| RAJA PETRA PERLU BERI MAKLUMAT LANJUT DAKWAAN RASUAH Posted: 01 Jan 2012 10:05 AM PST KENYATAAN AKHBAR Saya terpanggil untuk memberi komen selepas membaca temubual eksklusif bekas rakan reformasi yang juga Penulis Blog, Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) bersama akhbar-akhbar milik UMNO yang disiarkan semalam. Meskipun saya menghormati hak RPK melakukan analisa politiknya namun saya berasa mushkil dan sesungguhnya hanya beliau seorang sahaja yang mengetahui logik sebenar kenyataan tersebut. Pada masa yang sama saya percaya rakyat boleh menilai sendiri kenyataan dan dakwaan yang dibuat oleh RPK seperti disiarkan The Sunday Times dan Berita Minggu - dua akhbar yang dulunya pernah mengkritik dan mengutuk RPK secara keras kerana menentang Kerajaan Barisan Nasional. Walau apapun sebab yang membawa kepada tindakan akhbar-akhbar tersebut bertukar selera serta ghairah memberi keistimewaan kepada RPK, yang pasti RPK harus bertanggungjawab ke atas apa yang beliau telah katakan. Tuduhan beliau bahawa wujud amalan rasuah di Selangor; duit kopi yang melibatkan para usahawan berbangsa Cina, adalah tuduhan serius. Kami menuntut RPK untuk tampil memberikan butiran lanjut kepada Kerajaan Negeri dan pihak berwajib agar penyiasatan terperinci dapat dilakukan. Kerajaan Negeri bersedia membayar kos perjalanan RPK ke Pejabat Pentadbiran Kerajaan kerana untuk makluman RPK Kerajaan Negeri Selangor telah memperuntukkan sejumlah RM15 juta untuk membasmi rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa di Negara ini khususnya di Selangor. Jumlah tersebut termasuk di dalam Geran Selangorku yang diumumkan oleh YAB Dato' Menteri Besar ketika pembentangan Belanjawan 2012 yang lalu. Sesungguhnya inilah sekecil-kecil jasa yang beliau boleh lakukan untuk membantu kerajaan yang benar-benar mahu membenteras rasuah; apatah lagi beliau sendiri dari darah bangsawan negeri Selangor. RPK tidak seharusnya melemparkan dakwaan liar hanya semata-mata mahu memperlekeh usaha Kerajaan Negeri untuk mewujudkan sebuah pentadbiran yang baik, bersih dan penuh pertanggungjawaban. Kami sesungguhnya simpati dan amat memahami kekecewaan beliau yang terpaksa hidup dalam buangan di tengah-tengah permasalahan peribadi yang beliau hadapi, tetapi dengan melemparkan dakwaan liar sebegini tidak akan membantu membawanya pulang ke negara ini. Sebaliknya ianya hanya akan mencemarkan lagi imejnya yang sudah sediakala tercalar. Rata-rata teman reformasi yang sempat dihubungi serta rakyat biasa, telahpun membuat kesimpulan bahawa RPK begitu terdesak serta mengharapkan kebebasan dan dibenarkan pulang ke negara ini. Insuransnya mudah; tohmahan dan fitnah terhadap Kerajaan Negeri Selangor dan Penasihat Ekonomi Negeri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai serangan awal menghadapi pilihan raya umum. FAEKAH HUSIN SETIAUSAHA POLITIK KEPADA YAB DATO' MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR |
| Apa maksud ‘Pemimpin yang ditunggu’ Posted: 01 Jan 2012 09:31 AM PST Tok Ki, The Malaysian Insider Menatap video rakaman ucapan Dr Badrul Amin adalah contoh lawak terbaik menjelang 901. Antara yang saya sempat kutip daripada video itu; "Perlu ada seorang pemimpin yang mampu menyatukan umat Islam — paling tidak menyatukan dunia Arab. Ia akan datang dari sebelah Timur. Ia sudah ada dan sedang disiapkan dengan mengalami siri ujian-ujian peringkat akhir. Orang hormat prinsip agamanya. Dan dia ialah Anwar Ibrahim". Lawak sungguh firasat Dr Badrul. Bagaimana "ulama" PKR ini tergamak membuat kenyataan yang memperlihatkan daya taksub kelas pertama sedangkan yang digambarkan itu penuh dengan masalah integriti atau kewibawaan. Sayang, ilmu yang dimilikinya, kelulusan yang didapatinya tidak seimbang dengan kenyataan yang dibuat. Kalaulah dikatakan Anwar memiliki faktor penyatuan umat, kerana cita-cita peribadinya untuk sampai ke Putrajaya, umat Islam berpecah dan umat Malaysia terjebak dalam sengketa. Ramai kawan yang dulunya rapat dengannya kini meninggalkannya. Dia tak mampu menjadi faktor pemersatu. Alasan kawan-kawan yang meninggalkannya ialah Anwar tidak layak menjadi pemimpin kerana menghadapi masalah moral yang serius. Anwar membalas dengan mudah dan lazim kepada yang meninggalkannya — mereka sudah dibeli oleh Umno atau kerajaan. Ujian yang dilaluinya adalah hasil perbuatannya sendiri. Dia tuduh konspirasi berlaku. Mana bukti konspirasi itu. Apakah mudah pihak polis, ahli perubatan, pakar forensik, pegawai pendakwa, hakim dan lain-lain lagi berpakat untuk melakukan kerja keji dan zalim itu. Kalau ia berlaku lambat laun ia akan pecah juga, "mulut tempayan boleh ditutup, mulut manusia, tidak!" "Orang itu datang dari Timur". Ini mengingat penulis Allahyarham Ustaz Ashaari Muhammad, pemimpin Arqam mengenai Pemuda Bani Tamim yang bakal muncul datang dari Timur. Apakah Anwar Ibrahim orangnya. Ciri-ciri yang disebutkan oleh Dr Badrul tidak menggambarkan watak sedemikian. Apakah kenyataan Dr Badrul sebagai strategi "pemujaan" menjelang 901. Dia disebut sebagai menghormati prinsip agama. Dr Badrul tentu arif mengenai isu "kalimah Allah" yang diperjuangkan oleh Anwar yang menyebabkan ia digelar "pluralis" sewaktu bercakap di London School of Economics suatu ketika dulu. Dia juga yang mengambil sikap terbuka mengenai isu pemurtadan di DUMC, 3 Ogos 2011 yang menyebabkan Dr Hasan Ali semacam dipinggirkan dari memainkan peranan dan Anwar dikatakan berada di belakang penyokong gaya hidup lesbian, gay, biseksual dan transeksual (LGBT) kerana kenyataannya tidak jelas. Dia dikatakan mempunyai ramai kawan seperti Al Gore, Camdessus, George Soros, Paul Wolfowitz, Shaha Ali Reza (teman wanita Wolfowitz), Martin Indyk (bekas Duta AS ke Israel), Michael Danby (MP Australia yang pro-Israel), James Wolfensohn (bekas Presiden Bank Dunia), William Cohen (bekas Setiausaha Pertahanan AS) dan ramai lagi. Apakah Dr Badrul tidak pernah mengetahui ini semua. Kasihan! Ia ditimbulkan kerana Anwar Ibrahim dikatakan boleh menyatukan umat Arab dan membebaskan Masjidil Aqsa. Bagaimana ini boleh berlaku sekiranya NGO "pelik" dari negara luar amat rapat hubungannya dengan Anwar. Kawan-kawan Anwar dari International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) dan sebahagian kenalan Arabnya dalam Ikhwan Muslimin mungkin tidak tahu isu setempat yang sedang dilalui oleh Anwar termasuk grup al Barakah dari Bahrain. Malah seperti orang lain pun, mereka tidak percaya. Yang berlaku ialah konspirasi dan tuduhan silih berganti terhadapnya adalah dicipta. Memang benar terdapat daya taksub yang tinggi di kalangan sesetengah pihak termasuk yang terjadi kepada Dr Badrul. Tetapi sudah semakin ramai orang luar negara mengetahui cerita sebenarnya. Untuk menjadi "Pemimpin yang ditunggu" membawa risalah mulia mesti memiliki integriti yang tinggi. Apalagi kalau ingin membawa risalah Islam sebagai faktor penyelesai kemelut umat. Di Malaysia, Anwar sedang menghadapi masalah integriti yang serius. Kenyataan Lee Kuan Yew dalam Wikileaks suatu ketika dulu terhadapnya, tidak diberi respons dan ia serius. Salah satu bab biografi Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mengaitkan Anwar dengan kisah yang amat memalukan adalah suatu kes yang serius juga. Video seks Datuk Eskay Abdullah yang dikaitkan dengan dirinya adalah lebih serius lagi. Mengapa Anwar tidak mengambil tindakan menyaman dan membersihkan diri dalam tuduhan ini. Apakah Dr Badrul mengikuti semua ini dan tuduhan-tuduhan yang lain. Dr Badrul tidak boleh mengambil sikap semuanya ini adalah palsu, direka oleh musuh dan suatu siri konspirasi menjatuhkan Anwar dan menghalangnya untuk sampai ke Putrajaya. Anwar pernah memberitahu kawan-kawan Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) dulu iaitu sebagai pemimpin kita kena bersih dan kelihatan bersih. Dr Badrul sebagai bekas pemimpin ABIM tentu pernah dengar ini. READ MORE HERE |
| Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #95 Posted: 01 Jan 2012 09:23 AM PST M. BAKRI MUSA Chapter11: Embracing Free Enterprise Encouraging Entrepreneurialism NEP's Failure to Nurture Malay Entrepreneurs As a long distance observer, let me suggest some reasons for NEP's failure in this endeavor. They all boil down to that basic defect of too much central planning and too rigid top-down command. Instead of trying to create an environment where budding Bumiputra entrepreneurs could thrive, the government went much further to actually select which individual Bumiputras would thrive and succeed. These central planners presume to know the traits of a successful would-be businessman. That these planners—politicians and bureaucrats—have no experience in starting or running a business is conveniently ignored. Such hubris! No surprise then that the pseudo entrepreneurs that the system produced were more adept in cashing in their close association with the politically powerful rather than being true creators and builders of wealth. They in turn perpetuated that same system in choosing their own set of suppliers, subcontractors, and vendors. Thus was born a class of Bumiputra entrepreneurs and businessmen more skillful at commercializing their political ties rather than being true wealth creators; a class of rent seekers and economic parasites rather than of genuine entrepreneurs. These individuals with their new wealth and political clout began flexing their power. They easily convinced the government that juicy public contracts and privatization projects be reserved for them in the belief that their enterprises would quickly reach a sufficient size and strength that they could then take on the world. They wanted to create their own kampong version of the Japanese keiretsu and Korean chaebol. These big Bumiputra companies would then act as a locomotive to carry the rest forward. That at least was the theory. The reality, as with all centrally hatched plans, was far different. The relationship these new companies had with their suppliers and vendors down the feeding chain was more predatory than supportive. These companies acted less like locomotives and more like the head of a serpent devouring every competitor, Bumiputra and non-Bumiputra alike. They effectively snuffed out other new entrants. One example would suffice to illustrate the massive clout of these new Bumiputra pseudo entrepreneurs and their destructive predatory behaviors. In Kuala Lumpur of the 1970s, the government issued a number of bas mini (mini bus) permits to provide transportation services to the many small suburbs sprouting around the capital city. These new settlements were too small to merit regular bus services. Thus the bas mini was an ideal compromise between cheap public buses and the more expensive taxis. That brilliant strategy resulted in many mini bus owner-operators. The program succeeded in creating a class of true small-time entrepreneurs not only in the form of owner operators but also in the supporting services, including repair shops and coach builders. The public too benefited from the frequent and convenient bus service. It became a point where these mini buses became ubiquitous in the capital city, and plans were afoot to introduce them at other major urban centers. They also have a cute acronym, BMW – Bas Mini Wilayah (Federal Mini Bus). It would certainly impress your co-workers when you assert that you come to work in a BMW! It did not take long for the powerful government-sponsored pseudo entrepreneurs to muscle in. They convinced the government to cancel those permits and to give the franchise to their major bus companies instead. Overnight these owner-operators saw their investments became worthless. The government decided, persuaded undoubtedly by the politically connected entrepreneurs, that the big bus companies could provide a better service than the mini bus operators. Of course the government never bothered to ask the consumers. A better strategy would have been to let them battle it out in the marketplace. Whoever provides the better service would win. This hubris of top government officials presuming to be able to pick winners in the private sector is major factor in the economic crisis of 1997. Sadly, the government has yet to learn its lesson. It continues with the same pattern. Only this time some other new favored players are replacing the Tajuddin Ramlis and Halim Saads of yore. Contracts and projects are still being awarded sans competitive bidding. A decade hence the story would be the same, only the characters and ventures would change. READ MORE HERE |
| RPK speaks his mind on Politics in Malaysia Posted: 01 Jan 2012 07:56 AM PST DIN MERICAN Nearly 7,000 words by measure can be a long piece. The temptation is to dismiss RPK as having sold out to the other side because he talks to his erstwhile opponents, The New Straits Times and Utusan Malaysia. If he has sold his allegiance to any side of our politics, then his friends in Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement like the committed Haris Ibrahim and his associates would have abandoned him. They are still with him. He may be critical of both UMNO-BN and Pakatan Rakyat these days. That is understandable. And I think I know why. They all are disillusioned with politicians on both sides of the political divide. I recall having a meeting before the 2008 General Elections with my good friend Haris Ibrahim at the Cobra Club House in Petaling Jaya. Haris wanted to know from me whether PKR (at that time I was in Anwar Ibrahim's Office) and its associates, DAP and PAS, would endorse their Peoples Declaration. I spoke to all top guns in PKR including Anwar Ibrahim and Tian Chua, and came back and told Haris that PKR would endorse it and so would DAP and PAS. As a result of that endorsement, Haris Ibrahim, RPK, Bernard Khoo and others took part on the campaign for the March 8, 2008 elections and subsequent by-elections. RPK went to hell for the cause, spending some time in Sungei Buloh under ISA until he was won his habeas corpus case in the Shah Alam High Court. His high profile case was ably handled by Malik Imtiaz, Art Harun and others. RPK is passionate about the cause of freedom, human right, justice and democracy. He has written a book, The Silent Roar, containing his views on Malaysian political issues.
Writ of Habeas corpus petition, as you know, is a petition filed with a court by a person who objects to his own or another's detention or imprisonment. The petition must show that the court ordering the detention or imprisonment made a legal or factual error. Habeas corpus petitions are usually filed by persons serving prison sentences.
When their agenda as embodied in the Peoples Declaration was not taken up in earnest by Pakatan Rakyat, RPK and Haris Ibrahim formed the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) to promote political reform in our country. I have a lot of regard for RPK, Haris Ibrahim and the people who are from civil society in this worthy cause. In this interview, he mentioned some outstanding names. But he was critical of Ambiga, the hero of Berish 2.0.
