Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Pakatan defends Mat Sabu, claims Umno rewriting history
- The sad saga of Chin refugees in Malaysia
- PSM wants Jelapang state seat
- PAS leaders play down new Kedah MB talk
- PSM members to be questioned again
- Refugee relief at Malaysian ruling
- Malaysia focuses on a hi-tech economic future
- Mat Sabu hits back, claims Umno near collapse
- PR for nuclear power window dressing, says Pakatan
- Opinion polls — Lim Sue Goan
- Rosmah at Altantuya murder 'implausible'
- ‘Strong potential for DAP in Dayak areas’
- Karpal: Mat Sabu must retract remarks
- WikiLeaks says passkeys to unredacted cables leaked
- Dr Wan Azizah: Nation still politically, economically oppressed
- Baram Dam: Lying govt and big companies
- Australian High Court rules against refugee swap deal with M'sia
- Smuggled ivory tusks worth 1.6 million dollars found in Hong Kong
- Cable: Hisham blamed MCA for not containing Umno fallout
- Stop papering over cracks
- Six shortlisted for RM1.5bil school Internet contract
- Three firms shortlisted for nuclear power PR campaign
- Muhyiddin rubbishes Anwar’s claim of voter swing to Pakatan
- Malaysia should change PMs like Japan, says Zaid
- Decide if Mat Sabu is an Islamist or communist, Guan Eng tells critics
- Dr M says PAS reveres communists
- Malaysian PM takes a beating over reforms, inflation
- Guan Eng advises Pakatan members to ‘zip it’ after row
- Two police reports lodged against Mohamad Sabu latest!
| Pakatan defends Mat Sabu, claims Umno rewriting history Posted: 01 Sep 2011 08:46 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has accused Umno of erasing the contributions of others to Malaysia's independence movement in its efforts to demonise PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu as a communist sympathiser. The federal opposition said in a statement today that the maverick politician was highlighting "the need to appreciate historical plurality" which "Umno leaders will have no part of" as the senior partner in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) "offers no room for dissenting views." "It is in Umno's interest to maintain their version of history not only because it upholds their leaders and hence their claim to power, but also because it conceals their chicanery and Machiavellian machinations in their bid to suppress adversaries and legitimate dissent over five decades of authoritarian rule. "Mat Sabu was not wrong in attempting to contest existing perceptions of history. What is wrong is the fact that Malaysians have been manipulated for years by the propaganda machinery of the BN government," the coalition's joint secretariat said. Umno has gone on the offensive since its Utusan Malaysia reported last Saturday that Mohamad had described as heroes those who attacked the Bukit Kepong police station during the pre-independence communist insurgency. PR lawmakers also told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that Mohamad's comments had allowed Umno to go on the offensive after spending months trying to contain the fallout from rising inflation and the July 9 Bersih rally for electoral reform. Utusan Malaysia had accused him of disparaging the country's armed forces and expressing support for communists but Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu, has denied the report or mentioning communists and has threatened to sue the newspaper. But Umno leaders such as vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and even former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad have continued to accuse the PAS man of trying to revise history and glorify communists. PR also criticised today Umno's "systematic and decades-long effort to 'sanitise' Malaysian history so that only the contributions of those from Umno and its cohorts are recognised, while the legitimate contributions of other Malaysian nationalists and freedom fighters are conveniently erased." It cited individuals and organisations such as Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy, Ahmad Boestamam, Ishak Haji Mohamed, Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM) and Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM) as others who also contributed to the independence movement.
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| The sad saga of Chin refugees in Malaysia Posted: 01 Sep 2011 08:17 PM PDT
A leaked 2006 US diplomatic cable tells about how the police extorted money from Burmese Chin refugees in exchange for their freedom. (Free Malaysia Today) - A leaked US diplomatic cable from 2006 has revealed the plight of the Burmese Chin refugees stranded in Malaysia and the urgency sought by the US diplomats for Washington to "settle large numbers of these refugees as quickly and smoothly as possible". The KL-based US diplomats also urged their government, in particular the Bureau of Population, Refugee and Migration (PRM), to grant additional funding to help out the Chin refugees. "Institutional funding is needed to provide basic medical treatment and English language training for both children and working adults. "Given our pending resettlement of thousands of Chin refugees from Malaysia, modest investments in immunizations, medical care and English language training in Malaysia's relatively low cost environment would yield substantial benefits for both the Chin refugees and the United States," said the US embassy cable dated Nov 20, 2006, to the State Department in Washington DC. The cable was leaked by whistleblower site WikiLeaks and handed over to Raja Petra Kamarudin's Malaysia Today website which published it today. The US diplomats also stated that they would work with the relevant US government agencies and the UN's refugee agency – the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – to resettle the Chin refugees away from Malaysia quickly. The additional funding sought by the US diplomats were also to be used for basic medical and education needs of the Chins and other refugee communities in Malaysia, stated the cable. Camps close to Putrajaya The cable noted the physical characteristics of the camps, which were made out of shelters using wooden poles, plywood for elevated sleeping platforms, and fluttering sheets of plastic for roofing and walls. The cable also pointed out that "a sense of devotion to Christianity pervaded each camp". "Each camp contained a church structure (the largest and most well-maintained structure in each camp) and all of the approximately 100 square foot dwellings viewed by political officer prominently displayed crosses or pictures of Jesus." The refugees at the two camps have not been visited by UNHCR representatives during at least the past two years, said the cable quoting the refugees, and as many as seven camps containing up to 1,000 Chin refugees were erected within five miles of the Prime Minister's office in Putrajaya in 2006. The interests of the Chin refugees in Malaysia were taken care by the Alliance of Chin Refugees (ACR) and the Chin Refugee Committee (CRC). The cable stated that CRC claimed to have about 17,400 members in Malaysia. Police extortion The diplomat stated that the police were aware of the presence of the camps.
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| Posted: 01 Sep 2011 04:49 PM PDT PSM is asking DAP to hand over the seat where its candidate quit the party after the 2008 polls. (Free Malaysia Today) - Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) central committee member Dr D Michael Jeyakumar said the Jelapang state seat in Perak should be allocated to PSM in the upcoming 13th general election. "We should get the seat. DAP got the seat and lost the (state) government," he told FMT today. The Sungai Siput MP said PSM deputy president M Sarasvathy had been working in the Jelapang constituency even before the 2008 general election. "We only want one state and one parliament seat in Perak," he added. In the 2008 general election, Sarasvathy was defeated in a three-cornered fight which also involved DAP and Barisan Nasional. DAP rep Hee Yit Foong subsequently quit the party leading to the fall of the Pakatan Rakyat state government in 2009. Meanwhile, Jeyakumar confirmed that he would defend his seat regardless of who the MIC would field. There is speculation within MIC that secretary-general S Murugesan would be contesting in Sungai Siput, a seat long held by MIC strongman S Samy Vellu until his defeat in the hands of Jeyakumar in 2008. PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan also echoed calls for the Jelapang seat to be given to PSM.
