Blow for Samy Vellu as MIED case proceeds

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu was dealt a blow after the Court of Appeal rejected his appeal against a derivative action suit filed by Maju Institute of Education Development (MIED) member and former Youth chief S. Vigneswaran. Samy Vellu must now answer all the allegations laid against him by his detractors, who have lodged numerous police reports alleging corruption and mismanagement in the scandalised MIED running into the hundreds of millions of ringgit.

makkal osai 070910

Former ally and MIED CEO P. Chitrakalas Vasu has already been charged with misappropriating RM4 million from the institution, but critics like Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu (GAS) leader and sacked MIC member V. Mugilan have demanded investigations be extended to include Samy Vellu and all his actions in relation to MIED.
“I believe the upcoming court hearing will expose Samy Vellu for good,” Mugilan told The Malaysian Insider.
On Monday, the Court of Appeal unanimously held that the action was valid and may proceed as applied for in the High Court.
On June 14, Judicial Commissioner Mah Weng Kwai ruled that Vigneswaran had a case against Samy Vellu and the trustees of the MIED — most of whom are seen to be Samy Vellu loyalists who once held senior positions in the MIC.
Derivative action under Section 181A of the Companies Act is unique as it allows a stakeholder to hold principle office bearers, trustees and employees accountable for the losses the company might have suffered as a result of their actions or omissions in protecting the interests of the corporation.
On Monday, the Court of Appeal panel comprising Datuk Zainun Ali, Datuk Ramly Ali and Datuk Jeffrey Tan Kok Hwa, said Section 181A of the Companies Act was applicable to all categories of companies.
“We find no reason to interfere with the findings of the High Court,” Zainun said in dismissing an appeal by Samy Vellu, the MIED chairman, and the MIED trustees.
Politically, the rejection is a significant blow for MIC president who is fighting internal and external pressure to step down by December 31 at the latest.
“It is like a fishbone in his throat,” said a senior MIC leader referring to the potential exposure if the MIED case proceeds in the High Court.
Case management has been set for September 25.
“It’s more like a dagger pointed at his heart,” said another MIC leader. “The Pandora’s box would explode open with this action against the MIED.”
While the MIED was incorporated as a company, it has raised funds from the Indian public for its various projects — including the flagship AIMST University in Kedah.
The government also gave RM300 million for the university project.
In the derivative action, the MIED is the plaintiff and is seeking an order that Samy Vellu be stripped of his rights as a signatory to MIED cheques with immediate effect and for an injunction to stop him from continuing to serve as chairman and member of the board of trustees.
If the action is successful, it would severely dent Samy Vellu’s ambitions of continuing as MIC president. He has said he will resign sometime in September 2011 although his current term ends in March 2012.
It is widely expected that he plans to hold an early presidential election sometime in mid-2011, and allow a free and open contest that would likely see a three- or even four-way contest between deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel, senior vice-president Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam and former vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan

Musa: I once posed as trishaw rider to nab drug trafficker

SHAH ALAM: Retiring Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Musa Hassan once posed as a trishaw rider to nab a drug trafficker. Recalling the incident, he said it took place in the early 1980s in Penang where he was an inspector in the anti-drug operations unit.

"It was an unforgettable experience because the drug trafficker carried the drugs in the trishaw that I was operating," he told a news conference during his visit to the Selangor police headquarters here today.

Musa said that when he was in Penang, he and the current Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar used various disguises to catch drug traffickers, including as sugarcane drink sellers and trishaw riders.

On his retirement plans, Musa said he would take a long-deserved rest and look after his grandchildren. Musa is to retire on Sept 13.

He also said that he would perform the "umrah" (minor haj) in Mecca during the Aidilfitri.

Asked why several vacancies, such as the post of Cheras police chief, had yet to be filled, Musa said the matter had to be referred to the Home Ministry as he had suggested names of officers to the ministry in November last year.

- Bernama

Party over in Sabah, Sarawak if Azmin wins

By Joe Fernandez - Free Malaysia Today

COMMENT PKR leaders like vice-president Azmin Ali – Umno unreformed, unrepentant, his critics swear – have always been uncomfortable with the change and reform agenda ostensibly flogged by de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim. It appears that one can take people like the duo out of Umno but they can’t take the Umno out of them. PKR has duplicated Umno’s Department of Dirty Tricks (DDT). It’s becoming more and more apparent everyday as the nomination process for party elections completes itself. Names have been copied from the electoral rolls and entered in the party register as members without their knowledge.

In other cases, personal details have been obtained from pay slips as in the case of the Sabah Medical Centre in Kota Kinabalu. Phantom members are those who live in one division and are registered as members in another division several hundred kilometres away.

Sabah Umno moneybags have entered the fray and are financing candidates in the PKR polls in the state. Money is being thrown around like confetti.

How a party like PKR can conduct direct elections along the lines of the Election Commission is beyond anyone. Even with the EC, there are so many complaints. How will the PKR election machinery prove itself?

Moving along, it’s not surprising that Azmin should stage-manage a press conference yesterday afternoon in Petaling Jaya after luring people there under false pretences. He wanted to conjure up the impression in public that the party leadership is solidly behind him in the quest for the deputy presidency. It wouldn’t even be surprising if Azmin had briefed Anwar and used his name before pulling this stunt in public.

The press conference comes in the wake of talk in the political grapevine in Sabah and Sarawak that Zaid Ibrahim, also in the running for the deputy presidency, will be suspended from PKR – “by hook or by crook”– if he wins or is set to win. Interestingly, Anwar’s wife and daughter, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Nurul Izzah, are both reportedly behind Zaid. The reason is simple. These two women cannot understand Anwar’s “silence”, if that’s the correct word, when it comes to matters that involve Azmin’s errant behaviour. So, there’s no love lost between mother and daughter, on the one hand, and Azmin, on the other.

Endless problems

Suspension is also the fate that befell 12 Sabah PKR leaders – the 12 Disciples – on Aug 25 a la Azmin despite the existence of a peace plan dated Dec 13 which promised no witch-hunt. Their eventual fate is still being decided after Anwar disputed his deal with Sabah strongman Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan.

It’s in the nature of the man (Azmin) to do such things – suspensions and bogus press conferences – as apparent from his brief two-month stint as Sabah PKR head. Although he began with much goodwill in the state and a good press, he soon ran into endless problems with the Natives when he shut out the local leadership. He dealt with them, imperial Malay style, through one unpopular division leader who has had Anwar’s ear from their Umno days and believes that he has been divinely ordained to be the Sabah chief minister.

There was widespread dismay when Azmin bulldozed through decisions without debate in Sabah PKR and had them entered in the minutes as the Gospel truth. This is something that no Sabahan worth his salt, even in the ruling Barisan Nasional, would stomach for even a moment. There are no secrets in Sabah.

Dismay soon turned into outrage when he stressed his version of PKR’s ketuanan rakyat (supremacy of the people) which sounded something suspiciously like Umno’s ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy).

In Sabah, there were no Malays listed in the official figures available for 1960. Several years later there is a Malay category composed of illegal immigrants mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia who have entered the electoral rolls. Even illegal immigrants from the Indian subcontinent are listed as Malays in Sabah. It’s all there in Dr Chong Eng Leong’s book, “Lest We Forget”, the local Bible on illegal immigrants in Sabah.

Local Muslims are listed in their MyKad as Dusun, Bajau, Suluk, Barunai (Brunei Malay), Bisaya, Orang Sungei, Irranun, Cocos-Keeling etc etc. The Bisaya and Orang Sungei along with the Dusun are under the KadazanDusunMurut umbrella term.

It became an all-out media war in Sabah when PKR leaders in the local chapter, led by Jeffrey, decided to run Azmin out of the state. In addition, they wanted his comrade in arms, Mustapha Kamil of Perak, out of Sarawak as the state chief.

Local warlords

Azmin will not be able to redeem himself in the eyes of the public and the party members, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, after pulling the stunt yesterday afternoon. He wants to make it appear that he’s only going for the deputy presidency after receiving overwhelming support from the party’s MPs and Senators.

Instead, he has brought disrepute to the party and damaged its image in the public eye, the same charges levelled against the Sabah 12 whom he has dubbed the “Dirty Dozen”. Both Sabah and Sarawak PKR chapters met in Miri last night in an emergency session, in the wake of the Azmin press conference, to work out a common platform for the party elections. The Sabah side was led by Jeffrey, Daniel John Jambun and Awang Ahmad Sah. The Sarawakians were led by Baru Bian and Nicholas Bawin.

If he’s really interested in the deputy presidency, Azmin should be man enough to announce it. He should take on Zaid one-to-one and let the members decide once and for all. It’s pointless encouraging others to enter the fray as well just to split Zaid’s votes.

In the event that Azmin wins the deputy presidency, it’s highly unlikely that Sabah and Sarawak will accept him. More than one half of the country will turn their back on him. The die will have been cast in that case. Anwar and Azmin can have PKR to themselves and party on. Azmin cannot win the deputy presidency in a clean fight with Zaid. Things will get even dirtier than they are now.

