Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- ‘Amend constitution to stop party-hopping’
- Act against Hadi and not Hasan
- More members roped into Jeffrey’s opposition group
- MACC probing Shahrizat
- Rebel PAS leader continues to receive flak over his stand
- Jeffrey’s back to active politics
- Unease grows over Muslim head for top convent school
- Boo Chang under fire on plan to rejoin Gerakan
- Court orders Balkis to be re-instated
| ‘Amend constitution to stop party-hopping’ Posted: 16 Dec 2011 03:48 PM PST DAP chairman Karpal Singh says if a bill is tabled, the BN government will get the full backing of Pakatan Rakyat. (Free Malaysia Today) - The DAP today called on the Najib administration to amend the Federal Constitution to ban party hopping by elected representatives. Its chairman Karpal Singh said Barisan Nasional government should table an emergency parliamentary bill soon to amend the constitution. "It should be done before the next general election," Karpal told newsmen during his weekly Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency visit here today. He said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak can count on the Pakatan Rakyat support for the amendment. He said Najib should not be worried about not securing a two-thirds majority needed to make a constitutional amendment. He said the Pakatan MPs would surely back Najib's administration on the amendment, which would eventually flush out selfish politicians. The amendment will have to done on Article 10 of the Federal Constitution which allows citizens freedom of association. Many elected representatives are pointing to the article to justify their defections over the years. Karpal, a lawyer by profession, indicated that only a constitutional amendment can once and for all put an end to party hopping by elected representatives. The amendment would pave way for the parliament and state governments to legislate anti-hopping laws. Karpal was referring to a Gerakan suggestion to ban party hopping made during a public hearing by the Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reforms here yesterday. The hearing was chaired by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili.
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| Act against Hadi and not Hasan Posted: 16 Dec 2011 03:11 PM PST Kelantan opposition leader says PAS president and other leaders were the ones involved in Malay unity talks with Umno. (Free Malaysia Today) - PAS should not be taking action against its former Selangor commissioner Dr Hasan Ali instead they should go against party president Abdul Hadi and other leaders. Kelantan opposition leader Alwi Md Che Ahmad said Abdul Hadi Awang, former deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa and vice-president Sallehuddin Ayub were the ones who started the PAS-Umno Malay unity talks. Alwi who was the political secretary to former premier Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, revealed that Hadi led a small party delegation to meet Abdullah at Seri Perdana. "It happened in late 2008 before Abdullah (Pak Lah) had stepped down as prime minister and Umno president. It was a frank discussion about Malay Unity and Abdul Hadi had even (tried) to persuade Pak Lah to stay on as the nation's leader," Alwi said in an interview. He remembered that Hadi and Nasharudin were present while Sallehuddin liased with him on arranging the meeting. "Hasan was nowhere near Seri Perdana. Now, PAS is asking him to quit the party when he apparently talked about Malay Unity. PAS is showing its true colours as a hypocrite and as an opportunist. They should act against Hadi instead," he said. He said the issue of Malay Unity had dragged on since 1999 when it was first conceptualized. In 2004, when PAS was almost wiped out in the general election, the Islamist party had then seemed more than eager to pursue this form of centralised-politics. Later after 2008, PAS had outright rejected the notion of unity as it performed remarkably well in that year's election. Now, the issue has cropped again after Hasan made the remarks after it was recently reported that he would no longer be fielded as a PAS candidate.
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| More members roped into Jeffrey’s opposition group Posted: 16 Dec 2011 10:15 AM PST (The Star) - Political figure Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan is putting together an Opposition front comprising Sabah and Sarawak parties to fight Barisan Nasional in the coming polls. Apart from the pressure group United Borneo Front (UBF) that he heads, Dr Jeffrey has so far roped in the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and the unregistered Usno Baru into his Borneo Alliance. His aides said the alliance, which would be launched on Jan 6, includes the Sarawak Reform Party. "We will be discussing the use of a common symbol for the coming election," Dr Jeffrey said when launching the UBF's first anniversary gathering here yesterday. SAPP deputy president Amde Sidek, Usno Baru pro tem chief Datu Badaruddin Tun Mustapha and Sarawak Reform Party president Dr Dripin Sakoi were present. Asked about support for the Opposition being split between the alliance and Pakatan Rakyat, Dr Jeffrey said he would like to see it being averted. Dr Jeffrey said Sabah and Sarawak parties should come together as an alliance in the election as the 166 parliamentary seats in the peninsula and Labuan were equally split between Barisan and Pakatan. "Sabah and Sarawak are now kingmakers and we must quickly capitalise on this opportunity," he said.
