What happens when Isa wins?

My SinChew (Used by permission)
By Mohsin Abdullah

Today 8 Oct 2009 postal voting begins for the Bagan Pinang by election. It will continue tomorrow. This according to Datuk Ngah Senik, the Election Commission secretary “is necessary as there are 4,604 postal voters in the constituency”. Polling proper as we know is on Sunday.

Anyway since nomination last Saturday, many have been using the word “when” instead of “if” in referring to Tan Sri Samad’s bid for the Bagan Pinang state seat. In short, many believe Isa will win. They have their own reasons for coming to an early conclusion, all of which we have heard many times before.

So let’s not go there. But with such conclusion comes this -- a logical question which was and still being asked:“ What do you do with a senior party man when he wins?” What this simply means is “How do you reward him?” Some are speculating Isa will be given an exco portfolio. Isa has declared that he wasn’t promised anything if he wins.Many are not convinced. The Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan is keeping mum, only wanting to say:”Let Isa win first”. Hence the speculation continues. Many still firmly believing Isa will be made a senior exco befitting his stature.

Assuming this happens, will that make Mohamad Hassan less comfortable? What with Isa being much more senior than him? And was Negeri Sembilan MB from 1982 to 2004. (in the 2004 General Election he contested parliamentary seat of Jempol, won it and was made Federal Territory Minister. A year later he had to relinquish the ministerial position because of his Umno problems which we all know about). Said a Negeri Sembilan’Umno watcher, it’s an open secret Isa and Mohamad Hassan are not in the best of terms, something both have strongly denied. Mohamad Hassan is saying he was the first to nominate Isa as Bagan Pinang candidate. Isa on his part say both of them “are so busy” that “we don’t have time to fight”. He has also denied that the leadership’s decision in picking him as candidate is splitting Umno especially in Negeri Sembilan. Isa and Mohamad Hassan of late have been seen together at functions, obviously projecting an ‘all’s well’ front. Still there are folks who’s not buying .

Word have it that Mohamad Hassan does not enjoy the full support of Umno Negeri Sembilan. Such talk has been heard for a long time. An Umno watcher put it as five out of eight Umno divisions in the state as not supporting the MB. It seems that Rais Yatim and Shaziman Mansor , big names in Umno Negeri Sembilan are also not keen on Mohamad Hassan. True of false ? It all depends on who you talk to.

Some say when Mohamad Hassan became MB, he incurred the wrath of Isa by chopping off Isa’s men. Now it looks like it’s pay back time. According to an Umno watcher, the day Isa was officially named BN candidate for Bagan Pinang, many of Mohamad Hassan supporters abandoned him and jumped onto the Isa band wagon.

Now some are boldly speculating that Isa will be made, no not senior exco but Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar, replacing Mohamad Hassan. The Umno watcher who claims to have been following Negeri Sembilan Umno politics for a long time feel there’s a possibility PM Najib Razak will appoint Isa as MB. He went on to state the reason why, which I feel should be omitted at least for now.

All this however cannot be independently substantiated and remain speculative . Maybe hear-say even .

Still it’s safe to assume supporters of Isa will push, shove and prompt that their boss be made MB. But Mohamad Hassan is no pushover. He too have his own supporters (although some said to have jumped ship). And as Menteri Besar he is the incumbent despite being junior to Isa, in age and experience. He won’t give in easily. His band of supporters will make sure of that, if not for anything else.

If the speculation and conspiracy theory become a reality, then a bigger war is in store after Sunday’s by election in Bagan Pinang. Like Karen Carpenter said in her song “We’ve only just begun..”
But first thing’s first. Isa must win. Can he ? Will he?

Persiapan Sebelum ke Bagan Pinang

Perihal persidangan “Common Word” disentuh sabelum ini dan inshaallah akan saya kupas lagi lantaran keistimewaan ikhtiar jalinan kerjasama Muslim-Kristian.

Yang ingin disentuh kini ialah dua pertemuan khusus dengan sarjana terkemuka Profesor Seyyed Hossein Nasr dari Universiti George Washington.

Beliau menyerahkan naskah ucapan di persidangan tersebut berjudul – A Common Word Initiative: Theoria and Praxis. Tetapi di sepanjang perjalanan pulang, selesai mambaca International Herald Tribune, Financial Times, Economist dan beberapa lapuran mengenai Pakistan dan Afghanistan, saya terus menelaah buku tebal hadiah dari Profesor Seyyed Hossein Nasr berjudul – The Sage Learning of Liu Zhi: Islamic Thought in Confucian Terms, karya Sachiko Murata, William C. Chittick dan Tu Weiming.

Maka berenanglah kami dengan alunan hujah mengenai syari’ah, tariqah dan ma’rifah – berbanding dengan dao dan jiao; mengupas karya Liu Zhi and the Han Kitab serta karya alim China yang ulung mengenai Nabi Muhammad SAW, iaitu Tianfang Zhisheng Shilu!

Saya kira demikian persiapan terbaik menghadapi hiruk-pikuk dan kegilaan politik di Bagan Pinang.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

MIC's Deepavali Open House Attracts Over 2,000 Guests

PORT DICKSON, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said on Friday he is pleased with the presence of more than 2,000 people, mostly from the local Indian community at the party's Deepavali open house here last night.

He said it reflected the support of the Indian community towards the Barisan Nasional (BN) ahead of Sunday's by-election in the Bagan Pinang constituency, near here.

"We did not expect such a huge turnout but we were well-prepared," he told Bernama here.

The open house, held at the Sua Betong estate here, was graced by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

In his speech, Muhyiddin said the gathering was a success and congratulated the MIC.

Also present were Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, BN candidate Tan Sri Isa Samad, top MIC leaders, Gerakan deputy president Datuk Chan Ko Yuan and Indian Progressive Front (IPF) president Puan Sri Jayashree Pandithan.

Before addressing the audience, the deputy prime minister accompanied by Mohamad, Isa, Samy Vellu and other top MIC leaders took to the stage to be photographed and later garlanded by several local MIC branch chairmen.

Samy Vellu said most of the Indians who attended the open house were from the four estates in the Bagan Pinang constituency and many were voters.

"We are encouraged by their presence and value their support," he said.

He also said that that the MIC would work extra hard to woo more Indian voters until the campaign period ends at midnight tomorrow.

The MIC was confident of delivering the Indian votes to the BN, he said. "Our feedback is that the Indians are back with us (the BN)."

The "Najib factor" has given the Indians a new hope, he said, referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

In Defense of Thanenthiran

Now almost everyday, we can see Thanenthiran of Makkal Sakthi Party got bashed up by outlawed Hindraf / PAHAM, MIC, Bolger’s columns, PAKATAN RAKYAT and everyone who fears they got something to loss from Thanenthiran’s political move.

