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• GE13: Are Chinese Malaysians mostly rooting for the opposition?
• The Malaysian Election: A Tale of Two States
• Ink used on voter's index finger is NOT indelible
• Lahad Datu: Bukit Aman to interview Raja Petra over Sulu intrusion article
• Pakatan gunning for 12 federal seats in Johor, says Kit Siang
• Catch him if you can: the mysterious escape of Malaysia's second richest man

GE13: Are Chinese Malaysians mostly rooting for the opposition? Posted: 29 Apr 2013 08:59 PM PDT   (Bernama) - Many have been quick to generalise that almost all Chinese voters in the country will root for opposition candidates. But an in-depth look into the issue indicates that this is not entirely the true picture.  In the 2008 general election, BN lost its two-third majority in the Dewan Rakyat, and one of the main arguments for this was that a sizeable number of Chinese voters supported the opposition coalition of PKR-DAP-PAS.      Political observers say this trend had started five years earlier in Kedah, Penang, Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and spread to Sarawak in the 2011 state election where BN lost 13 state seats, all Chinese-majority seats, to DAP.     There are now arguments that this trend may even spread to Johor, so far the bastion of support for the BN, because urban Chinese have turned out in large numbers at opposition political gatherings. The DAP is making a major onslaught there this time.      In view of these developments, many have been quick to generalise that almost all Chinese voters in the country will root for opposition candidates. But an in-depth look into the issue indicates that this is not entirely the true picture.    Rita Sim, co-founder of the Centre for Strategic Engagement, said most urbanites – Chinese, Malays and Indians included – appeared to be yearning for change and tend to look at the Opposition.     She discerned that even middle-class Malays in the urban areas have shifted their attention away from BN.    In view of the trend towards change and perception held by most urban residents, Sim said, the Chinese, being mostly urbanites, had also been lumped as opposition sympathisers.     Sim explained that the opposition parties were harping on issues that connected well with the urban voters.    "There are also urban Chinese voters who support the BN. But, these people don't openly state their support," she said.    Political observers say that not many have the gumption like actress Datuk Michelle Yeoh who had openly pledged her support for BN and even called on Malaysians to give caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak a strong mandate.    Chinese support for BN still reasonable   Political party workers explained that three main factors could influence the decision of the voters. One is the type of constituency, whether urban, semi-urban or rural; the other is the ethnic composition of voters in the constituency; and the third, the choice of candidates.     Political analysts say that Chinese support for BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies, like Bagan Datoh, Sungai Siput, Sembrong and Tambun.     "For example, in the predominantly Malay parliamentary constituency of Tambun located in Ipoh, a DAP stronghold, incumbent Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah is extremely popular with the Chinese voters," said a party insider.     Another example is the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat where former MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu enjoyed good support from the Chinese.    Samy Vellu's defeat there in 2008 was due to the fact that he lost a quarter of the Malay votes and almost 70% of the Indian votes while the level of support from the Chinese voters remained almost the same as in 2004.     Similarly, in the Kuala Terengganu by-election in early 2009, the first by-election after the political tsunami of 2008, Chinese voters support for BN increased although the party lost the parliamentary seat.    "In Terengganu, we still rely on the strong Chinese support. We do have PKR and DAP contesting there but their effect (on the Chinese) is not that good. Our local support is still strong, (it is) different from some other states on the west coast, northern Peninsular Malaysia and in the Klang Valley," said state MCA chairman Datuk Toh Chin Yaw.     Candidates' personal touch   He explained that the choice of candidates and their personal touch played a critical role in deciding the winner.     Toh stressed that as such one could not simply generalise the so-called general sentiment said to be running through the Chinese community.     Toh's reasoning may perhaps explain BN's ability to retain the Kampar parliamentary seat in Perak in 2008 despite the fact that 60% of the voters there were Chinese and there was strong sentiment against BN then.     Kampar is located in the Kinta Valley, an area known as DAP's stronghold. But BN's candidate from MCA, Datuk Lee Chee Leong, managed to win with a majority of 2,697 votes even though 60% of the voters were Chinese.    "He won mainly due to his personal touch and humble approach. He served the constituency well. That's why the voters still gave him their support," said MCA Youth deputy chief Datuk Mah Hang Soon, who was also the sole BN candidate from MCA to have won the state seat of Chenderiang in Perak in 2008.      A mistaken notion that Chinese are mostly pro-opposition   MCA's strategist and Central Committee member Datuk Ti Lian Ker believes that the mistaken notion that the Chinese are mostly for the opposition is merely spread by the DAP to influence the Chinese voters.     "Basically, they (DAP) talk about change in the hope to convince the Chinese voters that they can make a big difference with their votes when in fact the Malay and Indian votes are still with the BN.     "In any democratic country, there is always a 20% to 30% of core voter support for either side. So, in this case, there is still a core of 20%-30% Chinese support from MCA members for the BN," he said.    Ti therefore believed that the trick is to zero in on the estimated 30 plus to 40% of the undecided or "fence-sitters".   With polling in the GE13 set for Sunday, the notion that the Chinese electorate is pro-opposition may prove to be not true at all.

The Malaysian Election: A Tale of Two States Posted: 29 Apr 2013 08:46 PM PDT   (ABC) - Sabah and Sarawak are famous for rainforest retreats and the endangered orangutan, but they could also hold the key to power when Malaysians go to the polls on May 5. Battleground Sarawak. Malaysia's opposition party is hoping to tap into Indigenous voters in Sarawak to help jostle the ruling party out of power. The states of Sabah and Sarawak were given more national seats than any other state when Malaysia became a federation in 1963 to entice the regions to join, and the states could decide the outcome of the election. Dr Jenri Amir, from the University of Malaysia, says there are 31 seats up for grabs in Sarawak. "It's very important for the Prime Minister (Najib Razak) to ensure they win more than 20 seats in Sarawak, to ensure they can win the Federal Government," he said. The seats have traditionally fallen the way of the ruling coalition - Barisan Nasional. The Indigenous vote But the Opposition believes the Iban people - the famed former headhunters of Borneo - are an untapped reservoir of votes and could change that. Opposition candidates have been campaigning hard for Iban votes and according to Dr Amir the Opposition may have an in. In a traditional Iban village everyone lives under one roof in a longhouse, and there are over 5,000 of these longhouses across the state. "I think the mother of all issues among the Iban voters is of course NCR land - Native Customary Rights land, whereby they apply for this land," he said. "The government didn't give the title to this land, instead most of this land was given to proxy companies or companies related to the Chief Minister of Sarawak." The Chief Minister is Taib Mahmud who belongs to the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and has held the position since 1981. Video of relatives and business associates of the Chief Minister trying to arrange crooked land deals for their own financial gain has been made public. PHOTO: An adult male Orangutan relaxes near Camp Leakey at the Tanjung Puting National Park in Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. (Paula Bronstein: Getty Images)   Mr Mahmud denies any wrongdoing on his part. "If they are trying to create something, find something more credible, they are trying to frame people like me with evidence that can be interpreted by anybody," he said. Despite the denials, the scenario doesn't look good for the party. But will it be enough to swing Iban voters? Read more and watch the video at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-30/an-borneo-malaysia-election/4660122?section=sport

