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• MCA challenges Opposition leaders to justify show-cause order issued to school
• MCA heading for irrelevance, says Tee Keat
• No deal with PAS
• WIKILEAKS: SURFING IN SINGAPORE'S WAKE: MALAYSIA'S ISKANDAR DEVELOPMENT REGION
• ISA repeal in March, says Najib
• Pakatan and hudud: A consensus that wasn’t
• Anwar: Pakatan will not implement hudud law
• PAS raises hudud issue as political ploy: Muhyiddin
• PAS invites Umno, muftis to hudud forum
• DPM: Umno's election candidates will be chosen based on popularity
• Perangsang Selangor sasar 1,500 siswazah berniaga
• Corporate Welfarism and the Munafikation of Malays
• Pendirian rasmi PAS mengenai hudud
• When the word TOO is hidden
• Cease the hudud debate, says Bar Council
• Report: MIC still in ‘critical’ condition
• Muhyiddin: Bahasa for science and maths stays
• PAS: ‘Yang halang laksana hudud Umno, bukan DAP’
• Guan Eng apologises to Johor Sultan
• Voters want new Umno candidates for polls, says Muhyiddin
• "Malaysian Insider" apologizes to Tajudin Ramli over article
• Pakatan, too, must come clean on ‘covert funds’
• PM: Govt Treats All Schools Equally
• Soi Lek should not be BN candidate because of sex scandal, says Tee Keat
• Government mulls web portal for policy feedback
• Australia’s Kevin Rudd alerts Attorney General over Taib family activities
• Any DPP can charge A-G, says Mat Zain
• Asia stocks fall in worst month since Oct 2008
• Hisham defends meeting with Perkasa
• TRANSFORMING THE ISA: Old Poison in New Bottles
• Malays must earn respect with 21st century mindset, says PM
• Selangor Umno warned against arrogance
• Maximum 40pc pay rise as Putrajaya reverts to single-tier civil service
• WIKILEAKS: BRUNEI-MALAYSIA OFFSHORE OIL DISPUTE – RESOLUTION NEARING?
• Sekali lagi Haris Ibrahim dilarang masuk ke Sarawak
• How spin-doctoring works
• Where We Are Right Now
• Perkasa wants Sime Darby to drop E&O share buy
• Military training for media covering war, disasters
• Hacked off: Assange moans about unofficial ‘autobiography’
• Babyrina and four witnesses
• Is Petronas Dr M’s next target?
• ‘Name the 1,000 companies’
• Stocks, commodities fall on euro crisis fears
• The hudud hubbub
• The lazy country
• Because of NFA
• Stupid law, stupid results part II
• Yo, Yo. Check it out. He's Namewee!
• Celebrating Malaya being Conquered

MCA challenges Opposition leaders to justify show-cause order issued to school Posted: 30 Sep 2011 08:50 AM PDT (The Star) - MCA Youth has challenged Pakatan Rakyat leaders to justify a show-cause letter issued by the Pasir Puteh Land and District Office (PTJPP) in Kelantan to a Chinese school for celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival. MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the movement was angry that a festival, which is part of the Chinese community's culture, could be interpreted as "entertainment". "I want Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng to answer if what they are doing is fair to the Chinese community. "Since when is celebrating the lantern festival a crime under the entertainment enactment? "Is this what they mean when they claim respect for different cultures?" he asked during a press conference after the MCA Youth central committee meeting at Wisma MCA yesterday. Dr Wee, who is also Deputy Education Minister, showed a letter to the press from PTJPP, dated Sept 18, to SJK(C) Kai Chih in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan, informing the headmaster that it had held an entertainment event Sept 15 from 8pm to 11.30pm at the school's premises without obtaining a licence or approval. "In relation to that, the organiser can be punished if found guilty of violating Section 6 (2) of the Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Enactment 1998, which carries a maximum fine of RM20,000 or a five-year jail term, or both," Dr Wee quoted while reading out the letter. Dr Wee questioned whether PAS is sensitive to the beliefs and culture of the community. "If they were celebrating the festival, it should not be an issue. We consider this a violation of the rights of non-Muslims, especially the Chinese," he said. Meanwhile, Dr Wee defended the video clip Undilah and said he did not regard it as controversial despite Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim saying it offended certain segments of society. "We do not regard the message of the video as sparking a Reformasi and it does not contain any hidden message to bring down the Government," he said.

MCA heading for irrelevance, says Tee Keat Posted: 30 Sep 2011 08:34 AM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - The MCA is on the path to irrelevance, its former president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said this week ahead of the party's annual gathering this weekend. He told The Malaysian Insider in an interview that the Barisan Nasional (BN) component has not heeded the push for reform that saw the party lose 25 of the 40 federal and 59 of the 90 state seats it contested in Election 2008. "MCA is still stuck in the mindset of being gung-ho with statements instead of delivering good governance. It is parroting old polemic rather than delivering reforms asked for by voters. "If MCA continues on this same old path and psyche, then it is certainly headed for irrelevance. Some have bluntly said we are already irrelevant," said Ong, who was deposed as MCA boss by Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek in a fractious power struggle 18 months ago. The Pandan MP cited, as examples of "empty platitudes," his successor's threats to quit BN if Umno implemented hudud and to resign from the Cabinet and other government posts if the party does not improve in a general election expected soon. "I don't see how his threats can lift the party from its doldrums," he said. The party holds what is likely to be its final general assembly this weekend before federal polls are called. But despite having three presidents in as many years, the MCA has seen Chinese support continue to shrink in by-elections. Some analyses state that the Tenang polls held earlier this year saw just 18 per cent of Chinese voting for BN. Datuk Seri Najib Razak has begun taking over the charge for Chinese votes, spending last weekend dishing out RM15 million to Chinese schools and exempting a Community Chest project headed by Chinese tycoons from tax to help it channel RM100 million a year into vernacular education. "Najib as BN chief is spearheading initiatives to win Chinese votes, triggering the question of 'where is MCA?' from the public," Ong said. He said the MCA could not shirk its responsibility as part of government despite Umno's seniority in the ruling coalition. "How are they justifying their position as minister? Chinese want a level playing field. Ministers must get rid of cronies and monopolies," he said. Ong cited his 26-month tenure as transport minister where he opened the probe on the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone scandal even though senior officers told him it was a closed case. "I put aside considerations of whether or not it would implicate Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik or Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy," he said of the former MCA president and deputy who were Ong's predecessors as transport minister. "I was more concerned about how the party had been linked to that debacle which was a key factor in the March 2008 tsunami," he added, referring to the BN's landmark loss of its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament and five state governments. READ MORE HERE

No deal with PAS Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:14 AM PDT Unless PAS is prepared to abandon its raison d'etre of wanting to establish an Islamic federal administration in the country, I cannot foresee a truely feasible, viable and dynamic administration at Putrajaya if the Pakatan Rakyat manages to oust the Barisan Nasional from power. To say otherwise is to conceal the truth.  Thomas Lee Seng Hock That PAS is insistent on its Islamic state agenda should not surprise anyone, since the very fundamental reason it was set up way back in the 1950s was to work for the creation of a government administration based on the spiritual, doctrinal, theological, moral and ethical precepts of Islam. What should really surprise us is the fact that the party has apparently soften its previously preceived uncompromising adherence to a firm policy without the readily perceived prudence for the feelings and sensitivities of the non-Muslim citizens of the multi-racial, multi-religious, and multi-cultural nation. This is obvious from the fact that it is seen as even prepared to readjust its foundational ideological stance of wanting a full-fledged Islamic governing state to adopt a seemingly watered-down welfare state administration. The new direction, albeit considered a pragmatic political conveniency by many people, was approved and adopted its national general assembly earlier in 2011. But the so-called new political pragmatism of PAS is, for all intent and purpose, a mere illusion. The current controversy over the party's declaration of wanting to implement Islamic rule in the states it controls, i.e. Kelantan and Kedah, with the accompanying proposed imposition of hudud judicious practices, is something inevitable and unavoidable, given the basic nature and character of the Islamic party. Sooner or later, the theoretical and practical considerations of this Islamic agenda must be objectively and honestly dealt with by the component parties of the multi-idelogical alternative coalition Pakatan Rakyat. As the Cantonese saying "Jee um pow tak chi for" ("paper cannot be used to wrap around fire"), so the PAS Islamic idealism and focus will eventually shatter the pretentious peaceful co-existence among the the three Pakatan Rakyat components of the DAP, PKR and PAS. Being an Islamic party, PAS certainly has a duty to strive for an idealogical political state based on the basic foundation for the religious, political, economical, social, and cultural system that is practised in all Islamic countries which impose the Islamic rule and law. An Islamic state is essentailly an ideological state, based on the concern for submission (the word being the meaning of Islam) and faithfulness to the seedbeds of the Islamic faith -- the Quran and Sunna. Muslims all over the world are clamouring to establish Islamic rule in their communities, to give Allah his rightful place as the Soverign Ruler in their lives and societies. In an Islamic state, the ultimate sovereignty and authority belong to Allah as the Lord of the whole Universe. For the Muslims, Islam is not just a religion per se, but a complete way of life covering every aspect of life, lifestyle, and thoughts. Hence, it is understandable that those in PAS, in seeking to create and promote an Islamic state in Malaysia, are basically being true and honest to being part of the faithful and the submitted of the global Umma, the universal community of all Allah followers and worshippers.  Syed Abul A'ala Mawdudi, a Pakistani Sunni journalist, theologian, and political philosopher, and a major 20th century Islamist thinker, summarizes the basic differences between Islamic and secular states as follows: (1) An Islamic state is an ideological state, whose people are divided into Muslims, who believe in its ideology, and non-Muslims who do not believe.   (2) Responsibility for the policy and administration of an Islamic state rests primarily with Muslims. Non-Muslims cannot undertake or be entrusted with the responsibility of policy-making. (3) In an Islamic state, there is a marked distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims, but the Islamic Shari`a law guarantees certain specifically stated rights to the non-Muslims, beyond which they are not permitted to meddle in the affairs of the state. However, if they embrace the Islamic faith, they are made equal participants in all matters concerning the state and the government.   Mawdudi's view represents that of the Hanifites, one of the four Islamic schools of jurisprudence. The other three schools are the Malikites, the Hanbilites (the strictest and most fundamentalist of all), and the Shafi`ites. All four schools agree doctrinally and dogmatically on the basic creeds of Islam but differ in their interpretations of Islamic law which is derived from four sources: (a) The Qur'an (b) The Hadith: The collections of Islamic traditions, including sayings and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad as heard and recorded by his contemporaries. (c) The Al-Qiyas: The legal decision drawn by Muslim jurists based on precedent cases. (d) The Ijma' (consensus): The interpretations of Islamic laws handed down by the consensus of reputed Muslim scholars. Textual laws prescribed in the Qur'an are few. The door is left wide open for prominent scholars versed in the Qur'an, the Hadith, and other Islamic discipline to present their Fatwa (legal opinion and pronouncement). In an Islamic state, the political head of the state must inevitably be a Muslim, because he is bound by the Shari`a to conduct and administer the state in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunna. The function of his Cabinet is to assist him in implementing the Islamic principles and adhering to them. Anyone who does not embrace the Islamic faith and ideology cannot be the head of state or a member of the Cabinet. If Malaysia is an Islamic state, Lim Guan Eng would not be qualified to be the Chief Minister of Penang, and there will not be non-Muslims serving as Ministers and Deputy Ministers in the Federal Government. This is the case even in the civil service, whose heads and top officials must be Muslims. But Mawdudi, apparently conscious and aware of the circumstance of the modern world, seems to be more tolerant toward the non-Muslims. Hence, he said: "In regard to a parliament or a legislature of the modern type which is considerably different from the advisory council in its traditional sense, this rule could be relaxed to allow non-Muslims to be members provided that it has been fully ensured in the constitution that no law which is repugnant to the Qur'an and the Sunna should be enacted, that the Qur'an and the Sunna should be the chief source of public law, and that the head of the state should necessarily be a Muslim." According to Mawdudi, under these circumstances, the sphere of influence of non-Muslim minorities would be limited to matters relating to general problems of the country or to the interest of the minorities, and their participation should not damage the fundamental requirement of Islam. Mawdudi's view does not receive the approval of most other schools of the Shari`a which hold that non-Muslims are not allowed to assume any position which might bestow on them any authority over any Muslim. A position of sovereignty demands the implementation of Islamic ideology. It is alleged that a non-Muslim (regardless of his ability, sincerity, and loyalty to his country) cannot and would not work faithfully to achieve the spiritual, ideological and political goals of Islam. Apparently, the political arena and the official public sectors are not the only areas in which non-Muslims are not allowed to assume a position of authority. Even in the conduct of business and trade, there are such restrictions too. Mawdudi, who is more liberal and lenient than most Muslim scholars, presents a revolutionary opinion when he said that in an Islamic state that "all non-Muslims will have the freedom of conscience, opinion, expression, and association as the one enjoyed by Muslims themselves, subject to the same limitations as are imposed by law on Muslims."   His views, however, are not accepted by most Islamic schools of law, especially in regard to the freedom of expression like criticism of Islam and the government. So, how should we non-Muslims look at PAS, given the indisputably absolute Islamic agenda the party is committed to, whatever the conspicious political compromise it is currently seen as advocating? First of all, I believe we need to exercise wise caution, discernment and practise discerption in our evaluation of PAS and what it stands for. In our anger against what we perceive as more than half a century of extremely offensive and oppressive rule by the Barisan Nasional, and in our euphoria over the March 2008 political tsunami and enthusiasm to send the recalcitrant politicians of Umno, MCA, Gerakan, and MIC packing at the next general election, we may become irrational and irrepressible, even irresponsible, and opt to jump from the frying wok into the fire, throwing away the baby with the bath water. Are we sure that PAS and what it stands for are what is good for the nation at this juncture? Can we be sure that PAS will not seek to impose its exclusive Islamic agenda to achieve its fundamental aim of making Malaysia an Islamic state, if ever the Pakatan Rakyat manages to take control of Putrajaya? Why is PAS so adamant about the appropriation, propagation and implementation of the doctrinally framed hudud jurispudence in Kelantan now? We need to be sensible and realistic to know that whatever political propagada PAS may convey to us now, to win our support and vote, the party would never give up its objective to make the country an Islamic state, or else it would not be PAS anymore. The uneasy and unaligned alliance between PAS and the DAP within the Pakatan Rakyat alternative coalition is surely unapt, like trying to combine oil and water into one substance, PAS being an exclusive religious party, and the DAP a secular socialist-orientated set-up. If we look objectively, analytically, critically, and honestly at the PAS Islamic agenda, we cannot help, but will come to understand and realise that the uncanny association of PAS and the DAP in the Pakatan Rakyat is simply an electoral expediency to win the Battle for Putrajaya. After that, what? Unless PAS is prepared to abandon its raison d'etre of wanting to establish an Islamic federal administration in the country, I cannot foresee a truely feasible, viable and dynamic administration at Putrajaya if the Pakatan Rakyat manages to oust the Barisan Nasional from power. To say otherwise is to conceal the truth. Hence, I appeal to leaders of the DAP, and perhaps the PKR, to reconsider the unequal yoke they have with PAS. The political marriage of covenience will inevitably end in a bitter divorce, and may be costly for the well-being of the nation. Much is at stake in the Battle for Putrajaya, and we should not allow PAS to derail the march towards reforming, regenerating, and revitalising our beloved country to become a better place for all who call it home.

