Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Can Ahmad Bashah regain Kedah for BN?
- Something fishy in Bank Islam-Muamalat merger?
- Will Anwar Overcome the Barriers to Putrajaya?
- Tragedies from lessons unlearnt
- Decision soon on fuel prices
- Jala surprised by fall in world competitive ranking
- We need to know how the PSD failed
- Taib Shows True Colours In Tasmania
- Ananda’s telco deal under Indian CBI spotlight
- ‘Racist Uthayakumar a BN agent’
- DAP unlikely to abandon PR partners — Political analyst
- Can Umno do this?
- Himpunan Bersih 2.0, 9 Julai ini
- Will the GST be another nail in the coffin?
- "Divide and Rule" - Dividing The Malays
- ‘Excuse me officer, we’re bumiputeras’
- PAS belum runding pembahagian kerusi PRU
- MCMC to complete setting up 131 Wifi villages in Sabah this month
- DAP man’s son – from victim to suspect
- Kick out BN, Anwar tells poor
- Penang’s third link in the pipeline
- Lynas says paid Putrajaya for toxic waste cover
- Malaysian Trivia
| Can Ahmad Bashah regain Kedah for BN? Posted: 21 May 2011 12:49 PM PDT By Sheridan Mahavera, The Malaysian Insider ALOR STAR, May 22 — Barisan Nasional's (BN) new point-man in its quest to retake Kedah is supremely confident in the gospel of 1 Malaysia.
For Datuk Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, it is the key to breaking Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) hold over the minds of Kedahans and putting their belief back in the BN. After a Chinese New Year dinner in late February, he had stated that 1 Malaysia's message of inclusiveness was bringing the Chinese community back into the BN, which is key to winning Kedah's mixed seats. "Kedahans have seen that PR cannot fulfil their promises. Their confidence is returning to us," declares Ahmad Bashah, Kedah Umno's liaison chief and the man handpicked by BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak in January this year to spearhead the national coalition's take-over of Kedah. For the four-term assemblyman, 1 Malaysia's tenet of unity extends to how state governments should be in sync with the coalition holding federal power. He believes only this will move Kedah forward. A straw poll of 70 Kedahans conducted by The Malaysian Insider, however, challenges the claim that 1 Malaysia is sparking wide interest among the public. Though he is a veteran leader among Umno leaders and BN allies, Ahmad Bashah's appeal does not percolate down to the man-on-street or even among many Umno supporters. He also has to deal with the clawing factionalism in Kedah Umno's 15 divisions. It was partly the back-stabbing within divisions over who was chosen as candidates in the 12th general election that derailed their machinery and turned off the party's supporters. A northern Kedah Umno division leader describes the fight ahead as steep and hard for Ahmad Bashah and the BN. Even though the PR administration has been less-than-stellar, BN must endure painful changes if it wants Kedahans to take them back. A familiar hand Ahmad Bashah was a senior leader in the Kedah BN state Cabinet prior to 2008. He takes over the state Umno and BN leadership from Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who was more of an interim appointee after Kedah fell to PR. The former businessman started being active in Umno at about the same time "Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became a deputy education minister". A consummate party man, he worked his way up from a branch leader to a youth leader in the Alor Star division before becoming its head. He first contested and won the Bakar Bata state seat (which was then called Alor Merah) in the 1995 elections. In an interview with The Malaysian Insider, Ahmad Bashah said his main message to Kedahans was the importance of returning to BN to power in order to get the necessary investment and funds to grow Kedah. "Datuk Najib is the torch bearer of Malaysia," he said, referring to the prime minister's attempt at bringing development via the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and the National Key Results Areas (NKRA) initiative. "So we (Kedah BN) have to help Najib bring that torch to Kedah. Kedah must be ruled by the same parties that controls Putrajaya," he adds. This is a truism that is often overlooked. Kedah is largely a paddy-based agrarian economy. On its own, the state is unable to attract large-scale ventures in manufacturing or electronics that bring in jobs, raise local spending power and help spur small business growth. Such previous ventures such as the Sharp Roxy plant in Sungai Petani, the Kulim High Tech Park and the Perwaja Steel plant in Gurun, were set up with the aid of federal government agencies that deal with trade. Similarly, the big universities and colleges that are transforming Kedah's landscape like Universiti Utara Malaysia in Changloon and AIMST University in Semeling were made possible by the Higher Education Ministry. "We have seen that under Pakatan, the state has gone backwards. Only BN can bring it forwards." New line up, Same faces Bashah admits that factionalism is a problem but insists it is manageable, claiming it is more a "perception problem among the grassroots" rather than a debilitating cancer. |
