Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- The sovereignty of Sabah rests with its people
- This is How Liberty Dies...With Thunderous Applause
- Jeffrey Asks if Lahad Datu Standoff a Charade to Scare Voters
- Cash Handouts versus Empowering the People
- Responding to Muhyiddin's Confidence of Indian Support
- The Art of Making Promises to Indians
- Anwar's Last Gamble
- Senator Xenophon in Malaysia Again?
- Australian Newspaper Calls Xenophon Foolish & Cynically Self-Promoting
- Are elections all about bribing?
- GE13 Should be Held on June 23, 2013
- A Non-tick for Nong Chik!
- PM Najib and Oppa Gangnam Penang Style
- No way, Hisham!
| The sovereignty of Sabah rests with its people Posted: 19 Feb 2013 12:50 PM PST
INSANE.....The so-called Sulu Sultan says that his people, numbering 400, will not leave Sabah since it 'belongs to them'. "Why should we leave our own country?" he asked. Using the 'sultan's' logic, all Sabahans should leave Sabah since 'it belongs to him'. Joe Fernandez This sovereignty was never transferred to Brunei, Sulu, Britain, the Philippines or even Malaysia. The Lahad Datu standoff is a good time to re-visit the issue of Sovereignty of Sabah which rests with the people and have never been transferred to Brunei, Sulu, Britain, the Philippines or Malaysia. No referendum was held in Sabah on Malaysia. The Brunei and Sulu toll extortioners never ventured beyond the coasts as they were afraid of the headhunters in the interior. |
| This is How Liberty Dies...With Thunderous Applause Posted: 19 Feb 2013 12:36 PM PST
Alwyn Lau 1. A High-Class Stain, Sex and Lies The movie 'Tanda Putera' is a must-watch. It promises to be high-class and even implies a very special class of players. I mean, we've got powerful people parade their obscenity and stains (tanda) – how can we not learn anything? There is this comic strip in which three men are asked what they enjoy doing in their free time. The comic strip shows each person SAYING one thing (e.g. playing an instrument, mountain-hiking, painting the house) but THINKING the same thing: having sex. Reality, however, is more complex. Given the nature of sexual fantasies, nobody fantasizes by going 'straight' to the act immediately. There's (almost) nothing less arousing than banal sexual intercourse out of the blue. Isn't the truth somewhat more complicated and less straight-forward? Don't we all, for instance, weave a narrative of fiction in our sexual fantasies, be it about seduction at the office, at a friend's house, whilst cooking, or whatever? The point is, the comic strip had it backwards: It should have shown the men SAYING "I want to have sex" whilst IMAGINING different scenarios (e.g. in the park, at the symphony, at the backyard, etc.). This would not only be more faithful to what really goes on inside people's heads but also illuminates the truth that our world cannot survive without fictions. Truths, in fact, require fictions. Consider how businessmen often 'dance around' at the start of negotiations and make all kinds of pointless trivia before casually easing up to the matters at hand. They know that small-talk are not merely siblings – they are twins. And when has any political party ever admitted any of their actions or policies to be politically motivated in the least? Is this because they really think people don't know? Or could it be because they know that any intelligent voter will be concerned should their favourite party admit to even having political motives at all?
2. The Prince's Finger and May '69 Every Malaysian should watch 'Tanda Putera' as there's no better way to expose the truth of how a national leader provoked a crisis in order to maintain power. Lost two-thirds of the parliament? What can the elite do? Simple: Create a national catastrophe, call it a racial riot, declare an Emergency, seize full power and ensure one's rivals cannot rise again. Darth Sidius would be so proud. And now those proud of this legacy want to brag. The descendants of the oppressor can't help but show off. But nobody can say this 'in public'. So they've got to make do with a movie in which the key perpetrator of the violence itself is painted as a compassionate leader making 'tough decisions' about how to govern a society drowning in violence. Watching the trailer, I can just hear the main characters thinking out loud, "Oh, Malaysia is so complex and difficult to govern, hor? We've just survived turbulent times and people are restless and troubled blahblahblah. And the cracks in society have caused these upheavals in our 'beloved' country (and Tunku just won't quit, will he?). And I, the DPM (and the other people in the movie who just happen to look better than the average Malaysian) am faced with an oh-so-critical task of 'stabilising' the country. How painful! How necessary!" Can someone pass the popcorn?
3. His Highness' Thing and the Revenge of Barisan So don't miss the movie. Whislt the guy behind you kicks your back, ask why the security forces were kicking back, relaxing and only showed up on the scene in July i.e. two full months after the start of the riots. When some sub-smart dude loudly answers his smart phone, note how the film will neglect to connect the subtle-smart dots between the riots and the rise of the New Economic Policy - one of Asia Pac's most unassuming tools for wealth and power accumulation by a certain class. Whilst you're finishing your soft-drink, ask how our second PM's hard-edged power squad (also known as the National Operations Council, the NOC, a direct result of the riots) to put in force the concept of 'ketuanan Melayu' (the sugar-coat for institutional racism which has fattened a small group and left most unsatisfied – and some constantly hungry e.g. the orang asli). Finally, when the theater lights come on, reflect on how the NOC made freedom of speech go dark (at least on certain topics) i.e. try to question the rights of certain kings to own multiple palaces whilst thousands live in poverty and you'll know what I mean. 'Tanda Putera' struts the truth of naked power in the form of historical fiction. The present regimes loves it not because it's false but because it hints at the truth of their illegitimate grab for power – and how they got away with it. Even though we're almost six decades away from that event, we can almost hear the Barisan contingent (led by Razak) reciting what the Sith Lord declared towards the end of Star Wars III : "Now the war is over...We stand on the threshold of a new beginning. In order to ensure our security and continuing stability, the Republic (i.e. true democracy?) will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire (1Malaysia?), for a safe and secure society, which I assure you will last for ten thousand years..." I'll be surprised if the FELDA settlers are the only ones who'll get free tickets. Because when liberty dies, its killers can't help craving (Tanda-rous) applause.
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| Jeffrey Asks if Lahad Datu Standoff a Charade to Scare Voters Posted: 19 Feb 2013 12:27 PM PST
"We are talking of an intrusion by military units in full gear and weapons like M-16, the deadliest gun in army warfare. Why can't they treat this as a flagrant criminal act, a breach of national security and a violation of Malaysian sovereignty?" Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, Chairman STAR The State Reform Party suspects that the Barisan Nasional government is trying to gain political mileage from the Lahad Datu standoff, using it to scare the people into voting for the BN in the coming general elections. "It is even possible that this is an elaborate BN military strategy choreographed to achieve that purpose," its state chairman, Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan said in a statement. "This new form of fear mongering makes sense knowing BN's desperation in wanting to hold on to power in the light of the ruling coalition's lowest level of popularity and support at the moment." He said the way the tense situation is handled supports this theory, pointing out to the fact that the Prime Minister appears to be not perturbed by the incident and had not made much effort in explaining the real situation in Lahad Datu in spite of the many inconsistencies on the information received by the people. "The numerous rumours of disturbances like in KK and other areas spreading through social networks like Facebook add credence to the theory of the intrusion being orchestrated to frighten the people of Sabah.
