Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Ling’s defence witness to be impeached
- SMEs against Pakatan's budget promise
- Bersih 2.0 not involved in Pakatan rally
- PKR claims S’gor rejected petrochemical plant
- Dong Zong gets a lashing
- PKR deputy president Azmin Ali's call for new Selangor MB rocks Pakatan’s boat
- Minister defends ex-Chief Secretary’s son-in-law over solar deal
- RM6.7m for a KR1M store?
- Squabbling in Penang PKR may get worse
- PKR MP promoting MIC leader?
- Pakatan to hold demo on poll reforms
- Suaram: subpoena finally served on Scorpene witness
- ‘Only RM10 paid to settle Talam debts’
- Azmin: Khalid to get minister’s job if Pakatan takes Putrajaya
- Record-setting wedding of Ali Rustam’s son paid for by sponsors
- Hisham says would appeal court decision on news portal’s print permit
- In Malaysia, Court Backs Right to Print a Newspaper
- Malaysia slips in Internet freedom; same ranking as Libya
- Five awarded RM4.06mil over unlawful detention under ISA
- There’s a ‘DAP ghost’ in Penang PKR
- Who is lying – Chin or Wong?
- Nazri: Large number of foreigners in Sabah not a threat
- Ex-wife claims Bekir has RM700mil in 111 accounts
- 'Soros must explain Suaram involvement'
- UK factory production lower as orders slump
- Britain's economy slows as firms' hiring, investment plans ease
- Don’t be complacent, Lim warns Pakatan
- "Oops, My Bad," says Chegubard on 1Malaysia exercise book article
- PKR sees CAT as ‘storm in a teacup’
- ‘Friendship’ turned nightmare for Musa
- Portal accused of misusing art
- BN will wrest back Selangor with 32 seats, says Noh Omar
- Pakatan pledges to focus on household income not equity targets
- Mansor still dodging ‘cocky Lim’ issue
- PM shreds Opposition's policy framework Buku Jingga
| Ling’s defence witness to be impeached Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:20 PM PDT
(The Sun Daily) - The prosecution in the cheating trial of former transport minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik has notified the High Court that it intends to impeach a witness, who is a former minister. Lead prosecutor Datuk Tun Majid Tun Hamzah yesterday told Justice Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi that the prosecution would impeach former tourism, culture and arts minister Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Syeikh Fadzir (pic) when hearing resumes tomorrow. However, he did not offer a reason. Abdul Kadir, 74, who was the third defence witness in Ling's trial, had served as a minister from 1999 to 2006. During cross-examination, Abdul Kadir was repeatedly questioned on several documents regarding the price of the 1,000-acre Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) land in Pulau Indah, including the valuation report by the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH). Asked if he thought the land price of RM25 psf was inclusive of 6% interest, Abdul Kadir said it did not, based on his understanding of the report. However, during examination-in-chief by defence counsel Wong Kian Kheong, Abdul Kadir admitted that he remembered nothing of the case (the PKFZ project). "I told the police very honestly that I do not remember this case at all," he said. He also said he could not remember a cabinet note dated Oct 23, 2002, or when it was presented to the cabinet. "When this was presented, I don't remember. It was so technical and it had nothing to do with my ministry, so I didn't pay attention," he said. Abdul Kadir said he had known Ling for almost 30 years and found him to be a humble man who performed his duties with integrity. "He was a leader for the Chinese community but I was close to him because he was a true Malaysian," he added. Abdul Kadir also said he never knew of any wrongdoing by Ling throughout the time he (Ling) was minister. Ling, 69, is charged under Section 417 and 418 of the Penal Code for deceiving the cabinet by withholding details of the terms and conditions agreed between KDSB and the Port Klang Authority. Ling is charged with deliberately concealing the actual price of the land, which was valued at RM21 psf by JPPH, and for failing to reveal an interest of 7.5% per year over and above the price of the land at RM25 psf. The hearing continues.
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| SMEs against Pakatan's budget promise Posted: 03 Oct 2012 06:46 PM PDT
Teh: Says PR's minimum wage promise will create new problem for Malaysia (The Malay Mail) - A group of businessmen from small and medium enterprises have objected to the Pakatan Rakyat minimum wage promise, made in its 2013 shadow budget unveiled last week. SMI Association of Malaysia president Teh Kee Sin said the opposition coalition's promise to increase the minimum wage to RM1,100 a month compared to the government's RM900 a month would adversely affect small and medium business along with the country's economy.
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| Bersih 2.0 not involved in Pakatan rally Posted: 03 Oct 2012 06:41 PM PDT It will, however, support any party in favour of electoral reforms. K Pragalath, FMT Electoral reform watchdog, Bersih 2.0 today announced that it has no role in the upcoming rally organised by Pakatan Rakyat on Nov 3 at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium. "We have nothing to do with that. It is entirely organised by a political party," said Bersih 2.0 co-chairman S Ambiga at a press conference held in Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH). Yesterday, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu announced that Pakatan Rakyat is organising a rally on Nov 3 in Bukit Jalil stadium as a result of government's failure to implement electoral reforms. However Ambiga said that Bersih would support the calls for electoral reforms. "All political parties should also do (rallies) because all that we want are free and fair elections," she said. Ambiga also revealed that Bersih steering committee received an invitation to attend the rally. "Individually, we can go. We (the committee) haven't met (to discuss) on the role that Bersih should play in this rally," she said. In a related development, Ambiga, who is a former Bar Council president, also questioned whether the Election Commission (EC) has began implementing the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms (PSC). "We'd like to know whether the EC has began implementing the recommendations," she said. The PSC had released its report on recommendations on electoral reforms in April.
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| PKR claims S’gor rejected petrochemical plant Posted: 03 Oct 2012 04:06 PM PDT Chua Jui Meng clams that the same Taiwanese petrochemical firms approached the Selangor government last year before to build the plant in Pulau Indah. Laven Woon, FMT The Selangor government had once rejected proposals by Taiwanese investors to set up a petrochemical plant in the state before the latter turned to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to build the plant in Pengerang, Johor. At a press conference here today, PKR Johor chairman Chua Jui Meng claimed that Taiwan state-owned oil refiner China Petroleum Corporation and Chemical Corp (CPC) and its subsidiary Kuokuang Petrochemical Co (Kuokuang) had approached the Selangor government through its representative company Everwish Sdn Bhd last year. He said the multi-billion investors had proposed to build the petrochemical complex in Pulau Indah, an island off the west coast of Selangor, with total investments worth billions of ringgit. "But after a detailed study done on the project, all agencies in Selangor opted against the project, and the Selangor menteri besar rejected their proposal in February 2011," he said. Despite the absence of documentary evidence, Chua claimed that Selangor's rejection was due to severe ecological and environmental impact the project would pose to the area. He said the menteri besar's decision was consistent with the one of Taiwan president Ma Ying-Jeou, who had turned down CPC and Kuokuang's proposal due to public protests in that country. He said the two companies then turned to Petronas and Johor Menter Besar Abdul Ghani Othman for the project to be sited in Pengerang, which the latter welcomed with open arms. "On May 13, 2011, within such a short span, their proposal was accepted by Najib and Ghani without considering the Environmental Impact Assessment reports done in Taiwan and Selangor. "And Najib shows how grateful he is by giving a 10-year tax holiday to the companies," he said. Chua also criticised Najib and Ghani for "grabbing what Taiwan and Selangor rejected" and added that "Johor was chosen as a dumping ground". However, a check by FMT found that Najib only announced on May 13 this year that an undisclosed Taiwan-based petrochemicals firm has agreed to invest RM35 billion to build a new integrated complex in Pengerang. Meanwhile, Selangor exco for investment, industry and trade Teresa Kok confirmed that the Taiwanese companies did approach the state government. However, she said it was the two companies which did not pursue the proposals. "We did have some concerns internally on the environmental impacts it might pose, because our Selangor Halal Food Hub is situated there. But it was more like the two companies who did not follow up," she added.
