Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- GE13 Hotspot: Johor (aka How One Chinaman Will Lose Johor for UMNO)
- Letter from the Institute of Engineers, Malaysia
- Pakatan’s manifesto: Populist or Reformist?
- Pakatan's tolls policy: a polls ploy?
- Politics, Manifestos and the difference between a Sponsorship guy and a Marketing man
- PR Manifesto has opened the doors wide for HINDRAF to talk to Najib
- Picture worth thousands of votes?
- Removal of Defamatory Links
| GE13 Hotspot: Johor (aka How One Chinaman Will Lose Johor for UMNO) Posted: 28 Feb 2013 11:12 AM PST
Azman A. Yahaya As many of us are aware, despite Pakatan Rakyat's growing popularity among voters in various states in Peninsular Malaysia, Johor has been widely acknowledged as Barisan Nasional's 'safe deposit'. I am here to tell you: That is no longer the case. A strong wave of disenchantment is brewing among us anak-anak Johor over the actions of one Chinaman from Sabah, the so-called 'Property King of JB' and 'de-facto Johor MB' Lim Kang Hoo who is being handed the assets of our beloved state of Johor on a silver platter, all thanks to his puppet MB Ghani Othman and fellow UMNO cronies.
1. KFC In 2012, Johor Corporation Bhd (JCorp)'s controversial decision to sell its cash-cow KFC was met with resistance, especially the Malay community because we were worried that KFC would end up in the hands of non-Bumis. JCorp's official reason for selling KFC was that immediate cash was needed to cover its RM3.6 billion debt. But then again, it shot down the Malay Chamber of Commerce's counter-offer, which was of 10 sen more per share. Major questions were raised and things went quiet after that. And now, our worst fears have come true: Tan Sri Lim Kang Hoo has surfaced as the majority owner of KFC through his vehicles CVC Capital Partners, Credence Resources Sdn. Bhd. and Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Sdn. Bhd. To get his slimy hands on KFC, Lim Kang Hoo used a complex system of layered deals, as shown below:
Looking at the flow of money in the diagram, it is obvious that the complicated layers of deals were used to cover Lim Kang Hoo's hand in the grab and mask the public's eye over the 'hanky panky' transactions involved.
2. JCORP'S PROPERTIES The entire KFC 'restructuring exercise' includes the signing of questionable agreements with dubious terms and conditions between Lim Kang Hoo and JCorp. One of the hidden clauses in the agreements include a so-called 'safety net compensation' for Lim Kang Hoo whereby if Triple Platform Sdn. Bhd. is not listed within 4 years, he stands to grab more than RM600 million worth of 'pre-determined properties' from JCorp. Considering the fact that JCorp owns key properties such as JB's Menara Ansar, Puteri Pan Pacific, Persada Convention Centre, KOMTAR and KL's Pusat Bandar Damansara, Lim Kang Hoo knows this deal is a finger-lickin' good one. Should this clause trigger however, the ramifications to JCorp's very existence is at stake. Even a seasoned Chinaman developer like Lim Kang Hoo needs help to pull something like this off. This is where his puppet, JCorp Chairman and Menteri Besar Johor Abdul Ghani Othman comes in along with Ghani's cronies, including: Dato' Ahmad Zaki Zahid, former member of Pak Lah's 'Fourth Floor Boys' and former JCorp man, current Ketua Pemuda UMNO Putrajaya and EXCO Pemuda UMNO. To no one's surprise, he has been appointed MD of Triple Platform Sdn. Bhd. Wan Ahmad Firdaus Wan Ahmad Fuaad, drinking buddy and fellow BOD member of JCorp with Ahmad Zaki, who has since quit JCorp to join JP Morgan. To no one's surprise again, JP Morgan was the appointed advisor for this deal. To hell with any conflict of interests. Ghani, Zaki and Fridaus a.k.a. Lim Kang Hoo's Three Stooges – What's with the red baju and ties? Nak mintak Lim Kang Hoo kasi angpau ke?
