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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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• EZAM MOHD NOR – OLD HABITS DIE HARD
• MIC on the path to recovery
• Protesting the right to protest
• Chua: Nonsense to say we can’t talk about hudud
• Is Najib prepared to go all the way?
• After PBDS and SNAP, it’s SUPP’s turn to be history
• Dr Mahathir meminta Shahrizat berhenti. Yang lain-lain itu macam mana?
• Umno Baru at a crossroads again
• Nik Aziz bidas Umno guna istilah ‘jihad’ hadapi PRU-13
• A Single Spark that starts the prairie fire?
• Brickfields small shops protest: can small people protest at KLCC shopping mall?
• When the mouth moves faster than the brain
• Invitation to Attend The 3rd Civil Society Award Ceremony
• Umno challenges DAP to field Malay candidates in Kelantan
• Two DAP leaders get death threats
• UMNO'S pledge of loyalty an historic occasion
• Deputy minister says will investigate UM for stopping UUCA debate
• Parti Rakyat Malaysia to slug it out with more seats
• Boo taking on foes within DAP and PKR
• Welcome to Crony Nation
• Remove the tumour
• Jeffrey: How threatening can Haris be?
• Bar Ah Long and illegals, not activist – SAPP
• Yusof Noor, Rozali urged to clear name over Felda listing
• Civil service as Umno’s fixed deposit or game buster
• Government’s handout doesn’t mean freedom of religion
• Banning activist abuse of immigration power – Jeffrey
• PAS won’t let DAP stand in Malay-majority areas
• Rayer: I dare you to name DAP leaders
• Sultan Sharafuddin: Stop covert attempt to convert Muslims
• PKR says will contest more federal seats in coming election
• Dr M: Shahrizat should know when to step down
• Security reasons? Whose security? The rakyat’s? Or UMNO’s and BN’s?
• New law puts noose around computer techies
• In Friday sermon, Jakim warns Muslims against selling out to ‘others’
• ABU dilancarkan besar-besaran, desak rakyat tolak Umno
• ASALKAN BUKAN umno
• Musa: Haris denied entry ‘for security reasons’
• DAP’s internal squabbles ‘poetic justice’
• No candidates, Kita beats a retreat
• Taib Hit By UK’s Bell Pottinger Scandal!
• NGOs want Indian as Malacca CM
• 6 aktivis SMM ditahan di Speakers Corner UiTM
• Tengku Muhammad Fakhry saman IGP, tiga lain RM100 juta
• A haram book? What next?
• Groups protest against homosexual lifestyle
• 'DAP parti cauvinis'
• Umno assembly ‘an insult’ to Malays
• M’sia overly dependent on foreign workers
• CM: We had reason to bar Haris

EZAM MOHD NOR – OLD HABITS DIE HARD Posted: 10 Dec 2011 10:22 AM PST MIND NO EVIL This Ezam Mohd Nor is spewing loads of rubbish again, and of all people, to students of the UIAM. In the first instant, how on hell was he, a politician at that, be permitted to address students and to speak about politics and claiming that there are Malay traitors in our midst working in cohort with the DAP "bent on destroying the multi-racial foundation of Malaysia so it can turn the country into another Singapore". He claimed that we had "lost an island (I suppose referring to Singapore) " because of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew and "the same fate awaited the rest of the country if they (I suppose referring to Malaysian) stood idly by". Here, I would just like to ask – who are the Malay traitors that Ezam is referring to? Was he referring to any particular personality in the opposition? And why wouldn't he name that person out loud and clear? Are you too afraid Ezam? The word traitor is a damning word to use upon someone, and if I were to call Ezam a traitor for having jumped the UMNO boat onto the PKR boat, and soon after back into UMNO's boat, would Ezam like it? And you know, I am still waiting for the many boxes that reportedly hold the many mysteries of UMNO's corrupt practices that Ezam had promised to expose when he was in PKR. Till this day, the boxes are nowhere to be seen, and would you still believe in Ezam? And may I also ask – who actually 'gave away' the island of Singapore to Lee Kuan Yew, just by a stroke of a pen? Was it anyone person from the opposition today; be it a Malay, Chinese or an Indian? I would advice Ezam to read up his history, because he was too young to understand the causes that led to the separation of Singapore from Malaysia. Why don't Ezam blame it on Tengku Abdul Rahman who was the UMNO President then? Surely, Ezam wouldn't dare because he would be deprived of his Senatorship by a stroke of a pen too. READ MORE HERE

MIC on the path to recovery Posted: 10 Dec 2011 09:03 AM PST The Indian community is warming up to the party but there is still more to be done before the next general election. The MIC will not suffer the calamity of 2008 although we are not certain of how much support we have now in terms of percentage. But we do know that the Indians are now more confident of MIC and they can make a difference. In Penang, Indians can be the deciding factor in nine seats. In many state and parliamentary constituencies throughout the country, their votes would be crucial. By M. VEERA PANDIYAN, The Star DATUK G. Palanivel marked his first year as MIC president on Dec 6 with a stubble on his face. He was into the second week of his 16-day of mourning for his mother A. Letcimi, 92, who passed away on Nov 23. But proximately after the last rites, it was back to work for the 62-year-old leader. In an interview with Sunday Star conducted over his vegetarian lunch, he spoke about the changes that have taken place since he took over from Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, his colourful but often acerbic predecessor. Palanivel, a former lecturer, consumer activist and journalist, said he had always worked hard since young. "I don't show off or speak loudly but I think I provide a type of leadership that has worked out well so far," he said. Asked about the most significant changes under his leadership, he said the turnaround for the party has already begun and the focus now was on working for the people. As for the MIC's strength in facing the next general election, Palanivel said he was confident it would not suffer the catastrophic blow of 2008 when he and Samy Vellu were among the casualties. But he was quick to add that although the Indian community was warming up to the MIC, there was still a lot of work to do to regain its full confidence. Below are excerpts from the interview. Q: You have marked your first year as MIC president. How would you describe the ride so far? A: My first year as head of the party has seen some changes. I can empathically say that the MIC has become a "working" party. The Central Working Committee (CWC) is living up to its name. On my part, I have become an active listener. I have given power to the members and leaders to speak their minds. We have also moved forward in effectively mobilising crowds. For the Tamil New Year gathering, we attracted thousands of people, including non-members and people who did not like us in the past. Our Deepavali open house, held at Batu Caves for the first time instead of the usual PWTC or other halls, attracted a huge crowd. It was the result of "thinking out of the box". The PM and DPM were touched by the huge numbers and the pleasant atmosphere. The PM's SMS after the event was: "MIC's open house is truly for the people" while the DPM's was: "Congrats! Beginning of a great tradition." The national-level Deepavali do at Kota Raja in Klang was even bigger. An estimated 24,000 turned up. All these indicate that the Indian support for the MIC and Barisan Nasional is coming back. > December also marks your fifth month as a Cabinet minister the MIC's second after three decades. What are the immediate tangible results for the community and what are the expectations for long-term benefits? Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has entrusted me with a vital responsibility by appointing me as lead minister for the economic transformation of the Indian community under Pemandu. My first and most important task is to work towards the creation of successful Indian entrepreneurs within the next 10 years. If we have 50,000 entrepreneurs, we would be able to create better employment opportunities, provide better support for the community, Tamil schools, temples and NGOs helping the poor. We have to bring the community back into the mainstream of economic development. Indians have been left behind in the rut and (they) are nowhere near the other main races. The party leadership will hold a roadshow to gauge the expectations of the community and also meet people involved in the various business sectors to fine-tune our short, mid and long-term strategies. For a start, emphasis would be on "Little India" areas in towns and cities all over the country. We want these hubs to be thriving throughout the year and not only during Deepavali. The leadership is also engaging Indian contractors to get their input for the community's participation in GLCs and private sector business opportunities. Work is also being done to help the Indian chambers of commerce to link up effectively with the bumiputra, Chinese and international chambers of commerce. > What are some of the initiatives being undertaken to address long-standing Indian issues? There is a Cabinet Committee on Indian Issues chaired by the PM to ensure participation of Indians in government programmes. After I joined the Cabinet, the PM has approved many things which I made specific requests for. Among them are the RM8mil for the Suria Cooperative to provide financial help to small businesses, and RM100mil under Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia for micro-credit loans especially for the urban poor. An extra RM100mil has also been given for the development of Tamil schools, over the Education Ministry's approved allocation. The PM has also approved RM3mil for "Reach and Teach Malaysia" undertaken by the Community Builders Foundation (CBF), of which I am the chairman. Under the programme, backward pupils from Tamil schools are handpicked for skills in reading and writing in English and Bahasa Malaysia and arithmetic. The CBF is also involved in the kindergarten programme to help children whose parents cannot afford pre-school education. Currently there are 891 children in 34 kindergartens. > The next general election is looming. How prepared is the MIC in terms of strength on the ground and ability to win back the support it lost to the Opposition in 2008? The MIC will not suffer the calamity of 2008 although we are not certain of how much support we have now in terms of percentage. But we do know that the Indians are now more confident of MIC and they can make a difference. In Penang, Indians can be the deciding factor in nine seats. In many state and parliamentary constituencies throughout the country, their votes would be crucial. > If the MIC takes Umno's cue in only picking winnable candidates, what can we expect to see in the selection? For the MIC, "winnable candidates" are those who have a good reputation, credibility and integrity. They need not be those who are popular or publicity crazy. They must be those whom the public can accept, especially if they have served the party well. The next GE will be the polls of the people. Of course, there will be the party bloc of voters but beyond this there will be a clear public swing. It is up to how the Barisan Nasional can win over the voters. So, rather than just talking about "winnable candidates", we should be focusing more on efforts to win the hearts and minds of the people. Hard thinking is needed to achieve this. The Government must come out with fantastic across-the-board initiatives. The first initiative has already been made through the 2012 Budget. The benefits and goodies must go down to the ground. There must be tangible changes in the civil service, including an equitable mix in the number of staff, new intakes and promotions. There must be opportunities for all races in contracts, employment and scholarships. At the local government level, all urgent problems must be resolved immediately. Housing is a major issue. There is an outcry for affordable houses and affordable rents. The poor and the middle-income group must have access to houses they can afford. There is no cheap rental anymore in the urban areas. Health is another issue. There are still people who do not have access to healthcare, especially those who suffer from serious diseases like cancer and kidney problems in the rural areas. Education is another major concern. Our dropout rate is high. The focus should be on real human capital development, not just on pass or fair or the number of As. > Throughout the MIC's history, there have been splits between the No. 1 and No. 2, albeit not as bitter as the one between the longest serving president and the longest serving deputy. Now, there are rumours of a rift between you and Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam. Is this true? I have no rift with him. I don't have groups or factions supporting me. I must say that I recommended to Datuk Seri Samy Vellu that Datuk Dr Subramaniam be appointed secretary-general. He wanted to appoint someone else, but I said: "No way." There was a recent online news article quoting him about this. But the deputy president has already sent me a text saying that the report was "distorted and misleading". He also said he was going to clarify it.

Protesting the right to protest Posted: 10 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST The Peaceful Assembly Bill was passed in Parliament recently, but not without opposition from the civil society. Those who want to assemble at undesignated areas are required to notify the police within 10 days before the event to give them time to study the suitability of the place and get feedback from the surrounding community. By HARIATI AZIZAN, The Star A POINTLESS nuisance that was what Amer used to think of street protests. But not anymore, says the 20-year-old student, not since the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 was tabled. "Before this, I did not see street protests as a privilege. It's funny how the feeling of being deprived kicks in when you know you can't do something," says Amer. Under the new law, street protests, defined as "open air assembly which begins with a meeting at a specified place and consists of walking in a mass march or rally for the purpose of objecting to or advancing a particular cause or causes", are prohibited. However, Amer can probably participate in more public assemblies if he wants to, as the new law purportedly makes it easier to hold these as long as they are in the designated areas. At the designated areas, the public has the right to assemble any time. All they have to do is to notify the police within 24 hours before the event. For peaceful public gatherings like religious assemblies, funeral processions, wedding receptions, open house during festivities and family gatherings, no notification to the authorities is needed. Those who want to assemble at undesignated areas are required to notify the police within 10 days before the event to give them time to study the suitability of the place and get feedback from the surrounding community. However, places like dams, reservoirs, petrol stations, bridges, places of worship and schools, among others, are prohibited areas. Ali* who lives near the dam area in Kuala Kubu Baru welcomes the restriction placed on venues. "I don't want any disturbances near my home and family. Still, I don't think anyone will want to demonstrate here unless they clear more land or kick us out," he says. Retired policeman Ishak Mohd (Persatuan Pesara Polis) also supports the move to restrict venues. "The Parliament, for one, should be barred from protesters. That is why we are here, to uphold peace in Parliament. It is something that I will do until I die," he rants during the rally to counter the Bar Council's Walk of Freedom in front of Parliament recently. Penang's "King of Protests" Ghani Jiman concurs. "Hospitals and schools should be off-limits. If my children's studies get interrupted by demos, I would be upset, too," he says. Ghani, who heads NGO Suara Anak- Anak Malaysia (SAAM), echoes Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's proclamation that the new law is indeed "revolutionary". The PM, he says, had said that the Bill was drafted in accordance with international norms and after the Government studied 12 Acts practised by other countries. "It is good because they (the Government) are making an attempt to listen to the people." The trader, however, has reservations about the ban on street protests. "If we don't carry arms or have no intention of making trouble, I think it should be okay. The police can investigate and make a decision if it should be allowed, and if they have concrete reasons to disallow the street rally, they can," he poses. But, he adds, he would not hesitate to go to the streets if the cause warrants it. Demand to walk The ban on street rallies is one of many grouses that the legal council and many human rights groups have for the Bill, which saw a peaceful passage through the Dewan Rakyat despite the protests last month. "What is so wrong with street protests? The perception is misleading," argues political scientist and journalism lecturer at Monash University Malaysia, Wong Chin Huat, highlighting that there are peaceful street demos. Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee points out that street rallies are allowed in many of the peaceful assembly laws practised by other countries. "In Britain, a distinction is drawn between static assemblies for which no notice is required and procession (assemblies in motion) for which notice of six clear days is to be given unless it is not reasonably practicable to give any advance notice." Assemblies in motion provide the demonstrators wider audience and visibility for their causes or grievances, he says, adding that "History is full of civil disobedience events which have led to better changes in the country." Another objection raised against the Peaceful Assembly Act is the prohibition of children aged below 15 to participate in peaceful assemblies. Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) draws attention to the provision for the participation of children in the Convention of the Rights of the Child, to which Malaysia is obliged as a signatory. Suhakam commissioner Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah says the age bar is restrictive. "If the issue is about the development of their housing area and it affects the whole family, why should the children not be involved in voicing out their concerns?" He also highlights the high fine that will be imposed under the new Act on those who do not comply with the restrictions and conditions set by the police in an approved public assembly (up to RM10,000) and those who fail to "disperse" when ordered by police (not more than RM20,000). "The fine is exorbitant and does not respect the liberty of the citizens," he says. Wong agrees, saying that for some people, RM20,000 is something that they would only see after saving for many years. "One reason people go to the streets is because they cannot afford advertisements. Are you saying that if you don't have money, you cannot demonstrate? Are you saying that if you are poor, you don't have a voice?" The civil society also has reservations against the discretionary powers given to the police to impose conditions and restrictions on an assembly as well as to stop it which they claim would undermine the right of the public to organise or participate in peaceful assemblies. "Who decides what is good and what is wrong and what is education and not? The police cannot be a guidance for everything; it should be up to the people to decide," says Muhammad Sha'ani, adding, "They should not look at participants as criminals or a nuisance. The provision is like you are treating potential troublemakers." The police should be providing protection, not imposing restriction on them, says Muhammad Sha'ani who is pushing for the adoption of Suhakam's previous recommendations on police conduct during public assemblies. The Bar Council proposes that a statutory obligation be imposed on the police to promote freedom of assembly as practised in Finland, where the authorities are not only bound by law to promote the right to assemble but are also required to facilitate it. Ultimately, stresses Muhammad Sha'ani, the right of public assembly is enshrined in the Federal Constitution, and the law should be enabling for peaceful assembly, not restrictive. "While peace and stability are paramount and public order needs to be maintained at all times, peaceful public assemblies provide a crucial avenue for the public to express themselves on issues that are of concern. The Act as it is now, however, is very restrictive when it is supposed to open up more democratic space." Now that the Act has been passed by the Dewan Rakyat, the proposed law will go before the Dewan Negara, and when passed will need to obtain the Royal Assent before the Home Affairs Minister can fix a date for the Peaceful Assembly Act 2011 to take effect. The Bar Council, however, vows to continue applying pressure on the Government to drop the proposed law, and has submitted an Alternative Assembly Bill that it claims to be more constitutional and democratic. Lim also urges the Government to set up a Parliamentary Select Committee for public consultation and further deliberation of the proposed law. This is supported by Suhakam, whose chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam has also called upon the Government to consider recommendations made by various parties and open up avenue for discussions before enacting the Bill into law, "to ensure that the provisions provided are in line with human rights principles." Freedom of assembly is particularly important for the younger generation, says Woon King Chai, 25, one of the infamous "UKM4" students who challenged the Universities and University College's Act in court recently. "Many students are concerned about various socio-political issues in the country and are constantly looking for avenues to voice their concerns. And most of the time students find that the only place they can express themselves is the public assembly, street protests and demonstrations," he says. Amer agrees, saying that society has progressed and Malaysians now are mature. "I don't think anything will happen if you allow street protests and other forms of public assemblies. Some say it might cause disturbance and riot but they should not worry, we have the police (to keep peace). "You cannot take preventive measure by saying that this will happen if you allow that. It does not work like that and it is stifling students' intellectual and social development, not to mention depriving them of their basic human rights," he says. Both Amer and Woon rue the age limit barring anyone below the age of 21 to organise public assemblies. "There is no mention of flash mobs either. So does this mean that only old people can organise flash mobs?" Amer muses. Still, he adds, he and his friends are already thinking beyond the law. "We have to be more creative to get our voices heard, I guess. For one, there is always the Internet."

