Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Sabah claim: History on Malaysia’s side
Anwar ‘running away’ from defeat in Permatang Pauh, says Dr M
Sulu Sultanate to sue KL in International Court
Singapore MOF: Lawyer’s claim ‘simply false’
‘Sabah affairs a cruel joke’
Cracks appearing in Sabah Umno?
A two-year election campaign nears its climax
Only crumbs left for MIC in Perak
Agbimuddin a ‘hero’ to Muslim Filipinos, says columnist
EC: Some parties giving wrong info on voting process
Tunku Aziz asks ROS to suspend DAP over party polls
Jackie Chan to join PM in fund-raising programme

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 08:46 PM PDT

A scholar gives three reasons why the Sulu Sultanate cannot assert sovereignty over the state.

Anisah Shukry, FMT

A scholar has urged Putrajaya to reject any call for a negotiation on the Sulu claim over Sabah, saying the issue was settled decades ago.

"Neither the Sulu Sultanate nor the Filipino government has a claim over the North Borneo state," said DS Ranjit Singh, an expert on Southeast Asian political history who is now a visiting professor at Universiti Utara Malaysia.

"The moment we negotiate with them, we compromise our sovereignty," he said in a talk at Universiti Malaya today.

He said the Sulu claim was futile for three reasons: the Philippine government's predecessors renounced all claims over the state, the Sulu court has never administered the state, and the people of Sabah agreed to form Malaysia.

He said the sultanate lost its status as an independent entity after its capture by the Spaniards, which happened six months after the signing of the 1878 treaty stipulating that the British administrators of Sabah must pay cession fees to the Sulu court.

"Instead, the Spaniards became the sovereign rulers of the Philippines and it was they who renounced all claims of sovereignty over the territory in Borneo."

When the United States took over the Philippines from the Spaniards, the American administrators in turn signed documents defining the international boundary of the country, Ranjit added.

"The Republic of the Philippines then inherited the Philippines from its predecessor, the US. So how can they claim in 1962 that Sabah is theirs when the predecessor has renounced that claim?"

According to him, these circumstances also give good reason for Malaysia to stop the monthly cession payment of RM5,300 to the sultanate. He urged Putrajaya to do so immediately.

Principle of effectivity

Ranjit also cited what he called the "principle of effectivity" as a reason why Sabah belonged to Malaysia and not the Philippines.

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 06:53 PM PDT

(TMI) - Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad chided today opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's plan to possibly contest away from his Permatang Pauh seat in Penang, saying his archrival is "running away" from possible defeat.

The former prime minister said the PKR de facto leader's decision to contest a different seat stemmed from his "doubts" that he could defend Permatang Pauh, a known Anwar stronghold since he first took up the seat in the 1982 national polls.

"This is a free country, he is free to go and contest anywhere... If he wants to, run away from Permatang Pauh.

"Yes, he is running away. Maybe he's not confident of winning the seat," a news portal quoted Dr Mahathir as saying.

Two days ago, Anwar said he may not defend his Permatang Pauh federal seat and instead may stand in Perak or Selangor in the coming general elections.

"There is a likelihood, but it means… I haven't made a definite decision because there have been suggestions that I should go down to Perak or Selangor, and I'm weighing the possibility of going down to Perak," the PKR advisor said.

Anwar did not say, however, who would replace him in Permatang Pauh, which has traditionally been his political stronghold.

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 04:30 PM PDT

A spokesman for the sultanate says there is no basis for Malaysia to file charges against eight Filipinos because it does not own Sabah.

(Agencies) - MANILA: The Sulu Sultanate will sue the Malaysian government before the International Court of Justice in response to its filing of terrorism charges against eight of the sultan's followers who were captured in Sabah, a crime punishable by death.

The spokesman of the sultanate, Abraham Idjirani, said their legal team was preparing to file a complaint of usurpation of authority and illegal development of natural wealth in Sabah against Malaysia.

"There is no basis for Malaysia to file charges against those eight Filipinos because it does not own Sabah. We are the rightful owners," Idjirani said at the residence of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III in Taguig City.

This will be the third time the Sulu Sultanate will file a lawsuit against Malaysia. The first was filed in 1992 before the United Nations and the second was filed in 2004 before the International Court of Justice.

