Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Najib’s fate up to Umno if BN does not improve in polls, says Dr M
- Mahathir blames Anwar for Project IC
- Anwar directly involved in Project IC, says Dr M
- Go ahead, make an offer, Chin tells S'gor MB
- LGBT can be cured - Puad Zarkashi
- Police quiz Ibrahim Ali over ‘Bible-burning’ threat
- NRD: ‘Send ICs to Sabah’ letter fake
- BFM Uncensored - Deal Breaker?
- ‘It was easy to become Malaysian’
| Najib’s fate up to Umno if BN does not improve in polls, says Dr M Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:51 PM PST
Zurairi AR, The Malaysian Insider It is up to Umno members to decide if Datuk Seri Najib Razak should step aside if Barisan Nasional (BN) fails to get a stronger mandate in Election 2013, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today. But the former prime minister (picture), a staunch supporter of the administration, said Najib was unfortunately faced with the disadvantage of inheriting a weak government headed by Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. "I think he's trying to do better than Tun Abdullah. And I think he can," Dr Mahathir added. Dr Mahathir said it was his personal opinion that Najib should give way to Deputy Umno president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin if BN only scores a slim majority in the elections. "If he fails, he should move of course," Dr Mahathir told reporters during the 15th Malaysia Strategic Outlook Conference here. However, he said that the decision ultimately lies with party members to decide the fate of their president. The matter of Abdullah's weak cabinet cropped up several times during the event today, with Institute of Political and Economic Affairs (IKAPE) chairman Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad declaring that significant gain by PR in the last polls was a fluke, brought by a response against former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. "It was more of a protest against the inept Abdullah administration of broken promises, infantile behaviour and abuse of power," he said in a forum discussing the outlook of Election 2013.
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| Mahathir blames Anwar for Project IC Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:13 PM PST The former premier says his then deputy was directly involved in granting citizenships to immigrants in Sabah, and accused the latter of acting on his own at times. (FMT) - Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad today claimed that his former deputy and current Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim was the main man behind citizenship-for-votes to immigrants in Sabah in the 1990s. Clearly disputing Anwar's previous claims of ignorance on the matter, Mahathir said the former was directly involved in the so-called "Project IC", adding that at times, he (Anwar) had acted without orders from him (Mahathir). "He normally takes the initiative and sometimes do more [than is required]," online news portal Malaysiakini quoted Mahathir as saying at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today. "What happens on the ground is often different from the directive [from above]," added Mahathir. He said that Anwar and other implementing officers in Sabah had at times failed to follow instructions from him, adding that the government had taken action against these errant officers. Mahathir was responding to questions if he had ordered Anwar to issue ICs to unqualified immigrants in Sabah so that they could be registered as voters who would support Barisan Nasional. Mahathir responded by saying that Anwar had a hand in possible illegal actions and abuses, adding that he knew of possible wrongdoings by Anwar. He also said that he will testify before the ongoing Royal Commission of Inquiry into illegals in Sabah if called Anwar claimed to be in the dark Last week, Anwar told reporters that he was ready to testify at the RCI but quickly added that he was also in the dark about the project. "I have no problem whatsoever. I knew for a long time the project was under the prime minister, that it did not involve a Cabinet process, so it is the full responsibility of the prime minister and finance minister. "When I was there, even I was not briefed on the issue [of providing citizenship to immigrants]," Anwar said. He also said that the RCI had not summoned him because "they know I have nothing to do with it". Anwar's response had come following a call from Sabah Umno liaison deputy chief Salleh Said Keruak who had challenged the PKR leader to tell the truth about the illegal immigrants to the RCI tasked with looking into the long-standing problem in the state. He said that Anwar was duty-bound to do so as he was deputy prime minister at that particular period, adding that "he was a powerful man and knew what was going on in Sabah". Jeffrey: Anwar was in charge Sabah's veteran politician Jeffrey Kitingan had also expressed hope that Anwar would "tell the truth" if he ends up testifying in the RCI. "However, I do hope he would tell the truth about his own role in the citizenship fiasco," Jeffrey told FMT last week. "From what I know, he was indeed in charge of Sabah [for Umno]. He was the director of operations and was involved actively in the citizenship project," he added.