Chua: Nonsense to say we can’t talk about hudud Posted: 10 Dec 2011 08:57 AM PST (The Star) - MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has maintained that he has a right to question PAS' version of hudud. He said while the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) had a right to ask him for an apology, he too had the right to talk about PAS' hudud and its impact on non-Muslims. "Abim must also recognise the right of MCA as a political party. A forum was unanimous in finding that PAS' hudud would have an impact on non-Muslims. "You must specify it as PAS' hudud and not just hudud," he said after launching the Malaysia Si Gong Organisation annual dinner here. Dr Chua said it was the "biggest nonsense" to say that non-Muslims had no right to talk about hudud. "Ultimately, it impacts all Malaysians; we are all a part of Malaysia," he said. He called on DAP to convince non-Muslims that PAS' hudud would have no impact on them and the country's social, economic and political system. "That's why we want DAP to come clean as they are so comfortable with PAS' hudud that they are willing to ask the Chinese to support PAS," he said. Dr Chua said Pakatan Rakyat should include hudud in its election manifesto so that it can be endorsed by the people. "If the people want Pakatan, then Pakatan can implement PAS' hudud as the people have given their endorsement. "But they are not doing so and that's not being honest with the people," he said. As such, he said Abim should instead ask PAS for an apology and DAP for an explanation, he said.

Is Najib prepared to go all the way? Posted: 10 Dec 2011 08:45 AM PST How can we develop Malaysians with intellectual abilities unless we are prepared to set aside boundaries and religious dogma and allow Malaysians to think and express their thoughts with no holds barred? NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Najib: Intellectual capital crucial for Malaysia's development (Bernama) - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak underlined the importance of developing the country's intellectual capital, saying that even if the country produces one or two geniuses, the impact to the nation would be tremendous. Speaking at the opening of an exposition organised by Permata on Saturday, Najib said intellectual prowess of individuals should be nurtured from the beginning, particularly when they were at the age of two to five. The prime minister said the government allocated nearly 25 per cent in each budget to develop education and provide training in the effort to develop the country's human and intellectual capital. He acknowledged however that there was a gap in this effort, saying that those in the "top most of the intellectual pyramid" -- namely those with genius tendencies averaging about one per cent or less -- had not been given sufficient attention previously. "We have ensured that those at the bottom and middle of the pyramid are given ample opportunities but those at the peak, children who have extraordinary IQ, have not had any specific programme." "If we don't nurture this one per cent, then our society will stand to lose these great potentials. If we can produce just several geniuses, the impact to the country will be very big indeed," he said. He added that if these groups were left without being given any assistance, they might only be "one or two gems" emerging from them. "However, if we have a holistic programme, such as the Permata programme, there may be hundreds if not thousands of these children will eventually emerge as gems for our country," he said. Najib said: "We help those who are weak and those with disabilities; we also help those who are capable; let's not forget to help those with extraordinary capabilities." Stressing a point, Najib who is Permata programme committee chairman, said there were countries with less resources like Japan and South Korea but emerged as major economic powerhouses because of their ability to develop their intellectual capital and high-performance work ethics. "There are also countries with rich natural resources but becoming a fail state or remain backward because of their failure to develop their intellectual capital," he said. ********************************** The above is probably the most sensible thing Najib ever said since he became Prime Minister and I absolutely agree with what he said. The issue here is: how far is Najib prepared to go? Is he prepared to go all the way? To be able to develop the intellectual abilities of Malaysians and to see the emergence of geniuses it would involve removing the shackles from the minds of Malaysians. Malaysians must be allowed to think and to express themselves with no holds barred. There must not be any sacred cows, whether it is religion or whatever. As it stands now, there are too many limitations and boundaries. Malaysians are not free to think what they want to think and to express what they think. This is particularly so when it comes to matters involving Islam. Muslims are not allowed to have a free mind. They can only think and talk whatever it is that religious dogma allows. You are not allowed thoughts of your own. Your thoughts must reflect only what is allowed. And you will be punished if you have any other thoughts and if you express these thoughts that may run contra to religious dogma. Yes, to breed intellectual minds and to give birth to geniuses, you cannot imprison the minds of the people. Even if what they think and say is opposed to what you think, it must be allowed. Can JAKIM, JAIS, JAWI, etc., tolerate this? They wont even allow Muslims to celebrate Valentine's Day or wear a Santa Clause hat. How do we develop the minds of Malaysians like this? There are just too many dos and don'ts. And there are more don'ts than dos. This stifles the minds of Malaysians and curtails intellectual growth. How can we develop Malaysians with intellectual abilities unless we are prepared to set aside boundaries and religious dogma and allow Malaysians to think and express their thoughts with no holds barred?

After PBDS and SNAP, it’s SUPP’s turn to be history Posted: 10 Dec 2011 07:16 AM PST K Suresh, Horbill Unleashed Currently going through what many of its own members say is a sham party election this weekend, the Sarawak United People's Party or Supp is the one in real "hot soup" for a change. Factions including those aligned to presidential aspirant Wong Soon Koh, who pulled out a day ago in protest, say the least the Registrar of Societies could do is to order the party to halt its triennial general meeting (TGM) scheduled for Dec 10-11 until the alleged irregularities are rectified. Amidst charges and counter-charges of massive fraud and irregularities in the party set-up, the various factions have been making daily visits to the RoS in Kuching. The result is the foregone conclusion that Supp would have to show cause why it should not be deregistered. The party will probably face the same fate as the Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) which suffered the dubious distinction of being deregistered twice, in 2003 and 2004, and the Sarawak National Party (Snap) which was deregistered in 2002 before being given a new lease of life last year by the Court. However, the party has never recovered and remains comatose and on life-support. PBDS's deregistration was followed by the formation of the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) by James Masing who created a crisis by challenging the assumption of the party leadership by founder Daniel Tajem Anak Miri, the Lion of the Ibans and Dayaks, from 1st President Leo Moggie Anak Irok. At the same time, Tajem was not allowed to register the Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC). New party on the cards Soon Koh, the deputy secretary-general, has on his side 7 key party leaders, all either MPs or state assemblymen. Nothing could be more telling. It's predictable that these seven will form a new multiracial-based but Chinese-dominated party in Sarawak. The seven have been named as Richard Riot Jaem and Tiong Thai King, both MPs, and state assemblypersons Francis Harden Hollis, Lee Kim Shin, Dr Jerip Susil, Ranum Mina and Johnichal Rayong Ngipa. Ironically, five of the seven in the ostensibly multiracial but Chinese-dominated Supp are Dayaks. Wong, also the State Minister of Local Government and Community Development, led a group of his supporters to meet RoS deputy director-general Fison Yahaya and Deputy Home Minister Lee Chee Leong in Putrajaya last week. The focus of their visit was to list out their litany of woes and complaints against another major faction in the party led by Federal Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Peter Chin Fah Kui. Both men are seeking to replace party chief George Chan who is being forced to step down. But really, the party could not have picked a worst time to wash its dirty linen in public. Chin is seen to be Putrajaya's candidate, thereby making the infighting at the state level all the more passionate as few Sarawak-based members want their party to be under Prime Minister Najib Razak's thumb. Another excuse for Najib to delay GE-13 The next General Election, the 13th, is due soon if Najib is to be believed. So far, Najib has put off getting his own mandate by latching on to one lame excuse after another. His latest excuse is the need for electoral reform before polls. This is like him claiming that free and fair elections can only benefit his ruling coalition and not vice versa. Now the on-going power struggle in Supp will give him yet another excuse to delay nationwide polls. Supp could have put off its party polls, like other BN component parties including Umno, until after GE 13. However, party members wouldn't hear of it especially after the electoral debacle in April last year in state polls and the need to exit party chief George Chan as soon as possible. Chan, whose daughter is married to Taib's younger son, Sulaiman, had pledged many times before to quit but each time went back on his promises. To add insult to injury, Chan lost his Piasau seat and presided over the loss of another 12 of its 19 seats. READ MORE HERE

Dr Mahathir meminta Shahrizat berhenti. Yang lain-lain itu macam mana? Posted: 10 Dec 2011 07:07 AM PST ASPAN ALIAS Dr Mahathir telah meminta Shahrizat berundur sebelum beliau diundurkan. Dr Mahathir merupakan individu yang terakhir meminta Sharizat berundur kerana terlibat dengan pinjaman mudah dari kerajaan sebanyak RM250 juta untuk membangunkan NFC di Gemas, Negeri Sembilan. Sebenarnya berundur itu memang tidak payah disuruh dan dipaksa kerana isu itu memang menuntut Shahrizat untuk mengundurkan diri secara 'voluntary' sesuai dengan semangat demokrasi yang tulen. Sepatutnya Sharizat lebih awal lagi berundur tetapi beliau sebaliknya menyingsing lengan dan mengkritik pembangkang pula yang melakukan fitnah dan sebagainya. Seperti yang saya sebut dalam tulisan saya beberapa hari yang lalu keputusan kerajaan untuk memberikan pinjaman dengan begitu mudah adalah disebabkan Shahrizat adalah seorang ahli jemaah kabinet negara. Kalau Shahrizat seorang bidan di klinik desa di kampung saya suaminya tidak mungkin mendapat pinjaman yang mudah daripada kerajaan. Kalau dipandang dari sudut mana sekali pun, skandal ini melibatkan bukan sahaja Shahrizat tetapi seluruh ahli jemaah kabinet dan sepatutnya yang berhenti bukan Shahrizat seorang tetapi kesemua ahli yang berada di dalam jemaah kabinet semasa itu, terutamanya TS Muhyiddin Yassin yang ketika itu menjadi menteri pertanian dan asas tani negara. Jika Shahrizat bertanggungjawab, maka Muhyiddin sepatutnya mengambil 'accountability' kerana projek ini mendapat sokongan beliau sebagai menteri yang bertanggungjawab. Sayalah orang yang paling awal menerima cadangan TUN yang Shahrizat patut berundur tetapi masalahnya kenapa Sharizat sahaja? Kenapa tidak mereka yang lain yang telah menggunakan kuasa untuk kepentingan anak-anak dan keluarga dengan menggunakan duit orang ramai untuk menyelamatkan keluarga yang gagal dan perniagaan. Tentu Dr Mahathir tahu siapa yang menggunakan lebih dari satu billion wang rakyat untuk digunakan untuk menyelamatkan perniagaan anaknya yang dalam kerugian besar semasa itu. Kenapa pemimpin itu tidak meletakkan jawatan dengan serta merta? Kita akui yang kesalahan politik dan moral yang dilakukan oleh Shahrizat adalah besar tetapi kenapa tidak mengambil tindakan kepada kes yang lebih besar dari itu? Saya juga hendak bertanya bagaimana hendak membuang Shahrizat sedangkan parti telah mengambil ketetapan untuk mempertahankan Shahrizat. Muhyiddin Yassin, Noh Omar, Khairy Jamaluddin dan ramai lagi yang mempertahankan Shahrizat. Dalam perhimpunan agong 3 sayap parti dan perhimpunan agong UMNO sendiri tidak ada apa-apa tindakan yang di ambil terhadap Shahrizat. Inilah masalahnya UMNO ini. Pemimpin-pemimpin mereka mempunyai kepentingan perniagaan. Kepentingan perniagaan itu satu hal. Yang lebih menyedihkan berlaku di dalam UMNO ini ialah nilai kepimpinan, nilai kemanusiaan serta budaya di kalangan ahli-ahli dan penyokongnya telah terlalu ,'un Malay', budaya yang bukan dimiliki oleh Melayu. Persepsi kepada sesuatu isu itu sudah terlalu jauh menyimpang dan tidak pernah kita sangka yang keadaan sudah sampai ke tahap yang sangat merunsingkan. Kita boleh lihat apa yang berlaku di Pulau Pinang beberapa hari yang lepas di mana sekumpulan penyokong kerajaan yang anti DAP telah menampakkan kebobrokan mereka dengan menghantar kek berbentuk tahi kepada Lim Guan Eng. Apa semuanya ini? Tindakkan tidak berbudaya dan beragama ini disokong pula oleh media masa perdana kepunyaan UMNO TV3 dengan menyiarkan berulang kali untuk memberi tekanan kepada DAP. Inikah hasil perjuangan UMNO? Ini kah budaya yang UMNO bentuk selama ini. Ini kah budaya Melayu? Mentaliti yang sudah jatuh ke tahap ini sekali gus melambangkan pihak yang menyokong UMNO itu sudah berada di dalam keadaan desperate yang tidak terhingga. Di perhimpunan agong di Kuala Lumpur kita mendengar ada pemimpin-pemimpin yang menggunakan ayat-ayat suci, tetapi di bawah, penyokong-penyokongnya menggunakan taktik politik yang bukan islamik. Mereka membuat kek berbentuk tahi untuk di hadiahkan kepada Ketua Menteri yang menyambut hari jadi yang ke 51. Kalaulah hanya ini yang UMNO mampu untuk mencapai maka kita eloklah berfikir 1000 kali sebelum memberikan undi kepada parti yang kian hari kian gila ini. Sampai bila kita rakyat hendak hidup bersama dengan kumpulan yang tidak berbudaya ini. Menghantar kek berbentuk tahi ini memang satu insiden yang sudah cukup untuk di nilai bagaimana UMNO membentuk budaya dan sifat penyokong-penyokong mereka. Sifat amarah yang tidak ada batasan semata-mata kerana hendak menjatuhkan pimpinan negeri dengan melakukan tindakkan yang tidak terperi hinanya ini amat memalukan bangsa. Kenapa tidak bertindak dengan melakukan kerja-kerja baik untuk meyakinkan rakyat untuk menyokong pimpinan UMNO? Percayalah ini bukan budaya yang sepatutnya ada dalam UMNO. Itulah sebabnya saya telah menyebutkan ratusan kali, budaya ini bukannya budaya UMNO yang asal. Ini budaya UMNO baru, parti yang ditubuhkan untuk menyelamatkan Dr Mahathir dahulu. Jika UMNO yang ada pada hari ini serupa dengan UMNO dahulu, politik negara tidak akan jadi begini keadaannya. Bagi pendapat setengah pihak samada Shahrizat berhenti atau pun tidak UMNO akan tetap berada dalam keadaan yang sama. UMNO itu telah jatuh imejnya bukan oleh kerana Shahrizat seorang. Ia di sebabkan oleh semua pemimpin-pemimpin parti itu. Terus terang saya nyatakan yang patut berhenti ialah Najib dan seluruh barisan pimpinannya. Kata perbilangan, 'busuknya ikan itu bermula dari kepalanya'. READ MORE HERE

