Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Temple gets noise warning
- Pakatan Rakyat Is Sending A Message That They Do Not Need The Indian Votes
- If you're given the bible ...
- At odds over sacred word
- Tensions can flare if Sabah RCI sensationalised, Musa Aman tells newshounds
- ‘Pakatan all set to take away people’s rights’
- Call to ban politically incorrect terms like ‘ah pek’
- ‘Probe pre-independence immigrants’
- Burn ‘Allah’ Bibles, Perkasa chief to Muslims
- Budak diherdik dengan panggilan ‘keling bodoh’
- 'Don't equate Merdeka with Sabah IC project'
- Reflections on democracy and populism
- Misleading take on Star in Sabah by complainants
- Umno is rotten to the core – it seems!
- MACC asks Deepak to return with documents, no statement recorded
- KJ John, You do Yourself an Injustice
- For Pakatan, Election 2013 not a stroll in the park
- Anwar: Exorcising The Ghost of His Umno Past
- Ex-MNLF leader tells RCI how he came into Sabah in the 1970s
- PAS council: Azmin can say what he wants, he is disrespectful
- From boast to downright disgrace
- Jeffrey: Postpone polls in Sabah
| Posted: 19 Jan 2013 12:19 PM PST
(The Star) - The Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) has ordered the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple committee in Pekan Bangi Lama to reduce its level of noise and cease religious activities after 6pm. In the Jan 8 compound notice issued to the temple, the council claimed that the noise from the temple and its religious activities had disturbed the neighbourhood. Temple Chairman R. Pannirselvam said MPKj enforcement officers ordered the temple to adhere to the notice, failing which he could be fined RM1,000 or jailed six months or both under Section 82(5) of the Local Government Act. He said the notice had caused uneasiness among the thousands of Hindus who congregate for prayers at the temple every Tuesday and Friday and also for other festivals. "Prayers are conducted between 6pm and 9pm and we ring bells during the prayers. How can we stop the ringing of the bells," he asked? MPKj councillor Senator S.T. Chandramohan however said the notice was rescinded late Friday following reports in a Tamil paper. Pannirselvam had sought the assistance of MIC Youth chief T. Mohan who assured them that the council did not have the right to impose such conditions. "This is a breach of the constitution which allows everyone to practise his own religion," Mohan said. He urged Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and Selangor exco member Dr Xavier Jayakumar to publicly apologise to the Indian community. Explaining the notice, Chandramohan said it was issued without the knowledge of council president Datuk Hassan Nawawi and other councillors. "We have asked the council's audit and good governance committee to look into the matter because there is a standing instruction that any action against religious places has to be referred to the council's full board meeting," he said. Meanwhile, Hassan clarified that the notice urging the temple to reduce the level of noise had nothing to do with the ringing of bells.
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| Pakatan Rakyat Is Sending A Message That They Do Not Need The Indian Votes Posted: 19 Jan 2013 12:02 PM PST
We must understand that Barisan Nasional is bad but in this case Pakatan Rakyat is actually worst than Barisan Nasional. If they do not bother to take care of our rights and sensitivity then why in the first place should they deserved our votes and support? Shen Yee Aun, Malaysian Youth Rights Movement
1. Pakatan Rakyat Banggi district council impose a ruling that after 6 pm the Hindu Temple in Banggi cannot ring the bell ! 2. Why must Pakatan Rakyat fail to understand the significance of ringing the bell in the Hindu Temple ?The Bell, known in Sanskrit as the Ghanta/Ghanti is used in all poojas for invoking the Gods. The ringing of the bell produces what is regarded as an auspicious sound. It produces the sound Om, the universal name of the Lord. There should be auspiciousness within and without, to gain the vision of the Lord who is all-auspiciousness.Another significance of ringing the bell is that they help drown any inauspicious or irrelevant noises and comments that might disturb or distract the worshippers in their devotional ardor (dedication), concentration and inner peace. 3. It is the Hindu culture and ritual that is practise all around the world. Why must Pakatan Rakyat be so rude and be disrespectful to the Indian community? 4. Just about some time ago Pakatan Rakyat in Kedah is trying to be funny with our Malaysian Chinese Chinese New Year Celebration and now in Selangor they are trying to do the same to the Indian/Hindu community? We must not forget that earlier Pakatan Rakyat in Sepang also had went into a private property and snatch people Hindu shrine and now with this latest rude and disrespectful ruling are they actually sending a message that they do not need our votes ? Read more at: http://1sya.com/?p=4497
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| Posted: 19 Jan 2013 11:58 AM PST if people give you the bible ... read it ... A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE Dr Azly Rahman IN FEAR THEY TRUST ... some of these malay-muslims ... if people give you the bible ... read it ... if you're give the quran ... read it you've already been given your life ... read it
********************************** OUR USUAL REMINDER, FOLKS:
AND - VOTE WISELY! https://www.facebook.com/#!/azly.rahman http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/
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| Posted: 19 Jan 2013 11:47 AM PST
Hadi has become known for his flip-flops but this particular issue has cast more doubts on his ability to lead the party. It is clear he cannot be relied upon to defend the party's interests and he will be lucky if PAS retains him as president at the party polls due this year. Joceline Tan, The Star PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu was walking on cloud nine after the success of his Stadium Merdeka rally. He had pulled off something big and his supporters claimed the event had raised his profile in PAS. Mat Sabu, as he is known by all and sundry, is aware that not everyone in PAS thinks highly of him because he lacks the religious credentials demanded of top PAS leaders. He knows that party members call him "Raja Lawak" (king of laughs) but they would have to take him more seriously after this. But the bubble burst on Sunday night when news trickled out that the Syura Council of Ulama, the party's highest decision-making body, had ruled that the word "Allah" is sacred to Islam and cannot be used to describe God in any non-Muslim religious books.  Alwi: 'Road to paradise lies in Islam, and not in PAS'The Syura Council said the "kalimah Allah" could not be used as the translation for the word God from any other language. The Syura Council overturned what Mat Sabu along with his party's two top leaders, Mursyidul Am Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Matand president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, had been telling the media just days earlier that non-Muslims can use the term "Allah" as long as they do not misuse it against Islam. Mat Sabu's stand even won praise from Dr Paul Tan, the controversial Catholic Bishop who has raised many an eyebrow with remarks that have made him sound more like a politician than a man of the cloth. But Mat Sabu has since done a U-turn, saying that "my stand is the same as the Syura Council"; and the Bishop who has been waltzing with PAS is now dancing solo. Everyone in PAS has fallen in line because the Syura Council is the most powerful body in PAS and the decision was pushed by the party's leading scholar in usuluddin (Islamic faith) Datuk Dr Haron Din. He is the sort who speaks softly but carries a big stick, and he has used the stick to great effect. It was an embarrassing blow to Hadi and Nik Aziz because they are big names. Dr Haron had been deeply disturbed by the compromises made on the "kalimah Allah" issue since 2010. Everyone has noticed how he has scaled back on political activities in the party but he has held his tongue. He was also furious that Hadi had given the go-ahead for the use of "kalimah Allah" without first going through the Syura Council.  