| Do the math, hudud is possible Posted: 12 Oct 2012 01:04 PM PDT 
If Pakatan Rakyat forms the federal government, then the threat of hudud being implemented is real both politically and economically. Moreover, DAP themselves have already pledged to introduce few potential Muslim/Malay candidates in the upcoming general election. So to have an extra 18 MPs from both PKR and DAP to reach 148 for hudud to be implemented is possible. By Shen Yee Aun, FMT I would like to help MCA publicity bureau chief Kow Cheong Wei on certain points that he had missed out during his debate against DAP's Hew Kuan Yew on Thursday night. Hew said there were less than two-third Muslim MPs in Parliament and it needed the consent of at least 148 MPs to push for an amendment to the Constitution to introduce hudud. "Out of the 222 MPs in Parliament, only 107 MPs from the Peninsular are Muslims. If we add the East Malaysian Muslim MPs, there will only be 130. "Besides, our constituency delineation is such that there are only 136 Muslim-majority seats, with more than 61% of the voters being Muslims," said Hew. Hew's calculation is based on the current political scenario where in total there are only 130 Muslim MPs in Parliament. He must not neglect the current political reality where his calculation is based on the the current government ruled by Barisan Nasional. The hudud calculation is only impossible in the BN political structure because mathematically the maximum number of Muslim MPs from BN even if they win all their seats will only be 117 MPs from Umno. It is almost impossible to have a Muslim/Malay MP from MCA, MIC, PPP and other BN component parties. So hudud is only mathematically impossible if BN rules. As for Pakatan Rakyat, the number of their Muslim MPs can be intangible and hard to predict because any Muslim candidate can represent both DAP and PKR in the general election. Moreover, DAP themselves have already pledged to introduce few potential Muslim/Malay candidates in the upcoming general election. So to have an extra 18 MPs from both PKR and DAP to reach 148 for hudud to be implemented is possible. Hew also claimed that our constituency delineation is such that there are only 136 Muslim-majority seats. But he forgot to include the number of Muslim candidates and MPs from mixed constituencies. Basically, Pakatan just needs an additional 12 seats from Muslim MPs contesting in mixed seats to reach 148 for hudud to be implemented. It's not all about mathematics
So when we claim that hudud is possible and a potential threat, this is a political reality based on when Pakatan governs the country and not based on the calculation where the current government is helmed by BN. Hew also forgot to include the factor of the potential strength of the upcoming prime minister. What if the majority of Muslims MPs in Pakatan decide to elect (PAS president Abdul) Hadi Awang as their prime minister. Having the influence of a prime minister will also increase support among the non MuslimPakatan MPs for Hadi for their own political survival in the coalition and government. Mathematically, the number of Muslim MPs from Pakatan will be more than the number of Muslim MPs from BN. Mathematically, Pakatan's strong performance in the last general election also led to Parliament witnessing a decrease of seven non Muslim MPs. READ MORE HERE |
| Suaram decries ‘police extortionists’ Posted: 11 Oct 2012 07:30 PM PDT 
The NGO criticises the police force for their alleged practice of seeking cash in exchange for information or other favours from family members of those detained. Teoh El Sen, FMT Suaram lambasted the police over what appears to be a prevailing culture of their officers requesting bribes from family members in exchange for information on the whereabouts of their detained loved ones. The latest allegation involves the wife of death in custody victim, P Chandran, who said she was asked to pay RM300 for information on her husband just before he died in detention. N Selvi said she attempted to check with the police on the whereabouts of her husband so that she could pass him medication for hypertension problem. "Suaram is gravely concerned at the steady repetition of corrupt practices by the police," said Suaram coordinator R Thevarajan. He said that this was not the first time such allegations have been brought to Suaram's attention. In one instance, said Thevarajan, police had requested RM13,000 as "release fee" from parents of teenagers detained under the Emergency Ordinance in 2011. He also said that according to Suaram's records, police have, throughout the years, never claimed any responsibility for the death of detainees. "Suaram is perturbed at the cause of death and recounts that every death-in-custody was either attributed to the victim's health or passed off as a case of accident," he said. Thuggish attitude Suaram wants the officer-in-charge of the Dang Wangi lock-up, where Chandran was detained, to produce his daily journal for "scrutiny and an independent inquest". READ MORE HERE |
| I have a dream Posted: 11 Oct 2012 05:24 PM PDT 
Those who understand English would understand that I meant 'let's pretend', or 'hypothetically speaking', or, as the Malays would say, 'katalah'. I did not say that DAP did want to do this. I also did not say that Zul Noordin was correct. I was saying, even if DAP does plan this and even if Zul Noordin was correct, so what? What is wrong with that? Why can't we dream? Why can't we wish? Why can't we aspire? NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using non-violent civil disobedience. King has become a national icon in the history of modern American liberalism. A Baptist minister, King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, serving as its first president. King's efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. There, he established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history. He also established his reputation as a radical, and became an object of the FBI's COINTELPRO for the rest of his life. In 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through non-violence. In the next few years leading up to his death, he expanded his focus to include poverty and the Vietnam War—alienating many of his liberal allies with a 1967 speech titled "Beyond Vietnam". King was planning a national occupation of Washington, D.C., called the Poor People's Campaign. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and Congressional Gold Medal in 2004; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. federal holiday in 1986. Hundreds of streets in the U.S. and beyond have been renamed in his honour. (Wikipedia) V57lotnKGF8 See the video on Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V57lotnKGF8 ***************************************** In my article yesterday, 'Why change will never come', I said: Okay, let us say that DAP does plan to turn Malaysia into a Christian State. So what? What is wrong with that? PAS wants to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State. Do we make a police report against PAS and demand that they apologise? Has PAS committed a crime by aspiring for Malaysia to become an Islamic State? So why is it wrong for DAP to aspire for Malaysia to become a Christian State? Many responded by saying that I have missed the point and that the point is the Member of Parliament for Kulim–Bandar Baharu, Zulkifli Noordin, lied and that DAP did not say it wants to turn Malaysia into a Christian State. Some even argued that a Christian State does not exist so it would be impossible to turn Malaysia into a Christian State. If that is your argument then it will be equally impossible to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State because an Islamic State also does not exist. If it does exist then can you tell me what it looks like? Even the Muslim scholars are not able to define an Islamic State or agree on what an Islamic State looks like. So, what is an Islamic State? Define it! No doubt, in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, it does say that Islam is the religion of the Federation. Well, Christianity, in particular the Church of England, is the religion of the United Kingdom, although it is not stated in the 'Constitution'. But it is the 'law'. At least Malaysia's Constitution does not prevent a Buddhist, Hindu or Christian (or non-Malay) from becoming the Prime Minister. The Constitution is silent on that issue. In the UK, not only must you be a Christian, but you must also be a Protestant Christian. A Catholic cannot sit on the 'throne' -- whether as the Prime Minister or the Monarch. That is the law in England, while it is not law in Malaysia but merely 'by convention' (kelaziman, as the Malays would say). So, in that sense, Malaysia is more liberal than the UK although I do not see in the near future a Chinese Christian or Indian Hindu becoming Malaysia's Prime Minister in spite of it being nothing wrong from the legal aspect. The next point I want to talk about is the part where I said: Okay, let us say that DAP does plan to turn Malaysia into a Christian State. Those who understand English would understand that I meant 'let's pretend', or 'hypothetically speaking', or, as the Malays would say, 'katalah'. I did not say that DAP does want to do this. I also did not say that Zul Noordin was correct. I was saying, even if DAP does plan this and even if Zul Noordin was correct, so what? What is wrong with that? Why can't we dream? Why can't we wish? Why can't we aspire? Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream. He had an aspiration. He had a wish. But it took 46 years before Martin Luther King, Jr. saw his dream come true. And because he had a dream they murdered him. Hence even having an aspiration is considered a crime. So he did not live to see his dream come true. But it has to start from a dream. You need an aspiration. And you should not be killed just because you have an aspiration. Hence, if there are people who aspire to see Malaysia become a Christian State what is so wrong with that? I am not saying that there are people who aspire this. I am saying that even if there are, what's wrong with having such an aspiration? It may never happen. We may never even see Malaysia turned into an Islamic State. Malaysia may remain a Secular State until the end of time, or at least until you and I are all dead. But that should not stop us from dreaming or from having an aspiration. I am sure many of you also aspire to become millionaires. Most likely most of you will die in debt. Hardly 1% of you are going to become millionaires. But carry on aspiring. Dream of the day you will become a millionaire with so much money you don't know what to do with it. It is probably never going to happen. But I am not going to whack you for dreaming. It is good to dream. Dreams keep you going. The day you stop dreaming is the day you die although you may still be breathing. Take note, though, that aspiration minus the perspiration is no bloody good. Then it would be, as the Malays say, angan-angan or daydreaming. You start with an aspiration. But then you need to work on these aspirations. If not, nothing is going to happen. We all dream of a better Malaysia. That may never happen, of course. Malaysia may not get any better but in fact may even get worse. But if we do not dream of a better Malaysia then that means we do not care a damn about what happens to the country. In the end your dreams may not come true. But that should not stop us from dreaming. It is better we die with a dream than die having wasted our time here on earth. And Martin Luther King, Jr. died with a dream but did not waste his time here on earth because 46 years later what he dreamed about happened. The US finally saw the African Americans get elevated from second-class citizens to residents of the White House. And you know what? They did not even need to rename the White House to the Black House. |
| Is Kit Siang senile too, Tony Pua (Part 2) Posted: 11 Oct 2012 04:18 PM PDT ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL This blog will not hold back our resentment and demand for the resignation or dismissal of Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop from cabinet. He is corrupt and practise nepotism extensively, destructive in his management of GLCS and policy formulation, and an outright law breaker. It does not matter that he is the Division Head for Tasek Gelugor. He is bad news and should not be a winnable candidate of BN. After all, he got that post by dishonouring a gentleman's agreement with Dato Sharif Omar who gave way the MP seat for him.
However, Nor Mohamed, the Minister today is not the same person as Nor Mohamed the Foreign Exchange Trader.
He may have made a loss that deserve a place in the Guiness Book of Worlds Record and any book on financial scandals, but he was a dedicated man, works hard and smart, and honourable. How he plays poker then was a reflection of him as a gentleman.  | | Why didn't Anwar also be accountable for the loss and resign? | In 1994, Nor Mohamed and his then boss, BNM Governor the late Tan Sri Jaafar Hussein were gentlemen enough to accept responsibility for making that mother of all losses in the spot currency market. The market practitioner then justify such activities as taking an active reserve management over a passive reserve management. Before BNM, it was the Russian that steamroll against any market trend. The person responsible to monitor this activity was the then Finance Minister, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He gets various reports on reserve, activities and development of program regularly. Lim Kit Siang identified Anwar as also responsible for the loss from putting together his official statements. [Read previous posting here.] Anwar should resign for his negligence. Why didn't he resign? Why didn't Kit Siang kept demanding on him till today? Perhaps he is too old and senile to remember he said those words, and to repeat and make ruckus over the same issue. Or perhaps he conveniently senile at the right time and political opportunity.  | | Anwar always main belakang dan refuse responsibility | When Wong Choon Mei's Malaysia Chronicle reported an attempt to deviate responsibility from Anwar to Tun Dr Mahathir, that is wrong. Right is right even if it involves Nor Mohamed. The then Nor Mohamed, I mean. The except of the report here, below: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim dropped a bombshell on Monday revealing that the central Bank Negara not only lost RM30 billion trading in the currency markets but that it was former premier Mahathir Mohamad who had ordered him not to punish Nor Mohamed Yakcop, who was then in charge of the bank's treasury. Anwar's revelation bolsters the view that Mahathir had knowledge of and even encouraged Nor to gamble in the global markets, racking up enormous losses that made Malaysia vulnerable to the sharp slowdown of the mid 1990s. "Dr Mahathir ordered, 'don't touch him (Nor)'. The prime minister at the time did not agree with taking action because he said, 'If we make profits, you praise him (Nor), when we make losses, you want to torture him'," Anwar told a press conference in Parliament today. Nor Mohamed had indeed shocked the international markets with his huge deals and buy-sell orders in the 1990s. In his book Malaysian Maverick, author Barry Wain had also written that Mahathir knew of and encouraged Nor to speculate. Nor Mohamad has never pointed the finger at Mahathir or implicated the older man. However, the fact that Mahathir has consistently refused to punish Nor has stirred suspicion. He even promoted Nor to Special Economic Adviser and gave him a key role to play in Malaysia's controversial implementation of currency control measures during the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. Tun Dr Mahathir did not bother to reply or is delaying in order to give a snap back at Tony Pua first for calling him senile. There is an answer to it without him having to say anything. READ MORE HERE |
| Everything is for sale Posted: 11 Oct 2012 03:54 PM PDT
Hence don't be too impressed if someone has Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Datuk Dr. in front of his/her name with a J.P behind it. Most likely not only the Ph.D but the other titles as well have been bought. And that is why some of the worst scum of Malaysian society have long and impressive titles in front of their name. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin The first thing you look for in life is security. And security here not only involves the safety of your property, life and limb (and that of your family) but also financial security. Hence we go to school and then to college and/or university. Some of us even spend 5-7 years to do a Ph.D. But why do you go through all that trouble of obtaining an education from age 6 (some start at age 4) to age 21-22 (some up to age 27-28)? Are you seeking knowledge? Actually, most of us are not concerned about knowledge. I have met Ph.D. students who think just like the fishermen and farmers from the East Coast. Hence that foreign university education and the 8-10 years in England is a total waste of time. Their mindset has not changed one bit since the days they were in primary school back in their kampong. Most Malaysians do not care about knowledge. Most receive a tertiary education but their minds remain closed and backward. The comments posted in Malaysia Today are proof of that. You should see the ones I deleted. Those comments will put you off sex for a whole week. Education, which any Chinese will tell you, is very important. It will enable you to have a good life. And 'good life' here means plenty of money in the pocket. Education is not about making you smarter. In fact, many 'educated' people are actually quite stupid. Education is about getting rich. Hence Malaysians seek a good education as the shortcut to wealth. With education also come recognition, power and position. But money has to come first. Then, once you have enough money in the pocket, you can aim for the rest. Of course, sometimes you work backwards. You go for recognition, power and position and use that to make plenty of money. No doubt you cannot admit this. You have to pretend that you are serving the rakyat and that you only have the rakyat's interest at heart. Then, using this excuse, once you have recognition, power and position, you use that as a platform to make money. Let us say you already achieve that. Let us say you have plenty or enough money and you also have a position (maybe even a position of power). Then what next? Well, next you go for status. You wangle your way into the ranks of the elite. You become one of the titled people. And to do that you need to get yourself a Datukship (which later can be upgraded to Datuk Seri, Tan Sri, Tun, etc.). And you can buy these titles. For around RM250,000 or so you can get Barisan Nasional or one of the Rulers to make you a Datuk. (Even Pakatan Rakyat is now in the game in case you were not aware). The Rulers, Umno, MCA, MIC, Gerakan, etc., all have an annual 'quota' of titles and awards to sell (just like APs). For the right amount of money and with the right connections you can easily pick up a title. Even foreigners can do so. If you are named Mohamad bin Mohamad or Rajalingam a/l Rajadurai or Tan Beng Kok that would not be as impressive as Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Datuk Dr. Mohamad bin Mohamad J.P. or Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Datuk Dr. Rajalingam a/l Rajadurai J.P. or Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Datuk Dr. Tan Beng Kok J.P. Hence don't be too impressed if someone has Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Datuk Dr. in front of his/her name with a J.P behind it. Most likely not only the Ph.D but the other titles as well have been bought. And that is why some of the worst scum of Malaysian society have long and impressive titles in front of their names. But then, as they say, there would be no sellers if there were no buyers. This is the law of supply and demand. There are prostitutes only because there are people who want to buy sex. Hence there are Rulers and political parties that are in the business of selling awards and titles because there are many Malaysians with plenty of money in their pockets who want Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Datuk Dr. in front of their names and a J.P. behind it. Just to digress a bit, I now have five grandchildren and so I am automatically a Datuk. My wife, however, is not a Datin. She is a Nenek. My wife asked me: so what is wrong with that? I told her that sleeping with a Mak Datin is probably more fun than sleeping with a Nenek. I heard that many Mak Datins in Malaysia are swingers. Hmm…and to think that I no longer live in Malaysia…sigh… ****************************************** Datuk among trio held over 4D licence scam (The Star) - A Datuk and two others have been arrested for cheating a housing developer of RM1.6mil by offering him a "licence" to open 4D numbers forecast outlets here. The three are also believed to be involved in operating a syndicate offering to help people get Datukships and approved permits (AP) for cars. To convince their victims, the three drove luxury cars while one of them posed as an officer attached to the Prime Minister's Department. The Selangor Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) got wind of the syndicate after a 35-year-old victim, also a Datuk, lodged a report in June. Since then, police have identified four other victims of the syndicate. Selangor CCID chief Asst Comm Chong Mun Phing said the housing developer was introduced to the syndicate as he was interested in opening numbers forecast outlets. "The victim was brought to a government building in Putrajaya, where a bogus Datuk claiming to work in the Prime Minister's Department acknowledged the application," she said at the Selangor police headquarters yesterday. She said the victim then made seven payments amounting to RM1.6mil and was given the "licence". "The syndicate advised him to wait for the other permits before setting up the outlets," she said, adding that suspecting something amiss, the victim went to the Prime Minister's Department and was told that the licence was a fake. ACP Chong said the man then lodged a report and police monitored the movements of the three suspects before arresting them early this month. "We arrested the 45-year-old Datuk and his 29-year-old bodyguard following a raid in Kuchai Lama on Oct 2," she said, adding that a 52-year-old man was arrested at his home in Shah Alam three days later. Investigations revealed that the third man arrested did not work with any government agency. "Investigations also led us to the recovery of various documents which the syndicate hid in two safe boxes at Masjid Jamek and KL Sentral," she said. ****************************************** Absent Datuk forces businesswoman to part with RM700,000 bail (The Star) - A Datuk, convicted of cheating and using forged documents