| ADAMANT ON HUDUD Posted: 01 Oct 2011 11:48 AM PDT By Sharanjit Singh and Audrey Dermawan, NST KEPALA BATAS: Looks like there's no stopping Pas spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat from talking on hudud, gag order or no gag order. In fact, he is pushing the issue further — to make hudud a federal requirement.
The Kelantan menteri besar said he was praying In fact, he is pushing the issue further — to make hudud a federal requirement.
The Kelantan menteri besar said he was praying hard for the opposition grouping to get a two-thirds majority in Parliament as this would pave the way for hudud to be implemented.
The feisty veteran politician said hudud was compulsory in Islam and just as important as other obligations in the religion like praying, fasting, performing the haj and zakat.
Nik Aziz said he was puzzled why Malaysians could accept the death penalty, which was carried out by hanging for those convicted of capital offences but rejected the Islamic law which had very stringent requirements before one could be punished.
He also chided non-Muslims for fearing hudud and fiercely opposing it when the law was only meant for Muslims.
"In Kelantan, we have ruled for 20 years... have we killed a non-Muslim? No. Have we pulled one hair from their bodies? No.
"The law is for the syariah court ... for Muslims. It is not in the civil cour t." Nik Aziz was speaking at a press conference on the sideline of Pas' 60th anniversary celebrations at Dewan Millenium here.
Present were party deputy president Mohamad Sabu and secretary- general Mustafa Ali.
Nik Aziz surprised Pas' par tners in the opposition grouping recently when he resurrected the issue of setting up an Islamic state — the "pillar of Pas' original struggle"— and implement hudud in Kelantan.
He said Pas was ready to have talks with its partners on the idea of an Islamic state and that his state government had laid out the foundation for hudud to be carried out.
This sparked a widely-publicised debate among them, with DAP chairman Karpal Singh questioning why the issuewas being brought up again and reiterating that its implementation was unconstitutional.
The DAP had also threatened to leave the opposition grouping if Pas persisted with its hudud stance.
Nik Aziz said the DAP could choose to do so and said he would not back down from this objective as it had been the pillar of Pas' struggle since the party's inception in 1951.
The opposition leaders held an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue but came to no consensus.
In yesterday's function, Nik Aziz said the DAP, although strongly against hudud, had accepted that Islamic law had been endorsed by the Kelantan and Terengganu state legislative assemblies.
Asked if he could see Pas ever working together with Umno, Nik Aziz said the party had done so in the past but had been "kicked out" when they (Umno) got stronger.
"I know you Umno... who you are!" he responded to the question in English, to the amusement of those present at the press conference.
Earlier, Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang reiterated that the party would not force hudud on non-Muslims in the country.
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| Soi Lek: Some BN leaders arrogant ‘bullies’ Posted: 01 Oct 2011 11:44 AM PDT By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider Some Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders' actions have affected the coalition's image, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek claimed today. The MCA president said that while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been doing his best to engage with Malaysians, "one or two" BN leaders have tarnished BN's popularity among voters. "Sadly, it has been perceived that one or two BN leaders are aloof, arrogant, and abusive...they project themselves as a big brother but they are bullies. "Some are also known to be loose cannons, they get into the headlines for the wrong reasons," Dr Chua (picture) said today during his presidential address at the MCA annual general assembly. The MCA president did not state explicitly which BN leaders he was referring to. "For the sake of stability in BN, the MCA has not responded in a way it perhaps should," Dr Chua added. |
| Opposition’s job is to say bad and unpopular things, says Dr M Posted: 01 Oct 2011 10:44 AM PDT By Farik Zolkepli, The Star KUALA TERENGGANU: Politicians should not get upset over Penang Chief Minister Lim Guang Eng's alleged statement that Johor is unsafe because the Opposition must make "bad and unpopular" remarks, saidTun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He said he could understand Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar's anger over the matter, but insisted that politicians should not blow their top over the issue. "The Sultan is angry and I understand it as he is the state Ruler. However, politicians should not lose their cool as the Opposition's job is to say bad and unpopular things," he told reporters after attending the Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) convocation ceremony yesterday. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate in science. The former prime minister was asked to comment on Lim's apology over his alleged statement that Singaporeans were likely to be kidnapped if they went to Johor. Dr Mahathir said he himself was attacked by the Opposition, including being labelled a dictator and his online blog flooded with negative comments. "In my blog, depa maki saya (they curse me). If I were to take action (on every single attack), then I won't have time to do anything else. "Apology or no apology, Lim only did so after being criticised by various parties," he added. On the Kelantan PAS government's insistence on implementing hudud law in the state, Dr Mahathir said the move was just a political ploy to fish for votes. "Hudud is a game for PAS and Islam is a game for them as well, as they know they will not form the federal government," he said. Dr Mahathir said there were many Kelantanese who worked elsewhere. "Thus, if PAS goes ahead with its plans, then I believe there will not be anyone left in Kelantan," he added. On certain PAS leaders' pledge to implement hudud in the country if they win the next general election, Dr Mahathir said it could not be done as Malaysia was not a country where its population is 100% Muslim. "PAS must be realistic as non-Muslims are very important to this country and our economy could collapse if there were no non-Muslims," he said, adding that Islam had never been the focal point of PAS' struggle. |
| What to expect from Budget 2012? Posted: 01 Oct 2011 10:34 AM PDT By Ronnie Teo, The Borneo Post KUCHING: With Budget 2012 to be tabled this coming Friday (October 7) in Parliament, Malaysians await with bated breath on what policies will be uncovered to further appeal to the likes of many. Industry leader s have expressed their concerns given the dismal global economic performance with the region struggling on the path to recover, bogged down by the developed nations. Indeed, the current global out look of the wor ld' s economy is nothing less than unfavourable. With extreme volatility seen in global financial markets as well as equity markets all over experiencing sell-downs following continued concerns over the eurozone debt crisis as well as the slowing economic growth of a once-powerhouse United States, Malaysia's policymakers are up for a challenge in drawing up a budget that is aptly balanced for a sustainable growth path for our very own economy. While focusing on the need to pump the economy in the midst of naysayers forecasting the possibility of a double-dip recession, Malaysia would also need to address the issue of a continuing fiscal deficit for the 15th year in 2012. Certainly, a lot is on the plate of our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who also wears a dual hat a s Finance Minister This will be his third budget since taking over the post as Prime Minister in 2009. To c ont inue mapping the country's growth, this budget is expected to include initiatives to complement the country's ongoing Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). In 2011, the government had allocated RM214 billion in total for the budget. Of this amount, RM163 billion was allotted for operational expenditure while the remaining RM51 billion was for development expenditure. Pre-budget dialogues were held earlier this year over a period of three months, involving about 300 investors, business folk and representatives from non-government organisations. As such, many believe that this budget will be 'people-inclusive', steering to create an economic ecosystem and boost the private sector in a bid towards becoming a high-income nation by the year 2020 as planned. According to the chief economist from Malaysia Ratings Corporation Bhd (MARC), Nor Zahidi Alias, the focus of the budget would be on reducing the burden of the low and middle income group that were affected by the rising cost of living. "Based on the CPI, food cost has risen by 22 per cent since July 2007, the last time civil servants received an across the board increase in their salaries," he told BizHive Weekly. "The CPI in general rose by 11 per cent within that time frame. So, measures would likely be introduced to relieve some of their burdens." RAM Holding Bhd's group chief economist, Dr Yeah Kim Leng, said the coming Budget could certainly add to the country's growth momentum by further boosting investors' confidence and sentiments with new measures aimed at enhancing economic efficiency through market liberalisation and lowering business costs. He noted that the strong inflow of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) of up to RM21.3 billion seen in the first half of 2011 signalled positively of the country's transformation efforts bearing early fruits. "The rise in FDIs is an affirmation of foreign investors' confidence in the country's long term growth prospects," Dr Yeah added. "As such, the government could focus on a re-statement of the New Economic Policy's 30 p e r cent Bumiputera target as a macro target rather than being implemented selectively across individual industries, firms and businesses. "This, in turn, will boost investor sentiments and create a freer environment for the sharing of risks and rewards, spurring entrepreneurship and creativity, attracting foreign investments and retaining capi tal in the domest i c economy. "All the 12 NKEAs will benefit either directly or indirectly from Budget 2012 that is expected to be growth-centred and people-friendly," affirmed Dr Yeah Kim Leng. The economist noted that Sarawak would likely continue to be a major benef iciary of increased budgetary allocations to reduce regional disparity in economic development, eliminate hard core poverty and improve rural infrastructures and facilities. The NKEAs where Sarawak had a comparative advantage such as oil, gas and energy-related industries, including upstream and downstream activities, were expected to receive further boost from the budget, either directly or indirectly, said Dr Yeah. TA Securities' head of research, Kaladher Govindan, was of the opinion that Malaysian policymakers were likely to emphasise on three specific factors this time round. "Firstly, it would expedite projects highlighted under the ETP to buffer downside from slowing external demand. Secondly, it would introduce further liberalisation and incentives to make businesses more competitive as our neighbours like Indonesia emerge as more conducive investment destinations. "Finally, it is expected to introduce more structured benefits/subsidies for the hard core poor to compensate for the rising income gap and loss in disposable income caused by inflationary pressures," he added. "This may include a reduction in the middle income group and slower pace of subsidy reduction." Focus on the rakyat HwangDBS IM's head of equities, Gan Eng Peng, outlined his expectations of a 'rakyat-popularity-driven' Budget this time around as the General Elections was looming around the corner. "However, we do not expect too much from this Budget as on one hand, the government needs to table a 'feel good' Budget. On the other hand, it is also in a straitjacket due to the sluggish state of the global economy," he noted in an email reply. "On the overall, we do not expect this it to be a market-movement-type of Budget this year as there were a total of RM68 billion of stimulus packages being pumped into the economy in 2009 to pull the economy out of the Global Financial Crisis. "Remember, these monies will need to be recovered one way or another someday," he rationalised. OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Bhd's economist, Gundy Cahyadi, hoped to see continuing focus on helping the public in this Budget on the back of rising concerns from the worsening global economic outlook. "This budget is going to be interesting in a way because it is happening at the same time that the global economy is taking another turn (for the worse) while the government has also kicked off its ETP and seen some encouraging developments in 2011," he said. "There is probably going to be a continued focus on how to help the public, especially on matters concerning rising costs and so forth. So, the wage-productivity angle will see quite a focus certainly," he added. The same idea was brought forward by the head of research from Mercury Securities Sdn Bhd, Edmund Tham, who believed that Budget 2012, being the last budget before the next General Elections, would see emphasis on addressing public issues. "Basically Budget 2012 would probably be the last budget before the next General Elections. The federal government's budget would likely focus on addressing public issues, such as the rising cost of living," he affirmed. "These may include areas such as housing, food supply chain, public transport, healthcare and education which form the main concerns of the Rakyat." Boost in economic liberalisation During his interview with Forbes Asia Magazine in early September, Najib revealed his intentions for another round of economic liberalisation in this coming budget for long-term sustainable competitiveness. He said liberalisation was good for "our long-term sustainable competitiveness of the country, building our intrinsic strengths not through protection or subsidies." Gan from HwangDBS IM opined that this economic liberalisation was building the country's competency to be on par with international peers. "Malaysia has been progressively liberalising its economy and has been aggressively doing so over recent years," he said to BizHive Weekly in an email interview. "It is a move to develop our human capital pool to be on par with the international peers in order to have an edge in the competitive 'laissez-faire' globalised market. "Days of competing on weaker ringgit for our exports and low-labour cost manufacturing models are long gone with China, India, Vietnam, Thailand and the likes joining the low-cost game," he added, noting that in order to propel Malaysia to a high income nation, the key was in developing a highly-skilled workforce founded on a knowledge-based economy and to carve out niches in the services industry. "This is the developed nation model that we can take a leaf from. To me, I would think the best place to seriously start relooking into is our education system and the next step is changing of the local mindset to be more critical, analytical, innovative and creative." OCBC's Cahyadi believed it was widely expected that the government would aim to lower its deficit for 2012 through this liberalisation stance. "Analysts would want to watch on several fronts: Fuel subsidies? GST? Privatisation? It is widely expected that the government would lower its deficit for 2012, presumably only slightly, to about five to 5.2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) from the estimated 5.4 per cent this year. "The liberalisation measures would be targeted to do just this: lower spending and boost revenue," he affirmed. Liberalising too quickly? Some sources have cited concerns that Najib's action of liberalising too quickly would be threatening to the economy. "How do we define too quickly if the government and people refuse to change?" asked TA Securities' Govindan. "The auto industry is a classic example. It failed to improve its competitiveness against international players for more than twenty five years (since Mahathir's era) while other less pampered players in countries like South Korea that started much later than us have started to rock the world. "We are still talking about benefitting a privileged few with APs by extending it, whereas the government can collect the revenue directly. You will never be competitive if you don't want to understand the true meaning," he stressed on. "To be competitive you have to inculcate a merit based culture in the entire system ranging from education, businesses, public service, politics and so on." Mercury Securities' Tham was on the same page, saying, "There is always a trade-off between liberalisation and protectionism. Some sectors are not ready to be liberalised in the sense that the local players cannot compete effectively against foreign competitors." Dr Yeah begged to differ, though, noting that "liberalising too slowly puts the economy at risk of being left behind by our neighbouring countries that are fast catching up with Malaysia in terms of economic efficiency, market liberalisation and ease of doing business." Gan from HwangDBS asserted his idea that further liberalisation plans would be in line with the ETP, as the government initiated in earnest, its efforts to allow the private sector to play a more significant role in the local economy as a whole. "We have already seen the liberalisation in the shareholding of foreign financial institutions and we expect more will come in order to carve Malaysia a space in the international financial industry, especially in the Islamic finance sector," he disclosed. Sectors in the spotlight In a bid to drive more private investments, analysts expected to see a flurry of industry-specific incentives coming up on the table. MARC's Nor Zahidi was of the view that the liberalisation process would likely be focused on the services sector, a sector which accounted for almost 60 per cent of the economy. He added that the vibrancy of the services sector was critical as it provided an avenue to generate higher income which was in line with the government's aspiration to increase the income level of the rakyat. "Notwithstanding this, liberalisation measures should be implemented carefully and at a pace which is suitable with the level of development," he forewarned. "In other words, we should not rush into liberalising all parts of the economy within a short time frame. Proper sequencing is required in such a process. "A rush in the implementation of liberalisation measures can be detrimental to the economy as evidenced by the crisis that erupted in East Asia in 1998 which was caused by a rapid liberalisation of capital account (without proper establishment of financial market regulatory framework)." According to TA Securities' Govindan, focus could also be given to the services sector but "expect some attention on the manufacturing sector as well to improve export competitiveness in terms of price and non-price factors." "For instance downstream plantation players may find some adjustment in the tax structure to compete more effectively with Indonesian players," he gave as an example. Govindan divulged the education sector (attracting foreign universities and talent), aviation (increased flight frequency and landing rights), banking (further relaxation in foreign ownership in banks, especially commercial banks and rules in hiring foreign talents), and healthcare (foreign ownership in private hospitals, incentives to open up biochemical industries and so on) as further possible beneficiaries. What's up with taxes? Manokaran Mottain, the head of research at AmResearch Sdn Bhd believed that the government may also aim to streamline the current tax structure in Malaysia by reducing income tax by one percentage point. "As it stands, the current corporate tax rate remains at 25 per cent while the highest band of individual income tax stands at 26 per cent. In this regard, certain segments of the population have been lobbying for a tax review before the actual implementation of the the Goods and Services Tax (GST)." Manokaran cited calls by industry players for both personal and corporate taxes to be reduced to 20 per cent, if the government was serious about attracting FDIs and talents as well as implementing GST in the country. "This will also serve as a positive step towards preparation for GST by 2014 or 2015," he opined. "Lower personal income tax will also make it easy for the government-owned Talent Corporation to attract more skilled workers back to Malaysia." The first mention of GST was brought up back in 2005 as a tool to reduce fiscal deficit. Since then, its implementation has been deferred year by year, despite many countries in the region adopting GST or its equivalents as it was accepted by most as a more equitable and efficient tax system. "Potential tools that could be used to help reduce the fiscal deficit include introducing a clear schedule regarding GST's implementation,' believed Monokaran. Pending implementation of the GST system, Mercury Securities' Tham held expectations from the government to tweak or offer further rebates or incentives for personal income tax payers, such as for environment or welfare causes. "The government may also announce some updates on the minimum wage policy plan. As usual, further announcements of major infrastructure and development projects are also expected." Another segment which might possible see some tax changes is the Real Property Gains Tax (RPGT). HwangDBS IM's Gan believed an increase from the current five per cent to 30 per cent for assets disposed within five years would serve well to raise revenue to finance mega-projects. "This will keep us on our toes to ensure out sovereign credit ratings continue to be in good stead," he added. "Sin tax could be on the cards as well to generate revenue." ETP and flowing foreign investments After achieving the status of a middle-income country, the challenge for Malaysia was now to bridge the gap to a high-income status nation. However, the challenges that lay ahead were hard and difficult. This was due to the fact that Malaysia was no longer competitive against low-income countries as a high-volume, low-cost producer. At the same time, Malaysia has yet to move up the value chain and become competitive against high-income countries. In order to make the leap, the government introduced the ETP, a comprehensive effort providing strong focus on key sectors as growth engines in addition to economic reforms. These two qualities provide the strength needed to propel Malaysia into a high income nation, targeting to lift Malaysia's gross national income per capita to RM48,000 by the year 2020. As such, analysts believed that Budget 2012 would play a complimentary role to ETP and its many initiatives. "We think that things have been more encouraging for Malaysia this year and certainly the FDI figure is a positive," OCBC's Cahyadi said. "The still positive growth prospect for the country would be an attractive point for foreign investors, but we probably need to see more before Malaysia's medium-term target can be achieved. "The early part of the ETP and National Economic Model (NEM) is therefore very crucial," he affirmed. "Presumably, investors are still attracted to infrastructure and commodity sectors in Malaysia. However, private participation still seems to be very low and there is probably a need for government to lead by example." Cahyadi extended his belief that major companies still seemed to prefer investing overseas. The nation's net foreign direct investment for example, had been relatively low in the region for the past several years. "Now that global risks have resurfaced, there is some notion that the private sector may still want to play the wait-and-see mode, and thus, it is crucial for the government to lead the way in the initial stage." Nevertheless, Cahyadi noted an improvement on this front in the first half of 2011. "There are two main factors that led to the inflow in the first half of 2011. One was the effect of ETP – a commendable government effort which has placed Malaysia back in the radar of the international investing community," pointed out HwangDBS IM's Gan. "It has definitely created a lot of excitement. Coupled with the next factor, the bull run that continued from 2010 to early 2011, money was flowing into the emerging markets and Malaysia was one of the favourites. "Unfortunately, the August bloodbath resulted in the spike in investor risk-aversions. Many foreign investors have sold-down their positions in risky assets such as emerging markets equities, regardless of the state of the fundamentals. It has been the case of 'sell first, ask questions later'. "However, foreign, long-term investors who can see the potential in our country's economy and strong fundamentals will continue to stay invested." Analysts and indusrty sources alike concur that the upcoming reveal of Budget 2012 will determine the nation's standing in the global economy as the Rakyat heads towards Vision 2020. |
| It’s time to lift this veil of beguiling deceitfulness Posted: 01 Oct 2011 10:23 AM PDT (The Star) - PAS, hudud law and an Islamic state are the inseparable trio that, of the party's own choosing, would simply refuse to go away. Last year, PAS rejected any compromise on hudud law despite the DAP's objections. So much for consultation within Pakatan Rakyat. The issue raged heatedly, then subsided. Earlier this year, PAS Youth said hudud was no longer a priority, after the party president's keynote speech at the 57th Muktamar downplayed it. Then speculation of an impending general election grew. PAS spiritual leader and Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat again said hudud law would be implemented nationwide should Pakatan win the general election. This policy volcano, until then dormant but never extinct, rumbled again. PAS would now make Kelantan an Islamic state through the syariah court system. Conservative Islamism has returned with all its controversies fully intact, and Pakatan's glaring discrepancies flared again. Once more, PAS is insisting on an Islamic state despite all the objections. This is no way to run a party alliance, let alone a multi-ethnic Malaysia with sizeable minorities. Changing the Constitution to allow for what the world today regards as inhumane punishments, along with vastly disparate forms of legal testimony, is also disturbing. To pretend that hudud law will not affect non-Muslims is dangerous and nonsensical fiction. Pakatan has tried to ban entertainment during Ramadan, stop Muslim staff from working in establishments serving alcohol, planned to disrupt music concerts and seen family disputes arise after a family member had undergone religious conversion. If these issues are trivial or merely "ghostly apparitions", more will emerge when hudud law is implemented. All Malaysians and even foreign visitors and businesses will be affected, to varying degrees. Although hudud is contained in the Quran, not all Muslims are clamouring for it. Meanwhile, PAS has demanded silence from doubters while Pakatan has imposed a gag order on the subject. Sadly, issues of major national significance are being swept under the carpet by those demanding free speech for themselves and transparency in others. If hudud law were so much better, it would not be so controversial or should at least be open to free enquiry and debate. This nation's future is too important to be left in the hands of power seekers who are fundamentally incompatible. |
| No hudud please, we’re Malaysians Posted: 01 Oct 2011 10:19 AM PDT By Zainah Anwar, The Star ARE our politicians plain bad, crazy or stupid? In this divisive, corrosive, cynical political climate of ours, if I were the Opposition, I would jump and present my party as the party of first and obvious choice for the electorate. I would have not only welcomed the Prime Minister's bold announcements in repealing those repressive laws and states of emergency, I would also up the ante and begin a public debate on how we as citizens should exercise and enjoy our Constitutional guarantees of fundamental liberties. I would be planning over the next few months on how to build public opinion to hold the Government accountable and ensure that whatever alternative national security or public order laws that might emerge will uphold my fundamental freedoms.
