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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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• No candidates, Kita beats a retreat
• Taib Hit By UK’s Bell Pottinger Scandal!
• NGOs want Indian as Malacca CM
• 6 aktivis SMM ditahan di Speakers Corner UiTM
• Tengku Muhammad Fakhry saman IGP, tiga lain RM100 juta
• A haram book? What next?
• Groups protest against homosexual lifestyle
• 'DAP parti cauvinis'
• Umno assembly ‘an insult’ to Malays
• M’sia overly dependent on foreign workers
• CM: We had reason to bar Haris
• No need for expensive presents and fancy emcees, says Sultan
• MACC pledges fair probe
• Pas Selangor tidak akan tunduk
• EU bank capital hole deepens to €115b
• Wall St falls on dashed euro zone hopes
• Najib: Appreciate history of Umno's struggle
• Don’t be scared by doomsday predictions
• Najib makin 'Ultra Melayu'?
• Overview of Malaysia's Human Rights Record 2011
• Is the Deputy IGP whitewashing a misappropriation?
• not all is right in Lumut...
• KLCC threatens flashmob organisers with injunction
• ‘We have proof that MB lied’
• Zul Noordin: Dr Yusuf Qardawi deceived
• PRM has not confirmed on creating Third Force with NGOs, says President
• DAP winning over Malay voters
• Political branding just rhetoric
• ‘Umno agent in PAS’ gets a drubbing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No need for expensive presents and fancy emcees, says Sultan Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:18 AM PST (The Star) - The Sultan of Selangor doesn't want anything lavish for any function he attends, and has asked organisers to stop giving him mementoes. Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah asked the state government and the public not to make any elaborate preparation to honour his presence which he said would be a waste of money. "There is no need to spend RM60,000 to engage a singer to entertain me, or hire a well-known emcee for the event. What purpose does that serve? I am fine with an emcee provided by the state information department," he said. He advised organisers to give him books instead, saying he could pass them on to the public library after he had read them.

MACC pledges fair probe Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:15 AM PST (The Star) - The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has pledged to carry out investigations into the corruption allegation involving French engineering firm Alstom without fear or favour. "This is in line with Section 29(4) of the MACC Act 2009," the commission said in a statement yesterday. The MACC said it was liaising with the relevant authorities, both locally and abroad, to conduct the investigation. However, the Commission declined to reveal details of the ongoing probe. Swiss authorities had last month ordered Alstom to pay 31 million euros (RM130mil) in fines for failing to stop bribery by some employees over contracts in Latvia, Malaysia and Tunisia. The Swiss Attorney-General's Office cited the company for "corporate negligence" but not criminal wrongdoing. Alstom Malaysia had said in a statement that investigations confirmed that there was no systematic bribery and that sufficient controls were in place. Swiss prosecutors recently removed from its website an unendorsed document linking two Malaysians to the Alstom scandal.

Pas Selangor tidak akan tunduk Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:58 AM PST (Utusan Online) - Pas Selangor menyifatkan cadangan DAP yang berkemungkinan meletakkan calon Melayu bertanding di kerusi majoriti Melayu dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU13) nanti sebagai satu langkah yang tidak wajar. Timbalan Pesuruhjaya III Pas negeri, Khalid Abdul Samad berkata, pihaknya tidak akan tunduk kepada tuntutan itu kerana langkah tersebut masih belum dapat diterima oleh masyarakat selain ia bukan satu jaminan DAP akan memperoleh kemenangan dalam PRU13. Beliau yang mengakui bahawa cadangan DAP tersebut ada dibincangkan dalam mesyuarat bersama Pas dan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), namun pihaknya beranggapan ia sukar dilaksanakan dan memerlukan masa. ''DAP (letakkan calon Melayu di kerusi majoriti Melayu) kerana mereka mahu pecahkan imej daripada parti satu kaum kepada parti semua kaum tetapi langkah ini memerlukan masa. ''Namun, kita rasa langkah ini tidak wajar dan kita tidak tunduk kepada tuntutan DAP," katanya kepada pemberita di sini, hari ini. Dalam pada itu, Khalid yang juga Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam ketika di minta mengulas mengenai artikel dalam ruangan Cuit yang ditulis oleh Datuk Zaini Hassan dalam Utusan Malaysia yang menganggap bekas Pesuruhjaya Pas Selangor, Datuk Dr. Hasan Mohamed Ali sebagai faktor penyelamat kepada perpaduan dan penyatuan orang Melayu, Khalid berkata, ia adalah pandangan peribadi penulis. Mengenai Hasan yang dikatakan akan dikurniakan pingat kebesaran Datuk Paduka Mahkota Selangor (D.P.M.S), beliau berkata, ia adalah perkenan baginda Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah atas sumbangan yang diberikan oleh Hasan yang juga Exco kerajaan negeri. ''Namun pada saya penganugerahan darjah kebesaran ini dilakukan oleh baginda mengikut giliran kerana Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim telah dianugerahkan darjah kebesaran Seri Paduka Mahkota Selangor (SPMS) manakala Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Selangor, Datuk Teng Chang Khim turut menerima darjah kebesaran Datuk Paduka Mahkota Selangor (DPMS) pada tahun lalu. ''Saya melihat baginda adalah adil dan anugerah serta darjah kebesaran diberikan mengikut giliran iaitu Menteri Besar (Abdul Khalid) kebetulan daripada PKR, Speaker DUN (Chang Khim) daripada DAP dan seterusnya kali ini Pas (Hasan)," katanya.