involving almost RM12mil, had his appeal struck out as he was absent in court. The failure of his bailor to appear and produce him in court also caused her RM700,000 bail to be forfeited. High Court judge Justice Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah struck out the appeal filed by Datuk Paiman Shakimon against his jail term and conviction. "The appeal is struck out as the appellant (Paiman) has no interest (to continue his appeal)," Justice Tee ruled. Justice Tee forfeited the bail, saying that the bailor, businesswoman Dr Norma Ahmad, 55, had been given a last chance to produce Paiman in court. (Justice Tee had on Sept 21 heard a show-cause proceeding, where Dr Norma was asked to explain why her RM700,000 house used as a collateral for Paiman's bail should not be forfeited and she was given a last chance to produce Paiman in court yesterday. (Dr Norma had said that she had gone to Paiman's house three times but was unable to meet him. DPP Syed Faisal had also said police had gone to Paiman's house in Country Heights, Kajang, three times but could not execute the July 20 arrest warrant issued against him.) Paiman, 53, was sentenced by the Sessions Court here to 13 years jail on two counts of cheating and two counts of using forged documents involving almost RM12mil. Justice Tee also issued a warrant to commit Paiman to jail. Sessions judge Jagjit Singh ruled in April last year that Paiman's defence was a mere denial and that he did not find him credible. Syed Faisal told the judge that Paiman had failed to appear in court although he had previously contacted his former lawyer Gobind Singh Deo to file a petition of appeal. "Gobind Singh discharged himself from acting for him at the last proceedings," Syed Faisal added. Paiman had pleaded not guilty on Sept 28, 2007, to cheating businessman Datuk Rosidi Kamaruddin, 60, into paying him RM3.8mil after inducing him to believe that a roll-over programme investment scheme was approved by Bank Negara and was profitable. He had also claimed trial to duping lawyer Datuk Liew Teck Keong, 57, into paying him RM8mil after convincing him the same scheme was valid. Paiman faced two other charges of using 28 forged documents in his dealings with both Rosidi and Liew. ****************************************** Umno MP to go to jail after court upholds conviction (The Malaysian Insider) - Umno's Sabak Bernam MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakri will have to serve his jail sentence after the Shah Alam High Court upheld today his conviction March for making false claims. Abdul Rahman and his aide Rosli Busro were sentenced by a Sessions Court in March to six years' jail and fined RM400,000 each for making false claims. But the court had then granted them a stay of execution pending appeal. Today, Shah Alam High Court judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir dismissed the appeal and also rejected an application for a stay of execution. The judge also ordered the sentence carried out immediately. In March the Sessions Court had found the two guilty on eight counts of making false claims totalling RM80,000 for events that never took place four years ago. The Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmaker was accused of committing the offences while a Sungai Air Tawar assemblyman before Election 2008. The 47-year-old was charged under Section 11(c) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 in November 2009 with falsely claiming RM10,000 each time between January 21 and February 4, 2008. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had said in March that Abdul Rahman had been stripped of his party divisional post, but remained an Umno MP. In making his ruling today, Akhtar dismissed arguments made by Abdul Rahman's lawyer to reject the testimony of two witnesses — Mohd Harmizar and Rizam ismail — because it was alleged that they were also accomplices in the criminal acts. "I have read the testimony of the two witnesses and I do not consider them accomplices," said the judge, who added that he considered the two men merely followed Abdul Rahman's instructions. He added that the accounts given by the two men were corroborated by other witnesses. Akhtar said it was clear that Abdul Rahman and Rosli had the intention to make the false claims, and this was proven when the money was used for their own purposes and not stated in their claims. Abdul Rahman, 47, had been found guilty of making claims from his allocation as state legislator for events and activities that did not take place. The claims were for the purchase of gifts, souvenirs and meals for events listed as Program Motivasi Pelajar Peringkat Dewan Undangan Negeri Sungai Air Tawar; Program Mesra Rakyat dan Hari Keluarga di Dewan Simpang 4 Bagan Nakhoda Omar (BNO); Program Forum Perdana Peringkat Mukim BNO; Program Mesra Rakyat dan Sambutan Maulud Nabi and Program Mesra Rakyat Hari Keluarga Guru Kemas. |
| Malaysian government says smuggled UBS millions were UMNO party funds Posted: 11 Oct 2012 02:57 PM PDT The Bruno Manser Fund is shocked by Nazri's claim that Hong Kong-laundered UMNO funds, which were secretly cashed in from logging companies in return for favours, should not be linked to corruption. Nazri's statements reveal the extent of collusion with illegal logging by the highest levels of the Malaysian government. In a stunning statement, Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz ("Nazri"), has today said that 16 million dollar Singapore dollars (USD 13 million) smuggled out of Hong Kong by Malaysian businessman Michael Chia were funds belonging to UMNO (United Malays National Organization), the leading party of Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, and not to Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman. The statement was made in a written reply to questions filed in parliament by opposition MP Chua Tian Chang. The minister's statement, obviously aimed at exonerating the embattled Sabah Chief Minister, is likely to create new problems for the Malaysian government. On 14 August, 2008, Michael Chia was caught red-handed at the Hong Kong International Airport with the money in his luggage before boarding a flight to Kuala Lumpur. Michael Chia is a close associate of Musa Aman, the Chief Minister of Malaysian state of Sabah and the brother of Malaysia's Foreign Minister, Anifah Aman, both of whom are UMNO members. Michael Chia's arrest triggered an investigation by Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) which asked the Swiss and Malaysian authorities for legal assistance. The Swiss government provided legal assistance to Hong Kong in March 2011 and has since confirmed that UBS is the only Swiss bank involved in the "MUSA Bin Aman et al." legal assistance case. Based on a complaint by the Bruno Manser Fund, Switzerland's Attorney General opened a criminal investigation against UBS over money-laundering on 29 August 2012. Documents submitted by the Bruno Manser Fund to the Swiss prosecutors are showing that Michael Chia played a central role in cashing in kickbacks from logging companies which were granted timber harvest and log export concessions by Yayasan Sabah, a public body controlled by Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman. The Bruno Manser Fund is shocked by Nazri's claim that Hong Kong-laundered UMNO funds, which were secretly cashed in from logging companies in return for favours, should not be linked to corruption. Nazri's statements reveal the extent of collusion with illegal logging by the highest levels of the Malaysian government. The Bruno Manser Fund is calling on the Malaysian King, His Majesty Tuanku Abdul Halim, to appoint an independent special prosecutor in order to investigate the failure of Malaysia's legal and political system in this matter. |
| No man can get rich in politics unless he's a crook! Posted: 11 Oct 2012 02:50 PM PDT I read with curiosity the recent call by PM Najib to inculcate a "natural abhorrence to corruption into the conscience of society." Even after reading his "natural abhorrence" statement, my ringgit still does not feel safe in my pocket. Choo Sing Chye No man can get rich in politics unless he's a crook! - President Harry Truman Frankly speaking, I cannot really grasp the real purpose of his speech because in reality, corruption had already seeped into every nook and corner of our society that had become as common as "nasi lemak".
Let's not argue about it. Besides, at times like these, one genuinely needs a healthy dose of jokes every now and then to lift one up and out of the dreary and melodramatic antics of some Barisan Nasional's politicians.
These antics are often oozed into the cesspit bottom of the mainstream government-siding electronic and print media as front page news.
Well, if Najib is serious, I mean dead serious, he should put this "natural abhorrence" joke aside and read this book: "Give 'Em Hell, Harry!"
This book has all the ingredients of what a leader should be made up of.
President Harry Truman
I never saw myself as President. I was just in the right place at the wrong time.
I've always thought of myself as an ordinary man. I don't have any special personal endowments, and I don't waste time worrying about what I don't have.
I just try to do the best I can with what I do have. It's not important how you do something or say it; the point is to get it said and done.
People even object to my language. Some old party hen is supposed to have come up to Bess and said, Mrs. Truman, can't you get the President to stop using the word 'manure'? And Bess is supposed to have replied, it's taken me 40 years to get him to use it.
I may have inherited this job, but, by God, I'm in charge, and they damn well better know it!
You know, a fella could get rich in this job, if he really wanted to.
But I found out something a long time ago: that when you play ball with the money boys, you pay!
Oh, I've done some favors for friends down through the years, just like any other influence peddler in Washington, but I never got anything for myself out of it.
And I'll tell you something else: No man can get rich in politics unless he's a crook! It can't be done. Road Contractors
When Tom Pendergast paid me a visit after a bond issue had been passed to build roads, I got my first taste of "road contractors." I told Tom that his supporters weren't very good road builders, and that was all that really concerned me.
"Their bids were too damn high, Tom," I said, "and the roads they build are crumbling like pie crusts. I'm going to award the job to some bunch from out of state..."
There are three things on this earth that'll ruin a man—power, money and women.
If a man can accept power as a temporary thing, he's going to be all right. But if he thinks he's the cause of the power, that'll ruin him.
And money, if a man makes too much money, too quickly, it can separate him from the rest of the human race who have to work most of their lives just to earn a living.
And if a man is disloyal to his family, that'll ruin him. "Cause if you've got the right partner in life, you're not going to have much trouble…"
This book is a good read, simple and straight forward. Politically, Truman never budged an inch when he knew that he was right. He literally took the bull by its horns when he was dealing with the Ultra Right Joseph McCarthy, Ku Klux Klan and General McArthur.
In his own party, he had to take on President Franklin Roosevelt who was dead set against him because he was backing legislation to limit Presidents to two terms.
He also took on the all powerful Joseph McCarthy whom he called the "the most lamentable mistake of the Almighty…"
"And I tell you, folks, if you keep your mouth shut about something like that, democracy simply will not work!" - Truman |
| PKR won’t be taking action against Faekah Posted: 11 Oct 2012 02:26 PM PDT 
(The Star) - PKR is not taking any action against the Selangor Mentri Besar's political aide Faekah Husin despite calls for her to be sacked following her criticisms against party deputy president Azmin Ali. PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said the matter involving Faekah was not even discussed at its political bureau meeting on Wednesday. "We are not referring her to the disciplinary committee," he said, adding that the party certainly won't be taking any disciplinary action against Faekah for now. Saifuddin was commenting on calls by some party leaders for Faekah to be sacked for criticising Azmin, who had implied that her boss Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim would not be retained as Selangor Mentri Besar. Selangor PKR election director Borhan Aman Shah had said Faekah should be sacked immediately for publicly criticising state chief Azmin. The MB's deputy Zuraida Kamaruddin had also hit back at Faekah for saying that Azmin was not a smart politician. Saifuddin said the political bureau had discussed the divisions' AGM reports during the meeting. "We also discussed the latest status of our election preparations and other current issues," he added. Many observers had viewed the Khalid-Faekah-Azmin feud with interest as the aide was known to have the support of PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail while Azmin had the backing of party leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. "As Faekah is working under Khalid, Khalid is seen indirectly as having Wan Azizah's backing," said a party insider. |
| Teng slams ex-DAP men Posted: 11 Oct 2012 02:10 PM PDT 
(The Star) - Selangor Speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim has hit out at four DAP former members for demonstrating near the state assembly building, saying their action insulted the House. He said the group should have brought their grouses to the attention of the relevant authorities instead of staging the demonstration. The four former members were unhappy that their complaints to the Selangor Special Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) against several DAP leaders who they claimed were involved in corrupt practices were not investigated. They held a peaceful demonstration at the building yesterday. Former Serdang DAP member Yap Kon Min, who represented the group made up of members from the recently dissolved Sungai Pelek branch, told reporters he had brought three alleged corruption cases to Selcat since May but nothing had been done. The cases involved four DAP leaders and officials Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching's personal assistant, Chan Hung Guan, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, DAP member Tiew Way Keng and Kajang councillor Lee Kee Hiong. Teng said Selcat did not investigate crime and corruption cases as its power was only confined to issues relating to the state administration. "Bringing such issues and demonstrating near the state assembly was kind of insulting the House," he said. Yap made several allegations against Chan relating to Teo's service centre and a MPPJ contrac "Is Selcat going to investigate these matters? Or is it a kangaroo court that supports only DAP representatives? We do not want the committee to sweep these (matters) under the rug," he said. Lim said he had filed a defamation suit against Yap for his allegations. He, however, refused to elaborate, saying the issue was now a court matter. Teo, Tiew and Lee, could not be reached for comments. |
| Anwar gets into PAS’ bad books Posted: 11 Oct 2012 02:01 PM PDT 
(The Star) - PAS Youth has joined the fray in denouncing a book launched by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that suggests Islam is not a good basis to set up a nation. Its chief Nasrudin Hassan said the wing fully supported the statement by the party's deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din, who criticised the book and the Opposition leader for associating himself with the book's author, former Indian MP Mubasyar Jawid Akbar. Mubasyar in the book Tinder Box: The Past and The Future of Pakistan suggests that Islam is only a basis to form a brotherhood and not a basis to form a country. Nasrudin said the wing supported Haron's statement that the development of an Islamic nation should centre around Islamic principles and teachings. He was responding to Haron's recent criticism against Anwar for launching Mubasyar's book at the Royal Lake Club in Kuala Lumpur. The book launch was also attended by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. Haron expressed regret that PKR had given Mubasyar the opportunity to present his liberal views in Malaysia. Denouncing Mubasyar's book, Nasrudin said Islam should not be limited as a basis to forge ties between the ummah. PAS rejected such liberal Islamic doctrines, said Nasrudin, stressing that Islam could even be used as a guide to resolve national woes. "Islam complements all aspects of life including the establishment and administration of a nation." Islam emphasised a trustworthy administration that was free from graft and leakage, and on the welfare of the rakyat, he said. |
| Absent Datuk forces businesswoman to part with RM700,000 bail Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:57 PM PDT 
(The Star) - A Datuk, convicted of cheating and using forged documents involving almost RM12mil, had his appeal struck out as he was absent in court. The failure of his bailor to appear and produce him in court also caused her RM700,000 bail to be forfeited. High Court judge Justice Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah struck out the appeal filed by Datuk Paiman Shakimon against his jail term and conviction. "The appeal is struck out as the appellant (Paiman) has no interest (to continue his appeal)," Justice Tee ruled. Justice Tee forfeited the bail, saying that the bailor, businesswoman Dr Norma Ahmad, 55, had been given a last chance to produce Paiman in court. (Justice Tee had on Sept 21 heard a show-cause proceeding, where Dr Norma was asked to explain why her RM700,000 house used as a collateral for Paiman's bail should not be forfeited and she was given a last chance to produce Paiman in court yesterday. (Dr Norma had said that she had gone to Paiman's house three times but was unable to meet him. DPP Syed Faisal had also said police had gone to Paiman's house in Country Heights, Kajang, three times but could not execute the July 20 arrest warrant issued against him.) Paiman, 53, was sentenced by the Sessions Court here to 13 years jail on two counts of cheating and two counts of using forged documents involving almost RM12mil. Justice Tee also issued a warrant to commit Paiman to jail. Sessions judge Jagjit Singh ruled in April last year that Paiman's defence was a mere denial and that he did not find him credible. Syed Faisal told the judge that Paiman had failed to appear in court although he had previously contacted his former lawyer Gobind Singh Deo to file a petition of appeal. "Gobind Singh discharged himself from acting for him at the last proceedings," Syed Faisal added. Paiman had pleaded not guilty on Sept 28, 2007, to cheating businessman Datuk Rosidi Kamaruddin, 60, into paying him RM3.8mil after inducing him to believe that a roll-over programme investment scheme was approved by Bank Negara and was profitable. He had also claimed trial to duping lawyer Datuk Liew Teck Keong, 57, into paying him RM8mil after convincing him the same scheme was valid. Paiman faced two other charges of using 28 forged documents in his dealings with both Rosidi and Liew. |
| The Christian smokescreen Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:48 PM PDT 
Whenever Umno bashes the Christians, you can be sure they have got some dirt to hide. The answer is simple: Umno uses the Christians to quell dissatisfaction in the masses, principally the Malays. The non-Malays are also forced to go on the defensive and adopt a deferential role. Umno dislikes the building of bridges between different communities. Mariam Mokhtar, FMT Many people are aware that in Ancient Rome, Christians were thrown to the lions, in the Colosseum as entertainment for the Romans and the emperor. Today, when governments want to bury bad news, they will exploit a tragedy, or they will create a distraction for the public, to minimise the bad publicity they would otherwise have received. In Malaysia, the Christians are the smokescreen. What will Umno do next time one of their leaders is accused of corruption? How would Umno deal with opposition exposure of foreigners being given votes in exchange for the right to work and be registered as Malaysians? Who would Umno exploit if they have to return a verdict of death by misadventure, the next time an individual tries to exit from the window of a multi-storey building? Where else in the world is religion used to promote the interests of one party and one race? When will the Christians be of most use to Umno? Why would Umno want to embrace the Christians? The answer is simple: Umno uses the Christians to quell dissatisfaction in the masses, principally the Malays. The non-Malays are also forced to go on the defensive and adopt a deferential role. Umno dislikes the building of bridges between different communities. Last year, there was plenty of bad news about the Malaysian economy, corruption, the empty promises of reforms by the government and the Election Commision (EC), Lynas rare-earth plant and the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal. Most infamous was the handling of the accusations of police brutality during the Bersih 2.0 march for democracy by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. These reports were in the run-up to the announcements by rogue politicians that Malays are being proselytized, or that solar-powered talking bibles are being used to convert the Malays. In recent weeks, former minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil blamed two online newspapers for misrepresenting the Auditor-General's report on the NFC. She also claimed that as a working woman she was not aware of what her husband and children were up to, although they lived in the same house. We also learnt that the Ministry of Finance had awarded a RM164.8 million tender to an allegedly unsuitable supplier of padi seeds. Who would be blamed for the failure to germinate? The weather or the farmer? Malacca's Chief Minister Ali Rustam entered the book of Malaysian records for his "cheap" RM600,000 wedding of his son, when 130,000 members of the public were invited to the feast, "sponsored" by companies and agents of the state. Would members of the public be permitted preferential use of facilities, like tents and air-conditioning units? Around 1,000 students and activists from independent Islamic schools (SAR) held a protest outside Parliament and questioned Umno about the lack of funding for their schools in the 2013 Budget. After months of being praised for being the perfect ambassadors for Malaysia and "the eyes and ears of the government in eradicating corruption", KL taxi drivers saw through this charade and took to the streets to protest about working conditions. Unfortunately after being fleeced by the taxi-drivers, the public were not sympathetic to their cause. Incidentally, the Auditor-General's 2011 report has been delayed. Why? In recent weeks, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad accused George Soros, Umno's public enemy No.1, of financing various NGOs to force a regime change in the country. So what did the public make of the revelation yesterday, that Najib had entertained billionaire financier Soros in New York, in 2010? One PM says Soros is evil, another PM courts him. The RM40 mil question All these contradictory stories would make even the most reclusive and ignorant Malaysian ask questions of the government, but the bombshell that Umno dreads most is the RM40 million question. Sabah businessman Michael Chia was carrying RM40 million worth of Singapore dollars when he was caught at the Hong Kong airport, in 2008, before he could board his flight to Kuala Lumpur. For whom was the money destined? The Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) charged Chia with money laundering and trafficking, but yesterday, Minister in the PM's department, Nazri Abdul Aziz said that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had found no evidence of corruption and that the money was a political contribution for the state Umno and not meant for Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman. READ MORE HERE |
