Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Najib, Rosmah to set aside subpoenas over Anwar's sodomy trial
- Branding guru calls Najib’s PR efforts an ‘absolute scam’
- MACC officers held for RM1 mil ‘robbery’
- More Kita members criticise their president Zaid
- Mat Sabu claims trial, bail set at RM15,000
- ISA repeal gives Pakatan the edge
- Seri Perdana belongs to Umno?
- Pak Lah admits should have been forceful with reforms
| Najib, Rosmah to set aside subpoenas over Anwar's sodomy trial Posted: 20 Sep 2011 07:47 PM PDT
(Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, are applying to set aside subpoenas asking them to be defence witnesses in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's ongoing sodomy trial. Their lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said he would file the application today at the High Court. On Aug 8, High Court Judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah who presided over the trial, had granted Anwar's application to interview witnesses offered by the prosecution, including Najib and Rosmah. At the close of its case, the prosecution offered 71 witnesses, including Najib and Rosmah to be defence witnesses. In the first sodomy case in 1998, then prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad (now Tun) who was subpoenaed, had applied to set it aside and the court granted his application. On May 16, Justice Mohamad Zabidin ordered Anwar to enter his defence after ruling that the latter's former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, the complainant in the case, was a truthful and credible witness. Anwar, 64, pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court on Aug 7, 2008, to committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature at the Desa Damansara Condominium in Bukit Damansara between 3.10 pm and 4.30 pm on June 26 of the same year.
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| Branding guru calls Najib’s PR efforts an ‘absolute scam’ Posted: 20 Sep 2011 04:47 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - The creator of the nation branding concept has called the prime minister's use of British publicity firm FBC Media to burnish Malaysia's image abroad an "absolute scam" and a waste of public funds. Simon Anholt, who pioneered the use of nation branding as a way to measure, build and manage a country's reputation, said that while public relations was needed in the private sector, it was "highly suspect" that a country could up its standing using the same means. "There's a great deal of evidence around us to show what a waste of taxpayers' money this is," he told BFM Radio in a phone interview this morning. "First of all, the countries that tend to spend most money on these PR campaigns to fix their image tend to be the rogue nations. "If you look at the countries that have spent the most money on ambitious PR campaigns, they're the places that are most despised and it hasn't done anything to fix their image at all." Anholt pointed out that media studies has known for decades that the media cannot change people's perception of a country from worse to better or vice versa but could only raise the profile of its existing image. For this reason, he said "the last thing" a country with a bad image should do is engage in public relations as increased media coverage would only remind the rest of the world what a "problematic" country or government it was. "So I'm afraid I think the whole thing is an absolute scam and a shocking and indefensible waste of taxpayers' money," he said. Anholt stressed that governments needed to understand that when they engaged in foreign policy, economic development or international relations, they risked damaging the reputation of their country, which was worth "much, much, much more" than all other tangible assets combined. It was the "sacred responsibility" of governments today to ensure their country's good name was preserved and handed down in the same condition, if not better, he said. Anholt added that countries could only make themselves more relevant to the rest of the world by becoming more useful, and suggested Malaysia tackle shared global issues like climate change, women's rights, terrorism and financial instability to improve its reputation.
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| MACC officers held for RM1 mil ‘robbery’ Posted: 20 Sep 2011 04:14 PM PDT
The trio are alleged to have taken the money from money changers who were about to board a flight to Singapore. (Free Malaysia Today) - Three Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) senior officers have been arrested in connection with an extortion-cum-robbery case involving RM1 million. The alleged victims were said to be three money changers from Singapore. According to a source familiar with the case, the money changers were at KLIA last Thursday night to board a flight to Singapore. The source said the trio were carrying foreign currencies amounting to about RM2 million which they had declared to the customs authorities. "When they alighted from the satelite train, the money changers were confronted by five men who identified themselves as MACC officers. "The trio were then taken to a nearby eatery, where the MACC officers had demanded for US$100,000 from each money changer. "When they refused, the officers took them to a toilet, where there are no CCTV cameras, and opened the bags containing the cash. The officers then took three bundles of US$100,000. "The officers also warned the money changers not to report the matter," claimed the source.
