Selasa, 19 Mac 2013

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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News


With your head buried in the sand

Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:30 AM PDT

I speak to Malays here in the UK -- professionals who work in the UK, say for the last 10 or 20 years, and whose children were born and now school in the UK -- and they still ask me whether what I am propagating is wise. Do you think we really should end the New Economic Policy (NEP) in favour of meritocracy? What will happen to the Malays if we do that? Won't we 'lose' the country to the Chinese?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Yesterday's article, Malaysia at the crossroads, is a most interesting experiment in comprehension. There were more than 100 comments and none answered the point of that whole article: which is, how is the opposition going to woo the Malay voters? That is what the whole article was about and which no one addressed.

I understand, and at times even appreciate, that readers are taking the opportunity to post comments merely to lepas geram (let off steam). They are not really interested in debating or to enter into any discourse. They just want to vent their anger and frustration.

It is like going to the gym to punch the punching ball because you are sexually frustrated and/or your job is a dead-end job with no real future. So you need to hit out at something. Some kick the cat, some punch a ball, and many of you post nasty comments in Malaysia Today.

The 2008 General Election is said to be a landmark for Malaysia's opposition. We would like to believe that a new political culture has emerged. Some say that, finally, the racial divide has been bridged and today people think as Malaysians and no longer as Malays, Chinese and Indians, or as one of the natives of East Malaysia.

Is this true? Many of you who post comments in Malaysia Today appear to think so. But what is the average age of those who post comments in Malaysia Today? 30? 35? 40? How many of you who post comments in Malaysia Today are 65 or 70? How many of you who post comments in Malaysia Today were born before the Second World War, or before Merdeka, or before 1970?

Okay, let us just look at Malaysians who live, work and/or study, say, in the UK. We have Malaysians here in the UK from all the races. UK is an advanced society. Racism is a crime in the UK and you can get sent to jail even for the mildest of racial slurs. If that same law was applied in Malaysia and was strictly enforced, probably 80% of Malaysians would end up in jail.

There are Malaysians who have lived in the UK for 20 years or more. Some were married in the UK and some even born in the UK. Hence these Malaysians in the UK should not have been exposed to Malaysian-style racism and should by now be insulated from racism.

But this is not so. Chinese mix with Chinese. Malays mix with Malays. In fact, most Malays in the UK only want to live in certain residential areas that are monopolised by their 'own kind' -- fellow Malays and in the absence of fellow Malays at least in areas which are predominantly Muslim. And don't tell me that the Chinese are not like that because if this were true then there would not be so many Chinatowns all over the world, the UK included.

I speak to Malays here in the UK -- professionals who work in the UK, say for the last 10 or 20 years, and whose children were born and now school in the UK -- and they still ask me whether what I am propagating is wise. Do you think we really should end the New Economic Policy (NEP) in favour of meritocracy? What will happen to the Malays if we do that? Won't we 'lose' the country to the Chinese?

Now, these are Malay professionals who are doing well in the UK not because of the NEP but because of merits. They got their positions not because of the colour of their skin but because they are qualified. Their children are in a local Mat Salleh school and are top of the class or at least in the top ten or top five.

You are doing well, I tell them. Are you doing well because the UK has an NEP and you got your job because you are Malay or because you are good at your job and/or qualified for the job? Your children are doing very well in school and can compete with the 'whites'. Is this because of the NEP or because they have brains?

They agree that the NEP has nothing to do with it. Maybe in the beginning it was because of the NEP -- and because of the NEP they managed to receive a good education. But from thereon it had nothing to do with the NEP. They compete on a level playing field and they excelled, as did their children in school, entirely on their own merits and with no handicap or advantages.

Okay, I tell them, in short, you are who you are has nothing to do with the NEP and the only benefit that you can see from the NEP is that you received an education. However, judging by how well your children are doing in school, even without the NEP you would still have made it in life just as long as you were allowed the opportunity of a good education.

In short, I ask them, if Malaysia did not have any NEP but had enough schools, colleges, universities, teachers, lecturers, etc., you would have still made it even without any quota system and the only reason you need a quota system is because of a shortage of educational facilities?

They agreed that that is correct.

So we do not need the NEP, right? We need more institutions of learning so that the quota system can end.

When I summed it up that way they hesitated. As logical as this argument may sound, they were not too sure. They still felt that removing or abolishing the NEP would not be good for the Malays.

My wife, Marina, would listen to this exchange and later, when we are alone, she would express her awe at the mind of these Malays. They live and work in the UK. They and their children are doing well. And they are doing well not because of the NEP. So they do not need the NEP. And yet they are not prepared to let go of the NEP in spite of the fact they do not need it.

That is how the mind of the Malay works. And these are Malays in the UK. What about Malays in Malaysia? Would they not also be thinking like this, or worse?

Earlier this year I gave a talk in Cambridge called For God, King and Racism (lifted from the saying 'For God, King and Country'). It was a one and half hour talk about the history of racism in Malaysia, mainly the 'three Rs' that I had written about before more than once -- race, religion, royalty.

As I had explained before, these are the concerns of the Malays -- even Malays who have lived/worked 20 years in the UK and who should, therefore, not be concerned about such matters. And Umno is aware of these concerns. And Umno knows how to play on these concerns to garner Malay support.

The non-Malays in the opposition, however -- many of you who post comments in Malaysia Today -- are not sensitive to these concerns. Instead you do the opposite. Rather than address these concerns you engage in Malay-, Islam-, and/or Royalty-bashing.

Do you really think this will ensure that the opposition is going to get Malay support?

Look at the results of the 2008 General Election. Look at where the seats that DAP won are. Look at where the seats that PAS won are. Look at where the seats that PKR won.

Is it merely a coincidence that the seats that DAP won were mostly in areas where the Chinese voters were more than 50% or the Malay voters were less 40%? Of course, there were some seats that DAP won where the Malay voters were higher than the Chinese voters, mainly in the cities or main towns, which were 'delivered' by PAS.

PAS won seats where the Malay voters were predominantly Malay while PKR did well in areas where it was about 50:50 Malay:non-Malay.

In short, the voting pattern was along racial lines. Race still very much determines how people vote. As much as we would like to believe that the 2008 General Election was a landmark election where Malaysians no longer voted along racial lines, this is not true.

Many of you who comment in Malaysia Today make the Malays saki hati (hurt the feelings of the Malays). Hell, even I saki hati with the DAP Chinese supporters and can no longer tahan the arrogance in your comments (in case you are too stupid to realise that). No, Umno did not win us over, as many of you allege. Instead, your foul mouths have sent us away. And this is the feeling of many Malays who voted Pakatan Rakyat in the last general election.

In 2008, many people screamed ABU (asal bukan Umno or anything but Umno). Today, these same people are screaming ABC (asal bukan Cina). Is this how you want to face the coming general election?

As I said earlier, many of you are in your 20s, 30s or 40s. Some of us who were born before the Second World War, before Merdeka, or before 1970 have seen what it was like in the old days. And what is frightening is that we seem to be seeing a repeat of that era. And yet even more frightening is that many of you just do not see this. And when we point this out and try to caution you that the situation is not at all healthy, you respond with allegations that we are serving Umno's agenda and are trying to play up the fear factor.

That is what is called denial syndrome.

 

The one-track mind

Posted: 12 Mar 2013 01:44 PM PDT

And that is the most important criteria to get Malaysian citizenship. And that is why many foreigners have been given Malaysian citizenship. So I don't know why many of you grumble and complain about the 'Projek IC' in Sabah. Maybe one million people have been given ICs. But then these people are exactly like you -- ignorant people who have no ability to think beyond the one-track. So why should they not be given Malaysian citizenship when they possess the brain of a Malaysian?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

After living in the East Coast of West Malaysia for 20 years from 1974-1994, and after interacting with the local 'natives' of Terengganu and Kelantan, you tend to develop a pretty good idea as to how their mind works.

Terengganu and Kelantan is predominantly Malay-Muslim with some areas comprising of 70%-90% farmers and fishermen. The people there are actually very nice and friendly although many of them harbour the wrong impression of the non-Malays/non-Muslims, mainly due to ignorance.

For example, they ('they' not necessarily meaning everyone but some: the degree or percentage not known, though, since I have not conducted any poll) think that the Chinese can live as husband and wife, although they may not be legally married, mainly because Chinese do not have any religion and hence, according to Chinese 'norms', this is not an immoral thing.

My wife, Marina, was shocked when one day a kampong woman told her this. Marina had to tell her that the Chinese, just like the Malays, do have a concept of morality and most of what is considered immoral for Malays is also immoral for Chinese. And this kampong woman was actually quite surprised that the Chinese, too, have moral values.

They also think that the Chinese businessmen and shopkeepers cheat due to the same reason -- meaning that the Chinese do not have any religion and hence they do not have any concept of heaven and hell where you later pay for the bad things that you do (or get rewarded for the good things that you do). This means it is in the Chinese character to be dishonest since they are not accountable for their actions in the Afterlife.

I suppose the manner in how you treat people from another community depends on how you perceive them and what you think of them. Hence if you think that the Chinese are 'immoral' and 'dishonest' only because they do not have any religion to guide them regarding right and wrong, then you accept the fact that you cannot expect the Chinese to be 'good' people but then you should not blame them also since they do not have the advantage of a religion to help guide them.

And this is the problem with how these people think. They think that morality and honesty are not part of the Chinese character not because the Chinese are bad people but because, to the Chinese, these concepts do not exist due to the absence of religion.

Can you see what ignorance can do to you? Part of the blame must certainly go to that person who is ignorant because it is your duty to get educated. However, the Chinese too need to also make themselves understood. And that is why I always write articles about the Malays and Islam. I feel many non-Malays/non-Muslims have misconceptions about the Malays and Islam mainly because they don't bother to find out (just like the Malays do not bother to find out about the non-Malays/non-Muslims).

One more thing about the Malays is that they believe very strongly in bomoh (witch doctors), black magic, good genies (jin), bad genies, evil spirits, tangkal (lucky charms), etc. Tangkal are supposed to make you invincible and bullets, knives, etc., would not be able to penetrate your body.

Maznah Ismail a.k.a. Mona Fendi (picture above) was supposed to be a specialist in tangkal that gives you invincibility. Unfortunately for her client, though, Pahang State Assemblyman Datuk Mazlan Idris, it did not work and when they conducted the test, the parang (machete) went deep into his skull and killed him (it was supposed to have bounced off his skull without leaving a scratch).

It seems some of those Filipino Muslim soldiers who infiltrated Sabah recently and who were shot dead had tangkal on their bodies as well -- although they did not quite work (since they were shot dead). Not quite an endorsement for those bomoh who manufactured those tangkal for the Filipino Muslim army. On some of those dead soldiers the tangkal was found between their legs. Maybe this was to make sure that they don't get their balls shot off.

Actually, Chinese, Indians and 'others' also believe in bomoh, tangkal, jin, black magic, and so on. When P.I. Balasubramanian suffered his heart attack a few days ago, they said that 'First Lady' Rosmah Mansor had used black magic on him. Hence he was supposed to be suffering from an attack of black magic. I am not sure whether they thought so before they discovered what was really wrong with him or whether they meant that the heart attack was due to black magic.

But don't laugh. As funny as it may sound, many people of all races do believe in such things. In fact, when Malays from Terengganu and Kelantan get sick the first thing that comes to mind is that someone must have employed a bomoh to put a spell on you. And they will go to their own bomoh for treatment.

I have known of cases where someone had aches and pains and went to a bomoh for treatment -- who confirmed the aches and pains was because some bad bomoh had put a spell on you. After many months or even years of treatment, the aches and pains would still not go away (and after paying the bomoh a tidy sum of money over all that time).

One day you can't bear the pain any longer and you go to a 'proper' doctor. The doctor then tells you that you are suffering from cancer. However, you should have done something about it earlier. Now it is too late and because of that you will be dead within six months, most likely over the next two months or so.

The bottom line is, if you had gone to the doctor instead of a bomoh you might have been saved. Now, because you wasted your time with the bomoh, it is too late and because of that you are going to die.

Sounds stupid does it not? But this is the way they think. They have a one-track mind. And this is because they are quite ignorant so they are incapable of thinking outside this one-track. Hence if anything goes wrong it can only be because of one thing -- black magic and the work of an evil bomoh.

Many if not most Malaysians have this same mentality. They too are ignorant and have a one-track mind. When something happens they can only think of one reason for this. They are incapable of imagining any other reason other than just this one reason.

For example, if someone disagrees with you or has a different opinion from you then this can only be due to one reason -- and that one reason is that that person has been bought. Your brain is not capable of imagining that there could actually be another reason for this. This is the same mindset as those who think that if your body has aches and pains then it must be because a bomoh has put a spell on you.

I suppose we can't expect everyone to have analytical skills and to have the ability to think beyond the one-track. If you are sick then it can only because of a bomoh using black magic. If someone disagrees with you then it can only be because he/she has been bought.

And that is the most important criteria to get Malaysian citizenship. And that is why many foreigners have been given Malaysian citizenship. So I don't know why many of you grumble and complain about the 'Projek IC' in Sabah. Maybe one million people have been given ICs. But then these people are exactly like you -- ignorant people who have no ability to think beyond the one-track. So why should they not be given Malaysian citizenship when they possess the brain of a Malaysian?

 

Heckling, mocking and debating

Posted: 10 Mar 2013 04:10 PM PDT

I detest hecklers. And that is what a few readers who comment in Malaysia Today are, hecklers. But they imagine themselves as philosophers who are making wise comments that are going to help change entire humankind for the better. And that is why of late I have been putting down these hecklers with my own responses to their silly heckling comments.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

There are people who do not understand the difference between heckling, mocking and debating. I suppose these are the types of people who also do not understand the difference between making love, screwing and raping. To these people, brutally grabbing a female and ravaging her against her will comes under the category of 'making love'.

Absolutely no class! Manners of country bumpkins!

But then I suppose we can't blame them. These people did not receive an education at good schools like the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) or the Victoria Institution (VI) -- both schools that I went to. Many of them were schooled in obscure small towns that still had bucket latrines up to the 1960s or 1970s, or in kampong schools or vernacular/mother-tongue hole-in-the-wall schools.

You can take the village idiot out of the village but you can't take the village mentality out of the village idiot, as the saying goes. Hence you can send them to school but that does not necessarily mean they will receive an education. Education is not just about going to school. After all even monkeys can be taught tricks and then sent into space after being taught these tricks. Hence you may have gone to school but whether you are still a monkey is yet to be seen.

I detest hecklers. And that is what a few readers who comment in Malaysia Today are, hecklers. But they imagine themselves as philosophers who are making wise comments that are going to help change entire humankind for the better. And that is why of late I have been putting down these hecklers with my own responses to their silly heckling comments.

I remember an incident that happened about 30 years ago back in the early 1980s. Tan Sri Tan Kay Hock, the Chairman of Johan Holdings Berhad and George Kent (M) Bhd, took me (and our wives) for dinner at The Paddock in the (old) Kuala Lumpur Hilton. There was a comedian on stage and he was pretty good.

But we could not hear what the comedian was saying because there were two Malay chaps pissed-drunk at the table behind us who were heckling him. I noticed the manager, escorted by a security guard, going up to them to request them to tone down a bit because everyone was staring at them and were clearly quite upset with the disturbance. But these two pissed-drunk Malay chaps continued heckling the comedian until it came to a stage that he became quite flustered and did not know how to continue with his routine.

That was when I stood up and walked over to the table of these two very drunk hecklers and told them to shut the fuck up. The manager and security guard knew that the whole thing was about to turn ugly but before they could separate us one of the Malay chaps stood up and made a move towards me.

In that type of situation there is more room for talk. I punched the chap and he fell back into his chair quite stunned. For the rest of the night he remained very quiet and just 'enjoyed' the show. I think he must have been 'boiling' because after a while he came over to my table and demanded to know why I had punched him. The manager quickly grabbed him and pulled him back to his table before I could rearrange his face.

Well, okay, that was 30 years ago and I was still in my early 30s and hence quite darah panas (hot headed). Nevertheless, although I am not so fist-of-fury any longer, as I used to be, I still have zero tolerance for hecklers.

A few years ago (before the 2008 GE) I attended a debate between Umno Youth and PKR Youth at the PWTC. The Umno Youth and Puteri Umno members in the audience were very well behaved. The PKR Youth members, however, were heckling the Umno Youth debaters every time they stood up to debate.

The Umno Youth and Puteri Umno members did not do the same to the PKR Youth debaters when they stood up to debate. They Umno boys and girls behaved well and they allowed the PKR Youth debaters to say their piece without any interruptions. And even as the PKR Youth members heckled the Umno Youth debaters the Umno Youth debaters still smiled and continued in a civil manner without showing any signs of irritation.

The PKR Youth hecklers were sitting in the row right behind me (I was sitting next to Cikgu Bad so he can confirm this incident) so I could not hear the debate due to all the commotion. I turned to the PKR Youth chaps and told them to shut up and show some respect to the debaters. They kept quiet for a while and then continued heckling. I got so fed up I walked out of the hall although I wished I could just punch these hecklers in their faces.

Looking back now, I should have punched them in their faces because these people have now all joined Umno and are amongst the greatest critics of Pakatan Rakyat. And if I had known they would one day leave the opposition to join Umno I might have whacked them in the face to shut them up.

Anyway, as I said, Malaysia Today, too, has its share of hecklers who do not address, rebut or reply to the points in the article or report. They totally ignore the issues and instead just heckle. And these are the people I respond to with my sarcastic comments. It is not so much bringing myself down to their level but more to give them a taste of their own medicine. After all, I too can be nasty and post racist comments as well as they can.

But the most important thing, though, is that I put my name to my comments while they heckle under false identities without revealing who they are. And this is because they have not been properly educated and brought up like I have. I mean, they may have gone to school but they still demonstrate the mentality of their forefathers from the new villages, fishing villages, padi-fields, rubber estates, tin mines, and so on.

You can bring the descendants of people from the new villages, fishing villages, padi-fields, rubber estates and tin mines out of the new villages, fishing villages, padi-fields, rubber estates and tin mines, but you can never remove the new village, fishing village, padi-field, rubber estate and tin mine mentality from their brain.

Do I sound pompous? I hope so because I intended it to be so.

 

Why must I like Anwar?

Posted: 09 Mar 2013 04:02 PM PST

I know some of you like or maybe even love Anwar. I have no problems with that. But just because you like or love Anwar that does not mean I too must do so. And just because I do not like or love the same people that you do this does give you the right to vilify, disparage, mock and curse me.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

There are people who are of the opinion that if I am a reformist, if I am loyal to the cause, if I really wish to see change, then I should love Anwar Ibrahim and sing his praises. If I do not love Anwar, then I am not a reformist, I am not loyal to the cause, and I do not wish to see change.

Well, you have probably figured this out by now (and if you haven't then you are dumber than I thought) but I do not love Anwar Ibrahim. But that does not mean I hate him either. Not loving does not necessarily translate to hate. For example, I do not love Britney Spears's music. But that does not mean I hate her music either.

In fact, I rather like her slower numbers such as 'I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman', 'Born To Make You Happy', 'Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know', 'From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart', and so on. However, I would not regard her music as 'to die for', unlike Emile Sandé's song 'Clown', which I play every day, a few times a day. Now that is a song 'to die for' that gives me goose pimples (in fact, I'm listening to that song even as we speak).

My 'displeasure' with Anwar, if I may be permitted to call it that, started around August 2004. I was then the Director of the Free Anwar Campaign, which I headed for roughly five years of the six years that Anwar was in jail. And I funded it from my own pocket except for the RM1,000 that Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail gave me in 2000 and the RM2,000 that Anwar's brother, Rosli, gave me in 2002. That was all: RM3,000 in total from Anwar's family.

But that was not an issue. I was not doing all this for money anyway. Then, in August 2004, one of Anwar's lawyers, Pawanchik Merican, spoke to me to ask me how much I was receiving every month to run the Free Anwar Campaign. I replied that other than the RM3,000 I had received thus far, I was not receiving any money and that the cost to run the Free Anwar Campaign came from my own pocket.

Pawanchik was very upset when I told him this. He knew I was travelling all over the country campaigning not only for Anwar but also against the Internal Security Act. And he also knew that Anwar's people had raised a few million Ringgit in the name of the Free Anwar campaign. Hence he thought that the money actually went into financing the Free Anwar Campaign.

Pawanchik then informed me that he had visited Anwar in the Sungai Buloh Prison and had told Anwar about this but Anwar did not respond. He just kept quiet. Pawanchik then advised me to close down the Free Anwar Campaign to stop Anwar's people from using it to raise money.

I told Pawanchik I would only close down the Free Anwar Campaign once Anwar is free from prison and not a day earlier. Pawanchik replied that Anwar is going to remain in prison for at least another six years. So am I prepared to keep running the Free Anwar Campaign for another six years?

I told Pawanchik that Anwar was going to be released in another few weeks, after which I will then close down the Free Anwar Campaign. Pawanchik laughed and said that none of Anwar's many lawyers believed that he would be free in another few weeks. They were very confident that Anwar would spend no less than ten years in jail in total, maybe even 12 years.

I then wrote an article that Anwar would see freedom on 2nd September 2004 and one of Anwar's lawyers came to see me at my home in Sungai Buloh to scold me. And this lawyer told me that he is scolding me on Anwar's behalf because my article that Anwar would be freed on 2nd September 2004 is a lie and not true at all.

Anyway, I was right and Anwar and his lawyers were wrong. Anwar was freed on 2nd September 2004 as I had written. On that same day I put the Free Anwar Campaign to sleep and began to focus on Malaysia Today fulltime, which I had launched two weeks earlier on Friday, 13th August 2004.

On that day, 2nd September 2004, Anwar's lawyer (the one who had come to my house to scold me) phoned me and said that Anwar wanted to see me. I told him to go to hell. The next day, 3rd September 2004, Anwar's brother, Rosli (the chap who had given me RM2,000) phoned me and, again, told me that Anwar wanted to see me. And, again, I told him to go to hell.

On the third day, 4th September 2004, Dato' Kamarul Bahrin Abbas (the current MP for Teluk Kemang) phoned me and pleaded with me to come and see Anwar. Dato' told me that Anwar was leaving for Germany that same night and he wanted to see me before he leaves. I told Dato' that Anwar can leave for Germany and maybe I will see him when he returns. Dato' said Anwar wanted to see me before he leaves.

I felt bad because I have great respect for Dato' Kamarul, who was my boss in the party newspaper, Berita Keadilan, later changed to Seruan Keadilan. I asked my wife, Marina, what I should do and she replied that if I wanted to go and see Anwar then I will have walk there because she was not going to drive me. Finally Marina agreed to drive me as long as she can wait outside the house and not have to go into the house to also see Anwar.

I went to see Anwar that 4th September 2004 not because he wanted to see me but because I segan with Dato' Kamarul. Dato' Kamarul, in fact, was waiting outside the house when we arrived and he escorted me into Anwar's bedroom.

Anwar's first words to me were, "Allah, anak Raja ni, susah sungguh nak panggil datang jumpa."

I replied, "Why do you want to see me? After all you are not happy with me."

So you see, as early as back in August 2004 when I launched Malaysia Today and Anwar was spending his last fortnight in prison I had already 'washed my hands' of him. And I made that very clear by refusing to go and see him even when his lawyer and brother phoned me. I relented on the third day only because I wanted to 'give face' to Dato' Kamarul because I segan with him, my boss in the party newspaper. When I segan with someone I will give him/her face even if I am not happy doing what they request from me.

Hence I 'stayed' with Anwar not because I love Anwar but for the sake of Dato' Kamarul who I have great respect for.

In the 2008 general election, I campaigned for DAP, but not for Pakatan Rakyat. I declined all the invitations to speak at the PAS and PKR rallies/ceramah. I told them I would only speak at the DAP rallies. And I did, all the way to Penang.

Then they approached me and asked me to speak at Nurul Izzah's ceramah. At first I said 'no'. No PKR ceramahs. Then a friend pleaded with me to help Nurul. Because of this friend who I also segan, an Indian chap, I relented and said that only at Nurul's ceramah, but not at the other PKR ceramah -- exclusive for Nurul Izzah only. And until today I still support Nurul and even helped raise money for her (which I did last year).

I know some of you like or maybe even love Anwar. I have no problems with that. But just because you like or love Anwar that does not mean I too must do so. And just because I do not like or love the same people that you do this does give you the right to vilify, disparage, mock and curse me.

I love Tok Guru Abdul Hadi Awang and Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat. When I meet them I kiss their hands to demonstrate my love for them. Many of you, however, do not like these two PAS leaders. Some of you, in fact, hate them. But I do not vilify, disparage, mock and curse you because you do no like them or you hate them.

I like Karpal Singh. In fact, I have great respect for Karpal and his sons, Gobind in particular. Many of you do not like Karpal. Some of you even hate him and feel he should just retire and keep his mouth shut. But I do not vilify, disparage, mock and curse you because you do no like Karpal or you hate him.

I know some of you do not like Dato' Kamarul, the only person in Malaysia who can get me to go and see Anwar. But I do not vilify, disparage, mock and curse you because you do not like Dato' Kamarul or you hate him. In fact, I even know that some of you are going to sabotage Dato' Kamarul in the coming general election to make sure he loses his seat. But I still do not vilify, disparage, mock and curse you.

So, no, I have not 'turned' of late, as some of you allege. I already 'turned' -- if you wish to use that word -- back in August 2004 when I first launched Malaysia Today. Nothing has changed. In spite of that I still went to Penang to campaign and ceramah for Anwar during the 2008 Permatang Pauh by-election (and he did not even thank me for that). And when Anwar went to London a few times I travelled down to London to meet him at my own expense.

And let me share a secret with you. The more you vilify, disparage, mock and curse me because I do not love Anwar the more I am going to write articles and exposés uncomplimentary to Anwar just to teach you a lesson.

Nobody tells me whom I can and cannot love or like. And I will keep whacking until you get this through your thick head. And if you do not like that, tough, that is your problem, not mine.

 

I speak for God, konon

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 08:22 PM PST

"The Shi'ite influence from Iran exists here and there are attempts to spread it among the community. This represents a major problem not only to the education system but also the Muslim community, so I want immediate action to be taken to prevent the spread of such teachings," said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Thorough study to identify, curb Shi'ite teachings: DPM

(Bernama) - The government will carry out a thorough study to identify Islamic religious teachers involved in the Shi'ite teachings to curb such activities so that Muslims in the country are not misled by such teachings.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said such a study needed to be carried out at several levels instead of just making presumptions.

"This includes studying the character of the teachers (involved in Shi'ite teachings), their methods of teaching, social activities and their involvement in such teachings. If they are really involved, they would be advised," he said.

He said this at the Northern Zone Conference of Islamic Religious Teachers, Ministry of Education at Universiti Sains Malaysia, here today which was attended by about 2,300 religious teachers.

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said this when responding to a question from a religious teacher from Kedah who wanted the government to take action on the growing incidence of religious teachers involved in Shi'ite teachings.

He said immediate action must also be taken as the Shi'ite teachings were contradictory to Islamic teachings in this country and could not be accepted particularly as they involved religious teachers.

He expressed concern if the Shi'ite teachings spread to students through lessons in school and the community because religious teachers had great influence in the society.

"The Shi'ite influence from Iran exists here and there are attempts to spread it among the community. This represents a major problem not only to the education system but also the Muslim community, so I want immediate action to be taken to prevent the spread of such teachings," he said.

Meanwhile in his speech, Muhyiddin said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government implemented numerous measures in empowering Islam including in the Islamic religious education system in schools, the creation of an international Islamic university and the implementation of Islamic banking and finance which had been recognised as the best in the world.

"All forms of progress and development implemented by the BN government are in line with the requirements of Islam as had been stated, 'Balanced Life in the Present World and Hereafter'," he said.

He said that it would not be able to implement policies pertaining to Islam if Malaysia did not have a government or administration that was committed to empowering and preserving the sanctity of the Islamic religion.

