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• `Battlegrounds will be in Dayak areas'
• Pakatan can win 12 more federal seats in Election 2013, says Kit Siang
• GE13: The battle starts in the cyber world
• GE13: Taking on the opposition in their home ground
• ‘The case for change is preponderant’
• Rosmah and black magic? No way!
• Waytha’s conditon today -21st day of his Hunger Viratham
• Desperate for Indian Votes, Pakatan Plays Dirty!!
• Sabah: Land Below the Winds of Change
• SDNU openly champions Native Customary Rights and Lands!
• Dompok adamant, wants to surrender IC
• `Battlegrounds will be in Dayak areas'
• Kelantan after dark
• Beware the evil plans on polling day
• Johor PKR pacifies chief
• Anwar’s exciting political strategy?
• God-given right (UPDATED with Chinese Translation)
• Karpal urges Waytha to end fast
• Jui Meng’s deputy takes over Johor PKR
• Welcome to freedom of expression; PR style!
• GE13: Parliament dissolution likely only after mid-April
• GE13: Group claims Opposition trained to cause trouble
• Pakatan eyes 33 federal seats in 3 states for GE13
• BN will get the Indian swing
• Rafizi slammed for ‘false’ information
• ‘Pakatan not ready to form government’
• Muslims vanish as Buddhist attacks approach Myanmar’s biggest city
• ‘Enough proof to reopen Altantuya case’
• Thank you from a grateful Malaysian from PJ Utara
• The Altantuya Mystery
• Star readers all for booting out FAM’s Article 88
• The day I got rail mad
• ICJ best forum to settle Sabah, S’wak, S’pore questions
• Mr P Waytha Moorthy’s condition on the 20th day of his Hunger Viratham
• Second Objective of Battle of Gelang Patah – Target 19 of the 26 Parliamentary and 30 of the ...
• "Watermelon" and "Sympathizer" Effect
• You are a lost cause (UPDATED with Chinese Translation)
• Divisions back Wan Azizah to contest in S’gor
• Anwar’s hidden agenda in Sabah?
• What's good for the goose is good for the gander (UPDATED with Chinese Translation)
• Keeping faith with Hindraf and Waytha Moorthy
• Will DAP become another MCA?
• Photos show PKR leader in lewd act
• Why Muslim Countries Will Always Remain Backward?
• Pakatan undecided over Negeri MB candidate
• Gwo Burne on the chopping block?
• I am eligible to contest, says Wan Azizah
• Chua still sulking over Kit Siang’s move?
• Anti-gay musical tours Malaysian schools and universities
• Democracy : The Hypocrisy of DAP Cyber Troopers and Supporters

`Battlegrounds will be in Dayak areas' Posted: 30 Mar 2013 05:22 PM PDT "Thus, the Dayak seats will be the focus of fight between BN and PR," he said, adding that the BN component parties, PRS, PBB, Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) must unite to repel the Opposition parties in whatever guise they appear. Sulok Tawie, The Sun Daily The battlegrounds in Sarawak in the upcoming 13th general election are the Dayak-majority seats, both Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders agreed today. The Dayaks are forming the majority voters in 13 out of 31 parliamentary constituencies. PRS president and Minister of Land Development Tan Sri Dr James Masing agreed that the battlegrounds in Sarawak will be the Dayak majority areas. "There are 13 Dayak majority seats which are up for grabs," he said, adding that the Dayak areas are perceived to be "grey areas" for both the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR). "This means that both BN and PR can win the Dayak seats," he said, adding that there is no clear indication where the Dayak votes will go to in the GE13. "Thus, the Dayak seats will be the focus of fight between BN and PR," he said, adding that the BN component parties, PRS, PBB, Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) must unite to repel the Opposition parties in whatever guise they appear. Masing, however, expressed his confidence that PRS will retain all its six Dayak-majority seats – Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Kanowit, Ulu Rajang, Selangau and Julau – in the GE13. See Chee How, Sarawak PKR vice chairman, admitted that PBB is still the dominance force in the Mala/Melanau areas due to Taib's strong grip on them. "The battlegrounds are the Dayak seats," the Batu Lintang state assemblyman concurred with Masing. He said PR is gaining grounds in these seats because of the BN's policies on land. "The blatant grabs on the native customary rights (NCR) land by the BN government have remained unabated, despite the numerous court cases in favour of the NCR landowners, " See, who represented the landowners in many of these cases, added. He said the London-based Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) has been effective in disseminating information on the "unfair" land polices of the government. PR, especially PKR, has distributed thousands of China-made radio sets to the longhouses and villages so the rural population can hear the "message" conveyed by RFS, he added. "Now the landowners, who are mostly the Dayaks, have awakened up and they are rethinking their support for the BN," commented See, who as a human rights activist and lawyer, has helping the landowners over the last 15 years. He also claimed the Dayaks have been marginalised by the government in terms of allocation of development funds, thus a high percentage of them are living well below the poverty line. He said that the Dayaks can change the political landscape in Sarawak and even Malaysia, given that they are the largest ethnic group in Sarawak. An analysis of the 2011 state election results showed that the Chinese or urban voters were more towards PR while the Malay/Melanau voters, on the other hand, were strong supporters of the BN parties, particularly Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) led by Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud. If the 2011 state election results are anything to go by, it is very clear where the urban votes will go to PR in the GE13, and it is almost certain that the majority of the Malay/Melanau votes will go to the BN, particularly PBB. There are six seats where the Chinese form the majority while the Malay/Melanau form the majority in seven seats. Another four seats are considered mixed where the racial compositions of the voters are almost equal. An analysis by the Election Commission showed that the BN in Sarawak suffered a decline in popularity votes from 64.2 % in the 2008 general election to 55.4 % in the 2011 state election. On the other hand, PR's popularity votes increased from 29.2 % in 2008 to 38.9 % in 2011. According to analysis by the DAP, there was a general decline in support among the Dayaks to the BN, with the Iban dropped by 14.1 % and the Bidayuh by 13 %. The DAP said that there was a major shift in support among the non-Chinese, especially the Dayaks towards the Opposition in 2011. It is obvious that the party won in six out of 12 seats in 2011 due to the shift in support of the non-Chinese from BN to PR. The party received increased support from non-Chinese voters in Kidurong (48 %), Kota Sentosa (35 %), Repok (30 %), Piasau (39%), Pujut (35%) and Batu Kawah (30%). If the decline in popularity votes is again registered in the GE13, the BN will lose at least 10 seats to the Opposition. BN leaders like Taib and Masing have both felt that the BN could win two-thirds of the 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak.

Pakatan can win 12 more federal seats in Election 2013, says Kit Siang Posted: 30 Mar 2013 04:30 PM PDT Debra Chong, TMI Pakatan Rakyat (PR) believes it can bag a dozen more federal seats in Peninsula Malaysia to add to the 125 it needs to trump the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) at the coming national polls. The DAP's parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said today the opposition bloc is eyeing 12 seats from "non-BN fixed deposit states" where his party and political allies PAS and PKR had lost by a narrow vote margin in Election 2008. "There is at least one of these BN marginal seats in every one of the non-BN fixed deposit seats," he said in a statement, and added, "Pakatan will target to win half of these seats." He named 14 seats in seven states as "realistic wins" for PR. They are Arau in Perlis; Alor Setar in Kedah; Kuala Nerus in Terengganu; Larut, Kuala Kangsar, Kampar and Lumut in Perak; Bentong, Raub and Jerantut in Pahang, Sabak Bernam and Pandan in Selangor, Rembau in Negri Sembilan; and Bukit Katil in Malacca. The veteran lawmaker said the pact was gunning for 11 other federal seats where the BN had won the popular vote by fewer than 55 per cent.  The include Dungun in Terengganu; Jerlun in Kedah; Padang Rengas, Tambun, Parit, Tapah, Pasir Salak and Bagan Datok in Perak; Temerloh in Pahang; Sepang in Selangor; and Jempol in Negeri Sembilan. Lim said many of the seats he named had seen a significant jump in the number of first-time voters, whom he believed come from the younger generation and were likely to be drawn to PR's policies compared to "BN's scaremongering references to the past". He said that given more time before polls are called, PR's chances of nabbing 12 out of the 25 marginal seats would be boosted.  He said the pact would also be able to defend all 83 parliamentary seats it has in hand now. Lim had previously identified Johor, Sarawak and Sabah as the BN's three "fixed deposit states". The Ipoh Timor MP, who has confirmed he will be moving to his Johor home state and stand in Gelang Patah for polls, also said previously that PR could wrest seven states in Election 2013, after taking five in Election 2008. READ MORE HERE

GE13: The battle starts in the cyber world Posted: 30 Mar 2013 04:19 PM PDT The cyber space will be a key battlefield in the coming elections, but what say its community? Hence, with some 80% of the 3.75 million new voters aged below 40 not counting the "experienced" under 40-voters out of the other 10 million over registered voters in the country it is no surprise that politicians from both divides are doing all they can to woo them. Hariati Azizan, The Star THE frenzy matched that of a rock gig or a k-pop concert depending on one's taste with the "fans" and "stars" moving and cheering in unison to the same beat. The group of social media volunteers sitting near me squealed and giggled with equal excitement whenever a youth leader or an invited local celebrity guest took the podium at the recent Barisan Nasional Youth Cyber Activists Gathering. Self-professed social media addict Zue in a Yuna-inspired blue headscarf shares that she has not done any cyber political activism yet but followed her friends to the gathering to check out the scene. "I'm glad I signed up. Like what YB Khairy (Jamaluddin) said, I am here because I believe in the party and I think we can help them win the elections," says the 26-year-old who follows PM Najib Tun Razak and the Barisan youth leader on Twitter. What issues concern her, then? "The economy and jobs. Prices of things and houses. Safety, crime, freedom to practise my religion... Peace, stability and our independence as a country," she rattles on. It is no exaggeration to say that the political landscape has changed since the 2008 general election. The political enthusiasm and concern for public issues of today's young people seem to have grown somewhat since GE12. A survey by a non-profit organisation Asia Foundation on The Youth Factor: 2012 Survey of Malaysian Youth Opinion, found that a majority of young Malaysians felt that they could effect change in the country. A whopping 69% believe that they have at least a little influence over the government. And unlike the common notion of the revolutionary youth, many do believe in the institutions, with over 80% stating their confidence in the Prime Minister and civil administration. Hence, with some 80% of the 3.75 million new voters aged below 40 not counting the "experienced" under 40-voters out of the other 10 million over registered voters in the country it is no surprise that politicians from both divides are doing all they can to woo them. If used as a one-way street, social media users are quick to turn off and tune out. - DAVID LIAN And with this cohort being the most wired, it is no bombshell that the cyber space has emerged as a key battlefield in GE13. Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, chairperson of Umno Youth's new media unit, pertinently observes this. "It cannot be denied that the youths will use the social media only for what they are interested in. But come election season, even those who are not interested in politics will be drawn to political newsbites and want to keep up with the developments in the country's political scene," he says. A spirited cyber activist who only wanted to be known as Nabil agrees, declaring he is volunteering to fight for Barisan in the cyber world for his children's future. "We cannot let the Opposition take over and destroy the country. So, like what the PM said, we have to defeat them on their turf the social media," he says. He believes that there has also been a shift in "influence" when it comes to polling. "In the past, young people voted according to their parents' political beliefs. Today, I think parents are influenced by their children when they go out and vote. "For example, my parents and most of my friends' parents actually ask us about the latest political buzz on our Facebook and Twitter," he shares, adding that is what the Barisan cyber troopers are also rallied to do to spread the truth against the "lies" spread by the opposition not just online but also offline. Still, not all young people are swayed by the political onslaught in the web. A postgraduate student who only wants to be known as Jefri says there is too much "noise" and it is making him switch off. "I am going to decide after I hear the candidates speak at the ceramah and see them myself," he says. Social marketing expert Anas Zubedy feels that the political noise conceals the reality that the average young person is unaware of politics and the political leaders. Anas, who conducted his own telephone survey, had written on his blog that his findings convinced him that the "Internet population" would not significantly affect the outcome of the coming elections. "There are too many distractions out there and politicians are not seen as cool...as a consequence, the youth just don't have that drive to fully use the Internet to catch up on current affairs, politics in particular," he concluded. Social media observer G. Yeoh also thinks that the impact of the social media will not be as significant as expected. "I don't think the majority of voters in Malaysia have access to social media. The urban voters yes, but not the non-urban voters. It's simplistic to claim that just because it's the first' time that this tool is being used and it's new'. I have seen in the last GE social media being used in various ways by young Malaysians wanting to make a difference, on their own without binding themselves to any political faction." Yeoh observes that while younger politicians are definitely revving up their presence on social media, not all politicians are using it to their advantage, which is a shame as it is good as a direct connection to their constituents. "It really allows for people to get in touch with them directly. It's nice to be able to tweet with your MP because too often they are placed up on the pedestal. It's nice to know that politicians are human too." Ironically, he points out, that is the key the human touch. He says it does not work when the politicians falsely inflate the number of followers, get their assistants to tweet for them or worse, not tweet at all. That is why politicians like Khairy Jamaluddin, Tony Pua, Abdul Rahman Dahlan, Nurul Izzah and Saifuddin Abdullah have many followers, he says. "They tweet themselves and the tweets are real. And sometimes they make mistakes too. People can tell when another person is real. People don't follow each other on Twitter or Facebook just so they can consume the same old messages churned out by strategists." Crucially, it should not be used for trolling their critics. "Social media is a tool of communication, not a tool to hide behind and to attack your imagined enemies." For many of his peers, the number of followers or likes is just that, a number. As a young voter, Yeoh says, he expects his leader to be honest and real. "It's not a popularity contest. They can claim to have millions of followers or likes on Facebook all they want, but without interaction, those are just numbers." In contrast, digital culture commentator Niki Cheong feels that the numbers do matter. "It is embarrassing for a senior politician to have, say, only 3,000 followers on Twitter. It gives a perception that you are not relevant." Politicians need to find what works for them, he says, and to "just do it!" on their social media accounts. "You need to be constantly engaging with the people." What many do not realise is that it is a community, so you need to be "living" in it. The easiest way is for politicians to make it a part of their lives too, not just a planned campaigning tool. "As a politician, everything you say and do is being recorded, so why not put it out yourself. Instead of just putting your photographs and videos out, you can highlight your meetings, other programmes and activities online," says Cheong. Social media expert David Lian concurs. As the 2008 elections demonstrated, he notes, social media could be used as an effective communications tool and it's good that many politicians have become more engaged on social media. However, he stresses, it should be a two-way communication. "I'd challenge politicians to stop thinking of just using social media for campaigning purposes, but to genuinely engage their constituents. Social media is a fantastic platform to really get closer to the rakyat's needs and to foster a healthy dialogue about our community's issues today. It shouldn't be relegated merely to another propaganda channel. If used as a one-way street, social media users are quick to turn off and tune out." Stresses Lian, young people today expect action and integrity from their political leaders, "I've seen these issues consistently highlighted by young people on social media and it would do politicians well to listen."

GE13: Taking on the opposition in their home ground Posted: 30 Mar 2013 04:17 PM PDT "The UMB is the party's cyber war engine. Its main task is to raise awareness among other party engines about the use of new media and social media networks to deliver information and effectively engage youth who are already exposed to the media," says Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, Umno Youth exco member and chairperson of UMB. The Star THERE is nothing better than winning in your opponent's home ground!" The rallying cry by Barisan Nasional Youth chairman Khairy Jamaluddin to the 600 over cyber activists at the BN Youth Cyber Activists Gathering recently was loud and clear. "The cyber world is the opposition's home ground as they have been using this platform for a long time. We are the away team' and the cyber world is the most important arena this election." He may be younger and arguably better-looking than Sir Alex Ferguson but one can just imagine the self-professed Manchester United fan doing a "hairdryer" on his (cyber) "players" with his fiery roar. Echoing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's earlier clarion call to his team to take heed of the cyber pitch in their election tournament, Khairy reiterates that social media is a vital gameplan for Barisan if they want to clinch the trophy and title in the GE13. Like Najib, the Barisan Youth have been gearing up for the cyber warfare for a few years now, ever since they lost the match on that platform in the last elections. Najib who launched his Facebook page in 2009 has amassed some 1.4 million likes on FB and more than one million followers on Twitter. He has since tapped into various technology and mobile applications available like Instagram and Vine. Khairy is no second stringer either in the social media arena with almost 50,000 likes on FB and some 243,000 followers on Twitter. Recognising the importance of engagement with the youth, on the social media networks in particular, he led the setting up of the Umno Youth's New Media Unit (UMB) in 2009. "The UMB is the party's cyber war engine. Its main task is to raise awareness among other party engines about the use of new media and social media networks to deliver information and effectively engage youth who are already exposed to the media," says Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, Umno Youth exco member and chairperson of UMB. Since its inception in 2009, UMB has been involved in more than 150 programmes nationwide including training programmes, engagement programmes, special operations and talk shows. To consolidate the coalition's social media initiatives, the BN Youth Cyber team was established last August. "Before BNYCT was set up, there was no official platform to coordinate all the cyber initiatives by the cyber engines of the respective Barisan component parties for the coming general election," Tun Faisal adds. The initiative also aims to provide a platform for those on Facebook, Twitter and blogs to interact with other pro-Barisan supporters. "This platform will enable us to reach out to youths in a better manner unlike in the 2008 elections when we did not have a proper online network to address misinformation," he notes. Some 2,300 cyber activists have been trained while the BNCYT have garnered a total exposure of around 700,000 people on Facebook and some 250,000 followers on Twitter. With an eye on the coming general elections, the BNYCT have been busy preparing materials to spread information on Barisan's policies, track record and success stories as well as organising various gatherings with their cyber volunteers. The recent gathering was one of its pre-election mobilisation programmes. Expecting a negative campaign by the Opposition, the BN Youth have also launched Gempak ("Gerakan Menolak Penipuan Pembangkang") a campaign to counter the "propaganda lies" of the opposition. With its catchphrase "Jamunji" ("Janji, mungkir janji" or "Promises, broken promises") the campaign will highlight all the unkept promises by the opposition leaders, especially in the opposition-held states. "It is crucial for us to respond to these attacks with facts and evidence. "But that is not all, the method of delivering these facts is as important in determining whether we can win the hearts and minds of voters," Khairy says at a press conference during the gathering, stressing that the BNY cyber team will not "sink to their level by spreading slanderous information to fight the opposition." Positive sharing of facts and evidence is also a strategy used by slightly older but equally connected politician Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah. "I use social media as a tool for sharing (contents), not just for communicating. So I try my best to put across the issues I want to share, like my "new politics", "youth empowerment", "soul of university", "strengthening co-curriculum", with approaches that are open, casual and, sometimes, humourous." The old style of attacking, or over attacking, the opposition, is not going to convert voters who have made up their mind; and is likely not imaginative in the eye of the middle ground or fence sitters around 30% of the electorate who get most of their political information from social media, says Saifuddin. He believes there is no longer social divide between rural and urban voters. "Even for a constituency like Temerloh where I come from, it is physically 50% rural and 50% urban, but the social media penetration is about 70%, so I don't think there is a digital divide," he says, adding that even in instances where there is no access to cyberspace, there are "enablers" people who share the information that they derive from social media. Crucially, he concedes, the social media has given him an insight into young people's concerns. "People today are no longer discussing only old issues like development, but are adding new issues like freedom and human rights, areas that we still have lots of room for improvement." Saifuddin feels that Barisan is much more prepared this time, compared to GE12. "We have enough number of people working on social media (with some 10,000 cybertroopers). But in all honesty, we still need to improve in terms of contents and approach." Ultimately, can all the FB likes and Twitter following be translated into real votes? Khairy is confident. "Sure, there are a few who tick like' or follow us to mock us, but most are supporters. The real supporters we need to mobilise to come out and vote, which we will do through the social media."

‘The case for change is preponderant’ Posted: 30 Mar 2013 03:33 PM PDT Former Umno veteran Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir says his independent party, Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia, supports Pakatan because Malaysia needs change "[We have] poor people in the kampung, longhouse, [the government] keeps on giving them money, and they don't even watch news. So anyone who gives them money, they consider them as the good guys. And they're in the majority." Anisah Shukry, FMT Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan) founder Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir once cut a formidable figure in Umno politics. As the Minister of Culture, Arts and Tourism in 1999 during the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad era,  and then the Minister of Information from 2004 to 2006 in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's time, the man was among the most powerful in the country. But in January 2012, Abdul Kadir began making headlines after he accused the ruling party of handing out between RM200 and RM1,000 to voters in previous elections in exchange for votes. He eventually left the party, and has since appeared arbitrarily in the media, with the spotlight focusing on his attempts to have Ikatan be registered under the Registrar of Societies. Speaking to FMT in an exclusive interview, Abdul Kadir explained Ikatan's position in a political arena dominated by two opposing coalitions – the ruling Barisan Nasional, and the loose opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat. "We do not want to officially join Pakatan Rakyat. We'll support what has to be supported, but right now I'm with Pakatan," said Abdul Kadir. "To be frank, now that I've mixed with them, I can see the weaknesses in PAS, PKR, DAP, but I also know the weaknesses in Barisan Nasional. I think the case for change is preponderant; its overwhelming." He said Pakatan had "very bright people" and the pact could not entirely be blamed for its failings in the four states it has been ruling since general election 2008 – Kedah, Kelantan, Selangor and Penang. "A state government can't do much if they don't have the support of the federal government because they don't have the money," he pointed out. Abdul Kadir said he also supported certain aspects of the Pakatan manifesto, such as helping those who deserve it, as opposed to BN's policy which he claimed only enriched a few bumiputeras. "In the opposition manifesto which I like, [it states that it would] help everybody who deserves… So you help the Malays based on the theory of natural justice…You help the poor to come up to the level of the advanced. No need to help the poor based on narrow, racist policies." No hope for Umno to change On the other hand, Abdul Kadir said he did not support Umno because he felt there was no hope left for the party to change. "Six thousand or eight thousand years of world history have proven that all along, if any government stays more than 30 years continuously, the bad habit takes root, deep root, and no way you can change it. "So the bad habits in Umno, in the BN government, have taken root. Even though they talk about fighting corruption, but everyday its becoming worse and worse. No way they can change, no way, unless some drastic realignment of parties, and political forces and so on," he stressed. As for what Ikatan could offer, Abdul Kadir said its focus was to carry on the ideas of Malaysia's founding fathers as well as the concept of "Bangsa Malaysia" – a slogan referring to Malaysians united in peace, justice and harmony. "I believe in Bangsa Malaysia. I really believe in Bangsa Malaysia, when I was minister of culture and tourism, I used that opportunity to work really hard to move to Bangsa Malaysia." But he said he would no longer be contesting in future elections, although he would remain active in politics for the rest of his days through Ikatan. Cash handouts swaying voters However, when asked his predictions on the results of the general election, the political veteran said he was concerned over how cash handouts would sway voters' will. "Based on my own knowledge, the real will of the people, they want to change. But I'm really worried about all this cash handouts, whether it distorts the real will of the people. "[We have] poor people in the kampung, longhouse, [the government] keeps on giving them money, and they don't even watch news. So anyone who gives them money, they consider them as the good guys. And they're in the majority." Last week, Najib had promised that the BR1M programme, which he initiated, would continue to be an annual handout. The one-time cash handouts of RM500 reportedly helped nearly five million families at a cost of RM2.6 billion last year, increasing Najib's approval ratings up to 69 per cent. These past few weeks have also seen the prime minister promising a slew of goodies to the rakyat, including one-off cash of RM500 to all Telekom Malaysia staff, 1,000 individual permits to taxi drivers, pension to staff of government statutory bodies and 20 minutes of free Internet service to the poor. 'Subtle revolts' Meanwhile, the former Umno supreme council member dismissed criticism that he had quietly accepted Umno's "corrupt culture" for 56 years, insisting instead that he had "subtly revolted" since the 80's. "I was already in revolt, even in the 80's, in 1987 I joined Team B. Some became team members because they wanted to [support] Tengku Razaleigh [Hamzah]…But I myself revolted because of this corruption, cronyism and whatnot," recalled Abdul Kadir. He was referring to the two camps in Umno which came into being after former finance minister Tenku Razaleigh challenged Mahathir over the party's 1987 polls. Team B, lead by then finance minister Tengku Razaleigh had reportedly criticised Mahathir, his leadership style and his policies. Abdul Kadir said that even as information minister, he introduced a weekly one-hour programme on RTM where opposition leaders openly debated with BN members on certain topics – an almost unthinkable concept now. "Of course I was attacked by my Umno colleages [for initiating the debate]. I was really attacked. [They asked me:] 'how is it I gave chance to opposition'? "But I said 'no, its good, because [opposition supporters] are watching TV, the government also has an opportunity to explain their position to the other side. If not for that fact, the other side will not watch what the ministers saying." 'RTM airtime for opposition a big joke' He then went on to slam Minister of Information, Culture and Communication Rais Yatim for allowing the opposition a "paltry" 10 minutes on Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) to present their pre-recorded manifestos in the lead up to the elections. "It's a big joke. If I were the opposition, I would just not accept it. It's an insult. If RTM can't be absolutely free, at least six months before the elections, you should open it up…[But] free press to Rais Yatim means 10 minutes. Ten minutes in eleven days," he said, laughing heartily. Rais had said that the opportunity was provided in respect of the country's democratic system, but the opposition pact have since rejected the offer as an "insult." Commenting on this, Abdul Kadir said: "Times have changed and Najib has announced time has changed, and he wants to change, so might as well change. "People tell me, 'why during your time you didn't change [Umno]?' Well, that was during my time, and I did try. But now there's an official policy called 'political transformation', so change. [Don't say], "oh we are free, we give ten minutes to opposition party," he said. READ MORE HERE