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| More Kita members criticise their president Zaid Posted: 20 Sep 2011 02:34 PM PDT (Bernama) - KUALA LUMPUR: Temperatures are rising in KITA as more members of the Central Executive Committee criticise its president Datuk Zaid Ibrahim for his "unethical and unconstitutional" sacking of three CEC members recently. In an e-mail to Bernama, CEC member Mohd Zahrein Zakariah said he would call for an extraordinary general meeting as a legal way of urging Zaid to step down. Central secretary Abdul Latif A Tambi, treasurer Rashid Azad Khan and CEC member Muhammad Firdaus Christopher were said to have been dismissed without any "substantial reason" via e-mail and short messaging system. "There is no bickering in KITA. There are only those who have decided to go against the principle on which KITA is built, and they include the party chief, Zaid Ibrahim," he added. In an organisation declaring itself democratic, dissent must be heard, not shut out, Zahrein said. Zaid was reported to have said that Firdaus was unhappy over cuts in the operational budget of the party, while it is understood that Abdul Latif was dismissed because he refused to give the KITA website password to the president. Firdaus, however, denied that the disagreement between them was over the operational budget. "That's just a smokescreen to divert from the real issue, which is how the party is being run. "I was only questioning the way he conducted party matters since he always tended to make decisions without referring to the rest of the CEC," Firdaus said. CEC member and coordinator for the Federal Territory Dr Rajaratnam Gopal Pillai said Zaid had never listened to advice from the CEC and the grassroots. "I have repeatedly advised Zaid to look into the grievances of the CEC and to keep the committee intact, failing which there was a high probability that the party would implode," he said. Setting up the party nine months ago, Zaid had said KITA would be critical but constructive and focus on issues of interest to the people, and would not oppose for the sake of opposing. He pledged to strive to make KITA the number one opposition party, and be very different from PAS, the DAP and PKR. But if the internal problems are not resolved, observers believe that KITA may not be ready for the coming general election. - BERNAMA |
| Mat Sabu claims trial, bail set at RM15,000 Posted: 20 Sep 2011 12:04 PM PDT By The Malaysian Insider BUTTERWORTH, Sept 21 — PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu has claimed trial to a criminal defamation charge of glorifying communist guerrillas at the Sessions Court here this morning. The court set bail at RM15,000. If found guilty of the offence under Section 500 of the Penal Code, the PAS leader face up to two years jail and/or a fine. Mohamad, who is popularly known as Mat Sabu, was alleged to have defamed policemen and soldiers who defended the Bukit Kepong police station in a 1950 attack by communists. The maverick politician also faces an alternative charge of defaming family members of the policemen and soldiers. Mohamad had also surrendered himself to police at 8.30pm last night and was released on police bail half an hour later. Umno's Utusan Malaysia had first accused the maverick politician of glorifying Ahmad Indera in an August 27 report that quoted Mohamad as saying that the communist leader was a true hero. Twenty-five policemen were killed in the attack on the Bukit Kepong police station in 1950. The daily and Malay hardliners in Umno have repeatedly called for Mohamad to be charged over the comment with some even insisting that the PAS leader be stripped of his citizenship.
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| ISA repeal gives Pakatan the edge Posted: 20 Sep 2011 10:52 AM PDT
By B Nantha Kumar, FMT PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's repeal of the Internal Security (ISA) Act is a victory for the opposition and a slap to Umno lackeys and pro-establishment bloggers who have been championing its continued existence. For decades, the opposition has been campaigning for the abolishing of the ISA, and no prime minister has ever "succumbed" to the pressure. But Najib is different, or is he? Last Friday, in conjunction with Sept 16 Malaysia Day celebrations, Najib announced the repeal the ISA. A week earlier, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the government had no intention of doing so. Najib's announcement on the abolishing of the ISA was followed by his statement that the 1960 Act will be replaced by two other soon-to-be legislated acts. Although rumblings of Najib's previous inconsistencies, political "gimmick" and "farce" are filtering the grapevine, political pundits have nevetheless welcomed the move. ISA was enacted in 1960 in a bid to curb communism in Malaysia. The act allowed for indefinite detention without trial. In the years following the enactment, the act became a tool for Barisan Nasional's hold on the power seat despite agreements between the Malaysian government and the Malaya Communist Party (CPM) in 1989. The agreement was signed in Hatyai,Thailand. It was a clear indication and acceptance that Malaysia was free from the Communist threat. But to the BN, the 1960 Act was a "weapon" of choice used to intimidate and instil fear. The opposition party leaders often accused the BN government of using the ISA for its own political interests, to catch anyone who is not in line with government ideology. A case in point is the October 1987 Operasi Lallang exercise where some 106 people were detained under the ISA and the publishing licences of two newspapers The Star and Sin Chew Jit Poh and another two weeklies The Sunday Star and Watan were revoked. In the following years, the ISA was used to detain Hindraf leaders, famous blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, parlimentarian Teresa Kok and local Chinese daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng. This aside, there have been several other incidents that have made the ISA a matter of public concern to a point that on Aug 1, 2009, tens and thousands of Malaysians took to the street to protest against the controversial act. But now that Najib has announced the repeal, the question of "impact" is upmost in most minds. To begin with, the decision to repeal the ISA will have little value in the rural areas. BN can forget about making it a campaign issue in rural areas. The rural community is not interested in national politics. It's the day-to-day bread and butter issues that matter to them. New challenges But the repeal of the act is of interest to the urban community. Having said this, the reality is that the scrapping of the ISA will have no impact on urbanites because many of them are already opposition supporters. So the repeal of ISA will give opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat an upperhand. Pakatan has been consistently calling for the elimination of the ISA. It could be even said that almost every week, the opposition party leaders talk about the cruelty of the ISA. Repealing the ISA gives the impression that the opposition is now "more" powerful to the point that it can compel nation's prime minister to abolish the act.
