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Khamis, 3 November 2011

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Najib: My daughter was not in Perth

Posted: 03 Nov 2011 12:10 AM PDT

(The Malaysian Insider) - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today that his daughter was not present in Australia during the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting in Perth which he attended.

He was responding through Twitter to allegations that his daughter was on a A$60,000 (RM 193,869) shopping spree in the Western Australia state when Najib was attending the meeting for leaders of states.

Najib also clarified  to Bernama Online that his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and daughter did not buy jewellery, and asked people to stop spreading rumours and lies.

Australian newspaper came out with the controversial report, saying "the first lady known to have bought A$150,000 worth of WA (Western Australian) pearls".

The report did not name the person specifically.

The prime minister is performing the haj currently with Rosmah in Saudi Arabia.

 

‘Seksualiti Merdeka a collateral damage’

Posted: 03 Nov 2011 12:07 AM PDT

The festival organiser thinks government agencies are all out against Bersih's Ambiga and Anwar Ibrahim.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Seksualiti Merdeka festival organiser, Pang Khee Teik, believes that the police ban against the festival was because it was to be officiated by Bersih 2.0 chairman S Ambiga and that they have been made a collateral damage.

"I think it is because of Ambiga. It is being politicized," said Pang when met at the Burmese refugees fund-raising dinner function at the Annexe, Central Market.

"The government agencies are using every opportunity to rouse sentiments against Ambiga and (Opposition Leader) Anwar Ibrahim.

"We are mere collateral damage," said Pang.

He said this in response to the ban against the festival by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Khalid Abu Bakar.

Earlier today the DIG said that the police will take action under Section 27 A (1) (C) as well as 298 A of the Penal Code to prevent any functions relating to the programme.

Seksualiti Merdeka is an annual festival highlighting issues faced by lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals since 2008.

Pang also accused the government of ignoring the innocent and marginalised segments of the community.

He stressed that the festival was an avenue to hear out the plight of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community.

READ MORE HERE

 

Govt has RM40b untapped cash reserves, says Husni

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 07:08 PM PDT

By Chong Jin Hun, The Edge

KUALA LUMPUR : The government has some RM40 billion of untapped cash reserves which it could use to sustain Malaysia's economic growth in the event of a global economic slowdown, according to Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah.

Husni said the reserves included the government's trust fund of about RM30 billion, another contingency fund of some RM4 billion, and Kumpulan Wang Amanah Negara which have around RM5 billion.

"We have the reserves," he told reporters on the sidelines of the MIA-AFA conference yesterday.

Husni said the government had asked the country's accountant general to review the usage of its RM30 billion trust fund, of which a portion was "dormant".

He also noted that Malaysia would achieve a 5% to 6% GDP growth this year.

Husni also said the government plans to sell more government-owned land to the private sector to raise more funds for the country's development. The move is expected to add RM1.2 billion to the government's projected revenue for 2012.

According to him, the real estate assets included small plots of land, which the government did not plan to utilise within the River of Life project enclave. These plots of land are about three to seven acres "We have identified the land and we plan to monetise the assets," Husni said.


Husni (centre) shaking hands with MIA president Datuk Mohd Nasir Ahmad while AFA president Abdul Rahim Abdul Hamid looks on.
The River of Life project, an entry point project under the Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley National Key Economic Area, aims to transform the Klang and Gombak River into an iconic waterway by 2020.

According to the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) website, the River of Life project involves river cleaning, beautification, and development. Beautification works will also be undertaken along a 10.7km stretch of the Klang and Gombak river corridor, hence, the anticipation that land value around the area would rise.

In March 2010, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had said several government-owned tracts along Jalan Stonor, Jalan Ampang and Jalan Lidcol in Kuala Lumpur had been identified to be tendered out for development by the private sector.

Najib had said it would be wasteful if these sites were not developed, and the government would have to bear the cost of maintaining these assets.

The government had also established a joint venture with the Employees Provident Fund to develop 3,000 acres within the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia (RRIM) enclave in Sungai Buloh into a new hub for the Klang Valley.

Under the government's latest budget, policymakers have earmarked RM232.8 billion for the coming year, of which RM181.6 billion has been allocated for operating expenditure while the balance RM51.2 billion is for development.

The government's revenue is expected to increase 1.9% to RM186.9 billion in 2012 from RM183.4 billion in 2011. Based on the estimated revenue and expenditure, the government's budget deficit in 2012 is anticipated to improve to 4.7% of gross domestic product (GDP) compared with 5.4% in 2011.

Malaysia's GDP is forecast to grow between 5% and 5.5% in 2011, and expand further by between 5% and 6% in 2012, spurred by private consumption and investment.

The country's private and public investments are expected to grow 15.9% and 7% respectively in 2012, helped by higher foreign direct investment, implementation of the ETP and Second Rolling Plan projects under the Tenth Malaysia Plan.

To further spur domestic growth, the government will implement a RM6 billion Special Stimulus Package via Private Financing Initiative in 2012. Under the scheme, several public projects will be undertaken including the upgrading and maintenance of schools, flood mitigation programmes, and construction of public houses such as housing for fishermen and low-income group.

According Husni, the RM6 billion package would be spent and serve as a buffer to ensure the country's economic growth was sustainable.

He said policymakers would use the money to further spur the country's economy even in the absence of a global recession.  However, in the event the broader landscape sees a protracted slowdown, the minister said the funds would help sustain the country's economic strength, which hinged largely on domestic consumption and investment, besides public spending.
"We are concerned about growth and inflation," Husni said.

Malaysia performs below average in International Bribe Payers Index

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 07:07 PM PDT

By Alyaa Alhadjri, The Sun

PETALING JAYA (Nov 2, 2011): Malaysia managed a 7.6 score out of 10 in the Transparency International 2011 Bribe Payers Index released today, below the global average of 7.8.

The index, with a score of 10 indicating the perception that companies are unlikely to engage in bribery while doing business abroad, placed Malaysia in 15th position together with Hongkong, Italy and South Africa.

It is based on a survey of 3,000 business executives from developed and developing countries for the index which ranks 28 leading international and regional exporting countries by the likelihood of their firms to bribe abroad.

The countries represent almost 80% of global value in their total outflow of goods, services and investments.

According to the survey, the Netherlands and Switzerland (both with a score of 8.8) shared the honour of having companies which were perceived to be most unlikely to pay bribes abroad.

However, companies from Russia and China, with a combined investment of US$120 billion overseas last year were seen to be most likely to pay bribes.

"One of the key findings of the survey is that bribery between companies across different sectors is seen to be just as common as bribery from firms to public officials," said Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) president Datuk Paul Low, who launched the report here yesterday in conjunction with the report's global release.

He noted that the problem is most prevalent in the public works, contracts and construction sector.

"While previous surveys had shown that Malaysian companies were increasingly refraining from bribery in their overseas business, Malaysia's score for this year indicates that more can be done to improve its standing," said Low.

"With the tightening of anti-bribery legislations in many countries, there are higher risks for offenders to be caught and charged for corruption," he warned.

Low said TI-M has, as such, urged the government to:

>> diligently implement the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, including the criminalisation of bribery;

>> strengthen regulatory framework on the private sector to meet international accepted practices of good governance and ensuring compliance through a corporate
integrity system which includes enforcement of anti-bribery policy;

>> amend current legislation to allow prosecution of a company when its employee is prosecuted for corrupt practices; and

>> to impose strong deterrent fines against offenders.

Low urged the government to show strong political will, without fear or favour, to fight corruption, both locally and internationally.