Umno Baru at a crossroads again Posted: 10 Dec 2011 06:53 AM PST The party has failed to offer new ideas to attract the young Malays to support its idealogy which in recent years has drifted more to the right. The Prime Minister, Dato Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, through the concept of One Malaysia has tried to bring Umno back to the centre space of national politics where race and religious tolerance is at equilibrium.  Nur Jazlan Mohamed, The Malaysian Insider The recently concluded Umno General Assembly came and went and offered little in terms of the new manifesto of the party. The public were disappointed with the lack of new policy initiatives. Many Umno delegates who had to sit through many stale and uninspiring speeches were left with little enthusiasm to return to their respective constituencies to rally their fellow members in preparation for the impending 13th General Election soon.  The uninspiring lack of ideas put forward by the members best describes the state of the party at the moment. Umno has the largest base of members and voters of any political party in the country. It is the party that claims to have the most support from the Malay population which is the largest ethnic group and expected to be about sixty per cent of the population by 2020.  But as a party that claims to represent the majority race in the country , it doesn't seem to able to break away from the "Malay under siege mentality" rethoric it has used since the fight for independence to attract support from the public. The party is frozen in time and is paralysed to steer the nation through a more challenging future.  The party has failed to offer new ideas to attract the young Malays to support its idealogy which in recent years has drifted more to the right. The Prime Minister, Dato Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, through the concept of One Malaysia has tried to bring Umno back to the centre space of national politics where race and religious tolerance is at equilibrium.  But his message doesn't seem to resonate with the majority of the delegates and even among his bench of Supreme Council members who may have come to a conclusion that another event of racial and religious strife in the country is the best way to retain Malay power.  The underlying message from many of the speakers at this years General Assembly was that the Malays were under threat from the minority group of non Malays who were trying to grab power and overcome Malay supremacy by defeating Umno and Barisan Nasional. The statements made by many of the delegates had strong racial and religious undertones aimed at the Malay population to alert them to the threat posed by the non Malays especially the Chinese who are determined to take power.  Many of them were not even subtle in communicating their extreme views especially when attacking the DAP , the everlasting bogeyman of Malaysian politics. The DAP were accused of playing racial politics and inciting the Chinese to hate Umno and hence the Malays which interests it protects. READ MORE HERE

Nik Aziz bidas Umno guna istilah ‘jihad’ hadapi PRU-13 Posted: 10 Dec 2011 06:50 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Mursyidul Am PAS Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat hari ini menyelar penggunaan istilah jihad oleh Umno, dalam perhimpunan agungnya minggu lalu, bagi mengajak lebih tiga juta ahlinya menghadapi pilihan raya umum ke-13. Menurut Nik Aziz, istilah jihad itu berasal daripada al-Quran dan hanya sesuai digunakan untuk tujuan menegakkan Islam. Justeru, beliau mempersoal jihad yang dimaksudkan Umno sedangkan parti itu terpalit dengan salah guna kuasa dan rasuah. "Jihad ini istilah al-Quran. Kerana apa mereka curi perkataan jihad dan tafsir mengikut kefahaman sendiri? "Mereka sifatkan jihad untuk mempertahankan orang Melayu. Islam bukan untuk orang Melayu, bukan untuk Arab, bukan untuk Cina tapi untuk manusia," katanya dipetik Harakahdaily. Ketika berucap merasmikan secara serentak Persidangan Tahunan Puteri, Pemuda dan Wanita Umno minggu lalu, Timbalan Presidennya Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin menggesa ahli-ahli Umno berjihad untuk mempertahankan kuasa orang Melayu dengan mengekalkan kemenangan dalam pilihan raya umum ke-13 yang menurunya merupakan "ibu segala pilihan raya." Susulan tsunami politik tiga tahun lalu, Muhyididn menegaskan, pilihan raya umum ke-13 akan menentukan jatuh bangun umat Melayu dan kelangsungan mereka. "Sesungguhnya, kita sedang berada dalam satu situasi yang amat kritikal. Pilihan raya umum ke-13 adalah ibu segala pilihan raya yang akan menentukan jatuh bangun umat Melayu. Apakah kuasa politik kekal berada di tangan kita? Atau akan terlepas ke tangan orang lain?" kata beliau. Malah dalam ucapannya, sambil menyifatkan PAS berhadapan dengan pilihan raya "setiap hari", Nik Aziz ibaratkan Umno sebagai bas ekspres yang singgah di tengah jalan untuk makan buah-buahan tetapi tidak sampai ke destinasi disasarkan. "Umno atau golongan sekular kalau kita andaikan, seperti bas ekspres dari Kota Bharu ke Kuala Lumpur. Tapi berhenti di Gua Musang, terliur tengok buah-buahan banyak, maka berhenti di situ sahaja, tak sampai ke Kuala Lumpur," kata beliau menyampaikan ucaptama pada Ijtimak Tarbawi Pilihan Raya di Kolej Universiti Islam Zulkifli Muhammad dekat sini, hari ini. "Samalah dengan Umno, nak ke syurga tapi tersekat separuh jalan kerana terpedaya dengan segala pembangunan dan kekayaan di dunia," kata beliau yang juga Menteri Besar Kelantan. Sehubungan itu, Nik Aziz mengingatkan ahli agar memanfaatkan sistem pilihan raya yang ada untuk memenangkan PAS agar dapat berjihad menegakkan Islam. READ MORE HERE

A Single Spark that starts the prairie fire? Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:59 AM PST The 2011 Umno GA was an occasion for an orgy of vituperative shouting match. UMNO does nothing but directed themselves to attacking and insulting its political opponents. UMNO does two things actually- heightened the morbid patriotism and nationalistic urges of Malays. And it does what it hasn't done before- speak about Malays' greatest fear- assault on the religion of Islam.  SAKMONGKOL AK47 Dengar cerita CEO NFC (suami Sharizat) dpt gaji 100k sebulan, anak sulung (age 31) dpt gaji 45k sebulan, anak kedua (age 27)dpt 35k sebulan, anak ketiga (age 25) dpt 35k sebulan. Jika ini betul, ia sesungguhnya memalukan. Ambil duit rakyat buat bayar gaji besar. Anak saya pun graduate juga. UPSR, PMR, SPM dapat semua A. Umur 24 tahun. Kerja swasta. Dia pun work hard. Balik kerja paling awal jam 9 malam. Kadang2 sampai 1 pagi. Gaji dia RM2,700/sebulan. Adakah anak saya akan sokong BN/UMNO kalau begini keadaannya? Saya dah tahu jawapannya. UMNO tak boleh kelentong orang cerdik. UMNO is not capable of changing, not with the current leaders. When more than 50% of our working population is earning less than RM2k/month, tak tahu malu ke mereka-mereka ini. Merompak siang dan malam, 7 hari seminggu. Perompak Ali Baba P Ramli pun ada cuti hujung minggu. 8 December 2011 15:12 **************************************** Even if we refuse to admit it, the above is an outpouring of bitterness. Although personal and UMNO people will wish it's confined, its personal anecdote such as this that strikes fear in UMNO. Maybe it's already that single initial spark that has ignited the prairie fire. Shahrizat can huff and puff and weave her tales as her mythical namesake did in 1001 Nights. While she can fool UMNO delegates by employing attack is the best form of defence, her actions are only an exercise in futility. For her, the writing is already on the wall. Whatever she does will not extinguish her blackened image. Dr Mahathir has called for her exit from UMNO politics. She's finished. Incidentally, the 1001 Nights contained the story of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves which the writer of the comment cited.  Perhaps, Ali Baba and the thieves aptly describe what UMNO has become. This kind of anecdotal and very personalized tale of feeling marginalized and alienated reflects the wider bitterness of Malays with UMNO. There is nothing that UMNO can do about it now. It's a discredited brand. It's synonymous with pillage and plunder, corruption, arrogance that can only be the result of being far too long in power. It's the manifestation of the political dictum- power corrupts absolutely and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Last year, every big idea thrown up by the UMNO president, were rejected by UMNO delegates. When he spoke about 1 Malaysia, delegates insisted on Malay first, Malaysia second. The deputy UMNO president was even forthright in affirming that line of thinking, which is more in common with the UMNO ground. Even as UMNO members deny it, there is worrisome disconnect between the UMNO president and the rest of his team. When he spoke about his nebulous New Economic Model, delegates spoke about more NEP like policies. In the end, what has Najib got to defend himself? He has only the claim that he is the son of Tun Razak- imagining such pedigree is testimony that he won't abandon principles dear to UMNO. When a person has nothing else to defend himself but lay bare his bloodline credentials it's a sign he is in trouble. No one can deny that biological connection. The similarities end just there- as people are arguing whether he has inherited the leadership talent of the father. This year what has UMNO got? It didn't encourage delegates speaking about economic achievements. No talk on vision, policies and so forth. No one debates about how Shahrizat got the RM 250 million. No one spoke about the ETP, EPP, GTP and whatever labels the UMNO president gave to his string of initiatives. None. The UMNO president pleads for continued mandate from the people as the Malay Agenda has not finished. No one spoke or elaborated about the agenda. How is that the agenda can only be achieved through UMNO at all? No one puts forth convincing arguments telling us why UMNO is the only qualified instrument for Malays to achieve their collective agenda. Najib is confused about the concept which he came up when he took over Pak Lah which is, the claim that the age of government knows best is over. Yet, by asking the nation to give him the mandate to enable him to continue the agenda, he is reaffirming the exact opposite. The government and the party is the deity and dispenser of what is good to the people. The 2011 Umno GA was an occasion for an orgy of vituperative shouting match. UMNO does nothing but directed themselves to attacking and insulting its political opponents. UMNO does two things actually- heightened the morbid patriotism and nationalistic urges of Malays. And it does what it hasn't done before- speak about Malays' greatest fear- assault on the religion of Islam. READ MORE HERE

Brickfields small shops protest: can small people protest at KLCC shopping mall? Posted: 09 Dec 2011 10:42 PM PST When it hurts their profits, they protest. But when they fear it may hurt their profits — or they fear that letting small people protest will hurt their profits, especially b-i-g profits elsewhere up their food chain…no to protests. By uppercaise A tale of two shopkeepers Or: how business works — profits first, people last (except if you bring money) Two types of shopkeepers: the small ones in Brickfields and the b-i-g rich one at KLCC. The small ones held a street protest yesterday, but the big one doesn't want protests at KLCC today. Brickfields shopkeepers closed their shops for an hour to gather outside Lotus (the old Peking Hotel) to wave banners and shout Bantah because of traffic changes in the neighbourhood, involving cars, buses and lorries, which they say drives customers away. Their profits are affected, they say. So they protested. Photo: Free Malaysia Today Universal human rights Article 1: All human beings are born equal Article 7: All are equal before the law Article 8: All may seek redress for violation of fundamental rights Article 13: All have rights to free movement Article 19: All have a right to an opinion and to express it Article 20: Everyone may assemble peacefully Article 21: Everyone may take part in the government of the country The b-i-g shopkeeper, KLCC, at the rich end of town, is threatening legal action to stop a protest. It's also about traffic — shopping traffic, of people with money to spend. And KLCC doesn't want other people wearing yellow getting in the way of people with money to spend. That's how business works. When it hurts their profits, they protest. But when they fear it may hurt their profits — or they fear that letting small people protest will hurt their profits, especially b-i-g profits elsewhere up their food chain…no to protests. And the two actions show up the hypocrisy behind the Peaceful Assembly Bill. It's not so much a law as a political statement turned into a legal instrument. A statement of business interests first, people last. Turned into law. See for yourself. Here is the part of the Bill that reads like a political statement: " that the exercise of the right to organize assemblies or to participate in assemblies is subject only to restrictions deemed necessary … including the protection of the rights and freedoms of other persons. "rights and freedoms of other persons" includes— • the right to peaceful enjoyment of one's possession; • the right to freedom of movement; • the right to enjoy the natural environment; and • the right to carry on business; That's why it should be called a Freedom of Shopkeepers (Complain About Loss of Business) Bill. But you knew that already, didn't you? That's the right that KLCC management (ultimate owner, tycoon Ananda Krishnan) wants to exercise: the right of their shops to do business is more important, is superior, to your basic right to meet, to assemble, to voice your opinion, or to wear what you want. Organisers of the Walk and Talk at KLCC Park have done so peaceably for two weeks, without interruption or disruption to KLCC business. The protest is not against KLCC, it's a protest against the Peaceful Assembly Bill. But KLCC management tried to disrupt the peaceful gathering by closing off the fountain area. People know why, because KLCC is owned by a big businessman with big political connections and they want to look after each other first. Read more at: http://uppercaise.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/shops-protest-klcc-bans-protest