But who is Thanenthiran in the first place? He was the National Coordinator of HINDRAF. The man who led HINDRAF for more than 514 days when the Chairman Wathymoorty ran to London and the Secretary General Regu ran to India. The rest of the committee members went ‘underground’. The four HINDRAF Legal Counsel plus the then National Coordinator Vasantkumar got arrested under ISA Act. Thanenthiran who was the most trusted Lieutenant of Utayahkumar was asked to ensure the light and spirit of HINDRAF lives on until Utayah comes back to lead the movement again.

So he was the “brave heart “who stood the ground when the rest went hiding or got impounded. He was the man who got kicked, beaten, dragged, arrested and detained in full public view when he fought for the rights of ISA detainees and public especially Indians. He was the man who said ‘Syed Albar bodoh’ in the parliament lobby even when he knows about the dangers of him getting arrested is imminent .He was the man who marches to the police stations to protest and got sprayed with chemicals. Because of his continue ‘harassment’ there was change in UMNO leadership. He was the reason that HINDRAF‘s name stood until now.

So my question is where the civil society and all the critics were when he was championing the rights of the public or when he was arrested? When Thanenthiran and team were fighting in the frontline, who supported them? I know for a fact that they were using they own funds. When he was traveling all around Malaysia, galvanizing support for Indians cause and then for PAKATAN’s in general election; who cared about him and his team? When he slept by the road side in his car, why nobody commented? He and his team work selflessly.

And isn’t seeing the prime minister and telling him the predicament of Indian was the reason for the all the rallies. So what is so wrong in Thanenthiran meeting the PM and got something done for Indians? What if Prime Minister Badawi has agreed to meet Thanenthiran then? Should he have said no? Then why have the memorandum? Surely you want to discuss about it with the person in authority. The argument that Utayah should be allowed to discuss with government is without merit. Any government clearly does not what to discuss with detainees. It is against government policy and Utayah have yet to come clean with public fund his girlfriend is holding under her name. I see the government is doing something for Indians directly after Makkal Sakti was formed. For example, the Indian IC problems are looked into seriously. This is the same issue that Thanenthiran was working on.

On the other hand what have PAKATAN done so far, other that putting some Indian faces in their goverment departments and destroying the last Indian heritage village. What about policies changes. Why not the problems of IC looked into? Whenever you ask them why you didn’t do it, they kept on saying we will do upon getting the federal government. When are you gone get the federal? 16 September? What about state level, surely you can do something at state level. But even at this level there were many hanky pankys as highlighted by ex PAKATAN’s Councilor a Thiru. PAKATAN should prove itself at state level first before it asks for federal.

When a close friend of mine meet Thanenthiran and asked about allegations that he have take money from the public; Thanenthiran asked the person that have given the money to him to come forward and prove it.

Some alleged that he is causing Indians to split by having Makkal Sakthi but did they forgot that it was Thanenthiran who ask all the five HINDRAF ISA ex detainees to take over the leadership of Makkal Sakthi , a legal political platform and that he is willing to step aside. Why didn’t they take up the offer? Ego? Indians were united during 25th rally because they all agreed to work as a team but when Wathymoorty and his brother Utayah decided to hijack HINDRAF from the committee then when things get splitting. The HINDRAF fund should have been held in trust under the supervision of a committee but when it goes under one persons name and supervised by family members that when credibility goes flying.

Recently Vasantkumar said that Thanenthiran have hijacked HINDRAF. Which HINDRAF? HINDRAF Enterprise is still his and two female comrades whom HINDRAF’s Wathy and Vasantkumar left to die in the battlefield. They not only have lost their jobs but have suffered humiliations and lost contact with their family members. And their rights have yet to be defended by Vasantkumar and brothers Wathy and Utayah. More that two years now they are yet to be visited by these heroes of HINDRAF. And Vasant, isn’t your wife who were begging like a beggar for money from the public and to the PM for your release? And it is you who have hijacked HINDRAF from the real HINDRAF under Ramaji. So shut your b…… mouth.

The new Hindraf / PAHAM lead by brothers Utayah and Wathy were among the vocal critics of Thanenthiran. Ironically they can join hands with MIC in many issues like Buah Pala and bashing up Thanenthiran. But Thanenthiran, a former fellow comrade seems to be their arca enemy for working with government for the betterment of Indians. Why? Have Hindraf / PAHAM joined PAKATAN or do they have some sort of pact with MIC?

The MIC’s attack against Thanenthiran is also because they were worried that after all the attempts and Tsunami to unseat Samy Velu (who still holding on to the power); he may finally been bought down by Thanenthiran through his cooperation with the government.

Thanenthiran have repeatedly asked people to give him a chance to prove himself. If he can’t deliver then he will without saying ‘close shop’ himself.

Give the man a chance.

Sivalan Murugan

Latest Shoot to kill policy by POLIS RAJA DIMALAYSIA

The police can shoot and kill anyone and then call them criminals to justify their shooting. This is inspite of the fact that the police are indeed a law unto themselves, as a result of which they render our country lawless. Never mind, I give you all that.

Now consider this - The Indian boys who were shot in Kulim the other day, were from the age group of 20-29. Once the Human Resource Minister Dr.Subramaniam said 200,000 Indian youths are involved in crime. The number of Indian youth in the age group 15 -29 years is 35% of the total Indian population (of 1,800,000) or about 630,000. Let us assume a male female ratio is 50/50. That will make it 315,000 male Indian youths in this category. Let us also make an assumption that most of those involved in criminal activities are males - say 90%.

There are therefore 180,000 Indian male youths out of 315,000 who are involved in crime. That is about 60% of the Indian male youth in the population. That is for now 2009, what about the children they are going to have and their grandchildren. What is going to be the net the impact on the Indian community as a whole in the next 50 years. Not a bright future for the coming generations of Indians in the country, is it?

These young chaps were born between 1980-1989 not very long ago. They were born into circumstances that led them to crime. Just what are these circumstances that lead to crime, why do we have these circumstances,. why do these circumstances persist and who is doing something to turn this situation around - who? UMNO, MIC, PKR,DAP,PAS ?

Don't you think that any Party that wants to provide leadership for the Indian community must deal with this extremely serious problem, head-on. This is directly a result of the governing policies of the last 50+years. These policies must change, we do not want a repeat. Shooting our way out is not an answer at all. If that is the answer , it means potentially shooting 60% of our Indian youths to rid ourselves of the problem of crime. But then again, will the problem go away. The processes in society that breed crime remain, so more will be produced to replace those that have been shot and killed. On top of all that , there is a concerted effort to keep Indians ignorant and confused about the root causes of this misery. The killing will continue, until we all understand the real causes and begin to hold the people who govern this country accountable for these problems.

HRP is the first Indian based Political party, a wing of Hindraf, that has dared to stand up and ask for this accountability in very clear and no nonsense terms.. Let us understand that this is what they are trying to do. And they are just beginning. Let us all support their efforts. They are our hope for a better future in this country.There is no other way. There just is no other way for all of us Indians in this country. Unless some among us are willing to sacrifice. Hindraf/HRP leaders have shown they will sacrifice for the rest of us. Let us all now strongly support them.

