UMNO’s racist engineering is root cause of Indian students discipline problems

UMNO’s racist engineering is root cause of Indian students discipline problems
 The Star headlines today (25/5/10) reported “school of terror”. Although the name of the school was not published our members confirm that it is Sekolah Menengah Sri Gading where some 60% of the students are Indians. The root cause of these Indian students discipline problems are as a direct result of  UMNO’s 53 year racist social engineering by commission and by the racist omission by the supposedly multi-racial PKR, DAP, PAS, even some NGOs, Malaysiakini, Bloggers, Indian elite, etc.
While some of these “stakeholders” skirt around the root causes others simply do not care but will continue with their political rhetoric of either their One Malay-sia (BN) or multi-racialism.
The root causes of these discipline problems among the Indian students not only in this Sri Gading school but in most schools nationwide is primarily because of the UMNO racist social engineering policies as follows:-
The Indian are intentionally kept in the lower income poor and hardcore poor category by being denied the upward mobility opportunities as is being offered to the Malay muslim poor.
As a result the poor Indians remain unskilled general workers, plantation workers, cleaners, security guards, garbage pickers, restaurant helps, dish washers, etc.
To keep the family going both parents have to end up going to work. Imagine a security guard forced to work twelve hours a day, six days a week and his wife working six days a week during office hours. How much time will they get to shower love and attention to their children? The children are mostly left to grow up on their own. To compound matters, these families do not get help of the extended families or the community support as is the case in the Malay villages.
The parents do not earn enough (some earn as low as RM260 per month) to send their children to even kindergartens. (Note 42% of standard one Tamil school pupils cannot read or write as they never attended kindergarten as their parents could not afford it. (Malaysia Nanban 10/3/2010 at page 3 ).
When these parents cannot even afford to send their children to kindergarten how could they afford to send their children for tuition.
Arising out of this UMNO engineered Indian poverty, the single parent rate in the Indian community arising out of poverty has turned out to be 500% higher than in the Chinese community.

Entry into colleges is denied; 99% of the places in the skills training colleges like Giatmara, IKBN, technical and vocational schools are denied to Indian students.
The UMNO led government’s free tuition programme does not reach (had no intention to reach) these poor Indian students. Compliments of UMNO’s 1,016,799 Biro TataNegara racist graduates who are mostly civil servants implementing UMNO’s racist, religious extremist and supremacist policies (UM (Buletin) 21/6/09 at page 19).
However hard these Indian students study and excel academically 99.9% of them will not get into the 12,440 places in fully residential schools in the 39 Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) and in fully residential schools. (BH 17/1/2010 at page 16).
However well these Indian students excel, only a mere 0.1% to 1% will be taken into the 40,000 matriculation places in the nine matriculation colleges nationwide (UM 2/11/08 at page 4), and of the 163,779 places in the 20 local public Universities (UM 28/2/09 at page 23), and of a further 62,000 diploma, 60,000 degree places in the 27 local polytechnics. (UM 28/2/09 at page 23). Zero Indians are taken into the 200,000 places available in University Institute Teknology Mara although 20,000 muslim students are taken in from foreign countries.
A mere 0.1% of the RM1.24 billion government scholarships for top students to study at foreign universities and 1% of the RM1.2 billion worth of scholarships to 10,500 students undertaking degree programmes (The Star 6/4/10 at page N2) are given to Indians.
62,600 Malay muslim students sponsored by Mara including 6,831 overseas: sponsorship included critical courses areas like medicine, engineering, biotechnology, sanctuary science, accounts management and administration and architecture. (NST 20/4/10 at page 20).
  The few poor Indian students who somehow make will have another uphill task in being given the opportunity to excel in their jobs, employment, profession in the private and government sectors, trade, vacation, business etc.
This alcoholism, gangsterism, molestation, graffiti, truancy, etc as reported in The Star above is a completely new phenomena among Indian students. Something unheard of even some fifteen years ago. Compliments to UMNO’s implementation of racist social engineering.
Most of the Chinese had a head start, they dominate the economy and can afford to send their children to local private or foreign universities. The less academically excelling Chinese students have to option of taking over their family business trade, vacation, profession or at worst run the thousands of Chinese food stalls.
For the poor Malays, Orang asli, Kadazan and Iban the sky is the limit where it concerns upward mobility, educational and business opportunities are concerned.
This leaves only the Indian students out of the national mainstream educational system or national mainstream development of Malaysia.
Who speaks for these poor Indian students? PKR, DAP, PAS? Malaysiakini? NGOs?
Conclusion
Mired in poverty, no or very little parental care arising out of poverty, implementation of racist policies by UMNO and the omission to speak up against this UMNO racism against these poor Indian students by PKR, DAP and PAS, ends in no or very little hope for these poor Indian students. Thus their very serious disciplinary problems, a new phenomena which started only in the last fifteen years or so.
P.Uthayakumar

24 hour Socso insurance coverage

The Malay muslims are being assisted by the hundreds of government linked Malay muslim charities and corporate bodies like CIMB Foundation, Lembaga Urus Zakat, Jakim and Jais. Similarly the few poor Chinese have the rich corporate, banking and business community to back them up.
But for the Indians there is only the theatrics wayang kulit showtime by the MIC and namesake UMNO controlled Indian business mandores.
Hundreds of thousands of Indians in the working class contribute to Socso but after a mishap, accidents, disabled, handicapped or an illness, they are deliberately denied Socso financial help on the smallest excuse when the victims/beneficiaries are Indians.
Hundreds of thousands of poor Indian workers who otherwise cannot afford to take out an insurance policy will from the small socso deductions benefit and be saved from the grave misery, pain and suffering if only Socso gives 24 hour coverage extending the present day coverage of only to and from work.
But UMNO would not implement this 24 hour Socso coverage as the majority of the beneficiaries would be the Indians.
P. Uthayakumar

UMNO “tuan” & MIC mandore food stuff packets kosong politics

By giving one basic necessity food packet for one poor and handicapped Indian lady using an Indian mandore, UMNO tries to give the impression that the Indian poor are being attended to.
What about a permanent solution like the 10 acre Felda like land ownership scheme for these hundreds of thousands of Indian poor by this very same UMNO?
Why not? After all 420,000 Malay, Orang Asli, Iban and Kadazan poor have been granted these 10 acre land ownership schemes by UMNO.
No more though after the 25th November 2007 Hindraf Rally.
S. Jayathas

PAS “tuan” denies land to all 58 Tamil schools in Kedah to prevent them qualifying for full financial aid.

The Kedah ‘tuan” Menteri Besar and his Indian Exco mandore met 58 Parent-Teacher Association chairmen of Tamil schools in Kedah.
This tuan and his mandore Exco member has no shame in offering peanuts of “small amounts of aid” and “large amounts” to be included in the next Budget.
But why have the large amounts never have been in the 2009 and 2010 PAS, PKR and DAP budget of Kedah? Why this direct discrimination against the Kedah Indian poor by PKR, DAP and PAS?
And most importantly why has this PAS Kedah state government just like the PKR Selangor and Penang State governments refused to grant land to all 58, 98 and 28 respectively Tamil schools in the states? With state land granted which can be done by the stroke of the pen of these state Menteri Besars and Chief Minister all these 184 Tamil schools in these three states would be granted full financial aid status by the Federal government.
Why why this level of racial discrimination by PKR DAP and PAS against these poor Indians?
How then are these PKR, DAP and PAS any different from the UMNO/BN regime!
P. Uthayakumar

3rd UiTM campus at RM 250 million for 5,000 additional students. New MRSM elite college and technical School. Indians excluded!

Why these acts of racism by UMNO by commission, and racism by omission by PKR, DAP and PAS, NGOs’ Bloggers, Indian elite, Malaysiakini, all of whom failed to point out this racial discrimination! Indians excluded!
P. Uthayakumar

