| Islamic City Council Ban Female Flatulence in Indonesia Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:59 PM PDT 
(The Wadiyan) - An Islamic city council in the Indonesian province of Aceh, which follows Sharia, has banned female citizens from passing gas. Sayyid Yahia, mayor of the city, told media that a ban was needed, as farting does not go well with the Islamic values of modesty. "Muslim women are not allowed to fart with sound, it's against Islamic teachings," he said. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Feminists Association told local media they will attempt to block the smelly law as they deem it discriminatory. Talking to The Wadiyan, mayor Sayyid Yahia said the law aims to save people's morals and behaviors. "When you see woman fart loud, she appears like a man. But if she sit sideways and pass it quietly, she looks like a woman," Sayyid said. Although the proposed law does not ban "quiet fart," passing gas with sound is actually not uncommon in Southeast Asia, particularly for women consuming potatoes and peas. Obviously, women maintain that they feel healthier, farting loud. Fathima Khan, a medical doctor at the Al Banni Islamic Hospital in Aceh's capital is critical of the proposed law: "There is no need to question this practice, let alone regulate it, because people do it for their health and safety," she said. The mayor declined to give The Wadiyan details of what the punishment would be for violators. While another member at the City council, who wished not to be named, said if convicted by the sharia court, the offender could receive 20 lashes for small farts and up to 3 months prison time for larger ones. Read more at: http://wadiyan.com/2013/03/08/islamic-city-council-bans-female-flatulence-in-indonesia/ |
| Ganyang parti parti Malaya! Star's battle-cry in Sabah, Ini Kali Lah! Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:28 PM PDT 
The Agenda Malaya, according to Star, is being flogged by the parti parti Malaya, and traitors who comprise their local proxies (local Muslims and illegals), the stooges (non Muslims) of the proxies, rogue elements (those who put the illegals on the electoral rolls on behalf of Putrajaya) and political mandores (non Muslims elected by the votes of the illegals). Joe Fernandez The following salient points have been noted from the State Reform Party's (Star) campaign trail in Sabah:
Ganyang parti parti Malaya! Ini Kali Lah!
Star sees May 5 in Sabah as a one-to-one fight: Agenda Borneo (Star) v Agenda Malaya (the other parties in Sabah).
The Agenda Malaya, according to Star, is being flogged by the parti parti Malaya, and traitors who comprise their local proxies (local Muslims and illegals), the stooges (non Muslims) of the proxies, rogue elements (those who put the illegals on the electoral rolls on behalf of Putrajaya) and political mandores (non Muslims elected by the votes of the illegals).
The other parties want to steal seats in the Sabah assembly and Sabah seats in Parliament for Malaya so that the voice of the people will not be heard, claims Star, a Borneo-based national party contesting in both Borneo nations. In Sabah, Star is in alliance with Usno -- United Sabah National Organisation -- a fellow member in the United Borneo Alliance (UBA).
What is the Agenda Borneo?
Star explains that the Agenda Borneo stands against everything that the Agenda Malaya stands for in Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya.
No to colonialisation of Sabah and Sarawak!
In seizing the moral high ground, No to internal colonisation in Malaya.
The above two themes, the first in particular, is being raised by Star in Sabah.
When Star forms the state government of Sabah, it has vowed to conduct a due diligence of the BN Government and bring wrongdoers to justice; it will audit all development plans for corruption elements and weed out the corruption therein; it will review all BN development plans; it will keep the BN plans which are good, amend what should be amended and scrap what should be scrapped.
Star has pledged to stamp out the practice of BN leaders awarding government contracts to themselves and running up the National Debt Burden to put their hands in the Public Treasury under the guise of bringing development to the people.
Star has also worked out development components which it will add to the Plans for Sabah while bringing back the Nation's resources and revenues from Putrajaya, take back control of the oil and gas resources, and seek compensation with statutory interest compounded yearly and backdated to 1976 for all the oil and gas "stolen" from Sabah by Petronas and Putrajaya.
The party has taken advice that the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA) is unconstitutional and therefore the Oil Agreement 1976, based on the former, deemed null and void.
As part of the new resources and revenue scenario, Star will demand that the Federal Government forgive all loans given to Sabah to compensate for the plunder of the country by Malaya.
A Star Government in Sabah will only contribute to Putrajaya for defence, foreign affairs and national economic planning with emphasis on the common market and customs union in Malaysia.
The party notes that the Malaysian IC has been re-issued many times. Initially, it was a two-page scrap of paper, then the Blue Card followed by the Bunga Raya, next the MyKad and now the Smart MyKad.
Star wants the MyKad in Sabah to be re-issued again to weed out all those among the estimated 1.7 million foreigners who are holding the document. On this they are on the same page as PBS, Upko and PBRS, the three Orang Asal parties in BN which handed some Orang Asal seats to Umno thereby facilitating, inadvertently or otherwise, the further division of the original people of Sabah.
Star does not want any foreigner in Sabah to get the MyKad without the sanction of the state government as the initiating and recommending body.
The party, as the state government, will issue a Sabah IC. Only holders of the Sabah IC will be eligible to hold the Sabah MyKad.
Star has no objections to foreigners coming to Sabah to work and settle down but subject to the following:
(1) that they enter the Territory with valid travel papers;
(2) that they don't claim that Sabah belongs to the defunct Sulu Sultanate or the Philippines;
(3) that they obtain work permits and business visit passes as the case may be and not abuse their social visit or other visit passes and student visas;
(4) that they don't compete in business with locals or engage, whether directly or indirectly, in businesses which the locals can do;
(5) that they don't compete with locals for jobs;
(6) that the Government does not create jobs for foreigners;
(7) that they don't obtain Malaysian personal documents by the backdoor;
(8) that they don't enter the electoral rolls with fraudulent Malaysian personal documents;
(9) that they don't marry locals and create social and religious problems; and
(10) that they don't claim Orang Asal, Native or Bumiputera status in Sabah.
The party's stand on minimum wage is that it's one way to keep foreign workers from swamping Sabah and it's also a politically correct way to share the wealth of the nation. Star takes the position that except for "expatriates" all workers whether local or foreign and irrespective of gender must be paid equal wages for equal work.
A Star Government wants the uncodified (unwritten) Constitution of Malaysia to be codified (written) failing which it wants the UN and the ICJ to step in and help resolve the hitherto dormant constitutional crisis. It does not want a Referendum on Malaysia in Borneo 50 years too late. The party's position, albeit unspoken but implied, is that Malaya -- i.e. the Federal Government -- should either ratify the uncodified Constitution on Malaysia better late than never or get out from Sabah and Sarawak.
The uncodified Constitution on Malaysia includes Batu Sumpah, the Malaysia Agreement and the 20/18 Points, among other constitutional documents on Malaysia.
In the highly unlikely event that Star does not form the next state government in Sabah, the party pledges to be a strong loyal opposition in the state assembly and Parliament.
As the Opposition, Star said that it's duty will be to keep a watch on promises made by the winning party to ensure that they are fulfilled.
It will also keep a check on abuse of power and victimisation by the government, conflict of interest and corruption.
It will defend human rights and ensure that the people are not denied their NCR rights and it will ensure that NCR land is not seized by politicians and sold to Malayan companies and orang luar (outsiders).
So, it cannot be said that "the Opposition can talk only, cannot do anything for the people".
Star is expected to take a position soon on Sapp which is allegedly in cahoots with Umno and PKR to further divide the Orang Asal in particular while purportedly wooing the illegal immigrants on the electoral rolls.
Star is particularly incensed with Sapp for pushing vigorously for months for a seat-sharing formula with PR, based on the dubious "Principle" that the Malayan opposition parties contest the majority of Sabah's parliamentary seats and, in return, "allow" local Opposition parties to contest the majority of seats in the state assembly. This position is seen as allowing outsiders to set, determine and dictate the politics of the state and thereby humiliate the people.
(The Malaysia Agreement 1963 pledged that Sabah and Sarawak collectively hold a minimum one third plus one seat in the Malaysian Parliament. Given the current 222 seat Parliament, Borneo should have 75 seats but has only 57 including Labuan i.e. less 18 seats. Already, a chunk of the 57 seats in the just dissolved Malaysian Parliament are held by Malayan parties on both sides of the divide.)
One notable absence from the Star Manifesto is the role of the Registrar of Societies, Election Commission and the Attorney General in facilitating the presence of Malayan parties in Borneo in defiance of the Malaysia Agreement.
Star has so far maintained a discreet silence on Sapp which broke away from PBS in 1994 to align itself with Umno to bring down the state government and compromise Sabah's autonomy. It's leaders have been linked in the past to seats with illegal immigrants on the electoral rolls. The Likas state seat, for example, was once the subject of an election petition for the number of illegal immigrants on its electoral rolls.
Sapp leaders were also instrumental in PBS breaking away from BN in 1990, in Umno coming to Sabah and replacing Usno after deregistering it, in Star chairman Jeffrey Kitingan (then Sabah Foundation Director) being incarcerated and virtually starved under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) for two two-year terms, and further worsening the culture of political frogging in Sabah.
Sapp has also been accused, ironically by the Dap, of practising a hoodlum culture, whatever that means. |
| Is a Marxist-Muslim possible? Re: the PSM-PAS quarrel Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:23 PM PDT 
Is a Marxist-Muslim possible? One is a methodology, the other an ideology ... What is wrong with hybridity? Azly Rahman PSM vs. PAS ... "issue vs. non-issue"
Is a Marxist-Muslim possible? One is a methodology, the other an ideology ... What is wrong with hybridity? ... ahhh .. our leaders have not read enough on this ... I can assure you ...
socialism,
marxism,
leninism,
maoism,
deng xiopingism,
reaganism,
thatcherism,
javanese marhaenism,
liberalism,
social-democraticism,
islamism,
jihadism,
humanism ..
lady gaga-ism
crypto-crony-capitalism
These are merely constructs .. aren't they? Don't fight over these. Be close to the people and to realism -- ar PSM vs. PAS #2:
"explore marxism, not expunge it!"