The local warlords in Sabah and Sarawak will then have to decide, after having backed Zaid, how they are going to re-position their politics in the face of the emerging new scenario in PKR. The majority of them will no doubt set up another vehicle, directly or indirectly, to cover Sabah and Sarawak. They will make common cause with those in Peninsular Malaysia who favour a third force in Parliament to steer between the two Malay-led warring political blocks, that is, Pakatan Rakyat and BN.

In any case, the politics of PKR and Pakatan are not for Sabah and Sarawak. That would be like going from the frying pan (BN) into the fire. If this is not immediately clear today, it will become clear tomorrow. There’s no difference between PKR and Umno as far as people in Sabah and Sarawak are concerned. The saving grace in Pakatan is the DAP and PAS.

Syed Husin: Nurul was spot-on

By G Vinod - Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali criticised the Umno leadership for only talking about 1Malaysia while being narrow-minded at the same time.

“The Umno leaders only talk about promoting 1Malaysia but the truth is they are narrow-minded themselves,” said the PKR leader.

Referring to the case where Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar called for a debate on Article 153 of the Federal Constitiution with Perkasa, Syed Husin said Nurul's challenge was spot-on as it sent shockwaves to the right-wing group.


“She hit the jackpot as three senior ministers, including Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, criticised her challenge as they felt threatened by it,” Syed Husin said.

On Aug 31, Nurul Izzah invited Perkasa for public debate over Malay rights, but her invitation was rejected by Perkasa.

She was also criticised by senior Umno leaders like vice-president Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and its Wanita chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil for her calls.

Syed Husin said he agreed with Nurul Izzah when she said there is no such thing as “special rights” written in the Federal Constitution.

“She was right when she said there is no such thing as 'special rights' in the constitution; rather it is stated as 'special position'. Plus, there is no such thing as 'Malay supremacy' in the constitution as well,” he said.

Syed Husin added that what Nurul Izzah said was in line with what PKR and Pakatan Rakyat stand for: they uphold the spirit of the constitution.

“It includes clauses pertaining to the position of Islam, the rulers, Bahasa Melayu and the special position of the Malays as long as the clauses are not abused by a certain priviliged group,” Syed Husin said.

'Everybody hates moron Khairy'

By Stephanie Sta Maria - Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: Perkasa boss Ibrahim Ali has once again torn Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin to shreds, labelling the Oxford-trained politician as a madman fond of making moronic statements. In a text message to FMT, the Pasir Mas MP said: “Everybody hates Khairy.”

“He is a leader who practises money politics and arrogantly helped himself to every government project when his father-in-law (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) was prime minister,” he added.

The Perkasa chief was livid over Khairy's statement that the right-wing Malay movement was causing support to dwindle for Umno and Barisan Nasional.

In an interview with Malaysiakini, the Umno Youth chief also said he believes that most of Perkasa's members were from Umno.

Ibrahim stressed that Perkasa was only formed after the 2008 general election which saw BN, under the leadership of Khairy's father-in-law, suffer its worst ever setback.

The Perkasa chief reiterated his claim that it was Khairy who was responsible for the electoral debacle and the people's hatred for him extended to Abdullah as well, since the latter was under his thumb.

“Perkasa was formed to prevent a division among the Malays,” he stated.

“Khairy's accusation that we are the cause of BN losing votes would have made sense if we were formed before the last elections. But now his statement is moronic and he's talking like a madman.”

He also took a swipe at Khairy for urging the government to practise transparency in awarding contracts.

“As if such transparency was practised during Abdullah's era,” he sniped.

“Khairy is a man with high ambitions and no fangs. It's these kind of people who will drag Umno down,” he added.

Outgoing IGP's Allegation Is Damning

A Kadir Jasin

THE ALLEGATION by the outgoing Inspector General of Police, Musa Hassan, of “outside” meddling in the affairs of the Royal Malaysian Police is an interesting one.

I am putting the term outside in inverted commas and describing it as “interesting” because outside may not be outside at all, but actually inside or internal.

That’s because Musa had named the Home Ministry as one of the “meddlers”.

The Malaysian Insider news portal had quoted him as saying: “All kinds of people interfere(d). People from the ministry itself, outsiders, people with vested interests like those who want to do things that are not right — they will try to interfere,” he said, pointing out that it was not a new problem.

“The ministry I mentioned is the Home Ministry, of course. Other ministries cannot give me orders.”

He, however, he refused to comment if Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, with whom he is rumoured to have a strained relationship, was among the meddlers.

If Home Ministry and Hishammuddin were among the meddlers, then it is not outside, but inside. The Home Ministry and the Minister have every right to be involved in the affairs of the PDRM as they are responsible for force.

But meddling is another matter altogether. It means getting actively involved in the work of the police, which can mean getting in the way of the work of the force. And Musa was being pretty specific about what he meant by meddling, when he said the meddlers included who wanted do things that were not right.

During my time, all cadet reporters started on the police beat. In addition we covered the fire brigade and the hospitals, or to be specific the mortuary. We attended two police press conferences twice a day – in the morning and evening – at the Jalan Bandar Police Station.

So you can say that I was introduced to the work of the police early in my career and over rime developed an affinity with the force. Then in 2004 I sat in the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysian Police.

It was then that I got to know Musa at close range. He appeared before the Commission regularly. He is a decent police officer. He took his job seriously. His flaws are his demeanours. He’s not an apple polisher nor is he a sweet talker. Maybe that got him on the nerve of some politicians who love to be treated like aristocrats and country squires.

Bear in mind, we do not lack such characters who either come from aristocratic background or think they are one because apple polishers and double talkers keep whispering into their eyes how great and powerful they are.

These apple polishers who bear such titles as special officers, advisers, think tanks and aides are the modern day reincarnation of Kitul and Raja Mandaliar who sold the Malacca Empire to the Portuguese in 1511.

Describing them as third parties, Musa alluded to the fact that they gave orders to police officers without the knowledge of their supervisors and the leadership of the force. On occasions, said Musa, their interference amounted to stopping the officer from carrying out their duties.

This is a very serious allegation and the minister must clear his name. To my recollection, there has never been much a strong allegation by an outgoing IGP before. As the Malay saying goes, “kalau tidak ada-ada, masakan tempua bersarang rendah”.

What is quoted by the Malaysian Insider was the repeat of what Musa had told the Mingguan Malaysia newspaper in an interview last March. Could his outspokenness been the last nail in his coffin?

It could. As today’s New Straits Times front-page quotation suggests. It quoted Musa as saying: “No one told me earlier about the announcement. I was informed just like others at the press conference.”

He was referring to the press conference last week by Hishammuddin during which his retirement was announced. He and his successor, Deputy IGP Ismail Omar, were at the press conference.

Well, if that was indeed the case, I am not at all surprised. To some people in power these days, common courtesy means nothing. It is raw power that counts. The government’s slogan of “budi bahasa amalan kita” is for the minions and the yokels. The aristocrats and the self-proclaimed “juara” are above these and other slogans.

Incidentally, I saw a banner on the Federal Highway which reads “Bar1san Nas1onal mengucapkan salam Aidil Fitri, maaf zahir dan batin”. Bar 1 san Nas 1 onal? What is that?

On my part, I wish fellow Muslims “Eid Mubarak”.

Back to the soon-to-be-gone IGP, if indeed there had been politicians and other individuals who issued orders directly to his subordinates (in contravention of section 4 of the Police Act 1957), he should make a police report against them. This is a very, very serious allegation.

I thank Musa for his services and wish him well in retirement. Let us hope and pray that Ismail, unassuming as he is, will turn out to be a forceful IGP that, like Musa, will not tolerate the corruptors whoever they maybe.

NEM reforms brushed off in growth projections

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — The New Economic Model (NEM) has yet to make a significant impression on global economic research analysts who do not appear to be taking the Najib administration’s economic blueprint into account in their current forecasts of Malaysia’s GDP growth.

The NEM framework released in March prescribes economic reforms that are aimed at making Malaysia a developed high income nation by 2020.

A September 2 report on Asia by Goldman Sachs Global Economics, Commodities and Strategy Research did not mention the NEM and said it expects Malaysia’s growth to come in at 7.3 per cent y-o-y (year on year) in 2010 and 5 per cent next year, slightly below the 6 per cent annual growth target set by the Najib administration in order for Malaysia to achieve a high income nation status.

A Malaysia country report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) earlier this month said that the second portion of the NEM was held up by political resistance and had delayed radical reform measures required to restructure the economy to a high income one.

This comes after vocal Malays rights group Perkasa clamoured for the race-based New Economic Policy to be maintained even in the face of widespread acknowledgement that four decades of affirmative action had affected the country’s competitiveness.

The EIU said that it expects Malaysia’s economic growth to slow to 4.2 per cent in 2011 from 6.8 per cent in 2010.

Analysts could however be waiting to see more substantive policy measures from the NEM to be implemented.

The second and final NEM report submitted on September 3 was reported to contain 53 key policy measures aimed at eliminating cross-cutting barriers to a high income, sustainable and inclusive economy by 2020. It will be incorporated into the Economic Transformation Programme report to be released next month.

