Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Soros man on Mkini board
- The CIA-Soros Partnership
- GST a ploy to hide economic ills, says Pakatan
- US calls Assange 'enemy of state'
- Najib betting on generous budget
- Sometimes I can’t understand Umno
- Stay away from M’sia, Zakir
- Mansor vs Guan Eng: PKR mulakan inkuiri
- Marks of a good Malaysian leader
- Speaker blocks debate on AG Gani Patail
- Mansor did not deny audio contents
- Bersih: We got funds only once
- Pro-Aspirasi sweeps to victory in campus polls
- Clip of DCM’s remarks on Guan Eng on the Net
- GE13 to show if Malays will ditch Umno, says Zaid
- PKFZ trial postponed as Liong Sik hospitalised
- Dr M called to testify in Liong Sik trial
- No longer any sense of decency
| Posted: 26 Sep 2012 11:05 AM PDT
(The Star) - The George Soros-linked Media Development Loan Fund (MDLF) chief executive officer Harlan M. Mandel is one of three directors of Mkini Dotcom that runs Malaysiakini while several Opposition figures are among its 50 shareholders. Mandel, who is based in Brooklyn, New York, was appointed as a director in July last year, according to the Mkini Dotcom profile. The MDLF has been funding Malaysiakini operations for over a decade. Subang MP R. Sivarasa, who is PKR's vice-president, admits that he is a shareholder. Sivarasa said he paid RM5,000 for 5,000 units of shares when he was invited to contribute towards the setting up of the Internet news portal 13 years ago. "It was for a worthy cause. And I still own that 5,000 shares out of Mkini's 4.5 million issued shares," he said in an interview. Sivarasa, another shareholder Bruno Gentil Pereira, and director Premesh Chandran are also activists linked to Suaram. Other shareholders include the Selangor Mentri Besar's press secretary Arfa'eza Aziz. Malaysiakini and Suaram have come under the spotlight following reports claiming they were among several organisations that were receiving foreign funding. The two main contributors are the American-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the George Soros-linked Open Society Institute (OSI), which have been financing groups supporting its objectives around the world. OSI is linked to MDLF which in turn claims to be a mission- driven investment fund for independent news outlets in countries with a history of media oppression. MDLF holds 1.316 million units of shares in Mkini, while Premesh and another director Steven Gan own 1.385 million and 1.328 million shares respectively. Premesh had said MDLF owned about 29% of the company shares while its co-founders and staff owned the rest. Despite these and other revelations, Premesh maintained that the portal maintained its editorial independence but several bloggers questioned how he could claim so since there are several Opposition personalities listed as shareholders. According to its financial report that can be obtained from the Companies Commission of Malaysia for the year ended Dec 31, 2011, Mkini recorded a drop in revenue from RM1.85mil in 2010 to RM1.63mil last year. However, its "other income" increased from RM3.26mil in 2010 to RM3.7mil last year. Its operating and administrative expenses was RM5.1mil. According to Mkini.blogspot. com, it received grants from the Dutch Embassy in Malaysia, Canadian International Development Agency, NED, OSI, International Centre for Journalists, Free Voice, and Friedrich Naumann Foundation, apart from MDLF and South-East Asian Press Alliance (Seapa). | ||
| Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:58 AM PDT
(Economic Policy Journal) - A curious link between George Soros and the CIA has emerged as a result of disclosures of funding of a Malaysian media organization by the National Endowment for Democracy. It turns out it was NED funding and Soros funding. NED has long been known as a CIA front. In the clip below, one time CIA case officer Phil Agee describes the developments that led up to the formation of NED and how NED operates. This is all noteworthy with regard to Soros, since the Malaysiakini, a Malaysian media organization, has just admitted receiving funds from NED. Read more and watch the video at: http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2012/09/the-cia-soros-partnership.html | ||
| GST a ploy to hide economic ills, says Pakatan Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:55 AM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Putrajaya's desire to implement the goods and services tax (GST) in the future is an easy way get more money and divert attention away from economic problems such as inefficiency and corruption, says Pakatan Rakyat (PR) While the Barisan Nasional (BN) government is not expected to introduce the GST till after the general election, Minister in Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala was quoted in the Wall Street Journal yesterday that he expects the proposed GST to help boost state revenue and help put an end to the federal budget deficit by 2020. PKR's strategy chief Rafizi Ramli said Malaysia did not meet the conditions for the introduction of GST and it was being used as a "shortcut" to reduce the budget deficit instead of addressing fundamental flaws in the country's economy. "GST is a red herring to cover those economic weaknesses," Rafizi told The Malaysian Insider. He noted that if the ruling coalition instead stamped out rent-seeking activities, corruption and cronyism it would boost economic growth which would in turn boost government income. Rafizi also noted that in other countries, GST was used as a substitute tax, meaning that income tax would be cut if the consumption tax was implemented which amounts to the net effect of the new tax being neutral. He pointed out however that if it was implemented in Malaysia, the net effect would be an additional tax burden on large numbers of Malaysians whose earnings currently fall below the taxable income threshold. Rafizi said that based on PKR's means testing, which involved evaluating the size of the economy, government revenue and people's income levels, Malaysia was a poor candidate for GST at the moment. "There are pre-requisites for GST, you can't implement as you wish," he said. DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua said that while GST was supposed to broaden the tax base as only an estimated 10 per cent of Malaysians currently pay income tax, the question that needed to be asked was why were so many Malaysians earning so little as to fall below the taxable threshold. He said that even if 10 per cent out of the people who are not currently paying tax are tax dodgers, GST still would not make sense as it meant that many more low-income Malaysians would be burdened. "If they can't earn enough, why should they be burdened with additional taxes," he said. "People's incomes have not increased significantly." Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/gst-a-ploy-to-hide-economic-ills-says-pakatan/
