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Gen Y, a force to be reckoned with Posted: 12 Sep 2013 04:12 PM PDT (The Malaysian Times) - GENERATION Y is a generation that has arrived. Popularly referred to as the Generation Y, Gen Y for short, those born between the early 1980s and early 2000s are variously labeled as being self-centred and egotistical, but at the same time also open-minded and vocal. Technologically-savvy, this generation has a high penchant for information technology (IT), computers, internet, mobiles and smart phones and myriad forms of modern gizmos including I Pads, Tabs and what have you.  These young people use social media extensively for communicating and networking, and have embraced platforms like Facebook, Twitter and other chatting applications, reported Bernama. MERDEKA SPIRIT    Referring to the Merdeka Day that Malaysians recently celebrated, Psychology lecturer Karen Tan, who herself belongs to the same Gen Y agreed that for some youngsters, Aug 31 is merely a public holiday. According to Tan, most of them grew up without much understanding about what the day meant. We reflect how our family members react to this very special day. This means that with the passage of time, most people's understanding of the significance of our Independence Day celebration has been declining. "This started way before Gen Y and I personally think it would only become worse in the future," she said. She also commented that although the Gen Y learnt about the history of the nation, but the way they were exposed to it was not effective. For most of the students, she added, 'Sejarah' (history) is the least preferred subject. "It is a subject associated with boredom, uninspiring, heavy with facts (with lots of name and dates to remember) and so forth. "Sad to say, as far as Gen Y was concerned, we went through an education system that did not promote the appreciation of Merdeka Day celebration," Tan said.     HIGH ASPIRATIONS Amaraa Reyna Arunan and Olivia Eloise James belong to this Gen Y, also called the Millennial Generation (The Millennials). Born in the mid-1990s, they are both students of a premier college located in an upscale neighbourhood of Sri Hartamas near here.  Amaraa, who wanted to become a psychiatrist, is the eldest of three siblings, and devotes part of her free time for charity work despite her heavy college workload. She is involved with charitable organisations such as The Befrienders, Makna Cancer Foundation and Make A Wish Foundation, Malaysia. At the same time, Amaraa also loves ice-skating and, in fact, has won many medals in local and international tournaments. Her college mate, Olivia, plans to pursue law upon completing her Cambridge A-Level programme. This petite soft-spoken lass from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, places a high emphasis on self-discipline, a principle she embraced after returning a prefect score for five straight years during her secondary school. Also the eldest of three siblings, Olivia told Bernama that if she gets a chance to study law abroad, she would still return home. I want to contribute to my country in my capacity as a lawyer instead of staying in other people's country," said Olivia.     AWARE OF ISSUES    Unlike what some people think, today's youth are very much involved with the current issues, with what is happening around them, and in the world. "We are, in fact, standing up for what we believe in and creating awareness about issues such as environment, diseases and even politics. "My involvement in various charity organisations is my way of contributing to the society and the country. "Each one of us has to contribute because this way, we will be able to buildstrong foundations for our country. For example, by helping the poor, we are breaking the cycle of poverty," Amaraa explained. As for Olivia, studies keep her occupied for most of the time but she still keeps in touch with the current issues by following postings and discussions on social media, particularly facebook. She spoke to this writer about some of the issues discussed intensely on facebook, such as the 'Black Out Incident' during the 13th General Election and news reports about school children eating in the changing room. "Certain issues can go viral on facebook. It goes to show how powerful facebook is. The young people tend to believe the information posted on it. If some people find that the information is incorrect, they can correct it by their own posts," she said. Both Amaraa and Olivia are looking forward to the next General Election, and to exercise their right as first time voters. "The Gen Y youth are well aware of the political situation and I am very hopeful that our votes will be able to usher in a better tomorrow for all Malaysians," Amaraa said. As for Olivia, choosing the right candidate, the right leader would be crucial. "I want my wakil rakyat to focus more on education," Olivia echoed her feelings.      INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY     Psychology lecturer Karen Tan said many studies and experts maintain that Gen Y was, in fact, collaborative, talented and open-minded by its very nature.      Personally, she said Gen Y members are fast movers focused on short-termsuccess. "We are engaged, committed and prepared to work as hard as the previous generation did. We are technology savvy but still value face-to-face interaction with others. "This is particularly true when it comes to performance, career discussion, spending quality time with friends and discussing or dealing with serious issues in life when personal interaction is still the preferred method," she said. According to Tan, from the psychological point of view, the technological development has changed the way the Gen Y lives and thinks.      "The Gen Y is the first generation to have grown up with personal computers and internet. This enables us to expose ourselves to another culture in an easy and convenient way. Hence, we are more accepting and open minded in general," she added. Tan concurred that the Gen Y's reliance on social media for information does have a huge impact on their judgment. "Since we cannot stop any individual to search for information through various social media, I would say it is very important to make sure that we get the right information from the right source. To do this, education seems the best avenue," she said.     CARE FOR THE NATION     Contrary to some beliefs, The Millennials absolutely love the country as much as the previous generation. Tan justified her statement by referring to the increase in the Gen Y's participation in the 13th General Election held in May this year, a clear indication of their concern about the nation. "As I have mentioned, The Millennials do things differently compared to their predecessors. We would act as soon as we see the significance of it and know that we could do something to change the future. "I think the best way to tackle Gen Y, if the politicians or the government indeed want to win their votes, is to do what they preach," she said, adding that mere rewards are no longer a good enough strategy as the percentage of educated adults was increasing as time goes by.

