Mega tower will affect PNB unit trust holders, says Mahfuz

Mahfuz: Whether we want it to or not, it will involve money from these schemes and the value of returns of its investments which should be paid out as dividends to unit trust holders... this is their money.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — A Pakatan Rakyat (PR) backbencher told Parliament today that Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) would likely have to scrimp on dividends paid out to its unit trust holders to fund the RM5 billion 100-storey Warisan Merdeka tower.

In his debate speech on Budget 2011, Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) said dividend payments could be affected although PNB had claimed that money for the project would come from profits made through private investments.

“I would like to remind PNB that the total value of its unit trusts from Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), Amanah Saham Bumiputera, Amanah Saham 1 Malaysia and others, is RM115 billion.

“Meaning that PNB’s profits is actually profits made from its investment of the RM115 billion,” he explained.

PNB is Malaysia’s biggest fund management company and operates a number of unit trust schemes.

He added that it was doubtful that PNB had a larger fund other than that collected through the unit trust schemes.

“I would like to stress here that this means it will directly and indirectly involve money from the unit trust schemes.

“Whether we want it to or not, it will involve money from these schemes and the value of returns of its investments which should be paid out as dividends to unit trust holders... this is their money,” he said.

Mahfuz told a press conference later that it was “unfair” to use public money to construct the 100-storey tower, which many have predicted would eventually turn into a white elephant.

The PAS MP added that it was redundant for the government to build the iconic tower with its sights set on turning Kuala Lumpur into a world-class city when even Naza TTDI, the property arm of Naza Group, had already expressed its intention to construct a similar tower, touted to be 100-storey high or more.

Last December, it was reported that Naza TTDI would build an iconic tower on a 25ha site near the proposed Matrade Centre here.

However, the tower’s height was yet to be finalised and the group’s managing director SM Faliq SM Nasimuddin was quoted as saying that it would depend on the amount of investments it could secure.

“If they get the land, they will build it and this means we will have one tower already,” said Mahfuz.

He pointed to the current property glut in the country and how Malaysia would have an excess of 115 million square feet of office space by the year 2014.

“This is excluding the PNB tower and Naza’s tower. So now we have an excess of office space although demand has dropped significantly,” he noted.

Mahfuz added that even Menara Citibank had lowered the rental rate for its office space from its original over RM7 for each square feet to between RM6 and RM6.50.

“This lowering of rate shows that the demand has dropped so much that they were forced to do it,” he said.

Mahfuz also suggested to House earlier to form a special parliamentary committee to study the matter as well as to examine all proposals by the government for the construction of mega projects.

“These mega projects should go through an approval process before they are started. If all committee members agree with the projects then they can be approved,” he said.

Indian prime minister to start three-day visit to Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will start a three-day official visit here starting Tuesday, to reciprocate the visit by Najib Tun Razak to India, in January.

Wisma Putra said in a statement here today that Manmohan will be accompanied by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, and a 16-member official entourage.

For the past 53 years, both countries (Malaysia and India) have enjoyed an excellent relationship and at the core of this warm and friendly relations are the long-standing people-to-people contact and close historical and economic links.

"The visit will mark yet another milestone in the development of Malaysia-India bilateral relations while reinforcing mutual trust, confidence and understanding both countries.

"Furthermore, the visit will also allow both prime ministers to follow up on the agreements and understandings achieved during Najib's visit to India," Wisma Putra said.

During the visit, Manmohan will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony at Dataran Perdana in Putrajaya, followed by a meeting where they are expected to discuss issues related to bilateral, regional and international relations.

They are also scheduled to witness the signing of several government-to-government agreements and memorandums of understanding.

Manmohan and his wife would also have an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah at Istana Negara.

One of the highlights of the visit would be the joint launching of the “Little India” in Brickfields by both prime ministers.

Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor will host an official dinner in honour of their guests at Seri Perdana, Putrajaya.

Wisma Putra said Najib and Manmohan are also scheduled to officially inaugurate the first meeting of the Malaysia-India CEO Forum, while the Indian premier is scheduled to deliver a lecture at the Khazanah Global Lectures.

- Bernama

English essential for learning maths and science

By Nick Rogers - Free Malaysia Today

COMMENT After reading through numerous articles and letters to editors about abandoning the PPSMI (Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English) policy, it seems to me that too many people have misconstrued the issue as an either-or situation.

Arguments have been put forward about the need to protect local identity from linguistic colonisation through the use of Bahasa Malaysia (BM). But this line of reasoning is seriously flawed.

Rather than usurping an existing identity, content-based language instruction, such as the teaching of maths and science in English, actually invites learners to see their own identities in a new light.

While encouraging learners to identify with a foreign culture, it also raises their awareness of their own culture. One offshoot is that learners develop a sense of shared citizenship through openness of mind and the dispelling of stereotypes.

In this respect, it promotes the democratic values of understanding, tolerance and pride in cultural diversity while bolstering local identity.