Rosmah and black magic? No way! Posted: 30 Mar 2013 03:27 PM PDT To indulge in black magic, one must be mindful of its pantangs and must cleanse one's mind, body and spirit of life's impurities. Can Rosmah do that?  CT Ali, FMT When we write we have a responsibility to tell the truth. At times I wish we could write unburdened by the need to be factual or to maintain a semblance of journalistic integrity – but not to do so would put what we write into the realm of fiction. Fiction and facts swirls in and around Putrajaya – none more so as in and around Seri Perdana. That is why I believe that the story making its round on the Net about Rosmah Mansor dabbling in black magic should never have seen the light of day. For surely it borders within the realms of fiction or at best, half truths. Black magic in the halls of Seri Perdana? Conversing with the spirit world, delving into the world of the supernatural and the occults, removing negative energy and breaking cycles of bad luck? Are any of the rooms in Seri Perdana boarded up so that the Prince of Darkness can make his abode there and call upon all of those dark forces to neutralise Rosmah's enemies and allow her to fulfilled her potential? Another five years in Seri Perdana as FLOM perhaps? Are Friday nights the time to sprinkle salt and black pepper, have mutterings of incantations and casting of spells, with goblins abounds, with the aroma of scented oil and kemayan wafting through Seri Perdana? If Rosmah had any use of these bomohs, surely it is not for their healing services. Would she then be seeking the services of these bomohs ala Mona Fandey – seeking power and wealth? But these are surely the conjectures of an over active Pakatan Rakyat mind or their rabid supporters! Surely not of CT Ali. Consider this! The strict regime To indulge in black magic and be in the company of  bomohs requires one to be mindful of its pantangs (prohibitions) and demands one to cleanse one's mind, body and spirit of life's impurities. Could Rosmah do that? Abstain from meat, rich fatty food and the excesses of a decadent life style (Hermes handbags and shopping trips abroad included!). Rosmah just cancelled herself out of that one. Despite badminton and all the nutritional advise available to her as FLOM, Rosmah is still generously proportioned. How can she maintain the strict regiment of kosher meals required of any proponents of the occults? One must also abstain from having sex or engage in any sexual activities of any genre. Err, susah sikit to confirm but safe to say they (as in Najib and Rosmah) may possibly be able to comply. Have any of you seen Rosmah muttering to herself and then taking a few deep breaths and keep still for 10 seconds (hard enough for her to do even for five seconds what more for ten!)? If you have, then you will know that she may well be into the bomoh 'thing' – perhaps reciting a secret mantra or her bomoh's name  – who may perhaps be Tok Memuri Temu Sarji. Tok Memuri Temu Sarji is a Jerantut-based bomoh who was under the tutelage of an Indian guru and a Thai monk – the ultimate Harvard of bomoh's tutelage if ever there was one. The body and the mind must be clear of any imperfection in thoughts and deeds – easier said than done for Rosmah – both for the mental and physical aspects required. READ MORE HERE

Waytha’s conditon today -21st day of his Hunger Viratham Posted: 30 Mar 2013 02:40 PM PDT   N.Ganesan, Hindraf National Adviser  Waytha Moorthy is completely bedridden today, the 21st day of his Hunger Viratham. For most of the last 20 days he has been mobile but today he is confined entirely to his bed. His speech is very muffled and he speaks only in very low tones. He is extremely weak and is noticeably getting weaker everyday. To end this ordeal the Paktan Government-in-waiting or the sitting Barisan Government needs to take clear notice of this situation and repond to the demands he has made that they  must endorse Hindraf's 5 year Blueprint without any further delay. We hope they do not fail him and the people he represents.

Desperate for Indian Votes, Pakatan Plays Dirty!! Posted: 30 Mar 2013 02:31 PM PDT   BUT, does anyone know that the video being circulated on the internet was taken 5 years ago during his election campaigning periods prior to the GE 2008? And why is that only now this video is being released?   PM Sivalingam  A video has been circulating online on Zulkifli Noordin (MP for Kulim-Bandar Baharu) making sensitive statements that insults the Hindus in Malaysia. What was more interesting is that the 5 minutes plus video ends with an UMNO, Perkasa and 1Malaysia logo, associating the 3 identities to Zulkifli's racist remarks.  BUT, does anyone know that the video being circulated on the internet was taken 5 years ago during his election campaigning periods prior to the GE 2008? And why is that only now this video is being released? Desperate for votes? No more stories to tell and fool the Indians?   He, Zulkifli Noordin was Anwar Ibrahim's henchman in predominantly Malay Muslim majority political campaigns. He was Anwar's lawyer, good friend. PKR is now trying to posteur that Zulkifli Noordin has been a Perkasa and UMNO MP, though in fact Anwar and Zulkifli have been bosom buddies for many years. He also won on a PKR ticket before being ticked off by Anwar's gutterish politics.   Anwar has a lot of explaining to do about his former chum though he is trying very hard to dust his ABIM past. The Indians of Malaysia (majority are Hindus) after playing an important role during the 2008 election in support of Anwar and PKR members such as Zulkifli Noordin demand an apology from the both of them for such a demeaning bigotry message about their religion. A prompt and quick apology will salvage Anwar and his party from facing protest votes from the Indians against his party, rejecting ABIM-like thinkers in totality.

Sabah: Land Below the Winds of Change Posted: 30 Mar 2013 02:21 PM PDT The voting trend speaks for itself: within East Malaysia, dissatisfaction against BN does not necessarily translate into a swing for PKR – unlike Peninsula Malaysia, the party will have to do more than win on 'protest votes' here.  THE CORRIDORS OF POWER  Shashi Karu   Over the online media, the atmosphere is palpable and almost sweating with suspense. As we near election day, bloggers, commentators and the occasional pundits are beating with increasing intensity to the same rhythms of change: "it's now or never", "ubah", "ini kalilah" and of course, how could you not forget, "ABU!" [Asalkan Bukan Umno].   Analysts alike are expecting a repeat of the March 2008 Tsunami, but this time it's back with revenge: Peninsula Malaysia is expected to see bigger gains to Pakatan Rakyat - with the bastions of BN in Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Johor finally caving in to the 'winds of change'. As the tides of politics continues on its charging path, Anwar Ibrahim inches ever closer to Malaysia's first "opposition" Federal government.    And yet, despite the inevitability of change, many anticipate that these electoral gains may not be enough to provide that much needed parliamentary majority. In pursuit for these last remaining seats, analysts and political strategists believe that the final frontline will be won, or lost, in Sabah - the last fortress of BN's 'fixed deposit'.   Winds of change sweeping Borneo?   As the political oven continues to heat up, we are increasingly seeing the battle fought openly in the sleepy state. Issue that irate Sabahans continue to pervade the news, blogs, and coffee shops: PATI (illegal immigrants), UMNO, underdevelopment, timber corruption, state autonomy, and the list goes on. The unfortunate Sulu incursion and RCI of Project IC has further 'activated' dormant voters, who were otherwise indifferent or fatigued to the politics of the state. It's no surprise then that, with an electorate ripe for change, victory is firmly within the grasps of Pakatan Rakyat - or is it?   Despite the solidified angst against BN, history suggests that this may not mean an easy victory for PR. If the 2011 Sarawak state election is to go by anything, the packed ceramahs, sloganeering crowds and near unanimous aggravation certainly does not translate into votes for the opposition.    A Sarawak down memory lane   Looking back at the recent 2011 Sarawak state election, the much vaunted expectations fell embarrassingly short on election day: opposition gained a total of 15 of the 71 state seats - 12 of which were delivered by DAP and a paltry 3 by PKR. Although DAP saw significant gains in the urban areas, PKR suffered a major blow, losing over 46 of the 49 seats it contested. This is despite an election occurring within three years of the March 2008 Tsunami - with anticipations of that very Tsunami finally arriving in Sarawak. Justifiably, the question that should be asked is 'Why did this happen?' and given the shared geography, history and voter preferences: 'Will this trend continue towards 2013 elections in Sabah?'   Many factors have been flagged but a key reason for the upset, as touted by Pakatan Rakyat leaders, was the failure to agree upon seat allocations; this resulted in multi-cornered fights, allegedly 'splitting' and 'diluting' opposition votes that resulted in a BN victory. However, closer analysis of the voting results shows an overlooked fact: even if multi-cornered fights did not occur, the vote counts indicate that Pakatan Rakyat, namely PKR, would still have lost all but 1 seat in Sarawak. Similar trends were seen in the 2008 Sabah state elections, where PKR failed to come close to any victory in all but 3 seats contested.   A further look at the results show that in many of the multi-cornered fights identified, PKR candidates were out-voted by DAP, local opposition parties and independent candidates - suggesting that the party may be a poor voting alternative, even within opposition. The voting trend speaks for itself: within East Malaysia, dissatisfaction against BN does not necessarily translate into a swing for PKR – unlike Peninsula Malaysia, the party will have to do more than win on 'protest votes' here.   Banking Locally    And yet, there is hope for the party. The few gains made by PKR, provide an insight into how the party may achieve its goals in the Eastern front. In both the Sabah and Sarawak State elections, results indicate that voters were won over by the candidates' ties to their communities, rather than PKR's brand and struggle.  In Sarawak, the election of Baru Bian, See Chee How and Ali Anak Biju, were achieved through their long-known activism in Native Customary Rights and land rights.   Similarly in 2008 Sabah Election, the only PKR candidates that came close to victory (Daniel John Jambun, Awang Ahmad Shah and Jeffrey Kitingan) were supported by their familiarity as long-time serving leaders and activists within their communities. The result show potential - and PKR has the potential to win, but only through banking on the history and community ties of its local leaders.   The PKR Brand   However, looking forward to the 13th General Election, one thing is for certain: the PKR brand by itself does not hold up its weight in East Malaysia. Given the strong parochial and 'regionalist' sentiments of Sabah and Sarawak voters, PKR continues to be viewed as a 'Federal Party' or 'Parti Malaya', especially within the local bumiputera communities.    Indeed the actions of PKR's Head Bureau, sidelining local leadership choices and decision making of its Sabah Branch, has not gone unnoticed: as one independent Sabahan columnist, Erna Mahyuni, opines: "I wouldn't be surprised if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim attempted to parachute another West Malaysian in to lead Sabah PKR like he did with Azmin Ali. What next? Azmin Ali as Sabah chief minister? If that happens, I am surrendering my passport and moving to the Philippines."   The perception of Sabah PKR as a "toothless body helpless to even choose its leaders" adds fuels to the perception of PKR and Anwar Ibrahim himself is continuing another 'Parti Malaya'. These sentiments may continue to grow, as allegations and aspersions of Anwar's role in Project IC and the establishment of Sabah UMNO continues to resurface. Looking forward, Anwar Ibrahim realises that PKR (and even his own) brand and struggle will not be sufficient to swing votes in Sabah; it comes as no surprise then, that the de-facto PKR leader has opted to pursue an alternative (some might say risky) strategy to Putrajaya.   Hot Cross BNs   Since re-entering the political arena, Anwar Ibrahim has undertaken a major political exercise to resurrect the careers of former Sabah UMNO politicians. The re-entry of these players provides that much needed 'established community history and local leadership experience' that is lacking amongst its existing candidates. The clout of these leaders and their affinity with the local community may reverse PKR's dismal performance in Sabah and Sarawak, particularly in Muslim Bumiputera areas.   However, even this may not provide the sufficient number to reach Putrajaya; as a last remaining arsenal, Anwar Ibrahim is currently engaging with existing Sabah and Sarawak BN politicians to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat. Already 4 MPs have successfully defected, with more anticipated. Indeed mutiny is simmering within the state, as Sabah UMNO's own Salleh Said Keruak (current Speaker of the state's legislature) boasting 'between 8 and 14 BN MPs (out of Sabah's 25 seats) would leave BN'¹.    The strategy is risky, and if successful, will secure Anwar Ibrahim the comfortable majority to form Federal Government; on the other hand if the strategy is unsuccessful (as seen in the Perak 2009 debacle), the crossovers will back-fire disastrously - it will certainly be defining the point of Anwar's political demise.   Reformasi-compromised   Already, the negotiations have soiled PKR's reputation in East Malaysia - they are reminiscent of Anwar Ibrahim own involvement in the infamous 1994 cross-overs, that resulted in the fall of Sabah's independent PBS government - and importantly, UMNO's entry into Sabah. In Peninsula Malaysia, the cross overs may signal that the BN ship is sinking; however, here in Sabah, they conjure up the nightmares of a previous decade.    No doubt with a successful crossover exercise, Malaysia will see a new Federal government - a final victory for more than a decade long struggle for Reformasi. Pakatan Rakyat supporters have argued that the Reformasi goal is so vital, that accepting BN politicians into the fold may be an essential means to a long awaited end. However, from the view of Sabahans and Sarawakians, the cross overs will mean one and one thing only: the same players of BN's long standing politicians will continue to remain within their clout and power over East Malaysia. Yes, the Reformasi dream can be realised federally - but Sabah and Sarawak must be sacrificed under the yoke of its politicians.   Heading towards a PR disaster?   The political exercise has not sat well with local Sabahans, leading to the up-in-arms exit of its crucial local leaders, including the previously mentioned heavyweights Daniel Jambun, Awang Ahmad Shah and Jeffrey Kitingan. Furthermore, the strategy may be inadvertently doing the opposite of it's intent, strengthening the possibility of an ironic 'protest vote' against PKR; recent surveys conducted by Merdeka suggests this may be likely, particularly within Bumiputera communities and younger, professional-working Sabahans.²   If the cross overs are successful, it will place immediate pressure on the remaining Sabah and Sarawak PR politicians: Are they willing to fully embrace BN politicians and parties as equals in Reformasi?  Are they willing to ally and work, with those who they have fought their whole political lives against? Will they be able to put the party's interest, above the Rakyat's interest?   Already we see murmurs within the coalition, with Penang DAP politicians pressing forward an "Anti Hopping Law" and Karpal Singh's ever untimely comments ("The DAP has always been against party hopping"). We may even see local politicians leaving Pakatan Rakyat in protest - as one Sabah DAP State Leader ominously decried: "Why should anyone sacrifice for Anwar's ambitions?"³ Indeed, rather than being the answer, Sabah is turning out to be the source of many questions and doubt for both Pakatan Rakyat and Anwar Ibrahim.    - Shashi Karu   1. US Embassy Cables (Jun 2008, Wikileaks) 2. Public Opinion Survey for Parliament Kota Kinabalu & Penampang (March 2012). 3. US Embassy Cables (Jun 2008, Wikileaks)

SDNU openly champions Native Customary Rights and Lands! Posted: 30 Mar 2013 02:10 PM PDT   Dayaks HAVE rights over 'state lands'.     Vernon Kedit   Surprise! Surprise! It has taken the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) a week and a half to react to the Global Witness video. SDNU's Vice President Anthony Banyan, in a statement published in the Borneo Post last February, was quite clear that "SDNU has no political affiliation and this is how it should always remain," and I applaud him for his neutrality (see http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/02/25/no-place-for-politics-in-sdnu/). And today, Banyan has kept his word by coming out strongly against the allegations made in the Global Witness video (seehttp://www.theborneopost.com/2013/03/30/dayak-ngos-demand-apology-over-disparaging-remarks/). Based on the report published today, SDNU issued its statement following the SDNU supreme council meeting on Wednesday, which we presume must have been chaired by its President William Mawan, whose other hat is, of course, President of the Sarawak People's Democratic Party (SPDP), a Sarawak based party in the BN ruling coalition with a Dayak majority membership. However, the eye-brow raising statement was released and signed by its Vice-President, Anthony Banyan, and not by William Mawan. Which is intriguing, to say the least. Why do I say intriguing? Well, SDNU did not mince its words. In fact, SDNU used very strong words, and the underlying message behind those words is even stronger. Just to quote several sentences from the SDNU statement: "Whether the remark was designed to put a wedge between the Dayak community, particularly the Iban and the ruling government or uttered naturally by the subjects in the video, we still view such remark as demeaning and deplorable." Thank you SDNU for standing up for the Dayak community and calling a spade a spade. The remarks in the video were indeed demeaning, deplorable, disgusting, humiliating and most shockingly, uttered nonchalantly by subjects related very closely by blood to the Chief Minister. It must have taken SDNU a lot of courage to actually tell the Chief Minister off, in a roundabout sort of way, that it. However, the real meat of the statement came blazing through loud and clear: "We also condemn the remark suggesting that the Dayaks are squatters on state land as it is baseless." SDNU was being polite in using the word 'suggesting'. Datin Norlia Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub did not 'suggest' that Dayaks are squatters. She said it outright. But let's not quibble. The point is that SDNU has publicly declared that Dayaks living on state land are not squatters, and this in itself is a milestone and one that should be applauded by all sensible Dayaks. To put it in a nutshell, SDNU condemns anyone who is saying that Dayaks who live on so-called 'state lands' have no Native Customary Rights, and are therefore, in effect, agreeing with what Pakatan Rakyat has been saying all along. At first reading of the statement, I was quite taken aback. I had to re-read the sentence, to be sure that this was the underlying message that SDNU was sending out. And sure enough, there it was, in black and white. The next paragraph removed all doubts I had. No underlying theme, but an outright clarion call: "We call upon all quarters to stand up for the Dayak community and recognise our rights over land as well as be sensitive towards the feelings of the Dayaks." Nothing can be clearer than what SDNU had just written; "recognise our rights over land." This is an overt and direct statement relating to Native Customary Rights and Native Customary Lands, and follows the precedent set by the celebrated Mabo vs. Queensland Judgment and its implications worldwide where English Common Law overrides Constitutional Law in legal systems that are based on the English legal system. The precedent created by the Mabo Case was applied successfully by Baru Bian in the landmark Malaysian case of Nor Anak Nyawai vs. BPP & Ors, which went to the highest Malaysian court, the Federal Court, TWICE. And both times Baru Bian won. Dayaks HAVE rights over 'state lands'. Yet, the Sarawak Government refuses to accept the Court's decision and continues its policy of alienating ancient Dayak lands.  Based on these very clear words, we can surmise and come to only one conclusion: that SDNU's Supreme Council, made up of several BN senior politicians, has issued a statement that unequivocally says that it now agrees with Pakatan Rakyat's policy on indigenous lands. Now this is why I say it is intriguing because this is definitely news! Big news! SDNU, despite being led by top Barisan Nasional Dayak leaders, are going against the grain and in no small way! YBs William Mawan and his deputy in SDNU, Alex Nanta Linggi, may not have signed the statement but getting their subordinate Vice-President Anthony Banyan to sign the statement is telling. What is William Mawan, boss of SPDP and Alex Linggi, senior member of PBB, exactly saying with the issuance of this very bold statement via SDNU? Are they striking out at Taib through the backdoor? Is this a veiled condemnation of Taib's policies on NCR lands? Most shocking of all, the Women's Wing of SDNU, which is headed by Empiang Jabu, the wife of the Deputy Chief Minister, also gave its fullest backing to the statement. Stunning! Is Jabu now tacitly telling his 'beloved Pehin Sri' that he too is upset by the slur on the Dayaks and that he has finally had an epiphany on the eve of Easter? Are our Dayak 'leaders' finally staging a silent protest against Taib and family?  The plot gets thicker and I am literally at the edge of my seat with excitement! The political landscape is shifting, and it seems clear now why our Dayak leaders did not come to Taib's aid and rescue when the debacle exploded last two weeks ago. The Game of Thrones is afoot in Sarawak and the first very public crack in the polished façade of BN Sarawak's frail unity is now vividly clear, thanks to SDNU's unmistakably refreshing and about-turn statement. And by any account, this is a big crack which Taib cannot ignore and hope will go away. SDNU has spoken loud and clear. Are the daggers finally drawn? We wait with bated breath for the next public reaction from either Taib or Mawan or for that matter, from the self-proclaimed Paramount Chief of the Dayaks, Jabu himself. Mutiny is always fun to watch from a distance.

