Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- DAP, PKR still wary over church raid despite PAS’s stand
- ‘Pakatan leaders stopped MBPJ from seizing DUMC’
- Islamic groups ask Jais to act against proselytisation
- With Penang in mind, move to unseat Tsu Koon gathers pace
- London riots: police debate how far they should go to regain control
- Pua threatens to sue Najib, Nazri for Tajuddin Ramli bailout
- Now is not the time for police to use water cannon and baton rounds
- A hard sell, but new allies want it to work
- Work with EC to ensure best possible result at the polls
- Umno to counter Pakatan Hari Raya blitz with grassroots campaign
- Tsu Koon slams Ezam’s ‘jihad’ threats
- Punish if proselytisation proven, PAS tells Jais
- Umno deputy minister wants referendum law, lower voting age
- Bersih 2.0: Najib never specified Shah Alam in stadium offer
- Polls panel to remove inactive voters above 90
- 'Rally and riot, which part did you misunderstand?'
- Hindraf’s UK lawyer Imran Khan deported
- GLCs upset with Nazri for misleading explanation in Tajuddin Ramli saga
- A-G must still prosecute Tajuddin, says Mat Zain
- Nazri says Tajuddin intervention could save Putrajaya billions
- Bersih twist to church raid saga
- Senator Ezam threatens to 'burn down' news portals
- ‘No approval to operate as a church’
- DAP: Nazri abusing his power
- Use new laws to stop merger, govt urged
- Putrajaya ditches FBC Media as image experts after exposé
- Explain Tajuddin Ramli ‘bailout’, TI-M chief tells Putrajaya
| DAP, PKR still wary over church raid despite PAS’s stand Posted: 13 Aug 2011 06:11 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - DAP and PKR leaders refrained today from openly supporting PAS's stand on a controversial church raid by Islamic authorities, revealing the continuing uneasiness among the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties over religious issues. When contacted by The Malaysian Insider today, some leaders chose to decline comment while others would not openly state their support or rejection of the Islamist party's statement yesterday. The leaders told this news portal that speculation at this point would be premature as the details of the raid and the investigation by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) on reports of proselytisation have yet to be publicly revealed. PAS decided after its political bureau meeting yesterday to back Jais if the agency should find concrete proof that Christians were proselytising to Muslims at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya. "I think let's wait for the report first. We don't know the details," said DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, before choosing not to speak further on the topic. Lim had earlier lambasted PAS's Datuk Hasan Ali, the Selangor state executive councillor for religious affairs, when the latter issued a statement justifying the raid by claiming proof of proselytisation had been found. The DAP veteran then accused the Islamist party leader of breaking ranks with the Selangor state government as his statement appeared to contradict that of Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim who had said he regretted the incident. Selangor's Islamic enactments allow the religious authorities to act against non-Muslims if they are found guilty of proselytising to Muslims. When contacted, DAP Socialist Youth chief Anthony Loke also declined comment today and said he would refer the query to Selangor DAP chief Teresa Kok, a devout Christian and a state executive councillor in the Selangor administration. DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua would not expressly declare his support for PAS's firm stand but pointed out that its deputy president, Mohamad Sabu, had said the party would back Jais only if proof of proselytisation was found, adding this was "expressing the obvious". "Mat Sabu (Mohamad) said if there if proof of proselytisation — which is indeed restricted by our Constitution — his call for the relevant parties to be charged accordingly is only expressing the obvious; nothing more, nothing less," he told The Malaysian Insider. Pua stressed, however, that Jais' investigation must be done in accordance with the law and pressed for the agency to apologise if it finds that it had made a mistake.
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| ‘Pakatan leaders stopped MBPJ from seizing DUMC’ Posted: 13 Aug 2011 04:54 PM PDT
Blogger Papa Gomo makes the claim based on a document allegedly leaked from MBPJ. (Free Malaysia Today) - Pro-Umno blogger Papa Gomo has claimed that Pakatan Rakyat leaders had interfered to stop Petaling Jaya City Council's (MBPJ) shutting down the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) last Thursday. The seizure operation was supposed to be conducted by MBPJ's security and enforcement division. DUMC has been in the limelight since Aug 3 when Selangor religious department (JAIS) interrupted a dinner held at the church following allegations that efforts to proselytize the Christian faith to Muslims were under way. Papa Gomo's claim was substantiated with a report purportedly from MBPJ's enforcement and security division on its operation to seize the hall. The report stated that on Aug 11 at 10.30am, the enforcement and security division had to call off its operation to seize DUMC after receiving a telephone call at 10.58am from Selangor senior exco Teresa Kok who queried about the seizure. The report added that Kok requested the operation to be called off. The report also claimed that PAS' Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad had similarly urged the MBPJ to cancel the seizure operation at 11.07am. Papa Gomo also claimed that according to the leaked report, another Selangor exco, DAP's Ronnie Liu had allegedly warned that personnel from the security and enforcement division woud be transferred out if they continued with the operation. The report claimed that at 11.40 am, there were more instructions from the top, including from PKR's Elizabeth Wong, to cancel the operation and the police was also notified abut the cancellation. The two page report has the word 'Sulit' (confidential) stamped on its top right corner but does not carry MBPJ's letterhead. Catch-22 for PAS "And if PAS supported JAIS, then it would lose credibility among the non-Muslim crowd."