Equally misguided is the argument about so-called information overload.

“Not only do some students have problems in maths and science, but now there is the added difficulty of dealing with these subjects in English. Will they be able to cope?” So goes the cry of bewildered parents.

As well as they did before, if not better. That is my reply. For one of the most important advantages of learning subjects like maths and science in English is the enhanced development among students of broader cognitive strategies and skills.

The subject-language duality inherent in these modules requires a macro-micro approach to teaching, which is reflected in higher levels of student achievement.

Incremental feeding

The incremental feeding in of discrete items and technical chunks of subject-language matter into the learning spiral, combined with students’ top-down processing schemata, helps them to learn more effectively and efficiently. They fathom out the process and find answers for themselves using English as the medium of communication.

This inductive approach to learning encourages student activity and the result is reflected in a much deeper grasp of the concepts being taught, as opposed to the shallowness of information apparent through rote learning and spoon-fed instruction.

And as most of us have probably experienced, we mentally process and learn things much better once we have discovered them on our own.

Since we have appropriated that knowledge for ourselves, we find it much easier to recall it from memory. Furthermore, the acquisition process itself becomes transferable to other areas of learning.

To cap it all off, the use of English helps develop mechanisms which students will eventually acquire to naturally oil the wheels of spoken discourse.

This is true of any culture and is manifested in such things as turn taking, openings and closings and adjacency pairs. It guides the way to relevant and culturally acceptable contributions, leading to greater student fluency and autonomy.

Beacon of illumination and hope

With maths and science forming the cornerstone of the education system in Malaysia’s aspiration to raise itself to the status of a developed nation, the need to master English in these fundamental disciplines has never been more abundantly clear.

The use of information and communication technology to study these two subjects also clearly underscores the critical need for the use of English.

It gives Malaysian students access to a huge repository of technical knowledge written in the world’s lingua franca and will, of course, enhance their international career prospects, putting them on at least an equal footing with their foreign counterparts, be they in nearby India or Singapore or further afield in the US or in Europe.

I must admit that I had to suppress a chuckle when I recently read about someone mentioning Japan, South Korea, France and Germany as examples of countries that have succeeded on the economic front without letting the English language take a dominant place in their societies.

I beg to differ. Having worked in all of these countries or been indirectly involved with them with the exception of South Korea over the past 20 years, I can confidently say that while they uphold their languages as natural treasures, seemingly impervious to the slings and arrows cast upon them by the English language, the underlying reality is grossly different.

In France, for example, a recent education reform bill has just ushered in the teaching of English to children at kindergarten level across the nation, spawning the use of the English as the lingua franca beginning with toddlers and continuing right up to and even beyond tertiary education.

Indeed, since 1992, many state schools have been running history, geography, science and maths classes in English from their equivalent of Form 3 as part of the French-European Education Development Programme.

Germany is even more advanced in this regard. It has been promoting bilingual forms of education from kindergarten upwards for more than 40 years. It is also not uncommon for English to be used as the working language of major corporations in written as well as spoken form for internal and external communication.

Japanese myth

Casting our eyes eastwards also explodes the myth that Japan is insular in its approach to foreign cultures and languages. Since the 1960s, the interest in learning English has blossomed tremendously, culminating in 2002 in the creation of a national policy on English to enable the Japanese to communicate well in English in order to accommodate globalisation for the current and future generations.

When all is said and done, wherever one looks, be it east, west, north or south, the needles of the educational compass all clearly point in the same direction: that of the increasing importance and predominance of English at all levels of society across the planet.

Given such a sweeping movement, one may well ask what right we have to buck this worldwide trend, particularly where the education of our offspring is at stake.

Seen in this light, the either-or aspects of the issue evaporate into the cold light of clinical logic. And the clarity of using English to teach science and maths shines forth like a beacon of illumination and hope.

Nick Rogers is a highly experienced academic, language instructor and corporate trainer. He has worked in the education field in Europe, Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean Rim Zone for more than 20 years.

Jonson's last roll of the political dice

By Stephanie Sta Maria - Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: Former PKR communications director Jonson Chong has decided to cast the dice one last time. And if the outcome is not in his favour, he will put a full-stop to politics.

Chong's reformist path unfolded in 1999 when he joined the now defunct Parti Rakyat Malaysia. Four years after PKR was launched, his political career showed signs of taking off when he was appointed Youth strategy director.

A year later, he moved up the ladder to assume the post of deputy secretary-general and subsequently that of communications director, which he held for another year before handing it over to Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

When the party elections came around, Chong showed no interest in contesting for any posts but had “half-jokingly” challenged his followers on Twitter to nominate him for vice-presidency.

“I told them them that if they nominated me, I would be (deputy presidential aspirant) Zaid (Ibrahim's) running mate,” he told FMT. “And if those nominations came from Gombak, Batu, Petaling Jaya Selatan or Kelana Jaya, I would accept them.”