I would want to make it politically very costly for the Government if it falls short or back-pedal on the promises of democratic reform it has made.
Instead, what do we get? An offer of the hudud law and its grim serving of chopped-off Muslim hands and feet, and stoning to death! What kind of future is that?
And we have politicians, who supposedly hold the mantle of leadership, who simply and continually miss the point.
"It's okay to implement the hudud law because it doesn't affect non-Muslims." So it's okay for Muslims to be brutalised?
See what happens when the first Muslim hand gets chopped off for stealing a motorbike.
What if a medical team is on standby to gather the chopped-off hand and the victim and run to Terengganu or fly to KL for the hand to be stitched back?
What if the thief was with a Chinese or Indian accomplice who was sentenced only to a few months' imprisonment under the Penal Code while the Malay thief is now disabled and unable to get a job, and be forever publicly stigmatised?
Or really, could this be a conspiracy to make the Malays permanently physically disabled in order to justify affirmative action in perpetuity? I wonder.
"Non-Muslims should shut up because it doesn't affect them." But they are Malaysian citizens who have every right to speak up on laws that allow for brutal and inhumane punishments against their fellow citizens, the majority population to boot.
Who wants to live in such a society when your neighbour, your friend, or your fellow citizen are subject to a cruel legal system?
How could I live with my conscience if I were a Chinese who has witnessed a rape, but my infidel evidence would not be accepted under the hudud law? No, I cannot keep quiet and accept such a law.
"Muslims who are not experts on Islam should shut up". Then please take religion out of the public sphere and make it private between us and God. But not when I can be flogged 80 lashes for qazaf (slanderous accusation) if I report I have been raped and am unable to produce four pious and just Muslim males who witnessed the rape.
On top of that, my rape report could also be taken as confession of illicit sex and I could be charged for zina. And even if I could produce the four men, I would be torn apart wondering why four supposedly pious and just men watched me being raped.
And God forbid if I was single and became pregnant because of the rape. I would be charged for zina and lashed 100 times because my pregnancy is regarded as
evidence of illicit sex.
The burden is on me, not the state, to prove I was indeed raped. The evidential requirements make this impossible. And the accused rapist will be free from any hudud punishment by simply denying the rape.
And we are all supposed to shut up? No wonder some of our political leaders are bent on their so-called "Islamic state" and "Islamic law" project because it is so easy to fly the flag of religion and silence dissenting voices.
Even of their political opponents – many of whom can only summon the courage to claim: "I am not against the Hudud law, but the time and conditions are not right to implement it." There are hundreds of commands, exhortations, values and principles in the Quran that we ignore or violate on a daily basis.
The command for us to be kind and compassionate at all times, the duty of a man to provide and protect his wife and children, the obligation of a leader to be just and fair in his ruling are just a few of these.
And what does an Islamist party prioritise as the hallmark of its piousness? The Hudud law. Instead of having the political courage to say no to the Hudud law, once and for all on so many available grounds – Islamic, constitutional, human rights principles, lived realities – so many of their political opponents dither and hedge.
It is so tiresome that we the rakyat are subject to this again and again.
Sisters in Islam wrote letters to the editor, published a book and submitted a memorandum to the Government, all objecting to the PAS attempts to introduce the Hudud law in Kelantan and Terengganu in 1993 and 2002 respectively.
When PAS recently announced it was shifting from its push for an "Islamic state" to a "welfare state", many thought the leadership finally realised that its future lies with social justice transformation, not with a punitive and joyless Islam of gloom and doom.
On some issues, it was even looking more progressive than Umno.
But its Hudud law pronouncements have jolted us back to reality. So many in the PAS leadership and its rank and file remain stuck in medieval times, unable to imagine what justice should mean to an Islamist party in the 21st century and unable to envision what it means to be Muslim in a modern, democratic, progressive multi-ethnic, multi-religious Malaysia today. |
| Embattled Malaysian PM unwilling to embrace radical reform: analyst Posted: 01 Oct 2011 10:15 AM PDT By Radio Australia The promises earlier this month from Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak to reform the country's harsh security laws were seen by many as a sign the government is turning its attention towards the next election.
The vote may come as early as next year, or as late as 2013. But it seems the security laws will be an issue as will the calls for electoral reforms by the coalition of non-government organisations known as Bersih, or "clean".
Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speaker: Dr Syed Muhammad Khairudin, associate professor at the National University of Singapore KHAIRUDIN: These promises are not something that is put in just merely to respond to the protest that has taken place a few weeks ago. I think the prime minister is sincere about making wide ranging changes and transformations in Malaysian society and in the laws. I'm sure that the ISA law will be removed from the current legal structure, but the question is with the removal of these ISA laws, will the current juridical practices that are in place in the Malaysian society be changed as well and I think the situation on the ground and the feeling on the ground is such that even without ISA, the ways in which laws have been enforced in Malaysia will not change very much.
COCHRANE: So it's more about the enforcement as well as the laws themselves?
KHAIRUDIN: Yes, I mean ISA has been there for the last 50 years, be it whether it is used as a way to in a sense sideline opposition in the Malaysian society or not. The fact is that there are many other indirect ways in which the Malaysian government had dealt with opposition parties and opposition groups. So the ISA, the removal of the ISA would in the sense, create some kind of confidence amongst the public with regards to the attempt by the prime minister to change the landscape and the politics of Malaysian society. But the question lies whether this change would result to other changes in the ways in which laws has been put in place in the country.
COCHRANE: And we have seen the way the Malaysian government has cracked down on protest. Quite recently, the protest in July, tens-of-thousands of people coming to the street demanding fairer elections as part of the Bersih movement. Now just as a bit of background before we get onto it. Bersih first emerged in 2007, but this recent action has been dubbed Bersih 2.0. They faced a huge police presence and were eventually dispersed with teargas and water cannon and that kind of thing. On the streets of Kuala Lumpur, how is the Bersih Coalition seen these days?
KHAIRUDIN: Well, it varies. I think among the young generation which I would call as the liquid generation of the current Malaysian society. They see Bersih as part and parcel of their own aspirations to structure the making of a new Malaysian society. A lot of the young people I spoke to, a lot of the young people whom I interviewed in my own research see Bersih as fulfilling their demands for a new political structure in Malaysia. Many of them are sceptical with regards to the current government's ability to make widespread changes in the political landscape in Malaysia and they saw Bersih as one of those strategies that they could employ to initiate change from below.
COCHRANE: That's with the youth and I presume the urban youth. What about outside the capital, in the countryside, what's the view there?
KHAIRUDIN: Well, I think the view from the rural side of Malaysia varies from village to village, from people from different status and class positions in society. In general, I think there is a substantial number of Malaysians who exist in a sense minimal position in Malaysian society. Many of them support Bersih, but they are not willing to participate in the process of political change. They constitute perhaps 30 per cent of Malaysian society. We have another 30 per cent of the young rural youth who saw Bersih as representing their aspirations and demands and, of course, 30 per cent of the Malaysian society right now, those are beyond the age of 40 years old see Bersih as stifling at one level, but at another level, it is part and parcel of the attempt by ordinary Malaysians to make their country a better place to live in.
COCHRANE: There was a crackdown as I mentioned against the Bersih protests in July. Has that changed at all, is the government showing any sign of softening its position on these opposition voices?
KHAIRUDIN: Well, I think the government tries to give a more human face to whatever it's trying to do right now. One thousand 700 people were arrested right after the Bersih protest and more came in right after that. Of course many of them were released in the end, but the current changes and the current situation that we see right now, the issue with regards to the interpretations of history in Malaysia and the libel case that is put against a leader of PAS currently, only goes to show the more things change, the more things remain the same. And it seems to me at least that whilst the government is now pressured to change the way in which it has been running politics and legislation in the country, they're unwilling to make radical changes in the ways in which they have conduct their management of the country.
COCHRANE: In the leadup to the Bersih protests, in July, the prime minister alleged that the leader of the Coalition was anti-Muslim. What role do you think that religion and ethnicity will play in the future of the Bersih movement and the Opposition's struggles?
KHAIRUDIN: Well, I think we need to understand Bersih as against the nature and the texture of the current generation that you see today in Malaysia. They are the liquid generation that sees beyond class, race, status, religion and ethnicity. They do not see Bersih as a Malay initiative or as a non-Muslim initiative, even though the one that is at the helm of the Bersih protests is a non-Muslim lawyer or attorney. They see Bersih as an attempt to create a new Malaysian society beyond race, class and religion and I think the ways in which Najib has portrayed Bersih as a non-Muslim movement somehow does not speak well about his understanding of the demands of the Bersih protesters.
COCHRANE: Is there a danger that that creates ethnic divisions or religious divisions?
KHAIRUDIN: Well, there are implications for sure and I think many Malays who has a more conservative outlook may see Bersih as an attempt to take away the special privileges that Malays have enjoyed in the country, but generally, the demands of Bersih were clear and that it was pretty straightforward. It was about electoral reforms in the country and these electoral reforms will lead to fairness in the system to the benefit of the Muslims and the Malays, as well as other communities in Malaysia.
COCHRANE: A lot of the coverage focused on the protest itself and the reaction from the government. What about those clear objectives that Bersih had, have they made in progress since July?
KHAIRUDIN: Yes, somehow it's lost in translation, the mainstream media have not been helpful in portraying Bersih in its true way and in its true essence. I think the ways in which we could arrive at the aspirations of Bersih and its true intentions is to go to the alternative media there in place. The internet has been helpful in that respect, and, of course, you have YouTube, videos and other alternative medias that are available for people to tap upon. . Certainly the mainstream media has not been supportive of what the Bersih protesters were trying to get at and I think it bodes badly upon the mainstream media in Malaysia.
COCHRANE: There's a bit of speculation about when the election is going to be called. What's your view, when do you think it will happen?
KHAIRUDIN: Well, I don't think it's going to be called upon so soon. So many changes are taking place in Malaysia. I doubt the Malaysian government knows what is happening really on the ground. So many groups are pulling the society in many different directions and the Coalition that is place right now, the Barisan Nasional, has yet to understand what is happening in that society. Elections will not be so soon. I would expect it to be called perhaps late this year or perhaps somewhere next year. |
| Najib the Reformer Posted: 01 Oct 2011 10:12 AM PDT By The Wall Street Journal Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak deserves praise for his bold promise to reform Malaysia's legal code. In a speech on the eve of National Day earlier this month, he pledged to repeal repressive laws left over from the days of the communist insurgency. Among them are the Internal Security Act and the Emergency Ordinance that allow authorities to hold suspects without charge. The announcement is the most solid evidence so far that Mr. Najib will live up to his promises to reform Malaysian politics. Even so, some Malaysians believe that this is a ploy to win the next general election, expected early next year, and that the new laws promised to replace the ISA will also be used to silence political opponents. Given the ruling United Malay National Organization's authoritarian past, the skepticism is understandable.
One only has to look back at July's Bersih 2.0 rally, a protest demanding electoral reforms, to see why Mr. Najib's reforms are not taken at face value. The police treated the peaceful rally as if it were another insurgency, arresting those wearing the movement's yellow T-shirts and attacking the protesters with tear gas and water cannons. The prime minister added insult to injury by defending the tough response.
Even if the rally was illegal, the regression to heavy-handed tactics alienated middle-class voters, who demand protection of their civil liberties. This dissent wouldn't have mattered 30 years ago, when the urban population was only 36% of the population. Today, however, the proportion has passed 72%.
That means that UMNO can no longer rely on the rural Malay heartland for a parliamentary majority. And if anything, the Chinese and Indian parties within the coalition have seen their support erode even faster. The voters are increasingly too young to remember the poverty and racial violence that created a desire for a paternalistic government that would shepherd development and stomp on populist passions.
The biggest challenge to Mr. Najib comes from within his own party. Even in his own cabinet, Malay nationalists have undermined his reforms by making inflammatory statements about ethnic minorities and defending special privileges for the Malay majority. Former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has warned that these elements will try to stop the repeal of the ISA and other laws that underpin their power.
The only way for UMNO to win elections and maintain control over the state resources it doles out to its supporters is to move with the times on the rule of law. While the opposition Islamist party PAS has put its own radical firebrands out to pasture to gain wider support, UMNO is a highly conservative and seniority-based organization. As a result, Mr. Najib has had to concentrate power within his own office in order to push reform over the objections of UMNO and the bureaucracy.
Mr. Najib continues to tack back and forth, and just last week the government charged an opposition politician with criminal defamation. But this risks pleasing nobody. He stands a better chance if he doubles down on reform.
For instance, the Malaysian media is still heavily censored by the government, as officials use the power to withhold the renewal of publishing licenses that expire every year. Mr. Najib pledged to repeal the annual process, but the government will still hold the power to revoke licenses. This breeds public cynicism about the media, since journalists make no secret of how officials order them to alter coverage. The government might get fewer puff pieces and more critical analysis, but renouncing control over newspapers and television stations would, on balance, improve the ruling coalition's image.
Likewise, the government's resistance to electoral reform is only hurting its chances of winning re-election. The prevalence of phantom voters and dead voters on the electoral rolls, as well as individuals registering multiple times while others have trouble registering at all, convinces urban voters that there will be no change until the opposition is in charge. The government says it wants to create an elaborate biometric system to tackle voter fraud, but this won't be ready in time for the next election. Acceding to the Bersih movement's call for simple and effective measures such as indelible ink to prevent stuffing of ballot boxes would help to restore trust.
Opposition figures tell us that it's unlikely they can defeat Mr. Najib in next year's election, and so he remains the best hope for political reform in the next few years. He may have shown his true colors, but his gambit to transform UMNO won't work if he goes halfway. Otherwise Malaysians may legitimately suspect that once he has a mandate he will revert to defending the prerogatives of his party's elite. |
| Malaysia’s Sham Sodomy Trial Posted: 01 Oct 2011 09:52 AM PDT By Joshua Kurlantzick , The Daily Beast For the second time in roughly a decade, Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is facing trumped-up charges. But this time around, his supporters are unlikely to yield until they see real democracy. Much has changed in Southeast Asia over the past decade. But travel to downtown Kuala Lumpur today, and walk along the Moorish-influenced public greens, and suddenly the Malaysian capital seems trapped in the 1990s.
At that time, the Asian financial crisis was battering the country's economy, and urbanites hit by the downturn and frustrated by the country's tightly controlled political system, had taken to the streets, where they were met by riot control troops, who battered them on a daily basis until the government's long-ruling coalition put Anwar Ibrahim, the country's popular opposition leader, on trial. The charge: Sodomy, a serious crime in a predominantly Muslim nation.
Though the trial was a farce—accusers later recanted their statements, and Anwar appeared in court with what the government called a "self-inflicted" black eye—he was convicted, and ultimately served six years in prison.
Today, the same story seems to be unfolding across the city. Anwar is again on trial for sodomy, in a sketchy case full of holes, which the government seems to have initiated to end his career and weaken the opposition. As a result, tens of thousands of middle-class Malaysians have been rallying, both to demand his freedom and for greater political openness, and once again, the government has responded with beatings, tear gas, and water cannon.
Yet unlike a decade ago, the demonstrators aren't likely to give up so easily. Though Anwar could once again be sent to jail, Malaysian politics have been changed irrevocably—both by him and by the current prime minister—and Malaysians seem unwilling today to accept anything less than real democracy.
Roughly 10 years ago, the trial of Anwar, a former government insider, drew sizable protests. But these demonstrations had little lasting impact. Anwar had only recently broken from the government, and the nascent opposition had few other leaders and little to no ability to organize in an effective fashion. The government had complete control of the print and broadcast media and easily rigged elections, making it difficult for activists to organize once the riot troops attacked. And while the Asian financial crisis had dealt a significant blow to Malaysia's economy, the country was still doing better than others in the region, leading to some political complacency among the middle class.
Over the past decade, the country and the region have changed dramatically, even if Anwar's plight has not. China and even Indonesia and Thailand have witnessed tremendous economic growth while Malaysia, whose weak education system and brutal politics have driven entrepreneurs out of the country, has seen its economy sputter. Educated Malaysians are fleeing the country, as is their purchasing power. And the spread of blogs and social media in a highly wired country has allowed activists to bypass the government-controlled media and combat election rigging, while a decade of largely grassroots organization has strengthened and diversified the opposition.
These days, a broad alliance of secular liberals and Chinese minorities who are inveighing against the state's affirmative action policies for ethnic Malays, have aligned with an Islamist party that wants Sharia law to have greater influence in a mostly secular country. More united, these seemingly oppositional forces have managed to win four Malaysian state government elections, and in 2008, came close to gaining a majority in parliament.
Though Anwar could once again be sent to jail, Malaysian politics has been changed irrevocably—by both him and the current prime minister.