EU bank capital hole deepens to €115b Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:49 AM PST (Reuters) - Europe's banks must find €114.7 billion (RM482 billion) of extra capital, more than predicted two months ago, to make them strong enough to withstand the euro zone debt crisis and restore investor confidence. Europe's banking watchdog, confirming a Reuters exclusive earlier yesterday, said the capital shortfall across 71 banks was almost 8 per cent higher than the €106.4 billion estimated in October, telling banks in Germany, Italy, Austria and Belgium to find more cash. Banks will look to fill any shortfall through rights issues, shrinking loans to customers, selling assets or cutting dividends or pay for staff. National governments may have to bail out any lender unable to find the cash. German banks need to find €13.1 billion, more than double the €5.2 billion estimated in October, the European Banking Authority (EBA) said. Commerzbank needs €5.3 billion and Deutsche Bank needs €3.2 billion. Spanish banks need to find an unchanged €26.2 billion, including €15.3 billion at Santander and €6.3 billion at BBVA. The average core capital of EU banks, excluding those in Greece, was just over 9 per cent at the end of September, not far from the average for their top US peers. But Europe has been criticised for less effectively stress testing its banks than the United States did in 2009. That is mainly because European governments have not forced weaker banks to capitalise, lacking the power of the Federal Reserve, which immediately provided the funds to shore up US lenders to revive investor confidence. European governments now face the prospect of having to plough more money into lenders struggling to balance a weaker economic backdrop against tougher regulation. Germany's Commerzbank stood by its commitment to avoid taking more help from Berlin, which would tip it nearer to full nationalisation. "We stand by our intention not to make use of additional public funds," Eric Strutz, finance director, said in a statement. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he expected banks to meet their commitments by mid-2012. "In arranging the recapitalization everything possible is being done to avoid giving the wrong incentives to reduce business," he said. "In particular there are no grounds for trying to improve capital ratios by selling sovereign bonds." In all, some 31 of the 71 banks tested need extra capital. They have until January 20 to present their plans and need to fulfil the capital requirements by end-June, the EBA said. Several banks have taken action to improve capital since the end of September. The EBA's recapitalisation plan is part of a three-pronged approach that also deals with sovereign debt exposures and improving access to funding. The aim is to restore confidence without crimping lending in a fragile economy. The European Central Bank said yesterday it would start offering banks liquidity funding for 3 years for the first time ever, to try to head off a credit crunch. EU leaders are meeting yesterday night at a high-stakes summit aimed at agreeing a plan to defuse the crisis, with France and Germany pushing for rule changes to enforce stricter budget discipline in the bloc. The EBA said banks should have core Tier 1 capital of at least 9 per cent of risk-weighted assets, which exceeds the 7 per cent minimum world leaders have agreed to phase in from 2013. Europe's banks may need to tap shareholders for less than €30 billion to plug the hole, analysts have estimated. Greek banks have been told they need an extra €30 billion of capital, but this should be covered by an existing programme of aid, while €9 billion of the shortfall in Spain will be met by debt that converts into equity. BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, UniCredit, Commerzbank and other banks are reducing loans, an alternative to raising equity, which is costly at present due to depressed share prices. That has sparked fears of tighter credit hurting economic recovery. Europe's banks could "deleverage" by up to €3 trillion in the next two years, or by €4.5 trillion over the next 5-6 years, analysts at Morgan Stanley estimate. The EBA said it will limit deleveraging banks can do to meet targets, saying national regulators could exclude it from the calculation. Banks should first try to raise funds, retain earnings, reduce bonus payments and other liability management measures. Banks in France will need €7.3 billion, down from €8.8 billion in October and banks in Italy will need €15.4 billion up from €14.8 billion. Austrian banks need €3.9 billion up from €2.9 billion and Belgian banks need €6.3 billion up from €4.1 billion. British banks, as previously, do not need any extra capital.

Wall St falls on dashed euro zone hopes Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:46 AM PST (Reuters) - Wall Street fell yesterday after the European Central Bank dashed hopes that policy-makers were preparing a financial "bazooka" to contain the debt crisis, and Germany rejected some proposals to add power to the euro zone's bailout fund. US markets have been on edge all week in anticipation of a summit deal that would come to grips with the euro zone's growing debt crisis, and pave the way for greater action by the ECB to hold down bond yields. But actions from Europe — both early and late in the day — were a stark disappointment. Before the market's open, ECB President Mario Draghi discouraged expectations that the central bank would massively increase its purchases of government bonds after a crucial Brussels summit today. Shortly before the closing bell, Germany rejected some measures in draft conclusions from the summit, including giving the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) a banking license and issuing common euro-zone debt. US stocks and the euro fell sharply following the news. "It looks like it's (the opposition) coming from Germany. That just spells more trouble ahead in the days to come," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York. More than 44,500 S&P E-Mini futures contracts traded between 3.40pm and 3.45pm, when the Germany headline appeared. This was the busiest five minutes of the day, other than the last five minutes of trading, which typically has the highest volume. The S&P financial sector index was the biggest loser, falling 3.7 per cent. That followed sharp losses in European banks' shares as sources told Reuters the European Banking Authority (EBA) sees the capital shortfall at European banks at €114.7 billion (RM482 billion). Shares of Morgan Stanley (MS.N), a barometer of risk aversion due to its perceived exposure to Europe's crisis, fell 8.4 per cent to US$15.88. The latest developments from Europe overshadowed a cut in the bloc's interest rate to a record low one per cent and extra liquidity provisions for banks. The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 198.67 points, or 1.63 per cent, to end at 11,997.70. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 26.66 points, or 2.11 per cent, to 1,234.35. The Nasdaq Composite Index lost 52.83 points, or 1.99 per cent, to close at 2,596.38. The decline comes after three days of gains for US stocks when the S&P 500 tried and failed to stay above its 200-day moving average, which has been a key level for investors to watch this year, and one that could prove tough to break. But yesterday's pullback, concentrated in economically sensitive areas, was a far cry from the wild swings of recent months when uncertainty over Europe has dominated headlines. That is being seen as a sign of resilience by many investors who are hoping for seasonal strength into the end of the year. Yields on European sovereign debt spiked. Ten-year Italian government bond yields rose 44 basis points to 6.51 per cent — the day's high. German Bund futures hit a session high of 136.89, up 109 ticks on the day. Earlier, data showed US jobless claims fell more than expected in the latest week, a sign the labor market recovery was gaining momentum. Claims slid to a nine-month low. About 7.55 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Amex and Nasdaq, slightly below the daily average of 7.95 billion. Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq by a ratio of slightly more than 6 to 1.