Nik Amar: 'Muslims sensitive about sacred word'Hadi had appeared at a press conference together with DAP's Lim Kit Siang and PKR's Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the same day the Sultan of Selangor released a stern reminder to Selangorians that there is a state fatwa on the usage of the term. Many in PAS were shocked by Hadi's action. They thought it showed poor judgement and some claimed he was manipulated by the Pakatan Rakyat leaders. Hadi has become known for his flip-flops but this particular issue has cast more doubts on his ability to lead the party. It is clear he cannot be relied upon to defend the party's interests and he will be lucky if PAS retains him as president at the party polls due this year. Some claimed this is what happens when the top leadership of PAS is made up of non-ulama figures apart from Hadi, the deputy president and the three vice-presidents are non-ulama. PAS Dewan Ulama chief Datuk Harun Taib, also a member of the Syura Council, told people he could not understand why the party was so concerned about pleasing people on the west coast when it should be looking after its traditional supporters in Terengganu and Kelantan.  Mohamad: Went from cloud nine to a burst bubble.People like Harun are convinced the faith would be in serious jeopardy without strict control over the "Allah" term. "Muslims are very sensitive with the usage of certain sacred words. I am very relieved and I thank the Almighty for the decision of the Syura Council," said Kelantan state exco member Datuk Nik Amar Nik Abdullah. Nik Amar is normally quite a jovial person but he has been in a grim mood over the issue. He admitted that he is upset with DAP leader Lim Guan Eng for raising it. "He should not touch on it," said Nik Amar who is also the deputy state PAS commissioner. Read more at: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/1/20/nation/12581443&sec=nation
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| Tensions can flare if Sabah RCI sensationalised, Musa Aman tells newshounds Posted: 19 Jan 2013 11:43 AM PST
(The Malaysian Insider) - "In a sensitive situation such as the RCI, sensational coverage will not bring any positive results or effects for the state of Sabah or the country as a whole" Sensational coverage of the ongoing royal inquiry into Sabah's foreign population explosion could spark unnecessary tension, its chief minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman reminded journalists as witness testimonies of illegal immigrants being fast-tracked for citizenship is raising the mercury ahead of Election 2013. Questions are being asked of the ruling Barisan Nasional's (BN) role over the last two decades in failing to stem the flood of illegal immigrants into Malaysia's easternmost state, which has seen its population grow from just over 630,000 in 1970 to over 3.1 million in 2010 — more than double the national standard. "Many sensitive issues have been raised by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants that is currently being held. "We cannot interfere in the deliberations and the testimonies in the continuing hearing. We also should not rush into any conclusions while the Inquiry is proceeding," said Musa(picture) in a brief six-paragraph media statement to The Malaysian Insider last night. The state's longest-serving chief minister urged reporters to be mindful of their coverage of the RCI, "to avoid bringing about any kind of unnecessary tension among the public". "The government has no control over editorial content. We believe in the freedom of the press," said the 61-year-old, who has been in office since March 2003. "At the same time, in a sensitive situation such as the RCI, sensational coverage will not bring any positive results or effects for the state of Sabah or the country as a whole," he added. Musa had also made a similar request last week at a closed-door meeting with state English-language media representatives from New Sabah Times, Daily Express, The Borneo Post, andBN-controlled newspapers New Straits Times (NST) and The Star, as well as national news agency Bernama. The issue of illegal immigrants has turned emotive among Sabah natives like the Kadazandusun and Murut communities, many of whom feel that the state has been robbed of its sovereignty through the massive influx of foreigners from neighbouring Philippines and Indonesia. It is no secret that Sabahans are angry and want these foreigners shipped back to their home countries in one way or another. They also often blame the immigrants for robbing them of job opportunities and for the rise in the state's social, economic and security problems. Recent statistics from a 2010 census of Sabah's population showed an extraordinary 390 per cent increase from 636,431 citizens in 1970 to 3,120,040 citizens in 2010, more than double the national population growth of just 164 per cent. About 28 per cent of Sabah's 3.2 million-strong population are foreigners, numbering at 889,000 people.
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| ‘Pakatan all set to take away people’s rights’ Posted: 19 Jan 2013 11:40 AM PST
(The Star) - "We will have to change our lifestyles as well as dress code, and probably even our choice of food. In fact, you will also be barred from lining up in the same queue with your wife after shopping at a supermarket." People will have their freedom curtailed and be subjected to harsher laws if Pakatan Rakyat were to rule the country in the coming general election. MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the people should take note of recent developments in Kedah and Kelantan to see for themselves what was in store for them should Pakatan form the next Federal Government. "To put it simply, lipstick will not be allowed and women will not be allowed to cut men's hair at the salons," he said. "There will be no high heels, no short sleeves, no cheongsam and certainly no live music or other forms of entertainment. "We will have to change our lifestyles as well as dress code, and probably even our choice of food. In fact, you will also be barred from lining up in the same queue with your wife after shopping at a supermarket," he said at the 52nd anniversary dinner of the Negri Sembilan Moral Uplifting Society on Friday night. Dr Chua said the rights of all Malaysians, which were clearly enshrined in the Constitution, would also be infringed upon as PAS, which would take on a dominant role in Pakatan, would call the shots as was evident in Kedah and Kelantan. "The DAP says this is a small matter, but let me remind you that the party can only be a taikor (big brother) in Penang. Elsewhere, it will have tokowtow (give in) to PAS," he said. Dr Chua said it was an open secret that PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang would be elected as Prime Minister as the party would have more influence over Parti Keadilan and the DAP. Dr Chua said the fact that PAS had never endorsed PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as their Prime Minister-elect if Pakatan were to win the next general election was also testimony to this. "Anwar will be left with only Selangor. So, you decide if you want Abdul Hadi as your Prime Minister," he told the crowd. Likening the DAP to a political eunuch, Dr Chua said it was only good at criticising the Barisan Nasional government, particularly the MCA. Dr Chua said the country would prosper if Barisan continued to lead the country. "Malaysia is the only country whose economic outlook was revised upwards last year by international bodies at a time when many other developed economies were facing downturns," he pointed out. "We are forecast to do even better this year but you must have leaders who are able to steer this nation to success and not those who will be busy taking away the rights of its people."
