Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- PKR linked to US PR firm? Rafizi says ‘No’
- ‘Growing discontent in PKR’
- Tun Daim : BN Will Win With A Bigger Majority
- GE13: Kedah DAP gives PKR ultimatum over additional state constituencies
- GE13: Fight for the Johor Baru parliamentary seat heats up
- GE13: Lim backs down from Teng's challenge
- GE13: Two hurt in fracas at DAP talk
- Muslim scholars aiding Manila on Sabah claim
- Assange appoints WikiLeaks Party campaign director for Senate bid
- ‘No one in Pakatan fit to be PM’
- ‘DAP’s Johor move to avoid internal conflict’
- ‘Pakatan planning reverse takeover of Sabah’
- MCMC Investigates Yasin Regarding Interview With Radio Free Malaysia
- Parliament To Be Dissolved Tomorrow?
- A day late and dollar short sums up PKR’s civil service carrot
- Reckoning for Pakatan in Klang - Pt 1
- Latheefa Koya blows her top
- Shared memories at the core
| PKR linked to US PR firm? Rafizi says ‘No’ Posted: 01 Apr 2013 04:41 PM PDT E-mail correspondence suggests a link between PKR and Orion Strategies, but a PKR leader calls this another attempt to nail Anwar Ibrahim. G Vinod, FMT Has PKR sought the expertise of a US-based public relations firm to bolster its chances in the upcoming general election? E-mail correspondence furnished to FMT revealed an Orion Strategies staff attempting to arrange a meeting between two Malaysian delegates, purportedly linked to PKR, with an unnamed US congressman. "Unresolved issues are threatening the integrity of Malaysia's electoral process and hold open the possibility, if not corrected, [of] plunging Malaysia into deep, post-electoral crisis," said Orion Strategies' Mike Mitchell to congressional staff Hana Atuatasi. Mitchell also named the Malaysian delegates as Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel and Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian. The meeting was supposed to take place on March 14 and 15, after the duo's scheduled talks in Washington with regard to political developments in Malaysia. However, the e-mail did not specify whether the meeting took place or otherwise. A check by FMT found that Orion Strategies is headed by Randy Scheunemann, a former adviser to ex-Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Scheunemann is described as a neo-conservative, who had also served for Republican presidential candidate John McCain as an adviser during the 2008 US presidential election. In an e-mail response to FMT, PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli denied the party had appointed any consultant or individuals to represent it during the general election, let alone a foreign one. "We believe that we have enough talent among our volunteers and leadership to spearhead the campaign on our own. Besides, the cost itself will be prohibitive given the limited financial resources available to us," he said. Rafizi said he had also checked the matter with the US Foreign Agent Registry and confirmed that none in the US had ever been appointed to act on behalf of PKR, nor by anyone that could be associated with the party. Rafizi added that he had also never heard of Orion Strategies. "Therefore, any attempts to link PKR to any paid foreign agents is just an election gimmick to defame [PKR supremo] Anwar Ibrahim, that has been done previously. "It did not bear any fruit the last time. I am sure it will backfire this time around as well," he said. 'An attempt to undermine our credibility' Gabriel and Ibrahim, in a joint statement, also dismissed the matter, claiming that it was an attempt to undermine their credibility within the Malaysian civil society fraternity. The duo said they were invited to give talks in the US in early March but had declined the offer due to hectic work schedules.