"There are international reports which says the Sulu Sultan recognized by Manila had denied any involvement in the intrusion into Sabah, or that they are his army, while another sultan claims Lahad Datu to be his homeland and he and his people refuse to leave. The news had become an international intrigue while we in Sabah are still being denied the truth. "The federal government has failed to show real seriousness and muscle in dealing with such a problem and we are becoming a laughing stock under the scrutiny of international observation," Jeffrey claimed. "We are talking of an intrusion by military units in full gear and weapons like M-16, the deadliest gun in army warfare. Why can't they treat this as a flagrant criminal act, a breach of national security and a violation of Malaysian sovereignty? "It is shocking that the government has failed to deal with this security issue effectively and quickly by taking the appropriate measures on the intruders. What the government had done is take unconvincing action such as negotiating. By negotiating the government is giving a lot of legitimacy to the intruders as if they have some sort of rights when in fact they have none whatsoever to negotiate for in the first place." "By the successful act of intrusion into Lahad Datu, it shows total failure of Malaysia's security apparatus. The government must explain where were the navy, marine police and its security patrols? Where were the national military intelligence and tip-off of the impending intrusion or invasion so it could be pre-empted? On the other hand if it is not a real intrusion, the failings of the security apparatus shows that it is indeed an orchestrated show and drama because the other components of a real invasion are missing! "We can see that the response of the government is appalling and pathetic. The army, navy and the whole security apparatus with helicopters, tanks and heavy artillery should have been called in. Instead, negotiations are carried out by the police on the so-called no-bloodshed basis. What it was they negotiated about, and why had the negotiation taken so long? How come it is the police doing the negotiating and why was the army excluded? Are the police equipped to deal with the militants who are not normal criminals? "It's not amusing that the story is unfolding to portray the heroic acts of the intruders instead and making the police and army look weak and indecisive. "We haven't heard any report of the police demanding that they lay down their arms. Why? Is it because the whole thing is really a scripted dramatic charade to frighten the voters? If that is the game, it is a double-edged sword because it can backfire and cause the people to vote against the BN for the obvious failure in flexing military muscle for the sake of national dignity and sovereignty. "Another fact that supports the theory this is a fear mongering tactic is that there is little media coverage in the government-controlled mass and mainstream media although the intrusion is bordering on an act of war. Isn't Sabahimportant enough as Malaysians to deserve being kept posted on the developments on the standoff? Why leave to private news and internet portals to carry news about it? Why is there so much rumours of disturbances in other areas in Sabah but the police is not taking action on the rumour mongers. Is it because this spreading of rumours is being fired up by cybertroopers? "The government has proven itself to be not serious about Sabah's security. If the government can prevent an Australian senator from coming into KL, there is no reason the government cannot stop an intrusion by armed militants into Sabah. In sum, the government has clearly failed to give us confidence in our security capability or to give us pride as Malaysians in dealing with an international incidence which has now tarnished our international reputation. "If the government cannot protect our country and deal with this problem in a way that will enhance our standing as a sovereign nation, maybe it's time for Malaysia to ask for international intervention," Jeffrey said.
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| Cash Handouts versus Empowering the People Posted: 19 Feb 2013 12:18 PM PST
The fact that Malaysians have to resort to be given cash payments as a means to deal with the high living standards does not seem to matter to anyone. Cash payments have in an indirect way poked fun of a persons' dignity. For not it is of a paltry sum but it is in the form of a cash payout. When one resorts to receiving a cash payment it usually is a sign of desperation. It is a sign of a person questioning their self-worth in the ability to achieve anything. Political Studie for Change (KPRU – Kajian Politik untuk Perubahan) The reactions were mixed. Some were exuberant, some were unsure and some were critical against the goodies that was handed out in the 2013 Budget. A recap of the goodies under the 2013 Budget are as follows; RM250 cash payment to single citizens above 21 earning less than RM2,000 monthly, RM500 cash payment to households earning below RM3,000 monthly under the BR1M 2.0, cash payment of RM1—to all primary and secondary school students, and a one-off rebate of RM200 to be given to youths aged between 21 to 30 years old to purchase smart phones. The idea to alleviate the staggering cost of living of Malaysians by handing out cash goodies seemed like a good idea at the time. But the question is; is the government helping to alleviate the monetary burderns of Malaysian citizens or is the Malaysian government buying the votes of the Malaysian citizens? Nevermind those two questions, the subquestion to those two main questions is whether the cash goodies are sustainable against the Malaysian economy or is it not? Whilst the sub-sub question that remains to be answered is whether there are other ways to alleviate the monetary burderns of Malaysian citizens other than handing out cash goodies. The proverb "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime" is something to ponder. The theme for the 2013 Budget was Prospering The Nation, Enhancing Well-Being Of The Rakyat: A Promise Fulfilled. But how does handing out cash goodies enhance the well being of the rakyat other than it is a temporary high with no long lasting positive effects for the Malaysians citizens. In his speech, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak quipped that the RM200 cash rebate for a smart phone purchase was to enable the youths to access the internet. Yet does it lead to the wiser use of the internet by the youths?
Paid or Free Education? Cash handouts may be a plausible good way to a temporary high but it is also pertinent to gather an understanding on the alternatives to a cash handout. One of the many other alternatives than a cash handout is the possibility of introducing a free college education for all in Malaysia or revolutionize the idea of the need of a higher education degree. A Harvard professor, Peter Theil has a view that higher education is broken and that many kids would be better off saving their money and going straight from high school into a trade or developing a business. Under his "20 under 20" fellowship grant, high school students with a sound business idea will be given a grant worth USD$100,000 if they skip college and go right to work their idea.[1] Meanwhile, entrepreneur Vivek Wadhwa believes that online courses will revolutionize higher education and cut the cost to near zero for students over the next decade.[2] While both ideas are radical and could change the education plateau on Malaysia. Wadhwa and Theil has provided us with a window that provides the youth and students alike to choose their future instead of the narrow path of college or dropping out and work an employment with minimum wage. The other alternative as can be seen in Sweden is to provide not only free higher education but a free and quality assured higher education. Sweden until 2011 had introduced tuition fees for foreign students from outside the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA). But, on the other foreign students who cannot afford to pay foe the tuition fees may be eligible for countries in which Sweden has long-term development projects and for foreign students outside the EU/ EEA. The question many quarters may forward is the sustainability of such policy. In Sweden, 85 percent of the funding of Sweden's universities comes from the government, with 65 percent comes from direct government grants. 7 percent comes from other public sources of funding whereas the rest comes from private and financial revenue.[3] Whilst the smartphone rebate allows the youth to surf the internet, it does not teach the youth develop potential internet programming that will revolutionize the internet. There is a stark contrast of education expenditure between Malaysia and Sweden. In 2009, Malaysia spent around 25 percent of our GDP[4] whilst Sweden in the same year only spent 7.29 percent of their GDP on education. Yet in the TIMSSS 2011 report, the average score for mathematics between Sweden and Malaysia are 504 and 440 respectively. In other words, whilst Malaysia is busy spending money on electronic gadgets, the Swedes are spending less money for the lasting quality of their future generations. Is Sweden's method better than Malaysia's attempt to bring the internet to the youth by offering a free meal? In Malaysia the government decides what and how should the students learn whereas in Sweden it is the students that decide their own education. Has this worked? For Sweden it has as shown by the results of the TIMSS reports. Amongst the freedom given to students in Sweden was the empowerment given to students to spend more time on subjects of their own choices, compulsory courses in natural and social sciences were no longer divided into separate subjects. The Swedish Education Act also provides that all children and young people are to have equal access to education, regardless of gender, where they live or social or economic factors. Also in 2006, Sweden appointed its first Child and School Student Representative, whose task is to provide information on any discrimation act, assists the schools in preventing bullying, oversees schools' efforts and represents students who have been bullied. In terms of giving access of the internet to youths, there is an average of six students per computer in town-owned schools and 4.5 students per computer in independent elementary schools. As for high schools, there are 2.5 students per computer in town-owned schools and 1.6 students for every independent high schools. This leads an average of 96 percent of all schoolchildren who have access to a computer and the internet.[5] The bottom line is that in order to give the access of the internet to the youths, the education is to be reformed and not in the manner of the half-baked supposedly refomation of education in the New Education Blueprint that doesn't provide insurance that all youths in Malaysia will be guaranteed a place in schools much less an all-round good quality education that does not discriminate nor leave behind any student.
