| Next general election an extraordinary challenge, Najib tells Umno Posted: 29 Nov 2011 01:47 AM PST (Bernama) - Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, in his message to the party delegates for the 2011 Umno general assembly, has stressed that the party leadership at the divisions and grassroots must work in an extraordinary manner to face the 13th general election. Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Tuesday the Prime Minister also advised delegates not to treat lightly the next general election because it posed an extraordinary and most bitter challenge to the party. He said this at a media conference with two other Umno vice-presidents, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal. They earlier attended a closed-door session on the delivery of the president's message, here, from 3.30pm to 4.30pm. Najib, in his message, also wanted priority to be given to party unity, other than the need to settle internal problems in the party at the divisional level even if the problem was small, said Ahmad Zahid. "If there are still problems of sabotage, they must be pushed aside to focus on party agendas, not personal struggles. The 13th general election is not party election," he said. Ahmad Zahid said if internal problems were overcome, there would be no sabotage or backstabbing at grassroot level. Meanwhile, Hishammuddin said Najib also reminded the Umno members to place the interests of the party over individual interests, which was an important matter to undestand in facing the next election. The delegates must give the broadest ever mandate to the top leadership to ensure the party won and not certain individuals, he added. Mohd Shafie said Najib wanted Umno and Barisan Nasional to win the next general election with a comfortable margin to enable the Government to continue implementing numerous transformation programmes which had been launched in the best possible manner in the interest and welfare of the people. |
| Rise and fight, party warriors urged Posted: 29 Nov 2011 01:42 AM PST In an emotionally-charged speech, the Umno deputy president wants the party wings to close ranks to champion the party's cause. (Bernama) - Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin tonight called on every member of the party to soldier on and struggle to win every vote from the people to ensure victory for Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 13th general election. Referring to the Wanita Umno movement as the party's female warriors, Umno Youth as the war chiefs and Puteri Umno as the jewels of the party, Muhyiddin wanted the strength of the three wings to be mobilised so that they could be a fortress for the party. "Let's close ranks to champion the party's cause! Let us stand solidly by the side of party president (Najib Tun Razak). Rise up and defend the continuity of the Malay race! Rise up to carry the party's flag and fight! Let's advance and defeat our enemies ahead. Ensure that victory is ours," he said in a highly motivated tone when opening the simultaneous general assembly of the Umno Wanita, Youth and Puteri movements 2011 at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here today. The deputy prime minister wanted all the party wings to go down on the ground in all the 222 parliamentary constituencies, 576 state assembly constituencies and 7,470 district polling centres to ensure that all the votes were in favour of Barisan Nasional (BN). "The war drum has been struck. The warriors' strategy has been drawn up. Rise up and fight! Go (to all the constituencies). "Don't leave out anything. Don't forget anything. Get every vote from every constituency. Remember, even one vote will decide our victory," he said. In his speech, Muhyiddin again reminded all the party wings to discharge their moral responsibility as Umno warriors to assist the people by paying attention to the problems of the people, feel their pulse, listen to their woes and problems. As for the Wanita movement, Muhyiddin reminded them to strengthen activities for the People's Network and intensify the "Caring Squad" activities with a proper and well-planned approach as the influence of this party wing was very strong in the community. "The study on attitude must be accurate, coordination and cooperation with the divisional leadership must be strong," he said. For the Umno Youth, Muhyiddin wanted the wing to strengthen the members' mental and physical strength to fight in the most difficult war in the history of the party besides understanding the aspiration of the generation that was also within their age group. "Mobilise your youth frontline, let they be a strong fortress for Umno. Get down to the grassroots, get closer and understand the aspiration of the generation within your age group," he said.
A do-or-die battle Muhyiddin also wanted the Puteri movement to regain its glory as the wing that provided protection to the young women and to bring them into the Umno fold so that the party could become stronger. He said every member was responsible in determining that the strength of the party could only be achieved if they were always united (wahdatul qalb), be of one mind (wahdatul fikr), united in their deeds (wahdatul amal) and united in their objectives (wahdatul hadf) and to put aside the differences and disputes existing in the party. "Don't desert the battlefield. Don't admit defeat before fighting. Don't shame the party. Don't sabotage (the party). Don't boycott (the campaign). Don't play out your colleagues. Avoid infighting. Don't shut down the operations room. Don't leave the country. Avoid back-stabbing. Don't do anything that can jeopardise the party's chances of winning the election. "Remember that the election is a do-or-die battle. Remember that winning the election is not a personal victory, but a victory for the party," he said. On the election candidates, Muhyiddin wanted the three party wings to give full confidence to the party leadership's choice. "The candidates are the party's weapons for victory. Let us give our full confidence to the top leadership to decide on this matter. What is important is that our candidates must be of calibre, knowledgeable, of high integrity, people-oriented, clean, sincere, trustworthy, of high morals and acceptable to the people. Let us accept the decision of the top leadership. Give our solid support to all our candidates. Mobilise our machinery to assist them," he said. Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said as an organisation, Umno was not spared from any shortcomings and weaknesses. "We always strive to carry out changes and improve the weaknesses without sacrificing the principles of our struggle," he added. |
| Najib: General election is yardstick to party's survival Posted: 28 Nov 2011 09:15 PM PST By Noor Adzman Baharuddin, Mazlinda Mahmood and Azura Abas, NST KUALA LUMPUR: Delegates to the 62th Umno general assembly have given party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak the full mandate to undertake the battle to face the upcoming 13th general election. With cries of "Hidup BN" and "1Malaysia" resonating in the Merdeka Hall of Putra World Trade Centre, Najib secured delegates' support for the upcoming general election.
He sought the mandate when delivering the presidential message at a closed door briefing ahead of the assembly on Thursday.
The president's message is viewed as the party's most important message in view of its preparation for the upcoming 13th general election.
He also reminded the 5,000-odd delegates that the party's survival depends on its success in the next general election.
He said Umno has gone through the ups and downs since independence and it could emerge victorious if all party members and leaders at all levels do their bit for the party.
"Our success depends on what everyone at all levels especially the leaders can contribute to win the hearts and minds of the people," Najib who is also Prime Minister said during the two-hour session
He said party members and leaders at all levels must be selfless in serving the party and people.
"Love for the party is very important, retaining power as the government is also important.
"Don't sabotage if you are not chosen as the candidate and let's all learn from our past mistakes in order for Umno to excel and achieve greater heights," he said.
He also said a fair mix of young and old would be chosen as candidates from Umno in the next general election.
Stressing that, the candidates would be winnable ones, the Umno president said party members should leave the selection process to the party leadership.
He said all must sacrifice to ensure the success of the party, as the backbone of the ruling BN coalition.
He also said there was no need for anyone to try very hard to be selected as candidate and that even if any of them was a divison leader but is not a winnable candidate, he will not be chosen.
Priority will be given to leaders in the respective divisions. If there was none, an outsider will chosen and all must give their fullest support and ccoperation to ensure the victory of the chosen candidates," he said.
Najib said all party members must work extraordinarily hard to ensure a massive victory for Umno and BN.
"Umno and party members must rise to the occasion. Work and keep on working harder for the party and the country," he said.
The party president said winning the election would not be based on popular theories especially on picking an election date.
Najib said he did not hold on to any theory but only basing on facts.
"The facts are founded on two facts-what we have done to the people and what the opposition has done.
"If what we have done are agreeable and well accepted by the people, God willing our party will succeed," he said.
Najib also said choosing between party's dignity and one's own: "The party comes first."
Najib said party members and leaders must share with the people that they could only count on Umno and BN.
He said Umno members must work as a team and that Umno was still very relevant to the people.
"We must fight off all attacks by the opposition. Don't be defensive. We must also fight with facts.
"We must have only one team at all levels and we will find strength and victory in unity," he said.
A total of 5,447 delegates are attending this year's assembly. They comprise 2,627 from 191 Umno divisions, 944 Wanita, 942 Youth and 934 Puteri members. There are also 74 representatives from Umno overseas clubs.
A total of 58 foreign delegates from 20 countries, including six from the Communist Party of China, 11 from Mamafisoa Party of Madagascar, three from the Palestine Liberation Movement (Fatah) and two from the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean (Coppal) will also attend the assembly.
Seventy-four Umno overseas clubs are also sending their representatives.
Read more: Najib: General election is yardstick to party's survival - Top News - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/top-news/najib-general-election-is-yardstick-to-party-s-survival-1.12365#ixzz1f6G6R7nd |
| Peaceful Assembly Bill passed Posted: 28 Nov 2011 09:12 PM PST (The Star) - KUALA LUMPUR: The Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 was passed by Parliament Tuesday after six amendments were made to the bill. The bill was passed with no dissenting votes after the Opposition refused to take part in the debate and staged a walkout. The walk-out was staged before Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri tabled six amendments to the bill. The bill was passed before Deputy Speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia had allowed just three Opposition MPs to debate the proposed law. The Opposition had asked for it to be retracted and put before a Parliamentary Select Committee for review. The six changes include Sub-Clause 9 (1), where the 30-day notice period required to be given to the police was changed to 10 days. Under Clause 12 (b), objections against a proposed assembly must be lodged with the police in writing within 48 hours, instead of five days. For Clause 14, the change included the provision for police to give a reply to organisers within five days instead of 12. In Clause 16(a), appeal against the rejection of an application or the exercise of police discretionary orders to organisers can be done within 48 hours of receipt, instead of four days while under Clause 16(b), the Home Minister is to answer any appeals within 48 hours of receipt instead of six days. |
| Zambry: Perak Umno ‘moving in right direction’ Posted: 28 Nov 2011 09:06 PM PST By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — Perak Umno appears confident that public anger over its controversial 2009 takeover of Perak has calmed, with Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir claiming tonight the party is "moving in the right direction". The Pangkor assemblyman told reporters that the state's Umno leadership has "strengthened" since it took over the reins of the state government and was ready to face the coming polls.
"Thank God... We are moving in the right direction. We have strengthened ourselves," a smiling Zambry (picture) said when met after Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak delivered a special pre-general assembly briefing to top party leaders here.
Zambry would not however directly express confidence that Barisan Nasional (BN) would retain the northern state in the coming polls but repeatedly said "thank God, thank God" when asked if things were looking positive for the pact.
"I do not want to say that I am confident because I would not be a good general then," he coyly said.
He said Perak BN representatives have been "preparing our ground well" but stressed that it would be up to the voters to decide on their performance.
Asked again if he felt public rage from the year-long 2009 constitutional impasse had subsided, Zambry smiled and said "pretty much".
"But I do not want to be over-confident and self-proclaim that we are this or that... I'd like to move in a tactical or strategic way," he said.
"But I can tell you this — we know the ground well."
READ MORE HERE.
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| Ahmad Maslan stands by Malay power remarks Posted: 28 Nov 2011 09:04 PM PST By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider Datuk Ahmad Maslan today defended his claims that Malays would lose power if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) won more seats in the next general election and that the DAP is an agent of Christianisation, pointing out that that it was nothing but the "truth". The Umno information chief also dismissed suggestions that his remarks showed Umno was taking after Hitler by using the Chinese and Christians as a bogey to attract voter support.
Ahmad (picture) said at a forum this morning that "the Malay language will be lost, say goodbye to the Malay Sultans ... say goodbye to Islam" if the opposition gains more power as the DAP "do not respect the royal institution ... (and) are agents of Christianisation."
In turn, PR leaders accused Umno of "doing the same as Hitler" and that the remarks were seditious and could incite racial tension.
"I am not the sort to say anything slanderous. What I said this morning is based on my own conclusion as Umno information chief.
"I spoke the truth," he told reporters here.
The deputy minister defended his remarks and repeated what he said earlier, stressing that Umno needed to win over more voters before national polls are called.
"I think they cannot handle the truth... I know what they want. The opposition wants to take over the country.
"This is interesting... do I even look like Hitler?" said Ahmad, laughing. READ MORE HERE. |
| Is Taib slipping under growing pressure? Posted: 28 Nov 2011 08:05 PM PST By Clare Rewcastle Brown, FMT In an act of crazy stupidity, Sarawak's Chief Minister Taib Mahmud has responded to growing condemnation of his family's illegitimate wealth by claiming that others in Sarawak are poor because they "do not have it up here" (tapping his head)! What he meant is that, unlike his own "clever" children, most Sarawakians are too stupid to make money. But, surely it is he who is stupid to say such things? We can already see from his actions how Taib holds his people in disdain. He has stolen from them and provided only a pittance to the desperately poor Dayaks in his richly resourced state. But, even the most monstrous dictators usually avoid going on record admitting such disdain! Under pressure Taib made his remarks in a recent recorded interview, in which he attempted to deal with the growing slew of revelations about his family's wealth. That interview was then posted on his own official website. The plan had been to stage questions from a tame reporter so that the chief minister could counter the allegations that his family have been "creaming off" the wealth of Malaysia's richest state However, he immediately responded with an enormous lie. He claimed that he and his family had always avoided doing businesses inside Sarawak in order to avoid being "hounded" by accusations that "I used my influence to enrich myself". In fact, anyone who knows anything about Sarawak knows that the opposite is true. All the members of Taib's family are up to their eyes in business in Sarawak, benefiting and enriching themselves from state contracts, plantations and timber concessions handed to them by Taib himself. Indeed, just last week the DAP revealed that 90 acres of prime state land, worth some RM225 million, had been sold for just RM2.5 million to a company, Shoreline Development Sdn Bhd, which is owned by his own four children, his uncle and his timber crony, Samling. This scandal broke just days after the state government had announced it could only afford to allocate a paltry RM3.47 million to alleviate the suffering of the hardcore poor in Malaysia's richest state. Even the stupidest Sarawakian could work out that if Taib had tendered those 90 acres in an honest manner, then that sum could have been increased immediately to over RM225 million! Instead, he gave that profit to his already fabulously wealthy children! Loading insult onto injury Showing the dangerous effects of an old age and complacency, Taib nevertheless blundered on in this interview and compounded his lies to reveal just how self-deluded he has become. He explained that by doing business outside the country, clever people like himself and his children can easily make themselves rich. "Anyone who is clever can make themselves rich over 30 years" he claimed. READ MORE HERE. |
| Hishammuddin: Walkout shows Pakatan disrespecting democracy Posted: 28 Nov 2011 07:47 PM PST By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein accused Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers of disrespecting democracy today when they staged a walkout from Parliament during the debate on the Peaceful Assembly Bill. "If they want to talk about democracy and the system that we have, by walking out they are not respecting the democracy that they are supposed to be campaigning and fighting for," he told a press conference at the Umno general assembly here.
The Dewan Rakyat passed the controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill earlier today with just votes from Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers after PR MPs staged a walkout from the chambers.
The Bill was swiftly passed with the six amendments revolving around the advance notice required for an assembly.
Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia had allowed just three opposition MPs to debate the Bill, all of whom asked for it to be withdrawn and put before a select committee.
"This is our way of rejecting the Bill until we have a select committee," PKR's Subang MP R. Sivarasa told The Malaysian Insider as the opposition lawmakers left Parliament. READ MORE HERE. |
| 3.4 million Umno members won't guarantee BN win: Ahmad Maslan Posted: 28 Nov 2011 02:54 PM PST (Bernama) - KUALA LUMPUR: Umno members should not be over-confident in winning the general election following the party's success in registering 3.4 million members so far. Umno information head Datuk Ahmad Maslan said this was because the large membership could not guarantee victory for Barisan Nasional. "(This is because) Umno members represented only one-quarter of the total of 12 million voters," he told reporters after opening the 7th Malay Agenda Seminar organised by the Overseas Umno Club Alumni. He said currently about three million Umno members were registered voters. As such, he said all Umno members must work hard to gain the support of other voters, especially the fence sitters. "...we have to get closer to the other voters too and get them to support Umno and the Barisan Nasional," he added. BERNAMA |
| Bar Council hands memo on peaceful assembly to Parliament (Update) Posted: 28 Nov 2011 02:41 PM PST By Regina Lee, The Star KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council led by its president Lim Chee Wee on Tuesday handed a memorandum to Parliament on the council's objections to the Peaceful Assembly Bill. Lim and nine other lawyers were allowed into the Parliament building where they handed the document to Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong. Among others, the Bar Council wanted the bill to go through a Parliamentary Select Committee to enable further deliberation and public consultation. Lim said they will continue to protest against the bill even when it is passed by Parliament in its current form. "In times of controversy and challenge, we will rise up and walk to uphold the rule of law and the constitution," he told reporters. "We were consulted by the Attorney-General several weeks ago on the bill but the version that was tabled was very different," he said. Bar Council Constitutional Law Committee chairman Syahredzan Johan called the provisions 'ridiculous'. "We are here to say no to the Peaceful Assembly Bill in its current form," he said. Earlier, hundreds of members and activists had gathered at the Lake Gardens before walking the 2km to Parliament House. Among them were Bersih chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan, Seri Andalas assemblyman Xavier Jeyakumar, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin, Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne, Sibu MP Wong Ho Leng, PKR's N Surendran and Latheefa Koya, and PAS central committee member Hanipa Maidin. There were shouts of "freedom for the people" and "freedom to assemble". Police trucks and cars were stationed along Jalan Parlimen as policemen keep watch on the situation. Scores of policemen, including the light strike force staff, stood guard at the entrance of Parliament House. Police have declared the gathering as illegal. The march started at about 12.20pm and as the group arrived at the Parliament entrance, another group of about 100 people from Pertubuhan Putra Malaysia sprung up to protest against "free sex" in the country. PPM spokesperson Zainal Abidin Ariffin said they were there to protest against "free and wanton sex" and homosexuality. The situation got noisier when the two groups their took positions on both sides of the road leading to Parliament House, separated by scores of policemen. Some of them started a shouting match. |
| Hundreds march against Peaceful Assembly Bill (Update) Posted: 28 Nov 2011 02:25 PM PST (The Sun) - Members of the Malaysian Bar Council gathered to protest against the proposed Peaceful Assembly Bill (PAB) 2011 and to hand over an alternative to the government here today. Some 600 lawyers and supporters convened at the Perdana Lake Gardens since 11am in preparation for the march to Parliament in protest against the bill. Police have deemed illegal the event which has been dubbed as the "Walk for Freedom". The march that started around 12.15pm was led by Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee, vice president Christopher Leong and Human Rights lawyer Edmund Bon. Traffic flow along Jalan Parliament was disrupted during the march. Upon reaching Parliament where a barricade had been set up by the police, Bar Council office bearers were seen negotiating with the police who then agreed to let 10 members of the Bar into Parliament. At the entrance to Parliament House, member of the Bar were met by opposition MPs including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Nurul Izzah Anwar, Khalid Samad, Lim Lip Eng and Charles Santiago. Also present were member from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including E.Nalini of Suaram, Irene Fenandez of Tenaganita, and former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenivasan. The crowd chanting bebas! bebas! bebas himpun! (freedom to assemble), hidup rakyat (long live the people) and bebas rakyat! (free the people) were watched closely by about 100 uniformed police personnel stationed along the route. More to follow here.
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| Anwar likens assembly area restrictions to Mubarak’s military rule Posted: 28 Nov 2011 02:13 PM PST By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today the government was following in the footsteps of toppled Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak by barring protests from taking place on the streets and at least 20 other kinds of venues. "The prohibition of places like kindergartens follows Hosni Mubarak's military rule," the opposition leader said when debating the Bill that has been criticised by several quarters as being more repressive than existing regulations. Mubarak's 30-year presidency came to an end in February this year after hundreds of thousands of Egyptians gathered to demand his exit. The PKR de facto leader was replying to his colleague and Kuala Kedah MP Ahmad Kassim who asked "what is the meaning" of the long list of prohibited areas. The Bill prohibits assemblies from being held at dams, reservoirs, water catchment areas, water treatment plants, electricity generating stations, petrol stations, hospitals, fire stations, airports, railways, land public transport terminals, ports, canals, docks, wharves, piers, bridges, marinas, places of worship and kindergartens and schools. Anwar questioned how the government intended to "become the best democracy in the world" when it was "making it more difficult to gather than in Zimbabwe and Myanmar." He was referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's statement just days after his September 15 pledge of democratic reforms, including repealing the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA), that the move was to make Malaysia the world's best democracy. But critics have said that the proposed law is more repressive than those in countries like Myanmar, which has one of the world's poorest human rights records.
READ MORE HERE.
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| Lawyers end march, say to keep up pressure on assembly law Posted: 28 Nov 2011 02:06 PM PST By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider
 Hundreds of lawyers marched from Lake Gardens to Parliament to protest the Peaceful Assembly Bill today. — Picture by Clara Chooi KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 — The Bar Council warned the Najib administration today it will "continue knocking on the doors of Parliament" if the Peaceful Assembly Bill is passed without public consultation. He urged the government to consider the council's proposed alternative to the government's original Bill, which he described as an "unjust law made in haste ... which will impose unreasonable and disproportionate fetters on freedom of assembly". "The Bar will continue knocking on the doors of Parliament if the Bill makes it to the statute books in its current form," he vowed during a brief press conference in Parliament here. Lim was addressing reporters just moments after he led hundreds of lawyers in the council's "Walk for Freedom" march to Parliament as a sign of their open defiance of a law they claim infringes on Malaysians' constitutional rights. The prominent lawyer, along with nine other representatives from the council, were allowed through Parliament gates and into the lobby to hand over a copy of its alternative Bill to deputy minister Datuk V. K. Liew and a letter of appeal urging MPs to vote wisely. "We are not anti-government or pro-opposition. We are anti-injustice and anti-unconstitutionality ... We are pro-justice and pro-rule of law. We have always worked closely with the government," Lim told Liew when handing over the documents. MORE TO COME HERE. |
| Dumbos in Bar Council need to be less naive to match BN's evil cunning Posted: 28 Nov 2011 01:36 PM PST By Ismail Dahlan, Malaysia Chronicle The Bar Council has called on its members to march to Parliament in protest against the 'Peaceful Assembly Act' tabled recently. That Bill was a crude attempt by BN to strip the Malaysian people of their right to assembly. It is certainly a positive that the Bar plans to protest against it. Nevertheless, the Bar's idea of presenting an alternative to the bill is an unacceptable mistake and it plays into the hands of the repressive BN. Surely there should have been at least one intelligent enough participant at the Bar's meetings who could have pointed out that their action will only serve to help legitimize this draconian bill. No such Bill is needed - so just say 'NO' In fact, there should be no such bill tabled by the BN, or presented by the Bar. The right of the people to free assembly is already clearly stated in Article 10 of the Constitution. What Najib should have done is to abolish those sections in the Police Act which in any way curtail that right. Nor is there any room in Malaysia for the kind of co-operation that is the norm in Western countries. Giving notice in England or Finland is fine because you know the police need that notice so that they can help with traffic flow or to provide appropriate protection where applicable. In Malaysia however, giving notice to the police simply means giving them more time to find more ways to frustrate the people's right. Sad to say, the police here are wont to work with the BN by demonizing such protests in their controlled press, putting up inconvenient road-blocks all over the country to stop participants from attending the protest, infiltrating the protests with agent provocateurs and last but not least having partisan groups like Perkasa organize counter protests. Why give them notice when their intentions are so malignant? Dumbos It is a pity that the Bar, and surprisingly, many hardened opposition activists who should really know better, so quickly buy into this idea of a notice period when they should really know better. Instead of dismissing the very idea of a notice period, they have reduced themselves to haggling over its length! The BN, in any event, is only involved in tabling these faux reform bills for the purpose of gaining some votes and Najib Razak is far from being a reformist. Uncivilized politics is the real order of the day for the BN. Witness this abuse of judicial process and prosecutorial powers that is the Anwar Ibrahim trial. This trial represents the true face of the BN and of Najib Razak. They wish to cast into a dungeon the one man who by power of personality and intellect, holds together the coalition that now threatens the BN, Pakatan. They refuse him permits, trying to gag him and to limit the number of people exposed to his remarkable powers of oratory. The BN fears him and will therefore use any method, including misusing the nation's laws, to imprison him. The Bar should march for that also, for are they not officers of the court, bound to defend any threats to its credibility. Don't reduce yourself The BN is also being highly disrespectful to the Bar by assigning V.K.Liew, an unheard of deputy minister in the PM's department to receive their memorandum. He appeared as a voice on NTV7 last night, unable to speak English. It should be Nazri Aziz, who tabled the bill, accompanied by the AG, who drafted it, who should be receiving them. Malaysians cannot afford to voluntarily give up an inch, not one inch, of their rights, to the draconian mercies of the Barisan Nasional. We may consider such concessions when there is, in Malaysia, a free press, free and fair elections and when Institutions such as the Judiciary and the Police are independent of the Executive. Until such time, the people cannot afford to be betrayed by organizations such as the Bar, even if it is only by weak analysis and by shallow thought and action. |
| Peaceful Assembly Bill: Six amendments to be tabled Posted: 28 Nov 2011 01:06 PM PST (The Star) - Six amendments to the proposed Peaceful Assembly Bill are scheduled to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat Tuesday. The six changes include Sub-Clause 9 (1), where the 30-day notice period required to be given to the police is changed to 10 days. Under Clause 12 (b), objections against a proposed assembly must be lodged with the police in writing within 48 hours, instead of five days. For Clause 14, the proposed change includes the provision for police to give a reply to organisers within five days instead of 12. In Clause 16(a), appeal against the rejection of an application or the exercise of police discretionary orders to organisers can be done within 48 hours of receipt, instead of four days while under Clause 16(b), the Home Minister is to answer any appeals within 48 hours of receipt instead of six days. |
| Malays will lose everything in ‘hung parliament’, says Umno leader Posted: 28 Nov 2011 12:27 PM PST By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider Malays will lose their rights and power should Pakatan Rakyat (PR) win more federal seats in the next general election, an Umno leader said today. Datuk Ahmad Maslan, who is Umno information chief, said that the worst-case scenario in the future for Malays would be a "hung parliament" situation like in Australia, where Barisan Nasional would be unable to carry out policy agendas due to the lack of a simple majority. "If there is a hung parliament scenario like Australia, let's say 112 government seats to 110 opposition seats, it is the worst thing that could happen. "The Malay language will be lost, say goodbye to the Malay Sultans, the opposition DAP do not even respect the royal institution ... they have never accepted royal titles even though they have been offered them," he said here. Speaking at a forum titled "Agenda Melayu pasca pilihan raya", the deputy minister trained his sights on the DAP, accusing the opposition party of disrespecting the royal institution, as well as the national language. "Say goodbye to Islam, because they (DAP) are agents of Christianisation ... in talking about the Malay agenda we cannot run away from this," said Ahmad. "I am perturbed as to why PAS can consort with DAP, as opposed to forging ties with Umno. Won't it be better if PAS joins BN, added together we would have about 160 federal seats?" he added. The Pontian MP said that Umno has always "extended its hand" to PAS, but the Islamist party has always rejected their overtures. Stressing that the threat of "Malays losing power" was very real, Ahmad claimed that the Chinese community was slowly gaining control of the country's politics and economy. This, he said was because the Chinese were currently leading in voter registration. "Chinese youths above the age of 21 are already registered voters. What about Malays? Some are 31 and they have yet to register. "We no longer hold power. Look at Selangor, who are the state excos? Ronnie Liu, Xavier, Elizabeth, Teresa Kok, this is the DAP agenda, Christianisation," he said. READ MORE HERE. |
| Assembly bill changes cut appeal period to 48 hours Posted: 28 Nov 2011 12:22 PM PST By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider Amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Bill will give organisers just 48 hours instead of four days to appeal against restrictions set by police. A notice of six changes to four clauses laid on MPs' tables this morning said that this was a consequence of a change to "shorten the period required for the organiser to submit the notification of assembly to the Officer in Charge of the Police District." Clause 15 of the Bill allows police to impose restrictions on various aspects of an assembly including time and venue "for the purpose of security or public order, including the protection of the rights and freedoms of other persons." Clause 16 previously stated that "any organiser aggrieved by the imposition of restrictions and conditions ... may within four days ... appeal to the Minister." The changes to the Bill will also compel the minister in charge to respond to the appeal within 48 hours instead of six days. The amendments to the Bill came after widespread condemnation of clause 9(1) which requires that "an organiser shall, within 30 days before the date of an assembly, notify the Officer in Charge of the Police District in which the assembly is to be held." The Bill will now see the period of "within 30 days" shortened to 10 days. READ MORE HERE. |
| ‘Bring back the fighting spirit’ Posted: 28 Nov 2011 10:20 AM PST (The Star) - PETALING JAYA: Umno must recover its old fighting spirit that had brought it many successes since independence. Its leaders have also been asked to shed the "cermin gelap, kereta gelap, baju linen" (dark glasses, dark cars with tinted windscreen and linen clothing) image as people are no longer moved by it. Council of Former Elected Representatives (Mubarak) president Datuk Seri Abdul Aziz Rahman said the spirit which always put the party's interest over that of any other consideration must be instilled in all party members. "The jostling for positions must stop. "Don't be greedy and don't sabotage your own candidates if you are not picked. The next general election is pivotal to Umno's survival," he said. He said all members, especially delegates attending the party's general assembly, must embrace change as any party position would be meaningless if Umno through Barisan Nasional lost in the election. "The party's survival hinges on how it performs in the next election. Thus, Umno members must engage people from all backgrounds, regardless of their political leanings," he said yesterday. Abdul Aziz called on members of the party's Youth and Puteri wings to use new media such as blogs and social networking websites to counter the lies spread by the Opposition. "But they must be more aggressive in questioning the failed policies implemented by the Opposition in the four Pakatan Rakyat-held states. "It is time for the young to go on the offensive and take the fight to the Opposition in the cyber world," he added. Mubarak secretary-general Datuk Paduka Abdul Rahman Ibrahim reminded members that the coming general election might determine the fate of Malay politics. "The next election will decide whether Malay politics will continue or become history. "Mistakes, whether big or small, can lead to dire consequences," he said, adding that the leadership needed to ensure that candidates chosen must be accepted by the majority of voters. He said being an Umno leader was no longer a ticket to becoming a Yang Berhormat. "Yet, there are still those who have lost numerous times (in an election) and still expect to be picked as candidates. "These are the people who must make way for better and winnable candidates," he added. Abdul Rahman also reminded members not to forsake party veterans and past leaders. "This group still holds a degree of influence in respective areas. I call on members to close ranks and engage everyone, be they members or non-members," he said. |
| Public assembly law follows international rules Posted: 28 Nov 2011 10:15 AM PST (The Star) - The Peaceful Assembly Bill was drafted in accordance with international norms after the Government studied 12 Acts practised by other countries. Thus, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said claims by some that it was more draconian than a similar law in Myanmar was baseless. He clarified that those who wanted to assemble at designated areas could do so by just notifying the police within 24 hours before the event was held. Only those who planned to do so at undesignated places were required to notify the police within 10 days before the event, he said. "The 10 days' notification is for the police to facilitate the peaceful gathering and to enable the authority to get the views of the surrounding community which will be affected by the assembly. "For assemblies to be held at designated areas, the public has the right to assemble any time, even at short notice. "The police cannot stop those who want to gather at designated areas," he told a press conference yesterday after opening an international forum held in conjunction with the Umno general assembly. Najib said designated areas where the public was free to assemble would be stipulated in the Act and would not impede public interest. The Cabinet decided on Friday that several changes should be made to the Bill, including reducing the advance notice to be given to the police by anyone organising a public assembly to 10 days instead of the proposed 30 days. Najib said the wordings in the Bill stipulated that notification must be made within 30 days but it could be any time shorter. "This, however, has led to confusion. So we made it more specific by putting it at 10 days so there will be no more doubts and misinterpretation," he said. Najib, however, stressed the provision was not applicable to those who wanted to organise street demonstrations, adding the Government wanted to put the Act in place to allow the people voice their views in a peaceful manner. |
| Najib: Barisan is needed to unite the people and reach our goals Posted: 28 Nov 2011 10:12 AM PST (The Star) - KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has reached an exciting crossroads and policies to transform the country must be maintained so it can become a developed and united nation.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that after going through many eras from fighting for independence to the communist insurgency and bringing development and industrialisation the nation was now heading towards its latest phase to unite Malaysians.
"It is crucial for the coalition to get the people's support and mandate. It is important for Barisan to be re-elected to carry through the plans," he said in his keynote address at an international forum, Politics of Economics and Social Transformation in the Era of Global Crisis, organised by Umno.
Najib, who is Barisan chairman and Umno president, said the coalition's policy of consensus and power-sharing had enabled it to ensure long-term stability and undertake meaningful progress.
A Malaysia for all: Puteri Umno members taking a closer looking at a poster titled 'Kami Anak Malaysia' outside Menara Tun Hussein Onn in conjunction with the general assembly which begins today. – AZHAR MAHFOF / The Star.
"This has also helped us avoid the inter-ethnic conflicts experienced by other countries," he added.
Najib said it helped when parties in Barisan settled issues "within four walls" through discussions and consensus because if matters were discussed openly, they could lead to internal conflict and even violence.
He stressed that Umno would be at the forefront to lead the changes and spearhead the transformation.
"Together with our Barisan friends, we are committed to bringing all races together to march towards achieving the 2020 goal. This is what we stand for," he said.
While former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had outlined the "what" part of the Vision 2020 plan, his (Najib's) task was to lay down the "how" to achieve the goal.
This, he said, was through ensuring that economic growth remained at 6% per annum, creating 1.2 million jobs, investing RM1.4 trillion in the next 10 years and raising the per capita income from about US$7,000 to US$15,000.
"That is what we have to do raise investment, bring about innovation, make changes in the Government and make ourselves more competitive. We have a crystal clear roadmap to get us to Vision 2020, to accomplish the goal of being a fully developed, high-income nation."
On the 1Malaysia "People First, Performance Now" concept, Najib said it encapsulated Malaysians of all races working and living together based on mutual respect and acceptance rather than tolerance.
He acknowledged that there were still some problems that must be resolved.
"We promise things will be better and that is what we have been doing by making political and other changes, including allowing students to join political parties and peaceful assemblies," he said.
Despite the Opposition's claim of an unfair election, Najib pointed out that it had won four states and its representatives were also allowed to be at polling stations to monitor the counting of ballot papers.
On Umno, Najib said the greatest hurdles facing the party was how to transform and remain relevant and dynamic after being in power for a long and uninterrupted period.
"You have the sense that you have political invincibility. You feel, no matter what (happens), you will be in power," he said.
"But the political landscape has changed and the party can no longer bank on its previous successes, no matter how monumental.
"People want to know their future and parties which rest on their laurels will be in danger. There is a need to reform before people demand that you reform or be changed.
"We are proud that Umno is re-inventing itself and is ahead of the curve," he said. |
| Bar Council offers alternative assembly bill, to lead protest march Posted: 28 Nov 2011 10:07 AM PST By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider Hours before the Dewan Rakyat is to debate the controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill that Datuk Seri Najib Razak claims has been twisted by the opposition, the Bar Council completed its draft of the proposed law it said it will submit for consideration today. Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee will also be leading a protest march to Parliament from the Lake Gardens down the road at 11.30am today to hand over a copy of the alternative proposal.
Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee will be leading a protest march to Parliament from the Lake Gardens today to hand over its alternative draft of the proposed law. — file pic
In an open letter yesterday, the lawyer urged lawmakers on both sides of the political divide to reject the prime minister's proposed law which Lim has described as an "unjust law made in haste ... which will impose unreasonable and disproportionate fetters on freedom of assembly".
In an explanatory statement attached to the alternative bill, the Bar Council said the government approached the right of peaceful assembly from a very limited and restrictive point that is not in line with international norms, nor current developments around the world on basic rights to which Malaysians aspired.
"The Bar Council's draft Bill is intended to promote and facilitate the freedom of the right of peaceful assembly," it said, noting that the government's proposed law, though it was a small improvement in certain limited aspects, "continues to constrict the space for freedom of peaceful assembly that the Malaysian people ought to have."
It noted the government's proposed law banned street protests, or as he termed it assemblies in motion, "which no other progressive jurisdiction does".
The Bar Council noted that the government's proposed law puts "excessive powers and control" in the hands of the police while imposing heavy duties on the part of the organiser and assembly participants.
It said such a provision was "unacceptable" because it allowed the police "to be its own judge and jury on matters relating to freedom of assembly."
One of the major initiatives the Bar Council introduced in its alternative five-part proposal is the creation of an independent 25-member Peaceful Assembly Board and an appeal panel.
Among the key issues addressed in the Bar Council's draft is a more detailed, alternative explanation of what constitutes a "public assembly".
It explained that a "public assembly" means "an assembly or gathering of more than 50 persons, held in a public place, whether or not the assembly is at a particular place or moving, and includes an election campaign".
It also defined public places as including a road and other non-privately owned locations so that a "public assembly" would include street demonstrations. READ MORE HERE. |
| Gloomier economy poses poll risk to BN Posted: 28 Nov 2011 10:03 AM PST By Lee Wei Lian, The Malaysian Insider The prime minister could be pressured into calling an election by early next year to minimise damage to the government's political standing due to a deteriorating economic outlook, says Nomura in its Malaysia outlook report for 2012. The research arm of Japan's leading brokerage and financial services group also said that a surge in new voters since the last general election will mean stiffer competition at the polling booth.
"The clock is ticking faster. Speculation is rife that the next general election could be held within months," said the report.
Nomura's outlook report for 2012 said Malaysia is vulnerable to a potential slowdown in China. — Reuters pic
It also said that as Asia's third most export-oriented economy after Hong Kong and Singapore, Malaysia is vulnerable to a potential slowdown in China.
"In such a scenario, Malaysia would end up in a vulnerable position. Its three key growth engines — the public/private sector economy, manufacturing exports and commodity resources — would likely be in much weaker positions, in our view," said Nomura.
The government, however, has maintained that the economy will remain resilient despite fiscal turmoil in advanced countries in Europe and increasingly strident reporting on concerns about China's real estate bubble.
Officials cited high commodity prices that are expected to boost rural spending and intensification of projects linked to the Economic Transformation Programme that will help bolster domestic demand as reasons for GDP growth forecasts consistently above those from independent economists.
Nomura also said in its report that the pool of eligible voters had grown by 1.9 million to 16.3 million at the end of the first quarter of this year and the increase in eligible voters could hit 3.2 million by the first quarter of 2013.
"Taking into account the 2.58 million registered voters who did not turn out in the 2008 elections, we estimate the increase in the number of people who actually vote could reach 9.43 million, a highly significant number, which we believe would likely intensify competition given that the ruling coalition only won by a mere 384,688-vote majority in 2008," said the report.
Nomura noted, however, that not all eligible new voters are likely to be registered by the next general election and put a conservative estimate at 1.69 million new votes, or 17 per cent of the total turnout.
As at July last year, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was leading in the voter registration drive, signing up twice as many voters as Barisan Nasional (BN) in the first six months of 2010.
The DAP was also leading in signing up more voters compared with other political parties, registering 32.5 per cent of the new 169,838 voters registered between January and June last year.
Umno followed, registering 32.3 per cent of the new voters, with PAS at 22.7 per cent.
But even if PR were to win the popular vote count with the new voters, it does not follow that it would win government. READ MORE HERE. |
| OECD Predicts Britain's 'Return To Recession' Posted: 27 Nov 2011 09:08 PM PST (Sky News) - Britain is facing a double-dip recession in the first half of next year, and will need to print more money, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has said. In its semi-annual report on the outlook in its 34 member states, the international economic research group (OECD) said weak international demand and fiscal consolidation has halted the recovery in the UK. The OECD expects the downturn to be "modest", with 0.03% decline in output for the current quarter of this year and 0.15% contraction in the first quarter of 2012. Technically six months, or two consecutive quarters, of negative economic growth indicate a recession. The organisation also said the Bank of England should expand its quantitative easing programme to £400bn - effectively pumping a further £125bn into the economy by buying government bonds - to support growth. It warned that unemployment could reach 9% by 2013, but that inflation would fall below the 2% target. The Paris-based group said the overall global outlook has worsened since its last report and that the euro area, which is one of the UK's major trading partners, is also facing a mild recession. It said a split in the single-currency area would result in massive wealth destruction, bankruptcies and a collapse in confidence in the region, as well as a deep depression in the world economy. The economic report comes on the eve of George Osborne's Autumn Statement, in which he is expected to reveal raft of measures including a £30bn infrastructure plan . The Chancellor told Sky News that it was clear from the OECD report that "these are very difficult times for many countries in the western world" and that the deep downturn in Europe would be a challenge for Britain. "We've got to weather the current economic storm but we've got to lay the foundation for a stronger economic future, " he added. The OECD forecast for Britain goes a step further than the growth downgrade from the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC). In its latest quarterly economic report, the business lobby group has slashed its prediction for UK output growth for the rest of this year, as well as 2012 and 2013. It expects growth to be "very weak" until mid-2012 due to the impact from the eurozone debt crisis, and has revised its prediction of gross domestic product (GDP) rise next year to 0.8%, less than half the 2.1% it had expected previously. Although it expects unemployment to increase by 150,000 over the next 12 months, the group has warned against "unjustified gloom about the UK's economic prospects", adding that conditions will gradually improve over time. The BCC's chief economist David Kern told Sky News: "What we are saying is that in spite of this economic situation we are in, the deficit cutting programme was the right thing to do. "The Chancellor and the Government have gained a lot of credibility in the financial markets and I think tomorrow the Chancellor will be able to cash in on that credibility." The BCC also expects the Bank of England to keep the base interest rate at 0.5% until the final quarter of 2012, but pump a further £50bn into the economy through quantitative easing. It added consumer spending would decline by 1.2% in 2011 but begin to grow from 2012. The services sector, which includes businesses ranging from hairdressers to accountants, has already seen its fastest fall in activity for two and a half years as consumers rein in spending, according to the Confederation for British Industry. |
| WikiLeaks wins Australian journalism award Posted: 27 Nov 2011 06:50 PM PST 
(AFP) - SYDNEY: WikiLeaks has been recognised in Australia for its "outstanding contribution to journalism", with founder Julian Assange lashing out at "cowardly" Prime Minister Julia Gillard in an acceptance speech. The anti-secrecy website was lauded at the annual Walkley Awards, where winners are chosen by an independent panel of journalists and photographers, for its courageous reporting of secret US cables. "WikiLeaks applied new technology to penetrate the inner workings of government to reveal an avalanche of inconvenient truths in a global publishing coup," the Walkley trustees said in bestowing the award Sunday evening. "Its revelations, from the way the war on terror was being waged, to diplomatic bastardry, high-level horse-trading and the interference in the domestic affairs of nations, have had an undeniable impact." The whistleblowing website has published thousands of cables in which US diplomats give their often candid views on world leaders, to Washington's acute embarrassment. Assange, an Australian citizen who has previously blasted Canberra for not doing enough to protect him in the fallout from the leaks, was scathing of the government in accepting the accolade in a pre-recorded video message. "The Gillard government has shown its true colours in relation to how it's handled US pressure on WikiLeaks," he said in footage shown on SBS television which broadcast the awards. "Australian journalists are courageous, the Australian population is supportive, but Julia Gillard is a cowardly Australian prime minister. "As Australians we shall not despair, as long as we can speak out, as long as we can publish, and as long as the Internet remains free, we will continue to fight back, armed with the truth," he added. Assange has spent much of the last year under virtual house arrest in Britain since he was detained in December 2010 over claims of rape and sexual assault made by two women in Sweden. He has strongly denied the allegations against him, claiming they are politically motivated and linked to the activities of WikiLeaks. The former computer hacker is currently appealing a decision against his extradition to Sweden to face the charges. |
| Gearing up Umno for coming polls battle Posted: 27 Nov 2011 06:31 PM PST The 62th Umno general assembly may the last assembly before the country casts its votes. No matter when the announcement for the 13th general election will be made, the 62th Umno general assembly scheduled to begin tomorrow until Dec 3 at the Putra World Trade Centre here will become the platform to drive the party towards election preparedness. By Ahmad Shukran Shaharudin, Bernama Although the current parliamentary terms ends in March 2013, various quarters, ranging from the governing party to the opposition, as well as political analysts, had anticipated that the next general election would be held sooner. However, to get a straight answer about the actual date for the next general election from Prime Minister Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is also Umno president, is probably the most difficult task to do at the moment. When he was asked in a recent interview with Bernama on whether this year's Umno general assembly would be the last assembly before the 13th general election, the prime minister spontaneously said: "Who said so? Maybe not." Nevertheless, Najib had, of late, been advising party members to be prepared to face the next general election, and hence, giving some kind of a signal that he seriously wanted the party's election machinery to be fuelled up for the election. Umno Information chief Ahmad Maslan said it would be a "big loss" if the topic of general election were not raised at the assembly since many believed that the polls was just around the corner. "I hope the delegates will discuss the topic in detail, especially on how to win back those lost seats, strengthen our positions in existing seats and wrest back the lost states," he was reported as saying at a media conference last week. Umno party election, which was supposed to be held during this year's assembly, had been postponed for 18 months. It was reported that the decision was not made on purpose, but was aimed at strengthening the party, prevent sabotage, foster unity and resolve the party's internal issues before facing the biggest challenge – the general election. Malay agendas The first time Umno supreme council decided to postpone the party polls was in 1999 where it was postponed to May 2000 to enable to party to focus on the 1999 general election. Debaters for this year's assembly had also been reminded to avoid making statements that would touch the sensitivities of other races while discussing the Malay agendas. Even more than that, they were also reminded to raise important issues and not to simply criticise others without giving supporting facts and suggestions. Among those who had given the reminders was Ahmad, who was reported as saying that in the context of 1Malaysia, the Malay agendas could still be expanded properly without hurting the feelings of other races in the country. "However, it would be wrong if we talk about the 1Malaysia concept without touching about the Malay agendas," he said. A total of 5,447 delegates will attend the Umno general assembly this year comprising 2,627 delegates from 191 divisions nationwide, 944 from Wanita, 942 from Youth and 934 from Puteri.
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| SapuraCrest-Kencana's management structure in place Posted: 27 Nov 2011 04:40 PM PST Both Sapura and Kencana have a common shareholder in the Employees Provident Fund with a 10.1 per cent stake and 7.8 per cent stake respectively in the companies. (Business Times) - SapuraCrest Petroleum Bhd executive vice-chairman and president Datuk Seri Shahril Shamsuddin will be group president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the new merged entity between the company and Kencana Petroleum Bhd. Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir, who is Kencana CEO, will be the enlarged group's executive vice-chairman, according to letters sent by the former and Shahril to their respective staff. The letters, obtained by Business Times yesterday, also noted that the Securities Commission (SC) had approved the merger proposal a few days ago. Datuk Hamzah Bakar, currently chairman of SapuraCrest, will be nominated group chairman, Shahril said in his letter. "It is critical that we put in place a strong and dynamic organisational structure that would ensure business continuity and realisation of the synergies we hope to derive as a merged entity. "I would like to assure each and everyone of you that you will continue to be an important part of the new organisation. "As founding members of this new organisation, it is incumbent upon all of us to ensure that the organisation continues to grow and chart new territories as a global oil and gas player," he said. Mokhzani said he and Shahril had come up with a "winning management" formula. "We have decided that we both can lean on each other to strengthen the prospects of two already successful companies. Neither will take a back seat to the other. We will both helm the company and chart its way forward. "With the approval from SC now obtained, the journey towards merging the two companies will really begin in earnest," Mokhzani added. The RM11.85 billion merger will create the largest oil and gas (O&G) service provider by asset in the country. Once completed, the SapuraCrest-Kencana group will be the world's fifth largest oil and gas service provider. Under their cash and share swap deal, special purpose vehicle Integral Key Sdn Bhd will buy all the assets and liabilities of SapuraCrest for RM5.87 billion and Kencana for RM5.98 billion. Following the SC approval, the next hurdle will be for both companies to secure 75 per cent of shareholders' approval each before the deal can go through. Shahril said SapuraCrest will call for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to vote on the deal on December 14. Kencana, meanwhile, has set December 15 for its EGM. Shahril, via Sapura Technology Bhd, owns a 40.1 per cent stake in SapuraCrest, while Mokhzani's investment firm, Khasera Baru Sdn Bhd, owns a 32.4 per cent stake in Kencana. Other key shareholders of Sapura is Norway-based Seadrill Ltd with a 23.6 per cent stake, while Kencana has Kumpulan Persaraan Wang with a 6.8 per cent stake in it. Both Sapura and Kencana have a common shareholder in the Employees Provident Fund with a 10.1 per cent stake and 7.8 per cent stake respectively in the companies. |
| Tan brothers look to 'conquer' Penang Posted: 27 Nov 2011 04:36 PM PST (Business Times) - For a while now, there has been speculation about who would partner Ivory Properties Bhd in its multi-billion ringgit Bayan Mutiara project in Penang. That was ended when it roped in Dijaya Corp Bhd. They now plan to build residential and commercial properties on the land, estimated to generate sales of some RM10 billion.
This is not their first tie-up. Within the Batu Ferringi tourism belt, Dijaya has a joint-venture project called "10 Island Resort" with Ivory.
In Bukit Mertajam, Dijaya has a mixed development project dubbed Aston Villa, in which Ivory is the turnkey developer.
But that partnership has overshadowed an interesting fact. Penang has now seen the entry of two highly successful businessmen and both happen to be brothers.
Dijaya is controlled by Tan Sri Danny Tan Chee Sing, the younger brother of Berjaya Corp Bhd founder and chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun. Barely three months ago, the senior Tan made a comeback to Penang as a property developer after a hiatus of nearly two decades. The Berjaya Group - via Berjaya Land Development Sdn Bhd - signed a deal to buy 22.8ha of prime freehold land within the Penang Turf Club for RM459 million. At the signing ceremony in Penang, Vincent did not mince his words in expressing his displeasure with the previous state government. Vincent's approval of the current state administration is a strong signal to other developers that the island state has plenty of potential. And this probably explains Danny's continued interest. The latest alliance with Ivory is a very big undertaking and one which will ensure its presence in the state for many years to come. Danny, the man behind Petaling Jaya's Tropicana Golf and Country Resort, will have his hands full with the latest venture. As for Vincent, he did not discount the possibility of enlarging Berjaya Group's footprint in Penang. Together, the Tan brothers will be a force to be reckoned with in Penang.
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| Dr M: All civil freedom ‘must be limited’ Posted: 27 Nov 2011 04:33 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Too much freedom will destroy society, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has charged, saying that civil freedom should have its limits. "All freedoms must be limited, the problem is determining the limits," he said today during a luncheon talk with foreign officials attending the Umno general assembly here. Dr Mahathir said in Malaysia there were increasing calls for "freedom of sex", citing this as a kind of "abuse of freedom" which could destroy society. "Society becomes primitive, backwards if there is too much freedom. A good amount is good, but too much freedom no," the former prime minister said. The Najib administration recently pledged a slew of reforms to allow more space for civil liberties. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tabled in Parliament last week a Bill regulating public assemblies. The proposed law has been criticised by opposition leaders as well as civil society groups as "haphazard" and they have demanded that it be withdrawn completely. Provisions of the Bill concerning the notification period for an assembly was amended after last Friday's Cabinet meeting. |
| Shahrizat says NFC issue ‘has nothing to do with me’ Posted: 27 Nov 2011 04:30 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Faced with increasing public pressure, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil said today she will address the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) controversy during Umno's general assembly this week, even though it has "nothing to do with me." "It is not a problem if the NFC issue is debated... I will answer during Wanita Umno's assembly," she told reporters here. "I will send a clear message to those people out there," said the federal minister, referring to Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Shahrizat refused to elaborate further, saying the NFC issue "had nothing to do with me." The NFC is managed by Shahrizat's husband and children. "I am being patient, as a woman I have to be calm... they (PR) are doing this because they are afraid of Wanita Umno's strength," Shahrizat said today. The NFC has been dogged by allegations of corruption and fund misappropriation after it made it into the pages of the Auditor-General's Report for 2010, which described the project "as a mess". Among others, PKR has alleged that the NFC funds were used for Shahrizat's personal expenses and that of her family, as well as to buy multimillion ringgit condominium units at the luxurious One Menerung in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. Shahrizat's husband and NFC boss Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail has defended the purchase of the condo as well as denied the alleged failure of the project. PKR scoffed at Mohamad Salleh's remarks, saying he had failed to deny a single allegation and had merely offered explanations for the many discrepancies involving the NFC. Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar has denied the NFC was ever discussed in Cabinet, claiming it was handled by the Cabinet Committee for High-Impact Projects, which was then chaired by Datuk Seri Najib Razak. PKR had alleged that the funds meant for the NFC were used to fund umrah packages and set up two Singapore-based companies, both owned by Shahrizat's family. READ MORE HERE |
| IDEAS chief says he accepted MCA hudud forum invite in ‘good faith’ Posted: 27 Nov 2011 04:27 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan clarified today that his participation in the MCA forum on hudud does not mean he has anything to do with "any attempt to smear any political parties". "I accepted the invitation in good faith, based on the understanding that it will be an open discussion on the topic. "I did not expect the MCA president to suddenly turn the forum into a propaganda briefing," Wan Saiful said in a statement. MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said last week that the party will convene a forum for its members on December 4 to counter PAS's claims on hudud. "We will discuss PAS's insistence to implement hudud and also disprove DAP and PKR assertions that hudud will not affect non-Muslims," he was reported as saying. Among the speakers at the forum are human rights lawyer Edmond Bon, Wan Saiful and Islamic Renaissance Front research fellow Ahmad Fuad Rahmat. Dr Chua had cautioned that hudud would have a big impact on everybody if PAS managed to implement the policy. Wan Saiful said he was invited by the chairman of the MCA research body Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (INSAP), Tan Sri Dr Fong Chan Onn, to be the moderator of the forum. READ MORE HERE |
| Anwar takes some of the blame for defections in PKR after 2008 polls Posted: 27 Nov 2011 04:23 PM PST (The Star) - Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has accepted some of the blame for the defections that have plagued the party after the 2008 election. "I admit that I am partly to be blamed because I endorsed their candidacies," he said. "But, at that time we lacked candidates and some even declined to become one. "Those who aspire to be our candidates, but have only the intention of becoming rich can forget about receiving the authorisation letters from the president," he said at the closing of PKR's Eighth National Congress here yesterday. Anwar predicted that the coming general election would be a "defining battle" for the country's political landscape. "We are better organised now compared with the last time," he said. "Traitors have left and the cooperation with the DAP and PAS is improving, which is a good sign for us in our effort to capture Putrajaya." Anwar claimed that he had been handed a booklet purportedly issued by Umno, containing instruction to spread lies and slanders about him and the PKR. He said this only confirmed his suspicions that Umno was fearful of him and was using everything it had to destroy the PKR. Earlier, Johor PKR chief Datuk Chua Jui Meng claimed that floods in Johor were because of the state's poor forest management, saying that only 15% of the forests were intact. He praised Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim for increasing the state's cash reserve to RM1.2bil after the last general election against the RM400mil recorded during his predecessor Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo's tenure. Meanwhile, Khalid pointed out that the rakyat could judge on the government they wanted. They could decide whether to trust the government or not by looking at its delivery and performance. According to Khalid, about 70% of Malaysians earned less than RM4,000 a month while 15% earned more than RM30,000 a month. He said the country would be peaceful if the wide income gap was reduced. Khalid, who described this as a major issue, said it was caused by poor management, corruption and abuse of funds. |
| Anwar slammed over ‘cover-up’ Posted: 27 Nov 2011 04:21 PM PST (The Star) - MCA Youth took a swipe at PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for allegedly covering up the party youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin's recent gaffe at the PKR Youth Congress in Johor. Anwar's attempt to cover up for Shamsul by saying the remark did not reflect a PKR or Pakatan Rakyat agenda was pitiful, said the youth wing's secretary-general Datuk Chai Kim Sen. On Friday, Shamsul had in his speech challenged Umno to make changes to the Federal Constitution to stipulate that only Malays can be prime minister. He said Umno should do this to prove its claim of being a party that championed Malay rights. Chai said Anwar was using a "good cop, bad cop" tactic in trying to keep both the Malays and non-Malays happy. "Knowing that Shamsul's remarks will make non-Malay voters unhappy, he quickly tried to fix things up by saying that it is not a PKR or Pakatan agenda," he said. |
| Najib: How can you break down the prison? Posted: 27 Nov 2011 03:27 PM PST If we do not respect the law, there will be chaos in the country, says the prime minister.(Bernama) - Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today reminded the people, including opposition party leaders, not to wantonly break the law as it will lead to chaos in the country. "We have laws. We must respect the law. If we do not respect the law, there will be chaos in the country. How can you break down the prison?" he told a news conference after opening an international forum at the Putra World Trade Centre, here. Najib was responding when asked to comment on the remark by PKR deputy president Azmin Ali last Friday that PKR would break down the prison walls to free PKR adviser Anwar Ibrahim if he is jailed. Asked whether Azmin's remark was a threat, the prime minister said it was only a political statement. Azmin, who is also Selangor PKR chief, said last Friday when opening the PKR Youth and Wanita congress in Johor Baru that PKR would even break down the prison walls to free Anwar. The High Court has set Dec 8 to hear the submissions at the end of the defence case in Anwar's sodomy trial. |
| Nazri: Peaceful Assembly Bill will be passed on Tuesday Posted: 27 Nov 2011 12:12 PM PST By Hemananthani Sivanandam, The Sun The controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011, which the government has agreed to amend, will be debated at committee level before being voted on in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said there will be eight amendments to the bill and that MPs could bring their proposals for consideration. "The (tabling of the) second reading has been done (last Thursday by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak) so we will debate it at the committee level in Parliament on Tuesday and it will be voted upon. "All MPs are welcome to bring their suggestions and if it is okay, we will include it," Nazri told theSun when contacted. Asked to comment on plans by the Malaysia Bar Council which plans to organise a Walk for Freedom 2011: Peaceful Assembly Bill cannot and must not become law! on Tuesday, Nazri said the council is free to go ahead with it. "It's not my problem. They have to talk to the police but I can assure that it is not going to change in any way. "The bill has been tabled, will be debated and be passed on Tuesday," he stressed. Nazri, who is also Padang Renggas MP lambasted Bar Council President Lim Chee Wee and his former counterpart Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan for organising the walk. "We will accommodate any amendments (to the bill). That shows we listen to the people. I would suggest to Chee Wee to register the Bar Council as a political party and stand for elections. "It is easier if they register as a political party, rather than hide under the pretext of an NGO," he said, before quipping that either Ambiga or Lim should stand in his constituency. It was reported on Saturday that the government will carry out eight amendments to the bill, including amending the controversial Section 9(1) which makes it mandatory for an organiser to give a 30-day notification to the police prior to holding an assembly in an undesignated venue. Nazri said the 30-day notification is deemed to be too lengthy and the Cabinet decided to shorten it to 10 days. "The 10-day notification is required because the police will need to engage with the people involved in these undesignated areas. "For an example, if someone wants to have an assembly in front of (DAP stalwart) Lim Kit Siang's home, we certainly need to ask him because he's the house owner so that requires time. "Also, people cannot simply pick places where they want to demonstrate. What if there is a counter-demonstration? This requires (organisers) to inform the police to protect them because suddenly, if a fight breaks out and the police is not notified then the people will blame the police," said Nazri. He however said that people are free to demonstrate at any time at designated areas. "For example at Padang Merbok, it's a designated place, so people can go ahead…no problem," he added. Nazri said following the amendments to Section 9(1), other amendments will also be made to four other sections, which involved timeline of notification such as to parties with interests and appeal to the Home Minister. He added that the government also supported the proposed amendments to Sections 6(2)(b), 7(a)(iii) and 21(1)(c) which involves the removal of the word "discontent" from them. "The Cabinet feels that we need to drop that word, the fact that people assemble shows that they are unhappy about something so we have decided to drop that word," said Nazri. Meanwhile the Bar Council said it would continue with its Walk for Freedom on Tuesday. Bar Council President Lim told theSun whilst it is "mildly positive" that the government is considering the provisions to the bill, the reduction of the length of time for various notices required under the Bill and omission of the word 'discontent' reflects what is fundamentally wrong with the process of the bill "It is being rushed with unholy haste into law without adequate public consultation. There is no good reason why this Bill cannot go through the same process of a Parliamentary Select Committee as electoral reforms -- both are important constitutional rights," Lim said. He also said that according to media reports, the Cabinet is adamant about prohibiting assemblies in motion or processions, except for existing provision on funeral processions. "This is outrageous! From our research, we know not of any other jurisdictions, which prohibit processions. "The government cannot now rob us of this right of assemblies in motion which is presently not prohibited in the Police Act. "The present prohibition of procession robs us of a right which presently exists under section 27 of the Police Act which regulates "assemblies, meetings and processions," he said. Lim said in the United Kingdom, a distinction is drawn between static assemblies for which no notice is required and procession (assemblies in motion) for which notice of six clear days is to be given unless it is not reasonably practicable to give any advance notice. "In Finland, only 6 hours is required. Even Myanmar now has a Peaceful Assembly and Procession Bill which allows peaceful assembly and procession by holding flags with prior permission from the authorities five days in advance," he added. |
| Reforms possible only if Umno wins GE, says Najib Posted: 27 Nov 2011 12:04 PM PST By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider The government's political and economic reform plans can only take place if Umno delivers a solid win in the upcoming national polls, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today. Calling it a small challenge for Barisan Nasional's (BN) biggest component party, the prime minister said Umno needed to work together with its partners to deliver results in order to be re-elected in the general election.
"We have to cross the bridge of the general election, it is very important to be re-elected for us to deliver real transformation, we need to get support from the people," he said in his speech at an international forum organised by Umno here.
Najib's moves towards liberalising the economy has been met with resistance from within Umno as well as Malay rights group Perkasa.
Najib (picture) said Umno as well as BN was the best choice for the country's future, saying that his party was constantly reinventing itself to remain relevant to today's generation of voters.
"The devil is in the details, but I just want to give you a glimpse... third quarter we achieved 5.8 per cent growth, and 3.2 per cent inflation, this is not bad, our macro figures are good," the Umno president said.
MORE TO COME HERE. |
| Pakatan now ready to form federal govt, says Anwar Posted: 27 Nov 2011 06:10 AM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today that Pakatan Rakyat was now ready to form the federal government after helming five states following the landmark 2008 election. He said that if the electoral pact had taken Putrajaya three years ago "we may have been careless" but governing the states it won three years ago provided a "training ground" for the fledgling coalition. "The party has struggled and suffered not one or two years, but over 10 years. If in 1999 we had won, we were not ready," the PKR de facto leader said of the election that followed immediately after his sacking as deputy prime minister. "In 2008, it was our first test to form state government. If we had formed federal government, we may have been careless. It is a training ground. "We cleaned out the defectors, the dirty things from the party," he added, referring to the six MPs and five assemblymen who have left PKR since the 12th General Elections. Two assemblymen who left PKR in February 2009 had caused the fall of PR's Perak administration. Anwar said that three years ago, the party had "no strength in Sarawak... Sabah was a mess." READ MORE HERE |
| Name non-Malay PM, MCA Youth dares PKR Posted: 26 Nov 2011 04:35 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - MCA Youth today dared PKR to name a non-Malay candidate for prime minister, turning the tables on the opposition party's previous challenge for Umno to guarantee a Malay premier. "The fact that PKR and DAP constantly portray themselves as so-called multi-racial parties is a joke, as it is evident that both parties are still very much operating based on race," MCA Youth vice-chairman Yoo Wei How said in a statement today. "This is obvious when PKR said that Anwar (Ibrahim) would be the prime minister and Lim Kit Siang as the deputy prime minister." He said by making race a consideration when choosing holders of top positions, the two parties were being racist. PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin had dared Umno to amend the Federal Constitution to state that the prime minister must be Malay because "history shows Umno is willing to sell out everything." Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, however, moved to clarify yesterday that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) would not support any move by Umno to amend the Constitution to guarantee a Malay prime minister. The PKR de facto leader explained that his party youth wing's challenge Umno to do so was merely a part of PKR's "strategy" and was neither a "Keadilan nor Pakatan Rakyat stand." Today, Yoo pointed out that the PKR national leadership consists mostly of Malays, while DAP sported a mainly Chinese line-up. "If PKR and DAP are really indeed multi-racial political parties, why not announce PKR information chief Tian Chua as their candidate for prime minister with DAP national chairman Karpal Singh as the deputy prime minister?" Yoo asked. "Therefore, it is a lie that these two parties are multi-racial as claimed and they are in fact deceiving the people simply in order to gain the votes so that they can take over the federal government," he added. Umno has repeatedly accused Pakatan Rakyat (PR) of selling out the Malays to Chinese and foreign interests, insisting that the country's largest ethnic group can only be protected if Barisan Nasional (BN) remains in power. READ MORE HERE |
| Guan Eng says ‘political reality’ to have Malay PM Posted: 26 Nov 2011 04:34 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Lim Guan Eng rubbished talk today of amending the Constitution to guarantee a Malay prime minister, claiming Malaysians have accepted the "political reality" that the post "must" be given to the country's largest ethnic community. He said suggesting such amendments was "racist and superfluous" as it treated non-Malays as if they were second-class citizens. "No non-Malay political leader has even talked about wanting to be prime minister because Malaysians accept the political reality that the prime minister of Malaysia must come from the Malay community," he said in a statement here. On Friday, PKR Youth challenged Umno to amend the Constitution to guarantee a Malay prime minister but Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim later clarified that this was neither his party's stand nor that of Pakatan Rakyat (PR). 
Lim (picture) pointed out that the highest political posts now available to non-Malays were ministers and the Penang chief minister's position, which he now holds. But the DAP secretary-general said that although the Malays dominated top leadership posts, including positions in the civil service, police and army, his party and the Penang government had never threatened to usurp power from the community. "DAP has never carried out such a campaign because DAP considers all Malays as Malaysians who have an equal right as any other Malaysian to be in these sectors," he said. "This is evident in the open tender system where 70 per cent of Penang government contracts are won by Malays, proving the Malay contractors are competitive; only Umno crony contractors are useless," he said. Lim also recalled Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's controversial "Malay first and Malaysian second" declaration last year, saying it showed that "1 Malaysia" was an empty slogan designed to win votes. Lim claimed the slogan would be rapidly discarded after the next general elections. "What is surprising is that Muhyiddin does not consider illogical or inconsistent with pursuing a strictly racial Malay agenda with the agenda of other non-Malay Malaysians," Lim said, adding that the deputy prime minister "even pursues DAP leaders are Chinese chauvinists even though DAP has fought for all Malaysians". "DAP is no threat to Malays. Only Umno is a threat to Malays and Malaysians with its open acceptance and defence of repressive violation of basic human rights, corruption and abuse of power." READ MORE HERE |
| PKR Youth chief slammed over ‘only Malays for PM’ remarks Posted: 26 Nov 2011 03:59 PM PST (The Star) - The PKR Youth chief has been roundly criticised for his challenge to Umno to amend the Federal Constitution to ensure only Malays can be prime minister. MCA Youth secretary-general Datuk Chai Kim Sen said Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin's call would undermine national development and unity. "In a multi-cultural country like Malaysia, Shamsul's remarks will cause racial prejudice to spread,'' said Chai in a statement. Shamsul Iskandar had made the challenge at the PKR Youth Congress in Johor on Friday. He said Umno should do this to prove its claim of being a party that championed Malay rights. Shamsul claimed the challenge was not aimed at stirring racist sentiments but was about justice. Asked if PKR would amend the constitution, Shamsul said it was only a challenge to Umno and PKR was comfortable with the current constitution. Chai said both the ruling and opposition coalitions should be responsible in ensuring racial harmony and social stability. "Although they are not yet in charge of the Federal Government, they are already making racial statements. "I feel Shamsul just wants to grab this opportunity to appear as a hero in the media," he added. Chai also urged Pakatan Rakyat leaders to take a collective stand on Shamsul's statement. "Will any disciplinary action be taken or will the issue be swept under the carpet like always?'' asked Chai. DAP Rasah MP Anthony Loke said Shamsul's statement was unnecessary. "I don't agree with it because it reflects negatively on Pakatan Rakyat," he said, adding it was a political reality that a Malay is PM. Loke also said Malays were not in danger of losing their political power as they were the majority. "We accept this fact and to ask for the Federal Constitution to put in such a criteria is not progressive,'' he added. Loke's party colleague Jenice Lee also tweeted her dissatisfaction with Shamsul Iskandar's statement. Lee said she was disgusted with the youth leader's statement. "We are all Malaysians!'' retorted the Teratai assemblyman. |
| Group protests against Assembly Bill Posted: 26 Nov 2011 03:57 PM PST (The Star) - A group gathered at KLCC park to protest the proposed Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011. Dressed in yellow and carrying yellow balloons, the group assembled at the park at about 2pm yesterday and chanted slogans against the proposed Bill. They were told to disperse by the police and KLCC security personnel at about 2.45pm.  Peaceful demo: The group protesting at KLCC park yesterday. Also present were Klang DAP MP Charles Santiago and Segambut DAP MP Lim Lip Eng. Campaign organiser Wong Chin Huat deemed the Bill unconstitutional. "We are here to illustrate that we as Malaysians can gather peacefully without disrupting public order," he said. On whether the amendments to reduce the advance notice period from 30 days to 10 days was acceptable, Wong said it was not. "There are countries where organisers only need to give notice to the police a day before a gathering. An acceptable period should be one or two days," he added. Meanwhile, a group of people gathered at Dataran Merdeka for a candlelight vigil at about 8pm. They marched to the Bar Council about 200m away and dispersed 30 minutes later. |
| ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ goes against principles: Chandra Posted: 26 Nov 2011 03:50 PM PST (The Star) - The concept of "Malaysian Malaysia" goes against the principles of moderation, 1Malaysia Foundation chairman Prof Dr Chandra Muzaffar said. Dr Chandra said some of today's politicians were still promoting the concept which was mooted by former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew back in 1964.  Personal touch: Muhyiddin handing over a gift to Dr Chandra during the launch of the 'Understanding of Wasatiyyah and 1Malaysia' seminar at Putra World Trade Centre yesterday. "The Malaysian Malaysia idea is a concept that is unfair and it goes against the principles of wasatiyyah, or moderation," said Dr Chandra, when speaking at the "Understanding of Wasatiyyah and 1Malaysia" seminar at PWTC here yesterday. The seminar was organised by Umno in conjunction with its general assembly next week. He said the concept rejected and denied the basic rights of Malays and bumiputras in Sabah and Sarawak, as provided for in the Federal Constitution. He also warned the 500-strong audience, mostly delegates of the coming Umno general assembly, of politicians who were prepared to go against the Federal Constitution just to please people of certain races so that they could win votes. He said the concept of a middle ground, which was often likened to the concept of wasatiyyah, should not be confused for allowing mismanagement and bribery provided it did not involve large sums of money. "This concept cannot be abused to allow practices that are clearly prohibited by the religion. This concept makes it clear what is right and what is wrong," he added. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, when closing the seminar, said Malaysia had remained peaceful because the majority of the people believed in the moderate approach in their daily lives rather than being extreme when practising their culture and religion. This, coupled with good understanding of the culture and religion of others, had ensured that the people continued to enjoy progress and lived in harmony, he said. "Through wasatiyyah, we have learned to think and act wisely without being extreme, too rigid or overly liberal. We are taught not to be a fanatic or to be so obsessed that we close our minds to other views, thoughts and opinions," he said. Explaining the concept of wasatiyyah in the Government system, Muhyiddin who is also Umno deputy president, said it had helped spur development in an effective manner because the people's wellbeing was always top priority when implementing policies. |
| Opposition cause of poor racial ties, says Chua Posted: 26 Nov 2011 10:12 AM PST (The Star) - KLANG: Racial harmony in the country has gone downhill since the 2008 general election, said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek. Blaming Pakatan Rakyat politicians for the cause of the declining goodwill among the people, he said the Opposition continued to politicise issues regarding race and religion even after gaining control of several states. "What we have seen since the last general election is non-stop politicking from the Opposition. "They use every opportunity to turn everything into racial and religious issues. "There's no denying the relationship among Malaysians of different backgrounds since March 8, 2008 is not as good as before. "There's a lot of suspicion towards each other. This is unhealthy and uncalled for," Dr Chua told a crowd of devotees at the Kuan Tian Kheng temple anniversary celebration in Pandamaran, near here, last night. Singling out PAS, he said the party tended to politicise religious issues. He also said the Pakatan parties were not being truthful when they said hudud law would not affect non-Muslims. "A PAS leader has said they would shut down the Genting Highlands resort because of its gambling outlet. "If that happens, thousands – including non-Muslims – will lose their jobs. "Who said it won't affect them?" Dr Chua asked, adding that DAP had kept silent on this matter. He said religious freedom was a fragile thing and every section of society must do their part to protect it. "The government of the day must practise moderation and the rakyat must practise tolerance and acceptance," he said. |
| Bersih: Assembly law changes another Najib ‘flip-flop’ Posted: 25 Nov 2011 10:20 PM PST By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 — Bersih leaders have criticised the Najib administration for not putting enough thought into the Peaceful Assembly Bill after the government said it will amend several sections in the proposed law following opposition from civil rights groups. Calling it yet another "flip-flop" by the prime minister, Bersih deputy chairman Maria Chin Abdullah said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should not have disregarded the wishes of the people before tabling the Bill earlier this week. "He does this all the time. First, he says yes, yes, yes, and then after that (no, no, no)," she told The Malaysian Insider. Maria lamented that that Najib had fallen short of his Malaysia Day pledge to allow greater freedoms, pointing out that the prime minister had similarly reneged on his promise to stop using the Internal Security Act (ISA). "We are actually in the process of seeing the ISA taken out... and then suddenly, they arrest 11 persons under ISA. "What on earth is going on? I think if he continues in the manner... there will be some strong reaction (from the people)," she said. Bersih steering committee member Wong Chin Huat said the government should scrap the "fundamentally flawed" Bill altogether rather than try to amend portions of it. He likened the Peaceful Assembly Bill to milk powder lace with heavy metals and said it was unacceptable for Putrajaya to merely attempt to reduce the level of contamination. "No, that won't work. You have to throw it away... It's so shameful that Najib should rethink the whole thing," he said. The government need only amend the Police Act to allow freedom of assembly, Wong said, adding that if the authorities wished to implement other changes, the consultation process would have to start anew. Putrajaya has agreed to amend seven sections in the Peaceful Assembly Bill following nationwide protests criticising it as more repressive than current laws. READ MORE HERE. |
| Najib tells Umno to close ranks, prepare for ‘war’ Posted: 25 Nov 2011 10:19 PM PST By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak has called on his party to close ranks and prepare to go to polls ahead of next week's Umno general assembly, widely expected to be the last before the next general election. In an interview with Bernama today, Najib, who is also prime minister, said Umno must focus all its efforts on improving training, knowledge, logistics and the mindset of members to strengthen the party and ensure electoral victory. "We should be prepared in a holistic and comprehensive manner, either in terms of training, knowledge, logistics or in terms of our mindset, our frame of mind, to focus on efforts which could strengthen our party, and to avoid engaging in acts that could weaken the party. "So it is incumbent that our approach must be able to create a strong front, we must close our ranks and we must show the kind of strength that will strike fear among our opponents," he said, according to the full transcript of the interview on Bernama Online. Likening the election to war, Najib said Umno must bolster its strategy, logistics and equipment well before even the first shot is fired. He added that "fundamental values" like loyalty and allegiance, discipline, commitment and teamwork are also qualities that are needed to be fostered in the party ahead of elections. "All these are fundamental values which we must internalise and which we must not compromise. Otherwise, our party will stand to lose in certain areas," he said. Umno needs to have mental strength and fortitude if it wishes to endure the psychological and emotional stress when competing in enemy territory, Najib also said. "If we are mentally resilient and our spirit is strong, we shall overcome... even if the playing field is not level, like in Jakarta," he said, drawing an analogy with the Malaysian football team's SEA Games success in Indonesia. Najib desperately needs to win a two-thirds parliamentary majority in the next election to secure his mandate. His government has moved aggressively into the opposition's Middle Malaysia fortress in recent months, armed with promises of greater freedoms and civil liberties. To date, the prime minister has repealed three Emergency declarations, pledged to abolish the Internal Security Act (ISA), tabled the Peaceful Assembly Bill, set up the parliamentary select committee on electoral reform and given more leeway to university students to participate in politics. READ MORE HERE. |
| Malaysia to amend contested protest law Posted: 25 Nov 2011 08:35 PM PST (AFP) - Malaysia will amend a new law banning street demonstrations, a report said, amid further protests on Saturday by critics who say the bill clamps down on their right to peaceful assembly. Prime Minister Najib Razak has announced a slew of reforms aimed at expanding civil liberties to shore up support ahead of snap elections widely expected to be called next year. But one of his initiatives, the Peaceful Assembly Bill, has come under intense fire for what critics say restricts the right to peaceful protest rather than safeguards it. The Star daily quoted de facto law minister Nazri Aziz on Saturday as saying the Cabinet had agreed to amend several sections of the bill despite Mr Najib defending the law after tabling it in parliament this week. |
| Bar Council plumbs for Parliament panel to review peaceful assembly bill Posted: 25 Nov 2011 08:28 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Bar Council chief Lim Chee Wee is pushing Putrajaya to refer the controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill to a parliamentary select committee (PSC) for review instead of making a further mess of the proposed law. In an email statement to The Malaysian Insider today, Lim noted the government's decision to amend seven provisions in the proposed law was "mildly positive" but stressed it was not responding to the real problem. "It is being rushed with unholy haste into law without adequate public consultation," the lawyer said. He noted that much of the government's amendments to the proposed law remained unknown, except for the plan to shorten the advanced notice to the police for a "static assembly" to be held, from 30 days to 10. Lim pointed out there were many other "objectionable" provisions in the proposed law that also bans street demonstrations, or as he called it "assemblies in motion". In comparison, he said in the UK, no notice is required for static assemblies, while "assemblies in motion" only needed a six-day advanced notice. In Finland, organisers only needed to give notice six hours ahead of the planned assembly. "This is outrageous," Lim said, and cited a famous English judge, Lord Alfred Denning, who had said that "freedom of assembly is a hard-earned freedom not to be taken for granted". He added that history is full of warnings against suppression of such rights and reminded the Barisan Nasional government of Umno's 15,000-strong march against the colonialist government's Malayan Union idea, which disregarded the Malay interest. READ MORE HERE |
| PKR vows to field ‘principled’ candidates Posted: 25 Nov 2011 05:23 PM PST Party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail promises that candidates for the coming polls will be committed to PKR's struggle and not be lured by money. (Free Malaysia Today) - PKR, which witnessed several of its elected representatives abandoning ship in the aftermath of the 2008 general election, vowed not to repeat the mistake. Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, party president and wife of opposition supremo Anwar Ibrahim, said PKR would not pick "suspicious" candidates for the coming polls. "We (PKR's top leadership) guarantee that we will consult the divisions and grassroots in choosing the candidates. "The candidates should be those who are qualified, hold true to the principles of the struggle and will not be tempted by the millions of ringgit from the enemy (to defect)," she added. Speaking to more than 2,000 people while opening PKR's eighth national congress in Johor, Wan Azizah stressed that the party would not compromise with the enemies within. She said the party leadership received feedback on some of its elected representatives who were ill qualified and performed poorly either in Parliament or state assemblies. Those who neglected the plight of the "rakyat" would also face the stick, she said. Blessing in disguise She however said it was a blessing in disguise that the party had discovered traitors (PKR elected representatives who had left the party to become independents) early. "They have now become the tools of corruption," she said. READ MORE HERE |
| Johor an uphill task, says PKR chief Posted: 25 Nov 2011 05:11 PM PST (The Star) - PKR has acknowledged that it will be an uphill task to capture Johor, the birth place of Umno. PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail said the party had to be realistic about its chances. Speaking at the party's national congress here, she said, however, the party was not short of candidates to field in the general election and gave the assurance that only those committed to the party would be fielded. PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said he was optimistic that the party has more support from the people than five years ago. |
| PKR insists can trounce BN in Johor Posted: 25 Nov 2011 05:05 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - PKR reaffirmed its confidence today in toppling Barisan Nasional (BN) in its Johor bastion, claiming the current sentiment on the ground is similar to Perak and Selangor prior to Election 2008.  Saifuddin is confident PKR can take Johor in the next polls. Its secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said in his welcoming address at the party's national congress here that "the signal is clear, whether explicit or implicit, Johor is the state that we will take." "The signal we get is the same as in Perak and Selangor before. We have planned 20 ceramahs each night and the reception... we never got this five years ago," the Machang MP told a press conference later. He told delegates at what is likely to be the party's last national meet before polls expected early next year that PKR has also previously held its national meet in Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Perak before Election 2008. Pakatan Rakyat (PR) grabbed all four states as well as Kelantan in the March 2008 polls and also denied BN its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament. The Malaysian Insider reported that Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman summoned district officers on Thursday morning to brief them on "limiting the impact" of PKR's ceramahs. "MB is taking PKR's presence this weekend seriously," a source said, noting that this was on top of Abdul Ghani's already hectic pre-election schedule that sees him pounding the pavement at least four days a week in "hot seats" across the state. Despite this, the party has refused to be drawn into talk of a mentri besar candidate. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also told reporters today that PR "won't talk about MB candidate" but would work together to capture the state first. Johor was mostly unaffected from the March 2008 "tsunami" that swept 82 PR lawmakers into Parliament. PR won just one federal and six state seats out of 26 and 56 respectively on offer in Johor in 2008 and none of the winners were from PKR. |
| Dr M’s selfish plea for the Umno upper class Posted: 25 Nov 2011 01:38 PM PST By Joe Fernandez, FMT Former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, 86, appeared on national television Wednesday night on a TV3 programme to flog the age-old line that has so far benefited only a mere handful of "Malays" at the expense of the community itself and the nation. Oblivious to continuing criticism of his "Malay Dilemma" approach, Mahathir reiterated that "the Malay struggle" – whatever it means – was still not over. He argued that the community still needed to be protected by the government until they "duduk sama rendah, berdiri sama tinggi dengan kaum kaum lain". He made no mention, during his selfish plea, of the large numbers of natives of Sabah and Sarawak and the Orang Asli who lie at the bottom of the heap. This kind of skewered political thinking fails to take into account the stark reality that it was the distortions and deviations in the implementation of key legislation and government policy that did and continues to do the Malays in. Besides, it has created a situation where as many Malays as non-Malays continue to flee the country in record numbers to escape the mediocrity culture that has gripped the country. Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, and by extension the New Economic Policy (1979-1990), lie at the heart of the so-called Malay Dilemma. The Federal Constitution, it must be stressed, does not state that the Malays are the natives or original people of Peninsular Malaysia. Nevertheless, Article 153 promises a special position – not special privileges as often claimed by Umno – for the Malays, along with the natives of Sabah and Sarawak and the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia. The special position reserves, for the aforesaid communities, a reasonable proportion of opportunities in four areas viz. intake into the civil service; intake into government-owned institutions of learning and training privileges; government scholarships; and opportunities from the government to do business. Article 153 is not a "sapu bersih" (clean sweep) provision in the Federal Constitution. It recognizes, at the same time, the legitimate aspirations of the non-Malay communities i.e. meaning those other than Orang Asli and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. The bottomline line is that except for a handful of Malays from the ruling elite, the vast majority of Malays like other Malaysians are being denied the fruits of Article 153. Ali Baba syndrome Likewise, the NEP which is an extension of the fourth special position in Article 153, has been an abysmal failure in the wake of the Ali Baba syndrome and successive kleptocratic chief executives heading the federal and state governments. Any business with and from the government – be it contracts, tenders, procurements and the like – cost the tax payer, in the ultimate analysis, anything from twice to ten times the actual figure. The difference is pocketed by the many on the gravy train created by the politics of patronage. This is akin to stealing from the public treasury. One result has been that the Umno government has failed to ensure that the Orang Asli, natives and Malays will own, manage and control 30 per cent of the nation's corporate wealth – i.e. the publicly listed companies – by 1990. Twenty years after the NEP was to have officially ended, the state and federal GLCs are being passed off as the 30 per cent. State-owned assets cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered as being owned by just one community in Malaysia, and to the exclusion of other citizens.
READ MORE HERE.
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