The NEM’s apparent lack of a strong initial impact on growth forecasts come as Asian economies excluding Japan and China (AEJ-ex China) are expected to slow over continued weakness in the US and tightening in China.

Goldman Sachs forecast growth for AEJ-ex China to slow to 3.5 and 3.2 per cent respectively in the third and second quarter of this year, down from 11.1 per cent and 7.3 per cent in the first and second quarter.

It said that investors should remain defensive as although Asian growth has remained resilient to the US downturn in the second quarter, it expects that to change, and noted that downside risks to its China forecasts are building.

“This sharp change in sequential growth is coming a quarter or so after the US has already slowed partly because of the unusual nature of the US growth/import relationship and the greater impact of the capex-biased slowdown expected in the US in the rest of the year,” said Goldman Sachs.

The investment bank said that it has revised US 2011 economic growth downwards from 2.4 per cent to 1.9 per cent. It also said that China has eased its deliberate economic tightening policies less than it had hoped in reaction to growth slowing down to moderately below-trend.

Goldman Sachs said it expects Malaysia to continue policy normalisation to help deal with inflation from food prices and core inflation, adding that pressure from gradually closing output gaps, or spare capacity, in 2011 may push inflation from 1.9 to 2.8 per cent sometime this year and up to 3.0 per cent in 2011.

“From our analysis, although the spill-over from easing food price inflation recently to core inflation could provide a degree of short-term relief, our findings suggest that the quantum could be small and even short lived. Going into next year, given our view that growth will likely remain steady, we expect core inflation to pick up,” the report said.

The report also predicts that Bank Negara will raise interest rates by 25 basis points before year-end followed by another 50 basis points in 2011 bringing interest rates to 3.5 per cent by the end of next year.

PKR - Self-Destructive Mode?

by Masterwordsmith,
 

For sure, the Azmin-Zaid battle for PKR's deputy presidency in the November party polls must have left many of us in a head-shaking stance. At a time when the onslaught from the other side is intensifying from almost all sides, instead of taking steps to reinforce themselves from within, PKR is in a self-mutilation mode with complete disregard of their mission to Putrajaya - what seems to matter is their PERSONAL agenda.



Do all these incidents make you wonder if PKR and UMNO share too many similarities?

What do we see today? More and more seeds of discord and disunity are being sown as some scramble to make it to the top hierarchy of leadership.

Last month, Zaid Ibrahim had told PKR not to mimic UMNO at this link where he lambasted PKR for creating a party election code of ethics that were very similar to Umno’s — such as barring candidates from openly criticising other party leaders, banning money politics and even scrutinising Hari Raya open houses. Then, he hoped that PKR would not become a hypocritical party like Umno.

Yesterday, Zaid claimed that his opponents have tried to pay a prominent blogger to attack him by falsely accusing him of vote buying and being in cahoots with Daim Zainuddin to destroy PKR. He also drew parallels between the late Ghafar Baba and himself by declaring that he is willing to risk being “buried” like Ghafar in the 1993 Umno party elections.

Free Malaysia Today reported HERE that Zaid Ibrahim's lamentation of alleged attacks over his bid for party deputy president may have had an adverse effect on the party image.

It is common knowledge that Zaid has been perceived by some to be a potential threat to the Anwar-Azmin pact.

I never expected PKR elections to become as dirty as what we see before us. It appears that slander and character assassination have now become part and parcel of PKR culture, reminiscent of their past affiliation- most disgraceful indeed.

In fact, it is evident that PKR is a new political party but one that is practising dirty old tricks in politics.

Who does not know that putting old wine in new bottles gives it a bitter taste?

And that is exactly what we see before our eyes - bitterness in the in-fighting, in the way some have no qualms about tearing each other apart with sharpened talons like vultures who have not had their prey for some time.

Before you think I have lost my marbles, take a look at this letter which an anonymous reader sent to me. FYI, I really hit the roof when I read it!!!

To: Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim,
Markas Kempen P094, Hulu Selangor

From: Mohamed Azmin Ali

Subject: Isu Yang Boleh di bangkitkan oleh BN terhadap Zaid Ibrahim

Date : 5 April 2010

Tinjauan kami mendapati bahawa BN/UMNO akan bangkitkan isu berikut berkenaan Dato Zaid Ibrahim sebagai calon di P094 Hulu Selangor.

1. PERIBADI

A. Isu moral – Zaid dikenali sebagai kaki minum dan juga gemar berjudi di kasino.

B. Zaid tiada asas agama, malahan dia pernah saman Pas berkenaan hukum hudud

C. Pernah membohongi orang sewaktu menjadi MP Kota Bharu.

D. Tidak jujur dan amanah – Zaid terlibat isu merampas harta UMNO di Kota Bharu

E. Orang Umno pernah mengadu Zaid banyak tipu muslihat – dia juga pandai menyeleweng isu

F. Pendendam - Zaid lama dikenali sebagai seorang yang sanggup berpatah arang dan berkerat rotan bila memusuhi sesiapa pun.

G. Zaid juga ‘maverick’ dalam Umno, dia tidak taat kepada ketua, suka bertindak sendiri dan membelakangi organisasi

2. DASAR PERJUANGAN

A. Zaid pernah tolak hukum hudud dan pernah bawa isu hudud PAS ke Makhamah, Amat sukar bagi kita meletakkan Zaid bersama Pas atas pentas yang sama

B. Kurang semangat Melayu – sejak awal Iagi Zaid amat liberal dan setuju hapus DEB, isu yang sensitive bagi ramai orang Melayu

C. Matlamat halalkan cara ia itu Zaid menggunakan apa saja cara untuk dapatkan kuasa. Di Kota Bharu, Zaid dikenali sebagai membelanja jutaan ringgit untuk rebut jawatan ketua UMNO Kota Bharu (semasa cabar Dato Rastom).

D. Selalu mahu sistem yang ada untuk diganti dengan cara dan pandangan sendiri walaupun parti jadi taruhan. Inilah yang mengakibatkan Zaid tersingkir dari Umno.

E. Berkiblat kepada barat, malah Zaid lebih barat dari barat.

F. Mengutamakan yang kaya, yang miskin dibiarkan. Seperti mana dilihat orang yang mengelilinginya, kebanyakannya orang kaya sahaja. Zaid paling kurang bergaul dengan orang biasa.

G. Kepentingan diri - Zaid tidak akan buat sesuatu yang boleh merugikan dirinya.

3. REKOD SEWAKTU MENJADI AHLI PARLIMEN KOTA BHARU.

A. Membuat sogokan untuk menang pilihanraya dan juga semasa merebut jawatan parti Umno. Akhirnya Zaid tersingkir dari Umno atas kesalahan rasuah juga.

B. Pernah membuat pelbagai janji kepada kaum Cina dan India tapi bila menang pilihanraya janji tinggal janji sahaja

C. Tak ada satu pun peninggalan beliau yang boleh dibangga oleh rakyat.

D. Mengutamakan kroni dan puak

E. Tak turun padang dan rakyat sukar menemuinya. Di Kota Bharu Zaid bercakap ‘tinggi’ kepada pengundi yang tidak faham apa maksudnya

F. Program2 bersifat agama tidak diminati – Zaid cukup benci mendengar sebarang ceramah agama atau isu berkenaan Islam.

4. PENGALAMAN SEBAGAI KETUA BAHAGIAN

A. Mempertaruh jutaan ringgit untuk memenangi Ketua Bahagian Kota Bharu.

B. Pernah digantung keahlian kerana rasuah politik dan dipecat menjadi ahli UMNO.

C. Mengambil kesempatan menjadikan harta UMNO sebagai miliknya - contoh bagunan UMNO Kota Bharu ditukar menjadi milik persendirian dan hendak dijual olehnya.

D. Mengamalkan politik cantas dan membelakangi struktur parti – ini jelas sewaktu Zaid dalam UMNO dan juga sekarang dalam PKR.

E. Projek dan peruntukan diagih kepada puak dan kroni.

F. Tidak sependapat dengan pemimpin lain dan sentiasa bertindak sendiri

G. Pengarah Bomba Kelantan pernah dipukul oleh pengikutnya didepan mata Zaid sendiri.

H. Ditolak oleh parti dan rakyat bila tidak cukup pencalunan bertanding Ketua Bahagian.

5. SEKIRANYA ZAID DIPILIH

A. Ia akan menjadi kejayaan peribadi bagi Zaid, bukan kejayaan rakyat

B. Tidak dilihat sebagai orang yang mampu berbuat apa2 untuk rakyat kerana ia lebih untuk kepentingan diri.

C. Akan memalukan Pas kerana stail Zaid saman Pas berkenaan isu hudud.

D. Tidak mustahil apa yang terjadi di Kota Bharu akan berlaku dh Hulu Selangor.

Atas sebab-sebab yang disenaraikan, sebarang usaha untuk meletak Dato Zaid sebagai calun harus dikaji sedalam-dalamnya impak.

Sekian untuk makluman

Azmin Ali

If the above letter was indeed written by Azmin Ali, is this not evidence that Zaid's tragic defeat in Hulu Selangor was NOT because BN strong but internal sabotage by PKR?

