Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- What game is Pakatan playing?
- Sekali ombak memukul, sekali pantai berubah
- Dr M, before you look East, you should have looked after your backside first!
- Sack Musa, LDP reiterates
- WIKILEAKS: AMBASSADOR AND ATTORNEY GENERAL DISCUSS ISA, TERRORISM AND EXPORT CONTROLS
- PPSMI - Quality vs Language
- Dr. Mahathir to sign MoU at business conference
- Rahim Noor should crawl back into the woodwork
- Young disillusioned Malaysian
- Pekerja Indonesia di Malaysia hantar pulang AS$1.7 bilion
- Assange faces day of judgment in London court tomorrow
- The shameful truth about Burmese refugees in Malaysia
- Umno is too big to fail but ...
- Fuel subsidies to cost RM15.9b for 2011, says MOF
- Outrage greets latest spending spree involving Najib's family
- BN’s weakness exposed in PPSMI row
- Kedah Kita to go for 18 seats
- Another teen suffers NS abuse
- Abolishing UUCA needs political will
- Muhyiddin confused about language
- Najib’s daughter on lavish shopping spree
- A student revolt in the making
- Election Commission will be PSC’s first witness
- Foreign Policy: The Larger Division Among The Pakatan
- Our school children as sacrificial lambs
- Students Free To Think And Speak
- Train crash: A danger waiting to happen
- Share swap: MPs turn up the heat
- Floods a wake-up call for region
- Pakatan to demand immediate reforms by EC tomorrow
- EC primed for polls in January
| Posted: 01 Nov 2011 02:01 AM PDT
JAIS, the Selangor Religious Department, comes under the Selangor State Government. The Selangor State Government comes under Pakatan Rakyat. PAS is a member of Pakatan Rakyat and also part of the Selangor State Government. Yet JAIS is hounding and persecuting Pakatan Rakyat people, in particular those from PAS. What game is Pakatan Rakyat playing that maybe we don't know about? Or is this a case of the tail wagging the dog? NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Jais arrest warrant out for artiste and PAS recruit Bob Lokman (Malaysia Chronicle) - Selangor Islamic religious Department (JAIS) has obtained an arrest warrant to detain celebrity-turned-politician and preacher Bob Lokman for giving a ceramah without Jais accreditation. Jais Director Marzuki Hussin told reporters at the "Alternative Punishment Seminar: Execution and Effectiveness" at the Intekma Resort on Tuesday, that the warrant was issued on Oct 28 and it permitted the religious body to arrest Bob if he was detected in the state. "Our department is still on the lookout for Bob, he is wanted to assist investigations that involve him. We are in the process of taking legal action to require Bob to be present in the court (syariah). "He will be released on bail after his statement has been recorded," said Marzuki. He was giving an update on Bob's case after JAIS nabbed him for giving a ceramah in front of more than 70 people at the Masjid Sungai Lui in Hulu Langat last month. It was reported that Bob was ordered to turn up at the Jais department but he had refused, saying would rather be arrested. Bob is being investigated under section under Section 119 (1) of the Jais Administration Enactment, where offenders could be fined up to RM3,000, or be jailed two years, or both. It was not the first of such case as Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, had also been charged for the same offence. |
| Sekali ombak memukul, sekali pantai berubah Posted: 01 Nov 2011 01:57 AM PDT ASPAN ALIAS Segala-galanya berubah mengikut waktu dan masanya. Dunia pun berubah apatah lagi makhlok-makhlok lain ciptaan tuhan yang Maha Esa itu. Yang tidak berubah hanya zat tuhan yang tidak bermula dan tidak berakhir. Kalau kita iktikatkan tubuh badan kita sendiri sebagai alam yang kecil, kita sendiri nampak dan terasa perbubahannya. Kalau dulu kita penuh dengan tenaga apabila sudah tua kita akan kekurangan tenaga dan kudrat itu secara beransur-ansur.
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| Dr M, before you look East, you should have looked after your backside first! Posted: 01 Nov 2011 01:50 AM PDT Todak To begin with, Mahathir did not make a voluntary decision in introducing his Look East policy; it was a vindictive decision specifically directed against England that denied him a university education due to his own lacking in the required qualifications. So he adopted his "Buy British Last" policy when he became PM of Malaysia to teach the Brits a lesson. An old friend of mine told me that when Mahathir looked east, he was looking at the Land of the Rising Sun, so much so his eyes were blinded by the sun rays that he could not see the huge land mass lying there as the sleeping Chinese Dragon. He had one eye on Japan and the other on Korea. Not only was Mahathir a bad doctor (his private clinic in Alor Setar failed, so he turned to easy hoodwinking politics with his Malay Dilemma), he was also a bad historian. The origin of most Japanese (except some in the Southern part) and Koreans were Chinese. Both these countries used the Chinese written language in the beginning. The Japanese then "invented" the present Hiragana and Katakana writings first, to have their own identity and second, to deprive the Chinese of this coded knowledge, while the Korean King Sejong Daewang, King of Joseon invented the present Korean written language in the 15th century, also for the same reasons as the Japanese. I would advise Mahathir to go to TV channels KBS and NHK and he will no doubt see that the Koreans and the Japanese still cannot totally get rid off the Chinese script (Kanji in Japanese), used in between. But we must admit that your entry in Malayan University did land you in good company of one Singaporean Rin Kin Mei whose residence then was in Watten Estate close by to Dunearn Road, Bukit Timah. This was the Chinaman together with a Japanese Kumei who spearheaded at least 7 major "Heavy Industry" projects the moment you became PM. Now, please do not say the West has failed. In the Hicom Perwaja project, the Japanese giant Nippon Steel Corporation failed miserably in their Direct Reduction plant, and had to be rescued by German Ferrostaal using Mexican HYL technology, for which Malaysia had to pay some RM800 million while receiving RM400 million as compensation from NSC whose President resigned as the result of this failure. As for your national car project, you picked the wrong partner Mitsubishi when you should have chosen Toyota or Honda, both of which are flourishing in Thailand. Because of Proton, all Malaysians are forced to buy this make, otherwise pay the super high duties they cannot afford. To get into overseas markets, Proton is selling cars at prices lower than locally, again forcing Malaysians to subsidize exports and pay for the survival of Proton. For years now, Proton has been looking for a foreign partner such as Volkswagen, but when the foreign party had studied the complete profile of Proton, they politely declined. If we go by the AFTA ruling, Proton will have to close shop as the whole country will be flooded with Toyotas from Thailand. You are saying China has USD3.2 trillion in reserves and the Chinese are swimming in money. Please bear in mind that before you can swim in money, you have to learn to survive swimming in the bitterest seas. The Chinese did, and now even the 2 countries you admired and told us to emulate, are looking to China for their future growth. You have the most Chinese population in Malaysia outside China and Taiwan, more than in Singapore. Your very own Chinese citizens have said you did not treat them well with your racist policies and many have migrated. I cannot tell you what you should do now, as it might be too late and you are old and the young Malays will not listen to you even though I know you are daily shouting aloud your outdated advices to all and sundry. When you looked East, your one eye was on Japan and the other Korea. Therefore it was not surprising that the Petronas Twin Towers were contracted to one each Japanese and Korean company. Now, you are sitting pretty in one of these ivory towers as Petronas Advisor. A few days ago, there was short-lived joy among foreign companies in upstream Oil and Gas activities when it was announced that Petronas license was not mandatory to register as a bidder. Two days later, Petronas came up with a statement that it was still the policy of the national oil company to invite only Petronas licensed companies, overseas or local. The Petronas license is nothing but a license for Bumiputras to be the middlemen in all Petronas projects. It is about time the Petronas Advisor wakes up and acts to change this policy before other countries start making retaliatory rulings against Malaysian companies operating in foreign lands. What are you going to say if for example, China says to do any business with them, Malaysian companies must be registered with their Central Bureau, and your Malaysian companies must have local Chinese Malaysian majority shareholding? Come on, Mahathir you often talk about fair playing field; now show us your sincerity and stop bull shitting.