WIKILEAKS: SURFING IN SINGAPORE'S WAKE: MALAYSIA'S ISKANDAR DEVELOPMENT REGION Posted: 30 Sep 2011 01:00 AM PDT While the IRDA has published slick brochures with somewhat detailed implementation plans, it remains to be seen whether the IDR can attract significant investment in the type of knowledge-based industry that Malaysian officials most desire. Other similar initiatives, such as the Cyberjaya Multimedia Super Corridor outside Kuala Lumpur, so far have failed to live up to expectations THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin 1. (SBU) Summary.  Malaysia's government hopes to accelerate investment in the southern state of Johor with its planned Iskandar Development Region (IDR).  The government's public statements portray IDR as a new approach that will attract global firms for "knowledge-based" investment, but econoff's recent tour of the project area suggests it really is aimed at further exploiting Johor's proximity to Singapore.  Johor already benefits from its location and also is receiving a large inflow of money for infrastructure from the GOM's Ninth Malaysia Plan.  New investment incentives under IDR would provide the main stimulus for any additional new development. The government's initial list of incentives applies only to a few sectors of limited interest, but suggested the possibility of exemptions in certain cases from the long-standing equity requirements of Malaysia's racial preference policy.  The final list of incentives is scheduled to be announced this fall, but the government does not appear to be prepared to take big political risks to ensure the success of this development initiative.  End summary. Launching the Iskandar Development Region 2. (U) Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi launched the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) in November 2006.  Named for the Sultan of Johor, IDR is more an investment incentive plan than a development plan.  Southern Johor already is well developed, with a per capita GDP significantly higher than Malaysia as a whole.  The GOM had previously committed through its Ninth Malaysia Plan to spend 4.3 billion ringgit (approximately USD 1.3 billion) for infrastructure projects in Johor up through 2010. 3. (SBU) State investment agency Khazanah has created the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) to oversee the IDR's activities, and issued a comprehensive development plan (CDP) to guide the project's activities over the next 20 years.  IRDA's Ismail Ibrahim told econoff that a prime role of IRDA will be to promote foreign investment, in part by directly assisting foreign firms in meeting foreign investment requirements within the IDR.  Ismail is one of a handful of Khazanah staff working to get IRDA off the ground, but he expects the authority to expand exponentially, in particular once the full IDR investment incentive package is announced in September.  Ismail hinted to econoff that the September announcement will revolve more around (hopefully) announcing some high-profile foreign investments than around a long list of new incentives. 4.  (U) A March 2007 announcement of proposed incentives attracted much attention, mostly due to a possible exemption from Malaysia's race-based preference program for a limited range of foreign investments.  (Note:  Malaysia's long-standing Bumiputera Policy requires that ethnic Malays and indigenous peoples be given at least 30% equity interest in such new business; see ref B).  Other incentives announced in March included a 10-year corporate tax exemption, and the ability for foreign investors to source capital globally to employ foreign workers.  However, these initial incentives only apply to business activities within the IDR and/or outside Malaysia, and only in six services sectors: education, healthcare, creative industries, financial advice and consulting, logistics, and tourism. Location, Location, Location 5. (U) The CDP acknowledges that the IDR's success will depend heavily on its geographic proximity to Singapore and, to a much lesser extent, Indonesia.  The IDR extends almost the full length of Malaysia's border with Singapore along the Straits of Johor, incorporating the city of Johor Bahru (Malaysia's second largest city) in the center, extending to the major seaports in the east (Pasir Gudang/Tanjung Langsat) and west (Tanjung Pelepas) and north of Johor Bahru to incorporate the Senai airport area.  Nearly 60 percent of the IDR's 2217 square kilometers currently is agricultural land, providing a large reserve for long term development. However, the CDP envisions most of the development in the early years concentrating in five "flagship zones" consisting of the city of Johor Bahru, the two seaports, Senai airport, and the Nusajaya development west of Johor Bahru.  Since these areas already have adequate infrastructure in place (or, in the case of Nusajaya are being constructed already), IRDA foresees IDR projects starting there and eventually expanding into outlying areas. 6. (U) The CDP acknowledges that "development within (Singapore and Indonesia) will have significant impact on the development of the (IDR)."  The CDP assumes Singapore will reach the limits of its ability to develop its land and sea space and will be forced to encourage its labor- and land-intensive and lower value added industries to move to Johor, as well as Batam, Indonesia to the south.  The CDP notes with admiration Batam's vibrant offshore manufacturing activity due to its proximity to Singapore, and suggests that IDR will be poised to benefit in a similar way. 7. (SBU) Indonesia currently is a significant source of labor for Johor's manufacturing and services sector, but the CDP foresees Indonesia, in particular Sumatra, establishing stronger investment links with Johor to take advantage of improved transportation linkages.  The plan envisions enhanced bilateral cooperation in such sectors as tourism, agro-processing, construction and port services.  Comment: The CDP understandably makes no mention about the future role of Indonesian laborers as IDR is implemented.  Indonesian laborers will undoubtedly remain in strong demand, in particular during the early years of development with the construction of large-scale infrastructure projects. End comment. A Delicate Dance with Singapore 8. (U) The CDP calls for the IDR to be planned and created as an integrated development together with Singapore and Indonesia.  To that end, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on May 15 the creation of a ministerial-level joint committee to oversee certain areas of cooperation in the IDR.  Abdullah hinted that easier access by Singaporeans to the IDR would be one such issue tackled by the committee.  Although the CDP initially envisioned that certain parts of the IDR would provide free access to Singaporeans, subsequent criticism in Malaysia caused the GOM to rescind the proposal (which presumably would have allowed any Singaporean citizen to freely enter the IDR) in favor of more limited rules to ease access to pre-approved Singaporeans.  In an effort to placate public criticism that the joint committee would impinge on Malaysia's sovereignty, Abdullah stressed that it would not have authority over the IRDA's investment decisions, including investments from Singapore. 9. (SBU) On a visit to Johor in late May, econoff found little reluctance among local developers about touting Johor's advantage of being situated next to Singapore. Unlike the politicians in KL, Malaysians directly involved in the development of the IDR flagship zones were much more sanguine and realistic about Johor's dependence on Singapore for its prosperity, both past and future.  The general attitude expressed to econoff in a variety of meetings was that Johor's future economic development was not tied to the IDR (and in fact was a given, since Singapore was right next door), but that the IDR would provide incentives for additional investment that might have gone elsewhere.  Our interlocutors generally expressed interest in attracting more manufacturing and infrastructure projects. However; there was little mention of transforming Johor into a hub of "knowledge-based" economic activity as some Malaysian leaders have suggested. Nusajaya -- City of the Future? 10. (SBU) Of the five IDR flagship projects, Nusajaya best exemplifies the type of new economic activity that the IDR is designed to encourage.  Like the other flagship projects, Nusajaya predates the IDR itself.  Unlike the other four, however, Nusajaya is still largely in the initial development stage.  The Johor State New Administrative Center in Nusajaya should open its first buildings by the end of 2007 and eventually will house all state government offices, as well as the Johor branches of federal government offices.  Zamry Ibrahim, General Manager for the Nusajaya project, told econoff that project developer UEM Land is satisfied with the pace of development, which he expects will accelerate once the Johor State government buildings (which include the Chief Minister's offices and the state parliament) are open.  On a tour of Nusajaya's 24,000 acres, Zamry pointed out the significant infrastructure improvements that UEM Land already has made.  For example, the new government offices are being constructe d far inland from the feeder highway, necessitating significant road construction to allow access.  A few residential subdivisions have opened, though with few occupants so far.  Zamry noted that many of the half-acre plots in the initial subdivisions have been sold, mostly to Singaporeans.  In addition, UEM Land has undertaken a massive excavation project on a large tract of land between the new government buildings and the Straits of Johor, which will form a large marina and waterfront project, blending housing, retail and tourist facilities. 11. (SBU) Zamry indicated that Nusajaya's traditional development projects are progressing well, but one ambitious goal  -- a "creative and entertainment hub" -- remains somewhat undefined.  The CDP calls for a hub dedicated to the digital content industry, but Nusajaya officials seem perplexed about what sorts of business this would involve. On the entertainment side, however, Zamry said UEM Land has held talks with several theme park operators and is optimistic about announcing a deal by the end of 2007. Comment:  Although the creative industries sector is targeted by the IRDA as one of six sectors to receive special investment incentives to promote its development, the CDP is unclear about the particular types of creative industries that should be targeted.  The plan makes no mention of Malaysia's continued difficulty in enforcing intellectual property protection, nor of its reluctance to adhere to many multilateral IP treaties -- actions that would be key to enticing IP-dependent firms to Malaysia.  End comment. Johor's Sea and Air Ports -- Alternatives to Singapore 12. (U) Since opening in 1999, Johor's Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) has expanded rapidly and now handles approximately the same amount of containerized cargo as Kuala Lumpur's Port Klang (which incorporates two port complexes, West Port and North Port).  Khairul Anuar Othman of PTP told econoff the port expects to handle approximately 5.3 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units, a measurement of containerized cargo) in 2007.   This places PTP among the top 20 containerized ports in the world, although it still pales in volume compared to nearby Singapore, which handles about 23 million TEU annually. 13. (U) Unlike Port Klang, some 95% of PTP's business consists of transshipment between other ports, though Khairul noted that PTP is planning for expanded domestic-origin container traffic as Johor develops further.  PTP is a regional hub for both Maersk and Evergreen, and those two companies' operations form the bulk of the workload of the two U.S. Container Security Initiative officers stationed at PTP. Like Port Klang, PTP has a free zone that permits duty free operations as well as 100% foreign ownership of equity. The existing free zone includes a variety of logistics firms in a 400 acre "free commercial zone", as well as some high profile new manufacturing firms in the 600 acre "free manufacturing zone", including U.S. electronics manufacturer Flextronics, contact lens firm CIBA Vision, and a BMW parts distribution center.   PTP recently began making preparations to more than double the size of the port's free zone, which is also a key component of the IDR. 14. (SBU) Johor's two other ports to the east of Johor Bahru handle alternate types of shipments.  Johor Port in Pasir Gudang is the state's former leading port, and now handles multi-purpose goods, including liquid bulk (mainly palm oil), plus a small amount of containerized traffic.  A third port, Tanjung Langsat (TL), is being constructed further east of Pasir Gudang by Johor Corporation, the state-owned development conglomerate which had earlier developed Pasir Gudang.  Tanjung Langsat will be a major shipper of both petrochemicals and oleo chemicals upon its completion, and the port is developing a "biofuel park" that aims to become a major processor for palm oil (Pasir Gudang currently contains the largest percentage of such refineries in Malaysia -- the Biofuel Park at TL would supplement the existing facilities). Fuad Omar of Johor Corporation told econoff that TL will provide more efficient shipping than Johor Port for the increasing volume of palm oil exports from Johor State.  TL is located at the eastern end of the Straits of Johor, near the shipping lanes that run offshore Singapore (PTP takes advantage of a similar position on the western end of the Straits).  Fuad noted, however, that Singapore's reclamation of land directly across from the TL development, off the largely uninhabited Singaporean island of Tekong, has the potential to inhibit the port's future development by restricting the ability of ships to maneuver into and out of the port (Fuad implied that Singapore was deliberately trying to impede the port's development). 15. (U) The third point of the IDR "logistical triangle" is Senai Airport to the north of Johor Bahru.  Hariss Abdullah of Senai Airport Terminal Services told econoff that the airport's 10 year development plan includes an upgrading of its cargo facilities to make the airport a realistic alternative to Singapore's Changiairport.  Much air cargo originating in Johor now departs via Changi (even from some of the technology firms situated close to Senai), and Senai wants to capture a share of the business.  The airport soon will launch a free zone within its boundaries to encourage further development of both logistics and manufacturing operations.  Hariss told econoff the airport would welcome direct flights by U.S. cargo carriers, and believes its location provides all the advantages of Changi at lower cost, though so far U.S. carriers have not expressed interest. Hariss added that the airport also hopes to capture an increasing share of the region's passenger market, and has embarked on a major refurbishment and expansion of its passenger facilities.  Senai is benefiting from its position as an expanding regional hub for Air Asia, Malaysia's discount air carrier.  IDR Beneficiaries -- The Usual Suspects are First in Line 16. (SBU) The IDR "flagship zones" slated for the bulk of activity in the development's early phases are dominated by several well-known (and well-connected) Malaysian firms.  UEM Group, which is developing Nusajaya, is a prominent construction and engineering firm, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khazanah, the government's state-owned investment arm that is the driving force behind the IDR. Johor Corporation, which developed Pasir Gudang and is now developing Tanjung Langsat, was set up in the early 1970s to push development projects to benefit the state's Bumiputera. MMC, owned by Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary (Malaysia's richest ethnic Malay), has a 70% controlling interest in PTP, owns 100 % of Johor Port, and its wholly-owned subsidiary Senai Airport Terminal Services runs Senai Airport (the only major Malaysian airport that is privately run).  Note: Another firm owned by Syed , SKS Ventures, reportedly signed a contract in late 2006 with the National Iranian Oil Company to develop gas fields in Iran, an action that has raised concerns under the Iran Sanctions Act (see ref A).  End note. Comment 17. (SBU) While the IRDA has published slick brochures with somewhat detailed implementation plans, it remains to be seen whether the IDR can attract significant investment in the type of knowledge-based industry that Malaysian officials most desire.  Other similar initiatives, such as the Cyberjaya Multimedia Super Corridor outside Kuala Lumpur, so far have failed to live up to expectations.  It appears more likely that IDR incentives will, in the initial years, foster Johor's continued development as a manufacturing outsource center for foreign firms, in particular from Singapore as well as Japan and the United States.  The CDP itself encourages such activity, at least in the early years of the IDR project. 18. (SBU) All the current major projects underway in southern Johor predate the advent of the IDR.  Moreover, most of the current activity involves traditional Malaysian economic development -- heavy on infrastructure projects like roads, ports, buildings, in addition to manufacturing.  So far the usual crowd of powerful business interests, like MMC, UEM and Johor Corporation, are poised to be the principal beneficiaries of the nascent IPR.  Such favoritism may be excused if IPR really does take off and become a major source of foreign investment, especially if such investment takes place in more innovative sectors.  There is little evidence that suggests this will happen in the near term. 19. (SBU) Political constraints, in particular the GOM's longstanding Bumiputera preference program, will certainly give pause to potential foreign investors.  Even the suggestion that the government might relax preference requirements in a few sectors has generated widespread public criticism.  It seems unlikely the GOM will offer significantly broader liberalization when the full IDR incentive and support package is announced in the fall. The government's hasty abandonment of proposed free access for Singaporeans in certain parts of the IDR showed its reluctance to take politically risky moves, despite the fact that the IDR's success could depend on its attractiveness to Singaporean investors. The Demographic and Economic Contexts - Somewhere between KL and Singapore 20. (U) The Iskandar Development Region (IDR) has a population of 1.35 million, about 43% of the total population of Johor.  Malays constitute about 48% of the population, with the Chinese as the next largest ethnic group at 36%, followed by Indians at 9.4%.  Chinese in Johor thus have a higher profile than in Malaysia as a whole, where they constitute 24% of the population compared to the Malays 61%. The IDR's per capita GDP (at purchasing power parity) was USD 14,790 in 2005, significantly higher than the Malaysian average of USD 10,318, but less than half that of Singapore's per capita GDP of USD 29,937.  The services sector contributes more to the GDP of the IDR than does the manufacturing sector (50% versus 47%, with agriculture taking the remaining 3%).  Wholesale and retail trade makes up 47% of the services sector, followed by tourism and hospitality at 17% and professional and business services at 15%.  The manufacturing sector is dominated by the electrical and electronics industries (32%) followed by chemical and chemical products (12%) and food and beverages (11%). SHEAR (JUNE 2007)

ISA repeal in March, says Najib Posted: 30 Sep 2011 12:47 AM PDT By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — The Internal Security Act (ISA) will be repealed in March after two replacement laws are drafted, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today. The prime minister told reporters that his promised reform timetable would instead begin with the repeal of the Banishment and Restricted Residence Act when Parliament reconvenes next week. "Next week I will begin the process but ISA will be done in March as we need to draft two new laws," the Umno president said after chairing a supreme council meeting this evening. He also said that amendments to the Police Act to allow for freedom of assembly other than street protests, will likely be tabled in November. Najib announced a raft of reforms including the lifting of three states of emergency in his Malaysia Day address, and vowed to give Malaysians greater liberties. He had promised on Tuesday that his Cabinet would meet this week to decide on the timing of reforms with the first round to begin in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting.     READ MORE HERE.

Pakatan and hudud: A consensus that wasn’t Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:34 PM PDT PAS insists on the "right to have an intention", but DAP says it's a futile agenda. (Free Malaysia Today) -- Pakatan Rakyat may have formally reached a consensus on the hudud issue, but the dust is far from settling, with PAS and DAP adamantly sticking to their opposite views. After a lengthy meeting on Wednesday, Pakatan leaders decided that further discussions on hudud would have to be in line with the opposition bloc's common ideology and policies. It was really a stalemate decision. The matter has been put on hold because PAS remained insistent on eventually imposing hudud in Kelantan and DAP remained opposed to the idea. PAS representatives from Kelantan, including Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat, have since said that they would continue to harbour the intention of instituting the hudud provisions of Islamic law in the state. "No one can be denied the right to have an intention," Kelantan executive councillor and PAS vice president Husam Musa said when FMT asked him to comment. Does he agree that Kelantan PAS is now like a thorn in Pakatan's side? "No," he said. "Of course there will be difficulties. And we have to accept the current situation. But if you have intentions of buying gold and have no money now, you wait till you have money." Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, one of the deputy PAS commissioners for Kelantan, said he did not think that his party's position as adversely affected Pakatan's image. "Technically," he claimed, "Pakatan's stand allows the state government to pursue its hudud agenda. "When you speak of its implementation, there are many aspects to it—how and when, for instance. There are steps to follow that will take time. When Pakatan talks about discussing the matter further, I believe this is what it means. "We never said that we will implement it today or tomorrow. People cannot make their own assumptions." READ MORE HERE

Anwar: Pakatan will not implement hudud law Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:31 PM PDT (The Edge) -- The Pakatan Rakyat opposition will not implement hudud laws as called for by PAS because it is not in line with the common policies of the coalition, the Federal Consitution and their Orange Book agenda, said Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.  He said the Pakatan leadership respected PAS' stand on the issue but at the same time accepted the views of the DAP, which opposed hudud laws, Bernama reports. "We cannot deny the right of any party to voice out what it wants, but we are bound by a common framework and the Federal consititution," he told a press conference after chairing a meeting of Pakatan Rakyat's leadership council at PAS' headquarters here on Wednesday night. Also present were DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, DAP chairman Karpal Singh, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. The meeting was called following PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's controversial remarks that the party would implement hudud laws if prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak would propose amendments to the federal constitution to allow these laws. Nik Aziz was responding to a challenge from former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for PAS to implement hudud laws in Kelantan as PAS had claimed that Mahathir had blocked its implementation when he was prime minister. Asked to comment on Nik Aziz's statement, Anwar had supported the implementation of hudud in Kelantan, saying that it would not infringe on the rights of non-Muslims. He later clarified that the view he expressed was his personal opinion. Following this, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had pointed out that hudud was not part of Pakatan's common policy. Pakatan then imposed a ban on comments by its members concerning hudud until the meeting on Wednesday.

PAS raises hudud issue as political ploy: Muhyiddin Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:20 PM PDT (Bernama) -- The move by PAS to raise issues on the implementation of the 'hudud' law is a political ploy to regain the people's support, especially the Muslim voters, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. The Deputy Prime Minister said PAS realised that the support of Malay voters for the party had been badly affected following its decision not to set up an Islamic state and instead opting for a Welfare State. "It is a political ploy by PAS because it notices that support for the party has been badly affected lately. Some of its supporters are not happy with the party," he said after attending a gathering with the people at the grounds of Masjid Jamek Kampung Sungai Bunyi, here today. Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president and the Education Minister, said PAS must explain to the people instead of deceiving them by claiming that it would not implement the hudud law. He was commenting on the statement by the Opposition Pact Leadership Council yesterday that they would not implement the hudud law as proposed by PAS because this was not in line with their joint policy, Federal Constitution and the Orange Book agenda. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the opposition pact respected the PAS stand on this matter but at the same time, it accepted the differing stand of the DAP in opposing its implementation. Muhyiddin said PAS realised that if it insisted on implementing the hudud law, it would face strong opposition from component parties of the pact such as the DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). "PAS should explain and should not deceive the people by saying it won't implement (hudud law) because it knows that if it insists on implementing (the hudud), it will face opposition from the component parties, DAP and PKR," he said. Earlier in his speech at the gathering, Muhyiddin said a new approach was needed by the government in administering and bringing development to the country in view of the country's demographic composition where 60 per cent of the population were young people. "The young generation have their own mindset that is different and they also realise that they have their own rights. With the existence of the Facebook, Twitter and Internet, the style of administering the country now is different," he said. Muhyiddin also announced an allocation of RM2 million for the construction of a new mosque for Kampung Sungai Bunyi.

PAS invites Umno, muftis to hudud forum Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:19 PM PDT (Bernama) -- After its proposal to implement hudud was rejected by the opposition coalition partners, PAS has invited Umno and muftis to a forum on the Islamic laws. PAS information chief Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the forum could create awareness and avoid confusion on hudud among the people. "As hudud touches on Muslims directly and it is incumbent upon the government and Muslims to implement the Islamic laws," he said in a statement posted on PAS portal today. The Pakatan opposition yesterday announced that it would not implement hudud as called for by PAS as it is not in line with the common policies of the coalition, the Federal constitution and their Orange Book agenda. Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was quoted as saying that the Pakatan leadership respected PAS stand on the issue but at the same time accepted the views of the DAP, which opposed hudud. Tuan Ibrahim proposed that the hudud forum to be opened to public but no date was set.

DPM: Umno's election candidates will be chosen based on popularity Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:16 PM PDT (The Star) - Umno's candidates for the next general election will be chosen based on their popularity with the people, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. He added a person's past posts or positions within the party would be immaterial to their selection as election candidates. "If Umno likes the candidate but the people don't, then this cannot be a basis to keep the candidate. "Even when a candidate has been a division chief for a long time, or had previously won uncontested, the feedback we have received from some people is that they want someone new'," he said. "The most important thing is whether the candidate can be accepted and can win," he told reporters after attending a dialogue session with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) academic staff and students here. Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, said that the party's candidates would be a mix of the young and "not so young". "There needs to be a mix; it will be a problem if they (candidates) are all new or all old. "We need candidates who are young, energetic, qualified and lovable, as well as those who are more experienced," he said.

Perangsang Selangor sasar 1,500 siswazah berniaga Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:33 PM PDT (Harakah Daily) -- Sebagai salah satu agenda dan tanggungjawab sosial korporat (CSR), Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Berhad (Perangsang Selangor) telah menganjurkan satu program untuk membantu siswazah-siswazah Selangor bagi penyediaan mereka memasuki alam pekerjaan. (Gambar: Pendaftaran siswazah hari ini.) Pengerusi Kumpulan Selangor Berhad, Raja Idris Raja Kamarudin (gambar atas) menjelaskan pada satu sidang media bersama Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abd Khalid Ibrahim hari ini, pihaknya meletakkan sasaran membantu lebih 1,500 siswazah dari Negeri Selangor untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan atau memulakan perniagaan sendiri. "Objektif utama program ini adalah untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan, nilai diri dan keyakinan siswazah dari negeri ini dalam mendapatkan pekerjaan atau memulakan usaha perniagaan sendiri. "Dalam pada ia dapat membantu Negeri Selangor mengurangkan kadar siswazah yang masih belum mendapat pekerjaan dan serta sebagai satu usaha untuk mendukung hasrat merakyatkan ekonomi Negeri Selangor," katanya. Tambah beliau lagi, program ini bermula dengan penyediaan kursus dan latihan jangka pendek releven dengan pasaran kerja sekarang. "Kita akan menyediakan latihan di tempat kerja (On-Job Training) dan usaha ini untuk membuat rekomendasi kepada majikan-majikan bagi siswazah-siswazah yang telah menamatkan kursus. "Bagi siswazah yang mengikut kursus usahawan, insentif khas akan diusahakan untuk membantu siswazah tersebut bagi memulakan pekerjaan," tambahnya. Idris memberitahu program ini disasarkan kepada semua siswazah dari Negeri Selangor yang memegang ijazah dan diploma dalam apa jua bidang yang bersesuaian dengan kursus yang ditawarkan. "Untuk tahun 2011 semua kursus latihan akan bermula pada bulan Oktober dan November dan kita berharap usaha ini mendapat sambutan dari setiap siswazah," sambungnya lagi. Sebelum itu Perangsang Selangor mengharapkan semua siswazah yang berminat untuk memohon bagi mengikuti program tersebut dapat menghubungi Unit Pelaksanaan CSR Perangsang Selangor.