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| Islamic groups ask Jais to act against proselytisation Posted: 13 Aug 2011 03:46 PM PDT By Melissa Chi, The Malaysian Insider Islamic non-governmental organisations (NGO) have demanded immediate action from the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) against those who tried to convert Muslims. "We urge the Jais and the other authorities to immediately take action and if there were efforts to convert Muslims from holding their faith as claimed by the National Fatwa Council Chairman and former Chairman of the National Fatwa Council. "We are united and committed to defending the faith of Muslims held in this country from the encroachment in accordance with the position of Islam as a religion of the Federation of Malaysia Constitution and the provision of the existing laws including enforcing the law of apostasy," the group of NGOs said in a statement today, as a result from the roundtable discussion organised by Ikatan Ilmuan Malaysia (ILMUAN). The NGOs were referring to the recent raid of a dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya. The authorities have denied that a raid had been conducted at DUMC, preferring instead to claim that they had merely inspected the premises that August 3 after receiving complaints that Muslims were attending the function. The discussion, "Ummah faith issues: What should our attitude be and what is our role?" was held yesterday at the Selangor state executive councilors housing complex. The NGOs added that they uphold and support the efforts of any party to strengthen Muslims' faith through education and welfare programmes and will demand empowerment programmes including the return of adequate assistance to religious schools. The group also demanded that the relevant bodies with Islamic trust properties to act efficiently to help marginalised Muslims so that their life are "protected and secure" and that the issues related to the faith of Muslims are not manipulated and distorted by the newspapers to give political advantage to a certain party until it undermines the solidarity of Muslims. "We stressed that issues relating to the faith of Muslims are very sensitive issues that could affect racial harmony, thus calling on all parties not to act against the stipulated law. "We urge the institutions governing the affairs of Muslims are submitted to those truly qualified and respected so that these institutions are seen as absolutely authoritative," they said. |
| With Penang in mind, move to unseat Tsu Koon gathers pace Posted: 13 Aug 2011 03:32 PM PDT By Jahabar Sadiq, The Malaysian Insider Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon is going to get taste of what Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud got in the run-up to polls in the east Malaysian state — the constant drumbeat of politicians and the media asking him to retire from politics. The view in Putrajaya is that the mild-mannered Gerakan chief should step down as head of the Barisan Nasional (BN) component party before the coming general elections if the coalition is to have any chance of wresting back Penang from Pakatan Rakyat (PR). While Tsu Koon (picture) has not been dogged by allegations of corruption and abuse of power as Taib Mahmud, he is viewed as indecisive and a symbol of the BN leadership which was rejected by the voters in 2008. BN chairman and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has spoken behind closed doors on the need to rejuvenate the Gerakan leadership with younger talent and acknowledges that BN component parties need new talent if inroads are to be made in Penang, where DAP's Lim Guan Eng is a formidable opponent. In its latest issue dated August 13, international weekly The Economist dubbed Penang "the first custom-made city of globalisation" and credited Lim for boosting the port city's revival by axing a racial special treatment economic policy in the state to create a more level-playing field that appeals to foreign investors. "He has become the first governor in Malaysia to open up all state tenders to competition. This has entailed dismantling the special preferences for ethnic Malays that have underpinned the BN's rule since the early 1970s," the influential magazine on business and international affairs said of the Penang chief minister and his economic reforms. "Adapted to the national stage, such policies could transform the way that the Malaysian federal government conducts business," it added. The international praise for Lim is seen as an indictment of Tsu Koon's rule of the island state, which began prospering under his mentor, the late Tun Lim Chong Eu, before the Princeton graduate took over as chief minister from 1990 to 2008. In what is likely to be a recurring theme, Umno-owned Mingguan Malaysia urged Tsu Koon today to consider his position as chief of Gerakan, with the paper's Awang Selamat saying that the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department was only concerned with publicity and appearing in photographs with national leader. The commentator said that his ministerial position appeared to be wasted on him because he had not used the profile to galvanise Gerakan in Penang or chart a plan to regain the state. Still, using the media to push out a seasoned politician is a strategy fraught with minefields. In the run- up to Sarawak elections, Najib tried to nudge a politically liable Taib by getting him to say that he would not lead the state for the full term.
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| London riots: police debate how far they should go to regain control Posted: 13 Aug 2011 12:15 PM PDT  Police in Hackney, north London, on Monday night. The Metropolitan Police's deputy assistant commissioner Stephen Kavanagh said the force was not "namby-pamby". Photograph: Kerim Okten/EPA The Guardian, UK He expanded on the reason not to fire baton rounds: "We had people as young as 11 being arrested for looting last night. Do we genuinely want to see the police of London using that type of tactic on 11-year-olds? We have to be very careful about what we use and how we're using it." Pictures of officers standing and watching as youths smashed and looted shops have puzzled the public The biggest outbreak of rioting to hit Britain in living memory has led to debates within the police service about how far forces should go to regain control of the streets. Pictures of police officers standing and watching as youths smashed and looted shops have puzzled the public. But Steven Kavanagh, the Metropolitan police deputy assistant commissioner, denied those images were a sign of the force being soft on rioters: "The Met is not namby pamby," he told the Guardian. He added: "The face of policing has changed, 25-30 years ago it would have been a different response, we'd have gone to baton rounds and water cannon straight away. Now we are more measured." He said the police faced contrasting demands from the public: "There are two extremes, the hang 'em and flog 'em brigade, and those who say these are frustrated youngsters." Twenty-five years ago, Kavanagh said, officers might have "let anger get the better of themselves", and go wading in, but he said there was now a more disciplined approach, with officers not charging in as they were "holding the line" to protect firefighters putting out blazes that threatened life. With police numbers stretched beyond anything experienced in living memory, another source said commanders had to make tough choices. "Sometimes you will let offences take place because you can't afford to lose two to three officers for every arrest. The priority is not to protect property but to protect life. There will be no order to be soft." At a Scotland Yard press conference Kavanagh said the Met was considering using baton rounds. But there is huge debate among the police leadership about the wisdom of such a move. Kavanagh said of the option of using the devices: "The Met does not wish to use baton rounds but if it gets put into a position that it needs to protect the people and the property and the lives of Londoners, [then] we will do so." He expanded on the reason not to fire baton rounds: "We had people as young as 11 being arrested for looting last night. Do we genuinely want to see the police of London using that type of tactic on 11-year-olds? We have to be very careful about what we use and how we're using it." Another source said that it would be too early to use baton rounds: "They are for use when there is mortal danger, such as at Broadwater Farm. Here, we're in mortal danger of losing control of the streets and of shops being looted. It would be disproportionate." Baton rounds can only be "deployed", or, given to officers to use, on the direct orders of the commissioner of the Metropolitan police. They have never been fired on the British mainland. Outside London, a chief constable is required to authorise their deployment. Specially trained officers attached to C019, the elite firearms unit, fire the single baton rounds from devices that look like shotguns. Brian Paddick, Scotland Yard's former deputy assistant commissioner, who has trained in the deployment of baton rounds, said: "If you believe you are losing control of the situation, it is a legitimate tactic. They are quite effective in dispersing crowds. The advantage is you can put a lot of distance between you and the crowd. The downside is, if you hit someone in the wrong place you can kill them." One senior officer, involved in drawing up plans to quell riots in his area, said he would favour authorising use of baton rounds if they were needed. "When you've got a big crowd who are intent on over-running your officers, I don't see the big deal in using them. You can withdraw or use baton rounds, which are more under your control than using dogs. I don't see it as crossing a Rubicon for British policing – it's much better than a baton charge where you can't control the level of violence officers use." Paddick explained how the devices would be used in London: "There is a public-order commander on the ground who sends a message to the commissioner that all conventional means to contain the crowd has failed. The commissioner then gives the designated senior officer authority to use them. "When the DSO, having been given the authority, believes the situation is beyond conventional means, they can then be used." Baton rounds were issued to officers at the Broadwater Farm riots in Tottenham, London, in 1985, but were not used. Paddick said the weapons had been issued, every year for at least the last 10 years, for the Notting Hill carnival, in London. "It is there, if there is a riot and conventional tactics can't contain the violence." For police the scale and intensity of the recent riots are creating a need for new thinking, in a race against time to quell the unrest. One source said: "It is beyond the experience of anything we have experienced. If a bomb goes off we know what to do. This is as highly challenging as anything could be."