| Something fishy in Bank Islam-Muamalat merger? Posted: 21 May 2011 12:46 PM PDT (Harakah Daily) - KUALA LUMPUR, May 20: Another bailout? This is the question summing up concerns by PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub over the merger proposal between Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad and Bank Muamalat, involving tax payers' money. "I am afraid this is another bailout that has been the unhealthy culture in our country and which continues to burden the people," he told the media yesterday. Salahuddin (pic) argued that the merger idea might be mooted to rescue Bank Muamalat, which was rumoured to be in trouble, at the expense of Bank Islam, adding that his suspicioun was fuelled by absence of any official statements from Bank Muamalat over its woes. Salahuddin said the merger would not benefit Bank Islam as it was part of BIMB Holding Bhd with Tabung Haji as its biggest share holder at 51 percent. "What is the point of merging with Bank Muamalat? What are the benefits? Bank Islam already has 115 branches nationwide. What will it get by merging with Bank Muamalat? "If it has only few branches, one can say it is reasonable, but Bank Islam's network spreads nationwide. Ditto Tabung Haji," stressed Salahuddin, who is also the Kubang Kerian member of parliament. Salahuddin reiterated that PAS was not 'comfortable' with the proposed merger because it smacked of a bail-out using public funds. 'Don't burden Bank Islam' Last week, DRB-HICOM, the biggest shareholder in Bank Muamalat, expressed its interest to Bank Islam on the prospect of merger with the Islamic bank, but stopped short of saying whether it would give up controlling stake of 70 percent in Bank Muamalat. The other 30 percent stake is held by Khazanah Nasional Berhad. |
| Will Anwar Overcome the Barriers to Putrajaya? Posted: 21 May 2011 12:30 PM PDT By Dajmarizal Zolkipli, Malaysian Digest In 2008, when asked on the possibility of Anwar Ibrahim becoming the next prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad responded sarcastically, "He would make a good Prime Minister… of Israel". That pretty much sums it all up on what a former premier feels about his own former protégé and the person he himself groomed throughout his years as prime minister. Back then when Anwar was deputy prime minister, who would have the slightest thought that the one who was thought to have been destined to be Dr Mahathir's successor would turn out to be the most controversial opposition leader the country have ever bred. By now, Anwar is already the most renowned Malaysian politician. Being the only Malaysian who made it to Time Most Influential People in 2008, Anwar has also masterminded the formation of the Pakatan Rakyat following the March 2008 political 'tsunami' of which both changed the political landscape significantly. We can see now that, since the formation of Pakatan with Anwar as its leader, the Malaysian political scene has been divided into two sides – those who wish to stay with the existing system of governance, and those who wish to reform and change the style of governance. But more recently, the nation is yet again divided in their personal verdict on the sex video that has emerged in April implicating the PKR de facto leader. The only difference this time is even those in the Opposition are divided in their views on whether the sex video is genuine. For some, the video that was exposed by 'suspicious' characters by the likes of Datuk 'T' (Shazryl Eskay, Rahim Thamby Chik and Shuib Lazim) was artificially created as a plot to end Anwar's political career. To some of these guys, the sex tape could be an attempt by rival Barisan Nasional (BN) to 'even out the scores' since its coalition party MCA's president himself has a sex video of his own that was leaked out earlier. Whatever the people's views are, the police have already confirmed that the sex video footage is a genuine recording. Now it's up to the Attorney-General to decide whether Anwar has to enter defense or not. Sodomy II We are all familiar with the fact that Anwar is no stranger to controversy and the legal procedures involved in alleged sex scandals. That being said, on 16 May, the opposition leader was ordered to enter defense on his second sodomy charge. On June he will once again take the stand as a witness and defend himself against the charge of sodomizing his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan. Anwar and his team of lawyers led by top counsel Karpal Singh who's also his DAP partner in Pakatan will be put to the task in raising doubt in the prosecution's case of which is built on Anwar's DNA matching that of 'Male Y'. For Anwar to win the case his legal team must prove that the said DNA sample had been tampered with or it was planted. They also need any alibi saying that he was not there at Bukit Damansara (the vicinity of the condominium where of the alleged crime had taken place) at all material time of the alleged crime. Proving that there was no penetration into Saiful's anus would also be another tough endeavor, As it is, with Anwar's DNA samples taken from a water bottle, towel and toothbrush accepted as evidence, the opposition leader could easily be found guilty. What he can do to save himself though is to take an oath in front of the judge to deny his relation with the persecution's case. Even if Anwar successfully gets Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor to take the stand as witnesses like he had vowed to do nothing much can be gained as these two would be more partial towards the persecution team. However, if it were to happen what it would achieve for Anwar and his defense team is it would sensationalize the case even more and, with that, more attention from the international media. As I said, Anwar is no stranger to this game. He will use the foreign media to his advantage to get sympathy while gaining popularity and, of course, ultimately, get the international community on his side. This sodomy trial looks to be another lengthy affair. If Anwar wins the case, prosecution will appeal to Court of Appeal and vice versa all the way to e Federal Court – making this court and trial saga reminiscent of the 1998 trial. Will Anwar's Pakatan Stand the Test of Controversies? Anwar also has another thing to worry about on top of the alleged sex scandals. With the general election looming, the Pakatan coalition is showing signs of cracks. There's a lot of buzz on a possible PAS-Umno merger and with Hadi Awang's continued leadership this could be a reality. Meanwhile, DAP has totally outshined PKR (and PAS) after its (DAP's) impressive outing in the Sarawak state election. |