Community Empowerment Just as Malaysian youths cautiously accepted the smartphone rebate, the young adults were optimistically cautious accepting the RM250 cash payment for those above 21 years old and earning less than RM2,000. RM250 may seem peanuts to certain quarters but to a hopefull young adult living in the city trying to make it big, RM250 means two months of food funds. But, does it help in the long run? The federal government introduced the minimum wage of RM900 in Peninsular Malaysia and RM800 in Sabah Sarawak. Whilst the Selangor state government on the other hand introduced the minimum wage of RM1,500 to it's state employees. Other than donning on the hat of minimum wage or disbursing cash payments, it still does not solve the problem of the ridiculous rise in the living standards and the failure of the wage to match that sky-rocketing high living standards. The fact that Malaysians have to resort to be given cash payments as a means to deal with the high living standards does not seem to matter to anyone. Cash payments have in an indirect way poked fun of a persons' dignity. For not it is of a paltry sum but it is in the form of a cash payout. When one resorts to receiving a cash payment it usually is a sign of desperation. It is a sign of a person questioning their self-worth in the ability to achieve anything. The medicine of the degradation of a person's dignity is to medicate their degradation of self-worth. The federal government or state government needs to encourage the youth to be active in community causes such as being carried out in Subang Jaya Gotong-Royong of catching rats. It activates a sense of one having the capability of giving back to their community and also increases their self worth. Another community project worth mentioned is the Subang Jaya Book Exchange where people would exchange books (old and new) for free. The endorsements of the authorities may it be the municiple council, state or federal is a positive step to a person not needing cash payment to survive high living standards. Other examples are encouraging community exchange of baby/ children products for families receiving the BR1M cash payment. Such exchange programmes may decrease thei need to receive cash payments as also reduce their burden in facing the high living standards. Endorsement by relevent authorities signals to the poor and marginilized that they do not have to depend of cash payments to face the increasing living standards. They will have the power to empower themselves within a community to better themselves through community projects such was mentioned. States such Australia encourages community based programs as a means to inspire young people to set goals in life and enable the youths to be able to achieve them.[6] Whilst in the United States, community based programs have been fruitful in improving the community's health that includes both mental and physical health.[7] The American government also uses community based programs as means to engage the locals to promotw healthy, sustainable and green comunities[8]. As according to this agency under the American government, communities must be the driver for local solutions. The point is rather than handing out cash payments, the communities should be given the encouragement to empower themselves so as to not overly depend on governmental monetary assistanse. Instead of handing out cash payments, the government should encourage the community to become independent. The government must teach the people to fish and not how to eat.
Freedom of Information If information is power, than the power lies within the people of Malaysia to freely gain information concerning decicions made within the office of the Malaysian government. Selangor and Penang both passed a Freedom of Information Bill (FOI). Yet the tenents of the FOI was successfully ignored by the Selayang Municipal Council by not releasing the minute meeting concerning the decicions made on the controversial Dolomite Avenue Park. In order to overcome the power of the dollar sign, one must empower the power of the people. Whilst the FOI enactment is a positif step forward for the socio-political growth of the Malaysian people, it may be wiser to enhance the mechanism. Instead of giving a reasonable access to information, it could be amended to entrenching the right to access information. Instead of limiting the time lapse of twenty years for keeping the information confidential, it should be amended that the time lapse be put away. Another suggested improvement to the FOI enacment was that the government of Penang and Selangor should publish an inventory of the information held by public bodies; appoint and provide adequate training to information officers; undertake routine disclosure of information of public interest; and conduct adequate public awareness activites to ensure that citizens are aware of the law and how to use it.[9] In a democratic state, the access to information is a pertinent tool for the citizens to hold the government accountable for decisions made without the say of the people. One of the principles of a democratic nation is the empowerment of the its people to access government records and decisions. As per the words of Abid Hussein, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, "Freedom will be bereft of all effectiveness if the people have no access to information. Access to information is basic to the democratic way of life. The tendency to withhold information from the people at large is therefore to be strongly checked."
If a government proudly protrays to be a transparent administration, then there should not be any fear to release governmental records to the public. In 2010, the court granted the federal government the right to refuse the disclosure on the water concession signed with the Selangor government and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor on the basis such disclosure would affect the daily administration of the government's machinery and the public interest as a whole.[10] This is a contradiction as courts in other countries have held the denial of access could not be justified and hence it represented a breach of the respective State's human rights obligations[11]. That being said, what the people need is not cash handouts but empowerment. This right of information has not only be supported in countries such as the US, regions suchs as the EU but also by countries such as India, Sri Lanka and Japan. Yet this basic human right seems to be an alien notion in Malaysia. As opposed to the words of Najib whom guarantees that "Umno is always transaparent as we accept comments and learn to improve ourselves".[12] Those words do not empower the people. Instead those words are justifications by a government of a sovereign nation to run around the bushes trimming the hedges but not cutting the roots of the thatches. In 2010, Malaysia was tied in the same group as Liberia, Zambia, Albania, Afghanistan, Timor Leste, Mozambique and Mali for states with a poor rating for transparency and accountability in its country's budget.[13] Even Thailand and Papua New Guinea has a better transparency with regards to it's budget. They say the pen is mightier than thr sword but in this situation, it is safe to say that information is mightier than the dollar sign. Information gives one the power to change their own future whilst money turns one into a slave of their own creations. Thus making the empowerment through access of information an alternative to cash handouts. To turn Malaysia into a first world state, it takes more than major mega projects to propel Malaysia into that direction. Take for example United Kingdom; the government has published statistics of FOI requests made to the administration since it's introduction in 2005. As can be seen in Figure 1, there has been a steady increase in FOI requests from 2007 to 2012. The rise in FOI requests signals that the government of the United Kingdom believes in the power of the people and the people believes in the power of accountability.
Figure 1 : Number Of FOI Requests From January 2005-2012[14]
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the FOI is facing its' own hurdles to be passed before the country's election in May 2013. According to news reports, the FOI bill will entail the full disclosure involving the public interest, subject to certain limitations such as information relating to national security and defence. [15] As the world moves forward and our neighbours are opening their administration to the people that voted for them, it is time for Malaysia to follow suit. Selangor and Penang are swimming with the currents while the Malaysian federal government is doing the exact opposite. The British goverment is a good example of a transparent government. Najib should take heed in doing the same. The Malaysian Federal and State government should make it mandatory that statistical data for requests for information be made public as a measure of proactive transparency. Once a government, may it be either the federal or state government move beyond the notion the idea of the government owning information and allows the people to access it to the notion that the government holds information on behalf of the people[16], who have the right to access it, than the wish to access information by the people should not be of a negative notion.
Epilogue The act of the Najib administration in handing out monetary goodies to Malaysians is an act of placing a tiny bandaid on a bleeding stab wound. It fails to medicate the real issues faced by the Malaysian people. It also serves to insult the intelligence of Malaysians. What Malaysians need are ways to improve the community without the help of cash handouts. If the community is happy than the country is happy. If the community is satisfied with it's own creations than wastage of taxpayers money doesn't occur through governmental cash handouts. The questions of ways to counter cash handouts lies in the government supporting community based programs that improves both mental and physical well being of the community. Just as supporting the notion of free education and alternatives such as entrepeneur start-up programs for youths who do not wish to continue their tertiary education is an alternatives to rebates to purchase smartphones that doesn't actually benefit a youth in the long run. Najib seems to forget that the worth of a smartphone depreciates with time but a good education is an investment that lasts a lifetime and more. By placing his trust in money and distrusting the worth of the capabilities of a satisfied community, Najib is mocking the basic rights of the people of Malaysia. And if the recent amount of Malaysian participants in the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat on 12 January 2013 is of any hint, Malaysians seem to be ready to take back their rights and prove than the empowerment of the people is always better than any cash handout.