Please read this interview in its entirety with care and critique his views if you must but do not cast aspersions on RPK. I trust you can do that. I am afraid I do not have an English version, but the interview he gave to the New Straits Times which I posted earlier can give some idea of what he is saying in this Mingguan Malaysia interview. READ MORE HERE |
| Will we see a change of government in Malaysia in the coming general election? Posted: 01 Jan 2012 07:47 AM PST HORNBILL UNLEASHED The 12th general election in 2008 produced a devastating result for Barisan Nasional. BN received 49 per cent of popular votes in the Peninsula while the opposition gained a combined vote of 51 per cent. Nationally, after taking into account of votes from Sabah and Sarawak, the tally was reversed with BN 51 per cent versus the opposition at 49 per cent. In terms of seats, on 8th March 2008, BN gained 85 seats in the Peninsula while the opposition 80 seats. The opposition managed to get only one (Bandar Kuching) of the 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak and one (Kota Kinabalu) of 25 in Sabah. In the Peninsula, the opposition won one (Bakri) of 26 seats in Johor and two (Kuantan and Indera Mahkota) of Pahang's 13 parliamentary seats. The four "fixed deposit" states of BN has a total of 95 seats. A change of federal government will happen if the opposition wins a third of the parliamentary seats in the states of Sabah, Sarawak, Johore and Pahang. Besides the economic issues such as inflation and depleting value of income, the coming 13th general election will also be based on these factors: 1. Malay votes are sensitive to issues of corruption, abuse of power and bullying tactics against political foes (think about Anwar Ibrahim, Adam Adli, etc); 2. At least two traditional vote banks of Umno — Felda and the civil service — are in jittery due to poor policy choices (listing of FGV and the new salary scheme). 3. The Indian support for BN is not as solid as it was thought. There are divides along the line of North-South (Pakatan Rakyat is not very strong in southern Peninsula), urban-estate (access to alternative information is minimal in estates), middle class-poor (the poor being more supportive of BN, for whatever reasons). 4. The Chinese support for BN has further eroded since 2008, thanks to Perkasa and Utusan. 5. In Utusan and Perkasa's zeal to promote its exclusivist causes, a huge segment of "fixed deposits" — the Sabah and Sarawak Christian Bumiputra — are alienated. 6. Sabah Umno as possible king maker. Umno won only 79 of the 112 federal seats it contested in 2008. Of which 13 comes from Sabah and one from Labuan. Essentially, the Peninsula Umno won only 65 seats. 7. Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud as possible king maker. Allegedly Najib Razak dislikes Taib. If the Prime Minister does not do anything before the next poll, with 14 parliamentary seats which his Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) is likely to retain, Taib may hold the balance of power. READ MORE HERE |
| Malaysia would be a better place without Umno Posted: 01 Jan 2012 07:45 AM PST HORNBILL UNLEASHED Who is responsible for destroying racial unity in this country? Which forked-tongue party with the tacit support of their soul mate – a xenophobic NGO – is using race and religion to divide the people? It is palpably not the Opposition. The Opposition on their part are seriously working with the marginalized minorities as well as the majority race in instilling peace and unity in the society. Ethnic diversity is no doubt a distinctive feature of Malaysia but the Barisan Nasional (BN) ruling parties – led by the 'Big Brother', UMNO – opt to promote individual self-serving racial schema all in the name of promoting the interests of their own ethnic group against the other. This has led to a divisive kind of politics in the coalition since the country's independence and it has caused grave disunity among the people of various races and religions. The only party in the country that often uses race, religion and ethnic 'rights' to stay relevant in politics is UMNO. For this reason, UMNO does not deserve to talk about racial unity. Constitution was carved in good faith Article 153 visibly states that it is the King's responsibility "to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article". Sadly, some racial zealots are using this Article as a weapon of aggression just to score some brownie points in politics. This symptom is not boding well for the country. Malaysians in general have never questioned the special position of the Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak. The minorities among them only demand that their positions too be acknowledged by the majority race. Notably, the Constitution was carved with good faith to create a united Malaysian race. It explicitly covers the special 'position' of the indigenous and unreservedly recognizes the 'rights' of all Malaysians. The Constitution is not deliberately tilted towards any single group of citizens to favour them more then the others. The lexis 'rights' and 'position' are semantically disparate, though. Unfortunately, some UMNO politicians and their soul mates care more to argue on the deeper structure of the terminology. A Malay lawmaker has this to say: "When politicians talk of the special 'rights' of only one group of people, it smacks of unfairness, as the Constitution also implicitly prescribes for the 'rights' of other Malaysians." There is a harmonious gamut to the positions of all races in the country in the Constitution, which some politicians prefer to ignore. They are immaturely trying to practise divisive politics by toying with the issue of 'a chosen people' versus ' the marginal group' and this has perceptibly caused covert but marked disunity among people of different races and religions in the country. As commented by the Malay lawmaker, "No one disputes the Constitution and no minority groups are for civil strife just by asking the majority to be fair to them as the rightful citizens of the country." UMNO and some deep-seated NGO leaders are too quick to demean those who bring to facade the above notion – erroneously implying that any attempt to honestly decipher the semantic of the Constitution is to question UMNO and undermine what they term as 'the unity foundations they have long built'. Too many political observers, this is too opinionated in temperament. The lawmaker added: "The Constitution belongs to all Malaysians and not any political party per se. Some politicians are actually destroying racial unity in manipulating the neat foundation of the Constitution when they insinuate that the minorities must accept themselves as second-class citizens." To reject a government More often than not, the word 'unity' becomes a hallowed formulate expansively used by UMNO just before elections to win support. The word disappears from their political repository just after an election. Unity rhetoric is only for UMNO's political expedient. In truth, national unity has virtually been shattered by the UMNO government. Unity in its truest sense can only be seen if the rights of all Malaysians are taken care of. For that matter, safeguarding the indigenous rights does not come at the expense of the legitimate interests of the minorities. It is a fundamental human right that the minorities in any nation are treated fairly. When the minorities come to realize that they are neglected in all societal sectors they are bound to have animosity against the majority. They, therefore, deserve the right to reject a government that advocates injustice and unfairness. A sociologist has this to say, "A social contract bounds the rights of all citizens. Nothing absolute pertaining to race is actually sealed in a social contract. The deprived in the society need to be helped. Poverty eradication involves people from all ethnic groups – not just confined to a single race. The poor among all races have to be factored in. Racial unity prevails when a government is sincere in narrowing this gap." Promoting racial unity for UMNO is like playing a hide and seek game. To the sociologists, the framework for racial unity has to be based on the true aspirants of the people – the majority and the minority. UMNO's mode of silencing the parties representing the minority ethnic groups in the BN coalition with a 'Big Brother' mentality – on the issue of rights and special position of the indigenous has not helped promote good racial relations in the country. UMNO cannot call for unity and yet with the same breath spew out racist remarks against the non-Malays. Neither is it right for UMNO to rancorously create an imaginary Christian onslaught on Islam, as this has given rise to a widening gulf of misapprehension between the Muslims and the Christians in the country. Cycle of poverty It is an accepted reality that not all Malaysians are ready to totally shed their racial identity and call themselves Malaysians. For this ideal to morph into reality it may take another few generations. But UMNO does not seem to have the formula for this quandary. First, the poor and marginalized Malays, Indians, Chinese and the Indigenous are those that need to be helped to pull them into a level playing ground. As practised by UMNO, enriching a selected few among their cronies is not the solution to national unity. Over 70 percent of the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak are still poor after many years of independence. Over 65 percent of the Malays are still in the poor category despite the long years of NEP. The marginalised Indians constitute 58 percent of the poor within this community. The Chinese too are not spared by poverty. 35 percent are still under the poor category within this community. Building richness solely within a single racial group is not going to bring unity or harmony to the society. Many bigots, opportunists and self-serving leaders in UMNO prefer to ignore the fact that there are also many deprived people from among the minorities who need help in many ways. Unity does not mean that UMNO and their BN parties should come together to help themselves with the nation's wealth, with UMNO taking the biggest share. Racial unity also becomes a mockery if all opportunities are given to a single race with crumbs thrown to the minorities. Practising tokenism for the minorities will only demoralize the marginalized more. A local economist has this to say: "Preferential treatment of a single race may not augur well for the nation when there are many who are equally deprived in the society. In a need-based economic approach to nation building would see a better Malaysia for all. UMNO does not need to enrich the rich but empower the poor from among all the races to drag them out of the cycle of poverty and into the level playing ground. This will help promote racial unity in the long run." READ MORE HERE |
| Student bashing: Is Malaysia already a future North Korea? Posted: 31 Dec 2011 11:42 PM PST We cannot stain our hands with the sins of killing our own children for the sake of keeping power. By J. D. Lovrenciear The new year 2012 begins with a black cloak shrouding an already gasping democracy. And this is not in a distant, iron fisted regime but right here in Malaysia! The brutal blows thrown by the long hand of the law keepers on our young, vibrant and vocal youths from the corridors of future leaders – our universities, with one student battling for his life is a shocking trauma that grips the nation of 28 million citizens and another four to eight million of foreign labor here. How do we allow this? What justifications can anyone dish out? Will we once again sweep all these democracy-bashing governance tactics under the carpet and resume life as if semuanya okay? Law abiding, nation-caring, and democracy champions must rise to the occasion and demand univocally in all earnesty: How do we respond to such blatant high handedness that smacks right in the vital spot of true democracy? Do we need to be brutal in our ways in curbing public expression within the corridors of knowledge and leadership formation? Are there no more civil and globally accepted standards that we could have deployed to bring about awareness, understanding, empathy and acceptance amongst groups (students) who have a going-concern? The Prime Minister and the Education Minister must hold themselves accountable to this darkened start of a new year. The worst tyranny that any statesman can commit is to allow the brutal and lethal blow-treatment against innocent, unarmed -- the children of future Malaysia, who want a participative role in the formation of a better nation in their future ahead of them. Are our ministers so preoccupied that they did not anticipate the issues brewing and having the propensity to disintegrate into a crisis and finally ended up having to react by using the high handed law keepers to breach all decency and protection owing to our youth? All civil society, learned minds, committed activities must come forward and demand that civil liberties and true democratic expressions that do not threaten national security cannot be brutalized like what has happened now. We cannot stain our hands with the sins of killing our own children for the sake of keeping power. We need to know and accept the fact that that students' uprising is because of issues that go ignored and unattended in a persuasive, convincing and transparent manner. We need to realize that as long as the powers-that-be continue to stifle public display of concerns by using might power with total disregard for the safety and security of protestors, we are only being reminded that Malaysia is becoming a highly intolerant society of power that intimidates, annihilates and hinges on the edge of becoming a potential North Korea. Surely our neighbors are watching. Surely our major trading partners are increasingly becoming cautious. And surely, we – all Malaysians will become the victims of such brutality aimed at staying in power at all costs. Yes we do not condone restlessness. We do not want street marches. We want peace, harmony and co-existence. But when politicians lose their two cents worth of moral fiber and will not hesitate to go to extremes to bargain and keep power at the expense of basic democratic principles, then we have lost our radar for the journey into the second decade of the 21st century. The buck must stop here. How? When? Who? And when there are no answers to these questions, we know that we are already doomed in our progress. The presiding government owes all Malaysians answers and explanations that better be good. |
| RPK amputates 'gangrenous' Anwar Ibrahim from Pakatan? Posted: 31 Dec 2011 09:08 PM PST KTEMOC KONSIDERS Ho ho ho ho ho.
Hello there, would that be Santa (Father Christmas), late by more than a week? Maybe his tardy arrival were due to some of his reindeers being made to disappear by a woman who had abracadabra-ishly changed them into condominiums? wakakaka. No, it's RPK with his political and personal dis-endorsements of the Great One, Anwar Ibrahim, much to the distress, disappointments and dismay of the PKR camp – see following at Malaysia-Today:
(1) Anwar morally unfit to become PM, says RPK
(2) 'Rights group not a third force' - RPK
(3) RPK: There's life after Anwar
(4) RPK: "Anwar may become irrelevant"
(5) RPK says confident Anwar man in sex video
Oh, how those anwaristas would love to mutilate, mangle and mafoolaat RPK wakakaka. Already the predictable, childish and zombie-like "RPK has been bought by UMNO" comments can be seen in a number of intercative online news media and blogs. Instead, I would advise those losers to wear sack cloth, powder themselves with ashes and wail for seven days and seven nights as per Esther 4:1 (KJV), with apologies to the author of the solar-powered King James version of the Bible for substituting Mordecai with 'PKR' wakakaka:
When PKR perceived all that was done, PKR rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry.
But other than the year being new, there's nothing new in RPK's views about Anwar. On 14 April last year (that is/was 2011), RPK stated more or less the same in The Malaysian Insider's article RPK says Pakatan disunited, Anwar incapable to lead.
Then, RPK condemned Anwar for exactly the same things, broken promises, the disgraceful 916 undemocratic bullsh*t and most important of all, a lack of political and economic leadership, especially in a number of incidents in Selangor.
I blogged immediately after The Malaysian Insider's article in a post titled RPK and the necessary destruction of Anwar Ibrahim? where I wrote: READ MORE HERE |
| Malays should not fear the DAP Posted: 31 Dec 2011 07:12 PM PST SAKMONGKOL AK47 I am not going to respond to the xenophobic responses around news that Aspan Alias and Sakmongkol are about to join DAP. No explanation will be able to change preconceived biases. So why bother? So we are about to join or have joined DAP. The DAP is a democratic party committed to the rule of law, good governance and good government. It abhors corruption and abuse of political office. To me those are attractive propositions. UMNO on the other hand has turned its back on these. It harps only on one primal worry of Malays- when UMNO is threatened it shares the threat with Malays at large. So a threat to UMNO is translated mindlessly into a threat to Malays as a whole. Nothing can be farther from the truth. That is how UMNO has approached politics in Malaysia basically- make its fears public, make the gains private for selected Malays within UMNO. I have only one message to that - those salad days and that halcyon period are over. UMNO is trapped by its own successes. Indeed its supporters and leaders assume ownership of the wrong things and end up digging in to support the wrong choices. My answer is, if we do indeed change our political vehicle that is what we are actually doing. Don't read our move as blasphemous or treasonable. The DAP is more relevant and functional in achieving a more democratic and abuse-free society. As a Muslim, we are changing wadah not aqidah. So, I thought it would be more substantive to answer my critics by writing an article, why shouldn't Malays embrace DAP politics? That's the only way to dominate and conquer your fears. How has DAP politics been inimical to the general political health of this country? Can any DAP Chinese leader be a PM when it's contesting only at most 50-55 seats? Can any DAP non Malay leader harbor the dream of becoming a PM in a country dominated by Malays? Has the DAP threatened the institution of Malay rulers? DAP has never done that or will not be mad to countenance such rebellious idea, but UMNO on the other hand has insulted the Malay rulers way back in 1998 constitutional crisis. Can we reasonably accept the allegation that the DAP is instrumental in claims that Malays are being converted into Christians when most DAP members are not themselves Christians? We have to do better than that to take Malays as imbeciles. Only UMNO seems to do that. But DAP is Chinese chauvinist party and anti-Malay. I will answer by examining the deeds rather than slogans. When I was an ADUN in the Pahang Legislative assembly (2004-2008) I have never heard the lone DAP member ever speak about anti Malay themes. He spoke about abuse of power, about mindless spending, he spoke about maladministration. The first book Lim Kit Siang writes that I read was Time Bombs in Malaysia. After that I read so many books written by Kit Siang that touched on the Maika Scandals, the BMF financial scandal and so on. If we are honest enough, we have to admit, the issues raised were never about one race dominating the other but were always about the abuses of those in power, corruption, and a continuous attack on policies that are ruinous to this country. So we are going to oppose Kit Siang on the basis of the fact that these things are spoken of by a Chinaman? To the Chinese UMNO is also a chauvinist Malay party except, their leaders can be easily bought. The Malay will sell all to abandon their cause. Er…correction, the UMNO Malay, I mean. I would also like to respond by saying- why Malays should consider joining DAP en masse. It's a party committed to democratic principles and rule of law. I can only imagine, so many can prosper under a regime of freedom of speech within DAP. I can speak on the plight of the displaced and disowned Malays with more energy than allowed of in UMNO. The interest of Malays can be fought of on any political platform other than UMNO. That is what UMNO fears. Its monopoly is broken. READ MORE HERE |
| RPK says confident Anwar man in sex video Posted: 31 Dec 2011 06:05 PM PST 
(The Malaysian Insider) - Raja Petra Kamarudin said today he was "90 per cent" sure the man in the Datuk T sex video was Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and that many of his friends believed in the authenticity of the video. The self-exiled blogger told Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia in an interview that he was initially unsure whether it was Anwar in the video, and that he was certain the latter would not be so "stupid to let himself get caught." "I feel that there are more people who believe in the video. Many of them, Anwar's close friends I met in the UK, Liverpool, Manchester ... they honestly say Anwar is (the one) in the video. "I think the person is Anwar. I am not saying 100 per cent but 90 per cent or more that is Anwar," he was quoted by Mingguan Malaysia as saying. Raja Petra said his opinion changed when Anwar had during a press conference denied knowing Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, one of the three men responsible for screening the video. The Malaysia Today portal editor claimed that Anwar had called him three years ago and asked him to help out a "friend" — Shazryl. "Anwar said the problem was that the government suspected Eskay smuggled me out of Malaysia. The government suspected I went to Langkawi and Eskay (a former Thai honorary consulate) made a Thai passport for me and smuggled me out to Thailand through Langkawi. "He (Anwar) said the government was causing problems for Eskay and that I had to explain things to clear his name," said Raja Petra. He said he then clarified the matter through a posting on his portal, stating how he left Malaysia, and that he did not know Shazryl. "That was three years ago. Now Anwar says he does not know Eskay ... this made me think and realise. I know Anwar knows Eskay, just say that you really know him. This is actually quite funny," added the blogger. Raja Petra said that the PKR de facto leader's outburst at a press conference during the Sarawak state election when asked about his Omega watch showed he had something to hide. "Yes, the fact is that if you need to lie, that means you have something to hide. You must be guilty." Anwar has repeatedly denied that he was the man seen having sex with a prostitute in the 21-minute video which was first aired to the media in cloak-and-dagger fashion by a mysterious 'Datuk T' at a prestigious hotel in April this year. It was later revealed that Datuk T referred to three notable public figures — former Malacca Chief Minister Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik, businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah and former Perkasa treasurer-general Datuk Shuib Lazim. The latest probe on the case was opened after investigating officer DSP Shanmugan Moorthy lodged a police report claiming Anwar committed the offence under section 182 of the Penal Code. The crime is punishable with a six-month jail term or a fine of RM2,000. Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin had recently said the probe on the sex video was complete and investigation papers handed over to the Attorney-General but the case was sent back to the police to include Anwar's statement. He has slammed the police for failing to act on a previous report he had lodged against the Datuk T trio where he accused them of criminal intimidation. He has also accused BN of masterminding the latest probe against him in the Datuk T sex video saga. The Opposition leader is also awaiting the verdict on his second sodomy charge, where he is accused of sodomising a former aide. The former deputy prime minister has vehemently denied the charge, saying that it is part of a ploy to destroy his political career. |
| Which category are you in? Posted: 31 Dec 2011 05:28 PM PST 
Of course I expected to get a whacking. I told my wife that that is exactly what is going to happen once my interview with the mainstream media is published. Not many can accept the truth. They would rather I say what is pleasing to their ears. I am to say that the emperor wears clothes even if he is stark naked. NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin The more important issue is not what you think of me. Certainly you will say I have been bought, have sold out, have turned, am a traitor, and whatnot. I have read your comments in Malaysia Today, Free Malaysia Today, Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insider and whatnot. I have received your private messages and e-mails. The more important issue is: which category are you in?
Are you amongst the less than 4 million Malaysians who voted opposition in the last general election in 2008 or are you amongst the more than 11 million eligible voters who did not vote opposition, did not vote at all, or did not even register to vote?
If you are in the first category then I value your comments. If you are in the second then your comments are of no importance.
Are you amongst the handful of one million Malaysians who live overseas and came back to Malaysia to vote opposition in the last general election in 2008 or are you amongst the majority of the overseas eligible voters who came home to vote but voted Barisan Nasional, did not come home to vote, or did not even register to vote?
If you are in the first category then I value your comments. If you are in the second then your comments are of no importance.
Are you amongst the 20 student demonstrators in Tanjong Malim or the 100 'V for Vendetta' protestors at Dataran Merdeka last night or are you amongst the 28 million Malaysians who stayed home or did other things last night instead of supporting the fight for change?
If you are in the first category then I value your comments. If you are in the second then your comments are of no importance.
Are you amongst those one or two who post comments in the Blogs and websites under you real name because you are committed to the cause or are you amongst the 99.9% of the readers who post comments under fictitious names because you prefer to throw stones while hiding your hands in case you get into trouble.
If you are in the first category then I value your comments. If you are in the second then your comments are of no importance.
Are you, like me, wondering who is running Selangor -- EXCO Member Hasan Ali, Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, or Selangor State Economic Adviser Anwar Ibrahim -- after you heard of the raid on the pubs last night, or are you not concerned that there appears to be some confusion as to who is in charge in Selangor, especially with the deafening silence by the Pakatan Rakyat leaders today?
If you are in the first category then I value your comments. If you are in the second then your comments are of no importance.
Yes, I value your comments, but only if you fall in the first category of all those various groups above. If not, then your comments are of no significance. And that would probably mean almost all if not all of those who are commenting. |
| ‘Frustrated’ voters will back BN in polls, says RPK Posted: 31 Dec 2011 04:25 PM PST 
(The Malaysian Insider) - Many voters have become frustrated with Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) performance at the helm in four key states and will throw their support behind Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next general elections, Raja Petra Kamarudin said. In an interview published in Mingguan Malaysia today, the self-exiled blogger said the PKR-DAP-PAS pact was still stuck with the mindset of taking over Putrajaya by "default" as they were confident in being the only alternative to the ruling BN, and that they were using the same anti-Umno tactics to win over voters. "I am telling you, in the next election they [voters] will support the government. They say, in the next election they will not support the opposition because they are disappointed, dissatisfied, and not confident with the opposition. "Why the opposition is so confident of forming a federal government? On the basis of ABU (asalkan bukan Umno), of rejecting Umno?" he was quoted saying in an interview published today by the Umno-owned newspaper. Raja Petra (picture) pointed out that the same strategy was used back in 1999 by the short-lived opposition pact, Barisan Alternatif (BA) against former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed but failed when he retired and passed over the baton to Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi- resulting in BN's massive electoral win in the 2004 elections. "If you use the same strategy, what happens when people no longer hate Umno? You cannot start a relationship with people based on hate, it will not last," he added. He said infighting between different PR factions were evident in Penang, Selangor and Perak, and that will be why voters will "return to BN and forget Pakatan." Raja Petra claimed several Chinese businessmen in Selangor had complained to him that they still had to fork out "under-the-table" money in order to conduct businesses in the state, and that corruption was still rampant there. "I tell them I do not know what to say. They say, come elections, they will not vote for Pakatan.". |
| Excerpts of exclusive interview with Raja Petra Posted: 31 Dec 2011 03:39 PM PST 
The following are excerpts of an exclusive interview with Raja Petra Kamarudin held recently. The editor of the Malaysia Today news portal, who is in exile in the United Kingdom, sat down with the New Sunday Times at a hotel suite in Singapore for over two hours to discuss Malaysian politics. Looking fresh after his holiday in Phuket, the Selangor prince spoke among others about his former ally Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition front and the Najib administration. New Straits Times On Anwar and his sodomy trial
Question: They talk about rule of law, but when the court does not rule in their favour, they will say there is no independent judiciary. We know there's one verdict coming out on Jan 9. What is your comment? Answer: Well I think we have a bigger fish to fry. This agenda for change... the perjuangan cannot be about personalities. Now, we should not reduce this perjuangan into a struggle for Anwar. Even Mandela went to jail for 27 years, there was not a campaign to free Mandela. Even though there were groups, the Free Mandela Group. It was a campaign to end apartheid. But not to free Mandela, as much as Mandela was a catalyst. And I am sure Mandela is a much bigger figure than Anwar by far, in terms of historical importance. And what I worry is that we will be reducing the struggle into a struggle for Anwarista. And don't forget, Anwarista is a word that I invented back in 1999 . Anwarista is a movement for Anwar. We do not want an Anwarista. Now, if Anwar goes to jail, and if he goes to jail as a political prisoner, that's another issue. In Myanmar, it's about a political prisoner. It's about freeing a political prisoner. But Anwar is being put on trial not on political grounds but on criminal grounds. Now the issue of Anwar, whether he is or is not guilty of sodomy, whether Anwar was fixed up and is a victim of a sham trial, and so on, that's another issue. But the point still remains: whether he got a trial that he wanted.