Corporate Welfarism and the Munafikation of Malays Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:23 PM PDT SAKMONGKOL AK47 I found Walla's comments on my recent article too rapier-sharp by nature, to leave them mothballing as mere comments. In citing Walla, I find sweet revenge too. Walla's comments can't be touched by any of those mercenary bloggers on a secret UMNO payroll. Any time I write critically of Mahathir, there's this buffoon who says I am paid by KJ. I wished I were so then I can drive around in Porsche Cayenne (as does Mukhriz) or a Maserati (as does Nazir Razak). Maybe I can also own a Bentley as do many UMNO ministers. You are wrong fool; why not say I am on the current PM's payroll? I can name a few operatives in the PM's office who operate the slush funds to pay pro UMNO bloggers.  So come on say it- the current PM sucks because he arranges to pay me to hit at Dr Mahathir. Did KJ pay Nazri Aziz for being a consistent pain-in the ass- to Mahathir with his vitriol thrown at Mahathir? How moronic and super stupid can you be- Mahathir's opinions can't be contested without accusing those who disagree with him being paid lackeys? Your grey matter must be polluted either with rancid curry or is lard layered. The subject matter is too complicated for run of the mill pro UMNO bloggers to debate. So we will leave them to wallow in their stupidity. The most piercing observation lies in his opinion that "In short, the hidden personal interests embedded in UMNO's corporate welfarism sold as defending Umno to defend our Malay race has instead brought about the MUNAFIQATION of our Malays". Mahathir's economic prescriptions have exactly turned Malays into that- munafiks who continue to live a life of lies and deceit believing they can't overcome their deficiencies WITHOUT having to depend on a paternalistic government. That's how Mahathir's UMNO survived all these years making Malays live a life of self-disbeliefs. This is the perpetual munafiqation of the Malays and that's how UMNO stays in power forever. UMNO can stay in power by (1) keeping Malays continuously stupid (2) allowing them to live a life of self-deceit and self-censoring and (3) accept the big lie that any questioning and challenges to the opaque economic agendas by UMNO are a direct assault and threat to the Malay race. Why don't we for once shake off that yoke of mental servitude and see whether without UMNO, Malays can survive or not. The corporate welfarism of PETRONAS may not take the form of our national oil company descending into a morass of incompetence like what happened in MAS. But it can take the form of deliberately shielding what goes on in PETRONAS and making them as opaque and transparent as possible.  That is where Walla's comparison to what happened in Pertamina, an object lesson for us. READ MORE HERE

Pendirian rasmi PAS mengenai hudud Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:13 PM PDT Selaras dengan pendirian Pakatan Rakyat yang mengiktiraf Enakmen Jenayah Syariah di Kelantan dan Terengganu, PAS berpendirian kedua-dua negeri itu berhak memperkanunkan undang-undang tersebut. Dalam satu kenyataan menyatakan pendirian rasmi parti itu, Ketua Penerangan PAS, Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man berkata, persoalan kini, sejauh mana kesediaan Kerajaan Pusat memberi kebenaran untuk melaksanakannya. Menurutnya, perbezaan pandangan dengan DAP khususnya dalam soal penafsiran "bertentangan dengan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan" adalah sangat relatif kerana wujud perbezaan ketara antara pandangan pengamal undang-undang kedua belah pihak, terutama kaedah untuk mengatasinya. "PAS melihat soal tafsiran mana yang menepati peruntukan perlembagaan hanya akan dapat diputuskan oleh mahkamah perundangan," katanya. Berikut adalah kenyataan rasmi berhubung pendirian PAS: 1. Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) ingin menegaskan bahawa aktiviti dan perjuangan PAS adalah dalam kerangka demokrasi dan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan Malaysia. Ini termasuk soal-soal dasar seperti kedudukan Islam sebagai Agama Persekutuan dan jaminan kebebasan mengamalkan agama-agama lain, kedaulatan Bahasa Melayu sebagai Bahasa Kebangsaan dan mempertahankan hak bahasa ibunda masing-masing, kedudukan dan kedaulatan Institusi Raja-Raja Melayu serta kedudukan hak-hak istimewa orang Melayu dan Bumiputera serta hak-hak semua kaum yang telah dijamin oleh Perlembagaan. 2. PAS juga ingin menegaskan komitmen untuk melaksanakan perubahan menyeluruh dalam negara kita ini, menerusi muafakat rakyat yang telah dipersetujui dalam penegasan bersama yang disebutkan dalam Platfom Dasar Bersama Pakatan Rakyat (Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Platform) dan Dokumen Buku Jingga. 3. PAS juga amat berpegang dan memperjuangkan prinsip negara berkebajikan yang menuntut dilaksanakan keadilan Islam untuk semua dalam masyarakat, dan menolak sekeras-kerasnya tindakan yang berunsur kezaliman terhadap mana-mana rakyat dalam semua tindakannya samada di peringkat dasar parti atau kerajaan yang dipimpin oleh PAS. 4. Perbezaan pandangan DAP terhadap Enakmen Jenayah Syariah adalah berpusat di atas penafsiran bahawa ianya bertentangan dengan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Persoalan penafsiran ini adalah suatu isu yang sangat relatif kerana wujud perbezaan ketara antara pandangan pengamal undang-undang kedua belah pihak, terutama kaedah untuk mengatasinya. PAS melihat soal tafsiran mana yang menepati peruntukan perlembagaan hanya akan dapat diputuskan oleh mahkamah perundangan. 5. Sehubungan dengan perakuan bahawa Enakmen Jenayah Syariah II (1993) Kelantan dan Enakmen Jenayah Syariah (2003) Terengganu yang telah diluluskan oleh Dewan Undangan Negeri masing-masing, maka PAS melihat kerajaan negeri mempunyai hak bagi memperkanunkan undang-undang tersebut. Persoalan sejauh mana kesediaan Kerajaan Pusat memberi kebenaran merupakan perkara kedua yang perlu diselesaikan melalui proses yang sesuai dan munasabah. Rakyat Kelantan khususnya memilih PAS atas dasar Islam yang di bawanya, kerana itu mereka seharusnya diberi hak bagi mengamalkan ajaran mereka. Sebarang usaha menghalang adalah bertentangan dengan semangat demokrasi yang dipersetujui bersama. Kini terpulang kepada kerajaan Kelantan bagi membawa Enakmen berkenaan di peringkat yang seterusnya.   Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man Ketua Penerangan PAS 30 September 2011

When the word TOO is hidden Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:56 PM PDT On the one hand we have PERKASA. On the other hand we have Malaysia Today's readers. They are actually all cut from the same cloth, the other side of the coin, so to speak. And the following comments seem to strengthen this view. And the moral of the story is: don't you dare question or criticise Pakatan Rakyat. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin "Pakatan, too, must come clean on 'covert funds'," said University of Malaya Professor, Edmund Terence Gomez. The word TOO was very cleverly hidden so that many Malaysia Today readers did not spot it. That was actually a very dirty trick that Gomez played on our readers. If he had not hidden the word TOO, then many would have spotted it and would not have gone and commented as below. Gomez has actually written dozens of books over more than a decade (http://www.bookfinder.com/author/edmund-terence-gomez/), some jointly with S. Jomo (http://www.bookfinder.com/author/jomo-k-s/), who moved to New York City as UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development after retiring from the University of Malaya in 2004. ************************************** written by Wakeupmsia, September 30, 2011 15:16:42 It's premature to ask that. Wait till they secure Putrajaya. BTW, have you asked Jibby about the Scopene commission or perhaps the funds he promised at the last few by-elections? Remember what he said "You help me, I help You"   written by arazak, September 30, 2011 15:59:02 Hello Gomez, Go ask where UMNO got their money first? They have been stealing from the people for decades and you don't even bother to ask where they got their money? And mind you, the money they have been stealing from us would probably have been several thousand billions by now. Did UMNO disclose where they got their money to us? No, never! I'll put you together in the same boat (or same dish) as the other Professor "kangkongs"; Zainal Keling and Khoo Kay Kim. What do we have here then. . .? Truely "1 Malaysia Kangkong" academicians who do nothing to improve our education standard other than sucking UMNO's dick! You can all shove your Kangkong PhDs up your arses, please!   written by Sam V. Vellu, September 30, 2011 16:02:03 Come on lah Terrance ! when billions of dollars were being siphoned out of the country you never said anything , now suddenly when the General Election is near you are coming out to share in the potty. You are typical of catholic ball carriers of the Archbishop.   written by Q-Baron, September 30, 2011 16:03:16 All too well, Mr. T.G.. You have just shown us what a fine (BN) terrier you are yourself. Not bad but you would agree it should start with you here. Please tell us who is that covertly funded you to make this statement? Thanks.   written by ksmaniam28, September 30, 2011 16:10:47 I say it is a trap. Who is this guy to ask this question. The EC should do it. EC is not asking the question because if it ask the question, its biasedness will be too obvious is it. so they get a spy to do the job. Wow BN is trying very hard guys so watch it. They are curious how Pakatan is funded. If they know how it is done, the next thing will be that funder will not be funding Pakatan anymore. Cut the funds and Pakatan will die a natural death. So whatever happens do not divulge the info. HOwever funding in such a manner should not be condoned. The EC should take a hard look at the funding. Yes, we can also hope to see pigs fly. Mt 2 cents worth.   written by chris, September 30, 2011 16:14:12 Gomez, were you just borned yesterday??? Why didn't you first posed this question to BN??? For over 50 years no one has raised the question to them and you had the gall to ask PKR???? I'm sure your promotion to Chancellor letter is in the mail.....   written by ng chai hing, September 30, 2011 16:31:03 Gomez do you know how much money had been squandered and siphoned by BN leaders year in year out ? i think you have eyes but cannot see, you have ears but cannot hear and you have mouth but cannot speak.

Cease the hudud debate, says Bar Council Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:36 PM PDT Its implementation is impossible under our legal framework, according to council president Lim Chee Wee. (Free Malaysia Today) - The Malaysian Bar Council has called for a stop to all rhetoric concerning hudud, saying its implementation is impossible under Malaysia's current legal system. In a media statement issued today, Bar Council chairman Lim Chee Wee said debate on the matter had caused "confusion and divisions" among Malaysians. In explaining how the hudud provisions could not fit into the current system, he said: "The Federal Constitution only allows the states to enact laws creating offences by persons professing the religion of Islam against the precepts of Islam, and the respective punishments for such offences. "With respect to the nature of such offences, these offences cannot include matters within the legislative powers of the federal government. "Therefore, there can be no replication of any of the offences within any federal law with a different degree of punishment only for Muslims." He said federal law and its principles determined the scope of punishment for offences against the precepts of Islam. He pointed out that the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 clearly listed the punishments to be meted out and that these existing punishments did not contain elements of hudud. Quoting from the 1965 act, he said syariah courts could not exercise jurisdiction "in respect of any offence punishable with imprisonment for a term exceeding three years or with any fine exceeding RM5,000 or with whipping exceeding six strokes or with any combination thereof". He also quoted from the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, which places "criminal law and procedure, internal security and public order" under the federal list. Hudud mainly concerns penal laws. It would therefore fall under federal jurisdiction, not the state, Lim said. He referred to the 1988 case of Che Omar bin Che Soh v Public Prosecutor, where the Supreme Court held that "laws in Malaysia do not have to conform to Islamic principles" and that Malaysia was indeed a secular state. READ MORE HERE

Report: MIC still in ‘critical’ condition Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:27 PM PDT According to a report by the Prime Minister's Office, only three out of the nine Parliament seats the party is eyeing for are considered safe bets. (Free Malaysia Today) - A report from the Prime Minister's Office reveals that MIC is still in a precarious position. The party, which now has a new president after 30 years in G Palanivel, will probably be facing its toughest election battle yet. It must regain the ground it lost in the last polls. In the 2008 general election, MIC only won three parliament and seven state seats out of the nine and 19 contested. Last year, MIC's P Kamalanathan added another MP seat to the stable when he defeated PKR candidate Zaid Ibrahim in the Hulu Selangor by-election. According to the report from the PM's Office, only three out of the nine Parliament seats could be considered safe for MIC. The three were Cameron Highlands (Pahang), Hulu Selangor (Selangor) and Tapah (Perak). Party vice-president and Deputy Minister in the PM's Department SK Devamany is the incumbent Cameron Highlands MP whereas another vice-president and Federal Territory and Urban Well-Being Deputy Minister M Saravan holds the Tapah seat. Speaking to FMT, a senior officer from the PM's Department, who declined to be named, said that MIC would face an uphill task in the next election. "Palanivel is expected to maintain all of the winners in the last election in their respective seats despite earlier rumours of Devamany being dropped to make way for the president and Saravanan to compete in Kapar," he said. As for the other seats, the officer classified Segamat (Johor), Teluk Kemang (Negrei Sembilan) and Sungai Siput (Perak) as "semi-critical". The other three seats Subang, Kapar and Kota Raja were expected to be retained by the opposition. Segamat is a crucial seat as it housed MIC deputy president and Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam. The trouble with this constituency, according to the officer, was the 51% Chinese voters. The latter are predominantly pro-opposition. READ MORE HERE

Muhyiddin: Bahasa for science and maths stays Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:18 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has waded into the fierce debate over the use of English in teaching science and mathematics in schools, saying Malaysians cannot afford to "sacrifice" Bahasa Malaysia for other languages. The education minister said that while the government recognised the importance of English as an international language, Bahasa Malaysia will continue to be used as the main teaching tool in national schools. "We cannot sacrifice our national language for another language." "I am a strong proponent of English, we should strengthen the command of English and (at the same) continue the use of Bahasa Melayu as the main language in schools," Muhyiddin said today during a dialogue session with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) students and academic staff. The deputy prime minister said Malaysians needed to cultivate an attitude where they treated Bahasa Malaysia as a "unique" language, and if no importance was placed on it the language risked being lost. "As a country which has achieved its independence, we have to strengthen Bahasa Melayu." Muhyiddin argued his case by saying that research conducted by Unesco found that schoolchildren were more receptive in learning new subjects using their mother tongue. "Some people do not understand any other language apart from their mother tongue. The important thing is knowledge, and what is the simplest medium to attain it? "Unesco research found that people learnt things better via their own language, their mother tongue," he said. The DPM also stressed that as far as the government was concerned, Bahasa Malaysia will continue to be used as the medium to teach science and mathematics in schools. READ MORE HERE

PAS: ‘Yang halang laksana hudud Umno, bukan DAP’ Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:57 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Susulan mesyuarat Pakatan Rakyat kelmarin, PAS menegaskan yang menghalang pelaksanaan hukum hudud adalah Umno bukannya DAP — rakan komponen dalam perikatan mereka berusia tiga tahun. Ketua Penerangan Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man berkata, PAS mengakui DAP mempunyai pandangan berbeza dalam soal pelaksanaan hudud dan pendirian mereka dalam tidak menyokong sistem perundangan syarak. "Akan tetapi, ini bukanlah perkara pelik kerana mereka bukan beragama Islam dan tiada tuntutan syarak ke atas mereka," kata beliau dalam satu kenyataan dikeluarkan hari ini. "DAP berpendapat ia bertentangan dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan, di mana kes-kes jenayah mesti berada di bawah bidang kuasa mahkamah sivil, bukan di mahkamah Syariah. "Mereka juga berpendapat enakmen ini memerlukan pindaan Perlembagaan bagi menguatkuasakannya," katanya. Oleh itu kata Tuan Ibrahim, jelas yang menghalang ialah Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang dimomok Umno selama 54 tahun dan bukannya DAP. "DAP tidak menyokong kerana ia melanggar Perlembagaan Persekutuan," kata Tuan Ibrahim. Tuan Ibrahim menambah, PAS memperakui perlunya bidang kuasa mahkamah syariah diangkat bagi menepati tuntutan syarak dalam pelaksanaan sistem perundangan ini. "Namun, ruang dan bidang kuasa kerajaan negeri yang telah meluluskan enakmen ini juga perlu diperakui dan diiktiraf. Situasi ini amat berbeza dengan Umno yang beragama Islam dan mempunyai kewajipan syarak dalam melaksanakannya," katanya lagi. Pesuruhjaya PAS Pahang ini juga berkata, Umno yang mengaku dirinya Islam dan telah diberi kuasa pemerintahan selama lebih 54 tahun sepatutnya mesti bersedia memikul tanggungjawab ini untuk menyediakan negara ke arah kesediaan untuk melaksanakan hukum Allah. "Ini bukan. Umno masih mengatakan negara masih belum mampu melaksanakannya. Ini jelas mencerminkan kegagalan Umno dalam memastikan pelaksanaan syariat Allah di negara ini," tambah beliau. Kelmarin, Pakatan Rakyat mengambil pendirian tegas hukum hudud yang muncul kembali sebagai isu 'panas' minggu lalu tidak akan menjadi sebahagian daripada dasar bersama perikatan itu sehingga kesemua parti komponen menzahirkan persetujuan dan konsensus. Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim memberitahu bahawa hukum hudud bukan sebahagian daripada dasar Pakatan Rakyat dan bantahan DAP perlu dihormati. "Ya, ya. Sangat jelas ia perlu bersama," kata Ketua Umum Pakatan Rakyat ini menjawab soalan sama ada pelaksanaan hukum hudud memerlukan persetujuan sebulat suara kesemua tiga parti dalam perikatan itu. Dalam kenyataan bersama dikeluarkan, Anwar, Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang dan Penasihat DAP Lim Kit Siang berkata mesyuarat Pakatan Rakyat malam tadi memperakui dan mempertahankan dasar-dasar bersama yang telah dipersetujui sebelum ini sepertimana terkandung dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan, dasar bersama dan Buku Jingga. Justeru kata Tuan Ibrahim, keputusan yang dibuat Pakatan Rakyat kelmarin ternyata jauh lebih baik daripada pendirian Umno yang terus menolak hukum hudud sebagaimana kenyataan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak yang juga Presiden Umno dan Pengerusi Barisan Nasional (BN). Minggu lalu Najib menegaskan hudud tidak akan dilaksanakan di negara ini manakala timbalannya Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata Umno tidak menolak hudud tetapi kini bukan masanya untuk melaksanakan pendekatan itu. "Sebagai 'damage control' ekoran kenyataan presiden mereka, ramai pemimpin Umno bergesa-gesa berkata mereka secara dasarnya menyokong hudud tapi menyalahkan keadaan tidak sesuai untuk melaksanakan hukum Allah ini. READ MORE HERE

Guan Eng apologises to Johor Sultan Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:55 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Lim Guan Eng apologised today for offending the Sultan of Johor, stating out that he had no intention of discrediting the state. The Penang chief minister insisted however that his statements were misrepresented by the Barisan Nasional-controlled media. "Out of respect to the Johor Sultan, I wish to fully apologise. I have no intention whatsoever to discredit Johor or any other state," the DAP secretary-general said in a statement today. Lim had allegedly said during a luncheon talk with the Foreign Correspondents Association in Singapore on August 12 that Singaporeans would likely get "kidnapped" in Johor. Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar said in an interview with the New Straits Times that he was offended by Lim's remarks but did not "want to react, because as a Ruler, I shouldn't be dragged into politics." But the Bagan MP said "I feel that what I had said has been misrepresented by the BN-controlled media. I will pursue this matter in court to determine the truth." READ MORE HERE

Voters want new Umno candidates for polls, says Muhyiddin Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:51 PM PDT (The Malaysia Insider) - Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today admitted voters generally want new Umno candidates for the next general election, saying that feedback received by the party showed that some people are tired of the "old" names. The Umno deputy president however stressed that there would be a mix of young and "not-so-young" candidates who will contest in the upcoming polls. "Winnable candidates, the most important thing is whether the candidate can be accepted and can win, even though that candidate has been the division chief for a long time, won uncontested and became MP before. "But when we ask people they say 'Ah that person has been around too long we are tired, we want someone new.' That is the feedback we get," he told reporters here. Muhyiddin, who is deputy prime minister, said there will be a balance between candidates who are "young, energetic, qualified, lovable" and those who are experienced and are useful to party. "Even though Umno likes a (particular) candidate, but people don't like, this cannot be a basis to keep a candidate. "Whether a candidate holds posts in the party is immaterial. What matters is whether the candidate can win," he said. He acknowledged that there may be dissatisfaction among Umno leaders who are not chosen or are dropped as candidates, but maintained that the party leadership will be able to keep things under control. READ MORE HERE

"Malaysian Insider" apologizes to Tajudin Ramli over article Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT (Bernama) - The "Malaysian Insider" news portal today apologized to former Malaysia Airlines executive chairman Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli for posting a baseless and defamatory article on him.   The Malaysian Insider Sdn Bhd, its chief executive officer Jahabar Sadiq and reporter Shazwan Mustafa Kamal handed the statement of apology to lawyer Lim Kian Leong, who represented Tajudin, through their lawyer George Miranda before High Court Judge Harminder Singh Dhaliwal in chambers.     Miranda told reporters that all parties concerned had signed the statement and that several terms which could not be disclosed had been discussed as well. In their apology, the three parties expressed regret for all the inconvenience caused to Tajudin following publication of the article, he said.  They also agreed to retract the article and acknowledged that it was baseless and defamatory in nature, he added.  Today's out-of-court settlement was a result of Tajudin's RM200-million defamation suit against the portal on Aug 18 in which he named The Malaysian Insider Sdn Bhd, Jahabar and Shazwan as the respondents.