The Temenggong stands up for Indians, Hindraf and HRP

A recent discussion in the Peoples’ Parliament.
Haris,
The very first case taken up by PoliceWatch, the previous avatar of Hindraf, was that of a Malay killed in custody. The very second case taken up by them was that of a Chinese killed in custody.
No, Haris, the coat does not fit. We require you to be more circumspect, and not like the usual bloggers and commentators who recklessly characterise.
What is One Nation’s mission that is not already HRP’s, and besides they have already been around a lot longer in various incarnations? You are preaching to the preacher. What is the course that they have to change? How can any party be more egalitarian (to fight for all peoples) than a ‘human rights’ party? Is it even possible? So why don’t you join them? In fact, apply for membership just to prove to yourself and others as to whether they are communalist or not.
I think some communities in Malaysia are just jealous of Hindraf, that they ‘stole the show’, that they have their own uncompromising leadership, that they are mostly putting upfront issues and cases most of which concerns Indians who are the most marginalised in Malaysia, and that they have the gumption to tell off and break ranks with the DAP and Anwar when required.
The East Malaysians leaders, CIGMA, agree that Indians are even more marginalised than the Ulu communites of Sabah and Sarawak, and this was said in my presence. So there you have it.
Hindraf/HRP should remain focused as they were, for once they broaden into ‘multiracial’ stances, the Indian marginalisation  issues will simply disappear from the radar. That is what the politicians, and one religious community (not muslims) wants, and that is what Hindraf must not do.
Everyone wants Hindraf/HRP to subsume their interests in favour of the larger goal of reaching Putrajaya. And in that process want Hindraf to become a PR Mandore. That is a sure way of neglecting Indian marginalisation issues once again. No more!! We have already seen that a change of government in Penang, Perak and Selangor DID NOT bring the required changes. The loss in Hulu Selangor too did not bring about a change in Selangor policies. It took Kamalanathan just one week after winning to connect water supply to a school after 53 years! What did PKR do in these 2 years?
Therefore it is Pakatan and DAP leadership that must change, not Hindraf/HRP. I am waiting for Anwar to be jailed for sodomy. Then we can surely discuss.
Pauline,
After Waytha went to some trouble to arrange a forum in London on short notice for Anwar, he (Anwar) in turn labelled Hindraf as racist at that very forum, and repeated it the following week. Is this the kind of ingratiate leader we want to support and send to Putrajaya?
The Penang DAP govt, the Kedah Pas govt, the former Perak Pakatan govt and the PKR Selangor govt have all racially discriminated against the Indians in the two years, and as if everyone does not know. This is so embarrassing. They have done things that even Umno has not done! We are lost between the devil (BN) and the deep blue sea (PR), and the deep blue sea is looking more murkier and sinister.
Yet, Haris graces a forum and engages with these Pakatan representatives instead of chucking his shoes at them! Further, the person who brings complaints of racial victimisation is suggested to be a communalist! WTF!! What is happening with people these days?
Removal of discrimination and marginalisation requires policy change and that benefits ALL across the board, irrespective of race or religion. As such, raising these issues, constitutional rights, human rights, can NEVER be communal or racial. What is happening with people these days?
What prompts the hostility towards Hindraf cannot be just dismissed as mere misunderstanding of its mission, but the inherent chauvinism in Malaysia’s two largest ethnic communities surfacing itself as insidious comments and ill will! Please think about it.
Start with the demolition of the whole Kg Buah Pala village. These are the true blue racists. Whereas the avowed self-proclaimed racist Umno has never leveled a whole village or desecrated an entire cemetery.
We did not hear a whimper from any blogger (except Anil Netto), yet they want Hindraf to join them in their pseudo-multiracial efforts.
temenggongmalaysia@gmail.com
The rest of the discussion can be read at:
http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2010/05/24/if-the-communalist-coat-fits/#comments

Tiada tempat di Matrikulasi, University & tiada Biasiswa JPA utk anak-anak India yang dapat semua A dlm SPM.

Tiada tempat di Matrikulasi, University & tiada Biasiswa JPA utk anak-anak India yg dapat semua “A” dlm SPM. Saudara Melayu 4A keatas dpt semua & 75,000 pelajar muslim asing diberi tempat di U. Di UITM sahaja 200 ribu pelajar & masyarakat India tidak dibenarkan masuk tapi pelajar Musilim asing 10% layak masuk UITM. Regim UMNO terus aniaya&halang masyarakat India masuk ke Matrikulasi ,IPTA & U. Hanya kuranng dari 1% diberi. Tuntut hak kita. S.JAYATHAS. HINDRAF. www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com. Sebarkan.

Sila sms kpd semua rakan-rakan.
S.Jayathas
Information Chief

http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/05/23/indian-top-spm-student-denied-matriculation-university-and-jpn-government-scholarship-umno-malay-sia-truly-racist/

To the critics of Hindraf and Uthayakumar

This is my response to the Malaysiakini report BUM 2010: Uthayakumar sparks row. This reply is made in my personal capacity and independent of BUM.

Haris Ibrahim alleges 'communalism' and was quoted as saying he was particularly turned off by Uthaya's e-mail statement on the shooting of Aminulrasyid.
Looking through the Human Rights Party (HRP) website, I found these statements below; Uthaya's article headlines within inverted commas and my comments added in brackets.

(1) 'No justice for six Indians shot dead by police in one transaction. Policeman shot dead Malay-Muslim in a rare case instantly prosecuted'. [Can readers name another Indian besides Kugan who has been a victim of police brutality? They're largely namelesss to the mainstream media and yet according to Suaram director Dr Kua Kia Soong, 'Indians are a minority in this country but they form the majority when it comes to statistics on deaths in police custody or police killings.']

(2) 'Murder probe for odd Malay youth shot dead by police, criminal tag for hundreds of Indian youths killed by police!' [Exaggerated maybe, but is the 'criminal' tagging true though?]

(3) 'Deputy Home Minister visits Aminulrasyid's home. But zero such visits to any Indian shot dead by police & murder in police custody case.'

(4) 'Shot dead by police Home Ministry panel at work and media headlines. But zero for Indians victims.' [Last November, five Indian youths were shot dead by police in Klang. Of these 'suspected armed robbers' aged between 17 and 24, three were brothers. If you can't picture their mother's grief at three coffins lying side by side, perhaps you might recall the fourth victim's sister who committed suicide by drinking paraquat. Her name was Seetha.]

I won't refute that Uthaya has been race-specific in his crusade to highlight grievances but would it do justice to the real situation if he hadn't, and instead employed a blanket description of 'Malaysian' shot dead?
Kua summed up Suaram's 'Policing the Malaysian Police' 2005 report, a portion of which found, 'The marginalised Indians who make up some of the poorest and most oppressed sections among West Malaysians have been portrayed in a racist light. Yet Indians have been the main victims of racial killings such as at Kampung Medan in 2001, deaths in police custody as well as trigger-happy police shootings.'

Rebutting the 'communalism' accusation generally, R Shan in an earlier article in the HRP website wrote: 'Whenever an Indian issue is raised, it is classified as racist and not as a community issue, even when it is the truth and reality.'

Shan also pointed out that the first case handled pro bono by Uthaya on custodial death was 10 years ago – KL High Court civil suit (SI-21-61-2000) – for Mohd Anuar bin Sharip's family who approached Hindraf as a last resort. Hindraf's next case was the second postmortem of Ho Kwai See who died after eight days in police detention.
In the latter half of its story, Malaysiakini quoted blogger Salahuddin Hisham as saying, 'When you [Uthaya] highlighted the plight of the estate workers, do you know that there are also Javanese and Chinese workers in the estates? There are also the Chinese, Malay, and people of other races who are poor, not just Indians.'
I'm presuming the Javanese he mentions are Indonesian. Whereas the Malay First-ers crave a monopoly on victimhood, poverty and suffering, Hindraf's harshest critics are the nationality-loving Malaysian First-ers who discount that race matters.

To Salahuddin's contention that it is not just the Indian community that needs special attention, I would counter that their urgent distress signal is not getting the attention it deserves.
Salahuddin is indeed correct that there are the poor from every community. However, the Malays live on land that belongs to them and they have their kampung to call home or return to, and there is Malay Reserve Land. On the other hand, when the plantations were dismantled, Indians who lost their estate jobs were turned out homeless to become urban squatters. They have not been the beneficiaries of government land programmes such as Felda, Felcra, Risda and others.
Unlike Malays, the Indians have no social safety net and receive little notice or help from the welfare departments. Furthermore, what is the evidence of your own eyes? I see vagrants sleeping on the five-foot way and they have consistently been Indian men.

I see Indian small vendors selling newspapers and sweets, and what they sell in sidewalk stalls fetch meagre profit like flowers and jasmine garlands at RM1a strand.
I see that road sweepers, car washers and parking attendants are Indians, garbage collectors are Indians (and Indonesians), cleaners and labourers are Indians (and Indonesians). The Indians have been in this land for generations and their status no better than illegal immigrants.

The primarily English-speaking Malaysian First-ers like to think they are superiorly beyond or above ethnicity and choose to hold themselves aloof from Hindraf. They complain that Hindraf is confrontational, abrasive, hyperbolic, sectarian and always talking about Indians alone, plus the clincher – 'Hindraf is racist'.

Nonetheless, I would urge Malaysians to reassess this 'racist' label that they apply so cavalierly as well as to put Hindraf's struggle in proper context.

Our Malaysian constitution has Article 153 guaranteeing the Malay special position and granting quotas. The Umno-led government has since Independence (Mara was established before 1969) unremittingly implemented NEP-like policies that favour solely one race. This race-oriented structure of state has ultimately stranded Indians at the bottom of the heap.
While one may question his methodology like Haris does, still, Uthaya has spent a lot of time pondering on the Indian condition during his ISA detention of more than 500 days.

For his dues paid in Kamunting, surely we can give Uthaya this much, that is to weigh the substance, ie, merit of the argument and not be too distracted by the form. The form of Hindraf is arguably narrow – Hindu Rights Action Front – but then again, people don't similarly demand that Sisters in Islam must take up the cudgels for Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, etc or fight for men's rights in order to be viewed as inclusive.

I'm well aware that Hindraf does not endear itself to Malaysians who prefer politically correct posturing such as Yasmin Ahmad's huggy-feely Petronas ads or Anas Zubedy's feel-good publicity campaigns. But if Hindraf's critics are really so Malaysian-First, why do they read foremost in English? If one were to read more in Malay, you'd realise how negative and belligerent the stereotyping has been of Indians in our unique 'agama dan bangsa'-permeated environment.
Uthaya reluctantly agreed to came to the BUM gathering – which he already anticipated to be 'hostile' – to try to dispel the entrenched prejudices. What eventually transpired can only convince HRP that they're banging their heads against a wall of indifference.