| SWP hit by ‘financial’ setbacks? Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:43 PM PDT 
Sarawak Workers Party which trumpeted its plans to contest in six constituencies held by rival Parti Rakyat Sarawak may end the polls with a whimper. Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: Has the five-month old Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) hit a financial snag? The party which seemed to have made a good start in the beginning in Selangau parliamentary constituency is now suffering from a serious setbacks. Some 700 SWP members in the Kakus constituency have reportedly resigned from the party. No reason has been given for their resignations, but it is believed it had something to do with 'broken promises' of financial rewards. SWP's de facto leader Sng Chee Hua who is tipped to contest in the constituency has been campaigning hard against Joseph Entulu, who is deputy Minister of Regional and Rural Development. Entulu is also deputy president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS). A source close to the Sng said it is a 'major blow' for the SWP de facto leader. SWP is led by Sng's son Larry (photo), who is former Pelagus assemblyman. "The resignations of the members have surprised Sng. Even the service centre of SWP in Tatau has been dismantled by the owner of the shop allegedly for non-payment of rental. "This is a major blow to Sng, who is trying to make a political comeback," said the source who declined to be named. Sng in his early 60s was a one-term member of parliament of Julau from 1995. Besides Selangau, SWP has expressed its intention to contest against PRS in five other seats namely Julau, Kanowit, Ulu Rajang, Lubok Antu and Sri Aman. The source said that three members of the party's supreme council have threatened to resign if the promises made to them are not going to be fulfilled. Losing interest According to the source, SWP leaders who are potential candidates have been promised a monthly allowance of RM10,000. As a result of this promise, two of them resigned their posts, one from a government-linked company and the other from a private university. "For the past three months, all six potential candidates have been directed to go to the ground and to use their money first after which they would be reimbursed. "Up to last week they have not been reimbursed and have not received the allowance of RM10,000 otherwise they would resign from the party," said the source. READ MORE HERE |
| Factories retrenching as output slips, minimum wage looms Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:38 PM PDT 
Lee Wel Lian, The Malaysian Insider Manufacturers in Malaysia are shedding workers due to uncertainty over the global economy and the impending start of minimum wage next year, says RHB Research Institute. RHB said in a report yesterday that in line with a slowdown in sales, the manufacturers retrenched 4,609 workers in August compared to a recruitment of 441 workers in July. Unemployment was 3.1 per cent in July, with an estimated two million foreign workers employed in the country. "In line with the slowdown in YoY (year-on-year) sales, manufacturers were cautious and they retrenched some workers in August," said RHB. "This was due to weakness in the global economy and compounded by the impending implementation of the minimum wage policy in early 2013." The research house warned that manufacturers could retrench more workers if the economic situation deteriorates as productivity gains — which is measured by sales per employee — slowed to 0.7 per cent in August from 4.3 per cent in July and 5.8 per cent in June. It noted that wages per employee rose 4.6 per cent in August compared with 3.2 per cent in July and just one per cent in June. RHB said however that stripping out seasonal factors and measured on a three-month moving average basis, wages per employee edged lower to 2.9 per cent year-on-year during the month, from 4.3 per cent in July which indicated that wage pressure is gradually dissipating after trending up in the first five months of the year. "However, it could trend up again, on the back of an implementation of the minimum wage policy, which will take effect in 6-12 months, depending on the industry, from the date the Minimum Wage Order was gazetted on July 16," said RHB. The Najib administration had pushed for the introduction of minimum wage in a bid to lift salaries as part of efforts to make Malaysia a high-income nation. Proponents of minimum wage say that it would make businesses and manufacturers more efficient and move them up the value chain by investing in high technology and more skills training rather than relying on cheap labour as in the past. Critics however say that pay should be based on worker productivity and be flexible enough to respond to market conditions or it could otherwise result in job losses. Manufacturing output slipped for the first time since September 2009 by 1.8 per cent year-on-year in August, after picking up to 6.0 per cent in July. Manufacturing sales growth slowed to 1.8 per cent year-on-year in August, after moderating to 4.8 per cent in July, and compared with 6.3 per cent in June. "This was in line with a drop in manufacturing production and exports of manufactured goods during the month, suggesting that the unabated weakness in the US and eurozone economies are crimping demand for the country's exports of manufactured goods," said RHB. READ MORE HERE |
| GE 13: It’s Elvis against Napoleon Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:35 PM PDT 
But can voters freely choose between the rocker and the conqueror? Stanley Koh, FMT It now looks likely that the prolonged wait for the 13th general election will stretch into next year. Then again, to go by the latest rumour, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak may yet spring a surprise and call it next month. It does not seem to matter to the power that holds the card that so many of us are fighting an election fever that comes and goes and then comes again. Be that as it may, our immediate focus ought to fall on electoral reforms and the role of the Election Commission (EC) in ensuring a free and fair election. A Concert Bersih will be held tomorrow (this Saturday) at Stadium Kelana Jaya, and this will be followed on Nov 3 by a Pakatan Rakyat gathering in Seremban. Originally, this rally was planned to take place at either the Bukit Jalil National Stadium or the Merdeka Stadium. Both are aimed at heightening public awareness of the need for fair elections. The 13th general election will be crucial to the future of both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat and to the destiny of the nation. Pakatan and its supporters have predicted that the conduct of the polls will be the "dirtiest" that the nation has experienced since its independence. BN, perhaps betraying its nervousness, calls it a "do-or-die" battle. But as colourful languages go, nothing matches what I heard from a keen political observer. "It will be like a battle between Napoleon Bonaparte and Elvis Presley," he said. Noticing my puzzled look, he explained that Napoleon regarded power like a mistress, as reflected in a famous quotation in which he declared that no conqueror would allow anyone to take from him a conquest he had worked hard to keep. As for the King of Rock and Roll, my friend reminded me about "It's Now or Never", one of his most memorable recordings. I had to agree with him. BN must have got so used to embracing power that it probably would not be able to sleep without it. And for Pakatan's ageing leaders, it is truly now or never. In between are the rest of us, holding on to the hope that the EC will carry out its function responsibly and professionally. Unfortunately, many observers who are familiar with the EC's history do not see it as being impartial or even independent. Bias and prejudice "The opposition leader, Lim Kit Siang, has long accused the EC of consulting with the ruling regime in the electoral constituency delineation process," said a report released by the PKR president in September 2006. "In fact, for the 2002 delineation [of electoral districts], the EC chairman openly admitted that he had actually met the prime minister at the start of the process." Non-partisan advocates for free and fair elections have long alleged bias and prejudice on the part of the EC, pointing to its tacit acceptance of such rulings as the ban on public rallies and BN's control of the mass media. "Doubts have long been expressed about the fairness, if not the freedom, of elections in Malaysia and these seem to be increasing," wrote Associate Professor Lim Hong Hai in 2005 in a paper entitled "Making the System Work: Election Commission". "Criticisms have been made by opposition leaders and not just by scholars of both the extant electoral system and EC's past performances in administering it." READ MORE HERE |
| Bersih leaders stopped on police order Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:32 PM PDT 
The names of Bersih leaders are on the police list, says the Immigration Department. Teoh El Sen, FMT The Immigration Department was acting on the directive of the police when it stopped Bersih leaders at the airports as they were departing or re-entering the country. According to the department, the Bukit Aman police headquarters has a list of names of several Bersih leaders. "We're following SOP [Standard Operating Procedure]. If the name (given to us) is in our system, then we need to check the entry and exit of that person," the department's director-general Alias Ahmad told FMT. He said that in the case of Bersih 2.0 co-chairman S Ambiga, the department followed the police directive which stated that "every transaction of this person needs to be reported to the Special Branch officers attached to the airport". "So when we found her name on the list, we called the police, and they came and took over from us to interview her. That was it. We didn't arrest or detain her," he said. "To me this is not harassment," he said, alluding to Ambiga's allegation that she has been Bersih leaders who claimed they have been harassed at airports when they were stopped. Pressed for more details on the "police directive", Alias could not answer. He also could not verify the names of the Bersih leaders. "We do not know why their names are on the list. We are just the implementer, the gatekeepers. "It is the same with a bankrupt person… his name will show up on the computer too," he said. On Tuesday, Ambiga was stopped for about 10 minutes when she about to board a flight to Australia. The officers who detained her could not provide an answer as to why she was stopped. She then claimed she was being 'deliberately harassed' by the authorities. Ambiga was the fifth Bersih steering committee member to be stopped by immigration officers while travelling overseas. Last week, Bersih steering committee member Andrew Khoo was also stopped on his way to Bangkok. He was also stopped again when he returned. Steering committee members Maria Chin Abdullah, Yeo Yang Poh and Wong Chin Huat have also been subjected to similar treatment in September. An attempt to get an official response from the police failed as calls to Bukit Aman public relations head ACP Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf went unanswered. |
| The Rise and Rapid Fall of Suaram’s Cynthia Gabriel Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:25 PM PDT  THE CHOICE Just days ago Cynthia Gabriel was set to be a key figure in the GE13 election campaign. Suaram, of which she is a board member and key spokesperson, was strutting the Malaysian political stage on the back of the Scorpene submarine issue and they thought they had BN on the run. After all, at the height of the Scorpene saga it was suggested mysteriously that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was set to be whisked off to France to testify at a trial. If he didn't go, said Suaram's media friends, our trade with the European Union would suffer. It was total fiction but for Suaram and Pakatan Rakyat they were happy days as the story dominated the media. They went on with their spin and stories. Except as we now know, there is not and never has been any trial. A visiting French lawyer Yves Charpenel, who also happens to be a former French prosecutor, torpedoed that story in a five minute press conference in Kuala Lumpur this week. This has left Suaram reeling. Far more than the revelations about the web of foreign interests that funds this politicised and Pakatan-backed "human rights" group, the "no trial" revelation harmed Suaram because it struck at the heart of its integrity. Gabriel knew this when she shuffled forward to face the music Wednesday. Asked why her organisation let everyone believe that the Scorpene submarine deal was the subject of a trial in France she answered weakly: "Suaram has no control on how (the) media are reporting this matter." But as The Choice has reminded her, this isn't actually true. At any time Suaram could have corrected the false story doing the rounds but chose not to do so. Nor did it suit its friends in Pakatan Rakyat and the phalanx of foreign interests happy to see cleverly crafted untruths undermine our political independence. Now that Gabriel has suffered such a painful come down her opponents are on the attack. Without naming Suaram, Independent MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim told the Dewan Rakyat: "The people were hoodwinked by these group of people who collected donations from the public for the so-called trial." "I believe the government has a solid ground take up a defamation suit against the perpetrators." He also proposed a law to "monitor the activities of suspected foreign agents who interfere in the internal affairs of the country". Again, he didn't name anyone but he might as well have been carrying a photo of Suaram donor George Soros. But another press briefing in KL definitely did name Suaram accusing it of the "biggest lie in the country's political history." Young Journalists Club President Dzulkarnain Taib produced a court document from France showing that French judges Roger Le Loire and Serge Tournaire rejected Suaram as a plaintiff in the case on March 13 this year. "This means that the case by Suaram in relation to Scorpene has been thrown out by the French court since March 2012," he said. This will further embarrass Gabriel personally because in her defence of Suaram this week she said: "There is no confusion on our part that the case is on the second stage, at the criminal inquiry process when Suaram is accepted as a civil party in March this year." READ MORE HERE |
| UN: Third of world’s population has Internet Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:20 PM PDT (AFP) - GENEVA: More than a third of the world's population is online while mobile phone uptake increased by more than 600 million in 2011 to around six billion, a UN agency said yesterday. But the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) highlighted huge disparities in the cost of services, with the poorer parts of the world tending to pay the most. "On the back of the increase in broadband services worldwide, the number of people using the Internet grew by 11 percent over the past year … ie, 2.3 billion people," the ITU said in its 2012 report on information and communication technologies (ICT). In terms of affordability, Macau, Norway and Singapore topped the list of 161 countries featured in the report. Madagascar came bottom, just behind Togo and Niger. In Africa, Internet connectivity prices were almost seven times higher than in the Americas, and 20 times higher than Europe in 2011. Mobile phones with broadband showed the sharpest growth of all ICT sectors between 2010 and 2011, the agency said, with almost 1.1 billion subscriptions by the end of 2011. Despite a surge in mobile phone broadband, "prices for ICT services remain very high in many low-income countries," said Brahima Sanou, director of the ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau. Income from the telecommunication sector reached $1.5 trillion (1.2 trillion euros) in 2010, around 2.4 percent of the world's gross domestic product, the report said. |
| Ex-Pakatan man revives ‘Christian Malaysia’ report, shows ‘proof’ in Parliament Posted: 10 Oct 2012 10:29 PM PDT 
Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider An independent federal lawmaker today sought to revive last year's "Christian Malaysia" allegations against the DAP, revealing in Parliament what he claimed was photographic evidence of an alleged plot by party leaders and foreign clergymen to turn the country into a Christian state. Zulkifli Noordin (IND-Kulim Bandar Baharu) urged Putrajaya to investigate the matter, saying the Malay community, as the country's dominant ethnic group, have compromised too much over the years. "Imagine if it was revealed that imams and mosque authorities had helped Barisan Nasional (BN) to win the polls... what would have happened then? They (opposition) would not have kept silent," he told the House when debating Budget 2013 this evening. The former PKR lawmaker said he was in possession of photographic proof of a thanksgiving held in Penang last year on May 5, shortly after the Sarawak state election on April 16, where DAP leaders and a group of local and foreign clergymen had prayed to install a Christian Prime Minister and turn the country into a Christian state. Listing those in attendance, which he said included priests and pastors from United Kingdom and South Africa, Zulkifli said it was also admitted during the dinner that foreign churches were willing to channel funds to help the opposition's political struggle here. "The priest from South Africa said he was invited to observe the Sarawak polls, and that he was disappointed in how the Christians have been sidelined in Malaysia, especially on the AlKitab Malay language bibles issue. "He requested that something is done to help spread Christianity here and said that money is not a problem and that the churches in Africa are ready to help." The independent lawmaker had raised the matter when attempting to draw links with the latest claim by PAS MP Nasharuddin Mat Isa, who had alleged of a similar thanksgiving ceremony in Sarawak. Speaking at a press conference later, Zulkifli maintained that his remarks were based on actual proof of the dinner function, which he said he had obtained from "sources". "My main concern here is on the involvement of foreign clergymen in our country's politics. Not only are they involved in terms of their physical presence in our country, but they have also promised funds to the opposition. "This is direct interference and this is my concern." He, however, refused to release the photographs to the media, but denied that it was because he was afraid to be sued by the DAP. "Why don't you go back and ask your boss — is Zulkifli Noordin a coward? "Put it in that way you know... do not spin. I am never one who is afraid of anybody," he retorted to the reporter who asked for the photographs, adding later a challenge to DAP leaders to deny his remarks today. Zulkifli's revelation today was first exposed in May last year in a front-page article on Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia headlined "Malaysia negara Kristian? (Malaysia a Christian country?)". READ MORE HERE |
| S’gor still safe for Pakatan, say analysts Posted: 10 Oct 2012 06:57 PM PDT 
They see the spat over Azmin as being irrelevant to voter sentiment. Anisah Shukry, FMT The current infighting among PKR leaders over Selangor is unlikely to erode Pakatan Rakyat's chances of holding on to the country's richest state, according to political analysts. "Selangor voters are quite firm in their support for Pakatan and the pattern is not expected to change," Dr Jayum A Jawan of UKM told FMT. "While the infighting could affect its performance in Selangor in the next general election, I do not expect Pakatan Rakyat to do badly." He said voters were likely to view the infighting as a "family squabble" that could easily be resolved rather than a serious sign of things gone awry in the opposition pact. Centre for Policy Initiatives director Lim Teck Ghee agreed with Jayum. "What we can see is of course the mainstream media playing it up for all it is worth," he said. "Unfortunately, some in the Internet media are also making a mountain out of a molehill." The media frenzy over the infighting started after Sinar Harian quoted PKR Deputy President Azmin Ali as saying that Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim would become federal minister should Pakatan win the next general election. Khalid and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar have dismissed the statement as Azmin's personal opinion, but his remarks have triggered speculation that he is eyeing Khalid's job. Khalid's personal assistant, Faekah Husin, has criticised Azmin more directly, questioning his right to make an announcement on a matter that only Pakatan's top tier could decide. This provoked PKR's election director for Selangor, Borhan Aman Shah, to call for her sacking. But both Jayum and Lim said the feud could easily be resolved in a matter of days. "In Selangor, the key issues are not of leaders' fighting, but of the previous mismanagement of the state, the water issue, corruption, and a better quality of life," said Lim. No better alternative As such, according to both Lim and Jawan, Pakatan would be denied another term only if Selangor voters had a better alternative to turn to. They said Barisan Nasional had yet to prove that it could be that alternative. "If BN wins Selangor again, it will go back to the old system of cronyism, close tenders, select partners and the like," said Lim. "Unless BN can put down in writing the basic changes it is going to make, I am not in support of it and I believe that Selangor voters share my sentiment." Lim said that BN must own up to the wrongs it had done during its days of power in Selangor and then tell the people what it would do to correct itself. "For example, the water issue was totally mismanaged by the previous Selangor government," he said. "It was better handled in Penang, where they allowed for the model of privatisation which served the interests of the state and the consumers rather than the company." Jayum described Selangor BN as "loud" without having any "concrete plan". "BN does not need to attack the opposition; it just has to tell the voters what it wants to do, and how it will do better if it were to win Selangor," he said. "Based on the information I've gathered from the ground, BN is doing badly." Jayum said BN had neglected "practical politics" in favour of attacking personalities in Pakatan and trying to discredit the current administration's water management. "BN thinks it is making things difficult for PR with regard to the water issue, but actually it is just making things difficult for the end users, which are the people of Selangor. "It wants to discredit PR, but this will backfire. People will say BN leaders have a small heart." Lim said Pakatan had done enough to keep the people of Selangor happy and the votes coming in. "Pakatan has cut down on corruption, increased efficiency of services in the state, been able to balance the budget of the state, and tackle major problems in the state such as the water issue." He noted that Pakatan faced some difficulty in resolving certain issues, but said this was because of lack of cooperation from the federal government. "Of course it is difficult for them to get such cooperation as they are the opposition." READ MORE HERE |