My parents are born and bred Johoreans and they are old-school UMNO members. They worked very hard to send me to Australia for an education with the hope that one day I can contribute to our beloved state, party and community. Even as I am doing my best to fulfill my parents' wishes, I will not stand idly by while a Sabahan Chinaman, aided by 3 traitorous Malays, waltzes into JB and grabs our rightful Malay heritage land and forcing the locals to be displaced put into little flats for his convenience to steal our billions. I thought UMNO is supposed to defend our Bumiputra rights. UMNO is not doing this but instead is helping a Chinaman rape our Malay assets. What happened to Janji Ditepati, Satu Malaysia and the New Economic Policy (NEP)? Has it become Janji Dilepasi, Sapu Malaysia and the Never Ending Penipu?
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| Letter from the Institute of Engineers, Malaysia Posted: 27 Feb 2013 10:27 PM PST
LIFTS ARE DESIGNED TO BE "FAIL-SAFE" - Highlighting the basic safety features of lifts We refer to the news reports on 20th February 2013 whereby a woman was killed when a lift plunged five floors after its cable snapped in a 10-storey apartment block at the Lumut naval base in Perak. It is shocking to note that yet another public facility failed to function and killed a woman passenger. We should be thankful the lift was not fully occupied. The loss of a single life is horrible enough. The question that begs to be asked is why did this incident happen? Could we have taken necessary precaution to ensure such incidents do not occur? The answer is a resounding yes and hinges on a good and committed maintenance programme. For centuries lifts have proven to be effective vertical transportation systems and as engineers we can attest to this. We also know poor maintenance and even negligence can result in mishaps but we do have preventive measures that can save lives. Let us take a closer look at the safety features of a lift. Each lift has a minimum of five hoisting cables and in the event one cable snaps the remainder four would ensure safe travel in the lift. So why did all five cables give way simultaneously? This wire rope must be properly installed, aligned and calibrated by an experienced technician to function effectively. Even with the snapped hoisting ropes the free falling lift car would be stopped by the mechanical brakes on the main guide rails as the last line of defence before it slammed on the buffer in the pit. What is baffling is how all these safety features failed to work. The mechanical and material specialists will be able to give their professional and analytical views on this impulse force which was so powerful that all strands of wire rope failed instantly and all at the same time. We can definitely speculate that poor maintenance or even no maintenance could be the cause for this incident. The persons assigned to conduct regular maintenance work should provide a definitive explanation on the level of maintenance that has been carried out. The question is whether the quality of maintenance service provided was below par. Were skilled technicians assigned to carry out maintenance works? Were genuine spare parts used? If the answers are NO, it is only right that the appropriate action in accordance with the relevant regulations be taken against the maintenance supplier. We also believe that that Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) should do their part to ensure that only authorised lift vendors are registered as maintenance companies to perform maintenance. We further urge the regulatory agency to oversee all such maintenance companies to ensure only competent and qualified individuals are appointed to carry out all maintenance work and to certify the work done at the site. We understand that there is a shortage of competent and qualified persons specialising in lift installation and maintenance work. We strongly recommend for DOSH to certify more of such persons under a National Occupational Skill Standard (NOSS). The IEM hopes that proper investigations will be carried out to determine the cause of the mishap. If there is a need, the IEM will be pleased to offer its services.