“ It is by the struggles of the weak, made under compulsion, to resist the reign of force and wrong that we secure, extend and preserve justice"

United we stand

United we act

by Naragan

Waytha on the future of Hindraf

Pinjaman tanpa faedah untuk peniaga kecil Pulau Pinang

PAS ada bukti BN kempen di kem tentera

AIMST, MIED and MIC are one: and here is the proof

Mahalingam, who was the former MIC treasurer, said Samy Vellu had in his pronouncements in the past repeatedly indicated that the All Asian Institute of Medicine, Science, and Technology (AIMST), MIED and MIC were one. And page 9 of MIC's Minutes of the 19th August 1985 Central Working Committee meeting says it all.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

(NST) - The Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) is part and parcel of the Malaysian Indian Congress, one of its former trustees said yesteday.

Tan Sri M. Mahalingam said the MIED was the successor to the MIC's education fund.

"We did away with the education fund as members were complaining that they were required to contribute money to the fund while raising funds for MIED.

"As a result of this, the party decided to close the education wing and transfer all its assets to the MIED."

He was responding to the statement by MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu last week that the MIED is an entity of its own and has nothing to do with the MIC.

Mahalingam, who was the former MIC treasurer, said Samy Vellu had in his pronouncements in the past repeatedly indicated that the All Asian Institute of Medicine, Science, and Technology (AIMST), MIED and MIC were one. (READ MORE HERE)

PAGE 9 ON THE RM10 MILLION MIC EDUCATION FUND

Money politics is not corruption, or is it?

Isa Samad, Umno's candidate for the Bagan Pinang by-election, did not commit a corrupt act, says Umno. Money politics is not corruption, argues Umno. It is…well…money politics. In that spirit, Malaysia Today reveals the letter that was sent to one-time Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi about all those who indulged in…well…money politics…in the 2004 party elections. Clearly, it is the Umno culture to dabble in…well…money politics, as this letter reveals.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

ADIK SANTHIYA HIDUP MERANA KERANA KANSER

Dear All,
Santhya Gunasekeran, i/c no 940311-05-5384, a smart 15 year old student of Sek Men Keb Mantin, (Ketua Sekolah: Dr Chia Keng Boon), Mantin, Negri Sembilan desperately needs help to undergo chemotherapy and medications, Santhya was diagnosed to be suffering from throat cancer 2nd stage (Hodgkins Disease) in May 2009, this year. Santhya who is currently undergoing treatment and care by Dr Suzanna (Hematology Dept.) at HUKM hospital in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, R/N 2500527 needs RM10,000.00 urgently for her chemotherapy sessions and other medical treatments..

Her mother, Mageswari Subramaniam, a factory worker and unemployed father, Gunasekeran, are in desperately seeking financial help from you, kind hearted Malaysians for Santhya to undergo treatment at HUKM on 1st Oct 2009, Let's all chip in RM10.00 each if it is permissible, for Santhya to undergo treatment. may god bless this poor child, So far some generous kind hearted souls have donated RM 2800.00

According to Santhya’s specialist, Dr Suzanna, cautioned that Santhya needs to be treated soon as the disease may spread to her other organs, Santhya is weak, the poor child needs your prayers, blessings and kind generous help.

Kindly forward your financial help, if you may, to Mageswari Subramaniam (mother) at No.56, Jalan Satu, Taman Bunga Raya, 71700 Mantin, Negri Sembilan, hp no. 016-6619721 or kindly bank in to: Maybank a/c no. 105082253934.

This patient has been verified as true and genuine case at HUKM ( Hematology Dept), Cheras, K.L.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Sincerely,

Mageswari Subramaniam

(i/c no 710605-05-5562)
hp no. 016-6619721

Man claims police dragging feet over daughter’s rape case

PENANG, Oct 8 – The father of a 14-year-old pregnant girl today claimed that the police were dragging their feet in the investigation into his daughter’s rape case.

The 44-year-old businessman, who spoke to reporters at his house here, urged the police to show more concern and speed up their investigation, saying his daughter was six months pregnant and the rape suspect was still at large.

“It has been three months since I lodged the police report but the investigating officer has failed to settle my daughter’s case,” he said.

The man said his daughter was raped by a 23-year-old man who was in a relationship with her sometime last year and as a result she kept skipping classes and finally dropped out of school early this year.

He said that when he called up the officer to ask for an update on the case two weeks after lodging the report, the investigating officer told him to wait, saying there were “too many cases to investigate”.

However, he said, he was told by a policeman that the police had raided the man’s house near Paya Terubong a day after he had lodged the report but the man no longer lived there.

“I would not want anyone to suffer the same fate as my daughter and hope that the police will seriously investigate and bring justice for my daughter,” he said.

He also said that the man was still trying to contact his daughter by sending SMS messages to her mobile phone which was now kept by him.

Georgetown OCPD ACP Azam Abd Hamid said he would question the investigating officer.

“Action will be taken against the officer if he is found guilty of the offence (of delaying the case),” he said. – Bernama

Najib failing to win back voters

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 – Prime Minister Najib Razak heads into his party’s annual meeting next week promising reforms to stem corruption in a bid to reignite the waning appeal of a government that has ruled for 52 years.

Najib is also hoping for victory on Sunday in a safe state seat to stem a series of by-election losses his governing coalition has suffered since last year’s poll debacle, in which it stumbled to record losses in national and state polls.

Umno will applaud Najib if a former Cabinet minister, sacked in 2004 for buying votes, wins the seat – before they turn their attention to party reforms aimed at eliminating the kind of “money politics” and corruption that has long tainted Umno’s image.

Corruption has seen a generation of young Malays desert Umno, the party of their parents, in favour of the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), which promotes both an Islamic state and a strong anti-graft stance in this ethnically mixed Southeast Asian nation of 27 million people.

Although Najib, who has enacted economic reforms to boost foreign investment, initially saw a spike in his approval ratings to 65 per cent in July from 42 per cent before he took office in April, those numbers have not held up.

A poll by the independent Merdeka Center published on Friday showed Najib’s rating had fallen to 56 per cent in September and there are few signs younger voters are now embracing Umno.

“Now that another Malay party (PAS) is in power, they (Umno) seem to be sabotaging them, creating all sort of problems,” said Yusuff Ismail, a 35-year old sales clerk in northwestern Kedah state, one of the four states to fall to the opposition in 2008.

“This divides the Malays more,” Yusuff said. “More people will vote for PAS because at least we know they are cleaner.”

While Najib’s economic reforms have chipped away at a three-decade old affirmative action programme that gives Malays – 55 per cent of the population – preferences in company ownership, government contracts, education and housing, tough areas have not yet been touched.

The government has recently been hit by a multi-billion dollar corruption scandal over the construction of a free trade zone in the country’s biggest port. Critics have charged it has been covered up.

“What worries me is that Najib worries there could be more (corruption) incidents in Umno. Then it will be a problem he can’t control,” said a senior Umno official who leads one of the party’s 191 divisions, the frontline units of Malaysia’s biggest mass political party.

MONEY HAS NOT FOLLOWED PRAISE

Najib, who has pledged to return Malaysia to six per cent annual economic growth and to draw in more foreign investment, has won plaudits from investment banks for the economic reforms he has announced so far.

These reforms include reducing requirements that Malays own 30 per cent of listed companies, opening up the insurance and fund management industry and other service sectors.

While praise has flowed, money has not and foreign ownership of the equity market remains mired at a touch over 20 per cent, according to stock market data, its lowest level since the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

An Oct 4 report from Deutsche Bank noted that despite what it termed “bold” reforms from Najib, some investors had reduced Malaysia’s equity market, once a regional leader, to a “rounding error” when making their portfolio allocations.

“Politics matters more than ever for this market, especially when investors’ confidence in Indonesia’s political system has improved significantly over the last month,” the report said.

Indonesia’s stock market is Asia’s best performing this year and has gained 86 per cent thanks to the re-election of reformist President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono while Malaysia’s market is Asia’s worst performing.

According to the Deutsche Bank report, government-related entities own 39.4 per cent of Malaysia’s equity market and that reduces the country’s attractiveness to fund managers.

Bolder reforms, such as moves to reduce the ownership of the state and state-linked pension funds in major companies, and slashing an overmanned civil service, will be much harder as they will have a direct impact on jobs for Malays, Umno’s voter base.

Bridget Welsh, a Malaysia expert at Singapore Management University, said bolder reforms risk alienating Umno’s core voters.

“The reason for the failure to bring about reform is Umno’s dependence on race and goodies for its survival.”

WEAKENED COALITION PARTNERS

Najib also faces huge problems rebuilding Umno’s coalition allies who also lost heavily in the 2008 elections.

The MCA, the second biggest government party, is mired in a leadership battle that will climax at a special party meeting this weekend.

The MIC has just been through a leadership fight and shows few signs it is reconnecting with its voters after being annihilated in the 2008 elections.

Ethnic Chinese account for around 25 per cent of the population and ethnic Indians around 8 per cent.

Najib has sought to defuse racial tensions by launching a racially inclusive campaign called “1 Malaysia”, dismissed by critics as little more than a branding exercise.

“The strategy is to pledge a yet unsubstantiated programme of ‘1 Malaysia’ while on the ground running campaigns based on the outdated model of race and money,” Welsh said.

The Umno leader does not see much chance the Barisan will fare any better at the 2013 general election than it did in 2008, raising the prospect of a prolonged period of political uncertainty that will further unnerve investors.

“I foresee there will not be a change of government, but it will not be a strong vote for both sides and that is bad for the country.” – Reuters

Voters averse to tainted leaders, poll shows

By Leslie Lau - The Malaysian Insider

Consultant Editor

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 – Umno appears headed for victory in this weekend’s Bagan Pinang vote, but a huge majority of voters in peninsular Malaysia disagree with Barisan Nasional’s (BN) choice of a tainted candidate, a new poll shows.

A poll by the independent Merdeka Center shows a whopping 87 per cent of voters surveyed disagreed with the choice of a candidate previously charged with vote buying.

The result of the survey suggests that a majority of Malaysian voters agree with the view put forward by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad that Tan Sri Isa Samad should not have been nominated as BN’s candidate for the Bagan Pinang vote.

The former PM has been a vocal critic of the nomination of the former Negri Sembilan mentri besar who was punished with a three-year suspension after the party’s disciplinary board found him guilty of vote buying during the Umno elections in 2004.

But Isa has proven to be a popular choice in Bagan Pinang, a BN stronghold where the ruling coalition can count on a large bank of postal votes from army personnel.

Umno leaders are hoping that a convincing win this weekend will give the party a much needed boost as it would be BN’s first by-election victory in peninsular Malaysia since Election 2008.

Party leaders are hoping that a win would help rally the party faithful to help fend off Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) challenge to BN rule.

But critics, chief among them Dr Mahathir, have argued that winning with a tainted leader like Isa would send out the wrong message to voters nationally.

Prior to Isa’s nomination, Dr Mahathir had said that nominating Isa would show that Umno had not learned its lessons. He also added that having a candidate like Isa, who had been involved with corruption, did not speak well for Umno and BN.

The Merdeka Center suggests voters agree with him. The same poll also showed that voters are intolerant of sex scandals. A whopping 75 per cent of those polled said they did not agree that a leader tainted by a sex scandal should lead a major political party.

This comes as MCA holds an EGM this weekend in which party delegates will ultimately choose whether to back Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat or Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek. Dr Chua was secretly filmed having sex with his mistress and the recording was leaked in late 2007.

Ong has also been affected by allegations of graft after he was accused of accepting a RM10 million donation and taking free rides on private jets owned by a company being investigated by his ministry.

According to the Merdeka Center, a total of 846 registered voters were randomly selected for the poll. The margin of error was 3.4 per cent.

Six months on, Najib’s approval rating dips slightly

By Leslie Lau - The Malaysian Insider

Consultant Editor

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s approval rating has fallen slightly, with 56 per cent of Malaysians satisfied with his performance as Prime Minister, compared with a high of 65 per cent in June, according to a new poll released today.

The poll, conducted by the independent Merdeka Center to mark Najib’s sixth month as PM, showed that many Malaysians found his efforts at reducing corruption and crime still wanting.

But a majority of those polled are satisfied with Najib’s efforts in improving the education system, managing the economy and raising government efficiency.

Overall, the survey found that the number of people dissatisfied with Najib’s performance as PM remained about the same at 23 per cent, compared with 22 per cent in June.

The Merdeka Center said the poll was conducted by telephone among 1027 randomly selected registered voters from Sept 4-14. The margin of error is 3.06 per cent.

A total of 60 per cent of the respondents were Malay, 30 per cent Chinese and nine per cent Indians.

Overall, 47 per cent of respondents felt the country was headed in the right direction and 34 per cent said it was headed in the wrong direction. The rest, at 19 per cent, did not respond.

Broken down along race lines, 59 per cent of Malays felt the country was headed in the right direction, compared with 18 per cent of Chinese and 70 per cent of Indians.

On the PM’s job approval rating, 64 per cent of Malay voters were satisfied, with 21 per cent dissatisfied while 15 per cent did not respond.

Among the Chinese respondents, 36 per cent were satisfied with Najib, 25 per cent dissatisfied while 38 per cent did not respond.

Among Indians, 68 per cent were satisfied, 27 per cent dissatisfied while five per cent did not respond.

A total of 48 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied with Najib’s efforts in reducing the crime rate with only 39 per cent satisfied.

On efforts to reduce corruption, 50 per cent were dissatisfied while only 35 per cent were satisfied.

Najib scored better in the areas of education, the economy and improving government efficiency.

Among respondents, 56 per cent were satisfied with his performance in improving the education system, compared with 29 per cent who were dissatisfied.

On improving government efficiency, 54 per cent of respondents were satisfied while only 29 per cent were dissatisfied.

A total of 52 per cent of respondents were happy with Najib’s handling of the economy with only 30 per cent dissatisfied.

No Extra Deepavali School Holiday on 19/10/09

No Extra Deepavali School Holiday on 19/10/09

On 24^th September 2009 we have written to the Prime Minister and the Education Minister amongst others as follows:-

1) School and Public Examination date are even held one day after Deepavali but for Hari Raya and Chinese New Year it is school holidays for one whole week, every year.

2) Urgent Education and Higher Education Ministry Circular to direct a similar one week school holiday also for Deepavali from this year onwards and for all other public examinations not to be held during the week of the Deepavali celebrations.

3) This is a recurring problem year in and year out but only when it comes to Deepavali in One Malaysia?

In regards of the above we are disappointed with the Education Minister’s statement ( The Star 8/10/09 page N2) stating that the State education directors have been told to approve request from schools for an extra day off. The schools are to opt to take either event holidays (cuti peristiwa) which need not be replaced, or replacement holidays.

We question why when it comes to Deepavali it becomes a problem. Why during Chinese New Year and Hari Raya it is School holidays and why not Deepavali? For this year’s Hari Raya holiday we welcome this move. But when it comes to Deepavali, the schools have to write in to the State Education Directors for an extra day leave on Monday 19/10/09 as Deepavali holiday. We call upon the Education Minister to sent a directive to make Monday 19^th of October 2009 as an official school holiday for all government schools and educational institutions. This would at least the first step towards One Malaysia.

Thank you,

Yours truly,

—————————-

S.JAYATHAS

HRP Information Chief

012-6362287

UMNO only want’s Indian Voters

In the Bagan Pinang by election UMNO once again only wants the Indian voters. After the election are over these Indians will be forgotten. These estate workers are still earning wages of RM300 per month. Till today the UMNO led government refuse to set a minimum wage for estate workers. The Indonesian Embassy set minimum wage of RM500 for Indonesian maids working in Malaysia or they would not be granted extention of their pasports. Even foreigners have better deal then Malaysians.

Not only that Malaysian did not get minimum wage but they also left out from the mainstream development of 1 Malaysia such as Felda, Felcra, FAMA, Risda so on and so forth. For instantce Berita Harian dated 8/10/09 on special report on RISDA, Prime Minister Najib holding a mock cheque for dividend in the sum of RM 202,248,566.67 for RTBB ( Rancangan Tanam Baru Berkolompok and TSK Risda ( Tanam Semula Komersial). These RTBB and TSK land settlers had been given 10 acres of land for planting largely Rubber and Palm tree purpose. Why have the Malaysian Indians to the contrary given this opportunity to prosper like the Malay Muslims.

We are disappointed the UMNO led government come with the slogan of 1 Malaysia but in realty it is not implemented especially for the Indians.

S.JAYATHAS

HRP Information Chief

012-6362287

No Birth Certificate so no school for Indian children

Statement (No.50) to the Government of Malaysia for which we expect a reply:

2,203 (almost all working class Indian) children “to get” their right to attend school after they are issued with their birth certificates. So says Home Minister Hishammuddin (UM 08/10/09 at page 4) Primary school education is as of right and there is no compromise on this. So while processing their birth certificates with the target date of year end we ask the Home Minister for:-

1) The list of children who have been issued birth certificates from today onwards to be updated on a weekly basis in the Home Minister’s website to show sincerity that this UMNO Minister means what he said and is not a racist and that it is not merely the usual “UMNO paper politics”

2) What about the balance from the 93,360 applications for late birth registration at the latest by the end of the year that the National Registration Department has been ordered to clear? (The Sun 08/10/09 front page). Why is there no deadline to clear this Mr. Home Minister Hishammuddin. Because 98% of them are “merely” the poor working class and helpless Indian children? We urge your goodself to set a three month deadline and put up the names of those issued with their rightful birth certificates in the Home Minister’s Website within one week from today.

3) And finally issue an urgent Directive to all Primary and Secondary schools to with effect form 01/01/2010 to take in all Malaysian Indian children into all Tamil and National schools and Institutions of Higher learning even if they have been denied their birth certificates.

4) UMNO’s Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin should cancel the earlier Education Minister’s circular for 2008 onwards prohibiting Indian children from being admitted into Tamil schools and sacking existing Indian children from Tamil schools if they do not have birth certificates (actually denied their birth right to be issued their birth certificates) (P. Uthayakumar)

PKR Selangor government refuses to grant proper land for Indian cattle farmers

Statement (No.49) to the Govenment of Malaysia for which we expect a reply:

PKR Selangor government refuses to grant proper land for Indian cattle farmers. The land given is too rocky and hilly (NST 07/10/09 at page 23). It is about two years since the Selangor state government is governed by PKR and PR but hundreds of deserving Indian farmers, lifestock farmers have been denied land to even earn a decent living. The Selangor Agricultural and Development Corporation and Selangor Land Development Authority has thus far given almost zero land schemes to the Indians in Selangor under even the PKR/PR led state government. Just like how UMNO had denied hundreds of thousands of deserving Indians land in their Felda, Felcra, Risda, Fama and Agropolitan land schemes. By doing this UMNO has excluded these deserving Indians from the national mainstream development of Malaysia. These Indians especially the plantation workers are 52 years behind time or remain in almost the same state as they were during the British colonial days. How then is this PKR, DAP and PAS state government any different from the UMNO government which has for 52 years excluded the working class Indians form the national mainstream development of Selangor vis a vis Malaysia.

Bangsar Shan kidnapped by UMNO police UTK (suspected) Zero reply from Home Minister Hishamuddin

Statement (No.48) to the Government of Malaysia for which we expect a reply:

Bangsar Shan kidnapped by UMNO police UTK (suspected) Zero reply from Home Minister Hishamuddin. Shan was on 29/08/09 at a nursey with his family when he was kidnapped. How can this be allowed to happen in broad daylight in Malaysia. Three police reports have been lodged thus far. Even an official legal letter to Home Minister dated 02/09/09 has not been replied to even after 5 weeks the letter was sent to him. UMNO does not care. The crime rate in Malaysia has passed the alarming rate and is now In the critical rate. We need a new Inspector General of police and also a new Attorney General for Malaysia who can effect a corrupt free and crime free police force. Because what happened to Bangsar Shan can happen to any one of us. We are living in fear on a day to day basis especially when many of the police personnell themselves are suspected to be involved in crime or work hand in glove with criminals. (P. Uthayakumar).

Before 1MALAYSIA can be extended to 1World …

By Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP Life Adviser

The announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak recommending his concept of 1Malaysia to other countries to adopt a similar concept and his call for the creation of 1WORLD dream are both astounding and confusing.

Najib must be commended for his inspiration but unfortunately he is quite premature to do so, as back home in Malaysia, the concept of 1Malaysia is not a done thing yet.

In the first instance, his definition of 1Malaysia is unclear. The people want to know whether 1Malaysia means all citizens are equal, that all citizens have the same status of first-class Malaysians.

If it is so, then why is Umno propagating a policy of MALAY SUPREMACY. Umno claims that Malays are ketuanan Melayu (malay supremacy) while the others the Chinese, Indians and indigenous communities are second class.

Najib is the president of Umno. It is incomprehensible for him to sponsor two conflicting concepts — 1Malaysia and Ketuanan Melayu.

The DAP is quite sure that the countries of the world do not subscribe to the philosophies of racial supremacy whether it is white supremacy, Malay supremacy or Aryan supremacy. Apartheid of whatever form stands condemned by the whole world.

The world has embraced the philosophy of a multiracial world, with different culturs, different religions, different mores and habits.

United States which comprises of 87% whites have chosen a black American to be their president. This is a signal for the world that race is no more a racial problem.

Surely, the president of Umno and his cohorts must accept this fact of life. If Umno persists to pursue its objective of ketuanan Melayu, it would be extremely difficult for Malaysia to be accepted as a member of a new global world. 1Malaysia cannot be a reality but will remain as a perpetual dream.

For 1Malaysia to be wholeheartedly accepted by all Malaysians, Najib must demonstrate by policies and practices that Malaysia is indeed a country where all races are equal, who enjoy.

Malaysians reject corrupt leaders

By Jacqueline Ann Surin
thenutgraph.com

PETALING JAYA, 8 Oct 2009: A new Merdeka Center for Opinion Research poll has found that the majority of Malaysians reject political leaders who have been tainted by money politics or sex scandals.

In a press release today, Merdeka Center said a total of 87% of respondents in a poll conducted in Peninsular Malaysia from 29 Sept to 4 Oct did not want leaders who have been involved in money politics to stand for elections.

Rohaizat (Courtesy of theSun) In the Permatang Pasir by-election, Umno's Rohaizat Othman, who was disbarred by the Bar Council for swindling a client, was trounced by PAS.

Whether the same sentiment towards less-than-honest candidates will have a bearing on the Barisan Nasional (BN)'s performance in the 11 Oct Bagan Pinang by-election is left to be seen. The BN candidate is former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Tan Sri Isa Samad, who was previously suspended from Umno for money politics.

The same Merdeka Center poll also found that 75% of respondents rejected leaders who were tainted by sex scandals. At the same time, 25.2% of respondents said Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat should lead the MCA, while only 5.8% threw their support behind Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Chua was scandalised by a secret video recording of his affair with a woman who was not his wife, and was sacked from the party for damaging the party's image.

OngThe majority of respondents (39%) also said the MCA should resolve the infighting between Ong and Chua. This was followed by wanting the party to focus on winning back the confidence of all Malaysians (27%).

The MIC fared much worse in public perception. According to the poll, 59% of respondents viewed the party unfavourable after its September polls; 26% had no opinion; and only 15% viewed the largest Indian Malaysian party in the BN favourably.

The highest percentage of Malaysians who viewed the MIC negatively was Indians (68%), followed by Malays (63%), and Chinese (49%).

Najib's performance

In a survey conducted from 4 to 14 Sept among 1,027 respondents, 56% of Malaysians said they were satisfied with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's performance in his sixth month in office.

While Najib remains in positive territory, his popularity has dipped from the 65% approval rating he received in mid-June 2009, Merdeka Center noted.

Among the respondents, the highest percentage of satisfied Malaysians were the Malays (63%), followed by the Indians (62%), and the Chinese (40%). In fact, more Chinese Malaysians were dissatisfied than satisfied with the premier.

Overall, however, the survey found that the number of people who were dissatisfied with his performance remained similar at 23%, compared with 22% in June 2009.

The survey also found that a majority of people were satisfied with the prime minister's efforts to improve the education system and government efficiency, and in managing the economy. But many found the efforts in reducing crime and corruption still wanting.

At the same time, Malaysians remained split over the country's direction, with 47% saying it was in the "right direction", while 34% saying it was in the "wrong direction".

Coalition performance

"With respect to the Pakatan Rakyat, the survey [from 29 Sept to 4 Oct] found that 47% of the people were not convinced that it could be 'a viable alternative' to the BN at the federal level," Merdeka Center said.

At the same time, the survey also found that 46% of the people were satisfied with the performance of the four Pakatan Rakyat-held states of Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Kelantan.

With regard to reforms within the BN, the same survey found that a majority of respondents (34%) felt that "unless Umno reforms extensively, changes in other component parties mean little".

Why is PDC re-negotiating with Abad Naluri?

It is shocking to see the Penang Development Corporation and Abad Naluri re-negotiating the deal in which the latter was supposed to acquire 750 acres of land in Batu Kawan from the PDC.

The site of the failed equestrian centre project in Batu Kawan – Photo by Anil

This Batu Kawan land was supposed to have been used for a new equestrian centre among other things around the time the Penang Turf Club entered into an agreement with Abad Naluri to sell its Batu Gantung race-course for the Penang Global City Centre project. Neither project (the PGCC and the new equestrian centre in Batu Kawan) took off.

An Edge report says no money has exchanged hands for the Batu Kawan land even though there was a principal agreement between the PDC and Abad Naluri. If so, hasn’t this agreement, which was entered into in 2004, now lapsed? Shouldn’t the PDC be terminating the deal outright?

What is there to negotiate? After all, if the agreement has lapsed, there is no risk of the PDC being sued by Abad Naluri, is there?

People are always complaining there’s a shortage of land in Penang for affordable housing and green lungs. One would have thought this would be a golden opportunity for PDC to re-acquire this vast tract of land and build some affordable houses for Penangites – like it once did superbly – or to use it for other social and public purposes like public parks. Part of the land could also be sold to the highest bidder – in an open tender – to raise funds for the state government.

In the first place, how did an obscure company like Abad Naluri enter into an agreement with the PDC for such a vast tract of land? Was it a coincidence that it secured 750 acres of potential prime land next to the site of the second bridge so cheaply?

Did the state government’s investigative committee panel to probe dubious land deals ever probe the Batu Kawan deal? If so, what is the outcome? And if it did not probe the deal, why not? This was a monster of a deal – 750 acres to an obscure, but well-connected firm.

No ‘succession plan’ yet if Anwar is convicted

The Malaysian Insider
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 – Pakatan Rakyat (PR) national leaders admitted today the opposition bloc has yet to discuss a “succession plan” should Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim be convicted of sodomy again.

Anwar had claimed this week in a speech at Johns Hopkins School of International Studies in Washington that the opposition was making plans for the future in case he dies or is convicted.

Should the PR wrest federal power, it is generally agreed between the component parties, with the possible exception of PAS, that the PKR de facto and parliamentary opposition leader will be prime minister.

The lack of ideological commonality, or even communication, between the three component parties makes the succession plan extremely important as Anwar has been the factor which holds the frail coalition together.

PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub told The Malaysian Insider that the pact will discuss this matter at a PR convention scheduled for either late this month or early November.