Question: Sometimes people forget about the victim, which is Saiful. Answer: Actually, we are tired of this issue of sodomy. We want the whole thing over and done with. In fact, we're hoping the trial is completed instead of being dragged on.
Question: But he was the one who dragged it. Answer: Yes, but the whole country gets dragged along. We don't need this. The whole country's future cannot depend on one man.
On Anwar and the Selangor administration
Let's talk about the jewel in the crown, of course Selangor. Now you look at Selangor. Are there many drastic changes in Selangor? The feedback I get from business people and this is the yardstick we use, corruption is the same, there is no reduction in corruption. People still have to pay 'under the table' to get things done, and that's the most important thing we are fighting for, good governance. So we fail on that score. We complained to Anwar. We told him people are not happy. The Selangor people are not happy and don't assume you are going to retain Selangor. There is a good chance Selangor will go back to Barisan because people are not happy, and Anwar's reply, and this was during a meeting: the trouble with Khalid is ego, tak mau dengar cakap. (refused to listen). Cannot control him. I said you appointed him as MB. We are telling you Selangor is not performing. You are telling me you have a problem with him and the problem is he got an ego, he doesn't listen. So what are you going to do about it? You created the monster. What are you going to do about it? He appointed himself as economic advisor. What's your advice? In the last three years since you have been economic advisor, you've gone overseas 60 times. Sixty times overseas trips in a mere three years. Shouldn't you be staying home running the state? Running the party? Running the coalition? The coalition is in a mess. People are fighting with each other. What's his comment? No comment. Total silence. We told him: stay home, run the state, run the party, coalition.
Will Anwar fade away?
Because it is politically expedient to support Anwar. Because there's a possibility that we are going to form the next federal government. But if we don't form the next federal government, then we have to wait another five years. Anwar will become irrelevant very, very fast. Can Pakatan form the next government and therefore continue with Anwar's relevancy? It would depend on Sabah and Sarawak. You got 165 parliament seats in west Malaysia. Out of 165 parliament seats, how many can Pakatan win? 85? Say Pakatan wins 85, they grab the five MCA seats, grabbing 85 parliament seats in west Malaysia. And then Barisan only left with 80 seats, with 70 will be Umno. And only 10 for the others MCA, maybe MIC, zero, or Gerakan one. So you have to go to Sabah and Sarawak, which has 57, including Labuan. Last election, Pakatan only won two. And 55 was with Barisan Nasional. Here in west Malaysia, last election you won 80, and then won another two by-elections in Kuala Terengganu and Bukit Gantang. You add in by- elections you got 82. But you won 80 in west Malaysia. So from 80 to 85 by taking away the five MCA seats, OK lah. It's a reasonable forecast. But you only won two in east Malaysia. 55 (seats) was won by Barisan. How many you expect to increase? You need 30 from east Malaysia. So 30 plus here (west Malaysia) 85, you only got 115, which means you only get a three seat majority. But if three people jump, you lose the government. So ideally, you need a 10 or 15 seat majority. Which means you need to try to get 35 seats from east Malaysia. Thirty-five plus this one, then you get 120. That's a comfortable margin. But how are you going to get 35 seats from east Malaysia? You only got two in the last election. To jump from 80 to 85 is reasonable. But to jump from two to 35, that's a bit too far to jump. To get 35 seats from east Malaysia, you must have a strong coalition. What happened in the Sarawak state election recently? DAP did very well, but that's it. Because DAP only took the Chinese seats, but outside that...habis. They couldn't do it in a state election, what makes you think they can do it in the general election? If you could have done it, you would have done it already. The fact that you weren't able to do it means you can't do it. Sabah is in a mess. So I don't see how from two seats, you are going to increase to 35 in east Malaysia. Maybe, you can increase it to 10. But 10 plus this, it's still 95.
Leadership transition within Pakatan
Anwar projects himself as a future leader only because Pakatan allows him to do so. So why does Pakatan allow that to happen? We are creating this impression, this fallacy that there is only one man that can lead the opposition. DAP made a statement that even if Anwar goes to jail, they still support him. Are you saying there is nobody else? The fault lies in DAP, Pas, and Anwar goes around talking about the party because he has got the party, who appears to accept him and only him as their leader. And when people like (Datuk) Zaid Ibrahim comes along as an alternative, that there can be other people, they kill him off. They won't accept. Anwar goes around the country talking and he's good when it comes to ceramah. But is that a measure of his support? Many elections which I had gone around personally, by-elections even where the crowd is there, but how is it when it comes to the votes? I have spoken to some people who were with him when he was in the government. They have pointed out what he did. And I asked him and they say, 'You know, Anwar has his shortcomings.' Anwar has his skeletons in the closet. Yet you support Pakatan. Their answer is, 'What choice do we have.' It all boils down to that. What choice do we have? People support Anwar purely because they see him as the only alternative to what we have now.
Lessons from Egypt
Question: You and your people (in MCLM) are striving for all these changes in your own way. Don't you think the current Barisan Nasional government is doing that in certain ways through evolution rather than revolution? Answer: Yeah, we always say as we always hear about evolutionary change as opposed to revolutionary change. In some countries, evolutionary change has to be put aside in favour of revolutionary change. Let's be practical. In Malaysia, a revolutionary change cannot work because of the very delicate racial balance. We can talk about it in Egypt because in Egypt everybody's Egyptian. Every man on the street is Egyptian. In Malaysia, not every man on the street is a Malay. So this is more delicate. So I suppose for a country where it is not multiracial, or not delicately multiracially balanced, it is easier to achieve that kind of a militant way of changing. They (Chinese voters) don't want Tahrir Square type of change. But even then you merely embark on evolutionary changes...small changes. I think it's time Najib grabs the bull by the horns, and call a spade a spade.
On cracks within the opposition
What are they doing? In Penang, they are fighting: DAP versus DAP. In Perak, they are fighting: DAP versus DAP. In Selangor, they are fighting: PKR versus PKR. Pas versus Pas. In Johor, they are fighting: PKR versus DAP. In Sarawak, they are fighting. No, we are not fighting Barisan. No, we are fighting each other. You think the voters are going to love you for that? In fact, the voters are now beginning to say: This time we go back to Barisan, forget about Pakatan. That is my very honest....I am not supporting Barisan, I am not saying Barisan is the best government, but Pakatan has not shown it can be a better government. That's all, and I am not saying it. The voters are saying it. I am telling you what the voters are saying. |
| RPK: “Anwar may become irrelevant” Posted: 31 Dec 2011 03:34 PM PST ASSESSMENT: Raja Petra faulted Anwar both for his ineptitude in improving the economy of the PKR-led Selangor state and for turning his latest sodomy trial, bogged down by prolonged delays, into a political circus. (New Straits Times) - SINGAPORE: Raja Petra Kamarudin has said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is fighting his latest sodomy charge, will be politically irrelevant and fade into oblivion if the opposition failed to take over Putrajaya in the coming general election. With the opposition coalition "in a mess" due to infighting, and Anwar's inability to hold a firm grip on PKR's "crown jewel" of Selangor, the chances of Pakatan Rakyat winning power will be at stake, said Raja Petra, once a staunch supporter of Anwar. "Like an Elvis Presley song, 'It's Now or Never'. But the question is can it be now?" the UK-born Selangor prince, now living in exile in Manchester, told the New Sunday Times in a rare interview. Raja Petra, 61, has been a long-time supporter of the opposition and was instrumental in the first campaign to free Anwar from jail 11 years ago. Both have since fallen out. Raja Petra had disappeared after two arrest warrants were issued against him for failing to attend court hearings in April and May, 2009. He had claimed to be in a self-imposed exile. In the wide-ranging interview, he also gave a frank assessment of the government's transformation programme spearheaded by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the current state of the Pakatan coalition and the emerging role of the so-called "third force" in the Malaysian electoral system. In the two-hour interview at a hotel suite in Singapore, he launched a scathing attack on Anwar, whom he spent years fighting for his freedom from his jail sentence following his earlier corruption and sodomy convictions. He faulted Anwar both for turning his latest sodomy trial, bogged down by prolonged delays, into a political circus and for his inability to improve the economy of the PKR-led Selangor state, raising question marks over his leadership. (Anwar is the economic adviser to the Selangor government). The sodomy trial has taken a very long time and the verdict is not due until Jan 9. "There were like 50-60 postponements during the trial," Raja Petra noted. He said the most important thing was not whether Anwar would be found guilty or otherwise. "To me the issue of Anwar is not whether he is or not guilty with sodomy. The issue is whether he is the best person to run the country. Can he run the country? Now, you might be the most God-fearing man on earth, you can be absolutely clean. But if you cannot run the country, you cannot run the country," Raja Petra said. Likewise, Anwar has also not seen much success in Selangor: "What's your advice? In the last three years since you been economic adviser, you've gone overseas 60 times in mere three years. Shouldn't you be staying home running the state? Running the party? Running the coalition?…The coalition is in a mess. People are fighting with each other," Raja Petra said. "He seems to be running away." Raja Petra warned opposition supporters against turning the fight for justice into a struggle for Anwar. "Even when Mandela went to jail for 27 years, there was no campaign to free Mandela. Even though there were groups, the Free Mandela Group. It was a campaign to end apartheid," he said. "I am sure Mandela is a much bigger figure than Anwar by far, in terms of historical importance." Raja Petra said Anwar's leadership of Pakatan was out of political expedience. "Pakatan will back Anwar as long as they still harbour hopes of forming the next federal government. But if come the next election, and if Pakatan fails to form the next federal government, Pakatan has no use for Anwar anymore, especially Pas and DAP." Raja Petra also said both sides of the political divide would have to work hard to win the sizeable "floating voters" in the coming election. "There's this group which is actually floating and this is a big group. This is 30 to 40 per cent. They are prepared to swing either way. At the moment, a lot of them will still give Pakatan the benefit of the doubt. But also a lot of them are beginning to lose confidence with Pakatan. "At worst, if they are not prepared to give Barisan the confidence, yet not prepared to give Pakatan the benefit of the doubt, they will abstain from voting. He said the Egypt-style people's revolution was not an answer for Malaysia due to the delicate racial balance. "They (Chinese voters) don't want Tahrir Square type of change. But if then you merely embark on evolutionary changes, small changes. I think it's time Najib grabs the bull by the horns and call a spade a spade." He said Umno, the backbone of Barisan Nasional, too needs an internal transformation. "Najib must be prepared not only to take a knife but take a chainsaw and cut whatever needs to be cut." |
| ‘Rights group not a third force’ - RPK Posted: 31 Dec 2011 03:28 PM PST 
UNEASY: Raja Petra reveals Pakatan Rakyat's tactic in undermining capable candidates (NST) - SINGAPORE: PAKATAN Rakyat has allegedly been trying to undermine the emergence of a civil liberty movement as a "third force" in politics to avoid an erosion of its political base, Raja Petra Kamarudin claims in an interview. The self-exiled Malaysia Today editor said tactics deployed by Pakatan include discouraging capable election candidates, who had originally intended to contest as independents, but were later allegedly heckled by Pakatan leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to join its fray. Raja Petra said Anwar was uneasy when such capable candidates were endorsed by the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM), a pressure group he (Raja Petra) founded in the United Kingdom. The group advocates good governance through civil liberties. "You (Anwar) want to cut the cake into two: Barisan and Pakatan and you don't want any third party involvement. "Oh, you (Anwar) are prepared to let them become independent before this. But when we (MCLM) approach them, you go: 'Oh, they must join the party'. "Is there any sincerity here? If that's the issue, then we (MCLM) are prepared to stay out," said Raja Petra." Raja Petra cited human rights lawyer, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, as among the possible candidates whom had been courted by DAP many years ago, but he had refused because he preferred to run as an independent. He said he had recommended Malik Imtiaz and other names to Anwar before. However, Anwar insisted the candidates become members of an opposition party first. Raja Petra said MCLM had decided it would not field any candidates for the coming general election and denied any notion that the movement was a third force in the country's politics. He cited other organisations, which could merge as a third force, such as the United Borneo Front, Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia, Hindraf and even Bersih (Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections). Raja Petra further questioned Bersih's motives given its seemingly close links to Pakatan. "That has disappointed us a bit. That it is serving a Pakatan agenda, an Anwar agenda. "We don't want that. Bersih must be above it, not in it."
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| Anwar morally unfit to become PM, says RPK Posted: 31 Dec 2011 03:17 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Popular blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin denounced Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as morally unfit to become prime minister, saying that Malaysians are unable to accept a homosexual to lead the country. Better known as RPK, the self-exiled editor of the Malaysia-Today news portal was quoted in an Umno-owned national daily as crediting Anwar's huge support to widespread public perception of the opposition leader as an "alternative" to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN). It did not necessarily mean Anwar was a better leader or PM-designate, said the man who was once seen to sit in the PKR de facto chief's inner circle. "I don't care. If you say is Anwar gay? I say maybe. But you cannot become prime minister. That is the reality," said Raja Petra in an interview published today the Malay-language Mingguan Malaysia. Raja Petra did not explicitly call Anwar a homosexual but said there was no room in Malaysia for someone who is gay and wants to become PM. "In Australia, you can. You can be gay and even become a minister. In Malaysia you have to choose. I personally have no problems but if you want to become PM and be gay, in Malaysia you cannot. "I am not defending immoral behaviour but that is your choice. If you choose that you cannot have this. In [the] UK, Australia you can have both," he said. Anwar, 64, is currently awaiting his verdict on his second sodomy charge, where he is accused of sodomising a former aide. The High Court is scheduled to deliver its ruling on January 9. The former deputy prime minister has vehemently denied the charge, saying that it was part of a ploy to destroy his political career. In his harshest remarks against Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat yet, Raja Petra said the opposition pact needed to cut down on its campaign for Anwar, and that the fight for reform was beyond the political future of one man. Saying that PR had "bigger fish to fry", he stressed that the "future of this country does not depend on this one man." "I do not know if Anwar is guilty or not. For me the issue is not important. The question is, is he the best candidate to run the country? If you are a good person, you are surely 'clean'. But if you can't run the country, you can't, it's that simple." Raja Petra charged that Anwar's performance as Selangor Economic Advisor has been unimpressive, and that he spent too much time going overseas for functions and lectures at universities. The controversial blogger claimed he received complaints of rampant corruption in Selangor, saying that nothing had changed since PR took over from BN there. "We tell him [Anwar] stay in the country and do your job in Pakatan. More than 60 trips abroad is too much...it is as if he is running away not knowing what to do," Minguan Malaysia reported Raja Petra as saying. Raja Petra stressed that politics in Malaysia needed to move beyond national leaders like Anwar or even PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak and more on structure and ideas. "I think we do not need to talk about Anwar anymore. It is not about Anwar. When we talk politics, we talk about Najib-Anwar, Najib-Anwar. "What if Najib gets a heart attack like his father? What if something happens to Anwar? He is not young, he is older than me...we will get new leaders…we must move on," the blogger said. |
| Malaysian of 2011 Posted: 31 Dec 2011 03:14 PM PST KTEMOC KONSIDERS Traditionally, around end of December each year, news media like to 'roundup' the year's important headline-making news, while Time Magazine likes to nominate who it considers as the most significant news-making person or institution of the Year; and of course Playboy announces the Playmate of the Year wakakaka. I prefer the latter, yes, I've to confess to having a wish to view Playmate of the Year wakakaka, but in this post I'll forgo the girlie pictures and write on whom I believe to be the socio-political Malaysian of the Year 2011.
I reckon it'll be boring to continue nominating RPK or Haris Ibrahim as they would have been nominated years before. Neither would I name Ibrahim Ali or Utusan Malaysia as newsworthy anymore as their strident shrill and sickening bigoted comments have become flat like an overexposed piece of keropok because of over airing wakakaka.
How about sweeties Ambiga Sreenevasan or Auntie Bersih? Both are wonderful sweethearts but I want someone more intriguing and who's likely (has the potential) to make an impact on the political scene.
What about Dr Mahathir who in recent times has disappointedly been propounding the Chinese threat to Malays? I suppose he really meant the threats to UMNO-Malays rather than general Malays. No, not him!
Hmmm, I wonder whether Dr M has read a delightful summary of the year's threats to Malays, in The Malaysian Insider'sMILF-PRON Special Report for 2011: Malays under threat, delightfully written by Yusseri Yusoff. Following are extracts of his article:
While Mahathir continued his series of warnings to the Malays by warning that the Malays could end up like the Palestinians who sold their own country out to the Jews, a new threat to the Malays reared its ugly head — Kentucky Fried Chicken could possibly be out of Malay hands.
Based on an unconfirmed rumour it was said that the majority owner of KFC in Malaysia Kulim Bhd could be sold off to a non-Malay company and therefore this would constitute a major threat to the ability of Malays to consume chicken fried in 11 secret herbs and spices.
The owners of Kulim Bhd Johor Corp denied the rumours. When asked whether they were the ones responsible for spreading the rumour the owners of the Radix Fried Chicken chain refused to comment They did however say that Radix Fried Chicken contained more that 11 herbs and spices as well as Tongkat Ali and quite possibly ginseng, for a stiffer fried chicken experience presumably.
Wakakaka, good one Yusseri, but sorry, no, you're not my Malaysian of 2011 … piece READ MORE HERE |
| Why bully a pastor? Posted: 31 Dec 2011 10:01 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - So, the latest act by Ibrahim Ali and his band of Perkasa men is to lodge a police report against Reverend Dr Eu Hong Seng for raising concerns revolving Article 153 of the Federal Constitution. The way these Perkasa boys reacted makes one wonder, if the mentioning of Article 153 by any non-Malay is like committing a deadly sin. Then again, could we have expected anything less from the Member of Parliament for Pasir Mas? On that account, and true to his nature, he didn't disappoint — neither us nor his taskmasters. Our prime minister has only recently stated his intent to transform Malaysia to be the best democracy in the world; and yet — despite 54 years after Merdeka - we are instead left to rue individuals such as Ibrahim Ali, who take pleasure in being paragons of fear mongering, when pertinent issues surrounding Article 153 are highlighted. If national unity vis a vis nation-building is one of our goals, and the construction of Bangsa Malaysia is part of Vision 2020, then why should we cower from confronting stumbling blocks that stand in our way? I attended the CFM Christmas hi-tea gathering, and I heard Reverend Eu's speech, and amongst the things he mentioned in his speech was that, "in order to move forward as a nation, we must be willing to address impediments to our progress". Surely, that is a wise call for mature and temperate heads to come together and discuss our way forward. Reverend Eu further explained that the interpretation and more serious debates concerning Article 153 should be attended to by our parliamentarians. He also made it clear that ordinary Malaysians have no problem with the rights of the Malays and the Sultans as stipulated in our Constitution. Where he did call a spade, a spade, was in pointing out what many people unfortunately experience, at 'ground level', and that is in the context of the implementation of Article 153, where unfairness of treatment rears its ugly head. It was on this otherwise valid remark that Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa pounced upon. I would like to ask Ibrahim, at which point did Reverend Eu question Article 153, as the former purports that he did? Where was the "irresponsible provocation"? Should one deem it as irresponsible provocation, when another rightfully highlights weaknesses that permeate the system? In fact, wouldn't silence in the course of inequity, constitute a graver act of irresponsibility? It is within this context that Reverend Eu spoke of the precarious predicament of 'shifting rights' — a burdensome shadow under which many Malaysians have lived by and endured, hoping that their space wouldn't erode any further. Sadly, more often than not, that has not been the case. I stand in agreement therefore with Reverend Eu, that in the context of the implementation of Article 153 — yes, we do feel bullied. This is not a minority opinion, for many agree with Reverend Eu's forthright observation. This includes constitutional expert Prof Abdul Aziz Bari, who opined that Reverend Eu has not uttered anything seditious. Couple that with the support shown by MCA's Young Professional Bureau Chairman Datuk Chua Tee Yong, as reported by The Star on 31.12.2011, and it appears that Ibrahim and Perkasa are the ones who are isolated in their warped and immature outlook. As Aziz Bari reportedly told them, "grow up". READ MORE HERE |
| Najib likely to reshuffle Cabinet, push polls back Posted: 31 Dec 2011 08:32 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Seri Najib Razak is likely to reshuffle his Cabinet as early as this month and delay calling elections to later this year as scandals engulfing at least two ministers are threatening the feel-good factor of Budget 2012 where the prime minister dispensed direct cash aid to some 5.3 million households, Umno insiders say. The Malaysian Insider understands that Prime Minister's Office (PMO) senior officials have a list of potential new ministers and deputy ministers that will be seen as Najib's people to execute his New Economic Model (NEM) and political transformation programme as he heads into the general election. "Najib needs more of his own men in the Cabinet. And he needs to replace those seen as tainted before he calls an election," said an Umno lawmaker close to the party president, referring to scandals surrounding Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, religious affairs minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and deputy minister Datuk Awang Adek Hussin who admitted to receiving some financial contributions. There has been speculation in the Chinese media and also among political analysts that Najib could dissolve parliament after the Chinese New Year celebrations on January 23 for a March election, four years after Election 2008. It is understood that the Election Commission (EC) has booked school halls and community centres for a possible election in March. However, others say Najib is waiting for electoral reforms and the initial public offering by state land developer Felda before calling an election. Another Umno source said the party is also not ready for polls despite Najib telling party members to be on a "war footing" for an early election. "We are not exactly ready. Some warlords don't want to give up their chance of standing in the next polls," he told The Malaysian Insider. The source pointed out only former Terengganu mentri besar and Umno chief, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, has openly said he will not contest in future elections. "Most warlords think they can win if they are picked. And if they are not picked, they will refuse to work for those named just like what happened in 2008," he added. READ MORE HERE |
| Hasan Ali joins Jais raid Posted: 31 Dec 2011 07:57 AM PST (The Star) - Controversial PAS leader Datuk Dr Hasan Ali joined a rare raid on drinking spots at Mutiara Damansara and Petaling Jaya, which saw the arrest of 41 Muslims. Among those nabbed in Ops Mungkar were 18 people who were caught taking alcohol, an offence under Selangor's syariah law. They include six women. Dr Hasan said the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) has strong evidence to charge them for alcohol consumption under the Syariah Criminal Enactment 1995, which provides for a jail term of up to two years and a fine of not more than RM3,000, or both. Unlike other states, Selangor does not whip offenders caught drinking alcohol. Dr Hasan said the other 23 pub goers caught in the raid, including 13 women, would be required to attend counselling sessions. "They will have to give their statements on Jan 11 and 12, before Jais fixes the dates for counselling," he said at the Jais office here yesterday. He said the raiding party, which included the Bukit Aman police, was led by Jais director Datuk Marzuki Hussin following a tip-off. Those arrested were aged between 18 and 58. "We could see there was entertainment going on and the drinking (of alcohol)," said Dr Hasan, who is in charge of Islamic affairs in the state executive council. He refuted suggestions that the operation was connected to the recent controversies surrounding him. Dr Hasan, the former Selangor PAS commissioner, is embroiled in a feud with the leadership over the party's policy switch from an Islamic state agenda to a welfare state. In August, he defended the Jais checks on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church and had also locked horns with the state over the sale of alcoholic beverages at convenience stores and the mushrooming of massage centres. |
| Nanyang urged to withdraw reports and apologise Posted: 31 Dec 2011 07:46 AM PST (Sinchew) - Negeri Sembilan PAS, PKR and NGOs presented a memorandum demanding Nanyang Siang Pau to withdraw its feature series entitled "Looking at the Islamic Penal Law the rational way" and apologise within seven days, at the newspaper's Seremban office yesterday. Protest if no apology They said if Nanyang refused to withdraw the reports and apologise, they would lodge police reports across the country and hold peaceful demonstrations in front of Nanyang's offices nationwide. PAS Negeri Sembilan commissioner cum Paroi state assemblyman Hj Mohamad Taufek Abd Ghani said when presenting the memorandum that PAS was of the opinion that the images published in Nanyang were cruel and should not have been selected for publication in relation to the Islamic Penal Law. "The Islamic Penal Law will never allow such cruel punishments on children. Even though it was not mentioned in the captions that those were the punishments under the Islamic Penal Law, it gave the public an impression that they were the punishments under the Islamic Penal law, as reflected from political leaders' reactions. "This is very unfair to us." Roundtable meeting proposed Negeri Sembilan PAS Youth chief Khairil Anuar Abd Wafa said that in one of the photos published, a man was seen holding a microphone beside a punished boy as if he was staging a show, adding that this was not the way punishments were handed out under the Islamic Penal Law. "Nanyang Siang Pau has an obligation to clarify on this," he continued. PKR Rembau divisional secretary Norazizi Abd. Aziz suggested that a roundtable meeting be held between the media and PAS to better understand the true significance of the Islamic Penal Law. PKR Teluk Kemang division committee member Muhd Saufi bin Miad said they were not censuring Nanyang, as they believed such undesirable development could have stemmed from a lack of real understanding of the Islamic Penal law. Also present were Negeri Sembilan PAS Supporter Congress chairman Yao Con Seng and members from NGOs. |
| Witches, riches, victories in Taib-land Posted: 31 Dec 2011 07:37 AM PST HORNBILL UNLEASHED PBB president Taib Mahmud will not allow Umno's Najib Tun Razak or Muhyiddin Yassin to ever corner him again. In Sarawak, the highlight of 2011 was the "unravelling" of "godlike" Chief Minister Taib Mahmud and the exciting historic victory by the opposition in the state election. Frankly, Taib has been the preoccupation of politicians, activists – both local and abroad – and the man-on-the street. Why, one may ask, and we will say it is because Taib has over the last 30 years woven himself into the very fabric of Sarawakian lives in politics, trade and practices. Observers here claim that Taib controls everything. He has wielded his political clout muzzling local dissent, monopolising corporate Sarawak, and exuding uncharacteristic charm and fatherly "benevolence" at the longhouses littering the rural interior – wooing native Sarawakians into believing that he is "clean and corrupt-free" and that those accusing him are "evil" and not to be trusted. The year 2011 saw Taib's secrets exposed by a UK-based investigative portal Sarawak Report (SR) and its bold Radio Free Sarawak (RFM), with its broadcasts in local Iban dialect. SR in collaboration with the Swiss-based Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) made shocking revelations of Taib and his family's "unimaginable" wealth running into billions in US dollars across eight countries. BMF alleged that Taib was corrupt and had pillaged and plundered the state since he came to power in 1981. BMF has also released figures showing that Taib and his family held influential stakes worth US$1.46 billion in 330 companies in Sarawak and in 80 other companies globally. In response, Taib simply said " my children are clever". BMF has also pressured several countries to investigate Taib's alleged money laundering and already probing Taib's global links are Switzerland, Germany and Australia. Here in Malaysia, there's been increasing pressure for the authorities to investigate Taib.
Witches and gangsters On the local front, opposition DAP, emboldened by its 13-seat victory in the April 16 state election, has been openly demanding for transparency over contracts awarded to Taib-linked companies in Sarawak. According to the party, no major contract in Sarawak is without a Taib-linked company stamp. During the April state election campaign, DAP – together with its Pakatan Rakyat allies PKR and PAS – had successfully highlighted the issues of corruption, power abuse, nepotism and cronyism allegedly committed by the state government. Land grabs by the authorities, land rents, premiums, education, Chinese education and schools were also hot topics that eventually saw the thrashing of the Chinese-dominated Sarawak United People Party (SUPP) at the state polls. Since winning the polls, Taib has tightened the noose on his own Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB). He has made it clear that his party can and will rule Sarawak with or without coalition members SUPP, Party Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP). In the run-up to the April 16 polls, Taib saw an unexpected spoiler in his cousin and former deputy education minister Salleh Jafaruddin. Salleh, who stood against Taib in Balingian constituency, brought to light Taib's fetish for bomohs and witches who "guided" his continued stay in power. According to Salleh, Taib was notorious for consulting with black magic practitioners and after the death of his wife Laila Taib, his daughter Raziah had moved in to consolidate her influence with her father by introducing her own in-house female bomoh – a blonde named Stella – to him. A SR report noted that Stella's signature ritual included "tip-toeing and howling". "Each morning she (Stella) would cross the garden from Raziah's house to the ground of Taib's residence and would perform a ritual of chasing away evil spirits before the chief minister rose for his early run!" Salleh also spoke of Taib's conniving mind and his bevy of "gangsters" who cast a shadow of fear over Balingian in the run-up to the April 16 state election, which Taib eventually won. Taib's majority, however, was far less than in 2004 as was Barisan Nasional's overall support in Sarawak. READ MORE HERE |
| Hasan Ali sertai operasi serbu pusat hiburan Posted: 31 Dec 2011 07:29 AM PST 18 pelanggan minum arak ditahan(Berita Harian) - Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) menahan 41 pengunjung beragama Islam di dua pusat hiburan di Mutiara Damansara dan Petaling Jaya dalam 'Ops Mungkar' kerana melakukan kesalahan jenayah syariah, awal pagi semalam. Mereka yang ditahan didapati melanggar Enakmen Jenayah Syariah Selangor 1995 dan 18 termasuk enam wanita akan dihadapkan ke mahkamah kerana kesalahan meminum arak selain 23 lagi dikenakan kaunseling. Operasi diketuai Ketua Pengarah JAIS, Marzuki Hussin dan turut disertai Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat-Adat Istiadat Melayu dan Kemudahan Awam negeri, Datuk Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali. Hasan berkata, mereka yang ditahan itu berusia antara 18 hingga 58 tahun dan mereka yang memerlukan kaunseling itu termasuk 13 wanita akan dipanggil memberi keterangan pada 11 dan 12 Januari ini sebelum diberikan tarikh yang sesuai untuk kaunseling.
Katanya, operasi yang dibantu polis Bukit Aman itu dilaksanakan selepas mendapat maklumat mengenai aktiviti bercanggah syariah dilakukan individu Islam di pusat hiburan terbabit termasuk di sebuah hotel terkemuka di Petaling Jaya.
"Operasi ini tertumpu kepada orang Islam selari dengan peruntukan Enakmen Jenayah Syariah 1995. Kita dapat lihat dengan jelas ada hiburan dan ada minum-minum (arak). Hasilnya, Ops Mungkar itu setakat ini mendapati ada bukti kukuh mendakwa individu terbabit, " katanya.
Hasan berkata, semua yang ditahan akan dimaklumkan kepada ahli keluarga mereka untuk diikat jamin.
Selain itu, Hasan menafikan pembabitannya dalam operasi itu ada kaitan dengan kontroversi membabitkan dirinya beberapa minggu kebelakangan ini, sebaliknya ia menunjukkan komitmen bersama khususnya penguatkuasaan JAIS.
"Selama ini saya memang serahkan semua operasi atas sebab keselamatan serta bagi memastikan kejayaan kepada semua operasi yang dilakukan. Saya terbabit secara langsung pada hari ini untuk melihat dan menentukan Prosedur Operasi Standard (SOP) kita dipatuhi, " katanya. |
| Student leader Safwan in critical condition after ‘assault by police Posted: 31 Dec 2011 07:22 AM PST UPPERCAISE Student leader Mohd Safwan Alang was critically injured after being attacked and assaulted in a police lockup after being arrested at a New Year's Eve student rally for academic freedom, held at University Pendidikan Sultan Idris in Tanjung Malim last night. Details of the attack were not immediately available. On-the-scene reports sent via Twitter messages said Safwan had lost consciousness after the attack and had initially been taken to Tanjung Malim hospital. Parti Socialis Malaysia said Safwan had been seriously assaulted by police while at the police lockup, and was in critical condition. He had been transferred to Slim River hospital. Parti Socialis also said another person had received stitches in Tanjung Malim hospital for his injuries From inside Tanjung Malim police station, student activist Adam Adli posted a message on Twitter that Safwan was punched twice in the face and was being assaulted in the police station. READ MORE HERE |
| We won't eat halal meat, say MPs and peers who reject demands to serve it at Westminster Posted: 31 Dec 2011 07:16 AM PST Some parliamentarians have eaten meat at Westminster having been assured it was halal (Mail Online) - The Palace of Westminster has rejected demands to serve halal meat in its restaurants. Muslim MPs and peers have been told they cannot have meat slaughtered in line with Islamic tradition because the method – slitting an animal's throat without first stunning it – is offensive to many of their non-Muslim colleagues. The stance has infuriated some parliamentarians who have eaten meat in the Palace's 23 restaurants and cafes, having been assured that it was halal. Lord Ahmed of Rotherham said: 'I did feel misled. I think a halal option should be made available.' In 2010, The Mail on Sunday revealed schools, hospitals and restaurants were serving halal meat to unwitting customers. Alison Ruoff, a member of the Church of England, said: 'It's a bit hypocritical that the Houses of Parliament, which have allowed other people to provide halal food, have ruled it out on their own premises.' Spokesmen for the House of Lords and the House of Commons confirmed that halal meat was not served in their restaurants.
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| Siapa yang pengkhianat? Introspeksi betul-betul Posted: 31 Dec 2011 07:14 AM PST ASPAN ALIAS Isu saya yang dispekulasikan akan menyertai DAP membuatkan pihak tertentu marah-marah dan yang marah-marah itu seorang dua memang saya kenali. Saya tidak bercadang untuk menjawab dan melayani mereka ini kerana seperti yang saya katakan mereka ini masih bercabang kencingnya dan belum lagi kenal yang mana satu tangan kanan untuk menyuap nasi dan yang mana satu tangan kiri untuk beristinja'. Bagi pihak yang mengkritik saya ini, mereka tidak ada isu untuk membahaskan apa yang telah saya perkatakan selama ini: tentang apa yang terlalu kurang dalam UMNO. Mereka ini belum pun pandai menyebut nama UMNO itu tetapi bercakap mempertahankan UMNO itu seolah-olah mereka telah lama mengenali UMNO dan perjuangannya.
Saya ini kononnya bangkrap politik dan telah menjadi barang 'reject'. Kalau lah betul apa yang dikatakan terhadap diri saya itu saya hairan kenapa isu ini diperbesarkan sedangkan saya ini adalah barang ' reject' dan bangkrap politik.
Saya ingin menyatakan dengan terang dan jelas. Yang telah bangkrap ialah UMNO dan yang sedang di 'reject' ialah UMNO dan keseluruhan sekutunya. Mereka yang kononnya pejuang ini harus berfikir bukankah UMNO hanya tinggal 56 kerusi sahaja di Semenanjung dan 13 kerusi sahaja di Sabah. Jumlahnya hanya 69 semuanya. UMNO telah kalah dalam banyak kerusi dan akan kalah banyak lagi dalam pilihanraya yang akan datang ini.
Siapa yang kena 'reject' ini? Kalau UMNO kena 'reject' tentulah ada sebabnya. Orang seperti saya bukan suka-suka hendak 'reject' UMNO tetapi oleh kerana keadaan yang membuatkan UMNO itu terpaksa di 'reject'. Saya perhatikan pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO dan penyokong-penyokongnya yang membela membabi buta ini hanya mahu mendengar apa yang mereka hendak dengar sahaja.
Segala hujjah kami tidak pernah dibahaskan dengan cara baik, sebaliknya melakukan 'name calling' yang tidak berbudaya dan beradab dengan bahasa yang sangat hina dan membosankan. Oleh kerana mereka tidak mampu memberikan perbahasan yang baik mereka terpaksa menyerang orang seperti saya dengan kata-kata nista. Membina budaya kotor merupakan satu kejayaan besar UMNO.
Sesungguhnya apabila seseorang yang berbahas dalam hal politik itu menggunakan bahasa kasar dan 'name calling' seperti yang kita dengar sekarang, secara automatik parti dukungan mereka akan di 'reject' oleh rakyat kerana cara itu merupakan 'self defeating' bagi mereka sendiri. Menggunakan perungkapan kotor itu bukan bahasa dan adab Melayu. bagaimana nak kita katakan UMNO itu pejuang Melayu sedangkan bahasa dan budayanya pun bukan budaya dan bahasa seorang Melayu.
Menyertai mana-mana parti adalah perkara biasa yang berlaku dalam sistem demokrasi. Menyertai DAP yang begitu telus itu bukannya pengkhianat seperti yang dilabelkan kepada saya dan Ariff. Untuk pengetahuan mereka yang masih lembut ubun-ubun ini, menggunakan wang rakyat yang berbillion ringgit untuk menyelamatkan perniagaan anak itu adalah pengkhianat negara. Menyalahgunakan wang pinjaman mudah untuk memelihara lembu untuk negara itu adalah pengkhianat. Wang yang mudah didapati kerana pengaruh menteri itu telah di gunakan untuk membeli kondo mewah di Kuala Lumpur dan Singapura adalah kerja khianat kepada negara. READ MORE HERE |
| RPK: There’s life after Anwar Posted: 31 Dec 2011 01:04 AM PST The sodomy charge against Anwar was not trumped up and he will be found guilty on Jan 9, says popular blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin. "I think it is a foregone conclusion: Anwar is going to be found guilty. PKR will certainly go to town on the issue, but PAS and DAP will not be too excited about turning the Pakatan agenda into a 'free Anwar campaign'. K. Kabilan, Free Malaysia Today Reform activist and influential blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin believes that Anwar Ibrahim was a victim of a honey-trap, but quickly added that the opposition leader was given a fair trial. He is also certain that Anwar will be found guilty on Jan 9. However, he predicts a low-key reaction from the people on the guilty verdict. Interestingly, he says both PAS and DAP would be less than keen to make Anwar's conviction a Pakatan Rakyat agenda. "I think it is a foregone conclusion: Anwar is going to be found guilty. PKR will certainly go to town on the issue, but PAS and DAP will not be too excited about turning the Pakatan agenda into a 'free Anwar campaign'. "Ultimately, there is a bigger fish to fry and that would be to focus on the coming general election," he told FMT in an exclusive interview. He said that the second sodomy trial "came and went as a non-event", unlike the 1999 trial. "In 1999, there was the 'black eye' issue and the high exposure of the trial: hence the public awareness regarding the flaws in the trial. This time around, not many people followed the trial or were even concerned about the trial," he said. He said that the jailing of Anwar this time around would not garner extra votes for the opposition. Anwaristas and the PKR leadership will definitely take umbrage at Raja Petra's frank opinion on the matter, but the popular blogger said even the reaction of the PKR supporters against the verdict would settle down quietly. "For a while, PKR will rant and rave. Then the excitement will tone down and people will get on with their lives. "Umno, meanwhile, will just sit back and watch. If the Anwaristas get out of hand and try to turn the event into a 'Malaysian Spring', the government will just round them up and silence them. "The government is ready for the attempt to turn Jan 9 into a Malaysian Spring and they know how to handle it. It will be doomed from the start. This is not going to be Sept 20, 1998," he said. Why didn't he take the stand?
Raja Petra, who is based in London, also said that while the Barisan Nasional-Umno leadership is definitely "out to get Anwar because he is a political threat", the PKR leader was nevertheless allowed a fair trial. "I know for a fact that the prosecutor agreed to handle the prosecution only if he was allowed to conduct a fair trial and without any political interference." "Therefore, I would say that Anwar was allowed a fair trial," he said. Raja Petra added that Anwar was also allowed more than 60 postponements throughout the trial. "He was supposed to subpoena more than 50 witnesses to testify on his behalf, which in the end he did not and which we are not told why. "It appears like Anwar was allowed a lot of leeway to defend himself. Why did he not take the stand to testify under oath? "Saiful took the stand and he was vigorously cross-examined by the defence. Why did Anwar avoid doing the same?" asked Raja Petra. "I do not think that the charges were trumped up. But I do believe that Anwar is a victim of a honey-trap. In a way it was entrapment, which in a country like the US is illegal," he added. READ MORE HERE |
| Electoral reform a farce without free and fair media coverage Posted: 30 Dec 2011 09:09 PM PST An electoral contest with one contestant monopolizing the media to the exclusion of his adversary is akin to a debating competition where one debater is using a microphone to speak to the audience while the other is using none.
By Kim Quek Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's call for free and fair media coverage for the coming election strikes at the core of the fundamental flaws that have made Malaysian elections a mockery of democracy. This is because electoral democracy is a game of perception. And perception is shaped by the media. Hence, an electoral contest with one contestant monopolizing the media to the exclusion of his adversary is akin to a debating competition where one debater is using a microphone to speak to the audience while the other is using none. And the Malaysian media is notorious for its biased reporting, as the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) has never been shy in exploiting to the fullest, its iron-grip on the entire spectrum of the local mass media (save the Internet) to advance its political fortune. Such complete control is made possible through a combination of repressive legislations and media ownership, as the BN government possesses the arbitrary power to grant or terminate any media license (printed and electronic) without legal redress, and all such media are owned either by BN's component parties or by their allies. And public TV and radio, which are legally bound to be politically neutral, have long been corrupted by BN to serve its parochial political interests – a practice that has emphatically breached our Constitution.
GOLIATH vs DAVID MEDIA WAR
With such unlimited media power at the exclusive disposal of a ruling power as ruthless as BN, one can imagine what kind of scenario will be seen at a Malaysian national election. It will not be a democratic election for sure. More likely, it will look like giant Goliath fighting little David, as far media war is concerned. And yet, it is the media that influence the mind, and the mind that influences the vote. Granted that advancement in Internet has somewhat mitigated the unleveled playing field, but its current stage of usage in Malaysia is nowhere near the kind of level that would enable the opposition to meaningfully counter BN's vicious propaganda perpetrated through the main stream media. TV, radio and newspaper are still the regular information feeders depended upon by overwhelming majority of Malaysians, particularly those in the non-urban areas. And the opposition's serious handicap in information dissemination is further critically compounded by the 8 to 10 day campaign period (though allowable period is 60 days), a practice perpetrated in recent decades by an obviously manipulated Election Commission (EC) to favour BN. With such a ridiculously short campaign period, it is impossible for the opposition to carry its message – not to mention countering BN's false propaganda – to the far flung territories that include the hinterlands across the South China Seas. More than any other factor, BN's monopolistic abuse and exploitation of the mass media, coupled with the indecently brief campaign period, has been accountable to BN's unfailing victory in every general election in the past.
BN NO MATCH FOR PAKATAN IN FAIR CONTEST
Surveying the current scenario ahead of the election, what we see is a fundamentally altered political landscape. On one side of the battlefield, is an aged and decadent coalition with antiquated policy, kept in power by dint of its grip on the state machinery. On the other, a newly emerged coalition brimming with ideas to rejuvenate the nation, with proven record of sound governance in its state governments. Under such circumstances, it is fair to say that BN should be no match for Pakatan Rakyat in a free and fair contest, more so in the current trend of dissent against decadent and aged power that has swept across the world including our region. But of course, we have never had a free and fair contest, and in fact, our unleveled playing field has gone from bad to worse. It is in the realization that we may once again be cheated of a fair choice of government that hitherto docile voters have risen strongly to brave brutal crackdown to demand fair election in the Bersih 2.0 rally. It is not difficult to surmise that, given the present extreme lop-sidedness of Malaysian election, whether the people will be given a fair choice in the coming poll hinges on how effective the current attempt at electoral reform will be towards rectifying the current flaws. The recent focus by the parliamentary select committee (PFC) and EC on introducing indelible ink and advance voting in lieu of postal voting is of course a welcome improvement. But we must be cautious not to allow such focus to blur our priorities, top among which is the mandatory practice of free and fair and non-discriminatory media coverage for all contestants. And of course, the current unconstitutional abuse of public media (TV, radio, news agency etc) to disseminate biased information in favour of BN has to cease forthwith.
FREE MEDIA NON-NEGOTIABLE
This is something that BN can do right away without waiting for new legislation or alteration of election regulation. All that is needed is the political will and commitment to honour the letter and spirit of our Constitution. Knowing the critical importance of free media to democratic election, it should be made a non-negotiable issue. I have no doubt that Bersih 2.0, political parties and all who cherish democracy and the Constitution will stand very firm to demand that BN gives its solemn pledge to restore free and fair media coverage as pre-requisite to the return to democratic election. |
| Immigration Blues Posted: 30 Dec 2011 08:59 PM PST I supposed the warning signs were there, the extensions to his visa getting shorter from 3 months to 2 months then 1 month. He has tried applying for a religous teacher's visa but since he's not attached to any known temple, the move was a non-goer!!
By Chuen Tick Teo "John Doe", a British Buddhist monk (he goes by the same Buddhist address, Bhante -teacher) has been a regular feature at the Super Tanker and Lip Seng wet market in Penang on Sundays the last 6/7 years; that is, unless he has to go over to Thailand every 3 months or so to have his tourist visa renewed. One will find him standing by his favourite spots, barefooted, alms bowl in hand by about 7am. The regulars will be offering him via the vendors, vegetables, eggs, fruits, dry foodstuff and consumables. Other market goers will offer likewise whatever food item they like. And, he is very particular about this aspect of Buddhist practice. He does not accept cash on these alms rounds at the 2 markets. Those not conversant with this aspect are politely requested to buy some food item to donate. Yes, Bhante has a racket going on there on Sundays and many ordinary men and women on the street are happy to be part of it. By about 9am, all the items have been consolidated and Chee Ying*, his regular helper will have sorted them out. One portion is for his personal consumption; one portion goes to the Shan's Children Home at Mt. Erskine, Penang; one portion goes to another regular Mr Chan* who distributes them to 6 destitute families and there's always some for the young lad's family that helps him on these alms rounds. (The current distribution model as it is is fluid and was changed over the years.) He makes no distinction between race nor creed and in the years I've known him, I know of a Malay family, 2 Hindu families and a Christian voluntary organisation who have accepted the items Bhante had collected. Bhante will take a puff before setting off in faithful Mr Lim's* car for the journey home to Hong Seng estate. No, he makes no pretense about this worldly habit he has been unable to kick. What you see, is what you get. And, yes, he stays in no regular temple. A supporter rented this place for him so that Bhante can carry out this racket, this sort of providing the channel for ordinary people to do some good that makes an important and immediate impact on someone's life. I supposed the warning signs were there, the extensions to his visa getting shorter from 3 months to 2 months then 1 month. He knows it, his supporters in the know also knows it - that he's flouting immigration rules but the Malaysian government's immigration rules against non-Islamic foreign religous teachers are very rigid. He has tried applying for a religous teacher's visa but since he's not attached to any known temple, the move was a non-goer!! Then, it happened - on 30.12.2011 he was denied entry into Thailand. Bhante has no idea why Thailand is part of the action taken and that he's on the Malaysian Immigration Entry blacklist. Since his visa expires on 31.12.2011, he has been told to leave Malaysia by midnight today. I'm writing this as way to put forward the idea that certain immigration rules pertaining to non-Islamic religous teachers needs to be amended. Yes, I also know there are many bogus monks/nuns/religous teachers around but there must be ways for genuine practitioners to be issued proper/legal visas. I'm writing this to bid farewell and Bon Voyage to this unorthodox Buddhist monk, who in his own way has taught one important aspect of dana, giving in Buddhist practice to many lay people. He harbours hopes of returning but as matters stand now, I don't see it happening any time soon. |
| Opposition rapped for rejecting Act Posted: 30 Dec 2011 11:59 AM PST (The Star) - The Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) has chided the Opposition for rejecting the proposed Race Relations Bill due to their failure to understand the necessity for it. BNBBC vice-chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the Opposition had failed to understand the intent behind the proposed Act and have misconstrued it because of its name. "The proposed law is more than just regulating race relations as its intention is to prevent discrimination based on race. "The law is drafted based on the United Kingdom's Race Relation Act 1976 to ensure that a person will not be discriminated in the employment sector as well as when purchasing goods," he said yesterday. It was reported that Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had announced that the Government was expected to table the Bill in the next parliament session in March. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S.K. Devamany noted that other countries also had similar legislation and said it would act as a guideline to prevent race-based discrimination. "We must understand that Malaysia is a multiracial country and we want to preserve unity. We do not want issues such as the Kampung Jawa temple demolition matter or the Interlok novel controversy to divide us even more," he said. Pakatan Rakyat MPs have rejected the proposed law, claiming there were adequate laws and policies to deal with racial discrimination and inequality. PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said it was unnecessary for the Government to table another Bill to regulate race relations and foster mutual understanding among the races. "Currently, we have the Sedition Act and the Penal Code which deals specifically with people who play up and create racial and religious tension. The current laws just need to be implemented properly," he said PKR vice-president Tian Chua said the Government should not rush into tabling such an important Act and should consult all relevant parties to ensure it was smoothly implemented. |
| Najib sukar umum PRU 13 kerana isu dalaman Umno Posted: 30 Dec 2011 11:55 AM PST (Harakah Daily) - Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat, Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar berkata Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak belum berjaya menutup isu dan pendedahan yang berlaku dalam negara membabitkan kepimpinannya. Beliau berkata, terlalu banyak isu dan pendedahan yang Najib sedang cuba untuk menutup dan menyelesaikan segala permasalahan berkaitan. Justeru, katanya, disebabkan menghadapi isu-isu tertentu, maka sehingga kini Najib sukar untuk mengisytiharkan tarikh Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13. Beliau menyatakan demikian kepada pemberita pada majlis penyampaian sumbangan beg sekolah bagi pelajar Sekolah Rendah 2012 dalam Parlimen Tumpat di Surau Tuk Ayah Kg Laut dan di Surau Hidayah Pulau Seratus, dekat sini semalam. Sumbangan kewangan dan beg sekolah turut diberikan kepada 50 pelajar termasuk yang berjaya mendapat 5A dalam UPSR tahun 2011, anak yatim dan pelajar miskin. Ahli Parlimen Tumpat itu berkata, pendedahan demi pendedahan dapat diikuti hari ini walaupun ian datang daripada sumber-sumber belum dipastikan. "Tetapi daripada maklumat-maklumat itu sudah tentu daripada pihak atau pun orang-orang dalaman termasuk kes bagaimana Timbalan Menteri Kewangan menerima kemasukan wang yang banyak ke dalam akaun bank peribadinya tiap-tiap bulan. Beliau turut mengulas pembabitan keluarga Perdana Menteri dan mantan Perdana Menteri yang lalu dalam perniagaan, yang bukan saja berlaku semasa kepimpinan Abdullah Badawi, tetapi juga Dr Mahathir. "Begitu juga nampaknya dengan Datuk Najib di mana baru-baru ini anaknya terbabit dalam pembelian syarikat awam dan apabila dibangkitkan, isu itu 'diredakan'. "Jadi ini bukan saja ciri Datuk Najib tetapi ciri pemimpin-pemimpin Umno yang ada," katanya. |
| ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Posted: 30 Dec 2011 11:37 AM PST 1. In the past few weeks, the MACC has been very prolific. Many advertorials have been published in the main stream newspapers of the MACC's achievements in eradicating corruption. The conviction of former Selangor MB Dato Seri Khir Toyo to 1 year imprisonment seems to boost the MACC's image. 2. The MACC blazed the trail again when on the 21st December 2011, the MACC announced the arrest of five (5) civil servants for bribery in separate places in Kedah. On Tuesday 27th December 2011, the husband of the ex-CEO of the Iskandar Investment Board (IIB), Mohd Amin Suhaimi, was charged in Johor Bharu for corruption. It seems strange that the ex-CEO herself was not charged. Then on Wednesday 29th December, a former IIB senior V-P, Rostam Razali, was fined RM20,000 after he pleaded guilty for abuse of power in disclosing confidential tender price information.
3. Meanwhile in KL, the Permanent Chairman of Malaysian Muslim Welfare Organisation (Perkim) Selangor branch who was also the former International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Deputy Rector, Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Ariffin Suhaimi, was charged with two other Perkim members, Dato' Baharin Baba, 58, and Abas Adam, 60 for Criminal Breach of Trust (CBT) by the MACC. The offence was alleged to have happened in the early 2000s.
4. While all these seem to show that the MACC would have the stamina and resolve to dig at old records to uncover corruption, abuse of power and CBT, the public has not forgotten the persecution of Dato' Ramli Yusuff, the former Director CCID, and his lawyer, Rosli Dahlan. The public considers this as a fix-up job by former IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan and A-G Gani Patail achieved with the collusions of the MACC. Musa Hassan was exposed as an incredible witness which is a legal euphemism for calling him a liar. Because of that, the public considers the MACC as a tool of oppression that would do the biddings of A–G Gani Patail and their political masters.
5. Thus, some skeptics say that these recent events are merely to allow the MACC to end 2011 on a high note. It is as if the MACC is trying to erase all the bad publicity for causing the deaths of Teoh Beng Hock and customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini while in the MACC's custody. The outcome of the Royal Commission of Inquiry and the Inquest have not satisfied the public's thirst for the truth and justice. Rightly or wrongly, that is the public perception. And perception counts if the government of PM Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak is to lead BN to a successful GE 13.
6. In that regard, I feel compelled to raise the two blatant cases involving YB Senator Dato' Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Minister for Women and Family Development, in the NFC episode and YB Senator Datuk Dr. Awang Adek Hussein, Deputy Minister of Finance, for admitting he received cash into his private accounts but justified it as for political donations towards social program.
7. Like the rest of the Rakyat, I am astounded and appalled by the reasons put up by both these two politicians who were rejected by the Rakyat in GE 12 and had to be smuggled into the Cabinet by back door appointments through the Dewan Negara. Their mere presence as Ministers in the Government betrays everything that PM Najib has been saying about winnable candidates. These two were rejected by the Rakyat in GE12 and their involvement in these two scandals will certainly not endear them any closer to the electorates in GE 13.
8. In the case of Dato' Seri Shahrizat, the evidence are already in the public domain of the misappropriation of the NFC funds granted for the national cattle project instead being used to purchase luxurious condominiums, super cars and fantastic salaries for Shahrizat's husband and children.
9. The initial statement by the MACC that they only investigate corruption cases and referred the matter to the Police is seen as a feeble attempt to pass the bucket. That was the same thing that happened in the Khir Toyo's case until I pursued it that led to Khir Toyo being charged. Even so, the Rakyat questioned why Khir Toyo was charged under the Penal Code where the maximum penalty is only 2 years whereas punishments under the MACC Act would extend to 20 years. The Rakyat sees this as a cover up!
10. In the case of Datuk Dr. Awang Adek, his open admission of having received such monies to fund his own "social" programs actually constitute political gratification. That an offence of corruption has been established could not be clearer. But most worrisome to me is the inability of Awang Adek, as our Finance Minister, to realise that what he had done was wrong. For him to justify his conduct spells doom for the country if our national finance is to be managed by a man of such moral fabric.
11. I invite the MACC Chief Commissioner, Dato' Sri Abu Kasssim, to deliver to both Shahrizat and Awang Adek the lectures that he had delivered to me when I was on the MACC Advisory Panel about the meaning of gratification. Since I am now pursuing a law degree, for these Ministers' benefit I reproduce s. 3 on Interpretation in the MACC Act:
"gratification" means-
(a) money, donation, gift, loan, fee, reward, valuable security, property or interest in property being property of any description whether movable or immovable, financial benefit, or any other similar advantage;
12. For Sharizat to maintain that her family is justified to get the contracts goes against the provisions of the MACC Act:
23. Offence of using office or position for gratification
(1) Any officer of a public body who uses his office or position for any gratification, whether for himself, his relative or associate, commits an offence.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), an officer of a public body shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, to use his office or position for any gratification, whether for himself, his relative or associate, when he makes any decision, or takes any action, in relation to any matter in which such officer, or any relative or associate of his, has an interest, whether directly or indirectly.
13. Let me ask Awang Adek, if he is not the Deputy Finance Minister whether these companies and associates would give him those monies to fund his political programs. The case of Dato' Harun Idris is on point. That makes it clear that Awang Adek had accepted gratification as defined by s. 16 MACC Act:
16. Offence of accepting gratification
Any person who by himself, or by or in conjunction with any other person--
(a) corruptly solicits or receives or agrees to receive for himself or for any other person; or
(b) corruptly gives, promises or offers to any person whether for the benefit of that person or of another person,
any gratification as an inducement to or a reward for, or otherwise on account of--
(A) any person doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of any matter or transaction, actual or proposed or likely to take place; or
(B) any officer of a public body doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of any matter or transaction, actual or proposed or likely to take place, in which the public body is concerned,
commits an offence.
14. As a Minister, Awang Adek is a public officer. Thus, his acceptance of such monies into his personal account constitutes bribery:
21. Bribery of officer of public body
Any person who offers to an officer of any public body, or being an officer of any public body solicits or accepts, any gratification as an inducement or a reward for--
(a) the officer voting or abstaining from voting at any meeting of the public body in favour of or against any measure, resolution or question submitted to the public body;
(b) the officer performing or abstaining from performing or aiding in procuring, expediting, delaying, hindering or preventing the performance of, any official act;
(c) the officer aiding in procuring or preventing the passing of any vote or the granting of any contract or advantage in favour of any person; or
(d) the officer showing or forbearing to show any favour or disfavour in his capacity as such officer,
commits an offence, notwithstanding that the officer did not have the power, right or opportunity so to do, show or forbear, or accepted the gratification without intending so to do, show or forbear, or did not in fact so do, show or forbear, or that the inducement or reward was not in relation to the affairs of the public body.
15. Once Awang Adek admitted that he had accepted gratification, then there is a presumption that it is corrupt gratification:
50. Presumption in certain offences.
(1) Where in any proceedings against any person for an offence under section 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 or 23 it is proved that any gratification has been received or agreed to be received, accepted or agreed to be accepted, obtained or attempted to be obtained, solicited, given or agreed to be given, promised, or offered, by or to the accused, the gratification shall be presumed to have been corruptly received or agreed to be received, accepted or agreed to be accepted, obtained or attempted to be obtained, solicited, given or agreed to be given, promised, or offered as an inducement or a reward for or on account of the matters set out in the particulars of the offence, unless the contrary is proved.
16. It is abundantly clear that the actions of Shahrizat and Anwang Adek are not defensible. The MACC does itself discredit if it continuously refuse to act with the same speed and efficiency when it involve members of the ruling party. The Rakyat is tired of excuses. In the interest of the BN Government, Shahrizat and Awang Adek should resign and offer themselves for investigation by MACC and other authorities. By resigning, only then can investigations against them be done without the undue influence which cannot be the case if they remain in the Cabinet.
17. As we celebrate New Year, the Rakyat expect a new resolve by the Government and the MACC. If the fight to eradicate corruption is seen as mere lip service, the Rakyat will rise and teach the government a lesson at the ballot box. Before that happens, I urge the government to wake up to today's realities before the Rakyat say enough is enough!
Happy New Year 2012!
"HUMBLENESS IS GOOD VIRTUE, ARROGANCE SHALL FALL, THE MEEK WILL RULE THE WORLD".
.....................................................................
Tan Sri Datuk Robert Phang Miow Sin
Justice of Peace Chairman – Social Care Foundation
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| Clarity of purpose and vision: ABU! Posted: 30 Dec 2011 11:21 AM PST STEADYAKU47 UMNO is full of failed leaders. More of their first tier leaders have, at one time or another, left UMNO than have stayed. Tunku, Hussein Onn, Mahathir, Tengku Razaleigh, Musa Hitam, Anwar Ibrahim and maybe Mahathir again if he does not have his way in the run up to the 13th general elections. Some have done so out of spite, some out of a sense of moral responsibility while some chose to do politics outside UMNO. I look at Najib today and see a man out of his depth in a job he is ill equipped to handle. He is clearly not a leader able to put two separate pieces of information together in his head – what more process the numerous inputs coming in from all angles and sources – and digest them before making the necessary decisions that would affect his party, his people and his country. It is tragic for us and our country that this incompetent leader is advised by people whose vested interest overwhelms all other considerations. UMNO is obsessed with one thing and one thing only – how to hang on to power. There is no competent strategy of what to do with the malaise that has now overtaken our country because of this obsession for power over these last 50 years. No competent strategy of how to move on after the 13th general election. These UMNO goons have no plans beyond taking back power in the 13th general election. It would seem that should power be theirs again after the 13th general election it would be back to the orgy of plundering and pillaging of our country wealth and resources! Who advises Najib? Mahathir? The same Mahathir that wants his so called 'legacy' wreck asunder by Pak Lah to now be 'protected' by Najib? What legacy? Abuses and incompetence would more appropriately describe the 20 over years of Mahathir's rule. This same Mahathir has already fast tracked his son into Cabinet! Now he stands poised to 'negotiate' with Najib his support for Najib in the coming 13th general election in return for what? The crooked bridge in Johore? A minister ship for his son? The protection of his crony business interest because without the OSA he would be exposed as having betrayed the trust put upon him by the people to safeguard the interest of the nation rather then to abuse it by giving lucrative IPP and other projects and contracts to his cronies? What sort of advise would Mahathir give to Najib? Surely no advise that would benefit our nations interest and its people! He is advised by UMNO leaders? Take Isa Samad and Thamby Chik – what advise would they give Najib that would benefit the rural Malays that are under their purview? These are two UMNO rejects that has to be recycled because UMNO has need for Isa's proficiency in money politics and Thamby Chik expertise for gutter politics. It sickens me to the core to have these still titled dregs of human society in position of such responsibilities! What advised has Najib been given to deal with the opposition – Pakatan Rakyat? His first foray into opposition territory was infamously successful with the taking of Perak from Pakatan Rakyat – not through the electoral process but through the baiting of opposition MP's to cross over to Barisan Nasional. I will leave it to your imagination to figure out what bait was used. Suffice to say that apart from that bait, the Sultan and the Judiciary were co-opted to come onto Barisan Nasional side. What the price was for the capitulation of the Sultan and the Judiciary is still to be tabulated but we have a fair idea what the final costs will be! After Perak Najib embarked on a relentless vendetta against the opposition. At times even death, as in Teoh Beng Hock's, did not dimmed the enthusiasm of the offending mechanism used to harass the opposition. As if one death was not enough, it took another death before MACC began to get its act together – hopefully it will not regress to what it was before – a running dog for UMNO's political agenda. And now it would seem that only the jailing of the opposition leader would satisfy Najib. What have we regressed to? Somalia, Chad, Zimbabwe or the Democratic Repblic of Congo? In these places arrest warrants and the judiciary are weapons of choice for the government to neutralize any opposition! READ MORE HERE |
| Many vying for DCM II post Posted: 30 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST Several DAP leaders, even those outside of Penang, are said to be interested in the coveted post. (Free Malaysia Today) - Many DAP politicians are aspiring to take over the coveted post of Penang deputy chief minister II. The seat is currently held by the party's deputy secretary-general P Ramasamy, who is also the MP for Batu Kawan and Prai state assemblyman. Commenting about Ramasamy, who is now in the limelight due to a public spat with party national chairman Karpal Singh, who has openly asked the former to quit, a source said the academic is an inexperienced politician. "He failed to touch base and connect with the grassroots members and treated everyone as new members," the source told FMT. There are talks that Bukit Mertajam MP, Chong Eng, would contest a state seat in the next general election and assume the deputy chief minister post. "She considers herself half-Indian by virtue of having an Indian husband," said the source.
Kulasegaran interested? It is also rumoured that Karpal's son and Datuk Keramat state rep Jagdeep Singh Deo is eyeing the post as well, but according to the source, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng does not favour this. Those aligned to Ramasamy said that Jagdeep should have accepted an exco post if he was interested. "This was not the case. Indians were allocated two exco posts. Ramasamy accepted one. "Jagdeep, (Bagan Dalam state rep) A Thanasekaran and (Seri Delima rep) RSN Rayer declined the offer," said one supporter. READ MORE HERE |
| Will BN win the 13th GE? Posted: 30 Dec 2011 08:34 AM PST It certainly has the edge but the big question is why is Najib running scared of calling for the polls. Overall it can be said that it looks likely that BN will win the 13th general election due to three main reasons: Use of racist, fear-mongering tactics to woo the Malay vote; control of mainstream media to bad-mouth the opposition plus no alternative media in rural areas; and lack of impartiality (to put it in a refined manner) by the Election Commission. Selena Tay, Free Malaysia Today Yes, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is too afraid of holding the 13th general election. He is afraid that BN will not win, and in reality he has no confidence of winning. Otherwise, why would he not immediately call for the polls to be held the moment after he had presented the Budget on Oct 7, 2011? After all, it is blindingly obvious that the civil service, the national institutions, the rural folk and those in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak are supporting him. With this so-called overwhelming support, it is indeed amazing that he still lacks the courage to call for the general election. In addition to that, he has also thrown in the RM500 aid as bait. However, the RM500 is no big deal as it is only a one-off. Even if he were to give this sum every five years, it only amounts to RM100 a year. And that is equivalent to RM8.45 a month – peanuts and pittance! Is Najib trying to make monkeys out of the rakyat? Be that as it may, here is a brief guide highlighting the unique features on the scenario in all the states in Malaysia: Perlis: If you think the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is in disarray, think again. In Perlis there are four warlords jostling for power: Azmi Khalid – he of the Public Accounts Committee fame; Radzi Sheikh Ahmad – well known and with much clout; Isa Sabu – present Menteri Besar (MB) and; Shahidan Kassim – previous MB. The smallest state but giving the biggest problems to Umno. PAS has two state seats here and hope to make further inroads and DAP has also set up a branch in Perlis after being absent for more than three decades. Penang: The Indian-Muslim NGOs try to annoy Chief Minister (CM) Lim Guan Eng but the Malays have never had it better. The support for Lim from the Malays is blanked out by the mainstream media and this could work out to Pakatan's disadvantage because the Malays in other states will think that the Penang Malays are being marginalised by the DAP-led state government. Kedah: PAS MB Ustaz Azizan Abu Bakar seems slow and sleepy but that is the style required in Kedah. Things are moving along fine although the mainstream media tries to paint a picture of no-progress. For example, a road in Kubang Rotan was tarred and repaired by the PAS state government but the mainstream media said it was done by the BN federal government. The PAS government was also accused of not helping the rakyat during the flash floods in 2010 although they had disbursed RM2 million to assist the flood victims. Kelantan: PAS MB Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat has helmed Kelantan since 1990 and this time the Malay daily which is Umno's mouthpiece tries to drown him with the water issue by publishing front-page headlines proclaiming that the water in Kelantan is dirty and smelly. In fact the water is clean and crystal clear and the dirty, smelly water proclaimed in the said daily is the water dug from the ground by some of the locals and this type of water is referred to by the Kelantanese as 'boring water'. How dull can BN get! The PAS state government has not kept quiet and has issued newsletters to try to counter the BN media. Terengganu: This state is ever-elusive for PAS although they have won it in 1959 and 2004. There are two warlords in the power struggle of Terengganu: Former MB Idris Jusoh versus current MB Ahmad Said. The stadium-collapse and the bridge with no river are the main issues here leading the opposition to question who gets a percentage cut from the construction works. In regards to the bridge which is part of the stretch of the Jabor Highway, the cost of the said bridge has ballooned from RM174 million to RM210 million. The construction cost of Jabor Highway itself has increased from RM3.7 billion to RM5 billion. Pahang: The home state of Najib. The hottest issue here is no doubt the one in regards to Lynas Corporation and the rare earth plant in Gebeng located in the constituency of PKR MP Fuziah Salleh. She is currently heading a people's movement which involves the rakyat with the intention of booting out this plant. Battle of all battles Perak: The state that made headlines in 2009 due to BN's illegal power-grab. Since then, the Silver State has lost its shine due to Perak MB, Umno's Zambry Abdul Kadir and his lacklustre line-up of Exco members. Ho-hum, yawn! But the bright spark here is the PAS Supporters Congress – the non Muslim section of PAS which has one of the most active branches in Malaysia in Perak. The co-ordination among the three Pakatan component parties is also the best in Perak. Selangor: This is in clear and present danger of going back to BN's grasp due to extremely aggressive campaigning by Umno using racial issues and scare-mongering tactics to win the Malay vote. Although Umno uses the same racial and scare-mongering tactics in all the states, it is the most prevalent in Selangor. Negeri Sembilan: One might think that nothing much happens here but lest we forget, Gemas in Negeri Sembilan is the location of the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) cattle ranch – ground zero of the Cattle-Condo scandal. Enough said. Malacca: Welcome to the Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Melaka in Batu Berendam which has only five flights a week. At other times, it is a good place to hone one's skills in kite-flying. Malacca is also home to the largest go-cart circuit in Southeast Asia but rest assured it is not so much a go-cart circuit as a ghost-cart circuit. Costing more than RM12 million to construct, there is no one and no activity there! READ MORE HERE |
| ‘Perkasa has no right to demand action’ Posted: 30 Dec 2011 08:13 AM PST (The Star) - MCA said Malay rights group Perkasa has no right to demand a probe on Christian leader Dr Eu Hong Seng over his remarks on Article 153 of the Federal Constitution. MCA Young Professionals Bureau chairman Datuk Chua Tee Yong slammed the pressure group for accusing the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) chairman of making seditious remarks in his Christmas Eve message. The reverend caused a stir when he said Article 153 was like "bullying" the non-bumiputra groups in the country. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had reacted to the comments by refuting the suggestion that the constitutional provision had been used to bully any community. Eu's remarks sparked a furious response from Perkasa, with its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali accusing the pastor of making a politically-motivated statement. Perkasa has since lodged a police report against Eu and slammed non-Muslim political leaders for not taking action against the reverend. Chua said all Malaysians, including Perkasa members, are entitled to freedom of speech so long as they do not violate any laws or damage racial harmony. "This, however, does not give Perkasa the right to go overboard and demand that the police investigate Eu under the Sedition Act," he said in a statement here. |
| What would Gandhi think of our world today? Posted: 30 Dec 2011 07:59 AM PST ALIRAN Recalling Gandhi's legacy, Marina Mahathir calls on us to make use of the power that we all have to insist that we be ruled only by those who wage peace at all times. To many people, the first thing that comes to mind when talking about Mahatma Gandhi is of course his doctrine of non-violence. I think by far this is his greatest contribution to the world, that rebellion against injustice can be achieved through non-violent means. That to protest against such injustices is a human right, because injustice itself is a violation of human rights. And because injustice is often violent, to protest in a non-violent manner is also a statement in itself. Not that the world, despite its admiration for Gandhi, has been able to follow his doctrine in practice at all. When we look at the amount of violence today all round the world, we have to wonder what the Mahatma would have thought. Violence today has become more widespread, more sophisticated and more diversified. We are seeing every day different types of violence perpetrated by different people using different means. Are any of them justified and would all of them merit the same non-violent responses? Violence in the world In Gandhi's day, his main concern was the sort of violence perpetrated by colonisers against the colonised. This included both the British government's colonisation of India and the demand by Indians for self-determination as well as the social colonisation of the haves in Indian society over the have-nots, especially those from the untouchable classes. Perhaps less well-known is that Gandhi was also an opponent of the formation of the state of Israel. Although he sympathised greatly with the plight of Jews who were being persecuted in Germany, nevertheless Gandhi thought the answer was not the setting up of a Jewish state in Palestine. "The Palestine of the Biblical conception," he said, " is not a geographical tract. It is in their (Jewish) hearts. But if they must look to the Palestine of geography as their national home, it is wrong to enter it under the shadow of the British gun. A religious act cannot be performed with the aid of the bayonet or the bomb. They can settle in Palestine only by the
goodwill of the Arabs. They should seek to convert the Arab heart." As we know, nobody listened then to Gandhi and the Palestine issue is still with us today. As indeed colonialism still is, and taking on more violent forms than ever before. Today we have at least two countries, Afghanistan and Iraq, with hundreds of foreign soldiers on their soil attempting unsuccessfully to bring peace to those countries. Instead of development, both Iraq and Afghanistan have been laid waste to violence and are unable to govern themselves for some time to come. Furthermore the violence perpetuated is today much more sophisticated, operated from a distance and causing many more deaths and injuries on civilian populations than ever before. How many times have we seen reports of drone attacks causing many civilian deaths in Afghanistan or suicide bombers killing and injuring innocent people? Weapons of war Today too we have seen more diverse forms of weaponry, not just more technologically sophisticated ones but also chemical weapons, even those declared illegal by the international community. In Gaza, doctors treating the injured reported the use of white phosphorus, which burns the skin as long as oxygen is available. These doctors also reported the use of Dense Inert Metal Explosives (DIME), a type of bomb fired from Israeli planes, which hit the ground, bounce up again and then explode sending out hundreds of sharp blades and shrapnel. The injuries caused by these shrapnel include amputated legs, arms and heads; needless to say, DIME does not differentiate between adults and children, soldiers and civilians. Let us not forget that the threat of nuclear weapons still looms over us today. Despite the global anti-nuclear movement, today there are still several countries that insist on having nuclear weapons including the United States and Israel. Additionally, the conventional arms trade is today estimated to be valued at USD1.5 trillion yearly or 2.7 per cent of the world's GDP. The United States alone accounts for 42.8 per cent of the world's defence spending and 4.8 per cent of its GDP. It is also the largest exporter of armaments, thus spreading violence and death all round the world. As the director Michael Moore pointed out in his documentary Bowling for Columbine, in an environment where it is not considered unusual to manufacture, buy and sell weaponry, violence becomes an idea that seeps into the community and the minds of individuals, with fatal consequences for many innocent victims. The Nobel peace laureate Oscar Arias Sanchez, former President of Costa Rica, a country without an army, noted the same phenomenon: "When a country decides to invest in arms, rather than in education, housing, the environment, and health services for its people, it is depriving a whole generation of its right to prosperity and happiness. We have produced one firearm for every ten inhabitants of this planet, and yet we have not bothered to end hunger when such a feat is well within our reach. "Our international regulations allow almost three-quarters of all global arms sales to pour into the developing world with no binding international guidelines whatsoever. Our regulations do not hold countries accountable for what is done with the weapons they sell, even when the probable use of such weapons is obvious." Thus the world in 2011 is much more awash in the means to violence than in the days of Gandhi, even though he lived to see the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and was a sharp critic of the use of nuclear bombs. In 1946, he remarked: "I regard the employment of the atom bomb for the wholesale destruction of men, women, and children as the most diabolical use of science." Sadly this diabolical use of science continues unabated today. Causes of violence What about the causes of violent conflict today? No longer is it just colonisation that is causing conflict but different issues have arisen of late that may not have existed in Gandhi's day. Globalisation has linked the countries of the world as never before but its benefits have not been evenly distributed over all countries. The divide between rich and poor nations remains large; developing nations still suffer a bigger share of the world's poverty, illiteracy and ill health. They are less able to cope with shocks in the world's economic system; if the developed world to which they export suffers a recession, they suffer worse from the effects of those cutbacks. These types of economic inequalities lead to a new phenomena, human migration, where people move from their own region or country to another to seek a better life. If badly managed, this can lead to conflicts with the native people of the host countries. Migrants now make up 214m people who leave their countries for work or to seek refuge from crises in their own countries, including conflicts. According to the International Organisation for Migration, this means that one in every 33 people in the world is an international migrant. As displaced people and refugees, or even simply as foreign workers in a country, these migrants become vulnerable to violence as well as other disadvantages such as lack of access to health care. Additionally there are the effects of relatively new phenomena such as climate change. When people are displaced by environmental disasters caused by climate change such as drought or floods, they encroach on other people's land. Conflicts arise when more people are forced to find food from the same limited resources. Refugees forced to live in deplorable conditions invariably rebel and start to fight with both fellow refugees and their unwilling hosts. What is happening in Somalia is a case in point where hundreds of thousands of famine-stricken people have been forced to move in search of food, sparking an immense humanitarian crisis. In many cases, compared to Gandhi's day, the perpetrators of violence have also diversified. Where before it was often states that inflicted violence on people, today there may be non-state actors or even communities that may cause such violence. For instance, the existence of networks of people who believe that violence is the only response to injustice, thus leading to events such as 9/11, the Bali bombings and other violent events such as the suicide bombing of houses of worship. Gender-based violence has also been well-documented for example in Bosnia, in Indonesia in 1998, and more recently in the Congo and in Libya. The targets of such violence are also diverse; sometimes it is certain communities, sometimes the more vulnerable sections of the population such as women and sometimes targets are randomly picked. READ MORE HERE |
| Year of reckoning Posted: 30 Dec 2011 07:52 AM PST 2012 WHAT'S NEXT - POLITICS
By JOCELINE TAN, THE STAR The general election is all anybody can think about as 2012 arrives and the Mother Of All Battles looms in Malaysian politics. EVERYTHING in this country has had a tinge of politics to it since the political tsunami of 2008. In fact, there has been too much politics and gamesmanship in too many issues. But 2012 is likely to see the politics of the last four decades reach some sort of conclusion. Nope, the world is not going to end but as they say in the movies, get ready for the Mother Of All Battles, namely the 13th general election. Political analysts have been predicting early polls every year since March 2008, and they have been embarrassingly wrong. Despite having been in the public eye for so many decades, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has been quite difficult to read, and very few thought that he would go the full term before seeking his own mandate. It has been one long guessing game with people predicting an election every few months or every time the ruling coalition came up with some goodies for the rakyat. In fact, one of the most asked question last year was on when the general election would be. But the long wait is about to be over. The Barisan Nasional will touch the final 12 months of its mandate in March 2012 and after that, all political parties will be in election mode. The usual political pundits are predicting polls by the March school holidays but political insiders say that anytime after June is a better bet. The Prime Minister, they say, is determined to leave as little options as possible to the four Pakatan Rakyat states to not come along in the polls. Conventional wisdom has it that this will be the definitive election after the one that caught everyone on the backfoot. Both sides are hungry to arrive first in Putrajaya, and this is going to make 2012 a very exciting and unprecedented year in politics. Hopefully, it will not get ugly and the winners will show magnanimity and the losers, grace. A great deal of 2012's politics will be geared towards the Mother Of All Battles. Everything else will sort of pale in comparison. But as the year opens, national attention will be on the court verdict of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial on Jan 9. The verdict is finally coming more than three years after Anwar was charged with sodomising his aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan. Anwar was touted as "Malaysia's 7th Prime Minister" during the PKR national congress in Johor last month. But the court verdict will decide whether the PKR's de facto leader will still be in the running for the title or if it's the end of the road for him. The court decision will also impact on Pakatan's strategy and plans for the general election. It needs a prime minister candidate with cross-sectional appeal. For Malaysia's most controversial politician, 2012 will be a year of reckoning. This year ended with the political spotlight trained on Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil who struggled to keep her head afloat over the National Feedlot Corporation controversy which involves her family. The last time something so devastating has hit her was when she was defeated in Lembah Pantai by Nurul Izzah Anwar. Shahrizat, who is also a Cabinet member, sailed through the Umno general assembly without any open censure from her party. But the pressure on her to take responsibility has not subsided, and even Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the man who had handpicked her as a candidate in the 1995 general election, is sceptical that she can continue. The controversy will continue to dog her in 2012 and all eyes will be on how she handles the pressure and whether she will cave in or defy her critics and cling on. The politics of 2012 will also hinge on the reforms that the ruling coalition has promised, especially the new legislation that will replace the abolished ISA, and also the electoral reforms that have been the rallying cry of Pakatan politicians. And before the big battle takes place there will be lots politicking and even fights within individual political parties as aspirants lobby to be picked as candidates. This time around, the disease of people doing what it takes to become candidates will not be confined to the Barisan parties. The Pakatan parties have also caught the disease big-time. This has to do with the intoxicating taste of power, and the perks and material rewards that come with it. The recent warlord-godfather fight in the Penang DAP was basically about staking the territory for certain candidates. There will be more of such tussles as 2012 builds up to the Mother Of All Battles. The world is apparently not going to end in 2012 but for whichever side loses in this election, it will surely feel like the end of the world. |
| 2011 In Review - Politics: Malaysia Posted: 30 Dec 2011 07:49 AM PST The Star IT was an interesting year on the home front as far as civil liberties are concerned. After 42 years, Malaysia finally declared that it was no longer in a state of Emergency. On Nov 24, Parliament approved a motion to lift three emergency proclamations, two of which had been in place for over 40 years. With that, the powers granted to the police under the Emergency Ordinance (EO), including to detain suspects without warrant, was withdrawn. The first emergency proclamation was issued by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on May 15, 1969 following the May 13 racial riots. The other two emergency proclamations, issued on Sept 14, 1966 and Nov 8, 1977, were aimed at resolving political disputes in Sarawak and Kelantan, respectively. Along with the revocation of the Emergency proclamations, the Government also announced the abolition of the Banishment Act 1959 and the Restricted Residence Act 1993 and said it would abolish the Internal Security Act (ISA). However it clarified later that the new law replacing the ISA would also allow for detention without trial.  To reduce the possibility of fraud, the Election Commission has accepted the use of indelible ink for the next general election. Meanwhile, euphoria over the repeal of the Emergency was tempered by the introduction of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2011, which was passed by Dewan Negara on Dec 20, with 39 senators voting in favour, and eight against. Under the new law, street protests, defined as "open air assembly which begins with a meeting at a specified place and consists of walking in a mass march or rally for the purpose of objecting to or advancing a particular cause or causes", are prohibited. The new law purportedly makes it easier to hold peaceful assemblies at "designated areas" (off-the-streets), but organisers would have to notify the police 24 hours before the event. The bill, which also allows for appeals to the Home Minister against the conditions and restrictions, was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on Nov 29 after a heated debate. Critics said it was, in fact, an even more restrictive law. In the end, six amendments were incorporated into the bill, including shortening the notice period required to be given to the police for any assemblies to 10 days, down from 30 days. Opposition MPs staged a walkout from Parliament before voting commenced. Amendments to the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA) are now being considered following a Court of Appeal ruling on Oct 31 that Section 15(5)(a) of the act was unconstitutional. The result was handed down following an appeal by four former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia undergraduates who faced disciplinary action for being present during the Hulu Selangor by-election on April 24 last year. Civil society activists want more than just amendments, and are calling for the complete abolishment of the act, and along with it, the abolishment of the Educational Institutions (Discipline) Act 1976 (Act 174) and Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996 (Act 555). The draft amendments to the UUCA, which the Government said "will respect the constitutional rights of students aged 21 and above", are expected to be tabled in Parliament next year. Print publications will no longer need to renew their printing licences annually under a comprehensive review of the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA). The MCA, under its New Deal manifesto, is calling for PPPA to be abolished, a move supported by the National Union of Journalists Malaysia. Of concern to media owners is the fact that the Minister still has absolute discretion in the granting and revocation of licences, as well as in restricting and banning publications deemed detrimental to national security. One of the most notable event this year was the Bersih protest movement in July. The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, better known by its Malay acronym Bersih, mobilised tens of thousands of Malaysians to take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur on July 9 to press for electoral law reforms amidst allegations that anomalies and discrepancies in the election system heavily favoured the incumbents. In response to popular demand, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform was established in August to forward several suggestions to the Election Commission (EC). Some suggestions included the use of indelible ink to cut down the possibility of fraud; doing away with the one-hour objection period; early voting for military personnel, healthcare workers and media personnel; and the display of electoral rolls every quarter for two weeks. So far, the EC has accepted only the use of indelible ink for the next general election, while postal voting from overseas still remain the preserve of diplomatic mission staff, civil servants, and members of the armed forces. |
| World braces for turbulent 2012 Posted: 30 Dec 2011 07:44 AM PST Next year could hold some equally disquieting social, political and economic turmoil. But few predicted the sweeping Arab Spring, the wide-ranging economic and financial tremors rocking Western Europe, or the devastating natural disaster tsunami and subsequent nuclear crisis affecting Japan. By John J. Metzler, Special to The China Post It's once again time to peer into the foggy crystal ball and try to decipher the future political trends and events. Indeed, after the volitile year of 2011, it's hard to imagine that Next year could hold some equally disquieting social, political and economic turmoil. But few predicted the sweeping Arab Spring, the wide-ranging economic and financial tremors rocking Western Europe, or the devastating natural disaster tsunami and subsequent nuclear crisis affecting Japan. So let's look thematically at a number of key issues affecting the world this new year. Transitions — After the death of North Korea's dictator "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il, the dynastic mantle passed to his son Kim Jong Un, aka "The Great Successor." Instability in North Korea's bizarre Marxist Monarchy poses a clear and present danger to prosperous and democratic South Korea. Will Jong Un keep his restive military under a tight leash, shall he loosen the socialist economic system and copy Mainland China's reforms, or can North Korea remain in its totalitarian time-warp? As for the Arab Spring, the political season has now turned to Winter. Egypt's fate hangs in the balance as hard-line fundamentalist forces are certain to gain from elections. Libya, though well-rid of the tyrant Colonel Gadhafi, is yet to solve the regional and tribal divides which have long plagued this North African land. Significantly, American forces are now out of Iraq, yet the results of the conflict, so costly in U.S. blood and treasure, remain inconclusive given the political tensions and infighting among Iraqi political factions. The imbroglio in Afghanistan continues with military success against the Taliban insurgents, but hampered again a weak and corrupt central government in Kabul. Flashpoints — Probably the biggest challenge remains Pakistan, once a close U.S. ally which has morphed over the past few years into a seething and embittered partner. Pakistan's nuclear weapons, its web of support to Islamic radicals in Afghanistan and Kashmir, its domestic inter-Islamic strife, and dysfunctional government presents a combustible recipe for chaos. The Islamic Republic of Iran tirelessly pursues the nuclear genie and threatens to close Straits of Hormuz petroleum jugular vein. The Obama Administration's political naivete and strategic myopia has allowed Tehran's rulers more time to pursue their nuclear proliferation, but time to stop it is now running out. The stars may be in alignment for a military strike on Iranian regime. Personalities — Turkey's Islamic-lite Prime Minister Recep Erdogan is set to play (and probably overplay) his role in the Middle East. Once a stalwart NATO ally and reliable partner, Turkey under Erdogan has become a free agent, some would argue loose-cannon, in regional affairs. Despite being democratically elected, Erdogan exhibits a latent authoritarian aura in many of his speeches and relishes challenging Israel and now France. This is not your father's secular and staunch ally Turkish Republic. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron unexpectedly rose to defend British sovereignty over the growing fiscal homogenization of the European Union; Bravo, about time! Russia's Vladimir Putin is running for President again but under a cloud of blatant fraud. Will this career KGB crony ride the wave of Russia's petroleum-and-gas bling-bling prosperity and return to power? Elections — Crucial contests are slated this year in France (April), Russia (March) and the U.S. (November). In the United States the choice will be between the incumbent Obama Administration offering status quo statism and a challenger who promises to return America to its traditional individualistic and entrepreneurial values. In China, the 18th Communist Party Congress in Beijing, gathers to select the once in a decade political transition from Hu Jintao as the paramount leader of the People's Republic. Conversely on January 14th, the people of Taiwan will elect their president from among fiercely competing democratic political Parties Economics — the recession continues in the U.S. despite the occasional sugar rush of good economic news. Massive government spending and accrued debt has failed to stimulate a moribund economy or significantly cut unacceptably high levels of unemployment. High energy prices and regulatory red-tape equally serve as a political deadweight to faster economic growth. Energy independence is held hostage to hyper regulation. In Europe the EURO currency has stayed afloat after innumerable breathless crisis meetings and last minute bailouts of a number of the debtor countries. Sustaining the cost and the benefits provided by The State, has exhausted many European nations. Finger-pointing aside, most European countries are guilty of massive unsustainable government spending and are now paying the piper on a path to insolvency. Despite the global turbulence, may my readers have a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2012! John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of "Transatlantic Divide; USA/Euroland Rift?" |
| Our Malaysians of the year: A lawyer, a whistle-blower, undergraduates and a civil servant Posted: 30 Dec 2011 07:41 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - The dissent and demand for accountability shown by the Malaysian public has been greater in 2011 than at any time in recent history. And that is why The Malaysian Insider has chosen as its Malaysians of the Year a lawyer, a whistle-blower(s), undergraduates and a civil servant. They are Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, the undergraduates pushing for academic freedom, the unnamed National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) whistle-blower(s), and Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang. While many other personalities also made the headlines this year, we believe that these four represent the impact of a Malaysia that is evolving into a society that no longer believes what it is told. Regardless of political affiliation, of whether we support Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Rakyat (PR), or neither, Malaysians more than ever are taking ownership of their own country. Here are the four we feel best represents the changes our country has seen: Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan Lawyer-turned-activist, the 55-year-old hit world headlines symbolising Malaysian civil society's dissent when she led 62 non-governmental organisations and thousands of middle-class Malaysians of all ages, gender, colour and creed into the capital city's streets to peacefully march for cleaner and more transparent elections as 11,000 policemen shot chemical-laced water and tear gas at demonstrators. The July 9 Bersih 2.0 march drew instant support as videos and online reports of the incident were beamed live worldwide via Facebook, Twitter and other social media, prompting similar gatherings abroad from overseas Malaysians and global criticism against the Najib administration for its heavy-handed measures and authoritarian rule. Under severe international pressure, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak made a historic pledge on September 15, the eve of Malaysia Day, to dismantle the decades-old Internal Security Act, a law widely panned as draconian for stifling government dissent and setting up a bipartisan parliamentary panel to review the country's electoral system. The Election Commission has since announced several revisions to its rules for the next national polls expected soon, including using indelible ink to deter voter fraud. The government has also followed up its reform promises and is reviewing changes to a variety of other laws and policy. The undergraduates The awakening of middle Malaysia that started with the Bersih 2.0 march led to a youth uprising in the battle for academic freedom. They gained leverage from an unexpected quarter when the Federal Court ruled on October 31 that Section 15(5)(a) of the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA) that barred undergraduates from taking part in partisan politics was in breach of Article 10 of the country's supreme law, the Federal Constitution, which provides for freedom of expression. The government pledged to review the law but its resolve has now been put to the test after Adam Adli Abdul Halim, a 21-year-old student activist from Sultan Idris University of Education (UPSI), came under fire for purportedly lowering a banner bearing the likeness of Najib at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) during a peaceful student protest led by Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia and Gerakan Menuntut Kebebasan Akademik (Bebas) on December 17. The incident has lit a fire among the undergraduates in Malaysia's public universities and spawned more student groups. Some have styled themselves as pro-government activists. This vibrant growth has brought about a dynamic debate about student rights. As Adam Adli said in a recent interview, "Students are not fools or tools. They see, they learn, they acquire the knowledge, and they are ready to make our country a better place. In no time, I believe many more will come out." The unnamed National Feedlot Corporation whistleblowers That PKR has been able to lead the charge against minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's family over the cattle-for-condos scandal is probably due to the person or persons who have furnished the opposition party with the alleged evidence of misappropriation of funds. Shahrizat's husband and chief executive of the scandal-hit National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), Datuk Mohamad Salleh Ismail, has admitted to having used taxpayers' money to buy at least two posh condominiums units in the city, claiming it was meant as an investment while conveniently forgetting the fund was meant for the farm. He has also blamed two former "renegade employees in a bid to sabotage the company" but did not name them. PKR has also refused to disclose its sources, saying it was dangerous to name them. Despite initial resistance, the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission have started investigating the claims. Whether it was out of revenge as Mohamad Salleh claimed, or otherwise, the anonymous whistleblowers took a major risk in providing the information that involves senior leaders within the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. They did not have to, but they chose to, showing that there is a limit to how much Malaysians can stomach before taking action. READ MORE HERE |
| Analysts: Free Anwar Campaign 901 opposition ploy to dupe public Posted: 30 Dec 2011 07:24 AM PST (Bernama) - The Free Anwar Campaign 901, planned by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth, is seen as merely championing the interests of opposition chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The campaign, to be held simultaneously with the judgement on Anwar's sodomy case on Jan 9, is seen as a platform to convince the people that everything is a conspiracy to topple Anwar.
But, generally, observers are of the view that the action, to trigger chaos, such as the one in 1998, showed that Anwar and his followers believe that he would be found guilty.
Political analyst Md Shukri Shuib said it was not right that his supporters continued to be exploited, when the case was a private one.
He said it was clear that PKR was not championing the interest of the people but only to ensure Anwar's position was secure.
The Universiti Utara Malaysia Political and International Studies lecturer said Anwar's supporters should be able to differentiate between personal and national interests.
"Where is their transparency? If they are championing Anwar's right in the judgement, where are they placing Saiful's interest as he also has a right.
"The sentiment that should be understood is equity in legal rights, regardless of if one is an opposition leader or an ordinary person. This equity should be understood and adhered strongly to by society," he said when contacted by Bernama.
Another political analyst, Dr Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk, who concurred with the opinion, said those keen to join the campaign should understand judiciary procedure.
Azeem Fazwan, who is also Universiti Sains Malaysia Political Science Programme chairman, said an appeal could be made to the Appeals Court or the Federal Court if Anwar was found guilty.
He said they should understand that a decision made by the courts in a country practising democracy must be respected by all parties.
He said Anwar's supporters should not practice double standards and always question court decisions which were seen as not in their favour. |
| Tubuh besar, duit banyak, pangkat tinggi tetapi tidak sihat Posted: 30 Dec 2011 07:20 AM PST ASPAN ALIAS Saya telah dihubungi oleh ramai kawan-kawan dalam UMNO yang saya kenali sejak puluhan tahun dahulu bertanyakan yang saya akan menyertai DAP seperti yang dihebuh kan oleh akhbar milik UMNO semalam. Saya sendiri tidak membaca akhbar itu tetapi rakan-rakan UMNO inilah yang memberi tahu saya. Saya pun belum membuat apa-apa keputusan walaupun sudah hampir untuk membuat keputusan muktamad. Kecuali seorang yang lainnya memberikan galakan untuk saya menyertai parti yang sinonim dengan transparency, rule of law, multiracial, ketelusan dan tidak ada isu rasuah besar serta tidak terlibat dengan menggunakan duit rakyat hampir rm 2 billion untuk menyelamatkan perniagaan anaknya yang gagal dalam perniagaan.
