Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Reply to “The Religious Front”
- Voter Registration
- Unsolicited and free insight on BN's options
- The Religious Front
- Home Minister misses the point again by a gross margin
- Australian High Court’s Temporary Injunction
- WWF asked to cut ties with corrupt Malaysian loggers
- Is Malaysia increasingly regimented?
- How unprincipled and low can you go, Chua Soi Lek, as MCA President?
- MCA warlords go for ‘political insurance’
- MoCS rally: Police demands met, Siah to meet CP
- Kenyataan Akhbar Mengenai Klip Video “Sembang Rakyat – Kedai 1 Malaysia”
- Arrogant Chua thinks Chinese are ‘political idiots’
- None like Malaysia in Asia today
- BERSIH 2.0 SUPPORTERS UK WELCOME DATO' AMBIGA SREENEVASAN
| Reply to “The Religious Front” Posted: 09 Aug 2011 08:59 PM PDT By AsamLaksa Firstly I agree with batsman that religion and politics mix. I have no trouble with that even as I am a strong supporter of separation of religion and the state. In fact I don't think any Malaysian will deny that religion and politics mix. What I disagree with is the over simplistic view of the author. UMNO has no qualms mixing politics with religion and so was PAS at one time with the Islamic State agenda. The author has not really explained the shift in PAS politics towards the Erdogan-like faction. Is the author intentionally not telling the whole story with his constant anti-secularist stand? PAS wants to widen its appeal in Malaysia. It wants to move out of the rural Malay heartland strongholds. As a party with aspirations to run the federal government it has to raise capable leaders who have the political savvy, knowledge and skills. A hardline Islamic stance will deter many, including many Muslims. Thus a younger generation of better educated leaders with a wider world view. The effect of this is greater acceptance by non-Muslims and educated Malays. The downside is that PAS erodes its position as the traditional conservative defender of Islam. You can't please them all. The balance of religious influence in Malaysia is heavily slanted against all other religions besides Islam. The Christians would be very naïve indeed to not know that religion and politics do mix as they can see examples of this throughout the world such as in the Philippines and Indonesia. The question is that what are they going to do about it? Following the similar model of UMNO style Islamic politics will make things worse because it would give UMNO a real face to their made up fears of a threat towards the Islamic position in Malaysia. So the Christians have to tread carefully. There has been more recent action by Christians who urge their believers to vote against BN and the spinmeisters in UMNO have portrayed this as an attempt to unseat Islam as the top faith in Malaysia. So I doubt that the non-Islamic faiths are leaving their struggle on the shoulders of the secularists but rather that more overt politicking by them will make matters worse by inciting further UMNO sponsored hate and breaking down inter-faith cohesion even among themselves. There is no need for other faith based political parties. So where does the (much disliked by the author) so called secularists come in? They don't appear at all! You see just recognising that politics and religion do mix or insisting that politics and religion don't mix does not solve the problem. This is where the author falls flat because he does not appear to have the slightest idea of what to do next. Sure the non-Muslims can be sensitive to PAS' problems but PAS has to take action to remedy any wrongs be it making JAIS a more professional outfit and be consistent in speech and actions. I would urge JAIS to seriously investigate, obtain irrefutable evidence and charge lawbreakers in court for consistency and not just play politics and public opinion. In realpolitik terms, fair enough non-Muslims must be sensitive to Muslims and everyone else. It does not help that Muslims appear insensitive to non-Muslims. And the non-Muslims are basically fed up with it and I think PAS knows this too. I doubt that other religions reject politics in Malaysia. I suspect they are repressed and this JAIS raid is the usual attempt to show who is boss by their lack of consultation and consensus. This can only happen when there are laws and state instruments that allow such actions. As long as we have this status quo, the Muslims will always feel superior and will never come to the table with other faiths as equals. In truth many Malaysian Muslims do not want to be equals; thus this never ending conflict. Now the secularist has no problem with considering all religions as equal but the religionist cannot. In a truly secular state, there will be no automatic state support for JAIS. JAIS would only be supported for positive religious activities in line with the doctrine of freedom of religion which means no more raids which are negative conduct. But that is very far off from the current religiously polarised Malaysia of Islam vs the rest and a bloody nightmare for many Muslims. It is interesting to note that mixing of politics and religion are more likely to take place in more backward areas as can be seen in the Bible belt in the USA. Just like in the USA, this problem will not go away and you cannot please everyone. The best bet for PAS and PR for that matter is to balance the harms and benefits towards the direction of their coalition and the sentiments of their supporters. UMNO may monopolise the support from hardline Muslims and it is the job of the others to reduce the numbers of the hardliners. I would like to see batsman taking more action by telling the misguided Muslims to perhaps be more sensitive to non-Muslims rather than defending an unprincipled status quo. |
| Posted: 09 Aug 2011 08:57 PM PDT Come register as a voter this weekend and next weekend at Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia (RABM) from 2-4pm. Details below: Date: 13-14 August (Saturday & Sunday)Time: 1-4 pm Venue: If you're already a registered voter, you can drive all your friends and family who are not yet a voter to RABM this weekend! |
