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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

BN candidates at ‘final vetting’ stage

 
Barisan Nasional candidates contesting the 13th general election will be announced seven to 10 days before nomination day.

Secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said BN chairman Najib Tun Razak will hand over the list of candidates to the state liaison chairmen.

“The state liaison chairmen will then hand over the appointment letters to the candidates. We hope it can be done 7 to 10 days before nomination day,” he told reporters after “Kayuhan Patriotik 1Malaysia@ Putrajaya” event here today.

The BN candidates’ list is at the final vetting stage for health, financial institution, the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Insolvency Department.

“Those on the list can give us medical reports issued six months ago. If not, they will have to go for medical check-up,” he said.

Tengku Adnan said BN is ready to face the general election and is just waiting for the Election Commission (EC) to announce the dates for nomination and polling.

Najib will chair a special meeting of Umno supreme council tomorrow morning and then meet with the BN supreme council at 11am at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur.

“We will be launching the BN manifesto on Saturday at the Indoor Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur,” he added.

Meanwhile, a source said the manifesto will be launched by Najib, who is also BN chairman, at “1Malaysia People First Assembly” at the stadium.

He is scheduled to deliver a speech at the assembly expected to be attended by BN component party leaders and thousands of guests.

It is understood that the BN manifesto contains BN government’s achievements over the past five years and what it wants to do for the people and the country over the next five years with the new mandate.

- Bernama

Najib guarantees peaceful transfer of power to PR

 
Anticipating what many say will be the closest fought elections in recent history, prime minister Najib Razak today gave his assurance that any change of guards whether at the Federal or state level will be peaceful.

"I hereby give an assurance that should there be any change of power whether at the state or Federal level, such a change will take place peacefully," said Najib, announcing on live television the long awaited dissolution of the parliament this morning.

He also called on both the ruling coalition and the opposition to display the spirit of democracy in making the coming general election a success. After his speech, Najib shook hands with members of his cabinet, which had its final meeting earlier.

Najib's announcement ends almost two years of intense speculation of a general election, after he replaced Abdullah Badawi in 2009, who was forced to resign following the BN's poor electoral performance the previous year.

Najib's assurance lends credence to widespread belief that the coming polls would be historic for Malaysia, which has been ruled by the UMNO-led coalition since independence from Britain.

Analysts have said that several component parties of BN, especially MCA, Gerakan and MIC, could face a wipe-out, causing BN to lose Federal power and most of the state governments. -HD

Anwar calls on Malaysians to dump BN

 
Anwar calls on Malaysians to dump BN, "cautiously optimistic" of WINNING GE13Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim called on Malaysians to take the opportunity to pick a new government that was honest, responsible and would uphold the trust of the people.

"Parliament has been dissolved and the people of Malaysia finally will have the opportunity to decide on a government of their choice. Pakatan Rakyat calls on all Malaysians to make use of this golden opportunity to choose a new government, one that is not just competent and effective to move the nation forward but also trustworthy and determined to cleanse this nation of corruption and power abuse.

"We ask all parties particularly our friends in the BN to adhere to democratic principles to ensure free and fair polls. We pledge to do the same and to defend the security and peace of the nation and warn against irresponsible elements out to create trouble and mischief," Anwar told a packed press conference on Wednesday.

"We remain committed to championing the cause of the common folk of all the racial groups and denominations. We therefore welcome the assurance by the caretaker prime minister Najib Razak to ensure a peaceful transition of power."

"We also appeal to the security personnel to remain very professional in their task to ensure a free and peaceful campaigning process. And I would reiterate my call to the prime minister to accept my call for a public debate on policies, economic or social, (for him to defend BN) and for me to take the opportunity to explain the Pakatan Rakyat's position."

Change through ballot box, not popular uprising

Prime Minister Najib Razak had earlier this morning dissolved Parliament after securing the approval of the King and briefing his Cabinet. Malaysia's Election Commission has 60 days from today in which to hold the 13th general elections.

At the question-and-answer session, Anwar expressed cautious optimism in wresting the federal government this time. In the 2008 general election, the PR had narrowly missed. Due to gerrymandering by past BN administrations, the Opposition won only 5 of the country's 13 seats despite having garnered more than 50% of the popular vote.

When asked how many states PR could expect to win this time around, Anwar declined to give an immediate response, saying the PR would meet first before issuing an official statement on its prospects.

He also said he believed the people were fed up of the BN, which has been accused of endemic corruption and criticized for pursuing a brand of racist and religious politicking in its bid to cling to power on the back of support from the Malay electorate, the largest in the country.

However, and perhaps to douse concerns fueled by accusations from Umno leaders such as Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar assured that the PR would stick to the rules and expects "change" to come via the "ballot box" rather than in the form of popular uprisings, such as in the Middle East which have all been violent and disruptive.

"We have worked hard and I am cautiously optimistic as seen from the massive response from the people especially from Sabah and Sarawak. That's why I welcome the rather surprising announcement by PM Najib that he would respect the decision and outcome of the election and ensure a peaceful transition of power. For the people, they would say enough of corruption, enough of racism, enough of abuse of power. I believe generally, Malaysians are prepared for change, change unlike in some countries, where it has to be in the form of popular uprising, it will be through the ballot box," said Anwar.





Malaysia Chronicle

PAS tells machinery to be on stand-by

 
There has been another fresh round of speculation this evening that prime minister Najib Razak is finally ready to announce the long awaited parliament dissolution tomorrow morning.

This comes only a day after Najib's deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, told the media that the government would not wait for automatic dissolution of the Dewan Rakyat on April 30, in what analysts concluded was a bid by Muhyiddin to call the shots. Yet, minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz denied that parliament would dissolve tomorrow.

