Shahrizat not big enough a scapegoat to save BN: NFC still a 'weapon of mass destruction'

What is now the RM250 million NFC debacle was once part of a grand plan by the Agriculture ministry to make Malaysia self-sufficient in food, which was a good and feasible plan and could have been very successful. But unfortunately, it was hijacked by UMNO and turned into a money-making scheme for its elite leaders.
The same goes with the New Economic Policy and whatever that the nation's planners have so far come up with for the government to implement so as to benefit the country. All have either been hijacked by UMNO or passed on to its BN partners. It is for the reason that while the UMO led government loudly proclaims 'progress', what the citizens really feel is 'regress'.
With self-sufficiency in food, Malaysia would be able to save billions in the long term and even be a net food exporter. If the NEP had been implemented properly and diligently, the goals would have been achieved by now and the policy abolished. Malaysia could have been a success story for the rest of the world to emulate.
Unfortunately, UMNO spoiled everything. How? Well, they meddled, shortchanged, cheated, siphoned out and stole everything that they could put their hands on. It is not for nothing that UMNO is described as a pirate ship. So those thieves in Somali, watch out - UMNO Mari!
Classic example of an UMNO money-making scheme
The NFC mess is a classic example of an UMNO  money-making scheme at its slickest - until of course internal infighting made the rival factions in UMNO turn against and spill the beans on each other. From the UMNO president, deputy president all the way down to the top guns in the youth and Wanita wings, they all willingly supported Shahrizat Jalil - the Women's minister and head of the Women's wing - as her family dug a huge hole for themselves with the National Feedlot Centre cattle breeding project.
So it is not surprising that Shahrizat got very angry when her UMNO colleagues later turned their backs on her and her family. After betraying her, they forced her and her family to step out and take on the full blame. Remember, someone leaked out those secret details to the PKR, some in UMNO claim it came from Prime Minister Najib Razak's camp but in the end he had to beat a hasty retreat because the scandal got completely out of hand.
Then as if to show their gratitude, the duplicitous UMNO elite rushed out one by one to publicly thank her for her 'sacrifice' and her 'magnanimous' spirit in accepting responsibility and not tarring them in the process!
But if Shahrizat is smart, she should repent sincerely and fully. She should also blow the whistle on the other elite for their thievery. After all, she has gone on several Umrahs (trips to Mecca) in the past few stressful months alone and she should know very well that corruption is illegal and a sin in the eyes of God and Islam.
Tried to fight back
For a while, Shahrizat tried to fight back. Her famous giveaway comment that 'which BN leader has no problem' was meant to keep the wolves and fickle friends at bay. But in the end, it was just too much for the UMNO elite to handle. Loyalty has never been a quality they are known for anyway. It has always been money that was their common denominator. And when Najib, who is also the UMNO president, found his own 'transactions' in NFC being exposed, that's when he finally started to move in on Shahrizat.
Being a trained lawyer, the Women's minister must have made sure that the paper trail did not lead to her and her name is not in any of the documents. But the paper trail against her husband and three children is just too great for the usual UMNO runaround tricks to work here - not with the 13th general election looming and Najib facing the risk of another public tarring if his Kazakhstan connections in the NFC are exposed.
Remember, Najib has pitched to the UMNO warlords that BN can only win based on his popularity alone because the individual components like MCA, Gerakan, MIC and UMNO itself have all lost their credibility with the people. This is why he must protect himself at all costs - so as to protect them! That the UMNO-BN can fall for it and agree is a sign of how desperate the once-mighty coalition has become!
Crocodiles pit
One may wonder, why Salleh Ismail, the NFC chief and Shahrizat's husband, did not engage a real full-fledged professional team to manage the project. Critics point out that such a move would have defeated their purpose. Managing the project by himself, helped by his own family, made the alleged plundering easier.
The NFC at the end of the day was just another UMNO money-making vehicle. Stealing is always the main agenda in UMNO projects and these include Proton, Malaysian Airlines, Port Klang Free Zone, Tenaga, Telekom, the Independent Power Producers and so on. For the past 5 decades, plundering has become what UMNO does best. It has become a well-honed art, with the UMNO elite also assuming a new skill -  shielding, deflecting and protecting their colleagues who slipped up.
But for those who could not be saved - like the Shahrizats - these ruthless businessmen had no compunction in mercilessly withdrawing their support. Such is life in a crocodiles pit.
Najib's hand in NFC flushed out
It is not surprising that Najib has said very little on the NFC case as the last bit of spicy NFC news involved the purchase of a RM1.7million luxury apartment in Kazakhstan. His daughter married into a powerful political family there and he is believed to have sanctioned a memorandum of understanding between NFC and a Kazakh party when he visited the nation on an official trip in June last year.
Firstly, such a deal is illegal as the NFC is not authorized to invest overseas. Secondly, why did Najib, who is also the Finance minister close an eye? Did he or his Kazakh friends get something out of it? No doubt, whatever 'goodie' Najib may have picked up in Kazakhstan would pale in comparison with the commission that he was accused of corruptly getting from the Scorpene submarines bought in 2002, but Najib is facing the battle of his life.
Najib knows he has to win GE-13 and does not need any more negative publicity. On the contrary, he needs to make himself out to be a hero and this is what he is now trying to fool Malaysians into thinking. That he is a corruption fighter, while poor Shahrizat is to be pitied and forgiven because she was 'sabotaged' by the Opposition.
Yes, Shahrizat faces seeing her husband and children being jailed. To the tender-hearted in UMNO, many of whom are rural housewives, this may be enough to make them take off their aprons and march to the ballot boxes and vote for the BN. But will it also fool the urban and educated members in UMNO? Certainly, the ruse won't cut it with the other Malaysians.
New political dilemma - UMNO's inability to tackle corruption
So, for now, Najib reckons he has done enough to save UMNO and to pacify voters. He hopes that such a move will also take the wind out from the sails of PKR and its strategy director, Rafizi Ramli, who has been at the forefront of the barrage of revelations made against the Shahrizats.
But here, Najib may have got it wrong. Whether Salleh is found guilty and jailed or not is by now secondary. The most important thing as far as Malaysians are concerned, is how Najib and the government cleans up the NFC mess.
The manner in which the Shahrizats bought condos and a supermarket in Singapore and their sale of a Singapore-incorporated firm has blown the whistle on how the UMNO elite have been siphoning national money overseas. Malaysians are now hungry for more juicy tidbits. They want to know how it was done and what will Najib do to make sure that the money is recovered.
This of course puts Najib in a new political dilemma. If he begins to clean up the government and UMNO, he can expect to face immediate resistance from other factions including from Mahathir Mohamad, the former premier who ruled Malaysia and UMNO for 22 years. Given that Najib has his own huge 'baggage' to carry, this is one task that he could never achieve - and that is to weed out corruption. In fact, no UMNO leader could, even if he had no baggage at all.
Those who have baggage in UMNO outnumber those who are clean and they will make sure that all attempts to 'reform' Malaysia are frustrated. This is the situation and this is why when former premier Abdullah Badawi was asked what were the main issues facing Malayia in a recent Bloomberg interview, Badawi only dared to mention race and religion.
Weapon of Mass Destruction
So, no - neither UMNO or Najib is safe yet. Shahrizat is a good scapegoat but not a big enough scapegoat to absorb all of the UMNO-BN's misdeeds. Furthermore, the backlash from the Shahrizats and the other UMNO factions to Najib's latest handling of the NFC - charging Salleh for CBT - have yet to be seen.
Malaysia's Cowgate debacle remains the “weapon of mass destruction” for the PKR and Pakatan Rakyat to use to defeat the corrupt UMNO-BN in GE-13.
Malaysia Chronicle

RM500 buys…

The Malaysian Insider


MARCH 13 — It is not surprising that PM Najib Razak says that the government will give cash to Malaysians if revenue goes up. He has found out that his disbursement of RM500 has been a success. Nothing it seems keeps Malaysians happy than some lucre in the pocket.
Najib knows this and if it means emptying the coffers to win the election he will do it. The PM a great believer in deal-making knows that RM500 will…

•persuade many Malaysians to have amnesia and forget the catalogue of flip-flops and mistakes from Najib who has inherited mantle of flip-flop king from Abdullah Badawi.
•make Malaysians forget about the string of corruption issues and dodgy deals from the development of land near Martrade (Naza TTDI) to the rm9 billion patrol boats to the super sweetheart West Coast Highway deal (60 year toll concession) to the RM2.2 billion Kidex highway.
•help Malaysians forget about how the power and might of the state was brought to bear on ordinary citizens who were marching for clean elections.
•lull Malaysians into complacency that they forget that Indonesians, Bangladeshis and other foreigners are being “allowed” to vote.
•convince Malaysians that Najib is a decent chap, despite allegations that the powerful and connected and people from his inner circle are making much hay while the sun shines. Forget about the RM24 million ring and the shopping trips.
•get Malaysians to focus on material wellbeing instead of focusing on fighting evil and injustice.
•persuade Malaysians that the government is really prihatin and has the welfare of Malaysians at heart, instead of asking why the national debt has reached unheard of levels and pondering about a government which has to buy its way to power.
•hope that Malaysians forget that everything about this government is about announcements and launches and where consultants are paid mega bucks to recycle ideas as Government Transformation.

