Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Surprise? What Surprise?
- ‘Datuk T’ charged over sex video
- GST a way to fund the poor, says Idris Jala
- Bersih 2.0 Stands for Democracy
- Ambiga: Bersih rally will go on
- Seeing crackdown, Pakatan battens down hatches
- WIKILEAKS: Update on the use of 'Allah' and the church attacks
- BERSIH Rally - Letter to International Organisations to make representations to Malaysian Government
- Where is Y.B. Khir Toyo's RM80 Million?
- Kimma wants Ambiga's Datukship to be stripped
- Bersih to go global with July 9 rally
- Your trivia for today: yellow
- FMT launches live interview broadcast
- Nazri to PKR MPs: Were you sleeping on your job?
- PAS on million-man march for Bersih
- Now you know why we need better governance
- MCLM Condemns the Hatred and Cowardice behind the Death Threat to BERSIH 2.0 President
- Polis arah jangan jual baju Bersih
- Hisham promises to probe Ambiga death threat
- Malaysia is under 4 states of emergency, mind you!
- WIKILEAKS: Syed Mokhtar al Bukhary's foray into Iran
- Why Najib must hold the 13th GE this year instead of 2012
| Posted: 23 Jun 2011 11:53 AM PDT By Sarawak Report The Chief Minister has denied he has illegal foreign assets. He previewed the statement, made today in the State Assembly, as a 'surprise announcement'. Onlookers would have been surprised if he had announced his resignation, the honourable course of action, given official investigations now underway into his corruption and abuse of power. However, few will have been surprised by his string of denials! The actual nature of his 'categorical' denials were in fact rather confusing, however. What exactly was he denying when he said:
By this was the Chief Minister denying that he has no bank accounts, assets or investments of any description at all anywhere? Or just in Switzerland? And was he referring to right now at this moment, or is he alleging that he has never, ever had money in Switzerland at any time? The Chief Minister spent a lot of energy in denial. For example, he even attempted to cast doubt on the actual letters sent by the Swiss President and the Swiss Financial Regulatory body, FINMA, confirming their investigations. Nice try, but the letters and the investigations are genuine.
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| ‘Datuk T’ charged over sex video Posted: 23 Jun 2011 11:22 AM PDT By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — The "Datuk T" trio were charged this morning for their involvement in the screening of a sex video allegedly featuring Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Former Malacca Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik is charged with abetting former Perkasa treasurer-general Datuk Shuib Lazim and businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah in screening the pornographic material at the prestigious Carcosa Seri Negara Hotel here on March 21. Earlier this morning, the three men arrived at the Jalan Duta court complex here to screams from scores of supporters who had gathered outside from 8am. Dressed smartly in neatly-pressed suits, the men waved as they made their way into the complex. They finally entered the packed courtroom at 9.17am. On March 21, a mysterious "Datuk T" had screened a video purportedly showing Anwar having sex with an unidentified woman, believed to be a foreign prostitute. Abdul Rahim, Shazryl and Shuib later claimed responsibility for the video, saying they screened the video to show "a man who wants to be prime minister is not qualified." Following police investigations into the screening, the trio claimed to have surrendered the original copy of the sex video to the police.
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| GST a way to fund the poor, says Idris Jala Posted: 23 Jun 2011 09:29 AM PDT By Lee Wei Lian and Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Putrajaya believes the Goods and Services Tax (GST) could help widen the government's tax base and provide funds for the poor now reeling from a global rise in commodity prices. Economists also do not foresee any issues with implementing the GST despite the country's low tax base which appears to suggest chronic tax evasion. But the government has shied away from pushing the tax due to outrage from most Malaysians, where only one million pay income tax. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala (picture) said yesterday Malaysians have to accept that "we have to move away as only then the government will have sufficient money to go around for everyone, especially the poor." "To widen our tax base, we need to get rid of sales and services tax and replace it with GST. Currently, only one million of the 28 million Malaysians pay tax. "With the GST in place, all 28 million Malaysians will pay a little bit which then allows us to reduce corporate tax and income tax and that's how we can find money enough for poor people," Idris said at a forum. He said this was the reason 143 countries were now enforcing the GST. Critics however say Malaysia's natural resources are enough to fund programmes for the poor but economic leakages and an extravagant government have frittered away most of the money. Only about 10 per cent of Malaysians currently pay income tax but economists say that GST will be harder to evade and will help improve tax collection efficiency. Detractors say the government must be more efficient in collecting tax, citing the number of mansions and high-ends cars seen in the country despite the low tax base. Kenanga Investment Bank economist Wan Suhaimi Wan Saidi said the GST will improve the efficiency of tax collection in the long run. "There will be initial hiccups," he told The Malaysian Insider. "It's a necessary evil now so that they'll be more efficient in collecting taxes," he said.
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| Bersih 2.0 Stands for Democracy Posted: 23 Jun 2011 09:17 AM PDT By batsman All Bersih is calling for is clean elections. This is an absolute democratic right of free citizens. Up till now, the UMNO government has been completely unresponsive and arrogant in denying electoral reforms. Not only that the PM himself has blatantly indulged in bribing of voters (You scratch my back and I will scratch yours, you do good by me and I will make sure you get just rewards thingy). RTM 1, a government owned TV station has been campaigning openly in favour of BN party politics. The government machinery has been used in elections campaigns on behalf of the BN as claimed by Dragon Blood himself in his book. All these and more need to be corrected such that democracy may exist and thrive in Malaysia. Bersih 2.0 is therefore for democracy and is proving itself to be the most patriotic NGO in Malaysia. Those who call for the suppression of Bersih and make threats of reacting to Bersih's actions by unleashing chaos and genocide are anti-democratic. This is very clear. There can be no doubts about this. Luckily PAS has responded to all these threats against Bersih with resoluteness and integrity. PAS therefore stands together with Bersih 2.0 for democracy. PAS understands that if Bersih 2.0 is suppressed, much of the democratic rights of Malaysians will be rolled back as well. Evil people will reign supreme. Arrogance will strut its stuff. The checks against corruption will be greatly weakened. Good people will be cowed. Even more good people may fall off tall buildings. There has been a lot of threats, claims and statements issued of late whether for or against Bersih 2.0. It is time for proving and testing. Will those who are against Bersih 2.0 be proven to be full of hot air or smelly fart or will those who say they support Bersih 2.0 be proven to be full of hot air and smelly fart? Will the Malaysian national character be determined by those for Bersih or against Bersih? The Arabs proved that their characters are made of stern stuff when they responded to violence against peaceful demonstrations with even greater determination and bigger demonstrations. Will Malaysians prove to the world that their national character is one to be respected by the whole world or full of hot air and smelly fart? The proof of the pudding is in the eating. |
| Ambiga: Bersih rally will go on Posted: 23 Jun 2011 05:47 AM PDT
A death threat has done little to dent Bersih's commitment to rally for clean and fair elections. (Free Malaysia Today) - Organisers and supporters of the Bersih 2.0 rally are standing their ground despite receiving death threats via text message last night. The message warned that Bersih chairperson, Ambiga Sreenevasan, and those connected to her would be killed if the rally proceeded as planned on July 9. After lodging a police report at the Travers police station at 12pm today, a calm Ambiga confirmed that "Walk For Democracy" would continue as scheduled. "I now leave this up to the police," she told the media. "I believe they will be able to trace the sender's identity as they have a phone number. But there is no change to the rally on July 9." While she said that the text wasn't a surprise, she expressed disappointment that a fellow Malaysian could threaten what is intended to be a peaceful event. "We are peaceful, we are peaceful," she reiterated. "And we assure Malaysians that we will do our utmost in being responsible for keeping the rally that way. This message is already out there." Ambiga also welcomed the statement by Home Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, that he was taking the threat very seriously and would conduct investigations into the matter. She added that she was fully prepared to cooperate with the authorities in keeping July 9 safe and peaceful. 'Talk to us directly' When asked if she was taking any security measures as a result of the death threat, Ambiga smiled and replied, "Yes but I prefer to keep them to myself. And as long as the police do their work I have no reason to be afraid." Others who received the text message included Bersih steering committee members, Wong Chin Huat and Maria Chin Abdullah, lawyer Latheefa Koya and PKR Youth deputy chief, Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainuddin. All four also lodged police reports today. "This is unacceptable because it contains racial connotations," stated Maria referring to the words "keling paria" and "Cina sial" in the text. "The person who sent it should be brave enough to talk to us directly.Tell us what your problem is with a peaceful rally for clean and fair elections." Khairul also condemned these racial slurs and emphasised that PKR would stand on the front lines with the Bersih committee on July 9. Meanwhile PKR Youth deputy information chief, Rozan Mat Rasip, branded the incident an emergence of "a hooligan culture" in Malaysia.
