Selasa, 1 Januari 2013

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Claiming credit for other people’s work

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 07:18 PM PST

 

Sure, we fight for freedom of speech. And that is one of the reasons why we oppose Umno and Barisan Nasional -- because we want freedom of speech. But freedom of speech means you are free to talk about what we like but should not talk about what we don't like. And PAS talks about Islam, which is something we don't like. Hence we are angry with PAS for talking about what we don't like even if under freedom of speech they have a right to talk about whatever they want to talk about.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

JAIP nabs 13 couples for 'khalwat' in New Year's Eve

(Bernama) - The Enforcement Division of the Pahang Islamic Religious Department (JAIP) caught 13 unmarried couples between 18 and 25 years old in a Syariah crime prevention operation after the 2013 New Year Eve celebrations.

JAIP chief enforcement officer Mohd Raffli Abd Malik said the couples were nabbed for committing khalwat at several budget hotels in town from 9pm Monday to 6.30am Tuesday.

"Most of the couples were between 18 and 25 and were picked up from budget hotels around town where they had checked in after the New Year celebrations."

"They will be charged under the Islamic Religious Administration and Pahang Malay Customs 1982 Enactment," he told reporters after the operation.

*********************************************

Last night/early this morning, 13 unmarried couples were arrested in the state of Pahang, a state under Barisan Nasional, the same government that is in power at federal level. These unmarried couples were arrested under Islamic laws, also known as Syariah laws.

Malaysia, however, is not an Islamic State. It is a Constitutional Monarchy with a Westminster system of government. In other words, Malaysia is almost similar to the UK and considering that our system is a legacy of the British Colonial Government that is not too surprising.

Pahang is not only under Barisan Nasional. It is also the state were a Muslim woman was arrested and convicted for drinking beer and was sentenced to a punishment of whipping. Furthermore, Pahang is where a PKR leader who is also an ustaz (religious scholar) was arrested for being alone in a hotel room with a married woman, not his wife obviously.

Looking at the track record of Pahang, it appears like Barisan Nasional is more Islamic than Pakatan Rakyat and is very serious about the implementation of the Islamic Syariah laws.

None of the other states have sentenced a woman who drinks beer to a punishment of whipping. None of the other states arrested unmarried couples celebrating New Year Eve in a hotel room last night or early this morning. Only the Barisan Nasional run state of Pahang did this.

Note that these unmarried couples were arrested under the Islamic Religious Administration and Pahang Malay Customs 1982 Enactment. Yes, it was under a 30-year old law that was passed back in 1982.

1982 was the year I did my first Haj. 1982 was also the year that Anwar Ibrahim left ABIM to join Umno so that, as he himself claimed, he can change Umno from the inside and make it more Islamic.

Also very important, 1982 was when the Sixth General Election was held and Barisan Nasional won 132 of the 155 Parliament seats (or 86% of the seats in Parliament) on 61% of the popular votes while DAP won only 9 seats and PAS won 5 seats (with 8 seats going to independent candidates).

And that was the law used to arrested these 13 unmarried couples in Pahang last night/early this morning, a law that was passed by the Barisan Nasional government in 1982 soon after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took over as Prime Minister and Anwar Ibrahim left ABIM to join Umno so that he can make Umno more Islamic.

Many of us are very angry with PAS. We are very angry with PAS because they are trying to make Malaysia more Islamic. We are very angry with PAS because they are trying to remove Malaysia's secular system (or partial secular system) and turn Malaysia into a fully-fledged Islamic State (from the partial Islamic system that we have now).

The weird thing is, while PAS talks about making Malaysia more Islamic (and which is the reason of our anger, because they talk about it) none of the PAS run states like Kedah or Kelantan arrested anyone last night or early this morning (and not because no one in Kedah and Kelantan were engaged in 'illicit' sex to usher in the new year, mind you).  It is a Barisan Nasional state like Pahang that arrested unmarried Muslims for checking into a hotel room.

What is of special interest to me is that this law that they used to arrest these unmarried couples is a 1982 law. And in 1982 Dr Mahathir had just become the Prime Minister and Anwar joined Umno to make it more Islamic. And in 1982 the Malaysian voters gave Barisan Nasional a resounding win in the Sixth General Election while the Islamic party, PAS, won only five seats.

I think PAS is a fake. They talk about Islam. However, in states under their control, such as in Kedah and Kelantan, no one was arrested for illicit sex. Those who were arrested were arrested in a Barisan Nasional state like Pahang. And what I find even weirder is that the Menteri Besar of Pahang in 1982 was current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

I wonder whether we should continue being angry with PAS. It looks like the culprits who 'Islamised' Malaysia were Dr Mahathir, Anwar and Najib. And these laws were enacted in 1982 when Dr Mahathir first became Prime Minister, Anwar left ABIM to join Umno, and Najib was the Menteri Besar of Pahang.

Maybe we should just let PAS keep talking about Islam. After all, it is the Barisan Nasional government and not the PAS government that appears to be overzealous about implementing Islam. It is those who do not talk about Islam who appear to be the dangerous ones.

In 1982, PAS was not in power in any of the states (not even in Kelantan). In fact, in 1982 PAS won only five Parliament seats. The people in power then were Dr Mahathir and Anwar at federal level and Najib in the State of Pahang. And the 13 unmarried couples arrested last night/early this morning were arrested under a 1982 law that was the product of Dr Mahathir, Anwar and Najib.

Well, did I not say that politics is all about perception? And reality and perception are two different animals. We are angry with PAS because they talk too much about Islam. But it is not PAS that arrested these people last night/early this morning.

Sure, we fight for freedom of speech. And that is one of the reasons why we oppose Umno and Barisan Nasional -- because we want freedom of speech. But freedom of speech means you are free to talk about what we like but should not talk about what we don't like. And PAS talks about Islam, which is something we don't like. Hence we are angry with PAS for talking about what we don't like even if under freedom of speech they have a right to talk about whatever they want to talk about.

Or maybe PAS should stop talking about Islam. After all, last night/early this morning it was not the PAS run states but a Barisan Nasional run state that arrested 13 unmarried couples for celebrating New Year's Eve in a hotel room. And this law that they used to arrest these people was a law that was enacted in 1982 when Dr Mahathir first became Prime Minister and Anwar left ABIM to join Umno and Najib was the Menteri Besar of Pahang.

Hence how can PAS claim credit for something that other people did back in 1982 when PAS was not running even a single state in Malaysia and won only five seats in Parliament?

 
Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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There’s No Excuse for Not Reporting the Truth

Posted: 01 Jan 2013 10:27 AM PST

http://cdn.malaysiandigest.com/images/zahar/utusan-malaysia444.jpg 

If these are instances of reports that were published without first verifying the facts because of the constraint of time, as per Firoz's implication, they should in the first place not have seen print. The reason is clear – not only are they untrue and capable of upsetting certain communities, they also negatively affect Utusan Malaysia's credibility. And, worse, they make the newspaper look stupid.
 
Kee Thuan Chye 
 
What Utusan Malaysia's lawyer reportedly told the High Court on Dec 27 is shocking.
 
According to The Malaysian Insider, Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin said newspapers do not have the "luxury of time" to verify the truth of news reports before publishing them.
 
In defending Utusan Malaysia's report that allegedly accused Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim of being a proponent of gay rights, Firoz also said, "If newspapers have to go through the full process of ascertaining the truth, the details, they wouldn't be able to report the next day."
 
If he thinks this would justify the publication of untruths by the media, he is grossly wrong. No media organisation should ever publish untruths or lies. On top of that, no media organisation can, after doing it, claim justification by saying it had no time to check its facts.
 