Yes, the government hopes that the occasional RM500 will be like a drug to Malaysians and they want us hooked for life.

Kenyataan Akhbar: Pindaan Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah Yang Baru Untuk Komen Dan Maklumbalas Dari Peguam Dan Masyarakat Umum

PEJABAT KETUA HAKIM NEGARA

MAHKAMAH PERSEKUTUAN MALAYSIA

ISTANA KEHAKIMAN

PUTRAJAYA

 

SIARAN AKHBAR

PINDAAN KAEDAH-KAEDAH MAHKAMAH YANG BARU UNTUK KOMEN DAN MAKLUMBALAS DARI PEGUAM DAN MASYARAKAT UMUM

 

Adalah dimaklumkan bahawa Jawatankuasa Kaedah-Kaedah yang ditubuhkan di bawah seksyen 17 Akta Mahkamah Kehakiman 1964 dan seksyen 3 Akta Kaedah Mahkamah Rendah 1955 yang dipengerusikan oleh YAA Ketua Hakim Negara telah membuat pindaan terhadap Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah Tinggi 1980 (Rules of the High Court 1980) dan juga Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah Rendah 1980 (Subordinate Courts Rules 1980) untuk digabungkan supaya menjadi satu kaedah yang terpakai untuk Mahkamah Tinggi dan Mahkamah Rendah iaitu Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah 2012 (Rules of  Court 2012). Tujuan Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah 2012 ini dibuat adalah untuk memudahkan dan menyeragamkan prosidur kes sivil di Mahkamah serta meningkatkan mutu penyampaian sistem keadilan di Malaysia.

Draf Kaedah tersebut telah dimuat turun di dalam laman sesawang seperti berikut untuk komen dan maklum balas daripada pengamal undang-undang dan juga orang ramai dalam masa satu (1) bulan iaitu pada atau sebelum 11 April 2012:

                        www.kehakiman.gov.my

                        www.agc.gov.my

                        www.malaysianbar.org.my

                        www.sabahbar.org.my

                        http://sarawak-advocates.org.my/

Komen, cadangan dan maklum balas boleh terus diemelkan kepada cj@kehakiman.gov.my atau difaks ke nombor 03-8880 3507 atau diposkan ke alamat Pejabat Ketua Hakim Negara, Aras 5, Istana Kehakiman, Presint 3, 62506 Putrajaya.

 

Disediakan oleh,

 

CHE WAN ZAIDI BIN CHE WAN IBRAHIM

Pegawai Khas I kepada

YAA Ketua Hakim Negara

KONY 2012

Kony 2012 charity to release new video addressing criticism of viral campaign

Glenna Gordon

Invisible Children founders pose with soldiers from the Sudan People's Liberation Army near the Congo-Sudan border in April 2008. Jason Russell is pictured holding an automatic weapon on the far right. Bobby Bailey, left, and Laren Poole, centre, are also pictured.

The makers of Kony 2012, a staggeringly popular online video campaign about capturing Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, plan to release a new video on Monday that will respond to criticism about the film’s methods and messages.

Jason Russell’s 30-minute video, now viewed 74 million times on YouTube, highlights the atrocities perpetrated by Kony, head of the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group that once terrorized northern Uganda.

AFP files

A file photo taken on November 12, 2006, shows the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Joseph Kony, answering journalists' questions in Ri-Kwamba, southern Sudan, following a meeting with UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland.

The film, funded by the San Diego-based charity Invisible Children, tells the story of a former child soldier named Jacob and then issues a call to action to viewers to help “make Joseph Kony famous.”

Although the film has raised more than $5-million and won the backing of millions of people, including celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Rihanna, the charity behind the project has faced criticism over their message, methods and financial transparency.
During an interview on CNN on Sunday, Invisible Children said they will release a 10-minute new film on Monday to answer to those criticisms.

“There’s nothing to hide. Invisible Children has been transparent since 2004, when we started,” Ben Keesey, the group’s chief executive, said in the interview.

“That’s our intention and we want to show that this campaign is part of a model and strategy that’s comprehensive.”

Forced marriage: Step-father, elderly ‘husband’ arrested

Girl, 12, says her step-father agreed to marriage to settle his debt.

FAISALABAD: Four people were arrested by Mochiwala police on Sunday on a girl’s complaint about her forced marriage to an elderly man to settle a loan her step-father had owed him. 

Police said an FIR had been registered against the girl’s step-father Muhammad Nawaz, a resident of Chak 170, and husband 60-year-old Sher Muhammad under Sections 371-A, -B and 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code. They said the nikah’khwan and three witnesses were also mentioned in the FIR. Raids were underway to arrest them, they added. Police said two relatives of Sher Muhammad had been arrested to question them about the whereabouts of others suspects.

The complainant, who said she was 12 years old, told police that her marriage with Sher Muhammad took place two months ago to settle a Rs110,000 loan her step-father had taken from him.

She said Sher Muhammad mostly kept her locked in a room at his house and beat her up whenever she requested him to free her. “Whenever I protested against the marriage and asked to be freed, he told me I was his property as he has purchased me from my father,” she added. She alleged that Muhammad’s younger brother sexually harassed her whenever Muhammad was away. She said she escaped on Sunday as Muhammad was away.

The child’s step-father said he had committed no crime. He said it was beyond his means to repay the debt so he had agreed to give the child in marriage to Sher Muhammad in return for the settlement of the debt. Mochiwala SHO Ayub Sahi said the girl would remain under police protection until someone from her family approached.

He said the child’s mother had yet to approach the police station. He quoted the child as saying that her mother had separated from Nawaz and was living with her parents. “The girl says she had wanted to go with her mother but her step-father did not allow her that,” the SHO said.

Six Indian poor orphans need your help, Najib told by Hindraf.

 The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has urged premier Najib Abdul Razak to assist six children, whose father was found dead in police custody in 2007.

The children were orphaned when their grief-stricken mother, R Letchumy, committed suicide in February 2009.

Their father, K Letchumanan, had been found dead in a cell at the Raub police station on Dec 21, 2007. Police claimed that he had hanged himself with a blanket.

"I have spoken to Sarasvathy, who is Letchumanan’s sister, and who is now taking care of the children on top of her own five children," said Hindraf Youth chief S Thiagarajan (centre in photo).

Sarasvathy is also taking care of the five children of her other brother, Chandran, who died last year.
The 16 children have to be fed and cared for on her meagre pay of RM900, which she earns as a cook, he said.

Thiagarajan said Hindraf is taking up the matter, following a report by Malay daily Kosmo on the family, and has submitted a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office.

"We hereby call upon your good self to forthwith grant these two families and the estimated 500,000 Indian poor in similar predicament a permanent and meaningful solution, i.e. 10 acres of land ownership in (agriculture schemes)…" reads the letter in part.

Thiagarajan added that Hindraf representatives will visit Sarasvathy, who lives with the children in Kuala Lumpur.

Torture in police cell: Witness to come forward

A NGO monitoring the case of 13-year-old S Sunther says the whistleblower would speak only to Bukit Aman police

PETALING JAYA: A witness is willing to testify that he saw two policemen torture a 13-year-old at the Jempol police station last month.

However, he would speak only to Bukit Aman police and not to the officers appointed by Jempol police to carry out an internal probe, according to an NGO monitoring the case.

“I will only produce the witness to the special investigations team appointed by Bukit Aman, not the Jempol police,” said R Sri Sanjeevan, vice president of Astivaaram Foundation, an organisation formed in 2010 to cater to the welfare of Malaysian Indians.

He would not give any other information about the witness, but said Astivaaram was in touch with Bukit Aman.

