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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Eskay close to Thai insurgents, leaked US cable shows
- BN, PR race for votes in Selangor landslide
- Scholarships a Malay special right, says Perkasa
- CJ Zaki believed to be in critical condition after heart attack
- Sedition Act outdated, says Nazri
- Trouble in Negeri PAS?
- Jeff Ooi ordered to pay RM150,000 in defamation suit
- ‘Probe Taib first,’ Siah tells police
- Court sets ultimatum for blogger to respond to Dr Rais' defamation suit
- Let Talent Corp handle scholarship awards, says DAP
- Gas Price Review Long Overdue
- Malaysian universities improve ranking on Asian scale
| Eskay close to Thai insurgents, leaked US cable shows Posted: 23 May 2011 12:16 AM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - A leaked United States diplomatic cable has revealed that Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah was close to veteran Thai separatists hiding out in Malaysia, blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin's website reported today. Shazryl topped newspaper headlines in Malaysia recently for releasing a video purportedly showing Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim having sex with a prostitute. He also lost a legal suit for RM20 million for commission in the aborted crooked bridge to Singapore. Raja Petra's Malaysia Today website recently began collaborating with whistleblowers WikiLeaks and said it has been given access to a cache of US diplomatic cables relating to Malaysia. In one such 2006 cable, then US embassy political chief Mark Clark was said to have met Shazryl —then the Honorary Thai Consul — in Langkawi on February 5, 2006 and was told details of how the insurgents operated. "Eskay, who was a leading Malaysian facilitator of the dialogue with Thai insurgents hosted by former prime minister (Tun Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad), argued that the older generation insurgency leaders, mostly resident in Malaysia, remained relevant as they provided needed support services and safe haven to younger leaders. "He identified only one old guard leader as actively ordering attacks, and estimated that criminal gangs and Thai security services were responsible for 70 per cent of the recent violence," said the cable. The cable also said that Shazryl shared a 12-page paper on the insurgency and Thai Malay views, resulting from his interviews with numerous separatist leaders. "Eskay credibly appeared to have contacts with a large pool of old guard leaders, insurgents, and sympathizers from Thailand's Malay south. His views on the insurgency were the most detailed we heard during five days of travel in northern Malaysia and tracked well in many respects with information and opinions from others," the cable read.
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| BN, PR race for votes in Selangor landslide Posted: 22 May 2011 07:55 PM PDT "It's a competition. We have to be on our toes," PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli told The Malaysian Insider. (The Malaysian Insider) - Rescue workers were not the only ones racing to be first to the Hulu Langat landslide on Saturday. In the United States, both Malaysia and Selangor's heads of government — Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim respectively — scrambled to book the next possible flight home. The prime minister and mentri besar are due to visit the site today, where the death count from the devastated Al-Taqwa orphanage stands at 16, including 14 children. With Najib expected to call elections this year, neither Barisan Nasional (BN) nor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) can afford to be caught napping in the country's richest state, set to be the main battleground in the BN chief's quest for a strong mandate to lead. "It's a competition. We have to be on our toes," PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli told The Malaysian Insider. Less than a day after the incident, Selangor promised the families of those who perished RM1,000 each, only to be trumped by the federal government's RM10,000 pledge. Even the DAP-led Penang government got in on the act, offering RM25,000 in aid. This was also beaten by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who threw in RM50,000 from his golf tournament into the hat. By comparison, in the 2008 Bukit Antarabangsa landslide which destroyed 14 bungalows and forced 2,000 residents to be evacuated, it took an extra day for then-PM Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to say that the federal government would consider compensation to victims. Rafizi, who was one of those evacuated in the December 2008 incident, said the state government was quicker to respond this time as a response team has since been formed. PKR claims the state-funded team led by state deputy chief Zuraida Kamaruddin was first on the ground. But this is contested by Petaling Jaya Utara Umno Youth information chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifah who said that Umno Youth were the first to arrive. "We got the SMS at 2.30pm when the landslide happened and we were there by 4.30pm. "We cannot be just sitting around, we have to react immediately," he told The Malaysian Insider. What both sides agree on is that Selangor voters are watching. In the battle for their hearts and minds, neither wants to be seen as overpoliticising the event.
