Jumaat, 23 Disember 2011

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News


DAP Karpal tells Ramasamy to quit deputy CM post

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 01:37 PM PST

(NEW STRAITS TIMES) - DAP national chairman Karpal Singh has called on the party's deputy secretary-general Dr P Ramasamy to step down as Penang deputy chief minister II.

Karpal said the Prai member of parliament should do so on his own for defying the Central Executive Committee (CEC) order not to make any public statemant and attacking party leaders openly.

"Ramasamy's position as the deputy chief minister has now become untenable and the ball is now in his court to react to my statement," said Karpal at a Press conference here today.

Karpal added that Ramasamy should disclose the grassroot leaders whom he had accused of plotting against him for not responding to their overtures for projects and favours.

"I challenge him to report to the police as well as the MACC (Malaysian anti-Corruption Commission) if he has evidence of those he had alleged were involved in making the demands to him.

"He has failed in his duty as the deputy chief minister by not reporting them to the relevant authorities," he said.


‘Bukan saya jumpa pemimpin Umno tapi Mustafa Ali’ jawab Hasan

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 01:27 PM PST

(The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Dr Hasan Ali menafikan sekeras-kerasnya dakwaan dibuat Setiausaha Agung PAS Datuk Mustafa Ali bahawa beliau ada mengadakan pertemuan dengan beberapa pihak yang dikaitkan dengan Umno.

Menurut Hasan, bekas pesuruhjaya PAS Selangor dakwaan yang dilemparkan terhadap dirinya merupakan fitnah dan palsu.

Beliau juga melahirkan rasa kesal kerana dakwaan itu dibuat oleh setiausaha agung kepada parti yang berteraskan Islam.

"Saya menafikan sekeras-kerasnya mengenai pertemuan saya dengan mereka (Umno) sama ada pimpinan Umno peringkat bawahan, pertengahan atau atasan seperti yang dinyatakan (Mustafa).

"Sekali lagi Mustafa Ali terperangkap dengan prasangka buruk dan api fitnah sesama Muslim. Sebagai setiausaha agung sebuah parti yang berteraskan Islam, tuduhan-tuduhan liar dan serkap jarang seperti itu tidak selayaknya keluar dari mulut seorang setiausaha agung yang berwibawa," katanya pada sidang media di kediamannya di sini.

Mustafa sebelum ini mendakwa beliau mempunyai bukti untuk mengaitkan Hasan dengan agenda Umno.

Mustafa berkata ia merujuk kepada satu pertemuan antara Hasan, bekas timbalan presiden PAS Nasharuddin Mat Isa dan tiga individu lain di sebuah hotel di ibu negara pada bulan Ramadan lepas.

Dalam sidang media itu, Hasan yang juga Pengerusi Hal Ehwal Agama Islam, Adat-Adat Melayu, Infrastruktur dan Kemudahan Awam Selangor mendedahkan individu yang kerap mengadakan pertemuan dengan pemimpin Umno adalah Mustafa.

READ MORE HERE

 

Hasan Ali regrets criticising PAS welfare state idea

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 01:25 PM PST

(The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Hasan Ali apologised today for claiming the welfare state championed by PAS deviated from the party's Islamic agenda.

"I admit some of what I said went too far. I hereby withdraw my comments about the welfare state.

"I apologise to the leadership and party members for going too far," the PAS central committee member told reporters at his residence here today.

The Selangor state executive councillor also said he was willing to meet the party leadership anytime to explain his comments carried by Umno-linked newspapers.

On Tuesday, the outspoken PAS leader had accused the party of straying from its original struggle for an Islamic state by pushing for a welfare state, as the latter could be championed by anyone and did not have to be based on the Qur'an.

But Hasan said today he now understood the welfare state proposal, adopted at the PAS general assembly in June and approved by the Ulama Syura Council, to be the same as the Islamic state PAS has fought for since the 1970s.

READ MORE HERE

 

Jaikishan eyes new vehicle

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 01:20 PM PST

(The Star) - After selling out his stake in Envair Bhd, Deepak Jaikishan is training his eyes on another listed company to pursue his interest in the oil and gas business sector.

According to him, this would be done via a reverse takeover (RTO). However, he stopped short of revealing the identity of the company.

"We are in the final stages of negotiations and it won't be fair to reveal it until we sign an agreement.

"It is a profitable Main Market company and we will maintain the original business while we grow our oil and gas interest," he said at a hastily arranged press conference in a swanky hotel in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Jaikishan: 'We are in the final stages of negotiations.'

He said he would invest up to RM20mil to get a 44% stake in the company.

When asked on the rationale of an RTO, Jaikishan said he wanted to pursue his interest rapidly.

"We are in a hurry and we want to move immediately. Negotiations would be a done deal by Jan 15 and probably the latest by Jan 22. We need a listed company as the oil and gas sector is very capital intensive, and we need a listed company to raise the right capital," he said.

Jaikishan said he would focus on trading the commodity, and would require financial strength and the expertise to buy and sell at the right time.

"We are going into a clean organisation. We have not struck any deal yet and we have to work a bit harder compared to an entry into Envair but we feel that we can achieve our goal," he said.

To recap, Envair unveiled its plans in October to venture into the oil and gas industry by supplying two million barrels of light crude oil monthly for 60 months to a China-based company, An Hong Shenzhen.

The 39-year-old businessman said discussions to buy more shares from other Envair substantial shareholders, whom he declined to identify, did not bear fruit as they could not agree on the pricing, adding that he had exhausted all avenues to get his desired stake of 20% to 25%.

"My ability to control the company (Envair) was diminished, as media reports had made the substantial shareholders uncomfortable," he said. Some earlier media reports questioned his intention to enter the company.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Jaikishan said profits from his sell-off amounting to RM767,000 would be distributed to seven charities as a gesture of goodwill during the current festive season.

"We are serious about the business and we are not here to skim money from the market. There is no intention for that. RM700,000 doesn't thrill me, I have made much more than that. My intention to go into the company was sincere, which was to help them get the contract across and make sure they get the financing support and deliver the contract," he said.

However, he does not discount the possibility for him to re-enter Envair if negotiations bear fruit.

"In business, it's always a comma and there is no full stop. There is always a new way and there is always a new situation," he said.

According to Jaikishan, he sold off his six million shares, or 5.06% stake, in the loss-making air and water filter manufacturer at prices ranging from 26 sen to 35 sen over two to three days.

Another Chinese national, Zhang LiYing, also sold his 9.11% stake in Envair on the same day, two months after acquiring it.

Both trailed the exit of another Chinese national, Jiang Chuan Yi, who sold his 6.75% holding in Envair less than a month after acquiring it on Nov 1.

"I don't know who these Chinese nationals are; I've never met them," Jaikishan said.

 

The game is over, kata Mustafa Ali

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 09:50 AM PST

(Harakah Daily) - Setiausaha Agung PAS, Datuk Mustafa Ali yakin, isu kekecohan yang berlaku dalam PAS sudah selesai.

"The game is over - permainan ini sudah selesai, bagi saya ia sudah selesai," kata Mustafa ketika memberikan ucapan dalam majlis makan malam di Markas PAS Kuala Terengganu, di sini malam tadi.

Mustafa mengulas kekecohan yang berlaku dalam PAS ekoran perang dalam media antara beberapa pemimpinnya.

Ia memuncak apabila Mustafa menyifatkan dua pemimpin Datuk Dr Hasan Ali dan Nasharudin Mat Isa terperangkap dalam agenda musuh PAS iaitu Umno.

Menurut Mustafa, ia selesai melalui kenyataan beberapa pimpinan dan mesyuarat lajnah politik baru-baru ini.

"Dalam mesyuarat, saya tanya kepada semua yang terlibat dan masing-masing kata, apa yang mereka cakap lain, yang disiarkan media lain.

