Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- BN tak mahu berubah, rakyat wajib tukar
- Nik Aziz beri lampu hijau Hadi tanding Pekan
- Shafie puts foot in mouth about Sabah oil and basic politics
- Is Indonesia Ngruki Islamic school teaching terrorism?
- Ordinary, average Muslims are not easily confused – their faith is strong!
- Yang Kamu Semai, Itulah Yang Kamu Tuai!
- Sabah BN ‘sensibly’ confident
- BN could lose 8 parliament seats in Pahang
- Minister urges employers not to hire by race
- Pakatan’s ties do not bind, says Dr M
- Hadi Awang says ready to challenge Najib in Pekan
- Leave religious matters to relevant bodies, political parties told
- Splits in the Singapore elite
- Cubaan takutkan orang Melayu
- Saifuddin: PR belum ada ketetapan Hadi tanding di Pekan
- Malaysia – revisiting the secular state debate
- Lawyer denies giving false information on Suaram
- Klang leaders back Karpal’s proposal
- Anti-hopping Bill ‘against federal laws’
- DAP campaign lorry stolen
- Trouble in Sabah: PKR’s ‘ori’ vs ‘photocopies’
- Manikavasagam to be dropped?
- Do they know what we want?
| BN tak mahu berubah, rakyat wajib tukar Posted: 03 Nov 2012 12:50 PM PDT
(Harakah Daily) - Rakyat wajib menukar kerajaan yang ada pada hari ini memandangkan Umno BN tidak bersedia membuat perubahan. "BN tak bersedia buat perubahan jadi kita wajib mengubah kerajaan hari ini. |
| Nik Aziz beri lampu hijau Hadi tanding Pekan Posted: 03 Nov 2012 11:14 AM PDT
(Sinar Harian) - Hasrat Presiden Pas, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang yang mahu bertanding di Parlimen Pekan, Pahang pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13 (PRU13) disambut baik dan direstui Mursyidul Amnya, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat. "Dia (Abdul Hadi) adalah presiden parti, jadi apa (hasrat) yang dicakapkan kita akan turut dan sokong demi kebaikan parti serta perjuangan Islam. "Saya sangat menyokong sekiranya Abdul Hadi benar- benar mahu bertanding di Pekan pada pilihan raya akan datang untuk menentang mereka yang mengagun-gagungkan perjuangan kebangsaan daripada memilih agama," katanya kepada Sinar Harian ketika ditemui di rumahnya, semalam. Nik Aziz yang juga Pengerusi Majlis Syura Ulama Pas tidak terkejut dengan pengumuman Abdul Hadi yang ingin berhijrah ke Pahang walaupun tidak dapat memberi jaminan sepenuhnya sama ada kemenangan memihak kepada parti mahupun pihak lawan. "Sekarang ini menang atau kalah itu lain hal, apa yang penting adalah sokongan kepada beliau setelah menunjukkan keberanian untuk bertanding di kerusi disandang Perdana Menteri," katanya. Tanpa menunjukkan kebimbangan terhadap kerusi Parlimen Marang sekiranya dilepaskan Abdul Hadi nanti dengan penghijrahannya ke Pekan, Nik Aziz mengharapkan perjuangan tersebut disokong penuh. Nik Aziz juga Menteri Besar Kelantan turut menyuarakan kebimbangan sekiranya pilihan raya yang berlangsung di Pekan tidak dilaksanakan dengan adil. "Saya minta ketika pilihan raya nanti tidak ada pengundi- pengundi hantu yang mempengaruhi keputusannya," katanya. Dalam masa sama, Nik Aziz juga turut memuji keberanian Abdul Hadi itu untuk melawan mana-mana calon yang dilihat menolak kepada perjuangan Islam.
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| Shafie puts foot in mouth about Sabah oil and basic politics Posted: 03 Nov 2012 11:06 AM PDT
Isn't it ridiculous to reject an increase in oil royalty on the ground that we need to share our good fortune with the non-oil states? If we believe in this twisted economic logic then we should share whatever we have – everything including wealth as well as problems. Why not share our misfortunes as well, such as our highest poverty rate, lack of developments, illegal immigrants and high prices of basic commodities? Daniel John Jambun In Datuk Shafie Apdal's comment about the opposition's promise to give 20% royalty for its oil if it was voted to power, he stressed only two important points, that is, Sabah shouldn't take 20%"because it needs to share its wealth" and "the opposition should not makes promises that causes rift among the people." I have one thing to say about what he said: these are some of the dumbest and most idiotic statements we have heard in the political history of Sabah. It is no better than when Datuk Salleh Said Keruak said the people should blame themselves for the increase in illegal immigrants inSabah, or when Tun Mahathir said the illegals in Sabah should be given citizenships because they can speak Bahasa Malaysia! How ridiculous of Shafie to say that Sabah needs to share it wealth with non-oil producing states in Malaysia. First of all the oil belong to us, but 95% is being taken away. All we are asking for is this 95% being taken away be reduced to 80%. That's still a lot of sharing to satisfy Shafie. Strangely, he admitted he himself wants 20% royalty but at the same time said he is happy with 5%! What? He rather sees Sabah remain poor, rather than get a little bit more of what belong to us in the first place. Isn't it ridiculous to reject an increase in oil royalty on the ground that we need to share our good fortune with the non-oil states? If we believe in this twisted economic logic then we should share whatever we have – everything including wealth as well as problems. Why not share our misfortunes as well, such as our highest poverty rate, lack of developments, illegal immigrants and high prices of basic commodities? Doesn't Shafie realize that with just 20% oil royalty, we can already solve most of these problems? Is he saying that we decided to be part of Malaysia so that the Federal Government can take away what we have and cause us to be the poorest state? No, we formed Malaysia with the promises of progress, development and wealth, not this poverty which Shafie seems to prefer. Being part of the Federal Government, Shafie is also an accomplice in the scheme to strip Sabah of its wealth, and he is admitting he prefers it that way! The other silly thing Shafie said is that the opposition is making this promise to cause a rift among the people. Is Shafie still a greenhorn in politics, or is he now behaving like the typical Umno leaders who are telling the people that we shouldn't speak up the truth because "it causes disunity among the people"? Has he forgotten that we are living in a democratic society and now thinks we are in an autocratic regime? How stupid to say that we shouldn't say anything in politics to cause rifts among the people! This is what we politicians have been doing since day one –to speak the truth and to expose lies of the other party to educate the people, and now we have "caused a rift among the people" (memecah-belahkan rakyat), that is to cause them to go into at least two camps, the ruling coalition and the opposition! Is Shafie against this? Does Shafie prefer it if we don't have any election and everyone joins the BN? Will that be good for us, or for Shafie, in the long run? Ther we don't need politics, we don't need elections of parliament! What I suspect is that Shafie is very worried that the real rift is happening in the BN. Many BN members have long started to love the promise of 20% royalty and had left the BN to support the opposition, causing a rift among the BN members (not among the people), because as Shafie says, who doesn't want 20% royalty? I would advise Shafie to refrain from making childish statements in the future as if we the rakyat are so uneducated, backward and unable to think intelligently.