It's undeniable that Uthaya and his colleagues have alienated even 'friends' (individuals, organizations and alternative media) sympathetic to the Indian cause. This being the case, perhaps we would all be better off going our separate ways whilst minding the Indian saying – 'If you can't help, don't hinder'.

Although Hindraf and its political arm HRP might be unpalatable to you, nonetheless the issues they raise are entirely valid. Once you grasp the gravity of the message, you could perhaps get some inkling as to why the messenger has lost patience with Malaysians. The official set-up of this country assuredly makes us one of the most race-obsessed in the world but it is paradoxically Hindraf and not bumiputera-ism that is taken to task.
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HINDRAF – 1st NATIONAL LEVEL CONVENTION IN 2010

Hindraf in its pursuit of human rights in Malaysia shall hold its 1st National level convention on August 8, 2010.

HINDRAF in its position has grown in strength since Nov 25, 2007 in quality of conscious and right thinking participants for a humanity cause for the poor and poverty stricken amongst Malaysians along with various international watchdogs who have taken an interest in the prevailing abuses of human rights in Malaysia after 53 years of independence of a purported multi racial society

A delegate of 100 participants who are actively involved in HINDRAF’s struggle in Malaysia along with about 200 observers including several international human rights watchdogs will be attending our inauguration of a national level convention.

Amongst the objective of this convention is to address and highlight numerous issues relating to continued suppression of human rights issues in Malaysia. Along with this, there will be resolutions passed on the future direction of HINDRAF and their plans to mobilise human rights issues in Malaysia starting in the back water of the poor, deprived, discriminated and marginalized society.

There will be a direct live video conference with P. Waythamoorthy who is in exile in London where the delegates and observers can exchange their views in the direction of HINDRAF for the betterment of human rights in Malaysia.

Amongst the other issues that will be highlighted during this convention is the new line up of the HINDRAF national and international coordinators who will spearhead the struggle of HINDRAF for its objective in Malaysia and abroad.

The direction of HINDRAF has always been without prejudice to another but to ensure that the voices of the voiceless are a constant reminder for a humanity cause in Malaysia.

Thank you.

P. Waythamoorthy

HINDRAF- CHAIRMAN

Anti-Samy blog launched

The Malay Mail,

T.K. LETCHUMY TAMBOO

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: Expelled MIC Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan yesterday launched a blog in support of the
Anti-Samy Vellu Movement (GAS), a mass movement that was set up by a group of sacked MIC grassroot leaders to persuade party president, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, to step down immediatel

Mugilan told The Malay Mail the blog was set up to further reinforce the message that Samy Vellu must resign from his post as soon as possible.
"We launched this blog to create a greater momentum for GAS using new technology. This way, people around the world can know what is going on in the party," he said.
The blog, which features various news articles regarding the recent crisis faced by the MIC after Samy Vellu's announcement that he would step down from the post eight to nine months before his term ends in May 2012, also encourages the public to join the GAS official launch on May 30 at the Putra World Trade Centre to show their support for the movement.
"This is the last chance to save our community from dictator Samy. Come to the launch of GAS to insist that Samy step down as MIC president and Indian community leader. If we fail to do something now, we will have no chance to win back supporters.
"So, let's get this Puthiya Payanam (holy journey) to start and roll," the blog read.
Mugilan said that apart from reading the news articles, visitors to the blog could also participate in a special poll.
"The poll asks 'Should Datuk Seri Samy Vellu step down now?' and visitors have a choice of answering 'yes' or 'no' to the question. They have until this Sunday to vote," he said.
At Press time, 718 had voted and 91 per cent had answered "yes" to the question, while the remaining answered "no".
When asked who were the 'top guns' who are expected to turn up at the launch of GAS, Mugilan said he will announce the names on Thursday.
Mugilan said he expects more than 7,000 people to participate on the first day of the campaign, which will subsequently be conducted nationwide.
The address of the website is www.gerakanantisamy@blogspot.com.

Court To Hear Chithirakala's Passport Impoundment Application Tomorrow

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- The Sessions Court has set tomorrow to hear an application to impound the international passport of P. Chithirakala, the former CEO of the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED), after her lawyers discharged themselves from the case today saying she wanted to represent herself.

"We are not acting in this particular matter. She is a qualified lawyer and she is going to represent herself," counsel Saseedharan Menon told the court before walking out of the courtroom with two other lawyers, Prem Shandar and B. Muralidharan.

Judge Azizah Mahamud then set tomorrow to hear the application, brought by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Chithirakala, 39, is facing three counts of cheating involving RM4 million belonging to the MIED.

On May 19, she was stopped by the MACC from boarding a flight to India at the KL International Airport (KLIA). The MACC said then it had received information she was attempting to flee the country.

On May 11, she claimed trial to cheating former MIC treasurer-general Tan Sri M. Mahalingam, 74, a director and signatory of MIED Sdn Bhd, by inducing him to sign three cheques for RM1 million, RM1 million and RM2 million.

Today's proceedings started with Saseedharan hitting out at Deputy Public Prosecutor Kevin Morais for addressing the application to impound the passport to the High Court instead of the Sessions Court.

"Today, we are attired to appear before a High Court judge and we are very embarrassed because of the failure of the MACC in making a proper application," Saseedharan said.

Azizah allowed Morais's verbal application to amend the error.

Chithirakala told the court she was not in a hurry to go on the overseas trip and that she had already informed the MACC so last month.

The court had set June 14 for mention of the main case.

Samy Vellu's Son Insolent, Says Muhyiddin

Anwar flays ‘submissive’ Najib in Singapore deal

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim slammed today Malaysia’s deal with Singapore in settling the longstanding dispute over KTM Berhad’s Tanjong Pagar railway station in the island state.

Anwar said that the terms of agreement between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong were questionable as it was “shrouded in secrecy” and Malaysians were not aware of the real arrangement.

“But some of the terms are questionable and we feel Malaysian interests should be protected. This is as usual, most of Najib’s agreements are shrouded in secrecy.

“It’s (the agreements) not open. You always hide behind Khazanah but we dont know what’s the real arrangement,” Anwar told The Malaysian Insider in an interview today.

The Pakatan Rakyat defacto leader said that the agreement which was announced yesterday raised concerns that Malaysia is seen to be too “submissive” in catering to Singapore’s demands.

“There is a tendency that in the policy of Najib, like in the case of Barack Obama, he seems to be too submissive, agreeing, and there is a lot of concern.

“Why is it we have now a Prime Minister that surrenders too easily?” asked Anwar.

Following his meeting with Obama in April, the Najib administration had sided with Washington in its nuclear dispute with Iran.

After receiving domestic criticisms, Najib was also forced to deny cutting gasoline supplies to Teheran.

Najib and Lee agreed yesterday to relocate the 78-year-old Tanjong Pagar railway station operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) to Woodlands.

The relocation, to take place on July 1 next year, marks a major step in resolving a number of outstanding bilateral issues between the two countries, as first reported by The Malaysian Insider last September 29.

The two governments will also form a company to jointly develop parcels of land now owned by KTMB.

Malaysia will soon will co-locate its railway and Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex to the Woodlands train checkpoint.

Both countries also announced that a company, known as MS Pte Ltd, will be established no later than Dec 31 this year to jointly develop the parcels of land.

Malaysia is to hold a 60 per cent stake in this company under Khazanah Nasional Berhad, while Singapore will have a 40 per cent share held by Temasek Holdings.

The three parcels of land in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands, along with another three pieces of land in Bukit Timah, will be vested by MS Pte Ltd for joint development, which in turn could be swapped on the basis of equivalent value for pieces of land in Marina South and/or Ophir-Rochor.

The land swap has been contentious since the Malaysia-Singapore Points of Agreement (POA) was signed in 1990 over the issue of the future of the railway land. The POA was signed between former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and former Malaysian Finance Minister Tun Daim Zanuddin.

Under the agreement, KTM was to vacate its historic station at Tanjong Pagar and move to Bukit Timah while all of KTM’s land between Bukit Timah and Tanjong Pagar would revert to Singapore.

The land at Tanjong Pagar would be handed over to a private limited company for joint development — of which its equity would be split 60 per cent to Malaysia and 40 per cent to Singapore — as it is in the latest agreement.

But the key contention was the interpretation of the agreement as Singapore insisted the agreement meant KTM had to move its terminal from Tanjong Pagar to Bukit Timah within five years of its construction, when the republic moved its railway immigration in August 1998.

But Putrajaya said it would only be effective once it decided to move the station.

The railway land was acquired under a 1918 colonial ordinance specifically for use by Malayan Railway (Keretapi Tanah Melayu or KTM) for a period of 999 years. That same ordinance limits the use of this land. The land, which the main railway station is situated on, is considered prime land.

But Anwar stopped short of slamming Najib’s move in its entirety, and cautiously pointed out that he believed that bilateral ties with Singapore were of utmost importance.