[1] Time, Why College May Be Totally Free Within 10 Years, 12 Oktober 2012, http://business.time.com/2012/10/12/why-college-may-be-totally-free-within-10-years/#ixzz2HMuuCeUu [3] Sweden, Higher education and research: Getting smarter in Sweden, Disember 2010, http://www.sweden.se/eng/Home/Education/Research/Facts/Higher-education-and-research-in-Sweden/# [4] The Star, Malaysia, Thailand Tops In Education Expenditure, 24 Mac 2009, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/24/nation/20090324205521&sec=nation [5] Sweden SE, Education in Sweden: Lessons for life, http://www.sweden.se/eng/Home/Education/Basic-education/Facts/Education-in-Sweden/ [7] Texas A&M Health Science Cetner, Educational And Community-Based Programs In Rurual Areas: A Literature Review, http://www.srph.tamhsc.edu/centers/rhp2010/Volume_3/Vol3Ch4LR.pdf [8] EPA, Supporting Community-Based Action Programs, http://www.epa.gov/compliance/ej/plan-ej/community-action.html [9] Freedominfo, Three Media Groups Urge Malaysia to Pass FOI Law, 27 September 2012, http://www.freedominfo.org/2012/09/three-media-groups-urge-malaysia-to-pass-foi-law/ [11] Article 19 org, Freedom of Information as an Internationally Protected Human Right, http://www.article19.org/data/files/pdfs/publications/foi-as-an-international-right.pdf [12] The Star, Najib: Umno Accepts Criticisms To Improve, 12 Januari 2012, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/1/12/nation/20130112225333&sec=nation [13] International Report, Open Budget Survey 2010, http://internationalbudget.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2010_Full_Report-English.pdf [14] Justice, Freedom Of Information: Statistics On Implementation In Central Government, 12 Disember 2012, [16] Huffington, Freedom of Information Comes to Malaysia. 8 Februari 2010, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zac-hill/freedom-of-information-co_b_667864.html
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| Responding to Muhyiddin's Confidence of Indian Support Posted: 19 Feb 2013 12:07 PM PST
MIPAS would like to know what survey and who conducted the survey that Indian votes nationwide, the majority of them now support BN? S.Barathidasan, Secretary General Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (MIPAS) Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (MIPAS) would like to respond to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's confidence of better support from the Indian community for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 13th general election, said when he officiated the opening of the Perak Indian Chamber of Commerce's new building in Ipoh recently. MIPAS would like to know what survey and who conducted the survey that Indian votes nationwide, the majority of them now support BN? It's not true and it's a big lie that the majority of the Indian community are now swinging and starting to support BN. MIPAS strongly believe that it's untrue that the Indian community are giving their full mandate to the Barisan Nasional, but may be so from BN's component party's members itself and their family members. The majority of the Indian community are still unhappy and angry with the Barisan Nasional government due to the lack of BN's responsibility and fulfilling the promise to solve the Indian community issues on Education, Economic and Social problems. There is still discrimination based on race, there were no quotas assigned to the Indian community for jobs in GLCs or the private sector, employment opportunities in government sector, civil service ranking and promotion. Less business opportunities for Indians and also the high crime rate among Indians is a direct result of the lack of access to good, high-income jobs for Indians. The BN government has systematically marginalized vernacular education, bad education policies and merit-based admission education system, almost all these Indian students come from middle and low incoming families and applications to enter Matriculation, Local Universities and JPA scholarship were turned down without any reasons. Stateless Indians, citizenship issues and high number of unaccounted deaths in police custody. All this and many more issues will not increase Indian votes for Baisan Nasional (BN). Besides that, the Indian community are not happy with Tun Dr. Mahathir's remark of the RCI on the grant of citizenship for the Indians and non-Malay rights, Perkasa President Ibrahim Ali's racist remarks and recently the threat from Ridhuan Tee Abdullah's insensitive article published in Sinar Harian Daily, page 40 on the 18th February 2013 (Monday) titled "Kesabaran Umat Islam ada had". MIPAS strongly believe that the Indians community will not give their full mandate to the Barisan Nasional (BN) for the next coming 13th general election.
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| The Art of Making Promises to Indians Posted: 18 Feb 2013 12:00 PM PST
P.M. Sivalingam
"If Pakatan Rakyat takes over Putrajaya, we will abolish tolls, we will abolish PTPTN, we will abolish excise duty to make foreign cars cheaper, we will bring down the price of petrol, free education for all right up to university, we will do this, we will do that….". These are the famous promises made by Anwar Ibrahim in his bid to become PM. He ignores the fact that even if he magically reduces corruption to zero, he still will not be able to pay for all these sweet promises.
We wonder why Anwar and his non-elected Indian advisors in PKR don't make or deliver promises that directly addresses the problems of the Indian community. Pakatan Rakyat has no specific agenda to help uplift Indians and provide specific long-term solutions. What Anwar and his cronies did was to belittle Indians with incredible and impossible promises, such as the promise of granting 300,000 ICs in 30 days. Realising how absurd his first promise was, he later changed his story and said that he will solve all citizenship issues in 100 days. This means he will identify 3,000 people every day, help them complete the necessary documentation and have the registration department and the police approve them all in one day!
A more recent statement by Anwar that he will implement Hindraf's five-year blueprint on resolving Indian community issue within 100 days after taking over Putrajaya once again proves that Anwar only knows to make incredible magical promises to buy Indian votes. He does this because he knows that he will never win Putrajaya as the vast majority of all foreign and domestic experts say that BN will maintain Federal control, and so he will never have to fulfil yet another promise to Indians.
On the other hand, Anwar refuses to sign Hindraf's pledge to address all issues contained in the blueprint. No one can explain why it is that when it comes to the Indian community, Anwar seems to discount the community and has NEVER committed himself and Pakatan Rakyat to resolving Indian issues. The much touted Buku Jingga is a collection of motherhood statements which PKR, PAS & DAP knows it can spin as there are absolutely no Indian specific promises to Indian specific problems.
When asked specifically on Friday, 15 Feb 2013, whether he would appoint an Indian as Deputy Prime Minister should Pakatan win the next GE, Anwar said he cannot commit to that as he does not want to make empty promises. Amusing though, when he can make empty populist promises for everyone, but when the Indians ask for something big, NO, we need to ask other Pakatan parties, we can't commit, read Buku Jingga and the list of excuses goes on….
Any logical person can see that Anwar & Pakatan will only make promises to Indians which are vague and whose execution depends on others. This way, when questioned later on, they can twist and turn and play with words and make many excuses of why it can't be done. On the other hand, when asked to make specific promises to Indians, neither Anwar nor any other Pakatan leader will do so.
On the question of an Indian DPM, the hapless Anwar was caught off guard also for one other important reason; there is NO senior enough elected Indian leader in Pakatan who can be made DPM. Of the supposedly thousands of Indian members in the DAP & PKR, only ONE is elected to the national leadership committee level, and even he is just an ordinary member of this committee. As we all know, PAS only allows Indians to be second-class members of its party and so no Indian candidate can come from there.
This situation of having no Indian leaders elected did not happen by accident, it is a traditional Anwar tactic to keep pliable and manipulable individuals such as Surendran & Xavier with him as they have absolutely zero power bases of their own. The Indians in Malaysia have a very important task of putting in place the right Government to deliver for them and lead the nation. Would they trust a man who has delivered specific solutions, resources and funds in the last 4 years to the Indian community that eclipsed what has been done for the last 40 years combined OR would they trust a man who thinks they are fools who will believe anything this "Shivaji the Boss" says?
Well, I think you can fool some Indians some of the time, but remember, you cannot fool all Indians all the time!
