.Sabahdaily

Dead teen’s mother demands probe on police

2010-05-24T03:01:00.000-07:00

A woman today asked that an independent commission be set up to investigate the fatal shooting of her son by police on October 20 last year after he was believed to be involved in snatch thefts.

Sapiah Elah, 52, from Simpang Waha Felda, Kota Tinggi, said the authority had still not carried out a thorough investigation nor explained the fatal shooting of her son, Mohd Afham Arin, 18, although the incident happened seven months ago.

“I’m not satisfied as police also tried to bluff me by saying that my son was still alive when I arrived at the Seri Alam police station when he was already dead after being shot at by police in the early hours of Sept 20.

“I am also disappointed that I had to wait long to meet the Johor CID chief over the incident and to claim my son’s body from the Sultanah Aminah Hospital,” she said at a press conference arranged by Johor Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), here, today.

Sapiah claimed that Mohd Afham who was riding the motorcycle with 19-year-old Mohd Firdaus Marsani as pillion rider, was a good son and had no previous criminal record.

She urged the Home Ministry to view the incident seriously and hoped that an independent commission of inquiry could clear her son’s name as he was alleged by police to have been involved in 25 robbery cases.

Mohd Firdaus who also demanded justice in the case, refuted the police allegation that he had waved a machete at the policemen, thus forcing the policemen to shoot at them in self-defence.

He related that he and Mohd Afham were chased by three men on motorcycles in Taman Johor Jaya after having dinner.

He said that out of fear, as the three men were in plainclothes and did not show their authority cards, Mohd Afham sped off towards Pasir Gudang with the three men giving chase.

“On reaching a corner near the bridge on the route to Seri Alam, I heard a gunshot from behind followed by two more shots which caused us to fall from the motorcycle,” recalled Mohd Firdaus who managed to flee the scene after falling into some bushes.

He claimed that the death of Mohd Afham who was a student of the Ledang Community College and was undergoing training in Larkin, here, was due to police negligence.

Mohd Firdaus said that in January he gave a statement to the police on the incident but until today had not received any feedback from them. — Bernama

Government mulls phased subsidy cuts

2010-05-24T02:58:00.000-07:00

The government is to discuss plans to cut its subsidy bill at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, with cuts likely to be phased in over a period of five years, three government officials told Reuters.

The aim is to reduce the country’s bill from food, petrol, electricity and gas subsidies that official figures show had cost RM24.5 billion in 2009, or 15.3 per cent of total federal government spending.

The government think-tank charged with designing the subsidy cuts has put the total cost of subsidies at RM74 billion annually, although that includes social welfare, health and education transfers, according to adverts placed in newspapers.

The proposals presented by the think-tank had envisaged subsidy cuts starting in June, with price rises coming every six months over a five year timeframe, the sources said.

“The feeling here is that the June 1 time-frame may be too soon. It has to be done moderately and in stages,” said a government source who has seen the proposals.

The sources declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.

The effect of price rises is likely to be offset by support payments for poorer people, the sources said.

“One issue of concern is whether to cut all in one go, or sector by sector, and the timeline,” said a second government official. — Reuters

ISA only used as scare tactic, claims RPK

2010-05-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

Twice-detained without charge or trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA), controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin said yesterday that the law had outlived its usefulness.

Describing how it was tabled by then-deputy prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein in 1960 to combat communist terrorists (CT), he added that it was now simply a political tool used by the Barisan Nasional government.

Raja Petra, who writes for the Malaysia Today web portal, insisted that the idea that the ISA was a relic of the British colonial government was a myth.

“The ruling party asks why we complain when it is the British who introduced the ISA. But it was tabled in 1960 and Malaya gained independence in 1957,” the blogger, known widely by his initials RPK, told a packed hall at the BPP Law School.

In his first public appearance since his self-imposed exile over a year ago, he described how even opposition MPs then had backed the bill after assurances from Abdul Razak, who was also home minister, that it would only be used to combat the communist insurgency.

“But after the 1989 treaty in Haadyai, the communist party no longer exists. The emergency situation no longer exists. But we are still officially under the emergency because the ISA is an emergency law and the government can still use it even though it violates the constitution,” he said, referring to clauses which provide for fair trials to Malaysian citizens.

Arguing that the ISA was now only used to silence dissent and keep secrets, he quoted then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed as stating that the terrorist attacks on Sept 11, 2001 would not have happened if the US had a law like the ISA as it would have prevented such a crime.

“You use it to detain people before they commit a crime. We detain them while they are thinking about it. So it prevents you from thinking.

“In the past, the ISA stopped you from shooting and bombing. Today, it stops you from having thoughts. So you have a nation of robots,” he added.

He described how when he talked to many Malaysians, they would say that the government was “terrible” but when asked to vote for the opposition, they would reply, “Nanti kena ISA (we’ll be arrested under ISA).” -TMI

RPK Video: SIHRG Malaysia Speaker Event

2010-05-23T19:37:00.000-07:00

RPK Video in London : Fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin has thrown down the gauntlet to Malaysian authorities, challenging them to bring standing charges against him to the courts in the United Kingdom.

“In the past, the ISA stopped you from shooting and bombing. Today, it stops you from having thoughts. So you have a nation of robots,” he added.

PAS mulls plans to win more Malay votes

2010-05-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

The central PAS leadership will meet after the upcoming annual muktamar to finalise their strategies to win over Umno strongholds in the next general election, which have thus far resisted their charms.

The Islamist party has engaged the services of an opinion polls researcher to identify the concerns of the Malay voters, especially in the west coast and the southern peninsula, which is solid Umno country.

“We are still having problems convincing the rural Malays who do not have access to the new media. Those who still rely on television as their source of news,” said PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan in confirming the retreat, which will be held sometime in July.

Nasrudin described the retreat as the final preparation before the party heads to the 13th general election that must be held by 2013.

“As soon [as] after the muktamar, we will start our work. By that time, we [are] already in the final round before the time comes for general election,” Nasrudin told The Malaysian Insider.

PAS will hold its annual muktamar from June 9 to 13. The retreat was supposed to be held earlier this month but had to be postponed because of the Sibu by-election.

The party’s Youth wing has been tasked with gathering information to be tabled during the retreat.

Nasrudin, however, refused to disclose the early findings, adding that all research outcomes would be presented to the central leadership.
PAS and its partners in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) have not been able to make significant inroads into the Umno-controlled Malay heartland.

The Islamist party lost badly in the Bagan Pinang by-election late last year. The Negri Sembilan state constituency was approximately 66 per cent Malay.

In Hulu Selangor PR, through PKR candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, lost in the by-election due to the party’s failure to win the rural Malay votes in the constituency despite increasing the support levels in the Chinese-majority town centre.

The campaign in the Malay-majority semi-rural Hulu Selangor was led by PAS leaders, including its spiritual advisor, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who made last minute visits in the constituency’s Felda settlements.

In the Sibu by-election last weekend, the party helped DAP in the campaign in Muslim majority areas, which were strongholds of Sarawak’s Malay/Melanau party, PBB, but failed to make significant inroads.

Apart from the challenge of breaking Umno’s monopoly of the rural Malay vote, PR was also competing against Malay rights group, Perkasa, led by Datuk Ibrahim Ali and which has been gaining popularity since its inception in 2008.

“In trying to win the Malay votes, it does not mean we will be trapped into fanning racial sentiments. Our aim is increase the Malay support but at the same time we will make sure that we will not lose the non-Malay support,” said Nasrudin, who added that PAS would not violate PR’s common policy framework in its drive to win the Malay votes. -TMI

MACC to probe PM’s Sibu ‘offer’

2010-05-23T19:28:00.000-07:00

The national anti-graft authority has agreed to investigate claims that the prime minister committed an election offence during the Sibu vote, with his pledge to solve flash floods there if Barisan Nasional retained the Parliamentary seat.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed said today that the body would probe any and all complaints.

“All complaints against money politics will be investigated by MACC. We will investigate as long there is a complaint related to money politics,” he told reporters after attending a forum by Transparency International Malaysia.

The Election Commission (EC) had sidestepped the issue brought up by the DAP’s Lim Kit Siang, saying the MACC was the right body to carry out investigations.

“That is our responsibility. We have to investigate whoever comes in front of us and complains about... money politics or whatever that is related to corruption,” Abu Kassim said.

MACC investigation director Mustafar Ali added that complaints had been lodged against Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s statement.

“Yes, we have received complaints from several quarters during the by-election. So we have started investigating. We will investigate any party. We have two (complaints), one in Hulu Selangor... and [another in] Sibu.

During a last-minute pitch on the eve of the by-election, Najib announced an allocation of RM5 million for flood-mitigation projects in Rejang Park provided the BN candidate was elected.

“If Robert Lau becomes the MP on Sunday, on Monday I will ask [for] the cheque to be prepared. Do we have a deal or not? We do! You want the RM5 million, I want Robert Lau to win,” Najib told the crowd.

Mustafar said that the MACC may consider calling Najib in for investigation.

“Not at the moment, but if need be of course we will call whoever [was relevant] to testify,” he said.

He also stressed that MACC was “colour blind” and would not be biased in its actions.

“Yes, we take actions against both parties and as mentioned always, MACC is colour blind. We are really colour blind so we will take action whenever we receive information.

“After [an] investigation, whether or not there is a case... depends on the Attorney-General’s office,” he said.

During the forum, which also doubled as a book launch, Umno’s legal counsel Datuk Hafarizam Harun defended Najib’s actions and claimed that the prime minister had not broken the law.

The lawyer also said that it was the duty of the government to bring development to the public.

“This promise is nothing but politics of development, that Umno and Barisan Nasional is bringing development to the people. If you look at Section 10 in Election Offences Act, [it] states that bribery only applies to all of us as individuals, but not the government,” he said.

He argued the Act only referred to a “natural person,” and therefore, Najib was not guilty as he was speaking on behalf of the government.

“So this is the problem, the law only recognises [individuals] but not the government,” Hafarizam said.

However, PKR’s Selayang MP William Leong disagreed and said that Najib was not campaigning as the prime minister but as the president of Umno.

“Sometimes we forget to differentiate between Umno and [the] government. So when a person stands on the podium and campaigns, he is an individual and should be charged,” he said. -TMI

BAKUN DAM, TO BE ANOTHER WHITE ELEPHANT?

2010-05-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

THE whole 15 Billion Ringgit Bakun dam project (Supposed to produce 2400 M w) was conceived by corrupt Mahathir to steal the 10 Billion ringgit worth of Timber from the Chief Minister of Sarawak Taib Mahmud who ‘owns’ all the Timber in Sarawak .

The timber from the forest the size of Singapore (otherwise would be extracted by the CM) is now stolen by Mahathir as Bakun is a federal project. Mahathir asked his favorite crony Ting Pek King to extract the Timber. Ting Pek King subcontracts the extraction to Hii Cham Pee who underreported the volume extracted thereby ‘cheating’ Ting. Mr.Hii subsequently had a high profile court case with Ting. That is another story.

Now Bakun can provide enough electricity to supply Sarawak ’s need 4 times over. Yet Taib Mahmud wants to build another dam Murun. Why? Taib’s company CMS is producing the cement! And he also controls and profit from the steel imports! Now Sarawak electrical company Sesco is now privatized and owned by the CM Taib and his ministers who call it Sarawak Synergy Bhd.

Taib does not want to buy the electricity from Bakun because of his Timber 10 billion worth was ‘stolen’ by Mahathir, therefore he wanted to build another 900 M v Murun dam upstream from Bakun costing 5 billion (1/3 the size of Bakun) Now Murun is 10% completed and need more funds which international banks will not lend to Taib’s company Sarawak Synergy because it is privately owned by Taib and his cabinet.

So Taib now wants to reverse ‘privatize’ the Sarawak synergy company after striping the assets to the government of Sarawak and then obtain loans from foreigners. So they say Rio Tinto an Australian co is interested to use the Bakun electricity which is not true. Then they say a Chinese co maybe keen. This is a lie as the federal groups now realize Bakun is becoming a white elephant.

Now the 600 mile cable from Bakun to west Malaysia has to pass 70% of the way near few islands owned by Indonesia and only 30% of the way is Malaysia owned. So Indonesia has not given permission and is also not keen on to buy Bakun electricity as it cannot afford.

There is not a single company in the world who can make a 600 mile long cable. The electricity loss would be tremendous. (80 %?) and the earth quakes would break the cable. Sabotage and damage due to ships anchors and other passing ships have to be factored in.

I would not be surprised Bakun will produce electricity in few years time but remain a white elephant–much to the credit of the reckless and corrupt PM Mahathir with many stupid ideas and corrupted CM of Sarawak Taib Mahmud who is reputed to be one of the richest men on earth.

MALAYSIAN OBSERVE!

Next Election Remember!

Guan Eng: Azhar an Ungrateful Person

2010-05-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today labelled Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) chairman Datuk Azhar Ibrahim an ungrateful person for faulting the state government over flash floods at a housing project in Kuala Sungai Pinang, Teluk Bahang, here.

He said the state government had gone out of its way to facilitate the project, which is being undertaken by Perda.

"However, since he (Azhar) is faulting the state government for the flash floods, henceforth we will be very firm on this," he told reporters after opening the state-level Hepatitis Day, here. -MD

Yesterday, Azhar, who is also Opposition leader in Penang, had lambasted Lim for issuing a stop-work order on the project on the grounds that the flash floods were due to improper drainage.

Azhar further claimed that the works were being carried out according to plans approved by the Penang Municipal Council and Drainage and Irrigation Department, which Lim said the state government would be studying before lifting the stop work orders.

The project involves the building of low-cost units which will be sold at RM38,000 each upon completion.

PAS amenable to extra seats for non-Muslims

2010-05-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

PAS is willing to allocate additional state seats for non-Muslims who do not get elected during elections.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said that PAS had successfully “amended state constitution laws” in Terengganu back in 1999, when PAS ruled the state, to enable non-Muslims who did not win any state seats during elections to be appointed as state assemblymen.

“In 1999 PAS made a proactive move in Terengganu. Back then, PAS had managed to amend state constitution laws to appoint non-Muslims as state assemblymen if they did not win in elections,” said Abdul Hadi.

The former Terengganu mentri besar told an audience at the launching of the PAS Supporters’ Congress (Dewan Himpunan Penyokong PAS) that non-Muslims were appointed to “represent the non-Muslim population”, since Terengganu was 90 per cent Muslim.

“This we will replicate [this] if we win other states, but until now Barisan Nasional does not dare do this,” claimed the PAS president.

Abdul Hadi said the allocation of state seats to non-Muslims in other PAS-ruled states was also being discussed by the party.

“It is in consideration,” said Abdul Hadi.

According to the PAS leader, the extra seats for non-Muslims depended on the seat “allocation in the state assembly.

“It’s a different process for different states. Kedah and Kelantan cannot do it yet because of different issues.

“Amendments to the state constitution have to go through the state legal advisors as well as the blessings and signature of the Sultan,” said Abdul Hadi.

PAS Deputy President Nasharuddin Md Isa claimed that Kelantan had already elected “non-Muslim village heads.”

The Islamist party has been on a mission to improve its appeal to non-Muslims, exemplified by the introduction of its supporters’ congress.

The congress has a leadership committee of its own, which consists of its head, a deputy leader, and five lower-ranked deputy leaders (a youth leader, a Wanita leader, as well as one leader from each of the major member races: Chinese, Indian, and Orang Asli).

The Islamist party has already said that it will consider letting members of the congress run under its ticker in the next general election, as well as nominating some to become PAS senators.

But the PAS president was mum on the exact percentage of seats that would be allocated for non-Muslims.

“We have to look at the necessity of the situation. We (also) have to look at Pakatan Rakyat (PR) seat allocations, because we do not want to cause any conflict with parties within PR. We want a straight fight with BN,” he said.

Abdul Hadi also told reporters that PAS would have negotiations with PKR and DAP before making any decisions.

“What needs to be negotiated is during the elections, each of us have (a certain) allocation for state seats.” -TMI

IF YOU DON'T STAND FOR SOMETHING, YOU WILL FALL

2010-05-23T18:34:00.000-07:00

IN a country where tyranny and injustice are the only means of the ruling elites’ existence, the only option the people have is to vote them out. Sabah UMNO/BN is dead convinced that its Federal Leaders are Saints.

Can UMNO/BN Sabah tell us, why Sabah which is rich in natural resources such as oil and timber and cash crop such as oil palm etc is the 2nd poorest state in Malaysia?

The founding fathers’ of Sabah gave their lives, so that the people of Sabah would live and enjoy the gifts of GOD. Now these gifts have been robbed off them and the people marginalized and treated as 2nd class citizens.

UMNO/BN Sabah Ministers’ have mastered the art of rhetoric's and have been lying through their teeth. In short, they have been parroting their political masters and still believe Sabahans are MORONS. They call for the history of Malaysia's formation to be included in our school history books; the question is "which history are these UMNO/BN parrots referring to"?

The one that has marginalized Sabahans and down-graded them to second class citizens, or the one that Sabah is currently the second poorest state in Malaysia because of these very same politicians who have robbed the people?

If at all the people had felt that these UMNO/BN Sabah ‘Leaders’ were made of steel when they "conned" Sabahans into believing that they were fighting for their rights, the people have now awoken to know that these ‘Leaders’ were in actual fact out to "steal".

To change Malaysia for the better, Sabah in particular, we must now change the government. In the words of Sabah's Minister of Tourism and Environment, Masidi Manjun "there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all policy. It has to be tailor-made to suit the peculiarities of Sabah and Sarawak". While I may agree with him, I wonder if it’s just political rhetoric to hoodwink the people and defuse the situation.

I recall Masidi Manjun and Bernard Dompok lying through their teeth, when they said they had NO KNOWLEDGE of a RM 2.8 Billion Kaiduan Dam in Penampang, read more about it at (http://advocateviews.blogspot.com), until I produced the LETTER OF AWARD issued by the very same government they are working with.

So, why should Sabahans believe them now?

Sabahans are patriotic to the nation and will fight to their last drop of blood to defend the nation. And they are always reminded to adhere to and believe in the Constitution. My question is, which constitution are we talking about NOW?

Tun Fuad Stephens had called for the review of the provisions in the constitution of the country because it did not seem to reflect what was intended by the original Malaysian agreement. Look what happened to him and his cabinet ‘dead’. Was it political assassination? The people of Sabah have been oppressed to the extend that they have to BEG for development funds and any meaningful funds comes only once every 5 years during the elections. Sabahans must not and should not be beggars in their own land, They MUST RISE and demand back what rightfully belongs to them.

BN Sabah partners of late have been at each other's throats; which indicates huge cracks within. Ironically, no one has the testicles to say..."we are leaving Barisan Nasional". Why not so? It's obvious ... projects and hand-outs of course. I heard from the grapevine recently that Sabah's Chief Minister Musa Aman and aspiring candidate for Chief Minister Shafie Apdal (PM Najib's "blue-eyed boy") were in a heated argument over projects monopolized by Musa in Semporna. Either way, volcanic eruptions are about to happen.

Sabahans are ready for change. The Sibu, Sarawak by-elections has opened the floodgates with renewed vigour that, it is now possible for the very same tsunami that hit West Malaysia in the 12th general elections to strike again here in East Malaysia.

Sabahans must first change by saying “NO” to bribery and UMNO/BN's corruptive RM50 notes as inducement just to vote for them. Are we tradable commodities … and insultingly … worth just RM50?

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR ) will be having its 6th Annual Congress on the 26th-30th in Kota Bahru and many issues will be deliberated, all under the name of strengthening the party. My question is, does PKR exist in Sabah?

If the answer is in the affirmative, then their leadership in Sabah must be "transparent" and vocal, as their silence may denote non-existence.

Who is actually calling the shots in PKR Sabah? I urge the Leadership to re-visit the problems that are plaguing PKR Sabah to ensure the Party remains relevant in facing the 13th general election. There is a leadership problem that must be addressed immediately, or all hell may break loose.

The people are watching, and they don't like what they see.

I wish to convey my warm wishes and greetings to all my Kadazan brothers and sisters, “KOTOBIAN TADAU KAAMATAN” and to my Dayak brothers and sisters, “HAPPY GAWAI”. May we rise together as one and redeemed back our dignity and claim what rightfully belongs to us.

By: RONNIE KLASSEN (sabahkini)

NO INTEGRITY, NO CREDIBILITY IN BAKUN SAGA

2010-05-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

COMMENT: Sime Darby Bhd Chairman, Musa Hitam has been quoted in the media as saying that the board members of the conglomerate are "men of the highest integrity and credibility".

Few will agree that these are two terms that can be unquestioningly uttered in the same breath as the Bakun dam project in Sarawak, along with transparency and public accountability. Certainly, humanity was missing too in this enveloping tsunami of a tragedy.

If Musa deserves the benefit of the doubt for a fleeting moment, it's indeed a miracle that Sime Darby could remain untouched by the very cesspool of human greed and excess that it has been mired in ever since it decided to jump on the Bakun bandwagon.

There are lessons galore here for the other GLCs (government-linked corporations) in the country and elsewhere as well.

This leads us to wonder whether Musa really knows what these two terms mean.

DOING THE RIGHT THING

Integrity, in its every essence, means doing the right thing, even when no one is looking and no one will ever find out if you do finally choose, willingly, to do something wrong. That's the definition in the compulsory moral studies module used at local universities.

By this yardstick, is Musa really prepared to solemnly swear on any number of holy books that his board members are men of the highest integrity?

Integrity is much more than having a federal government-run National Integrity Institute. If you have no integrity, how can you claim any credibility at all on anything?

No need for Musa to go rushing to get a copy of any holy book.

We can definitely put it to Musa, with certainty, that his board members and he have zero integrity and zero credibility on the entire Bakun saga.

This is not a cynical reference to the project cost overruns which have hit the conglomerate in shouldering the Bakun fiasco and other projects elsewhere.

Forensic accounting-probing for criminal intent and wrong-doing-may well reveal that there was more to it than meets the eye on the issue of project cost over-runs. But that's a separate issue.

If no forensic accounting probe is ever conducted on the Bakun project's cost overruns, estimated at RM450 million at the moment, then Musa of course can no longer claim that he believes in transparency and public accountability.

But let's not wait for the outcome of such a probe, if any.

Transparency and public accountability are the other two words Musa tossed around, according to media reports, to shield himself from continuing public criticism and demands that he and his entire board step down immediately or, failing which, be summarily sacked.

In Japan, according to former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, they would have committed hara-kiri by now. But as hara-kiri expert Mahathir himself has pointed out several times with a straight face, "we (he mentioned only Malays) are a people with no sense of shame", although he didn't include himself in the observation.

No one sees a halo around his head either as he continues to accuse some people - no prizes for guessing-of being "even willing to sell the country, but since they can't sell the country, they sell the sand".

Even without the outcome of the forensic accounting probe, we can easily establish that the Sime Darby board of directors have the very opposite of the noble attributes that Musa has bestowed upon them during his diarrhoea of words with the media in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

No one in his right mind will agree that the Bakun dam project is the last word in integrity, credibility, transparency and public accountability. The volumes written on Bakun can testify to this.

The politics of development

If transparency and public accountability are is indeed the case, why is the project sited in Sarawak, the most notorious state in Malaysia for virtually stealing the people's sweat from the Public Treasury? Government projects in Sarawak, as elsewhere in Malaysia where Umno's writ runs, finally end up double (in the good old days), thrice and even up to 10 times what should be the actual tender price.

This is the skim cepat kaya (get-rich-quick scheme) system in Sarawak that Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud defends under the euphemism, "politics of development".

The physical evidence of the system is all around for us to see in the lifestyles of the rich and notorious politicians of Sarawak.

If nothing has come out of all this in the courts of law, it's simply because the MACC (Malaysian Anti Corruption Agency) chooses to play deaf, dumb and blind. How many prosecutions of the so-called big fish can MACC claim in Sarawak? Even prosecution of the ikan bilis (small dried fish) are difficult to come by in Sarawak because the big fish fear the former will spill the beans.

The financial mismanagement of Bakun began when it was awarded to a company that had zero experience in dam building. All this company did was to strip the timber resources in Bakun bare before shamelessly handing back the project to the federal government.

Yet, the authorities chose to do nothing about this back-tracking. No probe was ever conducted. In fact, the company even managed to collect hefty sums from the federal government for some work it had supposedly carried out at the dam site.

It is into this vicious cycle of sheer incompetence that Sime Darby chose to enter, knowingly, with the exit of the first company from the scene.

If the GLC really believes in transparency, as Musa claims from his "moral high ground", why didn't it ever tell all about its involvement in the Bakun saga to the public, shareholders and the media? All of them have been asking searching questions for years on end in cyberspace.

Chased out of ancestral lands

A foreign company which had also been tapped for Bakun, before Sime Darby, had the good sense and decency to back off from the project in time. They were against contracts being given to the politically well-connected with zero experience.

They also realised that 10,000 tribal folk had been chased out of their ancestral lands to make way for the dam project, not because Sarawak needed it to keep its people employed with energy-intensive industries, but because there are people out there who have an insatiable appetite for money and those whose greed knows no bounds.

Sime Darby, likewise, should not have participated at all in the Bakun dam project. It should have kept the example of the foreign company in mind when the federal government commanded it to rescue Bakun.

Instead, it entered the project willingly, knowing fully well that this was one monumental scandal where it, to re-phrase Richard Nixon's words, was about to hit the ceiling fan. Now, it has happened.

The irony is that Sime Darby, and Musa, see nothing wrong in mentioning integrity, credibility, transparency and public accountability in the same breath as Sarawak and Taib Mahmud, besides the Bakun dam.

Men of great integrity and credibility would have noticed the suffering of the Bakun people. They would not have turned a blind eye to this matter.

Unfortunately, this was exactly what happened even as board members were beating their chests in unison and working themselves up into a frenzy over the plight of the Palestinians in faraway Gaza and the West Bank.

These are gluttons for punishment who continue to threaten the security of Israel and invite disaster upon themselves to deny themselves of their own state.

The plight of the Bosnians, who invited an unparalleled tragedy by declaring an Islamic state in the heart of Christendom, similarly caused tears to well up in the collective eyes of Sime Darby board members, including Musa, not so long ago during a public charity drive for the Balkans.

Trail of broken promises

But who sheds tears for the Bakun people, the Penans, or the other Dayaks in Sarawak who are rapidly losing their ancestral lands, dignity, humanity and pride to companies just like Sime Darby from Peninsular Malaysia?

The authorities have left a trail of broken promises in Bakun and all over the Dayak country as their own leaders looked the other way for a paltry share of the spoils.

The sheer hypocrisy of it all!

Yet we are expected to ditch our collective brains in the nearest toilet bowl and lap up anything that comes from Musa's "men of great integrity and credibility, committed to transparency and public accountability", as if they are the gospel truth.

Interestingly, Bakun was one of the reasons why Mahathir fell out in late 1998 with Anwar Ibrahim, his then deputy prime minister and finance minister. Anwar wanted the project scrapped-certainly he was left out from the spoils-and failing in this attempt, got himself sacked for it, with other reasons cited for his departure. Now the chickens have come home to roost.

By : JOE FERNANDEZ (sabahkini)

Pakatan rally to prove Kedah’s stability

2010-05-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

The Kedah Pakatan Rakyat government will make an attempt to prove its solidarity tonight by calling on all three of its PKR assemblymen to speak at its mammoth rally in Alor Setar.

Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said the gathering in Kota Sarang Semut near capital Alor Star should quash all talk that it would be hit by a spate of PKR defections that would cause it to topple.

“All those who are supposedly going to defect will be there — all my three PKR assemblyman.

“They will be speaking to the people to dispel talk of their possible defections,” he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted by phone.

Azizan reiterated that he had no plans to dissolve the Kedah assembly, not even if two assemblymen defected.

His words goes against his earlier statement that he would dissolve the assembly at the slightest indication that one of his men were about to leave.

“Why should I? We still have the majority. We can still govern the state even if they leave,” he said confidently.

He acknowledged that he had already received many “indications” of the purported defections but said they were merely malicious rumours spread by “troublemakers”.

“The question is whether those indications are true or not. Some people have even said that the consent of the Sultan has already been sought for the Barisan Nasional to form the state government but can we believe them?” he said.

In the recent days, talk was rife that more PKR defections would soon follow, particularly in Kedah due to the small seat-majority between the BN and PR assemblymen.

PR holds 20 seats in the 36-seat assembly with PAS holding 16, PKR three and DAP one, while the BN has 14.

The assembly’s two independents Radzhi Salleh (Lunas) and Tan Wei Shu (Bakar Arang) are, however, said to be pro-BN.

The High Court had ordered the Election Commission to call a by-election for the Kota Siputeh state seat in Kedah after the assemblyman Datuk Abu Hasan Sarif twice went AWOL from the state legislative assembly meetings.

The decision is currently being appealed by the EC.

If PR loses three more assemblymen from the assembly, BN’s seat number would shoot to 17, with the support of the two independents while the PR would only have 17 assemblymen.

“But still, don’t forget about the Kota Siputeh seat. The status of that seat is still in question,” Azizan reminded.

When contacted, PKR assemblyman Lim Soon Nee confirmed with The Malaysian Insider that he would be speaking at the rally.

“Whatever I need to explain to the people will be said tomorrow night,” he said yesterday, confidently adding that he would not leave PKR.

A PKR source had named Lim as one of the possible defectors from PKR as he was a close friend of Tan.

PKR’s other two assemblymen Tan Chow Kang (Sidam) and S. Manikumar (Bukit Selambau) had already both denied there was any rift in the PR and assured The Malaysian Insider that they were loyal to their party when contacted earlier.

“I am tired. I think I have spoken about this issue more than 50 times. I have many times denied but people still ask when the issue is brought up,” Tan told The Malaysian Insider.

“I want to close the file, I don’t want to talk about this issue anymore. They invite me for this event, so I will use the gathering to explain and I hope people will know my stand ... and not raise the issue again,” he said.

DAP’s sole assemblyman Lee Guan Aik (Kota Darul Aman) had also agreed with his colleagues and insisted that the Kedah PR government was very strong.