When the mouth moves faster than the brain Posted: 09 Dec 2011 06:14 PM PST Ibrahim Ali and those of his ilk need to come into the modern world. They have to extricate themselves from this imaginary world of Hang Tuah and Taming Sari and all that bullshit. The English do not live in the world of King Arthur and Excalibur. It is time the Malays did the same. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin ISA a weapon for Malays like Taming Sari, says Ibrahim Ali (The Malaysian Insider) -- Datuk Ibrahim Ali has likened the Internal Security Act (ISA) to the legendary keris, Taming Sari, describing the law as a "weapon" to protect Malay special rights from being challenged. "The Taming Sari keris, a weapon for the Malays, is gone." "Where is our Taming Sari if we wish to safeguard Malay interests in future?" the Perkasa chief said at the Najib Razak Seminar held at the International Islamic University Malaysia (UIA) here. The Taming Sari is the legendary keris owned by Malay warrior Hang Tuah, which was said to confer upon its owner the power of invincibility. Ibrahim stressed that the spirit of the ISA, which allows for detention without trial, must live on in new replacement laws so police have the tools to handle issues that threaten Malaysia's multi-religious society. He cited the recent rise in challenges to Malay hegemony, including the "Allah" issue, the Bersih rally, and an incident where a pig's head was thrown into a surau, as examples of "sensitive issues" that could lead to racial strife. ************************************ This is what you get when Malays live in an imaginary world. I wonder whether the English would talk about King Arthur's legendary magical sword, Excalibur, which is supposed to make the owner invincible.  "The Excalibur sword, a weapon for the English, is gone. Where is our Excalibur if we wish to safeguard English interests in future?" laments England's version of Ibrahim Ali. "We need detention without trial to safeguard English interests and protect Christianity from the Muslims who are flooding England and are threatening the rights and privileges of the English." "Muslims currently represent less than 10% of the population and yet they are screaming and foaming at the mouth asking for halal food to be sold in the supermarkets and asking for more Shariah courts." "Unless we have detention without trial the Muslims will overrun England and once they reach 10% of the population they will act like they own the country. The Muslims are too demanding and the English are being pushed aside as the Muslims dominate British society." Yes, if an Englishman starts screaming like Ibrahim Ali, people would regard him as a nutcase. Furthermore, he would be arrested and sent to jail for the crime of racism. Does Ibrahim Ali ever look at himself in the mirror as he practices his speeches? And if he does, what does he see? Can he see his mouth moving faster than his brain? Of late, Malay-Muslim leaders are uttering a lot of embarrassing statements. How can detention without trial serve Malay interests or protect Malay interests? I just can't see the relevance. When I was in Kamunting the majority of the detainees were Malay-Muslims. They were not enemies of Islam. In fact, they were people who were alleged to be extremist Muslims, people who were detained because of their work for Islam. In short, Muslims are the victims of detention without trial, not the so-called enemies of Islam. Ibrahim Ali and those of his ilk need to come into the modern world. They have to extricate themselves from this imaginary world of Hang Tuah and Taming Sari and all that bullshit. The English do not live in the world of King Arthur and Excalibur. It is time the Malays did the same. Zulkifil Nordin, Ibrahim Ali's gang member, has also made a most interesting confession (see below). I thought there was such a thing as lawyer-client privileges. Apparently, Zul has never heard of such a thing. I wonder where he obtained his law degree from? Can he be disbarred for this? Anyway, Zul confessed that he used Islam for political gain. So, what else is new? Isn't this what many Muslims seem to be doing? Zul has just come out into the open to admit what most of us already know, and that is Islam is just a political tool and most Muslims talk about Islam when it suits them and will caste aside Islam when it suits them better. Is it any wonder that many view Muslims as a joke? ************************************ Member of Parliament for Kulim-Bandar Baru, Datuk Zulkifli Noordin has admitted to have deceived renowned cleric Syeikh Dr Yusuf Qardawi into issuing a fatwa supporting the sodomy II case involving Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan. "We have made a mistake…we admit making the mistake. I was among those who made the mistake, and I must meet up with Syeikh Yusuf Qardawi to make amendments. Because…we wish to inform (that) it was true we had deceived Syeikh Yusuf Qardawi into believing that Anwar had been slandered," he said. As Anwar's lawyer, Zulkifli had prepared biased questions to elicit the fatwa from Dr Yusuf Al Qardawi in 2009. According to him, he was responsible in preparing the questions, which sided Anwar and hiding the truth about the complainant, Mohd Saiful.

Invitation to Attend The 3rd Civil Society Award Ceremony Posted: 09 Dec 2011 05:20 PM PST The KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) will be having its 3rd Civil Society Award ceremony on 12 December 2011. The NGOs, activists and the public are invited to attend in order to acknowledge individuals and organizations on their contributions to civil society and to open up the democratic space. The promotion and strengthening of freedom and democracy depend on the growth of civil society. The purpose of the award is to acknowledge individuals and organizations on their contributions to civil society and to open up the democratic space and at the same time encourage such participation by more individuals and organizations. This award also serves as an evaluation to the civil society organizations and even to the overall performance of civil societies. Besides, we should recognize the importance of civil societies as the third-sector and NGOs are moving our society to be more progressive. We hope that this would encourage the communal organizations to be more open and be more proactive in the public affairs. Individuals who are Malaysian citizens or organizations in Malaysia are eligible for nomination. The Award is given once a year, which can be conferred on up to three individuals or organizations in no particular order. The winner of the civil society award will be announced by the award committee. All nominees will be granted testimonials as recognition and encouragement of their contribution to the civil society while the winner will be awarded RM5000, trophy as well as testimonials. A thematic speech will be delivered at the ceremony as to analyze the concept of civil society and the current situation of the country. Details of the event: Organizer       : The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Date               : 12 December 2011 (Monday) Time               : 7.00 pm (Dinner provided) Venue             : Auditorium of KLSCAH   Agenda:                    07.00 pm   Registration and dinner 08.00 pm   Promulgation ceremony and speeches   1. Greetings by Ser Choon Ing, Chairman of the Civil Society Award Organizing Committee    2. Brief history of the Malaysian civil society 3. "My Consti and the challenges we face" by Edmund Bon, Human rights lawyer 4. Prize Ceremony and Judges' note 5. Q & A section 6. Closing   KLSCAH hopes that this initiative will encourage more individuals and organizations to participate in pushing for social progress and to establish a civil society. The growth of civil society requires participation of all ethnic groups and all segments of the society. We thus invite all to join us in this activity and welcome feedback so that we can move forward to a more open and progressive society. Should you have further enquiry, please do not hesitate to contact the assistant secretary of the KLSCAH, Chia Wei Loon , 03-22746645.   Thank you. Ser Choon Ing Chairman of the Civil Society Award Organizing Committee ____________________________________________________________ Appendix 1: The Award Committee A seven-member Selection Committee shall be formed by prominent scholars and community leaders. The committee will verify the eligibility of nominees and select recipients of the award. Appendix 2: Criteria for Selection The committee will select recipients of the award according to the following criteria: (a) Playing an important role in defending freedom of political participation and fighting for greater space for social freedom and democracy; (b) Actively promoting the cooperation of civil groups from different background and areas; (c) Initiating and pioneering social reforms; (d) Promoting communications and interactions among different ethnic groups.

Umno challenges DAP to field Malay candidates in Kelantan Posted: 09 Dec 2011 05:17 PM PST (Bernama) -- The Kelantan Umno Liaison Committee today issued a challenge to the DAP to field Malay candidates in the state in the next general election. Its deputy chairman, Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin, said the people of Kelantan should be allowed to decide between the DAP and the Barisan Nasional (BN). The power behind the opposition pact is the DAP and not PAS or Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), he told reporters after closing a unity programme in Kampung Kubang Telaga, here. Eighty-four distance-learning undergraduates participated in the programme, organised by the Faculty of Islamic Studies of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Dr Awang Adek was asked to comment on the reported intention of the DAP to field Malay candidates in Malay-majority areas in the 13th general election. Selangor PAS deputy commissioner Khalid Abdul Samad had confirmed that the DAP proposal was discussed in a meeting with PAS and PKR. Awang Adek, who is deputy finance minister, said the DAP intention proves Umno's claim that the most influential party in the opposition pact is the DAP. The intention to field Malay candidates is proof that the DAP wants to dominate all states and administer the country by ignoring its partners in the pact, he claimed. "We welcome them and are ready to face them at any time," he said.

Two DAP leaders get death threats Posted: 09 Dec 2011 05:15 PM PST Caller warns RSN Rayer and A Krishnan not to bring up embattled Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy's name at the party's state convention tomorrow (Free Malaysia Today) - An assemblyman and a branch leader have received death threats for supporting the DAP's Indian grassroots members' uprising against Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy. DAP's Seri Delima assemblyman RS Nethaji Rayer has been receiving death threats repeatedly from the same unidentified caller since 9pm last night, while Datuk Keramat branch vice-chairman A Krishnan received the same threat at 11.20am today. Rayer said he has identified the mobile number from which the death threats were made to him by a male caller speaking in Tamil. "The caller told me not to talk about Ramasamy at the state convention if I wanted to see my family alive," he told FMT. Rayer has been vocal against the embattled Ramasamy who recently called DAP national chairman Karpal Singh a godfather. Krishnan said he received the death threat today while he was chatting with friends at coffee shop in Butterworth for going against Ramasamy. "The caller told me in Tamil I will be finished if I spoke up against Ramasamy," said Krishnan, who is also the state DAP Indian bureau vice-chairman. Police reports On Tuesday, Krishnan and several other party ethnic Indian grassroots leaders and members called on Ramasamy to make a public apology to Karpal over his 'godfather' remark. Krishnan said the caller used vulgarities on him for teaming up with assemblymen RS Nethaji Rayer (Seri Delima) and A Tanasekharan (Bagan Dalam) to criticise Ramasamy. READ MORE HERE

UMNO'S pledge of loyalty an historic occasion Posted: 09 Dec 2011 05:13 PM PST (Bernama) - The 2011 Umno General Assembly last week created history of its own as 5,447 delegates from 191 divisions pledged their loyalty and allegiance to the party. There were two pledges made, in fact. The first was on Nov 30 during the presidential briefing in front of party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the second was at the end of the assembly on Dec 3, led by deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.     The pledge spelled out their commitment to stand united and work hard for the party as well as to remain loyal to the party and its leaders and ensure the victory of Umno and Barisan Nasional candidates in the coming general election.     There had been talks that the pledge was necessary to reinforce the importance of loyalty among party members to the party.     Najib, in his winding up speech at the end of the assembly, had stressed that the defeat of many of Umno's candidates in the 12th general election in 2008 was due to betrayal by some party members.      Political analyst Prof Dr Ahmad Atory Hussain said a pledge cannot be taken for granted because it would have a major implications in their lives as Muslims.     "When it is a 'bai'ah' (pledge) it has something to do with religion. Meaning, if we go against our pledge, we will incur the wrath of Allah. Don't play around with bai'ah," he said.     He said the pledge would bind party members to remain loyal to the party and prevent any incident of sabotage in the coming election.     It would also help unite party members and strengthen the party ahead of the polls, he said.     He added however that apart from pledging loyalty, it was also important for Umno to take into consideration other factors to ensure victory, such as recognising the contributions of those who had served the party.     "Don't leave them out in the cold. If this is taken care of, I think there will be no element of sabotage in Umno," he said.     There have also been talks that party members at all branches and divisions, totalling 3.2 million, should also similarly pledge their loyalty and allegiance, something which political analyst Che Hamdan Mohamed Razali said should be done to reflect their total commitment to the party.     "The pledge binds an individual to the party and the struggles for the race, religion and country. But if the intention to join a party is to get projects and posts, then a pledge would have little meaning.     "The loyalty pledge is timely and it will also be able to stamp out protest votes if they truly appreciate their expression of loyalty," said Che Hamdan, a political science lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara, Dungun campus.     He added that his observations throughout the years showed that the attitude of selected candidates such as being disrespectful to the previous ones also contributed to the defeat of Umno candidates in certain areas.     "It's better that loyalty is pledged much earlier so that those who are not chosen as candidates will accept the decision and support the new ones for the sake of the party," he said.     Umno Youth executive council member Datuk Pirdaus Ismail described the pledge led by Muhyiddin as a reminder to all party members to get their priorities right ahead of the coming election, dubbed as the most challenging yet for the party.     He said a person should be sincere in pledging his loyalty.     "The pledge is for good things. If they reject it, that means they reject things that are good. Whether that constitutes a sin, only Allah knows," said the former imam of the national mosque.

Deputy minister says will investigate UM for stopping UUCA debate Posted: 09 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said today he is investigating the move by Universiti Malaya (UM) to halt a debate on the Universities and Unversity Colleges Act (UUCA) last night. The Temerloh MP asked on micro-blogging site Twitter that those who were at debate to inform him of the actual events that occurred. "I am disappointed that the UUCA debate in UM last night was interrupted. I am investigating it. "Whoever was at the UUCA forum last night, please give me information of the real story of why it was cancelled by UM management," Saifuddin wrote. Student activists Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independen (Kami) had said in a statement today security officers forced the debate to end prematurely after acting on orders from deputy vice chancellor Datuk Rohana Yusof. Kami secretary general Khairul Naim said the academic debate was interrupted by security guards and "special branch" officers who shouted at those attending to leave the hall at the Law Faculty and stop the debate immediately. But Rohana, who is in charge of student affairs, said today the organisers did not ask for permission to hold the event. "They made no application to hold the debate. Even the dean of the Law Faculty had no idea the event was being held in his faculty," she said. Academic freedom has come under the spotlight recently after a recent court ruling declaring section 15 of the UUCA unconstitutional. READ MORE HERE

Parti Rakyat Malaysia to slug it out with more seats Posted: 09 Dec 2011 11:23 AM PST (The Star) - Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) will now contest more seats upcoming general elections and was also willing to slug it out in three-cornered fight with Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional. PRM, which only contested in the Stulang state seat and the Johor Baru parliamentary seat in the 2008 last general elections, is now eying two more seats in the state. The party's deputy national president S. K. Song said that the party was well prepared for the upcoming general elections and would focus on issues such as education, corruption and the increasing cost of living in the state. "We will contest in Johor Jaya, Stulang as well as Johor Baru and Gelang Patah parliamentary seats," he told reporters during a press conference here yesterday. He believes there would even be a possible four-cornered fight in Johor Jaya as the area was a hot seat. "The area consists of many Chinese votes and is a pro-opposition seat so we believe we can get a good number of votes from Johor Jaya," he said. The veteran politician, who was once in DAP, has since announced that he would not be contesting in the coming election and all the candidates would be new faces. Asked whether the party's move to contest in three and four-cornered fights might split the votes and be at a disadvantage for the opposition, he said, "Everybody had the right to contest in an election and to fight for their rights". Song admitted that the party has been suffering losses over the years and in some cases even lost their deposits, but this would not deter them from contesting in the four seats. Song added that the party was open to working alongside DAP and PKR and but would not compromise by merging Pakatan. Asked if there have been any formal talks on seat negotiations, he said that so far there has been none. "We have done a lot of ground work since the previous general elections like meeting with non-governmental organisations (NGO) and the people to understand more about the problems that they face," he said. He also said that the party would persist and would not give up just because they lost badly in the previous elections.

Boo taking on foes within DAP and PKR Posted: 09 Dec 2011 11:19 AM PST Johor DAP chief said to be undermined by 'old school' faction leaders Sources within DAP said Dr Boo had been under a lot of pressure as "he is being systematically undermined by certain party leaders from the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur via their proxies in Johor". By Shahrum Sayuthi, New Straits Times DR Boo Cheng Hau speaks fluent Bahasa Malaysia and is known to be friendly with a Barisan Nasional assemblyman. He demonstrated his multiracial credentials by broaching the idea that more non-Chinese should be fielded in the 13th general election. His critics, on the other hand, believe  DAP stands a good chance of increasing its parliamentary seats by presenting an all-Chinese election cast in the "Chinese constituencies". Although Dr Boo, Johor DAP chairman, knows a thing or two about bouncing back, having lost in Skudai to Gerakan's Teo Kok Chee in 2004 and winning the last time around, the question is: will he triumph over his foes in DAP, and also in its supposed ally, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)? Of late, he has been taking on his DAP and PKR rivals through his speeches as well as  blog and Facebook postings. There seems to be a wider political play. Sources within DAP said Dr Boo had been under a lot of pressure as "he is being systematically undermined by certain party leaders from the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur via their proxies in Johor". These leaders, said to be from the "old school" faction of DAP, felt that Dr Boo was getting too powerful in Johor and "may  soon pose a threat to them at the national level". Bentayan assemblyman Gwee Tiong Hiang, who had openly displayed his independence from Dr Boo's leadership, was said to be one of them. In October, the DAP disciplinary committee suspended Gwee and several of his supporters after they were found to have misused party funds. Dr Boo was said to have the strong backing of leaders such as Bakri member of parliament Er Teck Hwa, who has a long standing rivalry with Gwee, and Johor DAP secretary Tan Chen Choon. Tan contested the Bentayan seat in 2004 but lost. He was replaced by Gwee in 2008. With demarcations of factions getting obvious, Gwee's allies were  said to include Senai assemblyman Ong Kow Meng.  Dr Boo's insistence on a multiracial election cast had triggered the spat between him and Johor PKR chief  Datuk Chua Jui Meng two months ago. The anti-Dr Boo faction also believes that Dr Boo is trying to place his own supporters as candidates while sidelining those who oppose him, including the likes of Gwee and Ong. It is no secret that the "mini demonstration" by party members against him in Muar on Sunday was  their "work". The sniping at Dr Boo  will  continue  right up to the day when DAP names its election candidates,  and possibly beyond that, too.

