Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- A prophet is not accepted in his own hometown?
- Bus drivers want bulk discounts for accumulated summonses
- Harassing SUARAM merely exposes BN/s phony reforms
- AKADEMI RAKYAT -- NOTES #1
- When two forces collide
- Nazri: Receiving foreign funds is not treason
- Malaysia's Auditor-General points to billion dollar cost overrun in train project
- AG report: Top marks to Pakatan states
- BN feigning unity in Sabah
- Sisters of Islam call for Syariah law review
- The problem with Umno
- Hindraf to back Pakatan, provided…
- Defamation suit against FMT dismissed
- 'Who says Islam and democracy can't propel a nation?' asks former MCA V-P
- Suaram didakwa pernah gugat kestabilan Indonesia
- The Havoc Education Reform Inflicts (Part 5 of 5)
- Much ado about PJ’s mayor: Another case for local council elections
- Pakatan’s minimum wage plan will backfire, says Soi Lek
- Animal lovers slam local councils’ move to enter houses and remove dogs
- Freedom or Fanaticism?
- Selangor says has cheaper water treatment option
- Exposed: Federal Govt is Umno propaganda unit
- Hala tuju PAS semakin bercelaru
- DAP & PKR’s Inability to Neutralize PAS’ pro-Islamic Agendas is Worrisome
- Tiger case acquittal
- Umno fears Nurul, not Azmin
- Scotland moves step closer to independence vote
| A prophet is not accepted in his own hometown? Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:06 PM PDT
While the whole of UMNO seem to be conducting themselves in unbecoming behavior, this one healthy being sticks out like a sore thumb. I feel so sorry for you, my dear Datuk Saifuddin. May Chee Chook Ying
Just recently, a most revered politician from UMNO was flayed for not "embracing his party's stand and claims". Embrace a claim??? The upstart who had the gall to tell his own boss off is so typical of those blinded by ambition. Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, the Deputy Higher Education Minister, in my humble opinion, is the ONLY credible person left in UMNO. He is the one who has to save UMNO now and then from the red-hot blushes stemming from their stupid antics and diabolical behavior! While the commander-in-chief has not had the gumption to face off his equal in the opposition, here we have Datuk Saifuddin going to opposition-led Penang, and charming everyone there with nothing more than his usual dose of honesty, clarity and sincerity. While the whole of UMNO seem to be conducting themselves in unbecoming behavior, this one healthy being sticks out like a sore thumb. I feel so sorry for you, my dear Datuk Saifuddin. Now and then, you see some headlines in the news that just put you off reading any further. You wonder where all those stupidity came from. Then, when it's time for Datuk Saifuddin to say his piece, you reassure yourself that all is not lost with Malaysia. In their ravings, his detractors from his own party debase the original struggle of UMNO and what they once stood for. They insult and scorn Over and beyond other truths which people discover, there is a light that is total Truth. This light can neither be dimmed nor divided. You are or you are not with the light. This light does not give knowledge directly but affects the person who acts, lives and walks in the light. Those walking in this light walk in faith and find themselves free from obstacles. So, they are not afraid to speak the truth, the truth as it should be, like our good Datuk here. This faith opens for us a global vision of human reality. Those who walk in darkness dwell in a sectarianism that prevents them embracing others as universal brothers and sisters. The UMNO we know now manifests a deep alienation for logic and truth, and of course, love for their fellow Malaysians. If they are reinventing themselves as "tuans", then what are the rest of us to them? I, for one, thought that politicians in power, including those in UMNO, were public servants. Servants, mind you, not masters. Only in Malaysia, public servants behave as if they are public masters. They expect others to pick up their tabs, launder "dirty linen", shouldering yokes that eat into their flesh, taking the best of the rakyat's harvests for themselves; the list goes on. Medieval, no? Yet, these clowns Isn't a public servant elected on the premise that he is accountable to his electorate, their progress and development? How is it some of our public servants consider their electorate as their "thing", to use and neglect according to their fancy? To force the way their electorate should think? That they should be "grateful"? Oh, I forgot, these public servants think themselves "tuans". By telling the wiser Datuk off, is the upstart saying that we must always support the people in charge, no matter the circumstances? Even when they are accusing some really good people of doing poor Soros' bidding and helping him set up a puppet regime in Malaysia? I feel really embarrassed to have such news leaving our shores. What must others think of us? Perhaps, the tempurung might be able to shield us from the scorching scorn people from outside Malaysia can pour on us? Insane comedy, alright! I believe people like the good Datuk know that the Truth forms free people. He also knows that we cannot blindly accept another's stand without evaluating for ourselves, according to the criterion of the larger good. It's our responsibility to think for ourselves and however much we criticize what must be criticized, does not make us lesser Malaysians. And however much Datuk Saifuddin is at odds with the present leadership of UMNO, does not make him love UMNO less, or their original stuggle for a better Malaysia. Even if people like the good Datuk are marginalized for their courage in upholding the Truth, they wouldn't be responsible for the demise of the diseased community. The latter is already in a self-destructive mode. It's a pity that the majority in UMNO "loves" blindly and sentimentally. Rather, they should love effectively, in a way that can liberate and transform their brothers and sisters from a complacency that can be debilitating. Progressive people like our good Datuk have emerged from what some would refer to as feudalistic politics. (Hi, Nat!)They are aware that the Malaysian identity has evolved, developed even; situating itself within the realities of the Malaysian context. There has been a constant effort on the part of progressive Malaysians to express what being Malaysian means in the language of our day. We should make good use of this time given to us to advance and to change for the better. Having said that, however, I don't see many progressive specimens in the powers-that-be. In fact, I see the danger in hanging on to dim-wits or half-wits that sudah lupa that we are now in the 21 st century. These wrinkled prunes are not helping their brothers or sisters to face their true destiny; to realize themselves through their own efforts and to discover they are helpless if they do not first, acknowledge their other brothers and sisters and act with them. These dim-wits and half-wits do not have the wisdom in them (or is it courage) to tell their brothers and sisters the Truth as it is. Instead they make bogeymen out of the Jews, Christians and whatnots. These dim-wits and half-wits are entrenched in the power of delusion, entertaining the likes of themselves with sterile arguments and failed doctrines. We have, in the likes of Datuk Saifuddin, progressive Malaysian leaders, who act in solidarity with fellow Malaysians. They are aware that their duty is not just to govern the nation alone, but to be an advocate before the Truth; to promote the Truth, encourage love among fellow Malaysians and to establish peaceful relationships. They are the leaven sorely needed for a better Malaysia. They are not like those upstarts who "mengigau" to be in the company of the best of society, in pursuit of money and power till they isolate themselves from their duty to their electorate. In spite of propounding reforms, I for one, don't see the shadow of a change. In fact, I see how, with each passing day, the powers-that-be are playing God with our lives by disregarding the conscience and the rights of the common Malaysian. It is said that the real sin is to lose hope but I don't have any more hope in the present powers-that-be. I just don't. God bless, especially progressive Malaysians wanting a better Malaysia, for all. |
| Bus drivers want bulk discounts for accumulated summonses Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:04 PM PDT (Bernama) - Peninsular Malaysia Bus Drivers Association (PPBSM) has appealed to the government to give discount on traffic summonses. Its chairman, Saadan Man, said about 700 members have accumulated summonses for various traffic offences over the years and put financial burden on them. He said the discount would help bus drivers who receive average income of below RM2,000 per month adding they did not benefit from Budget 2013. "We really need the discount as it will help bus drivers to reduce the arrears in summonses," he told reporters here today. Saadan suggested that the discount be given only to card-carrying PPBSM members and payment made at police stations and the Road Transport Department. He said the number of bus drivers on the road was high and thus made it easy for them to receive summonses for traffic offences. There are about 20,000 drivers of stagecoach, school, factory and tour buses all over the country. |
| Harassing SUARAM merely exposes BN/s phony reforms Posted: 15 Oct 2012 11:54 AM PDT
As Malaysian citizens we ought to know exactly how much of our tax payers' money is being wasted on such extraneous side activities of our police, Special Branch and other government agencies in the name of "national security". Dr Kua Kia Soong, SUARAM Adviser
When this political farce started over the BN Government's attempt to demonise SUARAM as a "foreign agent", it happened to coincide with our planned annual holiday. I am always reminded of these words by my old friend, the late K. Das in his foreword to my 1989 book on Operation Lalang, "…but we must not spend our days and nights living in silent fear of the thieves who stole Kua's freedom." Whether beholding the stars above the Scottish highlands with my loved ones or the stars above Kamunting detention camp, the oppressors can imprison our bodies but our spirit will always roam free…
SO WHAT HAVE THE SIX GOVERNMENT AGENCIES UNCOVERED? When I told my friends in the UK that the government had commanded no less than six government agencies to investigate SUARAM to try all means to pin a charge on us, they were incredulous and asked if Malaysia was still a banana republic where the civil service can be ordered by the regime to act against legitimate organisations! "Haven't they got more important things to do?" they asked. As Malaysian citizens we ought to know exactly how much of our tax payers' money is being wasted on such extraneous side activities of our police, Special Branch and other government agencies in the name of "national security". A month has now elapsed since the start of the rigorous CCM investigations that included many days of 1-1 questioning with at least 20 people and which have revealed nothing questionable within their remit. Indeed, I was reassured when we went to the CCM interrogation and one of their staff came over to congratulate me on the good work SUARAM was doing! Now the buck seems to have been passed on to the AG's chambers. We were also summoned to the PERKESO offices to explain SOCSO payments to our staff dating back ten years or more. When we got there, the officer in charge didn't seem to know what we were there for! Obviously, these summonses have all been ordered by people above them. As for the Registrar of Societies coming in on the act, they were made a laughing stock when their Wikipaedia source of information meant that even the recently departed Fan Yew Teng was also summoned to their office to make a 112 statement! How Fan must be laughing at the fools from up there. Various people associated with SUARAM from years back have also been called to the ROS for questioning all because some far-right crackpot individual and insignificant Ah Pek made a police report against SUARAM. Meanwhile, no government agency appears to be investigating all the reports about Perimekar and Terasasi and the suspected selling of national defence secrets and commissions paid in the Scorpene deal uncovered in two years of investigations by the French. And has Bank Negara uncovered any whiff of money laundering by SUARAM all these years? I am sure all the Harvard trained economists in Bank Negara must be laughing at the preposterous presumption in government circles that there could be such a possibility. Nevertheless, the well-oiled propagandists in the mainstream press seem to be spinning merrily for the same idiotic thinking in government. Ah, and as soon as they mentioned money laundering, some money launderers were actually caught in the act with RM40 million in Hong Kong soon after. There was no need for a six-agency posse – it was uncovered by the Hong Kong police! The government explained it away as funds for Sabah UMNO but we'll wait for the MACC and Bank Negara and the AG's Chambers to do the needful… The BN government's "foreign plot" ploy has blown up in their faces. The subsequent exposes of Dr M and Najib's recent close encounters with George Soros have certainly embarrassed the spin doctors. Furthermore, by allowing nuclear-armed US warships to visit Port Klang a few days ago, the BN government has exposed their duplicitous (not non-aligned) foreign policy and raised the question of who are the US foreign agents in Malaysia! The latest attempt to implicate SUARAM in "destabilizing Indonesia" is perhaps the most comical. Organising the second Asia-Pacific Conference on East Timor (APCET II) with other Malaysian NGOs on 9 November 1996 was one of SUARAM's proudest moments. It was the last important international effort at achieving independence and peace for East Timor. As a token of the appreciation by the East Timorese for our efforts, SUARAM was invited to the Independence celebrations in East Timor soon after. In contrast, the BN government put the country to shame by orchestrating a mob from BN Youth organisations to violently tear down the partition of the hotel where the conference was being held and holding the organisers and foreign guests to ransom. This made international headlines and made us a laughing stock in the world. And instead of apprehending these fascist thugs, the police proceeded to arrest and detain some 59 participants, some (like me) for six nights and seven days. We subsequently sued the government and the police for wrongful detention and we won our case after nearly 15 years! The APCET debacle should therefore be seen as a case of the BN government's complicity with the Indonesian government in the repression of the East Timorese. Who were the agents of a foreign government then, and who stood by the East Timorese in their hour of need? Once again, it was another feather in SUARAM's cap of steadfastly defending human rights, justice and democracy. Hasn't Malaysia recognized East Timor's independence now?
THE SCORPENE SCANDAL – FACT AND FICTION Another story being spun to try to discredit SUARAM is the statement by French prosecutor Yves Charpenel that there is no on-going trial in France over allegations of corruption in the Scorpene submarine. When has SUARAM ever said that there is an on-going trial in Paris? This is what I wrote on 30 May 2011, 'SUARAM STARTS LEGAL FUND TO PROBE SUBMARINE COMMISSIONS IN FRENCH COURTS': "Unlike the British (and Malaysian) system, the French inquisitorial system has an examining or investigating judge. The examining judge can conduct investigations into serious crimes or complex enquiries. As members of the judiciary, they are independent of the executive branch. The judge questions witnesses, interrogates suspects, and orders searches or other investigations. The examining judge's goal is to gather facts, and as such their duty is to look for all the evidence. Both the prosecution and the defence may request the judge to act and may appeal the judge's decisions before an appellate court. "SUARAM's latest application, once approved by the court, would allow it to become party to the enquiry and have official access to every element of the enquiry, including access to the evidence which allegedly links DCNS to the issuing of commissions to government officials. The case is still at the enquiry phase and the new application is to upgrade it to the "instruction phase" where an investigative judge would be appointed." More recently, after I had been interviewed by the investigating judge in the Paris Tribunal de Grande Instance, I wrote 'THE PARIS PAPERS ON THE SCORPENE SCANDAL - THE MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT MUST TELL US ABOUT THE ROLE OF TERASASI' on 5 May 2012: "Since SUARAM lodged its complaint with the French courts for a judicial review of the Scorpene contract in November 2009, the French judiciary has certainly been busy with their investigations. They have interviewed officials in the French state company, DCN and related companies such as Thales as well as officials in the French ministry of defence. They have looked into bank vaults and scrutinized contracts, memoranda of understanding, memoranda of intent, invoices, bank accounts of various people including Abdul Razak Baginda. There are also some rather telling internal confidential reports of DCN and the French ministry of defence…" At no point in my articles did I say that we had reached the trial stage when criminal charges can be pressed against any officials. This will be the prerogative of the investigating judges, Roger Le Loire and Serge Tournaire. The spin doctors in the BN-controlled mainstream press should take note.
SUARAM BORN OUT OF BN VINDICTIVENESS AND REPRESSION We seem to have come full circle. Twenty three years ago, as a result of the vindictive and repressive 'Operation Lalang', several human rights activists including myself formed SUARAM. There was a dire need for such a human rights organization that would not only defend human rights in Malaysia but also coordinate other organisations in civil society to fight corruption, injustice and repression. Twenty three years later, our achievements are evident. We have among others, - Established a human rights centre for victims of human rights abuse and their families; - Established an instant international "Urgent Appeal" hotline in the event of any human rights violation; - Published a Human Rights Annual Report of Malaysia every year since 1998; - Nurtured young human rights activists; - Provided human rights education and training; - Initiated coalitions among civil society to defend communities which are victims of corporate greed and state collusion as well as to promote democratic initiatives;
THE SCORPENE HAS TOUCHED A RAW NERVE It is clear to all that it is SUARAM's application to the Paris courts to enquire into suspected corruption in the Scorpene deal that has led to the BN government going berserk and making wild allegations against our organization. At this inquiry stage, according to the Paris Papers the commissions and dividends for the Scorpene deal appear to have been funneled through two companies, Terasasi and Perimekar, both owned by Abdul Razak Baginda. Baginda's wife, Mazlinda, is a director in Perimekar while his father is also a director in Terasasi. Malaysians have heard about Perimekar and its "coordinating service" in the submarines deal. But so far there has been no mention of Terasasi. The BN government has still not told the Malaysian public and Parliament the exact role of Terasasi in this Scorpene deal. From the Paris Papers, we know that at least 32 million euros (RM144 million) were paid by Thales International (Thint) Asia to Terasasi. There is an invoice by Terasasi dated 1.10.2000 for 100,000 euros. There is also an invoice from Terasasi to Thint Asia, dated 28.8.2004 for 359,450 euros (RM1.44 million) with a hand-written note saying : "Razak wants it in a hurry." Given that the Paris investigations have provided Malaysian officials with so many leads, one would have expected them to act against the culprits, but as in APCET, it is the good guys that are hounded and dealt with.
THANKS BN FOR HELPING SUARAM'S LOCAL FUNDRAISING. The silver lining in this cloudy hullaballoo is that Malaysians are at last appreciating the work done by SUARAM in defending human rights and the interests of Malaysian tax payers. Since the recent desperate onslaught by the BN government against SUARAM through the use and perversion of Malaysian democratic institutions including the civil service, Malaysians of all communities have been inspired to donate funds to SUARAM in expression of their heart-warming support. Thus, for helping SUARAM to realize an objective which we have cherished since we first started 23 years ago, namely, to be locally funded, we would like to give our grudging appreciation to the BN government! The creation of a vibrant civil society requires more than just pious pronouncements! Enjoying a larger democratic space than what we have experienced these 55 years is the dream of most Malaysians. The BN government may come at us with threats of fines and detentions but as Terence McSweeney, Lord Mayor of Cork told his oppressors in 1920: "It is not those who can inflict the most - But those that can suffer the most who will conquer… Those whose faith is strong Will endure to the end in triumph." |
| Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:35 AM PDT Philosophy was cultivated as a foundation of learning and teachers modeled their teaching after the style of Socrates; a technique we now know as "Socratic questioning". The Renaissance painter Raphael's "School of Athens" captured the spirit of the majesty of philosophy and learning. A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE Dr Azly Rahman (Notes on People's Academy) 1] The word "academy" has always interest me -- it brings back memories of my undergraduate reading Plato, a 5th. century BC Greek philosopher who chronicled the thoughts of Socrates, the "first teacher". There is a genealogy of master-pupil relationship that provided the element of "Axial Age in Philosophy"; Socrates taught Plato who taught Aristotle who taught Alexandra of Macedonia who was humbled by Diogenes the mystic. ********************************** DR AZLY RAHMAN, who was born in Singapore and grew up in Johor Baru, holds a Columbia University (New York) doctorate in International Education Development and Master's degrees in the fields of Education, International Affairs, Peace Studies and Communication. He has taught more than 40 courses in six different departments and has written more than 300 analyses on Malaysia. His teaching experience spans Malaysia and the United States, over a wide range of subjects from elementary to graduate education. He currently resides in the United States. https://www.facebook.com/#!/azly.rahman http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/
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| Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:00 AM PDT
But you should not underestimate Faekah either. This girl may be small in size but she is big in resolve -- sort of like cili padi. And she is fighting back. Her 'team' is talking about the large sums of money Azmin has been siphoning out in the name of the party as well as in the name of the Free Anwar Campaign (FAC) over the last 12 years since 2000. And they are talking about millions. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin PKR won't be taking action against Faekah (The Star, 12 Oct 2012) - PKR is not taking any action against the Selangor Mentri Besar's political aide Faekah Husin despite calls for her to be sacked following her criticisms against party deputy president Azmin Ali. PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said the matter involving Faekah was not even discussed at its political bureau meeting on Wednesday. "We are not referring her to the disciplinary committee," he said, adding that the party certainly won't be taking any disciplinary action against Faekah for now. Saifuddin was commenting on calls by some party leaders for Faekah to be sacked for criticising Azmin, who had implied that her boss Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim would not be retained as Selangor Mentri Besar. Selangor PKR election director Borhan Aman Shah had said Faekah should be sacked immediately for publicly criticising state chief Azmin. The MB's deputy Zuraida Kamaruddin had also hit back at Faekah for saying that Azmin was not a smart politician. Saifuddin said the political bureau had discussed the divisions' AGM reports during the meeting. "We also discussed the latest status of our election preparations and other current issues," he added. Many observers had viewed the Khalid-Faekah-Azmin feud with interest as the aide was known to have the support of PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail while Azmin had the backing of party leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. "As Faekah is working under Khalid, Khalid is seen indirectly as having Wan Azizah's backing," said a party insider. ***************************************** Battle for MB post eclipses polls (The Star, 14 Oct 2012) - Khalid's chief defender has been his loyal political secretary Faekah Husin. She did not mince her words about Azmin's interview; as a result she has been severely criticised by Azmin's camp. The petite lawyer admitted with a laugh, "there are bullet holes all over my body." Azmin's boys joke that Faekah is the "First Lady of Selangor". They go for her because she is an easier target to hit than Khalid and there are now renewed calls to sack her for criticising Azmin. But sacked from what and for what? Faekah is only an ordinary party member, she does not have a party post and her remarks about Azmin were rather mundane. Moreover, the only person who can sack her is Khalid and he trusts her implicitly; that is what makes her so powerful in Selangor. Faekah is Khalid's spokeswoman, and during the launch of his book Fearless: From Kampung Boy to CEO, he singled her out for mention. Going by the video that was aired during the launch, it is quite clear that she is central to Khalid's politics and work. Her power status goes up another notch if one considers that she was the former political secretary to PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and they are still very close. Azmin's boys know they will have to take Faekah down before they can get Khalid, hence the periodic calls for her removal. In June this year, a group using the Twitter handle @PecatFaekah had agitated for Faekah's resignation. The group has not given up and has since extended their scope to @PecatFaekah/Arfah, the latter being Khalid's press secretary. While Khalid relies on Faekah to check Azmin, Azmin uses Ampang MP Zuraidah Kamaruddin to poke at Khalid. They are Alpha females who do not mind taking the heat for their men. Zuraidah, who is Azmin's No. 2 in Selangor, ticked off Khalid a few months ago when he declined to defend Azmin over some compromising photographs of a couple in a toilet. More recently, she lectured Faekah for "jumping the gun" and told her to improve her communication skills with party leaders. Azmin's supporters maintain that the MB post should have gone to him instead of Khalid. Azmin was in the lead to be the MB when Selangor fell in 2008. But in the early hours of March 9, Khalid's name overtook Azmin's and by the time the sun came up, Khalid was confirmed as the choice of MB. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had opted for Khalid because he was a big corporate name and also because he thought that Khalid would be easier to control than Azmin; he was wrong on the second count. Azmin was deeply disappointed and one of those at Anwar's house that morning recalled witnessing how the de facto leader tried to placate Azmin for almost an hour. "Azmin's face was white with anger if you had cut it with a knife, there would have been no blood," said an insider. READ MORE HERE: http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/52124-battle-for-mb-post-eclipses-polls ***************************************** Azmin Ali is pissed big time. He wanted PKR to sack Faekah Husin. Anwar Ibrahim, however, refused to do so. It is not that Anwar has any love for Faekah. In fact, between Azmin and Faekah, Anwar would stand behind Azmin any time. It is just that sacking Faekah would create a worse rift in PKR. And the rift is already bad as it is. Azmin's boys are now trying to undermine Faekah in other ways. They know they need to isolate Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim if they want to bring him down. So they need to first get rid of Faekah who is aligned to Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Nurul Izzah Anwar. These three ladies -- Wan Azizah, Nurul Izzah and Faekah -- are helping to keep Khalid afloat, even if it is just to prevent Azmin from getting Khalid's job. Azmin's boys are now insinuating that Faekah is guilty of sexual misconduct. But they are not suggesting that it is with Khalid. They are 'whispering' that Faekah is a lesbian and that her partner is a lady doctor. This is actually a very old story and not even a story for that matter. Everyone knows that these two single girls are sharing a house. But that does not make them lesbians, as what Azmin's boys are trying to suggest. But you should not underestimate Faekah either. This girl may be small in size but she is big in resolve -- sort of like cili padi. And she is fighting back. Her 'team' is talking about the large sums of money Azmin has been siphoning out in the name of the party as well as in the name of the Free Anwar Campaign (FAC) over the last 12 years since 2000. And they are talking about millions. In fact, this is not a new story as well and is a story that I had already written about in the past. But Faekah's 'gurkhas' are resurrecting this story in light of the recent Suaram and Malaysiakini exposes, which more or less involves the same people. I remember telling you the story about one of Anwar's lawyers, Pawancheek Marican, asking me to close down the FAC back in 2004. Pawancheek had asked me how much money I had received to fund the FAC and I told him so far only RM3,000 -- RM1,000 from Wan Azizah and RM2,000 from Anwar's brother, Rosli. This made Pawancheek very upset. He said that 'they' had been collecting millions so how come I only received RM3,000? He also told me he had met Anwar in prison to complain about this but Anwar did not say anything. Hence Pawancheek suggested that I close down the FAC so that they can no longer use it to raise money. And who are 'they'? 