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Out of sight, out of mind in Malaysia Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:31 PM PDT   By Paul Maley, The Australian THOSE who insist there is no such thing as a queue of asylum-seekers, waiting patiently overseas while others charge ahead by boat to secure one of Australia's precious refugee visas, should pay a visit to Mohammad Isaq. Isaq is one of the 490 recognised Afghan refugees living in Malaysia. He and his friends can be found in the backblocks of Kuala Lumpur, in Ampang, one of the city's older suburbs. Isaq is one of the army of illegal workers who fuel Malaysia's black economy. Malaysia makes no distinction between people in the country to claim asylum and those who are there to work. To the government, they're all illegal. It is a wretched status, one that leaves the bearer prone to any number of official predations: arrest, detention, caning. There are other menaces, too. Afghans who dodge the police or the feared Rela Corp, the citizens' militia that polices Malaysia's labour market, are subject to regular exploitation in the workforce, often by Iranians, many of whom run local businesses. "There's nothing we can do about it," says Jeanette Chan, head teacher at the Hilla Community Centre, one of only two community schools catering to Afghan refugees. "They're not supposed to work anyway." When Focus visited KL last week for the signing of the Gillard government's refugee swap, word of the deal was filtering through Malaysia's 94,000-strong refugee community. Overwhelmingly, the sentiment was positive, particularly among Burmese, who make up most of Malaysia's refugees. It is the Burmese who can expect to be awarded most of the 4000 protection visas Australia has committed to as its part of the deal, although Isaq and his friends had something to say about that. "This is what we worry [about]," says Abdullah Ahmadi, who sat with Isaq and his friend Sayed Yousef in their modest apartment in KL. "Whether we have any seats in those 4000. This is what we request from the Australian government." Asked what the 800 transferees could expect of their new life in KL, Isaq misunderstands the question but offers a revealing answer in return. "We expect the 800 to get here to wait in order and wait in turn for resettlement," he says of the obligations that, in his mind, will apply to the new arrivals. It is Isaq's use of the word "turn" that strikes. It implies a process that is ordered, sequential and fair. While some in the refugee lobby regard the idea of a queue as nothing more than fiction, to Isaq and his friends it is an everyday reality, one that must be patiently endured before real life can begin. "In a way, the Australian government itself is endorsing human trafficking," says Ahmadi Zabi, 22, an urbane Afghan refugee who arrived in Malaysia in 2008. "I've been here for years and I haven't been resettled. But people who take boats, people say, 'Oh, they're real refugees. They risk their lives.' " For all the hand-wringing that has accompanied Australia's decade-long debate about asylum-seekers, the root of the problem is simple: the Rudd government reconfigured the refugee program to offer greater advantages to people who arrived by boat and imposed huge penalties on those who applied offshore. Boatpeople are likelier to have their refugee claims upheld, wait months rather than years for permanent visas and have more or less unfettered access to the courts, allowing them to litigate their way into Australia should their claims fail. By contrast, people who apply offshore - such as Isaq - have access to just two UN High Commissioner for Refugees case officers, one to assess the initial refugee claim and another to review it. Failure means the end of the road. Obtaining refugee status can take years. Once obtained, nothing changes anyway. Refugees must wait many years for resettlement. Nobody knows this better than Isaq and his friends. They all have stories of friends or relatives who have ventured to Australia by boat and received in a few months what they have waited years for. This is one of the virtues of the Gillard government's Malaysia Solution: if applied rigorously it will help restore the fairness that was lost to Australia's humanitarian program once refugees began self-selecting in late 2008. The plight of the world's 10.4 million refugees is not interchangeably dreadful. Some are needier than others. Would anyone really argue with the proposition that Australia's refugee program should prioritise those most at risk? Asylum-seekers transferred to Malaysia will be returned to the mix. They will be made to wait in the queue and protected from persecution while they do so. At least that's the theory. A second advantage is that the Malaysia Solution resolves the problem of what to do with asylum-seekers once they have been removed from Australia. Although some would say the refugee debate has divided Australia, in fact there is more common ground than before. Offshore processing of asylum-seekers is now settled policy among the main parties. After 235 boats and 11,325 asylum-seekers, Labor has belatedly discovered that refugee selection should occur as far from Australia's borders as possible. Once asylum-seekers arrive, your options are greatly limited. Not only do the courts become involved but the practical difficulties of returning failed asylum-seekers to the broken and dangerous countries from which they've fled mean most, including the bogus ones, end up staying put. The refugee lobby may not be willing to accept it yet, but the mainstream debate is now about how to process asylum-seekers offshore, and where. Labor is quite right when it says most refugees processed on Nauru ended up in Australia. What it fails to mention, of course, is that nobody knew that at the time. Perception matters as much as reality in refugee policy, and the perception during the Howard years was that Nauru was the last station on the line. So far the opposition has been unable to say what it would do with asylum-seekers processed a second time on Nauru, leaving it open to the charge that some, if not most, would eventually end up in Australia. That would rob Nauru of its deterrent value, a point not lost on Scott Morrison, the Coalition's immigration spokesman. Indeed, some in government think Nauru is a confidence trick that will not work twice. So will Malaysia work? Early signs are not encouraging. The implementation of the agreement has been ham-fisted and some of the government's toughest rhetoric has already proved to be hollow. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has backed down on his promise to transfer overseas the 560 asylum-seekers intercepted after the deal was announced but before it became effective. The mismatch between the message and the reality will not have been lost on the smugglers. Indeed, there is already evidence the market is ready to call the government's bluff. On Tuesday The Australian reported smugglers were exploiting the exemptions Bowen is expected to offer the more vulnerable asylum-seekers. The first boat to arrive since the deal was announced would seem to bear that out. It was packed with 19 people who were, or claimed to be, children. What does Bowen do? He can deport them all and, in so doing, send a powerful signal to the smugglers that Australia means business. But he is unlikely to do that. No minister could in good conscience deport highly vulnerable asylum-seekers to Malaysia, and Bowen, the father of young children, is a conscionable man. Besides, the UNHCR probably wouldn't wear it. The government has spent three months verballing the UN, heavily implying it is a partner to the agreement, when in fact it dislikes the idea intensely. As a result, the relationship between the two is testy. If the UNHCR walks, Bowen loses the political cover needed to allow the Left to publicly support an idea it privately regards as morally odious. So Bowen will offer exemptions. He will also run out of places. The Malaysia deal allows for a quota of just 800. After that, Bowen's out of options. The government had been hoping to augment its Malaysia plan with a processing centre on Papua New Guinea. But the chaos of PNG politics means that is unlikely to happen any time soon. Presumably, Bowen will go back to the region, to Solomon Islands, or Tonga, or some other benighted place that sees a refugee centre fully underwritten by the Australian government as a welcome cash cow. Perhaps he will even go back to Nauru. But in so doing he will be belling the cat on another of his government's falsehoods: that the hodge-podge of agreements and communiques it has cobbled together represents some sort of "regional solution" to Australia's asylum woes. Bowen repeated this line last week. "One country alone trying to make its regime more punitive, harsher, offshore detention doesn't make the difference that you require," he told Sky News. "I think a regional solution, which is what we said very clearly before the last election, was the sustainable way forward, is what we've delivered on." This is guff. There is no regional solution. What Bowen has delivered is a bilateral agreement between two states. There is nothing wrong with that, of course. But to trick it up as something grander, simply to differentiate yourself from your political opponents, is spin. And we've all had enough of that.