Ir. Prof. Dr Jeffrey Chiang Choong Luin Honorary Secretary THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, MALAYSIA |
| Pakatan’s manifesto: Populist or Reformist? Posted: 27 Feb 2013 03:58 PM PST
However the manifesto is silent on how it is going to achieve its promises. It does not explain how this nation is going to be able to afford some new subsidies, grants, freebies and payouts. The coalition left details on revenue streams aside. FMT LETTER: From Koo Kay Peng, via e-mail Pakatan Rakyat's manifesto contains a lot of promises, goodies and freebies. It is not difficult to mistake as the latest budget. For a start, the coalition promises every Malaysian family a monthly take-home household income of at least RM4,000. It sounds like almost Utopia and the nation's coffer is bottomless. It promises payment as small as RM50 per month to more significant allocation of RM2 billion to fund minimum wage. However the manifesto is silent on how it is going to achieve its promises. It does not explain how this nation is going to be able to afford some new subsidies, grants, freebies and payouts. The coalition left details on revenue streams aside. However, the manifesto is definitely a political document. It is designed to please housewives, undergraduates, civil servants, retired armed forces members and Felda settlers who are considered important constituents in the next GE. Sabah and Sarawak appear clear winners too with promises of 20% share of oil royalty, pan-Borneo railways and better infrastructures. It offers protection of Orang Asli land rights and assistance. However, it is going to be a bad news for big conglomerates. The manifesto has proposed an anti-monopoly law to curb and break up monopolies. Another question beckons, how are smaller companies going to be able to compete with larger foreign companies regionally? The manifesto has failed to identify reforms needed in way the federal government conducts its business. Firstly, the federal government has to manage its on-going deficit. This country cannot continue spending beyond its means and expect money to drop from the sky. A cursory look at the PR manifesto does not suggest that they have a strategy in place to cut budget deficit. Second, the manifesto touches very little about reforms and restructuring. It takes an antidote that money is the solution to all woes. This approach may not be too different compared to what PM Najib has done over the last 5 years. As a result, both coalitions may end up trying to prove who is a better Santa Claus. Let's look at some of the details: 1 Malaysian Women's Contribution Fund PR intends to make legally compulsory for husbands to contribute between RM10-100. Government to provide RM50 per month for wives. It sounds great but RM10-100 is a tad too small a sum to even help pay anything. What about working couples? What about couples who are business partners? How does the government intend to enforce the contribution? If the coalition wants to please housewives and full time moms, it should stick back to what it has preached – being need based. It should focus on single moms, health care for underprivileged women, capacity building and equal opportunities for all women. Inequality for women in some faiths should also be addressed to ensure that their rights are protected. Again, the coalition is exposing its populist tendency. Each senior citizen aged 60 and above will receive a bonus worth RM1,000 each year to help ease their financial burdens. Private sector retirement age has been raised to 60 years old. Not all of those who are 60 and above are going to need the assistance. However, there are many who might need more than just RM1,000 a year to survive. The coalition should stick back to its old adage – focus on needs and not blanket welfare. A retired CEO, who has millions in his bank accounts, does not deserve the RM1,000. Meanwhile, those who really need assistance might also need a shelter, food, nursing care, healthcare and others. It would be better for PR to focus on providing a decent and dignified retirement to the deserving senior citizens. 3 Economic Policy 3.1 Monthly household take-home income of RM4,000 It would require the coalition to double our GDP per capita of almost RM22,000 to RM48,000 (assuming that there's a breadwinner per household). Doubling our GDP per capita is desirable but as easy as it sounds. It takes a systematic overhaul of the economy to ensure that better remuneration commensurates with better productivity and higher value of production. What is PR's strategy? Doubling of GDP per capita through subsidy or cash handout is not sustainable. 3.2 Add 1 million new jobs Malaysians are no longer working in industries such as plantations, the construction sector and the service industry. Pakatan Rakyat will introduce a comprehensive package to ensure one million new job opportunities for Malaysians in these sectors by progressive reduction of one million foreign workers within five years of Pakatan Rakyat rule. It is erroneous to assume that Malaysians are ready to fill up the vacancies vacated by the one million foreign workers. It is false to assume that local employers will be ready to replace these foreign workers with local ones. Granted, new jobs will have to be created but most of our foreign workers are low-to-semi skilled. We need to create higher value jobs for our workers and growing number of unemployed graduates. This can only be achieved with a total overhaul of our education system and our economic structure. If the coalition reduces intake of foreign workers, a number of our local companies are just going to close shop and move on to less labour intensive industries or adopt automation. It is not going to create 1 million new jobs for Malaysians as claimed in the manifesto. 