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| PAS leaders play down new Kedah MB talk Posted: 01 Sep 2011 04:35 PM PDT Embattled MB Azizan attended a few government activities earlier today just as speculation emerges that he will be replaced. (Free Malaysia Today) - PAS has played down speculation that the party intends to remove its Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak due to poor health. Speculation has emerged that Azizan will be replaced soon or an acting MB will be appointed from among the state executive councillors to oversee his duties while he takes time to fully recover from his heart ailment. This is in view that the PAS-led state government needs to be reinforced ahead of the impending general election since there is also a strategic need to match the perceived inroads made by Barisan Nasional in their growing campaign to unseat Pakatan Rakyat in Kedah. PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar said he was unaware of any moves to remove Azizan but he did acknowledge that there exist concerns among the party leaders about Azizan's frail health after he underwent an angioplasty procedure at Institut Jantung Negara. "We saw Azizan during his open-house for Hari Raya and there was nothing to illustrate that he is of poor health. He was joking and socialising well with those who visited him." Mahfuz claimed that Azizan looked better than when he was warded earlier last month. Vice-president Sallehuddin Ayub said he was not aware of any discussions or meetings among the party leaders about the move to remove Azizan. "News reports about such matters are just cheap shots levelled against PAS. I have no idea about whether Azizan needs to be removed due to his poor health. He is executing his duties now." However, Sallehudin said it remains to be seen in the future if there is a need for changes in Kedah PAS. "PAS is a matured political party. We have been around for the last 60 years and we know how to conduct ourselves." Even if there is an internal dispute over how Kedah is managed, PAS would know how to resolve the issue within our confines, he claimed. Despite what the two PAS leaders may be openly uttering about the issue, speculation continues to persist over Azizan's political future, namely from within Kedah PAS.
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| PSM members to be questioned again Posted: 01 Sep 2011 04:33 PM PDT Nine PSM members have been summoned to Arau for further investigations on Sept 5. (Free Malaysia Today) - Nine members of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) have been summoned by the police for yet another round of questioning. This time they've been summoned under the Sedition Act 1948. A summons notice was issued under Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CDC) on Aug 11 for the nine to be present at the Arau district police headquarters in Perlis on Sept 5. Four of the nine summoned were among the 24 who were arrested on June 25 for their involvement in PSM's "Udahlah tu…Bersaralah!" campaign. They were released after a week-long remand period. The remaining five are Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar, PSM's national youth chief R Saratbabu, Sungai Siput division secretary A Letchumanan and central committee members Choo Chon Kai and M Sukumaran. The five together with deputy chairman M Saraswathy were held for three weeks under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) 1969. They came to be known as the EO6. But the summons to turn up at the Arau police on Sept 5 did not include Saraswathy. She was not among among those who were picked up in Arau on June 25. Archaic law "We have given so many statements already and summoning us for yet another investigation is harrassment in our view," he said. "The Sedition Act is a colonial, archaic law that the police are using to drag us to Arau." Jeyakumar believed this latest move by the police stemmed from their refusal to admit that they had made a mistake in arresting and detaining the PSM members. "This is unprofessional and a disappointment.. " When the police enter the political arena it lowers their credibility and weakens their capacity to safeguard the nation." "We will go to Arau because if we don't they could issue arrests warrants against us but I hope they come to their senses soon. "We are prepared to co-operate but not to be bullied," he said. When asked if there was a possibility of a re-arrest following next Monday's investigations, Jeyakumar said it was possible but he hoped that the police wouldn't be "so stupid" as to do so. Illegal summon One of the pamphlets called for political reform while another was an introduction to PSM. Lawyer, N Surendran, who is representing the nine in this case said that the very act of summoning them under Section 111 is illegal as no crime has been committed. He pointed out that if a notice is issued without a crime taking place first, then the crime is committed by the police themselves and tantamount to abuse of power. "All they have done is distribute pamphlets which is not a crime under our laws," he said. "Also no police report has been provided as to why the nine are being investigated again and we don't even know who the complainant is." "This is a deliberate political persecution for an ulterior motive. The government is behaving like the dictatorship in North Korea, there is very little difference between the two now."
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| Refugee relief at Malaysian ruling Posted: 01 Sep 2011 01:36 PM PDT By Nathan Partenza, The Border Mail A BORDER refugee advocate has described the High Court's scuttling of the Malaysian refugee swap deal as "excellent", saying the risk of persecution in the country was "high". Murray Valley Sanctuary Refugee Group president Penny Egan-Vine said yesterday's ruling, which means 800 asylum seekers will not be sent to Malaysia, was a relief. |
| Malaysia focuses on a hi-tech economic future Posted: 01 Sep 2011 01:33 PM PDT
By Jennifer Pak, BBC News Malaysia's central bank is forecasting economic growth of between 5% and 6% this year, which in the current global climate is better than other economies in South East Asia. But the government wants the economy to pick up speed or risk missing its target of becoming a developed nation by 2020. Malaysia's economic performance has been "relatively sluggish" over the last decade, a government report stated. It blames this poor performance on low labour productivity. The problem was identified more than a decade ago when the country began to face stiff competition in exports from low wage countries like China. At that time, Malaysian leaders said they had to move towards a knowledge-based economy. This led to the construction of a hi-tech city near Kuala Lumpur called Cyberjaya. Billed as the "Silicon Valley of the East", this was the first city to be fully connected with high-speed internet using fibre-optic cables. Officials also hoped that tax incentives and an English-speaking workforce would lure foreign companies to help turn Malaysia from a low-cost to a hi-tech producer. 'Cheap land'US computer maker Dell was one of the companies that took up the offer. Dell's Pang Yee Beng said the company was attracted by Cyberjaya's IT infrastructure Pang Yee Beng, managing director of Dell Cyberjaya, says it makes sense to be based there. "Ultimately we are looking for a place where we can get consistent service in terms of IT infrastructure," he says. "We needed a place where politically or security-wise it was stable, and then when you set up a complex facility like this you really need government support to make it happen." Today, Dell's operations in Cyberjaya include a customer call centre and a technical support team for its global operations. The four-storey complex sits in the same cluster as other multinational companies like IBM, Hewlett-Packard and AMD. But critics say Cyberjaya hasn't become the success that Malaysian leaders had in mind. An advisor to the Cyberjaya project, TJ Singh, says the government originally wanted to attract innovative global giants who could in turn mentor Malaysian companies, especially in the area of software. "What they wanted were local companies that were world class," says Mr Singh. But that didn't happen. Mr Singh says more and more multinational companies took advantage of Cyberjaya's cheap land and set up back offices for their global operations. It has succeeded in creating a big service industry, says Mr Singh, but not exactly the type of innovation that government leaders wanted to take place in Cyberjaya. Large-scale emigrationAnalysts say many companies end up doing their research and development overseas, partly because they cannot find the right talent. The government wants to see less Malaysians leave the country in search of higher paid jobs In 2010, a World Bank report estimated that about one million