Of noisy Indians and 'keling' blood

India tetap India. Orang India ialah masyarakat yang begitu unik. Jika kita sering tengok wayang Tamil atau Hindi, itulah budaya mereka. Kecoh, kecoh dan kecoh. Orang Melayu tidak seperti orang India, walaupun ada juga Melayu yang darah keturunan Keling (DKK), tapi darah Melayu yang lembut banyak menguasai mereka.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Among others, the writer Zaini Hassan said Indians in India and Malaysia are "loudmouthed and always making noise."

He then zeroed in on DAP MP M Kulasegaran for 'making noise' over the special privileges accorded to the Malays.

Zaini penned: "Dia tahukah apa yang dia cakap? Tapi yang pasti kenyataannya itu cukup sensitif dan akan membuat kumpulan lain marah. Tapi seperti biasa orang Melayu marahnya tidak lama."

(Is he aware of what he is saying? One thing is for certain, his statement is very sensitive and will anger others. But as usual the anger of the Malays will not last for long).

"Tak apalah. Orang Melayu tidak seperti orang India, walaupun ada juga Melayu yang darah keturunan keling (DKK), tapi darah Melayu yang lembut banyak menguasai mereka."

(Never mind. The Malays are not like Indians, although some of them have 'keling' blood, but the 'soft' Malay blood in them is more overwhelming).

In the article, Zaini also related his experience in visiting India recently, where he witnessed the hustle and bustle of the densely-populated nation.

"India tetap India. Orang India ialah masyarakat yang begitu unik. Jika kita sering tengok wayang Tamil atau Hindi, itulah budaya mereka. Kecoh, kecoh dan kecoh."

(India is India. The Indians are unique. If we watch Tamil or Hindi movies, that is their culture, noisy, noisy and noisy).

"Namun, kita di Malaysia pun ada orang India. Kecohnya pun lebih kurang sama. Mereka ini rata-ratanya terdiri daripada ahli-ahli profesional, peguam dan kini menjadi ahli politik."

(There are also Indians in Malaysia, and the noisiness is about the same. These are the professionals, lawyers and now politicians.)

Excerpts from: Of noisy Indians and 'keling' blood: Utusan strikes again

Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/119501)

*************************************************

Cuit: Alkisah India di India dan India di Malaysia

Oleh Zaini Hassan, Utusan Malaysia

(yang berada di kota raya Hyderabad, India dari 29 November-4 Disember menghadiri Forum Editor-Editor Sedunia)

BERADA di kota raya tua India, Hyderabad selama seminggu minggu lalu amat memberi kesedaran kepada diri ini. Setiap inci persegi tanah di kota-kotanya dihuni oleh ratusan insan. Setiap kilometer persegi dihuni oleh ratusan ribu insan dan setiap bandar raya di negara keramat itu dihuni oleh jutaan manusia. Dan India ialah tanah bagi 1.2 bilion umat manusia. Angkanya bertambah setiap saat.

Berada di India bererti kita berada dalam satu realiti kemanusiaan yang sebenar. India ialah tanah bagi manusia ramai. Jurang hidupnya adalah antara langit dan bumi. Yang papa terlalu papa, yang kaya terlalu kaya. Yang kaya, tidak pandang ke bawah, yang bawah tetap di bawah.

Kasta, darjat atau keturunan masih diamalkan secara tebal di seluruh India. Ia semacam satu agama. Kasta atas tidak boleh bersatu kasta rendah.

Jalan rayanya haru-biru. Suasananya hiruk-pikuk. Bas, lori, kereta, basikal, teksi roda tiga, kereta lembu, kuda bersimpang siur. Bunyi hon adalah wajib. Pegang sahaja stereng, bunyi hon dulu. Di belakang bas dan lori tertulis `tolong hon’. Tiada siapa marah jika dia dihon. Hon ialah nyawa.