|
| Posted: 01 Apr 2013 04:33 PM PDT Sources claim that many are upset with PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim's choice of candidates, with one division leader even planning to rejoin Umno later today. B Nantha Kumar, FMT Speculation is rife that many are upset with PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim's choice of candidates for the 13th general election. One party source from Perak even claimed that Pasir Salak PKR division chief Ahmad Taufik Hassan would be leaving the party to rejoin Umno later tonight. "Taufik is apparently upset by Anwar's decision to field Mustafa Kamil Ayub for the Pasir Salak parliamentary seat," said the PKR source. The party insider added that Pasir Salak Umno will be hosting a short ceremony celebrating Taufik's decision in Kampung Gajah tonight. "Taufik and several others aligned to him will be giving their application forms to Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, who is also Pasir Salak Umno division chief," said the source. The source also said rumours that Anwar would be fielding Brigadier-General (Rtd) Abdul Hadi al-Khattab to contest for the Tanjung Malim parliamentary seat had also riled up the Tanjung Malim PKR division. The party members, the source said, was even thinking of holding a peaceful demonstration to ensure their choice of candidate, Chua Yee Ling, gets selected. "Chua is a former special assistant to Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong. It is said that many Chinese leaders in PKR are silently protesting against the former military man's candidacy. "They see it as an attempt to take away a seat reserved for the Chinese in PKR," said the source. The party insider also said that the growing dissatisfaction against Anwar within the party is rising and it may peak within the next few days. "Last week, Anwar was booed at a programme held at Balok, Kuantan, for his decision to field Fauzi Abdul Rahman for the Indera Mahkota parliamentary seat, instead of incumbent Azan Ismail." said the source. The source added that rumours are rife that some in PKR have already started a movement to protest against party president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, (and stop her) from contesting for a state seat. "All this resentment is going to be a slap in the face for PKR," said the source.
|
| Tun Daim : BN Will Win With A Bigger Majority Posted: 01 Apr 2013 04:29 PM PDT
(The Kuala Lumpur Chronicle) - Tun Daim remains optimistic of BN's winning chances in the upcoming general election, predicting that the ruling coalition could retain Putrajaya while wrestling Selangor and Kedah from Pakatan, adding that Kelantan could also turn to BN this time. However he admitted that the battle would be very fierce in both Selangor and Perak. When asked to comment on Lim Kit Siang's ambitions for Johor, Daim said the Chinese voters in Johor were different from those in KL, as they wanted stability. Nevertheless, he felt it was possible for Kit Siang to win in Gelang Patah while DAP could clinch a few more seats in the state. The veteran politician known for his accurate electoral predictions admitted that many changes could take place in politics within a week, and a more accurate prediction could only be made about three days before the polls. He told Sin Chew Daily Kelantanese had grown sick of menteri besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat as the state had not seen much development over the years. However he admitted that retaking Kelantan was hard so long as Nik Aziz was still around. "Many Kelantanese now look for jobs in other states because they don't want to live under a PAS administration, but will go back there to vote. "Meanwhile in Kedah, the disputes among Pakatan's parties continue. Pakatan has not brought much development to the state and if they are in power again, they will fight among themselves to stay on top. Each party thinks it can outperform others." He said infighting among Pakatan parties had already taken place in Selangor and Johor and many voters would take this into consideration when casting their ballots. Penang a very tough bet Daim agreed it would be extremely difficult to take Penang because the state is made up of majority urban Chinese who are unhappy with the Federal government. "People living in cities think they are more progressive than their rural counterparts, and consequently it is hard for the government to get bigger support from urban voters." As for Perak, BN has 50% chance to retain Perak because DAP's Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang will leave Perak for Johor and DAP's battle in the state will be led by the Ngeh brothers who are not in good terms with the party's Indian leader M. Kulasegaran. On Anwar's move to Perak, Daim said Anwar was already "obsolete." He said some people might think Anwar had changed, but the change just came a little too late. Other than Lembah Pantai where Federal Territory Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik has a chance, Daim said it would be difficult for the BN to make significant breakthroughs in KL "BN has learned a lesson. They know they will lose some seats if they are divided. So they are more united than Pakatan now."
|
| GE13: Kedah DAP gives PKR ultimatum over additional state constituencies Posted: 01 Apr 2013 04:01 PM PDT
(The Star) - Kedah DAP has issued an ultimatum to PKR to give the party additional seats in the state in the coming general election or face a three-way fight. It is asking for two parliamentary and six state constituencies, a far cry from the two state seats it contested in the 2008 general election. These are the Padang Serai and Alor Setar parliamentary constituencies and the Derga, Kota Darulaman, Bakar Bata, Bakar Arang, Gurun and Lunas state seats. However, its hope to contest the Alor Setar parliamentary seat was dashed after PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim named a candidate from his party for the constituency on Sunday night. Kedah DAP chairman Lee Guan Aik was unhappy with the decision because, according to him, PKR did not consult the party. He claimed that DAP headquarters had agreed to the party contesting in Alor Setar and was surprised by Anwar's announcement. "There will be a three-way fight if our demand is not met. However, we will get approval from party headquarters before going ahead with the plan," he said yesterday. Anwar announced at a dinner in Kampung Berjaya here that state PKR legal bureau chief Gooi Hsiao Leung would vie for the Alor Setar parliamentary seat. Lee said the state DAP submitted a report to the party headquarters last month listing Alor Setar as one of the parliamentary seats that it was confident of winning. Kedah PKR chairman Datuk Wan Salleh Wan Isa, when contacted, said the decision on seat allocation was made by the central committee. "When Anwar announced the candidate, DAP had been informed about it. So why the surprise?" he added.