Welcome to Crony Nation Posted: 09 Dec 2011 11:14 AM PST The BN government's irresponsible attitude in using citizens' money to help out crony corporations smacks of bad governance It is an open secret that the BN federal government's hidden agenda is to strangle the Opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in order to stay in power. Thus, the ones who will suffer the most are the poor and uneducated masses who will forever be shackled via the very chains of those whom they vote. Selena Tay, Free Malaysia Today Want to go into debt by taking out a bank loan? Deal with a crony bank. Want to subscribe to a telecommunications service? Deal with a crony. Want to take a flight? Ditto. Driving on the tolled highways, using water and electricity; from dawn to dusk our lives are controlled and suffocated by BN cronies so much so that Malaysia can be labelled as a Crony Nation. The BN federal government's strategy to create a large pool of cronies is made with the intent to broaden its vote base because the crony bosses will surely tell their employees to vote BN. It is an open secret that the BN federal government's hidden agenda is to strangle the Opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in order to stay in power. Thus, the ones who will suffer the most are the poor and uneducated masses who will forever be shackled via the very chains of those whom they vote. Only the elite, the powerful and the well-connected thrive in Crony Nation. Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said that the Arab Spring will not occur in Malaysia. But can he be absolutely sure? It is not easy to read the mood of the masses. History has shown this time and time again. For example the "Peasants Rebellion" during the Ming Dynasty in the year 1644 took place due to heavy taxes and rent repayment levied by the government. The rebel forces who had won wide popular support crushed the government army in many campaigns. The rebel forces led by Li Zicheng then captured Beijing and Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty committed suicide thus marking the end of the Ming Dynasty. This is history. Ditto the French Revolution in July 1789 and the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in October 1917. When the oppressed peoples could not tolerate anymore oppression, there is bound to be unrest. All the uprisings occur when power is concentrated in the hands of an elite few who continue to arrogantly flaunt their wealth as they oppress the citizens. News travels quickly The BN leaders have now become boastful and full of pride as they disdainfully ignore the rakyat's pleas for a vibrant and transparent democracy. Questions on accountability are brushed aside in a brusque manner akin to swatting an irritating mosquito. The government must not be over-confident that the citizens are dumb and docile because once the situation reaches boiling point, it will be too late to do anything. In this age of instant technology, news travels quickly. Perhaps that is the reason why broadband penetration is poor in the rural areas. The federal government intends to dumb-down the rural masses with the intention of forever feeding them government-controlled propaganda. As such the rural folk are the government's fixed deposit vote bank in Crony Nation which works extremely hard to control and manipulate the minds of the masses. This is a distinct hallmark of crony nations anywhere. It is very difficult for the opposition to make any inroads into the rural areas in Crony Nation. In the recent 10th Sarawak state election in April this year, Taib Mahmud's PBS party chartered all the helicopters and boats to go into the interiors and therefore the opposition suffered a crushing defeat. The boats would not ferry the opposition's supporters and voters into the polling centres. Thus, it is not unusual for BN to win by landslide margins in Sabah and Sarawak. Everything in Crony Nation is controlled by BN. This gives the lie to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's Government Transformation Programme (GTP) which has undergone a metamorphosis into a mafia-like organisation. This is detrimental to the genuine small and medium business entrepreneurs who are not in the BN-mafia and will therefore fail to secure any business contracts or projects. It is clear that Najib's rhetoric does not transcend into political will. As economy is linked to politics, will Malaysia become a failed state? With the nation is firmly in the grasp of BN's iron tentacles, their cronies will have free reign to amass wealth via monopolies in all sectors of the nation's economy. This in turn will lead to nepotism and malpractices. A clear example of this is Umno minister Sharizat Abdul Jalil's "Cattle-Condo Caper", the project which was given to her by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who was the minister of agriculture at that material time. It is not surprising then that Malaysia's Corruption Perception Index is on a downhill slide, the latest from position number 56 to 60. This will certainly not inspire confidence in foreign investors. Does the BN federal government know that it does not take a rocket scientist to make this elementary deduction? Still, the federal government continues to put into practice the concept of Crony Nation. For them it is business as usual as they continue to plunder the nation's wealth. The latest shenanigan is the plundering of the citizens' old-age life savings from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) wherein RM55 billion was taken out by the government to be given to crony companies as unsecured loans. The EPF should be renamed the Eternal Plunderers' Fund! READ MORE HERE

Remove the tumour Posted: 09 Dec 2011 11:11 AM PST Malaysia's civil servants-to-population ratio is the highest in Southeast Asia, recording 4.68%, compared to Thailand's 2.06%, the Philippines' 1.81%, Indonesia's 1.79%, Laos' 1.24% and Cambodia's 1.18%.  By LIM MUN FAH Translated by Soong Phui Jee Sin Chew Daily The efficiency of civil servants is the key to the success of various transformation plans. It also affects the country's competitiveness and the BN government's image. Therefore, it is absolutely correct to dismiss civil servants with poor performance. The Public Service Department has finally recognised the reality that they must remove the "tumour" to ensure a smooth administration while preventing sham, fraud and other abuses. Since they are provided with lifelong benefits, it is unfair to the people if all civil servants are kept in the office, regardless of their performance. The exit policy requires those with poor performance to be reviewed by a special panel and if they fail to improve within six month, they will be asked to voluntarily leave the job. Such a policy is in fact not enough to improve the overall performance of the team. Instead, it must develop a road map, including the implementation of a more stringent management, a reward and punishment system, a productivity index and a downsizing plan. In addition to ordinary civil servants, those in executive level should also be monitored. Various overpriced item purchase, the waste of public funds and other frauds revealed by the annual Auditor-General's Report show us an efficient management. The Public Service Department should make it a compulsory for department, agency and team heads to take management courses before assessing their abilities. If their annual performance ratings are less than 70%, they are required to be reviewed by a special panel and those who fail to improve within six months will be downgraded. The public domain is also facing a serious disciplinary problem. Apart from absenteeism and unpunctuality, there are also criminal offenses, such as three Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers were arrested for allegedly robbing a money changer at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang, as well as corruption, kidnapping, robbery and theft involving law enforcement officers. Therefore, disciplinary problems must be rectified to improve the team's spiritual outlook. It is staggering that the number of civil servants has actually climbed from 1.14 million in 2007 to 1.4 million this year. The Public Service Department's effort in cutting 29,000 positions this year is simply negligible. Malaysia's civil servants-to-population ratio is the highest in Southeast Asia, recording 4.68%, compared to Thailand's 2.06%, the Philippines' 1.81%, Indonesia's 1.79%, Laos' 1.24% and Cambodia's 1.18%. Therefore, a reasonable ratio target should be set and gradually achieved, to force the public service team improve efficiency and reduce the national burden. To greatly enhance the efficiency of the public domain, filling top positions with outside talents is feasible, including bringing in the private sector's performance-based work culture and time sense. Civil servants should not resist it. The welfare of civil servants has been significantly improved over the past 10 years. Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad launched the Malaysian Remuneration Scheme (SSM) to replace the New Remuneration Scheme (SSB) on 1 November 2002, increasing civil servants' salaries by RM15 to RM110. In July 2007, another increment was made and now, civil servants will enjoy an increment of 7-13% and other benefits under the the New Civil Remuneration Scheme (SBPA). The problem is, there is no correspondent increase in the requirement for their efficiency. Hopefully, they can really put words into actions this time or everything will be meaningless.

Jeffrey: How threatening can Haris be? Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:27 AM PST Musa Aman's ban on Haris Ibrahim's entry into Sabah shows that his decisions are heavily vested in 'political interest' and not 'in the interest of the people as a whole.' (Free Malaysia Today) - Political maverick Jeffrey Kitingan, who has been at the forefront in the fight for Sabah's absolute rights as set out in the Malaysia Agreement 1963, is alarmed that some powers are being misused by the government. He views the banning of rights activist Haris Ibrahim from entering the state as a gross abuse of the state's immigration powers by Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman. "It is outrageous that Chief Minister Musa Aman decided to ban the president of the Malaysian Civil Rights Movement (MCLM) supposedly due to security threats to the state but without giving any details or elaboration. "Haris is only an activist promoting civil liberties and freedom of movement and speech which are rights guaranteed by the Federal Constitution," said the Harvard scholar whose name is synonymous with the struggle to ensure the autonomy of the state within Malaysia is not diluted further. Haris, a lawyer-cum-rights activist, was on Dec 7 barred by Federal Immigration officers under orders from the chief minister. This was the first time the state has used this power again after many years. Sabah Immigration Director, Mohammad Mentek, had also said Friday that another West Malaysian activist, who he refused to name, is already on the list as "persona non-grata" in Sabah. "How much threat can Haris create for the state? Is the movement for democracy also a threat?" asked Jeffrey. He said by banning Haris, the Sabah Chief Minister had actually proved that the state government is afraid of its own shadow apart from showcasing the state's immense immigration powers. READ MORE HERE

Bar Ah Long and illegals, not activist – SAPP Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:20 AM PST (Borneo Post Online) - The state authorities should take action against the Ah Long (loan sharks) from other states and illegal immigrants in Sabah instead of barring a NGO activist from entering the state, said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Youth chief Edward Dagul. He said the latest action in barring Haris Ibrahim, president of Malaysian Civil Rights Movement (MCLM), from entering Sabah has made many people ponder on the priorities of the authorities. "Wouldn't it be more beneficial for the people of Sabah if the relevant authorities, namely the Immigration Department stop along operatives from other states coming to Sabah or for that matter, to stop the influx of illegal immigrants entering the State?" he said in a statement yesterday. Edward said the reports in the local newspapers that three moneylending premises were being probed by police had confirmed the fear of SAPP. He said SAPP had warned against the extension of the Money Lending Act 1951 in 2008 which arbitrarily replaced the Sabah Money Lenders Ordinance. According to him, the authorities then had claimed that the extension of the Money Lenders Act would enable them (the authorities) to be able to tackle unhealthy lending activities, loan sharks etc. but what was reported in the local news suggests otherwise. To many, if not all, in Sabah, the problems of alongs and illegal immigrants, are matters of State security. These directly threaten the livelihood of the people and should be accorded top priorities whereas the barring of an NGO activist from entering Sabah under the lame excuse of state security is nothing more than an act of political cowardice. "Haris Ibrahim is a well known, respected civil liberty activist whose Bersih and MCLM roles have received wide acclaim. There is no basis for barring him from the State. He was a guest at SabahTV.net and as such, we will continue to welcome him," Edward said.

Yusof Noor, Rozali urged to clear name over Felda listing Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:06 AM PST (New Straits Times) - Bayan Baru Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim yesterday called on two corporate figures to clear their names over their alleged involvement to stop the listing of Felda Global Ventures on Bursa Malaysia. The Independent MP claimed that former Felda president Tan Sri Yusof Noor and Syabas executive chairman Tan Sri Rozali Ismail could be "in cahoots" with the opposition coalition to halt the plan. "I hope they come out and clear their names because we don't want them to be used by Pakatan Rakyat whose aim is only to fail this (listing) plan," he told reporters yesterday. Zahrain, who refused to reveal his source of information, said this was based on "talks" claiming that Rozali, who is also Gabungan Wawasan Generasi Felda Berhad president, was aiming for the Felda chairman's position. "There were also talks saying that Yusof was not happy (with the listing) and we do not want people to perceive that he is involved with Pakatan Rakyat in going against FGV." Instead, Zahrain said Yusof and Rozali should put their trust on Tan Sri Isa Samad (Felda chairman) who is responsible in making the listing a reality. "Yusof and Rozali should prioritise the settlers' interest rather than theirs because the settlers will definitely benefit from this listing," he said. Last week, Isa likened those who were against the idea of the listing as "traitors" to the settlers and the organisation. Isa had said the opponents were mixing facts with fiction and spreading lies to gain influence and instill fear and mistrust among the settlers. FGV, the commercial arm of Felda will be listed in the bourse by middle of 2012 as the world's largest listed plantation entity. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had announced the listing in his 2012 Budget speech.  However, attempts to contact Rozali and Yusof for comments were unsuccessful at press time.

Civil service as Umno’s fixed deposit or game buster Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:34 AM PST Dr. Lim Teck Ghee, CPI The new civil service remuneration scheme recently announced by the government provides civil servants pay rises of between 7% and 13%. Coming just before the elections expected soon, it is clearly intended to influence the outcome of the elections. Umno leaders see members of the civil service not only as their 'fixed deposit' but also as the key game changer in the elections. Will the generous pay rise make a difference in voting patterns of civil servants in the country? At first glance, it appears a politically astute move given the disproportionate weight of civil servants in the voting population and the high voting rate that has been associated with this segment of voters. If we add up the 1.2 million civil servants and family members and assume that there is an average of 3-4 voters per civil servant household, this provides a total of between 4 to 5 million voters out of the 12 million registered voters. The fact that over 80% of civil servants are Malays means that whichever party can win over the Malay civil service vote will take over the reins of political power in the country. Will this group of voters fall for what appears to be an extra large carrot being dangled in front of them? Already the mainstream papers are carrying the mandatory follow up reports of how appreciative the teachers, police and other government staff are of this government recognizing their contribution to the country's development and progress through the new salary scheme. This, together with the earlier sustained bashing of DAP parliamentarian Tony Pua's suggestion that the number of civil servants be reduced, appears to have given a decisive edge in the battle for civil service votes to Umno and the Barisan. Will pay increase move backfire on Umno? But is it a certainty that the civil service vote will continue to be in the pockets of the present government? Evidence is conflicting. The present generation of civil servants both Malays and non-Malays is a great deal more discerning and demanding of their elected leaders and the policies needed. They, as with other voters in the country, are aware of how the government is courting their vote and will go to the voting booths fully concerned of the government's and opposition party's record on the issues that matter most to them – whether it is on ensuring a rise in their standard of living, or fighting corruption or abuse of power. In fact, the timing of the salary increase – so close to the elections – could very well backfire on the government as it can be seen as a blatant attempt by Barisan Rakyat to bribe their way into power, with civil servants as their tool. What could also prove to be problematic for the government are the finer details of the new remuneration system and pay increase, and how it affects each voter who is in the civil service. Precise details of the pay increase and how it will apply to each grade are not available yet. According to the Public Services Department director-general Abu Bakar Abdullah, the increases will be based on four principles: hierarchy; talent and experience; position and subject matter; and performance. READ MORE HERE

