Why Najib must hold the 13th GE this year instead of 2012 Posted: 13 Jun 2011 06:50 AM PDT
One does not hold an election in a recession year. And we know that it takes some time to recover from a recession. Some economists believe that 2012 is going to be a recession year. The UK is already seeing a decline in property sales and house prices have come down. This means Najib must hold the 13th General Election this year, maybe sometime in October or November after the Budget, or else Barisan Nasional is going to be kicked out. Is Najib prepared to place a bet that my assumption is wrong?
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin Rosenberg Says 99% Chance of Another Recession by 2012
In a Bloomberg video David Rosenberg, chief economist at Gluskin Sheff & Associates, says there is a 99% Chance of Another Recession by 2012. Rosenberg also talks about the outlook for the U.S. economy.
Selected Quotes
Bloomberg: How Certain are you that we may be headed for a recession
Rosenberg: I think that by 2012, I would give it a 99% chance. I say that because as an economist, you have to be part historian. When you have a manufacturing inventory cycle recession, they are usually separated 5 years apart. But when you have a balance sheet recession, credit contraction, asset deflation (for example residential real estate), the downturn tends to be separated every 2 to 2.5 years. ... Economists call this a soft patch. It's not like this is a soft patch. Basically, when all the stimulus is gone, you get to see what the emperor looks like disrobed. It's not a pretty picture.
No Double Dip
Rosenberg goes on to say it's a second recession, not a "double dip" and more stimulus is coming once the "Fed sees the white eyes of the economy".
Given that there is no incentive in Congress for more stimulus (nor should there be), Bernanke will have a tougher time, this time, unless there is a significant drop in oil and food prices. David Rosenberg Interview on U.S. Economic Outlook David Rosenberg, chief economist at Gluskin Sheff & Associates, talks about the outlook for the U.S. economy. Rosenberg, speaking with Betty Liu, Jon Erlichman and Michael McKee on Bloomberg Television's "In the Loop," also discusses fiscal policy and banking regulation. Bloomberg's Ian Katz also speaks. (Source: Bloomberg) SEE THE VIDEO HERE: http://www.bloomberg.com/video/70808782/
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2011/06/rosenberg-says-99-chance-of-another.html |
Najib unveils nine new ETP projects worth RM2.27b Posted: 13 Jun 2011 06:33 AM PDT A total of 15 initiatives within seven NKEAs will bring in about RM63 billion in investment. (Bernama) - Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today announced nine new initiatives under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) which will bring in a total of RM2.27 billion in investment, gross national income (GNI) impact of RM18.67 billion and create 36,595 jobs by 2020. He recapped six ETP projects that were announced recently which include a refinery and a petrochemical integrated development costing RM60 billion. Combined, these 15 initiatives within seven National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) will account for about RM63.38 billion in investment, RM66.31 billion in GNI and 63,531 new jobs. On a cumulative basis, the ETP has to date recorded RM170.28 billion in investment, RM220.15 billion in GNI and 362,396 new jobs, Najib said at the ETP Progress Update Six here today. Among the initiatives announced today were the UCSI Group, parent organisation of the UCSI University, to develop a 64ha integrated health education cluster in Bandar Springhill, Port Dickson. The development will comprise the first private teaching hospital in the country. The 1,000-bed UCSI University Hospital will feature Malaysia's only anti-ageing, aesthetics and regenerative medicine facility. The group is expected to invest RM850 million by 2012, which will generate RM1.3 billion in GNI and 2,000 jobs by 2020. Another initiative, a consortium comprising SEGi Education Group and eight early childhood care education (ECCE) providers will upgrade qualifications of existing workforce to a minimum of diploma level and provide multiple and accessible training as well as develop national programme standards for ECCE training. The ECCE will be fully operational by 2015, the investment is worth RM700 million and will generate RM900 million in GNI. Others include Sime Darby Healthcare Group investing in the establishment of two specialist hospitals, Sime Darby Medical Centre Ara Damansara (SMDC AD) and Sime Darby Medical Centre Desa ParkCity (Parkcity). SMDC AD and Parkcity will cost RM240 million and RM40 million, respectively. Under the ETP Progress Update Six, the Agriculture NKEA initiatives will feature two star products – premium shrimps and swiftlet nests. Najib said JEFI Aquatech Resources Sdn Bhd was spearheading an initiative to develop Malaysia as a leading shrimp producer for the global and halal market by developing agro-entrepreneurs in the country's rural areas. The three main components of this project are the establishment of the Jefi Aquatech Centre and Jefi Aquatech Farm, which includes the development of Agro-Entrepreneur Programme. This initiative will require RM575 million in investment. In another initiative, Yanming Resources Sdn Bhd is investing RM5 million to increase its edible bird's nest production capabilities, which will increase mechanisation in the processing line, up to 60% from the current 10%. It is expected to create RM88.7 million in GNI and 103 new jobs by 2020. On the Communications Content and Infrastructure NKEA, VADS Bhd and Cisco have signed a collaborative agreement to build the first TelePresence Exchange Infrastructure in Malaysia to offer Managed TelePresence Services to the private and public sectors in the country and the region. This investment is worth RM11.3 million. Meanwhile, the government-funded initiative to stimulate sales of energy-efficient appliances will cost RM50.2 million in 2011. The programme is spearheaded by the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry to improve energy efficiency in the country through five initiatives. Lastly, to create stronger growth for the retail sector, the Unified Malaysia Sale will unite the three main sales events into one central coordinated event. This year, the 1Malaysia Unified Sale will be introduced for the first time from Wednesday to Aug 31 which will encompass more than 50 sectors as compared with just garments and footwear previously.
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Malaysia: Arrest Sudanese President wanted for war crimes Posted: 13 Jun 2011 06:27 AM PDT AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE The Malaysian government should immediately withdraw its invitation to Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, and arrest him if he travels to Malaysia, Amnesty International said today. The Malaysian government announced yesterday that President al-Bashir will participate in the Langkawi International Dialogue, an economic forum being held in Malaysia from 19 to 21 June 2011. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for al-Bashir for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.
"Malaysia should not turn itself into a port of call for fugitives from international justice" said Donna Guest, Deputy Asia Pacific Director at Amnesty International. "The Malaysian government should bar Bashir from its territory, and arrest him if he turns up."
Amnesty International welcomed Malaysia's announcement on 21 March of its intention to become a state party to the Rome Statute and to recognise the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. In his announcement, Malaysian Law Minister Nazri Aziz said, "This is a declaration that Malaysia rejects war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide."
When the UN Security Council referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC in 2005, it urged all states to cooperate fully with the Court. Although Malaysia is not yet party to the Rome Statute of the ICC, it should arrest Omar al-Bashir should he arrive in Malaysia, Amnesty International said.