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| US calls Assange 'enemy of state' Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:53 AM PDT  Julian Assange ... "enemy of the state". Photo: AFP (The Sydney Morning Herald) - THE US military has designated Julian Assange and WikiLeaks as enemies of the United States - the same legal category as the al-Qaeda terrorist network and the Taliban insurgency. Declassified US Air Force counter-intelligence documents, released under US freedom-of-information laws, reveal that military personnel who contact WikiLeaks or WikiLeaks supporters may be at risk of being charged with "communicating with the enemy", a military crime that carries a maximum sentence of death. The documents, some originally classified "Secret/NoForn" - not releasable to non-US nationals - record a probe by the air force's Office of Special Investigations into a cyber systems analyst based in Britain who allegedly expressed support for WikiLeaks and attended pro-Assange demonstrations in London. The counter-intelligence investigation focused on whether the analyst, who had a top-secret security clearance and access to the US military's Secret Internet Protocol Router network, had disclosed classified or sensitive information to WikiLeaks supporters, described as an "anti-US and/or anti-military group". The suspected offence was "communicating with the enemy, 104-D", an article in the US Uniform Code of Military Justice that prohibits military personnel from "communicating, corresponding or holding intercourse with the enemy". The analyst's access to classified information was suspended. However, the investigators closed the case without laying charges. The analyst denied leaking information. Mr Assange remains holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London. He was granted diplomatic asylum on the grounds that if extradited to Sweden to be questioned about sexual assault allegations, he would be at risk of extradition to the US to face espionage or conspiracy charges arising from the leaking of hundreds of thousands of secret US military and diplomatic reports. US Vice-President Joe Biden labelled Mr Assange a "high-tech terrorist" in December 2010 and US congressional leaders have called for him to be charged with espionage.
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| Najib betting on generous budget Posted: 25 Sep 2012 06:35 PM PDT With the general election looming, the prime minister is expected to announce measures to help poorer families. (Reuters) - Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is expected to unveil a voter-pleasing budget on Friday, placing the priority on winning a tough election above addressing the country's rising debt burden. Economists say Najib will likely delay much-needed reforms to broaden Malaysia's tax base and reduce its dependence on oil revenues to at least next year, while announcing measures to help poorer families struggling with rising living costs. Strong revenues in 2012 mean Najib can afford to be generous in the budget for next year without alarming financial markets, but further signs of fiscal slippage would add to investor concerns over a steady deterioration in Malaysia's finances. Malaysia's public debt as a percentage of GDP is just short of its self-imposed ceiling of 55% – up from 43% in 2008 – while its budget deficit of 4.7% in the first half of 2012 is the third-biggest in Asia after Japan and India. Fitch Ratings said in August that Malaysia's public finances were weak compared with other countries on equivalent sovereign ratings (A minus) and on a par with heavily indebted countries such as Italy and Israel. "Very plainly this is going to be an election budget. It's going to be generous," said Irvin Seah, an economist at DBS Bank in Singapore. "At this point, the need for political support will take precedence over some economic considerations." Najib must call an election by next April and has already announced a series of handouts this year, including RM2.6 billion (US$847 million) in cash payments to poor families, to shore up support for the long-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. Although the coalition is widely expected to win the election, it suffered its worst-ever performance in 2008 polls and faces perhaps the closest-ever election this time as the opposition gains ground. 'People-friendly' The economy grew at a brisk annual pace of 5.4% in the second quarter, but many lower-income and middle-class earners complain their salaries have not kept pace with rising living costs and surging house prices. "The budget will be people-friendly and will ensure the country will achieve its goal to become a high-income nation by 2020," Deputy Finance Minister Donald Lim told reporters yesterday. Helped by strong economic growth, Malaysia's revenues for 2012 are expected to top RM200 billion, well above the government's RM187 billion target. But public spending is also growing, raising doubts over whether the government can achieve its goal of keeping the fiscal deficit at 4.7% of GDP this year. Several large infrastructure projects, including the RM50 billion Mass Rapid Transit transport project in Kuala Lumpur, are helping insulate Malaysia from slowing activity around the world but also risk increasing its debt burden. Rating agencies Standard & Poor's and Fitch recently warned of rising fiscal pressures in Malaysia that could lead to a downgrade. "While we are relatively positive about Malaysia's growth and inflation outlook, we are concerned about its fiscal position," said Credit Suisse analyst Santitarn Sathirathai in a research note. The ratings agencies want the government to introduce a goods and services tax (GST) to widen its revenue base in a country where only about 10 percent of the workforce pays income taxes and to cut fuel subsidies that are among Asia's highest. Malaysian policymakers have signalled they plan to implement those reforms, but not before the upcoming election. Najib is expected to set the deficit target for 2013 lower than the 4.7% goal for this year. In one bow to fiscal discipline, he is unlikely to announce any corporate or individual income tax cuts. Gundy Cahyadi, an economist at OCBC Bank in Singapore, said the government will be hoping that the heavy spending now will pay off in coming years through higher revenues. "People forget that it's just like any business decision – you need to invest a lot at the initial stage."
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| Sometimes I can’t understand Umno Posted: 25 Sep 2012 05:58 PM PDT Umno needs to walk the talk. If it wants to convince Malaysians that it is serious about reforms and that it respects the rights of Malaysians to free speech then Umno has to prove it. Talking alone is not enough. Unless you can demonstrate that you mean what you say then expect many voters to vote against you come the next general election. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin
I can't understand why Umno is making a big fuss regarding the foreign funding that Suaram, Bersih, Malaysiakini, and so on, are alleged to have received. Is it illegal for Malaysian organisations to receive money from overseas (or from local sources for that matter)? Organisations, especially NGOs, need donations and grants to survive. If not how would they operate? I myself donate monthly to the cancer research institute and the seeing-eye dogs for the blind NGO (http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/) here in the UK. They stand on street corners and go door-to-door to sign people up as monthly donors. In fact, the dog I have adopted is called 'Sparkle' and it is being loaned to a blind person for a payment of just one pound. Umno should demonstrate a bit of maturity and not treat everything as a political issue. Umno reminds me of the opposition supporters who question me as to where I get my funding from, as to who is sponsoring me, as to how I survive here in the UK, and whatnot. That is very childish -- raising issues that are a non-issue. Umno should not reduce itself to this level. The private jet that was loaned to the Pakatan Rakyat leaders is another issue that is silly. So a Malay businessman lent the opposition leaders the use of his jet -- or he paid the cost to rent a private jet. Is that wrong? The fact that the businessman does business in the Pakatan Rakyat ruled states should not be the excuse to turn this into an issue. You are just assuming that since this person is a businessman then there must be strings attached. That is malicious and mischievous. You are jumping to conclusions and are insinuating that one is considered guilty until proven innocent. Again, Umno is acting like those Pakatan Rakyat supporters who questioned me about my friend's yacht that I holidayed on in Phuket during the Christmas holidays last year. Actually, we had a meeting on that yacht and a few activists such as Haris Ibrahim also joined me a couple of days in Phuket. And that meeting was actually what resulted in me doing that NST interview on 1st January 2012. Another thing that Umno is being silly about is regarding Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah's statements. He has always demonstrated an independent spirit and has always spoken his mind. No doubt some of his statements and opinions may go against Barisan Nasional's 'party stand'. But then what Saifuddin said is very true and is mere coincidental that some of the things he says are what some people in Pakatan Rakyat are also saying. But just because what he says is sometimes also what those in the opposition say does not mean he is a traitor, Trojan horse, mole, or whatever. As the Deputy Higher Education Minister, what he says is very important because the youth are Malaysia's future. Hence it is very crucial that the youth are told the right things and who better to do that than the Deputy Education Minister himself, especially one from Umno? Umno, which has been in power for more than half a century, should know this and, therefore, should allow its ministers some degree of independence. Umno cannot always expect its leaders to just toe the party line. When it is right the leaders must be allowed to say it is right and if it is wrong to say it is wrong. Umno should prove to Malaysians that it is really interested in reforms and respects the rights of Malaysians to speak freely. Umno should not act like those in Pakatan Rakyat who are calling Nasharudin Mat Isa a Barisan Nasional agent, mole, Trojan horse, and whatnot, just because he speaks his mind and what he says does not go down well with the Pakatan Rakyat leaders. Umno should know that the days when you vilify someone for expressing an opinion opposite to yours is long gone. Maybe some in the opposition still do that but this is forgivable since Pakatan Rakyat has not ruled Malaysia for more than 50 years like Umno has. Hence, while the opposition can be excused for being less tolerant or matured, there is no excuse for Umno to also be like that. Umno needs to walk the talk. If it wants to convince Malaysians that it is serious about reforms and that it respects the rights of Malaysians to free speech then Umno has to prove it. Talking alone is not enough. Unless you can demonstrate that you mean what you say then expect many voters to vote against you come the next general election. That is all I wish to say to Umno. If Umno does not wish to listen that is their problem. Then expect the voters to show you what they think of your hypocrisy when they next go to the polls. And if the people vote against you don't get upset. You have only yourself to blame.
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| Posted: 25 Sep 2012 04:05 PM PDT The call is growing louder for the government to bar controversial Muslim preacher from coming here. Athi Shankar, FMT GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf Makkal Sakti and a local Gerakan leader have called on the government to bar controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik from Malaysia. Former president of Malaysian chapter of Transparency International, Tunku Aziz Ibrahim, meanwhile cautioned Zakir not to "come here and insult Malaysians". Hindraf national coordinator W Sambulingam was uncompromising with the movement's stand, saying that Zakir must be banned from the country. He said Zakir was known for pouring scorns on other faiths, pointing out that the controversial orator was banned in Canada and United Kingdom. He said Zakir would be a menace to the country's multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-culture and multi-language landscape. "He is a national threat against peace and harmony that we all cherish. He must be barred and banned altogether. "He is the last person that Malaysia wants," Sambulingam told FMT here today. Gerakan's Baljit Singh concurred with Sambulingam, saying that Malaysia had no place for religious fanatics like Zakir. He said the government should be sensitive to all religious sentiments as Zakir would likely insult other religions in his speeches. "His reputation precedes him," said Baljit, who heads Penang Gerakan's legal and human rights bureau. He noted that all Malaysians had demonstrated a united stand in condemning the controversial US-made movie "Innocence of Muslims". Similarly, he called on all Malaysians to also speak out with one voice to compel the government to stop Zakir coming here. Zakir of Mumbai, India, is expected to address several forums across the country, including in PWTC, until Oct 7. "Malaysians should demonstrate their consistent stand against religious extremism. It's time for all Malaysians to oppose Zakir and stop him from coming here," said Baljit. "The government should not issue a visa to Zakir. The government should be sensitive to all religions," he added.
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| Mansor vs Guan Eng: PKR mulakan inkuiri Posted: 25 Sep 2012 04:00 PM PDT Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail berkata, Lembaga Disiplin PKR telah pun memulakan siasatan berhubung dakwaan tersebut namun setakat ini masih belum menerima sebarang laporan rasmi. Jamilah Kamarudin, FMT PKR mengambil serius kontroversi kenyataan Timbalan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang 1 Datuk Mansor Othman yang menggelar Ketua Menteri Lim Guan Eng sebagai 'tokong'. Setiausaha Agung PKR Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail berkata, Lembaga Disiplin PKR telah pun memulakan siasatan berhubung dakwaan tersebut namun setakat ini masih belum menerima sebarang laporan rasmi. "Inkuiri dalaman telah berjalan, jika didapati wujudnya unsur-unsur sabotaj parti PKR tidak akan teragak-agak untuk ambil tindakan tegas Sementara itu, Timbalan Presiden PKR Azmin Ali berkata pihaknya tidak akan membenarkan sebarang unsur sabotaj terhadap parti dan pemimpin lain dalam Pakatan. "Kita menghormati kebebasan bersuara setiap ahli tetapi janganlah sampai mensabotaj parti dan pimpinan. "Kita tidak membuat sebarang pertuduhan kepada mana-mana individu,kerana Ketua Menteri dan Timbalan Ketua Menteri telah mengadakan perbincangan dan mengeluarkan kenyataan media. "Saya anggap isu mereka telah selesai kerana ia telah dibuat secara baik dan muafakat," katanya. Mansor nafi Mansor semasa mempengerusikan mesyuarat PKR Pulau Pinang Ogos lalu yang membincangkan mengenai persiapan PKR dalam Pilhan Raya Umum (PRU) 13 akan datang didakwa melahirkan rasa tidak puas hati terhadap Guan Eng yang dikatakan bersikap biadap, angkuh dan tidak boleh dipercayai. Namun Mansor menafikan perkara tersebut dan hanya mengaku bahawa dia menggelar Guan Eng sebagai tokong yang membawa maksud sebagai 'sanjungan tinggi dan penghormatan' rakyat terhadap pemimpin DAP itu. "Guan Eng macam tokong u know..to the Chinese…You cannot deny that. He is just like a tokong…Itu yang buat dia org sombong…very angkuh and arrogant..Get ourselves stronger. "Every seat kita target nak bertanding kena ada orang…stock ready candidates for areas nak bertanding…I have already asked Lau to identify areas for PKR to stand…Dia lawan kacau tempat kita, kita kena lawan," katanya dalam pendedahan rakaman audio yang tersebar dalam blog tempatan.
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| Marks of a good Malaysian leader Posted: 25 Sep 2012 03:49 PM PDT Ooi Kee Beng, New Mandala There is an anecdote told among close acquaintances of the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's feared and respected Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister in the early 1970s, that he once in confidence said that he felt he was at heart a greater racist than in his actions, unlike most of his politician colleagues, who were more opportunistic and were racists in words and deeds, but not at heart. And yet, he was the Malay leader that Chinese Malaysian leaders of his day trusted. In fact, even Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore has often reiterated that Tun Dr Ismail was the only Malaysian leader he had faith in. As a reflection of the Malaysian culture prevalent during his time perhaps, many of his best friends throughout his life were non-Malays. When Tun Dr Ismail was growing up in Johor Bahru, among his family's closest friends were the Cheahs, the Kuoks and the Puthuchearys. Dr Cheah Tiang Eam was a medical doctor who was very close to Ismail's father, Abdul Rahman Yassin. Ismail's elder brother, Suleiman, later a member of Malaya's first Cabinet, was sent to the Cheah home to learn English manners from Mrs Cheah, who was an English lady. Ismail was especially fond of the youngest Cheah daughters, who later married the Kuok brothers, Philip and Robert. The Kuoks would be among Ismail's closest friends in adult life. The painful process of securing independence and negotiating a workable path of nation building in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s seared the ever-present issue of race onto the political foreground, where it has stayed until today. Racial issues submerged consciousness of the inter-ethnic exchanges and cultural hybridisation, which continued nevertheless. Understandably, in many Malaysians, strong ethnocentric emotions were stimulated for a time, something that the ensuing politicking would not allow to dissipate. What went wrong, of course, when we look back over the last few decades, was that they allowed themselves to be manipulated into seeing themselves exhaustively in racial terms and not in citizenship terms. The political establishment grew to depend on this discourse, and turned it into a chronic pathological state.
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| Speaker blocks debate on AG Gani Patail Posted: 25 Sep 2012 03:10 PM PDT In a letter to Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Dewan Rakyat secretary Rosmee Hamzah said that oral questions posed at the House should not be based on hearsay and insults. G Vinod, FMT Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai's application to submit an oral question to debate on the allegations contained in the controversial book "Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail Pemalsu, Penipu, Penjenayah" was rejected by the Dewan Rakyat. In a letter to Tan, Dewan Rakyat secretary Rosmee Hamzah said that any questions at Parliament should not be based on hearsay and insults. "Standing Order 23 (1) C states that oral questions should not be based on prejudice, slander, praises, insults, confusing terms or any issue which is trivial," said Rosmee. A copy of the letter was also sent to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia and Home Ministry secretary Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi. In August, former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) advisory panel member Robert Phang challenged Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail to deny the allegations made in the book authored by Zainal Abidin Ahmad. The book lists details on Gani's alleged criminal acts ranging from abuse of power, corruption to other criminal acts. "I challenge the MACC and the police to probe the allegations made against Gani by the author," Phang was reported saying. He also lodged a police report against Gani. Gani has come under fire from various quarters over the years, with even former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim calling Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to establish a tribunal to investigate the alleged wrong-doings of the AG. The former policeman alleged that Gani had tampered with evidence during the Sodomy I trial in 1998 involving former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. "I believe Zainal, by himself, is unable to prove Gani's wrongdoings. But I can, and am able and ready to prove the allegations against Gani, in particular with regard to the falsification and fabrication in the investigation of the black-eye incident that is being debated until today," Mat Zain reportedly said.
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| Mansor did not deny audio contents Posted: 25 Sep 2012 03:04 PM PDT PKR has identified the culprit who allegedly leaked the incriminating audio recording involving Penang DCM Mansor Othman. Athi Shankar, FMT GEORGE TOWN: Just when PKR thought the worst was over, the CAT has reared its ugly head again, much to the chagrin of the party's Penang chief and Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman. CAT here is not the "competency, accountability and transparency" tune routinely sung by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng about his Pakatan Rakyat state administration. In this instance CAT means "cocky, arrogant, tokong", a refence Mansor allegedly made to Lim. Ties between the two top state leaders are now at its lowest ebb, with Pakatan sources claiming that "Lim is really pissed off with Mansor". Mansor had allegedly voiced these words during a closed door meeting between him and come local Chinese leaders, including incumbent elected representatives. An alleged audio recording of the closed door meeting was aired during TV3′s prime time Monday night. If the audio recording was authentic, as claimed by TV3 sources, then Mansor could clearly be heard using the words "angkuh" (cocky) and "sombong" (arrogant). He also allegedly described Lim as a "tokong" (deity) to the Chinese community. When the CAT controversy emerged as a hot issue last month, Mansor denied he described Lim as "cocky and arrogant", but admitted saying "tokong" in a positive note. But, when asked today, Mansor did not deny the aired audio recording contents, instead suggested that the leaking and airing of audio recording were all tied up with the coming general election. He mused over how much the television station paid to obtain the audio recording. Whether or not Mansor's alleged description of Lim was spot on, the Penanti assemblyman has surely fueled Lim's wrath. Mansor now faces a tough political future in Penang so long as Lim, from Malacca, hangs around in the island-state. A PKR source said Mansor, who is a party vice-president, must now move out of Penang to safeguard his political interests, alleging that Lim could be "vindictive and vengeful." The source said PKR feared that Lim would order DAP leaders and members not to help Mansor's campaign in the coming general election. The leaked details of the meeting were first published in June postings of a blog "Gelagat Anwar", which sources said was being operated by some insiders close with a top state PKR leader. In its postings in June 16, 18 and 19, the blog revealed that state PKR deputy chief Law Choo Kiang, Bukit Bendera division deputy chief Felix Ooi, Bayan Baru deputy chief Tan Seng Keat, 2004 candidate for Bayan Baru Raymond Ong, Tanjung Youth chief Ng Chek Siang; Batu Uban chief Cheah Peng Guan and Mansor's assistant John Ooi were among those who attended the casual meeting. Notable absentees were assemblymen Jason Ong Khan Lee of Kebun Bunga, Tan Hock Leong of Machang Bubok, Sim Tze Tzin of Pantai Jerejak and Ong Chin Wen of Bukit Tengah.
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| Bersih: We got funds only once Posted: 25 Sep 2012 02:42 PM PDT
(The Star) - The Bersih movement had received funds from the George Soros-linked Open Society Foundation only once, which was for an electoral delineation project last year, said Bersih chairman Datuk S. Ambiga. The group is now "fully supported" by Malaysians, she told a press conference here yesterday. Present were representatives from five other non-governmental groups the Centre for Independent Journalism, Lawyers for Liberty, Merdeka Centre, Southeast Centre for E-Media and Suaram. Ambiga said the Open Society promoted democracy and there was "nothing wrong" receiving funds from it. "All these about him being responsible for the (1997/98 Asian economy) collapse should be looked at again," she said, in an apparent reference to a report in an English newspaper that blamed Soros for wrecking the Malaysian economy in 1997/98 through currency speculation. Ambiga said there were many sides to the story, with some saying that locals not Soros were responsible for it. Ambiga said another English daily had written a "one-sided and irresponsible" report that two global funders and nine organisations were part of a "plot to destabilise the Government". She has demanded an apology from the paper within 48 hours. In a statement released at the end of the press conference, Bersih and the other groups claimed that the report in the daily was a crude attack on civil society in Malaysia.
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| Pro-Aspirasi sweeps to victory in campus polls Posted: 25 Sep 2012 02:27 PM PDT
(The Star) - The pro-establishment group, Pro-Aspirasi, has won with huge majorities in campus elections in seven public universities. It won in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) and Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM). In UPM, Pro-Aspirasi took 39 of the 47 seats while Pro-Mahasiswa bagged seven. Pro-Aspirasi candidates also swept 34 of 36 seats in UUM, 18 of 20 seats in UMT, 22 of 24 in UMP and won every seat in UPNM. Fifteen public universities held their campus elections yesterday. Pro-Aspirasi is seen to be pro-establishment while Pro-Mahasiswa is perceived to be anti-establishment. However, in Universiti Malaya (UM), conflicting reports have emerged about who actually won the campus elections. Although the Pro-Mahasiswa student group claimed that it had won 22 of the 43 seats contested, edging out its rival which had 19 seats, Pro-Aspirasi insisted that it had actually won 21 while Pro-Mahasiswa only bagged 20. Two more seats were tied between the two groups. Marwan Kahar, chairman of Penggerak Mahasiswa, which is in the UM's Pro-Aspirasi camp, claimed that the Pro-Mahasiswa supporters had jumped the gun in declaring their win. "Of the 22 candidates they claim are theirs, two candidates are actually independent. "We'll leave these two candidates to decide which side they'll be on," he said. However, Pro-Mahasiswa alleged that their rivals actually only garnered 17 seats instead of 19 because the other two seats were won by independents. The UM campus polls results are unofficial as it is subject to a 24-hour objection period and a further 24-hour appeal period. The final results will only be known tomorrow. In Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Pro-Mahasiswa won 18 out of the 28 seats while Pro-Aspirasi bagged 10. Pro-Aspirasi won most of the 45 seats contested in the three Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) campuses in Penang and Kelantan. At the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), deputy rector (Student Affairs) Datuk Dr Mizan Hitam said the election results could not be formally announced due to a technical problem during the e-voting process. "Some votes were not captured due to the incomplete encryption process," he said, adding that a re-election exercise was expected to be carried out in a week's time.
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| Clip of DCM’s remarks on Guan Eng on the Net Posted: 25 Sep 2012 02:15 PM PDT
(The Star) - An audio clip, purportedly of Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mansor Othman describing Lim Guan Eng as "cocky and arrogant", has been leaked on the Net. The recording was posted by YouTube user akulah7704, with slide photos of Mansor and the chief minister flashed on the screen, under the title Pendedahan Penipuan Timbalan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang (Exposing the lies of Penang deputy chief minister). Mansor, who is state PKR chief, had allegedly remarked that Penangites viewed the chief minister as a tokong (deity). On Monday night, TV3 aired on its prime time news bulletin the recording of the remarks, said to be made at a party meeting in March to discuss the general election. Speaking to reporters here yesterday, Mansor said action would be taken against those who leaked the minutes of the meeting. "There have been some findings on the investigations," he said, declining to disclose more information. "This is a party matter. Action will be taken," he said, after presenting mock keys for low-cost units to 57 families affected by the third phase construction of the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway here. Mansor said the surfacing of the audio clip was a smear tactic because of the looming general election, reiterating that he had not seen the news programme. "I know there was a news report but I did not see it. I was away at the time. "The elections are coming, that is all I have to say." Asked to comment on the issue, Lim said: "TV3 likes to twist and turn." bGr-exGnlAg SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGr-exGnlAg
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| GE13 to show if Malays will ditch Umno, says Zaid Posted: 25 Sep 2012 02:05 PM PDT
Jahabar Sadiq, The Malaysian Insider The next general elections will reveal if the majority Malays are ready to abandon "the path chosen for them by Umno for the last 55 years" and seek other answers to the problems they face, says political maverick Datuk Zaid Ibrahim. The former Umno minister said he sensed the Malay nationalist party was fearful of the community's changing mindset, which has prompted Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to castigate "so-called ungrateful Malays" recently. His comments came as a Universiti Malaya survey showed that the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) will continue to govern the country despite rising support for Pakatan Rakyat (PR). "This election, more than the previous ones, will show if the Malays and the Bumiputeras are ready to abandon the path chosen for them by Umno for the last 55 years," Zaid said in an email to The Malaysian Insider. "This election will show if they are now ready to trust themselves. For so long, they have implicit and absolute trust in their leaders. The question is will they continue to do that or will they seek alternative answers to the many problems they face in their daily lives," he added.
The original Alliance comprising Umno, MCA and MIC was expanded to become BN in the 1974 election, after the 1969 race riots that cost Tunku Abdul Rahman his job. Umno was later deregistered in 1988 after a leadership split led to the discovery of illegal branches. The current Umno is officially registered as Umno Baru. A splinter group in 1951 later became known as PAS, which advocates an Islamist state. BN suffered historic losses in Election 2008, losing five states and its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority. The defeat prompted Tun Abdullah Badawi to resign a year later as prime minister in favour of Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who has been tirelessly campaigning to win back support for the ruling BN. Najib has promised reforms but has yet to indicate when he will call for the election, which must be held by middle of 2013. Former prime minister Dr Mahathir (right) has said November would be ideal for a snap election and, while calling the Malays "ungrateful" and "lacking intelligence", warned that the greed of a few power-hungry Malays in the opposition would see the country's dominant race lose its political power. In his lengthy tirade against the Malays in the Mingguan Malaysia weekly on Sunday, Dr Mahathir expressed sadness that the Malays were now purportedly split into three factions and said that this has resulted in them "begging" for support from the other races. "Who brought on this disaster? No other than the Malays themselves, greedy Malays, Malays lacking in intelligence, Malays easily influenced by lust, easily dominated by hatred when agitated," he continued in typical no-holds-barred fashion.