| NGOs say Suaram misrepresented itself as plaintiff in Scorpene inquiry Posted: 10 Oct 2012 06:48 PM PDT 
(From left) Dzulkarnain, Mohd Mustaffa Hamzah (Muslims Consumers Association of Malaysia), Sharifuddin Abdul Hamid (Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia) and Shahbudin Embun (Malays Consultative Council) at the press conference in Kuala Lumpur October 11, 2012. — Picture by Choo Choy May Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) had misrepresented itself as a plaintiff to a French inquiry of the multi-billion Scorpene submarine deal, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) alleged today. "We view the claim that SUARAM has been accepted or recognised as 'civil party' (plaintiff) as a biggest lie in the country's political history..." Dzulkarnain Taib, president of the Young Journalists Club, said at a press conference today. "This means that the case by Suaram in relation to Scorpene has been thrown out by the French court since March 2012," he claimed. Dzulkarnain pointed to a court document dated March 13 this year, signed by the French judiciary, purportedly rejecting SUARAM as plaintiff for the Scorpene inquiry as proof. He claimed that SUARAM's lawyers had applied for the human rights watchdog to be made a "joint civil party" (joint plaintiff) together with the International Federation for Human Rights, based on a court document dated March 16 this year. But Dzulkarnain said the French judiciary have yet to decide on whether to allow SUARAM to be a joint plaintiff over the inquiry into the Scorpene deal. He declined to show the two court documents to reporters, saying that it will be revealed at an "opportune time". He gave the court reference number for the documents instead, with the first being "No du Parquet:1115196025 and No Instruction: 2292/12/4" and the second being "No Parquet: 1115106025 and No Instruction: 20F/11/52". Other NGOs present at the press conference include the Muslims Consumers Association of Malaysia, Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia and Malays Consultative Council. |
| Raja Nazrin: Desecrating flag an attack on nation’s sovereignty Posted: 10 Oct 2012 06:40 PM PDT 
(Bernama) - The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah today likened the act of desecrating the national flag, Jalur Gemilang, which is one of the national symbols, as an attack on the nation's sovereignty. "Whatever our political or ideological differences, our national symbols belong to all citizens. By allowing these symbols to be trashed, we are opening ourselves up to a host of consequences, including the possibility of inflaming passions, inviting tit-for-tat retaliation and so forth. "Hate and anger are some of the most powerful human emotions. When they take hold of society, they are difficult, and oftentimes impossible, to control. "Our national symbols should therefore be placed above the political fray," he said at the launching of the "Brand Transformer" and Malaysia Brand Forum 2012, here, today. Raja Nazrin said the act of desecrating a flag was more than one individual's statement of disrespect and criticism. "The act is deliberately designed to insult what many others treasure and consider a source of pride and joy. Whatever one may think of the rights of individuals to express themselves, the larger consequences of their actions cannot and should not be ignored." Raja Nazrin said some countries had enacted specific laws to protect their national symbols, such as Austria, France, Germany and Switzerland which had imposed specific penalties for the desecration of their national flags. "Other countries protect their national symbols under existing general laws aimed at ensuring law and order, preventing subversion and hate crimes." Raja Nazrin also expressed concern over the tendency of some quarters to discredit and undermine the national symbols that play such an important role in Malaysian national life. "I am also concerned about the extent to which some are pushing against the institutional pillars that are holding up this nation." He said there were at least two reasons why this might be the case. One, is a fundamental misunderstanding of how individual rights and freedoms are to be exercised within the context of a nation. The other is the impact of generational change in eroding the significance, meanings and value of nation building and its symbols. Raja Nazrin said human beings had always craved for freedom, however, "if boundaries are disregarded in the exercise of individual freedoms, we will end up weakening rather than strengthening the bonds that bind us as a nation". "We need to instil in our young a sense of responsibility and community". As with generational change, he said: "With each passing generation, people become less familiar with the circumstances around which this country was formed and built. "That is why I cannot over-emphasise enough the need for both well-thought and well-taught history in our schools. "In this way, our students can better appreciate and respect the national institutions and symbols around us. This appreciation and respect are clearly missing when national symbols are deliberately desecrated." Raja Nazrin said as a mutlicultural and multireligious country, Malaysia's national symbols such the Jalur Gemilang, National Coat of Arms or Jata Negara, the royal institution, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the nine Malay Rulers, were important as more than just cultural artefacts and reminders of historical traditions. "The national symbols we have constructed with such care and invested with such great social meaning play a much larger and critical function to this nation. "That function is to serve as an anchor for us to hold on to, and a guidepost to give us direction, whenever we face challenges and crises as a nation. "They therefore do not just belong to the past but are relevant — even essential — to our nation's present and future. They are, if you like, the 'Template of the Nation'." Raja Nazrin also said that good nation-building was all about political, economic and social inclusiveness, and the national symbols that had been devised were specifically designed to promote this inclusiveness. "They must therefore be cherished, respected and protected, as their aim is to unify rather than keep apart, to integrate rather than to segregate," he added. |
| Umno MP to go to jail after court upholds conviction Posted: 10 Oct 2012 06:28 PM PDT 
(The Malaysian Insider) - Umno's Sabak Bernam MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakri will have to serve his jail sentence after the Shah Alam High Court upheld today his conviction March for making false claims. Abdul Rahman and his aide Rosli Busro were sentenced by a Sessions Court in March to six years' jail and fined RM400,000 each for making false claims. But the court had then granted them a stay of execution pending appeal. Today, Shah Alam High Court judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir dismissed the appeal and also rejected an application for a stay of execution. The judge also ordered the sentence carried out immediately. In March the Sessions Court had found the two guilty on eight counts of making false claims totalling RM80,000 for events that never took place four years ago. The Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmaker was accused of committing the offences while a Sungai Air Tawar assemblyman before Election 2008. The 47-year-old was charged under Section 11(c) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 in November 2009 with falsely claiming RM10,000 each time between January 21 and February 4, 2008. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had said in March that Abdul Rahman had been stripped of his party divisional post, but remained an Umno MP. In making his ruling today, Akhtar dismissed arguments made by Abdul Rahman's lawyer to reject the testimony of two witnesses — Mohd Harmizar and Rizam ismail — because it was alleged that they were also accomplices in the criminal acts. "I have read the testimony of the two witnesses and I do not consider them accomplices," said the judge, who added that he considered the two men merely followed Abdul Rahman's instructions. He added that the accounts given by the two men were corroborated by other witnesses. Akhtar said it was clear that Abdul Rahman and Rosli had the intention to make the false claims, and this was proven when the money was used for their own purposes and not stated in their claims. Abdul Rahman, 47, had been found guilty of making claims from his allocation as state legislator for events and activities that did not take place. The claims were for the purchase of gifts, souvenirs and meals for events listed as Program Motivasi Pelajar Peringkat Dewan Undangan Negeri Sungai Air Tawar; Program Mesra Rakyat dan Hari Keluarga di Dewan Simpang 4 Bagan Nakhoda Omar (BNO); Program Forum Perdana Peringkat Mukim BNO; Program Mesra Rakyat dan Sambutan Maulud Nabi and Program Mesra Rakyat Hari Keluarga Guru Kemas. |
| CCM resubmits investigation paper on Suaram-linked firm to A-G Posted: 10 Oct 2012 06:04 PM PDT 
Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider he Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) has resubmitted the investigation paper on a company linked to Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) for misleading accounts to the Attorney-General's Chambers, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today. "CCM has submitted completed investigation paper to A-G last week. Now is up to A-G on his further action," the domestic trade, co-operative and consumerism minister told The Malaysian Insider when contacted. He confirmed that the investigation paper was still for "misleading accounts" by the human rights watchdog's company Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd. He said there was "nothing from A-G yet" when asked if the A-G's Chambers had decided to bring charges against Suara Inisiatif. Two weeks ago, Ismail reportedly said CCM was gathering the additional information required before resubmitting the investigation paper on Suara Inisiatif to the A-G's Chambers. It was previously reported that the A-G's Chambers had returned the investigation paper to CCM on September 19 as it could not draft charges based on the incomplete paper. Suaram has been at the forefront of exposing alleged corruption in the multibillion ringgit Scorpene submarine deal this past year but has in turn been the subject of investigation into its funding, along with several other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and news portal Malaysiakini. |
| Ahli MPK fail saman fitnah terhadap bekas anggota DAP Posted: 10 Oct 2012 05:14 PM PDT  (Bernama) - Ahli Majlis Perbandaran Kajang (MPK), Lee Kee Hiong hari ini memfailkan saman fitnah terhadap bekas anggota DAP dan Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad kerana mencetak dan menyiarkan perkataan berunsur fitnah terhadapnya, tahun lepas. Lee, 46, yang memfailkan saman itu menerusi peguamnya, Lim Lip Eng dan Eric Tan dari Tetuan Stella, Lim & Co. di pejabat pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi di sini, menamakan Yap Kon Min, 65, dan Sin Chew Media Corporation sebagai defendan.
Lee, yang juga ahli jawatankuasa DAP Selangor, dalam pernyataan tuntutannya mendakwa kedua-dua defendan berniat jahat dan secara salah mencetak dan menyiarkan perkataan berunsur fitnah terhadapnya dalam akhbar harian Sin Chew Daily pada 4 Ogos, tahun lepas.
Lee mendakwa perkataan-perkataan itu membawa maksud bahawa beliau adalah seorang penjenayah yang mengakibatkan kematian Teoh Beng Hock, menyeleweng wang Kerajaan Negeri Selangor, terlibat dalam aktiviti rasuah dan menyalahguna kuasa sebagai penjawat awam.
Oleh itu, Lee menuntut satu injunksi bagi menghalang kedua-dua defendan menerbitkan kenyataan atau perkataan berunsur fitnah terhadapnya, ganti rugi am teruk dan teladan, permohonan maaf secara bertulis oleh defendan untuk diterbitkan dalam semua akhbar, faedah, kos dan lain-lain perintah selanjutnya yang dianggap sesuai oleh mahkamah. |
| MCA, DAP to face off in hudud debate Posted: 10 Oct 2012 05:11 PM PDT 
The Mandarin debate will be held in Wisma Teng Chin,Klang, at 8pm tonight. Leven Woon, FMT In a rare move, leaders from both sides of the political divide will square off in a public debate tonight on the controversial hudud law. MCA Youth Publicity Bureau chief Kow Cheong Wei is taking on DAP's popular speaker Hew Kuan Yew in the debate titled "Hudud laws: Divert attention or potential threat?". The debate, which will be conducted in Mandarin, will begin at 8pm in Wisma Teng Chin, Jalan Langat, Klang. Organiser Radio Bangsar Utama presenter Teh Yee Keong said Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) lecturer Chin Chong Fah and PAS-linked scholar Kamal Koh will also be speaking at the forum. "Each of them will be given 15 minutes to elaborate on their their points, then a straight debate between Kow and Hew, followed by questions from the moderators and the audience," he said. The debate came in light of a survey done by Universiti Malaya's Center for Democracy and Elections last month which shows 42% of Malaysian Chinese agreed that hudud law can help eradicate crimes. Teh said it is good for leaders from DAP and MCA to engage in healthy discussion on the topic often seen as affecting only the Muslims. "MCA keeps saying that hudud law is a potential threat to the Chinese community, to which Pakatan has consistently denied and labelled it as a trick by Barisan Nasional government to divert public attention. "But the people want to know more about the real subject, and this kind of debate will encourage them to have healthy discussions," he said. Photo courtesy of We Fully Support DAP, PKR facebook page |
| Why change will never come Posted: 10 Oct 2012 04:52 PM PDT
Okay, let us say that DAP does plan to turn Malaysia into a Christian State. So what? What is wrong with that? PAS wants to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State. Do we make a police report against PAS and demand that they apologise? Has PAS committed a crime by aspiring for Malaysia to become an Islamic State? So why is it wrong for DAP to aspire for Malaysia to become a Christian State? NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Many Malaysians feel that Malaysia is a not a free country. These people may be right. Many Malaysians feel that Barisan Nasional needs to be kicked out so that Malaysia can become a free country. These people may be wrong. To demonstrate why I say this let us look at the Nasharuddin Mat Isa controversy. DAP is going to make a police report against Nasharuddin for saying that DAP wants to turn Malaysia into a Christian state. DAP is very upset about this. They also demand that Nasharuddin apologise for this allegation against DAP. Now, first of all, what is wrong with saying DAP wants to turn Malaysia into a Christian State? What if I say that Umno wants to turn Malaysia into a Malay State? Or PAS wants to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State? Or MCA wants to turn Malaysia into a Capitalist State? Or PSM wants to turn Malaysia into a Socialist State? Is this not my right to say what I think? I may be wrong in thinking that way. I may have jumped to the wrong conclusion based on what I perceive. My perception may be wrong. Nevertheless, right or wrong, I have my reasons for thinking so and hence I have a right to say what I think. I studied Islam. I also studied Christianity. My opinion after studying both religions is that Islam is right and Christianity is wrong. And I tell you what my opinion is. Do you make a police report against me for saying what I said and demand that I apologise? I studied Islam. I also studied Christianity. My opinion after studying both religions is that Islam is 'borrowed' from Judeo-Christianity. Hence I believe that Islam is a deviation of Judaism and Christianity. And I tell you what my opinion is. Do you make a police report against me for saying what I said and demand that I apologise? I have my opinions. And I have my reasons as to why I have such opinions. And I tell you what my opinions are. This is called freedom of thought and freedom of expression. And this is what freedom is all about. But do we allow such freedoms in Malaysia? And is this denial of such freedoms a crime that only Barisan Nasional is guilty of or is Pakatan Rakyat equally guilty? Hence is Malaysia really a free country? And will kicking out Barisan Nasional give us that freedom that we seek? The solution will not come by changing the government. This has nothing to do with the government. The problem lies with us. We do not understand the meaning of freedom. And we demonstrate very clearly this lack of understanding. It is we, and not the political parties, that are at fault. Okay, let us say that DAP does plan to turn Malaysia into a Christian State. So what? What is wrong with that? PAS wants to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State. Do we make a police report against PAS and demand that they apologise? Has PAS committed a crime by aspiring for Malaysia to become an Islamic State? So why is it wrong for DAP to aspire for Malaysia to become a Christian State? What makes it okay for PAS to want Malaysia to be turned into an Islamic State but not okay for DAP to want Malaysia to be turned into a Christian State? If we can respect PAS's wishes to see Malaysia become an Islamic State why can't we also respect DAP's wishes to see Malaysia become a Christian State? I do not see why DAP should make a police report against Nasharuddin for alleging that DAP wants to turn Malaysia into a Christian State or demand that he apologise. Doing this means DAP is admitting that such a thing is wrong (wanting to turn Malaysia into a Christian State). DAP is agreeing with Nasharuddin that the aspiration of wanting to turn Malaysia into a Christian State is wrong. Why would DAP want to admit that? DAP should uphold the ideals of freedom of thought and freedom of expression. DAP should be free to aspire for anything it wants to aspire for. And Nasharuddin should be free to express anything he wishes to express. That is what freedom of thought and freedom of expression is all about. DAP is admitting that freedom of thought cannot be allowed. You cannot aspire to see Malaysia turned into a Christian State. That is something wrong. You must not think those things. And anyone who thinks those things is doing something wrong. And anyone who accuses DAP of thinking like that needs to be whacked. If you think that Malaysia should be Secular State that is okay. If you think that Malaysia should be an Islamic State that is okay as well. And it is also okay if you think that Malaysia should be a Christian State, Communist State, Republic, Absolute Monarchy, Sultanate or whatever. You can aspire for what you think is right. You can also express what you aspire. That is what you aspire. You may be right or you may be wrong. But you have a right to be wrong if you wish to be wrong. Unfortunately, both sides of the political divide do not understand this yet. And that is why PAS thinks it is wrong for DAP to aspire for Malaysia to become a Christian State. And that is why DAP thinks it is wrong for PAS to say that DAP aspires for Malaysia to become a Christian State. You can even aspire for Nazism, Fascism, Communism, Republicanism, Theologian, Federalism, self-determination, anarchism, or whatever it is that turns you on. I might not agree with you. I might even oppose you. But it is your right to believe whatever you wish to believe and it is my right to disagree with you. And PAS and DAP must understand this as well before we talk about changing the current/bad government for a new/better one. Currently, both PAS and DAP are yet to grasp the concept of freedom of thought and freedom of expression. And this is what the Nasharuddin Mat Isa controversy has revealed. The most unfortunate thing about this entire episode is that we think the fault lies with the politicians or political parties whereas it is we who are at fault. We refuse to allow others to hold views and express their views that run opposite to ours. That is not called freedom of thought and freedom or expression. So how can changing the government help? It is we who need to change. |
| PAS parti sesuai untuk saya - Tengku Paduka Posted: 10 Oct 2012 03:30 PM PDT 
(Harakah) - Status Tengku Seri Paduka Raja Tengku Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, sebagai bapa saudara kepada Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin tidak dipernah dipergunakan untuk kepentingan diri. Pada beliau, yang lebih mesra dengan panggilan Ku Duka, kepentingan rakyat Terengganu lebih menjadi keutamaan. Di atas kesedaran itu, Ku Duka menyerahkan borang menyertai PAS pada 6 Oktober 2012 kepada Mursyidul Am PAS, Tuan Guru Dato' Bentara Setia Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat di Jabi. Ikuti temuramah beliau dengan wakil Harakah MOHD RASHIDI HASSAN dan KHAIRUL AZLAM MOHAMMAD di Batu Buruk, Kuala Terengganu, 7 Oktober 2012. 
