IPOH, Jan 24 — Forced into defense-mode, DAP leaders are again scrambling to allay fears among Chinese voters that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) endorses the Islamic state agenda.
DAP national vice-chairman M. Kulasegaran insisted today that the accusation was a “lie” used by Barisan Nasional (BN) and the MCA as a “killer weapon” against the opposition during elections.
In his speech at the launch of the “Year of the Rabbit-Change” campaign in Jelapang Market here today, the Ipoh Barat MP gave his assurance that implementing the Islamic state would never be PR’s policy.
“Islamic state is not and will not be the PR’s policy and agenda. DAP’s stand on the Islamic state is very clear,” he said.
He noted that during the previous Galas by-election in Kelantan, MCA had armed itself with the issue to score votes from the Chinese community.
BN trounced PAS in its Kelantan fortress during the Galas polls and the ruling coalition succeeded in increasing its Chinese votes by over 40 per cent from Elections 2008.
Taking a leaf from Galas, MCA kicked off its campaign in the ongoing Tenang polls by using the same Islamic state playbook against its opposition foes, warning the community that a vote for PAS’ candidate or for PR was a vote for Islamic state.
“There is no doubt that Islamic state issue will be the main issue MCA will want to exploit in the coming general election.
“But MCA’s campaign whether in the Tenang by election or coming general election that ‘A vote for Rocket is a vote for Islamic State’ or ‘ A vote for PR is a vote for Islamic State ‘ is not true and is a lie,” Kulasegaran said.
He added that DAP would hold strong to its belief that Malaysia should remain a secular democratic nation with Islam as its national religion.
“We will not compromise our stand and principle. PR has been formed to bring about political change and save Malaysia,” he said.
The Islamic state argument, he insisted, was a “non-issue”.
He urged voters to help the opposition spread PR’s message of “change” through their votes.
Today’s campaign, he said, was to register new voters and to help existing voters check their voting statuses.
Quoting statistics provided by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz last year, Kulasegaran said that there were 4,304,620 eligible voters in the country that were yet to be registered.
“Thus nearly 30 per cent qualified citizens have yet to sign up as voters.
“It is imperative that those who want to see and bring political change in the next general election must quickly sigh up as voters,” he said.
As a part of PR’s bid to protect the environment through minimising the use of plastic bags, he said those who registered during the campaign will be given free recycle bags.
Kumpulan itu berdemonstrasi dan menyerah memorandum membantah sidang Dun yang berlangsung bagi meminda perlembagaan negeri
SHAH ALAM: Kira-kira 200 ahli Gagasan Anti Penyelewengan Selangor (Gaps) dan Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) menunjuk perasaan hari ini membantah sidang Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor (Dun) yang sedang berlangsung.
Seawal 9.30 pagi kumpulan tersebut mula berhimpun dan berarak di Dataran Shah Alam bagi menyerahkan memorandum bagi membantah pindaan Undang-undang Tubuh Kerajaan Negeri Selangor 1959 kepada Kerajaan Negeri pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat.
Kumpulan tersebut berarak daripada Dataran menuju ke bangunan SUK sehingga mengakibatkan keadaan lalu lintas tergendala di hadapan bangunan itu.
Kumpulan itu dihalang pasukan Polis Simpanan Persekutuan daripada menuju ke pintu utama bangunan SUK.
Namun hanya lima wakil sahaja dibenarkan untuk menyerahkan memorandum itu yang diterima Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Sungai Burung, Shamsuddin Lias untuk diserahkan kepada Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim untuk dibawa ke dewan hari ini.
Mereka yang dibenarkan menyerahkan memorandum tersebut ialah Ketua Perkasa Selangor Abdullah Mansor, Pengerusi Gaps Hamizudin
Khairuddin, Ketua Pemuda Umno Selangor Ungku Salleh dan Ketua Umno Ampang, Ismail Kijo dan Ketua Umno Bahagian Shah Alam Ahmad Nawawi.
Ringkasan memorandum itu menyebut tentang pentadbiran Khalid yang lemah dan tidak mempunyai majoriti 2/3 untuk meminda perlembagaan negeri.
Malah tertera dalam memorandum itu bahawa pindaan tersebut sia-sia kerana bersifat ‘ultra vires’ (melampaui bidang kuasa) terhadap Perlembagaan Persekutuan mengenai kuasa Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam (SPA).
Persidangan Dun khas hari ini adalah untuk meminda perlembagaan negeri bagi mengembalikankuasa Sultan Selangor dan Menteri Besar untuk melantik Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri, Penasihat Kewangan Negeri dan Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri.
Keputusan untuk mengadakan sidang ini dibuat berikutan pertemuan Khalid dengan Sultan Selangor,Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah di Istana Mestika, Shah Alam, di mana baginda bertitah bahawabaginda tidak mempunyai kuasa untuk menerima ataupun menolak perlantikan yang dibuat oleh SPA.
PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel has been urged to give the government until Friday, a day before the Tenang by-eletion, to remove the controversial Interlok book from schools.
Otherwise, DAP Klang MP Charles Santiago said, the MIC president’s latest call would be interpreted as a ploy to fish for votes.
“When I spoke to some Indians in Tenang, they informed me that MIC told them that the book will be withdrawn from schools soon,” he added.
To prove his sincerity, Santiago said Palanivel should set the deadline. “If not, it will call MIC’s bluff and prove that Indian’s cannot take MIC’s words seriously,” he added.
Book runs foul of 1Malaysia
Asked on his views about Interlok, Santiago said that he had no issues with the novel as it was a literary work.
“However, we cannot use the novel as a textbook. Our students are not matured enough to think critically on it and they will just accept the contents as it is. In the end, the younger generation will just think all Malaysian Indians are ‘pariah’ (outcaste),” he said.
He added that the book itself was contrary to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s 1Malaysia concept, which aims to foster racial unity.
“The irony is that the book’s front cover has the 1Malaysia logo while the back cover states that the book promotes the aspiration,” he noted.
Yesterday, Palanivel called upon the government to withdraw the book, saying that it was not in line with Najib’s 1Malaysia.
Not only that it is insulting but proofs such a free hand that UMNO along with its toothless mandores in executing the executive duties through its agencies without a lift or flick of the eye based on what is conscious or what is the real history when the Melayus’ sat in their kampong fishing and farming, while their royalties wined and dined with colonist and sold their souls whereas the Indians toiled and ensured the bourgaise British and the royalties earned their luxury for monetary gains. Did you know that the sultanate was not ready to embark into independence in 1957 as they did not want to lose their privileges? Yes this is yet to unfold but in time it will be revealed.
Today, UMNO is doing the same shit as the colonist along with their mandores will play to the tune.
Let’s look at some of the comments in Interlok with my interlocutory observation
(a) Maniam seperti orang India yang lain, tidak pernah khuatir tentang keselamatan isterinya. (Page 218). (I don’t know the relevance of this, such an insult to Indian women)
(b) Mereka yang dari arah ke utara sedikit bercakap bahasa Malayalam atau Telugu, tetapi hampir semuanya tahu bahasa Tamil. Malayalam dan Telugu pun berasal dari satu rumpun bahasa Dravidia. Satu perkara besar yang membuatkan mereka senang berkaul adalah kerana mereka tergolong dalam satu kasta Paria. (page 211) (This guy is so messed up, he does not know the difference oif north or south India since the proto -Dravidian language has about 85 branches that is in the south including that is used by the Brahui community in Pakistan, Afgan & Iran. Yes the civilization of Indus Valley civilization.
(c) Mereka tidak perlu takut akan mengotori sesiapa kalau bersentuhan.(page 211). Derogatory when you don’t know the culture.
(d) Mereka berasak-asak seperti kambing. (page 211) Contradictory to the above
(e)Disini,pekerjaan yang membezakan kasta tidak ada. (page 216) Self serving to justify, the kerja to ensure the Melayu can continued to be spoon fed.
(f)Kuli-kuli Cina itulah yang lebih banyak mendapat kesempatan. Maniam mengakui bahawa mereka lebih pantas bekerja dan sedikit bicara. (page 218). Chinese are opportunist and that is a known fact. How is this reflected on the caste issue.
(g) Dia gembira hidup di negeri ini kerana untuk pertama kali dalam hidupnya dia berasa dirinya sebagai manusia seperti orang lain. (page 218). What manusia, go and look at the statistic of Indians who did well before the 80’s and how they are treated as 2nd class after that. UMNO propaganda with their toothless mandores.
(h) Disini dia tidak sahaja bebas bercampur gaul dengan orang lain sama sebangsanya, malah dia tidak takut dengan pantang larang yang terdapat di negaranya apabila seorang India daripada kasta rendah menyentuh orang India daripada kasta tinggi. (page 218 & 219). Are you talking about UMNO and their kuncu-kuncu ?
(j) Dia tidak sahaja dimaki hamun dengan kata-kata yang kesat, malah disisihkan daripada masyarakat sehingga dirinya dan orang-orang yang sekasta dengannya menjadi lebih hina daripada. (page 219). Are you talking about UMNO and their kuncu-kuncu?
(k) Di negeri ini, orang daripada keturunan kasta tinggi, kasta Brahma memakai punul yang melintang di tubuh, tetapi dia tidak takut menyentuh orang itu. (page 219) Are you talking about UMNO and their kuncu-kuncu?
(L) Dia boleh membeli barang daripada penjaja dengan memberikan wang dari tangan ke tangan; tidak seperti seperti di negaranya, dia mesti meletakkan wang itu di suatu tempat dan penjaja itu akan menyiram wang itu dengan air sebelum diambil dan dimasukkan ke dalam petinya.(page 219) ) Are you talking about UMNO and their kuncu-kuncu? I wonder why we have gloved half passed six doctors within the Muslim community.
(m) Apatah pula lembu ialah binatang suci bagi orang Hindu; dan kalau binatang itu mati, seperti ibunya sendiri yang mati. (page 220). So what is so wrong with it? Yes, the cow is the the ultimate source of life, yet the Muslims will slaughter it.
(n) Tidak makan tengah hari tidak mendatangkan masalah, asalkan dia dapat mengunyah sirihnya seperti lembu atau kambing memamah biak. (page 224). Aah!!!! Sarcasm? Did you know sirih is actually an aphrodisiac? This day they call it Paan in Amrica and it is a booming business.
(o) Dia gertak sahaja, orang kulit hitam ini tentu takut kecut. (page 253). I like the part of orang hitam that speaks well how Malay literature has progressed.
(p) Suppiah menerpa ke hadapan dan sujud di kaki orang putih Lantas, dia menendang Suppiah. Suppiah terjungkir. (page 256) & Dia berasa bangga kerana anjing orang putih itu jinak dengannya. (Page 276). Thank you at least with orang Putih we knew what and how to deal with, but farcical Malay laurerate like who will sell your soul to ensure to maintain the UMNO hegemony is a bigger snake.
I must thank the ungrateful PAKATAN with their silence on this issue who like UMNO have learned to play to the tune as they are only interested on the vote count as for them Malaysian Indians is the ball to be kicked around as and when it is pleasing to maintain their own status quo not one that is based on humanity.
Either way since the Malaysian Indians are going to be kicked around, then with UMNO and now with PAKATAN, why don’t they just unite and stand steadfast under HINDRAF as they seem to be the only one who have not swayed from their agenda nor their goal to ensure humanity prevails.
Khusrin’s appointment as state secretary is at the centre of the current row. — File pic
ANALYSIS, Jan 24 — Although the Selangor Sultan will likely be at the centre of debate in today’s emergency sitting, he will neither gain nor lose the power of appointing top state officials whatever the outcome of the proposed constitutional amendments. Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) both insist they are on the monarch’s side, but the assembly will only decide if the federally-controlled Public Service Commission (PSC) continues to be the appropriate body to appoint top state officials or PR gets what it wants — the mentri besar having the final say.
With PR only able to muster 35 assemblymen, short of the two-thirds of the 56-seat assembly required to amend the constitution, it is likely that the status quo will remain.
All that’s left to be decided is who will score more political points from apparently backing the Sultan. Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has claimed that the amendments will empower the state Ruler.
But BN, which controls federal government, has accused the PR state government of treason by “trying to share power with the Sultan,” as Selangor Umno deputy chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar put it.
Selangor proposes to return Article 52(1), that pertains to the appointment of the state secretary, legal adviser and financial officer, to what it was before the 1993 amendments that were effected by BN.
This will mean that the Sultan will consider the advice of the mentri besar before the appointment.
Currently, Article 52(1) gives the Sultan no legal role in the appointment process but BN has continued to ask for his consent as was the case with Datuk Mohamed Khusrin Munawi whose appointment by the PSC as state secretary is the cause of the current row.
The 1993 amendments further added Article 55(1A) which mandates that the Sultan “is to act in accordance” with the state government’s advice.
PR’s amendment draft, however, makes no mention of any clause besides Article 52(1).
But PR insists that the Sultan acting on advice is better than the situation now where the Ruler is not involved.
“Umno’s 1993 amendments took away all the power of appointment from the Sultan. So whatever we are doing cannot make things any worse for the Sultan after what they already did,” argued Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
State executive councillor Iskandar Abdul Samad told The Malaysian Insider that now, getting the consent of the Sultan was only “a courtesy, not a clear constitutional power.”
The state PAS deputy commissioner also said that allowing both the Sultan as well as the mentri besar a role in appointments would help whoever will be in power in the future to govern the state.
Faekah Husin, political secretary to MB Khalid, said that the mentri besar will only have “advisory powers” and the power to appoint would be “shared”.
She also told The Malaysian Insider that the Sultan’s powers have never been absolute.
Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah with Khalid after Khusrin had taken his oath of the loyalty before the Ruler in Shah Alam on January 6, 2011. — File pic
“The Sultan has never rejected the advice of the mentri besar. This has always been the case,” she said. But Umno insists their way is better.
“The state government is trying to amend the Selangor constitution to give absolute power to the mentri besar with the excuse that it wants to return power to the Sultan,” said state Opposition Leader Datuk Satim Diman in an interview with Utusan Malaysia.
He added that the Khusrin issue was not about the Sultan’s power being eroded as he had already given his consent.
“We also want to ask, exactly what kind of power do they want to give the Sultan?” he said.
Selangor Umno information chief Abdul Shukor Idrus also said that the current arrangement was good and PR’s amendments would make no difference except that the Sultan would need to obtain the advice of the MB.
But there is indeed a difference between giving the MB or the PSC the power of appointment and each coalition has its obvious preference.
Lawyers and former judges have also weighed in on the issue and yesterday’s rally to support the Selangor government’s contention will weigh heavily on the debate in the state assembly.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will get a first hand look at problems faced by marginalised and minority communities in the country when he is handed a 14-point resolution detailing their grievances.
The inaugural national human rights conference on the “Future of the Marginalised and Minority Communities” here, ended with a loose strategy to correct the imbalances felt by these groups.
Leaders from Sabah and Sarawak, the Orang Asli as well as Hindraf and representatives of the disabled registered their disappointment with the treatment meted out to them by the government.
Among the 14 points are that the government must fully adopt and implement pledges made to Sabah and Sarawak in 1963 including on the safeguards of sovereignty and security of the two states.
Also included is a call to establish fairer power sharing among natives in Sabah and Sarawak.
The other resolutions are:
1) Local councils must establish disabled committees to look into disabled persons’ needs;
2) Adoption of Hindraf’s 18-point memorandum that has already been submitted;
3)Ratification and full implementation of all international charters on natives;
1. Recognition of the Orang Asli as the original inhabitants of Malaya, their right to the land as well as inclusion of their history in school textbooks;
4) Monthly aid of RM500 to deserving disabled persons.
Helen Ang of the Centre for Policy Initiatives who moderated the adoption of resolutions, told the conference that the resolutions would be tidied up as a joint memorandum and handed over to Najib next month.
Ancestral land taken away
Earlier an Orang Asli of the Jahut communtiy from Temerloh, Yusri Ahon, in presenting his paper “Orang Asli’s Land Problem and Their Future” outlined how the current government systematically reduced Orang Asli rights over large tracts of what they considered their customary lands.
“We used to roam our ancestral forests for food but now our people have been forced to accept two to six acres of land per household. We are not allowed to roam “tanah rayau” freely.
“The government also bans us from owning land beyond our existing land which has already been reduced as they normally just give three acres. Our ancestral lands have been taken, our burial grounds desecrated by loggers and developers linked to Umno,” he claimed.
A representative of a training centre for disabled persons, in his paper entitled “The Violations of the rights of the physically challenged in Malaysia” accused the authorities of half-hearted efforts to provide facilities for the disabled.
“We just want to live like others. We want to go to school, have jobs and not be used by politicians who give some of us token gifts during festivals like during Hari Raya.
“Many disabled actually commit suicide because they cannot live a decent life as they cannot afford their recurrent medical bills,” said Francis Siva.
Respect rights
Mark Bujang, executive director of Borneo Resources Institute, told the conference that besides being sidelined from development and political power, the indigenous people of Sarawak want the government to respect their rights to the land.
He said logging in Iban customary lands must stop along with the coerced conversion of the Dayaks to Islam.
Bujang also said the excessive force by police and use of gangsters by logging companies to intimidate the Dayaks who opposed logging on their lands was scandalous.
The one-day conference held at Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall was co-organised by CigMa, Hindraf, Borneo Resources Institute, Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU), Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) and the Human Rights Foundation, London.
At the rally on Sunday, 23rd January 2011, I spoke about the need for the State Government to determine the appointment of the State Secretary and how the State Secretary played a role in the sabotaging of the Pakatan Rakyat Perak State Government. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin
DO NOT DOWNLOAD THE FILE. To play the recording, go to the link above and click the play button (RIGHT ARROW BUTTON) on the player icon (see sample below).
(Bernama) - The special sitting of the Selangor Legislative Assembly today is attracting attention for two reasons.
Will the Pakatan Rakyat-led state assembly succeed in amending the state constitution?
And will Badrul Hisham Abdullah, who was elected Port Klang assemblyman in 2008 but sacked by Speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim for failing to attend assembly sittings for six months without a valid reason, succeed in his self-proclaimed determination to attend the assembly?
Currently, Pakatan has 35 seats while Barisan takes up 21 seats in the state assembly. Thirty-six votes are needed to pass the amendments.
Teng had declared the Port Klang seat vacant as of Jan 16 and had notified the Election Commission (EC) of the vacancy on Friday.
Badrul Hisham, who won the seat as a PKR candidate, became a Barisan Nasional-friendly independent in 2009 after a fallout with PKR and joined Umno last year.
Legal practitioner Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun said that though Teng had the authority to declare the seat vacant, this had to be verified by the EC.
"As such, prohibiting Badrul Hisham from attending the sitting will be improper. This is seen as wanting to reduce the number of assemblymen present. The prohibition indicates the speaker has a hidden agenda," he said when asked to comment on the matter.
The Selangor government is convening the special sitting to amend the state constitution to restore to the Sultan and the state the authority to appoint the state’s three top civil servants - the state secretary, the state legal adviser and the state financial officer.
This comes about after it disputed the appointment of Datuk Mohamed Khusrin Munawi as the state secretary, effective Jan 1, by the Public Service Commission on the ground that the Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim was allegedly not consulted.
The commission has explained that it had the constitutional right to appoint the state secretary but, out of courtesy, had consulted the Selangor Sultan.
However, the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government banned Khusrin from attending any state meeting and has called for Monday’s sitting to amend the state constitution.
It has yet to be seen if the amendments will be passed as Pakatan is short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass the amendment.
Meanwhile, Badrul Hisham intends to challenge the Speaker’s ruling in court on today.
(Harakah Daily): Serangan peribadi Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek terhadap calon PAS, Normala Sudirman kononnya 'kalau dia bersalam pun dengan memakai sarung tangan' adalah sesuatu yang tidak boleh diterima. (Gambar atas: Queen Elizabeth bersalam dengan Perdana Menteri India Manmohan Singh dalam keadaan bersarung tangan.)
Bahkan ia dianggap merendah-rendahkan pengetahuan dan budaya orang Cina sendiri seolah-olah mereka bodoh untuk menerima pandangan bekas menteri kesihatan itu.
Ini kerana bersalam dengan memakai sarung tangan bukannya merendahkan martabat mana-mana pihak dan tidak ada kesalahanpun dari segi moralnya.
Bagi kebanyakan pihak, kenyataan Chua ini sesuatu yang sangat naif dan menyerang pribadi pihak lain ketika moral beliau sendiri sangat dipertikaikan sehingga terpaksa melepaskan jawatannya sebagai Menteri Kesihatan sebelum ini.
"Baginda Queen Elizabeth, Ratu England juga memakai sarung tangan ketika bersalam dengan mana-mana pihak hatta pemimpin negara lain.
"Adakah Chua Soi Lek mahu berkata, Queen Elizabeth mahu menghina Perdana Menteri India, Manmohan Singh ketika bersalam dengan beliau dalam keadaan memakai sarung tangan," kata seorang pemerhati politik.
Bagi keluarga diraja British, tidak memakai sarung tangan ketika bersalam dengan pihak lain adalah satu yang tidak beradab.
Bagi Islam pula, bersalam dengan lelaki atau perempuan yang boleh dinikahi (bukan muhrim) adalah satu kesalahan (dosa).
Normala Sudirman pula menyifatkan Umno telah gagal membantu MCA memahami konsep Islam yang sebenar sehingga menyebabkan parti komponen BN itu tidak dapat menghormati nilai dan tertib orang Islam khususnya kaum wanita.
Merujuk kepada isu tidak bersalam yang ditimbulkan Presiden MCA Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, Normala meminta MCA memahami adat dan tatatertib orang Islam terutamanya wanita Islam sebelum mengeluarkan sebarang kenyataan yang boleh menimbulkan kontroversi.
Menurut Normala, 38, sepatutnya setelah 53 tahun merdeka MCA yang dipimpin Dr Chua sudah memahami tertib seorang wanita Islam.
"Saya secara peribadi berpendapat bahawa sudah tiba masa pihak lawan (BN) matang setelah 53 tahun kita merdeka... apa yang paling penting adalah dasar-dasar atau komitmen perkhidmatan yang mahu dibawa kepada rakyat khususnya pengundi di Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Tenang.
"Bukan menyentuh isu peribadi atau serangan peribadi yang saya kira ia satu perkara yang sangat jauh daripada apa yang kita fokus.
"Saya kira perkara yang paling penting adalah setelah 53 tahun merdeka, MCA sepatutnya sudah lama memahami konsep sebagai individu Muslim yang perlu kerana mereka berkawan dengan komponen BN iaitu Umno," kata beliau dalam temu bual ekslusif bersama The Malaysian Insider hari ini.
Exco Dewan Muslimat PAS pusat ini berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas tindakan Dr Chua mengenai Islam apabila secara sindiran membuat perbandingan cara Normala bersalaman dengan Presiden Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Datuk Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail semasa berkempen di Tenang.
"Dia tidak akan datang ke sini (tokong Cina), (dan) dia langsung tidak bersalam dengan orang. Saya sudah terima aduan mengenai hal ini.
"Dia seperti isteri Anwar Ibrahim. Dia memakai sarung tangan ketika bersalam. Jika anda boleh menerima cara Islam sebegini, pergilah undi PAS," kata Chua.
I refer to a report by Washington financial watchdog Global Financial Integrity which found that Malaysia lost US$291 billion or RM889 billion through illicit outflows between 2000-2008.
The report written by GFI economists Karly Curcio and Dev Kar, who is a former senior economist at the International Monetary Fund is deserving of attention from everyone in the country – the Prime Minister to the lowest of our citizenry.
This finding of massive illicit capital outflow for Malaysia is the strongest confirmation of sustained capital flight from the country during the past decade, even if one wants to dispute the definition of “illicit” used. What is especially worrying is that the outflow has tripled in the short period of eight years from 2000-2008
There can be no dispute that a major part of this outflow is due to financial gains accumulated through corruption, kickbacks and other illegal means. How much is due to various causes can be disputed and can only be determined by a thorough investigation such as through the establishment of a Royal Commission to determine the extent and the reasons for the outflow. Without an independent panel or Commission looking into this and having access to banking and other financial data, there will be no end to finger pointing and needless speculation as to who are the parties implicated in these outflows.
No country can afford the outflow that Malaysia is experiencing. It will bankrupt the country, impoverish the general population and lead to social and political instability and chaos.
Should the Government choose to maintain silence on this issue or attempt to spin it in other ways, then it will be a monumental error which will come back to haunt it forever through accelerating the decline – and ultimate downfall – of the country.
KUALA LUMPUR: Religious leaders have called for guidelines to be drawn up to avoid misunderstandings between Muslims and non-Muslims over the azan issue.
This include suggestions for several factors to be considered, such as the volume of the azan, and dialogues on the subject for better understanding.
Kelantan mufti Datuk Mohd Shukri Mohamad said the guidelines could include how loud the azan should be, depending on the location and proximity of the various mosques.
"The guidelines can serve as a reference for the non-Muslims so they are more aware of the religion.
"Non-Muslims should also understand and be aware of the significance and benefits of azan to their daily life.
"For example, there is a non-Muslim who claimed that he could tell the time without looking at his watch by just listening to the azan. This shows the azan is useful."
Shukri said the population of the housing area should also be taken into consideration, whether the majority of the residents were Muslims or non-Muslims.
He said since religious matters came under the jurisdiction of the states, it would be the responsibility of the state's religious departments to create awareness of religious practices such as the azan.
"Most misunderstandings stem from ignorance. There is a need to explain why certain practices are being observed.
"Usually, when the explanation is done in an informative manner, people will understand better and be more tolerant."
In December last year, lawyer Ng Kiam Nam submitted a complaint to the prime minister's office, which requested that the volume of the azan at the Al-Khadijah mosque in Kg Kerinchi, Pantai Dalam, be lowered.
The letter was also forwarded to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) and Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais).
Earlier this month, some 100 people protested to express their displeasure over the letter.
Last Monday, Ng tendered a public apology at the Lembah Pantai Umno division office, admitting his lack of knowledge on the religion.
Religious expert Datuk Abu Hassan Din Al-Hafiz said the azan was an integral part of the Muslim faith.
He said it would be the first thing to be recited into the ears of a newborn, in a new home, and it was a call that would echo in mosques, religious schools and on the streets in Muslim communities five times a day,
"The azan has great significance. It is often delivered by the muezzin (the chosen person at a mosque who leads the call to prayer) at a high or prominent place in as loud a voice as possible.
"The muezzin will stand facing the Holy Kaabah and raise both of his hands to his ears while reciting the azan.
"Historically, the azan had to be loud so that it could be heard by everyone in certain areas as there were no loudspeakers back then."
Abu Hassan stressed the volume of the azan could not be lowered as the louder it was, the better it was to encourage people to congregate at the mosque for their prayers.
"However, other recitals such as the kuliyyah (talks) before prayers can be done within the mosque and do not need to be broadcast loudly," he said.
Perak mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria also said the azan was recited loudly for a reason -- so that all could hear.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said there was no need for guidelines on the azan.
"The practice was never a problem before. The practice is understood by all. The issue has been blown out of proportion by certain quarters."
KEPALA BATAS, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- About 100 members of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) from the Tasek Gelugor division quit the party due to loss of confidence in the party's ability to look after their welfare.
Their spokesman, S. Thevandass said the party had failed to fulfil its election promises to the Indian community, who were workers of the Mayfield Plantation near here.
The group, which also comprised of PKR Youth and Wanita members, left the party on their own accord and without coercion from any quarters, he told reporters after handing over their application forms to join a Barisan Nasional component party to Umno Tasek Gelugor division committee member Dr Mohd Rozi Yusuf here Sunday.
The forms will be handed over to Penang Barisan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
The vandas, who was former PKR Ladang Mayfield Committee member, said as the PKR was saddled with internal problems, it could not take care of the plight of estate workers.
"Instead we've got most of the assistance from the BN," he added.
Pilihanraya ialah urusan parti bukan urusan kerajaan. Maka sebarang bentuk penggunaan dana kerajaan (baca: wang rakyat) adalah salah dan satu bentuk pecah amanah.
Pada pagi hari penamaan calon dua buah helikopter telah mendarat di padang SMK Kamarul Arifin berhampiran pekan Labis. Helikopter tersebut tertera logo TUDM dan Bendera Malaysia, kelihatan ramai juga yang memakai seragam TUDM di kawasan tersebut.
Menurut orang kampung yang berkumpul di luar pagar sekolah mengambil kesempatan melihat helikopter mewah tersebut mengatakan yang ada orang turun helikopter tersebut terus naik konvoi kereta - kereta besar siap dengan iringan polis.
Berapa puluh ribu atau ratus ribu habis bayar kos helikopter, kakitangan, konvoi besar hanya untuk pastikan Pak Menteri hadir penamaan calon di pekan Labis.
Ketika sama budak - budak Umno bangga dapat RM10-RM30 satu malam upah buat bising usung bendera Bn.
Dalam satu perkembangan lain selepas penamaan calon terus ke kawasan sekitar Pekan Ayer Panas dan Kg Tenang untuk temui dan bersembang dengan pengundi-pengundi muda. Jumpa seorang pakcik yang melontar kata-kata yang harus difikir dalam dalam.
Pak cik itu sambut dengan kata-kata "masuk je salam semua orang dalam kedai ni, baik Umno ke Pas ke Adil ke....kita semua orang Melayu.....Melayu tak makan orang lain le bangsa kat Afrika yang ada makan orang tu..."
che'GuBard terus salam, peluk dan duduk sebelah pakcik tu untuk sembang. Katanya "Pak cik ni dulu undi Bn tapi sekarang tak tentu lagi....lepas tengok hancur bangsa kita ni pecah belah oleh kerana tamak nak kekal kuasa..."
"Umno ajak Melayu bersatu tapi dia yang pecahkan Melayu"
Antara contoh katanya "Kau tengok masa Chua Jui Meng datang Pekan Ayer Panas kawasan cina ada Mca datang hantar orang bising-bising dan ganggu ceramah ?"
"Tapi masa Nuar Berahim datang Kg. Tenang dekat beratus budak muda Umno upah naik motorsikal buat bising.... Kau faham apa aku cakap...." jelasnya.
"tapi masalahnya Umno yang atas tu oklah bayar sebab nak kekal kuasa tapi yang bawah ni bebal sangat kenapa ? " katanya dengan nada keras dan kuat.
Dalam kedai tu ramai juga orang pakai baju Bn termasuk budak muda semua tunduk.
Sah pakcik ni otai kampung ni yang ramai segan. Lepas tu SAMM terus bawa anak-anak muda sekitar mandi jeram dan sembang-sembang.... banyak juga masalah yang mereka luahkan.
Lepas mandi, lepas Asar kami sama buat BBQ dan sembang petang anak muda ramai datang dan maaf makanan habis dan tak cukup.
gambar-gambar boleh tengok di http://edyesdotcom.blogspot.com dan http://solidaritianakmuda.blogspot.com/
As Tamils world over mark one-year of Indian abetted genocidal war against Eezham Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka, the Hindi film industry known as Bollywood and the major Indian conglomerate of trade unions, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) are joining hands with Rajapaksa regime in Colombo in staging 11th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards weekend during the first week of June in Colombo. The FICCI, the largest and oldest business conglomerate of India is the flagship organiser of the business event named FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum, where hundreds of CEOs and business heads from India would be signing various investment contracts and tie-ups in the island on the second day of the celebrity and corporate event.
Sri Lanka is to spend USD 9 million for the Awards ceremony and associated events. Colombo expects a return of investment of USD 126 million, said a report filed by Eye TV India Bureau.
The IIFA Awards is a showbiz move, which is watched by 600 million TV viewers in 110 nations, according to organizers.
While big businesses involving States and multinational corporations (MNCs) are discussed at high-level meetings without much publicity, businesses involving the middle class and tourism industry depend on showbiz.
The FICCI, known for its lobby strength and expert consulting, has found the so-called post-conflict Sri Lanka an attractive country to promote Indian businesses.
The Indian move has sparked protests from Tamils in Tamil Nadu, Mumbai and the diaspora.
The decision to announce Colombo as the venue for IIFA-Weekend was influenced through FICCI and Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., the company behind the showbiz, at top level, according to informed sources.
Members of the IIFA Advisory Board have declared Toronto as the venue in 2011 already in December 2009, but delayed to reveal the venue for IIFA 2010 till April 2010. Abu Dhabi and Seoul had been earlier mentioned as venues competing to conduct the mega event.
Salman Khan, a prominent Hindi actor, who was invited to be the brand ambassador of the IIFA Charity Initiative, made the announcement of the venue by saying that he was to build 100 houses in Jaffna for Tamil refugees with his ‘Being Human’ foundation and was named as ambassador of change. Hand for Habitat and UNICEF were also mentioned as cooperating humanitarian agencies during the announcement.
Another ‘interesting’ feature announced is the IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match, to be held between Indian celebrities and ‘Sri Lankan’ cricketers. The cricket match, to be held on June 4, has been profiled as ‘cricket for change’ to collect funds to rehabilitate former child soldiers. The duo turned foes of Bollywood, Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, are to play together in the cricket match.
The IIFA showbiz event, started 10 years ago targeting Indians living abroad, has emerged as a strategic tool to promote Indian businesses abroad. It is also viewed as a mega event of ‘Bollywood’, a term popularly used for Hindi-language film industry and incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema.
According to its website, FICCI, which describes itself as a non-government, not-for-profit organisation, FICCI claims it is working closely with the Indian government on policy issues.
FICCI form partnerships with countries across the world in the initiatives in “inclusive development, which encompass health, education, livelihood, governance, skill development,” says the conglomerate of the chambers of commerce of Corporate India, adding that it functions as “the first port of call for Indian industry and the international business community.”
Following the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and Sri Lanka, fully implemented in March 2008, FICCI reported in May 2008, that the FTA had already quadrupled trade to 2.7 billion dollars between the two countries in the period during 2000-08. FTAs are agreements between countries under which they accord bilateral preferential treatment in the areas of imports, exports and investments.
A cartoon that appeared in Sri Lankan press
The Indian Establishment, locked in a corporate race with China, has been pushing Colombo to finalise the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which it wants signed when Mahinda Rajapaksa visits India on June 8, scheduled after the IIFA-Weekend.
FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum is a “dynamic global platform providing the industry with an opportunity to deliberate on a diverse range of business, bilateral economic and political issues,” according to IIFA website.
The FICCI has direct membership from the private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 83,000 companies from regional chambers of commerce.
Sri Lanka is today India’s largest trading partner in SAARC.
During the peace talks between Colombo and the Tigers, Indian Oil (IOC), the largest commercial enterprise of India, took over China Bay Tank farm of World War II vintage in Trincomalee. “The tank-farm connects to the Trincomalee harbour, which is the 5th largest all-weather, non-tidal natural harbour in the world, with a 56 km shoreline, making this tank farm most effective for fuel receipt, storage and supply,” according to Lanka IOC (LIOC), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the IOC, which is a Fortune 500 Company. The LIOC, established in 2003, is today the only private oil company other than the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) that operates retail petrol / diesel stations in the island.
Proposed Champoor powerplant
National Thermal Power Company (NTPC) of the Indian State and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) of the Sri Lankan State, in 2006, signed agreements to explore a coal-fired power plant project in Trincomalee and the project became ‘feasible’ after evicting Tamils from their traditional village of Champoor in Trincomalee after capturing Champoor from the LTTE and engineering the exodus of more than 30,000 Tamils from the region.
Today, a vast area remains sealed and fenced off from the access of uprooted Tamil civilians who are forced live in schools under military subjugation and deteriorating conditions like the civilians of Vanni.
A Sri Lanka Army officer, who went on a campaign in January, was confronted by an old Tamil grandfather, who asked: “Would you buy me and my family a house for resettlement from the country to which you sold my land?” No-one of the young generation could dare to pose a such question as the result would be inquiry, detention and possible disappearance. Such is the Tamil subjugation, caused by the greed of Corporate Colonialism, felt in the East.
In the North, two Indian companies have got contracts to re-build the railway line from Omanthai to Kankesanturai (KKS).
Sri Lankan defence ministry in April reported that renovation work has commenced to revive the KKS Cement Factory. “Preliminary steps have been completed under the directive of the pioneer of the Uthuru Vasanthaya program on the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa,” the report said.
“Six Indian firms, six Chinese firms and four top local players among about 32 firms applied to the Treasury about five months ago, but with the elections underway, the review process has got delayed,” Sunday Times had reported in March.
Ramco India, the Birla Group India, Shanghi Cement India and Cement Italia were the known companies competing for contracts of the KKS Cement Factory. One of the Indian companies has been provided the contract, according to latest reports.
Larson & Toubro, a multinational conglomerate company known as L&T headquartered in Mumbai, Omaxe Ltd, a civil construction and contracting company and Puravankara Projects Ltd, a leading real estate developer in India, have been seeking projects in the island, including North & East.
It is under this circumstances, the Hindi film industry is being blamed for promoting Indian corporate interests in Colombo.
On April 20, popular Indian star Amitabh Bachchan visited Colombo as Brand Ambassador of IIFA to organise the event, during which a twenty / 20 cricket match between Bollywood stars and Sri Lankan film and cricketing stars is also being planned. The megastar, also known as Big B, paid a courtesy call on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, during his visit.
Tamil film industry in Tamil Nadu is seriously considering non-cooperation with the Bollywood film industry, said activists in Chennai, urging Tamils in the diaspora to exert pressure on Bollywood market overseas.
EelamCinema is a web-based project initiated by artists who aim to launch a bilingual database and news services related to Eezham Cinema
Meanwhile, Tamil diaspora filmmakers engaged in organising a web portal for Eezham Tamil artists from film industry (EelamCinema) on Thursday said they had mobilised 29 Eezham Tamil diaspora film producers and organisations in Europe and Canada to express solidarity with three Tamil film industry bodies in Tamil Nadu, the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) headed by V.C. Kuganathan, South India Film Actors Association, led by Sarathkumar and Radha Ravi, and Tamil Film Producers' Association headed by Ramanarayanan. A Tamil lyricist Tamarai played a crucial role in mobilising the associations of Tamil film industry.
Country Councils of Eezham Tamils in Norway and Switzerland, both elected by popular vote, and Canadian Tamil Congress have already condemned the Indian move as Tamils world over observe May Remembrance one-year anniversary of thousands killed during the last stages of war in Vanni last year.
From Tamil Nadu, Mr. Thirumurugan of May 17 Movement urged the Tamil Diaspora, particularly those living in the UK where Bollywood films have a commercial value, to act before it is too late. “Convincing the fellow humanity of the multi-cultural South Asian community in UK to send a bold message to the IIFA organizers in Mumbai,” was equally important to that of the pressure being exerted from Tamil Nadu he said.
Tamil activists in Tamil Nadu, including Vaiko, Nedumaran and Seeman, have been vocal in their protests against the Bollywood event.
On May 08, Save Tamils, an activist group of Tamil IT professionals held a protest in front of Chennai Memorial Hall against the Bollywood move. Tamil lyricist Tamarai, Directors Gowtham, Ram, Vetrimaaran, Thileepan Movement Thiyagu, Viduthalai Rajendran and Professor Arivarasan took part in the protest.
Naam Tamilar movement has staged a fasting campaign and marched from Big B’s ‘Pratiksha’ bungalow to his ‘Jalsa’ residence in Mumbai on May 11, protesting against the decision to hold the IIFA Awards Festival in Colombo. Naam Thamilar protestors said the move by Hindi cinema world would be seen as giving legitimacy to Rajapaksa regime, which is responsible for Tamil genocide and war crimes in the island.
Popular stars in the Tamil film industry, Rajnikanth, Kamal Hassan, Vijay, Ajith and Surya, have reportedly declined to take part in the IIFA.
Mani Ratnam, a popular Tamil film director and film-maker, has also announced that his ‘Raavan’, starring Abhishek Bachchan and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai, will not be screened at the IIFA awards, citing that the film was not complete. The film is a loose adaptation of the Hindu epic Ramayana, which portrays Ravana, the Tamil king of ancient Lanka, as the abductor of the wife of Lord Rama, who was based in North India.
They are not doing this with East- timor delegates but it is just piece of low class mentality that they want to show other. This country will appear as Pakistan , Sudan and Somalia one day.
Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has claimed that the amendments will empower the state Ruler.