After moe than 50 years of Independence, we still cannot tell the difference between communism, Marxism, socialism or anarchism. We are well versed in the foundations of crypto-corporate-cybernetic-crony capitalism, of the inner workings of the capital market, and on how to get cheap labour and squeeze profits out of modern-day indentured slaves... from countries impoverished by the policies of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
We are good at talking about 'global economics' and the 'glocalisation' of Wall Street and Silicon Valley industries. What we think profitable at the global market we import into our local economies, and what we see profitable in our country, we force our farmers and labourers to produce for the global economies |
| BN sees opportunity in urban fringe Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:19 PM PDT 
(ST) - Malaysian Premier Najib Razak's daughter, Ms Nooryana Najwa (left), and her brother, Mr Nor Ashman (centre), sharing a light moment yesterday with party supporters as their father campaigned ahead of the GE in Selayang. BN has not bothered with densely urban areas, which are hardcore opposition areas, but is aiming to hold on to its rural seats while trying to snatch PR's seats on the fringe of urban areas. WHEN Mr Ng Suee Lim campaigns in the small town of Sekinchan in Selangor's farming belt, he carries a giant replica of a ballot paper with an "X" next to his name and the rocket symbol. The Democratic Action Party (DAP) candidate is taking no chances as he defends the opposition's sole seat in this coastal farming and fishing belt. His majority last time was a wafer-thin 190 votes. "People here want to see you face to face, and we need to build relationships day by day," said Mr Ng, who speaks Javanese, having grown up in a village of Malays of Javanese descent. His campaign is literally going from house to house, in between phone calls to the local council to get street lights repaired in response to residents' complaints. It is a far cry from urban campaigns, which rely on mass rallies and the Internet. This is the main reason the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has found it hard to make inroads into the rural areas, even in Selangor, Malaysia's most urbanised and industrialised state. Other than Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), the opposition does not have a grassroots network to rival the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), which has built up its ground since the 1950s. This has helped it maintain an iron grip over its rural base. In 2008, the PR surprised everyone by winning Selangor, taking 36 of 56 state seats, though one later turned independent. Save for Mr Ng's seat, PR seats are in a tight urban swathe near Kuala Lumpur. The densely urban areas may stay with the PR. Since last Saturday, when the campaign kicked off, urban opposition rallies have drawn the crowds. Mr Tony Pua, the DAP candidate for Petaling Jaya North, said they collected donations of RM45,000 (S$18,300) on the first night alone. The BN has not bothered with these hardcore opposition areas but is aiming to hold on to its rural seats while trying to snatch PR's seats on the fringe of urban areas. Mr Subahan Kamal, BN candidate for Templer, which sits on the outskirts, believes the BN can do better in such areas. "We have promised welfare payments for the disabled, elderly, single mothers, and also aid for students. We are going to build 15,000 affordable houses," he said. "These are our strengths that the people will see." Read more at: http://www.stasiareport.com/the-big-story/asia-report/malaysia-elections/news/story/bn-sees-opportunity-urban-fringe-20130423 |
| BN’s pledge: No more dry taps Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:18 PM PDT 
(NST) - PEOPLE FIRST: Najib vows to resolve Selangor's water crisis if coalition regains control of state SHAH ALAM: PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak delivered a strong message during his gruelling 12-hour campaign in Selangor yesterday: the taps will not run dry if Barisan Nasional regains power there. The previous state government was more interested in taking over the water firms than resolving the shortage of clean water, which was the people's basic need, he said. Selangor was too important to remain in the opposition's hand since it accounted for 60 per cent of the country's gross domestic product, Najib said at a meet-the-people session in Taman Sri Muda, one of his many stops during his tour of five parliamentary constituencies. "If Selangor's development is stunted, then the national transformation policy will fail," said Najib, who is also the national and Selangor BN chairman. He began his tour in Bandar Baru Selayang, before moving by campaign bus to Taman Greenwood, Taman Melawati, Kota Raja, Shah Alam and Sungai Buloh. Besides visiting BN operations centres, he went on walkabouts by mingling with residents. During the stops, he listened to the issues raised by the people. Water, lack of parking space, uncollected rubbish and poor maintenance of public housing were the most common problems facing residents. Najib said a Pakatan state government would result only in conflicting policies and indecision on Federal Government-linked projects. "If Selangor is under Pakatan and the Federal Government is under BN, there will be many problems." Najib also took the state government to task for having its priorities wrong. Instead of finding a solution to the water problems in the state, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, "they were more concerned about taking over the state's water concessionaires." "Their focus is off and they have the wrong priority. Therefore, they are not the party that deserves the people's support," he said, adding that should BN come into power in Selangor, the state government would ensure a continuous water supply. Selangor is the launching pad for Najib's election campaign, which officially entered the third day yesterday. He was in Selangor on Saturday night to join 60,000 people at a grand dinner in Westport, Port Klang. He started his tour yesterday with a nasi lemak breakfast in Bandar Baru Selayang, arriving on a bus bearing the inspirational phrase "Menepati Janji Membawa Harapan" (Promises Fulfilled, Giving Hope). Clad in a dark blue shirt and a white cap, he spent about 45 minutes visiting shophouses and mingling with the large crowd that had gathered. He proceeded to Taman Melawati for another meet-the-people session and had lunch at the famous Nasi Ayam Hainam stall, before heading for Kota Raja, Shah Alam and Sungai Buloh. |
| Najib Picks Race-baiting Candidates for Malaysia Poll Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:10 PM PDT 
Decision further indicates abandonment of multiracial political coalition "Maybe Mahathir didn't tell Najib directly, but the message was clear, and having seen what he did to Badawi, Najib didn't want to clash with him," a well-wired political source said. Ibrahim Ali will contest a seat in Kelantan, a largely mountainous state dominated by rural Malays. Zulkifli was picked to run in Shah Alam, a Kuala Lumpur suburb. John Berthelsen, Asia Sentinel The extent to which the United Malays National Organization has abandoned Malaysia's historic multiracial governance is exemplified by last Saturday's naming of flamethrowing Malay nationalists Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Noordin as parliamentary candidates in the upcoming May 5 election.
In addition, UMNO has "borrowed" at least five parliamentary seats from the faltering Malaysian Chinese Association, the second-biggest party in the Barisan Nasional, or ruling coalition, and filled them with candidates picked by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
"We have taken back many seats from the MCA," said an UMNO source. "A lot of MCA seats were actually UMNO seats in the first place as Malay majority areas but in the spirit of cooperation we gave them the seats. Now we take them back."
The decision for UMNO to basically go it alone is viewed as ominous for the country by political analysts in Kuala Lumpur, who say that if, as expected, the party pulls out a victory in the 13th general election, they fear that it consigns the ethnic minority Chinese and Indian populations, who make up 22.9 percent and 7.1 percent of the country's population respectively, to powerlessness in government and society. Ethnic Malays make up 60.1 percent according to the 2010 census.
Ibrahim and Zulkifli are the president and vice president respectively of Perkasa, a conservative, extreme-right Malay superiority organization that got its start after the country's 2008 electoral debacle that cost the Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat, or Parliament. It has the backing of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who urged that the two be named candidates.