"Malaysia's invitation to Omar al-Bashir flies in the face of its decision to join the ICC," said Guest. "Instead of hosting people wanted by the ICC, Malaysia should reaffirm its commitment to justice." |
Penang to go ahead with mosque polls Posted: 12 Jun 2011 11:48 PM PDT
(Bernama) - The Penang government will not budge from its decision to carry out the election of mosque officials as it is accordance with the laws, said its Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kassim. He said the proposed election adhered to Section 104(a)(b) of the State of Penang Enactment 2004 and 4(1) Congregation Committee and Mosque Officials Requirements (Penang). "The new procedure introduced by the Penang Islamic Religious Council is an improvement of existing regulatory procedures adopted by the previous state government," he told reporters Monday. Commenting on calls for the state government to get the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong before holding the mosque polls, Abdul Malik, said the new procedure accorded congregators the right to nominate candidates through mosque committees to the council before getting the consent of the king. Abdul Malik said the mosque congregation committees would decide whether the congregators were eligible to vote and the state government would set up the congregators' database after the election. After nomination was closed last Tuesday, 193 out of 200 mosques had sent the nomination lists, he said, adding that this showed the proposed election had received an overwhelming response from congregators. Meanwhile, Penang Umno Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman said the state Umno had sent an appeal letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong through Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, to oppose the move. "I hope the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the head of Islam will prevent the mosque polls from taking place as it could divide the Muslims," said Zainal. |
Open Letter to the IGP Posted: 12 Jun 2011 11:13 PM PDT
So I am quite certain you must be rather pleasantly overwhelmed by the show of support you will receive from an anticipated potpourri of 300,000 Malaysians on the 9th of July. You must be sighing with relief that this outpouring of anxiety from so many right-minded and law-abiding citizens will hopefully make your job a little easier. Dear Mr. IGP, I trust you and the Missus are both well and in the pink of health. I am sure you must have heard about the upcoming Bersih rally planned for Saturday the 9th July. You must be as excited as everyone else over this remarkable event. Isn't it wonderful that hundreds of thousands of Malaysians of all races are planning to come together with such unprovoked and genuine ease with the sole purpose of showing their support for such a noble cause as this one. Yes, that's right, showing the world that we, as concerned citizens, do not condone chicanery in any form. We are trying to make the point that all the cheating and unfairness that goes on in our parliamentary and state elections is actually wrong. We want to make it known to the world at large and to the Election Commission in particular that all these wrongs must be righted because this is actually an issue involving criminal law, which I know you are good at so you will appreciate the necessity for all this. This is why I am so thankful to you for your anticipated offer of assistance to these true blue Malaysian patriots who will no doubt have to sacrifice quite a bit that day, like giving up a hard earned weekend, walking around in the hot sun, or pouring rain (you know what our weather is like) for no personal benefit other than their concern for the general well being of our country. Don't you think that is so commendable? I know you do. I also know that you are personally very concerned that all these wrongdoings which happen every time we have an election should not only be stopped immediately but eradicated forever. We just can't continue to turn a blind eye to all the bribery and corruption that goes on every time an election is held. You know I am referring to all those cash payments made to buy ballot papers from voters, monetary inducements, threats, blackmail, gifts, promises of financial assistance, misuse of public funds and government machinery etc etc. I am sure you are just as frustrated as everyone else is, having to put up with this nonsense every time. So I am quite certain you must be rather pleasantly overwhelmed by the show of support you will receive from an anticipated potpourri of 300,000 Malaysians on the 9th of July. You must be sighing with relief that this outpouring of anxiety from so many right-minded and law-abiding citizens will hopefully make your job a little easier. What a relief you must also feel knowing you have the support you so deservedly need in doing your duty to combat this ever present menace without having to look over your shoulder every so often. Take courage in the fact that the rakyat are behind you. As you are new to this game please permit me to assist you a little. I hope I am not being a little too presumptuous here. Excuse me if I am. You see, your predecessors actually stuffed up big time on many occasions. We have to try and avoid past mistakes. This time we are going to do things right. May I therefore suggest that you consider putting the following in place in an effort to ensure that everything proceeds smoothly on that glorious day: 1. You will need to deploy extra police personnel to monitor the procession and to assist those who are taking part. You will need to have your men stationed at intervals along the route to ensure that the participants are protected from trouble makers who may be out to disrupt the peace and tranquility of the day. (There's always the odd whacko around – see points 10 and 11 below). 2. Therefore I suggest that you give instructions to all your men to volunteer to forgo the incessant assaulting of detainees, with sand filled rubber hoses and telephone directories, in all lock ups in and around KL for just one afternoon and instead put in a mass order for pizza delivery to keep these detainees happy while your men man the streets. 3. It might also be a good idea to rope in some plain clothes detectives provided of course they are able to disengage themselves from shooting unarmed teenagers at angles of 45 degrees through their respective heads, for just a few hours. I am sure they wouldn't mind…..the detectives I mean, not the unarmed teenagers. Actually, come to think of it, everyone would be happy, so it's a win-win situation. 4. As a further gesture of good will, I think it would be a good idea to set up drink stalls along the route as the participants might get thirsty and would welcome a cool glass of iced lemon tea prepared by the Police Wives Association. Better still, try and get some of that duty free beer you serve in the police messes and sell cans to the marchers at discounted prices. Can you now appreciate all that goodwill you will be creating? 5. Don't bother sending out instructions to the FRU boys. No one likes them. Tell them to take the weekend off. The last time your predecessor sought their assistance they got it all wrong. They started spraying peaceful marchers with water from cannons mounted on the back of their trucks. This created a horrible mess. People got drenched to their underwear and the roads became awfully slippery. Worse still some idiot thought it was a good idea to put mace into the water. Well let me tell you, that did not do anything for police/rakyat relations. Bad bad PR. Can't let it happen again. 6. Which brings me on to the next issue. This tear gas thing. It isn't cool. It may be entertaining for you guys to make people cry but most of us do not find it funny. It is also terribly passé. Lets move on. Your FRU guys watch too many TV action movies. That's why they should be kept away. We can do without the melodramatics. 7. It might also be a good idea (public perception and all), to perhaps make a short speech at the beginning of the rally, explaining the virtues of a truly democratic society and the role the police play in ensuring that the principles of such a society are protected by the guardians of the peace (that's you guys) without fear or favour, everyone being equal in the eyes of the law and that you will leave no stone unturned in your forces' pursuit of justice and fair play, or something along those lines. Again good PR. 8. Parking issues. There will be a rather large number of vehicles entering KL with participants as occupants therein and they will need to park their cars somewhere. So instead of setting up road blocks on all the major arteries entering KL (like you guys did the last time) and causing massive traffic jams, perhaps we need to allocate designated car parks near the rally route to make things easier for the participants. Just set aside some 'padangs' for the afternoon. You may need to inform all those VIPs who can't seem to travel anywhere without an escort of at least 9 out riders to just stay home for the day. You will then free up much needed traffic police personnel to help direct traffic instead. 9. You will also have to get used to the colour yellow. Everyone will be wearing a yellow T-shirt. If your men spot someone wearing one wandering around aimlessly, just point him or her in the direction of the rally meeting point. Take a cue from the tourist police in all those glossy adverts depicting lost Mat Sallehs holding maps on the streets of our capital city. You know, the smiling 'Cik Konstable' in her rather dashing tudung indicating politely in a culturally acceptable fashion, with an outstretched thumb, where the Telekom tower is. That's the way to do it. 10. Now there will most likely be trouble makers present. You have to make sure these are the guys who are loaded into the back of hot and sweaty black mariahs, not the peaceful protestors. You will be able to identify the 'baddies' quite easily by the glazed and blank looks on their faces. Most will be wearing bandannas and sunglasses and will be found shouting incoherent profanities aimed at no one in general whilst waving yellow white and red flags. If your men spot a severed cows head or a Molotov cocktail or two, then that will be a dead giveaway. These are the ones you need to arrest even if they try camouflaging themselves in yellow T-shirts. 11. Especially of concern to you will be a gentleman who has made it clear he is going to try and wreak havoc by inciting discord. If you have been reading the news in the blogs recently you will have no trouble identifying him. This man is a menace. He needs to be shipped out to a remote island somewhere so he can rant and rave to himself. I have no idea how he managed to become a parliamentarian. I think this is what the Bersih rally is about. 12. When the rally is over, don't just let things fizzle out. You will have a huge number of Malaysians in one place and at the same time. Encourage this 'muhibbah' spirit further by organizing a massive get together at Dataran Merdeka with live bands playing and buffet tables set up all around the padang serving local delicacies and refreshment. How to fund this you may ask? Not a problem. I hear Mr. Rais Yatim has a few million bucks to spend on cultural events. Just give him a quick phone call. I am quite certain he will fall over himself to donate towards such an important occasion, especially when it involves encouraging inter racial and inter cultural congeniality. I think that's what his ministry is supposed to be doing anyhow. When the party is finally over, after the crowds have dispersed and a dawn of a new day breaks, I have no doubt in my mind that you will feel a much better person for your most honourable contribution to such a worthy cause. You will be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing you have done the right thing. Your descendants will hold you in high esteem for being instrumental in helping bring the change this country so desperately needs. And when you are living out your twilight years sitting in a wicker chair on your verandah, in your 'pagoda' singlet with a sarong wrapped around your waist, you will look back on this auspicious day with pride in your heart and you will say to yourself "I wouldn't have done things any differently". Syabas my good man. Yours sincerely, Mat Malaysia |
Ruslan Kassim: another Munafiq identified Posted: 12 Jun 2011 10:59 PM PDT ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vqYCWbRS0g5rPH597-FLgcRAZLDezhtnSCpSjIIb4QdaI03Q4G5GblZpmmhOeHD0bdzLBhw5Ln8XBOoSuevZUwRSvfkOmCQCQ5cZR_asw5uqa-Wx9PUIJU8M9NX5Y-klX9vlt-DULlt9Y=s0-d)
So you see, Islam has already established the system of consensus and elections of leaders and committees and so on. So what the Penang government is doing is extremely Islamic. The people decide on their leaders and committees. And this is done through consensus and elections. NO HOLDS BARREDRaja Petra Kamarudin ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sjLXuhDF77F7JXN8TO7x6KLh-KpBye6Y4HZg4yz71GK6IDyMQS2vluPQ2J6Ok1PM4tQRD9l3CLbJMGuPiCtQ62-ShOP7urSGWSk-865lnxR0RMkUpb=s0-d)
Perkasa tells Penang Malays to say no to mosque polls
Perkasa wants the Malays in Penang to oppose the state government's plan of electing mosque committees, as the right-wing group believes that it will only divide the Muslim community here.