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| Posted: 18 Feb 2013 11:57 AM PST
Arasaratnam Mahalingam Anwar Ibrahim has littered his recent political past with promises he cannot possibly keep. And now he has made the mother of all promises. He has promised to champion the race and religious specific cause of Hindraf. This promise could be his undoing. Anwar was quoted by the social media yesterday as saying that should Pakatan Rakyat assume federal power, Hindraf's five-year blueprint on resolving the Indian community's problems will be implemented within 100 days. Anwar knows he has bitten off more than he can chew. Why then did he make that promise? Simple. He was blinded by his all-consuming ambition to move into the Prime Minister's residence in Putrajaya. When asked at the meeting in Shah Alam on Friday night whether he would support Hindraf's six-point demands, he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Since September last year, PKR had been dragging its feet when Hindraf asked it to endorse its blueprint for the Indian community. More recently, Hindraf leaders became impatient at PKR's foot-dragging. They warned that Pakatan's "inordinate delay" in endorsing the blueprint may result in the coalition losing Indian support in the coming election. So, this time around, if he had not made a firm commitment to Hindraf, his goose would have been cooked. He would have permanently lost Hindraf support. Faced with that prospect, he was forced to respond positively. Now, Anwar has to face the consequences of his hasty reply. And the repercussions are grave for him, for his political party and for the opposition coalition. In essence, the Hindraf's six demands in its blueprint are Indian-specific. Therefore, by agreeing to back Hindraf's demands, Anwar has committed himself and unwittingly his Pakatan partners to fight for Indian causes. If he pursues this line, he will be dumped by the Malays and sabotaged by the Chinese, the Dayaks, Ibans and all the other natives of Sabah and Sarawak because he has not made similar promises to them. He will also have to face the wrath of his coalition partners who have made no similar concession to any other race-based NGO. Even the Buku Jingga, which the three partners cobbled together, is not race-specific. So how will Anwar try to extricate himself? Just as he has always tried to do. And that is by trying to be too clever by half. He tried that trick again at the gathering in Shah Alam. He refused to reduce his commitment to Hindraf in writing. He said he would not sign on the dotted line. Now that is his exit strategy. Or so he thinks. Indians are no more the gullible people Anwar takes them to be. They are wise to Anwar's double talk. They won't rest till they get the PKR Supremo to give them a written undertaking to support their blueprint. They will not settle for anything less. Anwar's 2013 commitment to Hindraf also means he agrees to their demand to end 'institutionalised racism', a term which is their label for special privileges benefitting only Bumiputeras. But what has been Anwar's public stand on this issue of Bumiputera special privileges? In 2009, Anwar defended Malays' special privileges and added that these rights should not be questioned by non-Malays. He has since not changed his stand. So, Anwar stands for Malay special privileges and also supports Hindraf's call to abolish them? Surely Anwar has dug his own grave. He has made a promise to Hindraf that he can't keep. But maybe he always knew this to be the case and was simply playing for time. Anwar will also be in hot soup with his coalition partners for not seeking their sanction before making his commitment to Hindraf. Their prior consent is necessary, said PKR Vice-President Tian Chua. Tian Chua was recently quoted as saying that "when it comes to formulating a political programme, we have stressed to Hindraf that PKR will not act unilaterally or without consensus from all 3 "partners" in Pakatan Rakyat. The blueprint proposed by Hindraf must first be presented to the Pakatan Rakyat leadership council for discussion and approval. This process is yet to take place, therefore it is too early to announce the signing of any agreement." Observers say this promise was another of Anwar's ploys. He has no intention of keeping his promise, and that's why he is refusing to sign the document. He is simply lying to Indians just to get their votes. He will ditch them afterwards. What has hitherto been his or his coalition partners' record when it comes to championing Indian causes anyway? The answer; a very disappointing and weak record. Distrusted by many Malays, viewed with suspicion by many Indians, and treated with caution by many Chinese, is Anwar Ibrahim on a roller coaster ride to political oblivion? The answer…
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| Senator Xenophon in Malaysia Again? Posted: 18 Feb 2013 11:37 AM PST
Eunece Teh SENATOR Nick Xenophon's deportation from Malaysia is regrettable. Given the close ties between Canberra and Kuala Lumpur, it is not unreasonable to have expected the Malaysian authorities to have adopted a less heavy-handed approach when he arrived at the country's international airport as part of a delegation of Australian MPs looking at election arrangements. That said, the gadfly senator from South Australia, unless he is naive, cannot be surprised by the less than welcoming reception he received. Even Malaysia's palm oil industry has been in Senator Xenophon's sights; he has demanded labelling to show if it is from deforested areas, produced in a way that endangers orang-utang habitats. Authorities in Kuala Lumpur have become increasingly irritated by Senator Xenophon's insertion of himself into their domestic political processes, especially with a general election just around the corner. Malaysian officials are legitimately asking what the response would be in Australia if one of their parliamentarians turned up in Canberra to lecture us. Senator Xenophon's grandstanding does neither himself nor Australia any good. He needs to understand that he is an Australian parliamentarian, not a Malaysian politician doing the bidding of the country's opposition. Foreign Minister Bob Carr is, however, right to express his "surprise and disappointment" over the deportation and that no ill should come from having an Australian senator observe the Malaysian election. The trouble is that by becoming a participant in the political processes of another country, Senator Xenophon has compromised any authority he might otherwise have had in making criticism. Valid concerns do exist about the conduct of the election. Authoritarianism and possible fraud are issues. But, as Senator Carr says, Malaysia's elections are a matter for the Malaysian people, and that is something Senator Xenophon would do well to recognise.
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| Australian Newspaper Calls Xenophon Foolish & Cynically Self-Promoting Posted: 18 Feb 2013 11:32 AM PST
Senator Nick Xenophon is deluded into thinking that the Malaysian government is an oppressive draconian regime. There is simply one good reason behind this thinking: He is a friend of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's biggest liar and political chameleon. Imran Sulaiman "NICK Xenophon's actions regarding Malaysia are either foolish or cynically self-promoting in a year in which he faces re-election," wrote Greg Sheridan in The Australian. Mind you, this is in an Australian news portal. Obviously not run by UMNO or the Malaysian government. While many may regard Senator Xenophon as a sort of fighter for democracy, others regard him as a troublemaking outsider meddling with the affairs of a sovereign nation. Last year, Xenophon landed in hot soup when he was explicitly involved in the Bersih 3.0 rally. His foolish act to deliberately support the Bersih cause showed that he had no respect for the Malaysian Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 that specifically mentions in Section 4(2)(a) "a person commits an offence if being a non-citizen, he organizes or participates in an assembly and should be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit." Let's not forget that he also broke the Geneva Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961. Article 41 Paragraph 1 clearly states, "It is the duty of all persons enjoying the privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state and have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of the State." Senator Nick Xenophon is deluded into thinking that the Malaysian government is an oppressive draconian regime. There is simply one good reason behind this thinking: He is a friend of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's biggest liar and political chameleon. December last year Xenophon was embarrassed in his own senate when Australian foreign minister Bob Carr rejected his motion to send election observers to Malaysia. Bob Carr immediately responded that it would be inappropriate for Australia to interfere with Malaysia's elections just as it would be "for Malaysia or another government to have a say in how Australian elections are run." Greg Sheridan shared Carr's insight in The Australian. He wrote, "Xenophon wants the Australian government to send electoral monitors to the forthcoming Malaysian election. This idea is stupid and impractical." "Why isn't he in Vietnam, leading protests outside the jails where Buddhists and Catholics are incarcerated? Why isn't he in Cambodia, inquiring about the elections that keep Hun Sen permanently in power?" added the journalist. Malaysia is one of the most democratic and freewheeling nations in Southeast Asia. It is redundant to ask, "how do you explain the ruling coalition losing its two-third majority and 5 states?" but I will keep on asking. Because there are people out there who easily forget. Malaysia has every right to deny Xenophon entry to this peaceful and prosperous country. Immigration Department Director General stated that Xenophon was denied entry because he broke Malaysian Immigration Law during his last visit. The Malaysian government took no action on him the last time, why should we as a sovereign nation entertain this maverick Australian politician the second time? Respect our laws, and we will respect you. Right now, for Malaysia, you are a persona non grata, Nick. In other words, you are not welcome here.