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| Seeing crackdown, Pakatan battens down hatches Posted: 23 Jun 2011 05:33 AM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders are bracing themselves for a possible repeat of the infamous 1987 Ops Lalang crackdown when election watchdog Bersih 2.0 stages its mass protest in the capital this July 9. The leaders, many of whom were among those arrested during the crackdown, told a press conference today that they feared the government would again flex its muscles and embark on a spree to detain all leaders participating in the rally. "As former Ops Lalang detainees, we must ask if they are preparing for an Ops Lalang 2," said DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, one of the 1987 detainees. PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said recent events surrounding the Bersih rally signalled the likelihood that the Najib administration could launch yet another dragnet to silence opposition dissent. "I am worried. I am worried that (Bersih chairman Datuk) Ambiga Sreenavasan will be arrested under the Internal Security Act... and so will some other Bersih members and opposition politicians. "It is like in 1987... whereby provocations that involved the prime minister himself (then Umno Youth leader) are the issues at hand but yet, the opposition becomes the scapegoat. Like me, many other representatives became victims at the time," he told a press conference after attending a PR presidential council meeting in Parliament this afternoon. Ops Lalang was launched on the morning of October 27, 1987 to clamp down on social activists and opposition politicians. Two dailies were also closed along with two weekly newspapers, and 106 people were arrested under the ISA, including Lim and his son, Guan Eng, who were both held for 18 months.
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| WIKILEAKS: Update on the use of 'Allah' and the church attacks Posted: 23 Jun 2011 01:00 AM PDT
As of January 11, there have been eleven attacks on churches, and one on a small mosque, in Malaysia since the first three attacks overnight on January 7 (ref A). Over the January 9-10 weekend, eight more churches and a small mosque were attacked, raising the total to twelve. Unlike the first few attacks on January 8, which only took place in Kuala Lumpur and nearby Selangor, incidents over the weekend occurred in other parts of the country: in addition to one more in the KL area, there were three in Perak, one in Malacca, one in Penang, one in Negeri Sembilan, and one in Sarawak (on Malaysian Borneo). THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000014
SIPDIS SENSITIVE
FOR EAP/MTS AND INR
E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: UPDATE ON THE "ALLAH" ISSUE AND CHURCH ATTACKS
REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 11 -- THREE CHURCHES ATTACKED OVERNIGHT B. KUALA LUMPUR 03 -- COURT RULING ON THE USE OF 'ALLAH'
SUMMARY 1. (SBU) Summary: Following three separate attacks on churches over the night of January 7-8 (ref A), unknown individuals made another nine attacks on churches and a mosque over the weekend, according to senior police officials at a special briefing for the diplomatic corps on January 11 at the Ministry of Home Affairs. Police briefers stressed that the incidents were sporadic and not planned, and that the Government was committed to protecting religious facilities across the country and to ensuring civil order. The police and senior Home Affairs officials clarified the government's position in the 'Allah' case (ref B) and stressed how sensitive the issue is to ethnic Malays. They indicated investigations into the attacks are ongoing but that no concrete leads have been developed. They also provided details of the church attacks but stressed that the actual damage, except in the first attack, was relatively minor. Both the Prime Minister and Home Minister issued statements over the weekend committing the government to tough actions against perpetrators of these crimes. The Prime Minister also promised assistance to rebuild and repair damaged churches, the Prime Minister's Department said interfaith dialogues would be held, and Muslim NGO groups offered help guarding churches. While many weekend editorials expressed dismay at the attacks, some continued to defend the right of Muslims to demonstrate and express anger about the High Court's December 31 ruling that the GOM's prohibition on the Catholic Herald's use of the word 'Allah' was unconstitutional. End Summary. ATTACKS CONTINUE OVER THE WEEKEND 2. (SBU) As of January 11, there have been eleven attacks on churches, and one on a small mosque, in Malaysia since the first three attacks overnight on January 7 (ref A). Over the January 9-10 weekend, eight more churches and a small mosque were attacked, raising the total to twelve. Unlike the first few attacks on January 8, which only took place in Kuala Lumpur and nearby Selangor, incidents over the weekend occurred in other parts of the country: in addition to one more in the KL area, there were three in Perak, one in Malacca, one in Penang, one in Negeri Sembilan, and one in Sarawak (on Malaysian Borneo). According to police, most of the attacks involved hit-and-run tactics, whereby the attackers would throw poorly made Molotov cocktails, bricks, or plastic bags full of paint on the churches. None of the additional attacks caused damage valued at over 1,000 Malaysian Ringgit (RM) (approximately $300 USD), and only one person was lightly injured: a pastor, when confronting three attackers who stormed into his church, was pushed to the ground. BRIEFING THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS 3. (SBU) Home Affairs Secretary General Mahmood Adam led a government briefing of the diplomatic corps on January 11 at the Home Ministry. The DCM, Poloff, and RSO attended from the Mission. SecGen Mahmood began by stressing that "things are under control", noting that no incidents had occurred over the last 12 hours. (Note: There was another attack that took place during the previous night, but news of the attack was not released until after the briefing. End Note.) He emphasized the government's commitment to protect religious facilities. Mahmood and the briefing team devoted a significant amount of time to laying out the background and government's position with regard to the 'Allah' case and its appeal to the Court. Mahmood commented that the government's case was focused on "publication" of the word Allah by non-Muslim groups and not on the casual oral use of the word. He asserted that this is a very sensitive issue among Muslim Malays that foreigners would find difficult to comprehend. He downplayed the damage of the attacks, noting that with the exception of the very first attack which gutted a church in Kuala Lumpur, none of the incidents resulted in damage greater than 1,000 RM ($300 USD). A police inspector provided details of each incident, noting that most of the attacks had no witnesses, and very little forensic evidence that was usable in identifying the perpetrators. With one exception, the police think that all of the incidents were carried out by different parties, commenting "these attacks were not planned or organized. There were no big groups involved. They are expressions of dissatisfaction." 