‘It’s not your father’s money’

The Auditor-General's Report 2010 is not about politics or the opposition, it is simply about the 'mismanagement of our money'.

The 2010 Auditor General’s Report is a voluminous document with horrifying mentions of repeated trangresions by the authorities.

It offered more or less the same findings contained in reports of preceding years , which is bizzarre overpricing, negligence, incompetency and officious arrogance.

If you are perplexed as to why the opposition should bicker about the report then we shall have to explain to you in as simple terms as possible.

This is not about politics or the opposition. This is beyond the opposition. This is about the mismanagement of our money.

And mismanagement of our money deserves to be treated as a cause of concern. We are talking about possible fraud and deception.

The short answer to the question then as to why the opposition are irked by the AG’s Report as are all right thinking Malaysians is that the money being treated isn’t the property of the transgressors.

BN government’s deception

That being so, the administration of the money and the application of the funds thereof, must be done with utmost care.

It’s not your father’s money. That is the short answer.

The long answer is, Malaysians are fed up with the deception and misappropriation of funds.

For the year 2010, the government approved a budget of RM149 billion for operating expenditure (opex).

This wasn’t enough and the government had to increase the opex to RM151 billion.

The report noted that nine ministries had overspent. Here is where all of us should be concerned. This is taxpayers money being spent on opex.

The two billion could have been spent on capital expenditure (capex) which builds capacity to create more wealth.

Now, Malaysians are equally outraged by the revelations of the 2010 Auditor-General Reports on the continuing financial scandals, hanky-panky and gross financial negligence in government.

Bizzarre overpricing

We are horrified to learn for example that the National Sports Institute acquired 23 horses totalling RM5.66 million without a Financial Ministry go-ahead.

None of these horses competed in two recommended international championships.

Then we have the case of the RM142 million RazakSAT satellite malfunctioning barely a year after being commissioned.

Wait, we have more disclosures in the AG Report 2010.

The Malaysian Marine Parks Department spent a whopping RM56,350 for a pair of night vision Marine binoculars. They paid 29 times more than the binocular’s market value of RM1,940 a pair.

They also paid the same amount for another pair of night vision Bushnell binoculars, or 1,893% more than its actual price of RM2,827.

We are once again appalled at the incompetence of front line workers incapable of appreciating the importance of proper placement of decimal points and making accounting mistakes that have resulted in wasteful overspending.

These should not have happened if there are efficient and proper internal audit systems.

As the result of a laid back attitude, we are told of stories where a pensioner received RM21,433 a month instead of RM214.33 for 16 months! The mistake was detected after more than a year.

The officer who finally detected the mistake should be a given a merit order.

We are also dismayed of hearing Giatmara Centre mistakenly paying RM170 per kg instead of RM1.70 per kg for sugar for a poverty eradication programme or RM25, 500 for 150 kg of sugar!

This must be a special kind of sugar.

Repeated irregularities

What about the ‘village-fool’ remark that the Chief Secretary to the Government Sidek Hassan made in response to the AG’s Report?

Sidek’s remark is simply saying he is not worried and that the problem has been dealt with.

Him saying he has sent circulars asking officials to exercise more discipline is in itself a negligent expression and an act of gross callousness.

I am afraid, the public isn’t that forgiving.

Sidek’s call to all departments and agencies to take heed of the AG’s comments and views is is annual repeated reaction.

Which goes to show, that what I said about the same mistakes being repeated did take place, otherwise, Sidek wouldn’t have to repeat his annual reaction would he?

No wonder then, there was this need to delay the submission of the 2010 Auditor-General’s Report to ensure that it would not completely overshadow Najib’s 2012 Budget.

Otherwise, the Finance Minister’s charitable overtures would be overshadowed and overwhelmed by the over 1,300 pages of exposes of financial irregularities, hanky-panky as well as misappropriation of public funds in the first full year of PM Najib Tun Razak’s premiership.

The writer is a former Umno state assemblyman and a FMT columnist. This is an excerpt from his blog sakmongkolak47.

SAMM sedia lancar perhimpunan Bersih ketiga

"Tarikhnya sudah dipilih dan akan diumumkan dalam masa terdekat," kata Badrul Hisham yang lebih dikenali sebagai Chegu Bard.

PETALING JAYA: Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) membayangkan perhimpunan Bersih 3.0 akan diadakan kerana mendakwa kerajaan tidak membuat apa-apa bagi menambak baik perjalanan pilihan raya.