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| Is Indonesia Ngruki Islamic school teaching terrorism? Posted: 03 Nov 2012 11:02 AM PDT
(BBC) - "When our religion is threatened and when we're deprived of our right to follow the Islamic law, that's when we have to do defend our faith." As recent terror arrests in Indonesia refocus attention on the country's fight against extremism, the BBC's Karishma Vaswani looks at the Islamic school said to have nurtured many of the militants. Amrozi, Mukhlas, Idris, Mubarok - all men who were involved in the deadly Bali bombings on 12 October 2002. But they have something else in common - they all graduated from the Al Mukmin Islamic boarding school in Solo - more commonly known as Ngruki. Indonesian officials believe the school is actively teaching radicalism and spreading messages of hate among its young students. They point to the list of graduates from Ngruki, which reads like a Who's Who of Indonesia's terror world. Authorities say the September arrests of suspected militants in Solo have also shown a link to the school - at least three of the men captured spent some time studying at Ngruki. "All this group came from Ngruki," Ansyaad Mbai, Indonesia's anti-terror chief told the BBC. "It means that this radical ideology is coming from Ngruki." Mr Mbai said Ngruki, which was co-founded by Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, is still heavily influenced by the radical cleric, even though he is behind bars. Ba'asyir, thought to be the spiritual head of South East Asian militant network Jemaah Islamiah (JI), was jailed for 15 years on terror-related charges last year. "Even though he is behind bars, he remains an influence," said Mr Mbai. "He gives orders to the militants and preaches sermons telling people to carry out jihad." 'Don't assume' Ba'asyir was jailed in June for giving support to militants in Aceh provinceOn the surface, the boarding school looks benign enough, although far more conservative than most Indonesian schools. Some young girls are covered from head to toe in black burkhas, with only their eyes visible. The boys wear traditional Muslim attire and are not allowed to talk to or mingle with any of the females. Parents have to pay to send their children here - one of the administrators says budgetary restraints mean only a small percentage of the student body get scholarships. Lessons cover a mix of the national curriculum and some subjects that Ngruki has added in to the mix - such as Arabic. The huge mosque in the centre of the school is being renovated, so the children have to attend afternoon prayers in the gym. Hundreds of young boys line up faithfully to offer their prayers: There is the usual children's mucking around that children do too, with boys giggling and whispering to each other before they are called to attention by teachers. But there are other, more unusual signs. On the school's noticeboard there is a news story printed from a radical website about Ba'asyir. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20177008 |
| Ordinary, average Muslims are not easily confused – their faith is strong! Posted: 03 Nov 2012 10:58 AM PDT
It is difficult to understand the so-called Muslim elites who constantly and consistently convey the erroneous message that Islam is under threat and that the Muslims will be easily misled. P. Ramakrishnan The protest against the Shah Rukh Khan movie My name is Khan has baffled P Ramakrishnan, who points out that the film has been screened without much problem in many countries with a sizeable Muslim population. So just who are the people "confused"? They always seem to suggest that Muslims must be sheltered and protected otherwise they can go astray and embarrass their religion. The latest episode involves the screening of the movie My name is Khan by TV3 on the second day of Hari Raya Aidil Adha. The Muslim youth movement, Abim, has strongly protested against this film, claiming that Shah Rukh Khan's film My name is Khan "confuses Muslims as it promotes liberal Islam and religious pluralism, and warned Malaysian broadcasters not to air the hit film". Abim vice-president Ahmad Saparudin Yusuf "gave examples of scenes in the film such as the Muslim hero marrying a Hindu heroine, saying that it is 'clearly against Islam's teachings'". He also pointed out "that the depiction in the film of acceptance and mixing of other religions' worship methods with Islam's, as well as giving zakat or alms to non-Muslims were 'confusing'". This film has been available in Malaysia since March 2010. It has been screened in cinemas and the film's CD has been widely sold. In the two and half years that it was around, thousands upon thousands of Muslims and other Malaysians have seen and enjoyed the film. Is there any evidence that the average, ordinary Muslims in Malaysia have become confused about Islam because of the film? Has their faith in Islam been eroded as a result of seeing this film? My Name is Khan has been shown in many Muslim countries where the film is very popular. It has become the highest Bollywood earner in the Middle East. It has been screened in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria in March 2010 when the film was released. In Indonesia, the country with the biggest Muslim community, the film was so popular when it was first released that it grew from six to 14 screens. In all these countries there was no protest against or any negative reaction to what was depicted in the movie. No one took offence to the film. In India, the country with the biggest Muslim population outside Indonesia, there was no problem whatsoever. Besides Islam, many other religions and various forms of worship exist on a daily basis in that country. People are tolerant and accept the fact that others have a right to their religion. As a matter of fact, religions co-exist in India. In real life, Shah Rukh Khan – a Muslim – is married to a Hindu woman. This has not upset the Muslims in India or anywhere else. Knowing this fact has not prevented the Malacca state government from conferring on him a datukship. Even Tun Dr Mahathir on his visit to India made it a point to meet up with him. So who are the people who are confused? The average, ordinary Muslims are of stronger faith and they are not easily confused!