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| Are elections all about bribing? Posted: 18 Feb 2013 11:30 AM PST
Instead of debating their policies and ideas to overcome the predicament faced by the people, BN leaders are resorting to bribing voters in order to stay in power, laments P Ramakrishnan. Never ever did we have an occasion when the Barisan Nasional Government had indulged in such a blatant form of corruption as have in recent times! For almost a year, the Prime Minister has been on a bribing binge to entice Malaysians with all kinds of goodies and cash payments. Let us not misunderstand or misinterpret this BN gesture as the generosity of a caring government. It is only the reaction of a frightened government that stands to lose its grip on power and foolishly thinks that voters can be bought easily to avert the impending disaster! If it was the generosity of a caring heart, then this so-called-assistance could have been the order of the day as soon as Najib took over as Prime Minister from his predecessor in 2009. But that did not take place. Only when he realised that Malaysians are truly fed up with the BN for all the policies that only favoured the cronies and marginalised the majority of Malaysians without connections did he – in dire desperation – resort to bribing the voters! Does he really think that all these years of neglect and indifference to the plight of the poor and the weak will be obviated by suddenly splashing money and appearing to be caring? Does he really think that Malaysians have such a short memory that all the past ills, exploitation, corruption and plundering will be forgotten and forgiven? This was what Tun Mahathir used to think – and it worked in his time not because Malaysians were insensitive to his rotten governance. It was simply because he was all powerful that he could detain Malaysians at will, rob them of their freedom and liberty – on false charges as happened to Anwar – and put the fear into them. But the rakyat remembered how innocent people had to pay a heavy price so that he could continue to remain in power. Payback time came in March 2008 and the voters really relished routing the BN in four states and denying them their two-thirds majority in parliament! Coming back to the point, how is it that there is so much money now to throw about so freely to entice the voters but incredibly there is no money when it comes to deserving causes and needs? Nexium, for example, is an effective drug for gastritis. I was on it once and it helped me tremendously. I asked the doctor who prescribed it to me what it was. And he replied, "This is what doctors take when they have gastritis!" Recently I was with a friend when he went to see the specialist about his medication. He was suffering from a severe case of gastritis. I related to the specialist my own experience as to how Nexium helped me greatly. He curtly replied, "If we give Nexium to every patient, the government will go bankrupt." It was a stupid response. You don't prescribe Nexium to every patient – only to the deserving and those in real need of it. If it is true that the government can go bankrupt by making available effective drugs to people who are sick, why is it that it doesn't go bankrupt by throwing billions of ringgit indiscriminately to bribe the voters? The government coffers are seemingly bottomless when it comes to enticing the voters but strangely it seems hard-pressed for cash when it comes to the essentials. But these doctors have no qualms in prescribing this expensive medicine to their friends and the titled patients who come to them. Economic consideration only comes to play when the poor are involved! Likewise, poor heart patients don't have access to effective medication because they are expensive – but they are essential and necessary for certain heart patients. Strangely, it can be dispensed to the wealthy and the connected without a second thought. But it seems to become a problem when it has to be dispensed to the poor. Last year that there was a big cut in the allocation for medicine, causing problems in purchasing medicine and for this year again there was a reduction of 50 per cent – which will make it even more difficult for the poor to obtain their medication at general hospitals. Not only that, there was also a 50 per cent reduction for in-service training programmes in the Penang General Hospital which are meant to improve the skills and enhance the knowledge of hospital personnel. It is imperative that this training be continued so that doctors and staff can be kept up to date with medical developments in the interest of the patients under their care. Certain equipment could not be purchased by the general hospital because there was no allocation last year. As a result, certain investigations have to be carried out at private hospitals with the necessary equipment at exorbitant costs – which is not a problem to the wealthy. But for the poor it is a long wait stretching over many months before they can have access to this facility. Some sadly don't make it through the long wait. In certain departments at the hospital, doctors are squeezed into cubicles because there is no allocation for expansion. They work in extremely taxing conditions with little or no space for themselves and their patients. Is it a wonder that many doctors prefer to go to the private sector where they are more comfortable and earn many times what they are paid in government hospitals? Welfare assistance and pensions for old timers are shockingly meagre in these times of rising prices and hardship. They deserve to be given extra assistance monthly so that they can live in dignity. When it comes to regular assistance, there is no money but when it comes to one-off giveaways that run into billions, we are never short of money. But Najib is simply throwing money in a one-off effort to win over voters, not minding whether it is prudent or otherwise. What is the point in throwing money for smart phones? Who benefits from this scheme? Likewise giving RM100 and RM200 to students irrespective of their financial background makes no sense. Why give to the wealthy students? By not giving to the well-to-do students, more could be given to deserving poor students. That would be meaningful assistance. That would make economic sense. As for the recipients of Brim 1.0 and 2.0, what do they do after the one-off payments? How do they survive for the rest of the year? Shouldn't they be put on welfare assistance so that their lives will be less burdensome? But Najib is not interested in long-term assistance to the deserving. He is only interested with his immediate problem: how to get elected! We cannot have a government that places so much importance on its survival and cares very little in solving the long-term hardship of the citizens. Instead of debating their policies and ideas to overcome the predicament faced by the people, the BN leaders are resorting to bribing in order to stay in power. All that they are good for is money politics and nothing else! We must destroy this culture of corruption. That can only be done by getting rid of the BN! P Ramakrishnan is the immediate past president of Aliran |
| GE13 Should be Held on June 23, 2013 Posted: 18 Feb 2013 11:24 AM PST
There has been a lot of pressure by the opposition and the alternative media to call for an early election whether for political reasons or otherwise. As for the ruling government, they are maximizing the window period to dish out as many goodies as they can to make it favorable to them whereas the opposition is only rushing it so they can be in power. Wong Mun Chee Naturally, the election date remains anyone's guess with speculation amidst the commentators, opposition politicians and the alternative media. This speculation has been going on since early 2012 and they are still pressing hard for the answer to this one million dollar question.
Legally speaking, since the 12th parliamentary mandate expires on April 28, 2013, the Election Commission will be forced to hold an election within 60 days thereafter, thus being June 27, 2013
I actually chose June 23, 2013, a Sunday, allowing many registered voters to make their way to polling booths at their convenience.
There has been a lot of pressure by the opposition and the alternative media to call for an early election whether for political reasons or otherwise. As for the ruling government, they are maximizing the window period to dish out as many goodies as they can to make it favorable to them whereas the opposition is only rushing it so they can be in power.
As the general public, two months or four months more is not going to make such drastic difference to their well being who is eventually going to rule as long as the voter will have all the opportunities to weigh the scales without being political about it but rather what efforts are being taken to address the woes of the community.
Surely we all acknowledge that the ruling government has been the devil whereas the opposition seems to be the darling boy of the future, yet whether it is the devil or the darling of tomorrow, what is the harm in waiting for another four months to gain as much as possible from these politicians to see whether their conviction is for the people's will or their own political will.
As we all know, these politicians are only seen around when the election is around, otherwise the public per se becomes irrelevant during the tenure that they reign. These politicians whether it is BN/PR have a tendency and the ability to be the clairvoyant to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next year and then have the ability afterwards to explain why it did not happen.
I am sure we are mature enough to understand that the politicians are rarely truthful in their objectives for the community but rather the result of the election and what power that comes with it.
So, what is the rush for us the community for an election? Let the politicians dish out the goodies and make all the real promises that we can haunt them for if they are not able to fulfill it. Let's squeeze them dry for once for the better bargain that we can get for our community; an opportunity that only arises once every five years when the election is around.