"Islamic education as the federal religion does not necessarily guarantee the implementation of Islamic policies if there is no commitment or determination on the part of the government that does not see the need for the sanctity of the Islamic religion to be preserved and the growth of Islam."

Muhyiddin said the federal government had given emphasis on raising the quality of Islamic teaching as it was important for the Muslims in Malaysia.

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I shudder when Malays foam at the mouth and scream about Al Qur'an, Al Hadith, Al Sunnah and Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah (Sunni, for short). Then they will say that a good Sunni will follow the teachings of Imam Ghazali and Imam Shafiee. Then they will conclude by saying that the Shi'ite are not true Muslims, they are deviant Muslims -- in fact, you should not even consider them Muslims at all -- and Malaysians who follow the teachings Shi'ite must be arrested and sent for religious rehabilitation.

And, in the past, many followers of Shi'ite teachings -- some of them lecturers and professors of various Malaysian universities -- have been arrested for this 'crime'. So, today, those Malays who follow Shi'ite teachings do so secretly to avoid arrest. They go 'underground' and become 'closet' followers of Shi'ism.

This is just like England of the 1500s when Catholics would also go underground and practice Catholicism secretly. If not they would be arrested, their property confiscated, and they would be tortured and then when they are half-dead would be burned alive at the stake like witches and warlocks.

100 years later, England went through a Civil War and one of the various reasons being that Charles I was suspected of being a Catholic sympathiser. The Puritans led by Oliver Cromwell wanted to eradicate the anti-Christ and heretic Catholics from English soil. They even banned Christmas and removed statues and crucifixes from churches, symbols of popish believes and papist religious deviation.

Today, Malaysia is going through what England went through 400-500 years ago. And Catholicism is replaced with Shi'ism. But in Malaysia they only arrest you and send you for religious rehabilitation. They do not burn you alive at the stake -- after being tortured an inch from death -- like they used to do in England four-five centuries ago.

I wonder why.

Do you know that the two famous imams of Sunni Islam -- Imam Ghazali and Imam Shafiee -- were students of Shi'ite scholars? And do you also know that the Hadith -- that the Sunnis say are compulsory to follow -- was written by Persians and not by scholars from Mekah and/or Medina. In fact, during the time of the four Caliphs of Medina, they banned Hadith. Omar was so outraged by false Hadith that he would flog anyone who wrote these Hadith.

Strange or not? We reject the Persian version of Islam but we follow the Hadith and Imams of Persia.

I wonder whether the Deputy Prime Minister is aware of this. Does he know that the so-called ulama' (religious scholars) have been hiding this fact from us. And because 99% of Malays are ignorant of Islam, they do not know this.

It is like the Protestants or Anglicans rejecting popish teachings and then they go and celebrate pagan Christmas every 25th December. Strange or not?

It looks like both Christians and Muslims are equally weird. Then they say that the Christians and Muslims follow the Abrahamic faith. But Abraham is the father of Judaism. Should not Christians and Muslims then be Jews?

Strange! Very strange indeed! They say this is called blind faith. I think it is more like blind rather than faith. And these people think they are all going to heaven and the rest of us are going to hell.

Strange! Very strange indeed! And do you know that Hudud is Jewish law. And the Christians allege that Jesus abrogated the Jewish law of Hudud while the Muslims claim it is Islamic law.

Strange! Very strange indeed!

 

The value of a Muslim oath

Posted: 07 Mar 2013 03:56 PM PST

The Malays/Muslims have just reduced the value of a Muslim oath to zero value. Can we any longer trust Malays/Muslims when they swear an oath in the name of Allah while holding a Qur'an? No wonder Malays/Muslims swear an oath of office and as soon as they are in office they resort to corruption and abuse of power and violate the trust the people have put in them.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

This is the photograph that Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail showed during the press conference that she held regarding Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan's sodomy allegation against Anwar Ibrahim. When the press asked Wan Azizah where she got the photograph from, she pointed to me standing at the back of the hall and told the reports to ask Raja Petra.

The reporters then rushed up to me to ask me my comments and I just smiled and responded with a 'no comment'. I just love keeping some things a mystery – such as from where I got that photograph.

At first Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's office denied the photograph and also denied that Saiful had ever been to meet the Prime Minister. Later, when I said that I have evidence that Saiful did visit Najib's office, they did a U-turn and admitted that he did go to Najibs office after all but merely to discuss a scholarship.

Hence allow me to gloat by saying that Malaysia Today broke the story first and even revealed the photograph.

But that is not the point of my article today. What I really want to talk about is that Malays (meaning Muslims as well) pride themselves on the sanctity of the Qur'an and the value of an oath of a Muslim.

In fact, in Surah An Nur (chapter 24) of the Qur'an, it stresses that in any allegation involving sexual misconduct (where the sentence is stoning to death just like the old Jewish laws) your oath can determine whether a person is put to death or is spared death.

In other words, another person's oath can result in you being put to death (by many people throwing stones at you) and/or your oath can spare you the terrible fate of being put to death (by many people throwing stones at you). So an oath is not a light thing. It is the difference between life and death.

And this is what Saiful had done -- he had taken an oath -- and also what Najib had done regarding his alleged involvement with Altantuya Shaariibuu -- he had also taken an oath that he had never met her or even knows her.

Today, Malaysians have learned that an oath of a Muslim has no value after all. An oath of a Muslim -- even when taken with a Qur'an over his/her head -- is as valuable as Japanese 'banana money'.

After this can we ever accept the oath of a Malay/Muslim? It appears like the oath of a Muslim, the most sacred word that a Muslim can ever give, is not worth the paper it is written on (pun intended).

The Malays/Muslims need to ponder on this. If from now on the non-Muslims mock a Muslim who swears in the name of Allah regarding this, that or the other, the Malays/Muslims should not feel offended and start making police reports that so-and-so has insulted Islam and threaten bloodshed and all that bullshit.

The Malays/Muslims have just reduced the value of a Muslim oath to zero value. Can we any longer trust Malays/Muslims when they swear an oath in the name of Allah while holding a Qur'an? No wonder Malays/Muslims swear an oath of office and as soon as they are in office they resort to corruption and abuse of power and violate the trust the people have put in them.

In short, Malays/Muslims cannot be trusted because the sacred oath of a Malay/Muslim is totally worthless. And a human whose sacred oath is worthless is lower than an animal. Are Muslims lower than animals then?

Yes, and trust me, after writing this article I have just closed the door to ever returning to Malaysia never mind whether Pakatan Rakyat or Barisan Nasional wins the coming general election.

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P.S.: By the way, I am inviting volunteers from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat to become sub-editors of Malaysia Today -- at least for now until the coming general election. Your job will be to update/publish news items or articles every day, say about half a dozen or so a day per person.

The reason I am inviting volunteers from both sides of the political divide is so that we can get balanced reporting and views. Definitely the pro-Barisan people will publish pro-government items while the pro-Pakatan people will publish anti-government items. (You have absolute autonomy and can also write your own articles if you want to).

I will need you to verify your identity and political affiliation, of course, and if you respond fast enough maybe we can arrange a face-to-face meeting some time next week in a secret location in the Malaysian jungle to get the ball rolling. (So be prepared to 'disappear' for a whole day next week).

If you want Malaysia Today to be more balanced then this is your opportunity to do that. I am prepared to turn Malaysia Today into a 'public-owned' Blog and allow you to determine what gets published in Malaysia Today. Then you have no reason to say that Malaysia Today is biased. We want to be as balanced as we can but then you must help make this possible.

Any takers? You can contact me at petra_kamarudin@airpost.net

 

Irritated by beliefs

Posted: 06 Mar 2013 06:58 PM PST

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad once said that Malaysia is not ready to become a full democracy. Malaysia can only be a 'guided' democracy, as what Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore said. This means the people cannot be allowed to think, do and say whatever they like. Malaysians must be guided as to what they can think, do and say.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Some people believe that Muhammad is the final Prophet of God and that the only authentic holy book, the Qur'an, was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (which is the miracle of Prophet Muhammad) through Gabriel and that Muhammad flew up to God's Kingdom to receive the decree that humankind must pray five times a day (and where Muhammad also met Abraham, Moses and Jesus).

Many more people, however, think that this is all utter bullshit and probably the imagination of a demented person.

Some people believe that Jesus was of a virgin birth and is the Son of God and that he died for the sins of humankind and came back to life three days later and that if we accept Jesus as the saviour then our soul will be saved.

Many more people, however, think that this is all utter bullshit and probably the imagination of a demented person.

Some people believe that the Jews are God's chosen people who were led out of slavery by Moses who parted the Red Sea to allow them to escape the Pharaoh and that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments for all humankind to follow plus God gave humankind His laws of Hudud.

Many more people, however, think that this is all utter bullshit and probably the imagination of a demented person.

Some people believe that you can ignore or mistreat your parents and put them in old folks' homes when they become senile and a burden and then you go to their graves to pray when they die plus you must choose the graveyard properly for good luck and positive fung shui.

Many more people, however, think that this is all utter bullshit and probably the imagination of a demented person.

Some people believe that you should build statues and place shrines around trees and treat them as Gods and pray to them and that if you are bad you will be reincarnated as a pig or a dog but if you are good you will be reincarnated as a handsome/beautiful Bollywood movie star.

Many more people, however, think that this is all utter bullshit and probably the imagination of a demented person.

Nevertheless, however silly these beliefs may seem, most people are prepared to live and let live and allow you these beliefs without scolding, cursing, vilifying or disparaging you and will not call you stupid for believing these silly things. They are, after all, your beliefs and you are entitled to those beliefs even though these beliefs may sound insane.

Then, on top of that, there are people who believe that Malaysia is ready for a change of government and that the present government has ruled for too damn long and corruption, abuse of power, racism, an erosion of your fundamental liberties, etc., is so rampant and blatant because of that.

Many more people, however, think that this is all utter bullshit and probably the imagination of a demented person.

Then, on top of that, there are people who believe that it is futile to change governments because the new government we choose will be just as bad as the old government and that history has proven that countries that changed governments did not see any positive change and it was merely business as usual or old wine in a new bottle.

Many more people, however, think that this is all utter bullshit and probably the imagination of a demented person.

Nevertheless, while you may think that whether you change governments or you retain the present government is a matter of opinion and personal choice, most people will refuse to allow you this freedom of opinion and personal choice and they are not prepared to live and let live and allow you this belief without scolding, cursing, vilifying or disparaging you and call you stupid for believing these silly things.

Isn't it strange? When it comes to religion, most people think you are silly for having these silly beliefs but they will keep silent and allow you to continue being silly. When it comes to politics, however, most people think you are silly for having these silly beliefs but they will not keep silent and allow you to continue being silly.

In fact, religion is more irrational than politics. Nothing in religion can be proven and all religions work on the basis of the supernatural. Politics, however, can at least be argued supported by historical evidence. But while you are allowed your religious beliefs they will not allow you your political beliefs. They will scold, curse, vilify or disparage you if you take an opposite political stand but they do not do the same when you take an opposite religious stand.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad once said that Malaysia is not ready to become a full democracy. Malaysia can only be a 'guided' democracy, as what Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore said. This means the people cannot be allowed to think, do and say whatever they like. Malaysians must be guided as to what they can think, do and say.

When Dr Mahathir first said this I was flabbergasted. I thought that Dr Mahathir had become a raving lunatic and was talking absolute nonsense. What do you mean by 'guided' democracy? Isn't that like being slightly pregnant? Either you are or you are not.

Over time, however, I began to understand the 'logic' in that most illogical statement, in particular over the last five years since 2008. Of late we have been seeing the evil side of Malaysians. And the conduct of Malaysians over these last five years has proven that Malaysians can't be trusted with absolute democracy.

It is like giving a child a box of matches. Mostly likely the whole house will be burned to the ground. The Malays say, macam bagi bunga ke beruk, or, as the English would say: casting pearls before pigs.

"Never give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them with their feet and then turn around and attack you." (Matthew 7:6).

 

So what is our foreign policy?

Posted: 05 Mar 2013 04:45 PM PST

Israel did not create itself. Israel was created by the colonial powers that also engineered the destruction of the Ottoman Empire. And the Sykes–Picot Agreement plus the Balfour Declaration were what made Israel possible. And these countries not only created Israel but they propped it up as well and are still doing so. So why are we still friends with them when they are the culprits behind the problem we are facing called Israel?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

'Did PM know US consultants are Israel supporters?'

(Malaysiakini) - Is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's administration aware that the US consultants it hired to attack political rival Anwar Ibrahim are ardent supporters of the Israeli regime, asks PKR.

PKR communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said Najib must answer many questions pertaining to the engagement of former United States president George W Bush's speechwriter Joshua Trevino and other American bloggers, through Apco Worldwide and FBC Media, at the expense of taxpayers.

FBC Media and Apco are agencies hired by the Malaysian government to spruce up its image internationally.

"Is the government aware that many of the consultants hired are staunch and avid supporters of Israel, to the detriment of the Palestinians?" were among the questions Nik Nazmi posed in a statement today.

The same right-wing writers hired by the BN-led government, said Nik Nazmi, are also anti-Islam and have been criticising the Muslim Brotherhood and Muslims in the US.

He also wants the PM to explain why and how much more of the rakyat's money has been spent for propaganda, who else have been hired and who did the recruiting and coordination of the campaign, which are mainly slander attacks against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

He claimed that Trevino was behind the site Malaysiamatters.com, which carried articles aimed at discrediting Anwar to international audiences.

Pakatan had intended to ask the question in Parliament, said the PKR leader, though as it was clear that there will be no Parliament sitting convened, he said the onus is on Najib.

"We hope the PM will answer," said Nik Nazmi during a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

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Some background to the Israel issue

On 16th May 1916, Britain and France concluded the Sykes–Picot Agreement, which proposed to divide the Middle East between them into spheres of influence, with "Palestine" as an international enclave.

The Sykes-Picot Agreement did not call for Arab sovereignty, but for the "suzerainty of an Arab chief" and "an international administration, the form of which is to be decided upon after consultation with Russia, and subsequently in consultation with the other allies, and the representatives of the Sherif of Mecca." Under the terms of that agreement, the Zionist Organisation needed to secure an agreement along the lines of the Faisal-Weizmann Agreement with the Sherif of Mecca.

On 2nd November 1917, the Balfour Declaration, a letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Lord Rothschild, made public the British support of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The Balfour Declaration led the League of Nations to entrust the United Kingdom with the Palestine Mandate in 1922.

In that letter, Balfour promised British support for the Zionist programme of establishing a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. This pledge of support was made without consulting the indigenous Christian and Muslim inhabitants of Palestine, the Palestinian people. And it was made before British troops had even conquered the land.

Balfour, on behalf of Britain, promised Palestine – over which Britain had no legal right – to a people who did not even live there (of the very small community of Palestinian Jews in Palestine in 1917, very few were Zionists). And he did so with the worst of intentions: to discourage Jewish immigration to Britain. Lord Montagu, the only Jewish member of the Cabinet, opposed the declaration.

And yet, just two years earlier, Britain had committed herself to assisting the Arab nations in achieving their independence from the Ottoman Empire. Arab fighters all over the region, including thousands of Palestinians, fought for their freedom, allowing Britain to establish her mandate in Palestine.

From that moment, Palestine became the victim of colonial conspiracies. The Balfour Declaration helped to encourage Zionist immigration into Palestine and away from America and Western Europe.

Simultaneously, Britain suppressed Palestinian nationalism, which was exemplified by its crushing of the Arab revolt of 1936-1939 and the denial of the right of the Palestinian people to express their will through their own representation. In fact, Britain suppressed Palestinian political representation through a policy of systematic denial of Palestinian political rights.

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Okay, from the Malaysiakini report above, it appears like Pakatan Rakyat's -- or at least PKR's -- foreign policy is that anyone who is pro-Israel or is opposed to the 'Palestinian cause' must be treated as an enemy of Malaysia. What happens if I were to publicly express an anti-Hamas or a pro-Israel stance? Would that also make me an enemy of the country?

Israel is a 100-year old story. Sabah became part of Malaysia in 1963. So it is a 50-year old story. If the Muslims from the Philippines do not have any legal right in claiming Sabah as their territory because it is an 'old story', what legal right do Muslims from the Middle East have in claiming Israel (or the occupied lands) as their territory when it is an even older story? (And remember, the British created Sabah just like they did Israel).

Malaysia supports the Muslim claim over Israel because Malaysia is a Muslim country and Muslims are 'officially' anti-Jews. Hence we take the Muslim side against the Jews. Okay, say Dr Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan's 'Christian' STAR were to kick out the 'Muslim' Umno government in the coming general election, would we now take the side of the Muslims from the Philippines regarding their claim over Sabah?

For the sake of Islam we take the Muslim side against the Jews. For the sake of Islam will we also take the Muslim side (although from the Philippines) against the Christians (although from Malaysia)? In the Middle East we are 'guided' by religion. Will we also be guided by religion if the Umno 'Muslim' government of Sabah gets kicked out?

We, especially the opposition, must be very careful when we express our foreign policy. Just because some Americans happen to be Jews (and Jews who support Israel) we cannot use that as the justification to declare them the enemy of Malaysia. That can also be interpreted as taking a pro-Hamas stance. And that would mean we do not regard Hamas as a terrorist group even though women and children are blown up with bombs.

We now call the Muslim 'intruders' from the Philippines terrorists and criminals. This is what Malaysia and the Philippines announced today. Are those Muslims who are fighting the Palestinian cause also terrorists and criminals? In that case what business does the government and opposition have in dealing with them? Aren't we dealing with terrorists and criminals?

It is not wrong, of course, in taking a stand, even in an issue involving foreign policy. But we need to be clear and consistent in the reasons why we take such a stand. And those justifications must apply in all cases, not apply in one case but not in another.

If it is wrong for the Malaysian government to deal with Jews from America known to be pro-Israel, then it is also wrong to deal with others who are pro-Israel as well.

Israel did not create itself. Israel was created by the colonial powers that also engineered the destruction of the Ottoman Empire. And the Sykes–Picot Agreement plus the Balfour Declaration were what made Israel possible. And these countries not only created Israel but they propped it up as well and are still doing so. So why are we still friends with them when they are the culprits behind the problem we are facing called Israel?

It is strange how we choose our friends and enemies. We apply certain reasons as to why someone is our enemy and then sidestep that same reason in those we want as our friends.

So let me get this straight. Anyone who is pro-Israel is our enemy, even those American citizens -- some who happen to be Jews. I suppose then almost every country in Europe must now become our enemy and Malaysians should be asked to leave the UK, France, etc., immediately.

 

Preaching to the preacher

Posted: 23 Feb 2013 05:40 PM PST

Let me put it this way. Say for 35 years a Christian Evangelist knocks on your door every weekend to talk to you about Christ. And every weekend you curse that Christian and tell him to fuck off and then slam the door in his face. Sometimes you even let loose your dog on him and a couple of times he was actually bitten by your dog.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Amid mounting criticisms against Pas spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat for describing recipients of 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) as 'chickens and cattle', the party's information chief said the remarks were merely metaphors.

Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Mat said Nik Aziz's remarks should not be taken literally as they were merely a kiasan (metaphor).

"I hope readers should not take the remarks literally. He (Nik Aziz) was only trying to convey that giving out knowledge is more important than giving money as an aid," he said.

Using the Malay proverb 'umpama melepaskan anjing tersepit' (literally translated "to release a trapped dog" which means to help someone who is bound to be ungrateful), as an example, Tuan Ibrahim said the phrase did not equate a person to a dog.

********************************************

This is certainly a breath of fresh air. I was of the opinion that opposition people do not understand idioms, metaphors, similes, expressions, sayings, proverbs, maxims, axioms, adages, etc. This was when Tun Dr Mahathir talked about the devil you know and then everyone jumped and clapped with glee and said that Dr Mahathir admitted that Umno is a devil.

Locking the barn door after the horse has bolted, crying over spilt milk, a stitch in time saves nine, look before you leap, and so on, are not about horses, milk, sewing and jumping over hedges. These proverbs mean it is no use taking action after the event, regretting an action after the damage is done, taking action early can prevent more damage, and you need to contemplate your actions beforehand, respectively.

Anyway, it is good that opposition people are not bodoh-sombong but merely bodoh-sepat. Bodoh-sombong means bodoh tak boleh diajar while bodoh-sepat means pura-pura bodoh tapi sebenarynya cerdik.

We need cerdik Malaysians, especially Malaysians cerdik enough to fool you into thinking that they are stupid because if I can make you think I am stupid that means I am cleverer than you.

One reader commented that I am sometimes very brutal or abrasive in my comments-in-reply to comments posted by Malaysia Today readers. That is certainly true. I get very abrasive when readers post comments or questions to an issue that I have already replied to so many times before.

It is apparent that their comment is not sincere. After explaining a certain issue in a very cheong hei manner, sometimes running into three or four pages, they still post comments or questions about the same thing that has already been addressed in the past, not once but many times.

I mean, how many times do you want me to address that same issue? When I, yet again, reply to what you say, you will say that my article is boring and that I am repeating the same thing over and over again and that I do not have modal baru. But it is you who are raising a matter that has already been settled. So what do you expect me to do? Just delete your comment and then have you scream "Hypocrite! No freedom of speech! Why delete my comment?"

Anyway, one comment that I usually reply to in a very brutal manner is the '55 years of BN is enough! It is time for change! Vote ABU! Kick BN out!' rhetoric. I just can't stand those who post such comments. First of all it is because it is empty rhetoric. Secondly it is because so many people have already posted that comment so you are merely parroting the same thing countless times. But most important of all, thirdly, it is because you are attempting to preach to the preacher. And that is most sickening of all.

Let me put it this way. Say for 35 years a Christian Evangelist knocks on your door every weekend to talk to you about Christ. And every weekend you curse that Christian and tell him to fuck off and then slam the door in his face. Sometimes you even let loose your dog on him and a couple of times he was actually bitten by your dog.

Nevertheless, this Evangelist still very patiently keeps visiting you to try to convince you that your salvation is through Christ and you, as usual, curse him and tell him to go fuck his Christ. Finally, however, after 35 years, you convert to Christianity and the Evangelist praises the Lord that finally you have seen the light and have accepted Christ as your saviour.

Not long after you become a Christian, you suddenly turn into a fanatic. You scream that it is time for a new Christian crusade to be launched so that the infidel non-Christians can be exterminated and erased from the face of this earth. You say that Hitler who was a Christian was right in trying to exterminate the Jews who had killed Christ. Your only regret is that only 6 million Jews were killed. You only wished Hitler had succeeded in ridding the world of all the Jews.

Then you go to the Evangelist's house and knock on his door and start preaching Christianity to him. You shout and scream and call the Evangelist a coward for not taking up arms against the infidel non-Christians. The Middle East, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and so on, should be bombed, you argue. No non-Christians should be left alive.

The Evangelist does not agree and you accuse him of selling out. You allege that he has been bought. You vilify him and disparage him and call him a friend of Satan.

After months of haranguing and cursing, one day the Evangelist can take it no more he slaps your face and says that you are a disgrace to Christianity.

I feel just like that Evangelist. For 35 years I tried preaching to you. And each time you cursed me and chased me away and even set your dog on me. I was in fact bitten quite badly a few times. You called me all sorts of nasty names. You laughed at me. You even declared me a lunatic.

Then, one day, after 35 years since the 1970s, you suddenly saw the light. In 2008 you converted. And after you converted you started cursing me and said that I am a traitor to the cause.

Now you try to preach to me. You tell me what is good and what is bad. You forgot that for 35 years you acted like a bastard. Suddenly you are the chosen one and Christ came to you in your dream. You tell me about all the bad things that are going on. You refuse to admit that things are so bad mainly because you allowed them to become bad.

I remember, back in the mid-1990s, what the DAP Chinese supporters said to me in the late MGG Pillai's online forum, Sang Kancil. I remember how they ganged up on me and cursed me. I remember the nasty things they said to me. I remember being chased out of that forum and eventually I felt so hurt I did leave. I remember what happened in 1999 when I launched Kini (in Bahasa Malaysia) and The Malaysian (in English).

And today these are the same people who are claiming the moral high ground and with self-righteousness are trying to teach me what for 35 years I had tried to teach them and which they rejected.

Isn't life strange?

 

God, as opposed to religion

Posted: 22 Feb 2013 05:42 PM PST

Okay, back to the issue of Prophet Muhammad's marriage to Aisha when she was said to be just 6 years old or 9 years old or whatever. Of the many stories in Islam this appears to be the single most-favourite story that non-Muslims will raise to mock the Prophet and call him a paedophile, child rapist, pervert, criminal who would be sent to jail if he did that today, and so on.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Agnostic (noun)

1. A person who holds that the existence of the ultimate cause and that the essential nature of things are unknown and unknowable, or that human knowledge is limited to experience.

2. A person who denies or doubts the possibility of ultimate knowledge in some area of study.

3. A person who holds neither of two opposing positions on a topic.

**************************************************

One or two readers posted comments today saying that my articles are boring or have become quite stale of late. That may be true. Education can sometimes be boring when you do not want to get educated or you feel you already know enough and do not need further education.

I do not think that I already know everything. I admit that there is still much I need to learn. And that was the reason why I signed up at Oxford University's Department of Continuing Education in 2011 plus I attended a few lectures in Oxford last year. I am currently on my third module and will be submitting my essay at the end of March.

Anyway, let me bore you, yet again, with another stale article. This article is not about God or about religion but I have titled it 'God, as opposed to religion' and I am going to make many references to God and religion.

Most simple-minded people -- and that would probably be more than half the readers of Malaysia Today -- think that the world is divided into those who believe in God (theists) and those who do not believe in God (atheists). They do not realise that there is a third group -- neither theist nor atheist -- who sit in between those two. And this group is called agnostics.

You can read the definition of agnostic at the top.

Before I go into the main thrust of my article, allow me, as usual, to digress -- in my normal cheong hei manner -- and address some of the comments posted in Malaysia Today over the last few weeks. This is merely a digression to make a short story long and is still not what I really want to talk about today.

One reader raised the issue of Prophet Muhammad's marriage to Aisha and said that this was what is reported in the Hadith.

Now, let's say I make certain references to the life of Jesus. And, let's also say, Christians disagree with my view and argue that my statement contradicts Christian beliefs. Then, say, I 'prove' to you that I am correct while you are wrong with quotes from the Gospel. You then ask me from which Gospel I am making this reference and I quote the Gospel of Barnabas.

You then argue that the Gospel of Barnabas may contain some remnants of earlier apocryphal works but it has never been canonised although it is about the same length as the four canonical gospels put together. I then counter by saying that the 'Gospel according to Barnabas' is mentioned in two early Christian lists of apocryphal works: the 6th-century Latin Decretum Gelasianumas well as the 7th-century Greek List of the Sixty Books. Hence it is authentic.

Okay, so what is my point here? Simple, my point is that I am telling you what a Christian should believe. You are a Christian while I am not. Yet I am telling you what is the correct Christianity and what is wrong Christianity. Should not you, a Christian, know better what you want to believe and do not want to believe? Who am I, a non-Christian, to teach you what is correct Christianity?

I would never presume to know Christianity better than you, a practicing Christian. And I would never attempt to teach you what is correct Christianity and what is wrong Christianity. Non-Muslims, however, presume they know Islam better than Muslims themselves and then will preach what is right Islam and what is wrong Islam.

Okay, back to the issue of Prophet Muhammad's marriage to Aisha when she was said to be just 6 years old or 9 years old or whatever. Of the many stories in Islam this appears to be the single most-favourite story that non-Muslims will raise to mock the Prophet and call him a paedophile, child rapist, pervert, criminal who would be sent to jail if he did that today, and so on.

Allow me to digress, yet again. Back in those days, and even up to 'modern' times, 'political marriages' were very common, even in the more 'civilised' Europe. Most political marriages would be between leaders or rulers to unite the different political factions or powers. Leaders or rulers did not marry for love. They married to strengthen their position and to gain political allies or to prevent other powers from turning enemy (once you are related by marriage you become friends).