Perkasa information chief Ruslan Kassim said elections would adversely affect the sanctity of the mosques and unity among the Muslims due to power struggles, the creation of factions, and animosity.
"The action of the state government to have mosque committee elections is unwise and is only politically motivated," Bernama quoted him as saying in a statement Monday.
The Penang government announced last week that the selection of mosque committees in the state would be made through elections this year to replace the previous method.
Ruslan said elections were implemented in Kelantan in the 1960s and 1970s, but were subsequently stopped as they had caused friction and divided the Muslim community there.
This report is dated 13th June 2011
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Now read this report on Ruslan Kassim dated September 1998
The days before the Umno general assembly of June 1998, a book-length poison pen letter entitled '50 reasons why Anwar cannot become the next prime minister' (50 Dalil mengapa Anwar Tidak Boleh Jadi PM), made its debut in the Malaysian political scene.
But unlike most previous poison-pen letters, the 50 Dalil had an author as well as a publisher. It carried a by-line Khalid Jafri, ex-sports editor of Utusan Malaysia, editor-in-chief of the now defunct Harian National tabloid newspaper, an undischarged bankrupt.
Delegates arriving at the Umno general assembly had a copy of the poison book included in the party documentation handed over to them in the complimentary bag. This happened despite the passing of an interlocutory injunction by a high court judge only a day earlier, against the distribution and dissemination of the defamatory book. It was something quite odd and many at the assembly were trying to put two and two together.
The Umno Youth leader from Negri Sembilan, Ruslan Kassim, had done a little checking with the Registrar of Companies, which linked the book's publishers with the disgraced former Chief Minister of Malacca, Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik and his wife, Zabedah Abdullah.
Ruslan Kassim had also heard from the Federal Territory Umno that the party secretariat had been used to distribute the book. This pointed at the party secretary general, Sabaruddin Chik.
Who is actually behind this drama, asked Negri Sembilan Umno Youth leader (Ruslan Kassim). But none of the two Chiks were willing to admit to anything.
Impact International, Vol. 28 No. 9 (September 1998)
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Ruslan Kassim was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for this expose. Yes, he was punished by detention without trial for his allegation against the two Chiks -- the big Thambi whose small thambi got him into trouble, and Sabaruddin 'tukang kasut' (Malays would know why 'tukang kasut' so go ask a Malay what it means).
Ruslan Kassim swore that Anwar Ibrahim was a victim of fitnah. And when Parti Keadilan Nasional (now PKR) was launched he joined the party and became its Information Chief (Ketua Penerangan).
Yes, before he became the Information Chief of Perkasa, Ruslan Kassim was the Information Chief of what is now called PKR. But when he was the PKR Information Chief he sang a different tune and now, as the Information Chief of Perkasa, he sings a different tune.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, my dear readers, is what Islam calls a Munafiq.
Is Ruslan Kassim now telling us that he lied back in 1998 and that Anwar Ibrahim was not a victim of fitnah and that the '50 Dahlil' book was true? Or is he telling us that he did not lie back in 1998 but he can now accept that Anwar Ibrahim was a victim of fitnah and it no longer troubles him like it did back in 1998?
Either way, whichever the case may be, that makes Ruslan Kassim a Munafiq. He is opposed to the election of mosque committees because he just has the interest of Islam at heart, or so he tells us.
But then, if he is motivated purely by Islam and for no other reason, especially not for political reasons, how come what he is doing and saying does not demonstrate this?
From the Islam perspective, a Muslim who runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds is clearly a Munafiq. And this is what Ruslan Kassim is doing. He accuses Umno of defaming or fitnah Anwar. And he was detained for this allegation. But yet he is prepared to work with Umno in spite of what he thinks of Umno.
Anyway, Ruslan Kassim is either ignorant about Islam or is trying to misrepresent Islam. He is trying to suggest that electing mosque officials is counterproductive to Islam.
Actually the reverse is true. It was reported that it took three days for the people of Medina to bury Prophet Muhammad's body after he died. And the reason is because the Medina people were locked in three days of debate (some like the Shiah say dispute) to decide on the successor or Khalif to the Prophet.
Finally it as agreed that Abu Bakar would be the successor and only then could they bury the Prophet's body.
No, they did not have Umno or Jabatan Agama (religious department) then in Medina. And it was not Umno or the religious department who decided on the successor. It was the people. And the people voted on the matter to decide who should be the successor to the Prophet.
So you see, Islam has already established the system of consensus and elections of leaders and committees and so on. So what the Penang government is doing is extremely Islamic. The people decide on their leaders and committees. And this is done through consensus and elections.
To suggest that the Islamic system of consensus and elections is un-Islamic makes those who say so un-Islamic themselves. And if they propose something un-Islamic and pretend that it is Islamic this makes them into Munafiqs.
That is the bottom line.
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MB's aide responds to Sabu, denies PAS leaders jostling for titles Posted: 12 Jun 2011 09:57 PM PDT ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uSV6uSZ1UPKcSTddJC347FZo2Qoq3tSp8-NFcUSfumumpCIyw1NSxSGAVsnwlu320hT1Xzy_ohZpmHRu3gu4IQA9aZ7YtI0ylwiEg53W1274HcCaIlGBkmlZtBAEuCfo_FuisV=s0-d)
(Harakah Daily) - True to his prediction that he would be "scolded" for giving an unflattering appraisal of PAS, deputy president Mohamad Sabu today found himself being criticised over his complaint that the Islamic party had been slow in implementing reforms as well as what he described as a penchant among its leaders to "chase" official titles. Responding to Mat Sabu's earlier interview to online portal Malaysiakini, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, political secretary to Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak, denied such a culture among PAS leaders. "I do not see such a thinking or the results of such 'wrong views' existing among PAS leaders in Kedah, indeed there is no such jostling for titles or wealth, what more requests among state representatives or Exco for land. "Conferring Datukship for instance is the sole prerogative of the Sultan, no Exco or state representative from had ever filled up forms asking for titles for themselves," he wrote in a lengthy reply published by the portal. Earlier, in an exclusive interview with the portal, Mat Sabu lamented that PAS state governments in Kedah and Kelantan had been too slow adapting radical political change to achieve good governance and respect for human rights, and urged leaders to emulate some of the policies by the DAP-led state government in Penang. "(PAS) is now in power in Kedah and in Kelantan, but change has been slow moving and not enough," said Sabu, who also took a swipe at some PAS leaders who he said displayed a weakness for official titles, and said they risked returning to a "feudal system". 'No datukship chase'Saying he was responsible for managing nominations of award recipients by the Menteri Besar's office for the palace's consideration, Sanusi said recipients were selected based after a strict filtering process. "In the period of the three years, I have not seen any clear trend of PAS leaders showing any deep interest for Datukship which required Mohamad (Sabu)'s chiding," added Sanusi. While Mat Sabu's criticisms had drawn praise from Johor PAS Youth, which urged party members to be more brave and "innovative" in pointing out any mistakes by party leadership, Sanusi however suggested that Mat Sabu would not have been elected had he given the interview prior to the recently held party polls. ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vzHtqNow6e6_oS5_5Hrkk-3y5BqCtj1IqfQUwtcmSVc8E461LFhKoHOSlMliHGyVWIuTHRMDZESJBAHKZHWe4n41YD5fRgVJ_pLMzefxJasWvwmB-0Sbh7OB-pYb332AogjexlVmfFDVF27Q=s0-d) ROYAL OR FEUDAL? ... Mat Sabu says jostling for royal awards is a revival of feudal culture
Sanusi however admitted that some grassroots party members had been dissatisfied that many of the recipients still included UMNO and BN leaders.
"To me, Mohamad should instead target his criticism to them, not to the leadership. Having said that, I appreciate that this is part of the cultural values we inherit from history, because we are born and bred in Malaysia, a constitutional monarchy.
"They do not understand the Cuban, Chinese, Russian, Libyan or Iranian culture. Penang and DAP, which according to Mohamad should be emulated, does not have Sultan or Palace which shapes the values and culture of the people," said Sanusi, referring to Mat Sabu's call on PAS to take a leaf out of the DAP administration in Penang.