Bersih 3.0 bertujuan untuk memberi kata dua kepada Perdana Menteri sama ada melakukan perubahan sistem pilihanraya terlebih

dahulu sebelum PRU13 atau berdepan dengan satu lagi perhimpunan protes rakyat terbesar.

Bersih 3.0 akan turut memantau perjalanan PSC supaya ia tidak dilengah-lengahkan dengan sengaja di atas muslihat tertentu.

Pengerusi SAMM, Badrul Hisham Shaharim berkata, “Bersih 3.0 sedia dilancarkan bila-bila masa dari sekarang.”

“Setakat ini, kerajaan melalui agensi SPR dilihat masih tidak membuat apa-apa pendekatan awal untuk baik-pulih sistem pilihanraya terutamanya dalam aspek tuntutan yang tidak memerlukan perubahan akta seperti penggunaan dakwat kekal.

Tekan BN

“Justeru itu, Bersih 3.0 sedia dilancarkan bila-bila masa dari sekarang demi memastikan BN benar-benar menunaikan janjinya terlebih dahulu sebelum membubarkan parlimen.

“Tarikhnya sudah dipilih dan akan diumumkan dalam masa terdekat,” kata Badrul Hisham  yang lebih dikenali sebagai Chegu Bard.

Beliau menambah, timbul pelbagai spekulasi negatif terhadap SPR dan JPN dalam isu kewarganegaraan segera untuk membenarkan warga asing mengundi dan juga spekulasi memanjangkan penggunaan undi pos kepada anggota Rela  dan penjawat awam selain polis dan tentera.

Katanya, Ini sama sekali bukan satu usaha baik-pulih sistem pilihanraya tetapi melacur sistem pilihan raya demi untuk terus berkuasa.

All eyes on the Malay votes

Of the 222 parliamentary seats, only 46 are Chinese majority. So winning the hearts and minds of Malay voters has become the focus of the competing Malay-based parties.

As for Anwar, on the one hand, he is telling his Chinese audience that hudud laws are not part of Pakatan’s policy. On the other, he is telling the Malay audience that he backs the implementation of hudud laws, putting the DAP in a spot as PAS has said it couldn’t care less if the DAP agrees or not.

By Wong Chun Wai, The Star 

WHEN Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the government had decided to scrap the PPSMI (teaching of Maths and Science in English policy) in primary schools, there was loud outrage from the urbanites.

This unhappiness has continued with most urban voters refusing to accept the reasons given by the Education Minister, believing instead that politics is the reason behind the decision.

There were subtle threats of punishing the Barisan Nasional government in the polls but PAS and PKR, both Malay-based parties, also quickly stated their stand against continuing the policy.

A Malay non-governmental organisation, Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM), had revealed that its survey of 27,200 parents, mostly Malays, found 55% wanted the PPSMI to be retained compared to only 13% who didn’t. Of these respondents, 15,000 were rural parents. But Malay groups, and certainly Malay-based parties, had found their own surveys telling them the opposite.

With a general election looming, winning the hearts and minds of the predominantly Malay voters has become the focus of the competing Malay-based parties.

The fact is that of the 222 parliamentary seats, only 46 are Chinese majority and there is not even a single constituency with an Indian majority.

The three main parties, Umno, PAS and PKR, have all stepped up their posturing as defenders of the Malay/Muslim votes, well aware that while they need the support of the other communities, they cannot ignore the sentiments of the Malay voters.

So when DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said that if Pakatan Rakyat formed the next federal government, it would trim down the civil service – majority of whom are Malays – his allies had to scramble to do damage control.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and senior PAS leaders had to quickly douse the fire, denying that there was such a plan.

The opposition leaders have been on tenterhooks since the fiasco by PAS deputy president Mohamed Sabu, who allegedly described communist guerrillas involved in the 1950s Bukit Kepong incident as freedom fighters.

With many Malay families having at least one relative in the police, army or other uniformed unit, Mat Sabu’s remarks cost the Pakatan Rakyat a huge chunk of votes. Since then, the usually fiery speaker has remained quiet, and PAS is hoping that the anger against him will soon die out.

The Islamist party has also abandoned its attempt to project a more liberal image and has gone back to talking about hudud laws and the Islamic state and banning concerts to retain its core supporters.

As for Anwar, on the one hand, he is telling his Chinese audience that hudud laws are not part of Pakatan’s policy. On the other, he is telling the Malay audience that he backs the implementation of hudud laws, putting the DAP in a spot as PAS has said it couldn’t care less if the DAP agrees or not.

The DAP seems to be helpless over the issue with its leaders saying they have “agreed to disagree” over the implementation of hudud laws. PAS claims it would not affect non-Malays but this is a fallacy because it will extend beyond family and religious laws.