Najib: Appreciate history of Umno's struggle Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:29 AM PST (Bernama) - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has urged the people to appreciate the history of Umno's struggle so that they would acknowledge its capability in helming the Barisan Nasional (BN) government. The prime minister said by looking back at history, the people would realise the immensity of Umno's struggle all these years. By appreciating history, the Malays would realise that they had no reason to forsake Umno, he said when opening Wisma Umno Langkawi in Kuah, here, today. Najib said Umno and BN would continue to bring about change in the interest of the people in the battle-of-the-mindset era, for which until today Umno had emerged the winner through its outstanding ideas. He believed the people would continue to have confidence in the ruling party amid the global scenario where a country saddled with political instability would also destroy the people's life. Hence, Najib, who is also Umno president, said the people should appreciate what they now enjoyed due to BN's ability in leading the country. On Langkawi, he said it had emerged as a popular international destination from an isolated island. "In the 1960's, it took four hours to ply by ferry to this barren island, but now it takes only 45 minutes (from Kuala Perlis)," he said. Najib said the price of land on this mythical island had shot up following development brought about by the government. He cited a security guard, who led an impoverished life, but suddenly became a millionaire as his land in Padang Matsirat, Langkawi was bought for RM2 million due to development on the island. "All these were due to the struggle of Umno and BN, which could feel the pulse of the people. No party (other than Umno and BN) could claim that they have done good deeds to the Langkawi community," he said. Najib said that in the early 1980's, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had turned Langkawi into a duty-free island and now he (Najib) would continue efforts to ensure that Langkawi would remain on track for the better. Najib said while striving for development, Langkawi should also protect the environment and improve the quality of life of the community. "We do not want any environmental damage to the island. The people of the world demand high environmental standards," he said. To make Langkawi a world-class destination, he said, the local community should have a world-class mindset and give priority to cleanliness. He said tourists flocked to Langkawi for its natural beauty, which provided revenue for the tourism operators, and if cleanliness were to take a back seat, the number of visitors would decline and the operators' income would drop. At the ceremony, the prime minister also presented allocations to build 17 jetties costing RM17 million to the Langkawi Area Fishermen's Association, and a cheque for RM782,000 for Tekun Nasional loans to 91 entrepreneurs. Najib later toured the two-storey Wisma Umno Langkawi costing RM1.65 million before attending a feast at the premises.

Don’t be scared by doomsday predictions Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:25 AM PST (Global Times) - The yuan has gone through seven days of consecutive depreciation, sending confusing signals around the world. The doomsday prediction for China's economy has resurfaced again. It appears that uncertainty has become a popular tune in evaluating the country's economic future. Yet the rules may be unfit and the results inaccurate when measuring China's large scale economic growth by Western concepts. The economic components in the West are much simpler, while business activity and implication here in China are more complicated. For instance, a market crash may bring a much stronger impact in the West than to China. The same applies to the depreciation of a currency. China will feel it differently from its Western counterparts. The economic foundation of Western society is actually quite limited compared to an enormous financial system it is supporting. This has made its structure more vulnerable and fragile. China, however, is the opposite. Although its economic foundation is not that sophisticated, it is vast in scale. Doomsday prediction or a rosy painting should all be ignored. China still has quite a lot of ground work to do. Every family is dreaming a better life. These will continuously pump the country's economy no matter how difficult the situation appears to be. The financial crisis and property bubble are only setbacks, not "turning points." Beneath China's rapid growth lies concerns about its quality. We have reasons to be worried, but if we blindly accept comments from Western economists, we will lose sight. China is poised to face tough challenges from different economic entities and waves of hungry speculators, yet its available options do not make it invincible. It is difficult to tell the real logic of those who are short on China. Are they really pessimistic, or are they simply  there to speculate from market turbulence. Developing an economy is like playing chess. We may lose a few pieces, but these will also create opportunity for counters. However, the outcome ultimately lies on our shoulders. The world is far from settled, especially in the economic realm. To measure China's economic outcome, the criteria should be the quality of life enjoyed by its people, the abundance of its culture and material, and the growth of its sustainability. Chinese people need to be more confident about their country's future, because their country has a strong foundation to sustain its growth. Although issues do exist, and some of them are even threatening, our growth will provide a solution. In fact few Chinese people believe  that China's economy is heading towards a collapse. Optimism is the overwhelming mindset. Ordinary people may know nothing about economic theory, but they may have better instincts.

Najib makin 'Ultra Melayu'? Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:17 AM PST (Harakah Daily) - Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak didakwa ingin menjadi 'Ultra Melayu' apabila hadir ke program yang dianjurkan oleh Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Perkida) di Shah Alam baru-baru ini. AJK PAS Pusat, Khalid Samad berkata, ia ditambah lagi dengan ucapan Najib ketika perhimpunan itu yang bersifat rasis sehingga sanggup menghina parti-parti dalam Pakatan Rakyat khususnya DAP. "Dan ini di perkuatkan lagi apabila Najib sendiri hadir pada perhimpunan Perkida di Shah Alam, malah ucapannya menunjukkan beliau ingin menjadi 'ultra-malay'. "Umno memainkan sentimen perkauman bagi mendapat undi Melayu dengan melabelkan parti kaum lain terutamanya DAP sebagai ancaman kepada seluruh orang Melayu di negara ini," katanya pada sidang media di sini hari ini. Khalid menyatakan atas dasar terdesak Umno sanggup melakukan apa sahaja walaupun menimbulkan ketidak senangan pihak lain. Dalam pada itu, beliau turut memberitahu apa yang dijanjikan oleh Najib dalam transformasinya juga sudah tiada malah beliau semakin terkebelakang. "Kita tahu sebelum ini ramai pihak tidak menyukai pertubuhan Perkida termasuk dalam Umno sendiri tetapi Najib yang terdesak tetap menghadirinya kerana baginya undi Melayu itu penting dan kaum lain beliau tidak memberi penekanan yang sewajarnya. "Malah tindakan tersebut membuatkan beliau semakin terkebelakang dengan transformasi yang dijanjikannya, transformasi yang dilaungkan olehnya untuk semua kaum bukannya meminggirkan kaum lain tetapi Najib pula menyongsang dengan pendiriannya," katanya yang juga ahli parlimen Shah Alam. Menurutnya lagi, Melayu tidak akan hilang walaupun Umno tidak diundi kerana yang hilang adalah Umno bukan Melayu. Sehubungan itu beliau mengingatkan rakyat agar tidak gusar jika Umno kalah kerana Pakatan Rakyat memberi jaminan akan menjaga orang Melayu dan kaum-kaum lain dengan lebih baik. "Secara jelas saya katakan melihat kepada apa yang dilakukan oleh Najib serta Umno menunjukkan bahawa mereka telah gagal dan tidak boleh menjadi pemerintah yang adil dalam negara ini kerana mereka hanya memperjuangkan hanya untuk satu kaum sahaja. "Ini berbeza dengan Pakatan Rakyat kerana dasarnya sama untuk kesejahteraan semua kaum malah di dalam Pakatan Rakyat jika ada sebarang kesulitan maka jalan penyelesaian dicari bukannya saling tuduh menuduh seperti yang dilakukan oleh MCA," katanya.