| Unsolicited and free insight on BN's options Posted: 09 Aug 2011 08:54 PM PDT By J. Di' Lovrenciear These past three years since, BN has been fast sliding down the road of political survival. Hence today it is very evident that BN has gone on the defensive with the 'opposition' coalition party trenching into an offensive advantage. Why? The problem is the leaders and power brokers within the BN army have been operating from an out-dated mindset for far too long. They failed to grasp the revolution taking place within societies with Malaysia being no exception in this globalizing and networked society. Civil society, through the liberating technologies of the new-age millennium, has increasingly harnessed the power of democratic governance. Our leaders have failed to take cognizance of the fact that society is "being changed from arborial beings, rooted in time and space, to rhizomic nomads who daily wonder at will without necessarily moving (their) bodies at all" (Mark Poster, 1990). When governments and leaders fail to recognize and accept the fast changing landscape of socio-political fundamentals, the civil societies pour into the streets. Their action cannot be curtailed by the age-old tested and proven means of threats, arrests, punishment and absolute controls. The more you take as prisoners and kill, the more will rise like a tidal wave. Time remains the defining factor. Our leaders and their ill informed advisors need to know that what we are witnessing around the world today is the advantages of "cybernations evolving … people sharing an interest, exchanging information and possibly arranging to meet with one another … on a global basis (providing) the distant village dweller the opportunity to make contact with any person, anywhere in the world" (Rolf Jensen, 1999). And throughout the history of humanity, we have ample attestation to prove that when people come together systems fall apart, and resurrect a new framework to help propel that society onward. BN had the disadvantage of a comfort zone for far too long. Whether it will be able to restructure itself to face the already changing Malaysian society is the million-ringgit question. Given BN's political warfare tactics, it appears that transformation is quiet unlikely within its own yard. For as long as it continues to keep reinforcing itself with the justifications, admonishments and smear tactics of race, religion and sex, it is bound to sink even further. BN leaders (past and current) continue to live in a self-denial mode. They keep clamoring that the 'opposition' with its "pack of lies" is hurting BN and misleading people. This clearly tells us that BN is blinded to the truth about the networked society. In today's environment even a doctor knows that he or she cannot anymore just tell the patient to follow instructions. The doctor is matched and challenged by the patient's access to knowledge and practice and insists in a participatory role on the route to recovery. BN leaders must accept the fact that there is an awakening within civil society. That society is no more caught within the limitations of the Penny Press of a by-gone era where psy-war could move societies according to the whims and fancies of power brokers. Even media moguls today are rudely being awakened to this changed information landscape in the world. It appears that there are only two options left for BN as the country suspiciously creeps to its impending 13th general election. One, is for BN to accept the fact that it does not anymore have the privilege of time and resources to do a through spring cleaning of its entire framework of entrenched political mindset and untenable political SOPs. And in doing so, prepare the ground work to return to power as a shining star of hope in the 14th general election. But most people know this would be a hard-to-swallow pill of salvation for BN because it may never rise again as the in-coming winning political party may go on a killing spree in its attempt to bring back all stashed-away wealth for the benefit of civil society's growth and empowerment. Then the other alternative is for BN to seek a sincere act of contrition. This will demand that BN goes into overdrive mode to purge its party of all misdeeds and bring to book in a transparent and without fear or favor manner all those who have thrived on crimes of misappropriation and corruption. That will call for intense and courageous shake up strictly starting from the very top and going right down to the grass root levels. It would necessarily demand reviewing and enforcing all Royal Commission recommendations of the past; addressing the judiciary; the police and related enforcement bodies; and review and repeal of laws that hint a protection of power brokers but vilify the ordinary civil society. Now to do so, BN need not engage exorbitant external consultants. The middle path to accountable, transparent and justified governance is clearly plotted in the road map of Vision 2020. Hence for as long as BN hollers all kinds of accusations and throws cry-baby tantrums at the opposition party leaders and accuses and admonishes citizens while counting on the large sector of rural electorates, BN is destined to make a dangerous fall down the ravine of political obsolescence. So stop blaming your opposition enemies. Stop slamming labels of 'ungrateful public' on citizens' foreheads. Stop raising alarm bells of laws that will come crushing on the 'enemies' of BN. Stop devising and remote-managing race and religious fueled political war strategies. As the late John Denvor sang, indeed "The times have changed". Either BN changes with the times or sinks like a stone. If it changes and embraces the aspirations of civil society it has every reason to celebrate. If BN takes the old and expired political route of acting tough, branding its opponents as enemies and not embrasing them as collaborators, then BN leaders must only blame themselves for their half-a-century dinasour political party's demise. The very fact that citizens are expressing their concerns over BN's governance is already a hopeful signal that they are still giving that last straw to the leaders and power brokers of BN to transform before God and man. But when all else fails, civil society will join the world of peaceful protestors. That is the dictum of true democracy and rising civil liberties on this planet earth. J. Di' Lovrenciear |