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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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• Christian groups demand proof of converting Muslims using aid
• US Downgrade Leaves Markets Facing Turmoil
• PAS info chief tells Jais not to smear Islam
• BN can only win Selangor through fraud, says Teresa
• Christian groups on drive to convert Muslims, Malay papers report
• DAP raps MCA for carping about church raid
• Sluggish MCA may weaken BN campaign for Selangor, sources say
• Sarawak’s old ‘warriors’ worth only RM100 a month
• ‘Umno must sack Razaleigh’
• PAS leaders give their take on JAIS's church invasion
• Street Protests: Anwar Ibrahim's Trademark
• Umno claims can win Selangor with big majority

Christian groups demand proof of converting Muslims using aid Posted: 05 Aug 2011 08:14 PM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - Christian groups are calling for evidence behind two Malay dailies' allegations that they are trying to convert Muslims through welfare aid. Berita Harian and Harian Metro reported today that certain Christian organisations were hiding behind the guise of welfare aid by offering monthly cash allowances of at least RM1,000 to hard-hit Muslims and their families in an attempt to turn them into Christians. The pro-Barisan Nasional newspapers' allegations came after the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) and the police raided a multiracial dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church in Petaling Jaya last Wednesday night, based on a report that the Christian-majority crowd was allegedly proselytising to Muslim guests. "If you're saying that Christians give RM5,000, now you convert, show the proof," Council of Churches of Malaysia general secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri (picture) told The Malaysian Insider today. "By making this statement, they're trying to disrupt the good relations between the religious communities in the country by taking on the Christians," he said. Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia recently accused Christians of plotting to take over the government and claimed that the July 9 Bersih rally was funded by Christian organisations. The controversial Jais raid has increased religious tension in the country, where churches were fire-bombed last year and Christians were barred from referring to their god as "Allah". Shastri pointed out that Muslims also did welfare work. "As a result, some are being converted to Islam because they see the good work of the Muslims," he said. "If a person gives RM10,000 and you convert, that's wrong. But if person is often in a home, then leaves the home, is impressed by Catholic sisters and becomes Catholic, what's wrong with that?" asked the pastor. READ MORE HERE

US Downgrade Leaves Markets Facing Turmoil Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:46 PM PDT Global financial markets could face further turmoil in the wake of the US credit rating downgrade. Credit ratings agency Standard and Poor's said early on Saturday morning they had downgraded the country from its top AAA rating to AA+. (Sky News) - The loss of the rating could reignite panic on the markets as traders worry that the world's biggest economy may be leading the way back into recession. Markets around the globe suffered huge falls this week, but the US Dow Jones ended higher on Friday after better-than-expected jobs growth figures. In London, the FTSE 100 index of leading UK shares closed the day at 5246.99, down 146 points or 2.71%. More than £148bn has been wiped off the FTSE's value since trading opened on Monday - a plunge of 568.2 points or 10.15% - caused by the eurozone debt crisis and fears the economy is stalling. FTSE 100 1-Week Chart In other European markets, Germany's DAX ended Friday down 2.8% and the CAC in France fell 1.2%. Italy was 1.7% lower and Spain dipped by 0.2%. But in the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.54% at the close following volatile trading. The broader S&P 500 dipped 0.06%, while the technology-based Nasdaq Composite fell 0.94%. For the week - the worst for American markets in more than two years - the Dow fell by a total of 5.8%, the S&P 500 was down 7.2% and the Nasdaq was off 8.1%. The Nikkei index on the Tokyo Stock Exchange has slumped by 5.4% since Monday. Screen at the London Stock Exchange shows share falls There have been worries this week that Italy and Spain may need a bailout. Italy has tried to reassure investors by pledging to work for a constitutional amendment requiring the government to balance its budget in 2013, a year earlier than planned. Spain says its prime minister Jose Luis Zapatero and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have agreed a need for co-ordination from governments to react to global economic fears. Meanwhile, David Cameron has talked to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the phone and they agreed to closely monitor the current instability in worldwide stock markets. And US President Barack Obama has spoken separately to Mr Sarkozy and Ms Merkel on the eurozone crisis. Investors have delivered votes of no confidence in the global economic recovery for five days. Japanese and American brokers react to the troubled markets on Friday News that 117,000 new jobs were created in the US last month helped bring some comfort to investors at lunchtime - before despair then resumed in markets amid concerns of slower global growth. US analysts said the sell-off was driven by investor fears over the European debt crisis and anxiety about domestic issues like slow growth, high unemployment and falling consumer confidence and spending. IG Index analyst David Jones said: "There is a growing sense that there is real confusion over how to deal with underlying problems. Many are pointing out that the markets are merely playing catch-up - that they were previously too highly valued and looked overly optimistic in relation to reality. Sky's business correspondent Dharshini David "Namely the slowing pace of recovery, threat of recession and eurozone contagion spreading. "On 7 July, only 29 days ago, the FTSE 100 was etching just north of the 6,000-point mark. This weekend, analysts, investors and traders will all be asking themselves what has happened since early July." Prices of gold, which is traditionally seen as a safe haven in times of economic crisis, held firm as the dollar fell against the euro after the US jobs boost. But Kingsview Financial head trader and strategist Matt Zeman said: "Even gold is susceptible. People are pretty much getting out of everything, except cash and bonds." Investor confidence was hit on Thursday when EU president Jose Manuel Barroso wrote a letter to eurozone members, warning that the debt crisis was spreading.

PAS info chief tells Jais not to smear Islam Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:22 PM PDT   By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — PAS information chief Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has reminded Selangor religious authorities not to create unnecessary controversies that could sully Islam, the state government and its own name. The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) sparked a nationwide uproar after raiding a multi-racial dinner at a church in Petaling Jaya — together with the police — last Wednesday night without a warrant, based on an allegation that the Christian-majority crowd was proselytising to Muslim guests. "Any action must not be seen as meddling in other religion(s)," Tuan Ibrahim (picture) was quoted as saying in PAS newsletter Harakah Daily today. "Jais should also ensure that investigation is carried out in a transparent manner and every action must be according to procedures, even after confirming the reliability of the information it received," added the Pahang PAS commissioner. He pointed out that the tendency to believe in an accusation and the tendency to arouse suspicions could now be seen in the brouhaha over the raid. Hence, Jais should not create unnecessary controversies, although it may want to justify its actions in the name of defending Islam, Harakah Daily quoted Tuan Ibrahim as saying. PAS's Selangor executive councillor Datuk Hasan Ali has defended the raid, claiming that Christians had used the words "Quran" and "pray" in front of Muslims, which he noted was a breach of Islamic law. Tuan Ibrahim, however, said the two lessons that could be learned from the controversial raid were that one should not believe slanders without investigations, and that one should not act in a way that attracts undue suspicion. The PAS ulama explained his view using an anecdote from his teaching days at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), where he recalled that he was uncomfortable when he was served juice at a Malay restaurant in a glass with a beer label. He had asked the restaurant owner to replace the glass, telling him that although the juice was halal, "the sight of the glass could invite suspicion and slander among my students about me and your shop".   READ MORE HERE.

BN can only win Selangor through fraud, says Teresa Posted: 05 Aug 2011 02:45 PM PDT By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider PUCHONG, Aug 6 — Barisan Nasional (BN) can only recapture Selangor in the coming polls by resorting to electoral fraud, Selangor state executive councillor Teresa Kok said today.  The Selangor DAP chief said she was not surprised with Selangor Umno infomation chief Abdul Shukor Idrus's claim that BN will trounce Pakatan Rakyat (PR) with a 20-seat majority in the country's richest state.  "If they claim that, that proves...all the evidence found out by Pakatan Rakyat on electoral fraud is proven correct," Kok (picture) told reporters today.  The Seputeh MP pointed out that PAS leaders told her they found 400 permanent residence (PR) holders in Hulu Selangor registered as voters.  PR has recently highlighted allegations of election irregularities, such as foreigners and PR holders being included in the electoral roll.  Selangor PAS reportedly claimed that more than 1,000 PR holders in Selangor have been registered as voters.  In May, PKR also claimed evidence of Umno's attempt to convert over 2,000 permanent residents into full citizens to secure a BN victory in Hulu Selangor.  "If this goes on, how not to lose so many seats?" lamented Kok.  "I've no doubt that Umno will control Selangor if they continue to use all these dirty tactics," added the Kinrara assemblyman.  The Malaysian Insider reported today Abdul Shukor claiming that BN will win in at least 38 of the state's 56 seats, in comparison to the 20 it won in the 2008 election when PR captured the country's most developed state.  He attributed BN's pre-empted victories to a significant increase in Malay voter support from about 50 per cent in 2008 to an estimated 65 per cent, saying it was fuelled by a growing disenchantment with the current PR-led state administration and feverish ground work by Umno leaders humbled by their shocking losses in 2008.   READ MORE HERE.