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| Yang Kamu Semai, Itulah Yang Kamu Tuai! Posted: 03 Nov 2012 10:35 AM PDT Tanda-tanda UMNO kalah sudah menjadi nyata. Orang UMNO tidak pernah sasau melakukan kekasaran, membuang poster lawan, menyimbah cat dan membaling batu, mengacau ceramah parti lawan, membuat ugutan fisikal, menyekat pergerakan pihak lawan dan sebagainya. UMNO Dato Onn sehingga UMNO Hussein Onn tidak pernah melakukan perkara ini. Sakmongkol AK47 Saya ada membaca suatu berita yang menyatakan bahawa orang Melayu Johor akan menyekat kemaraan PR. Kenyataan itu boleh jadi ada kebenarannya. Tambahan pula PR tidak pernah menyasarkan kemenangan total di Johor. Kita pun tahu, mustahil lah UMNO kalah semua. Mereka akan menang di Pekan. Mereka menang di Pagoh. Kita hanya menyatakan UMNO akan kalah secukupnya untuk membolehkan PR memerintah. Kita tahu UMNO cukup kuat di Johor dan orang Melayu Johor cukup tebal dengan semangat keUMNOan mereka. Bacaan harian mereka selepas Subuh selain Yasiin, ialah Utusan Malaysia dan tontonan mereka ialah TV3. Kita semua tahu jenis orang Melayu yang membaca dan menonton dua jenis media ini. Itulah yang menerangkan mengapa Melayu Johor sokong UMNO. Namun, terdapat juga kelompok Melayu yang sedar bahawa sokongan membabi buta kepada UMNO adalah merugikan. Sokongan kepada manusia adalah sokongan bersyarat yakni qualified support bukannya absolute support. Kita menyokong kerajaan dan pemerintah selagi mereka bersikap adil. Atas dasar itu, untuk negeri Johor cukup setakat 9-12 kerusi parlimen jatuh ketangan PR. Bila PR pegang Kerajaan Persekutuan, kita akan tahu asal usul MP dan ADUN UMNO. Belum sempat teh tarik segelas habis, mereka akan lompat masuk PR. Biarlah mereka berada dalam alam mimpi mereka. Mereka tidak terbayang bahawa UMNO akan tewas. Tapi 2008 membuktikan bahawa UMNO tidaklah sekuat yang mereka sangkakan. Calon UMNO pun hanya memperolehi 2 juta undi orang Melayu. Majority Melayu sudah menolah UMNO. Ertinya, bumi di atas mana mereka berpijak sudah berganjak dan beralih. Profail pengundi telah berubah. Rakyat memiliki kesedaran social yang kian meningkat. Pemerintah dan kerajaan tidak lagi di lihat sebagai sesuatu yang memaksa ke atas mereka; kerajaan dan pemerintah ada suatu wadah yang melaluinya, rakyat mencapai matlamat dan objektif-objektif tertentu. Ertinya, rakyat mulai sedar, bahawa baik atau jahat sebuah kerajaan bergantung kepada mereka yang membentuknya. Bila mereka sedar meraka yang sebenarnya berkuasa, maka kuasa untuk membetulkan keadaan pun ada dalam tangan mereka. Maka hari ini, kesedaran sosial yang paling bernilai ialah kesedaran bahawa pemerintah yang adil adalah pemerintah yang disembah, pemerintah yang tidak adil adalah pemerintah yang disanggah. Sementara pemimpin UMNO korap dan bongkak, orang Melayu sudah bertambah yakin kepada diri mereka sendiri. Tanda-tanda UMNO kalah sudah menjadi nyata. Orang UMNO tidak pernah sasau melakukan kekasaran, membuang poster lawan, menyimbah cat dan membaling batu, mengacau ceramah parti lawan, membuat ugutan fisikal, menyekat pergerakan pihak lawan dan sebagainya. UMNO Dato Onn sehingga UMNO Hussein Onn tidak pernah melakukan perkara ini. Hari ini semua perkara ini suatu kebiasaan kepada ahli UMNO seolah olah pemimpin UMNO mengajar anak buah nya tidak disiplin. Ini semua menandakan UMNO sudah berada dalam keadaan cemas. UMNO sanggup mencetuskan kacau bilau apabila melihat zaman pemerintahannya akan berakhir. Kalau UMNO mempunyai rekod yang baik seperti yang dipekikkan oleh Dato Najib, apakah yang hendak ditakutkan? Bukankah kita hanya perlu menunjukkan satu jari, semua masalah akan selesai? |
| Posted: 03 Nov 2012 10:09 AM PDT
A Barisan Nasional loyalist in Sabah thinks the threat of a growing opposition is good for BN's younger politicians. Pushparani Thilaganathan, FMT Sabah Barisan Nasional seems unfazed by the spins spewing out of the political rumour mill and are confident of retaining the state albeit having more opposition faces in the state assembly and losing some parliamentary seats. But that's alright, says Sekong assemblyman Samsuddin Yahya because Umno BN is 'overall' confident about its voters loyalty and will not lose its clout in the upcoming 13th general election. "We are not worried about the Muslim and KDM (KadazanDusunMurut) votes. We are confident. Only the Chinese seats worry us. KK (Kota Kinabalu) is most a difficult seat for us because it is majority Chinese," he told FMT recently. He was alluding to the widespread reports that the opposition was making damaging inroads into the Muslim and KDM communities in the state and that the state BN could lose up to 20 parliamentary seats in the next election Samsuddin's Sekong constituency comprises both these communities and some Chinese. Sekong and Karamunsing sectors come under BN-Parti Bersatu Sabah held Batu Sapi parliamentary constituency. The Batu Sapi parliamentary constituency is adjacent to Sandakan bordering Libaran and Kinabatangan. Sandakan is a pipeline of BN loyalists. In the 2010 Batu Sapi by-election, BN won the seat by a 6,359 vote majority. PBS rode on Umno's support against a divided opposition. BN-PBS candidate Linda Tsen faced off with PKR's Ansari Abdullah and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Yong Teck Lee. At that time SAPP was attempting an alliance with Pakatan Rakyat but seat allocations was always the issue. BN, said Samsuddin, is confident of retaining the Batu Sapi parliamentary seat this time round. And again local observers add, it will be because the opposition coalition is still divided. For reasons best known to the local political circles here, SAPP can't seem to gel with the opposition parties, all of whom are clamouring to lead the people into the next general election. No group seem to want SAPP. SAPP and BN A former chief minister under the Sabah CM-rotation system, Yong's personal and political history has much to do with this. The politics here spout a love-hate relationship with him. Some don't trust Yong, others hate his guts. But Umno, it appears is good with him. A local political analyst went so far as to say "Umno needs him before and after GE. They're old flames" Whilst in the BN coalition, SAPP contested in four seats and won with Umno's help two parliamentary and two state. But SAPP quit the coalition in 2008 and has since been in the wilderness, having tried to hook up with Pakatan and then local State Reform Party (STAR) under Jeffrey Kitingan but to no avail. Now its four seats are being horse-traded within BN with every other partner in the party staking a claim.