4. (SBU) Following the briefing, several questions were posed by members of the diplomatic corps. Most notable was a query posed by the French Ambassador as to why use of the world "Allah" by non-Muslim groups in Malaysia was such a controversial issue, when in Indonesia and several Middle Eastern countries it is not. SecGen Mahmood replied that Malaysia was different and that "to be fair, you have to compare an apple with an apple." Mahmood went on to say that just like Christianity has different branches such as Catholicism, Protestants, etc., so does Islam, and that Malays follow "Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah". (Comment: "Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah," is simply the Arabic term for Sunni Islam, which is not different from Islam as practiced widely in the Middle East nor neighboring Indonesia. End Comment.) GOVERNMENT WORDS AND ACTIONS OVER THE WEEKEND 5. (SBU) Prime Minister Najib visited the site of the most serious church attack on January 8 and pledged RM 500,000 (about USD $130,000) in government funds to repair the affected churches. A chorus of ministers joined Najib in condemning the attacks. Home Affairs Minister Hishamuddin Hussein (PM Najib's nephew) was quoted on the front page of the January 11 Malay-language Utusan Malaysia saying that he would not hesitate to implement the Internal Security Act (ISA), because if these incidents were left unchecked it "could disrupt peace and harmony" in Malaysia. (Comment: Hishamuddin also stressed that other laws -- arson, vandalism, etc. -- would be used to charge anyone involved with these attacks, implying that the Najib administration could selectively arrest people whose statements might otherwise provoke discontent. His mention of the ISA is seen by some as a thinly-veiled warning to the opposition to cease accusing the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party of being the root of the problem. End Comment.) MEDIA RESPONSE 6. (SBU) Parallel with this law-and-order approach to the church attacks has been another narrative in the vernacular papers suggesting that Catholic/Christian use of the word 'Allah' is the root of the problem, and that the Catholic Herald and others -- mainly Christians in Sarawak and Sabah -- should gracefully stop using the word. The front page editorial cartoon in the January 11 edition of Utusan Malaysia (the ruling party's Malay language mouthpiece) cites a statement from the Christian head of the Sabah Development Institute, Clarence Bongkos, who suggested over the weekend that Christians voluntarily stop using Allah, which he said would be no problem. "That would be the best solution," the cartoon's straight man concludes. Other articles have made clear that the Allah controversy feeds into national politics. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim commented "Much of the blame for the recent attacks can be placed at the doorstep of the UMNO-led BN (National Front) ruling party. Its incessant racist propaganda over the Allah issue and the inflammatory rhetoric issued by government-controlled mainstream media, especially Utusan Malaysia, are reprehensible." Citing opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's charge, an op-ed writer counterattacked in Utusan's weekend edition, saying that it was Anwar who was trying to "burn up the masses" by accusing UMNO of racism. The ironies include the fact that in the 1980s Anwar was instrumental in forming one of the Malay student organizations, ABIM, that is now vocally asserting that non-Muslims may not use "Allah." NO REPORTS OF INCIDENTS INVOLVING AMCITS 7. (SBU) As of January 11, 2010, American Citizen Services (ACS) has not received any reports of Americans who have been hurt or effected as a result of these religiously motivated attacks. KEITH
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| BERSIH Rally - Letter to International Organisations to make representations to Malaysian Government Posted: 22 Jun 2011 11:44 PM PDT By P. Waytha Moorthy (Chair, HINDRAF) Urgent Request to make Representations to the Government of Malaysia on the possible violence by PERKASA, UMNO sponsored NGOs on Human Rights Advocates and the general public on the BERSIH 2.0 public rally for free and fair election in Malaysia on 9th July 2011. I write to you with the utmost urgency for your attention on the above matter. BERSIH is a coalition of NGOs that advocate free and fair elections and intend to march peacefully with the public in Malaysia on July 9, 2011 in line with the fundamental rights contained in the Malaysian Federal constitution under Article 10. The purpose of the march is to express the collective desire of the Malaysian people for a free and fair election in the forthcoming General Election. PERKASA is a Malaysian NGO and is a tool used by the UMNO-led Malaysian government in extending its ugly hands into politically extreme policies topped up by fear inducing methods to ensure that whatever is sacred in the Federal Constitution for the good of the multi-ethnic polity is compromised through this fear and state-sanctioned threats from a seemingly independent organisation - PERKASA. Malaysiakini, one of the few independent online news portals, reported on June 19th 2011 quoting PERKASA as saying, "Imagine, ladies and gentlemen, if the Bersih rally is not called off and they go ahead with it - if they don't cancel it on July 8 or 9 - I believe the Chinese community, many of them, will have to stock up on food at home. "Anything can happen on that day" On 13th of June 2011 Malaysiakini quoted PERKASA chief as saying they are ready to "fight to the end" (lawan habis-habisan) to stop the rally if the organisers insist on taking to the streets of Kuala Lumpur on July 9. "(If they proceed) there will be a clash (pertembungan). If that happens, it is for the better," he told a press conference in the Parliament lobby. The insinuations above falls short of an orchestrated attempt to riot or to promote some form of violent action by UMNO sponsored PERKASA against the public for their participating in this peaceful march on July 9, 2011 just for free and fair elections. The fear of the Malaysian community is real and should not be underestimated or downplayed at this crucial moment as state sponsored gangsters PERKASA and its allies PEKIDA (another organization of ex-police and army personnel) and 3 Line (a known large street gang) blatantly came forward in this aggressive and belligerent manner against what is a natural and legitimate grievance of the people. This march is nothing other than an expression of a collective voice of Malaysians. The international community whilst accepting Malaysia as a member of the United Nations cannot sit in silence when such threats and fear mongering methods are pursued by fascist elements in the ruling party with the implicit sanction of the UMNO-led government. Your public statement in opposing this tendency of state sponsored violence against its people is of paramount significance as it is a fundamental human rights issue and not just political theatre. The minorities, marginalized and discriminated face these kinds of human rights abuses daily through the racist and fascist agenda of the Malaysian government.. I write to urge you to make urgent representations to the Malaysian government that the BERSIH rally should be allowed to proceed unhindered and the peaceful protesters be provided protection from any untoward violent reactions by the state sponsored PERKASA, PEKIDA and other fringe elements. cc - William J.Burns Rt.Hon. William Hague MP Ms Heidi Hautala Richard Ottaway MP Ms Navanethem Pillay Mr. Githu Muigai Mrs. Margaret Sekaggya Gay McDougall Mr. Frank La Rue Gabriella Habtom Frank William La Rue Amnesty International Human Rights Watch Minority Rights Group International Front Line – OSCE Secretariat NAACP European Union External Action Service US Embassy Malaysia Rainbow Push Coalition National Action Network