Malaysians were living abroad. A third of them are well educated and mainly ethnic Chinese and Indians. Economists with the World Bank say ethnic minorities feel discriminated against by the government's preferential policies for the Malays. Malaysia practices affirmative action for the Malay-majority, granting them priority in university scholarships and government jobs. These are efforts to redistribute wealth to the Malays, who are historically poorer than other ethnic groups. But in a bid to help Malays catch up, Malaysian politicians have also flip flopped on the language of instruction for sciences and maths, switching from Malay to English and then back again. Opposition lawmakers say the education system has been politicised and makes it hard for its graduates to compete globally. But there are also other reasons that Malaysian students want to leave. "When I graduate I want to work overseas because I can earn much more with the exchange rate," says Lew Pei Yen at the Multimedia University. The campus is built in Cyberjaya and designed to train and feed its graduates directly into the companies based in the hi-tech city. But most students I spoke to are eager to gain international experience. Talent agencyIt's certainly a challenge that the Rashid Mat says it is not easy to overcome. He is with Cyberview, the government company overseeing Cyberjaya's development. Cyberjaya is a new city, with numerous shops among the office buildings But he maintains that Cyberjaya is a success. "Research and development is not the core activity done here at the moment but we have not reached our full potential yet," says Mr Rashid. He adds that Malaysia still has a lot to offer multinational investors. "Our advantage is that our multilingual skills, and the talent we have here, is more globally accepted because of our multicultural mix," he says. Prime Minister Najib Razak has ambitious plans to more than double the gross national income per capita to $15,000 (£9,300) over the next decade by creating 3.3 million higher-paying jobs. As part of that, the government has continued to invest in more building projects in Cyberjaya. It hopes to build more cybercities across the country to attract the type of companies that will stem the exodus of workers. At the same time the government has set up a talent agency to recruit Malaysians back. But some analysts say fundamental changes are needed, like abolishing race-based policies and practising meritocracy in the economy. Otherwise, they warn that there may not be enough talent left to help Malaysia realise its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2020. |
| Mat Sabu hits back, claims Umno near collapse Posted: 01 Sep 2011 12:19 PM PDT By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider PAS is close to declaring itself victors in its contest with Umno for the Malay rural vote during Hari Raya, with its deputy president Mohamad Sabu confidently saying that "Umno is going to collapse very soon". The vocal leader, who has been battling criticisms for his Bukit Kepong tragedy remarks, insisted to The Malaysian Insider yesterday that the party's Hari Raya campaign blitz had been successful in garnering more Malay support for the federal opposition. "Our ceramahs in the suraus and the mosques have been great. Very good response from the people," he said. Both Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) embarked on separate pre-polls Hari Raya campaigns during the month of Ramadan, with each trumpeting their respective agendas and messages to the Malay electorate, particularly in the Malay heartlands outside the capital. But PAS came under fire on Saturday when Utusan Malaysia quoted Mohamad as saying that the communists who attacked the Bukit Kepong police station in 1950 during the pre-Independence insurgency were heroes. The Umno-owned newspaper accused him of disparaging the country's armed forces and expressing support for communists but Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu, has since denied the report and accused the Malay-language daily of fabricating the quote. The incident resulted in BN lawmakers going on the offensive after months of scrambling to control the fallout from rising inflation and the July 9 Bersih rally, hoping that Mohamad's remarks would help Umno plant seeds of doubt among the Malay electorate, for whom communism remains a bogeyman especially in the rural heartland. Despite this, Mohamad has remained confident, choosing instead to scoff at Umno's attacks against him and saying it was clear that the Malay party was feeling pressured and "desperate". "You see, I am just a very, very small person. Not a big person... but yet, they attack me... five days and five nights. They are clearly desperate," he said. He said during PAS's Hari Raya campaign, party leaders have been explaining to voters Bersih 2.0's key demands for electoral reforms, the controversies surrounding postal ballots and discrepancies found in the present electoral roll. "Other issues include corruption, the RM24 million diamond ring scandal by the prime minister's wife... they have not properly explained that yet," he said.
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| PR for nuclear power window dressing, says Pakatan Posted: 01 Sep 2011 12:16 PM PDT
By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider The opposition has derided Putrajaya's plan to hire a public relations firm to boost popular support for nuclear power as more spin from an administration that they claimed was becoming known for more talk than action. PKR communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the revelation that the government will pick one of three shortlisted public relations agencies to help get greater buy-in for its planned nuclear power plants showed that the Najib administration was still more concerned with form over function. "That speaks volumes about what the Najib administration is about. It's about PR," he told The Malaysian Insider. The Seri Setia assemblyman pointed out that despite the barrage of feel-good news arising from the prime minister's transformation programmes, few of the latter's much-touted economic reforms have been translated into policy. He said this was testament to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's failed leadership as "any Tom, Dick and Harry" could hire public relations firms to put across an appearance of change while real transformation had to be driven by political will. "You look at substance, reforms, nothing much. There's a lot of talk... It's easy to say the right things but it's tricky to do the right thing," Nik Nazmi said. DAP international secretary Liew Chin Tong similarly said politicians must take responsibility to communicate their ideas to the public directly as there was "no point" in hiring agencies without doing that first. "Political leaders must take charge to communicate political vision... instead of trying to hard-sell something that is not palatable," he said. Malaysia must also recognise it is not feasible to constantly increase power supply to meet the ever-growing demand for electricity and must adopt the global practice of demand management to cut down on usage, Liew added. "You have to deal with demand... so that we can have a sustainable supply," the Bukit Bendera MP said. "If the government is looking at demand management and also alternative sources of electricity, there may not be a need for a nuclear plant," PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub said the government should be aware of the public's unhappiness over the proposed nuclear power plant, which he also felt was unsuitable for the time being given Malaysia's high potential for alternative energy. "There are other energy alternatives to petrol and coal so, for the time being, it is not very important for us to initiate this kind of industry," he said. He added that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) intends to highlight the nuclear power plant issue — which has attracted strong criticism from opposition parties and the public — at the next Parliament sitting in October. The Holmes Report, a New York-based publication that serves the public relations community, reported this week that the Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation (MNPC), a government body formed in January to spearhead the deployment of nuclear energy, has shortlisted three firms for the sensitive project. The invitation for an international public relations effort to boost support for nuclear energy could spark controversy after the recent row over reports that Putrajaya paid RM58 million to FBC Media to burnish its international image on various international broadcast channels. It is understood Putrajaya has now ended its contract with FBC Media after an exposé revealed Malaysian leaders routinely appeared in paid-for interviews on global television programmes on CNBC.