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| Posted: 03 Oct 2012 02:24 PM PDT
(The Star) - A BLOGGER has called supporters of the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) "racists" who will ultimately "destroy our Chinese culture". A copy of the posting was carried by The Mole online portal. In his blog post on Monday, Shen Yee Aun said he disagreed with Dong Zong on several issues, namely the organisation's preference for Chinese teachers. Shen questioned the need for Dong Zong to ask for more teachers, saying that "those who are not qualified and do not have the quality would destroy our Chinese education and language even further". He also said a true Chinese education fighter would have agreed to "open up the teaching posts at Chinese schools to all races and not restrict them to certain races". "Dong Zong's narrow-minded views would result in the Malaysian Chinese community being left behind economically, politically and socially," he added. Shen was quoted as saying that Dong Zong is being racially-motivated in its aims for Chinese education. This is because it had restricted other races from learning the Chinese language but "the Malays encourage our Malaysian Chinese to learn their own language". Shen also cited that Dong Zong was always critical of Barisan Nasional, especially MCA, more than against Pakatan Rakyat. "Pakatan has not given a single sen, promise, policy, manifesto, demands, schools and basically nothing for the Chinese community and Chinese education, so why is Dong Zong questioning Barisan's sincerity?" he asked. Shen reminded Dong Zong that during the Budget 2013 announcement, the Government had allocated RM100mil to the country's Chinese schools compared with Pakatan, whom he claimed had given nothing. Shen said he went to a national school during his school years, saying that Chinese groups who refuse to mingle with the other races in the country would "sooner or later find themselves living in their own world, separate from the rest of the society". He faulted these groups for pushing some segments of the Malays to label the Chinese as racists. Shen advised the groups to open up their hearts and minds to the other races. "Treat them like how you treat your own race. They will treat you as part of their community even though you are born a Chinese," he added.
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| PKR deputy president Azmin Ali's call for new Selangor MB rocks Pakatan’s boat Posted: 03 Oct 2012 02:18 PM PDT
(The Star) - PKR deputy president Azmin Ali's statement calling for a new Mentri Besar should Pakatan Rakyat retain Selangor in the general election is threatening to cause cracks within the party. Calling the statement a "result of hubris" in light of Azmin's hope for electoral victory, party vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar said this was merely "just an opinion". "I believe in his exuberance and hubris for electoral victory, voicing his personal opinion on all possibilities of leadership is just that - his personal opinion," she said. Nurul Izzah, who is the daughter of Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, was responding to a statement by Azmin in a Malay daily which implied that Pakatan would appoint a new Mentri Besar should it retain Selangor in the polls. The Lembah Pantai MP said it would have been more prudent for Azmin to first bring up his opinion with all the stakeholders. Faekah Husin, who is Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim's political secretary, expressed her disappointment that both PKR and Azmin had not discussed the matter first with their office. "The law states that the Sultan has the final say on who the MB is although the party can put forward its candidate. PKR has never discussed this with us on the potential line-up or who will be MB," she said. However, PKR vice-president N. Surendran defended Azmin, saying that Khalid should look at the statement "as a compliment". "Those who claim this to be an insult to the Sultan don't understand Parliamentary democracy and the position of a monarch within it," he claimed. Fellow vice-president Tian Chua said Faekah was "not supposed to be commenting on political issues". In SHAH ALAM, Khalid said Azmin's statement was merely his "personal opinion and did not represent Pakatan as a whole". "Decisions on who is to be fielded, where and why will only be announced if necessary," he said, adding that a special state assembly meeting would be called soon to discuss three main issues, including a White Paper report on Talam debt recovery exercise. PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali said such matters had never been discussed at Pakatan's leadership council meetings. "Leaders should stop making statements based on personal views because decisions should be collectively made by the top leadership," he said. Mustafa also blasted Selangor PKR information chief Shuhaimi Shafiei for saying that 20 PKR leaders would be appointed to the Cabinet should Pakatan attain power. "Announcements should not be based on personal views as they will only confuse the public," he stressed.
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| Minister defends ex-Chief Secretary’s son-in-law over solar deal Posted: 03 Oct 2012 02:07 PM PDT
Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider A minister today defended the lucrative solar power contracts by companies linked to Todd Morath, the son-in-law of the former Chief Secretary to the Government, saying that the deals were awarded through a "fair bidding process". In July, the DAP's Tony Pua and PKR's Nurul Izzah Anwar had pointed out that Morath, his wife Suzi Suliana Mohd Sidek, and two business partners control 12 out of 32 companies that had won the "lion's share" or 32.4 per cent of the nation's solar energy quota. Suzi's father, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, was appointed the new Petronas chairman after his retirement in June from his post as Chief Secretary to the Government. "But I want to underline the companies owned by Mr Todd, he used the method of bidding online, not he wants to see me, (not) me who gave him... he did online bidding like other people and other companies," Datuk Seri Peter Chin, the minister of energy, green technology and water, said in Parliament. "Because of that, how can I blame him because he is the son-in-law of the former KSN (Chief Secretary)? Cannot," the Miri MP said. "This is a fair bidding process, because it's fair, he won, he got it. I didn't interfere. CEO of SEDA (Sustainable Energy Development Authority) didn't interfere," he said. "Don't accuse with facts that are not true..." he added. Chin was replying to a supplementary question by Fuziah Salleh (PKR-Kuantan) during Question Time in Parliament.
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| Posted: 03 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT Under Budget 2013, the allocation to set up a 1Malaysia grocery store in Sabah and Sarawak will cost RM6.7 million. Athi Shankar, FMT Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is curious on why it costs RM6.7 million to set up a 1Malaysia grocery store (KR1M) in Sabah and Sarawak when it only costs RM470,000 per store in the Peninsular. Last year, he recalled that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak set aside RM40 million to set up 85 KR1Ms, or RM470,000 per store, across the Peninsular. But Budget 2013, he noted had allocated RM386 million to set up 57 KR1Ms, or RM6.7 million per store, in Sabah and Sarawak. "It's 15 times costlier," said the DAP secretary-general. He called on Barisan Nasional federal government to justify the RM6.7 million spending to set up a KR1M just to sell basic necessities like sugar, rice and salt. "Or are the KR1Ms also selling luxury goods like designer handbags, gold and diamond jewellery?" he asked in a blog posting. The KR1M stores are run by Mydin Wholesale Hypermarket. The Bagan MP claimed that the allocation would benefit those awarded contracts to operate the stores and drive local retailers in Sabah and Sarawak out of business. Power tariffs The Pakatan Rakyat leader also criticised Budget 2013′s failure to announce the inevitable increase of electricity tariffs. He said it proved again BN's 3Ds record of deficits, debts and deception compared with Pakatan state government's 3S achievement of surplus, sustainable debt reduction and stern action against corruption. He said the budget was clearly an exercise in deception as Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui admitted that a future tariff increase was inevitable due to growing international fuel price. In an interview with a vernacular newspaper, Peter Chin did not reveal the time and quantum of the electricity tariff hike. But he pointed out that higher electricity prices would encourage the public to save energy and switch to products with green technology. Lim reproached Peter Chin's admission as "shocking", asking on why then this was not announced in the budget tabled by Najib on Sept 28. "Any responsible government would have included it in the budget," he said. Continuing deficit He said BN's budget of RM252 billion cannot mask a persistent record of deficits for the 16th year estimated at RM40 billion. He recalled that the last time the country had a budget surplus was in 1997 when Anwar Ibrahim was still the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister.
