcribed, produced and eventually affirmed by my client over a period of two months during which time every detail was painstakingly checked and cross-checked to ensure the highest accuracy…" (and as reported by Malaysiakini) Based on the above statement, the rakyat is told to accept as Gospel truth what is stated in the Statutory Declaration (SD). Who did the checking and crosschecking? The lawyer? The private eye? Some other third party? If it is the lawyer, what are the implications? Let me just say, he is on shaky grounds to assert so boldly that "every detail was checked and cross-checked". But, there are no statements as to how the checking and crosschecking were conducted and with whom did the lawyer and or the private eye checked and crosschecked the so-called details! By the way, there is no such hotel as the "Prince Court Hotel" where it was alleged that the 2nd SD was executed. There is however a "Prince Hotel & Residence" in Kuala Lumpur and a "Prince Court Medical Centre" also in Kuala Lumpur. Was this fact checked and crosschecked by the solicitor when he released his press statement, I wonder? If not, why not? The location of an alleged crime scene is most important. But, this is now open to doubt notwithstanding that the crime scene was identified as the non-existent "Prince Court Hotel" by a member of the profession that prides itself as being honourable! If every detail relating to the 2nd SD was not meticulously checked and cross-checked as it should be, then one has to question the accuracy of the 1st SD and no one should take the word of the solicitor as the absolute truth. Even the contrived "Deepak Scandal" did not have the desired effect. The goons behind this pantomime who postured as "knights in shining armour" were in fact muckrakers, peddling trash. The orchestrated press conference consists of innuendos and subtle speculations but devoid of hard evidence. The conductor of this third rate pantomime, if truth be told, is an opportunist and a coward. Let's call a spade a spade – the conductor of this sordid pantomime was orchestrating an insidious blackmail and his co-conspirators who pride themselves as honourable were up to their eyeballs in this cesspool. The entire political campaign of the Opposition (save that of PAS) was grounded on emotions and hate. In essence, the political campaign of the Opposition is a "Hate Campaign" – to demonise and politically assassinate the leaders of the Barisan Nasional (past and present). More important issues are at stake and Malaysians should take time to analyse some critical facts with regard to the leading members of the Opposition parties. Take Lim Kit Siang. Politically as a member of parliament, he can be likened to a "rolling stone", one who has no loyalties to his constituency. How else can one explain his track record as an MP:- • Bandar Melaka (1969–1974) • Kota Melaka (1974–1978) • Petaling Jaya (1978–1982) • Kota Melaka (1982–1986) • Tanjong (1986–1999) When his Tanjong campaign to take over Penang failed in 1995 and 1999 (he was rejected and defeated in Tanjong together with Karpal Singh in Jelutong in 1999), he gave up totally the campaign to capture Penang. What happened in 2008 was unexpected, for if DAP was so sure of taking over Penang he would have waged battle in Penang. The DAP Chief in Penang, Chow Kon Yeow publicly declared in 2003 that there would be no more Tanjong 3! So, Kit Siang ran to Perak to seek greener pastures. • Ipoh Timur (since 2004) Karpal Singh is a lesser rolling stone. Karpal's political career began in 1970 when he joined the DAP. He won the Alor Setar Bandar state seat in Kedah in 1974. He was first elected to parliament in 1978 when he won in the Jelutong constituency, Penang, as well as the Bukit Gelugor state seat. Karpal held the Jelutong seat for more than 20 years until losing it in 1999. He held the Bukit Gelugor state seat until 1990, moving on to contest the Sungai Pinang and Padang Kota seats in subsequent elections but was defeated. In the 2004 general election, Karpal returned to parliament with a 1,261-majority win in the new Bukit Gelugor seat and retained his seat in the 2008 election. Lim Guan Eng has a similar pattern. Lim was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Kota Melaka in 1986, after defeating Soh Chin Aun and was re-elected in the subsequent 1990 and 1995 general elections, albeit with reduced majority votes. He was ineligible to contest in the 2005 election on account of his conviction for sedition. He suffered a personal setback when he and his wife came in last and second-last respectively in the election for the DAP Malacca Committee. It came as no surprise therefore, that in the 2008 General Election he switched to Penang as it is clear he did not enjoy much support in Malacca even within his own party. The unexpected DAP victory in Penang in the 2008 general election allowed Lim Guan Eng to become the Chief Minister of Penang replacing the former Chief Minister, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon even though Lim Guan Eng is not from Penang. Senior DAP leaders of Penang such as Lim Hock Seng, Phee Boon Poh, and Chow Kon Yeow were bypassed and were instead appointed as excos. The above, by any measure, is a reflection of the political opportunism practiced by the three top leaders of DAP and I would urge the Malaysian voters to be very cautious in entrusting the fate of our country to such leaders. I must give credit where credit is due. It can be said without any fear of contradiction that of the three Opposition parties, PAS is the most consistent in its political aim of setting up an "Islamic Welfare State" whether one agrees with that agenda or not. PKR has similar political origins as the former Semangat 46, both came into existence as a result of differences within UMNO. But, DAP is a totally different political entity. Throughout its history, it could not forge any lasting cooperation with other opposition entities and or project a leadership role. It was only when Semangat 46 and PKR came into the ranks of the Opposition that DAP gained a wider acceptance. However, this was and is purely tactical so as to garner more electoral victories. DAP never aspired to be the ruling party and therefore had no long-term vision for the country. Being part of the "ruling coalition" that captured Penang and having the coveted Chief Minister post was a political bonus beyond its wildest dreams, as they had in 2003 given up all hope in capturing Penang when it abandoned the Tanjong 3 campaign! Given the inherent political contradictions between DAP and PAS with regard to the establishment of an Islamic Welfare State, there is just no way that DAP will give support (other than lip-service) to PAS in those constituencies where DAP may have some influence over the Chinese voters. The stand taken by Lim Guan Eng on the "Allah Issue" will be the straw that will break PAS' camel's back. Given that this issue is so close to the hearts of all PAS members and the blatant and very public refusal of DAP's leadership (especially Karpal Singh and Lim Guan Eng) to make a tactical compromise is an indication that when the crunch comes, the retention of Penang as a DAP stronghold is a bigger prize for DAP than the prospect of securing Federal power. The cold calculation is simple. If the Opposition loses out in the General Election, for DAP it is better to have "a bird in hand (i.e. Penang) than two in the bush" for it can survive such a defeat. And to buttress its long-term survival, it is not beyond DAP's calculation to offer an olive branch to the BN on a similar understanding as what Gerakan accomplished in 1973. Given this final equation, it is utterly stupid for the Chinese voters to give any support to DAP. DAP in Chinese parlance is a "Fun Kuat Jhai" i.e. a traitor, for DAP will assuredly betray PAS! The soothsayer has spoken, "Beware the Ides of March" but this time, there will be no assassination of a Caesar, but instead we will witness the burial of Malaysia's Brutus, Cassius and the other conspirators after the Second Battle of Philippi! |
| Khalid’s future cloudy as PKR mulls Selangor candidates list Posted: 09 Feb 2013 03:53 PM PST 
Syed Jaymal Zahiid, The Malaysian Insider Uncertainty hangs over Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim's political future in Selangor as sources in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) have indicated that the first-term mentri besar could lose his post even if the pact retains the state in Election 2013. The PKR leadership has so far refrained from confirming if Khalid would be selected to defend his seat, in light of growing anger among locals who purportedly view the politician as an "absent" representative. The Malaysian Insider understands the party leadership had also, at one point, considered dropping Khalid as its Ijok candidate following concerns that the mentri besar could lose the seat. "Locals see him as an absent representative, that he is never around so there is a perception. Sometimes we understand that he is the MB but even his people are never around so it's hard to work on the ground," a high ranking PR leader told The Malaysian Insider. Talks that Khalid would be dropped first surfaced when PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced in October last year that the former would remain as PKR's Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary candidate but did not state if Khalid (picture) would defend Ijok. The announcement fuelled suspicion that the party was planning to replace him with current PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, who had purportedly vied for the post. It also invited accusations that to placate Khalid, Anwar would promise him a federal post should the PR wrest Putrajaya. "Did he state if Khalid would contest for Ijok? No he did not. You can make your own assumption," said one PKR official who spoke on condition of anonymity. PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifudin Nasution, who sits on the party's candidate listing committee, dismissed the rumour as baseless but did not confirm if the party's plan to revamp its Selangor state-level line-up would exclude Khalid. "I am very aware of every detail and there was no such thing. The party's committee on candidacy chaired by Anwar is still engaging state level leaders on this matter," he told The Malaysian Insider when asked to verify claims that PKR had once considered dropping Khalid from Ijok. Spurring rumours of Khalid's removal are problems afflicting the local PKR machinery. Sources said Khalid has not been able to campaign effectively following the ongoing animosity between him and key campaign staff members, which has purportedly left the machinery near-paralysed. There were talks that local leaders had refused to cooperate after Khalid rejected their demands for "payment" in return for their loyalty, as well as claims that Khalid's poor communication skills and "arrogance" had triggered the rift. PKR's Ijok machinery chief staff Abdul Rahman Umar shrugged off the allegations but admitted that the central leadership has yet to confirm if Khalid would contest for the seat again. "There is no confirmation...but we did nominate Tan Sri Khalid for Ijok," he told The Malaysian Insider. Abdul Rahman, a popular local figure known as Cikgu Rahman, explained the perception that the machinery was not with Khalid may have come from the drop in its campaign pace since April last year after there was no indication that elections would be held last year. "Now we know the elections is near we have start working. Ijok is a small kampung (countryside) community. They will help. When the time comes they will help," Abdul Rahman said. READ MORE HERE |
| Pakatan gives up on SAPP Posted: 09 Feb 2013 03:42 PM PST  