Semasa dalam perjalanan menghadiri makan malam perpisahan di Istana Chowmohalla (dibina pada 1780 oleh Nawab Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf Jah II), pemandu bas yang membawa kami tiba-tiba turun lari meninggalkan bas yang dibawanya. Hilang dalam lautan manusia dan kenderaan. Kami terpinga-pinga. Dua lelaki preman masing-masing memegang submesingan jenis sterling yang mengawal keselamatan kami dalam bas berkata ``jangan bimbang’’. Pemandu tadi sebenarnya turun untuk meleraikan kenderaan-kenderaan yang sudah berpintal di atas jalan raya. Dia bertindak menjadi polis trafik.

Sambil dia menyelesaikan kekusutan itu, saya melihat di seberang sana seorang penumpang turun dari teksi roda tiga yang dinaikinya menolak kenderaan itu yang mati di atas jalan raya. Tiada rasa marah pun di muka penumpang itu yang menolong menolak teksinya yang rosak.

Tiada siapa peduli apa yang berlaku di sekeliling mereka. Polis trafik pun menjalankan apa yang terdaya, tanpa memperlihatkan sedikit pun kekerutan di dahinya. Trafik lalu lintas tetap berjalan lancar, walaupun dalam suasana kekecohan.

Sebelah malam, di tepi-tepi jalan insan-insan tidur merata-rata. Ada yang telah nyenyak membungkus tubuh dengan kain selimut daripada kedinginan kota itu. Yang belum tidur, duduk mencangkung sambil memandang ke satu tujuan yang tidak diketahui.

Hampir dua jam bergelut kami tiba di istana bereka bentuk masjid itu. Di sepanjang dinding tembok istana tertulis tulisan dalam bahasa Inggeris ``Ini tempat suci jangan kencing’’. Kencing berdiri sambil si anunya memancut ke dinding adalah pemandangan umum yang biasa. Mungkin kerana terlalu ramai manusia, tandas bukan lagi pilihan. Awas, setiap pagi berhati-hati berjalan di kaki-kaki lima kerana terlalu banyak jerangkap samar dari isi perut manusia berlonggok di sana-sini. Suasana serupa juga juga khabarnya boleh dilihat di bandar raya lain termasuk di Mumbai.

Sampainya di istana itu, kami dibawa masuk ke dalamnya. Satu suasana antara langit dengan bumi. Kawasan istana lama itu diwarnai dengan lampu-lampu berwarni yang menyenangkan perasaan. Bagaikan berada dalam kisah Hikayat 1001. Tarian-tarian Bollywood dari era 50-an hingga kini dipersembahkan kepada kami. Selesai persembahan kami dijamu dengan juadah Hyderabad tersohor di dunia, nasi beriyani.

Kami makan beriyani kambing dan ayam, tanpa mempedulikan apa-apa lagi. Ia terlalu sedap tanpa boleh ditandingi oleh mana-mana restoran Malaysia, waima Hameediah di Campbell Street, Pulau Pinang mahupun Mahbob di Bangsar.

Di luar tembok sana, suasananya adalah terlalu kontras. India yang penuh warna-warni. India yang penuh dengan drama. Di dada-dada akhbarnya konflik di mana-mana. Di Parlimennya pun haru-biru seperti di atas jalan rayanya juga. Televisyen memaparkan bagaimana seorang speaker dewannya tidak diendahkan oleh ahli-ahli Parlimen yang memboikot sesi soal-jawab. Akhbar Deccan Chronicle dalam karikatur muka satunya (macam Senyum Kambing) keesokan harinya mencuit: Mengapa mereka tidak mahu buat sesi soal-jawab dalam kantin saja, kan di situ tempatnya ahli Parlimen selalu melepak?

India tetap India. Orang India ialah masyarakat yang begitu unik. Jika kita sering tengok wayang Tamil atau Hindi, itulah budaya mereka. Kecoh, kecoh dan kecoh.

Namun, kita di Malaysia pun ada orang India. Kecohnya pun lebih kurang sama. Mereka ini rata-ratanya terdiri daripada ahli-ahli profesional, peguam dan kini menjadi ahli politik. Di Malaysia hanya orang India yang pandai-pandai sahaja yang sering buat bising. Mereka menguasai Majlis Peguam dan kini mereka sudah ramai di Parlimen, bukan mewakili MIC, tapi mewakili DAP dan PKR.