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| PKFZ trial postponed as Liong Sik hospitalised Posted: 25 Sep 2012 01:57 PM PDT
Hafidz Baharom, The Malaysian Insider Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik's cheating trial involving the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal was today interrupted suddenly when the former minister fell ill midway through his testimony and was rushed to the hospital. "My client has been taken ill, and we would like to request a postponement because he is suffering from low blood sugar and needs to be rushed to hospital for treatment," Dr Ling's defence lawyer, Wong Kian Kheong, told the court. Judge Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi said the hearing will resume on Friday.
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| Dr M called to testify in Liong Sik trial Posted: 25 Sep 2012 01:52 PM PDT Hafidz Baharom, The Malaysian Insider Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been issued a court order to testify in defence of former Cabinet minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik's ongoing cheating trial involving the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), a source disclosed today. "He's been subpoenaed. For the week starting October 8," a spokesman for the defence team told reporters at court, referring to Malaysia's fourth and longest-serving prime minister of 22 years. Dr Mahathir, who was in office from 1981 to October 2003, had previously been implicated in the multi-billion ringgit land scandal that began as a project aimed at turning Port Klang into a regional transport hub. In his previous testimony last July 13, Dr Ling told the court that Dr Mahathir had been kept "fully involved" throughout the entire conception process of the PKFZ project. "The PM was kept fully involved in everything I did. He (Dr Mahathir) was so kind... he knew I was onto something good so I could fly overseas anytime. "Because when I have meetings with shipping agencies abroad, I cannot wait for Cabinet to approve my leave so he would let me go," he said then when asked to explain how the idea for PKFZ had come about. "In any government, if the PM supports you, three-quarters of the battle is won... and he (Dr Mahathir) was so supportive," he added. The former transport minister who served for 17 years from January 1986 to May 2003 launched into a lengthy tale behind the conception of the PKFZ, which he said was mooted to save the country's busiest port from further decline and to lift it to become one of the world's top 10 ports. The former MCA president is charged with deceiving the Cabinet into approving the purchase of 999.5 acres of land for the PKFZ project, which had resulted in wrongful losses for the government. He also faces two alternative charges of deceiving the Cabinet into believing that the terms of the purchase — at RM25 psf plus 7.5 per cent interest — were acknowledged and agreed to by the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH) despite knowing that there was no such agreement. Dr Ling faces a possible jail term of up to seven years, or a fine, or both, if convicted on the first charge under Section 418 of the Penal Code. The alternative charges carry a lighter sentence of five years' jail, or a fine, or both. The trial before High Court judge Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi will resume this Friday.
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| No longer any sense of decency Posted: 25 Sep 2012 01:37 PM PDT ************************* SEPT 25 – I don't know about you but I am disgusted with Umno and its sycophants, MCA and Gerakan, and I believe that we have to reject them wholesale for: 1) The culture of idiocy they nurture. There is a difference between BN and Pakatan Rakyat. Whenever Lim Guan Eng or Khalid Ibrahim is accused of wrongdoing they don't hide. They come out with proof, sue to clear their name and even engage international audit firms. In contrast, till today no one knows how Altantuya Shaariibuu's immigration records were erased or why the RM250 million sweet deal was given to Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's family or how Cabinet ministers are able to live a life of luxury on RM18,000 a month.  Till today, there has been no rebuttal of the fact that millions of ringgit were paid in kickbacks to the highest offices in Putrajaya from a submarine deal.
2) The dumbing down of Malaysia. Umno newsletter, the New Straits Times, reported that local NGOs had received RM20 million to destabilise the government. These journalists must be as dense as their political masters.  And now we have Gerakan politicians going after possibly the cleanest politician in Penang. See, this is the new strategy of the desperate. if you feel threatened by any individual or organisation just keep on flinging mud at them and hope that some of it sticks.
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Umno was founded in 1946 to oppose the Malayan Union established by the British colonialists to unite all states in the Malay peninsula, which were mainly agrarian then. Umno's second president, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, together with allies MCA and MIC negotiated Malaya's independence in 1957 and later formed Malaysia with Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore. Singapore was then expelled in 1965.
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