3.3 Minimum Wage of RM1,100 The Pakatan Rakyat administration will introduce a minimum wage, where every worker will be paid at least RM1,100 per month. The initial financial burden incurred by the employer in the early stages of the minimum wage implementation shall be equally borne by the government. The Minimum Wage Implementation Facilitation Fund worth RM2 billion aims to provide automation incentives and minimum wage implementation grants to eligible companies, to ensure that the entire job market is not jeopardised by the implementation of minimum wage. The question is why should taxpayers' money be used to help offset the financial burden incurred by employers? At present, there are already grants and subsidies available to help companies to automate and new technology adoption. MIDA has allocated RM2 billion to assist local companies. Some of these are matching grants. It has been proven that more funds/grants do not help local companies especially SMEs to automate. A change of corporate mindset, more demanding consumers and more competitive business environment are needed to instill the survival instinct in them. 4 Education The proposal to set up 5 technical universities and 25 vocational schools are made in the right direction. The manifesto calls for an establishment of a RCI for education reform. Honestly, we have had enough of RCI. The government needs to revamp both the education and higher education ministries so that people of calibre and quality educators are picked to manage our education system. RCIs seldom meet our expectations. PR needs to understand that "free education" is not synonymous with "quality education". It is important to focus on quality education than free education. Its manifesto affirms that fees for higher education in all public institutions will be borne by the government. Fees for students in private institutions will be subsidised by the government to be on par with the public institution's rate. This proposal is again problematic. There is no ceiling for fees in private institutions. Why should taxpayers' money be used to subsidized fees for students in private institutions? PR manifesto affirms that all students in the public institutions will be provided with living cost allowance for food and lodging, books and transportation, except for those who are financially well-off. Students in private institutions can borrow from a special fund to cover their living costs for the duration of their studies. How is this different from the PTPTN? It is just another form of PTPTN; which is probably going to end up with the same fate as the current one – not sustainable in the long run. Most private institutions are not just offering education, they are also promoting lifestyle and consumerism. It is quite common to find designer outlets, eateries and cafes operating in their premises. Surely cost of living is higher in private institutions compared to public ones. The coalition should focus its resources on upgrading the quality of public institutions to provide excellent education and make them the institutions of choice. 5 Social Well-Being Pakatan Rakyat is committed to resolve the problem of traffic congestion in the Klang Valley and other major cities within 10 years of coming to power, with the aim of reducing congestion by 50% during its first term. Additional investment of RM2 billion in the first year to double the number of buses and bus routes in the Klang Valley. It is a noble promise but may be too optimistic. The provision of public transport like buses alone does not help to reduce congestion if the government cannot change our mobility culture. Car is a social status symbol to many Malaysians. How many are willing to ditch their car and walk to the bus stop? It takes education, awareness and policy intervention to promote public transport. RM2 billion is a lot of money but without a comprehensive policy intervention, it is money into the drain. The increased number of buses may end up contributing to more congestion! Worse, the coalition is determine to lower the car prices to as low as RM25,000! Singapore imposes a high COE price (certificate of entitlement) for a reason – to discourage private car ownership! How can PR achieve lower congestion by making it cheaper and easier to own a car? It proposes to abolish tolls. It sounds good for those of us who using the highways often. However, toll is used as an effective way to reduce congestion by making it expensive to drive during peak hours. In sum, PR needs to get a bit more serious about its policy making capability to ensure that its solution to reduce congestion is well thought out and comprehensive. It is easy to sound populist but some of these policies may end up contradicting each other and being rendered ineffective. 6 Civil Service PR has appeared to be quite cautious in suggestion a comprehensive restructuring of the civil service. A number of PR leaders are aware of the problems faced by the civil service. It is bloated and soaking a lot of resources from the country's annual budget. But the 1.4 million strong civil service is an important vote bank for the coalition. It has to be done but do not count it on PR to announce major reforms of the civil service. It has worded its manifesto quite diplomatically by promising to restore the prestige and honour of the civil service and to free them from undue political interference. It is left to be seen if any government of the day would willingly not impose any control and command over its civil service. Most of the top civil servants are reporting to the executives. The nexus between the government and the civil service has to be moderated by an independent check-and-balance mechanism e.g. anti-corruption agency and IPCMC. Ironically, the PR manifesto is silent on the implementation of the IPCMC but promised an allocation of RM200 million per annum to the police force for modernisation. In summary, the PR manifesto may appeal to certain voter groups but it is hardly transformational. It does contain some heart warming promises to halt Lynas and to review the Pengerang projects but it has promises very little drastic reforms that are direly needed.