Sanjeevan last weekend lodged a report with the Jempol station, urging the police to suspend the two officers from duty or transfer them out of Jempol to “show that the police are committed to impartiality in its probe of the case”.

He said the two, using a third party, had been trying to persuade the boy’s family to withdraw a March 2 report against them. In that report, the boy, S Sunther of Helier Estate, said the officers beat him with a rubber hose, leaving injuries on his eyes and other parts of his body.

Sunther was arrested on Feb 26 on suspicion of stealing jewellery. He was charged in the Bahau magistrate’s court on March 2 and is due to report to the Juvenile Court on May 2, when his plea will be recorded.

Sanjeevan, who is also Negeri Sembilan Kita chairman, expressed appreciation to Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein for his interest in the case.

He told FMT that Sunther’s wounds were healing but he was complaining of frequent headaches. He is due for a follow-up medical check-up next week.

New classrooms for Tamil school

The Education Ministry has also agreed to upgrade the old school's canteen and toilet.

PETALING JAYA: Students in a Tamil school in Serdang will soon have four spanking new classrooms and repairs done to the existing ones.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, SK Devamany, who confirmed this, said piling works on the two-storey building with eight classrooms for SRJK (T) Serdang will begin this week.

“Construction of a new two-storey concrete panel IBS conventional block which requires piling work will start this week,” Devamany said in a press statement.

The Tamil school building was damaged on Feb 15.

As a result, students were forced to attend classes in cabins.

“Although only 160 students from four classrooms were affected because the ceiling of the classrooms had given way, the school would now have four additional classrooms,” Devamany said.

He said the Education Ministry had also agreed to upgrade the school’s canteen and toilet.

These issues were settled during a meeting held at the ministry this morning, which was attended by the school’s headmaster, Parent-Teacher Association and the school management board chairman.

Devamany said that he was informed that the school block was unsafe and thus was cordoned off on the advice of the Fire and Rescue Department on Feb 15.

He said that he had followed up on the matter by writing to Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Feb 17.

Malaysia's Cowgate Minister Quits

Women's minister departs after five-month scandal over misuse of public funds

After months of controversy that have crippled the United Malays National Organization, the country’s biggest political party, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Malaysia’s minister for women, family and community development, has been forced out of her position as a result of what has become known as the “cowgate” scandal.

It was the second major recent announcement of a top official stepping down in the middle of a scandal. Late last week, after months of controversy, Malaysia’s Securities Commission said its embattled chairwoman, Zarinah Anwar, will step down on Mar. 31 in the wake of a blatant conflict of interest involving her husband’s trading in shares (read related story here).
Shahrizat’s decision to quit, which takes effect on April 8, was followed with an announcement today that her husband, Mohamed Salleh Ismail, would be charged with criminal breach of trust and violating the Companies Act in relation to RM49 million in federal funds given to the National Feedlot Corporation, a scandal-plagued scheme to slaughter as many as 60,000 cattle per year by halal,  or Islamic religious standards. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Shahrizat’s departure “removes a thorn ahead of elections for the Barisan Nasional,” an UMNO insider told Asia Sentinel. Najib’s approval ratings have been driven back up from a low of 59 percent after the government cracked down harshly on civil rights demonstrators in the Bersih 2.0 march last July to 69 percent, according to the latest poll by Malaysia’s Merdeka Center, primarily on a lavish budget that delivered up wage increases and other benefits to the rank and file. Elections are now targeted for either May or June. They must be held before April 2013 “if hopefully nothing else derails that plan,” the source said.

Party reformers were agitating even before the UMNO general assembly in December to push Shahrizat out of the party, saying the depth of the scandal would have a crippling effect on both UMNO and the ruling Barisan Nasional, not least because a scandal over cattle was something their rural constituency could understand in a way they didn’t understand major financial shenanigans.

The party, however, has waffled about pushingssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss her out. In addition to being minister for women and family, Shahrizat is also chairwoman of UMNO Wanita, the women’s wing of the party, which leads the Barisan National, or national ruling coalition. There is considerable speculation that the minister has significant information on other misdoings in the party, and that if she is threatened she would use it.

The feedlot scandal, first uncovered last October in a report by Malaysia’s Auditor General, has become a gift that has never stopped giving for the Pakatan Rakyat headed by opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. Opposition party leaders have been fed voluminous information by insiders about the affair, which began with allegations that Shahrizat’s family was given the concession, through a company called Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd, and a RM250 million (US$80 million) soft loan along with a RM13 million grant to operate the feedlot business although none of them had ever had any connection with livestock production or the management of a major business before.

The company never slaughtered 10 percent of the projected total and has since scaled back its target to 8,000 head but hasn’t been able to meet that target either. Worse, the company has been losing millions of dollars of government funds every year – while pouring funds into premium land, condominium properties in the upscale district of Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur and in Singapore as well as restaurants and supermarkets, spending hundreds of thousands of ringgit for overseas travel and entertainment, and buying an expensive Mercedes-Benz sedan for Shahrizat.

The agreement to establish the National Feedlot Corporation was made when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was prime minister but it also involves Muhyiddin Yassin, the deputy prime minister, who was the agriculture minister when the award was made to Shahrizat and her family. Muhyiddin, Abdullah Badawi and his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, the head of the UMNO Youth wing, have all defended her in the past. However, the steady drip of new allegations from the opposition has largely silenced her defenders.

On Sunday Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak commended Shahrizat for what he said was her sacrifice, adding that “Although there is no proof so far that she has committed any offense, because the NFC issue has drawn controversy and dispute, she was willing to withdraw from the government.”

Lim Kit Siang, the head of the opposition Democratic Action Party, called Najib’s response “inane.” Shahirizat, Lim said on his website, didn’t sacrifice herself. “She was forced out by an administration and political party that had run out of excuses and wayang kulit plays but yet did not have the guts to remove her.”

Najib, he said, “did not remove her earlier because he did not want to upset Umno rank and file and he could not get her to go earlier because only those without skeletons in their closets can act with strength and clarity in difficult situations.”

Shahrizat is no sacrificial lamb

By Jacob Sinnathamby
The Malaysian Insider

MARCH 12 — I find it shocking that even till the last, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wanted the last stab to insult Malaysians.

At least we deserve some modicum of respect from the prime minister. Throughout the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), he and his government have insulted us with their indifference to the glaring fact that the BN government granted RM250 million to a family who were ill-equipped to run this feedlot business. Instead, they used the funds to buy properties and live comfortable lives.

Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s culpability starts and ends with several facts and assumptions including that her expenses were paid by the NFC and that it is likely that her connections allowed her family to get the contract.

It is impossible to believe that the decision makers ,who included Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Najib, gave the contract and the soft loan to greenhorns with no consideration to the fact that Shahrizat leads Wanita Umno.

But I dare say that Najib’s behaviour and response to this whole scandal has been poor, hardly becoming of someone whom we hope can be trusted to make tough and correct decisions.

Till today, he has not said anything worthwhile about the loss of taxpayers’ money. But yesterday’s comments take the prize of being inane.

He said that Shahrizat sacrificed herself for the good of government and party and that though she was not guilty of any offence, she was willing to quit Cabinet.

She did not sacrifice herself. She was forced out by an administration and political party that had run out of excuses and wayang kulit plays but yet did not have the guts to remove her.

And this is the problem with the PM. He did not remove her earlier because he did not want to upset Umno rank and file and he could not get her to go earlier because only those without skeletons in their closets can act with strength and clarity in difficult situations.

Till the last, Najib could not act decisively or in a principled manner in handling Shahrizat or the NFC.

Worse yet, he tried to put a spin on the political sacrifice made by Shahrizat.

That must have been part of the going away deal.

Indian Voter Support Also Significant In Next Polls

By Alan Ting

KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 (Bernama) -- Support from Indian voters will again be key in the country's next general election (GE) as it was in the 2008 polls, say political analysts.

Malaysians of Indian origin now account for 1.9 million out of the country's 28 million population or 7.3 percent. But they feature significantly in 63 out of 67 parliamentary seats in Peninsula Malaysia.

A noticeable trend swept through the 2008 polls when almost 85 per cent of the Indian votes went to Pakatan Rakyat (PR), the opposition pact comprising PKR-DAP-PAS.

PR largely benefited from the shift in support from 72.4 per cent for Barisan Nasional (BN) in 2004 to just 8.3 per cent in 2008 as a result of issues played up by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

But a discernable trend has emerged this time around: support from Indians for BN has improved, thanks to a number of pro-active actions spearheaded by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on fundamental issues like Tamil schools, Hindu temples and education.