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| Pua threatens to sue Najib, Nazri for Tajuddin Ramli bailout Posted: 13 Aug 2011 12:08 PM PDT
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider DAP MP Tony Pua threatened legal action against Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz today, saying they would be sued for negligence if Putrajaya fails to recover the billions in debts owed by Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli. The Petaling Jaya Utara MP predicted the directive ordering all government-linked companies (GLC) to withdraw their suits against the former Malaysia Airlines (MAS) chairman would likely see him escaping scot-free. "If the current Attorney-General is unwilling to consider the above action against the Prime Minister due to the complete lack of independence of the former's office, Najib can be assured that full, open and transparent investigations will be carried out by the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government against his misdeeds should we secure victory in the next General Election," Pua warned in a statement today. "This is to ensure that those who have knowingly and negligently caused losses to the government's coffers will be held accountable and will not be let off unpunished," he added. The DAP national publicity secretary demanded an assurance from both PM Najib and Nazri, a senior Cabinet minister, that Tajuddin would be made to settle a bulk of his debts to the GLCs and reminded them that it involved taxpayers monies. He said if the GLCs heeded the directive and withdrew all civil suits against Tajuddin before a settlement is achieved, the companies would no longer have any avenue to claim any compensation or damages from the tycoon. "This is because they would not be able continue with the existing suit against Tajuddin once they are withdrawn. "At the same time, because the claims were for actions which occurred more than six years ago, the GLCs will not be able to initiate new legal actions against Tajuddin as it would be time-barred," Pua (picture) said. An out-of-court settlement with the GLCs, he added, would grant Tajuddin little or no incentive to settle any of his debts once the suits are withdrawn.
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| Now is not the time for police to use water cannon and baton rounds Posted: 13 Aug 2011 12:02 PM PDT  David Cameron has announced that ministers have drawn up plans to allow police to deploy water cannon at 24 hours' notice. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/PA Although I understand the enthusiasm of politicians and communities for robust measures, excessive force will destroy our model of policing in the long term. What we must hang on to in all of this is the British model of policing, premised on human rights and the minimum use of force. We police with consent and must be professional, proportionate, fair and justifiable to the public at all times. By Hugh Orde (The Guardian, UK)
Such tactics should only be used in very specific circumstances and we will not rashly deviate from the British model of policing One of the greatest strengths of British policing is that operational decision-making is conducted not by politicians, but by professional chief police officers who have spent their whole career in policing. While David Cameron today referred to some of the more extreme measures available to us, they are not new, and responsibility for their deployment remains entirely a matter for chief officers. There can be no confusion here at all; it is a fact that we cannot be ordered to police in a certain way but we will be held robustly accountable for what we choose to do or not do. As one of only two officers in the country to have ordered the use of water cannon and baton rounds in public-order policing, my professional judgment is it would be the wrong tactic, in the wrong circumstances at this moment. Both require an extremely precise situation. The use of water cannon, while logistically difficult, works against large stationary crowds throwing missiles at police or, as I witnessed in Northern Ireland, at other communities. It achieves distance between police and unlawful crowds that is often vital. Utilising baton rounds, an even more severe tactic, is fundamentally to protect life. When I ordered their use, again in Northern Ireland, my officers were being attacked by blast bombs and live fire. I would always use both with a heavy heart, but it is always an issue of proportionality. What we have seen so far from these riots, involving fast-moving and small groups of lawless people, is a situation that merits the opposite end of public-order policing. This morning, myself and members of police forces around the country had the opportunity to share with the home secretary the tactics that are working and the evidence is that fast arrests, rapid processing of prisoners through the court system, making sure the correct charges are being placed and collecting appropriate evidence through proper, investigative practice, is working. Baton rounds and water cannon were not mentioned once. Although the policing of disturbances in London on Monday has been widely criticised for lack of arrests, we have learned and moved on quickly from it. Indeed, events on Monday posed unique difficulties for the deployed 6,000 officers – more than have ever policed an event in London. Making arrests at that time, although some did occur, would not have been sensible; we needed cops on the street to keep the peace and preserve life. We can deal with property loss and damage post-event, and while foresight is not always a commodity afforded to the police, part of any deal is that the police will have to explain themselves to the public. What we have seen so far is not soft policing, and although I understand the enthusiasm of politicians and communities for robust measures, excessive force will destroy our model of policing in the long term. What we must hang on to in all of this is the British model of policing, premised on human rights and the minimum use of force. We police with consent and must be professional, proportionate, fair and justifiable to the public at all times.
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| A hard sell, but new allies want it to work Posted: 13 Aug 2011 10:37 AM PDT (NST) - The trouble with that is, proclaiming that MAS and AirAsia are now friends doesn't actually make anyone believe that they can be. ON Friday, at an interview, AirAsia Bhd co-founder Datuk Kamarudin Meranun brandished his newly-obtained Malaysia Airlines photo ID. It was comical, as he was wearing his trademark AirAsia cap in the photo.
As a deal, the share swap between Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Tune Air Sdn Bhd has sparked a lot of talk, most of it negative.