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| Where is Y.B. Khir Toyo's RM80 Million? Posted: 22 Jun 2011 11:17 PM PDT Further examination of the historical financial record has revealed the misappropriation of resources which has directly denied Yayasan Selangor its revenue generating stream where more than approximately RM500 million was plundered and failed to be recorded in the respective Financial Statement of Yayasan Selangor. By Yayasan Selangor Yayasan Selangor is an entity duly registered under the Companies Act 1965 as a Company limited by Guarantee. The Yayasan establishment is unique as it is a hybrid of a Trust and a Company. The State Government of Selangor has incorporated Yayasan Selangor as an economic self-sustaining entity via the injection of resources and initial grants. Yayasan's existence is deemed socially desirable by the State Government in discharging the states' obligations to assist deserving and needy Selangor students towards betterment of their education. Being a functioning Bare Trust organisation, Yayasan control of management direction is entrusted to a Board of Trustees which is chaired by the Menteri Besar of the ruling State Government. The Board has a fiduciary duty to discharge to Selangor citizens to ensure that Yayasan's available resources is protected and enhanced for the designated beneficiaries. The issue raised is the trustworthiness, integrity and how diligent has the Board of Trustee chaired by Y.B. Dr. Khir Toyo been in discharging their fiduciary responsibilities in managing Yayasan's available resources towards Yayasan's desirable set of objectives and/or prescribed ways. The measurement or yardstick used to evaluate the Board of Trustee and Management Team performance and effectiveness are: 1. A Balance Sheet ending as at the end of financial year which in the case of Yayasan Selangor is the calendar year i.e. from the month of January to December of any financial year which discloses the resources available to Yayasan Selangor, then. 2. A Statement of Revenue and Expenditure which discloses the flow of liquid resources for the period from January to December of any Financial Year. Ergo, we shall let the audited records speak for themselves whether Y.B. Dr. Khir Toyo's statement can be substantiated that he left Yayasan Selangor with a cash surplus of RM80 million. Following are the extract of the audited balance sheet during Y.B. Dr. Khir Toyo's administration: As at 31st December Total FD/Cash (RM'm) 2000 10.45 2001 15.24 2002 9.42 2003 11.49 2004 12.60 2005 9.75 2006 9.22 2007 22.47 The present State Government's Menteri Besar took over the Chairmanship of the Trustee Board from Financial Year 2008 and the result of his administration are as per the extract of the audited Balance Sheet, as follows: As at 31st December Total FD/Cash (RM'm)2008 45.55 2009 60.86 2010 57.69 Following are the extract of the audited Income Statements disclosing the result for the period of the respective financial year when Y.B. Dr. Khir Toyo held the Chairmanship of the Board of Trustee: Period ending 31st December (Deficit) / Surplus (RM'm) 2000 (29.06) 2001 (3.65) 2002 (3.57) 2003 (6.06) 2004 (4.98) 2005 6.93 2006 (8.23) 2007 34.77 Net cumulative Surplus/ (Deficit) (13.85) The results of the present Chairman administration are as follows: Period ending 31st December (Deficit) / Surplus (RM'm) 2008 127.60 2009 18.69 2010 (5.09) Net cumulative Surplus/ (Deficit) 141.20 Period ending 31st Dec Cost as at 1st Jan (RM'm) Additional (RM'm) Cost as at 31st Dec (RM'm) 2008 196.40 114.12 310.532009 310.53 2.30 312.83 2010 312.83 5.92 318.75 Further examination of the historical financial record has revealed the misappropriation of resources which has directly denied Yayasan Selangor its revenue generating stream where more than approximately RM500 million was plundered and failed to be recorded in the respective Financial Statement of Yayasan Selangor. Accordingly this led us to believe that there was a Breach of Fiduciary Duty on the part of the Trust of the Board of Trustee during the period of UMNO Mentris Besar pre-March 2008 including Dr. Khir Toyo's administration and the matter has been reported to MACC for appropriate action. |
| Kimma wants Ambiga's Datukship to be stripped Posted: 22 Jun 2011 10:40 PM PDT
(Bernama) - The Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) a.k.a Mamak Association has asked the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, to revoke the datukship of former Bar Council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan for planning an illegal gathering on July 9. Kimma Youth chief Amir Hamzah Abdul Rajak said the action should be taken against Ambiga for defying the authorities by planning to go ahead with the rally. Kimma' call for the withdrawal of the state award was made in a memorandum submitted to Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Shamsul Baharin Hasan at Istana Iskandariah here today. Speaking to reporters after handing over the memorandum, Amir Hamzah claimed that that Ambiga tried to instigate the people, especially youths to take part in an illegal assembly, which could cause chaos and threaten public order. Yesterday, Perkasa, a Malay right wing group also called for Ambiga's datukship to be stripped.
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| Bersih to go global with July 9 rally Posted: 22 Jun 2011 08:19 PM PDT
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — Election watchdog Bersih today confirmed that overseas rallies will be held simultaneously with its upcoming July 9 event, and that these will be spearheaded by Malaysian citizens living abroad. Rallies will be held in Seoul (South Korea); Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (Australia); Osaka (Japan); Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York (US). "All the overseas solidarity rallies held were initiated by Malaysian citizens living abroad who supported the demands for Perhimpunan Bersih 2.0. They personally contacted Bersih 2.0 and expressed interest in organising [rallies] where they were. "We regard this wide interest by the Malaysian diaspora as an indication that Malaysians from all walks of life believe in the need for electoral reform and the upholding of democracy," said a statement from the group's steering committee today. The committee comprises of chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Andrew Khoo, K. Arumugam , Dr Farouk Musa, Haris Ibrahim, Liau Kok Fah, Maria Chin Abdullah, Richard YW Yeoh, Dr Toh Kin Woon, Dr Wong Chin Huat, Datuk Yeo Yang Poh, Zaid Kamaruddin, Dr Subramaniam Pillay and Arul Prakkash. "Malaysian citizens living abroad should rise to the occasion and demand for their right to vote via postal ballot in the upcoming 13th General Election," added the statement. Bersih will also be conducting several roadshows nationwide prior to July 9, starting tomorrow at Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor and Johor Baru on June 25, and in Sungai Siput, Perak the day after.
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| Posted: 22 Jun 2011 06:52 PM PDT During the People Power Revolution of 1986, yellow was the dominant theme, the colour being associated with former Philippine President Corazon Aquino. It is now a symbol of both support for her as well as in commemoration of the popular revolt. NO HOLDS BARRED The word yellow comes from the Old English geolu, or geolwe which is derived from the Proto-Germanic word gelwaz. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the oldest known use of this word in English is from The Epinal Glossary in the year 700. In the English language, yellow has traditionally been associated with jaundice and cowardice. The ancient Maya associated the colour yellow with the direction South. The Maya glyph for yellow (k'an) also means 'precious' or 'ripe'.
Yellow is traditionally associated with the Malay Rulers of Malaysia.
Yellow was also used to represent the Manchus in the new flag of China: Five Races Under One Union, and also under the flag of Manchukuo.
The legendary first emperor of China was known as the Yellow Emperor or Huang Di. Members of the imperial family of China at that time were the only ones allowed to display the colour yellow in buildings and garments.
The Yellow Turbans were a Daoist sect that staged an extensive rebellion during the Han Dynasty. Yellow is associated with the word 'caution' and is the second light on traffic lights. Yellow pan traps are used to capture insects, many of which are attracted to shades of yellow. Yellow is also associated with aging, for both people and objects (e.g. yellowed paper).
Yellow was also the colour of the New Party in the Republic of China (Taiwan), which supports Chinese reunification. In the United States, a yellow dog Democrat was a Southern voter who consistently voted for Democratic candidates in the late 19th and early 20th centuries because of lingering resentment against the Republicans dating back to the Civil War and Reconstruction period. Today the term refers to a hard-core Democrat, supposedly referring to a person who would vote for a 'yellow dog' before voting for a Republican.
In the United States yellow is also associated with the Libertarian Party, to contrast with the Green Party (green), Democratic Party (blue) and Republican Party (red).