(The Star) - Pakatan Rakyat and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) have ended their recent months of courtship with two top Parti Keadilan Rakyat leaders saying that "we will go separate ways." PKR deputy-president Azmin Ali and vice-president Tian Chua made it clear yesterday that there will be no more negotiations with SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee for a seat-sharing pact to confront Barisan Nasional in a one-to-one fight in the general election. Tian Chua described SAPP's continued demands for a large share of state seats during negotiations as "unreasonable and reflects their insincerity and commitment towards an Opposition pact to oust Barisan in Sabah. "If SAPP maintains that they must be given a large share of the seats which makes it impossible for an agreement to be reached, we can only interpret it as their not being interested in the cooperation. "This means we have to go separate ways," he told a press conference here yesterday. Tian Chua dismissed the possibility of the opposition losing the support of Sabah voters if local-based SAPP was excluded from the Pakatan pact as he believed it would have minimal impact on them. "In the coming polls, the people will choose between Barisan and Pakatan. "Any other force will not have any substantial impact on the choice of the voters," he said. He said that Pakatan was willing to work with any party in Sabah to remove Barisan from Putrajaya. "Pakatan parties are willing to cooperate with all forces if they are genuinely committed to our common struggle to topple Barisan," he added. Tian Chua's public stand on SAPP was in tangent with Azmin's statement to an online news portal which quoted him as saying that SAPP was "completely out of the list and out of our formula" as far as seat negotiations were involved because of the party's unreasonable demands. Azmin stated that Pakatan was close to concluding a seat-sharing deal with its new Sabah allies Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) and Pertubuhan Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPPS). APS is led by Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing, the former deputy president of Upko while PPPS is led by Datuk Lajim Ukin, the Beaufort MP and former Umno supreme council member. Pakatan party leaders including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously agreed in principle to work out a seat-sharing agreement with SAPP for the 60 state and 25 parliament seats in Sabah. Besides having problems with SAPP, the Pakatan parties also face problems in working out a seat deal with Sabah STAR, led by Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan who is pushing for a Sabah for Sabahans agenda. Both SAPP and Sabah STAR believed that state-based parties should be allowed to contest the bulk of the state seats while Pakatan parties should focus on parliament seats. |
| Subramaniam confident of retaining Segamat seat despite rumour Posted: 09 Feb 2013 03:37 PM PST 
(The Star) - MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam has rubbished talk that his Segamat Parliamentary seat is among those in danger of falling to the Opposition because a majority of the constituents are Chinese. The Human Resources Minister said his Chinese constituents, who make up almost half of the electorate, were aware of the work he had done for them, expressing confidence that they would continue supporting him. "I know my constituents, especially the Chinese, well. I have resolved the issues affecting the community and they have no reason not to support Barisan," he said after opening a RM1.9mil new block at SJKT Ladang Labu near here. The Opposition has been claiming that Segamat was one of the Parliamentary seats in Johor that it was confident of winning. Talk is also rife that either DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, who is now Ipoh Timur MP, or Johor PKR chief Datuk Chua Jui Meng may be fielded in Segamat for the Opposition to make inroads into the southern state. Dr Subramaniam defeated DAP's Pang Hok Liong with a 2,971 vote majority in the 2008 general election by obtaining 15,921 votes against his opponent's 12,950. On another matter, Dr Subramaniam said the Indians should continue supporting Barisan as the ruling coalition had done a lot for the community. "We received RM100mil last year which was used to finance the construction of 21 new Tamil schools that were relocated from rural areas and estates and to upgrade another 184 Tamil schools. "We have received another RM100mil this year which we plan to use to upgrade between 150 and 180 more schools," he said. Dr Subramaniam said that due to this, more parents were now sending their children to Tamil schools with the ratio being at 52:48 in comparison to national schools. |
| Jeffrey to Sarawakians: Learn from Sabah Posted: 09 Feb 2013 03:30 PM PST 
The Sabah STAR chief says he admires Taib's resolute stand not to allow Umno coming into Sarawak. Luke Rintod, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Sabah State Reform Party (STAR) chief Jeffrey Kitingan has defended his call to Sarawakians to support local instead of peninsula-based parties, saying he meant well for Sarawak after Sabah's own experience with outsider party. "I wanted to share with Sarawak, Sabah's own experience with Umno's colonisation in the state so that what happened to Sabah would not happen to Sarawak in the future," he said in response to Sarawak PKR leader Baru Bian's response that the former's call was confusing Sarawakians. Jeffrey, who is also chairman of NGO United Borneo Front (UBF), clarified that his "support local party" call has nothing to do with Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud. Speaking exclusively to FMT here, Jeffrey stressed that what he meant was that (a) local party would be the best vehicle for Sarawak and Sabah. "I admire Taib's resolute stand not to allow Umno coming into Sarawak. The moment the people there supported (an) outsider party over local, they would lose their autonomy. "I have a message to Taib too, that is the Sarawak local parties under BN right now should be open to work with whoever Sarawak is more comfortable with after the coming general election. "It doesn't mean I am asking the people of Sarawak to support BN, not at all, but that local parties would be the best and ideal vehicle," he said. He said his message was clear and that is to empower the people in the two states and never to surrender their franchise under any threat. He said sometimes this 'franchise' comes masquerading as offer to help or empower them by outsider political parties or leaders. "Just look at Sabah, the moment Umno came in place of a local party, Kuala Lumpur started calling the shots, making the state government powerless on Sabah's destiny until the state leaders were mere puppets of outsiders. And now Sabah is the poorest state with a myriad of KL-made problems," he said. READ MORE HERE |
| BN’s Vishwaroopam is getting ugly Posted: 09 Feb 2013 03:26 PM PST 
Stop just looking at the bigger agenda. BN and Najib must also know how to sort out the smaller issues if they want to win over voters. K Kabilan, FMT (Vishwaroopam in Tamil means the true face. It is also the title of a Tamil blockbuster which is still awaiting release in Malaysia due to its supposedly controversial theme.) Sometimes one does wonder if the government is really concerned about the peoples' wishes. Is it even listening to what the people are saying? It appears as though the government is more interested in doing things which it thinks will be good for the rakyat. Najib Tun Razak's earlier clarion call that his government was not one which subscribed to "government knows it all" seems like a half-baked lie right now. Take, for example, the decision to fly down South Korean megastar Psy for the Barisan Nasional Chinese New Year open house in Penang. A cool RM3 million was reportedly spent for this. Of course, it was not the rakyat's money as the Gangnam ride was reportedly sponsored by private parties. Still, that much for a singer who has only one known mega hit? And at a time when people are complaining of not getting real value for their money? What about the Ponggal festival at Dataran Merdeka on Feb 2? Of course, it was deemed to be a mega success, by MIC standards. It would surely be if RM5 million was reportedly set aside to get the crowd. Word has it that almost 1,400 buses were chartered to bring in Indians to the capital city to show that they all love our prime minister. In return, they did get a full meal of nasi briyani, courtesy of the BN government. Is this how Najib wants to get the people to back him and BN again? This method seems so archaic, but it must be working for them to be doing it repeatedly! But it goes back to the main question once again. Isn't Najib interested in what the people really want? Does the rakyat still want the government to dictate what's good for them? The death of a security guard
Two ongoing issues reveal how ignorant the government can be in misreading the pulse of the voters, especially the Indian voters that Najib wants so much. The first is the death of security guard C Sugumaran who died after allegedly being beaten by policemen and members of the public on Jan 24. 
The first post-mortem stated that he had succumbed to a heart failure. The family wants a second post-mortem and that's where things have started to break down. Sugumaran's body still lies in a mortuary while his family wants the know the true cause of his death. Very simple request. Any caring government, or a home minister, or prime minister, would have made the all-important call so that truth and justice are served. But what we have here is the prime minister asking for a forensic report to be passed to him, and then even 10 days later, making no decision on the matter. In the meantime, the home minister sits quietly, letting the police handle the matter. The police, on their part, want to follow rules and regulations to the letter while not doing anything conclusive at all. It's a merry-go-round with a family still waiting for answers, and closure as a result of the death. Is there an easier way to solve this problem? Yes, there is. It is actually as easy as Najib going to the local radio stations and trying to impress the Chinese voters with his Mandarin. But will he take the easy way to solve this problem? I doubt it! READ MORE HERE |
| Stop playing with our sentiments, Hisham Posted: 09 Feb 2013 03:20 PM PST 
So Dato Hisham, please stop beating around the bush and tell us frankly: is the movie Vishwaroopam going to be released at all? By S Vell Paari, FMT
In regards to Tamil movie "Vishwaroopam" which is showing successfully everywhere else in the world, I have been informed that there are four other local Indian Muslim NGO's who want the movie banned here in Malaysia. It is as a result of these four NGO's, the Malaysian government has yet to approve for the spy thriller to be released in local cinemas even though the Censor Board has approved the second edited version. The decision to release or not to release this movie is Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein's call. My questions to Hishammuddin are these: 1. In what way is the Muslim sentiment of the Tamil speaking Indian Muslims of Tamil Nadu, Singapore and rest of the world, together with the local 60 Indian Muslim NGOs, different to the four NGOs currently objecting to the movie? I can understand if it's the case all over the world. Malaysia has the highest edits, 16 in total as opposed to seven in Tamil Nadu. Are you saying these four NGOs' ideology to Islam is different to the rest of the world? This decision is no different to PAS ruling on the Chinese attire issue in Kedah. 2. The Home Ministry (KDN) speaks of sensitivity but where was this sensitivity in regards to the controversial book Interlok which was deemed to be insensitive to the Indian community? It took such a long time for a decision to be made to remove the book from school syallabus. Are you punishing us for objecting to Interlok? 3. This movie was cleared for general viewing in local cinemas by the Malaysian Censor Board. It was then banned by the ministry after a single show following complaints from the local Indian Muslim NGOs (the first group). So are you saying that the Malaysian Censor Board was ignorant of the feelings of Muslims in our country? 4. Where was this sensitivity when the cow-head incident happened in Selangor in 2009? And weren't you the one who said we must understand the feelings of the protesters? Why is it that when we (the Indian community) were subjected to abuse, we must understand the feelings of those abusing us? Why is it that our sensitivity is never taken into consideration? Why? Is it because we don't have feelings or are we not entitled to have feelings. 5. Pirated versions of the movie are flooding the local market. Your Home Ministry has helped to boost the income for the SME piracy market. These pirated DVDs and VCDs are uncut versions of the movie. So what did the four NGOs (the second group) and you achieve with the continued ban of Vishwaroopam? 