Idjirani said both cases were still pending because the ownership of Sabah had not been resolved.

Maintaining that the Malaysia's move was illegal, Idjirani said the moves to file terrorism charges against the sultan's followers violated the 1963 agreement signed by the heads of Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia.

The 1963 Manila accord states that "the inclusion of Sabah into the Federation of Malaysia will not prejudice the interest of parties concerned until the issue of the Sabah claim is finally resolved by the United Nations."

"Malaysia is only an occupant of Sabah, so they have no right to file charges against those Filipinos," Idjirani added.

He said the sultanate had no way to confirm whether the eight Filipinos were indeed members of the Sulu Royal Army that occupied Lahad Datu.

President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday said the government would help the eight Filipinos charged with terrorism and waging war in Sabah.

"It is our obligation to protect the rights of our citizens," the President said.

Aquino said he had already instructed the Foreign Affairs and Justice Departments to give the Filipinos legal assistance.

Under Malaysian laws, terrorism charges carry a jail term of up to 30 years while waging war against the King is punishable with death.

A group of Sabah-based lawyers have also expressed their intention to help the eight followers of the sultanate.

The Sabah Law Association, in a report carried by the Malaysian press, said it was ready to ensure that the eight Filipinos are accorded due process.

Aquino earlier ordered an inter-agency team led by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to come up with a roadmap to resolve the Sabah conflict peacefully.

Aquino said the Philippines was open to negotiating with Malaysia and embarking on a rules-based approach to resolve the Sabah claim similar to the case filed by Manila against Beijing to address the territorial dispute over Panatag Shoal.

The sultanate on Thursday slammed the Palace for dismissing an alleged assassination plot against the sultan and his family.

Idjirani said President Aquino should have at least ordered an investigation into the reported arrival in the country of the Malaysian hit squad to liquidate the sultanate officials.

Singapore MOF: Lawyer’s claim ‘simply false’

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 04:27 PM PDT

'Contrary to what was claimed in the video, Singapore has to date provided fully the information requested by Malaysia for tax purposes,' says Monetary Authority of Singapore.

(FMT) - Singapore has categorically denied video allegations that Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud and his family hid their illicit wealth, spawned from "illegal" land deals, in the island republic.

In the covertly shot video by London-based NGO Global Witness, Kuching-based lawyer Alvin Chong had allegedly spoken about "ways" to dodge Real Property Gain Tax (RPGT) in Malaysia and how to circumvent the local laws involving a mandatory 51% Bumiputera stake.

Chong had candidly spoken about "two contracts" to be drawn – one which details minimum payments in Malaysia and the other for the bulk disbursements made in Singapore.

He further allegedly said that Singapore was the next Switzerland and that the republic's administration "will not tell the Malaysian government nothing…" eventhough the transactions were illegal.

The video, which has gone viral and garnered 440,000 viewers, drew a strong response from Singapore's Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Both have described the claims in the "sting video" as "simply false".

Singapore daily Today Online, quoting a statement from the authorities, reported that both Malaysia and Singapore governments had a good working relationship on tax matters.

Singapore, they said, had provided full information on tax matters whenever requested by Malaysia.

"The allegation is simply false. Contrary to what was claimed in the video, Singapore has to date provided fully the information requested by Malaysia for tax purposes.

"In addition, Singapore has designated a wide range of crimes as predicate offences to money laundering — including corruption, bribery and fraud. This is in line with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force."

Singapore "has been and remains able to provide mutual legal assistance to the fullest extent permitted under our laws where there are requests from Malaysia", they added.

READ MORE HERE

‘Sabah affairs a cruel joke’

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 04:24 PM PDT

Sabahans can no longer rely on Malaya for welfare and must stand up and be counted, says SAPP

Queville To, FMT

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is not letting up on hammering home its message that Sabah will remain a losing proposition as long as Malaya-centric politics holds sway in the state.

"Because of Malaya, Sabah is today the poorest state in Malaysia. Such is our pathetic state of affairs. This is so shameful and a cruel joke against Sabah," said Wilfred Gaban, the party's Progressive Institute of Public Policy Analysis (PIPPA) director.