Not checking facts before publication is a cardinal sin in journalism. And no self-respecting journalist or media could absolve themselves by saying they did not have the "luxury of time".
 
If the truth cannot be verified, the report should not be published. That's the first principle of journalism. "When in doubt, leave it out" is the mantra of responsible media editors. It is the responsibility of a media organisation to tell the truth, not spread untruths to the public.
 
How could Utusan Malaysia stand by Firoz's claim? How could it allow its lawyer to say something as scandalous as this?
 
Is it any wonder then that Utusan Malaysia has, especially in the last few years, been publishing wildly speculative and unverified reports with cavalier disregard for decency and responsibility?
 
Such conduct has certainly been deserving of censure, but what is also deserving of censure is the Home Ministry for not having taken adequate punitive action against the newspaper.
 
The Home Ministry is the body which oversees the conduct of media organisations since it has the absolute power to grant and revoke licences, but it has been exceedingly lenient towards Utusan Malaysia.
 
It is surely aware that in the last few years, Utusan Malaysia has been found guilty of defaming a number of Pakatan leaders and others, among them Mahfuz Omar, Karpal Singh, Khalid Samad, Lim Guan Eng, Teresa Kok and Tenaganita Director Irene Fernandez.
 
In 2009, even Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz slammed Utusan Malaysia for its outdated racist propaganda.
 
Furthermore, the newspaper has been running mischievous reports without substantiation, many targeted at the DAP in order to demonise it and alienate it from Malay voters. One was about church leaders conspiring with the DAP to Christianise the country. Another was about the DAP wanting to turn the country into a republic by abolishing the Malay royalty.
 
Then last July, it said Singapore's ruling party, the People's Action Party (PAP), was plotting the downfall of the BN government through its local proxy, the DAP. This was of course preposterous – like the other two instances quoted above – because the truth is more likely to be that the PAP would prefer BN to remain in government for the sake of continuity.
 
If these are instances of reports that were published without first verifying the facts because of the constraint of time, as per Firoz's implication, they should in the first place not have seen print. The reason is clear – not only are they untrue and capable of upsetting certain communities, they also negatively affect Utusan Malaysia's credibility. And, worse, they make the newspaper look stupid.
 
This must surely account for why, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), Utusan Malaysia's circulation has dropped 20 per cent between July 2005 and June 2010, a period of five years. In terms of numbers, the drop is from 213,445 copies per day to 170,558.
 
Within the same period, its Sunday edition, Mingguan Malaysia, plummeted from 483,240 copies to 372,163, dropping even more at 23 per cent.
 
Utusan Malaysia being punished through the loss of its readers is one thing; what it needs to also experience is severe punishment from the authorities.
 
After all, other newspapers have been punished severely for lesser sins. In 2010, China Press had to apologise and suspend its editor-in-chief after it was given a show-cause letter by the ministry over its allegedly false report that the then Inspector-General of Police, Musa Hassan, had resigned.
 
That same year, The Star was also slapped with a show-cause letter – for running an article about the caning of three Muslim women for illicit sex. And in February 2012, it was severely hounded by the ministry for running a photograph of American singer Erykah Badu sporting tattoos of the word 'Allah' in Arabic on her upper body. It had to apologise and suspend two editors. After their suspension, they were transferred to other desks.
 
The Home Ministry did, however, issue a warning letter to Utusan Malaysia for its Christian conspiracy report, but that has probably been the only action it has taken against the newspaper in recent memory. Besides, a warning letter is nothing compared to the action against the two cases mentioned above.
 
One surmises this is because Utusan Malaysia is owned by Umno, the dominant party in the ruling coalition. So it enjoys more immunity than any other newspaper.
 
In this regard, it is timely to consider the Media Freedom Act that is being considered by the Opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat.
 
This Act, which DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has said Pakatan would try to enact if it won Putrajaya at the 13th general election, would, apart from ensuring press freedom in the country, prohibit political parties from directly owning media companies.
 
Right now, the media companies are mostly owned by parties in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
 
Among the influential newspapers, Berita HarianHarian Metro and the New Straits Times are also owned by Umno, while The Star is owned by the MCA, and Tamil Nesan and Makkal Osai belong to MIC stalwarts.
 
Media Prima, which controls 8TV, ntv7, TV3 and TV9 and three radio stations, is also owned by Umno. This means that with BN being in government and controlling the State-owned RTM, the television medium is virtually monopolised by the ruling coalition.
 
The upshot of all this, as we have experienced over the decades, has been extremely unhealthy. Political coverage has been biased towards the ruling party and unfavourable towards the Opposition. News that would embarrass the Government or make it look incompetent is blocked from dissemination.
 
In total, the ruling coalition has been able to indoctrinate the masses with its propaganda to a frightening extent. One manifestation of its effects is the inability of some Malaysians to differentiate between "government" and "party" or to believe that BN is corrupt or abuses its powers.
 
Malaysian journalism, too, has lost its seat of nobility and honour because of one-sided reporting, manipulation of the truth and even the keeping of the truth from the public. It has become a custom for editors to sell their souls and toe the line in order to keep their cushy jobs.
 
It has also led to the kind of thinking expressed by Utusan Malaysia's Deputy Chief Editor, Mohd Zaini Hassan, who in July 2012 told a forum that it was all right for journalists to spin the facts to present readers with a "desired picture". He justified spinning as a way to attack the Opposition.
 
"Spin we can," he said. "No matter how we spin a certain fact to be biased in our favour, that's okay."
 
For saying that, Zaini has no business calling himself a journalist. His words bring disgrace to the profession. Spinning is distorting the truth, and distorting the truth is against the principles of journalism. It is also morally wrong. Those who spin are nothing more than propagandists.
 
Such propagandising should not be allowed any more, regardless of which coalition comes to power after the upcoming general election. We can put a stop to it by supporting the tabling of the Bill for a Media Freedom Act.
 
That Pakatan is willing to surrender the opportunity to control Malaysian minds through controlling the media if it comes to power speaks admirably of its commitment to a democratic Malaysia. But it should not stop at preventing political parties from directly owning media companies; it should also ensure that they do notindirectly own such companies.
 
Then and only then can we have the beginnings of a free media. Then and only then can we begin to enjoy the privilege of thinking for ourselves.
 

Kee Thuan Chye is the author of the bestselling book No More Bullshit, Please, We're All Malaysians, and the latest volume, Ask for No Bullshit, Get Some More!

 

Concluding the "Allah" controversy

Posted: 01 Jan 2013 10:17 AM PST

Instead of running amok all over town over the word, why not Malay-Muslims begin by simply analyzing the meaning of the word in its entirety and then figure out how human beings are taught

A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE

Dr Azly Rahman

The nation has been talking about the insistence by the Christians to use the word "Allah" in the Bahasa Melayu Bible. I have contributed to the discussions by writing my latest piece published in Malaysiakini and posted by others elsewhere in cyberspace. Many responses were generated in all of these, showing how important, if not exciting, the topic is. I read most of the comments closely.

 

I liked the responses and learned a great deal from the diverse perspective to a topic/controversy I consider quite mundane amidst other pressing issues of social realism and what it takes for culture to be enriched. One commentator had insisted that I write on the origin of the word "Allah" and predicted that my study will yield what is already proved in the Quran and the Hadiths that the term is ordained and exclusive to the Muslims, as it is summarized. This view is no different than the insistence pushed forward by a Malaysian religious authority, JAKIM. 
 
I respect this request and will think about spending time to (still) dwell on this already over-treated issue of genealogy and etymology.
 
I wonder where I should start - with etymology, philology, or linguistic philosophy as lens? 
 
Should I start by analyzing the pre-Muhammadan origin of it in the early Babylonian use of "Allah" which corresponds to the god "Bel", or the Hebrew use of "Elohim". Or the Aramaic use of "elohi", or the pagan Arab god "al-Lat' or the relationship between the sister moon-god, or even "Allah" as commonly used even before Muhammad was born (as we know Muhammad's father is Abd-allah? Abdullah/Abdillah or the servant of Allah' to signify the widely used term and not exclusive as how the Muslims, especially the MALAY-MUSLIMS would like it to be used, patented, and even claimed territoriality? 
 
Islam is a religion of knowledge ... and Muslims must be open to those perspectives excavated; there is something called research, even in the origin of the word "god" as it is said in the Islamic scripture:
 
"Read in the name of thy Lord who created thee ... created thee from a clot ... and taught thee with a pen/kalam ... " which does not mean ... 
 
"Just follow blindly in the name of Ignorance that is passed down to thee ... from your ancestors .... passed down from those hunger for power/knowledge ... and taught thee to accept everything as truth as decree shoved down your throat forcefully ..." 
 
Instead of running amok all over town over the word, why not Malay-Muslims begin by simply analyzing the meaning of the word in its entirety and then figure out how human beings are taught by the "kalam" and to think of wherein lie the Form and Appearance in the doctrine of the "kalam." This would probably have nobody running around for a year, at least, studying something simple yet profound. 
 
I don't know. Let us be fair to our two-pound universe sitting on our shoulders and refrain from calling for jihad for everything one disagrees with. 
 
Christians in Malaysia should be allowed to use the word "Allah" however they please as they see religiously meaningful. I have argued for this in my previous column here and we should move forward to discussing more pressing issues of, say, the preparation for a regime change so that Malaysians can thenafter begin charting frontiers for a more intellectual approach to inter-religious dialogue. As it is now, there is no demonstration of knowledge of the cross-breeding, hybridity, and universal agreement even on the use of to denote and connote the self in relation to much larger Self. 
 
What do you think? How do you think we should proceed --- towards a peaceful resolution? 

 

**********************************

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the comments are strictly, respectfully, and responsibly yours; 
present them rationally, clearly,  politely, and ethically.

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Egypt cracks down on satirists and media

Posted: 01 Jan 2013 10:14 AM PST

http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2012/12/13//2012121313740753734_20.jpg 

(Al Jazeera) - "The problem is now is we are likely to see an increase in this because criminal defamation is now embedded in the constitution."

Morsi's government pursues charges against a satirist and a newspaper for "insulting" comments and "false" reporting.

An Egyptian satirist who has made fun of President Mohamed Morsi on television will be investigated by prosecutors following an accusation that he undermined the leader's standing, a judicial source has said.

Bassem Youssef's case will likely increase concerns over freedom of speech in the post-Hosni Mubarak era, especially when the country's new constitution includes provisions criticised by rights activists for, among other things, said the source on Tuesday, forbidding insults.

In a separate case, one of Egypt's leading independent newspapers said it was being investigated by the prosecutor following a complaint from the presidency, which accused it of publishing false news.

Youssef rose to fame following the uprising that swept Mubarak from power in February 2011 with a satirical online programme that has been compared to Jon Stewart's Daily Show in the US.

He has since had his own show on Egyptian television and mocked Morsi's repeated use of the word "love" in his speeches by starting one of his programmes with a love song, holding a red pillow with the president's face printed on it.

The prosecutor general ordered an investigation into a formal complaint against Youssef by an Islamist lawyer. The complaint accuses him of "insulting" Morsi, an Islamist backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, and "undermining his standing".

Human rights activists say it is the latest in a series of criminal defamation cases that bode ill for free speech as Egypt reshapes its institutions after Mubarak was toppled.

"The greatest threat to freedom of expression over the last four months has been this rise in criminal defamation cases, whether it is on charges of defaming the president or the judiciary," said Heba Morayef, Egypt director of the New York-based Human Rights Watch.

Read more at: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/01/201311205458986654.html

Thousands march against Hong Kong's leader

Posted: 01 Jan 2013 10:11 AM PST

http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/WYaPGUuSlSsBMjP4YIrcgA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MzAwO2NyPTE7Y3c9NDUwO2R4PTA7ZHk9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD0zMDA7cT04NTt3PTQ1MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-01-01T115327Z_1_CBRE9000X1700_RTROPTP_2_HONGKONG.JPG 

(Reuters)The demonstration was largely peaceful, though police maintained a heavy presence after two journalists were roughed up by pro-government supporters at a rival rally on Sunday.

Tens of thousands in Hong Kong protested on Tuesday against the city's leader Leung Chun-ying as pressure mounts against the Beijing-backed politician who has been embroiled in an illegal construction scandal since taking office in July.

Thronging the streets on New Year's Day, crowds of people, some dressed in black with colourful banners and wearing long-nosed Pinocchio masks, chanted "Leung Chun-ying step down" in a rally that snaked several kilometres towards government headquarters.

While Hong Kong is a largely stable financial hub with a strong rule of law, the political heat has risen over Leung's failure to adequately explain seemingly innocuous building work on his home, corroding public trust and raising suspicions he may have covered up the scandal last year as he campaigned for the leadership.

"CY Leung does not have the ability and credibility to handle even his own personal scandals. How can he lead Hong Kong in a proper way with political and economic development?" said protest organiser Jackie Hung.

Leung said last month he had been negligent and apologised for how he handled questions over his illegally built basement. Such work is common to maximise living space in space-starved Hong Kong, but similar minor violations have ensnared several prominent officials over the past year.

By the evening, organisers put the turnout at the protest at around 130,000, though police said 17,000 had showed up.

The demonstration was largely peaceful, though police maintained a heavy presence after two journalists were roughed up by pro-government supporters at a rival rally on Sunday.

In a statement, Leung said the government would "humbly" listen to the public's views. Several thousand of Leung's supporters also staged a pro-government New Year rally.

China's senior leaders including premier Wen Jiabao have warned of Hong Kong's "deep rooted conflicts" in the past, though Beijing has so far publicly endorsed Leung's administration when he made a duty visit in December.

In a stormy half year since taking office, Leung has also had to contend with a raft of policy challenges including an unpopular pro-Beijing education curriculum that was later shelved, high housing prices, and a massive influx of mainland Chinese visitors.

Leung, sometimes dubbed the "wolf" for his perceived abrasive style and close ties to the Communist Party, has a chance to assuage some public discontent in a policy address in mid-January, though populist measures aimed at cooling a red-hot property sector and alleviating poverty have so far had only a limited impact on the public mood.

While Hong Kong is generally considered an open and liberal business haven, its leaders since 1997 - when the former British colony reverted to Chinese rule - have sometimes struggled politically in the face of mass popular demands for democracy and more accountable governance.

A half million strong anti-government rally in 2003 later forced former leader Tung Chee-hwa from office mid-term.

Huge turnout at carnival shows support for BN, says Zin

Posted: 01 Jan 2013 10:10 AM PST

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDbShLYNebDRCk4wfD_bwSaVSDBoCeSKKPms5O54GAuW5VtJpai1-VK44zEDs6KkxxcoIVaAVYfP2JWqrdKW4Nox0rInGw5peecoERtEdklCS_qN1r2lSEaP3HVeokxkXqlZdgs0scII/s1600/P1060878.JPG 

(The Star) - The turnout of 500,000 visitors at Karnival Sayangi Selangor indicates growing support for Barisan Nasional, said state coordinator Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed.

The overwhelming support, he said, showed that Barisan's initiative to reach out to the rakyat of Selangor was bearing fruit.

"It signifies the rejuvenation of Barisan in Selangor. The feel-good factor is there now," he said of the carnival, which was held at i-City in Shah Alam on Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who opened the carnival, had said that the strong support for the Barisan event showed that people were unhappy with the Pakatan Rakyat state government, which had failed to even resolve water woes in Selangor.

Mohd Zin said the massive attendance at the carnival, which was being held for the second time, surpassed the record last year of 300,000 visitors.

"The response is beyond expectation. It shows the return of the people's support for Barisan," he said.

Both the 1Malaysia booth and Selangor Youth Council's job fair were among the main attractions at the carnival, said Mohd Zin.

"Even the private sector gave the thumbs up for the job fair as it provided a match-making platform of sorts between employers and employees," he said.

Mohd Zin also expressed confidence that Selangor would be returned to Barisan's fold in the general election if the coalition continued with its efforts to engage the rakyat.

"The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have touched the hearts of the people by implementing practical socio-economic policies to meet the needs of the common folk.

"We were happy to see young couples coming to the carnival with their children. Like all parents, they want to secure a better future for their children," he said.

 

Workers left to pick up mounds of trash after New Year revelry ends

Posted: 01 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST

http://www.asiaone.com/a1media/news/01Jan13/20130102.094821_st_litter.jpg 

(The Star) - The party's over but while the hundreds of thousands of revellers went back home to enjoy their morning sleep-in after the night's New Year bash, hundreds of others had to stay up and clear the tracts of litter and mess that were left behind.

Soft drink cans, plastic water bottles, tissues, paper, plastic bags and food wrappers were strewn all over festive hotspots such as Dataran Merdeka, Dataran Putrajaya and Sungei Wang Plaza here.

Revellers at Dataran Merdeka, while leaving the square after the celebration, were seen stomping or kicking the rubbish as they walked towards the Masjid Jamek LRT station.

City Hall workers toiled through the wee hours to clean the ground and surrounding areas.

Likewise, their counterparts elsewhere in the country also tackled the mounds of rubbish left behind by revellers.

In GEORGE TOWN, the Penang Municipal Council had an early start to deal with the problem by stationing 20 workers at the main celebration venue at the Esplanade from 9pm on Monday to 2.30am yesterday.

A second batch of 25 council workers went in from 4am to 8am to clear up the litter that was left behind by the revellers.

"We had workers cleaning up the place before, during and after the event to ensure the venue is kept clean all the time," said the council's urban services department director Mubarak Junus.

He said the workers were wor-king even while the celebration was going on.

Mubarak said the second group cleaned up the mess at Medan Renong and the promenade along Esplanade up to Beach Street.

He added that the council provided two mobile toilets and forty 660-litre bins at the venue.

Find mystery lawyer behind Bala’s second SD first, Bar Council told

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 07:48 PM PST

Lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu has lashed out at the Bar Council for allegedly dragging its feet over the identity of the mystery lawyer. 

Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider

The Bar Council was today chided for dragging its feet over the identity of the mystery lawyer behind P. Balasubramaniam's controversial second sworn statement into the 2006 murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, despite the number of clues at its disposal.

Lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu, who is acting for the former private detective, told The Malaysian Insider the Bar Council should speed up its investigation on the high-profile case that had previously been linked to several high-ranking government officials and resurfaced recently in the run-up to the 13th general elections.

"I'm suggesting the Bar Council was a little hesitant in investigating this matter," he said when contacted today.

The Bar Council, a statutory body regulating the professional conduct of some 14,000 legal practitioners in the country, has said it is investigating the possibility of misconduct in the drafting of Balasubramaniam's second statutory declaration (SD), which contradicts his previous sworn statement made just a day earlier over the death of the Mongolian translator hired to assist in the government's acquisition of two French submarines several years ago.

"They can pass the matter to the disciplinary board for action," Americk said, adding that the Bar Council could of its own volition push for an inquiry panel to be set up.

A cloud of mystery has been hanging over the identity of the lawyer who had drawn up Balasubramaniam's second SD, dated a day after his first on July 3, 2008, regarding Altantuya's 2006 murder, for which two elite police commandos have been convicted and are facing death sentences.

In an open letter published earlier today, Americk said M. Arunampalam's role as the lawyer who had drafted Balasubramaniam's second SD had been dispelled by well-connected businessman Deepak Jaikishan who is also in the centre of the controversy surrounding Balasubramaniam's two SDs.

He said the clues were all assembled before the Bar Council to act and advised the body to check out lawyers who had previously worked for the politicians named in Balasubramaniam's SD to question them in an inquiry.

He pointed that only a handful of lawyers would have access to a prominent personality that had been named in Balasubramaniam's SDs out of the 14,000 members of the Malaysian Bar.

Americk pointed out that Deepak had cleared Arunampalam - whom the carpet dealer had engaged to handle his property transactions previously - as a likely candidate for drafting the second SD.

"We have now narrowed down the range of potential participants. This should assist the Bar Council in its endeavours to trace the culprit(s) who unilaterally and without instructions, drafted a false statutory declaration for my client to sign under circumstances in which the question of voluntariness remains highly suspect," he had said in his open letter today.

Americk had previously called on the Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee to "organise a simple email to be sent to all members of the Malaysian Bar requesting that the member(s) responsible for drafting that 2nd SD do the right thing and make themselves known, as it appears innocent parties may be publicly falling victim to the blame game and finger pointing which has emerged since Deepak's revelations, to which I certainly do not subscribe".

In a harried press conference on July 4, 2008, Balasubramaniam, accompanied by M. Arulampalam, came out to withdraw his first SD, where he negated the contents of the first statement, claiming it had been signed under duress.

He then produced a second statement, which he claimed later in 2009 had been prepared by another lawyer, whom he did not meet with and who did not consult him when drafting the document.

READ MORE HERE

 

Claiming credit for other people’s work

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 07:18 PM PST

 

Sure, we fight for freedom of speech. And that is one of the reasons why we oppose Umno and Barisan Nasional -- because we want freedom of speech. But freedom of speech means you are free to talk about what we like but should not talk about what we don't like. And PAS talks about Islam, which is something we don't like. Hence we are angry with PAS for talking about what we don't like even if under freedom of speech they have a right to talk about whatever they want to talk about.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

JAIP nabs 13 couples for 'khalwat' in New Year's Eve

(Bernama) - The Enforcement Division of the Pahang Islamic Religious Department (JAIP) caught 13 unmarried couples between 18 and 25 years old in a Syariah crime prevention operation after the 2013 New Year Eve celebrations.

JAIP chief enforcement officer Mohd Raffli Abd Malik said the couples were nabbed for committing khalwat at several budget hotels in town from 9pm Monday to 6.30am Tuesday.

"Most of the couples were between 18 and 25 and were picked up from budget hotels around town where they had checked in after the New Year celebrations."

"They will be charged under the Islamic Religious Administration and Pahang Malay Customs 1982 Enactment," he told reporters after the operation.

*********************************************

Last night/early this morning, 13 unmarried couples were arrested in the state of Pahang, a state under Barisan Nasional, the same government that is in power at federal level. These unmarried couples were arrested under Islamic laws, also known as Syariah laws.

Malaysia, however, is not an Islamic State. It is a Constitutional Monarchy with a Westminster system of government. In other words, Malaysia is almost similar to the UK and considering that our system is a legacy of the British Colonial Government that is not too surprising.

Pahang is not only under Barisan Nasional. It is also the state were a Muslim woman was arrested and convicted for drinking beer and was sentenced to a punishment of whipping. Furthermore, Pahang is where a PKR leader who is also an ustaz (religious scholar) was arrested for being alone in a hotel room with a married woman, not his wife obviously.

Looking at the track record of Pahang, it appears like Barisan Nasional is more Islamic than Pakatan Rakyat and is very serious about the implementation of the Islamic Syariah laws.

None of the other states have sentenced a woman who drinks beer to a punishment of whipping. None of the other states arrested unmarried couples celebrating New Year Eve in a hotel room last night or early this morning. Only the Barisan Nasional run state of Pahang did this.

Note that these unmarried couples were arrested under the Islamic Religious Administration and Pahang Malay Customs 1982 Enactment. Yes, it was under a 30-year old law that was passed back in 1982.

1982 was the year I did my first Haj. 1982 was also the year that Anwar Ibrahim left ABIM to join Umno so that, as he himself claimed, he can change Umno from the inside and make it more Islamic.

Also very important, 1982 was when the Sixth General Election was held and Barisan Nasional won 132 of the 155 Parliament seats (or 86% of the seats in Parliament) on 61% of the popular votes while DAP won only 9 seats and PAS won 5 seats (with 8 seats going to independent candidates).

And that was the law used to arrested these 13 unmarried couples in Pahang last night/early this morning, a law that was passed by the Barisan Nasional government in 1982 soon after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took over as Prime Minister and Anwar Ibrahim left ABIM to join Umno so that he can make Umno more Islamic.

Many of us are very angry with PAS. We are very angry with PAS because they are trying to make Malaysia more Islamic. We are very angry with PAS because they are trying to remove Malaysia's secular system (or partial secular system) and turn Malaysia into a fully-fledged Islamic State (from the partial Islamic system that we have now).

The weird thing is, while PAS talks about making Malaysia more Islamic (and which is the reason of our anger, because they talk about it) none of the PAS run states like Kedah or Kelantan arrested anyone last night or early this morning (and not because no one in Kedah and Kelantan were engaged in 'illicit' sex to usher in the new year, mind you).  It is a Barisan Nasional state like Pahang that arrested unmarried Muslims for checking into a hotel room.

What is of special interest to me is that this law that they used to arrest these unmarried couples is a 1982 law. And in 1982 Dr Mahathir had just become the Prime Minister and Anwar joined Umno to make it more Islamic. And in 1982 the Malaysian voters gave Barisan Nasional a resounding win in the Sixth General Election while the Islamic party, PAS, won only five seats.

I think PAS is a fake. They talk about Islam. However, in states under their control, such as in Kedah and Kelantan, no one was arrested for illicit sex. Those who were arrested were arrested in a Barisan Nasional state like Pahang. And what I find even weirder is that the Menteri Besar of Pahang in 1982 was current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

I wonder whether we should continue being angry with PAS. It looks like the culprits who 'Islamised' Malaysia were Dr Mahathir, Anwar and Najib. And these laws were enacted in 1982 when Dr Mahathir first became Prime Minister, Anwar left ABIM to join Umno, and Najib was the Menteri Besar of Pahang.

Maybe we should just let PAS keep talking about Islam. After all, it is the Barisan Nasional government and not the PAS government that appears to be overzealous about implementing Islam. It is those who do not talk about Islam who appear to be the dangerous ones.

In 1982, PAS was not in power in any of the states (not even in Kelantan). In fact, in 1982 PAS won only five Parliament seats. The people in power then were Dr Mahathir and Anwar at federal level and Najib in the State of Pahang. And the 13 unmarried couples arrested last night/early this morning were arrested under a 1982 law that was the product of Dr Mahathir, Anwar and Najib.

Well, did I not say that politics is all about perception? And reality and perception are two different animals. We are angry with PAS because they talk too much about Islam. But it is not PAS that arrested these people last night/early this morning.

Sure, we fight for freedom of speech. And that is one of the reasons why we oppose Umno and Barisan Nasional -- because we want freedom of speech. But freedom of speech means you are free to talk about what we like but should not talk about what we don't like. And PAS talks about Islam, which is something we don't like. Hence we are angry with PAS for talking about what we don't like even if under freedom of speech they have a right to talk about whatever they want to talk about.

Or maybe PAS should stop talking about Islam. After all, last night/early this morning it was not the PAS run states but a Barisan Nasional run state that arrested 13 unmarried couples for celebrating New Year's Eve in a hotel room. And this law that they used to arrest these people was a law that was enacted in 1982 when Dr Mahathir first became Prime Minister and Anwar left ABIM to join Umno and Najib was the Menteri Besar of Pahang.

Hence how can PAS claim credit for something that other people did back in 1982 when PAS was not running even a single state in Malaysia and won only five seats in Parliament?

 

For BN and PR, fresh candidates a must in Election 2013

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 05:17 PM PST

New voters make up one in five among Malaysia 13.1 million registered voters, with a total of 2.9 million registering between this year and 2008, when the last general election was held. This new breed of voters, armed with free access to information through the Internet and social media, will most likely be more demanding of the MPs who can relate to them through forward-thinking policies and not rely on the old politics playbook.

Zurairi AR, The Malaysian Insider

Both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) need to present fresh faces in their lineup of candidates for this year's general election in order to attract the rising number of new voters, say political analysts.

They agreed with arguments for both coalitions to drop veteran politicians who are waning in popularity and carrying with them political baggage, or risk a backlash from voters who are tired of underperforming and scandal-ridden MPs.

"It is a must for BN that they present a new line of candidates to replace the old ones who should have retired. If not it will stop the public from giving their support," said Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) political scientist Professor Dr Jayum Jawan.

"For BN, the focus naturally will be on the states which are currently ruled by PR. We will see a lot of changes (in candidates) there, especially in Selangor and Penang," offered Asri Salleh, political science lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Terengganu.

New voters make up one in five among Malaysia 13.1 million registered voters, with a total of 2.9 million registering between this year and 2008, when the last general election was held. 

This new breed of voters, armed with free access to information through the Internet and social media, will most likely be more demanding of the MPs who can relate to them through forward-thinking policies and not rely on the old politics playbook.

Both Asri and Jayum also agreed that unlike BN, PR's list of candidates will need to be shuffled for the next polls because most of those who contested in 2008 were parachute candidates brought in from out of their constituencies.

Asri gave the example of PKR's Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff, who he claimed was one of the many idealists fielded by PR who had failed to warm up to the locals.

"The eyes of the public have been opened ... national issues, although still a big part, can no longer guarantee a party's win. Candidates play a more important factor," said Dr Azizuddin Mohd Sani, a political analyst from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

Azizuddin pointed to the concept of "winnable candidates" which is constantly on the lips of BN leaders lately, signalling that candidates are now more prized for their ability to win seats rather than for their seniority and political clout.

He gave the example of former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, who he claimed is loved by his Pandan constituents but not by his party's leadership, which will present a dilemma to the party in Election 2013.

Recently, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel chief Datuk Johan Jaafar had proposed that election candidates be vetted by the agency to ensure that they are "clean" from corruption.

With Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak throwing his backing behind the suggestion, many now feel that being cleared by the MACC will boost a candidate's winning chance.

Therefore, Jayum urged BN to drop its veteran politicians, pointing out that they carry a lot of political baggage and will be under the scrutiny of the MACC, causing concern for members of the coalition.

"If they are not dropped, they will be liabilities for BN. If Najib is brave, he will replace them with new faces," Jayum said.

However, Azizuddin and Asri disagreed, saying said that it will be hard to unseat veteran lawmakers who will still be kept by the coalitions, especially BN, since they carry with them immense political influence and support.

"When these old politicans are dropped, they themselves will lose their influence," Jayum said, urging Najib to not fear sabotage if the old names are not picked to contest.

BN leaders contacted by The Malaysian Insider could not disclose the number of fresh faces who will contest in Election 2013, but promised that there will be new names in the candidates list which is currently being vetted by BN chairman Najib.

"In every election there must be new faces," said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

READ MORE HERE

 

Anti-Lynas gathering fails to draw crowd

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 05:10 PM PST

(Bernama) -- A peaceful gathering organised by the Himpunan Hijau anti-Lynas group in front of the Gebeng industrial area here last night failed to draw the anticipated participation when only 500 people turned up.

The gathering was held in conjunction with the 2013 New Year celebration.

A check by Bernama found that most of the people turned up with umbrellas due to a drizzle which started in the evening.

They lighted candles and shouted slogans and held up banners against the Lynas rare earth plant.

Just before midnight, activist and national laureate Datuk A. Samad Said recited a poem 'Tanah Yang Terdera' (The Tortured Land).

The participants dispersed after the countdown to midnight, under the watchful eyes of several policemen.

 

Portal claims hunger strikers seen eating

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 03:23 PM PST

(The Star) - Anti-Lynas protesters on a 100-hour hunger strike at Dataran Merdeka have allegedly been caught on camera sneaking out to eat.

Pictures showing people clad in the trademark fluorescent green anti-Lynas T-shirts eating in hotels, restaurants and on the streets were circulated on the Internet hours before the end of the hunger strike at midnight last night.

Portals Mynewshub and stopthelies.my were among those that had uploaded the photographs, which attracted sarcastic comments from readers.

The protesters were allegedly caught red-handed after a Mynewshub photographer suspected something was amiss when participants appeared to take turns to leave quietly.

However, the organisers claimed that those caught eating were not protesters.

Malaysian Youths Against Public Hazard spokesman Tan Woen Tian claimed that those caught eating were members of the organising committee.

"We were not caught red-handed as claimed by our detractors. Even I went out to eat.

"The organising team members are allowed to eat as we need the energy to take care of the 19 protesters who are on hunger strike," said Tan.

The 100-hour hunger strike, which was to last from 8pm on Thursday until the eve of New Year, was aimed at building the momentum for the Himpunan Hijau's Green Drive from Kuala Lumpur to Gebeng in protest of Lynas.

It is part of a 100-day campaign initiated by environmental pressure groups against Lynas.

A series of protests were held following the failure of the Save Malaysia Stop Lynas group to get the Court of Appeal to reverse the Kuantan High Court's decision on Nov 8 to allow a temporary operating licence for Lynas.

The protesters, added Tan, had been in Dataran Merdeka for five nights, sleeping in sleeping bags and drinking only water.

"We initially have 22 people on hunger strike when we first started on Thursday.

"But the number was reduced to 19 as three had to pull out upon the advice of the medical team," he said.

Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin, popularly known as Chegubard, said the objective of the campaign was to raise awareness against Lynas.

"It is not about whether people were willing to go hungry for 100 hours.

"It is about using every means they can to raise awareness against issues that should be of concern to the public," he said.

 

Malaysia’s strong economy and new politics

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 03:17 PM PST

Mohamed Ariff, INCEIF, East Asia Forum

Surprisingly, the Malaysian economy could grow at a creditable pace in 2012, despite dismal export performance associated with the slow expansion of the US economy and recession and stagnation in Europe.

Malaysia's quarterly growth rates have been fairly impressive: 4.9 per cent, 5.4 per cent and 5.2 per cent respectively in the first three quarters. The economy needs just 4.1 per cent growth in the fourth quarter of 2012 to garner 5.0 per cent growth for the year as a whole. So all indications are that Malaysia's GDP growth will slightly exceed the government's target of 5.0 per cent growth in 2012. The main growth drivers are domestic consumption and investment, both private and public. Construction and services have been the fastest growing sectors in 2012.

It is noteworthy that inflation has become increasingly tame, decelerating from 2.7 per cent in January to 1.3 per cent in October 2012. The inflation rate for the full year in 2012 is projected to settle at 1.7 per cent. The unemployment situation has been somewhat steady, in the region of 3.0–3.3 per cent. The banking sector stayed healthy and well capitalised with a net impaired loans ratio of just 1.4 per cent. The central bank has kept its overnight policy rate at 3.0 per cent in the face of ample liquidity. Malaysia continues to register a current account surplus in its balance of payments, although the size of its surplus has been diminishing. International reserves at the end of September stood at US$135.6 billion, providing a retained import cover for 9.4 months, which is more than comfortable.

The Malaysian fiscal story, however, is unflattering, as the country has been continuously running budget deficits since 1998. With elections around the corner, government subsidies and cash handouts have been flying in the face of fiscal discipline, with no attempts made to address much-needed tax reforms that would reduce the current overdependence on oil and gas, which accounts for roughly 40 per cent of government revenue. Government revenue has failed to grow in tandem with GDP growth in recent times, with the ratio of revenue to GDP falling from 33 per cent in 2007 to 24 per cent of GDP in 2011 and to an estimated 22 per cent of GDP in 2012.

All this may have an adverse effect on the country's international credit ratings, and hence the need to rein in sovereign debt. Government debt has ballooned to MYR 502.4 billion (US$164.6 billion) in the third quarter of 2012, breaching the self-imposed debt ceiling of 55 per cent of GDP. The debt ceiling was raised from 40 per cent to 45 per cent of GDP in April 2008 and lifted further to 55 per cent in July 2009. Malaysia's debt-to-revenue ratio of about 250 per cent is close to Italy's 260 per cent.

The near-term outlook for the Malaysian economy is very much dependent on the economic performance of its major trading partners. Export market diversification efforts currently underway may help reduce Malaysia's vulnerability to external impacts but cannot lessen its exposure to the external world. Likewise, a dynamic domestic economy can contribute to greater resilience but cannot be a substitute for the more lucrative external sector, given the relatively small size of the domestic market. GDP growth in 2013 is forecast to be in the region of 5.5 per cent.

READ MORE HERE

 

Leaving God

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 03:09 PM PST

Adelyn Yeoh, The Malaysian Insider

For the last couple of years, I have had an obsession about God and our fragile existence.

At this point, I want to make the distinction between faith and religion. Faith is the act of believing and religion is the institution through which faith sometimes operates through. Faith can operate without religion.

You could say that my obsession with these issues have been long and drawn out. I was a tween when I listened to a sermon advising us to continually thank God and to have conversations with God throughout the day. As an impressionable youngling, I took that advice to heart and pledged to follow it. God was always on my mind.

Then came an age where I wanted to do more for my faith; it seemed natural to want to devote time to it. So I got more involved, doing more things in school for fellowship, for God.

That was when the questioning set in. All my life I attended Christian mission schools where Christian fellowship was strong. Hence, school was the place I had most contact with religion, as my family was not the religious sort to begin with.

There were numerous things that did not sit right with me; things that did not seem just or fair, despite what religion claimed. Teachers would often use God as their trump card to get students to do their bidding. Other times, peers of mine would be denied the opportunity to bear leadership positions because they were from a different religious denomination.

Outside the classroom, the bickering continued. Religion is used as an additional divisive tool, not just by politicians but also by the average Joe. Overeager evangelical actions carried out by the average person working in the name of faith, despite having good intentions, often upset other parties. The reason for this is often because the evangelist has a presupposed notion of superiority. To put it simply, this is like me saying that oranges are the best fruits and you saying that apples are the best fruits, constantly disagreeing when such things should be subjective.

Therefore, the superiority seemed baseless and that sparked the beginning of my questioning which spanned the last few years. It first began with questioning the institution and, subsequently, the very fabric of faith itself.