During that election, an aide to Anwar named Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan suddenly came forward with new sodomy allegations against his boss. The fact that the accuser had waited 48 hours to make his accusation, ruining any potential semen samples—and that he met with senior government officials before making his claim—made the charges, which Anwar has denied, seem highly dubious.
As the trial proceeds this month, Malaysia's judiciary seems unsure how to handle it. In the past, as in Anwar's first trial, judges simply did whatever the government wanted; they fashioned their rulings to fit the punishment that the regime desired. But with public criticism mounting, and the opposition seemingly gaining momentum daily, the possibility that some of these judges could one day face punishment for unjust rulings has left them unsure of how to handle the case, and created an opening for a fair trial. Already, the judge has rejected some of the prosecution's evidence, a small victory that Anwar rarely witnessed during his previous trial.
Whether or not Anwar is convicted, many senior government officials seem to now realize that Malaysia is bound to change, and that putting Anwar behind bars will not end calls for reform. Though hardliners in the ruling coalition, which have governed since the country's independence in 1957, seem to be eagerly awaiting Anwar's sentence, the country's prime minister, Najib Tun Razak, has in recent months, begun to sound a lot like, well, Anwar himself.
In September, to the dismay of many Malaysians who had long viewed the prime minister as no different than his predecessors, Najib announced he was ending the decades-old Internal Security Act, which allowed the government to imprison anyone without charges. The prime minister has admitted that the country's economy is faltering, and he's tried to lure educated Malaysians back home. He's even called for ending decades of affirmative action programs designed to benefit ethnic Malays—a risky move in a Malay-dominated country.
Najib has gone so far that, even if Anwar is acquitted, the ruling coalition might genuinely triumph in the 2013 parliamentary elections. Whatever the outcome of the trial and the election, the country should finally be able to move forward and Malaysians should finally be able to put the 1990s behind them. |
| All Have Chance To Succeed Under Malaysian Education System Posted: 01 Oct 2011 09:43 AM PDT (Bernama) - PEKAN -- The country's education system provides opportunities to all Malaysians to be successful, said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. He said the system did not discriminate anyone and was in fact much better compared to even those in developed countries as it gave room and opportunities for everyone to succeed. "What is important is that we expose students to a system which has committed teachers and good parental support so that students will become successful. "Through our education system, we provide the path to each child to become successful. Success in education produces results within a single generation and there has been successful leaders, corporate figures and others," he said when addressing Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Seri Pekan's Smart Partnership Gathering and Transformation Programme here yesterday. Najib said there were certain advanced countries where their education systems catered more for the children of the elite with less fortunate groups standing standing no chance of changing their lives of their children for the better. "In Malaysia, a person's socio-economic status is of no consequence. If have the desire, we can succeed," he said. The prime minister also praised SMK Seri Pekan for its fine performance despite not being a fully residential school. He said although SMK Seri Pekan was not a fully residential school, it had succeeded in achieving excellence as a cluster school in the state of Pahang. "I hope SMK Seri Pekan will go on to achieve High Performance School status," he added. At the function, Najib also announced a RM500,000 allocation for the school's marching band. |
| Pakatan to announce alternative Budget tomorrow Posted: 01 Oct 2011 09:41 AM PDT By Syed Mu'az Syed Putra, The Malaysian Insider KEPALA BATAS, Oct 2 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will unveil its alternative Budget for next year tomorrow, five days before the prime minister tables Budget 2012 in Parliament, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has said. He said the move would allow the public to compare the economic policies of the opposition pact and the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which is under pressure to tackle rising cost of living. "The committee comprising economic experts from PAS, DAP and PKR has put together our own Budget... in great detail," he said after attending the PAS 60th Anniversary Congress here. PR's Budget 2012 is expected to include income and expenditure projections, allocations for government ministries and will highlight policy differences between PR and BN. READ MORE HERE. |
| Whither MCA? Posted: 01 Oct 2011 08:30 AM PDT 
(The Malaysian Insider) - MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek will need nerves of steel and an elephantine hide when he steps up to the podium today at the party's 58th annual general meeting. At 62, the MCA is being written off as irrelevant by the ethnic group it was formed to protect and this weekend's AGM looks to be its last before national polls are called, likely to be as early as January next year. The party sailed through the Election 2004, only to limp home with 15 seats out of 222 in the Dewan Rakyat in 2008 and 32 states seats, barely scraping 30 per cent of the Chinese votes, according to analysts. But the worse has yet to come. That support has shrunk to an estimated 18 per cent as seen in the Tenang by-election earlier this year. The hundreds of delegates may wear smiles for the cameras, as the Youth members did today, but behind the closed doors of Dewan San Choon, the battle-weary veterans will be looking to Dr Chua to explain how he will lead the charge to ensure the Barisan Nasional (BN) co-founding party survives the likely stormy elections with such heavy baggage in tow. The 64-year-old chief's sex-scandal past was dragged into the spotlight again Friday by no-less than his predecessor, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, whom he deposed in a fraught party election last year. Ong bluntly told The Malaysian Insider that he did not think Dr Chua was "winnable candidate" material, and admitted the MCA faced a dearth of names to run in the coming polls. Observers remember that the ruling coalition's second biggest party lost big in Election 2008 because the ethnic Chinese were fed-up with its failure to voice out their concerns despite being in government, highlighting the perpetuation of discriminatory economic policies that have led to a number of Chinese tycoons taking their businesses elsewhere. This week's application for merger talks between investment banking group OSK Holdings Berhad — whose single biggest shareholder is Ong Leong Huat, 67, and ranked by Forbes magazine as Malaysia's 34th richest man — and RHB Capital Berhad has become the latest talking point. Concern over where this trend is headed was sharpened by Permodalan Nasional Berhad's (PNB) bid on Tuesday to take over the nation's second-largest developer by market value, SP Setia. Sime Darby's recent acquisition of 30 per cent of property developer Eastern and Oriental (E&O) for RM766 million from businessmen including Terry Tham Ka Hon has also sparked concerns and is now being investigated for alleged insider trading. And before this, casino operator Genting started its Singapore operations two years ago while YTL Group made a S$3.8 billion (RM9.1 billion) purchase in 2009 of the second-largest power generation company in the island republic, the 3,100-megawatt PowerSeraya. And in 2007, Malaysia's richest man Tan Sri Robert Kuok also moved his palm oil operations out of Malaysia and listed them in Singapore in a move that was speculated to be caused by concerns over the government's continuation of Bumiputera equity policies. "MCA is simply unable to protect the interest of the Chinese community," economist Darren Ng told The Malaysian Insider last night, adding strong anti-MCA sentiments were further amplified by its ministers' blatant corrupt practices and incompetence. The decade-long RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, which has indicted two MCA transport ministers, including former president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and deputy, Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, is probably the single biggest case that has bled the party of ethnic support and resulted in Malaysia's plunging rating on the corruption index and which plays a role in foreign investor confidence. "With Chinese voters already having negative sentiments towards MCA, the move by the government to achieve greater Malay dominance will not be in favour of the Chinese political party," Ng said. But the biggest indictment of MCA's powerlessness may perhaps be Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's recent whirlwind tour of Penang, the bastion of Chinese support under opposition DAP's control. READ MORE HERE |
| 889,779 foreigners push Sabah to the top spot Posted: 01 Oct 2011 08:26 AM PDT 
(Daily Express) - Sabah has the most migrant workers in the country, recording a 44.7 per cent increase from 614,824 in 2000 to 889,779 in 2010. Women, Family and Community Ministry Secretary General, Dato Dr Noorul Mohd Nur, said this after launching the Indonesian Workers in Tawau Seminar Findings here, Thursday. The figures were based on the 2010 Population and Housing Census, which shows 27.7 per cent out of the 3.2 million population in Sabah comprised migrant workers with a majority of them being Indonesians. "In 2000, Sandakan recorded the most migrant workers (114,230). However in 2010, Tawau recorded the most (171,409) most of whom are Indonesians," she said. She said that in the context of the nation's development, especially Sabah, the focus was on legal migrant workers and not illegal migrants. "A research conducted in 2010 by the Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) in Tawau, which is an agency under the Ministry disclosed three main reasons for the influx. First was for reasons of employment, second was to garner higher income and third was to follow their spouse or relatives who have entered the State. "Even though the intake of migrant workers has assisted in the economic growth of the nation, the government takes seriously the issues concerning the influx of migrant workers because of the negative implications such as remittances. "Among steps taken is to monitor and control the number of migrant workers entering the country. However, local employers should also offer more jobs opportunities to the local community. "There are many employers who prefer employing migrant workers due to the cheaper labour compared to the locals, which deprives our locals from obtaining employment in various sectors mainly plantation, manufacturing and service sectors," she said. She disclosed that a policy is being formulated by the Economic Planning Unit and the Government on how to ensure local workers are not excluded in these sectors. Commenting on the implementation of high technology in the sectors, she said: "Employers prefer to take in migrant workers even though they are unskilled due to the cheaper labour. "Many of the employers do not use high technology because it would mean they have to employ skilled workers which costs higher than unskilled workers. "If we don't implement technology now, then our country will not achieve our target of being a developed economic nation by 2020," she said. Towards its end, she said it is important for the State Government to review the employment categories and competency level, which is needed in human resources development. "This step is necessary because if many of the jobs offered are for unskilled or semi-skilled workers, despite the fact that many locals have achieved tertiary education, then the work generated would not benefit the community. "In line with the implementation of the Sabah Development Corridor, the State is expected to face a major transformation by 2025," she said. "The State's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) can by then expect to increase to RM63.2 billion with per capita increasing to RM14,800. "Based on the analysis by the SDC, the unemployment rate in the State will be decreased to 3.5 per cent and new job opportunities are expected to increase to 900,000 by year 2025," she said, advising locals to grab the job opportunities offered through the SDC. |
| 60 tahun: PAS matang berhadapan dengan Umno Posted: 01 Oct 2011 08:12 AM PDT 
(Harakah Daily) - Usia 60 tahun PAS seharusnya mematangkannya berhadapan dengan lawan iaitu Umno, kata Ketua Dewan Ulamak PAS Pusat, Datuk Harun Taib. Sehubungan itu, beliau mengucapkan selamat ulang tahun ke-60 PAS kepada seluruh pendukung dan penyokongnya agar terus thabat dan anjal di dalam menghadapi hari-hari muka yang semakin mencabar daripada pihak musuh yang semakin hilang panduan. "Semoga dengan itu kita terus mara kehadapan dengan penuh keyakinan tentang janji Allah untuk mendapat kejayaan dan kemenangan, dan penuh kesabaran dalam perjuangan dan dalam rintangan," ujarnya dalam perutusan sempena Sambutan 60 Tahun PAS. Berikut adalah perutusan penuh beliau. Bersempena dengan Sambutan 60 tahun PAS, saya ingin mengucapkan setinggi-tinggi tahniah kepada semua para pendukung dan penyokong sejak dahulu hingga sekarang yang terus bersama dengan PAS memperjuangkan Islam agar tertegak di atas tanah air tercinta ini. PAS adalah mata rantai perjuangan para Nabi dan Rasul bagi mengajak manusia agar kembali kepada Allah dan hukum hakam-Nya. Prinsip PAS ini tidak pernah berubah walaupun strategi politik berbeza-beza untuk mencapai matlamat tersebut. Ijtihad dalam politik tidak pernah menidakkan perkara yang thawabit dan tetap dalam PAS. Strategi dan cabang agama terbuka kepada perubahan dan penyesuaian berdasarkan ijtihad. Keanjalan inilah yang memungkinkan PAS terus relevan sehingga kini, mampu menyerap dan menyesuaikan diri dengan perubahan semasa. Tahalluf siasi dengan parti yang mempunyai ideologi yang berbeza sebagai contoh, adalah strategi terbaik masa kini untuk mencapai kemenangan. Ia tidak mengorbankan prinsip dan thawabit PAS sebagai gerakan Islam untuk melaksanakan Islam secara syumul termasuk hukum hudud. Ulama telah memainkan peranannya yang sangat besar dalam menempuh badai perjuangan ini. Ulama telah menjadi nadi kepada PAS dengan kedudukannya yang tinggi dalam organisasi. Majlis Syura Ulamak menjadi pemandu kepada parti agar tidak menyeleweng daripada ajaran Al-Quran dan As-Sunnah yang menjadi rujukan tertinggi dalam PAS. Usia 60 tahun PAS seharusnya mematangkannya berhadapan dengan lawannya iaitu Umno. Pelbagai rintangan dan mehnah telah dihadapi dengan penuh hikmah dan kebijaksanaan. Walaupun ada di kalangan pendokongnya terpaksa berhadapan dengan pelbagai cabaran dan mehnah namun PAS masih mampu bertahan kerana keyakinan kepada janji kemenangan oleh Allah s.w.t. Pilihan raya yang hampir tiba seharusnya dihadapi dengan penuh strategi dan bijaksana. Tenaga para ulama dalam berhadapan dengan ujian besar ini adalah sangat dituntut. Ulamak tidak harus hanya menjadi penonton di luar gelanggang tetapi harus masuk berpencak silat bersama demi untuk melaksanakan tuntutan ilmu yang dipelajari. Inilah masanya untuk para ulama beramal dengan ilmunya agar menjadi pohon yang menghasilkan buah yang ranum dan sedap dimakan. Buat akhirnya, sekali lagi saya mengucapkan selamat ulang tahun ke-60 PAS kepada seluruh pendokong dan penyokongnya. Agar anda terus thabat dan anjal di dalam menghadapi hari-hari muka yang semakin mencabar daripada pihak musuh yang semakin hilang panduan. Semoga dengan itu kita terus mara kehadapan dengan penuh keyakinan tentang janji Allah untuk mendapat kejayaan dan kemenangan, dan penuh kesabaran dalam perjuangan dan dalam rintangan. |
| DAP gesa polis siasat tawaran 'wakil PM' Posted: 01 Oct 2011 08:09 AM PDT 
(Harakah Daily) - Pihak polis digesa menyiasat dengan terperinci pengakuan pihak-pihak tertentu yang mendakwa mewakili Perdana Menteri yang menawarkan pelbagai ganjaran kepada Adun Bentayan, Gwee Tiong Hiang supaya meninggalkan DAP dan mengisytiharkan dirinya sebagai wakil rakyat bebas. Siasatan terperinci pihak polis mengenai dakwaan itu amat perlu bagi mendapatkan kesahihannya kerana jika benar pihak-pihak terbabit mewakili Perdana Menteri, ia ternyata membabitkan penyalahgunaan kuasa yang amat serius dari Perdana Menteri. Setiausaha Publisiti DAP, Tony Pua Kiam Wee (gambar) berkata, dalam masa yang sama, Pejabat Perdana Menteri perlu menjawab dengan segera dakwaan pihak-pihak terbabit yang mendakwa mewakili Perdana Menteri. Menurut beliau, sekiranya mereka berbohong atau menipu, tindakan keras perlu dikenakan terhadap pihak-pihak terbabit kerana melakukan kesalahan besar menyamar sebagai wakil kepada Perdana Menteri. Katanya, Pejabat Perdana Menteri tidak seharusnya mengambil masa yang lama untuk menjawab perkara itu kerana ia merupakan perkara amat serius yang membabitkan kepentingan negara. "Sekiranya benar pihak-pihak terbabit itu mewakili Perdana Menteri, Perdana Menteri perlu didakwa oleh Peguam Negara kerana telah menyalahgunakan wang kerajaan untuk kepentingan politiknya," katanya ketika dihubungi Harakahdaily, hari ini.
Adun Bentayan, Gwee Tiong Hiang hari ini mendedahkan bahawa beliau telah ditawarkan oleh pihak-pihak tertentu yang mendakwa mewakili Perdana Menteri supaya meninggalkan DAP dan mengisytiharkan dirinya sebagai wakil rakyat bebas. Dalam sidang akhbar di ibu pejabat DAP di Kuala Lumpur, beliau menjelaskan, beliau telah ditawarkan RM150,000 wang tunai, 50 ekar tanah, sekurang-kurangnya RM5,000 elaun bulanan tambahan, sebuah pusat perkhidmatan dan seorang pembantu peribadi jika bersetuju melompat parti. Menurutnya, seorang lelaki yang pertama kali menghubunginya melalui telefon pada 26 September lalu dan mendakwa sebagai setiausaha agung persatuan klan Wee Johor Baru, juga memberi jaminan bahawa Gwee akan diberi sokongan jika bertanding menentang DAP dalam pilihan raya umum. Pada sidang akhbar itu, Adun yang mewakili salah satu kerusi dalam Parlimen Bakri, Muar, Johor itu turut mendedahkan trankrip rakaman perbualan telefon antara beliau dengan 'ejen' terbabit. Katanya, 'ejen' tersebut yang mendakwa mewakili Perdana Menteri berkata, wang tawaran itu akan datang dari pusat, tetapi akan disalurkan melalui persatuan berkenaan. Pada sidang akhbar itu juga, Gwee turut memperdengarkan satu lagi rakaman perbualan antara beliau dan pihak terbabit dalam bahasa Mandarin pada 30 September lalu. Menurut Tony, pendedahan yang dibuat oleh Gwee itu sememangnya sesuatu yang serius yang tidak sepatutnya dilakukan oleh pihak terbabit. Tindakan pihak terbabit itu, tegas beliau, adalah satu tindakan yang amat tidak berintegriti dan tidak beretika, tetapi pernah dilakukan oleh pihak tertentu sebelum ini untuk mempengaruhi beberapa orang wakil rakyat dari Pakatan Rakyat termasuk dari DAP, termasuk yang berlaku di Perak. "Tetapi saya yakin, wakil-wakil rakyat dari DAP yang berada dalam DAP sekarang mempunyai pendirian yang teguh, sama seperti Gwee, yang tidak akan terpengaruh dengan tawaran sedemikian," katanya yang juga Ahli Parlimen Petaling Jaya Utara. Selain wakil-wakil rakyat dari DAP, beliau juga yakin wakil-wakil rakyat yang berada dalam parti-parti lain dalam Pakatan Rakyat sekarang termasuk dari PAS dan PKR tidak akan terpengaruh dengan tawaran-tawaran istimewa dari pihak tertentu supaya mereka keluar dari Pakatan Rakyat. |
| Why MCA is finished Posted: 01 Oct 2011 08:02 AM PDT Comment by Thomas Lee
I think the MCA will be totally wiped out at the next general election for the following reasons:
(1) The people, especially the educated urban voters, are fed up and want a big and drastic change. So they will dump the MCA and Gerakan, and will go all out to vote for the alternative front, especially the DAP. (2) Looking at the type of leaders the MCA currently has, it is obvious that almost none of them are fit and credible to be elected representatives. The MCA will lose if it fields its present leaders and those who lost in the last general election, including the foolish ones who talk rubbish all the time (like the stupid fellow who wants to set up a "Chinese Perkasa" or that silly Penang woman who attacked Guan Eng for giving projects to Malay contractors via open tenders).
(3) If the DAP fields candidates like the late Teoh Beng Hock's sister against the MCA president's son in Johore, he will lose his deposit. Donald Duck will also be roasted and lose his deposit if he is fielded again. There is no hope for any MCA candidate in Penang, and the party should stay out of the state or risks having all its candidate lose deposits there.
(4) The people are wise enough not to be convinced by the so-called "achievements" MCA president Chua Soi Lek boasted about, as they know it is the massive rejection of the MCA and BN at the last general election that resulted in Najib and Umno giving the concessions to the people, not because of what the MCA has done.