"Jadi jawapan saya dalam sidang media yang lalu harapnya yang terakhirlah," kata Mustafa.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, Dr Hasan akan membuat kenyataan hari ini dan dia akan melihat kenyataan itu samada untuk memberi respons atau tidak.

"Kalau dia (Dr Hassan)  cabar suruh dedah, saya akan kajilah apa nak jawab," kata Mustafa.

Kes itu, katanya selesai dengan cara Presiden PAS memanggil tiga orang yang terlibat dalam kes ini termasuk Adun Hulu Klang yang juga Ketua Penerangan PAS Selangor, Saari Sungib.

 

EX-Selangor MB to appeal 12-month jail sentence in land and bungalow case

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 09:34 AM PST

(The Star) - Former Selangor Mentri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo was found guilty by the High Court here of knowingly purchasing two pieces of land and a bungalow at a much lower price than its original value from Ditamas Sdn Bhd director Shamsuddin Hayroni in 2007.

He was sentenced to a year's jail from the date of sentencing and Justice Mohtarudin Baki (now a Court of Appeal judge) ordered his land and bungalow, located at Section 7 here, be forfeited.

However, the court granted a stay of execution pending appeal.

The land and bungalow were bought at RM3.5mil although Ditamas had acquired them for RM6.5mil on Dec 23, 2004.

Dr Khir, who is Sungai Panjang assemblyman, was calm and did not react when the sentence was passed.

Justice Mohtarudin said the accused had schemed to acquire the bungalow and abused his position as the highest executive in the state.

He said a fine was "unsuitable" and jail time must be imposed to show that the court was serious in handling cases involving civil servants.

Dr Khir told reporters he would fight to clear his name at the Court of Appeal.

On his political plans, the dentist said he would comment after Jan 9, an apparent reference to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy case - the court is slated to pass judgment on that day.

Justice Mohtarudin said the defence had failed to raise a reasonable doubt in the case.

The court found Shamsuddin, a key witness in proving the case against Dr Khir, not to be an accomplice of the accused.

(Shamsuddin was initially charged with abetting Dr Khir but later had his charge withdrawn on June 6. He became a witness for the prosecution.)

"From his (Shamsuddin's) testimony, it is clear that he thought he would get his money back. Alternatively, even if the witness was an accomplice, I have observed his demeanour. I have no reason to reject his testimony," said the judge.

Justice Mohtarudin said Shamsuddin had given a reasonable explanation on why he gave two contradicting statements to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

"Shamsuddin said the accused had assured him that nothing would happen when they were investigated by the MACC.

"However, when Shamsuddin was charged, he lost his confidence in the accused. When he was asked by the MACC to become a prosecution witness, he agreed," said the judge, adding that the defence had never impeached the witness despite attacking his credibility.

The court room was packed with reporters and some 50 supporters of Dr Khir, who waited from early morning to hear the decision at the end of the defence case that saw 25 prosecution and five defence witnesses testify.

Dr Khir was charged on Dec 6 last year and ordered to enter his defence on Aug 8.

He took the stand on Aug 26 and denied ordering Shamsuddin to sell him the pieces of property at a low price.

 

Perlis Mufti upset with NRD

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 09:32 AM PST

(The Star) - The Home Ministry will look into the case of Perlis Mufti Dr Juanda Jaya who said his Sarawak-born daughter faced many hurdles when applying for a MyKad.

In a statement yesterday, he said National Registration Department (NRD) officers in Kuching had informed him that, according to their records, his 12-year old daughter was not a Malaysian citizen.

"They did not tell me this when I applied for the MyKad last week," said Dr Juanda, who is Melanau, adding that the officers had also asked him to show his marriage certificate.

Dr Juanda, whose wife is an Indonesian citizen, said his daughter has a Malaysian passport.

"My daughter came with us to Jakarta early this month to visit our relatives there using her Malaysian passport," he said, adding the Melanau are clearly stated in the Federal Constitution as bumiputra.

Dr Juanda said the NRD's records had shown that his daughter was clearly registered as a Melanau, yet she was not listed as a citizen.

"I don't understand how the daughter of a Malaysian bumiputra is not a Malaysian citizen when there are foreigners who are being awarded citizenship by the Home Ministry," he said.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong said the ministry would look into the case.

 

FGV listing and the interests of settlers

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 09:19 AM PST

SAKMONGKOL AK47

In this contentious issue of FGV listing, this question has never been answered. Do FELDA settlers have any standing whatsoever to dispute the listing of businesses run by FELDA at all? FELDA Holdings is managed by FELDA employees. FELDA global is operated by FELDA professionals. So why should FELDA settlers and others siding with settlers be irksome busybodies?

So, we have to establish whether settlers have a standing in the first place to even question the listing. If they don't, they should shut up for as long as they get free benefits and are taken care of.

If we do indeed establish that settlers have standing and deemed interests, then we move on to ask, is the FGV listing a sellout to FELDA? So the second of our attention should be directed to the question whether the listing is a sellout.  

Let's face it- the interest of settlers is indirect here and is of little consequence. It should be a non-issue. As long as they get whatever form of benefits- bonuses, end of year cash handouts, futsal fields, indoor stadiums, hockey turfs, MRSM College, FELDA University- they should be thankful. Just on account of being a settler- they get all these. Where else can they get this kind of preferential treatment of being cared for from cradle to grave?

FELDA can continue giving all these, if it makes money as a whole. If it has the reserves from which they appropriate and apply as in the above examples we gave. And FELDA does indeed have the reserves. They even sued those who accused FELDA of being bankrupt. At its height, its reserves were RM 40 billion, then RM 4 billion and today- we don't know how much. Maybe this listing will top up the depleting reserves. We don't really know.

Hence the government which owns FELDA is greatly disturbed when people question the proposed listing of FELDA's businesses not directly owned by settlers nor operated by them. Settlers tend their 10 acre lots- that are all they do. It's FELDA- through FELDA Holdings and FGV that does business. Settlers have no business to interfere in these organizations run professionally.

Settlers derive direct benefits via ownership of the FELDA plots they have on which they worked on. They get benefits when they sell their FFB at FELDA owned mills at specific price level. Their interests are looked after better if they get good price for FFB, if the extraction rate of the oil is done truthfully, if their planting operations costs have been good. Their interests are better off, if the output per hectare is as good as estates operated by United Plantations, KLK, IOI and so forth.

READ MORE HERE

 

The ugly face of money politics is back

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 09:14 AM PST

Najib's financial handouts show that BN and money politics go hand in hand.

The 2012 budget is seen as Najib's an attempt to regain what BN lost in the last general election (GE), five states and the people's trust.

Jeswan Kaur, Free Malaysia Today

It's raining money in Malaysia. And the man who is opening the purse strings is none other than Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

This is nothing new. Everytime an election is round the corner, financial aid is given to all and sundry. The one-off handouts is an attempt to make the rakyat think favourably towards Barisan Nasional.

First, he targetted the students.Najib decided to give an estimated 1.3 million students in private and local higher learning institutions book vouchers worth RM200.

While primary and secondary school students have been offered RM100 cash allowance. And beginning next year, education in government primary and secondary schools in the country will be provided at no cost.

Riding on his "People First" mantra, Najib enticed the people with a one-off grant of RM500 to households with a montly income of RM3,000 and below.

Najib told Malaysians that all this would cost the government RM1.8 billion and will benefit some 3.4 million people or 53 per cent of households.

Now for the real equation.Would the 3.4 million blindly vote for Barisan Nasional?

The truth however is that the promises made through the 2012 budget seem too good to be true, so much so that some even see the budget as "unrealistic".

A scheme to buy loyalty

The 2012 budget is seen as Najib's an attempt to regain what BN lost in the last general election (GE), five states and the people's trust.

Indeed, had the rakyat's concern been Najib's priority, the 41 families who once worked the Bukit Jalil estate and had set up home there as early as 1900s would not have been made homeless early this year by the ruthless City Hall of Kuala Lumpur.