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| Posted: 20 Sep 2011 08:55 AM PDT By The Malaysian Insider According to a report filed by the state news agency, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today met members of the Association of Former Members of Social Welfare Development and gave them an election pep talk. But what he said shows what hubris can do. We hope that the Bernama reporter got it wrong; we dearly hope so. According to a report filed by the state news agency, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today met members of the Association of Former Members of Social Welfare Development and gave them an election pep talk. But what he said shows what hubris can do. He told them that they have to help Barisan Nasional (BN) defend Putrajaya. (Defend from whom exactly? The millions of illegal immigrants swarming the country or the legitimate Opposition who received the support of close to 50 per cent of Malaysians in West Malaysia?) He then went on to say that Seri Perdana belongs to the Umno president and Barisan Nasional leader. Fact is, Seri Perdana, like the rest of Malaysia, belongs to Malaysians and we choose who occupies Seri Perdana. Surely this prime minister, fresh from coming to terms with people power and bending to the will of the people in announcing the abolishment of the ISA, knows this fact well. But it does appear that after being in power so long, small details seem to escape Umno leaders. Like the fact that they serve us; that they don't own us or any of the real estate. Putrajaya and Seri Perdana were built with public funds (even if it was Petronas that financed it), not with the subscriptions of Umno members. This is what the Malaysian electorate must remember: the country belongs to us and we should put the most suitable people in Putrajaya. Length of previous stay should not be a consideration. |
| Pak Lah admits should have been forceful with reforms Posted: 20 Sep 2011 08:40 AM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — Tun Abdullah Badawi has admitted he was not tough enough his reforms and changes while in office, however, insisting last night that he was "very clear with the reforms" he wanted as prime minister. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had said that unlike Abdullah, Datuk Seri Najib Razak was clear about his reform agenda when taking office including reviewing the Internal Security Act (ISA) which is to be repealed now. "In regards to the statement made by Dato Seri Nazri Aziz regarding my reform plans, I want to state that I was very clear with the reforms I wanted to bring," Abdullah said in a three-paragraph statement last night, adding that there would be those who will support or oppose the changes. "However if a leader is clear in his mind that what he wants to do is right, he must see it through. Perhaps when I was in office I should have been more forceful about it considering the resistance I was facing. "This is what I hope Dato' Seri Najib would do if he is clear with what he wants," said Abdullah (picture), who was in office from October 2003 to April 2009. The former prime minister took office vowing to be more open and liberal while announcing a slew of economic corridors and projects. He took a hands-off approach to the media and promised to stamp out corruption and abuse of power among enforcement agencies while investigating scandals involving the police force and judiciary. Under his time, the Abdullah administration initiated several new laws to give more bite to fight graft including setting up the powerful Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to replace the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), a Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) to nominate judges and the Enforcement Agencies Integrity Commission (Siap) to investigate offences by enforcement agencies including the police. But most of his initiatives floundered and Abdullah squandered his overwhelming 91 per cent support in Parliament won in 2004 to losing the customary two-thirds parliamentary majority and four more states in Election 2008. Abdullah, who ceded power to Najib on April 3, 2009, advised his successor on Monday to persevere against hardliners who might block plans to repeal a slew of security and media laws announced last Thursday. But Nazri said Najib did not face much internal resistance to his plans to repeal the ISA because the prime minister made his intentions clear when taking office in 2009, but added the prime minister must still consider the views of conservative and pressure groups within the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. |
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