'They' are Azmin Ali, Khalid Jaafar, Anuar Shaari, Dr Rahim Ghouse, Tian Chua, Elizabeth Wong, Saifuddin Nasution, Ezam Mohd Nor, Ruslan Kassim, etc. On one occasion, one of the PAS leaders, an 'Old Boy' of MCKK, told me he met one of the FAC Directors in London together with a Malaysian tycoon-in-exile. I asked this PAS leader who this 'Director' was and he replied Khalid Jaafar. I was surprised. Khalid Jaafar was not one of the FAC Directors so how come he was masquerading as one? On further investigation I found out that Khalid, as the 'Director' of the FAC, was in London to meet this Malaysian tycoon-in-exile to arrange 'financing' for the FAC. Millions changed hands but not a cent went to the FAC. On another occasion, I received a phone call from the US asking me to confirm the four 'Directors' of the FAC. I asked the chap from the US what their names were. Azmin Ali, Anuar Shaari, and two others whose names I will keep as a surprise. I vouched for these four people, as I did not want to place them in an embarrassing situation. I then immediately phoned Dr Rahim Ghouse in Perth and asked him about these four people. His response was, "Four? I thought only three." I then named the four and Dr Rahim said, "Oh, Anuar Shaari also went, is it?" My phone call to Dr Rahim ended in a bitter quarrel. I cursed him and swore at him, the worse language I could use that included 'mother-fucker' and all. We did not speak for more than a year after that. There were a number of other occasions when the FAC's name was used to raise quite a bit of money. Hence I was not surprised when in 2004 Pawancheek spoke to me about it. I just sighed and told him that I had known this for quite some time. But I swear, I told him, all I received was RM3,000 and not a cent more than that. Just close down the FAC, Pawancheek told me. The bastards are using you to collect money. If they gave you some funding at least that is not so bad. Now, as it is, they are collecting millions while you are funding the FAC from your own pocket. I did eventually close down the FAC, of course. But I did that on the day Anwar was released from jail on 2nd September 2004. And I closed down the FAC not because of the money they were collecting but because Anwar had been released from jail and I wanted to focus on Malaysia Today, which I had launched two weeks earlier. And this is what they are going to use against Azmin. However, Khalid Jaafar, Anuar Shaari, Dr Rahim Ghouse, Tian Chua, Elizabeth Wong, Saifuddin Nasution, Ezam Mohd Nor, Ruslan Kassim, and a few others, are also going to get implicated. But then they are merely 'collateral damage' in this game of thrones. Dr Wan Azizah and Nurul Izzah both know about this transgression. They have known for some time. They even suspect that Nurul Izzah's wedding was used to raise a lot of money. Of course, Anwar's family never saw this money. But will they tell the truth once this issue explodes or will they act dumb and pretend they know nothing about what Azmin and gang did and the millions they raised and pocketed in the name of the FAC? I suppose, for the sake of the party, they might have to keep their mouths shut. But those who donated all this money are now talking. And they are revealing that they paid a lot of money, which they thought had gone to the party and to the FAC. Hence it is not that easy to keep the lid on this issue. And Azmin knows this so he is going to hit back even harder. But then that is a story for tomorrow, so stay tuned. |
| Nazri: Receiving foreign funds is not treason Posted: 14 Oct 2012 06:50 PM PDT
The de facto law minister reiterates today in Parliament that no charges can be brought against a organisation just for receiving foreign funding Teoh El Sen, FMT There are no laws stopping organisations from receiving foreign funding, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abul Aziz despite several parliamentarians pushing for prosecution against those they considered "treasonous". "There can't be any prosecution against those who receive foreign funding. Charges can only be made on bodies which are illegal and go against other laws under the Companies Act or Society Act," the de facto law minister told Parliament during his winding-up speech of the Budget 2013. Several BN-friendly independent MPs such as Ibrahim Ali (Pasir Mas) and Zahrain Mohamed Hashim (Bayan Baru) today urged again for new legislation to address the issue of channelling of foreign funds to local organisations aimed at "toppling the government" or threatening the nation's security. But Nazri firmly repeated several times that no prosecution can be made based on those assumptions alone. "If it can't be linked to any offences that threaten security, or linked to anything that amounts to acts of treason, then we cannot act based solely on the fact that they are receiving foreign funding," he said. PKR's Batu MP Tian Chua then asked if the RM40 million smuggled out of Hong Kong by a businessman meant for Sabah Umno, and other genuine bodies such as Red Crescent, Girl Guides, and World Wildlife Fund, would come under the same category. Zahrain argued that Suaram, which he called "Suara Haram", was obviously trying to topple the government. And there is a clear distinction between funds that are "genuinely for nation building" and (funds) "to topple the government" While debating the issue, BN-Sri Gading Mohamad Aziz stood up and asked: "Why do they insist on defending traitors?" "Because they are traitors themselves!" retorted Ibrahim. PAS' Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad then commented that the main agenda of NGOs such as Suaram was to expose corruption. "I'm surprised. Suaram exposes corruption, is that something that is considered an act of treason? Or are the protectors of corruption commiting treason," he said. In recent months, several NGOs critical of the government, including Suaram, newsportal Malaysiakini, and Lawyers for Liberty, had been "exposed" as receiving foreign funding. Authorities initiated extensive probes on the financial structures of these organisations, which the NGOs described as an act of intimidation. Some quarters, including a UN rapporteur, had argued there was nothing unusual about NGOs receiving foreign funds, adding that even the government received international funding.
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| Malaysia's Auditor-General points to billion dollar cost overrun in train project Posted: 14 Oct 2012 06:42 PM PDT
(The Straits Times) - Malaysia's annual audit report released yesterday listed a familiar litany of hefty wastage in public spending, including a RM3.6 billion (S$1.4 billion) cost overrun in the building of a double-track railway line. The Auditor-General's Report also highlighted overspending in several other infrastructure projects like a bridge in Kelantan and rural roads in Sarawak. Of that, RM2.41 billion are interest costs arising from a loan to fund the project. |
| AG report: Top marks to Pakatan states Posted: 14 Oct 2012 06:35 PM PDT The 2011 Auditor-General's report showed that apart from a few minor glitches, all four states showed good financial standing. Syed Jaymal Zahiid, FMT The 2011 Auditor-General's report indicates good fiscal management by all four Pakatan Rakyat-controlled states with revenues improving. DAP-held Penang led the way in terms of revenue collection, recording a RM192.19 million or 46.8% increase compared with the RM410.70 million made in 2010 while Selangor, Malaysia's richest state, increased by RM62.50 million or 4% for the same period. Kedah, on the other hand, saw its surplus drop when it recorded an increase in operating expenditures despite boosting its revenue, but the report noted that the PAS-led state government had more or less maintained a "satisfactory" balance sheet. But the rice-bowl state, considered as one of the country's poorest, is still far from achieving its debt target, said the report. "The state government's commitment to the remaining public debt now stands at RM2.60 billion compared with RM2.61 billion in 2010; it is still high," it read, adding that Kedah must do more to improve its revenue collection. Oil-rich Kelantan, too, was rated satisfactory due to the increase in its consolidated fund by RM86.17 million or 58.1% to RM234.47 million as compared with the RM148.30 million recorded in 2010. The PAS-conrolled-state also saw investments in 2011 increase by RM95 million from RM16.33 million in 2010 to RM111.33 million in 2011. The state's overall financial performance statement, whereby revenue as compared to total management and development expenditures for 2011, recorded an increase from total deficit of RM171.70 million in 2010 to RM141.53 million in 2011. But the AG report highlighted poor debt management by Kelantan. "Public debts increased by RM27.85 million from RM1.11 billion in 2010 to RM1.14 billion in 2011. The arrears of debts repayment to the federal government also increased from RM121.57 million in 2010 to RM179.81 million in 2011″. Meanwhile, the report noted marked improvements in the performance of state agencies with most rated "excellent" compared to 2010, although it recommended Kelantan and Kedah to provide more training for its officers to improve. Selangor and Penang were praised for their initiatives to bolster their financial management performance.
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| Posted: 14 Oct 2012 06:30 PM PDT Sabah Umno, which already has a giant share of the state and parliamentary seats, is greedy and wants more. Joseph Bingkasan, FMT KOTA KINABALU: As the countdown to the 13th general election edges towards a fixed date, the ruling coalition is showing signs of strain with bigger parties attempting to muscle in on the turf of their smaller partners. Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) joined the queue lobbying to take over candidacy for the Pensiangan MP seat or one of the two state seats – Nabawan and Sook – in the parliamentary constituency. The problem is, the Pensiangan MP seat is now held by federal Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Joseph Kurup who helms Barisan Nasional coalition partner Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS). It is well known that there is little love lost between PBS and PBRS and now the frayed threads that hold the Umno-led ruling coalition are being exposed once again as they always are before an election. To gain a higher profile in the state assembly, PBS headed by Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan is also laying claim to another state seat that comes under the Keningau parliamentary constituency. Pairin is Keningau MP as well as Tambunan state assembly representative. The two other state seats within his parliamentary constituency, Liawan and Bingkor, are shared by Umno and PBS spin-off, the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko). Sairin Karno of Umno is the Liawan representative and Upko's Justin Guka sits in Bingkor so based on the coalition's power structure, Guka's seat is the target as PBS plays second fiddle to Umno in any realignment of seat allocation in that parliamentary constituency. Over in Pensiangan, the state seats of Nabawan and Sook are held by Bobby Ah Fang Suan of Upko and Ellron Angin of PBRS respectively. Here PBRS is in PBS crosshairs. The problem is Kurup who won the MP seat uncontested in the 2008 election is the sole MP from the party while Angin is the only assemblyman for the party in the 60-members State Legislative Assembly. PBS's demand for the extra seats came during the annual general meetings of the PBS divisions of Pensiangan, Sook, Bingkor and Liawan recently. The calls were made with the full support of Pairin, and the motions were quickly endorsed by him as logical as he said the constituencies were traditionally the stronghold of his party since it was formed in 1985. In fact PBS controlled almost all the state and parliamentary seats until Pairin's government, then in the opposition, was toppled by the BN in 1994 when it won just 25 of the 48 state assembly seats. Umno showing claws The party's elected representatives, seeing the writing on the wall, jumped ship as a matter of political survival. Kurup was among them. He ditched PBS to form PBRS. Other formed new political or joined Umno. PBS delegates of the Pensiangan and Sook divisions under the leadership of former MP Bernard Maraat have long memories and want the party to be given at least one of the two seats in the next election. However, another shark in the form of Umno is circling. The main component in the ruling coalition which already has the giant share of state and parliamentary seats in Sabah, registered its intention to make a bid to takeover the Pensiangan constituency or one of the state seats under its jurisdiction. Kurup responded to the implied threat that should he be dropped, BN could expect an exodus of PBRS members out to support the opposition in the election. Maraat, on the other hand announced that if the seat was given to Umno to contest, he would offer to contest as a BN-friendly independent candidate. Bingkor PBS division chief Peter Jino Allion has claimed that the party is far more established in the constituency compared with other BN component parties whose weakness was demonstrated by a decline in votes in the past two elections. He said the BN leadership should not underestimate the opposition in Bingkor. However, he was careful to be respectful to Umno saying: "Bingkor PBS will support any BN candidate who contested and would ensure the victory of the candidate." He suggested that the BN leadership appoint party leaders in Bingkor and Liawan – who are not selected as candidates – as a senator or an appointed member of the state legislative assembly to strengthen PBS under Pairin's leadership.