|
| GE13: Fight for the Johor Baru parliamentary seat heats up Posted: 01 Apr 2013 03:59 PM PDT
(The Star) - The much touted battle of the Tan Sri's for the Johor Baru parliamentary seat is expected to take place with incumbent Tan Sri Shahrir Samad squaring off with former army chief Jen Tan Sri Md Hashim Hussein. The latter is the likely PKR candidate for the seat. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to make announcements about Pakatan Rakyat's candidates during his visit here today, including Md Hashim's candidacy in Johor Baru. The general had been coy about being the candidate for the seat, saying he was never told officially that he would be selected. The general met up with PKR leaders from the Johor Baru division for meetings and a get-to-know session yesterday. Shahrir, who has contested the seat five times since 1978, was unperturbed that PKR was expected to field the former general in his constituency. "I have been contesting here for many years and the people know the service that I provide. I leave it to them to judge my work," he said, adding that he was willing to face any candidate, whether "big or small", from the Opposition. Shahrir said he was surprised that Md Hashim would be the candidate since he had assumed it would be Johor Baru PKR chief Tan Poh Lai. Md Hashim, who could not be reached for comments despite repeated efforts, had previously told The Star that he did not mind attending ceramah to help Pakatan but to be named a candidate would be a heavy responsibility. "However I have been trusted with heavy responsibilities during my days in the armed forces, when I was posted to Bosnia and also Pakistan," he said.
|
| GE13: Lim backs down from Teng's challenge Posted: 01 Apr 2013 03:56 PM PDT
(The Star) - Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has called off the contest with state Barisan Nasional chief Teng Chang Yeow. Lim said he had enough of the "political game" played by Teng and will not entertain his conditions. "I was tricked by him (Teng) after accepting his ridiculous condition not to contest a parliamentary seat and only a state seat," Lim said in a press conference in Komtar here Tuesday. On Monday, Teng maintained his conditions for the face-off with Lim in the upcoming general election, saying he (Teng) would decide on the seat to be contested. Teng said once Lim accepted the conditions, he (Teng) would name the seat. Lim, who is also the DAP secretary-general, had stated earlier that he would slug it out with Teng only for the Padang Kota state seat. He said if Teng agreed to this, he (Lim) would not contest a parliamentary seat. Prior to this, Teng was reported saying he was willing to have a face-off with Lim in the elections on condition that the Barisan leader gets to pick the state seat.
|
| GE13: Two hurt in fracas at DAP talk Posted: 01 Apr 2013 03:22 PM PDT  Bloodied hand: Kogilavani (left) and her husband Murugan after the attack at Taman Inang. JOHOR BARU: The tension within Johor DAP, with rival factions vying for influence, has spilled over into a fracas at a party ceramah, injuring a branch leader and her husband. Taman Nesa DAP chairman S. Kogilavani was hurt when she tried to prevent several men from attacking her husband K. Murugan for shouting during the event in Taman Inang at about 10pm on Sunday where party adviser Lim Kit Siang was one of the speakers. The couple, who was pushed to the ground, later lodged police reports. Murugan, who was Taman Nesa DAP publicity secretary, along with former Taman Saga branch chairman V. Thulasi Das, had earlier staged a protest outside a hotel, accusing state DAP chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau of being a racist who ignored the needs of the Indian community. It is learnt that several people in the back row were shouting using a loud-hailer as the ceramah was going on. Some were letting off firecrackers for several minutes to drown out the speakers. When contacted, Kogilavani said she was disappointed with the party leaders as they did nothing to stop the incident. "I was in front as it was a DAP gathering, but rushed to the back when I heard a commotion. I tried to get help from the party security personnel but no one responded," she said. Kogilavani said she tried to stop the men from attacking her husband with helmets, but was herself struck and pushed to the ground. "So far no DAP leader has bothered to call and find out what happened," she added. Murugan denied that he went to the ceramah to cause trouble. "I just shouted for one of the speakers to speak in Tamil and this angered some people who then attacked me," he said, adding that he decided to come to the ceramah because it was held near his house. Meanwhile, Lim said he regretted that such an incident took place but left it to the state DAP leadership to take any action necessary. A man wearing a DAP shirt was reported to have been detained after the ruckus. Asked if he was a party member, Dr Boo said he would find out. "I was not at the function and do not fully understand yet what happened," he said, and declined further comment. Police said they were investigating the incident.