No one wanted to hear about all the reasons why the national carrier was not making money. They just wanted for it to make money. |
| Work with EC to ensure best possible result at the polls Posted: 13 Aug 2011 10:27 AM PDT (The Star) - THERE are different ways for political parties to approach an election as an exercise in democracy and a competitive event. One is to engage fully and in good faith in the obligatory processes involved. The other is to withhold full participation for whatever reason, while pointing accusing fingers at official agencies involved in the election process. This unproductive course is often accompanied by confrontational campaigns aimed at official processes and procedures. It typically precludes suggestions and recommendations, even by way of constructive criticism of any perceived shortcomings. However, voters of all political persuasions deserve better from those who would offer themselves as public representatives. It is not good enough to try and score political points pre-election by condemning electoral conditions without doing anything meaningful about it. In this, a test case concerns the attitude and response of political parties towards the Election Commission (EC). The commission is a politically neutral body tasked with carrying out an election, and all political parties are obliged to work with it to that end. Ultimately, it is what it does and what others allow it to be. If some parties insist on not working fully with it, then it can hardly be blamed for seeming to work closer with others who do. It is incumbent on all parties to give their utmost cooperation in the period leading up to an election. It is no good to act as if the EC were somehow already a partisan force, and then complain that it appears partisan or is biased. Let not any presumed partisanship be regarded as a fait accompli, only to encourage a self-serving, self-fulfilling prophecy for those out to discredit the EC. For its part, the EC cannot be accused of merely sitting on its laurels. It is, for example, set to remove some 12,000 names of voters aged 90 and above from the electoral roll. This is among the ways to minimise, if not excise altogether, the prospect of phantom voters lurking in the roll. All parties should surely have an interest in ensuring that the EC functions efficiently and appropriately. And ensuring that surely requires the full and active participation of all parties. That way, everyone can be sure that whatever the election outcome, the result will be for the best. |
| Umno to counter Pakatan Hari Raya blitz with grassroots campaign Posted: 13 Aug 2011 09:57 AM PDT
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Umno leaders has dismissed Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) pre-election campaign strategy for Hari Raya, expressing confidence that their grassroots strength alone is enough to curb their political foes from influencing people during the festive occasion. The federal opposition revealed recently that it planned on campaigning for the Malay vote ahead of the next general elections by distributing specially-prepared information kits, pamphlets and CDs to rural folk in kampungs during Hari Raya. The plan, according to PR leaders like Azmin Ali would be to trumpet PR's reform agenda in areas they believe has limited access to information. PR leaders have said they would make full use of the Hari Raya holidays to participate in "balik kampung" programmes aimed at spreading the "PR word". Umno leaders remain unimpressed by PR's plans, and will launch a counter-offensive grassroots campaign to rebut any allegations brought by the opposition. The same leaders have also claimed that PR's pre-polls strategies were "not new" and that Umno had already utilised similar campaign tactics in the past. "The difference between Pakatan and Umno is that they are just planning these campaigns now. We have already been engaging with people on the grassroots level throughout the year. Our major concern is that the information given by Pakatan on current issues like Bersih and the economy is misleading...therefore we have our own networking system all set up and ever ready to go," Umno MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan told The Malaysian Insider. Umno's advantage over PR, claimed the Kota Belud MP was its grassroots machinery — where the party has over 20,000 branches throughout the entire country with the exception of Sarawak. "Umno has an established networking system, whether there is elections or not. We have over 20,000 branches in the country, even in areas where the MP or assemblyman is from MCA or MIC. Even in Pakatan Rakyat stronghold areas like Jelutong, we have our own branches- to make the dissemination of information and campaigning smooth. "Go to almost any part of Malaysia and you will find an Umno branch, even in opposition strongholds. This is because we are ready, when Pakatan makes a mistake or fails to attend to the needs of their constituents, we will take up that responsibility," said Abdul Rahman. The Barisan Nasional (BN) backbencher said that Umno cemented BN's manifestos through localised programmes like community gotong-royong events as well as local cooking classes organised by the Malay party. "We have our fact sheets and CDs as well. What PR is doing is not rocket science...Azmin himself used to be an Umno guy, most of Pakatan's strategies are our (Umno)'s inventions," added Abdul Rahman.
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| Tsu Koon slams Ezam’s ‘jihad’ threats Posted: 13 Aug 2011 12:01 AM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon slammed today his Barisan Nasional (BN) colleague Umno Senator Ezam Mohd Nor's threat to wage war against those who try to proselytise Muslims. The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in National Unity and Performance Management said in a statement that Ezam's threats had sent out the wrong message and could damage the coalition's reputation. "Senator Ezam Nor's open threat to burn two online news portals (Malaysia Kini and Malaysian Insider) is uncalled for, unwarranted and unacceptable, further fanning emotions in the controversy arising out of JAIS' (Selangor Islamic Affairs Department) action against DUMC (Damansara Utama Methodist Church)," Koh (picture) said. The Gerakan party president said Ezam has his right to express his views about defending Islam and his concern about alleged proselytisation of Muslims which is now being investigated. "If he thinks that reports in the online news portals were not correct and proper, he should present cogent arguments against them, present relevant facts and solid evidence, or even take legal action. "Unfortunately, instead of using his intellect and influence to argue and counter whatever he did not agree with, he allowed himself to be overtaken by emotions and sentiments which have evoked negative reaction of others," Koh said. Ezam vowed yesterday to wage war against those who try to proselytise Muslims, in a highly-charged assembly where he also defended the state Islamic religious authorities' raid on a dinner at a church last week. The former PKR leader and a group of demonstrators rallied after Friday prayers here in support of the Jais over its raid at the DUMC in Petaling Jaya on August 3. Among those present was Kulim MP Zulkifli Noordin.
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| Punish if proselytisation proven, PAS tells Jais Posted: 12 Aug 2011 06:55 PM PDT By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 – PAS finally declared its official stand today on the recent church raid in Petaling Jaya, saying the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) must take immediate action if it finds proof that Christians were proselytising to Muslims there.