“I am for and support strong bilateral relations with Singapore... I must again stress I represent the view (that) the relations with Singapore is of paramount importance to us as a country and also economic terms,” said the former Deputy and Finance Minister.

He explained that during his time as Finance Minister in the 1990s he had gone to Singapore to talk to then PM Goh Chok Tong about the terms of agreement, as it had not been cleared by the Cabinet or Attoney-General.

“I am [currently] working on my statement but basically [the] point of agreement was between Mahathir and Kuan Yew. At the time [when][ I was Minister of Finance, Tun Mahathir asked me to check [the terms of agreement]. I checked it was never cleared by the Cabinet or A-G so there was a problem .

“We had to go and explain to Goh Chok Tong that we will work [on the agreement].

“Although it is encouraging that we have major progress with negotiations with Singapore, [at the same time] these are prime economic and national interests and I think he [Najib] has to come out clean and explain details of the agreement,” said Anwar.

In a press statement issued a few hours later, Anwar reiterated his points and claimed that the newly-inked agreement woukd not be able to “generate domestic economic activity.”

“How many developers, contractors or Malaysian suppliers would be involved in the development of the M-S Pte Ltd?” Anwar said.

The Permatang Pauh MP also demanded that Najib present a report of the Points of Agreement (POA) along with the new terms in the upcoming Parliamentary session in June.

“We also want an explanation whether Najib had used the 1990 POA outlined by Tun Daim Zainuddin who was Finance Minister at the time, when it (the agreement) was not agreed by the Cabinet.

The government should also explain the real situation on the issue of water and to reassess the prices of raw water supply to Singapore.

“We urge Datuk Seri Najib to present a report in the next Parliamentary session in June,” said Anwar.

RPK: 1Malaysia will be Najib's downfall

By K Kabilan - Free Malaysia Today,

FMT EXCLUSIVE KUALA LUMPUR: Exiled blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin says that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will be toppled by forces within Umno if he continues to press forward with his 1Malaysia concept at the expense of “Ketuanan Melayu”.
Saying that Najib faces a huge problem in selling the 1Malaysia concept to his Umno colleagues, Raja Petra said the Umno culture would not allow the premier to stray away from the party's politics of warlords and patronage and the need to protect the Malay interest.
“Umno knows that its future depends on Malay voters. So the Malays must come first. And 1Malaysia does not serve the Malay interest.
“If Najib tries to go against the flow, then Umno will kick him out like they did (former premier) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi,” Raja Petra told FMT in an exclusive interview.
The blogger, who left Malaysia in the middle of last year in the face of criminal charges against him, said while 1Malaysia was an attempt to bring change, many Umno people, however, had no understanding of the concept.
1Malaysia concept is Najib's brainchild to unite Malaysians and was introduced as soon as he became the prime minister last April.
“Even Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) does not understand it as well, as he admitted. Is 1Malaysia going to end up like Islam Hadhari -- a misunderstood concept that died a natural death and which no one speaks about any longer today?” asked Raja Petra.
He added that for Umno leaders, the Ketuanan Melayu concept was more important and that they (the Umno leaders) would go to the extent of urging the government to invoke preventive laws, such as the Internal Security Act, to protect the rights, privileges and interests of the Malays.
“We need to detain without trial anyone who questions Malay rights and privileges, but those in Kamunting are not Chinese who question Malay rights. Most of the detainees are Muslims. So how do we reconcile this statement?
“This means, to the Umno people, Ketuanan Melayu is more important. And 1Malaysia runs contra to Ketuanan Melayu. We can have only one or the other. We can’t have both. But Najib wants both,” he said.
He added that 1Malaysia has to fail for Ketuanan Melayu to succeed.
A challenge to Najib
Raja Petra, who for long had been writing on the alleged involvement of Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor in the death of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, however, said he would give Najib due credit for trying to make the 1Malaysia concept work.
“I have to give credit to Najib in that he is trying very hard. But, just like Mahathir and Abdullah before him, Najib is faced with a huge Umno culture problem,” he said.
Adding that he was a supporter of the 1Malaysia concept, Raja Petra said he would gladly return to Malaysia to serve for the unity programme.
“If Najib is serious about his 1Malaysia, and if he invites me to serve his 1Malaysia programme, I am even prepared to return to Malaysia,” he said.
He said that he was willing to serve a jail sentence “as long as I can receive a guarantee that I will be allowed to continue writing and speaking from jail”.
He challenged Najib to accept this offer in the interest of his 1Malaysia.
“I am prepared to surrender myself and even go to jail for Najib’s 1Malaysia. But he must not silence me while I am in jail. I must be allowed to continue writing and speaking while supporting his 1Malaysia,” he said.
“How far is Najib prepared to go for his 1Malaysia?” he asked.
He further said that while he was detained under the ISA in Kamunting, the detention centre authorities did not allow him to write, and went to the extent of doing a body-check on his lawyers.
The authorities had also confiscated whatever he had written.
“They gave me no choice but to leave the country. Don’t prevent me from writing and we have a deal. They can have me back in jail.
“So, I support his 1Malaysia if he supports my freedom of expression -- freedom of expression even from prison.
“Just allow me my notebook computer in prison and I will happily write away from prison. Now they won’t even allow me pen and paper in prison,” he said.
Excerpts from the interview:
FMT: Where are you now?
Everyone knows that I am now in the UK. Enough said!
Have you any intention of returning to Malaysia?
That would be planning too far ahead. Anyway, do you mean Malaysia under Barisan Nasional or Malaysia under Pakatan Rakyat? Even if Pakatan Rakyat forms the new federal government, I am not sure whether the Sultan would allow me back in Selangor. If Umno can have its own way, even Zaid Ibrahim will be exiled or banished from Selangor. And yes, the Sultan can declare you persona non grata in his state.
Are you worried for your safety?
I have been advised to be very careful. I suppose anything can happen so it pays to look behind once in awhile.
What is the status of your trials?
There are no arrest warrants against me. They have all been cancelled when the charges against me were dropped (discharge not amounting to an acquittal). So I also have no trials pending.
If they want to put me on trial, they would have to file new charges against me. The old charges have been dropped and no longer apply. But to do that they would first have to extradite me. And I look forward to my extradition hearing in a British court. Let’s see if they can manipulate the British court and move the goalposts halfway through the trial like they did during my trials in Malaysia.
I still want my trials to go on. But if they want to put me on trial, they will have to ‘transfer’ the trial to the UK.
The mainstream newspapers say I should return to Malaysia to prove my innocence. This is hogwash. I do not need to prove my innocence. They have to prove my guilt. The onus is on them to prove my guilt, not on me to prove my innocence. And it is ‘innocent until proven guilty’.
So come here, to the UK, and prove my guilt in a British court. Do they dare, knowing that they can’t manipulate the system?
Sun Tze says you must fight your adversary on your terms and in a terrain that you know and which is advantageous to you. Never fight your adversary where you are at a disadvantage and where you will be weak. Let that be what happens.

Muhyiddin slams Samy's 'rude' son

FULL REPORT MUAR: Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin regards MIC president S Samy Vellu's son Vell Paari as “rude” for blaming Umno for the problems in MIC.
Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, said Umno strongly refuted the allegation made by Vell Paari

Muhyiddin was asked by reporters on Vell Paari's accusation against Umno published in FMT, saying that Umno had used "political assassins" to divide MIC.

He was met after attending a gathering with teachers in the Muar and Ledang districts at the Pagoh Sports Complex, here, today.

The BN deputy chairman also asked Samy Vellu to advise his son not to make any more statements that could hurt the sensitivities of another component party.

Muhyiddin said Vell Paari had a vested interest in the current MIC crisis "as he is the party president's son".

"Whatever it is, the prime minister and I have said that we want the crisis in MIC to be resolved as  soon as possible.

"But any solution to a conflict in any BN component party should be based on justice, transparency and the party's constitution and stipulated procedures.

"This is what we have done in Umno, even when we had to sack party members for breaching party discipline," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Muhyiddin also stressed on the importance of BN component parties solving their internal problems fast to make BN's position strong under the leadership of Najib Tun Razak.

Vell Paari: So be it
Meanwhile, Umno vice-president Mohd Shafie Apdal said Umno had never interfered in the internal affairs of other BN component parties, including MCA when it had a serious leadership crisis recently.

He said he was disappointed with the allegation made by Vell Paari against Umno and that it must be proven.

Shafie said a crisis in any component party would affect efforts to strengthen BN, and it was only natural for any BN leader to be concerned about the crisis and wishing it be resolved soonest possible.

"Expressing concern doesn't mean we are meddling in the internal affairs or direction of another component party.

"If there are dissenting voices within the (component) party itself, why should Umno be blamed for its problems?" he said.

Contacted by FMT later, Vell Paari said he was merely expressing what is in the hearts and minds of most non-Malays.

“If I am to be labelled rude for this, so be it,” he added, declining to elaborate.

Vell Paari stands firm on Umno bashing

RK Anand - Free Malaysia Today,

FMT EXCLUSIVE KUALA LUMPUR: MIC central working committee (CWC) member S Vell Paari's stinging comments against Umno in an interview with FMT is said to have ruffled many a feather.
Even Umno's mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia reproduced the story today while its frontpage comic strip “Senyum Kambing” took a swipe at Vell Paari, and his father, MIC president S Samy Vellu.
However, Vell Paari is unfazed and remains steadfast in his opinion that Umno's policies and actions were the catalyst for Indians voting for the opposition in the last general election.