In the United Kingdom, yellow is associated with the Liberal Democrats. In the United Kingdom, The Monster Raving Loony Party (OMRLP) has made use of yellow, along with black, as its primary party colours.
During the People Power Revolution of 1986, yellow was the dominant theme, the colour being associated with former Philippine President Corazon Aquino. It is now a symbol of both support for her as well as in commemoration of the popular revolt. In Europe, many liberal parties are symbolised by the colour yellow, including the Free Democratic Party (Germany), Liberal Forum (Austria), Estonian Reform Party, National Liberal Party (Romania) and Liberal and Centre Union (Lithuania). The pan-European Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party also use the colour yellow.
In football, the referee shows a yellow card to indicate that a player has been officially cautioned because he has committed a foul or has wasted time. In American Football, a yellow flag is thrown onto the field by a referee to indicate a penalty. Originally in Rugby League and then later, also in Rugby Union, the referee shows a yellow card to indicate that a player has been sent to the sin bin. In auto racing, a yellow flag signals caution. Cars are not allowed to pass one another under a yellow flag.
In cycle racing, the yellow jersey - or maillot jaune - is awarded to the leader in a stage race. The tradition was begun in the Tour de France where the sponsoring L'Auto newspaper (later L'Équipe) was printed on distinctive yellow newsprint. The term 'yellow' is used as a racial slur for both Asians (yellow peril) and, in the early 20th century, light-skinned African-Americans (high yellow). Yellow (giallo), in Italy, refers to crime stories, both fictional and real. This association began in about 1930, when the first series of crime novels published in Italy had yellow covers. The term 'yellow movie' can refer to films of pornographic nature in Chinese culture, and is analogous to the English 'blue movie'. Lastly, yellow is associated with sensational journalistic practices, or yellow journalism, and resistance to militant trade unions. 'Yellow journalism' is a term that refers to sensationalist journalism that distorts, exaggerates, or exploits news to maximize profit.
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| FMT launches live interview broadcast Posted: 22 Jun 2011 05:58 PM PDT FMT kicks off its first live interview tomorrow with Haris Ibrahim. (Free Malaysia Today) - FMT will take on a new challenge tomorrow with the launch of FMT RAW a series of live half-hour interviews that will incorporate viewer interaction. Where FMT's previous interviews were either text-based or pre-recorded with no reader or viewer input, FMT RAW will see questions from viewers being answered in real time by the interviewee. The first live broadcast will take place at 3pm tomorrow where Bersih steering commitee member, Haris Ibrahim, will take the seat. The interview will focus on Bersih's "Walk of Democracy" scheduled to take place on July 9. FMT editor, K Kabilan, said that FMT RAW is the online portal's new feature specifically targetted at the Facebook audience. "This will help our Facebook fans and other Facebook users to interact directly with personalities on the issues of the day," he explained. "We encourage all Facebook users to take part in our first session tomorrow and to ask questions relating to the Bersih rally." Kabilan added that FMT RAW would be a regular feature with more interesting personalities.
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| Nazri to PKR MPs: Were you sleeping on your job? Posted: 22 Jun 2011 05:51 PM PDT The de facto law minister challenges PKR MPs to report him up to the parliamentary rights and privileges. (Free Malaysia Today) - De facto Law Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz today hit out at PKR MPs Tian Chua and R Sivarasa for accusing him of misleading the Dewan Rakyat over the matter of private investigator P Balasubramiam. "This issue (Balasubramaniam's case) was raised last year in the house and I debated it with Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur). In the debate I gave the same answer as to why Balasubramaniam was not charged with perjury," he told reporters at his office today. At a press conference yesterday, Tian Chua (Batu MP) and Sivarasa (Subang MP) asked why the case against Balasubramanian was closed, saying that Nazri had misled the house in his written reply about the case. Tian Chua said yesterday that he was bringing up the matter as the written response to his question was only given to him the day before. Nazri, however, questioned why Tian Chua took issue with the matter now when Lim himself had accepted his explanation given at the last sitting. Nazri also took pot-shots at Chua's status as an MP. He had said last week that it was not right for BN MPs to push for the legally-embattled MP to be disqualified from Parliament. "If I lie then, my stand about his position in Parliament will also be a lie because you know my stand is different…" "Don't be selective. Lies and half truths are the culture of PKR," he added. "Where were they (Tian Chua and Sivarasa) last year when (I gave the explanation)? Were they sleeping on the job?" he asked. Sivarasa yesterday said that Nazri had added a new twist to Section 199 of the Penal Code by saying that Balasubramaniam's statutory declarations (SD) could not be used in court as they were not made with the intention of using them in court.
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| PAS on million-man march for Bersih Posted: 22 Jun 2011 05:35 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - PAS has ordered all one million of its members to join the Bersih 2.0 rally next month, in what appears to be an attempt by the Islamist party to burnish its credentials with voters ahead of possible snap polls. "I call on all PAS members supporters to join the Bersih rally on July 9 to demand for clean and fair elections," PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang was quoted as saying by Harakah Daily today. He said the rally should be supported by all as Bersih's electoral reform demands were pure and necessary since elections here are allegedly tainted by fraud. PAS, infused with new blood after party polls last month returned progressives to the top leadership, is betting heavily on the Bersih 2.0 rally to revive its reputation as a force to be reckoned with. The party's reputation for discipline and fielding strong machinery has taken a beating following repeat by-election losses and its poor showing in the Sarawak state election, where it won none of the seats it contested. While Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners PKR and the DAP will also be represented at the mammoth rally on July 9, only PAS has openly and repeatedly pledged to bring supporters in the tens of thousands. The second-largest party in the country after Umno earlier promised to field 100,000 members, with Selangor PAS saying it would contribute about half.