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| Scholarships a Malay special right, says Perkasa Posted: 22 May 2011 06:58 PM PDT
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Malay rights group Perkasa today dove into the controversy surrounding the unfair distribution of government scholarships, charging that Malay students were the ones who were losing out when it came to receiving scholarships. Perkasa information chief Ruslam Kassim claimed many Malay students were being "unfairly" treated by the Public Services Department (PSD) as they failed to obtain financial aid despite being qualified. The federal constitution, according to Ruslam, ensured that Malays were prioritised when it came to receiving scholarships, adding that no one else could question that "fact." "Scholarships are the special rights of Malays under Article 153... The government and PSD must first make sure the rights of Bumiputeras are prioritised, a violation of the constitution in any form is a crime," Ruslam said in a statement today. Under Article 153, the special position of the Malays is to be safeguarded through the reservation of, among others, scholarships. The Perkasa leader also berated the MIC for complaining that qualified Indian students were not given proper financial aid to further their studies, saying that "many more" Malay students were overlooked by the PSD. "Perkasa can also claim that PSD has been unfair to Malays and Bumiputeras for denying their rights not only for scholarships, but also diplomas... if MIC, MCA wants to make noise about scholarships, Perkasa will remind them that Bumiputeras have yet to receive scholarships," he said. Ruslam said that MIC should be "grateful" that Indian students were getting local scholarships, and added that the PSD should abolish overseas scholarships. "Make overseas scholarships only for post-graduate studies... this can save the outflow of money overseas and give due recognition to local public and private universities in the country," Ruslam explained. Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong revealed last week that 363 straight A+ students failed to secure the scholarships this year although Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had agreed that all students scoring 8A+ and above will receive PSD scholarships after a similar brouhaha last year.
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| CJ Zaki believed to be in critical condition after heart attack Posted: 22 May 2011 06:09 PM PDT
(The Star) - Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi is believed to be in critical condition after suffering two heart attacks early Monday. Sources said he suffered the first heart attack at home and the second at the Putrajaya Hospital while awaiting treatment. Zaki was then taken to the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur for further treatment. Earlier, a source said Zaki was undergoing routine checkup at IJN. "He has been referred to IJN by the Putrajaya Hospital for further investigation," the source said.
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| Sedition Act outdated, says Nazri Posted: 22 May 2011 05:54 PM PDT The de facto law minister calls Ibrahim Ali a clown, but acknowledges his entitlement to freedom of speech. (Free Malaysia Today) - De facto law minister Mohd Nazri Aziz claims he advocates the scrapping of the Sedition Act, describing it as out of date in a Malaysia that has evolved into a broadminded society. "Controversial issues that were once considered taboo are now discussed openly and frankly in public without the fear of causing racial tension," he said when the subject of Perkasa leader Ibrahim Ali came up during a press conference here over the weekend. He described the Sedition Act as having "no relevance in these modern times" and said the government was giving Ibrahim the same freedom of speech it had allowed the online media. Several public figures, as well as commentators in the online media, have criticised the government for its apparent reluctance to act against Ibrahim and the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia for statements and articles perceived as provoking racial strife. "We cannot have double standards, one for the alternative media and another for Utusan Malaysia and Ibrahim Ali," Nazri said. He described Ibrahim as a "political clown", but said freedom of speech must also apply to him. Nazri held the press conference after attending a function at a school here. He is the MP for Padang Rengas. Asked if he would initiate a repeal of the Sedition Act, he said: "No, the move must first come from the people through debate." He said many of the articles and comments appearing on the Internet were insulting to Malays and Muslims and were seditious, but he added: "An issue is only sensitive if it is not debated or discussed openly. When it is frankly debated in public, then it becomes a non-issue as there are checks and balances in the Federal Constitution. "At one time, even I was also very sensitive to such issues, but I have matured over the years and have accepted this as freedom of speech."
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| Posted: 22 May 2011 05:47 PM PDT Senior leaders find youth demands unsettling (Free Malaysia Today) - An internal conflict appears to be developing in PAS, with senior leaders complaining privately that the youth wing is becoming too assertive and unreasonable in its demands. Recently, the youth leadership publicly demanded that Pakatan Rakyat allow PAS, instead of PKR, to contest the Labu state seat in the coming election. The demand was made at a press conference held without prior consultation with the state PAS leadership, which was a break with tradition. State youth chief Khairil Anuar Wafa claimed that PAS had the grassroots support to ensure a Pakatan win in Labu, which PKR lost in the last election. "We are ready to mobilize 300 youth members from all over the state to wrest the seat from Barisan Nasional," he said at the press conference. A PKR leader told FMT the brashness and public nature of the demand would not go down well with Negeri Sembilan PAS Commissioner Zulkefli Mohamad Omar. "I know Zulkefly's style," he said. "He is not the kind of person who would deal with intra party matters through the media." A senior PAS leader criticized the youth wing for the press conference.