Ink used on voter's index finger is NOT indelible Posted: 29 Apr 2013 08:39 PM PDT   (Malaysiakini) - Barely hours after 'indelible' ink was used for the first time in Malaysia, complaints have emerged that the ink is in fact removable. This is contrary to the Election Commission's (EC) assurance that traces of the ink would last at least seven days on the finger after being painted on with a brush. One soldier, who had marked his ballot in advance voting this morning, said he had removed most of the ink with water alone - just six hours later. "Only 30 percent is left, and I haven't even used soap yet.  "The standard is like stamp (ink) pads, which is not very strong. "On the nail, it is 100 percent gone. It is a little difficult to remove from the seams.  "On the skin, I think it would be gone with rigorous washing with soap," the soldier, who did not wish to be named, said in a text-message.   PKR vice-president Tian Chua said some 20 security personnel had approached him to demonstrate how the ink could be "entirely" removed with hand sanitiser gel. Read more at: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/228547

Lahad Datu: Bukit Aman to interview Raja Petra over Sulu intrusion article Posted: 29 Apr 2013 08:34 PM PDT   (The Star) - Bukit Aman is not revealing where police would record the statement of Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin pertaining to an article on the Sulu intrusion in Lahad Datu. "We cannot reveal which country we intend to interview him as it might jeopardize our investigations. "We are recording his statement pertaining to individual or groups involved in the Lahad Datu intrusion," Federal CID director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin told The Star. It is learnt that Raja Petra, now living in exile in the United Kingdom, had flown to another country.

Pakatan gunning for 12 federal seats in Johor, says Kit Siang Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:58 PM PDT Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is targeting a win of 33 federal seats in Johor, Sabah and Sarawak, including 12 in the southern peninsula state, as the opposition pact seeks to unseat the Barisan Nasional (BN) government in Election 2013, Lim Kit Siang said today. The DAP veteran highlighted a report by Chinese newspaper Nanyang Siang Pau today that quoted BN sources as saying that the ruling coalition would lose 10 federal seats in the key battleground state of Johor. "That's why the battle of Gelang Patah is to make a breakthrough in Johor," Lim (picture), who is contesting the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat in Johor, told reporters at the DAP headquarters here today. "We're aiming for at least 12 parliamentary seats in Johor and more than a one-third majority in Johor, Sabah and Sarawak that have a total of 83 parliamentary seats. Pakatan can win 33 parliamentary seats," he added. Lim stressed that PR was aiming to win 125 out of 222 federal seats, with PKR having the most at 45 seats, and the DAP and PAS having 40 seats each. "No one party will be dominant," he said. BN, which has been in power since independence, faces its stiffest challenge from the opposition after winning Election 2008 with the slimmest margin in history. PR is aiming to decimate the MCA in Johor, with Lim leading the charge against caretaker Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman in Gelang Patah. Though PR is aiming to win more seats in east Malaysia, the numerous multi-cornered fights in Sabah are complicating its efforts to sweep more than the one federal seat in Sabah that it had won in Election 2008. READ MORE HERE

Catch him if you can: the mysterious escape of Malaysia's second richest man Posted: 29 Apr 2013 10:37 AM PDT Luxury: An artist's impression of the Wylde Street development  (Sydney Morning Herald) - ''The bulk of our work was never paid for,'' Greg Crone says. ''We were shocked when he sold up and then just disappeared off the face of the earth. When someone like this just disappears and leaves a shitload of debt it is just unbelievable.'' Onn Mahmud was a wealthy tycoon with a bulging property portfolio when he jetted off without warning in 2007. Number 10 Wylde Street, Potts Point, commands views to die for on a harbour not short of heart-stopping vistas. Perched high above Woolloomooloo Bay, it faces directly across the sweep of the botanical gardens to the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.   For a while, a few years ago, it was the site for one of the most luxurious apartment developments in Australia. In 2008, the duplex penthouse in the five-storey project was sold off the plan for a record price of $20 million. A year earlier - on the cusp of such riches - the Malaysian tycoon who had brought the project close to fruition abruptly sold the site as he quietly folded most of his substantial Sydney property portfolio and exited the Australian business scene.   Onn Mahmud. After initially being offered privately for a firesale price $9.4 million, 10 Wylde Street was eventually sold for $15.5 million - less than its spectacular penthouse had been on track to fetch and way below the projected revenues of $50 million for the entire redevelopment of the old Oakford serviced apartment building.   Virtually no one knew it at the time, but what appeared to have been a disastrous investment reversal in a booming market was, in fact, still a bonanza for a man with money to burn.   Advertisement Onn Mahmud is the second wealthiest man in Malaysia, with a fortune estimated to be in excess of $2 billion. Malaysia's richest man is his brother, Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister of the eastern state of Sarawak and reckoned to be worth more than $15 billion.   Much of that wealth has come through the family's control of logging deals that over the past 30 years have levelled most of the tropical rainforest on the island of Borneo. And a substantial slice of that wealth has found its way into investments in Australia.   Onn Mahmud bought 10 Wylde Street in the 1990s through his company, Ryan Park Limited, for $4.7 million. The windfall profit of $10.8 million netted from the 2007 resale had a sugar coating for the vendor - no tax was paid on the huge capital gain and nothing was returned to the project manager or architect, who were owed millions of dollars in fees and commissions by Onn.   Farok Abdul Majeed. Documents obtained by Fairfax Media show that Onn's Sydney property empire was carefully constructed behind an Australian corporate facade. Real control lay in a network of offshore companies and trusts based in the Cayman Islands and managed by banking giant Merrill Lynch from offices on the Isle of Man - a structure that enabled Onn to avoid paying Australian tax on tens of millions in Australian profits.   The NSW land transfer lodged after the sale in early 2007 of Wylde Street to another developer (which in turn folded its hand in the face of the later global financial crisis) confirmed that the ultimate owner of the property bought in the name of Ryan Park Limited was a trust registered in the Cayman Islands, operated out of the Isle of Man and controlled by Onn Mahmud. The beneficiaries of that trust were members of Onn's family based in Singapore.   In a statutory declaration sworn on the Isle of Man on March 29, 2007, two Merrill Lynch officers, Nicholas Dearden and Yvonne Smallwood, confirmed that Ryan Park Limited was registered proprietor of Wylde Street but asserted that it was ''an unregistered foreign company'' and that the company ''does not carry on business in Australia''.   Yet when Onn Mahmud had applied for an Australian business visa in 2002, his sponsor was Ryan Park Limited and he had declared that it and several associated companies had invested more than $50 million in commercial properties in Sydney. While Ryan Park had obtained an Australian Business Number in November 1999 as an ''Australian private company'', it was not registered for GST and had never been registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Read more at: http://www.smh.com.au/world/catch-him-if-you-can-the-mysterious-escape-of-malaysias-second-richest-man-20130427-2ildf.html