None of those four divisions threw their support behind him. Instead, his two nominations came from Sabah's Putatan and Labuan divisions.

“I have no idea why they nominated me,” he said. “Maybe the supporters wanted to give me a chance or maybe mine was the only name recognised on the list. Maybe (vice-president) Jeffrey (Kitingan) likes me. I really don't know.”

Chong's initial reaction was to let it pass. He, however, changed his mind after recognising an opportunity for him to spell out the issues on which the election is based.

“If I win I'll give my best to the party in terms of speaking my mind, speaking the truth and speaking for justice,” he promised. “And if I lose – which I expect – I'll accept the members' decision and wish the new leadership well. And then I'll probably leave the party.”

“This should not be construed as a lack of loyalty but an acceptance of the fact that I have been in politics for more than 10 years. Maybe this is not the best vehicle for me to do the kind of good that I want to do.”

Here are excerpts from the interview:

On gaps within the party

Putrajaya is not the end but the means to the end. And the end is justice, proper economic management, better education policies and so forth. PKR must have what it takes to get to the starting point and that starting point was not 2008. People think that we won in 2008 but we didn't. BN lost.

In order to get to Putrajaya, we need to hit the ground running with top-notch leaders, technocrats and captains of industries. We need to identify professional and independent people to lead the judiciary, police force and the army. Surely we don't expect the current crop of leaders in all these institutions to follow the orders of a new government. But even before that, we must have the right people within the party to start thinking that way which we're not seeing right now.

The party also needs to be properly managed. I have sat in political bureau meetings where the discussions are unfocused and there are no solid follow-up procedures in place to ensure implementation.

These are very basic things but sometimes it's the basic things that we tend to overlook. I know politicians don't want to talk about it, so empower the administrative people to handle it. I've always felt that the secretary-general, the treasurer-general and the information chief should be technocrats, professional managers or administrators and not politicians. Either that or ensure that their deputies are non-politicians.

On his chances of winning

We have to acknowledge that the culture of this political party still remains within the realm of old politics which is about knowing each other or holding ceramahs. I'm not doing that. Not because I think it's wrong but because I have family commitments and a lack of resources. I also relate better in smaller groups instead of large crowds. So people on the ground won't know me as well as they do the other candidates and are likely to skip my name on the ballot paper.

On his first step if elected vice-president

Get more buy-in from our members by involving them more in the party. We have 400,000 members but how many of them are active? How many of those members' skills, talents and abilities have we tapped? We don't have orientation programmes.

We don't have programmes whereby we allow them to volunteer to be in our sub-committees, be it on policy-making or research. All those in the sub-committees are appointed and new members since 2008 have no opportunity to get involved. If they want to, who do they contact? If you don't get your members' involvement in what you're doing, they will not have a commitment to what the organisation is doing. I can do this by bringing in ideas that will garner more public support.

On the future deputy president

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is like Cory Aquino. She is the symbol, the strength, the loyalty behind Anwar Ibrahim. But it is not all about Anwar. It is about the people. The name of the party is Parti Keadilan Rakyat not Parti Keadilan Anwar Ibrahim. The elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about, including Anwar, is: what if he goes to jail? This is why the focus of this entire election is on the number two position.

If it's going to be Azmin Ali, good! He will be more dynamic than Syed Hussin Ali. If it's going to be Zaid Ibrahim, good! He's going to have different ideas. If it's Mustafa Kamil Ayub, good! He's still someone different and younger.

The (confused) way forward

Umno does not know what it is getting itself into. It had better tone down that race riot rhetoric lest it backfires on them. If they think the Indians and Chinese are going to react like they did in 1999 -- they reluctantly voted for Barisan Nasional out of fear -- then Umno is going to be in for a surprise.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

(The Star) - Feisty Sabah delegate Hamidah Mumamad Jafar called for support for bold moves to curb cases of baby-dumping, such as setting up a school for pregnant mothers and providing more baby hatches.

The Putatan Puteri Umno division chief said the Government should fully support innovative approaches as the growing number of baby-dumping cases was alarming.

“Setting the school and the baby-hatch provided a lifeline for pregnant unwed mothers and their babies.”

“Sex education in schools is also a must to prevent young girls from being involved in premarital sex,” she said, to the applause of the more than 700 delegates.

Johor Baru Puteri Umno chief Azura Mohd Afandi wants the Information Ministry to curb television shows and commercials that could lead people astray from the right religious paths.

“Horror films and commercials deemed too sexy for young viewers might lead to deviant teachings.”

“For example, commercials on sanitary pads are openly shown on TV and this could influence the young to get involved in social ills,” said Azura, urging the ministry to increase shows that teach good values and religious practices.

Kedah delegate Azifah Abdul Rahman supports the continued use of the Internal Security Act against those who threaten the country’s security.

She said: “The Act is needed, especially as there are those who dare question the Malay rights.”

***********************************

Kedah delegate Azifah Abdul Rahman wants the government to retain the Internal Security Act. This is so that those who threaten the country’s security, especially those who dare question the Malay rights, can be detained without trial.

Questioning Malay rights is considered a threat to national security. So those who question it need to be detained without trial, reckons this delegate to the Umno general assembly.

This is the simple way that the Umno delegates look at things. But then don’t simple-minded people always look at things from this simple perspective? If they open their mouths; detain them without trial. This will stop people from talking and questioning.

Johor Baru Puteri Umno chief Azura Mohd Afandi considers horror films as the main cause of deviant teachings. How a horror movie can lead to deviant teachings was not explained. Nevertheless, the fact that Malays believe in black magic, witch doctors, ghosts, ghouls, zombies, walking dead, vampires, and whatnot, probably lends weight to this argument.

What was also not explained is the fact that Malays believe in black magic, ghosts and whatnot since way back, long before the invention of television. Was it television that ‘poisoned’ the minds of the Malays and caused them to believe in rubbish and that led them to deviant teachings? If so how come they were already ‘led astray’ and believed in ‘deviant teachings’ long before there was even such a thing as television?

This delegate also wants the government to ban advertisements on sanitary pads, which leads to social ills. If Malaysians were to see advertisements of sanitary pads on television they would turn into immoral people.

Sabah delegate Hamidah Mumamad Jafar wants schools for pregnant mothers and more baby hatches to be set up. This will help reduce the cases of baby dumping, argues this delegate. How that would work was never explained. They dump babies to hide the fact that they were pregnant. Would they want to go to a school for pregnant girls/women where they would ‘advertise’ the fact that they are pregnant?

Introducing sex education into schools is also a must to prevent young girls from indulging in premarital sex, argued this same delegate. So, if girls and boys get to learn about sex, they would certainly not indulge in premarital sex, is how this logic is presented.

How does that sound logical? If you learn about it in school then you will not do it? Does this make sense to you?

Actually, if you really want to prevent premarital sex then the proper way would be to introduce chastity belts. All unmarried girls from the age of 10 should be forced to wear chastity belts and on the day they get married their husband is given a key to unlock the belt.

Of course, those who marry at the age of 40 would need to wear the belt for 30 years before they can see it removed. And those who never get married would need to wear the belt until the day they die.

Another way would be to ban girls from the age of 10 from leaving their house unless escorted by a male member of the family. Girls and women must also be banned from driving and their face should be totally concealed so that no boys or men can get to see their faces. This is the practice in some other Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia also bans entertainment films on TV. (At one time they banned television totally). You only get to see the news and religious programmes. This would prevent, as Azura Mohd Afandi said, people from straying from the right religious paths.

And of course, the internet is the main source of ‘deviant teachings’ that lead people astray from the right religious paths. In fact, the internet is worse than television. So, to protect people and prevent them from becoming immoral, the internet must certainly be banned.

If this still does not work and if unmarried girls/women still get pregnant, then Malaysia can introduce the law of stoning to death, like how some countries practice. You get pregnant and you die (even if your are raped, like how some countries decree). And you die at the hands of hundreds of people who will throw stones at you until you no longer breathe.

Premarital sex is evil. Getting pregnant before you are married is evil. So Malaysia has to find ways in preventing all this from happening, how drastic the measures may seem. The future of Malaysia rests on ensuring that no one goes around bonking and gets pregnant before they are married.

Okay, maybe abuse of power, wastage of public funds, corruption, extrajudicial killings, manipulation of the legal system, violating the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, election fraud, institutionalised discrimination, and many more are also evil. But those are not crucial and need not be discussed at the Umno general assembly. We must focus. And the focus is on how to reduce or eliminate ‘illegal sex’.

Warnings are also being issued by the top Umno leadership that blood will flow on the streets if Umno were to get kicked out of office. Malaysians are being told to be wary of May 13 Version 2, that may happen if Umno does not retain power.

They did the same thing in 1999. The Prime Minister then, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, went live on television to warn Malaysians that if Barisan Nasional were to lose its two-thirds majority in Parliament then chaos will rein.

A Barisan Nasional without a two-thirds majority in Parliament will be a weak Barisan Nasional, said the Prime Minister. And a weak Barisan Nasional will not be able to guarantee the safety and security of its people. In 1969, the ruling party lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament, the Prime Minister reminded us. And what happened after that? There was rioting on the streets and many people died.

So, don’t let 1999 be a repeat of 1969, warned the Prime Minister.

And it worked. Many people, in particular the non-Malays, did not vote for the opposition. They sheepishly admitted that they support the opposition but voted for Barisan Nasional because they were scared of the race riot that the Prime Minister promised would happen.

But that was back in 1999. In 1999 the people were scared. But in 2008 many voted for the opposition and no race riot happened. This was because 50% of the Malays also voted for the opposition, as Umno admitted. And the anti-Umno Malays far outnumber the Umno Malays.

