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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Malik Imtiaz and Sreekant Pillai out of MCLM
- Anwar says severed ties with RPK
- MCA seeks MACC probe on Yayasan Selangor
- DAP to ‘sacrifice’ seats for Malay candidates
- Azmin says RPK irrelevant
- PKR plans 100,000-strong rally for Sodomy II verdict
| Malik Imtiaz and Sreekant Pillai out of MCLM Posted: 02 Jan 2012 08:45 PM PST (The Star) - Prominent human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is the latest personality to disassociate himself from the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) chaired by Raja Petra Kamarudin. Joining him is Sreekant Pillai, a lawyer and son of veteran journalist M.G.G Pillai. In December 2010, both had been picked by MCLM to contest in the next general election. Their decision to stay away from MCLM came following the resignation of MCLM president Haris Ibrahim after Raja Petra's statement that the movement would not be fielding candidates in the polls. Haris said Raja Petra (or RPK) was undermining efforts to end Barisan Nasional's (BN) rule. Another MCLM member, Dr Nedunchelian Vengu, said he would go ahead to contest in the polls. The candidacy of the 43-year-old dentist was announced by MCLM last July. He is said to be fielded in the Kapar parliamentary constituency currently held by PKR's S. Manikavasagam. Malik Imtiaz said he was still committed to further the reform agenda although not a member of MCLM. He said Raja Petra's statements had shed a "less than positive light" on MCLM. "That is regrettable as it is an impression that has undermined the credibility of the MCLM and its efforts. "It has also undermined the tremendous efforts of a number of highly committed and selfless individuals to develop various civil society initiatives under the banner of MCLM," he wrote in his blog.
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| Anwar says severed ties with RPK Posted: 02 Jan 2012 08:43 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today he has stopped all forms of communication with Raja Petra Kamarudin since the Sarawak election, accusing the political blogger of "supporting Barisan Nasional". The PKR defacto leader brushed aside Raja Petra's critical remarks against him in recent interviews with Umno dailies Utusan Malaysia and New Straits Times. "I have not contacted him since he supported Barisan Nasional in the Sarawak elections…there has been no communication for the last six months," Anwar told reporters here. Anwar said he had been friends with Raja Petra for ten year, and acknowledged the fact that the Selangor prince had "actively" supported him while he was in prison back in 199. "He (Raja Petra) ran to London because he did not want to go to prison," said Anwar. "I don't usually comment on attacks like these, coming close to elections like the Sarawak polls last time, carried out by individuals using Umno media," added Anwar, in apparent reference to the Malaysia Today portal editor's interview with TV3 prior to the Sarawak election last year. Raja Petra had said that Anwar was morally unfit to become prime minister as Malaysians could not accept a homosexual to lead the country. The self-exiled blogger did not explicitly call Anwar a homosexual but said there was no room in Malaysia for someone who is gay and wants to become PM. He also said he was "90 per cent" sure the man in the Datuk T sex video was Anwar, and that many of the latter's friends believed in the authenticity of the video. PKR has attacked Raja Petra for his remarks made about Anwar's sexual orientation, calling it "untrue" and "libellous", and have accused him of being hired by Umno. Raja Petra had also criticised Anwar's appointment as Selangor state economic advisor, saying that corruption was still rampant in the state. "A lot of people have been asking for projects, and have not been getting what they want," said Anwar bluntly in response. "I am doing my duties based on my experience as finance minister," he added.
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| MCA seeks MACC probe on Yayasan Selangor Posted: 02 Jan 2012 03:41 PM PST The state-owned foundation is under fire for spending millions renovating a camp that the Nasional Service Training Department will not use. (Free Malaysia Today) - MCA today accused Yayasan Selangor of "wanton" spending and urged the state government to get the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate it for financial mismanagement. It also called for an audit to determine why the state-owned foundation had spent millions of ringgit to renovate a National Service (NS) camp despite failing to get a licence to operate it. Selangor MCA liaison secretary Wong Koon Mun made these demands in a media statement that referred to a recent news report about the foundation upgrading the Ampang Pecah NS camp only to find out that the National Service Training Department was not renewing its licence. The report said the foundation spent RM4.04 on the upgrading. It is not clear why the contract has not been renewed. "Sadly, there were no attempts by the state government to monitor the foundation, resulting with the former overlooking the latter's wanton expenditure," Wong said. Wong, who is the state assemblyman for Kuala Kubu Baru, said Yayasan Selangor should have known that it would take time to renew a licence and should have checked on its NS contract status before spending so much money on the renovation. "The lackadaisical attitude of the foundation's management reflects on how they treat public funds without any form of responsibility," he said. "This is definitely abuse of power."