Where was Najib when these people cried out for 'divine' intervention, as their humble abodes of many years were razed to the ground.

READ MORE HERE

 

How the EC is in cahoots with BN

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 09:11 AM PST

Indelible ink notwithstanding, the 13th general election is going to be the biggest and dirtiest election battle in history.

By transferring out the Chinese to areas where BN finds impossible to win, they will regain seats lost to the opposition and those seats that BN cannot win we will notice that the opposition has won by a very margin, for instance Seputeh (won by DAP's Teresa Kok by a margin of 36,000), Kepong and Cheras (also won by DAP with large margins).

Selena Tay, Free Malaysia Today

In an effort to lend an air of credibility to itself, the Election Commission (EC) has announced that indelible ink will be used in the upcoming 13th general election.

But there is no reason to jump for joy just yet. A lot of hanky-panky can still go on undetected right until the day of polling itself. Listed below are several examples:

1. Name not in the voter rolls and therefore unable to vote – any perfectly eligible voter whose name is not in the voter rolls is totally helpless to do anything about it. They can lodge a complaint of course but by then the results of the polls are already secured.

2. Name transferred out to another locality or worse still to another state – this is also an inconvenient move for the eligible voter and will very well impede his ability to vote if his name is transferred, say from Kuala Lumpur to Perlis.

3. PKR's Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh has revealed that nearly 600,000 names in Selangor have been moved or shifted about without the voters knowledge and these are only the ones detected!

Although indelible ink is a tremendous help in preventing multiple-voting, we are still back to square one if the eligible voters are unable to cast their vote due to hanky-panky in the voter rolls.

Although prior to polling day we can check to see that our names are not tampered with, anything can still happen on the day of voting itself. With instant and advance technology our names can be in the voter rolls today but vanish tomorrow on polling way. There is no surefire guarantee that our names will be 100% kept safe in the voter rolls.

4. The only way the Pakatan Rakyat can win the 13th general election is with overwhelming support from the rural masses and from Sabahans and Sarawakians. This is because due to gerrymandering by EC, many small seats have been created in the rural areas.

This is called the 'Voters-per-seat Formula'. For instance, the parliament seat of Batu in Kuala Lumpur has over 100,000 voters. Compare this to the rural areas where many seats have less than 10,000 voters. This means that 100,000 can only give one seat to the opposition if the opposition wins in Batu whereas in the rural areas 100,000 voters can already contribute 10 seats.

This also shows that more weight or power is given to the rural seats as even with a few thousand voters, the rural folk have already one parliament seat compared to the city folk who need big numbers to get just one parliament seat. This unfair method of manipulation by EC has helped BN to win all along.

5. Besides playing around with the 'Voters-per-seat Formula', the EC can also move voters in a strategic manner. For example the Parliament seat of Shah Alam held by PAS' Khalid Samad. EC can move the Chinese voters to Klang which is held by DAP's Charles Santiago. In this way, BN regains Shah Alam. Forget about Klang, never mind.

Next, the EC can also move the Chinese voters from the PAS seat of Titiwangsa to Cheras which is held by DAP. In this way, BN regains Titiwangsa. Forget about Cheras as it is impossible for BN to win in Cheras anyway.

EC's dubious tactics

By transferring out the Chinese to areas where BN finds impossible to win, they will regain seats lost to the opposition and those seats that BN cannot win we will notice that the opposition has won by a very margin, for instance Seputeh (won by DAP's Teresa Kok by a margin of 36,000), Kepong and Cheras (also won by DAP with large margins). This is a bad sign as it indicates that something is afoot.

6. Another of EC's dubious tactics is the demarcation of boundaries beyond rhyme or reason. Again, several examples:-

  • Parliament seat of Batu in Kuala Lumpur. This is supposed to be a KL Federal Territory seat but it has been extended beyond Pasar Borong Selayang right up to Taman Selayang Jaya in Selayang, Selangor. In fact it overlaps with Selayang's Parliament seat in Selangor.
  • Parliament seat of Kepong in Kuala Lumpur. This is also a KL Federal Territory seat which has entered into Selayang, Selangor and overlaps with the Selayang Parliament seat as well.
  • The third example also involving a KL Federal Territory seat is the Parliament seat of Titiwangsa which has been extended right up to Taman Chempaka in Selangor.

All those seats are geographically weird in nature and this is done to include in Malay voters who are known to favour BN. However, in the 12th general election in 2008, many urban Malays voted for the opposition. Knowing this, Umno is now frightening the Malays that they will be wiped-out if Pakatan comes to power.

READ MORE HERE

 

The tragedy that is Umno

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 09:07 AM PST

MARIAM MOKHTAR, HORNBILL UNLEASHED

Umno is not for the Malays. Umno exists only so that its leaders will thrive to the detriment of the normal, ordinary Malay.

Umno is full of Malays who are afraid to say "No". "No" to corruption. "No" to power abuse. "No" to seeking as well as giving patronage.

Perhaps one can add, "No" to Mahathir, "No" to Najib.

Umno has been in power for over 54 years. Not all Malays wish to be in Umno, but Umno does need all of the Malays for it to be a potent force. Today, Umno refuses to accept that Malays are abandoning Umno.

Around the time of independence, Umno may have had people of quality within its ranks. Today, it is alleged that loyalty is determined by money. Is that what Umno think the Malays are proud of? That their allegiance is easily bought? Umno strips Malays of self-worth and self-respect.

Instead of using intelligent discourse and logic to dissect any issue, Umno uses sexual allegations or character assassinations, to blacken the reputation of members of the opposition. Opposition leaders had their characters or their children's character tarnished with untrue allegations in pro-Umno blogs.

Gutter politics are prevalent in Umno and was witnessed during the last Umno general assembly. Name calling and snide insinuations seemed to be the order of the day. These men and women, who are supposed to be leaders and pillars of Malay society, are a disgrace to themselves and the nation.

In Umno, men who were guilty of sexual acts, against their hired help or against minors, talk about the sexual behaviour of other people, as if they led blameless lives. Those who are guilty of money politics tried to distract attention by calling on opposition members to resign. What happened to accountability and responsibility?

These men and women, talk about religion as if they were themselves, free of sin. These same people use any opportunity to say that the failure of the Malays is because of the dominance of the non-Malays.

In education, for instance, the Malays are given the best chances for obtaining a higher education. Things are made deliberately easy for them. The undesirable side-effect is that they and their children grow up lacking aspiration and ambition.

Malays who wanted to improve themselves by learning English are now considered traitors. Many Malays who study overseas have a poor grasp of English. Many who were not allowed to mix with other races at home, found great difficulty adapting to life with non-Malays.

Is this what Umno leaders want of the Malay? For them to be cocooned and their minds closed to what is happening in the global arena?

Tunnel vision

Malays have lost the respect of the other races and nationalities. Worldwide, people are breaking down the walls which prevent intermingling, but not, it appears, in the Malay race.

Malays have tunnel vision when it comes to understanding social mores. They see non-Malays and non-Muslims as a threat to their very existence. They feel that they are far superior to the other races or nationalities, and their belligerence prevents them from accepting that others are superior to them in many fields; be it education, business, social integration and civility.

READ MORE HERE

 

In Malaysia, he's a bad guy

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 09:03 AM PST

In Malaysia, "Superman" Li Ka-shing is a bad guy, at least that's what former Johor Corp chief executive officer Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim thinks.

Zuraimi Abdullah, Business Times

DC Comics' "Superman" is a good guy, a great American superhero. In Hong Kong, "Superman" is Li Ka-shing, the mega-rich businessman.

In Malaysia, though, "Superman" is a bad guy, at least that's what former Johor Corp (JCorp) chief executive officer Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim thinks.

Malaysia's "Superman", based on Muhammad Ali's version, is out to destroy a certain group of companies and suck its assets for monetary gains.