Government’s handout doesn’t mean freedom of religion Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:30 AM PST I can't blame the head of the MIC in Sabah for heaping praises on the government for helping the Hindu temples in Kota Kinabalu with a gift of RM50,000. A thank you is only natural and expected for any gift but I feel he has gone overboard by saying it was a proof that there is freedom of religion in Malaysia! First of all, the gift was not meant by the government to prove that it is guaranteeing freedom of religion. It was simply a gift as one of many to help all religious bodies in Sabah. And I think all can see very well that the gift came in too much of a coincidence with the imminent arrival of the next general elections – just like the few "one-off" handouts allocated for in the last national budget.   I can also understand that the MIC Sabah leader, being a leader of a BN component, needed to be politically correct by expressing political appreciation, but he must also understand that the money he is receiving is not money from the BN but money from the people! It was the people who voted the BN to become the steward for this money, i.e. to help them (the people), so the handing of the assistances to the religious bodies was in fact a matter of due process, something which should be given as a matter of course, which the BN had not fulfilled for so long. If the BN was more responsible, it would be handing out this assistance all the time on a regular basis! Why? Because the money belongs to the people of all religions in Malaysia and these people are paying their income taxes, and working day and night to produce the GDP to make their country a prosperous nation! It has been repeated time and time again that it is wrong for the BN to keep saying the people needs to be thankful to the BN government for doing this and that for the people, when in fact it is the government leaders who should be thankful to the people for giving them the opportunity to serve the people and enjoy all the salaries and perks, and get themselves rich in the process.   But to take on the issue of religious freedom in the country, there is a lot of room for argument if we were to remind everyone how the government has been suppressing religious freedom of the Christians. There is still the unresolved issue of prohibition on the use of certain words especially "Allah," the intrusion into church functions, the burning of churches, the quarrel over dead bodies, the unpublicized bulldozing of Orang Asli churches, the control on the import and publication of Bibles, the marking and numbering of Bibles and so on and so on. In a truly religious society, no one is prohibited from practicing any religion or from switching from one religion to another. This freedom is not fully allowed in Malaysia where as there is no such problem in the world's largest Islamic country, Indonesia. The Hindus by the way is not free from religious pressure if we were to remember the case of cow head kicking and throwing, as well as the disputes about locations, shifting and demolition of temples in the Peninsula. But on the whole the Hindus are admittedly having greater religious freedom because they can even conduct sermons and religious ceremonies on some Astro channels, privileges will most likely be denied to Malaysian Christians. I believe this injustice will change only when the BN is replaced by a new just and open government.   DANIEL JOHN JAMBUN Political Activist and Advisor, UK-based Human Rights Foundation Malaysia

Banning activist abuse of immigration power – Jeffrey Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:29 AM PST (Borneo Post Online) - The United Borneo Front (UBF) is strongly against the state's decision to ban activist Harris Ibrahim from entering the state, saying it is a total abuse of immigration power. In a statement here yesterday, UBF chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said it was outrageous to ban the entry of president of the Malaysian Civil Rights Movement (MCLM) supposedly due to security threats without further elaboration. "Harris is only an activist promoting civil liberties and freedom of movement and speech which are rights guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. So how much threat can he create for the state? Is the movement for democracy also a threat?" he asked. On Wednesday, Harris, a Malaysian blogger believed to be a close friend of well-known blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, was prevented from entering Sabah upon his arrival on AirAsia flight AK5106 at 3.10pm at Terminal 2 of Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the relevant authority could stop anyone from entering the state with valid reasons. Sabah, he pointed out, welcomes visitors to the state but the Immigration Department will bar the entry of any individual(s) if there was a reason for it to do so.

PAS won’t let DAP stand in Malay-majority areas Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:20 AM PST (The Star) - PAS is opposed to DAP's plan to field Malay candidates in Malay-majority seats in the next general election. Selangor PAS deputy commissioner and Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad told Utusan Malaysia that PAS would not back down on its opposition because it felt that the Malay community could not accept the idea yet. "Besides, it is not guaranteed that DAP will win those seats in the next general election," said Khalid, who revealed that the issue was discussed in a meeting between PAS and PKR. "DAP is planning to field Malay candidates in Malay-majority seats because it wants to move away from its current image as a single-race party to a multi-racial party. But the move will take time," said Khalid. "Nevertheless, we feel this is unfair and we will not bow to its demands," Khalid added. Asked about an Utusan columnist's view that former Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali was the key to unity among the Malays, Khalid said this was the writer's personal opinion. On talks that Dr Hasan would receive the Datuk Paduka Mahkota Selangor, which carries the title of Datuk Seri, Khalid said he might because both the Selangor Mentri Besar (Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) and Selangor state assembly speaker (Datuk Teng Chang Khim) had already been bestowed the award. "I think the Sultan is fair because the awards are given in sequence to the Mentri Besar (Abdul Khalid), who is from PKR, state assembly speaker (Teng), who is from DAP, and now Dr Hasan, from PAS," said Khalid.

Rayer: I dare you to name DAP leaders Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:19 AM PST (The Star) - Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer has challenged Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Rama­samy's personal assistant (PA) M. Satees to back his allegations over the misdeeds of two assemblymen. "I dare Satees to name the DAP leaders and provide evidence about the allegations in his tweet within 24 hours. "If he is brave enough, he can also lodge a report with the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com­mission," he added. When asked if he felt targeted in Satees' tweet, Rayer said he was sure that the PA was referring to him and Bagan Dalam assemblyman A. Tana­sekharan. Tanasekharan also challenged Satees to name the leaders failing which "he will face a legal suit." Rayer and Tanasekharan had criticised Dr Ramasamy for showing disrespect to party senior leaders including national chairman Karpal Singh. Rayer had warned that "all hell will break loose" at the Penang DAP convention tomorrow if Dr Rama­samy did not retract his statement. Meanwhile, Satees, at a press conference at Dr Ramasamy's service centre in Prai denied his tweets referred to any DAP or Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

Sultan Sharafuddin: Stop covert attempt to convert Muslims Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:16 AM PST (Bernama) - The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has ordered the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) to take strategic steps to root out a subtle attempt to proselytise Muslims. "I was informed that the proselytisation of Muslims, which occurred over the last few years, was done covertly and those involved were cunning in concealing evidence," he said when opening the RM5mil Kampung Gulang-Gulang Mosque here Friday. He said Jais must continuously give explanation and counselling to Muslims who had committed apostasy. "Let me remind Jais to be discreet in its actions and approaches so that Muslims who have began distancing themselves from Islam will be enchanted to return to the fold and repent," he added. The Sultan said he was worried over the emergence of apostasy among Muslims, apart from Islamic deviationist teachings, as it would damage the growth and development of Islam in Selangor if left unchecked. On his instruction that only those who were qualified and certified by Jais could preach in mosques, Sultan Sharafuddin said it was aimed at preventing Muslims from being misled or confused. He called on residents of Kampung Gulang-Gulang to live in harmony and goodwill despite embracing different beliefs and ideologies. The Sultan also urged Muslims to use the mosques to foster friendship and understanding as it would help entice the younger generation to emulate the integrity of congregators. The Sultan later joined the Yasin recitation and thanksgiving prayers led by Selangor mufti Datuk Mohd Tamyes Abdul Wahid in conjunction with his 66th birthday and 10th year reign as the Sultan of Selangor. He also received payments of tithes amounting to RM100,000 from the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation and RM600,000 from Maybank Islamic Bhd.

PKR says will contest more federal seats in coming election Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:10 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - PKR has said it will contest more federal seats in the next general election despite already taking the lion's share of seats and suffering the most number of party defections since 2008. PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution told The Malaysian Insider although seat negotiations for some states have yet to be finalised, PKR will most likely have "slightly" more candidates running in parliamentary seats than in 2008. "Although discussions are currently on-going, the numbers on paper so far show that there is a slight addition to the seats which PKR will be contesting. "This is due to the contribution of Sabah and Sarawak seats which PKR will contest. The seats in peninsula are likely to remain status quo," he said. The Machang MP said state-level seat negotiations ended last month, and the PR central leadership was now deliberating and finalising the respective seats and candidates. "There are currently three categories — clean seats where a candidate is accepted by all parties, incumbent seats where a particular seat was won by, say, PKR but DAP expresses an interest to contest. "There is also a case of overlapping of seats, whereby a particular seat was not won in the last GE but two or three Pakatan parties have expressed interest in contesting that seat," Saifuddin added. He stressed that seat talks among PR's top guns were coming along "smoothly", but said that there was no "timeline" as to when the matter would be concluded. "I am optimistic it can be settled soon," said the PKR leader. PR leaders have dispelled talk of squabbling among its state leaders over seat negotiations for the coming polls despite reports of bickering among PR party members, leading to talk of fractures within the pact. PKR contested 97 federal seats in 2008 while PAS and DAP ran in 66 and 47 respectively. But PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had said in September that the party aims to win 60 federal seats in a general election expected soon. READ MORE HERE

Dr M: Shahrizat should know when to step down Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:08 AM PST (The Star) - Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil should be mindful on the right time to step down, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. But short of calling for her resignation, the long-time former premier said it was up to her to do so. "When I wanted to resign, I didn't ask anyone about it. "I thought it was a good time to resign, so I resigned. I hope others are like that. No need to wait for people to chase us out," he said after the launch of the e-book version of his memoirs A Doctor in the House here yesterday. However, he said if people thought that they could contribute to their own party better by staying on and contesting, then it would be up to them. "If we think we will be doing the party a favour by quitting, we should quit," he said. When pressed further, Dr Mahathir, however, refused to state if Shahrizat should step down after the controversy with the National Feedlot Corporation in which her husband is the executive chairman. "It is up to her. I want to advise (PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat) to step down. I want to advise (Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) to join (former World Bank Group president Paul Wolfowitz). "I can only advise. Whether they follow it is up to them. I'm not a British adviser where the advice must be followed," he said. Shahrizat, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, had previously maintained that she had nothing to do with the company and refused to answer the allegations.

Security reasons? Whose security? The rakyat’s? Or UMNO’s and BN’s? Posted: 09 Dec 2011 07:58 AM PST THE PEOPLES' PARLIAMENT FMT reports that Musa Aman cited 'security reasons' to justify his order to Sabah immigration to refuse me entry into Sabah 2 days ago. Musa's security of tenure, as the Chief Minister, and that of every other BN leader holding office in the Sabah state government, hinges on the impoverished people of Sabah, particularly in the interior areas, remaining ignorant about how, since UMNO's entry into Sabah, the state's wealth has found its way into the pockets of the leaders of Sabah UMNO and other BN parties, and their cronies. My refused entry into Sabah was indeed premised on security concerns : concerns at ongoing efforts by many good people in Sabah with whom I have been working in recent months to take the truth of how UMNO continues to bleed this nation of its last remaining vestiges of its God-given wealth to feed their  own excesses and opulent lifestyles. Concerns that the truth about UMNO's and BN's shameless rape and plunder of Sabah, now filling the empty bellies and the hearts of the hardcore poor, might be the very catalyst to see the people rise to rid Sabah of this curse, whether at the next election or earlier, by force. These were the real concerns of Musa Aman and his band of robbers and thieves who pretend to administer the state for her people. READ MORE HERE

New law puts noose around computer techies Posted: 08 Dec 2011 09:59 PM PST uppercaise A new law now being considered proposes to turn computing into a closed shop, where only those registered with the federal government can work, and it would be illegal for others to offer any kind of computing services. A draft of the Bill, now being circulated in the industry, is provoking unrest among computer techies. Potentially, it could turn into an outlaw any boy genius who learned computer programming on his own and does freelance work while studying — or a journalist who learned PHP programming and offers to create and design web sites. The draft Computing Professionals Bill proposes to create two classes of people with computer skills: A lower class of "Registered Computing Practitioner" — people without degrees in computing; and An upper class of "Registered Computing Professional" — graduates in computing Companies would be registered as computing services providers. Only "registered computing professionals" — computing graduates — would be allowed to offer services or work in areas defined by the government's Critical National Information Infrastructure guidelines. Furthermore, they must declare their areas of specialisation, and can only work within these areas — another bureaucratic and regulatory obstacle for computing people as new specialisations crop up or programming projects get "forked" into new branches. The unrest among computer techies is reflected in a blog article by writer Erna Mahyuni » Killing techies the Malaysian way in which she said: " In other words, if I don't register, it is technically illegal for me to even email ANY MALAYSIAN with even an IDEA for a tech-related project. It would be against the law for me to even sketch, on a napkin, my idea for a new app while having coffee with someone.    Want to know the hilarious part? The country with a bill nearly identical to ours is…Nigeria. So we're taking a leaf out of their book? Brilliant, Malaysia, totally brilliant. Dinesh Nair, computer security expert, said on Twitter: Dinesh Nair @alphaque When you outlaw computing professionals, only outlaws will be computing professionals. 8 Dec 11 Reply Retweet Favorite Dinesh Nair @alphaque I just typed "#include main ". I may have committed a crime if the #CPB2011 passes. 8 Dec 11 Reply Retweet Favorite » A Facebook page "Malaysians Against Board of Computing Professionals Bill" has already gathered 230 "likes". The Bill would create a new layer of government bureaucracy with a Board of Computing Professionals to maintain a register and certify all those who wish to work in computing or offer computing services. Read more at: http://uppercaise.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/new-law-puts-noose-around-computer-techies/

In Friday sermon, Jakim warns Muslims against selling out to ‘others’ Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:23 PM PST The sermon appeared to suggest that Muslims who associate with non-Muslims or stand up for non-Muslim causes were betraying their faith. (The Malaysian Insider) - The government's official sermon delivered today suggested that the position of Islam and the royal institution was being questioned because Muslims were selling out the religion to "certain quarters" which it did not name. The sermon appeared to suggest that Muslims who associate with non-Muslims or stand up for non-Muslim causes were betraying their faith, and echoed a few racially divisive views espoused at the recent Umno general assembly. It was delivered at all mosques today and was prepared by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim). A copy of today's sermon — sighted by The Malaysian Insider — appeared to hit out at Muslims who "conspire with certain groups in questioning Islam as the official religion in this country on the excuse of defending the fundamental rights of others" for personal gain. It described those Muslims as "deviating from the teachings" of Prophet Muhammad, as well as "committing a big sin, oppressing Muslims and threatening national harmony" in the sermon that was to mark the end of Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's five year reign as Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. "Remember, if Muslims lose their integrity, their pride and are manipulated by others, in the end, Islam in this country will suffer the same fate that has befallen other nations where their people were insulted and driven from the country of their birth," it said. The sermon did not directly refer to any one person in particular but appears to echo the political rhetoric heard at the Umno general assembly last week. According to the Jakim sermon, purported attempts to convert Muslims also fall foul of Islam's exclusive rights under the country's Constitution. It urged all Muslims to unite and uphold the constitutional monarchy system, reminding them that without a ruler, the administration of religion would be chaotic and would cause animosity. "Avoid involvement in any action that could potentially threaten or pollute the royal institution and disputes what is contained in the Constitution, including that which pertains to Islam as the country's religion," it added.