Dompok adamant, wants to surrender IC Posted: 30 Mar 2013 02:05 PM PDT   (FMT) - Nazri Aziz's rejection of calls to revoke and re-issue ICs to genuine Sabahans has again raised suspicions over the current RCI hearing and the government's sincerity.  If not for the invasion of a small village on the east coast of Sabah a few weeks ago by a group of armed Filipinos calling themselves the Royal Army of Sulu, the fate of over a million new immigrants – legal and illegal – would have been settled. They would have all been so thoroughly embedded in Sabah's social fabric that any change to their status would have caused economic and political upheaval in the state that would never be permitted. Even an ongoing inquiry into how hundreds of thousands of them had acquired citizenship during the Barisan Nasional coalition government's rule of the state and how the state's population had exploded as a result, would have had little scope to remedy the lack of harmony. But all that has changed in the past few weeks. It has put two federal cabinet ministers at odds. The trio of Kadazandusun and Murut-based coalition members, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), have united to demand that all citizenship papers granted to those in the state be revoked and reissued to only those qualified to be citizens. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz has rejected the demand on the grounds that it would be difficult for the federal government to issue new MyKad for those in Sabah, as demanded by the three KadazanDusunMurut-based BN parties. "It is just a suggestion by the parties, but I feel it is difficult to be implemented …  there are legal implications," he said a week ago. His comments have again raised suspicions about the direction of the current Royal Commission of Inquiry into the issue and the federal government's intentions. But his cabinet colleague, Bernard Dompok, the leader of Upko, is sticking to his guns, knowing that it is an issue that has widespread support among ordinary citizens in the state and perhaps the country. Repeating his call yesterday for the recall and review of all Malaysian identity cards that were issued in Sabah, the Penampang MP said he would take the lead to surrender his identity card or MyKad to the relevant authority. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/03/31/dompok-adamant-wants-to-surrender-ic/

`Battlegrounds will be in Dayak areas' Posted: 30 Mar 2013 02:04 PM PDT   (The Sun Daily) - The battlegrounds in Sarawak in the upcoming 13th general election are the Dayak-majority seats, both Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders agreed today. The Dayaks are forming the majority voters in 13 out of 31 parliamentary constituencies. PRS president and Minister of Land Development Tan Sri Dr James Masing agreed that the battlegrounds in Sarawak will be the Dayak majority areas. "There are 13 Dayak majority seats which are up for grabs," he said, adding that the Dayak areas are perceived to be "grey areas" for both the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR). "This means that both BN and PR can win the Dayak seats," he said, adding that there is no clear indication where the Dayak votes will go to in the GE13. "Thus, the Dayak seats will be the focus of fight between BN and PR," he said, adding that the BN component parties, PRS, PBB, Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) must unite to repel the Opposition parties in whatever guise they appear. Masing, however, expressed his confidence that PRS will retain all its six Dayak-majority seats – Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Kanowit, Ulu Rajang, Selangau and Julau – in the GE13. See Chee How, Sarawak PKR vice chairman, admitted that PBB is still the dominance force in the Mala/Melanau areas due to Taib's strong grip on them. "The battlegrounds are the Dayak seats," the Batu Lintang state assemblyman concurred with Masing. He said PR is gaining grounds in these seats because of the BN's policies on land. "The blatant grabs on the native customary rights (NCR) land by the BN government have remained unabated, despite the numerous court cases in favour of the NCR landowners, " See, who represented the landowners in many of these cases, added. He said the London-based Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) has been effective in disseminating information on the "unfair" land polices of the government. PR, especially PKR, has distributed thousands of China-made radio sets to the longhouses and villages so the rural population can hear the "message" conveyed by RFS, he added. "Now the landowners, who are mostly the Dayaks, have awakened up and they are rethinking their support for the BN," commented See, who as a human rights activist and lawyer, has helping the landowners over the last 15 years. He also claimed the Dayaks have been marginalised by the government in terms of allocation of development funds, thus a high percentage of them are living well below the poverty line. He said that the Dayaks can change the political landscape in Sarawak and even Malaysia, given that they are the largest ethnic group in Sarawak. An analysis of the 2011 state election results showed that the Chinese or urban voters were more towards PR while the Malay/Melanau voters, on the other hand, were strong supporters of the BN parties, particularly Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) led by Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud. If the 2011 state election results are anything to go by, it is very clear where the urban votes will go to PR in the GE13, and it is almost certain that the majority of the Malay/Melanau votes will go to the BN, particularly PBB. There are six seats where the Chinese form the majority while the Malay/Melanau form the majority in seven seats. Another four seats are considered mixed where the racial compositions of the voters are almost equal. An analysis by the Election Commission showed that the BN in Sarawak suffered a decline in popularity votes from 64.2 % in the 2008 general election to 55.4 % in the 2011 state election. On the other hand, PR's popularity votes increased from 29.2 % in 2008 to 38.9 % in 2011. According to analysis by the DAP, there was a general decline in support among the Dayaks to the BN, with the Iban dropped by 14.1 % and the Bidayuh by 13 %. The DAP said that there was a major shift in support among the non-Chinese, especially the Dayaks towards the Opposition in 2011. It is obvious that the party won in six out of 12 seats in 2011 due to the shift in support of the non-Chinese from BN to PR. The party received increased support from non-Chinese voters in Kidurong (48 %), Kota Sentosa (35 %), Repok (30 %), Piasau (39%), Pujut (35%) and Batu Kawah (30%). If the decline in popularity votes is again registered in the GE13, the BN will lose at least 10 seats to the Opposition. BN leaders like Taib and Masing have both felt that the BN could win two-thirds of the 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak.

Kelantan after dark Posted: 30 Mar 2013 02:03 PM PDT   (NST) - A SHAM: Kelantan's social fabric is being ripped apart by state govt's apathy KELANTAN Pas' carefully managed image of an Islamic state, free of vice, is nothing more than a sham. In a three-day tour of several main districts, including the state capital Kota Baru, the New Straits Times' Special Probes Team uncovered a thriving vice industry involving prostitution, drugs and illegal gambling. This begs the question: how is it that the team found out about this in three days, when the state government, which rejects everything that is unIslamic, couldn't get a handle on the problem even after administering the state for 23 years? In many of these cases, the activities were conducted right under the noses of the state authorities and local councils. The problem is so deeply rooted in the culture and psyche of the state that children as young as 15 know where to look for drugs and prostitutes. Within half an hour of reaching Kota Baru, the team was shown by a local fixer how to procure pil kuda, the locals' drug of choice. The transaction went off without a hitch, in broad daylight, and along one of the busiest roads in town. (See accompanying story and video.) Under the Pas administration, any form of open entertainment is illegal. Minutes away from Bazar Tok Guru, however, the team found a disco. We heard the throbbing bass of techno beat from inside our car long before we got to the spot. At first glance, it could have been mistaken for a simple shoplot. There was no sign. The only giveaway was the dim green-hued lighting and a sign on the doorway that read "Makanan dan minuman untuk orang bukan Islam". Opening the door, the disco was packed to the rafters. It was almost like one of the countless, third-rate discos mushrooming in Selangor. Multicoloured-lights and the mind-numbing, pounding drone of techno music assaulted our senses. Ladyboys dressed in miniskirts and revealing tops came over to take our orders, almost invariably, they offered us beer. Some of the transexual "waitresses" were gyrating to the music with some of the guests. Several Muslim patrons could be seen swaying to the music while sipping cold beer and revelling in the attention of the ladyboys. The team spent the rest of the night bar-hopping. Tucked away in some faraway corner of Tumpat, a 30-minute drive from Kota Baru, kilometres from civilisation and surrounded by jungle, was a sundry shop with huge wire-mesh doors, a small beat-up table, stacks of eggs and other provisions on one side, a cooler on the other. A small alleyway leads out to the back section where round tables dot the garden and where liquor is served by scantily clad waitresses. If you're looking for more than drinks, a quick chat with the proprietor will get you a massage. Anything extra would depend on how smooth a talker you are and the thickness of your wallet. A short hop down the same stretch of road and we pulled up at another establishment. The owner, a medium-built Chinese man met the team at the gate. He had seen us pull up and park along the main road, along with a sizeable number of vehicles. He immediately said that they could not accept any more customers because they did not have enough waitresses. The demand for this kind of service was evidently high. We got back in the car and headed for Tanjung Mas, where the team had heard about an open air karaoke joint that was popular among locals and was open until 5am. As we rounded the bend, we could hear the strains of a poorly executed goyang Inul made popular by Indonesian dangdut queen, Inul. In the state where the checkout counters of a supermarket are segregated by gender, ostensibly to prevent sexual temptation, the singer's Goyang Gerudi moves sent temperatures and heart rates right through the roof. The patrons, most of whom were middle-aged men, were lapping it up, cheering the singer on. Several elderly women joined in the fun, dancing cheek-to-cheek and mingling freely with other male guests. The team also discovered the growing subculture of black metal and punk rock in a conservative state that already frowns upon traditional forms of entertainment including dikir barat. At an underground gathering of local bands, the common refrain was clearly anti-state government, with The Sex Pistols and Nirvana delivered in heavily Kelantanese-accented English. The second day, the team trolled the streets looking for information on where to find prostitutes. The odds, we thought, would not be in our favour. However, early on, we were told by petrol station attendants, burger sellers, bell boys and 24-hour convenience store clerks that our best bet would be in Jalan Limau Manis and Jalan Gajah Mati, in the heart of Kota Baru. Several hotels, from budget to the more reputable ones, were known to be the favourites of locals looking for sexual gratification. At 3am, as the team cruised along Jalan Limau Manis, we saw a tudung-wearing prostitute together with her ladyboy friend. Both approached our car and initial negotiations began. Keeping an eye on them were two minders positioned near a petrol station, including one stationed across the road in an overwatch position. Their rate was RM150 for a full, 12-hour service. Our talks broke down with the appearance of three cops on motorcycles. Moving on to Jalan Gajah Mati, the team managed to convince two prostitutes, a college student and a high-school dropout who wanted to supplement their income, to come back to our hotel for a tell-all. This came as we failed to get several Thai prostitutes we met in the area to talk to us. (See video and accompanying story.) Initially hesitant, they both agreed, in return for RM300 to be split between them. Our negotiations took place under the faint glow of sodium lighting. Everywhere around us were bunting and posters with the face of spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, an omnipresent reminder of Pas' supposed Islamic credentials. No choice but to sell body "HOK mudo ado, tua ado, oghe gome ado, hok napok ale ado gok... Ingak nok keno igak, tapi dok, dio gelenya nok maen" (There's the old, government servant, the pious looking... I thought he was going to turn me in but he wanted sex). To Nabilla, 17, her prospects are bleak. Dropping out of school at 15, the fourth child in a family of eight was tired of her existence. Meals were never a regular affair, as farmers, her parents struggled to make ends meet and feed her seven siblings. In a show of selflessness, Nabilla decided to quit school. In the early part, she tried to look for jobs to help her parents out but in her village in the district of Kuala Krai, jobs, if any, were hard to come by. She hung out with her friends for a while -- mostly dropouts, too -- before trying her luck in Kota Baru, at the insistence of a friend. She bunked in, rent-free at the friend's place and tried to look for jobs, A waitressing opening paid RM400 a month but the schedule was gruelling, the work back-breaking. Another offer was at the local supermarket, it paid RM50 more but Nabilla decided to go with the waitressing job. It provided free meals. Being young and vivacious, the male customers tried to get her attention, offering a good time, fun and money. She didn't take the bait but noticed that her housemates were bringing home strangers. They would disappear behind closed doors. These girls were well dressed and could afford to pamper themselves once in a while. Nabilla wanted in, too. A chance meet with a middle-aged man at the restaurant where she worked, led her to the world of prostitution. In just a few short months, she was making RM1,200 a month, a sum which a school dropout could only dream of. "I am young and pretty, I still have many more years ahead of me. If those in their 20s, 30s and even 40s can be in demand, I think my prospects are good. "I have been doing this for less than a year. Many I know can earn up to RM2,000," her tone at mentioning the amount, indicating that this was her target. Julia's story echoes Nabilla's. Driven to vice by economics, the 19-year-old began to offer her services as soon as she entered a private skills-training college. Her parents made it clear that they could not fund her college education after she barely made it through her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia. Julia's steely determination masks the pain she goes through every time she turns a trick. Her ultimate goal is to break free from the shackles of poverty and change her life -- for herself, her sisters and parents. "If by doing this, I can change my life, then it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

Beware the evil plans on polling day Posted: 30 Mar 2013 02:00 PM PDT   (NST) - PROVOCATIVE: Should it lose, the opposition may resort to instigating chaos ONE should not take lightly the threat by certain members of the opposition that there would be trouble come the general election. Already, circulars have been making their rounds, purportedly asking voters to challenge the authorities. The media was shown statements said to be from an opposition party asking voters to register their unhappiness with the Election Commission. This is to undermine the EC and later will be used by the opposition to announce that the election is not fair and free. A silat group with a vast network gave a press conference on Friday to warn the public of this possible menace and danger. The silat group even suggested that the opposition party has sought the help of foreign individuals and experts in teaching locals how to cause trouble during the election. It won't be a surprise that the opposition strategists would have a plan to provoke the policemen on duty on election day, not to mention other officers engaged by the EC to manage the election. It's not difficult to see their game. Should they lose the election, they would go to town declaring the election was not free and fair, a claim they would broadcast worldwide. Mind you, the EC is still led by the very same people who managed the 2008 general election, which saw the opposition winning in Kelantan, Kedah, Perak, Selangor and Penang. This recent piece of news comes soon after a self-confessed plot by a lifetime member of Pas that he was out to kill then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Zainon Ismail, a former teacher who goes by the name C.N. Afghani, is no longer a member of Pas and has written a book exposing Pas' wrong ways in politics. Looking at C.N. Afghani's confession, I'm not surprised that certain members of the opposition would resort to reckless and irresponsible ways to face the election. What I'm saying is this: it's not beyond them to think, plan and execute a devious means to meet their political dreams. Before openly apologising to Dr Mahathir, C.N. Afghani a.k.a. Zainon Ismail wrote a book -- Kafirkah Aku? -- that exposed the hypocrisy in Pas. If people in the opposition then like C.N. Afghani could hatch such an evil plot, thus sending provocative notices and circulars asking voters to openly challenge EC officials on duty on polling day is a no-brainer, actually. Pak Non, a legacy of excellence ONE way of measuring a man is through his children,  and that's where the late Zainon Ahmad a.k.a. Pak Non excelled. And that's besides the many young reporters whom he had patiently and painstakingly guided. When I went to his house in Kota Baru for the funeral on Thursday morning, I met Kak Hasnah, Pak Non's wife, and his children. They were all waiting for Zalinda, Pak Non's daughter, who is in the United States for a company meeting. His children did everything to make the funeral arrangements smooth. I learned that the funeral would take place after subuh prayers, that is, just after 6am. I got hold of a couple of colleagues and we drove all night long. We reached Kota Baru in time for subuh prayers. The funeral was rescheduled to 10am to enable Zalinda to fly in from the US to pay her last respects to her doting father. She arrived at 9.30am, in time to kiss the father one last time, as did the rest of the children and grandchildren. He has 14 of them, each of them the apple of his eye. If Pak Non was still with us today, and if he had remained healthy, he would have taken the first flight to Lahad Datu to be as near as possible to the battle station. Pak Non, as some of us recalled, did reporting in conflict zones well before others did. I recall his room on the fourth floor of Balai Berita in Jalan Bangsar. One of the walls was decorated with pictures and newspaper cuttings of some of his travels as a journalist. He was envied and admired by many. In the Malaysian newspaper industry, Pak Non had left an indelible mark of his own. His brand of journalism would remain with many of us -- simple and precise, clear and free-flowing, and professional. May you rest in peace, Pak Non. Moga-moga rohnya disemadikan bersama para aulia dan solihin. Al-Fatehah.

Johor PKR pacifies chief Posted: 30 Mar 2013 09:19 AM PDT State leaders say party will contest Segamat, Johor Jaya seats (NST) - JOHOR BARU : IN what is seen as an attempt to pacify their sulking chairman Datuk Chua Jui Meng, Johor Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) yesterday announced it would contest both the Segamat parliamentary seat and Johor Jaya state seat. It is learnt that the announcement was made without the approval of the Pakatan Rakyat presidential council. It was also made in the absence of Chua, who has gone missing after opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently declared that DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang would contest the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat which Chua had been eyeing. Johor PKR deputy chairman Dr Ahmad Faidhi Saidi said yesterday the Johor PKR liaison committee, which he chaired, made the decision after a meeting at the Air Hitam branch on Friday. The meeting was attended by about 90 per cent of the committee members. Asked about Chua's whereabouts, Dr Ahmad said he was taking a rest and the party was still in contact with him. "We also agreed during the meeting that Chua's case be referred to the PKR supreme council. "However, we would like to stress that Chua is still our Johor chairman and the PKR national vice-chairman. "During his absence, I am assuming his role in coordinating party work. "We have also proposed that PKR deputy chairman Azmin Ali lead the party's election machinery in Johor." Immediately after Dr Ahmad's announcement, Johor PKR vice-chairman Hassan Abdul Karim reaffirmed that Johor PKR was firm about contesting the Segamat and Johor Jaya seats after a Grade A seat like Gelang Patah was given to the DAP. "The committee has decided that the Segamat parliamentary seat, the Johor Jaya and Tangkak state seats are ours. "Segamat is a Grade B seat. Exchanging our Grade A seat with DAP's Grade B seat is already a good offer for DAP. "We hope Johor DAP will reciprocate by giving us the Johor Jaya seat. "I hereby announce that PKR Johor Jaya branch chairman Jimmy Puah will contest the Johor Jaya seat. I am taking full responsibility for this announcement. "We will not let any PKR seat be arbitrarily taken away without a valid reason. We have served the people in Johor Jaya and have strong grassroots support." DAP contested the Segamat seat while the former Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) contested the Johor Jaya seat in 2008. Following the merger of PRM with PKR in 2003, the understanding was that all previous seats contested by PRM would now be contested by PKR, which explains why PKR is persistent in contesting in Johor Jaya. Hassan was a former PRM president who quit the party to join PKR. Anwar is expected to be in Johor Baru on Tuesday to discuss matters related to Johor PKR. Meanwhile, Lim announced on Friday that Johor DAP Pengkalan Rinting division election committee coordinator, Yeo Tung Seong, would contest the Pengkalan Rinting state seat.

Anwar’s exciting political strategy? Posted: 29 Mar 2013 08:29 PM PDT So it's obvious that PR aims to win federal as well as the states. But the DAP source has this to add: "Anwar will surely know the risk if he leaves Permatang Pauh for a tougher seat. What if PR forms the federal government but Anwar were to lose his seat. Who then shall be PM?"  Mohsin Abdullah of fz.com WHEN Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he could stand in Perak or Selangor (preferring Perak) instead of defending his Permatang Pauh stronghold in this election, Perak Umno chief Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir responded by saying Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) "are not afraid of Anwar". Perak Umno youth head Khairul Azwan Harun reportedly said he welcomes the de facto PKR leader to contest in Perak. And should he be given the chance by the BN leadership, he would very much like to stand against Anwar. To Khairul, the Opposition Leader "won't have much impact" on Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) challenge in Perak as "Anwar's popularity in the state is on the decline". Of course, Perak PKR begs to differ. To Anuar Zakaria, the state PKR secretary, his party's de facto leader will have a big impact and Umno/BN "are actually very worried" despite the "bravado" and claim Anwar's popularity is on the wane. Supporters of PR, even outside Perak, will surely go along with that view. So too some (or should it be many?) "neutrals" who are saying BN is "running scared" pointing to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's recent remarks that "Anwar is running away from Permatang Pauh as he is not confident of winning in his constituency". That remark, they say, "proves the impact Anwar will have wherever he goes" and as such Umno/BN, especially Mahathir, wants to "confine" him to Permatang Pauh. To them, Mahathir would not have said what he said if that wasn't the case. "I'd prefer he goes to Perak to spur the assault to regain the state. It'll also signal that he's a leader acceptable anywhere and not just in his comfort backyard." That's how Dr Hatta Ramli, the PAS election director, puts it. But a Perak-based political observer is not "in favour of Anwar plying his trade in Perak, only because his presence will boost PR's chances in the state". With or without Anwar in Perak, said the observer, "PKR and PR have a good chance of winning." To the observer, "the trend is already there. Anwar should stay where he currently belongs. Muhammad Nur Manuty and the current crop of PR leaders, especially PAS and DAP, are at their best".  (Former Abim president Muhammad Nur Manuty is the current PKR information chief and is the party's designated candidate for the Bagan Serai parliamentary seat for the upcoming election). However, a source at the DAP headquarters feels "Perak could be a good choice for Anwar because PKR will contest the most seats".  He goes on to say that "Anwar can boost the morale of PKR people as well as strengthen the resolve of DAP". And as Malay votes are crucial, "Anwar [and PKR] can help PAS to convince Malay voters", said the source. All that is dismissed — as expected — by an Umno strategist linked to the office of party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak. According to him, Anwar "will not change anything". To him, the battle for Perak has always been "50:50", adding that Anwar should instead go to Negri Sembilan or Melaka where it's more challenging. He feels "this is personal ego. Anwar wants to defeat a minister, Husni, Zahid and so on".  Federal ministers from Perak Umno include DatukSeri Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah, the second finance minister; Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the defence minister; and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz. Zahid, a one-time ally of Anwar when the Opposition Leader was in Umno, does not want to be drawn into discussing  this except to say: "Silalah bertanding di mana sahaja. Malaysia negara demokrasi." (Go ahead. Contest anywhere. Malaysia is a democratic country). As the Umno strategist sees it, Anwar contesting in Perak is "not a national consideration but more a personal consideration". To many, "national consideration" from the PR standpoint would be winning the federal administration. From what has been said thus far, the impact Anwar would have on PR's challenge at state level  is "clear" for want of a better word. (In the case of Perak, it is to win back the state, while if Anwar goes to Selangor it's to help defend the state, won in 2008). Hence, the one question popping up now is, well, on the "national consideration". How will Anwar's candidacy in Perak or for that matter Selangor, help the PR? At the federal level? Said a political commentator, while for state seats Anwar contesting outside Permatang Pauh will have an impact, "it makes no difference for the battle for parliamentary seats". But for Hatta it's like this: "Since we are moving to Putrajaya, I support the leadership plan to reshuffle their seats."  Leaders, said Hatta, can help mount a real challenge for not so safe parliamentary seats currently held by BN stalwarts. He went on to say: "The presence of leaders will create excitement among voters and hard work among party election workers, not just in a particular constituency but statewide." So it's obvious that PR aims to win federal as well as the states. But the DAP source has this to add: "Anwar will surely know the risk if he leaves Permatang Pauh for a tougher seat. What if PR forms the federal government but Anwar were to lose his seat. Who then shall be PM?" Anwar, like Lim Kit Siang and PAS' Salahuddin Ayub, could very well be "willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for a better Malaysia". Still the risk for Anwar is much bigger than for Lim or Salahuddin. The DAP source is quick to draw us to what Anwar said or rather did not say: "Anwar didn't actually say he wants to contest outside Permatang Pauh." The source believes Anwar "is testing the waters". So too the Perak political observer: "Probably Anwar wants to test the waters." Perhaps. What's that they say about politics being the art of the possible?