"Dissolution will take place only end of this month," Nazri told news channel Astro Awani.

In any case, PAS is not taking it lightly, and urged party machinery and workers to be prepared for the final days ahead of the general election.

Its election director Dr Hatta Ramli called on the party's state and division-level election machinery to have meetings tomorrow evening in the event of a dissolution.

"Implement your post-dissolution strategy," Hatta said in his message to party workers.

Prior to this, Muhyiddin admitted that people were tired of waiting for the polls.

“Election won’t be long... I know the people say they have been waiting; they’re tired of waiting. But I am confident they who have been waiting for so long are impatient to mark a cross for Barisan Nasional,” said Muhyiddin, widely tipped to replace Najib in the event of another weak victory for BN.

Tomorrow will complete four years since Najib was announced as replacement for Abdullah Badawi who was booted out after BN lost its traditional two-third parliamentary majority in 2008.

Prior to this, MCA mouthpiece The Star predicted that Najib would not call for polls until the ASEAN summit on April 25 where he would have to attend as the head of government. -HD

LAHAD DATU STANDOFF BN ADVANTAGE?

 
IT IS DIFFICULT to use the Opposition’s argument that the Lahad Datu Standoff is a self-inflicted complications created by the Barisan Government. This is because the simple reason that Malaysia brokered the peace treaty between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Philippine government.

Even though several more issue still need to be hammered out peace is something that can be seen forming in Southern Philippines. After nearly more than 4 decades of fighting and bloodshed, it was something that the people in Mindanao can look forward to.

Unfortunately, there are some factions that felt themselves as being left out of the peace process. Namely, Nur Misuari former leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and who still have influence with the members of the MNLF and the self-styled “Sultan of Sulu”.

Instead of working together bringing the peace process to conclusion, they instead conspire to reject the peace process. In order to bring international attention to their self-pride and selfishness they sent an armed terrorist group to Lahad Datu.

At the same time, the Opposition Parties namely Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Malaysia find difficulty in penetrating the Muslim seats in Sabah. As an added insurance policy to ensure their smooth path to PUTRAJAYA is unhindered the Sulu terrorist intrusion was the opposition gambit that would have broken the camel’s back in Sabah, unfortunately it backfired.

As the result of this opposition miss-adventure the government decided to create the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (ESSZONE) a 500 km frontline that faces the Sulu Sea. The ESSZONE include 10 districts – Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau covering an area of 47,734 kilometer square which can fit in the whole of West Cost of Peninsular Malaysia.

The interesting point is not just the sheer size of the ESSZONE but the political advantage it created for the government in facing the coming 13th General Election.

The whole area under the ESSZONE is declared as an Emergency Area. Perhaps not many people understand the political implication of ESSZONE. Let’s take a good look at the attached Map:

This Map implies that 30 Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri comes under its jurisdiction which means BN/UMNO already secure 30 ADUN seats even before the Dewan Undangan Negeri is dissolve.

Therefore, after the establishment of the ESSZONE, Anwar can sing all he wants about “Tanya sama Najib” but at the end of the day, Anwar is the one who is giving the advantage to Najib in as far as Sabah is concern. Once Sabah is still maintained by BN/UMNO, Sarawak will follow suit.

This means that Anwar and PR may as well forget about getting any seats from Sabah and Sarawak. In the event that there is a “hung parliament” in Malaya (Semenenjung Malaysia), PR will 'kempunan' PUTRAJAYA – so instead of “Ini Kali Lah!!” – it is the case of “Memang MampusLah”.

Best Regards,

ABU NAWAS

Red-hot talk Najib to announce dissolution of Parliament on Wed

 
WILL TOMORROW BE D-DAY? Red-hot talk Najib to announce dissolution of Parliament on WedMore speculation about when Malaysia's 13th general election will be held is again snaking its way around the political arena. Tedious and annoying the guessing game might have become, nevertheless it would not do for political aficionados and participants to be caught off guard. And the latest from the Umno grapevine is that Prime Minister Najib Razak will announce the dissolution of Parliament tomorrow, Wednesday, March 3.

According to some Umno watchers, this is why Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had hinted that GE13 would be held before the end of April. Yet others say it was Muhyiddin who had given Najib a "stark ultimatum", as to have Parliament undergo automatic dissolution on April 28 was too much humble pie for the party elders to swallow.

Given the state of flux caused by red-hot infighting within Umno, it is hard to tell who is telling the truth and who is not.

But Malaysians by and large will be most relieved to have GE13 held sooner rather than later. If Najib wanted to, he could actually delay elections until June as the Election Commission has two months after Parliament's expiry at the end of April 28 to conduct a nationwide poll.

"That is something we cannot discount. It would be really horrendous to keep waiting. Everyone is ready and primed, they just want to vote," the Umno watcher told Malaysia Chronicle.

Lagging behind the Opposition

If the latest rumor turns out to be true, Najib would have to really work fast. His Umno-BN coalition has not even released a manifesto, while the Pakatan Rakyat led by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has already launched theirs - complete with official website too!

The PR parties of PKR, PAS and DAP have also begun releasing the names of their candidates, while Najib has yet to name a chief minister-in-waiting for the Selangor state that he has proclaimed an all-out war to recapture.

His shock decision to let the Negri Sembilan state assembly dissolve automatically has created larger ripples than he and his advisers care to admit. Umno members are not only confused, but sheepish and outright embarrassed at his inertia.

Nationwide joke

This has given room for the Opposition to launch direct hits, and as a gauge of how far down the line Najib's dilly-dallying has travelled, even in ceramah or small political rallies held in the kampungs or villages, his indecisiveness has become a key topic, often greeted and discussed with jeers and derision.