Pakatan, too, must come clean on ‘covert funds’ Posted: 29 Sep 2011 03:45 PM PDT UM Professor Terence Gomez says monetisation of politics is a dangerous trend and little has been done to curb it. (Free Malaysia Today) - Just like Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Rakyat must be honest about its funding if it wishes to see true reform of an election system marred by money politics. Professor Edmund Terence Gomez of Universiti Malaya claimed that the opposition has so far failed to come clean on the source of its finances, saying such practices is a major hindrance to having a clean election. "I have met with Pakatan leaders and told them that they must disclose their funders. They said they can't do that or BN will go after them (funders). Fair enough. "But when I asked them about covert funds, they were silent," he told about 200 students at the Parliamentary Elections and Funding forum held at Sunway University here. Gomez said Malaysia is witnessing increased "monetisation of politics" and widespread allegations of "covert funding" of political parties and politicians in an attempt to influence policymakers for vested interests. This included possible funding by "the underworld". "This is dangerous. Whoever funds them have control over them," he said. Malaysia is also among the few countries in the world where political parties are allowed to have extensive involvement in businesses. The ruling coalition is known to appoint close associates to key positions in government-linked companies while top corporate figures are known to have close relations with leaders from the ruling parties This creates a deep conflict of interests and corruption is rife where politicians fight for high positions in order to dictate policies to profit and finance their war chest to maintain power. Gomez also spoke of "secret" or "special" funds by top politicians which should be outlawed. He cited the admission by Dr Mahathir Mohamad who confessed in his blog that he held RM1.4 billion in cash and assets to finance BN's election machinery when he was prime minister. "And RM200 million from the amount was in cash. Look at the kind of money we are talking about," said the political scientist. There are also allegations that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has similar "secret funds" and although the court had cleared him of the accusation, the stigma remains as nothing had been done to curb its existence, added Gomez. READ MORE HERE

PM: Govt Treats All Schools Equally Posted: 29 Sep 2011 03:26 PM PDT (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak reaffirmed that the federal government under his leadership treats all streams of schools in Malaysia equally without discrimination. He said the government would continue to support and assist both public and private education institutions in Malaysia. "Let me reaffirm that my government is the people's government and we will treat all streams of schools in Malaysia equally without discrimination," he said in his opening speech during Han Chiang College's "Golden Achievements Awards" ceremony here on Thursday. The text of his speech was read out by Information, Communications and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim. Najib also said the unity of all Malaysians would assist the country to pull through the world economic crisis and set a good example to other countries in the world. "I believe that if we work together with no racial discrimination, we would be able to move towards a fair society and become a developed country in 2020," he said. However, Najib said educational institutions could also put in more effort to advocate racial harmony to make Malaysia a better country. "I always uphold liberal education. For instance, in 1998, when I was the Minister of Education, I approved the establishment of Foon Yew High School's new campus in Kulai, Johor. "Today, Foon Yew High School has become the largest Chinese school in Malaysia with nearly 10,000 students," he said, adding that Han Chiang College was set up a year later in 1999. He said the establishment of Foon Yew High School in the south and Han Chiang College in the north proved that the government was open and supportive of Chinese education in Malaysia in line with its democratic education policies. "I would like to congratulate Han Chiang college on its efforts and tremendous achievements in educating and nurturing talents for the country for the past ten years, especially in cultivating media pactitioners," he added.

Soi Lek should not be BN candidate because of sex scandal, says Tee Keat Posted: 29 Sep 2011 02:51 PM PDT By Shannon Teoh The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — Former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has said his successor Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek is not a "winnable candidate," pointing out that the former health minister's 2007 sex scandal will be a major liability in the general election expected to be called soon. Dr Chua, who deposed Ong as MCA boss in a fractious power struggle 18 months ago, has yet to confirm his own candidacy despite revealing this week that several current leaders will not run in the coming polls. Rumours have been swirling since February that Ong(picture) will also be dropped but the Pandan MP told The Malaysian Insider in an interview this week that Dr Chua's 2007 sex video scandal will continue to plague the MCA president and Barisan Nasional (BN). "Is he a winnable candidate? I don't think the Malaysianpublic can accept him. Of course, he wants to run. He has been saying five divisions want him to contest and many including him will say that personal misconduct or immorality is no excuse to deny him the right to contest. "But they are not deep-diving into winnability. If he were to contest, it will be an acid test of the values of the electorate," Ong said. Dr Chua stepped down as health minister and MCA vice-president in 2008 after admitting he was the man featured in a secretly recorded video which showed him having sex with his lover. But he made a comeback later to win the party's deputy presidency after the MCA's top two leaders resigned due to its poor showing in Election 2008. The party won just 15 of 40 federal and 31 of 90 state seats it contested. The party subsequently sacked Dr Chua in August 2009 over the sex scandal, sparking an extraordinary general meeting where a vote of no confidence in Ong was passed. Dr Chua became MCA president in March 2010 in fresh elections where he saw off Ong and former president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting. The MCA holds what is likely to be its final general assembly this weekend before federal polls are called.     READ MORE HERE.

Government mulls web portal for policy feedback Posted: 29 Sep 2011 02:45 PM PDT By Lisa J. Ariffin, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — A web portal for the public to freely provide feedback and criticisms of government policies may soon be set up. "This web portal enables the general public to voice their opinions, ideas and criticisms towards government policies. It can also be a means for people to voice out aspirations and expectations of the ruling government," Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Datuk Maglin D'Cruz (picture) said today of his initiative. "I believe by allowing the people to share their dreams for the country, we will be able to get more input from the ground level where all Malaysians can be heard and policies tailor-made to suit our time and our diverse culture and ethnicities in line with creating a truly 1 Malaysia," he added. A poll entitled "Should we have a channel (web portal) to express our opinion freely without fear?" will be set up to gauge the response of people to the initiative. When asked whether the poll is needed, D' Cruz said, "We want to see how many people will accept this. We just don't want to open something and it's just a doormat. We want to make it effective." "Like when the government wants to implement something, we will always ask the people first. We cannot just implement it." D'Cruz said the web portal will be different from other online forums as the ministry will contact the relevant authorities and agencies to convey any concerns raised by Malaysians. "Now they are voicing out but there is nobody attending to them. So the group is getting bigger and bigger," he said.     READ MORE HERE.

Australia’s Kevin Rudd alerts Attorney General over Taib family activities Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:36 PM PDT Australian Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, addressing the UN earlier this week Australia's Foreign Minister and former Primer Minister, Kevin Rudd, has replied to a joint letter by the Bruno Manser Fund, Sarawak Report and PKR Sarawak Leader Baru Bian on suspected unlawful activities of the Taib family in Australia. By Hornbill Unleashed We would like to briefly update you on the latest developments on the Bruno Manser Fund's international Stop Timber Corrupting campaign: - Australia's Foreign Minister and former Primer Minister, Kevin Rudd, has replied to a joint letter by the Bruno Manser Fund, Sarawak Report and PKR Sarawak Leader Baru Bian on suspected unlawful activities of the Taib family in Australia. Please find scans of the letter attached. - Research by the Bruno Manser Fund has identified 25 Australian companies with links to the family of Malaysian potentate Abdul Taib Mahmud. Please find the exclusive list attached. - Canadian Finance Minister James H. Flaherty has personally replied to a letter by the Bruno Manser Fund on suspected money-laundering by Sakto corporation, an Ottawa-based property developer which is being directed by Taib's daughter, Jamilah Taib, and her Canadian husband, Sean Patrick Murray. BMF has not yet received an answer from American authorities contacted on these matters, including FBI director Robert Mueller. The FBI is renting its Seattle field office, located in the Abraham Lincoln Building in downtown Seattle, from Taib family-owned Wallysons Inc., a Washington state corporation. With best wishes, Your BMF campaignteam   Below is the article reported at the web site sarawak report Kevin Rudd, Australia's former Premier and current Foreign Minister has issued a prompt and positive response to our request for an investigation into the Taib family's foreign assets in that country. In a letter received yesterday, just one day after Sarawak Report publicised the request, Australia's Foreign Minister confirmed that the matter of Taib's wealth has been referred to the Australian Attorney General's Department for consideration. This follows similar commitments to investigate by the Swiss and German governments.  Malaysia's own Anti-Corruption Commission has also confirmed that it has launched an official investigation into the Chief Minister's conduct. Read more at: http://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2011/09/30/23903/

Any DPP can charge A-G, says Mat Zain Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:30 PM PDT (TMI) KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — A former senior police officer called today on deputy public prosecutors to show the "courage and will" to charge the Attorney-General with abuse of power. Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim dismissed the notion that Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail is the sole Public Prosecutor as section 376(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) allows his subordinates to bring criminal charges against anyone to court. "Any DPP has the power to prosecute the A-G if they want to, anyone amongst them who has the courage and will. No one can stop them, not even the prime minister," the retired city criminal investigation chief said. Mat Zain has repeatedly accused Abdul Gani (picture) of abuses of power, beginning with the 1998 Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's black eye. He has also claimed that an independent three-man panel had investigated criminal allegations against the A-G and one of them concluded the A-G had tampered with three expert reports in the black eye RCI. "After all, it was just a DPP and not the Solicitor-General or the head of the Prosecution Department of the A-G's Chambers who closed the investigation on the A-G," Mat Zain said in a statement today. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/any-dpp-can-charge-a-g-says-mat-zain/

Asia stocks fall in worst month since Oct 2008 Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:30 PM PDT (Reuters) - Asian stocks fell today, extending the worst monthly performance since the most volatile days of the global financial crisis in October 2008, with Chinese shares racking up sharp losses. The euro fell and was on course for the biggest monthly drop in nearly a year, with parliamentary approvals of new powers for Europe's bailout fund having little lasting impact. Fears of a spiralling European debt crisis and a slowing global economy that would hit Asian exports caused investors to slash their bets on risky assets in the September quarter. Markets in Asia, considered by investors to have superior fundamentals compared with developed markets in the West, were not immune, with institutional investors continuing to hedge against further Asian currency weakness, including the yuan. Mainland Chinese stocks listed in Hong Kong fell 3.3 per cent, underperforming the rest of the region, with investors selling off bank shares. Even a rare batch of strong US economic data led by falling jobless claims failed to cheer up Asia, with traders focusing on China's September PMI data to gauge how the world's export powerhouse is holding up in the face of a slowing global economy. Official Chinese data to be released tomorrow may show a pickup in factory activity though input prices will be closely watched for inflationary pressures at a time when officials have declared that fighting inflation was a top objective. In Asia, stocks in Japan, Australia and Korea were steady to slightly lower with only Hong Kong shares among the major losers, dropping about 1.8 per cent, as investors locked in profits. While window-dressing by fund managers buying some of the quarter's outperforming issues to improve their books has helped support shares this week, gains may be hard to get in the future as broader macro concerns still remain. "Window-dressing tends to support the market at the end of quarter, and some relief about Europe's situation after the German vote is also giving buyers more confidence," said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund manager at Ichiyoshi Investment Management Co. MSCI's index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan fell 1.3 per cent after rising for three consecutive days. For the month, it is down more than 13 per cent, its biggest monthly drop since October 2008. US stock futures were down 0.6 per cent after ringing up decent gains yesterday. Bonds crack In what has been another tough month for money managers with market movements largely dictated by the ebb and flow of headlines from Europe, emerging market bonds have suffered the most as investors cut positions to protect portfolios. EPFR Global data shows emerging market bond fund outflows gathered pace in the week to September 28. A total of US$3.2 billion (RM10.2 billion) of net outflows was recorded from emerging market bond funds, compared with the previous week's outflow of US$692 million. Hard currency bond funds saw US$1 billion of outflows while local currency bond funds saw US$1.6 billion in withdrawals. In Asia, some of the biggest jump in bond yields have been in markets where foreign positioning has been the most crowded like Indonesia and Malaysia while the bustling international pipeline for bond issuers in Asia has come to a grinding halt. Currencies have also been hard hit. As the flight to safety pushed the dollar higher against other currencies, investors such as long-only funds and banks who bought these bonds on an unhedged basis, betting on more FX gains ran to hedge positions, further exacerbating their drops. Even a recent drive by Chinese authorities to fix the yuan's midpoint higher has failed to impress markets. The renminbi is trading at the bottom end of a trading end against the dollar and the offshore yuan is trading at a rare steep discount against the onshore rate. Elsewhere, the euro hovered above a eight-month low versus the dollar after German Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition party voted yesterday to enhance the European Financial Stability Facility's powers. Having worked through to US$1.3679 at one stage, the single currency settled back at US$1.3554 with investors worried about the many problems ahead for the euro zone. "There is still a lot of uncertainty ... Economic growth in Europe and the US is not that good and that will put pressure on the euro and give a bid to the dollar," said Joseph Capurso, strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Worried investors gave the thumbs up to safe-haven bets like gold and Treasuries with the former extending gains by a percent to hold US$1,632 per ounce. US crude futures rose above US$82.50 per barrel in electronic trade today, extending yesterday's gains.

Hisham defends meeting with Perkasa Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:25 PM PDT (The Malay Mail) Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has defended meeting Malay rights group Perkasa over the abolishing of the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960. Yesterday Perkasa met with the minister to hand over a memorandum on the group's demands relating to the two new laws replacing the ISA. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had announced during his Malaysia Day address the government would repeal the Act and introduce two new laws during the next parliamentary sitting. Hishammuddin denied he was politically biased by meeting Perkasa and explained the ministry had met other groups as well. "I am meeting with all the groups and not only Perkasa. We have been engaging with the Bar Council when we were looking at the amendments. So there's nothing peculiar about meeting Perkasa. "I felt that it is important that Perkasa understands where we are going forward. What our content is and what we are striving for," he said during a Press conference. He added Perkasa's perspective was important in formulating the new laws. "It (abolishing the ISA) is something we will do without fear or favour but we need to balance it with the bigger national interest and the views of groups and NGOs will become very useful to us," he said. Hishammuddin also stressed Perkasa had been very "rational" in its approach and warned the issue should not be politicised. Hishammuddin's meeting is bound to draw flak from the public as the Malayrights group had been very vocal about protecting the draconian Act. Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali had recently said the group would reject the new laws if it did not retain the "preventive spirit" of the old Act. "We want preventive elements to be retained because two aspects of the ISA — prevention and rehabilitation — had been most effective in tackling security issues in the country," he reportedly said. Utusan Malaysia had also called on the government to preserve the role of the ISA in the new laws. "Surely, if the United States had to resort to enforcing laws allowing detention without trial, (Malaysia's) new (anti-terrorism) laws to be enacted soon should also play the role of the ISA, which is to protect the peace and security of the country," wrote its senior news editor Zulkefli Hamzah in his column. Yesterday, Ibrahim told reporters the group had in its memorandum, proposed the government establish a high-powered committee to bypass the courts to decide on who should be detained without trial. "If we use the court system, it will take a long time. "It is better if we set up this high-powered committee, comprising the police chief, Attorney-General, Suhakam and anyone else who is credible."