Responding to Umno executive secretary Rauf Yusoh's denial that the party is backing the campaign to oust Samy Vellu, and that it only offers help to troubled component parties, Vell Paari said this is akin to the Tamil proverb of “pinching a child to make it cry, and then rocking the cot to pacify it.”

As for Utusan's “Senyum Kambing” jibe, Vell Paari laughed it off, saying, “How does one respond to a kambing (goat)? The best a kambing can hope for is to become mutton briyani.”

Vell Paari said while he welcomed Rauf's denial, he was, however, perplexed as to why Umno chose to remain silent when countless news reports appeared in the past claiming that Umno and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak were pushing for his father's exit.

“If you keep repeating a lie often enough, it becomes the truth. So the lie that was trumpeted here was that it was solely because of my father that BN (Barisan Nasional) lost Indian votes,” he said.

'Discriminatory' policies
Vell Paari reiterated that it was the "discriminatory" policies perpetuated by Umno and its leaders which had sowed the seeds of discontent, and parties like MIC and MCA had to fight an uphill battle to convince their respective communities.

Citing Malay pressure group Perkasa as an example, he said the group's chairman Ibrahim Ali was given the space and freedom to accuse Chinese voters as being ungrateful and demand that they be punished.

“Is it right to brand them as ingrates when they were merely exercising their democratic right to vote for a party or candidate of their choice?” he asked.

“Is it fair to call Indians 'beggars' and the Chinese 'prostitutes', and tell them to be grateful for being granted citizenship in this country”? he added, referring to Najib's former aide Nasir Safar.

Nasir had allegedly uttered these remarks during a seminar in February, prompting MIC and MCA members present to stage a walkout in protest.

The issue ignited a massive public outcry, and Nasir later resigned from his post. Scores of police reports were lodged, and investigation is still pending.

Vell Paari said MIC leaders and members encounter great hardship in campaigning for Indian votes when such issues of inequality exist.

“An Indian parent says, 'My child got 8As but is not given a scholarship, whereas a Malay child with lesser grades is given one. How do we explain this? They say, 'we are called beggars and immigrants', how do we explain this?” he asked.
'Pushed against the wall'
Vell Paari said another poignant example is the manner and speed in which government leaders had reacted to the fatal shooting of 15-year-old schoolboy, Aminulraysid Hamzah, by the police.

“While my heart bleeds for the victim and his family, we in MIC are posed with the question as to why there was never such a response when countless number of Indian youths were gunned down?

“Fix these issues, and Indian votes will return; leadership issue is secondary,” he said.

“You can only push a community to a certain extent; the Indians have been pushed against the wall, so this is what you will get in return (protest votes),” he added.

Vell Paari also denied that he was voicing his opinions because his father has come under pressure.

“I am not doing this because of him. I always speak my mind. If you check, I was among the first to speak out on (deceased police detainee A) Kugan's case and I had done the same when (DAP MP) Karpal Singh was attacked in Parliament,” he said.

Khairy must explain
Commenting further on Umno's denial of being involved in the “Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu” campaign, Vell Paari pointed out that one of its proponents, sacked CWC member G Kumar Amman, had implicated Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

“I am confused. Rauf said that Umno is not involved, but Kumar (in a news report) claims that Khairy was the one who had 'opened their minds'.

“I want to know what did Khairy open his mind to exactly –  to work against MIC and its leaders? I know Khairy well, and I don't think he would have done so,” he added.

Despite this, Vell Paari said, aspersions have been cast on Khairy and the Umno Youth chief must clarify the matter.

The CWC member also conceded that he was taking a big risk by putting all the cards on the table with his caustic statements.

“I can choose to just focus on my business and take things easy, but I am taking the risk for the community. Something must be done.

“Like I said before, a dangerous precedent is taking shape (Umno's intervention in component parties) and this must be stopped. I do not wish to grow old and regret one day that I did not do something when I had the chance,” he said.

'I will exit politics as well'
Vell Paari also disclosed that when his father leaves politics next year, he would also make a slow exit.

“The person who takes over must have a clear hand to run things. If I remain in the party, some would say that Samy Vellu left his son behind to run the show and use this to create rifts,” he said.
Furthermore, Vell Paari said since most of MIC's top leaders were groomed by his father, they might feel uncomfortable in reprimanding him if he commits a mistake.

“I do not wish to put them in such an awkward position. I would remain as an ordinary MIC member and continue my service to the community,” he added.

'Umno booked venue for anti-Samy rally'

By Teoh El Sen - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC Youth chief T Mohan claimed that the Putra World Trade Centre hall to be used for this Sunday's official launch of the “Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu” (GAS) campaign was booked under Umno's name.
Mohan told FMT that his men had called up PWTC to check on the 2pm event.

“One of my men called up the person-in-charge of PWTC's Dewan Merdeka hall by the name of Mr Azwan, and this is what he told us.

"Usually when we book an event for MIC, it will be recorded under MIC. So I was surprised when I found out that it was done under Umno's name," he added, demanding an explanation from Umno.

However, Mohan said it could have been booked by certain individuals using Umno's name.

The Youth chief stressed that if it is indeed Umno which booked the hall, then MIC would have to review its position in the Barisan Nasional.

"But, if, and I say if, it is really Umno that is behind this, then it means that Umno is not working with us. And we Youth wing members will need to propose to the MIC CWC (central working committee) to decide whether MIC is still relevant in BN or not," he said.

A check by FMT later revealed that PWTC's event and sales department has an officer by the name of Nur Azwan Ghazali.

Probed on the booking, Nur Azwan refused to comment on the matter. Bernama later quoted Umno executive secretary Abd Rauf Yusoh as denying that the party had booked the hall.

On the Sunday gathering, Mohan said that he wants to know if the police will allow an “illegal gathering” to take place.

"If it is illegal then how come the police are allowing this? GAS is not an organisation or party. If a permit is given, then anyone can come up with some group called GUN, GUM or GAY... you are then setting a precedent," he said.

The Youth chief also dismissed his former deputy V Mugilan's claim that more than 7,000 people are expected to turn up for the gathering.

"His numbers don't mean anything. In politics, for example, an Anwar (Ibrahim) gathering can have thousands but not necessarily all of them are his supporters. I myself can bring 14,000 or 20,000,” he said.

He also dismissed Mugilan's claim of speaking for the majority, saying the latter was "nothing" and the group was simply "troublemakers".

Mugilan dares Samy to hold fresh polls
Meanwhile, Mugilan vehemently denied the charge that Umno was backing the GAS campaign and that he was acting upon the instruction of its leaders.

He also dismissed the questions raised in connection with the venue of the rally since PWTC also houses the Umno headquarters.

“PWTC is a public place. MIC holds its annual general meetings there. Why doesn't anyone ask about this?” he said.

Mugilan, who was sacked from the party last week, challenged Samy Vellu to hold a fresh presidential election, “if he dares”.

He is confident that the 74-year-old president of three decades would be trounced as Samy Vellu no longer commands the support he enjoyed in the past.

"Samy Vellu thinks he is MIC and MIC is Samy Vellu, but that's what he thinks. People down here are very angry now. Can he keep sacking everyone? Do you think all 600,000 members are supporting you? No, 90% do not support you," he said.

He also told FMT that there has been overwhelming support for GAS and he expects a massive turnout on Sunday.

"We are so powerful now. Momentum is high and nobody can stop this. It'll be more than 7,000. Leaders, who I will not be naming now, are calling me saying that I am doing the right thing.

“I can say that more than 60% of CWC members have contacted me and more than 60% of branch chairmen, too," he said.

Mugilan said the organisers are in the process of applying for a police permit.

"As for the venue, I have already booked and paid for it. It will be a peaceful gathering; there will  be no problems. This is a democratic country and we are just expressing our views,” he said.

Vell Paari a 'junior politician'
Responding to Samy Vellu's son Vell Paari labelling those who are calling for his father’s immediate resignation as “political assassins” hired by Umno, Mugilan flatly denied the link.

"They (father and son) are getting desperate because they are scared. Vell Paari is trying to divert attention away from his father.

“They're doing this because they don't have any options left, this is their last weapon. They are resorting to rumours," he said.

Mugilan continued to discredit Vell Paari, saying that he was just a "junior politician" who has no experience.

"What he is saying now is simply helping our cause. He does not know how sensitive it is to bring in other parties and now we have wider coverage because of him.

“He is indirectly putting his father down," he added.

Contacted later, Dang Wangi district police chief Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said he was aware of the gathering but is uncertain as to whether a permit has been obtained.

In a related development, the GAS blog showed (as at 7pm) 1,276 (93%) have voted "Yes" to a question on whether Samy Vellu should quit now while 89 (6%) voted "No".

A SMS written in Malay calling for people to join the Sunday gathering, to "save the Indian community from dictator Samy" is also being widely circulated.

Malaysiakini screws up

Malaysiakini screwed up with this report below when actually Bala's lawyers want MACC instead to pay for their air fare (Bala and his three lawyers) plus hotel rooms and other costs:

MACC gets all-expense paid London date with Bala

Lawyers representing private investigator P Balasubramaniam have made travel arrangements for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to interview their client in London this July.