My 100 days in prison Posted: 12 Sep 2013 02:37 PM PDT   This is cruel, inhuman and a degrading treatment for a country. A nation is not judged by its skyscrapers but by how its prisoners are treated. by P Uthayakumar After a "very difficult" trial and having lost confidence, on June 5, 2013 from the dock of the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court before Judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain, I had made my stand that in protest against the circumstances of the court proceedings and in protest against Umno's institutional racist policies victimising the Indian poor, I decided not to continue with my defence (after two days), calling of any of my (scores of) witnesses, nor will I close my case submit or mitigate or apply for a stay of execution pending an appeal to the High Court. My four (4) applications to recuse this judge was dismissed by the very same judge, almost all of documents criticising the government were rejected as evidence. The Sedition charge dated Dec 11, 2007 overlaps with my nine ISA charges dated Dec 13, 2007 (seven directly) and therefore amounts to double jeopardy, ie punishment twice for the same offence. The vindictiveness of the Umno government shows even after I was officially invited but had refused to meet Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in the 'eve' of the 13th general election. If I had done so and had put my personal interest above the Indian poor, I would have also been a minister, if not a deputy minister, like a certain sacked Hindraf leader who had betrayed the cause and the Indian poor. In the first three weeks, I was put in a less harsh hospital wing as I am a diabetic, frequently in need of insulin injection. My daily routine was after the 7am roll call, I will take a half an hour brisk walk at the adjoining field. Then I will bathe, have my breakfast and sit cross legged to do my reading while enjoying the morning fresh air. When the weather gets hotter, I go inside the ward, sit under the fan and continue with my reading and writing. At 5pm I again go for my half hour brisk walk and rest at the open field, staring at the sky and enjoying the last few minutes of fresh air for the day. The ward gets locked up at 6pm. Thereafter I have my evening bathe, I have dinner at the hospital bed and continue with my writing. The prison authorities watched my every move and probably felt that I was not suffering my jail time enough. So they decided to throw me into the harsh jail conditions at the notorious Block K (AB,) which is controlled by a group of young Malay gangsters. They shout and are always rude. They mistreat their fellow inmates for the smallest things, by making prisoners sit under the hot sun for hours etc. punishing and 'disciplining' prisoners for even talking among themselves. At times, prisoners are forced to sit on the ground head down and hands clutched to the knees for hours under the hot sun, like the Nazi era war criminals and watched silently by the prison wardens. The prison warden's job is made easy by this 'outsourcing'. In return, these gangsters, masquerading as trainers (jurulatih), reign supreme in prison by extorting from prisoners some of the monthly groceries their loved ones buy for them, right under the eyes of prison wardens and officers. These gangsters also get to stay out beyond the lock-up rules of 6pm and enjoy 'perks' like watching television and getting free massage in the cells from other prisoners. On Aug 2, 2013, a prisoner was brought right in front of me and was beaten up with a three feet long and one inch thick cane for having two blankets, the second one used as a pillow (pillows are denied in prison unlike in Kamunting Prison). This was a message to me for complaining to my family and lawyers. Prisoners, on entering Kajang Prison, were denied tooth brush, tooth paste, soap and washing soap, pail and dipper, towel etc. The prison wardens tell them to 'pandai-pandai' , which means, beg from the other prisoners. In my cell, I am forced to sit on the floor and lean against the wall and sleep on the cold cement floor on a one inch thin foam mattress for over 23 hours a day, literally under solitary confinement. Despite having no authority, prisoners are caned and beaten up almost daily for not wearing shirts, talking and etc. Except for the 7am morning roll call and lunch time, I am forced to remain in my 12' x 12' feet cell as I am detained among 506 other violent criminals like murderers and armed robbers. Despite my ailment, my diet still consists of rice porridge or sweet bread for breakfast, rice for lunch and sweet bread and sweet sambal or gravy for dinner. I am also now denied the right to exercise. In effect, my diabetes got worse. My notes to my lawyers and medical notes have been confiscated. In the first full month at Blok K (AB), and despite my repeated requests for a chair because of my prolapsed disk conditions were denied. This came even after having given to the prison hospital three Specialist Medical Reports including two (2) MRI reports the chair. My leg got swollen and both legs became numb. Only after telling the prisons authorities that I risk being paralysed did they take me to a hospital. And after seeing four different doctors in that month and persistently complaining of severe pain was I finally given a chair. But on the the fourth visit, despite showing prison officers my swollen leg, the prison doctor had refused to send me to the Kajang General Hospital. He told me that he has no powers to do so and that only the Prison Director is empowered to do so even when it is a medical problem. When I complained to my wife, they had the audacity to warn me against it as my weekly telephone calls are recorded and it would thereafter be withdrawn, monthly family visits denied and that I would be put in the dark room in full solitary confinement. The prison authorities also denied my follow-up treatment at Hospital University Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) on Aug 1, 2013 to see my consultant neurosurgeon despite my lawyers having written to them. Death in custody Once, the clogged up drain in the bathroom caused me to accidentally slip and fall, causing me to fracture my right index finger. When I complained to the duty ASP that what would have happened if I had hit my head and something had happened to me, his reply was merely there would be "no more problems after that" (as I would have died). When I had related this reply to three Senior Prison Superintendents, they too laughed as if it was a common "prison joke". It has been two months now. I still cannot brush my teeth using my right index finger as it is still painful. Request for an X-Ray was denied. My present cell is infested with mosquitoes. Despite numerous complaints, no fogging was done. Up to 30 Hindraf supporters used to visit my cell in day but now they are stopped form even talking to me. Some prisoners are even punished for speaking to me. I am not even allowed to exercise in a safe place. Apart from me, there are others who are also receiving cruel treatment from the prisons authority. Mohana Sundram (32) was given seven strokes of the cane for CBT and within over one week became paralysed waist downwards. Amin Rashid (55) became paralysed in prison because of a viral attack. Selvagunalan became blind in prison because of severe diabetes and Baharuddin having served 30 years full life sentence was forced to serve another two (2) years (but sentenced in 1992) for escaping from prison. READ MORE HERE

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• China warns US to stay out of island disputes
• Court orders blogger Papa Gomo to pay RM500,000 damages in defamation suit
• Virgin, Selangor state agency launch mobile prepaid service
• King Wants Spread Of Syiah Ideology Addressed, Says Kedah Mufti
• Malaysia’s Biggest Fund Buying Stocks as Foreigners Sell
• English teachers to come from India? PAS asks Putrajaya
• A lone voice warns fellow judges against “obedient judiciary”

China warns US to stay out of island disputes Posted: 12 Sep 2013 07:06 PM PDT (AFP) - Beijing has warned the United States not to support China's neighbours' claims to disputed islands in the East and South China Seas, the government said today. Sino-Japanese ties have soured dramatically since Tokyo nationalised some of the Senkaku islands, which Beijing claims and calls the Diaoyus, in the East China Sea a year ago. China also claims almost all of the South China Sea including waters close to its neighbours' coasts, and tensions with the Philippines and Vietnam have intensified in recent years. Washington has security alliances with both Tokyo and Manila, but Wang Guanzhong, a senior officer of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), this week warned visiting US counterparts that it should handle issues "appropriately" to avoid damaging "mutual strategic trust". "These issues should not become a problem between China and the United States, and China hopes that the United States does not become a third party in these issues," Wang told US Under Secretary of Defense James Miller, the defence ministry in Beijing said in a statement on its website. "The United States should maintain a consistent stance and policy, not send wrong signals that support or connive with relevant countries to act on their own initiative," Wang said. China's military was determined to defend the country's territory and maritime interests, although Beijing has exercised restraint while dealing with the disputes, he added. Miller told Wang the US discourages any use of force but also has "treaty obligations" with some of the countries at odds with China, he said to reporters earlier this week. "We strongly believe that any and all maritime disputes should be resolved without the threat or use of force," he said. "For East China Sea and South China Sea we reminded the Chinese we have treaty obligations with a number of the parties involved." Chinese vessels frequently patrol near the disputed East China Sea islands, and Beijing humiliated Manila last year by taking effective control of the disputed Scarborough shoal, just 200 kilometres from the Philippines. Japan and the US have a security treaty that requires Washington to come to Tokyo's defence if it is attacked, and tens of thousands of American troops are stationed in the country. The Philippines said in June it was looking to give the US – its former colonial ruler – and Japan greater access to its military bases, as it seeks to counter what it perceives as a growing threat from China. Fan Changlong, one of China's three most senior military officers, called on the PLA to "speed up various preparations for sea battles" and "improve maritime deterrence and combat capabilities" while inspecting navy units recently, the official Xinhua news agency reported late yesterday.

Court orders blogger Papa Gomo to pay RM500,000 damages in defamation suit Posted: 12 Sep 2013 03:44 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Pro-Umno blogger Papa Gomo has to pay a businessman RM500,000 in damages over a defamation suit, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled today. The ruling was made after the court identified Papa Gomo as Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris (pic). Businessman Abdul Razak Mohd Noor filed a RM10 million defamation suit against Papa Gomo, claiming that the blogger had implied he was a liar who earned millions of ringgit from the 1998 Commonwealth Games held in Kuala Lumpur. In his ruling today, Judicial Commissioner Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera ordered Papa Gomo to pay RM200,000 in general damages and RM300,000 in exemplary damages. He also granted an injunction to stop Papa Gomo from further defaming Abdul Razak. Vazeer also ordered Papa Gomo to pay the businessman RM50,000 in costs. In his judgment, Vazeer said Papa Gomo was not remorseful of his actions and this was reflected in his conduct when he testified in the defamation trial. He said he hoped the award would serve as a lesson to bloggers who uploaded defamatory articles in anonymity.

Virgin, Selangor state agency launch mobile prepaid service Posted: 12 Sep 2013 03:26 PM PDT (The Sun Daily) - Virgin Mobile MEA (Middle East & Africa), an associate company of Richard Branson's UK-based Virgin Group, has launched its mobile prepaid service FRiENDi in Malaysia with 30% partner Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Bhd, with the promise of cheaper rates to set itself apart from more established rivals in an already saturated and competitive market. According to Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission mobile penetration rate was at 143.4% in the second quarter of 2013. "We are very excited to enter the Malaysian mobile market with FRiENDi mobile, and with the Virgin Mobile global experience we are introducing customer benefits not available in Malaysia until today,'' FRiENDi mobile Malaysia CEO Jonathan Marchbank said in a statement yesterday. "With our low rates for local and international calls, per second charging after the first minute, and the unique lifetime validity, we expect to be warmly received by the Malaysian mobile customers, and we look forward to serve all our new customers," he added. FRiENDi claimed it is different from its competitors in the way it charges for phone calls, going by seconds instead of minutes. For example, a FRiENDi mobile customer which makes a call for 2 minutes and 1 second will only pay for 2 minutes and 1 second. Current practice rounds up the seconds to the next minute when it come to billing. FRiENDi claims that this method alone would enable customers to save up to 40% on their mobile phone costs depending on the duration and destination of the call. Other features of the new prepaid service include, 30-days validity extension for every call, SMS, data consumption or reload made by the customer and a wide range of smaller internet access packages starting from as little as RM1. The FRiENDi starter pack retails at RM5, that comes with RM5 credit. Top-ups are available from as little as RM3, or as much as RM100. FRiENDi mobile has distribution network of 1,500 dealers across Malaysia, with plans for expansion.

King Wants Spread Of Syiah Ideology Addressed, Says Kedah Mufti Posted: 12 Sep 2013 02:34 PM PDT (Bernama) - The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, wants all quarters to pool their resources to address the spread of the Syiah ideology in the country, according to Kedah Mufti Datuk Syeikh Mohamad Baderuddin Ahmad. He said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong related this matter to him when His Majesty, who is the Sultan of Kedah, granted him an audience at the Istana Anak Bukit yesterday. Syeikh Mohamad Baderuddin said His Majesty expressed concern over the increasingly serious spread of the Syiah ideology in Malaysia, including in Kedah, although the ideology had been prohibited in the country. Tuanku Abdul Halim also said that severe penalties should be imposed on those found to spread the ideology and attempt to erode the faith of Sunnah followers in the country, he said. Syeikh Mohamad Baderuddin spoke to reporters after delivering a keynote address at a seminar for northern zone tertiary institutions on addressing the Syiah issue in Malaysia, here, today. Syeikh Mohamad Baderuddin said youngsters were among those easily drawn to the Syiah ideology because it purportedly offered money and overseas trips. "Such enticement can win over the youngsters to the Syiah ideology. The youngsters are also captivated by the allure of the 'nikah mutaah' (temporary marriage) besides the trips to countries administered by Syiah leaders. "All these are merely to draw more people to be Syiah followers," he said.