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• Where are the swing voters?
• PAS playing dangerous game
• Higher royalty versus state ownership of Petronas
• G-men or grumpy old men in a free country
• Violence won’t translate into votes

Where are the swing voters? Posted: 29 Apr 2013 05:24 PM PDT When the opinion poll showed that the BN and Pakatan Rakyat are well-matched in strength, I must again stress that if the poll is accurate, the final decision of the 9% middle voters can indeed affect the outcome of the election and play the role of the last straw. The question is, who can tell Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim where the middle voters are? Lim Mun Fah, Sin Chew Daily On the sixth day before the general election, the BN and Pakatan Rakyat have basically completed their respective deployments to consolidate their basic support. It is expected that the following strategy would focus on fighting for the support of middle voters. Some people asked whether there are still middle voters at this stage. Theoretically, middle voters exist until votes are cast. However, as the polling day is approaching, the number of middle voters will gradually decrease. The latest opinion poll of the Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (UMCEDEL) has reflected such a phenomenon. Compared to March, the number of middle voters has fallen by 6% to 9%, with most of them Malays. If the poll is credible, it has then conveyed an important message, namely the 9% middle voters is going to be the final kingmaker of the 13th general election. When it comes to the key role of middle voters, the most commonly known would be the Median Voter Theorem. According to the theory, if there is only two candidates with well-matched basic support in an election, the campaign strategies of the candidates must focus on middle voters to gain more votes. When it comes to implementation, however, there is no absolute standard to define "middle" line. Moreover, there are more than one election issue and thus, it is not easy to accurately strike the balance and meet the expectations of middle voters. Moreover, even middle voters can be divided into different groups according to their racial identities, family backgrounds, education levels and political awareness. As I know, middle voters are not necessarily fence-sitters with no political stand or party preference. Instead, they might be members of a political party without a strong party spirit and are not willing to be controlled by the party. Therefore, they insist to be independent voters. Of course, there are also middle voters who have no political party preference. They are well-educated and reject blind obedience. They can think rationally before making prudent judgement. They refuse to blindly follow and thus, are more careful in making comparison in terms of political platform and election manifesto of various parties, while observing the words and deeds, as well as qualities of candidates, before making a decision and cast their votes. In addition, there are also some so-called "middle voters" who are not interested in politics at all. They do not care about politics, and some are even indifferent to politics. Of course, they have no political knowledge, not to mention political ideal. Such kind of voters either choose not to vote or can easily be affected by their families and friends. They might even just follow the majority's preference to vote for the party with a higher winning odds. When the opinion poll showed that the BN and Pakatan Rakyat are well-matched in strength, I must again stress that if the poll is accurate, the final decision of the 9% middle voters can indeed affect the outcome of the election and play the role of the last straw. The question is, who can tell Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim where the middle voters are?

PAS playing dangerous game Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:38 PM PDT If PAS continues with its 'Islam superior' stance, there is little chance for Pakatan to win big in the May 5 general election dubbed as the 'mother of all elections'. Jeswan Kaur, FMT Islamic party PAS cannot distinguish the tree from the woods with its stubbornness in wanting only a Muslim leader to serve as prime minister. In his pre-election ceramah or speech recently, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the party stand was that only Muslims can be the prime minister of this country. Saying that anybody can be a minister regardless of whether the person was a Muslim or a non-Muslim if the opposition pact under the Pakatan Rakyat banner formed the next government after the May 5 general election, Abdul Hadi added: "Non-Muslims can work with Muslims to administer this country on condition the prime minister must be a Muslim. "The person in charge of policies must be a Muslim in an Islamic nation. If he is a non-Muslim, then he should embrace Islam. "For instance, for the Works Minister's post, if the person picked is a non-Muslim, but he has the knowledge and expertise in road and building construction, we will appoint him, but we will not appoint a non-Muslim to take charge of mosques." With only days to go before Malaysians step out to choose the government of their choice, Hadi's defiance and acerbic remarks have not gone down well with Malaysians. But then Hadi is not alone. PAS deputy spiritual leader Haron Din says that hudud will take effect if Pakatan comes into power upon winning the 13th general election. PAS' move to implement hudud never sat well with DAP, but Haron could not care less and says hudud it is if Pakatan makes it to Putrajaya, regardless of whether DAP is against the move. "I'm confident that DAP will accept hudud because of its willingness to contest under the PAS symbol. However, this can only be done after Pakatan is given the mandate to rule the country. "Pakatan must take over the federal government. Only then can we amend the (Federal) Constitution to implement hudud," Haron had said. Haron, who is the candidate for the Arau parliamentary seat, is of the opinion that Pakatan parties must "give and take" in order to work together. Whose cause is PAS championing? PAS a few years ago had enacted hudud (prescribed Islamic penalties) in Kelantan, to be imposed only on Muslims who represent about 90% of the state's 1.5 million population. The laws introduced Syariah punishments for theft, robbery, adultery, liquor consumption and apostasy. It is not just hudud. Haron also wants DAP to concur with PAS' decision not to allow the use of the term "Allah" by non-Muslims. Looks like both Hadi and Haron have forgotten that their existence as politicians is not to serve vested interests but that of the rakyat. If PAS continues with its "Islam superior" stance, there is little chance for Pakatan to win big in the May 5 general election dubbed as the "mother of all elections". It is not just the hudud and "only Muslim prime minister" that PAS has set its sight on. The party's "new kid on the block", the former Selangor menteri besar, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, has wasted no time in declaring that Islam is the way of life, saying that all Muslim women should wear the tudung. Muhammad, the former Umno vice-president, is unhappy that Muslim women newsreaders and schoochildren did not wear the tudung. "They say Islam, but look at the newsreaders not wearing headscarves. They say Islam, but there are schoolchildren who wear skirts," Muhammad was quoted by Bernama as saying. Not only that, Muhammad thinks he has "seen the light" when he remarked that albeit its development, Selangor's progress was one that lacked "soul" which had resulted in the (moral) decline among children of affluent families in the cities. How Muhammad came to that conclusion is anyone's guess. If he blames the Selangor government for the moral decay of its children, whom does he assign blame to in the case of off-springs of politicians going astray, indulging in vices of all sorts? READ MORE HERE