Umno could not even get 100 Malays onto the streets of Kampong Baru in the aftermath of the 2008 general election. But the opposition can get 50,000 Malays onto the streets any time. So, if the handful of Umno Malays want to start trouble, they will have to face tens of thousands of other Malays.

No, if riots do start it will not be a la 1969. The next riot, if it happens, will be Malays facing Malays. The Indians and Chinese need not participate in this May 13 Version 2. They can just stay at home or go to Singapore or Thailand for a short holiday. Let the Malays handle this matter.

The Indians and Chinese need not fear anything. Dr Hatta Ramli has already issued a challenge. PAS will form a human shield. The Malays from PAS will emerge in great numbers to face those Umno Malays who want Indian and Chinese blood. As Dr Hatta said, “Over our dead bodies.” The Umno Malays would first have to slaughter all the PAS Malays before they can reach the Indians and Chinese.

And let me assure you: many other Malays not from PAS are also issuing this warning. The Indians and Chinese are our brothers and sisters. And if the Umno Malays want to harm them then they will have to first deal with the non-Umno Malays.

And this is because the non-Umno Malays are Muslims first and Malays second. This is what Islam demands of Muslims -- to be Muslims first and last while racism is haram or forbidden.

And in Islam justice must prevail and the non-Muslims must be protected even to the extent that Muslims go to war with Muslims to protect the life of the non-Muslims. This is Islamic justice. And in Islamic justice no one must be persecuted or discriminated against because of his or her race.

So, is it not good that PAS is an Islamic party? Notwithstanding the fact that there are some in PAS who aspire to see Malaysia transformed into an Islamic State (which can never happen unless PAS wins more than two-thirds of the seats in Parliament), an Islamic party like PAS is good for the non-Muslims because this party upholds Islam, which means the non-Muslims receive protection against persecution and discrimination.

Umno does not know what it is getting itself into. It had better tone down that race riot rhetoric lest it backfires on them. If they think the Indians and Chinese are going to react like they did in 1999 -- they reluctantly voted for Barisan Nasional out of fear -- then Umno is going to be in for a surprise.

Today, the Indians and Chinese have faith in their Malay brothers and sisters. They know that May 13 Version 2 being bandied about by Umno is not going to be a Malay versus non-Malay incident like back in 1969. May 13 Version 2 is going to be a Malay-versus-Malay affair with the non-Malays standing on the sidelines as mere spectators.

And if you think this is not so then go ask the non-Umno Malays in Pakatan Rakyat. Hear it from their own mouths. And they will tell you exactly what I have just said.

Honour social contract: Mahathir

(Bernama) -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said there will be no dispute over rights if Malaysians continue to honour the social contract agreed to by leaders of the various communities.

"We had a formula which had worked very well for 50 years. Why do you want to change it? Why do you want to cause tension between races?" he added.

He was commenting on the presidential address of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the Umno General Assembly here, where he said that the special rights of the Malays were enshrined in the Federal Constitution and should not be questioned.

Dr Mahathir said that Najib's assertion on the position of the Malays was a timely reminder to the people of the agreement among the leaders of the various races and which had been upheld throughout the years since Independence from the British.

The former Prime Minister said it was important for the people to adhere to what was enshrined in the Federal Constitution and which could not be amended without the consent of the Rulers.

Dr Mahathir said that people who tried to amend the constitution did not appreciate what was involved.

He believes that any attempt to amend articles related to the rights of the Malays was bound to cause racial tension.

Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that there had been confusion in discussions over the issue.

"But today, the Umno President had made clear (what the issue was about)... and there is no reason why anyone should raise matters to frighten or ridicule."

He feels that Najibm has, with his "enlightening Speech", helped to stop any quarrel over the issue.

MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the social contract should not be discussed further because it is based on what is enshrined in the constitution.

However, this may cause a bit of controversy among the young who feel that they as Malaysians have a right to debate the matter.

"But I myself feel that if at all the issue is discussed it should be in close forum because of the sensitivities involved," he added.

Chua said that all Malaysians regardless of race or religion should heed the reminder from the Prime Minister and take into consideration the interests and claims of the various communities to preserve stability and solidarity.

MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said Najib's speech was not only an inspiration to Umno but had also given Barisan component parties new spirit to work together.

"And we can show opposition parties that Barian Nasional is still strong and will become stronger," he added.

Gerakan President Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the constitution should be looked at in a balanced way, incorporating the rights of all communities, and not be confined to certain articles.

"What is important is that he (Najib) stressed that we share the future based on the concept of 1Malaysia and this is the aspect that we must continue to work at to send a positive and constructive message for all groups and levels," he said.

PPP President Datuk Dr M. Kayveas said the speech was holistic and aimed not only at Umno members but all Malaysians.

He added:"While we want to defend the rights of our own communities we should at the same time defend the rights of all Malaysians based on the concept of 1Malaysia."

Just about enough for a ‘VP’ doggie biscuit?

I view with incredulity Zaid Ibrahim’s latest unkind salvo against Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which I sometimes think he forgets is the party he currently belongs to and is in running for Deputy President. It is very irresponsible and even malicious for him to suggest that PKR seems to be a one issue party – keen only to champion Anwar Ibrahim and his ongoing trial.
This myth he knows is not true and is something that we normally only hear from UMNO-BN politicians. Over the last decade or so, PKR has grown tremendously and has played a major part in forging the Pakatan Rakyat alliance while espousing its true multi-racial brand of progressive politics, leading to the Pakatan Rakyat’s Common Policy Platform which we believe will pose a strong challenge to the BN in the next general election.

I am further shocked that Zaid has suggested that by defending Anwar, the party is unable to defend the rakyat. Again, very UMNO-BN-like criticism as he knows very well that the party has a good track record in defending the rakyat on various issues concerning civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

I am sure Zaid is well aware that securing justice for Anwar does not merely mean providing the best legal defence but involves a campaign outside court to expose the Government’s manipulation of key institutions to persecute political opponents. Again, this statement that Anwar has received the best legal defence and therefore there is nothing else to do – certainly seemed very UMNO-BN-like, and certainly appalling coming from a PKR leader.

The implication of Anwar’s trial if he does not know is that Anwar’s current and previous trials represent all that is wrong with UMNO-BN’s brand of sham democracy – one that enables the government of the day to make use of all the state machinery including the judiciary, police, AG’s Chambers and even hospitals to manufacture false evidence and implicate political opponents.

In case Zaid has forgotten, Anwar has spent six years’ imprisonment on trumped up charges, and is once again facing the same fate. Surely it would be extremely unkind and ungrateful of PKR to suddenly abandon Anwar just when the party is becoming a major political force in the country.

I am certainly at a loss to understand Zaid’s campaign strategy as he seems bent on publicly and continuously criticising the party and its leadership (which I must remind he is also part of) instead of strengthening the party, and championing the party’s policies, processes and issues including that of UMNO-BN’s persecution of Anwar.

Released by:

R Sivarasa

Mahathir Yang Terus Fobia

Oleh MOHD RASHIDI HASSAN | rashidi@harakah.net.my

BEKAS Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad nampaknya masih terus fobia dengan kehadiran bekas Timbalannya, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim dalam politik negara.

Fobianya Mahathir seolah-olah beliau sentiasa dihantui bayang-bayang Anwar, walau ke mana beliau pergi.

Sepatutnya pada usia extra emas seperti sekarang ini, bekas Presiden Umno itu harus banyak berehat dan meluangkan masa dengan anak cucu cicit. Tidak perlu hirau politik negara.

Baru-baru ini pun bekas PM itu dimasukkan ke sebuah hospital di Australia kerana keadaan kesihatannya tidak stabil. Ingatkan bila beliau dalam keadaan tidak sihat, beliau akan berhenti bersuara.

Namun, nampaknya Mahathir ini kata orang Utara jenis ‘ketegaq’ (keras kepala). Tidak hirau sakit demam, tidak hirau usia dah lanjut, masih hendak campur urusan politik juga.

Dalam satu sesi dialog pada program forum antarabangsa baru-baru ini, Anwar yang sudah dipecat, dipukul dan dihumban dalam penjara sejak 12 tahun lepas, masih menjadi ‘ulam’ beliau.

Katanya, keputusan mengheret Anwar ke muka pengadilan atas tuduhan meliwat kira-kira 12 tahun lalu merupakan satu tindakan tepat dan bukan konspirasi.

“Sebagai seorang yang rasional mustahil kes Anwar ini hasil daripada konspirasi. Kes Anwar membabitkan institusi kehakiman dan di dalam institusi ini, konspirasi sukar dilakukan kerana kita terpaksa berhadapan dengan banyak pihak.

“Kita bukan sahaja terpaksa berhadapan dengan satu dua orang tetapi lebih 100 orang. Antaranya hakim, pendakwa, polis, saksi-saksi dan mangsa. Ini bukan kerja mudah kerana banyak pihak yang akan terlibat,” katanya pada sesi soal jawab itu.

Dakwanya, sepanjang 22 tahun memimpin negara, beliau tidak pernah sekali mempelawa hakim hadir untuk majlis-majlis rasmi sama ada di kediamannya atau di tempat lain kecuali Ketua Hakim Negara.

“Saya faham kedudukan hakim dan etika yang harus mereka patuhi. Sebagai hakim mereka perlu bebas daripada dipengaruhi oleh mana-mana pihak termasuk golongan pemimpin kerana akhirnya mereka yang akan membuat keputusan bagi satu-satu kes,” katanya.

Bagi penulis, ironinya, mengapa selepas 12 tahun Anwar dipecat dan selepas tujuh tahun Mahathir bersara, beliau masih terpaksa mempertahankan tindakan memecat Anwar?

Bagaimana mungkin Mahathir boleh menafikan campur tangan beliau dalam urusan kehakiman negara. Semua orang tahu walaupun Ketua Hakim Negara dilantik oleh Yang di-Pertuan Agong, tetapi ianya adalah di atas nasihat Perdana Menteri. Dalam logik mudah, PM yang berkuasa melantik Ketua Hakim.

Isu Mahathir campur tangan dalam kehakiman bukannya baru. Rakyat tidak lupa bagaimana beliau terbabit dalam konspirasi memecat Tun Salleh Abas pada tahun 1988 yang lalu.

Kes Tun Salleh adalah satu isu besar yang merosakkan sistem kehakiman negara, sehingga menyebabkan rakyat meragui keadilan mahkamah kita. Ini berlaku zaman Mahathir menjadi PM.

Jika pada waktu itu (1988) pun beliau sudah campur tangan, apakah tidak mungkin tahun 1998 beliau tidak campur tangan? Dah tua-tua begini usahlah Mahathir hendak nafi. Budak-budak sekarang sudah cerdik.

Dalam kes Anwar secara spesifik. Bagaimana Mahathir boleh mengatakan beliau tidak ada konspirasi dan tidak campurtangan, sedangkan Peguam Negara, Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah (arwah) dan penggantinya, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, duduk di bawah ketiak PM?

Ketika Anwar dibawa ke mahkamah selepas beberapa hari ditahan dan diseksa, dipukul sehingga lebam mata, Mahathir beriya-iya mendakwa Anwar memukul diri sendiri untuk meraih simpati rakyat.

Akhirnya terbukti melalui satu suruhanjaya, didapati Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor (ketika itu) yang memukul Anwar.

Ketegaqnya Mahathir ketika itu Allah sahaja yang tahu. Beliau beriya-iya mendakwa Anwar memukul dirinya sendiri, bila didapati sebaliknya, sedikit pun beliau tidak mahu meminta maaf.

Isu itu sudah lama berlalu, penulis sekadar mencatat sedikit rentetan sahaja.

Seterusnya, selepas Anwar dibebaskan pada November 2004, beliau tidak pernah menyerang Mahathir, malah enggan memburuk-burukkan bekas ketuanya.

Walaupun banyak kepahitan dialami Anwar, akibat daripada gelagat Mahathir, Anwar cuba ‘berjiwa besar’. Beliau enggan bertelingkah dengan orang yang sudah bersara. Biar banyak mana salah bekas PM tersebut, biarlah rakyat yang menghukumnya.

Namun bekas PM itu masih enggan duduk diam. Beliau terus menyerang dan mempersalahkan Anwar, di mana sahaja platform yang beliau sempat bersuara.

Mengapa Mahathir fobia sangat? Mengapa alergi sangat dengan Anwar? Khabarnya begitu fobia Mahathir dengan Anwar sehingga beliau enggan hadir ke majlis makan malam sempena 50 tahun Parlimen di PWTC, 15 Oktober lepas.

Pada majlis itu Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin menjadi tetamu VVIP. Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hadir, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak hadir, semua VIP dan sebahagian besar bekas Ahli Parlimen turut hadir. Entahlah mungkin juga masa itu Mahathir tidak sihat.

Oleh itu, jika Umno-BN semakin lemah, semakin ditolak rakyat, bukan semuanya 100 peratus kerana Anwar. Ada salah Mahathir, ada salah Abdullah Badawi dan ada juga salah Najib.

Apakah semua ini disuarakan kerana Mahathir bimbang, jika Pakatan Rakyat menerajui Kerajaan Persekutuan nanti, beliau akan disumbat ke dalam penjara?

Usahlah fikir macam itu, beliau dah terlalu tua, kesian juga kita kepadanya.

Sepatah komen Anwar sewaktu sembang-sembang sambil menunggu lif di Parlimen dengan penulis, dalam nada berseloroh, “Orang tua ini tidak habis-habis menyerang saya, nanti kalau dikata nyanyuk, marah pula.”

Kata-kata spontan Anwar itu disambut gelak besar rakan-rakan Ahli Parlimen yang berada di situ.

The 100-storey Najib Tower

This is extract of speech by Lim Kit Siang at the first of two consecutive 2,000-plus-people Wisma Penang DAP fund-raising dinners held at PISA on Monday, 18th October 2010.

Other speakers on the first-night Wisma Penang DAP fund-raising dinner were DAP Secretary-General and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Deputy Chief Minister and MP for Batu Kawan, Professor P. Ramasamy, DAP Penang State Chairman, State Exco and MP for Tanjong Chow Kon Yeow and DAPSY chief and MP for Rasah Anthony Loke.

Speakers for the second-night Wisama Penang DAP fund-raising dinner, also held at PISA on Tuesday 19th October 2010, apart from Lim Guan Eng, Chow Kong Yeow and Lim Kit Siang were DAP National Chairman and MP Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh and DAP Wanita DAP chief and MP for Bukit Mertajam Chong Eng.