|
| Muslim scholars aiding Manila on Sabah claim Posted: 01 Apr 2013 03:16 PM PDT
Debra Chong, TMI Manila is reportedly getting advice from its top Muslim scholars to study the country's dormant claim to Sabah despite the north Borneo state being under Malaysian governance for the past 50 years. Citing an unnamed source, The Philippine Star reported today President Benigno Aquino III (picture) has consulted professors from the republic's top schools, including the University of the Philippines, to get an insight and to provide historical context to the sensitive territorial issue following a renewed bid by a Filipino Muslim clan to reclaim its 17th-century stake over Sabah. "We have been consulting with Muslim scholars, some of them are even elderly," an insider from the president's office was quoted as saying. Sabah has been a part of Malaysia since 1963 following the Cobbold Commission's 1962 referendum in the state and neighbouring Sarawak, where about two-thirds of the people voted to be part of Malaysia. The Philippine claim on Sabah had been dormant since then, until it was revived two months ago by a southern Filipino faction under the leadership of self-style Sulu Sultan Jamallul Kiram III, whose forces landed in a village near Lahad Datu on February 9 and have been waging a guerilla battle against Malaysian security forces. Putrajaya has been paying an annual stipend of RM5,300 to Manila on the basis of the Sulu sultanate ceding the north Borneo state. On March 19, it was reported that Manila had engaged a team of lawyers to study the country's claim on Sabah amid clashes between Filipino gunmen and Malaysian security forces there. "Are they kidding when they say we have given up our claim? We're paying so much for the lawyers to study the claim," Philippine Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras was quoted as saying then. Aquino has reportedly assured the Kiram clan his government will study carefully the country's claim to Sabah, saying the process may take a long time since all the stakeholders concerned would have to be consulted on the matter. "So that has to go through the process. The concerned agencies, offices, etc, will have to provide comments," Aquino was quoted as saying in The Philippine Star report today.
|
| Assange appoints WikiLeaks Party campaign director for Senate bid Posted: 01 Apr 2013 03:08 PM PDT
(Reuters) - Fugitive WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, holed up in London's Ecuadorian embassy for nine months, has appointed a high-profile opponent of Britain's monarchy to run his campaign for a seat in Australia's upper house of parliament. Former Australian Republican Movement head and barrister Greg Barns said yesterday he would be campaign director for the WikiLeaks Party spearheading Assange's rare absentee bid for a Senate seat in Australia's September 14 election, which even if successful would not bring him any legal protection. "It's most definitely a serious campaign," Barns told Australian radio. "He does attract support from across the political spectrum. The party will offer a refreshing change from the Australian government culture of secrecy." The former computer hacker, an Australian citizen, announced last year he would run for the 76-seat Senate and would use the protection of parliament to champion free speech and break court suppression orders. Assange is considered a long shot to win a Senate seat as he would need to attract about 15 percent of votes in the Victoria state. If he wins, he would be able to take his seat from July 1, 2014, but would need to return to Australia to be sworn in. If he wins a Senate seat, he would be covered by Australia's parliamentary privilege rules, which protect politicians against legal action over comments made in parliament. Barns, a high-profile political campaigner at home, said Assange's party had already secured backing from a prominent Melbourne philanthropist—former Citibank executive Philip Wollen—and needed 500 members to fulfill party registration. Assange struck a defiant tone in a recent interview, telling Australian academic website The Conversation that he felt "no fear" about the legal accusations against him. "Truth is I love a good fight. Many people are counting on me to be strong. I want my freedom, of course. But confinement gives me time to think," he said. Assange, 41, whose website angered the United States by releasing thousands of secret diplomatic cables, took sanctuary in Ecuador's embassy in London last June, jumping bail after exhausting appeals in British courts against extradition to Sweden for sexual assault allegations. The silver-haired Assange burst into global prominence in 2010 when Wikileaks released secret footage, military files and diplomatic cables about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, prompting a furious response from the United States.