Speaking at a political gathering in Luyang here on Wednesday, Gaban urged Sabahans to reject all the peninsula-based political parties as they had done nothing much for Sabah except siphon off its wealth.

He said that it was time for Sabahans to stand up to fight for their rights and for a better future.

"It is time for Sabahans to wake up. We cannot rely on Malaya for welfare. We must take the initiative to do a better job of running our own government. Malaya should not interfere in the affairs of Sabah governance," he said.

A potential candidate for the coming general election, Gaban also blamed federal leaders for causing Malaysia to lag behind economically as compared to other Asean nations such as Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.

"As a very tiny nation, barely the size of Keningau, Singapore managed to surpass Malaysia GDP by over five billion dollars," he pointed out.

Gaban also reminded that in 1970, Malaysia had even sent technical experts to South Korea to assist the Koreans.

"But today, South Korea's economy has eclipsed Malaysia's economy 10-fold. Today, South Korea is a global player whose manufacturing industries are some of the top producers in the world.

"What has happened to Malaysia? Why has Malaysia lagged so far behind even when Malaysia gets help from the vast natural resources output of Sabah?" he asked.

READ MORE HERE

Cracks appearing in Sabah Umno?

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 04:19 PM PDT

A Sabah NGO - United Suluk Community Organisation (USCO) - has, strangely enough, decided to move into 'active' politics.

Luke Rintod, FMT

KUDAT: Speculation is high that former deputy chief minister under a PBS-plus government, Amir Kahar Mustapha, is about to quit Umno and join an opposition group.

The former Banggi assemblyman, who is the eldest son of ex- Sabah chief minister, the late Tun Mustapha Harun, is said to have been approached by the members of the Suluk community here to represent them in the opposition in the coming election.

Sources said there had been calls for Amir Kahar to stand again in Banggi which is currently represented by Umno's Mijul Unaini.

"We may join a party soon if everything is alright," a source said, adding that they preferred a local party as vehicle but have not ruled out a national party.

Sources close to the politician also said that apart from Banggi, four other state seats and one parliamentary constituency in the west coast – Tanjung Kapur, Karambunai, Likas, Tanjung Aru and Sepanggar respectively – are being eyed by those in his circle.

There has also been talk that Amir Kahar had met with State Reform Party (STAR) chairman Jeffrey Kitingan recently.

Amir Kahar could not be reached for comment.

A younger brother of Amir Kahar, Badarudin, who heads Usno club, has already teamed up with Jeffrey under the United Borneo Alliance (UBA) and is likely to stand in one of the east-coast seats on a STAR ticket.

Another Usno leader, Abdullah Sani Mohd Salleh, is likely to stand in the Bugaya state seat which is currently held by Umno's Ramlee Marahaban.

Suluk group moves in

Meanwhile, a NGO catering for the Suluk community, United Suluk Community Organsition (USCO), has decided to move into 'active' politics.

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 02:05 PM PDT

(The Economist) - That he still has some chance of becoming prime minister is testimony to widespread anger at the corruption endemic in Malaysia.

WITH a tight election coming up, it is politics as usual in Malaysia—only more so. This month alone has seen the opposition accused of colluding in a foreign invasion of the state of Sabah in Borneo; the death of a private investigator, reviving stories of the grisly murder in 2006 of a beautiful Mongolian woman linked to a friend of the prime minister, Najib Razak; the leader of the opposition, Anwar Ibrahim, denying that he was one of two men appearing in grainy pictures online in an affectionate clinch; and a film shot on hidden cameras that appears to show large-scale corruption in the government of the other Malaysian state in Borneo, Sarawak.

Sailing blithely above the mud and filth that make Malaysian political waters so murky, Mr Najib went on national television on March 19th to deliver the scorecard on the "transformation programme" his government has implemented. He had a good story to tell, of robust economic growth of 5.6% in 2012, poverty virtually eliminated, inequality reduced and 400 legal cases against corruption initiated. And he was able to announce that a scheme to give cash handouts to poorer households will become an annual event.

All should be set fair, you might think, for Mr Najib's ruling coalition, the Barisan Nasional (BN), to romp home again at the election, as it has done in every ballot since independence in 1957. Mr Najib is expected to dissolve parliament any day now, with the voting to follow in mid-April after a brief official campaign period (the unofficial one has now lasted two years or more). If he does not dissolve parliament, its term will expire at the end of April, and the election must then be held by the end of June.

