Selasa, 23 April 2013

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Read between the lines (UPDATED with Chinese Translation)

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:29 PM PDT

Then, in 1974, they turned Kuala Lumpur into Federal Territory so that they could 'kick out' the Chinese from Selangor and regain their Malay majority in Selangor. Then, in 1978, they turned Shah Alam into the new Selangor State Capital and 'Malay city' and from thereon injected Malays into Selangor so that the Malays will always be the largest population in Selangor and the opposition could never again capture that state.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak thinks that just because the Barisan Nasional candidate for Shah Alam, Zulkifli Noordin, has apologised to the Hindus that makes it all okay. Maybe Najib is underestimating the outrage by the Hindus.

There are those who are trying to water down Zul's crime by arguing that what he said he said when he was in the opposition and not when he joined Umno. Hence it was an 'opposition crime' rather than a 'government crime', they say. And they further ask as to why Zul was not whacked back then, when he was still in the opposition, and why whack him only now when he joins Umno?

They also argue that Anwar Ibrahim too has insulted the Hindus when he was in the government and he never did apologise until today and they further argue that some of the Hindus have never forgiven him for that insult.

I think this is a weak argument and saying that Anwar also did the same thing does not make what Zul did right. Two wrongs do not make a right, as the saying goes.

In fact, some Hindus say that Anwar's six-year incarceration is his punishment or karma for making fun of the Hindus. This is terribly unfair and a statement not based on facts or tangible evidence. Anyway, Anwar was never charged for insulting the Hindus but for abuse of power. Furthermore, in the first place, can you even prove that karma does exist?

MIC Shah Alam has made a statement that they will still support Barisan Nasional in spite of the party fielding Zul to contest that seat. It is not Zul they support, said MIC, but Najib. Hence they will still support Barisan Nasional.

Is that the right thing to do? Where are their principles? You mean just to win the general election they are prepared to support Barisan Nasional even though they do not support or like the candidate that Barisan Nasional is fielding? These MIC people really lack morals. No wonder the Indians are always being given a raw deal.

And this is what separates the opposition supporters from the government supporters. The government supporters lack principles. The opposition supporters have very strong principles.

For example, if you do not like Azmin Ali, Tian Chua, R. Sivarasa, and so on, you will not be expected to support PKR or Pakatan Rakyat. If you support PKR or Pakatan Rakyat in spite of you hating some of the leaders in the party you would be seen as someone of no principles. This is how the opposition supporters will look at things, unlike how the MIC Indians look at things.

Would you ever see the opposition supporters demanding that you support the opposition, or condemning you if you do not support the opposition, if you do not support the opposition due to many people in the opposition whom you do not like and who you regard as scumbags and slime-balls?

Definitely you will not support the opposition if you disagree with many of the people in the opposition and/or you despise the actions of these people. To do otherwise would open you to condemnation and you will be called a hypocrite. But these are not the same values that these MIC Indians possess. And that is a downright shame. In fact, it shames all Malaysian Indians.

Last night, Muhammad son of Muhammad spoke about his dream of seeing Shah Alam as the only Malay city in the world. He then lamented about Shah Alam's 'lack of spiritual character', and said that this is his 'failed ambition'. The man with two Muhammad's in his name also explained that 'Islam is a religion of cities'. I do not quite know what that means but I assume he meant that Islam is a religion of the ummah, which translates to community.

If you can remember, I once wrote that Islam could be equated to communism. That statement upset many people mainly because they do not understand what communism means. To most Muslims, communism means atheism and anti-God. That, of course, is not what I meant.

The word communism is derived from the word commune. And a commune is a place where people live while the people in that commune are what we would call a community. Community in Bahasa Malaysia is masyarakat and in Arabic is ummah.

Islam is about the ummah. The Muslim community is called Ummah Islam. And Islam makes it mandatory that everything is done as an ummah (even eating if possible where you gain more pahala than eating alone). And Islam encourages you to select your leader from your community (even when you travel where you are supposed to select a leader from amongst the travellers).

Now, is this not what communism also is? Communism has nothing to do with believing or not believing in God. It is about organising everyone into a community within a commune. And this is what the man who eloped with His Highness the Sultan of Selangor's daughter was trying to say but did not know how to explain it mainly because his knowledge of Islam is very weak (if not he would not have secretly married the Sultan's daughter and then lie about it).

Okay, so now you understand what one of the most corrupt Menteri Besar of Selangor in history meant by that statement. And he was telling the truth. And I have, in fact, written about this before -- about five years ago back in 2008. The idea to turn Shah Alam into a Malay city was mooted soon after the 1969 general election to make sure that Selangor never again falls to the opposition.

First, in 1973, they created a new coalition called Barisan Nasional so that they could 'swallow' all the opposition parties and gain back their two-thirds majority in Parliament.

Then, in 1974, they turned Kuala Lumpur into Federal Territory so that they could 'kick out' the Chinese from Selangor and regain their Malay majority in Selangor.

Then, in 1978, they turned Shah Alam into the new Selangor State Capital and 'Malay city' and from thereon injected Malays into Selangor so that the Malays will always be the largest population in Selangor and the opposition could never again capture that state.

This, of course, can work only as long as 'opposition' means 'Chinese' in the West Coast and the Malay opposition party in the East Coast never gains a foothold in the West Coast. However, that all changed in 2008 and it was because of a 27-year exercise that started back in 1981 -- and which I have already written about before regarding how we 'exported' Tok Guru Abdul Hadi Awang into Selangor.

So you see, there was a reason why the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and the State Capital of Shah Alam were created. I know because the late Sultan had to consent to this move and His Highness cried when he had to sign the document to hand over Kuala Lumpur, and later Putrajaya (then called Perang Besar), to the Federal Government.

In fact, many of us from the Selangor Royal Family opposed this move and I actually wrote an article expressing my opposition to it. The late Sultan spoke to my late Uncle, Raja Datuk Redzwa Tun Uda, about what I wrote and His Highness told my Uncle that they would be summoning me to the Palace to scold me for that article.

My Uncle plus many other members of the Royal Family supported what I wrote. They too did not agree to the annexation of Selangor territory and were very unhappy about the whole thing (just like Sabahans are angry about Labuan). Nevertheless, the late Sultan called the family for a meeting to explain what was happening and His Highness told the assembly that the whole matter is a fait accompli and there is to be no more discussion or protest.

Subsequently, I was summoned to the Palace for a 'meeting' with the Acting Sultan who is now the Sultan of Selangor. And that is how I came to know the story about the creation of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, the creation of the State Capital of Selangor, Shah Alam, and the creation of Malaysia's Administrative Capital, Purtajaya.

So our man from Selangor, the ex-Menteri Besar, told us only part of the story when he mentioned his 'failed dream' of the 'Malay city' of Shah Alam. What he did not add was the fact that this whole thing was to dilute the Chinese in Selangor and isolate them in Kuala Lumpur.

And I have written about this before. Muhammad son of Muhammad just confirmed what I wrote as true.

****************************

言外之意

1974年,他們把吉隆坡規劃為聯邦直轄區以便可以把華人踢出雪蘭莪來保住馬來人的多數權。1978年,他們把莎亞南升級為雪州首府然後開始'注入'馬來人以確保馬來人永遠是雪州的多數民族而反對黨沒有可能奪得雪州。

原文:Raja Petra Kamarudin

譯文:方宙

納吉以爲只要莎亞南候選人ZulkifliNoordin向印裔道歉那事情就會告一段落,可能他低估了印度人的憤怒吧。

很多人想要為Zul漂白,他們爭辯說那是Zul還是反對黨員時的言論而現在他是巫統黨員了,所以這是個'反對黨'而不是'政府'的錯。他們進一步的問到爲什麽儅Zul還在反對黨時沒有人站出來干屌他,而現在他跳槽了那些人才站出來呢?

他們也爭論說安華還是為政府做事時他也侮辱印度人且從未道歉。他們指出有些印度人到現在爲止都還沒原諒他。

我覺得這個爭論是站不住腳的,安華曾作過不代表Zul作了就是對的。正如諺語所說的,别人错了不等于你对了。

事實上,有些印度人把安華被関進監牢六年看成是他對印度人不敬的報應。這是很不公平且毫無證據的。安華是因爲濫權而被捕,不是因爲侮辱印裔同胞,再者,你能證明報應的存在嗎?

莎亞南囯大黨經已聲明他們會支持囯陣,雖然說候選人是Zul。他們表示他們支持的是納吉而不是Zul,所以他們還是會支持囯陣。

這對嗎?他們的原則呢?你的意思是只要能贏得大選他們甘願支持囯陣雖然他們並不喜歡/支持囯陣的候選人?囯大黨真的很沒道德,難怪印度人一直被不公平地對待。

這就是反對黨支持者和執政黨支持者的不同;執政黨支持者是沒有原則的,但反對黨支持者則反之。

打個比方,如果你不喜歡Azmin Ali, Tian Chua, R. Sivarasa等你將不會支持民聯,如果你支持民聯,那你就是沒有原則的。這就是民聯支持者看待事情的方法,跟囯大黨很不一樣。

儅你討厭民聯内的某個人,認爲他是個混蛋人渣時,你曾經看過民聯支持者跳出來強迫你支持民聯嗎?

如果你不認同反對黨的某個人或你不苟同他們的做法,那你肯定不會支持反對黨。如果你沒這麽做的話,那你將迎來詛咒和駡名,別人會稱你為僞君子。但這些並不是囯大黨黨員的價值觀,所以這對他們來講是個絕對的侮辱。事實上,這對所有印度人來講就是個侮辱。

昨晚,泰益談及他的夢想,他夢想中的莎亞南是全球唯一一個'馬來城'。他過後哀嚎莎亞南是'缺乏精神/靈魂的',這是他'失敗的志向'。他進一步解釋到'回教是城市的宗教'。我其實不大明白那是什麽意思,但我猜想他的意思是回教是Ummah的宗教(Ummah的翻譯是'社區')

如果你還記得的話,我曾經寫到伊斯蘭就像共產主義一樣。我的説法令很多人不高興,因爲他們都不懂共產主義到底是什麽。對很多穆斯林來講,共產主義就是無神主義。那根本就不是我要表達的。

共產主義communism這個詞原自'公社commune'。公社的意思是指一個人們生活的地方,而生活在公社的人們我們稱爲'社會community'。社會的馬來文為masyarakat而阿拉伯文為ummah。

回教是圍繞ummah的,穆斯林社會被稱爲Ummah Islam。回教進而強制所有東西必須以ummah的方式來執行(就連吃飯也應該一起吃,那樣你得到的福報pahala將會比你獨自一個人吃飯更多)。回教教條也鼓勵從你的社會裏選出一個領導者(就連你在旅行時你也應該從一群旅行者當中選出一名領導)。

這不就是共產主義推行的嗎?共產主義根本就跟信不信上帝沒有關係,它是跟管理社會裏的人群有關係。這就是那個跟雪蘭莪公主私奔的人想表達的,但他無法很清楚地解釋,因爲他對回教的認知很弱。(如果不是的話他就不會跟蘇丹女兒偷偷結婚而且還不承認)

好了,現在你明白史上最貪污的雪州大臣想要表達的東西了。他其實講的都是真理,而我早在5年前就寫下來了。其實要把莎亞南變成'馬來城'這個想法早在1969年就有了,原因是有某些人不想雪蘭莪落入反對黨手裏。

第一步,在1973年,他們組成新囯陣來'吞併'所有反對黨和重拾2/3多數席位。

1974年,他們把吉隆坡規劃為聯邦直轄區以便可以把華人踢出雪蘭莪來保住馬來人的多數權。1978年,他們把莎亞南升級為雪州首府然後開始'注入'馬來人以確保馬來人永遠是雪州的多數民族而反對黨沒有可能奪得雪州。

這裡的反對黨當然是指西海岸華人,而他們預測東海岸的馬來反對黨永遠也不能在西海岸立足。但是,這些計劃在2008年失敗了,就僅僅是因爲1981年的一個舉動----我之前已經寫到我們如何把Tok Guru Abdul HadiAwang'出口'到雪蘭莪來。

你現在明白吉隆坡和莎亞南存在的原因了嗎?我很清楚這一些,因爲前蘇丹被迫同意這些計劃。他在簽署這些文件把吉隆坡和布城'割'給聯邦政府時還落下了男兒淚。

事實上,我們很多雪蘭莪皇室都反對這個念頭,我甚至還寫了篇文章來表達我的不滿。蘇丹跟我的皇叔談及我的文章,他親口跟我叔叔講說他要把我招進宮來大罵一頓。

我的皇叔和其他人都很支持我所寫的。他們很不贊同割地和對整件事情都很不高興(就像沙巴居民很不滿納閩島一樣)。無論如何,蘇丹都把我們招入宮來解釋到底發生了什麽事。他告訴我們,這是fait accompli,我們全家人都不能再談及和反對。

爾後,我再次被招入宮,和代理蘇丹(即現任蘇丹)來個'會議'。這就是爲什麽我清楚了要組成吉隆坡,莎亞南,和布城的來龍去脈。

所以說我們的'哥們'前州務大臣只跟我們講了故事的一半。他只談到了'破滅的夢想'和莎亞南的'馬來城',他並沒有談及此事的目的是爲了要分散華人和把他們聚集在吉隆坡。

這些都是我曾寫過的。而默罕默特的兒子默罕默德 泰益證實了我所講的都是真的。

  

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Ku Li and the ‘third force’ intrigue

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 08:49 PM PDT

Free Malaysia Today

In the war of words between rebel Sabah PKR supreme council member Ansari Abdullah and former Barisan Nasional-Upko MP-turned-defector Wilfred Bumburing, the most intriguing reminder is that the latter is the deputy president of Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah).

Way back in 2011, Amanah was linked to the rise of a "third force" within Malaysian politics, vis-a-vis Umno.

Amanah was set up by Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Ku Li) in 2011.

Amidst a racially divided Malaysia, Razaleigh had called for Umno to return to the party's original struggles as envisioned by Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Amanah was his platform to "unite" Malaysia by "reaffirming and reigniting a sense of togetherness and true family spirit that prevailed among Malaysians during our struggle for national indepedence".

Razaleigh's move to form Amanah further fuelled talks of him having identified independents who would then be fielded in the 13th general election. These would be candidates who were Umno at heart but who "disagreed" with the way the party had morphed under Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Razaleigh, 75, an Umno stalwart and Gua Musang incumbent MP, had once led Semangat 46 after Umno was declared illegal in 1988 following a failed bid to wrest the party presidency from Mahathir. He returned to Umno and laid low until rumours started surfacing in late 2010.

There were all kinds of rumours floating about, including speculation that he had held secret talks with opposition leaders and was eyed as the replacement leader for Anwar Ibrahim in the event Pakatan Rakyat wrested Putrajaya.

There was no hard denials from PAS spiritual head Niz Aziz Nik Mat and PKR de facto leader Anwar. Anwar, when asked, had merely said that "he was not in the know" of such meetings.

If past reports and alliances are any measure, then Razaleigh is well accepted by Pakatan as an alternative leader.

In Sabah, he is a "hero" of sorts, having thrown light on the haunting "Double Six" air tragedy that killed Sabah chief minister Fuad Stephens and his ministers hours after they allegedly disagreed with the terms of the oil agreement on June 6, 1976.

61 'independents'

Ansari's rantings on his Facebook on nomination day have brought the speculations back in focus. In his posting, Ansari demanded to know why Bumburing and men were allocated seats under the PKR banner when they were aligned to Umno's Razaleigh, via Amanah.

Additionally interesting is the fact that a staggering 61 Umno members had filed their nomination papers on April 20 to contest in the general election as independents.

They are contesting in parliamentary and state seats across the country, raising the possibility that a "pseudo-third force" is available to partner any which side that wins.

In Sabah alone, just under 30 Umno members were sacked for allegedly sabotaging or undermining Umno-BN's bid to retain Sabah. Sabah and Sarawak are crucial to Umno and BN in its battle to keep Putrajaya.

READ MORE HERE

 

BN out to keep iron grip on Selangor rural base

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 03:27 PM PDT

The Straits Times reported that for now, neither side has an overwhelming advantage. The BN has been marred by corruption, with its former mentri besar convicted of fraud. But the PR has been sullied by internal quarrels between Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's right-hand man, Azmin Ali.

The Malaysian Insider

DAP candidate Ng Suee Lim knows he has a tough fight on his hands in defending his Sekinchan state seat in the coastal farming and fishing belt in Selangor. His majority in the 2008 general election was a wafer-thin 190 votes.

"People here want to see you face to face, and we need to build relationships day by day," Ng, who speaks Javanese, having grown up in Sekinchan, a village of Malays of Javanese descent, told the Singapore Straits Times.

To make sure people know him, he carries a giant replica of a ballot paper with an "X" next to his name and the rocket symbol on his campaigns.

According to the daily, Ng is literally going from house to house, in between phone calls to the local council to get street lights repaired in response to residents' complaints. It is a far cry from urban campaigns, which rely on mass rallies and the Internet.

The report said this was the main reason the federal opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has found it hard to make inroads into the rural areas, even in Selangor, Malaysia's most urbanised and industrialised state.

Other than PAS, the opposition does not have a grassroots network to rival the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), which has built up its ground since the 1950s. This has helped it maintain an iron grip over its rural base.

In 2008, PR surprised everyone by winning Selangor, taking 36 of 56 state seats, though one later turned independent.

The Straits Times reported that other than Ng's seat, PR seats are in a tight urban swathe near Kuala Lumpur.

It said the densely urban areas may stay with the PR. Since last Saturday, when the campaign kicked off, urban opposition rallies have drawn the crowds, it added. 

The BN has not bothered with these hardcore opposition areas but is aiming to hold on to its rural seats while trying to snatch PR's seats on the fringe of urban areas, the daily said.

Subahan Kamal, BN candidate for Templer, which sits on the outskirts, believes the BN can do better in such areas.

"We have promised welfare payments for the disabled, elderly, single mothers, and also aid for students. We are going to build 15,000 affordable houses," the daily quoted him as saying.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak spent a full day in Selangor yesterday, whizzing through 16 stops on the outskirts to woo voters.

The Straits Times reported that for now, neither side has an overwhelming advantage. The BN has been marred by corruption, with its former mentri besar convicted of fraud. But the PR has been sullied by internal quarrels between Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's right-hand man, Azmin Ali.

 

BN win forecast by foreign diplomat

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 01:51 PM PDT

Diplomatic evaluations this should never be underestimated.

By Syed Nadzri Syed Harun, FMT

This is what a foreign diplomat told me four days ago: "Our intelligence report indicates a Barisan Nasional win. But Pakatan Rakyat is closing in by the day. Up to last month, it was about 140 seats [out of 222 parliamentary seats] for BN. Then it dropped.

"And when it was announced [last week] that Zulkifli Noordin was to use a BN ticket, the prospects shrunk even more. But still BN will pull through."

The ambassador shall remain unnamed but that was a loaded observation about BN's move on controversial independent candidate and Perkasa vice-president Zulkifli Noordin for the Shah Alam parliamentary seat.

There would be some people around the chosen candidate who would want to dismiss the presumptuous comment. They might even get angry.

But I think diplomatic evaluations such as this should never be underestimated. Over the years, I have always taken assessments by foreign missions very seriously because, with their far-reaching feelers and regiments of deep-throats, they can be deadly accurate as the 2008 election had shown.

I must note, however, that the above appraisal came before Perkasa leader Ibrahim Ali, even more abrasive than Zulkifli, had managed to elbow out the anointed BN candidate on nomination day and got his way to contest the Pasir Mas parliamentary seat in a straight fight against PAS' Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz.

As with Zulkifli, the diplomat did not have good feedback about Ibrahim, saying the vote swings related to the two could be crucial or even fatal.

A couple of other diplomats I chatted with last week had similar reservations although they gave a lot of plus points for Malaysia's business climate and the long list of bantuan (aid) handed out to the rakyat by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak over the last four years.

But nearly all of them pointed out to the first-time voters and fence-sitters as being the determining force in this round, and that was why the intelligence report cited above, brought in the part about Zulkifli dropping points for BN.

Secret meeting

Despite top Umno leaders coming to his defence as him being a "principled politician", it was the views he held and expressed which could be deemed counter-productive to BN's effort to attract the fence-sitters, said the ambassador.

I suspect the intelligence report from the embassy would be further adjusted as a result of Ibrahim's latest foray in Pasir Mas.

READ MORE HERE

 

BN sees opportunity in urban fringe

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:19 PM PDT

http://www.stasiareport.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/imagecache/story-gallery-featured/ST_20130423_CASPLIT23_3625212e.jpg

Malaysian Premier Najib Razak's daughter, Ms Nooryana Najwa (left), and her brother, Mr Nor Ashman (centre), sharing a light moment yesterday with party supporters as their father campaigned ahead of the GE in Selayang. BN has not bothered with densely urban areas, which are hardcore opposition areas, but is aiming to hold on to its rural seats while trying to snatch PR's seats on the fringe of urban areas. 

Carolyn Hong, ST

WHEN Mr Ng Suee Lim campaigns in the small town of Sekinchan in Selangor's farming belt, he carries a giant replica of a ballot paper with an "X" next to his name and the rocket symbol.

The Democratic Action Party (DAP) candidate is taking no chances as he defends the opposition's sole seat in this coastal farming and fishing belt. His majority last time was a wafer-thin 190 votes.

"People here want to see you face to face, and we need to build relationships day by day," said Mr Ng, who speaks Javanese, having grown up in a village of Malays of Javanese descent.

His campaign is literally going from house to house, in between phone calls to the local council to get street lights repaired in response to residents' complaints. It is a far cry from urban campaigns, which rely on mass rallies and the Internet.

This is the main reason the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has found it hard to make inroads into the rural areas, even in Selangor, Malaysia's most urbanised and industrialised state.

Other than Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), the opposition does not have a grassroots network to rival the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), which has built up its ground since the 1950s.

This has helped it maintain an iron grip over its rural base.

In 2008, the PR surprised everyone by winning Selangor, taking 36 of 56 state seats, though one later turned independent.

Save for Mr Ng's seat, PR seats are in a tight urban swathe near Kuala Lumpur.

The densely urban areas may stay with the PR. Since last Saturday, when the campaign kicked off, urban opposition rallies have drawn the crowds. Mr Tony Pua, the DAP candidate for Petaling Jaya North, said they collected donations of RM45,000 (S$18,300) on the first night alone.

The BN has not bothered with these hardcore opposition areas but is aiming to hold on to its rural seats while trying to snatch PR's seats on the fringe of urban areas.

Mr Subahan Kamal, BN candidate for Templer, which sits on the outskirts, believes the BN can do better in such areas.

"We have promised welfare payments for the disabled, elderly, single mothers, and also aid for students. We are going to build 15,000 affordable houses," he said.

"These are our strengths that the people will see."

Prime Minister Najib Razak spent a full day here yesterday, whizzing through 16 stops on the outskirts to woo voters.

For now, neither side has an overwhelming advantage. The BN has been marred by corruption, with its former Menteri Besar convicted of fraud. But the PR has been sullied by internal quarrels between Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's right-hand man, Mr Azmin Ali.

One swing seat may be Ijok, an oil palm area which is seen to be in play because of reported neglect by the state government. Indeed, Mr Khalid has left it for the urban Port Klang seat.

The BN's advantage is a close-knit, risk-averse, rural Malay electorate.

Sitting at a food stall decorated with flapping party flags at the edge of a padi field, farmer Ismail Harun, 41, said life was hard but he dared not take the risk.

"I do not dare to go for change as we do not know what we will get with other people ruling us," said Mr Ismail, who lives in the village of Simpang Lima, about 130km from Kuala Lumpur.

PR leader Anwar was in the area yesterday trying to convince voters that they had nothing to fear. He spoke of an anonymous leaflet circulating which said that if the PR won federal power, Islam would no longer be the official religion of the country and the monarchy would be abolished.

"Do they think people are stupid?" he asked, speaking from a mobile stage at a commercial area in Kuala Selangor.

"I am a Malay. Do you think that I would want to get rid of the King and Islam?"

Dr Aziz Bari, a former International Islamic University law professor, said the PR may improve in some rural areas this time because it is fielding more local candidates.

Dr Aziz himself is competing in the farming area of Sabak Bernam, his hometown.

"I grew up here, I have friends and family here," said the former professor, who now lives in a wooden house in the village of Tebuk Pulai.

"It's not impossible."

A foreman, 25, who wanted to be called Ah Lun, said he registered as a voter six months ago because he wanted change. Mr Mohd Desa Ramli, 51, a farmer, also said he believed people wanted change.

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

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Over 28,000 'foreign' voters on electoral roll

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 10:51 PM PDT

http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.malaysiakini.com/mk-cdn.mkini.net/617/470x275x0c39dbf8f74edc347df1bacc6085323d.jpg.pagespeed.ic.l74hKdzZaa.jpg 

(Malaysiakini) - There are at least 28,593 voters of foreign origin on the electoral roll, most of them concentrated in the hot states of Selangor and Sabah, said the Malaysian Electoral Roll Analysis Project (Merap). This is the sum of all persons who have registered as voters in the 2012 fourth quarter electoral roll, and had identified themselves as from one of four countries in the registration forms.

These Bangladesh, Philippines, Indonesia, and Pakistan - all which are main sources of migrant labour for Malaysia.

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Sabah has the most, with 55.6 percent, while Selangor has 15.1 percent.

The other states have a much lower proportion, ranging from 6.2 percent in Kuala Lumpur to 0.1 percent in Putrajaya.

Sabah's neighbour Sarawak has only 1.1 percent of such voters.

NONE"Very surprisingly, when you look at their (MyKad) numbers, most of them (80 percent) are given the Malaysian 'state code', meaning that according to the document, they were born in Malaysia," said Merap research assistant Lee Wee Tak (right).

"Unsurprisingly, the bulk of these carry the state code of Sabah, meaning that these Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, and Indonesians were all born in Sabah.

Read more at: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/227757 

 

Redberry takes over The Malaysian Insider?

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 10:48 PM PDT

http://sicampasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Redberry_logo-e1349702530974-300x85.jpg 

(fz.com) - Redberry Media group is a subsidiary of listed Ancom Berhad  with Datuk Siew Ka Wei  as its group managing director and chief operating officer, while Datuk Johari Razak is a non-Independent and non-executive chairman on the company's board. Johari is the elder brother of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The Redberry Media Group is understood to have become a major shareholder of popular news portal The Malaysian Insider. 

The announcement of the deal is expected after the general election.
 
Sources within Redberry have confirmed that the deal has already been concluded and it is part of the group's plan to expand its media empire.
 
However, employees from both Redberry and The Malaysian Insider have been told to be tight-lipped regarding the takeover.
 
When contacted, The Malaysian Insider's executive editor Leslie Lau denied that the news portal has been sold to Redberry.
 
The Malaysian Insider staff have been briefed on a new management and are expected to move into Redberry City together with the group's paper, The Malay Mail by July. 

The group is also considering if it will continue its deal for syndicated content from Malaysiakini, rival to The Malaysian Insider, for The Malay Mail.

Read more at: http://fz.com/content/redberry-takes-over-malaysian-insider 

Credible BN rebels can still help Pakatan run Putrajaya, says Rafizi

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 10:25 PM PDT

Clara Chooi, TMI

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will offer roles to credible Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders who turned rogue this general election to help carry out its reform agenda and forge a "national reconciliation" process, PKR's Rafizi Ramli said today.

The party strategy director cited examples like the MCA's Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and Umno's Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim, saying both leaders were credible in their own right and had abilities that PR may need to drive its policies forward.

"If we were to win, the task of carrying out reforms and to forge national reconciliation for both BN and PR parties is going to be humongous.

"We cannot continue with the political contest after the elections. If we win, it is our wish to hit the ground running and we need all support, including from the good politicians in BN.

"We need them to convince everyone to put aside partisan politics and focus on reforms," he told a press conference here.

Rafizi (picture), however, said he was in no position to state what kind of role or position PR could offer to these rebels from BN parties, but said that in any respected government, even these politicians should have opportunities to share in the process of democracy.

"Leaders like Kamilia and Ong Tee Keat... they are high standing, formidable, respected... and they are clean.

"They are part of the hope that even after losing, BN can continue to play the role of a formidable and competent opposition," he said.

The "last thing" that PR would want, Rafizi added, was for BN to implode and destroy itself should it lose federal power.

He said both coalitions, PR and BN, must co-exist for the sake of pushing through non-partisan policies and create a healthy democratic environment in the government.

READ MORE HERE

 

Media shocked over death of RTM cameraman

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 10:10 PM PDT

(Bernama) - The National Press Club (NPC) Malaysia today expressed shock over the death of a Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) cameraman following a scuffle with a political party supporter in Gua Musang.

Its president, Mokhtar Hussain, said it was sad that a journalist had to pay with his life during the ongoing campaign for the 13th General Election.

The cameraman, Mohamed Yaakub, 61, died of a heart attack at his home in Bandar Lama in Gua Musang at 12.45 am.

He had earlier been involved in a scuffle with a political party supporter whose car had blocked the path to his house, located close to a PAS base.

Mokhtar said that all parties involved in the election campaign should keep their emotions in check and not vent their anger on others, including journalists.

In KOTA BAHARU, the Kelantan Media Club expressed its concern over the incident.

Its president, Anwar Aminuddin Hussin, called for an investigation, saying that the assault of a journalist which resulted in his death was a serious matter.

In KUALA TERENGGANU, the Terengganu Journalists Club (Kawat) said such an incident should not have happened.

Its president, Ayob Mamat, advised all media practitioners to exercise caution when covering the general election campaign.


PAS: We’ll teach Ibrahim Ali a lesson

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 08:56 PM PDT

Ibrahim Ali convinced Che Johan, who is his prodigy, to quit the race knowing that the latter would face the wrath of Umno 

Hawkeye, FMT

PASIR MAS: Kelantan PAS has vowed to end the political career of maverick politician Ibrahim Ali during the 13th general election.

Accusing Ibrahim of being a "backstabber", state PAS deputy commissioner Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said that this will be Ibrahim's last outing.

Ibrahim had contested on a PAS ticket in the 2008 general election. But within three months he had started criticising the party.

Nik Amar said it became obvious to many that Ibrahim had just used PAS for his own personal agenda.

"This time PAS will teach him a lesson. We will reclaim back the seat," Nik Amar said.

According to Nik Amar, Ibrahim cannot win on his own strength in Pasir Mas although he regarded the constituency as his personal stronghold.

Ibrahim is up against PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's son, Nik Abduh in a straight fight after Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Che Johan Che Pa failed to file his nomination papers on April 20.

'Be lenient on Che Johan'

The battle for the Pasir Mas seat is expected to be a battle royale.

Similar fights will take place for the Kota Baru parliamentary seats between BN's Mohd Fatmi Che Salleh who is one of Najib Tun Razak's political secretary and Takiyuddin Hassan who is PAS deputy secretary general.

While, Che Johan faces Umno's disciplinary czars for his unsung action, Ibrahim has called on his former party to be lenient on him.

Ibrahim claimed that Che Johan had resorted to such a tactic to ensure that the seat did not easily go to PAS.

In Kelantan, where PAS has an edge compared to BN because it has been in power for 22-years, every seat and vote counts.

Nik Abduh's setback in Pasir Mas is that he is not a local candidate.

When introducing Nik Abduh to the constituents earlier, Pasir Mas area head Hanipa Ahmad said the 13th general election is a "payback time" for PAS.

Hanipa said in the last election Ibrahim's victory was due to the efforts of the PAS grassroots.

"But now he has become a turncoat and probably associated with BN," he said.

READ MORE HERE

 

Despite Zul factor, MIC division backs BN

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 04:59 PM PDT

The Shah Alam MIC division will work on the ground for BN, not because of Zulkifli Noordin but for Najib Tun Razak.

B Nantha Kumar, FMT

Shah Alam MIC division chairman K Suppaiah today pledged to support Barisan Nasional despite Indians being upset over the choice of candidate for the parliament seat, Zukifli Noordin.

"We are working on the ground not for Zulkifli but for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's leadership," he told FMT.

Suppaiah said that although MIC and other BN-friendly Indian-based parties supported Najib's administration, the decision to support Zulkifli is still in the hands of the Indian community.

"From the beginning, we (Shah Alam MIC division) tried to avoid Zulkifli from contesting in our constituency. We even sent a letter to the PM's Office as well as to the MIC national body.

"However, the PM already made his decision and MIC's top leadership instructed us to support the PM's choice of candidate," he added.

He also pointed out that PM personally promised him to build a hall for the Indian community in Shah Alam and to allocate RM1 million for a local temple.

"Thus, we are not concerned about Zulkifli as we have direct access to the Prime Minister's Office," he added.

The division chairman also said that he was not surprised that his division vice-chairman had quit from MIC as a sign of protest against Zulkifli's candidacy.

"It is his own decision which does not reflect the division's stand," he added.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (MIPAS) was disappointed with Najib 's decision to defend Zulkifli's candidacy.

Najib had asked the Indian community to forgive the Perkasa leader for insulting the Hindu religion.

MIPAS leader S Barathidasan said a mere apology from Zulkifli would not suffice.

"We want police to investigate Perkasa for causing disharmony, feelings of hostility and hatred among religions," he added.

READ MORE HERE

 

Najib’s job expected to be safe even if BN does not improve in GE13

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 03:46 PM PDT

(TMI) - Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 2009 move to open up Umno's leadership selection will likely secure his future as prime minister even if Barisan Nasional (BN) fails to do better in the May 5 general election, Bloomberg reported today.

The rule change, aimed to stop any one Umno leader from buying votes to boost support within the party, increased by 60-fold the pool of members in choosing their head.

It also allows the 59-year-old to bypass any party insiders who seek his ouster if the 13-party BN wins by a narrower margin in Election 2013, the international business news wire reported, citing analysts and Umno politicians.

"Because of the opening up of the party election process to a larger number of voters, the personal popularity of a particular candidate becomes even more influential," Joseph Chinyong Liow was quoted as saying.

"This might translate into support within Umno if his position is under threat," the associate dean of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore told Bloomberg.

Najib's predecessor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was pressured into resigning from office following the BN's dismal showing in the 2008 polls which lost the ruling coalition its two-thirds parliamentary supermajority and five states.

Najib's deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, had started the move against Abdullah, Bloomberg reported Umno supreme council member Saifuddin Abdullah as saying. 

But the deputy minister of higher education was also reported as saying Muhyiddin was unlikely to repeat the ouster move as Najib's position is stronger than Abdullah's.

READ MORE HERE

 

Mat Taib: Umno has lost its potency, Pakatan better

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 03:30 PM PDT

Earlier, Muhammad spoke of his dream of seeing Shah Alam as the only Malay city in the world, but lamented its lack of spiritual character, calling it his failed ambition.

Zurairi AR and Md, Izwan, TMI

Hours after officially joining PAS, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib went on the campaign trail last night and said he had jumped parties because Umno had lost its potency to work for the people.

Standing right in the middle of the state capital that he helped develop, the former Selangor mentri besar said PAS could help make his vision of Shah Alam as the crown jewel city of Malay and Muslim culture come true.

"It is time ... Umno has lost its potency," Muhammad said as he joined Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders on stage in the rally in Shah Alam.

"I believe PR has the ability, and it can carry on the continuity of BN's rule to a higher level," he added to cheers from the predominantly Malay crowd.

The former Umno strongman, popularly known as Mat Taib, appeared nervous in front of the crowd last night, his first public appearance after losing his Cabinet post in a 2009 reshuffle by Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Muhammad was not spared from being teased for his former affiliation as PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu mentioned jokingly Umno and BN's misdeeds during his time in the ruling coalition.

Earlier, Muhammad spoke of his dream of seeing Shah Alam as the only Malay city in the world, but lamented its lack of spiritual character, calling it his failed ambition.

He described Islam as a "religion of cities", a point that was also made by PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa in his campaign to capture the administrative capital Putrajaya.

READ MORE HERE

 

In GE13, Indian votes remain up for grabs, say analysts

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 02:55 PM PDT

Jahabar Sadiq, TMI

Malaysia's significant Indian community remains a key demographic in Election 2013, with analysts saying Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) are in a tight race to get the better part of their nearly one million votes.

More Indians are likely to vote for BN this time compared to 2008, analysts said, with 52 per cent of Indians surveyed in favour of the ruling BN in a private poll taken by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research before Parliament was dissolved last month.

"BN shouldn't take the Indian vote for granted though," Merdeka Center executive director Ibrahim Suffian told The Malaysian Insider, adding the survey was done before BN named controversial Malay rights campaigner Datuk Zulkifli Noordin as its election candidate.

The Malay rights group Perkasa vice-president had courted protest over remarks made in a video clip that were seen as insulting to the Hindu religion. He has apologised for the remarks, blaming it on his former colleagues in Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak defended Zulkifli's candidacy for the Shah Alam federal seat, saying yesterday the lawyer had championed Indian issues such as the construction of a Tamil school and a Hindu temple in the mainly middle-class Selangor state capital.

Zulkifli's candidacy has outraged a number of groups, including Najib's Umno ally MIC, the Indian party in BN but he remains on the ruling party's slate for the May 5 general election.

"The opposition Indian parties are weak, and exploitation of Zulkifli's candidacy has been poor unlike that done by the civil service organisations," said Ibrahim.

The pollster also noted that BN has worked on various initiatives to get the Indian vote that deserted the coalition in the 2008 general election after a rare protest about their social and economic plight was violently put down.

Several leaders of the protest organisers Hindraf were detained without trial in the aftermath of the 2007 protest. But all have been released and a few are now with BN in Election 2013, including Hindraf leader P. Waythamoorthy who signed a pact with Najib several days ago to improve the community's conditions.

"BN has been working harder for the Indian vote, unlike Pakatan which has been battling the past few years to get the Malay ground," said Ibrahim, explaining BN's slight edge in the survey.

Bersih co-chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, who has toured the country and met a fair number of the community, also said the Indian vote is not guaranteed for either side in Election 2013.

"I don't think any side should take the Indian vote for granted," she told The Malaysian Insider when commenting on the Merdeka Center poll results.

"I don't think the Indians are a fixed deposit. I know Bersih gets a lot of support from the Indians because they are more empowered," she added, referring to the movement for clean and fair elections by its acronym.

READ MORE HERE

 

Manchester United become Premier League champions after beating Aston Villa

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 02:33 PM PDT

At the final whistle, as Manchester United's victorious players celebrated on the pitch, Rio Ferdinand ran across to Robin van Persie and turned the Dutchman around so his back pointed to a television camera. Ferdinand grabbed the striker's shirt by the sides, stretching it so the number filled the lens: No 20.

(The Telegraph) - United's 20th title was settled by the unerring finishing of Van Persie, whose first-half appropriation of the match-ball took him to 24 goals in the Premier League. Sir Alex Ferguson kept his promise to respond to Sergio Agüero's last-minute goal for Manchester City against QPR that defined last season's race.

He bought the Footballer of the Year for £24 million from Arsenal, a guaranteed source of goals, the most precious currency in the game. It was the move that decided the title.

It will be with a broad smile that Van Persie returns to the Emirates next Sunday, when Arsenal players are expected to form a guard of honour for the new champions. Later that evening in London, in elegant surroundings on Park Lane, the PFA will announce their Player of the Year.

It could be Gareth Bale. It should be Van Persie. Voting for the football writers' Footballer of the Year opened yesterday and Van Persie could pip the popular Bale for the award.

United's striker has combined a successful pursuit of the title with individual brilliance. He was sensational for 33 minutes as United tore Villa apart.

Van Persie's first arrived in the second minute, created by Wayne Rooney with a sweeping pass from his central midfield role to Antonio Valencia on the right. The winger was offside but the assistant referee, so close he could almost have touched Valencia, somehow did not see the offence.

Valencia dummied this way and that, looking to wrong-foot Joe Bennett, before cutting the ball back to Rafael. The Brazilian crossed deep to the far-post, where Ryan Giggs turned the ball back across for Van Persie to poach his first.

Rafael hit a post, Christian Benteke almost equalised before the Van Persie Show soon resumed. Rooney again played a part in the creative work, this time a particularly magnificent part. Rooney was enjoying a ludicrous amount of space in midfield, as if Fabian Delph and Ashley Westwood were too in awe to get close.

Rooney simply drilled the ball through for Van Persie, whose response from the edge of the area was breathtaking. Images from the history book of great goals filtered through. Never taking his eyes off the incoming delivery, echoing Paul Gascoigne against Scotland at euro 96, the Dutchman met it with a left-footed volley that flew past Brad Guzan.

"That's why we're champions" chanted the Stretford End. Why? Partly because of Rooney's technique, vision and willingness to play anywhere for the team. He was occasionally careless in possession, and Ferguson was out of the dugout to gesture disapproval, but Rooney has contributed considerably to United's title campaign; his 12 goals included important ones against City.

But it was the finish of Van Persie that gave such thrilling substance to United chants. It was a volley worthy of comparison with the best in the game, not in the class of his compatriot Marco van Basten in the euro 88 final, but carrying shades of Zinedine Zidane's Champions League final strike for Real Madrid against Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park in 2002.

It was the type of clinical finish that City's manager, Roberto Mancini, had hoped to bring to the Etihad. Mancini was deeply frustrated at the club's failure to seal a deal for Van Persie last summer. United will be favourites next season, but City and others will surely react.

City will invest again, probably in another centreforward. Chelsea's trident of Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar will be even more of a force. Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur will also play a part, perhaps not in the decisive stages, but definitely in certain matches.

If there can be legitimate debates about whether Ferguson's best starting XI now can compare with those of the Treble in 1999 and the 1994 Double-winners, there can be no doubt that this squad is one of his deepest.

No Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand? Phil Jones and Jonny Evans step in at centre half. Jones proved what a powerful figure he will be in United's future. Evans has done well this season. To his right, Rafael has matured markedly, shedding some of his puppyish indiscipline.

The youngsters giving Ferguson so much confidence for the years ahead shared a pitch with the 39-year-old Ryan Giggs. Even at 2-0, Giggs was fighting as hard for his 13th title as a teenager hunting a first contract.

That example inspires all, reminding them of the demands of being a United player.

New signings such as Shinji Kagawa quickly become acquainted with the standards required. The Japanese international has contributed this season, showing his class against the likes of Fulham and West Ham, and was involved with Giggs in creating Van Persie's third. On receiving the ball, Van Persie calmly dribbled past Guzan and shot past Ron Vlaar. "Champions, champions,'' was now the United song of choice.

Van Persie's 24th league goal of the season puts him in pole position for the Golden Boot, with second-placed Luis Suárez, who has 23, unlikely to play again this season because of an anticipated FA ban.

As Villa fans chanted: "We're going to win 4-3,'' Paul Lambert made a good change at the break. He inserted Karim El Ahmadi in midfield and removed Charles N'Zogbia. It gave Villa some control in the centre.

Even when Villa thought they had scored through Andreas Weimann, Van Persie cleared off the line.

Another reason behind United's title could be found in their technical area, in the sight of Ferguson standing there. Leading 3-0, and with the league sealed, Ferguson was still furious at any little mistakes. He will doubtless be in at Carrington early today, plotting for next season. It is the failed title attempts that stay with Ferguson, driving him on, rather than the memory of the many glorious times.

El Ahmadi attempted to give Villa some hope with a strong shot that De Gea tipped over. The young Spaniard has been criticised earlier this season, notably for a moment of hesitancy at White Hart Lane, but this save was another reminder of his capabilities. Soon the final whistle came and the cameras were focusing on Van Persie, on No 20.

 

Islamic City Council Ban Female Flatulence in Indonesia

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:59 PM PDT

http://wadiyan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Fart-banned-801x1024.jpg 

(The Wadiyan) - An Islamic city council in the Indonesian province of Aceh, which follows Sharia, has banned female citizens from passing gas.

Sayyid Yahia, mayor of the city, told media that a ban was needed, as farting does not go well with the Islamic values of modesty. "Muslim women are not allowed to fart with sound, it's against Islamic teachings," he said. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Feminists Association told local media they will attempt to block the smelly law as they deem it discriminatory.

Talking to The Wadiyan, mayor Sayyid Yahia said the law aims to save people's morals and behaviors. "When you see woman fart loud, she appears like a man. But if she sit sideways and pass it quietly, she looks like a woman," Sayyid said.

Although the proposed law does not ban "quiet fart," passing gas with sound is actually not uncommon in Southeast Asia, particularly for women consuming potatoes and peas. Obviously, women maintain that they feel healthier, farting loud. Fathima Khan, a medical doctor at the Al Banni Islamic Hospital in Aceh's capital is critical of the proposed law: "There is no need to question this practice, let alone regulate it, because people do it for their health and safety," she said.

The mayor declined to give The Wadiyan details of what the punishment would be for violators. While another member at the City council, who wished not to be named, said if convicted by the sharia court, the offender could receive 20 lashes for small farts and up to 3 months prison time for larger ones.

Read more at: http://wadiyan.com/2013/03/08/islamic-city-council-bans-female-flatulence-in-indonesia/ 

 

 

BN’s pledge: No more dry taps

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:18 PM PDT

http://w1.nst.com.my/polopoly_fs/1.262138.1366653107!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_454/image.jpg 

(NST) - PEOPLE FIRST: Najib vows to resolve Selangor's water crisis if coalition regains control of state

SHAH ALAM: PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak delivered a strong message during his gruelling 12-hour campaign in Selangor yesterday: the taps will not run dry if Barisan Nasional regains power there.

The previous state government was more interested in taking over the water firms than resolving the shortage of clean water, which was the people's basic need, he said.

Selangor was too important to remain in the opposition's hand since it accounted for 60 per cent of the country's gross domestic product, Najib said at a meet-the-people session in Taman Sri Muda, one of his many stops during his tour of five parliamentary constituencies.

"If Selangor's development is stunted, then the national transformation policy will fail," said Najib, who is also the national and Selangor BN chairman.

He began his tour in Bandar Baru Selayang, before moving by campaign bus to Taman Greenwood, Taman Melawati, Kota Raja, Shah Alam and Sungai Buloh. Besides visiting BN operations centres, he went on walkabouts by mingling with residents.

During the stops, he listened to the issues raised by the people. Water, lack of parking space, uncollected rubbish and poor maintenance of public housing were the most common problems facing residents.

Najib said a Pakatan state government would result only in conflicting policies and indecision on Federal Government-linked projects.

"If Selangor is under Pakatan and the Federal Government is under BN, there will be many problems."

Najib also took the state government to task for having its priorities wrong.

Instead of finding a solution to the water problems in the state, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, "they were more concerned about taking over the state's water concessionaires."

"Their focus is off and they have the wrong priority. Therefore, they are not the party that deserves the people's support," he said, adding that should BN come into power in Selangor, the state government would ensure a continuous water supply.

Selangor is the launching pad for Najib's election campaign, which officially entered the third day yesterday. He was in Selangor on Saturday night to join 60,000 people at a grand dinner in Westport, Port Klang.

He started his tour yesterday with a nasi lemak breakfast in Bandar Baru Selayang, arriving on a bus bearing the inspirational phrase "Menepati Janji Membawa Harapan" (Promises Fulfilled, Giving Hope).

Clad in a dark blue shirt and a white cap, he spent about 45 minutes visiting shophouses and mingling with the large crowd that had gathered.

He proceeded to Taman Melawati for another meet-the-people session and had lunch at the famous Nasi Ayam Hainam stall, before heading for Kota Raja, Shah Alam and Sungai Buloh.

 

Nusajaya’s better roads might not lead to BN victory in Gelang Patah

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 11:59 AM PDT

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6343/ifd1y.jpg 

(Today Online) - "The roads are better, many new houses, but my life (is) still the same ... just everything (is) more expensive." 

The sights in Nusajaya, Johor's new state administrative capital, encapsulate one of the major issues dividing loyalties among Gelang Patah voters, who in 12 days will decide how the most closely watched battle in Malaysia's 13th General Election plays out.

Nusajaya is a key component of Iskandar Malaysia — which has attracted substantial investments from Singapore companies — and falls within the electoral boundaries of Gelang Patah.

The smooth and spacious expressways there — rare in most other parts of Johor — represent compelling reasons to allow the Barisan Nasional (BN) to continue its work, some say. Those in the opposing camp, however, point to the billboards along the expressways touting new residential projects and question if the progress has benefitted Malaysians or has merely jacked up their living costs.

And away from the buzz generated by the high profile match-up in Gelang Patah between Mr Abdul Ghani Othman, 67, who was Johor's Chief Minister for 18 years, and Democratic Action Party stalwart Lim Kit Siang, 72, residents cite the cost of living, security and education as issues that need to be addressed.

Ms Noori Ahmad, 29, a store assistant, said: "The roads are better, many new houses, but my life (is) still the same ... just everything (is) more expensive."

Mr Chee Kim Soo, 56, who owns a provision shop at Jalan Kacang Panjang — an old, quaint village that has been a cornerstone of support for the BN coalition — acknowledged that "life is getting harder". He claimed that his utility bills and property tax have nearly doubled compared to just before the 2008 polls.

Iskandar's success has resulted in the creation of thousands of jobs. There have also been other positive knock-on effects such as safer streets due to the authorities' efforts to woo foreign investors. On the flipside, however, are rising costs and growing inequality, some Gelang Patah residents said.

Cabby Lee Hock Kheng, 55, said: "The place is still cheap but they make it safer, so many rich people want to come here. But how many ordinary Malaysians can afford those houses?"

Read more at: http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/nusajayas-better-roads-might-not-lead-bn-victory-gelang-patah 

 

No business as usual if opposition wins Johor: Anwar

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 11:56 AM PDT

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(Today Online) - Mr Anwar said businesses in Iskandar will have to be "more transparent" and the opposition will "generate interest and participation (in the commercial projects) for the locals". 

Responding to remarks from the Barisan Nasional (BN) camp that the opposition will stymie the progress of the Iskandar region if Johor falls into opposition hands, Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim yesterday dismissed these as scaremongering attempts and reiterated that the opposition wants the Malaysian economy to continue to grow and commitments would be honoured.

However, he said "investors, including (those) from Singapore, cannot assume that business must be as usual" should the special economic zone come under opposition rule. Among other things, he wants more opportunities for Malaysians. Speaking to TODAY while campaigning in Selangor, Mr Anwar said: "The politics of fear is always a tactic of the ruling establishment. Of course, our concern is that the economy continues to grow (and) whatever commitments were given have to be honoured."

Nevertheless, should the opposition win Johor, there will be changes in policies. Mr Anwar said businesses in Iskandar will have to be "more transparent" and the opposition will "generate interest and participation (in the commercial projects) for the locals".

"These are issues which will not in any way hinder investment or development," he said.

Iskandar Malaysia was developed in 2006, and Singapore is the largest single foreign investor there.

According to statistics from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, Singapore companies have set up more than 300 manufacturing projects there so far. Some Singapore companies have reportedly said that they will adopt a wait-and-see attitude in investing in the Iskandar region, with the elections underway.

Johor is known as a BN fortress. Going into the elections, the ruling coalition held 25 out of 26 parliamentary seats, and 50 out of 56 state seats. But political analysts have said that the opposition could make deeper inroads given the political developments since the last general election in 2008.

In recent weeks, UDA Holdings Chairman Nur Jazlan Mohamed and Malaysian Chinese Association president Chua Soi Lek have warned Johorians that investments worth billions of ringgit received by the Iskandar region and Johor would be stopped if the opposition is voted in.

Read more at: http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/no-business-usual-if-opposition-wins-johor-anwar 

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

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Malaysia Needs to Get Off the Road to Mediocrity

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 10:54 PM PDT

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Change through the ballot box in a democracy should never be disruptive or chaotic, and rhetoric suggesting otherwise is disingenuous. Najib likes to say: "The time has come for Malaysians to make a decision." Actually, the time has come for Malaysia's government to grow up. 

William Pesek, Bloomberg 

In his bid for re-election, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has dispensed with all shame. Vote for me, he has essentially declared, or Malaysia will suffer "catastrophic ruin" and an "Arab Winter" of the kind that has undone economies from Egypt to Libya.

Both warnings are ludicrous -- signs of how worried Najib's National Front coalition is of losing power for the first time since 1957. They speak to the desperation of a government that has come to serve itself, not Malaysia's 29 million people. And they are emblematic of a leader whose talk of bold change hasn't been matched by action.

Najib's claim is this: Giving the opposition, led by former Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim, a chance to lead on May 5 would reverse all the gains Malaysia has made since the 2008 financial crisis. The economy would crater, stocks and the currency would plunge, and chaos would reign.

Change through the ballot box in a democracy should never be disruptive or chaotic, and rhetoric suggesting otherwise is disingenuous. Najib likes to say: "The time has come for Malaysians to make a decision." Actually, the time has come for Malaysia's government to grow up.

Najib's scaremongering, some of which came out of an April 17 Bloomberg News interview, smacks of the re-election campaign run almost a decade ago by then U.S. President George W. Bush. Instead of this vote-for-me-or-you're-in-danger appeal, Najib should scare up some headline-grabbing reforms that leave Malaysia better off in the future.

Read more at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-23/malaysia-needs-to-get-off-the-road-to-mediocrity.html 

Najib Picks Race-baiting Candidates for Malaysia Poll

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:10 PM PDT

Decision further indicates abandonment of multiracial political coalition

"Maybe Mahathir didn't tell Najib directly, but the message was clear, and having seen what he did to Badawi, Najib didn't want to clash with him," a well-wired political source said. Ibrahim Ali will contest a seat in Kelantan, a largely mountainous state dominated by rural Malays. Zulkifli was picked to run in Shah Alam, a Kuala Lumpur suburb.

John Berthelsen, Asia Sentinel 

The extent to which the United Malays National Organization has abandoned Malaysia's historic multiracial governance is exemplified by last Saturday's naming of flamethrowing Malay nationalists Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Noordin as parliamentary candidates in the upcoming May 5 election.

In addition, UMNO has "borrowed" at least five parliamentary seats from the faltering Malaysian Chinese Association, the second-biggest party in the Barisan Nasional, or ruling coalition, and filled them with candidates picked by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

"We have taken back many seats from the MCA," said an UMNO source. "A lot of MCA seats were actually UMNO seats in the first place as Malay majority areas but in the spirit of cooperation we gave them the seats. Now we take them back." 

The decision for UMNO to basically go it alone is viewed as ominous for the country by political analysts in Kuala Lumpur, who say that if, as expected, the party pulls out a victory in the 13th general election, they fear that it consigns the ethnic minority Chinese and Indian populations, who make up 22.9 percent and 7.1 percent of the country's population respectively, to powerlessness in government and society. Ethnic Malays make up 60.1 percent according to the 2010 census. 

Ibrahim and Zulkifli are the president and vice president respectively of Perkasa, a conservative, extreme-right Malay superiority organization that got its start after the country's 2008 electoral debacle that cost the Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat, or Parliament. It has the backing of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who urged that the two be named candidates.

Mahathir has become increasingly strident over protecting the status of ethnic Malays in Malaysian society despite Najib's continued stressing of Malaysia's composition as a moderate multiracial country. The naming of the two Perkasa leaders as candidates is a clear demonstration of Mahathir's continuing clout despite having left power a decade ago, in 2003. After bequeathing the premiership to his chosen candidate, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Mahathir turned on Badawi after the 2008 election and played a major role in driving him from power so that Najib Tun Razak could take over. 

"Maybe Mahathir didn't tell Najib directly, but the message was clear, and having seen what he did to Badawi, Najib didn't want to clash with him," a well-wired political source said. Ibrahim Ali will contest a seat in Kelantan, a largely mountainous state dominated by rural Malays. Zulkifli was picked to run in Shah Alam, a Kuala Lumpur suburb.

Read more at: http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5355&Itemid=178 

 

BN’s costly early errors

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:04 PM PDT

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This article takes a look at the major events that have arisen since the dissolution of Parliament.

There are four main issues in the political campaign: Barisan Nasional's dirty tactics, clean governance, Pakatan Rakyat's unity, and Pakatan's readiness to govern.

Galvin Wong, FMT

After the dissolution of Parliament, Malaysian politics characteristically burst into life with a flurry of activities last week.

The release of a sex video, the launching of manifestos and announcement of candidates from both sides of the political divide as well as a last-minute controversial announcement from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) concerning DAP's leadership election culminated in a nomination day that saw scores of Independents putting themselves forward as candidates.

The recent frenzied state of activity is the result of an increase in politicisation of an already highly politicised environment.

This being the last stage of the fight, political parties are battling to highlight weaknesses of their opponents in order to gain crucial momentum that will build towards increasing their support among the public.

This article takes a look at the major events that have arisen since the dissolution of Parliament. It highlights the issues that surround these events and analyses its political impact on the electorate.

There are four main issues in the political campaign: Barisan Nasional's dirty tactics, clean governance, Pakatan Rakyat's unity, and Pakatan's readiness to govern.

These four issues have been the focus of events that have happened recently. However, unlike previous engagements where BN and Pakatan have both come out winners, the outcome of these recent events have clearly benefited Pakatan. We shall analyse each issue accordingly.

Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/04/23/bn%E2%80%99s-costly-early-errors/ 

 

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