Friday 7 December 2012
20 years after Babri demolition. Hindus are uniting to build both Ramajanmabhoomi Temple and Hindu Rashtra very soon.
How much we have to wait for a Ramjanmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya and a Hindu Rashtra in Bharat?
~ Upananda Brahmachari.
On December 6th of 1992 in Ayodhya , by demolishing the ”ILLEGAL” and “DISPUTED” Babri Structure , We Karsewak’s have reclaimed our rightful Holy place, Sri Ram Janma Bhoomi, Lord Rama’s Holy Birth Place. Since then 6th December is celebrated as ‘Vijay’/'Shourya’ Diwas – ‘Victory Day’ or ‘Valour Day’ by Hindu’s all over the Globe. But after 20 years that VIJAY is still incomplete and it may termed as an ‘Ardha Vijay Diwas’ as it is a Victory in a half done condition.Hindus won a big litigation in the Mandir-Masjid land dispute, but the controversy is still being kept alive by some followers of Babar who destroyed a magnificent Rama Temple by his commander Mir Banki in 1528 to make that disputed structure to humiliate the Hindus in many ways. Through a series of war over 450 years the followers of Lord Rama clearly knocked down the followers of Babar in 1992. But, the pseudo secular politicians with Islamic, Christian and Communist faith are putting many hurdles to build a magnificent Ram Temple at Ayodhya. Not only that, many holy places of Hindu Faith are waiting for the liberation from the plunderers’ Jihadi signs amidst its bloody history of Bharat in Islamic or Christian rules.
The crisis in the Hindu leadership and treating the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Movement as an used or less important issue, did a great harm to the resurgence of Hindu Rashtra Movement in India. Actually, Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Movement was activated as to rise a Hindu Wave to build up a meaningful management of a Hindu Rashtra in Bharat with Hindu Empowerment in all dimension. But that ethos are now somehow skipped by the political power monger Hindu Leadership always searching a short-cut to reach the goal.
I am not contradicting the Political power to be captured by the Hindus. But that cannot be first priority before making the foundation work so strength-fully. Horses should pull the chariot. Chariot cannot pull the horses. If we don’t possess that strong foundation or well trained horses to that Hindu Chariot, never can we reach that goal of Hindu Rashtra or Ram Janmabhoomi Temple at Ayodhya as a highest symbol of it.
So, the Hindu empowerment in all the social and economical faculty, Hindu empowerment in Judiciary and Administration, Hindu empowerment in Police and Military, Hindu Exploration in Science and Technology are needed as the horse-power to the Hindu Chariot leading to the goal of Hindu Rashtra. But, politics need a Hindu enforcement here instead of empowerment, so that the Indian Politics cannot be a subject of any Jihadi, Evangelical or Communist powers likely venture a stabbing on Indian Independence, Integrity and Sovereignty.
If we wish to see our Holy places and signs of pride rebuilt once again to the glory as it were, we have to sacrifice more. With out spontaneous support from every sphere of Hindu Life such a big Hindutva movement cannot be helpful to reclaim our Holy places or one and only Hindu Rashtra in Bharat for a billion of Hindus in the world. With the spirit of December 6 1992 , let us march together for re-establishing of a Hindu Rashtra in Bharat to become a Vishwa Guru and a Real World Power.
In this context I have three suggestions to make our movement successful.
One. Real Unity in Hindu Leadership. Hindus are divided as the Hindu Leadership is divided. If there is a real unity in Hindu Leadership, Hindus will be united in a moment. Respect to others and political dissolutions are the important factors here.
Two. Issue based joint strategy. Many issues before the Hindus put Hindus in an issue-less confronting situation. Common and Commanding issues can put forth maximum Hindu success. Go-Ganga Raksha. Hindu’s highest sentiment over Go-hatya (Cow-slaughter) and Ganga Raksha to save the environment as habitable, must come to the priority. Dharmasthan Raksha. Reclaiming Rama Janmabhoomi. Mathura Krishna Janmasthan and Kashi Vishwanath Jirnoddhar comes most important, but 100s of Bhagya Lakshmi Temples at Charminar or Bhojpal Temples are shrines are to be liberated through consistent movements. As the whole of Bharat is treated as Matru Bhoomi and Dharma Bhoomi, it should be liberated from anti Hindu force. Nari Raksha-Samaj Raksha. War front must be opened to fight against Love Jihad and Christian Conversion. With these issues Bharat must speak in a word, think in a way and win over the opponents of Hindutva.
Three: Local leadership for Hindu empowerment. Just make a group of Ten to Fifteen boys (your friends) in your para (locality) and take a vow not to face any defeat from the opposition. Be Strategic. Powerful and then Successful. Self Defence and Arms Training is must. Keep keen vigil to stop Jihadi Terrorism. Take the help of RTI and HR in possible cases. Try to maintain a liaison with local PS. Gradually expand your group and set specific responsibilities in some smaller efficient groups. IT/Social Media Groups, Legal Cell, RTI Cell, Human Rights Cell, Fund Rising, Co-operatives, Hindu Help Line, all these will come up one after another, but all these should be saturated by the Pure Hindutva Concept. Without a dedicated, diligent and desperate Local Hindu Leadership, nothing can be achieved.
This is a matter of strength out of profound Hindu faith. We have to show the world about the power of Hindu Dharma. Hindu Dharma will defeat the Jihadi Terrorism, Christian Conversions and pseudo Secular Politics. Let everybody inform to join the Hindutva movements and find the solutions how to stop attacks on Hindu Dharma and how to win in the war for formation of Hindu Rashtra.
2o years have already gone after hearing the assurance one after another. But now, we cannot wait for an indefinite time to establish a Ramajanmabhoomi Temple at Ayodhya. I think Hindu Groups in many fronts are getting reactive day by day through facing various Political, Islamic and Evangelical hazards. Proactive Hindus have set their alternative ways out of any big banners to run a struggle for Hindu Freedom to usher a New Hindu Age in Bharat Bhoomi. Big Hindu houses will be compelled to compensate for the real Hindu demands under pressure. In that calculation we will build a Sri Ram Temple in Ayodhya in 2015 and a Dharma Rashtra – Hindu Rashtra in Bharat in 2025. Swagatam. welcome to this Hindu Rashtra.
……………………………………………..
JAI SRI RAM ! JAYATU JAYATU HINDU RASHTRAM !!
Indian village where women have been banned from using mobile phones because 'they could use them to elope'
- A council in the eastern Indian state of Bihar said the phones were 'debasing the social atmosphere'
- Single women are fined £130 if they are caught using a phone, married women around £20
A council in the eastern Indian state of Bihar has banned the use of mobile phones by women, saying the phones were 'debasing the social atmosphere'.
Councillors claimed the use of phones encouraged women to elope.
Single women are fined £130 if they are caught using a phone, married women around £20.
Ban: A council in the eastern Indian state of
Bihar has banned the use of mobile phones by women, saying the phones
were 'debasing the social atmosphere'
'It always gives us a lot of embarrassment when someone asks who has eloped this time,' said Manuwar Alam, who heads a newly-formed committee tasked with enforcing the ban.
He said the number of elopements and extramarital love affairs had risen in the past few months, with at least six girls and women fleeing their homes.
'Even married women were deserting their husbands to elope with lovers.
That was shameful for us,' Alam said. 'So, we decided to tackle it firmly. Mobile phones are debasing the
Local officials have begun investigations, saying that such bans cannot be allowed in a healthy society, while women’s rights activists called it an assault on freedom that could potentially end up harming women by stripping them of one source of protection from trouble, such as unwanted advances by men.
'Girls and women are capable enough to protect themselves,' said activist Suman Lal during a debate on local television.
'Technology is meant to be used, not to be banned...The order is nauseating.'
Fellow activist Mohammad Islam said it was 'disappointing' that the village council ignored the many advantages of mobile phones before placing a ban on them for one reason.
'I want every girl to be given a mobile phone so that she could call up family members if she has a problem", he said.
Pakistan: Christian Missionary Attacked
 |
| Sister Bargeeta Almeby |
- The leadership of the church have been receiving death threats. The Christian community is in shock and feels vulnerable.
According to Liaquat Qaiser, principal of FGA Bible College, after doctors operated on her, she was transferred, still unconscious, to the intensive care unit.
For the last 37 years Sister Bargeete Almeby has lived in Pakistan, immersed in the local language and culture. A teacher by profession, she has been serving the country by running adult literacy programs, hostels, schools for orphans and technical training programs under the auspices of the Full Gospel Assemblies Church.
The leadership of FGA Church have reported receiving death threats.
Although the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has condemned the attack, the Christian community is in shock and feels vulnerable.
Police were punishing Bersih crowd, says Ambiga
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan suggested today that the police had failed to give the April 28 electoral reform demonstrators in the city sufficient time to disperse and punished them by using disproportionate force instead.
“The police personnel were trapping the people. It is as if your intention was not to disperse, but to punish instead,” the co-chairman of electoral reform group Bersih 2.0 told the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) panel looking into the large-scale violence that erupted in the national capital nearly eight months ago.