Malaysia’s Biggest Fund Buying Stocks as Foreigners Sell Posted: 12 Sep 2013 02:26 PM PDT   (Bloomberg) - Malaysia's largest pension fund said it was a net buyer of the nation's stocks during recent declines as foreign investors cut their holdings. The Employees Provident Fund, which manages more than $170 billion of assets, bought good quality and fundamentally sound shares, Mohamad Nasir Ab. Latif, deputy chief executive officer of the fund, said in an e-mail interview yesterday. The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index fell 6.8 percent from its July 24 record through Aug. 28 before rebounding 4.8 percent. The gauge slid 0.4 percent as of 11:11 a.m. in Kuala Lumpur. "Being the biggest investor in Malaysia, we view any market extremes as opportunity for us to rebalance our portfolio for continuous return and risk diversification," Kuala Lumpur-based Mohamad Nasir said. "We believe Malaysia is in a stronger footing forward and we expect investors' interest to come back to this region, especially the emerging countries." Malaysia's second-biggest pension fund Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan),Thailand's Government Pension Fund and Indonesia's state retirement scheme PT Jamsostek have also said they bought local equities during the recent regional market rout, triggered by concerns over the U.S. potentially tapering its monetary stimulus. The four Southeast Asian funds manage a combined $229 billion of assets. The KLCI index traded for 14.9 times earnings estimates for the next 12 months on Aug. 28, the lowest level since April, and was valued at 15.6 times today, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Foreigners sold 6.8 billion ringgit ($2.1 billion) of Malaysian stocks in August, exchange data showed.  Read more at : http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-12/malaysia-s-biggest-pension-fund-buying-stocks-as-foreigners-sell.html

English teachers to come from India? PAS asks Putrajaya Posted: 12 Sep 2013 12:27 PM PDT   (MMO) - PAS demanded to know today if Putrajaya had already inked a deal to import English teachers from India prior to announcing the National Education Blueprint, noting the short three-year notice the government had given to turn every school English-ready by 2016. The party's information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the decision to turn English into a must-pass subject seemed to come without any semblance of an action plan to address Malaysia's stark shortage of qualified English teachers. In a statement here, Tuan Ibrahim pointed out that while announcing its plans to improve English proficiency here, the government had in the same breath admitted that over 70 per cent of the country's 60,000 English teachers had scored poorly in the English Language Cambridge Placement Test. "This means at least two-thirds of our English teachers are considered 'incapable' or 'unqualified' to teach the subject in school," he said. "Is this likely to be resolved by 2016? What about the students, especially those in the rural areas, how would they prepare themselves to face a must-pass English examination from now until 2016 with the current quality of our teachers?" he added. Tuan Ibrahim recalled that when Datuk Seri Najib Razak visited India on December 20 last year, the prime minister had urged his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh to consider sending its English teachers to teach Malaysian students. According to a news report on English daily The Star, Najib had said that this would help ease the government's burden on finding ways to address the current shortage of English teachers here. "One of the suggestions I raised for the consideration of the Indian Prime Minister is for us to receive teachers in India who are fluent in English to teach our students in Malaysia. "He welcomed the idea and will instruct the relevant ministry to hold discussions with the (Malaysian) Education Ministry to realise this," he was quoted as saying in the December 20 report. Reminded of the incident, Tuan Ibrahim asked if Putrajaya had gone ahead with the plan to import teachers from India but was keeping the deal a secret for fail of a backlash ahead of the coming Umno general assembly. "Looking at the government's apparent confidence in turning English into a must-pass subject, PAS would like to ask if this plan to import Indian teachers was kept under wraps? "Did the government strike a deal with the Indian government before announcing the National Education Blueprint?" the PAS leader asked. "Was this step to make English a mandatory passing subject merely for the benefit of commissions to specific parties who were tasked with importing these Indian teachers?" he continued. Read more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/english-teachers-to-come-from-india-pas-asks-putrajaya

A lone voice warns fellow judges against “obedient judiciary” Posted: 12 Sep 2013 12:23 PM PDT   (TMI) - It has been awhile since a senior judge has so publicly reminded his own peers of their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Federal Constitution - and that they should not be bullied by government leaders and Parliament. But that's exactly what happened when a judge wrote his dissenting opinion on a high-profile appeal recently against the conviction of several activists for illegal assembly. This is the first time in the history of Malaysia that a judge - Datuk Dr Hamid Sultan Abu Backer (pic) - has held that the requirement for a permit to assemble peacefully under the Police Act 1967 is unconstitutional. Hamid said that in this case there was a requirement under Section 27 of the Police Act to obtain a permit, but in that process the police could not refuse to grant the permit. Five former university students were arrested under the charge of unlawful assembly in 2001. They were fined RM3,900 each by a magistrate's court four years later. They challenged this but six years later the High Court let the conviction stand. The ex-students then took the challenge to the Court of Appeal. Last week, two of the three judges hearing the appeal ruled that the convictions should stand. Court of Appeal judges Datuk Seri Mohamad Apandi Ali and Datuk Linton Albert were in the majority. Apandi, in his 50-page judgment, said there was no merit to the appeal as the Police Act did not prohibit the right to a peaceful assembly and police were duty-bound to maintain security and public order. But Hamid dissented, leading the defence lawyer Edmund Bon to hail this judge's decision as a "consolation" as he wrote a very strong dissenting judgment. "Hopefully constitutional lawyers can pursue this matter before the Federal Court in future cases," Bon said on the court steps after the judgment. In his dissenting judgment, Hamid said it is a fallacy to believe that the judges had lost their judicial power, following an amendment to the Federal Constitution in 1988. He said that any unlimited power vested with the executive, which may compromise the fundamental guarantees enshrined in the Constitution, must be struck down by the courts. "It is not for the judge to say that the dignity of his office has been stripped by Parliament and accept that the court has no judicial power," he said. He said an obedient judiciary could not stand as a defender of freedom and would result in there being no rule of law. Judicial power was vested since the inception of the Constitution and cannot be removed, he added. Hamid said it was for the public to initiate steps to arrest the progress of an obedient judiciary and ensure that the judiciary was independent to protect the Constitution. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/a-lone-voice-on-the-bench-reminds-judges-of-their-oath