Higher royalty versus state ownership of Petronas Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:31 PM PDT Give oil producing states some profit participating stake in Petronas via non-voting equity shares  By Anas Alam Faizli, FMT The oil royalty debacle is perhaps one of the popular components for both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as the nation approaches polling day on  May 5. In Kelantan, the "R" for "royalty" movement has in fact been proliferating, especially amongst PR supporters. For years, we have seen the fight for royalty highlighted by the four producing states, namely Terengganu, Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak. While Kelantan continues with its ongoing battle for legitimacy of its claims under the Petroleum Development Act 1974, Sabah and Sarawak local dailies have been putting forth their plight for a bigger than 5% share over oil and gas incomes. In an unprecedented move, PR in its Buku Jingga launched in December 2010 proposed an increase of oil royalty contributions from Petronas to state governments from 5% to 20%. This is again reiterated in its election manifesto. Upping the ante, BN too in its recently-launched manifesto has promised the same, albeit under a different name.  Whoever wins the next election, the four states will see increased revenue, if this promise is kept. But how will this change affect Petronas? The truth behind the 20 percent royalty First, we must know that royalties or cash payout as per PDA 1974 is cost charged to revenues, rather than a share of operating outcomes. Whatever income Petronas or oil operators get from selling oil and gas, royalties are entitled to the first cut. To illustrate, a barrel of oil sold for USD 100 will see USD 5 or USD 20 (depending on the percentage) immediately taken away as royalties. Only what is left after that and taxes, will be left for Petronas to recover its tremendous capital and operating costs, and to reimburse other oil operators and producers. Imagine what it means in times of lower crude oil prices! This puts tremendous pressure on Petronas' profitability, which will ultimately affect revenues dispersed to the federal government as dividends. (Note that the federal government receives revenues from Petronas via multiple avenues; including royalties and taxes as the government, and dividends as Petronas shareholder). Second, based on the above, a 20% oil royalty payment will potentially render many in-place existing Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) unattractive. Without going too much into the intricacies of a PSC, oil operators like Shell and Exxon Mobil having operations in Malaysia, under the PSC, owe royalties and taxes to Malaysia but is then promised some form of "cost oil" and "profit oil". The PSC essentially ensures Malaysia is compensated as much as possible for oil coming out of its territories, while these operators still makes some attractive margins for their productive efforts. Unless Petronas takes the entire hit from losing a further 15 percentage-points worth of revenues by promising the same profitability to oil operators, the attractiveness of PSCs will be unavoidably severed. Third, it may be argued an incentive system by way of oil royalty leaves the states with no interest over the profitability of Petronas. This is only natural, as getting a first cut over oil incomes makes it too convenient to worry about the processes thereafter. Thus, states may not be too concerned if foreign operators are no longer incentivized to operate on Malaysian wells and use their valuable expertise on Malaysian oil wells, or if Petronas' long term productivity and sustainability is at stake. Give shares to the states The three points above highlight the few potential challenges in applying a 20% royalty contribution from Petronas to the state governments. After all, Petronas is one of Malaysia's few true success stories contributing to a large part of Malaysia's growth. Its sustainability without question is in the interest of all states and Malaysians alike. READ MORE HERE

G-men or grumpy old men in a free country Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:22 PM PDT Government men, past or present, are rallying against the Barisan Nasional this time around. By Syed Nadzri Syed Harun, FMT Other than the mindless name-calling in cyberspace, one of the surest indicators that democracy is alive and kicking in Malaysia is the number of prominent G-men openly declaring their spunky support for the opposite side in this general election (GE). G-men could also mean "grumpy" old fellas not happy with everything in post-retirement life. But for the purpose of this story in the thick of GE frenzy, the expression is restricted to the straightforward modern slang for "government men" past or present. And that makes "opposite side" mentioned above as referring appropriately to non-Barisan Nasional parties. Of course the world already knows about the biggest G-man turning over in Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister and big shot in the BN government. He has trained his guns on BN for many years now. But the streak of former disciplined G-men of the security forces distinctly rallying against BN this time around is quite mind-blowing. Top of the list are retired generals and police commissioners no less, which shows that, contrary to what some people would like to believe, this is indeed a free country. Movie star Michelle Yeoh was within this realm when she declared her open support for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak a week ago. What was wrong with that? But she touched a raw nerve in some people. At least six retired generals have joined Pakatan Rakyat either through PAS or PKR – former deputy army chief Lt Gen (Rtd) Abdul Ghafir Abdul Hamid, former chief of air logistics Brig-Gen (Rtd) Abdul Hadi Al-Khatab, former chief of staff logistics Navy fleet headquarters Rear Admiral (Rtd) Imran Abdul Hamid, former director of the Army Corps of religion Brig-Gen (Rtd) Najmi Ahmad, former chief of staff of the army Gen (Rtd) Md Hashim Hussein and former vice-chancellor of the National Defence University Lt Gen (Rtd) Ismail Samion. Ghafir and Hashim (both PKR) are placed to bring firepower to Pakatan's serious effort to wrest Johor. They are fielded in parliamentary constituencies of Pasir Gudang and Johor Baru respectively. Imran and Hadi (both PKR) are fielded in Perak in the parliamentary seat of Lumut and Behrang state seat respectively while Najmi (PAS) in Baling, Kedah. Ismail, a mechanical engineer by training, officially joined PAS last Thursday. Cause for concern On the police side, there is former federal criminal investigation director Fauzi Shaari standing as a PAS candidate in the Larut parliamentary constituency. Former federal commercial crimes director Ramli Yusoff is also said to be a strong supporter of PAS and at one time he was even considered to be a candidate in Pasir Mas to fight controversial Ibrahim Ali, a pro-BN independent. READ MORE HERE