In criminal matters, when a case involves a Muslim and a non-Muslim, if hudud is chosen, it will clearly put the latter in a spot. One example is sex offences where four witnesses are required.

Only DAP lawyer Karpal Singh seems to acknowledge the difficult path ahead.

The fight over Malay votes has continued with DAP’s Lim Guan Eng coming out to say that if Pakatan wins, Anwar will be the prime minister. It is a move to allay fear among non-Muslim voters as PAS is eyeing the post.

There has been muted response from PAS as it is an open secret that its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang wants to be PM.

Lim has insisted that Anwar would be PM “even if he is in jail (if convicted for sodomy charges)”, but the point is, if Anwar is going to be PM, then he wouldn’t be in jail.

Most non-Muslims wouldn’t blink over the Seksualiti Merdeka issue as they are aware that the event is not a gay orgy as claimed by some media.

Many of us find the hysterical reaction to be lacking compassion and even ridiculous, but this is the silly season. It was a case of wrong timing and political naivete on the part of the organisers. After all, the event has been held for the past two years without any controversy.

But human rights lawyer Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, who was invited to open the forum, is seen as an opposition figure, and with Anwar’s sodomy trial coming to a conclusion soon, the timing could not have been worse.

Well aware of the Muslim psyche and sentiments, PAS swiftly joined in to criticise the gay rights event.

The much-touted 11.11.11 date, which many thought would see the dissolution of Parliament, is over and with Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak himself saying that polls would not be held this year, the run-up campaign looks set to be a draggy affair.

Even now, the posturing, rhetoric, accusations and lies are becoming tiresome, and the polls could still be very far away, possibly in mid-2012.

Proham cadang parlimen lantik pengerusi SPR

Persatuan Promosi Hak Asasi Manusia (Proham) mencadangkan supaya pentadbir Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) - termasuk pengerusi dan timbalan pengerusinya - dilantik oleh jawatankuasa parlimen.

Ahli jawatankuasa Proham, Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam (kanan) berkata langkah itu perlu bagi membolehkan SPR dilihat lebih bebas dan berintegriti.

Malang sekali SPR kini dilihat "terlalu pro-kerajaan dan tidak cukup independen," katanya ketika bercakap sebagai saksi dalam sesi pendengaran awam Jawatankuasa Pilihan Parlimen (PSC) mengenai pembaharuan pilihan raya hari ini.

Keadaan itu, katanya, berlaku kerana pengerusi dan timbalan pengerusi SPR dipilih dari kalangan penjawat awam yang telah lama berkhidmat.

Secara intrinsik, para penjawat awam ini tidak akan "mematuk tangan yang memberi," jelasnya lagi dalam sesi berkenaan hari ini.

Two key demands presented to panel

The New Straits Times

By RAHMAH GHAZALI

REFORMS Automatic registration of voters, extension of voting rights to overseas Malaysians

Two key issues have dominated the first day of the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms, namely the automatic registration system and extending the voting rights to Malaysians living abroad.

Speaking at a press conference after the hearing ended, PSC chairman Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said these were "real things and practical" ideas into which the committee needed to look.

"Quality ideas were presented to the committee, and we took time to discuss them," said Ongkili, who is also the  minister for science, innovation and technology.

However, he said that those who presented their proposals to improve the electoral system needed to be prompted in elaborating them.

"There were some who were emotional (while presenting their ideas) as they were  passionate in their beliefs but we had to prompt a few of them for their ideas."

Ongkili was referring  to Annie Ooi Siew Lan, who presented her ideas   earlier.

Ooi had urged the committee to facilitate voting for all Malaysians, including those overseas, hospitalised or on duty. She, however, had no  solutions when prompted.

"I am not giving you the solution, you have to work on it."

Ongkili said 12 individuals and organisations presented their proposals at yesterday's hearing and seven more are expected to share their ideas  today at Parliament.

They were Selangor Youth Council, MCA, Transparency International (Malaysia), Society for the Blind in Malaysia, Association of Former Police Personnel, Selangor MIC Putera, K.J. John, Human Rights Party, Michael Soosay, Putera MIC II (International Bureau) and Youth Malaysian Movement.

Another five more public hearings will be held nationwide. The second public hearing is on Nov 25 and Nov 26 at Kompleks Pentadbiran Persekutuan Sabah in Kota Kinabalu.

Subramaniam In Stable Condition After Brain Surgery

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- Former MIC deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam is reported to be in stable condition after undergoing five hours of brain surgery which lasted until 2am Sunday.