Police reportedly ban gay festival in Malaysia

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 07:05 PM PDT

By Sean Yoong, AP

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Police ordered gay rights activists in Muslim-majority Malaysia on Thursday to scrap an annual arts festival aimed at fighting discrimination, news reports said.

The "Sexual Independence" festival has been held under low-key circumstances in Kuala Lumpur since 2008, but growing awareness about the event is leading to criticism by politicians and religious leaders.

This year's five-day festival — starting Nov. 9 at a private arts center and themed "Queer Without Fear" — planned to feature musical performances of "queer anthems sung by fierce local singers and drag divas who know what it means to love out loud and proud," organizers said.

But after criticism by the deputy prime minister and plans by several Muslim nongovernment groups to protest, police reportedly ordered the event to be canceled, local media said.

The Malaysiakini independent news website quoted national deputy police chief Khalid Abu Bakar as saying the festival represented "a threat to public order." The Star newspaper said Khalid warned of "strong action" against anyone violating the ban.

Khalid could not immediately be reached for comment, and other police officials declined to comment.

Earlier Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had described the event as "inappropriate" and a "waste of time," according to the national news agency, Bernama.

Gay rights activists did not immediately respond to the event's reportedly being banned. Earlier Thursday, they said the festival was meant to counter widespread homophobia in this socially conservative Asian nation, where a young gay man received death threats last year after posting a YouTube clip defending his sexuality.

"Asking us to keep quiet is asking us to take your abuse with a smile ... it's time to put a stop to all the hate and misunderstanding and abuse," festival spokesman Pang Khee Teik said in an online statement posted before the event was reportedly banned.

This year's program also included plans for talks on sexuality issues, a poster exhibition and a makeup workshop by a drag queen. One session is titled "Defense Against The Dark Arts: Homophobia 101."

Media censorship rules forbid movies and song lyrics that promote acceptance of gays, while a decades-old law makes sodomy punishable by 20 years in prison, though it is seldom and selectively enforced.

The festival's sponsors and supporters include the Malaysian chapter of Amnesty International, the country's main grouping of lawyers and other human rights organizations.

Anwar on highway's RM2b increase, bridge over land

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 07:04 PM PDT

(Harakah Daily) - Nov 3: The delayed completion of the Jabor expressway which forms part of the East Coast Highway caught the attention of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim (pic), who revealed that the cost for its construction had ballooned by more than RM2 billion, from the original RM3 billion to RM5 billion.
The project, which started in 2007, was supposed to be completed last year.

"This is extremely disappointing and should not have happenned because it involves public money which must be spent appropriately," said Anwar in parliament yesterday.

Taking to task the Public Works Department and other relevant ministries over the delay and the cost increase, Anwar anticipated problems over the collection of toll for the highway.

"Until now, we still do not know who will operate the toll and who will hold the concession," said the Permatang Pauh member of parliament.

The former Finance minister also described as "not smart" the government's project to build a bridge over land in Kemaman, Terengganu, costing some RM174 million, RM70 million higher than the original price tag.

"This is just another strange project by UMNO-BN to build bridges on land and with much higher cost than the original pricing," he added.

Muhyiddin: Seksualiti Merdeka is ‘immoral’

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 07:03 PM PDT

By Teoh El Sen, FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has dismissed the ongoing "Seksualiti Merdeka" programme as "totally non-beneficial" to Malaysians.

Speaking on behalf of the government and Umno, Muhyiddin said: "I don't know what our country can gain from this.

"Umno and the government feel that something like that is totally not beneficial at all.

"I don't understand why they are holding this. Does it have any hidden political agendas?

"But for Malaysians, they would have to judge for themselves. For a large number of us, it should not be done, it is a waste of time," he told reporters here today.

Muhyiddin, the Umno deputy president, said that Malaysia had clear guidelines and legislations outlawing "unnatural" sexual activities such as sodomy.

"We are a free country but there are limits.

"The organisers can say this is a free country and they can do anything but there are limits.

"In Malaysia, when we talk about human rights, we are signatory to the United Nations Human Rights convention.

"Malaysia has the Federal Constitution and its laws, we also have religion and our cultural values," he said.

Not in line with Islam

Muhyiddin said what Seksualiti Merdeka was advocating was not in line with the various religions, including Islam and Christianity.

"In the Islamic context, this is not in line with our religion, it is an immoral (songsang) activity that does not meet our customs, even the Christians also say that they are against," he said.

The Seksualiti Merdeka festival, which celebrates the rights of the lesbian,gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community has been held annually since 2008.

 

READ MORE HERE.

MAS-AirAsia share swap under probe for insider trading

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 07:00 PM PDT

By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider

The share swap between Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia is being probed by Bursa Malaysia and the Securities Commission (SC) for insider trading.

The finance ministry said today that investigations were still ongoing despite the two airlines agreeing to the deal nearly three months ago.

"It will take time because it involves so many accounts and a huge value. So we need to separate those that are genuine and those with inside information," Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Awang Adek Hussin told Parliament today.

Shares in budget airlines AirAsia had traded for as low as RM3.14 on June 23 and was finally traded at RM3.92 before being suspended on August 8 before the swap was announced.

It later dipped below RM2.80 on October 26.

National carrier MAS was suspended at RM1.60 but climbed to RM1.90 following the deal.

Awang Adek also said there was no need for either company to file any announcement with Bursa if there was no material development prior to the deal as the matter was considered private and confidential.

 

READ MORE HERE.

Mixed-messages over Pakatan’s application

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 05:48 PM PDT

Pakatan says that their application to the Registrar of Societies was still pending and questioned ROS director general's statement that a fresh application was needed.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Pakatan Rakyat and the Registrar of Socities (ROS) are at cross-purposes when it comes to registration of the political coalition.

Pakatan says their application is stilll pending while ROS director general Abdul Rahman Othman says there has been no fresh application after pro-tem chairman Zaid Ibrahim left PKR last November.

Abdul Rahman had earlier made a statement that a fresh application was needed from Pakatan.

But Pakatan today said that they have been in touch with an officer within the ROS who has said that their application made right after Zaid's departure was still pending approval.

"As soon as Zaid left, we elected (Tumpat MP and PAS central committee member) Kamaruddin Jaafar to replace Zaid and submitted a new application.

"We have been in touch with ROS chief assistant director of the societies registration division on the issue of a 'fresh application'.

"The feedback that we received was that ROS and the Home Ministry were still looking into our application on the aspect of law," PKR secretary general Saifuddin Nasution told a press conference today.

He added that Pakatan had kept in touch with their contact person in ROS every three to four weeks up till early this month, always getting a similar reply.

Other members of the pro-tem committee who were at today's press conference were DAP's Anthony Loke and PAS' Hatta Ramli.

READ MORE HERE

 

Australian government pressured to act on Assange

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 05:34 PM PDT

(AFP) - SYDNEY: Lawyers and the mother of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange today ramped up pressure on the Australian government to step in and ensure he gets a fair trial in Sweden.

Assange, who is an Australian citizen, lost a bitter legal battle yesterday to block his extradition from Britain to Sweden to face questioning over allegations of rape and sexual assault.

Two judges at the High Court in London rejected arguments by Assange, whose anti-secrecy website has enraged governments around the world, that his extradition would be unlawful.

Assange now has 14 days to take the case to the British Supreme Court and his legal counsel Geoffrey Robertson called on the government to intervene if the extradition goes through.

"I think Canberra may have to do something about it," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"It's got a duty to help Australians in peril in foreign courts. It didn't do anything for David Hicks and that was something of a disgrace," he said, referring to the Australian formerly detained at Guantanamo Bay.