Kerana mereka lantang dan suka buat haru-biru, suara mereka sering kedengaran. Salah seorangnya ialah N. Kulasegaran yang kini memegang jawatan Naib Pengerusi DAP Perak. Beliau lantang mempersoalkan hak-hak orang Melayu.

Katanya, beliau tidak faham mengapa setelah bertahun lamanya masih ada kelompok manusia percaya kepada warna kulit atau penampilan yang lebih tinggi daripada satu kaum lain.

Kita tidak pasti apakah beliau ikhlas dengan kenyataannya itu. Dia tahukah apa yang dia cakap? Tapi yang pasti kenyataannya itu cukup sensitif dan akan membuat kumpulan lain marah. Tapi seperti biasa orang Melayu marahnya tidak lama. Tak apalah. Orang Melayu tidak seperti orang India, walaupun ada juga Melayu yang darah keturunan Keling (DKK), tapi darah Melayu yang lembut banyak menguasai mereka.

Jika di India, mungkin kita akan sentiasa dikawal oleh pengawal bermesingan. Kulasegaran perlu mengambil cuti. Pergilah melawat ke India, dan hayatilah erti kehidupan di sana, hayatilah erti kasta dan darjat, miskin dan kaya, seperti yang saya alami minggu lalu.

Seburuk-buruk Malaysia, inilah tanah tumpah darah kita.

World Human Rights Day message to the Malaysian gov't

In this commemoration of international human rights, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) born on 10 December 1948; congratulations and thanks are conveyed to the Barisan Nasional government for achieving international recognition as a member of the ‘International Human Rights Breakers Club’.

By Angeline Loh (Aliran)

The genesis of this achievement commenced 52 years ago from Day-One of Merdeka and still continues to be developed and fine tuned to unimaginable heights in competition with other countries in and outside the Asean region that have scaled the heights of international notoriety for human rights abuse.

The Barisan Nasiaonal coalition has laid the foundations for this amazing process on its agreed system of communal, racial and religious political ideology juxtaposed on the colonial capitalist economic framework set up by the European colonial powers centuries before Merdeka (Independence) in 1957.

Since then, the seeds of corruption that were sown on this foundation have taken root and grown into trees that spread their branches all over the land, bearing the fruits of corruption, nepotism and cronyism from its very top to ground-level seedlings. The juices of corruption continue to nurture and feed new shoots from this parent tree.

Nonetheless, recent attempts have been made by the BN Government to prune what it deems the “weak, unhealthy or mutant” off shoots to further ensure the continued consolidation and strong growth of its main trunk. The ruling party has also made attempts to weed out ‘threats’ posed by seedlings of other botanic species that may be nourished from the ground and grow to share or dominate the same fertile soil.

So, on the birthday of the UDHR, we remember the ‘achievements’ of our government and grovelling-ly thank them for making us more aware of the existence of human rights and its importance to our lives and the world today.

We, the Malaysian people, subserviently thank the ruling Barisan Nasional for the following renowned suppression of our human and democratic rights and more that may still remain hidden from the public-eye.

We thank you for:

• Promoting a culture of money politics, political scandals and ‘rasuah’ practised by ‘well-intentioned’ BN leaders and politicians, their minions and cronies.

• Suppressing our fundamental Article 19 UDHR right to freedom of expression by a controlled media and draconian laws such as the Sedition Act, the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Emergency Ordinance, the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Multimedia and Communications Act, the Official Secrets Act (OSA), the Penal Code and the Dangerous Drugs Act. These have inculcated media self-censorship and taught ordinary citizen to be silent in the face of the denial of our basic human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as our constitutional rights.

• Denying our human rights and fundamental freedom to assemble under Article 20 of the UDHR to peacefully express public objection to or protest at implementation of policies that have adverse effects on our lives including the price hikes of essential goods and services. We are told by the PM himself that peaceful public protests are ‘un-Malaysian’(unless these public protests are held by BN members) and that the government is agreeable to our suffering in silence.

• Closing an eye to brutality by police and other enforcement personnel from the Immigration authorities, Rela and MACC that have resulted in an increasing number of deaths in custody of suspects and the violation of the rights of those outside custody (ordinary citizens, opposition leaders, documented and undocumented migrants, asylum seekers and UNHCR registered refugees) in violation of Article 5 of the UDHR.