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| Posted: 01 Nov 2011 01:46 AM PDT Sabah's Liberal Democratic Party is convinced that 'someone' paid a group of individuals to disrupt its Sandakan assembly recently. (Free Malaysia Today) - Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) deputy president Senator Chin Su Phin has reiterated that the party could no longer cooperate with Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman. "The LDP will not compromise and we will continue to fight until the Chief Minister is replaced," said Chin despite a call by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday for all Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties to support Musa. "He (Musa) is too much and has been using his power to suppress those who do not follow his instructions," said the outspoken senator who appeared to lay the blame for an incident during the party's 22nd general assembly in Sandakan on Sunday at the door of Musa. The incident was sparked by a group of about 100 people who gathered outside the hall shouting and clapping and mocking the event. They also barged into the hall and began shouting and clapping each time the name of someone was mentioned causing much confusion. The group appeared unconcerned by the presence of senior BN leaders including Muhyiddin, Musa, Umno vice president Mohd Shafie Apdal and Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor who were all there as guest of the LDP. "The Deputy Prime Minister saw the incident himself and he knows what was going on. "He also said that problems within the Sabah BN must be resolved immediately. "We want to make our stand to the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that we in LDP can no longer cooperate with the Chief Minister. "It cannot be denied that the lack of cooperation among the state BN component parties is due to one person "The LDP will not compromise and we will continue to fight until the Chief Minister is replaced," Chin said.
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| WIKILEAKS: AMBASSADOR AND ATTORNEY GENERAL DISCUSS ISA, TERRORISM AND EXPORT CONTROLS Posted: 01 Nov 2011 01:00 AM PDT
Abdul Gani remarked that he was not fully comfortable with the current ISA system, and, speaking personally and confidentially, said he believed ISA advisory boards should be strengthened and ISA detention periods shortened. He also believed that some persons held under ISA on terrorism grounds were in fact not guilty. In addition, the police Special Branch was "jealous" of its primary counter-terrorism role and did not readily share information with the AGO or police investigators; even the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was not kept fully informed. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b and d). Summary 1. (S) The Ambassador called on Malaysia's Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail on May 13 and discussed prospects for prosecuting terrorists, the importance of passing an export control law, and factors affecting progress in the FTA talks. The Ambassador congratulated the AG on drafting of the 2007 anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) law and the recent announcement of the first TIP prosecution. Abdul Gani described the importance of preventative action against terrorists using the Internal Security Act (ISA), noted that information on terrorists was often not available outside the police Special Branch, and said he would discuss the possibility of prosecutions with the Inspector General of Police. Abdul Gani stated that his office recently had completed a new draft of the export control legislation. In the FTA talks, he blamed some GOM agencies for their inability to define Malaysia's interests. The Attorney General said that his office enjoyed good mutually supportive relations with U.S. law enforcement personnel, including the FBI. End Summary. ISA and Prosecuting Terrorists 2. (S) In the course of discussion during the May 13 meeting with Attorney General Abdul Gani, Ambassador Keith, accompanied by polchief and Legatt, urged the Malaysian government to give serious consideration to future prosecution of some terrorists suspects otherwise held for renewable two-year terms of detention under provisions of the Internal Security Act (ISA). While Malaysia's firm preventative actions against terrorists using the ISA had helped Malaysia avoid any attacks, Malaysia's security interests would be served by convicting in a court of law some dangerous terrorists and sentencing them to long jail terms, rather than releasing them after two to six years of ISA detention and uncertain rehabilitation. The Ambassador also noted that the political scene was shifting and there could be more domestic pressure to do away with the ISA in the future. The Ambassador added that the U.S. differentiates between use of ISA against persons who present immediate danger to the public, and application of ISA detention for political reasons. 3. (S) Abdul Gani said Malaysia continued to take strict measures and rely on the ISA to detain terrorists, like Jemaah Islamiyah members, before they could act. Laws could not be used effectively to deter suicide bombers. Prosecution was difficult because the information available was often intelligence data, not the result of normal police investigation. The AGO did not have investigative powers of its own but must rely on the police. In addition, the police Special Branch was "jealous" of its primary counter-terrorism role and did not readily share information with the AGO or police investigators; even the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was not kept fully informed. Nevertheless, "if we have a case I don't mind prosecuting," Abdul Gani remarked, noting he would take advantage of a previously scheduled meeting with the IGP later that day to raise this issue. 4. (S) Abdul Gani argued that it was unfair to describe jailing under ISA as "detention without trial" because cases came before advisory boards for periodic hearings. Detainees also could apply for writs of habeas corpus for which, however, the role of courts was limited to examining legal procedures rather than the merits of the case, leaving judgments about security to the government. Abdul Gani remarked that he was not fully comfortable with the current ISA system, and, speaking personally and confidentially, said he believed ISA advisory boards should be strengthened and ISA detention periods shortened. He also believed that some persons held under ISA on terrorism grounds were in fact not guilty. On a separate matter, Abdul Gani took exception to the government's overly wide application of the Official Secrets Act. Export Controls 5. (C) The Ambassador highlighted the importance to Malaysia of passing an export control law as a means of attracting high technology investment and bolstering its status as an international trading hub. The Ambassador offered further U.S. technical assistance on export control laws, noting with regret that the Foreign Ministry had canceled a legal seminar scheduled for early May. Over time, Malaysia's interest also would be served by supporting international structures, such as the Missile Control Technology Regime, the Ambassador added. Abdul Gani replied that the AGO recently had completed a new draft of the export control legislation, and had just circulated this within the government for comment. The involvement of some 40 government agencies in export controls had complicated drafting tremendously. FTA 6. (C) Abdul Gani commented on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks, blaming the Malaysian government's lack of understanding of some issues for slow progress. GOM agencies did not know or could not articulate Malaysia's long-terms interests, for example which commodities Malaysia hoped to export to the U.S. in years to come. The GOM at times cannot formulate negotiating positions, because "we don't know what we want." Abdul Gani remarked that proposed Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) courts were "a joke," implying that Malaysia lacked requisite expert knowledge of IPR. (Comment: IPR courts already exist in Malaysia and were established outside the context of the FTA negotiations. Ironically, it is Abdul Gani who has cancelled expanded IPR training by AG officials with U.S. experts. The fact is the GOM does have clear targets of interest, including textiles. The problem is the GOM is unable to reach consensus on what it is willing to give up in return for its desired targeted gains. End Comment.) MLAT, Trafficking in Persons 7. (SBU) The Ambassador thanked the Attorney General for his role in concluding the 2006 U.S.-Malaysia Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), noting this was moving through the U.S. Senate now and stating that we wanted to put the MLAT to practical use. The Ambassador congratulated the Attorney General for drafting the comprehensive anti-trafficking in persons law in 2007, pushing for the law's full enforcement as of March which allowed for the opening of shelters for victims, and for initiating the first criminal prosecution under the TIP law in early May (septel). Abdul Gani commented on the difficulties in stopping human trafficking absent effective actions in originating countries. 8. (SBU) The Attorney General said that over the past five years his office had enjoyed good mutually supportive relations with U.S. law enforcement personnel, including the FBI. Abdul Gani spoke highly of his interaction with previous U.S. Attorney General Gonzales. 9. (SBU) Abdul Gani requested Embassy support "to open doors" for qualified Malaysian officials to enter top U.S. university graduate programs in areas like international trade and finance law. He also asked for the Embassy to look for ways to attract lecturers from prestigious U.S. universities to teach in Malaysia. The Ambassador noted the Embassy would be willing to assist, but added that Malaysian government requirements for control over curriculum inhibited U.S. universities from operating in Malaysia. KEITH (May 2008)
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| Posted: 31 Oct 2011 11:41 PM PDT No number of Mathematics and Science references in English will be of any use to a 7 year-old who can't understand the language. Simple and clear. By Feizrul Nor Nurbi A question to start off today's discussion: "Will teaching Mathematics and Science using English as the medium of instruction at school-level, significantly improves the quality of learning experience leading to the improvement in the proficiency of learners in those two subjects?" Here are a few reasons why I decline to answer in the affirmative to this question. Firstly, there is the issue quality. To answer with a yes, a proponent will agree that teaching school-goers M&S in English will improve the student's understanding in the two subjects. The reason cited, among others, is the abundance of references available in English. While I certainly agree on the matter of English references available, it strikes me as odd that a school-goer from the age of 7 would ever need to depend on these cited abundant references. Do Standard One students need to study the Mathematical journals and papers written my MIT professors for them to learn addition, subtraction, division and multiplication? Or was I out of the school system for too long already to know that 7 year-old children nowadays are learning University-level Maths? Here is where I believe the proponent of this policy is missing the point - the misunderstanding of the effects of the policy on young minds just starting to enter the school-system. At this critical age of 7, when one begins Standard One in our country's schooling system, what they learn will set the tone for their entire life. The basics of numbers, the four operations; while seem insignificant compared to the mumbo-jumbo-MIT-level-Maths, these basics are the base that they need to