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| Now you know why we need better governance Posted: 22 Jun 2011 05:25 PM PDT
When Malaysia went through a recession, Thailand continued to see growth. The word 'recession' was not in the Thai vocabulary. When Bangkok suffered massive and disruptive demonstrations it was business as usual. The country's image and economy did not suffer. Malaysia is trying to tell us that the 9th July march is going to hurt the country's image, and therefore the economy. In that case it is because of Malaysia's bad governance if Thailand's image and economy can withstand demonstrations but Malaysia's can't. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin Illegal assembly will tarnish Malaysia's good image - analysts (Bernama) -- The organiser of the illegal assembly set for July 9, is hell-bent in tarnishing Malaysia's image as a nation blessed with peace, harmony and prosperity, according to several political analysts. They said one of the hidden agendas of the organiser was to leave a black mark in the nation's history, apart from distracting the people's attention from the pending sodomy court case involving a leading Opposition political leader. Non-government organisation 1Agenda chairman Zul Azhar Cha, who is also a blogger, said he had information that the organiser had invited the international media to give wide coverage to the illegal assembly. He recently lodged a police report against the assembly. Previously, similar illegal assemblies were held in 1998 and 2007, resulting in street demonstrations which in turn, causing inconvenience to the public and damage to public property, attracting bad publicity from the international media. According to a lecturer in politics and international studies from Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah, Md Shukri Shuib, while the damage to the streets was bad, the bad publicity generated by international news agencies was worse. He said, Malaysia then was portrayed as no longer a paradise for shoppers and tourists. "Instead, it deemed as being in a chaotic state, with images and false and one-sided information fed by a certain 'reform' group," he told Bernama recently. However, the lecturer believed that the majority of Malaysians were much wiser than to blindly let themselves be taken in by the 'wayang kulit' orchestrated by the organiser. "What is one hundred thousand in numbers as compared to the millions of Malaysians who make up the silent majority...the ones who have been enjoying peace and stability, and quietly supporting the government for the future of their younger generations,?" he asked. Businesswoman Zabedah Daud, a political observer in Shah Alam, said, not many would sympathise with a group which planned to put Malaysia in limbo for its own political gains when the current government had tackled almost every issue. "How can they (organiser of illegal assembly) say they want a fair election when it is already fair as fair can be?" "I think, if the Election Commission is not fair or more pro-Barisan Nasional government, would the opposition have won the five states in the last general election,?" asked the grandmother of 18 grandchildren. Stressing that the future of a stable and peaceful Malaysia was of utmost importance to her, and for the sake of her grandchildren, Zabedah hoped wisdom would prevail. She urged the organiser of the illegal rally to abandon the planned illegal gathering which would bring nothing positive to the country. Admitting that she could make reasonable guess on the hidden agenda of the illegal rally, she asked: "Is the ambition of one man to become the prime minister, more important than the future of 27 million Malaysians?" ***************************************** Protests Not Expected to Hurt Thai Economy (Time/CNN) - Thailand's economy was growing like gangbusters. On May 17, the central bank announced that the country had achieved its highest quarterly growth rate in 15 years, with figures showing a 12% year-on-year increase for the first three months of 2010. Two days later, soldiers used force to disperse antigovernment protesters who had paralyzed central Bangkok for weeks. Violence surrounding the two-month-long demonstrations left 86 dead and more than 1,000 wounded, sparking fears that this year's brief economic boom could dissolve into a bust. Thailand's economy, however, is proving more resilient than expected. On Thursday, May 27, the Bank of Thailand predicted gross domestic product would still grow between 4.3% and 5.8% for the year, nearly as high as the 6.2% forecast by the World Bank before the violence began. Economic analysts and the business community expressed cautious optimism that the fallout from the civil unrest would be limited and the country would enjoy a year of strong growth. "We think the central bank's estimate is reasonably accurate, although we are pegging growth at between 4% and 5%," says Supavud Saicheua, an economist with Phatra Securities in Bangkok. "But our forecast is uncertain," he added, citing concerns about Thailand's political and security situation and external factors. (See photos of the protests in Bangkok.) Thailand did not escape from its recent woes unscathed. The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce estimated damages from the protests at roughly $4.6 billion and said they cost the country nearly 1.5% in growth. Those numbers could skyrocket if Thailand's political and social troubles aren't over, and it's not certain that they are. But this week's positive forecasts are based on the growth driven by robust exports, which have not been seriously damaged by the country's political conflict. China's bottomless demand for Thai electronics, computer components, food products and raw materials has helped stoke its southern neighbor's economy; China now gobbles up 10% of all Thai goods shipped overseas. Exports now account for between 60% and 65% of the Thai economy — nearly double what they did in the late 1990s. The Thai sector suffering most severely from the unrest is tourism, which accounts for more than 6% of gross domestic product and is a key source of jobs and foreign-exchange earnings. A small blessing is that the bloodshed took place during the low-tourism season. Industry executives hope that confidence in the country as a holiday destination can be restored before the start of the high season in October. "I'm pretty bullish on how Thailand will do economically this year. I believe we will have a relatively quick recovery — even in tourism," says William Heinecke, whose Thailand-based Minor Group owns 16 hotels around the country, along with fast-food and retail businesses. "Tourists were never in any danger, and there were no problems in many places tourists normally go, such as Phuket and Hua Hin." (Read about the end of Bangkok's siege.) With anger over the government's crackdown still seething in some rural areas, warnings abound that Thailand could erupt into civil war. But Heinecke does not subscribe to that scenario. "Cool hearts will prevail," he says, claiming there hasn't been a single problem among his 25,000 employees around the country despite their differing political views. Others, however, maintain that the situation is more precarious. While Thailand has shown great resilience during past troubles, "we should not simply think that every crisis will be overcome easily. The cycle of the recurrence of political breakdowns has become shorter and shorter," says Nandor von der Luehe, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce of Thailand. The government needs to address the issues of economic inequality that helped spark the protests and ensure that a reconciliation process starts as soon as possible, he says. "If investors do not believe that the problem has been solved, then sooner or later investments will turn to more attractive places." (Watch a video of Bangkok before the surrender.) Still, a lasting crisis in confidence has not yet come to pass. As head of Amata Corporation and owner of Thailand's largest industrial estates, Vikrom Kromadit depends on foreign and local investment to survive. While business was down during the two months of demonstrations, "industries that have already invested here are still looking to expand," he says. Investors who know the country well have not lost interest, but others may be more nervous, he adds. While much of the public is looking to the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to solve the issues of inequality and injustice that helped fuel the demonstrations, Heinecke says Thai businesses also have the power to effect positive change in society. "The business community will come together on this," he says. "People have said Thailand has changed and will never be the same. We can never return to what we were, but we can move on to something better." |
| MCLM Condemns the Hatred and Cowardice behind the Death Threat to BERSIH 2.0 President Posted: 22 Jun 2011 04:54 PM PDT The Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) condemns the cowardly death threat made against Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan, Chairperson of BERSIH 2.0 (Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections). This threat also included her colleagues and supporters of BERSIH 2.0. BERSIH 2.0 was formed with a singular noble objective, that is, to bring about electoral reform that will safeguard democracy in Malaysia. The demands of the upcoming BERSIH 2.0 rally, "Walk for Democracy", which will be held on 9 July 2011, are: 1. Clean the electoral roll 2. Reform postal vote 3. Use indelible ink 4. Free and fair access to media 5. Minimum 21 days campaign period 6. Strengthen public institutions 7. Stop corruption 8. Stop dirty politics Every effort has been made to prevent this rally from taking place. Threats to disrupt the rally with violence have been made. However, this death threat goes beyond the pale. We urge the Polis Diraja Malaysia to take this threat seriously and provide Dato' Ambiga, her colleagues and all the supporters of BERSIH 2.0 every protection. We are extremely saddened to see that such deep-seated bigotry and hatred exists in Malaysia. This situation is the result of ignorance born of a skewed economy, flawed education system and the absence of social justice, which are the consequences of five decades of Barisan Nasional rule. We call on all reasonable Malaysians who are the Third Force in this country to join us in condemning not just this cowardly death threat but also the many different efforts to prevent us from exercising our constitutional right to free speech and a free democracy.
HARIS M. IBRAHIM PRESIDENT
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| Polis arah jangan jual baju Bersih Posted: 22 Jun 2011 04:39 PM PDT (Harakah Daily) - Polis malam tadi mengarahkan seorang aktivis PKR, Razali Abd Ghafur agar tidak menjual baju berwarna kuning bercetak perkataan 'Bersih' kepada orang ramai atau bakal berdepan tindakan. Amaran tersebut yang didakwa "arahan pihak atasan" diberikan kepada beliau pada majlis ceramah Jelajah Selangor Tawan Malaysia (Jelas 2) di Kampung Sungai Merab Luar, Bangi.