• Arbitrarily arresting and detaining people without trial to keep law and order and your attempts to stamp out illegal immigration. We are led to believe that we should preserve a xenophobic attitude towards migrants and that violations of human rights under Articles 3, 5,and 9 of UDHR are necessary for the preservation of law and order and national security.

( Article 3 – Right to life, liberty and security of person, Article 5 – No one shall be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 9 – No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.)

• Denying the right to adequate health care and medical treatment (which is against Article 25 of the UDHR) particularly of those detained in immigration detention camps (IDCs), including migrant women and children, pregnant women and women with babies newly delivered. Being immigration detainees appears to justify the inadequacy of health care and medical treatment for those suffering life-threatening illness and disease, vulnerable infants, children and women. In your understanding these migrants are the second biggest threat to our national security and therefore should be shown no mercy or humanity. Their crime is to be found on Malaysian soil without legally recognised documents or being undocumented. How they came to be here or why they are here is totally irrelevant and immaterial, despite Malaysia’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

• Governing with a judiciary that is perceived to be less than independent and with a justice system that is seen to be subservient to the Executive. The judiciary, like most of the national mainstream media, is now perceived to be within the civil service of the Government.

• Ousting the Pakatan Rakyat-led Perak state government using sleazy tactics and money politics to entice three over-ambitious and power hungry Aduns who had got themselves elected on opposition party tickets. The Perak electorate are expected to accept or tolerate the violation of their civil and political rights enshrined in Article 21 of the UDHR.

• Allowing non-transparent government and the failing to consult the public before approving plans for mega projects that adversely affect ordinary citizens. The rakyat applaud you for these ‘white elephants’ although we have not yet seen any of the benefits derived from them, so far.

• Privatising public utilities and making the cost of living rise by leaps and bounds but paying little or no attention to the quality of services provided. This has caused a boom in the economy of particular industries to alleviate daily difficulties e.g. getting a clean water supply. Think of how many water filters are sold to ensure that homes can obtain clean, crystal-clear water through our taps. No doubt, the manufacturers of such devices are deeply grateful to you for bumping up their profits.

• Permitting environmental degradation and hill-slope building construction without guaranteeing the safety of potential occupiers and residents in the surrounding areas. We understand that the tragedies of Highland Towers and Bukit Antarabangsa (to name only two well-known high-rise disasters) have diminished in your political estimation and that it is now vital for you to support the demands of crony contractors and developers to boost profits in currently flagging economic circumstances.

• Sucking up millions of ringgit via the PKFZ debacle that may have been put to better use to improve the lives of millions of lower income and hardcore poor in the country through, say, the provision of low-cost housing, shelters for homeless people or provision and services for single-parents.

• Giving a share of our staple rice production to foreign investors to feed your cronies first while feeding the rakyat comes second. In your wisdom you advise ordinary citizens of average means to continue tightening our belts and be ever grateful to you for such well-intentioned advice. We will be entertained at the sight of your lavish banquets in five-star hotels and bungalow houses, your glamorous and fashionable clothes and accessories, your botox-ed and re-constructed faces and figures, your hip hairstyles and luxury cars. We will share in your laughter to forget our rumbling stomachs behind our tightened belts.

• Depleting our natural forests by permitting logging in Orang Asli and East Malaysian traditional customary land, adversely affecting their culture and traditional way of life. You continue to make your generous contribution to poverty and climate change causing natural disasters around the globe with your obsessive pursuit of profit.

• Refusing to accede to or ratify the remaining seven major international human rights treaties and the 1951 Refugee Convention, which will be treated the same way as the Cedaw and CRC you have in your wisdom ratified only on paper.

For all this and more, we thank you, our wise and well-intentioned government.

Our awareness of what we lack and our hope for a better future will one day bear fruit, although not from the tree you planted under whose overhanging branches we now stand.

We, the rakyat, will work hard at our planting and will surprise you one day with how well we have learned the lessons you taught us.

Ribuan terimakasih beratus-ratus kali ganda! (A thousand thanks, hundreds of times over!)