|
| ‘No one in Pakatan fit to be PM’ Posted: 01 Apr 2013 03:00 PM PDT Yayasan 1Malaysia chairman, Chandra Muzaffar, feels Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is not the right candidate because he carries with him too much of baggage. Priscilla Prasena, FMT No leader in Pakatan Rakyat is fit to be the Prime Minister, if the opposition pact made up of PAS, DAP and PKR, wins the 13th general election. Yayasan 1Malaysia chairman, Chandra Muzaffar, said none of the opposition parties' leaders fit the mould of Prime Minister, while their best bet Anwar Ibrahim carries with him too much excess baggage. "Anwar Ibrahim will not be the right candidate due to his background. During the Asian Financial crisis in 1997, he made a mess of the Malaysian economy. He adopted policies which resulted in huge losses and as a result businesses closed down. "During his tenure as Education Minister in 1986, Anwar introduced numerous pro-Malay policies in the national school curriculum which caused ethnic tensions," said Chandra in an exclusive interview with FMT. Chandra said one of Anwar's major changes in the Education Ministry was to rename the national language from Bahasa Malaysia to Bahasa Melayu. Chandra, who is the founder of International Movement for a Just World, added that non-Malays criticised the move saying that changing the name of the language would make it more Malay than Malaysian. "His closeness to the powerful lobbies internationally doesn't support the national agenda and I somehow feel that it is dangerous to the nation." "Anwar is known to have close links with Al-Gore [the former US vice-president] who may have his own agenda against this nation. The Malays and general public understand the dangers behind this," said Chandra. Chandra also ruled out former DAP secretary-general Lim Kit Siang as Prime Minister should Pakatan win the general election.
|
| ‘DAP’s Johor move to avoid internal conflict’ Posted: 01 Apr 2013 02:57 PM PDT Lim Kit Siang loyalists are parachuted to Johor to avoid a scramble for seats, says Utusan Malaysia. Zulkifli's apology to the Hindus is also highlighted. K Pragalath, FMT The DAP's move into Johor is to avoid internal scramble for seats, a Malay daily claims. Utusan Malaysia says another reason is that the young leaders have enough of the old leaders who continue to sideline them. The paper said among them are Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP national chairman Karpal Singh and Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw. These veterans were described as "power crazy". Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong's move to contest in Kluang was done because Liew was unhappy with DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng who favoured Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua on economic and DAP's internal affairs. Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran, who is DAP national vice-chairman, is supposed to contest in Segamat against MIC's deputy president and Human Resources Minister, Dr S Subramaniam. Speculations are Kulasegaran would be allowed to retire from politics if he lost in the general election. The shift of DAP leaders to Johor is also described as moving DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang loyalists to another state to avoid internal conflicts. Utusan also pointed out attempts by DAP to woo civil society leaders to ensure DAP's victory. Among those who were wooed are former Bar Council president, Yeo Yang Poh, who is based in Johor and Bersih co-chairman S Ambiga. The daily also reported Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP Zulkifli Noordin's apology to Hindus if his statement made 10 years ago had incurred the anger of the community. He claimed the viral video that depicted him as degrading the Hindu faith was meant to slander him. "It [the video] is meant to defame me and Perkasa even though it has nothing to do with Perkasa. I tender my open apology to Hindus and Malaysians on this matter," said Zulkifli, a former PKR MP who turned Independent.