TRANSFORMING THE ISA: Old Poison in New Bottles Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:13 PM PDT The BN government's pledge to annul the three states of emergency in force since 1964 shows their recognition of the fact that there is no justification for any state of emergency in Malaysia. So why is there a justification for new anti-terrorism laws when our existing laws can cope with any eventuality?  By Dr Kua Kia Soong, Director of SUARAM Prime Minister Najib Razak's recent announcement to repeal the much loathed Internal Security Act (ISA) does not give us cause for celebration when he simultaneously says that it will be replaced by two anti-terrorism laws. There is no doubt that these new anti-terrorism laws will again allow the government-of-the-day to detain people without charge. The entire function of the ISA since 1960 has been for the Alliance and then the Barisan Nasional government to deal with the Opposition and other dissidents through detention without charge. Before we look at the way in which other countries deal with terrorism, it may be worth our while to ask if an emergency situation exists in Malaysia to warrant such legislation. The US, UK and other western countries are the objects of terrorism mainly because of their support for Israel and their aggression against Iraq, Afghanistan and other Muslim countries. September 11th 2001 of course provided President Bush and Prime Minister Blair with the perfect excuse to launch their offensive against Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya and to pass anti-terrorism laws in their own countries. Articles 149 & 150 which enabled the legislation of the Internal Security Act (which is inconsistent with Articles 5, 9 & 10 guaranteeing liberty of the person, freedom of movement and freedom of speech, assembly & association respectively) were included in the 1957 Federal Constitution because the Emergency of 1948-60 was on-going. The BN government's pledge to annul the three states of emergency in force since 1964 shows their recognition of the fact that there is no justification for any state of emergency in Malaysia. So why is there a justification for new anti-terrorism laws when our existing laws can cope with any eventuality? If an emergency situation should arise in the future, the government still has Articles 149 and 150 to fall back on and to legislate appropriate laws to cope with the situation as they have done in the past. Alas, as with other lapses in their governance, they have been most tardy in annulling the states of emergency once the emergency had blown over. And their tardiness has been most costly for many victims of their draconian laws. Based on its record, the government cannot be trusted to use detention-without-trial laws responsibly. Apart from the detention of peace-loving citizens like me under the ISA, it is worth pointing out that out of the more than 10,000 ISA detainees since 1960, few if any have been charged in court for terrorist crimes. It is also an indication of the warped priorities of the government and its security forces that the alleged terrorist in the Bali bombing killed by the Indonesian police, Mat Top had never been detained under the ISA!   The Importance of Due Process Many people are not aware of the fact that throughout the repugnant career of the ISA since 1960 when the Emergency had been declared over, the ISA was more draconian than similar laws in South Africa under apartheid or even Northern Ireland during the IRA campaigns. In 1962, a black South African was picked up after returning from training in bomb-making and guerrilla warfare in Ethiopia. He then spent 27 years in jail but he was given access to lawyers and his prosecutor had to follow rules of due process. That man later became the president of South Africa. Terrorism laws must be clearly worded, passed by parliament, and the powers of the executive must be balanced by wider review, new checks and balances. The government will try to justify long period of detention without charge by claiming that the police need time to scrutinize mountains of  documents, computer data, etc. However, this excuse does not carry water because major fraud and pornography trials face similar challenges. The government must bear in mind that suspects are not terrorists.   Existing anti-terrorism laws Britain already has 200 pieces of anti-terrorism legislation, while Malaysia also has terrorism-related offences in the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code of 2006. There is also an Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001. Moreover, the police can detain people on less serious charges and still question them on the more serious ones as they sometimes do. In the UK, terrorism is defined as:   "Any politically motivated violence against people, property or electronic systems designed to influence the government or intimidate the public for a political, religious or ideological cause…" This raises the question of whether people have the right to take up arms against tyranny, injustice or foreign occupation. And what about the assault on civilian targets by states as we have seen in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and elsewhere? The definition of terrorism is also intended to proscribe organisations whose activities "glorify, exalt or celebrate terrorism." What happens is that in the process, peaceful organisations can be banned and support for mainstream Muslim causes criminalized. Consequently, this will drive more to go underground. It is instructive to treat "terrorists" as criminals (as in the UK) based on justice and due process and not as combatants in war based on fear and suspicion (as is the case in the US).   The Executive's Extraordinary Powers The US president possesses extraordinary powers compared with the executive in the UK. Even so, it is instructive that in the Special Registration Program soon after September 11th 2001, 80,000 men from Arab and Muslim countries were "ethnically profiled" but it resulted in not a single terrorist conviction. With the US resolution of 18 Sept 2001, the US Congress authorised the President to use force against any person or entity he might determine to be responsible for Sept 11, providing for indefinite detention of suspected terrorists anywhere in the world without any guarantee of charge or trial. Then by a secret order, President Bush authorised the National Security Agency to intercept communications (wire tapping) without judicial warrant.   Period of detention without charge in the West With the war in Northern Ireland, Britain has had detention without charge although there is judicial review unlike the case of Malaysia's ISA. In 1997, there was an upper limit of four days' detention without charge and in 2000, it became seven days. After 2001, it became 14 days. In 2005, the Terrorism Bill was proposed for 90 days of detention without charge but this was defeated in the House of Commons. The new Terrorism Act then allowed 28 days of detention without charge. In 2008, the House of Lords defeated another Bill asking for 42 days' detention without charge. In the other European countries, the period of detention without charge is as follows: •      France………………….     4 days •      Greece………………….     5 days •      Spain..……………………13 days •      Australia…………………  7 days •      Canada………………….    1 day In France & Spain, an independent judge decides if there is a case to answer while in Australia, detention is under ordinary remand provisions.   The US PATRIOT Act 2001 This Act stands for "Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism." The first thing about this Act is that it can only be used against foreigners. This begs the question: Why is the same act not "terrorist" if committed by US citizens? Secondly, the US government is required to press charges within 7 days. Since the passing of the Act, US have detained more than 80,000 people, nearly 800 of them at Guantanamo Bay. Guantanamo Bay prisoners are not given Prisoner Of War status nor charged nor given lawyers. The US government uses "enemy combatant" designation to detain indefinitely, allowing no access to lawyers. There is a repeated pattern of extraordinary powers first used only against non-citizens, but then extended to include citizens.   Judicial Checks on the Executive President Bush has got away with a lot since September 11th 2001 and detainees have suffered for it. But the US judiciary has also stood up to the US Commander-in-Chief. Thus in Rasul v Bush in 2004, the Supreme Court ruled that a non-citizen had the right to challenge detention: "Executive imprisonment has been considered oppressive and lawless since King John at Runnymede pledged that no free man should be imprisoned, dispossessed, outlawed or exiled save by the judgement of his peers or by the law of the land." After each defeat in the Supreme Court, the US government amended the law but once again in Hamdan v Rumsfeld 2006, Supreme Court ruled:  "The (new) legislation did not prevent federal courts hearing habeas corpus petitions; detainees are entitled to protection of Article 3 of the Geneva Convention (which prohibits cruel treatment and torture) and that detainees were entitled to trial before a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees recognised as indispensable by civilised peoples." After further legislative change, the US Supreme Court ruled in Boumedienne v Bush 2008 that detainees had a constitutional right to habeas corpus and legislation was unconstitutional:  "The laws and constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force in extraordinary times. Liberty and security can be reconciled; and in our system they are reconciled within the law." In 2006, the federal judge in Michigan ruled that President Bush's secret order authorising the National Security Agency to intercept communications without any judicial warrant was a violation of federal criminal law and added:  "There are no hereditary Kings in America."   Supranational Views on Terrorism Laws The Council of Europe pronounced in 2002:  "While the state has the right to employ to the full its arsenal of legal weapons to repress and prevent terrorist activities, it may not use indiscriminate measures which would only undermine the fundamental values they seek to protect." In 2004, the International Commission of Jurists in its Berlin Declaration proclaimed that:  "In adopting measures aimed at suppressing acts of terrorism, states must adhere strictly to the rule of law, including the core principles of criminal and international law and the specific standards and obligations of international human rights law, refugee law and, where applicable, humanitarian law." Finally, Cicero's old adage is the wisest caution against terrorism laws from the Wild West: "Salus populi suprema est lex" (The safety of the people is the supreme law). Malaysians would do well to demand that there is no return to detention without charge and that we do not accept the old ISA poison in a new bottle!

Malays must earn respect with 21st century mindset, says PM Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:49 AM PDT By Yuen Meikeng and Rahimy Rahim, The Star SERDANG: The Malay community of the 21st century should have the courage and confidence to succeed on their own, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He said they should not depend on Government protection if they want to succeed. "If we want to become a race that is dignified and respected by all, we must have the ability and skills to do so. Premier touch: Najib launching the Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM) at the Malaysian Agro Exposition Park in Serdang Thursday. With him are President of MTEM Syed Ali Alatas (left) and Datuk Moehamad Izzat Emir (third from left). "We should not always be seeking protection from the Government, but we must have the bravery and confidence to succeed on our own. "These are the characteristics of the 21st century Malay. Such Malays would achieve success not because of Government help, but because of their own power of knowledge, skills and their sharp minds," the Prime Minister said after launching the United Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM) here last night. The council is a coalition of 63 Malay non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that promotes sustainable economic development for the Malay community. Najib, who is also Umno president, said that the Malays should be willing to change and adapt to developments in the coming years. "We must be more flexible and nimble compared with the past. Being too bureaucratic and rigid will only end up as a hurdle in adapting to new environments," he said. Najib said the Malays should come up with new projects of their own so that the community could receive a fairer distribution of wealth. "For example, in the MY Rapid Transit project, the Government had allocated 43% of the project to the bumiputras. "We do not take from others but we strive to develop new projects," he added. He urged the NGOs to help the Government implement its projects under the New Economic Model and Economic Transformation Programme. "These NGOs should act as a "bridge" between the Government and the people and any decision made by them should be deemed as fair," he said. On MTEM, Najib said that the coalition's formation was historic as this was the first time so many Malay NGOs, which previously operated on their own, were now united under an umbrella body. "This is a force that can bring change to the Malay community as well as the country as a whole," he said. Najib added that it was now up to the Malay NGOs to step forward and carry out effective programmes in championing the interests of the community.

Selangor Umno warned against arrogance Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:36 AM PDT By Teoh El Sen, FMT KUALA LUMPUR: Umno is wrong in thinking that it can recapture Selangor for Barisan Nasional without MCA's help, according to Yap Pian Hon, who is BN's information chief for the state. He warned Umno against underestimating MCA's influence among Chinese voters, adding that no single BN component party could "go it alone" in the coming general election. "Sometimes people talk big," he said in response to reports quoting Umno sources saying MCA was rapidly losing Chinese support. "What is being said may be merely a perception." However, referring to reports that Selangor Umno was seeking to take over seats traditionally associated with MCA, he said they were "mere speculation". "The seat counts remain unchanged at the moment," he told FMT. Out of the 56 state seats, 35 are for Umno to contest, 14 for MCA, four for Gerakan and three for MIC. Yap called for "more unity" within BN, adding that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak "wants more politeness and for leaders to respect one another". He said the current political landscape did not allow for petty internal struggles. "In this day and age, we cannot have leaders with arrogant attitudes. That must be done away with. We cannot be shouting at each other to solve problems." Yap admitted that the Chinese community regarded MCA as weak, that it is afraid to go against Umno. "They call MCA the running dog of Umno, that we are always begging Umno to be a component party," he said. "Our side has never had the chance to rebut this. We've actually achieved a lot through consultation with Umno – for example, getting Tunku Abdul Rahman College built to help the Chinese community get higher education." Yap, who is also publicity chief for MCA Selangor, also admitted that it would be an "uphill battle" for BN to retake Selangor in the coming election, adding that much would depend on the work of grassroots leaders. He said the fight would be even tougher if BN went to the polls without MCA in a state where Chinese voters account for a substantial portion of the electorate. The Chinese make up about 34% of voters in Selangor. Malays account for 49% and Indians about 14%. "MCA has been here for 60 over years," he said, "and I can tell you that if you don't have the support of the people, you can close shop.   READ MORE HERE.

Maximum 40pc pay rise as Putrajaya reverts to single-tier civil service Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:52 AM PDT By G. Manimaran, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — Putrajaya is to implement a new pay scheme for the country's 1.3 million civil servants that will see salaries jump by up to 40 per cent next year, sources say. Datuk Seri Najib Razak is expected to announce a return to a single-tier system when tabling Budget 2012 next week after more than 15 years of grumbling from public sector employees who say the current triple-tier system is unfair. The government will also implement a new Integrated Competency Development Programme (Prospek) appraisal system from next January 1 to replace the controversial Efficiency Level Assessment (PTK) currently in use by the Public Service Department (PSD). "Government agencies have completed studies into introducing the new system. It is not an adjustment but a new single-tier scheme. "The increase could be up to RM700, and in terms of percentage this will be up to 40 per cent for some grades," a source told The Malaysian Insider. Another source confirmed the raise and the appraisal system. The Malaysian Insider reported last week that the prime minister was considering a hefty bonus or pay increase for the civil service in a "break-the-bank" budget to counter rising costs and keep their support ahead of a general election expected within a year. The move is similar to former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's move in 2007, who announced a salary increase of between 7.5 and 42 per cent for civil servants and a 100 per cent increase in the cost of living allowance (Cola) a year before calling polls. The civil service has been seen as a bedrock of support for Najib's ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition but it lost badly in Election 2008 under Abdullah despite his overwhelming win of 91 per cent of Parliament four years earlier. Critics and analysts said a combination of rising inflation and a push for civil liberties cut BN's support in the polls. Najib is determined to turn around the coalition's fortunes and recently restarted his reforms agenda by announcing the repeal and revision of several security and media laws in his Malaysia Day address, including the replacement of the Internal Security Act (ISA) with two new laws that focus on terrorism and race and religious issues.     READ MORE HERE.

WIKILEAKS: BRUNEI-MALAYSIA OFFSHORE OIL DISPUTE – RESOLUTION NEARING? Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:00 AM PDT It is in the U.S. interest, however, for a resolution finally to be reached given the stakes involved with the potentially extensive reserves that could be opened for production. We understand that the industry's upper estimates for potential reserves in the J and K Blocks reach up to 5 billion (sic) barrels. If proved, these reserves could help ease the pressure on East Asian oil and gas markets significantly for a long period after production begins and so lessen the likelihood of potential conflict over access to energy resources. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin  1.  (C)  In recent weeks we have picked up a number of hints that the long-running dispute between Brunei and Malaysia over delineation of offshore oil exploration zones may finally be nearing a compromise settlement.  There has been no exploration activity in the zones, designated as Blocks "J" and "K" by Brunei, since naval incidents that occurred in 2003.  A senior oil industry executive told Ambassador that the head of Malaysian national oil company Petronas recently commented to the CEO of a major American firm that he expected the dispute to be solved this year.  Working level contacts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told us that, even though their government is confident it could win any international arbitration over the dispute with Malaysia, it might be willing to forego such arbitration and reach a compromise in order to avoid causing a fellow Islamic country to lose face.  In our view, these talking points have more to do with avoiding a loss of face by Brunei, which has long maintained that it will accept nothing less than total control over the offshore blocks and that the Malaysian claim has no merit. 2.  (C) Local oil industry executives have outlined for us the shape that an eventual resolution could take, at a level of detail not heard previously.  They foresee a production sharing arrangement that allocates 65-75 percent of oil and gas output by volume (not revenues) from the disputed offshore blocks to Brunei and the rest to Malaysia. Companies that have signed competing contracts with Brunei and Malaysia would have their contracts honored based on a pro rata calculation of each country's share; for example, a company which had signed a contract with Brunei for 25 percent of the production rights in the disputed zone might end up receiving 25 percent of 75 percent of total output, or 18.75 percent.  Royalties, taxes, and the prices charged to third country customers would depend on the terms dictated by the country with which the original contract was signed, either Brunei or Malaysia.  One sticking point may be a decision on which firm will be named as overall operator for the production sharing area, and how much compensation it will receive.  French company Total, which has a contract with Brunei for exploration in the disputed zones, is an obvious candidate because of its long presence in the region and experience in deep-water drilling, but others will also be interested. 3. (C) The sudden flurry of activity on this long-standing dispute is probably attributable to the start of offshore production earlier this year by U.S. firm Murphy Oil under the terms of its contract with Malaysia.  Murphy's rig is in a Malaysian offshore zone undisputed by Brunei, but is located very near the disputed area and taps a reservoir that probably extends under the area claimed by Brunei.  The large amount of gas located below the oil in this area produces strong pressure that serves to push the reservoir's hydrocarbons towards Murphy's well.  Local oil industry executives who briefed Bruneian government officials on this situation told us that the information was a wake-up call on the need for a resolution sooner rather than later, especially in light of high world-wide demand for exploratory rigs and drilling equipment and resulting long wait times for putting such equipment to use in new locations.  The Bruneians have realized that the longer they wait to reach an agreement that allows them to begin drilling in Blocks J and K, the less oil and gas they may ultimately be able to extract.  This serves as powerful motivation to get serious in their negotiations with Malaysia and look for a compromise.  That motivation is enhanced by the need for Brunei to identify new gas reserves that will underpin the renegotiation of contracts for the supply of Liquefied Natural Gas to Japan, due to expire in 2013. 4.  (C) Comment:  As we previously reported, the ultimate decision on whether and when Brunei should reach a compromise agreement with Malaysia over the offshore fields will be made personally by the Sultan, which is another way of saying the decision process will be deliberate and opaque.  It is entirely possible the hopeful signs mentioned above will amount to naught.  It is in the U.S. interest, however, for a resolution finally to be reached given the stakes involved with the potentially extensive reserves that could be opened for production.  We understand that the industry's upper estimates for potential reserves in the J and K Blocks reach up to 5 billion (sic) barrels. If proved, these reserves could help ease the pressure on East Asian oil and gas markets significantly for a long period after production begins and so lessen the likelihood of potential conflict over access to energy resources.  End Comment SKODON (July 2007)

Sekali lagi Haris Ibrahim dilarang masuk ke Sarawak Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:17 PM PDT (Merdeka Review) -- Sekali lagi, Presiden Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM), juga pengendali blog The People's Parliament, Haris Ibrahim dilarang untuk menjejakkan langkahnya ke dalam sempadan negeri Sarawak, setelah mendarat pada jam 5.15 petang di Lapangan Terbang Kuching, tadi. Beliau dibawa oleh pegawai imigresen setelah tiba di kaunter, dan menunggu di Gate 2 untuk kapal terbang Ak 5217 yang bertolak balik ke Kuala Lumpur pada jam 7.10 petang, sambil dipantau dua orang pegawai imigresen. Haris Ibrahim (gambar kanan) mempersoalkan, "Apa yang ditakutkan kerajaan negeri Sarawak?  Saya datang ke Kuching hanya untuk menghadiri satu forum anjuran Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement, membawa agenda perubahan kepada rakyat, dan agenda perubahan yang diinginkan rakyat.  Jadi apa yang ditakutkan kerajaan negeri Sarawak?" Ketika dihubungi MerdekaReview, beliau berkata dirinya dihalang mengikut Akta Imigresen Seksyen 65(1)(a), sebagaimana apa yang berlaku pada April yang lalu, tanpa dimaklumkan puncanya.  Beliau hanya diberitahu bahawa larangan ini adalah "arahan dari atas". Pada 13 April 2011, Haris Ibrahim menjadi warga Malaysia ketiga yang dihalang menjejak ke bumi Kenyalang sejak pembubaran DUN Sarawak, mengulangi nasib aktivis BERSIH 2.0, Wong Chin Huat pada 8 April; dan aktivis sosial Steven Ng, pada 3 April 2011.  Pengerusi BERSIH 2.0 Ambiga Sreenevasan, pemimpin PKR Sivarasa Rasiah, ahli parlimen Padang Serai Gobalakrishnan dan lain-lain turut tersenarai sebagai warga Malaysia yang dihalang menjejak langkah ke bumi Sarawak. Haris Ibrahim pada ketika itu menyifatkan larangan ini sebagai perbuatan menyalahgunakan kuasa, semata-mata untuk menghalang aktivis sosial daripada menyebarkan maklumat kepada pengundi tempatan Sarawak. MCLM mengadakan forum bersiri, 27 September di Kota Kinabalu, 28 di Tawau dan pada hari ini, bertempat di Kuching.  Forum ini dijangka membincangkan agenda sosial yang lebih inklusif, perjanjian yang dimeterai ketika pembentukan Malaysia pada tahun 1963, sistem kehakiman dan sebagainya.