| Tragedies from lessons unlearnt Posted: 21 May 2011 12:25 PM PDT (NST) - HIGHLAND Towers. Karak Highway. Taman Hillview. Bukit Antarabangsa. And now, Felcra Semungkis. These names alone are enough to evoke the most painful images -- of wrecked houses and cars, of families in grief and of rescue workers pulling out bodies from under piles of soil and rubble. The continuing failure to prevent fatal landslides is nothing short of a national tragedy, one that highlights a stubborn refusal on the part of developers, local authorities and the public to learn from the harsh lessons of the past. Few details have emerged so far, but it is, perhaps, no coincidence that this most recent disaster at the Hidayah Madrasah Al-Taqwa orphanage at km14 Jalan Hulu Langat, occurred during a long spell of daily torrential rain. Landslides are an unfortunate but common feature of the nation's geology, part of the perils of living in a tropical country where heavy rainfall plays a large role in soil erosion and destabilisation. In recent years, rapid urbanisation, overdevelopment and deforestation have contributed further to the destabilising of soil, with a greater number of heavy, concrete structures being built upon gradually weakened earth. According to a study, 26 landslides were reported in the media between 1993 and 2002. These events have caused 150 deaths, 30 others injured and thousands more to be evacuated. This works out to more than five deaths in each incident. Yet there are few signs that we have learned to live with the reality of landslides, the way the Japanese have learned to adapt to life with regular earthquakes. Rampant deforestation continues with no blanket ban issued on hill slope development. At least one minister has defended the decision to continue development in hilly areas as a way of dealing with a rapidly growing population and increasing land scarcity. Demand among house-buyers for hill-slope properties has not diminished either, despite warnings from the victims of previous landslides about the potential of heavy personal and economic losses one would incur when such a tragedy occurs. Some may also point a finger at overzealous developers who fail to be fully transparent when presenting the safety details of their building projects to prospective buyers and local authorities. The Public Works Department's slope engineering division, set up in 2004, has the expertise in slope maintenance, landslide risk assessment and methods to reduce them. However, the lack of resources and manpower at local councils have left them ill-equipped to adequately evaluate development plans, to monitor risk areas or to undertake the quick action needed to prevent landslides. And despite efforts to look into the causes of landslides, most of the studies have been conducted after the fact. Not enough attention has been given to coming up with workable methods and early warning systems that can warn us of landslides and therefore, minimise the loss of life, One thing is certain, landslides are here to stay. Lives can only be saved when one finds the right balance between the need for development and the need to protect the public. A balance that can only be attained with knowledge and political wil |
| Posted: 21 May 2011 10:34 AM PDT By M. Hamzah Jamaludin, Hanif Salim and Sulaiman Jaafar, NST KEMAMAN: The government's plans to rationalise the fuel subsidies should not be exploited as the increase in global prices of the commodity will eventually make the amount involved too big to manage, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Hitting out at the opposition in particular, Muhyiddin said it was easier for them to blame the government as they were not the ones who had to find solutions to the problem, especially when the subsidies involved had increased from RM10 billion to RM18 billion. The opposition has been exploiting the issue of an imminent fuel price hike although the government has yet to make a decision on the matter. Muhyiddin said the government would take into consideration all factors before making any decision on the fuel subsidies, which had helped maintain the prices of other products and services. Asked when the government would make the decision on fuel prices, he said the matter would be announced after a cabinet committee that he chaired received reports from all the agencies involved. Muhyiddin said it was important for the public to also help absorb the increase in fuel prices as the time would come when the government could no longer shoulder the subsidies which could affect the development plans for the country. |
| Jala surprised by fall in world competitive ranking Posted: 21 May 2011 10:28 AM PDT By Yuen Meikeng, The Star KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala has expressed surprise that Malaysia has fallen six places in international competitiveness ranking from last year. However, Jala, who is also the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) CEO, said he accepted the ranking and would look into areas which could be improved. "We are studying the report on Malaysia's position in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011. "We will look into issues and areas of weaknesses and find ways to improve them," he said after the "How you can participate and benefit from the Economic Transformation Pro-gramme (ETP)" seminar held at Wis-ma Chinese Chambers here yesterday. Jala added that the Government would analyse the details of the report next week. In the scoreboard released by Switzerland-based Institute of Management Development, Malay-sia's ranking dropped from 10th place to 16th out of 59 participating countries. Jala said the ranking was produced from interviews with 110 people although there were about 28 million Malaysians. "The ranking is the result of the views of those 110 people. If you ask another 110 people, they may have different views," he said, adding that it had only been six months since the ETP was introduced. "It will take time for the ETP to show fruition in the economy. "I remain positive that this is a great country with a great future," he said, adding that there was still a need to improve government and business efficiency. On the Chinese community's acceptance of the ETP, Jala said their response was excellent and he was very encouraged by it. "Many Chinese small and medium enterprises have raised their issues with us and we are looking for solutions," he said. |