I am sure members from the other side who are reading this must be laughing their heads off in glee at such selfish stupidity.

Political conflagration in the highest degree committed by whom and for what?

Is this latest spat in PKR another round of blood-sport? Far from dying to self to serve the country, what we see is a bunch of moronic, self-serving self-proclaimed leaders who take delight in a shout-fest or blame-fest or worse still a hate-fest just so that they can reach the top and inflict damage on others. Will all the exchange morph into something far sillier and make UMNO elections appear almost saintly?

And they want to be regarded as leaders? You've got to be joking!

At the end of the day, PKR will have to decide for themselves - do they want to continue in this self-destructive mode and let our hopes for a better nation come to naught just so they could be little emperors in their own kingdoms? It is time for a political timeout. Where's the referee? Can't the leadership step in and set things in order?

Perhaps that's absolutely impossible in this political climate with the current cast of characters occupying centre stage. Their leadership have been hard at work attacking BN but what are they doing in their own backyard? Surely it is NOT difficult to choose a leader who has calibre? Isn't it plain and simple who can and who cannot? If they really love this nation and desire to serve the rakyat as they claimed in the past, they had better set their house in order. Otherwise, something has to give. And what will it be?

An anonymous reader left the following comment in response to my post on PKR Unmasked? at 8.37pm this evening. His words ring true.

Say what we will, there is always some Umno left in those PKR members.
PKR and PR will not even find its way to Port Klang now, so stop dreaming about Putra Jaya.

Stop the infighting now, consolidate and pose a united front. The spoils of war comes after victory, not the perception of a coming victory.

I will bet my bottom dollar, at least 50% of present PR candidates would lose their seats come next GE. Though I don't wish for it, but the reality is such, does not leave much to the imagination.

Is it worth it to sacrifice their one chance to make it to Putrajaya just because of selfish ambition? It does not take much to realize what needs to be done. They know very well type of leaders we want and do not want! Can they deliver?

Are they willing to do what is necessary? Or will they persist in their self-destructive mode?

Two-tier BN membership on cards, say Umno men

Nazri believed the only way for BN to become a unified multi-cultural party was through direct membership. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Several Umno leaders have predicted that a proposal to allow direct membership into Barisan Nasional (BN) would result in the federal ruling coalition having a “two-tier” membership system, and see the continued existence of its component parties.

Under this new party system, BN’s membership would consist of existing members from affiliated parties like Umno, MCA and MIC as well as members who are part of BN through direct membership.

They, however, argued that dissolving race-based component parties within BN and transforming it into a single party would be “difficult” because many component party members were still “attached” to their respective parties and preferred fighting for issues on the existing race-based platform.

“The one way in which BN can become a multiracial party is if the direct membership for BN exceeds the membership of the (existing) component parties. This would then be fait accompli.

“What’s ideal for the future would be direct electorates. Look at the United States. They have Republicans as well as Democrats. Their parties are not race-based. The whole idea is to get the best Malaysians to represent BN,” said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

The outspoken Umno supreme council member told The Malaysian Insider that discussions on the issue of direct membership will be the main focus during the year-end BN convention, but added that before any decision could be made, members from all component parties needed to reach a consensus on the proposal.

“We will have to see how the members accept this,” said Nazri, who said that Umno should take the lead in pushing for direct membership as well as the possibility of having a single unified party under BN to replace the current component parties.

Nazri said that the onus was now on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to “lead” the movement for change towards a more inclusive, “forward-thinking BN.”

“I am not a leader in Umno. I can only discuss and suggest ideas to the Umno supreme council. Datuk Seri Najib has to take the lead. We all have to change. If we remain as we are now we are going to lose,” said Nazri, reiterating his statement last week.

The minister blamed his BN comrades last week for driving away support with their chauvinistic ways, warning them that they could not ride on Najib’s popularity to win the general election.

Khairy believed the move to direct membership would be a good gauge of BN’s larger support.
Nazri had criticised the “communal leadership” of certain BN politicians for the public’s declining confidence in the ruling coalition.

“It’s all about how they (BN component party members) don’t want to lose power. They want to remains the kings of their small kingdoms.

“Not everyone likes Umno, MCA, or MIC but they like BN. It is this group that we must enlist. There are people out there who support BN but they do not like the component parties,” said Nazri today.

Another Umno supreme council member, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah doubted that BN would be able to move away from being affiliated with race-based parties anytime soon.

“At this point of time, it’s definitely a long-shot. Barisan Nasional was formed as a coalition of many partners, and the majority of the partners are race-based. It’s quite difficult for race-based parties to abandon the original objective for (their) parties. It is primordial of people wanting to belong to a certain group,” said Saifuddin.

Saifuddin said that although BN could not become a single, multicultural party, there was a strong possibility that it could evolve to practise a “two-tier party system.”

“I see BN becoming a two-tier party system, made up of original affiliate members from component parties as well as direct members. Whether or not BN can become a single party, which represents all races is difficult... only time will tell. (But) BN needs to be more accommodating,” Saifuddin told The Malaysian Insider.

The deputy higher education minister stressed that there was an “urgent” need for direct membership to allow more options for people to join the federal coalition.

“There are some people, due to circumstances, [who have] left their own parties within BN, but still want to remain supportive and loyal towards BN.

“There are also some who want to become an affiliate of BN, but because BN practises a veto system so they cannot become members of BN. I have also met a significant number of young people who, as a result of inter-racial marriages, cannot claim what [party] they belong to. They do not belong to Umno, MCA or even MIC, but they want to join BN,” added Saifuddin.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin reiterated his Umno colleagues’ viewpoints, saying that the safest bet for BN was to start with the idea of direct membership first.

“At the present time, majority of members within BN component parties are still attracted to their own parties. I do not think that a single party can replace Umno, MCA or any component party at the moment.

“We should start with the idea of direct membership first, and see where it goes from there,” said Khairy.

Khairy told The Malaysian Insider that he was in full support of direct membership as a method to “gauge” the response in the public’s desire towards joining BN.

“I support direct membership, as a means to gauge the interest of people, on whether there would be more people joining BN if it was open to direct membership,” said Khairy.

Recent results of a Merdeka Center survey showed 45 per cent of Malays were dissatisfied with Umno while only 44 per cent were satisfied.

Umno performed even worse with the Chinese community, with only 12 per cent saying they were satisfied while 55 per cent were dissatisfied. A total of 34 per cent had evaded response, suggesting the possibility that a larger number than the 55 per cent could be dissatisfied with Umno.

The poll results, which involved a sample size of more than 1,000 registered voters in the peninsula, contrasted significantly with Najib’s approval rating of 72 per cent in a separate poll conducted in May.

But Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian remained optimistic of BN’s shift towards becoming a multicultural party.

“The possibility is there on a long-term basis, but this depends on whether BN can become mature enough to do so. BN’s success in gaining support depends on how well it handles ethnic-relations issues,” said Ibrahim.

Ibrahim claimed that the problem within BN right now was the mindset of component parties, which have not evolved with the attitude of today’s electorate.

“For instance, Umno is a party that places a lot of importance on tradition... but the electorates today, they have moved on. Umno and BN need to look at how they are addressing issues. Najib was saying today that no one should challenge the ‘social contract’.

“You probably need to take a look at how one articulates the ‘social contract’ in today’s context,” Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider.- The Malaysia Today

Malay? Chinese? Indian? I am Malaysian lah!

By Chris Tan - Loyarburuk

Once again reports of racism filled incidents are surfacing where the Chinese and Indians were told to go back to their homeland. China is our homeland.

In my opinion, racism is like an “ajaran” by certain people and it was subsequently developed. It is caused by uneducated people. Why uneducated? And I refer them uneducated not because they do not have academic stripes but because these are people who attended school, have some form of academic qualification an yet keep a shallow mindset. Ignorant.
Why racism now?

Does 1 Malaysia mean to say it belongs to one single race and the others have to go back to their homeland? Why is it only now that these uneducated people are gaining so much momentum and raising this issue repeatedly and asking us Chinese to go back to our homeland?

It is plain stupid to say Chinese brought independence to this country. It is equally stupid to say Malays brought independence to this country. Such sentiment and statements merely highlight how uneducated these individuals are. It was the Malays, Chinese, and Indians who brought Independence back to this very country.

Why are we discussing about who brought back the glories after 53years of independence? Ironically, it is after all the heroes have died and are lying beneath the ground. Siapakah saksi-saksinya?
Cosmetics and lip service

People always raise doubts and questions about advertisements made about 1Malaysia where Malays, Chinese, and Indians are getting together happily. Do we have to be so pathetic to act in such advertisements to really feel at home, our beloved Malaysians?

I never have the problem of believing that all races live together harmoniously. To me it is just plain stupid to have such contrived tear-jerker style advertisements. I have Malay and Indian good friends. Am I acting or have I been acting since? Do I need a dramatic episode to prove our friendship?

During my secondary school days, I have Malay and Indian classmates and we are very close knit. I was quick to befriend several Malay dudes who came to me on my first day of school. We have been friends since, up to Form 5, and were in the same class without any problems.

