Pakatan won’t deliver, says Gerakan

People should not get excited over its election manifesto as its track record shows it's simply a ruse to fish for votes, says Baljit Singh

GEORGE TOWN: A local Gerakan leader said the people should not to get carried away with Pakatan Rakyat’s election manifesto because they won’t be able to deliver on it.

State Gerakan legal and human rights bureau head, Baljit Singh, said Pakatan had unrealistically promised many populist programmes just to fish votes to capture Putrajaya.

But once it had helmed the federal government, said Baljit, Pakatan would always resort to its standard modus operandi to justify any non-delivery.

“Pakatan promises the sun and the moon. But people should not get excited over it. Chances are it would not be fulfilled, especially based on Pakatan’s track record,” he said today.

Recalling a quote of Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim that “a manifesto is not a promise”, Baljit said Pakatan may remind the people that it was not obliged to deliver on its election pledges.

He added that Pakatan allies, PKR, DAP and PAS, were operating more as individual parties rather than a single cohesive unit.

“Leaders of one party would always conveniently distance themselves and spurn their joint-responsibility to deliver an election promise made by a leader from another ally.”

‘Pakatan should not give false hopes’

He cited the demolition of Indian traditional urban village, Kampung Buah Pala, commonly known as Tamil High Chaparral, in 2009, to back his claim.

“Anwar told the villagers, “Kalau tak dapat geran dalam satu minggu, nama saya bukan Anwar Ibrahim.” (If the title is not given within a week, my name is not Anwar Ibrahim).

“He promised them that if the then opposition parties came into power, the state government would solve their problem within a week.

“That was in 2008, but at height of the fiasco, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is the DAP secretary general, famously said that he never promised anything to villagers.

“Clearly Lim distanced himself from Anwar and spurned his responsibility to deliver on behalf of Pakatan,” said Baljit.

If the first two excuses failed to work, the Gerakan man said Pakatan leaders would always lean back on their favourite blame game and attribute their failings to Barisan Nasional.

He said the DAP-led state government’s threat to take court action to hold local government election in Penang was Pakatan’s latest blame game on BN.

Baljit said the manifesto may not hold water since Pakatan was not a legitimately registered coalition, but an informal loose political pact formed just to oust BN and capture Putrajaya.

“They can’t even agree on a common symbol to get Pakatan registered as a coalition. They are honest, and would operate on separate agendas once the election was over.

“How and who then can voters hold responsible on non-delivery of Pakatan’s manifesto when the coalition was not even a legitimate political block? Are citizens being duped here?

“Pakatan should not give people false hopes and promises,” said Baljit.
- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/03/01/pakatan-wont-deliver-says-gerakan/#sthash.feOEu75d.dpuf

Ex-Umno Member: 500,000 Blue ICs Issued To Immigrants Under Mustapha Harun’s Orders

Boo Su-Lyn and Emily Ding, TMI

About 500,000 blue identity cards (ICs) were given to Filipino and Indonesian immigrants in Sabah in the early 1990s under the orders of then-Sabah Umno chief Tun Datu Mustapha Harun, a former Umno member said today.

Siti Aminah Mahmud, who worked voluntarily in the Umno office in Kota Kinabalu, said today that the now-deceased Mustapha, who was the third chief minister of Sabah from 1967 to 1975, had told her that the ICs were issued to overthrow the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) government.

“Datu Mustapha said this is (Tun) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad)’s project. Don’t be afraid of getting caught,” Siti Aminah told a press conference at the PKR headquarters here today, relating Mustapha’s briefing to her and other Umno members in Kota Kinabalu in 1990.

“Datu Mustapha said it was to increase the number of Malay voters to take down PBS,” added the 62-year-old woman.

About 500,000 blue ICs were given to Filipino and Indonesian immigrants in Sabah in the early 1990s. Siti Aminah said that she and other Umno members worked together with the National Registration Department (NRD) and village heads to issue about 500,000 blue ICs to Filipino and Indonesian immigrants from 1990 to 1994 in several areas of Sabah, including Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Kota Kinabalu, and Semporna.

She added that she was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) from 1995 to 1997 for allegedly issuing fake ICs and falsifying NRD documents.

The 1994 Sabah state election saw PBS winning just 25 of the 48 state assembly seats.

But several PBS assemblymen defected to Barisan Nasional (BN) shortly after, causing the collapse of the PBS government.

Mustapha, who had founded the United Sabah National Organisation (USNO), is considered Sabah’s father of independence for his role in negotiating the state’s independence in 1963, before dying in 1995 at the age of 76.

USNO joined forces with former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh’s Berjaya to form Sabah Umno after PBS defeated Berjaya in the 1990 state election.

Dr Mahathir, Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister who was in power from 1981 to 2003, has been accused of spearheading the so-called “Project IC”, in which citizenship was allegedly given to immigrants for their votes.

Dr Mahathir told a press conference last month that foreigners in Sabah had indeed received citizenship, but stressed that it was “within the law”.

Harris, who administered the state from 1976 to 1985, has denied at the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the illegal immigrant problem in Sabah of the existence of “Project IC”.

More than a quarter of Sabah’s population are foreigners, totalling a staggering 889,000 out of the 3.2 million-strong population in Sabah, or about 28 per cent, based on a 2010 census.

Sabah has 926,638 voters, according to a June report in English-language daily The Star.

Siti Aminah said today that one IC number would be issued to 20 or 30 people.

“One address is also used by 20 people,” she said.

“In one area, there’ll be a leader who will gather people. Once we reach, we’ll get their names. We don’t ask about their religions. We’ll see if they have Muslim names. If they don’t, we’ll change their names to Muslim names. Then we’ll take their pictures and thumb prints and send it to the Umno office,” she added.

Siti Aminah said the blue ICs would be processed in about a month and delivered in sacks to village heads.

“We’ll tell the village head, ‘Tok, please instruct the villagers to vote for Umno’,” she added.

Siti Aminah, who is now a PKR member, said she was unaware if the immigrants had paid for the ICs.

Senior Special Branch officer Supt Ahmad Fauzan Mohamad testified at the RCI last week that a syndicate involving then-Sabah NRD directors had made at least RM11 million from selling ICs to illegal immigrants in Sabah.

He also said that none of the 94 people, who were arrested under the ISA from 1995 to 2001 for their involvement in the syndicate, were ever charged in court.

Then-Sabah NRD director Ramli Kamarudin told the RCI last month that then-Deputy Home Minister, the late Tan Sri Megat Junid Megat Ayub, had ordered him to issue NRD receipts, which matched the names and IC numbers of registered voters, to immigrants.

Ramli had said that about 200 NRD receipts were issued in five or six state constituencies each, which the government considered difficult to win, before the 1994 Sabah state election.

Siti Aminah said she has not yet been called to testify at the RCI.

She also stressed that Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was then Dr Mahathir’s deputy, was never mentioned in “Project IC”.

“Anwar had fought with Datu Mustapha and Megat Junid over Project IC,” she said.

Siti Aminah also said that according to Mustapha, “Project IC” started during Harris’ administration and was codenamed “03”, as well as “04” and “05” during Mahathir’s administration.

Insiden Lahad Datu: Kenapa Kerajaan Ambil Mudah Isu Keselamatan Negara?

KENYATAAN MEDIA
UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA

1 MAC 2013

INSIDEN LAHAD DATU: KENAPA KERAJAAN AMBIL MUDAH ISU KESELAMATAN NEGARA?

Saya ucapkan takziah kepada keluarga dua anggota keselamatan negara, Inspektor Zulkifli Mamat dan Sarjan Sabaruddin dari Unit 69 Komando yang terkorban dalam insiden bersenjata di Lahad Datu, Sabah hari ini.

Kerajaan Malaysia di bawah kepimpinan Dato’ Sri Najib Razak dan menteri yang bertanggungjawab menjaga urusan keselamatan dan pertahanan negara sewajarnya tampil menjelaskan kepada rakyat tentang peristiwa berdarah ini.

Mengapa sebegitu mudah sempadan negara dibolosi oleh sekumpulan warga asing bersenjata dan mengapakah kerajaan begitu berkompromi dalam menyelesaikan isu ini? Isu keselamatan negara tak sewajarnya dipandang remeh dan diambil mudah oleh pihak kerajaan. Rakyat perlu diberikan maklumat mengenai apa yang berlaku.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Malaysia will survive GE13, says ‘Dr Doom’

By ZURAIRI AR - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — The Malaysian economy will weather the next general election and stay robust even with a change in government, renowned world economist Nouriel Roubini said today.

Roubini, also known in the media as “Dr Doom” for his consistently pessimistic economic outlook, gave his prediction today amid previous warnings by names such as veteran statesman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former top cop Tan Sri Musa Hassan that Malaysia will descend into political and economic chaos should Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wins the next polls.

“I would say whatever the result is going to be, this country has shown institutional and political stability,” Roubini said here in his keynote address at the Datum Economic Forum 2013.

“Investors recognised that, and therefore as long as there is a democratic process, as long as there’ll be policy clarity after those elections, it’s certainly going to be positive.”

Roubini admitted that the electoral process itself will introduce elements of uncertainty for investors, but refused to comment on the election date that has yet to be announced.

“I think whether the decision will be taken imminently or shortly … whatever those results may be, this is a stable democracy that’s been committed to following economical policies to economic success

“It’s going to be positive,” he added.

Roubini also offered his observation on pre-election practices which are affecting Malaysia’s economic standing.

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (centre) officiates the Datum Economic Forum 2013 “Building Communities Enriching Lives” in Kuala Lumpur March 1, 2013. — Picture by Choo Choy May
“Whenever there’s an election, whoever’s in power before elections provides cash handouts to the people as a way of boosting chances of winning, and that increases a chance of deficit in an election year,” Roubini said.

“Hopefully that will be reversed after the election.”

Roubini, who was named as Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine, gained popularity after he predicted the United States sub-prime crisis and the subsequent worldwide recession in 2008 three years before it happened.

On January 2011, Roubini’s analysis firm Roubini Global Economics (RGE) commented that much-needed reforms to Malaysia’s pro-Bumiputera policies would likely be put on the back burner until Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak secures a new electoral mandate.

In the report titled “Wednesday Note — Malaysia’s Middle-Income Malaise” RGE reported that Umno was “unlikely” to revamp such policies “blocking” Malaysia’s rise to high-income nation status before the next general election for fear of antagonising Malay voters.

It also said that affirmative action policies have exacerbated the non-Bumiputera brain drain problem and also created a “strategic disadvantage” for local firms by limiting human and financial capital as well as “perpetuating an unlevel playing field” for entrepreneurs.

Roubini, an economics professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, previously advised the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) and currently holds research fellowships at London’s Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) and the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- See more at: http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2013/03/01/malaysia-will-survive-ge13-says-dr-doom/#more-22548

ROS stops investigations into Suaram

The Star
By SHAILA KOSHY

KUALA LUMPUR: The Registrar of Societies (ROS) has stopped all investigations into Suaram. The Attorney-General will also not be taking any action against Suaram in relation to the ROS investigations.

Suaram lead counsel Edmund Bon told High Court judge Justice Zaleha Yusof this in chambers Thursday at the outset of their application for leave for a judicial review against the ROS notice dated Oct 5, ordering Suaram lawyer Roger Chan to produce privileged documents under Section 51(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Bon said Suaram, which is registered as a company - Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd - received letters from the ROS and A-G on Wednesday saying that all investigations had stopped and the case was closed.

Senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan confirmed the A-G would not be taking any further action.

Bon asked for an adjournment to March 11, saying there were more than 10 orders/notices/summonses that were issued to various individuals who were either related or not related to Suaram.

He said they wanted the A-G's Chambers to have the ROS issue a letter stating that they would withdraw or cancel all the orders/notices/summonses.

He said that if they did not get the letter, they would proceed with their application for leave in court.

Justice Zaleha ordered the respondents, who include the ROS, Home Minister and Inspector-General of Police, to issue the letter and fixed March 11 for case management.

PAS Flip-Flop Sign Of Mental Disorder - Political Analyst

By Haslinda Zainal

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - The PAS flip flop on certain issues and disunity among members and partners, the DAP and PKR, are signs that PAS is suffering from mental disorder, said a political analyst.

Director of National Integration Studies Centre, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Prof Datuk Dr Zainal Kling said PAS is in a dilemma after making a decision that involves Islam and politics.

"PAS does not know what to do, follow the socialistof DAP or Islam. It said the wrong thing and had to retract, resulting in a mess," he told Bernama here today.

The issue of use of the word 'Allah' in the Malay version of the Bible is a big blow to PAS when the decision of the Pakatan Rakyat supreme ccouncil was announced by an opposition leader.

However, the decision was challenged by the PAS Ulama Shura Council which decided that the word 'Allah' could not be used by non-Muslims.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang should reverse the decision but until today, he has done nothing to rectify the problem.

PAS also disagreed with the candidate for the Prime Minister's post should the opposition succeed in capturing Putrajaya in the general election.

It suggested that the post he held by Abdul Hadi but DAP chairman Karpal Singh stressed the post should go to opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Zainal said PAS is increasingly desperate to garner support as general election beckons and has to resort to discrediting the government.

"PAS talks about welfare state, but Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has done more than that. It does not how to counter and began talking about Pharaoh and chicken (Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia)."

He said PAS leaders should examine their faith in depth if it want to continue with the DAP and PKR.

"If you want to be a Muslim, you cannot be friends with socialists (DAP). If the opposition captures Putrajaya, PAS will have to sacrifice the Islamic state concept and lose the support of Muslims."

Malaysian Youth Clubs Global Relief chairman Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi said youths are fed up with the flip flop stance displayed by PAS.

"The changing stance can be equated with hypocritical. PAS should be more transparent with its stand and not jump here and there, just to garner votes."

He was surprised that PAS could sit down with DAP and PKR which have no respect for the position of Islam in the country.

"PAS can remain as hypocrites (continuing with Pakatan)), or leave with dignity and refrain from committing sins," he added.

Meanwhile, Defenders of Islam (Pembela) secretary, Abdul Karim Omar believes PAS fear losing control of Kedah and Kelantan if they choose Anwar as candidate for Prime Minister.

He said it is better for DAP to drop PKR and DAP so that the party can uphold Islam.

"Maybe, it is better for PAS to be with Umno," he added.

Malaysia raids Sabah village to end deadlock

At least 10 reportedly killed in clashes in Malaysian territory occupied by armed clan from the Philippines.

A Filipino clan leader who occupied a Malaysian village in the territory of Sabah with nearly 200 followers, has said the Malaysian police opened fired at them, reportedly killing at least 10 of its members.

Raja Muda Abimuddin Kiram, leader of the armed group, told Al Jazeera's Jamela Alindogan on Saturday that authorities fired at them in an apparent bid to end the three-week stand-off that threatens to complicate the relations between the two countries.

Our correspondent said she "could hear gunshots [in] the background" when she talked to Kiram on the phone.

Raul Hernandez, spokesman for the Philippines foreign ministry, confirmed the incident but did not elaborate on the reported Filipino fatalities.

Hernandez, however, said two Malaysian police officers were killed and another one wounded, after their vehicle were reportedly fired upon by the Kiram group.

"The ambassador said that the stand-off is now over," Hernandez said refering to Datu Mohd Zamri, Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines, who met Philippine Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario.

Malaysian warning

In Malaysia, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said the armed Filipino clan should leave the area as soon as possible, according to the Bernama state news agency.

"We will not let this issue to prolong," he said. "We will do what it takes to defend the sovereignty of our country."

Members of a Muslim royal clan who call themselves the Royal Sulu Army from southern Philippines landed in a coastal village in Sabah on February 9 to claim the territory as their own, citing ownership documents from the late 1800s.

They ignored appeals from Philippine President Benigno Aquino III to leave immediately or face prosecution at home on charges of triggering armed conflict.

The group claimed that they made the decision to occupy the Sabah village in protest at the Philippine government's continued indifference to their claim.

Mar Roxas, the Philippine interior secretary, said that according to the Philippine police attaché in Malaysia, the police in Sabah fired warning shots. Roxas had no reports of any casualties.

Aquino urged on Tuesday Kiram's brother in the Philippine province of Sulu, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, to order his followers to return home and called their action a "foolhardy act'' that was bound to fail.

Peace negotiations

The stand-off elevated the Sabah territorial issue, which has been a thorn in the Philippine-Malaysian relations for decades, to a Philippine national security concern.

The crisis erupted at a crucial stage of peace negotiations, arranged by Malaysia between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group in the southern Philippines.

Aquino has said that the standoff may have been an attempt to undermine his government on the part of those opposing the peace deal, including politicians and warlords who fear being left out in any power sharing arrangements.

The Malaysian government continues to pay the Kiram clan of Sulu a supposed annual rent of $1,500 for the use of more than 73,000sq km of land Sabah.

The Philippines this week sent a navy ship with social and medical workers off Lahad Datu while trying to persuade the Filipinos to return home.

Source: Al Jazeera And Agencies

PI Bala: Razak regretted not paying Altantuya

Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda apparently regretted not paying the US$500,000 in "commission" due to slain Mongolian Altantuya Shaaribuu, claimed former private investigator P Balasubramaniam.
He recounted Razak as allegedly saying this just prior to his arrest in 2006.

Balasubramaniam, employed by Razak then, was giving a blow-by-blow account of the circumstances surrounding Altantuya's death during his first public appearance last night after fleeing the country nearly five years ago.

He said he was leaving the office of a lawyer identified as Puravelan, with Razak, in a lift at that time.
Newspapers were already speculating then about Razak (left) being arrested soon, and the lawyer was busy preparing his client for such an eventuality.

Upon hearing this, the private investigator supposedly told Razak, "Boss, look here. What was my advice to you? Police report. You should have done the police report."

Went against advice

Balasubramaniam explained that Razak had engaged him to keep Altantuya at bay, but the private eye advised him to lodge a police report instead.

However, Razak purportedly declined to do so because "a VVIP was involved," who was later revealed to be then defence minister and now Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Altantuya was said to be demanding US$500,000 (RM1,550,750) and three air tickets to Mongolia from Razak at the time, supposedly as "fees" for her role in mediating the Scorpene submarine deal.

Balasubramaniam said Razak did end up being arrested on Nov 7, the day the conversation took place, just 30 minutes upon reaching his office at Bangunan Getah Asli, Kuala Lumpur after the meeting.

He was eventually charged and acquitted of allegedly abetting in Altantuya's murder, while two police Special Action Unit (UTK) officers were sentenced to death for allegedly shooting Altantuya and blasting her remains with military-grade explosives.

Some 1,000 people crammed Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall's main hall last night to hear first-hand what Balasubramaniam had to say on the Mongolian's killing.

New revelations were few and far in between while Balasubramaniam often stumbled to find the right words and had to rely on a Powerpoint slide he had prepared since his return to recall some of the events.

Exposures entrance crowd

Nevertheless, the audience remained glued to their seats - or the floor if they couldn't find one - for nearly two hours until around 11.30pm as Balasubramaniam painstakingly went through the events.

This included what had transpired between him and Razak from their introduction until the arrest, the circumstances surrounding his first statutory declaration implicating Najib in the murder and a second statutory declaration made under duress to retract it, and further attempts to bribe him to slander opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

The audience appeared to be engaged by Balasubramaniam's version of the events, clapping and cheering at key points of his talk or whenever a prominent personality's name, like Najib, cropped up.
They also booed at a video of Najib denying any involvement in the incident that was screened as part of the prelude to the talk.

Other speakers included Suaram secretariat member Cynthia Gabriel and cartoonist Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar.

During the talk, Balasubramaniam mentioned that he was alone with the commissioner of oaths during the second statutory declaration.

When event moderator Badrul Hisham Shaharin asked him about a lawyer supposedly involved in preparing the document, Balasubramaniam said he only knew of this through ‘hearsay' via businessperson Deepak Jaikishan, who had persuaded him to make the declaration.
"If you ask me, I don't know. I only heard the hearsay info because Deepak had already mentioned that it was Cecil Abraham (left)," he said, drawing cheers from the crowd.

He said his lawyer Americk Sidhu and human rights activist Haris Ibrahim had pressured the Bar Council to look into the allegation and its president Lim Chee Wee had asked him to give a statement.

"If everything goes right, Cecil Abraham's cover will be blown," he said.
When approached by Malaysiakini last month, Cecil had refused to comment on the allegations. Malaysiakini is currently seeking Razak Baginda’s comments on the matter.

Uthaya: Manifesto overlooked Hindraf's 18-point demand

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) de facto leader P Uthayakumar has slammed Pakatan Rakyat's manifesto for overlooking its 18-point demand to assist the Indian community.

He said that while Pakatan supremo Anwar Ibrahim has offered to fix an omission in the manifesto by adding in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang's oil royalty, Hindraf's demands did not receive the same treatment.

Uthayakumar, who is also the Human Rights Party pro-tem secretary-general, questioned whether the manifesto transcends racial boundaries as Anwar had claimed on Tuesday.

"There are zero provisions in the manifesto to undo these 56 years of ongoing Umno racism-cum-injustices victimising the most vulnerable community in Malaysia, like the Indian poor.

"(Although) Pakatan shouted ubah (change), the manifesto does not include undoing these injustices," Uthayakumar said in a statement today.

To illustrate his point, Uthayakumar described the condition of a 61-year-old Indian Malaysian woman named Pushpagantha, who is suffering from several diseases and had approached Hindraf for help yesterday.

"The Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (Tekun Nasional) and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) government loans do not reach the Indian poor like Pushpagantha.

"Neither are they in Pakatan’s manifesto," he said, adding that the woman had asked for land for agricultural purposes.

Yesterday, Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy expressed "extreme disappointment" with the manifesto, saying that it has neglected the interests of the Indian Malaysian community.

He also lamented the fact that Pakatan has not endorsed Hindraf’s five-year blueprint, which he said offers a "permanent, practical and comprehensive" solution to the problem of marginalised Indians for a "mere" RM4.5 billion a year.

Islamic Violence erupted in Bangladesh. Jamaat men attacked Hindus in Noakhali. 32 killed after death sentence given to War Crime Sayedee.

 

At least 23 killed including Hindu minorities by Muslim fundamentalists in protests in Bangladesh over Islamist’s death sentence.

Jamaatis wreak havoc over Hindu minorities in Bangladesh after announcing death sentence to Delawar Hossain Sayedee.

Dhaka | BD News Agency | Feb 28 2013 :: Islamic Bangladesh is again on Jihadi fire. Bangladesh was put on the boil today as at least 32 people, including three policemen, were killed and scores injured in violence after a death sentence was handed down to a top leader of the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami for “crimes against humanity” during the 1971 liberation war. Hindu Minorities were then being targeted in NoaKhali, Satkhira and almost all over Bangladesh, out of a bare outburst of Islamic communalism. The same repetition is now being observed in Noakhali and Chattagram in present situation after Sayeede’s death verdict.

After Jamaat executive council member Delwar Hossain Sayedee was awarded death sentence for 1971 war crimes, the attacks there were carried out from a Jamaat procession protesting the verdict. The violence followed the verdict of the special Bangladeshi tribunal that handed down death penalty to Delwar Hossain Sayedee, vice-president of the party, amid a nationwide shutdown called by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).

“He (Delwar Hossain Sayedee) will be hanged by neck till he is dead,” pronounced chairman of the three-judge International Crimes Tribunal Justice ATM Fazle Kabir.

Right after the verdict, leaders and activists of Jamaat and its student affiliate Islami Chhatra Shibir took out the procession at Begumganj’s Rajganj Bazar.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Begumganj circle Mahbub Alam Khan said attacks were carried out from that procession and the Hindu temples at Rajganj Bazar, Thakur Barhi and Bainnabarhi areas were vandalised. Reports of molestation of Hindu girls are also hooked up in the widespread news.

The attackers also set the residences of Bhuiyan and Banik families on fire, leaving six people injured.

ASP Khan said additional police forces were deployed later.

Meanwhile, activists of Jamaat supporters clashed with police in Noakhali town following the verdict. Shibir activists detonated several crude bombs at that time.

Acting SP Mahbub Rashid said the Shibir men also vandalised 12 buses and torched four more at the Al-Amin Bus Depot at Dattar Haat.

He said police fired at least a hundred rounds from the shotguns to take control of the situation. – See more at:

At least 23 people were killed as the activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir went on the rampage across the country after Sayedee’s verdict,the Daily Star reported.

The victims included the cops, activists of Jamaat, Shibir, Juba League and common people.

Of the deceased, six people, including three policemen, were killed in Gaibandha, four in Thakurgaon, three in Satkhira, two each in Rangpur, Noakhali and Sirajganj while one each in Dinajpur, Natore, Cox’s Bazar and Chapainawabganj.

In Gaibandha after the verdict several thousand supporters of the Islamic party attacked a police outpost in Sundarganj upazila.

They beat three policemen to death and set fire to the outpost. In response, police opened fire, leaving three people killed.

In Thakurgaon about 1,500 Jamaat-Shibir men took out a procession after the verdict and attacked shops and houses of Awami League men and the Hindu community.

Noakhali- Begumganj

Police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) teams rushed there and fired blank shots and tear shells to disperse the attackers.

Encircling the police, the marauding Jamaat-Shibir men started to throw brick-bats and, at one stage, closed in to fight them. Police opened fire to escape, leaving one dead on the spot and about eight to 10 injured.

A 13-year-old Shibir supporter, was later found lying dead, bullet-hit, inside a shop. Two other persons were declared dead at the Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital, police said.

At least two people were killed and 57 others injured during clashes between the activists of JI-Shibir and the police in the northwestern district of Rangpur.

The deceased were Shibir activists.

In Noakhali after the pronouncement of the verdict, Jamaat and Shibir activists set fire to a temple and houses of Hindu community.

Two people were killed as the activists clashed with law enforcers at different points in Noakhali.

In Dinajpur, a Shibir man was killed and two sustained bullet wounds when the BGB men opened fire on activists of JI and Shibir.

Three people in Satkhira, two in Sirajganj and one each in Cox’s Bazar and Chapainawabganj, were killed in violence following the verdict.

An Awami League activist was hacked to death in Natore district.

Banshkhali- Chattagram

JI activists also attacked police camps at different places.

Authorities earlier called out paramilitary BGB along with the police and elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to maintain law and order.

The verdict came as a security blanket covered the capital Dhaka and other major cities after JI called a nationwide shutdown coinciding with the date of the judgement, while thousands of youngsters enforced a street vigil demanding the capital punishment for the war criminals.

Following the verdict, thousands of youngsters celebrated beating drums and chanting slogans in the capital and several other major cities where transport plied in large numbers and offices and businesses remained open defying the JI strike call.

“Hang the war criminals, ban Jamaat-Shibir,” they shouted parading the city streets.

No clash was reported in Dhaka though witnesses said JI activists tried to make visible their presence on the street exploding homemade bombs and staging street marches at places but fled the scenes as police chased them with rubber bullets and tear gas canisters.

Source News & Pic.s: BD News | Daily Star | Outlook | AFP | Reuters | Agencies.

Protest over 'gay hate' Islamic cleric's vist to university

Campaigners have hit out at the University of Reading for allowing a 'gay hate' Islamic preacher to address students.

Abu Usamah at-Thahabi is due to give a speech to the university's Muslim Society as part of its Discover Islam Week on Thursday night.

Anti-extremist group Student Rights has condemned the meeting and called on the university to review its decision to allow the controversial cleric on campus.

Protestors claim he has been caught making homophobic remarks including referring to gay people as "perverted, dirty, filthy dogs who should be murdered".

The Muslim cleric is also being accused of sexual harassment at the Birmingham mosque where he preaches.

According to Birmingham's Sunday Mercury, Mr At Thahabi, who is an imam at the Green Lane mosque in Sparkbrook is named in a website which claims to expose “sexual deviant preachers who prey on our Muslim sisters.”

The site alleges that it has been contacted by at least two female victims of the US-born convert.

The University of Reading has refused to give in to the demands insisting that it was committed to upholding both the right to free speech and lawful protest.

Collapsed Cyberjaya flyover was closed for repairs, say PKNS, Works Ministry

A view of the collapsed flyover in Cyberjaya. PKNS and the Works Ministry say the collapsed flyover has been closed for repairs. – Photo by Choo Choy May

CYBERJAYA, Feb 28 – The flyover near the Selangor Science Park 2 (SSP2) here that collapsed today was closed for repair works since last November, the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) said today.

PKNS general manager Othman Omar said that the flyover, which was originally built by PKNS but has been handed over to highway operator PLUS Malaysia Berhad, was closed to repair a road that had begun to sink beneath it. However, PLUS has denied the flyover was handed to it, saying it is still under the purview of PKNS.

Othman said that both PKNS and PLUS began investigations last December after noticing damage to the flyover from excavation works.
“Before we could finish the investigation, the flyover has collapsed,” Othman told reporters here.

Minister of Works Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor said in a statement today that the flyover and the road below it were closed since December 7 last year, and will remain closed until December 31 this year, depending on the speed of repair works.

“On December 7, I visited the bridge after I was informed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) that there was movements on one of the pillars at the Science Park 2 tiered interchange that connects to Putrajaya and Cyberjaya,” said Shaziman.

Shaziman’s statement was confirmed by PKNS’ deputy general manager Abdul Ghani Hashim, who said that four pillars on the Cyberjaya side suffered from structural problems.

According to PKNS, the peaty land in the area caused the road underneath to sink, causing PLUS to hire a third party to run repair works.

PKNS insisted that the flyover was in perfect condition when it was handed over to PLUS, but it was not designed to withstand deep excavation underneath which has caused structural disturbance.

Othman today promised that works to rebuild the flyover will be started as soon as possible, with clean-up expected to take three weeks, and construction another eight months.

“We don’t want this to be a war of pointing fingers ... We want to take pro-active measures, we will fix this first. Hopefully along the way we will resolve this issue,” he said.

The flyover collapsed around 12.30pm today and appeared to have been broken into two pieces, in the latest incident involving public works projects in the country.

PKNS confirmed that no one was hurt in the incident.

The flyover, which was closed last November, is an exit from the Elite Highway (KM P2.4) towards SSP2. The Lingkaran Putrajaya stretch managed by PLUS towards Putrajaya runs below it.

Works on the RM7 million flyover by contractor BNI Construction started on October 2007, and it was completed on November 2009. Four developers – PKNS, Utuh Aspirasi Sdn Bhd, Taraf Unggul Sdn Bhd, and Semai Ria Sdn Bhd – shared the cost for its construction.

Surendran to make election debut

The PKR vice-president confirms that he will be contesting for the parliamentary seat of Padang Serai in Kedah.

VIDEO INSIDE

KUALA LUMPUR: He started out as a human rights activist and then made the transition to politics. Now, PKR vice-president N Surendran has his guns trained on a parliamentary seat for his election debut.

The lawyer, a familiar face at the forefront of numerous human rights abuse cases, would be contesting in the Padang Serai constituency in Kedah, now held by N Gobalakrishnan.

Gobalakrishnan, who quit PKR following differences with the leadership, is still hoping that he would be allowed to contest the seat without hindrance from Barisan Nasional.

In an exclusive interview with FMT, Surendran said: “Yes, I would be contesting the Padang Serai seat. I have worked in elections since 1999; however, this would be the first time I would be standing as a candidate.”

“It is quite a challenge and at the same time it is exciting, but the main goal is to garner enough seats in order to take control of the federal government.

“There is a need to change this country; to rule this country the way it ought to be done,” he added.

Commenting on the speculation that many PKR MPs would be replaced in the coming election, he said that seat deliberations are still ongoing.

“It is an open secret that certainly some may be dropped and there may be new candidates but most would be able to accept the central leadership’s decision.

“There are many ways for them to contribute especially after the takeover of Putrajaya, which we are reasonably confident of, because there’s a lot of work to be done,” he added.

Surendran said that there is a place for everyone in PKR, in the efforts to clean up this country. “We need to end corruption, we also need to clean up the administration,” he added.

With regard to Padang Serai, Surendran said that he had been working on the ground there for sometime.

“I was assigned to contest in Padang Serai by the party leadership which, of course, I immediately accepted.

“I started working in Padang Serai sometime back to send Pakatan’s message down to the people, to explain the changes that we wish to bring,” he added.

No separate list of Indian candidates

Surendran revealed that among the many problems in Padang Serai, it was the poverty rate that alarmed him.

“There’s a lot of problems in Padang Serai, there are many poor people and there’s definitely a lot of work to be done because the poverty rate there is quite shocking. The federal government has not done enough to tackle poverty,” he added.

Asked whether there is a separate list of PKR Indian candidates, he replied that there is none.

“There is no separate list of PKR Indian candidates in the general election. Candidates are being chosen on the basis of requirements of the constituencies, capability, capacity, track record and potential contribution to a new Pakatan government.

“The primary consideration would be the ability of the candidate to bring change to this country and to serve the people of this country,” he added.

Surendran stressed that for a clean and corrupt-free nation, candidates must have the ideas and initiatives to put Malaysia on the right path.

Last week, Gobalakrishnan told FMT said that he will defend his seat as an independent candidate with BN’s support, adding that he had urged BN not to contest against him.

“I definitely stand a better chance than an MCA (BN) candidate,” he told FMT. “Nobody has shown more interest in the wellbeing of the people there than I have.”

Gobalakrishnan quit PKR in early 2011 after receiving a show-cause letter over his attacks against the party leadership.
- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/02/28/padang-serai-surendrans-election-debut/#sthash.IpL7WZK8.dpuf

PI Bala: A lot of hot air but no 'bomb'

(Yahoo News) - “Bala! Bala!” The crowd cheered as private investigator P Balasubramaniam walked with his hands raised into a packed hall at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH). And thus the night began with an air of anticipation – that something "big" will be revealed.

Hundreds of people poured into the hall last night while others watched on a screen provided outside despite the rain yesterday evening.

Close to 1,000 people from all walks of life -- from a young man with skinny jeans and eyeliner to elderly grandfather wearing a kopiah -- anxiously waited for the main event.

The night began like a concert with opening acts to warm up the audience. Controversial political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque or Zunar and Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel took to the stage to fire up the crowd and set the backdrop for Bala’s "revelations".

After more than an hour, Bala finally took the stage and sat with Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who was the moderator.

Bala, who had just returned home on Sunday, Feb 24, after being in hiding since 2008, was now centre stage, looking visibly nervous. He started his two-hour-long "talk" by recounting how he met Abdul Razak Baginda to the day he issued his second statutory declaration (SD).

Bala, the key witness in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial, had linked the then deputy prime minister Najib Razak to the murder in his first SD. However, he retracted the passage regarding Najib in the second SD the next day. - See more at: http://fz.com/content/pi-bala-back-arrives-klia-heros-welcome

Bala was the key witness in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial, and he had linked the then deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to the murder in his first SD. However, he retracted the passage regarding Najib in a second SD the next day.

Bala stumbled on his words, constantly referring to PowerPoint slides to help remember the events, and it went on for so long that he even took a toilet break. “I am very sorry. I haven’t been in the country for so many years so I hope you will have patience with me,” he apologised to the crowd.

Although Bala repeated and revealed nothing new, the audience were at the edge of their seats, glued to his words. The crowd cheered and jeered every time Bala mentioned the names of the prime minister and his wife.

Bala also gave his version of what happened when he met businessman Deepak Jaikishan after he issued his first SD.

“We went to one Chinese shop in Rawang and he (Deepak) was asking what do you get by doing that SD one? Then suddenly I received a call from my wife that she getting harassed by two Malay men outside the house... He (Deepak) said 'don’t worry. If you can prepare this SD then everything will be solved'.

Bala also claimed that he had allegedly met Datuk Nazim Razak at The Curve and that Nazim had threatened Bala's family because of the first SD.

Badrul later promised that last night was the first of many public forums that SAMM planned to organise with Bala nationwide, promising to drop more “bombs” in Kelantan, Johor and Sabah.

Bala declined to speak to reporters.

Opposition Pact's Manifesto Is Like An Old Newspaper, Says Mohd Zin

SHAH ALAM, Feb 28 (Bernama) -- The manifestos of the opposition pact comprising PAS, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP are like the old newspapers because they are merely repeating the pledges that have yet to be fulfilled, said Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) coordinator Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed.

He said the pledges were promises that had never been fulfilled such as the free education although the opposition pact had been in power for almost five years in Selangor.

"Looking at the manifesto in Selangor alone, I feel they have only realised about 15 per cent of all the sweet promises made. In fact, Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had boldly said that the manifesto is not a pledge," he said at a media conference, here Thursday.

Mohd Zin said the manifesto of the oppositiion pact announced recently clearly involved high costs and it was doubtful whether they could afford to implement them.

He said that on the whole, the manifesto made by the opposition pact was merely an election pledge to fish for votes.

He said that among the pledges made by the opposition pact such as the purported intention to eliminate monopoly by creating the Anti-Monopoly Commission, actually should be implemented in Selangor first especially in the sand mining industry.

"The sand mining industry worth billions of ringgit is monopolised only by one company, namely, Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd. Shouldn't the sand mining tender be opened so that that the revenue derived would be more transparent and could generate the state's economy?" he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Zin said he was prepared to debate with anyone on the BN and Pakatan Rakyat manifestos in Selangor.

Siapa Arah Bunuh Altantuya?

Muslim Brotherhood Islamists Surround Christian Church in Attempt to Stop Construction

A group of Islamists surround the Abu Maqar Church in Shubra al-Kheima on Monday in an attempt to stop construction on the church's annex, claiming that the building is not licensed, said sources from the Qalyubiya security department.

Security forces were deployed to the area to convince the group to step down and allow work to resume, the sources claimed.

Ramsis al-Deiry, a member of the Shubra al-Kheima archbishopric's Millet Council, said group of Salafis and members affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood surrounded the building and prevented workers from resuming construction.

Hindraf: Pakatan manifesto a big letdown

Election pledges completely ignores Indians and even Anwar’s pledge to resolve the 350,000 stateless Indians issue within 100 days is not mentioned, says Waythamoorthy

GEORGE TOWN: Pakatan Rakyat election manifesto has sidelined, isolated and marginalised the already much maligned ethnic Indian community, charged Hindraf Makkal Sakti today.

Its supremo, P Waythamoorthy, accused Pakatan of completely ignoring the needs and interests of the Indian community in its election pledges.

He summed up Pakatan’s so-called people’s manifesto as one that has disappointed Indian Malaysians and does not value the community’s support or needs.

“In one stroke, the manifesto has said so many things that disappointed us. It is deeply distressing, not so much by what it says, but by what it does not say.

“It failed to even acknowledge, let alone recognise, the community’s longstanding woes,” the Hindraf chairman said in a statement.

In recent talks with Pakatan leaders, especially PKR, he said they failed to take note that Hindraf had been diligently working with them to bring solutions for these serious problems.

When questioned on this, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said that Pakatan’s manifesto transcends racial groups as well as subgroups including the Indian community.

“If this was the case, how does Anwar justify specific pledges to the Malays, Chinese, Orang Asals, Sabah and Sarawakians, the ex-armed forces and Felda settlers in the manifesto?

“The provisions there do not seem to transcend racial groups and subgroups,” said Waythamoorthy.

“Enough has been said of Pakatan moving away from racial politics but that is more a statement of its intent than the frame for its policies.

“Pakatan has been using this once too often as a cover to ignore the problems of the Indian poor and marginalised.

“That should leave anyone with a strong liberal and democratic conscience, disturbed,” added Waythamoorthy.

He said that it was time to address the Indian problem permanently, to eliminate its root cause – the institutional discrimination – and bring back the almost 1.3 million poor and working class Indians into the mainstream of economic development.

He cited an independent study from the Centre for Policy Studies concluded in 2000 that 600,000 estate workers have been forcibly displaced in the country.

Pakatan taking the same path

He added that Hindraf estimated the figure had reached at 800,000 now.

“This massive forced displacement is a direct result of state development programmes operating in the milieu of institutional racism,” said Waythamoorthy.

By ignoring the problem with the “transcends race argument” and the acceptance of serious violation of human rights, he accused Pakatan of taking the same Umno-led BN path.

He pinpointed that Anwar’s pledge to resolve the 350,000 stateless Malaysian Indians issue within 100 days “found no mention in the manifesto”.

In its various meetings and communications, he said Hindraf had stressed to Anwar and Pakatan allies the need for a targeted and pointed programme to address this serious accumulated problem arising from all the human rights violations of the past 56 years.

He said Hindraf’s proposals were stipulated in its five-year blueprint for the Indian community submitted to all Pakatan parties – PKR, DAP and PAS.

He said the blueprint sought to address issues of institutional discrimination and equal rights of land procurement for economic purposes, equal business opportunities which included business loans, permits and educational opportunities.

He said the annual budget required to fully implement the blueprint was a mere RM4.5 billion or 1.8% of the 2013 annual national budget.

This sum, he insisted, was a reinvestment on human capital to stimulate progress and development in lives of marginalised people.

“Our proposed solutions are permanent, practical and comprehensive. Pakatan confirmed verbally that it was in principle agreeable with the blueprint,” said Waythamoorthy.

He noted that Pakatan not only failed to give a single pledge in its manifesto to address any of the Indian problems, but it also did not formally endorse the blueprint.

Even though Hindraf recognised that it was Pakatan’s prerogative, he said the movement was more concerned with “loss of a historic opportunity to get the process of change rolling”.

Kingmakers sidelined

Meanwhile, Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (Mipas) secretary-general S Bharatidasan asked why Indians were left out in Pakatan’s latest manifesto.

“Remember that we are kingmakers in several seats and a majority of us supported Pakatan in the 2008 general election,” he said.

Bharatidasan demanded the opposition pact prepare specific allocations and programmes for Indians, as the community is still lagging in many fields.

“We also demand Indians be given seven ministers and eight deputy ministers’ posts should Pakatan form the next federal government,” said Bharatidasan.
- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/02/27/hindraf-pakatan-manifesto-a-big-letdown/#sthash.NFQctR41.dpuf

Go to the moon, Vell Paari tells Perkasa

Responding to Perkasa's stinging criticism, the MIC leader says that it is them and not him who is the real liability to BN.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malay extremist group Perkasa has launched a scathing attack against MIC leader S Vell Paari and defended academic Ridhuan Tee Abdullah over his controversial article.

In an online news report, the movement’s secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali described the MIC strategy director as a publicity hound attempting to reverse his sinking political fortunes.

Calling Vell Paari a liability to Barisan Nasional, he said Indian community leaders close to Perkasa had advised the MIC leadership to ignore Vell Paari because his voice was no longer important.

Responding to the criticism, the MIC leader said that he was willing to sponsor mirrors for the members of Perkasa.

“It is obvious that they have not looked at themselves in a mirror. These imbeciles label me a burden to BN when Perkasa was responsible for alienating non-Malay votes with their racism.

“So I hope with these mirrors, they could take a good look at themselves before pointing their stained fingers at others.

“It also seems that my voice was important enough to draw a reaction from Perkasa,” he told FMT.

Furthermore, Vell Paari said unlike Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali, who hopped from BN to the opposition, and then back again, he continued to remain with the ruling coalition.

“Their leader is a frog, who would never turn into a handsome prince no matter how many times you kiss him and these people have the audacity to talk about me. I find that amusing,” he added.

Barking for the right reasons

As for him being a publicity hound, Vell Paari quipped that he was glad to be compared to an animal that was considered grateful.

The MIC leader added that at least he was in the news for barking in defence of preserving this nation’s multiracialism unlike Perkasa which was in the news for being rabid, and therefore should be put to sleep.

“Once again, with the mirrors I am willing to present Perkasa, they could at least stand before them and ask, ‘mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the biggest threat to BN of them all’,” he added.

Commenting on Syed Hassan’s remark that Indian leaders close to Perkasa had advised MIC’s top brass to ignore him, Vell Paari said he was shocked that the movement’s leaders had Indian friends.

“And if there are Indian community leaders willing to be close to such bigots, it is their voices which must be ignored, not mine.

“I love my country more than I love the party that I belong to. So I would not stop criticising those who threaten my nation with their venom,” he stressed.

Does Perkasa represent the Malays?

Vell Paari also took Syed Hassan to task for claiming that the former’s views did not represent the sentiments of the Indian community.

“This is the problem with those who only read certain newspapers and live in a cocoon.

“It is Perkasa’s views that do not represent the feelings of the ‘true’ Malays as illustrated by the handful of supporters who turned up for their so-called counter protest against Bersih.

“We could even ask the Malays in PAS and PKR if Perkasa represented their voice,” he added.

Quizzed on Perkasa’s defence of Ridhuan’s article, saying that there were some elements of truth in it, Vell Paari said that statement alone proved the mindset of the movement’s leaders.

“These people are criticising me for criticising a racist. Perkasa and people like Ridhuan belong on the moon and not in a multi-racial nation like Malaysia,” he said.

On Syed Hasan’s warning that Vell Paari and opposition Indian leaders should refrain from making threats and hurtful remarks, the MIC leader said the Perkasa secretary-general should advise his president first.

“Ibrahim Ali called for the burning of Bibles. I am asking for action to be taken against a racist. So in what warped logic, am I the greater threat?” he asked.

“Ridhuan stands accused of plagiarising and being a fraud. Is this the type of people Perkasa wishes to defend? That speaks volumes about Perkasa, doesn’t it?” he added.

The MIC leader also clarified that he was not demanding an apology from Ridhuan but rather wanted him sacked for his insensitive remarks.
- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/02/27/go-to-the-moon-vell-paari-tells-perkasa/#sthash.Qy0h2I8d.dpuf

Kayveas: Is Palani powerless or just ignorant?

The PPP chief, while telling MIC to stay out of their spat with Nanban, questions the party chief's credibility in standing up for the Indian community.

PETALING JAYA: People’s Progressive Party (PPP) president, M Kayveas, condemned MIC’s support of Malaysia Nanban over its humiliating statements against the Indian community.

The Tamil daily, in an article on Feb 20, opined that the Indian community could be won over with “free food and tasty mutton”, and that PPP was prone to doing that to rake in votes.

The article questioned if such a move by PPP, which is a Barisan Nasional component party, would favour the ruling coalition in attracting the Indian community’s votes.

Angered by the article, party members and Kayveas were reported to have ambushed the daily’s headquarters in Jalan Ipoh, seeking clarification.

Kayveas, in denying the news reports, said: “First of all, we didn’t ‘ambush’ the daily. We were in fact invited to the Nanban office by the director Ahmad Mydin Sikandar Batcha.

“He wanted to show us proof that what was written was indeed true. They promised a public apology the next day but instead now claim that we had ambushed them.”

‘Why should I apologise?’

Kayveas also said that a number of MIC men were present, claiming to be “security” personnel when he and other PPP members visited the Nanban office.

“Why does MIC need to send ‘security’ [personnel] for Nanban? They have nothing to do with this. Police officers were already deployed and they helped settle the issue before we left,” he said.

Kayveas also said that MIC Youth chief T Mohan and strategy director S Vell Paari have told him to apologise to Nanban for his actions.

“Why should I apologise to them? What did we do to harm them? Why are they not standing up for the Indian community? What is their motive really?” he asked.

When asked if he had contacted the MIC president G Palanivel with regard to this issue, he said: “I only received a reply from Palanivel saying ‘you are free to do your part’.”

“This clearly means that he isn’t going to do anything about this. Is he powerless or is he just being plain ignorant?” he said.

Kayveas assured that PPP will continue to fight for Indians and suggested that it was best for MIC to stay out of this matter as “I know how to handle this issue amicably”.
- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/02/27/kayveas-is-palani-powerless-or-just-ignorant/#sthash.5A42um12.dpuf

Ramasamy: BN behind rallies backing me

The idea is to cause a split in DAP, says the Penang deputy chief minister.

PETALING JAYA: Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy today accused Barisan Nasional of masterminding protests that ostensibly championed him as a victim of alleged manipulation of DAP election results.

Commenting on a report appearing in FMT yesterday, he said it was wrong to call them “pro-Ramasamy rallies” because they were held not out of concern for his political career but to cause a split in DAP.

The participants were not even DAP members, he added.

“There was one protest held in Perai by members of the Indian Progressive Front (IPF) and another by anti-Pakatan people in Georgetown,” he said. “They definitely have no love for me.”

He said he was certain that the protests were organised by elements in BN.

Yesterday, a group of DAP grassroots members called on the party to investigate demonstrations that depicted Ramasamy’s defeat in last December’s central executive committee (CEC) election as a defeat to the Indian community.

The group, who included Penang DAP Indian Bureau secretary S Sukumar and Bagan Luar branch chairman G Asoghan, asked the party to identify the mastermind of the protests and remove them from DAP.

Speaking on the behalf of the group, Asoghan said many grassroots leaders and members were astonished by the protests and the press statements issued about them.

The polls were marred by a glitch that was attributed to miscalculations on Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Ramasamy was subsequently co-opted into the CEC.

Ramasamy told FMT he had never complained about the results. “I was the first to accept the CEC election results,” he said.
- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/02/27/ramasamy-bn-behind-rallies-backing-me/#sthash.JnvYSBCY.dpuf

India's Political Despair

Narendra Modi: Can he cure the paralysis?

Congress-led coalition, paralyzed with corruption and inefficiency, remains a roadblock for change
There is an overwhelming sense of disconnect among the citizens of India for the upcoming 2014 general election. Not even the current €560 million VVIP (very very important persons) helicopter procurement scandal, which has ensnared retired Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, a former chief of the Indian Air Force, and his relatives, has disturbed the ennui in the populace.

India's shrill TV news anchors line up politicians, retired judges and social activists every night with exaggerated outrage to debate abuse of power, corruption and even murder but nothing changes.

Despite the campaign of reformer Anna Hazae, which drew millions of protesters last year, ther appears little shame among the political class. About a third of sitting members of parliament have serious criminal cases pending against them. Long misused and abused by politicians, the lowly-paid police are demoralized and cynical. The courts carry a backlog of cases that take forever to be heard. Citizens have lost faith in the institutions of the state. The world's greatest democracy is dysfunctional and no one seems to care anymore -- least of all the electorate.

India is a nation without leadership. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has long given up any pretense of vision or mission for the country. He is waiting to be released from his thankless burden next year. He would have gone earlier if the party had a credible replacement. True power remains behind the curtain with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her coterie of confidants.

Another Italian job
Opposition politicians were quick to bray 'Italian connection' when the luxury helicopter scandal broke -- a hark back to the Bofors scam of the 1980s which also involved an Italian arms dealer, Ottavio Quattrocchi and the Nehru-Gandhi family. That probe faded inconclusively, like probes into so many other scams, after the initial furore.

The Bofors scandal cost Rajiv Gandhi his clean image and got the Congress routed in the 1989 general election although the New Delhi High Court quashed charges of bribery against Rajiv and others in early 2004. Congress was returned to office in the mid-2004 general election.

Prosecution in Italy led to the arrest this February of Guiseppe Orsi, CEO and chairman of Finmeccanica, the Italian company behind the Augusta-Westland helicopter deal. Kickbacks of €51 million (US$68 million) to senior politicians in Italy and India along with former Air Force Chief Tyagi and his three cousins, surfaced during the trial. For comparison, the Bofors kickbacks to politicians and defence officials amounted to US$12m.

The easy access which the Italian arms dealers had to the Ministry of Defense and military chiefs, reinforces the suspicion that the Congress high command ghosts lurk somewhere in the background. Elections cost a lot of money and ruling parties in the Third World routinely hack defensce procurement and infrastructure contracts to siphon off taxpayer funds. Individuals in the pipeline get rewarded to front for politicians, facilitate the theft and keep their mouths shut.

Three highly placed men intimately involved in the copter deal are beyond the arm of the law by virtue of their lofty constitutional positions: Pranab Mukherjee was Minister of Finance in 2005 when the contract was approved; Bharat Vir Wangchoo was director of the Special Protection Group set up after the assassination of Indira Gandhi and MK Narayanan was National Security Advisor. Pranab is now President of India, Vir Wangchoo is Governor of Goa and MK Narayanan is Governor of West Bengal. All three are protected by legal immunity.

Congress loses support but no swing to BJP
One would normally expect disgust with the ruling party to swing votes to the opposition. The India Today-Nielsen 'Mood of the Nation' poll of Jan 2013 projected a -7.7 percent% swing away from the Congress-led, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition. But poll responses indicate that will translate to only a paltry +1.6 percent gain for the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Hindu fundamentalist-backed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The reality in Indian politics since 1989 is that no single party can command enough seats in parliament to form a majority government. The 2004 general election saw the UPA gain majority by cobbling formal and informal alliances with smaller regional parties.

The bulk of the swing away (+6.6 percent) from the UPA, according to the pollsters, will benefit the smaller regional parties fixated on local issues far from the center in Delhi. Both the Congress and the BJP have presence in the north but are weak in the southern and eastern states.

The increasing reliance for parliamentary support on a mixed bag of regional parties - few of whichm ideologically align with either the Congress or the BJP, contributes to policy paralysis at the center. The smaller parties enjoy disproportionate leverage in horse-trading for ministerial posts without the experience or administrative competence to discharge their duties.

The legacy of the despotic leadership and paranoia of Indira Gandhi in the late 1970s keeps a capable crop of Congress leaders in Delhi while lesser mortals head states. Indira believed in keeping her rivals close where she could watch them. The BJP has a surprisingly strong set of chief ministers in their states. The BJP's best talent is not at party HQ in Delhi.

BJP ambivalent about next prime minister
While the Congress has only itself to blame for wasting its mandate, the BJP is in disarray over its leadership. The chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, having just won a resounding third term, is the best candidate for the prime ministership in a BJP-led coalition in 2014.

However the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu-nationalist movement which dictates political policy to the BJP, seems ambivalent. Modi's economic management in Gujarat and his modernist leadership are winning him political points across the country. He is less dependent on RSS patronage than most other BJP politicians. That discomforts the RSS.

To the rest of the country Modi comes across as a capable manager who gets the basics right while other chief ministers flounder. He runs a disciplined civil administration and has consistently delivered economic growth above the national average. To digital natives who would figure significantly in the 2014 election, Modi is a politician who understands their culture and uses social networking platforms to connect with them.

Modi's major black mark that he has great difficulty removing is his role in the horror of the 2002 Gujarat Hindu-Muslim riots. Many in the country believe he allowed the massacre of Muslims by looking the other way.

The Indian middle class is far more comfortable with a secular India than a narrowly Hindu one. They embrace meritocracy and open opportunities without the baggage of caste divisions and feudal social entitlements. Their instincts are to support secular parties and politicians. It is a polity for Congress to lose, which they effectively have done.

(Cyril Pereira [ cyrilper@gmail.com] is a regular contributor to Asia Sentinel.)

Mahathir Saya Pun Maafkan, Tapi Tidak Bermakna Dia Boleh Buat Apa Dia Suka

43-Days to 13GE – Has Transparency International Malaysia provisions to delete and disqualify signatories to its Election Integrity Pledge who blatantly violate its four principles in the run-up to the 13GE?

By Lim Kit Siang,
 
The Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob has followed in the footsteps of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz to criticise Pakatan Rakyat leaders for their reluctance to sign the Transparency International-Malaysia’s (TIM) Election Integrity Pledge which was signed with such fanfare by the Prime Minister last Wednesday.

Adnan repeated the “old chestnut” that Pakatan Rakyat leaders are reluctant to sign the TIM Election Integrity Pledge because they have something to hide and that they are still doubtful whether the opposition coalition could responsibly run the country if they come to power.

Speaking at the opening of a meeting of the Pahang branch of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress in Kuantan on Sunday, Adnan said : “In future, if they abuse their powers, then the opposition leaders will give the excuse that they did not sign the integrity pledge to escape.”

I am shocked at such nonsensical argument spouted by a Mentri Besar, completely ignoring the laws of the land, religious teachings and ethics against corruption and abuses of power.

Is Adnan seriously suggesting that all the Barisan Nasional leaders, whether at the national or state levels, whether Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, Mentri-Mentri Besar, Chief Ministers and State Excos can claim entitlement to corrupt practices and abuses of power solely on the excuse that they had not yet signed the TI Election Integrity Pledge?

It is these lame excuses of UMNO/BN leaders which have raised questions and concerns whether the TIM Election Integrity Pact is meaningful or whether it is being used to “whitewash” all the corruption and abuses of power which have been committed by UMNO/BN leaders whether at the national or state levels in the past.

Even officials of the Election Commission (EC), which should be an independent, professional and credible body to conduct free and fair elections in the country, have joined the bandwagon to echo UMNO/BN leaders’ criticisms of Pakatan Rakyat on the TIM Election Integrity Pact.

The Deputy Chairman of Election Commission, Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, hit out at Pakatan Rakyat by declaring that it is “a shame” that opposition party leaders are shying away from signing TIM’s Election Integrity Pledge.

The real shame is the Election Commission’s failure to understand it is only confirming its subservience and subordination to the ruling coalition of UMNO/BN to the extent of echoing UMNO/BN criticisms against PR, when the Election Commission should stay above the fray to conscientiously carry out its constitutional duty to conduct free and fair elections in the country.

If Wan Ahmad wants to dabble in politics, he should resign from the Election Commission and contest the 13GE as a BN candidate instead of continuing to undermine the independence and integrity of the Malaysian electoral process by being a subservient agent of Umno/BN.

Wan Ahmad said it is incumbent on candidates contesting in the general election to sign the pledge as the people desired representatives not merely to profess to have integrity but to practise it as well.

He said he believed the people would feel more assured in their choice if the candidates had no qualms about signing the pledge, as what Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had done.

Although I must say that Wan Ahmad has given more sensible arguments than Adnan Yaakob to present the case for candidates signing the TIM Election Integrity Pledge, his remarks reek of hypocrisy and dishonesty as the Election Commission has never taken a stand against the rampant corruption of money politics by UMNO/BN in previous general elections.

I have qualms about signing the TIM Election Integrity Pledge precisely because of the Prime Minister’s cynical signature without showing any signs that he is serious and fully committed to its principles, and the abject and disgraceful role of Election Commission in the past in ensuring a clean, ethical, free and fair elections in the country.

TIM’s Election Integrity Pledge stipulates four principles for all signatories to observe in the 13th general elections, viz:

• Truth, integrity, ethical conduct and accountability, including not accepting or giving bribes or being involved in corrupt practices in any way;

• Upholding and giving priority to the interests of the rakyat as a whole;

• Good governance and transparency; and

• Compliance with all the applicable laws and regulations of Malaysia.

Has TIM any mechanism to receive and investigate public complaints that signatories have violated the four principles enshrined in the Election Integrity Pledge – even in the run-up to the 13GE?

Are there any provisions for TIM to delete and disqualify signatories to its Election Integrity Pledge who blatantly violate its four principles in the run-up to the 13GE?

For instance, within days of signing the Election Integrity Pledge, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has violated his commitment to conduct a clean and ethical election campaign, when he declared in Kuala Terengganu on Saturday that “a vote for DAP is a vote for the oppression of Muslims” – a most unethical and shameless incitement of racial and religious hatred which is also totally against Najib’s signature 1Malaysia policy.

Will TIM communicate with Najib that the Prime Minister has violated the Election Integrity Pledge which he had signed last Wednesday to conduct a clean and ethical election campaign?

Will TIM ask the Prime Minister to withdraw and apologise for the irresponsible and unethical statement which is not only baseless and irresponsible but a most shameful example of incitement of racial and religious hatred and conflict?

If Najib is not prepared to withdraw and apologise for his unethical remark, will TIM delete Najib’s signature from its roster of signatories and disqualify him as eligible to be a signatory because of his blatant disregard of the four principles laid down in the TIM Election Integrity Pledge?

85-year-old coffeeshop serves its last meal on Thursday

The Star
Story and photos by VINCENT TAN

Popular coffee shop Sin Seng Nam will close shop tomorrow, after 85 years of being in business.

Located along Medan Pasar or the old “Market Square” in Kuala Lumpur, the coffeeshop has been operating from a three-storey pre-war building, which until recently was owned by the descendants of Loke Yew.

Sin Seng Nam is a beautiful example of architecture of the Malaysian pre-war kopitiam, with its high ceilings and swinging wooden windows, which make the place airy.

The building is over 100 years old, having been built in 1906. The Hainanese kopitiam has been very much a part of the building’s history and added to the old world charm that its surrounding area once had.

The nearby shophouses are still standing and in need of a fresh coat of paint.

But it is a far cry from the business and financial district it once was, with the premises now run by foreign workers. In fact, the area near the clock tower has been made into a pedestrian-only area.

Sin Seng Nam serves as the last reminder of Medan Pasar as it once was.

“My father, Choong Yoo Ying and his two brothers started the kopitiam in 1928 when Medan Pasar was still one of the main roads in Kuala Lumpur,” said second-generation owner Choong Ah See, 62.

Adorning the walls of the kopitiam are old prints, which includes photos of Medan Pasar with and without the small clock tower built in 1937 to commemorate George V’s coronation and pre-war vehicles lining the pre-war shophouses.

Choong took over from his father in the mid-1980s after he passed away and his uncles retired. He has been busy running the shop while his business partners manage the kitchen.

Choong’s sister Siew Yong, 70, operates the popular chicken rice stall, which not only sells roasted and steamed chicken during weekdays, but also fish and chicken curries on selected days.

Work starts at 5am, when Choong comes in to start the fires for his charcoal-fuelled grill and boil water for drinks.

Then his brother-in-law Wong Ah Toy, 78, and nephew Tan Loong, 36, come in at 11am to prepare for the lunch crowd.

Back in the old days when the superior courts were located in the Sultan Abdul Samad building, it was a favourite haunt among lawyers.

They used to sit there enjoying cups of coffee and discussing their cases.

Even till now, some lawyers still come to Sin Seng Nam as some law firms are located in the area and the Bar Council building is right opposite the coffeeshop.

“The lawyers used to walk here from the old courthouses in their robes. And during the trial of Mona Fandey and other popular cases, many journalists covering the cases frequent the shop for meals,” said Choong.

The kopitiam was also a regular meeting place for politicians such as Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh, as well as corporate figures such as Tan Sri Francis Yeoh and his brother Datuk Mark Yeoh.

Mark fondly remembers Sin Seng Nam as his favourite lunch place when he was a chambering law student attending court at the Sultan Abdul Samad building.

“I am sad that it is closing as it has been a part of my life for the last 30 years. I liked their fried meehoon for breakfast and chicken rice for lunch, but we had to be there by noon or it was sold out,” said Mark.

He added that Sin Seng Nam was an institution, but hoped it that Choong and his nephew Tan could re-open a similar establishment somewhere else.

Even now, the kopitiam is still a hive of activity, especially during lunch hour.

Staff from nearby banks come here for the chicken rice, Hailam noodles and chicken chop.

Choong said the wooden cash counter was there from his father’s time, as was the wooden cabinet and stool. The cash counter and cabinet will be sold to Heritage House.

“It is not easy running a restaurant. Maybe now I can take a rest and spend more time with my family,” said Choong, who has a son and daughter.

“I was also lucky that the Loke family did not raise the rent too much over the years. Nowadays, the rent in this area can cost five figures,” he said.

In response to whether it will be difficult leaving the business, he said: “I have mixed feelings.”

Opposition Manifesto Like Alice In Wonderland Fantasy, Says Shahrizat

SEREMBAN, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- The opposition's manifesto for the upcoming 13th general election is like the "Alice in Wonderland" children's fantasy story as it contains dream promises that are impossible to come true.

Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the promises in the manifesto were lies and mere political gimmick to fish for votes in the elections.

"When I looked at the manifesto carefully, I shook my head in disbelief as it is an over-the-top political gimmick that is irresponsible and I think, the worst ever dished out by the opposition.

"Wanita (Umno) has been going to the ground, visiting one house after another and the feedback is that the public too find the election manifesto unbelievable," she said after visiting and handing out aid to injured construction worker Wong Kok Leong at his house in Taman Bunga Blossom, here, Wednesday.

Shahrizat was asked to comment on the Pakatan Rakyat election manifesto announced by the loose opposition pact of PAS, DAP and PKR on Monday.

She said while the manifesto if implemented could cause the country to go bankrupt, it also seemed to have very little concern for the people's welfare as there was no mention of how they could help the less fortunate.

Shahrizat, who is former women, family and community development minister, also expressed sadness and regret over PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's insulting statements on the giving of the aid, Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M), and its recipients.

"Their statements do not reflect the party's struggle as an Islamic party although they had before harped about establishing a welfare state.

"So, what is their actual welfare concept and struggle if they cannot help the poor and low-income group?" she said.

During the visit, Shahrizat who is the National Welfare Foundation's board of trustees chairman, handed over RM2,000 and daily essentials to Wong to lessen his family's burden after he stopped work following an accident at the workplace last December.

Wong, 48, who has a wife and two school-going children, broke his pelvic bone in the accident and the injury has also affected his urinary tract.

Where will Pakatan find RM46bn to fulfil its promises?

Pakatan Rakyat has come up with a statement to show where it will get the money to finance its campaign promises.

Pakatan estimates that its promises will cost RM46bn to implement. This RM46bn includes a RM12bn reduction in oil revenue as a result of raising oil royalty payments (to oil-producing states) to 20 per cent from the present 5 per cent. Toll abolition will cost RM6bn. The plan to abolish study loans, provide free education and raise teachers’ allowances will cost a further RM8bn. An injection of RM5bn will also be made into the affordable housing programme.

Where will this RM46bn come from? Pakatan claims it is able to save 24 per cent of the Selangor state government’s expenditure by wiping out leakages and corruption and reviewing expenditure priorities. If this performance (24 per cent saving) is extrapolated to the federal operating and development expenditure totalling RM206bn, Pakatan claims that it will be able to save RM50bn. This, I believe, is eminently possible given the staggering corruption, wastage, cronyism, patronage and rent-seeking we have seen.

Other revenue will come from a reduction of subsidies to IPPs and the reallocation of the huge sum presently allocated to the Prime Minister’s Department to more pressing expenditure priorities.

My note: Tolls need not be completely abolished. They can be used to invest in public transport. That should provide a few additional billion ringgit.

Also, additional allocations need to be made to lift the government’s public health care spending to 6 per cent of GDP from the present meagre 2 per cent – though no doubt the government can also save plenty by re-nationalising drug procurement and health care support services. Of course, care must also be taken to retain skilled staff in the public health care system.