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| Posted: 17 Feb 2013 12:04 PM PST
At every street corner, a pasty face with creepy veneers and still hair would pounce out at unsuspecting motorists without woeful warning of the wimpy visage! Public property has been plastered with pimping portraits of bribe-brocaded BN bumpkins. Shenaaz Khan 'Twas a glorious day indeed as devilry had ceased momentarily and I was met at my neighbourhood street junction by the fine featured face of the legitimate Lembah Pantai lawmaker. This was rather unorthodox of course, given the vile vindictive vandalism perpetuating through my Pakatan-held constituency. Having been a resident of Bangsar Baru for 38 years now, I have never quite witnessed such unashamed UMNO unlawfulness as I have in the last 2 years. The blatant breaching of by-laws has been bolstered with barefaced belligerence and Bolshevik brute! At every street corner, a pasty face with creepy veneers and still hair would pounce out at unsuspecting motorists without woeful warning of the wimpy visage! Public property has been plastered with pimping portraits of bribe-brocaded BN bumpkins. And patches of grass outside private homes have been plunged with BN billboards, erected on the directive of (SPOILER ALERT!) the Federal Territories Ministry! This nugget of information came as a terrible horrible shock to ABSOLUTELY NO ONE!! For awhile now, many Bangsar folk have been subjected to this menacing modus of a moustached mooching marauder called Raja Nong Chik. A non parliamentarian and kitchen entrance minister, Raja Nong Chik is, for all intents and purposes, a perfidious politician who offensively plies the peasants of Pantai Valley with his patrician pity! And with hideous regularity, he is seen bouncing about and brunching with the Bob's and Betty's of Bangsar, venturing to vulture votes. Hardly acts of hardiment one would think! Nonetheless his blog boasts a sudden stellar track record of service to the people of Lembah Pantai and could lead one to believe that Nong can do no wrong!! His catalogue of kindness includes stalking, soliciting and spamming the simple people of Lembah Pantai! Yes, everywhere a voter wanders, there he is. Just a fortnight ago, I received a box emblazoned with his smug mug, filled with festive fruit. Actually for this, I was rather thankful as I quite enjoy ingesting oranges and my cats love turning cardboard into confetti. But the endless stream of text messages, mails and postcards pointlessly piled onto Pantairians carrying the "Nong Chik is no chickadee" chants has all but made many quite sick of Nong Chik. Yes, much like the Great Mustachio Prime Minister NAJ1B, who drums for support with a demeanour that demands a diuretic, Nong Chiks ballot begging has produced bile in many bellies. And Bangsar bellies are further upchucked by Chiks bastionhood of banner bullying. Yes, BANNER BULLYING! Tis a riveting game of brashly binning banners of one's foe and then brandishing beastly banners bearing BN blockheads! The cheek of him! Now the Nong-Nurul imbroglio has courted much contempt from both campaigning camps! Hence, last week, the democratically elected Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai, Nurul Izzah Anwar, invited the resident rounding Raja to a public powwow on policies and performances. She proposed a date and a bipartisan mediator. But the foul fowl frowned upon the offer as he has a debilitating disdain for democracy and diplomacy! This was abundantly justified of course, as a debate debacle could easily prove Nong to be one humongous nought! To those who have beheld the idiocy of indignation, it was delightfully obvious that Nuruls' debate demand dilemma-ed dear Nong and frightened the faeces out of the FT fronter, who favours flibberti-gibberti falsehoods to irrefutable facts! Now I don't mean to get philosophical, but Nong is no Nietzsche and is more accustomed to spin than Spinoza. So he says NO to his nemesis, feebly fearing that Nurul, the novice, would nimbly numb his neurons with nuanced knowledge of his niggling nepotism. A King among cowards, he instead opts to spinelessly spew spiteful slander from platforms made of plastercine and pipes and trumpet his trivial triumphs to troupers, trustees and Tamagotchis. Mindful that any public debate would expose Nurul's natty nature against his nonsensical natter, the mischievous minister maligns my MP's movement with madcap monologue. Two days ago, amidst a barrage of barren bollocks, the cowardly Chik commanded us to feverishly fear the onslaught of dingling democracy should those tongue twisting, freedom frothing, homosexual hosting Opposition win the next general elections! The ninth circle of hell will then be upon us and we shall become the Nubian slaves of Godless heathens! Malaysia shall be imperilled, for the Opposition is going to Khmer our Rouge and hurl us into Das Kapital damnation! How very tragic! Yes, Nong certainly neighed some knee-slapping nuttiness when he compared the Opposition to the Khmer Rouge. My, my, such asinine assertions would confound both Mulder and Scully alike! One can't help but be nonplussed by Nong's nonsense. His chid of the Khmer Rouge is like the pot calling the Pol Pot black! It is after all the BN regiment that represses the rights of its rakyat with racial and religious discrimination and rampant abuse of power! And they do this all while taking a whack at the nation's wealth. Poor Raja- his thoughts must have been stuck at the taxidermist and he must have confused the Khmer Rouge with Moulin Rouge. But if Raja Nong Chik wishes to invoke horrible histories, he ought to reflect upon these hard-hitting truths of yesteryears- Elmer Fudd never killed Bugs Bunny, Wile E Coyote never out ran the road runner and Gargamel could not impede the smurfs from becoming Ipad icons, even if it was the last thing he ever did! And Raja Nong Chik best remember that on March 8th 2008, the people of Lembah Pantai handed divorce papers to the malfeasant Madam Shahrizat and retained custody of our pride. We value our vale far too much to ever let anymore thieving, smirking BN overlords leech on to our land. So, so long Nong! And may the rest of the nation bid adieu to the BN blisters and their rotting residue!
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| PM Najib and Oppa Gangnam Penang Style Posted: 17 Feb 2013 11:56 AM PST
Najib's Oppa Gangnam in Penang has shown that he is serious about wanting to be a Prime Minister for all. For that, he has my respect. I hope he and those like him be they from BN, PR or civil society will continue to work towards being a Malaysian leader no matter what. Even if you receive millions of 'NOs!" Anas Zubedy I grew up in Penang. I grew up amongst the Chinese, mainly Hokkiens. Thanks to the experience, I am familiar with them and conversant in their dialect. Those who grew up amongst them will be familiar with their logic and reasoning during mediation. There is a favourite defence mechanism. It goes like this; "Wa bo sa lah." [I'm not in the wrong] "Lu bo ka wa kong." [You didn't tell me (from the very beginning] "Lu bo sia lok lai ma." [There's no written agreement] The above sequence is an automatic response typically whenever they are in a debate or dispute. It's almost like a standard operating procedure. And because of this line of thinking, it is not entirely surprising that when the Prime Minister asked, "Is Penang ready for BN?" during the Chinese New Year gig; there are those among them who boldly answered 'No' without feeling any guilt. Let me explain. Unlike the Malays generally, the Penang Chinese do not easily feel 'terhutang budi' when someone extends a kind act as did the BN. When they extended a gift, like bringing Psy to Penang, many Penang Chinese generally do not see it as an obligation to be nice in return. Their reaction is simple, "I did not ask you to do it. If you do it… that is your problem lah." Basically, Wa bo sa lah. Lu bo ka wa kong. Lu bo sia lok lai ma. If Penang Gerakan or MCA hope they can wrestle the votes of Penang Chinese in favour of BN simply because they brought Psy to Penang, I will be genuinely surprised. It will be asking far too much. Penangites will go and have fun at the concert with Psy entertaining them, eat the free food, but they are still likely to vote for the DAP. There was no earlier 'agreement' to require voting for BN in return for the kind act of bringing Psy and the party; and therefore, they do not feel that they are in the wrong. Wa bo sa lah. Lu bo ka wa kong. Lu bo sia lok lai ma. This is especially true where DAP supporters are concern. As their leader, CM Lim Guan Eng openly told them it is okay to be a freeloader and go have free fun, eat the free food, and dress in symbolic opposition colours. But does that mean BN had a public relations disaster as per pro-opposition pundits are trying to sell? Not at all! Unfortunately today in Malaysia, extreme partisanship has made critics from both sides exaggerate situations way far off reality with the hope to paint the other side as bad as possible and colour their side as best as they could. Through the CNY show BN may have achieved the following. 1. The Chinese New Year gathering has reminded the Penang Chinese that BN/Gerakan/MCA are still around, can still move things in a big way and Penang is not the monopoly of the DAP. It was an occasion for BN to engage the rakyat directly. The event was a good PR opportunity for a re-launch of sorts. 