God-given right (UPDATED with Chinese Translation) Posted: 29 Mar 2013 07:44 PM PDT Anyway, as I said, only roughly 10% of Malaysia's population is Christian. Hence how can only 10% be right? Muslims make up more than 50% of Malaysia's population. In a democracy do we not go on the basis that the majority is correct while the minority is wrong? Well, at least that is what many of you say judging by the comments you post in Malaysia Today. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Churches packed as thousands mark anniversary of the crucifixion of Christ (The Star) - MALACCA: Christians here and across the country observed the most solemn day of the Holy Week Good Friday, which marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ more than 2,000 years ago. The 303-year-old St Peter's Church here saw a massive candlelight late evening procession steeped in tradition as thousands of pilgrims and devotees from Malaysia and Singapore converged here. Besides taking part in the procession, which moved out from the country's oldest operational Catholic church into the streets for a third consecutive year, participants also witnessed the most sombre aspect of the ceremony where the Dead Lord statue resting on a wooden bier was carried amid the singing of mournful Latin lamentations. The massive crowd with lighted candles made their way out of the church compound along the upper reaches of Jalan Tun Sri Lanang before turning into Jalan Munshi Abdullah. With church servers and clergy heading the procession, it also made its way into Jalan Bunga Raya before heading back to the church after a 2.5km route. At churches across the country Christians turned up in droves to attend the main mass at 3pm, the hour Christ died on the cross. In Puchong, Selangor, devotees of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church braved the weather to witness a re-enactment of Christ's passion and death. Members of the church's youth wing acted out the re-enactment, dressed in costumes and used make up to lend a sense of realism in portraying the solemn event. Peter Thomas, 52, said the re-enactment was done annually to remind devotees of Christ's sacrifice for their sins. "We believe Christ endured torture, ridicule and ultimately crucifixion to redeem our sins," he said. During the Stations of the Cross devotion, pictures in the church and the main crucifix at the altar were draped in purple cloth to symbolise mourning. The cloth will be in place till Easter Sunday when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Parish priest Father Leonard Lexson then led the congregation in a solemn mass, which was conducted in English and Bahasa Malaysia. He said the whole theme of the Holy Week was to remember what Christ did. "Before the death of Jesus, there was no meaning to death. "But after this, the Lord himself gave meaning to it. "His death brings new life to us all," he said. ********************************************** About 10% of Malaysia's population is Christian. While Malaysian Muslims are mainly Sunnis, the Christians are divided into Anglicans, Baptists, Brethren, non-denominational churches, independent Charismatic churches, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterian, Roman Catholics and so on. And some Christians regard the other Christians as not true Christians but heretics. A fragmented minority population in Malaysia believes that Jesus Christ died on the cross and was resurrected after three days. Furthermore, a minority population in Malaysia believes that Jesus Christ is of a virgin birth. And a minority population in Malaysia believes that Jesus Christ is the saviour and that our salvation is through Him. Do you want to know what I believe? I believe that the story of Jesus dying on the cross was fabricated to give Jesus an image of being special. I also believe that the historical Jesus and the mythical Jesus are two different people who were 'born' at different times. Furthermore, I believe that Jesus was not of virgin birth because, according to some stories I read, Jesus had elder brothers -- hence Mary was not a virgin when Jesus was born. I also believe that Jesus was a Jew who was concerned with the deviant Jewish teachings and had tried to bring the Jews back to the right path but Paul later invented a new religion called Christianity and falsely credited that new religion to Jesus. And I further believe that Paul fabricated the so-called holy book called the Bible and that the Bible did not come from God. Does my belief trouble you? Well, I have a God-given right to my belief and I also have a God-given right to tell you what I believe. I am not disparaging you or vilifying you for believing what I consider silly old wives tales and mythical stories. I am not even running down your beliefs even though I consider them silly. I respect your beliefs but that does not take away my right to tell you what I believe and tell you that I do not share your beliefs. Some of you think that Islam is an evil religion. And you think so because you consider Islam a violent religion. Well, that is your belief and you are entitled to your belief. Actually, all religions are violent with a very low tolerance for those of other religions. It is just that in this day and age we can no longer kill people of other religions like we could in the good old days, say, of 500 years ago. If not because of that we would still be killing people of other religions until today. In fact, in some parts of the world, wherever they are able to get away with it, the killing is still going on. Hence no religion believes in freedom of religion. All religions believe that killing in the name of God is allowed and in some cases even encouraged. The Christians say that Islam is a violent religion only because the Christians can no longer kill the Jews and Muslims like they used to do in the not so long ago past. Anyway, did not President Bush attack Iraq because, according to him, God whispered in his ear and asked him to do so? And that was not really that long ago and the Americans are still in Iraq until today. So spare me the holier-than-thou moralising. All religionists are the same. And don't give me that lame excuse that that was a long time ago and is no longer so today. You mean God sent down the latest/amended version of the Bible/Qur'an in 2012? Anyway, as I said, only roughly 10% of Malaysia's population is Christian. Hence how can only 10% be right? Muslims make up more than 50% of Malaysia's population. In a democracy do we not go on the basis that the majority is correct while the minority is wrong? Well, at least that is what many of you say judging by the comments you post in Malaysia Today. Hence if the majority is correct and the minority is wrong, then the Muslims are correct while the Christians are straying up the wrong path. And the Christians should, therefore, abandon their misguided beliefs and come back to the right path, Islam. The minority should correctly follow the majority. That is how it works in a democracy where the majority rules and the minority are ruled and must bow to the majority. This is also the same regarding the political culture of Malaysia. Since the majority are with Pakatan Rakyat then you, the minority, should also support Pakatan Rakyat. And since the majority believe that Anwar Ibrahim is the saviour of the country and that the country's salvation lie in the hands of Anwar then all of you should also follow Anwar. The minority has no place in Malaysia and has no business in voicing out their minority views. That is how it works. And if the minority expresses anything opposed to the majority belief then we can disparage and vilify these people and heckle them and call them names. And this was what Zul Nordin rightfully did when he made fun of Hinduism, another minority religion in Malaysia. Zul was only doing what the other majorities in Malaysia are currently doing to the minority. So there is nothing wrong with what Zul did. After all, in Malaysia, only the majority has the right to speak while the minority does not have that same right. And if you do not believe me then read the comments posted in Malaysia Today. There is enough evidence there to support what I say. ****************************************** 上帝赐予的权力 无论如何，正如我说过，只有10%是基督徒，那请问10%怎么会是对的呢？马来西亚人口有50%都是穆斯林，而在我们对民主的看法里，多数就是对的，少数就是错的，不是吗？这就你们在MT上留言的结论。 原文：Raja Petra Kamarudin 译文：方宙 大约10%的大马人口是基督徒。在大马穆斯林多是逊尼教徒的当而，基督徒可分为圣公宗，浸信会，再洗礼派，灵恩派，信义宗，循道宗，天主会等等。有些基督徒会认为其他教会的教徒并不是真的教徒，甚至会认为他们是异教徒。 有一小部分的大马人口认为耶稣死在十字架上，且在三天后复活。此外，有人认为耶稣是个处女生出来的。也有人认为耶稣是我们的救世主，而我们通过他才得永生。 你想知道我是怎样想的吗？我相信耶稣死在十字架上是个捏造出来的故事，目的是要给耶稣制造一个特别的形象。我也相信史实上的耶稣和神化的耶稣是两个不同的人，而且在不同的时间出生。在来，我不认为耶稣是个处女生出来的，因为在我读到的故事里，耶稣他是有个哥哥的，所以说圣母玛利亚在生耶稣的时候不是个处女。 我也相信耶稣是个犹太人。他对偏离犹太教义的教规感到担心而想要把犹太人带回正途，而保罗发明了所谓的基督教而把它说成是耶稣的新宗教。我也认为保罗也编造了圣经，圣经并不是上帝的语言。 我相信的东西烦扰了你吗？我相信我有上帝赐予的权力去相信我要相信的东西，而我也有权力告诉你我相信些什么。我并没有因你相信我认为是很荒谬，很迷信的东西而来诋毁你。我也并不会过问和质疑你的信仰，虽然说我认为那很可笑。我尊重你的信仰，但那并不代表就有人可以拿走我告诉你我信仰的权力，和我告诉你我并不认同你信仰的权力。 你们当中有人认为伊斯兰教是邪恶的，因为伊斯兰是个暴力的宗教。当然你有你相信的权力。事实上，所有宗教都是暴力的，都不能容忍其他不同的宗教。只是说我们现在，不像500年前，不能再任意残杀其他宗教的教徒。 如果不是那样，我们早就互相残杀了！今时今日在有些地区，当有机会时，宗教残杀还是存在的。所以说，没有宗教会让你选择其他宗教。所有宗教都认为以上帝的名义来杀害他人是可以的，而且有些时候还是被鼓励的。 基督徒声称伊斯兰是暴力的；这是因为他们不能再像以往一样任意宰杀犹太人和穆斯林。无论如何，在小布斯发兵攻击伊拉克时，他不就是说是上帝在他耳朵里叫他这样做的吗？那还是不久以前吧，而现在美国还没有从伊拉克撤退呢。 所以请别来跟我大谈'我比你还神圣'的狗屁道理。所有宗教都是一样的。也别来跟我说，噢那是以前的做法，现在不同了。那是不是代表上帝在2012年给了你新版本的圣经/可兰经呢？ 无论如何，正如我说过，只有10%是基督徒，那请问10%怎么会是对的呢？马来西亚人口有50%都是穆斯林，而在我们对民主的看法里，多数就是对的，少数就是错的，不是吗？这就你们在MT上留言的结论。 所以如果多数是对的，少数是错的，那穆斯林就是对的而基督徒就是走在歧途上。进而基督徒应该放弃错的信仰而回归伊斯兰这条正途。少数应因该服从多数，这就是你们所谓的民主：少数应该对多数叩头。 这也是马来西亚政治文化的写照：既然多数人都支持民联，你身为少数者就必须跟着支持民联。当多数人相信安华是马来西亚救世主时，你也就必须相信他。少数人在这根本就没地方可站，根本就没有发言的余地。 这就是我们的政治文化。 当那些少数人发表对多数人不利的言论时，我们就可以诋毁他们，刁难他们，干屌他们。这正是Zul Nordin 取笑兴都教，一个少数人的宗教，时的作为。而Zul 所做的正是大马多数人会对少数人所作的事情，所以他并没有做错什么。 所以说，在今天的大马，只有多数人有权力发言，少数人只能闭嘴。如果你不相信的话，请去看MT的留言；你将会看到一大堆的证据。

Karpal urges Waytha to end fast Posted: 29 Mar 2013 06:39 PM PDT Karpal also urges the Pakatan Rakyat leadership, led by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, to resume talks with the Hindraf leadership Athi Shankar, FMT DAP supremo Karpal Singh has urged Hindraf Makkal Sakti supremo P Waythamoorthy to end his hunger strike which will complete its 21 days on Sunday. Karpal said Waythamoothy should not put his life in danger that would jeopardise his and Hindraf's ethnic Indian cause. Karpal also called on the Pakatan Rakyat leadership, led by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, to resume talks with the Hindraf leadership and find an amicable solution to end the Hindraf blueprint stalemate. "Waythamoorthy should not risk his life. He has made his point. "He should end his fast before it endangers his health," a visibly moved Karpal told a press conference in Air Itam here today. In the wake of Waythamoorthy's hunger strike that began on March 10, the Bukit Gelugor two-term parliamentarian called on all parties to look into the predicament of Indians in the country in the light of Hindraf's blueprint. Karpal noted that Hindraf had presented the blueprint, designed to find a permanent solution to marginalised ethnic Indian issues, to both the Barisan Nasional federal government and Pakatan. Hinting that gratitude must be shown, Karpal said that there was no doubt that Pakatan owed its victory in the 2008 general election to Hindraf's political activities. "I call upon in particular Pakatan leader Anwar to carefully consider the position and have a relook at the blueprint in a view to come into some consensus," said the DAP national chairman. READ MORE HERE

Jui Meng’s deputy takes over Johor PKR Posted: 29 Mar 2013 06:34 PM PDT State PKR leaders have requested Ahmad Faidhi Saidi to become acting chairman because Chua may not return to work immediately after his two-week leave ends tomorrow. Leven Woon, FMT PKR deputy president Dr Ahmad Faidhi Saidi has been asked to assume the role of state PKR acting chairman after Chua Jui Meng's continuous absence from public. According to Johor PKR election director Steven Choong, the state leadership met on Thursday night in which division chiefs requested Ahmad Faidhi to fill the role of Chua until he returned to work. "Although Ahmad Faidhi was constitutionally the state acting chairman in Chua's absence, he was initially very reluctant to assume the post. "But many state party leaders felt that we need someone to lead the party machinery, especially when election is just around the corner. So we decided that Ahmad Faidhi will be the acting chairman," he told FMT when contacted today. Chua has been out of the public eye and PKR ceramahs since DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang was made the Pakatan Rakyat candidate in Gelang Patah, Johor, a seat which Chua was keen to contest. Choong said it was true that Chua appeared upset when he was informed about the decision by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim hours before the announcement was made on March 18. "During the meeting with state leaders when Anwar announced the decision, he was already unhappy. The state leaders then appealed to Anwar to resolve this as quickly as possible. "As far as I am aware, Chua is still in communication with several key leaders. Obviously he would lay down certain conditions for giving out the Gelang Patah seat," he said. Since then, Chua was reported to have gone on a two-week leave, while PKR mulls to offer him the Segamat parliamentary seat in exchange for Gelang Patah. FMT learnt that although Chua's leave is about to expire tomorrow, there are doubts that he will return to work immediately. Should his absence prolong, the state PKR would definitely suffer a setback by facing the fast-approaching general election without full force.

Welcome to freedom of expression; PR style! Posted: 29 Mar 2013 06:18 PM PDT Just Read   MIC members and the Indians are upset with what Zulkifli Noordin said about Hindu religion and Ganga river during his 'ceramah' about two years ago. To them, what the Independent-Kulim Bandar Baharu MP did was an insult to them and their religion. I understand the sentiment, just like when non-Muslims tried to meddle in Islam and talk nonsense about the teachings. So, I don't really agree with what Zulkifli said. For a multiracial and multi-religious country like Malaysia, all parties should observe a lot of caution when making statements about other faiths and race. It has the potential to develop into a time bomb! However, this is the culture Pakatan Rakyat introduces - freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of everything. Since the stooges in PKR, DAP and PAS embarked on such freedoms, we cant help but let these things happen before our eyes. This is what PR promised in its general election manifesto, among others, and they can be rest assured that more people like Zulkifli will make use of this freedom - if Pakatan Rakyat wins the 13th general election. Zulkifli is not the person who started it. More than a year ago, a few non-Muslim politicians and NGO leaders whacked Islam and the mosque in their statements, inciting tit for tat when a few Muslim and Christian followers attacked mosques and churches. Who to blame? BN government? The Opposition? And what action can be taken against people like Zulkifli? We don't have anymore ISA to keep and correct such people. We are even scared to take action on them, afraid of religious reprisal among those who support them. So, where do we go from here? Let PR takes Putrajaya in the next national poll and enter a new social era of 'multi-freedom'? READ MORE HERE

GE13: Parliament dissolution likely only after mid-April Posted: 29 Mar 2013 06:09 PM PDT (The Star) - The dissolution of Parliament to pave the way for the general election looks likely to take place only after the second week of April as Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is scheduled to perform the umrah or minor haj next week. Sources said the Prime Minister is expected to depart for Saudi Arabia on April 3 after chairing the next Cabinet meeting and taking part in a cycling event in Putra-jaya. He is expected to return two days later. For Muslims, the umrah is sometimes performed to seek guidance before making major decisions and for Najib, it has been an annual ritual. Speculation has been growing that the Prime Minister, who would mark his fourth year in office next Wednesday, may stretch close to the full five-year term of the current Parliament, which expires on April 30, before calling for polls. "We are ready but Barisan component parties and machinery can always use any extra time available to ensure that we are as prepared as possible for the general election," said Barisan Nasional information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan. The Negri Sembilan state legislative assembly expired on Thurs-day and all but three states would follow if the Prime Minister decides to allow Parliament to run its full term. They are Penang whose term expires on May 2, as well as Kedah and Terengganu, with both expiring on May 6. Over the past few days, the Prime Minister has been chairing a series of meetings with Barisan component party leaders and the coalition's state leaders to finalise the candidate list. In addition to performing the umrah, it is understood that Najib could also make a quick trip to Brunei on April 24 to attend the Asean Summit. No Malaysian Prime Minister has ever given the meeting a miss, as Asean is the cornerstone of the country's foreign policy.

GE13: Group claims Opposition trained to cause trouble Posted: 29 Mar 2013 05:47 PM PDT (The Star) - A Malay martial arts group has accused the Opposition of receiving foreign training and funding on how to disrupt the coming general election. The Pertubuhan Silat Seni Gayong Malaysia (PSSGM) said they had received information that the Opposition parties were planning to influence the rakyat into believing that the elections would not be handled fairly. "We found that foreign parties have trained the Opposition on how to provoke and stir up trouble during the elections. "We also heard that these groups had even issued a circular to its members, explaining how to provoke and influence people at gatherings into stirring up trouble," said PSSGM president Datuk Adiwijaya Abdullah yesterday. When asked how the association had found out about the matter, Adiwijaya said the information was given by its members from all over the country. He said PSSGM believed that some people might intentionally try to cause trouble and be arrested, so that they could claim that the Opposition was being treated unfairly during the elections. Adiwijaya urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to look into claims that the Opposition had received foreign funding for such acts. Police ready to act against groups planning to disrupt polls, says Hishammuddin Police are taking necessary to steps to carry out surveillance and take appropriate action against any group planning to disrupt the upcoming general election. To ensure that the process of a free and fair election is conducted smoothly, steps would be taken to enlist the help of Rela to act as the ears and eyes of the police said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein. He said discussions have already been held with the Inspector-General of Police and that he has also directed his state police chiefs to tackle immediately any possible groups planning to disrupt the elections. He said this when responding to reports that certain groups were distributing leaflets containing information on how to create trouble at polling stations in 10 parliamentary constituencies including Gombak, Lembah Pantai, Permatang Pauh, Setiawangsa, Wangsa Maju, Bagan Serai, Bukit Katil, Muar, Pandan dan Sabak Bernam. "Police are not just looking at the 10 constituencies named in the leaflets but the whole country," he said on Saturday, adding that people behind such acts were not confident of winning. On the security situation in Lahad Datu, he said the current mop up operations against Sulu gunmen at a few villages would not affect the election process in Sabah. "The security situation in Lahad Datu is improving and only a few affected kampungs are being mopped up for remnant gunmen,'' he said.

Pakatan eyes 33 federal seats in 3 states for GE13 Posted: 29 Mar 2013 05:34 PM PDT Debra Chong, TMI Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has set its sights on scooping up 33 out of a total 83 federal seats in three states the opposition pact regards as crucial to taking Putrajaya in Election 2013, the DAP's Lim Kit Siang said today. Johor, Sarawak and Sabah are known to be Barisan Nasional (BN) "fixed deposit states" and are key to PR breaking down the ruling coalition's five-decade-long hold on federal power, said the veteran opposition lawmaker who has confirmed he will run for elections in the Gelang Patah MCA fortress.  "The third objective of the Battle of Gelang Patah is to target to win 33 Parliamentary seats for Pakatan Rakyat in the three BN 'fixed-deposit states' of Johor, Sabah and Sarawak," the Johor-born MP said in a statement today, in explaining why he was leaving his Ipoh Timor seat in Perak.  Lim (picture) said his personal battle for Gelang Patah was really a battle for Johor, to see if the southern state can become a "kingmaker" in the 13th general elections that would spark another political tsunami and trigger a "peaceful and democratic transfer of federal power from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan Rakyat".  The DAP parliamentary leader said PR needs to nab 125 seats out of 222 to put a "comfortable" 28-seat gap between it and BN in Parliament.  He suggested that the Chinese-dominant opposition party could win 40 seats while its political partners, the urban PKR could take the lion's share of 45 seats and Islamist PAS sweep the remaining 40 seats.  Lim said he is expecting to hit more than 50 per cent of PR's target of 19 parliamentary seats and 30 state seats in Johor but also made clear that he was not claiming PR could score a "bullseye".  "The question is whether PR can win another 10 ― 12 parliamentary seats from Barisan Nasional's total of 140 seats won in 2008 from states other than the three 'fixed deposit states' of Johore, Sabah and Sarawak," he said.  Ahead of Election 2013, both sides have talked up their chances of securing a win in the hotly anticipated general election, with PR sources saying that it is confident of gaining nearly 140 parliamentary seats.  The Malaysian Insider had previously reported that surveys by BN showed that it could win up to 145 federal seats, above the 112 seats required for a simple majority but below 148 seats for a two-thirds majority.  But independent surveys show that BN could scrape through with 117 seats to PR's 105.  Election 2013 would see politicians fighting for 222 parliamentary seats and 505 state seats.

BN will get the Indian swing Posted: 29 Mar 2013 05:02 PM PDT It is only with BN that Indians can obtain a larger representation in Parliament and in the Cabinet. With a strong voice in Parliament, Indians have managed to obtain modifications to the novel "Interlok". It is only with a stronger voice in Parliament that one gets things done. If Pakatan comes to power, no amount of pressure exerted by the Indians can amount to anything. It is always one excuse or another. FMT LETTER: From Fred Smith, via e-mail (response in the same format as a news report) By Sillyna Teh If Pakatan Rakyat becomes the federal government, Indians will suffer. That's why Indians are swinging back to BN. COMMENT Knowing that a few Chinese are aiming to vote for Pakatan Rakyat, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has tripled his efforts to woo the Indian voters. And on March 17, he was in Meru, Klang, exhorting the Indians to stay loyal to BN. He has promised the Indians citizenship, scholarship, business entrepreneurship, schools, and jobs. This columnist spoke to a friend in Kapar, Klang, and asked him why he supports MIC and not PKR. He is a surgeon and his name is Natchitran Venu. Below are his reasons why he is for MIC. These are his exact comments: 1 PKR pretends to be pro-rakyat while MIC has always been pro-rakyat who will benefit from its (MIC's) existence. 2 Past record of MIC's service to the community unlike PKR's cronyism and nepotism within three families, 3 I don't subscribe to PKR's loose morals. 4 PKR is a directionless party with self-centred leaders. 5 PKR and its partners -DAP and PAS – have no knowledge of the original struggle for independence. 6 Pakatan is a coalition of convenience and is just counting its last days. Going by his above comments which are sound and logical, it is hoped that many Indians will wake up to the fact that they are doing the right thing by returning to MIC. This is because MIC is in BN and it always has the interest of the community and is supported by 12 other political parties in BN. Rarely do MIC leaders keep quiet when it comes to protecting the interests of the Indian community. The same also goes for MCA leaders. Therefore with 100% support from their BN partners, the voices of MIC leaders are heard, not muzzled. In recent times MIC strategy director S Vell Paari has spoken up in public and president G Palanivel continues to engage more subtly and get things done. MIC's voice During the pre-Merdeka days, the Indians were vocal in fighting for Independence as they were known for being active trade unionists. Over the years, Indian voices have gradually toned down as there were fewer issues, except last year when some Indians demonstrated in front of Parliament and in front of the National Registration Office in Putrajaya in regard to citizenship issues. This issue is not problematic as there are only very many Indians without citizenship since Aug 31, 1957. Compare this to the fact that one million non-citizens received citizenship papers overnight although they were not qualified at the time of Malayan independence and you will know the scale of justice experienced by the Indians. Concerning Indian education, many have done well for themselves although a few have dropped out from school and engage in criminal activities due to lack of opportunities. Many people always say that Malaysia is a land of opportunities and even the less-skilled can obtain a job. This is so true these days as many unskilled or low-skilled people have shunned low-paying jobs that have been taken up by foreign workers. That is the reason why Pakatan wants to become the federal government. They will force the Indians to do the jobs of the foreign workers to gradually cut down the number of foreign workers. It is only with BN that Indians can obtain a larger representation in Parliament and in the Cabinet. With a strong voice in Parliament, Indians have managed to obtain modifications to the novel "Interlok". It is only with a stronger voice in Parliament that one gets things done. If Pakatan comes to power, no amount of pressure exerted by the Indians can amount to anything. It is always one excuse or another. With Pakatan, Indians cannot ask for more and get more benefits. Indians already know that they have been sidelined in the recent Pakatan manifesto launched on Feb 25. That is so true. READ MORE HERE

Rafizi slammed for ‘false’ information Posted: 29 Mar 2013 04:56 PM PDT PKR insiders claim that party candidates for the GE are chosen not based on service rendered or popularity. B Nantha Kumar, FMT A PKR division chairman today took party strategy director Rafizi Ramli to task for saying that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim was heading the party's candidate selection committee. The leader, who did not want to be named, said while it was commendable for Rafizi to defend the party's candidate selection, the latter's argument that Anwar was leading the committee was false. "Rafizi should be brought to the party disciplinary committee as he tried to manipulate facts. It is not Anwar who is heading the committee but Azmin Ali (PKR deputy president)," he told FMT. "It is also not true that the candidates list goes through a filter process. Anwar or Azmin select the candidates. Those they dislike are at the mercy of their 'veto' power," he added. The party insider claimed that Rafizi was not fit to answer issues pertaining to candidates selection because he was not a member of the party's political bureau. "Furthermore, Rafizi himself is Anwar's 'blue-eyed boy'. He is a parachute candidate for the Pandan parliamentary constituency… but he has lost touch with the Pandan PKR division ," he said. Earlier this week, Rafizi rejected allegations that party boss Anwar was making unilateral decisions in selecting PKR candidates for the general election. He claimed that the selection committee headed by Anwar and the decision of the committee was preceded by "consultations at every level" of the party. Meanwhile, anothr leader from Negri Sembilan challenged Rafizi to explain why Kamarul Baharin Abbas was selected to defend the Teluk Kemang parliamentary seat when he was defeated at the PKR divisional elections. At the party elections two year ago, Kamarul Baharin, who is a close ally of Anwar, lost the division chairman post to Port Dickson assemblyman M Ravi. "So by right, Ravi should be given the first priority to contest in Teluk Kemang. He is more visible in the constituency compared to Kamarul Baharin," said the source.