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| Hisham promises to probe Ambiga death threat Posted: 22 Jun 2011 01:35 PM PDT
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, The Malaysian Insider KUALA UMPUR, June 23 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today that the police will investigate the death threats made against Bersih chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan. Hishamuddin said that the threat is very serious especially considering the circumstances. "I am going to Bukit Aman immediately afterwards and will get the police to make sure that the SMSes that have been going around and where they originate from are not a threat. A lot of things go through SMSes. I get death threats too but in the circumstances of Bersih, we need to take this particular threat more seriously," he told reporters in Parliament here. Ambiga received a death threat via text message which was also sent this morning to reporters and some members of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih). The text message warned Ambiga as well as PAS and PKR leaders from going ahead with the July 9 Bersih rally, and said her life would be in jeopardy should it (the rally) proceed. "Korg ni buta hati ke?? buat apa sokong ambiga keling paria haramjadah tu? dia ni kapir laknat. korang tau tak dia ni jadi alat anjing2 politik untuk musnahkan keutuhan melayu. dia kata je nak BERSIH kan SPR. bersih kepala bapak dia. puak2 PAS n PKR pun buta tuli n pekak badak.. kalau SPR tak bersih, boleh ke diorang menang kat Sgor, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan n perak dulu? "DAP cina sial tu pulak lagi haram jahanam. dia tengok je melayu bertekak. hujung2 dia perintah negara ni dan kristiankan kita semua. aku nak kasi amaran kat korang semua. kalau perhimpunan ni jadi, aku dan org2 aku akan bunuh ambiga dan korang2 keliling dia satu persatu, termasuklah orang2 politik bangang yang bersekongkol ngan kafir laknat tu.. ini amaran aku. Korang tengok nanti."
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| Malaysia is under 4 states of emergency, mind you! Posted: 22 Jun 2011 01:29 PM PDT
By Art Harun According to a MalaysiaKini report, Dato' Ambiga, the chairperson of BERSIH, YB Khairy Jamaluddin, the UMNO Youth Chief and Dato' Ibrahim Ali, the Perkasa war general, have all been summoned to Bukit Aman by the police. So the Home Minister said. On the same day, I read a Malaysian Insider report that three youths are suing the police for placing them under detention without trial under the Emergency Ordinance 1969 for allegedly stealing motorcycles. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Malaysia, and please do not unfasten your seatbelts. For the uninitiated, allow me to put on record that Malaysia (including when we were Tanah Melayu) has seen 5 state of emergencies altogether. The 1st time was in 1948 when the communist insurgency resulted in 11000 people being killed. The 2nd time was in 1964 during the Indonesian confrontation. The 3rd time was in 1966. This was limited to Sarawak following the dismissal of the Ketua Menteri. The 4th time was in 1969 following the 13th May incident. Lastly, it was in 1977, which was limited to the state of Kelantan to deal with the political crisis there. The last 4 emergencies have not been lifted till today. What is so frightening about state of emergencies, you may ask. This is the most frightening. Article 150, Clause 6 of the Federal Constitution allows the Parliament to pass any law and His Majesty the King to promulgate any ordinance during state of emergencies and those laws and ordinances will be valid even if they are repugnant or inconsistent with any of the provisions of the Federal Constitution. In other words, during an emergency, any kind of law would be valid. Which means, the Federal Constitution may be ignored, side-stepped or just plain torn, shredded and burned. Which finally mean, you and I, citizen of Malaysia, do not have any kind of recognisable right during an emergency. Various emergency regulations have been promulgated and used since 1969. These regulations give wide and really draconian powers to the police and government. The followings are just some examples. Firstly, a person may be detained without trial and banished to a certain area without trial. Secondly, In the EMERGENCY (ESSENTIAL POWERS) ORDINANCE, 1969(Ordinance 1 and Ordinance 2) ESSENTIAL (DISPOSAL OF DEAD BODIES AND DISPENSATION OF INQUESTS AND DEATH INQUIRIES) REGULATIONS, 1969 for example, regulation 3 ( b ) provides as follows: "where a Magistrate or a Coroner responsible for holding a death inquiry or inquest on the body of any person is satisfied that such person has been killed as a result of operations for the purpose of suppressing disturbances by the Police or the Malaysian Armed Forces or as a result of injuries caused by That would of course mean no police killing could come under scrutiny during an emergency. Thirdly, the Home Minister can ban any kind of printing material which he deems it as prejudicial to public order. He can even open all postal packages, read all telegrams, articles and printed matters and detain those material under the ESSENTIAL (NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS) REGULATIONS, 1969. Fourthly (hold on really tight to your seats for this one), under the ESSENTIAL (PROHIBITION OF ACTIVITIES RELATING TO ELECTIONS) "Notwithstanding any written law to the contrary. for so long as the elections are suspended all activities relating to elections are hereby prohibited." Fifthly, there is such a thing called the ESCAR, namely, the Emergency and Security Cases Regulations which, among others:
The above are but examples of the extreme powers that the State has during emergencies. Powers such as these are open to abuse and there is no mechanism to check this abuse. These regulations are not challengeable in any Courts of Law. Actions taken by the State under those emergency regulations are also not usually challengeable in any Courts of Law. Nobody in their sane mind would say that Malaysia, in reality, is in a state of emergency now. Chaos, maybe. In a state of dream, perhaps. State of denial, obviously. State of incorrigible stupor, maybe too. But emergency? Excuse me. The only reason why these proclamations of emergencies have not been lifted is because the government is desirous of maintaining all these draconian laws and regulations. These regulations provide shortcuts to the likes of the police. Why bother investigate a case thoroughly when they can detain any person without trial and banish them to a certain district?