In an email sent to a MACC officer today, lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu asked an investigating officer in the case to forward the offer to his superior, investigating director Mustafar Ali.

"We have made arrangements for them to be present in London from July 3 to 12 for the purpose of interviewing and recording Balasubramaniam's statement. All flights and accommodation (for the MACC) have been arranged," Americk said in the email.

A copy of the correspondence was made available to Malaysiakini.

Balasubramaniam is also represented by Manjeet Singh Dhillon.

Americk said that, instead of conducting the interview at the Malaysian High Commission in London - as suggested by Mustafar in an interview with the New Straits Times yesterday - a small meeting room would be booked in London.

"My client does not agree to having the interview conducted at the Malaysian High Commission in London, and we also fail to appreciate the necessity of having it there."

Americk said the lawyers are waiting for MACC's response.

He explained that the elaborate arrangement is to ensure that MACC keeps its word and does not give excuses for failing to interview the private investigator.

MACC, when contacted, did not wish to comment.

Balasubramaniam, was hired by political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda in the Altantuya Shaariibuu matter. She was murdered in 2006.

The private investigator had made a sensational statutory declaration on July 3, 2008 over the matter, only to retract it a day later.

Yesterday, Manjeet told Malaysiakini that Balasubramaniam is willing to be interviewed and his statement recorded by the commission even before the July date, but that the MACC had not responded.

Manjeet dismissed Mustafar's statement that the commission wants to meet the private investigator earlier than July.

The commission had issued a statement on May 22, saying it is willing to interview Balasubramaniam and record his statement in July.

What Najib’s reform package should coverno

Maybe at this stage it is too much to expect political reforms. That may take a long time because there are too many issues involved. But there is no reason why stage one of these political reforms can’t be achieved -- meaning electoral reforms.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Britain went into a sort of political crisis when no one party won enough (majority) parliament seats to form the government -- unless they want to form the government with the largest minority or have what we would call a minority government. This transformed the ‘third force’ into the kingmaker -- in this case the Liberal Democrats.

What made the Liberal Democrats sore is that they won slightly lesser votes than the Conservative or Labour parties but these votes translated to only 10% or so of the seats. The other two, who both won about one-third of the votes each, won 40% or so of the seats per party.

The Liberal Democrats had three choices. First would be to have nothing to do with either party and let the Conservatives form a minority government, which means it may be a short-lived government once parliament starts since it can’t get enough votes to push its bills through. Second would be to form a unity government with Labour, which will give them more seats than the Conservatives but still a minority government nevertheless. Third would be to form a unity government with the Conservatives and have a majority in parliament -- the more stable option.

Ideally, a Conservative-Liberal Democrat option would be the best, as it would be a stronger government because of its majority in parliament. But before the Liberal Democrats would decide which party to work with and whether they even want to form a unity government in the first place would depend on a few conditions.

One of those conditions – which is my ‘pet subject’ – is that the new unity government must introduce political reforms. The Conservatives talked about electoral reforms but the Liberal Democrats were not happy with just electoral reforms. They wanted a wider and bigger agenda. Electoral reforms alone are not good enough. It must be a larger agenda of political reforms, which includes electoral reforms within that package.

This is something I have been talking about for a long time. No, I don’t mean a unity government, although that too I have been talking about. I am talking about the issue of electoral reforms. Maybe at this stage it is too much to expect political reforms. That may take a long time because there are too many issues involved. But there is no reason why stage one of these political reforms can’t be achieved -- meaning electoral reforms.

For example: in some countries, it is law that 30% of the candidates in the general election must be women. Now, considering that 52-53% of the voters who come out to vote in Malaysia are women, this would be very reasonable. If not 30% then at least 25% of the candidates must be women -- mandatory by law. Is this something impossible for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to agree to? I would agree to even 33.3% or one-third.

Next would be the seat variations. The Reed Commission proposed a variation of 20%. In some countries this is law and some countries even impose a variation of 15%. For example, if a parliament seat should have about 50,000 voters as its benchmark, then the 20% variation would mean that seats must have between 40,000 to 60,000 voters. Currently, parliament seats in Malaysia vary from 5,000 to 120,000 voters (and more). That variation is just too large and ridiculous.

Another electoral reform would be to allow Malaysians living, studying or working overseas to vote at the Malaysian embassies or high commissions. Currently they lose their right to vote unless they fly home on Polling Day. Even our neighbouring countries allow their citizens to vote in their embassies in Kuala Lumpur.

The postal votes should be only for those who are away on government service on Polling Day. That would include Malaysians working overseas at the embassies/high commissions, TDC, MIDA, etc. Those government officers working in Malaysia, such as armed forces personnel, police, etc., need not vote by post unless they are deep in the jungles on a military operation.

And even the postal voting system needs to be monitored. Political parties should be allowed to witness the voting process and after balloting ends the ballot boxes should be immediately opened and the votes counted, sorted and tallied -- and the results documented and certified with signatures of witnesses so that no ‘silap mata’ can be pulled off five days later (like now).

There are many things wrong with the current electoral system and the above are but the tip of the iceberg. But if we can start with just some of those things then that would be good enough for now. Then more can be addressed later as we go along. And once electoral reforms are complete then we can look into the matter of political reforms.

Now would be a good time to do this. Barisan Nasional does not have two-thirds of parliament so they would need the opposition Pakatan Rakyat to also support this reform package and vote in favour of these new bills in parliament.

We can then test the sincerity and maturity of the opposition. If the Prime Minister tables these reform bills in parliament and if the opposition votes against them and does not support them then this would prove that the opposition is opposing for the sake of opposing and not for the good of the country.

Najib talks about reforms. The opposition shouts even louder about reforms. But thus far it is all hot air and no action. I am beginning to get tired of both sides. Can we stop talking and start acting. And the first task in hand is electoral reforms. Do that then talk about the others. But if you can’t do this then stop talking. It is useless to talk about anything else if this basic and simple thing can’t be addressed.

Bala's lawyer slams MACC over claim

(The Star) - Private investigator P. Balasubramaniam’s lawyer has rubbished a claim by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigations director that it was his client who had delayed recording his statement.

“This is absolute rubbish! They were never ready and this chap Mustafar (Ali) is pulling wool over everyone’s eyes.

“Bala has always been ready and available,” said his counsel Manjeet Singh Dhillon in an email to The Star from London yesterday.

Manjeet was responding to a report in an English daily yesterday that the MACC was recording his client’s statement in July at Balasubramaniam’s request.

“We were ready a long time ago but he said he would only be ready in July,” Mustafar had said.

Mustafar’s statement came a day after Manjeet was reported in The Star as saying he was going to London to look for a neutral venue for the MACC to record Balasubramaniam’s statement relating to the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

On April 19, MACC Deputy Commissioner Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull said they would meet Ba­­lasubramaniam “anywhere he felt appropriate” and not only at Malaysian embassies abroad, but yesterday Mustafar was quoted as saying they would decide on the venue for the interview in London.

“(We need to identify) where to record his statement. We cannot simply do as he wishes.”

Manjeet said it was ridiculous for Mustafar to suggest replacing the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore with the Malaysian High Commission in London.

A proposed interview at the High Commission in the island republic was scrapped because the MACC said it would be classified under the Official Secrets Act, and conducted without video-recording or lawyers.

Manjeet said Mustafar should stop using the media to project an image inconsistent with the facts.

“If the MACC is serious and sincere about doing the job, they should get on with things and respond to my letter of Jan 22,” he said.

Patrick Wong robbery-murder solved

(The Malay Mail) - Police have arrested a suspect believed to be involved in the robbery-murder of 57-year-old property businessman Datuk Patrick Wong who died after succumbing to injuries sustained during a robbery at his home at Bukit Bandaraya in Bangsar here on Nov 17 last year.

At a Press conference yesterday at the Brickfields police headquarters, Kuala Lumpur police CID chief SAC II Datuk Ku Chin Wah said the suspect was nabbed in Johor Baru on May 3 for a robbery case in the State.

“We believe he may be involved in the Wong case and the motive was robbery,” Ku said, adding that police were still looking for the suspect’s two accomplices.

“The suspect has many previous criminal cases, and we re-arrested him in KL as he was under investigation in Johor Baru. We have remanded him until this Friday to assist in our investigations.”

It is learnt the 48-year-old suspect was involved in house break-ins and a drug-related case.

At 7pm on Nov 17, three men armed with machetes entered Wong’s three-storey house while he was in his computer room upstairs and his son was in the bathroom. His daughter and maid were in the kitchen downstairs.

One of the robbers stood guard below while the other two went upstairs and confronted Wong.

Police believe Wong may have jumped from a window from the second floor, while trying to escape the robbers.

The robbers then dragged the unconscious Wong back into the house before they fled with a relatively minimal amount of valuables, including a purse belonging to Wong’s daughter, a handphone, and cash of US$300 (about RM1,000).