| Posted: 09 Aug 2011 08:55 AM PDT By batsman The political struggle must necessarily be engaged on many fronts, not just on the internet. It is on the religious front that the opposition PR coalition suffers one of its greatest weaknesses. The recent JAIS raid on a Christian fund raising dinner exposes serious wounds which even now some people refuse to see or acknowledge. They are in deepest denial. UMNO has no qualms about mixing politics with religion. Any inconsistencies in UMNO's brand of politics with religion is glossed over with brute force of power, wealth and arrogance. Here, brainy internet bloggers have less impact with their reasoning and clever arguments than they think. On the other hand, PAS has trouble trying to mix politics with religion and it is beginning to show. This means PAS has not found a stable equilibrium in its brand of politics with religion. PAS's struggle has not matured sufficiently for it to sit comfortably with its secular coalitions partners in the PR. It is not as if circumstances and conditions that exist in Turkey also exist in Malaysia to the same degree as well. Added to this difficulty, all the non-Muslim religious organizations refuse to engage in politics under the ideology and world view that politics and religion must be separate. It does not take a brainy person to see that if UMNO has no problems mixing politics with religion and all the rest of non-Muslim organizations refuse to engage in politics, where the advantage lies. At this stage, under the special circumstances of Malaysian politics, it makes good sense for all non-Muslim organizations to be especially sensitive to PAS's problems, in order to achieve some sort of balance in an equally matched 2 party political system. Without this sympathy, there will be no equally matched struggle on the religious front of politics in Malaysia. UMNO will be supreme on this front. Non-Muslim religious organizations therefore cannot reject politics even if they wish to. By doing so, they will be foisting the problem on to the shoulders of the secularists to fight the political struggle while they concentrate on "saving souls". Therefore even a seemingly innocuous invitation by Christians to Muslims to dinner can have enormous political impact. By refusing to acknowledge this in the hope of separating politics from religion is an act of deepest denial. This is exactly the situation that will cause friction between PAS and the secularists. Such a situation means that non-religious organizations in Malaysia will be in deepest denial. In PAS, the friendly struggle between the Erdogans and the conservatives reflect the situation in the Muslim community itself. This struggle is ongoing and has no definite result. It would be unreasonable to expect PAS to mature beyond what the community is able to support. It would therefore seem that if the non-Muslim communities leave the political struggle to the secularists, it must necessarily be treated as a long term thing with changes in the mindsets of Malaysians expected to occur only very slowly. Malaysia cannot change beyond small increments at this stage. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that in the short term, the political struggle on the religious front will be overwhelmingly dominated by UMNO. With this realization, the follow up realization that the PR will most probably not be able to form the next government of Malaysia is also quite a reasonable one. It would seem that brainy RPK has already come to this conclusion, which is why he thinks the next best thing is for Ku Li to be the next Prime Minister of Malaysia. Unfortunately, as usual, he is being whacked mercilessly for being a non-conformist – maybe for being a little wishy-washy too. heeheehee. |
| Home Minister misses the point again by a gross margin Posted: 09 Aug 2011 08:54 AM PDT By J. Di' Lovrenciear The Malaysian Home Minister has come out with guns-blazing. He has lambasted the opposition parties and citizens aligned to the 'enemies' of BN. He categorically stated that there are Malaysians misusing the new media to spread lies. He went on to state that there are people outside the country who appreciate what Malaysia has to offer. And that Malaysians are not appreciating these at all. Why is the minister harping on wanting to rest on his laurels? And why must he put down the dignity of the citizens and praise those who are not even in the country? And along with that he also laced his words with threats that the police will have on record the citizens' particulars when they are hauled in for demonstrating - short of saying that citizens who demand transparency and accountability in governance are black listed. Not undone yet, the minister concludes with an apparently contrite heart that the government has been slow in harnessing the new media to engage battle with the opposition parties and citizens who are on the opposition camp. Now does it not amaze you that each time our ministers make a post-event comment or give an ultimatum, it suspiciously falls off the mark almost all the time. Even what is reported by the main stream media reveals these, in between the lines. Now, ministers are there as ministers not to glorify party politics. They are there to serve the nation – all citizens irrespective of which political party they are aligned to. So why does the Home Minister talk of doing battle with the opposition? If he wants to speak so then he must not be reported as the 'Home Minister' but a party politician. and such reports should be restricted to their own party organs - not the main stream media by any count. The other gross missed mark is the minister's claim that Malaysians are not appreciating what they have. Again, is he speaking in defense of the citizens or is he voicing his total disgust with anything that is 'opposition'? In the first place, citizens are only asking why can't Malaysia be better than what it already is. Is this aspiration to excel a crime? Is this not being loyal and patriotic towards nation-building? Malaysians from all walks of life are only asking the government to account in a transparent and responsible manner. They want to have a participatory role in decision making because they care for the future of this nation. The ballot box is not the end-all for citizens' participation in nation building. They want to have a say and want to know and most importantly hold those whom they elected accountable to the voters. Now is this far too unbearable for our ministers? And the government despite having all the main stream media in their claws, are still unable to convince the citizens – the tens of thousands for example who marched on July 9, 2011. What does this teach? Do you not recognize the learning opportunities here Mr. Honorable Minister? Lest the Home Minster fail again, he must be told that the new media has become the alternate media for Malaysians simply because the main stream media is filtered beyond reasonable parameters. Is it not true? If no, then please explain why the editors must get clearance from your ministry for every single bit of news deemed 'sensitive' by your office and the powers that be? It would do the UMNO political party greater good if its party members did not speak under the hats of their appointed roles vested by the civil and voting citizenry. It would do the appointed individuals greater good too if they spoke for all Malaysians when using the power of their chair to deliver messages to the electorate. This then is the first and foremost lesson to be learned when it comes to harnessing the new media. But it is sadly obvious the minister seems to have fixed his perspectives on doing a cyber war instead. How sad.