'Penang has no land, forests'
Sanusi also denied that logging contracts had been awarded to people close to PAS, adding that although some of these companies belonged to PAS members, they had been in business "for many years, long before the state administration changed hands, because they offered the best price," he added.
He said the present Kedah state government had managed to increase logging revenue by multiple folds, from RM9.5 million during BN's rule to RM53 million last year.
"The Penang state government and DAP which Mohamad calls to emulate have no forest or logging, because the state is a concrete jungle," he remarked. Likewise, Sanusi said Penang had a shortage of land and as such, Penang could not offer an example in land administration matters.
Sanusi however said he appreciated Mat Sabu's frankness which was to ensure the party's struggle remained on track.
"I respect and hold in high esteem Mohamad's courage and 'drive' to lead the party as the deputy president and for wanting the party to continue its advance and be admired by the people," he said.
"However, wouldn't it be good if Mohamad got a true picture from the PAS leadership in Kedah or Kelantan through his close contacts, similar to what he has done with the Penang leadership," Sanusi said, adding that "open criticisms" would be "more sweet" if voiced out during meetings with PAS leaders. |
Sabu on PAS, Shi'ism, sex charge and Anwar Posted: 12 Jun 2011 09:49 PM PDT
"Marx said that religion is the opium for the people…(In the past) priests supported cruel tsars, wages were neglected, Christian leaders supported oppressive monarchs, so if they wanted to bring social change (at the time), they have to reject religion. Religion is like opium too in Malaysia and in the Arab nations. This view is highly controversial…but I see religion being misused," he said, adding that this would probably have him accused of being from a 'different following'. Harakah Daily For a man touted to usher a new era for the nation's second largest political party, recently elected PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu is really your average Mat.
Arriving for an interview with Malaysiakini last week in a tiny Proton Savvy, the 57-year-old flashes his toothy grin.
Almost embarrassed by his formal wear, Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, said: "I have to meet the Syrian ambassador afterwards, that's why I'm dressed like this. Or else I'll just be in a T-shirt."
The sight of Mat Sabu in a T-shirt is a common sight for followers of Malaysian politics, such as when the PAS leader donned a yellow one and marched with about 40,000 Malaysians in December 2007 for free and fair elections.
In fact, it is on this platform that the straight-talking politician delved into party politics after dipping his toes in the Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) during his student days in the late 1970s. 'Why I joined PAS'
Recalling those days, Mat Sabu said that joining Abim's campaign for PAS in the 1978 election which followed the Kelantan emergency in 1977 ignited a sense of anger towards a system which disallows the Opposition the same platform to speak.
"Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) was deputy prime minister and education minister and he was free to campaign on school grounds, while PAS was banned from ceramah.
"I saw how unfair this was, and thought if this was democracy in Malaysia, then it's really in bad shape. So when we came back (from Kelantan), I went straight to PAS headquarters and filled in the membership form.
"I did not join PAS because of its Islamic platform or because I was anti-Umno. It was for want of a better democracy and it is a struggle which my colleagues and I continue until now," he said. Between Karl Marx and Ayatollah Khomeini The fact that he does not hail from a religious background has been a point of attack for his detractors, and responding to this, the affable leader quotes an unlikely figure to deflect the accusations — Karl Marx himself.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uBlZKIJjt9sXsAvU96ygwM-62TPy8HqTXzp2li1VmSs6As2tzI9kxsSXOCi00UFjB2Jjb2DyiWE7M9YuzqLcU3A_MtzCLOBnHjiiDT_y7EX2kacOQo4Wmy7MtS_G5Llc535y521A=s0-d) Ayatollah Khomeini arriving from exile, welcomed by millions of people who later overthrew the remnants of the Shah regime, 1979 "Marx said that religion is the opium for the people…(In the past) priests supported cruel tsars, wages were neglected, Christian leaders supported oppressive monarchs, so if they wanted to bring social change (at the time), they have to reject religion."
"Religion is like opium too in Malaysia and in the Arab nations. This view is highly controversial…but I see religion being misused," he said, adding that this would probably have him accused of being from a 'different following'. Defending his 'different' view, the father of four whose shock of black hair hides his age said that his quest remains to advocate for an Islam in substance and not just in name.
Although he does not admit it, the leader - who attributes his youthful appearance to his famous sense of humour - has been accused of subscribing to the Shiite school of thought.
The school of thought is considered deviant in Malaysia, the Muslim population of which follow the Sunni school.
The links could be traced to Mat Sabu's unabashed admiration for the late Ayatollah Khomeini who led the Iranian revolution in 1979 - an event which the former said formed much of his point of view.
"Why do I support Khomeini? Because he used religion to mobilise for change against the Shah... (In our society) we have ulama who (use religion to) cover up the mistakes of the powerful," he said.
Marx, he added, would have changed his mind about religion being an opiate had he lived through the Iranian revolution.
Ties with Penang CM
His sense of fair play was further soldered through his double detention under the Internal Security Act, once in 1984 for 60 days, after which he was banished to Kuala Pilah until 1986.
In 1987, he was among the scores arrested under Operation Lalang, spending a total of two years behind bars where he forged close ties with leaders in PAS and DAP, particularly Penang's current chief minister Lim Guan Eng (above with Mat Sabu in May 2009).
"At the (Kamunting detention) camp, there is nothing much to do in the evening, so (Lim and Mat Sabu) chatted and discussed views and I found more similarities than differences between us.
"When (Lim) was released, he was re-arrested for revealing information relating to the former (Melaka) chief minister (Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik) so I saw him as an oppressed person. He may not be Muslim, but I felt it was compulsory for me to defend him," he said.
He added that even when Lim was "broke without a job and a pension", he continued to have close ties with the latter "through drinks whenever I am in Malacca" and the bond has remained strong until today. Ties with Anwar If Mat Sabu's ties with Lim has been steadfast at worst, the same cannot be said of his relationship with PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim. COMMON PLATFORM ... Anwar and Mat Sabu sharing a ceramah stage
Days before Anwar was sacked as Finance Minister and deputy premier, Mat Sabu took a stand completely different to that of his party on the former's sodomy charge, even labelling Anwar as al-Juburi (a play on words for the Malay slang word for anus).
Skirting the issue, Mat Sabu, however, admitted that Anwar's departure from Abim in 1982 "memakan hati" (tore at the hearts) of Abim members and led to his protest departure.
"I was his number one attacker, we were political enemies… But in Islam, you are supposed to speak the truth against a corrupt leader, not someone who has retired or no longer in power," he said, claiming to have made up with Anwar soon after he was sacked.
But remnants of the long-drawn out battle between the duo appear still evident with Mat Sabu claiming to only have met his former nemesis "on the ceramah circuit" and never in one-on-one meetings. Sex charge
For someone who had emerged from a sex scandal relatively unscathed, the avid reader on international politics may have something to teach Anwar in facing the sex video allegedly of him.
The incident in 1995, wherein Mat Sabu was accused but acquitted of khalwat (close proximity with a non-family member of the opposite gender), was brushed off by the leader as somewhat irrelevant to his political rise.
"I was elected into the central working committee that year, then vice president for two terms and now deputy. I don't think it had any effect within PAS. Outside, I had complaints (of having among) the largest majority when contesting for Kubang Kerian in 1995," he said.
Mat Sabu was elected into parliament thrice - for the constituency of Nilam Puri in 1990, Kubang Kerian in 1995 and Kuala Kedah in 1999.
Some believe that his dissenting view on Anwar was the reason he was sent to contest in backwater Kuala Kedah instead of Kubang Kerian where he had won earlier by a landslide.
Today, however, Mat Sabu toes the coalition line by saying that the onus is for the accusers to provide evidence of Anwar's wrongdoing before PAS can state its position.
It may not be what the Mat Sabu of 'al-Juburi' fame would have liked, but the party's newly-minted number two is both pragmatic, a believer of human rights and the right to defend one's self.
By keeping true to his grassroots NGO ideals, Mat Sabu is bringing in a more diverse crowd the Islamic party's way, fast changing its face to truly fit its slogan—PAS for all.