Angeline Loh is an Aliran member specialising in international human rights law.

Stay connected, current and committed to justice. We deliver the truth right to your doorstep every month for only RM30 a year -- which is far less than your newspaper bill each month. All you have to do is click here.

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Scholarships Offer by Mr Koon Yew Yin

Hi,Please help me find poor students. It cost so little to produce a graduate and I hope you also can do this trick to multiply more graduates when you are gone.

Best wishes,

Koon Yew Yin

Scholarships for the needy

I wish to offer scholarships to 50 poor students for the next academic year to study finance and accountancy in University TAR, Kampar, Perak on the following conditions:-

1. Each student’s family income should not be more than Rm 2,000 per month.

2. Students will be selected more on the basis of their financial need and not merely on their academic achievement.

3. Each scholarship is worth Rm 20,000 which should be enough for each student to cover the cost for the first year foundation course and the first semester of the degree course in finance and accountancy until he or she secures the PTPTN loan. This Government loan is given to all students irrespective of race and financial position who are doing a recognised degree course.

4. Students who receive my financial aid do not require to pay back the money or work for me after they graduate. But I want them to promise me that they will help other poor students when they have graduated and are financially solvent.

U TAR takes in students in January and June every year. Students who are currently doing SPM can submit their applications to U TAR this October with their forecast results to start in January 2010.

Needy students who are currently doing SPM or have passed the SPM can submit their applications to me:

Koon Yew Yin,

yewyin@gmail.com

27, Lengkok Harimau,

31400, Ipoh, Perak

Zunar is back with Perak Darul Kartun - Anil Netto

You can’t keep a good cartoonist down for long – especially one with a socio-political conscience. Three months after hundreds of copies of the inaugural issue of his Gedung Kartun magazine were confiscated, political humourist Zunar and his creative team are back with a brighter idea.

Photos by Zunar’s team – Click on icon at bottom right of box to toggle to full-screen slideshow mode

This time, they are launching an 80-page cartoon book titled Perak Darul Kartun focusing on the power grab and associated antics in Perak – which undoubtedly offer rich material for satire. Unlike a regular magazine, a book doesn’t require a publishing permit under existing laws.

Appropriately, ousted Perak Mentri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin is expected to launch the book, priced at RM10 with an initial print run of 10,000 copies, in KL this Sunday.

This is what the irrepressible Zunar has to say:

Memandangkan tidak ada respon positif dari pihak KDN mengenai permit penerbitan Gedung Kartun, Sepakat Efektif terpaksa meneruskan penerbitan kartun itu dalam bentuk lain. Kami dengan ini mengumumkan penerbitan Gedung Kartun edisi kedua dalam bentuk buku dengan tajuk “Perak Darul kartun” (PDK).

Kenapa kami memilih buku? Buku adalah penerbitan tidak berkala, dengan itu tidak memerlukan permit penerbitan, hanya ISBN yang mana kami telah memperolehinya.

PDK mempunyai ketebalan 80 muka surat tidak termasuk kulit muka (dengan penambahan 12 muka surat berbanding Gedung Kartun) dan dijual dengan harga RM10 setiap naskhah. Cetakan pertama adalah sebanyak 10,000 naskhah dan akan diedarkan ke seluruh negara. Ia juga boleh dibeli secara online melalui websitecartoonkafe.com.

Penyambungan penerbitan ini dalam bentuk buku membuktikan pihak kami tidak berhasrat berkonfrontasi dengan pihak KDN kerana itu bukanlah matlamat kami.

Matlamat kami adalah untuk menghasilkan karya-karya alternatif dalam konteks Malaysia, dengan isu-isu dan pendekatan yang selama ini gagal diketengahkan oleh karyawan negara ini, khususnya kartunis.

Kami percaya kartunis bukan sahaja berperanan mengenengahkan unsur lelucon dalam karya, tetapi punya tanggung jawab sosial untuk mengkritik, merakam realiti, memberi informasi, membawa suara rakyat dan mendidik.

Kami berpendirian tegas bahawa kartunis tidak boleh berdiam diri atau berkecuali, tetapi harus menyatakan pendirian apabila masyarakat atau negara berdepan dengan krisis. Dan pendirian itu harus diterjemahkan dalam karya.