(5) Even the MCA grassroots members have no confidence in the party, with many defecting to join the DAP or PKR. If the MCA claim that it has nearly a million members is true, how come its votes in the previous general elections are way below the million-mark? Even its previous president Ong Tee Kiat and ex-Wanita chief Chew Mei Fun have given the thumbs-down to the current leaders, especially the president, saying he should not be fielded by the BN.
(6) The educated and intelligent people know that the MCA is servile and subservient to Big Brother Umno in the BN, and all its leaders in the Cabinet are merely window-dressing political mannequins with no essential policy-making power. They are used to make announcements of policies, programmes and projects decided by their Umno bosses, but are not part of the real decision-making process in the government. The wise, intelligent and intellectual will obviously not support the MCA. |
| WIKILEAKS: PM ABDULLAH URGES NEW APPROACH TO DARFUR, SEEKS OIC FUNDING Posted: 01 Oct 2011 01:00 AM PDT 
PM Abdullah said that as OIC chairman he had written to select OIC countries to seek urgent funding for humanitarian projects in Darfur, including for provision of food and medicines, as well as education. Malaysia also would assist, possibly through Petronas, Malaysia's state-owned oil and gas company that has major investments in Sudan. PM Abdullah indicated he may write to President Bush regarding Darfur. "We cannot abandon Sudan," the Prime Minister concluded. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin 
1. (C) Summary: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, in a June 4 meeting with visiting General Peter Pace, described his "new approach" to Darfur focused on returning IDPs to their homes with security guarantees from Khartoum. Abdullah has asked wealthy OIC countries to contribute to a new humanitarian fund. The Prime Minister may write to President Bush regarding Darfur. End Summary. 2. (C) Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi outlined the need for a "new approach" to ending the Darfur humanitarian crisis, in his June 4 discussion with visiting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace and the Ambassador (septel). Based on his one-day visit to Darfur in April, PM Abdullah said the international community and Sudan should pursue a strategy of returning IDPs to their home villages and providing aid in these villages. The current centralization of humanitarian aid served as a magnate for villagers and a disincentive for them to return home. The current situation in the IDP camps "is a mess," while the "real towns of Darfur are doing well" with food and other supplies in their shops. For its part, the Sudan government should provide security guarantees for the villages, and Abdullah said he had encouraged President Bashir to take this action. 3. (C) PM Abdullah said that as OIC chairman he had written to select OIC countries to seek urgent funding for humanitarian projects in Darfur, including for provision of food and medicines, as well as education. Malaysia also would assist, possibly through Petronas, Malaysia's state-owned oil and gas company that has major investments in Sudan. PM Abdullah indicated he may write to President Bush regarding Darfur. "We cannot abandon Sudan," the Prime Minister concluded. 4. (C) Following the meeting, the Ambassador sought clarification on the Darfur comments from the Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Advisor Abdul Kadir Mohamad. Abdul Kadir confirmed that PM Abdullah had written to heads of state in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Brunei, among others, seeking contributions that would be deposited with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) for use in aiding IDPs in Darfur. The IDB would identify the projects for funding. PM Abdullah had been motivated by the "terrible conditions" he witnessed in the IDP camps and his belief that aid efforts should encourage the displaced to return home. Abdul Kadir noted that the Prime Minister raised the issue in the meeting with General Pace because PM Abdullah wanted President Bush to be aware of his (Abdullah's) activities related to Darfur. 5. (C) Comments by Malaysian Foreign Ministry Under Secretary for the OIC, Ibrahim Abdullah, tracked closely with Abdul Kadir's. Ibrahim added that Malaysia's semi-official aid organization, Mercy, is working in Darfur. When we checked with Mercy, however, they informed us that had closed their Darfur operations after handing over a clinic to Sudanese authorities. SHEAR (June 2007) |
| Pemuda MCA: Tolak jawatan jika prestasi PRU13 merosot Posted: 30 Sep 2011 07:58 PM PDT (Bernama) - Tidak menerima sebarang pelantikan jawatan dalam kerajaan jika prestasi parti pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13 merosot berbanding sebelumnya sebagai menyokong keputusan Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek, adalah antara 17 resolusi yang dicapai Pemuda MCA pada perhimpunan agungnya. Pada mesyuarat yang berlangsung di Pusat Konvensyen HGH di sini hari ini, perwakilan Pemuda MCA mencapai tiga resolusi melibatkan hal ehwal parti, lima politik, tiga pendidikan, empat berkaitan ekonomi dan dua berhubung hal ehwal sosial. Antara lain, sayap MCA itu menggesa parti melatih anggota muda bagi mempercepatkan proses pembaharuan dalam kepimpinan serta memberi peluang kepada lebih ramai pemimpin Pemuda MCA untuk mewakili BN dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang. Selain itu, pergerakan itu mahu MCA mempertimbangkan semula cadangan meluluskan resolusi agar semua Pemuda MCA di setiap bahagian boleh memilih seorang perwakilan ke perhimpunan agung MCA bagi meningkatkan bilangan perwakilan serta suara golongan muda. Resolusi itu juga menyokong penuh Gagasan 1Malaysia, Program Transformasi Kerajaan (GTP), dan Petunjuk Prestasi Utama (KPI) yang diketengahkan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak di samping menggesa Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam meningkatkan bilangan penjawat awam berbangsa Cina di peringkat pegawai kanan di setiap jabatan bagi menonjolkan konsep 1Malaysia. |
| To ponder upon further Posted: 30 Sep 2011 07:38 PM PDT 
Even in Britain the Shariah exists and there are almost 100 Shariah courts all over Britain -- and the laws are binding. And, mind you, Muslims make up only 3% of the 72 million population of the UK. Yet they have the Shariah and you do not see the British getting all excited like us Malaysians. NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin Well, we have had a very interesting fortnight of debate regarding the Islamic Shariah law of Hudud. The only setback, though, is that some readers do not understand what debate or discourse entails. And, for certain, 'agree to disagree' is not in these people's vocabulary. The Hudud debate (if we had had one) would have been able to open the eyes of Muslims (PAS leaders plus Muslims who propagate Hudud as compulsory since they are God's laws) to the sentiments of Malaysians concerning this issue. However, since we did not have a debate as much as we saw an exercise in Islam-bashing, the whole thing became counter-productive. Muslims, just like those of any other religion, would close ranks and defend Islam if they view Islam as under attack. That is natural human behaviour. And, in such a situation, emotions rather than reason would prevail. And, unfortunately, this is what we saw the last couple of weeks. It became a 'them and us' scenario. People are certainly most passionate about their religion. And no one likes to be told that his or her religion sucks. And when Muslims are under the impression they are being told that their religion is barbaric, outdated, antiquated, evil, unjust, unfair, silly, stupid, unreasonable, and what have you, rest assured they would be forced to come to the fore in defense of Islam. In a debate or discourse, facts need to be presented to win the argument. In the absence of facts, and when mudslinging and name-calling is used instead, then what we will see would be a barroom brawl. Basically, who can punch the hardest wins the fight. Imagine if the reverse scenario had happened. Let us, for the sake of reinforcing my point in this article, look at a hypothetical situation. Say I start a debate on Christianity. And, say, I argue that there is no such thing as a religion called Christianity. Say I argue that Jesus was a Jew and died a Jew and his mission in life was to bring the Jews back to 'correct' Judaism. Say I argue that Christianity was an invention of deviant Jews who, more than a hundred years after the death of Jesus, introduced a so-called new religion, which Jesus was actually against, and falsely claimed that this was what Jesus taught. I know, many would say that Christians are not like Muslims. Christians tolerate criticism and would never threaten to kill anyone who criticises Christianity. Is that so? There was a time when those who even mildly said something that the church did not like would be burned alive. Maybe, today, that no longer happens. But it did happen for almost 2,000 years and only now has this been a thing of the past --only the last 100 years or so. When was slavery abolished? When were women allowed to vote? When did women begin to get equal pay with men? Yes, only very recently has the western world become really civilised (unless you see what they are doing in Iraq). It is not like the west was civilised all this while -- only over the last few years. Blacks were still not allowed into 'whites only' premises and could not sit in the 'white section' of buses till just a few years ago. The 'Christian World' saw reforms after almost 2,000 years of bigotry because of the struggle of civil liberties and human rights movements. And it was the westerners (Christians) themselves who struggled to see these changes happen. Only when people of that community rise up will we see change. Islam needs to see reforms as well. I will be the first to admit that. Unfortunately, we do not, yet, have the Muslim version of Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, or whatever. And we need someone like that, fast, especially in Malaysia. We will only see changes when Muslims themselves lead this fight for change. Change will not come just because non-Malays or non-Muslims launch a fiesta to whack Islam. In fact, the reverse will happen. The more the non-Malays or non-Muslims whack Islam, the more the Malays-Muslims will close ranks and resist change. The Muslims did not reform Christianity. The Muslims would have never been able to reform Christianity even if they wanted to. It was the Christians who reformed Christianity, as only they could. Islam, today, is where Christianity was maybe 400 or 500 years ago. But that would make sense since there is a 500-year 'gap' between Christianity and Islam. So you need to give the Muslims time to 'catch up'. You need to be clear about one thing: the more the non-Muslims whack Islam, the longer it would take for the Muslims to be able to reform Islam. As long as Muslims view the situation as a 'them and us' situation, the harder it would be for the 'liberal' Muslims to convince the 'conservative' Muslims that reforms are necessary. The non-Muslims should take a deep breath, sit back, and relax. Don't get emotional. Don't launch Islam-bashing campaigns. Trust the liberal Muslims. And rest assured there is a large enough minority of liberal Muslims (I said 'large minority', not 'majority'). But, in time, this large minority would grow to a majority. With the Internet and cable TV and better education, in time the liberals would outgrow the conservatives. How long will it take? 50 years? 100 years? 200 years? I don't know. I am not clairvoyant. But, in time, it will happen. But the time will take longer if the Muslims are forced to close ranks to defend Islam from what they view as the 'enemies of Islam'. We need to remove the divide. And, for sure, in Malaysia, there is a wide divide between Malay-Muslims and non-Malays-non-Muslims. But the divide will only get wider if the current state of affairs continues. Okay, so SOME Muslims want to see the Islamic Shariah laws of Hudud implemented in states that have a 97% Muslim population (which would mean only two of the states would be affected). So let the Muslims thrash this out amongst themselves and come to an agreement on the matter, if they can. The non-Muslims should not be arguing about this even more than the Muslims themselves. Note that the whole of Malaysia already enforces the Islamic laws of the Shariah. The only Islamic laws of the Shariah not yet enforced are the criminal laws of Hudud. But the Shariah laws are imposed only on Muslims. Non-Muslims are not subjected to these laws. Even in Britain the Shariah exists and there are almost 100 Shariah courts all over Britain -- and the laws are binding. And, mind you, Muslims make up only 3% of the 72 million population of the UK. Yet they have the Shariah and you do not see the British getting all excited like us Malaysians. Okay, non-Muslims are also citizens of Malaysia and, therefore, have a right to express their views. Granted! So express your views then. But by calling Islam a barbaric, outdated, antiquated, evil, unjust, unfair, silly, stupid, unreasonable, etc., religion is not quiet 'expressing your views'. This is just triggering a 'them and us' situation. So, where do we go from here? Well, you tell me! I have opened up Malaysia Today to non-registered readers to give everyone a chance to express their views. Do you still think that this has been a productive exercise? Do you think this has brought us closer together or has the reverse happened -- we have driven the wedge deeper? You tell me. |
| ‘Nothing done to stop RM20b yearly losses’ Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT 
Alternative budget will propose drastic measures to cut on the colossal monetary wastage, says the opposition leader. (Free Malaysia Today) - Every year, the country suffers about RM20 billion in losses through monetary leakages via corruption, wastage and money laundering, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said. "But what is the government's action to address it (the losses)? Absolutely nothing," he added. Quoting international financial reports on the colossal losses, he said the Barisan Nasional government could have carried out various programmes and projects with the money to benefit the people. "But the government is not doing anything about it. Is the government pro-active in combating corruption? "Definitely not," Anwar, the PKR supremo, told a sizeable crowd during a forum on development themed "Interaksi Komuniti (Community Interaction) here here today. Also present were Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman, state executive councillor and Penang DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow, and Penang State Legislative Assembly speaker Abdul Halim Hussain, who is PKR state secretary chief and Balik Pulau division chief. Others were Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff , Senator Mustafa Kamal Mohd Yusoff and Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin. As a constructive opposition coalition, Anwar said Pakatan Rakyat would prepare its own alternative people-oriented budget early next week to address the issue and deal with budget deficit. Pakatan is expected to table its budget to the press after Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is also the Finance Minister, had tabled the national 2012 Budget at Parliament next Friday. Anwar indicated that Pakatan's budget would propose drastic measures to cut down on the colossal monetary wastage currently suffered by the country and the escalating budget for the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). READ MORE HERE |
| DAP lawmaker claims offered RM150,000 to run for BN in GE13 Posted: 30 Sep 2011 05:22 PM PDT 
Gwee said though he was upset after being suspended he would not accept the BN offer. (The Malaysian Insider) - A suspended Johor DAP assemblyman today revealed he had been offered RM150,000 and 50 acres of land to quit his party and stand as an independent candidate aligned to rival Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming national polls. First-term Bentayan state lawmaker Gwee Tong Hiang said he was approached last Tuesday by a Chinese man claiming to be a representative from the Prime Minister's Department who caught him while he was feeling down over his six-month suspension for alleged power abuse. The allegation comes on the heels of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's latest charge to win back support from ethnic Chinese voters nationwide, following the dismal performance from the ruling coalition's Chinese parties, notably the MCA, which has been practically written off as irrelevant. The allegation also recalls the controversial takeover of Perak, which was won in the 2008 general election by the PAS-DAP-PKR pact. Jepalang MP and Perak state assembly Deputy Speaker Datuk Hee Yit Fong had quit the DAP to become a BN-friendly independent, tipping the balance in favour of the BN. Najib, who is also BN chairman, carried out a whirlwind tour into enemy territory in DAP-controlled Penang last weekend, but support towards the BN government in Umno-controlled Johor appears to be eroding as well if Gwee's claim is to be believed. Gwee told reporters the man, whom he named as Wee Pao Chin, had arranged for him to meet Najib in Putrajaya on Monday where the BN chairman would announce the news at a media conference. He said the RM150,000 would be provided by Putrajaya and would be paid to him in one lump sum through the Wee clan association in order to avoid detection. He also claimed that he was promised more than RM5,000 a month as extra funds and would be given an office and staff to take care of his constituents if he agreed to quit the DAP. "Their terms were 'you must stand as independent candidate in the next election to fight DAP candidate'," Gwee, 44, disclosed at the DAP headquarters here today. The Bentayan state seat is in the Bakri parliamentary constituency and was until 2008 an MCA stronghold. Gwee beat the MCA's Lee Chin Yong in the last general election with a comfortable 2,798-vote margin. Asked why the BN wanted him as a candidate there for the next polls, Gwee said he was told: "Top management kau-tim [has been fixed]. MCA will not put a candidate in Bentayan constituency." READ MORE HERE |
| Asri: PAS needs new political framework Posted: 30 Sep 2011 05:16 PM PDT 
Asri said Umno is not the standard for PAS to make comparisons. (The Malaysian Insider) - PAS needs a new political framework where all of its leaders can be accepted by voters, Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has said. The former Perlis mufti said the Islamist party needed to think beyond governing a state if it was serious in taking over federal power. He cautioned PAS leaders against getting involved in issues which can be resolved internally. "PAS needs a new political framework, PAS needs a bigger framework... Malaysia's framework is not Kelantan. "Umno is not the standard for PAS to make comparisons, PAS needs to be at a higher place," he said at a PAS forum here last night. PAS celebrates its 60th anniversary today. Asri stressed that the party needed to groom leaders which could be accepted by all layers of society if it wanted to remain relevant politically. "PAS needs to create or groom a leader who is acceptable by not just by the party but also by those outside PAS; if we look there are 60 per cent of voters who are undecided on who to vote for. "PAS needs a leader like Burhanuddin al-Helmy... great, everyone knows him, some even say he was worthy to become prime minister," he said. READ MORE HERE |
| Next GE will be all-out ‘cyber war’, Liow warns MCA Youth Posted: 30 Sep 2011 04:30 PM PDT 
(The Malaysian Insider) - The battlefront for the next general election will be an all-out war in cyber space, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai warned MCA Youth leaders today. The MCA deputy president reminded the party's Youth wing that it needed to embark on a more aggressive online campaign, and that the party's dismissal of the influence of blogs and the Internet in the last general election had contributed to the MCA's loss of parliamentary and state seats. "To stop opposition parties to continue deceiving the people, efforts for an all-out war must begin now. I call on all Youth members to prepare for cyber war. "We understand that blogs were a mainpublicity media in the last general election while Facebook and Twitter are expected to become the primary media in the coming general election. MCA candidates cannot neglect the Internet war in the coming general election," he said at the MCA Youth annual general assembly. READ MORE HERE |
| Iranian Pastor Sentenced to Death: Attorney Hopeful of Acquittal Posted: 30 Sep 2011 04:19 PM PDT 
(Business and law) - The attorney for an Iranian Christian pastor who is facing the death penalty for the crime of apostasy said he is optimistic his client will be acquitted and freed. Youcef Naderkhani has refused to renounce his Christian faith in a case that has sparked global fury against Iran and appeals for clemency. According to a report in BBC, Naderkhani's lawyer, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, said there was a 95 percent chance he will be freed. U.S. House Speaker John Boehner also has already spoken out against Iran. "While Iran's government claims to promote tolerance, it continues to imprison many of its people because of their faith. This goes beyond the law to an issue of fundamental respect for human dignity. I urge Iran's leaders to abandon this dark path, spare [Nadarkhani's] life, and grant him a full and unconditional release," said Boehner. Naderkhani, 32, reportedly was born Muslim and converted to Christianity at the age of 19. He became a pastor of a 400-person Church of Iran congregation in the northern city of Rasht. He was arrested two years ago and sentenced to death in 2010 by a court of appeals. His crime was apostasy, or abandoning his Muslim faith. Iran's Supreme Court said Naderkhani could be freed if he renounced his Christian religion. The Right Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali, the former Anglican Bishop of Rochester, told BBC: "As a Christian I can't do that [refute my faith]. In a much lesser way I have faced these questions myself, and I would ask for myself for strength in this situation and courage, and that is what I would ask for him. But at the same time to ask that understanding and compassion and clemency be exercised by those who are in authority." Nazir-Ali sad Iranians are likely concerned about the growth of Christianity in the country and may want to make an example of Naderhkani. He added that the death penalty has not been imposed in Iran in such a case since 1990. Before his last hearing Wednesday, Nadarkhani had been given three previous chances to repent, and all three times he has refused. After his final refusal Wednesday, no verdict has been announced, but many expect that he could be put to death as soon as Friday. Even if the sentence were commuted, Nadarkhani could still face life in prison. And even if he were released, there would still be danger. "In Iran about 18 years ago, they had released a pastor, but then came and assassinated him and his bishop later. We cannot stop the pressure," Pastor Firouz Sadegh-Khandjani, a Member of the Council of Elders for the Church of Iran, told the American Center for Law and Justice. Between June 2010 and January 2011, more than 200 people in Iran were arrested for their religious beliefs, according to Elam Ministries, a United Kingdom-based church with ties to Iran. In August, a pastor named Haghnejad was arrested for the third time, according to Christian Solidarity. Police also confiscated 6,500 bibles, which Iran's social issues committee deemed were being used to deceive youths. |
| Club knows nothing about Kelantan’s latest move Posted: 30 Sep 2011 04:10 PM PDT 
(The Star) - PAS Supporters Club chairman Hu Pang Chow has claimed that he was "in the dark" over the Kelantan government's plan to implement hudud in the state. Hu said he had received hundreds of calls from club members asking about Kelantan's hudud plan. "As it is, even before hudud is implemented (in Kelantan), there are no investments here. Just imagine when hudud is actually put into practice here. "I would say it would be minus zero investment for Kelantan in the coming years until the general election. I received hundreds of calls from club members asking me about Kelantan's plan," said Hu yesterday. "The only answer I can give is that as club chairman, I was not consulted or invited to discuss the matter. I am also in the dark over this sudden move by the state government." Hu said the stalemate in Pakatan Rakyat's stand over the hudud issue also had far reaching consequences for non-Muslims in both the west and east coasts of peninsular Malay-sia. He said the inconclusive meeting among Pakatan members would affect non-Muslim support not only in religious terms but also the investment climate. Hu said although Kelantan had stressed that such laws would not affect non-Muslims, such a move, if implemented, would eventually impact them. "I cannot say much on the investment climate because non-Muslims are a minority in the east coast. "However, the Chinese would be alarmed by the move." |
| Hudud laws okay in Kelantan Posted: 30 Sep 2011 04:02 PM PDT However, FMT readers are confident that it would not be implemented nationwide when Pakatan Rakyat comes to power. (Free Malaysia Today) - A majority of FMT readers are not seeing red over the implementation of hudud in Kelantan but, at the same time, do not expect hudud to be featured in a Pakatan Rakyat federal government. In a FMT poll conducted for the past two weeks, some 81 percent or 1,968 out of 2,417 readers, voted that hudud would not be Pakatan's national policy compared with 300 readers who voted "yes". Only seven percent or 149 voters were undecided on the issue. The controversy over the implementation of hudud was sparked a fortnight ago when Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat, who is also PAS spiritual adviser, announced that he wants to implement hudud in Kelantan. The DAP, a partner in the Pakatan Rakyat alliance, promptly opposed it on the grounds that it is unconstitutional. Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim announced that hudud will not be implemented due to a lack of consensus after a meeting of Pakatan top brass to discuss the hot-button issue on Sept 29. READ MORE HERE |
| Nik Aziz adamant hudud will rule Kelantan Posted: 30 Sep 2011 03:52 PM PDT Despite all that said and done about the hudud law, PAS is still bent on creating an Islamic state. As far as DAP is concerned, the hudud issue is a closed chapter. But not so for Nik Aziz. The spiritual adviser of PAS has concluded that the Sept 28 meeting has made it clear that the opposition coalition of Pakatan Rakyat respects Kelantan's desire to incorporate the hudud law in its syariah law. Jeswan Kaur, Free Malaysia Today 
As fas as PAS spiritual guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat is concerned, his plans to implement hudud law in Kelantan is very much alive. This is despite him not seeing eye to eye on the hudud issue with his Pakatan colleagues. DAP chairman Karpal Singh has made it clear that DAP would spare no efforts to thwart the implementation of hudud law in Malaysia. "From the very beginning, DAP has also made known its opposition against any attempts by PAS and others to turn the country into an Islamic state. "Let me make it very clear: hudud is not in line with the Federal Constitution and therefore it is unconstitutional," Karpal told FMT when commenting on the outcome of the Sept 28 meeting involving the Pakatan Rakyat top brass to discuss the hudud issue. Hudud as practised in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is the Islamic penal code that prescribes punishments such as stoning adulterers to death and amputating the hands of thieves. PAS, which has been ruling Kelantan since 1990, had in fact passed the hudud laws but they were never enforced as the federal government had deemed it unconstitutional and threatened legal action if Kelantan ever enforced it. Eventhough PAS leaders were adamant (about implementing Islamic laws), DAP said Karpal was equally firm in its opposition. "You can't have Islamic laws in a secular state; it's as simple as that," said Karpal. He pointed out that the Supreme Court led by the then Lord President Mohamed Salleh Abas had declared that the country was a secular state in a landmark decision on a case in 1988. A closed chaper for DAP 
DAP is firm that it will not be brow-beaten into changing its stand on the hudud law. As far as DAP is concerned, the hudud issue is a closed chapter. But not so for Nik Aziz. The spiritual adviser of PAS has concluded that the Sept 28 meeting has made it clear that the opposition coalition of Pakatan Rakyat respects Kelantan's desire to incorporate the hudud law in its syariah law. The only obstacle as Nik Aziz sees it is the federal government supported by Umno. DAP votes a "No" to hudud but Nik Aziz says he is willing to wait until a consent is reached on this matter. PAS is still tied to the policies it agreed to share with Pakatan in the Orange Book (Buku Jingga) apart from the provisions in the Federal Constitution. Is there some sort of confusion that is shrouding Nik Aziz's thinking, because Karpal has set the record straight by saying hudud was unconstitutional and is not welcomed in any part of Malaysia, with Kelantan being no exception? So, how did Nik Aziz, an 80-year-old seasoned politician, reason that his Pakatan colleagues respect his intention to implement the hudud laws? Was a "politically correct" message relayed to this spiritial guru instead of the blunt reality, which is that DAP is all willing to wage a war against PAS should Kelantan proceed with its hudud law plans? Nik Aziz is optimistic that the hudud law will someday take shape in Kelantan. Where is this optimism coming from? When Pakatan adviser Anwar Ibrahim on Sept 22 remarked that he supported the hudud law, that took the issue of the hudud law back to square one. "For now, in general, in principle, I believe this can be implemented," Anwar had told reporters. "It is a specific area that affects Muslims and does not impeach the rights of non-Muslims. The proceeding makes sure that the administration of justice is guaranteed," he was quoted as saying by a local online media. Playing the devil's advocate 
In an immediate reaction to Anwar's initial comment on hudud, Karpal said: "The punishments for these offences are flogging 100 times for intercourse between an unmarried couple, stoning to death for adultery, amputation of hand for theft, death for apostasy, flogging 40 times for alcohol consumption, flogging 80 times for false accusation of adultery and death by sword or crucifixion for highway robbery." A day later, Anwar made an about-turn and said his comment on hudud was made in his personal capacity and had no relation to Pakatan. It does look like Nik Aziz is not about to go to his grave without first putting in place the hudud law. The "call a spade a spade" religious apostle has a very clear vision of the hudud taking shape in Kelantan. His adversaries, as they will always remain, are the federal government of Barisan Nasional and the DAP. Umno, taking advantage of this messy situation, played the devil's advocate, belittling PAS by accusing it of neglecting its Islamic agenda and pandering to its non-Muslim Pakatan Rakyat partners. READ MORE HERE |
| Govt still in denial over ‘Project IC’ Posted: 30 Sep 2011 03:46 PM PDT 
Deputy Home Minister Lee Chee Leong's ignorant statement on the contentious 'Project IC' issue has stirred a hornet's nest. Lee, a senior MCA leader, has been accused by several Sabah politicians of playing to the tune of Umno which has been accused of granting citizenship and Malaysian identity cards to over 600,000 foreign migrant workers (predominantly Muslims from Indonesia and Mindanao in the Philippines) in Sabah, in exchange for their votes in elections. Charlie Rudai, Free Malaysia Today A federal-level deputy minister's denial that Sabah is a victim of "Project IC" – a planned illegal immigrant population explosion engineered by the federal government – has stunned Sabah Barisan Nasional coalition members. Deputy Home Minister Lee Chee Leong on Thursday raised a storm of protests from leaders on both sides of the political divide who are furious that the federal government is still in denial over the issue. Lee, a senior MCA leader, has been accused by several Sabah politicians of playing to the tune of Umno which has been accused of granting citizenship and Malaysian identity cards to over 600,000 foreign migrant workers (predominantly Muslims from Indonesia and Mindanao in the Philippines) in Sabah, in exchange for their votes in elections. Lee's statement came days after Bernama quoted Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin acknowledging the problem.
Muhyiddin gave an undertaking to "look into whether the best way forward is a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) or other approaches". United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) information chief, Donald Peter Mojuntin, was among those stunned by Lee's statement. "This problem is quite different from the problem of forged or false identification documents. It is a serious allegation that has direct impact on our country's security and sovereignty," he said.
Mojuntin, who also chairs the Upko citizenship and security bureau, reminded Lee that Bakri Zinin, a Sabahan, when he was acting Sabah Commissioner of Police, had also described the matter as the "mother of all threats" to Sabah. "With due respect to the deputy home minister who denied allegations by opposition parties about the existence of 'Project IC', it is not just the opposition parties saying so but also Sabah BN component parties like Upko, PBS and LDP. "Perhaps the deputy minister should be given a tour of Kampung Boronuon or even the pasar (market) in Kota Kinabalu City. "Al-Jazeera went to these places a few months ago and interviewed people who actually said
that they got their legal identification document through 'Project IC'. "This came out in Al-Jazeera's international news broadcast on Astro channel 513," he said. Mojuntin said the home ministry should also check out the other refugee settlements in Sabah and Labuan. "Holders of IMM13 (special immigration visit pass) not only reside here but also illegal immigrants holding Malaysian ICs and MyKad. "These places are usually a hive of illegal activities where locals don't even dare to venture," he said.
Ignorant Lee Mojuntin also said Lee appeared unaware that Upko deputy president Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing had earlier also responded to his boss Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein's request for proof in Parliament and had sent a set of documents containing facts and evidence to the ministry in early December 2010. "Until now, there is no response apart from this latest remark by the deputy minister. "We, Malaysians, in Sabah do not want our state and country to be inundated by foreigners who can easily come into the state and obtain legal identification documents through 'Project IC'. "This is a clear and present danger that will have dire repercussions on our future generations. "There are a lot of questions that need to be answered including the extraordinary population explosion in Sabah between 1970 and 2000. "This issue has been raised persistently for the better part of three decades. It's been raised by the local people, leaders, politicians and NGOs. "It is a persistent and prevalent issue that has been brought up through the mass media, blogs and social media (Facebook, Twitter). "There have been various signature campaigns," he said. Mojuntin said it is an issue that cannot be "swept under the carpet. It won't die down unless something concrete is done". "After all, a RCI to investigate the illegal appointment of judges (Lingam video clip) and another RCI to investigate the death of Teoh Beng Hock have been set up. "Project IC and the issue of illegal immigrants are matters of national security." Slap on BN face Opposition Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) also criticised Lee for denying the existence of Project IC. MP Eric Majimbun, who is also a SAPP deputy president, said Lee's statement is a slap in the face for all the state BN component parties that have been raising the issue all this while. Majimbun believes Lee's denial was planned to protect Umno after Upko had forced Muhyiddin to acknowledge the problem that was given credence by Tuaran MP Wilfred Bumburing when he submitted a detailed report on the issue to Hishammuddin a year ago. "Now the answer comes from his deputy minister from MCA to protect Umno," he said here yesterday. READ MORE HERE |
| Of hudud, Datuk Nik Aziz and Bishop Paul Tan Posted: 30 Sep 2011 03:43 PM PDT Bishop Paul Tan is one of Malaysia's most outspoken Catholic prelates. His fellow bishops are known to be more conservative in their public outlook and tend to shy away from controversies, particularly those involving political parties. While his statements on hudud are bold and politically and religiously correct, I doubt his fellow bishops are in total agreement with him. Nonetheless, I applaud Bishop Paul Tan's refreshing stand on the matter. He is one Catholic leader who is vocal for the right reasons. Borneo Post FROM the outset, let me state that I have the utmost respect for PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat. He also happens to be one of the few Malaysian political leaders whom I do not know personally but profoundly respect and even admire. I have consistently made this declaration for the Kelantan Menteri Besar in this column in the past. I did not change my mind even after he created the recent controversy over hudud following a dare by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Nik Aziz broached the subject again because it was his duty as a Muslim leader to do so. For that reason alone, I will not fault him even if I do not agree with his hudud intention. Nik Aziz is, to put it simply, a religious leader. He breaths, lives and leads by Islamic principles. Naturally, in all issues concerning his party and Islam, Nik Aziz is the voice of PAS. Thus, it was his responsibility, being the party leader in Kelantan as well as spiritual adviser, to respond to Dr Mahathir's dare to PAS to implement hudud in Kelantan. I also believe that the Kelantan MB did not expect his response to arouse such emotions and evoke such a controversy particularly among his allies in Pakatan Rakyat. After all, it was nothing new – hudud and Islamic state are old, stale issues which were brought up many times in the past. Politicians will always be politicians. They must always find ways and means to score points. The trouble with some of our politicians is that they seem to think they should make all decisions for us, the ordinary citizens. At times, the politicians must realise that ordinary citizens are more capable of deciding what is best for themselves and the nation. This is because they have no political interests to protect and hence, are likely to think and act more rationally and objectively. Like this on-going squabble over hudud, I will look at the issue in its overall perspective, which encompasses the question of an Islamic state too. As a non-Muslim, I won't waste my time debating with others and worrying about hudud just as I would not want to worry unnecessarily over an Islamic state. In this case, I would not want people in Pakatan Rakyat or Barisan Nasional to make that decision for me. I'm capable of thinking and acting rationally over the hudud issue. If politicians want to squabble and quarrel over a religious matter, please do not drag me into it. Religion is something personal to me – it's a relationship between me and God. What I believe in and whether hudud or an Islamic state is good or not for me is up to me to decide. To these politicians, let me tell them – please do not politicise religion! You'll be damned if you continue to do so. Why am I unconcerned or worried about hudud or an Islamic state? Because I just do not see it ever happening in this country. Haven't we gone through this before? PAS will never ever win enough seats in Parliament to change the Constitution single-handedly to institute an Islamic state. Politics may be fluid but as far as the question of Islamic state is concerned, the racial and religious compositions of Malaysians are quite static. We can safely say that less than a fifth of Malaysians would favour an Islamic state at any time. Another thing we can all be sure of – the people of Sabah and Sarawak will never ever agree to an Islamic state. One more reason why I'm not at all worried or concerned about hudud or an Islamic state is that I do not think that it will ever happen in my lifetime. Neither will it happen in Nik Aziz's lifetime, or Mahathir's or Karpal Singh's, or Anwar Ibrahim's or Lim Kit Siang's. So what's the squabbling all about? As a Catholic, I also noted with great interest the comments from Bishop Paul Tan about his agreement to the hudud being implemented in Kelantan if the Kelantanese so desire. But he was also quick to qualify that there must be iron clad guarantees that the fundamental rights of non-Muslims will be protected. The bishop's statement reflects a much more open stand than before, on the thorny issue of the Islamic state. I must say I am surprised by his remarks. While others may think that this is the stand of the Catholic Church of Malaysia over the hudud issue, I have my reservations. Bishop Paul Tan is head of the Catholic Diocese of Melaka and Johor, one of the smaller Dioceses in the country. Although he currently chairs the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, that does not make him the top Catholic prelate in the country. The Archbishops and bishops rotate among themselves in chairing the Conference. As there is no Cardinal in Malaysia, the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Rt Rev Tan Sri Murphy Xavier Pakiam is considered the most senior of the Malaysian bishops as he heads the biggest Catholic archdiocese. However, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli as Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Singapore, Apostolic Delegate to Malaysia and to Brunei Darussalam, being the Pope's representative, is usually considered the highest Catholic authority in the country. Bishop Paul Tan is one of Malaysia's most outspoken Catholic prelates. His fellow bishops are known to be more conservative in their public outlook and tend to shy away from controversies, particularly those involving political parties. While his statements on hudud are bold and politically and religiously correct, I doubt his fellow bishops are in total agreement with him. Nonetheless, I applaud Bishop Paul Tan's refreshing stand on the matter. He is one Catholic leader who is vocal for the right reasons. At the end of it all, I feel that we should drop the idea of hudud and focus on implementing laws based on the universal concept of human rights. Malaysians must move on with the times and to keep abreast with fast developing globalisation, emphasise more on a liberal, equal, fair and just civil society. What hudud? What Islamic state? We have been doing okay without them, so why bother to talk and quarrel over unnecessary issues at all! |
| Pairin can’t solve illegals problem with his committee Posted: 30 Sep 2011 03:29 PM PDT 
The job is an insult to Pairin knowing that he was a former Chief Minister of a ruling party (PBS) which was brought down ignominiously through power plays with the help of the votes of phantom voters. And those people involved in the issuance of ICs are a former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir, and the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman. Daniel John Jambun It has been said that we shouldn't have too many ambitions; we might achieve them! And Tan Sri Pairin's appointment as head of the Sabah Committee on illegal immigrants is certainly case in which he got more than what he asked for. He had given the government until 2012 to solve the illegals problem, and now, as if to over-satisfy him, the government has given him the whip and said, "Now, it's all yours." Which is not exactly a course for celebration, because the job he is given is impossible to do! The task at hand is a huge one, like a monster which had grown for 40 years, and he is expected to kill it within a few months. But can he? He might be a deputy chief minister, but how much can the committee do to solve the illegals problem? We know that the state had several committees already since the last few decades formed under the State Security Committee which was headed by the Chief Minister. Pairin as a former head of the State Security Committee must know very well that it is a very ineffective committee. He has to ask what is it that he can do that has not been done already? The scenario is most probably one in which the committee members will comprise political leaders and heads of various relevant departments, including representatives from the police. These people are already terribly bogged down by endless meetings in a dozen or two other committees of various types. So how much can they do initially other than to go into another round of paperwork, collecting statistics (which are unreliable), assess (again) the status quo, and records details of various aspects of the problem. This alone will require the setting up of a permanent working unit which will function as a secretariat, just to receive and process the data and compile reports. By the time the work begins it will be time for the general election, in which case the committee will be abandoned. The whole thing is definitely a sham, a farce that is being choreographed as a shadow play to pull wool over our eyes. The job is an insult to Pairin knowing that he was a former Chief Minister of a ruling party (PBS) which was brought down ignominiously through power plays with the help of the votes of phantom voters. And those people involved in the issuance of ICs are a former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir, and the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman. There was a whole conspiracy to use the immigrants to kill off PBS to wipe off the majority position of the KDMs in Sabah. This is no fanciful thinking because this is now general knowledge, with many reports and visible proofs everywhere. And now, Pairin is humble and soft enough to come back to supposedly solve the problem as it is as easy as sweeping the floor. Umno leaders must be giggling, amused to no end, seeing Pairin bending over to do their bidding. The other dilemma facing Pairin is that, since he is now appointed to the responsibility, the state BN (or rather Umno) leadership can now say, if you fail to solve the problem, you will have nobody else to blame except yourself. Umno gave him an impossible task because that way Umno leaders can later accuse him of failing in his responsibility, and Umno will be able to wash their hands off the responsibility. Very clever. And they know Pairin wouldn't be daring enough to say, I won't do it because it can't be done unless by a royal commission of inquiry. He is too obedient to Umno to put his foot down even in this situation when he is already guaranteed to fail! It's a classic Catch 22 situation for Pairin. For how can he ever hope to solve the illegals problem without any power to arrest and deport? Will he be able to command the army and the police to act and make a sweeping arrest of the illegals throughout the state within a week? I seriously doubt this power and assignment will be in the list of terms of reference of his appointment. It has been quite about a week after the announcement of his appointment but we have not heard any news of the committee being formed, about who the committee members are and what are the objectives and rough modus operandi. If Pairin was more pro-active he would have made an announcement by now, at least to give us some sort of confidence. What Pairin needs to do, as a leader with character, is to show his mettle and not bow down to bullying. He must not go into a political acting mode and pretend he will be able to rid the state of illegals. He must say, "Sorry fellows, this is not right. The best and fastest way to solve the problem is through an RCI, and not through anything else." It's high time he as the Huguan Siou stopped playing the nice guy when his people are drowning under the weight of illegals. |