How spin-doctoring works Posted: 28 Sep 2011 08:37 PM PDT Malay support, which was about 49% in the March 2008 general election, has declined to about 40% over the last three years. Pakatan Rakyat would need to increase this support to at least 60% if it wants to be able to win enough seats in parliament to form the next federal government. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Pakatan stalemate after talks on hudud (The Star). Pakatan: Hudud only if all parties agree (The Malaysian Insider). Pakatan: No consensus for Kelantan to implement hudud (Malaysiakini). DAP won't back down on hudud, says Karpal (Free Malaysia Today). Hudud: PR agrees to disagree, maintains unity (Harakah Daily). Hudud backfires on BN, while a smiling Nik Aziz reaches out to non-Muslims (Malaysia Chronicle). Anwar: Pakatan will not implement Hudud Laws (Malaysian Digest). That was what seven different news agencies/portals reported today. Now, all seven were reporting about the same event. But just from the headlines alone you can see the different slants in those reports. And if you would like to read the body of those reports you can do so below (where again their focus or emphasis is different). Anwar Ibrahim said in his Blog: "Hudud: Pakatan sepakat akui Enakmen Syariah Kelantan, Terengganu". Lim Kit Siang, however, said: "Pakatan: Hudud only if all parties agree". Again, the slant between Anwar and Kit Siang is slightly different. Anwar says that Pakatan is 'unanimous and agrees'. Kit Siang says that they are not unanimous and do not agree (Hudud only if all parties agree). So that makes nine different versions of the same event. Why not make it ten and the tenth version will be from me. And my 'headline' is going to be: 'Pakatan's move to regain lost Malay ground'. Well, that is my version of that same event and certainly it differs from the other nine versions. But I am entitled to my opinion of what transpired just like all the others are entitled to their opinion and interpretation of events as well. As we always say: you can't change the facts of history. But you can certainly interpret events according to the way you see them. For example, my interpretation of my TV3 interview earlier this year is that I reinforced or reiterated what I signed in my Statutory Declaration of June 2008. Others have interpreted it as me having done a U-turn or back-pedalled on what I signed in that SD. Can you see how that same event was interpreted differently by different people? Anyway, my headline is: 'Pakatan's move to regain lost Malay ground'. And against the backdrop of this headline, how would the body of my report read and how different would it be to the others below? Well, this is how the body of my report will read: Pakatan Rakyat, realising that the road to Putrajaya lies in the hands of the Malay electorate, is making its move to regain what is apparently declining Malay support by raising the issue of the Shariah law of Hudud. Pakatan Rakyat can see that it has already maximised Chinese and Indian support. However, without more Malay support, it is never going to be able to form the next federal government. Malay support, which was about 49% in the March 2008 general election, has declined to about 40% over the last three years. Pakatan Rakyat would need to increase this support to at least 60% if it wants to be able to win enough seats in parliament to form the next federal government. Pakatan Rakyat realises that even if it manages to win 90% Chinese and Indian support that would not be good enough if Malay support hovers at around only 40%. Pakatan Rakyat can afford to see Chinese and Indian support reduce to 80%, or even 75%. But as long as Malay support can increase to 60% then it can win the next general election even with a reduced Chinese and Indian support. More than half the seats in parliament are 'Malay' seats. This means the Malay votes are more crucial than non-Malay votes. With non-Malay votes above 60%, say 75-80%, then Pakatan Rakyat can still make it. But it can only make it if the Malay support is 60% or so. This appears to be a brilliant move as far as West Malaysia is concerned where 165 of the 222 parliament seats are located. That does not, however, solve the problem of the 57 parliament seats in East Malaysia. In East Malaysia, there are no 'Malay' seats as such. So, while this strategy may be brilliant when it comes to West Malaysia (where Pakatan Rakyat could probably win up to 85 of the 165 parliament seats), it is not clear how this would help in East Malaysia (where Pakatan Rakyat would need to win at least 30 parliament seats if it wants to form the next federal government). Pakatan Rakyat does not seem to have got its act together in East Malaysia. Will this Hudud issue actually work for or against Pakatan Rakyat in East Malaysia or will it have no impact at all? This is not known just yet. Nevertheless, Pakatan Rakyat will need to come out with a different and much stronger strategy for East Malaysia. If not, then Pakatan Rakyat will win not more than ten seats there, which means Barisan Nasional will be back in power with at least 127 seats in parliament. Clearly, the Hudud issue is aimed at the voters in the Malay heartland. Now PAS can go down to the voters to say that it honestly and sincerely tried its best to implement Hudud, in particular in Kelantan and Terengganu. However, Umno, the lead partner in the ruling government, is the one blocking the implementation of Hudud. And yet Umno claims that it is the largest Islamic party in the world. The failure to see Hudud implemented in Malaysia will clearly rest on Umno's shoulders. Umno will be seen as what the Chinese would say the chao lang (arehole, bastard: take your pick) in this whole matter. You can't blame DAP for opposing Hudud, PAS will argue. After all, DAP is not an Islamic party. But what excuse does Umno have for opposing Hudud? The question now would be: what will the affect be to the Chinese or Indian voters? Of course, Pakatan Rakyat might see a slight decline in non-Malay support (but then again it might not or the decline will be very minimal). But if this slight decline can be offset by an even larger increase in Malays votes, then Pakatam Rakyat would be taking one step backwards but two steps forwards. That means, with the plusses and minuses added together, Pakatan Rakyat would be still ahead with some plusses. Pakatan Rakyat's shot at Putrajaya will of course depend on what happens in East Malaysia. And the Hudud issue may not have any bearing at all on what happens there. So how is Pakatan Rakyat going to ensure that it wins at least 30 seats from East Malaysia? That is not an issue for discussion today and is not related to the subject matter: Hudud as Pakatan's move to regain lost Malay ground. ***************************** 1. Pakatan stalemate after talks on hudud (The Star) -- Pakatan Rakyat has failed to reach a consensus on hudud despite a three-hour meeting. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said they respected the Syariah criminal enactment drawn in 1993 in Kelantan and in 2003 in Terengganu before Pakatan was formed. "We have agreed to respect the differences of opinions in line with democratic principles," he said after the Pakatan leadership meeting here last night. Among those present were PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, DAP chairman Karpal Singh, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang. Asked if Pakatan agreed to the implementation of hudud laws in Kelantan and Terengganu, Anwar said they would refer to their common policy framework. Anwar said Pakatan leaders had agreed to abide by the Federal Constitution and the Buku Jingga. "Hudud laws cannot be implemented without amending the Federal Constitution," he said. "And DAP's objection must also be respected," he added. The issue erupted after PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said that the party hoped to implement hudud laws in Kelantan. ***************************** 2. Pakatan: Hudud only if all parties agree (The Malaysian Insider) -- Pakatan Rakyat (PR) agreed today that the contentious hudud or Islamic criminal law is not part of its joint policy until all parties agree to it, stepping back from the brink of a major difference that broke an earlier opposition coalition. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told a press conference just after midnight that the set of Islamic laws was "certainly now not PR policy and DAP's objection has to be respected."  "Yes, very clear, it has to be together," the PKR de facto leader replied to a question on whether any move to implement hudud would need the unanimous agreement of all three parties in the pact. He had earlier backed imposing the law in Kelantan, just like political foe Umno whose former leader Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dredged up the issue last week. Close to 30 top PR leaders had met for over three hours last night to resolve the longstanding hudud issue which has seen the DAP and PAS repeatedly at loggerheads. Dr Mahathir, who opposed hudud when Kelantan passed the law in 1993, dared Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, the state's mentri besar, to implement hudud now that the country's longest-serving prime minister was no longer in power. The PAS spiritual leader then called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to propose amendments to the federal constitution to allow the Islamic law, which prescribes stoning, whipping and amputation as punishment for criminal offences. But the DAP has insisted that it is not part of PR's common policy, leading to the three-year-old pact's unity being questioned. Secretary-general Lim Guan Eng vowed this week that his entire central leadership would resign their posts if hudud became part of the coalition's joint stand. PR issued a gag order earlier this week, barring their members from speaking on the issue until the pact's emergency meeting last night. Anwar also said PR will continue to allow its members to air different views but that no policy would become part of its common platform without the consensus of all. "Why must PAS be denied the right to articulate their views? We cannot deny the right of any party to bring forward any view. PR respects PAS's initiative and aspiration but we have to reach a consensus," the former deputy prime minister said. He added that he could not understand "why (hudud) cannot be discussed? Why the strong abhorrence?" The Permatang Pauh MP also said that the hudud enactments that were passed in PAS-ruled Kelantan and Terengganu in 1993 and 2003 respectively were done before PR had been formed. Anwar said that "both enactments are there, but it requires PR consensus and an amendment to the constitution. DAP is not supportive of that particular position." ****************************** 3. Pakatan: No consensus for Kelantan to implement hudud (Malaysiakini) -- Pakatan Rakyat today said that it will uphold the Federal Constitution in so far as the hudud law is concerned, implying that it will not seek the constitutional amendments required for the law to be implemented. However, the coalition agreed to disagree on existing enactments pertaining to hudud law in Kelantan and Terengganu, as the enactments predate the formation of Pakatan. Speaking after a three-hour meeting which ended at midnight at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said this was to respect the divergent views of PAS and DAP on the thorny issue. "Both enactments are already there as references, but there is a need to refer to Pakatan Rakyat as it involves Federal Constitution amendment. "The (Kelantan) government is here, (state exco) Takiyuddin (Hassan) explained the Kelantan position and the requirement for (the state enactment's) enforcement is an amendment to the Federal Constitution," he said. Asked specifically if Pakatan will be implementing the hudud law if it comes into power in the next election, Anwar said: "No, there is no consensus (on that)." However, the veteran politician noted that Pakatan is not closing the door on hudud and is prepared to pursue the matter to respect PAS' democratic right to voice their position. "We cannot deny PAS, DAP or PKR the right to (present their case)... but we are bound to the Federal Constitution and the Buku Jingga. "There is nothing stopping us from discussing the issue. Why can this not be discussed?" he asked when quizzed by reporters. Of the 26 who attended the meeting, said to have been fairly heated, were DAP leaders Karpal Singh, Lim Kit Siang, Ngeh Koo Ham and Liew Chin Tong, PAS leaders Abdul Hadi Awang, Salahuddin Ayub and Nasruddin Hassan and PKR leaders Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, Azmin Ali and Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin. Takiyuddin was representing the Kelantan government on the instruction of state menteri besar and PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat. Pakatan leaders tightlipped According to Anwar, Pakatan leaders including himself also contacted Nik Aziz, a staunch supporter of the hudud law, on the matter. He added that the meeting was also briefed of the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment 1993 and Terengganu Syariah Criminal Code 2003 by Takiyuddin and Abdul Hadi. Pakatan leaders approached after the meeting were all tightlipped and refused to divulge information of what had happened in the lengthy meeting. The hudud issue has been used by Pakatan's opponents to accuse the coalition of being a marriage of convenience rather than a formidable pact. Often used as ammunition against Pakatan on the matter is the statement by Karpal that the Islamic laws will only be implemented comprehensively in Malaysia "over (his) dead body". "We stress that we will not be dragged into the desperate political ploy of Umno-BN to drive a wedge between us. We fully believe in the maturity and wisdom of the rakyat to judge this situation for themselves," said Anwar. ****************************** 4. DAP won't back down on hudud, says Karpal (Free Malaysia Today) -- DAP chairman Karpal Singh said the party will continue to oppose any attempts at implementing hudud in the country. "From the very beginning, DAP has also made known its opposition against any attempts by PAS and others to turn the country into an Islamic state," he said. "Let me make it very clear: hudud is not in line with the Federal Cosntitution and therefore it is unconstitutional," Karpal told FMT when commenting on the outcome of last night's meeting of Pakatan Rakyat's top brass to discuss the hudud issue. He said even though PAS leaders were adamant (about implementing Islamic laws), DAP was equally firm in its opposition. "You can't have Islamic laws in a secular state; it's as simple as that," said Karpal, who was also at the meeting at the PAS headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut here. He pointed out that the Supreme Court led by the then Lord President Mohamed Salleh Abas had declared that the country was a secular state in a landmark decision on a case in 1988. He reiterated that there will be "no change" in his party's stand on the matter, adding that he had conveyed this decision to PKR advisor Anwar Ibrahim. When asked to describe the atmosphere at last night's meeting, Karpal said it was "very cordial". On calls by several MCA and Gerakan leaders to DAP to make its stand clear over the (hudud) issue, Karpal hit out at both parties, calling them "hypocrites". "Where were they when Mahathir (former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad) declared that Malaysia was an Islamic state?" "There was not even a whimper of protest from any of the Barisan National (BN) component parties," he said. Asked whether he was concerned that the hudud issue will adversely affect relationship among the Pakatan allies, Karpal said that it was normal to have differences. "But we still share a common stand on several key issues like human rights and corruption." ******************************* 5. Hudud: PR agrees to disagree, maintains unity (Harakah Daily) -- Pakatan Rakyat yesterday decided to 'agree to disagree' on matters pertaining to the implementation of the Islamic deterrent punishment for serious crimes, or hudud, saying it respected both PAS and DAP's positions on the matter. After a three-hour meeting, the coalition issued a joint statement to respect the hudud enactments by PAS governments in Kelantan and Terengganu which predate the coalition. "The meeting acknowledges and respects the differences among parties in Pakatan Rakyat as a democratic alliance, including PAS's position on the implementation of the Shariah law. "The meeting also acknowledges the Kelantan's Shariah Criminal Enactment 1993 and Terengganu's Shariah Enactment in 2003 which existed before Pakatan Rakyat was born. PKR and PAS respect the different stand taken by DAP in this matter," said the statement. Speaking to the press later, parliamentary Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said the implementation of hudud would require  amendment to the Federal Constitution. "The (Kelantan) government is here, (state exco) Takiyuddin (Hassan) explained the Kelantan position and the requirement for (the state enactment's) enforcement is an amendment to the Federal Constitution," he said. On whether PR would implement hudud if it wrests power at the Federal level, Anwar said there was no such consensus. "We will not be dragged into the desperate politics of UMNO-BN to create a wedge between us," he said. ****************************** 6. Hudud backfires on BN, while a smiling Nik Aziz reaches out to non-Muslims (Malaysia Chronicle) -- With the dust settling on the hudud law issue, PAS' revered Spritiual Adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat has reason to smile. He and his party have won a major concession from coalition partner, the DAP. PAS' aspiration to implement hudud in Kelantan and Terengganu has been acknowledged by its partners DAP and PKR. Both states have already passed hudud into law at their respective state assemblies and whai is now stopping the implementation is the Umno-led federal government's refusal to give the go-ahead. But the 80-year old Nik Aziz, who is also Kelantan Mentri Besar, is no fool. He is also a gentleman and would never think of forcing hudud on the state just to satisfy his own and PAS' staunch Islamic convictions. Already, he has begun to reach out to the non-Muslims to further calm their fears over hudud, which is feared because of the types of punishment it prescribes which include amputation of limbs, whipping and stoning to death. "My non-Muslim friends, can I know which part of the punishment is frightening to you," Nik Aziz wrote on his Facebook page hours after the Pakatan decision was announced. "I hope you are not afraid of hudud due to misunderstanding or misinformation because that could only be the reason for your fear, because of false perceptions or because you do not know or are not sure. And I would like to understand your concern more clearly and to this end, I have prepare many answers to help you overcome your worries." BN now on the defensive The Pakatan decision and the open manner in which the three parties - DAP, PAS and PKR - handled the contentious issue has put political rivals Umno and BN on the defensive. Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is Umno president, is left looking rather lacking and not just to the Muslims but also to the non-Muslims. In the past week, since the issue was stirred up by former premier Mahathir Mohamad, there has been a groundswell of Muslim support towards PAS and Nik Aziz. Although there are many Malays who are against hudud and believe it is an archaic law, they still leaned towards PAS in appreciation of its willingness to struggle for Islam. They see in Najib's slick disavowal of hudud as a mere political decision, aimed at making himself popular rather than try to find a way forward from the highly sensitive and contentious issue. "We stress that we will not be dragged into the desperate political ploy of Umno-BN to drive a wedge between us. We fully believe in the maturity and wisdon of the rakyat to judge this situation for themselves," Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim had said. Displeasure with Najib grows in Umno While BN has been quick to draw attention to the Pakatan's disgareement over the issue, Umno itself was split over hudud while MCA and Gerakan were strongly against it. Najib's over eagerness to brush off hudud contrasts sharply against his deputy's view that Umno supported hudud but could not implement it immediately. The PM's political faux pas has earned him the wrath of the hardliners in Umno and the anger of the staunchly Muslim. The return goodwill from the non-Muslims, especially the Chinese, was negligible with many seeing through his ploy to gain their votes along with MCA and Gerakan. "The insincerity is glaring. Certainly, it will worsen the relations between the Najib and Muhyiddin camp. Within Umno, the calls to get Najib to step down has grown because of the hudud. He doesn't seem to be able to feel the pulse of his own people," Bukit Gantang MP Nizar Jamaluddin told Malaysia Chronicle. Stunning Facebook support Meanwhile, in a clear testimony that honesty is always appreciated, Nik Aziz's Facebook has chalked stunning support since the issue gained prominence. He now has at least 561,047 followers. For one particular post he made on the hudud issue, he received 4,356 comments. At least 9,146 readers pressed the 'like' button, while 3,054 others pressed the 'share' button to post it on their own facebook wall. The post that drew so much attention reads as follows: "Oh Utusan Malaysia, the paper which claims to protect the rights of the Malays and Islam. Are you aware of what you're doing? Where is the limit to practising politics that you ignore but insist on fooling around with what is clearly stated in the Quran?  Oh Muslims…oh Mighty Lord….oh my fellow Mufti…oh Malay/Islamic NGOs…oh my fellow scholars and young scholars of Umno…isn't it obvious that this act is an insult to Islamic law?" Nik Aziz had penned the post in response to  a caricature from the Umno-owned Utusan newspaper. In his next posting, Nik Aziz explained that he rarely reads the Utusan. "In my opinion, the newspaper seems more like an Umno mouthpiece. This morning I was shown a cartoon sketch that was published yesterday, insulting the word hudud. I don't want to comment much, what I said was enough, matches the level of thinking in Utusan Malaysia's editorial board," said Nik Aziz. ****************************** 7. Anwar: Pakatan will not implement Hudud Laws (Malaysian Digest) -- Pakatan Rakyat have decided to not implement the hudud law in Kelantan as the implementation of the Islamic law need consensus from all three Pakatan parties. The decision was announced by Pakatan leaders after a meeting over the issue which started at 9pm and ended about 12:30am. Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he respects PAS' initiatives and aspirations for the implementation of the law, however, DAP is opposed to it. Despite the decision by the DAP, the other two component parties– PKR and PAS – said they respect the final decision in which a consensus must be reached in order to implement the law. "Pakatan respects PAS' and PKR's support for hudud in Kelantan just as it respects DAP's opposition to it," Anwar told a press conference after the meeting at PAS headquarters. Anwar added that Pakatan acknowledges the ideological differences in each of its component parties – including PAS' stand on the hudud law – as the coalition is a democratic collaboration. According to him, the implementation of hudud law would also require amendment to the Federal Constitution. "Both enactments are already there… but there is a need to refer to Pakatan Rakyat because it involves Federal Constitution amendments," he added. The PKR de facto leader said that the decision by Pakatan over the hudud issue defends the mutual policies contained in the Federal Constitution as well as the Buku Jingga (Orange book). He said, in the meeting, the opposition leaders also addressed the existence of the 1993 Syariah Criminal Enactment II of Kelantan and the 2003 Syariah Criminal Enactment of Terengganu which was created before the existence of the Pakatan coalition. He added that the Pakatan will continue to strengthen its political will to improve its economic competitiveness, income of the people, quality of education, health and the cost of living which has been getting higher. He said that, in the meeting, the three component parties also agreed that they will not be dragged into what he claims to be Umno/Barisan Nasional's "desperate" political games to divide the Pakatan parties. "We are fully confident of the rakyat's maturity and wisdom in evaluating this situation," said Anwar. According to him, during the meeting, the leaders have also decided concurred that cooperation will be given towards realizing Pakatan's main political objective in the next general election (GE13) which is to rebuild the national fundamentals which were "ruined by Umno / BN" following the principles of universal justice, good governance, accountability, transparency and competency to achieve "public good" for all rakyat. He also said that PAS will not be stopped from talking about implementing hudud laws despite not having a consensus on the matter. "We are not an Umno-controlled Pakatan Rakyat… We respect the right of people to present their case, ask questions and raise the matter… and to deny PAS to articulate their position is not fair," he added.