Its leaders said the decision is in accordance with PAS's position as a party founded on Islamic principles, adding that under no circumstances would it compromise on religious matters. "PAS is an Islamist party. Our Constitution states Islam is our foundation and the Quran. "So PAS's priority is to defend the sanctity of Islam, there is no compromise when it comes to upholding the faith," deputy president Mohamad Sabu told reporters after the party's political bureau meeting here this evening. |
| Umno deputy minister wants referendum law, lower voting age Posted: 12 Aug 2011 05:10 PM PDT
By Melissa Chi, The Malaysian Insider Higher Education Deputy Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said today Malaysia should have laws allowing for referendums, adding that the Election Commission (EC) should also lower the voting age to 18. There is now no law to hold referendums, which is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. "It is about time we had legislation for referendums. I think the government of the day, whichever party, should get approval not just from the Parliament, but from the people as well, on big or fundamental issues," he said at the Electoral Reform and Purification of Democracy Forum organised by the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim) and the Abim Lawyers Group (GPA). Other panellists were Professor Dr Redzuan Othman, Universiti Malaya's dean of the Literature and Social Science Faculty, and Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) director Wan Firdaus Wan Fuaad. Saifuddin, an Umno supreme council member, also said there should be an increase in civil society participation in the democratic process. He said the problem now was that the state was still "condescending and does not trust civil society". "I agree with automatic registration for 18-year-olds to vote, if not for the 13th general election, there should be a roadmap leading towards this goal. If needed, we should change the law or the Constitution to make it easier for the people to vote," he said. The current minimum age for voting is 21. He had previously urged PR and BN lawmakers to start "the ball rolling" by forming a caucus in Parliament for such a cause. The Temerloh MP also said: "Just because BN had never lost doesn't mean that the election is clean, and vice versa just because there is a constant change in government doesn't necessarily mean the election is fair. We cannot be so simplistic in that thinking."
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| Bersih 2.0: Najib never specified Shah Alam in stadium offer Posted: 12 Aug 2011 05:08 PM PDT
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Election watchdog Bersih 2.0 disputed Datuk Seri Najib Razak's claim yesterday that he had specifically offered "a stadium in Shah Alam" for its July 9 rally. Steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah reminded the prime minister today that he had never named a stadium when he made the offer to the coalition just days before the mammoth event. "That offer only came from Selangor Mentri Besar (Tan Sri) Khalid Ibrahim, not from the PM. Najib never said which stadium... he only said a stadium. Perhaps we were expected to read his mind," she told The Malaysian Insider when contacted this afternoon. Maria Chin (picture) was commenting on Najib's statement to the press yesterday that he had specifically offered Bersih 2.0 use of a stadium in Shah Alam to hold its rally and had never retracted the offer. "We are regretful that the offer made by the government (to Bersih) to have its gathering in a stadium in Shah Alam was not accepted by the (rally) organisers. "This offer was never denied or retracted by the government. We wanted to avoid any untoward incidents from happening," he had said. Maria Chin recalled that the stadium offer was made following the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's surprising decree on July 3, calling for all warring parties to reach a mutual agreement over Bersih 2.0's electoral reform demands. A check on media reports of the sequence of events in the run-up to the tumultuous July 9 rally revealed that Najib had not expressly named any stadium in Shah Alam when he made the offer. In one media report on July 3, Najib was quoted as saying: "We are willing to provide a stadium for them to rally but why choose to protest in the streets. The government is not against them rallying in a stadium from morning until night. Just don't hold street protest as it is very risky to the nation."
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| Polls panel to remove inactive voters above 90 Posted: 12 Aug 2011 12:09 PM PDT
By Farrah Naz Karim, NST PUTRAJAYA: Those above 90 years of age and are considered to be "inactive" will be struck off the electoral roll. Under this approach of cleaning up the roll, which is updated every three months, the Election Commission has removed some 12,000 names to date. |
| 'Rally and riot, which part did you misunderstand?' Posted: 12 Aug 2011 12:03 PM PDT (Harakah Daily) - PAS today took to task deputy Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar for attempting to liken the riots in British cities to the massive Bersih rally in Malaysia on July 9. The party's deputy information chief Nizar Jamaluddin questioned whether Khalid had problem understanding the difference between a 'riot' and a 'rally', which was something planned and accompanied by the organiser's request for cooperation from the police. WORLDS APART ... (Top): Bersih participants on July 9 queueing up at a store in the city centre to buy refreshments. (Bottom): Looters at a store during the riots which engulfed several British cities. Khalid had earlier remarked on his Facebook that the riots in London and surrounding cities were proof that street protests could lead to "nightmares".
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| Hindraf’s UK lawyer Imran Khan deported Posted: 12 Aug 2011 11:58 AM PDT
By Athi Shankar, FMT GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf Makkal Sakti's UK-based lawyer Imran Khan was deported back to United Kingdom upon his arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 1.50pm on Friday. London-based Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy said Imran Khan, a prominent British human rights lawyer, was forced by the Malaysian authorities to fly back to England at 2am on Saturday, 12 hours after he was refused entry to the country. "The authorities deemed Imran as a threat to Malaysia's security," said Waythamoorthy told FMT today. Throughout his ordeal, Imran was kept stranded at the immigration checkpoint. Imran was originally scheduled to leave the country only on Aug 18. His colleague, G Suresh however was allowed entry. Waythamoorthy said Hindraf was appalled by the excessive and unwarranted act of the Malaysian police and Home Ministry to deny entry to an internationally-renown human rights lawyer. He also slammed the government's act of branding Imran as a security threat. This is "absolute nonsensical and cheap stunt." The deportation confirmed Hindraf's fear that the Putrajaya administration would do a 'Bourdon' on Imran and his colleague upon their arrival in Malaysia. French human rights lawyer William Bourdon was deported by the government when he was here to give a speech pertaining to the billion-dollar Scorpene submarine scandal last month. "The refusal of entry to Imran in essence means that as far as the Malaysian Indians are concerned or their cause, the government can act in authoritarian ways against the rule of law," slammed an upset Waythamoorthy. Following orders Imran then informed the female officer that he was in Malaysia to meet his clients, who wish to engage him on a class action suit against the former colonial, United Kingdom government. The officer checked in her list of "wanted" persons and immediately told Imran that his request to entry was being refused. Upon insistence, Imran then met senior immigration officers who could not give any valid reason for refusing his application to enter Malaysia. "All that the senior immigration officer could say was that he had no problems giving Imran entry. "But the officer said his decision to bar Imran from entry came from the top most office of special branch in Bukit Aman and the Home Ministry. "The officer added that the police deemed Imran as a threat to Malaysia's security," said Waythamoorthy. He said Imran's deportation showed that the government has something serious to hide, thus it makes arbitrary decisions pertaining Malaysian Indian issues. He said Imran was coming to Malaysia to represent his clients from the underclass segment of the ethnic Malaysian Indian community. Meeting will take place tomorrow |
| GLCs upset with Nazri for misleading explanation in Tajuddin Ramli saga Posted: 12 Aug 2011 11:26 AM PDT
By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider Several government-linked companies (GLCs) are perturbed by Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz's attempts to justify Putrajaya's intervention into ongoing lawsuits against Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli and claimed the de facto law minister was giving out misleading information. A source close to several parties named in the lengthy series of suits and counter-suits involving Tajuddin pointed out that the former poster boy for Bumiputera entrepreneurship had lost his RM13 billion countersuit against national debt restructuring company Danaharta in 2009. Among several documents obtained by The Malaysian Insider, a High Court judgment on December 7, 2009 showed trial judge Anatham Kasinather had awarded a total sum of RMRM589,143,205.57 to Danaharta, its two subsidiaries and its four managing directors named as Datuk Azman Yahya, Datuk Abdul Hamidy Hafiz, Datuk Zukri Samat and Datuk Kris Azman Abdullah. The same trial judge had also dismissed Tajuddin's RM13 billion countersuit against Danaharta and its agencies a month earlier on November 12, 2009. The source related that the GLCs and their directors were stunned with disbelief at Nazri's reasoning that an out-of-court settlement was the best solution to save the federal government billions of ringgit in legal claims. "Nazri misled the public when he said 'Our total claims by the companies against Tajuddin are only half a billion ringgit. That is why we said we should sit down and talk'. His claim that Tajuddin has the bargaining power and that the GLCs were disadvantaged is nonsense. The RM13 billion against Danaharta was also plucked from thin air," the source told The Malaysian Insider yesterday on condition of anonymity. "Tajuddin was the only one who owed money and Danaharta did not owe him anything," the source said and quizzed: "So what is there to negotiate?" Federal Court judge Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif has been put in charge of managing the ongoing slew suits involving a total 38 parties, including Danaharta and Malaysia Airlines (MAS), due to Tajuddin's appeal after losing his counter-claim.