This also explains why Najib's approval rating along ethnic lines is the highest at 80 per cent among Indians, according to a recent survey by the Merdeka Centre.

Dr Sivamurugan Pandian, a political analyst at Universiti Sains Malaysia, says that results of various by-elections in Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang, Bagan Pinang and Hulu Selangor since 2008 clearly showed that Indian support for BN had improved.

He attributes this to Najib's readiness to engage on key concerns affecting the Indian community and that this support pattern would last through the next GE, especially with Indian-based NGOs playing an important role in monitoring the achievements of PR-controlled states.

The academic claims that PR had failed to meet the expectations of Indian NGOs or to work closely with Hindraf, an unregistered but vocal NGO, which had been dominant in the vote swing towards the Opposition in 2008.

After 2008, Hindraf split into five groups. One is with DAP, two others are the newly-formed Makkal Sakti Party and the unregistered Human Rights Party of Malaysia(HRPM) and the rest NGOs.

Of the five, the most influential is HRPM, and if it decides to take part in the upcoming GE, it may be able to split support between BN and PR.

Dr Sivamurugan says BN needs to capitalise on Najib's strong standing among Indians in that "one vote for BN also means a vote for Najib".

To do that, BN will have to look for suitable candidates who can convince voters on that equation, he adds.

MIC Youth chief T. Mohan, who also notes the positive winds of change, estimates that the MIC now has 60 to 65 percent support among Indians.

This has been largely due to various factors like changes in the party leadership, more funding for Tamil schools, and more places for Indian matriculation students, he says, adding that Najib's 1Malaysia outreach programme had clipped much of their resentment of the past.

Although some issues remained unresolved, Mohan believes that MIC could get close to what it got in 2004, with support expected to reach 70 to 75 per cent with suitable candidates and provided that "no one makes unnecessary remarks that could hurt the feelings of the community."

DAP vice-chairman and Member of Parliament for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran, however, dismissed BN's claim of growing support among Indians, saying that it was unsubstantiated.

"PR has invited MIC for a debate on Indian issues like the one between (DAP secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng and (MCA President) Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Their (MIC) reluctance shows that they don't have support. They will be lucky if they win or retain the three parliamentary seats they have now," he said.

Kulasegaran asserted that many basic issues like high unemployment, deplorable conditions in Tamil schools, lack of study loans or scholarships and low Indian participation in the equity market had not been fully addressed.

"I believe the Indians still prefer PR for its openness and willingness to speak up for them and attend to their needs. PR was able to appoint an Indian as the first DCM (deputy chief minister) in Penang and a Speaker to the Perak state legislative assembly," he said.

But now, political analysts feel that there is perception among some Indian NGOs like Hindraf that PR is "focusing primarily" on Malay and Chinese voters" or handling Indian issues on a piecemeal basis and hence the fear that their "representation" through PR could be lost.

This explains why some are saying that support among the Indians is split down the middle, with both BN and PR saying that they have their support.

PR could be the biggest loser this time around if it fails to garner Indian support as it got the lion's share then.

If 30 per cent of registered Indian voters decide not to vote, it also means that both sides have to compete for the remaining 70 per cent, which is largely split into three unique "segments" -- the lower, middle and upper classes.

Hindraf still has some influence left. If it stays away from the GE, it could cause PR to lose its grip on Selangor and Kedah.

Getting Hindraf on board could mean that PR has to accept demands from HRPM, Hindraf's unregistered political wing, of five to seven parliamentary seats.

Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Ethnic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, believes that Hindraf does not have mass appeal anymore because of in-fighting.

He also thinks that the lower classes seem to be largely with BN while the middle and upper classes are with the opposition.

Saying that MIC's chances would be better than 2008 but not 2004, this can only happen if it fields open-minded candidates who appeal to other communities as well since the resolution of the MAIKA share issue and MIC leadership change had made it difficult for PR to exploit.

Old Penang: Penang Hill Railway

Why rush to the top of Penang Hill, when the ride up in the slow ol’ wooden train was itself a priceless multi-sensational experience.

Penang Hill Railway Lower Station circa 1930s - Photograph courtesy of Ric Francis, from his book 'Penang Hill'

Penang Hill Railway - Photograph courtesy of Ric Francis, from his book 'Penang Hill'

Postcard of Penang Hill Railway in the 1960s - Image credit: www.myphilately.com

A ride up Penang in the 1960s
by tunglang
The old, steady and trusty way up to the top of the mist-covered hill haven in Penang – riding up in a slope-hugging wooden train – was something of great anticipation in my childhood. I can still visualise the unforgettable moments of ‘touching the clouds’ with visibility of not more than 10 feet, the misty chills at the top station – breathing in the super-refreshing cool mist that was like the draught from an open fridge, and exhaling the heavy vapour, as I imitated John Wayne smoking Rough Rider cigarettes. And to see and touch the abundant ‘queen-sized’ flowers half as large as my face was truly amazing. With so much fresh oxygen, things floral grew real big!
My yearly ‘pilgrimage’ to Penang Hill on the first day of Chinese New Year with my wonderful dad has been etched in my mind – a priceless experience no other hill trips, not even the superficial, over-commercialised and crowded Genting Highlands could ever match. Taking the Municipal bus at 6.15am and reaching the Ayer Itam roundabout to sip Kopi-O kau kau at a kopitiam, we still had spare time to walk some distance to the base station for the early train ride up the hill.
In fact, we were among the few early visitors/commuters to greet the train attendants, who methodically carried out their daily duties of checking and making sure the trips were without delay or technical problems. The smell of grease, cables, granite brick wall, coagulated rubber sheets (from farms) and the surrounding jungle greens, still ringing with sleepless crickets and toads, were enough to jump-start my adrenalin for the much-anticipated morning ride. And the train tickets smelled real good too!
When the inside grille gate was finally opened, I was let in like a gleeful dog, running around the train porch before the memorable moment of touching the brass door handle of the train and boarding the all wooden but steady-as-a-rock slanted train. My choice of seating or (mostly) standing on seat was in the front row just behind the train driver. Sitting would have rendered me a dwarf, what more with the sloping, hard wooden seats.
The moment of truth came when we were locked safely inside the cabin. Soon the bell rang and the grand ol’ train started to climb at the first tug of the over-greased thick cable. I could feel my heart displace a few centimetres at the first jerk before the train moved. It was a thrilling mechanical feat … the feel of the vibrating rolling wheels in torque on cast iron rails… you just became part of the ol’ train gently climbing at leisure up the steep hill amidst nature’s tranquility, transported to another world of old colonial charm. Almost half a century old, yet the wooden train was steady and strong like ‘Or Kau’ Guinness Stout.
The seat in the front row, whether going uphill or downhill, provided the perfect vantage point for soaking in the panorama. Time slowed down, affording one the luxury of absorbing in great sensual detail the splendour of the rainforest – ferns, monkey cups, the flora, mushrooms, giant ants, monkeys, spiders, birds and hundred-year-old trees crowned by tall bluish-green canopies.
The occasional brief stops for local hill residents provided extra precious time to draw closer to Nature and to breathe in the pristine oxygen-rich air creeping into the cabin through huge open windows. That was the natural air-con without the need for an artificial air-con.
And of course, to gaze at the heritage ambience of wooden electric cable poles and to wonder in nostalgia at the antiquated pre-war lamps with warm tungsten light bulbs, ‘decorated’ with spider webs for the half-slumbering queen spiders.
If one was dreaming of travelling to faraway lands to see picturesque cottage homes, there was (and still is) no better alternative place to see the real thing in Malaysia than in Penang Hill. Nestled among embracing trees and occasional guardian spirit boulders, the idyllic bungalows stirred the happy spirits of the already fascinated tourists, as they gazed from the windows of the slow-moving trains, their minds transfixed by the mental images of relaxation, serenity, and sanctuary during this recuperative getaway-from-the-boss sojourn. The smoking chimneys, miniature attic windows, stone bricks, Victorian architecture, pine trees and wind-direction roosters added a surreal charm and holiday sensation of European countryside in the midst of the tropical rainforest of Penang Hill.
Though it was just a halfway trip up the hill for both of us, the 20 minutes or so ride seemed to me a lifetime of innocent happiness – time in fact stood still. Looking forward to this journey, I would wait for dad and me to take that once-a year-trip up the hill to visit my grandparents’ homestead, nestled among embracing trees, ferns and the ever-sprouting vegetable gardens.
As dad and I alighted from the ol’ train at mid-station into the cool breezy air outside, I walked reluctantly away in envy of those tourists who could still continue the second half of the journey in the slow train up to the summit, where the cotton-like mist came floating in the air every sleepy afternoon in the 1960s.
As the Chinese proverb goes: “The journey is the reward”. So it was with the Penang Hill Railway. Why rush to the top, when the climb up in the ol’ train itself was truly a priceless multi-sensational experience.