Mahathir has become increasingly strident over protecting the status of ethnic Malays in Malaysian society despite Najib's continued stressing of Malaysia's composition as a moderate multiracial country. The naming of the two Perkasa leaders as candidates is a clear demonstration of Mahathir's continuing clout despite having left power a decade ago, in 2003. After bequeathing the premiership to his chosen candidate, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Mahathir turned on Badawi after the 2008 election and played a major role in driving him from power so that Najib Tun Razak could take over. "Maybe Mahathir didn't tell Najib directly, but the message was clear, and having seen what he did to Badawi, Najib didn't want to clash with him," a well-wired political source said. Ibrahim Ali will contest a seat in Kelantan, a largely mountainous state dominated by rural Malays. Zulkifli was picked to run in Shah Alam, a Kuala Lumpur suburb. Read more at: http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5355&Itemid=178 |
| BN’s costly early errors Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:04 PM PDT 
This article takes a look at the major events that have arisen since the dissolution of Parliament. There are four main issues in the political campaign: Barisan Nasional's dirty tactics, clean governance, Pakatan Rakyat's unity, and Pakatan's readiness to govern. Galvin Wong, FMT After the dissolution of Parliament, Malaysian politics characteristically burst into life with a flurry of activities last week. The release of a sex video, the launching of manifestos and announcement of candidates from both sides of the political divide as well as a last-minute controversial announcement from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) concerning DAP's leadership election culminated in a nomination day that saw scores of Independents putting themselves forward as candidates. The recent frenzied state of activity is the result of an increase in politicisation of an already highly politicised environment. This being the last stage of the fight, political parties are battling to highlight weaknesses of their opponents in order to gain crucial momentum that will build towards increasing their support among the public. This article takes a look at the major events that have arisen since the dissolution of Parliament. It highlights the issues that surround these events and analyses its political impact on the electorate. There are four main issues in the political campaign: Barisan Nasional's dirty tactics, clean governance, Pakatan Rakyat's unity, and Pakatan's readiness to govern. These four issues have been the focus of events that have happened recently. However, unlike previous engagements where BN and Pakatan have both come out winners, the outcome of these recent events have clearly benefited Pakatan. We shall analyse each issue accordingly. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/04/23/bn%E2%80%99s-costly-early-errors/ |
| Nusajaya’s better roads might not lead to BN victory in Gelang Patah Posted: 22 Apr 2013 11:59 AM PDT 
(Today Online) - "The roads are better, many new houses, but my life (is) still the same ... just everything (is) more expensive." The sights in Nusajaya, Johor's new state administrative capital, encapsulate one of the major issues dividing loyalties among Gelang Patah voters, who in 12 days will decide how the most closely watched battle in Malaysia's 13th General Election plays out. Nusajaya is a key component of Iskandar Malaysia — which has attracted substantial investments from Singapore companies — and falls within the electoral boundaries of Gelang Patah. The smooth and spacious expressways there — rare in most other parts of Johor — represent compelling reasons to allow the Barisan Nasional (BN) to continue its work, some say. Those in the opposing camp, however, point to the billboards along the expressways touting new residential projects and question if the progress has benefitted Malaysians or has merely jacked up their living costs. And away from the buzz generated by the high profile match-up in Gelang Patah between Mr Abdul Ghani Othman, 67, who was Johor's Chief Minister for 18 years, and Democratic Action Party stalwart Lim Kit Siang, 72, residents cite the cost of living, security and education as issues that need to be addressed. Ms Noori Ahmad, 29, a store assistant, said: "The roads are better, many new houses, but my life (is) still the same ... just everything (is) more expensive." Mr Chee Kim Soo, 56, who owns a provision shop at Jalan Kacang Panjang — an old, quaint village that has been a cornerstone of support for the BN coalition — acknowledged that "life is getting harder". He claimed that his utility bills and property tax have nearly doubled compared to just before the 2008 polls. Iskandar's success has resulted in the creation of thousands of jobs. There have also been other positive knock-on effects such as safer streets due to the authorities' efforts to woo foreign investors. On the flipside, however, are rising costs and growing inequality, some Gelang Patah residents said. Cabby Lee Hock Kheng, 55, said: "The place is still cheap but they make it safer, so many rich people want to come here. But how many ordinary Malaysians can afford those houses?" Read more at: http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/nusajayas-better-roads-might-not-lead-bn-victory-gelang-patah |
| No business as usual if opposition wins Johor: Anwar Posted: 22 Apr 2013 11:56 AM PDT 
(Today Online) - Mr Anwar said businesses in Iskandar will have to be "more transparent" and the opposition will "generate interest and participation (in the commercial projects) for the locals". Responding to remarks from the Barisan Nasional (BN) camp that the opposition will stymie the progress of the Iskandar region if Johor falls into opposition hands, Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim yesterday dismissed these as scaremongering attempts and reiterated that the opposition wants the Malaysian economy to continue to grow and commitments would be honoured. However, he said "investors, including (those) from Singapore, cannot assume that business must be as usual" should the special economic zone come under opposition rule. Among other things, he wants more opportunities for Malaysians. Speaking to TODAY while campaigning in Selangor, Mr Anwar said: "The politics of fear is always a tactic of the ruling establishment. Of course, our concern is that the economy continues to grow (and) whatever commitments were given have to be honoured." Nevertheless, should the opposition win Johor, there will be changes in policies. Mr Anwar said businesses in Iskandar will have to be "more transparent" and the opposition will "generate interest and participation (in the commercial projects) for the locals". "These are issues which will not in any way hinder investment or development," he said. Iskandar Malaysia was developed in 2006, and Singapore is the largest single foreign investor there. According to statistics from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, Singapore companies have set up more than 300 manufacturing projects there so far. Some Singapore companies have reportedly said that they will adopt a wait-and-see attitude in investing in the Iskandar region, with the elections underway. Johor is known as a BN fortress. Going into the elections, the ruling coalition held 25 out of 26 parliamentary seats, and 50 out of 56 state seats. But political analysts have said that the opposition could make deeper inroads given the political developments since the last general election in 2008. In recent weeks, UDA Holdings Chairman Nur Jazlan Mohamed and Malaysian Chinese Association president Chua Soi Lek have warned Johorians that investments worth billions of ringgit received by the Iskandar region and Johor would be stopped if the opposition is voted in. Read more at: http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/no-business-usual-if-opposition-wins-johor-anwar |
| Now do you understand? Posted: 21 Apr 2013 10:57 PM PDT 
Say Pakatan Rakyat does win the general election in two weeks time. How many of those pro-Umno or pro-Barisan Nasional people will remain pro-Umno or pro-Barisan Nasional? Would they not swing over to the government-of-the-day and become pro-Pakatan Rakyat? NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin I remember an incident back in the 1980s when the Director of the Terengganu Anti-Corruption Agency or ACA (now called the MACC) took two weeks leave to campaign for PAS during the general election. He drove around all over Terengganu with his Volkswagen covered with PAS flags. One general election later I was in Lembah Pantai to help the Umno candidate, my old school friend Kamal Husein, who was contesting against Marina Yusoff from Semangat 46. It was actually tough going because the Umno people aligned to Razak Abu Samah and Abu Bakar Lazim were sabotaging him. Hence because of the internal sabotage Marina had a strong hope of winning. I then met up with two Special Branch officers to seek their help. They agreed to help but for a price so I introduced them to Kamal Hussein. Of course, the price was quite high but Kamal paid the price and won the election. Kamal is now with PKR so no doubt whatever I did is no longer a secret and PKR and Anwar Ibrahim would now know my black-ops operation and how I paid off (or rather Kamal did) the Special Branch officers to sabotage the other side. In 1998 I received information from an ex-military man -- Lt Col (Rtd) -- whose brother was a Special Branch officer regarding what they planned to do with Anwar Ibrahim, who was then already incarcerated in the Sungai Buloh Prison. I then informed Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail about it and she raised this matter in Parliament. After I was released from my first ISA detention in 2001 I met up with PAS leader Mahfuz Omar who asked me whether I knew where I was kept during my detention. I replied that I did not so Mahfuz told me where the detention place was. He had received this information from a Special Branch officer who was sympathetic to PAS and was in a way their mole in the Special Branch. Then we have the many senior police and military officers who have since retired and have joined the opposition. Then we have the many senior Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders who have left the ruling party to join the opposition. Then we have the many Deep Throats that I myself have in the government, Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, PPP, etc., plus the MACC, Police Force, Attorney-General's Chambers, and whatnot, who feed me information and for sure would join the opposition once they retire or no longer have a future with the government or Umno/BN. So you see, you never know whom you can trust nowadays. Even the Father of Independence (Bapak Merdeka), Tunku Abdul Rahman, and Tun Hussein Onn left Umno and died outside Umno and supported Semangat 46, as did people like Datuk Harun Idris (infamous for May 13) and a host of other government people turned opposition supporters. And the latest, of course, is Muhammad son of Muhammad, who actually hoped to become Prime Minister one day but now that that is not going to happen he has crossed over to the opposition. Therefore, all those who are saying that I am making or wish to make a deal with Umno so that I can return to Malaysia are mad if they think I am that stupid. Even if I do wish to make a deal who in the government, Umno, the Police, or whatever can I trust? How would I know that these people I talk to will not one day cross over to the opposition? And once they do what would happen to the secret that we share? Say Pakatan Rakyat does win the general election in two weeks time. How many of those pro-Umno or pro-Barisan Nasional people will remain pro-Umno or pro-Barisan Nasional? Would they not swing over to the government-of-the-day and become pro-Pakatan Rakyat? As I said, even if I do harbour ambitions of returning to Malaysia I would not know whom to trust. I do know a lot of people on the 'other side' -- that is certainly very true. I even have many friends in Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's office, some of them my old school mates. But I cannot guarantee that they would not cross over if things on the other side do not pan out to what they had hoped. Hence you insult me when you say I am making a deal or wish to make a deal with Umno. That is so stupid and only you can be stupid enough to think that. And just because you are stupid does not mean I am stupid as well. Let me put it another way. How do you think I know that Vincent Tan paid Hee Yit Foong RM25 million to cross over? And would any of you have known this had I not revealed it? Well, I got it from the horse's mouth, people who were involved in the whole thing. Hence if they could readily reveal that they paid Hee RM25 million would they not also readily reveal they are paying me if I make a deal with them? So, yes, I do have friends in high places from the other side. But I would be exposing myself to great risk if I use these connections to make a deal. And only silly people will make this mistake. And I may be many things, but silly is not one of them. And if you think I would make that silly mistake then you are sillier than you dare admit. I have been in this game for 35 years so I know how to play my black-ops. I suppose many of you are Johnny-come-lately armchair politicians so you know nuts. Hence you do not know what I would call self-preservation. And making a deal with someone who may later sell you out is NOT self-preservation. And in this game the 'other side' can become 'your side' with a flick of an eyelid and what do you do then? Kapish? |
| Keeping the Numbers Game in Perspective Posted: 21 Apr 2013 10:53 PM PDT 
Don't underestimate Waytha. He's after just 20 per cent of the Indian votes, all from the underclass, to help make a difference. Joe Fernandez Had the Chinese, Dap in particular, stood with Waytha and Hindraf Makkal Sakthi, he wouldn't have signed the MOU with Najib. The Chinese care two hoots about human rights just as they care two hoots about the environment. The Chinese are only bothered about corrupting the Malays. It's the Chinese who put corrupt ideas in Malay heads to the extent that they sabotaged the New Economic Policy. China is a good example of environmental degradation and corruption. If the Malays don't allow the Indians to empower themselves, they better go back to Sulawesi, Java, Sumatra or wherever they came from and forget about Tanah Tumpah Darah Ku.
Don't underestimate Waytha. He's after just 20 per cent of the Indian votes, all from the underclass, to help make a difference. He assumes that Najib will be able to at least maintain the status quo as the last time. If not, it does not matter to him anyway and not because PR has pissed him off. He has his MOU, again an unprecedented feat in Malaysian political history. He can use it to whack any Government in Putrajaya.
This business of depending on the Gov't must stop. The world does not owe us anything but opportunities. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Subsidies and handouts create a dependency syndrome which politicians prey on.
Legislators are elected to pass laws to run the country, not to spoon feed the people. Get the concept of democracy, politics and Gov't right.
The people must help themselves so that we can cut down the size of the Gov't.
As it is, the Gov't is already venturing into business to help the people and the economy. By right, Gov't has no business to be in business.
If everybody is going to depend on the Gov't, it will be a big burden on the taxpayer.
The Gov't can only make an exception in the case of those living below the poverty line, single mothers, housewives, OKU, senior citizens, widows, orphans, toddlers, schoolchildren, university students, refugees, and those without an identity. Society should play a role as well.
The young in particular should be of special concern to the Gov't and Society.
"Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." John Kennedy.
Indians in Malaya decide in 67 parliamentary seats and the related state seats.