‘Pakatan not ready to form government’ Posted: 29 Mar 2013 04:52 PM PDT Dr Chandra Muzaffar feels Pakatan Rakyat needs to undergo a major change before it takes over the federal administration.  Priscilla Prasena and Alyaa Azhar, FMT Pakatan Rakyat is not ready to form the next federal government and has to undergo a major transformation before it can take over Putrajaya. In an exclusive interview with FMT, political scientist Dr Chandra Muzaffar said while Pakatan spoke of change, it does not realise that it is the opposition pact that needs to change its style of politicking. On his reasons why Pakatan should not form the next federal government, he said: "PAS is a party that is linked largely with one part of society and it is only confined to Muslims." "It does not bring different religions together. PAS is very much preoccupied with its Muslim identity and in preserving it. PAS is very similar to the Muslim movement in Sudan where its major concerns are women issues and prohibiting mingling with other sexes. They strongly impose a particular interpretation of Islam on the nation," he said. Chandra said the party had attempted to woo various other ethnic groups to join PAS but this had failed to materialise. It won Kelantan in the past elections because of the majority Muslims in the state, he argued. DAP on the other hand, he said, does not champion Malay issues in fear of losing Chinese support. "DAP is suppose to be a multiethnic party, but in reality it is otherwise. It is alienated from the Malay majority. The party has no interest in the Malays and it is often voted out in constituencies with Malay majority," he added. He said the party had also put Indian interest in the backburner. "PKR meanwhile is unique. It was established in 1999, and its major concern in reality was to bring Anwar Ibrahim, the former deputy prime minister who was charged with sexual misconduct and misuse of power out of the prison. "Once he completed his sentence, the party's objective was for people to vote him into power. Hence, the party revolves around one particular individual and has nothing much to offer to the people "His wife and daughter are the key people of the party and this clearly portrays that it is within a family circle who have their own agenda," he added. It must be noted that Chandra was one of the key figures involved in the formation of PKR in 1999 but left the party claiming that it did no serve the interest of the nation.

Muslims vanish as Buddhist attacks approach Myanmar’s biggest city Posted: 29 Mar 2013 04:48 PM PDT Myanmar is predominantly Buddhist but about 55% of its 60 million people are Muslims. There are large Muslim communities in Yangon, Mandalay and towns across Myanmar's heartland where the religions have co-existed for generations. Reuters SIT KWIN (Myanmar):  The Muslims of Sit Kwin were always a small group who numbered no more than 100 of the village's 2,000 people. But as sectarian violence led by Buddhist mobs spreads across central Myanmar, they and many other Muslims are disappearing. Their homes, shops and mosques destroyed, some end up in refugee camps or hide in the homes of friends or relatives. Dozens have been killed. "We don't know where they are," says Aung Ko Myint, 24, a taxi driver in Sit Kwin, a farming village where on Friday Buddhists ransacked a store owned by the town's last remaining Muslim. "He escaped this morning just before the mob got here." Since 42 people were killed in violence that erupted in Meikhtila town on March 20, unrest led by hardline Buddhists has spread to at least 10 other towns and villages in central Myanmar, with the latest incidents only about a two-hour drive from the commercial capital, Yangon. The crowds are fired up by anti-Muslim rhetoric spread over the Internet and by word of mouth from monks preaching a movement known as "969″. The three numbers refer to various attributes of the Buddha, his teachings and the monkhood. But it has come to represent a radical form of anti-Islamic nationalism which urges Buddhists to boycott Muslim-run shops and services. Myanmar is predominantly Buddhist but about 55% of its 60 million people are Muslims. There are large Muslim communities in Yangon, Mandalay and towns across Myanmar's heartland where the religions have co-existed for generations. But as violence spreads from village to village, the unleashing of ethnic hatred, suppressed during 49 years of military rule that ended in March 2011, is challenging the reformist government of one of Asia's most ethnically diverse countries. Dusk-to-dawn curfews are in effect in many areas of Bago, the region where Sit Kwin lies, while four townships in central Myanmar are under a state of emergency imposed last week. "I will not hesitate to use force as a last resort to protect the lives and safeguard the property of the general public," President Thein Sein said in a nationally televised speech on Thursday, warning "political opportunists and religious extremists" against instigating further violence. The unrest has made almost 13,000 people homeless, according to the United Nations. State-run media reports 68 people have been arrested. Rumours The trouble in Sit Kwin began four days ago when people riding 30 motorbikes drove through town urging villagers to expel Muslim residents, said witnesses. They then trashed a mosque and a row of Muslim shops and houses. "They came with anger that was born from rumors," said one man who declined to be identified. Further south, police in Letpadan have stepped up patrols in the farming village of 22,000 people about 160 km (100 miles) from Yangon. Three monks led a 30-strong group towards a mosque on Friday. Police dispersed the crowd, many of whom carried knives and staves, and briefly detained two people. They were later released at the request of township officials, police said. "I won't let it happen again," said police commander Phone Myint. "The president yesterday gave the police authority to control the situation." The abbot who led the protest, Khamainda, said he took to the streets after hearing rumors passed by other monks by telephone, about violence between Buddhists and Muslims in other towns. He said he wanted revenge against Muslims for the destruction by the Taliban of Buddhist statues in Bamiyan province in Afghanistan in 2001. "There is no problem with the way they live. But they are the minority and we are the majority. And when the minority insults our religion we get concerned," he told Reuters. "We will come out again if we get a chance." Letpadan villagers fear the tension will explode. "I'm sure they will come back and destroy the mosque," says Aung San Kyaw, 35, a Muslim. "We've never experienced anything like this." Across the street, Hla Tan, a 67-year-old Buddhist, shares the fear. "We have lived peacefully for years. Nothing can happen between us unless outsiders come. But if they come, I know we can't stop them," he said. North of Sit Kwin, the farming town of Minhla endured about three hours of violence on both Wednesday and Thursday. About 300 people, many from the nearby village of Ye Kyaw, gathered on Wednesday afternoon. The crowd swelled to about 800 as townsfolk joined, a Minhla policeman told Reuters. They then destroyed three mosques and 17 shops and houses, he said. No Buddhist monks were involved, said witnesses. "Very nervous" The mob carried sticks, metal pipes and hammers, said Hla Soe, 60, a Buddhist who runs an electrical repair shop in Minhla. "No one could stop them," he said. About 200 soldiers and police eventually intervened to restore a fragile peace. "I'm very nervous that it will happen again," he said. About 500 of Minhla's township's 100,000 people are Muslims, said the police officer, who estimated two-thirds of those Muslims had fled. However, Tun Tun is staying. "I have no choice," says the 26-year-old, whose tea shop was destroyed and looted by Buddhists, one armed with a chainsaw. He plans to rebuild his shop, whose daily income of 10,000 kyat (US$11) supports an extended family of 12. On the wall of his ransacked kitchen is a portrait of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He did not believe she could do anything to help. Tun Tun traced the rising communal tension in Minhla to speeches given on February 26 and 27 by a celebrated monk visiting from Mon State, to the east of Yangon. He spoke to a crowd of 2,000 about the "969 movement", said Win Myint, 59, who runs a Buddhist community centre which hosted the monk. After the 969 talks, Muslims were jeered and fewer Buddhists frequented his tea shop, said Tun Tun. Stickers bearing pastel hues overlaid with the numerals 969 appeared on non-Muslim street stalls across Minhla. President Thein Sein's ambitious reform program has won praise, but his government has also been criticized for failing to stem violence last year in Rakhine State in western Myanmar, where officials say 110 people were killed and 120,000 were left homeless, most of them Rohingya Muslims. The U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar said on Thursday he had received reports of "state involvement" in the recent violence at Meikhtila. Soldiers and police sometimes stood by "while atrocities have been committed before their very eyes, including by well-organized ultra-nationalist Buddhist mobs", said the rapporteur, Tomas Ojea Quintana. "This may indicate direct involvement by some sections of the state or implicit collusion and support for such actions." Ye Htut, a presidential spokesman and deputy minister of information, called those accusations "groundless". "In fact, the military and the government could not be concerned more about this situation," he said in a Facebook post. Late on Friday, three monks were preparing to give another "969″ speech in Ok Kan, a town 113 km from Yangon.

‘Enough proof to reopen Altantuya case’ Posted: 29 Mar 2013 04:42 PM PDT Recent revelations by businessman Deepak Jaikishan, lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu, and private investigator P Balasubramniam constitute as 'new evidence', says the Bar Council. Anisah Shukry, FMT The Malaysian Bar Council today established there was sufficient new evidence for the attorney-general to reopen investigations in the 2006 murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu. "The revelations by Deepak Jaikishan, the late P Balasubramaniam, and Americk Singh Sidhu raised sufficient concern to warrant further investigations by the authorities," Bar Council president Christopher Leong said in a statement today. "Such further investigations may or may not lead to anything new, but we would only know if additional investigations are in fact undertaken," he added. Leong was responding to the Attorney-General's Chambers statement on Wednesday that it would consider reopening investigations into Altantuya's gruesome murder only if there was new evidence. Attorney-General G Abdul Gani Patail said this after the Bar Council urged him to reopen the murder case following revelations from the late Balasubramaniam's lawyer, Americk, at the council's annual general meeting. Americk had claimed that senior lawyer Cecil Abraham was responsible for drafting the private investigator's second statutory declaration (SD) in 2008. The second SD had reversed all claims made in Balasubramaniam's first SD, which had implicated Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in Altantuya's murder. "Thus, the issue presently is not whether the AG has the discretion [to reopen investigations], but whether there is sufficient cause for him to do so," Leong said. Leong pointed out that businessman Deepak's reaffirmation to the media that Balasubramaniam's second SD was written to recant the first SD, as well as his role in the matter, was already considered as new evidence. Deepak had claimed late last year that Rosmah Mansor, the wife of the prime minister, had requested him to persuade Balasubramaniam to write the second SD. While Rosmah had not refuted Deepak's allegation, she wrote in her biography that she played no direct role in Altantuya's murder. READ MORE HERE

Thank you from a grateful Malaysian from PJ Utara Posted: 29 Mar 2013 01:43 PM PDT   All I see are adults in your comment sections just and only complaining, blaming others and etc. (just plain bitching). Which race did not wake up and etc. Just pointing fingers to a particular group of people. What does this do or achieve?    Foo Meng Sun  YM RPK, I have followed your web site/blog for the last 6 years or more. Also, I had commented only once in 6 years.  I just want to email you this observation and you can choose to edit and re-post it if you feel fit to do so. In summary, I want to say Thank you. Your articles had really woke me up on the real issues we face in Malaysia. It had made me be aware how much more work we have to go about it.    My email here is to encourage you that all your hard work have not gone to waste. I am appreciative of your hard work. I will comment on what I see and believe that we must be bigger than the politics and politicians.   I am not sure if my email/note below makes sense to you. But I will be writing from my point of view only.   I have learnt to think why you write and speak in such a manner. You are a true Malaysian. We fellow readers should be thinking more like you and what is good for the country. For one moment just forget about which political party they come from first.   I will borrow a famous quote by Abraham Lincoln, the "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth". The Malaysian Governments should be afraid of the (Rakyat) people and serve the (Rakyat) people and not the (Rakyat) people be the slaves to Government. If not the (Rakyat) people will replace you politicians. If they are not working for us the (Rakyat) people we will replace Government with someone who would. I remember once somebody asked you what "you would do as the PM of Malaysia?" - Stop same-race marriage, i.e. Chinese marrying Chinese and so forth. I suppose this will get rid of all the race based politics in Malaysia as I can see that all the political parties are just playing the race cards to justify their means and their actions.   All I see are adults in your comment sections just and only complaining, blaming others and etc. (just plain bitching). Which race did not wake up and etc. Just pointing fingers to a particular group of people. What does this do or achieve? Please do not forget 3 fingers are pointing back at you. Do not blame others but blame yourself – me, myself and I (the 3 fingers). If you want to point and blame others, you are also 3 times part of the problem. Sometimes I do not bother to read them at all. I just read your articles and see what the objective of the article is. If you want to change, get involved in the change and do not heckle. Be responsible adults, be the change and make the changes to the systems in the political landscape. I wish the readers would volunteer their time at the grass root level for the parties they believe in. Then they can see how much change they can bring to the system. See the needs of the people first.  As time goes along with so much infighting in Malaysia we will not be able to compete in the global markets. The NEP had worked in some ways during the time of inception.    I do not believe in giving a benefit which cannot be sustained in the long run or an indefinite period. Over a period of time it will be abused and it will be taken for granted. It has turned into a mind-set/belief, it is their right only. (Classic example Article 153) http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/letterssurat/46193-article-153-is-not-just-for-malays-but-for-every-malaysian But in today's market place (2013), we have created a generation who only live on hand-outs. It does not allow us to be competitive in the world stage. ie Katak di bawah tempurung Q. How are we going to compete against the best in the world? In short, we Malaysia will be the net exporter of talent as the best will study, migrate and work overseas.    When Malaysia loses their best talents and we are left with the political power who play the game of divide and rule, we will deplete the natural resources of the country to their private pockets.   Thank you for making me realise that every vote counts. We should not be silent and let gerrymandering, postal voters and phantom voters be used as the tools of the political powers to stay in government illegally.   FYI, I am in favour of the 3rd force. I have not made up my mind who to vote in PJ Utara and I will come home to vote too from overseas. I will see the candidate first. I am happy with both my current DUN and MP in Petaling Jaya. They serve the people.   So take this note/email as positive that all your hard work have not gone to waste. You have changed one Malaysian here and I will do my part to change my family and friends to be objective and know that we need to make a New Malaysian Malaysia (I know I am quoting the 1960's LKY of Singapore).   Thank you   Yours sincerely, Foo Meng Sun

The Altantuya Mystery Posted: 29 Mar 2013 01:30 PM PDT   Altantuya had been passing on classified information to third parties long before she broke off with Abdul Razak Baginda. Anwar Ibrahim is known to have personally ordered his information gatherers to keep tabs on her.  Gopal Raj Kumar  OMINOUS WARNINGS FROM A MISSING FRENCH AGENT A fortnight before she disappeared (presumed murdered) Altantuya received a call from French born Miami based arms trafficker Jean Bernard Lasnaud warning her to keep her head low. Altantuya is understood to have communicated information about that call to her 'sister' and possibly to the late self proclaimed Private Investigator Balasubramaniam. Balasubramaniam corroborated that information about the Lasnaud Altantuya telephone conversation in a telephone discussion between himself and a Malaysian journalist in September of 2012. Jean Bernard Lasnaud was furious. He was in fact livid. Lasnaud who is widely believed to have been on the payroll of the French foreign intelligence service had a number of other irons in the fire and did not want Altantuya in her new life in Malaysia jeopardising his many opportunities in the trade with her loose talk about the French Malaysian deal. VANISHING AGENTS- A FRENCH SPECIALITY Now herein lies the mystery of Altantuya and Jean Bernard Lasnaud. Like Altantuya Jean Bernard Lasnaud had 'disappeared' according to the US government in 2002. No one has been able to locate Lasnaud since his disappearance from his Miami apartment office nor has anyone bothered to search for him. The FBI and Interpol both of whom had a vested interest in the safety and whereabouts of Lasnaud albeit for different reasons failed to follow up on his disappearance or to comment on it. Yet his name along with that of other arms dealers who have long 'disappeared' continue to surface whenever a good arms deal opportunity is to be had. Two of Jean Bernard Lasnaud's field agents (in a similar the role played by Altantuya) were mysteriously murdered for opening their mouths like Altantuya did. One of them an agent very much like Altantuya who went by the name of Estrada who had engineered a controversial deal with Bolivia was found murdered in mysterious circumstances with a bullet to the head in a flat in Buenos Aires. His death was ruled a suicide. It was not his gun. No suicide note nor any evidence of a failed deal. But such is the end for people involved in the world of arms traffickers. Altantuya had been in contact with two pro Pakatan journalists in Malaysia to whom she made several claims and disclosures about alleged government corruption in the arms deals in which Razak Baginda was supposedly the intermediary. An employee of the online portal Malaysia Kini is known to be one of them. Her relationship with the Malaysian Bar a key driver of the allegation that Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak ordered the murder of Altantuya went right up to the organizer of Bersih Ambiga Sreenivasan. Sreenivasan who has carefully kept a distance from any commentary on the story was betrayed by her former allies. At least according to Bersih and Pakatan insiders and the blogging prince Raja Petra Kamaruddin Sreenivasan was always in the thick of it. She is believed to have fuelled and fanned the flames of the theory that Najib and his wife were behind the killing of Altantuya. The mystery of the doctored photograph of Najib Razak with Altantuya was a scam engineered by a Malaysian Chinese blogger and member of parliament. Regardless the rumour mill is rife about its existence and authenticity. Malaysian bloggers belonging to the opposition continue to advance that theory fed by tall tales from the Malaysian Bar and the opposition. PUBLIC OFFICIAL DISCLOSURE REGISTER In Malaysia there are no requirements for parliamentarians, that includes the Prime Minister and all cabinet ministers and any public official to make disclosures about their private commercial interests or involvement in corporate and commercial affairs. Quite unlike many other countries especially in the west where such disclosures are mandatory to contain conflict of interest situations arising, Malaysia to this day does not have such a public official disclosure register. If it has one, disclosures are clearly not mandatory. Most of the information Altantuya disclosed to her journalist contacts were paid for by two parties. One of these, the proprietor of a leading daily in Malaysia. The other, a businessman closely connected to the Malaysian opposition. There was also a third party. She is the relative of a high profile well known politician. It is widely believed that it was this third person who encouraged French NGO involvement in investigating the Altantuya affair, the name by which this sordid affair has come to be known by. Read more at: http://takemon.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/the-altantuya-mystery/

Star readers all for booting out FAM’s Article 88 Posted: 29 Mar 2013 01:15 PM PDT On Wednesday, the FAM charged national coach Datuk K. Rajagopal(pic) under Article 88 which is aimed at preventing anyone, including coaches and players, from criticising the governing body.  Readers of The Star Online have spoken and they say that the controversial Article 88 of FAM Statutes should be abolished.  Results of the online poll conducted on the website showed that 91.74% or 3,677 readers said that the rule must go.   Only 1.5% or 60 readers felt that the rule should be maintained, while 6.76% or 271 readers said it should be amended.  Article 88 states – except for routine releases to the press by the President or the General Secretary, no official, coaches of FAM or referee or any Member or Associate Member, or player registered or employed with any Member or Associate Member, unless sanctioned by the Congress shall contribute any article on the management of affairs of FAM, vent grievances, supposed or real or right criticisms hostile to FAM (Member or Associate Member).  On Wednesday, the FAM charged national coach Datuk K. Rajagopal under Article 88 which is aimed at preventing anyone, including coaches and players, from criticising the governing body.  Rajagopal had bemoaned the lack of local strikers in the M-League but his statement was construed as criticism of the national league. He now faces the wrath of the FAM disciplinary committee.  Eight people have so far fallen victim to the article over the last few years – B. Sathianathan (pic)(former national and Kelantan coach, twice), Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim (Johor FA president), Che Ku Marzuki (former T-Team coach), Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (Perlis FA president), Tan Sri Annuar Musa (FAM deputy president and Kelantan FA president), Abdul Rahman Ibrahim (PKNS coach), Wan Jamak Wan Hassan (former Kedah coach) and Reduan Abdullah (former Felda United coach).  Readers in their comments on the poll, criticised Article 88, calling it a "backward" and "primitive" rule.   "As football is a national affair, critics and opinions by officials should be in the media for public interest," said reader Mac, while Megat Ibrahim said all those who had been penalised under the ruling had done a lot for Malaysian football.  Vincent-Johor argued that "not all bosses know best" while Tan called for "more credible and talented people to head the body".  Another reader Syed, said FAM should be more open to criticism as it "helps to build character and innovate new ideas for a better future for Malaysian football."  As of 6.30pm yesterday, more than 4,000 people had participated in the poll.

The day I got rail mad Posted: 29 Mar 2013 12:52 PM PDT   Jonathan Fernandez  I have just been reminded exactly why I don't take the highly inept public transportation service, and the harsh reminder has left me fuming.  I was supposed to drive to Seremban but was advised against it because it's the school holidays and there was the threat of a snarl-up. My friend told me not to throw caution to the wind as he had gotten stuck in a bad two-hour crawl to and from Seremban last week. So I decided to give the KTM a shot. I had read how politicians have been so lavish with their praises on the upgrades to the current system. And I was told that it would take 90 minutes, one way. That would only set me back by 30 minutes, if compared with driving hassle free. After weighing the pros and cons, I thought to myself: "Why not?" I opted for the much-commended KTM. I reached the station and then realised the next ride was just three minutes away.  "Lucky me," I so wrongfully told myself. To be fair, the train arrived right on time - 2.10pm. Then I got thrown into a state of confusion. We, my wife and I, were about to enter one of the cars until I realised it was a females-only section. So we quickly dashed to the next coach, it was the same. Then we ran to another. It was strike three and we were out.  As the doors closed shut, I could feel my blood reaching a boiling point.  I then switched my attention to the digital  clock mounted a beam at the station. The next ETA was 2.40pm. That meant we would have to wait in this sweltering heat for a good half-hour. KTM stations are airconditioned, mind you. I became a raging bull. For some reason, maybe because she was wearing a red top, I charged at my wife. Somehow blaming her for the situation we were caught in, although this lasted for just a few seconds until I realised the real guilty party. The culprits are actually those who have been riding their high horses and singing praises about their own achievements. The ones who are living in denial and forcing everyone else to be led into their fantasy world of impeccable governance. What really riled me up was this incident could have easily been avoided had the most basic of measures been put into place.  For instance, how difficult would it have been to display signs indicating where the female-only coaches and all access cars would stop?  And where's the harm in increasing the frequency of the trains?  Simple things like these could really save people the trouble. Trust me, frantically searching for the right coach isn't exactly fun, not at all. It makes you feel like a little lost puppy. So, throw me a bone already. On the bright side, I have again been made to realise how lucky I am. In fact, when taking everything into account, I should really use a calculator to count my blessings. But there are so many out there, my countrymen, who have to endure this Third-World system on a daily basis. For them, I hope and pray that a marked improvement be made. If our system is lightyears behind the likes of Singapore's, then admit the flaws and fix them. But don't go around misleading the people and manipulating the rakyat's perception on the country's transportation system, that would just make me rail mad.