|
| ‘Pakatan planning reverse takeover of Sabah’ Posted: 01 Apr 2013 02:46 PM PDT Former Sabah chief minister Yong Teck Lee will reveal for the first time today the behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing that went on in 2008. Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has turned its guns on the national opposition front Pakatan Rakyat and declared it ineligible to rule Sabah. Putting a new spin to the expression "reverse takeover" coined to describe the imperceptible shift of political control of the state into the hands of the immigrant population, the local opposition party warned that Pakatan was also guilty of such tactics. The startling attack made on April 1 was no April Fool's Day joke though it had all the markings of one. SAPP vice-president Melanie Chia issued the warning based on her party's reading of the failed negotiations for a one-on-one fight between the opposition and the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition government that virtually swept all the state and parliamentary seats in the last general election. She said the potential for a "reverse takeover" of Sabah by Malayan parties would be through the use of defectors from Umno after the BN government was overthrown in the soon-to-be-called 13th general election. Such a scenario, she said, was a reality as Pakatan that groups PKR, DAP and PAS had recently already predicted that it could not take over Sabah alone in the coming polls. Explaining the plot, Chia said Pakatan's de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim himself had hinted as much when he announced last week, that the coalition would "go it alone" in contesting all state and parliamentary seats in Sabah and Labuan. "The game plan of Pakatan is to pave the way for Umno assemblymen to defect to PAS or PKR after the general election if Pakatan captures Putrajaya so that a reverse takeover of the Sabah state government and its resources can be completed," she said. "To achieve this reverse takeover, it has become apparent that the tactic of Pakatan is to make sure that autonomous, self-reliant and fearless local parties like SAPP must not be allowed to win. "After all, SAPP has proven itself as capable of fighting as an opposition party at both state and federal levels," added the two-term state representative for Luyang. 2008 meetings SAPP, which observers say cannot claim to have won over Sabah voters, is still staggered by Pakatan's refusal to hand over the bulk of state constituencies to the local party in return for a majority of the 25 parliamentary seats in Sabah.
|
| MCMC Investigates Yasin Regarding Interview With Radio Free Malaysia Posted: 01 Apr 2013 01:18 PM PDT
(Media Selangorku) - The popular singer who is also the Ambassador for the Keadilan Youth Brigade (AMK), Yasin Sulaiman was called to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) regarding his interview with Radio Free Malaysia (RFM) at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur today. Yasin's recorded statement by MCMC Officer, Iqbal Ikhwandi Mat Zin, to help investigations on RFM which allegedly does not a licence or a permit from the MCMC. Accompanying him was AMK Chief, Samsul Iskandar Mf Akin. In the meantime, Samsul when met by reporters stated that Yasin's presence was only as a witness to help assist investigations on the said radio station. On 25 March, RFM interview Yasin on the Reformation song which has been made the AMK campaign song throughout the country and also his hopes on the uprising of voices of Malaysians. Yasin said that he was interviewed by telephone on the radio station which is based in London, United Kingdom and did not suspect that the radio station was facing problems as claimed by the MCMC. "It is nothing much really, I did not know that this radio (station) was having problems with the government, eight days ago they interviewed me via telephone and asked about the Reformation song and my hopes for Malaysia," he told reporters. Meanwhile, Yasin and Samsul are of the opinion that press freedom must be given to all practitioners of the media to deliver information to the people rather than block them with various acts and laws. When it was launched several weeks ago, RFM also interviewed some famous political leaders like Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim about the defamation imposed upon him.
|
| Parliament To Be Dissolved Tomorrow? Posted: 01 Apr 2013 12:34 PM PDT
(Astro Awani) - Dewan Rakyat is expected to be dissolved as early as tomorrow after the cabinet meeting in Putrajaya to make way for the 13th general election (GE13). The speculation is due a letter from the Prime Minister's Department directing all ministers attending the meeting to wear a dark lounge suit and a red tie for a group photography session, according to a report from Berita Harian today. This is a strong hint that it could be the final cabinet meeting before the Parliament's dissolution.