Police have classified the case under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

Taking our country back : Judiciary must be the first port of call

By Haris Ibrahim,

Last week, Malaysiakini reported that Anwar’s application to the Court of Appeal to stay the proceedings of the sodomy trial in the High Court was dismissed.
What I found to be telling was that, as reported, Justice Zaharah had replaced Justice Md Apandi Ali, who had recused himself from hearing the application after Karpal objected to his hearing the same, on the grounds that Apandi had once held the position of Kelantan Umno treasurer and had served as the legal advisor to Kelantan Umno, and that there was therefore the likelihood of bias.
Now, yesterday, Zaid’s team of lawyers filed his petition to nullify the recent Hulu Selangor by-election results.
Malaysiakini reported yesterday that Imtiaz, one of Zaid’s lawyers, ecplained that the petition would have to be heard within 6 months and focuses on the issue of election bribery, specifically, Najib’s promise of RM3 million to the Chinese school and the monetary offers to the Felda settlers.
Malaysiakini also reports that Imtiaz said that the petition will be heard and decided in the course of a trial presided over by a judge appointed by the Chief Justice.
The Chief Justice is Zaki, who once served on Umno’s discliplinary committee and once was involved in the destruction of incriminating evidence, to wit, burning his marriage certificate issued in Thailand to avoid the same being discovered by his first wife.
Zaki also used to represent Umno in court proceedings.

My question.
Should Zaki be deciding which judge hears Zaid’s petition?
If Apandi could not hear Anwar’s application on the principle of likelihhood of bias, given his past connection with Umno, how can Zaki, applying the same principle, be in any way involved with Zaid’s petition, including the selection of the judge who is going to hear and dispose of the same?
Remember the Likas election petition?
How in the written judgment, in declaring the election results null and void, Justice Muhd Kamil Awang disclosed the matter of a phone call from a judicial superior, urging him to dispose of the petition in a certain way?
How Eusoff Chin then publicly admitted making a call to Kamil but denied trying to influence Kamil’s decision in that petition?
To the best of my knowledge, Eusoff had no known affiliations with Umno and yet…
What more, then, one who was so closely connected to Umno?
What of any petitions filed to annul any election results in the 13th GE?
Can we trust Zaki to decide who hears those petitions?
Was this, then, the real reason why Pak Lah doggedly went on with Zaki’s appointment to the judiciary, notwithstanding the protest from so many?
Is there nothing we can do?

Churchill, Najib dan Mugabe

Dari Merdeka Review
Oleh Josh Hong

Biarpun ditawarkan dengan RM 5 juta, pengundi Sibu tetap membalas dengan tamparan sengit kepada Perdana Menteri Najib Razak, apabila memberikan kemenangan kepada DAP-Pakatan Rakyat dalam pilihan raya kecil baru-baru ini.

PRK Sibu telah melabuh tirai. Tetapi kes rasuah “You help me, I help you” baru sahaja dibuka tirainya. Ucapan ini bukan sahaja berbau rasuah, malah memperlihatkan keangkuhan pemimpin ini.

Dari ucapannya, jelas Najib (gambar kanan) langsung tidak berniat untuk menjejak Sibu. “Saya langsung tak perlu datang ke sini… Ini bukan tempatnya PM harus datang.” Sekiranya kandungan ini bukan bermakna “memperlekehkan”, maka kita perlu menyunting kamus yang baru.

Paling menjijikan, apabila Najib menarik undi dengan satu nada yang tidak serius, selaku seorang PM. Apabila beliau menyebut, “Let’s make a deal”, dan “you help me, I help you”, ia seolah-olah nada ketika seorang bos bercakap dengan orang bawahannya.

Semasa menambahkan peruntukan dari RM3 juta hingga RM5 juta, Najib berlagak seakan-akan wang cukai rakyat boleh digunakan bagai wang kertas dalam permainan jutawan. Perutukan dana ditabur begitu sahaja, tanpa sedikit rasa hemah, malah tiada kajian terhadap angka ini, sama ada projek ini benar bernilai sedemikian.

Tindakan menyogok pengundi secara terbuka dengan RM 5 juta, membuktikan bahawa darah yang mengalir dalam tubuh badan Najib masih berbau feudalisme. Beliau sedikit pun tidak menganggap bahawa rakyatnya bermaruah. Untuk Najib, undi hanyalah pulangan amalan politik patronage, dan beliau melihat pengundi sebagai modalnya.

Tetapi ada benarnya apabila Najib berkata kempen BN kurang kreatif berbanding Pakatan Rakyat. Undi Cina agak sukar dipikat, maka berjuta dan berpuluh juta wang ringgit disogokkan. Sebaliknya, undi bumiputera yang dilihat sebagai “undi besi”, disogok dengan harga yang lebih rendah. Setiap orang hanya mendapat RM600, malah RM10 ribu atau RM20 ribu diberikan kepada tuai rumah untuk membereskan puak kaumnya.

Malah, sesetengah orang tempatan diperalatkan untuk menghalang pembangkang daripada memasuki kawasannya. Inilah strategi BN dari dulu hingga sekarang. Satu-satu bezanya, pengundi Cina tidak termakan umpan kali ini.

Spin-doctoring

Cuba bayangkan, seandainya pengundi Cina menerima rasuah secara terang-terang ini, apakah kesan negatifnya terhadap perhubungan kaum dalam Sarawak dan seluruh Malaysia? Orang Cina bernilai puluhan juta, bumiputera pula hanya saki-bakinya. Bukankah ini memperkukuhkan stereotype selama ini? Seandainya dibiarkan BN untuk meneruskan dasar pecah dan perintah sebegini, sehingga rasuah pun boleh jadi berat sebelah. Apakah masa depan negara ini?

Peruntukan sedemikian yang hanya diberikan semasa pilihan raya, malah tanpa pertimbangan wajar, tidak mengira prinsip ekonomi dan efisiensi, membuktikan bahawa kerajaan selama ini hanya memegang pangkat tanpa berbuat apa-apa. Lebih-lebih lagi, apabila kerajaan ini telah membiasakan diri dengan pujaan media arus perdana, masih gagal menyesuaikan diri dengan perubahan minda rakyat secara tiba-tiba.

Maklumlah mengapa biarpun ditewaskan bertalu-talu, pemimpin BN masih tidak faham apa kemahuan pengundi, yang sebenarnya berbunyi dasar yang adil, politik yang bersih dan kerajaan yang efisien.

Arus media perdana (bahasa Cina khususnya) kini cuba membentuk imej Najib sebagai “pembawa perubahan”. Rencana cuba menjurus kepada “UMNO boleh ditolak, tetapi bukan Najib”, selari dengan retorik MCA “jangan tersilap apabila mempersalahkan orang lain”. Ini adalah spin-doctoring politik. Seandainya audien termakan dengan rencana sebegini, maka proses pendemokrasian negara akan mengundur.

Mujur, daripada keputusan PRK Sibu, meskipun pengundi membaca Borneo Post, See Hua Daily News dan Sinchew Daily, tetapi kebijaksanaan politik mereka tidak terjejas. Cuma, saya secara peribadi menaruh harapan kepada pemimpin gereja, seandainya ditawarkan peruntukan, mereka akan memperingatkan penyogok, “Kami mengalu-alukan peruntukan dana yang wajar dan halal. Tetapi, biarlah selepas pilihan raya, dan bukannya semasa tempoh berkempen.”

Seandainya inilah pendekatannya, maka ia akan menonjolkan kematanganan politik pengundi, dan keadilan yang didukung dalam agama.

Perdana Menteri Britain Winston Churchill berjasa dalam menumpaskan Nazi Jerman. Tetapi beliau ditolak tanpa belas kasihan oleh pengundi dalam pilihan raya pertama selepas peperangan. Beliau tidak melatah, malah berusha dengan lebih bersungguh-sungguh untuk menewaskan Parti Buruh selepas lima tahun.

Sebaliknya, Presiden Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe juga melabel dirinya sebagai reformis pada peringkat awal beliau memegang tampuk pimpinan. Namun, untuk menangkis cabaran pembangkang, Mugabe telah merosakkan sistem kehakiman, menggunakan segala cara yang kotor untuk mengekalkan kuasa dirinya. Akhirnya, Zimbabwe yang pernah seketika menjadi negara yang terkaya di Afrika, mengalami keranapan sistem ekonominya.

Sememangnya Najib bukanlah Winston Churchill. Selepas keajaiban PRK Sibu, tindak tanduknya akan diteliti, sama ada sistem politik, kehakiman dan ekonomi akan terus di- Zimbabwe-kan!

Kepentingan Negara Harus Diutamakan

—KENYATAAN MEDIA UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA—

Ibu Pejabat Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Tropicana.

25 Mei 2010

Kerjasama dan hubungan diplomatik yang baik di antara Malaysia dengan Singapura merupakan satu keutamaan. Kita hargai kepentingan hubungan antara kedua negara ini terutamanya menyangkuti bidang ekonomi dan pelaburan serta usaha berterusan bagi menyelesaikan isu berbangkit. Namun demikian kita bertegas penyelesaian itu harus didasarkan kepada prinsip ketelusan terutamanya apabila ianya membabitkan kepentingan nasional dan khazanah negara.