Ivy Josiah

MSN chats with Ivy Josiah, the Executive Director of Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) in Malaysia in conjunction with International Women's Day on March 8.

Courtesy of Ivy Josiah

Born in Brickfields in 1955 and lived there throughout her formative years, Ivy Josiah first became a teacher and then an activist for women's rights before she was the Executive Director of Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) in Malaysia. Established in 1982, WAO is the first women's organisation in Malaysia to provide shelter for battered women and their children. WAO plays a lead role in advocacy work, public education and law and policy reform on all aspects of women's human rights.

Ms. Josiah was a pioneer volunteer cum member of WAO and its past president (1990-1993) before taking on the position as the Executive Director in 1995. She has developed, promoted and implemented the WAO's shelter and counselling services, coordinated its public education programmes and advocacy work on the issue of violence against women and women's human rights

She has played a key role in initiating two NGO coalitions. In 2004, Article 11 was formed to uphold freedom of religion and in 2006 the Migration Working Group was established to protect the rights of migrants, refugees, and stateless persons.

Courtesy of Ivy Josiah

In February 2004, she was appointed as a member of the Royal Commission to Enhance
the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police and in 2009 she was a member of the government National Taskforce to investigate sexual abuse allegations of indigenous women (Penan Community) in Sarawak.

Ivy is involved in national, regional and international committees and initiatives to combat violence against women. Ivy is also a member of the arts community in Malaysia being a member of Five Arts Centre.

Other accolades:
1998 Joanne Drew Total Woman AWARD, Malaysia
2003 Tag Heur Alter Ego Woman of Distinction, Malaysia
2007 Woman of Courage, US State Department, USA
2007 Malaysia Tatler, Humanitarian Award
2008 Her World, Woman of the Year, Malaysia
2009 Rotary Vocational Award, Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur North

Hobbies: When I'm not busy, I enjoy reading, watching the television and this year, I plan to travel around Malaysia as much as I can.

One fun fact we don't know about you: I love curry puffs, I was a dancer and I am an excellent cook! I love cooking Indian dishes.

NEXT: Ivy Josiah's picks for MSN Malaysia

Courtesy of Ivy Josiah

Ivy Josiah's picks:
Indian college turns illiterate women into engineers: Video
Happy International Women's Day! This video reminds me how women can do anything despite obstacles, a great initiative of Africa and India, two nations to watch out for.
Cheers and jeers for maids' day off in Singapore
Well done Singapore, it is a mature society that treats its women workers well. When will Malaysia follow?
Malaysians fail to reverse ban on gay festival
It is really important to keep reinforcing the belief being gay is ok; the courts have a duty to uphold the rights of ALL persons.
Himpunan 2.0 rally at Maju Junction Mall
Besides the fact that Lynas is a ticking bomb, I have to say, what a fabulous collection of photos of people power!
No regrets over apology to Afghans: US commander
It is always better to take the higher road.

Coming Islamic regimen will stop Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and start forceful cow slaughter in Uttar Pradesh. Hindus will be put in a peril.

The Win of Mullah Mulayam Singh Yadav and the Fate of UP Hindus.

 

As the majority Hindus in India have no Political Party to whip, rather no political strategy or intention to live in India as Hindu in a Hindu majority state with a political gain, the jugglers in the BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party) presented a very poor show in Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election in 2012 without any urge to go ahead.

Once captured the heart land of India called as Cow-belt with strong Hindu sentiments tagged with Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Movement, from a period of 1991-96, the pseudo Hindu leaders in BJP could not protect their boats this time anywhere in the streams of Ganga, Jamuna or Sarayu. As a matter of fact the deities of Ram Lala in Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya,  Lord Viswanath of Varanashi and Lord Krshna in the Mathura Krshna Janmabhoomi Temple cursed this party for their sin to betray with the Hindus time and again. Both the BJP and its mentor RSS (Rashtriya Swamsevak Sangha) have no intention to make a ‘Hindu Vote Bank’ for the survival of Hindus in India. These organizations are only to run their organization of their organizational sake, not for the fortified future of the Hindus.

BJP has been ousted in Uttar Pradesh, the Hindu 

heart-land of India.

As a result, the Uttar Pradesh is now ensured as a place of certain Muslim gain with no Ram Janmabhoomi Temple at all. Around 20% Muslim voters (17% as per Govt. stat.) have successfully set a fire brand of 69 Muslim MLAs (largest MLA strength in any Indian State and highest ever in UP) to slap in the faces of 47 BJP MLAs, as and when required in the floor of UP Assembly and to oppose Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.  But the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), BJP, RSS and the Bajrangdal will beat their drums in the deaf ears of reluctant Hindus for their organizational interest and monetary gain. Simply, the Hindus will be put in a peril.

The majority Hindus even do not know that the upsurge of two Muslim political parties namely Peace Party (4 MLAs) and Qaumi Ekta Dal (2 MLAs) in the UP assembly is unprecedented one as there was no reality of any Muslim party in political scenario in Uttar Pradesh so far with an thin existence of Dr Faridi’s ‘Muslim Majlis’ in the late sixties.

In reality, the election equations of  Azam Khan and Mullah Mulayam Yadav or Peace Party or Qaumi Ekta Dal and Samajwadi Party (SP) were frantically squared up by both the Aligarh and Deoband contingents to quash out the Court verdict in favour of Ram Janmabhoomii Temple at Ayodhya.

SIMI-SIO have the largest base in Uttar Pradesh to dictate the Muslim Voters and to influence the political parties.

Congratulating Mulayam Singh Yadav and Muslim Candidates, Maulana Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani of Darul Uloom Deoband said that now when the people of Uttar Pradesh have given a clear mandate to Mulayam and his team he should learn from his previous mistakes and fulfill his promises made in the manifestoe. Maulana said that Muslims have played a very important role in the victory of Mulayam so he should give proper attention to their demands.

Rahat Abrar PRO of Aligarh Muslim University said that this was for the first time when the majority of Muslims gave their support to Mulayam. Now it is the duty of Mulayam Singh to do what he promised for the Muslims before the election.

From reliable source, it has been ascertained that the so called  non-political Muslim organisations and their student wings had played a vital role in this election in UP to promote a Muslim force in the state to ensure the Islamic supremacy in the region to enact a law of Allah. The banned student organization SIMI (Student Islamic Movement in India) and SIO (Student    Islamic Organization) – the Student wing of Jamat-e-Islami-Hind had deployed 2000 ansars (dedicated cadres) in the fray to help the SP and Islamic tie up. From 1977 the SIMI and SIO have been trying hard to change the entity of Hindu Uttar Pradesh to an Islamic hold in various names like Rohilstan, Mughalstan, New Pak Land or anything they like to think better.

The entire anti Hindu force now fully relish the UP verdict in favour Mulayam Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, who will never allow a Ramjanmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.  This Mulayam Singh Yadav ordered firing against the Karsevaks in Karsevapuram and in the streets of Ayodhya and the banks of Sarayu in the year 1990 when more than 100 Karsevaks killed, heavily injured and unfound permanently.

DECLINE OF BJP BASE IN THE LAND OF AYODHYA RAM TEMPLE. THE RISE OF ISLAMIC INSURGENCY IN UTTAR PRADESH. REALITY OF MUGHALSTAN?

It is not a matter whether Mulayam or his son Akhilesh will be sworn in the UP Assembly House as next Chief Minister, but they have assured the Muslim regimen in UP without any hurdle any more.

In a letter to Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid Delhi, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, just after setting  his election strategy and campaign, Mullah Mulaym Yadav promised setting up a commission to “survey the backwardness of Muslims” in Uttar Pradesh and give “exemplary reservation” to the community if his party formed the next government in the state.

Yadav was replying to a letter sent by Bukhari in Dec 2011, written to the former chief minister (1989 to 1991, 1993 to 1995, and 2003 to 2007) utmost urging to include a list of proposals for uplifting the Muslims in the Samajwadi Party manifesto.