Apakah yang mendorong Tengku menyertai PAS?
TENGKU SERI PADUKA RAJA: Pertamanya, saya ingin katakan bahawa saya menyertai PAS kerana Allah. Umur saya pun sudah mencecah 73 tahun, saya tiada apa-apa kepentingan, selain mahu menyaksikan Islam dan kebenaran tertegak di Terengganu dan di Malaysia amnya.
Saya melihat perkembangan politik dalam negara kita, keadaan sekarang ini begitu teruk dari segi penyelewengan, kemungkaran dan kezaliman yang dilakukan oleh pemimpin kerajaan Umno-Barisan Nasional, baik di Pusat dan di Negeri.
Saya bimbang, jika saya duduk diam sahaja di rumah, pandangan saya tidak laku kerana saya tidak di pentas politik. Sebab itu saya memilih PAS, yang saya rasa PAS adalah sebuah parti yang sesuai pada saya.
Tetapi sejak dulu saya baik dengan PAS. Saya cukup-cukup menghormati Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang dan Tuan Guru Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat. Malah semasa saya menjadi wakil rakyat Parti Semangat 46, saya sudah akrab dengan Pesuruhjaya PAS Terengganu, Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut dan Adun Batu Buruk, Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi.
Saya melihat pemimpin-pemimpin PAS begitu akrab dan mengambil berat tentang permasalahan rakyat. Kita hendak pemimpin macam inilah yang menjadi pemimpin kerajaan negeri. Semasa saya jadi Adun dahulu, sehingga sekarang pun saya masih rapat dengan rakyat.
Justeru, tujuan saya dengan memasuki PAS, kita boleh kemukakan pendapat kita dan membangkit isu-isu yang berkepentingan rakyat.
Agak lama Tengku tidak aktif dalam politik?
Ya..Selepas dibubar Semangat 46 pada bulan Jun 1996, saya dikira sudah bersaralah, main dengan cucu-cucu sahaja (ketawa).
Tetapi sebenarnya dalam politik tiada istilah bersara. Saya bercakap juga, saya menegur juga, malah ada yang meminta pandangan saya, saya terus memberikan pendapat.
Ada dakwaan Umno yang mengatakan Tengku pernah menyertai Umno?
Sebenarnya saya bukan menyertai Umno. Semasa Semangat 46 hendak dibubarkan, syarat Dr Mahathir Mohamad kepada Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah ialah, semua ahli Semangat 46 diminta menyertai Umno. Jadi, keputusan MKT. Ramai yang tidak setuju, tetapi akur dengan permintaan Presiden parti (Tengku Razaleigh) kerana hormatkan beliau.
Saya tidak pernah bayar yuran untuk masuk Umno. Tak tahu lah kalau Pusat (Ibu pejabat S46) yang bayar. Bukan saya seorang, ramai lagi punyai pandangan yang sama dengan saya. Semasa mesyuarat akhir MKT S46, bukan semuanya setuju, tetapi kita akur kepada kehendak Presiden.
Apa pandangan Tengku mengenai kerajaan Umno-BN sekarang?
Dalam konteks Terengganu, saya melihat pentadbiran kerajaan Umno-BN terlalu banyak kucar-kacir. Banyak penyelewengan, kemungkaran dan salahguna kuasa.
Saya tahu apa yang saya cakapkan. Saya tidak akan bercakap sesuatu perkara yang saya tidak ada bukti. Saya tidak buat fitnah. Banyak perkara yang tidak sepatutnya berlaku, dilakukan oleh pemimpin Umno-BN.
Contoh mudah ialah mengenai Zoo Kemaman. Belanja yang diperuntukkan RM100 juta. Pada pendapat saya tidak ada keperluan kita bebelanja besar untuk zoo. Pemimpin Umno-BN sila beritahu saya, di mana di Malaysia ini zoo yang mampu menjana keuntungan?
Kita tahu semua binatang itu harus dibeli. Memang dia tidak mengaku, tetapi kita tahu lah dia beli dengan harga yang mahal.
Kita lihat di Kuala Lumpur misalnya, ada korporat yang membantu dan sponsor makanan dan rawatan untuk haiwan. Tetapi hendak kata untung, memang tiada.
Kemudiannya, mengenai Zon Bebas Cukai di Tasik Kenyir. Ini semua projek tidak masuk akal. Kalau di negeri-negeri yang berkaitan dengan sempadan seperti di Kelantan, Perlis dan Kedah, kita faham. Ia tujuan untuk menarik pembeli dengan saingan harga dengan negara jiran.
Tetapi yang Umno buat di Terengganu dalam hutan, siapa hendak pergi? Buatlah cantik macam mana pun, ia tidak praktikal.
Sebab itu pada saya, peranan utama PAS sekarang ini ialah menukar kerajaan. Bukan semata-mata hendak memperbetulkan kesalahan kerajaan yang ada.
Saya juga bercakap dengan pemimpin-pemimpin Umno, tetapi no response. Mereka seolah-olah tidak mengendahkan teguran rakyat.
Apa pandangan Tengku mengenai royalti minyak Terengganu dan Kelantan?
Satu perkara yang paling mustahak ialah mengenai royalti. Royalti minyak ini, yang dibawa ke Dewan Undangan Negeri, Menteri Besar, Dato' Seri Ahmad Said menarik balik saman yang dibuat kerajaan PAS dahulu dengan alasan isu itu sudah diselesaikan.
Bila kita tanya dia (MB) selesaikan macam mana? Apa butiran bertulis mengenai penyelesaian itu..dia tidak jawab. Kita tegaskan, adalah hak rakyat Terengganu untuk tahu, kerana duit itu (royalti) bukan milik Umno, bukan milik MB, tetapi milik semua rakyat Terengganu.
Keseluruhannya rakyat Terengganu berhak tahu. Bila kita tanya dia kata ini maklumat sulit. Apa yang hendak disulitkan kita tiada apa yang hendak Umno tutup? Ini mesti ada masalah yang disembunyikan. Apa Ahmad Said hendak takut jika beliau tidak buat salah?
Insya Allah selepas ini, jika PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat menang, saya cadangkan kita bongkar semuanya dan beritahu rakyat apa sebenarnya yang berlaku. Bukan hendak menuduh sesiapa, ini adalah fakta yang harus kita beritahu rakyat, apa sebenarnya yang berlaku.
Begitu juga di Kelantan. Kelantan ada 1.5 juta rakyat, Terengganu ada 1.3 juta. Lebih 90 peratus rakyatnya orang Melayu, orang Islam. Apa yang Umno hendak permainkan orang Melayu-Islam ini? Kejap royalti, sekejap wang ihsan.
Pada saya, saya tidak boleh terima nama 'wang ihsan'. Wang ihsan ini hanya menghina kan rakyat. Sebab nama dia ihsan, dia boleh kata, "aku nak beri boleh, aku tak nak beri pun boleh. Semuanya atas ihsan.
Inilah kuasa yang dipegang Umno-BN untuk mempermainkan orang-orang Melayu khususnya. Cerita sebenar mengenai royalti ini tidak akan keluar dalam media masa yang dikuasai Umno. Sebab itu, kita harapkan Harakah dan Suara Keadilan untuk bersuara.
Mengapa agaknya Terengganu yang kaya dengan hasil minyak, tetapi rata-rata rakyat masih berada dalam kemiskinan?
Semasa dalam S46 lagi saya bawa slogan bahawa 'Terengganu Kaya Rakyat Miskin'. Sekarang ini mengikut jangkaan saya, kerajaan dan Petronas masih lagi berhutang RM5 bilion kepada rakyat Terengganu, yang perlu dibayar daripada wang yang disekat dahulu. Inilah kerja pemimpin Umno Terengganu yang menindas rakyat.
Sebab itu saya menyeru rakyat Terengganu menyokong Pakatan Rakyat. Pakatan komited untuk bayar 20 peratus wang royalti. Jangan cakap 20 peratus, jika 10 peratus pun Terengganu akan dapat 3 bilion setahun. Ini sesuatu yang amat baik untuk kepentingan seluruh rakyat Terengganu. Allahu Akbar. |
| MACC clears Musa Aman; RM40m was for Sabah Umno Posted: 10 Oct 2012 03:24 PM PDT 
Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has cleared Datuk Seri Musa Aman of graft and money laundering allegations after finding that the over S$16 million (RM40 million) allegedly channelled to the Sabah Chief Minister through corrupt means was meant for Sabah Umno's use. In a written reply released in Parliament today to a question by Chua Tian Chang (PKR-Batu) last week, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said the Attorney-General's Chambers had shelved the matter after finding no element of corruption in the case, which was first raised by whistleblower site Sarawak Report earlier this year. "The funds were actually contributions made to the Sabah Umno liaison body and not for the chief minister's personal use," Nazri said in the reply. The minister added that Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has also investigated the case but "took no further action". "On the matter filed in the Switzerland courts, it was a MACMA (Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act) application by the ICAC seeking a probe on the same case. "The MACMA application has also been withdrawn for the same reason as stated above," he said. In April this year, Sarawak Report had revealed documents from the ICAC allegedly showing that a Sabah lawyer was holding some US$30 million in a Swiss bank account for Musa. The report claimed that a paper trail showed that the millions in euros, US, Hong Kong and Singapore dollars had been channelled from several firms managed by Hong Kong-based timber trader Michael Chia to a number of British Virgin Island companies and subsequently to the lawyer's Swiss account. Musa has since denied any link with Chia, who was arrested and charged with money laundering after attempting to smuggle S$16 million (RM40 million) back to Malaysia in 2008. According to media reports, Chia had at the time allegedly told the Hong Kong authorities that the money belonged to Musa. "I deny all these allegations. I wish to put it on record once again that I have no business association whatsoever with an individual named Michael Chia," the usually media-shy Musa had said in a statement. READ MORE HERE |
| Rise in child marriages worrying Posted: 10 Oct 2012 03:13 PM PDT 
(The Star) - The department received 75 marriage applications from underaged individuals in 2008, 99 in 2009 and 101 in 2010. Of the total, 90% involved girls under 16. The incidence of child marriages is on the rise, judging by statistics compiled from various sources. In Kedah alone, statistics from the state Islamic Religious Department show a 35% increase in marriage applications involving underaged individuals between 2008 and 2010. The department received 75 marriage applications from underaged individuals in 2008, 99 in 2009 and 101 in 2010. Of the total, 90% involved girls under 16. One of the reasons cited by parents for consenting to their underaged daughters to marry was that the girls were "too wild" and beyond their control. They felt that getting them married would be the best solution. Another was for economic relief. The majority of these cases reportedly were from Sik and Baling. The statistics are worrying as they show child marriage to be a significant problem in Malaysia, said United Nations Population Fund Malaysia (UNFPA) programme manager Saira Shameem. Today is the inaugural United Nations International Day of the Girl Child, with a focus on ending child marriages. UN statistics show that globally, as many as 10 millions girls are forcibly married before they turn 18, amounting to 25,000 girls every day. "In an economically-stable country like Malaysia, where women are educated and employed in high level jobs and where girls make up 60% of the students in tertiary education institutions, this should not be happening. "We need to address sexual and reproductive health education for our young. Studies have shown that age-appropriate sex education actually delays sexual debut. Sexual and reproductive health education will also help girls make more informed choices," said Saira. Rights activities are calling for urgent action to stop child marriages in Malaysia, pointing out the harmful impact of early marriage on girls, and to a lesser extent boys. In the human rights perspective, marriage marks the end of a child's adolescence and the curtailing of his or her freedom. Most girls who marry early also drop out of school and face health risks of early pregnancy and child birth. Worldwide, pregnancy-related deaths are the leading cause of mortality for 15 to 19 year-old girls. Under Malaysian law, the legal age for marriage for non-Muslims is 18. However, marriages are allowed for those between 16 and 18 with written consent from the chief minister. For Muslims, the legal age of marriage for males is 18 and females, 16. With the permission of the syariah court, however, Muslims can marry at any age. Sisters in Islam executive director Ratna Osman feels that the country's laws have to change, calling for the legal age for marriage for both Muslims and non-Muslims to be 18. "In this day and age, child marriages are just unacceptable. Is this what we want for Malaysia? We want the legal age for both male and female to be 18, and the absolute minimum for Muslim girls to be 16 but with strict conditions. "Among the conditions is that the minor has sufficient maturity to understand the nature and responsibilities of the marriage and that the judge consults respective experts to verify the child's readiness before issuing an approval," said Ratna. |
| ‘Stop harassing Ambiga, Bersih leaders’ Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:27 PM PDT 
WargaAman also wants the immigration department and the Home Ministry to reveal the list of NGO leaders who will face similar treatment. RK Anand, FMT The authorities must cease harassing Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga and the electoral watchdog's steering committee members, demanded a coalition of NGOs. WargaAman secretary-general S Barathidasan also called on the Home Ministry and Immigration Department to reveal the names on their "to be stopped for 10 minutes at the airport" list. "We want to know who are the NGO leaders on this list and the reasons why they are being subjected to such harassment," he told FMT. Barathidasan was responding to news reports of how Ambiga was stopped at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport's auto-gate for 10 minutes without reason before boarding a flight to Australia on Tuesday night. Previously, several other Bersih steering committee members were also subjected to a similar treatment when travelling abroad. 