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RM27 Million? Unbelievably Preposterous! Posted: 12 Jun 2011 09:37 PM PDT Masterwordsmith My heart bleeds. Really. At this point when the prices of goods and services are escalating in tandem with increases in the prices of fuel and power supply, how can the government have the gumption to announce HERE that it spent a total of RM27 million for the Million Youths Assembly held last month, 18 times the initial RM1.5 million budget for the National Youth Day event? In the report, Youth And Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek stressed that the government did not use any "additional expenditure" for the event, and said a "large" amount of the RM27 million was obtained via sponsorship from the private sector. It is absolutely incorrigible to learn that the allocation prepared by the government to carry out the National Youth Day amounted to RM1.5 million. In a reply to Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (Marang-PAS) Ahmad Shabery said that the total costs amounted to RM27 million, where most of it was obtained via sponsorship from the private sector!!! Whether it was public money or money from the private sector, it was still RM27 million that was spent!!! C.R.A.Z.Y.!!!!! How can so much money be spent on the event Million Youth Assembly, held from May 27 to May 29 merely to provide a platform for youths to "showcase their talents and interests through over 200 programmes" as well as highlighting job opportunities through a Job Fair???? Imagine - Ahmad Shabery said the gathering was a "success", based on the number of youths who had reportedly attended the event in Putrajaya. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, had told reporters that the total visitors to the assembly surpassed the one million mark. ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tweXu81U2eAq3a4eT-9aXhzc80OfTLBdRwl2DyIQo5yAcRqzXlUW_q0GtnwpWgEwkHg6EFRpBlJbWYAd2QJPkyzoDL6ty5ruJANuexK0EaJWT2sJFejUVjbf0sNfQuLhGW4uz35o7PCBfEXtYwZOqgE61op_g=s0-d) So it is justified to spend RM27 million just so that more than one million youths attended the assembly to listen to our PM call on youths to "defend Putrajaya" from the opposition if they wished to see Malaysia transformed into a developed country. Isn't this such an expensive event? The parties concerned should justify and account for EVERY SINGLE CENT OF THE RM27 million that has been spent. MPs and the sponsors MUST ASK WHY AND HOW THE MONEY WAS SPENT!!! Couldn't the RM27 million be put to BETTER USE with MORE long lasting effects than a one-time event? Just last month, The Malaysian Insider reported HERE that Khairy Jamaluddin called on the government to slash funding to ineffective programmes such as National Service before asking the public to accept subsidy cuts the Najib administration has hinted at recently. "Don't ask people to tighten their belts before you take a red pen and razor knife to your own shopping bill," the Rembau MP told The Malaysian Insider today. Recently, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak also said fuel subsidies were "like opium" to the Malaysian economy and would have to be gradually slashed as the initial bill of RM11 billion had soared to RM18 billion for this year due to escalating crude oil prices. READ MORE HERE. |
NST now a kid’s paper, sells below 90,000 Posted: 12 Jun 2011 05:15 PM PDT By uppercaise Now it's official: New Straits Times circulation has dropped to just above 80,000 copies a day in sales to the buying public two years running. The official daily circulation figure remains above 100,000 but a quarter of that figure comes from bulk sales. The decline of the NST has long been the subject of public debate, but the Audit Bureau of Circulation report for 2009 makes it beyond doubt: ABC now includes a breakdown of the bulk sales component. ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vNEQ6fSUEb-JAHFG8ywh3DfNCxRjc-Q4DpjE9SG3G1zWOYNYCdkflFoO4KX1piC5ZpA_pzmoF7BbQlsi4x0GvMNDtQEDJJlScegktecLcOmFQKzGKfVlQLz5uk7zo7S1fvBp3_0CqM3g=s0-d) Regular blog commenter nstman will be pleased. The ABC figures bear out his comment last year that NST had fallen well below 90,000. Bulk sales at wholesale price — minus the news vendors' commission of as much as 40% (split between the distributor and the news agent) — are made mostly to companies who sponsor copies of the New Straits Times to be distributed free to school children, or sold to schools at wholesale price for school children, or to institutions such as hotels which provide a copy of the newspaper in guest rooms. ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_u35bLAkTJxsbK-NtOjSju1epvs3GKbB9mOzZIczTpywsw0KtMQ8kgzbcJpEq04Sqp--IF-TCxyeeD3A08CT-09vVbzRR-1JXEXXPxuKgWieYSln3akYpscfTer09K8grFfKfgm9ZI=s0-d) The NST is thus riding on a big chunk of charity — a lot of the bulk sales go to government companies like CIMB bank and Telekom and politicians who give copies of the NST to be used as English-language teaching aids in schools. Bulk sales are more important to the NST than to any other newspaper. ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v_aJ-IhxWlpQS5la5Ehf-VMkNMeDlAiWZTz_7FaB6PU75L7hN8YXJi_MQnxtTXNLBnDHYQpeY7WpaO9FxALq1YUbrqaq0cDdwzD0QRKxqy7VoJgG3jvzr-UMevzHUib4NUvOKGblTSZLg=s0-d) NST management will probably see the figures as vindication of their marketing strategy and their big Spelling Contest, to push into schools and catch future readers at a young age. But what it means in practical terms is that one in five NST readers is really a kid. Now the real test will come in a couple of years when those kids who grew up with the NST in the classroom go out to work. Will they still remember the NST fondly? Or will they remember it as part of the torture they went through in school and thus switch to the Sun (it's also free) or the breezy Metro for a change? Read more at: http://uppercaise.wordpress.com/2010/09/13/newspapers-lose-sales/ |
Nazri: No action against PSD officials over scholarships distribution Posted: 12 Jun 2011 05:03 PM PDT
(The Star) - There will be no action taken against any Public Service Department (PSD) official over the distribution of scholarships among top scorers in SPM examinations said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz. "This is because there is no conclusive evidence of abuse of power by these officers. The selection was conducted transparently in accordance with the Cabinet's decision on Jan 14, 2009," he told the Dewan Rakyat Monday. Nazri told this to Nancy Shukri (BN-Batang Saadong) and thirteen other MPs who wanted to know why were there still problems in awarding scholarships and places in universities for top students who had scored more than 9As in the SPM examination. Nazri told the Dewan Rakyat the Government had decided not to release the list of PSD scholars and their results to maintain confidentiality. "It is not the government's policy to disclose such information and releasing it would not ensure that the problems would be solved," he said. He noted that the Government had agreed to reduce the numbers of scholarships for overseas programme from 1,750 in 2010 to 1,500 this year. "To get candidates with wholesome personality, the government chooses students to pursue studies overseas, not just based on their academic results, but considering also their family socio-economic background, curriculum and interviews result," he explained. He said the scholarship was also given based on four categories; 20% based on academic achievement, 60% based on racial composition, 10% allocated for the Bumiputera's in Sabah and Sarawak and 10% for the socially disadvantaged. Nazri said there was still a lot of confusion over the distribution of JPA scholarships for overseas programs although the government had repeatedly explained the criteria on how to get them. "One major factor for students failing to get scholarships is because there is an increase in the numbers of top students while the numbers of scholarships remain limited," he said. According to Malaysian Examination Board, Nazri said, there were 363 students who achieved good results in the SPM examination last year and, out of the total, 282 students managed to get JPA scholarships to pursue their studies locally and overseas. "This year, JPA will offer 1,500 scholarships to study overseas while 2,500 will get sponsorship to study locally," he said. He added that the government had allocated RM1.44bil to sponsor JPA students this year with RM0.36bil to be spent on students to study locally and RM1.08bil allocated to students to study abroad. |
Hisham: No action against Ibrahim Ali for ‘jihad’ call Posted: 12 Jun 2011 04:58 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - The government will not take any action against Datuk Ibrahim Ali for threatening Christians nationwide with a holy war against any move to usurp Islam with a Christian state. "Action will only be taken if investigations find that the said act really contravened the country's laws," Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said in a written reply to Lim Lip Eng (Segambut-DAP) in the Dewan Rakyat today. Lim had asked the Home Ministry to state whether it was a punishable offence for a person to declare "jihad" in the name of race and religion. "I would advise that all parties be careful in making an accusation when its validity has yet to be verified," said Hishammuddin. The Perkasa president's threat to Christians was based on Utusan Malaysia's recent allegation that church leaders were in a plot with the DAP to turn Malaysia into a Christian state and install a Christian prime minister. Christian leaders and DAP members have denied the reports which have sparked protests but the Home Ministry has only slapped Utusan Malaysia with a warning letter for publishing the unsubstantiated report. READ MORE HERE |