ABU dilancarkan besar-besaran, desak rakyat tolak Umno Posted: 08 Dec 2011 06:56 PM PST Ia menggesa rakyat menyatakan rasa jijik dan meluat terhadap penyelewengan dan rasuah yang dilakukan Umno/BN. (Free Malaysia Today) - Satu gerakan rakyat yang dikenali sebagai Asalkan Bukan Umno/BN (ABU) akan dilancarkan secara besar-besaran pada 15 Disember ini di Markas Tarbiyah PAS,Taman Melewar,Gombak. Ia menggesa rakyat  menyatakan rasa jijik dan meluat terhadap penyelewengan dan rasuah yang dilakukan  Umno/BN. Pengerusi Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), Badrul Hisham Shaharin berkata, gerakan dibuat di seluruh negara ekoran kemusnahan sistem negara yang dilakukan  oleh Umno. Beliau yang turut dikenali sebagai Chegu Bard berkata, gerakan di Sabah dan Sarawak akan dibuat secara senyap-senyap. "Sumber dalaman kami memberitahu bahawa kempen ini tidak boleh dibuat di Sabah dan Sarawak atas alasan keselamatan. "Sasaran adalah kemusnahan yang diciptakan Umno. Malaysia akan menjadi lebih bersiap sedia tanpa Umno. Malaysia lebih dinamik dan berdaya saing. Rakyat lebih berkaliber dan cerdik jika tidak diperbodohkan Umno. "ABU  yang digerak dan dipacu oleh rakyat. Kami gambarkan ia gerakan rakyat," katanya dalam sidang media di Dewan Perhimpunan Cina Selangor/Kuala Lumpur hari ini. Kempen rakyat Chegu Bard menjelaskan bahawa kempen  ini didokong sepenuhnya oleh rakyat tanpa penglibatan  mana-mana parti politik. "Ia gerakan rakyat. Ini bukan urusan parti politik ,tapi hal rakyat yang dimunculkan oleh Umno. Ia bukan sekadar program tapi satu gerakan," jelas beliau. Sementara itu, Presiden Pergerakan Hak-hak Sivil Malaysia (MCLM) Haris Ibrahim pula berkata, ABU membawa kebenaran kepada rakyat agar mereka sedar apa yang dilakukan oleh Umno selama 40 tahun memerintah. READ MORE HERE

ASALKAN BUKAN umno Posted: 08 Dec 2011 06:45 PM PST THE PEOPLES' PARLIAMENT Berikut adalah teks kenyataan media yang disampaikan di sidang media di Kuala Lumpur serta di sidang-sidang media di seluruh Malaysia, kecuali di Sabah dan Sarawak. Sabah dan Sarawak dijangka akan mengadakan sidang media untuk umumkan initiatif sendiri dalam masa yang terdekat ini. Kami merayu dan menyeru kepada semua; pekerja, petani, nelayan, persatuan dan pertubuhan, badan kerajaan dan bukan kerajaan (NGO), parti politik komponen Barisan Nasional, kecuali UMNO, parti pembangkang atau parti politik bebas, golongan profesional, ahli akademik dan cendiakawan, mahasiswa, karyawan, para artis dan pekerja seni, malah semua kelompok rakyat tersisih dan tertindas (marginalised) seperti kumpulan Mat Rempit, gelandangan (homeless), penganggur (jobless) dan lain-lain supaya melahirkan dengan nyata (melalui kenyataan media seperti ini atau tunjuk perasaan dan sebagainya) rasa tidak yakin kita masing-masing terhadap UMNO yang sudah tidak sedar diri, korup, angkuh, menindas, zalim dan kebelakangan ini BODOH SOMBONG!!! Kini bukan masanya lagi untuk kita terus mendiamkan diri dan tidak mahu ambil tahu, kecuali anda rela mewariskan Malaysia yang musnah kepada generasi akan datang. Masihkah kita tidak nampak atau sengaja mahu membiarkan saja apabila sisa-baki hak demokratik rakyat yang hanya tinggal secebis itu pun dinafikan, manakala segala tuntutan rakyat terus diabaikan? Sepanjang pemerintahan UMNO/BN kita semua juga sebenarnya telah bersama-sama menyumbang –akibat sikap kita yang 'biarkanlah', 'tidak kisah' serta 'ignorant', dll– dalam menyemai kuasa kuku besi pemerintah yang kejam hinggalah kini kuasa itu menjadi parah dan terlalu mencengkam. READ MORE HERE

Musa: Haris denied entry ‘for security reasons’ Posted: 08 Dec 2011 03:20 PM PST Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers share the dubious honour of banning civil rights activists and embracing illegals and alleged illicit activities. (Free Malaysia Today) - Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman has refused to explain why his government barred human rights activist Haris Ibrahim from entering the state this week. Haris was, on arrival at the Kota Kinabalu airport on Wednesday, served with a Notice of Dismissal of Entry to Sabah by an immigration officer and  immediately put on the next flight back to Kuala Lumpur. The letter dated Dec 7 was signed by one 'Syamilin" on behalf of the Sabah Immigration director Mohammad Matek. Musa and the state government have come under heavy criticism for barring Haris, who is a lawyer and president of the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM), whilst allowing thousands of illegal immigrants into the state. Yesterday Musa told reporters the decision to deny Haris entry into Sabah was because of 'security reasons". Declining to elaborate, Musa when pressed by the media, merely said: "the incident is related to security issues" and that the authorities "had strong reasons … that is all I want to say." According to Haris the reason given in the notice specified that it was in accordance with the Immigration Act 1959/63 that stipulated that the state authority has the power to bar him from entry, Haris said. All entry points monitored The Sabah government's ban on the outspoken lawyer mimics the action of the Sarawak government under Chief Minister Taib Mahmud which had also barred Haris from entering the  state in September. They had flexed the same law. Meanwhile, Sabah Immigration Department director Mohammad Mentek revealed that apart from Haris, another Malaysian citizen was also barred from entering the state but declined to disclose his name. He said the department had received an order from the state government not to issue a visit pass to the man who is a member of an NGO in the country, according to local media reports. "So far only two persons have been barred from entering Sabah," he was quoted as saying. Apart from Haris, the second, whose identity Mohammad said he could not reveal, is from Kuala Lumpur "and is involved in spreading issues related to deviationist teachings". Mohammad said the department would monitor all entry points in Sabah to prevent that person's entry into the state. READ MORE HERE

DAP’s internal squabbles ‘poetic justice’ Posted: 08 Dec 2011 03:18 PM PST Everyone embroiled in the present dispute are 'paying back' for the empty promises they made to Kampung Buah Pala villagers in 2008, says residents association chief. (Free Malaysia Today) - The past is coming back to haunt Penang DAP Indian leaders here following the recent outburst between factions linked to its chairman Karpal Singh and Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, said Kampung Buah Pala residents association chairman M Sugumaran. "I believe God is punishing them and this is the consequence," Sugumaran said in response to the recent open-ended spat between Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer and Ramasamy. This is also followed by reports quoting local DAP veterans as saying that Ramasamy's alleged remark of "godfathers" in the party as uncalled for. Sugumaran, who continues to battle on for the village although it is no longer in existence and that 24 out of the 33 families affected were peacefully resettled, said everyone embroiled in the present dispute made alleged "empty"" promises to the villagers in 2008. "I'm not stirring up things for the sake of antagonising anyone or exploiting the faultline between Penang DAP Indian leaders. This is a perception from some sections of the Indian community in Penang, which is that DAP had failed the community. "It is not just the nine Buah Pala families who refused to take up the offer of relocation who feel this way about DAP, it is sections of the Indian community here, who felt that the controversy could have been handled in a better way," said Sugumaran. And it is not just on Buah Pala, it is a host of other issues which the community are aggrieved about, such as affordable housing and the lack of attention given to constituency issues, he added. Sugumaran said the facts of the Buah Pala issue remained unchanged despite that the traditional village, said to be over 100 years old, have long been demolished to make way for a condominum. In 2005, the villagers were battling against the Barisan Nasional-led state government over the eviction order issued to them and in 2008, the likes of Karpal, Rayer and Ramasamy made promises that the opposition would fight against the order. Subsequently, Sugumaran said the village supported DAP in the 2008 general election based on the promise but when the pressure was piled on by the developer, the state could not find a win-win solution. Even Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim made a similar promise when he visited the village, said Sugumaran. He insisted that he remains as the now-defunct Buah Pala village residents association chairman as it is a registered body. "We are still pursuing legal avenues as we have obtained documents from the National Archives Department to illustrate that the demolition of the the village may be illegal." 'DAP's Indian leaders inexperienced' Sugumaran said Penang DAP Indian leaders are ill-equipped to see to the needs of the community, and one example is how the Buah Pala issue dragged on for several months before it was demolished. "If you ask me, it is the question of experience. I think the Penang DAP Indian leaders are now quarelling among themselves because they are inexperience and they are beholden to the DAP top leadership. "If the issue of 33 villagers here cannot be resolved, how can the people expect DAP to govern the entire country?" asked Sugumaran. READ MORE HERE

No candidates, Kita beats a retreat Posted: 08 Dec 2011 12:11 PM PST Party insiders believe this predicament is the reason for Zaid's decision to field candidates for selected seats. (Free Malaysia Today) - Kita chief, Zaid Ibrahim, may have unwittingly offered a glimpse of more possible turmoil within his party with his latest decision on Kita's involvement in the upcoming general election. On Tuesday, Kita announced that it would refrain from fielding candidates if doing so meant jeopardising Pakatan Rakyat's chances of victory. Zaid said his decision to offer "unconditional" support to the opposition stemmed from the racist statements made by Umno leaders during the party's recent general assembly. Kedah state chief, Zamil Ibrahim, further clarified yesterday that Kita would steer clear of Pakatan strongholds like Permatang Pauh and Bagan, and would only field candidates for seats where Pakatan faced a 50-50 chance of winning. He also hinted that Zaid may not be running for the Petaling Jaya Selatan seat as previously reported but could be eyeing a seat in Kedah. "Kita will definitely be contesting because we have already launched our party manifesto," he told FMT. "And it is impossible for Zaid as party chief to not contest. It's just a matter of which seat he chooses." "As of now, I myself have identified six parliamentary and 12 states seats for Kita to contest in Kedah. All that is left is to select the right candidates from the list of hopefuls." And this is where Kita may be facing an excruciating predicament. According to a party insider, the list has since crumbled as almost all those on it have retracted their interest to be fielded as Kita candidates. Pandering to BN The insider said that Zaid's apology to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for misjudging his political will to abolish the Internal Security Act was the first of many moves that spooked potential candidates. Furthermore, Kita's supposed neutrality has come under a cloud with Zaid seen as cosying up to Najib and compounded by Kita's apparent pandering to Barisan Nasional (BN). All this was enough to convince them that they would lose their deposits if they contested. The insider speculated that Najib probably gave Zaid the cold shoulder and, left with a nearly dried up pool of candidates, the latter was forced to announce that Kita would only be contesting in selected seats. One candidate who will be contesting whether under the Kita banner or as an independent is Penang state chief and Nibong Tebal MP, Tan Tee Beng. "I have no fear contesting as an individual because Penangites are more familiar with me than they are with Kita," he told FMT. "Kita doesn't have a significant image in Penang." "Many people still confuse it with Parti Cinta. So maybe novice candidates would need Kita's image to support them but not me." "Whatever the party's decision I respect it, but as an incumbent and a politician I must also have my own back-up plan," he added. When asked about candidate selection in Penang, Tan's reply corroborated the party insider's earlier account of potential candidates withdrawing their names. READ MORE HERE

Taib Hit By UK’s Bell Pottinger Scandal! Posted: 08 Dec 2011 12:05 PM PST SARAWAK REPORT Once again Taib's dirty tricks against Sarawak Report and Radio Free Sarawak have spectacularly backfired!   In the past few hours it has emerged that the Chief Minister, along with his son-in-law, Sean Murray, was one of the clients who hired Bell Pottinger to alter Wikipedia entries about themselves, their companies, Sarawak… and, of course, Sarawak Report/Radio Free Sarawak! Bell Pottinger is the PR giant that has been at the centre of a scandal that has been gripping the UK since Tuesday.  The company, which first achieved fame as Margaret Thatcher's favourite agency, has developed a reputation for professional ruthlessness and a willingness to do business with unpleasant clients. Video sting They demonstrated these questionable ethics when they were exposed earlier this week in a sting by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, posing as representatives of Uzbekistan, which has been condemned for promoting the slave labour of children in the cotton industry. Bell Pottinger staff were caught on camera saying they would be willing to work on improving the country's image, even though reform might be minimal.  They would charge a million pounds a year (RM5million) or a hundred thousand a month. At the same time the company was exposed for bragging that it had special access to UK Prime Minister David Cameron for clients wishing to lobby the British Government, which has been hugely embarrassing for the Conservative Party. Taib was a client! Sarawak Report has been dragged into the affair Now the scandal has rolled into its 3rd day with further exposes about Bell Pottinger's willingness to engage in 'Dark Arts', such as the secretive alteration of people's Wikipedia entries.  The story is splashing around UK newspapers, but is being led by The Independent and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. After the details of ten pseudonyms used by Bell Pottinger to alter information about their clients were released by Wikipedia a few hours ago, it emerged that one of the key users of this service was none other than Taib Mahmud and his son-in-law Sean Murray! The list of Wikipedia entries altered by the Bell Pottinger pseudonym 'Biggleswick' includes Abdul Taib Mahmud, Sean Murray, Ridgeford Properties (the Taib family company in the UK), Christopher Murray (Sean's cousin and the Director of Ridgeford Properties), Sakto (the Taib family company in Canada), Sarawak (which Taib largely owns in Malaysia) and… Clare Rewcastle Brown, the Editor of this blog and the Radio Station Radio Free Sarawak! READ MORE HERE

NGOs want Indian as Malacca CM Posted: 08 Dec 2011 11:51 AM PST A coalition of 36 Indian NGOs feel that the time has come for the country to show its appreciation for the contributions of the Indian community. (Free Malaysia Today) - A coalition of 36 Indian NGOs have urged both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat to consider appointing an Indian as chief minister of Malacca after the next general election. On its part, the People's Welfare and Rights Coalition (Power) president S Gobi Krishnan said the coalition would submit memorandums to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim stating their claim. "We find this request timely and most suitable as an appreciation to the Indian community in Malaysia," he said, adding that to date no states had been helmed by an Indian chief minister. He also said appointment of an Indian chief minister would also be a way for the two political parties to show their gratitude and fairness to the 1.8 million Indians in the country. Gobi pointed out that Malacca had a rich heritage and history related to Indians evident from the many Indian settlements in this state. "For example, the Sri Subramaniam Thuropathai Amman temple is one of the oldest in the country which dates back to about 200 years and the presence of the Indian Chitty sub-race," he added. Indians make up 10% out of the 788,706 population in the state. It has the highest concentration of Indians in terms of percentage compared to any other state in the country. He said the idea of appointing an Indian chief minister in Malacca is not new as it was mooted by former MIC president John Thivy in the 1950s. However, the request was not successful then, taking into account various considerations. "We believe the time is right for such an appointment now. We have gained independence for over 54 years, as such this is possible at this moment," said Gobi. As Malacca is part of the Straits Settlement in Malaysia, other than Penang, this appointment is in line with the state constitution and can be done legally, he argued. Recognising the Indians Meanwhile, the Human Rights Party (HRP) said the request by the NGOs has some merit especially with the prime minister's 1Malaysia slogan. Central executive committee member S Thiagarajan said that the proposal is a long standing one but "Umno is still deaf to the issue." According to him, in 1956 the Penang Tamil Representative Council proposed to the Reid Commission for election of a Resident Commissioner in Penang and Malacca respectively. The council then also proposed that the chief minister's post in these two states be on a rotational system between Malays, Chinese and Indians. "However, Umno has been reluctant to practise such a system," he added. "I can daringly say that the Indian community is a major contributor for the nation's development." READ MORE HERE

6 aktivis SMM ditahan di Speakers Corner UiTM Posted: 08 Dec 2011 11:49 AM PST (Harakah Daily) - Enam aktivis mahasiswa ditahan polis bantuan Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam malam tadi ketika mereka sedang mengadakan sesi penerangan di Speakers Corner di kampus itu. Program yang pada mulanya aman tiba-tiba bertukar kecoh apabila berlaku provokasi melampau oleh mahasiswa pro-aspirasi sehingga memaksa polis bantuan kampus itu campur tangan dan menahan keenam-enam aktivis mahasiswa itu. Kesemua yang ditahan adalah dua dari UiTM, dua dari Universiti Malaya (UM) dan dua orang lagi masing-masing dari Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel) dan Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor (Kuis). Pengerusi Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM), Ahmad Syukri Razab yang juga salah seorang yang ditahan berkata, kesemua mereka ditahan kira-kira jam 9.30 malam dan dibawa ke pejabat polis bantuan di UiTM Shah Alam. Katanya, alasan penahanan mereka adalah kerana masuk ke kampus itu tanpa kebenaran, manakala dua pelajar UiTM itu pula ditahan kerana menyertai Speaker Corner yang tidak mendapat kelulusan pihak universiti. "Bagi saya tindakan UiTM keterlaluan dan sangat terkebelakang berbanding kampus-kampus lain. "UiTM juga tidak seiring dengan keterbukaan kerajaan yang mahu memberi kebebasan kepada mahasiswa," katanya. Menurutnya lagi, kesemua yang ditahan kemudian dibebaskan kira-kira sejam kemudian selepas melalui soal siasat biasa. Mereka juga diberi amaran agar tidak meneruskan program itu dan diiring keluar dari kampus tersebut sejurus selesai soal siasat tersebut.