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| WIKILEAKS: Syed Mokhtar al Bukhary's foray into Iran Posted: 14 Jun 2011 01:00 AM PDT
SKS is small operation controlled by Syed Mokhtar al Bukhary, one of Malaysia's wealthiest industrialists with a Forbes Magazine estimated net worth of $2 billion. Much of Syed Mokhtar's personal wealth has been acquired in dealings with the GOM and GOM-linked corporations. He controls Malaysia Mining Corporation, DRB Hicom, Malakoff, and Gas Malaysia among other significant Malaysian operations. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUALA LUMPUR 000059
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB/ESC THAMMANG STATE FOR EEB/TFS CBACKEMEYER STATE FOR NEA/IR RWADHWANI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2020 TAGS: ECON, EFIN, ENIV, ENRG, EPET, ETTC, IR, KNNP, MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: SKS VENTURES EXPLAINS ITS IRAN INVESTMENTS
REF: A. 09 STATE 121808 B. KUALA LUMPUR 0037
Classified By: Econ Counselor Matt Matthews for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: SKS Ventures (SKS) CEO Abang Iskandar Muas (Iskandar) met with Econoff January 19 to discuss SKS plans to develop the Golshan and Ferdowsi gas fields (G&F) in Iran. Iskandar said that the GOM had initially negotiated the deal with the GOI and handed the project to SKS just prior to signing. Iskandar told us that development of the G&F fields is going slowly because sanctions impeded National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) ability to perform basic due diligence functions. He also stated that NIOC has been extremely difficult to work with and that the initial buyback service contract signed in Dec. 2007 is the only commercial agreement between SKS and NIOC. SKS's only investment over the past two years since the announcement was limited to staff time from their 15 employees and air tickets for meetings with a total value under $1 million, according to Iskandar. He was pessimistic on prospects for the deal and said that SKS is considering pulling out altogether. However, he emphasized SKS would need GOM approval prior to exiting the transaction because Malaysian Trade Ministry and Foreign Ministry officials had encouraged SKS to enter into the deal in the first place and had reconfirmed GOM support for trade cooperation with Iran at a recent meeting. Iskandar also denied reports of SKS participation with NIOC in a refinery projects in Syria and Indonesia and downplayed its deal with NIOC which is under review in Malaysia. End Summary. 2. (C) Comment: SKS is small operation controlled by Syed Mokhtar al Bukhary, one of Malaysia's wealthiest industrialists with a Forbes Magazine estimated net worth of $2 billion. Much of Syed Mokhtar's personal wealth has been acquired in dealings with the GOM and GOM-linked corporations. He controls Malaysia Mining Corporation, DRB Hicom, Malakoff, and Gas Malaysia among other significant Malaysian operations. Post believes Iskandar is a credible interlocutor that provided an important window on the GOM's role in the deal and SKS current thinking on the transaction. Iskandar seemed genuinely frustrated that the G&F deal turned out to be an empty business proposition due to NIOC incompetence and Iran sanctions. Other oil and gas industry contacts have confirmed the small size and scope of the SKS operation. End Comment. SKS Ventures 3. (C) Econoff met January 19 with SKS Ventures (SKS) CEO Abang Iskandar Muas (Iskandar) to discuss the SKS intentions to develop the Golshan and Ferdowsi gas fields (G&F) in Iran and implications under the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA). Iskandar mentioned early in our conversation that Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Senior Director Wong had called him January 15 informing him that the embassy had been trying to contact him and he needed to meet with us. Econoff delivered ref A points and offered additional background on our information request. According to Iskandar, SKS has 15 full time employees and works on projects outside of Malaysia for Syed Mokhtar. Iskandar is an experienced O&G industry professional, having worked for Shell Oil USA (based in Houston) for fifteen years in Sarawak, Saudi Arabia (where he was VP for Finance and Human Resources), and Kuala Lumpur prior to assuming his current position with SKS two and one half years ago. Iskandar fondly reminisced of his frequent travel to the U.S. for business and family vacations prior to assuming his position at SKS. Golshan and Ferdowsi: G2G Agreement 4. (C) Iskandar said the G&F deal grew out of government-to-government negotiations between Malaysia and Iran during 2007. The GOM brought SKS to the table late in the negotiations, according to Iskandar, finalizing a buyback service contract between SKS and National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) in December 2007. He added that SKS entered into the agreement based on the GOM's policy of expanding trade cooperation with Iran and the belief that the business climate for oil and gas (O&G) in Iran was improving during 2005-6. Iskandar said that the initial business strategy was for SKS to plan the project, NIOC to perform physical due diligence (appraisals, seismic analysis, feasibility studies, etc.), and, once the project was ready to start, sell controlling interest, at a profit, to an international oil company that could bring resources to develop the fields. Iskandar commented, "We have no wells, no drilling rigs, no facilities, no experts, and no technology" to implement a project the size of G&F. His explanation as to why the Iranians would enter in to a transaction the size of G&F with such a small entity was, "in order to be friendly to the government (of Malaysia)." NIOC Difficulties 5. (C) Working with NIOC, according to Iskandar had been "extremely difficult." He added, "we should have taken a lesson from Petronas" claiming that Petronas will not deal with NIOC any longer because NIOC still owed a substantial amount of money to Petronas from its buyback service contract for South Pars Phases 2 and 3. Iskandar said that NIOC has made no progress on its due diligence obligations at G&F due to international contractors refusing to work in Iran because of sanctions. He complained that SKS and NIOC also have not reached any commercial agreements on the project in the last two years. Iskandar stated, "We have no idea how we would be paid. NIOC has not agreed to LNG and we have no interest in selling gas domestically. Iran uses most of their gas to inject into their oil fields to get more oil or to produce heavily subsidized electricity." He listed numerous other problems plaguing the project related to Iran sanctions such as the inability to import LNG technology or hire expat expertise, a low likelihood that Iranian LNG could be consistently sold on the open market, and NIOC's lack of access to financing. SKS Ready to Walk Away 6. (C) Iskandar described the SKS agreement with NIOC on G&F as "barely hanging on" and that SKS is currently deciding whether to stay in or pull out, and added, "The decision will come sooner rather than later." He viewed the buyback service contract as having "no commercial value" at this time. He noted though that Syed Mokhtar's close connections to the Malaysian government mean SKS will not move on a G&F decision without policy direction from the GOM. "We do not want to be on the wrong side of the government and we have not heard from PM Najib", according to Iskandar. However, he added that SKS has "no money in the ground" in Iran, because the firm did not pay an initial "signing bonus" as the buyback service contract did not carry any vested rights to the gas. He also stated that SKS management is aware of the change in the international political environment with regard to Iran and is "not entrenched," implying SKS would quickly drop the transaction if permitted by the GOM. Another View of the MITI Meeting 7. (C) Iskandar offered a different account of the recent meeting between MITI and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) officials and officers from the three Malaysian companies listed in ref A. Iskandar said that after the companies answered MITI queries on their Iran investments, the companies, especially Petronas, pushed back at MITI and MFA asking "What is the government's stance on trade cooperation with Iran?" and "Should we adjust our investment strategies?" MITI responded that the GOM still supports trade cooperation with Iran, according to Iskandar. (Comment: The MFA account of the meeting (ref B) was similar to Iskandar's but omitted the companies' questions and MITI's response. End Comment.) Other Announcements Inaccurate 8. (C) Toward the close of the meeting, Iskandar addressed recent Iranian and Malaysian press announcements of SKS participation in other transactions with NIOC. He stated that the GOM asked SKS to commission a feasibility study on a project with NIOC. It involved a refinery project in Kedah with a pipeline across the Malaysian Peninsula to Terengganu. Iskandar commented that the pipeline is economically unwarranted and an Iranian partner likely makes the refinery unfeasible. He added that recent announcements of SKS participation in a refinery project in Syria with Iranian and Venezuelan partners and SKS participation in an Indonesian refinery project with Pertamina and NIOC are blatantly false. He said that the first SKS had heard of either project was in press reports. He explained that SKS never issued denials of participation in the deals in order to avoid embarrassment in case the government was involved. KEITH
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| Why Najib must hold the 13th GE this year instead of 2012 Posted: 13 Jun 2011 06:50 AM PDT
One does not hold an election in a recession year. And we know that it takes some time to recover from a recession. Some economists believe that 2012 is going to be a recession year. The UK is already seeing a decline in property sales and house prices have come down. This means Najib must hold the 13th General Election this year, maybe sometime in October or November after the Budget, or else Barisan Nasional is going to be kicked out. Is Najib prepared to place a bet that my assumption is wrong? THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin Rosenberg Says 99% Chance of Another Recession by 2012 David Rosenberg Interview on U.S. Economic OutlookDavid Rosenberg, chief economist at Gluskin Sheff & Associates, talks about the outlook for the U.S. economy. Rosenberg, speaking with Betty Liu, Jon Erlichman and Michael McKee on Bloomberg Television's "In the Loop," also discusses fiscal policy and banking regulation. Bloomberg's Ian Katz also speaks. (Source: Bloomberg) SEE THE VIDEO HERE: http://www.bloomberg.com/video/70808782/
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