Ada yang berkata, "bro, saya mencemburui saudara kerana saudara bertegas dan berani berfikir di luar kotak. Saya belum lagi mampu untuk berbuat seperti you sebab maklumlah, saya masih berkhidmat dengan kerajaan. Tapi bro, ramai yang menyokong jika lebih ramai orang Melayu menyertai DAP sebab DAP telah berjaya membuktikan kemampuan untuk mengambil berat terhadap semua kaum macam dia tunjuk di P Pinang"
Seorang lagi pula berkata, "Kalau saudara menyertai DAP maka saudara dapatlah menghindarkan diri dari menjadi ahli parti yang terlibat dengan NFC, Air Asia dengan MAS, parti yang membawa imej Islam tetapi menggunakan wang zakat dan banyak lagi isu-isu yang tidak semenggah lain"
Seorang ahli yang betul-betul sedang bergiat memberi tahu, "Eloklah tu bang, Letih saya bang. Di kalangan kita sendiri bergaduh. Setengah membantai saya kerana kata mereka saya penyokong Khairy dan marah-marah kerana tak menyokong Mukhriz. Mereka mengatakan Khairy mesti di habiskan politiknya kerana kalau Khairy diberikan tempat, matilah politik Mukhriz. Bila saya dengar abang nak masuk DAP saya pun terasa kebenaran dengan apa yang abang beritahu saya berbulan yang lalu yang ahli-ahli UMNO menembak kaki mereka sendiri"
Sesungguhnya apa yang diperkatakan oleh mereka ini melambangkan keadaan sebenar yang berlaku dalam UMNO hari ini. UMNO begitu besar keahliannya, dan saiz keahlian benar-benar membunuh UMNO itu kerana ia membawa padah yang buruk terhadap parti itu.
Begitu besar jumlah keahlian UMNO tidak mampu memberikan hujjah dan penerangan yang baik kepada ahli-ahli mereka di cawangan-cawangannya. Akhirnya jutaan ahli-ahlinya telah menyeberang kepada parti lain di peti undi semasa pilihanraya umum yang lalu dan PRU yang akan datang ini.
Saya menyebut tentang keahlian ini kerana saya memang dari dulu menyatakan bahayanya parti yang mempunyai ahli yang besar. Dengan keahlian yang besar ia akan memberatkan parti diperingkat pentadbirannya dan akan berlaku pertembungan diperinkat cawangan yang banyak itu. Saya berpendapat yang dalam politik ini, ia merupakan 'game of perception' dan ia merupakan peperangan mental, bukannya peperangan bersenjata dua belah pihak.
Banyak parti-parti yang berjaya tidak mempunyai keahlian besar. Parti-parti ini menumpukan tenaga untuk membina dasar yang baik yang di hormati oleh rakyat yang mengundi. Parti-parti Republican, Democrat di AS dan parti-parti Buruh dan Conservative di England tidak mempunyai keahlian yang besar. Parti0parti ini telah memerintah dan mentadbir negara bergilir-gilir mengikut keadaan sewaktu pilihanraya. Parti-parti ini menawarkan dasar kepada rakyat dengan jelas. Kalau rakyat tidak bersetuju parti-parti ini bersedia untuk duduk dipihak pembangkang di dewan-dewan legislative.
Di negara kita DAP tidak mempunyai keahlian yang besar. Begitu juga PAS.Sebaliknya UMNO mempunyai keahlian seramai lebih dari 3 juta tetapi hasilnya tidak seberapa. Hasil yang besar yang UMNO perolehi hanyalah perpecahan dan perbalajan di antara ahli-ahli yang berebut jawatan. READ MORE HERE |
| Special police team to probe dumping of pig heads at mosque Posted: 30 Dec 2011 12:16 AM PST (Bernama) - A special team has been set up by Johor police to investigate the dumping of several severed pig heads in plastic bags near the Al-Falah Mosque in Taman Desa Jaya here. State police chief Datuk Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the pig heads were found by the mosque's congregation early Friday when they turned up for the dawn prayers. "The team, which is headed by Johor deputy police chief Datuk Ismail Yatim, will seek the culprits until they are found," he said. Mokhtar, who visited the scene of the incident, urged all parties to be patient, refrain from speculating about the incident and not to take the law into their own hands. The mosque's committee chairman, Kassim Darim, 62, said residents in the area initially found a plastic bag believed to contain pig parts near the rear fence of the mosque at 5pm Thursday. He said it was the first time such an incident had occurred in the area. A police report was lodged at the Desa Cemerlang Police Station, he said. Meanwhile, about 100 people, including from non-government organisations, held a peaceful gathering in front of the mosque to protest against the act. |
| Ambiga is FMT’s newsmaker of the year Posted: 30 Dec 2011 12:11 AM PST Surprisingly 'people-savvy' Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak came in seventh after his wife Rosmah Mansor. (Free Malaysia Today) - Bersih 2.0 hero S Ambiga was named FMT's top newsmaker of the year after some 57% of its readers voted for her, drubbing more prominent figures like Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. This comes as no surprise, given the amount of headlines Ambiga, a former president of the Malaysian Bar Council, had accumulated throughout the year. The year 2011 showered on Ambiga both positive and negative coverage, much of it due to her involvement in several rocking controversial events. What does come as a surprise is that Shahrizat Abdul Jalil was next in line despite barely making the headlines, at least up until the RM250-million National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal broke out last month. The Women's Affair, Family and Community Development Minister is now facing growing calls to quit her post from her own Umno party members who view her as a liability. The "attention" given to Shahrizat, who is Wanita Umno chief, by FMT readers perhaps reflects the weight of the scandal and the potential damage it may do to the ruling coalition in the upcoming national polls. 
Shahrizat received 534 votes or a 9% rating next to Ambiga, similar to the percentage received by Anwar who came in third in the chart after gaining five votes lesser. Meanwhile, Najib was two points behind his wife Rosmah Mansor. Rosmah came in fourth with 416 votes or a 7% rating. Rosmah, who is known for her love of luxury goods, made several headlines for allegedly owning "blings" or diamond ring and a bangle worth more than RM70 million. She has, however, denied these allegations. READ MORE HERE |
| Ambiga: I’m flattered and humbled Posted: 30 Dec 2011 12:09 AM PST FMT's newsmaker of the year also pays tribute to those on her personal list of heroes for 2011. (Free Malaysia Today) - Mainstream and alternative media were fed an almost daily diet of Bersih 2.0 updates in the weeks preceding July 9, 2011. On the earmarked day, downtown Kuala Lumpur was swallowed up by tens of thousands of Malaysians marching for a cause they believed in and the kind of future they wanted to bequeath the next generation. It is almost impossible to have been the driving force behind such power and not be handpicked as the newsmaker of the year. Yet Bersih 2.0 chairperson, S Ambiga, was genuinely taken aback when she learnt that she had topped FMT's Newsmaker for 2011 poll with 3,284 or 57% of the votes. "On the one hand I am very flattered and humbled," she told FMT. "On the other, I hope it is for the 'right' reasons that I made the news!" "I'm not sure if I'm thrilled to be in the company of some of the nominees but I'm delighted to be in the company of others." Bersih 2.0 wasn't Ambiga's first courtship with controversy. Her involvement, as the Bar chairman, to strongly support Lina Joy in the apostasy case and the March For Justice won her as many adversaries as they did allies. But amid the hate mails, death threats and Molotov cocktails, she refused to abandon Bersih 2.0. "I'd like to think that I was chosen (as FMT's Newsmaker for 2011) because of what Bersih 2.0 stood for and meant to Malaysians," she said. "The credit belongs to the people for their tremendous support in making it the success that it was." READ MORE HERE |
| Article 153 is not just for Malays but for every Malaysian! Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:51 PM PST  The simple meaning is that the Agong is the protector of ALL Malaysians, and not just the Malays! So why do leaders like Ibrahim Ali keep harping on this Article 153 as if it is a sacred provision for the Malays only? Are they idiots who can't read? By Daniel John Jambun Datuk Ibrahim Ali just came up with a gem of truth when he said there is no need for a Race Relations Act if people behave. "If everyone behaves, if nobody touches on (Article) 153, nobody questions this and that, condemns this and that, and at the same time recognises the disparity of wealth between Malays and non-Malays, I don't think we need any additional Act," he said. How very true! Out of so many idiotic statements we have heard from political jokers, this one is a real gem of truth. The funny thing is that Ibrahim thinks he said something very brilliant when in fact it is simple truism (truth that doesn't need to be said). Yes, we wouldn't need any law for that matter if everyone behaves. We wouldn't need the police, the security guards, the magistrates and judges, nor the prisons if there were no criminals. We wouldn't need the Speaker in Parliament if every Member of Parliament can behave and not become rowdy or insensitive comedians making fun of women. But who are really behaving badly in Malaysia? Who are those questioning this and that, condemning this and that? I guess only Ibrahim is the luckiest guy in the country because he makes all sorts of seditious and racist statements, misbehaving in a way that he should be arrested and charged in court, but nobody touches him, no national leaders even dare to ask him to shut up. Of the Race Relations Act he said that "We will see the draft of the Act. If it is good for the country, we have no problem supporting it," he said. "But whatever Act is introduced ... it must not encroach upon (Article) 153, Islam as the official religion of the Federation, Bahasa Melayu as the national language, the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers." We all know that there is no question about Islam being the official religion, Bahasa Melayu as the national language or the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers. What I would precisely prefer to talk about is Article 153. It is very tiring to keep hearing political leaders speak about Article 153 as if it belongs only to the Malays. If we read the article in its entirety we will be reminded very clearly that it is not a protection for Malay rights, and neither has it got to do with any so-called social contract. It says that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is responsible for safeguarding the special position of the Malays AND the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, AND the legitimate interest of other communities. The simple meaning is that the Agong is the protector of ALL Malaysians, and not just the Malays! So why do leaders like Ibrahim Ali keep harping on this Article 153 as if it is a sacred provision for the Malays only? Are they idiots who can't read? Or are they stubborn morons who deliberately behave like idiots for the purpose of making political mileage over something that has nothing to do with what they are saying? I fully support Senior Christian leader Reverend Dr Eu Hong Seng who said that Article 153 had been used to bully others, and that it was something that "needed somebody to say it." He told an online portal he had nothing to fear despite the fierce reaction from various Malay groups and denials by the government that Christians or any minority group had been sidelined. He described Perkasa's call for him to be investigated for sedition an example of fear-mongering. It is time somebody said and stood up bravely about it. The Deputy Prime Minister hit back and said the provision was never used to bully anyone. But has he not heard radicals like Ibrahim Ali abusing the provision all the time? How do the non-Malays feel when radicals talk about Malay supremacy or when the DPM himself said he is a Malay first and Malaysian second? The radical groups who idolize Article 153 as if it gives the Malays special rights, privileges, positions and bullying power need to be told to stop the negative attitude. What I see in the Article is something very positive for Malaysians as a whole because to me it is a strong unifying provision, under which we are protected by our King as equal partners in Malaysia. It is NOT a provision to give the Malay superior position. It doesn't give the Muslim the right to bully other people and other religions. Under this provision the Malays have equal "special position" with the natives of the Borneo States. Under it, the Malays are on equal position with the Ibans, the Penans, Bajaus and the Kadazandusuns. We have the same special position of the Malays, so we can tell the Malays like Ibrahim Ali to shut up and grow up if we want to.
Advisor, UK-Based Human Rights foundation Malaysia |
| Is the BN Serious about Race Relations Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:45 PM PST Who will bear the brunt of this new legislation and what has the abolition of the Internal Security Act to do with race relations? By Kua Kia Soong, Director of SUARAM One wonders if the BN government is capable of reform. Soon after the Prime Minister's promises of reform on Independence Day recently, we have seen the new ISA arrests and the new Peaceful Assembly Bill. Now they have announced the introduction of a Race Relations Act in the coming parliamentary meeting as a replacement for the Internal Security Act. They have also announced that there will be an "Anti-Terrorism Act" to replace the ISA. What exactly have they got in mind? Who will bear the brunt of this new legislation and what has the abolition of the Internal Security Act to do with race relations? First of all, the scribes in the Attorney General's office must be aware that the UK Race Relations Act (RRA) 1976 has now been superseded by the new and improved Equality Act 2010? The aim is to bring the RRA legislation in line with European Human Rights legislation and to extend protection to other groups not previously covered, namely, to cover age, disability, gender, religion, belief and sexual orientation. So why does the BN government not want an Equality Act instead since it is an updated legislation of the 1976 RRA?
If the Cap Fits…
It is not surprising that PERKASA is objecting to such legislation because "incitement to racial hatred" is a criminal offence under the Act. Under the Act, there is direct discrimination when "someone is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic".The British Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994 made publication of materials that incited racial hatred an arrestable offence. These include: - Deliberately provoking hatred against a racial group; - Distributing racist material to the public; - Making inflammatory public speeches; - Creating racist websites on the internet; - Inciting inflammatory rumours about an individual or ethnic group, in order to spread racial discontent. The UK Public Order Act 1986 defines racial hatred as "hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to colour, race, nationality or ethnic origins". Section 21 of the Act makes "incitement to racial hatred" an offence to publish or distribute material which is threatening or abusive or insulting if intended to stir up racial hatred…" "Hate crimes" are criminal acts committed as intimidation, threats, property damage, assault, murder or such other criminal offence. They are a type of crime in which the perpetrator is sending a message to the victim and their right to belong to that society. Hate crimes violate the principle of equality between people and deny their right to achieve full human dignity and to realize their full potential. The impact of hate crimes on the greater community cannot be emphasized enough – the social acceptance of discrimination against particular groups in society is an important factor in causing hate crimes to increase.
The racists who should be dealt with
Clearly, far right racial supremacists who rail about the dominance of their "race" should be reined in by an Equality & Human Rights Commission and dealt with under an Equality Act or the RRA. Thus, the UMNO leaders who were inciting racial hatred and calling for "Chinese blood" at the Jalan Raja Muda Stadium in 1987 before Operation Lalang would have been the prime target for such a law. (See Government White Paper 1988) So would the mob which organized the "cow head" protest over the relocation of a Hindu temple in 2009. When racial incidents do happen, such as the May 13 Incident and the Kampung Medan Incident, the culprits responsible should be swiftly apprehended and charged for murder.
What's the ISA got to do with it?
But what has the Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial got to do with race relations? Well, the BN government has through the years extended the ambit of the ISA to claim that any dissident activity or view is a "threat to national security". Operation Lalang was the prime manifestation of this BN logic. Thus, I like several others during Operation Lalang was arrested and detained under the ISA for being a threat to national security. Among the "allegations of fact", mine were for "calling on participants at a forum to support mother tongue education," and "writing a book entitled 'Polarisation in Malaysia: The Root causes'. One can only suppose that the BN government now wants to replace the ISA with a "Race Relations Act" so that they can use it to deal with people who question these aspects of government policy. As with the recent Peaceful Assembly Bill, Malaysians should be prepared for some outrageous provisions in this proposed 'Race Relations Act'. They will say it is modeled after the UK RRA but it will end up letting off the far right fascists and making dissidents the usual quarry. I hope they prove me wrong!
An Equality & Human Rights Commission
Our Human Rights Commission should extend its jurisdiction to incorporate an Equality Commission. Its work would be to encourage greater integration and better ethnic relations and to use legal powers to help eradicate racial discrimination and harassment. Thus, its ambit would cover racist stereotyping in text books and the press; racial discrimination in the public sphere, employment, education, social services, advertisements. The independent Commission should be empowered to issue codes of practice and invested with powers to conduct formal investigations and to serve notices to furnish information or documents in order to enforce the law. It would then be up to the Malaysian courts to decide on the legality or illegality of such institutions in Malaysian society since 1971, for example, the Bumiputera-only policy at UiTM and other public institutions; the quota system and its implementation; the discounts for Bumiputeras in various economic transactions and other blatant discriminations. For sure, if the BN government uses the UK RRA as a model, they will end up in the dock over the many cases of racial discrimination in our public institutions. Ratify the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Finally, for an administration to convince Malaysians that it is genuinely keen to institute reforms for better ethnic relations and equality, our country should immediately initiate moves to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) and the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR). Failure to do so will only arouse suspicion that this BN government is merely hectically doing window dressing before the looming 13th general elections. |
| MCA implodes, a blow to BN Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:40 PM PST By Jackson Ng, Retired JournalistTWO time bombs have exploded in the MCA in the past two days but the mainstream media, especially MCA's mouthpiece, The Star, has down played the news. About 1,000 MCA members from Penang and Johor have resigned en bloc and they cite the loss of confidence in the party leadership as their reason for quitting. The resignations are only the tip of the iceberg and it signals the beginning of the imploding of Barisan Nasional (BN)'s second largest component party. According to a few of those who quit but did not want to be named, more MCA members nationwide are expected to quit in the run-up to the next general election. The mainstream media are down playing the news because it is a major blow for the MCA and BN's preparations for the general election widely expected to be called by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in February or March. Those who quit say they had lost confidence in the MCA leadership because it is led by a scandal-tainted and immoral president, Dr Chua Soi Lek. "Whenever he speaks on any issue, it backfires and is a laughing stock of the people or grassroots. This is because Chua is in no position to talk about issues on morality and integrity. "We cannot continue to be associated with such a leader and his cronies who are only looking after their own interest and positions," said a former MCA member who is known to this writer. Citing recent events and issues, the former member said: "It is embarrassing to MCA for Chua to talk about freedom of the press and freedom of speech. "What is he talking about when the first thing he (Chua) did when he won the presidency by fluke was to place The Star directly under the control of the party. "The paper is now under the overall control of a panel that includes his son (Tee Yong) as a key member. He also appointed his son in government positions. "The MCA leadership is now led by a man who is morally tainted and one who practices nepotism and cronyism to turn the party into his family's empire," he added. Another former member added: "Just watch how MCA implodes in the run-up to the 13th General Election. At least 30 per cent of its members will eventually abandon the party by polling day." In another development, party insiders say Selangor MCA is in shambles following a fallout between Chua and state MCA chief Donald Lim Siang Chai. As the state chief, Lim does not even have the say to decide which seat to contest. Lim is said to be eyeing the Selayang parliamentary seat but Chua already has someone else in mind – possibly a woman candidate. What is telling is that Lim does not even have the confidence to try and wrest back his former seat - PJ Selatan – where he was beaten by PKR's Hee Loy Sian by 5,706 votes in 2008. Party insiders say the backdoor Deputy Finance Minister Senator is now desperate and is manoeuvring to get what he wants. The insiders say it would be most interesting to see how severely Selangor MCA would be split by the Chua-Lim tussle for control of the state.
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| ‘Datuk fixit’ charged with cheating NFC boss Posted: 29 Dec 2011 04:20 PM PST Shamsulbahrin Ismail is accused of cheating the NFC chairman of RM1.7 million. The 45-year-old businessman has claimed trial. (Free Malaysia Today) - A businessman has been charged in the Sessions Court here with cheating National Feedlot Corportation (NFC) chairman Mohamad Salleh Ismail of more than RM1.7million over the failed promise to provide "negotiation and consultation service". Shamsulbahrin Ismail, 45, dressed in a dark blazer, purple shirt and light blue jeans, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to two separate charges, both under Section 420 of the Penal Code. The first charge read that Shamsulbahrin, CEO of Shamsubahrin Ismail Resources Sdn Bhd, had cheated Mohamad Salleh by promising the NFC chairman his consultation and negotiation services, with the knowledge that the offer was false and intended to cheat him by inducing him to part with a service fee. This incident allegedly occurred at 6pm on Nov 20 at a restaurant in Bukit Tunku here. The second charge was that Shamsulbahrin had, between Nov 25 till Dec 6, received cheques amounting to RM1.755 million from Mohamad Salleh at Solaris in Mont Kiara. For the offence of cheating, Shamsulbahrin could face between one to 10 years jail, with whipping and can also be fined. It was reported last week that a 'Datuk fixit' was arrested by the police and handed over to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly attempting to bribe several senior investigators to "settle" the case over the NFC. READ MORE HERE |
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