‘Divide and rule making BN obsolete’ Posted: 12 Jun 2011 04:35 PM PDT
The BN has been practising this policy for decades but now it is working against them, says a Gerakan leader. (Free Malaysia Today) - Over the years the Barisan Nasional's (BN) only political model was divide and rule. But that model is now making the BN an obsolete party. Said former Gerakan Youth vice-chief S Paranjothy: "BN is obsolete now and its outmoded political strategy of divide and rule along racial lines is no longer marketable to the Malaysian voters who have woken up to a new era of thinking after the 2008 political tsunami." "Most Malaysians are sickened by the perpetual harping on racial politics by all the BN component parties and they have had enough of this. "The over-used old record of racial politics by the BN for the past 50 years has now been shattered by the awakening of voters who want political change," he said. Paranjothy said in the past the leaders were more dedicated and committed to the principled political agenda of giving equal rights and benefits to all Malaysians. "The economic imbalance is widening between the rich and the poor, as the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer as BN is more concerned with the personal interests of its cronies rather than the welfare of the people," he said. He also accused the BN politicians of taking the voters for a ride at every election with empty promises and not giving proper attention to the needs and demands of the voters after being duly elected. "The majority of the (BN) politicians only fill their elected posts to safeguard their own personal political agendas and tend to be self-centred and neglect the interests of their voters," he alleged. READ MORE HERE |
Perkasa to counter Bersih rally Posted: 12 Jun 2011 04:16 PM PDT
Perkasa and Konsensus Bebas slam the July 9 Bersih 2.0 demonstrations, calling it a waste of time. (Free Malaysia Today) - Perkasa has threatened to counter the July 9 Bersih 2.0 demonstration with a protest of its own. Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali promised the event's organisers – Bersih and PAS – that he would "fight to the end" if people were to mass on the streets on July 9. "If they go ahead with this demonstration, Perkasa has made a decision, and as its president, I will fight to the end. That means on that day, there will be a confrontation," he said. "I don't know how many they will gather, but Perkasa also has many members, and other NGO are coming, so we'll be there," added the Pasir Mas MP. Ibrahim said that large-scale demonstrations such as Bersih's would cause widespread chaos, and cited the unrest in the Middle East as an example. "I cannot imagine that if there is a big crowd, certain element will come in, throwing the stone, burn the car, and with injuries like what is happening in Tunisia," he said. The July 9 "Walk for Democracy" Kuala Lumpur protest will be attended by several civil societies, including a few opposition parties. Bersih and its coalition partners have six demands in mind, including an end to the misuse of government machinery and funds during elections. With an expected attendance of more than 100,000, the march is expected to the biggest of its kind since the group's 2007 demonstrations. Protestor number predictions, however, did not faze the Malay rights supremacist, who said that most Malaysians would not buy into Bersih's demands. "Malaysia has 27 million people. Let's say that Bersih wants to bring 300,000, so 27 million minus 300,000, we will have 26 million. So you don't worry about the figures," he said. Ibrahim also added that Perkasa will hold a roundtable discussion with at least 30 other Malay-based NGOs on Bersih's planned demonstrations tomorrow. READ MORE HERE |
‘BN will lose its ‘fixed deposit” Posted: 12 Jun 2011 03:38 PM PDT
'Pakatan Rakyat Plus SAPP' will be able to smash BN hegemony in the 13th general election, says Sabah opposition leader Yong Teck Lee A former Sabah chief minister has predicted that Barisan Nasional (BN) will no longer be able to call the state its 'fixed deposit' after the 13th general election. Yong Teck Lee said the growing dissatisfaction over the direction of the economy as well as policies affecting Sabah and Sarawak would have an effect on the general election. He said the opposition is also banking on a revolt by consumers in the two states over prices of goods remaining much higher compared to Peninsular Malaysia despite years of platitudes by the BN government each time the subject comes up. "Prices of goods keep escalating over the years but the people's salary in Sabah remains stagnant as compared to other states in the country," said Yong, who is now president of opposition Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP). He said the ordinary people had taken note that "the ruling Barisan Nasional leaders are busy engaging in a cold war to protect their own selfish interest, rather than that of the people." Yong sees the current trend of dissatisfaction among the lower and middle income group in the state translating into votes for SAPP and the opposition. He said people are starting to realise that the BN-led government has failed to make good use of the enormous profits earned from oil and gas exports to keep the prices of goods down. "The BN government could have used the revenues received from Petronas to keep the prices of goods low, in Sabah especially, but it failed to do so," said Yong who was speaking at the Parents' Night organised by SAPP on Saturday. Petronas recently announced a profit of close to RM100 billion of which RM57 billion was given to the government in dividends and taxes while oil-producing Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu and Kelantan received a total of only RM4 billion as their 5% share in oil royalties. 'Pakatan Rakyat Plus SAPP' Consumers are also angry that the price of sugar has been steadily rising since Felda took over the sugar monopoly in the country from Robert Kuok's Perlis Pelantations which had never raised the price for the commodity. "What's even more puzzling and dismaying is the fact that Felda is a government agency that is supposed to look after the people's interest and welfare, instead of focusing on making profit alone," said Yong. READ MORE HERE |
Hadi on the difference of 'our' welfare state and BN's Posted: 12 Jun 2011 03:09 PM PDT
(Harakah Daily) - Announcing appointments for several top posts in PAS after the new line-up's first meeting yesterday, PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang called on Malaysians to vote for Pakatan Rakyat in achieving the goal of a true welfare state as espoused by PAS and its PR partners. "In order to know the meaning of a true welfare state, vote for us in the next general election. Give us five years, we can show what we can do," Hadi said during a press conference at party headquarters. Dismissing the government's claim that the current government was also based on 'welfare state', Hadi said the people under PR's governance would benefit in terms of better quality of life. Ever since the Islamic party endorsed the goal of a 'benevolent state', or welfare state as outlined by Hadi in his presidential address at the recent Muktamar, UMNO leaders have been pouring scorn on the concept, among others by saying that PAS had reneged on its Islamic state goal. PAS however said the concept of a welfare state was already Islamic and based on the Qur'anic call for a 'benevolent state'. The adaptation of the welfare state, which received intense support from PKR and DAP, is seen crucial, coming as it was at a time when the government comes under fire over a spate of price hikes, as well as its controversial funding of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) while denying subsidies for household users. Hadi however rapped UMNO leaders, saying they were illiterate when it comes to Islamic politics. 'Far cry from UMNO's welfare state' Hadi said a welfare state which takes guidance from the Qur'an and Prophetic traditions would be a far cry from the so-called welfare state as espoused by UMNO. Hadi explained that the concept was not limited to people's economic life but also was concerned with the fight against corruption. "It is also meant to avoid forbidden things such as corruption, not because of MACC (Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission) but because of Allah's decree," he added. Hadi said he understood the strong reactions among UMNO leaders over PAS's call for welfare state, as it would put an end to price hikes and high taxes practised by BN. "In Terengganu, PAS abolished the toll (for bridge). Clearly this was driven by welfare because those who used (the bridge) were small sellers and villagers," said Hadi, recalling his earliest announcement as Terengganu Menteri Besar following PAS's brief rule there in 1999-2004. "We lost a few millions, but we managed by increasing the tax on the wealthy such as on industry and logging," he added. Meanwhile, the newly appointed PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said UMNO felt threatened by the idea as it was introduced amid BN's failure to defend people's welfare, by agreeing to the electricity tariff hike which only benefited "greedy cronies". "Just look at the statements made by UMNO leaders to drive home a public perception that PAS had changed its struggle, when it is a fact that the welfare state, justice, security, prosperity and abundance are all ingredients of the Islamic state concept," he explained. |
PBS leader ticks off ‘arrogant’ Rais Posted: 12 Jun 2011 03:07 PM PDT