Overview of Malaysia's Human Rights Record 2011 Posted: 07 Dec 2011 10:26 PM PST With the 13th general election in sight, time is running out for the BN government to demonstrate that it is capable of reform. For the last 54 years since independence, every fundamental liberty enshrined in the federal constitution has been cynically taken away or amended beyond recognition.  SUARAM   NAJIB'S REFORMS TURNED OUT TO BE RETROGRESSIVE On the eve of Malaysia Day, Prime Minister Najib Razak clearly sought to capture the imagination of an election-expectant public by promising reforms. He undertook to abolish the Internal Security Act 1960 ("ISA") and three Emergency Ordinances and to review other laws relating to the freedoms of expression, assembly and association. Continuing detention without trial However, before two months had expired, his government made new arrests under the ISA based on grounds of terrorism. At present, there are over 50 detainees under the ISA and more than 1,000 are being detained under the Emergency Ordinance and Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. More deaths in police custody The impunity of the Police and other enforcement agencies continued despite the demand from civil society, SUHAKAM, Malaysian Bar and opposition parties for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission. The MACC made the headlines again with the death of yet another witness in their custody, Ahmad Sarbani, in a similar fashion to the demise of Teoh Beng Hock. None of the officers implicated in Teoh Beng Hock's death by the Royal Commission of Inquiry and in Ahmad Sarbani's inquest have been prosecuted. More deaths by police shootings Through our monitoring, SUARAM has documented a total number of 20 individuals killed in police shootings between 9.2.2011 to 1.11.2011, an increase from last year's 15 cases. There were a total number of 9 deaths in custody, an increase from 4 deaths in 2010. There has been a heartening increase in public awareness of police violence and abuse of powers as was evident in several cases where dissatisfied family members of victims had on their own initiative demanded post-mortems and an inquest into the cause of death of the victims. Continuing death penalties On 25 October 2011 the High Court at Shah Alam handed down the death sentence on Japanese national Mariko Takeuchi, a former nurse, for trafficking 2,493gm of methamphetamine at the Kuala Lumpur International airport on 30 October 2009. This was but the latest court case involving the mandatory death sentence for drug trafficking in Malaysia. In the course of 2011, the courts continued to hand down the mandatory death sentence on those convicted of trafficking in drugs. Denial of the right to peaceful assembly The government's refusal to allow the Bersih 2.0 rally merely encouraged the police to use uncalled-for repressive methods to disperse demonstrators. The Bersih 2.0 rally had put forward eight demands calling for free and fair elections. About 50,000 supporters gathered and witnessed with their own eyes how the police used tear gas and water cannons to drench their right to assemble peaceably. Starting from 19.6.2011, the police had begun arbitrarily arresting persons suspected to be supporters of Bersih 2.0 especially those who were wearing or were in possession of yellow T-shirts. Police had also secured restriction orders from the court against 91 individuals to bar them from the city centre on 9.7.2011.[1] A total number of 1,667 persons were arrested that day, perhaps the largest number of arrests ever on a single peaceful assembly. There was one death reported when Hadriyudin Baharudin died due to asphyxiation by tear gas. In February 2011, 109 persons were arrested in an anti-racism rally organised by the Human Rights Party (HRP) to protest against the controversial Interlok novel which contained racial slurs. Police arbitrarily arrested persons they suspected to be Hindraf supporters, especially Indians found walking in the streets. The arrested persons were detained and investigated under Section 27(5) of the Police Act 1967 for participating in an "unlawful assembly" and Section 45(1) of the Societies Act 1966 in relation to an unregistered organisation.[2] The crackdown on Hindraf's aborted rally continued for three consecutive days in two different towns.[3] On 30 November, a Peaceful Assembly bill, which the people had hoped would return the peoples' right to peaceful assembly, turned out to be more repressive than previous laws that had suppressed this right. The bill confers arbitrary powers to the police and the Home Minister and contained inter alia provisions in which organisers can be fined up to RM10, 000.00 if no advance notice of assembly is given to the police; participants can face RM20, 000.00 in fines.   Racism on the rise 2011 again saw the growing incidence of threatening racist demonstrations by the far-right with police connivance. Prior to Bersih 2.0 rally, 300 supporters from UMNO, Perkasa and unregistered NGO, Suara Anak Anak Mamak Pulau Pinang held a violent protest in George Town condemning both Pakatan Rakyat and Bersih 2.0. On 31.10.2011, about 300 noisy motorcyclists clad in yellow t-shirts rode to Penang State Legislative Assembly at lunch time causing traffic to slow down to a crawl.  Five persons were arrested but they were released later on the same day. Then on 29.11.2011, about 300 people in yellow t-shirts from NGOs of different states including Perkasa and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Sejati Malaysia marched along Penang Road to Komtar demanding the resignation of Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik alleging that he was rude and unfit to be an assemblyman. Nine persons were arrested but were later released on the same day. In schools, instances of teachers and head teachers expressing racist and racial slurs continue to be documented by Suaram. Restrictions on the freedom of religion According to the international think tank, PEW Research Centre, Malaysia ranked among the top 10 in the world with some of the highest government-led restrictions on different religions and Malaysia ranked 5th in recording substantial increases in such restrictions. In March 2011, there was controversy over the stamping of 5,100 Malay-language Bible with "For Christians Only" on the cover of the bibles. This had been done without the consent of the importer, Bible Society of Malaysia. Then in May, the Democratic Action Party ("DAP") was implicated by the UMNO-owned paper Utusan Malaysia to be involved in an alleged plot by Christian priests to replace Islam with Christianity as the official religion of Malaysia. Perkasa chief, Ibrahim Ali, warned of violence against the Christian community following allegations of the establishment of a Christian State. The Law Minister Nazri Aziz said that no action would be taken against Ibrahim Ali because doing so would amount to stifling his freedom of speech. Suppression of freedom of expression The freedom of expression suffered a blow when lecturer Dr Abdul Aziz Bari was suspended by the International University of Islam for commenting on the Sultan of Selangor's pronouncement on the raid by the Selangor State government's Islamic Department JAIS' raid on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church. Another serious breach of the freedoms of expression and assembly occurred in November when the police banned the film fest and other activities associated with 'Seksualiti Merdeka', an annual activity to highlight the problems faced by lesbians, gay, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT). The government, through its media organs, Utusan Malaysia and other news media went on a misinformation spree by portraying "Seksualiti Merdeka" as a "free sex" festival. The law minister, in his convoluted wisdom, even propounded his thesis that homosexuality is unconstitutional because it contradicts Article 3 of the Federal Constitution (which states that Islam is the official religion of Malaysia). However, there was a glimpse of hope for freedom of expression when the Court of Appeal in a 2-1 majority decision ruled that Section 15(5) of the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971[4] ("UUCA") is unconstitutional and violates freedom of expression.[5] The section allows public universities to take disciplinary action against students found to be involved in political activities. Appellants Muhammad Hilman bin Idham, Muhammad Ismail bin Aminuddin, Woon King Chai and Azlin Shafina Mohd Adzha of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia had been arrested on 22.4.2010 for participating in the Hulu Selangor by-election. Hopeful developments for freedom of Information In the course of the year, the Selangor and Penang state governments introduced amendments to their respective Freedom of Information (FOI) Acts which were a positive move in the right direction. Civil society still stressed the importance of maximum disclosure and narrow exemptions; the protection of whistle-blowers; the routine publication of information; simple procedures to enable the public to gain access to information at a minimal cost, and the need for an independent administrative oversight body. Nevertheless, until the Official Secrets Act 1972 and the Printing Presses & Publications Act 1984 are abolished or amended, FOI cannot be said to empower and promote transparency and accountability in the country. Denial of the freedom of association The Registrar of Societies (ROS) continued to curtail freedom of association by de-registering associations on technical grounds. On 12.10.2011, the Registrar of Societies de-registered the Malacca Chinese Assembly Hall (pursuant to Section 42 of the Registrar of Societies Act 1966) for holding its Annual General Meeting ("AGM") without sufficient quorum.[6] In another instance, the ROS struck off the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) following complaints from members that MMA had failed to deliver a list of candidates for elections and the failure to include the elections in the AGM agenda.[7] On 16.8.2011, the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed HRP's application for a judicial review of the ROS' refusal to register the party on grounds of it being academic, alleging that the party was not properly organised and it had failed to produce a constitution in compliance with ROS requirements.[8] Positive development for free and fair elections The positive development as a result of the Bersih 2.0 rally and in an attempt to salvage the Najib government's damaged image, a Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms ("PSC") was commissioned to review and make recommendations to reform the current electoral system. Prime Minister Najib again stirred up a storm of dissent when he said that the PSC recommendations can be implemented after the 13th General Election. He tried to justify this by claiming that the government of the day retains the discretion to dissolve the Parliament at any time during its tenure. Another positive development was seen on 14.11.2011 when six Malaysians living abroad in the United Kingdom through their counsel filed an application for a judicial review seeking to quash the Election Commission's decision not to register them as absent voters, thus depriving them their right to vote. Their counsel stated that in the event the High Court quashes the said Election Commission decision, the nation would be looking at 700,000 to 1,000,000 Malaysians living abroad voting by way of postal votes[9]. Malaysia embarrassed in refugees swap deal Malaysia made the international headlines when the refugees swap between Australia and Malaysia was aborted mainly because of Malaysia's failure to ratify the United Nations' 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. It was a deep embarrassment for the Malaysian government to have its human rights record relating to the treatment of refugees exposed by the international media. In an attempt to circumvent international standards pertaining to protection of refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants, the government introduced the "6P" program. This program still failed to distinguish the fundamental differences between a refugee, an asylum seeker and an undocumented migrant. In the presence of deportation provisions, the 6P program contradicts the principle of non-refoulement and acts as a sanctioned "rid-all" program facilitating the Malaysian government's "immigrant cleansing" practices. Flouting the freedom of movement During 2011, several cases illustrated the government's suppression of the freedom of movement and further embarrassed the nation in the international arena. On 22.7.2011, French human rights lawyer, William Bourdon who was in Malaysia to present a speech at a fundraising dinner organised by Suaram was deported back to France. Bourdon is the lawyer representing Suaram in the on-going case in the French courts relating to suspected corruption in the purchase of two Scorpene submarines by the Malaysian government from the French naval arms producer DCNS. Then on 12.8.2011, British lawyer, Imran Khan, counsel for the Human Rights Part was detained and deported back to London on grounds of national security. He had arrived in Malaysia on a fact finding mission to investigate the marginalisation of Indians in Malaysia  in regard to Hindraf's class action suit against the United Kingdom government.  The freedom of movement was again curbed for Malaysian activists going to Sarawak for the state elections when Bersih 2.0 coalition chairman S. Ambiga together with others including Steven Ng, Wong Chin Huat and Johan Tan were barred from entering Sarawak to observe the state elections. Suhakam's inquiry into rights of indigenous peoples lauded Suaram welcomes Suhakam's national inquiry into land rights of the indigenous peoples and hopes this will be translated into positive policies to better the lives and conditions of the indigenous peoples of our country. Suhakam's stand on various events that happened in 2011 – detentions, Bersih, Seksualiti merdeka, refugees, the Peaceful Assembly Bill – were also progressive. We hope the national human rights commission will go further in being more proactive in human rights cases and even drafting alternative human rights-based bills for the people.   CONCLUSION Malaysia's human rights record for 2011 puts into question the Prime Minister Najib's promises of reforms including the repeal of detention-without-trial laws, the Police Act 1967 and assembly. The recent arrests of 13 more individuals under the ISA have confirmed our suspicions that the BN government has no intention to abolish detention without trial. The recent speedily passed Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 has deprived Malaysians of their freedom to assemble peaceably enshrined in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. Abuse of power by the police has continued as seen in the rising statistics with regard to deaths in police custody, police shootings and other forms of violence against the public. The government remains recalcitrant in refusing to implement the IPCMC as recommended by the Royal Police Commission a few years ago. The reaction by the government to the 50,000-strong rally organised by civil society on 9.7.2011 for free and fair elections was seen in the half-hearted formation of a Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms. Even so, the Prime Minister Najib still maintained that his government reserves the right to dissolve parliament at any time even before the implementation of the recommendations by the PSC. The plight of refugees has not been alleviated by the government's refusal to distinguish the fundamental differences between a refugee, an asylum seeker and an undocumented migrant. Their protection remains illusory while the Malaysian government drags its feet in ratifying the United Nations 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. With the 13th general election in sight, time is running out for the BN government to demonstrate that it is capable of reform. For the last 54 years since independence, every fundamental liberty enshrined in the federal constitution has been cynically taken away or amended beyond recognition.