They should not put all their political eggs in one basket. That's not only risky but a foolish thing to do. Vote against all incumbents, whether PR or BN. If new faces, vote for them. If both sides field new faces in a seat, vote for the party which won the seat in 2008. We have a script to follow based on 2008. If Indians vote as above, they will be the most powerful community in politics in the country. Voting for PR only or voting for BN only will make us politically weak. If we vote for PR only and throw out BN, we will be at the mercy of PR when Umno frogs join PKR as Anwar expects. If Indians vote for BN only, PR will be too weak and PKR may return to Umno. Indians will then be back at square one.
The opposition is set to bag eight seats in Sarawak i.e. Baram, Mas Gading and six of the seats being contested by Supp. Anything more, and possible, would be a bonus. The real battle in Sarawak is between BN and PR. In Sabah, the real battle is between Star and the parti parti Malaya. The Opposition, including the Dap, can expect to bag seven parliamentary seats. PKR may win Beaufort. Total for the Opposition including Star from Sabah and Sarawak: 15 seats. Waytha is trying to help get nine seats for BN in Malaya so it can secure two-thirds majority. The Sabah and Sarawak seats will nullify Waytha's efforts. No Government in Putrajaya will get two-thirds. The status quo will remain in Malaya. BN will get less than the 140 seats -- probably maximum 134 seats -- it had the last time. The 3rd Force will emerge in Parliament.
BN is the wrong horse to back 100 per cent. They have been in power 56 years and are on the way out, sooner rather than later. The momentum for change has begun and will be unstoppable.
The people are counting on the Opposition to do the right thing.
The Opposition has vowed to conduct a due diligence of the BN Government and bring wrongdoers to justice; it will audit all development plans for corruption elements and weed out the corruption therein; it will review all BN development plans; it will keep the BN plans which are good, amend what should be amended and scrap what should be scrapped.
The Opposition has pledged to stamp out the BN's practice of awarding government contracts to themselves and running up the National Debt Burden to put their hands in the Public Treasury under the guise of bringing development to the people.
The Opposition has also worked out development components which it will add to the Plans for Malaysia.
In the event that the Opposition takeover of Putrajaya is further delayed, the party has pledged to be a strong loyal opposition in Parliament.
As the Opposition, it's duty will be to keep a watch on promises made by the winning party to ensure that they are fulfilled.
It will also keep a check on abuse of power and victimisation by the government, conflict of interest and corruption.
It will defend human rights and ensure that the people are not denied their NCR rights and it will ensure that NCR land is not seized by politicians for public purposes and sold to private companies.
So, it cannot be said that "the Opposition can talk only, cannot do anything for the people".
All this has a bearing on the numbers game. |
| Najib: The Indians have forgiven Zulkifli Posted: 21 Apr 2013 10:48 PM PDT 
(fz.com) - "The Indians have forgiven him," said BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak of Perkasa vice-president Zulkifli Noordin, who is contesting the Shah Alam parliamentary seat under BN's ticket. "He has changed. He has apologised for making certain remarks. All that is in the past. There are Indians who kissed Zulkifli already. This is history," said the caretaker prime minister, in reference to a video which showed Zulkifli ridiculing the Hindu faith that went viral. During a visit to BN's election centre in Section 18 this evening, Najib reiterated his support for Zulkifli, praising the controversial Malay rights movement leader. "He knows the inner workings and weaknesses of the opposition, which is good for us," he added, referring to Zulkifli's short stint as a PKR member. Belying allegations that the Shah Alam BN division grass root members will shun Zulkifli during his election campaign, the machinery was seen heavily supporting Zulkifli as Shah Alam BN division members turned up in full force at events held on his campaign trail. Even Najib noticed the enthusiasm shown by the division members. "The support from the Shah Alam division members are high. Congratulations. I am confident BN can win all seats in Shah Alam," he added. |
| When we have to lick back our spit Posted: 21 Apr 2013 08:47 PM PDT Can we Malaysians ever play the game with sportsmanship? Can we ever fight using Queensberry rules? Unfortunately when we Malaysians play or fight there are no rules or sportsmanship. Everything goes. Hence the losers lose with a bitter taste in their mouth and with revenge in their heart. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin The danger with vilifying and disparaging your political opponent is we never know when we will have to lick back our spit. Hence it may be better to debate issues and ideologies rather than make personal attacks on one another. There are many examples where foe has turned friend and we have had to pretend that we never said those nasty things that we said about our one-time foe that is now our friend. No doubt we can always excuse our actions by saying that there are no permanent friends and permanent enemies in politics. That is, of course, very true. And sometimes we even make a friend of an enemy just so that we can face and defeat an even bigger enemy. Hence an enemy of our enemy becomes our friend, at least for the meantime until we can defeat that bigger enemy. And then, once that mutual enemy has been defeated, we can revert to becoming enemies again. The Allies becoming 'friends' with Russia during the Second World War is one example. The common enemy was Nazi Germany but once Germany was defeated the West went into a Cold War with Russia that brought the world to the brink of a nuclear holocaust that would have destroyed the entire world had not Khrushchev blinked first during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The US-Iraq alliance against Iran is yet another example but once Iran had been 'neutralised' then the US invaded Iraq and sent that nation back to the Dark Ages. Afghanistan is, again, another example. The US trained and armed the Taliban to fight the Russians and then when the Russians went home to Moscow the Taliban was declared the enemy of democracy. When we need someone as our friend we have to close our eyes to their misdeeds and transgressions. The Russians were already Communists since long before WWII. Iraq was a violent regime that oppressed and persecuted its own citizens long before the Iranians sacked the US Embassy in Teheran. And the Talibans were extreme fundamentalist Muslims even before they migrated from Pakistan back to Afghanistan. The only thing is, since the West needed their goodwill we pretended that all this was not going on. Only when we no longer need them do we raise these issues against them. It is as if these things only just happened or we were not aware of these misdeeds and transgressions earlier. Basically, in politics, the ends justify the means. Hence making a pact with the devil is quite acceptable as long as there is a bigger devil to fight against. When we need to fry a bigger fish we must close our eyes to the ikan bilis (anchovies). Later, once the bigger fish has been fried, we can make nasi lemak out of the delicious ikan bilis. And that is the job of the diplomats. The politicians scream blue murder. The diplomats step in when toes are stepped upon and there is a danger of war being declared. And when the diplomats fail, then the military takes over and handles the war. And that is when the citizens die, when war is declared. Hence politicians start wars. But when the war does start it is not the politician who suffers. It is we the citizens who suffer. In the Siege of Leningrad, 20 million people died, more than half of them non-combatants. But who benefited? Why, the West, of course. But why must 20 million Russians, more than half of them the common folk, die just so that the West can go on to become a better place? Well, that is called politics. And we are what the military would call cannon fodder. We die so that the politicians can win their argument. A few years ago Muhammad son of Muhammad was one of the most despised men in Selangor -- maybe even in the whole of Malaysia (alongside Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Taib Mahmud, and so on). Today, he is a Hero of the Revolution. Vive la Révolution! But can you remember the nasty things we used to say about the man with two Muhammads in his name? Today we need to take back everything we said about him and ask for his forgiveness and kiss his hand. I remember the days when PAS used to call Anwar Ibrahim 'Anwar al Juburi' (Anwar the asshole). In fact, that was Mat Sabu's favourite chant. Today, Mat Sabu has to openly declare that Anwar and only Anwar is PAS's choice for Prime Minister. Looking back now, Mat Sabu wishes he had not called him 'Anwar al Juburi' after all. The other problem with vilifying and disparaging those who do not share your same political ideology or affiliation is that Malaysians simpan dendam (hold a grudge). For example, many Malays have still not forgotten or forgiven the events leading to May 13 and neither have the non-Malays forgiven and forgotten the events of May 13. Hence grudges remain long after the event even though the wounds may have already healed and the scars may have disappeared. The fact that people still grudgingly talk about May 13 not as a historical event but as unfinished business demonstrates the still-open wounds and visible scars that many people carry. And mind you, many of those who grudge May 13 were not even born yet 44 years ago. Hence wounds and scars are transferable, so to speak. I know many who had voted for Pakatan Rakyat back in 2008 are, today, fence sitters. And many who were fence sitters back in 2008 today are going to vote for Barisan Nasional. And it is all because of the unpleasant words that some of us are using. Of course, many who did not vote back in 2008 are going to vote Pakatan Rakyat this time around as well. The question is, would the gains be offset by the losses or are the gains bigger than the losses -- which means Pakatan Rakyat is going to garner more votes this time around compared to 2008? We will know in two weeks time, no doubt. But what about the grudges? Never mind whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat is going to win the coming election. My concern is not about the winners but about the