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| Australian High Court’s Temporary Injunction Posted: 08 Aug 2011 10:28 AM PDT By Lawyers for Liberty Although it comes as a temporary reprieve in preventing the deportation of the asylum-seekers which comprises accompanied and unaccompanied minors. A successful outcome ensuing from this legal challenge would be consistent with the spirit of the 1951 Refugee Convention. LFL reiterates its strong objection to this swap deal as the Malaysian government has yet to show any tangible commitment towards the protection of refugees and /or asylum seekers in this country. There is still no real commitment to recognise refugees under the law nor any commitment to allow them to work or give access to healthcare. The Malaysian immigration act maintains whipping as a form of punishment for those who have entered this country "illegally", this would mean a large number of asylum seekers potentially face prosecution and sentencing in accordance with present laws. LFL also finds the Australian government's reasoning that this swap deal would break the people smuggling business model is misconceived as the return of 800 refugees and their processing by UNHCR in advance of thousands of persons of concern who are unable to access registration, will only encourage others who are desperate and face hardship here in Malaysia, to make an attempt to escape and continue to seek the aid of smugglers. LFL urges the Australian government to review the deal and at the same time demands that the Malaysian government recognise and ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention as a first step towards guaranteeing protection and giving humanitarian aid to these victims of violent conflict and persecution in their countries of origin. |
| WWF asked to cut ties with corrupt Malaysian loggers Posted: 08 Aug 2011 10:25 AM PDT By Bruno Manser Fund The Bruno Manser Fund and the Australian Greens leader, Senator Bob Brown, are calling on the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) to suspend its cooperation with the Malaysian Ta Ann group for its close association with the Taib family, one of South East Asia's largest corruption networks. (BASEL / CANBERRA). The Swiss Bruno Manser Fund and the Australian Greens leader, Senator Bob Brown, are calling on the WWF to suspend the Malaysian Ta Ann group's membership in the WWF's Global Forest and Trade Network. In a letter to WWF International's General Director, James P. Leape, the Bruno Manser Fund is claiming that the Malaysian Ta Ann Holdings and its subsidiaries are "unfit for a cooperation" with the WWF "because of their close association with the Malaysian Taib family, one of South East Asia's largest corruption networks". Ta Ann is also mentioned for being "the major driver for high conservation value forest destruction" in Tasmania. According to the Bruno Manser Fund, the Taib family has damaged the tropical rainforests of Borneo in unprecedented ways and is responsible for the systematic disposession of Sarawak's indigenous communities. Ta Ann is one of 49 companies blacklisted by the Bruno Manser Fund for its close links with the Taibs. The company is controlled by Hamed Sepawi, a cousin of the Sarawak Chief Minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud ("Taib") and by Wahab Dolah, a Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Taib's party, PBB. The group controls 362'000 hectares of logging concessions and 313'000 hectares of plantation concessions in the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. "All these concessions have been granted by Ta Ann chairman Hamed Sepawi's cousin without public tender. Ta Ann's wealth is thus entirely based on corruption and its chairman continues to be one of Taib's closest business cronies and allies." Apart from chairing Ta Ann, Hamed Sepawi is also head of Naim Cendera, a construction company that is benefitting massively from Sarawak state contracts, and chairman of Sarawak Energy, the state's power supply monopolist. Last month, the British NGO Global Witness had criticized the WWF's partnership with Ta Ann despite the group's responsibility for large-scale logging in the Heart of Borneo, one of the WWF's priority conservation regions. – Ends – |
| Is Malaysia increasingly regimented? Posted: 08 Aug 2011 10:04 AM PDT By J. Di' Lovrenciear The world has moved light years ahead since the end of World War II. The nations that were eager and receptive to the notion of liberating its civil society have all migrated to 'First World' status.Then came the fast-forwarding advent of the World Wide Web at the close of the last millennium. It gave the laggard nations of third world ranking a break-free avenue to make a quantum leap. Many nations with right-thinking leadership saw the prudence in facilitating the advance of civil societies. They quickly recognized the meaning and benefits of true democracy and heightened civil liberties. But some leaders chose to regulate the networked society and to dispense their own prescriptions for their citizenry. The bottom line was simply all about retaining their power bases. Period. Malaysia wanted to parade to the world that it is set in becoming a 'First World' status by 2020. To justify this trumpet call, we pumped oil and rakyat money into modernizing the physical realm of the nation. And so came mega structures and "world's biggest, tallest, this and that". And the Multi Media Super Corridor too was carved out at immense cost and losses. But one thing that seems to go largely unnoticed is the retrogressive, limiting and curtailing laws of the country. That brings to mind two laws that defy the very notion of true democracy and civil liberties. These are the infamous Internal Security Act unleashed against its own citizens; and the other