"Each day that passes, each moment will take us closer to the inevitable day/ Compared with the previous 5 prime ministers, PM Najib has taken longest time to dissolve Parliament. All his predecessors did it in less than 5 years. If we make a rudimentary analysis, this shows there is weakness in Umno. If it is really strong, it would have dissolved Parliament long ago," Ustaz Rahim Nasir, a PAS grassroots leader, told a ceramah in Taman Melati, Setapak on Sunday night.

"But let us be patient and not get side-tracked because the day will surely come. Some say the announcement will be made on Wednesday at 11am but I don't believe. They have taken us in too many times."



Malaysia Chronicle

Najib expands handouts as delayed election nears

 
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced bonuses for the 40,000 employees of national oil firm Petronas today, signalling a long wait for a general election is nearly over as he seeks last-minute support from the middle class.

In recent days, Najib has expanded a slew of handouts to include thousands of workers at state-linked firms, underlining the government’s ability to try to win support through its close control of Malaysia’s biggest companies.

Najib, whose ruling Barisan Nasional coalition could face the closest election battle in its 56-year rule, must call the polls by the end of April or Parliament will automatically dissolve for the first time in the country’s history.

At a town hall-style meeting with Petronas staff here, Najib said they would each get RM1,000 (US$320) bonuses for “contributing to nation-building”. Media predicted he would dissolve Parliament tomorrow.

The government-controlled New Straits Times newspaper reported that ministers had been ordered to wear a suit and tie for tomorrow’s regular Cabinet meeting for an official photograph. Tomorrow marks exactly four years since Najib took power after the coalition’s worst-ever election result.

Najib appeared to be getting ready for battle as he told the Petronas staff, who make up a part of Malaysia’s urban middle class that has swung to the opposition in recent elections, to keep the government in power, according to company officials.

“He told us that we had to vote wisely or Petronas, which has always been independent under the current government, will lose its independence if the opposition came into power,” said a Petronas employee who attended the meeting.

The board of Petronas answers only to Najib, who approved the one-off bonuses amounting to RM40 million.

Petronas, often described as Malaysia’s piggy bank, accounts for up to 45% of the government budget.

Late April polls?

If Najib dissolves Parliament tomorrow, it would signal an election by around the end of the month or in early May, raising doubt over Najib’s participation in a Southeast Asian leaders’ summit in Brunei on April 24-25.

Over the past two years, Najib’s government has handed out about US$2 billion in one-off payments to poorer families, in what the opposition has called thinly disguised vote-buying. Other handouts have included free wheels for taxi drivers, pay rises for civil servants and allocations to schools run by minority Chinese and Indians.

In recent days, the government has announced one-off bonuses of RM500 to more than 40,000 employees of Telekom Malaysia and Pos Malaysia.

Lower income workers make up a large part of Telekom Malaysia and Pos Malaysia and analysts expect state power firm Tenaga to pay out a similar bonus.

“In the past, there would be salary increments and the giving out of election goodies. Now, with these bonuses, it has gone to a new level,” said Ibrahim Suffian, head of the Merdeka Centre polling firm.

Political opponents have said Najib’s delay in calling the polls is a sign of his indecisiveness and concern in the face of a strong challenge by the opposition following its best-ever election performance in 2008.

Najib’s coalition is expected to win the vote but a failure to improve on its last performance could cost him his job.

In recent days, Najib has huddled with senior members of his party to decide on candidates. The ruling coalition has yet to publish its election manifesto.

Najib has repeatedly defended the polls delay, saying he wants time to show Malaysians how they have benefited from his ambitious Economic Transformation Programme, which aims to double per-capita incomes by 2020.

“Election dates are not for announcement until they actually happen. That’s a fact,” Najib told Reuters in an interview last week, laughing off a question on whether the election would be held in April.

Najib remains popular, polling significantly higher than his coalition in surveys. An opinion poll by the respected Merdeka Centre gave him a 61% approval rating in February, but that is down 10 points from the end of 2011. -FMT

DAP’s blueprint for Indians is a copy of Hindraf’s

 
I am really sad to see DAP go this way. The so-called Gelang Patah Declaration of DAP is no more than a plagiarised version of Hindraf’s five-year blueprint document.

Eleven out of the 14 items in the DAP document are straight out from Hindraf’s blueprint.

The fact that its blueprint was revealed on the 21st day of P Waythamoorthy’s hunger strike indicates as though DAP was scurrying to cover its behind against charges of abandoning the cause of the Indian poor.

Not one of the DAP leaders had anything to say for all of 20 days about the endorsement of the Hindraf blueprint – which was the key demand of the hunger strike. On the 21st day –DAP pull this out of its sleeves, and within 24 hours.

Look at the timing of DAP’s declarations and actions for the Indian poor – just days before the general election. What was the party doing for all the five years up to now? No action in five years and then now a declaration.

The items in this declaration could easily have been carried out in the DAP Penang state government in all five years of its rule, but were not.

Housing for the marginalised: large and numerous developments in Penang have been approved in the last five years, but hardly any noticeable effort for the marginalised poor.

Alienate land for temples and burial grounds: land is a state matter; DAP could easily have done this in Penang in these last five years instead of talking about it after five full years in its declaration just before the next election. Did this realisation just come to the DAP or is this its standard modus operandus?

Provide land to Tamil primary schools: similarly with land for the Tamil schools. Worse here. Not only did the DAP government not grant land to the 23 partially aided Tamil schools in the state, requests for land for Tamil schools in Penang coming from the PIBGs (Parent-Teacher Associations) were ducked using a variety of techniques, were denied outright or the PIBGs were manipulated to avoid causing embarrassment to the state government with such requests.