Tengku Muhammad Fakhry saman IGP, tiga lain RM100 juta Posted: 08 Dec 2011 11:07 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Adinda Sultan Kelantan, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra hari ini memfailkan saman RM100 juta ke atas empat pihak termasuk Ketua Polis Negara berhubung tindakan polis mengenakan kurungan di Istana Mahkota Kubang Kerian, Kelantan secara tidak sah dua tahun lalu. Peguam Tengku Muhammad Fakhry, Datuk Harpal Singh berkata pelangganya juga menuntut RM50 juta lagi dalam bentuk ganti rugi teladan dan teruk. Laporan Star Online menyebut bahawa dalam pernyataan tuntutan, putera itu menamakan Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Ismail Omar dan tiga yang lain sebagai defendan. Bercakap kepada pemberita di kompleks mahkamah Jalan Duta di sini pagi ini Tengku Muhammad Fakhry berkata, beliau hanya melaksanakan haknya sebagai seorang rakyat Malaysia demi keadilan. Dalam tuntutannya, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry mendakwa saman itu berkaitan dengan kejadian beliau ditahan di Istana Mahkota Kubang Kerian oleh polis pada 2009, daripada mengambil kereta Bentley Brooklands sebagaimana diminta oleh ayahanda Sultan Ismail Petra, ketika itu Sultan Kelantan, untuk ke Singapura. Ia antara beberapa kes saman dibawa oleh putera sejak kebelakangan ini. Laporan media semalam menyebut Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur menetapkan 18 Januari depan untuk pengurusan kes saman fitnah Tengku Muhammad Fakhry terhadap akhbar Malay Mail dan tiga lagi berhubung satu artikel yang disiarkan akhbar tersebut. Beliau menuntut antara lain ganti rugi RM50 juta kerana atrikel tersebut mengaitkannya dengan kes tembakan terhadap pengawal istana Ramli Mohamed pada 1 Mei tahun lalu. Hakim Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusof menetapkan tarikh tersebut dalam kamar dengan dihadiri peguam AS Dhaliwal mewakili Tengku Muhammad Fakhry dan peguam Koh Chee Hong bagi pihak kesemua defendan.

A haram book? What next? Posted: 08 Dec 2011 09:01 AM PST Don't be afraid of being blasphemous. In fact, Islam doesn't even recognise the concept of blasphemy as it has never been mentioned in the Quran or Hadith. Blasphemy is really a concept that was developed in the Middle Ages to stop the masses from questioning and challenging authority. Zan Azlee, The Malaysian Insider  Do not eat the book. Do not drink the book. Do not touch the book. Do not use any kitchen utensils that have been used with the book. Because it is haram. The book that I am referring to is "Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going", which has been declared haram by our Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim). I find the decision utterly ridiculous. Apparently, Lee mentions that Muslims in Singapore are "socially distinct and separate" and should "be less strict on Islamic observances" to aid integration and the city-state's nation-building process. In my opinion, I see the act by Jakim as an act that clearly defies the teachings of the Quran as it obstructs the quest for knowledge. I have written about Islam's fierce encouragement to seek out knowledge time and again, and I find that I quote the same verses every time. Surah Al-Alaq states: "Read! Read in the name of your Lord who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clod. Read! And your Lord is the most generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not." I liken the haram declaration of Lee Kuan Yew's book (and any book for that matter, even the Obedient Wives Club' sex guide) to the disgusting act of book burning. The Nazis burned books. The Khmer Rouge burned books. Terry Jones burned books (he burned the Quran last year in Florida). It is so obvious that it is a repulsive act committed by repulsive people. To seek knowledge does not only mean we are allowed to obtain it from kosher sources. Many times we also gain knowledge from negative sources. What I'm trying to say here is that it does not matter whether the ideas in a book are wrong or right. It should be made available anyway. I'm sure everyone would agree that we learn to do good from good examples and we learn to stay away from wrong by the bad examples. Society should have access to it in order to process it and decide for themselves whether to accept it or not. Either way, people will gain knowledge from it. Don't be afraid of being blasphemous. In fact, Islam doesn't even recognise the concept of blasphemy as it has never been mentioned in the Quran or Hadith. Blasphemy is really a concept that was developed in the Middle Ages to stop the masses from questioning and challenging authority. READ MORE HERE

Groups protest against homosexual lifestyle Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:51 AM PST (New Straits Times) - Five non-governmental organisations from Bangsar here held a peaceful demonstration against homosexuality yesterday. The demonstration saw the participation of some 100 supporters, comprising members of Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM), Lembah Pantai 4B Youth Movement, Hindu Youth Organisation, Young Malaysians Movement, Federation of Peninsula Malay Students and parent-teacher associations from several schools in the area. Demonstrators stood along Jalan Kerinchi, near here,  chanting and holding banners opposing sexual immorality and perversion. JMM president Azwanddin Hamzah said this was the ninth demonstration held so far and more supporters were joining them in their cause. "Parents have come forward urging us to continue spreading awareness on the dangers of allowing   this lifestyle to gain acceptance in our society, as they are worried about its effects on their children." He said this was not a political issue, but an issue of belief as most religions in Malaysia discouraged homosexuality. "We will continue to hold these demonstrations across Selangor to educate Malaysians." The participants later spread their message by handing out 10,000 pamphlets to residents in nearby housing areas.

'DAP parti cauvinis' Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:37 AM PST Penyertaan kaum lain hanya dijadikan boneka (Berita Harian) - Ramai tidak mengenali bekas guru, Abu Zahar Abu Bakar, 71, tetapi pengalamannya selama empat tahun menjadi ahli DAP amat berguna dijadikan pengajaran kepada orang ramai, khususnya orang Melayu. Bekas Timbalan Setiausaha Agung Parti Sosialis Demokratik (SDP) itu menyertai DAP pada 1986 bersama bekas Presiden CUEPACS, Ahmad Nor, kerana yakin parti itu mewakili pelbagai kaum dan perjuangannya cukup berbeza dengan parti politik lain di negara ini. Namun, ia hanya indah khabar daripada rupa. Selepas menjadi ahli DAP dan melihat sendiri perjalanan parti itu, keyakinannya pudar dan musnah sama sekali yang menyaksikannya keluar daripada parti itu pada 1990. Peristiwa yang menjadi titik tolak kepada perubahannya apabila Ahmad yang memperoleh undi tertinggi dalam pemilihan DAP serta menjadi Ahli Parlimen Bayan Baru pada 1990, 'dinafikan' hak menjadi Pengerusi DAP Kebangsaan. Katanya, Ahmad memperoleh sokongan kuat daripada ahli dan mendapat undi tertinggi kerana perjuangannya untuk rakyat, tetapi Dr Chen Man Hin yang mendapat undi kurang, malah kalah di kerusi Parlimen Seremban pada pilihan raya umum dipilih menjadi Pengerusi DAP Kebangsaan. "Saya cukup kecewa dengan keputusan itu kerana hasrat sememangnya mahu melihat Ahmad menjadi pemimpin memperjuangkan masyarakat majmuk, tetapi tidak dapat kerana sistem pemilihan DAP yang agak pelik iaitu orang kalah pula dilantik sebagai ketua. "DAP mempunyai peluang untuk membuktikan mereka adalah parti mewakili masyarakat majmuk dengan melantik Ahmad menjawat jawatan Pengerusi DAP kebangsaan berdasarkan sokongan terhadapnya tetapi itu tidak berlaku. DAP adalah parti cauvinis," katanya kepada Berita Harian di sini. Sehubungan itu, Abu Zahar mahu pengalamannya itu menjadi panduan kepada rakyat terutama orang Melayu bahawa DAP bukanlah parti berbilang kaum seperti dilaung-laungkan pemimpin parti, sebaliknya parti cauvinis. "Trend itu berterusan apabila Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim hanya dilantik Naib Pengerusi DAP. Kalau DAP mahu membuktikan mereka parti berbilang kaum, seharusnya beliau dilantik sebagai Pengerusi. "Mereka hanya meletakkan pemimpin daripada kaum lain dan mendakwa DAP adalah parti berbilang kaum, sedangkan mereka menjadi boneka semata-mata. "Ini harus menjadi petunjuk kepada rakyat khususnya orang Melayu supaya tidak tertipu dengan helah DAP yang kononnya parti berbilang kaum," katanya.

Umno assembly ‘an insult’ to Malays Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:29 AM PST Umno has shown not just the rakyat but also the whole world how low class its delegates are. By Walla, Free Malaysia Today In much the same way the Auditor-General's report has nuked Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's feel-good annual Budget 2012, the Umno general assembly 2011 has completely nuked and debunked Umno's standing before the eyes and ears of all sensible, moderate, thinking and upstanding rakyat of the country. We all know why Umno was shocked by the results of the last general election. It had been overweeningly confident that each race would only vote for its own party. Doesn't that mindset reflect racism in the first place? And what actually happened? The rakyat voted for other races. The Umno general assembly 2011 was spewing nonsense and hatred bereft of intelligence, integrity and standard. It was an insult to the Malays. If anything, Umno has shown not only our rakyat but also the whole world how low class its delegates are. Just wait for another set of WikiLeaks to reinforce the conclusion. Here we have the extremely well-fed and well-dressed talking nonsense and expecting the rakyat to agree with them just because they are on stage punching their fists, putting on their false show, and creating yet another bogeyman to channel attention away from their corruption and abuse of power that continue to form the bulwark of issues that is destroying the future of the young. Just think of it – 3,000 empty-headed and self-deluded hyenas and jokers wanting to run this country of 28 million for another five years in the same way they have been running it into the ground all the past years. They are asking to be trusted and supported again so that they can whip up another spin while ripping off the rakyat who will have to settle for an economy with a RM400-over-billion debt that will grow unabated because in (Prime Minister) Najib Tun Razak's calculations, (British economist John Maynard) Keynes couldn't imagine the rapaciousness and gross stupidity of an animal called Umno. Why weren't there any questions? Why didn't a single Umno delegate tell Najib that politics is not a game, so how can he talk about game-changer? And if, in responding to his call to Umno leaders to "do the right thing" by resigning as unwinnable candidates, they were to tell him "you first, show the way", will his answer be any different from that by (former premier Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) in the 22 years he had messed up the institutions while holding on to his seat and spinning about "Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah"? Why didn't a single Umno delegate ask (Deputy Prime Minister) Muhyiddin (Yassin) whether (de facto Law Minister) Nazri (Aziz) would have labelled his speech "racist" eight times and call for his immediate censure in Parliament? READ MORE HERE

M’sia overly dependent on foreign workers Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:26 AM PST Malaysians are relying more on foreign workers and a change of mindset is needed, says Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam. If you see the recent registration, we've registered 1.3 million illegal workers, along with the 1.8 million legal. This means, we already have 3.1 million foreign workers. And there are also fears that some are still undocumented. As far as we're concerned, these numbers are huge. Teoh El Sen, Free Malaysia Today We see them everywhere – in restaurants, foodstalls, homes, gardens, construction sites, just to name a few places. We are talking about the ever-present foreign workers. There are about 3.1 million documented illegal and legal immigrants in the country, and probably more still under the radar screem. The consensus is that Malaysia is facing the problem of having too many foreign workers. Admitting that this was the "biggest issue" faced by his ministry, Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam said efforts by the government to reduce the numbers have been met with difficulties, including opposition from employers. "Malaysians have become too dependant on foreign workers. The way forward is for the employers to have a change in their mindsets," said Subramaniam. This mindset change, he said, must translate into employers being less labour dependent and more skill dependent. Subramaniam said many developed countries have gone through this phase and have been able to transform themselves by using less manpower and more machines. He believes Malaysia can change, too. He said the country is caught in a "vicious cycle" where wages are low and locals don't want to work. "And because locals don't want to work, foreign workers come in, and the more they come in, the more wages won't increase," he said, adding that he hopes wage increases would help alleviate this problem. Subramaniam was speaking to FMT in a recent interview about the foreign worker situation in Malaysia. During the interview, he also spoke about what he thought about cases of foreign maid abuses and how the government was addressing the issue as well as the status of asylum seekers in the country. Below are excerpts of the interview What are some of the plans the ministry has for foreign workers? Ideally, we should be in a situation where we can manage with the minimum number of foreign workers. Unfortunately in Malaysia now, too many sectors have become dependent on foreign workers. Any attempt by the government to reduce it at any stage is met with objection and opposition from employers. And this is the ministry's biggest issue. After the 10th Malaysia Plan, the government said, 'we'll be able to reduce foreign workers to 1.1 million.' That was our expectation. Initially, it went to 1.1 million during the economic crisis, but after that, it slowly went back to 1.8 million illegal workers. If you see the recent registration, we've registered 1.3 million illegal workers, along with the 1.8 million legal. This means, we already have 3.1 million foreign workers. And there are also fears that some are still undocumented. As far as we're concerned, these numbers are huge. So, how are we dealing with this huge number? There are two parts of this argument. On one side are the non-employers, whose argument is that 'we should stop them from coming in'. There is also this concern that the unusual number of foreign workers has led to suppression of wages. Wages are not high in Malaysia, and because wages are low, locals don't want to work… and because locals don't want to work, foreign workers come in, and the more foreign workers come in, the more the wages don't increase. So it becomes a vicious cycle. That is one view. The other group, the employers, says that 'we cannot get locals, we're willing to pay locals higher, but they don't want to come'. This is is true in particular categories of industries. We are really critically dependent on foreign workers, like plantations; some 90 percent of the harvesters and tappers are foreigners. And the estates are not able to draw the younger generation to take part in this activity. Likewise in construction, except for locals who are probably independent contractors, foreign workers are the mainstay. Likewise in domestic maids, there are a lot of people who say you can train locals and give opportunities, but nobody wants to go for such training. It's the nature of the job itself; locals don't want them. So we are caught in a bind. These three sectors alone employ nearly 1.2 million people. So we would not be able to reduce (the number of workers) in these three sectors. Then we have the manufacturing sector and service sector, restaurants. When we tell restaurants we are freezing the intake of workers, they say they have to close shops. READ MORE HERE

CM: We had reason to bar Haris Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:18 AM PST (The Star) - Sabah barred lawyer-activist Haris Ibrahim from the state for valid reasons, Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman said. "The authorities have valid reasons for not allowing him to enter Sabah," Musa told reporters yesterday after launching the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com­mission's open day for civil servants to eradicate corruption. However, Musa did not disclose the reasons for the persona non grata order against Haris who was put on a flight back to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday by Imm­igration officers. Haris, who is Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement president, had come to Sabah to carry out the movement's roadshow with local NGOs and political parties.

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