depend on even when they pursue that doctorate in Mathematics 20 years down the line. Hence the importance of learning these basics, and also learning them well. Does teaching the basics in English add extra value to the whole experience? My answer is a wholehearted 'No'. Basics are basics, you can learn them in any language, 1 + 1 will always result in 2 and 5 x 10 will always give you 50. The issue of learning them well will inadvertently lead to the issue of quality. In Communications 101, the communication of information between two or more persons is only deemed as successful when the listener receives and understands what the communicator intends to communicate. Complicated? To simplify, you have bad communication skills if I cannot understand you, and vice versa. It does not matter if the speaker holds a doctorate in English from Cambridge when these kampung-folks cannot understand a word of English that he is saying. In this case, the speaker is a bad communicator. He might be a good speaker, but communication-wise - bad. How is this related to PPSMI again? At the age of 7, when the children need to learn the basics of M&S, the only way for them to learn and learn them well is for them to understand what the teacher in front is talking about. In going with the communication theme, utmost importance must be given to facilitate this communication process i.e. making it easy for the students to understand. It is no good to be 'syok sendiri' and for the teacher to blabber in English if the students can only understand Bahasa Melayu or Mandarin or Tamil or Iban/Kadazan etc at that point in life. Even if the teacher is an MIT grad coming direct from the States - in this instance, the teacher is a bad communicator. No number of M&S references in English will be of any use to a 7 year-old who can't understand the language. Simple and clear. A good quality education system will have to consider the need to have quality communication in and outside the classrooms. An education system with a bad quality communication policy is simply a bad education system. It also does not help to have poor, uninspiring syllabus, dispassionate teachers and an education system in shambles; having a bad communication policy compounds the problem even more. So how does not understanding the basics affect these students in their later years? The inability to comprehend the basics will haunt the students causing them unable to keep up with the syllabus. This will then lead to low test-scores and then the worst thing that can happen - being 'streamed' into the weak class and be left to their own devices under the care of 'couldn't-care-less' teachers when the best ones are given to the best class. No wonder that these students will lose interest in the subjects, which might lead cases of truancy and dropouts and even worse - gangsterism and teenage pregnancies, among others. The nation will suffer instead of benefit from this policy. Those kids with potential will end up being the victim of a policy which neither cares nor understands the affects of poor communication. Instead of helping the country, in effect this policy is totally detrimental for the majority of young minds in this country. Back in 2008, when the UPSR results were announced and the MOE elatedly stated 31% of candidates answered the Science paper in English - did any of the PPSMI-proponents stop and think of the remaining 69%? Were there any study done to understand why this majority elected to answer in their mother-tongue? Or was it just deemed as irrelevant? And also out of 69% who did not answer in English, what was the breakdown according to grades? I have this suspicion that the results of this 69% did not make for a good reading for the officials at the MOE. Yes, that is the problem actually. These parents in their blindness to care for their loved ones have dismissed the 'others' as irrelevant, as inconsequential, as collateral damage necessary for the greater good. It cannot be more correct in this case to say that 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions'. In their eagerness to provide the best for their children, they have knowingly or unknowingly trampled on the futures of the 69%, dismantling any hope for the majority which at the tender age of 7 had so much potential, so much vigor, so much ahead of them in life, but were undone by our government's careless planning and implementation of a policy that is doomed from the start. By all means - have good basics. What your children going to learn from Standard One up to Form Five are just basics. Learn from teachers that are able to communicate and articulate the intricacies of the subjects. And do learn them well. And also learn English for all its glory; for the beauty of the language and its literature; its nuances and idiosyncrasies. Learn to speak and learn to converse, learn to voice out your opinion and learn to speak your mind. Learn to read diligently and learn to write beautifully, for English by itself is a wonderful language to be learned and appreciated. For when the time comes to bid the country goodbye and jetting off to Harvard or Cambridge or MIT, it is the strong basics and your good English that will put you in good stead over there. And in good stead to make Malaysia proud.
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| Dr. Mahathir to sign MoU at business conference Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:53 PM PDT (Mizzima) – During former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad's three-day visit to Burma, which will start on Wednesday, he is likely to sign a memorandum of understanding on investments in Burma, according to Sein Win Hlaing, a member of CEC of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI). At the invitation of UMFCCI, the former Malaysian prime minister will visit Burma and attend a Burmese-Malaysian investment forum to be held at Traders Hotel in Rangoon from 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday
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| Rahim Noor should crawl back into the woodwork Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:35 PM PDT ALIRAN The former Inspector–General of Police, Abdul Rahim Mohd Noor, emerging as it were from the dead, has expressed some startling views on human rights. P Ramakrishnan takes him to task. A man who infamously trampled upon the rights of others has no right to speak on human rights. He is the least qualified to speak on this subject. Yet, the former Inspector–General of Police, Abdul Rahim Mohd Noor, emerging as it were from the dead, expressed some startling views on human rights. He is quoted as having said that the coming of a "human rights wave" would threaten the principles on which this country was founded. In what way would the "human rights wave" threaten the principles on which this country was founded? The principles on which this country was founded is embodied in the Federal Constitution, which was agreed upon mutually by all the communities that aspired for a free and independent Malaya. The Federal Constitution specifically guarantees the human rights of all the citizens. Indeed, it protects the rights of all Malaysians. If these rights were not guaranteed and protected, there would be no Federal Constitution to begin with and we wouldn't have attained our independence on 31 August 1957. The human rights wave, reflected in the Bersih 2.0 'Walk for Democracy' that demanded clean and fair elections, cannot by any stretch of the imagination be termed as a "communist wave". It is a democratic wave giving expression to the innate desire of the human spirit to be free and treated fairly and with justice. The present wave – demanding accountability, transparency, good governance, rule of law, the right to information, the right to assemble peacefully, the right to publish and disseminate views – represents the universal rights that are upheld by the United Nations, As Malaysia is a member of the UN Human Rights Council, we are duty-bound to respect and protect these universal values.
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| Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:49 PM PDT Sadly, it was only two years, and I might have changed my mind already. I am seriously in doubt now whether I should go back and serve in Malaysia, or stay here. Just the thought of staying here make me cringes; it is a very selfish decision. But I am giving up on Malaysia and its people. Zain Abdullah, The Malaysian Insider I am going to tell you a story. A story about me, myself and my government. As typically with me, the story starts with an idealistic 20-something young adult who just started his first year of university. I remember the first time I arrived in the United Kingdom. I firmly believed that I should come here, get my qualifications and return to Malaysia to serve the people. My main intention in doing medicine is because I believe it is the best way I can directly work with and serve the people. At that time, I did not particularly like medicine. I'd rather be a zoologist and work with the WWF. However, since the intention to serve and work with the deprived communities in Malaysia has been a part of me since I was 11, I persevered and took medicine instead. The common issue that crops up time and again as a Malaysian student overseas is whether to go back and work in Malaysia. And in my first year, I was the biggest proponent of "balik Malaysia kerja". Whenever anybody said that Malaysia is bad and they do not want to go back to Malaysia, I would not hesitate to give them a piece of my mind. A few times I got into heated exchanges with my colleagues and seniors just because they stuck to their decision not to go back and serve the people. Sensing my innocent yet idealistic views on the issue, my wise senior at that time took me aside one day. With his kind words of advice he told me: "Do not be overconfident; after five years you change your mind, even you do not want to go back." I jokingly laughed at him, still confident that I would not change even after five years in the UK. Sadly, it was only two years, and I might have changed my mind already. I am seriously in doubt now whether I should go back and serve in Malaysia, or stay here. Just the thought of staying here make me cringes; it is a very selfish decision. But I am giving up on Malaysia and its people. Why am I giving up, you might ask. Before I answer that particular question, answer my question first. Why not? Everyday, when I open the news portals there will be at least several news items that show "oh-not-so-intelligent" actions and decisions of the government, its ministers and their agencies. These include the mismanagement of the country's Treasury, the biased judicial system, the mainstream media that censors anything unfavourable to the government, the misbehaviour of the police force and the MACC, the ambiguous accumulation of wealth by the governing elites while the commoners are faced with increasing hardships in life. 1. The V.K. Lingam judge brokering case 2. Port Klang Free Zone mismanagement 3. Deaths of Teoh Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbaini after MACC investigation 4. Death of Aminulrasyid, Kugan Anathan and several others at the hands of the police 5. The commission scandals for the French submarines The list could go on and on. When I first arrived in the UK, I sincerely believed I could return and bring reforms and improvements to Malaysia. However, each news item killed my hopes little by little. And after two years, the accumulative effect has caused me to almost give up on Malaysia and Malaysians. The little devil besides me kept hissing: "Why would you care about the Malaysian people and Malaysia, they are not saveable. After all, were it not because of their votes for the same incompetent leaders (this applies to both the ruling and opposition parties) that we will not have this conundrum." I might just be tempted.