R. Balakrishnan, his former secretary and close friend, said the doctors managed to stop the bleeding in his brain and draw out blood from his thrombus.

"Overall, his blood pressure, heart and pulse are stable," he told Bernama when contacted here today.

The veteran politician had warded himself at the Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya on Friday night after encountering health problems and was transferred to the Pantai Medical Centre here yesterday morning.

Balakrishnan also said that Subramaniam was taken straight to the intensive care unit (ICU) and that he still remained unconscious after the surgery.

"We are still waiting for his recovery," he said.

Subramaniam is a former member of parliament for Segamat (1990 to 2004) and a former deputy minister.

Europe's next nightmare

The political consequences of the Eurozone crisis include increasing xenophobia and nationalism among politicians.

Europe's economic crisis has helped far-right politicians, such as Geert Wilders, gain support [GALLO/GETTY] As if the economic ramifications of a full-blown Greek default were not terrifying enough, the political consequences could be far worse. A chaotic eurozone breakup would cause irreparable damage to the European integration project, the central pillar of Europe's political stability since World War II. It would destabilise not only the highly indebted European periphery, but also core countries such as France and Germany, which have been the architects of the project. The nightmare scenario would also be a 1930s-style victory for political extremism. Fascism, Nazism, and communism were children of a backlash against globalisation that had been building since the end of the nineteenth century, feeding on the anxieties of groups that felt disenfranchised and threatened by expanding market forces and cosmopolitan elites. Free trade and the gold standard had required downplaying domestic priorities such as social reform, nation-building and cultural reassertion. Economic crisis and the failure of international cooperation undermined not only globalisation, but also the elites that upheld the existing order. As my Harvard colleague Jeff Frieden has written, this paved the path for two distinct forms of extremism. Faced with the choice between equity and economic integration, communists chose radical social reform and economic self-sufficiency. Faced with the choice between national assertion and globalism, fascists, Nazis, and nationalists chose nation-building. Fortunately, fascism, communism and other forms of dictatorships are passé today. But similar tensions between economic integration and local politics have long been simmering. Europe's single market has taken shape much faster than Europe's political community has; economic integration has leaped ahead of political integration. End of the EU? The result is that mounting concerns about the erosion of economic security, social stability and cultural identity could not be handled through mainstream political channels. National political structures became too constrained to offer effective remedies, while European institutions still remain too weak to command allegiance. It is the extreme right that has benefited most from the centrists' failure. In Finland, the heretofore unknown True Finn party capitalised on the resentment around eurozone bailouts to finish a close third in April's general election. In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom wields enough power to play kingmaker; without its support, the minority liberal government would collapse. In France, the National Front, which finished second in the 2002 presidential election, has been revitalised under Marine Le Pen. "When I am president, in a few months' time, the eurozone probably won't exist." - Marine Le Pen Nor is the backlash confined to eurozone members. Elsewhere in Scandinavia, the Sweden Democrats, a party with neo-Nazi roots, entered parliament last year with nearly six per cent of the popular vote. In Britain, one recent poll indicated that as many as two-thirds of Conservatives want Britain to leave the European Union. Political movements of the extreme right have traditionally fed on anti-immigration sentiment. But the Greek, Irish, Portuguese and other bailouts, together with the euro's troubles, have given them fresh ammunition. Their Euro-scepticism certainly appears to be vindicated by events. When Marine Le Pen was recently asked if she would unilaterally withdraw from the euro, she replied confidently: "When I am president, in a few months' time, the eurozone probably won't exist." As in the 1930s, the failure of international cooperation has compounded centrist politicians' inability to respond adequately to their domestic constituents' economic, social and cultural demands. The European project and the eurozone have set the terms of debate to such an extent that, with the eurozone in tatters, these elites' legitimacy will receive an even more serious blow. 'Less bad' options Europe's centrist politicians have committed themselves to a strategy of "more Europe" that is too rapid to ease local anxieties, yet not rapid enough to create a real Europe-wide political community. They have stuck for far too long to an intermediate path that is unstable and beset by tensions. By holding on to a vision of Europe that has proven unviable, Europe's centrist elites are endangering the idea of a unified Europe itself. Economically, the least bad option is to ensure that the inevitable defaults and departures from the eurozone are carried out in as orderly and coordinated a fashion as possible. Politically, too, a similar reality check is needed. What the current crisis demands is an explicit reorientation away from external financial obligations and austerity to domestic preoccupations and aspirations. Just as healthy domestic economies are the best guarantor of an open world economy, healthy domestic polities are the best guarantor of a stable international order. The challenge is to develop a new political narrative emphasising national interests and values without overtones of nativism and xenophobia. If centrist elites do not prove themselves up to the task, those of the far right will gladly fill the vacuum, minus the moderation. That is why outgoing Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou had the right idea with his aborted call for a referendum. That move was a belated attempt to recognise the primacy of domestic politics, even if investors viewed it, in the words of a Financial Times editor, as "playing with fire". Scrapping the referendum simply postpones the day of reckoning and raises the ultimate costs to be paid by Greece's new leadership. Today, the question is no longer whether politics will become more populist and less internationalist; it is whether the consequences of that shift can be managed without turning ugly. In Europe's politics, as in its economics, it seems there are no good options - only less bad ones. Dani Rodrik, Professor of International Political Economy at Harvard University, is the author of The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy. A version of this article was first published on Project Syndicate.