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| A-G must still prosecute Tajuddin, says Mat Zain Posted: 11 Aug 2011 07:12 PM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — A former senior cop has called for charges to be brought against Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli saying the withdrawal of civil suits against the former Malaysian Airline (MAS) chairman does not indemnify him against criminal culpability.Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider today that Putrajaya's decision to settle with Tajuddin out of court and directive to government-linked corporations to drop their cases against the latter did not mean that two police reports and another made to anti-graft enforcers were nullified. "Even if MAS and other GLCs were to drop all civil claims against Tajuddin, they have no or power to indemnify Tajuddin from criminal liabilities. For that matter, no minister or even the Attorney-General has the authority. "In fact, police have recommended that several criminal charges be preferred against Tajuddin and few others," the former Kuala Lumpur criminal investigation chief said. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz told The Malaysian Insideryesterday that he had written to GLCs earlier this month seeking for them to withdraw their suits, worth at least RM2 billion, to buy time for all concerned parties to reach a "win-win" agreement and put an end to the prolonged financial saga involving Tajuddin. He said the matter was referred to Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Husni Hanadzlah, who then directed him to pen the letter, noting that Tajuddin's case was scheduled for case management in court yesterday. "Since it involved the law and I am the minister in charge of law, Husni told me, why don't you look into this. It is not a cloak-and-dagger move... we knew this would come out somehow and there is nothing to hide. I wrote that letter using my letterhead," said Nazri. Mat Zain added today that MAS has lodged at least three reports against Tajuddin and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has "made it known to public that their investigation on Tajuddin is still ongoing." "It is also within public knowledge that sometime in March 2007, the former Director of Commercial Crime Investigation Department Datuk Ramli Yusuf had briefed then prime minister Tun Abdullah Badawi on police investigations based on MAS's reports. "The billion ringgit question is why our Attorney-General is still reluctant. I am sure Tan Sri Gani Patail is fully aware that he cannot indemnify Tajuddin's criminal liabilities despite the fact that they are in some ways connected," he said. Mat Zain, who led the police probe into former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's black eye incident in 1998, said that as only the A-G could initiate criminal proceedings, it was up to Datuk Seri Najib Razak to step in and inquire into Gani's conduct. He has repeatedly attacked Gani for his failure to prosecute several high profile cases and called for the prime minister to axe the A-G.
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| Nazri says Tajuddin intervention could save Putrajaya billions Posted: 11 Aug 2011 06:57 PM PDT
Nazri said that to defend himself, Tajuddin, who is facing millions in legal claims for allegedly causing MAS to suffer losses in excess of RM8 billion during his tenure, had made a whopping RM13 billion counter-claim. (The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz has rebuked those who have questioned his authority in intervening in the Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli's civil cases, insisting today that the move could save the government billions in legal claims. The minister in the Prime Minister's Department disagreed that he had overstepped boundaries with a letter earlier this month telling all government-linked companies to withdraw their suits against the former Malaysia Airlines (MAS) chairman, claiming he had done so in his role as a "facilitator" for the government. Nazri also told detractors to check their facts before spewing insult against him, saying, "I know what I am doing." He accused DAP publicity chief Tony Pua of practising double standards for saying the minister should be placed under the Emergency Ordinance for issuing the letter, asking the leader why he had not urged the same when other Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders attempted to intrude on government affairs. "I want to ask him (Pua): When (PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul) Hadi Awang asked the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) and Jais (Selangor Islamic Religious Department) to see him and explain the recent church raid, why did he not rebuke Hadi? "Because what power does Hadi have in doing so? He is not the mentri besar of Selangor and neither is he the minister for religious affairs. So why the double standards, Tony?" Nazri told The Malaysian Insider. Similarly in the controversy over the Kedah government's ban on entertainment outlets during Ramadan, Nazri said DAP chairman Karpal Singh had no business ordering the businesses to stay open. "On my part, I spoke to the second finance minister and he told me why don't I explore this issue and that I may be the facilitator to urge these GLCs to sit down with Tajuddin to come up with an amicable solution. So what power did I abuse?" he asked. Nazri said that to defend himself, Tajuddin, who is facing millions in legal claims for allegedly causing MAS to suffer losses in excess of RM8 billion during his tenure, had made a whopping RM13 billion counter-claim.