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| Jeff Ooi ordered to pay RM150,000 in defamation suit Posted: 22 May 2011 05:43 PM PDT The Jelutong MP was found guilty of defaming former Penang Municipal councillor Mohd Razali Abdullah. (Bernama) - The Penang High Court today ruled that Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi Chuan Aun from DAP was guilty of defamation and ordered him to pay RM150,000 to former Penang Municipal councillor Mohd Razali Abdullah. Judicial Commissioner Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera also ordered Ooi to pay RM20,000 in cost and interests of 8 percent to be calculated from the date of judgment until the date of settlement. In his suit, Mohd Razali, 49, claimed that Ooi had slandered him repeatedly and caused defamatory statements to be published by newspapers, websites and news portals in 2009 when he was a municipal councillor, and some of the defamatory words were repeated in newspapers in January 2010. Vazeer Alam made the judgment after listening to submissions from Ooi's counsel Jagdeep Singh Deo and Mohd Razali's lawyer Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor but Mohd Razali who is a Pusat Urus Zakat (PUZ) Board director was not present as he was on official assignment in Egypt. The court also allowed an injunction to stop the defendant from repeating and publishing the defamatory statements. On Feb 1, last year, former PKR member Mohd Razali claimed that Ooi had defamed him by stating, among others, that he was a religious extremist, was incapable of acting professionally in carrying out his duties as a councillor despite his qualification as a land surveyor, and had mental problems with the innuendo that he was a mad man. The alleged slanderous articles were published by a number of local dailies, including Chinese dailies in 2009. |
| ‘Probe Taib first,’ Siah tells police Posted: 22 May 2011 01:41 PM PDT By Joseph Tawie, Free Malaysia Today KUCHING: Movement For Change Sarawak (MoCS) leader Francis Siah is willing to meet with the local police provided they record Chief Minister Taib Mahmud's statement first. Responding to a comment by Sarawak Commissioner of Police Mohmad Salleh that they have started investigating MoCS, Siah said: "Is there one law to deal with the powerful like Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister of Sarawak and another for an ordinary citizen like me? "I lodged a police report against Taib first (on March 13) for corruption, money laundering and abuse of power. "Surely, there are more reasons to investigate the Chief Minister than to probe me. "Call Taib Mahmud in to the police station first and then I will also go in to have my statement recorded," he said. Urging the police not to practice 'double standards' in their enforcement of the law, Siah said he had 'politely' conveyed his stand to the police officer who called him last Friday following reports lodged by the Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth wing, to call up Taib first. PBB is led by Taib. Siah was informed that he was being investigated under the Section 4 of the Sedition Act. He reiterated that part of MoCS agenda for Sarawak was to inculcate a new political culture for the state. "But it is apparent now that a new work culture for an important law enforcement agency such as the police department has to be included in our agenda. "I urge the police not to be subservient to political masters. Even the king is not above the law," he said. Security threat Siah said he was informed a long time ago that whenever a new Sarawak police commissioner had to be appointed, Bukit Aman would have to send the name to be vetted by the CM first. "It would be disgustingly unprofessional if such a thing is still being practised today. It only gives PDRM a bad name," he said. Pointing out that MoCS is a responsible citizens' rights movement, Siah assured the police that it will continue to operate within the law. "However, it is the duty of the police to not only ensure that citizens abide by the law but that the laws of the land are also being enforced in a just and fair manner," he said.