losers. Would the vilifying and disparaging create so much bad blood that the losers will want to take revenge for this bad blood? I remember a football game once between Terengganu and Negeri Sembilan in the Kuala Terengganu stadium where Terengganu won 2:1. Immediately after the game the Terengganu fans rioted and cars and buses with Negeri Sembilan registration plates were burned. I was there to watch the 'fun'. Terengganu won the game. So why riot? Well, it is not about the outcome of the game but about how the game was played. Terengganu may have won but a lot of bad blood was created during that game. Hence even though Terengganu won the fans still wanted their revenge on Negeri Sembilan. Can we Malaysians ever play the game with sportsmanship? Can we ever fight using Queensberry rules? Unfortunately when we Malaysians play or fight there are no rules or sportsmanship. Everything goes. Hence the losers lose with a bitter taste in their mouth and with revenge in their heart. Then what happens when later the enemy crosses over to become our friend? What do we say to someone who we used to call a dog, pig and prostitute? Do we pretend we never said all those things? And what do we do when someone we used to call 'God's gift to Malaysia' crosses over to the other side? Do we now call him or her a dog, pig and prostitute after licking that person's asshole and calling him/her the reincarnation of Mother Teresa and Gandhi two-in-one? Yes, be careful with your spitting lest you are forced to lick back your spit later on. And what would you do if that person you spat at happens to be a sore loser? Have we not seen how words can change to fists easily enough when the loser is not so graceful in defeat? |
| Independently speaking Posted: 21 Apr 2013 06:21 PM PDT 
Sin Chew Daily The 13th general elections could have been a straight fight between BN and Pakatan Rakyat, but with the unexpected emergence of large number of independents, many are individuals unhappy with their parties' decisions not to field them as candidates, the final outcome has become even less predictable now. Some of them might just come in to create some minor troubles but with some heavyweight independents now coming into picture, things are poised to get more complicated. There are as many as 270 independent candidates running in the 13th general elections, a record in the country's history. Among these candidates, 23 have come in because they have not been endorsed by their parties. Seven of them are from DAP while Umno, Gerakan, PKR and MCA have 6, 5, 4 and 1 respectively. As a matter of fact, both Pakatan and BN have problem of members running as independent candidates. If the frustration of the supporters of these disgruntled candidates is not properly addressed within the next two weeks, the sabotage that ensue will only serve to complicate the final outcome of the two rival camps. Of all the parliamentary seats up for grabs, 132 will see one-to-one straight fights, while 57 and 24 seats will see three- and four-cornered fights respectively. In the meantime, as many as seven will sea five-cornered fights while ten and one will see six- and seven-cornered fights respectively. There are two heavyweight Umno leaders contesting as independents, namely Wanita Umno deputy chief Kamilia Ibrahim and former deputy agriculture minister Datuk Shariff Omar. Party veteran cum Kuala Kangsar Wanita Umno chief Kamilia has long set her eyes on the Kuala Kangsar seat formerly held by Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz. Unhappy with the fact that she has served the constituency for so many years and is now offered only a state assembly seat, Kamilia decided to go her way to run in Kuala Kangsar. Another veteran Umno leader from Penang, three-term MP for Tasek Glugor and three-term state assemblyman, Shariff Omar's decision to run in his old constituency could drain some of Umno's fundamental votes in favour of the rival PAS candidate. Although many MCA members are unhappy with the party leadership's decision on seat allocation, only two have chosen to run as independents, namely Yoong Tham Fook in Kuala Kubu Baharu state seat and Tan Yew Leng, personal secretary of former MCA president Ong Tee Keat, in Pandan. More shockingly, five incumbent DAP elected reps have also jumped into the bandwagon of independents, namely incumbent MP for Kota Melaka Sim Tong Him running as independent candidate for Kota Laksamana state seat, the incumbent Tetatai state assemblywoman Jenice Lee, the incumbent Aulong state assemblyman Yew Tian Hoe, the incumbent Mengkibol state assemblyman Ng Lam Hua and incumbent MP for Seremban John A/L Fernandez. Melaka DAP has said Sim Tong Him's contest in Kota Laksamana as independent has been the collective decision of the state liaison committee, and that it will throw its full support behind Sim. (Latest development: Sim has withdrawn from contesting in the Kota Laksamana state assembly seat Monday afternoon.) The participation of these independents,especially Sim Tong Him and Jenice Lee, has underscored the internal conflicts and factional squabbles within the DAP. Meanwhile, the disagreement between PKR and PAS has also resulted in overlapping of Pakatan candidates in one parliamentary and five state seats. There ar a total of 1,900 candidates running in the parliamentary and state elections in GE13, of whom 726 are from the ruling coalition, 733 from Pakatan and 270 independents. |
| Pakatan jangan tiru perangai BN Posted: 21 Apr 2013 05:58 PM PDT 
Pagi Ahad lalu, saya tidak mempunyai banyak pilihan. Untuk melihat sendiri situasi hari penamaan calon PRU13, saya terpaksa membataskan diri di sekitar Lembah Klang. Memang banyak kawasan tumpuan di luar Kuala Lumpur atau lebih tepat "kerusi panas", namun urusan kerja pejabat tidak memungkinkan saya melakukan kembara politik yang lebih mendebarkan. Pada sebelah malamnya, semasa menyemak Harakah edisi Isnin, fikiran saya lebih terfokus kepada persoalan, sama ada DAP dapat menggunakan simbol roket atau terpaksa berkongsi menggunakan logo PAS berlambangkan bulan.
Rata-rata kawan-kawan yang menelefon atau mengirim SMS meluahkan rasa seronok dan gembira dengan perkembangan itu. Mereka pastinya sudah muak dan jelak dengan budaya politik adu domba yang menyemai kebencian atau kecurigaan di antara kaum dan agama.
Apatah lagi anak-anak muda yang baru berjinak-jinak dengan siyasah, tentunya mereka lebih sukar menerima politik kebencian seumpama itu. Saya menerima banyak pertanyaan melalui emel dan SMS. Daripada soalan yang dikemukakan, saya yakin mereka suka jika esoknya DAP terpaksa menggunakan lambang bulan. Dan malam Sabtu itu, saya hanya dapat melelapkan mata kurang 45 minit sebelum azan Subuh.
 Tentulah lokasi paling dekat dan mudah adalah Dewan Ahmad Razali, Ampang, hanya kira-kira 2 kilometer dari rumah. Sahabat saya, Khasim Abdul Aziz akan mempertahankan kerusi Dun Lembah Jaya.
Tidak jauh dari situ, pertembungan menarik di Parlimen Pandang, apabila Pengarah Strategi KeADILan, Rafizi Ramli, tokoh muda yang berjaya membongkar pelbagai salahguna dan penyelewengan kerajaan BN, dengan bukti dan fakta kukuh, ditentang Gary Lim.
Awal-awal lagi Rafizi telah mendakwa berlaku salahlaku etika dan pelanggaran peraturan guaman oleh Gary Lim, yang menggantikan bekas Presiden MCA, Ong Tee Kiat.
Namun yang lebih dekat di hati saya ialah kawasan Parlimen Titiwangsa, satu-satunya kerusi yang dimenangi PAS di Wilayah Persekutuan pada 2008. Ia bukan hanya difaktorkan oleh kemanisan Parti Islam menang di tengah kotaraya, tetapi ingatan saya yang masih segar kepada lagenda Almarhumah Dr Lo'Lo' Mohd Ghazali. Dr Lo'Lo' sentiasa dikenang sebagai seorang tokoh wanita hebat, berkebolehan, tegas dan berani mempertahankan prinsip.
Saya juga berhasrat untuk menunjukkan sokongan kepada peguam muda, Ahmad Zamri Asa'ad Khuzaimi, 37, Pengarah Jabatan Undangh-undang dan Hak Asasi Manusia (Juham) Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat, yang juga terbabit aktif membela penduduk Kampung Baru, satu usaha mulia yang dirintis Dr Lo'Lo'.
Malah kalau diberi pilihan, saya turut teruja untuk melihat suasana di Lembah Pantai. Nurul Izzah Anwar, yang dilihat penganalisis sebagai pemimpin masa depan, dan mungkin mencatat sejarah sebagai PM wanita pertama di Malaysia, berdepan situasi sukar, terutama selepas terdedah begitu ramai pengundi yang meragukan di "kerusi panas" itu.
Bagaimanapun, tanpa perlu banyak berfikir, naluri saya lebih tergerak untuk ke Presint 9, Putrajaya, walaupun jaraknya paling jauh berbanding kerusi-kerusi yang saya sebut di atas.
Saya sampai agak lewat. Rakan saya terpaksa mencari parkir yang agak jauh. Pusat penamaan calon agak berbukit. Jenuh juga mendaki sambil bertongkat. Untuk kes pilihan raya umum, apatah lagi di kawasan yang tidak pernah terfikir untuk dimenangi PAS, kehadiran boleh disifatkan ramai dan meriah.
Beberapa individu yang menegur saya semasa berjalan perlahan menuju lokasi tumpuan rupanya datang daripada tempat yang lebih jauh daripada saya. Ada daripada Ijok, Gombak, Tanjong Malim dan Sabak Bernam. Masing-masing berwajah ceria, rancak bercerita tentang peluang, sekali gus menitip keyakinan Husam Musa bakal melakar sejarah tersendiri.
"Warga Putrajaya ramai, lebih kurang 100,000 tetapi yang berdaftar sebagai pengundi di sini, hanya sekitar 16,000. Kalau dibuat referendum atau pungutan suara semua warga Putrajaya, saya yakin majoriti akan memilih Pakatan," kata seorang rakan, juga lulusan Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
"Kakitangan kerajaan di sini sudah dikepung, susah bagi Husam nak tembusi. Jalan paling baik ialah pendekatan bersemuka," celah saya. "Tapi tuan, tidak mustahil PAS boleh buat kejutan," kata seorang lagi, yang begitu mengambil berat tentang perkembangan kesihatan saya.
"Memang segalanya tiada yang mustahil dalam politik, tapi saya lebih melihat Husam sebagai simbol keberanian baru," pintas saya, sambil menekankan pandangan peribadi yang amat mengharapkan tokoh seperti Husam perlu berada di Parlimen atau berperanan lebih penting di Kelantan.
Saya tertarik dengan mukadimah tulisan Subkyu Abdul Latif sehari selepas itu: "Ketika Pakatan Rakyat sedang mara ke Putrajaya, Husam Musa pergi ke situ dulu seolah-olah dia menunggu dan menyambut ketibaan ekspedisi itu.
"...Tiada siapa berfikir Anwar Ibrahim akan meninggalkan kawasan Permatang Pauhnya dan Ustaz Abdul Hadi Awang akan mengosongkan Marang untuk bertanding di Putrajaya. Lim Kit Siang yang suka mengejutkan berubah tempat bertanding pun tidak akan ke Putrajaya."
Tengahari Sabtu itu, saya meninggalkan Putrajaya dengan penuh kelegaan walaupun saya perhatikan lebih banyak bendera PAS berkibar dari atas kenderaan penyokong yang meningalkan pusat pentadbiran negara itu, dan bukannya dari atas rumah-rumah kediaman di sana!