Even in England and France the sons and daughters of Kings were married off to each other when they were still children. However, they would not be allowed to live as husband and wife until they reach the age of puberty, which could be 10 or 11. Hence they would have to live apart for a few years until then. And 'adulthood' would be when you reach puberty. In fact, at 13 you went to war and died for your country and at 19, if you were still single, you would be considered too old to get married. At 30 you would be an old man or woman.

Anyway, that was a mere digression. I am not trying to play the role of Muslim apologist here. I am bringing to your attention that the value system and traditions/customs in those days were different from today. Christians killed Jews in those days. Catholics killed Protestants and Protestants killed Catholics in those days.

Hell, the English Parliament even banned Christmas and ordered shops to stay open on 25th December, less than 400 years ago, because Christmas was considered a pagan festival and not the day to mark the birth of Christ. And, 1,000 years before that banning of Christmas, Prophet Muhammad was said to have entered into a political alliance with the most powerful warlord of Mekah by marrying his underage daughter.

But that is not really what I want to argue today. What I do want to argue is: where did this story come from? Is it in the Qur'an? No! It is from the Hadith. So, you argue, since it is from the Hadith, then it must be true and hence Prophet Muhammad was a paedophile.

Okay, let us rewind a bit. You are quoting from the Hadith and you are telling me that this is what my Hadith says and since I am a Muslim I must believe in this Hadith.

Now hold on a minute. Are all Christians Catholics? Aren't there many denominations of Christianity? Hence why do you assume that all Muslims believe in the same thing? You do not even bother to ask me what denomination Muslim I am and you shove down my throat your interpretation of Islam as if there is only one denomination of Islam. Can I insist that you believe in the Gospel of Barnabas and then pass judgment on you because you have 'deviated' from the teachings of Barnabas?

Not all Muslims believe in the Hadith. These people are normally unfairly called the anti-Hadith group. Actually they are not anti-Hadith as much as they hold to the Qur'an as God's true word and believe that all other 'holy books' other than the Qur'an are superfluous.

Then there are those who believe in some of the Hadith but not all of them. Further to that, there are those who believe in a different set of Hadith. Hence, on the issue of Hadith alone, there are so many different denominations of Muslims. So, when you quote the Hadith to a Muslim without knowing his of her position on Hadith, it is like quoting Barnabas to a Christian and assume that since he or she is a Christian then she or she must believe in Barnabas.

So far we are talking about Muslims and Christians. For sure Muslims and Christians are theists. And they believe not only in God but also in the religion of God (which means they are religionists as well). But what happens if you believe in God (or at least in some higher power that created us) but not in the religion of God? Then you would be an agnostic. You are neither Muslim nor Christian.

The arguments are normally between Muslims and Christians (even here in Malaysia Today). But you fail to see that there is a third group, a Third Force if you wish and if that can help you better understand the issue. And this third group thinks that both the Muslims and Christians are equally wrong.

Yes, there is a God. But there is no religion. God is the destination you wish to arrive at. Religion is merely one of those vehicles you use to arrive at that destination called God.

Okay, enough with all that religion bullshit. After three pages of talking cock let me get to the punch line. And the punch line is: there are two 'religions' called Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat quarrelling over whose 'God' is the true God, whose 'Prophet' is the genuine Prophet, and whose 'Holy Book' is the authentic Holy Book.

I then declare that I am not a religionist but an agnostic. And while I acknowledge the existence of God, I do not accept that religions came from God. I think that religions are manmade.

And then both sides of the religious divide call me a kafir, infidel, nonbeliever, unbeliever, disbeliever, doubter, heretic, apostate, heathen, pagan, and whatnot. They tell me that the only way to reach God is through their religion. And both sides claim that their religion is true while the other is false.

Nevertheless, while I still want God, I do not want corrupt religions where their followers do the opposite of what they say. Hence if you think that I am a kafir, infidel, nonbeliever, unbeliever, disbeliever, doubter, heretic, apostate, heathen, pagan, and whatnot; so be it. 

Lakum dinakum waliyadin (to you be your religion and to me my religion): Qur'an, Surah Al-Kafirun, 109:6

(Now, I bet most of you will be debating religion instead of the last five paragraphs of this article, which is the point I am really driving at).

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

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The Truth Serum Behind Najib’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP)

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 01:05 PM PDT

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQU39uydjzhgOwokX7lodjeCH-2jYoSq56JzkiZw9d5ftKd7fXK 

Najib's ETP is a series of projects benefiting UMNO rent seekers rather than the ordinary Rakyat that he used to claim in his Janji Ditepati rhetoric.

 

Think tank Political Studies for Change (KPRU) 

 

When Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak launched the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) on 21st September 2010, it was done with the intention of keeping Malaysia on the right track to a high-income status nation by the year 2020. In 2012, ETP boasts 72 out of 131 EPPs launched, surpassing its GNI target of RM830 billion and also surpassing its private investment target worth RM94 billion. The ETP also boasts itself of the pool of acronyms; EPP, NKEA, SRI, SEDIA, IRDA, NCIA, RAPID, BOs, BLESS, and much more. And yet, your average Joe and Jane on the street not only does not fully understand the ETP, they seem to be left out from the fruits of labour of the ETP.

 

Failures of ETP

 

Prior to Najib's ETP and GTP address on RTM last night, the failures of the ETP listed include; falling surplus in which the share of external trade to GDP (gross domestic products) shrunk to 145% caused by weak external environment; the silent death of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) which was supposed to be a part of the ETP; Malaysian investment abroad worth RM19.5 billion in the first half of 2012 surpassed the RM13.6 billion worth of inward investment; the GNI per capita of 49% as boasted by Najib in from USD$6,670 in 2009 to USD$9,970 in 2011 was misleading. The real figure was a minor 16.2% according to World Bank data. Recycling old failed projects such as the Karambunai Integrated Resort City and the Tanjung Agas poject. The failure to attract foreign investment to Educity, Iskandar. Of the ten institutions approached by the government, only two have been fully functioning.

 

Think tank Political Studies for Change (KPRU) believes Najib should also show the other set of glaring failures of the ETP which includes the falling of Malaysia's rankings in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report (WEFs GCR; Table 2). Amongst the fall in ranking are the fall in wastefulness of government spending ranking; a fall in labour market efficiency, a fall in the government's budget balance position ; a fall in the labour market efficiency; a fall in the women in labour force, ratio to men, a fall in the technological readiness under NKEA and more. 

 

 

Dazzling but Substance Lackluster ETP Speech

 

During the ETP and GTP speech, Najib claimed 149 EPP projects have been announced but in actual fact, according to the 2012 Annual Report, the real number is 152 EPPs planned with 408,443 employment created and it's expected GNI contribution is RM135.64 billion. Najib used ringgit Malaysia as the currency for GNI, however in an earlier 2012 report, American dollars was used instead. Why the discrepancy and non-compliance of currency? 

 

Najib also claimed an increase of 22 percent in private investment from 2011 to 2012. However, what can be seen is that still the major contributor of investment are from the government. Najib boast the 'success' of the RAPID Pengerang project and in the 2012 report state drawing the likes of Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed), Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology (NMIT), Raffles University Iskandar, University of Southampton Malaysia (USMC), Reading University Iskandar, Raffles American School and Marlborough College Malaysia (MCM). Yet, he seems to have left out the representatives of those institutions facing immense struggles of bureaucracy causing a mismatch of departments put in place and a lack of students with staff interested to work in Educity.

 

Najib in his speech also quoted several international rankings such a the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Report  2013, World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012/2013, AT Kearneys FDI Confidence Index, Globe Shopper Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit, and also the International Living Magazine to display Malaysia's positive international outlook. Yet, KPRU sees that while Najib likes to bask in the so-called glory of the ETP, Najib have failed to state the rankings stated by the World Economic Forum's GCR Report, in which Malaysia pretty much fell in the expectations of accountable and transparency or that 50% of business lost business in Malaysia over corruption as stated in Transparency International. Malaysia be a leader in global shopping but Malaysia also suffers a heritage loss such as the crumble of iconic places in Jalan Sultan, Tun Perak, Lebuh Pasar and even the infamous yet iconic Pudu Jail and the non-discriminatory loss of our million years old forests particularly in East Malaysia.

 

 

Epilogue

 

Najib may have claimed much successes over the implementation of the ETP but what remains is the amount of gold felt by the common people of Malaysia. He may have boasted on the 'surge' felt in the Kuala Lumpur Bursa and the sukuk investment revealing in dazzling numbers, percentage and tables but KPRU sees that none of all that matters when those who feel the returns are the corporate and political figures rather than the common people of Malaysia. In a nutshell, Najib's ETP is a series of projects benefiting UMNO rent seekers rather than the ordinary Rakyat that he used to claim in his Janji Ditepati rhetoric.   

 

 

Table 1: List of ETP Activities and its Failures

No.

Failure

ETP 2012 Report

1.

Falling surplus – the share of external trade to GDP has shrunk to 145% caused by weak external environment.

As of 31st December 2012, 149 EPP projects were launched worth RM211.34 billion.

2.

Oil palm replanting programme – the target plant areas was 126,500ha but only 103,000ha was achieved.

113,000 hectre  of oil palm planted

3.

Growth of real GNI is only 4.7%, much lower than 6% target in ETP. Its claim of RM797 billion "target" for 2011 GNI was lower than the MoF forecast of RM811 billion. This "target" was only publicised after the GNI data was released by the MoF. Furthermore, it is very low, calling for just 7.8 per cent growth, well below the average 8.8 per cent targeted in the ETP Roadmap Report. The ETP focuses on GNI, but CEO Datuk Seri Idris Jala misdirected Malaysians by citing the stronger GDP numbers.

GNI per capita increased 49 percent in 3 years.

2010- RM8100

2011-RM9700

2012-RM9970

GNI in 1957 was merely USD257

Purchasing power parity is 2x of the Malaysian GNI.

4.

1 on October 25, 2010, PEMANDU said LFoundry Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of German-based Landshut Silicon Foundry GmbH, would undertake a 200 mm water fab worth  RM1.9 billion project. Yet nothing was mentioned in the "Achievements" section of the ETP Annual Report. Instead, a much smaller RM100 million equipment refurbishment and training centre project was highlighted.Lfoundry in Germany is declaring itself insolvent and going into bankruptcy proceedings.

-

5.

Damansara City 2 project by GuocoLand (Malaysia) Berhad was unveiled in the 3rd ETP Progress update on January 11, 2011. There was no status report, it was not even mentioned in the "Moving Forward" section. Instead three additional heritage routes and the upgrading of Masjid Jamek were highlighted instead.  Marina Island Pangkor's International Resort & Entertainment Extension Project was showcased in the 4th ETP Progress Update on March 8, 2011. Strangely though, no progress update was given in the Annual Report on this huge project.

-

6.

According to Asia-Pacific Sovereigns Andrew Colquhoun, ETP has failed to boost Malaysia's average income fast enough to avert a middle income trap. 

-

7.

According to Refsa, only 21% of income will eventually go to the workers as opposed to the current 28%. Only 21% of the income created by Pemandu's ETP will go to workers. Compare this to Singapore which allocates 40% and South Korea and the US which set aside 50%. 

-

8.

Karambunai project was initially announced in October 2010 during Datuk Seri Najib Razak's budget speech as a RM3 tourism project which more than tripled in value to RM9.6 billion when it was included in the fifth ETP update on April 19, 2011. 

Between in 2011 and 2012, Malaysia attracted 50 million visitors with RM100 billion GNI.

9.

Abdul Jalil Abdul Rasheed, who helps manage US$3 billion as CEO of Aberdeen Islamic Asset Management in Kuala Lumpur, is worried the lion's share of the billions in private investments needed for the ETP will come from government-linked companies who then raise funds by issuing bonds. These bonds then get government guarantees, making the government's debt position even more worrying should a default happen.

TERAJU manages the Skim Jejak Jaya Bumiputera (SJJB), a Government initiative introduced in 2007 providing "lastmile" support to eligible Bumiputera companies for listing on Bursa Malaysia. The initiative will consequently allow for 

greater Bumiputera corporate equity.

Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Bhd have identified a total of 10 companies to be divested to Bumiputera companies. Eight of these have officially been tendered for divestment.

10.

1Malaysia email or MyEmail project from last year that was taken by then public-listed Tricubes Bhd. It recently lost its listing status as it was not able to regularize its financials. RM5 million was invested but only 22,000 Malaysians registering for it. Lfoundry scrapped its operations in Kulim Hi-Tech Park.

2012 Report state the failure of the Myemail is due to failed public relations with the public.

 

11.

According to Standard Chartered, a more focused approached than the ETP is needed to transform Malaysia. Instead of the ETP, Malaysia should emulate South Korea and Taiwan in reinventing its economy and moving up the value curve to high-quality products.

Between 2011 and 2012, 1087 sundry shops were transformed under the TUKAR scheme with shops experiencing an increase of 30% of sales.

12.

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), which was supposed to be part of the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), has died a silent death due to pressure from certain NGOs.

-

13.

RM594 billion of the incremental RM594 billion GNI that the ETP creates will go to corporate profits;

Just RM166 billion will go to wages for employees; and

RM40 billion will go to the government in net taxes.

GNI will contribute RM135.64 billion and 404,443 employment opportunities.

14.

PEMANDU's target is to double nominal income per capita to RM48,000 by 2020. But using its forecasts for income and population growth, and inflation, the target should be RM54,145, not RM48,000.

-

15.

MSC was renamed MSC Malaysia, the name of the lead agency changed from MDC to MDeC (while still remaining the Multimedia Development Corporation), MDeC is straitjacketed – it has been given the mandate to oversee and implement an initiative that promises to be as transformative as the other TPs were supposed to be, but without the teeth to do so.

MdeC will focus on ongoing industry initiatives on two thrusts: Maintaining a competitive environment in Malaysia to attract foreign investment in outsourcing; and increasing the competitiveness of local companies by enhancing their scale, credibility and market reach.

16.

According to HwangDBS Vickers Research, GLC/Bumiputera developers tipped to benefit from government land redevelopment, owners of large land bank and investment assets in KL should also stand to benefit from ETP.

48 MRT package contracts contributing to RM19.8 billion and 45 percent of those 48 contracts are awarded to Bumiputeras worth RM8.9 billion

17.

Foreigners withdrew $42 million from Malaysian offshore equity funds in the last six months of 2012, while adding a net $129 million and $230 million to Philippine and Thai funds respectively.

-

18.

Malaysian investment abroad of RM19.5 billion in the first half of this year surpassed the RM13.6 billion worth of investment that the country received.

RM547 million worth of creative output and 157 hours of man hours was poured into the making of the Academy awarded of the movie Life of Pi.

19.

Cypark Resources Bhd has covered the 26ha former landfill in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, with up to 32,000 solar panels, turning the area into what is said to be the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) farm in the country and South-East Asia.

-

2

In 2009, Najib dismantled a long-time restriction that benefited "sons of the soil." They can now own 100% stakes in businesses in 27 sub-sectors. Najib's 2012 budget extends that reform to 17 more sub-sectors such as medical and education services. But bigger reforms are absent from manufacturing and the labour market that suffers from entrenched affirmative-action policies.

18 subsectors liberalised including quantity surveying that will be liberalised in 2013.

Competition Act 2010 gazetted in 2012 and the first case is solved. 

21. 

Only 30% of Malaysians obtained higher education qualifications compared to Singapore's 46%, Thailand's 41% and South Korea's 89% in 2010. 80% of our workforce only receive secondary level education and only 25% of our workers are highly skilled compared to Singapore's 49%, Taiwan's 33% and South Korea's 35%.

MSC Malaysia MyUniAlliance Programme is a new initiative by the MDeC with support from PEMANDU. The goal is to develop graduates who are industry-ready and employable.

22.

Najib says the GNI per capita rose 49% from US$6,670 in 2009 to US$9,970 in 2011. But World Bank note the figure was only 16.2%.

GNI per capita increased 49 percent in 3 years.

2010- RM8100

2011-RM9700

2012-RM9970

GNI in 1957 was merely USD257

23.

Foreign education institutions are struggling to launch in Educity. Of ten institusion approached to open campuses, only two institutions have officialy fully operated.

Globally recognised institutions including Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed), Netherlands Maritime Institute 

of Technology (NMIT), Raffles University Iskandar, University of Southampton Malaysia (USMC) and Reading University Iskandar have set up campuses.

24. 

Recycled old projects such as the Tanjung Agas that was originally launched in 2009 with an investment shot of RM8 billion that is relaunched under ETP as a transforming project.

-

25.

IHH Healthcare IPO falls flat, expects not dividends as it is no longer attractive to investors nor is it supportive of its rich valuation.

-

26. 

The renaming of the Kuala Lumpur International Financial District (KLIFD) or now known as Tun Razah Exchange (TRX)  worth RM25.07 billion with the possibility of creating a propertyglut. 

RAPID Pengerang will provide 4000 employment opportunities with 20,000 contruction workers.

 

 

Table 2: Fall in Malaysian Ranking in the WEF GCR from 2011 to 2012

Indicator

Ranking in WEF GCR 2011 and 2012

NKEA/SRI

Wastefulness of government spending

12 to 19

Public finance reform SRI

Government's budget balance position

96 to 110

Public  finance reform SRI

Intensity of local competition

26 to36

Competition, standardisation and liberalisation SRI

Extenct of market dominance

14 to 19

Competition, standardisation and liberalisation SRI

Labour market efficiency

20 to 24

Human capital devfelopment SRI

Women in labour force, ratio to men

114 to 119

Human capital devfelopment SRI

ICT use

57 to 68

Communications, content and infrastructure (CCI) NKEA

Technological readiness

44 to 51

Communications, content and infrastructure (CCI) NKEA

Broadband internet subscriptions

62 to 68

Communications, content and infrastructure (CCI) NKEA

International internet bandwith

60 to 83

Communications, content and infrastructure (CCI) NKEA

*WEF GCR is an abbreviation for World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report

 

Puluhan ribu risalah fitnah sedia diedar di Perak

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 01:03 PM PDT

http://cdn.harakahdaily.net/images/stories/2013_pic/mac/risalah%20fitnah.jpg 

Jawatankuasa Strategik dan Isu PAS Perak hari ini mendedahkan agenda jahat pihak tertentu dalam menghadapi PRU13 yang akan diadakan pada bila-bila masa.

Muhammad Faeez Azahar


Koordinatornya, Salman Saleh berkata, pihaknya mendapat banyak maklumat tentang kontena diseluruh negeri Perak yang membawa risalah berbaur fitnah.

Menurutnya, puluhan ribu risalah fitnah itu sudah siap dicetak dan dipercayai akan diedarkan kepada masyarakat pada pilihanraya nanti setelah mendapat arahan.

Katanya, risalah fitnah dalam bentuk buku kecil bertajuk "Drama Pecah Panggung; Box Office" itu ternyata merbahaya kerana ianya terkandung pelbagai fitnah yang bersifat perkauman dan penipuan.

Jelas Salman, risalah tersebut dianggap haram kerana tidak mempunyai terbitan daripada mana-mana pihak.

"Kami mengesyaki risalah tersebut dikeluarkan oleh pihak pro Umno-BN kerana ianya diedarkan bersama satu risalah berbentuk buku bertajuk 'Mengorak Negara Ke Hadapan" yang tertera dibelakang buku itu cetakan oleh Ibu Pejabat Barisan Nasional," katanya dalam satu sidang media di Pejabat PAS Perak, dekat sini hari ini.

Hadir sama ialah ahli jawatankuasanya, Salman Saleh, Hafez Sabri dan Safarizal Saleh.

Mengulas lanjut, beliau yang juga Setiausaha Jabatan Pilihanraya PAS Perak mendesak Kementerian Dalam Negeri dan pihak Polis merampas risalah haram itu kerana ianya bercanggah dengan undang-undang negara.

Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) juga katanya turut harus mengambil tindakan sewajarnya agar risalah tersebut tidak diedarkan dalam pilihanraya nanti.

"Kami desak pihak bertanggungjawab mengambil tindakan sewajarnya kerana cara kotor serta jijik ini menyalahi undang-undang dan akan memecah belahkan masyarakat di Negara ini," tegasnya lagi.

 

When the Fog of War lifts on Lahad Datu Standoff!

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 12:55 PM PDT

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2jg3-e3NGnPZuAQarDA4VfCz1iRr_YNJ_DZTsIl-SXA5Ryt9QGqtRpbPN3ptlv-eAwD3TKarNdbeGvNzt5ODx2gO1NmXBZeuSig0vdb3RX5dbJPXJN6NdIj9_TM0Fsgv6b837b8JNFUs/s1600/pencerobohan-lahad-datu-terkini.jpg 

Patriotism in Sabah begins with Sabah and does not end with Malaysia.
 
Joe Fernandez 
We have not heard the last of the Lahad Datu Standoff if it degenerates, as it appears more than likely now, into prolonged guerrilla warfare as in the southern Philippines, but perhaps more low-key.

There's a huge security vacuum in Sabah.
 
Witness the fact that 1.7 million foreigners, mostly illegal immigrants, flooded into Sabahby 2005 alone to dwarf the 1.5 million local population as Putrajaya looked the other way in a wink wink relationship with rogue elements. It's unprecedented in world history.
 
An estimated 800,000 of the foreigners including illegal immigrants are Suluks, many with MyKads which in the absence of state government sanction as the initiating party on a case by case basis, they are not entitled to obtain and not eligible to hold in Sabah. They may be matched in number only by the Bugis from Sulawesi in Indonesia. There's no love lost between these two large immigrant groups, the local Suluks in particular in the east coast having a strong sense of proprietorship, but that's another story.
 
Nature, according to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, abhors a vacuum. (Aristotle was a student of Plato, a Greek philosopher, and a teacher of the Macedonian Alexander the Great who became King of the Greeks. Plato, in turn, was a student of Greek philosopher Socrates.) 

The reasons for Lahad Datu, given the fog of war, may keep changing during the course of such a conflict. 

The first casualty in a war is the truth.
 
Beheadings, mutilations a Public Relations disaster of highest magnitude
 
However, to accuse Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim of having a sinister hand in Sabah and Sulu is a simplistic notion, if not cheap politics of hitting below the belt, which will not camouflage Putrajaya's sins in Borneo and the southern Philippines. It will not cover up the fact that the Administration has blood on its hands on both sides of the Sulu Sea. Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president Tian Chua was right to imply Putrajaya's bloody hands in his numerous statements reported recently on Sabah.
 
It cannot be denied that the current security situation in Sabah was created solely by Putrajaya which is responsible for the matter.

For starters, they dillydallied for three weeks in an act of extreme weakness if not desperation and to play politics with the issue because security in Sabah until recent days was under the Prime Minister's Department -- so more illegal immigrants can come in and enter the Electoral Rolls -- and not under the Police or Armed Forces. 

Who trained the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and gave them safe havens inSabah? MNLF leader Nur Misuari's recent statement on these issues must be taken seriously as he, more than Putrajaya, gets the benefit of the doubt in a balance of probabilities.

By the same token, we don't know whether the Sulu terrorists admitted to carrying out beheadings and other mutilations in Sabah during the on-going Lahad Datu Standoff. The Suluks have more to lose for such dastardly acts, if true. It would be a Public Relations disaster of the highest magnitude; play into Putrajaya's already bloodied hands, and turned the local population against them.
 
The truth, as usual, may be somewhere in between.
 
There may be rogue elements involved, if not on one side, then the other.
 
Or, it could be a distasteful display by the population within that specific locality for any number of reasons.
 
We can only await a special Parliamentary session on the crisis, a Royal Commission of Inquiry or a White Paper with bated breaths. Meanwhile, Tian Chua's sedition case should be stayed and not be used for cheap politics by the Najib Administration.
 
Malaysia has no stomach for war in Sabah after southern Philippines
 
In a reversal of the high stakes cheapo war game played for so long in southernPhilippines by Malaysia, Sulu "terrorists" in Sabah or from Sulu -- or freedom fighters in their language -- will have safe havens in the southern Philippines if the flare-up in Sabahcontinues. They will also have access to arms, men and material from the MNLF and its breakaway Abu Sayaff, noted for its kidnappings along the east coast of Sabah. 

Malaysia will have no stomach for such a war after being allegedly engaged, overtly and covertly, in the long-simmering conflict in the southern Philippines.
 
If push comes to shove, and if there are no "beheadings" and similar atrocities on the part of the militants, the people of Sabah will not back Malaysia in a war against the Suluks, whether in Sabah or from Sulu. Put it down to their historical grievances over the unfinished business of Malaysia in Sabah and Sarawak and their ties to the Suluks. The Suluks, if they take advantage of the widespread anti-Malaysia feeling in Sabah and Sarawak, will be like the fish swimming in a sea of popular support. Patriotism in Sabah begins with Sabah and does not end with Malaysia.

The "heirs" know that possession is nine-tenths of the law when it comes to the negotiating table for a diplomatic and political solution. Even so, the Suluks in Sabah or from Sulu would have to unconditionally surrender any territory seized when the country (Sabah) regains its independence.
 
Defunct Sulu Sultanate no leg to stand on in Sabah
 
The "heirs" of the defunct Sulu Sultanate -- citing marginalisation and disenfranchisement -- may grab at least Felda Sahabat centred around the Tungku Township in Lahad Datu, this being part of the territory in the Sabah east coast which covers the waterways where Sulu used to extort tolls from the terrified traffic along them. This would force The Issue on Sabah & Sarawak: the UN would have to address the fact that No Referendum was held in Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Malaya on Malaysia. Already, the UN has offered in the wake of Lahad Datu to intervene in Sabah.

The Cobbold Commission in 1962 was not a Referendum but a sampling of community leaders. Ironically, only the Suluk and Bajau communities polled agreed to Malaysia. The others, including the Orang Asal, were against the idea of Malaysia in Borneo to facilitate on demographic grounds the merger between Chinese majority Singapore and non-Malay majority Malaya.

Singapore held a Yes or No Vote on independence through merger with Malaya viaMalaysia.

Brunei stayed out of Malaysia at the 11th hour largely because of a rebellion in the sultanate against the idea of Malaysia.

The defunct Sulu Sultanate, of course, does not have a leg to stand on in Sabah or parts of it.
 
It has no private property rights to Sabah or any part of it.
 
It cannot claim sovereignty over Sabah.
 
Suluk marginalisation, disenfranchisement does not equate Sabah claim
 
All the "heirs' have is the 1939 Mackasie Ruling of the High Court of Borneo which recognises their right to collect RM 5, 300 per annum collectively from the Sabah Government. This is a token or fragment of history having largely only symbolic significance.

The defunct Sulu Sultanate's so-called transfer of sovereignty over Sabah not so long ago to the Philippines Government by Power of Attorney -- now expired -- is a nullity from the very beginning in international law.  

The sovereignty of Sabah rests with its people. 

The Sulu Sultanate died out, recorded the Madrid Protocols of 1877 and 1885, when its last Sultan died without leaving a male heir. Spain which was ruling the Philippines gave up all or any territorial claims in North Borneo under the Protocols with the United Kingdom and Germany. Read:
 
http://www.lawnet.sabah.gov.my/Lawnet/SabahLaws/Treaties/Protocol%28Madrid%29.pdf

The Suluks in Sabah, claiming marginalisation and disenfranchisement since 1963, given the continuing influx of Bugis illegal immigrants in particular and Usno being deregistered to make way for Umno, is another matter altogether. This cannot be related to the so-called Sabah claim.
 
Sabah became British colony after World War II
 
The Brunei Sultanate has denied giving any part of Sabah to the Sulu Sultanate. 

Read: 
http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/54937-sabah-and-the-sulu-claims 
http://www.bt.com.bn/golden-legacy/2013/03/07/sabah-and-sulu-claims 

The entire land area of Sabah belongs to or potentially belongs to the Orang Asal under Adat as Native Customary Right (NCR).

Adat and the Orang Asal came long before the Sulu Sultanate's "Agreement" with the British North Borneo Chartered Company which obtained a Crown Charter from the Queen of England to rule Sabah on her behalf.