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| Pekerja Indonesia di Malaysia hantar pulang AS$1.7 bilion Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:39 PM PDT (Bernama) - Pekerja Indonesia di Malaysia mengirim pulang ke tanah air mereka wang berjumlah AS$1.7 bilion di suku ketiga tahun ini (2011), demikian menurut catatan bank pusat, Bank Indonesia (BI). Angka itu mewakili lebih daripada separuh jumlah wang sebanyak AS$2.91 bilion yang dikirim pulang oleh tenaga kerja Indonesia (TKI) yang bekerja di kawasan Asia Pasifik. Jurucakap BI, Difi Johansyah berkata, kiriman wang oleh pekerja Indonesia di luar negara ke tanah air mencapai AS$5.05 bilion atau kira-kira Rp43 trilion sepanjang suku ketiga tahun ini dan TKI yang bekerja di kawasan Asia mengirim pulang paling banyak wang. "TKI di kawasan Asia Pasifik mengirim wang ke Indonesia mencapai AS$2.91 bilion. Terbesar dibandingkan kawasan lain," kata Difi seperti yang dipetik detikfinance di portal berita detik.com di sini, Selasa. Beliau berkata, TKI yang bekerja di kawasan Timur Tengah dan Afrika mengirim pulang wang berjumlah AS$2.01 bilion dan daripada jumlah itu mereka yang bekerja di Arab Saudi menyumbang jumlah paling besar iaitu sebanyak AS$1.68 bilion.
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| Assange faces day of judgment in London court tomorrow Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:10 PM PDT (AFP) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces a day of reckoning Wednesday when the High Court in London delivers a ruling on whether he will be extradited to Sweden to face questioning over rape allegations. The 40-year-old Australian, whose whistleblowing website has enraged governments around the world, has been fighting a bitter legal battle ever since he was arrested in London last December on a European arrest warrant. The long-awaited decision, which has been deferred since the High Court heard Assange's appeal in July, is not necessarily the final chapter in the saga, but it will be difficult for either side to lodge an appeal. |
| The shameful truth about Burmese refugees in Malaysia Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:51 PM PDT MAGICK RIVER The Realities of Refugees and Asylum Seekers Malaysia is currently host to one of the largest refugee and asylum seeker populations in Asia. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are more than 90,000 registered refugees in the country. Both UNHCR and the refugee communities estimate that the actual number of refugees is much higher, given that thousands have yet to be registered. 92% are Burmese who escaped persecution in Burma, where political turmoil and ruthless military domination have persisted for decades. However, Malaysia has continued to refuse to recognise them as refugees.
Malaysia has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention nor the 1967 Protocol. Under the Malaysian Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155), refugees and asylum seekers are designated as "illegal migrants" and may be subject to arrest, detention, punishment (including whipping), and deportation. Historically, the focus has been on reducing the number of irregular persons through large-scale (and often violent) 'crackdowns,' where the aim is to arrest, detain and deport undocumented migrants and refugees. Arrested refugees are often unable to understand the charges read to them and secure appropriate legal assistance.
Life for refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia is extremely difficult. Unable to work legally in the country, and with limited access to basic services (health care, education or legal services), they are vulnerable to poverty, exploitation and health problems. Refugees and asylum seekers scrape by on earnings from work in low paying, unskilled and often part-time/casual jobs in the plantation, construction, manufacturing, or service sectors. Even amongst those who are employed, poverty and indebtedness are endemic. Many earn far less than the government-determined poverty-line income (PLI) of RM800 per household per month.
Refugees' and asylum seekers' dire living circumstances, coupled with aggressive, punitive approaches by the state as well as everyday experiences of discrimination by non-state actors, creates an extremely poor environment for refugees in Malaysia. Furthermore, these adverse life events, combined with the persecution they faced in Burma, increase their vulnerability to a number of health problems, including infectious diseases, psychological problems and under-management of chronic conditions. Refugee Health Mental health problems among refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia are a serious concern. Health Equity Initiatives' (HEI) analysis of the scores of 578 refugees and asylum seekers who were screened in April and May 2011 using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales 21 (DASS21) indicated that 19.9% experienced either moderate, severe or extremely severe Stress. Almost half (48%) experienced either moderate, severe or extremely severe Anxiety, and 38% experienced either moderate, severe or extremely severe Depression. An earlier analysis of HEI's mental health clients showed that 22% presented with symptoms that required psychiatric care. A separate study conducted by HEI revealed that, among those with a high level of need for psychosocial services, 77.1% reported they could not afford the services.
In principle, government hospitals in Malaysia are open and available to refugees and asylum seekers, but evidence collected by HEI shows that refugees and asylum seekers experience substantial barriers accessing health care in Malaysia.
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| Umno is too big to fail but ... Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:46 PM PDT As for the welfare and the financial health of the country with its RM407 billion national debt, we better change government before it is too late. Nawawi Mohamad, The Malaysian Insider The Najib blunders that you have been reading about in the news are worth watching carefully. Like many have said, the situation has now morphed into something much bigger than a Umno crisis — it could batter the entire BN stability, which is pretty fragile anyway, in view of the impending general election. Nevertheless, like many have said, the best way for Najib to move forward on his reform agenda is to call a poll — to gain a fresh mandate and also to find out what Malaysians think of him. After all, he was not elected by the people of Malaysia and neither was he elected by the members of his party. You have read a lot about Gerakan, MIC and MCA, but the problem in BN is Umno. Umno has long been governed poorly. Umno is too big to fail but with all the blunders, it might also be too big to bail. Even Mahathir might not be able to credibly bail it out along with all the other Umno leaders. So what can be done? There is no one solution that can solve the myriads of teething problems so the only way to solve the issues is through change and sacrifice. First the bickering in Umno must stop. The Majlis Tertinggi must get the right criteria to determine who the winnable candidate is. Candidates should only be chosen based on this set of criteria and those who don't have the required attributes must sacrifice themselves no matter what. If Umno still insists on candidates being nominated at the grass-roots level, it simply won't work. Why is this so? Umno's grass roots are divided amongst themselves and this division will result in an overall weak foundation for Umno and for any party for that matter. The next thing Umno must do is to drop all leaders who are tainted by scandal and wrongdoings. This exercise could also be used to mould potential leaders for the next generation and mould those with integrity, charisma and calibre. Umno leaders must also change the culture of fighting for top posts — and the associated view that they are lucrative positions. Umno must then admit its mistakes, ask forgiveness from the rakyat and turn over a new leaf. This can be done immediately by looking through the Auditor General report and bringing the wrongdoers to justice. Sacrifice some veteran leaders who have tarnished the party's image. This way Umno will be seen as moving against corruption, willing to take action and removing the bad apples while still maintaining most of its leaders.
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| Fuel subsidies to cost RM15.9b for 2011, says MOF Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:42 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - The government will spend RM15.9 billion in petrol and diesel subsidies in 2011, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai told Parliament today. This is a significant increase from the RM9.6 billion spent last year, more than 50 per cent up. Lim said the government was looking out for the people, easing their financial burden through these subsidies, The Star reported. He said however that they needed to be careful that only those in need benefitted from the subsidies.
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| Outrage greets latest spending spree involving Najib's family Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:32 PM PDT "A few city retailers reaped the rewards, with one first lady known to have bought AU$150,000 worth of WA pearls, while Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's daughter is believed to have spent AU$60,000 in David Jones," reads the report. Harakah Daily An image showing a paper cutting of an Australian daily's report on a shopping spree involving the family of prime minister Najib Razak has been making waves among Malaysian netizens. NOT AGAIN ... This picture posted on a blog points red arrows on Rosmah Mansor (extreme right) to show her jewellery Without mentioning name, the report also said that a first lady had bought West Australian pearls worth A$150,000 (RM488,000) during a stop at a department store.