Namun, belum pun sampai di rumah, saya cukup terganggu apabila dimaklumkan, sekurang-kurangnya tujuh kerusi menyaksikan pertembungan sesama sendiri, antara PAS dan KeADILan. Fikiran saya agak bercelaru selepas mendapat SMS, calon PAS juga bertanding di kerusi Dun Kota Damansara, berdepan penyandang, Dr Nasir Hashim, yang juga Pengerusi Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
"Kebingungan" saya sedikit reda apabila seorang teman, bekas Adun Umno yang tidak terpilih semula, menelefon: "Rakan saudara, Hanipa Maidin berpeluang menang di Parlimen Sepang. Dua orang kuat Umno Sepang, AJK bahagian, Hanapiah Mohamad dan bekas Ketua Pemuda Umno negeri, Suhaimi Mohd Ghazali, bertanding menentang Timbalan Pengarah Pilihan Raya Selangor, Mohd Zin Mohamed."
Rakan saya semasa di kampus dulu, pertengahan 1980-an, Che Johan Che Pa, yang sepatutnya mengemukakan borang calon BN menarik diri untuk memberi laluan kepada "bapanya", Presiden Perkasa, Ibrahim Ali. Dan banyak lagi kisah hampir serupa membabitkan Umno-BN.
Apa pun, saya lebih mengharapkan tempoh sepuluh hari terakhir kempen ini dapat dimanfaatkan untuk menyelesaikan kekusutan yang berlaku pada Sabtu lalu. Rakyat, khususnya pengundi muda tidak dapat menerima kecelaruan itu, yang memungkinkan mereka membuat kesimpulan mudah: "Pakatan yang nak menang ini pun dah tiru perangai buruk BN." -- (HARAKAH DAILY) |
| Why Ronnie Liu was dropped from DAP list Posted: 21 Apr 2013 05:31 PM PDT 
(NST) - Ronnie Liu was dropped from Selangor DAP candidate list because he had become a liability to the party, his former aide, Jafrei Nordin said. He said complaints from the people in Pandamaran and his expose about Liu's activities caught DAP's attention, causing them to drop him to avoid further damage to the party's image. Liu was the assemblyman for Pandamaran and the state exco in charge of local government. "There were growing complaints from the people about vice activities but he did not take any action, although the local government issues were under his purview," he said in a ceramah here on Sunday. Jafrei added that Liu had even instructed the local councils not to take any action on the entertainment centers operating illegally. "This shows Liu's greediness to make money out of these businesses," he said, adding that the money was also chan neled to DAP for the party activities. He said Ronnie Liu is not the only problematic member in Pakatan Rakyat. He also mentioned Elizabeth Wong's love triangle with Hilmi Hazimin Abdul Malek and Tian Chua as examples. "There are a lot of moral issues surrounding the Pakatan Rakyat leadership. People have started to realise this and I am sure this would be reflected when they are casting their votes this time around," he said. |
| Only PAS can lead Malaysia to Islam, declares Mat Taib Posted: 21 Apr 2013 05:13 PM PDT 
(Free Malaysiakini) - Former Umno vice-president Muhammad Muhammad Taib has joined PAS, saying he believes that it is the only party that can lead Malaysia towards Islam.  "Only PAS can bring enlightenment," he told a press conference after handing over his membership form to president Abdul Hadi Awang at party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.
"I have to support the party that can bring true guidance." Muhammad said the BN has developed Malaysia but that this has been "development without soul", leading to a morally problematic if wealthy urban society. "Islamic values should be spreading from the cities, just like Mekah and Madinah became focal point of Islam during the Prophet's time," he said. "By right, the cities in the Klang Valley, which is the metropolis, should become the beacons of Islam, to lead the way for the hinterland." Hadi, who welcomed Mat Taib – as he is better known – said the latter's membership had long been mooted. He reiterated that PAS had opted to wait until after the nomination process for the 13th general election to show that Muhammad is sincere and did not join the party to become a candidate or because he wants power.  Also present were PAS leaders deputy murshidul am Harun Din, and vice-presidents Salahuddin Ayub(right) and Mahfuz Omar.
Asked about developments regarding PAS and PKR seat-overlaps in one parliamentary and six state seats, Salahuddin said this is pending discussion and that a statement would be made in the next few days. "Hopefully, with wisdom, we will resolve it," he said. Salahuddin labelled the overlaps as isolated incidents which do not affect the cooperation and harmony between the Pakatan Rakyat parties. However, PAS organ HarakahDaily reported this afternoon, quoting Hadi, that the Islamic party had already decided to cede the Labuan parliamentary seat and the two state seats to PKR; Sungai Acheh in Penang, Panti in Johor. While PKR will give the three Terengganu state seats in Bukit Besi, Senerang Takir and Kota Putera to PAS. As for the Kota Damansara state seat which is being contested by Dr Nasir Hashim from PSM under the PKR banner, this will be resolved in a triparte discussion between the Pakatan allies. |
| Pengurusan tertinggi TV3 akan dipenjara bila Pakatan Rakyat menang Posted: 21 Apr 2013 05:00 PM PDT 
(Muslimeen United) - Harap bertenang kakitangan TV3, bukan anda yang akan didakwa, tetapi pengurusan tertinggi anda yang bersekongkol dengan Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN). Ketua Umum KEADILAN, Anwar Ibrahim, menjelaskan mengapa tindakannya mahu mengheret pengurusan tertinggi stesen televisyen swasta pertama negara itu ke muka pengadilan dan seterusnya dipenjarakan. Tegas Anwar dalam ucapannya di hadapan lebih 1,500 orang penduduk dalam satu ceramah di Kampung Batu 9, Changkat Jering, Taiping, Perak petang semalam, fitnah dan tuduhan tidak berasas bukan budaya Pakatan Rakyat dan perkara itu mesti dihentikan. TV3 merupakan salah satu entiti dalam Kumpulan Media Prima Berhad, yang pemegang saham utamanya merupakan pemimpin Umno atau proksi parti itu dalam kerajaan BN. Selain stesen televisyen itu, Media Prima turut menguasai dua akhbar utama, New Straits Times dan Berita Harian serta Harian Metro serta beberapa stesen televisyen lain antaranya 8TV dan NTV7. Tambah Anwar, apabila Pakatan Rakyat berkuasa awal pagi 6 Mei nanti, beliau akan memastikan kesemua pengurusan tertinggi stesen televisyen tersebut bebas dari sebarang pengaruh Umno dan hanya menyiarkan laporan tepat dan benar supaya rakyat boleh menerima maklumat dari kedua-dua belah pihak. Menurut carian dalam laman web kumpulan itu, antara nama-nama pengurusan kanan yang akan dipenjarakan adalah Pengerusi Media Prima Johan Jaafar, Pengarah Urusan Kumpulan Media, Amrin Awaluddin dan Pengarah Urusan Kumpulan, Rangkaian Media, Media Prima yang juga penasihat media kepada BEKAS perdana menteri, Najib Razak. Menurut Anwar, jika TV3 dan media kawalan Umno terus menerus memburukkan Pakatan Rakyat, beliau tidak teragak-agak untuk membuat tindakan sedemikian demi menjaga keharmonian dan ketenteraman kaum di negara ini. Janji Najib untuk menyerahkan kuasa dalam proses peralihan yang selamat dan tiada huru hara masih dipegang Anwar semasa Najib sendiri mengumumkan pembubaran parlimen 3 April lalu. Anwar percaya TV3 akan terus mengaitkannya dengan pencerobohan di Sabah dalam tempoh berkempen ini bagi memastikan ketakutan diwujudkan di kalangan rakyat seterusnya fitnah paling jahat pernah dilakukan stesen itu selain fitnah liwat pada 1998 dan 2008. Atas kuasa eksekutif sebagai perdana menteri, Anwar akan mengarahkan harga minyak diturunkan serta-merta sebanyak 40 sen menjadi RM1.50 buat permulaan selain memastikan tiada pemimpin Umno dan BN cuba melarikan diri ke luar negara selepas keputusan rasmi diumumkan Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya (SPR). Jaminan Anwar bahawa Pakatan Rakyat akan berbuat demikian kepada pengurusan TV3 serta menurunkan harga minyak supaya nasib rakyat terbela mendapat tepukan gemuruh penduduk yang datang dari sekitar Trong, Simpang dan Changkat Jering sendiri. |
| PAS-PKR seat clashes from fear of defections, says Hadi Posted: 21 Apr 2013 04:46 PM PDT 
Boo Su-Lyn, TMI PAS is contesting against PKR in seven seats in Election 2013 out of fear that PKR candidates would defect once elected, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said yesterday. On Nomination Day last Saturday, PAS and its ally PKR both fielded candidates in one federal seat and six state seats although seat negotiations in the opposition pact were said to have been concluded. "There were clashes because we want to save Pakatan Rakyat (PR)," Abdul Hadi was recorded as saying yesterday on a YouTube clip titled "Kenapa berlaku pertindihan calon PAS & PKR?" (Why were there clashes between PAS and PKR candidates?). "We don't want our government to fall like Perak," he added. Two PKR and one DAP assemblymen in Perak defected after Election 2008 to become Barisan Nasional (BN)-friendly independents, causing the collapse of the PR state government. PKR suffered a string of high-profile defections since Election 2008, where six federal lawmakers quit the party within a year. Abdul Hadi also said the PKR candidate in one of the contentious seats was a drug dealer who sold methamphetamine, while another was a Marxist. "We also know of one candidate who subscribes to Marxism and has posters of Karl Marx, Stalin and Lenin at his operations centre. I will not mention who it is but PAS cannot work with people like this," he said, referring to infamous Russian communist leaders Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. The PAS syura council reportedly vetoed several candidates last February proposed for the 13th general election by the Islamist party's leadership over concerns of defections. Abdul Hadi refused to name the candidates whose loyalty was suspect, but stressed that PAS had no problems co-operating with the DAP and PKR. READ MORE HERE |
| Rebel DAP duo refuse to withdraw from GE13 Posted: 21 Apr 2013 04:39 PM PDT 
Clara Chooi, TMI DAP's two rebel incumbents Jenice Lee and Sim Tong Him have turned down their party's ultimatum to withdraw from the polls contest, saying today that they were prepared to be sacked from the party. Both leaders, however, maintained that their loyalties still lie with the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and said if they won their respective seats, they would reapply to be party members again. "Jenice apologises to Karpal Singh and other respective leaders. However, a decision has been made and she will continue to stand in Teratai as she believes it is in the best interests of the people to be served by her, as was the case for the past seven years," her campaign manager Lee Kin Hing told The Malaysian Insider, reading from a statement approved by Jenice. "The party should pander to the will of the Teratai people… unless the majority decide differently in the coming election. "In any event, she will appeal and will reapply to rejoin the DAP as she still believes and upholds the principles and spirit of the DAP," the aide said. Jenice filed her nomination papers to defend her Teratai seat last Saturday, earning herself the boot from the DAP leadership for defying the party's decision to drop her as a candidate. The first-term assemblyman insisted that it was the will of her constituents that she re-contest the seat, saying she would even willingly return the seat to the DAP by rejoining as a member after her victory. Yesterday, however, a large group of Pandan DAP members, including branch chairmen, local councillors and committee members, came out to rat on Jenice, accusing her of power abuse, arrogance and poor service as an assemblyman. Elswhere in Malacca today, news portal Malaysiakini quoted Kota Melaka incumbent Sim as saying that he too would not back down from his bid for the Kota Laksamana state seat. READ MORE HERE |