Salahuddin, who sits on the newly formed PR secretariat representing PAS, said that the convention will also, among others, seek to quickly identify and establish a PR ideology.

So far, nothing concrete have come out of the various meetings that have taken place.

And observers have noted that working out a succession plan would be an uphill task.

One of it is the DAP and PAS factor. Though recently declaring truce over a host of sensitive issues, many remain skeptical that the two can iron out their differences especially on the unresolved issue of the Islamic state.

“There is distrust among the two parties on various issues so one can imagine, in Anwar’s absence, how will DAP and PAS work out on who takes charge next?” said a PR insider who did not want to be named.

Outspoken DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang, who has been very critical of PAS in the past, however, is more optimistic.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insider today, the Ipoh Timur MP said the proposals to structure PR should be taken as a sign of the pact’s reduced reliance on Anwar.

“The effort to formalise the coalition shows that. We will meet in Parliament soon to strengthen the coalition,” said Lim.

BP: Slashings at a police station & increased desperation - signs of a waning majority

by Nathaniel Tan

Looks like that’s what happens to you if you dare challenge Umno >:(

Well, thuggery from those boys ain’t anything new. Still, the degree is quite awful:

Violence has marred the Bagan Pinang by election campaign with PAS party workers allegedly assaulted by Umno members in several incidents yesterday.

PAS security chief Abdul Rashid Hassan Basri said nine people were injured.

He alleged that about a hundred Umno-linked thugs attacked about 14 PAS workers who were putting up party campaign materials such as flags and posters.

According to Abdul Rashid, the victim ran from the mob - who targeted those sporting the PAS logo - and was later slashed at the police station.

Slashed at the police station?!?

And the function of the police is…. what exactly? >:( This degree of complicity is simply unacceptable.

There are also indicators of increasing desperation:

PAS Youth today accused Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan of campaigning in an army camp with offers of a swimming pool and futsal court in exchange for votes in the Bagan Pinang by-election.

To back his claim, Nasrudin played a purported audio recording of speeches by the two during their visit to the camp.

In the audio recording, Mohamad Hassan had allegedly promised to allocate RM100,000 to upgrade a mosque in the camp.

Zahid, on the other hand, allegedly promised to provide a swimming pool, futsal court and wi-fi facility for the soldiers in exchange for their support.

With the ‘evidence’ in hand, Nasrudin said PAS is determined to report the matter to the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Election Commission.

“And this move would allow us to urge EC to nullify the by-election result if it favours BN,” he said, stressing that it is an offense under Section 10 of the Election Offences Act 1954 which forbids any form of bribery.

The good news is - it looks like they’re not taking the army votes for granted, which bodes well for us.

And as we have seen before, statements by BN top guns a few days before voting day tends to be indicative. What’s Najib saying?

Winning in the Bagan Pinang state by-election is more important to the Barisan Nasional than the size of the majority obtained, Najib Abdul Razak said.

“There’s no need to talk about winning big or small, as long as (we) win. Winning is the important thing,” the prime minister told Malaysian journalists after his four-day visit to France.

Remember, any reduction in BN’s majority will mean that there is still a strong pro-Pakatan political trend on the peninsular. In the grander scheme of national politics, it is all about percentage point movements - not merely a simple majority.

If we do we reduce that majority, Insyallah, the maturity shown by the voters will give us plenty to look forward to in the years to come.

PAS Has Lost Its Direction In Bagan Pinang, Says Ali Rustam

PETALING JAYA, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- PAS calling for the Bagan Pinang by-election to be postponed shows it has lost its direction and is "scraping the bottom of the barrel", said Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

Mohd Ali, who is also Melaka Chief Minister, said PAS was resorting to the action because it knew it could not win the by-election.

"Calling for a by-election to be postponed is unheard of. This just shows how desperate PAS is," he told reporters after opening the Restrees Kopitiam here Thursday.

PAS on Wednesday had asked the Election Commission to postpone the by-election claiming there was some duplication of voters names in the electoral roll.

The by-election, polling of which will be on Sunday, will see a straight fight between the Barisan Nasional's Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, who is also former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar, and Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, the Negeri Sembilan PAS Commissioner. It is called following the death of its assemblyman Azman Mohammad Noor, of the BN, on Sept 4.

Outstanding Centres Being Converted Into National Centres Of Excellence

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- Outstanding Centres of Excellence at the research universities in the country are in the process of being converted into National Centres of Excellence, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Khaled said these National Centres of Excellence had also been earmarked for international collaborative potential, where beneficial partnerships could be forged in which local researchers and scientists could work with their counterparts from the leading research universities all over the world.

Four public universities upgraded to research university status are Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Sains Malaysia.

"It must be recognised that research, as a purely intellectual exercise, is extremely important because many of the most fundamental discoveries today in the pure and applied sciences are the result of decades-long efforts by dedicated researchers," he said in his speech at the opening of the International Exposition on Research and Inventions of Institutions of Higher Learning 2009 (PECIPTA 2009), here, Thursday.

PECIPTA 2009 was opened by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Khaled said the government recognised the importance of providing the appropriate institutional and financial support for research by universities.

He said that in the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the budget allocated for research was RM1.8 billion, of which only RM250 million was allocated to the ministry under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme.

"This is only about 14 per cent of the total allocated to higher educational institutions and that too, on a competitive basis," he said.

NASA set to crash on the moon -- twice

(CNN) -- Two U.S. spacecraft are set to crash on the moon Friday. On purpose. And we're all invited to watch.

An artist's rendering shows the LCROSS spacecraft, left, separating from its Centaur rocket.

NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite is scheduled to drop its Centaur upper-stage rocket on the lunar surface at 7:31 a.m. ET.

NASA hopes the impact will kick up enough dust to help the LCROSS probe find the presence of water in the moon's soil. Four minutes later, the LCROSS will follow through the debris plume, collecting and relaying data back to Earth before crashing into the Cabeus crater near the moon's south pole.

The LCROSS is carrying spectrometers, near-infrared cameras, a visible camera and a visible radiometer. These instruments will help NASA scientists analyze the plume of dust -- more than 250 metric tons' worth -- for water vapor.

The orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will watch, and photograph, the collisions. And hundreds of telescopes on Earth also will be focused on the two plumes.

NASA is encouraging amateur astronomers to join the watch party.

"We expect the debris plumes to be visible through midsized backyard telescopes -- 10 inches and larger," said Brian Day at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California. Day is an amateur astronomer who is leading education and public outreach for the LCROSS mission.

"The initial explosions will probably be hidden behind crater walls, but the plumes will rise high enough above the crater's rim to be seen from Earth," he said. The Cabeus crater lies in permanent shadow, making observations inside the crater difficult.

The impacts will not be visible to the naked eye or through binoculars. If you don't have a telescope, or you live in areas where daylight will obscure the viewing, NASA TV will broadcast the crashes live. Coverage begins at 6:15 a.m. ET Friday.