Source: Al Jazeera

Afghanistan mother and daughter stoned and shot dead

(BBC) A  group of armed men have stoned and shot dead a woman and her daughter in

Afghanistan's Ghazni province, security officials have told the BBC.

The officials blamed the Taliban, who they said had accused the women of "moral deviation and adultery".

The police said two men had been arrested in connection with the murder.

The attack was only 300m from the governor's office in Ghazni city, which is on a list of places to be transferred to Afghan security control.
Taliban grip

The incident happened on Thursday in the Khawaja Hakim area of Ghazni city, where the family lived.

The BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul says it is close to the governor's office, the police chief's office and a Western-backed Provincial Reconstruction Team.

Security officials said armed men entered the house where the young widow lived with her daughter and took them out to the yard, where they were initially stoned and then shot dead.

"Neighbours did not help or inform the authorities on time," an official said.

Officials said a number of religious leaders in the city had been issuing fatwas (Islamic religious edicts) asking people to report any one who was "involved in adultery".

In October last year, a woman accused of murdering her mother-in-law was killed by the Taliban in Ghazni.

Ghazni has seen an upsurge in violence in recent years.

Strategically located on the route between Kabul and Kandahar, the province was once a centre of trade.

Ghazni city is on the list for the second tranche of areas to be transferred from Nato to Afghan control but critics say the government is struggling to secure it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Analysis

Bilal Sarwary BBC News, Kabul

There are 18 districts in Ghazni. Seven are in government control. In 11 the government only exists inside the district headquarters.
In much of the region, the Taliban are taxing people and banning girls from schools. Joint weddings have been banned - the bride and groom are not allowed to be together as it is thought the woman makes too much noise walking to the wedding hall, disturbing the men.
The Taliban are killing and imprisoning people who work for the government. They control all of the major roads. Drivers are regularly beaten. There are instances where district officials have been beheaded. The Taliban have banned mobile phones, video cameras and music apart from Taliban radio stations playing hypnotic chants.

Interlok: NGO serah Agong memo minta campur tangan

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Nov — Susulan gesaan selama 10 bulan, Pasukan Tindakan Interlok Nasional (NIAT) dengan sokongan lebih 100 pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO), hari ini menyerahkan memorandum kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong agar campur tangan membolehkan novel Interlok yang kontroversi ditarik balik daripada silibus sekolah.

Pengerusi NIAT Datuk Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim berkata memorandum itu diserahkan kepada wakil Istana Negara sekitar 11 pagi tadi dan berharap novel karya Sasterawan Negara Datuk Abdullah Hussain itu tidak lagi digunakan di sekolah.

“Saya memohon perkenan Yang di-Pertuan Agong campur tangan meminta perdana menteri dan juga Menteri Pelajaran agar membatalkan penggunaan novel ini sebagai buku sastera peperiksaan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia di tiga negeri,” kata beliau ketika dihubungi.

NGO itu juga akan menyerahkan memorandum yang sama kepada Sultan Selangor dan Yang di-Pertuan Negeri Sembilan pada 19 November ini.

Novel itu digunakan di sekolah-sekolah Wilayah Persekutuan, Selangor dan Negeri Sembilan.

NIAT memulakan kempen menggesa Putrajaya agar menarik balik penggunaan novel Interlok sejak awal tahun ini walaupun Kabinet memutuskan ia akan terus digunakan dengan dibuat beberapa pindaan.

Akhir Januari lalu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yang juga Menteri Pelajaran mengumumkan Interlok hanya akan digunakan setelah pindaan disiapkan dan diedarkan ke sekolah-sekolah.