Is the Deputy IGP whitewashing a misappropriation? Posted: 07 Dec 2011 10:19 PM PST When money meant for a specific project was channelled into a family firm that has nothing to do with the project, doesn't it constitute embezzlement? Isn't embezzlement akin to corruption? P Ramakrishnan, Executive committee member Thinking Malaysians are perturbed by the unbecoming conduct of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Khalid Abu Bakar. He was clearly trying to cover up for the Umno Wanita leader Shahrizat Jalil during the Umno General Assembly. Shahrizat is under intense scrutiny over the scandalous beef-breeding project, which was undertaken by her husband through their company, National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), with a soft-loan of RM250m from the government. Following the Auditor-General's damning disclosure that this project is in a "mess", many startling and disturbing 'fishy' details have been unearthed by the Opposition. All these allegations of impropriety involve funds meant for a national livestock project to provide a cheap supply of beef to Malaysians. From the allegations, it would appear that there has been blatant abuse and mismanagement of public funds suggesting corruption. This overwhelming and glaring evidence cannot be simply overlooked or covered-up or pushed under the carpet. Khalid's contention that "investigations have so far not revealed any element of corruption in the RM250m NFC" debacle is far-fetched, absolutely without merit and cannot be believed. It has been alleged in no uncertain terms with regard to the abuse of the funds: That Shahrizat's family bought two super luxury condos in Bangsar for RM6.9m each; That RM3m discount was given to a family-owned company; That RM3.3m was used to buy a Mercedes CLS350 and residential land in Putrajaya; That half a million was channelled to a family firm in Singapore; That huge sums of money were paid to a tour agency for family "holidays"; That the loan was released even before the agreement was signed. The above stark allegations clearly establish that the money was not used for the purpose the loan was granted. That being the case, evidently the money was mismanaged and misappropriated, suggesting wrong-doing. Is it possible that this aspect of the abuse of the loan could have gone unnoticed and without being investigated? Didn't alarm bells ring while the investigation was ongoing? Didn't it strike the investigators that something was gravely wrong for the loan to have been released before the agreement was even signed? Who authorised this huge loan of RM250m to be released without the agreement duly signed and stamped? Was this line of investigation undertaken? When money meant for a specific project was channelled into a family firm that has nothing to do with the project, doesn't it constitute embezzlement? Isn't embezzlement akin to corruption? Under whose name(s) are the luxury condos, the land in Putrajaya and the car registered? Who went on the family holidays and who authorised the use of the loan, meant for a livestock project, for this private purpose? The timing and the attempt to clear Shahrizat in this debacle is suspect and cannot be explained away as coincidence. Why did the Deputy IGP choose to reveal this during the Umno General Assembly when the investigation is ongoing? It was clearly meant to 'save' Shahrizat from prying questions. Some would even argue that it was meant to pull wool over the Umno delegates' eyes. When an official from the highest echelon of the police force is perceived to be a functionary of a political party then what credibility is there for the police? The person in the street is thoroughly disappointed and disillusioned because the police are unable to discharge their duty and responsibility in an impartial and professional manner that would have brought respect and credit to the police force.