|
| A day late and dollar short sums up PKR’s civil service carrot Posted: 01 Apr 2013 12:21 PM PDT
"If you want to give me a pay hike because you think you can stop corruption, you are assuming that I am corrupt in the first place" Daniel Ayathurai, The Malaysian Times Winning the civil service hearts and minds seems to be Pakatan's latest election strategy. After a slew of perks, including unprecedented bonuses and salary revisions by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the Pakatan Rakyat is getting , albeit a little late into the game. Upping the stakes in the race for support from the 1.5 million-strong civil service ahead of Election 2013, PKR proposed today an "anti-corruption" annual bonus for civil servants should the opposition win federal power. The Najib government has instituted salary revisions for the police, armed forces and civils servants over the last six months. He has also thrown in a couple of bonuses during the main festivals in the country, especially during Hari Raya. PKR trade and industry bureau chairman Wong Chen claims that the PR's incentives " would help slash the country's corruption bill while enlisting the help of the civil service through dangling monetary incentives before them as motivation." Several civil servants, contacted by The Malaysian Times (TMT) described the Pakatan bait as "demeaning" as it assumed that all civil servants are corrupt. "if you want to give me a pay hike because you think you can stop corruption, you are assuming that I am corrupt in the first place," said Idris Yusof (not his real name). Another senior officer said that the move by Pakatan was merely imitating what the ruling BN had been doing all the while. "They are jumping on the bandwagon now. They realise too late that we have been working overtime to get the goods to the people for the last 55 years," said Tan Chee Leng (not real name). Meanwhile, Wong said the Pakatan incentive would be above the other attractive incentives that PR has already offered to workers in both public and private sectors, which include a RM1,100 wage floor and salary reviews every three years. However, analysts see that any further civil service increments could have inflationary effects and cancel out whatever was being given out. At current levels, inflation was controllable and money being pumped into the economy has been calculated to balance out any other negative factors. Najib is expected to call for elections by the end of the month in what many believe will be a bruising GE13. The BN is expected to win by a 2/3 majority, analysts say.-TMT
|
| Reckoning for Pakatan in Klang - Pt 1 Posted: 01 Apr 2013 12:13 PM PDT
(fz.com) - Even though Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has a good chance of retaining the Klang parliamentary seat in the upcoming 13th General Election, its grip on the three state seats which fall under the constituency is slippery. Essentially, the main weakness of the Pakatan representatives in this area is that they have not been servicing their constituencies effectively, say political leaders with an intimate knowledge of the situation. A more damaging issue is the case of a Klang municipal councillor who had allegedly misused the letterhead of the state exco member Ronnie Liu to award contracts to the councillor's friends and family. Liu is also the assembly member for Pandamaran. The consequence of this alleged folly is not lost on Klang MCA division chief Datuk Dr Teh Kim Poo, who told fz.com: "Ronnie Liu does not hold sway over Pandamaran voters today. The talk of the town today is that if Ronnie Liu come again this time, sure die." In July 2010, it was reported that Klang Municipal Councillor Tee Boon Hock had allegedly misused Liu's official Selangor exco member letterhead to secure contracts for his friends and a family member. Tee had claimed Liu had authorised him as his special assistant to use the letterhead, which prompted DAP to also investigate Liu on the allegations. The DAP disciplinary committee had later sacked Tee in September 2010. Teh had a similar prediction for Kota Alam Shah assembly member M Manoharan. "Manoharan is again inviting himself to be arrested," said Teh, referring to Manoharan's detention under the now-defunct Internal Security Act in 2009. "Every speech he has made has been about sensitive racial issues. He is dreaming to win again in prison," he said. Manoharan has been seen to actively champion Indian community issues, which might cause him to lose some favour among members of other communities. Also weighing against Manoharan is his record of saying the wrong things, such as the disparaging remarks he made about badminton ace Datuk Lee Chong Wei on Twitter for losing out on the gold medal in last year's London Olympics Games. Manoharan had apologised for making the remarks but considerable damage had already been done. If anything, the outlook for Badrul Hisham Abdullah, the Port Klang assembly member, looks even more bleak. The local people have been complaining loudly that Badrul Hisham has gone incognito since he won the seat in 2008 on a PKR ticket. Pressure had grown on the PKR leadership to boot Badrul Hisham out of the party, but he pre-empted such action by quitting in 2009. Currently, he is identified as a BN-friendly independent, but his political future looks gloomy. All this is putting a strain on Klang MP Charles Santiago, under whose constituency the three state seats fall. Charles, from the DAP, has been left to pick up the slack from the three assembly members and help to solve local issues like drainage and flooding problems. Read more at: http://fz.com/content/reckoning-pakatan-klang-pt-1