is the Printing and Publishing Act that virtually bottles the very machinery that has liberated the world since the time of the Penny Press. Not to be outdone, the government is breathing down the citizens' neck every now and then with this law and that law. Not just laws, but also interpretations to the stifling laws. It is all about 'this way of doing is wrong, and that way of doing is also wrong'. And so we get all kinds of directives, enforcements, raids, and what have you – all gunning down the very notion of humanity's struggles and success in giving meaning to life and living. One then begins to wonder whether all these restrictions, caveats, threats and punishment designed in such haste and dished out at full throttle is because Malaysian citizens are incapable of taking responsibility; incapable of thinking and acting with accountability; not ready to exercise true democracy; and not qualified to experience civil liberties? The on-going and unsettled battle with the Election Commission is a classic example of how political leaders in Malaysia think their followers (citizens) must think. Truthfully, if you look at reality in the eye one cannot dismiss the glaring fact that Malaysians are being denied that exclusive right and duty to act independent of stifling laws. Now the question is, in the wake of the cyber society that is turning the tables on archaic leadership and repressive socio-political environments, how long more would the government of Malaysia expect to keep its reins on its citizens? And even if it manages to do so, will it survive the eventual price of human strive to break free and enjoy the planet and its offering of a life time? Technology is already liberating humanity all across the globe. Our life styles in their own rights are self-liberating are they not? Look at the way we shop. Look at at the way we travel. Look at man's quest for knowledge, the sciences, the arts. Then why have repressive, regimeted laws and controls that inhibit citizens? A nation of people will only go the distance commensurate with the space allowed to exercise responsibility. But to do so there must be the socio-political infrastructure built on the fundamentals of true democracy and civil liberties – that which is consistent with the forward moving nations in the world. We cannot deal with tomorrow's world with yesterday's political mindsets. The government of Malaysia must face reality. Just as the Renaissance swept the world , the 'networked society' will sweep across Malaysia, like any in other nation – be it Egypt or Libya. A nation of leaders who are quick to embrace this truth will ride the waves of political success; those that try to rig the momentum will be blown up eventually by their own blinkered, mutated and self-glorifying agendas for power and control. The benchmark to see whether Malaysian politicians are learning fast is when the ISA and Printing Presses laws are repealed, along with a whole lot of other laws that yoke the civil society. And along with that a stop to all the nonsensical socio-poliical and socio-religious raids and raves that is becoming the constant of Malaysia lately. |
| How unprincipled and low can you go, Chua Soi Lek, as MCA President? Posted: 07 Aug 2011 02:56 PM PDT
Lim Kit Siang Any Malaysian given three answers to the question: Who made the allegation that DAP wants to create a "little China" in Malaysia would invariably name Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian and UMNO although not necessarily in the same order. Nobody would have named the MCA let alone the MCA President, Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek as it is so wild, absurd and irresponsible a charge no sane or reasonable person would make. One could disagree with Chua Soi Lek to date but so far he has kept to certain standards in his public statements and speeches. But Chua Soi Lek's allegation in Kota Kinabalu yesterday that DAP wants to create a "little China" in Malaysia must rank as among the most despicable and dastardly of lies in Malaysian politics designed to help UMNO ultras to scare Malay voters. Chua is doing both his race and nation a great disservice in making such a baseless, despicable and dastardly charge. Chua could not possibly believe that he could deceive Chinese voters in Malaysia into believing his lie – as DAP is not a new political party but has a 45-year history and record to prove that DAP leaders had never espoused a Chinese Malaysia but had always been committed to a Malaysian Malaysia where the diverse races, religions, cultures and regions can find unity and harmony through fair and just nation-building policies. The declaration of DAP leaders ring down the past four and a half decades loud and clear: the DAP does not want a Chinese Malaysia, Malay Malaysia, Indian Malaysia, Iban Malaysia or Kadazan Malaysia but a Malaysian Malaysia! Right from the very beginning in 1966, DAP had held forth a vision of a Malaysia for all Malaysians, where every citizen identify himself or herself as Malaysian first of all, bound by a common nationality and transcending their racial, religious and cultural differences. This was why in the first general election contested by the DAP in 1969 - followed in subsequent general elections - DAP fielded a multi-racial slate of candidates, Malay, Chinese and Indians with two Malays elected as State Assemblymen and more Indian MPs elected on the DAP ticket than the Malaysian Indian Congress! This was also why DAP leaders have no hesitation in accepting the definition propounded by Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia policy of "a nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second and where the principles of 1Malaysia are woven into the economic, political and social fabric of society". In March last year, I