| Islam is beyond just headscarves, Mat Taib Posted: 21 Apr 2013 04:28 PM PDT 
(The Malaysian Insider) - Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib finally joined PAS in what was the biggest open political secret these past few weeks. And what was the first thing the ex-Umno strongman had to mouth off to show his fundamentalist Islamic credentials upon joining PAS? "Say Islam, but look, there are schoolkids who wear skirts, they also wear baju kurung, they also wear tudung (headscarves), so it's not clear," Muhammad said at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today. First, the man known popularly as Mat Tyson is not qualified to preach on Islam. Wasn't he the one caught with RM3.8 million in an Australian airport in December 1996 and forced to quit his job as Selangor mentri besar in 1997? Wasn't he the one who concealed his marriage to a Selangor princess in the late 1980s but later divorced her? He seems to subscribe to a superficial brand of Islam where the outlook is far more important than the intent. Where form is more important than substance. And where wearing a headscarf is a lot more important than what a person is. Isn't mercy, kindness and justice important as well? Or are appearances even more important? Does wearing a skullcap and robes make a man more Muslim than his peers? PAS will do well to consider what message they are giving to Malaysians when they admit members with such a shallow outlook. As it is, their president's reasons for putting up candidates against allies reflects his mindset and distrust for those with other ideologies. It surely doesn't show that PAS is for all. |
| Deciding Who To Vote For In the Next Election Posted: 21 Apr 2013 04:24 PM PDT 
Malaysia's myriad problems would not miraculously vanish with a Pakatan victory; they may well get worse, at least in the short term. M. Bakri Musa Downstream Analysis: Pakatan Victory Best Outcome (Third of Four Parts) The best outcome would be a decisive Pakatan victory. This is the only way to effect much-needed change, specifically to end the current culture of corruption, cronyism and rent-seeking that is enmeshed and fast becoming the fabric of our – specifically Malay – society. Again addressing those under the sway of Perkasa andKetuanan Melayu, Malays will never advance until we get rid of this destructive culture, of which UMNO is the prime enabler. I am heartened that more than half of PKR's candidates are new, with a substantial number of young faces. We can only bring about change with new personnel. Najib considers recycled and rethreads as fresh. How can he ever hope to transform the country with the same tired, tainted, and tattered team? It is significant that he has resurrected Isa Samad, the character suspended from UMNO a few years ago for "money politics!" Truly scraping the very bottom of the barrel! Rest assured that tainted characters like him will be in Najib's cabinet. Malaysia's myriad problems would not miraculously vanish with a Pakatan victory; they may well get worse, at least in the short term. After the long drought years, it would only be human to expect Pakatan leaders and their patrons to treat their victory asdurian runtoh (bountiful harvest) and get carried away with their excesses. It is to be noted that there are more family squabbles during the good times than during the lean. Expect them to behave like the long-deprived family that had won a big lottery just before Christmas, Hari Raya, or Chinese New Year. Expect greedy squabbles on who would get the more expensive presents, the bigger duit raya, or more generous ang pows. Likewise, expect predictable fights over who would be Deputy Prime Minister, specifically whether he (or she, though unlikely) should be a Malay, and fights over critical portfolios like Finance, Education, and Home Affairs. I am confident that under Anwar Ibrahim's leadership, Pakatan would overcome these expected teething problems. Many still harbor doubts about him. However, I have tremendous faith in the human capacity to change. Anwar today is a much better person and an immensely wiser leader then he was 15 years ago. He has been through a dramatic reversal of fate, been literally battered, and survived nearly six years in jail until his conviction was overturned. Lesser mortals would have been crushed but Anwar emerged stronger with his reputation enhanced. Anwar is not dumb. His years in solitary confinement have taught him a thing or two about fate and human nature. He is now well-tempered steel, not easily corroded, and able to withstand the tempest, exactly the kind of leader the country needs. The chief of police who battered Anwar was finally convicted and jailed. It is significant that Mahathir and others in UMNO have yet to express regret much less condemn the despicable performance of this chief of police. That reflects the ethos of Najib, Mahathir and UMNO. That will never change; hence the need to get rid of them. The religiously inclined, more pious or less worldly-driven PAS leaders would be a positive influence. They would impress upon their Pakatan colleagues to regard their victory not as a cause for celebration as with a Hari Raya, but the beginning of a long difficult stretch, as with the start of Ramadan. Their victory should call for restraint, patience, and generosity; a time for shared sacrifices, not a fight over the spoils of victory. There will be plenty of time to celebrate later, when they have successfully completed their fast (their programs bearing results). |
| Opposition parties singing same tune Posted: 21 Apr 2013 04:21 PM PDT 
Chinese voters getting the PAS symbol painted on their faces in Kluang, Johor, on Saturday morning. The Islamist party's willingness to allow its ally DAP to use the PAS logo represents a shift in Malaysian politics. (ST) - The matter showed how quickly the Chinese-based DAP and its Islamist partner PAS had closed ranks, despite big differences in ideologies. TERESA Teng's song - The Moon Represents My Heart - is a perennial favourite of Malaysia's Democratic Action Party (DAP). The evergreen hit took on a deeper meaning last week when the DAP declared that it was prepared to run in the general election using the full moon logo of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), its partner in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance. Even though the rejection of nomination papers filed by DAP candidates using the party's own rocket symbol did not happen on Nomination Day on Saturday, the Islamist party's willingness to quickly allow its ally to use the PAS logo represents a big shift in Malaysian politics, akin to, well, sending a rocket to the moon. There were scenes of Chinese men whose cheeks were painted with PAS' flag of a white moon on a green background in Johor on Saturday. And Malays in Muslim skull caps holding up DAP flags. "This is an unexpected twist in the general election which is certainly benefiting the opposition. But it will also be a positive development for Malaysian politics overall," said Mr Yang Razali Kassim, senior fellow with the S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University. "The opposition has been energised as a more cohesive and unified coalition, driving Malaysian politics further down the road of a two-coalition system," he added. For the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN), what is happening might hurt the ruling coalition. It had been easy in the past to use DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang as a "Chinese chauvinist" bogeyman to scare off Malay voters, and the turbaned PAS president Hadi Awang to stop Chinese voters from backing a party with plans to implement strict Islamic laws. "This could be bad for Umno because how do you attack Lim Kit Siang as anti-Islam if he is using the PAS logo?" said Mr Ramli Yunus, an Umno division secretary in Kedah. Read more at: http://www.stasiareport.com/the-big-story/asia-report/malaysia-elections/opinion-blogs/story/opposition-parties-singing-same-tun |
| Anwar's 'clone': Is he for real or merely a phantom? Posted: 21 Apr 2013 04:18 PM PDT 
(ST) - The challenge with covering Malaysian politics is that sometimes it's hard to judge whether something is too bizarre to be true THE note in the media notice was explosive. "Friday 9pm: Exclusive expose!" it screamed. "Anwar Ibrahim Thailand clone." The notice arrived last Thursday. Just prior to this, the opposition had been gushing about how they had found a lookalike of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. This person from Thailand, they claimed, had been used by Umno and the ruling Barisan Nasional to shoot fake sex videos. The Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leader had in recent years been "exposed" in numerous such videos by Umno-associated personalities and bloggers, to suggest that he is immoral. Just last month, a pro-Umno blog uploaded still pictures from what it claimed was a sex video of Mr Anwar. The pictures showed two men - one of whom resembled Mr Anwar - kissing and groping each other. In 2011, former Malacca chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik, businessman Shazryl Eskay and pro-Malay group Perkasa leader Shuib Lazim released a video showing a man they claimed was Mr Anwar having sex with a young woman. Mr Anwar has denied all the accusations. His case would be strengthened of course if the opposition can produce his "clone". The plot thickened when, in what seemed like an attempt to pre-empt this move, Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia published interviews with former PKR members last Friday. One said Mr Anwar would do anything to create the perception that the man in the sex videos is not him. Another accused him of using Umno and the ruling Barisan Nasional as his "punching bag". The Umno-linked New Straits Times quoted another insider who claimed that PKR had gotten an imposter to undergo plastic surgery to look like Mr Anwar. "Begun, the Clone Wars have," joked a fellow journalist, referencing an episode from the Star Wars storyline in Yoda's voice. Still, I was doubtful. If this was as big a deal as they said it was, why were they parading him for the first time in a semi-rural kampung in Penang? And if "Anwar" did not stand up to public scrutiny, this stunt would backfire, terribly. But if there's anything I've learnt from covering Malaysian politics, it's that its twists and turns sometimes defy even fiction. Read more at: http://www.stasiareport.com/the-big-story/asia-report/malaysia-elections/opinion-blogs/story/anwars-clone-he-real-or-merely-phan |
| Selangor govt should not be too surprised with voter increase: EC Posted: 21 Apr 2013 04:13 PM PDT 
(NST) - The Selangor state government should not be too surprised with the increase in the number of voters in the state.