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| Bersih twist to church raid saga Posted: 11 Aug 2011 06:20 PM PDT
An email is circulating claiming that the controversial JAIS raid could be more about politics than religion. (Free Malaysia Today) - Amidst the simmering tension over the controversial raid on a church by Islamic authorities, a conspiracy theory has surfaced linking the incident to the Bersih 2.0 rally. An email being circulated alleged collusion between Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Selangor exco for religious affairs Hasan Ali, one of those in PAS supportive of a unity government with Umno. The email claimed that the minister wanted to teach the Christian community a lesson for backing the July 9 street protest, which dealt a massive blow to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's administration. Last Wednesay, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) together with the police raided the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) after receiving complaints that Muslims were present at a dinner event there. JAIS later clarified that it was not a raid but an inspection done to check if there was proselytizing of Muslims by Christians. The matter is being investigated under Section 4 of the Non-Islamic Religious Enactment 1988. Organisers of the dinner had denied the allegation, stating that the event was to raise funds for a HIV/AIDS campaign. While Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim had expressed regret over the incident, his exco Hasan defended JAIS and the latter was backed by PAS Youth. 'MCA and Umno leaders told in advance' However, the email claimed that the raid had little to do with attempts to convert Muslims to Christianity but "had everything to do with Bersih 2.0." It alleged that DUMC's pastor Daniel Ho hosted Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan and members of the polls watchdog's committee the week before. "Since last week Hishammuddin has been in touch with Hasan through their proxies on finding a way to teach Ho and the Christian community a lesson for supporting Bersih… "Hishammuddin wanted to show that he was not afraid to take anyone on. That is why the police could not produce a warrant or JAIS produce a copy of the complaint. "Hishammuddin has always thought of himself as above the law and is the law," read the email. It also claimed that Umno and MCA leaders were informed in advance of the raid and advised to prepare statements to condemn Pakatan Rakyat over the matter. "This is an effort to conceal the link between Hishammuddin and Hasan," stated the email, adding that the home minister and Umno considered Bersih 2.0 as the biggest threat to their political future. "Any support for Bersih 2.0 therefore must be nipped in the bud. The accusation of attempts to proselytize Muslims by the DUMC church is just a distraction from the actual truth," it added.
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| Senator Ezam threatens to 'burn down' news portals Posted: 11 Aug 2011 06:16 PM PDT
(Malaysiakini) - Umno Senator Mohd Ezam Mohd Noor said today he will wage war in defence of Islam, including burning two online news portals, which he claimed to be agents against Islam.
Zulkifli, also a former ally of Anwar, echoed Ezam's warning, calling on Muslims working in the news portals to "repent". "You are being barua (running dogs) of propagandist and enemy of Islam. Don't be running dogs of kafirs (infidels) that go against us," he said. Ezam has 'big' problems with non-Muslims Several of the protesters donned masks of state exco leaders while displaying placards, one of which read "(Selangor Menteri Besar) Khalid Ibrahim is head priest".
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| ‘No approval to operate as a church’ Posted: 11 Aug 2011 06:10 PM PDT
The land occupied by DUMC in Section 13 is gazetted for industrial use and not for religious purposes, says MBPJ. (Free Malaysia Today) - The Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) does not have an approval to operate at Dream Centre in Section 13, a Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) official said. "When DUMC submitted an application for an approval for the building premises, it stated that its purpose was for the use of a community hall," said MBPJ's Zainun Zakaria. "You need to be specfic as to its activities," she added. She said that the land that the church stands on now was gazetted for industrial use and not for religious purposes. Zainun also dismissed a SMS circulating yesterday that the MBPJ was about to seal off the premises, saying it was false. The SMS was circulated to the media yesterday. A pro-Umno blogger claimed today that he received it from a source in MBPJ. MBPJ deputy mayor Puasa Mohd Taib also yesterday denied there was such an operation being planned. When contacted, a church spokesman said that many accusations have been levelled at the church and the current one had "half truths". Derek Fernandez, a lawyer and MBPJ councillor, however, said that while a church does not require an operational permit, it nevertheless needs to be registered as one. "An approval from MBPJ is needed. It is vetted by the sustainable development committee under the planning department. It also has to go through the state executive committee," said Fernandez. He added that the sustainable development committee is chaired by the mayor and consists of councillors, technical departments and also external agencies. Fernandez said that all buildings need a certificate of fitness, proper zoning, land title, besides paying the quit rent. "But if it is operating as a church, and the letter of approval says, 'community hall', it has flouted the Town and Country Planning Act and could be fined. Strictly speaking, the premises could even be sealed off. "An approval is needed if you want to operate a church in a place zoned as a commercial area," said Fernandez. "However, MBPJ has no problem with churches in shoplots as the state recognises the difficulty in finding a place of worship for non-Muslims. They're usually approved," he added. Fellow councillor Mak Khuin Weng said that the local authority usually does not enforce land usage rules strictly. "Where DUMC is located now, the land titles in that area are for industrial use, meaning for factories only. Having said that, the government has never enforced these land usage rules strictly. "If we were to be strict, not only will the church suffer but also the commercial areas around Section 14 and Section 19. "There are food courts and even a college operating on land for industrial use. So, you can't say you want to take action against DUMC but not against others," he said. Mak said that even the numerous bridal studios in SS2 operating from residential houses would also have to be shut down. The number of places of worship springing up in shoplots and factory areas can be attributed to a larger problem, and one that has been going on since the state was under the BN government.
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| Posted: 11 Aug 2011 03:03 PM PDT
Nazri has no power to order GLCs to stop suing ex-MAS boss Tajuddin Ramli, the DAP said. (Free Malaysia Today) - The DAP has attacked Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz for ordering government-linked companies (GLCs) to cease suing a former Malaysia Airlines (MAS) executive chairman Tajuddin Ramli. PJ Utara MP Tony Pua ticked off Nazri for using his influence as a minister to let Tajuddin off the hook. "Such an instruction from a minister's office, especially one with no authority of the various GLCs including MAS, Telekom and Prokhas (formerly Danaharta) is… highly improper and at worst an illegal and corrupt practice," he said in a press statement. He said that this move allowed Tajuddin to get away with billions of ringgit in debt, withou having to suffer any consequences. According to a Malaysian Insider report, Nazri said that he had issued a directive for all GLCs aggrieved by Tajuddin to withdraw their suits earlier this month. Denying that it was a bailout, the minister said that the move was an attempt to reach a "win-win" situation between Tajuddin and the various GLCs. Quoting Nazri, Pua said: "…the finance ministry has agreed to settle all civil claims against Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli and others to be withdrawn immediately in view of the fact that the government and the finance ministry have agreed that the said cases will be settled out of court." Complete mockery This reasoning did not sit well with Pua. GLCs, he said, had their own board of directors to deal with problems, adding that Nazri had no right to be giving instructions to them. "His directive to these GLCs made a complete mockery of corporate governance in these companies, and will only turn away local and foreign investors," Pua said. He said that Nazri could be investigated under Section 2(1) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance.