Barathidasan reminded the authorities that Bersih leaders were not enemies of the state but rather those struggling to uphold democratic principles for the betterment of this nation. "The movement has made eight demands but only one, the use of indelible ink has been accepted by the Election Commission. "These demands are not Bersih's alone but that of the rakyat, the tens of thousands who participated in the rallies and the millions more who were there in spirit," he said. Barathidasan said also questioned how immigration officers, with all their sophisticated equipment, let fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin and private investigator P Balasubramaniam slip out of the country. "If these officers are so vigilant, then it is beyond me how people like Raja Petra, Balasubramaniam and a host of wanted criminals could board flights without any hassle," he added. READ MORE HERE |
| World Bank’s Report on Malaysian Minimum Wages Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:22 PM PDT 
Liew Chin Tong In view of the near-nonsensical discussion in the media on minimum wage by Barisan Nasional elected representatives, I decided to release my copy of a confidential report by the World Bank to the Malaysian Government entitled "Optimal design for a minimum wage policy in Malaysia." I am encouraged to do so by Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who on twitter claimed that he had "checked wt Ministry of Human Resources thru @PKamalanathan. WorldBank report on min wage is not classified as u alleged!" Pakatan Rakyat had repeatedly called on the Government to release the World Bank report but to no avail. The World Bank document shows that the impact of a minimum wage, whether it is at RM900 or RM1,100, on most sectors is minimal, except in the low-end manufacturing (Pg.12), which the Government should assist through other means such as facilitation to move from labour intensive to technology and skills intensive operations. The Report also shows that the implementation of a minimum wage has very little impact on the decision of investors as labour cost is but a small fraction of total investment. "Location-specific characteristics such as infrastructure and the regulatory environment are the main drivers of FDI (Pg. 13)," according to the report. READ MORE HERE |
| DAP duo to lodge report against Nasharuddin Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:04 PM PDT 
(NST) - Two prominent DAP leaders will lodge a police report against former Pas deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa for alleging that DAP held a thanksgiving function to pray for Malaysia to become a Christian state. DAP Sarawak chairman Wong Hoi Leng and secretary Chong Chieng Jen said they were "disgusted" with Nasharuddin's statement. However, they did not give an exact time frame when they would lodge the report. "After the Sarawak elections (last year), DAP held victory and thanksgiving dinners in Kuching, Sibu, Sarikei, Bintangor, Bintulu and Miri. "It is unbelievable that Nasharuddin did not even identify the event where the alleged prayer was made," he said at the Parliament lobby here yesterday. The duo said the thanksgiving was held merely to thank party members and volunteers who had worked in the state election and was not religious in nature. "We had also invited Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Pas state leaders to attend the event." DAP also urged Nasharuddin to withdraw his allegations unconditionally and called upon the police to probe into the alleged remark. Nasharuddin's statement was also criticised by fellow Pas member, Shah Alam member of parliament Khalid Samad. "Nasharuddin's statement is ridiculous. " He did not inform us about his remark in any of Pas' meetings," Khalid said. "I question his motive in making the statement," said Khalid adding that Nasharuddin has begun to 'estrange' himself from the party. He said that Nasharuddin's fate would be left to the discretion of the Pas Syura Council. "What he said about DAP is his personal opinion and PAS does not share his sentiments." |
| Prove me wrong, Teresa Posted: 10 Oct 2012 01:56 PM PDT 
FMT LETTER: From Tan Tuan Tat, via e-mail I refer to the FMT article, 'Ex-DAP man's criticism has Kok fuming'. Teresa Kok has messed up the Selangor administration due to her ineptitude and ignorance of grass roots sentiments and her failure to face up to controversial issues. She is holding many positions and wearing too many hats and has lost her direction. Please allow me to to rebut her comments about me in the article point for point: 1 Kok said that I hardly knew anything about what she had done and how has performed since I was not in the Selangor DAP committee and the PR state government. A politician who only cares for her cronies will not realise that others are watching what she's doing. Kok is wearing too many hats at parliamentary and state levels, including director for PKNS, SACC women's affairs and many GLCs. Recently she was attributed to another two positions. Obviously, national chairman Karpal's 1 man for 1 seat statement is lost on her. 2 Kok said ever since she helmed Selangor DAP, she had forged close working ties with all state committee and elected representatives. I can prove to you that you are not doing that at all. How can this be? The elected committee took time to appoint the councillors and eventually what happened? Ronnie Liu amended the list so much so you had to shout at Ronnie in front of the Menteri Besar. If you were so capable and competent, Lim Kit Siang need not have come to rescue of the five councillors who were dropped. I have evidence that 15 Klang branches had submitted a letter to the disciplinary committee and the committee contacted you, as state chairman, to seek an explanation. Your reply was that the case was closed and no longer an issue. Irked by your response, the 15 branches appealed to the CEC and till today why has the CEC not responded? You are a CEC member. Why you are not performing your task as a leader? Prove that you are the competent politician, and respect the call by the national chairman that all disciplinary cases must be settled before the next GE. Did you discuss with all the branch leaders in Klang before you reverted to disciplinary committee with your reply? This proves you are trying to sweep the matter under the carpet and give the impression that you are very working with the top leaders and the elected committee. People are not stupid. They are discerning and that was one of the reason they changed the Selangor government. 3 "Tan has never been informed of these meetings and decisions because he is not a wakil rakyat, councillor or a state committee member. So on what ground he is making such accusations against me?" asked Kok.
Why should I be informed? I was a life member until Aug 16, 2012 when I resigned. I was not sacked as claimed by Kok and Tan Kok Wai. Taman Seri Sg Pelek branch vice chairman Manohar Sellan told Kok to get her statement right when he sent in his resignation letter. Tan Tuan resigned and was not sacked. How can DAP sack a member when he has already resigned? I recall an incident where I sent a text to her forwarded a copy of the message to the MB about the state of affairs in Selangor. Kok was furious and said that I out to disgrace the party. I'm a tax payer and have every right to ask how and where public money is spent? Now I know the reason why she fumed…so much corruption, allegations, hypocrisy and lack of transparency. Kok wants to look good before the MB and show him that DAP Selangor is strong and united but in fact she is covering up all the abuses in the party. 4 Kok asked what I knew about Kinrara when I rarely visited the area. I do not have to visit areas in Selangor, especially Kinrara. She tends to forget one does not have to be at a certain place to receive information. She is too popular for the Kinrara people and I ask her why the banner criticising her was hung up? The banner hung up by the residents read: "YB Teresa Kok The Wonder Woman holding 7 post ….. RM… RM… RM ….now YB Press". She should ask herself as a god fearing person, is she doing her work entrusted by the people? "You really disappoint us terribly and we are really fed-up with your tricks " – From Kinrara Voters. Why is she so jumpy over my statement? The truth hurts. Seven posts means lots of money into her pocket. Hopefully she uses it wisely. 5 Kok claimed that I had not been an active member in Selangor DAP and very few members knew me, except in Sepang and Kuala Langat. I have no political agenda except to fight corruption and promote education. I do not need DAP to help me raise funds to support the poor and contribute knowledge to young schoolboys and girls. I'm a remisier and I have a wide clientele to help the poor. Kok said I'm not a wakil rakyat, a councillor or a DAP state committee member. Unlike Kok, I know my boundries and work within my limits to pave road for DAP. The Sepang and Kuala Langat people, not necessarily members, know me well and that is sufficient for me. I have only one head and do not wish to wear many hats. 6 "I hardly knew this man even when he was in the party. He was only known by the people after being sacked due to forming phantom branches," said Kok. Well, for a person to claims she hardly knows me, I'd like to remind Kok that in 2011, she called me for a lunch appointment during Chinese New Year. I took her to Ee P H Chinese restaurant. As usual she was fashionably late for the appointment. While waiting for the food to be served, Kok told me that YB Teng was not happy with her. She tried to influence me but my immediate response was that it was matter between her and Teng and I did not want to be caught in the middle. Later she asked me about Lee Kee Hiong. Again I told her not bring her name up as she was a nobody to me. She was not even elected in the 2010 state convention, how can she be a committee member? On the way into the restaurant few locals greeted her and asked, 'Are you Kok Su Shim in Mandarin? I responded yes she was, and she is now the Selangor state chairman. After lunch, the boss of the restaurant and several others came to shake hands with her. Then I took her to visit Mr Wong Chuan How's two older brothers in front of the restaurant where YB Teresa had parked the car. The two Uncles spoke to her for a while. In 1996, when I was the publicity secretary and Kok was my assistant, she had helped me a lot as I was quite new in DAP. I always thanked her for her assistance. Now she claims she hardly knew me! Is her heart made of steel? She once told me that a person who has power will change. At that point in time I did not realise she was telling me indirectly about herself. In 2010, I was appointed a state auditor, and in 2011 when we held a convention, she smsed me asking for favour to ferry enough delegates to meet the quorum. When she needs someone's help she will bow down but when she has achieved what she wants you are a nobody. This is YB Teresa Kok. In another incident, she was conducting an AGM in 2011 at Bagan Lallang and many grass roots members complained about DUN 56. Again she was late for almost an hour.This made Jenice Lee upset over her punctuality. Instead of listening to the grass roots, Kok asked them," why you all got so much problems." I raised my hand and wanted a chance to share the grass roots' predicaments. She acknowledged me and said, 'Yes, Tuan Tat'. I explained to her the issues and why there were so many problems. I told that from 2008 until now, not much was done by the so called exco Ronnie and that is the reason why the grass roots were very unhappy. READ MORE HERE |
| Sabah BN will win seats ‘by default’ Posted: 10 Oct 2012 01:51 PM PDT
Some analysts in Sabah believe that as many as 20 seats, including five or six parliamentary seats, could go to BN as a result of a split in opposition votes. Luke Rintod, FMT Sabah is set to see multi-cornered fights in most areas in the coming general election. This means that the ruling Barisan Nasional may have the edge. At this stage, observers can conclude that the opposition parties in Sabah are giving Umno-led BN a "free advantage" to retain a majority of the Sabah seats. At stake in Sabah are 26 parliamentary seats, including one in Labuan, and 60 state seats. Sabah chairman of State Reform Party (STAR), Jeffrey Kitingan, said recently that his party is all but ready to announce the seats – parliamentary and state – it will contest. "We can announce the seats shortly," he said confidently to reporters when asked how many seats STAR will contest in Sabah. Jeffrey in the past had talked about contesting in more than half of the 60 state seats. He had even at one stage indicated that STAR may go the whole hog and contest in all 26 parliamentary and 60 state seats. But reality seems to have set in. Asked if STAR had reconciled overlapping claims on seats with other opposition parties – Pakatan Rakyat and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) – Jeffrey refused to divulge further. "Wait for another day," he said. He also reiterated that STAR had received the green light from the Election Commission (EC) to contest in Sabah in the coming polls. STAR list ready The Sarawak-based STAR's eligibility to stand in Sabah under its symbol has attracted much speculation even though the party had done so in Kota Marudu years back. STAR's Sabah chapter secretary, Guandee Kohoi, said that EC Sabah director, Idrus Ismail, in a meeting with Jeffrey, himself and Edward Linggu (STAR information chief) had given them assurance that STAR indeed could field candidates in Sabah. "STAR is already on the latest list of political parties EC gave us. Even the name of STAR has been amended and does not state the word Sarawak anymore but just State Reform Party. "The latest list also contains the re-named party, Sarawak Worker's Party' [SWP], which was previously Sabah-based Sabah People's Front [SPF]," Kohoi said. Meanwhile, the number of STAR's potential candidates has been growing steadily and in many places, they are already clear frontrunners. At least half a dozen graduate teachers aligned to STAR have so far resigned from their posts, and a few other civil servants are said to be set to retire early to prepare to be the candidates. STAR Youth leader, Hasmin Azroy Abdulah, is among the teachers who have resigned. He could be STAR's candidate for Tenom parliamentary seat or one of the state seats in the constituency. Another teacher who has also resigned is Maklin Masiau. He is poised to be STAR's candidate for poverty-stricken Pitas state seat in the north. Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is also eyeing Pitas. Pinus Gondili is another teacher who quit his job and is slated to contest under STAR in Labuk. He is certain to fight incumbent Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) vice-president, Michael Asang, after PBS recently confirmed Asang would be retained. PKR is also eyeing Labuk, making it one of those many seats in Sabah that are likely to see four-cornered fights between BN and the opposition trio – STAR, Pakatan and SAPP. Cunning SAPP Meanwhile, both STAR and SAPP leaders are saying publicly, at least, that they would not want to face each other where their respective "big guns" are contesting. That would mean SAPP would not put up a candidate against Jeffrey and his right-hand men. But there is a big question mark as Inanam, the seat of Jeffrey's senior deputy Daniel John Jambun, is being eyed by SAPP through its deputy president Eric Majimbun who is Sepanggar MP. The cunning SAPP has previously suggested that all should respect the status quo of the incumbents. Soon after getting others to "respect" it, SAPP moved to claim Inanam. "The question is, if SAPP is adamant on taking both Inanam and Sepanggar, then where will Jambun contest?" asked a STAR supporter in Inanam recently. Jambun had in 2008 contested under PKR ticket and garnered a respectable 4,293 votes against DAP's 2,864. The eventual winner was BN-PBS Johnny Goh who obtained 5,979 votes. Karambunai is another state seat under Sepanggar, but it is possible that SAPP president Yong Teck Lee would want to stand there this time as he has scores of Malay supporters in this constituency. Other possible places for Yong are his former seat Likas near here or Lahad Datu, his hometown in the east coast. Yong stood in the Batu Sapi parliamentary by-election in November 2010 and lost badly, finishing last with only 2,031 votes behind PKR-imported candidate Ansari Abdullah's 3,414 and eventual winner BN-PBS Linda Tsen who received 9,773. SAPP could be fielding its secretary-general Richard Yong in the Tanjung Aru mixed state seat where another of Jeffrey's deputy, Ahmad Sah Sahari, is keen. It is understood that STAR is prepared to let SAPP take Tanjung Aru. But Pakatan – maybe through DAP – is also eyeing the seat. Split opposition votes The murky waters of Sabah's politics is set to get murkier as opposition leaders fail to appreciate the importance of reconciling their differences and overlapping claims of strength. Some analysts have said that this time as many as 20 seats, including five or six parliamentary seats, could go to BN by default as a result of a split in opposition votes. One analyst cited Kadamaian where if the three opposition parties – STAR, Pakatan and SAPP – put up their respective candidates, they could garner combined votes of around 6,000, leaving a BN candidate way behind with only about 3,500 votes. But BN would still win because of the "strategic" split in the opposition camps. He said a similar situation was also likely in adjacent Tempasuk state seat. The combined votes of the opposition could outnumber BN's but because of the split, BN will retain Tempasuk. For the record, in the last general election in 2008, there was a three-cornered fight for Tempasuk. BN won the seat after its candidate polled 6,541 votes. PKR garnered 4,109 and an independent took only 191 votes. As for Kadamaian in 2008, BN-PBS Herbert Timbon Lagadan chalked up 5,382 votes, followed by PKR Lukia Indan's 2,909 and independent Peter Marajin's 1,729. "There is no question that this time [2012], votes for the opposition would increase in almost all areas and everyone can feel it and even BN leaders acknowledge this. "But the one factor that can ensure BN will win in Sabah is the split opposition votes," said an observer who is also an NGO leader. Meanwhile, there is no signal that SAPP is re-engaging with Pakatan after being slighted by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's conniving manoeuvres. READ MORE HERE |
| ESQUIRE: Raja Petra Kamarudin Posted: 10 Oct 2012 01:42 PM PDT 
In our October Rule-Breaking Issue, we talk to a man who is no stranger to pushing the boundaries. Ever since he started his controversial website Malaysia Today, blogger and activist Raja Petra Kamarudin has butt heads with the law, law-makers, and even the law-makers' greatest critics. We sat down (over Skype, as he, at the time of the interview, was in Manchester, England) and chatted with RPK about his views on Malaysia, bullying, and stirring trouble. Here are seven choice quotes:
I attended an English school from standards one to five and a Malayan school in standard six. But in form one, I went to an all-Malay school and I knew what hell was like. Imagine the bullying: I was Malay, royalty and didn't speak a damn word of Malay. I didn't last. To me, it wasn't a school—it was a prison sentence. I think that's why after I was detained and sent to Kamunting, I didn't find it so bad because I had already served two years in Kuala Kangsar. I had a job for two years but I didn't have the discipline to work because I can't obey rules. I support the opposition's cause but that doesn't mean I support the opposition. Supporting the opposition's cause is very different from supporting the opposition. If I support democracy, it doesn't mean I support America. I can be anti-America yet pro-democracy. This is what the opposition doesn't understand. They think if we accept something, it has to be lock, stock and barrel.
Malaysians have become a lazy bunch of people. When it involves checking the facts or doing some research, that's too much bloody work. And that's how we seem to make our decisions, whether it's decisions of religion, investing or which government we should vote for. We follow the gang. If the gang says we do it, we do it. But can the gang explain why?
I just want to be eccentric, to do and say crazy things. People wouldn't normally write the things that I write—but I will. So, you will have an opinion of me: love me or hate me. There's nothing in between. But at the end of the day, I would have made my mark on you.
I provoke to see how you think and to prove to you that you're unable to think. So, if you want to debate me, you better do some research. Learn how to articulate your ideas, then come back and let's debate. READ MORE HERE |
| Ada agenda tapi tidak bincang isu Faekah Posted: 10 Oct 2012 01:36 PM PDT 
Perkara itu disahkan oleh Setiausaha Agung PKR, Datuk Saifuddin Nasution melalui khidmat pesanan ringkas (SMS) kepada FMT. Fazy Sahir, FMT Walaupun wujud agenda mengenai isu cadangan memecat Setiausaha Politik Menteri Besar Selangor, Faekah Husin namun tiada perbincangan lanjut dibuat dalam mesyuarat biro politik Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) malam tadi. Perkara itu disahkan oleh Setiausaha Agung PKR, Datuk Saifuddin Nasution melalui khidmat pesanan ringkas (SMS) kepada FMT. Mesyuarat biro politik parti ini merupakan mesyuarat mingguan dan kebiasaannya diadakan pada setiap Rabu. Isu ini timbul kembali apabila sekumpulan ahli parti di Selangor mendesak agar Faekah dipecat melalui satu sidang media pada Isnin lalu. Faekah sebelum ini mengulas untuk menyerahkan keinginan ahli parti tersebut kepada PKR Pusat. Sementara itu, sumber berkata agenda atau usul mengenai pemecatan Faekah ini bukan kali pertama berlaku, namun tiada tindakan drastik diambil mengenainya. Ini menurut sumber agenda pemecatan tersebut hanya disuarakan oleh sesetengah pimpinan dan ahli bersekutu dan bukannya suara majoriti. Lebih-lebih lagi ia didakwa membabitkan sesetengah pimpinan tertinggi parti yang tidak mempunyai hubungan baik dengan Faekah. "Faekah mempunyai hubungan baik dengan Presiden (Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah) dan Ketua Umum (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim). Yang menentang Faekah hanya segelintir sahaja," kata sumber. Umum mengetahui Faekah merupakan bekas pembantu khas Wan Azizah dan kini diberi tanggungjawab membantu Menteri Besar Selangor, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. |
| Pemuda PAS sokong kenyataan Haron Din Posted: 10 Oct 2012 01:33 PM PDT 
Berikutan buku bekas ahli Parlimen India, Jawid Akbar yang menganggap Islam hanya untuk menjalin persaudaraan dan bukan untuk menubuhkan sebuah negara. Amirul Azam Zulkafli, FMT Dewan Pemuda PAS Malaysia (DPPM) hari ini memberikan sokongan penuh terhadap kenyataan Datuk Dr Haron Din bahawa Islam adalah teras utama dalam membangunkan sebuah negara yang berlandaskan tuntutan syiar dan syariat Islam. Baru-baru ini, bekas ahli Parlimen India, Mubasyar Jawid Akbar ada mengeluarkan buku yang menganggap Islam hanya untuk menjalin persaudaraan dan bukan untuk menubuhkan sebuah negara. Ketua Pemuda DPPM, Nasrudin Hasan berkata, PAS menolak fahaman sedemikian justeru ia lebih berpaksi kepada doktrin fahaman Islam liberal dan masyarakat umum tahu bahawa PAS adalah sebuah parti yang berpandukan Islam dan Islam adalah penyelesaian yang terbaik bagi semua masalah ummah termasuk menyelesaikan permasaalahan negara. Haron yang juga Timbalan Mursyidul Am PAS telah mengeluarkan kenyataan berkenaan Islam adalah satu cara hidup yang lengkap dan syumul.