challenged all the Barisan Nasional Cabinet Ministers to declare in Parliament that they accept the 1Malaysia definition of nation-building – but not a single BN Minister, including the four MCA Ministers, dared to contradict the Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO Deputy President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin when he declared that he was Malay first and Malaysian second! This was why Najib's 1Malaysia was quickly exposed as a hollow one, nothing more than a public relations exercise and a 1Malaysia circus mired in 1Malaysia Tupperware, 1Malaysia T-shirt, 1Malaysia Mineral Water, 1Malaysia Burger and other 1Malaysia goodies. Malaysian voters regardless of race who had voted and supported the DAP through the ten general elections from 1969 to 2008 did so because of their support for the DAP's vision of a democratic, clean, fair, just and united Malaysian nation of diverse races and religions, and not for a Chinese Malaysia or a "little China" coined by Chua. Chua cannot possibly believe that he could influence a single Chinese voter with the lie that the DAP wants to create a "little China" in Malaysia. Why then is he making such an irresponsible allegation, with the MCA newspaper the Star giving it full coverage? The purpose is clear – to provide grist to the ultra UMNO mills like Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian in their campaign to smear and demonise the DAP as anti-Malay and anti-Islam to scare the Malay voters from supporting and voting for the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat. Already the UMNO propaganda mills, particularly Utusan and Berita, face a crisis of credibility with the law of diminishing returns working against them – with more and more Malays disbelieving their lies about the DAP being anti-Malay and anti-Islam, with their tall tales of a DAP plot to create a Christian Malaysia and appoint a Christian Prime Minister. Now, these Umno mills of lies and poisonous propaganda will get a breather as they will be able to quote the MCA President himself with the latest despicable and dastardly lie against the DAP of wanting to create a "little China" in Malaysia. How unprincipled and low can you go, Chua Soi Lek, as MCA President?
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| MCA warlords go for ‘political insurance’ Posted: 07 Aug 2011 02:26 PM PDT By Lee Kee ALL is not well within the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition parties as party warlords start consolidating their alignment with Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Coalition party leaders, especially those from the MCA, had started aligning themselves with the deputy BN chairman in anticipation of Muhyiddin's expected rise. "This buying of 'political insurance' is necessary following growing scandals and bumbling handling of issues by the Najib (Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak) administration ," said a MCA little bird. "Have you not noticed how deputy president Liow Tiong Lai and youth chief Wee Ka Siong are scrambling to be seen in the company of Muhyiddin as frequently as possible? "Both of them actually have their own agenda but the pressing need is to prepare for Najib's possible exit. "As for president Dr Chua Soi Lek, it is a shoo-in. Chua's long-standing political base in Johor has given him the edge in relations with Muhyiddin. "Not only that. Chua also has strong ties with Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, also another Johor-based politician. "Much speculation has been posted in blogs regarding Chua-Hishammuddin's ties linked to Ecovest top brass. Ecovest is diversified company with much business interest in Johor, especially in Iskandar," said the MCA insider. The party insider said the political development and efforts to be seen in the good books of Muhyiddin showed the trio were prepared dump Najib and declare their support for the rise of the deputy premier.
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| MoCS rally: Police demands met, Siah to meet CP Posted: 07 Aug 2011 02:20 PM PDT By The MoCS secretariate KUCHING: The Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) said today that it has fulfilled the requirements of the police to hold its 'Walk for Democracy and Reform' on August 13 in the state capital. "We remain hopeful for a police permit. We have listened to the police's advice and had agreed to and fulfilled their two conditions," MoCS leader Francis Paul SIah said in a statement. |
| Kenyataan Akhbar Mengenai Klip Video “Sembang Rakyat – Kedai 1 Malaysia” Posted: 07 Aug 2011 02:16 PM PDT
Oleh Zairil Khir Johari Saya selaku Setiausaha Politik kepada YAB Setiausaha Agung Parti Tindakan Demokratik (DAP) mengutuk dan mengecam hebat klip video "Sembang Rakyat – Kedai 1 Malaysia" yang boleh didapati di laman web Youtube. Dalam klip video tersebut, yang merupakan hasil muatan naik pengguna Youtube yang bernama 'Kawasaki9722', DAP didakwa bersekongkol dengan ahli-ahli peniaga Cina untuk menaikkan harga barang di negara ini demi menimbulkan rasa kemarahan rakyat terhadap Kerajaan Barisan Nasional. Ini merupakan satu penipuan dan fitnah ke atas DAP yang bukan sahaja langsung tidak berasas tetapi berniat jahat serta berunsur hasutan. Seperti yang sedia maklum, antara faktor utama yang menyebabkan kenaikan harga barang di negara ini adalah pengurangan subsidi minyak, gas dan barang keperluan seperti gula. Subsidi-subsidi tersebut merupakan kawalan Kerajaan Persekutuan dan tidak ada kena mengena dengan pihak lain. Di samping itu, syarikat yang mengawal industri gula pula adalah Felda, sebuah syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC). Faktor-faktor lain yang menyumbang kepada inflasi adalah kuasa pasaran antarabangsa yang berada diluar kawalan, dan juga