“There may be some problems in the PKR but I do not think it will come to that level. I believe this is just the work of our opponents who are plotting to create this sense of uneasiness in hopes of destroying us,” he had reportedly said. -TMI

Sime Darby: PAS calls for special panel, suspension of top officers

2010-05-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

PAS has called for the suspension of Sime Darby chairman Musa Hitam, its CEO Azhar Abdul Hamid and its Vice President of Utilities and Energy Division Hisham Hamdan to facilitate an investigation into losses amounting to RM1.63 billion by the giant corporation.

"Any investigation will be made difficult by their continued presence in the organisation," said the party's information chief Idris Ahmad in a statement today.

Idris said the people viewed with suspicion the reasons given for the loss, such as cost overruns incurred from projects in Qatar and the Bakun dam.

"Why was there nothing done to put a brake on cost overruns at the early stage?

"As a seasoned corporate player, Sime should have gauged its investment capabilities in both projects," he said.

Following revelation of the losses, pressure has been mounting on Musa and other top officials of the government-linked company to resign.

Musa, a former deputy prime minister, said he was prepared to resign if auditors investigating the losses could prove his guilt.

“I do not mind stepping down but it must be based on facts. At this point it is not clear yet who should be held accountable," he was reported as saying in the local media.

Describing the losses as gigantic, Idris said the investments by Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the government's asset management company Permodalan Nasional Berhad, which own 66% of shares in Sime Darby, would also be affected.

Idris said instead of Sime carrying out an internal investigation, a special panel appointed by the government should be formed to probe the company.

He said Sime should take lessons from Pos Malaysia Berhad which had used its losses as an excuse to call for its privatisation. -HD

Two more join anti-Samy Vellu fray

2010-05-21T17:31:00.000-07:00

Two more MIC leaders have come out to openly call for Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu’s early resignation, adding to the mounting pressure on the embattled party president to step down ahead of his plan to quit next year.

The two leaders, KP Samy and G. Kumar Aman, both Central Working Committee (CWC) members, said an extraordinary general meeting should be held to allow the party’s 3,200 delegates decide on the issue.

“I see no value for the Indian society if Samy Vellu continues as party president,” Samy told a press conference today.

Kumar Aman, who attended the same press conference, concurred.

The duo said they were in no way indebted to Samy Vellu and were concerned about the future of MIC.

They added that the party president, who has held fast to his post for over 30 years, had to accept that it was time for him to call it a day.

Samy Vellu, they added, should resign during the party’s annual general meeting this July 10.

The two are at the helm of a budding movement to remove Samy Vellu, which came to light recently when MIC Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan openly called for the president to resign by this Dec 31.

His statement came after Samy Vellu announced on Sunday that he would quit by September next year, ahead of the expiration of his term in May 2012.

The announcement had come as a surprise as many leaders, including those in other Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, had assumed the president would leave during the party’s AGM in July.

Samy Vellu had said he had plans to “rearrange” the party and rid it of those who had the intention to “destroy” MIC.

Mugilan and MIC Petaling Jaya South chief, V. Subramaniam, also known as Bharat Maniam, were both sacked after speaking out against Samy Vellu.

In Bharat Maniam’s case, the veteran MIC leader was sacked a week ago after sending an SMS to Samy Vellu, lobbying to be a Senator.

Mugilan was sacked yesterday for asking Samy Vellu’s earlier retirement.

He is expected to appeal his expulsion to the CWC on Monday.

It is unlikely, however, that Samy Vellu will mete out similar punishments to Samy and Kumar Aman.

With the two joining the anti-Samy Vellu bandwagon, more leaders in the party are expected to come forward to voice similar sentiments. -TMI

No Stay of Anwar's Sodomy Trial

2010-05-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

The Court of Appeal today unanimously denied Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim a stay of his sodomy trial pending the disposal of his appeal against the High Court's dismissal of his bid to get witness statements of his accuser, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Justices Datuk Sulong Matjeraie, Datuk Ramly Ali and Datuk Zaharah Ibrahim ruled that it was unappropriate to grant the stay pending the disposal of the appeal.

Sulong said the High Court ruling was made in the course of a trial and did not dispose off the rights of the party.

"If the applicant succeeds in the appeal before the Court of Appeal, the witness SP1 (Mohd Saiful) can be still be recalled at any stage of the proceedings before judgment and can be further examined and the necessary impeachment proceedings can still be taken," he said.

Justice Zaharah had replaced Justice Mohamed Apandi Ali, who volunteered to to recuse himself from hearing the application earlier, after Anwar's counsel, Karpal Singh, objected to his presence due to his past association with Umno.

Later, Karpal Singh told reporters that he would request the court to fix the hearing of the appeal before May 31.

The High Court had fixed May 31 to resume the trial.

Anwar wants the prosecution to furnish him with Mohd Saiful's witness statements, claiming that there were inconsistencies between Mohd Saiful's testimony and the sodomy charge framed against Anwar.

The defence contended that Mohd Saiful had said that the alleged sodomy took place without his consent but Anwar was charged under Section 377B of the Penal Code, with consensual sexual intercourse.

Anwar filed an application to the Court of Appeal to stay the trial after the High Court, on May 13, refused to grant him the order.

Anwar, 63, is charged with sodomising Mohd Saiful, his former aide, at Unit 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

He faces up to 20 years in jail and whipping if convicted.

Today, Karpal Singh argued that the trial would be rendered nugatory if Anwar succeeded in his appeal and a stay was not granted.

He said the High Court's rejection of Anwar's request for the statements was appealable, a point disagreed by Solicitor-General II Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, who is heading the prosecution in the sodomy trial.

Mohd Yusof said the High Court decision was only a ruling in the course of a trial and could not be appealed because it was not a final order.

- Bernama

Felda trader put off by Jakim's 'discrimination' in issuing Halal logo

2010-05-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

A small-time food manufacturer in a Felda settlement has complained about discrimination by the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) over the issuance of the 'Halal' certificate.

Mohd Rufie Waris (pic) of Felda Suharto in Kuala Kubu, Selangor, said Jakim, which has the authority to issue the Halal logo, had failed to approve his application despite repeated attempts, on the pretext that his products had not gone through the "industrial" method.

The excuse was given to Rufie by Jakim's Halal Hub Division chief assistant director Abdul Hamid Mohamed Salleh during a meeting in March.

"He informed me that I did not follow procedures. Since my products are not done in a factory, Jakim would not issue the Halal logo," Rufie explained.

He said he was not alone in his predicament, as many others who carry out small manufacturing businesses had also been denied the Halal certificate, but dared not protest.

"Where else should I go? Who will defend the plight of poor bumiputeras like us?" he asked.

Rufie, who has been in business for the last two decades, said as a result, his products were now not allowed to be sold at R&R stops along the North-South highway.

Rufie said many single mothers, who undertook the processing of raw materials for his products, now faced the prospect of losing their jobs due to the losses he incurred.

"I cannot sell my products and as a result many of the single mothers have lost their income. All because there is no halal logo," said Rufie who came personally to Harakahdaily's office today to highlight his plight.

He said he used to do house to house visits to collect the processed foods to be distributed to retail shops and R&R stops between Rawang and Bukit Merah (northbound) and Sungai Buluh-Pagoh (southbound).

However, since January, highway officials from PLUS have barred his product from being sold there due to the absence of the Halal logo.

He said he had been informed that those who sold products without the logo would be fined RM10,000 for each product. -Harakahdaily

MUSA AMAN SHOULD CLEAR THE AIR

2010-05-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

AN article entitled ‘Three Billion Dollar Man-Di Arah Istihar Harta?’ was uploaded and posted in a local website, Sabahkini.net, on the 14th of May, 2010. The Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman was mentioned and allegedly having assets worth over RM 3 billion.

According to the site, MACC had earlier issued a notice to the CM on the 29th April, 2010, required him to explain and give information on the matter related to certain assets and ‘money laundering’ activity. The statement also linked this case to several individuals and names of companies were mentioned allegedly having connection.

Judging on the seriousness on the background of the article, and the involvement of the people who were being named, there must be some explanation to be given in order to verify the facts stated. The content of the article is something that we shouldn’t overlook, when this is concerning Sabah, especially the Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Musa Aman was mentioned.

Sabah DAP State Chief cum Member of Parliament, Dr. Hiew King Cheu said when he read this article in the website and found the content shocking. He said he can’t believe this is happening in Sabah, and there must be a thorough explanation to the matter. The truth must be investigated and made known to all the people. MACC should handle this case and conduct an transparent investigation to bring the matter out in the open.

On the part of the Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman, it is righteous for him to explain the allegation and clear the air once for all, and to clean his name. -Sabahkini

BN’S INTERNAL QUARREL REFLECTS ITS INSTABILITY

2010-05-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

THE recent hot issue on Sabah and Sarawak will not be the ‘Fixed Deposit’ for BN, and this was raised by the LDP Vice President Datuk Chin Su Phin concerning and over other various matters within the Barisan Nasional was refuted by many BN component leaders who think Chin is totally wrong and his statement cannot be accepted. The BN components do share his view and termed his view as anti-BN.

Today, many statements were issued by LDP leaders which included their Youth chief and Women chief to protect and stand together with Chin. They said that they are not against the BN but merely do not agree with some of the leaders, and further to highlight the various issues like poor hospital services, uncompleted railway system, delayed flyover construction in Tanjong Aru, illegal immigrant, power woes, long delay in the KKIA runway project etc..

The wanita chief also hit back on Datuk Tham Nyap Sing, the previous CM technical advisor by saying that why he did not helped to solve the problem on power cuts and shortages all these while, especially he was an employee of Sabah Electricity Board and a deputy president of the then BN-SAPP.

Dr. Hiew King Cheu the Sabah DAP chief commented on the matter by saying that it is true that the BN’s ‘fixed deposits’ in Sabah and Sarawak is diminishing at a very fast rates and it is no longer secured.

The statement from Datuk Chin already served as a strong warning and a reminder to the BN components, but his kind gesture had been refuted with cannon bomb shells fired from the components. This reflected the elegance and blinded attitudes of the BN not to accept criticism even from their counterpart.

Dr. Hiew said he admires people like Datuk Chin Su Phin and others like him who dare to speak out especially on matters that is affecting the interest of the Sabahan and Sarawakian as a whole. This is good leadership by example, who has no fear to speak out, why these people choose to be silent?

The cases like the billion ringgit money laundering which was put out in the open now, and some names were mentioned and the investigation by MACC is in progress, why all of them (BN) kept total silence, as if the case had been swept underneath the carpet.

Sabah DAP welcome those good people in BN to join DAP to work towards a new government in order their voices can be heard, and their views be recognized and put into full use. We need to build up a strong team and a genuine team for the people in order to bring about “Save Sabah, Save Malaysia”.

-Sabahkini

Samy Vellu flexes muscles, expels Mugilan

2010-05-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu today flexed his muscles in the faces of those forcing him into an early retirement by summarily expelling Youth leader V. Mugilan from the party.

The embattled president had apparently sidestepped the party’s disciplinary committee to punish Mugilan (picture) and instead chose to exercise his presidential powers by directly expelling the MIC Youth deputy chief.

The Malaysian Insider received confirmation from a senior party leader this evening that an expulsion letter, issued personally by Samy Vellu himself, was now en route to Mugilan.

“The president has chosen not to use the avenue of referring Mugilan to the committee.

“He has the powers to do so, as the party president,” said the source.

Upon receiving his expulsion letter, Mugilan can choose to appeal the sentence with the party’s central working committee (CWC) or accept the president’s decision.

The CWC in turn can convene a meeting to discuss the appeal but the president and his deputy Datuk G. Palanivel would not be allowed to be present in the meeting.

Mugilan was slammed by Samy Vellu for calling him to resign by year-end ahead of his exit plan to leave eight or nine months before his term expires in May 2012.

Samy Vellu had insisted on sticking to his exit plan and had accused Mugilan of breaching disciplinary regulations when he acted against the party’s interests in the Hulu Selangor by-election.

He also said he would refer the Youth leader to the party’s disciplinary committee for further action.

Samy Vellu’s decision today to avoid the lengthier process of using the disciplinary board to punish Mugilan serves as a warning to other detractors in the party not to proceed with their campaign to remove him.

The Malaysian Insider was however unable to reach MIC secretary-general S. Murugessan to confirm if the expulsion letter had already been issued.

It is understood however that both the MIC Youth and Wanita wings that met this morning had demanded for the president to expel Mugilan for his act of speaking out against the president and working against the party in the Hulu Selangor by-election.

When contacted, Mugilan said if he was indeed expelled it would prove his accusation that Samy Vellu was a dictator.

“It is Samy Vellu who needs to be expelled, not me,” Mugilan said, adding that the president had overstayed his welcome.

“I am being expelled because I dare to speak up. MIC has no future if Samy Vellu stays on,” he said.

Mugilan also promised to continue his campaign to force Samy Vellu to retire by Dec 31 this year.

“Samy Vellu has nothing to his presidency... but scandals,” he said.

He challenged Samy Vellu to a debate on current issues and on the reasons why the latter should retire immediately on May 23 at the MIC headquarters here.

“If he is truly brave, he should accept my challenge... let the people judge. Let him say before the public what are his achievements, if any,” Mugilan said. -TMI

Anwar dismisses defection threat

2010-05-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has dismissed the idea that his PKR has been weakened by a spate of defections, saying the malcontents left because they misused funds.

The opposition leader instead said last night the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition has been strengthened by the success in the Sibu Parliamentary by-election. DAP won the seat last Sunday, three weeks after PKR lost the Hulu Selangor by-election.

“Those who left are meant to be with Umno. They left because they knew we cannot tolerate their attempt misuse public funds,” said Anwar during a gathering at small fishing village near here.

He cited the case of former Kedah executive councillor, Mohammad Radzhi Salleh, who left PKR last year, claiming that the Lunas assemblyman had cheated in his claims.

Anwar charged that Radzhi left PKR before the party could act against him after the PAS-led government complained to the party.

“Before we could act, he jumped to join Umno. This kind of people don’t belong in Pakatan, they deserve to be with Umno,” said Anwar in his 20 minute speech.

Since Election 2008, five PKR MPs and an equal number of state lawmakers have turned independent.

The resignation of Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim ( Bayan Baru), Tan Tee Beng (Nibong Tebal), Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri (Bagan Serai), Wee Choo Keong (Wangsa Maju) and the sacking of Zulkifli Noordin (Kulim-Bandar Baharu) from the party has caused PKR to lose its status as the largest opposition party in parliament.

PR now controls 77 seats, with PKR having 24 MPs; DAP, 29; PAS, 23; and PSM, 1. The Sabah-based SAPP has two seats. There are six independents. Barisan Nasional, meanwhile, controls 138 seats in the 222-member Parliament

Last night, the PKR de facto leader also reiterated the promise that leaders would not benefit from projects by the PR-led state governments.

The PKR-controlled Selangor government has been accused of abuse of power in the state’s sand mining operation.

The case was now being investigated by the Selangor’s Select Committee on Competency, Account-ability and Transparency (Selcat).

The accusation was made by the party’s Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam, who had received death threat after making the allegation.

Manikavasagam, however, was not at last night’s gathering despite being listed as one of the speakers. -TMI

EX BN STRONG MAN JOINED SABAH DAP

2010-05-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

DR. BENJAMIN Yapp is the new Liaison chief to lead the Sabah DAP operation and service in the interior constituencies, namely Keningau and Tenom Parliamentary.

On receiving and welcoming Dr. Benjamin Yapp to join the party today, at the Sabah DAP headquarter in Kota Kinabalu, Dr. Hiew King Cheu the State Chief said that with him joining the team is indeed a booster to the strength of the party, especially to the DAP in the interior of Sabah.

The interior constituencies have long without a strong opposition voice. Now with Dr. Benjamin Yapp as the Liaison chief to take charge of the operation in the interior area, we will definitely hear more from these areas.

Dr. Benjamin Yapp, a 62 years old Phd holder in Public Relations is a local Sino-native professional involving higher education training cum very active in NGOs. In politics, he was the ex-PBRS Vice president cum ex-BN Kota Kinabalu Parliamentary Liaison committee member. He finally decided to join Sabah DAP after devoted nearly 12 years service to Barisan Nasional (BN).

He has a vision towards improving the socio-economic development and status of the Sabahan who are living in acute poverty. He had made many trips to the interior areas in Keningau, Bingor, Apin Apin, Sook, Nabawan, and Tenom to conduct survey and research relating to the socio-economic development of the rural poor populations, and he found the situations are real bad. He charged that the eradication of poverty and to achieve ‘0-poverty’ by 2010 as announced by the BN is impossible to achieve.

Dr. Hiew said Sabah DAP is glad to receive Dr. Benjamin Yapp as one of its leader and will work closely with him to produce fine and devoted service to the Sabahan. The Sabah DAP team is growing in strength every day with the intake of quality and capable person. We require more devoted people to join and to serve with the party, and together we can bring about ‘Save Sabah, save Malaysia’! -Sabahkini

DAP takes Sibu

2010-05-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

The DAP pulled off a surprise win in the Sibu by-election today, defeating Barisan Nasional’s (BN) SUPP by 398 votes in a hard fought race.

DAP’s Wong Ho Leng polled 18,845 votes compared to BN candidate Robert Lau’s 18,447 votes.

The margin of victory was just a little more than the 395 spoilt votes. The independent candidate garnered 232 votes.

“Thank you Sibu. Thank you Malaysia. One small step in winning Sibu, one giant step to winning Putrajaya, “ Wong said after he was declared the winner.

BN had earlier been expected to retain its Sarawak stronghold but lost despite the best efforts of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The Sibu vote is seen as a bellwether for the Sarawak state elections which must be called by next year.

Asked by reporters today what he thought today’s result would mean for impending state polls, Wong said “Sarawak is ready for change.”

DAP is the biggest opposition party in Sarawak and is expected to put up a serious challenge in the next state polls.

Today’s result is also significant in that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has snapped a streak of successive defeats to BN in recent by-elections.

The count now is 8-3 in favour of PR in terms of wins in by-elections held since Election 2008.

Today’s result is also a setback for Najib who had personally campaigned for BN and had placed his own reputation on the line.

Najib has been counting on Sabah and Sarawak as BN’s fixed deposit, but today’s result shows a major swing from 2008 when BN won the seat by more than 3,000 votes.

Today’s result also raises two thorny issues — how to deal with the Tan Sri Taib Mahmud factor and whether to push for state polls which sources say had been slated for October this year.

Taib, who has been at the helm for more than two decades now, was absent from most of the Sibu campaign because BN had anticipated DAP attacks against his leadership.

The white-haired chief minister known as “pek moh” among Chinese voters has been heavily criticised for alleged abuse of power.

He has to call state elections by next year and Najib and BN had been hoping a resounding win would provide the ruling coalition the momentum needed to go into the next general elections.

The victorious Wong called his win tonight a miracle.

“It is a miracle we have created together. For those who did not vote for me I now want to be your friend,” he said. -TMI

Kit Siang says Najib's RM15 m goodies in Sibu not enough

2010-05-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

DAP leader Lim Kit Siang said the RM15 million given by prime minister Najib Razak to Chinese schools in Sibu was hardly enough, especially when compared to RM77 million paid to secure a meeting with US president Barack Obama and the writing-off of RM320 billion-worth of oil to Brunei recently.

Najib was in Sibu on Wednesday to campaign for the Barisan Nasional in the by-election this Sunday. At a gathering of some 1,000 Chinese educationists and school teachers, he presented financial allocations of RM15 million for 65 Chinese primary schools and five independent Chinese secondary schools in Sibu.

"This means that the five independent Chinese secondary schools gets RM1 million each while the 65 Chinese primary schools will get RM153,846 each.

"The people of Sibu are thankful for Najib’s RM15 million for Chinese schools in Sibu but the Prime Minister should be reminded that it should be at least RM30 million if not RM150 million cheques," said Lim.

Lim reminded that funding from the government to all schools was a citizens’ right, "not a gift from the government, as the government funds are derived from the people’s taxes."

Saying government funding for schools to institutionalized rather than personalized and timed for by-elections, he called on Najib to give an undertaking that the RM15 million allocation will be channelled anually.

He however said the figure should be higher, as Chinese schools in Sibu had contributed to the nation by producing highly-qualified human resources, "many of whom are forced to leave Sibu and even go overseas to find a living".

"What the Federal Government should allocate annually should be in the region of RM1 million for each Chinese primary school and RM2 million for each independent Chinese secondary school – which will work out to RM65 million for Sibu’s Chinese primary schools and RM10 million for the five Sibu independent Chinese secondary schools, i.e. RM75 million. For two years of Najib’s premiership, this will work out to RM150 million," said Lim. -Harakah

Dr Chua realigns MCA’s The Star

2010-05-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

The Edge’s chief editor Ho Kay Tat will assume a senior management role in The Star daily, as part of sweeping changes by MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to strengthen the newspaper’s leadership and realign the party’s assets.

The newly-elected party president is also set to name the newspaper’s new non-executive chairman, identified as former banker Kuah Han Liang, who was previously with Deutsche Bank Malaysia, contrary to speculations that the post was for Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon, the managing director of Royal Selangor International.

“The moves are to strengthen the senior management team in the newspaper,” a source told The Malaysian Insider, adding the announcement will be made around the time of the newspaper’s annual general meeting slated for May 24.

Ho’s name has been bandied for weeks as the man to be entrusted to take the country’s largest-circulating English newspaper to greater heights. However, he is not expected to be appointed to the newspaper’s board of directors.

The distinguished veteran began his career 24 years ago with the New Straits Times before he joined Reuters news agency in Kuala Lumpur as a correspondent in 1990. He then moved to Singapore Business Times in 1994 and later joined The Edge as its editor in August 1996.

The cigar-chomping white-haired journalist was made the weekly’s managing director in 2006 but stepped aside in 2009 to remain editor-in-chief.

While Ho’s selection was made easy by the shrinking pool of professional journalists in the country, Dr Chua had a harder time to pick a new chairman for The Star as several candidates — well known corporate figures — are believed to have turned down offers for the controversial position.

Kuah is said to be a close associate of Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn, who is now in charge of MCA party assets. Fong himself was the initial choice for the chairmanship.

It is also learnt that two other new board directors have been proposed — former banker Lee Siang Chin and advertising guru Datuk Vincent Lee. The latter, a close associate of the new MCA president, has already been appointed to the Huaren Holdings’ board. Huaren owns 41 per cent of Star Publications.

Party sources also dismissed rumours that executive director Ng Beng Lai and executive deputy chairman Datuk Clement Hii would be axed as being inaccurate. Ng would not be seeking re-election at the coming annual general meeting, a source told The Malaysian Insider.

Hii, on the other hand, is helping sort out a succession plan for The Star, since its current group managing director/CEO Datin Linda Ngiam would be retiring next year.

Both Hii and Ngiam are said to be responsible for recruiting Ho and discussions have been ongoing for many months, party sources said. They added that Dr Chua agreed to the choice, as Ho is perceived widely as a professional without political affiliation.

Hii, who has other business interests, has expressed his desire to relinquish his position in the media group since late last year. Hii is also Group MD of SEG International Bhd (SEGi) which has recently seen its share price shoot up three-fold in as many months.

Sources say Hii and Chua Soi Lek do enjoy a cordial relationship after the two got to know each other during the MCA Greater Unity Plan between former president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and Dr Chua’s camps.

He aided in the newspaper’s ambitious plans to be a national newspaper by the launching its Sarawak edition.

However Hii's is expected to keep his sting at The Star short, though his departure date is not known yet.

The changes at The Star is not expected to affect the position of newly-appointed executive director Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, who is also the tabloid’s group chief editor, source said.

The Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia political science graduate is expected to figure prominently in the succession plan for the newspaper’s top management. He is seen as one of the daily’s top journalists and has distinguished himself through the years. -TMI

The politics of booze and kampua mee

2010-05-14T19:29:00.000-07:00

Coupled with lurid details of Anwar Ibrahim’s purportedly unlawful sexual preferences to illustrate the perforations in Pakatan Rakyat’s facade, Barisan Nasional seems to think it’s got it made for the country’s 11th and hopefully final, by-election.

It is sad and frankly quite pathetic to see that we have regressed to using such petty frivolities as means to win a by-election in a reasonably mature democracy.

It started with booze in Hulu Selangor and moved on to a local noodle dish called ‘Kampua Mee’ in Sibu.

Coupled with lurid details of Anwar Ibrahim’s purportedly unlawful sexual preferences to illustrate the perforations in Pakatan Rakyat’s facade, Barisan Nasional seems to think it’s got it made for the country’s 11th and hopefully final, by-election.

It is sad and frankly quite pathetic to see that we have regressed to using such petty frivolities as means to win a by-election in a reasonably mature democracy.

How much inroad did the BN really make when it called PKR’s Datuk Zaid Ibrahim an alcoholic during the April 25 Hulu Selangor by-election?

Does a person’s preference for a few swigs off a bottle truly mirror his ability to serve a constituency?

While alcohol was used as campaign fodder to stave off the Muslim voters’ confidence in the PR, today, the BN has chosen another little gimmick to protect its five term-held Sibu fort — the township’s signature Foochow kampua mee dish.

A huge billboard erected by the SUPP camp at the Brooke roundabout in Sibu shows a picture of the noodle dish with a little caption in Chinese characters.

DAP candidate Wong having Kampua mee with his family. - Picture by Jack Ooi
The message they seek to disseminate is simple, albeit a tad dubious: Kampua Mee will not taste the same if one changes its recipe. Vote for BN to retain its orginal flavour.
In simpler, more explanatory terms, BN has returned to stone-age politics by hoping to instil fear in the Chinese by saying that a vote the DAP is a vote for PAS and a vote for an Islamic state.

This means separate queues for women in the public areas, a blanket ban on the sale of alcohol and of course, no pork meat in Kampua noodles!

Apparently, a DAP MP in the BN-ruled state of Sarawak (which by the way, is en route state elections in the next few months) would have enough clout to stop restauranteur from serving pork in their kampua mee or in any dish, for that matter.

SUPP Sibu’s publicity director Daniel Ngieng made a feeble attempt to defend this campaign gimmick by saying the noodle analogy was to illustrate DAP’s agenda of “change”.

DAP’s “change”, he said, meant a change in the Chinese community’s favourite kampua mee since the party’s affiliation with Islamist PAS would not allow pork in the noodles.

It is hard to tell if the BN machinery truly believes that stooping to such an elementary level would help it recapture Chinese support.

When the voters for DAP face the ballot boxes on polling day, will their minds paint pictures of winged bowls of kampua mee, fluttering away and out of their reach?

Or perhaps BN just prefers the anaesthesia of ignorance to numb the painful truth that try as they might, holding the “Islamic state” threat like a guillotine above the heads of the Chinese is a sorry sign of only one thing — desperation. -MT

Malaysian Swan Song in Sarawak By-Election

2010-05-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

The people of Sibu must have wondered if Christmas and Gawai, the harvest festival, had come early. The campaign circus has breathed a short-lived booming economy into the town, nestled on the banks of the river. Hotels and restaurants are fully booked. There is free karaoke and beer. Food has been ordered for the various meetings in the longhouses. Election bunting, banners and billboards are everywhere. Boats going up-river are filled to capacity. And best of all politicians are promising building projects, more development and they are signing checks, with the promise of more.

The Sibu by-election in Sarawak on 16 May is a test on several fronts. A win for the Barisan Nasional, which appears likely, would put the Barisan within striking range of taking back its two-thirds majority in the national parliament.

Beyond that is the old rivalry between two sworn enemies – the Sarawak United Political Party for the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and the Democratic Action Party for the opposition Pakatan Rakyat banner. As with all of the by-elections that have occurred since the national elections of March 2008, it is being hard fought, even harder perhaps.

As an indication of the importance the government places on the seat, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak recently made a second appearance in Sibu, a picturesque town of about 250,000 people on the upper reaches of the Rajang River, offering his hand of friendship to the Chinese community and proclaiming, "As prime minister, I want to deliver. You can trust me that this government will deliver to the people of Sibu."

He might as well have said, "Trust me. I am a politician."

The people of Sibu must have wondered if Christmas and Gawai, the harvest festival, had come early. The campaign circus has breathed a short-lived booming economy into the town, nestled on the banks of the river. Hotels and restaurants are fully booked. There is free karaoke and beer. Food has been ordered for the various meetings in the longhouses. Election bunting, banners and billboards are everywhere. Boats going up-river are filled to capacity. And best of all politicians are promising building projects, more development and they are signing checks, with the promise of more.

But the reality is far from rosy. There is cyclical flooding, poor infrastructure, a lack of social services, rising prices, declining business and employment. In addition, the people are furious about the mismanagement of resources by Sarawak’s chief minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud, who has run the state since 1981 and has been accused perennially of lining his pockets through resource-extraction companies owned by his family.

When the Chinese Foochow clan settled on the shores of the Rejang at the beginning of the 20th Century, there were visions of agricultural prosperity and trade with the interior. But the dream soon became a disaster. Development was sluggish, just like the boggy marshland surrounding Sibu. Only a handful of hotels, mansions, shopping malls and office blocks owned by the timber giants, thrived.

Improbably, the swan is depicted as the town symbol despite the fact that swans are not a naturally occurring species there or anywhere else in Malaysia. The majority of the community especially its indigenous people, have no strong attachment to this adopted ‘Symbol of Sibu’. They consider the swan too artificial and feel it a reflection of their sentiments for this election.

Therefore, the election will be an interesting test of Barisan Nasional’s ability to reclaim the Chinese votes it lost earlier in the Hulu Selangor by-election on the Malaysian mainland. The constituency has 54,695 voters, of which 66 percent are predominantly Foochow. The other groups are Malay/Melanau (17 percent), Ibans (15 percent) with the remainder from the Bidayuh, Orang Ulu and Indian communities. There are 2,537 postal voters from the police and army personnel at two military camps. -MT

Judge Postpones Anwar's Sodomy 2 Trial to May 31

2010-05-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

The High Court today postponed to May 31 the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trial after key prosecution witness Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had testified in camera at the request, of Anwar's counsel Karpal Singh during cross-examination.

This was the second time that Mohd Saiful had testified in camera, the first time being in early February when Karpal Singh made a similar request during examination-in-chief by Solicitor-General II Datuk Mohamed Yusof Zainal Abiden who heads the prosecution team.

Today's in-camera proceedings took about 30 minutes, S.N. Nair, another of
Anwar's lawyers, told reporters afterwards.

After the in-camera session, the court returned to open hearing before Judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah who adjourned hearing to May 31 after allowing Karpal Singh to file appeals to the Court of Appeal.