Sehubungan itu, kami akan terus menghasilkan kartun-kartun alternatif dari masa ke semasa biar pun menghadapi berbagai rintangan.

This is Zunar’s team for the book:

Creative energy

Chief editor/founder: Zunar (Zulkiflee Anwar Haque)
Editor, cartoonist: Ronasina (Mohd Affandi Ramli)
Chief illustrator/cartoonist: Jonos (Nor Azlin Ngah)
Cartoonis/cover illustrator: Art (Azhar Saad)
Cartoonist and colourist: Orangorang (Azlan Isa)
Senior graphic designer: Naza (Nazruddin Abu Bakar)

Contributing cartoonists

Haili, Oly, Roy, Enot, AJ, Warih, Kidol, Madsein, Kawe, Ubi Lepih, Nur, Fahmi and Buzu.

Constributing writers/columnists

A Samad Said, Hishamuddin Rais, Pyanhabib, Rahmat Haron, Pusparos and Benludin.

I don’t know about you, but when I see creative artists and writers like these hard at work – at a time when some people are talking about emigrating – it gives me hope for the country.

Lim Keng Yaik wants to hide behind party’s skirt

by Nathaniel Tan

I usually don’t bother much with dottering old men, but: Lim Keng Yaik -

Gerakan advisor Dr Lim Keng Yaik has called on all party members to speak out against Malay supremacy, even if it lands them in jail.

Describing it as a ‘foul word’ in politics, the former cabinet minister said ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ or Malay supremacy should be resisted even if it is espoused by Umno.

“Why do you keep quiet? Are you afraid of being sent to jail?” he asked during his speech at Gerakan’s 41st anniversary dinner in Ipoh last night.

zomg.

Don’t you just *hate* it when ‘leaders’ ask you to do something they are not willing to do themselves?

Does Lim Keng Yaik have some sort of history of bravery here? I think he has some 18 years in Cabinet, did he once tell Mahathir to take his Ketuanan Melayu and stuff it?

If he didn’t have the guts to do it then, what kind of right does he have to go around asking people to do it now??

This old man talk big about going to jail – has he even seen the inside of a cell before??

I think we all know which people really made this questioning of racial supremacy possible, and it sure as hell wasn’t Lim Keng Yaik.

I really don’t understand what kind of people are still members in these parties? Those still hanging around for crumbs off the corruption table?

And want to talk big about kena tangkap? Earn your stripes firstla mr. government man.

Pendapatan Petronas Berkurangan, Ekonomi Negara Terkesan!

Parlimen Malaysia, 10hb Disember 2009
—KENYATAAN MEDIA UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA—

Kami menyambut baik usaha PETRONAS yang mengumumkan prestasi separuh tahun bagi tahun kewangan yang akan berakhir pada 31hb Mac 2010. Tatkala kami hargai sumbangan PETRONAS untuk meningkatkan pendapatan Negara, berjumlah 48.6% dari jumlah keseluruhan pendapatan, kami juga merasa bimbang dengan merudumnya keuntungan syarikat tersebut kerana ianya bersangkutan langsung dengan kedudukan ekonomi Negara.

Pendapatan PETRONAS berdasarkan laporan yang dikeluarkan, mencatatkan kejatuhan berjumlah RM 59 billion, bermakna cukai yang sepatutnya diperolehi oleh Negara berkurangan sekitar 57%. Sepanjang 5 tahun ini, PETRONAS adalah entiti yang memberi sumbangan terbesar kepada pendapatan Negara. Untuk tahun kewangan 2008 sahaja, sumbangan PETRONAS merupakan 44.9% dari pendapatan Negara. Kebergantungan terhadap PETRONAS ini mengaburi kita dari kedudukan sebenar ekonomi akibat dari dasar kerajaan yang terus menerus bergantung kepada syarikat tersebut untuk menampung kegagalan mereka untuk memulihkan kewangan Negara semenjak terkesan dari krisis kewangan Asia 1997/1998.