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| Call to ban politically incorrect terms like ‘ah pek’ Posted: 19 Jan 2013 11:35 AM PST (The Star) - Terms like ah soh (aunty), ah pek (uncle) and orang asing (foreigner) should be banned in government departments and state agencies, said a Barisan Nasional leader. Kota Melaka Parliamentary Supporters Club chairman Datuk Mohammad Ahad said he would propose to the Chief Minister to direct civil servants to refrain from using such terms to address the people. "From what my close friends told me, even bank staff address the non-Malays with such terms," he said, adding that many people, especially pensioners, felt offended. His friends, Mohammad said, were professionals who had once served in senior positions in government departments and felt upset that the younger civil servants would sometimes converse with them in colloquial Malay. The younger civil servants, he added, should realise that these pensioners were from the "baby boomer" generation with good education and experience. "They are knowledgeable about any issue and don't need to Google' to get information. Therefore, younger civil servants shouldn't look down on these older folk as being ignorant," he said, blaming the social media for perpetuating such terms to refer to certain ethnic groups. Mohammad, who is also Sg Putat Umno branch chairman, said he would propose to the Chief Minister that guidelines be drawn up on etiquette and customer service. "We have to do something to label such terms as dirty words' because, in a way, civil servants who continue to address people this way can derail the noble intention of the Prime Minister's 1Malaysia concept," he said. Malacca MIC deputy chairman Datuk M.S. Mahadevan said many grassroots leaders felt that Barisan would be at a disadvantage if civil servants continued to address non-Malays with such terms. "We have those who are in their late 60s venting their frustrations whenever they are described as orang asing," he said.
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| ‘Probe pre-independence immigrants’ Posted: 18 Jan 2013 06:24 PM PST If the government can form a RCI to probe citizenships given to about 200,000 Sabah immigrants, why not on those pre-independence immigrants? asks the former PM Athi Shankar, FMT Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed cynically suggested the federal government form a royal commission of inquiry to probe if the one million "foreigners", who were given citizenship during independence, were entitled to it. He suggested for the commission to probe ancestral backgrounds of the "foreigners" to determine on whether they deserved their citizenship. If the government can form a commission to probe the citizenship given to some 200,000 Sabah immigrants, he asked on "why not on those pre-independence immigrants?" He told this at a crowded hall when officiating a Perkasa convention on "Penang Malays Economic and Education Transformation" in UiTM campus here today. Nonetheless he said he was not seriously demanding for such commission, but only wanted certain amount of fair play in such inquiries. "I'm not serious about it. But they must be fair," the country's fourth premier told a press conference later. Dr Mahathir seemed clearly frustrated by mounting criticisms against him over allegations of a citizenship-for-votes scheme in Sabah that occurred in the 1990s during his premiership. He said Sabah's illegal immigrants deserved their citizenships given that the law allowed for it if a person had stayed in the country for more than 10 years. "It was a co-incidence that they were given citizenship during election time," Mahathir told newsmen. Earlier in his keynote address, he said pre-independence immigrants should be grateful to the Malays for their citizenships, given by first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. Unlike natives of Myanmar and some African nations, he said the Malaya natives, both pribumis and bumis, did not chase out the immigrants when then Malaya got its independence from the British colonial masters. Ungrateful immigrants plotting to remove Malay privileges He said the Malays generously allowed the immigrants to be citizens, speak their languages and practise their respective cultures, something that even neighbouring Thai and Indonesian natives failed to do. Although Malays constituted 80% of Malaya's voting population during independence time, he claimed that they willingly shared power with the immigrants even though it would reduce their vote bank to 60% and weaken their own political strength. "We allowed the immigrants to flourish among us and let them even to dominate the economy. We also did not stop their language and cultural growth," said Mahathir.
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| Burn ‘Allah’ Bibles, Perkasa chief to Muslims Posted: 18 Jan 2013 04:52 PM PST Proclaiming he is not instigating communal tensions, Ibrahim Ali, says it's the only way to stop non-Muslims from stirring sensitivities Athi Shankar, FMT PERMATANG PAUH: Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali has called on Muslims to seize and burn copies of Bibles which contain the term "Allah" or other Arabic religious words. Stressing that he was not instigating communal tension, the Pasir Mas MP insisted that it was the only way to stop non-Muslims from stirring the sensitivities and sentiments of the majority of population in the country. He said certain non-Muslim groups were out to provoke the Muslims by using the term "Allah" or any other Arabic religious words in the Bible. Under the Non-Islamic Religion (Control on Expansion Among Muslims) Act 1988, he said non-Muslims are prohibited from using several Arabic religious terms, including Allah, in their prayers or scriptures. "Muslims must unite to protect their religion. They must seize those Bibles, including the Malay editions, which contained the term Allah and other Arabic religious terms, and burn them. "This is the way to show our anger against disrespect to our sensitivity," he told a press conference after delivering his presidential speech at a Perkasa convention here today. 'Pre-election tactic' Held at UiTM campus, the convention was on 'Economic and Education Transformation of Penang Malays'.