|
| Posted: 01 Apr 2013 12:06 PM PDT
(FMT) - On YouTube, the PKR lawyer is seen getting infuriated with a NRD official who refused to give her the MyKad forms. A row between PKR lawyer Latheefa Koya and a National Registration Department (NRD) officer was uploaded on YouTube recently. The video shows Latheefa getting angry with the NRD official who refused to give her the MyKad forms for the 48 applicants who were at the Klang NRD on March 22. Throughout the video, Latheefa was seen asking several times for the MyKad form. "Just give me the MyKad forms. These are all straight-forward cases. I don't want to debate with you, just give me the MyKad forms. "The faster this can be settled, the earlier we can all go home, so just give me the form," demanded Latheefa to a seemingly oblivious NRD official. "Right now we just want the MyKad forms. We want the identification card forms and not the citizenship application forms, do you know the difference? If you know the difference, just give us the forms. "You see here, I've given you one sample [a document]. I want to show you that we have checked all the particulars, we don't come here foolhardily, we have checked everything, we know their rights," she said to the official who is seen just shuffling the documents. After asking the NRD official for the umpteenth time for the MyKad forms, the official finally went to take 30 forms as requested by Latheefa. In the meantime, chants of "we want the form" could be heard in the background. After the official returned empty-handed, Latheefa began raising her voice at him. "We're not stupid, okay, all these people are poor, they've come here thousands of times and all of you just ask them to go home without even giving them the forms. "So why don't you just give us the MyKad forms? We will fill up the forms, and after that if you want to reject the applications, it's up to you," she told the official. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/04/01/latheefa-koya-blows-her-top/ |
| Posted: 01 Apr 2013 12:03 PM PDT
(The Straits Times) - Perhaps my family narrative, along with those of other foreigners, benefits the core of the true-blue Singapore family, too. It gives emotional depth to the core that makes up what it means to be Singaporean citizens by birth. When I visited the Clementi Mall library recently, a schoolgirl sitting at a desk at the entrance beckoned me over. She told me she was collecting memories of Singapore, and did I have any to share? At this open sesame, memories from over 20 years tumbled out. I saw the dark whip of a cobra on a jungle walk, I saw smiles at an East Coast picnic, I wiped a tear away as a neighbour sobbed over the death of a pet. And then I wondered, why were they of interest to this schoolgirl? She explained that she was collecting memories for the Singapore Memory Project, a nationwide scheme to capture recollections related to Singapore. People, organisations, companies and groups could submit their memories to a website or mobile phone app (go to www.singaporememory.sg/ for details), and the National Library Board had set up "memory collection points", as it called them, at its 24 libraries.
But she said mine were welcome, and painstakingly wrote down my offering. If only I could remember what it was that I remembered - but such is the fleeting nature of memory. Still, at least this now-lost memory has been recorded somewhere, among the five million personal memories that the project aims to collect by 2015. There are two timely backdrops to this memory-collecting. One is a New York Times piece that The Straits Times ran on March 23, which looked at what makes for happy families. It found that one thing is a strong family narrative - the stories you tell your children about things such as where your parents came from and how they met. It cited research by two Americans at Emory University who found that the more children knew about their family's history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem and the more successfully they believed their families functioned. This was especially so in terms of being able to be resilient in the face of life's challenges. This is linked to the second reason why the Singapore Memory Project is a timely one - the talking point of retaining a Singaporean "core", as if this were some impermeable centre of steel around which lighter weights spin. This core doesn't seem to be that solid, given the introspection and self-doubt about Singapore's identity as a nation that has emerged in public debate. This is especially so in the light of the White Paper's controversial population figure of 6.9 million in 2030, and the Our Singapore Conversation stimulating discussion of what it means to be Singaporean. What might make that core more solid? I don't mean just in terms of more "true-blue" Singaporeans, but in a national identity that is more concrete. One way is through exercises such as the Singapore Memory Project, where everyone is regarded as having something to contribute to the narrative of the wider idea of a Singapore Family, whoever that might be. Read more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/case-you-missed-it/story/shared-memories-the-core-20130402 |
I paused. Perhaps this youthful collector of memories - what an important task, what a wonderful job title - was too enthusiastic in seeking mine. I explained that I was a foreigner on an Employment Pass, and that my memories might not be wanted for the Singapore-specific project.| You are subscribed to email updates from Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan