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- Umno Youth Chief aspirant Akhramsyah: Tony Pua a "DAP dog" for barking up wrong tree
- Umno polls last chance to save party, says ex-NST chief
- Assange slams WikiLeaks film in letter to actor Cumberbatch
- Analysts: Trumping up race card 'usual' ahead of Umno polls
- Malaysians becoming more racist, threatening country’s foundation, says Dr Mahathir
- Dr M: If the suspect has a gun, shoot first
- Cries of the boys in blue
- Goh: Other DAP leaders have praised BN, too
- Dr M to minorities: Make sacrifices to prevent ‘discontent, rebellion’ of majority
- ‘Khalwat raids against Islamic principles’
- Malaysia Losing Talent Battle To Singapore
- Smash-and-grab gang members shot dead after car chase
Umno Youth Chief aspirant Akhramsyah: Tony Pua a "DAP dog" for barking up wrong tree Posted: 09 Oct 2013 05:47 PM PDT
(Bernama) - Umno Youth chief aspirant Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi regards DAP publicity chief Tony Pua as a "DAP dog" for "always barking" to cover up flaws in DAP by running down the Registrar of Societies (RoS) and Utusan Malaysia. He said Pua acted that way to divert public attention from the weaknesses in DAP, particularly the opposition party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) election issue.
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Umno polls last chance to save party, says ex-NST chief Posted: 09 Oct 2013 05:41 PM PDT
(MM) - The Umno election this month is the party's last chance to redeem itself among Malays, Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said in his latest blog post. Pundits have observed the results of Malaysia's last two general elections signal an increasing number of Malays from the younger age set and who live in towns are growing disenchanted with the grand old party's leadership and are throwing their vote behind the opposition's urban-based PKR and Islamic-focused PAS.
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Assange slams WikiLeaks film in letter to actor Cumberbatch Posted: 09 Oct 2013 05:07 PM PDT
(Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange penned an open letter to British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who portrays Assange in an upcoming film, praising the actor's talents but slamming his involvement with the film and turning down the actor's invitation to meet in person. Assange, who is currently holed up at the Ecuadorean embassy in London, wrote a letter to Cumberbatch dated Jan. 15, 2013, that was published on Wednesday on the anti-secrecy website ahead of the Oct. 18 theatrical release of Walt Disney Co's DreamWorks film "The Fifth Estate." In the letter, Assange tells Cumberbatch he is "fond" of the actor's previous work, and adds "I think I would enjoy meeting you," but urged the actor to drop his involvement in the film, saying "I do not believe it is going to be positive for me or the people I care about." "I know the film intends to depict me and my work in a negative light. I believe it will distort events and subtract from public understanding. It does not seek to simplify, clarify or distil the truth, but rather it seeks to bury it. It will resurrect and amplify defamatory stories which were long ago shown to be false," Assange wrote. The enigmatic WikiLeaks founder turned down Cumberbatch's invitation to meet ahead of shooting for the film, citing his issues with the film's angle of his own story. "I believe you are well-intentioned, but surely you can see why it is a bad idea for me to meet with you. By meeting with you, I would validate this wretched film, and endorse the talented, but debauched, performance that the script will force you to give," Assange said. Assange also noted that "the bond that develops between an actor and a living subject is significant," and that if Cumberbatch was to take the role, "we will forever be correlated in the public imagination. Our paths will be forever entwined." A press release accompanying the letter on WikiLeaks on Wednesday said that Cumberbatch had replied to Assange with a "courteous and considered" email. Cumberbatch, 37, plays the WikiLeaks founder as rude, awkward and unkempt in the film that chronicles the emergence of WikiLeaks, based in part on the 2011 book, "Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World's Most Dangerous Website," by Assange's once-trusted lieutenant Daniel Domscheit-Berg. Ecuador has given Assange political asylum in its embassy in London, where he sought refuge in June 2012, but he faces immediate arrest and extradition to Sweden to face accusations of rape and sexual assault if he leaves the embassy. Assange criticized the film's source material, saying, "It is based on a deceitful book by someone who has a vendetta against me and my organisation." At the film's premiere at the Toronto Film Festival last month, director Bill Condon said "The Fifth Estate" was not a judgment about WikiLeaks or Assange, but rather a portrayal of the complex issues surrounding transparency, privacy and security. "There is no takeaway or single right or wrong," Condon told Reuters at the film's premiere. "I hope people walk away and go to dinner to talk about it." Cumberbatch also spoke to reporters in Toronto and said he was guessing Assange wouldn't like his portrayal in the film, even though the actor sees it as a celebration of the activist's achievements. |