Will the police force be now instructed to arrest the families of average Malaysians of Indian origin who decide to buy the pirated version of the movie due to KDN's double standard? Will we be seeing kids handcuffed and dragged with their parents into police vehicles? What a disaster! With such stunts from KDN, who needs a tsunami? Working against Najib
Dear Minister, you are in clear violation of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's 1Malaysia ideology. It's a clear case of insubordination by you against the direction and vision of the prime minister. You are clearly becoming a millstone around Barisan Nasional's neck. So Dato Hisham, please stop beating around the bush and tell us frankly: is the movie going to be released at all? What is so sensitive about the feelings of these four NGOs as against to the wishes of the other 60 Indian Muslim NGOs (with whom MIC had come to an agreement to allow for the release of the movie with mimimum edits) and the balance of the Indian community? READ MORE HERE |
| Mahathir’s Tall Tales on Sabah! Posted: 09 Feb 2013 08:22 AM PST 
Putrajaya has no business whatsoever, under the constitutional documents on Malaysia, to block recommendations from the Sabah or Sarawak Governments on permanent residence in their respective territories. Yet we are told by Mahathir that he liberally gave out citizenships in Sabah during his 22 years in office as Prime Minister. Joe Fernandez We have heard it all now on Sabah from former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. In his latest take on the on-going Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) in the state, Mahathir claims that he instructed that only those eligible in Sabah should be granted citizenship. This is rich! He's degenerating before our very eyes even as a poor liar. There's an old Malayalee saying with which Mahathir should be familiar: "Once you tell a lie, you must tell a thousand other lies to cover up the first lie." No wonder there's an old Jaffna joke going around about the tragic fate of a cobra that was unfortunate enough to bite a Malayalee. The cobra died! The Jaffna people claim that they were chased out of Kerala and into northern Sri Lanka by the Malayalees who first welcomed the migrants from Tamil Nadu by draping them in yellow cloth, literally speaking, but later allegedly tried to slit their throats. Citizenships are not based on any so-called directive from the Prime Minister, the Home Minister or the Federal Cabinet.
Mahathir's directive on citizenships a fairy tale
Citizenship is based on the Federal Constitution, the only Social Contract between the State and the people. So, Mahathir could not have issued such a directive on the grant of citizenships. There was no need for one since there was no basis. His so-called directive on citizenships is another red herring meant to divert attention from the tainted electoral rolls in Sabah and whether his family from Kerala, southwest India, ever determined their citizenship status in the wake of the British departure from Malaya in 1957. But more on that story in a little while. The issue (child) of a citizen by operation of law – i.e. the latter holding no citizenship papers – or an issue of a citizen by registration – i.e. the latter with citizenship papers – is eligible to be citizen by operation of law whether born in the country or abroad. Those born abroad must have had their births registered at the nearest Malaysian High Commission or Embassy, or at the British or a Commonwealth mission, where's there's no such representation.
Federal Cabinet failed to resolve stateless issue
The Federal Constitution is clear on this point. The Government of Malaysia has no prerogative and discretionary powers on citizenship under the Federal Constitution except the Federal Cabinet when it comes to resolving the citizenship woes of Malaysians. The Federal Cabinet can act in this case. Many of those eligible to be citizens by operation of law in Malaysia are stateless because they carry no birth certificates like their parents, grandparents and ancestors. These include Indians and the Orang Asal (Orang Asli) in Peninsular Malaysia and the Orang Asal – Dusuns, Muruts, and Dayaks -- in Sabah and Sarawak. The sea gypsies or Bajau Laut -- Pala'u – in Sabah are also stateless. The issue of a citizen by naturalization – i.e. the latter a foreigner who obtained citizenship in Malaysia – is eligible for citizenship by registration. If born overseas, there are the other requirements to be met. Failure to register as a citizen or failure to register the birth if born overseas would mean that the issue would be considered a citizen of the naturalized citizen's old country. There are many in Malaysia in this category as a result of being born in Brunei, Indonesia (Kalimantan) and India, among other places. They are permanently doomed to carry red (permanent residence) and green cards (temporary residence) or even Special Passes (white) from the Immigration Department.
No basis to issue citizenship to 200,000 foreigners in Sabah
Citizenship by naturalization is a long process which begins with entry permit and work permits. However, foreign spouses of Malaysians need only to get a social visit pass in lieu of entry permit. The catch is one cannot apply for a work permit on a social visit pass. The next step for the foreigner would be to acquire temporary residence – green card – followed by permanent residence i.e. red card. Given the required numbers of years in residence in Malaysia, police clearance from the old country and the Malaysian Police, a foreigner can apply for citizenship by naturalization. By right it should be a hassle-free process but the truth here is stranger than the fiction. Anything can happen at this juncture from long delays to an ominous silence from the authorities concerned. It would be interesting to know on what basis and by what authority citizenships were issued to foreigners in Sabah. Mahathir had previously acknowledged that he gave out 200,000 citizenships in Sabah to those "who had stayed there for a very long time, spoke Malay unlike the Chinese etc".
Mahathir denied permanent residence to deserving professionals in Sabah
This is the same man who denied even permanent residence in Sabah to some 300 deserving foreign professionals serving in the state, many for even up to 30 years. The Sabah Government recommended them for permanent residence in Sabah and Malaysia. The matter was only resolved when Chong Kah Kiat, as Chief Minister, personally called upon Mahathir at his office in Putrajaya and brought up the matter. It transpired that the little Napoleons in Putrajaya had been routinely consigning such applications from Sabah to the wastepaper basket. The fact that the professionals concerned were non-Muslims may have had something to do with their long wait. Putrajaya has no business whatsoever, under the constitutional documents on Malaysia, to block recommendations from the Sabah or Sarawak Governments on permanent residence in their respective territories. It's back to square one today in Sabah and perhaps in Sarawak too. Yet we are told by Mahathir that he liberally gave out citizenships in Sabah during his 22 years in office as Prime Minister. Being in Malaysia a very long time and speaking Malay are not by themselves sufficient qualifications to be granted citizenship in the country. One must go through the proper procedures and process as set down in the Federal Constitution. In Sabah and Sarawak, there are added criteria under the Malaysia Agreement. The Governments of these two Borneo Nations in Malaysia must be the initiating and recommending body for foreigners in their territory who apply for citizenship.
RCI should determine extent of tainted electoral rolls
The Federal Government cannot take it upon itself to issue citizenships to foreigners in Sabah and Sarawak. Anyone who holds citizenship in Malaysia in violation of the Federal Constitution holds no citizenship at all. It's a nullity in law from the very beginning. The same fate applies to those who obtained citizenship by furnishing false and misleading information with or without the knowledge of the authorities concerned. The revelations at the RCI tell of foreign-born applicants obtaining Malaysian personal documents merely on the strength of Statutory Declarations wherein they claimed birth in Sabah. The crux of the story in Sabah, and one for the RCI to determine, is the extent to which the electoral rolls in the state has been tainted by those ineligible to be there. That's not the end of the story.
Mahathir is one lie after another on Sabah
We have also heard at the RCI that duplicate MyKads of Malaysians had been issued by the National Registration Department (NRD) to foreigners for the purposes of voting. These foreigners apparently voted on behalf of Malaysians who had registered as voters but seldom turned up on polling day. Other Malaysians who were eligible to register as voters didn't bother to do so. This provided another great loophole to nefarious elements who did not hesitate to issue duplicate MyKads to foreigners to enable them to register as voters on behalf of Malaysians. Mahathir has been silent on these allegations which emerged during revelations at the RCI. Instead, he keeps harping on what his directives were on the issuance of citizenships in Sabah and claimed that "other people including Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim may have gone off at a tangent in Sabah" and obviously "unknown to him". Mahathir is one lie after another on Sabah. He has yet to come clean even on his own family from Kerala, southwest India, being in Malaysia. Again, we are reminded of the old Malayalee saying on lies. ______________________________________________________________________ Joe Fernandez is a mature law student, among others, who feels compelled as a semi-retired journalist to put pen to paper – or rather the fingers to the computer keyboard -- whenever something doesn't quite jell with his weltanschauung (worldview). He shuttles between points in the Golden Heart of Borneo formed by the Sabah west coast, Labuan, Brunei, northern Sarawak and the watershed region in Borneo where three nations meet. |
| In the name of Allah, The Gracious The Merciful... Posted: 09 Feb 2013 08:13 AM PST 
"ALLAH" IS FOR THE WHOLE OF MANKIND, SAYS THE QURAN Have you yourselves read the Book and fully understood its contents? Have you been instructed in the Book to forbid mankind from calling the one and only God as ALLAH? Are you responsible if the ignorant ones make a mockery of God? Student of The Qur'an The ongoing controversy among the Malaysian population as to whether Christians in the country can use the word Allah in their Malay language Bible has prompted me to write this article in the hope that the dispute, which has the potential of threatening the peaceful coexistence of peace loving Malaysians, would be eliminated. I am not a religious scholar but a concerned citizen who looks forward to living in harmony in this well-endowed multi-racial, multi-religious country of ours. Since the objection for the Christian community to use the word Allah comes from the Muslims, let us use the Muslim holy book, THE QUR'AN, as the basis for our search to find the answer to this problem. It is not disputed by Muslims throughout the world that The Quran is the word of God (the one and only God known as ALLAH in the Arabic language) and that it is a Message for the whole of mankind revealed through Muhammad, Allah's messenger and the seal of the prophets (peace be upon him). "This (Message) is no less than a reminder to mankind." Ch. 81 Verse 27
"Those to whom We have given the Book recognise it just as they recognise their own sons. But, some of them knowingly conceal the truth. The Truth is from thy Lord; so be not at all in doubt." Ch. 2 Verse 146-147 25 names of messengers are mentioned in The Quran (right from Adam to Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace be upon them all). All these prophets and messengers brought the same Message from God to mankind, but the messengers were rejected. When God made an agreement with those who were given the Book [saying]:
"You shall explain it to mankind and not conceal it," they (the people) tossed it away behind their backs and sold it for a paltry price. How wretched was what they bought [instead]! Ch.3 Verse 187 In the Quran, we find the word "ilah" which refers to any god other than the One God, which the ignorant people have taken as an object of worship. The One and Only God in the Qur'an is known as ALLAH (the prefix "AL" (the) combined with "ILAH" (god) to define the sole divine entity as THE GOD). "Do not set up any other god besides God lest you incur disgrace and be forsaken." Ch.17 Verse 22 "He who invokes another god along with God, - a deity of whose divinity he has no proof, - will be brought to account by his Lord. Certainly, those who deny the truth shall never prosper." Ch. 23 verse 117 Allah, the One God is also known in the Quran through His numerous attributes, some among which are as follows:
"He is God: there is no god other than Him, the Controller, the Holy One, Source of Peace, Granter of Security, Guardian over all, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Truly Great; God is far above anything they consider to be His partner." Ch. 59 Verse 23 We are asked to call Allah by any of His beautiful names:
Say: "Call upon Allah, or call upon Ar-Rahman (the Merciful One): by whatever name you call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names." Ch. 17 verse 110 Muhammad, the messenger was told by God to tell the believers:
"And dispute not with the people of the Book (the Jews and the Christians) unless in the best manner, save with those of them who do wrong;" and say: "we believe in that which hath been sent down unto us and that which hath been sent down unto you: our god and your god is One (who is called ALLAH); and to Him we are submissive." Ch. 29 verse 46 And the believers are told to do it with wisdom:
"Call them to the path of your Lord with wisdom and words of good advice; and reason with them in the best way possible. Your Lord surely knows who strays from His path, and He knows those who are guided the right way." Ch. 16 verse 125 The messenger would not have forced the people to believe him after hearing this commandment from God:
Say, "This is the truth from your Lord. Let him who will, believe in it, and him who will, deny it…" Ch.18 verse 29 Now, the controversy arises as a result of the doctrine of Trinity held by the Christians, whereby God is referred to as The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost, which will not be accepted by the Believers of the Qur'an as the truth. The people of the Book (Jews and Christians) have been reminded by Allah about this through His messenger Muhammad in Chapter 4 verse 171 of the Qur'an:
"O people of the Book, do not be fanatical in your faith, and say nothing but the truth about God (ALLAH). The Messiah who is Jesus, son of Mary, was only an apostle of God, and a command of His which He sent to Mary, as a mercy from Him. So, believe in God (ALLAH) and His apostles, and do not call Him 'Trinity'. Abstain from this for your own good; for God (ALLAH) is only ONE GOD, and far from His glory is it to beget a son. All that is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him; and sufficient is God (ALLAH) for all help." The above verse clearly indicates that during the prophet's time the Christians were already believing in the concept of trinity; and Allah, through the prophet wanted to remind them not to believe in such a doctrine and to abstain from it for their own good. Thus, we as Muslims today, should also emulate the prophet in clarifying to the Christians the true concept of one God or Monotheism. This should be the paramount duty or focus of the Muslims rather than bickering over the usage of the term "God" or "Allah." Allah says:
"Obey God and obey the Messenger. If you turn away, then he is responsible for what he is charged with and you are responsible for what you are charged with. If you obey him, you will be rightly guided. The Messenger is responsible only for delivering the message clearly." Ch.24 verse 54 The messenger was only instructed to reveal God's Message to the people and to make them aware of the worship of the One God (Allah), the God of both the believers and the disbelievers. He was merely responsible for delivering the Message (as had been done by other messengers before him) and not for their actions or their disobedience after hearing the Message. If Allah had commanded His messenger to call people to the One God, Allah, who are we, the so-called Muslims of today, to forbid mankind from calling their god Allah, since Allah is God for all the people! If a community insists on calling its god Allah, but continues to practise idol worship, which is an unforgivable sin in the sight of Allah, that community would be answerable only to God and not to any other authority. "God does not forgive the sin of considering others equal to Him, but He may choose to forgive other sins. Whoever believes in other gods besides Him has indulged in a great sin." Ch. 4 verse 48 The duty of a rightly guided Muslim would be to explain clearly the concept of Monotheism to those who may not be aware, and not to convert or dispute with or deny them the opportunity of recognising the true God and calling Him Allah. "Unto every community have We appointed [different] ways of worship, which they ought to observe. Hence, [O believer,] do not let those [who follow ways other than yours] draw you into disputes on this score, but summon [them all] unto your Sustainer: for, behold, you are indeed on the right way." Ch. 22 verse 67 – 69 The Quran also tells us that although the people who heard the Message of God defied the messengers, nevertheless, they conceded and acknowledged that their god was Allah when questioned about their Creator. Say, "To whom do the earth and all therein belong?" Tell me, if you have any knowledge. They will say, "To Allah!" Say: "Yet will you not receive admonition?" Say, "Who is the Lord of the seven heavens, and of the Glorious Throne?" They will say, "(All this belongs) to Allah." Say, "Would you still not fear Allah?" Ch. 23 verse 84 – 87 Say (unto them, O Muhammad): "Who provides for you from the sky and the earth, or Who owns hearing and sight; and Who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living; and Who directs the course?" They will say: "Allah." Then say: "Will ye not then keep your duty (unto Him)?" Such is Allah, your true Lord. What is there, besides the truth, but error? How then can you turn away? Ch. 10 verse 31 - 32 After having provided all of our basic needs and equipping us with what is required for our survival on this beautiful earth, what Allah expects from us is justice among mankind and responsible behaviour towards each other, for which everyone shall be accountable. "For, verily, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Sabians, and the Christians - all who believe in Allah and the Last Day and do righteous deeds - no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve." Ch. 5 verse 69 So, brothers and sisters, who proudly call yourselves Muslims, let me ask if you have done your job of supporting your prophet by revealing the Message of Allah to your fellow mankind, who may have not yet read Allah's last revealed Book, THE QUR'AN? Have you yourselves read the Book and fully understood its contents? Have you been instructed in the Book to forbid mankind from calling the one and only God as ALLAH? Are you responsible if the ignorant ones make a mockery of God? Is not Allah the All-seer, the All-hearer, the All-knowing, the All-mighty, the All-wise? Allah is not weak. He is the All-powerful, but He is also the All-forgiving and the All-compassionate. And how are we taught in the Quran to recognise Allah? Say: "He is Allah, the One and Only, Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He does not give birth, nor was He born, and there is nothing like Him." Ch. 112 verses 1 – 4 "All praise is due to Allah Who has never begotten a son and Who has no partner in His kingdom; nor does anyone aid Him because of any weakness of His. Proclaim His Greatness." Ch. 17 verse 111 Brothers and sisters, let us all hasten to do righteous works and strive towards establishing TRUTH AND JUSTICE on this earth, instead of focusing our attention on petty issues and arguments which bring about split and discord among mankind. The world is already full of turmoil; let us not exacerbate the situation further by using faith as the basis for highlighting irrelevant issues for personal and political gains. May ALLAH guide us all to the straight path and may we spread PEACE and LOVE on earth, which is the very essence of Islam! Salaam (Peace),
Student of The Qur'an |
| Dr M must apologise to Ambiga, Bar Council Posted: 08 Feb 2013 05:24 PM PST 
Bersih says Dr Mahathir Mohamad should not make threats to revoke S Ambiga's citizenship. (FMT) - Bersih wants former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to retract his statement that the federal constitution must be amended to revoke the citizenship of "errant lawyers" like Bar Council leaders and Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga. Bersih, a coalition of non-governmental organization fighting for free and fair elections, said Ambiga did not deserve such a comment. "What did Ambiga do to deserve such comments. There is nothing wrong in wanting a free and fair election. We just want for the government to deliver what the rakyat want," Bersih steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah told FMT. Earlier today, the former prime minister said the government needed to amend the constitution if it wanted to strip off the citizenship of lawyers such as Ambiga who go against the government. "To strip a person's citizenship, you need to amend the constitution. And to amend the constitution you need two-thirds majority in Parliament. So, I ask that you give two-thirds majority to the BN government," said Dr Mahathir. He said this in response to a question after a talk on national security and the constitution at a forum. Mahathir was asked how the government could strip the citizenship of errant lawyers like Bar Council leaders and Ambiga, who were persistent in challenging the government and questioning the federal constitution. Maria said it was very unbecoming of Mahathir to make such a statement. "He is no better than Ibrahim Ali (Perkasa president). We want Dr Mahathir to retract and apologise to Ambiga and the Bar Council. "The statement is actually very racist in nature. Dr Mahathir should not put himself so low as to want to strip people of their citizenship. They are not terrorist or did anything to endanger the lives of fellow Malaysians. "We are fighting for the better Malaysia. We are trying to do good for the country and her people…so Dr Mahathir should not use us as political pawns to win votes for the ruling Barisan Nasional," she said. He said Dr Mahathir should not use race as a tool to divide and threaten Malaysians. READ MORE HERE |
| Place winning Putrajaya before candidacy, Zuraida tells Sabah PKR reps Posted: 08 Feb 2013 05:18 PM PST 
Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider In the aftermath of Thursday's resignations by 14 Sabah Wanita PKR members, Zuraida Kamaruddin has reminded all party members to prioritise Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) Putrajaya dream instead of clamouring to be candidates in the coming polls. The Wanita PKR national chief admitted to The Malaysian Insider that there is still a lingering dissatisfaction among Sabah PKR leaders over the possibility of losing their bid to contest the coming polls. But she pointed out that this was inevitable as the party would have to cede some seats to accommodate PR's new Sabah allies Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) and Pertubuhan Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPPS). "I can't say there is none (dissatisfaction). But they have to be rational. Are they in this for the short term or the long term?" Zuraida (picture) said in a phone call from Sabah yesterday afternoon. "In the interest of fighting Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno, what we are doing is we are putting out our best in the contest," she added. APS is led by Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing, formerly the deputy president of BN's United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO), while PPPS is led by Beaufort MP and former Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin. Both men left BN last year to form the PR-friendly movements are currently working out a seat-sharing formula with PR's DAP, PKR and PAS, turning the Sabah opposition front into a very crowded battle. Winnie Juani, who is Sabah Wanita PKR vice-chairman, Penampang wing chief and the wing's Sabah election strategist, quit the party on Thursday along with 13 other elected and appointed leaders from the division. She told The Malaysian Insider that they had no particular reason for leaving, except that they needed to "take a rest" from the hectic life of politics. The 52-year-old Juani also denied that she had left because her party leadership could not confirm her candidacy in Moyog, a state seat under the BN-held Penampang parliamentary constituency. Zuraida said she spoke to Juani after the latter's sudden move to quit and decided to respect her decision. "She said she wants to rest and take care of her family. Some can't take the stress and the pressure and need time to rest... so let them take their rest, we are not short of leaders and women candidates," she said. Zuraida would not confirm speculation that Juani had left because of the candidacy issue but said repeatedly that in the interest of PR's plan to wrest federal power, all party members need to put their personal interests aside. READ MORE HERE |
| Been there, done that Posted: 08 Feb 2013 04:49 PM PST If less than 20 pages is 'too lengthy' then I really do not know what to say. They should be reading at least 100 to 150 pages a day or go through a 300-page book in two or three days. Some PhD students here in the UK, Malaysians of course, told me that they hardly read a book a year save for their text books.THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin Hindraf has laid out six conditions for both Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional to agree to before it decides which of the two coalitions it will support in the coming general election. Five of those six conditions were actually addressed in The People's Declaration exactly five years ago in February 2008. In fact, The People's Declaration is in even more detail because it comes to almost 20 pages. The problem is most people did not read it because, according to them, The People's Declaration is too lengthy. If less than 20 pages is 'too lengthy' then I really do not know what to say. They should be reading at least 100 to 150 pages a day or go through a 300-page book in two or three days. Some PhD students here in the UK, Malaysians of course, told me that they hardly read a book a year save for their text books. That is pathetic. And these are the same people who whack Umno and blame Umno for the 'poorly educated' Malaysians. I just don't get it how you can blame Umno for your low-level education when you refuse to read a book a year and you declare that 20 pages are too lengthy to read. Anyway, save for item 2 in Hindraf's list of six demands, five of these demands have actually been addressed in The People's Declaration, as you can see below. I admit that The People's Declaration is not specific to 'Indian issues', as it tries to address policies to make things more equitable, and so that the beneficiaries of these policies would be on a need basis rather than race-based. Nevertheless, if there were any particular ethnic group that is in need, then it would automatically become that beneficiary. For example, if you build houses for the needy, and if the Indians are in need of houses, then the Indians become the beneficiary of those houses since the spirit of The People's Declaration is to do away with race-based policies in favour of need-based policies. 