ketidakcekapan dalam urustadbir ekonomi negara kita. Sebagai contoh, walaupun subsidi gas yang jumlahnya berbilion-bilion ringgit setiap tahun diberi kepada Penjana Tenaga Elektrik Bebas (IPP), tarif elektrik di negara kita makin meningkat. Bukankah tujuan pemberian subsidi itu untuk mengurangkan beban rakyat? Satu lagi contoh polisi yang menguntungkan syarikat besar dan membebankan rakyat adalah monopoli beras, yang dikawal oleh Bernas, sebuah lagi GLC. Oleh kerana monopoli yang mengekang pasaran beras ini, hasilnya harga beras impot di Malaysia adalah lebih tinggi berbanding harga beras impot di Singapura! Hakikatnya kenaikan harga barang dan inflasi berlaku kerana ketirisan dan kepincangan dalam dasar dan urustadbir ekonomi negara kita. Justeru, kebertanggunjawaban bagi masalah inflasi harus dipikul oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan dan bukan mana-mana pihak lain, terutamanya DAP. Dengan itu, bagaimana pula DAP boleh dikatakan terlibat walaupun sedikit? Hipotesis sebegitu langsung tidak memasuki akal dan tidak akan diterima oleh rakyat Malaysia. Kami percaya bahawa klip video tersebut adalah satu rancangan musuh politik DAP dan Pakatan Rakyat yang bertujuan untuk memecah belahkan rakyat melalui propaganda perkauman yang sempit. Berdasarkan kualiti terbitan klip video tersebut, jelas ia bukan terbitan sembarangan tetapi telah dibuat secara profesional dengan peralatan dan peruntukan yang mencukupi. Dalam erti kata lain, klip video ini adalah angkara pihak-pihak tertentu yang mempunyai sumber yang mendalam dan yang sudah kekeringan modal. Satu-satunya cara yang tinggal untuk mereka adalah untuk menggunakan kaedah yang berbahaya yang bertujuan untuk menghasut dan mengapi-apikan sentimen perkauman. Laporan polis akan dibuat pada hari ini, diikuti dengan aduan kepada Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (MCMC). Kami berharap pihak berkuasa akan mengambil tindakan siasatan yang segera serta tindakan susulan yang sewajarnya ke atas penerbit dan penyebar klip video tersebut supaya tidak berlaku kekeliruan dan kesalahfahaman antara kaum di negara ini. Zairil Khir Johari _PFkwslteWk
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| Arrogant Chua thinks Chinese are ‘political idiots’ Posted: 07 Aug 2011 02:10 PM PDT By Lee Kee The Bernama report titled "Chinese fighting Chinese, DAP will never form the govt, says Soi Lek" insults my intelligence and those who are able to identify politicians who dish out pure rubbish. Let me decipher the report that quoted the Malaysian porn-president Dr Chua Soi Lek. Dr Chua said: "There is no way to create a 'small China in Malaysia as it is not good for the country." Whoever said that? The DAP? We, the Chinese? It is the same type of moron (Utusan Malaysia) that said Christians are trying to install a Christian prime minister. After more than half a century of Merdeka, it is clear that there is no way for any other race to be the prime minister of Malaysia other than the Malays. The Federal Constitution almost ensures this because the appointment of the PM must be endorsed by the King (the Yang di-Pertuan Agong). This is unlikely to happen, unless suddenly all Malaysians are united and think only as Malaysians, not race. As it is, even our deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has said that he is Malay First, Malaysian Second. The joke is even prime minister Najib Abdul Razak is not prepared to say he is Malaysian First, Malay second to defend his meaningless slogon, 1Malaysia. Dr Chua! You are the idiot, not the Chinese. Chua said: "MCA accepted the fact that Malaysia was a multiracial country and that what it wanted to see was moderation, not just tolerance but also acceptance of the fact that this was a multiracial country." Yeah! Please tell Umno, Utusan Malaysia and Perkasa to stop the racial and seditious slurs aimed at created racial disharmony. If you believe what you say, why have you not transformed MCA into a multi-racial party? BN-Umno is the champion of Ketuanan Melayu and you, Dr Chua and MCA are part of that too. You condone and support. Please go and tell Umno and Perkasa to be more tolerant and stop the racial and seditious slurs. They are doing a disservice to Malaysians and the country that we love. They are destroying our future, with support from MCA and Dr Chua. Dr Chua lamented the DAP's strategy in adopting a 'Chinese fighting against Chinese' clash towards MCA in winning the hearts and minds of the people. So? Is Dr Chua telling us to discard democracy and the right of the people to speak and choose? What a moron. It is such morons in the MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other non-Malay Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition parties that Malaysians are in the present political cess pool. They do not contribute constructively. They just kiss the feet of Umno warlords and hope for the crumbs to slowly, but never, turn to gold. This quote, I cannot stomach: "So, DAP has to combine with other parties dependent on the support of other races. In this case, they chose PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), so whatever DAP's promises to the community if they come into power will be diluted because the other component parties would have to look after the interest of other races." Is he talking about MCA in BN? Either he thinks we Malaysians are idiots or he is the idiot. Dr Chua, do you know what is a mirror? Go and take a look into one. Soi Lek said Barisan Nasional (BN) was not perfect but Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was trying his best to transform the country's economy and that Sabahans should support this initiative. Najib can't even say he is Malaysian First to defend his 1Malaysia and you expect him to deliver? The IQ of Malaysians cannot be that low?