Sometimes during Ramadhan period, students other than the Malays will avoid eating in front of the Malays as a sign of respect. We even got invited for open house during Raya and spent valuable time together catching up even though we are no longer in the same class. We even chat with Malays about their culture and stuff like the way they pray, sunat(ouch!), and et cetera.

We played futsal together with the Malays and buka puasa together at the nearby mamak stall.

Do you see any problem with it? No, because there is no problem at all!

Regardless of whether we are Malays, Chinese or Indians, when it comes to our birthday, everyone in the class will sing the birthday song to us. Do we look at the skin colours and if they are not the same as ours, we refuse to sing the song for them?

Does the colour of our skin matter so much to Malaysians?

My current good friends include Malays and Indians. I have two Indian friends who always eat steamboat with me. – you could say we’ve been sharing saliva in one big pot of soup. Also, I have Indian good friends as my classmates. We sit together in class and we have discussions together.

I do not feel any problem just because of the skin colour. Why should you?

Isn’t it sad to ask Chinese to go back to our homeland when this is where we belong together? And instead of creating fracas about religion and race, why not we be an educated person and accept that we are truly Malaysian?

We also debate whether Ibrahim Ali should be locked up under ISA. Now Namewee has come into picture with a rap. Imagine now they are arguing about race and religion. Can ISA solve the problem? If the perpetrators or racism are uneducated then the ISA is the equally blunt tool that they wield!

I just find it stupid to continuously debate about the issue of race and religion. We are who we are and that is enough to identify us. After 53years of Independence, who are we to argue whether we contributed to the glory of achieving the Independence when all of the great heroes have died.

Enough, Malaysians, enough!

If I can be surrounded by Malays and Indians in my class, you could have the same too. Think again, was it the fondest memories of your school days when everyone of all races get together? Imagine yourself playing football or badminton together with them?

Oh, don’t talk about old stories? What about my current working place then?

My department now comprised of Malays, Indians and Chinese inclusive of the lawyers, secretaries and paralegals. Do you want more? Yes, in the dispatch boys room, there are Malays and Indians and when I go there to do my work, I am an addition to them. We once joked that I am the latest dispatch boy and I am a Chinese. Now we have got Malays, Chinese and Indians.

I just attended a gathering with my part time study mates and in the group itself, we have Malay, Chinese and Indians. All of us were not invited to act in any advertisements, and it reflects how amazing our relationship were throughout the past years as we have been together in the same class.

So what do you think?

Today, as we achieved our Independence for 53years, we should be able to show people that we have developed unity amongst ourselves, us Malaysians. Regardless of who is the Government of the day, we still have to live our life, eat our food, and breathe in this world. We share the things in this country because we are peoples coming from all different races.

Think again, do you want to be part of the uneducated individual who opines their own race is superior?

It is so subjective that no one can actually tell you whether Malay is the best or not. Ahmad can say Malay is the best, Ah Tan can say the Chinese are perfect and Prathib can say Indians are the geniuses. Do we have a set calculation for this?

When the end of the day comes crashing, do you think that you are so great that you don’t have to die just because you think that you are the greatest? Don?t be stupid, seriously.

I accept that Malays have the privilege in certain aspect and that has been long established before our forefathers. We should not waste time disputing that and we should not be uneducated people to create new ones just to have a higher standard for ourselves.

I think I am the best, because I can speak good Malay. Can I be the best now since I am a Chinese who speaks good Malay? Malaysians, please stand up for ourselves, not for yourselves.

Wake up and ask yourselves, why 1Malaysia now when it has long existed before us?

LB: Chris Tan reads law at a local college and aspires to be a good lawyer. He will not let the fate of the curious cat get in the way of experiencing the new and embracing opportunities to learn. He thanks his lucky stars that he continues to meet fantastic characters from all walks of life, particularly LoyarBurokkers(!), who contribute in making him a wiser person. Life experiences are guides even to heaven’s door. Be amused by his jottings and tweets @christan_yh.

PKR upholds suspension of Sabah trio

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — PKR’s political bureau decided today to uphold the controversial suspension of Daniel John Jambun, Awang Ahmad Shah and Moses Iking, a decision not likely to go down well with its Sabah chapter.

The party’s supreme council recently endorsed the decision of the disciplinary committee to suspend 12 Sabah members for their alleged involvement in the formation of Party Cinta Sabah (PCS).

The other nine are Nicholas James Guntobon, Paul Kerangkas, Slyvester @ Balon Mujim, Innocent Makajil, Nasir Samie, Harry Kujukok Manisit, Rubbin bin Guriban, Gosibin Yosundang and Guandee Kohoi.

However the party decided to only reprimand the nine with warning instead of making them serve the one year suspension.

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail explained that suspension of the trio was upheld because they held important posts in the PCS’s registration form.

“Having reviewed the appeals, the party leadership acknowledges that everyone involved clearly expressed their regret for the mistake and guaranteed their support for the party.

“However the party is of the opinion that they (Daniel John Jambun, Awang Ahmad Shah and Moses Iking) held key positions in PCS registration like the president, vice president and secretary-general and should be held responsible for the offence.

“Therefore, the political bureau is of the view that the suspension of membership for the three members must remain,” he said in a press statement.

The group behind PCS was said to be aligned with Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan who has had a fallout with PKR vice-president Azmin Ali who was briefly Sabah PKR chief.

The move to set up the new party was made after Jeffrey resigned as PKR vice-president and a member of the political bureau to protest the “interference” of national party leaders in Sabah PKR.

The application to form PCS was submitted last December, but it was withdrawn 24 hours later following intervention by national PKR leaders.

Islam, Muslims At The Mercy Of PAS - Dr Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 (Bernama) -- Islam and its followers have become victims of PAS leaders who are using religion as a weapon of political survival, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Although purportedly advocating the true Islam, he said PAS leaders were willing to change their minds and interpretation as it had always been their tendency in gaining the support of non-Muslims.

"We see how the so-called Islamic fighters are willing to change the interpretation of Islam for political gain, if they once used to say that those who cooperated with non-believers were infidels, but now they defended their cooperation with non-Muslims," he said in an interview with Umno Online.

On the recitation of "doa" (prayer) for Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng instead of the king during Friday sermons in Penang recently, Dr Mahathir said PAS had a way of justifying the action of the katib, preacher.

"They say it is not wrong as the doa was an effort to draw them to Islam and this is the beauty of Islam.

"If Islam is an obstacle in gaining the support of non-Muslims, they will digress a little.

"For example in pursuing the hudud law and the Islamic country, they cast it aside in order to gain the support of non-Muslims," he added.

Malaysia's Ghosts of the Past Get Hip

At Penang's annual Hungry Ghost fest, the spirits look for more modern entertainment

Chinese opera singers in ornate silk robes and white painted faces perform on a wooden stage. The first two rows of seats in front of the stage are empty, but that's not a reflection of the quality of the show. They are reserved for spirits. But the spirits may well be elsewhere, watching Lady Gaga.

Chinese Buddhists in Malaysia believe that the tormented spirits of their ancestors are released from hell for a month every year to seek food and entertainment. The traditional entertainment for wandering ancestral spirits is known as the "Hungry Ghost Festival" and is predominantly celebrated by Chinese communities in Malaysia and Singapore. Some of the biggest Hungry Ghost celebrations take place in the Malaysian state of Penang, but this year the festival is drawing inspiration from some nontraditional sources – Hokkien and American pop.

Mow Yee Hsian has been a singer for eight years and she says that during the Hungry Ghost Festival she has to perform as many as 40 shows a month. Asked if she has ever had any otherworldly encounters Hsian says: "I've never really given much thought to it because we are performing for them. That's why they don't disturb us. But of course I focus on performing for humans."

The island of Penang is home to one of the largest Chinese Malaysian communities in the country. During the festival, families offer joss sticks, hell money, food and entertainment to ease the suffering of their ancestors who they believe have been mistreated in hell.

All Hungry Ghost celebrations in Penang are coordinated by the Teong Guan Association. Loke Poh Chye is the group's deputy chairman and he says the hungry ghosts need money and cigarettes in hell.

"These hungry ghosts are in hell for a year. From the first day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar they release all the ghosts from hell. Every area will treat the ghost with food so that they can have a good meal. You know that in hell they have no means to earn money. So they give them money to spend in hell. In hell there are policemen. At times they have to buy cigarettes from them to pay them for their extra services just like here. At the end of the seventh month they will go back to hell," explains Chye.

The tradition began during the Tang Dynasty where Buddhist traditions were fused with Taoist customs, but today Chinese opera has largely been replaced with something more modern, says Penang resident Loh Yeow Khoon.

"Originally these kinds of performance were to please the ghosts, but they have been commercialized. Now instead of pleasing the ghosts we are pleasing the audience," says Khoon.

Here at the Esplanade, Penang's shopping district, shows with modern guitars and drums are a major crowd puller. Performers with elaborate costumes have made way for skimpily clad singers and bands don't just play only Mandarin or Hokkien pop, they also do Lady Gaga.