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| Squabbling in Penang PKR may get worse Posted: 02 Oct 2012 05:44 PM PDT
LEAKED RECORDING: Two leaders at meeting named in report |
| Posted: 02 Oct 2012 05:05 PM PDT BN leader accuses incumbent S Manickavasagam of promoting MIC CWC memebr A Sakthivel for the Kapar seat. G Vinod, FMT PKR's Kapar MP S Manickavasagam is working in cahoots with MIC central working committte member A Sakthivel, promoting the latter for his parliamentary seat, claimed a Barisan Nasional man. The senior BN leader, claiming anonymity, said this was proven when incumbent Manickavasagam promoted Sakthivel at a function on Monday at the Hoe Tian Keong Temple. "Manickavasagam said that he would like to see Sakthivel contesting for the Kapar seat in a speech at the function attended by about 1,600 people, and they all heard it," claimed the leader. Disappointed, the BN leader accused Sakthivel of using Manickavasagam to promote his own political agenda. "Manickavasagam was promoting Sakthivel because both are friends, but the latter must understand that seats allocation for the general election is decided by the BN leadership. "I don't know how Pakatan Rakyat works, but in BN we must abide by party decisions. People may get confused by Manickavasagam's announcement," said the leader. I was being sarcastic, says Manicka Manickavasagam, however, dismissed the BN leader's accusation, saying he was just being sarcastic with his remark. He said that many aspirants for the seat came to the function, including Kapar MIC division chief P Ganesan and Pemandu committee member D Ravindran. "These people just showed up. Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Deputy Minister Chua Tee Yong and Kapar MCA division chairman Song Kee Chai also attended the function. "All I said was that Ganesan and Sakthivel should pray hard so that their party leadership will choose either one of them to contest in Kapar. I was being sarcastic," said Manickavasagam. He also said that most of his speech on the day was about Pakatan's leadership in the state and its achievements. Meanwhile, Sakthivel also dismissed the BN leader's accusation, saying Manickavasagam was not promoting him for Kapar. "He didn't mean it that way. He was merely addressing the people there. As for me, I just had my meal and left the function soon after," he said.
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| Pakatan to hold demo on poll reforms Posted: 02 Oct 2012 05:02 PM PDT Its top leadership said the decision was made following the government's failure to meet growing calls for electoral reforms. Syed Jaymal Zahiid, FMT Pakatan Rakyat today announced its plan to hold a mass gathering on Nov 3 following the government's failure to meet demands for poll reforms, mainly the calls to clean up the electoral roll and media fairness. PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu told reporters in Parliament building here that Pakatan is expecting a crowd as big as 500,000 while the venue chosen for the event is the Bukit Jalil National Stadium. "The government has yet to meet the eight core demands made by Bersih, especially on the need to clean up the electoral roll and media fairness. "Because Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had suggested that if we want to hold any gatherings we should do it at Bukit Jalil, so we have decided to choose that place to hold our gathering," he said. Bersih and opposition leaders have repeatedly accused the Election Commission (EC) of deliberate inaction over allegations of discrepancies in the voters' roll, calling it a conspiracy to help the present government restore its two-thirds mandate in the upcoming polls. EC officials denied the allegations, saying its move to adopt the recommendations made by the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on polls reforms proved it was sincere in ensuring a clean and fair election. The PSC was set up by Najib after several protests held by Bersih and backed by the opposition threatened to shake his government, but he maintained that elections in Malaysia had always been fair. A national threat Just recently a Sabah daily published a report on the admission by a foreigner that he had purchased a Malaysian identity card for only RM1,000 and he was also a registered voter. Opposition election monitoring group Jingga 13 said today this strengthens allegations of bias against the EC and there is a continuous joint effort between the EC and the BN to ensure the ruling coalition retain power. "This is a very serious case. It is a national threat and swift action must be taken," Fariz Musa, the group's chief coordinator, told the same press conference. PKR vice-president Tian Chua said the rally was not only to voice opposition demands but the "aspirations" of all Malaysians who want clean and fair elections. The gathering will be themed "People's Uprising" and Pakatan said it will adopt yellow as the event's main colour. Yellow was also the official colour of the Bersih movement.
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| Suaram: subpoena finally served on Scorpene witness Posted: 02 Oct 2012 04:45 PM PDT
(Malaysian Digest) - Suaram revealed that a subpoena has finally been served on one of the witnesses proposed by the human rights group to assist in the French judicial probe on alleged corruption in Malaysia's purchase of two Scorpene submarines from French naval defence company DCNS. "The inquiry is progressing and we've been allowed to tell you that the first subpoena has reached the first witness. However, Cynthia confirmed that the subpoena was served on one of the seven witnesses which it had proposed to the French courts probing the Scorpene deal. The other six proposed witnesses were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, private investigator P Balasubramaniam, Najib's confidante Abdul Razak Baginda and the latter's spouse and father - Mazlinda Makhzan and Abdul Malim Baginda. Another speaker at the forum, Tenaganita executive director Irene Fernandez said the Companies Commission Malaysia's (CCM) harassment of Suaram was exactly what happened to Tenaganita - which, like Suaram, is registered as a company - when it exposed deaths of migrant workers in an immigration detention camp in 1996. This modus operandi in the past, like now, she said, was to portray that Tenaganita was supposedly providing false financial information and having improper accounts. Cynthia and Suaram founding member R Sivarasa, who is now Subang parliamentarian, are both expected to give their statement to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) later today after the regulator roped in the police to compel the duo's cooperation under the Criminal Procedure Code. "We stressed that Suaram is not and was not doing anything wrong. The transition from a business to a company was only for expansion and better accountability.
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| ‘Only RM10 paid to settle Talam debts’ Posted: 02 Oct 2012 04:33 PM PDT Chua Tee Yong cites 2009 documents regarding Talam's debts to Unisel and PNSB. Patrick Lee, FMT Two Selangor state-owned companies, according to the MCA, only received RM10 each from the Talam debt settlement exercise, despite being owed millions of ringgit. Pointing to 2009 documents, MCA Young Professionals Bureau Chua Tee Yong said that both Universiti Selangor (Unisel) and Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd (PNSB) were given these amounts. This, he alleged, was despite Unisel being owed RM248 million and PNSB RM28 million. "Assignment of Debt Agreement" documents dated Nov 3, 2009 read: "Now therefore this agreement witnesses… the sum of RM10 now paid by the assignee to the assignor." With this, Chua claimed that Unisel's financial condition had worsened, and that PNSB was made to service a RM230 million loan with an RM86 million interest. Asked if he knew of the current payment status to these two companies, he said: "You have to ask the Selangor government." The Labis MP also came up with new figures to the Talam matter, in a claim that the Selangor government over-valuated the Talam land. He said that assets acquired through the debt settlement came up to RM676 million. Also, he included the total interest cost borne by PNSB (RM86 million) and a discount given to Talam by the state government (RM36 million). Altogether, he estimated the cost of the Talam deal to be RM798 million. In July, Chua started on several exposé against the Selangor government, claiming that the administration had used RM1 billion to bail out Talam Corporation Bhd. He claimed that Selangor had done so via a RM392 million supplementary budget passed in the State's Legislative Assembly in 2009. Chua added that the state bought an additional RM676 million worth of assets from Talam. Both Pakatan and the state vehemently denied these claims, and have since appointed independent audit firms to check the Talam matter in a show of transparency.
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| Azmin: Khalid to get minister’s job if Pakatan takes Putrajaya Posted: 02 Oct 2012 04:06 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim is likely to be made a Cabinet minister if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wins the general election, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has said. He told Malay daily Sinar Harian that this would mean Khalid would vacate the Selangor mentri besar's position even if PR retains the state in the next general election. Azmin's remarks are likely to trigger speculation about whether he is eyeing a tilt at becoming Selangor MB, but he did not comment about his own plans. Azmin, who is Gombak MP, was reported saying that Khalid's corporate expertise would be better utilised at the federal level, rather than being limited to just one state, should PR take Putrajaya. Key to the suggestion to promote Khalid was the former corporate captain's success in leading Selangor, which saw the industrialised state contribute 23 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), Azmin told the Malay daily. "The decision about the possibility is made by combining the various expertise and capabilities to ensure the country's administration runs smoothly," Azmin, who is both a federal and state lawmaker, told Sinar Harian. But he said PR had yet to make a decision on the idea. "Nobody can predict his position today until the results of GE13 are announced," he was quoted as saying. Khalid is seen to be a political novice but a seasoned corporate leader. He was a member of the National Productivity Council and has broad experience in the corporate industry; he was chief executive of the state-run investment fund Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) from 1979 to 194 and was also CEO of plantations giant now known as Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad from 1995 to 2003. He had joined PKR and ran in Election 2008 where he took the Ijok state seat, beating Umno's Satuk Moamed Sayuti Said by a majority of 1,920 votes. The victory catapulted him into the pole position of Malaysia's wealthiest state. Khalid is also Bandar Tun Razak MP.
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| Record-setting wedding of Ali Rustam’s son paid for by sponsors Posted: 02 Oct 2012 04:02 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam's office was forced to reveal yesterday that many of the caterers and other businesses sponsored the lavish wedding dinner of the Malacca chief minister's son that drew over 130,000 guests during the weekend. The wedding has come under intense public scrutiny after national news agency Bernama reported on Sunday that 26-year-old Mohd Ridhwan's marriage to Nur Azieha Mohd Ali, also 26, lasted eight hours, with the number of guests earning a place in the Malaysia Book of Records. An official with the Malaysia Book of Records was also present to present a certificate to the chief minister. Mohd Ali's special secretary Datuk MS Mahadevan was reported by The Star today as saying much of the wedding's cost was paid for through sponsors. But he did not reveal the total cost. Mohd Ali also did not say how much the wedding cost him, but dismissed suggestions that the wedding attended by more than 130,000 people was a lavish affair. "No one was forced to attend the event, including state government employees," said Mahadevan yesterday. "This is the first wedding ceremony for the chief minister's family and every Malaccan wanted to take part. Even estate workers wearing slippers stood in line to shake hands with the bride and bridegroom. "Not a single sen was paid to these volunteers." Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers have questioned how the wedding was funded, and the revelation of sponsors will spark more questions about the appropriateness of accepting money from businesses to pay for the wedding. PR lawmakers said that even at RM10 a head, the wedding banquet would cost RM1.3 million for food and beverages alone, far more than the long-serving chief minister's salary. DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang used his Twitter account to speculate further on the cost of the wedding, saying the banquet appeared to cost RM100 a person or potentially RM13 million just for the food. But Malacca Umno executive secretary Datuk Akbar Ali responded to the DAP leaders' tweets by saying they should not assume the wedding banquet was similar to a Chinese wedding dinner. "Awak ingat ini jamuan makan malam 9 jenis seperti masyarakat Cina dengan sup sirip ikan yu. Ini cara kamu wujudkan fitnah. Ini orang yang sakit (You think this is like a nine-course Chinese dinner with shark's fin soup. This is how you create lies. This is someone sick.)" Akbar wrote on his Twitter account.)"
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| Hisham says would appeal court decision on news portal’s print permit Posted: 02 Oct 2012 03:55 PM PDT
Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider The home minister today said he would "like to see" an appeal of the High Court's decision allowing a news portal to seek a review of the ministry's rejection of its newspaper permit application. On Monday, the High Court here quashed the Home Ministry's decision to reject a newspaper permit application by Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd, the owner of news portal Malaysiakini. "Definitely, KDN (Home Ministry) will engage with the Attorney-General and, on a personal basis of course, I would like to see the matter appealed," said Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. "But, at the end of the day, it is not for me to decide, and if there is any info that the AG requires from KDN I believe that we are working quite closely..." When asked about the basis for the Home Ministry's denial of a print permit for the news portal company, he said: "I don't know, I was not around at that time."
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| In Malaysia, Court Backs Right to Print a Newspaper Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:49 PM PDT
(The New York Times) - KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Obtaining permission to publish a newspaper in Malaysia, where the print media are dominated by government-linked publications, is likely to become easier after a court ruled that the right to freedom of expression includes the right to publish and is a fundamental liberty, a lawyer said on Tuesday. A Malaysian court ruled on Monday that the government should not have rejected an application for a print publishing license by Malaysiakini, a popular independent news Web site, said Shanmuga Kanesalingam, a lawyer who represented Malaysiakini. Under Malaysian law, a newspaper must obtain a permit from the government before it can publish. Free-speech advocates hailed the decision as a victory. "Recognition that the right to publish a newspaper is a fundamental right is very, very significant," Mr. Shanmuga said. "It's the first time we've had this said by a judge." Masjaliza Hamzah, executive officer of the Center for Independent Journalism in Kuala Lumpur, described the decision as "a very progressive judgment for freedom of expression, for freedom of the press in Malaysia." "It's very significant," she said, because few new permits for print newspapers have been granted in recent years. "The permits that have been given out are mostly for small-scale publications, but not for the kind of publication that could garner a national audience, which Malaysiakini could," Ms. Masjaliza said. The government has not yet decided whether to appeal the decision, said Noor Hisham bin Ismail, a senior federal counsel involved in the case. It has a month to file. Although the Internet has remained relatively free in Malaysia, most large newspapers are either owned by the government or linked to it. Mr. Shanmuga said the court had ruled that the home minister, who grants publishing permits, must reconsider Malaysiakini's application in accordance with the law. He said the ruling would make it more difficult for the government to refuse an application for a printing license, because it requires officials to show that the proposed publication would be a threat to public order or to national security, or would be immoral. Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/world/asia/malaysian-court-rules-that-publishing-a-newspaper-is-a-basic-right.html?_r=0 |
| Malaysia slips in Internet freedom; same ranking as Libya Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:35 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - The report cited the recent amendments to the Evidence Act 1950, namely Section 114A of the law, which holds the computer or equipment owner liable for seditious content as a very troubling development. Malaysia's Internet freedom has worsened this year as seen in the latest global survey of 47 countries, putting it on the same level as Libya after Putrajaya introduced new laws seen to curb electronic media use. Internet freedom for Southeast Asia's third-biggest economy was judged to be only "partly free", after it scored 43 out of 100 points — the same as Libya — dropping two notches in the Freedom on the Net 2012: A Global Assessment of Internet and Digital Media report released last week by Freedom House, a US research organisation advocating democracy, political freedom and human rights. The annual study evaluates each country based on barriers to access, limits on content, and violations of user rights, and traces trends from January 2011 to May 2012. The lower the numerical score, the better the ranking. Each country is marked on a score from 0 (the most free) to 100 (the least free), which serves as the basis for an Internet freedom status designation of Free (0-30 points), Partly Free (31-60 points), or Not Free (61-100 points). Malaysia took the 23rd spot, trailing behind the Philippines, South Korea, India and Indonesia among the Asian countries surveyed. But Malaysia came out ahead of Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Pakistan, Vietnam, Myanmar and China. Singapore was not included in Freedom House's global study. The top five spots in descending order were occupied by Estonia, the United States, Germany, Australia and Hungary, which scored fewer than 20 points out of 100. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-slips-in-internet-freedom-same-ranking-as-libya |
| Five awarded RM4.06mil over unlawful detention under ISA Posted: 01 Oct 2012 11:18 PM PDT The 'Reformasi 6' who spent two years in Kamunting (The Star) - Five people, including Batu MP Tian Chua, have been awarded more than RM4.06mil in damages over their unlawful detention under the Internal Security Act in 2001. High Court judge Lau Bee Lan ruled on Tuesday that the detention of Tian Chua, Selangor PAS information chief Saari Sungib, activists Hishammudin Rais and Badaruddin Ismail and PKR supreme council member Badrulamin Bahron under Section 73 of the Internal Security Act 1960 was unlawful. The five had sued former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Norian Mai and two others for unlawful detention under the ISA and for defamation. (The award covers RM15,000 a day for the total number of days that they had been detained). Justice Lau also awarded Tian Chua, Hishammudin, Saari and Badrulamin RM60,000 in general damages and RM40,000 in aggravated damages in total based on grounds that the words uttered by Norian during a press conference in April, 2001 in relation to the detention was defamatory. She ruled that the detention was not based on the safety of the country but more towards political considerations.
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| There’s a ‘DAP ghost’ in Penang PKR Posted: 01 Oct 2012 05:47 PM PDT This so-called 'ghost', claims a former PKR leader, has been feeding Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng with the details of PKR meetings in the state. Athi Shankar, FMT GEORGE TOWN: Internal leakage on details of Penang PKR meetings to outsiders, especially DAP, is not something new. "It has been happening since a year ago," alleged former Kedah PKR secretary Zamil Ibrahim. He claimed that the PKR state leadership was aware of it and suspected a local party leader close to DAP to be the culprit behind the sabotage work. Zamil said the politician had often been described by party insiders as a "DAP ghost in PKR mask." Based on internal information, he said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng would receive all information, including confidential details, from the suspect on goings-on in PKR meetings. He said Lim, who is also the Penang chief minister, would be informed by this "ghost" within five minutes after a meeting ended. "The leakage in Penang PKR is rampant and dangerous. It's not only an act of sabotage but an act of betrayal," Zamil told FMT. He was commenting on the public leaking of details of an internal casual meeting between the state PKR chief and Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman with seven local Chinese members. Details of the meeting were published in verbatim in June postings of a blog called "Gelagat Anwar" while its audio recording was aired by TV3 on Sept 24. According to the leaked details, Mansor had, during the meeting, apparently described Lim as "cocky, arrogant and tokong", which was now been popularly termed as the "CAT" by critics. The CAT leak had now put Mansor in a politically awkward position as PKR conducts its internal investigation to nab the culprit. The seven who met Mansor in the closed-door discussion were state PKR deputy chief Law Choo Kiang, Bukit Bendera division deputy chief Felix Ooi Keat Hin, Bayan Baru vice chairman Tan Seng Keat, 2004 candidate for Bayan Baru federal and Batu Uban state seats – Raymond Ong Ting Cheow, Tanjung Youth chief Ng Chek Siang; Bayan Baru member Cheah Peng Guan and Mansor's special assistant John Ooh Sin Hwa. It is learnt that all seven members had so far denied being involved in the sabotage act.
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| Posted: 01 Oct 2012 05:35 PM PDT If ROS had declared the SUPP presidential election in December 2011 valid, why didn't Peter Chin show it to Wong Soon Koh? (FMT) - KUCHING: The most prominent issue that has surfaced from the weekend meeting of Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) is an alleged letter issued by Registrar of Society (ROS) on March 26. Following the meeting of the contentious central working committee (CWC), SUPP president Peter Chin said the party had received a letter declaring the controversial triennial delegates convention (TDC) and its presidential elections in December 2011 as valid. He claimed the letter, dated March 26, was addressed to the party's secretary-general and had also indicated that the CWC was a valid entity. But Chin's claims have sparked doubts over his sincerity in wanting to consolidate SUPP at state level. A looming general election appears to have little bearing on Chin, who is seen as out to drown his former rival for the president's post, Wong Soon Koh. Wong, who is backed by by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, is also the former party's deputy secretary-general. A party insider from Wong's Sibu branch questioned Chin's silence over the March 26 letter and over issues between his faction and Wong's. Wong, who is Bawang Assan assemblyman, had lodged the report with ROS last year over the branch-level election irregularities. "This [letter] is a big issue. If there was a letter dated March 26, why didn't Chin show it to us before? Why was Chin silent all this while? "Isn't it to his benefit to tell everyone of ROS' decision and move towards uniting the factions?" asked the insider, referring to the deeply divided party facing political extinction. According to the insider, ROS had sent both Chin and Wong a letter dated April 3 notifying them that investigation into the party's alleged election irregularities was still ongoing. It was this letter which Wong and his team of six assemblymen had been adhering to. The letter also instructed SUPP to only carry out ordinary businesses, thus making last Saturday's CWC meeting called to discuss two motions – disciplinary action against Wong and calls for the party to pull out of BN – questionable. Said Bengoh assemblyman Dr Jerip Susil, who is also in Wong's 'camp: "If indeed the secretary-general of SUPP had received a letter from ROS, stating the TDC is valid, we should be notified without further delay." He said as far Wong and the other elected representatives were concerned, the issue was simply the "validity of the TDC". "We love the party and our concern is that the party be administered with transparency, fairness, and a sense of justice…" he said in a statement.