"As far as Julian Assange is concerned, Sweden doesn't have bail, doesn't have money bail for foreigners, so he's likely to be held in custody."

Robertson added that he does not believe the 40-year-old WikiLeaks founder, who has previously blasted Canberra for not doing enough to protect him in the fallout from the leaks, will face a fair trial in Sweden.

"He's going to be tried in secret, and this is outrageous by our standards and by any standards," he said.

Assange has strongly denied the rape allegations, claiming they are politically motivated and linked to the activities of WikiLeaks. He has been under virtual house arrest since he was first detained in December.

He has expressed fears that his extradition to Sweden would lead to his transfer to the United States to face as yet unspecified charges of spying.

His mother told Australian media today she believes her son will go to Sweden to fight the charges as long as the Australian government brokers a deal to ensure he will not be extradited to the US.

Christine Assange said Canberra must follow its own diplomatic and legal advice that her son was in "clear and present danger" and seek written guarantees he would not be rendered to the US.

"If that was to take place I believe Julian would go to Sweden and not resist it. His concern is that he'll be rendered on," she said.

Asked about the matter as she arrived in the French resort town of Cannes for the G20 summit, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said a statement may be issued later.

"So we'll get briefed and understand fully what's happened here and make a statement if necessary," she said.

 

 

MAS-AirAsia deal not violating anti-trust law: Rafidah

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 04:02 PM PDT

(MySinChew) - KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- AirAsia X Bhd chairman, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, said the tie-up between MAS and AirAsia Bhd will not result in monopolistic practices between the two carriers following their share-swap exercise.
She also said the share-swap would not result in any behaviour that would violate anti-trust laws.

"We (AirAsia and MAS) are guided by strict anti-trust laws overseas and in Malaysia when the competition laws come into force next year.

"We'll never be able to do anything that violates any anti-trust laws," she told a media briefing on the Malaysia-Europe Forum's Roundtable here today.

The Malaysian Competition Commission is currently reviewing the possible impact of the MAS-AirAsia collaboration on the local market, and would advise both airlines on all possible areas.

She said the collaboration may result in cost-cutting for both airlines and it would be beneficial for passengers and customers as they could give better services.

Rafidah said the MAS management must continuously hold dialogues with all levels of its workforce through its unions.

"This is to explain in detail what's happening and what's going to happen, particularly to the employees, and the areas of cost-saving which will translate into benefits," she said.

The Malaysian Airlines System Employees Union (MASEU) has expressed dissatisfaction over the explanation given by the management on the collaboration.

MASEU had decided to write to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wanted to meet him to convey their views and opposition to the collaboration.

It was also reported recently that the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has urged the Malaysian government to ensure that workers' rights were preserved in any future collaboration between the two airlines.

The report said an agreement between the two airlines was reached without union consultation.

In a letter dated Oct 19 to Najib, ITF general-secretary, David Cockroft, outlined concerns that a share-swap and collaboration between MAS and Air Asia could lead to the erosion of workers' rights.

This could include the right of ITF affiliate MASEU to represent and collectively bargain on behalf of MAS workers.

Malaysia bans steamy 'Islamic sex guide': report

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 03:53 PM PDT

(AFP) - KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia has banned an "Islamic sex guide" by a controversial group that reportedly urges Muslim men in polygamous marriages to have group sex with their wives, a report said Thursday.

The book was published by the Muslim "Obedient Wife Club", which was formed earlier this year and has sparked controversy with its radical suggestions on sex and marriage in conservative, Muslim-majority Malaysia.

The Home Ministry has banned the book, titled "Islamic Sex, Fighting Jews to Return Islamic Sex to the World" with immediate effect, The Star daily reported.

It cited Abdul Aziz Mohamad Nor, a top official in the ministry's publications division.

Abdul Aziz was quoted as saying the book, the existence of which was first reported last month, was banned because of the wife club's links to the outlawed group Al-Arqam.

Some people from the Obedient Wife Club and related organisations are former members of Al-Arqam, a Malaysian-based Islamic sect that was banned in the country in the 1990s as a deviationist cult.

Those found in possession of the book face fines of 50,000 ringgit ($15,800) while anyone caught reproducing it can be jailed up to three years, The Star reported.

Abdul Aziz could not immediately be reached by AFP.

The wives' club caused a stir earlier this year by calling on women to be "whores in bed" to prevent their men from straying and pursuing divorce.

Malaysian media reports have said the book suggests Muslim husbands have sex with all their wives simultaneously.

One chapter, "How Sex Becomes Worship," reportedly contains unusually explicit sexual descriptions for a Malaysian publication, such as a tutorial on breast-fondling.

AFP has not seen a copy of the book.

Open discussion of sex is frowned upon in Malaysia, which regularly bans books deemed to be obscene or offensive to Islam.

Club organisers have previously said the book was exclusively for its members and was not intended for general distribution and thus should not be banned.

Poetic justice for Guan Eng

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 03:50 PM PDT

By Jeswant Kaur, FMT

The recently released Auditor-General's Report comes as poetic justice for Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in particular and Barisan Nasional's nemesis, Pakatan Rakyat in general. The report is full of praises as to how the state has successfully improved its financial position.

According to the report, Penang last year improved its financial position over 2009.

"The audit analysis found that consolidated funds of 2010 had improved compared to previous years and is at the highest level compared to the previous five years," the report stated.

Lim took over the state's top post in 2008 after DAP, a member of the Pakatan coalition, nudged Gerakan out in the 12th general election and took charge of Penang.

In the three years, despite all brickbats from his BN counterparts, Lim remains steadfastly focused on improving the state's performance. The result? Words of praise by the auditor-general.

Still, like all hardworking people, Lim faced and continues to experience stinging criticism from Umno and BN which have left no stone unturned in belittling and condemning his efforts in transforming Penang for the better.

With the latest Auditor-General's Report validating Penang's achievements, the state under Lim's leadership promises hope, of ensuring that Penangites continue to enjoy progress.

As far as the report goes, Penang has "passed" with flying colours. The state has been lauded where implementation of projects is concerned. The report has hailed the state's performance as "very good", with 99% of the 9,003 projects successfully carried out.

The Auditor-General's Report adds: "The state is recommended to make sure revenue collected is put into the correct account and continue its efforts to increase revenue and maintain its prudent spending to ensure a better financial position."

It urges the state to continue with its efforts to collect arrears in student loan repayment, rental of properties, land tax and other taxes. These arrears totalled RM78.78 million at the end of 2010.

On development under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the AG rates the state's performance as satisfactory, with Penang spending 77.8% of the allocated RM1.01 billion.

BN green with envy

There is no denying that the thumbs-up given by the Auditor-General's Report to Penang has caused the federal government under the aegis of the BN coalition to turn green with envy.

While the Lim administration has received straight "As" for its good management of the state, it is otherwise for three companies owned by Johor which performed badly.

The Auditor-General's Report said the three companies – YWJ Citra Holdings Sdn Bhd, Johor Skills Development Centre Sdn Bhd and Kumpulan Pendidikan YPJ Sdn Bhd – were found to be unsatisfactorily managed with two companies facing losses.

It will do BN good to buck up and emulate Penang in delivering nothing but the best to the rakyat, instead of resorting to gutter politics, using the dirtiest means possible to force their opponents out.

For Lim, in the 36 months that DAP has been helming Penang, much trial and tribulations have come his way, both professionally and personally.

Personal attacks on Lim came about when pro-Umno blogs had a fortnight ago accused his 16-year-old son of outraging the modesty of a female classmate which resulted in him being transferred to another school.