By Luke Rintod, FMT KOTA KINABALU: When the opposition accuses Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders of arrogance, it is expected. But when a fellow BN leader starts doing the same, it means something is really wrong. Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) deputy president Dr Yee Moh Chai is the latest to describe a federal leader as "arrogant" and "out of touch" with the people. He singled out Information, Communications, Arts and Culture Minister Rais Yatim for ignoring Sabahans and the state BN government leaders despite their pleas for assitance. Yee's main gripe is Rais' lethargic attitude in addressing the low-penetration Internet broadband rate in Sabah despite a year having passed since he pledged to achieve a minimum 30% penetration by 2010. Yee, the state Resource Development and Information Technology Minister, who was recently appointed a deputy chief minister, is irked by Rais' promises at various meetings to address the problem but has failed to act on them. Speaking to reporters here, Yee, in an unprecedented attack, lashed out at Rais for breaking his pledge. "Rais knows about this but he pretended not to (listen)… we have been telling him about it. "During the meeting, he (Rais) said okay but after that nothing was done," Yee said, adding that the way Rais works "is tantamount to being arrogant". Yee said while the national broadband penetration rate was 50% (in 2010), Sabah's remained the lowest in Malaysia. Some say it hovers at 15% which is why the ministry set a target of 30% by end of last year. Yee, who has been keeping a low-profile since PBS rejoined BN in 2002, now wants Rais to acknowledge his failure. "I have flown to Kuala Lumpur to discuss with Rais on ways to improve broadband service in Sabah. "He should instruct his men to work on how to improve the ICT services in Sabah and not simply shed his responsibility," said Yee. Angry users Broadband mobile users in Sabah have been complaining that Rais' ministry has allowed service providers to cut cheaper broadband service packages from five days to two days, thus limiting access to the Internet to poorer subscribers. READ MORE HERE |
Utusan continues attack against Bersih rally Posted: 12 Jun 2011 02:56 PM PDT
By Melissa Chi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Utusan Malaysia continued to campaign against the Bersih 2.0 demonstration fixed for July 9, citing unrest and urging the government to prevent the demonstration from taking place. "We understand there are efforts to inflame the people's hatred against the leaders of the government through measures such as demonstrations like in Arab countries today. They want unrest to prevail and if any unwanted incident happens, they will blame the government. It is better if the government prevents it before it happens," according to an editorial published today. The Malay daily had also called on Malaysians not just to boycott next month's Bersih rally, but also to gather against the movement that calls for free and fair elections, calling the gathering "dirty". The paper also told Malaysians "who love peace and reject hypocrisy" to gather on the streets of Kuala Lumpur on July 9 "with banners of the opposition leader's scandals" in reference to sodomy and sex video allegations against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. "Organisers of the rally are aware of the chaos that could be triggered when there is a clash between supporters and opponents of the street demonstrations. "Using the excuse that the demonstration is to fight for a clean and fair election... is not enough," it said. The editorial also said that other Malaysians should have the right to get on with their daily lives without being disrupted by the demonstrators. "Taxi drivers, bus companies, businesses and workers around the capital city had said that they are uneasy about the demonstration. "We disagree with the term 'the people's peaceful assembly' used as the theme because there is not one illegal assembly organised by the NGOs and opposition parties that have been peaceful. So don't use the people's name to allow actions that can negatively affect them," it said. "The organisers have to remember that marching in big groups will not solve any problems, instead it will cause trouble and create unrest in the country. READ MORE HERE |
Malaysia trails in religious freedom and other rights, says new survey Posted: 12 Jun 2011 02:50 PM PDT By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Malaysia lags behind the rest of the world in protecting freedom of religion, expression and other basic rights, managing only to place 59th out of 66 countries surveyed by the World Justice Project (WJP) for its Rule of Law Index 2011. Low scores for freedom of religion, expression, assembly and privacy also meant that Malaysia placed second to last in its income group, which includes other upper-middle-income countries like Russia, Brazil, Mexico and Iran. The report noted, however, that Malaysia ranked first among 19 income peers in terms of security, on par with countries such as France and Belgium, despite the prevalence of police abuse. Malaysia scored higher for absence of crime, strong labour rights, and lack of civil conflict — which the survey said was "effectively limited" — almost matching or exceeding the average score for other East Asia and Pacific countries. "As with many other countries in the region, Malaysia presents a contrasting view," WJP said in a statement today. "In comparison with upper-middle-income group standards, the government is reasonably accountable, although corruption, political interference, and impunity still exist." Other areas of concern highlighted by the report include corruption in the judicial branch and the low proportion of government officials cautioned for misconduct. READ MORE HERE.
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Words into practice Posted: 12 Jun 2011 02:47 PM PDT By R Nadeswaran, The Sun EVERY right-thinking Malaysian will certainly have to agree with the prime minister's remarks made last week at the World Islamic Economic Forum in Kazakhstan that characteristics like openness, honesty and transparency are vital if the people are to have faith that their government is working for them and not for itself. Saying that these guiding principles would also show that leaders and politicians were striving to lift the whole economy and not to "line their own pockets", he sent this powerful message: "As political leaders and statesmen, it is up to us to show the resolve, dedication, commitment and political will required to do what is right, to right what is wrong and to prevent corruption from becoming a norm in our societies."
This is not the first time that he has spoken out against the ills that afflict our society.
A month ago in Oxford, he spoke on religious moderation and the need to allow people of all faiths to express their views. But are his thoughts, philosophies and views being ignored if not defied by those in the corridors of power? Are our civil servants embracing openness, honesty and transparency? Are religious leaders taking cognisance of how they should conduct themselves?
Examples of their refusal or non-acceptance of these policies are too many to cite and the archives are full of reports which contain information on dishonesty and lack of transparency and accountability.
Why should the cost of producing the newsletter for a local authority be kept away from the public? Why is land alienation by the state government limited only to the "Minutes of the state exco" which fall under the purview of the Official Secrets Act? Why are the costs of purchasing items which are not "defence-sensitive" still being kept secret as if the whole country's security will be compromised if the rakyat know about how much the army paid for a packet of instant noodles?
The prime minister is making all the right statements which will ensure a better quality of life for all Malaysians, but it appears that it is not going down the line to some people who have been accustomed to doing things their way.
Working in London and observing how Malaysian agencies conduct their business shows that many do not care how government money is spent. There's no sense of accountability, transparency or openness, let alone honesty.
A case in point – the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) whose stand is totally in contravention of the prime minister's views.
It has been eight months since a simple query was raised: "Which supermarket chain in the UK has 64 Malaysian products on its shelves?" Four reminders to the London office with copies to its director-general and the chairman in Kuala Lumpur drew no response.
A car arranged by the High Commission here to take us to Oxford to cover the prime minister's visit was quoted at £350 (RM1,750). When asked about the exorbitant cost, the answer was that the service provider had been "efficient throughout all this (sic) years".
It would be difficult to justify spending such a sum of money to our bosses, let alone the auditor – a car was hired for £21 (RM105) and with £30 (RM150) of petrol, the journey was done. No one wants to know or explain how that astronomical figure was arrived at because it has never been a practice to ask for quotations or compare prices.
Where's the openness and honesty which the prime minister is preaching? Doesn't anyone want to practise it? As for Tourism Malaysia, the less said the better because they have been caught being dishonest on more than once occasion. Saying anything more will result in accusations of "you are picking on us"!
The prime minister is singing the right tunes and drawing the right parameters for a prosperous Malaysia. If followed to the letter, all Malaysians irrespective of colour or creed can share the prosperity and happiness that it brings.
The choice is not of the majority but the select few who draw up policies and another group which implements them. At all times, the three magic word espoused by the prime minister – openness, honesty and transparency – must ring in their ears each time they want to do something.