2. Furthermore, the Penang rakyat including hard core DAP supporters get to meet, see, and listen to the Prime Minister in person. With his earnest effort to woo and mingle with the grassroots it helps to bolster the image of a leader who mati-mati wants to be a Prime Minister for all Malaysians. By stressing that he wants to be the Prime Minister for all, including the Chinese who currently are seen solidly with the opposition sits well among the fence sitters of all races. His willingness to risk going into 'an enemy territory' and be humbled and snubbed portrays him as a leader who is soft in the outside but very strong in the inside. 3. Chances are those who answered either 'yes' or 'no' to the Prime Minister at the gathering, would have answered the same regardless. But this event is advantageous to the BN for it is luring the fence-sitters. And they form the bulk of the electoral roll nationwide. What happens in Penang does not stay only in Penang. Both BN and PR should worry about what these non-partisan undecided voters think of BN and PM Najib after the event instead of focussing on hard core supporters from each side who are already decided. In this coming election, the non-partisans are the kingmakers. 4. As suggested in item 3, what happens in Penang does not stay in Penang. I have strong convictions that scores of Malays will not take kindly that a 'Malay' leader like PM Najib has been snubbed openly by a mainly Chinese crowd. Many Malays will see this as rude, unbecoming, and uncultured. In the Malay way of being and ideals, when one comes bearing 'gifts' – in this case, an international star performer and good food – and you decide to take it, at the least one must be courteous and considerate. Acting any other way can be construed as 'tak berterima kasih' and ill-mannered. Some will say, if they can do it to Najib a Prime Minister, imagine what will they do to us, we the rakyat jelata. At most, from a Malay standpoint, one should just remain silent instead of answering 'No'. By not saying 'yes' it will mean 'no', but in a nicer way. Malays are sensitive to such things. In the late 90s, many Malays while not being Anwar's supporters and may even agree with Dr Mahathir's point of view did not take kindly with the manner the former DPM was treated. Such behaviour by the Penangites, coupled with other incidents like CM Lim Guan Eng using the Allah issue in his Christmas message for political purpose (which probably baffled even people in PAS his own comrades in PR) and the recent rude 'gesturing' to Her Majesty The Queen by someone many Malays see as a DAP supporter will make them rasa was-was with the DAP leadership. This will have a direct impact on the average Malays be they from UMNO, PAS, PKR or party less. In short, Malaysian politics is far more complicated and sophisticated and by far more dynamic than one might aspect. For example, when CM Lim Guan Eng uses the Allah issue for political purpose perhaps to gain the support of the Christians in Sabah and Sarawak, he dented his own team mates in PAS and PKR within the Peninsular. Similarly, when Ibrahim Ali and right wing Malay groups like Perkasa reacted by suggesting the burning of the Bahasa Malaysia Bible, the act will move various parties in differing ways. In short, what one group does have repercussion in many forms across the nation. Playing to one group, will affect another – it is no easy task to win the leadership of Malaysia. Leaders must find a delicate balance. To lead this nation, and to be Prime Minister of Malaysia, each candidate no matter if you are in a Malay or Chinese stronghold; in Penang or Kelantan or Sabah or Sarawak you must be a leader for all. It is not enough to have the Malays supporting you. You also need the support of the Chinese, the Indians, and the communities of Sabah and Sarawak. You will need the support of people in urban areas and rural areas. You will need support from the old, the middle aged, and the young. In doing so, a Malay leader cannot be too Malay, the Chinese cannot be too Chinese, the Indians cannot be too Indian, the Sabahans cannot be too Sabahan, the Sarawakians cannot be too Sarawakian. They all have to be Malaysian first. Najib's Oppa Gangnam in Penang has shown that he is serious about wanting to be a Prime Minister for all. For that, he has my respect. I hope he and those like him be they from BN, PR or civil society will continue to work towards being a Malaysian leader no matter what. Even if you receive millions of 'NOs!"
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| Posted: 16 Feb 2013 03:19 PM PST
Nicole Tan Lee Koon I would like to comment on Hishamuddin's statement on the 16th of Feb, 2013 that the Registrar Of Societies can investigate DAP and DAP run the risk of being deregistered just like UMNO in 1987 : http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/ros-boleh-mula-siasat-dap-kata-hishamuddin/ In his haste to finish DAP off, Hishamuddin made a huge blunder by jumping the gun. His motive was manifested ever so clearly. The 60 days period that he mentioned can be found in Section 14 of the Societies Act 1966. Section 14 stipulates that every registered society shall forward to the Registrar inter alia, copies of AGM minutes; attendance; amendments to rules (if any); list of office bearers; address of the society; accounts within 60 days after the holding of its annual general meeting. For those who are familiar, it is actually the filing of Borang 9 returns. DAP has filed the necessary returns in accordance to Section 14 as confirmed by DAP NS State Chairman and also National Organising Secretary , Anthony Loke Siew Fook in response to Hishamuddin's press statement on the same day. What Hishamuddin meant was probably Section 16 which stipulates that if the Registrar is of the opinion that a dispute has occurred among the members as a result of which the Registrar is not satisfied of the identity of the persons who have been properly constituted as office-bearers of the society, the Registrar may serve notice on the society requiring the society, within one month of the service of such notice, to produce to him evidence of the proper appointment of the lawful office-bearers of the society and if any such notice is not complied with to the satisfaction of the Registrar within the period of one month, the Registrar may take steps to cancel the registration of the society. What the ROS should have done was to issue the notice pursuant to Section 16, which the ROS did not do so. I opine that even if the notice was issued, DAP does not run the risk of being de-registered as follows. Firstly, pursuant to Section 16, we can produce evidence of the proper appointment of the lawful office bearers i.e the internal and external auditors' reports which clearly states that the manual counting and results were proper and valid. However, there was a "copy and paste" error when the results were transcribed to the computer. The mistake was then rectified. Secondly, under Sections 18A-18C (provisions applicable to political parties only), where there is any inconsistency between Sections 18A-18C and any provisions in the Act, Sections 18A-18C shall prevail. Section 18C stipulates that the decision of a political party on any matter relating to the affairs of the party shall be final and conclusive and such decision shall not be challenged, appealed against, reviewed, quashed or called in question in any court on any ground, and no court shall have jurisdiction to entertain or determine any suit, application, question or proceeding on any ground regarding the validity of such decision. I repeat emphatically that the decision of a political party on any matter shall be final and conclusive. What more having been vindicated by the external auditor's report. When UMNO was deregistered in 1987, they wanted to ensure that history does not repeat itself and hence enacted Section 18C. Chedet pre-empted any moves by political opponents to de-register a political party back in 1987 (but Section 18C only took effect in 1990). Therefore, Hishamuddin is wrong to say that DAP situation is the same as the time UMNO was deregistered. Karmic ? Further, the Court in the case of Pendaftar Pertubuhan Malaysia v PV Das (Bagi Pihak People's Progressive Party of Malaysia (PPP)) concluded that under the circumstance the election of the plaintiff as President of PPP and the approval and endorsement of the defendant's Presidency of the PPP are the decisions of a political party within the meaning of Section 18C of the Act and that the business of electing the president or the approval and endorsement of the president are 'matters relating to the affairs of the party'. Therefore, decisions on such matter in the view of the Court are final and conclusive decisions and the court has no jurisdiction to question the validity of such decisions. Section 18C of the Societies Act makes such disputes matters of internal affairs of the political parties and a non-justiciable political question not fit for judicial determination. The section precludes the courts from exercising jurisdiction in matters relating to the internal affairs of political parties. De-register DAP ? No way, Hisham !! I urge the Home Minister to do some homework before making a press statement which threatens to deregister a formidable rival political party !
Nicole Tan Lee Koon Secretary, Seremban branch, DAP NS Tweet handle : @loyarbaik Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/nicoletanleekoon Facebook Page : http://www.facebook.com/nicoleleekoontan |
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