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| Posted: 31 Aug 2011 05:42 PM PDT
Ibrahim Suffian, Merdeka Center (The Malaysian Insider) - Opinion polls have not been standardised in Malaysia and thus, the interpretation of their results depend on your stand and point of view. The approval rating of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak rose to 72 per cent in May 2010 and Barisan Nasional leaders interpreted it as the people's support to the Government Transformation Plan (GTP) and the New Economic Model (NEM), while the Pakatan Rakyat said that the poll was not credible. However, a recent Merdeka Center poll reported that the prime minister's approval rating has dipped to 59 per cent in August. This time, BN leaders said that it did not reflect the fact while the Pakatan Rakyat said that the people have shifted to support the alternative coalition. Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim also said that an Information Department survey of 50,000 respondents showed that most people accepted Najib's leadership and the BN government. When the prime minister received 72 per cent of approval rating, some scholars predicted that the general election would be held in the end of last year. Would today's situation delay the general election to next year? BN questioned the sampling of the Merdeka Center that interviewed only 1,027 voters. In my opinion, I think the scope of investigation was not comprehensive enough. For example, they should ask about the people's support for the Pakatan Rakyat and its leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to study the inadequacies of the ruling and alternative coalitions over the past three years. The August poll showed that two issues had affected the prime minister's approval rating, namely the Bersih 2.0 rally and the rising cost of living. The improper handling of the July 9 rally has been expected to cause a rebound and now, they could only take remedial actions, particularly to accelerate the reform of the electoral system to dilute the impact. As for the rising cost of living, even though it is a global issue, the government can still implement some measures to alleviate the people's burden. The 2012 Budget is the key and in addition to proposing positive strategies, they must also ensure a strict and successful execution. In fact, BN has been devoted to improving the economy over the past three years. Unfortunately, its stand is not firm enough. For example, the NEM requires a performance-based system to enhance competitiveness. But they have actually got back to the old quota system recently. It is one of the factors affecting the confidence of voters.
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| Rosmah at Altantuya murder 'implausible' Posted: 31 Aug 2011 05:24 PM PDT
(Malaysiakini) - The presence of Rosmah Mansor, wife of premier Najib Razak, at the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder appeared "implausible", according to a United States diplomat in a secret cable sent to Washington three years ago. The diplomatic cable was dispatched by the United States embassy in Kuala Lumpur two weeks after controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin pledged in a statutory declaration that Rosmah was at the scene of the October 2006 murder of the Mongolian woman.
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| ‘Strong potential for DAP in Dayak areas’ Posted: 31 Aug 2011 04:10 PM PDT
Fractured Sarawak Barisan Nasional lacks focus to aid poor Dayak community. (Free Malaysia Today) - Sarawak's geopolitical landscape has much to offer DAP if it is prepared to genuinely embrace Dayaks into its fold, said a branch-level party leader. Expressing his view at a recent Dayak Reawakening seminar held here, Leon Jimat Donald said if handled correctly, DAP, which gave the Pakatan Rakyat coalition 12 seats in the April 16 state elections, could win many more constituencies in the polls to come. He said this was considering the fact that there are 28 state and 15 parliamentary seats which are predominantly Dayaks. "If we analyze the current geopolitical landscape of Sarawak, there is a lot of room for the DAP to grow. "But we see the need for DAP to embrace the Dayaks into its fold," said Donald who is Simanggang branch chairman. He was presenting a paper entitled 'DAP as a Dayak political platform' at the seminar which was organised by the Dayak Consultative Council. Said Donald: "There are currently 28 state and 15 parliamentary seats with Dayak majorities. "These include six state Bidayuh seats, 18 Iban,and four Orang Ulu state seats. For parliamentary seats Bidayuh have three, Iban's have 10 and two Orang Ulu seats. "There are 14 state and six parliamentary seats which are Chinese majority, and there are four mixed seats in which no particular race constitutes a majority. "But unfortunately there are no mixed parliamentary seats. In total, there are 47 state and 21 parliamentary seats which the Pakatan Rakyat has every chance of winning," he said. Dayak support for DAP Donald pointed out that the opposition coalition needed to win 36 seats in the state assembly to form the state government. He noted in his paper that in the recent state election, the opposition had made giant strides in the political landscape. DAP had nearly wiped out Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP) in the urban areas. They had also won some seats in mixed areas much to their surprise. Together with PKR, the Pakatan coalition now have 15 seats in the Sarawak state assembly.
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| Karpal: Mat Sabu must retract remarks Posted: 31 Aug 2011 04:07 PM PDT
To arrest a worsening situation, Mat Sabu must apologise for his remark on Bukit Kepong incident. DAP national chairman Karpal Singh today called on PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, who is better known as Mat Sabu, to retract his ill-adviced remarks on the Bukit Kepong incident that happened on Feb 23, 1950. Karpal said if Mat Sabu retracts his remark immediately, then he can arrest the negative political implications on Pakatan Rakyat from getting worse. Speaking at a press conference in Air Itam, Karpal said Mat Sabu's remarks, in which the PAS leader allegedly hailed the communist attackers as 'independent heroes', can be "very damaging" to Pakatan political prospects, especially with the general election around the corner. He said Mat Sabu's alleged remarks were also insensitive to the families of the victims. "Mat Sabu should retract immediately and maybe explain his remarks. "He should do it to assuage the feelings of families of those who perished in the attack. "On whether he wants to apologise or not, I will leave it to his good senses," said Karpal, the Bukit Gelugor MP during his constituency visit. Mat Sabu erred "In Bukit Kepong, the police were British policemen. Those who attacked Bukit Kepong were the true freedom fighters. Their leader was Muhammad Indera." Karpal also noted that the historical attack on the police station happened some seven years before Malaya gained independence from the colonial British administration. In the attack, the station was razed to the ground and 13 policemen, six Home Guards, three women and a child were killed. After the emergency was declared in 1948, he said the communist was involved in an armed conflict with the British administration. As a result, he said the Emergency Regulations 1948 was enacted at the height of communist insurgency and, the security forces all came under the British. He said the police personnel and Home Guards manning the police station had every right to repel the attack. "Therefore the attack on the police station must be viewed in its proper context," said Karpal.