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| BN’s weakness exposed in PPSMI row Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:29 PM PDT (Harakah Daily) - PAS said the controversy surrounding the teaching of science and mathematics in English (PPSMI) had only exposed the incompetency of the government with regards to formulating important policies affecting the country's future. According to information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, the on-going row on PPSMI was due to BN's inconsistent education policy, which he said would change every time a new Education minister took over.
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| Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:26 PM PDT It is shortlisting candidates for six parliamentary and 12 state constituencies. (Free Malaysia Today) - Kita will contest six parliamentary and 12 state seats in Kedah in the coming general election. Zamil Ibrahim, who leads the party's Kedah chapter, revealed this today at a function to announce the manifesto Kita will use in the state. The federal seats are Alor Star, Kuala Kedah, Merbok, Sungai Petani, Padang Serai and Kulim –Bandar Bahru and the state seats are Derga, Bakar Bata, Kota Darulaman, Gurun, Bukit Selambau, Tanjung Dawai, Pantai Merdeka, Sidam, Bakar Arang, Kuala Ketil, Lunas and Kulim. Kedah has 15 federal and 36 state seats. The constituencies that Kita has chosen are racially mixed and have not been traditional strongholds of any party, according to Zamil. He claimed that Kita was capable of replacing PKR and DAP in Kedah. "PKR and DAP won the last time due to a political tsunami, not due to their strength," he said. "They never had a firm political presence in Kedah. We are capable of turning the tables against them next time. We can fish in trouble waters." He also claimed that Kita was experiencing a surge in local support. Kedah Kita has 1,000 members. Zamil said Kita was prepared to work with any party to form the next state government, but not at the expense of its election promises. "If we were to join the next state government, we would ensure that our election promises would be fulfilled within two years. We would not compromise on that."
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| Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:20 PM PDT A teenager was allegedly punched and kicked in the stomach by National Service trainers in the Tasik Cini camp. (Free Malaysia Today) - An 18-year-old boy from Labis, Johor has claimed that he was assaulted by 11 National Service (NS) trainers and that despite him having lodged a report no action had been taken against them. Tan Hao Hong said today he was hospitalised after he was punched and kicked following a misunderstanding with one of the trainers named "Sam". The alleged assault took place on Aug 29. Tan claimed 'Sam' held grudges against him since he first joined the NS programme in Tasik Cini, Pahang. "I was playing with him..held his hand and put it on my legs. The person got angry and then punched me in the stomach and asked me to visit him in a room," Tan said in his police report lodged at the Brickfields police station today. The police report was made into copies and distributed to the media at Parliament lobby here. Tan came with his father and they were accompanied by DAP lawmakers including Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who acted as his translator. "At about 2230 hours, I went and met the trainer and when I arrived at the room I was punched by him. Then came 11 other trainers to beat me up," explained Tan. Shocking abuse He also claimed the trainer had asked him to give him five sticks of cigarettes. Tan said he went and complained to the camp's supervisor and was later taken to the Kuantan Hospital for treatment.He was warded for a day. Tan suffered injuries on the head, stomach and neck.
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| Abolishing UUCA needs political will Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:17 PM PDT In welcoming the Court of Appeal decision to nullify a section of the UUCA, law professor Azmi Sharom says abolishing the act altogether was another matter. (Free Malaysia Today) - Universiti Malaya's associate professor of law, Azmi Sharom, said the Universities and Universities Colleges Act (UUCA) 1974 is unlikely to be abolished altogether. While welcoming the Court of Appeal declaration that Section 15 (5) (A) of UUCA is unconstitutional, he said the judgment and abolishment of the act altogether were different issues. "The judgment is correct from a constitutional point of view and makes judicial common sense," said Azmi. "But abolishing the UUCA is another matter. "Abolishment needs political will and that is up to the government," said Azmi who is also UM's Academic Staff Association president. In a 2-1 judgment yesterday, the Appeals Court declared Section 15 (5) (A) of UUCA 1974 unconstitutional as it violated Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. In April 2010, Muhammad Hilman Idham, Woon King Chai, Ismail Aminuddin and Azlin Shafina Adza were suspended for campaigning during the Hulu Selangor by-election. Judges Hishammuddin Yunus and Linton Albert ruled in favour of four former students of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia who were suspended for campaigning for the opposition. Low Hop Bing was the dissenting judge. The High Court had earlier dismissed the students case against the university, prompting them to appeal.
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| Muhyiddin confused about language Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:11 PM PDT He speaks about 'Bahasa Melayu' when he really means 'Bahasa Malaysia'. If Muhyiddin is really serious about the kampung kids in Peninsular Malaysia getting schooling in Bahasa Melayu, the bahasa kebangsaan, he should stop passing off Bahasa Malaysia as Bahasa Melayu. Bahasa Malaysia only strikes a chord with those who are familiar with other local dialects and languages and English. Joe Fernandez, Free Malaysia Today Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has finally bared his fangs and prematurely declared that the teaching of Maths and Science in schools will be in Bahasa Melayu and no longer in English, as it has been conducted for the past decade or so. He definitely means Bahasa Malaysia, not Bahasa Melayu, which is in the dustbin of history. Bahasa Malaysia, a work in progress, is Bahasa Melayu plus local dialects and languages plus English. Bahasa Melayu is an old Khmer dialect plus Sanskrit plus Pali plus Arabic. The Bahasa Melayu used as the bahasa kebangsaan (national language) in Malaysia is the Johor-Riau-Lingga dialect. The Hindu missionaries made Bahasa Melayu the language of religion. From there, it went on to become the language of administration, education and trade in the islands of Southeast Asia. Hence, it became the lingua franca of the Malay Archipelago. The term "Malay Archipelago" is a reference to the language rather than to any ethnic group. Bahasa Melayu fell on hard times with the coming of westerners, and in their wake, Chinese immigrants. In the British territories of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, for example, English replaced Bahasa Melayu. The language of the Chinese took over in the retail, if not wholesale, sector in Southeast Asia and relegated Bahasa Melayu and other local languages to the marketplace. Even so, Chinese businessmen in Southeast Asia conducted all business correspondence in English. Muhyiddin is right if he thinks that students have a right to get schooling in their own mother tongues. This is enshrined in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is actively promoted by Unesco. However, he is dead wrong if he thinks that only those who habitually speak Bahasa Melayu have a right to get formal schooling in their mother tongue. Bahasa Kebangsaan Those who habitually speak English at home have a right as well to get schooling in that language. And that goes as well for those who speak any number of other tongues at home in Malaysia, namely, Kadazandusun, Bajau, Suluk, Filipino, Bugis and Chinese in Sabah; Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau, Orang Ulu, Sarawak Malay and Chinese in Sarawak; Orang Asli, Thai, Portuguese, Bahasa Melayu, Tamil and Chinese in Peninsular Malaysia. To bring all these people together, we have Bahasa Malaysia, which is not bahasa kebangsaan. The Federal Constitution clearly states that Bahasa Melayu is the bahasa kebangsaan of Malaysia. Unfortunately, that is not the end of the story. Bahasa Melayu is no longer used in the schools. Its role has been replaced by Bahasa Malaysia and is spoken only at home, especially in the kampungs in the southern parts of Peninsular Malaysia. Again, when Muhyiddin talks about Maths and Science being taught in Bahasa Melayu, he is actually talking about Bahasa Malaysia which, as stated, is not the bahasa kebangsaan. Those who claim that Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Malaysia are synonymous will then have to explain why Bahasa Indonesia is not synonymous with Bahasa Melayu. Bahasa Malaysia is not synonymous with Bahasa Indonesia either. Bahasa Indonesia is Bahasa Melayu plus local dialects and languages plus Dutch plus English. The most widely spoken languages at home in Indonesia are Javanese and Sundanese. "Indonesia" is an Anglicised version of two Greek words, Indos (Indian) and nesos (Islands). The Greeks referred to the South Asian subcontinent as the Land of the Ind (Indus River) and hence India, the Anglicised form. Another example is Filipino, which is Tagalog plus local dialects and languages plus Spanish plus English.