The reason that I bring this up is because I don't think my situation is all that uncommon. I think that any logical person would eventually realise these inherent flaws.

Leaving faith for those who have had faith before is harder than it looks. It takes a lot of strength and courage to actively renounce what was previously held true. Those of us who were born into circumstances without the exposure of faith do not actively go through the same kind of personal costs as those who have had an exposure to faith.

For these reasons, it is therefore much more difficult to leave a faith, especially in a country like Malaysia where unbelief is not even a recognised option, and is taboo even. In this country, unquestioning belief is the default. Our society's denial of unbelief is perhaps the central reason why atheism is viewed with such antagonism. The face of atheism is the Hitchenses and Dawkinses of the world, which is not a very flattering or accurate depiction of atheists.

How do you force belief? You either buy it or you don't. And if you don't, how can you force a person to believe, especially if they have lost it?

You basically can't. But this doesn't mean that those who have lost it don't recognise the tremendous power that faith has — its potential for community building, for hope, for strength during trying times. Recognising this, unbelief too can be compatible with all the positive attributes of faith within a society. As such, unbelievers should not be treated with antagonism and, instead, room should be created to acknowledge this set of people.

Adelyn is an undergraduate student in Mount Holyoke College, USA, where she is pursuing International Relations and Mathematics. She also writes for CEKU at http://www.ceku.org.

 

Resolving contradictions within Pakatan Rakyat

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 02:55 PM PST

Apang, Hornbill Unleashed

The Barisan Nasional or BN is the "known devil" among large sections of Malaysians, while to others, the BN seems to be angelic. In electoral terms, there will always be a certain percentage of voters who are hardcore BN supporters, however astonishing the contradictions displayed from the top to the bottom of the BN ranks.

Similarly, within the Pakatan Rakyat or PR, there are loyal supporters, but sharp contradictions too.

I do not wish to touch on the religious issue. This is not because I am scared to wonder into the unknown. On the contrary, too much is "known" simply by going through the mainstream media (MSM) and on ever more frequent occasions, the non MSM too.

Instead, I am venturing into a hidden area – and yet not so hidden after all.

Take the issue of two leaders of Perak DAP, with the  exposure of the unsustainable and untenable Kelantan lands and logging deals. It is most unfortunate that the DAP leaders could only use the supposed "legality" of the deals as an excuse to justify the inexcusable.

History has taught us that when a fundamental principle is breached, no amount of justification is tenable, unless they want to take the voters as fools.

Time tested principles mean just that – they have withstood the challenge of time. So with the principle that business and politics must not mix, there is no "BUT",  unless you want to project your ridiculous self as holier than others.

It should have been unacceptable – period – because as political leaders, you cannot justify yourselves being involved in business, least of all the dirty logging business, even if the forest monoculture is repackaged as "replanting".

After all, the DAP is on record as the most vocal opponents, and rightly so, during the UMNO/BN-dominated political era. The DAP took the most highly principled stance against BN's crony capitalism.

So PAS and DAP really have exposed the contradiction between the principle that they once championed, and the murky world of the logging business. But do not be mistaken: I am no holier than they in what I am writing. I merely point out how PAS, DAP and the PR as a whole will need to answer for its actions, as a political pact.

Let me be more specific now.

On just one day, 28th December 2012, the mainstream and non-mainstream media reported something very much symbolic of the evils strangling Malaysia – our treatment of the original inhabitants of Malaya and Borneo. Malaysiakini, and The Star online, reported on the plight of Orang Asli in Malaya in regards to self-determination and survival. We used to be able to pinpoint government disrespect and disregard of the "first people" of Malaya and Borneo as being firmly in the BN domain – but this can no longer be exclusive to the BN. After all, we know that in Kedah and Kelantan at least, under the PR government, the disrespect and disregard shown to the "first people" are similar to those practised by the BN.

How else can we interpret the condescending and pathetic views of the Kelantan Exco, in having the cheek to highlight – in a sickening fashion – that the Orang Asli refused to work for "RM300 to RM500" per month, condemning them for being "choosy"? This was pitiful at best, and at worst, it was downright characteristic of a BN-type mentality. This BN-aping is a more accurate interpretation of such attitudes towards the original inhabitants of the peninsula. If such is the attitude of the existing PR in government, then Borneo natives have the legitimate right to question what life would be like if the PR formed governments in the two Borneo states.

After all, to those in the two states who are in the know, it is an open secret that a few "elite" native members of the PR are questioning the extent to which PR has been supporting land rights in the two Borneo states, as reflected in the number of court cases brought by Native Customary Rights (NCR) landowners. These PR "native leaders" are worried that when the PR takes over as governments in the two Borneo states, they might find judicial obstacles  in their efforts to replace BN cronies in exploiting the rights of native land owners.

How can we differentiate them from the BN, when the principle states that what are the fundamental land rights of people must be respected, irrespective of which coalition forms the government?

It is no longer a matter of "natives" versus "non-natives", a fake division cynically propagated by those political opportunists trying to revive "Dayakism", or lately "Borneoism", to trap the masses with emotive means.

It is not difficult to dissect such opportunism by the elites to review how the Dayaks or the Borneo elite native leaders who, when they were previously within the BN, were marginalising and dispossessing the very people they are now championing as being oppressed.

It is a simple matter to observe how many of the present day "champions" of Dayak rights or Borneo rights are the very same people who were very much involved in plundering the two resource-rich states for themselves as members of the BN in the past.

As far as the facts are available, the plundering in those days, and the corruption now, are targeted against the same people, the marginalised native landowners.

READ MORE HERE

 

In final leg before polls, Bersih to train Malaysians to spot GE13 fraud

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 02:51 PM PST

Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider

Fraudsters will have to tread carefully during the 13th general election as thousands of extra pairs of trained eyes will be helping the Election Commission (EC) and the police spot electoral fraud and political violence when polling day arrives.

Apart from the polling and counting agents appointed by each electoral candidate inside every polling station, a new breed of observers will be trolling the EC camps outside and in the nearby areas while voters decide who should rule Putrajaya next.

These are Bersih 2.0's "citizen observers" — ordinary members of the public out to cast their own ballots on that crucial day, but armed with special training from local election experts on how to spot possible fraud and what to do with that information.

In an interview with The Malaysian Insider recently, Bersih 2.0 co-chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan (picture) said the "citizen observers" initiative, a campaign called "Jom Pantau" that will be re-launched along with "Jom 100" some time this month, was part of the group's last-ditched attempt to make sure that the 13th general election is conducted fairly.

Ambiga, who has now gained international recognition for her work with the polls reform group, said the reason was simple — despite the raft of reforms and repeated assurances from the EC and the government, Bersih 2.0 still believes the coming polls will be the dirtiest in Malaysian history.

She said that this was because those in power now have too much at stake when polls are called, and with the heightened sense of public responsibility felt by voters today, those who intend to cheat would have to pull out all the stops to ensure their will is done.

"We have political violence going on even now. But the cops are not arresting anybody. It looks as if some people can behave with impunity.

"On polling day, political violence is when you frighten people away from stations, when there are threats and some people get emotional on that day... don't forget, much of this comes from members of political parties because they have invested so much in the polls.

"But what people are alarmed about is how everyone gets away with it... Now the cops are partisan, they are getting orders telling them not to take action," she said.

"I think only cowards do it. Those who are losers... who think they are gonna lose, who are losers anyway, also those who are scared of losing, are the ones who indulge in this. Otherwise, there should be no fear at all."

Ambiga recounted Bersih's many struggles over the past few years, from its first mass rally before the 2008 general election, to the July 9 gathering on 2011 and last year's April 28 sit-in protest, and said that despite all its hard work, the government's polls reforms have been pitiful, half-baked and insincere at best.