Christian groups on drive to convert Muslims, Malay papers report Posted: 05 Aug 2011 02:37 PM PDT   By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — Two Malay dailies alleged today that Christian organizations are carrying out covert missions to convert poverty-stricken Muslims by offering them cash, free food and housing in a follow-up to a controversial church raid this week.  In its frontpage story titled "Sogok wang gadai akidah" ["Cash bribes faith pawned"], Berita Harian reported that certain organizations were hiding behind the guide of welfare aide and offering all manner of monthly cash allowances of at least RM1,000 to hard-hit Muslims and their families in an attempt to turn them into Christians.  The pro-Barisan Nasional newspaper did not name any of the organizations but posted a pixelised photo of a woman on its cover, which it captioned as "Jasmine admits receiving aid from a community church in Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya".  Last Wednesday, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) partnered the police and burst in on a multiracial dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya based on a report that the Christian majority crowd was allegedly proselytizing to Muslim guests, triggering a nationwide uproar.  The religious enforcement force, which answers directly to the Sultan of Selangor as head of Islam in the frontline state, has been slammed for purportedly violating the rights of the minority non-Muslim community.  Selangor executive councillor in charge of Islamic affairs Datuk Hasan Ali broke ranks with the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration when he rose to defend Jais' act, which he said was based on a complaint that the Christians had used the words "Quran" and "pray" in front of Muslims which he noted was a breach of Islamic law.  While not referring to any specific church, the national Malay daily said, "Each participant is promised a 'new life' by the organisation's leader who portrayed himself as a 'saviour' if he follows the arranged programme, including changing his religion."  It cited interviews with two former participants whom it named only as "Adazhan" and "Jasmine" who "admitted" to having received such aide and taken part in the programmes out of desperation.  Adazhan, said to be in his 30s, claimed he had been trained to become a "priest" for 10 years and convert his Muslim family.  "Before, I was given RM500 a month. For those with wives, they get an extra RM300 and RM 100 for each child… Now, the amount of financial aid has increased and it is understood some get more than RM1,000 a  month," Berita Harian quoted him as saying.  "I believe many have been duped after swallowing the persuasion and feel obligated with the aide received. Only, they fear to change their religious status in their MyKad," Adazhana told Berita Harian yesterday.  Jasmine, whom the paper said was detained last Wednesday during the Jais church raid, revealed that Muslim participants were "forbidden to believe in Prophet Muhamad [pbuh], but was asked to follow the teachings of 'Nabi Isa' [Prophet Jesus] through talks and songs during the entire function".  "They promised to settle all problems before the target is brought to attend the get-to-know you sessions and secretive talks. Usually, interest to join the organization arises after listening to speeches from religious leaders from Sabah, Sarawak and Indonesia," reported Berita Harian quoting the woman as saying, adding she joined the church organization two years ago.  Bestselling Malay tabloid Harian Metro also highlighted a similar story on its front page today under the title "Kami diberi Bible versi Melayu" [We were given Malay Bibles].  It alleged that Christian evangelists were using the "soft approach" to persuade Malays to convert from Islam to Christianity. READ MORE HERE.

DAP raps MCA for carping about church raid Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:47 PM PDT By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider The MCA has no right to denounce the DAP over its purported silence on the state religious Islamic authorities' raid on a church as the Chinese party has been powerless when non-Muslims' rights are threatened, Teresa Kok said today. The Selangor DAP chief pointed out that her party has expressed its "dissatisfaction" with the Selangor Islamic Religious Department's (Jais) Wednesday late-night raid on Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC).  "MCA is a party that is least qualified to talk about political courage," Kok told reporters today.  "Umno has done so much nonsense against MCA and the non-Malay community, yet MCA still sticks as Umno's partner," added the Seputeh MP.  The Star reported today MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek challenging the DAP to show political courage by condemning the raid.  Kok said, however, that the MCA banned its members from joining the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally after the polls watchdog was outlawed, despite knowing that people were unhappy with the "unfair" electoral system.  "Whatever Umno announces, they just support and follow all the way," she said.  Kok also pointed out that DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang has decried the Jais raid and called it "deplorable".  Jais enforcement officers swooped in on a dinner function at DUMC late Wednesday night without a warrant based on an unspecified complaint, bringing with them a team of policemen.  Between 100 and 120 people, including several Muslims, attended the non-religious event to celebrate NGO Harapan Komuniti's success in helping women, children, HIV/AIDS sufferers and victims of natural disasters.   READ MORE HERE.

Sluggish MCA may weaken BN campaign for Selangor, sources say Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:20 PM PDT By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Umno may be brimming with confidence that it can recapture Selangor in the next elections but there are fears that a lethargic MCA could lose the game for the coalition, local party leaders here have said.  Pointing fingers at Selangor MCA chief Datuk Donald Lim's purportedly lacklustre leadership, one party leader even predicted a total wipe-out for MCA in the frontline state, saying the party may not even retain its present two state seats.  "We should have learned, but we did not. MCA does not even have an operations centre ready for the polls yet.  "Our leaders are not working the ground, meeting the people. Voters do not know their faces and in this day and age, such candidates will have no chance at all at winning," one state MCA leader told The Malaysian Insider on condition of anonymity.  The leader said that unlike MCA, Umno members, fuelled by fear of a second political tsunami, hit the ground running since 2008 and have been actively engaging with their electorate to woo support.  The leader explained that BN has identified 879 district polling centres (PDM) in Selangor and have appointed a leadership line-up in every one, each tasked to provide service to the identified catchment of voters in every PDM unit.  "With this system, the leaders can concentrate on a specific number of voters... say like 100 homes or so and Umno has been working very hard, organising functions and meet-the-people sessions, attending to grouses and giving welfare aid and so on.  "But for MCA, we may even struggle to win back our two state seats — Kuala Kubu Baru and Sungai Pelek," said the leader.  The veteran politician however said a shift was still possible and listed four seats that MCA could wrest from the opposition in the coming polls — Balakong, Sekinchan, Teluk Datuk and Kajang — all of which were lost with marginal majorities in Election 2008.  "But this still banks on the quality of the candidates. We cannot have those who lost previously re-contesting the seats. And we must have local candidates who know the electorate well," said the leader.  Another MCA leader also complained of disillusionment among party members and a clear disconnect between potential candidates and voters, grown more apparent by the former group's reluctance to engage with their electorate.  A third MCA leader told The Malaysian Insider that MCA candidates who lost in the 2008 polls had even shut down their service centres after their defeat, instead of boosting efforts to regain lost support.  The Malaysian Insider understands that Umno strategists have predicted that with a significant increase in Malay voter support from about 50 per cent in 2008 to nearly 65 per cent, the party will win in at least 25 out of the 35 state seats it will contest in the polls.   READ MORE HERE.

Sarawak’s old ‘warriors’ worth only RM100 a month Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:13 PM PDT   (FMT) - KUCHING: In an age when even a school-going child's pocket money is no less than RM1 a day, Sarawakian veterans who defended the country against communists and terrorists are only worth RM100 a month. That is the appalling situation facing several aging former Sarawak Rangers and Iban Trackers. These men spent most of their entire life away from family and friends defending the country. Briefly the Sarawak rangers were a para-military force founded in 1892. They were highly skilled in jungle warfare, western and native weaponry and were mobilised to defend the state and country during the Japanese Occupation in 1942 and later during the Malayan Emergency and Borneo Frontation. In 1963 the Sarawak Rangers were absorbed into the mainstream and they became part of the Royal Ranger Regimet. But their services received little recognition despite their contribution to the nation's security. The lived in the shadows of their peninsular 'brothers' and eventually the government and the national defence fraternity forgot them. Their worth to the government and nation was priced their worth at RM100 a month, a paltry sum described as a "cost of living allowance" (Cola) too shocking to digest for some. A veteran airforce personnel, who has made Sarawak his home, was stumped when he heard the quantum. "The policymakers are mad … they're living in a bubble…How can any man live on 100 ringgit these days? "Cost of living here in Kuching is now three  times costlier than it used to be in the 70s. "Can you imagine the situation in the rural areas, interior?," he asked drawing attention to rampant reports of spiralling prices of consumer good in the rural and interior areas of the state. A few months ago following the withdrawal fo subsidies on fuel and sugar, FMT reported that in rural Sarawak price of a litre of kerosene had shot up to upto RM5.50 a litre and sugar, rice and coooking has also skyrocketed by pver 30%. Unsung heroes Meanwhile the shocking disclosure of  the RM100 allowance for Sarawak Rangers and Iban Trackers has spawned several calls to the government for a immediate review of allowances for these unsung 'heroes'. Parliament's Deputy Speaker, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, said the Cola should be reviewed and made on par with the national poverty index. "Its time and I am very supportive of the idea. I feel they should receive RM750 a month which is at par with the poverty line index. "These war veterans deserve a higher allowace as a token of appreciation for the service they rendered to the country," he said recently. Sarawak state Minister and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing who shared Wan Junaidi's view that a review was necessary has suggested that the widows of those killed during the war, also be included in the upgrading. "Most of the surving veterans and the widows of those killed are old now…An increase in allowance will be a gesture of the government's appreciation for their sacrifices in protecting the country in the early days," he said. Political will needed   READ MORE HERE.