Analysts: Trumping up race card 'usual' ahead of Umno polls Posted: 09 Oct 2013 04:55 PM PDT
(The Star) - Temperatures rise whenever one defends his race and religion publicly, especially in the run up to party elections. In trying to win the hearts and minds of delegates, candidates become more vocal than other times in appearing to be fighting for the rights of their race. This happens in every Umno election, as in other race-based parties. And this time around as the polls draw closer, Umno candidates have resorted to not only championing the cause of the Malays, but also taking a hard-line stance on issues affecting them. It is not surprising for them to do that, said Umno experts, as this approach has been used by candidates in the past party elections to shore up support that would eventually translate to votes for them. "They have to do it, otherwise they will be accused of deviating from the Malay cause," said History, Heritage and Socio-culture Cluster of the National Professors Council head Prof Datuk Dr Zainal Kling. He said history had taught the candidates a lesson, when former law minister and Umno division chief Datuk Zaid Ibrahim was booted out from the party for being "liberal". "And look at where he is now, his views have cost him his position in Umno," he said. Zainal also explained that these candidates usually capitalised on the interest of the Malays to keep the momentum among the grassroots alive. "This is because the top leaders, such as the president and deputy president, can no longer appear to be seen as hardliners as they already hold the highest positions in leading the country. "So someone else has to take over the role from them," he added. The same stunt, he said, has been around since the party's inception but it was never blown out of proportions until the emergence of the most powerful tool of information - the Internet and social media. "Everything has been exaggerated just to influence the minds of the people, especially the youths," said Zainal. Meanwhile, Universiti Perlis Malaysia Prof Datuk Dr Ramlah Adam said it was unfair to brand these Umno leaders as racists as they were merely speaking up for the Malay cause. She was referring to incidents of incumbent vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein waving and kissing a keris when he was the party's Youth chief during the party's general assembly in 2007. The same applies to the recent controversial statements by vice-presidential candidates Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Ali Rustam, who also haven't escaped from public criticism. "They are making these statements in an Umno context, and not on the national platform. When Hishammuddin kissed the keris, he just wanted to lift up the spirits of the Malay people. "It is a tradition and a symbol of Malay leadership," she said, adding the other races should not feel threatened by such actions. She also believed that trumping up the race card would not affect the 1Malaysia unity concept initiated by the Prime Minister. "They are speaking strictly on the Umno platform. They are fighting for the Malays and it is definitely unfair if they are called racists," she said. Former Padang Besar Umno MP Tan Sri Azmi Khalid agreed, saying that other race-based parties also tended to play with similar sentiments. "They are not against other races, they are just defending the interests of the Malays, especially in the wake of the previous general election when they lost the non-Malay votes to the Opposition," he said when contacted. He added it was not uncommon for party leaders to make such statements in order to gain support from members.
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Malaysians becoming more racist, threatening country’s foundation, says Dr Mahathir Posted: 09 Oct 2013 04:48 PM PDT
Yiswaree Palansamy, TMI Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) today said Malaysians were becoming more racist than ever by making demands that he said could threaten the country's foundation. "I read reports in the papers this morning saying that now Datuk Seri Najib is going backwards towards the day of favouring the Bumiputeras. "It is not a case of favoring Bumiputeras, but creating a society where wealth is evenly distributed among all people," Dr Mahathir said, in defending Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the recently announced Bumiputera Economic Empowerment Plan (BEEP). He said the critics forgot that in the past, resentment of the rich by the poor had resulted in people rebelling against the government. This, he said, gave birth to such ideologies as socialism and communism. "If the poor is related to race, the potential for violence is much greater. We want to correct that disparity," Dr Mahathir said during a visit to the MMC-Gamuda MRT construction site in Kuala Lumpur today. "Each race has got its own extremist and they make demands which disrupt the stability of the country. "So it is better to make a little sacrifice to correct imbalances within our society so that every race can have a share from all that is going on in this country."