| We need to know how the PSD failed Posted: 21 May 2011 10:25 AM PDT (The STar) - THE Public Services Department (PSD) is in the soup for the reported mishandling of scholarship awards that is at odds with government policy. Many among the 363 full A+ students were denied overseas scholarships they had applied for. Last year, 1,218 SPM students had scored 9A+ or better but were still denied scholarships. Evidently the PSD has much explaining to do, since its designation demands that its duty is to serve the public interest. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had even extended scholarship eligibility to students who had scored 8A+, but the department has let him down. The MCA acted swiftly to press for proper rectification. Party Youth chief and Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong has announced that the PSD will review the scholarship applications by top students. Results of the findings will be made known from tomorrow. The issue will also be thrashed out at the next Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The PSD's failure to do its job is a disservice to the nation and producing a loss to the country. It has also shaken public confidence in the nation's governance, especially among the younger generation. Any wilful element in that failure is insubordination to the nation's executive that amounts to treasonable conduct. An apology from the department is the least that the public can expect from it. There should also be appropriate penalties for those officers who had knowingly deviated from official policy. How else can they be deterred from further misconduct? All this provokes some essential questions in the public mind: what prompted the deviation, who are the guilty officers, and what other misconduct remains unknown? Central to the problem is the lack of transparency in the handling of scholarship applications. The obvious solution is to publish past selection procedures besides making future procedures publicly known. Since the award of scholarships involves large sums being given by some individuals to certain individuals, a thorough inquiry is needed to restore the PSD's reputation. If necessary, an independent investigation into the many anomalies should involve the MACC. It is important for public confidence to return to official institutions, particularly those tasked to serve the public. The PSD itself should be the first to seek all the remedies needed to clear the air. |
| Taib Shows True Colours In Tasmania Posted: 21 May 2011 10:21 AM PDT By Sarawak Report As news reports are beginning to show, Australia is beginning to get a true picture of Taib Mahmud and his behaviour in Sarawak.
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| Ananda’s telco deal under Indian CBI spotlight Posted: 21 May 2011 02:49 AM PDT The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation is looking into alleged discrepancies in the ownership change in Aircel by Ananda Krishnan's Maxis Communications. (Free Malaysia Today) - Business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan could face Indian investigations over his takeover of Chennai-based cellular company Aircel in 2006. The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is looking into alleged discrepancies in the ownership change in Aircel by Ananda Krishnan's Maxis Communications. The inquiry, as directed by the Indian courts, is to examine decisions taken by the Indian Telecom Ministry, including the decision to allow the takeover of Aircel by the Malaysian telco giant. A report in the New Delhi-based Economic Times today stated that the CBI is likely to name former Telecoms Minister Dayanidhi Maran and Maxis over the ownership change. Maran is now the Indian textile minister. The daily reported that a preliminary investigation is expected to be filed before July 6. "Yes, we are at an advanced stage of investigations into the case. We will be in a position to file the FIR (first information report) before July 6," a CBI official added. During the deal entered by Maxis to takeover Aircel in 2006, the Indian telco was owned by C Sivasankaran. CBI officials investigating the case believed that Sivasankaran was under pressure to strike the deal. According to the Economic Times report, the CBI is likely to allege in the FIR that actions of Maran in not clearing Aircel's application for licences and spectrum as a telecom minister caused Aircel to be sold to Maxis. CBI officials believed, the report added, the delay in granting licence and spectrum to Aircel was a 'ploy' to get them to sell to Maxis. "A person, who was close to the negotiations between Sivasankaran and Maxis at that time, confirmed that pressure was brought upon the former to dispose off his stake," add the report. CBI officials also claimed that Ananda Krishnan was close to the Maran family. Astro's deal under spotlight too Sun Direct is a part of the Sun Group owned by Kalanidhi Maran, southern India's largest vernacular language broadcaster. He is also minister Maran's brother. Economic Times said Dayanidhi Maran refused to comment on the matter.
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| ‘Racist Uthayakumar a BN agent’ Posted: 20 May 2011 06:04 PM PDT Perak DAP leader A Sivanesan shreds the HRP leader, calling the latter a racist whose logic of winning seats did not make sense. (Free Malaysia Today) - Human Rights Party (HRP) leader P Uthayakumar has been accused of being a Barisan Nasional agent out to destroy Pakatan Rakyat's chances of taking Perak and Putrajaya in the next general election. Perak DAP state vice chief A Sivanesan told FMT that HRP just wants to be a spoiler and they do not have the numbers to win the state and parliamentary seats that they have demanded. "Uthayakumar's political aim is always focused on attacking Pakatan and its elected representatives but not BN. Why doesn't he ask BN for the 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats? His political moves and actions indicate that he is a BN agent," he added. Sivanesan said he cannot make sense of Uthayakumar's logic of taking seven state seats and three parliamentary seats in Perak with only Indian votes. "He is a racist by only talking about Indian rights and will not get the support of the Chinese and Malay voters," added the Sungkai assemblyperson. Sivanesan said while Uthayakumar always degraded Pakatan's Indian elected representatives as being "mandores", these "mandores however do not betray the people like him." "He does not have the numbers (voters) to win the seats and he wants to threaten us by demanding to ride piggy-back on our support to win the seats. If they are so sure of getting all the votes of the Indian community then let them stand on their own and lose their deposits," he said. As for the Hindraf rally in 2007, Sivanesan said the huge turnout was because Uthayakumar and his brother Waythamoorthy had baited the Indians with the promise of monetary rewards. The brothers promised to file a Four Trillion British Pound law suit against the British government at the British court and claim US$1 million compensation for every Indian residing in Malaysia. "So, why was the lawsuit not filed to get the so-called compensation as promised. So, it was all a sandiwara on their part to get the support of the Indian community and now Indians have realised the ulterior motive of the brothers and have boycotted all their road shows," said Sivanesan. The DAP leader demanded that the brothers show all the accounts for the public funds collected in the name of Hindraf from 2007 till now. Uthayakumar had wanted to contest in 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats in the coming general election to safeguard the interests of the marginalised Indian community. He had also warned Pakatan that the coalition would lose Perak if it did not come to the negotiation table with HRP.
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| DAP unlikely to abandon PR partners — Political analyst Posted: 20 May 2011 06:02 PM PDT Jeniri was commenting on former vice chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Tan Sri Nordin Kardi's statement encouraging DAP to join BN as Umno's pragmatic policies were a better match for the secularist party than PAS' Islamic theology. Borneo Post DAP will sink and swim with its Pakatan Rakyat partners rather than join the BN, said local political analyst Dr Jeniri Amir. As such, he said DAP would not want to abandon its partners, namely PKR and PAS, in any way. "After all DAP and its partners in Pakatan are looking forward to form the next federal government," Jeniri told The Borneo Post here yesterday. He also said DAP's agenda was not similar to those of the BN. Jeniri was commenting on former vice chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Tan Sri Nordin Kardi's statement encouraging DAP to join BN as Umno's pragmatic policies were a better match for the secularist party than PAS' Islamic theology. Nordin, who headed UUM until last year, also wrote in Utusan Malaysia yesterday that DAP was better suited for Umno than MCA or Gerakan. "Many of DAP's demands have already been met by BN such as meritocracy for universities and a 'Malaysian Malaysia' which is already under '1Malaysia', he wrote, referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's slogan of inclusion. Nordin, who currently holds the Za'ba chair of Malay Civilisation at Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris, said there was no need to change the status quo as BN already had both secular and theological ideas and looked after the interests of all races. "If the excuse is that BN is still not clean, then the better reasoning is to reform BN, not replace it," said Nordin. He wrote that MCA only emerged during independence to secure business deals that were previously monopolised by British companies. However, the People's Action Party that has governed Singapore since it was removed from the Federation of Malaysia was formed due to concerns that the Chinese community would be led by communists. Nordin said that DAP, which was formed in Malaysia after the two countries split, had the same ideology as PAP and was well-matched with Umno which also rejected leaders who were left-leaning. Najib had recently warned Chinese voters that they would not be represented in the Cabinet if they fail to support BN's Chinese candidates in a general election that he is expected to call within the year. It came after MCA pledged to reject government posts if it did not improve on its 2008 election performance, where it only won 15 of 40 parliamentary seats contested. Chinese support for the ruling coalition has also been on the slide with nearly all Chinese majority seats in the April 16 Sarawak election going to DAP.
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| Posted: 20 May 2011 05:48 PM PDT |
| Himpunan Bersih 2.0, 9 Julai ini Posted: 20 May 2011 05:36 PM PDT (Harakahdaily) - Himpunan Bersih 2.0 seperti yang dirancang sebelum ini telah diputuskan untuk diadakan pada 9 Julai akan datang di Kuala Lumpur. Perkara itu diumumkan Pengerusi Badan Pengerak Demokrasi PAS, Mohammad Sabu dalam satu sidang media di Pejabat Agung PAS petang ini.
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| Will the GST be another nail in the coffin? Posted: 20 May 2011 05:23 PM PDT SAKMONGKOL AK47 A long time ago, I have written about the government's plan to implement GST. I am not going to bother looking at what I wrote. Maybe what I write then did not make sense at all. But to me, the plan to implement the GST will be another nail in the coffin for the BN government. In almost all cases where the GST was introduced, it has raised a lot of discontent. Governments have fallen because of the GST and finance ministers have resigned. Remember this: governments have fallen. Finance ministers have quit. I hope, the government's tax package is not an attempt to trick workers into thinking that they will be better off after the proposed tax cuts. I also hope it will not trick people on government benefits that they will be better off after the so-called "compensation", despite the introduction of a goods and services tax (GST). Consider this. Our tax base is perhaps only 15%, i.e. only about 15 percent of the population pays tax. The balance have nor or were not paying taxes- kampong people, self-employed, ordinary folks outside the tax bracket. Now, all are caught in the tax trawler net and pay consumption tax. Never mind says the government; we will compensate the ordinary people. Ok. So we ask, what then is the size of the compensation and its value? Will it be larger than the revenue the government collects after implementing GST? Then the government ends up spending more after all. What is the purpose of the GST? The GST, levied at a rate of x %, will replace the government's wholesale sales tax and other indirect taxes. How much will the abolition of these taxes cost and how much will the GST raise? I don't have the figures but I am sure the reasoning by the government is that the GST will increase the amount of tax collected. Meaning the GST will increase government revenue by X amount. Revenue will likely to increase over time because of the expansion of the service sector. Here is an interesting question. Somebody will make money as a result of introducing and implementing the GST. Ask this question- who will collect the revenue? It will be collected by some companies already proposing or about to propose further privatization of government services. Who is actually paying the excess revenue that government collects after GST? If we study carefully, we can know who is NOT going to pay: big business- the tax burden on Malaysian business will be reduced by more than the GST revenue collected. How so? Because business which export a lot will be treated to a substantial decrease in costs because they will be eligible to have GST they pay on business inputs refunded. So if business doesn't pay, who pays? If businesses won't be paying the extra GST revenue, then it means that workers and people on government benefits will subsidize business. Cilaka punya government! We subsidize these people? Because, really the GST is not a tax on business as input tax credits ensure that businesses effectively do not pay GST on their inputs. GST paid by business on raw materials, tools, electricity and rent is refunded. Business is exempt from paying the GST.
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| "Divide and Rule" - Dividing The Malays Posted: 20 May 2011 05:06 PM PDT HANTU LAUT Divide et impera or in the sciences of politics and sociology "divide and rule" or "divide and conquer" if literally translated from Latin. From Caesar, Napolean, Louis XI, the Habsburgs to colonial Europe, divide and rule have always been the maxim for maintaining a hold on to power or breaking up larger concentration of power into smaller chunks that individually would be less powerful and less effective.