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| Posted: 16 Dec 2011 10:12 AM PST (The Star) - The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating whether Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil had played any part in the award of the RM250mil loan to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), of which her husband is the executive chairman. Sources said MACC officers were checking to ascertain if she had influenced, took part in the project or whether she had a hand in the loan award. They said the commission had started its investigations into the matter after the NFC issue was highlighted in the Auditor-General's 2010 Report. The report indicated that the project had not met targets set by the Government. It is learnt that MACC officers had visited the project site as well as the NFC office and interviewed Shahrizat's husband Datuk Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail as well as several other people connected to the NFC project. Meanwhile, MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed said the commission had been investigating "grand corruption all the way" and denied that it was only combating petty corruption. "Our responsibility is to investigate and we have been doing so regardless of the person's status," he said at the closing ceremony of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy here yesterday. He was responding to a question that certain groups, including Transparency International (TI), which said that not enough was being done to combat "grand corruption". On Dec 1, TI said Malaysia had shown a decline in its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score for the third consecutive year, scoring lower than 4.4 last year and was significantly lower than the Government's own benchmark of 4.9. Abu Kassim said the MACC had been investigating "big" cases regardless of whether it involved Cabinet ministers or ordinary citizens.
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| Rebel PAS leader continues to receive flak over his stand Posted: 16 Dec 2011 10:11 AM PST (The Star) - PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali has stepped up the attacks against rebel Selangor party leader Datuk Dr Hasan Ali, who has been widely speculated to be leaving the party. Mustafa chided the Selangor state executive councillor, saying the latter's stand on certain matters created the impression that he was going against the tide to defend Islam. "By saying that he is making such and such a stand in defence of Islam, he has created the perception that PAS is no longer defending Islam," he said in an interview yesterday. Mustafa said this in response to growing discontent within the party against the 64-year-old Dr Hasan. The secretary-general said PAS leaders who behaved in such manner had "obviously taken Umno's bait" to weaken the Islamist party. He also hit out at Dr Hasan for allegedly offering to mediate unity talks between Umno and PAS, pointing out: "He should know the party's stand on the matter. It was decided at the PAS muktamar that unity talks are off." Mustafa also shrugged off as a non-issue claims in the media that Dr Hasan would not be fielded in the next general election because he had failed to secure enough nominations from PAS members to defend his Gombak Setia state seat. The PAS central leadership would decide on who the potential candidates would be, he added. In an immediate response, Dr Hasan said he would explain all during a press conference on Monday. "I will clear the air soon. I will explain everything. I will address the matter properly and put things in the right perspective," he said. Dr Hasan also said he had no plans to quit PAS to join Umno. PAS central committee member Khalid Samad expressed hope that Dr Hasan would not leave the party. However, he urged Dr Hasan to learn to work as a team member. "He should stick to collective decisions," Khalid said. Former PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa also came under heavy criticism for allegedly propagating PAS-Umno unity. "I do not know why I am being dragged into it again. I have been very busy with family matters in recent days," he said. As a Selangor state executive councillor, Dr Hasan has had numerous run-ins with his party and Pakatan Rakyat colleagues, being blamed for the controversial anti-proselytisation inspection at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church in August. He also stirred a hornet's nest by claiming that "solar-powered talking bibles" were being used to convert Muslims to Christianity and for his failed attempt at banning the sale of alcoholic beverages at 24-hour convenience stores. Dr Hasan nevertheless continues to command support, especially from among the party grassroots. Most notable is PAS Youth chief Nasruddin Hassan, who views Dr Hasan as an eminent defender of Islam, Malays and the royal institution. It was reported on Thursday that there was a widening rift between Dr Hasan and top PAS leaders after talk emerged that he would not be fielded as an election candidate.
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| Jeffrey’s back to active politics Posted: 16 Dec 2011 08:58 AM PST Sarawak Reform Party (STAR) officially announced Sabah politician Jeffrey Kitingan as the chairman of its Sabah chapter. (Free Malaysia Today) - Maverick Jeffrey Kitingan, who has been without a party since he left PKR one year ago, has now joined a reactivated 16-year-old Sarawak party, Sarawak Reform Party (STAR). STAR president, Dripin Sakoi, presented Jeffrey a membership card and document empowering him to lead a Sabah chapter of the party in time for the 13th general election. Four other Jeffrey allies in Sabah, who also received their membership cards from Sakoi today, are Guandi Kohoi, Rubin Guribah, Jeffrey Telado and James Aik. Sakoi, who took over the presidency from STAR founder Patau Rubis in March, surprised everyone in the packed hall of a restaurant in Penampang, near here, when he invited the five to come forward and received their STAR cards while he was giving a short speech after Jeffrey finished his. "We in STAR fully subscribed and support the Borneo Agenda of UBF (United Borneo Front) and it is time now for us to unite… I am calling on Jeffrey to come forward and receive his membership. He is now to lead the Sabah chapter," Dripin said amidst applause from the some 300 supporters of UBF and guests. FMT learnt that Jeffrey will tonight be meeting with his people to set up an organising committee for the launching of STAR Sabah on Jan 6. It is understood that that Hongkod Koisaan hall, which is the headquarters of the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA), has been booked. The 4,000-capacity hall will be the site for Jeffrey's clarion call to gather together the much-touted third force. Earlier in his press conference, Jeffrey did not mention joining any party. Neither did he say anything about it his hour-long speech. In his speech, he reiterated his frequent call for the people to unite and see the reality of false hope and broken dreams spun by the then regime. "We have been duped because we were too young to comprehend then (1963). "They exploited us until we became just one of the 13 states in the federation, until we have become the poorest in this country. "We must put a stop to this and the only way is to unite once again to fight for our independence and our rights," Jeffrey said. Over the past year, Jeffrey has been travelling all over Sabah holding hundreds of tea-parties to explain and galvanise people to support his Borneo Agenda. Badaruddin Datu Mustapha Harun, son of a former chief minister, was one of two speakers at the event. The other was Sabah Progressive People's Party (SAPP) deputy president Amdi Sidek. Badaruddin urged all the three major native communities in Sabah – Muslims, non-Muslims and Chinese – to unite and vote Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) out of Sabah at the next general election.