In fact, the outcome is in doubt, for the first time in Malaysia's history. In the election five years ago the opposition coalition, the Pakatan Rakyat, for the first time deprived the BN of the two-thirds majority that allows it to change the constitution. That led to the downfall of the BN prime minister of the day, Abdullah Badawi. His replacement by Mr Najib was decided by their party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which represents the Malays (who make up about 55% of the population) and dominates the BN. In 2008 Pakatan actually won a slight majority of the popular vote in peninsular Malaysia (ie, excluding Sabah and Sarawak). Affirmative-action policies introduced more than 40 years ago to favour Malays and other indigenous groups over the Chinese and Indian minorities were no longer enough to ensure an overwhelming victory for the ruling coalition.

The BN says it would like to campaign on Mr Najib's record of relative economic success, modest liberalising reform and statesmanship. The opposition wants to keep the focus on issues of fairness and corruption. It can boast of good performances by governments in some of the four (out of 13) states it controls in Malaysia's federal system. But its best hope is that, after more than five decades of BN rule, many Malaysians want change.

Only crumbs left for MIC in Perak

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:05 PM PDT

(Free Malaysia Today) - The party, under G Palanivel, is being given the cold shoulder and told to stand in queue for the leftovers of state seats in Perak.

The MIC is facing an uphill battle in its struggle to secure four state seats in Perak. In the 2008 general election, the party lost in Sungkai, Hutang Melintang, Pasir Panjang and Behrang.

That miserable performance provided grist to Umno's mill to flex its muscles, and the long-time Barisan Nasional component party is now fighting to pick up whatever is left of the crumbs.

As an equal partner of BN during the tenure of S Samy Vellu, the party enjoyed cordial relationship with former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and had some measure of respect.

Samy Vellu's combative personality and aggressive nature ensured that he got what he wanted but the political equation has changed with his exit.

The MIC, under G Palanivel, is being given the cold shoulder and told to stand in the queue for the leftovers of state seats in Perak.

Umno has taken over the Malay-majority state seats of Pasir Panjang and Behrang and the MIC is being compensated for these seats with the promise of the posts of senator and state speaker.

MIC, realising that with the loss of these two seats to Umno, it may be politically vulnerable, has demanded another two state seats as replacements from Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Umno obliged with the state seats of Sungkai and Tronoh held by MCA, which had earlier agreed to give up its Buntong seat, which has the highest number of Indian voters, to MIC.

But the giving away of these two MCA seats did not go down well with its (MCA's) grassroots and state leaders, and they started to demand back these two Chinese-majority seats.

According to MIC sources, Umno has agreed to MCA's demand, but has offered the Gerakan-held Aulong state seat and MCA-held Sitiawan state seat as alternatives to MIC.

Gerakan chief Koh Tsu Koon made a hurried trip down to Taiping to cool frayed nerves of Gerakan Aulong branch members who refused to let go of the state seat to MIC.

Agbimuddin a ‘hero’ to Muslim Filipinos, says columnist

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:00 PM PDT

(The Malaysian Insider) - Agbimuddin Kiram is now a revered legend and hero among Muslim Filipinos as he continues to elude capture despite being vastly outnumbered by Malaysian security forces, a columnist with the Philippine Daily Inquirer has said.

In his "As I see It" column, veteran newsman Neal H. Cruz likened the Sulu "crown prince" and the alleged persecution of Filipinos in Sabah to the struggles of the American Indians and African Americans, who suffered decades of mistreatment at the hands of immigrant settlers from Europe.

Cruz said if Agbimuddin were to be found dead, the millitant leader would become an even bigger hero, anointed the crown by the Malaysian and Philippine governments due to their handling of the sensitive and emotive Sabah issue.

He singled out Philippine President Benigno Aquino(picture) as the one to blame, saying his behaviour regarding the Sabah crisis was "really infuriating".

"Years from now, the story of the Sultanate of Sulu and its heroes and how they were oppressed and persecuted by the Malaysian and Philippine governments will be told and retold in Muslim Filipino homes," the columnist wrote.