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| Anwar directly involved in Project IC, says Dr M Posted: 30 Jan 2013 04:35 PM PST
Hazlan Zakaria, Malaysiakini Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was directly involved in the project to issue citizenship and identity cards to unqualiified immigrants Sabah in the 90s, though without orders from him, claims former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed. "He normally takes the initiative and sometimes does more (than is required)," Mahathir told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
"I'll stick to the facts," assured Mahathir. |
| Go ahead, make an offer, Chin tells S'gor MB Posted: 30 Jan 2013 04:01 PM PST
Stephanie Sta Maria, fz.com Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Datuk Seri Peter Chin has given the Selangor government the green light to make yet another acquisition offer to the state's four water concessionaires. The four concessionaires are Syarikat Pengeluar Air Berhad (Splash), Konsortium Abbas, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) and Puncak Niaga Holdings Berhad (PNHB). "We have no objections," Chin said during a press conference at his ministry today. "Go ahead and I wish you luck. We have never prevented the Selangor government from making such an offer as long as it's on a "willing buyer-willing seller" principle and follows regulations." Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim yesterday said that he has written to Chin's ministry to inform them that the state government would take over the state water service industry if Chin didn't respond within two weeks. The letter was sent yesterday and the move would be effective from Feb 14. Khalid said that the move was based on a recent statement by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that the federal government had no objection to a takeover. Muhyiddin chairs the Special Cabinet Committee on the Selangor Water Issue which was set up in July 2012. Echoing Muhyiddin's statement, Chin said that previous letters from his ministry to Khalid had stated the same as he viewed it as an ordinary commercial offer that required the agreement of the relevant parties. As such, Chin added, Khalid only needed to summon representatives from all parties for a negotiation rather than publicly discuss his takeover intentions and issue "warnings" to Muhyiddin and him. "If there is an agreement, then report it to the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and me," he said. "I hope Khalid will not blow up this issue anymore and make it seem like the Federal government is against Selangor's intention to make a takeover." Chin however said that he wasn't privy to the details of Khalid's latest offer as he hadn't received any information nor Khalid's letter. When asked whether he would respond to Khalid upon receiving the letter, he answered, "Yes! I will respond and I will say exactly what I am saying today. I would also love to see the letter he has written to the concessionaires if he has even written one yet." According to Chin, there had been many unofficial meetings between him and Khalid over the water issue in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. Chin said he had always maintained that the Federal government had no power to force the water concessionaires to sell their equity to the Selangor state government. He also pointed out that the Federal government had previously carried out successful water restructuring plans in six states, including Penang, and questioned why Selangor wasn't using this proven method. Chin then criticised the Selangor government for being more interested in politicising the issue instead recommending solutions and said that the takeover offer would not resolve the real issue at hand. "The Selangor government's statements have created unease among many quarters and has spooked shareholders," he said. "Do I need to mention that Selangor has a stake in Konsortium Abass, Splash and Syabas?" Selangor - through Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor (KPS) and Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad (KDEB) - owns a 30% stake in Syabas, a 30% stake in Splash and a 55% stake in Konsortium Abass. The state government has made three previous takeover offers to the four water concessionaires between 2009 and 2012. All three offers were rejected.
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| LGBT can be cured - Puad Zarkashi Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:54 PM PST
(NST) - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) is akin to a social sickness that can be prevented and cured, said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi. Puad said several non-governmental organisations had pledged to stop people from all walks of life, especially students in the secondary schools from getting involved in LGBT.
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| Police quiz Ibrahim Ali over ‘Bible-burning’ threat Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:00 PM PST
(Bernama) - Penang police have recorded statements from two Perkasa leaders — its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali and information chief Roslan Kassim — over the alleged "festival" to burn Malay and Jawi versions of the Bible containing the word "Allah". Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi said rumours had been spread that the "Bible-burning" gathering would be held at Padang Bandaran, Bagan Luar in Butterworth on the mainland last Sunday. He said police recorded statements from the two Perkasa leaders yesterday and that the investigation report was ready. "Police recorded statements from both the leaders here yesterday and they were co-operative. We have prepared the investigation report and will be submitted to the Attorney-General's office," he told reporters at the Penang police headquarters here today. A pastor had lodged a police report in Penang last week over the distribution of anonymous pamphlets at a church, advertising a "festival" to burn Malay-language bibles at a field. Police gave an assurance that there would be no such gathering to burn bibles as alleged at Padang Bandaran, Bagan Luar because such rumours were being spread by some irresponsible people. Abdul Rahim said apart from the two Perkasa leaders, statements were also recorded from a number of individuals to assist investigations. Muslim and Christian leaders here have been at loggerheads over the use of the Arabic word "Allah", with the former claiming it referred exclusively to the Islamic God.
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| NRD: ‘Send ICs to Sabah’ letter fake Posted: 30 Jan 2013 02:51 PM PST No letter was issued on that day and the NRD has lodged a police report over the matter, says its officer. Anisah Shukry, FMT A letter purportedly from the National Registration Department (NRD) ordering that all uncollected identification cards (IC) be sent to Sabah is fake, an NRD official said today. "That letter is a fake. There has never been a procedure to send uncollected ICs anywhere except to the NRD headquarters in Putrajaya," said NRD's public relations officer Jainisah Mohd Noor. "We lodged a police report over the letter at the police station in Putrajaya yesterday," she told FMT. Yesterday, PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar told reporters that he had received a "suspicious" letter allegedly signed by NRD director (identification card) division Md Solehan Omar and addressed to NRD's state and district officers. The letter, which was dated Dec 14 2012, said the auditor, who was temporarily in Keningau, Sabah would update the cards' status in the NRD's system from Sabah before sending the cards back to the NRD headquarters by Dec 31, 2012. "If the contents of this letter is true, then it is possible that the ICs are sent to Sabah not for termination, but for manipulation," Mahfuz had said. "The ICs could be passed onto others, particularly immigrants," the Pokok Sena MP had further suggested. However, Jainisah said that division directors in NRD had no power to issue orders or sign letters to state and district officers. "I'm not sure myself who is truly behind this fake letter, because all orders by NRD are issued and signed by the chief director alone. "No division directors are given the power to issue such orders," she stressed. She also said that the records kept by NRD showed the last letter issued within the department last year was on Dec 10, not Dec 14. "This order on Dec 14 does not exist," she said. Asked what further action would NRD would take over the fake letter, Jainisah said they would wait for the police to investigate. Explain unclaimed ICs Meanwhile, FMT's attempts to get a response from Md Solehan was unsuccessful as officers said he would be in Sabah until Monday. But in a press conference this morning, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein confirmed Jainisah's assertion today that the letter was fake.
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| BFM Uncensored - Deal Breaker? Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:32 AM PST OgojEDJj5Oo Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan weighs in on allegations made at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into illegal migration in Sabah against the Election Commission. Dubbed the "citizenship-for-votes" scandal, the allegations implicates the Election Commission in systematically subverting the electoral process in Sabah. BFM's Sharaad Kuttan asks Ambiga if voters should continue to participate in the electoral process. Or watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgojEDJj5Oo |
| ‘It was easy to become Malaysian’ Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:27 AM PST (The Star) - A trader from India told the Royal Commission of Inquiry that he obtained a Malaysian blue identity card (IC) in 1988 without any birth certificate or even a statutory declaration. Tamil Nadu-born Nasir Yusof told the commission that he was among about 1,000 Indian and Pakistani nationals from around Kota Marudu and Kudat district who got a Malaysian IC from the National Registration Department (NRD) office in Kota Marudu. He told conducting officer Jamil Aripin that a staff member at the office helped him fill up the forms, which stated his place of birth as Kampung Berunggis in Tuaran. "I knew the details were wrong but I went along as I wanted to become a Malaysian," he said. He said apart from the RM12 processing fee, he did not make any other payment for the IC, which he received several months later. Nasir said he also did not face any problem when changing the old IC to the high security version later, adding that he had registered as a voter in 1990 and cast his vote three times ever since. When asked if he considered himself an Indian citizen, Nasir said: "I cannot even vote there any more. "I have stayed in Sabah for more than 30 years. This is my home now.'' Earlier, the head of Kampung Sungai Buaya Filipino refugee settlement in Tawau, Sioh Jabidi, said a photograph of the area showed one of the houses flying a local Opposition party flag. Sioh described the seaside settlement as squalid, with no electricity and constantly surrounded by garbage washed in by the tide. During the inquiry, several foreigners related how they slipped into Sabah as there were never any checks in waters off the state. They even managed to get jobs here without holding any personal document. Those who were arrested and faced deportation, such as Indonesian Nisa Rahmat and Filipino Degon Alay, said they intended to return to Sabah because jobs were plentiful. Nisa, Degon as well as fellow Filipinos Rasad Salleh and Wajar Atik told the commission that the boats that transported them to Sabah entered the state waters off Sandakan and Tawau districts unhindered. "We were not checked by anyone." |
"What happens on the ground is often different from the directive (from above)."
Asked how a strong prime minister of a strong government like his could have a deputy and underlings running around not following orders, Mahathir said that even if Superman is a prime minister, he will be hard pressed to be able to look at everything.
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