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| Unease grows over Muslim head for top convent school Posted: 16 Dec 2011 07:29 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - For Catholic Malaysians, Putrajaya's latest pick of a Malay-Muslim principal to head the prestigious SMK Convent Bukit Nanas (CBN) underscores a worrying trend to disregard the Church's contribution and rights in the country. Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam waded this week into a growing row between the 112-year-old school's Catholic owners and the Ministry of Education (MOE) after its new principal Datin Seri Zavirah Mohd Shaari's surprise arrival at its doorstep. "The appointment of the principal of CBN is not only contrary to the government policy of maximum consultation but has given the impression that it is the government's strategy to take over the mission schools in total disregard for the status, ethos and special character of mission schools, especially CBN," Pakiam said in a statement published earlier this week in Catholic paper The Herald. He was appealing to Education director-general Datuk Seri Abdul Ghafar Mahmud to reconsider the ministry's decision and pick a suitably qualified person nominated by the school owners under the Infant Jesus (IJ) Sisters order. The school is considered among the top convent schools in the country. The case comes on the heels of a recent drama over the police's extra conditions for carolling permits on two South Klang churches less than two weeks ago. Earlier this year, right-wing Malay-Muslim groups triggered a national uproar over persistent rumours that churches are on a campaign to convert their own and pushing unfounded allegations of a secret political plot to install a Christian prime minister in the next general election. Christians say such issues are an attempt to erode their religious rights in Muslim-majority Malaysia. CBN, which has produced notable personalities such as Bersih 2.0 chief Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and former International Trade Minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, is one of 60 convent schools in Malaysia, Sister Rosalind Tan told The Malaysian Insider. Tan is the mother provincial of the IJ Sisters and the person in charge of the order's administration in the country. She related that the school's board of governors were taken aback when Zavirah reported for duty last week. The previous head, Ann Khoo, retired last month because there was no prior notice from the Education Ministry.
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| Boo Chang under fire on plan to rejoin Gerakan Posted: 16 Dec 2011 07:27 AM PST (Bernama) - A Penang Gerakan leader has rapped former PKR Bukit Gelugur division chief Lim Boo Chang for intending to rejoin Gerakan. Penang Gerakan Legal and Human Rights Bureau head Baljit Singh said Lim should not be allowed to rejoin as he had previously left Gerakan and joined other parties.
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| Court orders Balkis to be re-instated Posted: 16 Dec 2011 07:25 AM PST (Bernama) - The High Court today ordered that Balkis, the Wives of Selangor State Assemblymen and Members of Parliament Welfare and Charity Organisation, to be reinstated from the time it was de-registered by Registrar of Societies (ROS) on Feb 2009. Balkis made the headlines after Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim alleged that there had been misappropriation of Balkis' funds under its previous president, Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik, the wife of former Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo. Justice Datuk Rohana Yusuf made the ruling in chambers after meeting counsel S.Selvarajah, who appeared for the applicants, and Senior Federal Counsel Datin Azizah Nawawi who acted for ROS. The applicants were the Selangor government, Abdul Khalid's wife Puan Sri Salbiah Tunut, Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad, Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad, Selangor State Development Corporation, Worldwide Holdings Berhad, Selangor Industrial Corporation Sdn Bhd, Selaman Sdn Bhd, PKNS Infra Berhad and PKNS Engineering & Construction Bhd. They filed the judicial review application against ROS to quash ROS' decision to de-register Balkis and sought a declaration that the decision was illegal, null and void. They also sought the re-instatement of the organisation. Selvarajah told reporters that the judge only allowed Salbiah's application to quash the ROS decision and a mandamus order to compel ROS to re-instate the organisation on the grounds that she had substantive locus standi to apply for such an order. "The court held that she (Salbiah) had legitimate expectation to assume office as YDP (president) of Balkis in her capacity of wife of the Menteri Besar as provided for in Balkis Constitution," Selvarajah said. The court rejected the other applicants application as they had no locus standi and were merely donors to the organisation, he said. Selvarajah also said Justice Rohana held that ROS had not properly verified documentation before de-registering Balkis. He said the judge said that the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held by members of Balkis to dissolve the organisation on March 11, 2008 was invalid as there was serious defects in the meeting agenda because it did not state the meeting was called for the purpose of dissolution. "This had prejudiced the members who were deprived of information on the purpose of the EGM," he said.
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