Khamis, 20 Disember 2012

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Posted: 19 Dec 2012 01:17 PM PST

The truth, as bitter as it is, remains that carpet trader Deepak is livid at how 'ungrateful' both Najib and Rosmah have been to him.

The "I want to clear my conscience drama" came about after Deepak lost millions in government contracts. He had a 20-year contract to build 16 1Malaysia Mara hostels abroad worth RM2 billion but the deal was suspended.

Jeswan Kaur, FMT

A wealthy carpet trader has after four years decided to "clear his conscience" and hopes the real perpetrator/s behind the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu will not go unpunished.

Deepak Jaikishan, whose carpets once adorned the residence of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, is now crying foul, implicating the premier in the Mongolian interpreter's death.

In 2008, Deepak was said to have paid private investigator P Balasubramaniam (Bala) RM5 million for the latter to retract his first statutory declaration which directly linked Najib to Altantuya's death.

But on Nov 12, 2009, Bala via YouTube disclaimed the second SD, saying he was paid by Deepak to withdraw the first SD. Deepak, meanwhile, said he did so at the behest of a "female friend" who later turned out to be Rosmah Mansor.

Deepak claimed subsequent to his involvement in 2008, he has been pressured by the "powers that be" to be silent. And between 2010 and 2011, his home and his offices had been raided by various agencies sent by the government to intimidate and silence him.

Deepak is now considering legal action against the government, including Najib.

The "Deepak-Rosmah/Najib" drama unfolded after whistleblower Raja Petra Kamarudin revived the matter in April 2011.

Now Deepak decided to reveal all. But then was it really a case of wanting to "clear his conscience and seek justice for Altantuya" or is it all about vendetta for the billions lost in government contracts?

For Deepak's sake, one hopes it is all about giving conscience a priority. Nevertheless, this businessman is angry for having been taken for granted by both Najib and Rosmah, the latter whom Deepak regarded as his "elder sister".

What's Deepak up to, really?

It is unfortunate that Deepak got himself entangled with the "crooks", but then did he not know from day one just whom he was dealing with? Was Deepak that naïve that he had no idea of the machinations of Rosmah and Najib?

Where was Deepak's conscience when he "rewarded" Bala with RM5 million to tell a lie and save both Najib's skin and his political career?

The truth, as bitter as it is, remains that Deepak is livid at how "ungrateful" both Najib and Rosmah have been to him, especially after he agreed to help the couple escape blame for Altantuya's gruesome murder in the jungle of Puncak Alam, Shah Alam, in October 2006.

Two members of an elite police unit were later convicted and sentenced to death for the crime. What was Deepak thinking when Rosmah asked him to look for Bala the very day when the PI's SD was made public?

Is it wrong to deduce that Deepak willingly jumped in to help when everyone else Rosmah contacted turned her down because he was hoping for a "quid pro quo"?

He played accomplice to crooks and suffered in the process. What would be unacceptable is for Deepak to use "conscience" as an excuse to seek revenge against Rosmah and Najib.

The fact is that Deepak's ties with Rosmah turned sour following a land dispute involving him and Umno senator Raja Roopiah Abdullah. Deepak claimed that his company, Asta Canggih Sdn Bhd, was the nominee company or third party vehicle in the acquisition of 223 acres of land after he struck an agreement with Raja Roopiah.

Under the agreement, he was supposed to get all but 23 acres of the land, which would be returned to Raja Roopiah. Deepak claimed that Najib had bypassed the Cabinet in deciding to pull back the land from him.

Pakatan to win with 118 seats?

Posted: 18 Dec 2012 02:38 PM PST

The EC is BN's last bastion to cling to power and the only way to curb its shenanigans is for the rakyat to come out in droves to monitor vote tallying

Selena Tay, FMT

A neutral Chinese political analyst who is a friend of this columnist has informed that it is possible for Pakatan Rakyat to win the 13th general election by 118 seats, with BN getting 104. The total number of parliamentary seats is 222.

However, he also cautioned that hooligans may disrupt the general election campaign or the vote-counting process, thereby making it possible for the Election Commission (EC) to annul the polls results.

Certainly, anything can happen in the current political scenario and therefore the rakyat are encouraged to come out in full force to vote besides volunteering their time to monitor the election process, to prevent foreign workers from voting and also to prevent extra ballot boxes from being brought in to sabotage the results.

The situation here is such that the rakyat must work hard to usher in the change that they want. Indications are already at hand that Pakatan has enough support to win the 13th general election and the figure of 118 seats had already factored in the phantom/dubious/foreign voters.

However, the EC is Barisan Nasional's last bastion in its attempt to hold on to power and the only way to curb the EC's shenanigans is to come out in droves on the night the results are being tallied.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has in fact already lost the general election, in a manner of speaking, and that is why he does not seem to have the sense of urgency to hold the polls.

"The rakyat have to be prepared to face any eventuality. Najib has even now lost much of the Indian support," said M Manogaran, DAP's Teluk Intan MP.

"Perhaps all this is happening because people are just fed up of BN. The RM500 cash aid can only sustain most of the urban poor for one month but what about the rest of the 11 months?" asked Manogaran.

DAP blogger Aspan Alias opined that there are people who are still contented with getting chicken curry without the chicken meat because the chicken curry still has the chicken meat's flavour.

In BN's desperation to stay in power, all sorts of tactics will be used. So do not be surprised if your name is missing from the electoral roll on polling day.

Klang MP, DAP's Charles Santiago, has already pointed out that 5,000 names have disappeared from the electoral roll in his constituency.

BN has lost Malay/Indian support

This simply means that BN will do anything and everything in order to stay in power. After its victory at the polls, you can be sure that the price of fuel will go up, GST (goods and services tax) will be imposed and the cost of living will shoot up drastically.

Reports from all the grassroots who are friends of this columnist now show that BN has lost much of the Malay and Indian support although still holding on strong in Sabah and Sarawak due to the lack of information in those areas.

Many of those who do the groundwork surveys told this columnist that people are now curious and want to see what the new federal government is like.

Therefore Umno leaders these days sing the old tune of Malay supremacy by saying that if Umno falls, the Malays will fall, too, while at the same time conveniently forgetting to mention that PAS is also Malay.

The battle is on for the Malay vote. It is BN's practice to divide and rule.

READ MORE HERE

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

RM200b outflow Najib’s best achievement as Finance minister, says PAS Youth chief
Talks going on well with SAPP, says Anwar
Lawyer not part of MACC review on Bala’s SD probe, says panel chief
Kita’s president crisis remains unresolved
‘Beware of BN temporary withdrawal gifts in polls run-up’
‘Tan Sri lawyer must come forward’
I’m not behind Deepak, Anwar says it again
System to blame for illiterate students — STU chief
‘Most graduates lacking in problem-solving skills’
MCA power play in Tanjong Malim
DAP warlords eye party sec-gen prize
Govt relaxes restrictions on Christian pilgrimages to Jerusalem

RM200b outflow Najib’s best achievement as Finance minister, says PAS Youth chief

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 02:49 AM PST

(Harakah) - The high ranking recently given to Malaysia among developing countries suffering illicit funds outflow means the country's Finance minister Najib Razak has broken a records of sorts, according to PAS Youth leader Nasrudin Hassan.

"It is something which has surprised many. What is not surprising is the fact that mainstream media do not report it," he said, adding that the public would eventually come to know details of the damning report issued by Washington-based Global Financial Integrity.

Nasrudin (pic) reminded that Najib himself had admitted during UMNO's recent congress that young Malaysians were now more equipped with information due to information technology.

In its latest report on illicit funds outflow released on Tuesday, GFI ranked Malaysia second only to China among other Asian economies in terms illicit funds outflow, while it is placed third globally.

Noting that some 80 percent of illicit financial flows were due to trade mispricing and 20 per cent due to corruption, GFI said that between 2001 and 2010, a total of US$285 billion was transferred out of Malaysia illegally.

Nasrudin compared the figure for illicit funds outflow provided by Najib last year - RM135.4 billion between 2000 to 2009 - with GFI's figure of RM662.6 billion for the same period.

He added that one should not be surprised if the government denies the figure by GFI.

He also said the revelation reflected badly on giant government-linked companies such as Khazanah Nasional and Petronas.

"It proves the existence of illegal acts to avoid taxes and siphoning out the country's revenue through property investment, foreign bank accounts and others to shore up personal wealth," said Nasrudin, who cited the recent revelation of unusual wealth owned by the family of Sarawak chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, when some RM100 million was demanded for a divorce settlement involving the latter's son.

Nasrudin also reiterated the urgency for public office bearers to declare their assets.

Earlier today, Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he would write to Bank Negara Malaysia governor Zeti Akhtar to participate in a discussion on how to weed out illicit funds outflow.

"Urgent steps must be taken to finalise an action plan, not by avoiding the issue as the case has been so far with Najib Razak," said Anwar.

Talks going on well with SAPP, says Anwar

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 01:59 AM PST

Anwar Ibrahim today played down talks of tension between the 'original' Sabah PKR members and allies of Wilfred Bumburing and Lajim Ukin.

Teoh El Sen, FMT

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today dismissed reports that talks were not going well with former Sabah chief minister Yong Teck Lee's Sabah Progressive People's (SAPP) party.

He said Pakatan Rakyat, which he leads, has been "more successful with SAPP" as there has been a more active process of negotiations and "they have been attending our joint meetings".

Anwar's comments contradict a report on Tuesday quoting a SAPP insider who claimed that Yong had implied that SAPP could well be on a collision course with its "allies" PKR and DAP (Pakatan members) in many seats.

Speaking to FMT after SAPP's supreme council meeting on Monday, the insider said Yong told his comrades that SAPP must stick to its "principle" that a local-based party must take the majority of the State Legislative Assembly seats.

But Anwar insisted that talks were going smoothly and that seat negotiations in Sabah were underway.

Anwar said that the opposition allies are more inclined towards a one-to-one fight against Barisan Nasional parties.

"We have taken a clear position that we are moving towards that direction, that's it's one-to-one," Anwar said in a press conference at the PKR headquarters today.

When asked about Jeffrey Kitingan-led State Reform Party (STAR), Anwar said that Tuaran MP Wilfred Bumburing, who helms Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS), had been appointed to negotiate seats with Jeffrey in Sabah.

"We think we have a problem with the STAR because STAR says it is opposed to all Peninsula-based parties while we say that we are opposed to all corrupt leaders irrespective of whether peninsula or state-based. There is a difference there.

"Notwithstanding that, we have assigned Wilfred (Bumburing) to proceed with the negotiations, including with the STAR," said Anwar.

'We want to kill Umno'

Asked if peninsula-based Pakatan was focusing its efforts on only parliamentary seats and leaving the state to the locals to fight out, Anwar said: "There is no way we are only fighting in the parliamentary seats and giving the state to Musa [Aman]. We want to kill Umno."

He also touched on reports that Sabah PKR was dysfunctional following Anwar's ready acceptance of BN defectors Bumburing and Beaufort MP Lajim Ukin.

Both declared their alliance to PKR-Pakatan but declined to become members of the coalition. Lajim has set up his own platform Pakatan Perubahan Sabah which is Pakatan-friendly.

FMT had last month reported tension within Sabah PKR between the "PKR ori"[original] or "PKR photocopy", the former referring to genuine members of the party while "photocopy" addresses those with APS and PPS who "refused" to be members of PKR but have declared support for Anwar.

But Anwar played down such allegations, saying that it was not an accurate assessment of the current situation.

"Not really, of course; there are questions raised, for example: 'why do you consider this candidate… we think another candidate is better'. Things like that. We've had sessions, [PKR] state leader Ahmad Tamrin will be present in all the other meetings, similar with Wilfred and Lajim."

"It is not about new or old, [former health minister and MCA leader] Chua Jui Meng came in later but he is still the head of Johor and doing similarly well national. I don't think that is quite correct."

When asked about the details of the "deal" with the newcomers, Anwar merely said that the collaboration with Lajim and Bumburing was going "smoothly".

"They come in as partners in Pakatan. They are committed to the Pakatan agenda. We are working very well. In fact, next week I am going to [meet] Wilfred and Lajim as part of the campaign programme. I don't have a problem, seriously."

"There will be questions. Particularly now with people clamouring for seats or lobbying for seats; it is something which is quite normal. But we have to draw the line, you know."

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:21 PM PST

(The Malaysian Insider) - Prominent lawyer Tan Sri Cecil Abraham was not part of the graftbuster review team that had closed the file on P. Balasubramaniam's controversial second sworn statement over the 2006 murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, the head of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Operations Review Panel (PPO) said today.

Abraham had been named as the mystery lawyer suspected to have drafted the private investigator's (picture)contradictory second statutory declaration (SD) by several high-profile figures questioning a possible conflict of interest as the former also sits on board of the MACC review panel.

"PPO had agreed with the decision by the Deputy Public Prosecutor to stop investigating the case on grounds the main witnesses' testimonies were not supported by any other witness and the credibility of the main witnesses were disputable.

"PPO wishes to state that one of the panel members, Tan Sri Datuk Cecil Abraham was not present and was not involved in that meeting," Tan Sri Hadenan Abdul Jalil, chairman of the eight-man MACC operations review panel, said in a media statement today.

Hadenan said the case, which was linked to that of carpet merchant Deepak Jaikishan Rewachand, had been presented at a PPO pre-meeting on November 8.

However, he was silent on the allegations surrounding Abraham.

Kita’s president crisis remains unresolved

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:19 PM PST

(Free Malaysia Today) - Outspoken Kita leader Zamil Ibrahim has issued an ultimatum to ROS to resolve the leadership crisis in seven days.

Parti Kesejahteraaan Insan Tanah Air (Kita) has been plunged into a leadership crisis since the sudden announcement by its supposed president Zaid Ibrahim to dissolve the party in February this year.

The party's Kedah chief Zamil Ibrahim and his Penang counterpart Tan Tee Beng who spoke against the dissolution were expelled on Feb 7.

The situation quickly spiraled out of control as Zamil proclaimed that the party's delegates through the Annual General Assembly (AGM) on Feb 25 passed resolutions to elect him as the new president replacing Zaid.

However, the party's supposed secretary-general Masrum Dayat, widely seen as Zaid's man, claimed that he was the party boss following Zaid's departure.

Demanding a solution to the leadership dispute today, Zamil took the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to task for failing to resolve the matter despite a complaint lodged on Feb 29.

"I personally visited the office and submitted all the documents detailing the AGM proceedings on Feb 25. But until today, after some 295 days, the ROS has yet to make any decision," he said.

Zamil said the delay could be equated to being prejudicial to the party members' right under Article 10 (1) of Federal Constitution because it affected the functioning of the party.

He said this was even more damaging with the general election around the corner.

"There are 18 individuals in Kedah and 40 in Sabah who were previously announced to be the party's candidates in the elections. They are now left wondering what to do.

"The ROS must resolve the matter within seven days," he added.

Zamil also claimed that Zaid had violated the party constitution Clause 11.3.1 to appoint Masrum as Kita chief.

He said Zaid who had left the party earlier could not have chaired a meeting to appoint Masrum.

‘Beware of BN temporary withdrawal gifts in polls run-up’

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:15 PM PST

(The Malaysian Times) - The suspensions of several unpopular initiatives by the government, including the Automatic Enforcement System (AES), the Goods and Services Tax (GST), electricity tariff hike and tax on prepaid mobile will be temporary in the run-up to the general election, warned PAS.

Following is the full report carried by the Harakahdaily. "These 'gifts of withdrawals' are just waiting for the next general election. If the result favours BN, then the suspensions will be revoked and the public will be burdened with all sorts of ridiculous regulations," said PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

Tuan Ibrahim said BN decided to defer many of its mega projects to avoid giving political bullets to Pakatan Rakyat during election campaign.

He however pointed out that the decision whether to revoke the withdrawals or not rests with the people, urging them to deny BN a fresh mandate.

"Retaining BN means these temporary suspensions will be lifted. Toppling BN will see all of them permanently cancelled," he said.

On the recent suspension of AES by the Attorney General's Chambers despite earlier insistence by Transport minister Kong Cho Ha defending the system, Tuan Ibrahim, who is also Pahang PAS commissioner, said the contradiction only showed the government's messy administration.

"We don't know who makes the policy and who enforces it," he chided, adding that either the AG or the Transport minister should be sacked for the AES fiasco.

‘Tan Sri lawyer must come forward’

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 03:20 PM PST

Businessman Robert Phang says that Cecil Abraham must clarify if the latter is the senior lawyer involved in drafting PI Bala's second statutory declaration.

Anisah Shukry, FMT

MACC advisory panel member Cecil Abraham must clarify whether he is the senior lawyer allegedly involved in the second statutory declaration (SD) by P Balasubramaniam.

Making the call at a press conference here, businessman Robert Phang said he was told that Abraham was the only lawyer with the Tan Sri title.

"Cecil Abraham is a very senior lawyer and is known to be a close advisor of Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail. I have always questioned his impartiality.

"Why is everyone so afraid to mention that the Tan Sri lawyer is Cecil Abraham and that the legal firm is ZulRafique and partners?" he said.

However, Phang stressed that he could not confirm whether Abraham was the lawyer allegedly involved in the second SD and added that the onus was on the latter to clarify the matter.

Carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan had recently revealed in an interview that a "Tan Sri" lawyer and his son had been allegedly responsible for the preparation of Balasubramaniam's second SD.

The second SD reversed Balasubramaniam's first SD, released the day before, which implicated Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in the murder of Altantuyaa Shaariibuu.

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 03:17 PM PST

Refuting the speculation of his involvement once again, the opposition leader tells the prime minister to 'deal with it'.

Teoh El Sen, FMT

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has again brushed aside claims that he and his party members are masterminding the recent exposé by Deepak Jaikishan and instead asked Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to "deal with it".

Asked about the accusations, especially in pro-Umno blogs that PKR had a hand behind Deepak's re-emergence, Anwar replied with sarcasm: "I'm not surprised because I am behind everything. In fact I wrote GFI [Global Financial Integrity] and asked them to come out with the report on the RM197 billion [of illicit financial outflows in 2010]."

The opposition leader also said that if the controversial carpet businessman was revealing issues about him, the mainstream media would go to town with the issue.

"But in this country, imagine if he [Deepak] had said something about Anwar. Just 10% of what he said will be in the frontpage of Star, Utusan, everyday, for the next… 32 days," he said.

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 02:32 PM PST

(The Borneo Post) - It is "normal" for our education system to produce illiterates even after they have reached Form Five.

"Over the last 20 years, I have come across students of Form Four and Form Five who can't even read and write. And these students are from an urban school, not a rural school.

"It is 'normal' for our education system to produce students who can't read and write even after more than 10 years in formal education," Sarawak Teachers' Union president William Ghani Bina told The Borneo Post.

He explained that it was "normal" because our education system was too "democratic" where there was no filtering system until Form Five examination – Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia.

"So these students can go from Primary School to Form One until Form Five. Though they have to go through some public examinations such as UPSR and PMR, they can remain to be illiterate as they don't necessarily have to pass to continue their studies," said Ghani.

He said another factor that led to illiteracy even after a decade of formal education was the widening ratio between students and teachers.

"In my time, we had a teacher to 20 students. Now, there are 50 or even 60 students in one class. There is no personal touch between teachers and students.

"Education is a personal matter. If there is no personal touch between students and teachers, then there is no education. The students may just sit in the class and watch the teacher as if they are watching some television programme," said Ghani. He said the Education Ministry must look into the issue if it hoped to prepare the students to meet global demand.

"And just imagine, the illiterate students whom I have met were from an urban secondary school, what about those in rural schools? I believe that the situation in the rural areas is even worse," he added.

He said to overcome this situation, our education policy makers must go back to the old system where students who could not pass a public examination were not allowed to go further.

"And also, parents must work with teachers. Every year when we ask the parents to come to school to meet us, they must try to make it. Both parties can then sit to discuss the students' progress in learning.

"The situation now is that, we only ask them to come to school to meet for half an hour, but most parents came back to us furious, refusing to come to school to meet the teachers, saying that it is a waste of their time," he stressed.

"Our teachers are well trained. We can teach if the students are ready. And if the students are not ready to learn, we can't do anything," he stressed.

‘Most graduates lacking in problem-solving skills’

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 02:18 PM PST

(Bernama) - Most of today's university graduates are lacking in skills, especially problem solving skills needed in the workplace, said MK Land Holdings Berhad chairman Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar.

He said when interviewing potential new workers for his company, he found that many graduates did not have the knowledge about the job they applied for, let alone the relevant skills, experience and qualifications.

"Some of the graduates were clueless about how to work with colleagues and did not know about the right time management system," he said in his special briefing titled 'Empowering Youth for Nation Building' to staff of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) here on Tuesday.

Present were Bernama chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Sulaiman, Editor-in-Chief Datuk Yong Soo Heong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief (Domestic News Service) Datuk Zulkifli Salleh and Deputy Editor-in-Chief (Economic News Service) Datuk Zakaria Abd Wahab.

Mustapha Kamal said apart from being uncreative, the graduates were also unable to carry out proper presentations.

Hence, he advised graduates not to focus solely on improving their academic performance, but to also improve their soft skills, including their etiquette and judgement skills.

He said young workers should also be able to take responsibility while discharging their duties.

"Sometimes, people do not understand the real meaning of responsibility even though they hold power. Hence, they have no accountability to do their level best in discharging their duties," he said.

Mustapha Kamal said he also hoped that the younger generation of workers could practice the culture of integrity in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's aspiration as they were the assets of the country.

MCA power play in Tanjong Malim

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 01:37 PM PST

(fz.com) - In this first of a three-part series focusing on the Tanjong Malim parliamentary seat, we look at the battle brewing within the MCA between two powerful political families over who should stand here in the next general election

Tanjong Malim may look like a town that time has forgotten, but what happens there in the next general election could change the power structure in the MCA.

The parliamentary seat is shaping up to become a battle between a political family waiting to make a comeback and a chance for the MCA president to deal a double whammy against his nemesis.

The Tanjong Malim parliamentary seat is being held by Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, the elder brother of former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting. As Tanjong Malim is seen as a safe seat for the MCA, winning it in the next election would be an important step for the Ong faction to stage a return to the seat of power in the party.

For MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, the seat offers a number of tantalising options. As the Perak MCA chief, he could decide to stand there to lead the charge for the state, which the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition lost in the 2008 general election.

If Chua stands in Tanjong Malim, he could cut off an obvious avenue for the Ong faction to stage a return. Otherwise, he could field a loyalist there to deny the Ongs a chance to rebuild their base.

Asked about the likelihood of the above scenario taking place, a Perak MCA insider said that if Ka Chuan contests and wins in the coming election and overall, the MCA performs worse than in 2008, Chua would probably have to quit, and Ka Chuan could be a candidate for the next president of the party.

When asked, Goh Choong Seng, a special aide to Ka Chuan, said this development is plausible. "When you are in politics, this is normal, no matter whether it is in Umno or the Communist Party," he said.

However, Chua has to balance between settling a political score and choosing a "winnable" candidate to improve the BN's electoral performance, after the unprecedented setback it suffered in the last general election.

Chua won the president's post in the 2010 re-election, beating Ka Ting by 68 votes. Although the party is seen to have closed ranks after

Chua became the president, Goh opined that if Ka Chuan and Chua are compared as candidates, Ka Chuan stands a better chance.

He said the electorate, especially the Malays in the constituency, are conservative, and would not accept Chua because of his sex scandal.

DAP warlords eye party sec-gen prize

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 01:26 PM PST

(fz.com) - To outsiders, it may seem premature to be talking about a "post Lim Guan Eng era" within the DAP but the party warlords appear to be thinking otherwise.

The recently concluded central executive committee (CEC) party election result saw little change on the surface. However, dig a little deeper and you'll find that the different factions in the party had used the platform (of the CEC polls) to get a stronger footing (within the party) with an eye on the coveted secretary general post in 2015 party election.

The DAP had amended its party constitution to limit the tenure of a secretary general to three terms. This means Lim, who became DAP secretary general 2004, can only hold on to the post until 2015. The local Chinese papers had thus claimed that the party had now entered the "post Guan Eng era".

However, political analysts believe that Guan Eng would continue to play an important role in the party, even after he steps down as sec-gen.

Guan Eng was still dominant in the party, and it is too early to say (what will happen after he steps down), said Bridget Welsh, Associate Professor in Political Science at Singapore Management University.

Welsh believes the real test to the party would come in next few years. Wong Chin Huat, a fellow of the Penang Institute under Penang government, concurred as Guan Eng was only 52 this year and is very popular as the Penang Chief Minister. There was no reason for him to retire so soon.

"And as long as he has not retired, he will play an important role in whatever position. After stepping down as Sec-Gen, he may just assume the position of DAP's Parliament Chief," he toldfz.com.

Using the British tradition as an example, Wong said that the party chair was but the head of the party machinery while the real leader of the party was the one accepted by the majority of its parliamentarians.

"While some new guy will take over his sec-gen position, I don't think there are leaders of his generation or junior than him can have enough clout to assume the position of DAP's most senior federal cabinet minister (should they take over the federal government). With the new sec-gen three years down the road, what you will see is two leaders from different generations running the party together."

Deputy chairman Tan Kok Wai, Vice-chairman Teresa Kok and M Kulasegaran, Pakatan Rakyat bureau chairman Datuk Teng Chang Khim, deputy secretary general Chong Eng are leaders of the same generation as Guan Eng.

Party election paves way for power tussle

Although Guan Eng is unlikely to retire (from party politics) soon, the CEC election results has laid the groundwork for an intense power tussle in the next party election.

A party insider told fz.com that the election result reflected that the delegates voted according to their alignment with certain leaders or factions in the party.

Govt relaxes restrictions on Christian pilgrimages to Jerusalem

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 01:15 PM PST

(The Sun Daily) - The government has removed quotas and some other restrictions on Christians making their pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

The decision can be seen as a sort of Christmas present for local Christians who wish to have more freedom to visit the holy land.

Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) Secretary-General Rev Dr Herman Shastri said the move by the government to relax conditions was much welcomed by the council, reports Karen Arukesamy.

"This is certainly a happy news for all of us. We have been in talks with the PM's office and relevant authorities for one year now and we are glad that Christians are allowed to make their pilgrimage (more freely)", he said. Malaysia bars travel to Israel but the government has previously allowed Christians to travel to the historic city, regarded as holy to both Christians and Muslims.

Previously, the government had imposed a quota of 700 pilgrims per year, with any one church only allowed to send a group of 40.

According to Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) executive secretary Tan Kong Beng, visits were also limited to 10 days and pilgrims were only allowed one visit every three years.

But a letter sent from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's office to CFM president Ng Moon Hing on Nov 28 said these limits no longer applied and visits could be for a maximum of 21 days.

However, according to Herman, Christians from here must still travel in church groups when entering Israel.

"I think even Israel might not allow (such a long visit)," Tan, who confirmed receipt of the letter, told AFP yesterday.

Najib's political secretary, Wong Nai Chee, confirmed that he had signed off on the letter but did not give a reason for the move as "it is a cabinet decision and I am just relaying it to CFM".

"Taking into account the needs of Christian Malaysians, the Home Ministry has amended the religious pilgrimage rules to Israel," he wrote in the letter seen by AFP.

"The letter should be issued from the Home Ministry," said Ng, about the move which comes ahead of the 13th general election which must be held within the next six months.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

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Malaysia poised for pivotal polls
PRU 13: Antara strategi BN dan Pakatan Rakyat
Lynas' Waste Plans A Toxic Pipe Dream
The transformation of DAP
May 13, Kg Medan – Never again!

Malaysia poised for pivotal polls

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:37 PM PST

Simon Roughneen, Asia Times

Ahead of what reform campaigners believe will be Malaysia's "dirtiest ever elections", the long-ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) has engineered something of a clean-up. In recent months, it has reformed some old and oft-derided laws, such as allowing indefinite detention without trial and forcing local newspapers to apply each year for a publication permit, a stipulation that encouraged self-censorship.

UMNO and its allies have governed Malaysia consecutively since achieving independence from colonial rule, a longevity not usually associated with electoral democracies. UMNO and its Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition survived the last election in 2008, though it ceded its two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time and lost five out of 13 federal states to the opposition, a coalition of three parties led by controversial former UMNO firebrand Anwar Ibrahim that includes the Islamic party PAS and the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP).

While some in the Malaysian opposition and rights groups have criticized the recent reforms as piecemeal electioneering for next year's vote, there are indications that the government has made some real positive changes, particularly regarding the overhaul of certain emergency laws and repealing the old Internal Security Act, a law which has in the past been used against the government's political opponents.

Noting some improvements, Amanda Whiting, a law academic at University of Melbourne who carries out research on the Malaysian legal system, told Asia Times Online that "there now cannot be lengthy detention without trial, there must be a criminal court process, not extrajudicial detention."

It remains to be seen whether the "two steps forward, one step back" reforms will be enough to help UMNO and its fellow members in the BN (or National Front) coalition to retain power over the Pakatan Rakyat (or People's Justice) opposition coalition, said James Chin, a political scientist at Monash University's Malaysia campus. He views the reforms as an appeal by Prime Minister Najib Razak to voters to stick with the devil they know.

"Najib is trying to say, 'you can have an UMNO that is trying to reform, or you can opt for uncertainty with Anwar and PAS'," Chin told Asia Times Online.

Many of Malaysia's main political parties held internal conferences in late November and early December, with the election foremost on members' minds. UMNO delegates rehashed old themes about continuity while accusing the Anwar-led coalition of being foreign-funded stooges with an anti-Malay, anti-Islam agenda.

These were viewed in some quarters as diversionary tactics. Najib and UMNO have come under fire of late with renewed allegations centering around a possible cover-up of the murder of a Mongolian model living in Malaysia in 2006 who associated with government officials, which in turn has been linked to a kickback scandal involving the government's purchase of French submarines.

At times, the fear-mongering took unwittingly comic turns. Ibrahim Ali, president of Perkasa, a Malay supremacist organization with links to UMNO, suggested that Malays are economically disadvantaged against non-Malays due to Islamic law and therefore the government's long-standing effective subsidization of the Malay population at the expense of other ethnic groups should continue.

"Gambling, liquor, entertainment outlets... how could Malays afford, be able to compete?" Ibrahim asked, citing businesses prohibited by sharia law.

PRU 13: Antara strategi BN dan Pakatan Rakyat

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 01:22 PM PST

Umno/BN juga akan mengambil pendekatan meletakkan calon bebas untuk memecah undi di kebanyakkan kawasan Pakatan Rakyat.

Kalakau Untol, Free Malaysia Today

Formula Satu Lawan Satu dalam Pilihanraya Umum ke 13

Satu lawan satu adalah formula yang terbaik dan berjaya meletakkan Pakatan Rakyat ke landasan yang kukuh menumbangkan kerajaan Umno/BN pada PRU ke 12. Di Semenanjung sahaja negeri yang diterajui Umno/BN di lima buah negeri telah tewas. Jesteru strategi pucuk pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat kini cuba dan berusaha dengan lebih gigih menjadikan agar formula satu lawan satu menjadi realiti. Samada menampakkan strategi ini berjaya atau sebaliknya, penulis ingin menyingkap dan berkongsi kebarangkalian bagi dijadikan perhitungan dan pertimbangan pengundi menilai dan memuktamadkan pilihanraya umum ke 13 nanti.

Strategi Umno/BN

Barisan kepimpinan Umno/BN akan menggunakan pelbagai cara helah bagi memungkinkan kejayaan kemenangan dengan mengupah parti-parti politik dan calon-calon mereka agar dapat bertanding di kawasan-kawasan di mana Pakatan Rakyat bertanding dengan tujuan memecah undi bagi memberi kelebihan dan kemenangan kepada pihak Umno/BN. Selain itu Umno/BN juga akan mengambil pendekatan meletakkan calon-calon bebas bagi usaha memecah undi di kebanyakkan kawasan yang berpotensi Pakatan Rakyat untuk menang. Ini jelas pada pilihanraya umum tahun 2008 di mana kebanyakkan kawasan Umno/BN telah meletakkan tajaan mereka. Setiap satu undi yang didapati oleh parti-parti di luar Pakatan Rakyat dan calon-calon bebas adalah satu hadiah `bonus' kepada Umno/BN. Ini satu kebarangkalian dan strategi untuk mematikan undi kepada Pakatan Rakyat dan ternyata amat berjaya dan mustajab.

Pertahanan dan perkakasan Umno/BN

Bagi memulakan gerakan strategi kotor Umno/BN akan menggunakan pelbagai muslihat dengan mengaburi mata pengundi di mana Umno/BN menggunakan jentera-jentera Biro Tata Negara melalui saluran agensi kerajaan Kemas,Jati atau Tekun dengan mengedarkan mesej-mesej hasutan kepada kakitangan–kakitangan kerajaan di mana mereka akan dikenakan tindakan disiplin mahupun ditukarkan ke jabatan-jabatan lain ataupun ke tempat –tempat yang jauh dan terpencil serta juga akan mengugut suami atau isteri dipisahkan melalui teknik "politic of fears".

Dalam masa yang sama Umno/BN akan menggunakan Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) sebagai pintu mengeluarkan kad pengenalan Mykad kepada pendatang-pendatang tanpa izin seperti Bangaladesh, India, Pakistan, Filipina dan Bugis dan mendaftarkan mereka sebagai pengundi sah. Sudah tentu kenyataan yang dikeluarkan dari kementerian dan JPN yang bertanggungjawab akan menafikan segala tindakan teknik kotor ini. Ini nampak jelas ketika era rejim pemerintahan Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir dan Perdana Menteri kini yang diterajui kerajaan Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. Penipuan ini bukan lagi setakat di Sabah sahaja tetapi telah menjalar ke seluruh pelusuk Semenanjung.

Peranan Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya (SPR)

Bagi menjayakan kesinambungan talian hayat pemerintahan Umno/BN, peranan Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya akan memastikan segala tindakan halus kotor Umno/BN akan berjaya dilaksanakan. Cara yang terbaik adalah memanipulasi daftar pengundi dengan menggunakan daftar pemilih yang belum lagi digazetkan. SPR akan menggunakan daftar pengundi yang berlainan ketika waktu pembuangan undi. Antara lain penipuan SPR adalah dengan memindahkan pengundi-pengundi dari satu kawasan mengundi ke lokaliti yang lain tanpa pengetahuan pengundi itu sendiri, mendaftar pengundi yang diragui sebagai pengundi sah,menambah dan mendaftar sebahagian besar anggota rela sebagai pengundi pos dan banyak lagi jenis penipuan.

Strategi Pakatan Rakyat

Dalam keadaan sebaik mungkin formula satu lawan satu adalah jalan terbaik bagi memastikan kemenangan kepada Pakatan Rakyat. Oleh itu melalui pelbagai saluran maklumat, Pakatan Rakyat melalui unit media haruslah menyampaikan mesej secara meluas mengenai kesedaran supaya mesej satu lawan satu dapat menyuntik dan memahat ke pemikiran pengundi. Ini jelas terbukti apabila formula satu lawan satu telah berjaya dibuktikan di Semenanjung. Melihat kepada kesatuan inilah, kesepakatan menumbangkan Umno/BN berhasil. Pada tahun 2008, semasa PRU 12 , formula satu lawan satu tidak menjadi di Sabah kerana tidak wujudnya persefahaman dan permuafakatan di kalangan parti-parti yang bertanding dan menampakkan suasana gelanggang pertandingan adalah "Free for all to contest". Hakikatnya Pakatan Rakyat atau pembangkang kecundang.

Dalam hal ini, Pakatan Rakyat mesti melahirkan dan menerapkan mesej yaitu 'Mana-mana calon Bebas atau calon-calon dalam parti' yang tidak bernaung di bawah Pakatan Rakyat adalah dilihat sebagai `agen pemecah undi' bagi pihak Umno/BN. Tujuan yang disampaikan adalah jelas iaitu perjuangan kali ini adalah untuk perjuangan rakyat dan menumbangkan kerajaan Umno/BN yang zalim dan autokratik.

Jesteru, rakyat jelata mesti dimaklumkan dalam penegasan mereka mengenai "siapa agen pemecah undi' yang berselindung disebalik pelbagai slogan rakyat. Jika rakyat menyedari hal ini ianya akan mengkukuhkan lagi pendirian mereka ke arah perubahan kepada kerajaan baru Pakatan Rakyat.

Lynas' Waste Plans A Toxic Pipe Dream

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 01:07 PM PST

"If this was all ready to go they would be trumpeting it in the public arena … already it looks slippery. If this was possible wouldn't most countries around the world be doing it?"

Scientists and community leaders are concerned about radioactive waste from Lynas' Malaysian plant but the company representative who took Wendy Bacon's questions brushed off the criticism

This is the second of two articles about Lynas by Wendy Bacon. Read the first here.

Australian rare earth company Lynas has always known it had a waste problem. It plans to process rare earth concentrate, imported from its mine at Mount Weld in Western Australia, at its Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Malaysia. It will not only produce rare earths for export but also a huge amount of waste, including more than a million cubic metres of low level radioactive material.

Lynas was originally going to build its LAMP plant in China, which produces more than 90 per cent of global rare earths. But according to its 2007 annual report, it decided to move to Malaysia, because the Chinese government was increasing its control over production, including applying environmental standards more strictly. Lax regulation had led to what a Chinese government white paper described this year as extensive emissions of radioactive residues and heavy metals, clogged rivers, environmental pollution emergencies and accidents causing "great damage to people's safety and health and the ecological environment".

Lynas was attracted to Malaysia because it was offered tax free status for 10 years. Its first choice was a site in the state of Terangganu where it quickly received necessary construction approvals. Then the Malaysian government asked Lynas to move south to the Gebeng industrial estate which was built on a reclaimed swamp, 2.5 kilometres from the port of Kuantan in Pahang. Although the new land cost $30 million rather than $5 million, the company reported that it "had little choice but to accept this", and in any case the infrastructure at the new site was better as it was close to petrochemical plants. For its cooperation, Lynas's tax holiday, which included all imports and dividends, was topped up to 12 years. The company told the sharemarket that it would start producing rare earths by June 2009.

New environmental approval documents were filed in January 2008. It took only five weeks for the state and local council environment departments and the Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board to give the company a construction licence. It is clear from the documentation that at this stage the company had only temporary plans for waste storage, had not addressed the possibility that future events including flooding could affect the safety of the site, or selected a permanent waste facility. Despite the delays, shareholders were told that production would still start in 2009. As 2012 ends, the plant — which will take months to become fully operational — received its first rare earth concentrate several weeks ago.

There is an emphasis in the the company's glossy investor presentations and annual reports of the sustainability of its products, which are necessary for the operation of almost all electronics — from smart phones to missiles. However, there was little mention of the waste — or "residue", as Lynas prefers to call it.

Lynas and its supporters assert its operations are completely safe, but as NM reportedon Monday, others — including scientists — are less confident. Lynas relies on an IAEAreport that found it had complied with international standards in its construction phase, but needed to do more prior to operating. Lynas told New Matilda that since the IAEAreport, it has taken the "additional safety step" of placing "hydrated residues in safe, reliably engineered, elevated storage cells that are designed so that there is no possibility for any leakage of material into the environment". These storage cells will be monitored by Lynas and the Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB).

The IAEA also recommended that Lynas proceed no further until it had filed comprehensive plans for the permanent disposal of waste, decommissioning of the plant and remediation of the site at the end of its life. The AELB and Lynas issued a joint statement mid-way through last year stating that this work would be done before any rare earths could be imported. But then, earlier this year, the AELB jumped the gun by granting a temporary operating licence which gave the company 10 months to come up with these plans. This temporary operating licence was then delayed as a result of court action until November.

Shutting Down the Critics
New Matilda asked to interview the Lynas Executive Chairperson Nick Curtis but he was not available. Instead we interviewed a Lynas spokesperson who insists that the waste products of the LAMP project are "not hazardous in any way". He refers to the safety record of Lynas which in "all of its constructions … has been achieved with zero lost time injury".

When New Matilda suggested that problems are more likely to arise in the long term, even 20 or 30 years away, he replied: "I would be lying if I categorically tell you there is no risk in 20 or 30 years time from anything. What I can tell you is that the unanimous conclusion of all of the scientific experts from all of the different organisations that have investigated this material and everything else is that there will be no discernible risk for the public or anyone else from this facility."

But this is far from true.

For example, in April this year, the National Toxic Network (NTN), a community based network "working to ensure a toxic-free future for all", published a preliminary assessment of the waste steam of Lynas's LAMP project. It was prepared by Lee Bell, a qualified environmental scientist with 20 years experience in analysis of industrial process plants, groundwater monitoring and contaminated sites. He co-chaired the Core Consultative Committee on Waste under the former Labor government in Western Australia, which reformed the state's hazardous waste sector. Readers of his 29 pageNTN report (pdf), which was reviewed by another scientist, are likely to be concerned about the company's environmental plans.

I asked Lynas' spokesperson about the NTN report: "Whatever you think of it, it [the report] is a solid document. It appears to be academically referenced and it also appears to have had some form of review. If you read it, on a number of scores, you would be concerned?"

To which the Lynas spokesperson responded: "The relevant thing there is 'appears to be' that is a really interesting phrase … I take you to the disclaimer right at the end [of the report] — 'Please note this information is provided as general information and comment should not be seen as professional advice' — on the basis that it 'appears to be well referenced', that is a strange disclaimer to have." In response Bell explained the disclaimer is used to indicate the report is intended for public use. Most of Lynas's reports on the other hand are not easily accessible.

The Lynas spokesman rejected an NTN claim that the LAMP's location on a reclaimed swamp with a high rainfall is relevant to disposal of low level radioactive waste. Asked if he was aware it was a "marshy site", he said, "I have no idea". He explained that although there is a pristine fishing village and beach at Kuantan three and a half kilometres away on the coast, "if there is a risk there, it is much wider than just Lynas because the LAMP is in a petrochemical zone". In fact, the site is on a reclaimed peat swamp.

Bell doesn't buy Lynas' argument that their plant will be yet another structure in the petrochemical zone. "The area may well have been developed for petrochemical plants — but these do not have large tailings ponds full of low level radioactive material," he said. "Refineries usually dispose of their waste by on-site incineration or off-site disposal in stable geological areas. This is comparing chalk and cheese."

Discrediting sources is a familiar public relations tactic used by companies to protect themselves against journalists relying on their critics as sources. So NM asked if the company had prepared a response to the NTN report. The spokesperson said it had but it was "unfortunately contained material before a [Malaysian] court and I can't share that with you".

The NTN report deals with LAMP waste steams which include non radioactive fluoride, dust particulates, gas, acidic waste water as well as more than 22,000 tonnes of low level Water Leach Purification (WLP) radioactive waste which a year. The most critical issue is the control and disposal of the WLP wastes — which for radioactive material may mean for many hundreds of years.

On the basis of specific criticisms, NTN has two main recommendations. First, that the temporary licence issued by the AELB should be revoked until the issue of long term waste disposal is resolved and second, that the plant should not be allowed to operate until the release of mlliions of litres of effuent into the Balok River that runs past the site has been "further modelled and assessed".

"The lack of data on these issues (the impact on the river) means the Lynas EIA is well below international standards and insufficient for granting of operational licences," theNTN says; the LAMP temporary licence would never have been granted in Australia.

Novel Solutions — But Will They Work?
Included among the documents filed for the January 2008 approval was a report prepared for Lynas by technical consultants Worley Parsons which revealed some innovative ideas for dealing with the permanent disposal problem.

Worley Parsons worked on the basis that there would more 800,000 cubic metres of the most radioactive WLP waste over 10 years. (The company has stated its mine will last for 20 years and more recently told New Matilda, 50 years). When other wastes were included, there would be 2.7 million cubic meters of waste that need permanent disposal over 10 years.

Lynas's preferred option has always been to recycle as much of the waste as possible. If safe, recycling has environmental advantages but Worley Parson also noted that by-product production requires time and investment. It may also have little or no commercial value, although this may change over time. Neither Worley Parsons or Lynas have ever suggested that even if recycling options worked, they would account for all dangerous waste, which under a new Australian law for the disposal of radioactive waste cannot be imported back into Australia.

Worley Parsons reported that the WLP residues contain relatively high levels of the nutrients phosphorus and magnesium, which have potential agricultural uses, particularly for palm oil plantations. However, it might be hard to find buyers for fertiliser based on the recycled waste. This option has not been mentioned recently. Instead, the current preferred option is to dilute the radioactive material from 6 becquerels (Bq) to 1Bq and bury it as roadfill and in other civil engineering works.

While Lynas says it is confident in the current by-product plans, they are yet to be tested. Dr Peter Karamoskos, who has been a nuclear radiologist for 13 years and represents the Australian public on the Radiation Safety Committee of Australia's nuclear safety agency shares none of that confidence.

Khamis, 20 Disember 2012

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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