Karpal Singh said the defence would file two appeals, one against the court's decision rejecting Anwar's application to be furnished with the witness statement of Mohd Saiful and the second against the court's decision rejecting the application for a stay of proceedings pending the appeal.

Anwar, 63, the Opposition Leader and Permatang Pauh Member of Parliament, is charged with sodomising Mohd Saiful at Unit 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008. He is charged under Section 377B of the Penal Code and faces up to 20 years in jail and whipping if convicted. He was charged in August 2008.

Today, on resumption of open hearing, the cross-examination continued with Mohd Saiful, who is a former personal aide of Anwar, asked to identify Mohamed Ezam Mohd Noor, a former political secretary of Anwar.

In his testimony yesterday, Mohd Saiful had said that he had met with Mohamed Ezam on June 27, 2008 to convey what had befallen him.

Asked who had advised him to lodge a police report, Mohd Saiful replied: "On my own will."

To a question whether he was advised by former national track queen Datuk Mumtaz Jaafar, he said Mumtaz did not concur that he make a police report.

Asked whether he had met with anyone on the morning of June 28, 2008 before seeking treatment at hospital and before lodging a police report, Mohd Saiful said he had met with his uncle, Tuah, that morning and also a religious teacher.

However, he said, he did not know the full name of the religious teacher whom he had just called "Atuk".

Mohd Saiful said he had gone to Anwar's house on June 27, 2008 at about 5pm because there was a meeting with bloggers and the Anwar Club.

Karpal Singh then referred to a photograph at that function where Mohd Saiful was carrying drinks to a table occupied by Anwar and his guests, and Mohd Saiful verified the picture. -MD

Kedah will not dissolve assembly, says MB

2010-05-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

The Kedah Pakatan Rakyat government has ignored independent MP Zulkifli Noordin’s warning of a “second Perak” and will not seek to dissolve its state assembly.

Its leaders, however, are “extremely on guard” and will keep a close watch on all its 20 PR assemblymen to ensure they remain loyal to the coalition, unlike in Perak where three lawmakers turned independent and caused the collapse of the pact’s government in February 2009.

Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak confirmed with The Malaysian Insider that he had no immediate plans to seek a dissolution of the state assembly since none in his team of lawmakers had indicated plans to defect.

“I just had a discussion with them last night and I am very confident of their loyalty.

“There is no problem in the PR. The only problems are the assemblymen from Barisan Nasional,” he said when contacted.

The PAS leader scoffed at Zulkifli’s prediction that “a certain PR government” would soon fall like Perak had because of the closeness in the seat distribution between PR and BN in the state assembly.

“If he said that the Kedah majority is small, then how did the Kelantan (PAS) government manage to stay in power with only a one seat-majority?

“If other PKR members think like Zulkifli, then not only a few will jump — he cannot declare that a few will jump like him because we are all on good terms in PR,” he claimed.

Azizan believes his assemblymen will be steadfast. — file pic
Azizan also went further to challenge Zulkifli to step down as an MP and re-contest his Kulim-Bandar Baharu parliamentary seat if he felt he was influential enough.
“The people no longer support him... he is no longer credible in Kedah. If he is brave then he should resign and stand for re-election.

“If he really thinks that he has influence then he should resign and we will let our branch leader to go against him,” he said.

Zulkfili, who was sacked from PKR, issued the purported warning on Wednesday and advised a “certain PR state government” to quickly seek for a dissolution.

“It will be a shocker,” he warned, but did not name which state government he was referring to.

He also claimed that two PKR MPs and one assemblyman would soon leave the party.

Kedah PKR chief Johari Abdul admitted that all PR leaders in the state were presently “extremely on guard,” and at the slightest indication of another defection, the state assembly would be dissolved.

“I am an ex-Umno guy myself and I have plenty of friends still in Umno. We are keeping our eyes and ears open, but for now, there is still not indication of anything.

“One thing is for certain, there is no way that any one of the PAS assemblymen will jump. They are bound by the bai’ah (pledge) that they have taken,” he said.

He pointed out that even if all three of PKR’s remaining assemblymen left, the BN would still not have enough assemblymen to form a government.

“Do not forget that the validity of the Kota Siputeh seat is still in question in court. They cannot use that for now,” he said.

PR holds 20 seats in the 36-seat assembly with PAS holding 16, PKR three and DAP one, while the BN has 14. The assembly’s two independents — Radzhi Salleh (Lunas) and Tan Wei Shu (Bakar Arang) — are, however, said to be pro-BN.

The High Court had ordered the Election Commission to call a by-election for the Kota Siputeh state seat in Kedah after the assemblyman Datuk Abu Hasan Sarif twice went absent without leave from the state legislative assembly meetings.

The decision is currently being appealed by the EC.

Meanwhile when contacted, PKR’s assemblymen Tan Show Kang (Sidam) and S. Manikumar (Bukit Selambau) both denied there was any rift in the PR and assured The Malaysian Insider that they were loyal to their party.

“That Zulkifli is a bad man. His job is merely to spread lies and rumours in order to shake the foundation of Kedah’s government.

“We are not going to fall — you have nothing to worry about. If we wanted to leave, we would have left a long time ago. All those who wanted to defect have already left and those remaining will never leave,” he claimed.

Manikar said that Zulkifli was “heading towards insanity” for his predictions.

“Kedah is stable and there will be no negative action. It’s a blatant lie, nothing to worry about,” he said in an SMS.

DAP’s sole assemblyman, Lee Guan Aik (Kota Darul Aman), agreed with his colleagues and insisted that the Kedah PR government was very strong.

“There may be some problems in the PKR but I do not think it will come to that level.

“I believe this is just the work of our opponents who are plotting to create this sense of uneasiness in hopes of destroying us,” he said.

He agreed that he, along with many other PR assemblymen in Kedah, had been offered bribes to defect to BN after Election 2008 but denied the offers had been renewed recently.

“In any case, we will reject the offers outright,” he said confidently.

The third PKR assemblyman, Kulim’s Lim Soon Nee, could not be reached for comment.

A PKR source told The Malaysian Insider that of the three remaining PKR assemblymen in Kedah, Lim was the likeliest to leave.

“He was good friends with Tan Wei Shu (Bakar Arang),” claimed the source, an assemblyman from another state.

Tan resigned from PKR last month, citing his dissatisfaction with the party leadership and his removal from the state executive council.

May 13: Still no hope for closure

2010-05-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

'It's about time we have the courage to face history and find out the truth and put those killed forever to rest.'

Tearful memories of May 13

Anonymous: Racial and religious violence are happening in many places in the world and are engineered by selfish and hardheaded politicians and self-interested religious fanatics. One disaster in May 13 is enough for us and it taught us a good lesson.

Let us bury it and move this nation forward with justice and fairness for all, and throw out the selfish politicians and religious fanatics from whatever party.

BTN: It's time the ghost of May 13 be brought to rest with an independent party investigating on this dark day and those who caused all this to happen - whether alive or dead - have to be responsible and brought to justice.

Chew Swee Yoke: Yes, it is true that the army was involved - I saw this on British TV news channels in May 1969 when I was a law student doing my Bar finals. On TV, I saw the soldiers aiming their guns upwards at windows along Batu Road.

I was so shocked that I cried and telephoned a sister in Crewe near Newcastle-under-lyme and said, 'The soldiers are shooting at the Chinese - is mom safe in Petaling Jaya?'

I was traumatised and after sitting for my Bar finals, arranged with the Inns of Court to give me a re-sit even before the results were out as I was so certain I would fail. By the grace of God, I passed, but the horror of knowing the massacre was condoned officially is life-changing.

NGOs demand Reconciliation Commission

Baiyuensheng: I second that. It's about time we have the courage to face history and find out the truth and put those killed forever to rest. A day that we mourned for those victims rather than used like a trophy and cowed other citizens into submission. Enough!

Swipenter: They cannot even agree to a proper IFC (interfaith commission). What makes you think that the Umno-led government wants to lay the ghost of May 13 to rest forever.

Hasn't it been fashionable nowadays to threaten another May 13 against the nation and the non-Malays by right-wing and extremist Malay groups and Umno politicians?

I was in my early teens when May 13 incident happened. Every time when some irresponsible Umno politicians threaten to unleash another May 13 against the non-Malays, I resolved never to vote again for BN and do my best to get others never to vote for MCA, MIC, Gerakan and even Umno.

This country is wasted by racism and racial politics. Enough is enough.

Shaky start for Najib in Sibu hustings

Sarawakian: I think here is where the NEP has done a bit of good - forced the Chinese Malaysians, including those in Sarawak and Sabah to fend for themselves and to rely totally on themselves.

Now you think you can bribe them with a few pieces of rakyat money. They don't need you, Najib. Not the ordinary people. Maybe your timber towkay cronies do.

Amaso: Why should education funds/aids be tied to politics? What is RM18 million aid compared to billions of ringgit allocated to Malay institutes and schools even without them asking/begging?

Every non-Malay citizen is entitled to education the same as the Malays. Are non-Malays not paying taxes? Wake up, Sibu voters. Vote Pakatan Rakyat to change the present mentality.

Dr Mahendran Markandoo: Sibuans, take their money as it is your town's entitlement which they have taken from your Sarawak timber and other natural resources for 47 years. Now is payback time. You need not have to said thank you and neither you need to vote for them.

They only want to get into power as they are afraid that they will lose like LDP of Japan . It is their desperate act because if they lose they will be purged for all their misdeeds.

Sodomy trial hears of trysts across Asia

Raja Chulan: I am amongst the many supporters for a strong and robust opposition in Malaysia. I take this stand so that we have a good check and balance on the government of the day. Anwar seem to be an easy target for the BN due to his past.

I sincerely hope that under such circumstances, Anwar would step down and let another eminent person amongst the opposition to take over the leadership of the opposition. I sincerely believe this sacrifice by Anwar would benefit the nation in many ways.

One Hand Cover The Sky: Dear Raja Chulan, I disagree with you totally In asking DSAI (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) to sacrifice his position in PKR. Giving way to Umno's pressure to have him kicked out from Malaysian politics is tantamount to admitting that he is guilty of sodomy charges. We can clearly see that this sodomy charges is an Umno evil plan.

DSAI need to be strong and face all this onslaught head on. The rakyat should give all their moral support to this man who is fighting very hard for a brighter futures for all Malaysians. -MK

IS PETRONAS COMMITTED FOR SABAH?

2010-05-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

The Federal Government through Petronas ought to ensure adequate supply of natural gas from the oil and gas terminal at Kimanis to generate energy, which is crucial to development in Sabah, said Luyang Assemblywoman Melanie Chie.

She asserted that adequate supply of natural gas is crucial to ensure that proposed development in the state can take off, not to mention development of the oil and gas downstream industries which can generate greater employment opportunities and spur economic development.

Melanie who is also Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Wanita Chief, was responding to Plantation Industries and Commodity Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok’s recent statement to support the State Governmment’s move to develop Kimanis and Sipitang into oil and gas towns.

Dompok said that the Federal Cabinet had instructed Petronas to give priority to Sabah if the State required the resources.

While noting that there was a guarantee that no gas will be transported to Sarawak through the Kimanis-Bintulu pipeline if there is a need (for gas) here, Dompok said therefore the State Government have to look at the infrastructure for the utilisation of gas.

"Petronas wants to go ahead with it so they must have their reasons. But when Sabah needs the gas, they must not export. I think that is the undertaking," he said.

He also revealed that the state government had already received a written commitment from the national oil company assuring compliance.

Nonetheless, Melanie was doubtful of Petronas's assurance.

“Is Petronas truly committed to giving the natural gas we require for our develoment? Is the Federal Government commited to its promise to give priority to Sabah for our oil and natural gas resources requirement?” she asked.

Melanie added that she feared that KKIP Sdn Bhd, a State GLC, would fail if the Sabah Government in upholding Sabah interest is unable to assist them to solve problems related to adequate supply of natural gas for energy intensive industries.

She pointed out that State Minister of Industrial Development Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah had announced that KKIP Sdn Bhd needed 42 million cubic feet of natural gas daily and electricity supply of 354 Megawatts for a proposed solar glass manufacturer.

KKIP Sdn Bhd has proposed to sign commitment to investor, the Sun Bear Polar Sdn Bhd which wanted to build RM5.3 billion plant to produce solar glass panels with silica sand from northern Sabah.

“The investment would fail if the State Government is unable to help to ensure adequate natural gas supply by Petronas. There must be a firm commitment by Petronas. If the State Government is not able to secure this supply commitment from Petronas , other potential invertors either local or foreign would also not come to Sabah,” she said.

She continued that if the proposed signing with Sun Bear Polar Sdn Bhd fail, Sabah stands to lose the RM5.3 billion investment which promised to create 1,082 employment opportunity; development of supporting industries and the development of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs), income from land revenue, amongst others.

She also urged the Government to update the people on the status of the Sun Bear investment as to whether it is going ahead or not, and whether adequate natural gas is made available for Sabah industrial development including Sun Bear. -Sabahkini

Mahfuz: An injustice to legalise gambling

2010-05-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar said that the decision to legalise betting for the coming World Cup season by prime minister Najib Razak was a grave injustice to the people.

"Najib's government has in fact victimised the people by making them habitual gamblers. Once gambling is legalised, more people will succumb to the habit and become addicted," said Mahfuz.

Deputy Finance Minister Dr Awang Adek Hussein had recently stated the government's intention to legalise gambling before the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa next month, arguing that the move was made to curb illegal gambling and to find revenue for the government.

“There will be many bookies placing bets on the matches anyway. Those who want to do it (gamble) will do it, whether it is legal or not,” he was reported as saying by the local media.

“The Government can benefit from it and use the revenue to develop sports.”

'There goes our football'

Mahfuz said that once a person had taken part in football betting, he or she would move on to other forms of gambling.

"They will end up as gambling addicts and begin to gamble in everything including the Malaysia Cup," said the Pokok Sena member of parliament.

He warned that efforts to develop sports in the country could be hindered by gambling which could attract bookies and match fixing.

"When these gamblers begin to affect the results of the Malaysia Cup and other leagues, there goes our local football," he added.

"In the end, our already low ranking in soccer would plunge, to be replaced with our high ranking as a gambler's paradise."

'Next: Berjaya to apply Halal logo?'

Mahfuz said as a direct result of legalising gambling, the UMNO-led government not only destroyed local sports but also the family institution and the people's income.

"At the same time, BN's crony Berjaya Group will be forking out huge profits," he said.

On a more sarcastic note, Mahfuz said Berjaya would perhaps apply for the Halal certificate from minister in the prime minister's department, Jamil Khir Baharom.

"As the UMNO-BN government has made gambling halal, may be we will see Berjaya Group applying for the halal logo from the Islamic Development Department (Jakim)," he quipped.

Anwar denied stay, trial proceeds

2010-05-12T20:27:00.000-07:00

The High Court this morning denied Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim a stay of proceedings in his sodomy trial pending his appeal to obtain cautionary statements of the main witness.

Judge Datuk Mohamed Zabidin Mohd Diah ruled that the defence had showed that there were no “special circumstances” to allow a stay.

Lead counsel for Anwar’s defence team, Karpal Singh had reiterated the points brought earlier this week that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s cautioned statements given to the police “contradicted” the actual sodomy charge against the opposition leader.

Karpal’s application today was to allow a stay of trial proceedings pending the appeal against Judge Datuk Mohamed Zabidin Mohd Diah’s decision yesterday in denying Anwar access to Saiful’s witness statements.

In arguing the reason for the stay, Karpal said that there were “special circumstances” because this is a first case in the history of the country where the actual charge was “different from the main witness’ statements.”

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim seen consulting his lead counsel Karpal Singh and the rest of his legal team in this file picture. — Picture by Choo Choy May

“(The) evidence given by statement relates to non-consensual sex,” said Karpal.
He compared the discrepancy of the charge as “charging someone for the theft of a chicken but evidence relating to theft of duck.”

“This is no irregularity but a substantial defect that will explode the entire charge,” said Karpal.

The veteran lawyer argued that the “seed of deception was in the charge itself,” and that if Saiful were impeached, other independent evidence could not be brought to court.

“Even if million witnesses brought, it would make no difference...it’s as simple as that,” said Karpal.

Shortly after the judge’s decision, Karpal said that he wanted to apply for the stay at the court of appeal level, and that he would want to meet the court of appeal president to set an early date.

Mohamed Diah then told lawyers from both sides to meet him in chambers.

The trial continued with Saiful taking the witness stand.

Anwar, the 62-year-old PKR de facto leader, is charged with sodomising Saiful at Unit 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium in Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara here, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

The former deputy prime minister has denied the charge, describing it as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him. He is charged under section 377(B) of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction. The trial is taking place 18 months after Anwar was charged in court in August 2008.

Anwar was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences. He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh Parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.

He had earlier led the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008. -TMI

Najib’s lightning temple visit riles Kit Siang

2010-05-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

Datuk Seri Najib Razak became the first prime minister to attend a celebration in honour of a Chinese deity tonight but the historic visit opened him to criticism from the Pakatan Rakyat for being all too brief.

The Tua Pek Kong procession, held every three years, became a venue for leaders from both Barisan Nasional (BN) and PR’s DAP to charm the Chinese voters who form about 67 per cent of the 54,695 Sibu voters.

The festival is one of the major events in Sarawak’s tourism calendar and the four-day celebration ends tomorrow with a dinner to be attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

About 7,000 participants from more than 100 Chinese cultural and religious organizations from across the country took part in the procession which lasted more than two hours.

Roads around the seven-storey Sibu Tua Pek Kong temple, which is one of the town’s major landmarks, was repaved last weekend in preparation for Najib’s visit.

The state DAP took part in the celebration and the delegation was led by its candidate in the May 16 by-election, Wong Ho Leng.

The Sarawak DAP chief along with Lim Kit Siang, DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke started gathering outside the temple as early as 6.30pm, an hour before the procession started.

Thousands of people also lined the streets of Sibu town to watch the procession.

Announcements were also made via the temple’s public address system for the crowd to give a thunderous applause upon Najib’s arrival.

About ten minutes before the start of the procession Najib arrived with the BN candidate, Robert Lau Hui Yew, for this Sunday’s by-election and he was quickly ushered to the temple entrance to sign a plaque to commemorate his visit.

Najib was then ushered back to his car before a temple official could present him with a picture of the temple as a souvenir.

With a lot of pushing and shoving and shouts of “Don’t push!” from the crowd, Najib was finally escorted to his car.

Via twitter, Lim who held on to his Blackberry while the minor commotion was going on, described Najib’s appearance as a “three minutes lightning visit.”

“If in vital Sibu by-election Najib can only spare 3mins 4 120yr TuaPekKong Temple after so much publicity what does it imply?” asked Lim.

Najib had earlier handed RM15 million in financial assistance to 65 Chinese schools as part of his attempt to win the Chinese votes.

The community had backed DAP in Election 2008 and BN lost six Chinese-dominated state seats in the Sarawak election held two years earlier.

In Election 2008, the late Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew retained the seat for BN with the help of Malay/Melanau and Iban voters who form about 33 per cent of the constituency’s 54,695 voters. -TMI

'No reason to remove Selangor MB'

2010-05-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

Political observers have disagreed with political blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin's recent call for Anwar Ibrahim to make a choice between keeping Khalid Ibrahim on as Selangor Menteri Besar and saving Selangor.

Raja Petra made the call on his blog earlier this week following Kapar MP S Manickavasagam's allegation of corruption in Kumpulan Semesta, a Selangor-owned sand mining company.

According to him, “keeping Khalid around means Selangor is doomed... if Khalid stays, then that is the end for the Pakatan Rakyat government of Selangor”.

Both Professor James Chin and Wong Chin Huat strongly disagreed with the latter saying that Khalid hasn't made any grave mistakes that would warrant his removal.

While acknowledging that Khalid isn't the ideal leader, Wong also argued that his government hasn't failed miserably.

“Removal of a leader should only be done during an election and based on his performance and competence,” he said. “These are the democratic rules that people should follow. It is unacceptable for political power to be decided upon by a supreme leader or behind-the-scene negotiations instead of a transparent process.”

Wong also challenged the justification of removing Khalid based on his unpopularity.

“If this is their reason, then my question is, what structure is being put in place to ensure the popularity of his successor? And who among the current PKR leaders are guaranteed to win that measure of popularity? Remember that PKR is a party with factions that will go out of their way to destroy it just to settle their own score.”

Chin, meanwhile, doubted that Pakatan would take a tumble anytime this year but predicted that it may likely fall in the next general election. He added that should that happen, Pakatan would not have another chance at victory for the next decade.

However, he said that there was another even more interesting question: “Why is RPK suddenly attacking Khalid whom he had once strongly supported?”

“RPK backed Khalid even when he wasn't Selangor's first choice. And now he is suddenly pushing for Khalid's removal. This is very intriguing.”

Written by Stephanie Sta Maria, Free Malaysia Today

Win is possible, but Hadi warns BN's 'unnatural democracy'

2010-05-11T23:59:00.000-07:00

PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang (pic) is confident that should the tide of support for Pakatan Rakyat among the Chinese continue in Sibu, the DAP candidate will be able to win in the upcoming by-election this Sunday.

Hadi said Chinese voters have made a major shift in the Peninsula by supporting Pakatan Rakyat candidates since the last general elections as well as in by-elections.

"If such a support reaches Sibu, we will win," said the Marang member of parliament.

The by-election in Sibu sees a three-way contest involving DAP's Richard Wong Ho Leng, BN's Robert Lau Hui Yew and independent candidate Narawi Haron.

Asked on Barisan Nasional's campaign by playing up the Islamic state issue to the Christian electorate, Hadi said the people in Sibu were not ignorant of Malaysia's democractic and political realities.

However, he warned against what he called BN's 'unnatural' democractic practices.

"Malaysia's is unnatural democracy, there are just so many malpractices and so much misuse of power during a by-election," said Hadi.

He said any win in Sibu will be historic and a major event in the history of the opposition. However, he added, a defeat would be something normal.

"They (BN) are using the entire government machinery. If they win with a small majority, it would be shameful," he said. -Harakah

Taib: Opposition Relying on Propaganda

2010-05-11T23:58:00.000-07:00

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud today likened the Sibu by-election as a battle between the propaganda of the opposition and the service record and commitmment of the Barisan Nasional (BN).

"We in the BN, our struggle is to continue to serve the people.

"Our challengers do not speak of any service plan. They are only bringing up issues," he told a gathering at the Malay/Melanau Community Hall in Kampung Hilir here today.

Calling on the people of Sibu to reject the opposition, Taib said they were raising all kinds of issues including those foreign to the state and on religion.

These could be detrimental to the existing harmony and unity of the people, he said.

Taib also described the on-going campaigning for the Sibu by-election as very "panas" (intense).

"We seldom experience this kind of situation. We are used to more localised issues.

"The situation is different now with people exploiting issues from the Peninsular and bringing Peninsular-style politicking here," he said.

He reminded the people of Sibu that if the BN won, they would stand to benefit.

"So my advice is to reject the opposition, support the BN so that it may continue to uphold its struggle to always serve the people," he added. -MD

Benjy faces two more drug charges

2010-05-11T23:56:00.000-07:00

Actor Khaeryll Benjamin Ibrahim or Benjy 32, was again charged in the Magistrate’s Court here today with two additional counts for possession and self-administering of methamphetamine or “syabu” two months ago.

Benjy, 32, now in detention for two years at the Muar detention centre, however pleaded not guilty to both the charges.

On the first additional charge, Benjy is alleged to be in possession of 0.14gm of Methamphetamine at C-13-6, Vista Mutiara, Jalan Vista Mutiara, Off Jalan Ambong Kiri, Kepong Baru, at 3pm on March 11 this year.

The offence carries a fine of up to RM100,000 or jail term of not more than five years or both, if found guilty.

The second additional charge was for self-administering of the same drug into his body at the Narcotic Crime Investigation Department office of the Kuala Lumpur police contingent at 8.24am on March 15 this year.

If found guilty, Benjy could be fined not more than RM5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, and after having undergone the punishment, will undergo supervision for not less than two years and not more than three years.

Benjy’s lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, requested that the RM2,000 bail on his client to be retained.

Deputy public prosecutor Nurmardiana Mamat, who prosecuted, had no objection to it.

Magistrate Hafizza Sauni then set Aug 18 to 20 for trial.

Prior to this, Benjy, the only son of veteran actress Azean Irdawaty, pleaded not guilty to possessing 0.24gm of methamphetamine in a house at A-6-5 Menara Duta 2, Jalan 1/38B, off Jalan Segambut, here at 4pm on March 11.

He was freed on a RM2,000 bail with one surety but after Azean posted the bail, he was rearrested for alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

This led to the filing of a habeas corpus application on April 8 by Benjy to seek his immediate release.

However, the High Court dismissed the habeas corpus application last Wednesday and the actor was ordered by the Home Ministry to be detained for two years at a rehabilitation centre under Section 6 (1) of the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985. — Bernama

Saiful sought top figures’ help before reporting sodomy

2010-05-11T23:55:00.000-07:00

Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan today revealed that he had contacted influential figures including the national police chief and former PKR leader Senator Ezam Md. Noor before reporting to police that he was sodomised by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The star witness, who claimed he had been sodomised several times by the Pakatan Rakyat leader, told the High Court he had briefly spoken to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan on June 25, 2008 — the morning after he had met Datuk Seri Najib Razak at his residence — as well as a police officer, ACP Rodhwan Yusof at Hotel Mulia.

Saiful said that he spoke to IGP for less than a minute, at the same time maintaining that it was the only instance when he contacted Musa.

“[The] IGP told me not to call him, he was angry (on the phone) because he thought I was prank caller,” said Saiful.

When lead counsel for Anwar’s team, Karpal Singh, asked him why he had called the IGP, Saiful said he “wanted to tell the IGP his problems.”

The air in the courtroom was tense as Saiful struggled to explain how he had obtained Musa’s number in the first place.

His difficulty in testifying today was a stark contrast to his confident stance on Monday.

Saiful claimed that when he was at the Najib’s Taman Duta residence, he overheard a conversation the then-deputy prime minister had with another “unknown” person.

The person, according to Saiful, was “giving out” the number of IGP to Najib.

“I overheard the number, so I took it down.”

During the cross-investigation, Saiful admitted to meeting former PKR leader-turned Umno man, Ezam, whom he had met in the late hours of June 27 till early morning of June 28 in Bandar Tasik Puteri, Rawang.

This happened hours before Saiful went for a medical examination and subsequently made a police report on June 28, 2008.

When Karpal asked whether Saiful knew Ezam, Saiful claimed that he only knew of the man as Anwar’s former political secretary.

Saiful told the court he met Ezam accompanied by Rahimi Osman and Tuah Mohamed, who is Saiful’s uncle.

Saiful said they met at a park there.

“I told Ezam that I was abused by Anwar,” says Saiful who added that the first person he complained about the alleged sodomy on June 26 was his uncle Tuah.

Earlier on Saiful told the court that the meeting with Najib on June 24 took about 20 minutes , disclosing that throughout the meeting Najib did not ask him to lodge a police report, even after listening to his saying he had been sodomised by Anwar.

He also refuted Karpal’s suggestion that a Datuk Mumtaz Jaafar had brought Saiful to Najib’s place, and denied that Mumtaz was present at the house.

Mumtaz is rumoured to be a close aide to Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, although her links to the case remain unknown.

Saiful also said he saw Rosmah in the house as he was leaving, after the meeting but stressed that he did not talk to her.

After that, Saiful went to Hotel Mulia to meet Rodhwan.

Karpal: “In the hotel room did Rodhwan take any statements from you?”

Saiful: “Not in written form, verbally, but he did not record or take it down. He did not tell me to make a police report.”

Rodhwan was apparently scheduled to meet Saiful the next day at Hotel Concorde but the plan did not materialise.

“Is it usual for a police officer to meet someone in a hotel?” asked Karpal.

Saiful then answered that he did not state any reasons as to why Rodhwan had wanted to meet him.

Anwar, the 62-year-old PKR de facto leader, is charged with sodomising Saiful at Unit 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium in Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara here, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

The former deputy prime minister has denied the charge, describing it as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him. He is charged under section 377(B) of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction. The trial is taking place 18 months after Anwar was charged in court in August 2008.

Anwar was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences. He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh Parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.

He had earlier led the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.

The cross-examination will continue at 2.30pm. -TMI

SAPP: THE FACT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

2010-05-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

TODAY’S news reported that Putatan MP Datuk Dr. Marcus Mojigoh boasted his expertise on exclusive economic zone. Based on his simplistic view, Malaysia would have lost Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Indonesia and Layang Layang Island to Vietnam or China or the Philippines.

In contrast, his UPKO boss Tan Sri Bernard Dompok saw it fit to leave this to the Prime Minister to explain. Earlier, the Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Musa Aman, has simply brushed aside the public’s anger over the loss of 3 million acres of maritime territory in oil blocks L and M. He did not even bother to explain.

The facts remains that, on 16 Jan. 2003, Murphy Oil Corporation of the United States of America announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary company Murphy Sabah Oil Co. Ltd. has been awarded two new Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) covering Blocks L and M, offshore Malaysia.

Murphy Oil has 60% interest in Block L and 70% in Block M. Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd. holds the remaining 40% and 30% respectively. Each block covers 1.5 million acres. The total is therefore 3 million acres. The awarding authority was Petroleum Nasional Berhad (Petronas).

Pursuant to the Petroleum Development Act 1974, the “entire ownership in, and exclusive rights, powers, liberties and privileges of exploring, exploiting, winning and obtaining petroleum whether onshore or inshore of Malaysia” has been vested in Petronas. (Refer to Section 2 of the Act and the “Grants of Rights, Powers, Liberties and Privileges in respect of Petroleum” dated 26 March 1975 signed by the then Prime Minister Tun Haji Abdul Razak Bin Datuk Hussein on behalf of the Government of Malaysia).

On 14 June 1976, the State Government of Sabah, represented by the then Chief Minister Datuk Harris Mohd. Salleh and witnessed by then assistant minister Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan, signed the petroleum agreement with Petronas surrendering the ownership and rights, powers, liberties and privileges in petroleum in Sabah to Petronas in return for 5% royalties of the petroleum.