ICJ best forum to settle Sabah, S’wak, S’pore questions Posted: 29 Mar 2013 12:39 PM PDT   Joe Fernandez If the Government in Putrajaya is truly honest with itself, it will confront the fact that there's very little sympathy in Sabah and Sarawak on the ground for the security forces apparently battling it out in Lahad Datu. It's 50 years too late. They might as well pack up and go home and instead recall the Sabah Border Scouts and Sarawak Rangers. At the same time, the continuing statements from one Jamalul Kiram III, the Manila press, the Philippines Government and Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) on Sabah and Sarawak are being viewed in the right perspective. Local political parties in Sabah and Sarawak are convinced, like the descendants of the heirs of the defunct Sulu Sultanate and Nur Misuari that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is the best venue to settle rival claims to the two Borneo nations. Already, the State Reform Party (Star) led by Jeffrey Kitingan, has reportedly included the ICJ option in their draft Manifesto for the forthcoming 13th General Election. The ICJ is also the best venue to address the fact that Singapore was expelled in 1965 from the Federation of Malaysia by unconstitutional, unlawful and illegal means. It's an open secret that then Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman had the doors of Parliament locked until the MPs agreed to the expulsion of the city state from the Federation. The general consensus across both sides of the Sulu Sea is that the Sabah/Sarawak issue will not go away unless there's a final resolution one way or another. In the absence of a final resolution, the security of both Sabah and Sarawak will continue to be compromised and thereby affect investor and consumer confidence.   Singapore Application would be a continuation of Pulau Batu Putih case If Singapore is featured as well at the same time that the cases of Sabah and Sarawak are considered, it would amount to a revisitation of the Pulau Batu Putih hearings which saw the island of a few rocks being awarded to the city state. The Singapore Application could be made by the Government of that island or vide a Class Action Suit commenced by concerned citizens seeking closure on an issue which has bedevilled relations on both sides of the causeway since 1965. The descendants of the nine heirs of the defunct Sulu Sultanate claim that they have private property rights to Sabah or parts of it. They further claim and/or used to claim that sovereignty over Sabah rests with the Philippines Government. This is a grey area since one Sulu Sultan apparently "transferred" his sultanate's sovereignty over Sabah to the Manila Government by way of a Power of Attorney which has reportedly since expired. Jamalul Kiram III claims to be Sultan of Sulu.   Sulu claimants, Nur Misuari don't have a leg to stand on in Sabah, Sarawak At last count there were some 60 claimants to the Sulu Sultanship, not all being descendants of the nine heirs of the defunct Sulu Sultanate. The nine Plaintiffs viz. Dayang Dayang Piandao Kiram, Princess Tarhata Kiram, Princess Sakinur Kiram, Sultan Ismael Kiram, Sultan Punjungan Kiram, Sitti Rada Kiram, Sitti Jahara Kiram, Sitti Mariam Kiram and Mora Napsa were recognised by C. F. Mackasie, Chief Judge of Borneo, on 13 Dec, 1939 in response to Civil Suit No. 169/39. The Judge ruled that the nine heirs, as the beneficiaries under the will of the late Sultan Jamalul Kiram, who died at Jolo on 7 June 1935, are entitled to collect a total of RM 5,300 per annum from Sabah in perpetuity for having foregone in perpetuity the right to collect tolls along the waterways in eastern Sabah. The reference point was the deed of cession made between the Sultan of Sulu and the predecessors of the British North Borneo Chartered Company on Jan 22, 1878, and under a confirmatory deed dated April 22, 1903. If the descendants of the nine heirs end up at the ICJ in The Hague, there are no prizes for guessing which way the case will go. The Sulu claimants don't have a leg to stand on in Sabah.   Nur Misuari ready to do battle with a battery of lawyers The Sulu Sultans of old were extorting tolls, virtually a criminal activity, from the terrified traffic along the eastern seaboard of Sabah. The Brunei Sultanate meanwhile denies ever handing any part of Sabah, or the right to collect tolls along the waterways, to Sulu. The British North Borneo Chartered Company had no right whatsoever to enter into negotiations on behalf of the people of Sabah with anyone. The entire land area of Sabah, by history, Adat and under Native Customary Rights (NCR), belonged to the Orang Asal (Original People) of the Territory. The sovereignty of Sabah rests with the people of Sabah. This sovereignty was re- affirmed on 31 Aug, 1963 when the state won independence from Britain which had occupied the state after World War II. Therein the matter lies. The sovereignty of Sabah had never been transferred to Brunei, Sulu, the Philippines, Britain or Malaya, masquerading as Malaysia since 16 Sept, 1963. Likewise, Sarawak's independence was re-affirmed on 22 July, 1963 when the British left. Sarawak had been an independent country for over 150 years under its own Rajah until World War II intervened and the Japanese occupied the country. The war over, the British coerced the Rajah to hand over his country to the Colonial Office in London because they had plans to form the Federation of Malaysia with Sarawak as one of the constituent elements. British occupation of Sarawak was illegal and an act of piracy. Nur Misuari claims that Sarawak had belonged to his family, from the time of his great great grandfather. He claims that he has the services of the best lawyers at his disposal to make his case at The Hague.   Cobbold Commission a scam by British and Malayan Governments The outcome of any hearing at The Hague will be a forgone conclusion: the Sulu and Nur Misuari petitions will be struck out without even a hearing; the Court will rule that the people of Sabah and Sarawak never agreed to be in Malaysia; and Singapore will hear that its expulsion from Malaysia in 1965 was unconstitutional, unlawful and illegal. The people of Sabah and Sarawak must be given the right to intervene in the Applications at the ICJ which will determine their fate. There's nothing to prevent the people of Sulu and the southern Philippines from throwing in an Application that the Philippines Government has no business to occupy their traditional Muslim homeland. The people of Singapore decided in a Yes or Note Vote in 1962 to the idea of independence through merger with Malaya via the Federation of Malaysia. The inclusion of Orang Asal-majority Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei was to facilitate the merger between Chinese-majority Singapore and non-Malay majority Malaya. Brunei stayed out of Malaysia at the 11th hour after an armed rebellion in the Sultanate against the idea of Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei being in Malaysia. No Referendum was held in Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Malaya on Malaysia. The Kelantan Government even took the matter to Court. A sampling of community leaders conducted by the Cobbold Commission found that only the Suluk and Bajau community leaders, perhaps sensing some personal benefits for themselves as proxies of Muslim-controlled Kuala Lumpur, agreed with the idea of Malaysia.   Revolution another possibility to finish off Sulu, Nur Misuari, Manila Orang Asal community leaders wanted a period of independence before looking at the idea of Malaysia again. They asked for further and better particulars on Malaysia to be used as the reference point for a future re-visitation of the Malaysia Concept. They were not provided these further and better particulars. The Chinese community leaders, keeping the eventual fate of the resources and revenues of the country uppermost in mind, totally rejected the idea of Malaysia. They were not wrong. Putrajaya today carts away all the resources and revenues of Sabah and Sarawak to Malaya and very little of it comes back to the two Borneo. The Cobbold Commission disingenuously declared that two third of the people in Sabah i.e. Suluk/Bajau + Orang Asal supported Malaysia. The Commission made the same declaration in Sarawak where only the Sarawak Malay community leaders supported the idea of Malaysia for self-serving reasons. When Singapore was expelled from Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak – the facilitators of the merger between Singapore and Malaya – were not allowed to exit the Federation. This is a crucial point which will feature at the ICJ. Security became an afterthought. But as the continuing influx of illegal immigrants into Sabah and Sarawak, and the Lahad Datu intrusion, has proven, there has been no security for both Borneo nations in Malaysia. ESSCOM (Eastern Sabah Security Command) and ESSZONE (Eastern Sabah Safety Zone) comes too little too late, after 50 years. In the unlikely event that the ICJ rules in favour of the heirs of the defunct Sulu Sultanate and Nur Misuari, it would be the sacred duty of Sabahans and Sarawakians to launch a Revolution and decapitate all the claimants to their countries from the Philippines. This would bury the issue once and for all and shut up the Manila press and the Philippines Government. Singapore's re-admission to Malaysia, if it materialises, would not persuade Sabah and Sarawak to join the Federation as well. The people would want Malaya even quicker out Sabah and Sarawak. It would be the end of a long drawn out nightmare.   Joe Fernandez is a graduate mature student of law and an educationist, among others, who loves to write especially Submissions for Clients wishing to Act in Person. He feels compelled, as a semi-retired journalist, to put pen to paper -- or rather the fingers to the computer keyboard -- whenever something doesn't quite jell with his weltanschauung (worldview). He shuttles between points in the Golden Heart of Borneo formed by the Sabah west coast, Labuan, Brunei, northern Sarawak and the watershed region in Borneo where three nations meet.

Mr P Waytha Moorthy’s condition on the 20th day of his Hunger Viratham Posted: 29 Mar 2013 12:25 PM PDT   Mr Waytha has been unable to continue with his writings as his condition has considerably deteriorated.  Ganesan  Mr Waytha Moorthy's condition continues to deteriorate. The medical report from yesterday shows serious deterioration in his bodily functions. Quoting from the report: "It is now well into the 19th day of Mr Waythamoorthy's hunger Viratham strike. He appears very weak and disorientated, his blood pressure is erratic. There have also been several episodes of fainting the last few days. His urine sample also indicates a very high level of circulating ketones as well as hematuria. He also suffers from Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension as well as Right Ventricular Tachycardia Dysplasia. A team of doctors, including myself, have been making periodic visits to oversee his general well being. Occasionally IV Drips were given."  The Doctors are recommending, "It is of our professional opinion that Mr Waytha should stop his fast immediately and seek proper medical attention at a hospital set up to prevent any further damage to his internal organs." The political leaders of both the BN and Pakatan seem not to be worried about any adverse outcome on Mr Waytha Moorthy. They have it within them to review the proposals in the blueprint which are the focus of the Hunger Viratham and to accommodate them into national policy. The proposals in the blueprint are entirely justifiable, but these leaders look askance. This, Hindraf believes is the inevitable fate of the minorities in the country. Their rights and interests will forever be compromised. When they speak up, they will be beaten down as being sectarian or racist. All kinds of arguments will be put forward why their requests are "terlalu". Mr Waytha Moorthy continues his Hunger Viratham despite these developments..

Second Objective of Battle of Gelang Patah – Target 19 of the 26 Parliamentary and 30 of the ... Posted: 29 Mar 2013 12:19 PM PDT   The Battle of Gelang Patah is not so much about the victory or defeat of an individual or the gains or losses of individual parties, but whether Johore can become a "kingmaker" in the 13GE to spark a political tsunami in the country from the south and across the South China Sea.  Lim Kit Siang  Yesterday, when visiting Taman Damai Jaya in Gelang Patah, I spoke about the meaning of the Battle of Gelang Patah. I stressed that the Battle of Gelang Patah is not my personal battle on whether I can be re-elected to Parliament. If this is the case, I should stay back in Ipoh Timor which I had won with a majority of over 21,000 votes in the 2008 general elections, instead of going for a very high-risk contest in Gelang Patah which was won by the MCA/BN candidate with a majority of over 8,000 votes in 2008 and a humoungous majority of 31,666 votes in 2004. In Gelang Patah I could very well lose but I am prepared to take the risk. This is because the Battle of Gelang Patah is not so much about the victory or defeat of an individual or the gains or losses of individual parties, but whether Johore can become a "kingmaker" in the 13GE to spark a political tsunami in the country from the south and across the South China Sea to effect the first peaceful and democratic transfer of power from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan Rakyat. The First Objective of the Battle of Gelang Patah is in South Johore – to target the six Parliamentary and 13 State Assembly seats in South Johore to pave the way for Pakatan Rakyat to Putrajaya in the 13th General Elections. Johor Baru has three parliamentary and six state assembly seats, namely Johor Bahru, Pasir Gudang and Tebrau parliamentary seats and Stulang, Tanjong Puteri, Johore Jaya, Permas, Puteri Wangsa and Tiram State Assembly seats. None of these Johor Baru parliamentary and state assembly seats had been won by the Opposition, which is against the national trend where parliamentary and/or state assembly seats in the capital of most of the states are strongholds of the Opposition, whether Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu or the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur where the Pakatan Rakyat swept 10 of the 11 parliamentary seats in 2008. There are three other parliamentary seats and seven state assembly seats in the South Johore region, namely Gelang Patah, Kulai and Pulai with seven state assembly seats, namely Skudai, Nusajaya, Pengkalan Rinting, Kempas, Senai, Bukit Batu and Bukit Permai. Objective One of the Battle of Gelang Patah is to win for Pakatan Rakyat the six Parliamentary and 13 State Assembly seats in South Johore, for if we cannot achieve this objective, the chances of Pakatan Rakyat winning the 13GE to form the new Federal Government would be a very slim one. The Second Objective of the Battle of Gelang Patah is the challenge to Pakatan Rakyat on a state-wide basis in Johore in 13GE. If we can create a political tsunami to set off from Johore, then Pakatan Rakyat should aim to target 19 Parliamentary seats and 30 State Assembly seats. The 19 Parliamentary seats are the 12 first-tier constituencies of  Johor Bahru, Pasir Gudang, Tebrau, Pulai, Gelang Patah, Kulai, Tanjong Piai, Kluang, Batu Pahat, Bakri, Labis and Segamat and the seven second-tier seats of Sekijang, Ledang, Muar, Ayer Hitam, Sri Gading, Simpang Rengam and Sembrong. For the 30 State Assembly seats in Johor, the Battle of Gelang Patah should target the 23 first-tier seats of Stulang, Tanjong Puteri, Johor Jaya, Permas, Puteri Wangsa, Tiram, Pengkalan Rinting, Kempas, Skudai, Nusajaya, Senai, Bukit Batu, Bukit Permai,  Pekan Nenas, Mengkibol, Penggaram, Bentayam, Sungai Abong, Bekok and Jementah. There are seven second-tier winnable seats, viz: Mahkota, Layang-Layang, Parit Yaani, Maharani, Gambir, Tenang and  Pemanis. The future not only of Johore but also Malaysia is in the hands of the voters of Johore in the 13GE.

"Watermelon" and "Sympathizer" Effect Posted: 29 Mar 2013 12:10 PM PDT In politics, you never appear weak if you are indeed weak  Original text by Tay Tian Yan, Asst. Chief Editor, SinChew Daily Translated text by Gilbert Yeoh-Tan Something to test your intelligence: Najib said that if Barisan National wins only by a narrow margin in the coming election he may lose his job. That being, his job as the Prime Minister. Do you believe him? Similarly, Lim Kit Siang said that Pakatan Rakyat will win in 7 states, 5 that they won in the past election, plus Perlis and Negeri Sembilan. Do you believe him? As for me, I remain reserved on these 2 statements. Uncle Lim's declaration on winning the 7 states may stem from his overconfidence, but it could as well be the tool used to boost confidence. In politics, you never appear weak if you are indeed weak; instead, you should boast to appear 'more beefed'. If you have only 3,000 troops, you should create an illusion to let others think that you have 30,000 under your command. Many voters suffer from the so-called 'watermelon effect'. When one watermelon is cut into two and are asked to pick only one, they tend to pick the halve that seems bigger. This reaction can be viewed as 'steering towards feeling safer'. This is especially apparent among non-die-hard voters and swing voters who have yet to make up their minds, they tend vote for the party that seems more likely to win, but not the ones deemed 'yang akan kalah'. If PR appears to be losing 'gas' even before the election starts, then surely they are doomed right from the beginning. It may be more tactically sound for PR to actually concentrate their resources on the states they currently control. They should put their star candidates and election resources to defend their strongholds instead of fighting the wars of unknown winning-chances. Penang and Kelantan are PR's strongholds. They need to put a steadfast defense in Selangor and Kedah, and they have to recapture Perak. PR may as well be already exhausted to achieve their goals in the above 5 states as they have used up considerable amount of resources and manpower there. They may expect certain rewards in Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak; but their hopes in Perlis and NS should remain doubtful. Should PR decide that they want to go all-out, there is a possibility that they leave their strongholds unguarded and the consequences may be harmful. As the party in power, BN, despite having the advantage, should remain low-profile. If they hit too hard they risk provoking antipathy among the voters (remember how the voters treated Abdulah Badawi 5 years ago?) Hence, if BN insists that they will win handsomely in the coming election, the swing voters may think of voting for PR to 'balance' the situation since BN is going to win anyway. This thought, at first sown in individual minds, may gradually grow to be a collective trend that leaves unforeseeable impacts. This is the reason Najib does not want to appear too aggressive. He has tied his personal political goals with the nation's economy and politics transformation in hope to convince the voters to let him stay for at least one more term to finish what he started. Furthermore, he has announced that, if he does not win marginally, he may lose his job. It seems to me he is trying to harness the 'sympathizers' votes. All in all, with his personal image and political achievement, Najib still has the chance to fight for more votes. And now may yet be his best time to further foster his relationship with the Rakyat.   郑丁贤‧西瓜和悲情效应 考一考大家的眼光： 纳吉说，如果国阵只是险胜，他可能会失去工作。所谓的工作，当然是首相的位子。 问题是，你相信吗？ 同样的，林吉祥说，民联可以赢得7个州政权；就是上届赢的5州，再加上玻璃市和森美兰。 你相信吗？ 这两者，我都保留。 林伯伯声称可以拿下7州，或许出自他过人的信心，然而，更可能只是一种信心喊话。 政治上，如果形势比人弱，千万不能漏馅，而必须把自己催谷得又肥又壮，兵马只有3千，也要制造假象，让人以为兵马3万。 多数选民有所谓的"西瓜效应＂，就是西瓜切开来，当然是挑大边的，那是寻求一种安全感。 特别是中间选民，以及游离选民，他们往往倾向于更有机会获胜的政党，而不是投给一个没有胜算的政党。 如果民联开战前，就已经泄气，那就没有甚么大戏可以唱了。 在实际策略上，或许民联领导人应该把资源集中在现有执政的州属，把最有胜算的候选人，以及竞选资源和机器，用在捍卫本身的大后方，而不是用于自己没有把握的战场。 民联的堡垒是槟城和吉兰丹；它要坚守的是雪兰莪和吉打，另外要收复的是霹雳。 要捍卫这5个州属，已经让它陷入苦战，资源和人力都不足。 至于玻璃市和森美兰，恐怕已经力有不逮；至于柔佛、沙巴和砂拉越，只能期望能有若干斩获，取得一些突破。 一旦民联走得太远，去得太尽，只怕大后方空洞化，反而出现危机。 至于国阵，作为执政党，它拥有较大的优势，反而要采取低姿态的策略。 太过强势的出击，会引起选民的反感，这是5年前许多大马选民留给阿都拉的一个注脚。 如果国阵强调它会大胜，那么，中间和游离选民会认为，既然国阵如此稳固，不如把票投给民联，制造平衡效果。 一旦这种个别想法累积成为集体心理，就会造成意想不到的冲击。 纳吉不敢表现太强势，他把自己的政治前途，和经济转型和政治转型挂勾，要说服选民给他至少多一个任期，让他完成工作。 而且，他声称如果战绩不佳，赢得不多，还会"工作不保＂。 这就有点悲情牌的味道了。 毕竟，阿吉哥凭个人形象和政绩，还可以争取选票，这是向人民博感情的时候。

You are a lost cause (UPDATED with Chinese Translation) Posted: 28 Mar 2013 10:03 PM PDT The most popular comment from these people is that the Malays and Indians should wake up. What do they mean by wake up? Do they think that the Malays and Indians are still sleeping? In what way are the Malays and Indians still sleeping? THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin It's very funny to see those Bible-thumpers and Qur'an-screamers jump when you touch their raw nerve. They will rant and rave about God's work, principles, sacrifices, noble causes, community service, and all that bullshit. Then, when you corner them with hard facts, as opposed to mere rhetoric, they will accuse you of hitting below the belt. One favourite of mine are those who challenge me to return to Malaysia if I dare. And if I don't dare then I should 'stop talking'. That is very laughable considering the challenge comes from those who throw this challenge using fictitious names and false e-mail addresses. They don't dare reveal their true identity and yet they call others a coward. And some of these people do not even live in Malaysia but post comments from another country. Isn't that extremely funny and very typical of the Malaysian mindset? These are the same people who lament about the poor but will refuse to donate even one Sen to the poor. They would even throw their own parents into an old folks' home if they could do that free-of-charge and did not have to pay a single Sen towards the cost. It is all talk and no action. What about those who say that we must change the government because there is no freedom of speech in Malaysia and that we are denied our right to criticise the government? But when you criticise the opposition, these same people will scream and call you all sorts of nasty names. When someone -- say from MCA, MIC or Gerakan -- says something in support of Barisan Nasional, they will call this person an Umno dog or prostitute. But what happens if you say something in support of Pakatan Rakyat? Are you an Anwar Ibrahim dog or prostitute? No, of course, you are not. But then why? Then there are those who say that the NEP is unjust and discriminatory and they will raise the issue of education as the best example of why the NEP should be abolished. And when we write about how important education is to the non-Malays, they will scream and say that we know nothing about the mindset and priorities of the non-Malays and should, therefore, not be commenting about that matter. Last week I wrote in support of the NEP and I related the story of my work in the Rotary Club of Kuala Terengganu to emphasis the point as to why we still need the NEP. I expected the non-Malays to call me a racist pig, which they did. Then, this week, I write about why the Chinese are angry with the NEP. And I used the issue of education to support my argument. And do you know what happened? The same people who screamed discrimination and argued that the NEP is denying deserving Chinese students a place in the universities turned around and said I know nothing about what the Chinese want. But I thought the argument was that the NEP is discriminatory and that Chinese students are being denied a place in the universities because of the quota system? That's what you said and that was what I also said. So what is there to not understand about the Chinese mindset and priorities? The most popular comment from these people is that the Malays and Indians should wake up. What do they mean by wake up? Do they think that the Malays and Indians are still sleeping? In what way are the Malays and Indians still sleeping? When they say that the Malays and Indians are still sleeping they mean that 90% of the Malays and Indians are not supporting the opposition like the Chinese are. Only 50% of the Malays and Indians support the opposition. Hence the Malays and Indians are still sleeping. Hence 'sleeping' means you do not support the opposition while 'wake up' means you support the opposition. And it must be 90% to be considered 'woken up'. Only 50% means you are still sleeping. In the UK, only 35% of the voters support the ruling party while 35% support the opposition. And the balance 30% support neither -- they support the 'third force', LibDem. So what would you say about this? Which group has woken up and which group is still sleeping? And what do you call the 30% who support neither? They have not 'woken up' nor are they 'still sleeping'. What label shall we give them then, the 30% LibDem supporters? Actually, it is bad to have 90% of the voters vote for one party. Prior to the 2008 general election I used to talk about a two-party system. In my talks during the pre-election rallies (ceramah) I still talked about a two-party system. And I pleaded with the voters to vote for Pakatan Rakyat so that we can see a two-party system in Malaysia. And we saw that happen in 2008 when about half the voters voted for the opposition and Barisan Nasional lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament plus five states. So now it is time to bring it up to the next level. This coming election we may see a 'photo-finish'. Some say we may even see a hung parliament. If that is true then it is time to move up to the next level, like here in the UK. No longer can we just talk about a two-party system, like what the UK (and the US for that matter) had for so long. The UK is moving toward a three-party system. And if you think that this was a flash-in-the-pan, in the latest Eastleigh by-election on 1st March 2013, LibDem won that seat. Hence the support for LibDem is still there in spite of what many may say. See: The Liberal Democrats have won the Eastleigh by-election, with the UK Independence Party pushing the Conservatives into third place (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21625726). To the Pakatan Rakyat supporters I can only say that you are your own worst enemy. Your mouth moves faster than your brain. You think you are clever but in reality you are quite dumb. You open your mouth without thinking and do more damage to your cause than Barisan Nasional, Umno, TV3, Utusan Malaysia, etc., can ever do. And you only have yourself to blame for the thrashing you are going to receive in the coming general election. And do you know what my greatest fear is? My greatest fear is that most of the Chinese seats will fall to the opposition while most of the Malay seats will go to Barisan Nasional. Then we are going to see a Chinese opposition versus a Malay ruling party. And do I need to explain why such a thing is bad for Malaysia? Go figure that one out for yourself. ***************************************** 你们真的无药可救 我常见的留言是'马来人和印度人必须醒起来'。醒起来是什么意思？他们认为马来人和印度人还在睡觉？请问他们是怎样个睡法呢？ 原文：Raja Petra Kamarudin 译文：方宙 若你曾挑动过那些所谓圣经和可兰经拥护者的神经，你会发现他们的反应是近乎可笑的；他们会抬出上帝的名号，原则，牺牲，神圣使命，社会服务。。。等等的狗屁废话。而当你以实据而非华丽的词藻来反驳他们是就会讲你在攻击他们的下阴（即对他们不公平）。 而我觉得最经典的，是那些向我叫嚣，要我回国的一群。如果我不回应的话我就必须'闭上我的狗嘴'。那是最为可笑的，因为那些挑战我的人都躲在假的名字和电邮地址后。他们连公开自己真实姓名的种也没，但他们可以大言不惭地讲别人是懦夫。更扯的是，他们根本都不住在马来西亚；他们的留言是在他国发出的。 这真是马来西亚思想的最佳写照，非常的可笑。这些就是嘴里为穷人打抱不平，而口袋里永远都不会拿出一毛钱来帮助的人。若他们可以不付一分一毫的话，他们可以毫无考虑得把他们的父母丢进老人院。 这就是经典的只讲不做。 那对于那些整天讲说，我们要改朝换代因为政府压抑我们的言论自由，我们无法批评政府，他们又好到哪儿去？当你批评反对党时，他们就会跳出来对你大喊大叫，骂你难听的脏话。 当有人----就讲是马华，国大党，或民政好了----发表支持国政的言论时，他们会骂他巫统走狗，是巫统的娼妓。那相对的说，如果你发表支持民联的言论，你就是安华的走狗，娼妓咯？当然不是！那请问，为什么不是？ 外面有些人讲说NEP是不公的，他们会举出教育的失败为NEP不公的证据。而当我写出教育对非马来人的重要性时，他们就会批评说我根本就不懂非马来人的想法，所以我应该闭嘴。 上个星期我以我在瓜拉登嘉楼扶轮社的经验来叙述NEP还有存在的必要性时，我早就预料到非马来人会称我为种族主义的猪。我是对的，因为他们确实这么骂。然后这个星期我写出华人对NEP的不满，我用了教育这个课题来支持我的论点。 你知道后来发生什么事情吗？那一群认为NEP对华人教育不公的人站出来大喊说，我根本就不懂华人要什么。奇怪了，我那篇文章正是讲说NEP经大学固打制而对华人教育上的不公，这正不是他们关心的课题吗？他们又怎能说我不懂华人的看法呢？   我常见的留言是'马来人和印度人必须醒起来'。醒起来是什么意思？他们认为马来人和印度人还在睡觉？请问他们是怎样个睡法呢？ 他们说马来人和印度人还在睡觉因为90%的马来人和印度人还没有华人般的支持民联。只有50% 马来人和印度人支持民联，所以说他们还在睡觉。 从上面可以看出，如果你没有支持民联你就是在'睡觉'，反之则证明你是'清醒'的。而且必须要有90%的支持率才算'清醒'，50%的也不算。 在英国，只有35%的选民支持执政党，而有35%是支持反对党的。剩下的30%，他们就是所谓的'第三势力'，自由民主党（Liberal Democrats）。 你会怎么圈定他们呢？哪一组是清醒的，哪一组是睡觉的？那30%的选民，你会称他们为什么呢？他们既没有'睡觉'，也没有'清醒'，那我们又该如何辨别他们呢？ 其实，有90%的选民倾向一个政党是不健康的。08年大选前我就强调两线制的必须性。我在大选讲座会上一直提起，我恳求选民们投给民联以实现两线制。 在2008年，我们看到50%的选民投给了反对党进而让国阵失去了在国会三分之二的优势和五个州的政权。所以现在我们应该再接再厉，在这次大选给国阵民联来个'终点相片判定'（即更加接近50-50）。也有人相信我们会把国阵送上断头台呢。 现在真的是我们更上一层楼的时候了。但就像是英国一样，我们不能再谈两线制，英国现在已经朝向'三党制'了。如果你认为这个想法只是昙花一现，你错了；在3月1号Eastleigh递补选举中，自由民主党是胜出的。所以我们可清楚地看见选民对自由民主党的支持，即使他人仍然相信那是无所其事。 看此：http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21625726 我只想对民联支持者说一句：你们才是你们自己最大的敌人。你们的口转得比你们的脑筋还快。你们自以为很聪明，但其实笨得很。你们一开口就比国阵，巫统，TV3，Utusan 等对你们自己更有杀伤力了。在来届大选中，你们必须为自己的动作付出代价。 你们知道其实我最担心的是什么吗？我担心的是华人区议席会落入反对党手中，而马来人议席则落入国阵手里，然后形成了华人在野，马来人在朝的形势。你们还需要我多解释其坏处吗？ 你们自己想想吧！