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| Budak diherdik dengan panggilan ‘keling bodoh’ Posted: 18 Jan 2013 03:27 PM PST
Budak-budak lelaki Melayu yang saya perhatikan di taman permainan beberapa minggu yang lalu itu adalah salah satu hasil daripada rantaian interaksi pemimpin dan masyarakat ini. Adakah ini sikap bangsa Melayu yang ingin dipupuk pemimpin-pemimpin Umno, Perkasa dan pertubuhan-pertubuhan Melayu yang lain? Zaki Samsudin, CPI Beberapa minggu yang lalu, saya telah membawa anak-anak ke taman permainan berhampiran tempat tinggal kami. Taman permainan itu agak luas. Di satu sudut, terdapat alatan permainan kanak-kanak – gelungsur, buaian, jongkang-jongket dan sebagainya – manakala di satu sudut lain terdapat tanah lapang yang walaupun tidak begitu luas, cukup untuk kanak-kanak lelaki bermain bolasepak. Saya memang minat bolasepak dan suka melihat telatah kanak-kanak cuba mempamerkan skil masing-masing. Tatkala asyik memerhatikan mereka, saya baru sedar dalam kumpulan budak-budak lelaki sekitar 20 orang itu, terdapat seorang budak lelaki berbangsa India. Yang lain semuanya budak-budak Melayu. Situasi sebegitu bukanlah ganjil sebenarnya. Memang kawasan perumahan itu majoriti penduduknya orang-orang Melayu. Yang ganjil dan amat memeranjatkan saya adalah sikap budak-budak Melayu terhadap budak India tunggal itu. Hampir kesemua mereka memanggilnya "budak keling". Bila dia tersilap tendang, diherdik pula dengan panggilan "keling bodoh". Budak India itu walau bagaimanapun, tetap bersemangat mahu terus bermain. Malangnya dia dipinggirkan. Tidak ada yang mahu menghantar bola kepadanya. Dia cuba juga mengejar sedaya-upaya namun terus dibuli budak-budak yang lain. Tidak cukup dengan itu, tidak putus-putus dia diherdik dengan kata-kata kesat dan menghina. Budak-budak lelaki yang saya perhatikan hari itu semuanya masih kecil. Pada amatan saya, semuanya berumur bawah 15 tahun. Kerana itulah saya terperanjat dengan sikap mereka terutamanya kata-kata kesat yang keluar daripada mulut mereka. Persoalannya, bagaimana mereka mampu bersikap sedemikian? Dalam bidang sosiologi, setiap kelakuan manusia dikaji berdasarkan rangkaian interaksi antara agensi-agensi masyarakat daripada yang paling kecil hingga yang paling besar. Individu itu sendiri adalah agensi yang paling kecil, diikuti dengan ibubapanya, adik-beradik, sanak-saudara, jiran-jiran, guru-guru, tokoh-tokoh dan idola masyarakat, dan akhirnya sesebuah masyarakat itu sendiri secara am. Sukar untuk kita tentukan adakah budak-budak Melayu yang saya ceritakan di atas, sikap dan kelakuan menghina yang mereka tunjukkan itu adalah hasil pengaruh ibubapa atau ahli-ahli keluarga terdekat. Itu hanya boleh ditentukan melalui kajian mikro psikologi personaliti dan psikologi sosial. Namun kita boleh melihat kepada beberapa contoh kelakuan dan sikap di kalangan tokoh-tokoh masyarakat yang jikapun tidak banyak, pasti ada memberi pengaruh dan kesan. Tingkah laku pemimpin masyarakat Pada tahun 2007, ketika menghadiri sebuah program bersama pelajar-pelajar Malaysia di California, Amerika Syarikat, seorang menteri kabinet berbangsa Melayu telah dilaporkan mengeluarkan beberapa ungkapan yang dianggap menghina seorang pelajar berbangsa India. Dalam ucapannya, beliau menerangkan bagaimana pihak penjajah British membawa buruh India ke Tanah Melayu. Seraya berkata demikian, beliau memandang tepat ke arah seorang pelajar India di dalam dewan tersebut lalu berkata "that's how we got Indians in Malaysia" ("kerana sebab itulah di Malaysia ada orang-orang India"). Kemudian, pada tahun 2010, timbul pula laporan bagaimana seorang pengetua sekolah menengah kebangsaan di Johor, ketika berucap dalam perhimpunan khas sempena perayaan Hari Kemerdekaan, dengan lantang berkata pelajar-pelajar Cina tidak diperlukan di sekolah itu. Dicanang beliau agar pelajar-pelajar Cina berpindah ke sekolah Cina atau pulang sahaja ke negara Cina. Kepada pelajar-pelajar India beragama Hindu pula beliau berkata, tali sembahyang yang dipakai di lengan dan di leher umpama tali yang dipakai seekor anjing! Dua contoh di atas adalah contoh kelakuan dan manifesti sikap yang ditonjolkan secara terbuka di khalayak ramai. Bayangkan apakah kata-kata yang mereka hemburkan dalam percakapan harian bersama ahli-ahli keluarga dan rakan-rakan? Pengetua sekolah menengah itu misalnya, kalau begitulah sikap beliau ketika berucap dalam perhimpunan, bayangkan sikap beliau ketika berbual bersama guru-guru (yang majoritinya berbangsa Melayu) atau ketika memarahi pelajar-pelajar berbangsa Cina dan India di pejabatnya? Bayangkan juga bagaimana sikap beliau ini boleh mempengaruhi guru-guru lain yang masih muda dan pelajar-pelajar Melayu di sekolah berkenaan? Read more at: http://english.cpiasia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2470&catid=230&Itemid=193
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| 'Don't equate Merdeka with Sabah IC project' Posted: 18 Jan 2013 03:18 PM PST
The national consensus on citizenship brokered before Malaya's independence cannot be equated with the controversial move to grant citizenship to foreigners in Sabah, policy thinkers say. Chua Sue-Ann, fz.com This view is being aired as former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has sought to justify his administration's "Project IC" in Sabah by comparing it to first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra's push for Chinese and Indians in Malaya to receive citizenship. Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, director of think tank Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI), said the comparison was wrong as the two citizenship exercises were carried out for different reasons. "This is not a fair comparison. One was for independence whereas the other was for votes. The motive for granting them citizenship (in Sabah) was to fish for votes and purely political. Citizenship was one of the negotiation points for Merdeka. "The British would not have given independence so easily if the non-Malays were denied citizenship. They had been there for many generations and had toiled to develop the country," Navaratnam told fz.com in a phone interview. Malaysia should stop harping on the citizenship agreement made during the struggle for independence and focus on the road ahead, Navaratnam added. "There are so many challenges that we as a nation face today like corruption, cronyism, declining competitiveness and poor education policies. Mahathir's remarks are contrary to the 1Malaysia concept," said Navaratnam, who had served the government for three decades. Mahathir had on Thursday admitted to granting citizenship to foreigners in Sabah but maintained it was done lawfully. But Mahathir sought to justify his administration's move by alleging that Tunku Abdul Rahman dished out citizenship to one million people who were "not qualified and not even tested". Although Mahathir did not specify who these one million people were, his remarks were seen as a reference to the many Malayans of Chinese and Indian descent who were given citizenship when independence was being negotiated with the British powers. Pre-independence, the proposal to give citizenship to non-Malays was a contentious and arduous process that took several years of multi-party negotiations. Malaya in 1957 had a population of 5.2 million people comprising 2.2 million Malays and indigenous people and, three million non-Malays, according to a book entitled Malaysia: The Making of A Nation by Cheah Boon Kheng. In similar vein, Centre for Policy Initiatives director Dr Lim Teck Ghee said Mahathir had no basis to compare the two historical situations. "What Tunku Abdul Rahman did was open, transparent and with the support of key stakeholders when he agreed to the citizenship clause. "What Mahathir did was opaque, hidden, known only to a few plotters and basically unjustifiable at the time, today and in the future," Lim said in an e-mailed response. Lim added that Mahathir's remarks was typical of the latter's "diversion strategy" aimed at shoring up Malay support by stoking racial sentiments. Sabah's large influx of foreign nationals has been a contentious issue for many years as locals fear an altering of local demographics. Foreign nationals make up over 27% or 889,000 of Sabah's 3.2 million population, according to witness evidence during the current royal commission of inquiry to investigate the issue of undocumented immigrants in the state. Aside from altering the state's demographics, Project IC in Sabah was also alleged to be an exercise to give foreign nationals, mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia, citizenship in exchange for votes.
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| Reflections on democracy and populism Posted: 18 Jan 2013 03:13 PM PST
IF the government were to devise a scheme where a grandparent could "borrow" future earnings from his grandchild, would the grandparent consent to such an unusual plan? Khaw Veon Szu, fz.com Yet, the various popular cash handouts that are now being offered, if continued indefinitely, are akin to intergenerational borrowings that threaten the well-being of future generations with massive financial obligations incurred from the benefits received by today's generation. A recent statement by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has set alarm bells ringing. According to the media, the deputy prime minister said Putrajaya may double the RM500 cash aid distributed under its Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) programme. He added that the federal government may even make it a permanent policy should the national income and tax revenue exceed RM125 billion and Barisan Nasional wins the general election. The first BR1M, paid out to nearly five million families at a cost to taxpayers of RM2.6 billion earlier last year, saw Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's approval rating hit 69%, largely due to a surge among lower-income households. BR1M 2.0's coverage has been extended to unmarried youths. More than 2.3 million applications had been received as at Dec 17, 2012, with more than 1.6 million from unmarried youths and more than 720,000 from households. Under the programme, Malaysians with a household income of less than RM3,000 a month are eligible for a one-off cash aid of RM500 while unmarried individuals aged 21 and above and who earn not more than RM2,000 a month are eligible for one-off aid of RM250. BR1M 2.0 is expected to benefit 4.3 million households and 2.7 million unmarried individuals. An additional RM300 million has been set aside for the Youth Communication Package that offers a oneoff rebate of RM200 to youths aged 21 to 30 with a monthly income of RM3,000 and below for the purchase of a 3G smartphone. Make no mistake. The Pakatan Rakyat state governments are equally guilty as they pioneered such cash aid programmes after taking over several states in the last general election. These included the Senior Citizens Appreciation Programme, the Single Mother and Disabled Person Programme and the Golden Students Programme, under which eligible recipients receive RM100 each annually. That is what we fear most about populism. What initially starts out as one-off or ad hoc cash aid measures to win elections might eventually end up as a fixture in our national annual budget. No wonder many now worry that the battle to win the hearts and minds of the rakyat is fast descending into a mindless competition to put cash into the pockets of voters. The natural tendency in a democracy is for politicians to promise more and more to fulfil a multitude of the rakyat's incompatible desires. To meet these everincreasing promises, politicians are left with no alternative but to resort to print-ing money or borrowing in epic proportions. Hence, it is not surprising to learn that Aristotle was of the view that political regimes may be divided according to the number who rule and what kind of rule — good or bad. And here comes the shocker. If the many, the majority, rule for the sake of true common good, the regime is called a polity; if the many, the majority, rule for their own advantage rather than the common good, the regime is a democracy. This probably explains why our great institutions — the judiciary, Parliament, civil service, free press and the family — have such profound importance. They provide a system of checks and balances against the populism that is such a po-tent force in a democratic system. They stand for values — decency, fairness, protection of minori-ties, freedom under law — that inevitably come under strain in a democracy. Actually, an obsession with politics is dangerous. It is factually and patently wrong to assume that democracy is the same as liberty, tolerance and fairness because these values were embedded in public service long before universal suffrage and the emergence of what we think of today as democracy. Read more at: http://fz.com/content/reflections-democracy-and-populism
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| Misleading take on Star in Sabah by complainants Posted: 18 Jan 2013 03:04 PM PST
The Daily Express front page lead, "Cloud still hangs over Star ops" (Sat 19 Jan, 2013), is a misleading take by complainants based on a litany of half-truths. The State Reform Party (Star), to the best of my knowledge, is a Kuching-based national party and hence can field candidates throughout the country. The emphasis is on fielding candidates. The only authority on Star fielding candidates is its president, not ROS or the EC. Joe Fernandez, Bandar Seri Begawan The EC has already made it's stand clear in the local media: Star can field candidates in Sabah come the 13th General Election under its symbol and flag. Star is a registered name, symbol and flag with the EC. All that a candidate needs to stand under Star is a letter from the party president to lodge with the EC. |
| Umno is rotten to the core – it seems! Posted: 18 Jan 2013 03:02 PM PST
The cat is out of the bag – at last! Tun Mahathir and all his cohorts from his era cannot plead ignorance or amnesia. It is out in the open how they cheated and stole elections to remain in power. P Ramakrishnan, Aliran executive committee member Shamelessly they plotted and subverted the democratic process in their greed to remain in power. What they did is tantamount to treason. They stole our elections and cheated our voters. They made a mockery of our elections and the democratic process consciously and deliberately. To think that this diabolical scheme was hatched by people from the Prime Minister's Department, the Home Ministry, the National Registration Department, the Election Commission, etc. It clearly establishes the fact that there was massive official fraud to ensure the two thirds majority, win the election and fool the public that the Barisan Nasional came into power through legitimate means. To think that two of the then PM's closest confidantes – Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin, Mahathir's political secretary, and Megat Junid Megat Ayub, the deputy home minister under Mahathir – were actively involved in cheating and stealing elections exposes the very possibility that one can remain as prime minister in Malaysia not only for 22 years but forever! The Royal Commission of Inquiry in session in Sabah has exposed some startling revelations that are sending shock waves across the nation. What has been revealed during the session really stinks – perhaps that is the reason this scam was so aptly code-named Ops Durian Buruk!