The bloggers also claimed that Lim had paid the girl's family RM200,000 to keep the issue under wraps. The accusations, however, turned out to be baseless after the girl was found to be a 21-year- old chess champion from Hong Kong named Anya Corke who has since issued a statement denying the incident.

 

READ MORE HERE.

Muhyiddin: Decision on PPSMI final

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 03:47 PM PDT

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider

The government's decision to scrap the use of English for science and mathematics (PPSMI) in schools is final, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

In a response directed towards the Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE), the deputy prime minister said there would be no more negotiations on the matter as the government had already decided to do away with the policy in 2009.

"It was already decided by the Cabinet back in 2009, after many levels of discussion, was passed in Parliament and even the opposition supported it. There was no negative reaction back then, I don't know why it's being brought up.

"Maybe they (PAGE) ketinggalan zaman (behind the times.) The government will not bow down to the demands of small groups like this," Muhyiddin (picture) said today, in reference to demands made by the pro-English lobby group earlier this week.

PAGE chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim had bluntly said Barisan National (BN) risks losing votes in the upcoming general election if it continues to bar students from learning science and maths in English in schools.

"The matter is closed. Full stop. Some people can push and demand all they want, we are a democracy, but the government's decision is final," Muhyiddin said.

The education minister said he will make a detailed announcement tomorrow regarding the government's plans to smoothen the transition process from PPSMI to the MBMMBI (Upholding the Malay Language and Strengthening Command of English) policy.

MORE TO COME

AirAsia received RM249m subsidy for rural flights

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 01:51 PM PDT

By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — AirAsia was paid RM249 million in public funds to subsidise the budget carrier's rural flight services in Sabah and Sarawak between August 2006 and September 2007, the government said today.

Deputy Transport Minister Jelaing Mersat also told Parliament that when Malaysia Airlines (MAS) took over the routes from the low-cost airline's subsidiary Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) in October 2007, "they needed less than half the amount of subsidy."

"Between August 1, 2006 and September 30, 2007, the subsidy paid to FAX was RM249 million.

"MASwings only needed less than half the subsidy as it is more organised and uses newer aircraft which cost less to maintain," the Saratok MP said.

The return of the rural air services (RAS) routes to MAS after just 14 months had raised concerns of whether it would affect the national carrier's turnaround plan under then chief executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala.

But then Transport Minister Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy had said that it would continue subsidies of RM60 million per year to retain low fares.

Pendang MP Datuk Mohd Hayati Othman said in Parliament today that the government overpaid RM65 million in subsidies to FAX, which was later restructured to AirAsia X, a long-haul budget service, as it ended its RAS prematurely.

The PAS man also claimed that MAS had to spend RM35 million to modify seven aircraft to ply the rural routes in Sabah and Sarawak.

MAS's poor financial performance of late had resulted in the share swap with AirAsia on August 9.

It saw state investment arm Khazanah Nasional taking a 10 per cent stake in Asia's top budget carrier in exchange for a 20.5 per cent stake in MAS.

This allowed AirAsia boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes to sit on the MAS board, ostensibly to help turn the ailing airline around.

 

READ MORE HERE.

Anwar predicts ‘Malaysia Spring’ in next polls

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 01:46 PM PDT

By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has predicted the coming of a "Malaysia Spring" in the next general election, confidently telling US newswire Bloomberg in an interview that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will wrest Putrajaya from Barisan Nasional (BN).

"We're taking over the government at the rate we're going," he was quoted as saying in the interview carried today on the newswire.

Anwar is confident five decades of BN rule will end in the next polls. — File pic
The opposition leader, who is facing the prospect of possible conviction for the second sodomy charge in his career, cited the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 as a sign of growing support towards PR.

The march for free and fair elections, organised by the election watchdog group, drew thousands of protestors to streets of the capital but turned chaotic at midday when police launched tear gas canisters and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Over 1,500 arrests were made.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his administration's reformist image took a beating in the international media after the authorities embarked on a widespread clampdown, before and during the July 9 Bersih rally.

With talk that his handling of the rally would result in a voter backlash, Najib moved to recoup his losses by forming a parliamentary select committee for electoral reforms, promising to look into Bersih 2.0's demands.

The prime minister also later announced a raft of reforms aimed at increasing civil liberties, including the repeal of the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA) and amendments to other security and press laws.

Anwar said today that with support shown by protestors in the rally, the opposition would still make gains even if he is convicted for sodomy, adding the trial outcome was already a "foregone conclusion".

Five decades of BN rule, he insisted, will end in the next polls.

Anwar told Bloomberg that PR anticipates winning more than 40 per cent of the votes in BN strongholds Johor and Pahang, recapturing majorities in the five states it won in 2008, and making significant gains in Negri Sembilan and Terengganu.

READ MORE HERE

 
Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

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Our Electricity Concern

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 01:58 PM PDT

By Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah via Malaysian Mirror

The impetus for the Independent Power Producers (IPP) programme in Malaysia In the early 1990s was several as noted in an article by Jeff Rector entitled "The IPP Investment Experience In Malaysia". "Malaysia's economic expansion created a surging need for power" in terms of industrialization and continued Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country. Tenaga National Berhad's (TNB) monopoly on generation was dismantled following a massive blackout in 1992 and the IPP programme was aggressively pushed forward to "restore an adequate safety margin of capacity and to ensure that the country could meet its anticipated future power needs.

However the new capacity "grossly overshot demand growth" and several months before the Asian financial crisis struck Malaysia, Peninsular Malaysia had almost 50% surplus capacity."

2. The five successful investors of the first wave of IPPs appeared to be those who were well connected with the government and did not necessarily possess experience in the power sector. All five IPPs were gas fueled, sourced from domestic natural gas resources supplied by Petronas, and financing for the IPPs was also completely domestic with EPF being a key uptaker of the bonds that were issued. "It is said that the five consortiums in the first wave of investment were guaranteed returns of 20% and that their actual returns were even higher.

3. The Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed between TNB and the IPPs upon the Government's decision to allow for independent power generation in the country are protected under the Official Secrets Act and as such are not available for public scrutiny despite many calls for transparency. What is known is that the agreements are of a long term nature on a 'take or pay' or fixed pay charges basis such that TNB incurs payment obligations regardless of whether the power generation capacity is utilized optimally. With regard to the first generation agreements, it appears that fuel cost risk was borne entirely by TNB and the terms of the PPAs strongly favour the IPPS. In addition, it is reported that unit cost of electricity purchased from IPPs in some cases was nearly double TNB's own generation cost. And although the PPAs are regarded as bipartite agreements, many accounts state that there was a "strong government presence during the contracting phase. The government had and still maintains a golden share in TNB.

4. One of the IPP projects was the Bakun Hydropower dam project, expected to generate 2400MWs and provide electricity supply to Peninsular Malaysia from Sarawak through undersea cables. The project was originally awarded in 1994 to a Sarawakian timber tycoon who did not have any prior experience in dam construction. Vast tracts of forest were already cleared of timber and natives were moved from their native customary homes when the Asian financial crisis struck causing the project to be shelved. Compensation reportedly in the region of a billion ringgit was paid to the concessionaire. The project has been subsequently revived incurring massive cost overruns. Today there is a lack of clarity as to whether the original goal of the dam to supply electricity to the Peninsula will be realized, and if so, at what cost, both financial and environmental. The Bakun dam was included in Transparency International's Monuments of Corruption Global Corruption Report 2005.