Divisions back Wan Azizah to contest in S’gor Posted: 28 Mar 2013 08:56 PM PDT A division chief says the arrival of the PKR chief in Selangor will unite the party in the face of a strong BN challenge.  Leven Woon, FMT Selangor PKR grassroots leaders have responded positively to party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's intention of contesting a state seat here, with six PKR division chiefs expected to hold a joint press conference tomorrow in support of her. A source told FMT today, the division heads of Klang, Kapar, Kuala Langat, Hulu Langat, Hulu Selangor and Sungai Besar would meet tomorrow in Klang to show their support for Wan Azizah. He said the grassroots leaders opined that Wan Azizah's arrival would raise party members' morale and enhance unity in the face of a crucial general election battle. He said some division chiefs have offered Wan Azizah the seats of Sementa or Pelabuhan Klang to contest. PKR lost control of Pelabuhan Klang following the defection of its elected assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah to Umno in 2010. Whereas in Sementa, the PKR candidate did not show up on the nomination day in 2008 GE, making BN the winner of the seat by default. "Both seats are made up of Malay majority voters. We need a party heavyweight like Wan Azizah to convince them to vote for Pakatan," he said. There were also talks that Wan Azizah would stand in one of the state seats in the Shah Alam parliamentary constituency. News about Wan Azizah's return to active politics surfaced after she said she was eligible to contest in a state seat when asked yesterday. New Straits Times reported that the wife of Anwar Ibrahim may be eyeing the Selangor Menteri Besar post. Originally elected as Permatang Pauh parliamentarian in the 2008 general election, Wan Azizah resigned a few months later to make way for her husband's return to politics. Following that, she has been banned from contesting any parliamentary seats for five years. READ MORE HERE

Anwar’s hidden agenda in Sabah? Posted: 28 Mar 2013 08:40 PM PDT Why is Anwar Ibrahim insisting that Pakatan Rakyat contest in both state and parliament seats when the coalition had made known that it cannot win Sabah? (FMT) - KOTA KINABALU: Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim's abrupt dismissal of local parties in the coalition's bid to "push BN out of power" in Sabah in the coming general election has left many unanswered questions. Local opposition Sabah Progressive Peoples Party (SAPP) for one is puzzled since DAP national advisor Lim Kit Siang had not too long ago said that the coalition did not expect to win in Sabah. "(So) if Pakatan do not expect to win in Sabah as mentioned by Lim Kit Siang then why are they obstructing Sabah parties such as SAPP from fighting for state rights? "Are they having some hidden agenda which is more important than toppling BN in Sabah?" asked SAPP secretary-general Richard Yong. Yong also recalled that Pakatan had already made known that they had a good chance of retaining Penang, Selangor, Kelantan, Kedah and winning Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Perlis. With so much going for Pakatan in Peninsula, Yong thinks its "over-confidence" that is driving Pakatan's decision to single-handedly take on the mighty Barisan Nasional. "They hold themselves so high that therefore there is no need for cooperation from Sabah parties to campaign against the Barisan Nasional. "They have ignored the people's aspiration for the opposition to go one-to-one against the BN at the coming elections," he said. Anwar had earlier this week said that the coalition will not engage in any more talk with local parties and will focus on solidifying its agenda in Sabah together with its newfound allies Pertubuhan Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPPS) and Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS). Both PPPS and APS are not registered parties and their candidates will be fielded under PKR, PAS or DAP. PPPS is led by BN defectors Laim Ukin (Beaufort MP ) and Wilfred Bumburing (Tuaran MP). Both were tasked by Anwar to 'draw-in' the Muslim and Kadazandusun voters respectively. He obviously now believes that this is a done deal. The decision had sidelined SAPP and the Sabah chapter of the State Reform Party (STAR). Both parties, like everyone else, had hoped to see a straight fights in majority of the seats in the coming election. READ MORE HERE

What's good for the goose is good for the gander (UPDATED with Chinese Translation) Posted: 28 Mar 2013 06:31 PM PDT So you, just like Marina, must take the blame for what your parents did. And because your parents are guilty of the state the country is in, you, just like Marina, have lost the right to speak. Marina must not speak since her father is to be blamed for what happened to Malaysia. You, too, must therefore not speak because your parents are to be blamed for what happened to Malaysia. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Yesterday, a friend from Malaysia phoned me and was very upset with the comments posted in Malaysia Today, in particular those that whacked me. I told him not to worry about it because, measured over any 30-day period, Malaysia Today has more than 700,000 unique readers. So 100-200 nasty comments is not a reflection of the majority view. I get more private e-mails and messages of support compared to those nasty comments posted in the Internet. And those comments posted in Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insider, Free Malaysia Today, and so on, are mostly duplicates. They are the same people posting all over the place. These are trolls who will post negative comments never mind what you say. It is not the issue that they address but the person that they whack. I have also detected many comments from the same person but posted under different names and e-mail addresses but their IP addresses are the same. This gives an impression of many people commenting but actually they are the same person commenting many times under different identities. These are what we would call hecklers. You see them at football games as well. They will also heckle the players because of their race/ethnicity rather than because of the way they play football. And most of these hecklers would not be able to score a goal even if their life depended on it. Yet they heckle others as if they are great footballers themselves. And most of these hecklers are people with very low intellectuality. Because of their inability to engage in an intellectual discourse they resort to heckling. For example, they will also heckle Marina Mahathir even when she makes a very sensible statement just because she is the daughter or Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. In fact, what Marina says is what many in the opposition are also saying. And she even attended the Bersih march, mind you. But even if Marina said we need more freedom of religion (which means Muslims can leave Islam if they so wish) and the rights of LBGTs should be protected (which means we should allow gay marriages) they will still whack her not because they don't agree with what she says but because she is the daughter of Dr Mahathir. If you should be whacked for what your parents did then no one should be spared a whacking. Remember what happened in the 2004 general election? That was the year that Barisan Nasional made history in the 11th General Election. And who was it that gave Barisan Nasional this most impressive victory? Many of you will say, "That was not me. That was my parents. My parents voted for Barisan Nasional, as they did in 1999, 1995, 1990 and so on." In fact, in 1995, even the 'giants' of DAP lost the election. Do you remember that? "That was not me, that was my parents." Well, Marina gets whacked because of what her father did. You disparage her and vilify her because she is the daughter of Tun Dr Mahathir. Hence when I disparage and vilify you for what your parents did in 2004, 1999, 1995 and 1990, am I wrong? And if not because of your parents Dr Mahathir would not have been in power for 22 years and Umno for 56 years. So you, just like Marina, must take the blame for what your parents did. And because your parents are guilty of the state the country is in, you, just like Marina, have lost the right to speak. Marina must not speak since her father is to be blamed for what happened to Malaysia. You, too, must therefore not speak because your parents are to be blamed for what happened to Malaysia. Why do you resent me calling the Chinese and Indians bodoh for voting for Barisan Nasional all those many years? It may be your parents who did this. However, just like Marina needs to be disparaged and vilified for what her father did, then so should you. That is called 'one standard for all', not one standard for you and a different standard for others. Another issue that these people raise is regarding my financial backers. They want to know who is financing Malaysia Today. If you want to know because you want to contribute to paying the cost of running Malaysia Today then I shall be very happy to sit down with you to discuss this matter. I will certainly show you my P&L and Balance Sheet. I start work at about 5.00am every day. Those who contact me at around lunchtime Malaysian time know this. Those who have visited me in Manchester and have spent the night in my house also know this. Mat Sabu of PAS can in fact confirm this as can those others who have stayed at my house. I normally do not stop work until after lunchtime (dinnertime Malaysian time) and I continue for another couple of hours at teatime and maybe 3-4 hours after dinnertime. In all, I spend about 10-12 hours a day on Malaysia Today, seven days a week, 365 days a year, holidays included. All in all, I spend 3,600-4,300 hours a year doing work for Malaysia Today. Let's average it at 4,000 hours a year. At the minimum wage of £6 an hour, that comes to £24,000 or RM120,000 a year. And that is minimum wage, mind you. If I were an editor of a commercial website I would receive much more than that. Nevertheless, £24,000 a year is what I would also get if I worked 8-10 hours a day as a chef in a restaurant here in the UK. Then we need three technical people on 24 hours standby at three shifts. And we need these people because Malaysia Today is constantly under DDOS attack. Even as you read this we are being subjected to attacks. In fact, we have been under attack this entire month, the worse being this week. Further to that, we need to pay for hosting and bandwidth. And our bandwidth is very high, mind you, and that is why we are still up and running when many other sites are down due to the traffic being too high. Hence we need to pay at least RM20,000 a month or RM240,000 a year just to keep Malaysia Today running. With my minimum wage included that comes to a total of RM360,000 a year or RM30,000 a month. Now, if you are concerned about the finances of Malaysia Today and the reason you want to know who is financing Malaysia Today is because of this concern, I will be very happy to sit down with you to discuss our financial needs. I will also allow you to see all the bills we have been paying over the last nine years since August 2004. I have all the documents to show you. But take note, though, even if you send me RM30,000 every month that still does not mean you can control me or dictate what goes into Malaysia Today. Back in 2010, Anwar Ibrahim met me in London and gave me £1,000 cash. But I still whacked him. Anwar then asked for my bank account and promised that someone from London is going to send me £1,000 every month. I gave him my bank account details and the first payment did come in. However, I still whacked him so they stopped sending me money after that. Hence, even if you send me money that does mean I will do what you want me to do, as Anwar discovered. And you can ask Anwar about this because I have bank statements showing this money coming in -- plus, when he gave me the first £1,000 cash in 2010 during a meeting with Friends of Pakatan Rakyat, more than a dozen people saw Anwar pulling me aside before the meeting started to hand me the money. Yet I still whacked him in that meeting. After saying all that, I also wish to declare that there is one person I have never met, a Chinese chap who is a Pakatan Rakyat supporter, who is sending me RM3,000 every month. And he has been doing so since the last couple of years. To this unknown person I am very grateful. And I know he is Chinese and a Pakatan Rakyat supporter because he got in touch with one of our chaps in Malaysia (through my introduction) to discuss what more he could do to help Pakatan Rakyat win the coming general election. He also offered to carry the cost of whatever it is they needed to do. He does not ask so many stupid questions like many of you do. He just asks what he can do to help and how much he needs to pay to see Pakatan Rakyat succeed in the elections. I am yet to meet this person face-to-face though. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   对母鹅有好处的，也将对公鹅有好处。 你，就如玛丽娜，要为你父母担罪。你的父母是促使国家变成现在这样的元凶，你因而丧失了发言的权利。玛丽娜因她父亲对马来西亚的作为而必须闭嘴，你现在也应该闭嘴，因为是你的父母把马来西亚逼成这个样子。   原文：Raja Petra Kamarudin 译文：方宙 我昨天接到一个从马来西亚打来的电话，在电话里我的朋友对MT里边的读者言论(尤其是针对我的攻击)感到生气。我告诉他其实他大可不必担心，因为现在MT每30天大约会有70万的来访者，所以区区100-200个留言并不代表大众的看法。 我也收到很多支持我的电邮和短信。而那些在Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insider, Free Malaysia Today 等的留言大都是重复的。他们都是同一个人在不同网站写下同样的留言。 无论你的论点是什么，这群白烂永远只会留下负面留言。他们不是针对课题，更多是针对个人作出攻击。 我也查觉到，很多留言都出自同一个人 (同一个IP)，但他们都用不同的名字和邮箱。他们要其他人认为是不同的人在留言，但其实都是同一个人多次以不同人名来留言。 我把这些人统称为'刁难者'；他们也经常出现在足球赛，他们会因足球员的肤色而非技术来刁难辱骂足球员。这些刁难员就连进个球的功夫也没有，但他们会以为自己是球王比利般来刁难别人。这些一般都是低知识的一群，正因他们不大有知识，不能进行理性探讨，所以以语言刁难为己长。 我举个例子，他们会不停的刁难玛丽娜，即使她提出很有道理的理论，就只因为她是马哈迪的女儿。事实上，很多时候玛丽娜讲的东西正是反对党所提倡的，她甚至参与Bersih游行。虽然玛丽娜致力提倡宗教自由(包括穆斯林可以离教)和保护LBGT权益(即合法化同性恋结婚)，他们还是不停的臭骂骚扰她，就因为她是马哈迪女儿。 如果说一个人应该为他父母所作的事情而被辱骂的话，那我们所有人将无一幸免。记得2004大选吗？国阵在那年取得了空前的大胜，那请问，是谁让国阵大胜的？ 你们当中会有很多人说："那不是我，那是我父母。他们在1999，1995，1990。。。。时投给国阵的。" 在1995年，就连行动党巨人林吉祥也惨败，你还记得吗？"那不是我，那是我父母" 现在，玛丽娜因她父亲干的事情而被你臭骂。你侮辱和丑化她，因为她是马哈迪的女儿。 所以，我要因你们父母在2004，1999，1995，1990作的事情而侮辱和丑化你，因为如果不是他们的话马哈迪就不会掌权22年，巫统就不会掌权56年。 你，就如玛丽娜，要为你父母担罪。你的父母是促使国家变成现在这样的元凶，你因而丧失了发言的权利。玛丽娜因她父亲对马来西亚的作为而必须闭嘴，你现在也应该闭嘴，因为是你的父母把马来西亚逼成这个样子。 为什么你这么讨厌我因华人和印度人投票给国阵而称他们为蠢蛋呢？你的父母可能是他们当中一员。现在，正如玛丽娜因为她父亲的作为而必须承受侮辱和丑化，你也一样。这就是'一视同仁'。 另外一个课题就是这些刁难者质疑我的金钱来源。他们要知道是谁在支撑着MT。如果你要打开钱包资助MT的日常费用的话，我将会很高兴的和你坐下细谈。我一定会把帐目摊开给你看。 我每天早上5点开始工作，那些在马来西亚午饭时间联络我的人就会知道。那些曾在曼杰斯特探望我和在我家过夜的人都应该知道。伊斯兰党的Mat Sabu 就可以作证。 我通常会一直做到午饭时间(即大马晚饭时间)，然后会多做1-2小时到下午茶时间，有时在晚饭后我会做个3-4小时。亦即说，我一天大概花10-12小时在MT上，一年365天全年无休(假期在内)。算起来，我一年就有3600-4300小时花在MT上。 让我们拿4000小时这个平均，英国最低时新为6英镑。所以一年是2万4千镑(约12万马币)。请记得那是最低时薪；如果我是一家公司的编辑的话，我肯定会比那赚得多。无论如何，2万4在英国大约是一个厨师的年薪吧。 然后，我们需要3个技术员，分3个班段24小时工作。MT经常会遭到DDOS攻击。就你读到这边时，我们正是被攻击中。我们这整个月都被攻击，尤以这个星期最为糟糕。 再者，我们必须付宽频与托管费。你应该很了解，我们的频率是很高的,这就是为什么即使我们有很高的探访率我们的网页也能正常操作。 所以说，我们每月至少需要2万马币(每年24万)来经营MT。如果加入我自己的最低薪水的话，那就至少得3万。 所以说，如果你对MT的财政深感关心而想要知道是谁在支撑MT的话，我将会很高兴得和你坐下来详谈我们的财政需求。我会让你看到过去九年（从2004年8月起）的所有帐单。 但是请注意，即使你每个月给我3万块钱，这也不代表你能够支配我和控制MT的操作所发表的文章。在2010年，安华在伦敦和我会面，给了我1000英镑，而我还是狠狠地干屌他。 过后，安华跟我拿了我的银行账号，答应我说每个月会有人把1000英镑打给我。我当时给了他，然后真的有人寄1000镑给我。但我还是继续的在骂他，然后他们就停止寄钱给我了。 所以说，你给了我钱以后并不代表你可以叫我做事情，安华他就明白这一点。你也可以跟安华问个明白，我还保留着银行的单子，而且，2010年他给我钱的时候是在'Friends of Pakatan Rakyat'的会议中。有很多证人看到他把我拉到了一旁，把钱塞给我。但，我还是在同一个会议里干屌他。 讲了这么多以后，我在这边要宣布，有一个华人（我不懂他是谁）每个月会寄3000马币。我对他心存感激。 我知道他是个民联支持者，因为他曾和我的'团员'在马来西亚碰面（经我介绍的），而当时他问到有什么方法可以令民联在来届大选胜出。他也表示他愿意承担任何代价，只要民联能胜出的话。 他并没有像你们一样问太多愚蠢的问题。他只是问他应该怎么帮忙，和他应该付多少钱来帮助民联。而我到现在为止还没有和他碰过面。

Keeping faith with Hindraf and Waytha Moorthy Posted: 28 Mar 2013 04:43 PM PDT Dr. Lim Teck Ghee, CPI  Three days ago (27 March), together with a colleague, I visited P. Waytha Moorthy who is presently in the 20th day of his hunger (viratham) strike aimed at pricking the conscience of the nation on the plight of the Indian poor and marginalized. A small group of supporters were also there early that morning, including some who had made the long trek from Kedah to express their support for him and the Hindraf struggle. I noticed that many thousands of mainly Indian supporters had signed the guest book (of supporters visiting him) and was glad to add my name to the list, late though I was in my visit. He was in a frail and weakened condition when he received us. This was to be expected as he has been struggling with various longstanding health problems even prior to undertaking the hunger strike. Abstention from food for such a long period would take a heavy toll on the wellbeing of even a person in the best of health. It seemed to me on that day that he was dangerously close to, if not already, exceeding the limits of human endurance in the prolonged fast. However his spirit was undiminished and his mental faculties were as sharp as ever. We had a fruitful conversation on the importance of Hindraf's struggle for not only Indians but the whole country. I emerged from the meeting with even stronger feelings of admiration for his steely determination to stay the course in his pursuit of equality, human rights and justice for his community – a cause applicable to all small minorities in the country whose futures and fates are of little or no interest to Umno and its coterie of entrenched business and other elite groups that have cornered most of our nation's wealth and power. I had not intended to write about my meeting with him as it was meant to be an act of private solidarity. However, I am impelled to write about it now for two reasons. The first is to call upon fellow Malaysians to rally around the Hindraf cause. If not because of their concern at the way the Indian poor have been marginalized and compassion for the hundreds of thousands of Indian poor families systematically excluded from access to the prerequisites of a decent livelihood, then at least in recognition of the courage of the movement. Hindraf and its supporters had been the first civil society organization to openly challenge and fight the odious scourge of racism. It is a struggle in which Hindraf and Waytha have stood apart from the rest of the country in not mincing words and in their readiness to stand for their principles and rights, and if necessary even to endure cracked skulls and spilled blood. Unfortunately most Malaysians have a short or incomplete memory when it comes to recognition of the individuals and groups that have sacrificed much to ensure a better country for all of us. Our political amnesia stems from several causes. Some are externally induced such as the official and mainstream mass media and other collaborationist-inclined interest groups ignoring or obliterating the facts on key and sensitive events and issues. Others are internally generated and arise from a culture of cynicism and disbelief in the nobility or goodness of others, and in the promotion of the self as a better being than others. Hindraf has fallen foul not only of the official and BN propaganda machine but it has also now been demonized in the alternative internet media by cynics who feel that Hindraf's call to the political parties to support its blueprint – as a pre-condition for its political support in the coming elections – is a betrayal of the reform movement. To Malaysians prone to or suffering from political amnesia on the meaning and importance of the Hindraf struggle for a truly democratic country, I hope you can visit the Hindraf website ( http://www.hindraf.org/news-statements/927-13-0307-01.html) and spend some time browsing it before you write off the movement. If surfing is not your inclination, at least let us be reminded of what Hindraf and its leaders have had to endure as narrated in this recent piece of writing of Waytha: READ MORE HERE