Sabah was never conquered in a battle or war by any party except by the Japanese during World War II, and this too was an unprovoked war in Sabah and therefore amounted to war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.

The Japanese in Sabah were "defeated" by the British and subsequently surrendered.

So, by a legitimate Act of Surrender, War and Conquest, Sabah became British Territoryuntil it was returned to the Orang Asal and other Sabahans on 31 Aug, 1963 by self-determination. Even so, the Colonial Office in London agreed to purchase Sabah from the British North Borneo Chartered Company for 1.2 million pounds sterling.
 
Sarawak independent for 150 years under a Rajah
 
Malaysia (Malaya) does not have leg to stand on either in Sabah or Sarawak. Sabah and Sarawak, two independent countries, were dragged by the Malayan and British Governments against their will into Malaysia on 16 Sept 1963. 

Sarawak became independent on 22 July, 1963 after a brief period of British colonial rule after World War 11 during which the Japanese occupied the country. Sarawak was an independent country under a Rajah for over 150 years before the Japanese marched in.
 
In an interview with Veronica Pedrosa of al Jazeera on Sun 17 Mar, 2013 at his home in Mindanao, Nur Misuari -- tagged the original Muslim rebel by the station -- said Malaysiahad no right to be in Sabah and Sarawak. http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2013/03/201331421944766446.htm
l
He challenged Malaysia to appear before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and prove its case on Sabah and Sarawak. 

He said that Malaysia was a colonial occupying power in Sabah and Sarawak and accused it of using the MNLF-breakaway Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as an instrument of its colonial policies. 

He said peace would only come to the southern Philippines when Malaysia is removed from the equation.  He expects MNLF-Manila peace talks to resume sometime this month in Jakarta.

On Sabah and Sarawak, Nur Misuari hinted that Malaysia "will be inviting some crisis" if it does not end the colonial occupation of these countries.

The chickens are coming home to roost
 
Even so, pending UN intervention; the Registrar of Societies (ROS) should allow the registration of Usno to pacify the Suluks in Sabah. 

It should also rule that the parti parti Malaya have no business being in Sabah andSarawak. This is a violation of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement, one of the many constitutional documents making up the unwritten Constitution of Malaysia. It would become clear once the fog of war lifts that the presence of such parties in Sabah is among the reasons, albeit indirectly, for the Lahad Datu Standoff.

The chickens are also coming home to roost after the Election Commission, on the directive of a self-serving Putrajaya, naively divided the Electoral Rolls in Sabah as composed of Muslim Bumiputera, non-Muslim Bumiputera, Chinese and others. 

The so-called Muslim Bumiputera on the Electoral Rolls is packed with illegal immigrants at the expense of local Muslims.

The non-Muslim Bumiputera category tries to drive a wedge between the majority Christian Orang Asal and minority Muslim Orang Asal when they are related to each other.

 
Further Reading:
 
Joe Fernandez is a mature student of law and an educationist, among others, who loves to write especially Submissions for Clients wishing to Act in Person. 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.              

 

Undercover sting exposes Malaysia land-grab

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 12:47 PM PDT

http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/imagecache/218/330/mritems/Images/2011/4/16/20114167181657621_20.jpg 

(Al Jazeera) - Allegations of corruption get louder following secret tapes showing plunder of resource-rich Sarawak province.

Watch Al Jazeera's video at: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/03/2013318131755948174.html 

Plantations and logging are ravaging Malaysia's majestic Borneo region and indigenous people who have lived for centuries here say they are increasingly being uprooted from their once-pristine lands.

But as the timber and palm oil companies swarm over the rugged landscape of resplendent rivers and ancient rainforests, villagers in Long Napir in the country's biggest state Sarawak have vowed to thwart any further land-grabs.

The village is a settlement of longhouses, the traditional communal housing favoured by indigenous people in eastern Malaysia's Borneo island.

Under the Sarawak Land Law, indigenous people have rights over areas as long as they can prove they have lived in or used the lands prior to January 1, 1958.

"We have no land to farm, our rivers have become muddy, there's hardly any fish left anymore."

- Tamin Sepuluh Ribu, villager

 

But the surrounding ancient rainforests that are so essential to their traditional way of life is under threat because of logging and plantation companies. Over the past 30 years, Sarawak - one of the richest Malaysian states - has become one of the largest exporters of tropical timber.

Despite its wealth, profits have failed to trickle down, and the people here are some of the poorest in the country.

Long Napir villagers lay the blame for their plight squarely on one man: the state's powerful chief minister, Abdul Mahmud Taib, who is in charge of all land classification and the allocation of lucrative forestry and plantation licenses.

"He lives, the rest of us suffer," Tamin Sepuluh Ribu, a former village headman, told Al Jazeera. "We have no land to farm, our rivers have become muddy, there's hardly any fish left anymore."

'Coterie of cronies'

Global Witness, a non-governmental organisation working against environmental exploitation, has investigated and exposed the situation in remote eastern Malaysia.  

An undercover Global Witness investigator posing as an investor was offered several opportunities to purchase land in Sarawak by company officials linked to Chief Minister Taib. In each instance, the land in question was occupied by indigenous communities, who have valid claims to ownership rights under Malaysian law.

Global Witness said the indigenous areas were being sold by companies with close personal or political ties to the chief minister.

Taib has held the post since 1981, and has been repeatedly accused of corruption during his nearly 32-year rule.

The US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur noted in one cable released by WikiLeaks: "Chief Minister Taib Mahmud … doles out timber-cutting permits while patrolling the underdeveloped state using 14 helicopters, and his family's companies control much of the economy."

The American cable added that, "All major contracts and a significant portion of land to be converted to palm oil plantations [including on indigenous 'customary land rights' that the state government has refused to recognize] are given to these three companies."

People in Sarawak are "fed up" with Taib's administration, "seen as only enriching his family and a small coterie of cronies", it said.

A Penan girl deep in the Borneo rainforests [EPA]

Under investigation

Global Witness released a November 2012 report titled, "In the future, there will be no forests." 

"Taib's powerful executive position and personal responsibility for the issuance of lucrative logging and plantation licences has enabled him to systematically extract 'unofficial payments' from the state's timber tycoons for the enrichment of himself and his family," the report said.

Taib, meanwhile, denied the corruption allegations as "wholly untrue and malicious", said the report.

In 2011, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission launched an official investigation into Taib, which continues at present.

In secretly taped negotiations provided to Al Jazeera, the Global Witness investigator discussed buying land with company shareholders Fatimah Abdul Rahman and Norlia Abdul Rahman - Taib's first cousins. Fatimah admitted the parcel of land under discussion had been transferred to them by Chief Minister Taib.

"Yeah, he's the one who gave us the land. He's my cousin," Fatimah said, laughing.

In 2011, Taib gave his cousins 5,000 hectares of land for about $300,000 dollars, according to leaked land registry documents. Having secured agriculture and timber licences, they were trying to sell it a year later for more than $16mn.

Later, discussing the ease of receiving a forestry license, Fatimah told the Global Witness investigator: "The Land and Survey Department, they are the ones that issue this licence. Of course, this is from the CM's [Chief Minister's] directive, but I can speak to the CM very easily."

Fatimah and Norlia did not respond to Al Jazeera's requests for comment.

'Naughty people'

Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud is accused of graft [Reuters]

Over the years, Taib's government has sought to limit the exercise of indigenous land rights. More than 200 land dispute cases are now before Sarawak courts, brought on behalf of claimants from indigenous communities.

Jannie Lasimbang, Malaysia's National Human Rights Commissioner, told Al Jazeera that numerous amendments have eroded indigenous land rights over the years.

"The commission is concerned about the high degree of frustration, anger and desperation among indigenous peoples," Lasimbang said. 

In 1994, the Sarawak government gave the minister in charge of land the power to extinguish Native Customary Rights to land. Two years later, it was legislated that land dispute cases were automatically to presume the land belongs to the state, and the burden of proof was shifted to the claimant.

In 2011, the definition of "native" was amended to include "any party entering into a joint-venture plantation deal with the Land Custody and Development Authority".

In the secretly recorded conversations with Global Witness, Taib's cousins Fatimah and Norlia showed disdain and contempt for indigenous rights, describing local villagers as "naughty people".

"So the minute they hear this land has been given, has been titled to this company to do oil palm and what-not, they'll plonk themselves there," said Fatimah.

Her sister Norlia added, "They may harass you, that's all. They are actually squatters on the land, because the land doesn't belong to them. It's government land. So they're squatting."

Scratching the surface

The secret dealings caught on tape only scratch the surface of the Taib family's business interests.

"I know people are talking about him [Taib] being corrupted and all, but I think who isn't in this world when they're leaders?"

- Fatimah Abdul Rahman, Taib's cousin

 

Leaked land registry documents analysed by Swiss non-governmental organisation Bruno Manser Fonds suggest that companies linked to Taib's family control about 200,000 hectares of land in Sarawak - an area twice the size of Hong Kong. Global Witness estimates it has a market value of $500mn.

Read more at: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/03/2013318131755948174.html 

Action against lawyer in Sarawak exposé clip, say advocates group

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 12:45 PM PDT

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/images/uploads/mugshots/taibmahmud540px2.jpg 

(The Malaysian Insider) - The Advocates Association of Sarawak (AAS) will investigate and act against the lawyer featured in a covert video by Global Witness (GW) implicating state Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and his family with shady land deals, said a spokesman.

The Sarawak lawyer, identified as Alvin Chong, allegedly represented sisters Fatimah Abdul Rahman and Norlia Abdul Rahman who were recorded in the video describing potentially illegal deals.

Both are daughters of former state chief minister Tun Abdul Rahman Ya'akub and first cousins with the incumbent CM Taib.

"AAS will take appropriate action after due inquiry. One of the possible courses of action is to refer any complaints received on this matter to the Advocates Inquiry Committee," a spokesman from AAS told The Malaysian Insider by text message.

The Advocates Inquiry Committee is an independent statutory body separate from AAS, consisting senior lawyers from the state appointed by the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. The lawyers in both Borneo states are not under the jurisdiction of the Malaysian Bar, which only represents lawyers in the Malay peninsula.

The Malaysian Insider understands that complaints against AAS members can be lodged by the public or its members themselves.

Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/action-against-lawyer-in-sarawak-expose-clip-say-advocates-group/

 

Political suicide or stroke of genius?

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 12:42 PM PDT

http://fz.com/sites/default/files/styles/1_landscape_slider_photo/public/limkitsiang_johor_1.jpg 

Pakatan's decision to field Lim in Gelang Patah, Johor, analysts say, is to win all Chinese majority seats in the southern state.
 
Mohsin Abdullah, fz.com 
PAKATAN'S move in putting Lim Kit Siang to contest Gelang Patah is obvious. Political analysts say it's to win all Chinese majority seats in the state of Johor. Not only Gelang Patah. Using Lim's "image" and "stature" to garner the votes.
 
Still, before that, the analysts as well as strategists within Pakatan itself agree that the major challenge now is to get the entire Pakatan fraternity, in particular the grassroots in Johor, to "see the big picture".
 
The big picture, of course, is winning GE13 and forming the federal government. But isn't that obvious? Why reiterate the need to see the big picture? If not for anything else, it's to "pre-empt any chance" of an "implosion" arising from the move of bringing in Lim to Johor. 
 
Pakatan strategists agree "there can be problems", citing the recent PKR-DAP spat as an example. Other "potential  time bombs" could be a PKR backlash as Gelang Patah has always been their's to contest and MCA man turned PKR leader Datuk Chua Jui Meng's "disappointment" of being overlooked after eying the Gelang Patah candidacy for some time. Enter the big picture.
 
"If they understand the bigger picture, no one needs to throw a tantrum," said a DAP headquarters source. PAS GE13 director Dr Hatta Ramli agrees that Pakatan supporters should see the bigger picture but "at the same time leaders should appreciate the contribution and sacrifices of grassroots and local leaders".
 
Lim's Gelang Patah candidacy was announced by Opposition Leader cum PKR Ketua Umum Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim himself. "I believe Anwar speaks for his party and this is for the good of Pakatan," said Hatta. 
 
Already word has it that Chua will be given the relative safe seat of Bakri to contest. And said Hatta: "I'm not ruling out other compromises to sooth any ill feeling".
 
According to a Chinese political affairs watcher, DAP is confident of winning in constituencies where PKR candidates had failed previously. And Gelang Patah is one of them. "So DAP managed to convince Anwar to give them the seats to contest."
 
According to another political observer,  Pakatan aims to win 15 parliamentary seats in Johor which will help in its quest of taking over the federal administration. "Pakatan feels winning the parliamentary seats in Johor is realistic. If they do win the state government, it will be a big bonus."
 
The DAP source has this to say: "Johor is a front line state for DAP in GE13. And the best person to lead the attack is Lim Kit Siang. He is anak  (a child of) Johor. Like the Malay saying "sirih pulang ke gagang (going back to his roots)."
 
And, said the political observer, Lim needs to win Gelang Patah as well as help the opposition pact win all Chinese majority seats. "With him leaving the safe seat of Ipoh Timur, it shows DAP is serious in Johor." 
 
The observer went on to say:  "All the while the Chinese in the state have not been part of the political tsunami, but this time the DAP feels it's going to be different."
 
The Chinese political affairs watcher however said it's not going to be easy for DAP, and in particular Lim, in Gelang Patah. But to the DAP source, Gelang Patah is tough "but winnable for Pakatan".
 
Still the Chinese political affairs watcher said while "most Chinese voters are rumoured to have made up their minds to kick out BN out of Johor, we must not lose sight of the fact that the majority of Malay and Indian voters are likely to defend BN".  And he also pointed out there are no parliamentary seats in Johor which have more than 60% Chinese voters.
 
Yet a PAS activist has an interesting theory, something he has been saying for quite some time. And I've written about this last year. It's worth repeating. He said that in the 1999 general election, Umno lost the Malay votes due to the sacking of Anwar by then PM Datuk Seri (now Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad and what saved BN then was the Chinese votes as admitted by Dr Mahathir himself.

Read more at: http://fz.com/content/political-suicide-or-stroke-genius#overlay-context= 

Pakatan & PTPTN

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 12:37 PM PDT

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/rafizi-ptptn.jpg 

Rafizi Ramli says PTPTN should be abolished sooner than later, otherwise the nation will go bankrupt. But, with PTPTN abolished, and with the provision of free tertiary education, will not the nation go bankrupt even faster?

Arshad Mohd Nor 

At the rate Pakatan leaders are contradicting each other, it is becoming increasingly clear that they cannot provide a credible alternative to BN. A simple example of their credibility gap is how they have been addressing the PTPTN issue.

To date 1.9 million students have availed themselves of PTPTN loans to the tune of RM 43.6 billion. This figure has been estimated to grow at 11% annually. So, by next year end, PTPTN loans would have increased to RM53.21 billion.

Pakatan supremo Anwar Ibrahim has been quoted as saying that, if Pakatan were to come to power, he would write off the PTPTN loans.

Pakatan has also promised free tertiary education in public institutions. So, that will probably cost another RM10 billion, at a conservative estimate. That makes it a total of over RM60 billion in year one of Pakatan rule. That's RM60 billion down the drain. Where will they find the funds to finance this massive expenditure? That's the curious part.

But the curiouser part is this: PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli says PTPTN should be abolished sooner than later, otherwise the nation will go bankrupt. But, with PTPTN abolished, and with the provision of free tertiary education, will not the nation go bankrupt even faster? Pakatan should re-do its maths. If it really insists on fulfilling all its shaky promises, the education bill alone will hang over its neck like an albatross.

It has been acknowledged worldwide that Malaysia already spends a large chunk of its budget on education.  In the world ranking it is No. 10, spending 8.1% of GDP on education. That is higher than all the developed countries. Malaysia therefore has its priorities right. Nobody should be allowed to tamper with a winning formula, especially not those with nothing else on their mind except political advantage at the expense of the rakyat.

 

The Myth of the Rich and Poor

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 12:26 PM PDT

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUijnt_ccmWYzx0W05nul7gPEVq46pDuIRU0EW-l_qtDYqL72fMg 

Consequently, the levers of power will be in the hands of corporations and the wealthy, which will have a bigger say in public policies, thus countering the libertarians' intended "democracy". Unlike the government of the day, boards of directors are not voted in by the people.  

Anas Alam Faizli


"They are simply lazy"

"His father is a Tan Sri"

"He knows someone from the inside"

"I made it purely out of effort; I worked hard to get where I am today"

These are some typical expressions that are sure to be heard in coffee chats, every time the topic of rich and poor is brought up. People have grown easily accustomed to brushing off the topic of inequality as welfarist or socialist. This happens even amongst supposedly "middle class" Malaysians, not realizing that they are in actuality, most likely top income earners and wealth owners. Households earning RM10,000 a month above already qualify as Top 4% Malaysians! In fact, while partisan voices continue their discourse in the racial imbalance tone, Malaysia has silently migrated into new battles, concerning intra-racial, income, and class-based imbalances.

It is often argued that the poor and the low income earners are plain lazy and do not work hard; that one earns what one deserves. This is not true. Many are simply unlucky, to be born to parents who lack education or skills to escape from the clutches of poverty. Some were born with disabilities and diseases, while some others live in flood-prone or hazardous places. On the other hand, we have sub-quality undeserving businessmen linked to political patrons, estate and fortune inheritors, and individuals plainly lucky to be placed in lucrative industries with high economic rent. Accusations like laziness then become hardly the issue. The rich can be lazy too!

There are those who do not deserve to be in poverty, just as there are those who do not deserve their wealth. The cases above are simple yet fitting examples to describe that not all poverty is a result of unwillingness for hard work, and not all wealth is a result of it. Thus, the fight against inequality is rather a fight to equalize opportunities so as to reach more equitable outcomes, not to distortively equalize outcomes. This is not a crusade against the rich, but a crusade to help the poor.

What's the Big Deal with Inequality?

Inequality is very real, whether or not we have problems with the GINI coefficient as a measure. In fact, the attention regarded to inequality is very much driven by consequences of inequality, rather than pre-emptive. We can see real consequences to the society; including societal backlashes, power imbalances, effects on wages, effects on growth, crime and quality of living, to name a few. As long as the income and wealth inequality gap remain large and public investment for education, training, childcare and public infrastructure remain inadequate, progressive taxes and affirmative action in its true and productive spirit have a place within public policy. It is imperative that the richer within the society share the responsibility of helping the poor; in the bigger picture, it is actually in their interest to do so, as they too will feel the consequences of inequality.

The Fallacy of the Free Market

In any discourse of inequality and the rich and poor, the "free market" will almost immediately arise. The basic tenant of a free market is well described by the "Invisible Hand" coined by 18th century economist, Adam Smith. It argues that prices, and thus distribution of goods, services, labour, capital goods, land and human skills are all determined by market forces, or this "hand" that cannot physically be seen. Proponents of this market-based allocation system are naturally against increased forms of government intervention like transfers, donations, taxes, subsidies and benefits. To put simply, they believe that letting the market run its course freely will reach desirable market equilibriums in the fairest manner, thus achieving productivity and wealth for a nation.

The marketplace does have some elements of arguable fairness; hard work will get you higher income, and laziness will be punished. Jobs, goods and wages are "naturally" supplied to and demanded by society, according to their needs and capabilities, instead of government allocation which is dangerously prone to over or under budgeting.

However, one must note critically that the fairness of the marketplace should not be exaggerated. Market forces can be "brutally unsentimental", as put by Jeffrey Sachs. Pockets of failures in the market are impossible to deny because not everyone in the economy starts from the same baseline. Endowments like wealth, opportunities, or physical health vary extremely amongst people within the system. While some manage to climb out of low income brackets and make it, as a result of opportunities and big breaks, others remain pressed in a vicious downward cycle. Indeed, not everyone gets a big break.

The Taxation Antagonist

The most common proponents of the free market are libertarians; whose ethical core is liberty. They hold the best economic outcomes will only prevail when each individual is left free to act economically and live without an authority governing their economic decisions. Individuals are in no way held responsible to the society, other than to be respectful towards the liberty and property of others. The government's sole responsibility is to only maintain law and order such as protection of private property. Extreme libertarians even hold that there is no requirement for government to build infrastructures, road or highways; such should be left to market forces because the need for them itself is incentive enough for someone to build them.

Libertarians are like "taxation antagonists". Amongst other forms of government intervention, libertarians reject governments promoting fairness and efficiency through a system of taxation. Tax is regarded as just another form of government extortion; de-motivating those who work hard while potentially over compensating those who don't.

In summary, libertarians hold that free market is the only way economic allocations are done "democratically"; hence it is the savior of democracy and enough on its own to ensure prosperity. Therefore, talk of government intervention in helping the poor will also become a point of contention in the books of libertarians.

Malaysian Libertarians

Many quarters have easily discarded the New Economic Policy (NEP) in hindsight, but it arguably did its job to almost eliminate poverty; reducing it from 50% in 1970 to the current 3.8%. Previously poor now form middle class and professional Malaysians.

Unfortunately, there is nothing to be proud of with the NEP mid 90s onwards. Rampant corruption, leakages and a breakdown in the integrity system demonstrated by those within the government have further worsened the situation. Perhaps this frustration in the government is behind the mushrooming of libertarian ideologies in Malaysia.

Is Libertarianism for Malaysia? We can first answer this by revisiting typical problems of missing a government sector. There is the question of who will provide public and common goods. We also do not need more than one police force, firemen, or court of law competing against each other. Without the government, who will then take care of the environment, regulate moral hazards, ensure individuals do not hurt each other, and protect the sovereign rights of Malaysians? Reducing government role is perhaps agreeable, but its total elimination has grave repercussions.

We then approach the issue of poverty. In all its admirable intentions of rewarding hard work and reducing influence of corrupt governments, libertarianism leaves too much room for an upward continuity of wealth and a downward spiral of poverty. As argued earlier, people start from different baselines. Holders of wealth are in the position to continue leveraging on existing wealth, to create more wealth- they can hardly be blamed as they are only incentivized and allowed to do so! It is worse when wealth comes from extracting economic rent, rather than the creating of true values that ultimately increases the size of the economic pie.

Consequently, the levers of power will be in the hands of corporations and the wealthy, which will have a bigger say in public policies, thus countering the libertarians' intended "democracy". Unlike the government of the day, boards of directors are not voted in by the people. Their fear of how a socialist nation will lead to fascism can also happen in free market except under the disguise corporate power. The free market failure then becomes as much political as economic!

Now imagine this "free market" is Malaysia, with one of the highest inequality levels in Asia (measured by GINI). The helpless poor will be left drowning in the currents of this market force, contending against the rich. This is exactly where a true, free, and liberal form of the market may not be able to generate the pristine intended outcomes it initially set out to do.

The Pakatan Rakyat Manifesto: A Manifesto for its Time

Political preference aside, there is cause to applaud the recent Pakatan Rakyat Manifesto. Tackling core economic issues, its four pillars hit home the concerns of the common rakyat; fraternity of the people, the people's economy, people's well-being and people's government. In Malaysia, the published absolute poverty number may be low, but in relative terms, many rakyat including daily creation of urban poor are effectively impoverished by demanding cost of housing and living that are unmatched by salary levels, high indebtedness, and low productivity levels due to limited skills and education.

For the government to maintain relevance in the face of libertarian claims, government interventions need to be tactical. If the government's stance is pro-business, it must be backed-up with robust social safety nets to hoist up and bring along poor households in the sprint towards growth and wealth creation. If the focus is the rakyat, care must be put to ensure business appetite is not suppressed. Such aspirations will be impossible to achieve without policies such as those proposed by the PR Manifesto; such as expanded educational opportunities (by making tertiary education free), reduction in the cost of living (utilities and tolls), targeted instead of blanket subsidies, and an upward pressure towards wages and salaries that are currently depressed by influx of foreign labour.

We have yet to see what Barisan Nasional has to promise with its manifesto but as a start, it should be more defined than its 2008 one; "to grow the economy" and start quantifying them. In fact, growing the economy is really a given.

Uplifting the Poor: Leveling the Playing Field

This is no plan to pull a modern-day Robin Hood, robbing the rich off of their hard work to reassign some wealth to the poor. The rich may be reached out to, to shoulder some responsibility to raise the level of education, health and productivity of the poor. Imagine the difference between a community with a billionaire worth RM40 billion and lots of poor people, versus one with 400 households worth RM10.0 million each. We might not love to pay tax but we accept its legitimacy as long as it is properly enacted into law and is used properly. This by no means entails slacking off on the part of the poor. Opportunities are provided, but they still need to be capitalized upon. The idea is a bigger economic pie and an unleashing of further values that the poorer population could have produced and Malaysia could have enjoyed.

Putting all these into consideration, where does it leave libertarianism, minimal taxes to the rich and businesses, and the free market? Need bigger government roles necessarily mean bigger inefficiencies, and more corruption? Welfare states in Scandinavia have ranked higher than America in terms of the Human Development Index (HDI). At the same time, Scandinavian nations are among the most equal nations, high in governance and control over corruption, despite the bigger size of their government.

Ultimately, a healthy economy is a mixed economy, in which both the government and market forces both play their role. The exact balance remains an ongoing battle; but it's good to start with unraveling the realities of inequality. Inequality is neither a hobby for anti-capitalist activists, nor development economists looking for the next trendy topic for their thesis. It's true that government intervention in the shapes and sizes that they take form, may have distortive capabilities, but the "lazy poor and the hardworking rich" is a myth. For a better Malaysia, we have no choice but to continue our strive for productivity albeit with a new focus; inclusiveness.
 
Otherwise, Malaysia will be dragging its feet into the future, carrying the baggage of the past policies and its repercussions.

"A statesman is he who thinks in the future generations, and a politician is he who thinks in the upcoming elections." – Abraham Lincoln

* Anas Alam Faizli is an oil and gas professional. He is pursuing a post-graduate doctorate, executive director of TFTN and tweets at @aafaizli

 

Rosmah puts some sparkle in her biography

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 09:37 PM PDT

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Datin-Seri-Rosmah-Mansur-300x202.jpg 

(Free Malaysia Today) - 'First Lady' says it is common to receive expensive jewellery and gifts and denies purchasing a RM24 million diamond ring in her book.

Rosmah Mansor, the wife of the prime minister, finally shed more light on the RM24 million diamond ring scandal – in her biography, two years later.

In her biography, she said it is common for the prime minister's wife to receive expensive jewellery and gifts while on official duty.

"While welcoming guests, it is common courtesy for them to present us gifts as memorabilia. Among these gifts include rings, watches, jewellery and others. Some are very expensive and custom-made," she said in the book's Question and Answer section.

Rosmah was responding to allegations that she had purchased RM24 million diamond ring as claimed by the opposition two years ago.

Her 180-page biography entitled "Biographi Rosmah Mansor" was launched today by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The authors are Siti Rohayah Attan and Noraini Abdul Razak.

In the book, Rosmah explained that it was common to receive gifts from hosts while visiting another country on official duty.

"When someone gives us something, it is not nice to reject it. This said, there is no reason for me to go around announcing that I have been presented watches, designer bags, and the rest. That's just showing off," she said.

Rosmah said she would then "wear" the gifts presented to her as it was a "waste" for them be kept in a safety deposit box.

"It is illogical to keep them [the gifts] in a metal box when they were presented to me sincerely, are beautiful and suitable for use," she said.

Rosmah added that she also purchased jewellery and designer clothes using her own money.

"What's wrong with that?" she asked.

"As a woman and wife of a leader, I have to look presentable, neat and upkeep my appearance. I don't want to look unkempt because if I do, I will be criticised.

"It would be embarrassing for the rakyat when other countries tease the PM's wife for being unkempt," she said.

In her book, Rosmah reiterated that she did not own the RM24 million diamond ring as alleged by former PKR central committee member Badrul Hisham Shaharin in 2011.

"The ring was brought in through Customs to be viewed by Maira Nazarbayev who was with me at the time preparing her son's engagement to my daughter," she said, adding that Maira was a "regular customer" of jewellery maker Jacob & Co.