The two main components of the LCROSS mission are the shepherding spacecraft and the Centaur upper stage rocket. The spacecraft will guide the rocket to its crash site.

Data from previous space missions have revealed trace amounts of water in lunar soil. The LCROSS mission seeks a definitive answer to the question of how much water is present. NASA has said it believes water on the moon could be a valuable resource in the agency's quest to explore the solar system.

LCROSS launched with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 18.

India flood victims find destruction

HYDERABAD, India (CNN) -- A blanket of water hides the devastation underneath it. Miles and miles of villages, small cities, and farmland are spoiled by standing flood water.

Mohammed Farooq Basha says his family had no food or water for two days.

First the waters raged for days, then they seemed to pull back almost as fast as they came but the damage had been done with such fury that more than 1.5 million were left homeless.

"Everything was drowned," flood victim Mohammed Farooq Basha said. "The water came to the second floor we called for help. No one came."

He lives in Kurnool where more than 200,000 people were trapped when the water suddenly surrounded the town in Andhra Pradesh.

For two days he and his family survived without food or water until the floodwater receded freeing them, he told CNN. "We were hungry, thirsty. The child got a fever."

But they lived. Now he is back sitting in front of his home trying to put his life back in order. It means removing the thick mud that has attached itself to everything in his home.

He is not the only one toughing it out and trying to reverse the effects of the worst flooding here in decades.

"I am completely devastated," 50-year-old Ramaya said.

Like many he lost not only his home but his business. All the dahl -- lentils that are a staple of the Indian diet -- he had prepared to sell were spoiled by the grayish brown flood waters.

He did not mince words when asked about aid to flood victims. "Nobody has come to help. Nobody," he said. "No drinking water, no clothes, nothing for four of five days."

But there are efforts being made. On the ground the government camps are visible in some villages. In the air the Indian Air Force helicopters have been dropping supplies for days, never mind making intensely dangerous rescue missions in the first few days.

Some people were stuck in trees including a family of four, Indian Air Force Helicopter Pilot P.K. Chugh said. "They were stuck on the branches of the trees for two days without food or water ... no sleep. Just imagine yourself sitting on a branch without sleep, food, water."

Aid workers from both local and international non-governmental organizations are also in the area trying to help. But with so many people in need of food, water and shelter the needs are way beyond what is being done. Watch as relief efforts continue »

Besides the humanitarian toll there is an economic one too. The floods have damaged hundreds of kilometers of crops in the two southern states.

In India 60 percent of the working population relies directly on the land to make a living and another 10 percent indirectly, economists say. In both Karnatak and Andhra Pradesh vegetable crops have been badly hit and not only by the floods.

India has also suffered droughts in many states this year. The brutal combination has created higher food prices and threatens to impact India's economy as a whole.

But for those caught in the extreme weather the concerns are all about survival.

Back in Kurnool, Padmawati sits rubbing the mud off utensils and worries where she will get her next meal and if there will there be any clean water to wash it down.

"There is nothing to eat, no water to drink, there is no sanitation and no power."

Corruption will sink us all - Malaysiakini

Once upon a time, many Malaysians believed that corruption was a necessary lubricant for development.

Our leaders knew that if we maintained all the regulations that we inherited from the British, growth would be slow.

We would not be able to increase the material wealth of our people fast enough and this would mean losing votes.

So many closed a blind eye, others just looked the other way. Corruption became part of life.

Today, after more than five decades of independent rule, our problem is not so much that there is too little growth but that we have paid too little attention to our own well-being.


It is therefore heartening to know that there are some young leaders who are slowly but surely focusing on two issues that will be integral to Malaysia's future going forward as one of the most developed nations in Southeast Asia.

These issues are equatability and the environment. In Penang, a lot of effort is now underway to convince developers and house buyers that there need to be more affordable housing. This is not
social housing but properties that many young people can afford.

Of course, this task is very difficult. But hopefully, the current economic meltdown owing to
excessive greed has taught banks and the business community about the real value of business: good relationship with one's customers.

Tanjong Tokong ruffled feathers

This writer's commentary on Tanjong Tokong ruffled many feathers.

Yet, I maintain my stand that there needs to be a balance between development and the protection of our living
environment; whether that includes clean air or cultural identity.

Heritage ultimately means we are fighting to preserve or protect something not for ourselves but for future generations. This also applies to the right to affordable housing.

In a highly urbanised state like Penang, competition for land is very intense.

It might be that in the not too distant future, we may all have to live in high-rise buildings.

Definitely, most below the age of 40 can only afford apartments hence the call for responsible development in the mentioned article.

The other important issue is the environment. With global warming now an undeniable scientific fact, we may have to get ready to alter the way we live.

Storms will get worse and there will be more flooding. Thus responsible development must also include considerations for thebenvironment.

Whether we like it or not, both equatability and environmental issues are going to be the future big issues in the political arena.

Basically, in a global economic environment that is now even more challenging, Malaysia can no longer afford all the terrible waste of resources through corruption.

Old ways coming to an end

And corruption is the cancer that is making the income gap wider and resulting in massive environmental disasters.

It is good that once again Penang is leading the way in our country's fight against corruption.

Transparency International singled out Penang for a special mention. Detractors of the Penang state government will say that nothing has changed, that the current chief minister only talks about being transparent but does not walk the talk.

The former chief minister even pointed out the Kg Buah Pala case as an example of Lim Guan Eng's lack of transparency.

The reality that there is so much debate surrounding the various development projects in Penang that there has been frank and open discussions with the respective stakeholders, some of whom
openly attack the state government.

All this is evidence of a more transparent administration.

Of course, more can be done but here is a case of the gods are willing but the priests are not.

Malaysians must remember that the rapid material development that we have experienced in the last three decades have been predicated on a 'hands-off' and non-interference ideology.

Foreign investors prefer a working environment that can give them high returns without minimum fuss.

We gave them extra-territoriality through the free trade zones, a malleable and fairly educated workforce, most of whom are not allowed to be part of any union, so wages could
be kept low.

But now, we cannot compete with production centres in India, China and Vietnam where the costs are very low.

This mantra has been repeated a thousand times and if need be, it must be repeated a thousand times more.

The old ways of doing things are now coming to a close.

Without fear or favour

Malaysia needs to be collectively more efficient to attract FDI and retain whatever we have now.

That means we must have low tolerance of corruption, which is robbing future generations of the opportunities that we've had.

The foreign investor of the future wants to be able to tell their customers that the products they buy are not the results of forests being indiscriminately cut.

In short, as we move up the value chain, we need to add value to the things we produce.

This new type of production requires more professionals and they want to be part of a socially-responsible society.

Penang used to have an old motto, much forgotten and sometimes recalled with shame. 'Penang Leads' must now be the clarion call for Malaysia, to be really a developed country, a high-
income economy and a more equitable society.

Malaysia needs to combat corruption without fear or favour.

Lim Guan Eng to Koh Tsu Koon on debate

Lost my faith at my corruption agency Malaysia