5. As TNB is required to purchase a pre-determined amount from the IPPs at fixed costs, when demand falls, as was the case during the 1998 economic crises, TNB faced overproduction and had to put a stop to its own power generating plant, resulting in both inefficiency and loss of profitability. Additionally, "a higher than necessary cost of power resulted in financial losses to the government controlled utility, higher prices to consumers, and arguably an inefficient allocation of society's resources". Against this however is the fact that "timely expensive power is a far superior outcome than blackouts that discourage FDI and domestic investment and stunt economic growth.

6. Whilst this is arguably true, the type of FDI that is attracted should also be considered. For example, with Bakun, the power is expected to be used in aluminium smelting plants. Apart from the numerous environmental concerns this poses, this arguably fails to fit into our plans of becoming developed by 2020, a high income nation with skilled workers. Aluminium smelting is considered a sunset industry in many developed countries.

PROPOSAL

7. In light of the increase in electricity tariff to the consumer (average 7%) resulting from gradual reduction of fuel subsidy amidst an increase in global fuel prices, and potential future tariff increases, it is to be studied:

a) The impact on the economy especially in terms of the direct and indirect inflationary pressures this presents;

b) The impact in terms of purchasing power to different segments of the Malaysian society;

c) Is this the appropriate time to remove subsidies when the global economic pressures are already resulting in inflationary pressures in the country, or are there other concerns such as the high electricity supply reserve margin or leakages due to corruption/patronage that should be addressed first to remove the shortfall in finances?

d) What would be an adequate reserve capacity? What are the costs/benefits of operating at the present considerably high reserve capacity and is it feasible to continue this in the future? Are there special circumstances in Malaysia that warrant this high reserve capacity which incurs both capital and operating costs?

e) How should the additional profits that Petronas makes with the subsidy removal be invested for the national interest?

f) Can this tariff increase be assuaged by the proposed Feed-in-Tariff for renewable energy and if so to what extent?

g) Do the circumstances of this increase present opportunities which the nation should seize, for example, to move towards cleaner electricity production and efficiency in electricity use as well as reduction in wasteful spending/consumption? Is enough being done to optimize this, and what are the expected positive outcomes? It is encouraging to see that Malaysia is one of the six ASEAN countries that have agreed that member countries should use peak demand management measures to cope with the up-trend in regional power consumption. Measures that have been employed in other countries include providing "subsidies to industries and businesses that use electricity during off-peak hours so as to reduce the government's massive financial burden of having to invest in power-reserve capacities". What are the measures that Malaysia is considering to manage peak electricity demand?

h) Is the tariff increase expected to contribute towards achieving Malaysia's aspiration of reducing carbon emissions intensity of GDP by up to 40% of 2005 levels by 2020 as announced by YAB Prime Minister in 2009? If so, what is its anticipated impact?

i) How would coal prices be affected by the rise in oil and gas prices? There appears to have been a "sympathetic" increase in coal prices already, should this trend continue, would the public be subjected to further tariff rises given the move towards coal making up a greater portion of the energy mix under the fuel diversification policies? Would this be in line with the country's carbon emission reduction aspiration?

8. In order to answer at least some if not all these questions comprehensively, a transparent analysis of what has occurred in the past in terms of the IPP agreements is required. Such an analysis is expected to show:

a) If there was an incremental cost to TNB as a result of the IPP agreements and if this was reasonable or excessive. If excessive, what proportion of this cost was passed on to the consumers? In other words, could the nation have enjoyed the same tariffs with gas subsidies being lower if TNB was not burdened with these excessive incremental costs?

b) If there was an incremental cost, was it justified? For example, was this an appropriate price to pay for power supply security and hence reasonable?

c) What was the analysis conducted to warrant the high reserve margin of about 40% and what analysis in terms of scenario planning and cost/benefit analysis was undertaken to justify this high reserve? In other words, was such a high reserve planned for, in which case what is its justification? Or, could better planning, have enabled TNB to lower operational costs and hence electricity tariffs? It is interesting to note that neighbouring countries like Thailand operate at reserves of around 22% which is already considered relatively high. In other words, how much savings would TNB have made without being encumbered with payments for this high reserve margin? Would it have made a difference if TNB was not obligated with contractual payments to IPPS, partly as a result of this high reserve capacity, or would the costs of potential electricity supply uncertainty outweighed any such savings?

d) What was the actual cost of encouraging consumers to use more electricity (to absorb the excess that TNB was obliged to pay for regardless of the reduction in demand) as was reported during the fall in demand during the Asian financial crisis? Subsidised gas would have been in a manner of speaking "wasted" to meet this artificial demand. A related issue is to examine to what extent this oversupply of electricity and TNB's payment obligations to the IPPs resulted in disincentives to promote electricity savings/efficiency even after the financial crisis ended, which in turn consumed more subsidized gas than necessary. Did this again give an inaccurate picture of electricity demand for the future which was then met by more capital costs being expended in building power plants?

e) To what extent did the IPPs, especially the first generation producers, benefit from the decision to allow IPPs into the business of power generation? What was the cost/benefit to the nation of operating on a closed private negotiations basis? Are accounts that despite being private sector players, the IPPs operations are not optimal and rely on the fuel price subsidy to mask their inefficiency justified?

f) What is the true cost/benefit of the Bakun dam project to the public? Who were the gainers, who were the losers, and what are the financial as well as other costs such as environmental, loss of native cultural rights, impact on ecological services? What are the benefits of this project?

g) Did we produce cheap energy for the right reasons? Have we formulated cohesive policies to ensure this? Were the benefits distributed equitably, particularly to benefit the lower income groups or did the rich receive a disproportionate size of the benefit? Did we attract "good quality" FDI which brought rise in local income, technology and raised quality of life across different 'income stratas or "bad quality" FDI which increased disparity in income, damaged the environment and quality of life and trapped us in the resource curse.

9. Taking an honest look at these issues will allow Malaysia to learn from the earlier experience in future undertakings and guide future decision making in managing and meeting electricity demand. Making the findings public will instill a much desired sense of confidence in the ability of the system to be accountable to the electorate. This is especially so at a time when managing energy/electricity security is required to not only be met in a cost efficient manner, but also to effectively meet the challenge of depleting resources and limiting carbon emissions to address global warming.

10. In meeting our future electricity demands, an open and transparent tender process for future IPP arrangements is imperative. This will allow for more competitive pricing of electricity while also meeting requirements for clean, secure and sustainable energy sources. Additionally, future arrangements with existing IPPs, especially those of the first generation should take into account the fact that they would have fully amortised their capital cost and already enjoyed considerably high profits. A relatively lower profit margin should therefore be negotiated with these IPPs in the interest of the nation, which could translate to unit cost savings for consumers.

CONCLUSION

11. Overall, Malaysia should take a holistic and integrated approach in planning for future electricity supply that includes not only security of supply at affordable costs, but also issues that affect development such as income distribution and sustainability as well as issues of growing concern such as environmental degradation and carbon emissions. In achieving a robust framework within which this can be done, we must learn from the successes and mistakes of the past. Transparency and openness are critical elements in enabling us to do so.

TENGKU RAZALEIGH HAMZAH
Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

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Pekerja Indonesia di Malaysia hantar pulang AS$1.7 bilion

Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:39 PM PDT

Angka itu mewakili lebih daripada separuh jumlah wang sebanyak AS$2.91 bilion yang dikirim pulang oleh tenaga kerja Indonesia (TKI) yang bekerja di kawasan Asia Pasifik.

Jurucakap BI, Difi Johansyah berkata, kiriman wang oleh pekerja Indonesia di luar negara ke tanah air mencapai AS$5.05 bilion atau kira-kira Rp43 trilion sepanjang suku ketiga tahun ini dan TKI yang bekerja di kawasan Asia mengirim pulang paling banyak wang.

"TKI di kawasan Asia Pasifik mengirim wang ke Indonesia mencapai AS$2.91 bilion. Terbesar dibandingkan kawasan lain," kata Difi seperti yang dipetik detikfinance di portal berita detik.com di sini, Selasa.

Beliau berkata, TKI yang bekerja di kawasan Timur Tengah dan Afrika mengirim pulang wang berjumlah AS$2.01 bilion dan daripada jumlah itu mereka yang bekerja di Arab Saudi menyumbang jumlah paling besar iaitu sebanyak AS$1.68 bilion.

 

Laporan audit dipersoal

Posted: 30 Oct 2011 06:23 PM PDT

Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran, Dr. Mohd. Puad Zarkashi berkata, ia penting bagi mengelakkan tanggapan negatif rakyat bahawa berlaku penyelewengan dan salah laku oleh pegawai atau kakitangan kementerian serta agensi dalam perbelanjaan yang dilaporkan.

"Sebagai contoh, Kementerian Pelajaran dikatakan berbelanja melebihi peruntukan sebenar bagi perbelanjaan pengurusan 2010.

"Hakikatnya, kementerian telah mendapat peruntukan tambahan kerana peruntukan yang diterima untuk perbelanjaan tersebut termasuk elaun perjalanan guru tidak mencukupi," katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengulas Laporan Ketua Audit Negara 2010 bahawa sembilan kementerian atau jabatan berbelanja RM3.73 bilion melebihi peruntukan keseluruhan yang diluluskan.

Sembilan kementerian itu adalah Kementerian Pelajaran, Kementerian Kesihatan, Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam, Kementerian Dalam Negeri, Kementerian Pertahanan, Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani, Jabatan Peguam Negara, Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) dan Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam.

Mohd. Puad turut hairan bagaimana laporan berkenaan projek bekalan air bersih di luar bandar menerusi program Perigi Tiub (Tube Well) hanya menyentuh dua syarikat iaitu Rossington Consolidated Sdn. Bhd. (RCSB) dan Duta Sierra Development Sdn. Bhd.

Katanya, sebuah lagi syarikat iaitu Azair Sdn. Bhd. juga mempunyai kelemahan dan patut ditegur dalam melaksanakan program tersebut di Sabah dan Sarawak.

Berhubung laporan bahawa hanya dua daripada 300 makmal komputer sekolah rendah yang dirancang dibina dalam tempoh Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan (RMK-9) di Sabah berjaya disiapkan, beliau berpendapat Ketua Audit Negara sepatutnya membuat pendedahan yang lebih telus.

Katanya, ini termasuk mendedahkan bahawa masalah yang berbangkit adalah berpunca daripada pihak kontraktor yang tidak bertanggungjawab dan ingin mengaut keuntungan semata-mata.

"Bagaimanapun, setiap laporan Ketua Audit Negara perlu diambil secara positif walaupun terdapat beberapa kelemahan yang perlu diperbaiki," ujarnya.

Dalam pada itu, Presiden Gerakan, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon mendesak pihak berkuasa terutama SPRM mengambil tindakan segera menyiasat kes penyelewengan dalam perbelanjaan di jabatan kerajaan seperti yang didedahkan dalam laporan audit itu.

Tsu Koon berkata, langkah itu akan membuktikan komitmen kerajaan untuk menjadi lebih telus.

"Siasatan perlu dilakukan segera terutama bagi kes berkaitan pembelian barang yang dibayar dengan harga jauh lebih tinggi daripada harga pasaran. Perkara ini sudah menjadi buah mulut orang ramai," katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas menghadiri majlis Rumah Terbuka Deepavali Parti Gerakan di sini hari ini.

Tsu Koon memberi contoh, pendedahan laporan audit mengenai harga tiga barang yang dibeli oleh Jabatan Taman Laut Malaysia berjumlah RM56,350 amat mengejutkan ramai pihak sedangkan harga pasarannya tidak semahal itu.

 

Umno 'beri lesen' MCA hina Islam?

Posted: 29 Oct 2011 08:40 PM PDT

AJK PAS Pusat, Idris Ahmad berkata, kenyataan menghina Islam terbaru dari Presiden MCA, kononnya hukum Islam menjejaskan ekonomi dan membawa kemunduran, seperti "direstui" Umno dan NGO yang pro mereka.

"Di mana suara Umno ketika MCA biadab dengan Islam? Di manakah NGO Pro-Umno ketika pemimpin MCA menghina Islam degan penuh emosi? Kenapa mereka menikus?

"Apakah MCA berani menghina Islam kerana diberi lesen oleh Umno? Kenapa Umno tidak memberi amaran kepada MCA?," soalnya bertubi-tubi melalui satu kenyataan kepada Harakahdaily hari ini.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan terbaru Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek yang mendakwa jika hukum Islam dilaksanakan, ekonomi negara akan terjejas dan akan membawa kemunduran kepada negara.

Menurutnya, adalah tidak mustahil tindakan 'tutup mulut' oleh Umno itu kerana ada kepentingan politik tertentu disebaliknya walaupun sanggup melihat sahaja Islam dihina.

"Apakah kerana takut kehilangan pengaruh dan meraih undi, maka Umno membisu, asalkan matlamat politik mereka tercapai walaupun Islam dihina.

"Cuba bayangkan jika kenyataan ini dikeluarkan oleh pemimpin DAP atau pemimpin PKR, maka sudah tentu akan diadakan demontrasi di KOMTAR Pulau Pinang oleh tukang juak-juak mereka," ujar bekas ketua penerangan PAS itu lagi.

Kenyataan menghina Islam oleh presiden parti komponen BN itu menurut Idris, bukan pertama kali malah ketika pilihanraya kecil Tenang beliau menghina Islam apabila menghina calon PAS, Cikgu Normala Sudirman yang tidak mahu bersalam dengan lelaki.

Beliau turut mempersoal dimanakah suara NGO Umno yang berkobar-kobar untuk mempertahankan Islam ketika program HIMPUN di Shah Alam 22 Oktober lalu.

Katanya, amat malang jika kita marah kepada orang lain menghina Islam tetapi pada masa yang sama 'memberi lesen' pula kepada MCA berbuat demikian.

"Setakat hari ini kita belum dengar lagi suara Perkasa, YB Zulkifli Nordin, Dr Rhidwan Tee, Tan Sri Ibrahim Abu Shah dan kuncu-kuncu mereka.

"Amat malang kepada kita jika kita ada orang yang mempunyai otak asabiah yang membuta tuli seperti ini.

"Kita akan dengar lagi selepas ini kenyataan yang lebih dahsyat kepada Islam, jika pemimpin MCA melihat sokongan orang bukan Islam masih tidak lari daripada menyokong Pakatan Rakyat menjelang PRU 13," katanya.

 

Muhyiddin terus `gempur’ Selangor

Posted: 29 Oct 2011 05:03 PM PDT

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yang juga pengerusi BN Selangor sudah beberapa kali menggempur Selangor dan kali terakhir sehari selepas beliau membentangkan bajet 2011 pada 7 Oktober lalu.

Begitu juga dengan timbalannya, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yang melawat beberapa daerah di negeri itu hujung minggu lalu.

Khamis ini, sekali lagi timbalan perdana menteri akan menggempur Selangor. Beliau akan hadir dalam program yang dinamakan `Nurani rakyat sayangi Selangor' di Kelang dan Shah Alam.

