Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Numbers do not denote strength
- Just words and lip service
- PAS, still the same old iron mould?
- Who is the key behind Deepak’s exposé?
| Numbers do not denote strength Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:41 PM PST The number of people at an event does not determine the strength or weakness of a political party. By Shen Yee Aun, FMT The numbers at any political event is not the right and accurate benchmark to indicate a political party's weakness or strength. I wonder how can some claim that the current Himpunan Hijau protest is a sign of a death knell for MCA ? In the past when Barisan Nasional was at its peak, we saw large numbers attending opposition ceramah but the opposition still failed to make inroads during the polls. MCA's mega dinners have drawn an attendance ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 in each division but did MCA ever claim that it would win the next general election or that Pakatan Rakyat is losing steam? MCA only claimed that it was recovering and was stronger than before. MCA would never take the numbers game for granted to brag that it was a sign of early victory. In 1998, the Reformasi movement saw huge crowds, bigger than those who turned up for the Bersih and Lynas rallies, taking to the streets. But still MCA did well in the 1999 general election. If the strength and weakness of a political party were just based on the impact of the numbers at a protest, then we must also include the 1,500 NGOs that participated in a rally with Barisan Nasional recently. Do we interpret this as BN's strength? If we want to play the numbers game, then 1,500 NGOs is much bigger compared to Himpunan Hijau. If we are talking about numbers, then it would be 1 (Pakatan) vs 1,500 (BN). What about the recent 2,000 single mothers who protested against the Selangor Pakatan government that had cheated and manipulated them with empty promise after taking over the state? Is this the death knell for Pakatan in Selangor? Selective environmentalism The Lynas issue is actually one of the most successful political deceptions, lies and manipulations in history. Until today, there are still many who believe Pakatan that Lynas is actually a nuclear plant. Any neutral science expert would tell you that the radiation of Lynas is way lower than the radiation from our mobile phones and even the radiation of taking flights. In reality, Lim Guan Eng's solar plant in Penang would produce more radiation than Lynas.
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| Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:35 PM PST The Umno president's speech lacked substance and had no clear policy direction for the people and country, says Chua Jui Meng. By Chua Jui Meng, FMT It was also an amazingly short policy speech, if not the shortest, ever delivered by an Umno president. To quote William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Najib was "full of sound and fury signifying nothing". Pre-Umno assembly Najib had also claimed that change can be initiated within Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) in general. After 55 years, did we see any change in the attitude of the party national delegates, in the quality of debates at the assembly? It was the same old rhetoric featuring inflammatory issues coupled with ridiculous claims like "God has chosen Umno". The May 13 bogey was still used to intimidate Malaysians to continue to support Umno and BN, racist remarks like "Malays will lose power if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) rules" and "May 13 will recur if PR rules". Is Umno claiming that only Umno Malays are Malays or Muslims? What about the Malays and Muslims in PKR, PAS, and others? What changes are Najib and his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, talking about? Clearly, there has been no change after 55 years and after the March 2008 political tsunami. The same arrogance is displayed by Umno and BN. Do you mean there are no important and serious public issues covering competency, accountability, transparency, integrity, abuse of power, corruption and economic policies to discuss or debate? If Umno has really changed, how could its top leaders go into the assembly pretending as if the following did not happen:
Compare the above with what the Umno leaders focused on their debates:
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| PAS, still the same old iron mould? Posted: 28 Nov 2012 01:08 PM PST
Lim Sue Goan, Sin Chew Daily The rivalry in Malaysian politics will very often take the extreme course, banking on the sensitive racial and religious issues. The current Umno general assembly is not expected to be any different. Meanwhile, to appease the emotions of its supporters, PAS is poised to accentuate its religious hues. Coincidentally, in the PAS general assembly earlier this month, some delegates hit out at the party leadership for its softened and wavering stand on the hudud issue, overlooking the fact hat the hudud law forms the core principle of the party. MPKB enforcers slapped summonses to Chinese hair salon operators in Kota Bharu during the raids carried out last Tuesday and Friday. As what we understand, Friday is a gazetted holiday in the state of Kelantan. However, on a rare occasion, the MPKB officers went on plainclothes last Friday to raid the NICE and E-Life hair salons inside KB Mall, accusing the hair salons of operating without a valid permit and a female employee serving a male customer in breach of state regulations. The operation carried out irrespective of race on the eve of the Umno general assembly should help abate the firepower of Umno targeted at PAS. Although Islamic measures have been in force in Kelantan all these years, the state authorities hardly take on hair salon operators. The latest episode, therefore, appears a little eccentric. If the above speculations have been inaccurate, it is essential for the Kelantan state government or PAS to clarify..Unfortunately, state exco Takiyuddin Hassan was resolved to defend the action of the enforcers even after DAP National Chairman Karpal Singh had hit out at the incident. Meanwhile, menteri besar Nik Aziz said the state ulama council would talk about this issue and might bring the matter to the state legislative assembly if warranted. This raises the question whether the ulama council or the state government would have the final say on administrative matters. Similar to Umno, PAS needs to take care of its fundamental support base. PAS is concerned that Umno's racist card could possibly erode its support and would therefore resort to flashing its Islamic policies every now and then to consolidate its hold, especially in Kelantan which Umno is pouncing on and which Muhyiddin has anticipated a political tsunami. Enforcing Islamic decrees on non-Muslims is nevertheless contrary to the party's pledge not to impose such regulations on non-Muslims in the state while contradicting the party's direction of diluting its religious hues in a bid to win over non-Malay voters. Perhaps PAS feels Chinese voters would still lean on the opposition pact with the anti-Lynas, Chinese education, corruption and other issues now diverting their attention, providing an opportune timing for the party to manifest its Islamic laws while not adversely affecting the support of Chinese voters. The party has obviously overlooked the fact that MCA will never let go of this opportunity to hit out at PAS. If this matter is eventually brought to the court, it will sustain for some time and will very likely develop into a heated electoral issue that will have a negative bearing on the opposition pact. It cannot be denied that the Kelantan state government has been fair and unbiased in its governance but their thinking is nevertheless out-of-date. Take the movie theatres for example. How do you expect the audience to enjoy the movie if the lights inside the theatre have to be left on? How many would pay to see a movie that conforms completely to the teachings of Islam? Little wonder that no new cinemas have opened for business in the last ten years. There is an urgent need tor PAS to transform itself, or risk losing the opportunity to grab the helm in Putrajaya. PAS must make an unequivocal choice between clinging on to its fundamental support base and enlarging its political reach.
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| Who is the key behind Deepak’s exposé? Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:47 PM PST Who has managed to get Deepak to expose Najib and Rosmah? Who stands to gain the most in toppling the Umno president? By Chua Jui Meng, FMT Deepak Jaikishan's shocking and damning revelations of his ties with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor is serious and embarrassing to Malaysia. Deepak indirectly exposes Najib and Rosmah's link with the murder case of Mongolian interpreter Altantuya Shaariibuu via his involvement in private investigator P Balasubramaniam (PI Bala)'s statutory declarations. Deepak also said his mistake was to jump in to help friends – referring to Najib, who was then a defence minister, and his wife. The ongoing RM6.7 billion scandalous purchase of two second-hand French-made Scorpene submarines which is being investigated by a French court is also damaging Najib and Malaysia. Deepak's timing to spill the beans on Najib and Rosmah is also very suspicious – coming a day before Najib is scheduled to deliver his presidential address at the opening of an annual Umno General Assembly. The immediate question is: Who has managed to get Deepak to expose Najib and Rosmah? It can be answered with a question: Who stands to gain the most in toppling the Umno president? It will be amazing that Najib is able to face his Umno central delegates without any feeling of embarrassment. How can Najib's conscience not be pricked with all the ongoing scandals exposed is mind boggling. How can Umno members, the enforcers of law and Malaysians in general ignore such strong accusations against this man? The federal administration is certainly undergoing a crisis of sorts, and possibly a breakdown, when it cannot swiftly and confidently resolve wrong doings afflicting the country, especially when it concerns public accountability, corruption and crime. Public confidence is therefore eroded, and the socio-economic fabric of the nation is shaken.
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