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| ‘Excuse me officer, we’re bumiputeras’ Posted: 20 May 2011 05:01 PM PDT Malaysians of Siamese descent are having a tough time convincing civil servants that they have bumiputera status. (Free Malaysia Today) - While the cabinet rolls out various policies under the "1Malaysia" concept, bureaucracy continues to reign its ugly head in the civil service. One such example is the status of Malaysians of Siamese descent who after three decades, continue to clarify to the public sector that they are actually bumiputeras by definition. Only about 60,000 strong, the community predominantly resides in the states of Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor and Kelantan. Most lead an agrarian lifestyle but the younger generation has started to serve in the police force, military, civil service and some in tourism while a handful have become successful entrepreneurs. Despite their impressive forays into the civil service, it is the same sector which discriminates them. Due to the current intense political climate, politicians from both sides have began reaching out to them, as their votes are considered important in rural constituencies. Umno has also amended its constitution to admit Malaysians of Siamese descent as members, and some have played a leading role such as the Malaysia-Thai Association Perlis branch chairman Siw Chun Eam. A former Dewan Negara Senator, the Arau Umno division member, is leading a tireless effort to champion the plight of the community. Muhyiddin: Don't discriminate When Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin came calling on Thursday, Siw Chun made sure he got the message. Expressing gratitude to the government for various incentives and monetary aid, Siw Chun however lamented that many public officers continue to disregard the community's status as bumiputeras. "We have a tough time clarifying and dealing with the federal government departments over our status. It is as if the downline of the civil service is not responsive enough, What is said at the top, is not practised at the bottom," she said. She then spoke about the plight of several children who are stateless, as the national registration department cannot issue birth certificates since one of their parents is born in Thailand.
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| PAS belum runding pembahagian kerusi PRU Posted: 20 May 2011 04:59 PM PDT Ia mengikut status quo. (Free Malaysia Today) - PAS belum mengadakan rundingan pembahagian berkenaan kerusi pilihanraya umum. "Rundingan belum selesai di peringkat negeri. Kalau tak boleh, ia akan dibawa ke peringkat pusat.," kata Pengarah Pilihan raya PAS, Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman dalam satu sidang media di ibu pejabat PAS hari ini. "Walau bagaimanapun, kerusi yang ditanding akan mengikut status quo. Sebab itu, kita tanding di Tenang," kata Abdul Halim merujuk kepada pilihanraya kecil di Johor, Januari lalu. "Kalau ada perubahan kita akan runding," tambah beliau. Pilihan raya umum dijangka diadakan pada akhir tahun ini atau pertengahan tahun depan. Beliau turut menolak cadangan bahawa PAS akan bertanding di kerusi majoriti Melayu di negeri Sabah, Perak dan Selangor kerana mahu menjaga status quo.
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| MCMC to complete setting up 131 Wifi villages in Sabah this month Posted: 20 May 2011 04:07 PM PDT (Bernama) - SANDAKAN: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is expected to complete the setting up of 131 WiFi villages in the state this month. MCMC director for Sabah and Labuan, Bukhari Yahya, said at the moment the project, which also covered the rural areas, had reached 50 per cent completion. "Upon completion, people in those villages will be able to access the Internet and are no longer left behind in terms of ICT development," he said. Speaking at a dinner organised by the MCMC here Friday night, Bukhari said the project was among the government's initiatives, through the Information Communication and Culture Ministry, to narrow the digital gap between the urban, rural and interior areas. He said 300 more WiFi villages would be set up in the state in the next phase of the project. Those using the service would only be charged minimally. On the 1Malaysia netbook project, he said, the MCMC had, so far, distributed 49,800 units in the state, mostly to students. - Bernama |
| DAP man’s son – from victim to suspect Posted: 20 May 2011 03:06 PM PDT By Athi Shankar, Free Malaysia Today BUTTERWORTH: A local DAP leader is confused why his son, who was attacked by a group of motorcyclists, has been remanded for a week in connection with the case. Bagan Luar branch chairman G Asoghan wanted to know why his son, Suria Pragasam, 26, the branch youth wing chief, was being "treated like a suspect when he was the victim." "Police should have detained the assailants not the victims," he told FMT. Asoghan could not get any official answer from the North Seberang Perai (SPU) district police headquarters either. The DAP man said he could not get in touch with the investigating officer, only known as Inspector Azlizan, district police chief Zulkifli Alias or other officers in SPU. He claimed that none of them responded to his numerous calls. He alleged that his request to meet with the relevant officers when he went to the SPU police headquarters in Kepala Batas was also turned down. "I was told that the investigating officer did not want to meet anyone until he finished investigating the case. This is unfair, the family has the right to know what is going on," he said. Attempts by FMT to contact Azlizan and Zulkifli were also futile. Until Friday, Asoghan was even prohibited from visiting his son at the Seberang Jaya Hospital, where the latter had been undergoing treatment since last Tuesday's incident. The distraught father then sought the assistance of Bagan Dalam assemblyman A Thanasekaran, a lawyer, to facilitate his visit. Following Thanasekaran's request, Asoghan was allowed to visit his injured son. |
| Posted: 20 May 2011 03:03 PM PDT By Tashny Sukumaran, Free Malaysia Today KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has urged the poor to vote out Barisan Nasional which is on the verge of slashing subsidies. Speaking at a ceramah in Cheras Baru here last night, he flayed Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for burdening the public but protecting the cronies and independent power producers. Umno, he said, must be ovethrown for "bowing to rich towkays" like T Ananda Krishnan, Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary and YTL. Despite the humidity in the multipurpose hall and insects which buzzed incessantly, Anwar had managed to keep his 1,000- strong audience from the nearby low-cost flats in rapt attention. The crowd clapped, groaned, laughed and chanted "Reformasi" as the opposition leader, known for his fiery oratory skills, took the government to task over several issues. "They give subsidies to poor people and call it opium but when they give it to the rich it is okay although they are the real opium addicts," he said in response to Najib likening petrol subsidies to opium. The prime minister had said that subsidies needed to be cut gradually in order to bring the budget deficit under control. The government plans to reduce the deficit from 5.6% to 5.4% this year, then down to 2.8% by 2015. However, Anwar argued that the subsidies could be maintained if the "dictatorial" BN clamped down on corruption.