‘Umno must sack Razaleigh’ Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:04 PM PDT By Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz, FMT The most practical thing Umno can do if it thinks Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is plotting some palace coup to overthrow the 'emperor without clothes', is to sack him from Umno. I repeat sack him. Afterall Umno, the party which member of parliament Zahrain Hashim- who 'received' enlightenment and was delivered from the dark side into the loving embrace of Barisan Nasional- supports appears to have ignored the veteran and influential leader. So if Razaleigh forms an organization of like-minded individuals to operate, why should Umno and Zahrain be unduly disturbed? Is he just plain envious that the almost forgotten Umno veteran and the prime minister we never had is now enjoying filial respect and is held in reverence as he should be? Tengku Razaleigh could in fact be the only person who can salvage Malaysia from rapacious business and the political oligarchs. Or perhaps he is already sensing that the embrace of BN is actually the embrace of a female tarantula spider or the death ending embrace of female praying mantis? While the Pakatan Rakyat would certainly welcome Tengku Razaleigh being with them, they are also aware of his fanatical devotion to Umno's founding principles. Razaleigh is unlikely to abandon Umno. So Umno must sack him. Brownie points As for Zahrain's diatribes against Pakatan Rakyat, it should be dismissed. He just wishes to score brownie points and endear himself to the supreme leader. Judging from his (Zahrain's) insecure position for the next general election, he had better worked out or worked up on some issues to gain prominence. That is probably his only incentive behind his virulent attack on and allegations against Pakatan and Tengku Razaleigh. In his latest diatribe he has challenged Nik Aziz to swear that he hasn't met Tengku Razaleigh for the purpose of asking the latter to lead Pakatan. To people like Zahrain, its useless to deny or insist that nothing of that sort took place. The only way to argue with him is to actually say yes, such a meeting or indeed meetings took place. If so then what? Nik Aziz or whoever else is free to meet whomsoever they choose even the Pope himself. Can we make the inference that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was seeking the Pope's blessings when he met up with the head of the Catholic church? Political opportunism It's a puzzle why Zahrain should begrudge the Pakatan even if they make overtures to the influential Razaleigh? Isn't it their aim to unseat the present ruling government and do it through democratic means?   READ MORE HERE.

PAS leaders give their take on JAIS's church invasion Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:32 AM PDT (Harakah Daily) - PAS leaders have made their views known over the action by the Selangor Islamic Department (JAIS) to intrude on a dinner event at a church in Petaling Jaya citing complaints about "proselytization to Muslims". PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man explained his view about the latest incident by giving a personal anecdote which took place during his teaching days at UiTM. Recalling the story, Tuan Ibrahim said he once ordered a juice at a Malay restaurant, which was served to him in a glass with a beer label. Feeling uncomfortable, he asked that the glass be replaced, telling the restaurant owner that although the juice was halal, "but the sight of the glass could invite suspicion and slander among my students about me and your shop". "The lesson learnt here is that humans tend to have negative assumption. Some students seeing me drinking from such a glass would conclude that I was consuming beer, never mind  the juice in it was orange in colour and never mind that it was in a Muslim outlet. "The shop owner too could be accused of selling alcoholic drinks. "The first lesson here is one should not quickly be taken in by slanders without any investigation," said Tuan Ibrahim (right), adding that those who believed that he was drinking beer could not be faulted. "Because I would have done something which could arouse suspicion on me," he explained. Another lesson, said Tuan Ibrahim, is that one should not act in a way that attracts undue suspicion from the public. "In short, we must always have good thoughts of each other and avoid doing something that could attract slander," he said. Tuan Ibrahim said both these elements can now be seen in the frenzy which followed the JAIS action – the tendency to believe in an accusation and the tendency to do something arousing suspicions. As such, Tuan Ibrahim said while JAIS may want to justify its actions in the name of defending Islam, it must be mindful not to create unnecessary controversies which could damage the name of the Selangor state government, the Islamic body, as well as that of Islam. Meddling in other religion Tuan Ibrahim, who PAS commissioner for Pahang, called on JAIS to always act according to laws and procedures. "Any action must not be seen as meddling in other religion," he said. He reminded that the authorities must be able to see through the intention in any complaint received, whether it was true or just made in bad faith against the backdrop of the country's heated political and racial climate. "JAIS should also ensure that investigation is carried out in a transparent manner and every action must be according to procedures even after confirming the reliability of the information it received," said Tuan Ibrahim. He also said that Muslims who were at the church attending the dinner should ponder whether their actions, unconsciously or otherwise, had caused difficulties to the dinner event as well as to the church concerned. On what JAIS should do if it was proven that its action was wrong, Tuan Ibrahim has this advice to the department: "Do apologise if you are wrong."   READ MORE HERE.

Street Protests: Anwar Ibrahim's Trademark Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:12 AM PDT   By Haider Yutim, Malaysian Digest   The aftershocks of Bersih 2.0 have taken a toll on the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, tottering the pillars of its regime and affecting the general view of Malaysian politics from afar. Street demonstrations/riots have never turned out well for Malaysians. A good number of Malaysians still remember the street riots that cost lots of lives in 1969. The outcome of the recent riot has tarnished Malaysia's reputation especially with the biased reporting by foreign mainstream media. But this is just the beginning Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar the Young Activist Anwar Ibrahim is the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and is currently the de facto leader of Keadilan, the People's Justice Party. From 1968 to 1971, as a student, Anwar was the president of a Muslim students organization, Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM). Around the same time, he was also the president of Persatuan Bahasa Melayu Universiti Malaya (PBMUM). He was one of the protem committee of Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) or Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia which was founded in 1971. He was also elected President of the Malaysian Youth Council or Majlis Belia Malaysia (MBM). In 1974, Anwar was arrested during student protests against rural poverty and hunger. This came as a report surfaced stating that a family died from starvation in a village in Baling, in the state of Kedah, despite the fact that it never happened. He was imprisoned under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for detention without trial, and spent 20 months in the Kamunting Detention Center. In 2008, a gathering of more than 1,000 supporters greeted Anwar in a rally welcoming his return to politics. Police interrupted Anwar after he had addressed the rally for nearly two hours and called for him to stop the gathering since there was no legal permission for the rally. Anwar Ibrahim and street riots are a potent and unhealthy mix. He is never a good figure for Malaysia. Catastrophes will follow in everything that he touches. He is the Midas of Catastrophe. Riots in 1998 following the sacking of Anwar as Deputy Prime Minister turned violent, with hundreds arrested. 13 Years Later No one would honestly suggest that cleaning up politics and holding any given government accountable for their actions is not an honorable, noble cause. It is honorable indeed, however, when such a movement takes to the streets but is funded by a foreign power and led by servants of foreign interests, it becomes obvious it has been hijacked in order to exploit the aspirations of a frustrated public for a self-serving agenda. The first rally, also organized by Bersih, was held in 2007 and saw some 50,000 people take to the capital's streets. The Bersih marchers/demonstrators eventually dispersed, however, it resulted in chaos when the police deployed teargas and water cannons on the demonstrators. The historic event has been partly credited for Pakatan's record gains in Election 2008, when the opposition pact swept into power in five states and won 82 parliamentary seats. It's understandable then that the Bersih electoral reform group's plans for an upcoming series of a mass street protests have left citizens and lawmakers nervous. Many are relieved that the group had decided to hold its rally in a stadium, thus minimizing opportunities for violence and property damage, which somehow happens even though the protestors were peaceful. The group, backed by Pakatan had promised to bring tens of thousands onto the streets on the fateful Saturday of July 9 in what could have been Malaysia's biggest protest since 1998 when Anwar's sacking triggered violent demonstrations.   Anwar the Attention-Seeker Anwar has long been synonymous with street riots. The main reason for him to resort to this method is to gain worldwide attention and he doesn't care what kind of attention he will be getting. To Anwar, street protests are the only avenue available to push for electoral reforms (the main agenda of Bersih 2.0 rally) and so he sees this as a good opportunity to use Bersih's platform for his own cause. He said this was because the opposition had previously exhausted all other available options to no avail. "That is the whole interest (of Bersih 2.0), to express in this manner because all other avenues have failed. We have sent memos, (held) series of discussions, protest... Everything has been done, submissions with facts and evidence," he was quoted telling reporters.   Malaysian Public Pay the Price The government had declared Bersih as illegal a few days before the scheduled rally, and has warned that anyone wearing yellow will be detained. More than 200 Bersih supporters and organizers were arrested on charges ranging from the promotion of "illegal assembly" to "waging war against the King". Some were held for an indefinite period without trial. The rally also prompted authorities to carry out extensive roadblocks which caused standstills in Kuala Lumpur and many businesses had to close. There were also widespread mobile phone and internet disruption. Meanwhile, thousands of supporters have expressed their views on Facebook and Twitter, with many of them, tweeting directly to the prime minister. However, it could prove difficult to gauge the impact the rally had, in the short term at least, in a country known for its traditionally tame political culture, according to scholar Greg Lopez. Social networks such as Twitter were congested with comments and posts on the rally, including some posters created by those who were initially indifferent to the Bersih 2.0 agenda prior to July 9, but had since decided to support it, rhetorically at least. Bersih supporters in other parts of the world held similar rallies in Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, the US, Canada and the UK. According to Ooi Kee Beng, a Malaysian analyst based in Singapore's Institute for Southeast Asian Studies, the demonstration and crackdown might prompt apolitical Malaysians to take a greater interest in public affairs. READ MORE HERE.

Umno claims can win Selangor with big majority Posted: 05 Aug 2011 09:51 AM PDT   By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KLUANG, Aug 6 — Umno is confident that Barisan Nasional (BN) will trounce Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Selangor in the coming polls with a whopping 20-seat majority, allowing the pact to form a strong government in the frontline state.  Selangor Umno infomation chief Abdul Shukor Idrus told The Malaysian Insider that this time, BN will win in at least 38 of the state's 56 seats, in comparison to the 20 it won in the 2008 election when PR captured the country's wealthiest state.  He attributed BN's pre-empted victories to a significant increase in Malay voter support from about 50 per cent in 2008 to an estimated 65 per cent, saying it was fuelled by a growing disenchantment with the current PR-led state administration and feverish ground work by Umno leaders humbled by their shocking losses in 2008.  "So although we cannot say that we are extremely comfortable yet, we are confident that we can win Selangor," he said when met at his service centre here this week before the state Islamic affairs department triggered a controversy by raiding a Petaling Jaya church.  The Kuang assemblyman however said the 38 seats only covers the state's rural and suburban areas where he claimed the electorate has less access to the Internet, social media tools and the alternative media.  "The big issues and all that are centred in the cities but they have less influence in the rural areas. In the cities, everyone uses the Internet. But outside, a lot just read the papers... they read more Utusan (Malaysia)," he said, smiling.  The first-term assemblyman said certain national issues often played up by PR leaders would only affect Selangor's more urban electorate, particularly those living in constituencies within the city areas where PR's influence is deemed the strongest.  Abdul Shukor said Umno has identified 18 such seats, categorised as "black areas", which the party admits would be close to impossible to win. Among some of the seats identified are Subang Jaya, Bukit Lanjan, Bukit Tunku, Balakong, seats within the Petaling Jaya Utara and Selatan parliamentary constituencies and seats contested by PR bigwigs like PKR deputy president Azmin Ali.  Abdul Shukor said although BN has not given up on these "black areas", it would only focus its efforts in the 38 seats identified as winnable.  Of the 38, he said, it is hoped that MCA can contribute between four and seven seats while MIC has expressed confidence in two seats — Batu Caves and Ijok. The remaining seats are to be snapped up by Umno.  The Malaysian Insider understands that the ruling party will field candidates in 35 seats and has identified 25 seats as guaranteed wins, up seven seats from the 18 it won in Election 2008.  Abdul Shukor said Indian community support for the Najib administration has also seen vast improvement, particularly because of Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's decision to step down as MIC president late last year and the appointment of two MIC leaders to ministerial posts.  He also claimed that Chinese support has increased, albeit marginally, purportedly because of certain grouses among the business community towards the PR government.  For the Malay votes, Abdul Shukor said Umno party leaders have been working hard on the ground to campaign for votes through hosting constant community programmes, doling out financial aid to the needy and keeping the electorate constantly engaged.  "We go house to house, we give out to aid single mothers, the poor. We even fix roofs and broken drains... even toilet repairs," he said.  As an example, Abdul Shukor said that he has made it a point to visit at least 20 homes every Friday since he was elected.  He stressed that only local and hardworking candidates who have put in enough time will win Selangor for BN, particularly in the suburban and rural constituencies.  "Here, they do not care about the national issues... things going on in KL, for example. They are more concerned about the individuals they are voting for. They want someone who they know, they like and who can look after their needs," he said.   READ MORE HERE.

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• Is war brewing in central Umno?
• Anwar Ibrahim: Malaysia can learn from Manila
• What's the future for Anwar Ibrahim?

Is war brewing in central Umno? Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:57 PM PDT By Daniel John Jambun We know that the state Umno leadership is not at its most harmonious. There is factionalism as confirmed recently by sharp criticism by one group against another group. Even government policies have been questioned by Umno's own leaders. The Chief Minister himself had advised state leaders to avoid factionalism because it would not be good for the state-level Umno. Component members of the state BN had on many occasions raised the voices against Umno, including the recent outburst by Sebatik Island PBS leaders who claimed to have been sidelined by Umno on that island. But while this has become a common story at the state level, there are now reports of problems creeping up at the highest level in central Umno. Datuk Khairy Jamaluddin, as the Umno Youth Chief, had been critical of some decisions by his party's decisions, including the arrest of the six leaders of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM). Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah too has been out on a safari shooting at all sorts of targets in Umno as if he is no longer in Umno.   Clearly, he has been speaking out of sheer conscience, without any fear or favour. He has been playing the game of brinkmanship, prepared to be kicked at anytime, if Umno dares to! His bravado has emboldened the opposition to approach him secretly to seriously think about coming into Pakatan Rakyat to assume leadership of the opposition coalition in the expectation that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will deftinitely be going for another long-term incarceration. Ku Li must know that this is one very golden opportunity to eventually get what he had always wanted – to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia!   But there is another leader who has the same ambition. The most serious story in Umno now is the wild rumour that Datuk Seri Najib will be challenged by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for the post of Umno's presidency in Umno's next general assembly, and that the former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir, is behind this agenda. This story seems to be credible, knowing that this Mahathir had not been very happy the way the nation had been governed (once calling the government "weak"), despite his previous support for Najib to take over his predecessor.   If Muhyi challenges Najib, it will be another historic fight with the same epic proportion of the Tun M vs. Ku Li debacle. No doubt, the event will divide Umno and create national tension. Muhyi will be putting his political life on the line, because it will be a case of a do-or-die mission – he can lose everything. But Muhyi has his supporters who have been prodding him to take the plunge, simply because there is a glaring opportunity for an upset because Najib appears to have been weakened, not just by his own indecisions and being implicated in the ongoing court case in France, but by the antics of his wife which have displeased a lot of Umno senior leaders and members.   And herein also lies the big question about the timing of the next general elections. It is now expected to be in November, not just because the number eleven is Najib's favourite number, but because there is the need to avoid his further loss of credibility before a very possible challenge by Muhyi in the next Umno general assembly and a more heated development of the court case in France to which he may be called to testify.   While Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi's fall was because of lack of backbone, Najib's possible fall will be because of lack of will to rein in certain people, to control his wife (the FLOM office, the handbags, the ministerial and ambassadorial roles, the jewellery, etc.), and because of having too many controversies. It is all still undercover now, and the stories are creeping out only through the grapevine, and being reported only in online portals. Will it soon be part of the big stories of the printed media?

Anwar Ibrahim: Malaysia can learn from Manila Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:50 PM PDT   By Leila Saraverria, Global Nation Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on Friday said his country could learn a thing or two from the Philippines' experience under a dictatorship. Anwar, who traveled to Manila to speak at a forum on national hero Jose Rizal, said he was appealing to Malaysian authorities to respect the rule of law, to stop filing trumped-up charges against protesters, and not to allow the judiciary to work at the behest of the executive. "The entire world, including the most conservative Muslim hotbed in the Middle East, has now transformed and is clamoring for change and reform. Why must Malaysia be lagging so much behind?" Anwar said at a breakfast forum in San Juan organized by the city government and his friend, former President Joseph Estrada, whom he described as having "many admirers" in his country. He lamented that a simple and peaceful demonstration in Malaysia was "treated like al-Qaida," with state forces shooting and arresting people. Over 1,600 were arrested in the aftermath of a mass action in July, he said, adding that the demonstrators were merely seeking clean elections, and not the ouster of current leaders. "This has to change. Learn from the experience of the Philippines. Learn in a positive light what happened after years of dictatorial rule," Anwar said. He was referring to the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolt that ousted the strongman Ferdinand Marcos and that became the model for bloodless revolts all over the world. Honored to speak According to Anwar, he cannot even get a minute of airtime in the Malaysian media, which the government controls. He also cannot enter universities, he said, adding that this was why he was honored when the University of the Philippines invited him to speak at a forum on Rizal later Friday. But he professed optimism about the prospects of democracy in his country, and said he believed that Malaysians were now more aware of their rights. Anwar said there were things worse in Malaysia than in the Philippines. For example, he said, the use of indelible ink during elections was not even possible in his country. He said the controversy here over the Philippine National Police's purchase of two used helicopters at brand-new prices had puzzled Malaysians. A bigger scandal in Malaysia involves two huge submarines, he said. Nevertheless, "we must stop this rot of corruption," he said. Anwar said Malaysia had been lagging behind the Philippines and Indonesia in building credible institutions. He said that while Malaysia's economy was in a better position, it had been falling behind Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam in terms of foreign investments, competitiveness and market capitalization. "There is an imperative for reform in Malaysia," he said. Support from Estrada Anwar said he wanted the help of Estrada as his group battled with the ruling party in Malaysia's forthcoming general elections. He said getting Estrada to directly campaign for him would be a sticky matter but that the former Philippine leader's endorsement and support could come in many ways. "Erap is my great friend, family friend," Anwar said, referring to Estrada by his nickname. "And how I wish he could come to Malaysia and help me in the campaign because he still has many admirers there." In a subsequent press conference, Anwar said that under Malaysia's rules, it would be difficult to get a foreign spokesperson to campaign directly for him. But Estrada can speak on issues in other forums, Anwar said. "In the right forum, I'm sure he will be able to be of immense influence in many parts of Malaysia, I can tell you. Do not underestimate the importance of his call and his passion." In response, Estrada said that if Anwar would ask him for support, he did not think there was a reason to refuse. "As I said … I'll be all-out for him because I believe in him," Estrada said, adding that he would be there for Anwar's inauguration when the latter became prime minister. Common vision In a speech, Estrada called on all freedom-living Filipinos to support Anwar. He cited their common vision to have an Asian region with "a democracy that is committed to supporting instead of suppressing the will of the people; a democracy that honors instead of obliterates justice; a democracy that respects religion and race." Estrada lauded Anwar for the latter's impressive knowledge of Rizal, and went on to crack a joke: "As we all know, Jose Rizal was a hero not only of the Filipino people but also of the Malay race because he was a man who died for his convictions. My good friend Anwar and I are also men of conviction. That is why both of us were convicted." He was referring to his being convicted of plunder, and Anwar's being convicted of corruption. Estrada also said he was supporting Anwar because he knew what it was like to be a victim of "unjust and ruthless" politics. He said he was "unconstitutionally" ousted and jailed for six years on "trumped-up" plunder charges, while Anwar was jailed for six years on corruption charges. "But we all know that Anwar was imprisoned not because he committed corruption but because he countered it," Estrada said. Humility In his own speech, Anwar also heaped praise on his friend. He lauded Estrada's humility when the latter told him that he was more knowledgeable about Rizal. He said that this may not necessarily be true, and that it was rare for political leaders to show humility. "Tell me, how many ministers, vice presidents and presidents in the world would tell another friend, 'Thank you, you are more knowledgeable'?" he said. He added that he believed in Estrada's desire to help the poor and the oppressed, noting that the latter spoke with so much passion about the matter.

What's the future for Anwar Ibrahim? Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:37 PM PDT   By Carmen N. Pedrosa, Philstar I have met Anwar Ibrahim several times both in Kuala Lumpur and in Manila. The first meeting was at the UP many years ago after Mahathir Mohamad dropped him as his political protege. He came to deliver a lecture on Jose Rizal. I was surprised how well he knew our national hero whom he said he greatly admired. "In a way, Malaysians envy Filipinos because they had a hero and patriot like Jose Rizal. We don't. And since he is called the Great Malay, we can also claim him," he said. I was in Kuala Lumpur February last year when the defense sought access to certain "prosecutor evidence." His lawyers were optimistic that the evidence would not hold water and so they aggressively wanted it out. After much legal wrangling, the upshot of the court hearing was a mere postponement. Anwar said the trial was a machination led by Prime Minister Najib and his wife to re-open the case against him. Others said they see the hand of Mahathir Mohamad and this was more of the same. My daughter, Veronica covering the trial for Al-Jazeera, told me the case has also placed the judiciary on trial. Will he get a fair chance? I later interviewed Mahathir in his office in Putrajaya who said quite candidly that he will get a fair trial. He said he was not a great admirer of Prime Minister Najiv either. "It isn't politically motivated," he said. "I am out of politics."  I asked the former prime minister what brought about the estrangement between him and his protégé. He said "differing policies". While he was abroad, colleagues told him that Anwar was upsetting his government's program and could not be relied upon.  Outside the court were members of the opposition chanting support for Anwar and pushing to get in. There were some minor scuffles with police. *      *      *  That was last year. But things have changed in KL since then. More aggressive crowds will be prowling the streets that can very easily turn into a political protest not unlike what is happening in the Middle East. The recent walk for democracy organized by BERSIH, the 9th of July Malaysian democracy movement drew some 20,000 to 30,000 mostly young students who said they were fighting for freedom and democracy in Malaysia. They were asking for "fair and clean elections, as well democratic rights." A keen watcher of Malaysian politics said some planning went into this show of force with Malaysians abroad in Singapore, Bangkok, London and Melbourne joining in. More than a thousand protesters were detained, including organizers and opposition parties. The police used tear gas and chemical-laced water to disperse the crowds. Curiously, they were also wearing yellow shirts reminiscent of colored "revolutions" in other countries for regime change. BERSIH is limited to calling for 'fair and clean elections', and says nothing about the social and economic needs of the working class majority as well as the youth, as a consequence of the pro-capitalist policies and agenda of the BN government. Anwar's visit to Manila would be perfectly timed in case trouble breaks out next week. *      *      * With a growing opposition in the appointment of Domingo Lee as Philippine ambassador to Beijing, newly appointed ambassador to KL, Eduardo Malaya's book on the "Frontlines of Diplomacy" is a good read. It is time that the Philippines thinks carefully about assigning diplomats. Beijing is probably the most sensitive post today, even more important than the US post. Domingo may be a good man and a family friend of the Aquinos but he does not have the experience necessary for the job. In his book Malaya asked 31 entry-level foreign service officers to interview 37 retired and active ambassadors and three spouses about their careers, the issues and challenges they faced and many other sundry things. It is less on substantive issues that ought to be the subject of another book but about the daily challenges of the life of diplomats and as Malaya said more about human-interest stories for a reading public on just what a diplomat's life is all about. "It is not always a charmed life." He gives the example of two Filipina envoys — Ambassador and later Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani and Minerva Jean Falcon who teamed up to write the first draft of what we now know as the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and how it almost never made it to the UN floor. There is a section on Domingo Siazon Jr., the first career officer to become Foreign Secretary, that is full of amusing stories on the ASEAN troika in the Cambodia peace process, democratization process in Myanmar, the South China Sea issue and the Flor Contemplacion execution in Singapore.  "When I took over as secretary of Foreign Affairs, my main concern was Filipinos on the block for hanging. So I talked with Prime Minister Mahathir, who said "Siazon, we are not as efficient as the Singaporeans! … I have been in politics long enough. This is a sensitive issue. No Filipinos will be hanged here." Then I went to Brunei. I got the same message. This is what diplomacy is all about. It is personal. You really have to know each other. Puwedeng pakiusapan." (interview by Priscile Yap-Bahjin) The book dispels the notion that being a diplomat is all about being in the social circuit. Clemencio Montesa was held hostage by Sandinista rebels in 1996 while awaiting to present his credentials at the Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry. Leonides Caday's limbs were shattered in Jakarta in 2000 when his car was blown up by the Jemaah Islamiyah. "I was vulnerable. I thought I had no enemies," reminisced Caday. Rounding out these narratives are interviews with three spouses whose contributions to the success of their partners' work are immense. Ada Ledesma-Mabilangan, spouse of the former envoy to the UN, helped in the renovation of the Philippine townhouse in New York and also wrote the informative "Entertaining with Ease: Etiquette and Protocol for the Modern Filipino."  Malaya was in Brussels when my late husband, Alberto Pedrosa was Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union from 1992 to 1995. He says it helped that having lived in exile in London during the martial law years and worked in euro-capital markets, he was familiar with the continent's issues and the ways of the Brussels bureaucracy. This helped when he negotiated the entry of Philippine carrageenan and tapioca to the EU market, among other issues.

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• Eligibility for Permanent Residency
• MCA to be wiped out in S’gor in GE 13
• Pakatan to unveil ‘national budget’ before Najib’s
• MAS, AirAsia in share swap to rescue ailing flag carrier
• Time to stop being “dumb and deaf”
• A nation divided, a country devastated

Eligibility for Permanent Residency Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:17 PM PDT By The Grumbler For years now, foreign spouses have been voicing out their grievances about the Immigration Department dragging their feet in giving them PR, many professional spouses were forced to leave the country, to where they can enjoy the right to reside and employment without restrictions. Those of us spouses still in the country had given up hope and could only expect PR posthumously (ie by being buried in this country!!) Only recently under the present Home Minister and thanks to him, the backlog of PR applications have been cleared, many who have lived in the country for decades were finally given PR.  As per a media release all PR applications submitted until 2009 have been cleared. However some who have been visiting Immigration Department at Putrajaya on a fairly regular basis, have noticed since 2009, there have been a large number of Indonesian male workers who are in their 40s at the counter for Permit Masuk, to be specific counter 2 & counter 3 receiving submitting their documents.  However it is highly unlikely that these men fall under any of the categories for PR as provided by Immigration. The Immigration website, http://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/entry-permit clearly indicates the ways in which one can get Permanent Residency Status in Malaysia, as per the Immigration Act and Regulations 1959/63: 1.  Individual Investor with minimum USD 2 million Fixed Deposit (FD) in Malaysia (High Net Worth Individual) 2.  Expert (Highly Talented and High Skilled Individual) 3.  Professional 4.  Spouse to Malaysian Citizen 5.  Application for Permanent Resident Through Point Based System Spouses have to be accompanied by their Malaysian spouses, so one can easily recognise this category of persons submitting documents for PR. As recent as July 2011, on a particular visit and within a three hour duration at immigration, it was noticed that there were around 5 spouses of various nationalities waiting and at least 20-25 such persons, Indonesian male workers within the age group of 35-45 were present, only 2 of them were over the age of 50 years and looked like they could have been in the country for 5 years and above. Ask some of the Contractors in the Housing or Building Industry, they will tell you, that many of their Indonesian workers are getting PR, some of them have not resided in the country for more than three years, it known that some of them have the Blue IC. Oh, just for information, Foreign Spouses with Malaysian Families, are eligible to apply for PR, after they have been on five, one year long term social pass, approximately after about 7 years.  Then it depends on who is approving the PR, under the previous Home Minister, some spouses were residing in the country even upto forty years were waiting for their PR. Then again, Spouses with Malaysian Children who are widowed or in estranged marriages get their PR applications withdrawn.  They are required to have a sponsor to secure a visa to live in the country, perpetuating a situation of dependency.  This pass does not allow the person to be employed, how then are they supposed to earn a living to support themselves and their families in dignity? On the  other end of the spectrum, if these workers are being given PR, they will have the right to reside and be employed and though PR does not allow voting rights, who knows how citizenship has been fast tracked and these people perhaps even vote for the political masters who have given them PR & Citizenship.  An informal chat with some officers revealed that these people come with political recommendations. Perhaps all this needs verifications and a Parliamentary Committee be immediately called for to conduct an impartial inquiry and an audit as to the number of PR and Citizenships awarded, their gender, nationality and under which category they come under.  On what basis are these workers being given PR or Citizenship?

MCA to be wiped out in S’gor in GE 13 Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:13 PM PDT By Lee Kee Like Umno, MCA cannot change for the better to serve the rakyat (people). I was amused because it displays the MCA leadership's continuous selfish and arrogant attitude – only "our agenda", irrespective of party interest or the Chinese community. The leadership's sole concern in decision-making has always been to protect the interest of the party warlords, thereby leading to serious infighting. There is no room for those outside their circle. Capability is not a factor, neither the interest of constituents. Like Umno, MCA cannot change for the better to serve the rakyat (people). I was also amused because this will signal the end of Selangor MCA in the next general election. In the 2008 General Election or more popularly referred to as the 2008 political tsunami, both the Ongs (Ong Tee Keat and Ong Ka Chuan) survived. Tee Keat was the only MCA MP (Pandan) left standing in Selangor. With the MCA leadership's continuous refusal to reform and start making decisions in the interest of the party and constituents based on meritocracy, the party is expected to make history for itself in Selangor – that is failing to win a single parliamentary seat in the state. Given MCA and its leadership's current continuous deteriorating performance, especially its porno-president Dr Chua Soi Lek and his bumbling deputy Liow Tiong Lai's defence of the police attack on Tung Shin Hospital in Bersih 2.0, one wonders when the party leaders will realise they have reached rock bottom in political support from the rakyat. To them, it appears to be a bottomless pit, so to speak. It also clearly mocks Barisan Nasional (BN) and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's "only winnable candidates" will be fielded in the next general election. By that, we expect Najib to field not only winnable candidates, but also capable and respectable candidates who can really serve their constituents. They must be candidates with a reasonable proven track record or someone with professional or academic achievements to command the confidence of the rakyat. We don't need a rocket scientist to tell us who these candidates are because common sense will tell you that the majority (repeat majority) of those who survived the political tsunami are likely to be politicians who command some level of confidence. What more, both Tee Keat and Ka Chuan (Tanjung Malim) have proven track records. Instead, the MCA warlord leadership has ignored the public's cry for quality leaders and chose to nominate 2008 and past rejects. The party leadership is consciously losing touch with the rakyat. The Chinese adage, Bu Jian Guan Cai Bu Luo Lei (Only the sight of a coffin will you know the meaning of death) most aptly describes the current MCA members and leaders. Most unfortunately and foolishly, MCA leaders are prepared to even venture beyond the bottomless pit, as displayed by their current political attitude in Penang, despite a whitewash in 2008.

Pakatan to unveil ‘national budget’ before Najib’s Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:27 PM PDT By Tarani Palani, FMT PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat is busy preparing a strategic budget for 2012 and is hopeful of revealing its details before Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak reveal's the nation's expenditure plan in October this year. Disclosing this today PAS MP Dzulkifli Ahmad said the Pakatan budget will focuses on specific areas and objectives. This will be the coalition's second strategic budget, the first was done in 2008. "When the Prime Minister announced the budget (last year) it had focused on big projects and big businesses. "That was the take home message but this will drag the nation into a deficit economy if such expenditure is not curbed. "We will take a strategic approach, where all the sectoral parameters are to be addressed. "We will define what our objectives are and move backwards on how to allocate funds to various sectors to avoid the mistakes of the BN in the last budget," said Dzulkifli adding that the strategic budget was themed "Prosperity for All" (Kesejahteraan Untuk Semua). He said with this in mind, the budget will focus on a more "decent and sustainable growth" whereby top consideration was given to "means to increase disposable income", "redistributive justice" and a "sustainable and not reckless' national expenditure. 'We welcome plagiarism' He added that the strategic budget also plans to look into addressing the problems of 60% of households earning less than RM1500 a month. He said that further details and progress of the budget will be announced on consecutive Fridays for the next "five to six" weeks following the working committee's meeting.   READ MORE HERE.