This "Superman" is not singular. There are a bunch of them. They are outsiders who have seized control of the Johor state investment company and are responsible for making it incur more debts, strip some big assets and break staff spirit, he claimed.

 
That's a pretty strong allegation. And coming from a respected corporate man who helmed JCorp for 28 years until his controversial departure from the corporation and all of its controlled public-listed companies in July 2010, it seems to be a shocking revelation.

It has been a week since the allegation made headlines in the newspapers and websites. JCorp appears disinterested to refute, although there was initial indication from its PR agency suggesting a counter statement was in the offing.

JCorp is arguably one of the companies that have grabbed most media and investors' attention at the moment, thanks to its estimated RM5.24 billion offer to privatise QSR Brands Bhd and KFC Holdings Bhd.

While we ponder on Muhammad Ali versus JCorp, the main point here is the issue of outsiders and outside interference.

For countries, outside interference typically relates to other governments interfering in internal politics or the economy of another government.

In companies or divisions within a company, if the management or the board is bringing in somebody from the outside, it could mean its own employees are not talented or capable enough to handle operation or business.

Should one bring or allow outsiders to run one's already fine business? Obviously, it will be unsettling if this happens, although it is wrong to assume that all outsiders will not take a good company to greater heights. Still, we need to ask ourselves, how much of our own affairs do we want others to manage?

It's a different story if a company is in dire need of a new injection of talent and skills from outside.

Hence, most of us, I believe, can understand and accept the entry of AirAsia's Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun into Malaysia Airlines, for example.

JCorp is a well-run and asset-rich company, albeit being saddled with debts of billions of ringgit. Anyone care to convince us that the Malaysian "Superman" allegation is not true?

 

Will Anwar Ibrahim be incarcerated?

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 08:48 AM PST

MIND NO EVIL

Someone had just posed me this question – Will Anwar Ibrahim be incarcerated? My instantaneous response to him was that, "I am not the judge, and even if I were the judge, I will not give you the answer". That's the oft-question ask when the name of Anwar Ibrahim is toyed with in coffee shop conversation nowadays, and the court's decision on Anwar Ibrahim will be known in a few days i.e. reportedly on Monday 9th January 2012.

The story goes that Anwar Ibrahim stands a hopeless chance at getting an acquittal, if we were to base it on an earlier trial of about a similar offence in 1998. PKR has to brace itself for the worst case scenario where a leadership vacuum in the party will occur if Anwar Ibrahim is found guilty and is sentence to a jail term. I think that leadership vacuum will also be felt in the PR, but how this will affect the coalition's chances in the upcoming elections is difficult to predict.

There have also been numerous assessments citing the possibility of PR winning the elections, i.e. with or without Anwar Ibrahim. Some believe that Anwar Ibrahim isn't a critical factor in winning the elections anymore, and neither is there the 'sympathy factor' that impacted upon PR successes in the 2008 general elections. What are more important now are issues and exposures affecting UMNO/BN today that are most likely to weaken BN's reputation in the run up to the elections. And issues and exposures detailing UMNO/BN 50 odd years of wrong doing are slowly emerging. Even former PM Tun Dr. Mahathir 20 odd years of rule is not spared of public debate and criticism.

Even if Anwar were to be acquitted and assumes the premiership (should PR win the election), at best he would only last one term as he would breach his 70th birthday at the end of that term. It is for this reason that I think, PR should start developing and identifying a second tier leaders that are reasonably young capable (free of all the worldly vices) of taking over the leadership, so that when a leadership change does occur, the transition would be smooth. I believe the PR leadership today is not devoid of young and able leaders that are not seen to have been inflicted or to have been influence by the 'evils and vices of politics'. This is simply because they all have not savored political power, but once in power I certainly am not ruling out the chances of them emulating the inherent adverse qualities of the present UMNO/BN leadership. This will be the biggest challenge for the PR leadership.

READ MORE HERE

 

Manipulasi masa adalah korupsi dalam sistem keadilan

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 08:43 AM PST

ZUNAR KARTUNIS

Dalam istilah undang-undang, sering diutarakan hujah mengenai "Justice delayed is justice denied" (keadilan yang dilengah adalah keadilan yang dinafi) dan "Justice Hurried is Buried" (keadilan yang terburu-buru adalah keadilan yang dibenamkan).

Kedua-dua hujah ini menekan bahawakeadilan tidak ditentukan oleh faktor masa, tetapi hendaklah berdasarkan undang-undang yang adil.

Di Malaysia, bukan saja hukum sering tidak adil, ia sering dizalimkan lagi dengan manipulasi masa. Bekas Menteri Besar Selangor, Khir Toyo didakwa atas dakwaan yang telah diringankan bagi menyelamatkan beliau. Masa yang dipilih untuk memutuskan kes ini ialah menjelang cuti umum selama tiga hari, iaitu cuti hari Krismas yang dicantumkan dengan cuti hari minggu.

23 Disember sengaja dipilih ketika rakyat sedang bercuti penjang supaya mereka tidak sempat menganalisa kes ini dan dengan itu menyelamatkan sendiwara politik pemerintah.

Kita lihat lagi, Eric Chia dan Kasitah Gaddam didakwa menjelang PRU 2004 bertujuan memperlihatkan kononnya kerajaan bersungguh dalam menangani rasuah untuk kepentingan kempen, sedangkan kesalahan tersebut dilakukan berpuluh tahun sebelum itu. Dan beberapa tahun selepas PRU, mereka dibebaskan.

Pada tahun 1999, Marina Yusoff yang sedang popular dikalangan penyokong reformasi ketika itu didakwa atas Akta Hasutan, dan masa yang dipilih ialah pada hari raya ketiga bertujuan mengelak perhimpunan bagi menyokong beliau kerana kebanyakan rakyat ketika itu sedang bercuti.

Sebelum Anwar Ibrahim dibebaskan pada tahun 2004, beliau telah dimaklumkan beberapa bulan sebelum itu oleh 'orang-orang yang rapat' kepada Perdana Menteri bahawa beliau akan dibebaskan, tetapi masanya selepas PRU bagi mengelakkan beliau berkempen.

Kes terbaru Anwar diabicarakan secara tergesa-gesa dan dipercepat supaya hukuman dapat dijatuhkan sebelum Parlimen dibubar oleh Perdana Menteri untuk dijadikan bahan kempen oleh Umno/Barisan Nasional dalam PRU 13.

Dalam rancangan membebaskan dua katak Perak, Mohd Osman Jailu dan Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi sebagai habuan melompat, masa yang dipilih ialah ketika orang sibuk berkempen pilihanraya Sarawak.

READ MORE HERE

 

Injunction filed to stop Felda's listing

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 08:32 AM PST

(Harakah Daily) - Four members of Koperasi Permodalan Felda Malaysia (KPF) have filed an injunction at the Temerloh High Court against the public listing of Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH) on Bursa Malaysia.

Rosdi Ismail, Alias Ibrahim, Abdullah Mohamad and Rakiah Sulong are also seeking injunctions to block KPF's extraordinary general meeting scheduled on January 5, as well as its decision to dispose its assets in Felda Holdings.

In a press conference, counsel Mohamad Harris Abdullah said FGVH had no sufficient assets or funds to go for listing, hence Felda Holding Berhad (FHB) was forced to mortgage its 360,067 hectares of land for 99 years.

"However, the land will be still developed using settlers' money. FGVH also proposed to take over all equity belongs to KPF and 10 subsidiaries with a worth of RM3.13 billion," he said, adding that the extraordinary general meeting planned on January 5 did not adhere to KPF's laws because four of its members had applied for an injunction.

Meanwhile, Mazlan Aliman, who leads the National Felda Settlers' Children Association (ANAK), told the same press conference that the loss-making FGVH was using Felda Plantations's property for the listing.

"The revenue from Felda Plantations at present is at RM2 billion a year. How will it be if being mortaged for 99 years, when FGVH's own performance is poor?" he asked, adding that FGVH performance would be worse under current chairman Isa Samad.