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| Najib’s daughter on lavish shopping spree Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:08 PM PDT An Australian report claims that the premier's daughter spent RM180,000 in a high-end deparmental store in Perth. (Free Malaysia Today) - Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's family is in the limelight once again, this time over a costly shopping spree Down Under. According to a report in the West Australian newspaper, Najib's daughter was believed to have spent a whopping RM180,000 (AU$ 60,000) in David Jones, a high-end department store. The same report also said that one first lady purchased WA pearls worth AU$150,000. But the report did not name the person. Last week, Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, had gone to Perth to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Goverments Meeting (CHOGM). In the past, Rosmah had courted controversy for allegedly purchasing extremely costly jewellery items, including a ring worth tens of millions, and designer handbags. Since becoming prime minister in 2009, Najib's wife has been a favourite target for the opposition, with some accusing her of meddling in state affairs as well. Commenting on the West Australian report, PKR's Badarul Hisham Saharin said: "The public is facing hardship due to the rising cost (of living). This regime has failed to address this and at the same time will possibly introduce taxes which will burden the public further." Barisan Nasional leaders are also fuming on the quiet. "The PM and Umno claim that BN component parties are liabilities and so forth, but it is things like this which are the real danger," said one component party leader, who declined to be named.
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| A student revolt in the making Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:03 PM PDT A bigger uprising – student power combined with people power – will truly be a force for change, which the government cannot beat back with all the bullets in its armoury. In many universities academicians have come out in support of the right to speak their mind and they are roundly supported by their students. This is a significant development because for far too long, campus life has been debilitated by the energy-sapping restrictive laws. Free Malaysia Today A bullet for speaking your mind. But bullets cannot destroy the spirit that moves people to fight for principles, ideals, ideas, causes. Throughout history people have been killed for their belief and vision and yet the tide of change kept sweeping down the road of human affairs. Many of the great ideas were forged in the heat of revolutions, conflicts, upheavals. Resistance to change often by the elite class long corrupted by wealth, power, greed had proven effective as it finally crumbled against the "great movements of popular passion". Governments in whatever form inevitably die when the popular will turns into an all-conquering force for transformation. It is impossible to stop citizens – be they young or old, farmers or students – from rushing forth to rally round the banner of an idea whose time has arrived. In Malaysia, the fight for basic rights and freedom of expression has surfaced again and its arrival cannot be halted. First it was the mammoth Bersih 2.0 rally that the government tried to crush with an iron fist. It failed. The protest spawned reforms in its wake that lent strength to the movement for democracy. People rose up in anger against injustice, corruption, dirty politics, electoral fraud and showed their steely determination in the face of a harsh crackdown. The state employed its full power to beat back the brave citizens but it was unable to trample on their free spirit. Bodies were crushed but the spirit remained unshackled and soared to greater heights. Now another movement is welling up and this time it is flowing out from the portals of universities. At the vanguard are students whose battle cry has resonated through the campuses. They took up the cudgels on behalf of an academician who was villified for speaking out in the hallowed tradition of freedom of thought. The professor had merely expressed his opinion on a matter of public importance, which is his indisputable right. He did not challenge or deride the institution of monarchy. The state read an old, out-dated script when it masterminded the attack on the don. It continues to believe that academic freedom is bad and must be gagged at all cost. It sees students as chattels and academicians as sheep. Any murmuring of discontent in the halls of academia is seen as a threat to the stability of the governing class or even the monarchy. Scholars have always been persecuted for their learned and reasoned arguments against the deceitful and devious ways of the state. Minds forged on the academic anvil cannot be easily bent to serve the interests of the political leaders. The students who warned the government of a "bigger uprising" if it does not act to restore academic freedom are not acting out of ignorance. Their protest against injustice is born out of conviction. They have their own mind and they know that the nation's leaders are not governing according to acceptable standards of democratic behaviour.
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| Election Commission will be PSC’s first witness Posted: 31 Oct 2011 05:59 PM PDT PSC's Pakatan representatives say they do not want to be part of a 'toothless' committee and will bring up suggestions for reforms. (Free Malaysia Today) - The Election Commission (EC) will be the first witness when the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) for electoral reform meets tomorrow. And the PSC hopes that EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof will show up for the meeting as the PSC was a parliamentary committee which held some stature. The Pakatan Rakyat representative in the PSC, Anthony Loke, told a press conference today that the panel is not certain who will represent the EC tomorrow but it hopes that it would not be "any regular officer". "We hope they (EC) will not say that they did not get enough notice as we have already informed them that they will be interviewed since our first meeting few weeks ago," said Loke, the DAP Rasah MP. Besides Loke, the other opposition representatives in the committee are Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) and Dr Hatta Ramli (PAS-Kuala Krai). Azmin said that he hoped Abdul Aziz himself will show up as the PSC was a parliamentary committee which held some stature. The opposition representatives also said that they hoped the EC will be committed to implementing reforms. They said that the PSC has a six-month deadline to come up with suggestions for electoral reforms, but the same time-line should not apply to the EC if it was serious in implementing reforms. "These changes do not need any amendments to the law… cleaning up the electoral roll, for example, is something the EC can embark upon now without waiting for the PSC's suggestions," said Azmin, who is PKR deputy president. He said the opposition did not want to be part of a "toothless" committee, adding that they will make a few suggestions at a meeting today.
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| Foreign Policy: The Larger Division Among The Pakatan Posted: 31 Oct 2011 05:51 PM PDT Ali Cordoba, World Futures Online The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) opposition force in Malaysia has showed very little interest for foreign affairs, concentrating its efforts mostly on national and local issues. Besides the Party Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), the two other member parties of the PR seems lacking in 'foreign policies'. The exception in the Party Keadilaan Rakyat (PKR) of Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition leader of Malaysia, is that its supremo is known to be pro-Turkey. Being pro-Turkey means a pro-U.S. stance on many issues. The absence of a strong foreign policy direction within the PR is a sign of an impending crisis between the three party alliance. With the cacophony reigning withing the PR on its foreign policy, it is clear though the grouping is bound to profess a pro-U.S. line of conduct. The division within the PR resolves altogether about a core foreign policy that has yet to be devised. The PAS has demonstrated against the U.S. for its attacks against Muslim nations. it has also showed its opposition to Israel's violence against Palestinians and the Gaza Flotilla. It condemned the murder of Osama Bin Laden on a 'humanitarian' basis, refusing to take position against the U.S. 'terror' policies. It also failed to take concrete position on the Libya war though it did lambast the U.S. and the West on Iran. On the Libya war, most of the opposition parties were rather compliant to Nato's actions. The PAS is however totally blank about China, Australia, Japan and issues that affects the region directly. The main issues here are the Malacca Straits, the Spratly crisis and the American attempts at controlling the South China seas. For the PAS, these are subject that should not be taken into consideration by its 'Dewan' or assembly. It refuses to comment on the Myanmar situation though in private, it assists the Myanmar refugees. But it does not have any idea what to do with Myanmar's rogue military junta and would probably support an ousting of this regime! The PKR participated alongside the PAS in some street demonstrations about the Gaza Flotilla. This does not demonstrate the Party's foreign policy as it does not really have one. Nevertheless, it is clear that the PKR is not anti-U.S. or anti-West. Does that mean it is lenient and even collaborative with the Western powers? Its close relations with Turkey is the answer. Turkey is a full fledge Nato member state hence the PKR was never against Nato's attack on Libya. This is an indication of some of the PKR's foreign policy decisions it may take as a regime. The other major question is whether the PKR is pro-U.S.? This can be stated due to Anwar Ibrahim's relations with the Americans and the Turks. His opponents have accused him of being a U.S. 