Election Commission deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the increase was principally due to the activities of assistant registrars belonging to Pakatan Rakyat parties.
''The biggest contributor to the increase is Pakatan Rakyat, followed by Barisan Nasional.
''But the increase has led to the state government complaining.
''PR has been working so hard to register new voters so don't pretend to be surprised.
''It tickles me when they pretend to be surprised as every political party was working hard to register new voters. They know their workers are working very hard to register voters,'' said Wan Ahmad in Damansara Perdana. Wan Ahmad said this in response to a question about Malaysians finding themselves on the electoral role without registering. He was at the launch of the National Institute for Electoral Integrity's Click-Your-Vote public election participation initiative today.
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| The PAS man and the BN flag Posted: 21 Apr 2013 04:01 PM PDT 
Ivan Yeo, TMI This morning, I saw a man putting up flags for PAS. As he was doing so, a BN flag caught the wind and came unmoored from the railing. The man stopped what he was doing and crossed the road, holding out his hand to stop traffic where the BN flag had fallen. He picked it up, and tied it back to its original spot. He raised it so it once again caught the wind, its colours flying. You can tell a lot about someone by how they treat those they don't need to treat well. This man showed something sharply absent in the run-up to the elections: dignity. I think it's going to be hard for politicians of any stripe to be gentlemanly. For the ruling coalition, a very obvious desperation can be seen. Their appeals are poorly dressed up threats. The narrative can be boiled down to this: "Choose us, or else." Many of them trumpet progress that was built by people who were in office when they were in school. Reading their self-congratulatory statements on the campaign trail, you would think they single-handedly built this country. They didn't. We did. You did. Your parents, your friends and you. There are no Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerbergs or Lincolns in the sitting government. You are the thing that has made Malaysia work. The opposition similarly has almost perfected their playing of the Martyr's Symphony. "Look at how they've tried to oppress us!" The shameful ploys of the government are real, and really despicable. The Election Commission (EC) can make no claim of objectivity after the whole DAP CEC fiasco. Even Fight Club has rules. But after you're done nodding and bitching at yes, how unfair it all is, you'll notice they're milking it. Everything has become strategy: "We can use this!" Fortunately, the election doesn't hang on them. It's down to us. The state of the country after May 5, 2013 can be seen right now, in each other. We need to be better than our governments, and I'm hopeful that we are. I need to be. The man I saw this morning did not forget this simple power we have but seem to have forgotten in our rage and our (not unwarranted) cynicism. Our country is not our government. Our country is us. It will never be better than how we treat each other. I saw a man treat his adversary with grace, dignity and respect. And I'm willing to bet he would have done it even if there were no elections. You have that power. |
| Comment by Hindraf think tank member Posted: 21 Apr 2013 03:42 PM PDT 
FMT LETTER: From Dr Paraman Subramaniam, via e-mail Whoever said that Hindraf sold out needs to clarify it with facts! From last Saturday (13/4), Sunday (14/4) and Monday (15/4) PR leaders were teasing us with a so called meeting with Hindraf. Saturday I had to take locum just to be on standby for the alleged meeting that DID NOT take place! (Any volunteers to pay for my locum Dr?). Sunday Hindu New Year we were on standby, again no calls from PR. Then Sunday evening they said ok Monday confirmed Anwar, Lim Kit Siang and Husam Musa will come. So Mr Ganesan our Hindraf national advisor drove down from Penang and put up in a hotel in PJ for the meeting awaiting for their call. Waythamorthy was also present and so was I as well as another surgeon drove down from Melaka. Whole Monday morning no call from them. They did not answer my calls/sms either. Then at 3pm I sms'd them 'since no calls I guess meeting is called off once again?' Then they call back and say no, meeting is on but Lim Kit Siang not attending! We decide that it has to include all leaders from PR as from past experiences we have realised this is usually a ploy to delay coming to a decision so we ask them to reschedule the meeting to another time when all three leaders are present. Waytha then left and Ganesan proceeded to check out from the hotel. Then they call me back and say that Lim Guan Eng personally instructed the meeting to proceed even in the absence of DAP as he has empowered Anwar and Husam Musa to make the decision. Waytha had already left for another meeting and Ganesan had already checked out! But I managed to get Ganesan back. So we proceeded to PKR HQ and arrived there at around 5.15pm. All these while the contact was pleading with us to come for the meeting as there will be no other time left in view of the impending GE but he told us to 'take our time'. On arrival at PKR HQ, Tian Chua was at the entrance. He saw us but looked away. So we waited at the corner coffee shop and contacted the PR rep that we had already arrived. Then he shocks us by informing that Anwar had already left! In fact Anwar sneaked out after we arrived the PKR HQ. That's how much respect they have for the representation of the marginalised Indians ! If the PR leaders can't even handle a decent meeting, (bungling and insulting along the way) how on Earth are they going to be entrusted to govern this country? |
| Bekas MB S’gor, Muhd Taib sah masuk PAS Posted: 21 Apr 2013 02:49 PM PDT 
Muhammad berkata, hasrat untuk menyertai PAS timbul sejak tahun lalu apabila melihat hanya parti itu sahaja yang mampu membangunkan negara berteraskan agama Islam. Jamilah Kamarudin, FMT Bekas Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib hari ini secara rasminya menyertai PAS. Beliau menyerahkan borang keahliannya kepada Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang di Pejabat Agung PAS di sini.Muhammad dalam sidang media berkata, tujuan beliau menyertai PAS dua hari selepas penamaan calon kerana mahu mengelakkan daripada timbulnya spekulasi beliau mahu bertanding semula kerusi pilihan raya umum (PRU). "Saya bersetuju (serah borang) diadakan dua hari selepas penamaan calon bagi mengelakkan tohmahan nak jadi calon. "Saya tak berhajat sama sekali nak jadi calon dan tak berhajat nak pegang apa-apa jawatan, saya cuma nak beri sokongan kepada PAS," katanya.yang turut dikenali sebagai Mat Taib dan Mike Tyson. Muhammad berkata, hasrat untuk menyertai PAS timbul sejak tahun lalu apabila melihat hanya parti itu sahaja yang mampu membangunkan negara berteraskan agama Islam. "Memang benar negara (Malaysia) maju, memang benar negeri (Selangor) maju tapi saya fikir sekarang sampai masanya satu perubahan mesti dilakukan supaya setiap pembangunan yang dinamik mesti ada roh," katanya. READ MORE HERE |
| Kit Siang: People prefer Hadi to Najib as PM Posted: 21 Apr 2013 02:44 PM PDT 
DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang also says DAP has been consistent in support of Anwar Ibrahim as the new prime minister. Anything else is just BN propaganda. Leven Woon, FMT Who do you want as the prime minister? The resounding answer was Abdul Hadi Awang of PAS. At least, that's what the gathering at the Pakatan Rakyat ceremahs in Gelang Patah and Muar indicated. This question was posed by DAP advisor Lim KIt Siang at the ceremahs. "I asked the thousands of Malaysians of all races in Muar and Gelang Patah in separate ceramahs last night whom they would choose, if they had to choose between Najib, Muhyiddin Yassin or the return of Mahathir as the prime minister, on the one hand, and Hadi on the other. "The response was a thunderous, categorical, and unequivocal declaration of support for Hadi to become PM rather than to see Najib, Muhyiddin or Mahathir as the man in Seri Perdana," he said. Lim told a press conference that he posed the question after BN leader such as Abdul Ghani Othman sounded the alarm bell that Hadi may be the prime minister should Pakatan Rakyat win power. Ghani reportedly warned the Chinese constituents in Gelang Patah yesterday that a vote for his opponent Lim is a vote for Hadi to be the prime minister. "If it is true what they said today that DAP has agreed that Hadi Awang would be our future prime minister, ladies and gentlemen, Johor and I will be worried. What will he be going to do to us… correct or not?" he was quoted of saying. Lim mocked that Ghani's remarks was an indirect admission that should DAP emerge victor in the Gelang Patah, Pakatan would win Putrajaya. However, he added that DAP has been consistent in support of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim as the new prime minister should they take over federal administration. READ MORE HERE |
| Drug dealers as candidates? Posted: 21 Apr 2013 02:40 PM PDT 
PAS president makes an 'outrageous' claim insinuating that some candidates picked by the opposition coalition even sold drugs. (FMT) - PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang yesterday revealed that the Islamic-based party had information that several candidates picked to contest by other Pakatan Rakyat component parties had ideologies that were different to the opposition coalition. Abdul Hadi alleged that he also received information on candidates who had an understanding that was different from the coalition. "There are some candidates who we fear are involved in selling methamphetamine. How can they be candidates?" "There are even some who put up pictures of (Vladimir) Lenin, (Joseph) Stalin and Karl Marx at the headquarters. PAS cannot work with such candidates," he said referring to candidates who hold the communist ideology, but did not reveal the individual. He said this at a PAS ceramah at Kampung Tebakang, Mukim Alor Limbat, here last night, Bernama reported. Hadi had said this while explaining the seat clashes between PAS and other Pakatan Rakyat components. Pakatan, the opposition pact made up of PKR, PAS and DAP, will be going against each other in at least seven seats in the coming general election, which will see polling on May 5. PAS will fight with its component party PKR and Barisan Nasional candidates in the Labuan parliamentary seat, state seats of Panti, Sungai Acheh (Penang), Kota Damansara (Selangor), Bukit Besi, Kota Putera and Seberang Takir (Terengganu). Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is another opposition party which has been asking for entry into Pakatan Rakyat. Although the opposition coalition have yet to accept PSM as a member, both parties had agreed to work together in the polls. The party is contesting four seats — one parliament and three state. It will use the PKR logo for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat in Perak and Kota Damansara state seat in Selangor. It will use its own logo for the Semenyih (Selangor) and Jelapang (Perak) state seats as it was not able to reach a consensus on the issue with Pakatan Rakyat component parties. In the last two seats, it also faces PKR and DAP candidates. READ MORE HERE |
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