"Once viewed by Maira, the ring was returned and sent out of Malaysia through Singapore port on April 20, 2011. It arrived at Jacob & Co's headoffice in New York on May 13, 2011."

Rosmah's book should be distributed in schools

Meanwhile, during the launch of the book, Mahathir said it was important for all leaders and public figures to chronicle their experiences and achievements in a biography for future references.

Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/03/19/rosmah-puts-some-sparkle-in-her-biography/ 

The Chinese and Indians screwed up

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 08:03 PM PDT

There is some chatter going on in the Internet regarding the New Economic Policy (NEP) so I thought that maybe I would address this issue. Some readers, however, have said they are incapable of reading my 3-4-page articles. Some say they only read the titles and then start posting comments based on the title. For the sake of these people who want to read brief articles, today I shall try to be as brief as possible.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

In 1981, Tun (then Dato' Seri) Dr Mahathir Mohamad took over as Malaysia's Fourth Prime Minister.

Soon after he took office he invited members of the Malay and Chinese Chambers of Commerce for dinner at the Equatorial Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. He then placed five Malays and five Chinese at each table for ten and made us all sit alternate to one another.

Dr Mahathir then told the Malays that the NEP had run for more than 11 years and had less than nine years to go before it ended. And, as promised, it will end in 1990 because it is not fair to the non-Malays to extend it beyond 20 years. Hence the Malays need to be prepared to face this day.

Dr Mahathir also told the Chinese that they would need to work with the Malays and help them achieve the aspirations of the NEP so that the government can end the NEP in 1990 as planned. If the NEP ended far short of the target, then this might create a lot of dissatisfaction, which is not good for the stability of the country when one race harbours a grudge against another.

In 1991, Dr Mahathir proposed that the Third Bumiputera Economic Congress be held at the PWTC where the various races, political parties from both Barisan Nasional and the Opposition, Malay-Chinese-Indian Chambers of Commerce, associations, societies, movements, NGOs, etc., could sit down for three days to discuss the ending of the NEP and how the government should face the post-NEP era and address the various short-comings in the social reengineering experiment of 1970-1990.

(SEE MORE HERE: http://www.pmo.gov.my/ucapan/?m=p&p=mahathir&id=210)

At this Congress, which was held in January 1992, the audience was shocked by the public quarrel between Anwar Ibrahim, the then Finance Minister, and Rafidah Aziz, the Trade and Industry Minister. These two Ministers plus the other members of the Cabinet could not agree on a common policy.

The non-Malay members of the Congress, in particular the Chinese and Indians, did not put forward any proposals and attended the session merely as silent observers. They just listened to what the Malay participants had to say without contributing any ideas.

Eventually, the Congress ended without any concrete proposals other than the 20-point Memorandum from the Malay Chamber of Commerce (which Raja Petra Kamarudin presented to Tan Sri Sanusi Junid), which the government accepted as merely an Addendum to the main Resolution from the Congress proper, which was that the Congress left it to the government to resolve the issue of what to do in the post-NEP era.

For all intents and purposes, the Congress failed because the Cabinet Ministers, the non-Malay participants, the members of the Opposition parties, and the Chinese and Indian Chambers of Commerce, did not contribute any ideas and proposals that the government could consider and adopt as Malaysia's new policy post-NEP.

 

Saman Homoseksual RM 100 Juta - Permohonan Maaf Papa Gomo Kepada Anwar Ibrahim

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 07:19 PM PDT

Papa Gomo

Untuk makluman Dato Sri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini saya telah pun terpancut kerana sekian lama air saya tertunggak menantikan saman dari Dato Sri. Tak disangka hari ini ianya keluar terpancut melimpah limpah dengan amaun RM 100 juta dari Anwar Ibrahim.

"Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim memfailkan saman ke atas blogger pro-Umno, Papagomo yang menyebar gambar lucah menyerupai Ketua Umum KEADILAN di rangkaian media sosial.

Anwar"Saya telah arah pasukan peguam saya untuk mengambil tindakan undang-undang ke atas blogger pemfitnah yang mempunyai kaitan rapat dengan Umno," kata Anwar di twitter hari ini."

In the letter of demand sent today, Dato' Seri Anwar's solicitors have demanded that the blogger Papa Gomo withdraw his malicious allegations, apologize within 48 hours from today, and pay damages in the sum of RM 100 million."

Permohonan Maaf saya :

Salam sejahtera kepada Dato Sri Anwar Bin Ibrahim Ketua Umum Pakatan Rakyat. Saya dengan ini memohon maaf diatas ketelanjuran saya yang menyebarkan gambar gambar berbentuk separa lucah kepada rakyat. Saya benar benar memohon maaf diatas kebiadapan saya ini yang mencerca Dato Sri dan melabelkan Dato Sri sebagai pengamal Homoseksual.

Dengan permohonaan Maaf ini saya harap agar Dato Sri dapat balik menarik saman RM 100 juta yang difailkan keatas saya kerana saya orang susah, tidak ada duit sebanyak itu untuk membayar saman Dato Sri. Lagipun saya terpaksa menanggung 5 orang adik adik saya yang masih lagi bersekolah manakala ibu saya tidak sihat dan bapa saya pula tidak berkerja.


Apa sekalipun Dato Sri, saya juga dengan ini memberikan amaran buat Dato Sri untuk menarik balik saman tersebut dalam masa 48 Jam kerana jika Dato Sri tidak menarik balik saman tersebut serta membuat permohonan Maaf kepada saya maka saya dengan ini tidak akan teragak agak untuk mendedahkan lebih banyak paparan video Homoseksual Dato Sri untuk tatapan rakyat.

READ MORE HERE

 

Anwar threatens RM100mil suit against blogger

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 06:56 PM PDT

NONE

(Freemalaysiakini) - Lawyers acting for Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim sent a letter of demand to Umno-aligned blogger Papagomo or Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris today for implicating Anwar in a fabricated sex video.

PKR vice-president N Surendran said Wan Muhammad Azri, who is the owner or operator of Papagomo, had on March 16 published fake photographs and allegations about Anwar.

"The faking and distribution of photographs and false allegations of a sexual nature against Anwar have become a trademark of the gutter politics practised by Umno and its bloggers.

"Hence, today we sent a letter of demand to him. Anwar's solicitors have demanded Papagomo withdraws the malicious allegations, apologises within 48 hours from today and pays damages in the sum of RM 100 million.

"The sum of damages demanded reflects the blogger's close ties with Umno and Umno's clear backing for him," Surendran (above), a lawyer, said in a statement.

Privileged access to submarine

He claimed Papagomo was notoriously close to and had confidential ties with senior Umno leaders such as party vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the blogger was even allowed privileged access to Malaysia's Scorpene submarine KD Tun Razak during a controversy that erupted between BN and Pakatan Rakyat over the capabilities of the submarine.

The hidden hand of Umno was thus clearly present behind this latest disgusting attack on the character and reputation of the leader of Pakatan Rakyat.

"Umno's heavy reliance on sleazy politics and dubious bloggers highlights its utter moral and ethical collapse. It proves Umno-BN's complete unfitness to continue to rule and administer our nation," Surendran added.

Anwar over the weekend denied the latest allegation, calling it "Umno's disgusting pre-election slander".

 

‘Over 60,000 dubious voters in Sabah’

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 06:51 PM PDT

DAP also finds 29 instances of old IC duplications in the electoral roll.

Anisah Shukry, FMT

The Sabah electoral roll has 60,673 or 6.3% potentially dubious voters, the DAP said today.

Ong Kian Ming, director of the party's Malaysian Electoral Roll Analysis Project (Merap), said they arrived at this figure from the proceedings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) probing the issuance of identity cards (IC) to illegal immigrants in Sabah.

"Ruslan Alias, an assistant head in the IC division of Sabah/Sarawak in the National Registration Department [NRD], revealed a list containing 130,459 'problematic' old IC numbers where their records with the NRD were either incomplete or where these cards had been cancelled," Ong told a press conference at the party's headquarters here.

He said Merap did a search of the old IC numbers using the first quarter of the 2012 electoral roll and found that 60,673 of those problematic ICs were on the roll.

"These voters are not evenly distributed across the state. Eight out of the top 10 parliamentary constituencies featuring these voters can be found on the east coast of Sabah. Some 66% or 39,750 voters out of the 60,673 problematic ICs can be found in these eight parliamentary seats," said Ong.

The top eight seats are Silam (7,934 dubious voters), Kalabakan (7,536), Semporna (4,742), Libaran (3,949), Batu Sapi (3,442), Sandakan (2,603), and Kinabatangan (2,068), according to Merap.

Ong conceded that the current electoral roll may not reflect similar figures, but he said it was unlikely the Election Commission (EC) would be able to remove over 60,000 voters from the roll within a span of four months.

"Far from seeing a decrease in voters in Sabah's electoral roll in the past few months, we have actually seen a surge of voters," he said.

He also said Merap found 29 instances of old IC duplications from the list of problematic ICs.

"These voters are still on the electoral roll at the time of writing," said Ong.

Serious issue

Meanwhile, Ong questioned why 20 IC numbers listed as having been cancelled in 1996 were only removed from the electoral roll in the fourth quarter of 2012.

"How did these voters manage to stay on the electoral roll up until the fourth quarter of 2012?

"Who was responsible for registering these voters with cancelled ICs? According to the data collected previously by Merap, all these voters were registered after 1996, when these ICs were supposed to be cancelled," he added.

READ MORE HERE

 

Who is PI Bala?

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 06:45 PM PDT

The fight for justice and truth is still very much alive although the private investigator is no more here to see its conclusion.

The Altantuya "curse" refused to go away. It has returned to haunt those who were responsible for committing such an unspeakable, cold-blooded, horrific murder. Her spirit must surely be pattering silently along the corridors of power, closely following the perpetrators wherever they go – to public functions, campaign trails, shopping sprees.

Free Malaysia Today

Who is PI Bala? The whole country knows private investigator P Balasubramaniam including even Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor. But the First Couple refuses to acknowledge the existence of such a man or pretends he does not exist. After all, Bala's damaging revelations hardly saw print in the mainstream media. If there is nothing mentioned about Bala in the tightly controlled newspapers, then there is nothing to worry about. Even if it gets reported, the news is deliberately sanitised.

Who is PI Bala? Let's take a brisk walk down the lane trodden by Bala. The private investigator was one of the key characters in the story about the murder of the Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu. He made two statutory declarations: the first contained the jaw-dropping allegation that Najib had intimate relationship with Altantuya; in the second SD, he withdrew the allegation implicating Najib in the gruesome murder.

Bala was the PI hired by Abdul Razak Baginda to stop Altantuya from harrying Abdul Razak and Najib. Abdul Razak was Najib's former aide and Altantuya's purported lover. Altantuya was harassing the duo for her commission after acting as a middle person in a submarine deal in which Najib was involved as the then deputy prime minister and defence minister. The Mongolian woman only wanted her share in the dodgy deal and ended up paying for her life.

After retracting the second SD, Bala went abroad. A seemingly innocent Najib went on to become the country's most powerful CEO. No one now could touch a strand of his hair. For awhile, the Altantuya storm subsided. Then a carpet trader, Deepak Jaikishan, entered the stage and dropped a bombshell: he admitted he was the man who persuaded Bala to withdraw the second SD. Bala resurfaced to make a more damning statement: he was sticking to the first SD. Then he returned home and again swore that what was written in the first SD was nothing but the truth. Which means Najib was indeed involved in the murder of Altantuya.

The strength and integrity of the second SD have been considerably weakened and compromised when Bala's lawyer Americk Siddhu told the world that the second SD was prepared on the instruction of Najib. How did he know? A lawyer by the name of Cecil Abraham had allegedly confessed to Americk that the former had drafted the second SD on orders of the almight CEO. Bala's fight for justice has reopened a festering wound.

READ MORE HERE

 

Attack on coffeeshop worker: No cover-up, say police

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 05:47 PM PDT

In another incident, a company director linked Taib Mahmud was released on bail following a three-day remand for attacking a NCR landowner. 

Joseph Tawie, FMT

KUCHING: Kuching police chief ACP Roslan Ahmad has given an assurance that there will be no cover-up of a case involving a police inspector attached to the 11th battalion of the General Operations (GOF) who was caught on CCTV assaulting a 21-year-old youth in Batu Kawah area last week.

The youth, Andrewson Ngalai, a coffeeshop worker, and his friends were reportedly attacked by the police inspector and some gangsters in the early hours of March 14.

Roslan told reporters today that the police inspector and two of gangsters have been detained.

"He has been arrested together with two men aged 22 and 39. The six handphone sets robbed by them have also been confiscated," he said, adding that all were currently under remand until March 21 pending an investigation.

The police inspector not only aided and abetted a group of gangsters in assaulting Andrewson but also slapped him.

The inspector's actions was caught on a CCTV camera in a coffeeshop at MJC Batu Kawah where Andrewson works.

Following the incident, Andrewson lodged a report at the Kawah police station.

In his report, he said he was attacked with a iron rod while the officer watched.

He also said the thugs demanded that he and his friends pay RM500 each for a handphone set as well as an "ang pow" to settle the case.

"All this happened in front of the police officer," Andrewson said reportedly said.

He added that the police also advised him not to mention the police inspector in his report.

Andrewson said that after lodging the report against the gangsters, he received a threatening call from the inspector to withdraw it.

Fearing for his safety, he approached Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen for advice and was told to lodge a report against the inspector.

Released on bail

Meanwhile, in Serian this morning, a director of a company linked to Taib Mahmud's Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Party (PBB) – Andrew Wong – was released on police bail after a three-day remand.

Wong, a director of United Teamtrade Sdn Bhd, had attacked Surik Anak Muntai, a native customary rights land owner last Friday. He is closely linked to two PBB leaders – a senior minister and another assistant minister.

Three other security personnel of the company, who had aided Wong, are however still at large.

Surik, who was slashed on the head, also suffered a broken arm and legs. He is admitted at the Sarawak General Hospital.

READ MORE HERE

 

Why Kit Siang WANTS Anwar's endorsement

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 02:45 PM PDT

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They say, there are never permanent enemies in politics, and Kit Siang and Anwar are just that. With Kit Siang being announced as the candidate for Gelang Patah, what PR is telling Boo is that LKS has already agreed in the trade off between PKR and DAP.

Can You See It? 

This would have been unheard of in the early nineties.

When back then, struggling to make an impact (and perhaps some will argue that they still do) DAP's Lim Kit Siang would often lock horns with Anwar Ibrahim. (Here is just one example of what Anwar and Kit Siang engaged in in 1993, and another referring to the same)

But today, these politicos are very different animals.

Kit Siang is often seen in DAP as the supremo (perhaps even higher than a 'tokong') and those who have crossed path with him has always emerged on the losing end. (here, Wee Choo Keong can attest to that having been sacked from DAP for not showing enough 'affection' to party leaders)

So why is it that the recent announcement of Kit Siang contesting in Gelang Patah is announced and endorsed by Anwar Ibrahim?

With Chua Jui Meng mounting a comeback in Johor (after being sidelined by MCA in the 2008 elections, in which as a result Chua Jui Meng instructed his division members to close their bilik gerakan early presumably to sabitage MCA), it is understood that Jui Meng himself wants in on the action should PR take the southern state. DAP's Boo Cheng Hau who is the state DAP leader has in recent weeks been engaged in a tit for tat with PKR's Jui Meng, accusing the latter of using 'black hand' (unseen influence by Party higher ups) in undermining Boo's campaign.

Clearly, all is not well in Pakatan and as GE13 draws nearer, more of this can be seen when whos who in their state begin to tussle for the much touted 'calon'ship.

Read more at: http://muststopthis.blogspot.com/2013/03/why-kit-siang-want-anwars-endorsement.html 

 

Is the HINDRAF blueprint a fact or fallacy for the survival of humanity?

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 02:29 PM PDT

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Malaysian Indians are not relevant in Malaysia except when we want their votes; fact or fallacy? 

R.Shan (Human Being) 

Pre-GE12, you had more than 100,000 Malaysian Indians gathered to voice their grievances. Fact or fallacy?

The opposition parties ran their political agenda solely on Makkal Sakthi. Fact or Fallacy? These opposition parties  should watch their videos. They even promised the Kg Buah Pala folks but we all know what happened when politically expediency was at play.  

Post GE12 with Pakatan in power, nothing changed for the Malaysian Indians because 110,000 land titles in 349 Rancangan Kampung Tersusun were for Malay Muslims in Perak; 102,000 land titles for 134 Chinese New Villages in Perak; 10 acres to each and every Orang Asli in Perak; 1,000 acres of land and RM100 Million for pig farming in Sepang, Selangor and  more than 607 (Chinese) New Villages nationwide with 1.2 million villagers. Fact or fallacy?  

Looking at Indian villages within PR's hold like Kg Muniandi, Kg Ghandi, Kg Kanchang Puteh, Kg Chikadee, Kg DBI, Kg Buah Pala, Kg Bengali, nothing happened. Fact or fallacy?  

Let's look at the PR manisfesto for Sabahans/Sarawakians;
1) Raising oil royalty from 5% to 20%.
2) Appointment of Sabahans and Sarawakians to lead and hold office in the Govt.
3) Cleaning up citizenship registry list.
4) Recognition of customary land rights.
5) Raising the level of infrastructure development.

Orang Asli :
1) Preserving Orang Asli customary land rights and welfare.
2) 141k hectares of land reserved.
3) Water and Electricity supplied to Orang Asli settlements.
4) 5000 educational scholarships for Orang Asli students (Isn't this all catered in the constitution?)

For Chinese :
1) PR will recognize the certificate for Combined Chinese Secondary Schools for the purpose of furthering academic admission to higher education institutions.

For Malays:
1) Abolishing PTPTN loans and as such billions of taxpayers' money will be wiped out from existing loans taken but not paid up by irresponsible Malays.
2) Justice for Felda settlers.
3) RM 500 mil allocated for Military Veterans. Increasing govt contribution to Armed Forces Fund Board from 15% to 20% and an addition 5% to a special fund for them. Introducing a Soldiers Divident - RM 2k per year.
4) Dissolving 1MDD so that Khazanah remains sole state investment body but Khazanah has for years been run in a shady manner benefiting Malays exclusively.
5) GLCs to be tuned to produce more viable Bumiputra entrepreneurs.
6) Going to double Tabung Haji Fund
7) More allocations for Islamic religious depts
8) adding value to wakaf land.

Now, as a Malaysian Indian, I try to understand why do we need to be the scapegoat when we have the same aspirations as the rest of the Malaysians? Is this a fact or fallacy?       

Malaysian Indians are not relevant in Malaysia except when we want their votes; fact or fallacy?

    

 

 

My political thoughts during the Hunger Viratham Day Ten 19th March 2013

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 01:54 PM PDT

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When this kind of situation is occasional, you can say it is because of the individual. But when you see the same phenomenon repeated at a social scale across the country, it is no more individual caused. This is exactly what the political class does not  accept.

 

P. Waythamoorthy 

 

Today is the 10th day of my Hunger Viratham. Over the weekend we have had people streaming in steadily to the temple, all feeling an inner compulsion to share in my prayers. The warm touches, the hugs, the tears, Vibuthi to my forehead, their words, and their looks all keep feeding me with strength. I may be getting weak physically but my strength to fight this oppressive system only gets stronger with every passing day and with every warm touch.

 

Today I want to write about Displaced Estate Workers to clarify some history. This knowledge of history and the consequences are necessary for informed decision making to solve national social problems, something which is sorely lacking. I hope this will help.

 

Part five

 

Displaced Estate Workers.

 

In my presentation at the UN office in Geneva in April 2008, I was not sure if using the term "Internally Displaced Persons"  for the evicted Estate workers in Malaysia was appropriate,. Part way through my presentation, I paused and asked the officials of the UN if the term "Internally Displaced Persons" was accurate to describe the workers in Malaysia who were evicted from the estates and they readily agreed with me. So, there we have it, another distinct problem that we have identified and given expression to.

 

The UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement defines Internally displaced persons as "persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border."

 

In the case of displaced Malaysian Indians they are forced to leave their homes and places of habitual residence as a result of development programs of the state and in violation of their fundamental rights. The Indians have lived and worked in the estates for generations and in some cases the forefathers may have lived there as far as the late 1800s.

 

The British brought in South Indian laborers – whom they considered best for the picking jobs in the plantations for a good 100 years from 1830s- 1938. They modified both British India policy as well as British Malaya policies with the tacit approvals of the Malay rulers to facilitate this mass movement. They set up infrastructure on both sides of the Ocean to facilitate the flow of South Indian labor, the British splurged on significant false propaganda to the gullible South Indian poor about the good life, about a good future in the "land of plenty in Malaya".

 

The British offered free and heavily subsidized fares to travel to Penang, to Port Swettenham and to Singapore for these laborers from Nagapattinam, a port town in India. These laborers could hardly afford the tickets from their villages to the port town of Nagapattinam let alone to Malaya. Historical records that I have collated clearly tell this tale of forced migration to Malaya all for the profit of British enterprises and only for the profit of these enterprises.  

 

This stream of migrants coming into Malaya was termed assisted migration. This accounted for the largest part of the migration. There was yet another stream of migration called unassisted migration. These were the traders, the teachers, the hospital assistants, the money lenders, the policemen, the lawyers, the doctors etc. These unassisted migrants mainly populated the urban centres while those that came in as assisted migrants formed the hundreds of rural Indian communities deep within the estates.

 

To further boost migration each labourer who had completed his/her indenture period of 2 years were promised a minimum of 5 acres each for them to settle in Malaya permanently. So this is clear proof that for the most part Malayan Indians were not "pendatangs" but invitees of the Malay Rulers and British Government then acting in the capacity of advising the Malay rulers.

 

But the promises of land were never fulfilled by the Malay Rulers and the British Government ruling in Malaya. The Indians effectively became slaves. For generations they had the "Nambikei" that one day the British and the Malay Rulers would take care of them. Even at the point of independence they were not granted land by the British as what had happened to similar workers exported by the Britishers to Guyana and Surinam.

 

Post independence the Indians went about their lives believing the estates would be forever. In the 1970's however, when rubber price fell the Government devised new plans for the economy and for the plantations. These plans were to have disastrous effects on the lives of the estate workers in the ensuing years. The estate workers were evicted from the estates as these estates were turned into development land for commercial, industrial or residential purposes or were replanted with oil palms. These workers were evicted without adequate compensation, housing, alternative temples, alternative job opportunities or new skills training. Most estate workers are given compensation ranging from RM3,00 –RM5,000 in the 1970's and in the current times about RM10,000 for working and contributing to the country's economy for almost 4-5 generations – a pittance.

 

The implications of this devastating forced displacement are best understood by looking at the life of one evicted worker who is a 4th generation Malaysian Indian. When she talked to me about the eviction she was so distraught and she said that all the family had known was the estate for 3 generations. And they were summarily told to leave. Their option was to move to the fringes of the town adjacent to the estate. Before this eviction their visits to the towns were mainly for some occasion. Otherwise their lives revolved within the estates. They had a small kebun a couple of cows, some chicken and grew some vegetables. The estate temple was the centre of their social and religious lives. Her parents were married in that temple; her marriage was in that temple too. Now it was all gone. So, too with the estate school. It was gone too. Her community was completely destroyed when they were all evicted. Each family found their different ways out of this eviction and moved out helter skelter. Now she was staying in one of the low cost flats. Before moving to these flats they had lived for many years on tanah haram. Their children now grown up had put together enough money to purchase this flat. If they had not the children, they would have been condemned to a perpetually squalid life in their tanah haram shacks. With their incomes and the pittance for compensation there was no way they could have bought a flat on their own and no bank would give them a loan either to support their purchase.

 

This is just one of the stories of the 800,000 displaced estate workers. Each displaced worker will have a story similar to tell. Almost all Indian households have a link to this common past. Most are still stuck in this trap of poverty. This is why Hindraf seeks a permanent solution in the form of state intervention to get these people out of the trap and to put them on a level playing field and to give them an even shot at life.

 

Without a proper program to support the displaced during the displacement process, the result contains many of the elements of the life described above. When this kind of situation is occasional, you can say it is because of the individual. But when you see the same phenomenon repeated at a social scale across the country, it is no more individual caused. This is exactly what the political class does not accept. The outcomes of these are daily visible in the social statistics – yet the politicians across both sides of the divide prefer to remain ignorant. Their way of dismissing all this is to simply think of all our demands to correct this situation as "terlalu".

 

The displaced estate worker problem is a long recognized problem by the elite. They just do not care enough to address it. These displaced workers are the ones that form the lowest ranks of Malaysian society. The way they got there or what is needed to get them out of there is unique to the extent of the specific historical circumstances. So, the statement of some half baked politicians that the source of poverty is the same for the Chinese, the Malaysia and the Indians is plain dumb and at best is just self serving.

 

Abolishing NEP: The Most Serious Omission in PR Manifesto

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 01:48 PM PDT

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Yes, we have heard the lesser PR lieutenants saying that we will see the gradual withering away of the NEP and DSAI has also told BFM that the NEP will be "fragmentalised" or something to that effect…But why is the abolition of the NEP not in the PR manifesto? 

Dr Kua Kia Soong, SUARAM Adviser

Out of all the policy changes we want to see in Malaysia, the New Economic Policy (NEP) must surely be of topmost priority. This "Never Ending Policy" that was introduced in 1971, was supposed to have run out in 1990, as all "sunset clauses" are supposed to do. All these years, the abuse of the NEP has led to a nation more polarized than it has ever been since independence in 1957 and an economy warped by rent seekers and private monopolists. 

The NEP was imposed as a fait accompli after the May 13 pogrom in 1969. The constitution was amended with a new 8A to Article 153, thus allowing for the implementation of the "quota system". This has been abused to the extent that public institutions such as UiTM and other MARA schools and colleges can be justified as 100 per cent "bumiputera" with a former Higher Education minister even vowing at an UMNO general assembly that he would not allow a single non-bumiputera to be admitted to UiTM. Try justifying this to an international court as "affirmative action". 

We have had to tolerate this blatant racial discrimination for more than forty years now, with generations of Malaysians labelled by this unconvincing racial divide between "bumiputeras" and "non-bumiputeras". Apart from preferential treatment regarding entry into tertiary institutions and the allocation of scholarships and loans, "racial" discrimination stretches to discounts in purchasing houses and other properties, APs, licences. Imagine "bumiputeras" who can afford RM2.5 million houses wanting 5 to 10% discount as well! Try justifying that in an international court as "affirmative action"! 

While the middle class among the non-bumiputeras have adapted as best they can to this racially discriminatory policy, the working class and the poor among the non-bumiputeras have had to cope with a life of abject poverty and marginalization. This gave rise in 2007, to the historic phenomenon of Hindraf. The non-bumiputeras have also been forced to pay exorbitant fees in the private colleges and universities which have grown out of the discriminatory policies operating in the public tertiary institutions. 

These abuses go beyond what our founding fathers had envisioned in Article 153 of the Federal Constitution at Independence. There was no such concept of "bumiputera" or "ketuanan Melayu" in neither the 1957 constitution nor the 1963 Malaysia Agreement. Does the so-called "social contract" refer to Merdeka in 1957 or has the goal post been shifted to 1971? 

Until this racial discrimination is abolished, the hype about "1Malaysia" will only be so much hot air. The UMNO leaders know this and so do the MCA and MIC leaders. The pity of it all is, political masters live in their own bubble of reality and besides, they have too much to gain from the NEP – besides the material gain, and they gain electoral support through the ideological/populist appeal to "bumiputera interests". Nevertheless, in recent years the "revolution of rising expectations" has led to more and more Malays becoming disaffected with UMNO as they see Umnoputras creaming off more than their share of the economic pie.

 

Malaysia is ready: What about PR?

On 23 February 2013, Malaysian civil society declared that "MALAYSIA IS READY: SAY NO TO RACISM!" Among other things, Concerned Malaysian NGOs demanded that Malaysia ratifies the International Convention on the Eradication of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) forthwith. Malaysia stands alongside a small number of countries including North Korea and Burma that has still not ratified the ICERD.