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| BN could lose 8 parliament seats in Pahang Posted: 03 Nov 2012 09:38 AM PDT
It would be wrong for Barisan Nasional to assume that the votes garnered by the opposition in Pahang in the 2008 polls were protest votes. Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz, FMT In 2008, the vote swing to the opposition in Pahang was around 9%. Allowing for a generous re-gain of 5% by Barisan Nasional, the opposition Pakatan Rakyat still has a 4% vote swing. In Raub, Pakatan saw a 45% swing, while in Jerantut (46%), Temerloh(46%), Indera Mahkota (50%), Kuantan (52%) and Bera (43%). Based on 2008 performance, six seats showed great promise for Pakatan. The opposition won in Kuantan and Indera Mahkota. Both seats were won by PKR. But this time round, with the racial factoring, and a simple vote swing of 4%, my projections are that Pakatan could well win eight parliamentary seats in Pahang. The seats are Cameron Highlands, Raub, Kuala Lipis, Jerantut, Temerloh, Indera Mahkota, Kuantan and Paya Besar. This is because there are a few peculiar features shown by Pahang and which are capable of being generalized. (1) Areas with a large Malay population do not necessarily lead to easy wins for BN. Jerantut, Temerloh, Indera Mahkota and Kuantan all have majority Malay voting populations. But in each of these areas, Pakatan secured 46-52% of the votes. Pakatan got 40% votes in Kuala Krau and 43% in Bera. (2) It means Malays are more discerning and are ready to evaluate their voting preference in terms of the costs and benefits. (3) Jerantut in particular with a population of 81% Malay voters saw Pakatan took home 46% of the votes. (4) As a rule, if Pakatan puts up a Malay candidate in these areas, the Malay votes are easily split 50:50 How stable was the vote swing to the opposition? Very often, the gains made by Pakatan were dismissed as protest votes. 'Votes for Pakatan are stable' They probably were but no one is sure how much of the swing to the opposition in 2008 was done in the name of protest. And to assume that all were protest votes would be a big mistake. The swing to the opposition can only be attributed to the people having made a choice based on conviction and belief.
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| Minister urges employers not to hire by race Posted: 02 Nov 2012 07:17 PM PDT
(TMI) - Employers in this country have been reminded not to practice racial discrimination in the recruitment of workers. Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said they should be transparent and not put certain conditions that prevent certain races from joining their organisations. "If there is evidence of discrimination, the ministry can take action against the employer in accordance with the provisions of existing laws," he told reporters after opening Batu Caves Library in the compound of Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple here today. Subramaniam was commenting on a study by a news portal on the tendency of employers in Malaysia to favour a particular race than other races. He added the ministry would examine the basis of the study before taking further action if necessary. At the event, Subramaniam donated books to the library that has nearly 6,000 titles in Tamil literature and religion. |
| Pakatan’s ties do not bind, says Dr M Posted: 02 Nov 2012 07:14 PM PDT
(TMI) - Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad regards the co-operation among the opposition parties as temporary and only to win the coming general election. Unlike the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, which had close co-operation and understanding among them for 55 years, he said there was often no consensus in the opposition Pakatan Rakyat pact and no plans for the future. "We must remember that the pact is not a coalition. It is an unwritten agreement to co-operate to fight BN, that's all," he said. He noted that certain quarters were reported to want to give a chance to the opposition in the upcoming general election, thinking that they were like BN. Speaking to Malaysian journalists after delivering a public lecture to about 1,000 guests comprising university students, academicians and corporate figures from all over Sudan yesterday, Dr Mahathir said the opposition did not have a development agenda for the country, much less to look after the interest of the people. "What has been promised is to raise to 20 per cent the (petroleum) royalty for some state governments. So, other states without oil will lose out and this means only the states which have oil can be developed. "Even now, with the 5 per cent royalty we pay, they are so rich, far richer than other states," he said. On the opposition's shadow cabinet, which was said to be still vague, the country's fourth prime minister said it was normal. "They have the ambition to rule Malaysia. As such, they need to set up what is called a shadow cabinet but it is only a shadow. "They find it difficult to select a leader because everyone wants to be a leader. Anwar Ibrahim (the opposition leader) thinks he will be prime minister but other people also have big ambitions." Dr Mahathir said promising to have 10 to 15 deputy prime ministers in the shadow cabinet was just bait for the opposition parties to co-operate. A foreign newspaper recently pointed out that Anwar's interest in a shadow cabinet had remained vague, despite expressing his interest a few times since the last general election in 2008. The report said the shadow cabinet model, found mainly in Britain and Australia, would mark each individual cabinet minister who play a role in criticising the current government and its policies, while offering alternative solutions. Dr Mahathir who arrived in Khartoum Wednesday, earlier opened the Malaysia-Sudan Trade and Investment Forum, here. He will leave for Oman today. |
| Hadi Awang says ready to challenge Najib in Pekan Posted: 02 Nov 2012 07:10 PM PDT
(TMI) - PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has announced his readiness to challenge Umno giant and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for the Pekan seat in Pahang in the coming 13th general election, Sinar Harian has reported. The veteran PAS leader, however, said the decision would be left to the party's central leadership to decide. "I will heed the party's decision and will leave it to the party. The party will make the decision... including whether it will direct me to stand in the Pekan parliamentary seat," he was quoted as telling reporters at the Terengganu PAS Muslimat election fund launch yesterday. Abdul Hadi has been active in politics for more than three decades since his entry into the Islamist party in 1978. The 65-year-old politician was Terengganu mentri besar for one term from 1999 to 2004, before the state fell back into Barisan Nasional (BN) hands in the 2004 general election. Pekan's incumbent Najib, who is also Malaysia's sixth prime minister, was the Pahang mentri besar between 1982 and 1986, and was also known as the youngest politician to take on the post at 29 years. The Kuala Lipis-born Najib first ran for elections in 1976 and has been an elected representative since then. |
| Leave religious matters to relevant bodies, political parties told Posted: 02 Nov 2012 06:16 PM PDT (The Star) - MCA respects the position of Islam in the country but does not want political parties to claim authority over religious matters, said its central committee member Datuk Ti Lian Ker. He said there were already institutions authorised to regulate Islamic matters and political parties should allow them to perform their duties. "The public should not confuse political parties with institutions like the National Fatwa Council. No political party should encroach into the jurisdiction and authority of these institutions," Ti told reporters here yesterday. He said MCA respected the law and the Federal Constitution but it would not tolerate political parties that ran foul of and sidelined the Islamic institutions by implementing their own version of the law. "The hudud law that is to be implemented by PAS is inconsistent and not in line with real Islamic law. For example, the PAS spiritual leader has said that this would be enforced on non-Muslims as well. "From time to time, PAS also amend its law to fit its political agenda. So, it cannot be said that PAS law is the same with hudud law," he said. Ti, who is also Kuantan MCA chairman, said the division would continue to support party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek in voicing public concerns on PAS' version of hudud. "It is a flaw to say that we cannot comment when a political party wants to legislate laws in whatever form in the name of Islam. "It is not right to intimidate or threaten non-Muslims who have questions and want explanations," he added. Hundreds of members from 12 Muslim NGOs had earlier gathered at the Kuantan MCA headquarters to hand over a memorandum demanding that Dr Chua retract his statements, which they claimed had insulted hudud and Islam. Ti said he regretted the manner in which the group had gathered, adding that they were shouting "aggressively" in a provocative manner. He also slammed the group for being selective when DAP chairman Karpal Singh himself had also spoken against hudud. |