Event organizer Loke Poh Chye says that out of hundreds of applications for stage performances in Penang, only two are for Chinese opera. Poh Chye is echoing a troubling trend stretching across Asia and into China itself.  Beijing opera clearly is not what it was in the late 18th to early 20th century, when it was northern China’s most popular theatrical entertainment. According to a stry in the Sept. 7New York Times, "The big national spectacles of recent years have included the 2008 Olympic opening ceremony, which, while drawing on China’s rich tradition, did not echo the traditional opera. There was also the lavish production of Puccini’s “Turandot,” directed by the celebrated filmmaker Zhang Yimou. That production was a Western import that was once banned in this country because it was deemed insulting to China."

"The old people still prefer opera. In some areas they are still some opera performing. They come from China or Thailand," says Chye.

But he says they need to cater for the dead. "Now the dead people are not at the age where they have opera, where they appreciate opera. Now they would rather sing karaoke. Those that have passed away will remember karaoke so maybe the ghosts will be more pleased with modern singers," says Chye.

In Malaysia, even if you're dead, you still have to move on with the times.

This article was first broadcast on Asia Calling, a regional current affairs radio program produced by Indonesia's independent radio news agency KBR68H and broadcast in local languages in 10 countries across Asia. You can find more stories from Asia Calling at www.asiacalling.org.

Penang monorail test track ‘tak jadi’

By Anil Netto,

Was hyped-up talk last year of a monorail test track in Batu Kawan little more than hot air?

Nothing seems to have moved since then – which is probably just as well. What was all that about then?

Penang monorail test track not materialising just yet
Written by Regina William
Monday, 06 September 2010 11:30

GEORGE TOWN: It is likely plans for the monorail test track which had been slated for construction in Batu Kawan will not materialise anytime soon.

It is learnt the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), which had received a proposal from one company sometime last year for land to construct the test track, has referred the matter to the state government. Sources told The Edge Financial Daily that the project status was currently at a “standstill” as nothing positive had materialised to date. The request for land is expected to be discussed at the next PDC board meeting, before any further action or decision is made on the proposed monorail test track.

The Edge weekly had reported last October that the state had in-principle given the green light to businessman Jeyakumar Varathan, a director of MRails, to build a monorail test track on a 30-acre site in Batu Kawan.

It was also reported that a no-obligation letter was issued to MRails by PDC following negotiations between both parties. Full article in The Edge.

DON’T QUESTION SOCIAL CONTRACT OTHERWISE THE MALAYS WOULD GET ANGRY AND GO ON AM...OK

DON’T QUESTION SOCIAL CONTRACT OTHERWISE THE MALAYS WOULD GET ANGRY AND GO ON AM...OK. WHAT IS SOCIAL CONTRACT IS DETERMINED BY UMNO AS IT SUITS US. IF YOU QUESTION MALAY RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES THERE WOULD BE BLOODBATH. MALAYS ARE SUPREME RACE WHO CANNOT BE QUESTIONED!!
NAJIB CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 8 OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION???THE SECOND PART OF ARTICLE 153 TALKS ABOUT THE LEGITIMATE INTERESTS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES??UMNO CAN STEP AND TRAMPLE ON THE NON-MALAY RIGHTS AND YET WHEN THEIR CONDUCT IS QUESTIONED THEY THREATEN US WITH VIOLENCE AND BLOODBATH.

ARENT THERE ENOUGH MODERATE MALAYS WITH GUTS OUT THERE TO ORGANISE A DEMONSTRATION IN SUPPORT OF EQUALITY AND THE RIGHTS OF NON MALAYS???ARENT THERE ENOUGH MODERATE MALAYS WITH GUTS OUT THERE WHO WOULD DARE SAY ALL HUMAN BEING ARE BORN EQUAL UNDER THE SUN AND THE LAW OF NATURE??See More
By: Waytha Moorthy

Hisham Rais: Umno has shrunk the Malay mind

Renegade artist Hishamuddin Rais declared that the Malay mind has been "bonsified" (shrunk and distorted, like a bonsai plant) by Umno's political agenda in order to perpetuate the culture of fear against non-Malays.

The former ISA detainee said that it is typical of Umno to play on racial fears to convince the public that they are the best option for Malays to remain at the forefront of social and economic development in Malaysia.

"This process that 'bonsifies', nullifies and stupefies (Malays) goes back to the British time. (Malays) are led by lazy leaders and lazy thinkers," Hishamuddin (middle in photo) said at the 'Malays are muted too!' forum at the KL and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall last night.

The controversial activist noted that Malays have been indoctrinated to fear new ideas and 'ghosts' of Chinese supremacy, to the point that the Malay public believe that the 'ghosts' are real threats to their existence.

Taking the example of bomoh or witchdoctors, Hishamuddin claimed that Umno employs the same tactics to convince the Malays that they are constantly battling against hantu (ghosts).

"In Malaysia it is very simple. The hantu for the Malays are the Chinese. The Malays are made to believe that there are all sorts of hantu, to encourage the public to be thankful for Umno (to save them).

"It's just like (the tactics of) the bomoh in the kampung, where kampung folk will be told that there are all sorts of hantu to deal with... Umno uses the same modus operandi," he said.

Playing up fears

Hishamuddin claimed that just like the colonial British in Malaya, Umno realises that a liberated Malay mind is a threat to their existence, hence the ruling party's efforts to stop the liberalisation of the Malay mindset.

He alleged that Umno would never agree to free the Malay mind as it is all about maintaining the ruling party's power and control over Malaysia's wealth.

Hishamuddin noted that such fear of losing power has only taken hold fairly recently, evident especially in the ruling government's efforts to perpetuate the fear of a recurrence of the May 13, 1969 racial riots.

"They put the fear in Malays that the Chinese wanted to take over the country. I thought that (notion) was mad, because this is the most mismanaged country, with corruption in the police and the judiciary.

"Because the country is so mismanaged, do you really think the Chinese want to take over the country?" he quipped.

Speaking to an audience of around 160 people, Hishamuddin stressed that the ruling government is simply working on the premise of "manufactured consent"', where it employs public institutions such as the Malayan Sultanate to force people to agree with whatever opinions or policies it makes.

He said that it has perpetuated the culture of 'lazy thinkers' among Malays, where the best minds end up being unwilling or unable to contribute to the community's advancement.

Licence just to laugh

(Malaysiakini) Hishamuddin stressed that it is unfortunate that the best Malay minds have been left out of the nation's education system, to make way for 'half-educated' Malays who are bent on maintaining the status quo.

"Malays have become very lazy thinkers. To the non-Malays, I ask that you have sympathy as the Malays are faced with a situation where their reading material is very limited and (the government) allows less and less people (to form their own opinions)," he said.

Taking the example of the recent banning of comics by cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar (right), Hishamuddin said it is ridiculous that public expression, particularly by Malay artists, should be censored.

"Just imagine, just to laugh you need to get a licence... and if you want a licence you will have to engage in corruption to pay the Marxists," he said.

Contamination triggers Semenyih water plant shutdown

PETALING JAYA, Sept 7 — Some 1.2 million residents or 300,000 households throughout the Petaling, Hulu Langat, Sepang and Kuala Langat districts will be affected following the shutting down of the Semenyih water treatment plant at 1.40am this morning from contamination.

It is understood that operations at the Semenyih plant have been suspended due contamination of Sungai Kembong, from which the plant draws fresh water, by a nearby landfill.

In an immediate response, Syabas said that the raw water from the river in Selangor was contaminated due to leachate leaking from a breached dyke in the landfill.

Leachate contains both dissolved and suspended material drained from a landfill.

“The plant was closed immediately upon detecting high content of ammonia in the water, at 6.41mg per litre, which is above the health safety standard of 1.5mg per litre, put into place by the health ministry.

“A yellow alert emergency plan has been into place. We are now trying to redistribute water from other treatment plants to the affected areas,” said Syabas in a statement today.

Syabas said that although it had prepared “32 water tankers and 300 water tanks” to supply water to the affected residents, not all residents may have access to the supply as the affected areas were “large.”

“However, since the areas affected are large, the capacity to deliver water may be limited,” he said.

The plant is operated by Konsortium ABASS Sdn Bhd, a state government subsidiary.

Perak: MB, BN Adun open to similar illegal DVD charge

Zambry is believed to produced an uncertified DVD of the May 7 Perak assembly sitting. — file pic

IPOH, Sept 7 — With a Perak DAP assemblyman facing the possibility of being charged in court for his unapproved DVD production, the authorities seem to have found themselves caught in a Catch-22 situation.

Questions now center on whether they would eventually be forced to slap similar charges on Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and MCA’s Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon for allegedly committing a similar crime.

If so, this would mean the duo would also face the possibility of losing their state seats should the courts find them guilty.

The Malaysian Insider understands that it is likely that they too had failed to obtain approval from the Film Censorship Board prior to their DVD production of the tumultuous May 7 assembly sitting.

According to past reports, Dr Mah, who is also a state executive councillor, announced in May last year that the BN government would distribute a whopping 50,000 copies of the DVD to the public.