Bukhari, in his letter, said that there was discontentment amongst Muslims against SP in the last Lok Sabha elections, and that the party will have to take some strong steps in order to win back the support of Muslims.

The main suggestions in Bukhari’s letter were implementation of the recommendations of the Rangnath Mishra Commission and Sachar Committee, declaration of all Muslims as backward, a survey across the state to assess the backwardness of Muslims, and extending all the benefits to Muslims that other backward classes enjoy.

Bukhari also demanded the immediate release and compensation for Muslims who have been “jailed under the pretext of action against terrorism.” He also urged Yadav to make special provisions for employment of Muslims in security forces of the state, setting up of educational institutes in Muslim areas, budgetary provision for imparting technical education in madarsas as well as establishing government-run Urdu medium primary, middle and high schools on the lines of Maharashtra.

Agreeing that the political, social, educational as well as economic condition of Muslims is “pitiable” in the country, Yadav reiterated that he is in favour of full implementation of the Rangnath Mishra Commission and Sachar Committee’s recommendations.

Accusing the UPA government of cheating Muslims by promising 4.5 per cent reservation for minorities, and not for Muslims alone, Yadav said that he is in favour of reservation for Muslims in education and employment.

Bosom Friends: Mulayam & Bukhari.

He said that soon after forming the government in Uttar Pradesh, his party members will discuss the issue with Muslims, intellectuals as well as legal experts and will give reservation on the lines of reservation given to Muslims in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, in Sitapur, senior SP Azam Khan trained the guns on Congress, asking it to clarify its stand on the Batla House encounter probe. Recounting Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh’s remark that the encounter was fake, he asked the UPA government to decide who was correct — Singh or Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who had claimed that the encounter was genuine.

With all these no Ram Mandir in Janmabhoomi-Babri site was a promise and pulsation to woo the Muslim vote bank to crush down all the political opponents to Swamajwadi Supremo Mullah Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Total Islamization of Uttar Pardesh

Actually, 70% of the state’s Muslim electorate, according expert analysis, had voted for Mr Yadav. For this, the two national parties, BJP and Congress, must accept blame. Mayawati said the Congress created the problem with its hard-selling of a special quota for Muslims in jobs and Muslim universities. Hindu voters panicked and moved towards the BJP, which played into their fears that the Congress would promote Muslims at their expense. Meanwhile, Muslims found that the Congress was not a strong enough party to back. So UP Muslims opted for Mr Yadav as the new Maulana Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh.

The decline of BJP base in Uttar Pradesh and immature Hindu sentiment for building a Hindu Vote Bank in UP or elsewhere in India, will compel us to watch no Ramjanmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, forceful cow slaughter in Hindu areas, political supremacy of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, heavy reservation in services, jobs, business and all other sectors in Uttar Pradesh as a role model of Islamization of future India. Perhaps, this Islamic lead in Uttar Pradesh has been designed for the destiny of rest of India also.  (Though, RSS will still murmur in a dream to capture Pakistan and Bangladesh in the name of an Akhand Bharat. God will never save us for such a lie).

I heard another mockery in the pre-pole days. The Swami Ramdev  Team and Team Anna were also in election operations in disguise  to protect the Uttar Pardesh people from corruption and collaborators vested in the anti-national powers. Would they not be able to do worst than this?

Defensive Hindus will be wiped out by the offensive Muslims in India ­– this is the sermon of this unpleasant parable.

Taliban threaten Pak woman activist

Just days after she was conferred an international award for courage, well-known Pakistani women's rights activist Shad Begum has been threatened by the Taliban for speaking out against the militants in their former stronghold of Swat.

Apart from Begum, who was among 10 women presented the International Women of Courage Award by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington earlier this week, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan threatened 14-year-old Malala Yousufzai, the first recipient of Pakistan's new National Peace Prize.

Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said both of them were on the militants' "hit list".

Begum is a social worker from Lower Dir district, located a short distance from Islamabad. The area was overrun by the Taliban in 2009 before the army launched an offensive to flush out the militants.

Yousufzai is a resident of the Swat Valley and came to prominence with her blog that detailed the atrocities of the Taliban.

Ehsan said Begum and Yousufzai had backed the "imposition of secular" governance in Swat.

"These women have been working for the vested interest of the West and have supported the imposition of secular rule in Swat Valley," he told the media in Pakistan's northwest.

Forcible conversion of Hindu girls on rise in Sindh: HRCP

On an average around 20 to 25 Hindu girls are being forcibly converted to Islam every month in the southern Sindh province, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has said.

Urging the authorities to take note of these forced conversions, HRCP officials told reporters on Saturday that culprits were taking advantage of loopholes in the law.

Amarnath Motumel of the HRCP said that within a month 20 forced conversions had taken place.

“Apart from minor school girls, married women with children are not spared either,” he said.

The issue of Hindu girls being forcibly converted has come to the fore after the case of 18-year-old Rinkle Kumari from Sukkur who has converted and taken the Muslim name of Faryal after marrying a Muslim boy.

The family of the girl claim she was kidnapped and forcibly converted even after she appeared in court in Sukkur and claimed she converted out of her own free will.

But Motumel pointed out that not only were affected families warned of dire consequences but whenever a Hindu girl or her family appeared in court hundreds of religious zealots gather to pressurise them or they take to the streets as pressure tactics and to create an atmosphere of fear.

The families of Rinkle Kumari were also present at the conference in which her brother Inder said that had she been allowed to meet with her family members privately and even once she would never have converted.

“Despite the President’s orders for the girl’s rescue we are still waiting for something to be done.”

HRCP official Professor Badar Soomro said there was a need to enact new laws to restore a sense of security among the Hindu community.

He also said if a girl is kidnapped and her family registers a case she should be kept in a Darul Aman at least for a month before she is produced in court to record her statement.

Shahrizat sacrificed herself, says Najib

Shahrizat (centre) walks to meet the press at Desa Water Park March 11 2012. — Picture by Jack Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak commended Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil today for her decision to sacrifice herself and quit the Cabinet for the sake of the government and Umno.
The prime minister told reporters in Pekan this evening Shahrizat’s move to relinquish her women, family and community development portfolio when her senatorship ends on April 8 was the appropriate and right thing to do.

He said he appreciated the sacrifice made by Shahrizat and was thankful for her decision.

“Although there is no proof so far that she had committed any offence, because the NFC issue has drawn controversy and dispute, she was willing to withdraw from the government,” he told reporters, referring to the National Feedlot Centre.

Shahrizat had said earlier today she will resign as women, family and community minister next month but stay on as Wanita Umno chief after being dogged for over four-and-a-half months by the NFC scandal.

The former Lembah Pantai MP and her family were accused by the opposition of using a RM250 million federal loan meant for the project to pay for land, property and expenses unrelated to cattle farming.

The cattle-rearing company is headed by her husband, Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail, and their three children.

It was tapped to run the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan in 2006, when Shahrizat was in Cabinet.

The former Lembah Pantai MP previously resisted calls from within her own party, including by influential former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, to quit, stressing that she was “only the wife” of Salleh and had nothing to do with the embattled entity.

NFCorp hit the national headlines after it made it into the Auditor-General’s Report last year for missing production targets.

Police recommended last month that the Attorney-General (A-G) charge NFCorp’s directors for criminal breach of trust, but the A-G has asked the police to conduct further investigations.

Shahrizat was appointed as women, community and family minister in 2001 and held the post until 2008, when she lost in the general election.

She was then appointed special advisor to the prime minister on women affairs and social development, before being reassuming her Cabinet portfolio a year later.

Indian votes ‘pivotal’ at election time

Human Rights Party of Malaysia's (HRPM) allegiance, if it decides to contest in the 13th general election, may determine which way the Indians swing, claims an analyst.

By Alan Ting

KUALA LUMPUR: Support from Indian voters will again be key in the country’s next general election (GE) as it was in the 2008 polls, say political analysts.

Malaysians of Indian origin now account for 1.9 million out of the country’s 28 million population or 7.3 percent. But they feature significantly in 63 out of 67 parliamentary seats in Peninsula Malaysia.

A noticeable trend swept through the 2008 polls when almost 85 per cent of the Indian votes went to Pakatan Rakyat (Pakatan), the opposition pact comprising PKR-DAP-PAS.

Pakatan largely benefited from the shift in support from 72.4 per cent for Barisan Nasional (BN) in 2004 to just 8.3 per cent in 2008 as a result of issues played up by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

But a discernable trend has emerged this time around: support from Indians for BN has improved, thanks to a number of pro-active actions spearheaded by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on fundamental issues like Tamil schools, Hindu temples and education.