MAS, AirAsia in share swap to rescue ailing flag carrier Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:22 PM PDT   KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — State-owned Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will swap shares with Asia's largest budget carrier AirAsia this week in a deal that will see Tan Sri Tony Fernandes help stop the ailing flag carrier from plunging any further into red ink, said industry sources.    The Malaysian Insider understands that the share swap that could see Fernandes getting a 20 per cent stake in the national carrier, will allow both Malaysian carriers to rationalise their fleet, frequencies and destinations within the country and abroad while ensuring MAS returns to becoming a premier airline.  "The deal is on and it should be signed Monday at the earliest," a source told The Malaysian Insider.  AirAsia's main shareholders Tune Air Sdn Bhd, owned by Fernandes (picture) and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, is expected to benefit most from the share swap with MAS as it hold 26.28 per cent of the budget carrier as of July 6, 2011.  The budget carrier's market capitalisation of RM11 billion yesterday is now two times more than MAS which stands at RM5.3 billion, a decade after Tune Air took over the two-plane operation.  AirAsia closed at RM3.95 per share when the stock market closed yesterday while MAS was at RM1.60 per share.  "This is a deal that has taken such a long time to get done but the current situation benefits Fernandes as MAS is in a bad shape," another source said, adding that the MAS's main shareholder Khazanah Nasional Berhad and the AirAsia boss have negotiated five separate times previously.  It is learnt that while MAS moves to reclaim itself as a premier airline, AirAsia X will continue to ply as a long-haul budget carrier while domestic operations will be rationalised with MAS's Firefly focusing on turbo-prop operations out of the Skypark terminal in Subang.  Firefly began operations out of KLIA this January for flights to east Malaysia, competing with both MAS and AirAsia flights. It also launched a coach service this week for passengers looking for alternatives to the Express Rail Link.  A MAS source also disclosed that the fate of company managing director Tengku Datuk Azmil Zahruddin remains unclear as Fernandes will likely change the management to pull the airline from the brink after its first quarter losses.  It is understood that one of Khazanah's executive director of investments, Mohd Rashdan Mohd Yusof, could be named as chief operating officer after the share swap. Popularly known as Danny, the former investment banker is the Khazanah representative in the MAS board.  The flag carrier recorded a first quarter net loss of RM242.3 million against a profit of RM310.6 million in the same period a year ago. Azmil took over the reins of the company on August 28, 2009 after the previous chief executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala was made a minister in the Najib administration.      READ MORE HERE.

Time to stop being “dumb and deaf” Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:13 PM PDT   By Lim Kit Siang The time has come for the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek and the four MCA Ministers to end being "dumb and deaf" and declare whether they agree with the Bar Council that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and MACC officers must be held responsible for Teoh Beng Hock's (TBH) death at the MACC headquarters in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009. The Bar Council submission to  the TBH Royal Commission of Inquiry made public yesterday had recommended that five MACC officers be investigated under Section 304A of the Penal Code for culpable homicide not amounting to murder for the death of TBH, viz: former Selangor MACC deputy chief and "mastermind" of the massive and unlawful 33-men MACC operation which resulted in Beng Hock's death, Hishamuddin Hashim; Selangor MACC investigations chief Hairul Ilham Hamzah; investigation officer Mohd Anuar Ismail, interrogation officer Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus and Klang MACC assistant enforcement officer Zulkerfly Aziz. The five should also be  investigated under Section 304A of the Penal Code for causing Teoh's death by negligence. The Bar also want the authorities to investigate 10 MACC officers for criminal conspiracy in the cover up of TBH's death under Section 120A of the Penal Code, the five named and the  other five being Bulkini Paharuddin, Effezul Azran Abdul Maulop, Arman Alies, Raymond Nion and Mohd Nadzri Ibrahim. These ten should also be investigated for abetment or attempting to abet in Teoh's death and its cover-up. The 10 and other MACC officers should also be investigated for giving false evidence and fabricating evidence under Section 191 and 192 of the Penal Code as well as for destruction of, tampering with, causing the disappearance of evidence, and framing incorrect records or writing with intent to save a person from punishment with respect to the death of TBH, i.e. ss. 201 to 204, 218 and 464 of the Penal Code. In its submission, the Bar Council had called on the Royal Commission of Inquiry to send a strong and clear message to all law enforcement agencies in Malaysia that: ·       Abuse of power will not be tolerated. ·       Human dignity of suspects/witnesses must be preserved and respected. ·       Perjury and/or concealment of facts will be severely punished. ·       Law enforcement agencies have a duty of care to persons in their custody. ·       Law enforcement agencies bear the burden to explain death in custody or suspicious death of suspects/witnesses. The James Foong RCI failed miserably in sending out these five messages. What is the MCA President and the four MCA Ministers doing in Cabinet and the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council to remedy the failings of the TBH RCI to ensure that Beng Hock did not die in vain? The next question is what all the Cabinet Ministers, regardless of race, religion or political party,  propose to do about the glaring failings of the TBH RCI Report if the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia slogan is really meaningful to Malaysians?

A nation divided, a country devastated Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:46 AM PDT By J. D. Lovrenciear Times have changed and are fast changing even in ultra-traditional societies. The lessons we are drawing from even recent episodes as in the likes of Egypt Springs is most edifying for the selfless and wise. The well worn cliché 'a nation divided is a country devastated' has sprung back with profound meaning in this century. It applies very aptly to Malaysia. Today we are witnessing the nation heading down a slippery slope on all four frontiers of governance, namely the political, social, economic and environmental parameters. Political party survival has taken precedence over all else and it is clearly becoming an 'at all cost, by any means' war cry and battle strategy. Religion is not spared. Race is not spared. Sex is not spared. Institutions are not spared. Ethics is prostituted. Justice is clouded. And how long can the main stream media continue to orchestrate to the whims and fancies of those embroiled in winning at all costs? Meanwhile the world is being swept without warning by financial tides of devastation; weather havocs that predict imminent food crisis; and the rise of civil society to fight the 21st century's worst enemy namely corruption and political tyranny. These, the governments around the world – including even our neighbors like Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia are better braced to combat as they have no political party survival wars to be preoccupied with. Neither do they subscribe to the stone-age 'kill at all cost' mantra. But in our own yard here, just look at the volume of files mounting within the Palace of Justice as thousands of reports are lodged against corruption and misuse of power. Look at the breaking news every day. Listen to the talks at warongs. Scan the online forums. Look at the way politicians from BN are spending money; or how about their families and spouses? Look at the way the government denies brutality inflicted on its own citizens (Bersih 2.0), only to be exposed by the international media. Look at the scandals that keep surfacing one after another – scandals that not only involve Malaysians within its borders but also those that have global implications involving international players. Do not forget the many episodes of custodial deaths and how the cases are being battled and dragged in court. Look at our daily news rations. What do all these tell us? Indeed this nation is being divided left, right and centre in the name and want for power and control. The victims are the knowing and unknowing rakyat of today those who are yet to be born. The leaders are not interested in knowing that a nation divided is a country devastated. Who cares anyway? "If this country crumbles, I have my safe haven on the Gold Coast" seems to be the hidden assurance amongst the powers that be. Take a look at all the social pages of glossy magazines that are spilling over in Malaysia. What do you see? No different. One set of laws for the knowing and unknowing rakyat and another set of freedom for the rich, famous, well heeled and power brokers. Yes, the fact that some lone and brave voices with still some conscience and integrity left behind are stepping forward from behind the curtains of the ruling BN to state the truth about this nation's governance, is a crystal clear indication that this country is in a perilous state of affairs. While the world is collaborating and partnering with all of its political parties within each nation, ours is one that is going after the opposition's throat. While others around the globe are re-focusing on the four crucial parameters of politics, social, economic and environment to be better prepared in protecting its citizens against the ravages of weather, corruption, abuse, power and control, and financial uncertainty, we are saying "everything is okay" while we are dead bent on dividing the nation along race, religion, politics, social, economy. Therein remains the assessment that Malaysia is on the highway of being a devastated country.

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