The purpose of the production was to counter the Pakatan Rakyat’s claims that they had been mistreated during the controversial May 7 sitting, during which DAP’s Tronoh assemblyman V. Sivakumar was famously forced out of the Speaker’s chair.

When contacted today an evasive Dr Mah refused to answer questions on the matter.

He only offered that the BN government was aware of the need to obtain approval from the board prior to the distribution of any production.

“We know. We were advised about it,” he claimed.

However when asked to confirm if he had obtained any certification to legalise his production, Dr Mah kept mum.

“I have no comment. I do not have to comment on all of your questions. I can choose not to answer,” he said, sounding upset.

Dr Mah’s defensive response has triggered Perak’s PR representatives into action.

Nga Kor Ming, who was formerly a state executive councillor when PR helmed Perak, told The Malaysian Insider that the state PR Youth would soon lodge a police report against both Zambry and Dr Mah for their production.

“We will lodge a report against them for printing and distributing 50,000 copies of the state assembly DVDs to the public. It was announced by them on May 29,” he said.

When contacted, Perak police chief Deputy Commissioner Datuk Pahlawan Zulkifli Abdullah confirmed with The Malaysian Insider that no investigation had been done so far against Zambry or Dr Mah over the DVDs.

“Whatever reports we received during that time, we launched investigations. So if there were none, then we would not have investigated them,” he said.

DCP Zulkifli gave his assurance, however, that the police would launch an investigation if the PR lodged a report on the matter.

“We are very fair. If there is a report, we will investigate. We will go through it and if there are elements of criminality, for sure we will conduct an investigation,” he promised.

DAP’s Tebing Tinggi assemblyman Ong Boon Piow presently faces the possibility of being charged with the possession of 23 copies of unapproved film material, entitled “BN’s Power Grab in Perak”, under Section 6(1)(a) of the Film Censorship Act 2002.

He had produced the DVD shortly after the May 3 ‘tree assembly’ sitting and had aired a preview of it during a ceramah on March 29 last year.

Shortly after the ceramah, Ong was detained by the police and questioned over his allegedly illegal production of the DVD.

According to Ong, this was because he had failed to obtain the “B” certificate from the Film Censorship Board, which was mandatory under the law.

If convicted, Ong faces automatic disqualification from his seat and the state would have to hold its first by-election for a state seat since Election 2008.

This is because the charge stipulates that Ong faces a fine of not less than RM5,000 and not more than RM30,000 or a jail term of not more than three years, or both, upon conviction.

Article 48 of the Federal Constitution states that an elected representative is disqualified from his seat if he is convicted of an offence and sentenced to an imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or to a fine of not less than RM2,000.

The charges against Ong were temporarily deferred today.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mark Netto said outside court that the matter had been deferred due to instructions from the state prosecution chief. It is believed that the prosecution is now awaiting orders from the Attorney-General’s Chambers. No reason for the deferment was given.

PR lawmakers have mocked the prosecution for its sudden about-turn, claiming that it was because they were aware that by charging Ong, they would have to charge both Zambry and Dr Mah as well for the same crime.

Nga pointed out that the Federal Constitution stipulates that all men were equal before the law.

“That means everyone has to be accorded equal treatment. No one is above the law,” he said.

Frustration brews as middle-class struggles to afford homes

Home prices in Kuala Lumpur have risen by 35 per cent over last year’s figure. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Red FM radio DJ Terry Ong has been on the lookout for a condominium but is reeling from shock as prices appear to be spiralling out of control. To illustrate his frustration, the DJ quoted prices at the Menara Duta complex in the Segambut area which he says has gone from RM250,000 for a renovated unit at the end of last year to RM330,000 now for a standard unit — a jump of 32 per cent in less than a year.
“It’s unaffordable,” he said of current property prices.
Account manager Christopher Chew, 31, has also been hunting for a property in the past six months but has still not been able to find a suitable home to fit his RM300,000 budget.
Among developments he has looked at is the Cova Suites, a condominium development in the up-and-coming neighbourhood of Kota Damansara where a 1,300 sq ft unit is typically going for about RM450,000.
“Developers are more bold in coming up with prices,” he said.
Many middle-class home hunters like Chew and Ong are becoming frustrated by prices that are far outpacing income growth. Figures provided by National Property Information Centre (Napic) show that average values of residentail properties in Malaysia rose a whopping 16 per cent, to RM212,815 in the first half of this year from RM183,807 in same period last year.

Chor said those who cannot afford KL prices will have to move further away. — file pic

For Kuala Lumpur, the increase has been even more dramatic, rising an eye-watering 34 per cent to RM485,435 in the first half of the year from RM362,569 last year — 9 times  the average urban household income of RM54,000. Housing and local government minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said that the government is building some 76,000 low cost homes nationwide costing about RM42,000 each over the next three years, but it is unable to tell private developers how much to build to boost supply of middle-class housing in the market.
“Those that cannot afford it will just have to move to houses further away from the city where it is cheaper,” said Chor.
But some middle class workers find the prospect of being banished to the “fringes” unappealing.
One married Malay manager who currently rents a townhouse in Damansara Challis in Petaling Jaya but is looking to buy his own home, says moving to outlying areas meant living in more mono-racial neighbourhoods.
“Puchong and Shah Alam where it is cheaper are mainly populated by one race,” he noted. “I don’t want to move to the fringes but I want my kids to grow up in a mixed-race environment and the location makes a difference.”
The manager expressed surprise that prices for Damansara Challis — a leasehold development near high tension wires — have escalated by as much as 30 per cent above its 2007 launch price to RM850,000, given that an estimated half of the units are still vacant.
Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) president Datuk Michael Yam said that the issue of rising property prices was partly due to an imbalance of supply and demand as more migrants move to land scarce Kuala Lumpur.
“Even if 50,000 new housing units are needed in KL that is still a huge number to build,” he said at a recent Rehda media briefing.
One developer, however, privately expressed concern that the market had become too speculative and the dramatic increase in housing prices may become unsustainable.

Property speculation remains rife despite a supply overhang. — Picture by Choo Choy May

“I am all for sustainable price growth but the current market is too speculative,” one developer told The Malaysian Insider. “Most of the units are taken up by employees of the developer hoping to sell for a profit when the development is completed.” There are signs that the government is concerned that a real estate bubble is forming as investors pour money into property in the hope that prices will keep spiralling upwards.
The Edge business weekly had reported over the weekend that the government is exploring the possibility of increasing mortgage caps to 80 per cent of loan-to-value ratio in a bid to keep the market from overheating. This comes as Singapore introduced a series of measures yesterday to reign in investors and speculators, such as a 70 per cent mortgage cap for investors with more than one property and launching 36,000 public housing units this year and next.
Such a move, however, may only serve to hurt first-time homebuyers who will have to struggle to come up with the down payment whereas richer investors are unlikely to face such difficulties.
Edward Seah, who works as an engineer and already owns one condominium which has doubled in value in the past six years, said that a 80 per cent mortgage cap will only cause more properties to flow to rich investors.
“The rich will get richer,” he said.
Seah said that while he would like to upgrade from his present condominium, he will not buy another house given current valuations.
“Are such high prices warranted?” he questioned. “I refuse to feed into the current property frenzy.”
* Figures for average residential property prices in Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur that were earlier reported reflected all property types and have now been corrected to reflect only residential properties.

13 Selangor, Negri state reps back Azmin

By Fazy Sahir - Free Malaysia Today,

FULL REPORT SHAH ALAM: Thirteen PKR Selangor and Negri Sembilan assemblymen today voiced their support for Azmin Ali to be the party's next deputy president. According to Kota Anggerik assemblyman Yaakob Sapari, the support from the nine Selangor and four Negri reps was vital because it would determine the future direction of the party.

Azmin is Gombak MP and Bukit Antarabangsa state assemblyman. He also holds the position as the party Selangor chief.

Yaakob, however, was quick to deny that the latest development would influence support for other individuals who want to contest for the No 2 post.

"The election this time around reflects a new movement. It is important to choose a leader who is able to steer the party in the right direction," Yaakob said.

"So there is no such thing as a conspiracy to topple anyone in the upcoming party elections," he said, in an apparent reference to Pakatan Rakyat coordinator Zaid Ibrahim, who has also voiced his intention to contest.

Yaakob stressed that Azmin's candidacy was "appropriate" as he is also the Selangor PKR chief.

"With the assemblymen's support, we believe he is able to continue leading the party," added Yaakob.

If the support is translated to votes, Azmin would have the upper hand compared to Zaid, who just joined the party from Umno last year.

This will be the likely scenario although incumbent deputy president Syed Husin Ali has yet to say whether he would defend his post.

Azmin is not new in the party
Meanwhile, state exco and Andalas assemblyman Xavier Jayakumar believed that Azmin is capable of bringing changes in the party.

Having known Azmin since 1997, he said Azmin's leadership was tested when the de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim was put behind bars.

"He is not new in the party. I knew him since 1997 and together, we made some important party decisions when Anwar was jailed.

"We worked really hard to counter the attacks thrown at the party. Now it is time for a senior leader like him to take over. And this support would later translate to our preparation to take over Putrajaya," he said.