not all is right in Lumut... Posted: 07 Dec 2011 10:15 PM PST By say no to Vale International The Perak Government has recklessly placed a huge jetty in Lumut, with construction itself costing a whopping RM 676.8 million, under foreign ownership of Brazilian mining giant Vale International SA. A jetty is considered a strategic national asset similar to a port which has to be gazetted as a Legal Landing Point. In the best interest of the country it should remain in the hands of the Government or a local nominee. The Brazilian company Vale, will bring in and ship out huge amounts of iron ore through the jetty, which will be one of the largest jetties in the country and even the world. The jetty is part of Vale International's US$1.37 billion (RM4.07 billion) maritime terminal in Lumut with capacity to dock its mega big Valemax vessels. What worries us is this… While the impact of the project in terms of the environmental consequences remains a question, the consequences of allowing a large jetty to remain in foreign hands pose a different set of questions. And the degree of spinoff- downstream value flow to the people of Perak is unanswered. The Perak Government under MB Zambry will be setting a very unhealthy precedence if it allows a foreign company to own a jetty in such a strategic shipping port such as Lumut. Then, there are a host of other issues such as control, regulation and maintenance as well as liability for dues, charges and fees. Zambry must not allow a jetty so large and important to be operated autonomously by a foreign owner. It is only right for the Government to retain control of the jetty once completed. This project is not about fulfilling the objectives of a foreign company simply because they are setting up shop and investing here. The actions of the Government in allowing Vale to do what it does should ultimately benefit the people of Perak. Are we, the locals, going to benefit from the project or are we going to be at the losing end? Even the contracts for constructing Vale's facilities have largely gone to foreign hands while only a slight number has gone to Malaysian companies. Read more at: http://sayno2vale.blogspot.com/2011/12/not-all-is-right-in-lumut.html