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| None like Malaysia in Asia today Posted: 06 Aug 2011 03:38 PM PDT By J. Di' Lovrenciear Today, going by the race and religious dichotomies that threatens to split and tatter the social framework of a nation that has hardly flown to a developed plateau, Malaysians are being watched with great concern by our neighbors. Today, travelers will tell you that Malaysia is even being regarded with a tinge of suspicious worry considering how the country is increasingly being bludgeoned with Islam verses Christianity attacks. Today, while our neighbors are well on the highway of calling themselves after their national band, i.e. Indonesians, Thais, Singaporeans, Kampucheans, Vietnamese and Filipinos, we on the other extreme are after the Malay, Chinese and Indian throats as we are even into debating vehemently whether we are Malaysians first or race first. While political parties in Asia – especially within our close neighborhood nations, are progressing along the bandwidth of championing humanitarian and democratic values, we are screaming full throttle for race preservation fueled by race annihilation battle-cries. While our neighboring countries – Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Philippines are forging ahead, courting with religious harmony and co-existence, we are sharpening our axes for the resurrection and crucifying of one religion at the expense of another. Now for how long more can we continue to deceive ourselves by claiming that Malaysia is a unique country and therefore its race and religion wars have to be fought by the hair and throat? For how long more will Malaysians be able to endure these vexatious moments that have been dragging for over three decades and seem set to go overdrive anytime soon? Lest we also forget, whatever comes out on the main stream media is also being filtered by our neighbors. Their citizens are also riding the numerous forums on the cyber loop. Hence is it any surprise if Malaysians are being watched with immense concern and suspicion by the neighboring and global community? It is not going to serve us all any better if we deny all of these tips of the icebergs while preaching that the going is great in the country. We do not have to use the yardstick of the first-world. Just by humbly comparing us with our third-world brothers and sisters, we will know the harsh and frightening truth. In none of these countries do we hear their citizens being shouted at within the august House of Parliament 'Balik Cina-lah; balik-India lah!" Nowhere do you hear of their citizens wanting to run away from their homeland for good. They only leave short-term and temporarily merely to bring back greater wealth to their loving and inseparable home nations. But we have to set up engines at great cost to go out into the diasporas to woo and entice ex-Malaysians to return. Why? What does it tell us? We need not even philosophize. Just take the case of flying the national flag. How many times each year do we have to issue advisories, appeals, and even stern directives to fly the symbol of hope – the Malaysian flag, only to be met with cold response. But this is never the case with other nations. Thailand is a classic example. Truly, Malaysia despite all the blessings of rubber, tin, palm, oil, good soil and climate, and seas all around – is a spoilt and wasting child, politically. We have squadered our blessings simply because the powers that be propagated, nurtured and fueled race and religious divisiveness. And so today painfully the awakened and weary cry despite still having millions living in self denial – that infamous 'semuanya ok' mentality in Malaysia. Indeed Malaysia risks being turned from a rising tiger to an injured tiger; meanwhile the rest of the region will be well poised to ride the next wave of the Long Tail given the countries' loyal and united citizenry with zero race and religious blinkers. Unless we wake up, face the truth in the eye and say enough is enough there is going to be none to heal this nation. But to do that we have to ask ourselves honestly, "are we capable and do we have what it takes to save this nation for a future in history?" And who shall be our leaders to march us onward before all else is too late? |
| BERSIH 2.0 SUPPORTERS UK WELCOME DATO' AMBIGA SREENEVASAN Posted: 06 Aug 2011 01:00 AM PDT
Supporters of BERSIH will host a dinner/dialogue in conjunction with a visit to London by Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan, Chairperson of Bersih 2.0. All are welcome to attend the fundraiser in support of electoral reforms in Malaysia. 1. Fund Raising / Networking Event - Sat 13 Aug 2011; 2. Open Dialogue with Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan - Sun, 14 Aug 2011
1. Fund Raising / Networking Event - Sat, 13 Aug 2011 Supporters of BERSIH will host a dinner in conjunction with a visit to London by Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan, Chairperson of Bersih 2.0. All are welcome to attend the fundraiser in support of electoral reforms in Malaysia. Date : Saturday, August 13th, 2011 Time : 7:15 PM - 11:00 PM (Halal Buffet Dinner will be served after Buka Puasa) Location : Shannon Suite at Copthorne Tara Hotel (Kensington) , Scarsdale Place, London W8 5SR Nearest Tube : High Street Kensington Price: £30 (All profits will go towards supporting Bersih 2.0 in Malaysia) Please register at here or contact 07738 557888 / 07956 670696 Payments via UK internet banking : Account Name : BERSIH Account No : 52357321 Sort Code : 40-04-01 2. Open Dialogue with Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan - Sun, 14 Aug 2011 Hosted by MyOverseasVote and the Solicitors International Human Rights Group(SIHRG) Date : Sunday,14 August 2011 Time : 2pm - 4.30pm Admission free Location: BPP Law School (Holborn) 68-70 Red Lion Street London WC1R 4NY Nearest Tube station : Holborn Please register at here
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