Ahad, 25 Ogos 2013

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Posted: 24 Aug 2013 04:41 PM PDT

"I have a few hats to wear – politician, social worker, lawyer. But I am a lawyer first above everything else, even above my political party. Upholding the law is the most important thing to me and that is why I am vocal, even if it goes against the grain of my party's struggle," he said when asked about the strong opinions about him.

Razak Ahmad, The Star

Those who expect Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz to mellow out will be disappointed.

The Tourism and Culture Minister has been in politics for 35 years and he has a reputation for being vocal. The Umno leader would occasionally air views that go against the grain of conventional thinking, either within his party or the Government.

But despite the recent controversy which erupted after he appointed his son as his special officer, Nazri, in a recent interview, said he would remain as outspoken as ever.

"If I have done something wrong, I will apologise but if I know that my stand is a principled stand, I will hold my ground, no matter what people say about me," Nazri said.

The incident has inflamed some of his critics who, over the years, have accused him of going overboard in voicing controversial opinions.

"I have a few hats to wear – politician, social worker, lawyer. But I am a lawyer first above everything else, even above my political party.

"Upholding the law is the most important thing to me and that is why I am vocal, even if it goes against the grain of my party's struggle," he said when asked about the strong opinions about him.

Views about him among Umno members and supporters are also mixed. Some feel that he is a maverick while his critics say he is kurang ajar (insolent) and have not forgiven him for crossing swords with people whom, they say, he has no right to question, namely Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"It is principles and nothing personal. I debate and argue with a clear mind," said Nazri when asked about the former prime minister.

"When I was the minister in charge of parliamentary affairs, I would argue with the Opposition all the time but I also get along with many of their MPs because they knew it was not personal."

He attributes his outspokenness to his father Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yeop.

Abdul Aziz studied law in Britain and later became one of Malaysia's leading public servants, holding positions including as high commissioner to Britain and secretary-general to the Education Ministry.

"My late father was a lawyer who instilled in me the importance of having a strong conviction and principled stand," he said.

Another trait he credits his father with is a strong faith in multi-culturalism.

"He mixed a lot with people from all races and this also moulded me to become a person some would probably consider unorthodox.

"To me, it's very simple. I am a Malay but if I want to do something for my race, it should not be a zero sum game whereby it is seen as being at the expense of another race. You love your race but, at the same time, it doesn't mean that you must hate the others," he said.

Love him or hate him, the fact is that Nazri is no newbie to politics. Appointed as an Umno Youth exco member in 1978 when he was just a 24-year-old fresh law graduate, Nazri gradually climbed up the party ranks in a political career that has spanned over three decades.

He has been on the Umno supreme council since 1990 and in 1993, became Umno Youth deputy chief.

To many of his supporters, peers and colleagues, he is known simply as "chief", a moniker he considers more than just a nickname but a term of endearment.

"When I was appointed as an Umno Youth exco member in 1978, I was neither a Datuk nor an elected representative, so many did not know what to call me.

"I was from the Malay College Kuala Kangsar and I was a ringleader among a group of friends. My old friend Datuk Naim Mohamad (currently the deputy president of the Malaysian National Cycling Federation) used to call me chief and somehow, the name stuck.

"To me, when someone calls me chief, it makes that person feels closer to me," he said.

In the Cabinet, Nazri has served as Entrepreneur Development Minister from 1999 to 2004 after which he served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department before being appointed as Tourism and Culture Minister following the last general election.

Nazri said that he was worried about the recent spate of shootings and crime as this could scare tourists away.

He said he was equally vocal in the Cabinet, voicing dissenting opinions which his colleagues sometimes disagreed with.

"My views are independent because I believe that what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong, so I will always tell it as it is," he said.

In Jho Low, magazine sees link between 1MDB and Mid East funds

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 04:04 PM PDT

Low is also believed to have been part of the 1 Malaysia Welfare Club that had funded a series of free dinners and events to help BN's ultimately unsuccessful effort to regain Penang from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat in the May 5 general election.

Zurairi AR, The Malay Mail

What a tangled web he weaves.

It is an intricate network of firms, directorships and partnerships with flamboyant tycoon Jho Low at its centre, but Focus Malaysia believes it has unravelled it to show the connection between local investment fund 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and its Middle East backers.

In a front-page story on the enigmatic Penang-born businessman, the business weekly sought to chart the link between 1MDB and Jynwel Capital Ltd, the flagship of the mogul believed to be behind Korean pop sensation Psy's appearance at the Barisan Nasional (BN) Chinese New Year open house in Penang earlier this year.

Low's part begins with the role he played in setting up the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), which was subsequently rebranded by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak as 1MDB in September 2009, to expand its operations to the federal level.

"I was involved in the setting up of TIA from January 2009 to mid-May 2009. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong was kind enough to ask me to assist, given my relationship with the Middle East and the insight I had on how they had set up their sovereign wealth funds," Low was quoted as saying by Focus, referring to Terengganu Ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.

Although Low did not expressly say, it is believed he was referring to his connection with Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Development Corp, which has since invested in several 1MDB projects.

Mubadala is the investment arm of Abu Dhabi, fully-owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates, with total assets valued at US$55 billion (RM181 billion), as of last year.

It has invested US$4 billion in the development of an aluminium plant that is part of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) project.

Its subsidiary, Mubadala Oil and Gas, has also signed a development and production sharing agreement with Malaysian government-linked oil and gas giant Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to operate an offshore block in Sarawak.

Low is linked with Mubadala through its subsidiary hospitality unit Viceroy Group of Hotels, of which he is a director.

Jynwel and Mubadala were also involved in Sony's US$2.2 billion takeover of international record label EMI Music Publishing in 2011.

Low now serves as EMI's non-executive chairman for Asia and a member of its advisory board.

The entrepreneur was also said to have influenced the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company to invest in Malaysia.

Despite his role in setting up TIA, 1MDB and Low have both denied his involvement in the investment arm.

"The role of Jho Low as far as 1MDB is concerned is zero," said 1MDB CEO Datuk Shahrol Halmi, denying that Low has received compensation for his previous role in the firm.

"I've heard talk that he is advising the government on Middle Eastern investors but it's not true. What he does is help promote Malaysia to investors."

The son of MWE Holdings Bhd's Datuk Larry Low previously caught the attention of the public with his lavish partying lifestyle, which included public outings with socialite Paris Hilton and R&B superstar Usher.

Aside from arranging for Psy to perform at the BN open house, Low had also brought in other stars such as US rappers Ludacris, Swizz Beatz, and Busta Rhymes as well as Hong Kong performers Leon Lai, George Lam and Alan Tham to a concert in George Town to promote the ruling coalition's campaign.

Low is also believed to have been part of the 1 Malaysia Welfare Club that had funded a series of free dinners and events to help BN's ultimately unsuccessful effort to regain Penang from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat in the May 5 general election.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Quality in national schools should be addressed first, says Saifuddin Abdullah
Nurul Izzah: Squabbles, failure to ring voters’ bell cost Pakatan
Stay united to stop spread of Syiah teachings, Muslims told
A-G to look into birth cert woes of illegitimate Muslim children
Quit if you think you are right, Karpal tells Waythamoorthy
Nazri: Malay rights not ‘zero sum game’
Utusan slams Chinese food hub project, says Jalan Alor already like Hong Kong
Another minister tells Waytha to go if he can’t toe the line
‘Election Court handling of Tapah petition absurd’
Customs officer’s murder related to car smuggling in Langkawi, says son

Quality in national schools should be addressed first, says Saifuddin Abdullah

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 04:03 PM PDT

Saifuddin Abdullah

(The Star) - An estimated 80,000 non-chinese students are studying in Chinese schools in the country.

While a single education system might be an ideal situation, the problem of quality in national schools should be addressed first said Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

"Unity is important and education is an important platform is fostering it among young people, but we should get out priorities right. The quality of schools has to be improved," said the Umno supreme council member on Sunday.

He was responding to a question about whether abolishing vernacular schools would be good for unity at the 7th Annual Malaysian Student Leaders Summit Sunday morning.

He believed that many parents sent their children to Chinese vernacular schools because of their prowess in Mathematics and Science.

"There is a push and pull factor why non-Malay parents don't send their children to national schools. It's mainly about quality," he said adding that even Malay parents are sending their children to Chinese schools.

An estimated 80,000 non-chinese students are studying in Chinese schools in the country.

He also believed that many national schools are becoming like sekolah agama (religious schools).

"Even I as a Malay Muslim got that feeling. My standard three daughters were singled out because she was not wearing a baju kurung. There are all kinds of stories that make people believe this," he said.

He even said that many parents were sending their children to private religious schools, which he believed were more open and progressive than the national schools.

"The results in these schools are good and they are more active in co-curricular activities," he said.

Ideas CEO Wan Saiful Wan Jan said that people should be given a choice of schools they would like to attend.

"I strongly believe in the need for choice. In having that choice, we have to make sure that we do not become divided," he said.

Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong said that people should come out from the mindset that education is the only avenue of fostering unity.

Nurul Izzah: Squabbles, failure to ring voters’ bell cost Pakatan

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 04:01 PM PDT

(MM) - Failure to resonate with voters and a perception of disunity contributed to Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) loss in Election 2013, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar told a forum here last night.

Made up of three parties with different ideologies and membership bases ― PKR, PAS and DAP ― PR did not present a unified front to convince Malay voters that it was capable of caring for their interests, Nurul Izzah suggested.

The pact also did not tailor its message in a manner the Malay voters could appreciate.

"You need effective communication. If we keep on using terms that Malays [do not find] relevant to their interests ... we will fail, we will not win, and we will not be able to secure their votes," Nurul Izzah told a forum organised by the PAS Research Centre here.

Nurul Izzah had earlier contrasted PR's approach towards voters with Barisan Nasional (BN), which she alleged had used racially-tinged language when courting the Malays.

In one example, the Lembah Pantai MP said the pact had championed "means-tested benefits" as an approach towards affirmative action, which entailed grading recipients for eligibility towards federal aid. Although more efficient and effective, she noted this might have been misconstrued by some voters as denying them of their "rights".

To illustrate her point, Nurul Izzah gave the example of the Republican party in the US, which has consistently garnered votes from the general American public despite not making minorities a priority, unlike their Democrat rivals.

Nurul Izzah's remark yesterday comes at a time when PR component parties are in an introspective mood, as they undergo post-mortems to ascertain the reason behind the pact's defeat in the May polls.

Despite PR winning the popular vote at 51.4 per cent over BN's 48.6 per cent, the country's first-past-the-post system and alleged malapportionment of constituencies meant the opposition coalition still failed to wrest control of the federal government from BN.

Last night, Nurul Izzah suggested that there might still be distrust among voters towards PR parties' ability to work with a united front, which had resulted in a split in the Malay vote.

"Actually, more than BN's racial politics, it was the issue of PR's unity," warned Izzah, as she explained that PR may have lost as much as 6 per cent of votes due to the perception.

"The majority of Malaysians support PR ... But they feel that PR is not as intact as BN."

She pointed out that there had been a number of contradicting statements made by PR leaders during the campaign period.

PR parties also failed to compromise fully on the placement of candidates, resulting in at least three-cornered fights against each other in several seats.

According to her, the same problem had also affected BN, which lost votes in Terengganu and Perlis state seats after internal squabbles between its leadership in both states.

Earlier, the Islamist party's Salahuddin Ayub spoke of the efforts PAS must now take to build on Election 2013.

In the 13th general election, BN fared worse than it did in 2008 and won just 133 seats in the 222-member Parliament, down from the 140 five years ago. This was also short of the 148 it had targeted in its bid to regain the two-thirds majority it lost in 2008.

PR took 89 seats, up seven from the 2008 election but still well short of unseating one of the world's longest-serving governments.

Stay united to stop spread of Syiah teachings, Muslims told

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 03:55 PM PDT

(Bernama) - All concerned parties must work together in combating the spread of Syiah teachings and not politicise the issue, urged the chairman of the Kedah Council of Regency, Tan Sri Tunku Annuar Sultan Badlishah.

He said the state government should also be firm in tackling the issue of Syiah teachings, which had been rejected by the National Fatwa Council and respective state fatwa committees.

"Malaysia is an Islamic country which practises the Sunnah Wal Jamaah teachings and any other teachings which are in conflict with 'hukum syarak" are prohibited," he said when opening the State Legislative Assembly sitting at Wisma Darul Aman, here, today.

Tunku Annuar said the responsibility of all quarters was significant in checking the spread of Syiah teachings and now was not the time to quarrel over the issue anymore.

"This issue must never be politicised and I urge all parties to be united in tackling it," he added.

Tunku Annuar said the government and opposition should know their own role in driving the transformation agenda so that the leadership responsibility was met, besides ensuring that all development programmes could be implemented smoothly.

"The question of history, sanctity of Islam, authority of institutions, sovereignty of the rulers and ethnic rights that are enshrined in the Federal Constitution and respective state constitutions should not be touched upon and debated," he said.

Tunku Annuar also expressed his hope of Kedah being developed into a Knowledge Valley.

He said this could be made possible with the opening of more branch campuses of public and private local and foreign universities.

"Educational development, however, will not be complete without information technology development, hence efforts to widen telecommunications coverage must be intensified.

"I hope that with cooperation between the federal and state governments, more 'digital villages' can also be developed and access to broadband facility increased," he said.

Tunku Annuar also reminded the Kedah government to ensure that physical development in the state be buttressed with the philosophy that material development must be accompanied by good morals, wisdom and strong religious faith of the people as well as the preservation of culture and heritage.

A-G to look into birth cert woes of illegitimate Muslim children

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 03:53 PM PDT

(The Star) - Currently, there are over 234,000 children who have "no-information" written in the space for their father's name in their birth certificate. Some 85,000 of them are Muslims.

There will be a solution to the issue of illegitimate Muslim children being denied the right to have their father's name recorded on their birth certificates, said Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail.

"I assure you that I will find a solution for this by next week. For me, registration is just registration. Fatwa cannot override the law if there is nothing wrong with the law. What you want ... what we all want is to help the child and, to me, a law is a law, just like how a rose is a rose," he said at the closing of the Forum on the Rights of Women and Children: A National Concern.

The forum, initiated by the Attor-ney-General's Chambers with the help of the Razak School of Govern-ment, was attended mainly by rights activists and scholars in the field.

Presently, the National Registration Department's (NRD) does not record the father's name if the Muslim child is born less than six months after marriage.

Instead, the NRD records tiada maklumat (no information) in the space where the father's name is supposed to be.

This, child activists argue, goes against articles 5 and 8 of the Federal Constitution, which gives a child the right to life, privacy, identity to equal treatment under the law and to non-discrimination.

Abdul Ghani's assurance was met with applause and cheers by the participants, many of whom have been lobbying for the NRD to change its stance on the matter.

He, however, urged the participants of the forum not to "make a big noise about it" as yet.

Currently, there are over 234,000 children who have "no-information" written in the space for their father's name in their birth certificate. Some 85,000 of them are Muslims.

For Muslims, the illegitimate children status is attributed to babies whose parents have not performed the akad nikah or to those born less than six months after the solemnisation.

However, under Civil Family Laws, non-muslim children who are born illegitimate can be made legitimate by the subsequent marriage of the parents.

Quit if you think you are right, Karpal tells Waythamoorthy

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 03:51 PM PDT

(TMI) - DAP chairman Karpal Singh has challenged P. Waythamoorthy to step down from his post as the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

According to The Star, Karpal said Waythamoorthy should resign in view of public interest.

"Since his stand is incongruous with that of police, I challenge him to step down from his ministerial post," said Karpal at a press conference in Air Itam yesterday.

He added that since Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had called for Waythamoorthy to quit, then Waythamoorthy, as a man of principle, should do just that.

Ahmad Zahid was reported to have said yesterday that Waythamoorthy should resign from his Cabinet position "if he wants to act like a representative of a non-governmental organisation".

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Nazri: Malay rights not ‘zero sum game’

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 03:48 PM PDT

Nazri credited his father, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yeop, for his strong faith in multi-culturalism. — Picture by Choo Choy May

(The Malay Mail) - Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz slammed Malay rights and supremacy activists today, stressing that their struggle should not deprive other ethnic communities of their rights.

In an interview published by the weekend edition of English daily The Star, the tourism and culture minister credited his father, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yeop, for his strong faith in multi-culturalism.

"To me, it's very simple. I am a Malay, but if I want to do something for my race, it should not be a zero sum game, whereby it is seen as being at the expense of another race," Nazri told The Star.

"You love your race. But, at the same time, it doesn't mean that you must hate the others."

In an unrelated article today, Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia lashed out at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall for a project to transform Jalan Alor here into a world-class "Food Paradise", alleging that the move benefited only the Chinese community.

Instead, the newspaper said any such project must promote the Malay community first, insisting that the majority race be considered pre-eminent.

The Padang Rengas MP also hit back at his detractors, vowing to remain outspoken and vocal even if it goes against the grain of Umno's struggle.

"My views are independent because I believe that what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong, so I will always tell it as it is," said Nazri.

Nazri recently made the news after a blogger accused him of nepotism over his son, Nedim's appointment to his ministry.

The minister defended the appointment, saying that it was merely informal appointment and Nedim was not on the government's payroll.

Nazri said Nedim was given the title as a symbolic move to allow him some authority when helping to organise certain programmes for his father.

Explaining the misunderstanding to The Malay Mail Online last week, the senior Cabinet minister said he had at first appointed his son to aid him in his Padang Rengas constituency in Perak before and during the May 5 general election.

"My son is just a normal Umno member. He is not an active politician. It is not my son these people are really upset with. It's me," Nazri claimed in the interview published today.

He explained that the reason for the upset has been his unorthodox ways, and his fullest respect for freedom of expression.

The minister drew the ire of critics after he spoke out against a proposed law supported by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in July, to reverse the Cabinet's prohibition on unilateral child conversion in 2009.

He also disputed Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Idris Haron's decision in June to open the iconic Jonker Walk to the traffic in a move critics allege was to punish Chinese voters there for failing to support Barisan Nasional in Election 2013.

The move was later aborted.

Utusan slams Chinese food hub project, says Jalan Alor already like Hong Kong

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 03:42 PM PDT

(TMI) - Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia has demanded to know why there is a need for a Chinese "Food Paradise" in Kuala Lumpur, continuing its attack on the community following the May 5 general election.

The Awang Selamat column in its Sunday edition, Mingguan Malaysia, has taken exception to Kuala Lumpur City Hall's (DBKL) project to turn Jalan Alor into a food hub for the community.

Awang Selamat, the pseudonym for the collective voice of the paper's editors, warned DBKL to be mindful of who would benefit while noting that there is already a strong Chinese image in Bukit Bintang.

"It already resembles Hong Kong," Awang Selamat said.

The paper pointed out that pouring RM12 million into a project which would benefit the Chinese community is an exercise in futility.

"From way before, the voters in the area have never supported the government; even if given the moon and the stars, there will be no appreciation," it said.

Jalan Alor is located in the Bukit Bintang parliamentary constituency and since it was formed it has always been won by the DAP.

The seat is currently held by the party's treasurer, Fong Kui Lun.

The newspaper's latest salvo at the Chinese community is in line with its attacks on it after the May 5 polls.

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 03:38 PM PDT

Mohd Farhan Darwis, TMI

The Defence Minister has joined a growing chorus calling on Deputy Minister P Waythamoorthy to resign from his Cabinet position if he wants to act like a representative of a non-governmental organisation.

Echoing Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who made the same call yesterday, Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein said Waythamoorthy, the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, should think rationally before making statements now that he is in government.

"Being emotional on it is not the right way of a leader. I support Datuk Zahid….101 percent. As Cabinet ministers we have to be responsible.

"We cannot place our personal political interest above the collective interest of the government," he said after meeting US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel in Kuala Lumpur today.

Ahmad Zahid had told the former Hindraf leader to quit his Cabinet position after Waythamoorthy had questioned the police shooting of five alleged gang members.

"In the war against crime, there should be no quarter given to criminals," Ahmad Zahid had said.

Waythamoorthy had said he will not be silent on issues just because he is in the government.

"In fact, it is to the advantage of the government that I voice out the true sentiments of the people on the ground so that I can contribute positively to the objectives and good governance of the government," he had said in a statement after the shooting last Monday.

The five who were killed – J. Gobinath, 31, R. Ramesh, 27, N. Rakan, 25, M. Suresh, 25, and M. Gobinath, 21, - were shot dead by police during a raid as they were believed to be linked to nine out of 19 shooting cases this year.

They were in an apartment in Sungai Nibong when the police party moved in.

The families of the dead have lodged four police reports demanding an inquest into their deaths.

Yesterday, several Malay non-governmental organisations called on the former Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader to leave the government if he wanted to speak against it.

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 03:35 PM PDT

The Election Court handling of the PKR's candidate for Tapah constituency K Vasantha Kumar petition is absurd and the RM190,000 cost the highest ever, PKR vice-president R Sivarasa

Leven Woon, FMT

PKR's candidate for Tapah constituency K Vasantha Kumar said he has a good case in his petition with the Election Court, but he could not even speak for himself when his two lawyers were dismissed by the court.

In addition, he was ordered to bear a whopping RM190,000 cost by the judge without his presence in the court.

PKR vice-president R Sivarasa (pic) said the court's handling of the Tapah election petition was "absurd" to say the least.

He said the judge Abdul Rahman Sebili first stripped him off the petitioner's counsel team on Aug 14, on a respondent's complaint who said that the Sivarasa's name was not found on the original petition sheet.

"Election petition must be filed in three weeks after the results were gazetted, so that time there was only K Hariharan's name on it.

"But for a civil process, lawyer can be appointed and changed anytime during the proceedings," he said.

As Sivarasa duly withdrew, the respondent's lawyers made another complaint the next day that one document submitted by Hariharan contained typo mistake that spells the word "advocate" (peguambela) as "lawyer" (peguam).

"For that the judge said Hariharan could not appear in court.

"But even if it is an error, what is the implication of it to the case? The ruling loses sight on the whole purpose of the petition," Sivarasa said.

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 11:15 AM PDT

(TMI) - Royal Malaysian Customs deputy director-general II Datuk Shaharuddin Ibrahim was shot dead in the country's administrative capital on April 26, just weeks before gun-related violence spiked in the country.

The family of a top Malaysian Customs officer believes his murder in Putrajaya in April is linked to a car smuggling syndicate based on the duty-free island of Langkawi.

Royal Malaysian Customs deputy director-general II Datuk Shaharuddin Ibrahim was shot dead in the country's administrative capital on April 26, just weeks before gun-related violence spiked in the country.

"My father's murder was planned. It was related to a car smuggling syndicate in Langkawi," Mohd Akhtar Shaharuddin told The Malaysian Insider this week.

He was also certain that the mastermind was someone in the Customs department.

"I am sure of this, even if the police deny it," the 30-year-old architect said.

"My father had previously told his superiors of corrupt Customs officers in their midst, claiming that they were linked to a car smuggling racket in Langkawi.

"Soon after he made this accusation, he received a transfer letter. The letter, however, was pulled back when the Customs union intervened and fought his case," he said.

One month later, Shaharuddin was shot dead as he was being driven to his office in Putrajaya.

"So if you were in my spot, what would you think?" Mohd Akhtar said.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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A crazy kind of love
On their marks for Umno race
Altantuya’s murder: Endless possibilities
The Altantuya Murder: Call for Full Public Inquiry

A crazy kind of love

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 04:34 PM PDT

Despite our country's imperfections – from imitation DVDs to politicians who don't play politics to kopi-O drivers – we all still love Malaysia.

Wong Chun Wai, The Star

I LOVE Malaysia. It is truly a land of wonders and contradictions, and I think even our founding fathers would be, well, amazed if they were still around today.

We must be the only nation in the whole universe who watches pirated movies that start off with a notice from the distributor warning us why we should dump these imitations.

Behold, the quality is bad, the narrator alerts us in Chinese as we are shown two clips of the same car chase in a multi-storey car park, comparing the "imitation" with the "original". And, of course, the super-duper quality movie we get to watch once this promo is over is still an illegal copy.

Then we have leaders, politicians and their family members who expect to be accorded VIP treatment all the time. They demand VIP passes from promoters of concerts so they can show off their status.

Funny, but many of us also demand the same VIP treatment ourselves, lapping up the VIP passes only to learn later that these so-called passes are no longer exclusive as there are hundreds of them.

I love Malaysia. We have thousands and thousands of Datuks, making this beloved land of ours the country with the most titled people in the world.

At the rate we are going, we will also top the list for having the highest number of honorary doctorate holders.

If you can't get into medical school, it's okay. Just buy a Dr title, whether online from a university somewhere in the south Pacific or approach a self-professed sultan from an obscure island off the Philippines. Almost everyone is now a Datuk Dr and nothing less.

For laughs, we know we can always count on our politicians. Malaysia again scores top points for politicians who regularly warn each other not to "play politics".

As a journalist, I am confused by this. If politicians do not play politics, then what do they do? Play doctor? Play football, or simply play jester?

Recently, I came across a politician who accused this newspaper of instigating one politician against another. That's a fresh angle to get attention at the expense of the media.

Since when have debates about our politicians, who are public figures, become private matters that the media should not report? Politicians are quarrelling all the time, anyway, or else they wouldn't be politicians.

I also love our policemen. They deserve better. They are not the best paid in town and yet we expect them to be super heroes who work around the clock.

We expect our cops to be soft with our criminals, hug them, buy them dinner, play Candy Crush with them and give them massages, hoping that the scums would end up confessing their guilt.

Are these Malaysians who advocate such loving, tender touches for criminals really from our Malaysia, truly Asia?

As pressmen, we are also confused by the cops' fondness of using certain terms at their press briefings. They love using terms like "certain quarters" or "pihak tertentu". We must be the only country in the world that uses such a term. Why certain quarters, not half or three quarters?

Our cops also love playing at being diplomats. They will never say the criminals are from Indonesia, Thailand or Singapore. It's always "negara jiran" or neighbouring countries, keeping the reporters guessing.

Are our policemen worried the mere mention of nationalities would spark off a major diplomatic war?

It's even more confusing when the cops simply use the term "Africans". Hello, that continent is really big, stretching from Timbuktu to Capetown.

They also seem to love using the words "we promise to get to the bottom of the case" and "we will not compromise", but I suspect it's the work of unimaginative reporters who use the cut-and-paste approach when filing their stories.

Here's the best part. It's almost a standard line among families of suspected criminals shot dead to declare that their relatives are victims of mistaken identity. They are their loved ones and they are angels, certainly not gangsters.

Really? Then why did everyone at the funerals carry swastikas and set off crackers, and why was the hearse adorned with wreaths shaped in numbers ranging from 04 to 08 to 36?

Malaysians have also become super sensitive these days. I don't know if that's the effect of the full moon but, for sure, it can't be the recent meteor showers as that was a non-event.

We have become more religious, which is good, but our behaviour does not seem to correspond with our spirituality.

We deplore graft but we seem to think it's okay to ask the driving instructor if it's possible to "guarantee" a pass. A "kopi-O" licence is assured when we are prepared to part with some "duit kopi".

And finally, we have now decided to play the national anthem at our cinemas. It's long overdue. In fact, why isn't the anthem played before football matches or any big sporting event?

Worse, there seems to be reluctance and uneasiness among some Malaysians over this move. These are the people who cannot understand that standing up at attention to sing the Negara Ku with gusto is to love Malaysia. It is not about loving the government of the day or a clarion call to join a political party.

So after 56 years of independence, many of us are still confused. Many are still caught up in a time warp, quarrelling over issues that should have been resolved or resolved in the 1950s. But for all its imperfections, we all still love Malaysia!

On their marks for Umno race

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 04:28 PM PDT

The Hari Raya open houses have become venues for Umno politicians vying for posts in the party election to entertain friends and comrades, to feed them well, be charming and win their support to stay in the game.

Leaders who lost in the general election will struggle to survive in the supreme council race but younger faces who won and were given government posts, like Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Rahman Dahlan and Deputy Minister in the PM's Department Datuk Razali Ibrahim, will have a fighting chance.

Joceline Tan, The Star

DATUK Seri Mohd Ali Rustam was about to sit down for a bite at the Hari Raya open house of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he saw a reporter approaching the table.

The former Malacca Chief Minister is no longer the media magnet that he used to be but the last few weeks have found reporters making a beeline for him. Every one of them wants to know whether he is going to contest for one of the three vice-president (VP) posts in the Umno election.

"I will let you know soon," he said with a big smile.

But some reporters can be persistent. As Ali was about to leave, the reporter approached him and said: "Datuk Seri, you need the publicity, I need the story, so it's best we work together."

He gave another big smile but it was clear that he was taking his time to decide.

Ali is in a dilemma of sorts. Going for the VP post would be a step down of sorts for him. He had been a contender for the deputy president post in the 2009 party election but he was disqualified for money politics mid-way through the campaign.

The man who signs off all his Facebook postings simply as "dar" (Datuk Ali Rustam) is still extremely well-liked in the party. But he turned 64 last Friday, he is no longer the Chief Minister, he lost in the general election and all that has sucked some of the air out of his balloon, so to speak.

Disastrous outing

Moreover, he had been a VP prior to his disastrous attempt at the deputy presidency and it may be tough to convince the party to give him another shot at the VP post.

However, his peer, Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad, is in the race. Isa had won one of the three VP posts in 2009 with the highest number of votes but his victory was shortlived because he was suspended, also for money politics.

But unlike Ali, Isa is coming in on a new and powerful platform as Felda chairman. He has become a household name in the rural heartland.

Isa announced his candidature at the Felda headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday after launching a body shampoo product amid much fanfare, with soap bubbles floating in the air and confetti raining down on the guests. Reporters joked that it was only during the Umno election season that a politician could show so much enthusiasm for a bath product.

He was in a good mood and did not get irritated even when reporters asked whether, at 63, he should be giving way to new faces. He said he is a proven party loyalist and was offering the party his experience and commitment.

"Don't underestimate Isa. He has friends all over," said Kok Lanas assemblyman Datuk Alwi Che Ahmad.

Isa also has a not-so-secret weapon – his politically savvy wife Puan Sri Bibi Sharliza, a former Puteri Umno politician, who will play a role in his campaign.

But the bottom line is that Isa enjoys broad popular appeal and is worth keeping an eye on.

The talk is that the three incumbents, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, have formed some sort of "all for one and one for all" cartel.

They put up a big show of unity at Hishammuddin's Defence Ministry Hari Raya open house on Wednesday, their arms wrapped around each other and grinning as if they had already won.

More names may pop up on nomination day on Sept 28 to give the incumbents a run for the money.

"I don't see the adrenaline flowing yet. But this time, you only need one nomination to be a candidate. Who knows, some people may wake up on Sept 28 and tell themselves, why not?" said former Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Dr Latiff Ahmad.

Or as Isa's eldest son Najib put it: "It's something like American Idol. Even those who cannot sing think they can sing. So they join the audition."

Some in the Umno circuit think the VP level has room for at least one new and young face such as Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir or Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

The pair has potential but they need to prove themselves at what they have been assigned to do before dreaming of the VP post.

New and old: The new Umno election system will allow a new generation of Umno leaders to emerge and play a role in shaping the future of the party. Picture shows Najib arriving at Dr Mahathir's Hari Raya open house. Also present were Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali (far left), Datuk Roslan Othman (second from right) and Mukhriz (far right).

Push from Sabah

There is also speculation that Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman is eyeing the VP post because one division chief after another in his state has been voicing support for him.

But an insider said Musa will stay put in the supreme council and the noise coming from the divisions is to send a message to the top Umno leadership that Musa is "the boss".

"Let me put it another way – they are telling KL that Shafie must know his place in Sabah," said the insider.

In short, it is all part of the deep and long-standing rivalry between Musa and Shafie.

Basically, the Umno culture likes to see competition and a good fight at the VP level, otherwise the incumbents will lose touch with the ground and get big-headed.

Umno elections used to be dominated by those holding government posts as well as those with big war chests. An aspiring candidate had to first lobby for the nominations and after that campaign for votes.

The new election system requires only a single nomination to contest a post and everything after that is in the hands of 146,500 delegates.

Alwi reckons that about half of the 25-seat supreme council may comprise new faces this time and he is hoping to be among them.

This will be the second attempt by the Kelantan politician, who is famous for his witty speeches at Umno general assemblies.

On his first try, when he vied for a supreme council seat, he decided to pull out midway when people started asking him for money.

"I don't have money but I will be giving everyone DVDs of all the speeches I have made at Umno assemblies. Some of the things I spoke about have become policy, some have not. It is up to them to decide whether I deserve their vote," he said.

Leaders who lost in the general election will struggle to survive in the supreme council race but younger faces who won and were given government posts, like Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Rahman Dahlan and Deputy Minister in the PM's Department Datuk Razali Ibrahim, will have a fighting chance.

Others, like Lanchang assemblyman Datuk Sharkar Samsuddin, have elected to stay out. Some of Sharkar's supporters had urged him to try out for the supreme council. He was initially open to the idea but changed his mind when he learnt that his deputy division chief Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah intended to defend his supreme council post.

"It's not nice to have two leaders from one division vying for the supreme council," said Sharkar who is also a state exco member.

Saifuddin's defeat in Temerloh in the general election was one of those supreme ironies. The ex-MP is famous for his fashionably liberal and unconventional views but his constituents rejected him for the ultra conservative PAS Youth leader Nasrudin Hasan who is famous for opposing rock concerts and the celebration of Valentine's Day.

It is a cautionary tale for all Umno leaders – you can play to the gallery but you should not forget where your core support lies.

Tun Dr Mahathir's call for talented Malay professionals to move up in the party is finally resonating among Umno members. He has said this before but after two political tsunamis, it has finally sunk in that they cannot survive a third tsunami unless Umno produces new and credible talent.

They feel this election must show those outside that young and talented leaders have a place in Umno.

Johor Umno met last week and declared that it supports status quo for the posts of president and deputy president.

"We like to think that Johor leads in Umno politics. The Mentri Besar wanted to set the tone on the two top posts," said Dr Latiff who is also deputy Johor Umno chief.

State Umno chairman Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin also indicated that Johor will support Hishammuddin in the VP race.

Some had felt that Khaled should also go for it but he told the meeting: "Surely I cannot be expected to challenge the incumbent VP from Johor (Hishammuddin). Johor must support Johor."

Johor's new Mentri Besar spoke like a gentleman and everyone in the room gave him a round of applause.

Khaled is also conscious of the new political landscape in Johor. He saw how badly the Chinese treated his predecessor Datuk Ghani Othman despite all that Ghani had done for the state. Umno is the mainstay of the state government and he needs to acknowledge that on the ground.

"He needs to take good care of those who helped return the Barisan Nasional to power. That's why he's not going for the supreme council. Johor is his top priority and he cannot spare much time on national politics," said Dr Latiff.

The Umno election is like a fleet of cars making the balik kampung journey. All the drivers want to drive properly and get there safely. But some of them want to arrive first, so they start speeding and that's when the trouble begins.

But the important thing, they say, is that everyone must arrive at the same kampung at the end of the day.

Altantuya’s murder: Endless possibilities

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 03:28 PM PDT

The cast of this murder mystery – including the prime minister himself – are not yet off the hook, pending appeals and a civil suit that promises more answers.

Anisah Shukry, FMT

An exotic model murdered by explosives. A prime minister linked by the court of public opinion. A jilted lover living in exile. And a shady, multi-multibillion ringgit deal between two countries.

They sound like tropes Sydney Sheldon would dream up of – the perfect ingredients for a cheesy mystery-cum-romance novel one could breeze through on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

But there is no ending for this mystery; on the contrary, the saga has taken on a new twist with the acquittal of Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar – two men who were originally convicted of her murder, but who now walk free.

So we move on to the next chapter of this novel that is now seven years in the making: Who killed Altantuya?

With Azilah and Sirul's guilty convictions overturned, and no one to pin the murder on, we are now back to square one, when bits of Altantuya's remains were found near the Subang Dam in Puncak Alam, Shah Alam in 2006.

Oh, but there are many players in this murder case. First up on the list is Abdul Razak Baginda, a political analyst and Atantuya's one time lover, who brokered the controversial deal between Malaysia and France for the two Scorpene submarines with her help.

Altantuya admitted in a letter found after her murder that she had been blackmailing Abdul Razak, who ended their relationship, US$500,000 in return for her silence over the deal.

Flanked by her sister and cousin, she arrived in Malaysia on Oct 9, 2006, and reportedly engaged a private investigator to track him down.

A worried Abdul Razak contacted Deputy Superintendent Musa Safri to seek assistance to prevent Altantuya from disturbing him and his family, according to evidence revealed in court.

DSP Musa helpfully introduced Azilah to Abdul Razak, and the rest is history: Altantuya was murdered between Oct 19 and Oct 20 2006 – her body blown up to conceal all evidence.

Unsubstantiated accusations

Despite this, Abdul Razak, who was charged with abetting Azilah and Sirul, was acquitted by the High Court on Oct 31, 2008, without his defence being called, after the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him.

Next on the list is Musa himself, who was then defence minister NajibTun Razak's aide de camp. Little is known about him beyond the fact that he was in heavy contact with Abdul Razak and was the middle man for Abdul Razak and Azilah.

Despite the text messages between Abdul Razak and Musa that were revealed in court, he was not called to testify, on the grounds that he was not present at the meeting between Azilah and Abdul Razak.

The prosecution's failure to call him to court was one of the reasons the Court of Appeal overturned Sirul and Azilah's guilty conviction on Friday.

The third and fourth suspects – at least, in the court of public opinion – are Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife, Rosmah Mansor.

They have been accused by the likes of carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan and the late private investigator P Balasubramaniam for being involved in her murder.

Both have denied this, and, like Musa, both were not called to testify in court. Political immunity? Or was it simply a case of not enough proof?

Najib's proven links to the murder are precarious at best: that he knew Abdul Razak and Musa Safri.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah told the Court of Appeal in June that Najib's relations with Razak and Musa was not enough to attribute him to the murder.

Accusations that Najib had had an affair with Altantuya, that Rosmah ordered for a statutory declaration linking her husband to the murder to be recanted, that Rosmah herself was at the scene of the murder, remain just that: unsubstantiated accusations.

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 11:42 AM PDT

The prosecution of the case has been disgraceful from the start, with the failure to establish the motive for Altantuya's murder the most questionable of all. Through the case, the labored attempts by both prosecution and defence to obstruct the probe into any involvement of the then defence minister were also most bewildering. The prosecution has said they will appeal to the Federal Court but are Malaysians going to be treated to more of the same farce?

Dr Kua Kia Soong, SUARAM Adviser

Nothing short of a full public inquiry into the Altantuya murder and the motive for her murder will do. The acquittal of the two former bodyguards of then defence minister, Najib Razak by the Appeal Court is the ultimate in the farce that has typified the Altantuya murder trial since 2006.

We need the equivalent of the 2004 Hutton Report when a public inquiry was held in Britain over the death of Dr David Kelly, a Ministry of Defence biological weapons expert who knew the truth about the British government's claim that Saddam Hussein could launch his weapons of mass destruction in 45 minutes as had been claimed by the Blair administration. And this time, let us ensure that there is a fair composition of independent members to make such an inquiry believable.

Too many inconsistencies

There have been too many inconsistencies in the Altantuya case which warrant truthful answers, for example, is it true that all records of Altantuya's entry and presence in Malaysia were erased from the computers of the Immigration Department?

Among the "strange" twists was the sudden removal of the presiding judge before the trial started without giving a plausible explanation to the lawyers, not to mention the head of the prosecution team was changed at the eleventh hour. Finally, defence lawyers for the three accused kept changing with one walking out on the first day of hearing, charging that "third parties" were interfering in his work.

Public doubt, however, worsened after both defence lawyers and prosecutors cut off a witness (Altantuya's cousin) from testifying furtherwhen she revealed that the victim had shown her a photograph of herself, Baginda, Najib and "others" having lunch in a Paris restaurant. The court too did not ask the witness to produce the photograph.

SUARAM will not rest until justice has been done in the murder of Altantuya. We believe that her murder is linked to the millions of ringgit in commissions associated with the RM7 billion Scorpene submarines deal. By her own admission in a letter found after her death, she was attempting to blackmail Razak Baginda for US$500,000. She was shot in October 2006 and her body was blown up with military explosives by two bodyguards attached to Najib's office after Razak Baginda went to Najib's chief of staff, Musa Safri, for help in stopping her demands. The submarine deal was never brought up in court during the murder trial which saw prosecutors, defense attorneys and the judge judiciously keeping Najib's name out of the proceedings.

Thus, SUARAM calls for the urgent establishment of a full public inquiry into the murder of Altantuya with terms of reference that include the motives for her murder and her links to the Scorpene submarines deal. Members of the committee must be seen to be independent and respected members of the judiciary and the community.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

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Waytha, Tunggu Apa Lagi?

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 03:44 PM PDT

Kata Zahid, Waytha bukan saja tidak harus mempertikaikan kerja polis, bahkan juga tidak seharusnya mengeluarkan kenyataan yang bertentangan dengan dasar yang ditentukan kerajaan.

"Beliau jangan ingat beliau masih pemimpin NGO, beliau bukan pemimpin Hindraf lagi dan jangan campur kerja polis,"tegas Zahid.

Tambah Zahid, jika ada pemimpin NGO yang kini sudah menyertai kerajaan masih mengeluarkan kenyataan negatif dan bertentangan dengan dasar kerajaan, letak jawatan dan kembali kepada NGO semula.

Serangan Zahid terhadap bekas pemimpin Hindraf itu jelas menunjukkan beliau tidak senang dengan cara Waytha yang masih terkongkong dengan sentimen Hindraf apabila cuba mempertahankan lima penjenayah India yang ditembak mati di Pulau Pinang dengan mengatakan beliau tidak percaya berlaku kejadian tembak-menembak antara polis dengan suspek, sebaliknya mengesyaki penjenayah itu ditembak dari jarak dekat.

Lantaran itu, Zahid segera melontarkan serangan terhadap kenyataan Waytha yang bukan saja bersifat negatif dan bertentangan dengan sifatnya sebagai seorang timbalan menteri, malah lebih dari itu seolah-olah menunjukkan simpati terhadap penjenayah.

Bagi Zahid yang merupakan pemimpin nombor tiga dalam UMNO, pendirian dan kenyataan Waytha itu amat tidak wajar dan menggesanya supaya meletakkan jawatan daripada kerajaan jika terlalu inginkan berpendirian seperti Hindraf semula.

Dalam hal ini, Pengerusi DAP, Karpal Singh juga sependirian dengan Zahid bahawa Waytha seharusnya meletakkan jawatan jika tidak sehaluan dengan dasar kerajaan yang mana beliau merupakan salah seorang pemimpinnya.

Dengan Zahid mengeluarkan gesaan dan cabaran itu, Waytha sebenarnya tidak ada pilihan lain melainkan menunjukkan sifat kejantanannya dengan bersedia menyahut cabaran itu, melainkan jawatan timbalan menteri yang disandangnya itu merupakan anugerah dan idaman hati yang begitu sukar mahu dilepaskan.

Dalam mana-mana kerajaan di dunia, bahkan di Malaysia pun, bukanlah sesuatu yang pelik apabila seseorang menteri atau timbalan menteri meletakkan jawatan kerana tidak setuju dengan sesuatu perkara. Di zaman Mahathir, zaman Pak Lah malah di era Najib juga, sudah ada yang meletak jawatan atau menolak tawaran jawatan yang diberikan.

Waytha tidak boleh lagi berdiam diri selepas Zahid meneriakkan cabaran ke telinga ini. Beliau harus menyatakan pendiriannya sama ada kekal seperti sekarang atau menarik balik kenyataan yang dikeluarkannya sebelum ini. Jika masih mahu kekal berjiwa Hindraf, letaklah jawatan serta kembalilah berjuang melalui Hindraf atau jika mahu bersma kerajaan lagi, tarik balik kenyataan dulu, mohon maaf sambil ciumlah tangan Zahid.

Kalau boleh mohon maaf dan cium tangan jugalah kepada Najib dan Muhyiddin.

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 11:11 AM PDT

When the Seri Pristana incident irrupted, Kamalanathan the deputy education minister, rushed to the scene. He "investigated." He held an instant press conference. He pronounced judgment. He gave a hand-out to the school to expand the canteen. He said "case closed."

Kamala didn't directly address the charge laid by the Indian mother of a pupil who attends the school: in Muslim-majority Malaysia, during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan, the canteen building and services were closed and Indian pupils were made to have their meal breaks in a shower room. [I've written about Seri Pristana here, hereand here.]

According to news reports, the education ministry laterordered the school headmaster (HM) to take one week's leave. Also according to news reports, while the HM was on leave, he entered the school and took photos of non-Muslim children in the school.

Political opportunists zoomed in on the case. Noh Omar, the Umno chieftain in the state of Selangor, visited the school and spoke to the press. Umno is the Malay-rights political party which helms the Federal government. Seri Pristana however is in Selangor, a state helmed by the opposition alliance, Pakatan.

The Umno chieftain called for the parent to be charged with sedition, i.e. taking actions which could destabilize the nation. The Umno-controlled newspaper, Utusan, claimed the Selangor State police chief threatened to investigate those who propagate photos of the school's temporary canteen.

The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: hand-outs to show government patronage and magnanimity, inviolable "Malay-rights," and threats against those who seek to influence the national agenda.

The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: Kamala, a leader of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), says "it's all a misunderstanding, we've solved it, let's move on." Then Vel Paari, MIC's Strategic Director, says it's not over until disciplinary action is taken against the HM.

The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: national leaders who are members of the ruling coalition act out of the belief that non-Malays can better themselves only by kissing the hands of Malay leaders and even garlanding them; progress not through reasoning, but through obeisance.

Enlightened Indians look at such irruptions through images such as these:

Cow-head. Home minister Hishammuddin feting cow-head toting Umno men in his ministerial office.

Hand-kissing. Kamala kissing Muhyiddin's hand.

Garlanding. MIC garlanding Najib in Batu Caves during Thaipusam.

Bum-in-your-face gyrations by retired Malay armed forces men against Ambiga Sreenivasan, a former president of the Bar Council and currently the public face of justice in Malaysia.

Irene Fernandez. For years the state hounded Irene Fernandez of Tenaganita for her expose of dreadful conditions in refugee camps in Malaysia.

The EO6. 5 of the 6 illegally detained and interrogated members of PSM ("the EO6") were Indians, one of them a nationally and internationally celebrated doctor who also happens to be an elected Member of Parliament. [Here is one of my articles on the EO6.]

Cynthia Gabriel. The state continues to harass Cynthia Gabriel of SUARAM for her quest to find the truth, re. Scorpene and the seemingly motive-less murder of Altantuya.

Thaipusam. The government's collusion with the MIC, demonstrated by inaction against disruptions of public order during Thaipusam. [See my piece on Thaipusam, here.]

Enlightened Indians, after acquiring so many comforts in life, are asking "Why are there so many poor Malaysian Indians?" Enlightened Indians are moving into a post-materialist life, no longer struggling for food and shelter; they are looking instead to do good to their poor neighbours.

Enlightened Indians are noticing that the educational achievements of Malaysian Indians is dismal: according to the 2000 census, a Malaysia Indian aged 25 – 34 years is 20 % less likely than a Malay to have MCE/SPM ("O-level") certificate. See my notice of Professor Hirschman's findings, here.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Sabtu, 24 Ogos 2013

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The Altantuya Murder: Call for Full Public Inquiry
Customs officer’s murder related to car smuggling in Langkawi, says son
The Sensitive Indian (2): We're rich enough to be Post-Materialists
Lingam, 24 others face contempt of court charges
Cut from the same cloth
The Indian dilemma
PKR: Ex-cops should be re-tried for Altantuya murder, not acquitted
Anwar seeks to disqualify lawyer Shafee

The Altantuya Murder: Call for Full Public Inquiry

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 11:42 AM PDT

Dr Kua Kia Soong, SUARAM Adviser

Too many inconsistencies

Customs officer’s murder related to car smuggling in Langkawi, says son