The Malaysian Insider difahamkan teks yang dipinda dan dicetak semula digunakan sejak dua bulan lalu.
Hari ini, Thasleem Mohamed berkata pihaknya menyerahkan dua memorandum yang masing-masing menekankan sebab novel itu tidak sesuai digunakan dari perspektif agama dan sosial.

“Memorandum hari ini disokong oleh 115 NGO dan satu lagi memorandum atas nama saya, menggariskan alasan mengapa novel ini tidak sesuai dari sudut agama Islam,” katanya lagi.

Sebelum ini, NGO itu menggesa Putrajaya menggantikan Interlok dengan novel lain yang sesuai.

“Kami terpaksa menghantar memorandum kepada Istana Negara selepas usaha kami selama 10 bulan agar Kementerian Pelajaran menggantikan novel ini tidak membawa hasil. Kami tidak mahu novel ini digunakan dengan pindaan semata-mata, sebab konteksnya masih kekal walaupun dibuat pindaan, kandungannya bukan sahaja menyentuh sensitiviti kaum India tetapi juga melibatkan kaum-kaum lain,” kata beliau.

Kata beliau, pihaknya yakin Yang di-Pertuan Agong selaku ketua negara akan menyelesaikan isu ini.

“Kerajaan membuat pindaan atas desakan MIC. Tetapi kami mahu novel ini tidak digunakan sama sekali di sekolah. Kerajaan tidak harus hanya mendengar pandangan MIC, tetapi juga perlu memberi perhatian ke atas pertubuhan-pertubuhan yang mewakili masyarakat secara keseluruhan,” kata Thasleem Mohamed.

Novel Interlok digunakan sebagai teks komponen sastera bagi mata pelajaran Bahasa Malaysia tingkatan lima dengan pindaan dibuat kepada bahagian tertentu.

Persatuan Penulis Nasional (Pena) sebelum ini melahirkan pendirian mahu Interlok dikekalkan tanpa membuat sebarang pindaan pada bahagian yang dianggap sensitif oleh masyarakat India.

Novel Interlok terbitan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) menjadi kontrovesri kerana didakwa mengandungi unsur sensitif yang menyinggung perasaan kaum India pada kandungan muka surat 211 dan 220.

Former MIC deputy president, Subra, in ICU

Former deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, S Subramaniam, suffers brain haemorrhage.

PETALING JAYA: Former MIC deputy president, S Subramaniam, has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Pantai Hospital Bangsar after suffering a suspected brain haemorrhage.

According to former MIC vice-president, VKK Teagarajan, Subramaniam, 67, collapsed at home after returning from a function last night.

“We’ve been told that he may have suffered a brain hemorrhage but I do not think it is life-threatening.
“His current condition is serious but stable,” Teagarajan told FMT.

It is learnt that Subramaniam will be undergoing surgery today.
Subramaniam, who was formerly the deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister was also once Segamat MP from 1990 until 2004.

He was among the young, well-educated and ambitious personalities injected into MIC’s leadership positions during the 1970s as way of bringing new blood into the party.

He held the post of MIC deputy president for 17 years beginning 1979.

His steady rise in rank also saw him cross-swords with MIC’s seventh and longest-serving president, S Samy Vellu.

The latter dropped Subramaniam as a candidate for the 11th general elections just three days before nomination day on the basis that Subramaniam had enjoyed enough success.

Subramaniam stood to defend his deputy president post in the 2006 party elections but was edged out by the current MIC president, G Palanivel.

Najib has ‘forfeited his right to govern’

Former de facto Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim is of the opinion that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has made a mistake in dismissing the National Feedlot issue.

PETALING JAYA:  Kita chief, Zaid Ibrahim believes that Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak’s, defence of the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) fiasco is an indication that his time is up.

“Najib should have done the sensible thing and admitted that the whole NFC issue was a mistake.
“That’s how a reformist government would react.”

“You don’t give a project worth a few hundred million ringgit to a minister and say its because no one wants it. If no one wants it then don’t start the project,” Zaid said during an interview with FMT yesterday.

The NFC project is being run by the husband and children of  Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

The recent  Auditor-General’s Report described the NFC project as a “mess” and since then PKR has exposed details of alleged business and financial mismanagement within NFC.

Najib however has dismissed allegations of abuse of power in the federal government’s RM250 million soft loan to NFC.

‘Gives govt a bad image’

But Zaid stressed the irrelevance of debating business technicalities when very act of awarding the project to a federal minister’s family was in itself unprincipled.

“If you can give RM200 million or RM300 million to one minister, you could have probably given the same to other ministers as well…

“It gives the government a bad image and Najib made a mistake by saying it is above board because it is not,” said Zaid.