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| Pakatan's tolls policy: a polls ploy? Posted: 27 Feb 2013 12:17 PM PST
Pakatan's highway tolls policy as announced in its Manifesto is a dishonest carrot dangled before unsuspecting voters. It is a fraud designed to trap voters into thinking that tolls will be abolished immediately. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mohamed Tahir Ismail The pledge has no substance and what it promises is no different from the current practice.
The Manifesto reads: "The Pakatan Rakyat government will take over the highways in stages for the purpose of abolishing tolls. As promised in the Orange Book (Buku Jingga), Pakatan Rakyat will take over the highways with the intention of gradually abolishing tolls."
Under the existing 'build-operate-transfer' concession agreements, all highways will eventually revert to the Government at the end of the concession periods. The Government then is at liberty to abolish tolls if it so wishes. So, what Pakatan is promising is exactly what the BN government had been practising all along.
To hold Pakatan to its promise therefore, the people will have to wait until the expiry of the concession period which could be anything from 10 to 20 years from now!
So, Pakatan will not have to do anything for the next decade or two (assuming it assumes power and stays in power for that period of time).
Even if Pakatan wishes to abolish tolls (albeit in the far distant future), this promise is a red herring. Because, tolls are a fact of life and an accepted way of life all over the world. It is a more equitable method of taxation because it only taxes the users unlike income tax.
Tolls are a common practice in all countries that have privatised the construction, operation and maintenance of public infrastructure. Even decades after their operation and long after the end of concession periods, hefty highway tolls are collected in the US, Japan, UK as well as in newly-emerging economies.
Ha, Ha, Pakatan's tolls policy is a polls ploy!
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| Politics, Manifestos and the difference between a Sponsorship guy and a Marketing man Posted: 27 Feb 2013 12:11 PM PST
Anas Zubedy
Once I was asked to consult for a bank.
The top management was to listen to a marketing plan prepared by the new Marketing Director. Within minutes I knew that this was a Sponsorship guy pretending to be a Marketer.
He spent the next 45 minutes showing his plan to build the Brand via sponsorship and giving away goodies to thousands and thousands of potential customers thus winning them over to the Brand.
Those in the meeting were non-marketing people and as such were somewhat impressed with the presentation, including the Bank's second in command – the person who employed the new Marketing Director.
The Second in Command (who did not agree that the MD engaged us) turned cockily towards me and asked, "Hah…Consultant, ada apa-apa nak komen ka? ".
I smiled and asked the new Marketing Director, "Brother, you have shown me how to spend money. Can you show me now how you are going to make them? "
The meeting was adjourned.
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| PR Manifesto has opened the doors wide for HINDRAF to talk to Najib Posted: 27 Feb 2013 11:56 AM PST
The HINDRAF blueprint was submitted to PR leaders who in general had agreed in 'principal' to it but it is rather surprising that they had not made a mention of it in their Election Manifesto. Paraman Subramaniam FELDA vs DISPLACED ESTATE WORKERS, TRANSCENDING RACIAL GROUPS? FELDA (Federal Land Development Authority) which is one of the world's largest association of plantation owners and managers, covering over 2 million acres of rubber and palm oil plantation estate and having more than 115k families which some believe consists of more than 98% Malays/Muslims, is doing extremely well. Recently it was announced that as of Dec 2012, 112,635 FELDA settlers will receive a dividend of almost RM 1k. Not only FELDA settlers are provided the best of facilities and technology to maintain and increase the productivity of their lands, they are also provided with an admirable support system in terms of facilities, healthcare, housing, education for their