Telling that to BN is like asking the fat cat to give up his pot of cream. But what about PR's stand on the NEP? Isn't it time for change? Isn't it time for real change that will set our nation on a new footing of reconciliation and reconstruction, when we are no longer divided into "races" and progressive policies can be put in place to help the truly needy? What happened to the DAP manifesto drafters? Can they give the same excuse that they were not in the drafting committee when they were confronted by Hindraf? That is the lamest excuse I have heard in a long time!

On 6 March 2013, Malaysian civil society released "Twenty 13GE Demands "on political parties and candidates. The very first demand is this:

"1. Eradicate Institutional Racism
1.1. Abolish the "New Economic Policy" - corrective action in all economic and education policies must be based on need or sector or class and not on race with priority given to indigenous people, marginalised and poor communities;
1.2. Repeal amendment (8A) of Article 153 that was passed during the state of emergency in 1971 and was not in the original 1957 federal constitution;
1.3. Institutionalize means testing for any access to scholarships or other entitlements;
1.4. Implement merit-based recruitment in civil & armed services;
1.5. Enact an Equality Act to promote equality and non-discrimination irrespective of race, creed, religion, gender or disability with provision for an Equality & Human Rights Commission;
1.6. Institutionalise equality and human rights education at all decision-making levels, including state and non-state actors/ institutions;
1.7. Ratify the International Convention on the Eradication of Racial Discrimination (ICERD);…"

So far, we have not heard any response from the political parties to these twenty demands. Let us remind the parties that they are supposed to respond to the peoples' demands and not the other way round. Their manifestoes are supposed to reflect the peoples' demands. So let us start with this first and most important demand.

Yes, we have heard the lesser PR lieutenants saying that we will see the gradual withering away of the NEP and DSAI has also told BFM that the NEP will be "fragmentalised" or something to that effect…But why is the abolition of the NEP not in the PR manifesto?

When confronted with the question of the stateless, PR has responded by saying it will be solved within 100 days after they come into office. Can we expect that upon coming into federal power, PR will announce an early date for the abolition of the NEP and the ratification of the ICERD? If not, why not?

 

The preferential voting system

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 01:43 PM PDT

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If there is a three-corner fight between PSM, DAP and BN, the BN candidate will most likely win the seat because PSM and DAP have diluted the opposition votes. The current electoral system only functions as "the winner takes all" and does not sufficiently read the general intent of voters.  

Kuo Yong Kooi 

The current voting system in Malaysia favours and benefits the big political parties.

The Jelapang seat allocation dispute between DAP and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is a classic example that demonstrates this phenomenon. Perak DAP is refusing to budge and make way for a smaller component party to contest. 

If there is a three-corner fight between PSM, DAP and BN, the BN candidate will most likely win the seat because PSM and DAP have diluted the opposition votes. The current electoral system only functions as "the winner takes all" and does not sufficiently read the general intent of voters. 

The fact that Wong Tack from Himpunan Hijau had to join DAP to contest in the election, is another example where our electoral system fails to register local issues at play in this case. 

If there is a "Green Party of Malaysia" candidate willing to contest a seat to challenge the installation of the Lynas rare earths plant, the green candidate has to negotiate with the Pakatan opposition so that they are allowed a one-on-one fight to maximise their chances of winning the seat. If Pakatan refuses to give way, as for the case of Jelapang, there is little hope that the smaller party candidate can win the seat outright. 

Perhaps Bersih should consider adding in another demand to the lists of electoral reforms which is looking at the possibility of a preferential voting system. This system has been used in many other developed democracies for a long time. The preferential voting system requires the winning candidate to secure either an absolute majority (50 percent + one) of the primary vote or an absolute majority after the distribution of preferences. 

As a hypothetical, let's say there is a three-corner fight between PSM, DAP and Umno at the Jelapang seat. If we are using the preferential voting system, voters have to put numbers "1", "2" and "3" onto the allocated boxes alongside the name of the candidates on the ballot paper. 

Assuming that I am the voter and my first preference is a DAP candidate, I will place "1" into DAP's candidate box. In case the DAP candidate does not win, my second preference is the PSM candidate. I then place "2" onto PSM's candidate box. To every candidate, I allocate a number according to my preference of the candidate that I would like to represent me in my electorate. The Umno candidate gets number "3" as for the case of my voting. 

Assuming that the result turns out to be Umno as the winner of 10,000 votes, DAP receives 5,000 votes and PSM gets 9,900 votes after the counting of the primary or first preference votes. It is clear that for this case, there is no absolute majority winner. The next step then is to eliminate the candidate with the least number of votes from the count, which is the DAP candidate.

Winner by elimination

The ballot papers of the DAP candidate are then re-examined and re-allocated amongst the two remaining candidates according to the second preference - where all the voters had placed the number "2" on their ballot paper for the eliminated candidate, which is DAP in this case. At the end of the second preference count of the (eliminated) DAP candidate's 5,000 votes, 4,100 of the second preferences go to PSM and 900 go to Umno. 

The final tally is that PSM has garnered 14,000 votes and Umno with 10,900 votes. So the Jelapang seat is given to the PSM candidate. As the current Malaysian voting system stands, Umno wins the seat, even though the figures clearly show that the voters' intention is to vote for the opposition. 

Put it another way, the winning candidate is the "most preferred" if we use a preferential voting system.

The advantages of the preferential voting system is that it allows parties of like-minded philosophies or policies to 'exchange preferences' in order to assist one another to win. PSM and DAP are obviously classified as "like-minded" philosophy parties for this case, as they were only separated by a minor, irreconcilable difference due to the stubbornness of the Perak DAP leadership. 

As a result of this, the two parties have wasted precious time arguing over the matter. If the preferential voting system is in place, they can place their respective candidates in a three-corner fight and simply exchange their preferences to maximise their chances to win the seat without having to go through any arguments.

The preferential voting system also ensures that voters can support minor parties and independent candidates, knowing that their preferences may be used to decide the winner. Thus, votes for minor parties and independents are not wasted. 

As for example in Sabah and Sarawak, if the opposition and the government supports the building of a big dam in the electorate where the indigenous people live and they clearly state their opposition to the dam project. 

The indigenous group can put an independent candidate to garner a sizeable number of votes that can decide the winner for their electorate. This forces the potential winning candidate to listen to the minority group's grievances if they want to win the seat. It also puts the local issue on the election agenda of that particular electorate.

As for the case of Wong Tack, there have been calls for him to resign from Himpunan Hijau because he has watered down his initial radical tone from "burning down the Lynas project" to "you have to come in from the front door". If Wong Tack is to run as an independent candidate, he stands little chance to win a seat. He is at the mercy of the Pakatan pact who allocated him a seat to run in the coming GE13. 

This is mainly because the Lynas issue is a big issue for the nation, and Wong Tack as the head of Himpunan Hijau is currently a popular public figure. Unfortunately, once he joins DAP and runs as their candidate, he has to toe the party line. If the preferential voting system is used in Malaysia, he can remain as he is and there will be no confusion as to where his loyalty lies.

'Unfair to accuse Wong Tack'

Accusing him of being a chameleon is unfair; after all, being an activist is the embryonic stage of being a politician. It is the electoral system that causes this phenomenon. This situation is totally different from party-hopping.

Wong Tack might have to go through the same painful lessons that Dr Kua Kia Soong learnt before. Dr Kua was a Chinese educationist who quit the United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) in 1990 to contest under the DAP in the 1990 general election. He won the Petaling Jaya Utara parliamentary seat, but ended up quitting DAP as his personal world view was different from DAP's. 

The same situation has repeated itself, and will continue to repeat over and over again if we do not look into changing the current voting system.

The first port of call for any minority group is to choose a leader and try out as an independent in the electoral process. If they are successfully voted into the Parliament, then it is in the Parliament where all their grievances can be heard. If their grievances are ignored in the Parliament, then the minority group can take to the streets to gather more support for their cause. 

Unfortunately, the current voting system denies the minority group that opportunity to bring their grievances to the Parliament. Hindraf had to go through countless street protests - which turned violent - to get their voices heard. Neither BN, nor Pakatan is willing to agree to all their demands. Hindraf chief P Wathayamoorthy was quoted to have said that "I don't know what else to do". 

If there is a preferential voting system, he can run as an independent and possibly hold a good number of votes to get the candidates in that constituency to listen to him, because he will decide who gets to win the seat through preferences. As for the case of less assertive indigenous groups, they are virtually left to rot when their plights are ignored by the major parties.

We need to get the candidates from the big political parties to work for the people, not the other way around. As it currently stands, the minority groups have to kowtow to the big political parties to get their approval for candidacy.

Inside Malaysia's Shadow State

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 01:36 PM PDT

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Or watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1RRNggnM6A

WHAT IS THIS FILM ABOUT?

This investigation provides undercover footage of the corruption and illegality at the heart of governance in Sarawak, Malaysia's largest state, on the island of Borneo.

Global Witness 

For over thirty years, Sarawak has been governed by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who controls all land classification, forestry and plantation licenses in the state. Under his tenure, Sarawak has experienced some of the most intense rates of logging seen anywhere in the world. The state now has less than 5 per cent of its forests left in a pristine condition, unaffected by logging or plantations and continues to export more tropical logs than South America and Africa combined.

The film reveals for the first time the instruments used by the ruling Taib family and their local lawyers to skirt Malaysia's laws and taxes, creaming off huge profits at the expense of indigenous people and hiding their dirty money in Singapore. Taib and the local lawyers we approached denied Global Witness's allegations of corruption. A summary of their responses are included at the end of the film.

HOW DOES CORRUPTION AFFECT SARAWAK'S PEOPLE?

Corruption is destroying the fabric of Sarawak's society and squandering the state's natural resources. The region's indigenous people have born the brunt of this. Ancestral land to which they have claims has been routinely licensed for logging and plantations, badly damaging their livelihoods and violating their rights under Sarawak and Malaysian law. This has trapped many communities in a cycle of poverty and dependency.

Moreover, corruption affects the future well-being of all Malaysian citizens. This investigation demonstrates how money that should be driving development is being lost to corruption and hidden in secrecy jurisdictions overseas. Malaysia is thought to be the world's third largest source of such illicit financial flows, losing the country an estimated US$285 billion (RM863 billion), or over US$43,000 (RM130,000) perhousehold between 2001 and 2010. This is money that could have been spent on improving key services and quality of life for ordinary Malaysians.

IS THIS A WIDER PROBLEM THAN SARAWAK?

The timber rush which occurred during Taib's three decades in office has spawned some of the world's largest logging companies. These companies have had a catastrophic effect on forests and indigenous communities in almost every major tropical forested region in the world, and are regularly implicated in major illegal logging scandals.

Global Witness' analysis shows that Sarawak's logging companies are currently logging or converting forests to plantations in at least 12 countries. Their operations cover an area of 18 million hectares worldwide, an area roughly three times the landmass of Norway.

Watch the film at: http://www.globalwitness.org/insideshadowstate/ 

 

 

Corruption in Malaysia laid bare as investigation catches Sarawak's ruling elite on camera

A new investigation by Global Witness today reveals the systemic corruption and illegality at the heart of government in Sarawak, Malaysia's largest state. A film,shot undercover during the investigation, shows for the first time the instruments used by the ruling Taib family and its lawyers to skirt Malaysia's laws and taxes. It shows how they cream off huge profits at the expense of indigenous people, and hide their dirty money in Singapore.

Sarawak still exports more tropical logs than South America and Africa combined, despite having just five per cent of its forests left intact after decades of industrial logging and plantation development. Sarawak's Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has ruled the state for over three decades and controls all land allocation and forestry licensing. He is widely understood to abuse this power to enrich his family and associates.

"This film proves for the first time what has long been suspected – that the small elite around Chief Minister Taib are systematically abusing the region's people and natural resources to line their own pockets," said Tom Picken, Forest Team Leader at Global Witness. "It shows exactly how they do it and it shows the utter contempt they hold for Malaysia's laws, people and environment."

Global Witness posed as foreign investors looking to buy land for oil palm plantations. We approached the Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA), the government body charged with receiving foreign investment. An official at RECODA during a meeting in March 2012 directed our investigator to certain members of Taib's family looking to sell their company licensed to log and clear land for plantations. 

Out of four land leases offered to Global Witness during 2012, members of the Chief Minister's family were direct shareholders or beneficial owners of three of these. The fourth deal was proposed by an intermediary on the understanding that Taib would receive a multimillion dollar kickback from the selling party. The key findings of this investigation are:

  • KICKBACKS: A representative of one of Sarawak's biggest tycoons indicated that Taib would be likely to receive a multimillion dollar kickback for a plantation licence;
  • CORRUPT LAND DEALS: Some members of Taib's family are allocated land through directives from the Ministry of Resource Planning and Environment, headed by Taib, for a tiny fraction of its real commercial value, enabling these individuals to 'flip' these assets for multimillion dollar profits;
  • EVASION OF MALAYSIAN TAX: One company, jointly owned by Taib's first cousins, a Malaysian MP for Taib's party and a sister-in-law of the Malaysian Prime Minister, was offered for sale through an illegal transaction in Singapore designed to evade Malaysian tax;
  • THE SERVICE ECONOMY OF CORRUPTION: A well-established service economy of local lawyers routinely facilitates illegal transactions in violation of Malaysian and Sarawak law.

Additionally, Global Witness was told by senior government officials and a timber company executive that it is standard practice in Sarawak for companies to pay a personal kickback to Taib in return for obtaining timber and plantation licences, typically amounting to 10 per cent of the commercial value of the licence.

The findings also reveal that the small elite around Taib have a deep seated contempt for Sarawak's indigenous population, whose rights to their ancestral land are enshrined in Sarawak's law and protected under the Malaysian constitution. Two of Taib's first cousins repeatedly referred to indigenous communities as "naughty" people who "try to make money" through "squatting" on land that has been licensed to private companies for logging and plantations.

"The Taib family and their friends have treated Sarawak's natural resources like a personal piggy bank for decades," said Picken. "This investigation shows how they are willing to stash this dirty cash in jurisdictions like Singapore, which one lawyer in the film describes as "the new Switzerland". Until Singapore and other financial service centres stop allowing corrupt politicians and criminals to shield themselves and their loot from justice back home, the likes of Taib will continue to get away with stealing from their own people."

Global Witness is calling on Malaysia's federal authorities to hold a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the extent of corruption in Sarawak's executive and government institutions, explore institutional reforms to improve systems of transparency and accountability, and to ensure prosecutions swiftly follow against those found to have been engaged in corruption. Key to these reforms will be granting Malaysia's Anti-Corruption Commission independent powers to prosecute.       

Global Witness put our allegations to the individuals concerned. The law firm in London representing Chief Minister Taib – Mishcon de Reya – told Global Witness:

"The Government of Sarawak issues licences for land in very controlled circumstances… This is an administrative exercise, not political patronage."

"Our client never demands or accepts bribes for the grant of licences and leases."

"He has not issued any 'directive'... illegally to benefit his cousins." 

A summary of the responses received from other parties is included at the end of the film, which is available here.

/ENDS

Contact: In London: Oliver Courtney +44 (0)7912 517147ocourtney@globalwitness.org

Tom Picken +44 (0)7810 558247 tpicken@globalwitness.org

Editor's notes:

  • A 15 minute film by Global Witness documenting some of the covert footage obtained is available at: http://bit.ly/16ESEVU
  • Sarawak's Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has governed Sarawak for 31 years. One of his many ministerial roles includes heading up the Ministry of Resource Planning and Environment which controls all land classification, timber and plantation licensing in the state.
  • Leaked Sarawak land registry documents suggest members of Taib's family have interests in companies holding land leases totalling nearly 200,000 hectares (source here), conservatively valued at over half a billion US dollars.
  • Much of Sarawak's environmental destruction has occurred on the ancestral land of Sarawak's indigenous population, who depend upon access to farmland and healthy forests for their livelihood and whose rights are protected under Malaysian law. These rights have been systematically ignored by the Sarawak Government, resulting in widespread environmental degradation, social disenfranchisement and economic deprivation.  

 

 

 

Johor DAP row worsens

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 01:33 PM PDT

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(NST) - REVOLT: Senai rep leads 16 branches in show of defiance of state party chief

JOHOR BARU: THE infighting among opposition leaders in Johor took another twist when state DAP vice-chairman Ong Kow Meng led 16 party branches to throw their vote of no-confidence against  state party chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau.

Ong, who is also DAP's Senai assemblyman, had accused Dr Boo of attempting to split the "long-established cohesion among the opposition pact's component parties".

This he said was because of Dr Boo's disclosure of his conflict with Johor PKR chairman Datuk Chua Jui Meng with regard to seat allocations between the two opposition parties last month.

Ong, who revealed this at a press conference yesterday, listed out his dissatisfaction with Dr Boo, and lambasted him for advocating "cronyism" ever since he became the Skudai assemblyman in 2008.

He said Dr Boo arranged for his cronies within the party to assume important positions and duties, and ignored the voice of senior and grassroot leaders.

"Last week, I visited several constituencies in the state, including Batu Pahat, Kluang, Muar, Labis and Johor Baru. Many of the grassroot leaders have told me about their unhappiness with Dr Boo.

"When he found out that I visited the constituencies, he texted me a message, asking me who am I serving?

"When I replied by asking what he meant, he kept quiet.

"My conscience as a Johor party vice-chairman and an elected assemblyman to serve the people is clear. How could he be doubtful about this?" he asked.

Among representatives of party branches who were with Ong at the press conference were those from Johor Baru, Taman Nesa, Kulai, Bukit Indah, Taman Skudai Baru and Kulaijaya.

Ong also criticised Dr Boo as being arrogant for publicly attacking his PKR counterpart, adding that such an act could thwart the opposition pact's march towards Putrajaya. He said Dr Boo should not be doubtful about Chua's identity and sincerity.

"Take PKR chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as an example. He was formerly with Umno but is with the opposition pact and our comrade now."

Sources within Johor DAP had, however, informed the New Straits Times that Ong's outburst against Dr Boo was caused by a revelation that the state party chairman had not endorsed Ong to be fielded in the next general election.

Meanwhile, DAP Kulai division liaison committee chairman Ng Pack Seong, who was also at the press conference, claimed that it was unbecoming of Dr Boo to appoint his crony to assume important posts.

He said Dr Boo had appointed an "outsider" to lead the election operations room in Kulai, which is where Ong's Senai constituency is located.

"As a state leader, he should know the will of party members and his duty is to unite the party, and not otherwise," said Ng.

Dr Boo responded to the criticisms by pointing out that the choice of election candidates was in the hands of the party central selection committee, adding that there was no need to blame him if anyone was not selected as a candidate.

At state-level, he said the choice of candidates was done by a three-member team comprising the state chairman, deputy chairman and secretary.

"Our choice of candidates is based on several criteria, such as quality, discipline, team spirit and language proficiency, among others.

"To prevent any conflict, we have yet to submit the candidates' list to the headquarters.

"I am sad that there are certain people who do not understand the procedure, and quickly jump to the conclusion that they will not be fielded and level their attack at me."

.

 

GE13: Kedah PAS No. 2 prevented from speaking at ceramah

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 01:30 PM PDT

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(The Star)Some of Phahrolrazi's supporters have claimed he was kidnapped but he stressed it was probably a "friendly warning" to stop him from entering the mentri besar's territory.

Datuk Phahrolrazi Zawawi, the No. 2 PAS man in Kedah, was "locked in" in a religious school compound for two hours to prevent him from speaking at a ceramah.

Phahrolrazi said he was on the way to the ceramah in Kampung Kabu which is located in the state constituency held by Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak when the head of the Sekolah Agama Nahdah Bukit Besar phoned him to stop by the school.

"The moment my car entered the school compound, they locked the gate and I had the feeling that I was not going to get out," said Phahrolrazi who has had a long-running feud with the mentri besar.

He was then led to the school canteen where the school head Ustaz Nasir Othman tried to deter him from proceeding to the ceramah. Ustaz Nasir is a committee member of the Jerai PAS division of which Azizan is the chairman.

"He claimed there were rival groups at the ceramah venue and that he did not want any harm done to me. I tried to leave several times but he told me not to go and that he was doing this to protect me. It was all very cordial but the point is that I was prevented from leaving until two hours later," he said.

When Phahrolrazi phoned the organisers of the ceramah about his dilemma, they sent four representatives to the school to negotiate with Ustaz Nasir but he refused to unlock the gate.

Some of Phahrolrazi's supporters have claimed he was kidnapped but he stressed it was probably a "friendly warning" to stop him from entering the mentri besar's territory.

Phahrolrazi's supporters said they have lodged a police report about the incident.

The ceramah was eventually cancelled when Phahrolrazi did not show up.

"The MB is the Jerai chairman but I am the party's deputy commissioner in Kedah. Surely I should be free to speak at any ceramah. I don't blame Ustaz Nasir, I think he was afraid of his boss," said Phahrolrazi.

GE 13 : NO FREE RIDES Campaign

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 01:24 PM PDT

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Anas Zubedy

We are launching a NO FREE RIDES – choose the best, screw the rest campaign from the 19th March to the date of GE 13th (whenever it may be). This is a non-partisan initiative with the goal to better Malaysia. Come join us! Here are the details.

WHAT?

'NO FREE RIDES' campaign wants you to choose the best calon, regardless of what party they represent.

WHY?

We, the rakyat, deserve the best. And only by having the best in Parliament can we ensure positive change for Malaysia.

HOW?

Choose to be a real patriot. Choose the better candidate even if he or she is from the other side.

WHEN?

19th of March until GE13 Election Day

-------x-------

Step by step approach to NO FREE RIDES: Choose the Best, Screw the Rest Smile

1.    List down your wish list for your lawmakers.

2.    Go see them, alone or with friends.  Be sure to bring a recording device.

3.    When you meet them, offer a warm greeting, be respectful, and calmly present your wish list.

4.    Ask if they agree to your list. If yes, ask permission to record their agreement.

5.    Thank them and wish them all the best.

6.    Upload the recording with #NoFreeRides in the title; link and share it on social media sites or upload it herehttp://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Free-Rides/178358378977850?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite

7.    Come GE13, vote the candidate that agrees to most things in your list.

8.    If both are equal, use your instinct, and choose the better of the two.

For more details go to :

1.    I BELIEVE http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2012/02/i-believe.html

2.    Sample letter to MP 1 http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-letter-to-raja-nong-chik.html

3.    Sample letter to MP 2 http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-letter-to-nurul-izzah.html

4.    The Third Force http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2012/01/third-force-no-free-rides.html

5.    Young Malaysians as the Third Force http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2011/12/in-sundaily-today.html

 

Special Branch survey regarding GE13

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 12:46 PM PDT

"Appreciation'' – It was the first time in GE12 that Penang was captured by the opposition and ruled. They never waited 52 years to decide to appreciate the senior citizens with RM100. With short term rule and efficient spending, they helped the needy. 

Ambrose Sabastian 

Dear Prime Minister,  

"Promises fulfilled'', "Share the wealth of the nation'' and "appreciation'' are three different phrases of words. Ask yourself, which phrase sounds better? It must consider the timing, when and why it was mentioned. Let me put clearly why it looks different.  

"Appreciation'' – It was the first time in GE12 that Penang was captured by the opposition and ruled. They never waited 52 years to decide to appreciate the senior citizens with RM100. With short term rule and efficient spending, they helped the needy. They cannot aid every citizen because funds were limited. They do not have abundant money like the federal government. With limited funds, the Penang government did such a good deed within their short period of rule. They used proper words like "Appreciate the senior citizen''. Actually Lim Guan Eng is very smart to hit two mangoes with one stone. He appreciates the senior citizen because their elderly advise had turned their family to vote and select his government. Another he expects the elders' influence to make him another winner in GE13. He made the scenario attractive.  

"Promises fulfilled'' – These words are not suitable for BRIM 0.1 because it has no connection with each other. Did the BN promise to give RM500 to the poor Rakyat and RM100 to every student during GE12? If it has been promised in the previous election then the "Promises fulfilled'' words are suitable to use for BRIM.      

''Share the wealth of the nation'' – Also these words are making things worse. It contradicts BRIM 0.1 and BRIM 0.2! At least you can escape with "Promises fulfilled'' but not ''Share the wealth of the nation''. Why? Rakyat has been quietly asking the question, what have the previous prime ministers done with the wealth of the nation? They never shared with the Rakyat. Where did the money go? Was it was absconded to their own pockets and the pockets of former ministers? These questions can able to sway votes.  

You should recheck all your PhD advisors around you. Let me tell how you should quote for BRIM assistance. "With the economic slowdown, most daily needs costs have risen. Poor Rakyat cannot cope so many wrote and appealed for assistance at least once a year to reduce their burden of their family, school going children and senior parents. This made me shed tears in my heart so I decided in the BN cabinet to help the needy. We came up with the idea of BRIM to help the poor Rakyat. It is alright, whoever accepts these cash assistance by our government is not obligated to remember or thank me. I do it as a servant of God to help all Rakyat as my own family. I will be very happy if my BN government helps to lessen your burden. In God's will, if Rakyat chooses to have me lead in future, I may come with some new ways to help the Rakyat."   

In Politics, words and actions are important to win people's heart. If you had used what I quoted above, it will psychologically pull the crowd to your side. To win further, you must spend three days in a poor family's house and use it to highlight to the press and media that ''you clearly understand what the poor Rakyat needs. If Rakyat gives me another term, I may use my power to help in more ways.'' It sounds better.  

Now, come back to BRIM assistance. My wife was very happy that that small assistance helped my son's school needs. To collect the cheque, I followed the instruction letter to the destination. In the hall, they talked about BN's past deeds and asked us to continue supporting BN. Some people along my row told me BRIM is a bait to catch votes. I smiled at them and did not comment. After receiving the cheque, I went out of the hall. Alas, a few Special Branch Police were roaming around. I intended to slip away quietly but they saw me and came to me. Most of the SB Police know me. Once our usual talk finished, they asked me my opinion about the Rakyat support in Penang and Malaysia. They know I will give them blunt answers. 

I told them, Penang is very hard to take back. Next five years people had decided to back the opposition. Some people had earlier told me that they will support Najib but later changed their minds after Tun Mahathir's filthy mouth. This time, maybe Federal Territory will fall to the opposition. Even some UMNO members intend to vote opposition because they were not taken care of well in the last 30 years. Whatever promised were given to some and not to all. They believe the government had used the Bumiputra 30% to earn privately by government administrators, family members and close friends and even become world richest people by robbing the Rakyat's money. These angry Bumiputras were left idle and got cheated. After all they are UMNO grassroots' members, too.  

Last month, when I was talking about the "Allah'' issue with my paper vendor in Bayan Baru market, one Muslim entered our conversation. Later I was told that he was a Bernama reporter. He told me that Tun Mahathir secured to rule by corrupted way for twenty-two years by blackmailing. In his rule he allowed everyone from government officers, Police, UMNO division leaders and some others to freely accept corruption money. Suddenly he took control of the Anti Corruption Agency under his arm pits. All the officers should submit the files to him directly and not the Attorney-general. He used these files to blackmail the concerned person to support him continually or face the legal consequences. No one dared go against him in whatever he does. For example, how was Anwar treated by Tun Mahathir?   

Finally they asked me who am I am going to support? I told them, "Here they give I take. There others give I take. Finally I never vote for anyone. If I work only I got money and I can see my rice bowl. By voting them, are they go to help me? No. In fact, during Tun Mahathir era, I had applied 'Private Investigator Permit'. I was interviewed by a high ranking Police officer. Some days later I received a letter from the Ministry that the Minister vetted my application 'dengan teliti' (Indian say, 'puliti') and rejected it. Private Investigation is not asking for a government grant, or asking for his fathers' money. It is entirely a private job but they did not allow me to practice as a PI because I am Indian. Tun Mahathir got his vengeance against the Indians. Why did Tun Mahathir never admit the Indian Muslim political party (KIMMA) into the BN fold? Think!  