Many people have asked me what is the source of what they view as my 'falling out' with Anwar Ibrahim in late 2010 and why two months later I started 'whacking' Anwar Ibrahim. Well, if they were to view that video of our meeting in London in 2010 on Youtube then they need not ask this question. In that meeting I stressed that Pakatan Rakyat had signed an agreement that they will adopt The People's Declaration and later, in Australia, Anwar did a U-turn and rejected it. Basically, what Hindraf is asking for has already been laid out and agreed by Pakatan Rakyat (plus PSM, mind you) five years ago in February 2008. And The People's Declaration has more details. Will Pakatan Rakyat now say yes to Hindraf when it has said no to The People's Declaration -- after saying yes earlier? Anyway, while we await a reply from Pakatan Rakyat, maybe in the meantime you can compare what Hindraf wants to what was agreed back in February 2008. Hindraf: 1) Stop displacing Indian plantation workers and provide reasonable compensation as well as offer skills training to them. The People's Declaration: Form a framework of tripartite consultation that is effective, just and democratic, and amend laws relating to labour, trade unions and industrial relations consistent with it; fix a reasonable monthly wage for estate workers and seriously implement a housing scheme for estate workers; and introduce re-training programmes for retrenched workers. Hindraf: 2) Resolve Indian stateless issue. The People's Declaration: None. Hindraf: 3) Provide equal education opportunities to all Indian students via meritocracy; The People's Declaration: Establish a National Education Consultative Council to ensure that the practice and implementation of the national education policy and philosophy is both effective and just; allocate the education budget in a fair and equitable fashion, without neglecting any group; provide more scholarships and other financial assistance on the basis of need; and increase the number of mother tongue schools and upgrade their facilities according to need and demand. Hindraf: 4) Provide equal job and business opportunities to Indians; The People's Declaration: Establish an investment fund, under-written by the government, for the development of small and medium enterprises and allocated according to performance and not political favouritism. Hindraf: 5) Stop police brutality and death in custody, and set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC). The People's Declaration: Sign and ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; restore the image and status of the Royal Malaysian Police by means of a permanent committee as the Police Commission to receive and consider petitions by the people on police behaviour; improve the quality and effectiveness of human rights education at all levels of education and institutions of higher learning as well as training centres for public servants; and improve prison administration and conditions in line with international standards. Hindraf: 6) Stop institutionalised racism and ratify United Nations convention against racial discrimination. The People's Declaration: Immediately dismantle any and all remaining practices of "divide and rule" in public administration from the days of the BN administration; put in place an affirmative action programme at Federal and all State levels to eradicate poverty and marginalization from amongst the weak and backward groups irrespective of race, social background and religion; and establish an independent Ethnic Relations Council, reporting directly to Parliament to help in building a united Bangsa Malaysia. |
| Ronnie Liu: 'Jawatan Jefrei sudah lama dilucutkan' Posted: 08 Feb 2013 03:33 PM PST 
(Sinar Harian) - Exco Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan, Kajian dan Penyelidikan, Ronnie Liu menegaskan bahawa tindakan bekas Pegawai Khasnya, Jefrei Nordin mengumumkan peletakan jawatan sebagai satu penipuan. Katanya, Ronnie, Jefrei telah lama dilucutkan jawatan sebagai pegawai khas beliau kerana tidak hadir di pejabat Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri (SUK).
"Dia (Jefrei) sudah lama dilucutkan jawatan bukannya letak jawatan, lagipun dia bukan ahli DAP," katanya, semalam.
Dalam pada itu, katanya, tindakan Jefrei mengumumkan peletakan jawatannya di kediaman Ahli Parlimen Nibong Tebal, Tan Tee Beng adalah sekadar meraih publisiti murahan.
"Sebenarnya Jefrei telah disahkan muflis. Sudahlah dua tiga tahun tidak masuk pejabat, tiba-tiba sahaja umumkan letak jawatan dengan alasan kononnya kecewa dengan sikap hipokrit dan penyalahgunaan kuasa membabitkan pimpinan kerajaan negeri, ini satu penipuan dan mungkin dia telah 'dibeli'.
"Selain itu, sebelum ini Jefrei sering mengeluarkan kenyataan tidak berasas yang memfitnah saya dan adu domba dengan pimpinan lain dalam pakatan seperti Pas, sedangkan hubungan saya dengan mereka baik-baik sahaja," katanya.
Dalam perkembangan yang sama, kata beliau, sekiranya ingin bukti kukuhbahawa Jefrei telah lama dilucutkan jawatan sebagai pegawai khas, boleh merujuk kepada penyata gaji dan elaun, jelas telah beberapa tahun Jefrei tidak dibayar oleh pihaknya. |
| Najib out-Gangnam DAP? Posted: 08 Feb 2013 03:20 PM PST 
KTemoc Konsiders I wouldn't dare claim that the Han Chiang School in Penang is Pakatan's equivalent of Tahrir Square, but as The Malaysian Insider reported in its headline news article Guan Eng trying to politicise CNY, says Najib as follows: Penang BN sources say the venue of the celebrations hold a bigger significance than the appearance of Psy, or Park Jae-Sang.
According to BN sources, Han Chiang has been Pakatan Rakyat and DAP's stronghold for fund raising and rallies and is infamous for the 2008 catalyst rally which caused the Chinese wave of voters to swing to PR and DAP.In earlier days the chief financial sponsor (backer) of independent Chinese language education (up to pre university or HSC level) was Lim Lean Teng, one of the early Penang millionaires, who believed very strongly in Chinese language education and put his money where his mouth was. Even as a kid I came to know of him (because of his Chinese education sponsorship) and learnt where his mansion was located along Penang's 'Millionaire Row', what is today's Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, very near Kedah House (or Istana Kedah today?).  | | Han Chiang | The alumni of Han Chiang School may be found throughout SE Asia, especially in Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, etc, where their rich parents sent them to the only place (then) in the region to provide traditional (pre Communist China) style of Chinese primary and secondary education. I presume Taiwan was the only other source but alas, outside the SE Asian region, while Hong Kong provided such education in the Cantonese (but not Mandarin) language. TMI informed us that the new backer of Han Chiang School is Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping, a matey of Penang CM Lim Guan Eng. It's claimed that Han Chiang is Pakatan's or more correctly, DAP's 'hallowed grounds' as it was here that the DAP rally in 2008 'convinced' Penangites to ubah (change) the state government once again, after 40+ years. Thus the rumour has been that DAP is particularly upset by the BN staging its Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations cum 'Open House' at the school facilities, right at its politically 'hallowed grounds'. The guest of honour at the BN CNY celebrations is PM Najib Tun Razak, and the star attraction the man from Korea, Gangnam style rapper Psy, but as reported, the location of the event rather than Psy has the greater political significance. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in a previous post Silly season & serious scrutiny, DAP has unwittingly allowed DPM Muhyiddin to seize the moral high grounds by its silly spoilsport campaign against the BN's CNY event. In that post I had written: As a DAP supporter, I'm actually embarrassed by DAP and Pakatan's campaign against the BN 'Open House', UNLESS of course DAP can show that the event involves expenditure of public funds.
Yesterday, when I read Malaysiakini's Vox Populi, I was amazed that more than a few readers actually (and stupidly) urged Psy not to come, as if the Korean would forego his handsome fee to take sides in Malaysian politics.
This sort of emotional outburst, going to the extent of expecting a foreigner to take up partisan allegiance and show biased sympathy in Malaysian politics, is regrettable, immature and disappointing.
If indeed the event starring Psy is funded by the BN or private sources, then Pakatan has not only gone silly but in the process has unwittingly and lamentably elevated low brow Muhyiddin to high moral grounds when the DPM stated in today's Malaysiakini that Guan Eng aims to spoil BN's CNY bash.