"Books will be written about them and movies will be filmed about them, the same way the plight of the American Indians and African Americans in the past has been told."

EC: Some parties giving wrong info on voting process

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 12:54 PM PDT

(The Star) - Several political parties and non-governmental bodies have been providing people with wrong information about the entire voting process, said deputy Election Commission chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.

Labelling it as "ajaran sesat(misleading information)", he said the EC had received news that some groups were giving such misinformation during their ceramah.

"There are voters who come to the polling stations and question certain procedures. But we are merely acting based on rules and regulations. So, voters should follow the necessary instructions, procedures and laws for the general election.

"It only takes three minutes for a person to vote, unless he or she creates chaos and refuses to follow instructions," he told reporters after chairing a special session with election and police officers in the state here yesterday.

He also warned voters not to create problems at polling centres, adding that voting was a simple process.

The EC, stressed Wan Ahmad, had nothing to hide when it came to the election process, pointing out that 17 NGOs had been appointed as observers for the polls.

"These are professional and credible NGOs, who will be monitoring the entire election process. So, what else is there to question?

"Besides, we are also allowing observers from foreign countries. The EC is doing its level best to ensure the highest level of transparency when it comes to the election process.

"If there are people who don't follow rules and regulations, leading to a dirty election, it will be not due to the EC or the process but because there are those with bad intentions."

Tunku Aziz asks ROS to suspend DAP over party polls

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 12:52 PM PDT

(The Star) - Former DAP vice-chairman Tunku Aziz Tunku Ibrahim has urged the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to suspend DAP pending its investigations into the party's central executive committee elections in December.

"The ROS has a duty to protect the interests of the membership as a whole and can direct DAP to hold fresh elections so that a legal committee can be constituted," he said yesterday.

Tunku Aziz, who quit following "irreconcilable differences" with the party leadership last May, said the alleged irregularities were of public interest.

He also claimed that investigation by ROS was being hampered by the reluctance of party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to cooperate in the matter.

"His cavalier approach towards his duty and his feet-dragging have given rise to imputations of motives, which affects the standing and reputation of the party," he alleged.

Tunku Aziz was commenting on several complaints lodged by DAP members to the ROS since January, urging for action against the party over the CEC election debacle.

On Jan 14, two DAP life members submitted a similar request to the ROS, followed by former Taman Megah branch chairman Lee Chee Cheng, who lodged a police report on Jan 24 and subsequently to the ROS on Feb 8, claiming that the election results were invalid.

In January, the party had admitted to a tabulation error in the results, which saw Zairil Khir Johari move up from the 39th to 20th position, giving him the last spot in the CEC. He is the sole Malay candidate in the CEC.

Lim, said Tungku Aziz, could no longer come out with glib answers for the unsuspecting public to explain the conduct of the CEC election.

"If Lim cannot take the heat (of the complaints), he must get out of the kitchen," he said.

Tunku Aziz said although there were 2,576 delegates who were eligible to attend the convention to elect the 20 CEC members, only 1,823 were given the opportunity to vote.

"We want the party to ensure that the remaining 753 delegates would also be given the right to take part in the voting process again," he said.

Jackie Chan to join PM in fund-raising programme

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 12:35 PM PDT

(The Star) - Action superstar Jackie Chan(pic) will join Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in a fund-raising programme at the Stadium Darul Makmur tomorrow.

Chan is expected to auction off three watches and a painting at the event to raise funds for SM Chung Hwa here.

He is also slotted to perform on stage.

A host of performances, including those by local artistes and Taiwan singers, have been lined up.

Some 20,000 people are expected to attend the event. Entrance tickets as well as those for the 1,000 tables have been snapped up since last week.

The organiser hopes to raise RM10mil for the construction of the school. To date, some RM6.5mil has been collected from various quarters, including MCA, private firms and individuals.

Meanwhile, scores of contract workers are working around the clock on the final touches for the Jelajah Janji Ditepati roadshow at the Padang MPK2 field here, also scheduled for tomorrow.

As of 6pm yesterday, some 130 canopies of various sizes had been erected by the Kuala Lumpur-based contractor.

Najib and Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob are expected to officiate the programme at 9pm.

A fireworks display is also scheduled near the end of the programme.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Jumaat, 22 Mac 2013

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan