Malayur News: 09/24/09

Thursday 24 September 2009

HINDRAF challenges LGE for a televised lived debate on Kg Buah Pala issue.

HINDRAF believes that the opposition party that it had supported during the GE12 had not lived up to the expectation of the public at least in the Kg Buah Pala Issue.

HINDRAF is not looking for a political solution but a people’s solution to live in harmony without the spin and propaganda that have outlived our community for fear and favor.

LGE has his state machineries, media and the political power at his disposal whereas HINDRAF has only its conscience and truth on its side for the people.

UMNO led government produces a lot of rhetoric, diagnoses, denunciation of injustice and proposals to address it. That has been the nation for the last 52 years as the public continued to suffer and deteriorate even further. HINDRAF took a stand in GE 12 to mobilize its grassroot supporters to support the opposition to seek a change and the change appeared in the five states that the opposition won for a people’s cause.

Now with the Kg Buah Pala issue, there seems too be many mismatches in the the CAT principal that the opposition had spoken about. Rather than taking on the past government that we all know who have been misleading the community, we call upon LGE government to address us in an open forum to revive the democracy between the administration and the people.

Collapse or survival of an administration or a society is on the truth in their action rather than placating for a political survival that means nothing for an ordinary man on the street for his or her survival in an unjust system that had prevailed.

HINDRAF is for the people for what is truthful and just and the failure of the very opposition that we had supported to disregard us in engaging in a dialogue, discussion on their competency, accountability and transparency to safeguard public interest will only reflect another Trojan Horse in the guise of UMNO against public benefit.

The altered landscape that HINDRAF brought against the might of UMNO is not about politics but the public and the well being of the community for what is truthful and just. If the opposition, the so called flag bearer of the community is unable to comprehend this and continues to spin and simulate UMNO’s position, then it is nothing but a change of guard without any actual benefit for the public and community that we live in.

If LGE government is all about CAT, then enlighten us and the the public with us on a televised live debate based on facts, evidence and truth on what really transpired in Kg Buah Pala issue.

As far HINDRAF is concerned, Kg Buah Pala is far from being a closed chapter until and when the actual truth is transmitted to the public. The public shall be the judge, not media, hypothesis that serves a political intention will as oppose to the public need.

Whether LGE has run a spin or not is no the issue, but this would be a excellent opportunity for the public to gauge only if he is ready to face up to it. Running against the obstinate UMNO led government is pretty futile as we know how it is going to against brickwall that bounces itself.

Here HINDRAF, being an NGO offers an opportunity to LGE to show that that the opposition really is set out to address the community issues under the change that the community seeked.

It is a clarion call for LGE, nothing more nothing less for CAT to survive for the communities will as oppose to political will.

Thank you.

R.Shan

Hindraf

International Coordinator (New York)

Lim Guan Eng Transffered Buah Pala Land on 27 March 2009

Referring to the Press Statement Issued by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in Georgetown on 23.9.2009.

The Rakyat (People) has chosen Pakatan Rakyat to take over the administration of the 5 states in the hope that they will solve all the pending issues and mess created by the Barisan Nasional Government since the era of my grandfather. I will not defend the Barisan Nasional Government for any of their act and political crimes, since they are the main culprit on many pending issues in the state taken over by the Pakatan Rakyat Government. We consider Pakatan Rakyat as our Hero who came to save the people that are discriminated for a long long time. They came, they promised and we cast the vote on their field and then the whole and old games started. Why in the first place we voted for Pakatan Rakyat? We want to see changes, we want our rights to be respected, we want to clear the mess created by the Barisan Nasional Government, and we want them to correct the pattern drawn wrongly by the BN government, we want to erase the act of Corruption and delete the Cronies Chapters!. Am I right here?

Ok, now we see the way Kg.Buah Pala issue has been handled by Lim Guan Eng and his Mandores, Ramasamy and RSN Rayer@Liar!, I am well verse with the chronology and manipulation in the case of Buah Pala, from the stripping by the Gerakan Government to the Raping moments of Lim Guan Eng and his sex partners(Ramasamy,Rayer,Nusmetro and Koperasi), from the time the Land was marked for development to the processes involved on the ground and underground. Let’s not waste our time looking at the processes, you can check on my blog on the processes, discrimination, brutality, injustices etc. (www.cryingvoices.webs.com). Now, the historical Kg.Buah Pala, the Indian Heritage Village is a History and today, there is only one house standing not fully but after being molested! And left remained there for few more days for the owner’s source of income and pride, cattle and goats!

Lim Guan Eng's statement :

"Why Has Gerakan’s Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan or BN Not Repented By Apologising For His Part And BN’s Role In Selling Out The Kampung Buah Pala Residents Of Their Land At Such Cheap Rates Without Consulting Them?"

He knew very well that the Land has been sold so cheap, RM10 per sq feet (market price is more than RM50 per sq ft), and he knows there is something is not right in this dealing.

Lim Guan Eng's statement :

The PR state government worked hard to compel the developer to offer a double-storey terrace house with 99 years lease to the residents worth RM 600,000. This successful compensation by the PR state government to gain recognition for Kampung Buah Pala residents to remain as legal rightful landowners and not as illegal squatters to be given a RM 75,000 flat unit which is widely recognised as the best in Malaysian history.

Double storey house worth RM600,000 ?? Oiii Lim Guan Eng Lu Gila Kah?? I was there in Kg.Buah Pala for about a month, and there is not a single 'legal' document or agreement from the state government or Koperasi the Land Owner, addressed to the villagers stated about the RM600,000 double storey house! I can challenge anyone to prove this! There is only one illegal, incomplete, and injustice offer letter which has not been stamped and no proper signature and trap conditions from Nusmetro Ventures, stated that they will build a double storey house for the villagers in exchange with ; 1. All the pending cases in the Court to be withdrawn, and they have no rights to file any case against the developer or any one involved in the development of the Kg.Buah Pala land.

2. No time limit stated, when the house will be ready? God Knows! What Material used? Papan? Plywood? Palm leaves? God Knows...

3. In any case the development at the Land, Halt, Stopped or Freezed.. this agreement will be void or cancelled. Or Invalid.

4. The house will be built in the land determined by the developer! Where? God Knows..

5. Size of the house to be built? 1400sq ft, 600 sq ft lower floor, 600sq ft upper. 200sq ft outside space. hmm.. good deal? Current approx size of each house in the village now : 13,000 sq ft.

6. Read more on the Nusmetro Agreement on cryingvoices.

Lim Guan Eng agreed and stated that the Villagers are not squatters! But have you guys seen the way villagers were treated during demolition? Where was Lim Guan Eng when the Developer's man harassed the villagers? watch video and photos at http://thecryingvoices.blogspot.com.

Lim Guan Eng's statement

Once the decision of the BN state EXCO has been conveyed by approval letters for land alienation and development orders sent out to Koperasi and the developer, the state government is legally bound. There is nothing the new PR government can do as it is bound by the decisions approved by BN. This was also affirmed by the Federal Court decision. The order for eviction and demolition was issued to the developer and not initiated by the state government.

There is nothing the new PR Government can do as it is bound by the decisions approved by BN???

Then why are you talking about ISA? It is also a legal term and stated in the Federal Constitution and decided by the BN Government! If you can’t change the decision and rules set by the BN Government, then what the hell are you here for and why the hell did we chose you to sit in the Administration? To get your allowance and stay in your private residency peacefully with all the luxuries and claims?

If you are telling that we are bound with and affirmed by the Federal Court Decision and we wash our hands, then Did your Pakatan Government Boss Anwar Ibrahim a real sodomiser? Coz court decision has been made. and you went to ISA for instigating Racial Sensitivities, you are real culprit? I am talking from your point of view. This shows that you are a leader that respects the courts decision, aren’t you? Good then Perak State Government belongs to BN, why are you appealing again and again? court decision has been made! You said that Order for Eviction and Demolition was Issued to the developer? DEMOLITION?? The Developer only has the right for the vacant Land! and no demolition orders from the court have been acquired! This is a lame statement by you Lim Guan Eng.

Lim Guan Eng's statement

In contrast, the new PR state government had never issued a single letters of eviction to the residents of Kampung Buah Pala. Similarly until now BN or Datuk Dr Teng can not show proof that I had promised that I would return the land back to the Kampung Buah Pala residents during the general elections as I did not even campaign there.

This is the real classic case of “the thief shouting thief”. Hello Mr.Chief Minister, wake up la! In a school, when a teacher tells the class that it is holiday tomorrow that means it is the instruction from the higher authority, can be from the Headmaster or higher authorities! You are the headmaster and your teachers has promised to return back the land of the Villagers as soon as they win the election and they repeat the promises even after they won the election! Worse was, they promised for an appeal to the State Government to give allocation to the village for the Yearly Ponggal Festival! Facts and Evidences? RSN Rayer Adun Seri Delima and DCM 2 Ramasamy, watch their promises at http://thecryingvoices.blogspot.com. You want to hear shocking news? Your Higher Authority Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim has made a promise right in the centre of the village before the election, want prove? Ask The-Star or ask Muhyiddin Yasin and I will reveal my copy at the right time. Suggestion and Ideas from an election candidate or an elected representative could be a painting on an Ice Cube and will or will not be referred in the Parliament or State Assembly, but promises and assurance made by an Elected member of the State Assembly or the Member Of Parliament will be taken as the voice of the Assembly or the Parliament! The Chief of a state is responsible for the promises made by his executives! Lim Guan Eng did not campaign in Kg.Buah Pala and did not even make a single effort to visit the villagers when they were suffering and longing for the support from the Chief of the State! "Heritage? Bullshit! The place is just covered with Cow sheds and Cow Dungs!" .. remember these words? Pemimpin berjiwa rakyat? Delivering an outstanding speech is not the only criteria of a leader? he must do what he promised on the stage and take full responsibility of the errors made by his crew, just like the captain on a ship! and not passing the fireball to others to avoid burn and pain!

Lim Guan Eng's statement

If BN And Gerakan Are So “Innocent” Of Their Guilt In Robbing Kampung Buah Pala Residents Of Their Land, Why Is It That Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon Dare Not Take Up His Own Challenge Of An Open Public Debate With Me On National Television?

Why must Koh Tsu Koon waste his time debating this issue and what is the point and outcome? he is not in the state of making any differences, he is not in any position in the state government and he can’t reverse the decision or the development, You can! but you are trying to hit around the bush, and not trying to solve the matter! You are saying about helping the villagers and you are their best friend and you are negotiating with the villager and met them 5times for a solution, What solution have you suggested to them on every meeting? Saving the village? No! You were negotiating to the villagers on behalf of Nusmetro and trying to make the Villagers accept to the amount and compensation thrown to them. Prove to the public and release the discussion minutes to the press that you have helped the villagers to solve the problem in Buah Pala! You have only helped the developer to negotiate and persuade the Villagers to move out the Village on behalf of Nusmetro Ventures!

Lim Guan Eng's statement

BN and Gerakan were wiped out in the 2008 general elections because of their refusal to honor their promises and failed governance that bred inefficiency, cronyism and corruption. This has proven costly to the people of Penang who face losses of hundreds of millions of ringgit in land scams and sweetheart contracts that benefit the few at the expense of Penangnites.

I hope Lim Guan Eng has to re-read his statement here, we can see clearly, everything that is stated above is happening in Penang today, especially in the case of Kg.Buah Pala!

Lim Guan Eng's statement

Even though the land was transferred by the present government on 27 March 2009, I was advised by the State Legal Advisor and also DAP National Chair and MP for Bukit Glugor Karpal Singh that the Pakatan Rakyat state government was powerless to legally stop this as this was a consequential administrative action following the approvals given by the previous BN administration. This is just like the Jelutong Expressway concession agreement. The state government is bound to allow land reclamation and issuance of land title based on the previous BN government approvals

"Even though the land was transferred by the present government on 27 March 2009" The defenders of Lim Guan Eng, please take note of this statement! Thank You! Don’t you ever repeat that the land was transferred by the BN or the Office staff without Lim Guan Eng's knowledge and etc.

If on every instances, a contract or projects or a guideline that has been drawn by the previous government and you as the Chief Minister and the future Federal Government Ruling party cant make any differences or amendments or improvement or to take care of the welfare of the Citizens, Why the hell are we as voters work day and night and elect you to be our representative when there is going to be zero changes in the way Discrimination, Corruption, Development, Favoritisms are handled? Are you admitting that you can’t do much even if one day the Pakatan Government takes over the Federal Government? I think you are agreeing to my point here. Why Mr.Karpal Singh, the leading Guru of Law in Malaysia, did not open his mouth and give a clear statement on the Issue of Kg.Buah Pala until today? I guess he knows law better than anyone in the Nation and himself setback with the way Lim Guan Eng handles this issue and does not want to disappoint people like me who think he is the master of Law and he will not jeopardize his position by commenting on a case which is being handled unfairly by his party.

Lim Guan Eng's statement

The only solution to saving Kampung Buah Pala is to forcibly acquire the land. However this would cost the state more than RM 100 million.

Lim Guan Eng repeated this statement many times, but he never had explained why the State Government has to bear the cost of an Illegal Land transaction and transition with that Cost?

This project is a clear picture of an Illegal Land Transition from a Housing Trust to TOL status to a private development! It is Clearly Stated in the Grant of TOL that these land cannot be developed, mortgage, pawn, or transformed unless the with the State Governments Concern! Who is state government now? Gerakan or DAP? Koh Tsu Koon or Lim Guan Eng? then.. why do you need to spend RM100Million as the cost to stop a development project which is illegally transacted? You filed a case in MACC on this Land matter! Don’t you? So, you knew that this land cannot be developed under the state Government! Why? Why? Why? What’s your personal interest???

Lim Guan Eng Failed to explain :

In the statement by Lim Guan Eng, he spoke about many things but failed to prove more than what he has said.

-He did not mention anything about the expiry of the Terms and Contract between the State Government and the Developer.

-He failed to mentioned about the Visit by the Buah Pala Villagers on the 13 March 2008 in his office in Komtar and the remaining sum (RM2.2Mil) from the developer was collected on the next day after the visit, 14th March 2008, which directly mean that the contract is on and not expired and the developer is legally blessed and endorsed by the DAP Government to go ahead with the project.

-He also failed to explain why a project which cost RM157Mil has been given to a company which is ONLY RM125,000 paid up capital!

-He failed to explain the involvement and the interest of Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the project.

-He failed to explain and take responsibility on the promises made by his executives from his office and State Assembly!

-End-

Conscious and Unconscious

Rwindraj@Cryingvoices.webs.com

Bagan Pinang By-Election Strong support for ex-MB

(NST) PORT DICKSON: Despite objections from certain quarters, including from within Umno, Teluk Kemang Umno division chief Tan Sri Mohamad Isa Abdul Samad continues to receive strong support to contest the Bagan Pinang state by-election.

Voicing support for Isa was Seremban Umno division chief Datuk Ishak Ismail, who said Isa would be Umno's best bet for a landslide victory as he was an exemplary leader who had since reformed following his earlier suspension.

They believe that the former menteri besar is a popular figure with the non-Malays as well because he has been serving the Teluk Kemang community for a long time.

"Even when he was suspended for his involvement in money politics, he did not raise any objection nor counter the allegations against him. He continued serving the community and did not let the suspension get the better of him. That is Isa; he is always focused," Ishak said.

Isa served a three-year suspension after the party's disciplinary board found him guilty on six counts of vote-buying and political corruption during the party elections in 2004.

He was originally suspended for six years or two terms but served a reduced penalty after an appeal.

"I would be greatly disappointed if Isa is not picked, bearing in mind that I was once his strongest opponent. He has always placed the party above self and these are the kind of leaders we need," Ishak added.

He said the party leadership should pay heed to what the grassroots wanted as they were constantly in touch with the locals and knew their likes and dislikes.

Jempol Umno division chief Datuk Lilah Yassin agreed with Ishak, saying that Isa had struck a personal chord with the Bagan Pinang folk during his long political career.

"He began his political career here and has been serving the Teluk Kemang community in the same service centre for the 22 years when he was menteri besar.

"The people know him very well because he lives there with his family and he has many relatives and friends."

Lilah also said Isa had an advantage as he was a local in the constituency and voters in Bagan Pinang were in favour of Isa as the Barisan Nasional candidate.

Nomination for the Bagan Pinang by-election has been fixed for Oct 3 and polling for Oct 11.

The seat fell vacant after the death of BN's Azman Mohammad Noor on Sept 4.

Virgins for suicide bombers?

Noordin Mohd Top, Asia's most wanted terrorist, was shot dead by a crack Indonesian anti-terrorism squad during a shoot-out in a village in Central Java.

The 41-year-old Malaysian-born Noordin, who had eluded the authorities for nine years, was gunned down along with three others in an ambush at his hideout in Solo. He was said to be responsible for a string of deadly bombings in Indonesia, including those in Bali in 2002 and two luxury hotels in Jakarta recently.

The above incident reminds us of a cartoon which appeared once in the West, depicting a small suicide bomber approaching the gates of heaven. He has his explosives around his waist. The angel, looking at his register on the rostrum, informs him, “Sorry, your name is not here, only the names of your victims”.

NONE How can we and our leaders lost sight of the sanctity of the human life? How can we all have lost sight of the meaning of “…He who takes life out of death and takes death out of life”? Allah does these things, no one and nothing else.

Any effort by Muslim or non-Muslim to correct this tragic misconception that suicide has a role in our modern religious life deserves our close attention.

If you are concerned about the infiltration of this false legitimising of suicide into the life of our ummah, no matter how much you may tend to hate America, McDonald's, or the many other manifestations of globalisation that America carries, you must understand that the real enemy, an enemy that has been fought on many fronts throughout the 20th century, is fascism.

The simplest definition of a fascist is someone who believes that he can, without your permission or cooperation, completely take over your life and do with it as he so pleases. The misguided Muslim suicide bombers and their teachers, are no less fascist for imagining they are serving Islam. All fascists are criminal fanatics.

Men get virgins, what about women?

Noordin Top is widely known as a bomb maker and his explosives have been implicated in various suicide attacks. The young Muslims who take their own lives are promised virgins when they are received with triumph in heaven. What about the muslimah? What about the young Palestinian mother who killed both herself and her unborn baby on a Tel Aviv bus some years back?

Was she expecting something in heaven? We do not know. What we know is that her sponsoring group was a heretical organisation calling themselves 'Islamic Jihad'. This name reminds me of George Orwell's “double-speak”, a fascist tool for calling something its opposite, thereby changing its ethical position from negative to positive.

bali bombing 2 031005 victims Fascist Muslims nowadays use the term “martyrdom operation” in such a way. As a military tactic, suicide bombing has undeniable advantages. Its victims can be pin-pointed to great accuracy – all the bomber has to do is walk among them. No warning is possible. It is the ultimate surprise attack.

This suicide-nik is trained to walk in a confident way, as if he belonged there. How to walk is one part of the suicide bombing course. Although he is carrying a weight in his explosive vest, including nails and broken glass to increase the suffering of his innocent victims, he must walk in a nonchalant way, without attracting any attention to himself. He must look healthy and normal in his eyes, although he is in fact totally psychotic. It appears to be a bit of an art.

And what about motivation? These bombs that Noordin Top engineered must be certain to detonate once the bomber is cut loose from the motivational experts who accompany him almost to his bomb site. What sane ustaz, or even doting girlfriend for that matter, would be so foolish as to want to commit suicide along with him?

So the handler sends the bomber further toward his destination with some companion to whisper in his ear that the virgins are waiting. Finally, even the last motivational expert in the chain abandons him and he walks alone, with a well-known smile on his face (is he already imagining his virgins?) into the midst of his victims.

jakarta terror suspects bomb Without engineering, these attacks become merely crazy shots-in-the-dark. It is Noordin Top's body-bombs that make these attacks controllable and as precise as any weapon could be.

And now, here comes Malaysia's Home Ministry wanting to repatriate Noordin Top's alleged body from Indonesia back to Malaysia.

One is sickened by the very thought of expressing any vestige of honour or respect to the body of a man who has mutilated hundreds of other bodies, most of whom are not even known enemies of his or any other Muslims.

Nevertheless the Indonesians are quite understandable in wanting to return this excrescence back to its origins, that is, the family cradle of this criminal. He is most certainly not an Indonesian, they say.

Latest chain in fascist devils

Noordin Mohd Top is the latest in a chain of fascist devils that have appeared throughout history, but especially in the past century or so. To the extent that George W Bush was responsible for the death-agonies of thousands of Iraqis and their children, wanting to impose his western ideals upon them, he had veered close to being a fascist himself.

But perhaps Bush was less of a fascist than monster Saddam, who was no more the “president” of anyone than Hitler was a priest. “President” is an honourable title designating someone who has been freely chosen by his people. We have many such phony “presidents” in the world today. These are the gangsters who always win their so-called “free elections” by at least 90 percent.

Alas, if even the American governing systems, which at least choose leaders by a small margin rather than an unbelievable 90 percent-plus, cannot protect us from fascism, what can we expect from the much less effective Muslim governments? It is an ongoing struggle.

As one American patriot observed, “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance”. Let us begin as Muslims by, at the very least, disowning someone like Noordin Mohd Top and sending his body back to the Malay family psychosis that spawned him.

A major battle on the cards in Bagan Pinang

By Baradan Kuppusamy - The Malaysian Insider

PORT DICKSON, Sept 24 — The upcoming Oct 11 by-election for Bagan Pinang, a narrow coastal strip in Negri Sembilan with about 14,000 voters, is an acid test for the Barisan Nasional (BN), especially for Umno and the MIC.

With estimates showing nearly 80 per cent of Chinese voters nationwide backing Pakatan Rakyat (PR), how the majority of the Chinese voters here will vote is almost a foregone conclusion.

The battle between challenger PAS and incumbent Umno is for the Malay voters who account for 66 per cent of the electorate, with many of them smallholders, farmers and armed forces personnel, and the 19.9 per cent of voters who are Indians.

The Indian voters, who number 2,834 and are mostly estate and factory workers outside Port Dickson, will be kingmakers if the Malay votes are divided.

But there is as yet no sign of a deep division among Malay voters, especially with the 5,000 postal voters, the majority of whom are expected to vote BN.

In the previous election, about 30 per cent of postal voters backed PR, debunking opposition arguments that postal votes are all marked for BN and stuffed into the ballot boxes by their bosses.

Unlike the other by-elections since March 8, 2008, Umno is defending its stronghold against challenger PAS/PR and therefore the outcome is an acid test for Umno — whether it is able to retain Malay voter support in the numbers it had enjoyed pre-2008.

Although just an hour’s drive from the state capital Seremban, Bagan Pinang is still categorised as rural, Malay and traditionally Umno.

It would be interesting to see whether this assumption is really fact or just a myth.

PR is the underdog in this battle and hoping for an upset victory and if that happens it could mean that Negri Sembilan is a state ripe for a takeover by the federal opposition.

The current distribution of seats in the state legislature is 21 seats for BN and 15 for PR (DAP has 10, PKR four and PAS one).

The ethnic composition of the state is almost like Perak with a high non-Malay percentage, making it possible for a combination of Malay-Chinese-Indian voters working together to overthrow the BN.

(Malays account for 54 per cent of voters in the state with the Chinese having 24 per cent and Indians 15 per cent)

Umno is confident of corralling the majority of the Malay voters in Bagan Pinang, with or without the controversy surrounding the potential candidacy of former Mentri Besar Tan Sri Isa Mohamad Samad.

Isa is a tainted, old warhorse and if Umno fields him, it is a tacit admission the party has no better candidate except for those who have seen better days.

It does not keep with the new image of a young, vibrant and reform-minded Umno that Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants to portray.

Like Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said, the consequences for Umno are bigger than just winning Bagan Pinang.

For the MIC it is a make-or-break situation in Bagan Pinang with such a large concentration of Indian voters.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has already made two trips to the constituency to meet grassroots leaders.

He has also appointed his newly-elected deputy Datuk G. Palanivel as the election director for the MIC tasked with cornering the Indian vote.

He has also divided the MIC team into three streams each headed by one of the three newly-elected vice-presidents — Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, Datuk M. Saravanan and Datuk S.K. Devamany.

It is a tough challenge for the MIC to convince the Indian voters to support BN not because of any outstanding issues but because the MIC itself and Samy Vellu are the reasons why Indian voters have shied away from the BN.

Leaving the Indian voters to the MIC alone and to Samy Vellu is risky and foolhardy, political observers said.

“Najib has to go down himself to win over Indian voters… he is the Barisan leader and Indians want to see him and hear him speak,” said a former MIC division leader now supporting PR.

Like him, other observers also say that the Umno tradition of leaving by-election battles to the Umno deputy president is no longer a wise strategy with Indian voters.

“This is a major do-or-die battle and we Indians would like to see the leader leading us into the battle… not just the deputy,” said one local observer.

“We consider the MIC and Samy Vellu as lame ducks. It would take some convincing for us to back Barisan.”

PR parties will be hoping they can exploit the “cow head” protest as an issue to win over the Indian voters but they will also have to explain why it did not “save” Kampung Buah Pala in Penang.

Among the Indian community, the “cow head” issue has not caught on as a major cause compared with the Kampung Buah Pala incident which has sparked anger among the Tamil intelligentsia.

A host of Indian political parties — registered and unregistered — and Indian-based NGOs are expected to descent on Bagan Pinang to relate how PR allegedly “betrayed” the Indians in Penang.

Video CDs are being manufactured and pamphlets being printed to show the alleged “double standards” practised by PR leaders.

The by-election promises to turn this sleepy hollow into a major battle ground for the hearts and minds of the voters.

Pakatan still needs to prove it can rule, says Zaid

Zaid did not hold back his criticism of PR. - File pic

By Debra Chong- The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 — Lawyer Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, the man charged with formalising the fledgling three-party Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance before the next general election, has laid bare the issues holding them back.

PR has been wracked with controversies, differences and disputes especially in Selangor, Penang and Kedah, which are led by chief ministers from each party, despite the pronounced rise in votes in last year's general election.

The former de facto law minister, who quit the Cabinet last year, noted the public's increasing scrutiny of the opposition bloc's ability to live up to its many promises made in its manifesto, in light of its first national convention due to be held at the end of the year.

“They seem to want to know realistically, the extent that PAS, DAP and KeADILan can find common ground in sensitive and divergent issues,” he wrote in Bahasa Malaysia on his website yesterday.

“The rakyat want to know how far Pakatan Rakyat is willing to implement their promises in their manifesto,” he added.

Zaid admitted that it would be an uphill climb.

A recent poll of likely voters also showed the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) still holding a slight edge over PR.

In the poll, two of the top key concerns voters have about PR is its constant bickering and the fact that it is perceived as having no viable candidate to be prime minister.

The ex-Umno man did not hold back in his criticism.

While he ticked off his own party and the DAP for their hesitation in pushing forward key policies, Zaid seemed especially critical of PAS.

He noted several instances where the Islamist party had repeatedly thrown a wrench in PR's works.

“What is the point of PAS promising in its manifesto to become a transparent government, that wants to abolish the Official Secrets Act (OSA), that wants to draft new laws [like the] Freedom of Information Act, if the early genuine efforts of Selcat in Selangor have already been opposed and challenged by PAS,” Zaid demanded.

He noted that state party commissioner Datuk Hassan Ali had objected loudly when the body was first moved to be headed by the Selangor assembly speaker, who coincidentally happened to be an ethic Chinese from DAP.

On a roll, Zaid pointed out several other occasions when PAS's promises collided with real-life situations, such as the PAS Youth's vehement protests against public concerts and support for “moral policing”.

“It is as if for PAS Youth, the effort to fight corruption, oppression, abuse of power and inciting racism is less important compared to the efforts to make sure the young who are just learning to love and wish to be entertained freely are obstructed from enjoying a little freedom,” he wrote.

He noted that the biggest rock in PR's way in becoming a formidable force against the government bloc is its continued hesitation to set in stone its beliefs.

“That's the difference between promises and implementation,” Zaid wrote.

“Promises are easy to say but implementing it requires a strong political will and stand. This is the real challenge for parties in Pakatan,” he stressed.

And with the ninth by-election coming up in Bagan Pinang, an Umno stronghold, PR's prospects in surviving till the next elections will once again be subject to the microscope.

Women still fall prey to foreign drug syndicates

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 — They come from all corners of the world, plying their trade using various ploys and deception. But their trade is drugs, a business where the money is big and they are willing to resort to anything including student visit passes. Some arrive in the country posing as businessmen or tourists to camouflage their scams.

The foreigners, members of international drug rings, are on the move most of the time.

Malaysia's open sky policy as well as globalisation and latest technology made it easier for these drug syndicates to operate, making the country a “transit point”.

Based on the findings of the police's Narcotics Department, many of the foreigners involved in the drug trade came from South Africa, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, India and Iran.

The trend of these foreign syndicates is to get Malaysian women as “drug mules” or couriers.

To bait the women, the foreign men would be charming and good looking, and live in posh condominiums.

Most of the time, women would fall to these sweet-talking foreign men who made them false promises.

According to the authorities, West Africans made up a high number of these perpetrators who tricked local women into becoming their couriers or drug mules.

These women were usually swept off their feet by offers of money and a luxurious lifestyle including trips abroad. There was also the lure of sex.

Cases where Malaysian women were tricked into being drug mules have turned into a national issue for the country as some were caught by the authorities in South America and Europe.

Police Narcotics Department deputy director (Operations) Datuk Othman Harun said in 2007 alone, 127 Malaysian women were held by the authorities abroad for possession of drugs.

Due to this, the department set up a task force to deal with the issue. It worked with Interpol and police of other countries to track down members of the drug rings.

These measures by the Malaysian police had resulted in a drastic dip in the drug mule cases where only 54 Malaysian women were caught in foreign countries last year.

"For this year, as of May only eight (women) have been conned into being drug mules," Othman said recently.

Last year, the authorities arrested 34 foreigners — seven from Nigeria, Peru ( 11), South Africa (three), India (10), China, the Philippines and Bolivia (one each). The drug haul was heroin (4kg), cocaine (2kg) and ketamine (18kg).

From January to June this year, 17 foreigners were detained — two from Singapore, Nigeria (six), Iran (one), Pakistan (three), Thailand (two) and Indonesia (three). The drug haul was 786g of syabu and 14.64kg of heroin.

From June until August this year, authorities detained 10 foreigners for smuggling and trafficking drugs.

A Filipino woman was held on Aug 28 on the suspicion of being a drug mule.

Othman said close police surveillance had forced the foreign syndicates to switch their attention to women from neighbouring countries like the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei.

According to the Filipino authorities, 111 of women from the Philippines were arrested for drug offences in China, Hong Kong and Macau in 2008 compared to only 16 the year before.

Their modus operandi was the same, to ferry the drugs from South American countries like Peru, Argentina and Brazil into the country before using the women to ship the drugs to other countries.

Othman said cocaine from South America was not for local consumption as addicts in the country did not use this drug.

Hence when their cover was blown, these drug rings resorted to using the Filipino women as drug mules to ship the drugs out.

Apart from the Africans, the syndicates had also used men from other countries like India, Pakistan and Iran.

Othman said ketamine was the most common drug smuggled into Malaysia by nationals of India while Pakistanis were more inclined to carry heroine and syabu.

Iranians also smuggled syabu into Malaysia before the drug was moved to other countries particularly Japan.

The approach was the same, to win over Malaysian women before making them drug couriers. — Bermama