“They should’ve used Shelltox instead of nuclear bomb,” Ambiga (picture) quipped, referring to a popular brand of mosquito repellent.
She was responding to a panel member who used an allegory, that one should not burn down the net just because one is mad with mosquitoes, to describe the chaotic situation in the city that day.
Ambiga had pointed to a previous statement by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein in Parliament where he said 909 tear gas canisters and 58 tear gas grenades were used on April 28.
“I was shocked to see the numbers. Nothing justifies using nearly 1,000 canisters into a crowd that is leaving,” she said.
According to Ambiga, the authorities also failed to help disperse the crowd by keeping road blocks in place and by closing the light rail transit (LRT) stations.
The lawyer had compared Bersih 3.0 to the recent Himpunan Hijau rally, and alleged that the latter went peacefully since there was no agent provocateurs embedded in the crowd.
“You don’t know who’s planted to cause trouble .. we’ve seen agent provocateurs in both times,” she said, referring to the two Bersih rallies that she had been involved with.
Ambiga explained that it would’ve taken at least one hour for the crowd to fully disperse, after the rally was cut short to end at around 2.30 pm.
She said that the original plan was for PAS’ Unit Amal to help direct the dispersing crowd and spread the dispersal instruction by word of mouth, since her loud hailer couldn’t be heard over the crowd noise.
Suhakam panel chief Prof Datuk Khaw Lake Tee had also questioned an instruction given to Bersih participants, telling them to only listen to Unit Amal field commanders and nobody else.
“If the police gave out orders, should they disregard the orders?” Khaw asked.
“I have to be frank, it wasn’t very well-drafted,” Ambiga replied, explaining that it only meant that participants shouldn’t listen to rumours as it would create confusion among the crowd.
In his cross-examination, ACP Jamaluddin Abdul Rahman suggested that the police had exercised restraint in firing only 976 shots of tear gas.
“A total of 18 shells of tear gas would’ve been fired once every minute ... if we had continuously shot for four hours when Bersih was happening, we would’ve used 4,030.
“(Don’t you agree that) the police only shot when it was necessary?” Jamaluddin asked, to which Ambiga disagreed,
In September, Khaw had said that “there was not much room to run” for protesters during the Bersih rally on April 28, disputing earlier police testimony of having enough roads open for participants to disperse.
She had told reporters after the panel made an on-site visit that the exits assigned by the police to allow people to disperse were further away, leaving only two narrow lanes nearby.
The inquiry will continue for one more day at a later date.
‘PM, Home Minister ignored my complaints’
Ex-IGP Musa Hassan says he had previously informed the Prime Minister and Home Minister about his complaints, but were ignored.
PETALING JAYA: Many wonder why Musa Hassan has suddenly become such a vocal man, but the former Inspector-General of Police said that it was not something that happened overnight.
He said that his complaints of political interference, of criminal elements which had infiltrated the police force, were not new.
When he was in service, these issues were already raised through the “proper channels” to the Prime Minister and Home Minister before, but to no effect.
“I have a number of times personally informed even the prime minister and home minister, when I was Johor CPO, when I was director of CID, and also as the IGP. It seems that they do not want to change.
“Many times I have raised this, not just now that I am retired,” he explained.
Musa claimed that the top leaders of the country did not seem interested in addressing these issues. However, he declined to say if it was because they themselves were also involved in these claims.
“The prime minister and home minister were not interested. I want to make sure the country is safe. If you do all these things, protecting kingpins and all that, the country’s security will go down the drain and people will be complaining,” he said.
Musa said that various allegations had been levelled against him but he had kept quiet all the while. But now he was being deemed as anti-government for speaking out.
“They attack me like mad when I’m not against anyone,” said Musa, who served as IGP for four years from 2006 to 2010.
FMT: What was their response [to your complaints]?
Musa: They knew I don’t like these things. Their response was… well… they just kept quiet.
Why did they keep quiet? Are they not concerned or are they also involved?
I don’t know, I’ve told them, ‘don’t disturb’ [police work]. I’m very vocal, I don’t care.
Why are you using this NGO, MyWatch, as your platform? Can this do any good?
Number one, people should be aware of all these things. They have the right to know. Number two, so that people will not think that the police are bad. The police are trying to do a good job, it is up to the people on top, those policy-makers. Policemen are good people. That’s why I love the police, because I’m from there. Policemen are loyal to anyone who becomes the government.
But what happens when the government of the day is doing wrong things?
You have to tell [them off]. The chief of police must be strong. Be responsible and professional about it.
PETALING JAYA: Many wonder why Musa Hassan has suddenly become such a vocal man, but the former Inspector-General of Police said that it was not something that happened overnight.He said that his complaints of political interference, of criminal elements which had infiltrated the police force, were not new.
When he was in service, these issues were already raised through the “proper channels” to the Prime Minister and Home Minister before, but to no effect.
“I have a number of times personally informed even the prime minister and home minister, when I was Johor CPO, when I was director of CID, and also as the IGP. It seems that they do not want to change.
“Many times I have raised this, not just now that I am retired,” he explained.
Musa claimed that the top leaders of the country did not seem interested in addressing these issues. However, he declined to say if it was because they themselves were also involved in these claims.
“The prime minister and home minister were not interested. I want to make sure the country is safe. If you do all these things, protecting kingpins and all that, the country’s security will go down the drain and people will be complaining,” he said.
Musa said that various allegations had been levelled against him but he had kept quiet all the while. But now he was being deemed as anti-government for speaking out.
“They attack me like mad when I’m not against anyone,” said Musa, who served as IGP for four years from 2006 to 2010.
FMT: What was their response [to your complaints]?
Musa: They knew I don’t like these things. Their response was… well… they just kept quiet.
Why did they keep quiet? Are they not concerned or are they also involved?
I don’t know, I’ve told them, ‘don’t disturb’ [police work]. I’m very vocal, I don’t care.
Why are you using this NGO, MyWatch, as your platform? Can this do any good?
Number one, people should be aware of all these things. They have the right to know. Number two, so that people will not think that the police are bad. The police are trying to do a good job, it is up to the people on top, those policy-makers. Policemen are good people. That’s why I love the police, because I’m from there. Policemen are loyal to anyone who becomes the government.
But what happens when the government of the day is doing wrong things?
You have to tell [them off]. The chief of police must be strong. Be responsible and professional about it.
Perfect platform for Palani to exert control
The Indian-based party is entering a crucial phase with the general election looming and its chief coming under fire over his style of leadership.
PETALING JAYA: The 66th MIC annual general assembly (AGM) would provide a perfect platform for party president G Palanivel to impress party leaders and members alike that he is indeed in control of the largest Indian-based political party in the country.
The assembly comes at a crucial moment, taking into account the looming general election, and the media-shy Palanivel, who was elevated to the party top post in 2010, needs to show that he has an iron grip on the party, which boasts 630,000 members.
Over the last two years, Palanivel has been going through a torrid time receiving a barrage of criticisms on the way he is running the party.
The squabbles among grassroots leaders in their chase for seats to contest at the next general election, expected in the next four months, is a major issue which the MIC chief needs to address, among others.
At the last election, MIC suffered a damning defeat winning only three of the nine parliamentary seats it contested under the Barisan Nasional logo. The party contested 19 state seats at the 2008 polls but only managed to win seven.
Even Palanivel was wiped out at the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency along side the then MIC supremo S Samy Vellu who lost his long-held parliamentary seat in Sungai Siput.
As a result of the bad performance of the party in 2008, Samy Vellu eventually relinquished his party post and Palanivel took over the hot seat.
Since then, the party had gone silent and some wonder if the party was still functioning as before.
“MIC has lost its vibrancy. It is not as vocal as before. Maybe this is Palanivel’s style of leadership. But the question is, will Palanivel’s style of leadership do any good for the MIC and Barisan Nasional? Is it effective? Is the party really bringing in Indian votes for the BN?” said a MIC veteran leader when contacted by FMT.
Political pundits have pointed out that although Indian voters had turned their backs on the BN at the last election, they are slowly but surely returning to the ruling coalition fold.
They attribute this to the special funding and allocations by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who has been taking the trouble to “patch up” with Indian voters.
Palanivel, on the other hand, is facing a political dilemma.
Samy Vellu, who retired from active politics, is back in the fray. Although the former Works Minister is very unlikely to contest in Sungai Siput again or fight for the party top post, he was endorsed as the BN coordinator for Sungai Siput a month ago by Najib.
This would be a bitter pill for Palanivel to swallow.
Squable for seats
“Why appoint Samy Vellu even if he has served as MP in Sungai Siput for a long time? Does this mean that the prime minister has lost confidence in Palanivel to regain the seat? The seat is traditionally contested by the MIC president, so why isn’t Palanivel taking over the seat instead of asking other leaders to contest in Sungai Siput,” said an observer who declined to be named.
Although it was Samy Vellu who hand-picked Palanivel to be his deputy back then, there seems to be simmering discontent between the two leaders of late.
“Samy Vellu feels Palanivel is not doing enough. He wants the party to be alert at all times. He wants to see some action in the party. He wants a more vibrant MIC to suit the current active political climate.