| Wall Street protesters march on police Posted: 30 Sep 2011 01:57 PM PDT 
(Reuters) - Protesters who have camped out near Wall Street for two weeks marched on Friday on police headquarters in Manhattan over what they viewed as a heavy-handed police response to a previous demonstration. The Occupy Wall Street movement, whose members have vowed to stay through the winter, are protesting issues including the 2008 bank bailouts, foreclosures and high unemployment. More than 1,000 people marched past City Hall and arrived at a plaza outside police headquarters in the late afternoon. Some held banners criticizing police, while others chanted: "We are the 99 percent" and "The banks got bailed out, we got sold out." Workers from the financial district on their way home watched as the marchers passed, with some saying it was not obvious what outcome organizers of the Occupy Wall Street movement wanted. Police observed the march and kept protesters on the sidewalk, but no clashes were reported. Police said no arrests were made before the protest dispersed peaceably by 8 p.m. after the march. "No to the NYPD crackdown on Wall St. protesters," organizers had said on their website, promoting the march. Other online flyers for the march read: "No to Stop-and-Frisk in Black & Latino neighborhoods" and "No to Spying and Harassment of Muslim Communities." The protest came less than a week after police arrested 80 people during a march to the bustling Union Square shopping district, the most arrests by New York police at a demonstration since hundreds were detained outside the Republican National Convention in 2004. A police commander used pepper spray on four women at last weekend's march and a video of the incident went viral on the Internet, angering many protesters who vowed to continue their protests indefinitely. Police have said pepper spray was a better alternative than night sticks to subdue those blocking traffic. RIGHT TO PROTEST Friday's crowd appeared to have been boosted by an announcement that the rock band Radiohead would perform at 4 p.m. Later, organizers said on their website, "Radiohead will not being playing. This was a hoax. Please accept our apologies." "We heard about Radiohead coming here on Facebook," said Alegra Felter, a 34-year-old teacher from Brooklyn who was among the disappointed rock fans. The protest encampment in Zuccotti Park in downtown Manhattan is festooned with placards and anti-Wall Street slogans. There is a makeshift kitchen and library, and celebrities from filmmaker Michael Moore to actress Susan Sarandon have stopped by to show solidarity. Asked on his weekly radio show on Friday whether the protesters could stay indefinitely at the private park they call their base, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "We'll see." Bloomberg added: "People have a right to protest. But we also have to make sure that people who don't want to protest can go down the street unmolested." While the protest has been made up mostly of young people, it also has recently attracted the support of a loose coalition of labor and community organizations. Marty Goodman, a unionized subway worker, said, "Last year we had 900 of our members laid off ... These are our issues too: Wall Street, the banks, layoffs, the struggle that these young people are spearheading is our struggle too." Among those pledging solidarity were the United Federation of Teachers and the Transport Workers Union Local 100, which has 38,000 members. The unions could provide important organizational and financial support for the largely leaderless movement. Similar but smaller protests have also sprouted in other cities in recent days, including Boston, Chicago and San Francisco. |
| Guan Eng wants Najib to apologise for Bumi quota flip-flop Posted: 30 Sep 2011 01:47 PM PDT 
By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng wants the prime minister to apologise for another "flip-flop", this time over the scrapping of Bumiputera quotas. Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday he had not promised to abolish the 30 per cent quota eventually despite media reports to the contrary. But Lim (picture)pointed out today it was hard to believe state news agency Bernama, which also carried the alleged misquote, would dare to misrepresent the prime minister. "As it is hard to imagine a government news department like Bernama daring to misquote or misrepresent what the prime minister said, will the prime minister be compelled to apologise for saying the wrong thing?" Lim said in a statement. Bernama, several online news portals and the Chinese media reported earlier this week that Najib had called for the eventual removal of Bumiputera quotas. "We want to do away from (with) quotas but we must support them (Bumiputera entrepreneurs) in a way that would allow them to grow," Najib told the Khazanah Megatrends Forum 2011 here on Tuesday night. The prime minister, however, denied yesterday he had meant for such quotas to be scrapped and that he was merely trying to urge Bumiputera entrepreneurs to be more self-sufficient. "I did not say we want to abolish quotas, but I said we cannot be too reliant on them," he had said after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting here. READ MORE HERE. |
| MCA ‘always’ relevant, say party leaders Posted: 30 Sep 2011 01:36 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - MCA leaders today lambasted former party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat for saying the party is becoming increasing irrelevant, claiming there is no basis for his remarks. They denied that the Chinese community had written the party off, claiming that the MCA was on its way to regaining Chinese support. Ong had told The Malaysian Insider in an interview that the MCA was on the path to irrelevance, and that the Barisan Nasional (BN) component has not heeded the push for reform that saw the party lose 25 of the 40 federal and 59 of the 90 state seats it contested in Election 2008. He had said the reforms he tried to implement in the MCA "all went down the drain" after he was ousted. "MCA is always relevant. Although we lost badly in 2008, we still have strong representation within the Chinese community. "He (Ong) can say what he likes, but he must not eat his own words," said MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai. Liow said that when Ong was president, he had instructed MCA members to refrain from saying bad things about the party. "No (we are not irrelevant), MCA has been working hard to ensure support of Chinese," said Liow. READ MORE HERE. |
| MCA challenges Opposition leaders to justify show-cause order issued to school Posted: 30 Sep 2011 08:50 AM PDT (The Star) - MCA Youth has challenged Pakatan Rakyat leaders to justify a show-cause letter issued by the Pasir Puteh Land and District Office (PTJPP) in Kelantan to a Chinese school for celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival. MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the movement was angry that a festival, which is part of the Chinese community's culture, could be interpreted as "entertainment". "I want Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng to answer if what they are doing is fair to the Chinese community. "Since when is celebrating the lantern festival a crime under the entertainment enactment? "Is this what they mean when they claim respect for different cultures?" he asked during a press conference after the MCA Youth central committee meeting at Wisma MCA yesterday. Dr Wee, who is also Deputy Education Minister, showed a letter to the press from PTJPP, dated Sept 18, to SJK(C) Kai Chih in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan, informing the headmaster that it had held an entertainment event Sept 15 from 8pm to 11.30pm at the school's premises without obtaining a licence or approval. "In relation to that, the organiser can be punished if found guilty of violating Section 6 (2) of the Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Enactment 1998, which carries a maximum fine of RM20,000 or a five-year jail term, or both," Dr Wee quoted while reading out the letter. Dr Wee questioned whether PAS is sensitive to the beliefs and culture of the community. "If they were celebrating the festival, it should not be an issue. We consider this a violation of the rights of non-Muslims, especially the Chinese," he said. Meanwhile, Dr Wee defended the video clip Undilah and said he did not regard it as controversial despite Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim saying it offended certain segments of society. "We do not regard the message of the video as sparking a Reformasi and it does not contain any hidden message to bring down the Government," he said. |
| MCA heading for irrelevance, says Tee Keat Posted: 30 Sep 2011 08:34 AM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - The MCA is on the path to irrelevance, its former president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said this week ahead of the party's annual gathering this weekend. He told The Malaysian Insider in an interview that the Barisan Nasional (BN) component has not heeded the push for reform that saw the party lose 25 of the 40 federal and 59 of the 90 state seats it contested in Election 2008. "MCA is still stuck in the mindset of being gung-ho with statements instead of delivering good governance. It is parroting old polemic rather than delivering reforms asked for by voters. "If MCA continues on this same old path and psyche, then it is certainly headed for irrelevance. Some have bluntly said we are already irrelevant," said Ong, who was deposed as MCA boss by Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek in a fractious power struggle 18 months ago. The Pandan MP cited, as examples of "empty platitudes," his successor's threats to quit BN if Umno implemented hudud and to resign from the Cabinet and other government posts if the party does not improve in a general election expected soon. "I don't see how his threats can lift the party from its doldrums," he said. The party holds what is likely to be its final general assembly this weekend before federal polls are called. But despite having three presidents in as many years, the MCA has seen Chinese support continue to shrink in by-elections. Some analyses state that the Tenang polls held earlier this year saw just 18 per cent of Chinese voting for BN. Datuk Seri Najib Razak has begun taking over the charge for Chinese votes, spending last weekend dishing out RM15 million to Chinese schools and exempting a Community Chest project headed by Chinese tycoons from tax to help it channel RM100 million a year into vernacular education. "Najib as BN chief is spearheading initiatives to win Chinese votes, triggering the question of 'where is MCA?' from the public," Ong said. He said the MCA could not shirk its responsibility as part of government despite Umno's seniority in the ruling coalition. "How are they justifying their position as minister? Chinese want a level playing field. Ministers must get rid of cronies and monopolies," he said. Ong cited his 26-month tenure as transport minister where he opened the probe on the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone scandal even though senior officers told him it was a closed case. "I put aside considerations of whether or not it would implicate Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik or Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy," he said of the former MCA president and deputy who were Ong's predecessors as transport minister. "I was more concerned about how the party had been linked to that debacle which was a key factor in the March 2008 tsunami," he added, referring to the BN's landmark loss of its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament and five state governments. READ MORE HERE |
| No deal with PAS Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:14 AM PDT 
Unless PAS is prepared to abandon its raison d'etre of wanting to establish an Islamic federal administration in the country, I cannot foresee a truely feasible, viable and dynamic administration at Putrajaya if the Pakatan Rakyat manages to oust the Barisan Nasional from power. To say otherwise is to conceal the truth. Thomas Lee Seng Hock That PAS is insistent on its Islamic state agenda should not surprise anyone, since the very fundamental reason it was set up way back in the 1950s was to work for the creation of a government administration based on the spiritual, doctrinal, theological, moral and ethical precepts of Islam.
What should really surprise us is the fact that the party has apparently soften its previously preceived uncompromising adherence to a firm policy without the readily perceived prudence for the feelings and sensitivities of the non-Muslim citizens of the multi-racial, multi-religious, and multi-cultural nation. This is obvious from the fact that it is seen as even prepared to readjust its foundational ideological stance of wanting a full-fledged Islamic governing state to adopt a seemingly watered-down welfare state administration. The new direction, albeit considered a pragmatic political conveniency by many people, was approved and adopted its national general assembly earlier in 2011.
But the so-called new political pragmatism of PAS is, for all intent and purpose, a mere illusion.
The current controversy over the party's declaration of wanting to implement Islamic rule in the states it controls, i.e. Kelantan and Kedah, with the accompanying proposed imposition of hudud judicious practices, is something inevitable and unavoidable, given the basic nature and character of the Islamic party. Sooner or later, the theoretical and practical considerations of this Islamic agenda must be objectively and honestly dealt with by the component parties of the multi-idelogical alternative coalition Pakatan Rakyat. As the Cantonese saying "Jee um pow tak chi for" ("paper cannot be used to wrap around fire"), so the PAS Islamic idealism and focus will eventually shatter the pretentious peaceful co-existence among the the three Pakatan Rakyat components of the DAP, PKR and PAS.
Being an Islamic party, PAS certainly has a duty to strive for an idealogical political state based on the basic foundation for the religious, political, economical, social, and cultural system that is practised in all Islamic countries which impose the Islamic rule and law.
An Islamic state is essentailly an ideological state, based on the concern for submission (the word being the meaning of Islam) and faithfulness to the seedbeds of the Islamic faith -- the Quran and Sunna. Muslims all over the world are clamouring to establish Islamic rule in their communities, to give Allah his rightful place as the Soverign Ruler in their lives and societies. In an Islamic state, the ultimate sovereignty and authority belong to Allah as the Lord of the whole Universe. For the Muslims, Islam is not just a religion per se, but a complete way of life covering every aspect of life, lifestyle, and thoughts.
Hence, it is understandable that those in PAS, in seeking to create and promote an Islamic state in Malaysia, are basically being true and honest to being part of the faithful and the submitted of the global Umma, the universal community of all Allah followers and worshippers.
Syed Abul A'ala Mawdudi, a Pakistani Sunni journalist, theologian, and political philosopher, and a major 20th century Islamist thinker, summarizes the basic differences between Islamic and secular states as follows:
(1) An Islamic state is an ideological state, whose people are divided into Muslims, who believe in its ideology, and non-Muslims who do not believe.
(2) Responsibility for the policy and administration of an Islamic state rests primarily with Muslims. Non-Muslims cannot undertake or be entrusted with the responsibility of policy-making.
(3) In an Islamic state, there is a marked distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims, but the Islamic Shari`a law guarantees certain specifically stated rights to the non-Muslims, beyond which they are not permitted to meddle in the affairs of the state. However, if they embrace the Islamic faith, they are made equal participants in all matters concerning the state and the government.
Mawdudi's view represents that of the Hanifites, one of the four Islamic schools of jurisprudence. The other three schools are the Malikites, the Hanbilites (the strictest and most fundamentalist of all), and the Shafi`ites. All four schools agree doctrinally and dogmatically on the basic creeds of Islam but differ in their interpretations of Islamic law which is derived from four sources:
(a) The Qur'an
(b) The Hadith: The collections of Islamic traditions, including sayings and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad as heard and recorded by his contemporaries.
(c) The Al-Qiyas: The legal decision drawn by Muslim jurists based on precedent cases.
(d) The Ijma' (consensus): The interpretations of Islamic laws handed down by the consensus of reputed Muslim scholars.
Textual laws prescribed in the Qur'an are few. The door is left wide open for prominent scholars versed in the Qur'an, the Hadith, and other Islamic discipline to present their Fatwa (legal opinion and pronouncement).
In an Islamic state, the political head of the state must inevitably be a Muslim, because he is bound by the Shari`a to conduct and administer the state in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunna. The function of his Cabinet is to assist him in implementing the Islamic principles and adhering to them. Anyone who does not embrace the Islamic faith and ideology cannot be the head of state or a member of the Cabinet. If Malaysia is an Islamic state, Lim Guan Eng would not be qualified to be the Chief Minister of Penang, and there will not be non-Muslims serving as Ministers and Deputy Ministers in the Federal Government. This is the case even in the civil service, whose heads and top officials must be Muslims.
But Mawdudi, apparently conscious and aware of the circumstance of the modern world, seems to be more tolerant toward the non-Muslims. Hence, he said: "In regard to a parliament or a legislature of the modern type which is considerably different from the advisory council in its traditional sense, this rule could be relaxed to allow non-Muslims to be members provided that it has been fully ensured in the constitution that no law which is repugnant to the Qur'an and the Sunna should be enacted, that the Qur'an and the Sunna should be the chief source of public law, and that the head of the state should necessarily be a Muslim."
According to Mawdudi, under these circumstances, the sphere of influence of non-Muslim minorities would be limited to matters relating to general problems of the country or to the interest of the minorities, and their participation should not damage the fundamental requirement of Islam.
Mawdudi's view does not receive the approval of most other schools of the Shari`a which hold that non-Muslims are not allowed to assume any position which might bestow on them any authority over any Muslim. A position of sovereignty demands the implementation of Islamic ideology. It is alleged that a non-Muslim (regardless of his ability, sincerity, and loyalty to his country) cannot and would not work faithfully to achieve the spiritual, ideological and political goals of Islam.
Apparently, the political arena and the official public sectors are not the only areas in which non-Muslims are not allowed to assume a position of authority. Even in the conduct of business and trade, there are such restrictions too.
Mawdudi, who is more liberal and lenient than most Muslim scholars, presents a revolutionary opinion when he said that in an Islamic state that "all non-Muslims will have the freedom of conscience, opinion, expression, and association as the one enjoyed by Muslims themselves, subject to the same limitations as are imposed by law on Muslims."
His views, however, are not accepted by most Islamic schools of law, especially in regard to the freedom of expression like criticism of Islam and the government.
So, how should we non-Muslims look at PAS, given the indisputably absolute Islamic agenda the party is committed to, whatever the conspicious political compromise it is currently seen as advocating?
First of all, I believe we need to exercise wise caution, discernment and practise discerption in our evaluation of PAS and what it stands for.
In our anger against what we perceive as more than half a century of extremely offensive and oppressive rule by the Barisan Nasional, and in our euphoria over the March 2008 political tsunami and enthusiasm to send the recalcitrant politicians of Umno, MCA, Gerakan, and MIC packing at the next general election, we may become irrational and irrepressible, even irresponsible, and opt to jump from the frying wok into the fire, throwing away the baby with the bath water.
Are we sure that PAS and what it stands for are what is good for the nation at this juncture? Can we be sure that PAS will not seek to impose its exclusive Islamic agenda to achieve its fundamental aim of making Malaysia an Islamic state, if ever the Pakatan Rakyat manages to take control of Putrajaya?
Why is PAS so adamant about the appropriation, propagation and implementation of the doctrinally framed hudud jurispudence in Kelantan now?
We need to be sensible and realistic to know that whatever political propagada PAS may convey to us now, to win our support and vote, the party would never give up its objective to make the country an Islamic state, or else it would not be PAS anymore.
The uneasy and unaligned alliance between PAS and the DAP within the Pakatan Rakyat alternative coalition is surely unapt, like trying to combine oil and water into one substance, PAS being an exclusive religious party, and the DAP a secular socialist-orientated set-up.
If we look objectively, analytically, critically, and honestly at the PAS Islamic agenda, we cannot help, but will come to understand and realise that the uncanny association of PAS and the DAP in the Pakatan Rakyat is simply an electoral expediency to win the Battle for Putrajaya. After that, what?
Unless PAS is prepared to abandon its raison d'etre of wanting to establish an Islamic federal administration in the country, I cannot foresee a truely feasible, viable and dynamic administration at Putrajaya if the Pakatan Rakyat manages to oust the Barisan Nasional from power. To say otherwise is to conceal the truth.
Hence, I appeal to leaders of the DAP, and perhaps the PKR, to reconsider the unequal yoke they have with PAS. The political marriage of covenience will inevitably end in a bitter divorce, and may be costly for the well-being of the nation.
Much is at stake in the Battle for Putrajaya, and we should not allow PAS to derail the march towards reforming, regenerating, and revitalising our beloved country to become a better place for all who call it home. |
| WIKILEAKS: SURFING IN SINGAPORE'S WAKE: MALAYSIA'S ISKANDAR DEVELOPMENT REGION Posted: 30 Sep 2011 01:00 AM PDT While the IRDA has published slick brochures with somewhat detailed implementation plans, it remains to be seen whether the IDR can attract significant investment in the type of knowledge-based industry that Malaysian officials most desire. Other similar initiatives, such as the Cyberjaya Multimedia Super Corridor outside Kuala Lumpur, so far have failed to live up to expectationsTHE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
1. (SBU) Summary. Malaysia's government hopes to accelerate investment in the southern state of Johor with its planned Iskandar Development Region (IDR). The government's public statements portray IDR as a new approach that will attract global firms for "knowledge-based" investment, but econoff's recent tour of the project area suggests it really is aimed at further exploiting Johor's proximity to Singapore. Johor already benefits from its location and also is receiving a large inflow of money for infrastructure from the GOM's Ninth Malaysia Plan. New investment incentives under IDR would provide the main stimulus for any additional new development. The government's initial list of incentives applies only to a few sectors of limited interest, but suggested the possibility of exemptions in certain cases from the long-standing equity requirements of Malaysia's racial preference policy. The final list of incentives is scheduled to be announced this fall, but the government does not appear to be prepared to take big political risks to ensure the success of this development initiative. End summary. Launching the Iskandar Development Region 2. (U) Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi launched the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) in November 2006. Named for the Sultan of Johor, IDR is more an investment incentive plan than a development plan. Southern Johor already is well developed, with a per capita GDP significantly higher than Malaysia as a whole. The GOM had previously committed through its Ninth Malaysia Plan to spend 4.3 billion ringgit (approximately USD 1.3 billion) for infrastructure projects in Johor up through 2010. 3. (SBU) State investment agency Khazanah has created the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) to oversee the IDR's activities, and issued a comprehensive development plan (CDP) to guide the project's activities over the next 20 years. IRDA's Ismail Ibrahim told econoff that a prime role of IRDA will be to promote foreign investment, in part by directly assisting foreign firms in meeting foreign investment requirements within the IDR. Ismail is one of a handful of Khazanah staff working to get IRDA off the ground, but he expects the authority to expand exponentially, in particular once the full IDR investment incentive package is announced in September. Ismail hinted to econoff that the September announcement will revolve more around (hopefully) announcing some high-profile foreign investments than around a long list of new incentives. 4. (U) A March 2007 announcement of proposed incentives attracted much attention, mostly due to a possible exemption from Malaysia's race-based preference program for a limited range of foreign investments. (Note: Malaysia's long-standing Bumiputera Policy requires that ethnic Malays and indigenous peoples be given at least 30% equity interest in such new business; see ref B). Other incentives announced in March included a 10-year corporate tax exemption, and the ability for foreign investors to source capital globally to employ foreign workers. However, these initial incentives only apply to business activities within the IDR and/or outside Malaysia, and only in six services sectors: education, healthcare, creative industries, financial advice and consulting, logistics, and tourism. Location, Location, Location 5. (U) The CDP acknowledges that the IDR's success will depend heavily on its geographic proximity to Singapore and, to a much lesser extent, Indonesia. The IDR extends almost the full length of Malaysia's border with Singapore along the Straits of Johor, incorporating the city of Johor Bahru (Malaysia's second largest city) in the center, extending to the major seaports in the east (Pasir Gudang/Tanjung Langsat) and west (Tanjung Pelepas) and north of Johor Bahru to incorporate the Senai airport area. Nearly 60 percent of the IDR's 2217 square kilometers currently is agricultural land, providing a large reserve for long term development. However, the CDP envisions most of the development in the early years concentrating in five "flagship zones" consisting of the city of Johor Bahru, the two seaports, Senai airport, and the Nusajaya development west of Johor Bahru. Since these areas already have adequate infrastructure in place (or, in the case of Nusajaya are being constructed already), IRDA foresees IDR projects starting there and eventually expanding into outlying areas. 6. (U) The CDP acknowledges that "development within (Singapore and Indonesia) will have significant impact on the development of the (IDR)." The CDP assumes Singapore will reach the limits of its ability to develop its land and sea space and will be forced to encourage its labor- and land-intensive and lower value added industries to move to Johor, as well as Batam, Indonesia to the south. The CDP notes with admiration Batam's vibrant offshore manufacturing activity due to its proximity to Singapore, and suggests that IDR will be poised to benefit in a similar way. 7. (SBU) Indonesia currently is a significant source of labor for Johor's manufacturing and services sector, but the CDP foresees Indonesia, in particular Sumatra, establishing stronger investment links with Johor to take advantage of improved transportation linkages. The plan envisions enhanced bilateral cooperation in such sectors as tourism, agro-processing, construction and port services. Comment: The CDP understandably makes no mention about the future role of Indonesian laborers as IDR is implemented. Indonesian laborers will undoubtedly remain in strong demand, in particular during the early years of development with the construction of large-scale infrastructure projects. End comment. A Delicate Dance with Singapore 8. (U) The CDP calls for the IDR to be planned and created as an integrated development together with Singapore and Indonesia. To that end, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on May 15 the creation of a ministerial-level joint committee to oversee certain areas of cooperation in the IDR. Abdullah hinted that easier access by Singaporeans to the IDR would be one such issue tackled by the committee. Although the CDP initially envisioned that certain parts of the IDR would provide free access to Singaporeans, subsequent criticism in Malaysia caused the GOM to rescind the proposal (which presumably would have allowed any Singaporean citizen to freely enter the IDR) in favor of more limited rules to ease access to pre-approved Singaporeans. In an effort to placate public criticism that the joint committee would impinge on Malaysia's sovereignty, Abdullah stressed that it would not have authority over the IRDA's investment decisions, including investments from Singapore. 9. (SBU) On a visit to Johor in late May, econoff found little reluctance among local developers about touting Johor's advantage of being situated next to Singapore. Unlike the politicians in KL, Malaysians directly involved in the development of the IDR flagship zones were much more sanguine and realistic about Johor's dependence on Singapore for its prosperity, both past and future. The general attitude expressed to econoff in a variety of meetings was that Johor's future economic development was not tied to the IDR (and in fact was a given, since Singapore was right next door), but that the IDR would provide incentives for additional investment that might have gone elsewhere. Our interlocutors generally expressed interest in attracting more manufacturing and infrastructure projects. However; there was little mention of transforming Johor into a hub of "knowledge-based" economic activity as some Malaysian leaders have suggested. Nusajaya -- City of the Future? 10. (SBU) Of the five IDR flagship projects, Nusajaya best exemplifies the type of new economic activity that the IDR is designed to encourage. Like the other flagship projects, Nusajaya predates the IDR itself. Unlike the other four, however, Nusajaya is still largely in the initial development stage. The Johor State New Administrative Center in Nusajaya should open its first buildings by the end of 2007 and eventually will house all state government offices, as well as the Johor branches of federal government offices. Zamry Ibrahim, General Manager for the Nusajaya project, told econoff that project developer UEM Land is satisfied with the pace of development, which he expects will accelerate once the Johor State government buildings (which include the Chief Minister's offices and the state parliament) are open. On a tour of Nusajaya's 24,000 acres, Zamry pointed out the significant infrastructure improvements that UEM Land already has made. For example, the new government offices are being constructe d far inland from the feeder highway, necessitating significant road construction to allow access. A few residential subdivisions have opened, though with few occupants so far. Zamry noted that many of the half-acre plots in the initial subdivisions have been sold, mostly to Singaporeans. In addition, UEM Land has undertaken a massive excavation project on a large tract of land between the new government buildings and the Straits of Johor, which will form a large marina and waterfront project, blending housing, retail and tourist facilities. 11. (SBU) Zamry indicated that Nusajaya's traditional development projects are progressing well, but one ambitious goal -- a "creative and entertainment hub" -- remains somewhat undefined. The CDP calls for a hub dedicated to the digital content industry, but Nusajaya officials seem perplexed about what sorts of business this would involve. On the entertainment side, however, Zamry said UEM Land has held talks with several theme park operators and is optimistic about announcing a deal by the end of 2007. Comment: Although the creative industries sector is targeted by the IRDA as one of six sectors to receive special investment incentives to promote its development, the CDP is unclear about the particular types of creative industries that should be targeted. The plan makes no mention of Malaysia's continued difficulty in enforcing intellectual property protection, nor of its reluctance to adhere to many multilateral IP treaties -- actions that would be key to enticing IP-dependent firms to Malaysia. End comment. Johor's Sea and Air Ports -- Alternatives to Singapore 12. (U) Since opening in 1999, Johor's Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) has expanded rapidly and now handles approximately the same amount of containerized cargo as Kuala Lumpur's Port Klang (which incorporates two port complexes, West Port and North Port). Khairul Anuar Othman of PTP told econoff the port expects to handle approximately 5.3 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units, a measurement of containerized cargo) in 2007. This places PTP among the top 20 containerized ports in the world, although it still pales in volume compared to nearby Singapore, which handles about 23 million TEU annually. 13. (U) Unlike Port Klang, some 95% of PTP's business consists of transshipment between other ports, though Khairul noted that PTP is planning for expanded domestic-origin container traffic as Johor develops further. PTP is a regional hub for both Maersk and Evergreen, and those two companies' operations form the bulk of the workload of the two U.S. Container Security Initiative officers stationed at PTP. Like Port Klang, PTP has a free zone that permits duty free operations as well as 100% foreign ownership of equity. The existing free zone includes a variety of logistics firms in a 400 acre "free commercial zone", as well as some high profile new manufacturing firms in the 600 acre "free manufacturing zone", including U.S. electronics manufacturer Flextronics, contact lens firm CIBA Vision, and a BMW parts distribution center. PTP recently began making preparations to more than double the size of the port's free zone, which is also a key component of the IDR. 14. (SBU) Johor's two other ports to the east of Johor Bahru handle alternate types of shipments. Johor Port in Pasir Gudang is the state's former leading port, and now handles multi-purpose goods, including liquid bulk (mainly palm oil), plus a small amount of containerized traffic. A third port, Tanjung Langsat (TL), is being constructed further east of Pasir Gudang by Johor Corporation, the state-owned development conglomerate which had earlier developed Pasir Gudang. Tanjung Langsat will be a major shipper of both petrochemicals and oleo chemicals upon its completion, and the port is developing a "biofuel park" that aims to become a major processor for palm oil (Pasir Gudang currently contains the largest percentage of such refineries in Malaysia -- the Biofuel Park at TL would supplement the existing facilities). Fuad Omar of Johor Corporation told econoff that TL will provide more efficient shipping than Johor Port for the increasing volume of palm oil exports from Johor State. TL is located at the eastern end of the Straits of Johor, near the shipping lanes that run offshore Singapore (PTP takes advantage of a similar position on the western end of the Straits). Fuad noted, however, that Singapore's reclamation of land directly across from the TL development, off the largely uninhabited Singaporean island of Tekong, has the potential to inhibit the port's future development by restricting the ability of ships to maneuver into and out of the port (Fuad implied that Singapore was deliberately trying to impede the port's development). 15. (U) The third point of the IDR "logistical triangle" is Senai Airport to the north of Johor Bahru. Hariss Abdullah of Senai Airport Terminal Services told econoff that the airport's 10 year development plan includes an upgrading of its cargo facilities to make the airport a realistic alternative to Singapore's Changiairport. Much air cargo originating in Johor now departs via Changi (even from some of the technology firms situated close to Senai), and Senai wants to capture a share of the business. The airport soon will launch a free zone within its boundaries to encourage further development of both logistics and manufacturing operations. Hariss told econoff the airport would welcome direct flights by U.S. cargo carriers, and believes its location provides all the advantages of Changi at lower cost, though so far U.S. carriers have not expressed interest. Hariss added that the airport also hopes to capture an increasing share of the region's passenger market, and has embarked on a major refurbishment and expansion of its passenger facilities. Senai is benefiting from its position as an expanding regional hub for Air Asia, Malaysia's discount air carrier. IDR Beneficiaries -- The Usual Suspects are First in Line 16. (SBU) The IDR "flagship zones" slated for the bulk of activity in the development's early phases are dominated by several well-known (and well-connected) Malaysian firms. UEM Group, which is developing Nusajaya, is a prominent construction and engineering firm, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khazanah, the government's state-owned investment arm that is the driving force behind the IDR. Johor Corporation, which developed Pasir Gudang and is now developing Tanjung Langsat, was set up in the early 1970s to push development projects to benefit the state's Bumiputera. MMC, owned by Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary (Malaysia's richest ethnic Malay), has a 70% controlling interest in PTP, owns 100 % of Johor Port, and its wholly-owned subsidiary Senai Airport Terminal Services runs Senai Airport (the only major Malaysian airport that is privately run). Note: Another firm owned by Syed , SKS Ventures, reportedly signed a contract in late 2006 with the National Iranian Oil Company to develop gas fields in Iran, an action that has raised concerns under the Iran Sanctions Act (see ref A). End note. Comment 17. (SBU) While the IRDA has published slick brochures with somewhat detailed implementation plans, it remains to be seen whether the IDR can attract significant investment in the type of knowledge-based industry that Malaysian officials most desire. Other similar initiatives, such as the Cyberjaya Multimedia Super Corridor outside Kuala Lumpur, so far have failed to live up to expectations. It appears more likely that IDR incentives will, in the initial years, foster Johor's continued development as a manufacturing outsource center for foreign firms, in particular from Singapore as well as Japan and the United States. The CDP itself encourages such activity, at least in the early years of the IDR project. 18. (SBU) All the current major projects underway in southern Johor predate the advent of the IDR. Moreover, most of the current activity involves traditional Malaysian economic development -- heavy on infrastructure projects like roads, ports, buildings, in addition to manufacturing. So far the usual crowd of powerful business interests, like MMC, UEM and Johor Corporation, are poised to be the principal beneficiaries of the nascent IPR. Such favoritism may be excused if IPR really does take off and become a major source of foreign investment, especially if such investment takes place in more innovative sectors. There is little evidence that suggests this will happen in the near term. 19. (SBU) Political constraints, in particular the GOM's longstanding Bumiputera preference program, will certainly give pause to potential foreign investors. Even the suggestion that the government might relax preference requirements in a few sectors has generated widespread public criticism. It seems unlikely the GOM will offer significantly broader liberalization when the full IDR incentive and support package is announced in the fall. The government's hasty abandonment of proposed free access for Singaporeans in certain parts of the IDR showed its reluctance to take politically risky moves, despite the fact that the IDR's success could depend on its attractiveness to Singaporean investors. The Demographic and Economic Contexts - Somewhere between KL and Singapore 20. (U) The Iskandar Development Region (IDR) has a population of 1.35 million, about 43% of the total population of Johor. Malays constitute about 48% of the population, with the Chinese as the next largest ethnic group at 36%, followed by Indians at 9.4%. Chinese in Johor thus have a higher profile than in Malaysia as a whole, where they constitute 24% of the population compared to the Malays 61%. The IDR's per capita GDP (at purchasing power parity) was USD 14,790 in 2005, significantly higher than the Malaysian average of USD 10,318, but less than half that of Singapore's per capita GDP of USD 29,937. The services sector contributes more to the GDP of the IDR than does the manufacturing sector (50% versus 47%, with agriculture taking the remaining 3%). Wholesale and retail trade makes up 47% of the services sector, followed by tourism and hospitality at 17% and professional and business services at 15%. The manufacturing sector is dominated by the electrical and electronics industries (32%) followed by chemical and chemical products (12%) and food and beverages (11%). SHEAR (JUNE 2007) |
| ISA repeal in March, says Najib Posted: 30 Sep 2011 12:47 AM PDT 
By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — The Internal Security Act (ISA) will be repealed in March after two replacement laws are drafted, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today. The prime minister told reporters that his promised reform timetable would instead begin with the repeal of the Banishment and Restricted Residence Act when Parliament reconvenes next week. "Next week I will begin the process but ISA will be done in March as we need to draft two new laws," the Umno president said after chairing a supreme council meeting this evening. He also said that amendments to the Police Act to allow for freedom of assembly other than street protests, will likely be tabled in November. Najib announced a raft of reforms including the lifting of three states of emergency in his Malaysia Day address, and vowed to give Malaysians greater liberties. He had promised on Tuesday that his Cabinet would meet this week to decide on the timing of reforms with the first round to begin in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting. READ MORE HERE. |
| Pakatan and hudud: A consensus that wasn’t Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:34 PM PDT PAS insists on the "right to have an intention", but DAP says it's a futile agenda. (Free Malaysia Today) -- Pakatan Rakyat may have formally reached a consensus on the hudud issue, but the dust is far from settling, with PAS and DAP adamantly sticking to their opposite views. After a lengthy meeting on Wednesday, Pakatan leaders decided that further discussions on hudud would have to be in line with the opposition bloc's common ideology and policies. It was really a stalemate decision. The matter has been put on hold because PAS remained insistent on eventually imposing hudud in Kelantan and DAP remained opposed to the idea. PAS representatives from Kelantan, including Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat, have since said that they would continue to harbour the intention of instituting the hudud provisions of Islamic law in the state. "No one can be denied the right to have an intention," Kelantan executive councillor and PAS vice president Husam Musa said when FMT asked him to comment. Does he agree that Kelantan PAS is now like a thorn in Pakatan's side? "No," he said. "Of course there will be difficulties. And we have to accept the current situation. But if you have intentions of buying gold and have no money now, you wait till you have money." Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, one of the deputy PAS commissioners for Kelantan, said he did not think that his party's position as adversely affected Pakatan's image. "Technically," he claimed, "Pakatan's stand allows the state government to pursue its hudud agenda. "When you speak of its implementation, there are many aspects to it—how and when, for instance. There are steps to follow that will take time. When Pakatan talks about discussing the matter further, I believe this is what it means. "We never said that we will implement it today or tomorrow. People cannot make their own assumptions." READ MORE HERE |
| Anwar: Pakatan will not implement hudud law Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:31 PM PDT 
(The Edge) -- The Pakatan Rakyat opposition will not implement hudud laws as called for by PAS because it is not in line with the common policies of the coalition, the Federal Consitution and their Orange Book agenda, said Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said the Pakatan leadership respected PAS' stand on the issue but at the same time accepted the views of the DAP, which opposed hudud laws, Bernama reports.
"We cannot deny the right of any party to voice out what it wants, but we are bound by a common framework and the Federal consititution," he told a press conference after chairing a meeting of Pakatan Rakyat's leadership council at PAS' headquarters here on Wednesday
night.
Also present were DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, DAP chairman Karpal Singh, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The meeting was called following PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's controversial remarks that the party would implement hudud laws if prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak would propose amendments to the federal constitution to allow these laws. Nik Aziz was responding to a challenge from former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for PAS to implement hudud laws in Kelantan as PAS had claimed that Mahathir had blocked its implementation when he was prime minister. Asked to comment on Nik Aziz's statement, Anwar had supported the implementation of hudud in Kelantan, saying that it would not infringe on the rights of non-Muslims. He later clarified that the view he expressed was his personal opinion. Following this, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had pointed out that hudud was not part of Pakatan's common policy.