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Dr M: If the suspect has a gun, shoot first Posted: 09 Oct 2013 04:41 PM PDT
(MM) - Police should be allowed to open fire on armed criminal suspects, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today, backing Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's controversial "shoot first" approach that have triggered a human rights storm. The former prime minister added that the police should refrain from pulling the trigger if the suspect was unarmed.
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Posted: 09 Oct 2013 04:33 PM PDT Alfian ZM Tahir, FMT The men in blue have been criticised unendingly by various entities almost on a daily basis, and to top it all that they face constant danger with the rise of gun related crimes. But there is another picture on the other side of their story. Police officers have for long suffered their own internal problems as they face shortage of funds in their respective departments.
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Goh: Other DAP leaders have praised BN, too Posted: 09 Oct 2013 04:24 PM PDT
Leven Woon, FMT Embattled Malacca DAP chief Goh Leong San, who quit as the state opposition leader on Tuesday after coming under criticism from state DAP leaders for praising the chief minister, showed proof that others in the party have done so to other Barisan Nasional leaders before. Citing news reports on March 27, 2011, Goh said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had praised the then Minister in the Prime Minister Department Nazri Aziz as being a serving MP, and that the party had no problem accepting the Umno leader.
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Dr M to minorities: Make sacrifices to prevent ‘discontent, rebellion’ of majority Posted: 09 Oct 2013 01:45 PM PDT (MMO) - Malaysia's minority groups must make "little sacrifices" to spread the distribution of wealth among all races, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today, backing the extension of a national policy favouring the dominant Bumiputera community. The still-influential former prime minister threw his weight behind Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who announced last month the New Bumiputera Economic Agenda, saying such a policy was needed to ensure long term stability. The 88-year-old also said it was important for the country's minorities to embrace the policy and "make little sacrifices" to prevent inciting discontent among the majority race, a statement seemingly referring to the 1969 May 13 race riots. "I read in the papers this morning that people are accusing Datuk Seri Najib of returning to favour the Bumiputeras (sic). I would like to say that is not the case, it is about creating equitable wealth among the races," Mahathir said in his speech during a visit to the construction site of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) rail central station in Cheras here. "If not this will bring about discontent and rebellion from a certain race, much like what we have seen in the past..so it is better to make little sacrifices to correct the imbalances. This will be good for long term stability". - See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/dr-m-to-minorities-make-little-sacrifices-to-prevent-discontent-rebellion-o#sthash.Vym8XmzR.dpuf Read more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/dr-m-to-minorities-make-little-sacrifices-to-prevent-discontent-rebellion-o |
‘Khalwat raids against Islamic principles’ Posted: 09 Oct 2013 01:34 PM PDT
(FMT) - State religious department raids, done in the name of Islam is against the very principles of Islam in the first place, says an ex-mufti. For years, state Islamic department officials have been raiding clubs, hotels and private homes to catch Muslims committing khalwat. These officials have indirectly caused the death of people, stripping top officials of their positions and even mistakenly nabbing happily married couples. Last month, two Pahang footballers were caught by the Pahang Islamic Religious Department on suspicion of having committed khalwat with a woman each in a hotel. Speculation is rife that one of the women was a young Malay actress. Typically, these type of religious raids get splashed onto the front pages of local tabloids, and the perpetrators, like the footballer and actress, become gossip fodder for Malaysians everywhere. Yet, ironically, this act of snooping, spying, naming and shaming done in the name of Islam, and paid for by taxpayers, is against the principles of Islam in the first place, as former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin points out. "Yes, Islam forbids khalwat and adultery. But Islam also forbids exposing people's personal wrongdoings. "It is not your responsibility to snoop around and uncover people's wrongdoings," Asri told FMT. The renowned Muslim scholar has for years been a staunch critic of khalwat arrests and raids, even while he was a mufti from 2006 to 2008. "Such activities give the impression that Islam encourages invasion of privacy, which is not true," said Asri. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/10/10/khalwat-raids-against-islamic-principles/ |