| Posted: 02 Nov 2012 06:07 PM PDT
New Mandala The dramatic electoral setbacks suffered by the People's Action Party government in Singapore during 2011 have led to speculation about the possibility of a future opposition victory. A major line of thinking within the opposition camp is that such a change would most likely come about following a serious split in Cabinet, whereby a strengthened parliamentary opposition could align itself with a dissident faction in Cabinet. Should such a development come about it would be emulating the 'Taiwan model', whereby democracy and a change of government were brought about when the Guomindang's President Lee effectively endorsed the opposition Democratic Progressive Party and brought about a two-way split in his own party and a three-way split in his party's popular vote. I contend that this is a most unlikely development in Singapore for three distinct reasons. The first and main reason for this logic is that the Singapore elite is much more risk averse than the Taiwan elite ever was. Singapore is so much smaller than Taiwan; its economy is so much more fragile and vulnerable to the mood swings of international finance and markets, that such a split is unlikely unless the country itself is nearly on its last legs. Dissidents in Cabinet would be, in their minds, putting at risk the fundamentals that give the international financial and investment markets confidence in Singapore, and I do not believe that they would take such a risk. The second reason I doubt the likelihood of such a scenario is a little counter-intuitive: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has used the PAP's electoral setbacks in 2011 to consolidate his stature within in the elite. By effectively shifting the blame for the parliamentary losses onto others – most notably his own father – and by ensuring that he has been given credit for the result not being any worse than it was, he has now, for the first time, stepped out of his father's shadow and clearly established himself as the master of the situation. His party lost a significant amount of electoral ground in 2011, but Lee successfully stage-managed the narrative of the election after the event, beginning on election night itself, during which the Elections Department actively cooperated to allow him to mount the podium and claim victory as the government's white knight and saviour. He is now fully in charge of Cabinet and has used his new power ruthlessly to push aside the deadwood and the duds who had been pulling the party down. Before the 2011 results there had been some dissident rumblings in Cabinet, but even then this did not amount to very much. Former Nominated MP Viswa Sadasivan told in interview in January 2011 that he had become used to government MPs and even one or two Cabinet members congratulating him for his forthright and highly critical speeches in Parliament – but they would not speak out themselves, nor even associate themselves with dissenting voices. This is decidedly not the stuff of which Cabinet splits are made! The third reason I doubt the likelihood of a split in the elite is that the best chance for such a split came and went in the mid-1990s when Goh Chok Tong was prime minister. Goh tried to use his position as PM and his control of the Ministry of Finance through his close ally, Finance Minister Richard Hu, to wrest the reins of power from the Lee family – father and son. He was doing this through a deliberate campaign of supplanting the Lee family's patronage in the civil service and in the huge and powerful government-linked company (GLC) sector. The campaign promised to be particularly effective in the GLC sector. The key instrument of patronage in this campaign was the secretive Directorship and Consultancy Appointments Council (DCAC) which at the time was responsible for the appointment of boards and executive positions across the whole of the GLC sector, and which operated under the authority of the Finance Minister Hu. Read more at: http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2012/11/02/splits-in-the-singapore-elite/
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| Posted: 02 Nov 2012 06:02 PM PDT
(Sinar Harian) - DAP Selangor mendakwa terdapat usaha pihak tertentu yang cuba memburuk- burukkan parti itu melalui tiga risalah diedarkan kepada orang ramai di sekitar Kelana Jaya. Setiausaha Pengelolanya, Lau Weng San berkata, perkara itu dikesan apabila pihaknya menerima aduan daripada orang awam berhubung pengedaran risalah itu di sebuah kondominium di Seksyen 7 di sini, kira-kira tiga minggu lalu.Menurutnya, ketiga-tiga risalah itu didakwa cuba memburuk-burukkan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) terutamanya DAP, Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim dan Buku Jingga. Weng San berkata, beliau percaya tindakan tidak bertanggungjawab itu dilakukan musuh PR tetapi tidak menamakan mana-mana pihak. "Saya percaya tujuan risalah ini diedarkan adalah untuk menakutnakutkan pengundi Melayu di kawasan tersebut dengan menyatakan DAP parti rasis dan sebagainya. "Kerja macam ini hanya akan dilakukan oleh musuh PR kerana kita dapati ia tidak mempunyai nama penerbit dan pencetak pada risalah tersebut," katanya pada sidang media di ibu pejabat DAP Selangor, di sini semalam. Menurutnya, beliau berharap masyarakat tidak tertipu dengan risalah diedarkan itu dan dapat menilai dengan bijak dasar yang PR laksanakan. Katanya, sebarang isu yang ditimbulkan di dalam risalah tersebut telah dijawab oleh PR sebelum ini. "Isu-isu dibangkitkan di dalam risalah itu tidak benar kerana kita dah jawab sebelum ini dan sekiranya ada pihak tak berpuas hati lebih baiklah berdebat atau mengadakan perbincangan mengenainya. "Tindakan seperti ini melambangkan budaya politik tidak beretika dan tidak matang umpama membaling batu sembunyi tangan," katanya. Dalam pada itu, Weng San berkata, pihaknya sedang meneliti tindakan selanjutnya yang perlu diambil berhubung pengedaran risalah itu. |
| Saifuddin: PR belum ada ketetapan Hadi tanding di Pekan Posted: 02 Nov 2012 06:00 PM PDT
(Sinar Harian) - PKR, salah satu komponen Pakatan Rakyat (PR) belum membuat sebarang pendirian berhubung hasrat Presiden Pas, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang untuk bertanding di kerusi Parlimen yang disandang Perdana Menteri di Pekan, Pahang. Setiausaha Agung PKR, Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail ketika dihubungi Sinar Harian Online berkata, setakat ini hasrat Hadi masih belum dibincangkan di peringkat pusat. "Pengumuman harus dibuat oleh Pas untuk mengesahkan hal ini. "Kita tidak bincang lagi di peringkat pusat jadi masih tidak ada ketetapan parti dalam hal ini," ujar beliau. Semalam, Hadi membuat kejutan apabila mengumumkan beliau sedia bertanding di kerusi Parlimen Pekan pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13 (PRU13). "Saya ikut keputusan parti, serah kepada parti. Parti akan membuat keputusan termasuk jika parti menyuruh saya bertanding di Parlimen Pekan," katanya pada Majlis Pelancaran Dana PRU13 Dewan Muslimat Pas Negeri Terengganu semalam. Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditanya adakah beliau akan kekal sebagai calon Marang atau mempunyai perancangan untuk bertanding di luar Terengganu pada PRU nanti. Beliau bagaimanapun berkata, kedudukan calon yang bertanding di mana-mana kerusi tertakluk sepenuhnya kepada keputusan parti. Hadi sebelum ini dilaporkan berkata berkemungkinan besar bertanding di kerusi Parlimen Marang pada PRU13 selepas hasrat beliau untuk tidak bertanding ditolak Pas. Beliau memberi alasan bahawa pencalonan beliau di Parlimen kelak memudahkannya untuk bergerak di peringkat pusat, lebih-lebih lagi untuk melaksanakan tanggungjawabnya sebagai presiden parti. "Seboleh-bolehnya satu (kerusi) sahaja. Itu yang saya minta. Terpulang kepada partilah (untuk menentukan sama ada Parlimen atau Dun) tetapi saya lebih mudah di Parlimen untuk bergerak di peringkat pusat," katanya awal Februari lalu.