KLCC threatens flashmob organisers with injunction Posted: 07 Dec 2011 07:34 PM PST The organisers however say they will urge their friends to wear yellow and shop for yellow items at the KLCC this Saturday afternoon. (Free Malaysia Today) - The organisers of a protest campaign against the Peaceful Assembly Bill have been forced to change their activity from holding a flashmob to shopping for yellow items this Saturday after a legal threat from the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) management today. The organisers of the Free to Assembly campaign were issued legal notice via Facebook today by lawyers representing the KLCC management,  stating that they will be applying for a court injunction to stop the flashmob from taking place this Saturday. KLCC management – which runs the Suria KLCC shopping complex and the KLCC Park – is claiming that the two previous protest gatherings by the opponents of the Peaceful Assembly Bill have disrupted business operations of the tenants ot KLCC. The lawyers for the KLCC management added that it has come to their knowledge that another gathering is to be held this Saturday at the KLCC shopping centre and that this had raised concerns among the tenants. The lawyers urged the organisers – seven of whom they had named in their legal letter – to immediately revoke their invitations to others to participate in the gathering. They added that they have noted that so far 3,555 people have been invited through the Facebook and have urged the organisers to similarly uninvite these people from gathering. The lawyers said that if the organisers failed to do so in 24 hours, they will then take all necessary action, including filing an application for an injunction to restrain the organisers from proceeding with the gathering on Saturday. Organisers unmoved, to buy yellow items However in an immediate reaction, the organisers said that they will not be stopped from gathering at a public place. They also said that the attempt by the KLCC management was perhaps the first time in Malaysia, if not also the world, "where a flashmob is seen as a major threat that warrants a court injunction". "We reject completely the KLCC's accusation that our gatherings in the KLCC could have had "eroded and impeded the regular shoppers and visitors and members of the public to the premises and thereby disrupted the business operations of [the KLCC's] tenants". "None of the tenants operate in the KLCC Park. Rather than disrupting their businesses, our friends who attended have supported them by spending in the mall," they said in a statement today. The organisers said that they will not stop inviting their friends to gather public places, adding that they will not respond to the 24-hour notice by the KLCC. READ MORE HERE

‘We have proof that MB lied’ Posted: 07 Dec 2011 07:32 PM PST A logging company wants the police to investigate Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob and Umno secretary Rahim Abas for alleged cheating. (Free Malaysia Today) - A police report has been lodged against two Pahang Umno leaders, including Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob, for allegedly cheating a logging company over the ownership of a plot of land in Pekan, Pahang. Seruan Gemilang Makmur Sdn Bhd (SGM) shareholder Lee Sin, who filed the report today, alleged that Adnan and Rahim Abas, the Pahang Umno secretary, committed a criminal offence when they previously claimed that the 10,000 acre land belonged to the party. Lee claimed that he had obtained several documents from Umno members during the party's recent annual assembly that proved that Adnan and Rahim had "lied" and cheated SGM. He said one of the documents, which was shown to the media, indicated that Umno had failed to pay premium for the plot of logging land. This, according to Lee, meant that Umno never owned property as the state land authority would have reclaimed it. The letter dated Dec 28, 2002 sent from the land office to the Pahang Umno office was the approval for a final time extension to pay up RM4.8 million in premium for the land. "We want the police to investigate and ascertain the rightful owner of the land and take action against the two leaders if it is found that they committed a crime," said Lee, adding that his personal investigations revealed that Pahang Umno never owned any land in the state. Did MB act on his own? Lee said it should also be investigated if Adnan, who is also Pahang Umno chairman, had acted on his own or received a resolution from the Umno board of trustees. "If he had acted on his own, wouldn't it be against the regulations of the Registrar of Societies for Pahang Umno to issue a court action against our company?" he asked. READ MORE HERE

Zul Noordin: Dr Yusuf Qardawi deceived Posted: 07 Dec 2011 04:14 PM PST Member of Parliament for Kulim-Bandar Baru, Datuk Zulkifli Noordin has admitted to have deceived renowned cleric Syeikh Dr Yusuf Qardawi into issuing a fatwa supporting the sodomy II case involving Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan. "We have made a mistake…we admit making the mistake. I was among those who made the mistake, and I must meet up with Syeikh Yusuf Qardawi to make amendments. "Because…we wish to inform (that) it was true we had deceived Syeikh Yusuf Qardawi into believing that Anwar had been slandered," he said. As Anwar's lawyer, Zulkifli had prepared biased questions to elicit the fatwa from Dr Yusuf Al Qardawi in 2009. According to him, he was responsible in preparing the questions, which sided Anwar and hiding the truth about the complainant, Mohd Saiful. "I was the one who gave the briefing and prepared the questions couched in specific forms to persuade and convince Syeikh Yusuf Qardawi that Anwar had been slandered…that was how it was pictured. "We completely avoided the truth about the case, (for example) that Saiful was Anwar's employee…we didn't tell him about Saiful complaining that he had been sodomised. "We (only) described that there was slander in this sodomy case. When he understood the way we put it,  Syeikh Yusuf Qardawi immediately issued the 'Qazaf' fatwa," Zulkifli, who was one of Anwar's defence lawyers in the sodomy I trial (1998), also admitted what he did was wrong and sinful because he went to the extent of lying to the respected cleric just to save Anwar's reputation and image. "Looking back, we find we have committed much sin relating to this matter…to the extent that we even had the audacity to deceive a cleric of such stature in believing that the issue faced by Anwar was one of slander – an issue that needed to be addressed through Qazaf. "That was why I spoke in parliament…we have made a mistake and I am asking our colleagues not to persist in doing the same. "Alhamdulillah, Allah has made me realise. I still have the time to meet certain people and ask for apologies...and I have done so. "I have the responsibility to meet him (Syeikh Yusuf Qardawi) to explain and correct the situation, if it can still be corrected, that is. If he refuses to accept it, then it will be his responsibility, but at least I have tried to make amendments about what I have done," he said. http://thebenchmark0.blogspot.com/2011/12/anwar-conned-qardawi.html