Malaysia Losing Talent Battle To Singapore Posted: 09 Oct 2013 01:02 PM PDT
(Value Walk) - How can Malaysia support advanced industries without the talent necessary for those industries to grow? Brain drain has been a huge issue for Malaysia over the last several years. Now a new index released by the World Economic Forum shows that Malaysia is at risk of slipping even further behind, despite recent efforts to attract and retain talent. Singapore's labor force is now ranked as the third best labor force in the world, according to a combination of education, employment, health, and enabling factors. Malaysia's workforce comes in at a respectable 22, but still lags behind its long-time rival, Singapore. With Malaysia trying desperately to increase the quality and productivity of its workforce, this news suggests that the country has a long way to go. Singapore's economy is far more advanced than MalaysiaSingapore's economy is far more advanced than Malaysia's and in fact is one of the most developed economies in the world. From high-end manufacturing, to cutting edge pharmaceutical research, the Singapore economy is at the forefront of many industries. This has helped the island nation generate numerous high-paying jobs and opportunities. With a native population of only 4 million people, however, Singapore has long relied on attracting foreign talent to fuel its economy. One of the key sources of this foreign talent has been Malaysia. Singapore can offer higher wages and arguably a higher quality of life to Malaysians willing to cross the short causeway to live and work in the city-state. A combination of Malaysian affirmative action policies also encourages Malaysians of Chinese and Indian descent to leave Malaysia in search of better opportunities. And Singapore often ends up receiving the best of Malaysia's talent looking to move abroad. This news is especially troubling at a time when Malaysia is trying to avoid a middle-income trap. The Malaysian economy has grown at a strong clip over the last several decades, growing, on average, in access of 5 percent. This growth, however, has relied on infrastructure development, commodities, and other low-value added sectors. Further, in order to keep prices for commodities and other products low, Malaysia has long relied on the import of cheap labor from Indonesia and elsewhere. Read more at: http://www.valuewalk.com/2013/10/malaysia-losing-talent-battle-to-singapore/ |
Smash-and-grab gang members shot dead after car chase Posted: 09 Oct 2013 12:32 PM PDT
Suspected criminals have nothing to lose now but to keep shooting as the police apparently have a shoot to kill policy (The Star) - Two of the robbers were still firing away when one of them was gunned down Three smash-and-grab gang members were gunned down during a shootout near the Sentul toll plaza on the Duke Highway. The three had earlier been in a 60km high-speed chase with police in South Klang. The drama began when a team from the Selangor police serious crime division (D9) – patrolling under the Ops Banker – spotted the men and their accomplices in South Klang at about 11.30am yesterday. Three black Proton Wira were seen sandwiching another car while a man on a motorcycle broke a window and snatched the victim's money amounting to RM2,000. A chase ensued with the gang being chased through several urban areas before two of the cars were cornered near the toll plaza. Selangor deputy police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Abdul Rahim Jaafar said the gang members fired several shots at the police. "We had no choice but to fire back, hitting three suspects. They died at the scene," he said, adding that there were no casualties on the police side. DCP Abdul Rahim said the gang's victim – a woman in her 30s – was not hurt during the robbery. He said the dead men were believed to be Indonesians. He said police were looking for other members of the gang as well as the driver of the third car and the motorcyclist. A security guard, identified only as Sundram, 59, said he saw the gang members fire first before the police returned fire. "Two of the robbers were still firing away when one of them was gunned down," he said. A worker at the toll plaza, who only wished to be known as Jai, said he was shocked that a shootout had taken place near his workplace as he had thought the blasts were tyres exploding. "The police then instructed us to stay in the toll booth and duck for fear of stray bullets," he said. |
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