Well, realizing BN now has a winner, PM Najib has swiftly jumped on the Muhyiddin's bandwagon to also play victim by stating: READ MORE HERE |
| Dr M: Struggle for PM post dividing Malays, empowering minorities Posted: 08 Feb 2013 03:07 PM PST 
Zurairi AR, The Malaysian Insider Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today likened the Malay politicians in both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to "political beggars", saying their scramble to be prime minister has led them to plead for support from the country's minority races. The influential Umno veteran pointed out that while these minority groups become more politically powerful, the Malays were becoming increasingly divided by fighting among themselves. "The majority is split into three, we're fighting among ourselves," the former prime minister said here. "Umno, PAS, PKR all have become beggars." He likened the situation to the strife between the Islamic sects of Sunnis and Shiites in the Arabic world, which has resulted in violence and killings. Dr Mahathir (picture) also compared the disunity to how the Malays were united when they were fighting against the British rule. "Back then when we were fighting the British, we had political strength. The Malays were united under Umno. "The British became so afraid seeing Malays united, that they had to drop the Malayan Union." READ MORE HERE |
| Ignore Deepak, Dr M tells Najib Posted: 08 Feb 2013 03:03 PM PST 
Zurairi AR, The Malaysian Insider Datuk Seri Najib Razak should not entertain any accusations put forward by controversial carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad advised today. The businessman has been in the limelight of late, lobbing repeated accusations against Najib and Umno leaders, and has promised to dish more dirt on other scandals linked to other politicians and even the prime minister's family members. "I don't think he should do anything," Dr Mahathir (picture) told reporters here. The longest-serving prime minister said that Najib should expect various allegations to surface while holding a political post, drawing parallels to his time in administration. "When I was prime minister also they accused me of corruption ... I don't have to respond." READ MORE HERE |
| Over 1,700 Malaysians abroad register for postal voting Posted: 08 Feb 2013 02:58 PM PST 
A total of 1,779 applications for postal voting have been received from Malaysians abroad so far since online registration was launched on December 21 last year. Election Commission deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the highest number of applications came from Australia with 406, followed by the United Kingdom (323), the United States (131), China (104) and Qatar (91). "The EC's decision to allow all Malaysians abroad to register online and through e-mail has proven to be effective as many took the opportunity to do so. "We estimate about 100 Malaysians abroad will register with the EC each day and we hope this trend will continue and increase daily," he said on Bernama TV's Helo Malaysia show here tonight. He said among the requirements for Malaysians to vote overseas were that they must already be a registered voter and have returned to Malaysia within 30 days in a five-year period before Parliament is dissolved. Wan Ahmad said Malaysians overseas who have registered as a voter and would like to use postal voting can download the application form (Borang 1B) through the EC website, http://www.spr.gov.my. |
| ‘BN leading Malaysia to destruction’ Posted: 08 Feb 2013 02:41 PM PST 
The litany of scandals revealed in the past year, has shown that 'BN will not change". Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: Sarawakians were today warned not to succumb to the guiles of the hypnotic 'snake' which spun illusions of cheer, harmony and promises of development in their bid to continue ruling the country for the next five years. Alluding to Barisan Nasional, Sarawak DAP said the Dragon Year (2012) had exposed a litany of scandals involving the ruling regime in Putrajaya and in Sarawak. The finals weeks of the dragon year was filled with testimonies and disclosures of 'high level' involvement in a systematic plan to re-engineer the population's race and religious ratio in Sabah (and across the nation). In a Chinese New Year statement on behalf of the party, state secretary Chong Chien Jen said: This is very frightening if we view the many scandals that are happening in the country. "As we welcome the Year of the Snake, we witness the Barisan Nasional leading Malaysia down the path of destruction. "We see scandals like the exposures by (Sabah) Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) of the BN government granting Malaysian ICs to illegal immigrants in Sabah in the 90s for the purpose of overthrowing the then ruling opposition party. "We see also that the Malaysian Anti-corruption Commission's non-action in the last two years in respect of allegation of corruption against Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud." Chong, who is the MP for Bandar Kuching, said that the nation is also being burdened by national debt which had escalated to RM500 billion. He said other scandals that could destroy the nation included a rising household debts (housing loans, car loans, credit card debts, etc) reaching RM700 billion, the illicit outflow of money from Malaysia amounting to more than RM196.4 billion in 2010 alone and the call by extremist PERKASA to burn Malay versions of the Bible bearing the term 'Allah' and the worsening of security due to thefts, burglaries and murders. "The decline in the standards of mathematics and science in our secondary schools as revealed by the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is also a cause for concern," he said. READ MORE HERE |
| ‘High property prices due to Pakatan policies’ Posted: 08 Feb 2013 02:39 PM PST 
Penang developers now have to pay the state government three times more dues than under BN. Athi Shankar, FMT GEORGE TOWN: Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng has blamed the inflated property prices in Penang on the Pakatan Rakyat state government's policies. He said the exorbitant increase in developer contribution for not building low-medium cost (LMC) units and in development charges for increase in build-up plot ratio were the main causes for the unscrupulous property price hike in the island state. Under the urban housing policy, he said the developer must pay contributions to the local government for not building the pre-conditioned 30 per cent unit of LMCs in a housing development scheme. "The government will then bear the responsibility to build the affordable housing," Tan told newsmen here yesterday. Since Pakatan took over Penang five years ago, he said the LMC contribution charge has leapt to RM120,000 per unit, three times up from previous RM40,000 per unit under Barisan Nasional pre-2008 rule. For instance, he said a developer has to fork RM3.6 million per 100-residential unit if they chose not to constructing 30 LMCs now. Previously they would have paid RM120,000. For an increase in build-up plot ratio rate, a developer has to pay RM15psf for the extra units. Previously it was RM5psf. Increase in costs Citing an example, Tan said if a developer increased the build-up per plot ratio from 15-units per acre to 87 – units per acre, the developer would have to pay some RM930,000 for the extra 62 units. This was based on RM15 x 1000sf per unit x 62-unit. READ MORE HERE |
| Hindraf’s ‘carrot’ to Pakatan Posted: 08 Feb 2013 02:34 PM PST 
But the opposition coalition must first endorse Hindraf's blueprint on alleviating the Indian community's problems. Anisah Shukry, FMT Hindraf has offered Pakatan Rakyat "thousands of volunteers" which it says is crucial for the opposition pact to overthrow Barisan nasional in the upcoming general election. The 'carrot' however comes with a catch. Pakatan must endorse the group's six-point blueprint to "bring the Indian marginalized and poor into the mainstream of National Development", said Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy. "We are no doubt willing to make Pakatan's dream to capture Putrajaya a reality but we have a dream too – we dream to find a permanent solution to the problems of the Indian poor and marginalized. "Hence it is crucial that Pakatan endorses the Hindraf Blueprint which encompassed this dream before we activate thousands of our volunteers to go nationwide to campaign for Pakatan," Waythamoorthy said in a statement yesterday. The movement had previously said that it would support any political organisation that would agree in writing to adopt the blueprint, which recommends a five-year programme aimed at the betterment of the Malaysian Indian community. The six points of the blueprint are: 1) Stop displacing Indian plantation workers and provide reasonable compensation as well as offer skills training to them; 2) Resolve Indian stateless issue; 3) Provide equal education opportunities to all Indian students via meritocracy; 4) Provide equal job and business opportunities to Indians; 5) Stop police brutality and death in custody, and set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC); and 6) Stop institutionalised racism and ratify United Nations convention against racial discrimination. But the blueprint appears to have been largely ignored by parties from both sides of the divide since it was launched on Nov 25 last year. Thus far only Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), a Pakatan-leaning party, has announced its support for the six demands. "It is in the interest of PR (Pakatan) to sign the blueprint soonest rather than hoping that Hindraf would compromise on its Blueprint program at the last minute," said Waythamoorthy. "We are ready to activate our machinery and start joint campaigns with Pakatan the moment there is a signed agreement," he added. Indians on the fence Waythamoorthy added that almost 50% of Indian voters were still undecided on whom to cast their ballots for, and said this was because Hindraf had not declared its support for any party. READ MORE HERE |
| Fresh DAP candidates likely for Penang Posted: 08 Feb 2013 02:32 PM PST 
Speculations are rife that several incumbents in Penang may move to give way to the party's 'young and capable talents'. Hawkeye, FMT Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong is expected to be part of an anticipated reshuffle in DAP's list of candidates for the coming general election. Barring last minute changes, which is common in any party's line-up, Liew, 36, is expected to relocate to Johor, a state declared as a frontline battleground by Pakatan Rakyat. It is learnt that the academically-inclined politician had revealed to his inner circle in Penang that he was willing to relocate to Johor to help PKR strongman Chua Jui Meng to penetrate Barisan Nasional's fortress there as well as to help boost the morale of the opposition's alliance. If true, Liew will be the second Pakatan leader to relocate to Johor after PAS vice-president Sallehuddin Ayub. Sallehuddin had earlier reportedly declared that he would move from his Kubang Kerian parliament seat in Kelantan to his birth-state in Johor. Liew however has reportedly urged the public not to read too much into the speculation. When asked, he reportedly said: "Nothing is confirmed. There's no point for us to go into the discussion (of me contesting in Johor)." Liew's move is expected to spark speculations of similar moves by other DAP leaders in Penang. Among them, are Deputy Chief Minister II Prof Dr P. Ramasamy and state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow. Other assemblymen likely to move are Koay Teng Hai (Pulau Tikus), Koid Teng Guan (Sungai Pinang), Tan Beng Huat (Jawi), Phee Boon Poh, Paya Terubong (Sungai Puyu), Yeoh Soon Hin (Paya Terubung) and Lau Keng Ee (Pengakalan Kota). Ramasamy and Chow are put in a spot due to the insistence of DAP chairman Karpal Singh that all DAP candidates should only contest in one seat as the party is now brimming with young and capable talent. Karpal's assertion, was confirmed by a state DAP insider here, who preferred not to be named. The insider claimed that besides the 45 party incumbents in Penang, there are some 30 other aspiring candidates, who are also keen to contest in the 13th general election. DAP has become a brand name here. Ramasamy and Chow hold one parliament and one state seat each. Both had earlier said they were fine with contesting one seat. Their willingness sparked speculations that both Ramasamy and Chow may only retain their state seats since DAP was aiming to consolidate its clout in Penang. READ MORE HERE |
| ‘Ang Pow-Kau Kau-Mai Mai-Yam Seng’ society Posted: 08 Feb 2013 01:16 PM PST 
What has Malaysia turned into as we celebrate the Year of the Snake? With unending reports about the government dishing out cash to those voting folk young and old without rhyme or reason, as if we are now in possession of Zimbabwe dollars or play-money Monopoly-game money - what have we fallen into as we see bribery in broad daylight becoming a culture of might is right? Azly Rahman, Illuminations Are we all living in Trump towers of the famed New York City real estate gambler? While in the word of Malay politics and Malay society we have seen the rise of the 'Tongkat Ali' society - of libidinal politics of material pursuit of living a life of lesser-dignity. We are seeing now in the Year of the Snake the evolution of yet another form of life – the rise of the 'Ang Pow-Kau-Kau-Mai Mai-Yam Seng' society. We are seeing voters being bought over by the 'Hijau ka-Merah ka-Ungu ka' materiality of mad money dished out to kampong and town folks desperately in need of these in order to keep afloat and alive in the Master-Slave society. 'Ang Pow' or packets of gifts of money replacing the traditional gift baskets called 'hampers' are dangled or even sent out via post service in tune with the last hurrah and hoopla of the infamously styled Malaysian postal voting. 'Kau kau' or 'the best of the best' of offers a la The Godfather movies' quote of "I-will-make-you-an-offer-you-can't refuse" type of sensibility is the genre of is what the ruling regime is promising as 'you-help-me-I-help-you' type of gifts are being dished out. "Mai mai" or "come one come all..." (in Kedah dialect to connote alluring) type of announcement is being sent to voters dangled with money, money, money... so the culture of not having to work hard but gaining nonetheless through gifts from "the hands that feed and shan't be bitten" shall be initiated and shall take root in a society increasingly drowned in materialism.