Will DAP become another MCA? Posted: 28 Mar 2013 04:38 PM PDT KTemoc Konsiders For me, a DAP supporter (though not a member), two troubling questions have kept popping up about my favoured political party. But before I delve into those two vexing queries, let me explain why I have for years supported and today am still supporting the DAP, considering I came from a family in Ayer Itam who originally supported MCA and then (from 1969 until 2004) supported Lim Chong Eu's (not Lim KY's or Koh TK's) Gerakan. For an Ayer Itam Chinese family, as for many Penang Chinese and Indian families, we support DAP because it has been the voice of those who saw/see themselves as the marginalized, disenfranchised, and (thus) aggrieved. Yes, some Chinese in Malaysia have become extremely rich under the Perikatan-BN government, while many (being typical overseas Chinese) just got on with their livelihood and lives, even comfortably, though quite a few (the unseen) scrapped by day after day. The general fact is that there's no chronic poverty for the Chinese in Malaya (I'm going to restrict my comments to the Peninsula); please read my qualification in the word 'general' which means there have been a few cases of utter poverty as in the case of 2 fallen by the wayside but we cannot deny these were the exceptions. Chinese slums in Penang though the residents don't starve On my assertion that in general there is no chronic poverty in Malaysia (or at least Peninsula Malaysia) I have no doubt some Indians would disagree most vociferously. I accept their arguments, though I have attempted to trace the cause behind the rather stark difference in the fate of Chinese and Indian Malaysians in general, in an earlier post Marginalization of Indians - the true story. When I wrote that post, I believe I was in many ways influenced by an essay I read as an HSC student, one written by (I think, 'twas years ago) Dr Ramakrishnan on the difference between Chinese and Indian attitudes, in which he epitomised the former as adhering to the Confucian advice of 'revering the gods but keeping them at a distance' while he lamented that in every aspects of an Indian life, religion (and its sanctified caste system) was deeply entrenched, and full of obstructing 'sacred cows'. Anyway, overseas Chinese have been required by survival to be pragmatic. In fact pragmatism would by necessity have to be a fundamental overseas Chinese doctrine. Thus some Chinese (and indeed some Indians) seeing the DAP as the voice of the marginalized, disenfranchised and aggrieved, while at the same time wishing to remain pragmatic, came up with what has jokingly been referred to as the 'Penang Strategy', that of electing and sending DAP MPs to Parliament to 'make mucho noise' for their rights on education and associated issues such as schools, scholarships, recognition of degrees, etc, while electing BN ADUNs wakakaka for Penang's economic and infrastructural development. In other words, continue with the daily necessity of '3 bowls of rice' while hoping for the best possible outcome in educational opportunities, for as I have so often written, education has been a central pillar of Chinese culture for thousands of years. Hmmm, I wonder where in Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs would the Chinese obsession for good standard and higher education be placed, as opposed to sex addiction, wakakaka. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Thus until the 2008 political tsunami, just as an example, courageous Khalsa warrior, Bhai Karpal Singh (more popularly known as the Lion of Gelugor or in earlier times, the Tiger of Jelutong) and equally courageous Uncle Lim would be sent off to Parliament to raise hell over rights and governance issues because MCA, MIC and Gerakan parliamentarians would be obsequiously dumb, while despised Koh Tsu Koon continued to be elected as an ADUN in the expectation of him becoming Penang's CM, at least in name, for Penang's domestic developments. Some UMNO hotheads in Penang had from time to time demanded the CM post for an UMNO man because it was the BN party with the most number of ADUNs in Penang (but only because it had cleverly 'divided & conquered' MCA and Gerakan). But Putrajaya (and before that, KL) knew the appointment of an UMNO man as CM would undoubtedly alienate the Chinese voters as well as MCA and Gerakan in Penang to an extent the two Chinese based parties - and let's not pretend Gerakan is not 99.9% Chinese - might (a loud UMNO gasp here) combine to outnumber UMNO ADUNs just to ensure a Chinese is CM Penang. A Chinese being CM Penang has never been an issue for UMNO but a combined MCA-Gerakan would be disastrous for its deeper strategy of keeping the two BN Chinese based parties divided and enervated, so as to continue being meek and compliant subordinates. Yes, UMNO don't fancy a MCA that's too strong, arrogant or/and defiant as it saw in Lim Chong Eu (when he was MCA president), Lee San Choon, Lee Kim Sai, Tan Koon Swan and Ong Tee Keat (the last may be embraced by a desperate Najib for GE-13, only because of his personal popularity in Pandan). The preferred type of Chinese partner UMNO love are people like Koh Tsu Koon and Liow 'my beloved PM' Tiong LIE, wakakaka. There was already an unwelcome precedent in Chinese political parties and NGOs converging in political thoughts and meeting at the Hainanese Association Building just beside the Thean Hou Temple in KL on 11 October 1987. Thean Hou Temple seen by Mahathir as Shaolin? wakakaka The meeting was organized by Dong Jiao Zong (the association of Chinese school teachers and trustees) to protest against a policy of UMNO Education Minister, a man by the name of Anwar Ibrahim wakakaka, for what they perceived as a surreptitious move to undermine vernacular education in his ministry's move to send about 100 non-Chinese educated principals to Chinese vernacular schools. As mentioned, because education has always been a central pillar of Chinese culture, all Chinese based parties in Malaysia then, namely, MCA and Gerakan and other Chinese based parties (SUPP?), and those dependent on Chinese support, DAP, had no choice but to participate in the Dong Jiao Zong organized meeting if they wished to survive politically. All in all, the attendance at that gathering was 2000 strong. Action saw Newtonian's reaction, with a young Najib as UMNO Youth Chief's voicing his jaguh-ness to bathe his keris with Chinese blood becoming today's political legend, much as he may wish to forget about it. READ MORE HERE

Photos show PKR leader in lewd act Posted: 28 Mar 2013 03:57 PM PDT (The Star) - KULIM: A PKR division leader in Kedah allegedly performed an indecent act while chatting with a woman online. Badan Bertindak Anti-Penye­lewengan Kedah president Khairul Anuar Ramli said video grab photographs of the leader performing the act were posted on several blogs. He said the leader could have used a PKR office computer to chat with the woman as a party flag could be seen in the background. "We urge the leader to immediately deny this and initiate legal action against the bloggers if he is not the person in the video," Khairul said at a press conference here yesterday. "The Kedah Government should also investigate and take appropriate action as the leader holds a state-appointed position." Khairul also urged Kedah PKR chief Datuk Wan Salleh Wan Isa to explain if there was any truth to allegations that 15 divisions in the state had not received their RM10,000 allocation for last year. "We understand that the PKR headquarters had allocated RM10,000 to each of the divisions but the money had not reached them," he said. "Many of the division leaders claim they had to use their own money to carry out programmes and activities." Khairul also claimed that local PKR leaders were unhappy that party vice-president N. Surendran and secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution would be fielded as parachute candidates in Kedah in the general election. Khairul quit as Kedah PKR Youth chief after the general election. ************************************* PKR to investigate Kedah division leader's alleged online lewd act PKR will investigate allegations that a Kedah division leader supposedly performed an indecent act online. "If there is misconduct, then action will be taken. I have not seen it, but we'll have to investigate it," said PKR vice-president N Surendran. Several screen-capture images of the leader engaging in a solo sexual act were posted on various blogs. Some images show the man without his shirt on, while some clearly display a portion of the party flag in the background. There were also a few explicit images of the man handling his genitals. The Star previously reported that the man could have been using a PKR office computer to chat with a woman while performing the deed. Some of the images were collected and uploaded as a YouTube video. Previously, Badan Bertindak Anti-Penyelewengan Kedah challenged the alleged leader to deny performing the act.

Why Muslim Countries Will Always Remain Backward? Posted: 28 Mar 2013 03:46 PM PDT By Harold Rhode, FaithFreedom.org The Chinese, at behind-the-scenes conferences and discussions during the past few months, kept saying they were perplexed about the Muslim world's — particularly the Arab world's — inability to deal with the modern world. The Chinese and the Muslims, they repeated, had suffered the same humiliation and occupation by foreigners over the past two hundred years, but the Chinese and Muslim reactions to these experiences seem so completely different. "We also suffered," the Chinese said, "but now we control our destiny, and are doing everything we can to learn from these foreigners so that we can benefit from the modern world and ensure that we do not suffer this humiliation again. We Chinese 'look to the future.'" The Muslims, on the other hand, the Chinese stated, seem to have a different approach: Instead of looking to the future, they "are mired in the past," more concerned about taking revenge against those foreigners whom they believe had humiliated and oppressed them. It was because of this focus on the past, these Chinese intellectuals and leaders stated, that Arabs and Muslims were therefore unable to build societies which could participate in the modern world. "Revenge and victimhood," these Chinese argued, could permanently cause "the Arabs and Muslim world" to "remain behind the West and Asia." These Chinese, many of whom had spent considerable time in the Muslim world and had gone to the trouble of becoming fluent in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, asked why our Muslim friends are "obsessed" (their word) with portraying themselves as victims. Victimhood, they said, gets people nowhere; what was necessary was to remember the past but put it behind you so that you could deal with contemporary problems. The Chinese are practical: although they harbor deep resentment to what other cultures — specifically the Japanese — have done to them, they say that if they indulge in self-pity, they will never be able to improve their lot in this world. The Islamic culture, however — and Middle Eastern culture in general — is acutely concerned with righting perceived wrongs. The Shari'a, in fact, sees the role of the ruler as one who "commands good and eradicates evil" — meaning it is more important to "correct" past wrongs than to think about how to improve one's situation. First one must correct the evil, and only then may one concentrate on how to have a better life. Saddam Hussein and Bashar al-Assad have focused much of their time and money fighting their enemies rather than building their societies. The Americans, before they invaded Iraq, tried to negotiate with Saddam to find a way to stop him from developing weapons of mass destruction and intimidating his neighbors, but Saddam would not compromise. To do so, from his point of view, would have shamed him, a condition to be avoided at all costs. Bashar al-Assad now seems committed to doing the same. Fighting evil, in their eyes, is a never-ending battle: they cannot — nor can, for that matter, the Palestinians — put their past perceived wrongs behind them. They therefore cannot turn their attention to any future. Middle Eastern leaders might want to eliminate Israel, or hire engineers to build buildings, but anything more elaborate requires importing foreigners — mostly Westerners or Asians for building airports, highways, or whatever. The Chinese perspective, to quote the former Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kwan Yew, is that, despite "everything we do for our Muslims, they continue to remain at the bottom of society" — poor, backward and uneducated. (Bernard Lewis, Notes on a Century…, pp. 245-246). Could it be, however, that the Chinese suffering from a similar problem, guaranteeing that they too could have difficulties competing with the Western world when it comes to innovation? In Chinese culture, one cannot question elders or people in position of authority about how and why they have come to a conclusion. In the West, we are encouraged to respect knowledge and position, but we are also encouraged to ask people how they have reached their conclusions. The Chinese are encouraged not to do so — both indirectly, by teaching their children from an early age blindly to accept authority. Here, the Chinese and the Muslims share the same view — so that neither culture enables the abilities of its people that could help to invent new products. The Chinese and some non-oil producing Muslim countries can copy Western inventions; the oil-rich countries import from the West whatever they need. Because the Chinese direct their energy towards the future, and rarely focus on past grievances, their approach possibly offers more hope for a better life, in which their people's standard of living increases, and China — from their point of view — takes what they regard as its rightful place on the world stage.

Pakatan undecided over Negeri MB candidate Posted: 28 Mar 2013 03:41 PM PDT While the state PKR chief, Teluk Kemang MP Kamarul Baharin Abbas was touted to take the MB post, he says he has not been given "any hint" to contest in a state seat. Leven Woon, FMT Negeri Sembilan Pakatan Rakyat has not made up its mind on the menteri besar candidate should it take over the state in the next polls. The state opposition pact, having won 15 out of 36 seats in the 2008 general election, is a serious contender to Barisan Nasional as it only needs another four seats to form the state government. Various Pakatan Rakyat leaders such as DAP parliamentary chief Lim Kit Siang have expressed confidence that the Minangkabau state would fall into the hands of the opposition in the next polls. But notwithstanding the grand plan, the coalition of PKR, PAS and DAP have yet to discuss or outline the choice of menteri besar should they come into power. The state PKR chief and Teluk Kemang MP Kamarul Baharin Abbas, who was touted by the media to be a MB candidate, denied that he plans to contest a state seat to clinch the state top executive post. "There are always rumours," he told FMT. "No one has asked me to start working in any state seat, I personally have not been given the hint to work in any state seat." Asked whether he is interested in the post, Kamarul said he was contented with the Teluk Kemang parliamentary seat. "I am not in a position to ask for anything more. I got one seat that I have to defend," he said. He said the state Pakatan has yet to discuss about the MB candidate because none of the coalition parties have its candidate list finalised by their respective national leaders at the moment. Kamarul is widely seen as a qualified MB material due to his seniority as the former PKR secretary-general and his corporate background. Besides, the state constitution requires a Malay Muslim to be the MB, thus eliminating DAP's 11 assemblypersons who are all non-Muslims and providing the second largest opposition party, PKR, a chance to get the post. PKR won four seats in 2008 while PAS has only one. DAP is expected to maintain its status quo in the coming polls by contesting 11 seats, while PKR will contest 13 and 12 seats. Sultan's decision When asked about the MB candidate, Negeri Sembilan PAS commissioner Mohd Taufek Abdul Gani said Pakatan has never discussed about the matter. He also said Kamarul was touted to be MB because he was always given the chance to chair the state Pakatan press conferences or meetings in respect of his seniority. He also said Pakatan should focus on winning the state first. READ MORE HERE

Gwo Burne on the chopping block? Posted: 28 Mar 2013 03:15 PM PDT Sources say PKR will choose either Tan Yee Kew or Wong Chen for Kelana Jaya. Leven Woon, FMT PKR is set to drop Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne from its list of election candidates, according to insiders. A source at PKR headquarters told FMT today that the party was determined to present the best lineup of parliamentary candidates in Selangor to face a fierce Barisan Nasional challenge and Loh did not fit in because of his lacklustre performance as an MP. Loh rose to prominence in 2007 for capturing a video showing controversial lawyer VK Lingam in a telephone conversation that many believed was proof that he used his influence to manipulate judicial appointments. Loh was one of the surprise winners in the 2008 election. However, the PKR source said, opinion polls conducted by the party showed that his constituents were disappointed that he had not served them well. They had expected him to be vocal in Parliament, he added. "But what has he done in the past five years?" A PKR grassroots leader in Kelana Jaya said Loh had only "a 40% chance" of being re-nominated by his party. He said Loh "got very lucky" in 2008 but had not repaid those who voted for him by adequately representing them. "Basically, his contribution stopped with his exposure of the Lingam video," he added. "It's only recently that he started working very hard all of a sudden." Sources said PKR would choose between two candidates for Kelana Jaya—Wong Chen, who heads the party's Trade and Investment Bureau, and Tan Yee Kew, who defected from MCA in 2008 and now sits in the PKR central committee. "They each stand a 50-50 chance," said one source, adding that Wong had lately been meeting grassroots leaders in Kelana Jaya. Until 2008, Kelana Jaya was an MCA stronghold. Chinese voters there make up more than 40% of the electorate. Malays account for 39% and Indians 18%. Loh defeated MCA's Lee Hwa Beng by 5,031 votes in 2008. There are 22 parliament seats in Selangor. In 2008, PKR won eight seats and DAP took five and PAS four. The sources also said PKR would field new candidates for the Selangor seats that it failed to capture in 2008. These would include law scholar Abdul Aziz Bari for Sabak Bernam and party strategist Rafizi Ramli for Pandan. Khalid Jaafar, a long time associate of Anwar Ibrahim, is expected to contest in Hulu Selangor, a seat that the party won in 2008 but lost to MIC's P Kamalanathan in a by-election in 2010.

I am eligible to contest, says Wan Azizah Posted: 28 Mar 2013 03:13 PM PDT Speculations are rife that she will be fielded in either Shah Alam parliamentary or Sementa state constituencies. (FMT) - SHAH ALAM: PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who ruled herself out of contesting a parliamentary seat for five years from July 2008 said that she is now eligible to contest a state seat in the 13th general election. Wan Azizah had resigned as Permatang Pauh MP to give way to her husband Anwar Ibrahim's return to active politics. She said the matter had been discussed informally, but added that she was focusing more now on campaigning for the party. Wan Azizah was asked about talk that she would contest one of the state seats in the Shah Alam parliamentary constituency or the Sementa state seat in Selangor in the soon to be called general election. She had won the Permatang Pauh seat in Penang in the 2008 general election but resigned as the MP on July 31, 2008, to enable Anwar to contest and win the seat in a by-election on Aug 26 of that year. Wan Azizah spoke to reporters yesterday after handing over a Selangor government donation of RM20,000 to each of the families of the security forces personnel slain during the terrorist intrusion in Lahad Datu, Sabah. Earlier, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim denied that the state legislative assembly had not been dissolved for elections thus far because certain quarters did not concur in the matter. It was a party strategy, he said after launching an application system at the Selangor Land and Mines Office. Last Tuesday, Abdul Khalid had announced that the Selangor legislative assembly would be dissolved on April 22. He had earlier said that the dissolution would be after the "Chap Goh Meh" celebration at the end of last February.

Chua still sulking over Kit Siang’s move? Posted: 28 Mar 2013 03:11 PM PDT Johor PKR legal bureau chief Jimmy Phuah says Chua Jui Meng was still Johor PKR chairman despite the overwhelming speculation that he would quit the post. (Bernama) - JOHOR BAHRU: Johor PKR chairman Chua Jui Meng was nowhere to be seen when DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang was announced as the opposition's candidate for Gelang Patah parliamentary seat at the DAP's 47th anniversary celebration in Skudai two weeks ago. Chua was said to be 'sulking' when his high hopes to contest for the seat in the 13th general election was crushed after Johor DAP decided to field its candidate in the constituency where Chinese community made the majority of voters. Since then, Chua seemed to have disappeared from Johor political spotlight, and hence strengthened the speculation that the former health minister was actually sulking and giving everyone the silent treatment. Media attempts to contact Chua also failed since the Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim announced Lim's nomination. Johor PKR legal bureau chief Jimmy Phuah, when contacted by Bernama said Chua was still Johor PKR chairman despite the overwhelming speculation that he would give the post up as he was very upset with the decision. "He is away for a holiday and he will be around by next week. I'm not sure (whether Chua sulks), but he is still Johor PKR chairman and will definitely get back to work," he said. The PKR-DAP disputes over the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat had existed long before the announcement on Lim's nomination. The disputes had gotten out of control when Johor DAP chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau also showed keen interest in contesting the seat. Since 1999, Gelang Patah parliamentary seat was contested by PKR's candidate and, before that, by Parti Rakyat Malaysia's candidate, in a fight against Barisan Nasional's (BN) candidate. In the 2008 general election, BN's candidate Tan Ah Heng defeated PKR's candidate Dr Zaliha Mustafa with over 8,000-vote majority.

Anti-gay musical tours Malaysian schools and universities Posted: 28 Mar 2013 12:27 PM PDT   Human-rights groups fear increase in violence towards LGBT community after latest state-backed propaganda (The Guardian) - A government-backed musical in Malaysia that aims to warn young people about the perils of being lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) in this Muslim-majority country has sparked controversy over its "state-sponsored bigotry" and potential to incite hatred. Asmara Songsang (Abnormal Desire) follows the lives of three LGBT friends who throw loud parties, take drugs and have casual sex, thereby incurring the wrath of their religious neighbours, who attempt to reintroduce them to the teachings of Islam. Those who repent are spared, while those who don't are killed in a lightning storm. Rahman Adam, 73, who wrote and directed the musical, said his aim was "to educate the youngsters and their parents [on] the bad things about LGBT". "Nowadays in Malaysia you read so many things in newspaper articles or write-ups about LGBT … because [LGBT] are going into schools and influencing the children," he said. "Children need to recognise that men are for women, and women are for men. They [LGBT] are all out to have homosexual and lesbian sex, and although right now it is not so serious [in Malaysia], we need to act, to do something, to say something, to say that this is bad and not to follow it." The musical features some of Malaysia's most famous TV actors and opened this month at the national theatre in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. It has since toured schools, universities and teacher-training colleges – with free tickets provided. Read more at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/28/anti-gay-lgbt-musical-malaysia

Democracy : The Hypocrisy of DAP Cyber Troopers and Supporters Posted: 28 Mar 2013 12:05 PM PDT   Is there any benchmark that whoever protested against Barisan Nasional then they are Heroes and whoever that protested against DAP will be shamed?  Shen Yee Aun On 22 March 2013, I led a peaceful rally to submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Penang and the Secretary General of DAP. Since then I had been heavily ambushed by all the DAP troopers and supporters in the internet. What shocked me is that most of their comments is actually slapping at their own face. 1. I am not from Penang If I am not from Penang then is the current Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng from Penang? They have forgotten the facts that I organized it together with 2 Penang-based NGOs and as a Malaysian and in a democratic country should we have boundaries of which state we should or should not go? DAP supporters and troopers must understand that Penang belongs to all Malaysians and not belonging to DAP. Most importantly, the memorandum that we submit is not only about Penang issues and there are also a few national issues that need clarification from the DAP Secretary General of Malaysia. Is DAP supporters trying to say that DAP Lim Guan Eng is only they DAP leader for Penang and not a leader for all Malaysians? What about Wong Tack that carried his Himpunan Hijau roadshow nationwide in many of the states that he was not born in? 2. Traffic Jam and Few Businesses Close Shop The whole process of the event took less than 2 hours and the number of crowd maximum will be 500 - 1000. If my peaceful memorandum rally will cause traffic jams and it is really an issue then what about their BERSIH 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0? So in Malaysia as long as anybody protests against DAP then it will be wrong to cause traffic jams and whoever that protested against Barisan Nasional and even no matter how bad is the traffic they are causing they will never be wrong? So a few business close shop then it is my fault for causing their loses and when almost the entire Kuala Lumpur close shop during BERSIH 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 then is not their problem? 3. Shame vs Dignity All the DAP supporters and troopers are slamming me that I am a shame to the nation, Penang people, the country and even dragging my parents in. Is there any benchmark that whoever protested against Barisan Nasional then they are Heroes and whoever that protested against DAP will be shamed? 4. DAP are the betrayers of Democracy DAP are the loudest to shout for freedom to assemble, gather, protest and yet when any individual or entity protest against them, they quickly claim that it is wrong. So is DAP actually shouting for freedom of both sides or only just 1 sided where only pro-DAP supporters are allowed to protest? 5. Accusations Towards our Malaysian Police There easily few hundreds FRU and police force  in a rally of just 500 – 1000 people. None of us provoked any of our Malaysian police who are doing their job and none of us actually went beyond the line that we are not supposed to cross over. So why would the police need to catch us when we did nothing wrong? Did any of our supporters ambush or attack any police or police car? Not even a single person in the protest gave the kind of hand and body language instruction like Anwar Ibrahim and Azmin Ali to break through the police barricade. Most importantly they just totally ignored the FRU and Police who came to protect KOMTAR during a small scale peaceful memorandum protest. 6. What is UBAH? Why should Malaysia political scenario reach a situation where DAP troopers and supporters can only accept 1 sided democracy, freedom and rights while objecting the other entity for such freedom? Is this type of PERUBAHAN / UBAH a positive type of changes or actually the same or even worse? 7. Do DAP really believe that they are a better choice than BN? In that memorandum, I did mention that I am most willing to debate with any of current DAP 70 000 members and leaders (any amount, any time and any place) on the title that Pakatan Rakyat is better than Barisan Nasional and now after almost a week DAP does not even dare to send a single person to prove that Pakatan Rakyat is better than Barisan Nasional? The problem with DAP supporters and leaders will be if they were to challenge anybody for a debate and if that person dares not accept then they will claime that they are scared, wrong and etc but when challenges are forwarded to them, hardly will they ever accept.

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