Zaid added that even if the minister was the most capable and the project was objectively evaluated no one would have believed it.

He said Najib’s failure to respond to the issue has as such given the opposition its ammunition.
“And this issue would last quite awhile,” he warned.

“People cannot tolerate case after case of blatant abuse.”

“When you give a minister a project like this and say nothing is wrong, then your time is up because you can no longer differentiate between what is right and wrong.

“And so you forfeit your right to govern,” Zaid said

Govt has explained

Kota Belud MP, Abdul Rahman Dahlan, also acknowledged as a ‘valid concern’ the  awarding of the project to a federal minister.

But he emphasized that the project was done via a tender process and not through direct negotiations.
“Six companies submitted a bid and two were ultimately chosen – NFC and Australia’s Lambert Corporation.

“When Lambert withdrew halfway (through) it affected the project timeline hence why NFC couldn’t meet the production target,” he said.

Rahman also shot down the opposition’s allegation of mismanagement within NFC and insisted that everything had been done in order.

“The government and backbenchers have provided constant and dependable replies.

“And (Rembau MP) Khairy (Jamaluddin) has provided a very good explanation on his blog regarding the condo,” he said refering to the controversial RM9.8 million condominium in Bangsar.

‘RM9.8 million condo an investment’

On Thursday PKR alleged that taxpayers’ money allocated for the NFC had been used to buy the condominium.

But Khairy in his blog had explained that the property in One Menerung had been purchased for investment purposes as it had an unused allocation of RM81.2 million in its account.

“The opposition will not win this if it insists on arguing about process and business mechanism because we’ve been able to shoot all those allegations down.

“If they want to use those arguments then they better back it up with concrete evidence and facts instead of half-truths,” Rahman said.

Rahman also urged the NFC to provide an explanation of the procedures.

He reminded the people that the government loan to NFC was not a gift.

“There is an obvious reason as to why the condo exists and only people who are ignorant or intent on politicizing this issue will not understand or believe it,” he concluded.

Agensi pembantu rumah `kitar semula’ berdepan tindakan keras

Akta pemerdagangan manusia di bawah bidang kuasa Kementerian Dalam Negeri itu dan pembatalan lesen melalui kementeriannya, banyak lagi bentuk tindakan yang boleh dikenakan terhadap agensi yang terlibat.

KUALA LUMPUR: Agensi pembantu rumah asing yang dikesan ’mengitar semula’ pembantu rumah boleh dikenakan tindakan di bawah Akta Antipemerdagangan Orang dan Antipenyeludupan Migran selain menghadapi pembatalan lesen serta-merta, kata Menteri Sumber Manusia Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam.

Beliau berkata selain tindakan mengikut akta pemerdagangan manusia di bawah bidang kuasa Kementerian Dalam Negeri itu dan pembatalan lesen melalui kementeriannya, banyak lagi bentuk tindakan yang boleh dikenakan terhadap agensi yang terlibat.

“Ada banyak akta lain yang kita boleh kenakan jika ada laporan, tindakan tegas memang perlu dibuat kerana agensi yang berbuat demikian telah menganiaya pekerja asing itu sendiri dan menipu bakal majikan mereka,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas menghadiri majlis doa khas di kuil Jain di Bangsar di sini hari ini.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas laporan akhbar yang mendedahkan tindakan sesetengah agensi yang memberi pembantu rumah kepada majikan dengan mengenakan bayaran tertentu dan dalam tempoh beberapa bulan pembantu rumah terbabit melarikan diri dan kembali ke agensi berkenaan, dan dia kemudian diserah kepada majikan lain.

Sementara itu, Subramaniam yang turut diminta mengulas mengenai langkah kerajaan Selangor mengumumkan gaji minima RM1,500 untuk syarikat kerajaan negeri mulai tahun depan, berkata bagi kerajaan negeri ia membabitkan satu jumlah yang terhad sedangkan tindakan serupa di seluruh negara memerlukan banyak kajian terperinci.

“Untuk negara khususnya swasta, keputusan itu bergantung kepada apa yang akan diputuskan oleh Majlis Perundingan Gaji Kebangsaan Negara yang sudah pun menjalankan perundingan selama sebulan dua ini dan akan mengumumkan keputusannya selepas semua kajian selesai,” katanya.
-Bernama

Malaysian states to punish homosexuality

The Guardian

Two Malaysian states are set to change their Islamic laws to punish Muslims who engage in homosexuality, increasing the prospect of gay Muslims being punished under both federal and state religious laws and adding to concerns about rising intolerance.