This also explains why Najib’s approval rating along ethnic lines is the highest at 80 per cent among Indians, according to a recent survey by the Merdeka Centre.

Dr Sivamurugan Pandian, a political analyst at Universiti Sains Malaysia, says that results of various by-elections in Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang, Bagan Pinang and Hulu Selangor since 2008 clearly showed that Indian support for BN had improved.

He attributes this to Najib’s readiness to engage on key concerns affecting the Indian community and that this support pattern would last through the next GE, especially with Indian-based NGOs playing an important role in monitoring the achievements of Pakatan-controlled states.

Indian swing may depend on HRPM

The academic claims that Pakatan had failed to meet the expectations of Indian NGOs or to work closely with Hindraf, an unregistered but vocal NGO, which had been dominant in the vote swing towards the opposition in 2008.

After 2008, Hindraf split into five groups. One is with DAP, two others are the newly-formed Makkal Sakti Party and the unregistered Human Rights Party of Malaysia (HRPM) and the rest NGOs.

Of the five, the most influential is HRPM, and if it decides to take part in the upcoming GE, it may be able to split support between BN and Pakatan.

Dr Sivamurugan says BN needs to capitalise on Najib’s strong standing among Indians in that “one vote for BN also means a vote for Najib”.

To do that, BN will have to look for suitable candidates who can convince voters on that equation, he adds.

MIC Youth chief T. Mohan, who also notes the positive winds of change, estimates that the MIC now has 60 to 65 percent support among Indians.

This has been largely due to various factors like changes in the party leadership, more funding for Tamil schools, and more places for Indian matriculation students, he says, adding that Najib’s 1Malaysia outreach programme had clipped much of their resentment of the past.

Although some issues remained unresolved, Mohan believes that MIC could get close to what it got in 2004, with support expected to reach 70 to 75 per cent with suitable candidates and provided that “no one makes unnecessary remarks that could hurt the feelings of the community.”

Key Indian issues unresolved

DAP vice-chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran, however, dismissed BN’s claim of growing support among Indians, saying that it was unsubstantiated.

“PR (Pakatan) has invited MIC for a debate on Indian issues like the one between (DAP
secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng and (MCA president) Dr Chua Soi Lek.

“Their (MIC) reluctance shows that they don’t have support. They will be lucky if they win or retain the three parliamentary seats they have now,” he said.

Kulasegaran asserted that many basic issues like high unemployment, deplorable conditions in Tamil schools, lack of study loans or scholarships and low Indian participation in the equity market had not been fully addressed.

“I believe the Indians still prefer PR for its openness and willingness to speak up for them and attend to their needs. PR (Pakatan) was able to appoint an Indian as the first DCM (deputy chief minister) in Penang and a Speaker to the Perak state legislative assembly,” he said.

But now, political analysts feel that there is perception among some Indian NGOs like Hindraf that Pakatn is “focusing primarily” on Malay and Chinese voters” or handling Indian issues on a piecemeal basis and hence the fear that their “representation” through PR could be lost.

This explains why some are saying that support among the Indians is split down the middle, with both BN and PR saying that they have their support.

Pakatan could be the biggest loser this time around if it fails to garner Indian support as it got the lion’s share then.

If 30% of registered Indian voters decide not to vote, it also means that both sides have to compete for the remaining 70 per cent, which is largely split into three unique “segments” — the lower, middle and upper classes.

No mass appeal for Hindraf

Hindraf still has some influence left. If it stays away from the GE, it could cause Pakatan to lose its grip on Selangor and Kedah.

Getting Hindraf on board could mean that Pakatan has to accept demands from HRPM, Hindraf’s unregistered political wing, of five to seven parliamentary seats.

Dr Denison Jayasooria, a principal research fellow at the Institute of Ethnic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, believes that Hindraf does not have mass appeal anymore because of in-fighting.

He also thinks that the lower classes seem to be largely with BN while the middle and upper classes are with the opposition.

Saying that MIC’s chances would be better than 2008 but not 2004, this can only happen if it fields open-minded candidates who appeal to other communities as well since the resolution of the Maika share issue and MIC leadership change had made it difficult for Pakatan to exploit.

Undi kaum India beri kesan besar PRU akan datang

Walaupun pengundi India hanya mewakili 1.9 juta atau 7.3 peratus daripada 28 juta penduduk Malaysia, tetapi kehadiran mereka begitu bermakna bagi 63 daripada 67 kerusi parlimen di Semenanjung Malaysia.

Oleh Alan Ting

KUALA LUMPUR: Para penganalisis politik berpendapat sokongan pengundi India akan memberi kesan besar pada pilihan raya umum (PRU) akan datang, sama seperti pada PRU 2008.

Walaupun pengundi India hanya mewakili 1.9 juta atau 7.3 peratus daripada 28 juta penduduk Malaysia, tetapi kehadiran mereka begitu bermakna bagi 63 daripada 67 kerusi parlimen di Semenanjung Malaysia.

PRU 2008 menyaksikan perubahan arus yang amat ketara apabila hampir 85 peratus pengundi India menyokong Pakatan Rakyat (PR), pakatan pembangkang yang dianggotai PKR-DAP-PAS.

PR mendapat manfaat besar daripada peralihan sokongan pengundi India apabila hanya 8.3 peratus daripada 72.4 peratus pengundi kaum itu yang menyokong Barisan Nasional (BN) pada PRU 2004, menyebelahi PR pada PRU 2008 kerana terpengaruh dengan isu yang dimainkan Barisan Bertindak Hak Asasi Hindu (Hindraf).

Bagaimanapun, satu arah aliran baru dikesan muncul ketika ini iaitu sokongan kaum India terhadap BN semakin meningkat, hasil daripada beberapa tindakan proaktif yang diterajui Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berhubung perkara penting yang membabitkan kaum India seperti sekolah Tamil, kuil Hindu dan pendidikan.

Merdeka Centre

Berdasarkan kaji selidik Merdeka Centre, tindakan proaktif Najib itu menyebabkan kadar sokongan terhadap beliau mengikut etnik mencatat peningkatan, dengan sokongan kaum India mencatat lonjakan paling tinggi iaitu kepada 80 peratus.

Dr Sivamurugan Pandian, penganalisis politik dari Universiti Sains Malaysia, berkata keputusan beberapa pilihan raya kecil sejak 2008 yang melibatkan kawasan Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang, Bagan Pinang dan Hulu Selangor dengan jelas menunjukkan peningkatan sokongan kaum India terhadap BN.

Beliau mengaitkan perkembangan itu dengan kesediaan Najib menangani isu penting yang membabitkan masyarakat India dan pola sokongan ini akan berterusan hingga PRU akan datang, terutama hasil peranan penting yang dimainkan badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) berasaskan kaum India dalam memantau pencapaian negeri yang ditadbir PR.

Ahli akademik itu berkata PR gagal memenuhi harapan NGO berasaskan kaum India, yang begitu berpengaruh dalam mengalih undi kepada Pembangkang pada 2008.

Hindraf berpecah

Selepas 2008, Hindraf berpecah kepada lima kumpulan. Satu kumpulan menyebelahi DAP, dua lagi membentuk Parti Makkal Sakti dan Parti Hak Asasi Manusia (HRPM) yang tidak didaftarkan, manakala selebihnya bergiat sebagai NGO.

Daripada lima kumpulan itu, HRPM merupakan kumpulan paling berpengaruh dan sekiranya parti ini menyertai PRU akan datang, ia mampu memecahkan sokongan terhadap BN dan PR.

Dr Sivamurugan berkata BN perlu memanfaatkan kedudukan kukuh Najib dalam kalangan masyarakat India ketika ini dengan meyakinkan kaum itu bahawa setiap undi mereka untuk BN bererti merupakan undi untuk Najib juga.

Bagaimanapun, kata beliau, untuk mewujudkan tanggapan kukuh tentang perkara itu, BN perlu mencari calon yang mampu meyakinkan pengundi bahawa itulah hakikatnya.

Ketua Pemuda MIC T. Mohan, yang juga mengesan kewujudan angin perubahan positif terhadap BN sejak kebelakangan ini, menganggarkan MIC kini mendapat sokongan daripada 60 hingga 65 peratus masyarakat India.