Mazlan had earlier said that at present KPF, the largest cooperative in the country, had obtained RM5 billion a year with RM800 million in profit with cash in hand over RM1.1 billion.

With such stellar performance, he said, KPF should remain status quo.

Mazlan, who is also PAS central committee member, said he had received information about sinister agenda behind the listing plan.

He stressed that as such, the government must stop the listing plan, adding that "the question of settlers receiving a windfall does not arise."

On Isa's position as KPF chairman, Mazlan said the reply by the Malaysian Cooperative Commission that Isa had not assumed the post was not acceptable.

"He is already acting like one (KPF chairman) based on the appointment letter by prime minister," he said.

Besides Felda director-general Dzulkifli Abdul Wahad who had been asked to go on leave, Mazlan claimed more key people in the land development authority would be removed by Isa.

"The deputy development director, who is also KPF secretary, has been transferred to Putrajaya, and today the deputy director general had been removed by Isa. Another 18 key people will face action. So, we urge Cuepacs to act immediately as Isa is doing this solely because he thinks they are not being cooperative," he warned.

 

Isa sepatutnya jadi peneroka dulu, baru jadi pengerusi koperasi

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 08:28 AM PST

ASPAN ALIAS

FELDA tidak akan sama lagi seperti dahulu. Perpecahan yang nyata berlaku di FELDA, samada di kalangan peneroka dan pegawai-pegawai serta kakitangan-kakitangan perbadanan yang tertua negara itu. Kalau dahulu Felda merupakan satu perbadanan yang terurus dengan agak baik tetapi sekarang oleh kerana wujud elemen pihak tertentu yang ingin mengambil kesempatan politik peribadi ke atas Felda ini maka unsur-unsur perpecahan dalam tanah rancangan ini sedang bertambah teruk dan menakutkan.

Felda sejak tertubuhnya adalah di bawah Kementerian Tanah dan Wilayah dan dengan tekun serta kerja tidak mengenal penat lelah oleh mereka yang bertanggungjawab maka Felda telah maju dan menjadi di antara perbadanan yang paling kaya samada dalam bentuk tunai dan asetnya.

Kalau perbadanan ini mula di tadbir oleh pelaksana yang jujur seperti Tan Sri Taib Andak perbadanan ini telah berkembang di bawah kelolaan Raja Tan Sri Alias Ali sehingga Felda terkenal di seluruh dunia sebagai tanah rancangan yang paling tersusun dan ditadbir dengan baik serta beretika di bawah pimpinan Raja Tan Sri Alias Raja Ali selama 3 dekad beliau berada di sana.

Politik tidak begitu masuk campur dalam hal Felda selama ini. Kalau ada pun politik di dalamnya ianya terbatas kepada mempastikan yang matlamat asal penubuhan Felda itu di capai mengikut kehendak dasar-dasar yang di kepilkan dengan penubuhannya itu. Kerjasama semua pihak, pengurusan dari ibu pejabat sehingga pejabat pentadbiran wilayah-wilayahnya sehinggalah kepada individu-individu peneroka serta pengorbanan mereka semua telah menjadikan Felda sebagai perbadan yang paling baik pentadbirannya.

Kebaikkan pentadbiran perbadanan ini tentulah di sebabkan perbadanan ini di ketuai oleh pelaksana yang sangat komited terhadap tanggungjawab yang di amanahkan oleh pimpinan Melayu negara. Komitmen Raja Tan Sri Alias dalam membina Felda sehingga sampai ketahap ini memang menjadi contoh kepada semua pihak.

Nama Raja Tan Sri Alias di Felda itu terpahat sehinggakan ism pelaksana dasar kerajaan ini tidak akan mudah dilupakan oleh pegawai dan kakitangan Felda serta peneroka keseluruhannya. Apabila Raja Tan Sri Alias bersara Felda masih utuh kerana ism dan sistem tadbiran di bawah Raja Tan Sri Alias itu sangat berkesan dan 'follow through' dengan sistem Raja TS Alias itu terus menjadi asas pembangunan Felda sehingga orang politik mengetuai Lembaga Pengarah perbadanan itu bernama Tan Sri Yusuf Nor.

Tan Sri Yusuf Nor tidak mencuba-cuba untuk menggali dan menganjak cara Raja TS Alias di dalam perbadanan itu maka tidak adalah masalah besar berlaku di bawah pengerusinya TS Yusuf Nor itu.

Felda telah begitu berjaya sehinggakan ada pihak yang begitu cair air liurnya kerana kekayaan perbadanan ini hasil dari penat jerih ratusan ribu peneroka yang berada di bawah paying Felda itu. Dengan senyap-senyap Felda dipandang oleh setengah pihak sebagai perbadan yang boleh di kudakan untuk kepentingan politik setengah pihak. Maka Felda telah dipindahkan dari Kementerian Kemajuan Tanah dan Wilayah kepada Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan duduk di bawah dagu Najib Tun Razak sejak beliau masih menjadi Timbalan Perdana Menteri sehinggalah sekarang.

Sejak perpindahan Felda dari Kementerian Kemajuan Tanah dan Wilayah kepada pentadbiran Najib Razak inilah Felda mula di hinggapi penyakit yang berbagai-bagai. Sejak di bawah tadbiran Najib ini Felda telah menjadi tempat pelahap-pelahap negara mengambil kesempatan dan peneroka-peneroka rancangan tanah ini.

Sebelum ini peneroka dan rakyat tidak berapa menyedari apa yang telah dilakukan kepada mereka, Sekarang mereka telah celek dan mulalah anak-anak generasi Felda ini terutamanya mengambil langkah melakukan tentangan terhadap pihak berkuasa kerana tindakkan unilateral kerajaan persekutuan dalam menentukan corak Felda menghadapi masa depan yang kian mencabar.

READ MORE HERE

 

TONY CHECKS IN FOR HIS FIRST FLIGHT

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 08:20 AM PST

Nana Kassim

It is 6.30am. Tony is all dressed up and excited. In five hours from now, Tony will board an aircraft to fly to Penang. In the true sense of the word, this will be Tony's first flight, although he had flown a couple of times before.

Way back when Tony was 12 years old, he was determined to set a name for himself. He already knew he would not want to graduate from Oxford, as that would make him a kera. He also knew he would not want to be a PM as that would reveal his origin from Kerala. He would not want to be the Cheap Secretary as that would make him the boss in Kerajaan. In fact, Tony wanted to sever his relationship with his kera ancestors so badly that he vowed to one day be his own boss.

He always dreamed of wearing a beret - or otherwise known as a French cap - to work. That dream was to benefit him tremendously in the future as it helped him to deal with his genetic HIV. The cap was later to be used to conceal his embarrassment as his hairline increasingly vanishes.
 
Since that tender age, Tony already knew what he wanted out of life. He was an achiever and a high-flyer. He graduated summa cum laude from his kindergarten with flying colors. Tony already had a flair for flying, past and present.
 
Thus, it was no surprise that Tony flew into a rage when a classmate once told him to go fly a kite. Fortunately for Tony, his godfather  - whom Tony affectionately refers to as AK because his Godfather fondly calls Tony his Anakanda Kesayangan - was around when the incident took place. His godfather reminded him that Malaysia Airlines had a kite as its logo. His classmate might want him to go fly a kite now, but one day, that airline would fly his kite for him. Then later in life when he spots his grown-up classmate - who might end up as a CEO of a govt-controlled company - about to board a MAS flight, Tony can then walk up to him and tell him to go fly his own kite.
 
Memories of his past brought a huge grin to his face. Today is the great day Tony has been looking forward to. He will be transported from Sunway to the airport in a luxury coach. At the time of booking his flight 16 months ago, Tony had the foresight to book a seat on the luxury coach. He was convinced that would give him an idea of what to experience when he boards the aircraft.
 