READ MORE HERE

 

Sistem 2 parti lebih mudah kalahkan BN

Posted: 29 Oct 2011 04:57 PM PDT

Kewujudan sistem itu berdasarkan perkembangan dan tuntutan semasa, tetapi bergantung kepada kesediaan ahli-ahli PAS sendiri untuk menerimanya setelah mereka memahami dengan jelas mengenai perkara itu.

Setiausaha Agung PAS, Datuk Mustafa Ali berkata, keadaan sekarang masih tidak mengizinkan untuk diwujudkan sistem itu kerana masih terdapat di kalangan ahli PAS sendiri yang tidak bersedia untuk menerimanya.

Menurut beliau, keadaan itu berlaku disebabkan sesetengah ahli PAS masih tidak memahami keperluan sistem 2 parti, ekoran kegagalan mereka memahami "Tahaluf Siyasi" antara PAS, DAP dan PKR dalam Pakatan Rakyat.

Katanya, sungguhpun begitu, perkembangan ke arah kewujudan sistem 2 parti telah pun berlaku di negara kita sekarang dan ia tercetus hasil kerjasama politik antara PAS dan parti S46 beberapa tahun lalu.

"Sistem 2 parti merupakan perkara penting bagi PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat kerana dengan itu akan lebih memudahkan usaha bersama untuk mengalahkan BN dalam pilihanraya.

"Dengan adanya sistem 2 parti barulah PAS, PKR dan DAP dalam Pakatan Rakyat boleh menggunakan lambang satu parti seperti yang dilakukan oleh parti-parti dalam BN yang hanya menggunakan lambang BN ketika menghadapi pilihanraya," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika menjawab soalan peserta pada Forum Tarbawi: Masa Depan Perjuangan PAS Dalam Landskap Politik Semasa di Dewan Datuk Fadzil Mohd Noor di Kolej Universiti Islam Zulkifli Mohamad (KUIZM) di Taman Melewar, di sini, hari ini.

Selain beliau, turut menjadi ahli panel pada forum itu Pengerusi Lajnah Pendidikan PAS Pusat, Datuk Abu Bakar Chik, manakala moderatornya Pengarah Akademik Kepimpinan Pemuda PAS Malaysia, Nazri Chik yang juga Exco dewan tersebut.

Forum tersebut diadakan sempena Ijtima' Tarbawi Pemuda PAS Peringkat Kebangsaan 2011 anjuran Dewan Pemuda PAS Malaysia yang berlangsung selama 3 hari bermula semalam, dengan disertai ribuan pemimpin pemuda PAS termasuk di peringkat pusat, negeri-negeri dan kawasan-kawasan di seluruh negara.

Sebelum itu, Mustafa berkata, kerjasama politik atau "Tahaluf Siyasi" antara PAS, DAP dan PKR dalam Pakatan Rakyat tidak seharusnya menjadi pertikaian ahli-ahli PAS kerana ia berasaskan hukum syarak.

"Sebelum diadakan kerjasama itu, pucuk kepimpinan tertinggi PAS telah pun "bermerah mata" membincangkannya secara mendalam berhari-hari, termasuk membawa kepada perbincangan bersama ulama-ulama Islam di seluruh dunia yang berada dalam gerakan Islam," katanya.

Konsep "Tahaluf Siyasi, tegasnya, adalah salah satu strategi atau pendekatan yang diambil oleh PAS dalam politik untuk menang dalam pilihanraya dan ia berbeza sama sekali dengan dasar perjuangan PAS untuk mendaulatkan Islam di negara ini.

Perkara itu perlu difahami dengan mendalam oleh setiap ahli PAS agar tidak menimbulkan kekeliruan mengenainya, apatah lagi sehingga boleh melemahkan semangat perjuangan untuk menegakkan Islam sebagai ad-deen di muka bumi ini.

"Tapi walaupun tidak faham, ahli-ahli PAS tetap juga wala' dengan pemimpin. Itulah sifat terpuji yang ada pada ahli-ahli PAS. Sungguhpun begitu, jika tidak faham kenalah bertanya kepada pemimpin. Paling tidak, bertanyalah kepada pesuruhjaya PAS di negeri masing-masing," katanya.

Sehubungan itu, beliau akan mengarahkan bahagian penerangan PAS untuk menerangkan perkara itu kepada ahli-ahli parti, bagi membolehkan konsep "Tahaluf Siyasi" yang dilakukan itu difahami oleh ahli-ahli PAS di segenap peringkat.

 
Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Mekah bagaikan medan perang bagi Najib dan Rosmah..

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 06:00 PM PDT


Sepatutnya dalam mengerjakan ibadat haji tidak dibezakan darjat dan taraf seseorang dimuka bumi ini, semuanya sama disisi Allah, yang membezakannya ialah Iman dan Taqwa..

Cuba korang tengok bagaimana jemaah dari Malaysia yang lain bergerak dibawah ni..






Sumber gambar diatas 'Kehidupan Makkah'


Ini close-up Najib dan Rosmah.


Read more at: http://darisungaiderhaka.blogspot.com/2011/11/mekah-bagaikan-medan-perang-bagi-najib.html

 

Ayatollah Pun Tak Tahu Quran

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 05:57 PM PDT

Robert Fisk's journalism career took off around the time of the Iranian Revolution in 1979. I was 19 years old then and had just finished my Sixth Form. His fantastic book elicits a personal recollection for me because the book covers events and over a period of time that many of us still know personally - through the newspapers, media and personal involvement. (Well in a very small way, I joined campus protests with my Palestinian friends in the US in the 80s and also visited Iraq on a humanitarian mission circa 1998 - when the Americans were still strafing and bombing their highways).

This massive book is an epic perhaps in the same category as William L. Shirer's 1,245 page 'The Rise And Fall of the Third Reich' (1960) or Thomas Carlyle's three volume "door stop" -"The French Revolution - A History" (1837).

The major difference is that Fisk's book is not an academic work per se. It is the recollections of a journalist who writes first hand about the things he saw, the people he spoke with and the events he witnessed by himself. It is an eyewitness record of many events in the Middle East beginning with the Iranian Revolution, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the 10 year Iran - Iraq War, the two Gulf Wars and more.

Of course there are many, many facets to a book. We gather so much information and knowledge by reading. I was most interested (but not surprised at all) to read about Robert Fisk's meeting with the Iranian Ayatollah Sadegh Khalkali. For those of you who are at least as old as me, Ayatollah Sadegh Khalkali was known in the media at that time as the "hanging judge".

After the Shah of Iran was overthrown in 1979 and the Ayatollahs took over Iran, they conducted a purge where thousands of people (up to 10,000 or more) from the Shah's repressive regime were executed (hung, shot, skulls cracked etc). The man in charge of sending quite a few of these people to death was Ayatollah Sadegh Khalkali. Here is a picture of the guy (he died in 2003).

On page 161 of his book Fisk writes about a new precedent that was set in Iran by Ayatollah Sadegh Khalkali's religious courts. In July 1980, in a place called Kerman, they sentenced four people to death by stoning for sexual offenses. On page 162 Fisk describes his meeting with the Ayatollah over this 'death by stoning' sentence:

'I dont know if I approve of stoning,' Sadegh Khalkali said, flashing a grin at us journalists and at a group of startled diplomats who had also been invited to the Qasr prison. 'But in the Koran, it is mentioned that those who commit adultery should be killed by stoning.'

Folks, the Quran says no such thing.