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Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #69 Posted: 12 Jun 2011 01:29 PM PDT The track record of the leadership of many newly independent countries is a sorry one. One of the reasons is that these leaders overstay or do not recognize their limitations. By M. Bakri Musa Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and Leadership Leadership to a society is what wings are to planes. Without wings planes will not fly, and without leaders there will be no society. Wings also define the limits on the performances of the plane. Early planes had double stacked wings, the biplanes, which effectively doubled the lift at low speed. But with stronger engines and thus greater speed, that design became very limiting as the drag factor increases rapidly at higher speed. Thus new models are introduced with a single pair of wings but fitted with adjustable curved flaps at the leading and trailing edges that could be extended at low speed (as at takeoff and landing) to effect maximum lift, and then retracted at high speed to reduce drag. This flexibility in shape enables the wings to function efficiently at both low and high speed. With the development of jet engines and even faster planes, even this design has limitations, and soon gave way to the backswept wings (still with flaps) that gave even better lift/drag ratio. With supersonic jets, the design is further improved with the delta wings that could be retracted to further reduce drag at super mach cruising speed. With the extreme speeds of rockets and missiles, wings are essentially irrelevant, reduced to tiny flaps at the tail end. So it is with leadership. In the beginning when society is undeveloped and its citizenry unsophisticated and uneducated, you need a leader who is a strict disciplinarian and could command instant respect by his charisma. This type of leader is best exemplified by the drill sergeant major who could whip out a bunch of ragtag village bums into spick and span recruits within a few months. But as those recruits become officers or if one is training an officers' corps, then one needs a different type of leader. The yelling drillmaster would definitely be out of place. Similarly if one is leading a group of intelligent people, one needs a different style of leader. If a university president starts barking orders like a military commander, he would not last long. His claim to leadership would be through his scholarly example and intellect, and by sharing his vision with the rest of the academic community. An orchestra conductor calls for another style of leadership. His claim to the podium is his own talent and contribution, and his ability to bring out the best out of his musicians. And if the orchestra fails, chances are it is the conductor who would be blamed, not the musicians. In an orchestra, there is no such thing as a leadership challenge to the conductor. The first violinist does not aspire to be the conductor, nor is she scheming to take over the job. She (or he) is satisfied with being a superb musician in her (or his) own right. South Korea's General Park was the right man at the right time for his nation. His military bearing and no nonsense approach was what his unruly, ill-disciplined, and backward people needed. He ruthlessly and quickly whipped his ragged nation into a cohesive productive unit, using nationalism as his rallying cry. Unfortunately a decade later, as a result of the very success of his program, his style became a significant liability. After a decade of spectacular economic development, with his people increasingly becoming highly educated, Park still had the old biplane style of leadership, totally unsuitable for a nation that was now taking off at jet speed. His successors were no better; they were all military men stuck in the same biplane mode of leadership. Fortunately South Korea today is being led by a civilian with a flexible style, akin to wings with retractable flaps that could be adjusted accordingly. The track record of the leadership of many newly independent countries is a sorry one. One of the reasons is that these leaders overstay or do not recognize their limitations. Often a leader who is good at leading the nation at war is the worst kind for a nation at peace. The British knew something of this when they kicked out Churchill soon after he successfully prosecuted World War II. That may seem to be the height of ingratitude, but often that is the best course for the nation. Had Churchill stayed on he would have plunged Britain and the world into another war against the Soviets with his Cold War rhetoric. Unfortunately many Third World leaders who successfully led their countries in their war of independence hung on for too long even though they had proven themselves to be incompetent peacetime leaders. Sukarno may be brilliant at outsmarting the Dutch and using world opinion to his side in securing his nation's independence, but those were very different skills needed in the day-to-day mundane details of running a new nation. As result Indonesia was driven to the ground under Sukarno, and never recovered. Similarly in the Indian subcontinent, Gandhi may have successfully shamed Britain into granting India its independence by his nonviolence movement, but that same strategy was impotent in dealing with the animal hatred Hindus and Muslims there have for one another. Newly-independent India needed a Park, not a Ghandi. When Malaysia became independent in 1957, expectations were necessarily low: just keep the status quo and not muck things up. Malaysians were satisfied with what the colonialists left them, just maintain that; do not rock the boat. Tunku Abdul Rahman, the country's first prime minister, was ideally suited for this role. A committed anglophile, he was more than happy to oblige. With his happy-go-lucky attitude and less-than-gifted intellect, he need not come up with any innovative ideas or programs. Indeed none were expected. His good nature and affable ways were enough to smooth the differences that surfaced. In the immediate post-independent Malaysia, success was measured not by the number of brilliant innovations and imaginative policies, rather in maintaining the status quo. After a decade of independence however, Malaysians had become increasingly confident. Their horizon had expanded. The status quo, no matter how admirable it seemed in the beginning, did not solve the pressing problems facing the nation. Unfortunately, the Tunku did not notice the changes. The nation was like a plane that now had a more powerful engine, but its wings were still the biplane type. The inevitable result was a crash; the old wings were too much of a drag. Tunku became a liability, and he discovered that only too late to prevent the devastating May 1969 race riot. Tunku was replaced by his long-time deputy, Tun Razak, a man his polar opposite. Where Tunku was all smiles and affable, Razak had a constant dour demeanor and a perennial scowling look; where Tunku was intellectually shallow, his Cambridge degree notwithstanding, Tun Razak was brilliant and innovative, confident of his own considerable intellect, and unafraid to pursue his own policies without having to await the approval or adoration of his followers. Tun Razak's first order of business following the devastating riot of 1969 was to suspend parliamentary democracy. That precipitated howling protests from within as well abroad. But Tun Razak was sure of his bearing and ignored those do-gooders. He had an important obligation to bring peace and restore order. He ran the country as a military dictator would; indeed he spoke admiringly of and modeled himself after the general who successfully prosecuted Malaysia's campaign against the communist terrorists, General Templer. Where Templer was fighting the communists, Razak was fighting rural poverty and interracial inequities. He emulated Templer by establishing in each district a local "operations" room to monitor his war on poverty. He was no staff general; he frequented the frontlines and ground troops. To overcome the gross and increasingly dangerous interracial inequities, he promulgated a daring and innovative social engineering program in the form of the New Economic Policy (NEP). He was remarkably effective. Nothing attests to the enduring quality of his contributions better than that the NEP and its successor policies have essentially remained unchanged to this very day. The remarkable aspect of Razak's leadership was that, having established law and order, he restored parliamentary democracy. Tun Razak was one of the few leaders who shined in leading his nation both in times of crisis as well as during peacetime. Sadly Tun Razak died in the prime of his life, just as the citizenry was beginning to feel the tangible benefits of his farsighted and brilliant initiatives. The nation rightly mourned a great loss. Tun Razak was replaced by his chosen successor, Hussein Onn. Hussein's tenure was brief because of ill health. His leadership was a forgettable one; he was more administrator than leader. His greatest contribution was his selection of Mahathir as his deputy and later, prime minister. But even this sole credit was marred when a decade later during the UMNO leadership crisis, he declared that his greatest mistake was in appointing Mahathir! I am certain that had Tun Razak survived his cancer, Malaysia would have continued on its steep trajectory of success. The hypothetical question is, with Malaysians thus changed, would Tun Razak have been flexible enough to adjust to the new Malaysia? I believe he would. Mahathir took the country by a storm in 1981. The changes he brought were both symbolic and real. Symbolically he made a big deal of signing in and out of his office and to wearing a nametag. To status conscious Malaysia, for the prime minister to wear an identification tag is highly significant, symbolizing equality and humility. And to chronically tardy Malaysians, signing in every morning is a very visible manifestation of discipline. On a practical level he took the country on a path of economic development undreamed of at the time. He firmly committed the nation to foreign investments and trade, and confidently rode the recession of the mid 1980s to lead the nation to greater heights. The world spared no superlatives in describing his and the country's economic progress. Had Mahathir resigned in the mid 1990s, his star would have forever remained undiminished. Alas all that changed quickly as he completed his second decade of leadership. In short, the country took off but Mahathir's model of leadership could not adjust to the new realities. The fuselage (country) is now equipped with a faster jet engine and cruising at high speed, but it is still stuck with the old perpendicular wings which no longer give much lift but instead, are now a major drag. Mahathir failed to see the remarkable transformation of his people, a consequence of the dramatic success of his very policies. He was unable to adapt to those changes. His speech to the UMNO General Assembly in 2001 was a rehash of what he wrote in his first book The Malay Dilemma in 1970, where he lambasted Malays for our lackadaisical ways. With nauseating frequency he exhorted Malays to change, meanwhile failing to realize that it was he who needed to change the most. The rigid disciplinarian drill sergeant could not transform himself into a captain. Thus the sad spectacle of Mahathir humiliated in the twilight of his leadership by the very people, Malays, who benefited immensely from his policies. Sadly his legacy is destined to tarnish even more with his selection of an unimaginative and uninspiring successor, Abdullah Badawi, his fourth deputy. Why such a fate for a nation that has so much talent? The reasons are many and I will review some. Next: Lack of Checks and Balances in Malaysian Leadership |
Omega watch = C4 + missing Immigration records Posted: 12 Jun 2011 01:22 PM PDT If you had provided acceptable answers to these still pending questions, then the rakyat will in fact join you in your Omega cries. By J. D. Lovrenciear It was reported that our PM speaking to the rakyat in Kuala Lumpur raised a concern. He was reported to have hollered that Anwar Ibrahim has to this date not answered about the Omega watch. Question is, why does the PM reduce himself to such lowly levels of arguments? Mind you, you are no orddinary minister. You are the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister for the entire population - be they be belonging to BN or to the Opposition. Yes, you are the party President of UMNO. But when you speak to the general population, please would you wear the hat of PM - minister who is prime, and not your UMNO cap? Okay. If you insist that you were darn right in questioning Anwar's integrity by raising the Omega watch issue, then you cannot blame the rakyat to rebut by asking: 1. What about the Mongolian murder? 2. Who authorized the use of C4? 3. Why was the person who authorised the release of the C4 from the strongroom not punished? 4. Who authorized the erasing of the immigration records and why was the person/s not punished? If you had provided acceptable answers to these still pending questions, then the rakyat will in fact join you in your Omega cries. Otherwise you have just lost all respect. You see Mr Prime Minister, you do not even have to have Roundtable discussions. Just make sure you are kept abreast of all that the rakyat are saying in the alternate media and in the warongs. |