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| DAP to ‘sacrifice’ seats for Malay candidates Posted: 02 Jan 2012 03:09 PM PST Party leaders have been reportedly meeting with "Malay opinion-makers in small closed-door discussions". (Free Malaysia Today) - Speculation is rife that DAP will 'sacrifice' 10 of its safe seats for its new Malay members. Sources said although no 'conclusive decisions' have been made, the party leaders were discussing matters with potential candidates. 'Basically DAP will sacrifice its safe seats as a goodwill to its Malay candidates.The objective is to show that the party is not anti-Malay," said the source. DAP is apparently aiming to field their 'winnable' Malay candidates in parliamentary seats. "From what we know, the party has identified seven parliamentary seats for their winnable Malay candidates. The others are state seats. Some may contest in both seats. "But this is still being decided," said the source. Post 2008 general election, DAP has been targeting 'thinking' Malays to increase its support within the community. The party is desperately wanting to free itself from its image of representing only the Chinese community. Currently with DAP are former Transperancy International Malaysia chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim and Zairil Johari, son of former education minister Khir Johari. Zahril together with DAP youth chief Anthony Loke and party strategist Liew Chin Tong have been tasked with wooing selected Malays. A coup for DAP Party leaders have been reportedly meeting with "Malay opinion-makers in small closed-door discussions dealing with issues concerning Islamic state, hudud and bumiputera affirmative action". Yesterday the party scored a coup. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's former Pekan division information chief Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz and Negeri Sembilan Umno veteran Aspan Alias joined the party. Ariff, a former Pulau Manis state assemblyman was with Najib until 2004. It is also learnt that former Umno minister Zaid Ibrahim will also be contesting under a DAP banner. It is likely that he will be fielded in an urban seat. Zaid had last month declared that Kita, his party, will not contest in the general election but would instead throw its support behind Pakatan Rakyat. Confirming rumours of his move to DAP, Ariff said yesterday: "Yes, that is what we are doing (joining DAP). I am impressed by DAP. They are principled, I like their professionalism. "Don't read our move as blasphemous or treasonable. In DAP I can speak on the plight of the displaced and disowned Malays with more energy than allowed of in Umno. "Umno has turned its back on corruption and abuse of political office. DAP abhors these traits. To me these are are attractive propositions. As a Muslim, we are changing wadah not aqidah."
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| Posted: 02 Jan 2012 01:50 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - PKR deputy president Azmin Ali today dismissed Raja Petra Kamarudin's attack on him and the party, calling the self-exiled blogger irrelevant after being away from Malaysia for over two years. Raja Petra, better known as RPK, had called Azmin "deceitful" and unable to shed the Umno culture, saying in an interview published yesterday there will be an internal revolt in PKR if the Gombak MP succeeds Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should the de facto party leader be jailed for sodomy. "Raja Petra is irrelevant. It is the rakyat, not Raja Petra, who will determine the direction of the party." "He has been intimately disconnected from the country. He does not know what is happening," the Selangor PKR chief said. Raja Petra had also told Umno's Utusan Malaysia last weekend that Opposition Leader Anwar was morally unfit to be prime minister as Malaysians could not accept a homosexual to lead the country. The Selangor prince, who fled the country in 2009 after alleging that Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife were responsible for the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shariibuu, did not explicitly call Anwar a homosexual but said there was no room in Malaysia for someone who is gay and wants to become PM. He also said he was "90 per cent" sure the man in the Datuk T sex video was Anwar, and that many of the latter's friends believed in the authenticity of the video. Azmin repeated today PKR's claim that Raja Petra was now "hired by Umno" as he was no longer exiled in Britain but now holidaying in Phuket and giving interviews in Singapore. "He is so near to Malaysia, he can enter the country anytime," he said, implying that a deal has been struck between the blogger and the ruling Barisan Nasional.
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| PKR plans 100,000-strong rally for Sodomy II verdict Posted: 02 Jan 2012 01:30 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Pakatan Rakyat (PR) said today it will gather 100,000 people on Monday to support Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when the Kuala Lumpur High Court decides if the opposition leader is guilty of sodomy. PKR deputy president Azmin Ali told reporters today the opposition pact had agreed to mobilise and gather at the Duta Court Complex despite police warnings against any public rally when the court rules in Anwar's two-year-long trial. "The system is so rotten, we have to expect the worst-case scenario," the Gombak MP said. "Along with PAS and DAP, we will gather 100,000 people at the court to show our support to the cause fought by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim." He also warned that public rallies would continue until the next general election if the former deputy prime minister was found guilty. "We will continue. The same night we have a programme in Penang. If he is acquitted, then Anwar will celebrate in his home state. If not, we will go to Penang and continue our demands," he said. Selangor PAS chief Dr Rani Osman also said the Islamist party had called on all divisions to mobilise and "even those in Sabah and Sarawak want to join". Anwar is accused of sodomising a former aide, a charge that he has vehemently denied, saying that it is part of a ploy to destroy his political career. The Kuala Lumpur High Court heard closing submissions from December 8 to 15 and will deliver its verdict on Monday, ahead of a general election that must be called by early 2013.
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