'lackey' but this may simply not be true. Altogether, the PKR is not against the Turks role in the Syria crisis and its bombarding Iraqi Kurds. One wonders whether the PKR will impose a foreign policy that leans towards the West. The tendency within the PKR is pro-U.S. The only thing that may differ between PKR leaders is that some of them are not in favor of any militarization of the South East Asian region. But this altogether does not mean the PKR has a foreign policy statement that is worth its weight. As for the Democratic Action Party (DAP), its close ties with China in particular does not make it a 'leftist' group. Lim Guan Eng, the Chief Minister of Penang, has very close ties with Hong-Kong (hence with China). China is investing 'billions' in construction projects in Penang. This has upset the United Malays National Organization (UMNO). The DAP has ties with Thailand and Singapore and is supported by pro-Capitalist Malaysian Chinese citizens. The DAP profess a rather 'socialist' approach - with welfare state policies - and calls for a redistribution of wealth in Malaysia. This altogether does not turn the DAP into an anti-U.S. or anti-West force in the country. The DAP does not have a clear cut foreign policy stance as this party's politics is engrossed with national issues. One its leaders, Karpal Singh, is more immersed in 'anti-Islam' diatribes rather than be concerned with the future of the nation! Fan Yew Teng was the only person who had an idea what foreign policy was about. Unfortunately, he passed away this year. As a matter of fact, the entire region should be concerned by the PR's lack of 'foreign Affairs skills'. it is true to state that the PR would easily align itself with the ASEAN and its policies. This is not indicative of an intelligent foreign policy line for an opposition group bound to form a future regime. Would the DAP voice its opposition and threaten to leave a PR regime if the PAS forces the government to ally with Iran or Saudi Arabia? Will the PKR reject PAS's close relationship with Iran for example? Or will the PAS slam the tables if the DAP proposes closer ties with China, Thailand? The PR's entire foreign policy or lack of it will throw the country in dissarray. On the other hand, the PR offers no real solution to the immediate problems affecting the region. Most of the leaders of the PKR, PAS and DAP have little experience when it comes to 'foreign affairs'. This is a major setback for the PR. Once in power, such a setback will reveal itself and it will be damning for the nation altogether. Nonetheless, the fact that most of the PR members are U.S. and Western educated, it is clear that the opposition is not anti-West. On the Malaysia-U.S. trade negotiations, most of the PKR or the PR is willing to 'negotiate' a better deal. There is no question of a 'no deal' even if the Americans impose their will in the end. There is altogether no way for Malaysia to get a pro-Malaysia deal in such negotiations with the PR being one eyed about the U.S. crimes across the globe and its real intents. The PR is totally clueless with regards the current push by the U.S. and Nato to control the Malacca Straits. It has no idea at all on the move by the U.S. to re-open its former bases in the Philippines. it is as blind on the Spratly and South China Sea crisis as it is on the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region. The PR has said nothing or little on the region's interest in nuclear energy and this in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. In any of these cases, there are no clear policy statement from the opposition group. What we have seen so far are statements by individuals supporting 'revolutions' in the Middle East. While other individuals showed pure innocence on major issues, such as Malaysia's joining the U.S.-Nato in 'war games'. Being Malay-Muslim majority parties, the PAS and the PKR are naturally 'frightened' of China's growing role in the region. What make the Muslims fearful of China is the possibility that Beijing plays a more important role in Malaysia.
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| Our school children as sacrificial lambs Posted: 31 Oct 2011 05:43 PM PDT Written by Dr Lim Teck Ghee, CPI During the past year, there have been three controversies arising from regressive policy decisions of the Ministry of Education which have set our educational system backwards. The three controversies revolve around:
All three – though simmering for some years now – are rapidly coming to a head during the tenure of the Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin as the Minister of Education. The controversies are not over minor or insignificant issues in the national education system. They are not sparked off by politicians with an axe to grind or by groups wanting to score points against the minister. They do not relate to narrow communal interests nor are they espoused by extremist organizations having their own agendas. Rather they are the concern of parents and educators from all communities at grassroots as well as at mainstream society level. They involve important pedagogical principles and ultimately, they raise the key question of whether the future of our younger generation is being made the sacrificial lamb for narrow political and bureaucratic interests. Upon their wise resolution will rest the ability of our school children to compete with the rest of the world as well as the knowledge that they receive at school which will shape their adult mindset and values. PPSMI: Math and Science in English In the case of the campaign led by the Parents Action Group for Education (PAGE), the Minister has not only refused to meet with PAGE leaders but has also stated that providing parents and students the choice to use English "will result in chaos in our educational system". There is an unfair attempt to beat down the campaigners and the over 100,000 online supporters by wild claims about the potential negative impact of a policy reversal. In fact, it is the Ministry's policy decision to insist on Bahasa only that is causing chaos and even worst, condemning students – especially Malay students – to a bleak future in undermining their capacity and ability to progress in an English language-dominated global system. Interlok: Crude and rude propaganda In the case of Interlok, the Minister has similarly refused to meet with the campaign organizers led by National Interlok Action Team (NIAT), who have argued that the novel is unfit for use by schools even going by the standards and guidance on compulsory school texts issued by the ministry. The clear danger that the Interlok book poses in heightening crude racial (and cultural) stereotyping, bias and prejudice and its threat to a harmonious communal understanding among our young has been completely ignored with the decision to proceed with the book as a text for the literature component in the SPM compulsory Bahasa Malaysia language paper. The book's biased understanding and unmitigated prejudice against minority races has already legitimized the name-calling of 'Keling pariah' and 'Cina babi' in our secondary schools, with several cases of bullying ending up not only at the discipline master's door but in the local police station as well. The stubborn and unreasonable position of the ministry has left the organizers, NIAT – now joined by over 60 other multiracial civil society organizations – no choice but to take their appeal directly to the rulers, and to intensify and make national the campaign to remove Interlok from the school texts.
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| Students Free To Think And Speak Posted: 31 Oct 2011 05:20 PM PDT By Christopher Leong, Vice-President of Malaysian Bar The Malaysian Bar welcomes yesterday's majority decision of the Court of Appeal striking down section 15(5)(a) of the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 ("UUCA") as unconstitutional. The decision is a victory for freedom of speech and expression, enshrined in Article 10(1)(a) of our Federal Constitution. In a country that over the years has seen the gradual erosion of fundamental liberties by legislative, executive and judicial action, the Malaysian Bar commends Justice Mohd Hishamudin b Haji Mohd Yunus and Justice Linton Albert for their courageous and progressive stand in giving meaning to Article 10(1)(a) and taking a step forward in restoring our lost liberties. Section 15(5)(a) of the UUCA has long prevented public university students of all ages from being actively involved in a significant aspect of the democratic process. It has prevented these Malaysians from expressing their views or doing anything that may reasonably be construed as expressing support for, or sympathy with, or opposition to, political parties. Section 15(5)(b) and Section 15(5)(c) of the UUCA prevent the same in respect of unlawful organisations or organisations that the Minister specifies as being unsuitable to the interests and well-being of the students or the university. In the past, the wide and repressive scope of section 15(5), in particular section 15(5)(a), has inexplicably been publicly justified on the grounds of the need to maintain public order and morality. Generations of Malaysian public university students have thus been unduly shackled, and our democracy has been the poorer for the loss of their voices in the public sphere. Universities – as with all institutions of higher learning – must embrace and espouse, as one of their primary duties, the development of critical thinking by their students and the encouragement of robust debate. This is vital to ensure a continuous stream of thinking Malaysians who are able to advance and build our nation. The Malaysian Bar is also heartened by the courage and determination of the four young Malaysians: Muhammad Hilman b Idham, Woon King Chai, Muhammad Ismail b Aminuddin and Azlin Shafina bt Mohamad Adza, in insisting on their rights to freedom of speech and expression under the Federal Constitution. The Malaysian Bar notes that section 15 of the UUCA does not merely seek to deprive a section of Malaysians of their freedom of speech and expression; it also denies them, in section 15(1) of the UUCA, of their fundamental right of freedom of association. We call upon the authorities to accept the principles underlying the decision of the Court of Appeal, and to therefore repeal sections 15(1), 15(5)(b) and 15(5)(c) of the UUCA. |
| Train crash: A danger waiting to happen Posted: 31 Oct 2011 05:01 PM PDT By Michael Kaung, FMT KOTA KINABALU: The morning after the train crash outside the Kota Kimabalu International Airport here has provoked fear and anger among city residents, with many saying that "it was an accident just waiting to happen". Widespread dissatisfaction and complaints have been brewing for years now over the railway line that has been plagued by controversy since the government approved a contract to upgrade the tracks a few years ago.