Asked why it was necessary to give Azmin public support although he is already a well-known figure, Xavier said "the lobbying process cannot be separated from politics”.

"Such political process is normal in Malaysia or other countries. Tell me which country has not practised this? Even (former premier) Dr Mahathir Mohamad had lobbied for his position," Xavier said.

He also denied that the support arose because of Anwar's interference.

"This issue of (having Anwar's support) does not arise. This is a resolution by the assemblymen who have voiced their support," he said.

Present at the press conference were Selangor representatives Dr Xavier Jayakumar (Andalas), Shuhaimi Shafie (Seri Muda), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Seri Setia) and Amirudin Shari (Batu Caves).

PKR's 'real face' emerging

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - Free Malaysia Today

NEWS ANALYSIS: The worst of PKR is surfacing. At least that's what observers are saying about the ongoing mudslinging between supreme council member Zaid Ibrahim and vice-president Azmin Ali. While it is tipped that four contestants will join the race for PKR's deputy presidency come party polls in November, Zaid and Azmin are regarded as the top contenders.

Both factions have accused each other of sly tactics as campaigning intensifies and observers believe that the newly introduced direct elections will bring to surface the "real face" of PKR.

Fomer Umno man Zaid has been the subject of intense personal attacks, and he has blamed Azmin's camp for this. But the latter's supporters have denied the charge.

Since he only joined PKR in 2009, Zaid's decision to vie for the No 2 post has attracted a barrage of online flak, mostly personal attacks.

Zaid himself lamented on his blog about certain forces attemtpting to undermine him and that a blogger was allegedly paid to run him down.

It is understood that the opposition to Zaid's candidacy was due to his bluntness and that his reform ideals were against the established order in PKR and its new obsession of strengthening its Malay spine to capture Putrajaya.

PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim made it clear that the battle for federal power lies in the war to win the hearts and minds of the Malay electorate and the recent revamping of the party structure reflected this.

Sources said the appointment of several loyalists to key party posts was definitely a calculated move and the PKR supremo is adamant about maintaining this framework.

The appointment of Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, an Azmin loyalist, as the new communications director is one such example.

This was also reflected in Anwar's tacit endorsement of Youth chief aspirant Rafizi Ramli and his line-up, 80% of whom consist of Anwar and Azmin supporters.
"A good evidence of this is how Nik Nazmi is using his new position to campaign for these candidates," alleged a Zaid supporter.

As such, all leaders and members are expected to endorse the so-called Anwar-Azmin pact, both of whom share a common tactical understanding that PKR must do all it can to penetrate the Malay electorate if it wants to oust Barisan Nasional in the next general election.

Azmin is known to be one of the rare PKR leaders with strong grassroots backing especially from Malay supporters.

Zaid a threat to the pact
Zaid's presence, said party sources, is a direct threat to this pact. When the former law minister urged party members to vote him for "real change", little did he realise that he was stirring a hornet's nest.


Almost immediately, he was accused of being an Umno agent, a Trojan horse sent into PKR to destroy the party.

Zaid also suggested that Anwar "democratically" contest the president post, which a party insider described as a “challenging statement, given that PKR is centred around one man, Anwar Ibrahim”.

The call did not go down well with both Anwar and Azmin's supporters who felt that the “rookie” was out of line.

"This was not the first time Zaid had openly challenged Anwar,” said a Zaid supporter.

“Remember the Zulkifli Noordin issue? Zaid wanted him sacked when Anwar and Azmin felt that such a punishment would be a setback to PKR in terms of winning Malay support,” he added.

Azmin's camp is concerned

Talk is that Azmin's camp is concerned about Zaid's vigorous campaign on the ground and support for him is said to be gaining momentum in his homestate of Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur as well as in Sabah and Sarawak.

Proof of this, party insiders said, is a meeting which took place between Anwar and all division leaders in Kuala Lumpur mid last week.

Although it could not be confirmed, Anwar purportedly instructed the division leaders to endorse Azmin's candidacy.

It is also learnt that Zaid is seeking support from other anti-Azmin factions such as PKR strategic director Tian Chua and vice-president R Sivarasa.

Both Tian Chua and Sivarasa poured cold water on a press conference held yesterday where it was revealed that 18 PKR MPs and two senators were supporting Azmin.

Zaid's camp also questioned the motive behind holding the press conference at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya, saying that it signalled Anwar's support for Azmin although the opposition leader appeared to be staying out of the fray.

"The press conference was an obvious message to Zaid to stay out," said a party official, who declined to be named.

Meanwhile, FMT learnt that Azmin's camp had shifted into high gear to counter Zaid's campaign.

"We have no choice. We have to go all out against him and we are doing that right now," said an Azmin supporter.

For the neutrals, the noble effort to cultivate a healthy democracy in PKR is turning out to be a bane, with some likening it to the elections in Umno.

'Mike Tyson' still has his gloves on

By Zainal Epi - Free Malaysia Today,

SHAH ALAM: Former menteri besar Muhammad Muhammad Taib has every reason to feel sad when he surveys the political landscape of Selangor.

The legacy he has left behind is practically lying in ruins, with the state Barisan Nasional in disarray.

“It is a question of loyalty. This is the main ingredient in any political organisation. With loyalty you can see your struggles through,” he told FMT in an interview.

“Without loyalty, there is no respect and when there is no respect, there is no unity and when there is no unity, the organisation will have no strength.

“This is what is happening in Selangor now,” he said.

Muhammad, popularly known as Mike Tyson for his powerful physique, swells with pride when he recalls his time as menteri besar (from 1986 to 1997). He built Selangor Umno to its strongest position in the 1990s: the state Umno acted with one voice. Thus the state flourished amidst political stability.

Many Umno members who opposed him agreed that he had brought prosperity to the state and created a lot of economic opportunities.

Today, Muhammad feels embittered when he sees the state of affairs in Selangor. The richest state in the peninsula has fallen to Pakatan Rakyat in the 2008 general election. In the wake of the disaster, the state Umno too was hit with political turbulence as the 22 Umno divisions struggled to get back on their feet.

To stop the rot, BN chairman and Umno president Najib Tun Razak had to step in: he replaced former menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo as the state Umno chief. The latter became the state opposition head.

Najib then appointed Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister and Tanjung Karang division head Noh Omar as deputy liaison chief.

But the situation has not improved. Observers believe that when Najib relinquishes his hold on Selangor Umno, the various divisions would fall apart just like the divisions in Kedah and Terengganu.

Community work

These days, Muhammad has other things on his mind. Sitting on the sofa in his baju Melayu and sarung, he cuts a relaxed figure. Now that he is out of the political arena, what does he do with his spare time?

“I spent most of my time in a surau near my house in Shah Alam,” he said.

“I am doing things which I was unable to do when I was in politics: learning more about religion and doing community work.

“I listen to the grouses and grievances of the people living in my area. I also keep in touch with close friends in Umno about the political situation in the state,” he said.

Politics is still in his blood. He still heads the Umno Kelana Jaya division but he prefers to keep a low profile while his deputy runs the show.

“It is not that I want out. I just want to allow young blood to learn to lead.

“Politics is a good training ground. You not only learn theory but more importantly, you get to know the sentiments, trends, and needs of the people. You get to feel the pulse of the people while you stay on top of things.

“Politics is not all about making announcements, giving fiery speeches and shaking hands. It is deeper than that,” he said.

Understandably, Muhammad did not want to reveal much of his thoughts for fear of hurting the feelings of the current state Umno leaders and divisional heads.

“Let's put it this way... loyalty is most important and secondly, respect for the leaders and each other.

“When loyalty and respect are missing, then what one can expect is a free-for-all situation. Everybody clamours to be on top, to be a leader, to be heard, to be in the limelight of the media and so on.

“Actions taken are not synchronised or planned… each on his own… and the result will not be effective.

“The voters, on the other hand, are watching and they know... they are smart and knowledgeable.

“What I am saying is, everybody must come together and be loyal and respectful,” he said.

Fighting spirit

Muhammad speaks from experience: he has led the state Umno and the state for 11 years. In fact, the majority of the current 22 divisional heads are his “men”, leaders whom he had trained and led.

Besides, he was a Cabinet minister and was a vice-president in Umno.

He had to head for the exit when he failed to win the deputy president post in 2009 in a three-cornered fight. He was sidelined in the Najib administration.

But Muhammad seems to take things into his stride. He thinks he was not thrown out into political wilderness.

“I don’t think this is the case. It is normal for a new leader to appoint persons he can trust. For me, this is nothing new and nothing to worry about. I will continue to serve as long as I can and as long as I am needed,” he said.

The fighting spirit still burns in him and though he may not be at the centre of action, he is always lurking somewhere, keenly observing the political forces at play.

“Politics is about serving and politicians do not die in their struggles. They just fade away like old soldiers who will be remembered and respected,” he said.

1. Will you answer the call to duty again? His tall figure straightens up and like a battle-hardened soldier, Muhammad proudly said: “A politician does not run away from his responsibilities.” Spoken like a true soldier.