Sepanjang 5 tahun ini, penggunaan sumber dan dana dari PETRONAS oleh kerajaan telah membengkak sekitar 21% setiap tahun. Ini bermakna setiap tahun, peratusan penggunaan sumber PETRONAS oleh kerajaan bertambah sebanyak 21% dari apa yang digunakan pada tahun sebelumnya. Ini juga bermaksud sepanjang 5 tahun ini, wang yang disedut oleh kerajaan telah meningkat lebih dari dua kali ganda. Misalnya pada tahun 2005, petronas menyumbang sebanyak RM31.2 billion dari jumlah keseluruhan belanjawan Negara. Namun pada tahun 2008, jumlah wang PETRONAS yang membentuk belanjawan Negara adalah sebanyak RM 74 billion-peningkatan sebanyak 130% sepanjang 5 tahun ini.

Akibat dari ketagihan menggunakan sumber PETRONAS, syarikat ini tidak lagi mampu menampung ketirisan serta perbelanjaan boros oleh kerajaan pusat. Sedangkan pengunaan oleh kerajaan bertambah 21% setiap tahun, keupayaan PETRONAS hanya berkembang pada tahap sekitar 16% setiap tahun. Jelasnya kerajaaan barisan nasional memerah lebih dari apa yang termampu dilakukan oleh PETRONAS.
Tambah memburukkan keadaan kerajaan pusat membentangkan belanjawan yang berjumlah RM 208billion untuk tahun 2009 dan pakej ransangan yang berjumlah RM 60 billion, ketika unjuran pendapatan tahun 2009 berasaskan harga minyak mentah bulan September 2008. Saya sewaktu membahaskan belanjawan 2009 telahpun menggesa kerajaan supaya menyemak semula belanjawan yang dibentangkan kerana perubahan mendadak serta keadaan tidak menentu harga petroleum ketika itu. Walaupun begitu saranan saya dan rakan-rakan ditolak oleh kerajaan umno-barisan nasional.

Selepas hampir 1 tahun berlalu, kita berdepan dengan keadaan sukar kerana kerajaan sememangnya tidak mempunyai dana yang mencukupi bagi menunaikan janji-jani yang dibuat, kerana keuntungan PETRONAS berkurangan sebanyak 50%. Ini bermakna pendapatan kerajaan untuk perbelanjaan dan pakej ransangan akan berkurangan separuh dari jumlah yang dijanjikan.

Perkembangan ini menjejaskan kedudukan ekonomi Negara. Anggaran kami menunjukkan sasaran pertumbuhan kerajaan terlalu optimistik kerana kekurangan dana untuk dibelanjakan. Makanya sasaran untuk mengurangkan defisit belanjawan Negara pada tahun hadapan juga perlu disemak semula berdasarkan pendapatan Negara yang semakin berkurangan ini.

Kami menyeru kerajaan barisan nasional agar memastikan ketelusan dan menjelaskan kepada rakyat Malaysia berhubung kesan dari merudumnya keuntungan PETRONAS terhadap prestasi ekonomi Negara. Kami berpendirian adalah baik untuk kepentingan Negara sekiranya YAB Menteri Kewangan menjelaskan secara terperinci kepada Dewan Rakyat, semakan semula unjuran pendapatan Negara untuk tahun 2010 serta dampaknya kepada perbelanjaan untuk tahun 2010.
Sudah tiba masanya kerajaan memberi perhatian kepada beberapa mustahak yang menyangkuti kepentingan umum:

1)Memastikan ekonomi Negara tidak lagi bergantung kepada sumber petroleum dan gas semata-mata. Industri pembuatan yang bernilai serta berdaya tinggi dan perkhidmatan perlu dijadikan sector utama memacu pertumbuhan ekonomi.

2)Memastikan penggunaan dana PETRONAS telus untuk penelitian umum agar pembaziran serta ketagihan yang sama tidak berulang sepertimana yang berlaku dari tahun 2005-2009.

3)Menstrukturkan semula subsidi gas dan pembayaran royalti agar tidak ada lagi ketirisan. Subsidi gas hanya menguntungkan sesegelintir berikutan perjanjian IPP yang berat sebelah seperti sekarang mengakibatkan ketirisan dan korupsi.