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| Penang’s third link in the pipeline Posted: 20 May 2011 02:36 PM PDT By Andrea Filmer, The Star GEORGE TOWN: With the Second Penang bridge project almost 50% complete, Penang has turned its sights towards a proposed third link a Penang-Butterworth sea tunnel. The 6.5km tunnel, proposed by the Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG), will connect Gurney Drive on Penang island and Bagan Ajam in North Seberang Prai. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the project stemmed from a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between BUCG and the state government signed in Putrajaya on Thursday. It was one of eight agreements signed between Malaysia and China in the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao. Lim said BUCG is an established (state-owned) company in China whose projects included the Bird's Nest Olympic stadium in Beijing. "To get the attention of such a company is a vote of confidence from China on the re-emergence of Penang as a premier location of choice for investors," he said after the opening of the state assembly sitting byYang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas here yesterday. Central Seberang Prai district is currently connected to the island via the Penang Bridge; while the South Seberang Prai district will be connected to Batu Maung on the island by the 24km second link due for completion in November 2013. "The state is intent on pursuing this (third link) as it will place Penang on a strong and firm footing for the next 20 years," he said. Lim added the proposed tunnel would bring economic development to North Seberang Prai, Kepala Batas and Tasek Gelugor along with cutting down traffic congestion in the state. He said the proposed tunnel would be connected to a previously announced 4.2km road linking Gurney Drive to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway. The proposed bypass, along with another 4.6km tunnel road linking Air Itam to the same expressway, has been estimated to cost around RM4bil. |
| Lynas says paid Putrajaya for toxic waste cover Posted: 20 May 2011 01:44 PM PDT By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider Lynas Corp has revealed it deposited money with Putrajaya as an indemnity for potentially dangerous residue that may result from processing its radioactive rare earths in its Pahang plant, which is now under review. However, Lynas did not elaborate on the deposit. It also did not disclose the sum paid to the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) under the purview of the science, technology and innovation ministry in charge of approving and monitoring radioactive industries. "Lynas has also agreed to place funds with the Malaysian government to ensure safe management of any remaining residues as required by the AELB," the Australian miner told The Malaysian Insider in a statement. But AELB's director-general Datuk Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan denied his agency had made the deposit a requirement. "It's got nothing to do with AELB. You got to check with Mida. Check with MITI," he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted. The Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida) under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) had successfully pulled Lynas to set up shop here after China — the world's biggest rare earths producer — closed its doors to foreign firms to maintain its 97 per cent chokehold on the global rare earths market. In recent weeks, green groups here and in Australia have been lobbying their respective governments to nix the project ahead of Lynas's September start, citing the company's opaque plans on waste, storage and transport management across 3,000km from the Mount Weld mine in Western Australia to the Gebeng refinery. Lynas has repeatedly stressed it is committed to safety and transparency. In the same statement, the company refuted claims its rare earths cargo breached Australian safety laws and accused naysayers of having personal and political agendas to thwart its business plans. Lynas is among the world's biggest suppliers of rare earths, a group of minerals vital in the manufacture of high technology goods that is eco-friendly but creates toxic by-products in the process.
READ MORE HERE. |
| Posted: 20 May 2011 01:16 PM PDT By Laughamology Incorporated AntiLYNASia is the state of finding out that Malaysian people are uniting against mass radioactive radiation poisoning. The total weight of all the brains of the Ministers is about the same as the weight of all the promises made by the same ministers during their election campaign…ziltch! The only place you can die of slow radiation poisoning is in Gebeng. Want to try it??? In Malaysia a monopoly is called Khazanah Nasional. Sixty five per cent of politicians lie when they open their mouth. The rest can't even distinguish between lying and telling the truth.
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"Tujuannya sama dengan tujuan himpunan Bersih 1 yang lalu iaitu menuntut pilihan raya bersih dan adil.
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