The election scam, according to many, irrefutably proves there there is an ongoing plot – which the federal government, the NRD and the EC are actively engaged in – that exists right up to today, making the electoral process a meaningless farce. Based on what is revealed – which proves that the various apparatus and functionaries of government have become the pliant subservient agents of the BN – it is no wonder that ruling coalition politicians can confidently declare that they can capture Selangor and take over Penang in the 13th GE. Having perfected the art of massive fraud in the past, the possibility that the BN will use similar schemes again is not unthinkable. The BN's victories have never been honourable ones won on a level playing field. It is, as revealed at the RCI, within their means to easily create new voters, as has been alleged, give them MyKads or temporary receipts, round them up in a house to teach them how to vote for the BN, bribe them and then transport them into constituencies which are marginal to carry out the dastardly deed. This is apparently their perfected modus operandi to win elections. This was how they defeated the PBS government in Sabah; this was how they denied the Gagasan Rakyat their victory; this was how they prevented Pakatan Rakyat from forming the federal government in March 2008. Under these circumstances, it would be terribly wrong – even immoral – for the present Election Commission to conduct the 13th General Election. The present members of the EC have forfeited their right to conduct the election by implication. Their integrity is suspect; their neutrality cannot be trusted and their fairness is not beyond question. What the so-called 'trusted and respected leaders' of our country have done is unforgiveable. They have sacrificed the security of our country and the sacredness of our nation for their selfish greed to hang on to power by whatever means it takes. It is Umno, as it were, that has been behind this conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process which is unprecedented and mind-boggling. It has always been Umno that has been dictating terms and deciding policies. It must be held responsible for the electoral fraud. We must liberate ourselves from this sordid affair that has nullified our sacred vote. It is said, "The first step toward liberation for any group is to use the power in hand…And the power in hand is the vote." Let's remember that!
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| MACC asks Deepak to return with documents, no statement recorded Posted: 18 Jan 2013 02:07 PM PST
Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today did not record controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan's statement in relation to P. Balasubramaniam's second statutory declaration in 2008 on the 2006 murder of Altantuyaa Shaariibuu. Deepak said the MACC today asked him to furnish a long list of documents, including those of a financial nature. "He asked me to give him a lot of documents. So I've agreed. We're going to meet early next week," he told The Malaysian Insider after the meeting at the anti-graft body's Putrajaya office. Deepak claimed that three men came to his office earlier to ask a lot of "unneccessary questions". Earlier today, Deepak told The Malaysian Insider that he expects to reveal everything to the MACC, saying: "Yes, I believe I'll be revealing everything in writing, the entire facts". "They want me to give a statement on the SD2," he had said, referring to private investigator Balasubramaniam's second statutory declaration, which contradicted his first sworn statement. Deepak had recently admitted that he helped to get Balasubramaniam, a private investigator, to repudiate his earlier statutory declaration on the matter, including finding two lawyers to draft the new statement. The Bar Council is investigating the identity of lawyers and possible misconduct in the drafting of Balasubramaniam's second sworn statement about the 2006 murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu. A cloud of mystery has hung over the identity of the lawyer who drew up Balasubramaniam's second SD, dated a day after his first on July 3, 2008, regarding Altantuya's 2006 murder, for which two elite police commandos have been convicted and are facing death sentences.
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| KJ John, You do Yourself an Injustice Posted: 18 Jan 2013 01:41 PM PST
Stop The Lies I am not surprised to read Malaysiakini columnist and shareholder, USCI lecturer and church leader KJ John's "Why I Will Vote Pakatan…". This is not surprising to those who are familiar with his writings in Malaysiakini and elsewhere. His political leanings and his anti-government stance are common knowledge. So, this article was written as an attempt to influence others also to follow suit. I don't think anybody would deny KJ John's right to do that. But when he bends the truth to support his arguments, somebody must correct him so that others are not misled. KJ John must stop passing off prejudices as Gospel truth. He must know it is unChristian not to tell the whole truth. It is unChristian not to be grateful for the many blessings he has received as a citizen of Malaysia. I submit the following facts and observations for KJ John to consider. First, KJ John says that if the government had listened to him in 2007, it would have fared better in the 2008 general election. This statement is highly presumptuous. By what stretch of the imagination does he think he is an expert on the complex mix of Malaysian politics? His father was a MIC party leader but KJ John has never been a member of any political party. Second, he says his reason for wanting to vote Pakatan was because BN handled the 'Allah issue' badly. KJ John must have been sleeping these past few months if he has not witnessed the flip-flop stand by Pas (in the PR coalition) over the issue. Get your facts right, KJ John, it was not BN that handled the 'Allah' issue badly, but Pas and DAP. Why is KJ John so obsessed with this issue anyway? What is the real issue here? KJ John, does God not answer you if you do not call him Allah? You know you can call him Elohim, Yahweh, Adonal, Theos, or Kurios, and he listens. Indeed, would God be offended if you just called him Father? God will not be confined to just a few names that have been included in the lexicons of the world's languages. Is there only one word in every language to which God will answer ? The written language is a human construct, not a divine revelation. Would God eventually judge you by your words rather than my your deeds? KJ John, why are you allowing the 'Allah issue' to blind you to all the blessings you have received? You have all the fundamental freedoms to worship as you please, where you please–in your home or in your Church. Indeed you can worship him without restriction. You can worship him, not confined by place, language, sentiment, mood, understanding, vocation, affiliation, inclination, education level, sentiment, clothing, mood, or physical attributes. God listens to everyone who prays to him. Pray tell, KJ John, how have you been deprived, living as you have been in a Malay-majority, Muslim-majority nation all your life? The non-Malays are assured of their rights and privileges as enshrined in the Federal constitution which is a very carefully and cleverly crafted document. The rights and privileges accorded to one race or adherents of one faith are balanced by the rights of other races and religions. Since independence in 1957, the Constitution has been amended about 40 times, but not a single amendment was made to these core provisions. That must prove how the ruling government staunchly protects and upholds the freedoms of the people which they have enjoyed uninterrupted these past 57 years. Third, KJ John, you said in your article, and I quote: "The federal government is still heavily dominated by Malays …(and the government has) been abusing the Malaysians of Sabah and Sarawak, much worse than the White Rajah has ever abused them!" Come on, come on KJ John, a little learning is a dangerous thing, as they say. You don't even know the White Rajahs never ruled Sabah. Also, you have no idea how the White Rajahs treated the people of Sarawak. You were not born then, and were not even a glint in your father's eye. Again, you say, and I quote: "Why is it that after almost 50 years of this willing and voluntary merger (with Malaysia), their position and placement (with rights and privileges) as the bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak, is not better or equal to even the middle 60 percent of the Malay bumiputeras or even in the same category of non-Malays?" KJ John, you are woefully ignorant of the nation's history, of how the Federal Constitution was framed, nor do you have any in-depth knowledge of the events that led to the formation of Malaysia. Please get off your blinkered horse and mix with the people in Sabah and Sarawak. They will enlighten you and fill the gaps in your knowledge.
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| For Pakatan, Election 2013 not a stroll in the park Posted: 18 Jan 2013 01:33 PM PST
Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider As it stands now, the fight for the new voter is split down the centre with Merdeka Center's latest survey showing half of Election 2013 virgins supportive of Datuk Seri Najib Razak, contrary to perception that first time voters are likely to be Pakatan Rakyat (PR) supporters. Nearly one in two Malaysians polled between last November and December in the "First-Time Voters Public Opinion Survey" said they were happy with the prime minister's performance even though only four in 10 said they were satisfied with the Barisan Nasional (BN) government since Najib took over the wheel from Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in April 2009. The latest findings appear to corroborate the independent pollster's earlier studies on public rating for the ruling coalition were lagging behind its leader's despite the slew of cash handouts and a raft of economic and legal reforms introduced over the past four years. In effect, BN would be worse off without Najib's popularity. The independent research house had polled 826 newly-registered voters in Peninsular Malaysia aged 21 and above and found Najib being most popular among Indians at 64 per cent compared to six out of 10 Malays and lowest among the Chinese, with six out of 10 saying they were upset with the PM. In contrast, the BN coalition trailed the PM's ratings by eight percentage points, with 41 per cent of first-time voters approving it compared to the 49 per cent that backed Najib. The ruling coalition was even rated one percentage point lower than the first-time voter's satisfaction with the federal government, which stood at 42 per cent. Political analysts have suggested that the BN cash in more on Najib's personal popularity to endear themselves to first-time voters. The survey also showed a marked split in the issues considered important to each ethnic group, with the Chinese saying they were most concerned about corruption while emotive issues touching on race and religion trumped livelihood issues for the Malays. More than half of the 561 Malays polled said they wanted more to see politicians debate Malay and equality rights than talk about living costs or corruption.
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| Anwar: Exorcising The Ghost of His Umno Past Posted: 18 Jan 2013 01:22 PM PST
A Kadir Jasin SHOULD we be curious that Parti Keadilan Rakyat's deputy president, Mohd Azmin Ali, is so worried about the so-called attempts to implicate his boss, (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim, in the Sabah immigrant issue or is there something more than meets the eye? After all, the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) had just started its work. Or is there something intimate that he knows about Anwar's alleged involvement in the Sabah's immigrant issue that many young Malaysians are not aware of? Older Malaysians who know Anwar from his student days may be less surprised about his many political and social involvements and the evolution that he went through before, during and after his Umno days. Azmin had alleged that the PKR had received information about a plot to implicate Anwar in the on-going inquiry. The Malaysiakini news portal quoted him as saying: "[And] I also received information (the) ultimate goal will relate to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also. "All the problems in this country is burdened on the de-facto leader and we also expect (this)." I would not dare advise Anwar and Azmin, although I knew both of them well during the years that they were the power duo in the Barisan Nasional administration, to acknowledge that they were responsible for some of the key decisions that took place during that period or, at the very least, admit that they were fait accompli. I Know They know What I Know
I was there for all of the 16 years that Anwar was the crown prince of Umno and Azmin, as his principle private secretary, was the envy of many ambitious civil servants and political operators. The braver ones called him names and the gung-ho ones mishandled him. I salute him for his undying loyalty to his boss. In the case of Sabah politics, in which the immigrants play a major socio-economic and political role, Anwar was for many years its key handler. Because he was one of the most trusted and ambitious allies of then Prime Minister, (Tun) Dr Mahathir 'the Wizard' Mohamad , he got to handle not only Sabah politics but also money that went with it – government as well as party money. Being the young leader most closely identified with Dr Mahathir, Anwar was in the thick of all things important and strategic – things that earned him juicy political dividends. Let us not pretend. Since Anwar continues the dream of becoming Malaysia's Prime Minister and has the best shot at it in the coming general election, and Azmin surely would not want to be left far behind, perhaps it is time for them to face the ghost of their Umno and BN past. What is so terribly wrong about it? Anwar would not be where he is today had he remained an Abim leader or opted to join Pas as some of his Abim's contemporaries did. For good or evil, the 16 years that he was in Umno, he gained premium political branding so much so he is today able to sell it to Pas and the DAP. Immigrant Issue Is As Old As the Country Let us be brave and frank. In a way or another, we are all implicated in all issues pertaining to immigration and citizenship. So we should not politicise the work of the RCI for short-term political gains, more so if we are interested to solve the issue once and for all. I remember discussing the issue of Filipino immigrants in Sabah back in 1981 with then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, (Tun) Musa Hitam, while flying with him in a government jet from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Terengganu and back.
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| Ex-MNLF leader tells RCI how he came into Sabah in the 1970s Posted: 18 Jan 2013 01:15 PM PST
(The Star) - KOTA KINABALU: A former leader of an armed group involved in a civil war in southern Philippines some 40 years ago told the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) that it was easy to slip into Sabah in the mid 1970s. Abdul Halil Aramil said that he and six other Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leaders, who were based in Basilan province, Philippines, arrived at an island near the east coast town of Sandakan sometime in 1975 without any problem. He told the inquiry that the group came to Jampiras Island, near Sabah, after their fighters in Basilan started running low on ammunition and food. "We sought help in Sabah," said Abdul Halil, who calls himself Commander Janggut. He added that he and the other MNLF leaders eventually settled in Sabah, with most of them securing employment in the oil palm plantations. Abdul Halil told the inquiry that he and several hundred Filipino refugees eventually set up a settlement in the interior Nabawan district, which they called Kampung Minsupala in reference to their homeland – Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan. He said that while they yearned for autonomy in southern Philip-pines, they now considered Malaysia as their home. "I have never gone back to where I came from and I do not wish to return there because it is not safe even though the war has ended," he said. Abdul Halil added that the situation there was unsafe as almost everyone owned a firearm. On June 1, 2012, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the setting up of the RCI to investigate the long-standing problem related to illegal immigrants in Sabah, as the Government was committed to resolving the matter which could adversely affect the well-being of the state's people. Najib had insisted on the setting up of the RCI and had, on Sept 21, handed over appointment letters to the RCI chairman, former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong and the commission's other members. The Prime Minister reportedly told the commission members that he wanted the inquiry to be completed before the general election.
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| PAS council: Azmin can say what he wants, he is disrespectful Posted: 18 Jan 2013 01:12 PM PST
(The Star) - The PAS Syura Council, not happy with Azmin Ali's remarks that its decision on the kalimah Allah issue isn't the stand taken by Pakatan Rakyat leaders, said the PKR deputy president was being disrespectful to the council. PAS ulama chief Datuk Harun Taib (picture) said: "PAS stands by the Syura Council, as it is the supreme body responsible for policies and major decisions in the party. "Let him (Azmin) say whatever he wants. I do not want to comment about him. That is his matter." Azmin had reportedly said at a press conference on Thursday that the Opposition pact was sticking to its decision that non-Muslims can use the word "Allah" despite the council stating otherwise. He added that Pakatan was bound by the policies that were discussed during a Jan 8 meeting and that the council was not related to it. PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang were at the meeting that arrived at the decision. But the council said on Monday that non-Muslims should be prevented from using the word "Allah" in translations of their religious texts. Azmin was adamant that Pakatan's stance on the issue had not changed and that the council's "afterthought" did not hold water with the Opposition pact. Meanwhile, sacked Selangor PAS chief Datuk Dr Hasan Ali also chided Azmin on his remarks, saying the PKR deputy leader had failed to understand the sentiments of PAS members and supporters on matters concerning Islam.
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| From boast to downright disgrace Posted: 18 Jan 2013 01:05 PM PST The modus operandi to ensure Sabah remained Umno's "fixed deposit" bordered on "treason" at the highest level and was a state-sponsored organised crime. (FMT) - KOTA KINABALU: It used to be Umno's and the Barisan Nasional's claim, made with some swagger, that Sabah is their "fixed deposit" state. The boast was meant to convey the message to the opposition that they were untouchable. As it turned out, it was true. The ruling coalition had indeed stuffed the ballot boxes in the state sufficiently, but not in the usual way, to ensure Sabah would always be in their corner in their bid to hang on to reins of power. But that boastful expression is coming back to haunt them. The first week of evidence gathering by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the massive presence of illegal immigrants in the state emphasised this. The narrative so far is that what started as a refugee problem morphed into an illegal immigrant problem and then became a policy to re-engineer the population of the state to reflect Muslim dominance from its native Christian majority origins at the founding of Malaysia in 1963. From there it again changed shape and became an alleged illegal citizenship-for-votes project to prop up a shaky coalition government that has ruled Malaysia for more than 50 years and Sabah for almost two decades. The modus operandi that was used to ensure Sabah became Umno's "fixed deposit" state, bordered on state-sponsored organised crime while some would put it as "treasonous" activity at the highest government levels. Witness after witness stated as much over the last week. However, former civil servants who served during his time in power, illegal immigrants and refugees seem to contradict his statement by telling the commission of the clandestine nature of the issuance of Malaysian identification papers that led to them gaining citizenship and right to vote. Top Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) officers spoke of an operation codenamed 'Operation Rotten Durian' and by all accounts this operation reached into the highest offices including those of Mahathir's trusted aides and indeed Mahathir himself. He seems to confirm this when he said last week: "When I was prime minister, I was in power to determine the implementation of government policies. "The government received foreigners to be citizens if (they) fulfilled certain conditions, furthermore those who are there are not one, two days but already 20 to 30 years and they speak in Bahasa Melayu, have the right to be Malaysians. "So the problem is when there are people who are unhappy when there are some who become Malaysians although those individuals have already long resided in Malaysia, that is what causes problems." Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, as the stunning nature of the RCI witness statements sank in, he repeatedly stressed that this giving of citizenships to foreigners was "within the law". "I never deny it (citizenships) were given. What I deny is that I did something against the law, that I will deny," he was reported as saying.
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| Jeffrey: Postpone polls in Sabah Posted: 18 Jan 2013 01:02 PM PST Given the revelations at the RCI, Sabah STAR believes electoral rolls are tainted and needs to be cleaned up before the general elections. Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Sabah State Reform Party (STAR) chairman Jeffrey Kitingan has called for the suspension of the forthcoming 13th General Election until the electoral rolls in Sabah are cleaned up. Commenting on the series of sensational revelations made by witnesses in the ongoing Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on issuance of Malaysian citizenship to both legal and illegal immigrants in Sabah, he said the current electoral rolls are tainted and should not be used. He stressed that the revelations on phantom voters and illegitimate voters enabling fraudulent wins for Umno-BN candidates in the past is a clarion call for all Sabah leaders to join hands to oust the illegitimate government and to call for the suspension of the forthcoming general elections in Sabah until the electoral rolls are cleaned up. "It distresses genuine Sabahans and Malaysians to hear the revelations at the RCI. It is confirming that even the worst of our nightmares on the poor governance of Sabah are nothing compared to what we are hearing," said Jeffrey. "We hear of illegal immigrants being given registration receipts and used as voters for hire to ensure wins for Umno/BN candidates including a former chief minister who would have lost if not for these voters for hire." He was referring to witnesses testimony that between RM10 and RM20 was paid to these voters to be bussed around to various constituencies in the state that were deemed opposition leaning areas to prop up the BN candidates in those areas. In Friday's public hearing, the RCI was told of foreigners who were born in India and had travelled to Sabah using Indian passports ended up as Malaysian citizens by making false claims of being born in Sabah. They were given Malaysian ICs and passports despite not living in the state or country for the rehired period and have since voted up to five times. Present Sabah govt 'illegitimate' The witnesses, who are now voters told, the commission they were merely asked to sign forms while their place of birth, which was neither Sabah or any other part of Malaysia, was filled in by others and the ICs hand-delivered to them.
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