Violence won’t translate into votes Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:17 PM PDT As campaigning enters the final rounds, stories of violence are making headlines in the mainstream media. Free Malaysia Today True to form, the mainstream media went to town with stories and pictures of escalating violence in the run-up to the 13th general election. The blown-up photograph taken at night of the scene of a blast in one newspaper was clearly and delibrately played up to scare voters into believing that peace and harmony were in danger of going up in smoke. It was a cheap tactic employed to advance the interest of the ruling coalition under threat of going down in defeat. The so-called escalating violence is used as a pretext to spread panic that Malaysia will descend into chaos if the attacks spiral out of control. Invariably the fingers will be wagged at the opposition for stirring up trouble. The opposition will be blamed for every blast including firecrackers even though it could be the work of the other side. If fighting erupts on the streets, the caretaker government can declare a state of emergency and call off the polls. When emergency rule is in place the guns will be turned on the opposition force and its leaders may end up behind bars for causing mayhem. With the opposition crippled, the election will resume but under the barrel of the gun. Voters will be intimidated into casting their ballots for the same discredited rulers. But this scenario is unlikely to come to pass because the caretaker government has a weak case. No government can have the force of legitimacy if an election is not won fair and square. The campaign is entering the last few laps and both camps are stepping up their verbal assaults against the background of "escalating" violence. For sure, here and there scuffles will break out, which will get "star" treatment in the state-controlled media. The ever-vigilant press will be ever ready to distort, twist, manipulate every incident in an all-out bid to poison and influence the minds of the voters. Any fatal shooting involving government officials will be subtly linked to the election battle. The line between truth and fiction will be blurred to serve the interests of the political masters. Malaysians are no longer guillible. The story and picture of the bomb blast published in the newspaper was only greeted with disgust and anger. Disgust at the blatant attempt by the daily to create unnecessary alarm, and anger at the caretaker government for using the media platform to advance its agenda for victory at all cost. If any thing, the fear tactic will only backfire. The mood in the country is turning ugly with every passing day and the ruling party is not helping itself with its crude methods of swaying public opinion. Not a good strategy The crowds at the opposition rallies are getting bigger and bigger. This is a clear indication that the opposition alliance is scoring at the popularity stake. This also means that the ruling coalition is in deep trouble. Herein lies the danger: the caretaker commander may decide on something drastic to stop the inexorable march of its opponents to Putrajaya. How about lobbing a few Molotov cocktails into opposition gatherings? This can easily be done with the help of pro-government supporters or any bad hats paid handsomely to do the job. It will not work. READ MORE HERE

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• Irrational Voters & Check-and-Balance: SAY NO TO 2/3 MAJORITY!
• How to vote based on a candidate’s MENTALITY?
• Why Malaysia isn’t afraid of China (for now)
• Jangan jadi sombong kerana dihampiri kuasa

Irrational Voters & Check-and-Balance: SAY NO TO 2/3 MAJORITY! Posted: 29 Apr 2013 05:06 PM PDT It is sad that voters are so absorbed with slogans and propaganda that all good senses have been thrown out of the window. In this regard, both coalitions are at fault. On the part of BN, their campaign has been marred with senseless and reckless flags, banners and billboards competition that are not only wasteful but causing great inconvenience to the public. Support for any party is not judged by the number of flags being put up. Candidates need to be persuasive, able to engage on public policy and present an attractive manifesto. On the part of PR, the coalition's supporters have shown a great deal of intolerance and disrespect to those supporting the BN. This is a democratic country. If Malaysia has descended to the level of an autocratic country, the PR coalition would have gain so much momentum and strength as it is able to demonstrate today. A political debate and discourse should be based on mutual respect, non-personal and fact based. Whichever political party we pick or support, the motive is the same. We want to pick those who can represent us the best. We should put these politicians to the strictest scrutiny so that we, the voters, play the role of quality bearers. We set the standards and the politicians are expected to meet or surpass. In a mature democracy, candidates who are keen to contest are often encouraged to serve in their respective constituency for years before being nominated to stand as a candidate. As voters and observers, we should help to moderate, control, influence and persuade our politicians to campaign more positively. For the 2013 GE, it is important we evaluate these aspects before voting: READ MORE HERE

How to vote based on a candidate’s MENTALITY? Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:54 PM PDT Why must we vote based on a candidate's mentality? Our mentality is the characteristic attitude of someone's mind or a way of thinking of a person or a group. It guides the way we look at things, make choices and decisions, and how we act on them. It is the framework on how we see the world. It guides our interactions and how we engage with our surrounding.  One of the surest ways to tell how someone will behave in the future is to gauge their mentality. For example, the former US President Bush Jr. (yes the not-so-smart one) is a neo-con who carries the mentality that insist, "If you are not with me, you are against me". As such, the way he ran his administration reflects that mental make-up. On the other hand, Gandhi's framework suggests that we must "hate the sin, not the sinner", so non-violence is the preferred way of life. Here are 10 types of mentality that I would not vote for. Read more at: http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-vote-based-on-candidates.html

Why Malaysia isn’t afraid of China (for now) Posted: 29 Apr 2013 10:34 AM PDT On 26 March 2013, the People's Liberation Army Navy conducted a major naval exercise in the South China Sea, close to what China calls Zhengmu Reef. News of the exercise would have been lost amid the constant stream of reports on the disputed waters had it not been for the fact that Zhengmu Reef, which is known as Beting Serupai in Malay and James Shoal in English, lies at the southernmost tip of China's expansive maritime and island claims in the South China Sea. More specifically, it's some 80 kilometres away from Malaysia and 1,800 kilometres from the Chinese mainland. Rarely have the Chinese made their presence felt at the extremities of their maritime claims in the region. And never have they brought such firepower with them—four vessels led by the PLA Navy's latest amphibious landing ship, the Jinggangshan. While serving as a sign of China's rising assertiveness, the exercise was also notable for the distinct lack of a visible public reaction from Malaysia. Neither the Malaysian Prime Minister nor the Foreign Ministry has made even the most perfunctory statement on the matter. Never mind that a Malaysian naval offshore patrol vessel, the KD Perak, monitored the exercise and issued orders for the PLA Navy to leave the area. And never mind that a standard protest may have been quietly expressed through diplomatic channels. In contrast to how such exercises are greeted in Hanoi and Manila, the Malaysian public response has been a deafening silence. So what explains Malaysia's muted reaction to this overt demonstration of China's growing power? Part of the explanation lies in Malaysia's perception of its relationship with China. It's seen as unique—perhaps even deserving the term 'special'—among those of its neighbours in Southeast Asia. This isn't to say that Putrajaya sees itself as having the most intimate of ties with Beijing, and there's little doubt that Cambodia and Myanmar have closer political relations with China. Nor does it mean that nobody in Malaysia sees China as a potential long-term security challenge. As one might expect, there are some within the Malaysian Armed Forces who observe China's military build-up with a degree of unease. But there's certainly a sense that Malaysia and China have implicitly agreed to pay heed to each other's legitimate interests and go to extra lengths to avoid playing out their disputes through the media. Furthermore, there's a perception, at least on the Malaysian side, that the relationship is highly prized and historically significant. Read more at: http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/why-malaysia-isnt-afraid-of-china-for-now/