The luxury coach stops in front of the entrance to the LCCT building. A couple of porters rush over to assist passengers disembarking from the luxury coach. Tony is in awe at the willingness of the airport staff to render assistance. They not only wear a warm smile on their faces, they also wear jackets that tell who their employer is Asian Water.
 
Going past the entrance, Tony is impressed with what he sees inside the terminal. There are signages everywhere to guide you to the correct counter or toilet. For first-time flyers, Asian Water has
stationed several female staff who are ready to assist with whatever you need to know about your flight. Looking in amazement at these gorgeous and dedicated staff, Tony instinctively hums the music to the song "Lady In Red". Already, Tony is beginning to regret that he will soon fly far away and leave behind these adorable and smiling staff. But he has other excitement to look forward to.
 
Now that he has experienced the comfort of the luxury coach, Tony is not sure what he has to do next. Looking around like a lost child, Tony catches the wandering eyes of an Asian Water staff. The training provided by her employer instinctively tells the staff that someone needs help. She walks up to Tony and introduces herself.
 
"Hi, *ir, I'm Rose, your ground crew. I'm here to make sure your flight experience with Asian Water is a memorable one. You will realise that we don't address our customers with an "S" and that our
employer refers to us as a crew. Once you have landed in your destination airport, you will then be able to put these two together and know that you have experienced a most exhilaratingly sensuous flight.
 
"By the way, *ir, is this your first time? The flight, I mean, not your experience."
 
"Errrrrr, yeah, yeah, yes," Tony stammers at the opportunity to speak to an Asian Water staff.
 
"In that case, *ir, I suggest you purchase some chips as you will need them."
 
"But I am on a strict diet. My doctor wants me to stay away from starchy food," Tony protests.
 
"No, *ir, these are token chips that we use here at Asian Water as a form of payment," the crew explains.
 
"But I already paid for my airfare, airport tax, travel insurance, selected seat, selected meal, check-in baggage and also a seat in that luxury coach."
 
"In that case, let me wish you a warm welcome to Asian Water, the flight that is full of surprises! Please proceed to Counter 85 to purchase your chips and then go to Counter 12 to check in. Have a pleasant journey, *ir."
 
Tony makes his way to Counter 85 which takes him a full twenty minutes and joins the queue.
 
Forty-five minutes later, his turn arrives. He asks the chips crew how much of chips he should buy.
 
The chips crew asks him, "Is this your first time? The flight, I mean, not your experience."
 
Tony replies in the affirmative. The chips crew suggests that he purchase one hundred ringgit worth of chips. Any unused chips can be exchanged for cash at Counter 7 in Subang Sky Park. Alternatively, Tony can use them for his next flight within the next 1 week.
 
"But I will be in Pulau Pinang for eight days and my return flight will be after the expiry of the unused chips."
 
"In that case, *ir, I suggest you exchange your unused chips upon arrival in Penang. Our counter is located on the ground floor of Tunia Hotel in Pulau Jerejak. On your return flight, you can buy the chips at our counter located at the wet market in Pulau Tikus."
 
Exhausted with having to memorise the various counter numbers at the various locations, Tony handed over two pieces of RM50 notes to purchase the chips.
 
The chips crew hands over the chips and a receipt. As he walks away, Tony counts the value of his chips and is surprised to find only RM95 worth. He goes back to the counter and asks for the other RM5.
 
The chips crew explains that there is a charge of 5% for purchases made at the counter.
 
"It would have been cheaper if you had made the purchase at the same time you booked your flight."
 
Tony walks towards Counter 12, feeling very sure there's something sticking in his rear.

 

6P fiasco: ‘Which ministry is in charge?’

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:33 PM PST

A sudden decision by the Home Ministry to override the Human Resources Ministry in the issuance of a certificate causes panic among foreign workers.

Another 6P agent said the sudden removal of JobsMalaysia certificate requirement would not be fair to local workers, as the function of JobsMalaysia certificate was to ensure that human resources, both local and foreign, are utilised most optimally.

Teoh El Sen, Free Malaysia Today

Another controversy has reared up over the government's 6P amnesty programme to register all legal and illegal foreign workers in the country.

This time, it is over the Home Ministry's alleged 'bypassing' of the Human Resources Ministry requirement for approval before the foreigners can be fully legalised under the second phase of the 6P.

The issue caused great confusion this morning when 6P agents received news that there was no longer a need for a JobsMalaysia (formerly known as Jobs Clearance System) certificate issued by the Human Resources Ministry. Previously only with the certificate can a foreign worker be "legalised" by the Home Ministry.

Those at the immigration offices in Putrajaya this morning were shocked to see notices stating "Sijil JobsMalaysia (JCS) bagi proses pemutihan dikecualikan" (the JobsMalaysia certificate for the amnesty process is no longer required).

"We're confused now and we're not getting any firm answers from the relevant departments," said a source from one 6P management agency.

"Why did the Home Ministry totally bypass another ministry? This is clearly an inter-conflict between two ministries,  by the Home Ministry superseeding the Human Resources Ministry's role.

"They have lost control and lost direction over this 6P programme. Is this abuse being done just because someone wants to make money?" he asked.

The source said that the new ruling would mean that the Human Resources Ministry, which is in charge of the country's labour force, would not know how many foreign workers are there in the country.

"Yes, we earlier asked for the requirements and paperwork to be relaxed, but you can't totally remove them, that's disastrous and totally defeats the purpose of having 6P," he said.

Another 6P agent said the sudden removal of JobsMalaysia certificate requirement would not be fair to local workers, as the function of JobsMalaysia certificate was to ensure that human resources, both local and foreign, are utilised most optimally.

"Locals might be deprived of jobs because of this removal of the Human Resources Ministry approval. Who manages the labour resources of a country? Home Ministry or Human Resources Ministry?" asked the agent, who declined to be named.

Home Ministry: Making the process easier

However, National Smallholder Association Malaysia (Teluk Intan branch) chairman Tan Tang Seong said for the 1,000-plus vegetable farmers that he was registering, it was better that the Human Resources Ministry's JobsMalaysia approval be abolished.

"A lot of them can't produce the legal documents, such as titles for their farms. That's why we suggested the removal of the JCS requirement.

"But the news about it being abolished today is very vague, we are still very confused," said Tan, who is also an authorised 6P agent.

It is learnt that the Human Resource Ministry was not properly informed over today's new decision.

Labour Department director-general Sheikh Yahya Sheikh Mohammed told FMT he was in the dark about the matter.

"I don't know about this. This is the first time I'm hearing it. Ideally we should be consulted before a decision is made about this. We need to know what is the reason the Home Ministry decided to bypass us," he said.

Meanwhile, Home Ministry secretary-general Mahmood Adam told FMT that it was untrue that the Human Resources Ministry approval was no longer needed.

"This was a Cabinet decision. But anyway, we still need the Human Resources Ministry approval. We are simply making the whole process easier by shortening the 7-day waiting to only one day. Now you get it within 24 hours," he said.

(The Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers and Illegal Immigrants is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin).

Mahmood added that there are certain sectors, such as security, that comes directly under Home Ministry and does not even require a Human Resources Ministry approval.

"So there should not be any problems. Why are these agencies making noise?" he asked.

READ MORE HERE

 

Dr Hasan Ali to answer 'Umno agenda' on Saturday

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:27 PM PST

(Bernama) - Datuk Dr Hasan Ali will answer an allegation linking him to the Umno agenda levelled against him by party secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali on Saturday.

"Let's wait, I'll explain tomorrow. I will give a press conference at my house at 11am," said Hasan, who is Selangor Islamic Affairs, Malay Customs, Infrastructure and Public Facilities Committee chairman when contacted Friday.

On Thursday, Mustafa claimed that he had evidence to link Hasan to the Umno agenda.

Mustafa said this emanated from a meeting between Hasan and PAS former deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, and three individuals at a hotel in the capital last Ramadan.

Nasharuddin could not be contacted for clarification.

In KOTA BARU, Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said it was high time for Hasan to join Perkasa if he felt that he could not fulfil his aspiration to uphold Islam and fight for the Malays through PAS.

Ibrahim said he recently made the offer to Hasan after he was sidelined by PAS but had yet to get an answer.

 

Guan Eng Concealed Full Truth

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:25 PM PST

Tan Cheng Liang 

When Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng claimed that the Penang state government had sliced RM600 million or 95% off the state's debt since taking over in 2008, he was craftily deceiving voters into thinking that the Pakatan Rakyat-run government had reduced the state's debts.

But the truth which Guan Eng conveniently forgets to reveal is that, on 2 June 2011, the Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP), a state-owned company had entered into a water restructuring agreement with the federal government via Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB), a company under the Ministry of Finance. The water deal saw Penang's outstanding loan of RM655.24mil owing to the federal government to be converted into a grant.

In short, the federal government has shouldered the debt of Penang State government. Thus, the real scenario is that the Pakatan Penang state government has thrown the debt to the federal government. When Pakatan Rakyat blamed the federal government for the federal RM 20.5 billion debt, they opted not to inform that actually RM 600 million of the debt hailed from the Penang state government.

Perak, not Penang with the highest volume of debt reduction

The Penang state government claimed that it is the state which has highest reduction in debt but that is a misinformation.

In reality, it is Perak under the Barisan Nasional administration which has the highest reduction in debt. Penang reduced its debt by transferring this burden from RM600mil to RM29mil with huge publicity! But Perak reduced its debt from RM970mil to RM78mil with no self praise nor fanfare.

Pakatan's surplus a continuation of BN's surplus

The Pakatan Rakyat state government of Penang keeps saying that Penang never had surpluses before, but based on the state's financial report for the respective years, the previous Penang state government under BN before 2008 also recorded surpluses. Details are as followed:

2004 – RM28 million surplus

2005 – RM 83 million surplus

2006 – RM 10 million surplus

2007 – RM 43 million surplus

Hike in operating expenditure

The Penang state government adopts "CAT" in governance i.e. Competency, Accountability and Transparency. They should reduce the expenditure, but their operating expenditure increased from RM 252 million in 2007 to RM299 million in 2009.

Promise not inserted into Buku Jingga

Pakatan Rakyat also claims that they want to abolish prepaid mobile user service tax. But such a promise is not mentioned in the Buku Jingga or Pakatan Rakyat Alternative Budget 2012.

 

TAN CHENG LIANG is Wanita MCA Deputy Secretary General

 

Nik Aziz tells PAS to snub ‘enemy media’

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:16 PM PST

(The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat has called on PAS not to provide fodder for Barisan Nasional (BN) and avoid airing their grievances in media outlets controlled by the party's political opponents.

The PAS spiritual leader said in a statement yesterday that disagreements should be settled internally instead, after recent attacks by renegade leaders Datuk Hasan Ali and Nasharudin Mat Isa.

"I call on all quarters in the party not to use mass media owned by political enemies of PAS to talk about internal problems.

"I am confident that what has happened recently is a small storm that has been exaggerated in the mass media. After this small storm, a cooling rain will fall," the Kelantan mentri besar said.

Selangor executive councillor Hasan and former deputy president Nasharudin have repeatedly criticised the party for ostensibly deviating from its Islamic agenda during recent interviews with Umno-linked Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian.

Hasan has also been featured almost nightly on TV3, criticising the party that removed him as Selangor chief after its muktamar in June.

The party decided on Wednesday to summon both Hasan and Nasharudin to explain their recent outbursts and public criticisms against the party.

READ MORE HERE

 

Is Mahathir really the brave Malay hero who does not fear the US or the Jews?

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:13 PM PST

By Ken

Truth is not what matters to Mahathir but perception, in particular what the Malays perceive him to be. This is why Mahathir is vehemently denying that he had asked for loans from the World Bank (an institution he had labelled, together with the IMF, as being "Zionist, American Imperialist, etc."), even though it is apparent to all that Malaysia HAD RECEIVED loans from the World Bank AFTER Anwar's sacking in Sept. 1998.

If the majority of the Malays even suspect that Mahathir had approached the World Bank for any help, that would destroy the image that he had so craftily and cunningly built up over decades, as a brave and defiant "Malay" who dared to take on even the most powerful nation in the world, the US.

There is ample evidence, however, to show that Mahathir, in reality is anything but anti-US.

The US was and is one of the biggest investors and trading partners of Malaysia. Mahathir launched the billion dollar MSC on the strength and support of major US companies such as Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, Cisco, Dell, AMD, DHL, etc.

Malaysia spent billions of dollars on military purchases from the US during Mahathir's tenure as PM. Mahathir engaged and consulted American economic advisors and writers such as Jeffrey Sachs and Naisbit.  

Mahathir loves the Western life style - he stayed on a "Precinct" (that's as American as you can get) in Putrajaya when he was PM and now lives in a "Swiss" mansion in the Mines.  

Mahathir secretly allowed the US military to conduct exercises on Malaysian soil when he was PM (see Barry Wain's "Malaysian Maverick").

Openly, however, Mahathir has been a vitriolic critic of the US. But secretly he has been not just a close ally but a lackey of the US. That is why Mahathir is still around because he remains a lackey of the US and is of use to the US in global Islamic matters and the super-power's interests in Malaysia and the region.

Just consider this. Who is Mahathir compared to the Marcos and Suhartos and other notable dictators of the world in terms of strength, control and influence? They fell, or rather the US allowed them to fall, when they were no longer of use to the US or their continued dictatorships were no longer tenable.

It would have been kid's play for the US to destroy Mahathir, the PM of a country which has marginal influence on the world stage in terms of military, political, strategic or economic power. The US's track record shows that they would have most certainly done so in response to Mahathir's regular and often ridiculous out-bursts against the US, unless he served a greater purpose for the US and the open criticisms were merely distractions from the truth that he, Mahathir, was a US lackey.

In order to hide his close links with the US, Mahathir often diverted the people's attention through his harsh and often illogical rhetoric against the US and would subsequently make up with the US when the rhetoric goes beyond the limits – e.g. Mahathir's million dollar payment to the Heritage Foundation to meet George Bush in 2002 to "normalize" relationships (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x480020). 

Furthermore, Mahathir, despite his open vitriol against the Jews, is in fact also a close friend of the Jews.

Mahathir's reason for the open animosity for Jews is the same as that applicable to his diatribes of the US - the open animosity is a diversion so that Mahathir's close relationship with the Jews will not be apparent, and he can continue to deceive the Malays and the Islamic world.

Let us look at the facts. Mahathir was a close buddy of Soros (a Jew) in hedge-fund deals and currency manipulation, later blamed Soros for the financial crisis of 1997/1998 and called him a "moron", and subsequently absolved Soros of any responsibility for Malaysia's financial crisis when Soros visited him after his retirement (http://minaq-jinggo.fotopages.com/?entry=1017436 ).

Was Mahathir a hypocrite, lambasting first then later embracing and absolving Soros? Mahathir had engaged Saatchi & Saatchi, Goldman Sachs and other Jewish firms for various projects and tasks during his tenure as PM. In fact, he engaged Salmon Smith Barney, a Jewish firm, to advise him on how to manage the financial crisis and implement currency controls in 1998.

Mokhzani, Mahathir's son, worked for Lehman Brothers, a Jewish firm. Another of Mahathir's son, Mirzan, worked for Salomon Brothers, another Jewish firm. Prof Jeffrey Sachs from Harvard, one of Mahathir's top economic advisors, is a Jew. Mahathir (ok, some unknown person) engaged Abramoff, a Jew, to arrange the meeting between Mahathir and George Bush mentioned above. Could Mahathir make an enemy of the Jews (who, according to Mahathir himself, control the world) and still survive, unless he had been granted leeway? 

Mahathir's October 16, 2003 speech at the OIC meeting contained some of the most outrageous statements any leader of a country has made publicly against the US and the Jews. Mahathir explicitly labelled the US and Jews as the enemy of Muslims and said that Muslims need "guns and rockets, bombs and warplanes, tanks and warships for our defense." 

How is it that Mahathir is still alive and kicking and can even visit the US after having seriously offended the most powerful nation in the world (the US) and the most powerful people in the world (the Jews), not once but repeatedly? Something to think about. Something that must be clearly explained to the Malays so that they will know the real Mahathir.

That Effing Show #69: Say X to X'mas!

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:11 PM PST

By Mark Teh

It's been a tough year for our brothers and sisters of the cross. Their plans to install a Christian Prime Minister was foiled. Their efforts at converting Muslims was thwarted. Every one of their attempts at sedition and subversion was left for naught. Proving once and for all that it really is hard out there for a pimp.

 But it's Christmastime.  Mistletoe and wine.  'Tis the season folks.  A time to be merry.  A time to be jolly.  A time to forgive and forget. Or is it? You decide as we take a look back at the all the Christian shananigans of 2011.

Watch it here:  http://yumm.my/vkHJm5

Carpetman Jaikishan gives RM767,000 from penny stock sale to charity

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:08 PM PST

(The Malaysian Insider) - Carpet and property dealer Deepak Jaikishan, who gained infamy after being linked to the murder scandal of Altantuya Shaariibuu, denied today any wrongdoing in his rapid entrance and exit of Envair Holding Bhd, which netted him RM767,000 in the process.

Jaikishan, who was accused of silencing a key witness in the gruesome 2006 murder of the Mongolian woman, told reporters he was donating the gains made from the transaction to seven different charities to clear his name.

"We don't need this kind of money. We don't need to profit wrongly. It will look very bad for me," he said, when asked if he was donating the money to dispel speculation of insider trading or manipulation.

The Carpet Raya Sdn Bhd director sold six million shares of the loss-making air and water filter manufacturer less than two weeks after buying them, or the equivalent of a 5.06 per cent stake.

He built up the stake up to December 2, when Envair stood at 22 sen per share and sold his holding on the open market 12 days later when it traded at between 34.5 sen and 38 sen.

Chinese national Zhang LiYing also sold his 9.11 per cent stake in Envair on the same day, two months after acquiring it.

They followed the exit of another Chinese national, Jiang Chuan Yi, who disposed of his 6.75 per cent holding in Envair less than a month after acquiring it on November 1.

Jaikishan had earlier said he would not dispose of his stake as he aimed to be part of the company board following its deal to enter the oil and gas sector by supplying two million barrels of light crude oil monthly for 60 months to China-based An Hong Shenzhen.

READ MORE HERE

 

MACC seizes desktop PC, documents from NFC office

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:06 PM PST

(The Malaysian Insider) - Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers carted away a desktop computer's central processing unit (CPU) and four documents from the National Feedlot Corporation's (NFC) office here at the end of their raid today.

Supt Wan Abdul Rahman Wan Mohd Salleh, along with seven other officers from Putrajaya MACC, left the offices of the scandal-hit company at Solaris Mont Kiara here at 4.50pm after questioning staff for two hours.

NFC runs the National Feedlot Centre in Gemas, which has been at the centre of a storm of controversy ever since the Auditor-General highlighted the publicly funded cattle-raising project as "a mess" in his report this year.

NFC is headed by Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Salleh Ismail, husband to Women, Family and Community Minister and Wanita Umno chief, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil. Their children are also directors in the company.

Today's raid follows an announcement by MACC yesterday that it would investigate allegations the NFC had misappropriated government funds, despite previously saying it would not probe the matter.

The national anti-graft body had earlier referred the case to the police, who are now conducting an investigation into possible criminal breach of trust.

The MACC also confirmed yesterday it had remanded a businessman, said to be a Datuk, for questioning in relation to the case.

The 45-year-old suspect had earlier been detained by police for allegedly trying to bribe senior CCID officers believed to be involved in the NFC probe.

READ MORE HERE

 

Khir says made a scapegoat

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 06:02 PM PST

(The Malaysian Insider) - Dr Mohamed Khir Toyo said today he was being made a political fall guy, following his conviction for abusing his influence to buy a luxury home and land at a discount of up to RM3 million.

The former Selangor mentri besar has maintained his innocence, insisting that the RM3.5 million deal was at market value and on a "willing buyer, willing seller" basis.

"Right from the start," he said when asked by reporters after the guilty verdict if he was being made a political scapegoat.

After judge Datuk Mohtarudin Baki ordered the seizure of the property and sentenced the Sungai Panjang assemblyman to 12 months jail, Dr Khir told reporters that "this is not the final judgment and I will continue to fight to clear my name."

"On the question of politics, I will answer after January 9," he added in an apparent reference to the date of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy verdict.

Dr Khir appeared to be referring to speculation that he would be given a hefty sentence to avoid allegations of injustice should PKR de facto leader Anwar be found guilty.

Earlier, Mohtarudin had ruled that the conviction under Section 165 of the Penal Code also invoked Section 36 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which mandates that the court seize property that is the subject of a graft offence.

However, he granted Dr Khir a stay of execution pending an appeal that defence lawyer M. Athimulan said would be filed this afternoon.

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Khir Toyo guilty of graft, jailed 1 year

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 05:41 PM PST

The former Selangor MB was however allowed a stay of execution of jail time and forfeiture of the properties pending an appeal.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo was found guilty by the High Court here today on a charge of obtaining for himself and his wife a valuable property at a consideration he knew was insufficient, four years ago.

He was sentenced to one year in jail from today. The court also ordered Khir's land and bungalow be forfeited.

Khir was however allowed a stay of execution of jail time and forfeiture of the properties pending an appeal. Khir is expected to file his appeal later today.

Judge Mohtarudin Baki (now Appeals Court Judge) reached the decision upon finding that the defense had failed to raise a reasonable doubt on the case against Khir, 46.

Khir was earlier ordered to enter his defence on the charge of obtaining for himself and his wife Zahrah Kechik, 46, two lots of land and a bungalow at No 8 & 10, Jalan Suasa 7/1L through Ditamas Sdn Bhd director Shamsuddin Hayroni.

The properties were bought at RM3.5 million, in contrast to the price of RM6.5 million paid for it by Ditamas on Dec 23 2004.

Khir had committed the offence with the knowledge that Shamsuddin had dealings with him in his official capacity as Selangor Menteri Besar at the time.

READ MORE HERE

 

MACC officers raid NFC

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 05:38 PM PST

Six officers from Putrajaya decend on NFC head office in Solaris Mont Kiara.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Six Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) enforcement officers  raided the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) office located in Solaris Mont Kiara this afternoon.

Of the six, five were plainclothes officers. The raid began at 3pm and is reportedly in connection to the NFC scandal.

Staff were seen cooperating with the officials as they ushered them into the office premises.

Two more MACC officers entered the premises at about 4pm, carrying two large briefcases. The raid lasted about two hours.

MACC's operations enforcement officer Wan Abdul Rahman Wan Mohd Salleh said that they interviewed the NFC staff only.

"They gave us their full cooperation.

"We have confiscated four A4-sized envelopes of documents and a CPU," he said.

Yesterday, police arrested a 45-year-old businessman for allegedly attempting to bribe senior officers who were investigating the NFC scandal.

Also yesterday, the MACC announced that a special team has been formed to investigate allegations of corruption in the management of public funds for the NFC.

The special team is headed by the commission's Director of Investigations, Mustafar Ali.

A messy business

NFC, which is run by the husband of Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, has been the target of attack from the opposition, especially PKR, since the release of the Auditor-General's 2010 report, which said the corporation was "in a mess".

In the latest in its series of exposés, PKR said Shahrizat's family owned a luxury condominium worth RM10 million in Singapore.

READ MORE HERE

 

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