Where We Are Right Now Posted: 28 Sep 2011 06:01 PM PDT This aptly summarises where we are right now, quite brilliantly. Got this from my friend, no source recorded.   READ MORE HERE

Perkasa wants Sime Darby to drop E&O share buy Posted: 28 Sep 2011 05:33 PM PDT By Syed Mu'az Syed Putra, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 — Perkasa called today for Sime Darby to cancel the 30 per cent purchase of Eastern & Oriental (E&O) as the government-linked company (GLC) already has expertise in real estate development. "We are confident that Sime Darby does not need the services of other companies," said the Malay lobby group's information chief Ruslam Kasim after handing over a memorandum protesting the move to Sime Darby. Sime Darby's acquisition of the 30 per cent stake in E&O is being probed by the Securities Commission (SC) following allegations of insider trading that also involves the husband of the SC chairman. Perkasa's memorandum called the planned RM776 million purchase at a 60 per cent premium over the market price a betrayal of trust. "It represents the fall of moral responsibility and credibility of Sime Darby, damaging the image of the government for failing to monitor (Sime Darby's) operations. "The rise of such corruption will damage the government's efforts to transform the entire sector," the memorandum said. Just before the Hari Raya break, Sime Darby announced it wanted to buy a 30 per cent block (involving 273 million shares and 60 million irredeemable convertible secured loan stocks) in E&O at RM2.30 per share from three vendors.     READ MORE HERE.

Military training for media covering war, disasters Posted: 28 Sep 2011 05:23 PM PDT (Bernama) - Media personnel being assigned to war zones or disaster areas will be required to undergo training with Defence Ministry's Territorial Army Media Team to prepare them physically and mentally for the tasks ahead. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the decision was reached at the Cabinet meeting on Sept 28. "The training session will ensure that media personnel are aware of safety aspects when undertaking their duties," he said at an Aidilfitri gathering with non-governmental organisations here tonight. He said media organisations should be willing to send their staff for the training ahead of their assignments abroad. The minister also called on organisers of humanitarian missions to equip the teams with safety equipment, including bullet-proof jackets. Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the Burundi army should pay compensation to the family of BernamaTV cameraman, Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, who was killed in a Sept 2 shooting incident in Somalia, in which Burundi troops were believed to be involved. The African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has apologized over the incident and sacked the four soldiers who are to be sent back to Burundi to face trial. Noramfaizul, 39, was killed after the vehicle he and other Malaysian media personnel were travelling in to return to their hotel in Mogadishu came under fire. The media team was covering a relief mission to help famine victims in Somalia.

Hacked off: Assange moans about unofficial ‘autobiography’ Posted: 28 Sep 2011 04:12 PM PDT The correspondence, published as an appendix to an earlier Assange statement complaining bitterly about Canongate's release last week of "Julian Assange: The Unauthorised Autobiography", offers rare disclosures by Assange about his personal finances and well-being, and those of WikiLeaks. Reuters He laid bare the secrets of governments and corporations. But until now, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange fiercely fought demands for more transparency in his own personal and financial affairs. But a bizarre dispute between Assange and a Scottish publisher who last week released an "unauthorised" version of Assange's autobiography has prompted the WikiLeaks frontman to make public some of his own secrets. Late on Tuesday, WikiLeaks published a sheaf of e-mail correspondence and transcripts of phone conversations between Assange, his literary agent and lawyers, and Canongate, an independent publisher based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The publisher signed a book deal with Assange shortly after he was released last December from the London prison where he was briefly held following a Swedish request for his extradition for questioning in a sexual misconduct case. The correspondence, published as an appendix to an earlier Assange statement complaining bitterly about Canongate's release last week of "Julian Assange: The Unauthorised Autobiography", offers rare disclosures by Assange about his personal finances and well-being, and those of WikiLeaks. "At least until the Swedish case ends that's how my life is — full of constant struggles and interventions," Assange complained to a Canongate executive in a phone call in early June. "I can't not respond to these things that put me and the organisation in jeopardy." The financial picture presented by Assange's disclosures is ambiguous and confusing. It surfaces as Assange awaits a court ruling on his long legal fight against extradition. According to figures published by Assange, the financial deal that he signed with Canongate ought to have brought him a level of financial reward commensurate with what he and his supporters regard as his status as an anti-secrecy crusader and international celebrity. US$1 million (RM3.16 million) deal In a transcript of a June 16, 2011 phone call he had with a Canongate representative, Assange talks of how £250,000 (RM1.2 million) he got as a book advance were under the control of Finers Stephens Innocent, a London law firm which represented him in the extradition case. Assange claims that the advance was transferred to the lawyers "wholly without my consent," and that the law firm was refusing to release it due to a billing dispute. Mark Stephens, the lawyer who principally represented Assange, declined comment. It's unclear why Assange chose to publish details of his personal affairs at this juncture. He did not respond to requests for further comment. In other newly-published correspondence, Assange discloses for the first time what he says Canongate agreed to pay him if his book was completed as planned. Assange's lawyers claimed in a September 12 letter to Canongate that the publisher owed Assange £225,000 on delivery of a completed manuscript and another £175,000 on the book's release in Britain. Together with the advance, this meant the book deal was apparently worth at least £650,000 to Assange — more than US$1 million at current exchange rates. It is not clear whether this figure included an advance payment to Assange from US publisher Knopf, or whether it included payments intended for Andrew O'Hagan, a British author who agreed to be Assange's ghost-writer. A former member of Assange's inner circle said that, with additional revenues anticipated from deals Canongate struck with foreign-language publishers, the total received by Assange could have run as high as £2 million — one of the biggest such deals since former US president Bill Clinton's memoirs. However, Nick Davies, Canongate's publishing director, told Reuters that while his company at one point had lined up 38 international publishers to put out local editions of the book (as well as Knopf), these publishers walked away when it became clear the book was in trouble. Davies said that in March, when a first draft of the book was due to be delivered, Assange began to show disaffection with the project. "He felt it was and is too personal," Davies said, adding that Assange later declared: "All memoir is prostitution." Computer glitch Davies said Canongate made various efforts to resurrect the deal and draw Assange back into it, including a proposal that Assange would get another six months to fix the book. However, Assange failed to deliver, at one point informing the publisher that he had lost all of the work he had done to fix it through a computer glitch — an explanation which Davies said "rang alarm bells" given Assange's reputation as a computer wizard. Earlier this month, Davies said, the publisher gave Assange a final opportunity to serve up a "new vision and timeline" for the book. But Canongate warned Assange it would go ahead and publish a draft which had been finished by O'Hagan in March with or without Assange's assent if he didn't cooperate. In reply, Assange threatened Canongate with an injunction to stop publication. The injunction has not materialised. Canongate then went ahead with a well-publicised launch of Assange's "unauthorised" memoir. Davies said the publisher had to "mitigate our losses" because when they asked Assange for their advance back, he admitted he had signed a paper instructing his agent to turn the money over to his lawyers. The publisher concluded Assange was "never" going to be able to repay the advance, Davies said. After the publisher went ahead with publication, Assange complained, "This book was meant to be about my life's struggle for justice through knowledge." "It has turned into something else. The events surrounding its unauthorised publication by Canongate are not about freedom of information — they are about old-fashioned opportunism and duplicity — screwing people over to make a buck," Assange said in a statement posted on WikiLeaks. So far, the book is turning out to be a bonanza for nobody, with UK sales for the first three days of publication totaling 644 copies. Davies said Canongate hopes sales will pick up steam, and says some of his firm's erstwhile foreign-language partners have expressed interest in returning to the fold. For the moment, however, the publisher said, "The only person who has made any money out of this is Julian. He's got our advance money."

Babyrina and four witnesses Posted: 28 Sep 2011 03:43 PM PDT In Malaysia, people often get confused between politics in Islam and politicising Islam. If I were to take a narrow interpretation of the Islamic law, one would need to produce four witnesses when accusing someone of adultery or indecent behaviour and by virtue of that a video, picture or any form of scientific proof deems invalid as it was never mentioned in the Quran. But of course, Islamic laws are not that narrow nor is it that idiotic. There's no such notion that all scientific empirical evidence is excluded for the sake of four witnesses. By Zaidel Baharuddin, Free Malaysia Today  If you remember the days of dialling 1515 through a 56kbit dial up modem, chances are you know who Babyrina is. During the days of 'Jaring' being the only Internet Service Provider, Babyrina was somewhat of an urban legend. Some say she's actually a Latino while others say she's an ex-MAS stewardess who resides in United Kingdom. Whoever she may really be, in the days of limited bandwidth and having the patience to wait several minutes for pictures to load, Babyrina filled the exciting imaginations of many pubescent young men in the early nineties. Yes kids, this is before Facebook, heck it's even before Friendster, this was the time where the definition of social network is #kampung at MIRC. Anyway for the sake of some readers I should do some explanation. Babyrina is supposedly the first Malay porn star whose pictures hit the Internet in the early nineties. This were the days when handphones have yet acquired the capability of taking pictures and recording videos ( hence 3GP production was not yet available) thus randy photos of a Malay lass in action was something very rare which in turn propels Babyrina to stardom. She became a household name amongst the few netizens back in those days. I believe she hosted her own site complete with paid membership and all the jazz of an adult entertainment entrepreneur. Of course this was eons ago. Now locally produced videos are abundant around the net in the form of pixelated 3GP formats and some even in high quality high definition infra-red spy camera videos shot from various angles. From the stairs of a low cost flat to hotels and fancy apartments indeed it has been a long journey since the days of Babyrina. The rise of the infidels Ironic it may sound, it seems that today, Babyrina is even more related to the Malay society more than she was during her heydays of cyberspace. The only difference this time around is that unlike before, where her name was being mentioned in discussions amongst amorous netizens who has time to spend on waiting for things to load, this time she is more related in the realm of politics and morality. Now if you follow Malay politics you should notice by now that one of the favourite subjects when it comes to politics amongst the Malays is Islam. Not that there's anything wrong with it for aligning your political ideology with the values of Islam, it is something that every Muslim should do. The only problem is that thanks to politicians, when it comes to a political discourse it usually ends with the conclusion that the other side are infidels. You can't win when face with righteous self-proclaimed honourable teacher who somehow seems to give out 'fatwas' that coincides with political expediencies. After all they say who is he who lacks knowledge to question the honourable teacher? Take for example when politicians began to preach that videos and DNAs shouldn't be used in courts and that a true Islamic way to settle disputes is to bring it to a syariah trial hence the need to produce four witnesses. Some even go as far as bringing in 'Qazaf' as a measure of proving innocence because of the prosecutors' failure to produce four witnesses. I have been accused of many things when posing questions on these 'interpretations' of the Islamic laws, from the usual 'Kafir' (infidel) to 'Yahudi' (Jewish) though I don't really mind being the latter as my usual retort being "Ok lah tu, Nabi Isa pun Yahudi jugak" If I were to take a narrow interpretation of the Islamic law, one would need to produce four witnesses when accusing someone of adultery or indecent behaviour and by virtue of that a video, picture or any form of scientific proof deems invalid as it was never mentioned in the Quran. Quite stupid don't you think? And even more amazing, let's just say authorities wanted to press charges to Babyrina, the infamous Malay pornstar for "indecent morally detrimental activities", they would then need to produce four witnesses who saw her in action right before their eyes (meaning live). Any failure to do so, Babyrina can file for Qazaf in the very same court to sentence authorities for wrongdoing and false accusation. But of course, Islamic laws are not that narrow nor is it that idiotic. There's no such notion that all scientific empirical evidence is excluded for the sake of four witnesses. READ MORE HERE

Is Petronas Dr M’s next target? Posted: 28 Sep 2011 03:32 PM PDT Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad 'moves' from one extreme to another without any feeling of guilt. Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz, Free Malaysia Today The real Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is emerging. Former prime minister Mahathir looks out for the welfare of the corporate world – the big businesses, the crony capitalists. He wants to ensure subsidies go to Independent Power Producers, juiciest of deals go to highway toll operators, big business continue to get bigger businesses. He will support the Gamuda-isation of Malaysia. Yes sirree folks, Mahathir is the champion of corporate welfarism. Under this version of welfare, the power of the state is used to protect the rich and powerful rather than the poor and the society in general. Mahathir is now the spokesman of welfarism. Contradictory Mahathir Mahathir continues to be the embodiment of contradictions. He moves from one extreme to another without being burdened with the feelings of guilt. He is generally seen as the man responsible for breeding the culture of corruption, yet he can also be the spokesman for a clean government. Ex-ministers who listened to his solemn intonation that the government is corrupt from the top to bottom, could have puked all over the place in one of those gatherings of ex-ministers. He quits Umno when he thinks Umno is rotten to the core. Each level of the Umno leadership is corrupt, he has said. And this, he had told a social gathering of ex-minister, would include premier Najib Tun Razak. And when Umno was led by Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he left Umno. READ MORE HERE

‘Name the 1,000 companies’ Posted: 28 Sep 2011 02:39 PM PDT By Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: The government's decision to do away with the 30 percent Bumiputera equity quota has received the opposition's conditional acceptance. Welcoming the move, Sarawak DAP, however, insisted that the government reveal the names of the 1,000 companies which the government would help to grow bigger and better. "We want to know the 1,000 companies. Are they related to Umno or to Barisan Nasional politicians? "How many of these companies are based in Sarawak, and who are the shareholders? "Are there Ibans, Bidayuhs, Lun Bawang, Kayans and other natives of Sarawak holding shares in those companies?" asked DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen. Chong, who is the Kota Sentosa assemblyman, was reacting to the move announced by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. Najib said that the 30 percent quota had not served its purpose. He said that it instead hampered Bumiputera companies from developing. He said the government would instead adopt a different approach to support Bumiputera companies in order to make them more competitive. What are the criteria? Najib also said the government would help more than 1,000 companies which have been identified through Teraju (Bumiputera Agenda Coordinating Unit) to become bigger and better. Said Chong, who is also Bandar Kuching MP: "The government's move is a small step forward. But we want to know the selection process and the criteria." He said that Najib has been making some major announcements purportedly to reform the whole system in the country. But in terms of impact, it did not truly reform or change the system for the better. Citing the move to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) as an example, Chong said: "I see the move by the government towards reform as very insincere. "You only make the announcement to repeal ISA but, on the other hand, you are going to replace it with two new laws. "And those detained under ISA will continue to be detained after the announcement," he said. GST still on the cards Chong also cited the GST (goods and services tax) as yet another example of the government's insincerity. He said it was common knowledge that the GST is a regressive tax policy. "GST taxes people from the lower income group. Previously, they don't have to pay income tax, but with GST the poor people will indirectly pay taxes. "After making the announcement, the government received adverse reactions and opposition from the people. "The government claimed it listened to the opinions of the people and deferred the Bill. "Since the announcement, I have been attending Parliament and still GST is on the order paper. It has never been removed. "The government is just waiting for the right time to implement it, which I believe will be after the general election provided it is given a strong mandate to govern," Chong said.     READ MORE HERE.

Stocks, commodities fall on euro crisis fears Posted: 28 Sep 2011 02:18 PM PDT (Reuters) - Asian shares and commodities fell today on growing worries that Europe's intractable debt problems will plunge the world into a second global financial crisis. Copper fell three per cent, gold slipped towards US$1,600 (RM4,800) an ounce to stand more than US$300 below its record high earlier this month, and commodities-related stocks such as global miner Rio Tinto were dumped on worries that demand will weaken as the international economy slows. The past week has seen a broad sell-off of commodities, equities and emerging markets bonds and a rally in the dollar that has been reminiscent of the rout surrounding the collapse of Lehman Brothers investment bank three years ago. "It seems periods of optimism are getting shorter and the pessimism is getting longer," said David Land, analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney. "This is being driven by the clear realisation that while there are many plans as to how to deal with the Euro situation, the reality of getting agreement will be that much harder." Tokyo's Nikkei share average fell 1 per cent, while MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.8 per cent, with its materials sub-index shedding more than two per cent. S&P 500 index futures were mildly negative, after Wall Street's broad benchmark dropped 2.1 per cent yesterday. "The market situation is still tough, with worries about global growth," said Fujio Ando, senior managing director at Chibagin Asset Management in Tokyo. The latest source of nervousness was a vote in Germany's parliament at 0900 GMT today to approve new powers for the euro zone's €440 billion (RM1.76 trillion) rescue fund. While opposition votes will ensure the bill passes, a big rebellion within Chancellor Angela Merkel's own centre-right coalition could weaken her politically and cloud future policy making at a time when financial markets and other nations are urging euro zone leaders to act boldly and decisively. The euro was a little firmer around US$1.3555, while the dollar rose 0.2 per cent against a basket of currencies. "You would suspect weakness until Germany votes, given that it is the big guy that has to fund it," said Gavin Stacey, head of Australia and New Zealand research at Barclays Capital. "The euro is most likely to continue its trend deterioration until it gets really bad, forcing a resolution to come." Commodities continued to slide, with copper, which is highly sensitive to expectations for global growth, falling to US$7,036.75 a tonne. US crude oil futures fell 0.6 per cent to US$80.70 a barrel and Brent crude lost 0.4 per cent to US$103.37. Gold , which has seen a shift from a negative to a positive correlation with riskier assets over the past week or so as investors seeking safety have turned their back on the metal in favour of the dollar and US Treasuries, fell 0.2 per cent to around US$1,605 an ounce. Japanese government bonds were in demand for their safe haven appeal, with the benchmark 10-year yield falling one basis point to 0.995 per cent following similar moves in Treasuries, where the 10-year yield dipped back below two per cent yesterday.