Petronas is subject to the control and direction of the Prime Minister “who may from time to time issue such direction as he may deem fit” (Section 3 (2) of the Act). This is the Petronas, vested with the powers and authority of Parliament by virtue of the Petroleum Development Act 1974 and the Prime Minister, over offshore petroleum development in Malaysia, that awarded the 3 million acres in Block L and M to Murphy Sabah Oil Co. Ltd. on or before 16 Jan. 2003.

Petronas and the Prime Minister at the time (Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed) have seen it fit, proper and legal to award the said maritime territory to Murphy Oil, an American company. All these point to the fact that, in the legal opinion of Petronas and the federal government at the time, Malaysia has sovereign rights over the maritime territory contained in Blocks L and M.

The Deputy Prime Minister at the time was Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. This is against the back drop of Malaysia having won the Sipadan/Ligitan case at the International Court of Justice the month before (December 2002).

Murphy Oil Corporation has two other subsidiaries in Malaysia, namely – Murphy Sarawak Oil Co. Ltd., and Murphy Peninsular Malaysia Oil Co. Ltd. for the respective geographical regions. The subsidiary company used to operate Blocks L and M is the one for Sabah, not the one for Sarawak or Peninsular Malaysia. We have to assume that the Americans and Petronas know where Sabah is.

The Chief Minister admitted (news 5 May 2010) that the Sabah State Cabinet was briefed TWICE. If Blocks L and M have nothing to do with Sabah, then there is no need to take up the precious time of the Cabinet. The fact that there were TWO briefings suggests that there was a need for follow up, updating and issues that require the Cabinet’s attention. If not, then why would a Cabinet that sees no need to renegotiate the 5% royalty petroleum agreement with the Federal Government, busy itself with maritime territories that are outside Sabah? What was the briefing about and did the Cabinet give its consent?

Similarly, ex-Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi covered himself by saying that his Exchange of Letters with the Sultan of Brunei was approved by his Federal Cabinet in February 2009. Did our Sabahan Ministers in the Federal Cabinet agree to the surrender of Blocks L and M to Brunei?

On April 22, 2010, Murphy Oil announced to the New York Stock Exchange that their PSC to Blocks L and M have been terminated because “following the Exchange of Letters between Malaysia and the Sultanate of Brunei on March 16, 2009, the offshore areas designated as Blocks L and M are no longer a part of Malaysia”. Since this follows the Petronas letter of 7 April 2010 to Murphy Oil Corporation, it means that before the exchange of letters, the areas were still a part of Malaysia.

This announcement was picked up by The Edge, a Malaysian business paper, on 22 April 2010. The Brunei Times triumphantly reported this on April 23. This was an issue waiting to explode. Ex-Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, who must have been irked by the loss of national territory and Petronas profits, at his blog lambasted another ex-PM, Tun Abdullah Badawi for this loss. Tun Dr. Mahathir’s anger is understandable because it was during his tenure as PM that Blocks L and M were awarded to Murphy Oil Corporation. He said that these blocks are Malaysian territory.

Tun Abdullah Badawi later (1 May 2010) defended the loss of the oil blocks by claiming that Petronas is given a 40-year commercial right to operate the same oil blocks but under Brunei sovereignty. Wisma Putra on 4 May 2010 exposes this sell out of maritime territory in return for Petronas’s commercial operations in Brunei.

Some questions that the government should answer are:

(i) Negotiations over territorial disputes in the South China Sea are alive and active. Where was the pressing need for Malaysia to surrender any territory to any country just three weeks before a change of Prime Minister?

(ii) The surrender of blocks L and M was kept a national secret until the Murphy Oil announcement on 22 April 2010 in the New York. Why did our government and Petronas keep this secret?

(iii) If the areas in blocks L and M were Brunei’s sovereign rights in the first place, the why did Malaysia award the blocks to Murphy Oil in 2003?

(iv) In March 2009, the then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi chose to announce only that Brunei has dropped the Limbang Claim but remained silent on the loss of Blocks L and M. If Brunei already owned Blocks L and M, then why was there a need for an Exchange of Letters between Tun Abdullah and the Sultan of Brunei? Has treason been committed?

(v) Why was the need for the Sabah Cabinet to be briefed twice? If the oil blocks do not belong to Malaysia in the first place, what was the need to brief the State Cabinet?

(vi) Kelantan and Trengganu are fiercely fighting for their rights to oil revenues. Trengganu, a BN-UMNO State, still has unfinished litigation with Petronas and the Federal Government over oil royalties. Why should Sabah, a BN fixed deposit state, choose instead to defend the blunder of losing territory and oil revenues? Tengku Razaleigh, a Kelantanese BN MP heads the Parliamentary caucus on oil royalties. Why are our Sabahan BN MPs, like Marcus, unwilling join the fight for Sabah?

As for sovereign rights, the Article IV of the Malaysia Agreement of 9 July 1963 transferred sovereignty over Sabah (then North Borneo) from London to Kuala Lumpur. Prior to 1963, Kuala Lumpur did not possess any territorial sovereign rights east of Johore. Malaysia as a nation then acquired all territories that came with Sabah by way of legal title or historic right or treaties or effective control.

The Sipidan/Ligitan islands case at the ICJ is clear on this point. By definition (Article 1 of the federal constitution) Malaysia’s territory consists of the territories of all the States of Malaysia as at 1963 (minus Singapore after 1965). Sabah, like other states, was not carved out of a larger country Malaysia. Instead, Sabah, together with other states, formed Malaysia.

International conventions, be it on continental shelf, Law of the Sea and the 200 nautical mile EEZ limit affecting Sabah do not nullify the historical fact that Malaysia acquired these maritime territories with the entry of Sabah into Malaysia. It is the duty of Malaysia to protect the sovereignty of these areas over which Sabah has an interests. For instance, would Sabah not have a say if the Malaysia government were to cede Labuan FT to a foreign country?

Sabah has lost enough. If the BN State Government fights for Sabah’s rights and interests, then the people will support the government. But if the government fails, the people will speak through the ballot boxes. Then, no quantity of money politics, phantom votes or coercion will be able to save this BN government.

By: DATUK YONG TECK LEE

Najib: Make Struggle for People a Personal Pride

2010-05-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

Umno members should make the struggle for the people as a personal pride to enable them to be leaders who are close to the community, said party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic)

He said to be close to the people's hearts, Umno leaders must always work and carry out programmes continuously and not only going down to the grassroots during election times.

"To be leaders who are close to the people, we must work for them throughout the year, not scour all over the places to prepare our personal data when the elections are around the corner.

"Now is the time to show that we are leaders who are always fighting for the interest of the people. This is Umno that we all must take pride of," he said at the Umno 64th anniversary celebration at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here, tonight.

Present were Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife, Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman, vice-presidents Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Datuk Seri Mohd Shafei Apdal, Barisan Nasional component party leaders, and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.

Earlier, the prime minister praised the spirit of a veteran Umno member who took a six-hour bus ride to attend the ceremony.

"Emulate the spirit of this fighter. Out of love for the party, he was willing to take a six-hour bus ride to attend the ceremony (tahlil prayer and Yasin recitation).

"Out of our love for Umno, we must be willing to fight for the people's interest to the end," he said to the applause of 3,000 Umno members and guests.

"I feel humbled to see the face of this fighter... if he wants something, I feel it is already too late for him to ask. When I asked why he came, he said he came solely out of his love for the party," said Najib.

He said this spirit should be emulated and upheld by party members, no matter how old or young they were, to ensure that the party would continue to be respected.

Najib said although Umno was regaining the support of the Malays, party members should not fight only for certain groups, instead they should work in the interest of all as it was the key to the success of a party.

Najib reminded the party of the fall of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which was defeated by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) after a 54-year rule.

"We must remind ourselves that as a political party that has ruled for over 50 years through 12 general elections, Umno is still facing many challenges.

"Therefore, we must learn from what is happening to another party, which is as old as Umno, but today has become the opposition," he said.

Describing this year's celebration as more lively than the previous years', he said: "Perhaps the mood in Umno today has changed for the better, (we are) more confident about the future of the party.

"The yardstick is the two by-elections (Bagan Pinang and Hulu Selangor) which clearly showed that the Malays, although not all, have returned to Umno.

"Therefore, I feel grateful that our efforts have borne fruit. As we celebrate Umno's 64th anniversary, I feel optimistic about the party's future."

After ending his speech, Najib handed the Eminent Malay Award to former information minister Tan Sri
Zainuddin Maidin.

Zainuddin, or Zam as he's popularly known as, described the the award accorded to him as a recognition to his contribution to journalism and politics.

Speaking to reporters after receiving the award, he said Umno leadership had given meaning to his life as it had enabled him to achieve glory which he had not dreamed of.

"By the grace of God, I scaled the heights of what I had not sought after from my early beginning as a journalist. I never expected to become a chief editor, then to become a senator.

"Then Dr Mahathir (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) appointed me as a parliamentary secretary, deputy minister before Pak Lah (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) appointed me as a full minister," said Zainuddin, 71, who boasted about 40 years experience in journalism.

Zainuddin, 71, who left Utusan Melayu Group as group chief editor, said he was commissioned by Utusan Melayu to write its history in 18 months.

He is also currently a fellow at the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad Institute at Universiti Utara Malaysia.

Zainuddin, who was born in Kota Kuala Muda, Kedah holds a diploma in journalism from a journalism institute in Germany and attended a fellowship at the University of Michigan, and has several books to his credit. -MD

Najib, Kit Siang in race to charm Chinese voters

2010-05-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

Datuk Seri Najib Razak will tomorrow begin his first visit to Sibu since the start of the campaign period to work his charm on Chinese Malaysian voters ahead of this weekend’s key by-election here.

The community backed the DAP in Election 2008 while Sarawak Barisan Nasional’s (BN) SUPP lost six state seats in state polls held two years earlier.

The prime minister will join a Chinese cultural procession tomorrow evening organised by a temple here.

Najib is set to be the first prime minister to take part in such a procession which is held in honour of Tua Pek Kong, one of the major Chinese deities worshipped in Malaysia.

Roads around the seven-storey Sibu Tua Pek Kong temple, which is one of the town’s major landmarks, have been repaved in preparation for the prime minister’s visit.

DAP leader Lim Kit Siang will also be attending the procession. His party’s candidate, representing Pakatan Rakyat (PR), is facing off with BN’s SUPP man.

“It is a great day for Sibu. I will be glad to participate as well,” said Lim.

He expressed hope that Najib would continue the practice of engaging non-Malay voters outside the election season.

“Don’t just do it when there is a by-election. He must do it all the time,” said Lim.

Some 20,000 devotees from across the country are expected to take part in the procession, which is held every three years.

The Sibu Tua Pek Kong temple, which is one of the town’s major landmarks. – Picture by Jack Ooi
The Tua Pek Kong Festival is one of the major events in Sarawak’s tourism calendar and the celebration will last four days, starting today.
“The event has been planned for the last six months. Since PM is here on the 12th of May, upon the invitation from the temple, so he said he will drop by,” said Sibu SUPP publicity chief Daniel Ngieng.

Early this year, Najib made history by becoming the first prime minister in 30 years to visit the Batu Caves temple near Kuala Lumpur on the eve of Thaipusam celebrations.

Since taking over the government over a year ago Najib has been promoting his 1 Malaysia concept in an attempt to win the support of the non-Malays.

“We can only say it is a good thing,” Ngieng said when asked if Najib’s participation in the procession would boost Chinese support for the ruling coalition.

In Election 2008, the late Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew retained the seat for BN with the help of Malay/Melanau and Iban voters who form about 33 per cent of the 54,695 voters.

Hoi Chew’s cousin Robert Lau Hui Yew is now contesting against the DAP’s Wong Ho Leng and independent Narawi Haron.

BN’s popularity among Chinese voters nationwide has not improved since Election 2008, which saw the coalition losing most of the urban constituencies dominated by the community.

In last month’s Hulu Selangor by-election, fewer than 30 per cent of Chinese voters supported BN despite Najib’s last-minute financial pledges to Chinese schools and associations. -TMI

Complaints pile up in empty Suhakam

2010-05-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

A new rule that forces all commissioners to retire simultaneously has left the decade-old Malaysian Human Rights Commission, better known as Suhakam, bereft of people for the first time in its existence and causing complaints to pile up.

All 16 members had to resign last April 23 to enable a new line-up of commissioners to be named, but thus far, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has yet to announce the new appointments, which has lead to uneasiness among human rights activists.

The lack of commissioners came to light when Pakatan Rakyat Youth complained about the April 26 death of Aminulrasyid Amzah, three days after the entire commission quit in compliance with amendments to the Suhakam Act.

Three ex-commissioners — Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Datuk Dr Michael Yeoh and Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria — had to be drafted to a special Home Ministry panel to oversee investigations into the schoolboy’s shooting death.

“This is a tragedy,” former Suhakam commissioner Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam told The Malaysian Insider when commenting on the empty bench in the commission, which was previously led by former Attorney-General Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman.

It is understood the new rule came about when the Suhakam Act was amended last year in response to a threat of being downgraded from status “A” to “B” by an international group, which had urged for Suhakam’s independence to be strengthened by a clear and transparent “appointment/dismissal process”.

Najib has yet to announce a new Suhakam line-up. — file pic
The amendment provided for the formation of a five-man committee, which the prime minister is obliged to consult before he recommends names to the King. Media reports said a selection committee has picked nine candidates, including Malaysia’s former United Nations permanent representative, Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, for the new team.
“There should be continuity in the Suhakam leadership. I feel that the appointments should be done in stages, not all of them resigning because their terms have expired,” said Navaratnam, who served for two terms until 2008.

The retired civil servant said overlapping terms of office would prevent a vacuum in Suhakam and also enable new commissioners to learn from the “senior” ones. Each term of office is for two years.

Najib himself announced the appointment of the last line-up of 16 commissioners in April 2008, when he was the deputy prime minister.

A former Suhakam commissioner confirmed that they all resigned to comply with the new rule.

“However, the new rule doesn’t look practical... We have to go back to the old practice where the appointments are made in stages, not what is being done now,” he said, declining to be named.

Navaratnam also said that each commissioner’s term of office should be limited to two terms of four years or at the most a maximum of three terms. “There should be limits,” he added.

But PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said the “lack of action in filling the commission, although just for three weeks, is a great tragedy”.

“It is a tragedy for the country for failing to meet the aims of establishing Suhakam,” he said, adding the only way to avoid the problem from recurring was to leave the appointments to a Parliamentary committee.

“I urge the prime minister to bring the issue of appointments to a Parliamentary committee to recommend suitable candidates for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s consent,” the Pokok Sena MP told The Malaysian Insider.

He stressed that there should not be any delays in forming a new Suhakam line-up.

Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Associate Professor Sivamurugan Pandian said the importance of Suhakam meant that the government should make early appointments or allow a “caretaker” role for retiring commissioners to ensure continuity.

“It is crucial to make early appointments before a team finishes their term of service. This is important to handle issues that [are] brought to Suhakam, for example, the case of the teenager being shot dead,” he added.

In the last round of appointments under sub-section 5 (1) Suhakam Act 1999, the government appointed Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman as chairman; Tan Sri Simon Sipaun; Dr Chiam Heng Keng; Dr Mohammad Hirman Ritom; Tan Sri Asiah Abu Samah; Datuk Dr Raj Abdul Karim; Datuk Dr Abdul Monir Yaacob; Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam; Datuk Choo Siew Kioh; Tunku Datuk Nazihah Tunku Mohamed Rus; Prof Emeritus Dr Khoo Kay Kim; Datin Paduka Zaitoon Othman; Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria; Datuk Dr Michael Yeoh; Datuk Khalid Ibrahim; and Datuk Muhammad Shafee.

Abu Talib has been chairman since 2002.

The Suhakam Act 1999 allows for the commission to have not more than 20 members and states under subsection 5 (3) that “Members of the Commission shall be appointed from amongst prominent personalities including those from various religious and racial backgrounds”.

PAS hits out at May 13 event over racist tones

2010-05-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

Terengganu PAS Youth has criticised a programme organised by the state's Institute for Integrity called ‘Melayu Bangkit’ (Malays Arise).

Saying the programme smacked of racism and a threat to racial harmony in the country, youth head Ustaz Mohd Nor Hamzah said fuelling such a suspicion was the fact that the programme will be held on May 13, 2010.

PIC: A billboard in Kuala Terengganu showing the event's special guest.

"Even more suspicious is that the programme will be held on May 13, a date which is synonym with the 1969 racial riots," he said.

Nor, who said PAS will lodge a police report over the move, urged the organisers to cancel the event.

The event will be held at the state's Sports Complex in Kuala Terengganu at 9.00 am on Thursday. A billboard announcing the event shows a large portrait of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who will be the special guest.

Nor, who is also Bukit Payung state assemblyman, said as a state-owned body, the Terengganu Institute for Integrity should not allign itself with political parties and politicians, such as Gerakan Kebangkitan Rakyat (GERTAK, or People's Awakening Movement), which is headed by Marang UMNO's division chairman.

“It seems that the Institute for Integrity has lost its own integrity," he added.

Nor said the theme 'Malays Arise' was a racist slogan and could not fit into prime minister Najib Razak's '1Malaysia' agenda, adding that the same theme had been used by UMNO in Penang to generate opposition against the Penang state government.

"Such a slogan creates discomfort among the people, especially the non-Malays and those Malays who are not UMNO members," he stressed.

'Uncivilized'

Meanwhile, PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub described the event as "unhealthy" and not suitable at a time when Malaysians were struggling to achieve greater unity.

Referring to a statement by Gertak chairman Razali Idris that May 13 was chosen to create awareness among Malays and remember the bloodshed in 1969, Salahuddin described the action as "uncivilized".

"This statement (by Razali) is serious and clearly shows the intentions behind the choice of the date. PAS views it as something that is very uncivilized," he told newsmen at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. -HD

SABAH DAP IN SIBU BY-ELECTION

2010-05-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

SABAH DAP State chairman cum the Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Dr. Hiew King Cheu together with the state organizing secretary Jeffrey Kumin led 4 other party members are at the Sibu by-election campaign trail. They are campaigning for the Sarawak DAP candidate Wong Ho Leng, who is also the DAP Sarawak State Chairman.

Sabah DAP is working hard in Sibu especially going to the long houses, hardcore poor area and on the streets. Dr. Hiew and his team were seen standing by the busy road to distribute campaign leaflets and canvassing for support.

The people in Sibu are happy to meet the Sabah DAP team which also comprising two Sabah DAP Iban leaders from Tawau, especially the team has come far from Sabah to help out in this important Sibu by-election.

Dr. Hiew said it is important for the people in Sibu to let Wong Ho Leng be elected as the opposition Member of Parliament representing not only the people in Sibu but he will speak for the whole Sarawak. This is because at the moment there is only one opposition MP in Bandar Kuching, Chong Chieng Jen, and the voice is not enough when compared to the 30 MPs from BN.

Why not use this chance and opportunity in Sibu to put another strong voice in Parliament. To the BN, it is no big deal if they lost one MP seat, and they still have 29 out of 31. For the people in Sarawak it is a big improvement to hear more opposition voice on their unfair treatment and not being taken care well.

It is important for all the voters in Sibu to put their hands together to deny the BN from grabbing the Sibu Parliament seat. -Sabahkini

Guan Eng sells Penang’s success to woo Sibu

2010-05-09T17:39:00.000-07:00

Lim Guan Eng promised that Pakatan Rakyat will implement Penang’s poverty eradication programme if the pact wins Sarawak, telling Sibu voters they could hasten the change by voting DAP on May 16.

The Penang chief minister had toured two rural Melanau villages and an Iban settlement an hour’s boat ride from the town, boasting of the success of his government’s policy and pledging to do the same for Malaysia’s largest state.

“If you support ‘rocket’ on May 16, we can start the process of change in Sarawak,” declared the DAP secretary-general in his campaign stops to support the party’s state chairman, Wong Ho Leng’s, fourth bid to be Sibu MP.

The Bukit Assek assemblyman is contesting against Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Robert Lau Hui Yew and independent Narawi Haron for the support of Sibu’s 54,695 voters. This is the first by-election contested by DAP since Election 2008. Sibu is also the 11th by-election since the last general election.

The rural villages in Sibu are said to be BN strongholds. In Election 2008, the ruling coalition retained the Sibu seat with the help of Malay/Melanau and Iban voters from villages as it was defeated in the Chinese-dominated town centre’s polling districts.

But Lim received a warm welcome and, at the Rumah Rassau longhouse, sat on a hand-woven screwpine mat, an honour reserved for important guests.

The riverside village has some 400 voters and was home to a small group of active DAP members.

“I am Lim Guan Eng, the chief minister of Penang,” the baby-faced politician introduced himself at all the campaign stops

During his 30-minute visit to the Iban longhouse, Lim said it is time for the community to switch their support to DAP.

Lim (far right) pledged to export Penang’s success story to Sarawak if PR takes over. — Picture by Jack Ooi “You have been under the same administration, under the same party for so many years. It is time for a change,” said Lim.

He described the May 16 by-election as the start of the process of taking over the Sarawak government in the next state election, which must be held by July next year.

Lim also spoke of how the rural community in the state had been neglected by the government despite its vast natural resources.

“This state has timber, oil but unfortunately there are a lot of crocodiles also,” he said to laughter from some 50 villagers who attended his talk.

“You see for yourself who catches the crocodiles, who have been protecting them,” added Lim in reference to corrupt government officials.

He then promised the villagers that Penang’s poverty eradication programme would be carried out in Sarawak if PR took over the state.

“In Penang, when I became the chief minister, the first thing I did was to eradicate hardcore poverty. Similarly here, I don’t want hardcore poverty in Sarawak,” said Lim, adding that his state government handed money to the poor every month.

The Penang has also begun giving RM100 to senior citizens annually, a gesture that has drawn criticisms from BN politicians who called it political bribery.

Lim has countered by saying that BN had spent more in by-elections to win over people, and pointed out that the ruling federal government had spent an estimated RM170 million in a combination of projects and cash handouts in last month’s Hulu Selangor by-election. The Sibu seat was vacated following five-term MP Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew’s death on April 9. He was deputy transport minister.

In Election 2008, Lau won the seat with a 3,549-vote majority, beating Ho Leng and Lim Chin Chuang of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in a three-cornered fight.

Sibu has 54,695 voters, comprising 52,158 ordinary voters and 2,537 postal voters made up of 1,910 military and 627 police personnel.

According to the electoral roll, updated as of April 9, Chinese voters make up almost 67 per cent of the total number of voters, followed by Malay/Melanau (10.5 per cent) and Sarawak Bumiputeras (22 per cent). -MI

Husam to muftis: Speak up on decision to legalise gambling

2010-05-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

The muftis in the country have been urged to state their stance over the government's decision to legalise gambling during the upcoming World Cup season.

PAS central committee member Husam Musa (pic) said the people await an Islamic response from the muftis on the issue, just like a certain mufti had recently commented on PKR's Hulu Selangor candidate Zaid Ibrahim's past drinking habit.

Deputy Finance Minister Dr Awang Adek Hussein had recently stated the government's intention to legalise gambling before the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa next month, arguing that the move was made to curb illegal gambling and to find revenue for the government.

“There will be many bookies placing bets on the matches anyway. Those who want to do it (gamble) will do it, whether it is legal or not,” he was reported as saying by the local media.

“The Government can benefit from it and use the revenue to develop sports.”

Unfortunate

Husam reminded the muftis not to stay silent over the move as Islam has been explicit on the prohibition of gambling and liquor, categorising them under major sins.

He added that a response from muftis was all the more critical as the announcement to legalise gambling had already been made by Awang Adek over the media.

Husam, who is also Kelantan PAS deputy commissioner, said it would be unfortunate if Awang Adek (left), who advocated legalising gambling, could still get votes from Kelantanese electorate, adding that such decision to allow something which had been clearly prohibited was a result of UMNO's separation of Islam from politics.

“It is very unfortunate if we allow this to happen,” he said.

Relating a conversation with a Chinese lady, who had urged him to act against the government's decision, Husam said she had expressed fear that her community's problems arising from the gambling habit could exacerbate.

“If the Chinese (non-Muslims) can think that way, why do we Muslims take the issue lightly and continue supporting the BN government?" he asked. -Harakahdaily

DAP Launches Manifesto for Sibu By-Election

2010-05-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

The Sarawak DAP today launched its manifesto for the Sibu parliamentary by-election which touches among other things the issue of employment in the state.

Its candidate Wong Ho Leng, who launched the manifesto here, claimed that there were not enough jobs for the state's youths, forcing them to seek employment elsewhere.

He also listed seven other agenda including a promise to solve Sibu's perennial flood problems within two years.

Wong said the party would invest in human capital and infrastructure to make the town a hub for shipping industry, marine engineering and tourism.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is DAP secretary-general, was among those present.

The by-election on May 16 will see a three-way fight between Barisan Nasional's Robert Lau Hui Yew, Wong and independent candidate Narawi Haron.

- Bernama

BN Candidate Wants to See Sibu Develop Further

2010-05-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

The Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Sibu by-election has a vision.

Should he be elected, Robert Lau Hui Yew wants to further develop the parliamentary constituency.

"My vision is clear... I want Sibu to change, in terms of having better infrastructural developments, living standard and business opportunities to generate jobs and income.

It is my hope to make the town a better place for all, in terms of getting high income salaries and attracting more investments," he told a media conference here today.

Lau, 48, a University of Hull graduate, said although he was new to politics, as compared to his opponent, DAP Wong Ho Leng, 50, a veteran, he was well-nurtured in the field by his late cousin and five-term incumbent Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew.

"I have followed him for a long, long time. We were like brothers and at times, like son and father.

"I know how he had operated, his aspirations and uncompleted works politically, socially and in education development.

"But, this does not mean I am still walking in his shadow. I am my own. Although I want to continue with his good works, I have my own ideas and I belong to the new generation, as well," he said.

Lau, a lawyer, said like other leaders, he would rely on Facebook to interact with the new generation, in particular, and his supporters in general.

"I can get feedback from them, with regard to their aspirations, hope and grievances. In return, I can also use it to convey my message to them," he said.

- Bernama

Activists torch effigy of 'traitor' Zaid

2010-05-06T18:47:00.000-07:00

Some 30 activists from Perkasa and other Malay rights societies staged a protest outside PKR headquarters in Tropicana here this afternoon, setting alight a wooden effigy of Zaid Ibrahim, PKR supreme council member.

The effigy was a parody photograph of Zaid flexing his muscles and holding a bottle of Carlsberg beer, with the words "Hero of Traitors" emblazoned across the figure. (SEE MORE PICS HERE).

PKR official Radin Shamsulkamar said the protesters, who carried banners and placards, hurled obscenities and harassed the staff as well.

They also chanted slogans such as “Zaid kaki botol” (alcoholic) and “Chase him away from Selangor”. Zaid was PKR's election candidate in Hulu Selangor last month, where he became the subject of a similar character assassination campaign.

The protesters then read out a memorandum before handing it over to a PKR representative.

Radin said PKR was tipped off about a protest to be held tomorrow, leading him to file a report with the Tropicana police station. On returning from the police station at about 4.30pm, he was shocked to discover that the protest was already under way.

“I rushed back to the police station but the police told me that they did not receive instructions to take any action. No policeman showed up during or after the protest,” he added. MT

Pakatan blasts move to legalise sports betting

2010-05-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders have slammed a proposal to legalise sports betting, accusing the government of prioritising profit over social well-being.

The government confirmed yesterday that it was considering awarding a licence for sports betting ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup in June, in what is seen as a move to boost flagging revenues.

PR leaders said they had long anticipated this move and had started an anti-gambling task force to pressure the government against legalising the vice.

They contend that legalising sports betting would have a negative social impact.

DAP Socialist Youth chief Anthony Loke said rumours the government was mulling the move had reached him a while back and this was raised in Parliament at the March sitting.

No answer was given then, said Loke, who leads the pact’s anti-gambling task force.

“This move shows that the government works in secrecy. There was never any consultation with the public and I am sure that the public would have a different opinion on the issue,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin told reporters in Parliament yesterday that legal football betting was being considered to contain the expected spread of illegal betting activities during the World Cup.

However, PR leaders have viewed the move as a means to replenish drying state coffers.

“The government is very desperate to raise its revenue to bridge the wide deficit gap,” Loke remarked.

“But what they are doing is encouraging gambling in society, especially among the young. More people will get into gambling, which will spill into more social problems like the spurring of loan sharks. It will tear apart the social fabric,” he added.

PAS central working committee member Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government had compromised its own morality by agreeing to legalise sports betting.

“I question what is in the conscience of (Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Najib (Razak) and especially all the muftis who are backing the BN government.

“In one breath, he is portraying this virtuous image, but on the other, he is allowing what then-premier Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had to put on hold,” said Dzulkefly, who sits on the task force on behalf of PAS.

Najib has been tapping gaming companies to boost revenue for the government since before he became prime minister in April last year.

A month after Najib assumed the Finance Ministry portfolio in September 2008, the government stealthily awarded an additional 10 special draws a year to three gaming companies, in a move to boost flagging government revenues ahead of the economic slowdown.

The number forecast operators involved were Magnum, Tanjong and Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s Berjaya Sports Toto.

The Kuala Selangor MP said Najib risks staining the image of his own Umno party, which supposedly thrives on the “religion, race and country” motto, saying the new policy would “throw all that out the window”.

“It does not even meet the minimal aspects of morality let alone Islamic values,” said the PAS leader. -TMI

Police report and protest against Zaid questioning Sultan's power

2010-05-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

Subang Umno has lodged a police report against Datuk Zaid Ibrahim for questioning the Sultan of Selangor’s right to issue a directive prohibiting the use of mosques in the state for political activities.

Its deputy head Abd Raof Abdullah said Zaid who is PKR political bureau chief should not question Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s right to issue the directive as it was considered rude and disloyal.

“Zaid should not have compared Sultan Sharafuddin to the Malacca Sultanate. Our members want Zaid to apologise to the Sultan on the matter,” he said after lodging the report at Kota Damansara police station Thursday.

Zaid in his latest blog posting said the Sultan’s statement on the matter was a personal opinion and could not be considered a directive as it was never gazetted.

He also said that under the system of constitutional monarchy which is practised in Malaysia, a ruler of a state could not issue a directive or a decree as that practised during the Malacca Sultanate.

“The personal view expressed by the Sultan should be considered only as a good advice aimed at every one and not targeted any group or individual.

“Thus, the question of Nik Aziz (PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat) going against the Sultan’s decree as claimed by Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) does not arise at all. In fact, many other people are also in disagreement with the Sultan over this matter,” Zaid said in his blog posting.

In a related development, a group of about 20 people had gathered in front of the PKR headquarters and burned an effigy of Zaid.

Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed said the group left the area when the police arrived.

The police, he said, had earlier received information that a group of people had gathered in front of the party’s headquarters and a team was sent to investigate.

No one was arrested over the incident.

Sultan Sharafuddin had directed the police not to allow the mosques to be used for political activities in the run-up to the Hulu Selangor by-election last month. -MT

Row erupts between Samy, ally over SMS

2010-05-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

A growing spat has erupted between MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and one his closest allies.

Bharat Maniam or V. Subramaniam, a Petaling Jaya MIC veteran, is upset that he has been sidelined by Samy Vellu and has threatened to “tell all” against the MIC president and potentially open a can of worms for the latter.

The event that sparked the row between them was an MIC Senate post which fell vacant in April and which Bharat Maniam wants.

But it is understood that Samy Vellu has reserved the seat for T. Mohan, the MIC Youth chief.

Mohan, whose brother Kennan is a senior member of the DAP, is favoured by Samy Vellu and a diehard loyalist while Bharat Maniam had previously clashed with the MIC president over the Maika Holdings share issue in 1990.

He had exposed cheques and other documents of Samy Vellu’s, including his bank statements and related how the shares were disposed.

However, the then Anti-Corruption Agency (now MACC) investigated his allegations but ruled that no crime was committed and cleared Samy Vellu.

Nevertheless, after that episode Samy Vellu and Bharat Maniam became friends again, and the latter helped Samy Vellu settle numerous “problems,” problems which Bharat Maniam listed in an SMS exchange with Samy Vellu.

The message in question has been widely circulated in MIC circles and has since spilled over into the Tamil newspapers.

Makkal Osai, the newspaper aligned with the former MIC deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam, even published a front page story on the tussle between them over the Senate post.

The spot opened up last month, after P. Loga Chitra’s term as senator expired, and Mohan is Samy Vellu’s preferred choice to fill the opening.

But in the current political climate, where Umno leaders want Samy Vellu to retire, getting Mohan the appointment has proven difficult for the party president.

In an SMS to Samy Vellu, which was forwarded to The Malaysian Insider, Bharat Maniam argued why the post should be his and listed all the help he had rendered to the president since way back in 1987.

He also said he had been promised the post many times by Samy Vellu, but that the promises were never kept.

In a subsequent text message, there is an angry exchange between Samy Vellu and Bharat Maniam in which the MIC leader shuts the door on his ally’s dream of becoming senator.

When contacted by The Malaysian Insider, Bharat Maniam said he was not afraid of Samy Vellu and promised to expose the latter’s “wrongdoings”.

If this happens, Samy Vellu is likely to be put in a spot as Bharat Maniam was a long-time ally and privy to the workings of his inner circle.

The feud could not have come at a worse time for Samy Vellu, already under heavy pressure from within and outside MIC to pack up and leave.

If it explodes into open warfare, Samy Vellu’s rumoured departure soon could turn in to a graceless exit. -TMI

1,441 Malaysians Being Held in Foreign Jails

2010-05-06T18:14:00.000-07:00

Some 1,441 Malaysians are being held in foreign jails for various offences in 59 countries as of yesterday, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong said.

"Of the number, 733 are held for drug offences, 243 for false documents and credit cards, 72 for immigration offences, 40 for human trafficking, 93 for commercial crime, 74 for theft, 17 for murder, 47 for fraud and 122 for other offences.

"Another 98 Malaysians held overseas are waiting for their cases to be tried," he said in reply to a supplementary question by Senator Datuk Saripah Aminah Syed Mohamed in Dewan Negara today.

Lee said the government had sent consulars to visit them at detention centres to ensure good treatment and requested local authorities to speed up their trial.

Malaysians travelling overseas were also reminded to behave properly and be cautious at all times to avoid falling prey to fraud syndicates.

Tony Pua: GST Benefits Govt But Burdens the Poor

2010-05-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

DAP National Publicity Secretary Tony Pua in a press statement today stated that the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) will seriously affect the livelihood of Sarawakians.

Yesterday, Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Awang Adek Hussin had informed the Senate that the Government will proceed with the implementation of the controversial GST after the expected passing of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act in Parliament. Awang argued that “there is a lot to be gained by the government and the country with the implementation of GST, among them, a new source of revenue.”

According to Pua, Sarawakians will be among the worst hit with the implementation of GST as the state is the fourth poorest in the whole Malaysia, only ahead of Sabah, Kelantan and Terengganu. Currently there are less than 8 percent of the working population in Sarawak who are paying income taxes. The remainder of the population just do not earn enough money to pay any taxes.

“We agree that there is indeed a lot to be gained by the government as they will increase the amount of tax collected from the people, but what will be gained by the people who has to bear the burden of paying more taxes?” asked the Petaling Jaya Utara Member of Parliament (MP).

“Once GST is implemented, everyone, regardless of whether you are unemployed, poor, a single mother, an elderly or disabled, you will have to pay GST for practically all purchases. As many Sarawakians are still living in poverty or at near poverty levels, the GST will badly affect their livelihood.

The BN government have insisted that basic necessities such as rice, flour, salt, sugar, meats and certain seafood items will be exempted from taxation, and the poorest in Malaysia will even save RM14.52 per annum with its implementation,” he said.

Pua continues by stating that the Government's model is completely flawed because it assumes that the poor will only spend all their monies on GST-exempted basic goods.

“Even for tax exempted goods, the price is likely to increase despite the tax exempt, because the cost of production of items such as rice, flour etc. will increase due to GST,” he said

Pua also declared that DAP is calling for the government to withdraw the proposal to implement GST in the interest of many states which are still engulfed in poverty or near poverty, including hundreds of thousands of Sarawakians.

“While the Government may pass Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Acts, and promise enforcement, we all know that such enforcement will have very limited practical impact. The government cannot even enforce controls over taxi drivers who refuses to use meters in the cities, can we expect more from a nationwide enforcement of all shops? Furthermore, how is the Government going to penalise say a petty hawker, for charging RM0.10 more for his cup of teh tarik or RM0.20 more for his plate of noodles?” Pua questioned.

“To resolve the budget deficit and debt issues faced by the Government, BN must first take concrete steps to reduce massive corruption, inefficiencies and wastages for all procurement and privatisation programmes and completely eliminate the entrenched system of rent-seeking and patronage, instead of taking the easy way out by shifting the burden to the rakyat at large,” he added. -MD

DAP backs Husam's call for citizens' suit

2010-05-06T18:05:00.000-07:00

DAP has backed a proposal by Kelantan Exco member Husam Musa for a citizens' suit against the Federal Government over the signing away of two oil-rich offshore blocks in South China Sea to Brunei.

DAP's veteran leader and Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang said Husam should head a special committee by Pakatan Rakyat to prepare for such a suit.

"I will propose the establishment of such a special committee headed by Husam at the next meeting of the Pakatan Rakyat leadership council," Lim said in a statement today.

In proposing the citizens' civil suit yesterday, Husam, who is a member of PAS central committee, invited all Malaysians to join him in the suit.

"Everyone, including members of parliament, lawyers, NGOs and individual members of the public including from Sabah and Sarawak is invited to join me in filing this suit in the court," said Husam in a statement today.

He also said those interested may get in touch with him or his assistant at email gadailautmalaysia@gmail.com .

Husam also called on the establishment of a royal commission of inquiry to investigate the government's action in surrendering its jurisdiction to Brunei without going through parliamentary debate as required by the Constitution.

The controversy erupted following a report by The Edge Financial Daily on April 22 that the Malaysian government had given away two disputed oil-rich blocks off Sarawak's Limbang, incurring a loss of more than RM320 billion in oil earnings. -Harakahdaily

MEDICAL DIRECTOR SHOULD BE SABAHAN

2010-05-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

THE pace of Borneanisation of the public service should be expedited and proceed as quickly as possible. Borneanisation is a part of the 20 points agreement, which was signed by Sabah (North Borneo), Sarawak, Malaya and Singapore has often been overlooked.

A case in point is the post of our State Health Department Director. Currently, the post is temporarily held by a sabahan, Dr Mohd Yusof Hj Ibrahim. It is high time that the post is held by a Sabahan again.

There are many Sabahans of high calibre, like Dr Mohd Yusof that are more than qualified to head our Federal or State departments in Sabah, but invariably the post is given to someone from West malaysia.

Officers from West Malaysia are usually hesitant to come to Sabah when posted here, while qualified Sabahan officers are not given the chance to excel as per the principle of Borneanisation of the public service.

Of course, for those officers from west Malaysia that have come to serve in Sabah, we thank you for your services in helping the poor people of Sabah. Another fact is that a large number of these officers will decide to settle down in Sabah.

In Sabahs' hospitals most of the Hospital Directors are junior doctors who are holding the post on a temporary basis. These acting Hospital Directors have done an amazing job in difficult circumstances. They are the "glue" that holds the health system together.

Most importantly, we need a Local State Health Department Director that knows our Sabah health problems first hand and the special needs of making the Sabah health system work.

Not someone who comes over to Sabah at the twilight of his career and given A ‘JUSA’ grade as a reward for his previous services. Such persons are more worried about his retirement than sorting out Sabah's health needs.

By: DR FELIX CHONG (sabahkini)

ABUSE OF IBFC WORK PERMITS

2010-04-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

THE International Business and Financial Centre (IBFC) formally the LOFSA means a jurisdiction that offers liberal operating environment and low rates of tax as well as ensures confidentiality of investors’ information. Currently, there are more than 70 IBFCs around the world and most of them are located in Europe and the Caribbean.

But is this true that the IBFC is also a bench mark for immigrants to come to the country and set up bogus offshore company while getting the approvals from the immigration departments to stay in the country legally and obtaining work permits to operate onshore business locally here?

It has been known that some foreigners are actually abusing their permits by doing this and the relevant departments are very much aware of it. It’s all under the umbrella of Labuan IBFC! There are a total of 130 expatriates given such Work Permits applied under the Labuan Trust Companies that entitles them to stay here and trade. Meaning once the permit is issued the holder can have his whole family here with him.

In general, Labuan companies are restricted from dealing with Malaysian residents in ringgit, except for defraying administrative and statutory expenses.

Quoted by the Labuan IBFC Chairman Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, the offshore regulator has continued to exercise vigilance in anti-money laundering and also said that ‘concrete efforts have been taken, including regular monitoring to ensure that businesses are genuine. In its annual report released in Kuala Lumpur recently it was stated an increase to US$ 249.7 million from US$214.1 in 2008 before tax with its 54 active lenders

Labuan FSA is the role authority responsible for supervising Labuan business activities in Labuan and independent from domestic authorities, except for exchange control and tax matters which is administer by Central Bank of Malaysia and Inland Revenue Board, respectively.

Labuan FSA has implemented policies that facilitate the creation of a competitive and attractive business environment in Labuan. Labuan’s legislative framework is not only business-friendly but also prudent to safeguard Labuan’s international image as a clean and reputable international business and financial centre.

All these are extracts from the Labuan IBFC web sites that explain to us what it’s all about on the outside. Does anyone even bother to find out that what is being preached by them are actually even implemented?

One just has to dig a bit further and you will see more dirt under the carpet. What’s next we will be looking at a few drug cartels coming to invest here in Labuan or more money laundering companies operating as clearly they will be given a three year visa to stay here in Malaysia while also operation in business legally without having to worry from immigration department as its them that issues the final permit upon instructions from the Labuan IBFC and Labuan Trust Companies.

A trend that is already being practiced here and obviously being abused. Such acts would only tarnish the department more. How much the expatriates granted work permits in Labuan have invested here as we know some operates Hotels and Pubs.

It should be made clear that Labuan IBFC should make sure that it keep its name clean and not get involved with all the hanky panky that’s going around here in LABUAN.

By: GREAT LABUAN WARRIOR (GLW)

Umno divisions table KPI reports this weekend

2010-04-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

This weekend’s Umno retreat will see all 192 divisions table their Key Performance Index (KPI) reports on efforts to strengthen the party ahead of the next general election.

This is the party leadership’s first meeting after Barisan Nasional (BN) recaptured the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat last Sunday with a 1,725-majority, after an intense campaign where the coalition spent millions.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor confirmed the two-day retreat, saying one of the main agendas is the divisional progress report cards on various targets.

“The second aim of this retreat is to table the divisional reports,” he said when met by The Malaysian Insider last night.

The retreat, Umno’s second, will be chaired by party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who first introduced KPIs and National Key Results Areas (NKRAs) when he took office as prime minister in April 2009.

Tengku Adnan said the divisional reports will be tabled by all 13 state liaison committees after Najib chairs an Umno supreme council meeting in Janda Baik — making this the first meeting outside Kuala Lumpur since he became president in March 2009.

Tengku Adnan confirmed the weekend Umno retreat. — Bernama pic

It is understood the reports will detail programmes and activities conducted by each division for the past six months, and also future projects. Included in the programmes were preparation efforts to face the next general election, after Umno-BN lost four more states in Election 2008.

It has since recaptured Perak and snapped Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) string of seven by-election wins with three of its own.

The Malaysian Insider understands that each division was required to send its monthly report to their respective state liaison committee. The last batch of reports from the state committees was sent to the party headquarters last week.

It is also understood that the retreat, which involves all division leaders, is part of preparations for the annual meetings of branches starting next month.

Work has already begun at the party headquarters to clean up the membership rolls for the meetings. -TMI

LANDMARK RULING ON SABAH NATIVE LAND

2010-04-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

A NATIVE land case in Sabah that has dragged on in the courts for the last 20 years, the plaintiff passing away in the process, has finally come to an end in the Federal Court and opened the floodgates on thousands of similar cases in the state. The verdict was in favour of the native plaintiff, substituted by his daughter, against a non-native.

The Federal Court, in a landmark decision, has upheld a Court of Appeal decision that a bank is duty-bound to go beyond the Land Office register in matters that involve native land in Sabah.

Ascertaining the legality of ownership will avail itself of the protection given to a bona fide charge, the Federal Court further upheld.

The Federal Court's decision arose from two related questions of law which were referred to it. The resort to the Federal Court followed the granting of leave by the Court of Appeal on April 28, 2008 to International Bank Malaysia Bhd formerly known as Hock Hua Bank (Sabah) Bhd.

Federal Court Justices James Foong Cheng Yuen (left), Raus Sharif and Heliliah Mohd Yusof unanimously dismissed with costs an appeal brought by the bank against a decision of the Court of Appeal on Sept 17, 2007.

The Court of Appeal unanimously upheld a Kota Kinabalu High Court declaration on June 29, 2000.

REINSTATED AS OWNER

In the declaration after a full trial, the KK High Court ruled that Balantai Sinangau be reinstated as the registered owner of Native Title No. 213044378 measuring five acres in Kampung Nosoob, Penampang, Kota Kinabalu. Further, the Court ruled that a memorandum of transfer and memorandum of charge created for the land by Yeo Kee Seng, a non-native, and two other defendants be deleted from the Land Office register.

Balantai had contended that Yeo had become the “owner” of the land by way of a Power of Attorney, which he revoked earlier, and furthermore the latter was not a native. Therefore, the alleged transfer of the land to Yeo was null and void and consequently the charge created by Yeo in favour of the bank was therefore a nullity, Balantai pleaded.

The bank contended that Yeo, as owner of the land, had charged the native land to the bank to secure banking facilities and that the bank was at all material times acting as a bona fide charge of the native land. The land had been charged to the bank for a RM100,000 loan facility 20 years ago.

The bank had intervened and become a party to the suit after Balantai, subsequently substituted by his daughter Lovintih Balantai @ Betty after his death, sued Yeo and the two other defendants for the return of the land.

BANK SHOULD HAVE SUSPECTED YEO

In the 92-page grounds of the decision, delivered by Justice Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusof sitting with Justice Mokhtar Sidin and Justice Abdul Wahab Patail, the Court of Appeal held that in a transaction involving the native title to be charged, the bank should have been put on guard that Yeo may not be a native and hence his position as a registered owner is suspect.

It said that this should have prompted the bank to seek legal advice from their solicitors to request from Yeo additional proof of ownership. The Court of Appeal cited as an example a copy of an appropriate declaration made by a Native Court pursuant to Section 2 (3) of the Interpretation Ordinance. However, Yeo did not furnish any evidence to show that he was a native, the Court of Appeal noted.

The Court of Appeal further held that, in the absence of any evidence to show that Yeo was a native, the High Court was correct in holding that the transfer of the native title to Yeo and the charge created by Yeo were a nullity by virtue of Section 17 (1) of the Land Ordinance. The Ordinance expressly states that all dealings in native land between non-natives and natives are extremely forbidden and no such dealings shall be valid or shall be recognised in any court of law.

The Court of Appeal ruled that the bank could not claim to be a bona fide charge as the bank had admitted at the trial that their solicitors had only conducted a search of the native title at the Land Office after the memorandum of charge had been lodged and registered.

NOT QUITE RIGHT

The Court of Appeal said that the search conducted on native title revealed past and present caveats, as acknowledged by the bank, and that should have alerted and put the bank on guard that something was not quite right.

It added that this should have prompted the bank to seek further legal advice from their solicitors to obtain additional proof of ownership relating to the native status of Yeo.

The Court of Appeal said that the bank must have knowledge of the restrictions in dealings over land held under native title pursuant to the land laws of Sabah. Hence, they cannot come to court and claim that the title to the said land is a clean title and maintain that they are a bona fide party of value without notice upon registration of a land dealing and indirectly ignoring the law relating to native lands in Sabah.

In the circumstances, the Court of Appeal held that the bank cannot be said to be acting bona fide, and therefore, the registration of the memorandum of Charge upon the Land Office register was a nullity.

By: JOE FERNANDEZ (sabahkini)

BY ELECTIONS WOULD BRING FUNDS TO SANDAKAN.

2010-04-28T18:07:00.001-07:00

SABAH Progressive Party (SAPP) said only by-elections could address many problems in Sandakan including the worsening water supply.

SAPP Information Chief Chong Pit Fah said by-elections would forced the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) Government to approve funds immediately and works to rectify the water supply would be carried out on the double.

“Look at Hulu Selangor by-election, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim accused Barisan Nasional of giving huge funds to many resulting Keadilan lost the Parliament seat.

“Anwar claimed that two Chinese independent schools at Hulu Selangor received funds totaling RM4.5 million. It is bigger than the RM4 million grants to all Chinese schools in Sabah for this year.

“So it is worth to call by-elections particularly for Tanjung Papat and Elopura seats so that the government would channel funds immediately and the water problem could be addressed fast,” he said in a statement, here, today.

He said Tanjung Papat and Elopura assemblymen, Datuk Raymond Tan and Au Kam Wah, stay loyal with BN when SAPP pulled out of the coalition government.

However, many problems in Sandakan never been solved even after both of them remained with the ruling coalition, said Pit Fah.

He said, apart from constant energy disruptions and huge presence of illegal immigrants (PTI), Sandakan folks are now facing the worst water supply in decades.

Pit Fah said the Sandakan Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) had disclosed in a local daily that tap water were smelly and taste salty while the colour also not crystal clear.

The SCCCI had lamented that Sandakan folks were behind Barisan Nasional during the 2008 general election, which saw the ruling coalition sweep all the State and Parliament seats there.

He said both Raymond Tan and Au Kam Wah had said that they remained with BN because only BN could bring the much needed developments to the people especially Sandakan.

He added that both of them had promised Sandakan folks that they would strive to the best to ensure Sandakan are progresses.

However, both of them had failed based on the terrible tap water situations, Pit Fah said adding instant funds to address the problem would only be available if there are by-elections at Tanjung Papat and Elopura, respectively.

“If Raymond Tan and Au Kam Wah loves Sandakan folks and willing to sacrifice so I called on both of them to vacate their respective seat to pave the way for by-elections, which would surely bring huge funds at once and at the same time address the tap water problem,” Pit Fah said.

He said based on the quantum of funds given to only two Chinese independent schools during by-elections at Hulu Selangor as claimed by Anwar when compare to the grants to all Chinese schools in Sabah for the entire 2010, only by-elections could force the Federal Government to approve huge funds immediately and address the terrible tap water problem at once.

“Imagine the quantum of funds showering Sandakan when there are by-elections at both seats. Not only the worsening water supply problem could be addressed fast but many other problems like power shortages would also be solved,” he said.

Pit Fah said he is sure the Federal Government would immediately purchase new generator sets and not second hand or used one as measures to overcome the long standing power shortages in Sandakan.

He said Raymond Tan and Au Kam Wah should subscribe to the concept of Sandakan Folks First and Performance Now and let by-elections be held at Tanjung Papat and Elopura immediately. -Sabahkini

SUPP United in Facing Sibu By-election

2010-04-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

The Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) is united in facing the upcoming Sibu parliamentary by-election, party president Tan Sri Dr George Chan said today.

"We are very happy that the Sibu branch has got one voice. Now, we really need to go to the ground and redouble our ongoing efforts to win," he told a news conference at the party's Sibu branch office, here.

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had yesterday confirmed SUPP's choice of Robert Lau Hui Yew as the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the by-election, saying Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had given his approval.

Hui Yew is a second cousin of Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew, the federal deputy transport minister whose death on April 9 has necessitated the by-election, nomination for which is on May 8 and polling, on May 16.

"We are 110 per cent behind him (Hui Yew). He has been with the late Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew, the five-term MP, for a long, long time. He knows his dreams... his ways of doing things. In his memory, we want to ensure that Robert Lau junior will accomplish all the unfulfilled dreams of Robert Lau senior," said Dr Chan.

Among those with him at the news conference were Sibu Branch chairman Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, Lanang MP Datuk Tiong Thai King and Pelawan state assemblyman Vincent Goh Chung Siong.

Dr Chan said the SUPP machinery was unfazed by the challenge posed by the opposition which he added was banking on Sarawak DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng to "duel" with Hui Yew.

Wong had stood against Hoi Chew in the constituency in 1995, 2004 and 2008 but lost each time.

Dr Chan said he was confident the Chinese voters would remember the good deeds of Hoi Chew and would want someone like Hui Yew to carry on with his unfinished dreams, particularly in education development.

Asked if this would translate into votes for the BN, he said: "Many of our people follow Confucius's values. One of the greatest values is gratitude. I think the Chinese people respect Confucius a lot. I am sure they will know what to do. We don't have to spell it out."

- Bernama

'Chinese voting trend bad news for BN in Sibu'

2010-04-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali (pic) has predicted a disastrous by-election outcome in Sibu on May 16 for recently-victorious Barisan Nasional, provided the voting trend of the Chinese electorate in West Malaysia is repeated there.

"If the (voting) sentiment in Sarawak is the same as in the peninsula, BN is going to find it hard in Sibu," Mustafa, the former PAS election chairman, told reporters here.

The recent by-election in Hulu Selangor saw Chinese majority areas overwhelmingly voting for Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Zaid Ibrahim, who lost to P Kamalanathan of BN by a majority of 1,725 votes. A six-fold increase in Chinese support from the last general election was also seen in Kuala Kubu.

The next by-election, the eleventh since the 2008 general election, is being called in Sibu following the death of its MP Robert Lau Hoi Chew on April 9, who had won the seat by a margin of 3,235 against PKR and DAP candidates, both from Pakatan Rakyat. This time around, PR top leaders have endorsed DAP to represent the opposition coalition.

BN will be fielding Lau's second cousin Robert Lau Hui Yew against Sarawak DAP chairman and veteran politician Wong Ho Leng.

The Sibu constituency has 60 per cent Chinese voters, something Mustafa said worries BN leaders, especially with the almost total rejection of BN by Chinese voters in recent times.

Such a trend has led recently-launched right-wing Malay group Perkasa to lash at Chinese voters for not supporting BN, demanding that development funds be stopped to Chinese-majority areas. -Harakah

Anger grows over police killing of teenager

2010-04-28T18:03:00.000-07:00

A storm is brewing over the killing of a 15-year old boy in Shah Alam on April 26, with growing calls for the government to take action against the policemen involved.

Pan-Malaysian Federation of Muslim Students (Gamis) has urged prime minister Najib Razak and Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein to treat the case seriously.

Its president Mohd Idris Mohd Yussoff said the government should form a special committee to investigate the case thoroughly.

“We are saddened by several such cases in recent past which took too long to be solved, and some have not been solved.

“In the late Aminulrasyid's case, a fair and urgent investigation must be conducted as it has raised many questions among the public," he said in a statement to Harakahdaily today.

Aminulrasyid Hamzah (pic) was shot at the back of his head by police while he and a friend were traveling in a Proton Iswara on Monday. The police later claimed he was involved in armed robbery, drawing angry reactions from family and friends.

In his report, Aminul's friend who was with him in the car said they were chased by a team of policemen in an MPV as soon as they overtook them. One of the policemen then kicked and punched him when he got out to surrender, before he escaped and went home.

'It's murder'

Describing the shooting an "extreme act" by the police, Gamis reminded the media to report only the truth.

"In this case, there has been many versions of the story creating confusion among the public, at the same time causing unnecessary distress and suspicion to the family of the victim," it said.

Meanwhile, human rights lawyer N. Surendran (right) did not mince his words, calling Aminulrasyid's death as murder.

He said the latest police shooting was similar to an earlier incident involving single mother Norizan Salleh, who was shot five times while travelling with her friends in her car last October.

Surendran also said the authorities should view the incident seriously, unlike the non-action in Norizan's case. Norizan has yet to recover fully from her injuries and mental trauma. -Harakah

WHAT'S MY FUTURE, MALAYSIA?

2010-04-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

SHE'S twelve years old. Bronzed skin, hair bleached from the salted sun. We didn't manage to get her name; she was with her girl friends-carefree and full of cheer-at the Kota Kinabalu waterfront just beside the Handicraft Market that afternoon. They came and willingly jumped in front of the camera, making hip-hop poses like teens from the 'hood. She was chatty, just like any other healthy girl except for one big difference.

She's never been to school. There isn't one where she lives. She cannot read nor write. She knows rudimentary arithmetic-simple addition and subtraction. Ditto her group of friends. Each morning the girls leave their homes in the settlements at Pulau Gaya and come ashore to the city's waterfront seeking menial work-dishwashing, food prep and packaging. Promises of the dreams of a high-income economy and the NEM would be pretty meaningless for people like them. In most likelihood, a frustration will build up as the world passes them by. And then what?

Could this be the timebomb that Project IC planted?

How fair is it that these children, innocent of any crime, be deprived of a promising future because of negligence by their hosts, willing or unwilling?

We were with Sabah activist Dr Chong Eng Leong that afternoon in mid-March before the SABM Sama-sama Roadshow. The former Sabah senator and practising surgeon had offered to explain to us at SABM what he considers one of the biggest issues facing Sabah for over two decades now-foreigners and Project IC. And the best way was to see for ourselves.

Project IC, or more pointedly Project M, refers to the "allegation of systematic granting of citizenship to immigrants (whether illegal or legal immigrants) by giving them identity documents known as IC (identity card), and subsequently, MyKad" (Wikipedia).

It is alleged to be a covert exercise with its roots in the early 1990s to alter the demographics of Sabah to make it more favorable to the ruling government and certain political parties.

However, the long term social and political implications far outweighed the immediate benefits for the BN power-crazy government.

Project IC was initiated by Dr Mahathir when he was the PM and at that time, he wanted to teach Pairin Kitingan a lesson after Pairin pulled PBS out of the Barisan coalition into the opposition.

The objectives of Project IC is to increase the Muslim population in Sabah by allowing Filipino and Indonesian Muslims to obtain citizenship in order that they are eligible to vote.

In so doing, the Kadazan-dusun and other native groups political dimension will be reduced proportionately and thus allow the then minority Muslim to become the dominant force in Sabah politics. The result of this Project IC had brought in more than 2 million immigrants and thus allow them the passport to vote.

Much has been talked about in the warongs and kopitiams and to some degree the media, yet investigations over Project IC never reached a satisfactory momentum nor conclusion. When there is a hue and cry, the Federal government will launch a lip-service campaign to window-dress the problem.

Dr Chong believes the evidence is damning and all around in the daily life of Sabah. He self-published a book, Lest We Forget (Security and Sovereignty of Sabah), in July last year, an effort which compiles hard facts and newspaper clippings to advance the awareness of Project IC.

The Handicraft Market itself is a place filled with lively paraphernalia - beadwork, carvings, silverware and fabric. "Most of these are not produced in Sabah. They're brought in mainly from Indonesia and the Philippines," said Dr Chong, who's comfortable jumping from one local dialect to another. And the people who sell them? "Filipinos, largely," he added. "You can tell from the dialect they speak." Incidentally, the Handicraft Market was known as the Pasar Filipina until recently. The locals still call it by that name.

"Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against foreigners," said Dr Chong. "They are human beings who seek a better life; borders mean nothing to them. These innocent children are the product of the scheming project to sway the demographic pattern of Sabah forever and with this the attending social and political implications.

It is the lack of a political will in both the Federal and State governments to resolve this problem that gets to me," said the former politician. "They refuse to even acknowledge it's a problem."

Saturday afternoons at the markets flanking the KK waterfront are a casual affair. Tourists stroll the walkways toting cameras, families finish buying their day's groceries, the smell of pickled vegetables and fresh fruit intoxicates. On a cemented planter, male bonding takes place over a game of chess.

A line of tailors steal a nap during the lazy, shady hours. It's quite a delight seeing those vintage Singers still in use.

And as a solitary machine goes 'shik-shik-shik' in the background, the issue about Sabah's fragile social fabric crops up again. In a territory that saw the population increase by a stupefying 301 percent in 30 years (1970-2000), it is a phenomenon that surely needs to be investigated closely. Especially since neighbours Sarawak grew by 106 percent, and Brunei 157 percent in the same time-frame.

"Sabah's borders were deliberately kept porous. You could enter and leave it like a sieve," said Dr Chong.

"They were considered a vote bank. I have collated the reports and evidence in my book," said Dr Chong. "Look, in those 30 years the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut community grew by 162 percent - a population growth that makes sense. But those classified as Malay grew by a staggering 1,552 percent. Federal government hasn't given any solid explanation for that.

"But the worse thing is the humanitarian aspect. You're brought in as a vote bank, you're offered MyKad, given Bumi status, perhaps resettled somewhere and that's it. You are expected to remain grateful. No education for your children. No proper sanitary system. No refuse collection-rubbish is disposed in the sea or burned in some common dumpyard nearby. It's an epidemic waiting to happen."

And most tragic of all, it is the locals who get the short end of the stick. "You know, conditions are even worse for the natives of Sabah. Visit their kampongs scattered all over Sabah if you can. They get no water nor electricity supply. Let's not even mention schools for the moment," said Dr Chong in between swigs of coconut water. "We have many cases of true-blue Sabah natives who were denied MyKad even though they have birth certs to prove their case.

The influx had put a strain on the local authorities in terms of hygiene and waste disposal and the Health services whereby hospitals are sometimes filled to the brim thus denying its own citizens with a proper health care.

"How can a government do this to its own people?"

In the wet market, Dr Chong converses with a shy and gentle Bajau woman in her dialect as she cleans some local cabbage. "Ah Kota Belud! Sama-sama. That's my kampong too," he exclaimed happily as we left the market area. We had to move on.

From the charm of the waterfront, we drove across the scenic Likas bay to Telipok about 30 km away. Here, two government-initiated settlements have sprung up over the years. Atop a hill lies Kampung Boronuon. The residents prefer to call it Kg Penempatan-resettled.

They were resettled from Pulau Gaya in 2001. Back then, the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu had assured the people of Telipok that the Pulau Gaya resettlers were Malaysians. But in this part of the world, as we were beginning to see, the meaning of Malaysian can be as hazy as smog from the annual Kalimantan fires.

In Dr Chong's book, Lest We Forget, he cites numerous cases of dubious citizenship. Here is a sampling:

• Pulau Gaya fag smuggler, admitted in Court being a Philippines-born Malaysian, but his new IC is coded 12 ie born in Sabah. His old IC number was H0558763, and is still registered in Sabah Electoral Rolls today.

• One foreigner was convicted in 1992 for possession of fake IC and he told the Court that he got his IC through Project President Mahathir (appendix 51 of book). He was jailed for two years and managed to get registered in 1995 in Sabah Electoral Rolls after release - was he deported after release but sneaked back? His old IC number was H0487096 and is still in Sabah Electoral Rolls today.

• Salman Majid-arrested in March 2005 at KLIA and detained for 199 days in Immigration Centre in Sepang... Salman stated in the Sijil Akuan that he was born in Ranau, Sabah when in fact he was born in Pakistan. His old and new IC numbers were H0352141 and 620202-12-5053 respectively.

Salman had this to say about issuance of his IC: "Pada tahun 80'an saya telah ditawarkan kad pengenalan di Sabah semasa Projek Khas. Saya telah menerima tawaran itu bersama dengan beribu-ribu rakyat Sabah yang lain."

Got your attention yet?

Down in the valley from Kg Penempatan lies a serpentine grouping of houses. This is Kg Pelarian, otherwise known as the UNHCR Settlement Scheme. It was established in the 1970s under the watch of the UN for Filipinos fleeing from the civil war in southern Philippines.

Although the war has long since ended and UN funds ceased, the land continues to be inhabited. Instead of diminishing in number, more houses are being built in this area. A 2006 Borneo Post report said more than 1,000 dwellings are occupying the land and growing.

In both these neighbouring settlements, life isn't super. There isn't much in terms of amenities; there's electricity and water supply. Waste just goes into a hole or a waterway. The residents are a hardy lot. But the story repeats - no schooling.

At about 3pm that afternoon, we noticed a dusty van driving in front of us along the narrow, winding lane. It stopped not far ahead, its body listed to one side because of the potholes. A couple of young girls - no more than 15 years old and dressed in tees and jeans-boarded the van. Dish-washer girls again, we wondered? Or rather, we hoped. For it could easily be something even worse. Something like prostitution.

It is not mere imaginings. Another excerpt from Lest We Forget:

• Six girls in vice activities in Perak in March 2002 were initially said to be Sabahans but Sabah Police Chief later on corrected by saying that they were Indonesians whose Malaysian ICs were issued by Sabah NRD.

If true, Project IC is not merely about the story of a power-crazed government pulling all the stops to retain its position. It is about the social repercussions which hurt the state and the very people who were invited inside our borders.

The denial of basic education is a human rights violation. And when these bubbly young children grow to be adults who have to seek a livelihood and start families, will they be bitter for having been cheated?

And it is not a Sabah problem, hermetically speaking. It is a Malaysian one. With a MyKad in hand, any person can enter Semenanjung. No New Economic Model is going to be far-sighted enough to handle that situation. We'll be seeing the effects of all this in less than a generation.

Clearly, there has to be an open, honest investigation into the Project IC allegations. The Federal government cannot be always in a denial mode.

Government must have the political will to make this happen. We the Rakyat will make this an election issue.

And as for the young, the likes of whom we met in Sabah, let's get real. They are here and will remain here. We have but one best option...

Teach them to fish.

In our most creative ways, teach them to fish so they know they belong. It is only proper that we do.

By: SAYA ANAK BANGSA MALAYSIA (sabahkini)

PAIRIN SHOULD EXPLAIN ON 800 METER ROAD

2010-04-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

SABAH DAP Local Government & Housing bureau chief cum Vice Chairman Edward Ewol Mujie said that Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Infrastructure Development Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan did not explain the issue of the 800 meter road (Jalan Bersatu 1) costing RM2 million to be upgraded with a cost of another RM 10 million near the QH 2 (SMC) during the recent State Assembly sitting.

Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan has make known his intention to explain this issue during a press conference at the Public Works Department (PWD) meeting room here on Monday February 22, 2010 and it was published in the local newspaper issued on Tuesday February 23, 2010. However he never gives that explanation during State Legislative Assembly sitting from April 15-22, 2010.

Edward said Datuk Pairin who was formerly the Chief Minister during PBS Government and now Deputy Chief Minster in the BN Governments, in fact should shown a good example to our young generation by fulfilling his promised.

Edward said that he is not surprised at all on why Datuk Pairin did not bothered to give that explanation as he promised because there are certain facts and reason that make him difficult to explain. For example, the retaining wall is encroaching into the road reserve.

Edward said since Pairin failed to explain in the State Assembly on this issue as he promised, Sabah DAP demands him to give details on why the supposed two lane road which had become a single lane road. He should not covered up on the reasons, because he as the Infrastructure Development Minister, he is the right person to explain so. -Sabahkini

PUBLIC NEED TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE GST!

2010-04-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

I feel it is regrettable that the debate on the General Sales Tax (GST) had died down of late because we have been diverted to other less important issues. It is critical that the public be properly educated about the GST because it will affect our lives greatly when it is implemented next year.

I also wonder if all the Members of Parliament actually know what it is all about, or that they have been duped by the government explanation that it is a fair tax that is good for the economy.

Many people do not know that the GST is a multi-staged consumption tax, meaning that goods will be taxed 4% for each stage of its development, or taxed at least three times. The supplier sending goods to the manufacturer will be taxed 4%, the manufacturer will be taxed 4% when sending the goods to the retailer, and another 4% will be levied again at the point of purchase by the consumer.

This means that by the time the good reaches the customer, the price would have gone up by 16% plus the markups to give the manufacturer and retailer their profits! This is different in the case of the present sales tax which taxes us only one time at the point of purchase. Why is the GST being introduced? Well, for one, it will help the government increase its revenue by RM11 billion per year based on the current level of consumption.

The people also needs to know that the GST is a regressive tax, the kind of tax which will burden the poor. A progressive tax is one that taxes the rich, from their income. The GST is regressive because of two reasons: It taxes spending, not income, and the tax “is levied at a flat rate on a very wide range of products including many items that the poorer people need to buy. It will lead to a rise oin prices and will definitely hit the poorest the hardest” (Dr. Jeyakumar Devaraj, MP for Sungai Siput, “Action stations! ‘No’ the Regressive GST,” Aliran Monthly, Vol. 30(1)).

It is a great irony that the government which keep pledging to lighten the burdens of the rakyat is now introducing the GST which will reduce corporate tax and increase taxes for the consumers, which are the mostly the poor people. Many people now realize that the new tax system will contribute to even more inflation, on top of the already burdensome price increases following the several increases in the prices of petrol.

Now that nasi campur has reached the RM6 price level, with the GST, let us not be surprised if the it will go to RM10! Remember that taxes which are to be paid by sellers are always passed on to the consumer. The GST will be a calamity that we do not need right now.

Inflation will hit Sabahans hardest because of at least two reasons, i.e. the higher commodity prices (consumer price index) and the much lower wage and salary levels in Sabah compared to the Peninsular.

A hotel bell boy in Sabah makes about RM500 while the one in the Peninsular earns a lot more than RM1,000! The MPs from Sabah need to take a serious look at the GST and ask themselves if they are really serving the interest of the people by voting for it to be passed in parliament after the second reading soon.

We also need to take note that RM11 billion additional income per year for the government is meaningless if it cannot plug the leak holes in the economy, through which we see billions being siphoned off through corruption. The PKFZ fund leak scandal involved hundreds of billions!

This means if the government really wants to help the economy, it needs to flex its muscle and catch the big corrupted culprits and streamline the system to ensure no hanky-panky ‘extras’ are paid through project allocations. This way the government will be able to save and earn a lot more than a mere RM11 billion per year!

By: DANIEL JOHN JAMBUN (sabahkini)

Felda kin may swing to Pakatan if Hulu Selangor pledges not fulfilled

2010-04-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

Heirs of Felda settlers in Sungai Buaya have warned they may vote for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) should the ruling federal government fail to honour Hulu Selangor campaign promises by the next general elections.

A group of second-generation Felda settlers said they voted Barisan Nasional (BN) during Sunday’s Hulu Selangor by-election because of the RM50,000 advance payment for their land that was acquired off them for development and the promise by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to look into their plight.

“We may reconsider how we vote in the next general election if BN don’t keep their promises,” said a 53-year-old self-employed-man, whose father was an original settler who died without seeing a sen.

The settlers are the pioneer batch who settled in the rural enclave in the Felda land scheme started by Najib’s father Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

Felda, or the Federal Land Development Authority, is the world’s largest plantation operator, with 811,140 hectares of oil palms, mainly across Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah in Malaysia. It also operates plantations and oil mills in Indonesia.

Last Friday 100 settlers in Sungai Buaya here received an RM1,000 advance of the promised RM50,000 each from private company Idiqa Holding Sdn Bhd.

However Najib reportedly said the remaining compensation would be paid to the settlers at a rate of RM160,000 per acre when the land is developed.

“The only condition is that Selangor is returned to Barisan to facilitate implementation of the development projects,” he said during the ceremony at Sungai Buaya here.

Howeber, Idiqa Holding’s chairman Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, told the remaining 263 settlers or their kin who collected their money yesterday that that they would get all their money within the next six five months.

A total of 363 settlers or their next of kin have been waiting 17 years for compensation after their land totalling 510ha (1,261 acres) was acquired by a housing developer, whose project failed to take off.

The kin of settlers, whose fathers were rubber small holders, pointed out that on average each was owed between RM500,000 and RM1 million, and expected to see progress payments for the arrears and not empty promises.

“We have waited this long but there is a limit to our patience,” said the kin, who declined to be named.

Another second generation settler said he would have boycotted the by-election had it not been for Najib’s promises.

“We are all hardcore BN supporters but we been frustrated for so long,” said the Umno man, adding he would never vote for PR but would not cast a vote in next election if the problem continues to be unresolved.

The same discontentment was heard among the crowd yesterday when the remaining 263 settlers and their kin collected their payments of RM50,000

While waiting for the newly-minted MP P. Kamalanathan and his entourage to arrive, a few settlers told The Malaysian Insider that the BN’s campaign promises were “too little too late”.

“Why should we be happy anyway? This is money we are owed for more than 15 years. Why do they compensate us only now? Even then, this is just RM50,000 they are giving us. What about the rest? My family is owed at least RM400,000,” said one angry Malay settler who refused to be named.

He even complained about the method of distributing the funds and said there was little need for all the pomp and pageantry typical of a BN function.

“And they make us wait for them in this heat, no food, no drink. Who do they think they are, I feel like we are begging for charity but it’s our money actually,” he added. -TMI

BN can forget about Selangor, says Sabu

2010-04-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

PAS central committee member Mohamad Sabu (pic) said should the voting pattern in Hulu Selangor continue into the next general election, the Barisan Nasional can forget all hopes of wresting back Selangor from Pakatan Rakyat.

"This also means Penang will be remain under PR, Perak will throw out the BN state government and Negeri Sembilan could also follow suit," said Mohamad Sabu.

He said the PR would be able to win more state seats in Selangor although it could lose some of them to BN.

The recent Hulu Selangor by-election saw the BN wresting back the parliamentary seat from PKR which won in 2008 with a wafer thin majority of 198.

Racial sentiments among Malays

Sabu also said the trend in Hulu Selangor brought into open racial sentiments among Malay voters.

"UMNO leaders have succeeded in convincing the majority Malay voters that BN is Malay and vice versa. That was why they voted for BN," he added.

As such, he said PAS faced a huge challenge to explain to the people that UMNO and BN had been in fact traitors to the Malays since independence in 1957, and made use of narrow racism for their own interests.

He said this was because PAS was a majority-Malay party and it carried a burden to "free the Malay mind from such deviant thoughts which placed the interest of Islam and Malays on UMNO."

"We should leave our fate to God, not UMNO. It is unfortunate that a section of Malay political leaders tie their destiny to UMNO, ostensibly to defend Malay and Muslim interest," he said.

He reminded that if the PR leadership continued to administer the state governments to ensure they were corruption-free, not given to extravagance, live in moderation and were prudent in financial management so that money could flow back to the people, the current support for PR can be sustained. -Harakah

THE CORRUPTION OF MAHATHIR?

2010-04-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

I have always said Dr Mahathir is a menace to his own people. Now only you can see the effects of his foolishness when the ringgit has halved its value overnight and your economy goes kaput. Single handedly you have caused hardship to millions of your own people. You have built useless mega projects at tremendous cost to the country.

The telecoms tower in Kuala Lumpur and the highest building in the world show how stupid you are. Not only does it cause massive traffic jam, it has totally no purpose.

If you need high ground for telecoms antennae a nearby mountain is there for free.

This tower has no purpose from the ground up to 300 metres. The satelites make this totally unneccesary. A fool and his money are soon parted. The only thing is you are the fool and the money belongs to Malaysians. You make 20% in every project, you have real estate in Japan and billions of shares corruptly acquired.

Your 3 sons are worth 8 billion US$. Where do they get this money? Of course, corruption. You are known as the Marcos of Malaysia, having enriched yourself to the tune of billions.

You dare to shed crocodile tears during UMNO delegates meeting about the ills of corruption.

Yet you are the most corrupt of all the prime ministers before you. A thief is crying thief and hopes people look the other way. Who dares to say anything when the chief is caught with his hands in the candy jar?

You said wisdom is not the monopoly of the West. So is foolishness. You have more foolishness than most people would believe. Billions are used to build two high rise Petronas buildings that benefit nobody.

They now stand tall, a symbol of stupidity and irresponsibility. Instead they just add on to traffic jams. What is this reclamation of 10 islands off Kedah? Totally absurd and stupid. Of course your benefit is 20%. And the bridge across from Malacca to Sumatra across international waters?

Why not build a bridge to the moon? I am sure you still can get your 20%. You called me a Moron. How can a Moron make so much money. By allowing short selling and borrowing millions of shares from your banks we fund managers made millions out of your inexperience and poor regulations.

You lose all Malaysians' money, therefore you are the Moron. Now you know too late and start crying over spilt milk.

In Australia you are known as the recalcitrant ego maniac; in UKthe corrupt bastard because of your stupid purchase of our movie studio and the 290 million ringgit Lotus racing car plant and the shady Pergau dam loans from the UK. They are useless to us and you still want to buy them.

What about buying British reject submarines through your agent, of course. The agent/ broker is designed to make millions out of the Malaysian government..

Your purchase of our battleships is at least 50% more than others are paying. Your purchase of 9 hospitals from UK lock, stock and barrel does not support your local architects or your industry and the British send you obsolete medical equipment. The design is atrocious, one end to the other is half a kilometer and there is no CT-scan, an absolute necessity.

In the UK your face appears in no less than 17 newspapers as a corrupt dictator. In Malaysia you are known as the (IBM) International Big Mouth. In Japan they call you the 'smallest one' (brain size). In Pacific islands, the Santa Claus (giving advice left and right). In south America they call you the parrot (he talks a lot but does not know what it is about). In Manila the living Marcos.

In Malaysia they are spending millions to lure tourists and you talk rubbish scaring every foreigner away. When he is dumb he is doubted a fool, when he opens his mouth it removes all doubt."

While I agree the West does not have the monopoly to wisdom, your actions are not the wisest either. Your EAEC has totally no support even in Asean. Your South-South dialogue meets with the same fate and what is this I hear of the Bridge from Peninsula Malaysia to Sumatra covering 20 miles across International shipping lane?

How crazy can one get? Even the Japanese don't have the money. This world's stupidity seems to be concentrated in one man's mind-yours.

The multimedia super corridor-MSC-Well in USA its Most Stupid Concept because we Americans, would have thought of it light years before. Even if it makes money, we can copy this concept can't we?

Why do you want to spend your hard-earned money doing questionable projects? It will be like the Bakun project. Abandoned fund wasted and another white elephant. I always say politicians should not be involved in business.

Your ministers are also businessmen and almost every official is enriching himself. Look at Rafidah Aziz, selling thousands of Approved Permits (APs) for cars each worth 20-30 thousand Malaysian dollars. Why not your government sell them and make the money? She has acquired millions of shares meant for bumis for free before she agrees to list them.

Look at your Selangor Chief Minister collecting millions for approving high rise buildings from businessman. He is worth a few billions. Unfortunately he was caught with a few million pocket money in Australia. Every Chief minister is awarding useless projects to his cronies then collecting secret pay offs on the side.

The Land Development Boards and the Economic Development Boards are used to bail out any losses suffered by politicians. The profits they keep, the loses they force the Government bodies to absorb. How can your poor ever close the gap when every good deal is snatched by your politicians? How can your country get out of poverty if all the billions of corruption money is taken out of the country?

Look at the Sarawak Chief Minister selling billion worth of timber concessions under the table; selling every piece of state land to businessmen without tender; using his own companies to obtain lucrative government contracts; selling approval signatures for a fee 'you pay I approve'. He has 8 billion US stashed overseas. Thousands of acres of land are given to one or two companies while thousands of poor people still live in cardboard makeshift homes; have no water and sh*t into the river..

Thousands of acres of land are sold to companies for plantations while the natives do not have even one acre to their name. He is selling sand near the beaches to one company for earth filling and then ask the government to spend millions to protect the coastline when erosion occurs.

He lost 300 million of the Sarawak government money trying to make computer chips. He has built a port in Northern Sarawak town in water so shallow it needs dredging every year. The Prime Minister built highways without tender, your cronies get the deal and the price double. Your Langkawi airport runway was built double the cost by your own company, Ekran.

The Malaysian nation has lost at least 30 billions during your last 10 years of corrupt rule. One billion lost from the purchase of phantom Skyhawk war planes nobody has ever seen (are they still in the Nevada desert, USA?). 3 billion lost from the London tin scandal (you thought you could corner the London tin market without knowing the Americans have a stockpile!

Stupidity at its best. 6 billion Perwaja steel mill where nobody even knows where the money goes, 3 billion bank Bumiputra scandal when George Tan bribed all the bank officials to lend him the money.. 6 billion forex lost by Bank Negara (the fool and his money are soon parted) and 6 billion to build three of the world's tallest buildings (built by Japanese and Koreans and furniture imported from France-not Malaysia) and 1 billion lost from purchase of British warships including fees paid to the broker and under the table.. Add the 10 billion you stole and 5 billion taken by Ministers.

In the 1997 the World Journalists meeting voted Dr Mahathir the Prime Minister of the Decade. It sounded strange to everybody until it was revealed those who voted against are threatened by IRD officers and with losing their jobs. In New York the United Nations 1997 meeting, the most corrupt Prime Minister of the decade is President Suharto and second Dr Mahathir (Actually Dr Mahathir should take first place but bribed the Indonesians to take honour of Number One.

There are Fifty thousand of your university students not given places in Malaysia but are good enough for places overseas resulting in billions of dollars lost. The British and the Australians are thinking how stupid. Your best students are sent overseas raising their standards while as in most countries the best are kept in local universities and the rejects sent overseas.

A university student in Hong Kong is much more prestigeous than any Australian counterpart. You have been colonised by the British so long you cannot even educate your own people. Look at Hong Kong or Singapore, less than 5% study overseas. All the money saved. Your country could save billions if every student overseas is recalled to a local university, and at the same time raising your own standards.

Your people are still without shoes, without land to farm, without homes, bathing in rivers shitting in holes in the ground, without water and electricity. Your cities are concrete jungles without greenery and open spaces. Your KL is jammed with traffic. Yet you still keep on building high rises.

You should come down from the clouds and stop daydreaming and firmly plant your feet in the ground. Your schools are cramped 500 students to an acre and thousands of acres are given free to some politicians who leave them idle. Your parks are being taken by politicians to build shophouses and every cabinet minister is a land-grabbing businessman who builds roads only to their cronies' land.

The Malaysians' Prayer, "Ya Allah, we thank you for your gifts of timber, oil and grain. But then the devil sent us corrupt Mahathir without a Brain and look we are back to square one again. So just take Dr Mahathir back to Hell And we will be alive and well."

In China people have been shot for embezzling one thousand dollars. With 8 billion you have stolen, therefore you would be shot 80 thousand times. Now you are leading an anti-corruption campaign. We all know what you should do. Look yourself in the mirror. You see the crooked you. Then use your left hand and handcuff your right hand. You have put the opposition leader and his son in jail when they said in parliament you are the richest PM in the world. And his colleague Mr Karpal Singh too for 2 years.

So I get a reward or bribe if I now say you are the poorest PM in this world? Your 3 sons are sitting on the board of directors of more than 200 companies. They must have been educated in Harvard school of business and obtained distinctions? Or is it "you don't know me, you don't do business in Malaysia" law that applies. Billions of ringgit of Employee's Provident Fund and public Petronas funds are used to bail out your sons who make losses investing in every venture you thought you could make money. How unethical and corrupt.

Every one of your politicians is sitting on the board of tens of companies making thousands without any effort, lending their VIP names to borrow millions from local banks without collateral.. Now these have become non- performing loans. Now you want 20 million Malaysians to sacrifice for the folly of ONE man? Why not the fool resign and admit he wasted and took most of the money. I could teach you how to put your economy on track but first you must apologize to the Malaysian people.

By : GEORGE SOROS (Bangkok Post)

Farmer never drives to KK but gets fined by City Hall

2010-04-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

Angkarau bin Antawor, 47, has never set foot in Kota Kinabalu and is contented to remain in Kg Mosopoh tending to his farm.

It therefore, came as a great shock when he received a notice of reminder from the Kota Kinabalu City Hall to settle a parking fine.

The notice stated that as car owner of SA 8555, he had committed an offence under the by-law for car parking and is liable to a fine of up to RM5,000.

It stated that the vehicle was parked on an unauthorised spot at Jalan Tugu in front of the City Hall on 16 November 2008.

Angkarau, a farmer with nine children however, insisted that on that date the vehicle was with him in Kg Mosopoh located 70km from Keningau and 200km from Kota Kinabalu.

“The car was just left idle in the village for nearly half a year because it had broken down,” he said suggesting that the registration number could have been used by someone else on another vehicle.

His car was sent for repair recently and is now used by the family to travel to Nabawan or send the children to school.

Angkarau wants the City Hall to investigate the matter and insists that he has not committed any offence under the by-law.

Pakatan says vote for change, not money

2010-04-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders pleaded with Hulu Selangor voters last night to seek change rather than money in tomorrow’s polls by electing Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, as both sides continued to indulge in pork-barrel politics and personal attacks.

Both PR and Barisan Nasional (BN) campaigners have lavished land titles and money in the past week to sections of the 64,500 voters, whose votes are crucial in deciding between Zaid and MIC candidate, P. Kamalanathan.

With a day left before voting, PR organised a major ceramah in the quiet Felda town of Sg Buaya for PAS spiritual leader, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, to defend Zaid who has been repeatedly attacked for his drinking past.

To the disappointment of the 5,000-strong crowd, Nik Aziz was unwell to take the stage after having appeared at other events in the night, due to fatigue from a two-week pilgrimage to Mecca.

PKR de facto chief, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the standard-bearer since nomination day last Saturday, was more energetic than usual, perhaps inspired by the massive turnout in light of the shabby presence of voters throughout his and PR’s eight-day campaigning trail.

Anwas labelled Umno as a racist and corrupt party. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Mixing humour and firmness, the former deputy prime minister went straight to blast Umno, the BN lynchpin, as a corrupt and racist party filled with politicians fattened by Malay largesse.

“Who are they enriching if not themselves?” Anwar raged to a thunderous applause.

“Why do you only want to elevate the Malays but at the expense of other races? We should elevate all of those below, people like you all,” he said while pointing to the sea of supporters before him.

Just as in the past, the Permatang Pauh MP slammed what he described as Umno’s attempt to silence him through intimidation and malicious trumped up charges, like the Sodomy II trial he was currently facing.

He said he has made enemies for wanting to introduce what is termed as “new politics”, a concept free of communal politicking and supposedly bottom-up, unlike Umno and BN’s top-down rule.

“So if you want this to change, you must help us give victory to Zaid,” he said, to which the crowd replied: “Boleh!” (Can!).

Zaid, who spoke after Anwar, added by lambasting Umno’s attack on him, which he said was character assassination and the way of the old.

Umno has been exploiting Zaid’s drinking past, particularly to the Malay voters within the parliamentary constituency. Malays form some 53 per cent of the electorate and majority are known to be pro-Umno.

But Zaid pleaded with the voters to not play Umno’s game anymore, saying it was time the electorate worked for change by rejecting BN.

The Hulu Selangor crowd was asked not to be ensnared by money politics. — Picture by Choo Choy May

“Yes, they gave you RM50,000 but that is not the solution,” the former law minister declared, referring to the cash handout given by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib yesterday to 100 Sungai Buaya Felda settlers as compensation for the failed promises of development.

“What they are doing is just to buy your votes. It does not solve the problems, I want to solve your problems,” said Zaid, appealing for voters here to give him a chance at serving them.

Also present were DAP’s Lim Kit Siang, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution and PKR vice-president Azmin Ali. Azmin was seen mingling with Zaid, in an apparent show that the alleged rift between them was concocted to divide and hinder the growth of the pact.

The presence of PR juggernauts indicates the pact’s earnestness in trying to retain the seat. Whether this will suffice to overturn BN’s favourable position remains to be seen.

But the often quiet and dark 3km road from the main entrance to the town was lit up as cars parked along the narrow route, eager to catch the “stars” after having missed their ceramah due to the time constraints of work-life.

PR is organising another slew of ceramah for the final 24 hours today, to secure every vote it can in order to hold on to the seat first won by PKR’s Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

He had beat four-term MP Datuk G. Palanivel by a narrow 198 votes in Election 2008 but his death last month triggered the by-election. -TMI

Kit Siang's '8 dalils' why MCA members should snub BN on Sunday

2010-04-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

With 24 hours before Hulu Selangor voters go to the polls, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang (pic) has urged the 8,000 MCA members in the constituency to teach the uMNO leadership "a severe lesson" by voting for the PKR candidate Zaid Ibrahim.

Lim, who said Barisan Nasional appeared to be in the lead due to a vile campaign of character assasination and a difficulty of voters in outlying areas to access alternative information, said he still believed Zaid stood a chance provided "campaigners from PKR, PAS and DAP make a supreme effort to get every possible voter out to the polling stations on Sunday".

Lim said unlike the election in 2008, the 63% of Chinese voters in Hulu Selangor who voted for the late PKR candidate Zainal Abidin would not be able to ensure a victory against the BN this time aroun.

Saying the figure should rise to "80–85%", Lim said the 8,000 MCA members there could make the difference.

"I call on the 8,000 MCA members in Hulu Selangor to reject the BN candidate and to teach the MCA and UMNO leaderships a severe lesson by voting for the PR candidate, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim on Sunday," he said, and gave eight reasons why they should vote against BN, a move Lim said would be welcomed by millions of MCA members nationwide.

Among them, Lim said Pakatan Rakyat had displayed the real spirit of "1-Malaysia" especially during Thursday's debate on the Apco controversy in parliament, in which PKR, DAP and PAS represented Pakatan Rakyat, whereas only UMNO represented the BN speakers.

"One important message of the March 8 'political tsunami' of the 2008 general elections was public anger and rejection of UMNO political hegemony at the expense of the relevance of MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and other Sarawak/Sabah BN component parties," Lim reminded the MCA vote-bank.

The other seven reasons are:
-the government's move to increase three-fold the fines for traffic offences as proposed by Ong Tee Keat, the Transport Minister from MCA;
-the failure of MCA leaders to censure deputy prime minister over his declaration that his race comes first before his country;
-the long-delayed citizenship problem affecting thousands of people throughout the country as proven by press reports showing the Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein who resolved the citizenship woes of a senior citizen who waited for 50 years to become a Malaysian;
-the silence by MCA leadership to the emergence of Perkasa;
-the government's refusal to build Chinese primary schools except during elections;
-the refusal to recognise United Examination Certificate (UEC) when all top universities in the world recognise it; and
-the resignation of Joshua Wong, the producer of ntv7 talk show “Editor’s Time”, over censorship of the programme involving the Prime Minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor. -TMI

70 quit PKR for Umno

2010-04-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

Seventy Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) members from the Batu 4 branch, Kapar, here quit the party yesterday to join Umno, claiming they had lost confidence in the leadership of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who they described as a dictator.

Led by the branch head, Mohd Shahbuddin Hasbullah, they handed their Umno membership application forms to Sementa assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rahman Palil.

Mohd Shahbuddin said their decision to quit PKR was on the realisation that Anwar was not concerned with championing the party’s struggle, but to pursue his own personal agenda.

“Furthermore, the branch had not been active since nine months ago and therefore, the best thing to do is to return to Umno’s fold,” said the former Umno member.

Meanwhile, Abdul Rahman said he expected five more PKR branches in Kapar to be dissolved after the Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election tomorrow. — Bernama

ENIGMA ON UNTAXED GOODS AT KDRM?

2010-04-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

THERE is concern from the general public over the where about of the items of untaxed goods through smuggling that were confiscated by the Royal Custom in Malaysia, especially in Sabah.

What is the procedure on handling or the action taken to destroy the said item like cigarette, beer, alcoholic drinks and other items, and whether some of these items reappeared on the street and market?

This question was raised by the Member of Parliament Kota Kinabalu Dr. Hiew King Cheu recently in Parliament on the 15th of April 2010.

In a written reply, the Finance Ministry explained that all the confiscated items are destroyed following the instruction from the Director General of the Custom Department under Section 127(2) OF THE Custom Act 1967, Section 65(3) of the Excel Act 1976, and the Section 53(3) of the Sale Tax Act 1972.

To answer on whether the items like cigarette and alcoholic drinks confiscated by KDRM supposed to be destroyed had reappeared on the streets and the market in Sabah, the ministry said this is not true.

These items will be destroyed after investigation carried out and court proceeding completed, after this the items usually expired on their expiry date and cannot be used again. Therefore, there is no chance for the items confiscated by KDRM as mentioned to be resold and reappeared in the market.

The MP suggests that the KDRM should disclose and make public the confiscated items before the items were to be destroyed to show the transparency and accountability. The public should be invited to witness all these procedure when destroying the items following the list published.

On the alcoholic drinks confiscated by the KDRM which we saw in many news publications, these are the items that can be stored for a long time and with no expiry dates. We seldom see these items, sometimes in many lorry container loads that were confiscated being destroyed?

At least a thorough investigation is be carried out on what has been brought up, and take into account the fact that this does not just happened yesterday. This is affecting the business and the market as a whole.

If the untaxed and smuggled goods can flood the market in Sabah, there must be something that the KDRM did not do right. In Sabah, we can see illegal untaxed cigarette being sold openly in the streets among many other items. Thus, we call for a stiff action by KDRM to be taken to tackle the activities on illegal activities and it is urgent. -Sabahkini

Anwar Files Appeal Against Decision to Quash Qazaf Application

2010-04-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today filed a notice of appeal against the Syariah High Court decision to dismiss his application to get the syarie prosecution to commence qazaf (criminal defamation) proceeding against his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Syarie lawyer Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzaman, representing Anwar, filed the notice at the Kuala Lumpur Syariah Court registrar at about 10am.

Met by reporters later, Kamar Ainiah said they would submit the grounds for the appeal within six weeks as they had yet to receive the grounds for the dismissal of Anwar's application.

On Jan 7, Anwar who is Permatang Pauh member of parliament, filed an application at the Syariah High Court here seeking an order to compel Federal Territory Syarie Prosecution head Shamsuddin Hussain to proceed with the qazaf charge against Mohd Saiful, 25.

On April 14, Anwar failed in his bid to get the qazaf proceeding commenced after Syariah High Court judge Mohd Shukor Sabudin allowed the preliminary objections by the respondents.

Mohd Shukor held that the court had no jurisdiction over the matter.

Anwar had named Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom, Shamsuddin and FT Islamic Religious Department director Datuk Che Mat Che Ali as respondents. -MalaysiaDigest

BN COWARDS ON SAS WHITE PAPER

2010-04-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

THE BN Government’s refusal to even debate the motion on a White paper on the Saham Amanah Sabah (SAS) issue at the just concluded Legislative Assembly sitting shows to the whole world that the Sabah BN cabinet is over crowded with cowards. It is no wonder then that this cabinet is scared of fighting for a review of the oil royalty agreement and other Sabah rights.

It is on the official record of the Assembly Order Paper that Likas Assemblyman Datuk Liew Teck Chan has successfully filed the motion under the Standing Orders. He is supported by Assemblywoman for Luyang, Melanie Chia Chui Ket. There is no reason for the motion not to be debated.

Instead, the Speaker had cited that tactic known as “defeated by time” invoked by a Deputy Chief Minister who is also the President of PBS. Why should the ministers seek refuge in this “defeated by time” tactic? Was there a conspiracy by ministers to run away from the SAS issue?

To run away from the issue by manipulating the assembly agenda is a blatant disregard for the legislative assembly which is the highest debating forum in the State. Such cowardly behavior in the assembly is unprecedented in Sabah’s history.

Why is the government so scared of a SAS white paper that they even refused to debate the motion? Why are the 57 members of BN in the assembly afraid of SAPP’s two members?

MYKAD FOR REFUGEES: JEFFREY CRIES FOUL

2010-04-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

OPPOSITION strongman, Jeffrey Kitingan has accused Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein of fudging the issue of Filipino refugees in Sabah.

He said Hishammuddin gave a “non answer” in Parliament last week in his response to Kota Kinabalu MP Hiew King Cheu, who asked why the government was issuing the MyKad to the refugees.

Hishammuddin’s curt response to Hiew was to give the stock government reply; that only those qualified under the Federal Constitution are provided with Malaysian personal documents. He cited Article 78 of the National Registration Act 1959.

“He did not really address the issue,” said Jeffrey. “Locals know these people. They go around flashing their MyKads. This is like rubbing it in our faces.”

He pointed out that possession of a MyKad denoted Malaysian citizenship status and that not everyone, even if born in Malaysia, was eligible for it.

The bottom line is that when a Filipino refugee gets a MyKad without the need to go through the citizenship process like other foreigners, according to Jeffrey, “he or she automatically also enters the category of instant natives.” It would then be easier for these refugees to acquire native land and political power at the expense of locals.

Jeffrey said he was putting the home ministry and federal government on notice that the law prohibited the issuing of Malaysian personal documents to any foreigner in Sabah without the express consent of the state government.

“The question is whether foreigners in Sabah are becoming Malaysians with the consent of the state government,” he said. “If not, the state government has the right under the special provisions for East Malaysia in the Immigration Act to effect the removal of such persons to Peninsular Malaysia.”

Jeffrey, who is a PKR vice-president and chairman of CigMA (Common Interest Group Malaysia), suspects that the state government is being kept in the dark about the issuing of MyKads to foreigners. He said this could be because Umno was spearheading the state administration “or it could also be a case of local leaders not speaking up when it comes to state rights for fear of losing out personally.”

Why dumped in Sabah?

He added: “We would like to urge the federal government to stop the continued issuance of the IMM 13 document to refugees and their children. Instead, efforts should be made to repatriate these people back to the southern Philippines.”

Those sheltering under the IMM 13 category were in fact illegal immigrants given Malaysia’s non-recognition of the refugee category, he said.

Malaysia has ratified neither the 1952 Geneva Convention on Refugees nor the 1967 Protocol.Bestowing Malaysian citizenship status on refugees would be the height of irony, Jeffrey said, given that about 30,000 Sabahans are not Malaysians. Furthermore there are several thousand stateless people in the interior among the natives and an even bigger number wrestling with late birth registrations.

Jeffrey asked Hishammuddin to reveal whether any refugee on the peninsula had been granted the MyKad. He saw no reason why the Filipino refugees should be dumped on Sabah when those in a similar plight in Peninsular Malaysia, from Myanmar and elsewhere, were languishing in a legal twilight zone, “where they are not even allowed to work, unlike in Sabah.”

He suspects the Filipino refugees are being used to play an important role in “the re-colonisation of the state by the federal government,” which he said started in 1963. CigMA is pledged to reverse “the re-colonisation”.

He welcomed Hishammuddin’s statement that the granting of citizenship will be speeded up in a process that is not expected to exceed two years. “However, it must be stressed that Filipino refugees are not qualified for citizenship,” reiterated Jeffrey. “Perhaps this is why they are simply being issued with MyKads without going through the normal process for foreigners.”

Estimates vary, but one official figure places the number of Filipino refugees in Sabah at between 57,500 and 70,500.

By :JOE FERNANDEZ

LACK OF TEACHERS IN CHINESE SJK

2010-04-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

THE issue on the lack of teachers in the Chinese government aided primary schools in Sabah was brought up by the Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Dr. Hiew King Cheu recently in Parliament. He asked the Minister of Education (KPM) Dato’ Muhyiddin Yassin on the reason why there is not enough teachers in these schools and the problem persisted for such a long time.

The minister in his written reply said this is widely due to the selected trainees for the teacher training course does not accept the terms of the training program and its contract, or stop half way. For example in 2009, there is 797 applicants rejected the offer and only 8,185 person being registered for the training.

This is because some of them have been given higher paid jobs else way and some joined JPA, MARA, Petronas or other private agencies. For those who terminated their training, are in breach of the agreement and contract and do not wish to serve under the KPM.

Under the program “Excellent Student Program”, from the 140 people sent oversea to study in 2003, only 73 persons managed to complete the training in 2009 and serve with KPM. Also the subjects offered for the trainee teachers were often not accepted and supported by the trainees who are selected and qualified to undertake such subjects.

As for the people who are not in the teaching profession and in their 40’s and wish to become a teacher, they are not qualified to be selected to be trained as a teacher. This is because there is an age limit of not more then 40. The ministry is at the moment considering a new ruling to allow them to be trained as a teacher.

KPM is looking seriously on the shortage of teachers in the government aided Chinese primary schools which includes the teacher appointment on various grades, posting and exchange, and creating new positions. In the case of further lack of the teachers, the department will have to agree to allow on the engagement of untrained temporary teachers, “Guru Sandaran Tidak Terlatih (GSTT)” to fill up the shortages and vacancies.

In connection to the complaints towards the Principal in the SK Cina in Luyang, he said the Ministry has conducted investigation, and through the Education Department in Sabah (JPN), the said Principal is carrying out her duty as stipulated by the department accordingly and following the procedures and rules of the department.

She is merely trying to put right the administration system of the school according to the system and power given to her. KPM found that the issue of transferring her is not necessary at the moment. She should be given time and a chance and room to put right what ever is lacking, the slackness, and on all further improvement in the school.

The reply from the ministry shows that they have certain problem to deal with the lack of teachers, and the issue is not being given full attention. This can be seen from the trainees refused to accept the terms and condition of the contract, on why they left training half way to go for higher pay with better condition of work, and why many trainees under scholarship did not complete their training.

The ministry should review and consider new measures to make the teaching profession more attractive and with high rewards. An improved teaching profession guidelines and system should be immediately drawn up to secure the teachers to stay on to educate our future generations.

-Sabahkini

SABAH DAP MOBILE MEDICAL SERVICE

2010-04-14T07:33:00.000-07:00

THE Sabah DAP Tanjong Aru Branch chairman Dr. Felix Chong attended a mobile service set up by the Member of Kota Kinabalu Dr. Hiew King Cheu at the Lido market last Sunday on the 11th April, to provide free medical check up and advisory service to the people there.

The Vice chairman of Sabah DAP Edward Ewol Mujie and other party members were also present to listen to the various complaints brought up by the people in the Lido market.

Dr. Felix Chong was warmly welcomed by the people and they wished that the Sabah DAP team of doctors can take time to regularly visit them more often. Dr. Felix is an experienced doctor who had served in many hospitals like Beluran, Pitas, and Kota Kinabalu, and now is running his own clinic in town.

He feels happy to assist these people who needed help, and it is possible through strong political will together to bring about the change of government and a better Sabah in Malaysia.

Dr. Felix also commented that there is much to do with the tidying up and upgrading of the hospital facilities in Kota Kinabalu. The lacking in the facilities like the equipments, wards and beds, ambulances, medical personnel, specialist doctors, medicines and car parks must be attended to immediately by the Health Ministry.

The sick may not have the time to wait for these to happen and ready. There are already many sad cases of lives lost due to insufficient hospital facilities. Why the vital facilities in Kota Kinabalu have been neglected, he charged? -Sabahkini

STATE OWNED PRIVATE HOSPITAL SCRAPED?

2010-04-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

THE announcement by the Sabah State Government that the Old Khidmat Building in Karamunsing is to be converted to house a state owned private hospital with allocation of RM 100 million which was included in the state budget tabled in the state Assembly last year.

The said project is expected to be completed in six months, and will provide the people in Sabah to have another private hospital for the sick. The Federal Ministry of Health commented that they have no objection to the setting up of the State owned private hospital.

Very unfortunately, after so many months we still don’t see any sign of the private hospital starting work, while there are rumors that the project had been scrapped.

Sabah DAP Medical & Advisory Bureau Chief Dr. Felix Chong said may be the Chief Minister Datuk Musa Hji. Aman can explain to the people whether the rumors are true and also to explain on the reason if the program is truly scrapped.

If it is scrapped, how much money already spent on the preparation of the project or paid to the consultants, architects, and the specialist hospital consultant? The Government should not keep silent on the issue, because this is state matter and the money spent are tax-payers’ money.

If the project is still ongoing, the CM should enlighten the people of Sabah on its progress and whether the final approval on its license to operate a private hospital has been granted by the Federal Ministry of Health.

Dr. Chong asked it the case of scrapping of the project is true, why the government has to plan and approved a scheme that can’t even start off, and this also reflects the incapability of the government to give the people the good health care facilities both in the Federal and State level.

The health care facilities in Kota Kinabalu is bad, why can’t the government give us a permanent solution that can bring about proper and advance health care. Everything is lacking in the government hospital, and we heard announcement one after another, and there is no immediate action.

The hospital services in Kota Kinabalu is spread out into three main hospitals and a polyclinic, this gives much confusion and trouble as far as the patients, doctors and nurses are concern.

The ministry of Health should immediately start to build a centralized hospital complex large enough to house all the facilities, patient wards, laboratory, operating theaters, doctors and nurses housing, and ample of car parks. There are plenty of state lands available and large enough in Kota Kinabalu for building one stop government general hospital. -Sabahkini

Najib declares support for US campaign against Iran

2010-04-13T01:55:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON, : Prime Minister Najib Razak, meeting US president Barack Obama on Monday, has agreed with US efforts to isolate Iran over its nuclear power project, making Malaysia the first Muslim country to openly declare its support for Washington's campaign.

"The President and the Prime Minister agreed on the importance of Iran strictly abiding by its obligations under the international nuclear non-proliferation regime," said a statement by the White House.

Washington is leading an effort to toughen sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, which the US and allies say is aimed at producing weapons, a charge Tehran has consistently denied.

The statement also said Najib agreed that Iran should be sent a "clear signal".

"The two Leaders also agreed on the need for the international community to send a clear signal to Iran that while it has the right to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy, Iran should not use this right to develop nuclear weapons capability as stated in UNSC and IAEA resolutions."

It also stated Malaysia's readiness to cooperate with the US in Afghanistan for "capacity building" through the training of police, military personnel and civilian administrators.

Stiff opposition

The US efforts have however met with strong opposition from big powers such as China, Russia, Latin-American countries and Turkey. UN security council members Brazil, Turkey and Lebanon, alongside permanent member China, are expected not to support the next round of sanctions against Iran.

The US's Arab allies have also called for dialogue with Iran, with the Arab Summit in Libya last month showing signs that Washington's strategy on Iran was less likely to get Arab support, especially amid growing fears of Israel's unchecked nuclear arsenal.

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (left) has repeatedly spoken out against attempts by the US and its allies to impose sanctions on Iran, saying that they should instead focus on Israel whose nuclear weapons arsenal has been immune from international scrutiny.

Israel has stayed away from the current nuclear security summit in Washington, fearing Turkey's plan to file a motion demanding that Tel Aviv open its nuclear facilities for international inspection.

First open support by a Muslim government

Malaysia's stance is believed to be the first open support by a Muslim government to US efforts to isolate Iran.

The move is expected to attract strong reactions at home, coming as it does after the government was severely criticised over its refusal to renew the contract of a veteran diplomat last year for voting against a resolution to rebuke Iran.

Mohammed Arshad Manzoor Hussain, the rotating head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a diplomat with 35 years of experience, was recalled to Kuala Lumpur after he voted in line with the position of members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which has opposed attempts to isolate fellow NAM member Iran.

Role of Apco

Najib's support for Washington is also expected to fuel speculation over the role of a consultancy firm, Apco Worldwide, in the changing foreign policies of the Malaysian government, which in the past has sided with developing countries and spoken out against US hegemony.

Apco has been in the centre of the storm after revelations by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim over its close links with senior Israeli officials.

On March 22, PAS central committee member Mohamad Sabu questioned whether the firm had a hand in the decision to terminate Arshad's contract.

"As the decision to sack (Arshad), which is an action that is pro-US and pro-Israel, was made at a time when the prime minister and the BN government looked up to Apco for advice and guidance, we cannot help but wonder whether it was the result of the Zionist-dominated firm's influence," said Mohamad Sabu.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in a blog posting last December, had also lent his opposition against Arshad's removal.

"We have never supported any sanction (against Iran). But now, our envoy is recalled to be questioned why he did not support the US," he wrote. -Harakah

KK HOSPITALS CARPARK TO PARLIAMENT

2010-04-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

THE problem of car parking spaces in the three hospitals in Kota Kinabalu was brought up last weeks in the Parliament session by the Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Dr. Hiew King Cheu.

He asked the Minister of Health Datuk Liow Tiong Lai on why there is no action by the Health Ministry to improve the long outstanding lack of car parking spaces in the Hospital Queen Elizabeth 1 and 2, and the Luyang Polyclinic.

The situation is getting critical and many had suffered and being summoned by the DBKK and the Traffic police. Some doctors and nurses were being issued many summon too.

A specialist doctor told Dr. Hiew that he has 6 police summons because he couldn’t find a car park in time, and the patient is waiting for his immediate care. He had to leave his car at a road corner quickly in order to attend to his patients.

Datuk Liow in his reply said that the matter of insufficient car parks in the three hospitals in Kota Kinabalu is now under planning and the construction should be on the way soon, and they will take urgent measure to tackle these problems.

For the Luyang Polyclinic, he said the Health Department in Sabah had received approval from DBKK for the construction of 33 car parking lots placed in Taman Bestari, and the work will commence this year.

For the HQE1, there will be a total of 792 lots in the hospital, including a three storey car park building for 536 cars, once the Twin Tower Block is completed.

For HQE2 (SMC), there are existing 178 parking lots, and because of the lack of car parks, a shuttle bus service will be used to ferry patient and visitors to reach the hospital from HQE1, Dewan Damai in Luyang and Likas Sport Complex.

The new project in HQE2 which is expected to be completed by the end of this year will provide additional 327 car parks.

Dr. Hiew said the people want the program of the Health Ministry to provide more car parking lot immediately in the three hospitals. The people have to continue to suffer at least another year, and hopefully what are planned by the ministry shall be completed on time.

The proposal as stated by the minister is insufficient to solve the daily car parking problem, Dr. Hiew hopes there will be some temporary road side or open space car park lots can be made ready to allow the visitors, patients and doctors for short hour parking, and avoid being summoned.

At the mean while, Sabah DAP Medical & Health Advisory Bureaus chief Dr. Filex Chong said that it can be easily done with the cooperation of the DBKK, JKR, JPJ, and the police. -Sabahkini

Ilani asks DPM to restore inter-religious panel’s faith

2010-04-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

The Cabinet’s inter-faith panel chief Datuk Ilani Isahak has added her voice to a growing number of religious leaders urging the deputy prime minister to restore faith in the advisory panel before its still-born.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin sparked an uproar yesterday when he said the inter-faith committee consisted only of “small-fry,” seemingly in a bid to calm fears among right-wing Malay groups that it would threaten the sanctity of Islam, the country’s official religion.

Ilani, who was handpicked for the role, said she believes Muhyiddin did not intend to belittle the committee or its role with the remark.

“I wish to respectfully request YAB DPM to reassure the members of the Committee that he and the government value the service they would be rendering the nation through their sincere efforts to achieve greater inter religious understanding and a more durable harmony,” the former Kota Bharu MP told The Malaysian Insider in a statement this morning.

But she believed that Muhyiddin did not attempt to belittle the committee members with his remark.

“He was attempting to explain that the Committee merely has advisory status and certainly does not have the stature of a commission or a body with powers to make policies or enforceable decisions so Muslims should not feel unduly anxious about the Committee and its work,” Ilani added.

But the non-Muslim bloc have taken offence and want him to explain his remark before a scheduled sub-committee meeting later today.

The Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) last night vowed to boycott the Cabinet-endorsed inter-faith committee, unless the DPM clears the air.

The inter-faith committee to foster religious understanding and harmony was formally set up by Cabinet on April 6, after violent attacks on houses of worship following a controversial High Court ruling over the use of the word “Allah” for a Catholic newspaper.

The Cabinet had also agreed to its five sub-committees drawing up proposals on how best to deal with the inter-religious conflicts and to use religion as a tool to combat social ills.

The sub-committees, which would each be jointly-chaired by a Muslim and a non-Muslim, and include five religious representatives from both communities, is due to hold its pilot meeting today.

Malay rights group Perkasa and Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria have objected to the committee, saying Islam should not be put on the same level as other religions. -MI

Hulu Selangor favours Zaid over Dr Halili

2010-04-12T18:49:00.000-07:00

PKR will tonight announce their candidate for the Hulu Selangor by-election and The Malaysian Insider’s strawpoll indicate locals prefer Datuk Zaid Ibrahim over local born neurosurgeon Datuk Dr Halili Rahmat.

About 60 per cent of the voters polled yesterday said that they would vote Zaid while 40 per cent said they will back anyone to replace MP Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad — whose death last month triggered the April 25 by-election.

The respondents were polled in the three state constituencies of Batang Kali, Kuala Kubu Bharu and Ulu Bernam within the constituency. Zaid was extremely popular in Ulu Bernam, polling 90 per cent of support while he obtained 60 per cent in Kuala Kubu Bharu.

A few explained their support for Zaid, the Kelantan-born lawyer who built his law firm into Malaysia’s largest partnership before he entered politics and was briefly made a minister.

“I choose him because of his political experience and he also understands the administration system as he was a minister in the prime minister’s department before joining PKR,” Ahmad Helmi Ali Bakri told The Malaysian Insider.

“With his experience and knowledge, I think he will be able to explain to the people about the current affairs so they will be able to understand issues such as the NEM (New Economic Model) and the APCO Worldwide issue,” the 49-year-old Ulu Bernam resident said.

Another voter from Ulu Bernam Siew Wei Lian said Zaid is the best name PKR can offer.

“I don’t really mind who the candidate is, as long as he is able to serve his voters fairly, so I hope whoever is chosen as PKR candidate will be able to serve fairly,” he said.

A Batang Kali restaurant owner Low Boon Chai, 44, said Zaid was the ideal candidate due to his popularity as both PKR and MIC have equal chances of winning the semi urban seat.

“Datuk Zaid is more suitable to represent PKR as he is more popular compared to Dr Halili.

“I know a lot about Zaid from the newspapers, there are a lot of stories about him recently compared to Dr Halili,” he said.

Most voters met know Zaid through media reports as he was formerly a minister in the prime minister’s department before joining PKR. He is also popular as he has been seen helping in PKR’s campaign in the constituency.

The voters also said they wanted a new face in the constituency as they claimed to be tired of MIC deputy president and four-term MP Datuk G. Palanivel for his alleged failure to deliver his election promises.

They are also demanding for economic change in the constituency and not just infrastructure development as many of them are self-employed and odd-job workers. The second national car project, Perodua, is also a major employer as its main plant is in the constituency.

PKR is said to be considering only Malay candidates as a majority of the voters are from that community. The Election Commission (EC) statistics reveal that out of the 64,500 voters, 34,020 are Malays, 16,964 Chinese and Indian, 12453.

In Election 2008, Zainal, the former Selangor deputy mentri besar, defeated Palanivel by a slim majority of 198 votes.

Zainal who joined PKR in 2005 obtained 23,177 votes while Palanivel received 22,979 votes. -MI

DO NOT BAN URBAN SWIFTS REARING

2010-04-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

WEALTH creation has always been the results of enterprising individuals who sweat and toil, do their own research and invest their own money at their own risks. If they fail, as some inevitably do, nobody comes to their rescue. Their properties are auctioned off by banks, they are prosecuted for non-payment of government fees, EPF and all sorts of taxes. Some businessmen go bankrupt, if not to jail.

If they succeed, they pay taxes to the government, settle their loans and send their children to higher education so that their children will get a better life. These successful entrepreneurs re-invest their profits and create jobs, thereby stimulating economic growth and prosperity for the people.

Eventually, these risk takers get to enjoy the fruits of their labour, which is only fair. Today, we see some of these successes in the oil palm, cocoa and fish rearing industries initiated by the private sector in the 1970s.

This hope and dream of any genuine investor is quickly dashed when government bureaucrats appear from no where to impose new rules and regulations which generally stifle economic life. I can vouch from my personal experiences both in government and in the private sector that some bureaucrats have little idea of how the economy works. Bureaucrats must realize that the private sector is the engine of growth.

I therefore call on the Sabah state government to exercise caution on the way it handles the swifts farming industry. This industry produces birds nests for export and has become a major income earner for the country. It has created wealth for the people. It costs the government nothing. The government merely collects taxes.

Recently, there are worries about these swifts being a nuisance in the cities. The correct approach for the government is to review and regulate this industry and not to impose a total ban in Sabah’s urban areas. The different announcements by two ministers over three days on the scope of the ban show that the State Cabinet is incoherent in its handling of this matter, resulting in confusion among government officers and despair among swift farmers in both the urban and rural areas. This is because even in the rural areas, some buildings are rated and pay assessment rates to the local authorities. Are they covered by the ban?

On the other hand, does the government mean to say that the rearing of birds in villages is allowed merely because they are not situated in the rating area of a local authority? Some village reserves close to or within the urban areas fall outside the rating area of any local authority. Is it permissible therefore to rear birds in these densely populated villages?

In the 1980s, some shop owners had asked for a waiver of shop assessment fees because their buildings were abandoned due to the economic downturn. Some parts of Sabah’s old towns and light industrial are sparsely populated. Can the government not consider allowing swift farms in these areas even though they fall within the urban rating area?

The bottom line should be whether the limited swifts farms on the top of buildings is a health risk or nuisance in the neighbourhood. Where are the government guidelines on this matter? Is a swift farm as damaging as telecommunication towers or high tension transmission lines? It is good governance to announce a ban even before the government has its guidelines on what is allowable and what is not?

Since the government says it encourages this industry, it should promptly engage in a dialogue with swifts rearers such as their association and swift farmers like ex-assistant minister cum assemblyman Datuk Karim Bujang.

The last thing Sabah needs is a hasty decision that kills off an economic sector. For instance, two years ago, this same Cabinet curiously approved a monopoly for scrap metals in the misguided idea that a monopoly can curb scrap metal thefts. It was only when the Scrap Metals Association protested and the prices of metals dropped that the monopoly was scraped.

If the cabinet consider birds are a nuisance or health risk in cities like Kota Kinabalu, then more efforts are needed to curb the big population of pigeons and crows in KK’s Kampong Air which nightly rained their droppings on vehicles, taxi stands and park benches below The trees lining Gaya Street also used to be full of birds at night. It was only when the City Hall lighted up the place that the bird population there dropped.

Oleh: YONG TECK LEE (sabahkini)

Nazri: Balasubramaniam Case Complicated as His Location is Unknown

2010-04-12T04:31:00.000-07:00

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)'s investigation on private investigator P.Balasubramaniam is complicated as his location is unknown, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (pic).

While replying to a question by Chua Tian Chang (PKR-Batu) on the outcome of the MACC's action after Balasubramaniam was said to be willing to aid in the investigation into the death of Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaariibuu.

"So we ask that the Honourable MP if he knows where he is to not be afraid or worried as he (Bala) is only a witness, so there is no need to be worried," he said.

On July 3, 2008, Balasubramaniam made a statutory declaration (SD)regarding Altantuya's death but the following day he retracted the SD via a second SD before disappearing believed to have gone abroad with his family.

Mohamed Nazri said the MACC strived to get a statement from Balasubramaniam through his lawyers who however refused to divulge his whereabouts.

"The MACC at the early stages received e-mails from a lawyer who was said to representing Balasubramaniam and who placed several conditions under which the MACC could videotape his client.

"After discussions were held and the lawyer who sent the e-mail was identified as Americk Sidhu, the MACC sent a letter to the said lawyer to forward an official letter relating to Balasubramaniam's willingness," he said.

Mohamed Nazri said the MACC then received a letter from another lawyer identified as Manjeet Singh Dhillon who represented Americk and repeating the same conditions.

"Among the conditions were that Balasuramaniam be spoken to in Singapore or London; and that all costs related to travel costs; hotel charges; transport; and meals for Balasubramaniam, Americk, and other lawyers present be borne by the MACC.

"Another condition was that the taping be done in English and that a copy of the videotaping sesion be given to him," he said.

Mohamed Nazri said the MACC then sent a letter to the lawyers concerned to notify of its willingness to conduct the interview at the Malaysia High Commission in Singapore in English.

MACC was also prepared pay for the return flights of Balasubramaniam, hotel stay, transport and food for him alone.

Mohamed Nazri said the MACC could not meet the conditions of the lawyers concerned to give a copy of the interview to Balasubramaniam as it came under the Official Secrets Act 1972.

"Further to that, MACC received a letter from the same lawyers who said they were not happy with the MACC who had used the word "secret".

"The lawyers also said the MACC was not entitled to do so and called on the MACC to retract the reply letter with the the word "secret" to enable them to get instructions from their client," he said.

He said via unofficial channels, the MACC was informed that Balasubramaniam did not agree to being interviewed in Singapore.

"Balasubramaniam's side also did not take any further action until their demands were met the MACC.

"The question now is whether Balasubramaniam really wishes to aid the MACC to complete the investigation? What was his real motive in making the SD to implicate certain quarters with the death of Altantuya?

"Are there elements as raised by the Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP (Zulkifli Noordin) recently," he asked.

Mohamed Nazri said several relevant witnesses helping in the investigation, including those who had urged Balasubramanim to retract his SD, had their statements taken.

"The MACC's problem is to record Balasubramaniam's statement," he said.

He gave assurance to use extradition laws if the country where Balasubramaniam was in had an extradition agreement with Malaysia.

Replying to a question by Khairy Jamaludin (BN-Rembau) who wanted to know if Balasubramaniam could be charged for lying when making his first SD, Mohamed Nazri said: "If Balasubramaniam had retracted he has committed perjury, whereby
he has lied while declaring.

"Still if he can prove that the first matter was under duress and pressure there can still be consideration for him to be released from perjury. He is not here, that is the problem we are facing now," he said.

- Bernama

Sabah Mulls National Day Celebration

2010-04-12T04:25:00.000-07:00

The proposed Malaysia Day celebration will be discussed at the Sabah cabinet meeting, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin (pic).

He said usually, the state government would heed the federal government in celebrating national events.

"I will raise the matter at the (state) cabinet meeting. Actually, we planned to hold a state-level National Day celebration simultaneously with the Yang Dipertua Negeri's 64th birthday celebration to save cost.

"As Malaysia Day is a public holiday, it would be a waste if we do not celebrate it," he told reporters after chairing the main committee meeting on the National Day and the Yang Dipertua Negeri's birthday celebrations here today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak declared Sept 16 a public holiday to mark the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

Sabah and Sarawak gazetted the date as state holidays by naming it the Yang DiPertua Negeri's birthday anniversary.

Yahya said that the Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri's 64th birthday celebration would be held on the first Saturday in October with a parade at Padang Merdeka.

- Bernama

With Mugilan seen as Umno’s choice, Palanivel is Samy Vellu’s

2010-04-12T04:23:00.000-07:00

The jostling and open debate over whether Barisan Nasional should field former incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel as its candidate for the Hulu Selangor by-election, or look for a younger and more presentable fresh face, is unprecedented in the ruling coalition’s recent history.

There has rarely been such behind-the-scenes disquiet and even open acrimony over a BN candidate ever since Palanivel, the MIC deputy president and heir apparent to Samy Vellu, was touted as the likely man for the by-election.

At other times a deputy president of a BN party would be automatically respected and accepted as candidate.

The dissatisfaction against Palanivel is coming from within the MIC and the Indian community as well as from Umno in Hulu Selangor and Umno headquarters.

The campaign against Palanivel is already impacting on voters as the negative perception is widely reported in the Tamil dailies, over the Internet and by word of mouth.

The reasons for the dissension is partly because the seat fell vacant at a time when some of the long standing, key issues involving the MIC and the Indian community remain unresolved.

The by-election now forms the backdrop for these unresolved key issues.

The main issue is the retirement of Samy Vellu, who had led the party for many years and whose policies are widely blamed for deep divisions and factions in the Indian community.

After the disaster of March 8, Samy Vellu refused to call it a day like Gerakan’s Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik but continue as president exerting an iron clad control over the MIC.

His main source of power is through control of BN patronage. As president he decides who gets what — from an AMN or PJK title right up to senatorships and Datukships.

He has filled the party with his supporters by using his vote bank to have them “elected” to office.

A secondary issue is the succession — the battle between Palanivel and Samy’s former deputy, Datuk S. Subramaniam.

Subramaniam openly opposes Samy Vellu, through newspapers and NGOs he controls.

Palanivel hopes instead to get the crown by supporting Samy Vellu through thick and thin.

While Subramaniam questioned Samy Vellu’s mismanagement of Maika Holdings, Palanivel remained silent.

When Subramaniam vocally questioned a recent plan by Samy Vellu to hive off the MIED, the owner of the AIMST University, Palanivel remained silent.

As a result Palanivel took a beating in popularity for not speaking up for the community. That’s one reason why, when he is fighting for his political life in Hulu Selangor, voices are raised in unison against him.

“Why should Barisan reward him when he did not speak up for us,” said a NGO leader.

Some voices are raised for Subramaniam to be the candidate in Hulu Selangor but Subramaniam has promptly declined.

Many BN supporters are worried that if Palanivel is fielded and returns as successor, Samy Vellu would still be the power behind the throne because Palanivel is politically weak in the MIC.

“Samy Vellu’s rule will continue through Palanivel,” they say.

On the other hand if BN goes against Samy Vellu and fields a newcomer, it will have a very angry president and a very upset deputy to deal with.

If a newcomer is fielded — deputy Youth chief V Mugilan is a name that keeps cropping up — Samy Vellu and his supporters are likely to shut down the MIC machinery in Hulu Selangor and walk out of the by-election.

By agreeing to Palanivel as candidate, Datuk Seri Najib Razak does not want to strengthen or advance Samy Vellu’s interest or prolong his stay.

He wants Samy Vellu to retire honourably, hand over to a legitimate successor who can take the all the necessary action to infuse new blood and transform the MIC and revive its fortunes.

It’s all in Samy Vellu’s hands.

His departure and the succession question are the two key issues that are causing all the dissent.

The best help Samy can give himself, the party and the Indian community is to announce a firm departure date, and to appoint an acting president. -MI

Israeli spies: Kit Siang to call emergency motion today

2010-04-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang has called on Barisan Nasional MPs to back an emergency motion which he will be submitting Monday to Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, to debate the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry on revelations that Israeli agents had infiltrated the police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Speaking at the launching yesterday of a DAP service centre in Tebing Tinggi, Ipoh, Lim described the overlapping investigations announced by Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein as "redundant".

"It is downright ridiculous and outrageous to have four agencies probing into one same matter.

"Furthermore, given their past records, who would believe that the police, the MACC and the National Security Council could conduct any credible, independent and professional investigation, untainted by political considerations of the powers-that-be?" he asked.

Last Tuesday, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim revealed that two members of the Israeli secret service had been stationed at the police headquarters in Bukit Aman.

Anwar produced confidential documents and minutes of meeting exposing the Royal Malaysian Police's dealing with the two Israeli programmers to develop its Police Reporting System (PRS). The revelation came hot on the heel of the controversy surrounding public relations consultant Apco Worldwide engaged by the Malaysian government, but whose links with senior Israeli leaders were revealed by Anwar in parliament during debate on the royal address.

Lim, saying Hishamuddin's announcement of separate investigations by four government agencies showed the seriousness of the revelation by Anwar, however reminded that the agencies lacked credibility in the eyes of Malaysians.

"Furthermore, given their past records, who would believe that the police, the MACC and the National Security Council could conduct any credible, independent and professional investigation, untainted by political considerations of the powers-that-be?" said Lim.

He instead called on Hishamuddin to agree to the establishment of a Special Parliamentary Select Committee headed by a Pakatan Rakyat MP, "with the Police and Government undertaking not to block or hamper inquiries whether using Official Secrets Act or other ruses."

Convinced that the Home Minister would not agree to such a proposal, Lim said that only a royal commission of inquiry comprising of independent members could conduct an indepth and comprehensive investigation. -Harakahdaily

Chinese angry over a boast that Palanivel denies

2010-04-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

Some in the Chinese community here are adamant they will not vote for Datuk G. Palanivel if he contests the April 25 by-election, over an alleged boast that he did not need their votes to win the 2004 general election with a 14,000 majority.

Their threat is a cause of concern for the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government, which will name its candidate on Thursday to win back the seat that the MIC deputy president lost in Election 2008 by a slim 198 votes.

“No sensible person will utter those words especially during an election time,” Palanivel told The Malaysian Insider by text message last night.

The Selangor and Hulu Selangor MIC chief remains the sole party pick for the by-election but speculation is strong that his protege, MIC Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan or party information chief P. Kamalanathan are also being considered.

Of the three, Mugilan is said to have the brightest chance of being made the BN candidate although party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu believes Palanivel can regain Hulu Selangor which he held for four terms from 1990.

“2004 was tough election because I was challenged by Ustaz Ismail Kamus, a PAS stalwart. The Chinese community supported very well, so much so that I even won the peti undi box of Batang Kali Chinese New Village. The first win for Parliament since 1959.

“That year Chinese voters strongly supported me. If that allegation was true they would not have supported me. Every time an election comes these are the allegations that will be hurled,” the 61-year-old politician said.

BN won handsomely in the 2004 general election with a 91 per cent mandate, the first held 22 years with Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the helm of the coalition instead of long-serving prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

But the coalition lost badly in Election 2008, losing four states and its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority which was blamed on unfulfilled promises to the electorate.

Palanivel pointed out he even heard rumours quoting him as saying he did not want Indian votes, who form a substantial 19.3 per cent of the 64,500 electorate in Hulu Selangor.

“After winning or before winning I am not the type to tell I don’t want votes from any community. They will always be someone to start these rumours. I cannot be the source of these rumours,” he stressed.

“In fact, after winning the vote box of Batang Kali New Village in 2004, I held a function to thank the Chinese votes for the historic win,” Palanivel added.

But several Chinese voters told The Malaysian Insider they had heard stories of Palanivel’s boast but were unable to determine when and where it was made.

All, however, believe that the journalist-turned-politician did say something to that effect sometime in 2004 after the year’s general elections.

“When Palanivel retained the seat by 14,483 votes in 2004, he boasted that he didn’t have to depend on Chinese voters to win,” a pensioner who called himself Koh told The Malaysian Insider.

Batang Kali resident Tan Chee Heng, 40, who owns a motorcycle shop, had also heard the same tale. He said, because of this, “Orang Cina cukup benci dia.” (The Chinese really hate him.)

A former BN component party member who did not want to be identified said he, too, had gotten wind of the same story. “I do not know when but he did mention something like that.”

He said another reason the Chinese community was over an unfulfilled promise. Palanivel had promised in 2007 to allocate funds to Sze Yah Kong Temple but did not keep to his word, and when he was asked about this in 2008 before the general elections, he allegedly said that he would give the temple the money if they voted for him.

An MIC member who also declined to be named said he was present when Palanivel made his boast, although not in the way the Chinese perceive it to have been.

He said Palanivel, speaking at Ampang Pecah in 2004 after successfully defending his seat, had told residents there he only needed Felda votes to win.

Palanivel apparently said this when chastised by the residents there for being unresponsive to their requests outside of election period.

The local community had called him there to survey damage done to their homes by repeated flooding.

The MIC member ventured that this incident perhaps gave rise to the idea among the Chinese community that Palanivel had boasted about not needing their backing, as it was implied in his statement that he did not need to depend on any minority voters.

The Hulu Selangor seat fell vacant following PKR MP Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad’s death last March 25.

There are 64,500 registered voters in Hulu Selangor, with 63,701 regular voters and 799 postal voters. Malays make up the majority of the total with 34,020 voters (52.7 per cent,) followed by Chinese with 16,964 voters (26.3 per cent) and Indians at 12,453 voters (19.3 per cent). -MI

Khalid: Race Not a Factor in Choosing PKR Candidate

2010-04-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

Selangor Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) liaison chief, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (pic), said PKR did not give importance to race when selecting its candidate for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election on April 25.

He said PKR would merely choose the "best" candidate who would be dedicated, hardworking and strive for the betterment of the people and voters of the constituency.

"No need to politicise the issue (of race) when selecting the best candidate for an election. This is a political matter. The issue (of race) shouldn't be seen as a "sandiwara politik pilihan raya" (an election political drama).

"We in PKR do not look at that aspect (race) but instead look for an eligible candidate who can win the hearts and minds of the voters in Hulu Selangor," Khalid told reporters after launching the Selangor-level People's Tuition Programme, near here, today.

Khalid was responding to a statement made by Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan in a Malay daily which challenged PKR to field a non-Malay candidate for the Hulu Selangor by-election in an attempt to give fairness to all races in that constituency.

Voters in Hulu Selangor will go to the polls on April 25 to elect a new member of parliament following the death of the incumbent, Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad of PKR on March 25. BN will field a candidate from the MIC in the by-election, nomination for which is on April 17.

Khalid, who is Selangor Menteri Besar, said Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders would meet in the next two days to decide on the "right" candidate, expected to be announced on Tuesday night.

On another note, Khalid said the state government spent RM3.4 million each year for the People's Tuition Programme and about 5,600 pupils in the state benefited from the programme every year.

- Bernama

A case of Alice in Putrajaya

2010-04-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

It looks like Alice (Desmond Jerukan) has been invited to tea by the Mad Hatter (Najib Razak) and the Red Queen (Rosmah Mansor) in Wonderland (Putrajaya).'

Blogger reveals another side of Najib

Multi Racial: Desmond Jerukan, I'm sorry that I don't share your enthusiasm. Fifty years of racism, corruption and abuse should not just washed down the drain for a simple tea party with the prime minister.

I would be able to appreciate it if Desmond could share his discovery with us that made him change his perception on Najib Razak. I sincerely hope to get truth about Altantuya Shaariibuu, Teoh Beng Hock and A Kugan.

I want to know why racist parties both political and NGOs are still in existence, why the judiciary is not independent, why the IGP (inspector-general of police) contract was renewed despite our personal security is getting from bad to worse, and many more.

Lim Chong Leong: Being able to have tea and make small talk does not make a person a PM. I can have the same tea session with Desmond and he can find me interesting or nice too. What matters with us all are the truth behind Altantuya, PKFZ (Port Klang Free Zone), Kugan, Teoh Beng Hock, our economy, Perak, the racists in Umno, NEP, poor schooling, poor healthcare... The list goes on and on.

Ferdtan: Just a tea party and Desmond sings like a canary. Have you look at the whole picture of where Malaysia is heading? Well, I guess you have your right to say what you want to say, but for your sake - don't be a laughing stock and a disgrace to all right-thinking Malaysians, including Sarawakians.

By the way, who pays for your airfare to Putrajaya?

Lesungbatu: I personally wrote to the PM's Office but only got a reply from his PA (personal assistant). I wrote something about a request to help some villagers to ease their predicaments on the need of a proper access road to their kampung, clean water supply as well as electricity.

The kampung is located at the end of a plantation owned by Sime Darby. The access road is in very poor condition, and becomes slippery and muddy during the wet season. The villagers have to depend on rainwater and an old 'perigi' (well), and they have to resort to portable generators to light up their nights.

No action has been taken. Mind you, this had been almost two years since my email to the PM. For your information, the kampung is in Tawau, Sabah - another 'fixed deposit' state for BN.

Doc: This sounds a bit like Alice in Wonderland here. It looks like Alice (Desmond Jerukan) has been invited to tea by the Mad Hatter (Najib Razak) and the Red Queen (Rosmah Mansor) in Wonderland (Putrajaya).

Ong Guan Sin: It appears that those invited to the tea party were cast a spell, suddenly forgetting the many issues Malaysia faces today, many of them the responsibility of Najib directly.

If Najib is a PM good at having tea with the rakyat, I have nothing else to say. On the other hand, I would like those who attended the tea party share with us any serious discussion that has come out of it. This is our national leadership, not the Hollywood showbiz.

Amaso: Desmond behaves like a kid - Najib gave him some candy and he tells the world how wonderful and kind the PM is. He sees only the trees and forgets the forests.

Kopi O: For Desmond and others who attended the tea party, I have only one timeless wisdom to offer: "When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive." (Proverbs 23:1-3)

Maha exhibit not a Hulu S'gor gimmick: Noh

Doc: Noh Omar, who had publicly expressed his true racist nature and ended up putting his foot in his mouth, is trying to make amends by dangling a carrot on the stick and hoping the Hulu Selangor constituents take the bite. Come on, please don't take the rakyat for fools.

Sarawakian: Yeah right, we believe you. Please stop treating us like idiots. Let's see what coincidences they have for the Sibu by-election.

Dood: In Malaysia, there is no such thing as a "coincidence".

M'sia cannot keep building sand castles

Cala: This business of dividing the people into various ethnic groups is purely to facilitate the management of this country as each group has its own needs and wants.

For example, the Chinese community has new village titles to solve, and inadequate classrooms for urban Chinese schools, etc. Uniting the people is something they have not tried for the problems faced as a nation are totally different.

Here are some of them:

i) the increasing gap between the rich and the poor as shown in the Gini coefficient;

ii) general dropping of education standard as shown in the university ranking in Times Higher Education Supplement; and

iii) poor economic outlook, employment opportunities, the drop in foreign direct investments.

The executive can say what they want, this is not the kind of report card that can make any Malay proud (See Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's speech when he launched a book). They need reinforcement from the non-Malays.

-Malaysiakini

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2010-04-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

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NAFI: 300 AHLI PKR SERTAI UPKO ?

2010-04-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

KETUA Cabang PKR Beluran, Sipin Bin Kadandi @ Ambrose hari ini menafikan dengan sekeras-kerasnya dakwaan dan propaganda yang dicanangkan oleh parti UPKO Beluran bahawa seramai 300 orang ahli PKR telah keluar beramai-ramai dan menyertai Barisan Nasional.

UPKO sengaja berbuat demikian demi untuk melemahkan semangat perjuangan ahli- ahli PKR dan juga memandangkan semakin melebar kepercayaan rakyat kepada perjuangan Pakatan Rakyat.

Menurut Sipin, hanya 20 orang sahaja yang berbuat demikian malah sebaliknya Cabang PKR Beluran telah nenerima masuk 400 orang ahli-ahli UMNO menyertai Pakatan Rakyat baru-baru ini. Beliau menyatakan demikian apabila diminta mengulas oleh BIRO Informasi & Komunikasi PKR Negeri mengenai dakwaan yang dibuat oleh parti UPKO.

Sipin menyatakan dengan tegas bahawa cabang PKR Beluran telah sedaya upaya mengadakan beberapa siri penerangan dan pendekatan kepada penduduk setempat dan menerangkan dengan lebih terperinci hala-tuju dan focus utama perjuangan PKR dan Pakatan Rakyat. Maka kerana itulah kebanyakan ahli-ahli UMNO telah berpatah arang dengan kepimpinan UMNO dan menyertai Pakatan Rakyat.

Beliau juga menambah, rata-rata ahli UMNO yang keluar itu telah menyatakan sokongan padu kepada Pakatan Rakyat kerana telah hilang kepercayaan kepada kepimpinan UMNO dan Barisan Nasional yang hanya mementingkan kepentingan diri dan kroni-kroni masing-masing daripada mendahulukan keperluan dan kepentingan rakyat jelata.

Maka kerana itulah juga mereka bertekad untuk berjuang di bawah panji-panji Pakatan Rakyat dan akan meneruskan ikrar setia demi perjuangan murni Pakatan Rakyat.

Menjawab satu pertanyaan, Sipin yang juga Ketua Cabang PKR Beluran berkata, " Kini PKR telah begitu mendapat sambutan hangat daripada penduduk Beluran terutama sekali generasi muda yang sangat berminat menyertai PKR Cabang Beluran dan AMK kini sedang giat berusaha mendapatkan seberapa banyak generasi muda menyertai PKR."

Laporan : HALIK ZAMAN

Malaysia syurga pendatang?

2010-04-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

"Malaysia syurga pendatang...Inilah perkataan yang paling tepat bagi negara kita Malaysia sekarang. Apa tidaknya. Di mana-mana ceruk rantau Malaysia pasti ada pendatang samada dengan izin ataupun tanpa izin.

Jika dizaman tahun tujuh puluhan dahulu, pendatang yang paling popular ialah pendatang haram Vietnam. Mereka digelar pelarian Vietnam yang melarikan diri dari perang Vietnam antara Vietnam Selatan dan Vietkong Utara. Dan Pulau Bidonglah syurga mereka.

Namun sekarang pendatang bukan lagi dari Vietnam tetapi dari berbagai negara. Bermula dari Indonesia dengan alasan sebagai tenaga kerja, timbullah istilah TKI. Kemudian datang pula dari Bangladesh, yang disebut mat Bangla. Dan sekarang berlambak pula dari Afrika, yang disebut mat Afrika.

Kalau pendatang haram tanpa izin dari Indonesia, mereka sangat mudah masuk ke Malaysia hanya dengan bot nelayan. Mulakan sahaja perjalanan dari Indonesia, dan mendarat sahajalah di mana-mana pantai pasti dengan mudah masuk ke Malaysia ini. Ini tidaklah menjadi persoalan kerana biasa saja jawabannya iaitu "manalah TLDM mampu mengawal perairan negara yang bergitu luas".

Namun yang menjadi bahan ketawa ialah, majority mat Afrika yang ditangkap didapati menggunakan pasport palsu. Pelik bin ajaib, pasport palsu boleh menembusi sistem pemeriksaan komputer Jabatan Imigresen? Mengapa ya? Agaknya sistem komputer Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia hanya boleh mengesan pasport dari Semenanjung ke Sabah, Sabah ke Semenanjung sahajakah? Atau agaknya apabila "pasport-pasport" mat Arika itu sebaik mereka tiba, dicop seperti tukang cop setem di pejabat Pos sahajakah? Atau tidak dicop langsung? Atau mat Afrika masuk ke Malaysia seperti pendatang dari Indonesia?

Amatlah malang bagi Malaysia...

Singapura dan Indonesia dengan tegas menolak pelarian Vietnam zaman tahun tujuh puluhan. Mereka dengan tegas menghalau mereka keluar dari perairan negara jika di dapati ada pendatang asing. Mereka tidak peduli samada pendatang itu hidup atau mati di laut, yang penting negara mereka tidak dipenuhi orang yang tidak diingini itu. Pastinya pemimpin mereka sangat peka kepada masalah yang pasti akan timbul kelak akibat kebanjiran mereka.

Sekarang tidak keterlaluan dikatakan nasi telah menjadi bubur. Kerana takutkan dunia mengatakan Malaysia tidak berperikemanusiaan, Malaysia telahpun menjadi bubur. Rakyat malaysia seperti nasi yang dimasuki pasir pendatang tanpa izin, lalu menjadi bubur pasir.

Kita berkoar-koar di serata dunia melaungkan Malaysia sebuah negara yang aman. Ya memang aman...Orang Malaysia tidak meiliki pistol. Sesiapa yang memiliki pistol jawabnya tali gantung. Tidak seperti sesetengah negara lain, pistol boleh dibeli. Lalu nyawa manusia sangat rendah nilainya. Maka ini antara satu sebab mengapa pendatang tanpa izin merasakan tidak apa-apa memasuki Malaysia. Mengapa tidak? Kalau masuk ke Indonesia jawabnya buluh runcing menanti. Aman, Malaysia memang aman bagi sesiapa juga.

Sekarang rakyat tempatan ketakutan untuk merayakan Hari Kebangsaan Malaysia di Kuala Lumpur. Apa tidaknya? Ketika cuti umum Kuala Lumpur dipenuhi oleh pendatang asing. Hinggakah peniaga juga ketakutan dan menutup perniagaan mereka. Rasanya kalaulah pendatang asing itu sepakat, habis satu Kuala Lumpur digasaknya. Dan terpaksalah askar Malaysia berperang dengan pendatang asing itu. Ha ha...negara lain askar berperang dengan askar negara lain, askar Malaysia berperang dengan pendaang asing. Inilah yang akan berlaku jika andaian ini diambil kira.

Dilaporkan dalam media elektronik, mat Afrika ini sudah berani merogol. Ibu tunggal dirogolnya, anak sekolah juga. Bahkan jika mereka menyewa bilik di pangsapuri, seolah-olah pangsapuri itu mereka yang punya. Dan penghuni pangsapuri yang mempunyai anak perempuan sentiasa susah hati jika anak perempuan yang berkerja malam pulang ke rumah.

Menteri Dalam Negeri hanya terkejut melihat Kuala Lumpur dibanjiri pendatang asing ketika cuti umum. Terkejut beruk betul. Betulkah ini Kuala Lumpur? Atau Jakarta? Atau Dakka? Atau ibu kota Ghana? Terkejut seolah-olah itulah pertama kali Menteri Dalam Negeri ke Kuala Lumpur.

Apa ni Datok...?

Dalam mencari punca kebanjiran ini, salah satu resolusinya ialah menyalahkan majikan-majikan perusahaan. Mereka inilah yang dikatakan puncanya dengan menggaji pendatang ini. Namun apakah pula kesahnya dengan undang-undang negara dan penguatkuasaannya yang sangat lemah? Dulu, nak botakkan kepala mat Indon supaya mudah dikesan jika mereka menyeludup masuk kali keduapun tak mampu dilakukan setelah dibantah pemerintah Indonesia. Macamlah rambut tu tak tumubuh-tumbuh bila dibotakkan.

Nanti di suatu masa kelak rakyat tempatan Malaysia akan menjadi seperti orang kulit putih di Afrika selatan zaman apartheid, terpaksa membawa M16 ketika keluar sahaja dari rumah.

Dalam dunia Malaysia hanya satu. Dan itulah sebenarnya 1 Malaysia. Dan sekarang Malaysia yang satu ini diperluaskan dengan 1Malaysia...Malaysia yang penuh dengan berbagai bangsa dunia samada halal mahupun haram.

Kesihan anak cucuku...engkau semualah yang akan menjadi lepat pisang apabila ayah dan emak, datuk dan nenek telah masuk ke lubang cacing kelak.

Oleh shahil (detikdaily)

Bakar Geran Tanah Sebab Marah JKR

2010-04-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

Kecewa dengan projek pembesaran jalan yang didakwa menimbulkan banyak masalah, penduduk sebuah kampung di Port Dickson hari ini membakar geran tanah asli mereka sebagai tanda bantahan.

Dengan bantuan sebuah NGO pemantau prestasi jabatan kerajaan, mereka juga mendirikan sebuah papan tanda besar ala papan projek Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) bertulis "Tapak cadangan tanah perkuburan baru" dan "Homestay mencari maut".

Menurut timbalan pengerusi Gerakan Memantau Perkhidmatan Agensi Kerajaan (GEMPAK) Rahimuddin Md Harun, penduduk dan NGO terbabit hari ini mengambil tindakan tersebut kerana kecewa dengan pemantauan JKR terhadap projek tersebut.

Sejak dimulakan pada 2004, tambahnya, projek pembesaran jalan Pasir Panjang-Port Dickson itu tidak dijalankan dengan baik sehingga menyebabkan rumah-rumah di sekitarnya terdedah kepada risiko dirempuh kereta dan banjir.

Katanya, jalan yang ditambak beberapa kaki itu, dengan saliran yang tidak sempurna menyebabkan air dan selut melimpah masuk ke rumah penduduk setiap kali hujan.

Jalan baru tersebut juga tidak mempunyai penghadang bagi mengelakkan kereta yang terbabas merempuh rumah mereka, tambahnya.

Sebanyak 72 keluarga - kira-kira 300 penduduk - terlibat dalam projek pembesaran jalan sejauh kira 5 kilometer itu.

Rahimuddin berkata, penduduk telah mengadukan perkara tersebut kepada pelbagai pihak, termasuk JKR, wakil rakyat, kerajaan negeri, pihak polis dan Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah (SPRM) tetapi tiada sebarang tindakan diambil.

"Kalau hendak kumpul semua aduan, sudah satu rim kertas. Janganlah pandai menabur janji dalam pilihan raya kecil di Hulu Selangor sahaja, tetapi dengarlah juga rintihan penduduk di sini," katanya ketika dihubungi Malaysiakini selepas bantahan tersebut.
Rahimuddin juga berkata, penduduk Pasir Panjang tidak membantah pembangunan "tetapi janganlah kerana pembangunan, keselesaan dan hak penduduk diabaikan".

Menurut Rahimuddin, projek tersebut diusahakan oleh Perbadanan Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan, sebuah anak syarikat milik kerajaan (GLC) negeri.

Kira-kira 70 penduduk setempat hadir menyatakan bantahan itu kira-kira jam 11 pagi tadi.-GB

Negeri Sembilan juarai Piala FA

2010-04-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

Negeri Sembilan, skuad Rusa, menjuarai Piala FA — kali kedua sejak kejohanan itu diperkenalkan pada 1990.

Pasukan pimpinan Wan Jamak Wan Hassan ini menewaskan Kedah menerusi tendangan penalti ‘sudden death’ 5-4.

Negeri Sembilan dua kali memasuki final Piala FA dan memenangi kedua-dua saingan.

Keputusan terpaksa ditentukan menerusi tendangan ‘sudden death’ selepas terikat 4-4 dalam pusingan pertama sepakan penalti.

Kedua-dua pasukan terikat 1-1 selepas bermain 120 minit.

Pada perlawanan itu, Kedah yang terlebih dahulu membuka jaringan awal pada minit ke-27 melalui penyerang berbisa mereka, Baddrol Bakhtiar yang menewaskan penjaga gol lawan, Sani Anuar Kamsani.

Penyerang bawah 23 tahun kebangsaan itu menerima hantaran rakan sepasukan, Mohd Safiq Rahim sebelum bijak melambungkan bola ke gawang gol setelah Sani terkeluar dari posisinya.

Gol itu nyata membakar semangat anak-anak buah jurulatih Ahmad Yusof yang mendapat sorakan kira-kira 35,000 penyokong untuk terus mengasak bertali-arus namun dinafikan kekentalan benteng pertahanan lawan yang dikemudi oleh Mohd Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak dan Mohd Syukor Adan.

Namun gol pendahuluan itu tidak bertahan lama apabila Negeri Sembilan mengemaskan rentak dan mengatur serangan seterusnya berjaya bangkit menyamakan kedudukan pada minit ke-38. Mohd Shaffik Rahman licik memperdayakan tiga pertahanan Kedah yang diketuai oleh Mohd Fazliata Taib sebelum menolak bola menewaskan penjaga gol, Mohd Helmi Eliza Elias menceriakan 25,000 penyokong ‘Hobin Jang Hobin’.

Bersambung babak kedua, Negeri Sembilan terus dihidangkan dua peluang melalui Mohd Zaquan Adha dan Mohd Aidil Zafuan namun dihampakan kecekapan Mohd Helmi.

Kedah turut mendapat beberapa peluang untuk menjaringkan gol terutamanya melalui Mohd Khril Muhyameen Zamri tetapi gagal diterjemahkannya untuk gol penyudah. Berakhir 90 minit masa permainan, kedudukan masih terikat 1-1 memaksa perlawanan dilanjutkan masa tambahan 30 minit namun masih gagal mencari sebarang gol, memaksa penentuan menerusi sepakan penalti.

Tuah nyata milik Negeri Sembilan apabila berjaya memenangi sepakan penalti itu dengan keputusan 5-4 setelah penjaga golnya menyelamatkan tiga sepakan penalti lawan iaitu Mohd Fazliata, Mohd Helmi dan Mohd Sabre Mat Abu.

Kekecewaan Kedah sedikit terubat apabila penjaga golnya, Mohd Helmi dan Baddrol dipilih sebagai penjaga gol dan pemain terbaik perlawanan akhir.

Berangkat menyaksikan perlawanan adalah Tengku Bendahara Kedah, Datuk Seri Tengku Anuar Sultan Badlisyah, Menteri Belia dan Sukan Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Menteri Besar Kedah Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak dan Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan Datuk Mohamad Hasan. -MI