Jangan jadi sombong kerana dihampiri kuasa Posted: 29 Apr 2013 10:30 AM PDT Pilihanraya kali ini merupakan pilihanraya yang terbesar dan terhangat dalam sejarah negara. Gerakan untuk melakukan perubahan jelas dan tidak dapat dinafikan begitu sahaja. Dalam masa inilah kita boleh mengkaji sikap dan perangai kepimpinan mana-mana parti yang bertanding dan menawarkan khidmat dan seterusnya mendapatkan mandat rakyat. UMNO dan BN tidak lagi boleh mendabik dada seperti dahulu. Dulu UMNO begitu angkuh dan di mana-mana mereka berkata calon UMNO tidak payah datang berkempen, cukup kalau dihantarkan songkoknya sahaja untuk mewakili calon UMNO itu. UMNO akan tetap menang. Semuanya itu sudah menjadi sejarah. UMNO terpaksa akur terhadap kehendak rakyat dan sekarang sedang menadah meminta belas ehsan rakyat untuk mendapatkan sokongan. UMNO sudah hilang segala-galanya. Semalam Dr Mahathir meminta UMNO supaya jangan mengambil tindakan terhadap Johan Che Pa kerana kononnya Johan telah berkorban untuk Perkasa dan niat Johan itu adalah baik untuk BN. Mahathir tidak peduli dengan undang-undang untuk kepentingan beliau dan kroninya. Mahathir tidak peduli dengan pandangan ramai. Kalau tidak masakan beliau sanggup membunuh partinya sendiri dan memecat 5 orang Hakim Mahkamah Agong kerana kepentingan peribadi beliau. Itu semua orang tahu, tidak payah dipanjangkan isu itu. Dalam masa keghairahan gerakan pembaharuan ini, terdapat banyak juga manusia yang cuba-cuba menjadi pemimpin dengan tidak sengaja mengeluarkan kata-kata yang menunjukkan sikap sebenar seseorang atau kumpulan itu. Saya berharap apa yang ditulis oleh Norman Fernandez, Timbalan Pengerusi DAP Johor, yang meminta rakyat tidak mengundi PAS itu melambangkan keadaan dan pemikiran yang sebenar yang ada di dalam benak Norman itu. Ia melambangkan sikap angkuh dan semuanya ini berlaku kerana sudah begitu yakin akan memenangi pilihanraya ini dan terus berkuasa di Putrajaya. Manusia yang berfikir akan memilih isu ini untuk menilai perlakuan seseorang pemimpin itu. Perlakuan seseorang pemimpin itu akan menjejaskan kewibawaan parti yang beliau wakili. Kenyataan Norman Fernandez itu menusuk tulang orang Melayu Islam dan tidak memberi apa-apa faedah kepada beliau dan partinya. Ingat, kadang-kadang apa yang sudah sampai ke mulut pun boleh terkeluar dan menghampakan niat untuk merasai apa yang kita hajati. Kerana keghairahan yang keterlaluan ia akan membantutkan niat kita untuk mendapatkan kejayaan itu. Saya selalu berkata, kalau hendak menembak pelanduk atau burung, jangan bersorak dahulu. Nanti lari pelanduk atau burung itu sebelum kita sempat menembak. Kalau hendak makan dengan tangan, basuh tangan dahulu dan bersihkan kuman-kuman di tangan itu. Jangan pula oleh kerana terlalu ghairah hendak makan, kita lupa untuk membasuh tangan pula.   Read more at: http://aspanaliasnet.blogspot.com/2013/04/jangan-jadi-sombong-kerana-dihampiri.html

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• Higher Royalty versus State Ownership of Petronas
• Change
• Heading Towards a Catastrophe?
• Be Grateful, Go Vote This Sunday

Higher Royalty versus State Ownership of Petronas Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:51 PM PDT   Whoever wins the next election, the four states will see increased revenue, if this promise is kept. But how will this change affect Petronas?  Anas Alam Faizli The oil royalty debacle is perhaps one of the popular components for both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as the nation approaches polling day on 5th May. In Kelantan, the "R" for "royalty" movement has in fact been proliferating, especially amongst PR supporters. For years, we have seen the fight for royalty highlighted by the four producing states, namely Terengganu, Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak. While Kelantan continues with its ongoing battle for legitimacy of its claims under the Petroleum Development Act 1974, Sabah and Sarawak local dailies have been putting forth their plight for a bigger than 5% share over oil and gas incomes. In an unprecedented move, PR in its Buku Jingga launched in December 2010 proposed an increase of oil royalty contributions from Petronas to state governments from 5% to 20%. This is again reiterated in its election manifesto. Upping the ante, BN too in its recently-launched manifesto has promised the same, albeit under a different name.  Whoever wins the next election, the four states will see increased revenue, if this promise is kept. But how will this change affect Petronas? The Truth behind the 20 Percent Royalty First, we must know that royalties or cash payout as per PDA 1974 is cost charged to revenues, rather than a share of operating outcomes. Whatever income Petronas or oil operators get from selling oil and gas, royalties are entitled to the first cut. To illustrate, a barrel of oil sold for USD 100 will see USD 5 or USD 20 (depending on the percentage) immediately taken away as royalties. Only what is left after that and taxes, will be left for Petronas to recover its tremendous capital and operating costs, and to reimburse other oil operators and producers. Imagine what it means in times of lower crude oil prices! This puts tremendous pressure on Petronas' profitability, which will ultimately affect revenues dispersed to the federal government as dividends. (Note that the federal government receives revenues from Petronas via multiple avenues; including royalties and taxes as the government, and dividends as Petronas shareholder). Second, based on the above, a 20% oil royalty payment will potentially render many in-place existing Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) unattractive. Without going too much into the intricacies of a PSC, oil operators like Shell and Exxon Mobil having operations in Malaysia, under the PSC, owe royalties and taxes to Malaysia but is then promised some form of "cost oil" and "profit oil". The PSC essentially ensures Malaysia is compensated as much as possible for oil coming out of its territories, while these operators still makes some attractive margins for their productive efforts. Unless Petronas takes the entire hit from losing a further 15 percentage-points worth of revenues by promising the same profitability to oil operators, the attractiveness of PSCs will be unavoidably severed. Third, it may be argued an incentive system by way of oil royalty leaves the states with no interest over the profitability of Petronas. This is only natural, as getting a first cut over oil incomes makes it too convenient to worry about the processes thereafter. Thus, states may not be too concerned if foreign operators are no longer incentivized to operate on Malaysian wells and use their valuable expertise on Malaysian oil wells, or if Petronas' long term productivity and sustainability is at stake. Petronas Inclusive Ownership: Give Shares to the States The three points above highlight the few potential challenges in applying a 20% royalty contribution from Petronas to the state governments. After all, Petronas is one of Malaysia's few true success stories contributing to a large part of Malaysia's growth. Its sustainability without question is in the interest of all states and Malaysians alike. It is important to note that Petronas could indeed credit its success to effective management of hydrocarbon resources out of the producing states. Although revenue contributions attributable to domestic petroleum resources has now reduced to 60% of revenues, Petronas would have not arguably been where it is today; if not for the petroleum "capital" contributed by these states to the corporation, by virtue of the PDA 1974, and other enactments entrusting custody of oil fields over to Petronas. Although today, incomes from domestic oil and gas blocks are not the single largest component of Petronas' incomes, other incomes would have never been there in the first place without the petroleum from these producing states. A whole slew of Petronas subsidiaries, including downstream industries such as Petronas' Gas, LNG, petro-chemicals, and retailing businesses, as well as the inception of local contractors such as Sapura Kencana, MMHE and many others have created a plethora of job opportunities, and positive spillover economic impacts onto Malaysia which would have not happen without oil and gas from the four producing states. It is proposed here that ownership of Petronas is made more inclusive. Currently, the federal government owns 100% of Petronas. Let's maintain the 5% royalty rate but give oil producing states some profit participating stake in Petronas via non-voting equity shares without participation at the board as to evade a corporate governance nightmare. With this, decision-making and executive matters are still left to the hands of professionals who have done a fantastic job at running the country's only Fortune 100 company. A 2% ownership each to the four producing states for example, would mean RM600 million out of the fixed annual RM30 billion dividends would go to each shareholding state, while the remaining is still paid to the federal government as the major shareholder. However, how much equity each state will get is for another discussion. Being shareholder, oil producing states will want to see Petronas as a company grow and maintain profitability as to enjoy dividend incomes from the company. Meanwhile, the dynamics and attractiveness of current and future PSCs and RSCs will not be tampered with.  In the case of oil royalty, the states have no interest with Petronas' profitability as they take directly from revenue. The bottom line is, a higher royalty and equity stake will increase revenue for the four producing states which is among the poorest in Malaysia, which is the ultimate blanket intention. The equity route, however, maintains maintains the status quo for Petronas and PSC Contractors and still rewards the states, especially the poorer ones that deserve the oil royalty income they badly need.  Here's another catch, oil royalty cash payments will only exist as long as oil and gas is being produced while an equity stake and dividend payments will continue to be there as long as Petronas exist and do well. Alternatively, as proposed by PR, little Petronas can be setup e.g Petronas Kelantan, Petronas Sarawak, etc which will be governed by Petronas with equity participation in the oil producing states.    * A version of this article first appeared in The Edge ** Anas Alam Faizli is an Oil and Gas professional. He holds a Master's degree in Project Management and is pursuing a post graduate doctorate. He tweets at @aafaizli