Islam menawarkan apa sahaja yang melengkapkan kehidupan manusia, termasuklah soal pembentukan dan pentadbiran negara. Sekaligus melambangkan Islam sebagai ad deen yang lengkap dan komprehensif. Persoalan ini adalah jelas kedudukannya di dalam Al-Quran dan Nabi saw juga telah mempraktiskannya. Tidak bersetuju dengan Mubasyar "Dengan yang demikian, kami di peringkat DPPM menyokong penuh kenyataan beliau", katanya dalam kenyataan hari ini. "Kami memang tidak bersetuju dengan Mubasyar mengenai apa yang diceritakan di dalam bukunya yang bertajuk 'Tinder Box : The Past and The Future of Pakistan'. Lantaran kami yakin bahawa Islam adalah penyelesaian yang terbaik untuk semua aspek. Menurut Nasrudin lagi, manusia tidak boleh mengasingkan atau menghadkan Islam hanyalah untuk menjalinkan persaudaraan, walhal, untuk membentuk sebuah negara, pentadbiran yang amanah, tidak menerima dan memberi rasuah, tidak tiris serta menjaga kebajikan rakyat juga adalah salah satu asas yang sangat ditekankan perlaksanaannya oleh Islam. "Kami dari DPPM menegaskan bahawa kami akan terus istiqamah atau konsisten mengambil Islam sebagai wadah utama dan solusi yang terbaik dalam segala perkara yang ingin dilakukan atau dilaksanakan. "Pada masa yang sama , kami tetap menghormati budaya dan agama lain serta komited mewujudkan suasana harmoni dan sejahtera dalam masyarakat majmuk di negara ini. Justeru Islam adalah agama rahmat, agama keadilan dan agama yang membawa kemakmuran sejagat jika ianya dilaksanakan dengan baik," kata Nasrudin lagi. |
| Jangan shiok sendiri Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:05 PM PDT
And this is what happens when you close your mind and refuse to look at the bigger picture. You are just one person with one vote. You may even be amongst four million like-minded people. But then 10 million people will be coming out to vote in the 13th General Election. And how many of these 10 million are following the TV news every night? And how many of these 10 million have been swayed by what they saw on TV? NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin I asked you this question last week: are you guys and gals following the news on the mainstream media, in particular the TV news? Most likely the answer is 'no', and for obvious reasons -- because the mainstream media, in particular the TV stations, are government-owned/controlled. So you are boycotting the mainstream media plus you don't trust what the mainstream media, in particular the news on TV, says. Okay, I can understand that reason although not necessarily I agree with it. Basically, you are not interested in what 'the enemy' has to say. So you shut your eyes and ears to what you consider 'government propaganda'. I can see from the comments that you post here in Malaysia Today plus the comments in the other Blogs and news portals that you express your views in 'total isolation'. You already have your own views and perception on what the situation is and you make comments based on this belief. Again, I can understand this. This is the culture of most religionists. Followers of religions have been conditioned and indoctrinated to do this. Hence, if you are a follower of a religion, this is how you would do things. You would read and listen to things that you feel are the truth and you would close your eyes and ears to what you consider false or lies. Malays, for example, are not encouraged to read literature or attend lectures on, say, Christianity. You would never find Malays attending Sunday school. In fact, if they do the Religious Department would probably arrest these Malays plus those Christians behind that Sunday school. The Sunday school may even turn the Malays away and not allow them to join the class lest they run foul of the government and risk getting closed down. That is how sensitive the matter of Christians preaching to Muslims is in Malaysia (and most Muslim countries). So, how do Malays get to know about Christianity? What the Malays know about Christianity is what the Muslim religious teachers tell them. Hence their understanding of Christianity is based on 'Muslim propaganda'. The Muslim religious teachers tell them certain negative things about Christianity and this is their understanding of Christianity. In other words, what most Malays know about Christianity is what other Muslims tell them, not what the Christians tell them. And most times what they have been told about Christianity is meant to run down Christianity and to give Christianity a negative image. Let me put it another way. If, say, I hate the Jews and you ask me about the Jews, certainly what I tell you about the Jews will be very negative. But you will not travel to Israel to find out for yourself what the situation really is. Your source of information is based on what a Jew-hater has to tell you. Will not, therefore, your views on Jews be very negative? So, you read only pro-Pakatan Rakyat websites and attend pro-Pakatan Rakyat functions. Hence your source of information is from Barisan Nasional-haters. You have only one source of information. You do not get to hear from the other side. And you believe that what you have been told is true and what the other side says, which you do not listen to anyway, is false. And this reflects in the comments you post here in Malaysia Today and in the other (pro-Pakatan Rakyat) websites. You believe that what you believe is true and that the other side of the story is false. And, most damaging of all, you believe that what you believe is the same as what the majority of Malaysians also believe. Hence you are amongst the majority and not the minority. Let me quote another example. Say a Muslim was to talk to you about Islam being the true religion, etc. You then ask that Muslim what evidence he or she can offer to prove this. As 'evidence', this Muslim will quote various verses from the Qur'an. The verses from the Qur'an are the evidence to support the argument that Islam is the true religion. But is not the Qur'an the 'product' of Islam? So how can the Qur'an, the product of the religion, be that evidence? If the tree were poisonous, would not the fruit of the tree be equally poisonous? The same would apply to a Christian who talks to you about Christianity. Jesus is the Son of God and the saviour. How does this Christian know this? He or she then quotes verses from the Bible as 'evidence' to support that argument. Again, is not the Bible the 'product' of Christianity? So how can the Bible, the product of the religion, be that evidence? If the tree were poisonous, would not the fruit of the tree be equally poisonous? Religionists do not appear to grasp this logic. Hence there is no logic in their argument and they end up arguing in circles. They are selling the concept of the authenticity of their religion. However, although they are ones doing the selling, they refuse to prove that what they say is true. Instead, they ask you to prove that what they say is false. In short, you insist that God exists. But you do not have to prove that God exists. Instead, I have to prove that God does not exist. The onus is on me to prove that you are wrong and not on you to prove that you are right. But it is you, not me, that is doing the selling. So how come I need to do the proving (or disproving)? Can you see how the mind of a religionist works? They are in a mode of self-deception. Then they accuse us of being deceived (in this case by the devil who has misled us). So how do you reason with such people? They are beyond reasoning. They have made their minds up and no amount of logic or reasoning is going to change their mind. And these are the same people who have made their minds up that Pakatan Rakyat is going to win the coming general election and is going to form the next federal government. But what do they base this conclusion on? They base this conclusion on the fact that they believe this is so and hence if they believe this then the majority of other Malaysians would definitely also believe this. No Christian would agree that he or she is following a false religion and is going to hell rather than to heaven. No Muslim would agree that he or she is following a false religion and is going to hell rather than to heaven. But how can both the Muslim and Christian be right? One has to be right while the other has to be wrong. Or can both be wrong? Yes, Barisan Nasional is confident that it is going to win the election. Pakatan Rakyat is also confident that it is going to win the election. And you, the followers of each of the respective coalitions, also believe what your party believes. But you can't both be right. One of you has to be right while the other must be wrong. Both cannot win the election. One has to lose. And this is what happens when you close your mind and refuse to look at the bigger picture. You are just one person with one vote. You may even be amongst four million like-minded people. But then 10 million people will be coming out to vote in the 13th General Election. And how many of these 10 million are following the TV news every night? And how many of these 10 million have been swayed by what they saw on TV? Do you know? Do you even watch the TV news? The answer is probably 'no' to both questions. Aren't you going to heaven while the other (competitor) is going to hell? That is what both Muslims and Christians believe. But both can't be right. |
| Perkasa vs Suaram: Of demons and lies Posted: 09 Oct 2012 05:49 PM PDT 
The statement by the French prosecutor, says an article published on the Perkasa website, can be considered as a full-stop for Suaram's 'web of deceit'. RK Anand, FMT An article published on the Perkasa website has condemned Suaram as a thick-skinned manufacturer of fabrications while at the same time launched a salvo against its so-called demonic funders, the Zionists and George Soros, and their nefarious agenda. Described as an opposition-infiltrated NGO, Suaram was also accused of orchestrating a mission towards regime change in this nation under the guise of championing human rights. The article was responding to French government prosecutor Yves Charpenel who told Bernama that there was no ongoing trial in France with regard to the controversial Scorpene submarine deal. He said that the matter was still being probed by two French judges. "I am aware about all the fuss kicked up by certain media [organisations] in Malaysia over this matter but what I can say is that this is nothing more than a trial by the media," he had added. In an immediate reaction, Suaram's lawyer William Bourdon said that there had never been a question of an ongoing trial as the investigating judges were still continuing their inquiry. "The Tribunal deGrande Instance has convened a criminal inquiry of which Suaram has been accepted as a civil party since March 2012. Upon completion of the inquiry, the investigating judges will make the decision of whether the case goes to full trial," he had explained. The Perkasa article however claimed that Charpenal's statement could be considered as the full-stop for Suaram's web of deceit. "Despite faltering numerous times, the thick-skinned Suaram will issue denials and is not ashamed to face the media, and the people of Malaysia, continuing with their lies and charades. "Perhaps because Suaram has received enormous [foreign] funds, it has no choice but to continue peddling lies with the hope that Malaysia's Islamic government will eventually collapse," it read. The article also noted that Charpenel had said that the investigating judges had no right to conduct cross-border probes or interrogations. Launching a regime change mission It pointed out that Suaram had however claimed in the past that a trial was underway and certain high-profile figures could be slapped with subpoenas as well as released documents in the French language purportedly as evidence to substantiate its accusations. "This proves how low are the characters of those who are behind Suaram, which calls itself a defender of human rights. "It is as if Suaram has made a fool of everyone and spat on their faces with its willingness to lie in order to fulfill the agenda of the 'syaitan' [demon] which brings destruction through war and murder with the help of another 'syaitan' which manipulates the world's currency market," it read. READ MORE HERE |
| Anwar, PKR under fire Posted: 09 Oct 2012 05:18 PM PDT 
(The Star) - A top PAS leader has lashed out at PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, while another is questioning the party's co-operation with the DAP. PAS deputy spiritual adviser Datuk Dr Haron Din reportedly questioned Anwar's association with a former MP from India who had allegedly belittled Islam, while former Sik MP Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Shahnon Ahmad said cooperating with the DAP was not in line with Islamic teachings. Joining the fray yesterday was former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa, who defended his two party colleagues for speaking up. Dr Haron's criticism followed Anwar's attendance at the launching of a book entitled Tinderbox: The Past and Future of Pakistan written by a former Indian MP Mobashar Jawed Akbar who was quoted by Antarapos.com as saying that Islam could not be used as the basis for establishing a country. The portal also quoted Akbar as saying during the event that if Islam was capable of that, then Singapore would not have separated from Malaysia. Haron expressed regret that PKR had given Akbar the opportunity to present his liberal views in Malaysia. Saying Anwar's association with Akbar did not involve PAS because he had his own ways of doing things, the portal quoted him as saying: "That is Anwar's politics and his politics is not based on Islam. So he is not like us." Nasharudin said Haron had a right to make his views known as he was the deputy Mursyidul Am of PAS. "What Shahnon said could be based on his observation of recent developments in PAS, especially the open statements by DAP leaders on the implementation of hudud,'' he added. Nasharudin said he supported the statements by both leaders and remained firm in his stand that PAS should re-examine its cooperation with the DAP. |
| Nasha plotting with Umno to destroy Pakatan, PAS leaders say Posted: 09 Oct 2012 05:12 PM PDT Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Several PAS lawmakers today openly rebuked Nasharuddin Mat Isa for his latest attack against DAP, accusing the senior party leader of conspiring with Umno to cause a split in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) ahead of the next general election. Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad raised suspicion over the timing of Nasharuddin's latest anti-DAP statement, pointing out that "it was not yesterday" that both PAS and DAP had become partners in PR. "Read between the lines," Khalid said at a press conference in Parliament today, when commenting on Nasharuddin's "Christian conspiracy" allegation against DAP yesterday. He alleged that Nasharuddin, who currently sits as a member of PAS' highest decision making body, the Syura Council, was likely aiming to be punished by the PAS leadership when he made the statement during a speech in Putra World Trade Center (PWTC). "It looks like this is what he wants. It is so close to the elections. He has been sitting in the Syura Council all this time but has remained silent till now... it was not just yesterday that we were with DAP. "To me, this is an action planned and conspired by him with those on the outside... namely Umno," he said. Nasharuddin yesterday earned the ire of his DAP allies again when he revived the "Christian conspiracy" allegations against the secular party, an issue that has been used repeatedly by Malay right wing groups and hardliners in Umno purportedly to warn away the Malays from supporting PR. In a speech at PWTC, the former PAS deputy president reportedly alleged that DAP leaders had led prayers to turn Malaysia into a Christian state during a thanksgiving dinner held after the Sarawak state election in April last year. Rubbishing his colleague's words, Khalid asked Nasharuddin why he had not raised the matter before in the Syura Council of the PAS Central Working Committee (CWC). "Surely if he has proof and his words have basis, the PAS leadership would take action," the parliamentarian said. Furthermore, Khalid said, there was little sense to Nasharuddin's remarks as DAP's founding struggle was not for Christianity or any other religion. "They are a Democratic Action Party. Unlike PAS, where it is expressly stated in our Constitution that Islam forms our founding struggle, DAP is multireligious, multiracial and multicultural. "Is Karpal Singh (DAP chairman) a Christian? Are Lim Guan Eng (secretary-general), Lim Kit Siang (adviser) and Teng Chang Khim Christians?" he asked. PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub (picture), who was also present at the press conference with Khalid, later agreed with his colleague but said the matter should be left up to the Syura Council to deliberate on. Earlier today, several DAP lawmakers came out to deny the allegation and demanded that Nasharuddin wishdraw his remarks and issue a public apology to their party. READ MORE HERE |
| What’s keeping Malaysia’s Opposition together? Posted: 09 Oct 2012 04:57 PM PDT 
Pakatan Rakyat is an alliance of profoundly different backgrounds, with secularists, theocrats, conservatives and progressives working together. Bridget Welsh, The Malaysian Insider What keeps the Malaysian opposition Pakatan Rakyat (People's Alliance) together? The quick answer often given is the common search of political power. While power frames the relationships between three disparate political parties - Islamist PAS, secular-committed Democratic Action Party and the umbrella reform-oriented PKR of Mr Anwar Ibrahim - it is not the glue of the opposition alliance. Were this the case, PAS would have left the coalition when UMNO floated the offer of joining the government in 2008 and intense jockeying took place within PAS. The answer lies in the three parties' shared moral compact. Pakatan Rakyat is an alliance of profoundly different backgrounds, with secularists, theocrats, conservatives and progressives working together. In a world wracked with tensions over religion and misunderstandings, Malaysia's opposition stands out in bucking international trends of difference. CORRUPTION IN EVERYDAY LFE Three common principles bind the Opposition together. The first is deep concern with endemic corruption. The problem of corruption is not new, and while Malaysia's practices are assessed above many in Asia, including Indonesia, what has become increasingly apparent is that it has crossed the line of acceptability for many Malaysians. Survey results show that an overwhelming majority view their officials as corrupt and believe that their officials do not abide by the law. Scandal after scandal, from the National Feedlot Corporation and Scorpene, to the recent revelations about the extension of the Ampang LRT, has inundated citizens. While there are many civil servants who work hard to deliver services, there are pressures within the system to conform to predatory practices. Malaysian corruption was initially concentrated among the elite through the practice of "money politics". But more and more, it is extending into everyday issues such as school fees, crime prevention and service provision. Most basic food items, such as sugar and rice, are tied to non-transparent deals of politically-aligned businessmen, as are bigger items such as cars through Approved Permit licence allocations. These weaknesses in governance share a common moral thread - a privileged minority using the system to their advantage, and this is hurting the majority and widening inequality. FAIRNESS AND THE PLAYING FIELD This leads to the second shared principle - fairness. The three political parties each have a different take on what is fair, but there are areas of similarity: Namely, everyone should have a seat at the table; everyone should be treated fairly in a court of law; and social and economic inequalities should be minimised. This shared view of fairness extends into the outrage over unfair legal decisions and deep-seated concerns about poverty and displacement of many Malaysians. Pakatan's conception of citizenship has evolved into one in which all Malaysians are exactly that — Malaysians. It is a modern view of citizenship, in which everyone has rights and the government is to respond to the people, not the other way round. The Opposition's moral compact is also driven by a mutual interest in expanding democratic governance to level the political playing field. Calls for the removal of the Internal Security Act (which was suspended and replaced by the more benign but less tested Security Offences Act earlier this year), electoral reform, freedoms of assembly, religion and speech, among other things, all fall under the umbrella of expanding political space and rights. Ever since the reformasi movement of 1999, opposition activists have joined forces in