“Palanivel, on the other hand, is uncomfortable with Samy Vellu’s meddling in MIC affairs. Samy Vellu still has a lot of supporters in the party who call him up to complain about the present leadership. He listens to all of them. He advises them from time to time. But this has irked Palanivel,” said a MIC leader who did not want to be named.
Another matter Palanivel needs to address is the squabbling among party leaders over seats in the coming general election.
Palanivel himself is without a seat. Speculation is that he would contest in the Cameron Highlands parliamentary constituency pushing incumbent SK Devamany to fight in Sungai Siput.
“Why this seat swap, if the speculation is true? Is Palanivel taking an easy way out… we all know it is easier to win in Cameron Highlands compared to Sungai Siput. This will not go down well among the grassroots members. They are used to Samy Vellu’s firebrand style of leadership. It is very difficult for them to accept Palanivel’s ‘smooth operator’ style of leadership without much noise and fanfare.
“He can use the AGM to explain things. What are his plans for the party in the future? It would also be interesting to see how he would rally his troops for the general election,” said the observer.
The MIC AGM, this weekend, comes just two weeks after the Umno general assembly which saw Najib upping the ante, whipping up the sentiments of party lower rung leaders and firing up the party into election mode.
While Najib is expected to do the same at the MIC AGM, it is still unclear how Palanivel intends to steer the assembly.
“I feel Najib would announce ‘something’ for the 1.8 million Indian community in Malaysia. He will also seek to boost Indian support for the BN. He is also expected to endorse Palanivel’s leadership to strengthen party confidence in the president. He wants things to be smooth until the general election,” said a highly placed source.
Party polls
While Najib, who is also BN chief, wants things to be cordial until the general election, all hell is expected to break loose after that in the party.
This is because of the party polls, which is expected to be in June next year.
“This would be the last AGM for Palanivel to exert some form of control before he goes into the party election. He needs to impress members and party delegates,” said the MIC leader.
Palanivel has yet to contest the party presidency and win. His win at the deputy president’s race at the last party election in 2009 was aided and assisted by Samy Vellu, who held an iron grip on the party then.
MIC has a unique system where the president is elected some three months before the election for other top national posts.The president is picked by office-bearers from the 4,300 MIC branches nationwide, while 1,400 divisional delegates pick the other national leaders.
“So effectively if a leader fights Palanivel for the presidency and losses, he or she can contest other party positions three months later. So the challenger has nothing to lose. This system could see more candidates trying their luck at the presidential election.
“The candidate wanting to contest the presidency needs to garner 50 nominations. Each nomination form must be signed by six branch leaders. Although this was hard to get during Samy Vellu’s era, I do not think it would be so difficult now, due to the perception that the leadership is weak,” said the MIC leader.
While Palanivel struggles to set things straight and prove that he is indeed in control of the party, the AGM this time around would definitely be a baptism of fire for the MIC chief which could be turned to his advantage with political prowess and finesse.
PETALING JAYA: The 66th MIC annual general assembly (AGM) would provide a perfect platform for party president G Palanivel to impress party leaders and members alike that he is indeed in control of the largest Indian-based political party in the country.The assembly comes at a crucial moment, taking into account the looming general election, and the media-shy Palanivel, who was elevated to the party top post in 2010, needs to show that he has an iron grip on the party, which boasts 630,000 members.
Over the last two years, Palanivel has been going through a torrid time receiving a barrage of criticisms on the way he is running the party.
The squabbles among grassroots leaders in their chase for seats to contest at the next general election, expected in the next four months, is a major issue which the MIC chief needs to address, among others.
At the last election, MIC suffered a damning defeat winning only three of the nine parliamentary seats it contested under the Barisan Nasional logo. The party contested 19 state seats at the 2008 polls but only managed to win seven.
Even Palanivel was wiped out at the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency along side the then MIC supremo S Samy Vellu who lost his long-held parliamentary seat in Sungai Siput.
As a result of the bad performance of the party in 2008, Samy Vellu eventually relinquished his party post and Palanivel took over the hot seat.
Since then, the party had gone silent and some wonder if the party was still functioning as before.
“MIC has lost its vibrancy. It is not as vocal as before. Maybe this is Palanivel’s style of leadership. But the question is, will Palanivel’s style of leadership do any good for the MIC and Barisan Nasional? Is it effective? Is the party really bringing in Indian votes for the BN?” said a MIC veteran leader when contacted by FMT.
Political pundits have pointed out that although Indian voters had turned their backs on the BN at the last election, they are slowly but surely returning to the ruling coalition fold.
They attribute this to the special funding and allocations by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who has been taking the trouble to “patch up” with Indian voters.
Palanivel, on the other hand, is facing a political dilemma.
Samy Vellu, who retired from active politics, is back in the fray. Although the former Works Minister is very unlikely to contest in Sungai Siput again or fight for the party top post, he was endorsed as the BN coordinator for Sungai Siput a month ago by Najib.
This would be a bitter pill for Palanivel to swallow.
Squable for seats
“Why appoint Samy Vellu even if he has served as MP in Sungai Siput for a long time? Does this mean that the prime minister has lost confidence in Palanivel to regain the seat? The seat is traditionally contested by the MIC president, so why isn’t Palanivel taking over the seat instead of asking other leaders to contest in Sungai Siput,” said an observer who declined to be named.
Although it was Samy Vellu who hand-picked Palanivel to be his deputy back then, there seems to be simmering discontent between the two leaders of late.
“Samy Vellu feels Palanivel is not doing enough. He wants the party to be alert at all times. He wants to see some action in the party. He wants a more vibrant MIC to suit the current active political climate.
“Palanivel, on the other hand, is uncomfortable with Samy Vellu’s meddling in MIC affairs. Samy Vellu still has a lot of supporters in the party who call him up to complain about the present leadership. He listens to all of them. He advises them from time to time. But this has irked Palanivel,” said a MIC leader who did not want to be named.
Another matter Palanivel needs to address is the squabbling among party leaders over seats in the coming general election.
Palanivel himself is without a seat. Speculation is that he would contest in the Cameron Highlands parliamentary constituency pushing incumbent SK Devamany to fight in Sungai Siput.
“Why this seat swap, if the speculation is true? Is Palanivel taking an easy way out… we all know it is easier to win in Cameron Highlands compared to Sungai Siput. This will not go down well among the grassroots members. They are used to Samy Vellu’s firebrand style of leadership. It is very difficult for them to accept Palanivel’s ‘smooth operator’ style of leadership without much noise and fanfare.
“He can use the AGM to explain things. What are his plans for the party in the future? It would also be interesting to see how he would rally his troops for the general election,” said the observer.
The MIC AGM, this weekend, comes just two weeks after the Umno general assembly which saw Najib upping the ante, whipping up the sentiments of party lower rung leaders and firing up the party into election mode.
While Najib is expected to do the same at the MIC AGM, it is still unclear how Palanivel intends to steer the assembly.
“I feel Najib would announce ‘something’ for the 1.8 million Indian community in Malaysia. He will also seek to boost Indian support for the BN. He is also expected to endorse Palanivel’s leadership to strengthen party confidence in the president. He wants things to be smooth until the general election,” said a highly placed source.
Party polls
While Najib, who is also BN chief, wants things to be cordial until the general election, all hell is expected to break loose after that in the party.
This is because of the party polls, which is expected to be in June next year.
“This would be the last AGM for Palanivel to exert some form of control before he goes into the party election. He needs to impress members and party delegates,” said the MIC leader.
Palanivel has yet to contest the party presidency and win. His win at the deputy president’s race at the last party election in 2009 was aided and assisted by Samy Vellu, who held an iron grip on the party then.
MIC has a unique system where the president is elected some three months before the election for other top national posts.The president is picked by office-bearers from the 4,300 MIC branches nationwide, while 1,400 divisional delegates pick the other national leaders.
“So effectively if a leader fights Palanivel for the presidency and losses, he or she can contest other party positions three months later. So the challenger has nothing to lose. This system could see more candidates trying their luck at the presidential election.
“The candidate wanting to contest the presidency needs to garner 50 nominations. Each nomination form must be signed by six branch leaders. Although this was hard to get during Samy Vellu’s era, I do not think it would be so difficult now, due to the perception that the leadership is weak,” said the MIC leader.
While Palanivel struggles to set things straight and prove that he is indeed in control of the party, the AGM this time around would definitely be a baptism of fire for the MIC chief which could be turned to his advantage with political prowess and finesse.
Truth in bits and pieces
If carpet man Deepak Jaikishan is lying, then Najib should use the full force of the law to protect the sanctity of the office of the prime minister.
COMMENT
Why is the truth coming out in instalments? Weren’t these people once trusted lieutenants? Now they are being looked upon as conniving opportunists working together with the opposition to oust Najib Tun Razak for no rhyme or reason. Does that make sense?
Thus far everyone who has given testimony against the powers-that-be has been branded a liar. Musa Hassan, of all people, has now come out.
And former home minister Syed Hamid Albar, together with his successor Hishammuddin Hussein, have successfully revealed the level of common sense that prevails in Umno now.
Both have said that the disclosures by Musa is all an opposition ploy.
What he did to Anwar Ibrahim must surely have been at the request of his superiors including former Umno chieftains. In which case it surely must be seen that he was a player in a whole scheme to rid the country of Anwar.
Anwar was the man who knew too much and who had publicly declared that there would be no more nepotism, cronyism and corruption in Umno.
But in Umno this can never happen. No one could get into Umno and declare such “nonsense”, so Anwar had to go at all costs, and they made sure he did.
So now, when the Truth is coming out there is fear in the corridors of power, Umno power.
For Musa to come out in the open and say the government intervened with his work, then it really happened and he must have some really compelling reasons to say so.
No Malaysian in his proper frame of mind would have accepted that private investigator P Balasubramaniam was forced to come out with the statutory declaration to implicate Najib.
Everyone believed him when he said that the carpet man (Deepak Jaikishan) was involved and that the carpet man has now come out and is revealing the truth, albeit in instalments.
Political ploy?
The key to the truth lies somewhere in the home of our prime minister and even a moron knew this.
It is the duty of the home minister to direct a full investigation, unless it was his office that ordered murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu’s entry records by the Malaysian immigration removed.
Surely if they could get a former deputy prime minister (Anwar) on trumped-up charges, they can easily get this cop and they will for their own convenience.
So why is Syed Hamid claiming that this is all a political ploy by the opposition? And why did Hishammuddin say that all the revelations were meant to divert the political gathering (Umno)?
The only reason is, it has to be the truth.
Deepak was a close friend of Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor. The question now is, why did he suddenly turn against her and Najib?
If Deepak is lying, then Najib should use the full force of the law to protect the sanctity of the office of the prime minster because the attacks are personally targeted on Najib and this, too, while he was in office as the minister of defence.
With all the implications derived from the interview with Deepak, will Rosmah at least subject herself to an interview with the press, both international and local, on these issues since there seems to be so much directed towards her too?
After all, she is said to be very eloquent, been overseas, held meetings with so many other “first” ladies and even visited heads of states. Surely she must have the ability, the eloquence and the presence of mind to handle the media.
The fact is if the government goes for them, the truth will come out. But that is something they can’t afford.
Toffee Rodrigo is a businessman who spends his free time writing to create awareness. He blogs at Toffee’sTurn.
COMMENT
Why is the truth coming out in instalments? Weren’t these people once trusted lieutenants? Now they are being looked upon as conniving opportunists working together with the opposition to oust Najib Tun Razak for no rhyme or reason. Does that make sense?Thus far everyone who has given testimony against the powers-that-be has been branded a liar. Musa Hassan, of all people, has now come out.
And former home minister Syed Hamid Albar, together with his successor Hishammuddin Hussein, have successfully revealed the level of common sense that prevails in Umno now.
Both have said that the disclosures by Musa is all an opposition ploy.
What he did to Anwar Ibrahim must surely have been at the request of his superiors including former Umno chieftains. In which case it surely must be seen that he was a player in a whole scheme to rid the country of Anwar.
Anwar was the man who knew too much and who had publicly declared that there would be no more nepotism, cronyism and corruption in Umno.
But in Umno this can never happen. No one could get into Umno and declare such “nonsense”, so Anwar had to go at all costs, and they made sure he did.
So now, when the Truth is coming out there is fear in the corridors of power, Umno power.
For Musa to come out in the open and say the government intervened with his work, then it really happened and he must have some really compelling reasons to say so.
No Malaysian in his proper frame of mind would have accepted that private investigator P Balasubramaniam was forced to come out with the statutory declaration to implicate Najib.
Everyone believed him when he said that the carpet man (Deepak Jaikishan) was involved and that the carpet man has now come out and is revealing the truth, albeit in instalments.
Political ploy?
The key to the truth lies somewhere in the home of our prime minister and even a moron knew this.
It is the duty of the home minister to direct a full investigation, unless it was his office that ordered murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu’s entry records by the Malaysian immigration removed.
Surely if they could get a former deputy prime minister (Anwar) on trumped-up charges, they can easily get this cop and they will for their own convenience.
So why is Syed Hamid claiming that this is all a political ploy by the opposition? And why did Hishammuddin say that all the revelations were meant to divert the political gathering (Umno)?
The only reason is, it has to be the truth.
Deepak was a close friend of Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor. The question now is, why did he suddenly turn against her and Najib?
If Deepak is lying, then Najib should use the full force of the law to protect the sanctity of the office of the prime minster because the attacks are personally targeted on Najib and this, too, while he was in office as the minister of defence.
With all the implications derived from the interview with Deepak, will Rosmah at least subject herself to an interview with the press, both international and local, on these issues since there seems to be so much directed towards her too?
After all, she is said to be very eloquent, been overseas, held meetings with so many other “first” ladies and even visited heads of states. Surely she must have the ability, the eloquence and the presence of mind to handle the media.
The fact is if the government goes for them, the truth will come out. But that is something they can’t afford.
Toffee Rodrigo is a businessman who spends his free time writing to create awareness. He blogs at Toffee’sTurn.
Musa: Polis patut hentikan keganasan di Gombak
Polis sepatutnya boleh menghidu lebih awal akan sebarang kewujudan unsur provokasi dan bertindak tegas menghalang ceramah terbabit.
SHAH ALAM: Bekas Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Musa Hassan menegur sikap polis menangani insiden ceramah politik di Gombak kelmarin sehingga menyebabkan kecederaan orang awam.
Beliau berkata, polis sepatutnya boleh menghidu lebih awal akan sebarang kewujudan unsur provokasi dan bertindak tegas menghalang ceramah terbabit.
“Polis patut halang pihak lain mengganggu ceramah dan jangan biarkan pertumpahan darah berlaku.
“Jangan benarkan pihak lawan buat tempat yang sama,” katanya dalam sidang media selepas menjadi panel dalam wacana Sinar Harian
“Politik Samseng: Dimana Maruah Kita” di Kompleks Karangkraf di sini petang tadi.
Turut menjadi panel Presiden Institut Integriti Malaysia Datuk Dr Mohd Tap Salleh, Ahli Parlimen Hulu Selangor P. Kamalanathan dan Penasihat Undang-Undang PAS Hanipa Maidin.
Katanya, undang-undang Akta Perhimpunan Aman 2012 yang tidak lagi memerlukan permohonan permit secara tak langsung menyebabkan
keselamatan menjadi longgar dan mengurangkan kuasa polis memantau aktiviti ceramah.
Dalam kejadian malam Selasa lalu, dua orang penyokong Pakatan Rakyat serta seorang penyokong BN cedera dalam satu pergaduhan di ceramah di tanah lapang di Batu 8 1/2, Gombak.
Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Gombak Supt Rosly Hassan semalam dilaporkan berkata, kes disiasat mengikut Seksyen 148 Kanun Keseksaan kerana memiliki senjata bahaya dalam rusuhan.
Pada masa yang sama, beliau turut menasihatkan orang ramai supaya tidak mencabar pihak berkuasa dan menjadikan institusi PDRM sebagai musuh.
“Saya nasihatkan kalau ada ceramah politik jangan bergaduh, tak elok,” katanya.
Sementara itu, beliau turut menolak cadangan Suruhanjaya Bebas Aduan dan Salah Laku Polis (IPCMC) bagi menyiasat salah laku anggota polis di negara ini.
Katanya, wujud klausa dalam IPCMC yang tidak adil apabila tidak memberikan peluang kepada polis membela diri di mahkamah.
“Sedangkan penjenayah yang dihukum diberi peluang untuk bela diri dimahkamah, polis yang dikenakan tindakan disiplin pula tidak
dibenarkan berbuat demikian,” katanya.
SHAH ALAM: Bekas Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Musa Hassan menegur sikap polis menangani insiden ceramah politik di Gombak kelmarin sehingga menyebabkan kecederaan orang awam.Beliau berkata, polis sepatutnya boleh menghidu lebih awal akan sebarang kewujudan unsur provokasi dan bertindak tegas menghalang ceramah terbabit.
“Polis patut halang pihak lain mengganggu ceramah dan jangan biarkan pertumpahan darah berlaku.
“Jangan benarkan pihak lawan buat tempat yang sama,” katanya dalam sidang media selepas menjadi panel dalam wacana Sinar Harian
“Politik Samseng: Dimana Maruah Kita” di Kompleks Karangkraf di sini petang tadi.
Turut menjadi panel Presiden Institut Integriti Malaysia Datuk Dr Mohd Tap Salleh, Ahli Parlimen Hulu Selangor P. Kamalanathan dan Penasihat Undang-Undang PAS Hanipa Maidin.
Katanya, undang-undang Akta Perhimpunan Aman 2012 yang tidak lagi memerlukan permohonan permit secara tak langsung menyebabkan
keselamatan menjadi longgar dan mengurangkan kuasa polis memantau aktiviti ceramah.
Dalam kejadian malam Selasa lalu, dua orang penyokong Pakatan Rakyat serta seorang penyokong BN cedera dalam satu pergaduhan di ceramah di tanah lapang di Batu 8 1/2, Gombak.
Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Gombak Supt Rosly Hassan semalam dilaporkan berkata, kes disiasat mengikut Seksyen 148 Kanun Keseksaan kerana memiliki senjata bahaya dalam rusuhan.
Pada masa yang sama, beliau turut menasihatkan orang ramai supaya tidak mencabar pihak berkuasa dan menjadikan institusi PDRM sebagai musuh.
“Saya nasihatkan kalau ada ceramah politik jangan bergaduh, tak elok,” katanya.
Sementara itu, beliau turut menolak cadangan Suruhanjaya Bebas Aduan dan Salah Laku Polis (IPCMC) bagi menyiasat salah laku anggota polis di negara ini.
Katanya, wujud klausa dalam IPCMC yang tidak adil apabila tidak memberikan peluang kepada polis membela diri di mahkamah.
“Sedangkan penjenayah yang dihukum diberi peluang untuk bela diri dimahkamah, polis yang dikenakan tindakan disiplin pula tidak
dibenarkan berbuat demikian,” katanya.
Sepang shrine wrecking: Xavier cries ‘sabotage’
Municipal officers acted without authorisation, says the Selangor exco.
PETALING JAYA: Municipal officers acted without their boss’ permission when they demolished a Hindu shrine in Sepang last month, Selangor state exco Xavier Jayakumar said today.
“The action taken by certain officers was unilateral,” he said in a press statement. “There is reason to suspect this action is bordering on sabotage.”
On Nov 20, 30 enforcement officers of the Sepang Municipal Council (MPS) trespassed into the home of one S Gobi Kumar and demolished a Hindu shrine located within the compound of the residence.
A week later, Jayakumar defended the council’s action, prompting MIC Youth to demand that he make a public apology.
Jayakumar said MPS officials yesterday gave a briefing on the incident to him, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and state excos Teresa Kok and Ronnie Liu.
“From the briefing, it was quite apparent that the Sepang council president was neither consulted nor informed prior to the action of breaking the structure,” he said.
“The Selangor Non-Muslim Affairs Council, co-chaired by excos Liu, Kok and myself, was also never informed of these actions.”
He added that the state government had called for an investigation and demanded that the findings be
submitted to it within two weeks.
The demolition apparently violates an order issued by the Non-Muslim Affairs Council that forbids the breaking of religious structures.
“From 2008, we have given instruction to all local councils and land offices not to break any place of worship that existed prior to 2008,” Jayakumar said.
PETALING JAYA: Municipal officers acted without their boss’ permission when they demolished a Hindu shrine in Sepang last month, Selangor state exco Xavier Jayakumar said today.“The action taken by certain officers was unilateral,” he said in a press statement. “There is reason to suspect this action is bordering on sabotage.”
On Nov 20, 30 enforcement officers of the Sepang Municipal Council (MPS) trespassed into the home of one S Gobi Kumar and demolished a Hindu shrine located within the compound of the residence.
A week later, Jayakumar defended the council’s action, prompting MIC Youth to demand that he make a public apology.
Jayakumar said MPS officials yesterday gave a briefing on the incident to him, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and state excos Teresa Kok and Ronnie Liu.
“From the briefing, it was quite apparent that the Sepang council president was neither consulted nor informed prior to the action of breaking the structure,” he said.
“The Selangor Non-Muslim Affairs Council, co-chaired by excos Liu, Kok and myself, was also never informed of these actions.”
He added that the state government had called for an investigation and demanded that the findings be
submitted to it within two weeks.The demolition apparently violates an order issued by the Non-Muslim Affairs Council that forbids the breaking of religious structures.
“From 2008, we have given instruction to all local councils and land offices not to break any place of worship that existed prior to 2008,” Jayakumar said.
What bribery? ask Chinese, Indian chambers
The Chinese and Indian business chambers in Malaysia cast doubt on an international survey which found that firms here lost deals because they did not pay bribes.
PETALING JAYA: Business chambers and employer organisations in Malaysia said today that they had not heard of members losing business deals due to bribery, despite an international survey suggesting otherwise.
Yesterday, Transparency International Malaysia revealed that 50% of the 101 companies surveyed in the country lost contracts or business over the past year because a competitor had paid a bribe.
But Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MAICCI) president KK Eswaran dismissed the results of the survey as not being reflective of what was happening on the ground.
“The issue of corruption is very important, but I’ve never heard of MAICCI members losing businesses due to bribery,” he told FMT when asked to comment.
“And even if they did, there are many avenues they can turn to such as the MACC (Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission), or the court. And today we have the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, so [handling this issue] is very simple.”
But Eswaran stressed that the results of the survey did not hold water, saying: “If what the survey says is true, then internationally our ranking would drop, right?”
He pointed out that contrary to the survey results, Malaysia’s ranking in the global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) was improving every year, and the World Bank and International Monetary Report (IMF) report showed the country’s economic growth was good.
“We also have so many investments coming into Malaysia today, for example the Iskandar development project… so if it’s true that bribery is so prevalent, then nobody would want to come here to invest,” Eswaran said.
“We are improving every year, and this is a positive sign that the prime minister under the transformation programme, and Pemandu are doing a good job,” he said.
Survey’s credibility questionable
Even the credibility of the survey was questionable, Eswaran said, citing the “limited” pool of respondents and their possible “alignment” to opposition parties out to smear the government.
“There are thousands of companies out there, and they only surveyed 101 companies.
“Furthermore, as far as I’m concerned, everyone bids for a job. So you cannot simply say you lost it because of bribery. There must be proof of corruption,” he said.
Meanwhile, Leong Hai Kim, who sits in the national council of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM), also said he did not think bribery was taking place among ACCCIM members.
“I don’t think so there are businesses losing deals because of bribery… because the moment you say that, then the MACC will act and there are already laws in place. So no one will do that,” he told FMT.
“It is not necessary at all for companies to pay bribes to survive. We can be charged in court over the issue,” he added.
But he refused to comment further on the TI-M survey itself, saying that he was not aware of the full statistics.
Similarly, Shamsuddin Bardan, the executive director of the Malaysian Employer’s Federation, said that he had not heard of any specific cases of bribery.
Good reflection
But unlike Eswaran, he said that the survey results were a good reflection of the situation in Malaysia and should be taken seriously.
“Normally they wouldn’t complain about the issue, but we know that this [bribery] is happening,” he said, citing media reports.
Shamsuddin claimed that certain areas in the economic industry were rife with graft, but he refused to pinpoint which areas for fear of jeapordising the industry.
He also said that it was not entirely up to the government to resolve this issue, adding instead that the onus was on all members of society to end graft.
“It must be everybody. Society has a duty to stop this. If we had high morale, we would not be indulging in bribery,” he said.
PETALING JAYA: Business chambers and employer organisations in Malaysia said today that they had not heard of members losing business deals due to bribery, despite an international survey suggesting otherwise.Yesterday, Transparency International Malaysia revealed that 50% of the 101 companies surveyed in the country lost contracts or business over the past year because a competitor had paid a bribe.
But Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MAICCI) president KK Eswaran dismissed the results of the survey as not being reflective of what was happening on the ground.
“The issue of corruption is very important, but I’ve never heard of MAICCI members losing businesses due to bribery,” he told FMT when asked to comment.
“And even if they did, there are many avenues they can turn to such as the MACC (Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission), or the court. And today we have the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, so [handling this issue] is very simple.”
But Eswaran stressed that the results of the survey did not hold water, saying: “If what the survey says is true, then internationally our ranking would drop, right?”
He pointed out that contrary to the survey results, Malaysia’s ranking in the global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) was improving every year, and the World Bank and International Monetary Report (IMF) report showed the country’s economic growth was good.
“We also have so many investments coming into Malaysia today, for example the Iskandar development project… so if it’s true that bribery is so prevalent, then nobody would want to come here to invest,” Eswaran said.
“We are improving every year, and this is a positive sign that the prime minister under the transformation programme, and Pemandu are doing a good job,” he said.
Survey’s credibility questionable
Even the credibility of the survey was questionable, Eswaran said, citing the “limited” pool of respondents and their possible “alignment” to opposition parties out to smear the government.
“There are thousands of companies out there, and they only surveyed 101 companies.
“Furthermore, as far as I’m concerned, everyone bids for a job. So you cannot simply say you lost it because of bribery. There must be proof of corruption,” he said.
Meanwhile, Leong Hai Kim, who sits in the national council of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM), also said he did not think bribery was taking place among ACCCIM members.
“I don’t think so there are businesses losing deals because of bribery… because the moment you say that, then the MACC will act and there are already laws in place. So no one will do that,” he told FMT.
“It is not necessary at all for companies to pay bribes to survive. We can be charged in court over the issue,” he added.
But he refused to comment further on the TI-M survey itself, saying that he was not aware of the full statistics.
Similarly, Shamsuddin Bardan, the executive director of the Malaysian Employer’s Federation, said that he had not heard of any specific cases of bribery.
Good reflection
But unlike Eswaran, he said that the survey results were a good reflection of the situation in Malaysia and should be taken seriously.
“Normally they wouldn’t complain about the issue, but we know that this [bribery] is happening,” he said, citing media reports.
Shamsuddin claimed that certain areas in the economic industry were rife with graft, but he refused to pinpoint which areas for fear of jeapordising the industry.
He also said that it was not entirely up to the government to resolve this issue, adding instead that the onus was on all members of society to end graft.
“It must be everybody. Society has a duty to stop this. If we had high morale, we would not be indulging in bribery,” he said.
Why is the system failing?
Najib’s elegant silence, pretending that the hundreds of socio-financial scandals are non-existent, is killing the system and governance.
COMMENT
By Chua Jui Meng
The Barisan Nasional government is clearly breaking down or crumbling. How else do you explain the police’s inability to carry out a simple task of crowd control.
Worse, they just stood and watched the troublemakers resorting to violence against those attending political rallies organised by Pakatan Rakyat.
The incident in Gombak on the night of Dec 5, 2012, is only one of the many visible examples of a serious breakdown in the system of governance.
There has to be a limit to the degradation of professionalism in governance by the civil service.
A hooligan-like Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob is able to remain in office for more than a decade. Where is the integrity and morality expected of a leader?
It is because of the 55 years of rule under the BN that the civil service’s vision is now blurred and is unable to tell the difference between politics and governance.
Here, I must make clear that the problem lies primarily on the little Napoleans who spend the bulk of their time to curry favour in the corridors of power for obvious reasons and motives.
They have forgotten that the civil service duty and responsibility is to serve the people, not BN which has also grown arrogant over the years of uninterrupted rule.
Now, both the BN and the little Napoleans behave like they are here to stay forever and that no one else is qualified to govern Malaysia. That’s indeed very, very sad.
The civil service must serve the people and country professionally. It is not duty bound to serve the interest and survival of any political party. Those who follow illegal orders are not protected by law and they must be warned that the arm of the law is very long.
In short, civil servants, in discharging their duty and responsibility professionally are expected to remain apolitical.
Their responsibility is to help the government of the day to administer and provide public service, not political service or interest.
Why is the system failing?
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak must take the blame for the country’s breakdown in governance.
How does he expect the people to continue supporting him, Umno and BN with their confidence in the system fast eroding.
Najib’s elegant silence, pretending that the hundreds of socio-financial scandals are non-existent, is killing the system and governance.
His failure to act against the corrupt, those who clearly committed sedition by spewing venomous religious and racial discord are most certainly taking a toll on the social fabric of the country.
The civil service has become so subservient to BN-Umno that it fears to take any form of legal action when the many scandals point to culprits connected with BN or the corridors of power.
Even Mat Rempits and samsengs employed by BN-Umno to cause disruptions are untouchable. Isn’t it the basic duty and responsibility of the police to protect the peace and the people?
Previously, when one party is holding a political rally, other rival parties are stopped from closing in at the scene. Why is this not observed anymore?
The police just fold their arms and stand to watch, and make no attempt to stop the marauding trouble makers who come in noisy motorcycles bearing their party flags.
If this is not a case of a breakdown in the system of governance, what is?
Here, I wish to relate the display of a high level of civil service’s discipline, professionalism and integrity in the Philippines.
When President Gloria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo tried to extend her term in office illegally, both the police and army chiefs took a common stand for the people of the Philippines: “We will not follow any illegal orders.”
History has shown that governments have always been toppled by the people beginning with a breakdown in the civil service and its system.
When a civil service, cowed by an evil regime, is unable to perform its duty and responsibility to serve the people, it results in unfair practices and injustice.
This translates into growing public discontent, a total loss in confidence in the government and utter public frustrations.
Chua Jui Meng is PKR vice-president and Johor state chief. He is also a former MCA vice-president and an ex-Cabinet member.
COMMENT
By Chua Jui MengThe Barisan Nasional government is clearly breaking down or crumbling. How else do you explain the police’s inability to carry out a simple task of crowd control.
Worse, they just stood and watched the troublemakers resorting to violence against those attending political rallies organised by Pakatan Rakyat.
The incident in Gombak on the night of Dec 5, 2012, is only one of the many visible examples of a serious breakdown in the system of governance.
There has to be a limit to the degradation of professionalism in governance by the civil service.
A hooligan-like Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob is able to remain in office for more than a decade. Where is the integrity and morality expected of a leader?
It is because of the 55 years of rule under the BN that the civil service’s vision is now blurred and is unable to tell the difference between politics and governance.
Here, I must make clear that the problem lies primarily on the little Napoleans who spend the bulk of their time to curry favour in the corridors of power for obvious reasons and motives.
They have forgotten that the civil service duty and responsibility is to serve the people, not BN which has also grown arrogant over the years of uninterrupted rule.
Now, both the BN and the little Napoleans behave like they are here to stay forever and that no one else is qualified to govern Malaysia. That’s indeed very, very sad.
The civil service must serve the people and country professionally. It is not duty bound to serve the interest and survival of any political party. Those who follow illegal orders are not protected by law and they must be warned that the arm of the law is very long.
In short, civil servants, in discharging their duty and responsibility professionally are expected to remain apolitical.
Their responsibility is to help the government of the day to administer and provide public service, not political service or interest.
Why is the system failing?
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak must take the blame for the country’s breakdown in governance.
How does he expect the people to continue supporting him, Umno and BN with their confidence in the system fast eroding.
Najib’s elegant silence, pretending that the hundreds of socio-financial scandals are non-existent, is killing the system and governance.
His failure to act against the corrupt, those who clearly committed sedition by spewing venomous religious and racial discord are most certainly taking a toll on the social fabric of the country.
The civil service has become so subservient to BN-Umno that it fears to take any form of legal action when the many scandals point to culprits connected with BN or the corridors of power.
Even Mat Rempits and samsengs employed by BN-Umno to cause disruptions are untouchable. Isn’t it the basic duty and responsibility of the police to protect the peace and the people?
Previously, when one party is holding a political rally, other rival parties are stopped from closing in at the scene. Why is this not observed anymore?
The police just fold their arms and stand to watch, and make no attempt to stop the marauding trouble makers who come in noisy motorcycles bearing their party flags.
If this is not a case of a breakdown in the system of governance, what is?
Here, I wish to relate the display of a high level of civil service’s discipline, professionalism and integrity in the Philippines.
When President Gloria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo tried to extend her term in office illegally, both the police and army chiefs took a common stand for the people of the Philippines: “We will not follow any illegal orders.”
History has shown that governments have always been toppled by the people beginning with a breakdown in the civil service and its system.
When a civil service, cowed by an evil regime, is unable to perform its duty and responsibility to serve the people, it results in unfair practices and injustice.
This translates into growing public discontent, a total loss in confidence in the government and utter public frustrations.
Chua Jui Meng is PKR vice-president and Johor state chief. He is also a former MCA vice-president and an ex-Cabinet member.
Blogger to reveal more PKR ‘dirt’ in January
A pro-Umno blogger says he will expose more details on the alleged PKR's involvement in masterminding attacks against the prime minister's family using Deepak Jaikishan.
PETALING JAYA: Pro-Umno blogger, Papagomo threatens to expose more dirt on the alleged involvement of PKR leaders in masterminding carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan’s attacks on the prime minister’s family.
He said this in a post at his blog today.
“Januari nanti anda Surendran dan sekutu Pakatan Haram yang lain akan dibogelkan satu persatu sampai lumat (In January, N Surendran (PKR vice president) and all allies of the illegitimate opposition pact will be exposed one by one),” said Papagomo.
On Tuesday, the blogger posted a two minute clip on his website purpotedly showing “Deepak” saying that Subang MP R Sivarasa had coerced him to attack Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor, at the behest of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
However, “Deepak” said he refused to do so, thus, making Sivarasa angry.
“Deepak” also mentioned the names of PKR vice presidents Surendran and Nurul Izzah Anwar in the footage.
However, Sivarasa and Surendran had denied claims that they coerced Deepak into doing anything and were only representing the businessman in a court case involving a land deal.
Pagagomo, however, was not impressed by Surendran’s explanation.
“Surendran lu boleh cakap apa lu nak cakap tapi sebelum lu pergi lebih jauh elok lu siap sedia dengan gelombang amukkan para Blogger Pro UMNO selepas ini. (Surendran, you may say what you want but before you go any further, be ready to face the wrath of pro-Umno bloggers)
PETALING JAYA: Pro-Umno blogger, Papagomo threatens to expose more dirt on the alleged involvement of PKR leaders in masterminding carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan’s attacks on the prime minister’s family.He said this in a post at his blog today.
“Januari nanti anda Surendran dan sekutu Pakatan Haram yang lain akan dibogelkan satu persatu sampai lumat (In January, N Surendran (PKR vice president) and all allies of the illegitimate opposition pact will be exposed one by one),” said Papagomo.
On Tuesday, the blogger posted a two minute clip on his website purpotedly showing “Deepak” saying that Subang MP R Sivarasa had coerced him to attack Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor, at the behest of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
However, “Deepak” said he refused to do so, thus, making Sivarasa angry.
“Deepak” also mentioned the names of PKR vice presidents Surendran and Nurul Izzah Anwar in the footage.
However, Sivarasa and Surendran had denied claims that they coerced Deepak into doing anything and were only representing the businessman in a court case involving a land deal.
Pagagomo, however, was not impressed by Surendran’s explanation.
“Surendran lu boleh cakap apa lu nak cakap tapi sebelum lu pergi lebih jauh elok lu siap sedia dengan gelombang amukkan para Blogger Pro UMNO selepas ini. (Surendran, you may say what you want but before you go any further, be ready to face the wrath of pro-Umno bloggers)
‘Najib factor’ crucial to MIC’s fight for Indian vote
File
photo of Najib at the MIC’s assembly in 2010. The party is banking on
the prime minister to pull in the Indian vote at the general election.
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — In the MIC’s tussle for the Indian vote, one important element has been identified as key to help Barisan Nasional (BN) recapture lost support from the key community — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Despite criticisms that it has grown overly dependent on Najib and BN for survival, the party has recognised the importance of the prime minister’s popularity to drive the Indian vote when national polls are held.
The Indian vote is seen as crucial to determine BN’s future in the country as the next general election is expected to be very closely fought battle between the ruling coalition and the fledgling Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact.
Observers have claimed that Najib and BN leaders have lost confidence in the MIC’s ability to score the Indian vote, resulting in efforts by the prime minister to engage directly with the community, who form nearly 1.8 million out of the 28 million population in Malaysia. Some 800,000 are registered voters.
Just last month, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz announced in Parliament that Najib was ready to hold a dialogue with the outlawed Hindraf movement to discuss the community’s key concerns.
Murugesan said Najib’s openness and ability to listen has helped portray a different view of BN to Indian voters.
“We have a good PM (prime minister)... what’s wrong with that?” he said.
“It is only to be expected. All this while, people have been saying — why hasn’t the government done this or done that... and the face of the government is the PM.
“So if they think we have a good leader with good heart, good ears and a sound mind at the helm, they will support us.
“So... yes, Najib is an important factor and I’ve got no issues with that,” he added.
As such, Murugesan said the MIC does not feel slighted that Najib has been going directly to the ground to campaign and engage with local Indian community leaders, pointing out that this was the work of a prime minister.
He said Najib’s openness and ability to listen has helped portray a different view of BN to Indian voters, who are said to form some seven per cent of the electorate.
This has cajoled much of the Indian community back to supporting BN and calmed much of the frustrations raised just before the March 2008 general election, he said.
Murugesan added that it was most unlikely that these past simmering frustrations would come to a head again in the 13th general election as the BN government under Najib’s leadership has done well to resolve them.
“The main reason is because the PM has made it clear and the MIC made it clear that we hear the Indian community. The PM has openly stated it,” he pointed out.
“I think during our last or previous general assembly, the PM even admitted to some of our past mistakes and neglect.”
Murugesan added that in the four years after the last election, BN and the MIC have managed to prove that the needs of the Indian community would not be neglected through special budget allocations for Tamil schools and Indian entrepreneurs, more sustained programmes for the Indian community and cash handouts for the country’s poor under the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M) initiative.
These programmes, when added to the BN government’s more “inclusive” and “progressive” moves, have widened the pact’s appeal to all segments of the Indian community, he said.
“Of course there are some sceptics and that’s why it the return of support is slow... but when I say it is slow, I must also stress that it is steady,” he said.
The Indian community has long been seen as a “fixed deposit” vote bank for BN but the march organised by the now outlawed Hindraf movement was believed to be what blew the lid on the group’s simmering frustration over being left out of development for decades.
That tumultuous event, together with Bersih’s first march for free and fair elections in late 2007, has been credited for the staggering losses suffered by the ruling coalition in the March 8, 2008, general election.
The MIC will hold its 66th national assembly, its final before national polls, at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) this weekend.
The ABU Art of War
So that we are not at cross-purposes, let me first explain what we in the ABU secretariat mean by winning the ABU war.
The focus of ABU is not the state governments.
Our focus is Putrajaya.
Winning the ABU war therefore means winning the battle to establish a new regime at Putrajaya post the 13th GE.
There are three parts to this ABU war.
Winning the ABU war means, firstly, ensuring that Pakatan Rakyat, PSM, PRM, STAR Sabah and SAPP, who must, by the time parliament is dissolved, have forged a firm and unshakeable election pact with a view to forming the next federal government, collectively garner at least 112 out of the 222 parliamentary seats post the 13th GE.
Secondly, having denied UMNO /BN the requisite number of seats to enable them to seek an audience with the king with a view to having one of their own appointed prime minister and to form the federal government, the ABU war, at that stage, entails ensuring that the none of the newly elected MPs on the non-BN side get seduced and enticed to hop, skip and leap frog to the enemy camp.
Finally, the ABU war requires us to address the possibility of violence or unrest that UMNO /BN may try to perpetrate with a view to derailing our aspirations of establishing a new regime at Putrajaya.
I’ll call these three parts Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 for ease of reference.
Phase 1 entails work from this very moment running up to and including on polling day.
Phases 2 and 3 entails work post polling day, but the preparation of which, too, has already commenced and will continue up and until polling day.
Phase 1 in itself entails 3 parts, which we will share with you in my next 3 postings. Please do not expect too much detail, though, for obvious reasons.
For now, we will share nothing of Phase 2.
As for Phase 3, again, and for the moment, we will only share with you what you all can do, starting now, and no other details.
The focus of ABU is not the state governments.
Our focus is Putrajaya.
Winning the ABU war therefore means winning the battle to establish a new regime at Putrajaya post the 13th GE.
There are three parts to this ABU war.
Winning the ABU war means, firstly, ensuring that Pakatan Rakyat, PSM, PRM, STAR Sabah and SAPP, who must, by the time parliament is dissolved, have forged a firm and unshakeable election pact with a view to forming the next federal government, collectively garner at least 112 out of the 222 parliamentary seats post the 13th GE.
Secondly, having denied UMNO /BN the requisite number of seats to enable them to seek an audience with the king with a view to having one of their own appointed prime minister and to form the federal government, the ABU war, at that stage, entails ensuring that the none of the newly elected MPs on the non-BN side get seduced and enticed to hop, skip and leap frog to the enemy camp.
Finally, the ABU war requires us to address the possibility of violence or unrest that UMNO /BN may try to perpetrate with a view to derailing our aspirations of establishing a new regime at Putrajaya.
I’ll call these three parts Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 for ease of reference.
Phase 1 entails work from this very moment running up to and including on polling day.
Phases 2 and 3 entails work post polling day, but the preparation of which, too, has already commenced and will continue up and until polling day.
Phase 1 in itself entails 3 parts, which we will share with you in my next 3 postings. Please do not expect too much detail, though, for obvious reasons.
For now, we will share nothing of Phase 2.
As for Phase 3, again, and for the moment, we will only share with you what you all can do, starting now, and no other details.
Avoiding corruption course for MPs? Nonsense — Kunjuraman Karuppan
DEC 6 — You get worried about the old country sometimes. From rather nonsensical statements made by so-called authorities to unquestioning reporters, one gets the feeling that most of Malaysia is mediocre, and stupid.
The latest is a course on avoiding corruption for parliamentarians by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Attorney-General’s Chambers next year, says PEMANDU director D. Ravindran.
While you are at it, Mr Ravindran, how about a course for those in the august Dewan Rakyat to stop lying or using foul language. Perhaps even potty training?
What, these MPs are kids is it? They are stupid? They don’t know right from wrong? How hard is it to stop corruption? Stop taking money for favours. Stop doing favours that will give advantage to one party over another.
How hard is that, Mr Ravindran, that you are quoted as saying the following by a news portal, “So, for the first time, we are going to teach our parliamentarians what is right to take and what is not right to take.”
I mean, if the MPs don’t know what constitutes corruption, then Malaysia is in a lot of trouble. Then the MACC has been useless, and is that what you are saying, Mr Ravindran?
I am also disturbed that Mr Ravindran quoted an MACC study in 2007 that found that most university students considered it “acceptable” to give or receive bribes and this was why the MACC was also planning to teach students about corruption.
For his information, considering that he is from PEMANDU, the MACC was formed in 2009. I don’t want to split hairs with him but one must know the facts before speaking.
So I wonder if there ever was a study and if this is just another harebrained scheme to show that there are results in the anti-graft fight.
Our MPs should already know what is wrong and what is right. If they don’t, we should make sure they never make it to Parliament again. We don’t need to waste money on such courses for our MPs.
We should just make sure the MACC goes after and makes sure those who are corrupt get punished. Not teach them to avoid corruption. That is absolute nonsense.
* Kunjuraman Karuppan reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
The latest is a course on avoiding corruption for parliamentarians by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Attorney-General’s Chambers next year, says PEMANDU director D. Ravindran.
While you are at it, Mr Ravindran, how about a course for those in the august Dewan Rakyat to stop lying or using foul language. Perhaps even potty training?
What, these MPs are kids is it? They are stupid? They don’t know right from wrong? How hard is it to stop corruption? Stop taking money for favours. Stop doing favours that will give advantage to one party over another.
How hard is that, Mr Ravindran, that you are quoted as saying the following by a news portal, “So, for the first time, we are going to teach our parliamentarians what is right to take and what is not right to take.”
I mean, if the MPs don’t know what constitutes corruption, then Malaysia is in a lot of trouble. Then the MACC has been useless, and is that what you are saying, Mr Ravindran?
I am also disturbed that Mr Ravindran quoted an MACC study in 2007 that found that most university students considered it “acceptable” to give or receive bribes and this was why the MACC was also planning to teach students about corruption.
For his information, considering that he is from PEMANDU, the MACC was formed in 2009. I don’t want to split hairs with him but one must know the facts before speaking.
So I wonder if there ever was a study and if this is just another harebrained scheme to show that there are results in the anti-graft fight.
Our MPs should already know what is wrong and what is right. If they don’t, we should make sure they never make it to Parliament again. We don’t need to waste money on such courses for our MPs.
We should just make sure the MACC goes after and makes sure those who are corrupt get punished. Not teach them to avoid corruption. That is absolute nonsense.
* Kunjuraman Karuppan reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
Some light in Malaysia’s human rights tunnel
The Nut Graph
Holding Court by Ding Jo-Ann
Holding Court by Ding Jo-Ann
As published in The Nut Graph on 3 Dec 2012
AS
far as human rights developments go, there’s not been much to celebrate
in Malaysia or its surrounding region recently. Asean members recently
signed the Asean Human Rights Declaration (AHRD), which has been ridiculed as a “declaration of state power, rather than of human rights”. Critics say the AHRD can
be used to justify rights violations by citing domestic reasons such as
public security, public order or morality. The AHRD also states that
the realisation of human rights must be considered in their “regional
and national contexts”, another loophole for governments to circumvent
rights by claiming reasons like incompatibility to local culture or religion.
Such
nervousness about human rights is certainly not new for the Malaysian
government. Law reform supposedly meant to usher in a new era of
Malaysian democracy was disappointingly piecemeal and maintained
provisions allowing strict government control over the exercise of
fundamental freedoms. Some “reforms” even made the law stricter.
But
despite the gloom, there are some indications that Malaysia is moving,
albeit slowly, towards a more open democracy. And it is now, more than
ever, that Malaysians need to push for a greater recognition of human
rights in our country.
Embedding rights
For
rights to have tangible effect in a society, they must become part of
the people’s consciousness and everyday life, and not merely a
disembodied collection of statements. For this to happen, there must be a
top-down as well as a bottom-up approach. Governments must recognise
and respect human rights and implement policies with a rights-based
framework. Simultaneously, civil society needs to educate the masses and
hold the government accountable to its promises.
For
Malaysia, our government, unfortunately, has not even made many
promises. We are, embarrassingly, one of the few countries that have not
signed two key United Nations human rights treaties – the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Why would we adamantly refuse to sign these documents that Indonesia,
Kazakhstan, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan and Zimbabwe have
all acceded to?
It
counts for something, then, to see our government formally acknowledge
the rights to life, liberty, privacy, asylum, work, form trade unions,
adequate standards of living, education and social security, and more,
contained in the ADHR. Although the ADHR’s limits on the implementation
of these rights risk relegating them to mere platitudes, it is still a
start for Malaysia to officially admit they exist. This contributes to
the top-down process of these rights becoming embedded in everyday life.
And
this formal acknowledgement means these rights can now be cited
legitimately as part of our government’s commitment and become part of
human rights discourse locally. Some of these rights, such as the right
to privacy or social security or education, go further than what is
contained in our Federal Constitution. These can be used to broaden our
nation’s understanding of rights to hopefully finally enable Malaysia to
become part of the ICCPR and ICECSR.
Maturing democracy
A
small step like this is part of becoming a mature democracy. It is
certainly disheartening at times to observe the rate of change, with
matters seemingly progressing, then grinding to a halt, or even going
backwards. But as piecemeal and pathetic as our human rights reforms may
be, it may be a misperception to dismiss them as merely political.
Professor
Andrew Harding, an expert on the Malaysian constitution, says it is
normal in a mature democracy for the government to concede to public
opinion while also balancing security and the interests of the nation.
At
a talk at Sunway University on 23 Nov 2012, he acknowledged that
Malaysia is not beyond authoritarianism, but is slowly moving beyond its
grasp. This, Harding observes, is part of a “new Asian
constitutionalism”. Countries such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan,
once “classic developmental states” which prioritised economic and
developmental interests over the rule of law, judicial independence and
parliamentary democracy, are increasingly becoming more open and liberal
democracies. Harding believes there is no reason Malaysia will be any
different. Perhaps, he adds, the “Asian developmental state” has run its
course.
Harding also notes other encouraging signs in Malaysia. One is the 2008 acknowledgement of the unjust and unconstitutional 1988 removal of
the Lord President and onslaught on the judiciary. He also noted
changes to the appointment process of judges, which, although still not
fully transparent or independent, seems to have produced a more diverse
bench in background, gender and identity.
The
courts have produced some interesting decisions and thinking as well. A
2011 Court of Appeal decision struck down provisions of the Universities and University Colleges Act for
being unconstitutional, for example. To reach its decision, the court
said restrictions on constitutional freedoms, in this case, on the
freedom of expression, had to be “reasonable”. Such judicial reasoning
opens the door for other legislation to be struck down as unreasonable
and thereby unconstitutional.
Contesting power
While
it is certainly uplifting to hear that Malaysia has come a long way, it
is still obvious that it has far to go. No government that has ruled
for as long as Barisan Nasional would willingly give up power and
control, which explains the merely grudging concessions granted thus
far. Our media is still not free. ISA detainees are still tortured, the Act’s repeal notwithstanding. Suspicious deaths in police custody still occur. And not very much has been done by the government to address any of this.
But
the fact that some concessions have been made is, perhaps, worth taking
note of in itself. It indicates that the government is not impervious
to public opinion and does respond, however inadequately. Given that
part of change is the process of back and forth, the work of election
reform group Bersih 2.0 and
other such civil society movements become even more important. Such
efforts are crucial to represent public opinion and pressure the
government along the route to a truly more open democracy.
There
may well be a liberalising trend among Asian countries, but trends are
neither inevitable nor automatic. Change is still borne on the efforts
of thousands of individuals, doing what they can with whatever resources
they may have, to make things better. That’s what I believe is
happening in Malaysia, and why I believe that even though things look
bleak at times, our efforts to make Malaysia a better, more inclusive,
fairer and safer place are not and will never be futile.
Iskandar Malaysia Proves Government Truly Implements High Impact Projects And ETP - Najib
JOHOR BAHARU, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- The rapid development taking place in
Iskandar Malaysia and Johor proves that the government is actually
implementing high-impact projects and the economic transformation
programme (ETP) and not merely hyping up to gain public support.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said such projects should be continued to ensure that national aspirations were achieved.
"This is the government's commitment and I will ensure that the continuity of the project (Iskandar Malaysia) is maintained until it achieves the objective in 2020.
"Insya'Allah (God willing), the government will continue to endeavour with the support of all Malaysians to turn Malaysia into a developed nation with high income by the year 2020," he said here Thursday.
Najib, who is also the Finance Minister, said this in his speech which was read by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman at the launching of the Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park, Nusajaya.
Najib said he took great pride in the fact that during the first six months of the implementation of Iskandar Malaysia, the impact and effects of the long-term project had begun to be felt.
He said this did not include the economic multiplier effects and the sustainable economic activities from the catalytic projects developed such as Educity, Legoland Malaysia and the Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park.
"Iskandar Malaysia is the most important national construction agenda, proof of the government's determination to transform Malaysia into a developed nation with high income in future," he said.
Iskandar Malaysia, which measures 2,217 sq km, would become a dynamic metropolis of world standard and a catalyst in the subsequent transformation process to all parts of the country, the prime minister said.
Since the economic corridor was launched six years ago until September this year, Najib said it had attracted almost RM100 billion in investments, with 40 per cent being foreign investments.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said such projects should be continued to ensure that national aspirations were achieved.
"This is the government's commitment and I will ensure that the continuity of the project (Iskandar Malaysia) is maintained until it achieves the objective in 2020.
"Insya'Allah (God willing), the government will continue to endeavour with the support of all Malaysians to turn Malaysia into a developed nation with high income by the year 2020," he said here Thursday.
Najib, who is also the Finance Minister, said this in his speech which was read by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman at the launching of the Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park, Nusajaya.
Najib said he took great pride in the fact that during the first six months of the implementation of Iskandar Malaysia, the impact and effects of the long-term project had begun to be felt.
He said this did not include the economic multiplier effects and the sustainable economic activities from the catalytic projects developed such as Educity, Legoland Malaysia and the Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park.
"Iskandar Malaysia is the most important national construction agenda, proof of the government's determination to transform Malaysia into a developed nation with high income in future," he said.
Iskandar Malaysia, which measures 2,217 sq km, would become a dynamic metropolis of world standard and a catalyst in the subsequent transformation process to all parts of the country, the prime minister said.
Since the economic corridor was launched six years ago until September this year, Najib said it had attracted almost RM100 billion in investments, with 40 per cent being foreign investments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)