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| Malaysia – revisiting the secular state debate Posted: 02 Nov 2012 05:56 PM PDT
Ahmad Farouk Musa, New Mandala One of the most contentious issues in our country is the debate on Islamic State vis-Ã -vis Secular State. It should be highlighted at this initial point that the Islamic State concept was borne out only early in the twentieth century after the demise of the Ottoman Caliphate. Irrespective of which divide we are on, one basic fact that we have to agree upon is that the terminology Dawlah Islamiyyah or Islamic State was never mentioned in the Qur'an. However, Islamic State remains the main agenda of political Islam that defines Islam as ad-deen wa-dawlah or "religion and state". It could be argued that since there is no single predominant interpretation of what an Islamic state is, a vicious contestation still exists among the Islamists about the concept of Islamic State. The realm of as-siyasi – the political It is also worth noting from historical evidence that Muslims have been fighting against each other for centuries over political power. Rachid Ghannouchi leader ofHizb en-Nahda – The Renaissance Party – quotes a renowned Muslim historian, Shahrastani, as saying that it was on a question of political power that Muslims drew sword, fought each other and shed blood of one another. And because of this, Ghannouchi distinguishes what he calls as ad-deeni – the religious, sacred or absolute – to that of as-siyasi – the political, profane or relative. The main problem Muslims especially are facing is in the realm of as-siyasi. Many Muslims including some conservative political activists from the Islamic Party especially in the Ulama' and Youth wings are insistent on the idea of replicating the Medinan city-state model of the seventh century. The Qur'an is considered as a constitution that spells out everything that is needed to form a "truly Islamic" government. Obviously this understanding is anything but a fallacy. The Qur'an only lays the basic foundation that guides mankind. As the erudite Muhammad Asad said: "Every generation faces different circumstances and thus many laws and ways for society cannot be fixed for all time. This is also why the Qur'an fixes time-less law, ethics and restrictions that are universal in its appreciation. The companions of the Prophet were not left with a set of rules as to how to settle disputes or lead their worldly lives. However they were compelled to perform ijtihad or independent reasoning, using God-given faculty in order to find their own ways. The en-Nahda leader, Ghannouchi argues that if Islam is the final divine revelation to humanity then it is only appropriate that no fixed prescriptions are given for matters that are of a changing nature such as governing a country. Muslims should be able to exercise their independent reasoning to devise suitable solutions for emerging problems. And the result of this exercise, Islam is then suitable for all times and all places. Many Islamists argued that the Qur'an provides a solution to every single problem that faces humanity. Many verses have been cited to prove that Muslims need not find answers anywhere else. Among the most famous is: Today have I perfected your religious law for you, and have bestowed upon you the full measure of My blessings, and willed that self-surrender unto Me – al-Islam – shall be your religion." [al-Ma'idah– The Repast 5: 3]. And another verse is: 'No single thing have We neglected in Our decree." [Al-An'am – Cattle 6: 38] In interpreting these verses, Ghannouchi asserted that many misunderstood them to mean that the Holy Qur'an has a solution to every problem whether major or minor. However what these verses really meant is that while some answers are already there, which if considered absolute, belong to the realm of ad-deeni; only guidelines and foundations are provided in the case of as-siyasi, so that Muslims may search for the detailed answers in accordance with the requirements of their respective time and place. To exemplify this, Ghannouchi draws the attention to the Qur'anic declaration that: "And there is no living creature on earth but depends for its sustenance on God". [Hud11: 6] For in spite of such a declaration many creatures, including human communities, die of thirst and hunger. Where is then their sustenance? Their sustenance has indeed been stored in the earth and the heavens, but to become readily available, it requires exploring, an exertion of effort, on the part of those to whom it has been destined. The need for human intellectual exegesis Having said that, we have to acknowledge the fact that there exist shortcomings of a great deal of what we may believe to be sacred. The acceptance of God as Lord of the universe does not mean that everything is a priori. Islam is not a panacea that provides ready-made answers to all human problems. Muslim scholars have not solved all the problems of humanity, in history and for all times. Rather, Islam provides a moral and just perspective within which Muslims must find answer to all human problems. Ultimately governing a state is a human endeavor. And there is only one thing that could rescue us from our current impasse: democracy. Democracy is essential for any Muslim group and only democracy could guide Muslim societies towards Islam, where the operation of the community and the demands of Islam are freely debated and refashioned. This point needs further examination because a key and stubborn misperception of Muslims in regard to democracy is based on the notion that in Islam sovereignty belongs to God, while in democracy it belongs to people. This is a naive and erroneous notion or interpretation. God IS the true and ultimate Sovereign, but He has bestowed a level of freedom and responsibility upon the human beings in this world. God has decided not to function as the Sovereign in thisworld. He has blessed humanity with revelations and His essential guidance. We are to shape and conduct our lives, individually and collectively, according to that guidance. But even though essentially this guidance is based on divine revelation, its interpretation and implementation are human. God does not seek to regulate all human affairs and instead leaves human being considerable latitude in regulating their own affairs. In the Qur'anic discourse, God commanded the angels to honor man because of the miracle of human intellect – an expression of the abilities of the divine. When we humans, search for ways to approximate God's beauty and justice, we do not deny God's sovereignty; instead we honor it. But if we were to say that the only legitimate source of law is the divine text, and that human experience and intellect are irrelevant to the pursuit of the divine will, then divine sovereignty will become an instrument of authoritarianism and an obstacle to democracy. And in effect, that authoritarian view denigrates God's sovereignty. The democratic ideals It should be emphasized that a state has to govern the relations between human beings and the ultimate aim of the state is to set up a society based on justice and benevolence – or 'adl and ihsan in the Qur'anic terms. 