Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Nazri: I did not interfere with probe
- Siva, Xavier accused of betraying the poor
- Anwar: Straight fights in Penang for 13th GE
- Senators keen on contesting in polls
- EC: Bersih ‘backstabbed’ us
- ‘Sarawak’s paper millionaires’
| Nazri: I did not interfere with probe Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:00 PM PDT With public criticism coming hard and fast after the Home Ministry confirmed that his son was in the clear, Nazri Aziz today clarified that he did not interfere with police investigations. Teoh El Sen, FMT Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz has denied accusations that he misused his position to influence the outcome of the criminal investigation involving his son. "I did not interfere at all in the investigations," the de facto law minister told FMT today. However, Nazri declined to comment on the cases itself, pointing out that it would be a conflict of interest to do so given his ministerial position. "I can't comment because that is my son… I cannot be using my government post to say something that may be favourable to my son," he explained. He also said that since the parliamentary reply had come from the home minister himself, and not something from his ministry, he was not in a position to clarify. "The answer [regarding his son] came from the home minster. I'm not the home minister. I wouldn't know anything about it," he added. On a similar note, Nazri also said that he did not blame the public for being interested in the case. "There is nothing I can do. I am a very important person. I am very influential. My children know this and we all [my family] know that their lives will always be affected. We have to face such public scrutiny. This is something we have to accept," he added. The minister said that he did not feel that it was unfair that people questioned the cases. "I don't think it's unfair. When it came out in the papers today, and I just found out, I realised that public scrutiny will always be there. If I cannot take it, I leave politics," he said. Nazri said that neutral parties, such as the police investigators, should clarify the facts of the case. Asked if the media could interview his son, Nazri said: "He would (most likely) be bias, and defend himself. I think there is no need. Go to the neutral authorities. Talk to the police, don't talk to me." On Wednesday, the Home Ministry confirmed that Nazri's son, Mohamed Nedim, was not involved in an assault case in March this year and a murder in 2004. The parliamentary written reply to a question posed by Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo-Burne stated that Mohamed Nedim's bodyguard, and not him, was the one involved in the alleged assault of a security supervisor at a luxury condominium in March 2012.
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| Siva, Xavier accused of betraying the poor Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:57 PM PDT Former Bukit Raja estate workers tell Pakatan to sideline them. B Nantha Kumar, FMT Former employees of Bukit Raja Estate today accused Subang MP R Sivarasa and Seri Andalas Assemblyman Xavier Jayakumar of betraying them and demanded that they resign their offices. Their spokesman P Mathialakan said the two had made false statements to the media about the allocation of land on which Sime Darby, their former employer, would build houses for them. The long simmering issue made the news again yesterday when the Star quoted a Sime Darby Property (SDP) official as saying that his company had identified an 15-acre plot for houses costing RM77,000 each for 75 families. Mathialakan recalled that both Sivarasa and Xavier had stated that Sime Darby did not allocate 15 acres, but a much smaller plot for the houses. Sivarasa, who has been representing the former workers as their lawyer in the tussle with Sime Darby, was reported to have said that there was never any promise of a 15-acre plot. Xavier, who heads the Selangor executive committee responsible for the welfare of plantation workers, has made a similar statement. "After SDP's statement, we now know who is trying to cheat the poor of their land," Mathialakan told FMT. The former workers have faced a long and bitter struggle to get their houses. In 2007, the Barisan Nasional government in Selangor allocated 15 acres for the houses. However, according to the former workers, after Pakatan Rakyat took over Selangor, it diverted eight of the 15 acres for a project to build luxury homes. "We have a letter from Sivarasa himself that Sime Darby had given 15 acres for low cost houses, Mathialakan said. "But now to the media he says we were not given 15 acres." Claiming that he was not against Pakatan Rakyat, he called on the opposition front's leadership to sideline leaders who were not truthful to the poor. "They have not only betrayed us, but the entire Indian community, which supported Pakatan in 2008," he said. Both Sivarasa and Xavier are PKR members.
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| Anwar: Straight fights in Penang for 13th GE Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:53 PM PDT
(The Malay Mail) - PAKATAN RAKYAT (PR) leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirms that Penang will see straight fights between the coalition and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 13th general election. Speaking to journalists after making a courtesy call on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at the state administration centre in Komtar today, Anwar said the seat PR allocation was almost complete with just one or two seats still being deliberated between PAS and PKR. "Our seat allocation among the three parties here is ninety per cent complete and the status quo of the 2008 election remains. However, there is still dispute over one extra seat. That seat is contentious because it is being coveted by PAS and PKR. "But in the spirit of PR normally all three parties would be involved in the sense that DAP would have to be made aware of the issue, although in the end the issue would have to be resolved between PAS and PKR. "Umno is praying that there would be a split (between the three parties) but we will prove them wrong. So, I can say there would not be a two party contest within PR here," said Anwar who is defacto PKR head. Anwar's statement seemed to have quelled speculations stemming from leaked meeting minutes between Penang PKR chief Datuk Mansor Othman and PKR leaders. In the meeting held in March, Mansor was alleged to have asked his state vice chair Law Choo Kiang to draw up an extra list of candidates for several seats in the off-chance DAP or PAS was adamant at fielding its people on present PKR seats. Since 2008, PAS has been making strong efforts to reclaim the Sungai Acheh state seat on the mainland which the party traditionally contests in but loses to BN in every general election. However, after sacrificing that seat to PKR, who again lost, in the last election, PAS has become more determined to wrest back that seat whilst retaining its present Permatang Pasir state seat, also on the mainland. Anwar also welcomed the idea of DAP fielding Malay candidates in Penang although he saw no reason to prove to BN that the party was indeed multiracial. "DAP has never considered itself to be a non-Malay party and if it wants to field Malay candidates here, I welcome that. They have done in the past. It is not something new. For instance, (the late) Ahmad Nor contested Bayan Baru in 1990. "Perhaps there would be a slight increase of Malay seat allocations by DAP here, Johor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan. In fact, PKR has also fielded Chinese, Indian, Dayak or Kadazan candidates. "The issue of candidates is decided by the respective parties but we keep each other informed. For instance, Mansor would have to brief Lim as leader of PR in the state about PKR candidates. "Similarly, (DAP national adviser) Lim Kit Siang would signal to me about one or two candidates in other states and to firm up the candidature. That is the spirit of comradeship there. I may lobby for someone but I won't influence the party," Anwar said.
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| Senators keen on contesting in polls Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:33 PM PDT
(The Star) - Several prominent senators who are ministers and deputy ministers are expected to stand as candidates in the 13th general election. Among those tipped to contest are Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, MICpresident Datuk G. Palanivel, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Gan Ping Sieu and Deputy Foreign Minister A. Kohilan Pillay. DAP's S. Ramakrishnan is also touted to contest in Johor. It is an open secret that Raja Nong Chik is expected to be fielded in Lembah Pantai, which is currently held by PKR's Nurul Izzah Anwar, who beat incumbent Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil by 2,895 votes in the 2008 general election. "I have indicated to the Prime Minister many times that I wish to contest in Lembah Pantai," he said, unfazed by talk that he would be facing a tough fight there. Gan, who is also MCA vice-president, is touted as a potential candidate for Kluang as he has been seen there attending to people's needs weekly. Gan, 48, said: "Given my age, party positions in national and divisional levels and my desire to continue my political career, it is only natural that I contest,'' he said. According to MIC sources, Palanivel is slotted to be fielded in Cameron Highlands, where he has been making frequent trips. However, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department did not confirm where he would contest.
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| Posted: 18 Oct 2012 02:01 PM PDT
Sean Augustin. FZ.com The Election Commission (EC) and Bersih were not always at loggerheads - initially, the commission considered the electoral reform group a partner in striving for better polling process. However, the relationship soured after the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections allowed opposition politicians to shape their agenda, said EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar. In a frank interview with fz.com, Wan Ahmad said he was 'happy and excited' when Bersih was formed in 2006. This, he said, was because he was looking forward to input from civil society when it came to elections, traditionally retrieved from the media, politicians and their officers. But the moment Bersih allowed opposition politicians to take part in its activities, which included street rallies, its objective as a civil society flew out of the window, said Wan Ahmad. The group, he claimed, had evolved into a political party. "Pity, because I admired what she set out to do," he said, referring to Bersih 2.0's co-chairman Datuk S Ambiga, who took up the mantle in July 2011. (The coalition was relaunched in April 2010 as an entirely civil society movement known as Bersih 2.0, unaffiliated to any political party.) Wan Ahmad's aversion to Bersih was also spurred by the allegations against the EC made by the group. "I felt backstabbed," he said, claiming that the allegations hurt more than those made by political parties. Wan Ahmad said Bersih's allegations, including that the EC was pro-government and that it had not implemented recommendations by the Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reforms, damaged the commission's reputation. Naturally,the allegations made the EC review its "relationship" with Bersih, he said. The commission "would not want to deal with them anymore", especially after the street rallies and also because Bersih had turned down invitations to discuss matters raised. "There is no point of talking to people who won't work with us," he said. When contacted, Ambiga said Bersih had initially postponed its meeting with the EC ahead of the Sarawak state election last year. But as the system was "so flawed", she added, talking to the EC was a "waste of time". Bersih, however, is not trying to avoid the EC. "We are still prepared to debate them publicly," insists Ambiga. As for opposition politicians taking part in Bersih's activities, the former president of the Malaysian Bar said that from the outset, the group had also invited those from Barisan Nasional. There was nothing Bersih could do, she said, if politicians from the ruling coalition did not want to take part. "It doesn't mean we support the (opposition) political parties," she added. Bersih has so far held three rallies, the first in November 2007 which attracted an estimated 50,000 people,which is credited with helping to shift the political landscape in the country.
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| ‘Sarawak’s paper millionaires’ Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:20 PM PDT
(Free Malaysia Today) - The state government claims that they have created 2,000 millionaires through the Native Customary Rights JV concept, but others claim they are only paper millionaires. The Sarawak government claims that they have created 2,000 millionaires through the new Native Customary Rights concept but detractors say they are "paper millionaires" Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian says that they are only paper millionaires. He was refuting claims by assistant minister in the Chief Minister's Office (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development) Mohd Naroden Majais' statement that 2,000 participant in the NCR exercise were now millionaires. Naroden had said that through the NCR land development and new concept through JV, about 2,000 landowners who have 50 acres and above now are holding assets worth a million ringgit. "Therefore, we can say that the scheme has created not less than 2,000 rural Bumiputera millionaires," the assistant minister had said. Bian who is also the Ba'Kelalan assemblyman.said: "His statement is misleading. In terms of acreage you may say they are 'paper millionaires'. "The truth is that they are 'bankrupt millionaires', because they have not been paid their dues by the investors and government agency's agent like Pelita or LCDA (Land Custody Development Authority). Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/10/19/sarawaks-paper-millionaires/
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