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| Court sets ultimatum for blogger to respond to Dr Rais' defamation suit Posted: 22 May 2011 01:39 PM PDT By M Mageswari, The Star KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has given a blogger until June 2 to respond to a defamation suit filed by Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim against him. Judicial Commissioner Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah gave blogger Abdul Mutalib Mohamed Daud the ultimatum after meeting Dr Rais's lead counsel, Sahabudin Shaik Alaudin, in chambers Monday. Speaking to the media later, Dr Rais' co-counsel Norhani Nordin said: "We have advertised a copy of the suit and pasted a copy of the lawsuit at the blogger's last known address in Sabah but did not get any response. "If he fails to enter his appearance, we can enter judgment in the suit against him," Norhani added. Dr Rais filed his documents on March 10 to initiate the substitute service through advertisement and also pasted a copy of the lawsuit at the High Court notice board. He is suing Abdul Mutalib for defamation over allegations that the minister had raped his maid. In his suit, Dr Rais said Abdul Mutalib had published four defamatory articles in the Sabahkini weblog on Jan 1, 3, 5 and 7 with the minister's photograph and false words which were malicious, implying he was of unchaste behaviour and loose morals. Rais is applying to get an injunction compelling the defendant to remove the defamatory articles of him from the blog. |
| Let Talent Corp handle scholarship awards, says DAP Posted: 22 May 2011 01:34 PM PDT By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — The DAP today urged the Cabinet to strip the Public Service Department (PSD) of its scholarship award role and instead transfer it to Talent Corporation, the agency set up to address the country's brain-drain problem. DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua told a press conference today that this would help solve the ongoing scholarship fiasco arising from "sabotage" within the PSD. "The transfer of this critical role and responsibility (to Talent Corp) will be particularly fitting given the crucial role of attracting and retaining talent in Malaysia. "They will also be the most appropriate agency to manage the best and brightest talents of our future given close links with the industry," he said. Pua also urged all political parties across the divide to back the DAP's suggestion, pointing out that even Barisan Nasional's (BN) MCA, Gerakan and MIC had voiced their frustrations over the issue. "The proposal is made in the interest of all Malaysians and there should be bipartisanship in ensuring the annual scholarship circus will never see the light of day again," he said. Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong revealed last week that 363 straight A+ students failed to get the scholarships this year although Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had agreed that all students scoring 8A+ and above will receive PSD scholarships after a similar brouhaha last year. The MCA Youth chief accused government officers who disobeyed Cabinet directives as being one of the main reasons why top deserving students failed to get scholarships. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has reportedly ordered the PSD to investigate complaints that some SPM top scorers were not offered scholarships. Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, had however stressed that his ministry was not to blame as its list of scholarship candidates had already been forwarded. The MIC also waded into the controversy and called for an independent committee to investigate the PSD. "The PSD has proven itself to be a complete disaster in managing the award of government scholarships to the young and brightest Malaysians, particularly those seeking the opportunity to pursue their education overseas. "Over the past few years, it has never failed to attract controversy by failing to award scholarships in a fair and just manner, resulting in hundreds of top students failing to secure the scholarships they deserve," said Pua.
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| Posted: 22 May 2011 10:29 AM PDT (Bernama) - A long-overdue review of the heavily subsidised natural gas price is crucial as demand for cheap gas in Malaysia is far outstripping supply. Analysts said that if this market-distorting situation is not corrected by the government soon, then Malaysia will run out of gas reserves which will jeopardise future generations. As it is now, the government continues to subsidise gas by as much as 71-77 per cent, which means lost opportunities for the country and the economy not being cost efficient. This is because the billions of ringgit used to heavily subsidise gas could have been used for socio-economic development projects such as public amenities, roads, schools and other services. For gas alone, Petronas paid out a massive amount of subsidies amounting to RM131.3 billion between 1997 and 2010. This being the case, there is a need to gradually move gas prices to reflect international market prices as gas prices in Malaysia are among the cheapest in the region and cheaper compared with alternative fuels. As a result, a large number of consumers have shifted their consumption of energy from other fuels such as diesel, liquefied petroleum gas and fuel oil to natural gas. This has resulted in an imbalance with demand outstripping supply at a rapid pace. There is also a misconception among the people that Malaysia has lots of gas reserves to be used for power when the actual situation is that there is real concern over gas reserves as they are finite. Malaysia is now getting 36 per cent of its natural gas supply outside Malaysia at a higher price which continues to increase, but sold to the power and non-power sectors and industries at highly reduced prices. These price distortions to the economy which are taking a toll on the country's finances needs to be rectified soon by rationalising and reducing subsidies as the situation is increasingly untenable. The local supply of natural gas is insufficient as demand has escalated 