"There is nothing genuine about their intention to reform. Nothing," she lamented.

But she said that Bersih 2.0, the polls watchdog group that became the catalyst to the burgeoning of Malaysia's civil society movement, had decided not to accept defeat lying down.

The group may not have convinced the authorities that a total reform to current polls processes are needed, such as wiping out the thousands of irregularities spotted in current voter registries or putting an end to political violence, but Ambiga said that Bersih 2.0 has chalked up an even greater achievement.

"We have raised awareness," she declared.

"So this is why this January, we are going to step up our two campaigns to get more and more Malaysians out on the streets during polling day — to vote, and to help us keep a lookout for fraud."

Ambiga said Bersih 2.0, with the help of Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (Komas) and Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel), will be working the ground feverishly to attract more "citizen observers" into its fold by using social media tools and working the phone lines.

Another NGO, Tindak Malaysia, has already been training polling and counting agents or "PACABAs" — individuals appointed by every candidate to observe the polls proceedings inside the polling station itself.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insider recently, Komas programme officer Arul Prakash offered a brief preview of the group's training session planned for the "Jom Pantau" programme.

He explained that among the most common offences that take place before and during an election are money politics and the abuse of government machinery, both state and federal, during the campaign period.

"There are big, lavish dinners, handing out of goodies by using a party's name or government department.

"These are common things that we want people to observe," he said.

"Also, we want to have people keeping watch on the ground. So that those who plan on committing fraud, they will think twice... you are being watched... you better be careful," he said.

Arul said the key objective of "Jom Pantau" is to make sure that fraudsters are outnumbered by Bersih 2.0's citizen observers and are frightened off from committing any offence during polling day.

He said Komas currently has some 300 observers already registered under the "Jom Pantau" campaign but Bersih 2.0 hopes to attract at least thousands more to ensure that every constituency would have a sizeable group keeping close watch over the polling process.

To register for training as a citizen observer, individuals are urged to visit Jom Pantau's site at pru13.info.

READ MORE HERE

 

BR1M will likely boost BN’s chances in the next election

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 02:45 PM PST

Zurairi AR, The Malaysian Insider

As the federal government prepares to hand out cash aid to millions of Malaysian households in the next few weeks, the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition is set to be a major beneficiary in terms of votes in this year's general election, political analysts and even opposition lawmakers have conceded.

They expect the 1 Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) handout to be a swing factor, particularly in rural areas.

"BR1M will provide a huge multiplier effect, not only economically, but to draw votes towards the ruling government," said Asri Salleh from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Terengganu.

"The recipients will mostly be the hardcore poor and urban poor, so it will definitely swing votes."

This view was echoed by the DAP.

"They'll have a big impact. Especially in "protecting" their traditional votes in the rural areas ... That's the reason why (the prime minister) keeps postponing polls," DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said.

Pua, who is also the DAP Selangor deputy chief, said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (picture) had missed his chance to call the polls after the first BR1M aid was handed out last year.

"He now knows that he has to call elections within three months of BR1M 2.0 so that the positive effect will not disappear, as people (tend to) forget after three months," said Pua.

Unlike BN, Pua explained that PR do not have the same financial muscle, especially in states not ruled by them, like Johor, Pahang and Perak, so it will be difficult for them to counter the feel-good effect of BR1M in the rural areas.

A major sum of RM3 billion will be allocated for BR1M 2.0, a more than 40 per cent increase from the RM2.1 billion allocated for the first BR1M.

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Buku berkaitan pengelibatan Deepak dalam akaun bersumpah mula diedar

Posted: 31 Dec 2012 02:43 PM PST

Mohd Farhan Darwis, The Malaysian Insider

Seperti yang dijanjikan, buku berkaitan pengelibatan peniaga karpet Deepak Jaikishan dalam penukaran akuan bersumpah pertama kepada yang kedua P. Balasubramaniam atau lebih dikenali sebagai PI Bala mula diedarkan kepada media.

Buku 26 muka surat dengan tajuk "The Black Rose — Black Rose 1.0" yang dikirimkan melalui emel itu menggunakan nama "Spirit of Altantunya" sebagai penulisnya.

Buku itu bagaimanapun tidak menggunakan nama sebenar watak terlibat, sebaliknya jalan cerita buku tersebut menggunakan nama samaran untuk watak-wataknya seperti Kapeed, Black Rose, Bijan, dan banyak lagi.

Deepak (gambar) sebelum ini berjanji akan menerbitkan sebuah buku bagi menceritakan pelbagai pengalamannya dalam penarikkan akuan bersumpah Bala mengenai pembunuhan warga Mongolia Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Deepak baru-baru ini mencetus kontroversi dan mendapat perhatian umum apabila mendakwa beliau ditipu Ketua Wanita Umno Selangor Senator Raja Datuk Ropiaah Abdullah berhubung pembelian tanah di Bukit Raja.

Beliau juga turut melakukan beberapa pendedahan berhubung penglibatannya dalam akaun bersumpah kedua Bala mengaitkan kes pembunuhan model Altantuya pada tahun 2006.

PKR melalui Pengarah Strategiknya, Rafizi Ramli ketika sidang medianya mendakwa pembelian syarikat Deepak Astacanggih Sdn Bhd oleh kerajaan adalah untuk menutup Deepak daripada terus melakukan pendedahan.

Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), melalui unit pelaburannya Boustead Holdings Berhad, Khamis lalu mengumumkan rancangan untuk memiliki 200 ekar tanah daripada syarikat Awan Megah Sdn Bhd milik Raja Ropiaah.

Selain itu, dana itu turut digunakan untuk membeli Astacanggih pada harga RM30 juta, yang mana dakwa pembangkang sebagai "rasuah" dan tindakan untuk menutup mulut peniaga karpet itu daripada terus mendedahkan penyelewengan kerajaan.

Pada hari yang sama, Deepak turut menarik balik saman yang dikenakannya terhadap Putrajaya atas kesalahan pelanggaran perjanjian terhadap tanah di Bukit Raja.

Deepak sebelum ini memfailkan saman terhadap Awan Megah terhadap pelanggaran perjanjian jual beli ke atas tanah 200 ekar tersebut, dan menamakan firma tersebut, Kementerian Pertahanan, unit hartanah kerajaan Syarikat Tanah Dan Harta Sdn Bhd dan Cebur Megah Development Sdn Bhd dalam samannya.

Astacanggih bersetuju untuk membeli tiga bahagian tanah itu pada 2007 untuk RM13 juta dan RM72 juta jaminan bank untuk bon tanah daripada Raja Ropiah, yang diberikan RM100 juta perjanjian penswastaan untuk membangunkan Pusat Pengajian Pertahanan Nasional (Puspahanas).

Tanah itu sepatutnya diletakkan di bawah syarikat bertujuan khas Cebur Megah kerana kerajaan tidak membenarkan tanah yang diswastakan dijual kepada pemenang. Tanah masih lagi dalam tangan kerajaan kerana projek itu akan dilaksanakan.

Ketua Wanita Umno Selangor itu didakwa menjual sebidang tanah pada RM2 juta tubai dan RM16 juta fasiliti overdraf dalam "kerjasama" dengan Guppyunip Sdn Bhd, syarikat yang mengkhusus kepada barangan plastik.

Sehubungan itu, kerajaan PKR Selangor, melalui sau kenyataan berjanji akan menghalang urusan pertukaran nama tanah tersebut.

Buku yang diedarkan hari turut menyatakan akan ada siri kedua yang akan menggunakan tajuk "Black Magic Women."

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net
 

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