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| Sisters of Islam call for Syariah law review Posted: 14 Oct 2012 06:28 PM PDT They say the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment and its record of enforcement is questionable and can lead to abuse. Leven Woon, FMT The Seremban High Court judgment on four Muslim transgenders last week has prompted NGO Sisters In Islam (SIS) to call for a comprehensive review on the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment. SIS manager Suri Kempe said this when commenting on the court's dismissal of the transgenders' application to seek for the right to dress in women clothes under Article 8 of the Federal Constitution. Justice Siti Mariah Ahmad, when delivering the judgment, had said that the applicants are Muslims and hence are subjected to Section 66 of Syariah Criminal Enactment 1992, that bars Muslim men from dressing or posing as women. Suri said the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment and its record of enforcement is questionable as it can be abused. "Is it the duty of the state, under the name of bringing about a moral society, to turn what it considers 'sins' into 'crimes against the state'? "Should the state extend the long arm of the law to what should be best left to the religious conscience of the individual?" she asked. She said the reality is that sexual minorities in Malaysia, especially Muslims, are vulnerable to numerous abuses by the state, "We urge the government to form a committee which includes representation from women's groups, human rights groups, progressive Islamic scholars and constitutional experts," she said. She said the government needed to adopt a more humane way that embraces the Islamic spirit of justice, equality and compassion.
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| Posted: 14 Oct 2012 04:55 PM PDT
The trouble with Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah is that he thinks he is serving the rakyat or voters. He forgot that it was his party that selected him to contest the election and it was his party that appointed him a deputy minister. Hence his loyalty is supposed to be to the party and not to the rakyat or voters. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin (The Malaysian Insider, 14 Oct 2012) - Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah has denied that he has any problems in Umno, saying the issues he raises that appear to conflict with the party's line are purely coincidental as they were based on current affairs. (FMT, 30 Aug 2012) - As the government copes with accusations of political persecution on whistleblowers, Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah today gave his endorsement to an opposition initiative to encourage informants to expose power abuse. (Malaysiakini, 11 Aug 2012) - Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah will rally BN parliamentarians against the recent Evidence Act amendments, he told a forum on the law in Kuala Lumpur today. (Din Merican, 5 Jul 2012) - He insists that UMNO is a lot more inclusive and tolerant of diverse voices than people give it credit for, and cites himself as testament of that. Yet, he admits that at times, he finds himself alone among his colleagues, in advocating the progressive views that he holds. (The Nut Graph, 6 Feb 2012) - His openness in engaging students has drawn fire from certain groups. Last year, a pro-establishment student group demanded that Saifuddin resign after a student protester momentarily lowered a flag bearing the Umno president's image outside the party headquarters. *************************************** Those are but some of the 'negative' news reports regarding Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah. If you were to Google his name you will find pages and pages of items about him, all mostly about him taking the opposite stance to his party or the government. And because of that he may not be selected to contest the coming general election. The fact that he has not been sacked or suspended yet is already a surprise. In the past, any Barisan Nasional leader or Minister who takes the opposite stance would suffer the wrath of his party. Is this because Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is a bit more liberal or is it because he is weak and does not have the guts to come down hard on dissidents like his predecessors would have done? Even during the 'weaker' Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's era there was little tolerance for those who broke ranks or did not toe the party line. Anyway, Saifuddin may soon discover the folly of his ways. Umno does not tolerate those who speak the same language as the opposition, especially if you are amongst the top leadership and a cabinet member. You cannot just argue that it is purely coincidental that you happen to sing the same tune as the opposition. You are supposed to know what the opposition is saying and then say the opposite to what the opposition says. Was it not Nazri Aziz who said that the duty of a government Member of Parliament is to oppose anything and everything that the opposition Member of Parliament says? Technically, if an opposition Member of Parliament were to stand up in Parliament and hold up a white piece of paper and declare, "This paper is white," you are supposed to disagree with him or her and say, "No! That paper is black." You cannot later give an excuse that you agreed that the paper is white because it really is white. Your job is to oppose what the opposition says even if what that person said is the truth. This, Nazri made very clear. The trouble with Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah is that he thinks he is serving the rakyat or voters. He forgot that it was his party that selected him to contest the election and it was his party that appointed him a deputy minister. Hence his loyalty is supposed to be to the party and not to the rakyat or voters. You cannot win the election on your party ticket and then demonstrate independence. That is the mark of a loose cannon. Loose cannons are those who break ranks, do not toe the party line, oppose the party stand, agree with the 'other side', and so on. You will be viewed as a traitor, a Trojan horse, a mole, a Benedict Arnold, a Brutus, etc. They will say you have been bought, have sold out, are planning to jump to the other side, and much more. Barisan Nasional, in particular Umno, is very intolerant and very uncompromising with those who do not toe the party line. What you say may be true. Your cause may be noble. You may even be having the rakyat's interest in mind. But that is not going to save you from the wrath of your party. The overriding factor would be whether what you say and do is complementary or uncomplimentary to the party. That will be the deciding factor. Saifuddin, of course, will not be the first person to fall because he felt he was defending his principles. Others before him have suffered this same fate and many more after him will also suffer the same in time to come. Politics is not about principles. Politics is about attaining power. And how can you attain power if you do not close ranks and all sing the same tune? If you are more concerned about the rakyat and about serving the rakyat then you should not be in politics. Politics is the wrong arena for all this. You should form an NGO or become an NGI (non-governmental individual) and fight outside the political arena. Then you can express your independent views without worrying about rubbing anyone the wrong way. I can't understand why people join Umno, or remain in Umno, and then say that they wish to represent the rakyat and speak up for the rakyat. Do they not know that the two are not compatible? It is like joining a gang of bank robbers with the excuse that you are trying to reduce crime. What a ridiculous excuse. How can the problem become the solution? Saifuddin realises that you need to be the solution rather than the problem if you want to solve the problems facing Malaysia. Most people who talk about finding solutions into solving Malaysia's problem are actually contributing to the problem. It is like what the Umno leaders said last week: Malaysian politics is too race and religion driven. That is absolutely true. I, for one, will agree with this. In fact, I have been saying this myself for a long time. But for the Umno leaders to say this when Umno is the one doing all this sounds very weird. They are the problem. And they have the gall to speak about the problem as if someone else is the one guilty of this. Many readers who posted comments in Malaysia Today were quite spot on when they said that the problem facing Malaysia is a problem regarding the mentality of society at large. And they have also correctly pointed out that the cause to all this is our education system. Hence we need to reform Malaysia's education system and to do this we need a progressive and liberal education minister and deputy minister. Hence, also, much of what Saifuddin says is very true. But then what Saifuddin says, although may be very true, is not in the interest of his party. So I doubt he would be allowed to continue to say the things he is saying. And that would mean his party might have to get rid of him and replace him with someone who is more compliant, obedient, and less of a loose cannon. This would be good for Umno, no doubt, because then they would be able to control their people. But that will not be good for the country. We need to see a reformation of the education system. That is very, very crucial. And to see that we need a reform minded minister/deputy minister in charge. If we have someone who is more concerned about toeing the party line and serving his/her party's interest, then Malaysia is doomed. Umno is the problem. Yet it is offering itself as the solution. How can it be the solution when it cannot even tolerate a minister who is mildly independent? Yes, I would classify Saifuddin as mildly independent. He is not even 10% of what I would like him to be. He is not saying even 10% of what I am saying. Najib and Umno have to understand one thing. If we want to see changes then we must respect freedom of expression and freedom of association. Malaysia's current education system does not allow this. This has to change. And we need ministers and deputy ministers who dare call a spade a spade. Saifuddin is almost there. He is not quite there yet. He is merely playing around the fringes and not even getting to the core yet. But even that Umno cannot tolerate. So how can we expect to see reforms? Speak without fear or favour is an empty slogan. Umno says it, no doubt, just to impress us and to make us vote for them. But until they allow their own people to contradict the party, Umno has a long way to go to convince us that they are what the country needs. My fear is that there will be too much pressure put on the party to drop Saifuddin. My other fear is that Saifuddin will be so vilified that he might just throw in the towel and leave Umno to join the opposition. I do not want Saifuddin to resign and join the opposition. We need him in Umno. We need him in Umno and heading the education ministry so that he can push for reforms. We do not want yes-men in the government. That will only make things worse. We need people within Umno who are committed to reforms and who dare stand up to tell their party and their party leaders that what they are doing is wrong and what they should do to put things right. I have always said this and I am going to say it again. It is no use preaching in the mosque, church or temple. Those people who go to the 'House of God' have already been 'saved'. You need to tour the back lanes, alleys and brothels to reach out to the drug addicts and prostitutes. They are the ones who need saving, not those who go to the mosque, church or temple. In that same spirit, it is no use having all the reform minded people in the opposition and the scumbags and slime-balls in Umno. We need some 'saints' in Umno as well so that they can try to 'turn' the 'devils' in Umno. Only then will we see changes in Malaysia. And that is how I view Saifuddin -- a saint walking amongst a bunch of devils trying to do 'God's work'. My appeal to Najib is not only to retain Saifuddin but also to promote him to a full minister. And then give him a free hand to reform Malaysia's education system. Then maybe, still maybe, we will be able to see changes in 20-30 years to come. Yes, even then it is going to take 20-30 years. God help Malaysia because we certainly do need plenty of help. |
| Hindraf to back Pakatan, provided… Posted: 14 Oct 2012 03:16 PM PDT A blueprint for the resolution of the Indian dilemma will be tabled at upcoming Anwar-Waytha talks. Athi Shankar, FMT BATU KAWAN: Hindraf will support Pakatan Rakyat if the bloc agrees to implement the pressure group's blueprint for the wellbeing of Indians in the country, which it will present at an upcoming meeting with PKR. Hindraf deputy chairman W Sambulingam said his organisation was keen to forge an alliance with Pakatan to face the next general election but would not give it or any other political group a free ride. "We are not going to give anyone a free lunch like in 2008," Sambulingam told some 500 supporters at a fund-raising dinner here last night. The blueprint will be tabled during a second round of Hindraf-PKR talks, which could be held at the end of this month or early next month. PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy are expected to attend. The Anwar-Waythamoorthy meet-up was agreed upon last month at a meeting between PKR and Hindraf officials. Neither Anwar nor Waythamoorthy was present at that meeting. Since his return from exile, Waythamoorthy has had meetings with top PAS leaders, including Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat. Sambulingam said Hindraf would prepare a "comprehensive and constructive" blueprint containing recommendations and proposals for "permanent, practical, applicable and effective" solutions to resolve problems faced by the Indian community, including those unresolved since colonial days. Hindraf has written to both BN and Pakatan to propose talks on the blueprint. Unlike PKR and PAS, BN has yet to respond. Sambulingam said he regarded BN's silence as a "rejection of Hindraf's olive branch". He said Hindraf would call on Indians to support Pakatan only if the bloc agreed to implement the blueprint. Issues regarding education, land, and settlement areas for Indians are expected to feature heavily in the blueprint. Sambulingam said these were not commercial issues, but were matters that bore heavily on fundamental principles of human rights. "The government of the day is duty bound to fulfil these rights for rightful citizens, not to illegal immigrants," he said at last night's dinner.