400 per cent over the past 10 years from 2000 for customers using less than 2.0 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) and about 160 per cent for customers using more than 2.0 mmscfd while the country's gas reserves are fast depleting at an annual rate of 12 per cent. The last gas price revision by the government was in March 2009, at a discount of 50 per cent, the prices ranged from RM15.35 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) to RM10.70 per mmBtu, with the obligation to review every six months but that did not happen. Since the last revision, the price of medium fuel oil (MFO), a reference index from which gas is priced on, had risen over 100 per cent. This has led the government to bear the cost of heavier subsidies as the price of energy continues to increase in global markets. On the local scene, the power sector which has been subsidised since 1997, consumes about 55 per cent of the gas needs and a large part of the balance by the industry which had been subsidised since 2002. The government has subsidised the price of gas to the power sector by as much as 77 per cent or RM10.70 per mmBtu and that to the industries at an average 73 per cent or between RM15.35 to RM11.05. Based on a simple calculation, for every RM10, the government will have to subsidise between RM7.70 to RM7.30, which is already a burden, bearing in mind the fact that imported gas is bought at international market prices. The Malaysian public and industries have been enjoying the benefits of subsidies for so long but the world scenario has changed and the days of cheap energy are gone. From another perspective, Malaysia was subsidising the cost of products of other countries manufactured by their multinational companies based here. The government will now have to adapt to strategies it knows best to sustain the economy and Malaysians must learn to accept changes and ride the global economic storm to be at the forefront of the competition. Like it or not, oil and gas prices have increased and the subsidies which have become a burden to the government are very much due for a relook. Industries have benefitted immensely enjoying double subsidies in the form of cheap gas and subsidised electricity, while receiving other government incentives. Having relied on cheap gas for their production, there is no incentive for companies to adopt and adapt to new technologies and find new ways to become efficient. But a gradual removal of subsidies is expected to induce industries to seek more efficient technologies for their processes. It is understood that some of the industry players do not mind the market rates but expect any move towards that end to be undertaken in a gradual manner. Since 1997, the government had spent RM131 billion in oil and gas subsidies and the amount is increasing since the gas usage gets bigger while higher MFO prices had caused the situation to be not sustainable in the long run. As of now, Malaysia is getting supply of natural gas from the Natuna field in Indonesia, the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area (JDA) and also from Vietnam. Malaysia's share of gas supply from Vietnam is almost exhausted, which means an additional on the government to look for new sources. It is understood that Petronas would also be importing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by 2012 to cater to increasing demand, which is rather costly at about RM40 per mmBtu. The people have to dispel the misconception that the gas is always there and readily available. In reality, Malaysia is a small player and the country's oil and gas reserves are small. If gas continues to be subsidised, then Malaysia is not optimising its resources when the reserves should be kept for future generations. Ideally, the price of gas should be at market rates which would then attract other potential companies to import gas and liberalise the market. By spurring the gas trade, players could import cheaper gas from abroad compared to the current situation, where players are not willing to come onboard as they would not be making any money competing against subsidised gas. It is understood that Petronas will have its regasification plant ready by 2012 whereby other companies could import LNG and regasify to sell to the industries. Malaysia, eventually, will attract investors who can add higher value to the gas industry and generate greater income and spur the economy in the process.
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| Malaysian universities improve ranking on Asian scale Posted: 22 May 2011 10:22 AM PDT By The Malaysian Insider Six out of seven Malaysian universities improved their ranking on the QS Asian University Rankings this year, with Universiti Malaya (UM) climbing three spots to 39th. Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) also jumped 20 slots to 57th out of 200 Asian universities. No Malaysian university entered the top 10 ranks while the National University of Singapore (NUS) retained its third place. QS also said in a statement the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (HKUST) knocked the University of Hong Kong down to the second spot. The global higher education information specialist noted that Malaysia had seven universities in the top 200 Asian universities compared to Thailand's nine and Indonesia's eight. Japan was the best-represented nation with five universities in the top 10 ranks and 57 in the top 200. In contrast, China had 40, South Korea 35, Taiwan 16, India 11, and Hong Kong had seven universities in the top 200 Asian institutions. The QS Asian University Rankings last year showed that the top Malaysian university was UM at the 42nd spot while Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) was the second best university here at 58th. The ranking of public institutions in Malaysia has dived throughout the past years to the point of dropping out of the top 200 universities in the QS World University Rankings last year. QS noted that the "dynamism" of the Asian region was bolstered by the fact that one out of five universities in the top 50 universities was less than 50 years old.
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