So, it raises the question: is this declaration just intended to create an illusion of action substituting for real action?

The double speak game

The DAP leaders made a promise to the Kampung Buah Pala folks in 2008 in Penang and they totally reneged on their promise.

That is a precedent for the value of all their promises. This declaration is put forward as a promise.

I wonder how much commitment there is now to this promise. Whatever they did eventually for the Kampung Buah Pala folks, was because of the pressure that was brought to bear on them; it was not out of any obligations to their promises.

The Pakatan argument against the Hindraf’s blueprint has always been that it is race-based and not need-based.

May I ask “what based” is this Gelang Patah Declaration when 11 out of 14 items in it come from a “race-based” document.

This double speak is so typical of what we have been seeing lately in Pakatan.

If you have been following the story, the first Pakatan manifesto had zero election pledges addressing the problems of the Indian poor. Then after an uproar from the people, it included five items into the revised manifesto (the additional items also came from the Hindraf blueprint).

Then seeing that this was not cutting it enough, the number of items taken up has now gone up to 11.

In 2008, Pakatan hijacked the Hindraf rallying cry “Makkal Sakthi”. In 2013, it is now attempting to hijack Hindraf’s blueprint. It is shameful.

Is this all the intellectual capability the DAP can muster? Is copying the best it can do? It is so shameful for a national party to plagiarise. How much commitment can there be in any effort like this?

We are wondering why this Gelang Patah Declaration did not extend to include the most impactful intervention such as a Felda type of land allocated contract farming proposal. Why was this not copied out as well from Hindraf’s blueprint?

DAP supremo Karpal Singh on March 30 called on Anwar Ibrahim to endorse Hindraf’s blueprint. The next day, his son Gobind Singh was in Gelang Patah beside Lim Kit Siang to unveil this DAP blueprint. What circus is this?

April Fool’s plan

P Ramasamy, the Deputy Chief Minister ll of Penang, had said in a YouTube interview that there are not even 800 Indian members in DAP nationwide. That is about 0.04% of the total Indian population.

DAP clearly does not represent the Indians. It has no business putting out an April Fool’s plan like this to continue to deceive and fool the Indians in the country.

This Gelang Patah plan is not to empower Indians but to empower the Indian mandores in DAP.

Why was this plan not done at the Pakatan manifesto level? Why now come up with a DAP document and then get endorsement from the partners?

This sounds exactly like what Hindraf is attempting. This is DAP’s blueprint that has been endorsed, just sounds like Hindraf’s moves. Convenient to confuse the people with.

Is the Gelang Patah Declaration DAP’s declaration or is it Lim Kit Siang’s declaration – a political device to deceive the Indian people of Gelang Patah. Some 12% of the electorate of Gelang Patah, or 12,000 voters, are Indians.

Are the elements of this plan not covered in the Buku Jingga as we are repeatedly told or are you admitting that the Buku Jingga does not really address the problem and therefore it requires a special plan?

If that is the case, then all the arguments why the Hindraf blueprint cannot be endorsed by Pakatan are just not valid.

Our advice to DAP is to stop this kind of tomfoolery. No more April Fool’s gimmicks please. Rise to the challenge with some real stuff.

N Ganesan is Hindraf’s national advisor.

Mahathir vs Kit Siang: CLASH OF THE TITANS

 
Mahathir vs Kit Siang: CLASH OF THE TITANS There is eager anticipation over whether Mahathir Mohamad would accept the challenge thrown by DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang to contest the Gelang Patah seat. At the moment, most Malaysians as well as the leaders from the Opposition do not quite believe that the 87-year-old will do so. But what if he does?

Well, if Mahathir does then it would be poetic justice of a sort. Karma overrides even the best-laid of human plans. And the Pakatan Rakyat trio of DAP, PAS and PKR would have no one but themselves to blame for the late-minute miscalculation, which can set back their Putrajaya ambition.

Make no mistake, Gelang Patah is in the bag for Kit Siang despite his rather dramatic claim that he is putting his political neck on the line by shifting from Ipoh Timur to help PR wrest Johor. With an electorate that is 53% Chinese, chances are even if the PR fielded a Martian, the Martian would win because of the PR flag. No need for Kit Siang to come personally at all.

As for Mahathir - if he accepted the Gelang Patah challenge - he may lose because he is already so reviled by the Chinese community. Even so, many Umno watchers believe he can be a significant game changer in Johor. How so?

Well, they say his mere acceptance alone would straightaway galvanize the Umno candidates there. Many are already feeling badly demoralized and it would be an enormous boost for them to see an 87-year-old, nasty and devilish though he may be, take up the cudgels to help defend their party.

Goal or own goal

Gelang Patah is just one seat. Even if Mahathir loses to Kit Siang, chances are the move would still help to re-energize Johor Umno. In such an event, DAP and its PR compatriots would have shot themselves in the foot by overplaying their hand.

Despite the fiery rhetoric, the name of the game does not seem to be who wins control of Johor. Kit Siang himself does not mention Johor at all in his list of 7 states that PR is most likely to win. His picks were Penang, Selangor, Kelantan, Kedah, Perak, Perlis and Negri Sembilan. So what is the Johor hoo-ha all about? The answer is likely to be a toxic cocktail of greed for seats disguised as strategy, and laced with political gamesmanship.

However, with the 13th general election so close at hand, perhaps it is better to focus on delivering the message directly to voters by working hard on the ceramah circuits, do walkabouts and meet-the-people sessions rather than get engrossed in winning brownie points on cyber space.

If it is psychological impact that the PR is after, perhaps it should evaluate if it has scored a goal or an own goal. Obviously, one man, two men, even three men cannot win Putrajaya all on their own. It is a team effort by a huge number of people and the same goes for Umno-BN. It is true Johor is no longer Umno-BN's bastion but for the PR to wrest it is still tough.

Umno is fully aware of this and they have played the game to their advantage, riding on the DAP's rather overblown rhetoric to further scare fence-sitters back to their fold on the grounds that Malay culture and way of life would become extinct when those 'Chinese chauvinists' come and try to turn Johor into another Singapore!

Najib should agree

So if Najib is smart, he should agree to field Mahathir in Gelang Patah. That would raise a badly-needed cheer all around Umno.

But would Mahathir accept? Hard to say but most likely he would. Mahathir is no 'scaredy-cat', and with his family fortune at stake, he would surely be motivated to rise to the occasion. It also fits in with his current mentality. While astute and still very sharp, Mahathir has shown signs of having entered a 'second childhood'. It is obvious he would adore being the centre of attention all over again. And should he win, WOW! To the Umno Malays, he would forever be etched in their memory as the ultimate hero. So chances are high, limelight-loving Mahathir would go for it!

It actually is a good opportunity for Mahathir to redeem some of his recent fall from grace. So far, all his tactics have failed to work. Everything salvo he has fired at the Opposition has backfired back at him. Malaysians are fed up of his race and religious politicking. He has no more cunning or visionary ideas left to help Umno-BN win.

But Kit Siang is right in saying Mahathir is now the de-facto PM of Malaysia. Despite lavishing praises in public and showing support, Mahathir knows Najib has too many weaknesses. So do the majority of other Umno leaders. This is why there is a tacit agreement that Mahathir should now lead the charge for Umno, instead of letting Najib mess up everything. Good or bad, they reckon his leadership is still anytime better than Najib's.

Some observers warn that Mahathir's return to Parliament, if he wins Gelang Patah, would signal the end of Najib's premiership. But is not Najib due to go anyway? Surely, Najib knows his own tenuous position. Also, fielding Mahathir does not automatically equate to the former prime minister beating Kit Siang and returning to Parliament. It is a gamble Najib can actually take with a fair bit of comfort. The thing is, the decision may not even be his to make!

Lousy leader with bad vision and ideas

Fortunately, that view is strictly restricted to Umno. The majority of Malaysians see Mahathir with different eyes, he really has a lot to answer for. Gelang Patah with Mahathir on board would help to galvanize Umno members in Johor and perhaps in other states too. However, it would not reverse the PR's advance in Penang, Selangor or Kelantan.

Mahathir and Umno must face it. Mahathir - the longest serving PM and Umno president - has been a rather lousy leader with really bad ideas and vision. Look at his economic policies. Look the corruption and disunity in the country. Look at the flip-flops in the education system. But just like Nero playing the fiddle when Rome burned, Mahathir doesn't see this.

In fact, he seems to think he is a genius of sorts and God's gift to Malaysia. Really, he should attend one of the recent ceramahs held by Umno or MCA and see the real situation for himself. The air of rejection is tangible, although exactly to what extent, can only be discovered on balloting day itself.

Whatever it is, Mahathir who founded the current version of the Umno party - Umno Baru - is now facing the greatest challenge of his life. And it is not the prospect of losing the Gelang Patah seat but the entire federal government itself.

During his 22 years of rule, Mahathir has faced several crises. The most critical was the challenge for the premiership by Tengku Razaleigh that led to the 'original' UMNO being declared illegal by the court.

Mahathir was also challenged by Musa Hitam and Anwar but he prevailed over both men. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 was another challenge that led to his very public quarrel with Jewish billionaire George Soros.

Now, unlike the other challenges, the latest dare from Kit Siang is one that Mahathir should be glad to accept! His words during a speech made on Sunday were unusually hard, perhaps aimed to draw out Kit Siang. Mahathir called on Johoreans to make their state the ‘burial ground’ for the DAP leader - politically that is.

Gelang Patah a cinch for Kit Siang

As for the 73-year-old Kit Siang, he too is unlikely to have thrown the gauntlet without some mental calculation. But perhaps in his confidence, he become has somewhat become arrogant.

Despite demurring about his prospects, it is unlikely the DAP adviser would have made the offer if he did not believe it was impossible for Mahathir to win given the high Chinese population there, and that the Skudai state seat falls under the Gelang Patah parliamentary umbrella.

Skudai is already controlled by DAP's Boo Cheng Hau - one of the key reasons why Boo refused to yield the Gelang Patah seat to the PKR. Yes, sad to say, selfishness and vested interest also abound in the PR.

Reversing the negative tide for Umno

Some Umno watchers think Mahathir is too busy to take on Gelang Patah. Frankly, he does not need to contest or win the seat. He can sacrifice all the areas with Chinese-majority as these are very few in number but he would make sure that none of the Malay-majority areas are won by PR.

One must remember that the Johor Malays want their cake and eat it. Because the state is the 'birth place' of Umno, perhaps the Malays in Johor more than elsewhere in the country feel defensive and strongly about the Malay 'supremacy' issues.

If not careful, PR’s hope of a political tsunami in Johor may not come true. Any psychological advantage gained by Johor Umno as a result of Kit Siang’s perceived arrogance could form the initial momentum for Umno and Mahathir to reverse the tide in the other states as well, especially in the Malay heartland.

Busily infighting Umno leaders, members and supporters could be brought to their senses by Mahathir's perceived sacrifice and close ranks. This in turn could have a spillover effect on the Malay fence-sitters.

All this is bad news for PR and a factor they should have watched out for more carefully right from the start. PR should do some damage control or be more prudent in Johor before it is too late. Just as we have seen too often in football games, anything can happen before the 'final' whistle.

Malaysia Chronicle

ESSCOM, ABOUT BLOODY TIME?

 
WHEN the government announced the formation of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM), I said to myself, “About bloody time!”. I imagined security sectors formed from Kudat to Sandakan to Lahad Datu to Semporna and Tawau, mirroring what we used to have along the Malaysian-Thai border during the Communist insurgency such as Kota Alfa, Kota Bravo, Kota Charlie and Kota Delta spanning Kuala Perlis to Tumpat.

The initial aim was to combat the communist guerrillas and stopping their infiltration from Southern Thailand. After the treaty in December 1989, we had elements of the Unit Pencegahan Penyeludupan (UPP) or the Anti-Smuggling Unit operating in these areas in a supporting role, to curb the smuggling of contrabands and also human trafficking.

Instead, I find it rather amusing when the Ketua Setiausaha Negara announced that Datuk Mohammad Mentek has been appointed as the Director of ESSCOM effective April 1st. What is wrong with this appointment? Mohammad Mentek is the Director of Immigration for the state of Sabah, the agency that, in my opinion, has failed badly in curbing the in-flow of illegal Filipino and Indonesian immigrants into that state.

The New Straits Times ran a story on Mohammad Mentek’s appointment and a statement by the KSN that was complemented by Mohammad’s curriculum vitae; citing even that Mohammad would be very experienced in the field of security and public order.

This April 1st appointment has to be an April’s Fool joke with an extremely bad taste. Surely the KSN should know the functions of the Immigration Department like the back of his hand. If I may provide a memory-jogger for all, the. immigration Department’s functions are:

1. Issuing of passports and travel documents to Malaysian Citizens and Permanent Residents.

2. Issuing of visas, passes and permits to Foreign Nationals entering Malaysia.

3. Administering and managing the movement of people at authorised entry and exit points.

4. Enforcing the Immigration Act 1959/63, Immigration Regulations 1963 and Passport Act 1966.

If you think I made the above up, read it here. How much of an expert do you think the Sabah Director of Immigration would be in the field of counter-insurgency warfare, joint-command operations and public order? Other than the pen being mightier than the sword, I doubt if the person’s handled anything more than the butter knife, let alone deploy battalions of soldiers and policemen in combat situations.

This is another example of the government missing out on a good opportunity to make things better. Obviously, the main concern when we talk about Sabah right now is its defence from foreign elements. With the heavy presence of our security forces there, we can only see illegal immigrants returning to their homeland, and not the other way round.

Therefore, the government should have had a clear aim (again, quoting from the Principles of WAR) in ensuring its strategies in making Sabah more secure conform to this aim. A concept called Defence-in-Depth should have been adopted instead where the Army and Police’s General Operations Force occupy the peripheral islands off Sabah, as being done in Ops PASIR, supported by the Navy, Marine Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

These are the front-liners that will be meeting armed militants head-on. Onshore, defence and security should be effected by the Army and Police. The Immigration Department will just stick to its supporting role, weeding out illegal immigrants.

Therefore, in my opinion, the ESSCOM should be jointly-directed by the Deputy Commander of the Army’s 1st Division, one of the deputies of the Commissioner of Police, Sabah, and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s Head of Regional Enforcement for Sabah and Labuan. The reason is because they are in-charge of the combat and combat-capable units operating in this region, not the Immigration.

In conclusion, the choice of the Director of Immigration for Sabah as the Director for ESSCOM is a grave mistake. I respect the person for who he is, but if the government wants to be seen serious in protecting the Malaysians in the state of Sabah, leave the job to the professionals. Not someone who holds a Master of Science (Statistics) degree and a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) degree from the University of Minnesota, United States.

By: SEADEMON (sabahkini)

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

People's security council to address weak NSC

 
Former army chief Hashim Hussein has been appointed by Pakatan Rakyat to head its newly formed People’s Security Advisory Council (MPKR) aimed at overcoming what it said was the failure of National Security Council as shown in the recent intrusion in Sabah.

Hashim said the council would advise the coalition on tactical moves in resolving national security issues and contribute in terms of charting national defence policies and strategies.

Hashim (right) blasted the NSC for being passive over the country's defence, adding that it had lost its focus in maintaining security and defending Malaysia's sovereignty.

Intelligence failure has been cited as one of the main reasons for the invasion of a village in Lahad Datu by armed men loyal to a self-styled sultan from southern Philippines.

The invasion soon led to an all-out battle between Malaysian security forces and the gunmen, leading to scores dead, including 10 on Malaysian side.

PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar meanwhile said the setting up of MPKR demonstrates that PR was more serious in national security matters.

“MPKR will be more efficient and all the security forces will be coordinated by this council, and if there is incidents like Sabah, we can be more prepared,” said the Pokok Sena member of parliament.

Umno's last-mile tactics: CASH, THE FINAL OPTION

 
Umno's last-mile tactics: CASH, THE FINAL OPTIONPrime Minister Najib Razak knows he cannot hope for a miracle anymore. Everywhere around the nation, people are starting to 'bangkit' or rise to question his administration. Rather than vote for his Umno party, they want to topple his government and give their support to a new regime. It really serves him right to wait until a situation like this has arisen. He can put a bold face on it but his refusal to dissolve Parliament and call for the country's 13th general election is the last straw.

The Opposition has put up a tremendous effort standing their ground and withstanding the onslaught of a massive government machinery deployed to whiplash them into surrender. But Anwar Ibrahim and the Pakatan Rakyat are now poised to create history. Of course, how Malaysians will really vote come polling day remains to be seen but go around the country, stop at its coffee shops, listen to the lectures of the village ustaz (religious teachers) and it is clear. Everyone or almost everyone in the country thinks badly of Umno and Najib.

Last-mile dangers

Sad to say, Najib being Najib is oblivious. Instead of pausing to double-check if his tactics are working, he just plows on without bothering to heed anyone or to question his advisers.

His advisers tell him this is most the crucial stage and he has to produce some serious issues to change the minds of the people, especially the Malays, who being the last to embrace the the Opposition's reformist message, are turning away from his Umno-BN coalition with a vengeance. So perhaps out of desperation, for there are few logical explanations, the Umno organs have gone on another misguided 'sex sex sex' binge.

Carrying their flag is of course sex blogger PapaGomo, and on the cards to be defamed are Selangor chief minister Khalid Ibrahim and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah.

Mind you, 11th hour sex-smearing and gutter politicking can be a potent tool. When Tengku Razaleighi headed Semangat 46 in the 1990 general election, his Gagasan Rakyat coalition was poised to deliver a huge blow to then Umno president and prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. But the night before polling day, all the television channels showed a video clip of Ku Li dancing the Sumazau dance on stage with several Kadazan-Dusun leaders in Sabah, wearing the headgear with a cross on it.

The cross was taboo to the Muslim electorate and the video clip was shown repeatedly that night. So the Malays, who to be fair weren't really so keen for change yet but were merely angry with Mahathir, decided to play it safe. Not many believed Ku Li was an apostate just because of the cross, but it was just the reason they needed to stick with the status quo. As a result, the Gagasan Rakyat did poorly and Semangat 46 managed to win only 8 of 180 seats.

Gus Dur, the late ex- President of Indonesia, also faced the same fate in his bid for a second term in power. The night before polling day, a photo of him in short pants and another picture of him in the similar clothing sitting closely side by side to a younger women, allegedly his mistress, were splashed all over the front pages of the mainstream newspapers. That's how Gus Dur ended up another victim in the high-stakes no-holds-barred world of dirty politicking.

Najib too has these sort of ideas under his sleeves.

Najib's ideas and the Umno 'think tanks'

In keeping with his Umno lineage, the 'story lines' that Najib can be expected to use against the Opposition would be race and religion. And of course, the top favourite Umno topic of conversation - sex! Najib is hoping to convince the Malays that if PR wins, not only would their rights and special status as Bumiputeras be abolished, but poor morals and promiscuity would also doom Islam as the religion of the Federation.

Najib might even produce “evidence” of plans to make Malaysia a republic! Already, he is trying to blame Anwar for being the mastermind behind the Lahad Datu intrusion. He will also continue to tarnish the image of the Chinese-based DAP by portraying its leaders as chauvinistic, while PKR and PAS were DAP lapdogs.

Najib could also cook up stories that DAP leaders - Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and Karpal Singh - have a secret agenda to ensure that the Chinese dominate Malaysia if PR wins.

Najib would go all out to convince the Malays that under Pakatan Rakyat with DAP having the upper hand, the Malays would end up second-class citizens like their brethen in Singapore or the Malay members in the DAP itself.

Of course, this would mean that Malay reserve land would be a thing of the past and Islam would not have any special status anymore. Najib can convince the Malays that PR will impose restrictions on various public or communal Islamic activities.

And by the way, when it comes to sex scandals, even PAS Spiritual Adviser Tuan Guru Nik Aziz and PAS presidenti Abdul Hadi Awang won't be spared. Hadi has already been accused of a tryst with a "virgin" girl and Umno is bound to rehash the scandal to pull in the crowds to their ceramahs (rallies).

The MCA may also be saving the best for last. Their chief target, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng already had a tough time dousing talk he had fallen in love with one of his young and lovely female political aides. The last time, the MCA made Guan Eng's wife Betty Chew real mad with the scandal. It is for sure they will rehash it again.

So when PKR sec-gen Saifuddin Nasution recently revealed the threats by Umno-BN agents to bombard the ceramah circuit with video lucah or XXX-PLUS porn tapes, it came as no surprise to the seasoned observers. Despite Umno's denials, few would believe Najib's camp does not already have several videos showing the ugly side of key PR leaders - those they wish to defeat the most - as perverts!

Cash the final option

If all else fails, Najib is expected to bring out the cash - tons of it. His target will not just be the mak cik and pak cik voters but the Opposition MPs. These can be bought within minutes of the announcement of the GE13 results. The going price is said to be at least RM5 million apiece. It is likely to get much higher.

Money is nothing to Umno. The story of how one Umno leader in Kelantan put a pile of money worth RM1 million on the table during a ceramah there is still making the rounds in cyberspace.

It appears Najib believes that everyone has his or her price. Till now, Umno-BN has not even been able to produce a manifesto. They will have no choice but to 'buy' the election.

Najib may be right but it is up to Malaysians to prove him and Umno wrong. Money is not everything. So stay vigilant, be steadfast and always be skeptical of what is and will be aired on BN-controlled TV, especially during the last hour!

Malaysia Chronicle

Stop delaying GE13, Muhyiddin hints to boss

 
Stop delaying GE13, Muhyiddin hints to bossIn a sign that even deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin is frustrated with prime minister Najib Razak's refusal to call for election, the former has pre-empted Najib's announcement by saying that parliament would be dissolved before its expiry this month end.

"I do not think the prime minister will wait the full five years before dissolving Parliament. Elections will be held in the next few weeks this April,” Muhyiddin was quoted as saying.

Last week, MCA’s daily The Star reported that parliament could only be dissolved in mid-April, after Najib's return from umrah (lesser pilgrimage).

Muhyiddin also seems to concur with widespread disquiet over the unprecedented delay in calling for election.

“Election won’t be long... I know the people say they have been waiting; they’re tired of waiting. But I am confident they who have been waiting for so long are impatient to mark a cross for Barisan Nasional,” said Muhyiddin, who is widely tipped to replace Najib in the event of another weak victory for BN.

Meanwhile, PAS secretary general Mustafa Ali urged Pakatan Rakyat’s election machinery to stop focusing on election date, saying it could be a ploy to divert people’s attention while allowing time for BN to 'copy' the coalition’s popular manifesto ahead of the dissolution.

-Harakahdaily

Nalla subpoenas Karpal, Ummi and Azizan

 
Senator S Nallakaruppan intends to subpoena senior lawyer Karpal Singh, businesswoman Ummi Hafilda Ali and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s former driver Azizan Abu Bakar to appear as witnesses on his behalf in the defamation suit initiated by Anwar over defamatory remarks made in 2008.

Nallakaruppan’s lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said Karpal would be a “useful and helpful” witness in relation to what the member of parliament said in Parliament over Azizan and Umi’s disclosure to him during two meetings with him on Oct 22 and Dec 18 over the first sodomy incident involving him (Azizan) and Anwar.

“Based on the Hansard recording, Karpal had told Parliament that he was impressed with Azizan’s disclosure supported by a statutory declaration where he implicated Anwar and later became a subject matter of sodomy in court trial,” Shafee told a press conference at the court complex, here.

Shafee described Karpal as an important MP with high credibility, where his testimony was crucial for the defendant (Nallakaruppan) to collaborate it with Azizan’s disclosure of the incident.

“Even Karpal in 2007 also invited Anwar to file a defamation suit against Azizan and Umi on this matter,” he said.

Asked whether he already obtained the subpoena, Shafee said the premilinary issue on the suit was still pending at the Court of Appeal and he would be making the application once the court set the dates for trial of the suit.

On March 26, 2008, Anwar filed the suit alleging that Nallakaruppan had uttered defamatory words against him which were then published on the front page of the Utusan Malaysia daily on March 20, 2008.

In his statement of claim, Anwar said the defamatory words included in the article were false, baseless, was published with ill intention and had tarnished his good name.

Anwar is seeking RM100 million in general, aggravated and exemplary damages, cost and other relief deemed fit by the court.

-Bernama

Clip shows UMNO-backed MP insulting Hindu deities

 
UMNO-backed member of parliament Zulkifli Noordin's public insult to the Hindu religion as captured on a video clip now available on YouTube has been condemned by PKR vice president N Surendran.

"The words uttered by Zulkifli Noordin amount to one of the worst ever attacks upon a major religion in this country," said Surendran in a statement to Harakahdaily today.

The five-and-half minute undated clip (see here) shows Zulkifli (right), sacked in 2010 by PKR and who was subsequently appointed as BN ally Perkasa's vice president, mocking Hindu deities.

In it, he recalled his conversation with a man in Jalan Masjid India, whose shop selling Hindu religious paraphernalia had been destroyed by flood water. Zulkifli mocked the seller by asking him why the Hindu deities in the shop did not protect it from flood.

Among others, Zulkifli, using a familiar accent to mock Malaysian Indians, described one of the Hindu deities as "tuhan kepala gajah".

"The more sophisticated one even has a blinking LED light," he told his audience, before recounting his conversation with the seller on the damage to his business.

"Tuhan pun kena ka? (Was God also destroyed?)" he asked the Hindu business owner. "Apa macam tuhan pun kena? (How come God was affected too?)"

He said people were jostling to buy damaged statues being sold at discount, including a lady who bought the elephant deity, or 'Ganesha', which had a broken trunk.

"I asked her why buy this damaged god, she replied, 'Never mind, I will go home and stick a plaster to it'.

"Their god has to be plastered!" Zuklifli jested, greeted by laughter from the audience.

"They knew it's stupid," he added.

 Second attack by UMNO spokesman

Zulkifli then went on to mock the Ganges River, believed by Hindus to be sacred, as well as the tradition of coconut-breaking.

Surendran (left) said Zulkifli's speech was not only an offence under section 298A of the Penal Code for causing disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will, but also a "vicious attack" on Malaysian Indians, the majority of whom are Hindus.

"This vicious attack by Zulkifli Noordin is a great affront to Malaysian Indians, the majority of whom are practising Hindus.

"We call upon the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General to immediately investigate and charge Zulkifli Noordin under section 298A. PM Najib Razak's continued protection and support to his close ally PERKASA and its members such as Zulkifli Noordin proves the dishonesty and emptiness of BN's 1Malaysia slogan," said Surendran.

The remark by Zulkifli is the second by an UMNO propagandist directed at Hinduism.

Last month, Chinese-Muslim convert Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, a virulently pro-UMNO spokesman who appears on government-organised religious talk shows, made fun of the Hindu festival of Thaipusam, complaining of the traffic congestions caused by it.

Ridhuan's remark, which appeared in his article published by Sinar Harian, prompted a strong response from Vell Paari, the son of the former MIC strongman Samy Vellu, who threatened to quit the Indian-only party if the government failed to take action. At press time, however, Vell is still a member of MIC.

Though Islam is strongly opposed to any form of idol-worship, the Qur'an explicitly warns Muslims against insulting other religions, particularly deities worshipped by non-Muslims.

"And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge. Thus We have made pleasing to every community their deeds," runs verse 108 in Surah al-An'am of the Qur'an.  -HD
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