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| Defamation suit against FMT dismissed Posted: 14 Oct 2012 03:01 PM PDT Judge orders MIC's Mugilan to pay costs. (FMT) - The Shah Alam High Court today dismissed a defamation suit brought against FMT by MIC's deputy Youth chief, V Mugilan. Justice Ahmad Zaki Husin said FMT did not commit any offence in an article entitled "MIC's Mugilan accused of swindling temple", which was published on July 28, 2011. He ordered Mugilan to pay RM30,000 in costs. The FMT article was about a police report filed against Mugilan by the Serendah Indian Community Association, which alleged that Mugilan worked in cahoots with certain officials of the Sri Selva Vinayaga Temple to take out RM400,000 from a RM2 million fund without authorisation. The report also quoted Mugilan as denying the allegation, saying the money was used to pay a deposit to a contractor appointed to build a crematorium. He sued FMT for RM500,000, claiming the report was false and politically motivated. The judge said Mugilan's accusation had no basis. FMT was represented by Clement G Lopez.
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| 'Who says Islam and democracy can't propel a nation?' asks former MCA V-P Posted: 14 Oct 2012 02:59 PM PDT
(Harakah) - Former MCA vice-president Chua Jui Meng has dismissed the argument that Islam should not have any role in the country's political system, and cited how Turkey's blend of Islam and democracy have yielded positive results for the European nation. "The brave Turkish people went for change with [Turkish prime minister] Tayyip Erdogan in 2003 and today, about 10 years after, Turkey registered a 300% economic growth.
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| Suaram didakwa pernah gugat kestabilan Indonesia Posted: 14 Oct 2012 02:55 PM PDT  NGO itu didakwa pernah mengatur beberapa program, bengkel dan mesyuarat meminta campur tangan dunia luar terutama dari Barat dalam isu Timor Timur. Jamilah Kamarudin, FMT Bekas Pengerusi Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (KITA) Kedah Zamil Ibrahim mendakwa Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) pernah menggugat kestabilan negara jiran, Indonesia apabila campur tangan dalam isu Timor Timur (kini Timor Leste). Menurut beliau, pada lewat 90-an badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) itu pernah mengatur beberapa program, bengkel dan mesyuarat meminta campur tangan dunia luar terutama dari Barat dalam isu Timor Timur ini. "Campur tangan Suaram tentang isu Timor Timur dalam Wilayah Indonesia telah menyebabkan Indonesia kehilangan wilayah tersebut dan kini telah wujud sebuah Negara Kristian – Timor Leste. "Jangan pandang remeh keupayaan Suaram dalam apa-apa isu yang melibatkan keselamatan negara ini. Pemerintah wajar tegas," katanya dalam satu kenyataan semalam. Zamil turut mendakwa, pada ketika itu Setiausaha Pemuda Umno Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (kini Setiausaha Agung PKR) bersama beberapa Exco Pemuda Umno pernah ceroboh masuk dalam satu program isu Timor Timur anjuran Suaram di sebuah hotel di Kuala Lumpur. Katanya, tindakan itu dibuat kerana marahkan Suaram yang cuba menggugat hubungan baik Malaysia-Indonesia, namun Saifuddin ditangkap kerana menceroboh. "Individu yang ada dalam program kacau Indonesia ketika itu kini ada dalam Parlimen Malaysia dan ada di Dewan Negeri terutama di Selangor dan ada yang pegang jawatan dalam PKR. "Mereka ini ada dalam parti yang di pimpin oleh (Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim yang sebahagian kecil rakyat Indonesia puja ini. "Hairan dalam isu ini sebab penderitaan umat Islam di Mindanau (Filipina), Rohingya (Myanmar), Selatan Thailand dan di Gaza (Palestin) tidak pulak ada dalam agenda Suaram," katanya. Sehubungan itu, beliau mencabar Saifuddin supaya menafikan dakwaan ini. Beliau berkata, beliau tidak terkejut jika fail-fail yang pemerintah inginkan dari Suaram kini boleh berada di Timor Leste.
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| The Havoc Education Reform Inflicts (Part 5 of 5) Posted: 14 Oct 2012 02:49 PM PDT
Last of Five Parts: Hard To Be Part of the Solution When You Are Part of the Problem M. Bakri Musa [In the first three essays I critiqued the Blueprint's recommendations: specifically its failure to recognize the diversity within our school system and thus the need to have targeted programs; the challenge of recruiting quality teachers; and the link between efficiency, efficacy, and quality. Part Four discussed the report's deficiencies. This last essay focuses on the very process of reform, or how to do a better job of it.] The greatest weakness of this reform effort is its exclusive dependence on in-house or MOE staff, the very personnel responsible for the current rot with our schools. These individuals have been part of the problem for far too long; they cannot now be expected suddenly and magically to be part of the solution. That would take an exceptional ability to be flexible, innovative, and have the willingness or at least capacity to learn. Those are the very traits not valued in or associated with our civil service. The Blueprint's local consultants included Air Asia's Tony Fernandez, Khazanah's Azman Mokthar, and Sunway's Jeffrey Cheah, presumably representing the three major communities. These individuals are terribly busy. Unless they took time off from their considerable corporate responsibilities, they could not possibly do justice to this important national assignment. The international consultants were equally impressive. Again here I wonder how much time they actually spent talking to teachers, students and headmasters. Another significant flaw is this: With the possible exception of the Canadian, the others are from systems not burdened with the Malaysian dilemma of low educational achievements identifiable with specific ethnic or geographical groups. In Ontario, Canada, only the Toronto School System which is separate from the provincial has significant experience with the "Malaysian" problem. The Canadian is with the provincial system. Many of those impressive consultants were conspicuously absent during the many public sessions leading one to conclude that they were more window dressing. As for the public meetings, there were few formal or well thought-out presentations. Far too often those meetings quickly degenerated into "bitch" sessions, or to put it into local lingo, cakap kosong kopi-o (coffee shop empty talk), with a few vociferous and frustrated individuals hogging the discussions. Worse, there were no records of those hearings for preview, except for those amateurish low-quality recordings posted on Youtube. Consequently, opportunities for learning from those sessions were minimal. The reform has its own website (myedureview.com) and uses the social media (Facebook and Twitter) extensively. Those dialogues in cyberspace were no better; the comments were un-moderated and simply the spouting of anger and frustrations. As for the few serious ones, the panel never engaged their contributors. The cyber forums, like the public hearings, gave few insights; the signal-to-noise ratio was low. There was no shortage of passion and strong views, reflecting the angst Malaysians have of their school system. A Superior Approach There is a better approach. To begin with, dispense with the current or past personnel of MOE; they are or have been part of the problem. Consider that the most consequential reform in medical education, The Flexner Report of 1910 was produced not by a doctor or even an educator but an insurance salesman! It still is the foundation of modern American medical education. In Malaysia, the Razak Report of 1956 transformed Malaysian education, yet its author was no educator or teacher. The only qualification I seek in those undertaking reform would be a respectable education (meaning, they have earned rather than bought their degrees), a proven record of success in any endeavor, and the necessary commitment, especially time, intellect, and energy. Meaning, these individuals would have to take a sabbatical from their regular duties. I would have no more than five members, with one designated as leader. Then I would give them a generous budget to hire the best independent professional staff, from clerks to answer the phones efficiently to IT personnel to design and maintain an effective website, to scholars, statisticians and data analysts. The budget should also provide for travel to visit exemplary school systems elsewhere. I would also have those panelists spend most of their time talking to students, parents and teachers rather than ministry officials. The panel should also have sufficient resources to hire consultants from countries with demonstrably superior school systems. I would choose two in particular – Finland and America. Both have sufficient experiences in dealing with children of marginalized communities; Finland with its new immigrants, America its minorities. Yes, American public schools do not enjoy favorable reputation but there are islands of excellence for us to emulate. I would avoid consultants from Korea and other East Asian countries for at least two reasons. One, they are ethnically and culturally homogenous; they have no experience dealing with diverse groups; the Malaysian dilemma is alien to them. For another, while the Koreans regularly excel in international comparisons, they do not think highly of their own cram-school-plagued system. Those who can, avoid it. I would also look beyond the advanced countries to, for example Mexico for its Progressa Program, and Rwanda with its ambitious and highly successful One-Laptop-Per-Child (OLPC) scheme. If poor Rwanda could have such an imaginative initiative, Malaysia could do even more. Rwanda demonstrates that an enlightened government approach could actually bring down prices. Rwanda's computers cost under RM500 per unit! It could do that because the program is under the management of competent and honest foreign experts, not local inertia-laden bureaucrats and corrupt politicians on the take. Rwandan leaders are self confident and fully aware that they lack local expertise; they are not hesitant in calling in foreigners and do not worry about being "neo-colonized" or whatever. Rwanda offers many other useful lessons. Foremost is that children from even the most physically and socially challenged environments could leapfrog the technological gap. That is pertinent for our children in Ulu Kelantan and Interior Sarawak. For another, reform in the classrooms spills into the wider community, spurring further reforms and developments there. Those Rwandan children dragged along their parents and grandparents into the digital age. Those elders are now open to the wider world; consequently they demand more of their leaders, like their villages having electricity so they could use their computers longer. They view those machines as agents of liberation and emancipation; now they can find out the price of the commodities they sell and the goods they buy directly from the market instead of being captive to the middlemen. The only time I would call for ministry's input is to have the staff enumerate the problems and challenges faced under the current system. This would also show whether they are indeed aware of those problems and whether their assessments match those of parents. I would arrange the public participation component differently and also encourage input from all, individuals as well as groups. The initial submissions however, would have to be in writing. That would force presenters to think through their ideas. For groups I would stipulate that their report be accompanied by an attestation that it had been endorsed by their executive committees or general membership. All submissions would be in Malay or English, with a translation in the other language. For those exceeding 300 words there would have to be an accompanying executive summary not more than 200 words, again in both languages. All these submissions would be posted on the panel's website, with readers free to post their comments. Those comments as well as the original submissions would have to be edited (again by the panel's professional staff) for clarity, brevity and accuracy, as well as to avoid embarrassing grammatical and spelling errors. That would lend some gravitas to the website as well as provide useful learning opportunities for those who surf it. The website as well as other media outlets must reflect the professionalism and excellence of the reform effort. One does not get this impression now on reading the Blueprint or perusing the reform's website. The panel would then select from those submissions the few that are worthy for further exploration in an open public hearing. The purpose of those structured open hearings is to give the panel opportunities to elucidate greater details from the submitters, and for them to expand on their ideas. Those hearings are not meant to hear from new or on-the-spur commentators. Such a scheme would effectively cut out the grandstanders. Again, those proceedings, their transcripts as well as the video and audio recordings, would be posted on the website. Only after all the public hearings have been completed would the panel gather to write their final recommendations, with freedom for each member to produce his or her own separate or dissenting comment. That is the only way to be credible. The current process produces nothing more than a sanitized press release of MOE, embellished with the imprimaturs of those impressive corporate and international consultants.
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| Much ado about PJ’s mayor: Another case for local council elections Posted: 14 Oct 2012 02:38 PM PDT
What Fernandez failed to mention however, is that the PSD also has the jurisdiction to direct where their officers serve. In the event there is a conflict of orders, who should Mohamad Roslan obey? Indeed, as an officer who draws his salary from the federal government and with a pension programme to look forward to when he retires, it would seem unlikely that Mohamad Roslan would even dare disobey the PSD. KW Mak, The Nut Graph ON 1 Oct 2012, Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman was transferred out of his post to a new post by the Public Services Department (PSD) without warning. A day later, the Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim ordered the mayor to stay put. On 3 Oct, the PSD agreed to postpone the transfer to 1 Dec, but said that the transfer was agreed to by the Selangor government. On 4 Oct, the Selangor government responded by saying that while there had been a discussion on the appointment of officers, no agreement had been reached on the subject. The state government insisted that the position of mayor is the prerogative of the state authority and not the PSD. Both sides have not budged from their position. When 1 Dec comes, who shall Mohamad Roslan obey? And what are the long-term solutions if such transfers were to be repeated in the future? Legality Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) councillor Derek Fernandez has rightly pointed out that Section 10 of the Local Government Act 1976 allows the state authority the sole and exclusive power to determine the mayor's tenure. "PSD cannot override a statutory appointment. So, he has to report for duty and perform his function as a mayor," said Fernandez, as reported in The Star. What Fernandez failed to mention however, is that the PSD also has the jurisdiction to direct where their officers serve. In the event there is a conflict of orders, who should Mohamad Roslan obey? Indeed, as an officer who draws his salary from the federal government and with a pension programme to look forward to when he retires, it would seem unlikely that Mohamad Roslan would even dare disobey the PSD. All this could be resolved if the state government would just appoint a politician to the post of mayor, as nothing in the Local Government Act stipulates that the mayor must be a PSD officer to begin with. So why is the state authority fighting so hard to keep Mohamad Roslan on the job? Blame game An excuse often used by the Pakatan Rakyat government when the MBPJ does not perform its duties properly is that they are being internally sabotaged by their own officers.
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| Pakatan’s minimum wage plan will backfire, says Soi Lek Posted: 14 Oct 2012 02:26 PM PDT
(The Star) - Many small and medium companies, and even eateries will close down, triggering massive unemployment if Pakatan Rakyat's RM1,100 minimum wage is implemented. MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said Pakatan's proposed minimum wage had caused anxiety among the business community. "Some people even asked me whether the proposed RM1,100 minimum wage was a joke as it would be disastrous to their businesses and the country's economic competitiveness," he said. He noted that Pakatan's bid to increase the minimum wage by RM200 would backfire. "It will create massive unemployment in our country," Dr Chua told reporters at the MCA mega dinner themed "Stability Above Chaos" at Stadium Indera Mulia here last night. He also challenged Pakatan to show their economic model. "The various populist polices in Pakatan's manifesto (Buku Jingga) amounting to almost RM200bil a year will bankrupt the country within two years if they take over Putrajaya," he warned. These populist policies include ensuring every Malaysian household has a minimum monthly income of RM4,000 which will cost the Government RM93bil a year. Others include abolishing tolls, loans owed to the National Higher Education Fund Corporation and car taxes. In another development, Dr Chua said the party would focus on winning the seats it contested in the last general election. The MCA, the second largest Barisan component party, contested 40 parliamentary seats and 90 state seats in 2008. Dr Chua, who is also Perak MCA chairman, said Barisan was confident of retaining the state.  Full house: Guests enjoying their meal during the MCA mega dinner in Ipoh. Citing the overwhelming response to last night's mega dinner, he said many people could be seen waiting at the venue as it could only accommodate 700 tables. He said it was a similar scene at the mega dinners in Malacca and Klang, leading to the organisers adding more tables. Dr Chua said the tremendous response reflected unity and high spirits within the party and community. He also said the RM500,000 raised at last night's mega dinner would be given back to society for education purposes.
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| Animal lovers slam local councils’ move to enter houses and remove dogs Posted: 14 Oct 2012 02:18 PM PDT
(The Star) - Animal rights groups here are upset with local councils for engaging private companies that apparently trespass homes to catch pets. The discussion among representatives from about 15 groups, including PAWS, KL Pooch Rescue and SPCA, became animated when they voiced their displeasure against such actions, usually instigated by complaints from neighbours of dog owners. "This is a disturbing trend," said Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) founder Wani Muthiah during a press conference here. "When you're not at home, the local councils' dog-catchers, as well as those from private companies employed by them, cannot remove your dogs," she pointed out. "Now, owners have become paranoid. They have to lock their dogs inside their houses when they go out to work," she said. Wani said the authorities should instead take up the complaints with the house owner, and not capture the dogs. "And, certainly not when the owners aren't home." Shown at the conference was a YouTube clip that was uploaded on Sept 27, showing several men, believed to be dog-catchers subcontracted by the Ampang City Council (MPAJ), entering a house compound and removing several dogs there. Wani said she had compiled about 50 police reports made after the video went online since Wednesday. It can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwqnI88boFs. However, MPAJ deputy president Abd Hamid Hussain said it was all a misunderstanding. "In the video, the contractors were actually trying to remove stray dogs which had wandered into the house," he said. "We had permission from the owner to remove them." Yesterday, G. Darwin, 27, and his wife Cynthia Moey, 26, from Kota Kemuning, related how the local authority had removed their dogs. "I returned from work at about 8pm, and found my porch in a mess," said Moey. "I thought someone had broken into my home. I found my dogs missing," she said. "My neighbour told me that she had called the council to come and take away my dogs. "The council had actually trespassed my home using my neighbour's house to jump inside." DwqnI88boFs
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| Posted: 14 Oct 2012 02:08 PM PDT
Vinoth Ramachandra, The Micah Mandate Stupidity breeds stupidity. That's the only lesson one can draw from yet another exhibition of scurrilous anti-Islamic propaganda (in the US and later in France), followed by mob hysteria and the shedding of innocent blood in Libya and Egypt. Who takes the trouble to watch such trash? And are not those who broadcast it to the Arab world, whether they be "Muslim", "Christian" or "secularist" rabble-rousers, also culpable for the ensuing murders? Violence is fueled by ignorance. And ignorance about "human rights' as much as ignorance about Islam (not to mention Christianity) is rife in the Western mass media. Fundamentalist secularists, paradoxically joined by some American fundamentalist preachers, can only see the issue as one of "freedom of speech". In a pluralist society people have the right to make movies and print cartoons which other people may find offensive. No subject should be taboo. But the most difficult decisions we make are not about right and wrong, but choosing between competing rights. Error has its right of expression, but every person, including the dead, has the right not to be misrepresented or vilified. Laws against libel and slander recognize this in every civilized society. And publicly insulting those who cannot answer us back (especially the dead, children, the mentally disabled, and those in other societies) is the hallmark of the coward. Those who replace debate with insults are every bit as fanatical as those who resort to violence instead of counter-argument. The language of "tolerance" is selectively applied in the US and Europe today. Anti-Islamic rhetoric is tolerated, but not anti-Gay rhetoric, for example. Indeed, anybody even expressing a personal opinion that he or she believes that homosexual acts are expressions of a disordered sexuality are hounded out of a job or refused an opportunity to express their views in the media an even in academic fora. As for anybody who expresses mockery at blacks or women, there is no way he can run for public office. The media outrage will be deafening. Why, then this self-righteous hypocrisy when it come to hate speech against Muslims or Christians? (Jews in the US, being the benefactors of many universities and owners of media cannot, of course, be touched) Furthermore, one can enjoy a right and yet choose not to exercise it. Wise newspaper editors do this all the time. Some article, cartoon or photograph may not be in the public interest, or run counter to the paper's own views, or fan the flames of social conflict by exposing a particularly vulnerable community to derision and contempt. And that is the position many Muslims find themselves in, especially in the US and parts of Western Europe, after Sept 11 2001. At the height of the controversy about the Danish cartoons a few years ago, a Danish woman theologian, Lissi Rasmussen, wrote: "The fact that almost on a daily basis the media portray one-sided, negative stories about immigrants in general and Muslims in particular (reproduced by politicians and by public opinion), affects the Muslim minorities who feel unwanted, insecure and unconfident. This may lead to detachment also among well-educated, second-generation immigrants and become an excuse for avoiding responsibility. It has resulted in an ingrained mistrust of the media and political processes, a lack of interest to integrate into the Danish society and taken away the energy to reflect critically and contextually on Islam."
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| Selangor says has cheaper water treatment option Posted: 14 Oct 2012 01:57 PM PDT
Amin Iskandar, The Malaysian Insider Selangor has a cheaper water treatment option without the need to raise tariffs to foot the construction of Langat 2, a new treatment plant proposed by Putrajaya to cope with a forecasted supply shortage, says Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. The Selangor mentri besar claims to have found a viable alternative method from a Canadian company that utilises membrane technology to extract fresh water from existing plants and turn them into water suitable for household use. "The total cost will be in the vicinity of RM500 million to RM750 million compared to the RM3 billion to RM5 billion to build Langat 2," Khalid told The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive interview. He explained that the Canadian company's technology involved taking water from several treatment plants and treating them separately to produce one billion litres of water daily, instead of doing all the work from one main plant, which was the purpose of Langat 2. "But you have several plants so you can add 50 litres a day and three million more from elsewhere and you add that all, you get one billion litres a day. "In short, we will have cheaper water resources at very, very low prices," he said, adding that through this new method the government will not have to raise tariffs to produce treated water. The tussle for control of treated water supply in the country's most developed state has become major election fodder in the run-up to national polls due soon after the state's sole water distributor, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas), raised an alarm earlier this year of a possible crisis in the near future due to the near zero reserves at the state's water treatment plants. The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government has steadfastly opposed the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government's Langat 2 project, citing the high costs involved that would force the state to increase the tariffs for water and renege on its pledge to provide the utility cheaply, a policy PR had introduced after winning power in Election 2008. "It will cost at least RM3 billion to RM5 billion just to build Langat 2, a treatment plant capable of storing water from Pahang and to treat it before it is distributed, without taking into account the cost of digging the tunnel and all that," Khalid said. Despite this, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has reportedly suggested that the federal government may go ahead with building Langat 2 without first getting the agreement of the state government. Muhyiddin, who has been tasked with chairing a federal panel to resolve the water issue, said he has asked the Attorney-General's Chambers to see whether the National Land Code or the Land Acquisition Act will allow a project deemed to have national importance to be built, enabling the federal government to circumnavigate the state without causing any detriment to Putrajaya. "The Attorney-General's Chambers has yet to respond, negotiations with the state government are continuing in efforts to get them to issue a development order for the construction of Langat 2," the country's No. 2 told reporters over the weekend. Langat 2, which is part of the RM8.9 billion Pahang-Selangor Raw Water Transfer project, would be able to bring in 1,130 million litres a day with which to supply residents in Selangor and the two federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
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| Exposed: Federal Govt is Umno propaganda unit Posted: 14 Oct 2012 01:46 PM PDT  Taxpayers funds and federal civil servants produced this Barisan Nasional propaganda sheet under a federal government imprint • Govt booklet outlines campaign against Pakatan Rakyat A propaganda booklet produced by the Federal Government exposed by Malaysiakini on Saturday provides further evidence of how Umno politicians and civil servants use taxpayer funds and facilities to serve their own personal and party ends. Called Panduan Penjelasan Isu Semasa, or a guidebook to current affairs, it was produced by JASA (Jabatan Hal Ehwal Khas) or "Special Affairs Department" — in political terms, that usually means "dirty tricks department".  JASA kotor – the anti-Bersih campaign The Bersih public rally for electoral reforms are attacked in one chapter with a headline that repeats a slogan used by the Information Minister Rais Yatim at the time the rally was held. Even though the guidebook is an official federal publication, and bears the federation coat-of-arms, it makes no attempt to keep the federal government out of party politics, In fact, it explicitly names Pakatan Rakyat, Anwar Ibrahim, and the Pakatan's policy document Buku Jingga, as targets of criticism. The explanation for Bersih't its objectives are a blatant Umno attack on Pakatan Rakyat — not unsurprising, but the documents is an official federal government publication. It bears the federation coat-of-arms, and the taxpayer (among whom are DAP, PAS and PKR members as well as ordinary civilians) has every right to expect his government to show neutrality in the tussle between parties. But Umno long ago abandoned any principles it may have had (if ever). For example, western political philosophies are highlighted for criticism — and no wonder, because civil service neutrality is one of the basic principles of parliamentary democracy. Malaysiakini editor Fathi Aris Omar wrote on Saturday that the recent propaganda attacks on Malaysiakini by the government and Umno politician had been part of the campaign outlined in the information ministry guidebook. International financier and philanthropist George Soros, his alleged links to Zionism, and his links to Anwar Ibrahim were specifically mentioned in the guidebook.  Umno dirty tricks by the Information Ministry Fuad was a two-term Selangor assemblyman for Hulu Kelang until defeated in 1999 by PKR's Azmin Ali, now deputy president of the party. The guidebook is nothing more than an propaganda booklet, produced by federal government civil servants using public funds, to get civil servants and the public to follow the current thinking of Umno polticians. Besides having produced the guidebook, JASA also held an exhibition at Umno Kuala Pilah's delegates meeting on Sept 22 — the division is headed by Umno's information chief Ahmad Maslan, who is a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department.  Federal government Information Ministry or Umno propaganda division? Read more at: http://uppercaise.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/exposed-federal-govt-is-umno-propaganda-unit/
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| Hala tuju PAS semakin bercelaru Posted: 14 Oct 2012 01:45 PM PDT
Persoalannya bagaimana pula dengan kenyataan Mursyidul Am PAS Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat yang menegaskan, PAS akan terus bekerjasama dengan DAP untuk mencapai kemenangan dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang biar pun dibantah oleh ahli-ahli di peringkat umbi. Tidakkah ini membuktikan memburu kuasa menjadi matlamat utama PAS? Zulkiflee Bakar, Utusan Malaysia Beberapa pemimpin PAS secara tiba-tiba memberikan reaksi yang cukup keras terhadap kenyataan bekas Timbalan Presiden parti itu, Nasharudin Mat Isa yang menyentuh tentang agenda DAP dan membidas pemimpin-pemimpin Islam yang sanggup mengetepikan kepentingan agama demi kuasa. Apa yang menghairankan ketika menyampaikan hujahnya dalam Seminar Dakwah Nasional baru-baru ini, Ahli Parlimen Bachok itu langsung tidak menujukan kenyataan beliau kepada pemimpin Umno atau PAS. Sebaliknya apa yang beliau bentangkan adalah tasawwur umum tentang konsep dakwah dan siasah serta beberapa kemelut yang sedang dihadapi oleh umat Islam di Malaysia dalam hal yang berkaitan dengan politik. Namun kenyataan Nasharudin tidak dilihat sebagai satu pandangan daripada seorang pendakwah yang bertanggungjawab untuk mempertahankan agama Islam dengan apa cara sekali pun, sebaliknya sesetengah pemimpin PAS melihat dari sudut politik semata-mata. Mereka bimbang kenyataan Nasharudin akan menyebabkan DAP terasa dan ini sekali gus boleh menjejaskan impian politik PAS untuk memburu kuasa bersama DAP dan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). Sebab itulah kita saksikan tidak ramai pemimpin-pemimpin PAS menyokong kenyataan Timbalan Mursyidul Am parti, Datuk Harun Din yang memberi pandangan berhubung tindakan Penasihat PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim melancarkan buku yang ditulis oleh bekas Ahli Parlimen India berfahaman liberal, Mobashar Jawed Akbar. Mobashar secara terbuka meremehkan peranan Islam dalam pembentukan sesebuah negara sedangkan inilah perjuangan PAS, namun pemimpin-pemimpin PAS masih dilihat sanggup bertolak ansur kerana bimbang menyinggung perasaan Anwar kalau mereka mengkritik Mobashar. Begitu juga dalam isu kenyataan Nasharudin, biar pun beliau tidak menyebut mana-mana parti tetapi ada pemimpin PAS yang mengulas panjang lebar untuk mempertegaskan PAS tidak pernah tergelincir daripada landasan perjuangannya. Menuduh Sebaliknya pemimpin itu menyifatkan orang yang menuduh PAS tergelincir sekarang sedang menjerit-jerit untuk mendapatkan pertolongan daripada Umno. Dalam hujahnya, pemimpin berkenaan turut menyentuh tiga fasal dalam Perlembagaan termasuk fasal 3 yang menyatakan dasar PAS ialah Islam. Hujah pemimpin berkenaan, Islam yang diperjuangkan oleh PAS ialah Islam yang lengkap, merangkumi semua perkara sama ada ibadah, politik, ekonomi, akhlak. Dalam erti kata lain yang merangkumi urusan hidup dan mati. Beliau juga menyentuh fasal 5 (1) berkaitan tujuan PAS untuk memperjuangkan wujudnya di dalam negara ini sebuah masyarakat dan pemerintahan yang terlaksana di dalamnya nilai-nilai hidup Islam dan hukum-hukumnya menuju keredaan Allah. Malahan beliau juga merujuk kepada fasal 7 yang menyatakan sumber rujukan tertinggi yang menjadi hukum dan kekuasaan PAS ialah al-Quran, Sunnah, Ijmak dan Qias. Pemimpin berkenaan cuba mempertegaskan bahawa PAS tidak menggadaikan prinsipnya dalam memburu kuasa dan menganggap tuduhan PAS mengutamakan kuasa sehingga mengenepikan Islam suatu tuduhan yang tidak betul. ''Memang betul dalam Perlembagaan PAS mencatatkan itu semua, tetapi dari segi realitinya apakah parti tersebut benar-benar mematuhi semua yang termaktub dalam perlembagaannya. ''Kita bukan bercakap soal Perlembagaan tetapi realiti dari segi pelaksanaan dan perjalanan parti, itu yang sepatutnya difahami pemimpin berkenaan,'' kata seorang pemimpin muda PAS ketika dihubungi penulis. Persoalannya bagaimana pula dengan kenyataan Mursyidul Am PAS Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat yang menegaskan, PAS akan terus bekerjasama dengan DAP untuk mencapai kemenangan dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang biar pun dibantah oleh ahli-ahli di peringkat umbi. Tidakkah ini membuktikan memburu kuasa menjadi matlamat utama PAS? Kalau benar PAS memerlukan kuasa untuk menghayati Islam yang syumul seperti yang diajar oleh Nabi Muhammad SAW, Nik Abdul Aziz tidak akan mempertahankan kerjasama dengan DAP kerana semua orang tahu bagaimana gangguan DAP terhadap perjuangan Islam PAS. Oleh itu tidak perlulah mana-mana pemimpin PAS hendak berdolak-dalih untuk "menghalalkan" kerjasama berkenaan dan sekali gus berusaha menutup keghairahan parti itu memburu kuasa sehingga sanggup menggadaikan prinsip perjuangan sendiri. Jika PAS memegang teguh prinsip perjuangan Islamnya, kenapakah PAS masih rela bersekongkol dengan DAP yang terang-terang menolak hukum hudud dan berpayung di bawah pemimpin-pemimpin PKR yang ada antara mereka menyokong fahaman liberalisme. Mengaburi Tidak usahlah hendak mengaburi ahli di peringkat akar umbi dan penyokong parti itu dengan menyatakan segala keputusan yang PAS hendak laksanakan seperti tahaluf siyasi diputus dan dikaji oleh Majlis Syura yang mampu menekuni segala permasalahan hukum berdasarkan sumber al-Quran, hadis, ijmak dan qias serta segala keputusan yang dibuat berdasarkan kepada dosa dan pahala, syurga dan neraka. Kalau itu hujahnya, kenapakah masih mahu bekerjasama dengan DAP? Apakah kalau betul pakatan pembangkang menang dalam pilihan raya nanti, PAS akan diberi kuasa sebebas-bebasnya untuk melaksanakan pemerintahan Islam? Penulis akui dalam PAS, kelompok yang benar-benar ikhlas untuk meneruskan perjuangan Islam dalam Pas hanyalah golongan ulama, tetapi semua orang tahu sejauh mana kekuatan golongan berkenaan untuk bersuara. Memang benar tahaluf siyasi yang dilakukan oleh PAS dengan PKR dan DAP diputuskan oleh Majlis Syura Ulama tetapi sekarang sudah jelas kerjasama berkenaan lebih banyak merugikan parti itu. Jika mereka ikhlas hendak memastikan PAS terus memperjuangkan Islam, mereka sepatutnya menggesa majlis itu mengkaji semula hubungan dengan DAP dan PKR supaya cara berpolitik PAS adalah berlandaskan kepada dosa dan pahala, syurga dan neraka. Kalau itu mereka tidak mahu lakukan jelaslah, PAS sememangnya sedang ghairah memburu kuasa bersama-sama DAP dan PKR sehingga sanggup menggadaikan segala-galanya hatta prinsip perjuangan sendiri. Tidak salah untuk PAS berkawan dengan sesiapa sahaja tetapi biarlah hubungan itu mendatangkan keuntungan bukan sahaja kepada parti itu tetapi juga umat Islam secara keseluruhannya. Pemimpin-pemimpin PAS sudah pasti memahami sabda Rasulullah SAW dalam sebuah hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh al-Bukhari dan Muslim dari sahabat Abu Musa. Baginda bersabda: "Permisalan teman yang baik dan teman yang jelek seperti (berteman) dengan pembawa minyak wangi dan tukang pandai besi. Dan adapun (berteman) dengan pembawa minyak wangi kemungkinan dia akan memberimu, kemungkinan engkau membelinya, atau kemungkinan engkau mencium bau yang harum. Dan (berteman) dengan tukang pandai besi kemungkinan dia akan membakar pakaianmu atau engkau mendapatkan bau yang tidak enak." Dan dalam soal ini, semua orang tahu siapa kawan karib PAS dan apa sudah terjadi dengan parti itu.
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| DAP & PKR’s Inability to Neutralize PAS’ pro-Islamic Agendas is Worrisome Posted: 14 Oct 2012 01:39 PM PDT
Malaysia Youth Rights Movement hopes that Pakatan Rakyat will demonstrate more of their ability to govern a multiracial and multicultural nation, not their ability to impose strict Islamic laws on non-Muslims. Diong Chau Sern, Secretary of Malaysia Youth Rights Movement Recently the Alor Setar City Council has followed Kelantan in implementing a ruling which requires non-Muslims models to be "decently attired" and Muslim models to wear 'tudung' on the billboards. The Alor Setar mayor has warned all billboard operators and advertisers that the city council will not be lenient on those who do not obey the rules in areas under its jurisdiction. Malaysia Youth Rights Movement strongly condemns Alor Setar City Council's decision on imposing such conditions. The implementation of such rules has affected both Muslims and non-Muslims in the city. Malaysia Youth Rights Movement urge the city council to not to be involved too much in governing how people should dress. Our country has federal laws governing indecent exposure on billboards and printed materials. PAS-led Kedah state government's decision has affected many people in the state and has caused millions across the country to worry. Malaysia Youth Rights Movement hopes that Pakatan Rakyat will demonstrate more of their ability to govern a multiracial and multicultural nation, not their ability to impose strict Islamic laws on non-Muslims. |
| Posted: 14 Oct 2012 01:34 PM PDT Shenaaz Khan The poor tiger's body was riddled with bullets, two of which were embedded in its eyes. It was pierced with blowpipe arrows, its paw was viciously snared and it was left to die a cruel and horrific death. Bullets and the snare were found at the scene of the crime, with the snare still attached to the tigers leg. There was even an admission of guilt from one of the accused. This was a cold blooded murder. Yet these murderers have come out victorious and are now free to roam our jungles and savagely kill our precious wildlife. While we boast about our conservation mandate being embodied in our legislation, it is appalling that the charges proffered against the four were merely under Section 64A of the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972, when they should have additionally been charged under Section 76, for the setting and possession of a snare, Section 92 for cruelty to wildlife and further charges for firearm possession. The fatal flaw of our judicial system is in not recognising the grave criminality of hunting, trapping, torturing and killing wildlife. The law is the most vital protection yet it is being repeatedly violated to the detriment of our wildlife. Our Malayan tiger is already in such great peril with its wild population numbers dwindling by the day. Yet our system brazenly allows armed criminals to recklessly, intentionally and barbarically hunt and kill these treasured creatures with no punitive consequence. This is a matter of great public concern and the government has a statutory duty to appeal the judges decision and exert more vigorous criminal prosecutions against wildlife criminals. |
| Posted: 14 Oct 2012 01:33 PM PDT Umno knows that Azmin will self-destruct and take Anwar Ibrahim and PKR down with him. It is Nurul that Umno is now battling against. Too many times in the past PKR has faltered at a time when it should not. Its near-death experience at the 2010 party elections has not been helped by the aftershocks of Azmin's inept attempts to consolidate his personal power base within PKR at the expense of Khalid Ibrahim (Selangor Menteri Besar), Nurul and Dr Azizah Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR president) – because only these three people stand in his way to greater personal glory in PKR. CT Ali, FMT Nurul Izzah Anwar lives in a man's world but is still a lady. She does not seek to be the equal of these men. She seeks to do better! She tells us that she is the proud mother of two cuties and that she is the defection-proof member of parliament for Lembah Pantai. I like that description of herself on her Facebook "defection-proof MP of Lembah Pantai". Huh, what pizzazz! Tell me, Anwar (Ibrahim), how many other defection-proof MPs do you have within PKR? How comforting is it not to have to watch your back constantly? How good does it feel to know that come what may, this Lembah Pantai MP will be on your team unconditionally? Not for money, not for the menteri besar's post or any other post anywhere in your party at state or federal level. But on past performances, she certainly is worthy and deserving of consideration for same. People will ask if her father had prepared her for Lembah Pantai. I know that Anwar prepared her for Lembah Pantai long before she was ready for it. Like Benazir Bhutto and Aung San Suu Kyi, Nurul learnt about politics from an early age simply because it was all around her. She grew up in politics, lived it, she endured it through the darkest hours of her father's political persecution and incarceration and more, and when given the opportunity, she triumphed in Lembah Pantai against all odds. We all have great expectations of her future. But did her father prepare her for what was to come after Lembah Pantai? What is he doing to ensure that she will be able to survive the onslaught Umno now throws her way in its attempts to retake Lembah Pantai at all costs? In a constituency where all of Umno's available resources, manpower and considerable financial leverage are now being used to woo the voters? Can she keep her hold on a constituency that Umno had decreed "they must win" because winning in Lembah Pantai will take away from PKR and Pakatan Rakyat the jewel in their crown – Nurul. Umno's main concern Umno has no real interest in taking down Azmin Ali (PKR deputy president), save for a token slap on his wrist whenever he strays too far. Umno knows that given enough rope, Azmin will hang himself. Azmin will self-destruct and take Anwar and PKR down with him. It is Nurul that Umno is now battling against. And how will Umno do battle against Nurul? You cannot fault her work as MP of Lembah Pantai despite having all of Umno's arsenal arrayed against her to make her work among her constituents almost impossible. There is not a hint of the scandals and innuendos that plague Barisan Nasional MPs in her. She has no money to speak and lives a life within her means. She is the incumbent MP BN fears most – fearless because she has no blemish on her character, honest, accountable, responsible, open and that most perplexing for Umno to deal with – "defection-proof!" However, this general election will be more daunting than the last for Nurul. We have all endured past family "dynasties" that promised much but delivered naught. Najib Tun Razak started with a bang by becoming the youngest MP at 23, then on to being menteri besar of Pahang riding on the coat-tails of Tun Razak's legacy. But his ascend to ignominy was swift and expected. A failed marriage, now a domineering wife, and he allowed politics to serve his personal agenda rather than have himself served politics. Soon he will end his days in politics with a whimper. Najib, Hishammuddin Hussein and Khairy Jamaludin are all lessons for other aspiring scions that seek to perpetuate lasting political dynasties for no other reasons than that they think they can – and later, much later, we will have to tell them that they can't. Now we have Nurul. If I could fault her, it is because I believe that she loves her father too much to do what she has to do now for herself and for PKR. Too many times in the past PKR has faltered at a time when it should not. Its near-death experience at the 2010 party elections has not been helped by the aftershocks of Azmin's inept attempts to consolidate his personal power base within PKR at the expense of Khalid Ibrahim (Selangor Menteri Besar), Nurul and Dr Azizah Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR president) – because only these three people stand in his way to greater personal glory in PKR. What is good for Azmin does not equate to what is good for PKR or Pakatan. That much the leaders within DAP and PAS have made known to us. But Anwar prefers to maintain an elegant silence that speaks too loudly to us all of a PKR that is in crisis. If the problems within PKR stay within PKR, good. Unfortunately that problem has begun to affect the battle for Lembah Pantai even as Umno gears up to offer its final solution to the people of Lembah Pantai – vote for RNC – Raja Nong Chik (Zainal Abidin). The challenge for Nurul Let me be precise. RNC has done enough to win nomination from BN to challenge Nurul Izzah in Lembah Pantai. RNC has done enough work among the people in Lembah Pantai to give Nurul Izzah a run for her money. Yes, he has all the resources he needed from Umno to do this. Yes, he is the minister most able to assist the people in Lembah Pantai and yes, he has done whatever he humanely could do to assist them. No, he has not been nominated to stand in Lembah Pantai but he will be come nomination day for the 13th general election. So whither goes Nurul? What help have she had from within PKR for her battle against RNC? Or more to the point, is PKR in any condition to extend any assistance to Nurul given the open sores we see of the continuing attempts by Azmin to tell all and sundry that in a blind PKR, he has one eye. And the one eye is king in the land of the blind! So he thinks!
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| Scotland moves step closer to independence vote Posted: 14 Oct 2012 01:27 PM PDT
(Reuters) - EDINBURGH: Scotland takes a big step on its path towards an independence referendum today when its leader meets Britain's prime minister to finalize arrangements for a vote which could lead to the demise of Scotland's three-centuries-old union with England. Scotland's drive for sovereignty, led by its nationalist leader Alex Salmond, echoes separatist moves by other European regions such as Catalonia and Flanders at a time when a crisis-hit European Union undergoes deep changes to its identity. Expected to be signed in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, the deal will allow Scotland to decide in a 2014 referendum whether it should become an independent country or stay within the United Kingdom. Nationalists have timed the vote to coincide with the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn when Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce defeated English invaders. Prime Minister David Cameron opposes Scotland's push, arguing that Britain is stronger together. But London agrees it is up to Scotland to decide its future for itself in a vote. "There are many things I want this (government) to achieve but what could matter more than saving our United Kingdom?" Cameron said in a speech last week. "Let's say it : We're better together and we'll rise together." Following months of negotiations, both sides have made major concessions to pave the way for the final accord to be signed on Monday by Cameron and Salmond at Edinburgh's St Andrew's House – the seat of the Scottish government. "The agreement will see Scotland take an important step toward independence, and the means to create a fairer and more prosperous Scotland," Salmond said ahead of the meeting. "I look forward to working positively for a yes vote in 2014." Scotland already has many of the trappings of an independent nation such as its own flag, legal system, sports teams, as well as a distinctive national identity following centuries of rivalry with its southern neighbor. London argues an independent Scotland – home to about five million people – would struggle to make ends meet as the bulk of its current funding comes from a 30 billion pound ($48 billion) grant from the UK government. But one of the most contentious issues at stake is the ownership of an estimated 20 billion barrels of recoverable oil and gas reserves beneath the UK part of the North Sea. Britain is also worried about the future of its nuclear submarine fleet based in Scotland which says there would be no place for atomic arms on its soil following independence. Moving the fleet elsewhere would be costly and time-consuming. Many Scots themselves are unconvinced. Opinion polls show only between 30 and 40 percent of them support independence – a range that has changed little as negotiations intensified. "Independence is about Scotland leaving the UK, becoming a separate state, taking on all the burdens and risks that go with that and losing the benefits and opportunities that we have as part of the UK," UK Scottish Secretary Michael Moore told the BBC on the eve of the meeting in Edinburgh. "When we look at the economy, at defense, at our place in the world, on all these big issues, people across Scotland will continue to support Scotland being in the United Kingdom." Scotland and England have shared a monarch since 1603 and have been ruled by one single parliament in London since 1707. In 1999, for the first time since then, a devolved Scottish parliament was opened following a referendum. Intrigue over wording Both sides have been tight-lipped on the contents of the final agreement, with much intrigue and speculation surrounding sensitive issues such as how to phrase the referendum question. Salmond is expected to have accepted London's demand that there should be only one straight-forward "in or out" question on whether voters want to be part of the United Kingdom. He had earlier campaigned for a second question on whether Scotland should be given more powers in the so-called "devo max" form of enhanced devolution that stops short of independence. For its part, London is likely to agree to allow Salmond to lower the voting age to 16 from Britain's countrywide 18 – a coup for Salmond who believes that young people are more likely to vote overwhelmingly in favor of independence. "(The) agreement will ensure that the decision taken by the people of Scotland is one that will be fully respected by both governments," Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said ahead of the meeting. She would not elaborate. "The referendum is the biggest opportunity the people of Scotland have had for 300 years to determine the kind of nation we all wish to live in." But for Salmond, convincing his people to support independence remains an uphill task given tough economic times. There are concerns as to what would happen to Scotland's debt or whether it would automatically become an EU member. A former oil economist, Salmond says Scotland would be prosperous, entitled to the lion's share of North Sea oil revenues and that it should be able to borrow at rates no worse than London, should people vote "yes".
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