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| WikiLeaks says passkeys to unredacted cables leaked Posted: 31 Aug 2011 04:04 PM PDT
(AFP) - The anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks on Thursday accused a journalist with the Guardian of leaking the passwords to a trove of unredacted US diplomatic cables, charges denied by the British newspaper. "A Guardian journalist has, in a previously undetected act of gross negligence or malice, and in violation of a signed security agreement with the Guardian's editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger, disclosed top secret decryption passwords to the entire, unredacted, WikiLeaks Cablegate archive," it said. "We have already spoken to the (US) State Department and commenced pre-litigation action. We will issue a formal statement in due course," WikiLeaks added, in a statement posted on Twitter. The Guardian, one of a handful of newspapers that began publishing redacted cables last year, said WikiLeaks shared the documents through a secure server for a period of hours before taking the server offline and removing the files. "But unknown to anyone at the Guardian, the same file with the same password was republished later on BitTorrent, a network typically used to distribute films and music," the newspaper reported. The Guardian went on to deny, in an official statement, allegations that the password had been released through its book, "WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy," published in February. "It's nonsense to suggest the Guardian's WikiLeaks book has compromised security in any way," the Guardian said. "Our book about WikiLeaks was published last February. It contained a password, but no details of the location of the files, and we were told it was a temporary password which would expire and be deleted in a matter of hours. "It was a meaningless piece of information to anyone except the person(s) who created the database." The Guardian instead reported that a link to the full, unredacted database was published by an unnamed Twitter user who found it after acting on hints published in several media outlets and on WikiLeaks's Twitter feed. The security breach has led to the publication of the WikiLeaks archive of 251,000 diplomatic cables online, without redaction to protect sources who spoke to US diplomats on condition of anonymity, the Guardian said. Redacted cables released over the past nine months through agreements with the major newspapers and by WikiLeaks itself have revealed confidential diplomatic assessments and potentially embarrassing comments by world leaders. WikiLeaks has defended the release of the embassy cables -- as well as the previous release of leaked Iraq and Afghanistan war reports -- as the journalistic exposure of official deception. The United States, while refusing to confirm the authenticity of any of the documents, has accused WikiLeaks of putting individual lives and US national security at risk.
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| Dr Wan Azizah: Nation still politically, economically oppressed Posted: 30 Aug 2011 04:15 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail today urged Malaysians to give meaning to what she called "total" independence by seeking freedom from political, economic, moral and social oppression.
In her National Day message, the opposition leader said that the country may have been freed from colonial British rule in 1957, but its people remained oppressed economically while its top leaders spent the nation's money on personal interests. "Independence does not necessarily translate as just freedom from colonial oppression. In fact, it covers all aspects of life, politics, economy, moral and society," she said. "Every day, we seem fated to 'sacrifice' and change our lifestyles to survive. But millions of ringgit are being spent without thinking of the impact on the rakyat," she added. The former Permatang Pauh MP called for the country to prepare an economic infrastructure that would allow the nation's wealth to be shared without racial and religious limits, adding that such a plan would form the basis for "openness" that will pave the way forward, especially for the younger generation who stand to govern the country one day. As a reminder, Dr Wan Azizah said her party sought to free the rakyat from economic pressures, to gain freedom in understanding and beliefs, to give the younger generation room to develop character and morals, and to ensure the burdens of education loans to undergraduates are managed well so that academic excellence can go on to restore the nation's pride and dignity. "Let us give true meaning to independence by freeing ourselves from the grip of oppression to build a peaceful and harmonious nation among all races," she said. |
| Baram Dam: Lying govt and big companies Posted: 30 Aug 2011 04:09 PM PDT By Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: The deceitful and insidious manner by which the state government is going about with the construction of the Baram Dam has angered the Orang Ulu communities in the dam project vicinity. Orang Ulu National Association Miri (OUNA) chairman Pete Kallang said: "As one of those affected I just can't understand this injustice and this outrageous and abusive exploitation. "Why, it could be seen as an act in complete disregard for our well-being and opinion. "This could be proven by the priority given to the preparatory construction activities done even before the proper Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are completed or perhaps not even started and made accessible to affected and interested parties. "In doing this, it seems the construction of the dam is to be implemented whatever the findings or recommendations that would eventually be available if and when the EIA or SIA is done," he said. Kallang added that during a recent meeting with the affected locals, he was shocked to hear the headman saying that the government would not build the dam. "The reaction by this particular headman reflects the effectiveness of the discreet process practised in building the dam. "The dam construction is one dark secret kept away from those living in Baram. "If it is occasionally mentioned by the proponents, the subject would be down-played, and watered-down with downright euphemism. Civilization under threat "We learned from newspaper reports and information dripping from the project supporters speaks of an affected area covering 38,900 hectares (389 sq km) or half of the size of Singapore island. "It will be constructed of around 180 meters above sea level and will generate 1,200 MW of electrical power. "At least 90% of the land mass which will be flooded by the dam reservoir will be the Native Customary Rights (NCR) land. "Relocation of the 20,000 people to make way for the Baram Dam will definitely result in a permanent social damage. He said the Kenyah and Kayan people traditionally live in longhouses and mass relocation of the people will no doubt spell the end of the traditional social structure. According to Kallang the construction of the dam is a 'senseless' exploitation of resources "which is primarily driven by avarice coupled with immorality'. "But for us who are directly and adversely affected parties, no one can blame us in thinking that this is a calculated, intentional and purposeful manoeuvre to wipe out our races. "The dam will not only cause the colossal environmental devastation and severe consequences on the ecosystem, but it will also rage a permanent degeneration of the ethnic identity and heritage of the natives who live in the region. Only big companies benefit "These are also the same majority groups of people who are most affected by the Bakun Dam which has just been commissioned.
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| Australian High Court rules against refugee swap deal with M'sia Posted: 30 Aug 2011 03:21 PM PDT (AP/Bernama) - Australia's highest court has ruled that Australia cannot send asylum seekers to Malaysia as part of a new refugee swap deal. The High Court reached a 5-2 majority decision on Wednesday to make permanent an injunction that has stood since Aug 8 and prevented Australia transferring 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia in return for Malaysia sending 4,000 registered refugees for resettlement. The decision is a blow to Prime Minister Julia Gillard's government, which struck the deal with Malaysia to deter thousands of asylum seekers from Middle Eastern and Asian countries from attempting to reach Australia by boat. The court said in a statement that Malaysia has not signed the U.N. Refugee Convention and the deal with Australia did not legally bind Malaysia to recognise the status of refugees under its domestic law. It also said Immigration Minister Chris Bowen had no legal power to remove from Australia asylum seekers whose refugee claims have not yet been determined. The case was brought to the court by 41 asylum-seekers who had appealed against their forced transfer to Kuala Lumpur from Christmas Island, "The Australian" newspaper said. They were to be the first group of asylum-seekers to be moved to Malaysia after the government's formal signing in July of the deal to send 800 boat people to Malaysia, in return for 4,000 confirmed refugees. If the Australian government now abandons the refugee swap deal, it will still be bound under the deal to accept the 4,000 refugees from Malaysia, while being unable to send 800 asylum-seekers there for processing.