Change Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:45 PM PDT   Ask yourselves if a transformation has really taken place. Is your life better today than it was 5 years ago? If it is then by all means vote BN again.  Krishna M Singh  About 2 years ago there was a general election in Singapore. The ruling PAP won handsomely. However, there was a clear message that the voters were not happy at how things were being run. The PAP lost a few seats but there was a higher percentage of votes for the opposition. That was enough for the PAP to stand up and take note. The immediate effect was that LKY and a few ministers lost their jobs. And the PAP continues to listen and make some serious changes to their previously "rammed down the throat" policies. Five years ago there was a general election in Malaysia. The ruling BN lost quite badly but managed to retain a majority in the Parliament. What did BN do? For a year UMNO moved to remove Abdullah Badawi as though he was alone responsible for the losses. Then Najib took over and promised big changes. There have been a lot of slogans and billboards repeating them. There have been transformation programs which have been declared a great success. A lot of vote buying giveaways have been taking place. Ask yourselves if a transformation has really taken place. Is your life better today than it was 5 years ago? If it is then by all means vote BN again. For 22 years Mahathir ruled this country. Every institution of government was made UMNO pliant. There was no more fair play. Accusations of abuse were swept under the carpet with the reasons which treated us common folks as fools who will accept anything. Then ask yourselves: Are the police and MACC working with an even hand and without fear or favour? Are all other institutions of government – the courts, the EC and government departments working independently as they should? Has firm action been taken against those who have abused their power or acquired wealth which cannot be accounted? Year in and year the Auditor General has revealed huge wastages. Has that been plugged? If your answers to the above questions are in the positive then by all means vote for BN. For me, the answers tell me that it is time for change. BN is not capable of carrying out any change. Changes will hurt those who are and were in power. Those in power have blurred lines between what is personal and what is official. Everything is being treated as bapak punya harta. Mahathir is made adviser to Petronas and his son gets the rights to sell petrol at KLIA. Mahathir uses the Petronas plane to travel at will. Abdullah Badawi is made adviser to MAS so that his brother can bleed MAS selling expensive satay. Lifelong plundering carries on! If BN really has been a good government it does not have to give all these gifts to get your vote. We will judge them on their performance and vote for them. They have to resort to these low cost tactics because they know they have failed. We have to change that. We have to have a new government which will respect the independence of the institutions of government. Power must be in the hands of the people. We cannot allow anyone to force known corrupt leaders down our throat. We can see that from the list of those nominated to run in the coming election. We cannot allow a situation where the people of Kuala Lumpur vote out the BN candidates but Kuala Lumpur is being run by a BN controlled DBKL. About a week ago a senior customs officer with integrity, who has helped stamp out corruption, was mercilessly gunned down in broad daylight. This is a frightening development where the corrupters are gunning down those who are standing up to them. That is how deep rooted corruption is in our system and UMNO is not the one that can stamp it out. I also fear that the following will happen if BN comes into power after GE 13: Goods and services tax will be implemented In Selangor project Langat 2 will commence at a great cost which will be passed on to the consumers; AES, which was suspended, will be resumed; More crony contracts will be dished out so that there is another 5 years to clean out the treasury. The voters must know that they are getting these goodies from BN for one reason only. There is an opposition in place which has and is mounting a serious challenge to their long years in power. We must always keep BN on edge by voting for a strong opposition. Vote for Change.