4)Kerajaan Malaysia mesti bertindak untuk menjadi pemudah cara/fasilitator kepada PETRONAS untuk mendapatkan kawasan baru di luar Negara untuk menampung keperluan tempatan yang meningkat

ANWAR IBRAHIM
KETUA PEMBANGKANG
DEWAN RAKYAT

Pakatan leaders sceptical about PKFZ arrests

The Malaysian Insider

Thursday December 10 2009

Pakatan leaders sceptical about PKFZ arrests

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — Pakatan Rakyat national leaders were unimpressed and sceptical about today’s arrests made in connection to the RM 12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, calling it a scapegoating exercise where the main culprits still remain free.

DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said the arrests were a small move and had yet to prove the federal government’s will to get to the bottom of the scandal that involved bloated land valuations and double charges.

“Although we are seeing some movement, the arrest is a very small piece of a larger picture,” said the Ipoh Timur MP, who has been at the forefront of the Pakatan campaign on the PKFZ scandal.

“And unless there is a greater political will to deal with those responsible for the mother of all scandals and this only touches the surface of the problem,” he told a press conference in Parliament here.

The police, together with graft-busters MACC, today arrested former general manager of the Port Klang Authority (PKA), Datin Paduka OC Phang, along with two others. All three were later charged for criminal breach of trust (CBT) and other offences at the Klang Sessions Courts. The trio were released after posting bail.

So far it is unclear if more personalities — such as former transport minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy or Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, who controls PKFZ contractor Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) — will face any action.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar brahim speaking to reporters in Parliament also shared Lim’s scepticism over the arrests.

“We welcome this move albeit it being a small move but just as what had happened to Perwaja, the smaller fishes were caught while the bigger sharks escape so in the PKFZ case, I hope this is not the beginning of a cover up on the issue,” he said.

Anticipating public doubt, the Attorney-General has said that the arrests of the three will not be the end of the PKFZ probe.

He said more are expected to be arrested and charged this Monday, with one of them being a KDSB engineer.

Chegubard to the People: I am sorry - Rocky`s Bru

The man who took on KJ sent me this sms earlier today:

"Maaf sgt saya gagal hentikan menantu dlm keadaan p/raya penuh ketidakadilan. Namun janji saya terus bjuang - cheGuBard."
[I am so sorrry i failed to stop the son-in-law, in an election that was filled with dirty tricks. But I shall fight on."]

I told him he may have lost the election but he has won many, many hearts. And he's inspired millions, me included.

Menteri beri kereta mewah pada artis...

Memecah sunyi lama tak buat posting dengan posting yang bertajuk sensasi....

Membaca tajuk sudah tentu semua membayangkan ada Menteri membela artis seksi dengan beri kereta mewah.....itulah persepsi ramai bila baca tajuk ....

tapi kali ini lain...

petikan dari laman Umno

Ribut dan kalut ! Tabloid Suara Keadilan mendedahkan ada Menteri Kanan yang telah menghadiahkan kereta mewah kepada seorang artis lelaki. Menteri Kanan juga seorang lelaki dikatakan memberi kereta mewah tersebut dan ini menimbulkan banyak spekulasi. www.selamatkanumno.blogspot.com turut bertanya kepada kawan-kawan media siapa Menteri Kanan itu dan siapa artis terbabit.

TERKEJUT – menurut rakan media – Menteri Kanan itu adalah Menteri Dalam Negeri – Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein dan artis itu adalah Anuar Zain kata rakan media. Alamat – kita tidak mahu meneruskan spekulasi ini dan meminta Menteri Kanan tersebut menafikan secepat mungkin sebelum PKR meneruskan spekulasi tersebut. Tindakan ini perlu dilakukan segera agar spekulasi itu tidak merosakkan Umno tambahan ini melibatkan Menteri Kanan – saudara Perdana Menteri – dah la Perdana Menteri penuh dengan spekulasi dan tuduhan penglibatan dengan kes Altantuya, SU Politiknya dengan rasuah, rakan baiknya Razak baru terbebas dari tuduhan membunuh, ini saudaranya pula dikatakan terlibat dengan skandal bagi Anuar Zain kereta mewah.