"Yam Seng" or loosely translated as "let's toast-to that" will be the ultimate triumphant cry of the winners of this years' general elections that promises slithering, scheming, and sickening politics to date.
We have perfected the art and science of creating a culture of shameless venomous election campaigning since the end of the 1990s when the public space and social discourse have been smeared with pus and blood and deadly-viralled mucus of 'pornographic politics' enabled by the Fourth Estate controlled by those who owns the means of dirtifying consciousness and corrupting spirituality.
Children now learn words denoting and connotating vulgarism; that have been all the while reserved for adults to be used in all wee-hours of "Yam Seng" drunked-ness in country clubs, nights clubs, and all-men and womens' clubs.
I don't know if all these make sense to you readers out there. I have been accused many times of writing incomprehensible essays under the influence of my own way of looking at things that might have been simpler than they should.
Or perhaps, we all should take things as they are and wait for Divine Justice to show its beautiful face amidst this ugly world plagued by snakes slithering all over and all levels of society.
I don't know. Such is what I am thinking - in thinking about the archaeology of metaphysics as this phrase suddenly proposed its hand in marriage with a society that has become an 'Ang Pow-Kau Kau-Mai Mai-Yam Seng' entity, apropos to the Year of the Snake we celebrate in good health and prosperity. |
| Time for a new government Posted: 08 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST 
The cover of Aliran Monthly back in 1993: It's been a long journey for Malaysians longing for change Even a cursory consideration of the Pakatan performance as administrators of five states will establish that they are fair, reasonable and, most importantly, not corrupt, observes Tommy Thomas. Imagine Britain being governed by the same political party, say, Labour, for 55 successive years from 1957. Or the United States by the Republican party for the same continuous, unbroken period. That has been Malaysia's fate since Merdeka. The 13th General Elections, which must be held before 28 June 2013, gives Malaysians an opportunity to break free from the monopoly of political power exercised by Umno, first, in the guise of the Alliance and subsequently as Barisan Nasional. Umno dominance The five years between the 12th General Elections in March 2008 and the 13th have been a watershed period in post-independent Malaysia because of the establishment of a truly functioning two-party system, with a strong opposition capable of forming the next government. But it took half a century for our nation to accomplish this stage of democratic development. Like many peoples of nations emerging from colonial rule in the Third World, Malaysians were very grateful to the Alliance party, led by Prime Minister Tengku Abdul Rahman, for gaining independence from the British. The reservoir of goodwill for nationalist independence fighters greatly assisted Umno in the early decades. Race, which the colonial power had exploited in its divide-and-rule policy, became the singular fundamental feature of Malaysian politics since Merdeka, reflected at the centre by the Alliance coalition comprising Umno, MCA and MIC, each representing a specific race, and expected to pursue the interests of its ethnic constituency. In the early days, Umno acted as the elder brother, with a semblance of contribution from its junior siblings, MCA and MIC. But there was never a question of parity. After the National Operations Council (NOC) through its Director, Tun Razak, assumed actual power in the wake of the 13 May 1969 riots (which itself was a coup de' etat against the continued leadership of Tengku), Umno's ascendency and dominance were never questioned. Hence the practical reality since the early 1970s is that Barisan is actually Umno, and major decisions affecting the nation are more often than not taken in the inner recesses of Umno, rather than the Cabinet. Ayatollah Khomeini's rise to power in the Iranian Revolution of 1979 resulted in an Islamic resurgence across the globe. It had its influence in Malaysia by the mid-1980s, when Prime Minister Dr Mahathir decided to outflank Pas by taking up Islam as a political ideology and weapon. Thus, Umno added religion to race, a powerful emotive cocktail in a plural society. Race or religion infects nearly every decision made by Umno, and the state apparatus controlled by it. It will therefore not be an understatement to describe race and religion as the fundamental elements of modern Malaysian politics. Perhaps the most unacceptable consequence of a lengthy rule by Umno is its control over all the nation's public institutions, like the media, the universities, the civil service and the police. Length of governance creates rulers who believe they have a divine right to rule, that,there is no longer any difference between the nation state and the ruling party – they become inseparable. Thus, Umno has behaved as if its interests are identical with those of Malaysia's. When genuine support for Umno ebbed over time, a climate of fear was developed, with the spectre of May 13 repeated time and time again to intimidate and frighten the electorate, especially the older generation and non-Malays. The success of Pakatan in depriving Barisan of the much vaunted two thirds majority in Parliament, winning 10 out of 11 Parliamentary seats in Kuala Lumpur, and capturing power in five states in March 2008 forever demolished the myth of Umno's invincibility. Even if ethnic-based politics played a role in securing Merdeka and governing an infant nation, they have long outlived their use, and should be jettisoned. The next stage in Malaysia's evolving democracy is a change of national government. As night follows day, it will inevitably happen.
Deepak The Deepak saga currently hogging the internet media, which has for all practical purposes became the mainstream media for millions of Malaysians disgusted with the putrid reporting of newspapers, epitomises the depths to which our public life has descended: only a basket nation like Zimbabwe can provide an adequate parallel. Here is an absolutely unknown businessman of a minority ethnic group without any known institutional support mocking the Prime Minister and his wife for over one month without anyone from Umno defending them. One would have thought that such repeated public criticism of Umno's president constitutes a direct challenge to the entire party, which in the past was always met with a stinging rebuttal from Umno, and thereafter by the full might of the state. One only needs to recall strident calls just months ago to revoke the citizenship of Ambiga Sreenevasan, also a member of the same minority ethnic group, when she bravely led Bersih's legitimate struggle for electoral return. What must be kept in mind about Deepak's allegations is their gravity: after all it concerns the barbarous murder of a Mongolian mother visiting her alleged lover in Kuala Lumpur, and its cover-up. The critical issue in her murder – who gave the instructions to the two patsies to C4 her – has never been investigated, and the perpetrators have never been charged. Read more at: http://aliran.com/11506.html |
| Psy’s Gangnam parody in Penang: Oops, joke is on BN elites Posted: 08 Feb 2013 01:10 PM PST 
Gangnam District in Seoul: The epitome of the materialistic, consumerist life-style - Photograph: Wikipedia Psy is actually making fun of people who are so materialistic and obsessed with a worldy life-style while being cut off from the rest of society. Doesn't that remind us of our ruling elite, asks Anil Netto. On Monday, 11 February Psy is due to perform his signature Gangnam song-and-dance routine at a BN-organised event in the Han Chiang School in Penang before a crowd of 60000 people. BN leaders are obviously hoping this large crowd – and the spillover effect – will translate into votes for the BN in Penang and beyond. But little do they realise the joke is on the BN! For many of us, Gangnam is just a fun and catchy song-and-dance, which makes little sense. But scratch below the surface and you will find a biting social critique. Few realise that Gangnam is actually a parody of the affluent, materialistic life-style which the BN elites are known for. Gangnam is actually the name of an affluent relatively new district of Seoul, south of the Han River. It is the location of the headquarters for some of the leading global brands and some 7 per cent of South Korea's wealth can be found in this 40 square kilometre area. This 'Johnny-come-lately' part of Seoul is thus where many of the country's richest 'one per cent' of the population congregate- including those who have wholeheartedly embraced the materialistic, consumerist life-style. Many others aspire to this same high-flying life-stye – even if it means racking up their credit card debt (South Korea's credit card debt has soared). The closest Malaysian equivalent I can think of is Bangsar. Like Gangnam, Bangsar sprouted with earnest from the 1980s and is today the place where people hang out to see and be seen. It is the epitome of the kind of materialistic life-style which many Malaysian yuppies and others aspire to.  Bangsar by night: Op-Op-Oppa Bangsar-style – Photograph: asiawebdirect.com If we were to translate "Gangnam-style" into "Bangsar-style" (nothing personal against you Bangsar residents out there!), we might get a better understanding of what Psy is singing and prancing around about. The local translation for "Oppa Gangnam-style" would be something like "He (is living) the Bangsar life-style" i.e. materialistic, consumerist, trendy (you know, the life-style of the BN and other elites) but in hindsight somewhat empty and often just a mirage. (For examples of this mirage in the Gangnam music video clip, please do read this blog on Korea that details the real meaning and illusion behind Psy's rendition of Gangnam.) Read more at: http://aliran.com/11517.html |
| Malaysia’s shocking collaboration with the CIA in the extraordinary rendition of two Libyan ... Posted: 08 Feb 2013 01:05 PM PST 
This treatment by the Malaysian government against the couple is shockingly hypocritical and shameful to say the least, as Malaysia has been a severe critic of the Bush administration's "War on Terror" that had inflamed relationship between the "US-West" and the "Muslim world" – and here we have the Malaysian government actively collaborating with the US in persecuting "suspected terrorists". Eric Paulsen, Lawyers for Liberty Lawyers for Liberty is shocked and outraged at Malaysia's involvement in a CIA extraordinary rendition process that was recently revealed in Globalizing Torture: CIA Secret Detention and Extraordinary Rendition, a report by Open Society Justice Initiative.
Extraordinary rendition is the transfer without legal process of a detainee, often "suspected terrorists" to the custody of a foreign government where they are detained in "black sites" for the purposes of CIA detention and interrogation where they will be subjected to "enhanced interrogation techniques," – a euphemism for torture and other cruel, degrading and inhumane treatment.
The report detailed the 2004 rendition of Libyan nationals Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq (Abdul Hakim Belhadj) and his wife, Fatima Bouchar who was pregnant at the time. They were arrested by Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur and detained for 13 days under bad conditions and the wife was further denied medical attention. Both were later "transferred" to Thailand where they were tortured and finally sent to Libya where Abu was detained until 2010 while his wife was released shortly after she had given birth.
Documents discovered in Tripoli in September 2011 showed cooperation between the CIA and the Malaysian government in effecting Abu's transfer. A memorandum dated 4 March 2004, from the CIA to the Libyan government states "[w]e are working energetically with the Malaysian government to effect the extradition of Abdullah al-Sadiq from Malaysia. The Malaysians have promised to cooperate and arrange for Sadiq's transfer to our custody."
This treatment by the Malaysian government against the couple is shockingly hypocritical and shameful to say the least, as Malaysia has been a severe critic of the Bush administration's "War on Terror" that had inflamed relationship between the "US-West" and the "Muslim world" – and here we have the Malaysian government actively collaborating with the US in persecuting "suspected terrorists".