Kita difahamkan bahawa isu tanah milik Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad yang selama ini menjadi pertikaian di antara Malaysia dan Singapura telah diselesaikan semalam. Penyelesaian yang kononnya dikenali sebagai “Penyelesaian Muktamad” agak mengejutkan kerana setahu saya beberapa persoalan berkaitan kepentingan negara di negara jiran itu adalah lebih rumit dan harus ditangani dengan bijak serta teliti.

Kenyataan bersama Dato’ Sri Najib Razak kelihatannya mengakibatkan beberapa kepentingan negara; Stesen Keretapi Tanjung Pagar, beberapa keping tanah di Kranji, Woodlands, Tanjung Pagar serta Lot 76-2 mk 16, Lot 249 Mk 4 dan Lot 32-10 Mk 16 dipercayai merugikan. Kita gusar kerana persefahaman yang dipersetujui YAB Perdana Menteri itu dibuat serta diumumkan dengan tergesa-gesa tanpa memberi maklumat terperinci sedangkan persoalan ini membabitkan isu kedaulatan dan kepentingan negara. Ini bertentangan dengan pendirian Perdana Menteri dan kerajaan sebelum ini.

Sungguhpun dinyatakan tanah-tanah tersebut akan diamanahkan kepada sebuah syarikat yang bernama M-S Pte Ltd di mana Khazanah memiliki 60% dari kepentingannya, namun dari kenyataan tersebut terdapat kemungkinan besar kepentingan-kepentingan terbabit akan ditukarkan dengan tanah di kawasan yang lain. Kita curiga nilai tanah yang ditukarkan itu; samada di Marina South dan/atau Ophor Rochir, tidak menandingi nilai tanah milik KTMB itu. Apa yang lebih membimbangkan pembabitan Khazanah hanyalah sebagai alasan untuk meletakkan kepentingan syarikat kroni.

Kita tuntas mempersoalkan kebijaksanaan keputusan Kerajaan Malaysia kerana sebarang pembangunan yang bakal dilaksanakan nanti pastinya tidak berupaya menjana kegiatan ekonomi domestik. Berapa ramaikan para pengusaha, kontraktor mahupun pembekal Malaysia yang bakal terlibat dengan pembangunan usahasama Syarikat M-S Pte Ltd itu?

Kita juga menggesa pentadbiran Dato’ Sri Najib untuk segera menjelaskan secara terperinci maksud sebenar bahawa Points of Agreement(POA) di antara Kerajaan Singapura dan Malaysia boleh ditambahkan dengan terma serta syarat baru kononnya untuk memaksimumkan potensi tanah-tanah tersebut di Singapura. Kita juga mahukan penjelasan samada Dato’ Sri Najib menggunakan POA 1990 yang digariskan Tun Daim Zainuddin, menteri kewangan ketika itu sedangkan ianya tidak mendapat persetujuan Kabinet. Selain itu kerajaan sewajarnya menjelaskan apakah kedudukan sebenar isu air serta wujudnya penyemakan semula harga air mentah yang kita bekalkan kepada Singapura? Kita menggesa Dato’ Sri Najib untuk membentangkan kertas laporan di sidang parlimen pada bulan Jun ini.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Chorus of disapproval against UUCA .

Free Malaysia Today


KUALA LUMPUR: Student NGO, Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia, today called for the University & University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA) to be repealed with immediate effect.

The call comes in the wake of four University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) students who were charged under Section 15(5)(a) of the act for allegedly for taking party in political activites.

The four are Muhammad Hilman Idham, Muhamad Ismail Aminuddin, Azlin Shafina Mohamad Adzha and Woon King Chai, all political science students.

They were detained by police when they were in Hulu Selangor on April 22 to observe the by election campaign. The four were released after police found no evidence of mischief.

They now face disciplinary action and have been asked to attend a disciplinary hearing on June 3 at the UKM campus.

“Students, as one of the stakeholders of a university, should be given an opportunity to exercise academic freedom in the pursuit of knowledge and excellence,” said the NGO in a statement

“They should not be demonised and punished for exercising their inalienable right to pursue knowledge in their chosen fields.”

“Section 15(5)(a) of the UUCA Act is in direct contradiction with Article 199 of the constitution which guarantees Malaysian citizens above the age of 21 the right to vote in elections.

“It is a form of expression and participation in politics and not recognising that is a blatant disregard and disrespect by the University,” added the NGO.

Suspend UUCA for five year, says Kit Siang

DAP’s Ipoh Timur parliamentarian, Lim Kit Siang, last week, urged the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to suspend the UUCA Act for five years to demonstrate he has the political will to implement the NEM, which places emphasis on ‘retaining and attracting talent.’

He said UUCA is like a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of university students and stifling their growth, creativity and the pursuit of excellence.

“The BN government is doing the very opposite of what is being espoused in the NEM,” said Lim.

Lim, also questioned the double standard of Umno in forming Umno Clubs for overseas university students and yet prohibit students in local public universities from showing any interest in politics.

Meanwhile, MCA’s vice president Gan Ping Sieu also called for the government to repeal provisions in the UUCA that prohibit students from taking part in political activities.

Proton car prices in Saudi Arabia – raw deal for Malaysians

Letters
By an angry Malaysian
FROM ANGRY RAKYAT …..! TO OWNERS OF PROTON VEHICLES….VERY SAD !!!!
SO NOW YOU KNOW THE ACTUAL VALUE PRICE OF PROTON !!!! CHEAP METAL !!!

1 MALAYSIA SENTIASA DITIPU…
Kenapa Proton tak jual harga macam kat Arab Saudi ?
Apa istimewanya orang Arab?
Kata “Rakyat didahulukan”..
Kenapa orang Arab lebih diutamakan?
Haaaa..Jawapannya ialah..
Pemilik Proton di Malaysia semuanya dah kena tipu…Hahaha
Harga Persona kat Saudi = SR36,100
Harga Gen2 kat Saudi = SR33,600
Harga Waja kat Saudi = SR37,950
1 Saudi Riyal = RM0.94
Maknanya harga Persona kat Saudi = RM33,934 aje
Maknanya harga Proton Gen2 kat Saudi = RM32,256 aje
Maknanya harga Waja kat Saudi = RM35,673 aje
1 Malaysia bayar RM 66,799.97 untuk 1 Waja di Msia! RM31,126.97 lebih MAHAL!
Shouldn’t our Government protects us. Instead we are cheated.. Our hard earnings..!!
We pay for others to enjoy …
THIS IS 1MALAYSIA …UMNO/BN Govt.

Samy Vellu's Son Insolent, Says Muhyiddin

MUAR, May 25 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin regards MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's son Vell Paari as insolent for blaming Umno for the problems in MIC.

Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, said Umno strongly refuted the allegation made by Vell Paari.

Muhyiddin was earlier asked by reporters on Vell Paari's accusation against Umno through the "Free Malaysia Today" website, saying that Umno had used "political assassination" to divide MIC, one of the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties.

He was met after attending a gathering with teachers in the Muar and Ledang districts at the Pagoh Sports Complex, here Tuesday.

The BN deputy chairman is also asking Samy Vellu to advise his son not to make any more statement that could hurt the sensitivities of another component party.

Muhyiddin said Vell Paari had a vested interest in the current MIC crisis "as he is the party president's son".

"Whatever it is, the prime minister and I have said that we want the crisis in MIC to be resolved soonest possible.

"But any solution to a conflict in any BN component party should be based on justice, transparency and the party's constitution and stipulated procedures.

"This is what we have done in Umno, even when we had to sack party members for breaching party discipline," he said.

Muhyiddin also stressed on the importance of BN component parties solving their internal problems fast to make BN's position strong under the leadership of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

On a newspaper report on the serious disciplinary problem at a school in Rawang, Muhyiddin said the Education Ministry had ordered an investigation be carried out.

"If it's disciplinary problem, we have ways to address the problem but if it involves violation of the law, we will ask the police to investigate," he said.

Meanwhile, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said Umno had never interfered in the internal affairs of other BN component parties, including MCA when it had a serious leadership crisis recently.

He said he was disappointed with the allegation made by Vell Paari against Umno and that it must be proven.

Shafie said a crisis in any component party would affect efforts to strengthen BN, and it was only natural for any BN leader to be concerned about the crisis and wishing it be resolved soonest possible.

"Expressing concern doesn't mean we are meddling in the internal affairs or direction of another component party.

"If there are dissenting voices within the (component) party itself, why should Umno be blamed for its problems?" he said.

Malaysia-Singapore prickly issues all resolved?

The mainstream media have been reporting that Malaysia and Singapore have ended their deadlock on key issues – but have all the prickly issues raised by Mahathir in the past been resolved?

Could we have the valuations for all the plots of land concerned so we know it’s a fair deal.

The Star reports that the key features of the latest round of talks were:

- Relocating the KTM railway station from Tanjung Pagar to Wood-lands;

- Setting up a joint company M-S Pte Ltd to develop six parcels of land in the republic; and

- Developing a rapid transit link between Tanjung Puteri in Johor Baru and Singapore.

Both leaders also agreed that Khazanah and Temasek will form a 50-50 joint-venture company to develop an iconic wellness township in Iskandar Malaysia.

The other question is why wasn’t all this discussed in Parliament first? Wide public consultation, at least in Parliament, is needed on issues involving sovereignty, national and public interest.