Pakatan then imposed a ban on comments by its members concerning hudud until the meeting on Wednesday. |
| PAS raises hudud issue as political ploy: Muhyiddin Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:20 PM PDT 
(Bernama) -- The move by PAS to raise issues on the implementation of the 'hudud' law is a political ploy to regain the people's support, especially the Muslim voters, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. The Deputy Prime Minister said PAS realised that the support of Malay voters for the party had been badly affected following its decision not to set up an Islamic state and instead opting for a Welfare State. "It is a political ploy by PAS because it notices that support for the party has been badly affected lately. Some of its supporters are not happy with the party," he said after attending a gathering with the people at the grounds of Masjid Jamek Kampung Sungai Bunyi, here today. Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president and the Education Minister, said PAS must explain to the people instead of deceiving them by claiming that it would not implement the hudud law. He was commenting on the statement by the Opposition Pact Leadership Council yesterday that they would not implement the hudud law as proposed by PAS because this was not in line with their joint policy, Federal Constitution and the Orange Book agenda. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the opposition pact respected the PAS stand on this matter but at the same time, it accepted the differing stand of the DAP in opposing its implementation. Muhyiddin said PAS realised that if it insisted on implementing the hudud law, it would face strong opposition from component parties of the pact such as the DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). "PAS should explain and should not deceive the people by saying it won't implement (hudud law) because it knows that if it insists on implementing (the hudud), it will face opposition from the component parties, DAP and PKR," he said. Earlier in his speech at the gathering, Muhyiddin said a new approach was needed by the government in administering and bringing development to the country in view of the country's demographic composition where 60 per cent of the population were young people. "The young generation have their own mindset that is different and they also realise that they have their own rights. With the existence of the Facebook, Twitter and Internet, the style of administering the country now is different," he said. Muhyiddin also announced an allocation of RM2 million for the construction of a new mosque for Kampung Sungai Bunyi. |
| PAS invites Umno, muftis to hudud forum Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:19 PM PDT 
(Bernama) -- After its proposal to implement hudud was rejected by the opposition coalition partners, PAS has invited Umno and muftis to a forum on the Islamic laws. PAS information chief Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the forum could create awareness and avoid confusion on hudud among the people. "As hudud touches on Muslims directly and it is incumbent upon the government and Muslims to implement the Islamic laws," he said in a statement posted on PAS portal today. The Pakatan opposition yesterday announced that it would not implement hudud as called for by PAS as it is not in line with the common policies of the coalition, the Federal constitution and their Orange Book agenda. Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was quoted as saying that the Pakatan leadership respected PAS stand on the issue but at the same time accepted the views of the DAP, which opposed hudud. Tuan Ibrahim proposed that the hudud forum to be opened to public but no date was set. |
| DPM: Umno's election candidates will be chosen based on popularity Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:16 PM PDT 
(The Star) - Umno's candidates for the next general election will be chosen based on their popularity with the people, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. He added a person's past posts or positions within the party would be immaterial to their selection as election candidates. "If Umno likes the candidate but the people don't, then this cannot be a basis to keep the candidate. "Even when a candidate has been a division chief for a long time, or had previously won uncontested, the feedback we have received from some people is that they want someone new'," he said. "The most important thing is whether the candidate can be accepted and can win," he told reporters after attending a dialogue session with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) academic staff and students here. Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, said that the party's candidates would be a mix of the young and "not so young". "There needs to be a mix; it will be a problem if they (candidates) are all new or all old. "We need candidates who are young, energetic, qualified and lovable, as well as those who are more experienced," he said. |
| Perangsang Selangor sasar 1,500 siswazah berniaga Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:33 PM PDT 
(Harakah Daily) -- Sebagai salah satu agenda dan tanggungjawab sosial korporat (CSR), Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Berhad (Perangsang Selangor) telah menganjurkan satu program untuk membantu siswazah-siswazah Selangor bagi penyediaan mereka memasuki alam pekerjaan. 
(Gambar: Pendaftaran siswazah hari ini.) Pengerusi Kumpulan Selangor Berhad, Raja Idris Raja Kamarudin (gambar atas) menjelaskan pada satu sidang media bersama Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abd Khalid Ibrahim hari ini, pihaknya meletakkan sasaran membantu lebih 1,500 siswazah dari Negeri Selangor untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan atau memulakan perniagaan sendiri.
"Objektif utama program ini adalah untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan, nilai diri dan keyakinan siswazah dari negeri ini dalam mendapatkan pekerjaan atau memulakan usaha perniagaan sendiri.
"Dalam pada ia dapat membantu Negeri Selangor mengurangkan kadar siswazah yang masih belum mendapat pekerjaan dan serta sebagai satu usaha untuk mendukung hasrat merakyatkan ekonomi Negeri Selangor," katanya.
Tambah beliau lagi, program ini bermula dengan penyediaan kursus dan latihan jangka pendek releven dengan pasaran kerja sekarang.
"Kita akan menyediakan latihan di tempat kerja (On-Job Training) dan usaha ini untuk membuat rekomendasi kepada majikan-majikan bagi siswazah-siswazah yang telah menamatkan kursus.
"Bagi siswazah yang mengikut kursus usahawan, insentif khas akan diusahakan untuk membantu siswazah tersebut bagi memulakan pekerjaan," tambahnya.
Idris memberitahu program ini disasarkan kepada semua siswazah dari Negeri Selangor yang memegang ijazah dan diploma dalam apa jua bidang yang bersesuaian dengan kursus yang ditawarkan.
"Untuk tahun 2011 semua kursus latihan akan bermula pada bulan Oktober dan November dan kita berharap usaha ini mendapat sambutan dari setiap siswazah," sambungnya lagi.
Sebelum itu Perangsang Selangor mengharapkan semua siswazah yang berminat untuk memohon bagi mengikuti program tersebut dapat menghubungi Unit Pelaksanaan CSR Perangsang Selangor. |
| Corporate Welfarism and the Munafikation of Malays Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:23 PM PDT 
SAKMONGKOL AK47 I found Walla's comments on my recent article too rapier-sharp by nature, to leave them mothballing as mere comments. In citing Walla, I find sweet revenge too. Walla's comments can't be touched by any of those mercenary bloggers on a secret UMNO payroll. Any time I write critically of Mahathir, there's this buffoon who says I am paid by KJ. I wished I were so then I can drive around in Porsche Cayenne (as does Mukhriz) or a Maserati (as does Nazir Razak). Maybe I can also own a Bentley as do many UMNO ministers. You are wrong fool; why not say I am on the current PM's payroll? I can name a few operatives in the PM's office who operate the slush funds to pay pro UMNO bloggers. So come on say it- the current PM sucks because he arranges to pay me to hit at Dr Mahathir. Did KJ pay Nazri Aziz for being a consistent pain-in the ass- to Mahathir with his vitriol thrown at Mahathir? How moronic and super stupid can you be- Mahathir's opinions can't be contested without accusing those who disagree with him being paid lackeys? Your grey matter must be polluted either with rancid curry or is lard layered. The subject matter is too complicated for run of the mill pro UMNO bloggers to debate. So we will leave them to wallow in their stupidity. The most piercing observation lies in his opinion that "In short, the hidden personal interests embedded in UMNO's corporate welfarism sold as defending Umno to defend our Malay race has instead brought about the MUNAFIQATION of our Malays". Mahathir's economic prescriptions have exactly turned Malays into that- munafiks who continue to live a life of lies and deceit believing they can't overcome their deficiencies WITHOUT having to depend on a paternalistic government. That's how Mahathir's UMNO survived all these years making Malays live a life of self-disbeliefs. This is the perpetual munafiqation of the Malays and that's how UMNO stays in power forever. UMNO can stay in power by (1) keeping Malays continuously stupid (2) allowing them to live a life of self-deceit and self-censoring and (3) accept the big lie that any questioning and challenges to the opaque economic agendas by UMNO are a direct assault and threat to the Malay race. Why don't we for once shake off that yoke of mental servitude and see whether without UMNO, Malays can survive or not. The corporate welfarism of PETRONAS may not take the form of our national oil company descending into a morass of incompetence like what happened in MAS. But it can take the form of deliberately shielding what goes on in PETRONAS and making them as opaque and transparent as possible. That is where Walla's comparison to what happened in Pertamina, an object lesson for us. READ MORE HERE |
| Pendirian rasmi PAS mengenai hudud Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:13 PM PDT Selaras dengan pendirian Pakatan Rakyat yang mengiktiraf Enakmen Jenayah Syariah di Kelantan dan Terengganu, PAS berpendirian kedua-dua negeri itu berhak memperkanunkan undang-undang tersebut. Dalam satu kenyataan menyatakan pendirian rasmi parti itu, Ketua Penerangan PAS, Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man berkata, persoalan kini, sejauh mana kesediaan Kerajaan Pusat memberi kebenaran untuk melaksanakannya. Menurutnya, perbezaan pandangan dengan DAP khususnya dalam soal penafsiran "bertentangan dengan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan" adalah sangat relatif kerana wujud perbezaan ketara antara pandangan pengamal undang-undang kedua belah pihak, terutama kaedah untuk mengatasinya. "PAS melihat soal tafsiran mana yang menepati peruntukan perlembagaan hanya akan dapat diputuskan oleh mahkamah perundangan," katanya. Berikut adalah kenyataan rasmi berhubung pendirian PAS: 1. Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) ingin menegaskan bahawa aktiviti dan perjuangan PAS adalah dalam kerangka demokrasi dan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan Malaysia. Ini termasuk soal-soal dasar seperti kedudukan Islam sebagai Agama Persekutuan dan jaminan kebebasan mengamalkan agama-agama lain, kedaulatan Bahasa Melayu sebagai Bahasa Kebangsaan dan mempertahankan hak bahasa ibunda masing-masing, kedudukan dan kedaulatan Institusi Raja-Raja Melayu serta kedudukan hak-hak istimewa orang Melayu dan Bumiputera serta hak-hak semua kaum yang telah dijamin oleh Perlembagaan. 2. PAS juga ingin menegaskan komitmen untuk melaksanakan perubahan menyeluruh dalam negara kita ini, menerusi muafakat rakyat yang telah dipersetujui dalam penegasan bersama yang disebutkan dalam Platfom Dasar Bersama Pakatan Rakyat (Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Platform) dan Dokumen Buku Jingga. 3. PAS juga amat berpegang dan memperjuangkan prinsip negara berkebajikan yang menuntut dilaksanakan keadilan Islam untuk semua dalam masyarakat, dan menolak sekeras-kerasnya tindakan yang berunsur kezaliman terhadap mana-mana rakyat dalam semua tindakannya samada di peringkat dasar parti atau kerajaan yang dipimpin oleh PAS. 4. Perbezaan pandangan DAP terhadap Enakmen Jenayah Syariah adalah berpusat di atas penafsiran bahawa ianya bertentangan dengan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Persoalan penafsiran ini adalah suatu isu yang sangat relatif kerana wujud perbezaan ketara antara pandangan pengamal undang-undang kedua belah pihak, terutama kaedah untuk mengatasinya. PAS melihat soal tafsiran mana yang menepati peruntukan perlembagaan hanya akan dapat diputuskan oleh mahkamah perundangan. 5. Sehubungan dengan perakuan bahawa Enakmen Jenayah Syariah II (1993) Kelantan dan Enakmen Jenayah Syariah (2003) Terengganu yang telah diluluskan oleh Dewan Undangan Negeri masing-masing, maka PAS melihat kerajaan negeri mempunyai hak bagi memperkanunkan undang-undang tersebut. Persoalan sejauh mana kesediaan Kerajaan Pusat memberi kebenaran merupakan perkara kedua yang perlu diselesaikan melalui proses yang sesuai dan munasabah. Rakyat Kelantan khususnya memilih PAS atas dasar Islam yang di bawanya, kerana itu mereka seharusnya diberi hak bagi mengamalkan ajaran mereka. Sebarang usaha menghalang adalah bertentangan dengan semangat demokrasi yang dipersetujui bersama. Kini terpulang kepada kerajaan Kelantan bagi membawa Enakmen berkenaan di peringkat yang seterusnya. |
| When the word TOO is hidden Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:56 PM PDT On the one hand we have PERKASA. On the other hand we have Malaysia Today's readers. They are actually all cut from the same cloth, the other side of the coin, so to speak. And the following comments seem to strengthen this view. And the moral of the story is: don't you dare question or criticise Pakatan Rakyat. NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin "Pakatan, too, must come clean on 'covert funds'," said University of Malaya Professor, Edmund Terence Gomez. The word TOO was very cleverly hidden so that many Malaysia Today readers did not spot it. That was actually a very dirty trick that Gomez played on our readers. If he had not hidden the word TOO, then many would have spotted it and would not have gone and commented as below. Gomez has actually written dozens of books over more than a decade (http://www.bookfinder.com/author/edmund-terence-gomez/), some jointly with S. Jomo (http://www.bookfinder.com/author/jomo-k-s/), who moved to New York City as UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development after retiring from the University of Malaya in 2004. ************************************** written by Wakeupmsia, September 30, 2011 15:16:42 It's premature to ask that. Wait till they secure Putrajaya. BTW, have you asked Jibby about the Scopene commission or perhaps the funds he promised at the last few by-elections? Remember what he said "You help me, I help You" written by arazak, September 30, 2011 15:59:02 Hello Gomez, Go ask where UMNO got their money first? They have been stealing from the people for decades and you don't even bother to ask where they got their money? And mind you, the money they have been stealing from us would probably have been several thousand billions by now. Did UMNO disclose where they got their money to us? No, never! I'll put you together in the same boat (or same dish) as the other Professor "kangkongs"; Zainal Keling and Khoo Kay Kim. What do we have here then. . .? Truely "1 Malaysia Kangkong" academicians who do nothing to improve our education standard other than sucking UMNO's dick! You can all shove your Kangkong PhDs up your arses, please! written by Sam V. Vellu, September 30, 2011 16:02:03 Come on lah Terrance ! when billions of dollars were being siphoned out of the country you never said anything , now suddenly when the General Election is near you are coming out to share in the potty. You are typical of catholic ball carriers of the Archbishop. written by Q-Baron, September 30, 2011 16:03:16 All too well, Mr. T.G.. You have just shown us what a fine (BN) terrier you are yourself. Not bad but you would agree it should start with you here. Please tell us who is that covertly funded you to make this statement? Thanks. written by ksmaniam28, September 30, 2011 16:10:47 I say it is a trap. Who is this guy to ask this question. The EC should do it. EC is not asking the question because if it ask the question, its biasedness will be too obvious is it. so they get a spy to do the job. Wow BN is trying very hard guys so watch it. They are curious how Pakatan is funded. If they know how it is done, the next thing will be that funder will not be funding Pakatan anymore. Cut the funds and Pakatan will die a natural death. So whatever happens do not divulge the info. HOwever funding in such a manner should not be condoned. The EC should take a hard look at the funding. Yes, we can also hope to see pigs fly. Mt 2 cents worth. written by chris, September 30, 2011 16:14:12 Gomez, were you just borned yesterday??? Why didn't you first posed this question to BN??? For over 50 years no one has raised the question to them and you had the gall to ask PKR???? I'm sure your promotion to Chancellor letter is in the mail..... written by ng chai hing, September 30, 2011 16:31:03 Gomez do you know how much money had been squandered and siphoned by BN leaders year in year out ? i think you have eyes but cannot see, you have ears but cannot hear and you have mouth but cannot speak. |
| Cease the hudud debate, says Bar Council Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:36 PM PDT 
Its implementation is impossible under our legal framework, according to council president Lim Chee Wee. (Free Malaysia Today) - The Malaysian Bar Council has called for a stop to all rhetoric concerning hudud, saying its implementation is impossible under Malaysia's current legal system. In a media statement issued today, Bar Council chairman Lim Chee Wee said debate on the matter had caused "confusion and divisions" among Malaysians. In explaining how the hudud provisions could not fit into the current system, he said: "The Federal Constitution only allows the states to enact laws creating offences by persons professing the religion of Islam against the precepts of Islam, and the respective punishments for such offences. "With respect to the nature of such offences, these offences cannot include matters within the legislative powers of the federal government. "Therefore, there can be no replication of any of the offences within any federal law with a different degree of punishment only for Muslims." He said federal law and its principles determined the scope of punishment for offences against the precepts of Islam. He pointed out that the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 clearly listed the punishments to be meted out and that these existing punishments did not contain elements of hudud. Quoting from the 1965 act, he said syariah courts could not exercise jurisdiction "in respect of any offence punishable with imprisonment for a term exceeding three years or with any fine exceeding RM5,000 or with whipping exceeding six strokes or with any combination thereof". He also quoted from the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, which places "criminal law and procedure, internal security and public order" under the federal list. Hudud mainly concerns penal laws. It would therefore fall under federal jurisdiction, not the state, Lim said. He referred to the 1988 case of Che Omar bin Che Soh v Public Prosecutor, where the Supreme Court held that "laws in Malaysia do not have to conform to Islamic principles" and that Malaysia was indeed a secular state. READ MORE HERE |
| Report: MIC still in ‘critical’ condition Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:27 PM PDT According to a report by the Prime Minister's Office, only three out of the nine Parliament seats the party is eyeing for are considered safe bets. (Free Malaysia Today) - A report from the Prime Minister's Office reveals that MIC is still in a precarious position. The party, which now has a new president after 30 years in G Palanivel, will probably be facing its toughest election battle yet. It must regain the ground it lost in the last polls. In the 2008 general election, MIC only won three parliament and seven state seats out of the nine and 19 contested. Last year, MIC's P Kamalanathan added another MP seat to the stable when he defeated PKR candidate Zaid Ibrahim in the Hulu Selangor by-election. According to the report from the PM's Office, only three out of the nine Parliament seats could be considered safe for MIC. The three were Cameron Highlands (Pahang), Hulu Selangor (Selangor) and Tapah (Perak). Party vice-president and Deputy Minister in the PM's Department SK Devamany is the incumbent Cameron Highlands MP whereas another vice-president and Federal Territory and Urban Well-Being Deputy Minister M Saravan holds the Tapah seat. Speaking to FMT, a senior officer from the PM's Department, who declined to be named, said that MIC would face an uphill task in the next election. "Palanivel is expected to maintain all of the winners in the last election in their respective seats despite earlier rumours of Devamany being dropped to make way for the president and Saravanan to compete in Kapar," he said. As for the other seats, the officer classified Segamat (Johor), Teluk Kemang (Negrei Sembilan) and Sungai Siput (Perak) as "semi-critical". The other three seats Subang, Kapar and Kota Raja were expected to be retained by the opposition. Segamat is a crucial seat as it housed MIC deputy president and Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam. The trouble with this constituency, according to the officer, was the 51% Chinese voters. The latter are predominantly pro-opposition. READ MORE HERE |
| Muhyiddin: Bahasa for science and maths stays Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:18 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has waded into the fierce debate over the use of English in teaching science and mathematics in schools, saying Malaysians cannot afford to "sacrifice" Bahasa Malaysia for other languages. The education minister said that while the government recognised the importance of English as an international language, Bahasa Malaysia will continue to be used as the main teaching tool in national schools. "We cannot sacrifice our national language for another language." "I am a strong proponent of English, we should strengthen the command of English and (at the same) continue the use of Bahasa Melayu as the main language in schools," Muhyiddin said today during a dialogue session with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) students and academic staff. The deputy prime minister said Malaysians needed to cultivate an attitude where they treated Bahasa Malaysia as a "unique" language, and if no importance was placed on it the language risked being lost. "As a country which has achieved its independence, we have to strengthen Bahasa Melayu." Muhyiddin argued his case by saying that research conducted by Unesco found that schoolchildren were more receptive in learning new subjects using their mother tongue. "Some people do not understand any other language apart from their mother tongue. The important thing is knowledge, and what is the simplest medium to attain it? "Unesco research found that people learnt things better via their own language, their mother tongue," he said. The DPM also stressed that as far as the government was concerned, Bahasa Malaysia will continue to be used as the medium to teach science and mathematics in schools. READ MORE HERE |
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