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| Share swap: MPs turn up the heat Posted: 31 Oct 2011 03:37 PM PDT By Syed Jeymal Zahiid, FMT KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya has failed to give a convincing explanation on the controversial share swap between AirAsia and national carrier MAS in Parliament as lawmakers from both sides took to task the government's failure to allay fears that the deal will lead to a monopoly. Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat MPs claimed that the swap, done under the "Comprehensive Collaborative Framework (CCF)" supposedly aimed at turning MAS' fortunes around, was a one-way traffic that benefited the budget carrier only. Wee Choo Keong (Independent-Wangsa Maju) and Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Kuching) claimed that AirAsia was profiting from Firefly's cancellation of its Johor Baru-Kuching-Kota Kinabalu route as a result of the swap. Chong alleged that fare had been increased while flights to East Malaysia decreased in frequency. Wilfred Bumburing (BN-Tuaran) accused AirAsia of forcing MAS out of the Sabah-China flights, the state's most lucrative route. "Don't just give big words like the CCF. What does it mean, how does the collaboration work? The government has so far failed to explain how the framework is helping," asked Wee during the Transport Ministry's winding up on the 2012 Budget debate.
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| Floods a wake-up call for region Posted: 31 Oct 2011 03:28 PM PDT Governments and private sectors across the region need to wake up to the fact that economic development and environmental protection are not irreconcilable, but indeed go hand-in-hand. Of course, we can't ignore the over-logged hillsides or the rubbish-packed rivers either. Indeed, the rain has now become a harbinger of death and destruction – even in Singapore where flash-floods have roiled Orchard Road periodically to the embarrassment of local authorities. By Karim Raslan, The Star IN Shahnon Ahmad's novel, Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan, a doomed family of poor rice-farmers waits patiently for the rains – rains that never come. It's a struggle that farming communities anywhere would be familiar with. For centuries, Southeast Asians have viewed the annual monsoons as a revitalising force. Indeed, the control of water through irrigation canals and dams has also been a key aspect of power in the region's great lowland, rice-plains. The Chao Phraya, Brantas and Mekong rivers have hosted great kingdoms based to a large extent on the access to water. However, over the past few decades as agricultural land has been concreted over with housing developments, roads and industrial parks, the water has had nowhere to flow. It's arguable that we've become disrespectful of Nature's needs as we re-shaped the landscape to our ends regardless of the consequences. At the same time, (and courtesy of global warming) nature has become more erratic and extreme. The rains are either overwhelming or absent, making it harder and harder to anticipate their possible impact. We no longer have the certainty that our ancestors did when it comes to the seasons. The deluge in Thailand is hence a wake-up call for Southeast Asia. Coming so soon after similar floods and natural disasters in the Philippines and Indonesia (especially Java), it underlines the vulnerability of these densely-populated, low-lying littoral (or coastal) areas. Of course, we can't ignore the over-logged hillsides or the rubbish-packed rivers either. Indeed, the rain has now become a harbinger of death and destruction – even in Singapore where flash-floods have roiled Orchard Road periodically to the embarrassment of local authorities. As we adjust to these stunning reversals, we have to ask if Asean policymakers have got things wrong? For many years, governments in the region have presented the economy and environment as exclusives, you can only have one or the other. We have railed against the hypocrisy of the West which lectured developing nations about sustainability while they continued to pollute. To be honest, I was initially one of the sceptics. The whole "green" thing seemed wishy-washy; either a way for guilty middle-class liberals to assuage their conscience or worse yet, a not-too-subtle way for certain developed nations and their corporations to effectively kill off competition. The need for economic development and poverty alleviation seemed so much more pressing. Nevertheless, the damage that Mother Nature has wrought has forced me to reconsider my views. Indeed, a similar process is taking place across the region. The Thais have been debating the cause of the current tragedy. Was it the insistence of storing water in the up-country dams despite unexpectedly heavy rains? Was it rampant over-building in the lowlands or deforestation? A failure to anticipate a sudden change in rainfall patterns? Whatever the cause, it's undeniable that scale of human activity that is taking place in Southeast Asia, and indeed Asia generally has made dealing with natural disasters all the more difficult. When all is said and done, poor environmental management is economically destructive. Damage from Thailand's floods could amount to 500bil baht (RM49bil), and its GDP growth this year could be slashed by over 3%. At the same time, environmental issues can heighten political risk. The Thai floods have exacerbated the still raw wounds of a deeply-divided society. Floods, landslides, terrible pollution and even droughts have made ordinary people increasingly wary about development. This in turn is strengthening the nascent "green movement" as people seek reasons behind the terrible occurrences, even in the still-authoritarian People's Republic of China. For instance, a 12,000-strong demonstration in Dalian last August forced the closure of an unpopular chemical plant in the heavily-industrialised, normally investor-friendly city. The political implications of such environmental protests cannot be exaggerated. Indeed, environmental disasters often suggest a failure on the part of governments to manage the resources under their stewardship. Similarly, corporates are finding that their activities are coming under increased scrutiny and the anger on the ground is no less palpable towards them. Basic regulatory compliance and corporate social responsibility initiatives may no longer be enough: people don't want their neighbourhoods destroyed in the blind pursuit of profit. The days of apathy towards green issues are clearly over in the East. As the Philippines academic turned activist-politician Walden Bello wrote in 2007, it's wrong to assume "...that the Asian masses are inert elements that uncritically accept the environmentally damaging high-growth export-oriented industrialisation models promoted by their governing elites. "It is increasingly clear to ordinary people throughout Asia that the model has wrecked agriculture, widened income inequalities, led to increased poverty after the Asian financial crises and wreaked environmental damage everywhere". Governments and private sectors across the region need to wake up to the fact that economic development and environmental protection are not irreconcilable, but indeed go hand-in-hand. We shouldn't wait for disasters like the Thai floods or worse before taking action.
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| Pakatan to demand immediate reforms by EC tomorrow Posted: 31 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) representatives in the parliamentary select committee (PSC) for electoral reforms plan to demand that the Election Commission (EC) implement several key Bersih 2.0 demands when it is summoned for a hearing tomorrow. PKR's Gombak MP Azmin Ali said demands like the use of indelible ink, the cleaning up of the electoral roll and a 21-day campaign period do not require amendments to current election laws. "We do not want the PSC to be a toothless panel. There is no need to wait for the PSC to complete its work for six months in order to implement these reforms. "If the EC is sincere and serious about reforming the election process, it will do the necessary," he told a press conference in Parliament today, adding that the EC is the panel's first witness. The PKR deputy president said PR MPs will also list several demands to the PSC's remaining members during its meeting this afternoon — to ensure the panel is impartial and firm in its decisions; that the panel obtains a guarantee from the government that elections will not be called before its work is complete; to ensure the formation of the panel was not a mere ploy to delay electoral reforms; and to allow space for Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan to voice her requests. "We want the panel to urge a guarantee from the government that it will not dissolve Parliament and call for elections while we are still conducting our investigations. This will make a mockery of the entire process," said Azmin. The PSC was mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak shortly after the tumultuous Bersih 2.0 rally for free and fair elections and has been given six months to complete its findings and suggest electoral reform recommendations. The PSC will, however, be dissolved along with Parliament if polls are called before its six-month probe is completed.
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| EC primed for polls in January Posted: 31 Oct 2011 02:57 PM PDT By G Manimaran, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 – The Election Commission (EC) is ready to carry out the 13th general elections by early next year. Deputy chairman Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar told The Malaysian Insider in a recent interview the EC will be conducting a briefing exercise for its 222 electoral officers — one for each parliamentary seat – and is expected to complete it by end of this month. The Malaysian Insider understands the EC started the briefings in Selangor, Perak and Kelantan last month. In 2008, national polls were called five months after the EC's training session for its electoral officers. Wan Ahmad refused to say if the EC was in the final round of preparing for the general elections this time. "We are ready to carry out our duty … carrying out preparations," he replied. "Many of the initial preparations have been taken care of, are complete … and much more will be done with the cooperation of other government agencies," he said, but did not elaborate further. Putrajaya has formed a bipartisan parliamentary select committee to review election laws following the controversial July 9 rally led by Bersih 2.0, a 62-member civil society movement demanding cleaner and more transparent polls. But civil society groups have been pressuring the EC to take the initiative after the government refused to guarantee it will wait for the parliamentary panel's decision before calling for polls. According to the EC's figures, there are 12.2 million voters at present compared to 10.9 million in Election 2008. The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government's mandate will expire only in May 2013, but speculation is rife that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will call early polls to avoid falling victim to an anticipated public backlash due to global economic woes.
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Cyber outrage
Both Najib and Rosmah are currently performing the Hajj. That however did not alleviate her of the continuous criticism from netizens. Accompanied by a photograph of the couple leaving for the pilgrimage (right), one blog chided her for not donning the Muslim headscarf even for such a sacred journey.
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