READ MORE HERE

 

Final Warning: Malaysia may be bankrupt sooner than 2019

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 06:32 AM PDT

It must be noted that when Malaysia was formed in 1963, the British left her with a solid administrative template. Yet, after more than 50 years of rule by Barisan Nasional, the template has not been improved on. In fact, it has gone to the dogs; replaced instead by a form of government that encourages leakages and corruption of all forms.

Malaysia has a population of 28 million and a civil service of around 1.3 million. Out of the 28 million, only one percent are paying income tax. This clearly shows that 99% are either below that income tax bracket or merely earning too little to need to pay taxes. With inflation and the prices of goods continuing to rise, expect even fewer people to pay income tax in the near future.

Incredulous optimism

Yet, the Najib administration's goal for 2012 is to grant perks to the civil service and give hand-outs to non-serving members of the society in the incredulous optimism that this will improve productivity and raise efficiency and so forth. There is a lot of hope, but as always, no real mechanism to bring about results. The AG's report clearly shows that though there were improvements from last year, the large number of detected faults still means the government has a long way to go in order to be a world-class administration.

For comparison, Taiwan has a population of 24 million and a civil service of just 400,000. Yet, Taiwan has continued to emerge as a major player on the global economic scene. Not bad for a small island that has so few natural resources and at one time was chided for producing rip-offs of Japanese electronic goods. Obviously, a clean and efficient government allows for a growing nation and a growing nation shows up, regardless of its size.
But not only is it confirmed that the Malaysian economy and system is riddled with rampant corruption, widespread inefficiency and general incompetence, the country has reached near to the end of the line. Bankruptcy is visible and to the extent that a time frame can be drawn. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Idris Jala, who shocked the nation last year by warning of bankruptcy by 2019 if the government continues with its current spending pattern, reiterated his view on Tuesday.

In announcing the latest investment updates for the government's economic transformation programme (ETP), Idris had this to say, "If our economy grows less than four per cent… and we don't cut our operating expenditure, if we borrow at 12.5 per cent, if our annual debt rises to 12.5 per cent and our revenue does not grow, then it will happen."

Bankruptcy happens when one overspends or makes a poor investment

Let us examine Idris' statement. Exactly, what will happen and how will it happen? The answers are, Malaysia will go bankrupt and it may come sooner than 2019 unless the leaders get their act together. The awful signs of such a situation are when the country starts to be late in its repayment of debt or servicing of interest.

This happens because there is insufficient cash-flow. Revenue from income and corporate tax plus returns from investment in all productive sectors are insufficient to cover the outflows. How come? Because the past BN government frittered away the borrowings on overpriced, unproductive or loss-making projects and ventures!

According to the AG's Report, Malaysia's national debt rose by 12.3 per cent to over RM407 billion last year, and although the economy grew by 7.2 per cent in 2010, last year's fiscal deficit maintained public debt at over 50 per cent of GDP for the second year running. The government owed 53.1 per cent of GDP, slightly down from 53.7 per cent last year.

This does not augur well for Malaysians who may now have to contend with additional taxes like the GST, just to raise government revenue in order to cover its operating expenditures such as subsidies. Yet even as the government grapples with the idea of reducing subsidies and implementing the GST, it must also clean up its own act.

READ MORE HERE

 
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Chua, ask Umno why M’sia is already an Islamic state

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 05:56 PM PDT

There is no need for anyone to state a stand as the issue of hudud is already redundant because Malaysia, as declared by BN-Umno-MCA that Malaysia is already an Islamic state. So, please stop spewing garbage to ruin the unity of Malaysians.

By Jackson Ng, Retired journalist

YET again, MCA's mouthpiece The Star is being used to propagate garbage on the hudud issue to confuse and divide Malaysians. Its boss, the wife-cheating adulterer and MCA president Chua Soi Lek is quoted by his "party organ" that the DAP must openly state whether it agrees that the implementation of hudud law will affect not only Muslims but also non-Muslims.

He is not only flogging a dead horse issue, he is just plain stupid.

The DAP is not the ruling government. The Barisan Nasional (BN) is the ruling party and that includes MCA. BN-Umno-MCA has already declared Malaysia an Islamic state. So, why are you, as immoral as you are, not directing the questions to Umno instead?

It is because Malaysia is already an Islamic state that the Islamic authorities, like Jais, can raid a church without any valid reason or  warrant. Why is MCA so quiet about this? Is it because the action was conducted by Umno-controlled Jais? So, you don't have the guts to utter a word?

Chua, that thick and shameless head of yours just cannot accept simple logic, is it? Malaysia is already an Islamic state, so what is hudud? Hudud is just part of Islam and an Islamic state, so please get this into your pea brain.

It is also baffling why Umno, Perkasa and Utusan Malaysia continue to remain mum with Chua's continuous spewing of insults to the country's official religion. I guess I should not be baffled as it is all BN's political agenda aimed at manipulating the people's political mindset towards disunity.

BN's continuous drive to sow the seeds of racial and religious discord is just not 1Malaysia which is just hollow sloganeering. Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin has clearly stated that the time is not yet right to implement hudud. What does that mean? It means the long-term agenda of Umno is also to implement hudud. So, Chua, why don't you ask Umno, currently the ruling elite, to state its stand?

There is no need for anyone to state a stand as the issue of hudud is already redundant because Malaysia, as declared by BN-Umno-MCA that Malaysia is already an Islamic state. So, please stop spewing garbage to ruin the unity of Malaysians.

We demand Muslims to respect other faiths. Likewise, we must also respect their faith and their right to practice. In Umno's case, it is using Jais to infringe the rights of others. Do you see such things happening in Kelantan?

Chua, why are you so fearful of hudud? Only criminals will fear hudud, an Islamic criminal law. So, it is criminal-prone Muslims who will have the greatest fear of hudud. Hudud cannot implemented on non-Muslims and this is something that cannot be changed, domestic or globally. It is Umno's manipulations, with MCA's support, and disregard for the rights and laws of the country that is the problem. Not the law.

Assunta Hospital

Posted: 02 Nov 2011 05:48 PM PDT

Reply by a Senior Physician

I have read the correspondence that has been going on regarding Assunta Hospital.  I am puzzled by the letter from A Concerned Malaysian. He first apologizes to the Bishop and the Catholic sister. He then holds them and the Catholic church responsible for the debacle that has occurred. 

Concerned Malaysian must know that the Bishop and the Catholic mission may not know anything about this state of affairs. They usually leave it to the trustees while they concentrate on getting donations for the hospital. Church leaders and the clergy live a life of prayer and a belief that God will take care of their problems. 

This may explain what happened to the Catholic schools. They used to be premier schools for the whole country. It was not only a source of pride to the Catholic mission, it could have been a method to influence the minds of future leaders of the country. Unfortunately the church never moved with the times and the political changes that swept across the country. Now schools such as SFI, SJI and SXI are relics of a grand past and lie almost forgotten and decaying where they once stood. 

Who are the relevant authorities that this Concerned Malaysian is going to turn to? The Ministry of Health (MOH) was probably compliant in this final state of affairs. The enforcement agencies of the MOH have been powerless to investigate Assunta before. So going to the MOH will be useless. Who else is he going to turn to?

Wait. I think there is one possible agency that he can go to for help. This is the division of the MOF that is responsible for tax free institutions that use public money. Concerned Malaysian has a right to demand that this agency do a public audit on Assunta Hospital and report its findings to the people who have contributed money. 

If this does not work he will have to seek the services of a lawyer to find out if he can take some form of legal action against Assunta. 

In spite of these exchanges in the blog, it is surprising that Assunta Hospital has not responded. It may be because all that has been alleged is really true.

I hope Concerned Malaysian succeeds. Best of luck.
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