highlighting democratic deficits and showcasing reasons for an expansion of democracy. Each protest and political crisis has brought the opposition together - from Bersih 1.0 in 2007, to the defections and subsequent takeover of the Perak state government in 2009. The bonds forged by protesting together are strong. Since 2008, there have been significant efforts to rupture the Opposition's moral compact on multiple fronts. The charges of sodomy and corruption have been tied to attempts to discredit opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and raise doubts about his moral calibre to lead. The introduction of issues such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual (LGBT) rights puts pressure on the relationship between the liberals and others within the Pakatan Rakyat. The sensitive "Allah" issue that rose to the fore in 2010 tested the Islamists' position. The push for Malay rights under the rubric "Ketuanan Melayu" reflects efforts to reinforce ethnic supremacy over shared humanity and equality, to reimpose the social contract of the past. Each of these issues has not broken the ties between the opposition actors, and it is in part due to the prominence of the underlying principles that bring them together. THE PROBLEM OF HUDUD This is not a moral compact without problems, however. The biggest challenge for the Opposition lies within. It has to do with an issue being negotiated throughout the Muslim world: The place and form of Islamic law, notably hudud. Globally, Islamist political parties from AKP in Turkey to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt are grappling with how to bring about Islamic governance while maintaining rights. For liberals, the introduction of measures such as hudud violates the shared democratic ideals, as there remains deep mistrust of Islamists in office. For secularists, hudud violates their view of governance. Doubts persist in some quarters about whether the Islamists will continue to hold to the ideals in office, respect different religious rights and, importantly, tolerate difference within their own community. Detractors point to Algeria and Iran as testimony to a potential violation of trust. Others more open-minded highlight the negotiated paths of Turkey and Morocco. For Malaysia, the hudud issue remains on the agenda, unresolved and unlikely to be so before polls. In public remarks, Mr Anwar has stressed the centrality of dialogue and principle of consensus. There appears to be a working agreement to agree to disagree. Among Islamists there has been a global trend towards greater accommodation of difference and an appreciation of constitutional frameworks for governance. Many in the PAS old guard, nevertheless, are tied to the vision of a religious theocracy that is increasingly becoming outmoded, even in Egypt where the President comes from one of the historically strongest advocates of these measures, the Muslim Brotherhood. Islamists the world over are having to reprioritise their principles in order to govern societies, and PAS will have to as well. What is important is that it will need to do this on its own terms, rather than respond to ultimatums from allies and opponents alike. Hudud will remain salient to this campaign, because at its core, it puts pressure on Malaysia's Opposition to reassess, reaffirm and reinforce their common moral priorities. It is this common ground however, that is Pakatan's moral compact — and for now it is on firm ground. — Today Bridget Welsh is Associate Professor of Political Science at the Singapore Management University. |
| Biro Politik PKR akan bincang kedudukan Faekah malam ini Posted: 09 Oct 2012 04:52 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Isu berkenaan dengan kedudukan Setiausaha Politik Menteri Besar Selangor, Faekah Husin dijangka akan dibincangkan dalam mesyuarat mingguan Biro Politik PKR malam ini. Ekoran desakan daripada beberapa pemimpin PKR Selangor dan juga biro politik negeri baru-baru ini agar Faekah dipecat dari jawatannya berikutan komen kepada media menjawab kenyataan Timbalan Presiden PKR, Azmin Ali, perkara ini terpaksa dibincangkan untuk meredakan keadaan. Azmin Ali sebelum itu menyentuh kedudukan Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim mungkin tidak lagi menjadi menteri besar Selangor jika Pakatan Rakyat (PR) mengambil alih Putrajaya selepas pilihan raya umum (PRU) ke-13. Sinar Harian Online melaporkan sumber memberitahu surat meminta agar Faekah diambil tindakan telah dihantar kepada Setiausaha Agung PKR, Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, semalam. "Ya, surat sudah dihantar kepada lembaga disiplin menerusi Setiausaha Agung, jadi saya percaya bahawa pejabat Setiausaha Agung akan membawa perkara ini kepada Biro Politik untuk memutuskan sama ada lembaga disiplin perlu mengadakan siasatan atau sebaliknya. "Kandungan surat ini meminta agar Faekah diambil tindakan disiplin... bentuk tindakan kita serahkan kepada pusat, walaupun ada yang meminta beliau dipecat (sebagai Setiausaha Politik Menteri Besar)," kata sumber dipetik dari Sinar Harian Online. Biro Politik dianggotai oleh pemimpin-pemimpin kanan PKR dan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim juga kebiasaannya akan hadir. Dalam sidang media baru-baru ini, Ketua Penerangan PKR Selangor, Shuhaimi Shafiei berkata, kepimpinan parti itu menyerahkan sepenuhnya isu gesaan Faekah dipecat kepada Jawatankuasa Disiplin PKR untuk dipertimbangkan. Bagaimanapun beliau enggan mengulas lanjut berhubung pertikaian itu termasuk desakan yang dibuat Pengarah Pilihan Raya PKR Selangor, Borhan Aman Shah pada sidang media kelmarin. "Saya tiada komen lanjut kerana perkara ini telah diusulkan kepada pihak terlibat untuk diserahkan kepada Jawatankuasa Disiplin," katanya. Malah semalam, Azmin yang juga Pengerusi PKR Selangor berkata, beliau menyerahkan kepada Setiausaha Agung parti berhubung dengan isu kedudukan Faekah. Isu berkenaan dengan pemecatan Faekah telah lama dibangkitkan akan tetapi isu tersebut reda seketika. Namun begitu baru-baru ini Faekah kembali diserang akibat daripada tindakannya mengkritik Azmin secara terbuka. |
| Sponsor a guide dog puppy Posted: 09 Oct 2012 04:34 PM PDT 
THIS IS THE PUPPY, SPARKLE, THAT I SPONSORED
|
| No room for dissent in DAP Posted: 09 Oct 2012 04:24 PM PDT 
(NST) - A former DAP leader yesterday cautioned those who wished to join the party that its top leadership do not have much tolerance for dissent. Wangsa Maju member of parliament (MP) Wee Choo Keong said the leadership style in the DAP had not changed since he left the party in 1998. "If I'm not mistaken, more than 150 leaders have either been sacked, forced out or resigned due to their ability to be opinionative against the party leadership," he said. Wee was commenting on recent reports where several groups who wanted to join DAP were prevented from forming new branches by the party leadership. Wee said one was only encouraged to form branches that was in "alignment with the Lim dynasty", in reference to DAP supermo Lim Kit Siang and his son secretary-general Lim Guan Eng. On Monday, it was reported that former DAP branch chairman of Taman Seri Sungai Pelek in Sepang had applied to establish six new branches but the party had never responded. Last month, delegates at a Perak DAP convention had also accused party leaders of preventing members from forming new branches. Wee said that it was highly unlikely that the relatively large number of former DAP leaders who were forced to leave the party over the years have all been 'bad apples'. Some of these former DAP leaders included the then, Seputeh MP and national vice-chairman Liew Ah Kim, Sandakan MP and national treasurer Fung Ket Wing, DAP Penang chief Teoh Teik Huat, Johor state chairman K. S Song and Bukit Bintang MP Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye. "If you are threat to the Lim dynasty, you cannot even talk at a forum within the party, let alone speak your mind outside," he said. Recalling his removal from the party, Wee said he was given the boot due to the nature of his responses to certain questions posed at a forum. "Those answers were not favourable to the Lim dynasty," he said. Wee explained that during the DAP's disciplinary committee meeting on his case, he had not been allowed to call witnesses on his own behalf. "DAP is shouting for freedom, and what is happening contradicts the very concept of national justice, where one has the right to be heard," he said. Wee said one had to bow down to the "supremos" in order to form new branches. As a DAP leader, Wee, who was considered as a "rising star" at that time was elected as a member of parliament for Bukit Bintang from 1990 to 1995. He was sacked from the party in 1998 and moved on to Parti Keadilan Rakyat 10 years later after being persuaded to join the party by de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He remained in PKR for two years, where after much speculation, he finally quit. It was reported that Wee said he was leaving the party because he was disappointed with the Pakatan Rakyat state-led government's handling of alleged corruption in Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd. He resigned from all party posts which included his deputy chairman post in Federal Territory PKR and supreme council membership.
|
| Budget 2013: Both Pakatan and Barisan Should Focus on Job Creation Posted: 09 Oct 2012 04:03 PM PDT 
Khoo Kay Peng We have seen the budget presentation from both sides of the political divide. Both coalitions are addressing socio-economic issues through various forms of grants, subsidies and assistance. However, we have not seen much about the need to create jobs locally. At present, more than 30% of graduates are unemployed due to several reasons. Prospective employers opine that our local graduates lacked the necessary communication skills and English language proficiency. Some blame the attitude and excessive remuneration demand.
Whatever the reasons, there are several issues which must be addressed before the subsidy pie grows bigger in the near future.
The Economist reported that the global economy would have to create 600 million jobs over the next 8 years. A number of developed economies such as Japan, South Korea and China are facing acute competition for jobs even though their respective economy is still growing.
Malaysia's problem is no different. We are not creating enough jobs at the top of the value chain to accommodate enough knowledge workers. The presence of more than 2 million low skilled migrant workers is a serious symptom of a lack of will to enhance quality and adopt value added processes.
The economy must start looking at the possibility of hiring local workers to fill their manpower need. The government should focus on providing assistance and incentive to companies hiring more local workers instead of being overly dependent on cheap foreign labour. With Indonesia's economy growing, there is going to be a shortage of workers in the construction and plantations sectors. We need to prepare for the eventuality. The government needs to find out why locals shunned working in these sectors. Retail and F&B are also increasingly dependent on foreign workers.
According to the report, the "job engines" of the past two centuries were usually new technologies, such as the steam engine, electricity, new seed varieties, or new types of manufacturing. Growth was also driven by more trade, easier transport, instant communications, and better rule of law.
What's Malaysia new "job engines"? Apart from the costly LRT extension, what else has been planned to provide affordable and efficient public transport to the people?
Malaysia's export oriented economy is also facing immediate risk next year from the slowdown in our traditional export markets : US and Europe. Hence, less jobs are going to be created in the next year or so. What is the government going to do to ensure that the economy continue to create jobs? READ MORE HERE |
| Anwar should control Azmin’s agenda Posted: 09 Oct 2012 03:55 PM PDT 
A PKR in disarray is Anwar in disarray because we know they are one and the same. CT Ali, FMT Before Anwar Ibrahim can lead Pakatan Rakyat into battle with Barisan Nasional at the 13th general election, before he can ask for the people to cast their votes his way, before he can seriously think that he can be prime minister, before all this can happen, he must first put right what is wrong within PKR. A PKR in disarray is Anwar in disarray because we know they are one and the same. I have been told many times by those in PKR that the affairs in the party are not the concern of anyone except those in PKR. But in an election year even how Maggi Mee and Kachip Fatimah do the marketing of their products is of interest to everybody – what more the happenings in PKR. That is why when PKR deputy president Azmin Ali tells us that Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim will be given a Cabinet post should Pakatan win the government, we want to know whether this is Azmin talking, PKR/Anwar talking or Pakatan talking? And more to the point, if Khalid is given a Cabinet post, who will be menteri besar of Selangor? Surely not Azmin! The entire fracas has taken me back to January this year when we were awaiting the verdict on Anwar's Sodomy ll trial. What was uppermost in my mind was not whether Anwar would be found innocent or guilty of that charge. Either way, I know that the trial has already turned many of our people against Najib Tun Razak and Umno, and will hurt them where it matters most – at the ballot box. So any verdict would be a victory for Pakatan. Of more concern to many of us was what would happen in PKR if Anwar was incarcerated? Who would take over PKR? Surely not Azmin? Today the same question is being asked: who will take over Khalid's place as menteri besar of Selangor. And the reason is very simple. Khalid may have his faults but there is no questioning of his integrity and his commitment to good governance in Selangor. Consider these: - under him, Selangor has recorded its best financial result in 28 years;
- state government's revenue increased by RM200 million during the first six months of this year;
- the state's cash reserve stood at RM918 million at the end of 2010, and much higher todate;
- investment increased by RM557 million as at June 30, 2011 compared with RM668 million as at Dec 31, 2010. With the two sources combined it will be RM1,760 million compared wsith RM1,580 million for the same period in 2010;
- the state micro credit programme had distributed RM50 million to the people with money generated from debt collection; and
- the state government had now digitalised almost two million records and the cost came from the debt collection.
Azmin's misgivings Now what has Azmin done since he became deputy president of PKR? His battle cry during the 2010 party elections was reform: clean up and refocus on PKR. What has he cleaned up within PKR and what has he refocused PKR towards? Like Najib, everything that you want Azmin to do, he has promised to do or said he will do. Like Najib, all that we want him to be, he will be. Like Najib, we know that what he does within PKR is not for PKR but for the advancement of his political agenda. So are we going to endure Azmin any more? As they say, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. So how is that Anwar is unable to see the misgivings we have for Azmin's position as PKR deputy president? READ MORE HERE |
| Polls after Deepavali? Posted: 09 Oct 2012 03:51 PM PDT 
Is Pakatan facing a wipe-out in Selangor, given the innumerable number of 'new' names on the voter list. Selena Tay, FMT According to DAP's Teluk Intan MP, M Manogaran, sources are speculating that the 13th general election is targeted for November but before that a big national Deepavali celebration will be held by Barisan Nasional to woo the Indian voters. Well, we will just have to wait and see if this is true. If indeed the polls are to be held on the last weekend of November, Parliament will have to be dissolved latest by Nov 5 as the current Parliament sitting is scheduled to go on till Nov 27. This means that the budget will have to be re-tabled in the new parliament term. The terminology used in this matter is: "to re-do the budget". In the meantime, the focus is still on the controversial electoral rolls and Pakatan Rakyat. Several non-governmental organisations will be seeking to hold a rally in the Bukit Jalil Stadium on Nov 3 to protest the fact that the electoral rolls have yet to be cleaned up. Based on the current electoral rolls, there are 10 Pakatan MPs who are most likely to lose their parliamentary seats in the 13th general election. The 10 are: 1. Nurul Izzah Anwar (Lembah Pantai, PKR) 2. R Sivarasa (Subang, PKR) 3. William Leong (Selayang, PKR) 4. Zuraida Kamarudin (Ampang, PKR) 5. Titiwangsa (a PAS seat. A young PAS lawyer will be contesting this seat.) 6. Dr Siti Mariah (Kota Raja, PAS) 7. Dzulkefly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor, PAS) 8. Khalid Samad (Shah Alam, PAS) 9. Charles Santiago (Klang, DAP) 10.Teo Nie Ching (Serdang, DAP) Looking at the above list, one can see that eight out of the 10 seats are in Selangor. The two KL seats are Lembah Pantai and Titiwangsa which belonged to the late Dr Lo'lo' Ghazali of PAS. This simply shows that Selangor is under severe threat from the BN side. As for Nurul Izzah, in 2008 she won by a majority of 2,895 votes. Currently, there are over 10,000 new names in her constituency. Dzulkefly won by a slim margin of 862 votes in the previous general election. He too has over 10,000 new names in his constituency. Both will need a miracle to win this time around as all their efforts and hard work may not be sufficient. Wipe-out ahead? So is Pakatan going to face a massive wipe-out? The Election Commission's (EC) stubbornness in refusing to clean up the electoral roll certainly indicates that something is afoot. Is the EC really impartial and independent? The Pakatan MPs have written to the EC several times to initiate a meeting in regard to the electoral roll but all to no avail. The EC officers' reluctance to meet with the Pakatan MPs to discuss issues pertaining to the electoral roll does not reflect well on the former's professionalism. These officers must realise that they are public servants. The rakyat pay taxes and pay their salaries. Therefore the EC's duty is solely towards the rakyat. This shows that under the the Najib administration, things have become worse and the same goes for the Auditor-General's Report. As at time of writing, the Auditor-General's Report is still not out yet. Sad to say, the Najib administration has the worst performance in regard to the Auditor-General's Report. During Dr Mahathir Mohamad's tenure it was always on time, sometimes one, two or even seven days earlier. If not, then the Audit-General's Report was always on the table of all MPs on the same day that the budget is presented. During Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's tenure, it was late at times but not more than three days late. Najib Tun Razak's tenure is the worst. Last year, it was 17 days late. Looks like all the hype surrounding the Key Performance Index (KPI) is just for show only as even the crime rate seems to have worsened. Najib's lost control Even the influx of foreign workers has become worse. There are daily press reports of gangfights and killings among foreign workers and this gives a bad image to the country. READ MORE HERE |
| Presiden Gaps, Hamidzun Khairuddin, didakwa salah laku Posted: 09 Oct 2012 03:44 PM PDT 
Berikutan dakwaan penyelewengan tersebut Hamidzun Khairuddin telah disenarai hitam oleh PKNS. (FMT) - Presiden Gabungan Anti-Penyelewengan Selangor (Gaps) yang kerapkali membongkar pelbagai dakwaan kononnya berlaku penyelewengan di negeri Selangor kini didakwa pula melakukan penyelewengan. Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) Selangor telah menemui beberapa dokumen yang menyatakan bahawa Hamidzun Khairuddin ini pernah melakukan penyelewengan ketika menjadi peguam kepada Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS). Penyelaras Bersama SAMM Selangor Azhar Achil mendakwa penyelewengan tersebut telah menyebabkan beliau disenarai hitam oleh PKNS. "Walaupun kononnya Hamidzun telah membayar semula wang selepas itu setelah dipaksa tetapi dari segi profesionalisme guaman ia tetap merupakan suatu kesalahan," kata Azhar dalam satu kenyataan media. Beliau selaku penyelaras SAMM Selangor membuat laporan polis di IPD Sabak Bernam semalam ke atas kewujudan dua dokumen yang menyatakan penyelewengan yang dilakukan Hamidzun. Menurutnya, Hamidzun ialah rakan kongsi dalam syarikat peguam Zamri Ibrahim & Co. yang telah menyeleweng wang ketika menjadi panel peguam PKNS. "Satu siasatan harus dilakukan dan jika benar perkara ini berlaku beliau seharusnya dilucutkan dari menjadi seorang peguam kerana jelas telah menipu dan dikhuatiri ramai lagi akan tertipu dengan gelaran peguamnya itu," kata Azhar. |
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