children and much more. Looking at it macroscopically, FELDA through federal aid provides 'cradle to grave' assistance to these settlers in their everyday needs.In terms of education, facilities available like community rehabilitation centres, family literation centres, Permata, Semai Bakti Hostel, FELDA Tuition Schemes and Science Learning Centres, is truly remarkable. Children from age one onwards can be enrolled. Tuition for students in standards 5 and 6 and forms 3 and 5 numbering close to 59k are provided to assist them to get good grades for the government exams like UPSR,PMR and SPM. 370 schools which consist of 100 secondary schools and 270 primary schools have been provided for the convenience of FELDA settler's children. Subsequently the government provides certificate courses (6 to 24 months), diploma courses (2 1/2 to 3 years) and major courses like Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (LAME), Trainees Junior Technician (TJT), cadet pilot etc. FELDA scholars also get to enroll in top varsities of the world. With just a minimum grade of at least 2A's in the SPM examination, they may be able to get scholarships from FELDA/PSD/MARA/Petronas to do degree courses in medicine, dentistry, actuary, computer science, engineering and accounting. FELDA management also has started the FELDA Entrepreneurship Incentive Scheme (SIUF) whereby the younger generation of FELDA settlers are encouraged to get involved in non-farm activities such as processing or manufacturing poultry, seafood, fruits or vegetable businesses so that they can become future leaders and entrepreneurs. Some of these settlers claim they lead a very comfortable life, earning more than RM 5 k salaries per month which is even more than what junior doctors and lawyers earn in the govt. In terms of housing, hundreds of millions of ringgit has been earmarked under the FELDA Family Housing Scheme (PWF), with its aim to provide the new generation of settlers a chance to own affordable and comfortable homes costing around RM 35-42k for a 3 room unit, where loans are easily available. Even with all these existing benefits, the PR Election Manifesto sees the need for 'Justice for Felda Settlers'. It goes on to state that PR will defend the dignity, performance and reputation of FELDA to ensure the economic position and land ownership of the settlers. PR will also review all compensation claims as a result of the Grade Extraction Rate (GER) and pay compensation to affected FELDA settlers. The HINDRAF blueprint which is based on social justice as the foundation, had proposed specific pointed and targeted program of rehabilitation measures to a specific group of community, Displaced Estate Workers (DEW), An independent study from the Centre for Policy Studies concluded in 2000, that 600,000 estate workers had been forcibly displaced. This massive forced displacement is a direct result of state development programs operating in the milieu of Institutional Racism. It is the spurious outcome of the Malaysian socio-economic political system. That number of DEW is estimated to be more than 800,000 today. In being displaced, these estate workers lost everything from their jobs, homes, schools, communities, temples, social system, and opportunity for ancillary income. They now constitute a significant section of the urban poor. It is no wonder that the DEW who constitute the poorest section of the Indian community primarily, have the lowest demographic index in the country. The measures advocated in the HINDRAF blueprint are: 1) DEW Land allocated farming program 2) DEW Housing Program 3) Rebuilding the DEW youth through retraining and reskilling 4) DEW places of worship and burial grounds. The HINDRAF blueprint was submitted to PR leaders who in general had agreed in 'principal' to it but it is rather surprising that they had not made a mention of it in their Election Manifesto. It is even more distressing to note that PR can openly support the multi billion ringgit existing Felda settlers program for more assistance but cannot even begin a DEW program from scratch for the needier marginalized Indians. How could one accept that the PR Election manifesto transcends racial groups whereas in the DEW issue it very clearly does not?