PRM has not confirmed on creating Third Force with NGOs, says President Posted: 07 Dec 2011 03:59 PM PST (Malaysian Digest) - Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) President Dr Rohana Ariffin today said that the party has not confirmed any move to join forces with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to offer itself  as the 'third force' for the next general election. Referring to a statement made by PRM's vice-president Koh Swe Yong in the Sun Daily yesterday, Dr Rohana said it was a statement made in his own capacity, and not a statement by PRM's central administration. "Not a statement made by the party... it's a statement made by Koh's own capacity. "The authenticity of PRM comes from statements made by the party's three leaders – president, deputy president and the secretary-general," she said when contacted by Malaysian Digest today. She said, as far as the party is concerned, the decision to work with other groups is still in the process of discussion. She added that the same goes for the decision on the three parliamentary seats in Balik Pulau, Selayang and Petaling Jaya Selatan as to whether it is just a suggestion or an open negotiation because the party wishes to avoid three-cornered fights. "We are still in the process of negotiation and have not confirmed anything yet... We are still working it out," she said when asked to comment on the possibility of the party working together with NGOs and contesting in the three parliamentary seats. Nevertheless, Dr Rohana said other parties should not misconstrue the party's suggestion to contest in the general election. However, she said for now PRM is planning to reestablish the party again by reactivating the branches in few states of the country. "But for now our main focus is to rebuild the party by activating its branches in various states including Kedah, Penang, Pahang and Johor," she said. Yesterday, the Sun Daily reported a statement from Koh that PRM is planning to join forces with more than 10 NGOs to offer themselves as the third force in the next general election. However, according to a report in China Press on Dec 5, the third force's (parties not under Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat) candidates will be contesting under the PRM banner, and the party has identified three parliamentary seats in the Klang Valley to contest in.

DAP winning over Malay voters Posted: 07 Dec 2011 03:52 PM PST Seen as a Chinese-based party, DAP is making slow but steady inroads into the Bumiputera community, according to party leaders. (Free Malaysia Today) - DAP appears to be gaining ground in seemingly uncharted territory: the Malays. Despite having been around since the mid-60s, the party has been perceived as a predominantly Chinese-based party, causing many Malays to shy away from it. This perception, however, according to DAP members, is changing, albeit slowly but surely. Party member Zairil Khir Johari said that the DAP was only recently able to tap into the Malay grassroots after the 2008 general election. "Before 2008, the Malay support for DAP was almost non-existent," he said, adding that the alternative political choice was usually the Islamic-based PAS. "If you joined the opposition, if you had problems with the government, the natural appeal would be PAS. They have (access to) the suraus and the mosques, which DAP does not have. "Umno would have its ketua kampung (village chief), while PAS has the religious (advantage), but if the DAP wanted to open a branch in a village, it would be so artificial," said Zairil, who is also DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng's political secretary. DAP's lack of a large Malay support base for the past 40 years, Zairil claimed, was partially because it was an "urban-based" party; it was more attractive to the city-living Chinese. The government's control of the mainstream media did not help the party either. Malay branches in Penang According to Zairil, the Umno-linked Malay-based media groups such as Utusan Malaysia blacks out anything DAP-related, unless it was negative. These factors, according to Zairil, made sure that even urban Malays were kept unaware of the DAP's handiwork. However, the party's entry into the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, coupled with access to the alternative media, appears to have helped its position, Zairil claimed. He said that the party has been able to open a few Malay branches in Penang, with forays into Perlis as well. Though acknowledging that its Pakatan allies – PKR and PAS – were there to attract Malay voters, DAP president Karpal Singh said that the party needed to make its own effort in reaching out to the Malays. "PKR and PAS are there, but we shouldn't rely on them. We have to go ahead with our own Malay support. Recently, there have been some Malays who have joined us." "They're not shying away from the DAP… but they're not coming in at the extent that we'd want," he said. Karpal said that the DAP had seen some Malay representation over the years, such as through former Bayan Baru MP Ahmad Nor and current Senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim. Even so, he said these efforts into the Malay heartland were not enough. READ MORE HERE

Political branding just rhetoric Posted: 07 Dec 2011 03:49 PM PST Political observers believe that the rakyat are now able to see past political rhetoric and are demanding 'responsible' candidates. Stephanie Sta Maria, Free Malaysia Today An impending and critical 13th general election has spurred the country's two political coalitions to start branding of candidates. Barisan Nasional (BN) has hammered the word "winnable" over the heads of its future candidates with Umno president, Najib Tun Razak, defining them as those accepted by the new generation. Pakatan Rakyat, having recovered from a series of blows, has promised to field "principled" candidates whom PKR president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, described as those who hold true to the principle of struggle and are not tempted by wealth. But neither terminology has impressed political observers who unhesitatingly stripped both brandings down to their rhetorical basics . Associate Professor of the Political Science School in Singapore Management University, Bridget Welsh, called it nothing more than politicking as well as an indication of the different broad orientations of both coalitions. "One is driven to win at all costs and hold on to power while the other is trying to portray itself as the political high ground," she noted. "The focus of both sides should not be on terminology but on efforts to select and groom strong candidates." "Malaysian voters are sceptical of both sides and are less interested in the talk than they are in the evidence and delivery of strong viable candidates who can improve governance and represent people well." Political analyst, Khoo Kay Peng, said should such candidates be found and fielded, they would be better pitched as "responsible" or "effective" rather than "winnable" or "principled". "Politics is not about winning but serving," he said. "Right now, political parties are hard-pressed to come up with something new and convincing enough to garner solid public vote and support." READ MORE HERE

‘Umno agent in PAS’ gets a drubbing Posted: 07 Dec 2011 03:45 PM PST A PAS-linked blogger launches a vitriolic attack on a veteran party leader following an article in Utusan Malaysia which praised the latter. (Free Malaysia Today) - A PAS-linked blogger did not mince his words when he labelled a veteran party leader as an Umno agent within Pakatan Rakyat. According to the blogger, who uses the monicker Tulang Besi, it is an open secret that Selangor exco for religious affairs Hasan Ali works for the other side. In a posting on his blog Malaysia Waves, Tulang Besi commented on an article in the Umno mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia which praised the PAS leader. Among others, the daily described Hasan as a fighter, who is not afraid of losing his position in order to safeguard Islam and Malay unity. "Since Umno's defeat in several states (in the last general election), when has Utusan praised any Pakatan leader?" asked Tulang Besi. "The praise heaped by Utusan (on Hasan) is akin to the devil commending someone for his religious devotion," he added. 'Hypocrite of the highest order' Continuing his attack on Hasan, the blogger pointed out that it is the PAS leader who lobbied the party president to join hands with Umno. "Hasan also spreads Umno's cheap propaganda amongst PAS members. He is a 'munafik' (hypocrite) of the highest order and may Allah punish him for this," he said. Tulang Besi also accused Hasan of attempting to sabotage Pakatan on numerous occasions and that his people were involved in the conspiracy to engineer the downfall of Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim. READ MORE HERE

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