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| Nazri: Large number of foreigners in Sabah not a threat Posted: 01 Oct 2012 03:41 PM PDT
(The Star) - The presence of 889,770 legal and illegal foreigners in Sabah is not a threat to the country or the state's security and order, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz. He said that while national population growth was 2.5% annually, the growth in Sabah was higher. "The population growth rate is higher in Sabah compared to Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia for several reasons, including the presence of illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries," he said in response to a question by Datuk Seri Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing (Tuaran) on whether the presence of 800,000 foreigners in Sabah posed a threat to national safety and security. He said the relevant authorities, including police, immigration, national registration and the Chief Minister's department was constantly monitoring the situation. On June 1, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the setting up of the RCI to investigate the long-standing problems related to illegal immigrants in Sabah, as the government was committed to resolving the issue. Sabah reportedly has more than half a million illegal immigrants, mostly Filipinos and Indonesians. Due to the influx of immigrants since the late 1960s, the state recorded a 410% population growth in 40 years from 648,000 in 1970 to 3,309,700 in 2010.
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| Ex-wife claims Bekir has RM700mil in 111 accounts Posted: 01 Oct 2012 02:51 PM PDT
(The Star) - The Syariah High Court here heard on Tuesday that Datuk Seri Mahmud Abu Bekir, a Group Deputy Chairman of Cahaya Mata Sarawak (CMS), has 111 accounts totalling more than RM700mil. His ex-wife Shahnaz A. Majid, 48, testified that the accounts were located in several banks overseas, which includes United States of America, Europe and the Carribean. Shahnaz, who is the sister of jazz singer Datuk Sheila Majid, is claiming 50% of all assets owned by Mahmud Abu Bekir such as luxury cars, houses in various locations, land in Sarawak and shares. She said Mahmud Abu Bekir, 49, the son of Sarawak chief minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, had the capability to also pay her RM100mil in gifts to enable her to start her life afresh. The couple were married on Jan 9, 1992 and divorced on May 11 last year. Shahnaz was testifying in a trial for her application to get RM300mil in matrimonial property and RM100mil in gifts (mutaah) as a divorce settlement.
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| 'Soros must explain Suaram involvement' Posted: 01 Oct 2012 02:35 PM PDT
(NST) - A former Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader Ng Lum Yoong said yesterday currency speculator George Soros should shed some light on allegations that he financed Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) to "attack" the French defence industry. "Soros should explain to Malaysians and to the French why he had used Suaram to attack the French defence industry," he said in a statement. New York-based Open Society Institute, which was founded by Soros, had allegedly paid human rights watchdog Suaram RM774,000 (between 2008 and last year). "Why did Soros make use of illegal entities such as Suaram to hire two French lawyers, William Bourdon and Joseph Breham to fight the case?" Ng said Soros should have hired the litigators himself. "Soros should have paid the lawyers directly from America since the French are competing with the Americans for defence contracts all over the world." Ng, who was one of the founder members of PKR, also said that it was unfair for Soros to interfere with the Malaysian government's decision to purchase two French-made Scorpene submarines. "Since Soros is involved, it's no wonder why Suaram and Pakatan Rakyat strongly oppose the purchase the subs." |
| UK factory production lower as orders slump Posted: 01 Oct 2012 02:05 PM PDT
(Reuter) - Activity in the British manufacturing sector shrank more than expected in September as export orders fell and costs soared, a survey showed, raising the risk that the economy will falter after rebounding in the past few months. The CIPS/Markit Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector fell to 48.4 from an upwardly revised 49.6 in August, dipping further below the 50 mark which separates growth from contraction. The latest signs of renewed weakness in manufacturing will support the view that the recovery is fragile and that the Bank of England will extend its quantitative easing asset purchases once the current round is completed in November. Manufacturers cut production for the third month in a row, with all major sectors seeing a contraction. "Overseas sales continue to be hit by the ongoing deterioration in global economic growth, with the eurozone the UK's largest export market at the epicentre of the weakness," said Markit chief economist Chris Williamson. "In this global economic environment, manufacturers look certain to struggle and the sector is unlikely to act as a driver of economic growth," he added. Manufacturing production jumped 3.2% in July, posting the sharpest monthly rise in 10 years.
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| Britain's economy slows as firms' hiring, investment plans ease Posted: 01 Oct 2012 01:58 PM PDT
(Reuters) - Britain's economy has lost momentum over the past few months, with firms scaling back investment and hiring plans, business lobby BCC said on Tuesday, in another sign that a meaningful economic recovery remains elusive. The quarterly survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) also showed that domestic and export demand slowed as the government's austerity drive and the euro zone debt crisis weighed. "Economic growth is weak and businesses are less confident and less likely to invest than they were at the beginning of the year," BCC Director General John Longworth said in a statement. The BCC stuck to its long-held view that the economy has avoided recession, contradicting data from the Office for National Statistics, because the 7,593 firms surveyed continued to report growth rather than contraction in output. "While the official assessment that the UK was in technical recession for three consecutive quarters is still too gloomy in our view, it is clear that the economy has been stagnant for too long," BCC chief economist David Kern said. The BCC now predicts growth of 0.5 percent in the third quarter. Most economists reckon official data will show that Britain posted some economic growth in the third quarter, rebounding after an extra national holiday in the previous quarter and helped by sales of tickets for the London Olympics and Paralympics. But a vigorous return to health is seen as unlikely despite the Bank of England's efforts to boost the economy with a total of 375 billion pounds worth of asset purchases. The BCC's survey provided little reason for optimism. Manufacturers and service firms reported slower sales growth and falling orders in Britain, the BCC said. Export demand and orders growth also weakened. "Fewer firms are looking to invest in training and plant and machinery, and confidence in future turnover and profit has fallen to levels last seen at the end of 2011," the BCC said. Manufacturers as well as services firms also cut back their hiring plans. The labour market has been one of the few bright spots in Britain and employment has risen over the past 12 months despite the weak economy.
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| Don’t be complacent, Lim warns Pakatan Posted: 01 Oct 2012 01:46 AM PDT The chief minister says he will ask all Pakatan parties to submit reports on preparations for the general election. Athi Shankar, FMT Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has cautioned Pakatan Rakyat to view seriously Umno's boast of 3-3-3-1 winning formula for Barisan Nasional to recapture Penang. Lim, the DAP secretary-general, is concerned that Umno confidence could be boosted by complacency among Pakatan Rakyat leaders and members. Observers have speculated that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak would call for general election next year. But Lim, the state Pakatan chairman, is not taking things for granted. He will ask all Pakatan parties – DAP, PKR and PAS – to submit their respective full report soon on their election preparation. "Umno may be correct as Penang Pakatan's machinery is not in full election mode. Pakatan must view Umno's confidence seriously," Lim said in a statement here today. Yesterday, Umno vice-president and Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi expressed confidence on the 3-3-3-1 winning formula. in which Umno would win three seats more while retaining its current 11 state seats in Penang. MCA and Gerakan will win three seats each while MIC will win one seat to bring BN's total to 21, enough to knock Pakatan off its perch and recapture the state government by a one-seat majority in the 40-seat State Legislative Assembly. Lim said Umno's confidence could arise because the Election Commission (EC) is its obedient tool and it also controls the mainstream media to spread lies against Pakatan. He said the manipulation of EC to serve BN's political interests was well-recorded, with top EC officials being exposed as Umno members. He also took the mainstream media to task for carrying out sustained personal attacks against Pakatan leaders based on racism, and outright lies of corruption and sexual misconduct. "Even my own family members including my under-aged son have not been spared from such vicious lies," said Lim, the Bagan MP and Air Putih assemblyman. He said Umno is talking about regaining ground among Chinese, Indian and Malay voters because there is now a blackout of Pakatan leaders in all the mainstream media. For instance, he said some newspapers have refused to publish details of his house tenancy agreement when he revealed it recently in the interests of transparency. He also said the newspapers did not publish Pakatan's requests to BN leaders to reveal their tenancy or purchases of luxury homes. "The blackout will be total come election time," Lim said.
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| "Oops, My Bad," says Chegubard on 1Malaysia exercise book article Posted: 30 Sep 2012 05:47 PM PDT
(Malaysian Digest) - Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Rembau division chief Badrul Hisham Shahrin has admitted that he made a mistake in lambasting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the alleged distribution of 1Malaysia school exercise books bearing the PM's image on its cover. Badrul Hisham, better known as Chegubard, yesterday issued a statement on his blog (chegubard.blogspot.com) explaining his error. He said he has since withdrawn the comments he made concerning an article published in the Keadilan Daily website on Sept 24, in which it was claimed that the '1Malaysia exercise books' were being distributed in schools.
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| PKR sees CAT as ‘storm in a teacup’ Posted: 30 Sep 2012 05:43 PM PDT Penang PKR information chief says the affair won't affect Pakatan's preparations for election. Hawkeye, FMT GEORGE TOWN: Penang PKR has shrugged off the exposure of its chairman Mansor Othman criticising Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, saying it would not affect Pakatan Rakyat's preparation for the 13th general election. "It's a storm in a teacup," said Penang PKR communications bureau head Sim Tze Tzin in reference to a leaked recording of Mansor allegedly describing Lim as arrogant. He said both his party and Lim's DAP regarded the leakage as a weak attempt to create a rift within Pakatan. However, a local Gerakan leader sees Sim's remarks as an attempt to cover up Lim's unpopularity. Mohan Apparoo, who leads Gerakan's Batu Kawan division, said Lim had been criticised as arrogant even by local DAP grassroots leaders. "To enliven this further," he added, "I was told that some of the DAP leaders on the (Penang) mainland will now be supporting Barisan Nasional because they are fed up with Lim's attitude." The media now refers to the controversy as CAT, abbreviating "cocky, arrogant and tokong" —words that Mansor apparently used to describe Lim during a meeting he had with some local PKR members. Details of the private meeting, including an audio recording, were posted in the "Gelagat Anwar" blog in June. Last Monday, TV3 aired the recording at prime time. Penang PKR has since announced that it was investigating the affair. Sim declined to say whether the culprit behind the leak had been identified or whether PKR would act against him or her, but he remarked that it "would be naive" to speculate that Mansor's political future was doomed as a result of it. "The remarks were made in a coffeeshop setting," he said. "The conversation was informal and there was loose talk. Some quirky remarks were made. They cannot be taken to heart."
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| ‘Friendship’ turned nightmare for Musa Posted: 30 Sep 2012 05:37 PM PDT Chief Minister Musa Aman's bogeyman case has become a nightmare for his officers in the CM's office. (FMT) - KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Chief Minister's office is keenly watching an ongoing court case involving a businessman whom Chief Minister Musa Aman has previously claimed he did not know. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) case against one Michael Chia Tien Foh has got Musa's office sufficiently hot and bothered that it has even "advised" the mainstream media to avoid mention of the case, sources said. Most have taken the advice to heart and there is little news in the mainstream media that the MACC case against the businessman was winding its way through the courts until one newspaper unexpectedly published a court decision that Musa's bogeyman must face trial. Musa has been haunted by the controversial businessman since 2008 when the latter was arrested in Hong Kong as he was about to exit the country with a bag stuffed with cash amounting to some S$16 million. In the subsequent investigations, Chia reportedly told the Hong Kong's Independent Commission on Anti-Corruption (ICAC) that the money was not his and actually belonged to Musa. Musa, who also heads Umno in resource-rich Sabah, is still the subject of ongoing concurrent investigations in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Switzerland involving a Swiss UBS bank account under his name that allegedly has $100 million. The Swiss prosecutor has stated that the government would freeze the account if the Malaysian government requested they do so. Recently, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak revealed that investigation reports on the Musa's cases were with the Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail. But the opposition has grabbed hold of the scandal and refuses to let go, alleging that the trail of alleged illegal dealings leads right to Najib's office. Chia ordered to enter defence PKR vice-president, Tian Chua, has claimed that leaked MACC investigation papers disclosed that Musa told investigators that the $100 million under his name in the UBS account was not his but Umno's and as such directly implicates Najib. Now that the controversial Sabah businessman has been ordered to enter his defence on a charge of attempting to cheat another local businessman over the right to log and extract commercial timber at the Kalabakan Forest Reserve, Musa is furtively watching the case. On Aug 24, Sandakan High Court judge Supang Lian set aside the acquittal of Chia by the Sessions Court and set Sept 12 for the mention of Chia's case at the Sessions Court. Supang, in allowing the prosecution's appeal against Chia on Aug 24, however, dismissed the prosecution's appeal against the acquittal of another businessman Lo Man Heng jointly charged with Chia, ruling that the link between Lo and the offence had not been established. Both Chia and Lo, who were charged under Section 420 of Penal Code, had been acquitted by the Sessions Court on Sept 23 last year without their defence being called.
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| Portal accused of misusing art Posted: 30 Sep 2012 03:46 PM PDT
(The Star) - The creators of an art project that featured merchandise with designs offering a tongue-in-cheek look at Malaysia do not find it funny that their work has been exploited by a news portal for political mileage. They accused Keadilan Daily of misleading the people and want the website to issue a public apology to the merchandise creators as well as to the public. The website had, on Sept 24, published an article in which it alleged a school exercise book with the caricature of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was being distributed in schools. The article, quoting Rembau PKR chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin better known as Chegubard criticised the move and likened it to former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak displaying his image before his downfall. The article has since been removed from the site. Refuting claims in the article, June Low, 27, said she and graphic artist Adila Abdul Malik, 25, had come up with the idea of a Malaysia-themed artwork and merchandise for the Art for Grabs event at the Annexe Gallery in Central Market on Sept 22. The theme of the event was Janji Ditutupi, a play on the Government's Merdeka Day theme Janji Ditepati. "We displayed a range of comedic art merchandise. "Items included a school exercise book, with the cover bearing a likeness to the PM and the 1Malaysia logo," she told news portal Malaysian Digest yesterday. Low said their intention was to amuse and share a laugh with others and those who visited the event were aware of the attempt at light-hearted humour in the current affairs of Malaysia. Low said she was shocked that a photo of the book cover on her Twitter account was used by Keadilan Daily in an article. She said: "To twist the truth to this extent without fact-checking is disgusting. "It is simply irresponsible journalism." Keadilan Daily could not be contacted for comment.
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| BN will wrest back Selangor with 32 seats, says Noh Omar Posted: 30 Sep 2012 03:19 PM PDT
Normy Nozwir, The Malaysian Insider Selangor Umno deputy chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar is confident that Barisan Nasional (BN) will be able take back Malaysia's richest state at the next national polls by nabbing 32 of the 56 seats in the state legislative assembly. The state, which had been held by BN since Malaysia's founding, had slipped out of its grasp in the last general election four years ago to the PKR-DAP-PAS alliance, leaving the powerful federal coalition with only 20 state seats. "I don't want to get ahead of fate, but God willing I am confident BN will be able to win back Selangor, at least 32 seats," Umno veteran Noh told The Malaysian Insider in a recent interview, disclosing for the first time the number of seats it believes it can gain. The 13-member BN coalition only needs nine more seats to gain a simple majority with 29 seats. But the Tanjung Karang MP remained tight-lipped on BN's strategy in wresting back the highly-developed west coast state. The agriculture minister only said that Selangor residents were now starting to see that the PKR-DAP-PAS partnership that had since formed a fledgling bloc now known as Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact in the wake of their landslide wins in Election 2008 was unfit to govern. In the 12th general election, the three federal opposition parties had swept a total of 36 seats, with PKR taking the lion's share of 15 seats; and the DAP and PAS taking 13 and eight respectively. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president, has repeatedly vowed to win back Selangor for his BN coalition by all means necessary. Selangor is said to be a state with hot seats because of its large number of newly-registered voters, as well as being the country's wealthiest state. Noh dismissed talk of him being appointed as Selangor mentri besar despite rumours that he would be given the state's highest position if BN wins. "I don't want to get ahead of fate, I am still a member of Parliament for Tanjung Karang, but it all depends on the leadership. "Most importantly, we move the party machinery to win this state, the question of who (will be) mentri besar is not important," he said. Noh has been widely speculated to be gunning for the Selangor mentri besar's job He also kept his lips sealed on the potential candidates for the top state government post, saying BN's focus now was on winning back the state. "In 2008, they (Pakatan) also didn't know who their candidate for mentri besar was, so it's better for BN to focus on winning back Selangor," he said. Selangor's former Mentri Besar Dr Mohammad Khir Toyo has rejected the possibility of contesting in the coming elections after the courts found him guilty recently in a breach of trust case. The trained dentist is currently appealing against his conviction.
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| Pakatan pledges to focus on household income not equity targets Posted: 30 Sep 2012 03:17 PM PDT
Lisa J. Ariffin, The Malaysian Insider The national economic plan should shift from only meeting equity targets and growth to ensuring a minimum household income of RM4,000 a month by the end of a first-term Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today. He also said economic growth should be generated by small and medium-sized businesses and not just by "one or two big bosses." Speaking in Parliament, the opposition leader pitched his PR's Budget 2013 proposal to focus on disposal income instead of chasing equity and growth targets. "The statement has been distorted until some end up making assumptions that PR had promised to pay compensation to the people until their minimum household income reaches the target of RM4,000 a month," Anwar said. "The approach should instead emphasise sustained economic development and ensure there is increase in the people's disposable income," he said when debating the government's Budget 2013 proposals. Anwar stressed family household income levels were important key economic targets to ensure nobody was left out of mainstream development and the nation's prosperity. "The welfare and well-being of those in the community who require help and protection so as to not be marginalised is the government's responsibility through an integrated social safety system," he said. "The economic prosperity of the majority with continuous revenue levels ensures sustainable growth when they continue to invest in the country's economy," he added. Anwar also said economic growth must be generated by small and medium-sized entrepreneurs "who form the largest business class in the economy", and not only "one or two big bosses or the person who monopolises most economic activities". "The government's role in the economy should be restricted to generating growth in new areas and to accelerate economic activities strategically, and not get involved in every type of economic activity and competing with small businesses and the entrepreneurs," he said. Last week, Anwar had promised to raise the disposable income of Malaysians through measures such as cheaper car prices, abolishment of tolls and waiver of student loans. He said a PR government would be able to pay for the proposed measures not through raising taxes but by plugging leakages that arise as a result of inefficiencies and corruption.
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| Mansor still dodging ‘cocky Lim’ issue Posted: 30 Sep 2012 02:34 PM PDT
(The Star) - Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mansor Othman has continued to avoid responding to the allegation that he had described Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng as a cocky and arrogant man. "My comments have been twisted in every angle. No comment. People are no longer interested in reading what I say," he said after opening a seminar for Muslim scholars here yesterday. He declined to provide an update on the leaked audio recording of the informal PKR meeting. Mansor had allegedly uttered those words, besides also saying that Lim was also regarded as a tokong (deity) by the people here in the leaked recording, which was later reproduced in an online news report and a TV3 news broadcast. Asked by a reporter whether he was on good terms with Lim, Mansor merely raised both his hands up in the air while walking away. "We should be talking about the Budget. People are really interested about the Budget. They are not interested about me anymore," he said. Earlier, state PKR vice-chairman Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain confirmed that a report on the alleged leak was sent to the party's headquarters.
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| PM shreds Opposition's policy framework Buku Jingga Posted: 30 Sep 2012 01:15 PM PDT  Friendly greeting: Najib and Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon waving to press photographers. (The Star) - Pakatan Rakyat's common policy framework Buku Jingga is "not worth the paper it is printed on", said Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He said their masterplan which amongst others aimed to restructure subsidies and abolish tolls was not feasible as doing so would spell the end of Bursa Malaysia. "Most of the concessionaires are public-listed companies and Pakatan's plan will lead to the collapse of Bursa. "That is why Buku Jingga is not worth the paper it is printed on," he said in his opening speech at the Gerakan national delegates conference yesterday. In a fiery speech, the Prime Minister said the Opposition's promise to wipe out the National Higher Education Fund Corporation's (PTPTN) RM33bil debt was not doable either. He said Pakatan should not talk about taking over Putrajaya when it had not even formed its own shadow Cabinet. "Why didn't they do it? Are they afraid that they do not know what posts to give to (DAP parliamentary leader) Lim Kit Siang, (PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul) Hadi Awang or (PAS deputy president) Mohamad Sabu? "Don't talk about forming the government, form the shadow Cabinet first," he said. He said that in Selangor, 73% of the promises made by Pakatan to the people were not fulfilled, and as such, no one should have a government that lied or failed to deliver on its promises. He said unlike Barisan, Pakatan did not even have a common symbol or manifesto. Citing an example, he said they could not even agree on the implementation of hudud. "If you don't have a common position or policy on something so fundamental, how are you going to administer the country? You don't have the credibility to run the government," he said. Najib said the Opposition had only three weapons in its arsenal criticise, instigate and promise the sun, moon and the galaxy. In contrast, he said the ruling government had a clear sense of direction in transforming the country into a high-income, developed nation. "When we promise something, it is based on something that hinges on reality. We have studied it in depth, after engaging with experts from within and out of the country. It is doable and achievable," he said. Najib also chided critics who claimed that the 2013 Budget was a populist move, pointing out that it was aimed at putting the people first and moving the economy forward. "It's not all just about BR1M. You do Bersih 2.0, we do BR1M 2.0. You storm barricades and overturn police cars, we can help the poor," he said.
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