Later, one police officer told me that Tun Mahathir wants me to convert to Islam then he will give me the PI permit. What can you see? Tun Mahathir likes to sell the religion with favours and money in corrupted ways. He doesn't care whether a person is a hypocrite or not? What happened in Sabah? Now I remember that the Mount Everest climber's name was deliberately changed to a Muslim name by Tun Mahathir's order. He doesn't like an Indian name as a champion in Malaysian History. This was told to me by one SB police officer several years ago. 

Government is urging Rakyat to be patriotic to the nation and fight crimes. These words are only whitewash slogans and not reality. Indian Police officers run brothels in Penang. As a patriot to the country, I wrote in detail a complain letter to the IGP. What happened? The same police involved in the brothel business arrested me under ISA (emergency ordinance) and detained me. During the detention, they showed me the same letter I wrote to IGP. This is where the whistle blower should be protected. They fabricated charges and detained me. All the crime they charged on me was false. The real criminal is still walking free after paying bribes. I was not satisfied so I lodged police reports twice to investigate my case. I even wrote to Tun Mahathir. Until now, the police refuse to investigate. The police are waiting for all witnesses to die then they will take action. In fact I was told by one special branch police officer that Tun Mahathir had ordered the police to put my case into cold storage. Tun Mahathir had filled the minds of police to hate the Indians and make them blacklisted by police. In this way he has suppressed the Indians from coming up.   

In another incident, I was charged in court for rioting in front of Penang Police HQ. Later I was discharged not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA). I pled to the magistrate for trial and he refused. Later I had written many times to the Public Prosecutor to bring the case to court. They are refusing to bring the case to court. Not satisfied I had sued the police and the government but the case was thrown away because it was still DNAA. They refuse to discharge and acquit. Even the magistrate told me that it is my funeral and he doesn't care. Later I learned from SB Police, here too Tun Mahathir had sniffed.  

I told the SB police that after all this happened to me, how can I support BN? If I support BN, then it looks like I am supporting Tun Mahathir. If BN wins, Tun Mahathir will be the winner. That is what I had told SB. Maybe if you (PM Najib) stand in my area, I will vote for you. Definitely you will not stand in my area so I will vote only for quality candidates and not political parties.

For example, my area state assemblyman (Paya Terubong) Yeoh Soon Hin can be visible in my area monthly but not a member of Parliament (Bukit Gelugor) Karpal Singh. I saw this dun move freely every corner to meet people all through the years. Maybe I may vote for Yeoh Soon Hin but not for Karpal Singh. I have been living here for the last five years and have never seen him except on banners.

I think sometimes he talks nonsense. Sikh people from Bayan Baru were struggling to build the Sikh Temple next to the Penang snake temple. He should concentrate in helping the Sikh community and stop putting his nose in the Hindu community like the Hindu Endowment board. When Karpal Singh was standing for election one of my friends, Thomson, helped him put up posters and distribute leaflets without taking any money from Karpal Singh or his party. Once he won, he gave a letter of appreciation saying that if my friend needs any legal assistance, he can see him. A few months later, my friend got a case and went to Karpal Singh for help with his appreciation letter. Karpal Singh told him that he will charge others five thousand but he will only charge my friend three thousand. My friend tore the appreciation letter and threw it at Karpal Singh's face. Later, my friend went to a simple lawyer who settled his case for a fee of eight hundred ringgit only. We all know him only for making money and not serving the Rakyat. What a waste to elect him as a Member of Parliament. 

 

Best regards,  

Ambrose Sabastian.  


 

Dr Chandra Muzaffar – just an open note for you

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 12:40 PM PDT

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Choo Sing Chye

Once your heart was filled with egalitarian ideals which copiously propagated into the pages of your books and Aliran Monthly. 

I admired your courage to say these forbidden ideals which in the eyes of the UMNO's kingpins were seditious. 

I believed that you had the passion then, to offer solace for the poor without fear of offending the BN elites of the day.  

You didn't speak for the Opposition, nor the BN government, but you spoke up eloquently for the poor and for injustices.

In your heart you felt the anguish, despair, misery and wretchedness of the poor.

But today I see a different you.   

You have unmistakably soaked up the best tradition of the 5th Century Greek Sophist, Thrasymachus where he expounded his theory that "justice is simply whatever is to the interest of the stronger party." (1 )   

Today's reality and challenges are the same as the day you wrote this book in 1989, Challenges and Choices in Malaysian Politics and Society. Below are some of the quotes from your book which are still as relevant as today's woes: 

"The instability within Barisan parties, the cliques and factions that have emerged in some of them, the fierce and ferocious competition for power among groups and individuals, the buying and selling of votes even in divisional and branch elections, and indeed the foul filth that oozes out of every pore of Barisan Nasional politics…

"Perhaps most of all, it is the growing gap between word and deed, promise and performance that has disenchanted the people. 

"One talks all the while of trust and integrity and yet there is no determined, con­certed endeavour to unravel the truth about the shameful, scandalous BMF affair.    

"One talks all the while of the danger of corruption and money politics and yet corruption through cronyism and the politics of money are allowed to flourish.    

"One talks all the while of clean, healthy business practices and yet small but powerful cliques and coteries have entrenched themselves in the world of commerce and industry.  

"One talks all the while of thrift and austerity and yet there is lavish spending on prestige projects, tourist complexes, exclusive clubs, expensive mansions, grand celebrations, extravagant ceremonies, and costly trips and travels abroad. 

"One talks all the while of how important national unity is and yet one does not cease to divide the people by racialising issues.  

"One talks all the while of how liberal the administration is and yet one imposes the severest curbs upon ceramahs and publications.  

"One talks all the while of hard work and yet whenever the apostle of hard work visits a state or district everyone stops working!

"It is these blatant contradictions between what is said and what is done which has now led to a serious crisis of credibility. When a govern­ment's credibility is at stake, it must know that it is in trouble. For the crisis of credibility is the stage that precedes the crisis of legitimacy. Once a government faces a crisis of legitimacy, it ceases to command any moral authority. It is a sure sign of its downfall. Needless to say, our government is still some distance away from that stage.

"In this sort of situation, it is quite possible that unscrupulous elements among the ruling elites seeing that both their Malay and non­ Malay bases of support have been weakened considerably may in desperation try to create ethnic tensions which may lead to ethnic conflicts. They may then use the resulting ethnic breakdown as an excuse to set aside democratic procedures and rule by decree in order to consolidate and expand their power.

"If this happens, it would be a grave blow to the people's power. It would be a betrayal of the will of the rakyat. This is why though we may never be able to prevent a formal authoritarian regime from establishing itself, we should not do anything that will make it easier for anyone to impose such rule..."

I believe what you had written then was based on egalitarian idealism that was close to your heart and ours too.

Gone are the days when you spoke like an idealist, and today you speak like a BN politician and write like The Star's columnists Joceline Tan and Baradan Kuppusamy.

Whatever you write now does not matter to us and the poor anymore and perhaps to you now the "foul filth that oozes out of every pore of Barisan Nasional politics," smells like roses..


Reference:

1.  "An introduction to Political Philosophy,"   A.R.M. Murray, Published by 
Cohen and West Ltd, London, 1953.

 

Big Growth in Indonesia

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 12:33 PM PDT

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Alan Fairclough 

Malaysia will keep burying its head in the sand about 'economic threats' from ASEAN countries and how the Govt of Malaysia portrays Malaysia as the be-all-and-end-all of SEA and where it sits economically as a front-runner, but Indonesia will overtake Malaysia within the next 10 years. I've worked in Malaysia for 20 years, but last year worked mostly in Jakarta and from an 'on-the-ground' aspect this report is quite credible - Indonesia just has the population and statistics that should frighten Malaysia (for example 700,000 motorcycles per month sold in Indonesia).

See below:

Indonesia's Rising Middle Class and Affluent Consumers

Asia's Next Big Opportunity 

Indonesia's economy is growing rapidly, and a large portion of the population is entering the middle-class and affluent consumer (MAC) socioeconomic category. As those in this group begin to ramp up their spending in key segments—such as home goods, vehicles, consumer durables, and financial services—this is a critical window of opportunity for companies that sell consumer goods.

Demographic trends show the size of the opportunity. There are currently about 74 million MACs in Indonesia, and this number will double by 2020, to roughly 141 million people. During that period, some 8 million to 9 million people will enter the middle class each year. Perhaps because of this rising economic tide, Indonesians are extremely optimistic about their financial futures—more so than people in any other country, including both emerging and developed markets. They expect to make more money next year than this year, and they believe that their children's lives will be better than their own.

The growth of the MAC population is occurring throughout the country. There are now 25 locations in Indonesia (both cities and regencies) with MAC populations in excess of 500,000, and there will be 54 by 2020. As a result, companies that wish to keep reaching the same proportion of the MAC population will need to double their presence in the country. This has huge implications for the way businesses operate—for example, how a company organizes its sales force, structures its supply-chain network, and expands its distribution footprint.

While the population is not homogenous, our research indicates some broad characteristics that apply throughout the country. Indonesian consumers are extremely family oriented, and as they move from lower and aspirant classes into the middle and affluent classes, they initially focus their spending on improving living conditions for their families rather than splurging on themselves. They trust traditional media and tend to believe marketing messages, advertisements, and advice from salespeople—all of which makes them more likely to try new products.

Indonesians shop primarily at warungs (small shops) and minimarts for the majority of their necessities, along with wet markets for fruits, vegetables, and other perishables. Large-format stores such as supermarkets and hypermarkets are becoming more prevalent. These consumers are extremely connected through digital technology. Regardless of their wealth level, they enjoy hunting for bargains. And they are value conscious; when buying large-ticket items, they like to think they are buying tangible benefits, such as greater functionality, in order to justify their purchases.

If companies are to capture this opportunity, they will need to understand the country's demographic and regional trends, and they must tailor the right product mix and go-to-market strategy. In addition, they must customize their value proposition, marketing message, use of media, and the shopping experience they offer in order to meet the needs and preferences of the growing consumer base. 

 

Login and download pdf at: http://www.bcg.com/expertise_impact/publications/PublicationDetails.aspx?id=tcm:12-128800

Sarawak cop, gangsters assault youth

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 12:27 PM PDT

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(Free Malaysia Today) - Sarawak DAP wants the IGP to act on 21-year-old Andrewson Ngalai's report against a police inspector.

A police inspector attached to the General Operations Force (GOF) not only aided and abetted a group of gangsters in assaulting a 21-year-old coffeeshop worker, but also took part by slapping the youth in the early hours of March 14.

The inspector's act was caught on a CCTV camera in a coffeeshop at MJC Batu Kawah where Andrewson Ngalai anak Tandang works.

After Andrewson lodged a report at the MJC Batu Kawah police station on the same day, the man seen in the CCTV was identified as the police inspector attached to the GOF at Batu Kawah by other officers.

Relating the incident at the DAP headquarters here today, Andrewson said that when he came out of a karaoke outlet, two men approached him.

While one held him, the other hit him with an iron rod. All this happened in front of the police inspector.

Andrewson said he and his friends were upstairs in their hostel above the coffeeshop when they heard a knock on their door.

"A man identifying himself as a police officer demanded that five of my friends and I go down stairs to the coffeeshop.

"In the coffeeshop, I was slapped by the inspector. His action was caught on CCTV," he said, showing the wounds on his head and eyes to reporters.

Andrewson received several stitches on his head.

"The gangsters seized six handphone sets from us and demanded we pay them RM500. The inspector was present all the time," he said.

Police brutality

Andrewson said that in the police report, he was asked to lodge a report against the gangsters but not against the police.

After the report was made, he said that he received a call from the inspector to withdraw the report.

Fearing for his safety, he went to Chong Chieng Jen, who is Sarawak DAP secretary, to seek his advice.

Accompanied by Chong, Andrewson made another police report, this time against the inspector.

Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/03/18/sarawak-cop-gangsters-assault-youth/ 

GE13: BN Veterans Face The Axe, 40% Of Candidates Will Be New Faces

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 12:22 PM PDT

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(The Star) - Barisan Nasional will drop up to 40% of veterans in the 13th general election to give way to new blood.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is making final adjustments to the list of candidates, has identified quite a number of the old guard to be excluded, with some of them coming forward to voluntarily step aside.

Barisan has 141 MPs, of which 75 have served more than three terms. Sources say that not all will be replaced but the Prime Minister wants to include new faces as part of his Political Transformation Programme.

Four previous long-serving Cabinet ministers are among those stepping down for newcomers, including former International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz (Kuala Kangsar), former Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid (Padang Besar), former Home Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad (Kangar) and former Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting (Kulai).

Rafidah is among the first to inform Najib of her intention not seek re-election. Radzi and Azmi, too, have told Najib of their wish to retire. Ong is said to be relishing his role as Najib's special envoy to China.

Others who have expressed their readiness to step aside are former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar for the Kepala Batas and Kota Tinggi seats respectively.

However, according to sources, Najib has not decided whether to accept their offer because no "proper successors" have been found.

Another former Cabinet member, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, the Pengerang incumbent, may also face the chop but the current controversy over the Petronas development in the constituency may get her another term.

Sources said Najib may retain her so that she could explain to her constituents the importance of the RM61.4bil project.

Energy, Green Technology Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui, the SUPP president who has been the MP for Miri for the past six terms, said he would still contest if Najib wanted him to do so.

Two other senior MPs who are scheduled to retire are former Human Resources Minister Tan Sri Dr Fong Chan Onn (Alor Gajah) and former Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Leo Michael Toyad (Mukah).

Three former deputy ministers who are not expected to be fielded are Tan Sri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar, Datuk Noraini Ahmad and Datuk Seri Sulaiman Taib. They are the MPs for Jerantut, Parit Sulong and Kota Samarahan respectively.

 

1st BATCH OF PM GROSSEMAJIB'S 7 DEADLY SINS!

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 11:37 PM PDT

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Donplaypuks 

1. Lied that he never met Saiful. http://alditta.blogspot.com/2008/07/najib-admits-meeting-saiful.html

2. Lied that Saiful came to see him about a scholarship. Saiful testified under oath that he went to see Grossemajib about a sexual matter, and that Grosssemajib telephoned the IGP. http://archive.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/news/general/5499-saiful-tells-of-his-meeting-with-najib-ezam

3. Has not since 2006, ordered the IGP to investigate and charge the person responsible for ordering Altantuya's murder, how immigration records could have been erased or explained numerous highly suspicious sms exchanges with Razak Baginda.

4. Went on a shopping holiday to Milan on Airforce 1. At first PMO reported that the official trip was to UK and USA, and only admitted it after Pakatan MP's checked flight path details online. http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/5250-govt-now-admits-najib-spent-four-days-in-milan.html

Read more at: http://donplaypuks.blogspot.com/2013/03/1st-batch-of-pm-grossemajibs-7-deadly.html 

Malaysia Faces Capital Flight, Falling Trade Surplus

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 11:32 PM PDT


(Asia Sentinel) - This may seem a surprise to outsiders who are rightly impressed with the strength of the nation's external position - RM139 billion (US$44.36 billion) in foreign exchange reserves and a record of huge annual current account surpluses dating back to 1998. Monetary policy is restrained and inflation is low.  

More things for voters to worry about

As the Malaysian election draw near, two worrying aspects of the country's economy are very much in evidence. They are just pointers but significant ones to a bumpy future. 

This may seem a surprise to outsiders who are rightly impressed with the strength of the nation's external position - RM139 billion (US$44.36 billion) in foreign exchange reserves and a record of huge annual current account surpluses dating back to 1998. Monetary policy is restrained and inflation is low. 

But signs of concern are not just to be found in data but in anecdotes of behavior. One such anecdote that recently came to light courtesy of a Vanity Fair magazine article on London property is that Malaysians have now joined the ranks of Russian oligarchs, Nigerian oil plunderers and the latest generation of Gulf sheiks in paying astronomical prices for houses and apartments in the classiest parts of London. It may be an indication that some of the country's richest citizens are voting with their money if not their feet in advance of what appears to be a very tight election. 

According to estate agency Jones Lang & Wootton last year Malaysian buyers accounted for 17 percent of all buyers of new top-of-the-line central London dwellings. In other words almost as many Malaysian are buying as Britons, who accounted for only 19 percent of this market. Identifiable Malaysians figure as buyers of One Hyde Park, the most expensive new building in London overlooking Hyde Park and others probably lie behind the various anonymous offshore companies which figure as owners of most of the owners of apartments ranging in price from US$12 million to US$50 million. 

It is hard to imagine that these are safe investments compared with Malaysia, given that the market is thin, the properties are often left unoccupied and that further price gains must rely on yet more flood tides of easily gotten wealth. Such floods have always been associated with commodity booms or banker banquets. London property has long been a destination for flight capital and bankers absurd bonuses, one.

But what does the Malaysian role now tell us about flight capital from an outwardly stable nation? And about the prospects for the commodity price boom of the past 10 years not coming to an unpleasant end? 

That takes us away from London anecdote to actual data out of Malaysia itself. January saw Malaysia's trade surplus sink to RM3.3 billion, less than half that of the same month a year ago. Of course one should not read much into one month's figures but a downward trend evident in 2012 looks to be gaining momentum. Then total exports rose only 0.9 percent while imports rose 5.9 percent and the overall surplus fell from RM 124 billion to RM94 billion.

The worrying aspect is not imports, which need to be rising if capital spending is doing so but the trend in exports prices. Palm oil was down 27 percent, gas down 6 percent and rubber down 19 percent. These may have further to fall and continue the reversal of the huge terms of trade gains made over the previous decade. 

Of itself this need not be a worry but for the other aspects of the external account. The services account has always been in the red and is no particular cause for concern. Tourism is strong and the Islamic financial sector too. The RM64 billion deficits last on combined services, transfers and investment income is growing but should be quite manageable even if the trade surplus slides further.

There are more worrying issues given the likelihood that gas and palm oil prices at least are looking at a sustained downturn as new projects come on stream globally and China's demand for resources slows as the economy shifts emphasis. 

One is that direct investment outflow is now almost twice foreign direct investment - RM51 billion against RM29. Some of this is doubtless one-off as Petronas has invested heavily in foreign oil and gas projects as its own profits have boomed and Malaysian banks have been buying overseas, especially in Indonesia. But there must be questions about the likely rates of return on much of this capital. 

An even bigger question is how much has been squandered in lesser known ventures, particularly by politically connected and government linked- companies with scant accountability to shareholders. Some too is likely to be flight non-Malay flight capital preferring expensive but seemingly secure assets in Australia, the US or even London to the higher returns which ought to be available in younger, faster growing Malaysia.

Read more at: http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5259&Itemid=229 

 

Waiter claims GOF personnel helped gangsters beat him up

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 11:22 PM PDT

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(fz.com) - A coffee shop waiter who claimed he was assaulted by gangsters in the presence of a policeman will hand over the CCTV recording of the episode today.
 
The 29-minute long video clip, recorded at a Batu Kawa coffeeshop depicts a tall man, alleged to be a General Operation Force personnel, slapping the victim – a man of a smaller physique.
 
The clip also showed that when two other men punched the victim, the alleged GOF personnel was also present.
 
"They also took six handphones and asked us to pay RM500 for each handphone and an angpow in order to get our handphones back," the 21-year-old victim Andrewson Ngalai Tandang told a press conference today.
 
The incident took place last Thursday when Tandang and a few colleagues went to a karaoke pub near the coffeeshop where they worked.
 
Tandang said two men stopped him outside the outlet at around 4am when he was on his way home. After the said ordeal, Tandang received four stitches and suffered severe head injuries.
 
"I don't know why (it happened). One of them held my hands at my back while the other man hit me with an iron bar.
 
Tandang said he escaped and rushed back to the hostel with his friends. However, his cousin Johnical, who came to his rescue, was left behind.
 
"The gangsters followed us to our hostels but we refused to open the gate. Then, a man claimed he was a policeman and asked us to open the door. 
 
"All seven of us in the house followed him to the coffee shop," Tandang said, adding that the man flashed his police badge.
 
Tandang said he could not recall his name other than that he spoke with a heavy Sabahan accent.
 
At the coffee shop, Tandang said he and his cousin were slapped and assaulted.
 

 

Former Political Secretary Wants Wan Azizah To Stop Harassing Him

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 11:19 PM PDT

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(Malaysian Digest) - Former Political Secretary of Ampang MP has threatened to expose the truth if Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) President Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail continues to disturb his life.

"Do not underestimate me, if this pressure continues, I will not hesitate to divulge the truth behind why she (Dr Wan Azizah) is jealous of me," he said.


In a report from online newsportal Free Malaysia Today, Fareez Kamal Intidzam (pic) alleges that until today, he is still being harassed by certain quarters believed to be PKR supporters and Wan Azizah's henchmen.

Fareez also claims that his family too is being harassed.

In a statement today, Fareez said that his revelation will make the public see how obsessed the party president is to stay in power.

The former political secretary claims that Wan Azizah's jealousy stems from his ties with PKR General Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Following that, Fareez wishes for the harassment to stop as well as to cease embroiling his family in the mess.

"I urge those who are involved who I believe are party supporters and possibly Wan Azizah's henchmen to stop these harassment and threats immediately," he said.

At the same time, Fareez urged Wan Azizah to quit her post as party president.

"I am confident that many party leaders and grassroot members agree with me on this.

"However they are scared to voice their feelings out for fear they will get shoved aside and threatened, just like me now, despite realizing that is the truth the party has to accept," he added.

 

 

Anwar announces Kit Siang to contest in Gelang Patah parliamentary seat

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 11:13 PM PDT

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(fz.com) - PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that DAP leader Lim Kit Siang will be contesting in Johor's  Gelang Patah parliamentary seat in the 13th general election.  

The current MP is Tan Ah Eng, who is Johor's Wanita MCA chairperson. 

More to follow at: http://fz.com/content/anwar-announces-kit-siang-contest-gelang-patah-parliamentary-seat 

 

Police suggest setting up crime prevention bodies in Tamil schools

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 11:10 PM PDT

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(Bernama) - Police have suggested setting up crime prevention associations in Tamil primary schools in the state to enhance student awareness of crime prevention methods.

Selangor police deputy chief Datuk A. Thaiveegan (pix) said the move could educate students against breaking the law, as well as instilling discipline among them.

"Focus should be given to Year Five and Year Six pupils as they are preparing to enter secondary schools," he added.

Thaiveegan was speaking to reporters Monday after officiating a patriotic quiz contest among Tamil primary school pupils organised by the Malaysian Indian Visionary Association at a school in Kapar, near here.  

Shahrizat says no reason to apologise to Malaysians

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 11:06 PM PDT

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(The Malaysian Insider) - "I have to apologise to Malaysians for what?" said Shahrizat at the High Court here today.

Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil questioned at the High Court here today the need for her to apologise to Malaysians over the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal.

Rafizi Ramli's lawyer, Ranjit Singh, said the PKR strategy director had in a press statement dated November 28, 2011 called on the former Cabinet minister to apologise to the rakyat as the alleged abuse of public funds in the cattle farming project had roused public anger.

"I have to apologise to Malaysians for what?" said Shahrizat at the High Court here today.

"Do you ask a certain wife to explain what the husband does in a condo? Do you ask a certain wife to explain what a certain husband does in a condo or several condos?" she added, gesturing angrily.

Shahrizat also disagreed with Rafizi's statement in which he said the question arose of whether public funds were siphoned out after the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) loaned RM81 million to the National Meat Livestock Corporation (NMLC) to purchase two luxury condominium units in Bangsar.

"The question did not arise until your client tried to mislead the whole nation," said Shahrizat.

"This is defamation and accusations," she added, gesturing again.Shahrizat also said that she did not know if NFCorp's RM81 million loan to NMLC came from the RM250 million government loan to the former firm.

The Wanita Umno chief admitted, however, that the use of NFCorp funds to purchase the condominium units was a departure from the purpose of the government loan.

"The money meant for programmes for NFC was stalled because the abattoir was not built, so they invested in property. That's why it's a departure from the loan," explained Shahrizat.

She maintained she was the only target in Rafizi and PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail's joint press statement dated November 10, 2011, which had named her along with others such as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Datuk Seri Noh Omar, and Deputy Prime Minister and Noh's ministerial predecessor, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, as parties in the NFC issue.

"They were gunning for me... I was the only one (targeted)," said Shahrizat.

Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/shahrizat-says-no-reason-to-apologise-to-malaysians/ 

Ahmad Maslan: Ex-civil servants joining Pakatan for easy polls shot

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 11:04 PM PDT

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(Bernama) - The move taken by certain individuals, including former top public officers, to pledge their support for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was probably aimed at getting a shortcut to become the opposition's candidates in the 13th general election, Umno Information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan said.

He said they also seemed desperate to cut the long queue of opposition leaders who had waited for their chance for so long.

"Some of the opposition leaders and members had waited for 10 or 20 years in the their parties, but cannot do anything with the presence of these 'queue-cutting' leaders," he told reporters after meeting with Perak Umno information machinery here today.

Ahmad (picture) said this in response to the move taken by several former top public officers, including from the Armed Forces, in supporting the opposition.

"They think if they join the opposition, they stand the chance to become a candidate in the next general election," he said.

However, Ahmad stressed that these individuals would not affect the Barisan Nasional as they only made up a minority group.

 

 

DCNS lawyer found dead, believed to be suicide

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 10:55 PM PDT

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(The Malaysian Insider) - French lawyer Olivier Metzner, who had acted for shipbuilding giant DCNS in a French court inquiry initiated by a Malaysian human rights group last year, was found dead yesterday in an apparent suicide, Bloomberg reported.

The business newswire reported Metzner's body was found floating off in the waters off an island he owned in Brittany's Bay of Morbihan, and that he had left behind a note, citing an unnamed official from the prosecutor's office in Vannes, Brittany.

The autopsy results have yet to be announced.

The 63-year-old was described by Bloomberg as a cigar-chomping, media-friendly lawyer who gained fame freeing clients on technicalities.

Metzner's Malaysian link was through the French court, which set up a tribunal to investigate activist group Suara Rakyat Malaysia's (Suaram) complaint last April over the multi-billion ringgit sale of two Scorpene submarines by DCNS to Putrajaya.

Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dcns-lawyer-found-dead-believed-to-be-suicide 

For more info: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/17/french-lawyer-olivier-metzner-found-dead 

 

Guan Eng Wants Ngeh And Kula To Cool It

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 06:47 PM PDT

(The Malay Mail) - DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has advised Perak DAP Chief Ngeh Koo Ham and DAP national vice-chairman M. Kulasegaran to resolve their disagreements internally and amicably within the party.

Describing their row as 'a normal thing', Lim, who is also Penang chief minister said it could be achieved if they are loyal to the party.

"They should realise the main enemy is Barisan Nasional and not between party members no matter what the issue is.

"Therefore they should come to their senses and not let BN capitalise on this," he told reporters after hosting a lunch for members of the Penang Voluntary Patrol Team (PPS) at Komtar Dome on Saturday.

Lim said that in his capacity as the party's national secretary-general, he felt compelled to remind them both not to wash dirty linen in public.

"It is normal to have such things in a party but it is up to them to learn from similar past incidents.

"If you are loyal to the party, you should realise that there's no enemy within — only BN and don't let them have that satisfaction of knowing there are petty issues like these in which they could manipulate and use against us," he said.

The alleged spat caused an uproar and stirred up excitement following Kula's action of openly venting his frustrations on social media site Twitter.

Kula had allegedly used the microblogging site to lash out against Ngeh and Nga, claiming he was sidelined in Perak DAP and that the cousins had belittled the Indian community.

"Some party leaders are so oblivious. Perak politics will explode if I start speaking. Matter of time only," Kulasegaran had written on Twitter last Friday. The Ngeh–Nga dynasty, touted to be powerful has taken control of Perak DAP since the 2008 general election.

It is said that the Perak DAP plans to kick out Kulasegaran, Sungkai assemblyman A. Sivanesan and Teluk Intan MP M. Manogaran and replace them with much better Indian candidates in the forthcoming general election.