In Malaysia, homosexuality is punishable by law by caning and up to 20 years in prison, but the amendments planned by the Pahang and Malacca religious authorities would give the state governments additional powers.

If the proposed changes come into force, jail terms could run consecutively if a gay Muslim person is punished under both laws.

Malacca's chief minister, Mohd Ali Rustam, said the state would review its Islamic law provisions to allow Muslim gay men and lesbians to be tried in court and punished by a prison sentence or a fine to "deter" homosexuality.

"So many people like to promote human rights, even up to the point they want to allow lesbian activities and homosexuality," Ali told Reuters.

"In Islam, we cannot do all this. It is against Islamic law," he said, adding that gay Muslim people would also be required to attend counselling.

Ali, who is also the Malacca Islamic religious department chairman, said the proposed penalties would also apply to those who "supported" homosexuality.

"We want to put it in the enactment so that we can enforce it and bring them to our sharia court. Then we can charge them for promoting or supporting these illegal activities," he said.

On Thursday, the leading cleric of central Pahang state was quoted in the Star newspaper as saying it would also amend its Islamic laws to allow for action against homosexuality.

"Islam prohibits deviant sexual orientation or behaviour," Abdul Rahman Osman was quoted as saying. "Appropriate action should be taken to address these problems. We fear that this abnormal behaviour will be regarded as a norm."

In Malaysia, religion is within the respective states' purview and the authorities do not need federal government approval to effect legislative changes.

Last week, organisers were forced to cancel an annual sexuality rights festival in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, after police threatened to crack down on the event, claiming it could create unease and public disorder.

About 60% of the country's 28 million population are Muslims, and Islamic law tenets are used as an official yardstick for the behaviour of followers. Nevertheless, Muslims often throng Kuala Lumpur bars that serve alcohol.

Extramarital sex is frowned upon and same-gender relationships often draw criticism, although the rise of alternative media channels has resulted in a greater openness in debates about homosexuality.

But public discussions involving sexuality often assume a conservative veneer. Films and music are also heavily censored to remove explicit content, and gay people and transvestites complain of professional and social discrimination.

Peguam: Dakwaan hubungan Saiful-Farah patut disiasat badan bebas

Dakwaan mengenai hubungan antara Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan dan DPP Farah Azalina Latif sepatutnya dijalankan oleh sebuah badan bebas, kata peguam veteran dan ahli parlimen Karpal Singh.

Karpal (kiri) menegaskan demikian bagi menjawab kenyataan
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz di Parlimen semalam bahawa Pejabat Peguam Negara mendapati tiada bukti "konkrit" terhadap dakwaan tersebut.

Menurut peguam itu, oleh kerana Farah adalah sebahagian daripada Pejabat Peguam Negara, maka siasatan tersebut sepatutnya dijalankan oleh sebuah badan bebas.

Farah Azlina adalah sebahagian daripada pasukan pendakwaan dalam perbicaraan kes liwat terhadap Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim manakala Saiful pula merupakan pengadu dan kes itu.

Karpal berkata logik dan alasan tidak boleh menyokong Pejabat Peguam Negara menyiasat perkara itu dan membebaskan pasangan itu kemudian daripada dakwaan tersebut.

Katanya, dakwaan hubungan sulit antara DPP dan pengadu dalam perbicaraan jenayah memerlukan satu siasatan terbuka, supaya ia menjadi iktibar kepada orang lain pada masa akan datang.
Dan sekiranya hubungan sulit seumpama itu wujud, Karpal berkata implikasinya adalah lebih besar kerana ia akan termasuk kebersalahan jenayah di Mahkamah Syariah.

Katanya, terdapat peruntukan dalam undang-undang Islam untuk ketidaksopanan seumpama itu, termasuk hukuman untuk zina, yang menurutnya, salah satu jenayah yang paling serius dalam undang-undang Islam.

Karpal berkata langkah mengeluarkan Farah daripada pasukan pendakwaan dalam perbicaraan Liwat II juga menimbulkan persoalan berhubung dakwaan tersebut.

"Kenapa perlu dia dihukum melalui langkah ini jika dia tidak bersalah," Katanya.

Pada 27 Julai tahun lalu, Farah telah dikeluarkan daripada pasukan pendakwaan selepas muncul dakwaan di Internet yang dia dan Saiful terlibat dalam hubungan romantis.

Anwar kemudiannya mendakwa di mahkamah bahawa Saiful dan Farah masih belum menafikan dakwaan tersebut.