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| Picture worth thousands of votes? Posted: 27 Feb 2013 11:54 AM PST
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Yes, this picture speaks for itself. In fact, it speaks volumes about the lack of adequate political representation in Pakatan Rakyat. Not only is this picture worth a thousand words, it is also worth thousands of votes. Thousands and thousands of votes, but not for Pakatan. The votes will go to BN. P.M. Sivalingam Why? These will be the protest votes by groups which have been marginalised by Pakatan. For starters, the Indian community will not give Pakatan its vote. Why? Look at the picture again. How many Indians do you see? This photo was taken during the recent Pakatan Rakyat Convention in Shah Alam. Also, where are the natives of Sabah and Sarawak? Pakatan comprises three political parties while in the Barisan there are 13, representing all nationalities in the peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak. But the most glaring of all is the absence of Indians, despite Pakatan's claim to look after the interests of the Indian community. Surely Indians will teach Pakatan a lesson they will never forget, come GE-13. Having ridden on their backs to clinch crucial electoral gains in GE-12, Pakatan has effectively ditched Indians, as dramatically seen during the Kampung Buah Pala episode in 2009. Said an observer at the Pakatan convention: "Pakatan's slogan was Bersihkan Malaysia, and they are using the Indians as the broom. This is the ultimate insult". When asked why Indians were left out in the Pakatan Manifesto, Anwar Ibrahim offered a feeble response: He said their manifesto 'transcends racial groups'. How then does he explain the specific references to Orang Asli? In that document, there are no less than nine references to Orang Asli but only one reference to Indians. Anwar is a master at deflecting questions by changing the subject. When pressed for an answer, he said Tamil and Chinese schools, along with mission schools, would be assisted. Hullo, what do you think the BN government, and before that, the Alliance, has been doing these past 55 years? Again he was quoted as saying: "This is the manifesto of the rakyat where we address issues of rising prices, commodities, lodging, good governance and support for all types of schools." Hullo again, what do you think the BN government, and before that, the Alliance, has been doing these past 55 years? Then, typically, Anwar throws in the red herring: "I met leaders of the Indian community last night in Hulu Selangor and generally, they are very receptive as education is a major problem, issues of marginalisation of the community and crime had been raised," he said. How does this tie in with the question of ignoring Indians in the manifesto? The rainbow does not have enough colours for this chameleon that is now facing the toughest challenge of his political career. And that challenge comes, not from outside, but from within the opposition coalition. Ever since his ouster from the Barisan Government in 1998, Anwar has been single-minded about his plans to Occupy Putrajaya. With that aim, he cobbled together a coalition with DAP and PAS and went to the polls in 2008. He thinks he is now perched for his final political onslaught and onwards to the coveted Premiership. But then comes the spoiler - PAS. PAS leaders have openly questioned Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's candidacy as Prime Minister should Pakatan Rakyat win. "PAS top leaders said it was 'haram' (illegal) for Anwar to ask for the Prime Minister's post," a PR source told an online media recently, quoting discussions at a secret meeting between PAS and PKR leaders last Sunday. Anwar will have to bow not only to PAS sentiments but also to political realities. Should Pakatan win, the chances are that there will be more PAS candidates in Parliament than PKR. Obviously since the choice of Prime Minister will not come from the DAP, the contender will have to come from either PAS or PKR. With more seats than PKR, PAS will have more clout if there is a showdown. When push comes to shove, Anwar will surely be the loser, unless he can persuade the rainbow to display more colours in its spectrum for another chameleonic change or shed his skin in the year of the snake.
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| Posted: 26 Feb 2013 03:41 PM PST
Your news articles contains defamatory content and defamatory headings which is illegal posting under the Malaysian Penal Court. You must delete these posts because it's a very serious issue otherwise a court order will be issued against your website. Kindly take this matter seriously and remove those links as earliest. Riswan Habib riswanhabib@brooklinshaw.com I would like to bring a very serious matter to your attention. There has been several links on your website against "NAJIB TUN RAZAK" Honorable Prime Minister of Malaysia. These Links are consistently harming his reputation in a negative manner. It seems to be illegally posting under the defamation act of 1957 act no. 286 under the section 7. So, terminate these links before it moves to some large legal court action. The defamatory links on your website are: http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/40515-wikileaks-releases-cables-on-najib-and-altantuya http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/54332-shahrizat-blows-it-for-umno-in-swak http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/54421-deepak-wants-najib-out-muhyiddin-in http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/54183-kpru-najib-as-the-most-indecisive-prime-minister-of-malaysia http://malaysia-today.net/archives/archives-2012/50454-yet-another-nail-in-najibs-coffin http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/54354-the-decline-and-fall-of-najib Advocate Riswan Habib, Senior Legal Advisor, Office of The Prime Minister Main Block, Perdana Putra Building, Federal Government Administrative Centre, MALAYSIA
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