 

The myth of the two-party system

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 06:37 PM PDT

Malaysian politics has been at a crossroads since the 2008 general election. Politicians have engaged in a life-and-death confrontation while the people were forced to take sides of either to support the BN or Pakatan Rakyat. They are not allowed to be neutral or impartial.

Lim Sue Goan, Sin Chew

The general election is approaching and all kinds of dirty political means have been used to achieve personal political aims.

The past two weeks have been filled with political violence. The disturbances at PKR dinners in Perak, Malacca and Penang indicate the deterioration of political culture.

On March 8, the fifth anniversary of the 2008 political tsunami, father of Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan suddenly claimed that Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was a victim of a political conspiracy in the whole sodomy affair, before making an announcement of joining the PKR on March 11.

Screenshots of a sex video clip allegedly featuring the opposition leader and a man were then spread across the Internet on March 14 and the video clip is expected to be released soon. I think that everyone believes that the two events could not be a coincidence.

Malaysian politics has been at a crossroads since the 2008 general election. Politicians have engaged in a life-and-death confrontation while the people were forced to take sides of either to support the BN or Pakatan Rakyat. They are not allowed to be neutral or impartial.

To win the election, one after another muckraking game has been staged. Words like sodomy, anal sex and oral sex can always be found on newspapers, affecting children's morality.

The political climate of loyal support has turned the people's thinking radical. Political violence can be found in both real life and the online world, penetrating every corner of the society.

Political fanaticism has reduced the people's ability to judge while affecting their views on the freedom of the press.

Initially, the people wanted the two-party system to make the country a better place but due to political myth, the two-party system has become a system of supporting a particular political party.

The two-party system should be a political concept that helps to improve the country's political system, with the ultimate goal of reforming the country's system, improving governance and making the country financially sound through checks and balances.

If we narrowly position the two-party system as supporting a political party, we will then be hostile to those with different views and even prejudice against them in political discussions.

The political confrontation between the two coalitions has shifted the focus. Today, the system has not been changed while the debt continues to increase. Fanatical supporters must also bear the responsibility.

Members of the public should support all political ideas that can bring the country a positive change, regardless of whether the ideas are from the BN or Pakatan Rakyat.

I support Datuk Seri Najib Razak's removal of the 30 per cent Bumiputera quota on new shareholding, the abolition and amendment of demonic laws, as well as electoral reforms.

I also agree with the Pakatan Rakyat's open tender and the idea of making state assembly members' properties public and abolishing the New Economic Policy (NEP).

I do not agree with money distribution measures, which are not cost-effective. Only by changing the economic structure, the people's incomes can be improved and root of the problem can be resolved.

I support the two-party system with the hope that those in power will be restricted through checks and balances. We must determine who has the ability to bring changes to the country and curb corruption, instead of blindly support without caring about the weaknesses of leaders.

We must also assess which management approach is able to reduce debt and consolidate the country's financial situation, instead of supporting the one that can distribute more money.

Today's irrational politics originates from the wrong interpretation of two-party system. Fanatic supporters have caused the ruling and alternative coalitions to take the wrong directions. It is a misfortune for the country.

 

Tak payah skandal, politik Anwar tak lagi handal

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 06:34 PM PDT

Jadi adalah tidak mustahil untuk menyatakan kemungkinan gambar perlakuan seks (dan mungkin video selepas ini) yang baru ini disebarkan oleh pasukan Anwar sendiri menjelang pilihan raya Umum.

oleh Ab Jalil Backer (jalil74@myjaring.net)

Sama ada sedar atau tidak, isu skandal seks Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sudah berusia 15 tahun. Bermula pada 1997 apabila terdapat tuduhan yang dibuat oleh Karpal Singh dalam Parlimen, diikuti pemecatan beliau dari jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri (1998), reformasi dan kes Liwat Azizan (1998-2003), Liwat II (2009-2012), video klip lelaki menyerupai beliau mengadakan hubungan seks.

Dan sekarang muncul satu lagi skandal beliau atau lelaki menyerupai beliau mengadakan hubungan songsang dengan seorang pemuda "triple A". Sebenarnya orang ramai sudah letih, bosan dan penat dengan skandal yang mengelilingi Anwar bin Ibrahim ini.

Barisan Nasional dalam keadaan kuat dan bersedia memenangi pilihan raya ini dengan majoriti 2/3 biar pun Pakatan mungkin masih menguasai satu atau dua negeri. Justeru kemunculan gambar dan video terbaru ini tidak memberi sebarang keuntungan politik kepada Barisan Nasional dan UMNO.

Politik Licik Di sebalik Skandal Seks?

Sebaliknya, memahami psikologi orang Melayu dan Asia keseluruhan, penyebaran video-video memalukan ini pada saat-saat menjelang pilihan raya mungkin memberi undi simpati kepada Pakatan dan Anwar Ibrahim. Ini pernah terjadi dalam pilihan raya 1999 apabila terdapat gerak kerja UMNO yang terlalu memburukkan Anwar akhirnya memberi undi simpati kepada pakatan pembangkang.

READ MORE HERE

 

BN to win a minimum of 28 seats in S’gor?

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 05:56 PM PDT

Utusan Malaysia predicts that Barisan Nasional will win at least half of the 56 state assembly seats in Selangor.

K Pragalath, FMT

Barisan Nasional would win at least half of the 56 state seats in Selangor based on the number of seats won by Pakatan Rakyat with a slim majority at the last general election, Utusan Malaysia reported today.

In a news analysis entitled "50-50 or two thirds?", Utusan Malaysia put forth the above notion based on 11 state seats which it said was won by the opposition with a very slender majority.

They are Sungai Air Tawar (123 vote majority), Sabak (117), Sekinchan (190) Kuala Kubu Baru (448) Permatang (608), Bukit Malawati (297), Kuang (517), Taman Templer (613) Paya Jaras (642) Teluk Datok (698), and Sri Serdang (45).

The confidence was also based on the rise in the number of Malay voters. As such Utusan said that there was no need to worry about Chinese votes swaying in favour of Pakatan.

The influence of Chinese voters, according to the Umno-owned newspaper, was limited to only nine state seats located within four parliament constituencies. The four are Kelana Jaya, Subang, Petaling Jaya Utara and Petaling Jaya Selatan.

Among the major grouse for the people of Selangor was the state government's failure to bring in development projects, the paper said.

Infighting in Perak

Utusan Malaysia also highlighted on the infighting among Pakatan leaders in Perak.

The newspaper said the announcement of PKR's Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty as Bagan Serai parliamentary candidate was not welcomed by Perak PAS youth because the incumbent MP Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri defected from PKR to be independent.

Prior to that the seat was contested by PAS.

READ MORE HERE

 

Uthaya wants to be a PAS candidate

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 05:54 PM PDT

HRP secretary-general P Uthayakumar says he is willing to stand as a PAS candidate in the general election.

Alyaa Azhar, FMT

Human Rights Party Malaysia leader P Uthayakumar wants to contest in the Kota Raja parliament seat under the PAS banner but all his attempts to meet PAS leaders so far have been futile.

Uthayakumar, who is HRP's pro-tem secretary-general, is basing his hope on a meeting with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang early last year.

"Early last year, we met Abdul Hadi Awang at the PAS headquarters with six other MPs in attendance.

"They said that they will field non-Muslims to stand as PAS candidates in the general election. As such, I am prepared to stand as a PAS candidate," said Uthayakumar.

According to Uthayakumar, unless he is told to back out, he would still want to contest under PAS.

"If they don't want me to contest under their ticket, they have to explain to me why I don't deserve to stand as their candidate," he said.

He however admitted that all attempts to meet with PAS representatives have been futile.

"We want to meet up but whether it is about meeting to ask for seats or to talk about the Indian poor, we have met a stone wall.

"If they do not want to meet up then I would be forced to contest as an independent," he said.

Relying on Indian voters

When asked as to why he wanted to contest in Kota Raja, he said the decision went hand in hand with his party's focus on Indian issues.

"The Kota Raja constituency has the highest number of Indian voters, at 29%.

"The constituency is very unique as the Indian community is the majority in the area and there are no army camps and orang asli voters, and we know that the army and orang asli folk are the bulk voters for the BN.

"Therefore, I believe that all these factors will work in my favour," he said.

READ MORE HERE

 

Najib set to break tradition

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 05:51 PM PDT

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak may break away from tradition by allowing the Johor state assembly to be automatically dissolved first before dissolving Parliament.

G Vinod, FMT

It appears that for the first time since Malaysia's Independence, the prime minister is going to allow a state assembly to be automatically dissolved before Parliament.

The Johor state government's mandate expires tomorrow, paving the way for an automatic dissolution of its state assembly.

The next state assembly on the line to be automatically dissolved this month is Negeri Sembilan, with the mandate expiring on March 26.

Pundits have described that the 13th general election would be the toughest electoral battle Barisan Nasional would endure, forcing the government to break away from traditions.

Most state assemblies would be automatically dissolved next month, with Terengganu (April 7), Selangor (April 22), Perak (April 24), Malacca (April 26), Perlis and Kelantan (April 28), and Sabah (April 29).

Penang and Kedah would be automatically dissolved on May 2 while Terengganu's mandate would expire on May 5.

However, all signs show that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak would not wait till April to dissolve Parliament as speculations are rife that he might do it this week.

Last Thurday, Najib held a closed-door meeting with BN component party presidents for about seven hours in order to finalise candidates for the general election.

He is also widely speculated to have a second meeting with component party leaders this week to iron out other details.

Mammoth gatherings

Najib, who is seeking his own mandate for the first time, had also attended huge gatherings of three major races in the last four days, in a final bid to shore up support for the ruling coalition.

Last Friday, the prime minister attended a mammoth gathering in Kelantan, attended by a predominantly Malay crowd, and criticised Pakatan Rakyat for committing "seven sins".

Chief among the sins, according to Najib, was that Pakatan had allowed non-Muslims to use the word Allah to refer to God in their holy books.

After that, Najib attended a gathering attended by nearly 30,000 people, organised by the Negeri Sembilan Federation of Chinese Association in Seremban.

In the event, Najib said he was grateful for the support the Chinese had given him. In return the association praised Najib for being able to bring economic progress despite a bleak global economic outlook.

READ MORE HERE

 

Manila not giving up claim on Sabah

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 03:12 PM PDT

President Benigno Aquino says both countries should go back to the negotiation table on the Sabah issue.

(FMT) - MANILA: In a clear indication that Manila has not given up its claim to Sabah, President Benigno Aquiino said Philippines is open to negotiating with Malaysia.

He said the two countries should embark on a rules-based approach to resolve the Sabah claim similar to the case filed by Manila against Beijing to address the territorial dispute over the Spratley Islands.

Speaking before the graduating class of the Philippine Military Academy, Aquino said regardless of whether the claims of the followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III were legitimate, an armed incursion into Sabah was not the way to resolve the dispute.

"Let us look at the situation in the West Philippine Sea as an example. Is it not true that, like in the issue of Sabah, we continue to hold firm to principles founded on a rules-based approach, towards a peaceful resolution of the dispute over the islands.

"If we were to resort to saber-rattling and violence, the problem would only grow bigger, and in all likelihood, would only carry over to the next generations," the president said.

"We all know that for every action, there is a resultant reaction, and that there are problems that cannot be solved hastily—problems that will only beget more problems if we try to solve them through force or recklessness.

"What is needed here is a careful and truthful evaluation of the facts, and a subsequent negotiation along those lines, to produce the right solution," he added.

According to the Philippine Standard, the president acknowledged that while he will not give up the country's claim on Sabah, neither will Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

"We already know how complicated this issue is: could any Malaysian Prime Minister so easily agree to let go of a land that, for so long, has been subject to their laws? Is there a Philippine President who would, without a second thought, give up our claim?"

Aquino even cited the Bangsamoro framework agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as example of how "earnest dialogue is more effective, more productive, and more beneficial to all."

"Forbearance and reason are not equivalent to cowardice—on the contrary, these are the measures of true courage and resolve, because through these we are able to consider the well-being of not only those living in the here and now, but especially those in the years to come," the president said.

Unnamed masterminds

Aquino repeated allegations that there were collaborators and financiers who helped the Kirams send a 235-member contingent to Sabah.

Without citing specifics or offering evidence, the president said the collaborators "gathered the funds needed to rent boats, to buy gasoline and food, guns and bullets" for the group led by the sultan's brother, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram.

Aquino accused the still unnamed "masterminds" and collaborators of selfishly goading the Kirams into going to Sabah.

The sultanate of Sulu said Sunday they would ask the US government to arbitrate with the Malaysians to help resolve the Sabah issue.

"We are asking President Barack Obama to mediate in the peaceful resolution of our claim in Sabah with Malaysia," Sultanate of Sulu Spokesman Abraham Idjirani said.

READ MORE HERE

 

As the Altantuya Murder Plot Thickens

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 02:18 PM PDT

http://www.keadilandaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/najib-n-razak-n-altantuya.jpg 

The impression one gets is that Najib prefers to ignore the issue so that it won't get any bigger, and that he hopes people will in time forget. But the issue is not getting smaller, and people have not forgotten after seven years.

Kee Thuan Chye 

Private investigator P. Balasubramaniam is gone, and his untimely death from a heart attack makes it all the more pressing for Malaysians to find answers to the mystery of the murder of the Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Who actually did it? Logically, it would seem unlikely that the two police personnel who have been convicted acted on their own. What would be the motive of Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar and Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri? They didn't even know Altantuya before they whisked her away and dealt the fatal blow. It would seem they were merely hitmen.

Furthermore, according to Sirul's cautioned statement, they were offered RM50,000 to RM100,000 to dispose of Altantuya. If this is true, who made the offer?

Other questions float in limbo like ghosts whose souls have not been put to rest. How did these two men get their hands on the C4 explosive used to blow Altantuya's body to smithereens? It's something that is difficult to procure. Did they have help from certain quarters?

Bala had said that he wanted to reveal what he knew about matters related to the murder in order to bring justice to Altantuya and the two convicted men. But now he is unable to testify in court.

He did, however, manage to come home from exile to publicly announce that he stood by his first statutory declaration (SD) in which he implicated Prime Minister Najib Razak – if only in the sense that the latter knew Altantuya and had had a sexual relationship with her, and that he might have influenced the attorney-general on the handling of the murder trial.

This first SD also stated that although Bala gave a statement to the police that included Najib's alleged relationship with Altantuya, what he was given to sign omitted this detail. And when he gave testimony at the murder trial, the lawyers never asked him about that relationship either.

So seemingly damning was this first SD that the very next day, Bala took everyone by surprise when he came out with a second SD that not only retracted the entire contents of the first but also specifically named as being untrue all the parts that referred to Najib.

Since then, businessman Deepak Jaikishan has come out to divulge that he was involved in getting Bala to make the second SD, together with Najib's brother, Nazim. He said he did this at the request of Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, and that Najib arranged for a senior lawyer to prepare the second SD. He said he regretted getting involved: "It was the biggest mistake I have made."

Does this vindicate Bala? Well, it depends on whether Deepak is telling the truth. Najib has said Deepak is "not credible" and dismissed what he has revealed as "not an issue", even though it reinforces Bala's statement that Najib allegedly knew Altantuya.

And now to further consolidate Deepak's allegations about the second SD, Bala's lawyer, Americk Singh, has disclosed to the Bar Council that the senior lawyer who Deepak said prepared it is Cecil Abraham.

Americk said Cecil disclosed this to him in confidence, and – even more interesting – that Cecil said he was acting on instructions from Najib.

Americk apologised to Cecil for breaking his promise of confidence, but felt he had to make it for the sake of carrying on Bala's quest for justice. To many, Americk did the right thing.

The obvious next step now is for the relevant authorities to query Cecil to verify if this is true. Of course, it could still be one man's word against the other's. If Cecil did prepare the second SD knowing that it would contradict Bala's true intent, he would be guilty of professional misconduct. But if he denies it, and assuming that he believes Bala's first SD to be true, he would be maligning the word of a man who has just died.

It will be a tough call for Cecil. And even if he were to admit that it was Najib who gave him the instructions, it still may not prove anything unless he has black-and-white evidence of those instructions, or someone else was present to corroborate the fact.

Read more at: http://my.news.yahoo.com/blogs/bull-bashing/altantuya-murder-plot-thickens-080218923.html 

Wanita Umno sebar risalah bodohkan orang kampung

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 02:06 PM PDT

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_Qledt2p6RSqtLjR01VhpiocCE8KAoQOpYI8K4mXrN2JiAx2jaHNVtvuKX7hUKRVbLajv-i7_gmn0Wb-Wsjqg_XpzWDmqlmDljS7k5GWRdPluHZnliKvKG0lvsWoKzvddG5iGxI4sBU/s1600/surat+wanita+umno+bukit+katil+fitnah+dap.jpg 

Milo Suam 

PROPAGANDA 3R (Race, Royalti and Religion) terus digunakan oleh Umno dan Barisan Nasional untuk menarik sokongan Melayu. Terbaru sebuah risalah yang jelas fitnah disebarkan oleh Wanita Umno Bukit Katil untuk memperbodohkan orang Melaka.


Jika anda ada akal fikiran yang waras, sila baca dan nilai kebenaran risalah di bawah ini baik-baik.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_Qledt2p6RSqtLjR01VhpiocCE8KAoQOpYI8K4mXrN2JiAx2jaHNVtvuKX7hUKRVbLajv-i7_gmn0Wb-Wsjqg_XpzWDmqlmDljS7k5GWRdPluHZnliKvKG0lvsWoKzvddG5iGxI4sBU/s1600/surat+wanita+umno+bukit+katil+fitnah+dap.jpg

 

Read at: http://milosuam.blogspot.com/2013/03/wanita-umno-sebar-risalah-bodohkan.html 

A Respond to CM Lim Guan Eng: We Should Not Have to Suffer From a Failed Political System ...

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 01:12 PM PDT

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It appears to me that your government is trying to use the current 'overwhelming majority' to push through the project by equating any opposition to the project as an opposition to your government. It has given me an impression that your administration is putting this project at a higher priority than your party's political struggle to end corruption, to enhance separation of power, to decentralize federal control and to promote other democratic ideals.   
 
Khoo Kay Peng 
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, since your letter to Malaysiakini.com and The Malaysian Insider is directed to the critics of the proposed highways and a third-link underwater tunnel project worth RM6.3 billion it qualifies me to respond to you. I was one of your lesser-known critics. Whether you choose to believe or not, I do not work for or represent any political party or NGO.  

I am a voter in Penang and I firmly believe that politicians and policy makers whom we have chosen to govern the nation through a strenuous but necessary electoral process should be responsible to do their best for the people.

You said that we (the critics) have made misleading claims against your proposal. I shall endeavour to prove it to you that the concerns I have raised are not without their merits. I would like you to view these issues from a non-politician or voter standpoint.

You claimed that the project is a "desperate" effort to decongest traffic congestion on the island and bring about smoother traffic flow on the mainland of Seberang Perai.You pointed at the failure or reluctance of the federal government to entertain the state's numerous requests to help improve public bus service on the island as a main contributor to your administration's desperation.

If given a choice, you concurred that improving public transport is still the best option. You said; "Much as we prefer the public transport option, one must not forget that public transport in whatever form is the exclusive prerogative of the federal government. Even if it is funded by the state government, nothing can be done without the sanction of the federal government. Therefore, regurgitating the homily that we should be investing in public transport instead is akin to beating a dead horse."

Here is where I am going to attempt to get you and other politicians to see our viewpoint. First, if the reluctance to explore the public transport option is due to politics why should the people be made to suffer the consequences of our deplorable state of politics?

In a matured democracy, politicians should be able to differentiate between when to engage in a political battle and when to cooperate for the common good of the people.

However, you are implying that the people should ultimately be burdened with an expensive alternative project proposed by your administration because of the reckless and endless political bickering between the two coalitions.
 

 

Media should not play up Mahathir

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 12:49 PM PDT

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How can we have two Prime Ministers, in fact three if we include Muhyiddin Yassin as well. The Constitution makes no provision for a Deputy Prime Minister. It's just an administrative device but the man (Muhyi) seems to be getting carried away by his post. Samy Vellu was right to tell then Deputy Prime Minister Musa Hitam to "go jump into the lake".

If we include Rosmah Mansor too, we have four Prime Ministers in the country.

Joe Fernandez 

The way former Prime Mahathir Mohamad has been carrying on since retiring, keeping himself very much in the public eye, it appears that he wants his old job back and this time perhaps until he dies and that could be at 97+. That could be the real reason why the 13th General Election has been unduly delayed.

Mahathir is now 88 years old.

Mahathir's latest visit was to Sabah where he visited the troops in Lahad Datu besides delivering a lecture at UMS on the RCI.

He repeated blatant lies on the MyKad scam in Sabah and the media dutifully reported them. His remarks were subjudice and bordered on contempt of court. Of course, as usual, the media will NOT run an editorial tearing Mahathir to bits for his errant remarks.

He also advised troops in Sabah to adopt guerrilla warfare. Is he a military expert too besides having perfected the art of putting the hands in the National Cookie Jar under the guise of bringing development to the people? Since when did a Government force anywhere in the world engage in guerrilla warfare? Leave that to the Royal Sulu Army and their MNLF backers.

Mahathir has no business carrying on like this.

In the US they have a Code of Ethics.

An ex-President in the US is not supposed to do many things while in other cases, he needs the written permission of the sitting President. The media does not play up ex-Presidents. There are certain rules of conduct to follow.

The Vice-President in the US has no work except to sit in his office and count paper clips while waiting for the President to die in office. He's the back-up. Otherwise, the Vice President dutifully does what the President tells him. He can't even breathe without the President's permission. Have we ever heard the US Vice President say that he's white first and American second? Or that the people should be grateful and thankful to the Democratic Party?

In Malaysia, Mahathir does what he wants including embarrassing and even humiliating the Prime Minister. Everyone knows how he hounded his successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, out of office. He did the same thing to his predecessor, Hussein Onn.

Why is the Opposition Leader, usually considered the Prime Minister in Waiting, keeping quiet on Mahathir's errant behaviour?

Everyone knows that the Umno Supreme Council, thanks to his US$ 44 billion in ill-gotten gains and his Big Black Book of Everyone's Sins, is in his pocket.

A change in Umno could see Mahathir taking over as Acting Umno President after Najib makes way for him given his numerous scandals as reported and fouling up Lahad Datu.

The media should observe certain ethics and not play up Mahathir at the expense of the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader.

Why do they seek out his comments all the time on issues ranging from running the country to changing diapers?

It's really infantile on the part of the media. They are doing a disservice to the country.

The media, being public service organisations, are supposed to highlight matters of public interest, not help Mahathir run the country through the Court of Public Opinion.

The media doesn't have to highlight his blog postings either and generate controversies over them. Those interested can visit Mahathir's blog and leave their comments there. The chances are their critical comments will be blocked.

Mahathir's time has passed. He should let go. For better or worse, he should hold his peace.

He claims that he has the democratic right to speak his mind like any citizen. However, he should know that he's not an ordinary citizen and cannot claim that right. He has no right to speak up in public on anything.

How can we have two Prime Ministers, in fact three if we include Muhyiddin Yassin as well.

The Constitution makes no provision for a Deputy Prime Minister. It's just an administrative device but the man (Muhyi) seems to be getting carried away by his post. Samy Vellu was right to tell then Deputy Prime Minister Musa Hitam to "go jump into the lake".

If we include Rosmah Mansor too, we have four Prime Ministers in the country.

Often, she walks ahead of the Prime Minister in public. Where's the Protocol on this and other matters?

Every generation has a right to rule themselves. They don't have to be perfect if there's any such thing. It's okay to make mistakes. That's where the learning begins and success comes.

Someone should lead a campaign against Mahathir's interference in Government and the media's failings on this issue.

Mahathir lacks goodwill and mouths nothing but self-serving racism, prejudice and opportunism in public and private.

GE13: ‘Two dragons’ giving way

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 12:45 PM PDT

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Mohd Zin and Noh have declared that they are not after the mentri besar post, paving the way for Barisan Nasional to make Selangor the epicentre state in the general election.

Joceline Tan, The Star 

THE big question of who will be Barisan Nasional's candidate for mentri besar is still blowing in the wind. No one in Barisan is quite sure who it will be.

But what many are sure of is that two of Selangor's most prominent Umno leaders have declared that they will not be going for the MB post.

Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed and Datuk Seri Noh Omar openly said at a recent political retreat in Shah Alam that they had informed the Prime Minister of their stand.

Noh, who is Tanjung Karang MP and Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister, was the first to broach this touchy subject before the gathering of about 200 multi-level grassroots leaders from all state Barisan component parties.

For Noh, it is also about coming to terms with the new political landscape in Selangor. The Umno strongman has been unable to live down that "pendatang" remark made during the Hulu Selangor by-election back in 2010 and it sort of sealed his fate for bigger things in the state.

He told the gathering that he is happy to remain a candidate for a parliamentary seat in Selangor which would effectively put him out of the running for the MB post.

"Why would I want to be MB? I am not exaggerating, I am telling everyone that I am not chasing the post. This is my fourth term as an MP. I have been a parliamentary secretary, deputy minister and now minister.

"If I contest again, it will be my fifth term as a wakil rakyat. Even if I am not nominated, I promise, I will work for the party," he said to loud applause.

Mohd Zin, who is Sepang MP and Selangor Barisan coordinator, was also greeted by applause when he said that he had informed Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that he was not interested in the MB post.

"It does not make sense to squabble for the MB post. We prefer to see ourselves as Team Najib," he said.

He assured everyone that he was quite satisfied being an MP. He also drew laughter when he joked that the Selangor MB's post was too hot to handle and that life would be simpler being an ordinary MP or perhaps an ambassador.

"They are big names. They are like the dragons of Selangor. The message we got was that they are putting the party's interest above their own. That gives PM the freedom to decide," said Kapar Umno deputy chief Datuk Faizal Abdullah.

Najib is said to be very pleased with the work put in by Mohd Zin who was initially Selangor Umno secretary. Last year Najib promoted him to state Barisan coordinator and last month, he was made deputy state election director.

Mohd Zin is not only hardworking, but has injected a lot of thinking and strategy into Barisan's comeback quest in Selangor. He has built up an impressive war room and some are even talking about the Selangor model being made a political prototype.

Both men have given their commitment to Najib, who is the Selangor Barisan chief. Najib is said to have two or three names in mind for the post. He does not intend to announce the names until the time is right.

He has told selected circles that if Barisan is successful in Selangor, he will present the names to the Sultan of Selangor and if Tuanku has no objection to any of the names, he will exercise his prerogative to pick the MB of his choice.

He respects the Palace, he understands protocol and he intends to observe the procedure.

By now it is amply clear that Barisan is hungry to regain Selangor. All their efforts and preparations of the last five years are about to come to this moment.

There has been a lot of hoopla about Johor being the Pakatan frontline state, but the big battleground will be Selangor.

The mood among the Barisan players, especially Umno, is very high. Selangor has 56 state seats of which Pakatan controls 32, Barisan 20 and one by an independent.

"The PM has told us very clearly that he is not interested in hearing feel-good fairy tales. He does not want us to tell him bedtime stories or sing nice songs. He wants the hard facts," said Faizal, who is also deputy treasurer of the state Barisan.

At the last state Barisan meeting, Najib informed those present that he had a good feeling about the election. Everywhere he has gone, people of all races have given him an enthusiastic reception. He recalled that some even try to hug him and he can feel their warmth and friendship.

Everyone laughed when he said: "Insyallah, I pray it will also translate into votes."

The Selangor manifesto is ready and Faizal who has had a sneak preview of it said that it is a comprehensive document that reaches out to everyone.

"More important, it is not empty promises," said Faizal.

The word is out that Barisan is confident of taking 32 seats. It has conceded 14 black seats held mainly by DAP while another 10 seats are considered as grey seats. The casualties in Selangor will be PAS and PKR, especially in seats where Malays form the bulk of voters.

"Selangor will be the epicentre. Our aim is to ensure that Selangor will be the first state to achieve a high-income economy," said Mohd Zin. 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net
 

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