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| Smuggled ivory tusks worth 1.6 million dollars found in Hong Kong Posted: 30 Aug 2011 02:14 PM PDT By MonstersandCritics.com Hong Kong - Customs officers in Hong Kong said Tuesday they had seized 794 African elephant tusks worth an estimated 1.6 million US dollars smuggled in a ship container from Malaysia. The tusks weighing 1,898 kilograms were found hidden beneath stones in a consignment declared as non-ferrous products for factory use, the city's customs department said in a statement. The illegal shipment was seized Monday by customs officers acting on intelligence and a 66-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the find, according to the statement. Trading in endangered species carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine of 640,000 US dollars under Hong Kong law. Smuggling undeclared goods carried a jail term of up to seven years. |
| Cable: Hisham blamed MCA for not containing Umno fallout Posted: 30 Aug 2011 01:00 PM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had suggested in 2007 that MCA was at fault for being too weak to manage the reaction of non-Malays to the racially-charged rhetoric of the 2006 Umno general assembly. Hishammuddin — who was the Umno Youth chief then — had told diplomats from the United States that Umno's race rhetoric was necessary to vent the frustrations of the Malays, according to a leaked US cable released on Malaysia Today. According to the diplomatic note sent to Washington, Hishammuddin had also told the US ambassador here that Washington should expect similar anti-US rhetoric occasionally, but that those on the receiving end of these attacks should not fear as the government would not allow it to get out of hand. "The country's 'racial splits are now more pronounced,' and Malays still do not feel on par with other races. The Malay youth became overly emotional regarding matters of race and religion, and needed to 'release pressure,' as they did during the November 2006 Umno General Assembly (which featured heated racial rhetoric that was broadcast on national television). "Naturally, there would be a reaction to such venting. In the case of the Umno general assembly, it was a shame, Hishammuddin added, that the MCA had not been strong enough to manage the reaction," said the cable leaked by whistleblower site WikiLeaks and published today on the Malaysia Today news portal. According to the wire that appears to have been written by then ambassador Christopher Lafleur in early 2007, Hishammuddin argued that other parties in Barisan Nasional (BN) needed to understand the emotional background behind Malay frustration and look beyond the heated words. "The Malay relationship with the US featured 'the same dynamic,' and from time to time the US would be the object of emotional public criticism. "'This will never get out of hand, the government will not allow it,' Hishammuddin assured the ambassador, but the US would need to adopt a long-term view similar to that of Umno's national coalition partners," Lafleur wrote.
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| Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:57 PM PDT
By Charles Santiago, FMT As the nation marches towards its 54th Merdeka celebrations, the Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition government continues to lead the nation with no accountability. Not even a semblance of it lurking in the shadows. Umno's leadership has failed the people making it unlikely that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's bruises would disappear anytime soon. Najib's self-styled unity slogan, 1Malaysia, and public claims of a united nation only go to show the premier's disconnect from ground reality. What is worse is that the simmering racial and religious tension in the country is carefully engineered by Najib & Co. In Malaysia, stirring racial and religious sentiments have become fashionable ways of ensuring the ruling elite's continued hold on power. Playing up issues of apostasy, indulging in smear campaigns against opposition politicians, openly playing double standards, using the police to instil a climate of fear among the people, engaging in backdoor deals to win the next election are some of the crucial issues gripping the nation. But just like over the years, we see the government preparing an ambiance of pomp and glamour to usher in the country's 54th year of independence from British rule. Najib has even thought out a costume and colour theme for the celebrations. It is delusions to believe that a fusion of dances and colourful parade would make brewing discontent on the ground go away. Najib must know, by now, that this is no child's play. Getting out of control In reality, we have seen some leaders promising bloodshed over unverified allegations of proselytisation by some churches. These vile-mouthed villains have no qualms reading out statements which stoke racial sentiments outside police stations. While the government acts with lightning speed to nab opposition politicians and human rights activists for alleged illegal gathering, they ignore the ramblings of these political leaders. Government-owned print and electronic media are given a free hand to further fan racial flames in the country. Opposition newspapers and alternative media have to resort to self-censorship or have their publishing licenses revoked. The online media are constantly harassed for writing the truth. Government channel, RTM1, has falsely linked myself and my colleagues Ean Yong Hin, Boo Cheng Hau, Tan Kok Wai, and Parti Sosialis Malaysia's Dr Nasir Hashim to a Facebook group called the "Murtads in Malaysia and Singapore". Checks with my Facebook friends have shown that many were added to the group as the administrator of these groups do not need permission before doing so. But the irresponsible reporting by the television station caricatures the extent of dirty politics in the country. Government leaders certainly know stirring racial sentiments could get out of control. The nation had borne witness to the riots of 1969 and 2001. But potentially damning issues are fashioned by Umno leaders to frighten the Malays and bring them back to the party fold. Blatant cover-ups The government's only concern is about winning the four states ruled by the opposition and ensuring two-thirds majority in Parliament. In order to see that materialize, government's leaders are injecting venom into our political veins without caring two hoots about the consequences of their actions. Playing up racial sensitivities is not their only devious plan. It is also registering permanent residence (PR) holders and illegal immigrants to shore up its voter bank. The Election Commission is nonchalant about revamping the electoral system and is aligned with the government, raising questions about the integrity of the electoral body. Although the EC and government are waltzing together, locked in each others' arms, the people are getting fed-up with decades of abuses which are ingrained in the electoral system. Their dissatisfaction was candidly marked when tens of thousands of people defied police orders and rallied on the streets, despite the presence of stern-looking cops and baton-wielding anti-riot policemen, to call for free and fair elections on July 9.
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| Six shortlisted for RM1.5bil school Internet contract Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:46 PM PDT By B K Sidhu, The Star PETALING JAYA: Six companies are in the running for the RM1.5bil five-year contract to provide Internet access and a virtual learning module (VLM) platform for the 9,924 schools in the country under the 1Bestarinet project, sources said. The six are said to be Celcom Axiata Bhd, Jaring Communications, Maxis Bhd, YTL Communications, Multimedia Synergy Corp and both Telekom Malaysia Bhd/Time dotCom Bhd, which submitted a joint bid. The access job comes with an option to extend the contract period for another five plus five years, totalling 15 years, and this would include installation, maintenance and provision of a VLM. Though the Government is looking at RM4.5bil as the absolute sum for the 15-year contract, those in the know claim the bids received thus far ranged from RM2bil to RM6bil. At RM4.5bil, it works out to RM1.5bil for every 5 years or RM300mil for each year. A decision on the winner is expected sometime in the middle of next month, sources said, adding that the Government should insist on proof of concept before deployment to avoid issues and problems arising later. The plan is to roll out access to at least 7,000 schools by Jan 1, 2012. The poser now is which company should win the 15-year contract. "Even before 1Bestarinet came about, some of the parties vying for the contract have been lobbying for it. Whatever the decision, it should be based on merits and the focus should be on deliverables as we cannot afford a repeat of the Schoolnet episode. Choose those that can deliver, those that have the financial muscle, the capacity and capabilities and not those that compromise on quality for profits," said a source. "The last thing we want is our future generation being deprived of basic Internet access because of some companies which can't have enough profits from the project and the Government is committed because the contract would be binding for 15 years,'' added the source. IBestarinet came about as a result of the Pemandu national key economic area lab series as there is a need to provide Internet access to all schools in the country since the earlier project to wire up schools, Schoolnet, did not meet the objectives set. To recap, Schoolnet was born in 2004 to wire up schools using wireless or fibre technology but it had major constraints and did not live up to expectations in terms of speed and capacity, and also due to lack of specifications and integration. Hence, in May this year, the Education Ministry called for a tender bid for the wiring up of all schools under the 1Bestarinet project and in the tender's posting it was clearly stipulated that the tender was open to all local companies with preference given to bumiputra tender bids registered with the Finance Ministry under some codes stipulated. This tender bid which opened on May 5 saw over 80 companies collecting the tender documents. At its closing on May 31, it is said that only 19 companies submitted their bids. The six shortlisted are from the 19 that submitted bids. Given its past experiences with Schoolnet, the ministry had spelt out certain conditions for 1Bestarinet. It wants the future network to be scalable to cater for growth and to evolve with technological evolution. It should have a VLM which will allow teachers and students, among others, to have a platform to write plans and share ideas. The Internet speed has to be constant and cannot be based on "best effort.'' For urban areas, the access speed is 2Mbps to 10Mbps, and for rural and remote schools 1Mbps to 4Mbps. All sorts of technologies can be used, be it fibre or wireless technologies including Vsat, wireless, WiFi, but the link to the school should be via fibre. "The Education Ministry will also have an inbuilt checking mechanism to ensure that the vendor delivers as per specifications,'' said a source. |