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• Sleepwalking to disharmony?
• Terrorism in Southeast Asia and a new order
• FZ Says: Mahathir can sidestep RCI, but history will be his judge
• Time for reflection
• In defence of Fathul Bari
• Sabah Illegal ICs: The Buck Stops with Mahathir

Sleepwalking to disharmony? Posted: 12 Sep 2013 02:52 PM PDT   The survey makes it quite clear that, for most Singaporeans, race and religion still matters. But let us not be fixated by them. We all have multiple identities, with context determining when one identity is more relevant at any given time. Let us see, rather, how we can further strengthen our civic identity as Singaporeans — this must be the over-arching identity that takes precedence. Let us endeavour to appreciate and celebrate our commonalities, even as we manage the differences.  Eugene KB Tan, todayonline.com  Independent Singapore was born out of the political quest for civic identity and loyalty to trump narrow sectarian identities. But are we now sleepwalking to disharmony, even as we continue to affirm the value of multiracialism in Singapore? This provocative question is pertinent in light of the findings from Indicators of Racial and Religious Harmony, a joint Institute of Policy Studies and OnePeople.sg survey. The survey is probably the most comprehensive study on the state of ethnic relations here: Generally healthy, although there are areas of concern to pay attention to. After close to 50 years of nation building, multiracialism cannot be just a mere slogan or a factual descriptor of the presence of different races. It has to be about the fundamental commitment to fair and equal treatment of all races at all levels of society. Beyond our laws, public policies and institutions being race-blind, Singaporeans have to be committed to these values. The survey demonstrated that we did well in indicators that had a strong public sphere/space element. However, we did not do as well in indicators that had a closer nexus to the private sphere and how we viewed Singaporeans of other races. TENSIONS CAN BE HEALTHY  Singaporeans appreciate and value social harmony, denominated in the survey by the absence of inter-racial and religious tension. But this premium on harmony need not mean that there must always be an absence of disagreements and unhappiness, which are inevitable in our heterogeneous society in the throes of socio-economic transformation. Unless it poses a clear and present danger, tension can be healthy and should not be seen as something that needs suppressing. The process of managing conflict is important: How we seek to restore equilibrium can either be instrumental (harmony at all cost) or purposive — in the latter, we strive to improve our understanding and attend to the underlying causes of tension. Don't get me wrong — harmony is to be preferred over conflict. But let us not valorise harmony such that tension is portrayed solely as a threat. This prevents us from using it as an opportunity for meaningful engagement. TOLERANCE IS FRAGILE Have we learnt the lessons of multiracialism and harmony well, but without having imbibed the core values of multiracialism? The four indicators where we did not fare as well (but still positive overall) suggest a lack of meaningful engagement or interest in colour-blindness, intercultural understanding and interaction. If our harmony is built on tolerance only, then our ethnic relations are fragile and might not withstand severe stresses, such as in the event of a terrorist attack or a prolonged economic crisis. As such, we should be concerned about the minority perception of exclusion and discrimination in our society. For example, close to 20 per cent of respondents believed that Indians and Malays had to work harder compared to other races to have a basic, decent life in Singapore. Slightly more than 30 per cent of respondents believed that Indians and Malays had to work harder to reach top positions in their organisations. The undermining of our meritocratic ethos subverts our multiracial credentials. A robust multiracialism is predicated on our having cross-cutting ties. It is worrying that only 45 per cent of respondents had at least one close friend of another race. What is astonishing is that almost 80 per cent of respondents either somewhat agree, or agree/strongly agree that when they know a person's race, they have a good idea of what some of their behaviour and views are like! Collectively, these findings suggest that we know how to conduct ourselves in the public sphere that is aligned with the multiracial stance. But, in the private sphere, the innermost thoughts and values that we hold may imperil multiracialism, since they invariably affect how we will act, particularly in a crisis. It is these enclaves of closed minds — in which we seek to exclude others who are different or to exclude ourselves from others — that will work against the endeavour to build a cohesive society. We really need to go beyond tolerance and forbearance to seek genuine understanding and protection of Singapore's diversity. Read more at : http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/sleepwalking-disharmony

Terrorism in Southeast Asia and a new order Posted: 12 Sep 2013 02:21 PM PDT   The influence of radicalisation is also incited in the literary world where implications and just cause of jihad is propagated. Religious justifications are easily available on websites and this will give more sympathy to individuals and diaspora groups who may support militant Islamist fighting for a just cause.   Andrin Raj, Fz.com    ISLAMIST terrorist groups in Southeast Asia grew over the last two decades and Jemaah Islamiyah, the main terrorist group, spearheaded the rise in extremist groups in the region.    The leader of Jemaah Islamiyah – Abu Bakar Bashir – is Emir and head of Jemaah Islamiyah in Southeast Asia and is currently in prison for involvement in terrorist operations.    Jemaah Islamiyah was established in Malaysia by Abu Bakar Bashir when he escaped the ruling dictatorship of the Sukarno administration. After his return to Indonesia in the early seventies, his leadership created an extensive network operating in Southeast Asia today with four Mantiqi's established and operating in the region.    Jemaah Islamiyah was able to recruit, educate, indoctrinate and train Islamist Jihad groups. These Mantiqi's were headed by regional leaders under the leadership of Abu Bakar.   Evidence clearly shows that since 2002 there has been some 360 extremist and radical groups operating freely in Indonesia. Over the years these groups have grown within the states of Southeast Asia spanning Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Brunei.    Today there are about 500 Islamist Jihadist groups operating in the region. These groups have spurred from affiliated groups loyal to Jemaah Islamiyah and Al Qaeda; to individual groups with no direct affiliation to any international terrorist groups. Nevertheless, their sympathy is in direct actions of these international groupings.   Today, these groups are suspected to have spread all around the Southeast Asia region with individual movements operating on their own and with no support structure from the main groups.   An example of one such movement in Indonesia where the plot was foiled by the Police Detachment 88 is the Good Friday or the Christ Cathedral plan to blow up the gas pipeline that ran through near the church grounds.    Pepi Fernando is just one of the new faces of terror groups in the uprising in Southeast Asia. Although Jemaah Islamiyah plays a lead role in the region, these new faces of terror is quickly becoming real in Indonesia and the region.   The new faces of terrorism in the region are young people who have no direct contact with any terrorist figures or any affiliations to Islamist groups.    What is transpiring is frightening as the Southeast Asian governments are not addressing the issues constructively.    Extremist and radical groups are growing in the region and there seem to be a downplay on these groups from the governments of Southeast Asia for fear of discrediting Islam. These individual groups have evidently been indoctrinated in universities or colleges where manipulation of works and teachings of ulamas and lecturers have been identified.   It is also staggering to know that these individuals have no militia or any physical training in terrorist tactics. Their training has been the internet where Al Qaeda public relations propaganda websites have been a source of new and increasingly dangerous training facility.    A propaganda magazine that is published in the website clearly shows how easy it is to get training on using an AK47. Hence other training sites are available for bomb-making and so forth which can be downloaded with an ease are available today on the internet.   Current terror threats are even more complex in the region as there are more than 2000 students from the Southeast Asia region who are studying in countries tormented with terrorism. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Yemen and certain Middle Eastern and African countries are potential indoctrination of terrorist modus operandi.  Read more at: http://www.fz.com/content/andrin-raj-terrorism-southeast-asia-and-new-order#ixzz2ekOKcek4

FZ Says: Mahathir can sidestep RCI, but history will be his judge Posted: 12 Sep 2013 02:15 PM PDT   However, while Mahathir may appear to be untouchable under the current circumstances no matter what the purported transgression is, his reputation in the eyes of a discerning section of the public is already sealed in view of the damaging information revealed through the latest RCI. by Fz.com   IT IS a travesty of justice that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad can appear before the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the illegal immigrants problem in Sabah and deny any knowledge of 'Project IC', the so-called exercise to issue citizenship to these immigrants, during his eventful tenure at the helm of the government.   Mahathir has cast a long shadow over the country during his 22-year rule of Malaysia, and the episode where Sabah's illegal immigrants were issued identity cards in a protracted operation that has changed the state's electoral demographics is just one of a list of scandals that have tainted his administration.   The travesty arises because the institutions of governance as they exist in Malaysia are largely neutered and are incapable of rectifying the weaknesses that prevent the rule of law from operating effectively.   Considering the grave political, social and security implications of the irregular citizenship exercise, it is absurd that the commission is not empowered to establish the culpability of the main protagonists and to order definite remedies, including the punishment of the perpetrators and seizure of records to get to the bottom of the matter.   Instead, the commission's scope is so limited as to be pathetic, confined to investigating various dimensions of the social, administrative and political issues that surround the problem, in a manner more befitting of a research project rather than the country's highest investigative forum that is dedicated to the pursuit of truth and justice.   In the light of this, it is no wonder that Mahathir could respond to the questions of Commission Chairman Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Keong on Wednesday by saying that he could not remember key announcements on the matter by senior members of his administration.   Perhaps more than anyone else who ought to know what exactly took place during his premiership, Mahathir must be very well aware that the RCI is not empowered to seek anything more than he was willing to divulge to it.   The former prime minister's testimony this week is in many ways a reminder of an earlier fiasco, when he took to the witness stand during the RCI into the VK Lingam videotape scandal in 2008 concerning the alleged interference of the executive in the appointment of the judiciary.   In that episode too, gaps in the chain of accountability have allowed Mahathir and other protagonists in the scandal to remain untouched.   These examples of the country's paralysis in the face of grave abuses of power are unfortunately just the tip of the iceberg. The unremitting misuse of public office for political and personal ends could, and have, filled many volumes. Read more at: http://www.fz.com/content/fz-says-mahathir-can-sidestep-rci-history-will-be-his-judge#ixzz2ekMvYjPV

Time for reflection Posted: 12 Sep 2013 01:12 PM PDT I believe more Malaysians, especially the Chinese, should show their trust in the Prime Minister if we want to help him be more effective. Sometimes we are unsure if he will be bolder if we give him undivided support, but if he really were an extremist then he would not have even bothered to try out the 1Malaysia idea. Zaid Ibrahim, The Star  To give moderate politics a chance to succeed in this country, we have to espouse the principles on which this nation was founded. ON Sept 16, we will reach the 50th year in the life of this nation. It's an opportune moment for us to reflect on things that have happened, and more importantly, on things that are in store for our children and future generations. In all this time, we have seen leaders with many accomplishments and mediocre ones who did little during their time in power, leaders we could be proud of and those who did wrong for the country. We have seen major policy changes that brought about prosperity and peace, as well as those that sowed the seeds of disunity and hatred. In short, we have witnessed an exciting 50 years of political and economic development in this peaceful country, and which can only get better if we all play our part . It's not for me to tell you what things are important enough for you to ponder, what you should stand up for and who you should support. I will not even try to set out the important issues for the country as I believe you know them well. I can only give you my own perspective. What is most precious to me is this country's character. Malaysia must remain a free, just and liberal democracy governed by the rule of law. Democracy is not just about the freedom to choose our leaders – the leaders we elect must reciprocate by recognising the rights and freedom of Malaysia's citizens, as mandated by our Constitution. Malaysia must also remain a business-friendly economy; where the Government does not allow only GLCs to own precious assets but instead encourages individuals to prosper; where hard work, risk-taking and innovation are rewarded. A true democracy is not simply the rule of the majority, but the rule of everyone regardless of their race, religion or beliefs, all of which must be protected and provided for in equal measure. All peaceful and prosperous nations in the modern world share these attributes and characteristics. Today, we have strong advocates of religious theocracy making inroads into our political system. Never before have we had our public policies become the subject of approval of religious clerics. This is a trend we have to resist. The values that form the bedrock of the nation are usually those that are acceptable to all communities. This must remain the basis of our public policies. All Malaysians must be brave to speak up and defend the values they believe in and cherish. Unless we fight for freedom and for our rights, no one will give them to us for free. Nothing is free. We have powerful oligarchs influencing policy and that makes it important for the rest of us citizens to put forth our stand so this country can mature peacefully. They must not be allowed to "bully" us like bringing in foreigners to "balance the scale", as is evident from the public inquiry in Sabah. These oligarchs create the mistaken impression that the country and the bumiputra are under attack, which justifies any means taken to address this perceived problem. This approach has enabled them to seize large economic benefits for their own interests at the expense of others. No other independent nation has created this culture of fear or demonised its own citizens as blatantly as we have done. No nation has institutionalised discrimination – both in racial and religious matters – as vigorously as we have. And it could be that the worst is yet to come. So we have a fight on our hands. The only way out for us now is to be together so we can reverse these trends. We need to collectively espouse with conviction the principles on which this nation was founded. This is the only option available to us as right-thinking Malaysians looking for a way to give moderate policies the chance to succeed in this country. Like so many of you, I have been critical of the Prime Minister for many years. I had hoped he would be forceful and courageous enough to bring our country back from the excesses of the past. I had hoped he would reform Umno's core beliefs and uphold the good values of its earlier leaders. Still, he is doing his best and deserves our support. On reflection, it's always easier to criticise others when we are not in the hot seat ourselves. He is a reformer who needed to pace his efforts lest he became another victim of his own party. He believes in most of the things we want for the country to move forward, but it's much more difficult to implement policies when there are equally powerful forces at work to slow him down or even derail him. I believe that beneath his skin he is a liberal and a democrat, despite his Umno theatrics that reject pluralism. He will not bring about racial discord nor will he condone racist politics. He will not issue ICs to foreigners to win elections. He is a moderate, which is rare for a Malay leader still holding power in Umno. His economic plans deserve support despite huge implementation problems that are sure to unfold in the coming years. His administration's Education Blueprint is comprehensive. Although the results are still unknown, he has recognised the problems of having a poor education system. This is a major step forward after so many years of neglect. He has repealed some of the preventive detention laws and that is proof of his commitment to human rights. He even tried to establish the Equal Opportunities Commission under the New Economic Model, although he has had to backtrack. This is a man who must walk the tightrope at all times and you have to be in Umno to fully appreciate the difficulties he faces. I believe more Malaysians, especially the Chinese, should show their trust in the Prime Minister if we want to help him be more effective. Sometimes we are unsure if he will be bolder if we give him undivided support, but if he really were an extremist then he would not have even bothered to try out the 1Malaysia idea. He would have embraced Perkasa and all its dangerously chauvinistic and exclusionary ideas in totality. It's understandable that we want to see him distance himself from everything that is negative in his own party and take action to address his departmental heads and advisers in certain media. We hope he will be more firm with them.

In defence of Fathul Bari Posted: 12 Sep 2013 12:15 PM PDT   With his words public, I can convince how perhaps we do not really need ulamas if what they know seem mostly irrelevant, and has not much practical value. Zurairi AR, MMO  It is slightly embarrassing when somebody talks about a topic of which he has no clue. It is, however, pretty hilarious when Islamic clerics do so. Case in point, Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, a popular preacher with ILMU, the Umno-backed wing of young ulamas (religious scholars). During the weekend, Fathul Bari took to his column in Malay daily Sinar Harian to defend the recent fuel subsidy cut. Granted, increasing fuel pump prices was bound to be a very unpopular move with the public, but Putrajaya did explain it as a way to reduce its ballooning deficit. Not so for Fathul Bari, whose attempt to appease the masses is to explain that any increase in fuel prices is indeed "Allah's will." According to him, any increase in the prices of goods is just a matter of God "testing" his believers in this fleeting material world. He also seemed to have suggested that it is useless to strive for cheaper goods, for who are we to know what plans God has for us in the future? This was, perhaps unsurprisingly, not Fathul Bari's first and only attempt at justifying socio-political issues with such wonderful excuses. Earlier this year, just weeks before the May polls, Fathul Bari had also claimed that Malaysians get their leaders as a result of "Allah's will." Going by this trend, it would not be too far-fetched to imagine what Fathul Bari's next few columns in the future will be like: "GST is Allah's will", "interest rate hike is Allah's will", and maybe "the property bubble is Allah's will." Ridiculous as he may be, however, I support Fathul Bari's freedom to speak his mind, unlike some who felt he is not worthy to talk about our economy. Read more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/opinion/zurairi-ar/article/in-defence-of-fathul-bari

Sabah Illegal ICs: The Buck Stops with Mahathir Posted: 12 Sep 2013 11:59 AM PDT   Mahathir's disavowal of knowledge about its happening does not exonerate him. He was the CEO of Malaysia. Ignorance is no defence. He has to take responsibility. Kee Thuan Chye  Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad drew considerable laughter last Wednesday when he gave testimony at the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah. One hopes the laughter was laced with irony and scepticism. Irony and scepticism because it seems unlikely, going by reports of the proceedings, that anyone listening to some of the things he said could find them acceptable. The most unacceptable was his saying that he had not heard about Project IC or Project M (for Mahathir) until only recently, and that the Government could not be held responsible for the issuance of illegal identity cards (ICs) to immigrants who had entered Sabah illegally. "These illegal immigrants may have been issued the identity cards erroneously or it may have been the wrongdoing of certain low-ranking civil servants," he said, expressly passing the blame on to others. Well, if it were a matter of only a few hundred ICs, we might say these civil servants acted corruptly on their own and out of their personal greed, but a key witness has earlier testified at the RCI that in 1993 alone, about 100,000 ICs were issued to immigrants in Sabah. One hundred thousand in one year is a staggering number. How likely is that to have been a private enterprise undertaken by "low-ranking civil servants"? It is a requisite of leadership that the leader is accountable for what his underlings do. Especially when it is something serious – in fact, treasonous. We're not talking here about giving out free food vouchers or concert tickets. We're talking about giving out citizenships illegally. Mahathir's disavowal of knowledge about its happening does not exonerate him. He was the CEO of Malaysia. Ignorance is no defence. He has to take responsibility. Besides, it's extremely unlikely that he was not aware of it at the time when so many ICs were given out, under what was apparently an organised programme, and leaders of Sabah political parties were making a hue and cry about it. The prime minister does not live in a cocoon, much as Mahathir would want us to believe. We can also bet our bottom ringgit that he could not have found out about Project IC or Project M only recently when the issue has been out in the media for years, with specific naming of the project. A man like Mahathir who is so well-informed of developments must surely have heard of Project IC or Project M way before "recently". In fact, people were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for alleged involvement in the issuance of identity cards to foreigners, like Hassnar Ebrahim (who was arrested in 1988), Akjan Ali Mohamad (in 1995), Ramli Kamaruddin (in 1995), Mohd Nasir Sugip (in 1995),  Kee Dzulkifly Kee Abdul Jalil (in 1995) and Abdul Rauf Sani (in 1996). Most of them have testified at the RCI and admitted issuing tens of thousands of ICs illegally. Some have also alleged that they received instructions to do this from then deputy home minister Megat Junid Megat Ayub. They have also claimed that they carried out their operations in the Kampung Pandan home of Aziz Shamsuddin, Mahathir's then political secretary. They were detained when Mahathir, apart being from the premier, was also minister of home affairs. He held the portfolio from 1986 to 1999. In that capacity, he would have known about the arrests and the reasons for them. He probably signed the detention orders himself. So how could he say to the RCI, "Hassnar? I have never heard of him. I am also not aware that he had been arrested under the Internal Security Act."? Read more at: http://my.news.yahoo.com/blogs/bull-bashing/sabah-illegal-ics-buck-stops-mahathir-094802993.html

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TNB Gets away with Murder Posted: 12 Sep 2013 12:53 PM PDT   The new digital meter runs faster and electricity bills have doubled for the 30 million people of Malaysia.  Gomez Chia  For already a year now, many houses have been forced to install the digital Meters. Many consumers complained. But until now, nothing is done. TNB, like a dictator said the old analog meters read electricity wrongly and the new digital meters read electricity accurately. Case closed. No more news on it.   But many people, especially old people, are suffering paying double the charges from what they were paying for years. Most old people were paying RM100 to RM150 per month. Immediately after the digital meters were installed, their bills became exactly double at RM300. These old people complained but the dictator TNB just said, "Too bad".   We all know many old people suffering paying high bills. I personally know an old couple in their 80s living with their maid but every month paying RM300 electric bills. Where got logic? Some more, they just use ONLY one air con from 10pm to 6am, no swimming pool, just an ordinary house. Prior to installing the digital meters, they were paying RM100 per month for the past 10 years.   If what TNB says is true that for the past 20 years, all our analog meters were faulty and reading inaccurately, TNB needs to be sued. This is because, they got the nation used to thinking that that was the electricity rate and standard of living in Malaysia. You cannot suddenly tell the people of Malaysia that the 30 million people of Malaysia was living in a false world of cheap electricity. It is your fault. TNB created this false world for the people.   But we all know that is sheer lies. The new digital meter runs faster and electricity bills have doubled for the 30 million people of Malaysia. Many old people are suffering to pay such bills because their pensions have not grown that much over the years. We all know it is the subsidy to the crony IPPs that is the main problem. But yet, nothing is being done by the government. Why? Because TNB is largly owned by Khazanah Nasional. So why would the government mess up their free extra money from the rakyat? This is the problem of privatization. It is not really private when TNB is largely owned by Khazanah, EPF, PNB and all the large GLC companies. No wonder the government of Malaysia is not hearing the pleas and cries of the old people in Malaysia suffering paying their new digital metered TNB bills.   Government of Malaysia, please do something about this. You have ignored the issue for one year. Swept it under the carpet. Its time for you to curb the crony IPPs' revenue and unfair contracts. Is a handful of people (cronies) more important that 30 million people?

Malaysia Day is just a day.... Posted: 12 Sep 2013 12:36 PM PDT   Visnu Natesan  Malaysia Day marks the formation of Malaya, North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore. Malaysia Day is as important as our Merdeka Day. The day reminds us of the union between West Malaysia and East Malaysia. Singapore has left us and pursued Lee Kuan Yew's dream or the Singaporean Dream. What dream are we supposed to pursue? We are Malaysian, but the Muslims and Christians are fighting in the name of God. We are Malaysian, but the premier of the country blamed the Chinese for losing the election. We are Malaysian, but a deputy minister is criticized publicly when he voices his opinion over a national issue. We are Malaysian, the rural folks in Borneo still live in poverty and they don't have access to basic infrastructure. We are Malaysian, the Indians are always the criminals and society treats them as outcasts. We are Malaysian, the rich man's kids go to private school and get the best education money can buy. The poor kids go to a national school which is unsure of what to teach the kids. We are Malaysian; a temple could be destroyed despite pleas from society members to consider the decision. We are Malaysian; a dog trainer is sent to jail in the name of insulting the religion. We are Malaysian, the ministers can say whatever they think or believe without any considerations. We are Malaysian; election candidates can insult religion publicly without any fear of the law. We are Malaysian, a meaningless nation without a dream, hope and future. We are moving backward from where we started. We have lost our sense of identity being a Malaysian. We are no longer the crowd that goes to Stadium Merdeka to support Mokthar Dahari, Soh Chin Aun and Arumugam wearing the national jersey giving Korean footballers a run for their money. The Merdeka Cup used to be the one of the most competitive football events in Asia. We were a proud nation to have a football team that was very Malaysian in spirit. We have leaders, billionaires, history, buildings, culture and tradition, but we have lost the beautiful Malaysian soul in our destiny progressing towards 50 years of Malaysia. We are no longer the Malaysian from the past. We are products of political propaganda that has consumed the 50 years of our progress towards being a Malaysian. The word Malaysian remains a myth, not reality. We have forgotten our history and greatness from the past. The Malaysia we used to know built based on brotherhood among the races. Today, we are ashes from the past. We have nothing to embrace on our existence as a Malaysian apart from our food. We have to work on the very ideology of Malaysian. It should be a natural process instead of manufactured political propaganda. Maybe we could initiate little steps to create Malaysian ideology. We should start by learning from kampung and small-town people. Ipoh would be a great town to learn this. To date, the pakciks and makciks still go to the Chinese kopitiam to have breakfast. Kelantan will be another great example, the Indian and Chinese in Kelantan can generally converse in the Kelantanese dialect. The ideal Malaysian ideology is when three people are sitting at a table having a conversation. The Chinese is speaking in Tamil, the Indian is replying in Chinese and the Malay could understand them both and replies in Malay, English, Chinese or Tamil. When we achieve this, we are truly Malaysian.

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