Sekolah Tamil

Perkembangan positif ini berlaku kerana pelbagai faktor, termasuk perubahan dalam kepimpinan parti, pertambahan jumlah pembiayaan untuk sekolah Tamil, pemberian lebih banyak tempat kepada pelajar India untuk mengikuti pengajian di peringkat matrikulasi dan paling penting, kata beliau ialah kejayaan Najib menghapuskan sebahagian besar rasa tidak puas hati kaum itu melalui program 1Malaysia yang beliau laksanakan.

Mohan berkata walaupun beberapa isu masih belum selesai, tetapi beliau yakin MIC akan mencatat kejayaan hampir dengan apa yang dicapainya pada 2004 dan menjangka 70 peratus hingga 75 peratus kaum India akan menyokong BN sekiranya parti gabungan itu meletakkan calon yang sesuai, dengan syarat “tida pihak membuat kenyataan yang boleh melukakan hati masyarakat itu”.

Bagaimanapun, naib pengerusi DAP dan Anggota Parlimen Ipoh Barat M. Kulasegaran menolak tanggapan BN bahawa parti gabungan itu semakin mendapat sokongan masyarakat India dengan berkata dakwaan itu tidak berasas.

“PR telah mengajak MIC berbahas tentang isu berkaitan kaum India seperti perbahasan antara Lim Guan Eng (setiausaha agung DAP) dan Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek (presiden MCA). Keengganan mereka (MIC) menunjukkan mereka tidak mendapat sokongan. Mereka memang bernasib baik sekiranya menang atau dapat mengekalkan tiga kerusi parlimen yang mereka sandang sekarang,” katanya.

Kulasegaran berkata banyak isu asas seperti kadar pengangguran yang tinggi, keadaan sekolah Tamil yang begitu menyedihkan, ketiadaan pinjaman pelajaran atau biasiswa dan penyertaan rendah kaum India dalam pasaran ekuiti, masih belum ditangani sepenuhnya.

Suka PR

“Saya percaya masyarakat India lebih suka kepada PR kerana sikap terbuka serta kesediaannya bersuara untuk mereka dan dalam menangani keperluan mereka. PR sanggup melantik seorang India sebagai Timbalan Ketua Menteri Pertama di Pulau Pinang dan seorang Speaker dalam Dewan Undangan Negeri Perak,” katanya.

Bagaimanapun, beberapa penganalisis politik berpendapat sesetengah NGO berasaskan kaum India, seperti Hindraf, kini mendapati PR hanya “memberi fokus utama” terhadap pengundi Melayu dan Cina atau hanya menangani isu melibatkan masyarakat India secara satu persatu hingga menimbulkan kebimbangan masyarakat itu bahawa “perwakilan” mereka melalui PR akan lenyap.

Inilah sebabnya sesetengah pihak berpendapat sokongan masyarakat India berpecah dua dan mendorong BN serta PR, masing-masing yakin bahawa mereka mendapat sokongan kaum itu.

PR akan mengalami kekalahan teruk kali ini sekiranya ia gagal meraih sokongan besar kaum India seperti yang diperolehnya sebelum ini.

Sekiranya 30 peratus pengundi India membuat keputusan untuk tidak mengundi, ertinya BN dan PR perlu bersaing untuk mendapatkan sokongan baki 70 peratus pengundi lagi, yang dalam pada itu pula perpecah kepada tiga “segmen” unik — kelas bawahan, pertengahan dan atasan.

Hilang keterampilan

Sementara itu, Hindraf masih memiliki sedikit sebanyak pengaruh. Sekiranya ia menjauhkan diri daripada PRU, PR mungkin kehilangan cengkamannya di Selangor dan Kedah.

Sebaliknya, jika PR memberi tempat kepada Hindraf, pakatan itu perlu memenuhi tuntutan HRPM, sayap politik Hindraf yang tidak didaftarkan, agar ia diberi lima hingga tujuh kerusi parlimen untuk ditandingi.

Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, Ketua Felo Penyelidik, Institut Kajian Etnik, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, berkata beliau percaya kini, Hindraf sudah hilang keterampilannya akibat perbalahan dalaman yang dialaminya.

Beliau juga berpendapat sebahagian besar masyarakat kelas bawahan menyokong BN, manakala masyarakat kelas pertengahan dan atasan pula menyokong pembangkang.

Sambil menyatakan bahawa walaupun MIC mempunyai peluang lebih cerah pada PRU akan datang berbanding pada 2008, walaupun tidaklah sebaik pada 2004, tetapi perkara itu akan hanya menjadi kenyataan sekiranya parti berkenaan meletakkan calon yang berfikiran terbuka serta disenangi masyarakat lain, setelah resolusi yang dibuat berhubung isu saham MAIKA dan perubahan kepimpinan MIC, menyukarkan PR untuk mengambil sebarang kesempatan daripadanya.

Bernama

‘M’sia should support resolution on Sri Lanka’

Failure to do would be an embarrassment to the nation and the Tamil community in particular, say 51 Indian-based NGOs

KUALA LUMPUR: It will be an embarrassment for Malaysia and particularly the Tamil community if Malaysia does not support a resolution on war crimes committed by Sri Lankan security forces in 2009.

K Arumugam, co-ordinator of the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC), representing 51 Indian-based NGOs, said sources in the Malaysian delegation to the at 19th Human Rights Council (UNHCR) in Geneva, had indicated that the government might vote against the resolution.

Initiated by United States and several other Western countries, copies of the resolution was handed to the delegates yesterday evening and they are scheduled to vote on it next week.

Arumugam said the GCC submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on March 2 urging Malaysia not to make same shocking decision where it supported a resolution initiated by Sri Lanka on its “military solution” to the ethnic conflict in 2009.

He said this resulted in Sri Lanka being protected from facing an international inquiry into war crimes its security forces committed which resulted in the massacre of thousands of Tamils towards end of the 26-year conflict.

Arumugam said a copy of the memorandum was also sent to Minister in the Prime Minister’s department G Palanivel to urging him persuade Najib to support the resolution initiated.

Why the double standard?

He contended that Malaysian government has been very consistent when it came issues related to human right violation in Bosnia, Palestine, Southern Thailand and Philippines.

“But why the double standard in our foreign policy when it came to Sri Lankan Tamils?” asked Arumugam.

He added that Palanivel should raise the matter at the cabinet meeting and also spell out MIC’s position on the issue.

“If Malaysia votes against the resolution, it’ll be tantamount to supporting the brutal killings and the sexual abuse and rapes committed by Sri Lankan security forces,” said Arumugam.

He said Wisma Putra should look into the reports of a three-member panel which was set up immediately after a visit by UN secretary-general Ban Ki Moon.

The panel confirmed that the massive and widespread shelling by Sri Lankan forces caused the deaths of thousands of civilians.

Arumugam urged the Malaysian delegation to view ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’, a documentary produced by Channel 4 to get a grip on the atrocities committed by Sri Lanka’s armed forces.

The TV channel had provided corroborative visual evidence in the form of eyewitness accounts, amateur film footage, photographs and mobile phone videos.

Syabas Moorthy

By Haris Ibrahim,


I first met Waythamoorthy, or just Moorthy as he has asked me to call him, during the High Court proceedings in the Moorthy Everest climber’s case in December, 2005.

Quiet and unassuming, little did I realise that this man would play a pivotal role in the Hindraf rally on 25th November, 2007 and then, in asylum overseas, continue his efforts to bring justice and equality to the marginalised section of the Indian community here.

Whilst in the UK in November, 2010, I met Moorthy on 2 occasions during which we had heart to heart talks on how Hindraf could work with other efforts in civil society to restore this nation, her institutions and her wealth, back to the 40% who are impoverished and who have been marginalised for so long.

You may not always agree with his point of view, or even his methods, but you must respect his untiring, relentless efforts in the cause that he now pursues.

Much credit is due to Moorthy who has shown great wisdom in steering Hindraf into the ongoing ABU initative.

The Global Human Rights Defender of Indian Diaspora award bestowed upon Moorthy, in my humble view, is much deserved. You can read bout this HERE.
Proud to know you, bro.

Single Mothers Should Act As Agent Of Change - Rosmah

PEKAN, March 11 (Bernama) -- Single mothers should not merely be recipients of benefits from development, but instead they should be more active as an agent of change in the country's development along with other women.

The Prime Minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor said thus the fate of single mothers should be given full attention by the community.

"Single Mothers should be given suitable facilities according to their status for them to find a living and should not be marginalised," she said when opening the Single Mothers and Women's Organisation general meeting here Sunday.

Easy way out for Shahrizat