| Three firms shortlisted for nuclear power PR campaign Posted: 30 Aug 2011 11:45 AM PDT
By Melissa Chi, The Malaysian Insider The government is searching for a public relations agency to help build public support for nuclear power, as part of a plan to make the country ready for an alternative energy source by 2013. The Holmes Report, a New York-based publication that serves the public relations community, reported this week that the Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation (MNPC), a government body formed in January to spearhead the deployment of nuclear energy, is understood to have shortlisted three firms for the sensitive project. "It is understood that a formal pitch is yet to take place. A source involved in the process said that fees had not been confirmed, but were expected to be in the seven-figure range," the report said. The invitation for an international public relations effort to boost support for nuclear energy could spark controversy after the recent row over reports that Putrajaya paid RM58 million to FBC Media to burnish its international image on various international broadcast channels. British media regulator Office of Communications (Ofcom) is probing programmes made by FBC Media for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) It is understood Putrajaya has now ended its contract with FBC Media after an exposé revealed Malaysian leaders routinely appeared in paid-for interviews on global television programmes on CNBC. The Malaysian Insider understands that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) terminated FBC Media's contract earlier this month, just months after another public relations firm, APCO Worldwide from the United States, met an ignominious end for alleged links to Israel. Global broadcasters, including CNN and CNBC, have been scrambling to contain any potential fallout after allegations of impropriety surfaced following the exposé by whistleblower Sarawak Report. The latest plans to launch a publicity campaign for nuclear power also comes in the midst of public concern about nuclear safety, spurred by the ongoing crisis at the nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan. According to briefing notes obtained by the Holmes Report, public relations counsel is being sought to ensure that stakeholders are able to make an informed decision about the proposed plan by that date. "The bottomline: Malaysia has to be nuclear-ready and get [the] mandate of the public by 2013, when the government will make the final decision and reveal the site," reads the brief, according to the report. The Holmes Report also said boosting public support for nuclear power to above 50 per cent is a priority, along with managing concerns and issues.
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| Muhyiddin rubbishes Anwar’s claim of voter swing to Pakatan Posted: 29 Aug 2011 09:41 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin poured cold water on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's claim today that the prime minister's sliding popularity based on a recent poll signified a voter shift to Pakatan Rakyat (PR). He also played down the survey from independent pollster Merdeka Center, saying the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government did not take the survey results as "too serious" because the findings depended largely on its sample size. Merdeka Center yesterday released the results of its survey, which showed a six-point dip in the approval rating of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak; from 65 per cent in May to 59 per cent. PKR adviser Anwar appeared delighted with the latest rating, saying the indicated drop in support for Najib showed voters were moving towards the opposition PR pact. "That's not necessarily true," Muhyiddin said, responding to Anwar's remark made earlier today at the Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house of Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. Muhyiddin, who is BN deputy president, was quick to highlight that his political rival had his own situation to deal with, though he did not elaborate. The vocal Anwar, however, appears to have been distracted in the past few months and has been keeping a much lower profile as he turns his attention to his ongoing Sodomy II trial, which is to resume on September 19. "I think Datuk Seri Anwar has also got his own situation," Muhyiddin said at Najib's open house here on the first day of the Muslim holiday. "What's important is not the survey, but what we do from now on."
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| Malaysia should change PMs like Japan, says Zaid Posted: 29 Aug 2011 09:38 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Kita president Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has suggested Malaysians try changing prime ministers, even as Malaysia faces slower growth prospects next year. Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda was confirmed today as the country's sixth prime minister in five years after he outmanoeuvred rivals at an internal party ballot yesterday. "Japan still an economic power. Despite changing PM every year. We should try it here," Zaid, the former de facto law minister, said in a tongue-in-cheek post on micro-blogging site Twitter. This comes after a Merdeka Center poll released yesterday showed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's approval rating has fallen to 59 per cent after steadily sliding from a high of 72 per cent in May last year. Najib, who came to power in 2009 with a low 34 per cent approval rating, is under pressure to reign in a ballooning budget deficit by slashing subsidies while trying to keep cost of living increases in check. Rising inflation, which hit a two-year high of 3.5 per cent in July, was cited as the number one worry by 30.3 per cent of those polled by the Merdeka Centre earlier this month.
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| Decide if Mat Sabu is an Islamist or communist, Guan Eng tells critics Posted: 29 Aug 2011 09:35 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Lim Guan Eng has challenged critics of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) colleague Mohamad Sabu to make up their minds over whether the PAS deputy president is an Islamic extremist or a communist. The DAP secretary-general said that he had been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in 1987 during the Operation Lalang clampdown along with Mohamad, who was then accused of being an Islamic fundamentalist. "Now, they are saying he is supporting communism. Is there any credibility to these accusations?" he told reporters at the prime minister's Hari Raya open house today. On Satuday, Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia quoted Mohamad as saying that the communists who attacked the Bukit Kepong police station during the pre-Independence communist insurgency were heroes. The newspaper accused him of disparaging the country's armed forces and expressing support for communists but Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu, has since denied the report and accused the Malay-language daily of fabricating the quote.
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| Dr M says PAS reveres communists Posted: 29 Aug 2011 09:31 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has accused PAS of idolising communists and disparaging the founding fathers of Malaysia and Umno. The influential former prime minister told reporters today that recent comments by PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu "is part of efforts to disparage leaders of old maybe because they are related to Umno and to idolise communists." "I did not expect this to happen but unfortunately the ones who are pushing this trend is PAS. This trend has continued up to the point where they are idolising communists who killed so many of our security personnel," he said at the prime minister's Hari Raya open house. Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister said that "there is no reason to say that communists fought for independence. They fought for independence only so they can takeover the country and turn it into a communist country." "This is not a fight for independence. The ones who fought for independence are Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abduk Razak and others who ensured we are free from the claws of the colonists," he added, referring to Malaysia's first two prime ministers. He also claimed that "children in schools have been taught that Tunku Abdul Rahman is a traitor to the nation." Although Dr Mahathir has not always seen eye-to-eye with Malaysia's first prime minister, both have been strident opposers of the communist movement in the country. On Satuday, Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia quoted Mohamad as saying that the communists who attacked the Bukit Kepong police station during the pre-Independence communist insurgency were heroes.