What is further outrageous and a greater cause for concern is that the Malaysian authorities had arbitrarily and secretly detained two foreign nationals who seemingly have not committed any criminal offence in the country that warranted such an overreaction from the Malaysian authorities. The arrest and detention seemed to have been done without any legal basis, due process and had operated outside the realm of the Malaysian Constitution and other legal safeguards including access to legal counsel or hearing by a Magistrate during remand. Instead, the arrest was seemingly done at the direction of the CIA or other foreign authorities.
We call on the Malaysian government to explain the extraordinary rendition of this particular case and to disclose of any other collaboration between the Malaysian authorities and the CIA or other foreign authorities where individuals have been detained, interrogated, tortured and transferred around the world at the behest of foreign governments.
We further call on the Malaysian government to refuse to participate in any other extraordinary renditions and to ensure that the rule of law is strictly observed – that any arrest, detention or deportation (of foreigners) is done transparently and properly in accordance to Malaysian and international law and legal processes. |
| Opposition leaders urged to retract decision on use of 'Allah' Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:06 PM PST 
(Bernama) - Some 30 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and PAS members today held a rally urging opposition leaders to retract the decision allowing use of the word 'Allah' in the Malay version of the Bible. Jaringan Melayu Pulau Pinang spokesman Arif Ibrahim said the opposition's persistence in defending their stance had turned the issue into a polemic among the people. "We also appeal to the Conference of Rulers that will meet at the end of this month to issue a decree prohibiting the use of the word 'Allah' in the Malay Bible to immediately stop debate on the issue," he told reporters after Friday prayers at Masjid Kampong Rawa here. During the rally lasting 30 minutes, the group also trampled on banners that read 'January 8 decision brings woes' while chanting words of protest against the decision. They also distributed stickers that read 'Save Kalimah Allah' to Muslims after Friday prayers. Some 10,000 stickers were printed for distribution to Muslims in Penang. On January 8, the Opposition Leadership Council decided that the word 'Allah' can be used in the Malay bible provided it is not misused. The decision was announced after a meeting of top opposition leaders attended by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang and PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. |
| Whitney Houston, died 11th February 2012, hit voted best love song in US poll Posted: 07 Feb 2013 05:45 PM PST  (Reuters) - With Valentine's Day just a week away, singer Whitney Houston's classic ballad "I Will Always Love You" has been voted the most popular love song in a US poll. The signature song of the Grammy-award winning singer, who died suddenly a year ago, scored 38 per cent of the vote among all adults in the Harris Interactive survey, and was the top pick among all divorced, separated or widowed Americans. Houston's hit from her 1992 movie, "The Bodyguard" was a cover of a 1974 song written and recorded by country singer Dolly Parton. The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody," Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman," Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful," and the Bees Gees' "How Deep is Your Love" rounded out the top five songs. "Romance is about making an emotional appeal to the senses, and to the heart," Aaron Levine, of Sony Electronics Home Audio, which commissioned the poll, said in a statement announcing the results. "So, turn down the lights and turn up the sound." More than 2,000 adults who voted in the online poll were asked to pick their favorite love songs from a list of more than 40 tunes spanning several decades. Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" came in sixth, followed by Patsy Cline's "Crazy", Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is," Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" and "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye. To mark the first anniversary of Houston's death on February 11, organisers of the Grammy Awards said they will honour the singer with an hour-long TV special entitled "The Grammys Will Go On: A Death in the Family" that will air tomorrow, the day before the 2013 Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. yDhxKVuVYaY SEE ON YOUTUBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDhxKVuVYaY |
| PKR bimbang dengan cara MB Selangor menyelesaikan krisis air Posted: 07 Feb 2013 05:32 PM PST 
Md Izwan, The Malaysian Insider Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim ditegur dalam mesyuarat Biro Politik PKR Rabu lalu supaya mengambil langkah lebih proaktif dan pantas dalam menangani isu air, menurut satu sumber yang juga merupakan ahli biro politik PKR. The Malaysian Insider difahamkan, perbincangan dan perkara yang dibangkitkan dalam mesyuarat kebanyakannya menjurus kepada isu air memandangkan kehadiran Abdul Khalid (gambar) dan juga lanjutan pengumuman bantuan tambahan kewangan RM120 juta oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak kepada Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (SYABAS) baru-baru ini. "Semalam (Rabu) MB Abdul Khalid hadir sama, jadi banyak perkara yang dibincangkan semalam adalah melibatkan isu krisis air di Selangor. "Isu air ini akan menjadi modal utama Umno dan Barisan Nasional dalam berkempen di Selangor. Malahan langkah Najib baru-baru ini mengumumkan bantuan kewangan jelas menunjukkan isu air ini akan dimainkan mereka hingga pilihan raya," kata sumber. Menurut sumber itu lagi, Abdul Khalid dianggap kurang proaktif dan lembab bertindak dalam menangani krisis air yang berlaku di Selangor menyebabkan ia memberi laluan mudah kepada media arus perdana mudah menghentam pentadbiran PR. "Beberapa inisiatif dibincangkan supaya MB mengambil langkah yang lebih proaktif dan cepat bagi mengelak masalah ini berulang lagi. "Antara cadangan yang dikemukakan ialah supaya kerajaan negeri mengambil inisiatif sendiri menyediakan lori tangki air untuk menyalurkan bantuan selain pam-pam tambahan bagi menangani bekalan terputus air," kata sumber itu lagi. Dalam pada itu, sumber juga memberitahu ahli biro politik membayangkan syarikat air SYABAS bersama kerajaan pusat berkemungkinan bersekongkol untuk sengaja mencipta sabotaj besar-besaran pada pilihan raya nanti dan menggesa Abdul Khalid untuk berwaspada dengan ramalan tersebut. "Kami jangkakan dan mendapat maklumat akan berlaku sabotaj besar-besaran pada pilihan raya nanti. "SYABAS dan kerajaan pusat mungkin akan sengaja merancang bekalan air putus," tambah sumber lagi. Selain isu air yang dibangkitkan, mesyuarat itu juga menyentuh tentang perbincangan persediaan jentera menjelang pilihan raya yang dijangka akan diumum dalam tempoh terdekat ini. Kerajaan negeri Selangor masih lagi bergelut dengan kerajaan pusat dalam isu pengambilalihan air di negeri tersebut, malahan permohonan kepada Menteri Tenaga,Teknologi Hijau dan Air Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui juga masih belum menerima jawapan muktamad sehingga kini. Minggu lalu, Abdul Khalid mengumumkan Selangor bercadang mengambil alih perkhidmatan air dari syarikat konsesi air di negeri itu dalam tempoh 14 hari dan menghantar surat bertulis kepada kementerian berhubung perkara tersebut. READ MORE HERE |
| Don’t boycott postal votes, Nurul Izzah tells overseas citizens Posted: 07 Feb 2013 05:20 PM PST 
Zurairi AR, The Malaysian Insider PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar today asked overseas voters not to boycott postal voting despite disagreeing with its implementation. She reminded voters that they may risk their suffrage if they do not return home to cast their votes, or at least register to become postal voters. "Malaysians who have for so long been deprived the right to vote must take this opportunity to return the principle of one citizen, one vote," Nurul Izzah (picture) told reporters here. Despite that, the Lembah Pantai MP shares the same position as election watchdog NGOs Bersih and My Overseas Vote that changes to the postal voting regulations by the Election Commission (EC) are unconstitutional, discriminatory and arbitrary. Nurul Izzah however declined to state which part of the changes is unconstitutional, asking reporters to refer to Bersih instead. According to her, the EC has informed PKR that as of Wednesday morning, only 1,574 voters have registered to become postal voters. She put the number of voters residing overseas at around one million people, with 400,000 in neighbouring Singapore alone. READ MORE HERE |
| Bringing up children Posted: 07 Feb 2013 04:45 PM PST Let's not talk about politics today and instead look into the mind of an innocent toddler and how he perceives religious teachings, which sometimes do not make sense to small minds that can think better than mature minds. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Dad! Yes, son. How did I get here? Err…hmm…why don't you ask your mum? I want to read the papers. I did and mum said to ask you, dad. Ah…well…the stork brought you. Oh. But my Sunday school teacher said we all came from Adam and Eve. Well…that is also true. You mean we all came from Adam and Eve? Yes. Now run along and play. I want to read my papers. My Sunday school teacher said Adam and Eve were the first two people on earth. Yes, that's right. So who married them then? What do you mean? Aunty Sara and Uncle Bill got married by the priest. So who married Adam and Eve if they were the only two people on earth? Err…no one. So Adam's and Eve's children are all bastards then? Hoi…where did you learn that word from? You must never use that word. I heard you saying that, dad. Me? Yes, you said that your boss is a bastard. I asked Mike what bastard means and he told me. How do you know that your boss is a bastard like Adam's and Eve's children? That was merely a figure of speech. I did not mean it literally. Oh never mind. No. Adam's and Eve's children are not bastards even though Adam and Eve never got married by a priest. Oh, okay. Now run along son. But who did Adam's and Eve's children marry? They married each other, son. You see, there were no other people on earth other than just Adam and Eve and their children. So does that mean I can marry Kate when we grow up? No, son, you can't. Kate is your sister. Oh. But Adam's and Eve's children were also brothers and sisters. Yes they were. But at that time it was okay for brothers and sisters to get married. Now go outside and play. We were also told the story of Noah and his yacht. That's good son. But it was called an ark, not yacht. Now go and play. Did you know that Noah got all the animals onto the ark before the great flood and he saved all the animals? If not there would be no animals around today. Yes, I know that, son. But how did he feed those animals, dad? I suppose he also had food on the ark, son. But lions and tigers eat other animals. Won't they eat up all the other animals on the ark? No they won't, son. Then how did they stay alive for so long without food if the lions and tigers did not eat up all the other animals? I don't know, son, but I am sure that Noah had figured all this out before he took all those animals onto the ark. My Sunday school teacher said that every animal alive today was on that ark. That is true son. Even penguins? Yes, even penguins, son. But there are no penguins living in the desert, dad. Where did Noah find penguins? I am sure there were penguins in the desert at that time or maybe Noah found a way to get some from the North Pole. But penguins live in the South Pole, dad. Whatever. Did Noah have a freezer on the ark? Freezer? Yes, penguins need the cold. They cannot live in the hot desert. MARTHA! Yes, John. We have to stop sending Tim to Sunday school. I don't think they are teaching him the right things. Thanks, dad. Can I go outside and play now? |
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