The hudud hubbub Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:39 AM PDT By Kapil Sethi (TMI) Has PAS decided it is better to continue ruling a state or two than take a shot at running the country and maybe lose a state or two? It certainly looks like it when Nik Aziz Nik Mat reiterates his insistence on turning Kelantan into a medieval caliphate, complete with gibbets, stoning and amputations. But why is the issue of implementation of hudud, which is after all a part of wider sharia, such an emotive issue that it has the potential to dramatically affect electoral fortunes? Why are the likes of Mahathir Mohamad, Chua Soi Lek, Nik Aziz, Lim Guan Eng and Karpal Singh so invested in this issue to issue rapid fire statements in this regard? There are significant differences of opinion not only between PR and BN, but internally too between Umno and the MCA, and between the DAP and PAS. Clearly while the image of Malaysian Islam is at stake, the issue goes beyond being an internal Muslim community debate. At its core it is actually a debate between liberals and conservatives, tradition and modernity, regression and progress, and the state versus the individual. While the concept and principles of hudud may be relatively benign, it is the eye-catching nature of the punishments that distort perception. Logically, is there a big difference in hanging people or beheading them, or between flogging people behind bars or in public? The conflict arises because in the Western paradigm of progress, justice must shift broadly from a retributive to a rehabilitative paradigm. Therefore, the increasing anger in the developed world over the execution of convicts. In a broad sense the liberal worldview sees itself as focused on individual liberty and as such humane, reformist and modern, and conservatives as barbaric, retributive and medieval. The conservative worldview equally believes in the primacy of social good and that the modern condition of an absence of shared values is leading to a soulless world plagued by rising crime, greed and anarchy, the solution to which is in a return to original guiding principles that fostered social cohesion in an earlier time. Therefore, the perception of the nature and impact of hudud depends on how well these differing worldviews mirror our own. Conservatives, whether Muslim or otherwise, feel much more comfortable with the status quo than with change. In an era of rapid technological driven change and rising economic uncertainty, they look for reassurance in that which is perceived as timeless such as traditional occupations, traditional social and familial bonds, and traditional spirituality and religion. For this group the answers to the problems of modernity are all around in a past based on a set of unchanging values, whether it is caning our children if they break the rules or in chopping off the hands of those who steal. Liberals on the other hand want to deal with the uncertainties of modernity by advocating even more change. Broadly in Malaysia, this seems to boil down to the advocacy of reform in every sphere. Reform the police to reduce crime, reform the government to save the people and reform children through love. While we are at it why not just a general slogan of Reformasi? But for a lot of everyday people the boundaries are not so clear cut. Especially in urban areas, people are forced to juggle the tightrope of both tradition and modernity. The reaction to the very cosmopolitan demands of urban public life is often a retreat into tradition in our private lives. English at work and the vernacular at home, foreign holidays and balik kampung, respect for other races and faiths in public and looking down on them at home — these contradictions are real and present in what is termed Middle Malaysia. This is why every politician recognises the power of this issue. Are rural voters who are comfortable with tradition more important the urban voters who have given up on the past in the quest for a brighter future? Or is it the large mass of people in between who handle these apparently contradictory philosophies quite easily in their daily lives the most important? Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/the-hudud-hubbub/

The lazy country Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:35 AM PDT Lazy people should be made to bear the consequences of their own doings. Greece is not the only lazy state on this planet. By Tay Tian Yan (MySinchew) The menace that Greece poses to the world today is comparable to the threats of Alexander the Great to conquer the world 2,000 years ago. Alexander the Great launched his tireless assaults across thousands of miles of terrain, much to the fright of the world. Today, the self-destructive Greeks are taking global finance system for a ride, and vows to trample stock markets worldwide. The trumpets heralding an imminent downturn of global proportions chill the bones of many. Two millennia ago, the Greek troops scourged a vast mass of land stretching all the way to India, but the debt crisis of modern-day Greece has a spillover effect that easily wraps up the entire planet. Just as governments across the world are cracking their heads to seek workable solutions to fix Greece's problems, and entrepreneurs and investors lamed under the mounting pressure thanks to the debt crisis of the Mediterranean state, the Greeks respond by holding one after another street parties. Greece's transport workers, civil servants, teachers, etc. take to the street for massive strikes, which are pretty common in that country, some having their dates scheduled all the way to next month. The objective of the demonstrations and strikes is to protest against the government's decision to trim wages, pensions, benefits and subsidies as well as an intention to perk up taxes. The measures adopted by the Greek government have been made to satisfy the demands of IMF and other creditors. Their rationale is straightforward: Greece needs to fix its own house before it can secure foreign assistance. The Greek economy has headed downhill since its admission into the Eurozone club. Nevertheless, the government has remained lavishly generous and its people addicted to all the benefits and enjoyments befitting the people of a developed state. Everyone wants a comfortable life, and the government has to issue bonds to meet their needs so that they can continue with their extravagant lives and the government continues to get a ticket to rule. As such, the government hires a multitude of civil servants. One in ten employed Greeks draws his salary from the national coffers, complete with all the perks. In addition to easy work, they can advance their retirement benefits after they turn 40. In the event they pass away, their children can inherit the annuities. The private sector is just as lucrative. The government continues to fork out medical subsidies, education, food and accommodation bills. You don't need to worry about the taxes, for the enormous underground economy offers a way out for tax evaders through bribes. Over the decades, Greece has evolved into a Lazy Country, where the people are unproductive, the government incapable and the country uncompetitive. When the mountain of debts begins to fall apart and all the prosperity turns into bubbles, the people remain recalcitrant with their good old life. They would rather take to the street than to soberly accept a more simplistic and thrifty lifestyle. They believe they can go on with the good life by holding on to the Euro Big Brother Germany or holding the world for ransom. But, the world has already got sick of Greece. Many economists feel that Greece should be thrown out of the Eurozone, or allowed to go bankrupt. Only utter destruction could give Greece a ray of hope for regeneration. Lazy people should be made to bear the consequences of their own doings. Greece is not the only lazy state on this planet.

Because of NFA Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:11 AM PDT By One Malaysia Towards the end of August, a notification was sent as to alert the respective departments about the syndicate that just hoisted some cash in terms of the Money Changer robbery in KLIA in September 2011. No actions were taken at all from any of the departments that were alerted. The letter was sent to various departments; the immigration, SPRM, Kementerian Dalam Negeri, the Secretary General, Lembaga Getah Malaysia and DAP but none chose to respond to it. If only someone from the above-said departments had taken the initiative to investigate further, this whole episode could have been prevented. The person who MASTERMINDED the whole thing (KUMARAN THANIMALAI I/C NO. ************) is now comfortably settled with his family overseas (Europe) under the dependent pass of his wife (who is attached to Lembaga Getah Malaysia) who is there to further her studies. The ironic part is there was even a mention, with details, on the person who is now being hunted by the police. According to some reliable sources, the said person (Sritharan) is now either in Sarawak or in India. Just to re-establish the fact, Sritharan is the younger brother of Kumaran. And the interesting substance is, Kumaran left the country in the first week of September itself and this robbery happened within 3 weeks. Kumaran and Sritharan share a close relationship with Tamilselvam A/L Sinnaiah IC No. ************ (who is behind bars as of now) and also with Mr. Vijay, MACC, Putrajaya (TEL NO: **********).This is the same Vijay who was caught by the Sepang Police for the investigation with regards to this KLIA robbery investigation. Again, out of my highest concern to our precious Malaysia and her well-being as a loyal citizen, all details can be extracted out from Kumaran Thanimalai as he is the master-planner of this KLIA robbery incident. As he is on a dependent pass, it should be easier to bring him back for full questioning so that not only this robbery case is solved but other matters as said in the earlier letter. Please take this matter seriously as this is the second time it is being sent. If only the first was treated with concern, this whole embarrassing episode could have been prevented. ONE MALAYSIA   From: To: zakariah@lgm.gov.my Subject: FW: Mdec Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:44:05 +0800   From: To: kpi@imi.gov.my; kaisan@imi.gov.my Subject: FW: Mdec Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:43:01 +0800   From: To: shahrir@lgm.gov.my; amzaimah@lgm.gov.my; fauzi@lgm.gov.my; suhawati@lgmn.gov.my Subject: FW: Mdec Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:42:01 +0800   From: To: kpkpm@moe.gov.my; hishammuddin@moha.gov.my Subject: Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:41:23 +0800 Y. A. B. Tan Sri Mohd. Sidek Hassan Chief Secretary to the Government Office of the Chief Secretary to the Government Level 4, East Wing, Perdana Putra Building, Federal Government Administrative Centre, 62502 Putrajaya, Malaysia.     Approximately 10 years ago, a Mr. Kumaran Thanimalai(herewith referred to as 'the former') bearer of the IC No. ******-**-****, utilized his Malaysian passport for the benefit of 'exporting' an illegal immigrant from India to Europe. This special operation is done smoothly through a network of syndicates specializing in transferring self-printed illegal Malaysian currency. Once the transfer is done, the former then quickly lodged a police report stating that his passport was lost/ stolen. In actual case, the said passport was alighted as having some legal issues in an foreign country. Since then (till 2010), it has been a struggle for the former to obtain a new passport in spite of numerous attempts and struggles, not forgetting other means & methods too. Then, came a time last year, when an officer by the name of Mr, Vijay (MACC Head Office, mobile number **********) to provide 'special assistance' in obtaining a new passport for the former. This was accomplished by Mr. Vijay in using his 'influence' & 'power' and not to mention his ability in misusing the MACC power entrusted to him by our Malaysian government to liaise with the Kementerian Dalam Negeri department officers alongside with two immigration officers. An alliance was formed and after much negotiation, a new passport was processed & released in the name of the former with no hassle at all. The price for this is a special all-paid-for trip to Indonesia. This was arranged by Mr. Vijay and of course was handsomely & gratefully paid for by our Mr. Kumaran Thanimalai. With such a convenient ally, the former started asking more 'legal' favours from Mr.Vijay which of course the latter obliged happily. Even a land scandal investigation that involves Mr.Sritharan (Mr. Kumaran's brother) is terminated& closed by MACC, and of course by our wise Mr. Vijay from MACC Headquarters. And of course, these favours are also extended by other personnel from the Malaysian Government agencies & offices too. Another worth mentioning incident being the significantly pending (for a few months) payment for a Proton Iswara car (WPJ ****) which is used by Mr. Kumaran Thanimalai but the HP loan is registered under his beloved wife, Mdm. K******** (bearer of IC No. ******-**-****) who works in a reputable position in LGM, Jln Ampang. One lump sum payment was settled using the illegal self-printed Malaysian currency which of course by then was already being circulated in the market to be legalized. To spice all these up, Mrs. Kumaran has been offered to pursue her studies in Europe by LGM and this opportunity is taken to the benefit of this couple to migrate to a well-known country in Europe in the pretense on studying abroad for 2 years. They have taken the necessary steps to leave the country as soon as possible (very soon indeed). Another interesting turn of event here is, which adds icing to the cake…..The couple has conspired to use up the MDEC grant of value RM3.0 million which is to be offered to the ever-cunning Mr. Kumaran Thanimalai on his latest 'achievement' in obtaining the MSC status for his partnership company, Perfect Colour Sdn. Bhd. very recently. And of course, this was also achieved through the influence our very dear Mr. Vijay & not forgetting a few personnel from the higher authority in the Government bodies. This MDEC grant is to be utilized for the purpose of research & development in the particular IT field for the enhancement of IT in Malaysia but again, it will be misused. Another loss for the MDEC of Malaysia in terms of releasing grants to an undeserving citizen.   Please take the necessary actions to investigate this matter as all of the above issues involves not only immorally wrong but also involves a large amount of currency exchange which can be channeled for a better cause. This is supposed to be public serving personnel with good & conscious mind and money of the public to be used for the development of our nation.   ONE MALAYSIA   Your Sincerely, Citizen of Malaysia       cc – 1. YAB TAN SRI DATO' HJ MUHYIDDIN HJ. MOHD YASSIN, Deputy Prime Minister's Office Prime Minister's Department Level 4 West Wing Perdana Putra Building Federal Government Administrative Centre 62502 Putrajaya Malaysia 2. Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia Blok D6, Kompleks D Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan Peti Surat 6000 62007 Putrajaya, Malaysia

Stupid law, stupid results part II Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:05 AM PDT If a matter as serious as Perak power grab can be brought to several round of court hearing, then how come a set of electoral roll ladden well proven to be full of issues, is not subject to judicial review? By Lee Wee Tak In the run up to an anticipated snap GE, the prime minister dangled previously unimagined sweet promises. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/2gens/Article/art_print Najib: We value an independent judiciary By V. Anbalagan and Sean Augustin news@nst.com.my 2011/09/08 PUTRAJAYA: The prime minister said that his administration respects and understands the need for an independent judiciary. "My administration is committed to an independent judiciary, which is an essential ingredient in nation-building," Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in his speech during his maiden visit to the Palace of Justice (POJ), here yesterday, which houses the Federal Court and Court of Appeal. http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Najib_ISArepealedtomakeMalaysiabestdemocracy/Article/ Najib: ISA repealed to make Malaysia best democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, he got a very easy thing to do to prove how serious he is with regards to those lofty goals and put away the ghost of Perkasa torpedoing his previous flagship called NEM (not to mention a tragic waste of tax payers' money succumbing to subcontractor of some sorts to a political party) Take a look at this section of Election Act, 1958. Whoever drafted this piece of injustice is basically telling the judiciary to f@#k off if a concerned tax payer notice something amiss with the electoral roll. This is a piece of legislation by the best democracy in the world, basically saying that basic democractic right of seeking justice from courts is denied. This is a piece of legislation by the administration that respect the judiciary, basically saying that a set of bureacrates who are proven incompetent (by, from numeorus examples, registering lesbian army couple as postal voters)  is a force above the judiciary. Holy goreng pisang, if a matter as serious as Perak power grab can be brought to several round of court hearing, then how come a set of electoral roll ladden well proven to be full of issues, is not subject to judicial review? Isn't seeking redress from courts a foundation for democracy? Isn't separation of power - independent legislation, execution and judiciary are basic tenets of democracy, let alone the best shiok-sendiri-promise-everything-darling-before-sex-find-a-way-out-later democracy? Then how come the legislation is telling the judiciary not to look at the proven incompetent executive over matters of public interest? Read more at: http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2011/09/stupid-law-stupid-results-part-ii.html#more

Yo, Yo. Check it out. He's Namewee! Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:44 AM PDT People question his controversial lyrics, but few actually try to understand what he wants to say.  By Dan Lim   Namewee, does this name do anything for you?  Actually, when he created the song 'Negarakuku' many people were pissed as hell. Many called him a traitor because he had apparently insulted the Malaysian anthem.  The issue was heavily politicised. Many asked for his citizenship to be revoked. He received death threats. People were camping outside his house in Muar. His father was ridiculed for "not teaching his son enough."   Yes, "Negarakuku" was certainly crude. He opened the Pandora's Box by touching on the rather sensitive issues that few Malaysians dare touch. And I believe I need not mention what I mean by those. Actually, fuck all these. He's a hero alright. People question his controversial lyrics, but few actually try to understand what he wants to say. In that particular song, he spoke about social injustice in Malaysia. He spoke about the social problem in Malaysia. What he did was to state the truth, about what has happened in Malaysia. He is not a politician, and certainly does not have any political allegiance.  People feign ignorance. They know that there are serious problems with Malaysia. They choose to be quiet as long as they can make money and eat. But not to him; he knew that something must be done to set things straight. He does not need to be polite with what he says to please the people. Only politicians do. When he doesn't like what he sees, he speaks about it. In the end, he is an artist. He chose to speak it in his own way. Let's be realistic. If he chose to convey his message through other means, such as writing an opinion piece to a newspaper or whatnot, will it reach the people this easily? I doubt that it will even be published. Even if it does, the impact will be really insignificant. Mainstream media in Malaysia are freaking mad. Their writings mostly consist of propaganda, who's bonking who and whatnot. Social injustice will never be important to them as they will focus on things like Rosmah visiting an orphanage and what a 'penyayang' she is.  That is why we cannot expect them to highlight all these things that matter to us. It is akin to hoping a cat will grow horns, as the Malay proverb goes.  (I'm studying journalism, by the way. And I don't know why the fuck I chose this subject in the first place.) I am sure that the average Malaysian does not like to read. They care more about sensational news like gossips or sex scandals of politicians. I bet my RM100 on this. That is why we need people to take the first step.  And that is what Namewee did in 2007. Since then, a lot of discussions have been going on about race relations in Malaysia, and it is certainly a nice development.  Not all people agree with what he did, but it sure has raised awareness among Malaysians though there are still many close-minded people that hate him. 4 years have passed. And he surprised us with his new film Nasi Lemak 2.0. The development of the film was hampered by lots of problems but nevertheless, he completed it in order to show his idea about the relationships amongst the various races in Malaysia. It has been well received by Malaysians. The film genre such as Nasi Lemak 2.0 has been rare since the last film by the late Yasmin Ahmad. From then till now, I can see that he is maturing. He might well be the next person that plays an important role to change the social landscape of Malaysia in future. Good luck, Namewee.

Celebrating Malaya being Conquered Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:18 AM PDT If Malaya can celebrate being conquered, why not celebrate the day the Japanese took over Malaya on 8th December? And while we are at it, celebrate 14th January as the date which the Dutch took over Malaya. Or how about the day when the Dutch handed over Malaya to the British? Why not celebrate that too? By John Doe I call your attention to this WEBSITE: http://www.worldheritage.com.my/2011/09/portuguese-celebrating-500-years-in-melaka/ and I quote: "... Malaca will commemorate a attainment of a Portuguese here in 1511 where they built a Fort A'Famosa (above). Malacca Portuguese-Eurasian Association boss Michael Singho says a eventuality is approaching to attract thousands of tourists KUALA LUMPUR: Historical city Malacca will reason a informative spectacular subsequent month as it relives a attainment of a Portuguese here in 1511." Here is what happened on that day. In 1511, the Viceroy of India, Afonso de Albuquerque, decided to organize an expedition destined to conquer Malacca. At the head of 1100 - 1200 men and 14 ships, Afonso de Albuquerque arrived in view of Malacca in June of 1511 and immediately demanded the rescue of the Portuguese that were taken prisoners in the 1509 expedition. The Sultan tried to gain time to strengthen the town defenses. He was well aware of the small number of Portuguese troops and was confident of his powerful army of 20000 men and 2000 guns. Albuquerque wasted no time. At dawn on 25 July 1511 the Portuguese attacked the town concentrating the assault on the bridge of the river dividing the town. The attack was successful and the Portuguese finally succeeded in establishing a bridgehead in the town. There were then several days of siege in which the Portuguese bombarded the city. On 24 August 1511 the Portuguese again attacked only to discover that the Sultan had escaped. With Malacca now in Portuguese hands, they sacked the town. However, following Albuquerque's orders, they respected the property of those who sided with them. B. W. Diffie and G. D. Winius in the book "Foundations of the Portuguese Empire 1415-1580" write: "the capture of Malacca by a mere 900 Portuguese and 200 Indians must rank as an event in the history of European expansion no less stunning than the better known conquest of Tenochtitlan by Hernando Cortés"." So, on 24th October, the Ketuanan Sultan in Malacca died. Is this what the upcoming celebrations are about? On that day, hundreds died by canonball fire, and the city was razed to the ground. Is this what the celebration is about? On that day, Malacca stopped being a state of China, as per requested personally by Bai-li-mi-su-la on the 11th Nov 1405. Is this what the celebration is about? If Malaya can celebrate being conquered, why not celebrate the day the Japanese took over Malaya on 8th December? And while we are at it, celebrate 14th January as the date which the Dutch took over Malaya. Or how about the day when the Dutch handed over Malaya to the British? Why not celebrate that too? Back to Malacca. Not only is the Malaysian Government celebrating the attack which brought about the death and misery of many Malayans, it made the Portuguese into Bumiputras as well!! So, it is timely that I bring up this question. And the question is: "Were those fighting against the Portuguese Troops heroes, or were they villains?" Without waiting for an answer, I'll chime in the next immediate question: "Were those against fighting the British in 1950 heroes or villians?" Back to the Portuguese again. How come the invaders are made Bumiputras? Should all invaders be Bumiputra then? Is this how *Mahathir bin Kutty al Kerala* came to be PM? Back to the earlier statement of mine. The records clearly show that Malacca BEGGED to be part of China. Here is the Translation for those who are unaware:  "In the ninth month of the third year of the Yong-le reign (Sep/Oct 1405), the envoy sent by *you, king of the country of Melaka, came to Court and made known your sentiments.* He said that your land is in harmony, the people are healthy, things are abundant, the customs are pure and splendid, that you cherish virtue and admire righteousness *and wish to become like a division of China, so that you will be superior to the other border regions, and you would forever remain our subordinate state* and annually carry out your tribute duties. Bowing your head and requesting our command, your perfect sincerity is to be commended. ... And their king, devoted to all that is good and right, *wishes to turn to our Court,* *He wants his country to become like the divisions within China and to follow Chinese ways*, ...." Source: Geoff Wade, translator, Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-lu: an open access resource, Singapore: Asia Research Institute and the Singapore E-Press, National University of Singapore, http://epress.nus.edu.sg/msl/entry/516. OK UMNO, the ball is back in your Court. How many times have I told you all NEVER to fight against Soldiers of Truth? We will not hesitate to use our keyboards or pens to bash you till you are black and blue. Lastly, I want you to look at the following pictures, and see if you notice anything strange about them: Picture of *Malaccan Portuguese* And now compare the above to pictures shot in Portugal: and here's a second one also shot in Portugal, thrown in for good measure: Point is NOT to bash the Portuguese. I have far too many good Portuguese friends whom I love dearly. Point is actually directed at UMNO, with the following pictures. An Indian??: A Cambodian Buddhist: Yes, Angelina holds a real Cambodian Passport!! And a Bugis Costume worn by the Prime Minister and her husband: *Perhaps 31st August was actually a Celebration that Malaya was conquered by UMNO!!* So, last question; those fighting against UMNO, are they Villains or Heroes?

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