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| Malaysian PM takes a beating over reforms, inflation Posted: 29 Aug 2011 04:05 PM PDT Carolyn Hong, The Straits Times Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's approval rating has dipped below 60 per cent, the lowest in a year, as he faces a public restless with the slow pace of reform and struggling with rising inflation. The survey released yesterday by the independent Merdeka Centre said 59 per cent of those polled said they were satisfied with PM Najib's performance, down from 65 per cent in the last poll in May. The centre's director, Mr Ibrahim Suffian, described this as a 'significantly reduced' approval rating. Mr Ibrahim said the drop was due to increased concerns over the rising cost of living, as ordinary Malaysians begin to feel the rise in fuel and electricity prices. Datuk Seri Najib's office did not respond to a request for comment. The survey, which polled 1,027 Malaysians around Peninsular Malaysia this month, was conducted about a month after a Bersih rally where tens of thousands defied police orders and marched in the streets to demand electoral reforms. Other recent controversies included a raid by the Islamic authorities on a church in Petaling Jaya, on suspicion that Muslims were being converted; opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's ongoing sodomy trial; and claims of discrepancies in the voter roll. In the survey, only 38 per cent of Chinese Malaysians said they were satisfied with Mr Najib's performance, compared with 69 per cent of Malays and Indians. "A major part of the perception was shaped by how people feel the economy is performing, but at the same time, unending controversies such as the Christian issues, and poor handling of the Bersih and election reform issues appear to give the public a negative impression about how the government and leaders handle problems," Mr Ibrahim said. Bersih, which means "clean" in Malay, is a civil society movement pushing for electoral reforms. Mr Ibrahim said Malaysians may also see Mr Najib's attempts to stay above the political fray as an inability to address problems or to control his team members. When Mr Najib took office in April 2009, he had an approval rating of just 44 per cent. That was higher than the 34 per cent among those polled a month before on whether they thought he would make a good prime minister. Thanks to his attempts to bring about economic and government reforms, his approval rating climbed steadily over the next year, reaching 72 per cent in May last year. Since then, his rating has dropped, after he appeared to backpedal on some of his promises, particularly on rolling back pro-Malay policies. The six percentage point dip this time came even after Mr Najib made extensive efforts to engage directly with different groups of Malaysians. Since he became PM, he has gone on numerous walkabouts in various parts of the country, and has personally made pledges to reform the government and economy. The falling numbers are significant because he is expected to call a general election within the next year. The survey also found that the percentage of respondents who felt that Malaysia was headed in the right direction had fallen to 51 per cent this month from 54 per cent in May. Respondents said their top concern remained the economy, followed by social problems and political matters. The Chinese remain the most pessimistic with only 31 per cent agreeing that the country was headed in the right direction, compared to 39 per cent of the Indians and 64 per cent of the Malays. The respondents were also asked about the Bersih rally last month, when police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters, and arrested over 1,000 people. Almost half the respondents said they were dissatisfied with the way the government handled the Bersih rally, while the vast majority agreed with Bersih's proposals for reforms. These proposals include the use of indelible ink, allowing foreign election observers, greater access for the opposition to the media, and cleaning up the electoral rolls.
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| Guan Eng advises Pakatan members to ‘zip it’ after row Posted: 29 Aug 2011 03:39 PM PDT (The Star) - Penang DAP committee member Zulkifli Mohd Noor, who has suggested that PKR make way in several seats at the next general election, has been told to refrain from making any further comments by his party boss. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who is also Chief Minister, called this an "advice" while party chairman Karpal Singh has described Zulkifli's statement as "unwarranted". Lim said all Pakatan Rakyat members in the state should stop making statements in the press against each other, adding that problems should be discussed and resolved internally. He was asked to comment on statements made by Zulkifli and Penang PKR information chief Johari Kassim. Zulkifli had suggested that PKR make way for DAP in at least one parliamentary seat and five state seats in Penang for Malay DAP candidates to contest in the next general election. Johari responded by saying Zulkifli should not make unwise suggestions since he is a senior party member.
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| Two police reports lodged against Mohamad Sabu latest! Posted: 29 Aug 2011 02:47 AM PDT (Borneo Post) - Former Police Association of Malaysia (PBPM) Keningau branch and Labuan Umno yesterday made police reports against PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu for insulting the national fighters. Chairman of the association, former sub-inspector Anggi Kathil, said the association viewed the statement as very serious. Mat Sabu, when giving a ceramah in Tasek Gelugor, Penang on August 21, considered terrorists from the Fourth Company Force of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) which attacked and killed members of the security force and their families in Bukit Kepong as the real heroes. The PAS leader also considered Muhammad Indera, the Malay man who conspired with Goh Peng Tun and 200 communists personnel as a hero, not the 25 police personnel and their families who defended themselves in the attack at the police station. In his ceremah, Mat Sabu also claimed that Dato Onn Jaafar and Tunku Abdul Rahman were not eligible to be considered as independence fighter and pledged to revise the history of independence if the opposition seized Putrajaya as he claimed the history written today do not show the actual facts. Meanwhile, Anggi representing state PBPM president Haji Abdul Rahman Teo when making the police report, said members of the association protested against Mat Sabu's statement which claimed that the communists were the heroes of this country and police who died in the incident as otherwise. He said the statement clearly deviated from historical facts. "The state and branch associations assume the ceramah was to instigate people to hate the police and security forces in the country, in addition to underestimating police efforts to protect the security of this country and its people," he said. He said the association viewed this matter very seriously and urged the authorities concerned to take serious action in order not to make the policemen who served and died in their service to defend the sovereignty of this country to become the scorn of society. "PBPM Sabah and Keningau are asking the authorities concerned to take action against Mat Sabu in accordance with the provisions of the existing laws of this country," he said. In Labuan, Labuan Umno acting chief Senator Datuk Yunus Kurus who led party members to lodge the report at the police station, said Umno members were disappointed over Mat Sabu's statement and urged the government to take stern action against him. "His statement (Mat Sabu) is the highest insult to the country's patriots and fighters by twisting historical facts for their cheap political mileage," he said. He added that Labuan Umno would give their full support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Defence Minister Datuk Zahid Hamidi and Home Minister Datuk Hishammuddin Tun Hussin in defending this country's sovereignty. Also present at the police station were Labuan Umno vice president Bashir Alias, secretary Rozman Datuk Isli and Women chief Aini Safar.
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It also said that the continued public attention to such allegations also could damage Najib's chances, who was then deputy prime minister, of replacing Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the country's new leader. 
Raja Petra was eventually charged with defaming Rosmah, Norhayati and Abdul Aziz on July 17, 2008. 
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