Heading Towards a Catastrophe? Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:38 PM PDT   Isn't this what the PAS-DAP-PKR grouping is all about? An opportunistic grouping hell-bent on power but opposed to each other.  Chandra Muzaffar  Dear fellow Malaysian, Peace. I am writing this Open Letter because I am deeply concerned about two trends within the electorate which may have an adverse impact upon the future of our nation. The first is a trend associated with a segment of the Malay electorate, both rural and urban. The second is a trend associated with a segment of the non-Malay communities. If these two trends are enthroned through the 13th General Election on the 5th of May, 2013, it could be catastrophic for our people. The Malay Electorate. Some Malays, disillusioned with elite corruption and the widening gap between the have-a-lot and the have-a-little, regard a hudud-oriented Islamic State as the solution. They should ask themselves the following questions. One, is there any such State in the contemporary world that serves as a model worthy of emulation? Saudi Arabia? Sudan? Afghanistan? Two, why is it that the vast majority of Muslim states have not opted for a hudud oriented Administration? Three, why have the people in the world's largest Muslim country, namely Indonesia, rejected hudud oriented parties over and over again in elections? Four, why has Turkey whose ruling party has an Islamic root, eschewed hudud and a fiqh oriented legal system in favour of a democratic, constitutional, secular system of governance?  Five, if the mainstay of the ruling coalition in Malaysia since 1957 was PAS and not UMNO, what would be the socio-economic situation of the Malays today? Would poverty have been reduced from 64% to 1.7%? Would there have been the phenomenal transformation of an entire people, sustained over two generations, which has resulted in a significant Malay role in education, the professions, commerce and industry, compared to what it was at the time of Merdeka? Would the Malays have emerged as an important component of the Malaysian middle-class which has undoubtedly helped to stabilise ethnic relations and politics in the country and allowed democracy to function? One just has to look at PAS's 22 year rule in Kelantan to get an idea of what its version of Islam can do to a people. From its dismal failure to provide jobs for tens of thousands of well-qualified Kelantanese to its utter inability to curb rising drug addiction, Kelantan is Malaysia's first and only failed state. Malaysian voters should have no illusions about the type of Islamic State that PAS seeks. The Non-Malay Electorate. If some Malays are under an illusion about PAS's Islam, a lot more non-Malays, especially many middle-class Chinese and some middle-class Indians are labouring under a huge misconception about what their vote would deliver. They are convinced that it would be able to "eliminate ethnic discrimination" and bring to an end alleged "Malay supremacy." Since those who have been pedalling these cliches, have never really explained in detail what they mean by eliminating ethnic discrimination or Malay supremacy, non-Malays exposed to this rhetoric have drawn different conclusions. For many, the perception is that the Pakatan Rakyat is going to set aside the Special Position of the Malays and the Bumiputras of Sabah and Sarawak. This cannot be done. The Articles in the Malaysian Constitution pertaining to places in the public services, licences, scholarships and land reserves (like some other Articles) cannot be amended or abrogated by Parliament even if the PR wins 100% of the seats. Special Position is safeguarded by the Conference of Malay Rulers. Publicly, all three PR parties, including the DAP, have endorsed Special Position. However, at the hustings some of the DAP and PKR activists give the impression that it is discriminatory and is therefore unacceptable. This is why their leaders should be honest with their members and supporters. Tell the whole truth. Neither Special Position nor any of the other iron-clad Articles in the Constitution pertaining to citizenship, language and the Rulers will change one iota if PR comes to power.  Since PR cannot do anything about Special Position, what sort of discrimination is it going to eliminate? Will it abolish the NEP? In theory, the NEP does not exist anymore. It came to an end in 1990 though one of its twin objectives of restructuring society in order to reduce the identification of ethnicity with economic function continues in certain specific areas. Given the nature of this objective, it would be wrong to view it as ethnic discrimination. Rather it is an attempt to enhance national integration.  1Malaysia Everything considered, the actual flaws with the NEP are related to its implementation --- its excesses and its abuses. These should be rectified. In the last four years, Prime Minister Mohd Najib has made a concerted attempt to do so. Federal scholarships for students are based largely on academic merit; there is a serious endeavour to increase the number of Chinese and Indian public servants; and their mobility in the public services has improved through some high profile appointments. At the same time, all 1Malaysia ventures --- from its retail trade outlets to its affordable housing programme --- are non-ethnic. 1Malaysia in its concrete manifestation is an all-embracing, inclusive idea. Najib is also paying close attention to the needs of different ethnic and sub-ethnic communities and engaging them at the social and cultural level as part and parcel of his 1Malaysia drive. There is a lucid message he is attempting to put across. There must be understanding and empathy among us, whatever our religious or cultural differences. We must respect one another. Respecting one another means that we should never ever manipulate each other. This is what happened in the recent DAP symbol episode. Though there was no question at all about whether the DAP could use its own rocket symbol, in the high drama that the leadership staged it opted to use PAS's symbol, rather than the PKR symbol on the Peninsula. Wouldn't it have been more logical for the DAP to use PKR's symbol since the DAP wants PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim, to be the Prime Minister if PR won the General Election? Why did it prefer the symbol of a party whose goal of a hudud oriented Islamic state it vehemently opposes? Is it because Pas has much more Malay support on the Peninsula than PKR and the DAP was hoping to capitalise on its support? Isn't this rank opportunism?  Isn't this what the PAS-DAP-PKR grouping is all about? An opportunistic grouping hell-bent on power but opposed to each other. If an illusion on the one hand, and a misconception, on the other, makes the grouping a catastrophe, its opportunism renders it an even greater catastrophe. THINK CAREFULLY! VOTE WISELY!! With warm regards, Chandra Muzaffar

Be Grateful, Go Vote This Sunday Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT The new media is of tremendous help here. It enables us to connect directly to leaders from both sides. We can now judge better who we think and believe will make good leaders based on our own set of criteria. Likewise, those unsavory characters will have their true colors exposed in no time. TBH  How often have you been reminded to be grateful? I received an email from a friend, reminding recipients not to be "ungrateful" to the ruling coalition for their contribution all these years – education, peaceful life, conducive business environment etc. etc.   The leaders themselves have also frequently been reminding the people, as if expecting rakyat to be "eternally" grateful.   Yes, Malaysians have been grateful which probably explain the reason why Barisan National had been voted into power at every general election since independence!   But does being grateful dictates that we must continue to turn a blind eye to a wide spectrum of issues ranging from personal and communal grievances to matters of national interest that many now blame the sitting government for?   In the good old days, controversial issues were easily kept hidden from the public. However, with the help of Internet, issues that would have otherwise remained "covered-up" are bared to all and sundry. Much to the people's horrors, our state and national closets were overflowing with skeletons (not going into details here as many have written about these) with the stench unbearable.   After weighing all the "goods and bads", the inevitable happened. Feelings of disdain and disgust simply overwhelmed that of gratefulness. It manifested itself in 2008.   All said, it is the future that we should really be concerned with. While none is perfect, who do we think can lead our country better? Which set of party leadership is more dynamic and capable? Which team can we expect to have the courage and conviction to make the necessary drastic changes envisioned and expected by majority of the rakyat? Surely, a time will come when people perceive a different set of leaders to be more capable of leading our country and will vote for change, gratefulness notwithstanding!   The new media is of tremendous help here. It enables us to connect directly to leaders from both sides. We can now judge better who we think and believe will make good leaders based on our own set of criteria. Likewise, those unsavory characters will have their true colors exposed in no time.   Of course, there is no known scientific tool available to make these precise measurements. Each of us simply judge as any normal human would and we all form own respective opinions which collectively will translate into the result of our votes.   So do not patronize us - the raykat knows best. Stop constantly telling us to be grateful - we have been! Stop telling us the other side is inexperienced – seeing Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Kelatan, we believe they can deliver. Stop saying the other side will ruin or bankrupt our country - candidates and leaders from both sides are just as Malaysian, just as loyal and just as patriotic as you and I who love and definitely want the best for our country! Just tell us and convince us why you deserve to govern the next 5 years. Be grateful Malaysians. Go vote this Sunday.

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