'Adl and ihsan are most fundamental human values and any state worth its salt has to strive to establish a society based on these values. But for this, no particular form of state is needed. Even an honest monarch can do it. It is for this reason that the holy Qur'an praises prophet-rulers like David and Solomon, who were kings and just rulers. But the Qur'an is also aware that such just rulers are normally far and few in between. The governance has to be as democratic as possible so that all adults can participate in it. If governance is left to an individual, or a monarch, the power may corrupt him or her as everyone knows absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is for this reason that the Qur'an refers to democratic governance when it says: "And those who respond to their Lord and keep up prayer, and whose affairs are (decided) by mutual consultation, and who spend out of what We have given them". [Ash-Shura– Consultation 42: 38] Thus the mutual affairs – those pertaining to governance – should be conducted only by mutual consultation which in contemporary political parlance will be construed as democratic governance. Since in those days there was no well-defined practice of political democracy, the Qur'an refers to it as `amruhum shura baynahum, i.e. affairs to be conducted through mutual consultation, which is a very meaningful way of hinting at democracy. The Qur'an is thus against totalitarian or absolute monarchical rule. This injunction, implying government by consent and council, must be regarded as one of the fundamental clauses of all Qur'anic legislation relating to statecrafts, and is binding on all Muslims and for all times as asserted by Muhammad Asad, in his book, State and Government in Islam. Whether the people will decide to choose the path to heaven or hell is a human decision. Whether they will choose Islam or another path, it is a human decision. Whether people will choose to organize their lives based on Islam or not is a human decision. It can be argued that for making wrong choices in this world, Muslims might be facing negative consequences in the life hereafter. But, still it is a matter of choice; there is no room for compulsion or imposition. Then what happens when the society and leadership faces a conflict where for example the majority of the Muslim society does not want to uphold Islam? It must be emphasized that the leadership cannot coerce the society into what it does not want. There is no compulsion or coercion in Islam. Coercion never delivers sustainable results, and the foundation of Islam cannot be based on coercion. Observe that God IS the sovereign from the viewpoint of Islamic reality, but not from practical standpoint. When our decisions are to be made based on Ijtihad – and we could be wrong; where our constitution and policies would be formulated through human consultation – and we can err; when our judicial system would be guided by the revealed guidance, yet, based on the evidence presented, there would be chance for an innocent to get convicted and a guilty to go free, God is not acting as a sovereign in this world. Read more at: http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2012/11/03/malaysia-revisiting-the-secular-state-debate/ |
| Lawyer denies giving false information on Suaram Posted: 02 Nov 2012 05:56 PM PDT (The Star) - A lawyer has denied claims by an MP that he provided false information to a French lawyer in a bid to topple the Federal Government. "I wish to state that the allegations made by Wee Choo Keong and the insinuations by newspapers are false and baseless," Amer Hamzah Arshad told reporters yesterday. Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong, who sits as an Independent, had accused Amer of attempting to fool international authorities by claiming in a letter to French lawyer William Bourdon that Suaram was a legal entity and a registered body through Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd. "Suaram is not a registered body with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and yet the law firm sent a letter to a French lawyer claiming that it is a registered body," Wee said in Parliament on Wednesday. Wee said it was a "grand design to discredit the Government" and that Suaram had received foreign funding showing that "they have a bad intention". Amer clarified that he was not practising with the law firm Wee had named, and that Suaram was a personal client of his. "The said letter was written and signed under my name as the personal legal adviser of Suaram to state the background and registration history of Suaram under the Companies Act," said Amer, reading from a statement. "The allegations of a grand design' is a figment of Wee Choo Keong's grand imagination' and I challenge him to repeat his slanderous and defamatory accusations outside Parliament." |
| Klang leaders back Karpal’s proposal Posted: 02 Nov 2012 05:51 PM PDT
(The Star) - DAP grassroots leaders here have come out to back Karpal Singh's "one candidate, one seat" proposal. Seven party branches from Klang, led by Taman Chi Liung Indah DAP branch chairman K. Yogasigamany, said they supported Karpal's proposal as there were many qualified leaders in the party. They said the party should acknowledge the hard work put in by the party's grassroots by nominating some of them as election candidates. Yogasigamany said those who objected to Karpal's proposal did not understand the people's needs as they were "parachuted" in. "Grassroots leaders are people-oriented who have been serving the rakyat. "Why have these people not been nominated?" he asked in a statement yesterday. The other branches are Southern Klang, Taman Gembira, Klang, Bukit Tinggi, Ehsan and Teluk Pulai. Yogasigamany added that 14 DAP branches had collectively sent a memorandum recommending five grassroots' leaders to be chosen as the candidate for the Kota Alam Shah seat. However, he said they had yet to receive a response from state or national-level leaders. |
| Anti-hopping Bill ‘against federal laws’ Posted: 02 Nov 2012 05:38 PM PDT
(The Star) - The anti-hopping Bill passed by the Penang State Assembly is unconstitutional and can be challenged in court, experts said. Constitutional law expert and UiTM Emeritus Professor of law Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi said that Article 10(1)(c) of the Federal Constitution clearly stated that all citizens have the right to form associations. He also pointed out that the Federal Court (then Supreme Court) had ruled in the 1992 case of the Kelantan state assembly versus Nordin Salleh, that an anti-hopping law passed by the state assembly was unconstitutional and not in accordance with Article 10(1)(c). "Changing one's party to another party is part of the freedom of association provided for in the Federal Constitution. It is a person's constitutional right to disassociate or re-associate. "This law is likely to be challenged in the courts and is clearly in disregard of a binding judicial decision," he said yesterday. Article 10 of the Federal Constitution provides for the freedom of speech, assembly and association. Senior lawyer Roger Tan described the anti-hopping law as a populist move without regard to the sanctity of the Federal Constitution. "Pakatan Rakyat has always claimed that the Federal Constitution is the supreme law of the land. I would have expected the Penang Government to show more respect to it. "It is also bad governance if the government of the day takes a position that they can do anything they want until and unless it is declared invalid by the courts. This is not helping ordinary citizens to observe the rule of law," said Tan in reference to the 1992 Federal Court's decision. DAP chairman and Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh, meanwhile, said the Penang enactment as it stood was unconstitutional because of Article 10 of the Federal Constitution and the verdict in the Nordin Salleh's case. "I will file a Private Members' Bill sometime next week to give it a legality. The Bill is to amend Article 10 to accommodate the anti-hopping provision. "A Constitutional amendment is necessary. Otherwise the whole amendment will be null and void as Article 10 will still stand," he said, noting that generally, all Constitutional amendments were made retrospective to Aug 31, 1957. |
| Posted: 02 Nov 2012 05:32 PM PDT