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| Use new laws to stop merger, govt urged Posted: 11 Aug 2011 02:04 PM PDT By Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: The government must intervene and stop the merger between Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia because such a deal would not benefit the people and would only lead to a monopoly in the air transport industry, Sarawak DAP said. Party secretary Chong Chieng Jen said "ultimately the consumers will lose out". "The government must stop the merger. We have the Anti-Trust Act or the Competition Act which will take effect on Jan 1, 2012. "The Act will protect consumers against market abuse from cartel activities and monopolies or from unscrupulous trading practices of cartel and monopoly business. "The government can use the Competition Act to prohibit the monopoly. As a shareholder in MAS, the government has every right to stop the merger, and yet the government is not stopping it," he said. Chong, who is Bandar Kuching MP, said the whole merger exercise "is wrong". According to him, if the Barisan Nasional allows this deal to go through, it simply means that it "is not serious in protecting the right of the consumers". Chong also urged the people not to believe claims by Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha that the merger may not result in an increase in airfares. "Even though he has told us not to worry, his promise will amount to nothing. In the end, the airfares will be increased and we the consumers will be at the losing end. 'Not a merger' "I urge the government not to proceed with the merger in the interest of consumers," said Chong, who is also Kota Sentosa asemblyman. Asked whether Sarawak government should support his call as Sarawakians will suffer most, Chong said: "All governments that have the interest of the people at heart should oppose monopoly in the air transport industry." |
| Putrajaya ditches FBC Media as image experts after exposé Posted: 11 Aug 2011 11:01 AM PDT By Jahabar Sadiq, The Malaysian Insider Putrajaya has now ended its contract with British publicity firm FBC Media after an embarrassing exposé last week revealed Malaysian leaders routinely appeared in paid-for interviews on global television programmes. The Malaysian Insider understands that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) terminated FBC Media's contract in the past week, just months after another public relations firm, APCO Worldwide from the United States, met an ignominious end for alleged links to Israel. "The contract with FBC Media is over. PMO has enough people to handle publicity locally and abroad," a source told The Malaysian Insider.FBC Media's dealings with the Malaysian government came to light after supplementary supply Bills showed vast payments made for a "Global Strategic Communications Campaign". The records showed that between 2008 and 2009, RM57.7 million was paid by the Prime Minister's Office to FBC Media for the campaign. Despite FBC Media's contract, veteran newspaper editor Datuk A. Kadir Jasin's also revealed that Putrajaya has some 11 press aides working for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak against the three who served Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his 22 years in power. FBC Media has also been linked to Najib's predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who apparently paid US$5 million (RM15 million) for public relations services that included television programmes and professional bloggers to burnish his image before the April 16 state polls. Global broadcasters have been scrambling to contain potential damage after the allegations of impropriety surfaced following the expose by whistleblower Sarawak Report, which linked the interviews and other programmes produced by FBC Media as having been paid millions of ringgit by the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to shine its international image. US-based broadcaster CNN denied last week it was paid to interview Najib during his visit to London last month but questions remain about the role played by its anchor John Defterios after the latter's FBC Media programme "World Business" was axed early this month by rival network CNBC. The spotlight is on the relationship between FBC Media — the British publicity firm led by media giant Alan Friedman with Defterios still listed as its group president — and broadcasters like CNBC, CNN and the BBC. As a result of the allegations, the BBC has also said it will suspend programmes produced by FBC Media and investigate the company. Influential Washington-based news website Politico.com said FBC Media is listed in lobbying reports as having paid tens of thousands of dollars to Washington-based lobbying firm APCO in recent years to lobby on behalf of the Malaysian government. CNN's denial comes on the heels of rival CNBC's decision to drop its flagship show "World Business", which has similarly been alleged to have been paid to feature Najib in its prime-time news slots last month after his administration cracked down on a civil rally pushing for cleaner and more honest elections. Both interviews were conducted by Defterios which has raised eyebrows over his appearance on the rival channels as well as questions over a conflict of interest to his unclear ties with FBC Media.
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| Explain Tajuddin Ramli ‘bailout’, TI-M chief tells Putrajaya Posted: 11 Aug 2011 01:57 AM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Transparency-International Malaysia (TI-M) president Datuk Paul Low questioned the Najib administration's decision to settle all out-of-court suits between government-linked-companies (GLCs) and Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli, saying today Putrajaya has a duty to protect the public's interest. He was responding to The Malaysian Insider's report earlier today, citing de facto law minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz's directive to all GLCs, including Danaharta and Malaysian Airlines (MAS), to drop all claims against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's poster boy for Bumiputera entrepreneurs as the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has agreed to settle the payment. "When they say settle something, exactly what does it mean? Nobody knows how it's to be settled or how much, on what basis and justification? Is the government paying on behalf of the GLCs? Is it a bailout? Who are parties involved? "Who instructed Nazri? Was it the Finance Ministry, the Cabinet or the prime minister? We don't know," Low told The Malaysian Insider when contacted. He reminded the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government that it was accountable for spending taxpayers' money. He said the government could not simply step into a legal dispute that involved a public-listed company, even if it had government ties; and added the government must show how the country and the public benefitted from such a decision. "This arrangement does not reflect well on the government. In good governance, the buck stops at the CEO, or the board of directors. The government has to answer," he added. The head of the local anti-graft watchdog urged Putrajaya to come clean on the decision, noting that it was a "test of good governance" for the ruling political coalition.
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"We are saying here that we will launch an all-out war to defend our faith if they (anti-Islam elements) do not stop (and) use their agents - Malaysiakini and Malaysian Insider - which were biadap (rude) towards the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais).
Also present were Kulim Bandar Baru MP Zulkifli Nordin and Umno Youth exco member Lokman Noor Adam (right), who was clad in a red Patriot T-shirt.
"We have no problem with non-Muslims. But we have big problems with non-Muslims who are disrespectful to us and our religion, we have big problems with non-Muslims who proselytise among Muslims.
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