(The Star) - A DAP campaign lorry borrowed from a party supporter was reported to have been stolen early this morning in Johor Baru. DAP Youth chief and Negri Sembilan party chairman Anthony Loke said that although they were not entirely sure if the lorry had been towed away by authorities or stolen, the latter was highly likely. He said the five-tonne box van was last seen by party workers parked outside Gelang Patah DAP Wanita Chief Ng Siam Luang's shop in Taman Tun Aminah, Skudai at 1am on Saturday. The party workers had been loading the truck with campaign materials for a ceramah in Seremban later. "When the party workers came back to the shop at 6am, the lorry was gone," he told The Star. He added that it was strange a thief would steal a lorry adorned with DAP stickers. Loke said the party would lodge a police report on the matter soon. In JOHOR BARU, Gelang Patah DAP Wanita Chief Ng Siam Luang said she remembered locking the lorry's doors and checking the alarm system before heading home. "When my daughter went out at around 7am, she noticed that the lorry was no longer parked there but thought that one of our members had driven the vehicle away as we were supposed to go to Seremban for a 4pm ceramah," she told reporters. |
| Trouble in Sabah: PKR’s ‘ori’ vs ‘photocopies’ Posted: 02 Nov 2012 05:04 PM PDT
Anwar Ibrahim must come up with a quick solution to douse the growing resentment between original members and newcomers Calvin Kabaron, FMT There's a new catch-phrase greeting in Sabah PKR's political circles and it is greatly divisive. The greeting is "PKR ori" or "PKR photocopy?". "PKR ori" refers to genuine members of the party while "photocopy" addresses those with Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) and Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPS) who "refused" to be members of PKR. APS is led by Tuaran MP who was once deputy president of Upko, Wilfred Bumburing, while PPS is by Lajim Ukin, a former federal deputy minister, who is also Beaufort MP. Lajim was with Umno and is often referred to as Umno's westcoast warlord. Their 'defection' was much heralded by opposition Pakatan Rakyat. These parties are now "parked" under Pakatan and and have declared their support of Anwar Ibrahim, PKR's de facto leader. The "ori" and "photocopy" catch-phrase is rising in popularity within PKR in Sabah. Anwar must already be aware of its effect on his party, more so now after last night's 'revelation'. Last night Bumburing was supposed to "launch" his APS for Sepanggar at a clubhouse in Inanam but only about 50 people turned up, according to PKR insiders in the division. Bumburing was disappointed and embarrassed. And so too was PKR Batu MP Tian Chua. Both were on their way to Inanam when told of the poor turnout. Eventually it was former senator Maijol Mahap who delivered Bumburing's speech, eye-witnesses claimed. Tian Chua is now expected to discuss with his national leadership on how to negotiate this new challenge, resulting from PKR's "multiple-marriage" with APS and PPS. Observers here are already questioning whether this political arrangement is counter-productive to the opposition party. He told his friends "his mood just evaporated". Meanwhile a state PKR leader who declined to be named said there was an urgent need for PKR's top leadership to address the "ori" and "photocopy" issue, as it was now dividing the hard-earned unity within the party in Sabah. Sabah PKR has been, for years in a tumultuous situation, especially when Sabah rights advocate Dr Jeffrey Kitingan was in it. "This is not a laughing matter. This is a real issue in PKR. "What made thing worse is that these "PKR photocopy" claimed and behaved as deciders and "the power' in the party. You can feel the uncomfortable alliance between the two groups in Tuaran, Kota Marudu, Kota Belud and in other areas too," he alleged. Read more |
| Posted: 02 Nov 2012 04:54 PM PDT
K Pragalath, FMT Kapar MP, S Manikavasagam may be dropped as the opposition candidate of the country's largest parliamentary constituency and instead offered a state seat by PKR for the upcoming general election, party sources revealed. Sources said the first term Kapar MP has been offered a choice of two state seats – Sri Andalas and Bukit Melawati – in exchange for the Kapar parliamentary constituency. In 2008, Manikavasagam beat S Komala Devi, the MIC Wanita chief, with a thumping 12,297 vote majority. As off March, 2008, the seat had 112,224 voters out of which 51% were Malays, 35% Chinese and 13 % Indians. The Kapar parliamentary seat has four state seats – Meru, Sementa, Sungai Pinang and Selat Klang. Sources close to Manikavasagam claim that the first term parliamentarian was keen to contest in Sri Andalas or Batu Caves and not Bukit Melawati. Incumbent Sri Andalas state assemblyman is Xavier Jayakumar, who is also a Selangor exco member. Amiruddin Shari and MP Muthiah are Batu Caves and Bukit Melawati state reps respectively. Party sources say Manikavasagam, fondly known as Mike in party circles, and Jayakumar could be involved in a seat swap. "Xavier (Jayakumar) would go to Kapar parliamentary seat while Mike would take over at Sri Andalas. Mike will strenghen the state Pakatan while Xavier (Jayakumar) would move up to national politics," a party source claimed. Jayakumar, however, is not the sole option for the party in Kapar. There are talks that PKR may field "an outsider" in Kapar. Lawyer and social activist K Saraswathy, who is yet to join any of the three main opposition parties, is another possible opposition candidate for Kapar. The Barisan Nasional also appears to have two candidates for Kapar. The seat is allocated to the MIC under BN's seat sharing system. Read more
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| Posted: 02 Nov 2012 04:47 PM PDT
Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat say that the time for change is nigh – just as long as the change is for their own good – not ours! CT Ali, FMT We know Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat better than they know themselves. BN ridicules the impossibility of Pakatan coalition partners working with each other within the confines of their own political ideologies. Three diametrically opposing political entities that BN hopes will be torn asunder by hudud and the realities of power sharing where race and religion, not needs, will decide who will be in government. Pakatan is spoilt for choice. They are tripping over themselves as to what they should do next to expose the abuses and mismanagement in government by BN. Does Pakatan start with exposing the need for greed amongst BN politicians and the corruption that goes with it or will Pakatan 'educate' the public on the massive abuse and misuse by BN of their political power to achieve their political agenda – that of remaining in government at all costs? I have news for BN and Pakatan – We already know all this and more! We know our politicians from both sides of the divide are so enamored with their own political agenda that they cannot see the forest for the trees! Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak comes up with scores of transformation initiatives that he said would make our country, our people and our economy better. Not to be outdone, Pakatan too have their proposals that they say would take away much of the economic burden of the people. BN and Pakatan say that the time for change is nigh – just as long as the change is for their own good – not ours! BN and Pakatan are so desperately focused on trying to win government that they fail to understand what we want. We want honest, decent and responsible politicians in government. We do not want politicians who lie to us, politicians who abuse the trust we place in them, politicians who takes money that does not belong to them, politicians who are arrogant, politicians who do not understand the meaning of the phrase "servants of the people" and politicians who talk of family values, devotion to religion and god even as they fornicate outside their matrimonial bonds and deliberate on how they could use god to boost their political credentials. We know all this and we also know the reality too. We know that when all is said and done, it is BN and Pakatan that will decide our fate and the sorry future of our nation. Our history has always shown this to be true, whether at state or federal level. Those who have political power do as they please because they can. So how is it that our people are able to put history aside and work towards trying to bring about change? Read more
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