Pelajar UKM dan kakitangan terlibat himpunan agong Umno

Gambar di atas merupakan gambar yang dipetik dari sebuah akhbar arus perdana tempatan yang merakamkan raptai perasmian Mesyuarat Agong Umno.

Dalam gambar tersebut dengan jelas dibulatkan ialah pelajar UKM. Difahamkan melalui maklumat yang diperolehi mesyuarat agong Umno memang biasa melibatkan pelajar universiti yang dibayar elaun secara harian.

Kali ini dengan jelas gambar yang tersiar dalam media arus perdana ini merakamkan keterlibatan mereka. Dipercayai sekumpulan pejajar dari UKM serta kakitangan turut terlibat.

Ini menunjukkan bukti jelas bahawa AUKU itu hanya alat untuk pertahan regim pemerintah dengan memandulkan terus minda warga universiti di Malaysia. AUKU mengekang warga universiti khususnya pelajar dari terlibat dalam politik, namun bila ia melibatkan politik parti regim penguasa maka AUKU hilang kukunya.

Bukan sedikit mahasiswa yang diambil tindakan kerana hanya disyaki terlibat menyokong idea parti selain regim penguasa. Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Mohamaed Khalid Norden harus tampil memberikan penjelasan ini.

Perkembangan ini seharusnya menjadi pemangkin untuk warga universiti untuk bangkit menentang AUKU. Hanya dengan kuasa mampu memusnahkan AUKU.

Kepada semua warga universiti, bangkitlah. Kepada yang berani nyatakan desakan dengan terang, Mansuhkan AUKU! atau sekurang kurangnya asas yang harus dilakukan pastikan diri anda dan teman-teman daftar sebagai pengundi berdaftar dengan SPR dan bila tiba masa humban regim penguasa hipokrit ini.

1MDB in two massive projects

While the controversy over the megalomaniacal 100-storey tower is still swirling, many seem to be unaware of two other massive property development projects in the pipeline.

• 1MDB is bringing in Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Development Co to jointly develop a RM26 billion financial district on a 36ha plot in Jalan Tun Razak.
• 1MDB will also partner Qatar Investment Authority in another huge project on the present RMAF Sungai Besi land.

Three questions come to mind.
First, what is so special about these property development projects that they have to be developed jointly with foreign partners? What extra value can they bring in that local developers can’t? That’s the question posed by The Edge business weekly of 11 October.
Second, aren’t we adding even more commercial space to add to the property frenzy? And now we are going to have a 100-storey tower as well?
Third, the whole 1MDB entity is shrouded in secrecy. What exactly is the state of its finances since it morphed from the Terengganu Investment Authority? Remember ValueCap anyone?

AGONG’S CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO PROTECT 12 MILLION NON MUSLIM MINORITY INTEREST AND HAS NO VETO POWER

MEDIA STATEMENT. 21st October 2010.
RE: 1)RESPONSE TO DATO NAZRI’S STATEMENT IN MALAYSIAKINI 18TH OCTOBER - “MUSLIM CONVERSION LAW REFORM HIT DEAD END”
2) AGONG’S CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO PROTECT 12 MILLION NON MUSLIM MINORITY INTEREST AND HAS NO VETO POWER TO HINDER PARLIAMENTARY AMENDMENTS.
3) UMNO BEHIND THE CONSPIRACY TO OPPRESS MINORITY RACES
4) RULERS ARE DUTY BOUND TO ASSENT TO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS IN MALAYSIA’S PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY.

HINDRAF is shocked and surprised with UMNO’s legal mouthpiece the de facto Law Minister’s statement that the Muslim conversion Law reform proposals have hit a dead end for the following reasons;

1) The sultans feel they need to protect the Muslim subjects and Islam religion because it was their duty
2) The Sultans were not convinced that amendments to certain Islamic laws would not overlap with their duties as guardians of the Islamic faith in their states.

Malaysia practices Parliamentary democracy and the Yang Dipertuan Agong is merely a figure head and does not have the power to veto any amendments or Acts of Parliament passed by the Dewan Rakyat. Religious freedom in Malaysia is enshrined in Article 11 of the Malaysian Constitution not by the State Islamic enactments or the State Rulers. The Constitutional amendments proposed has nothing to do with the role of the Rulers in protecting the rights of Muslim subjects and the Islamic religion instead it is about providing equal protection to Non Muslims and their interests in Malaysia.

This whole religious saga was brought about by UMNO in its 1988 amendments to the Federal Constitution which added Article 121 1 (A) which recognised the existence of the Muslim Syariah Courts which is meant to be an inferior court to the civil High Courts. A close scrutiny of the Parliamentary Hansard on the amendments proposed and the statement by ex Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad in Parliament clearly prove that the intention of Parliament was Syariah Court was to adjudicate on Islamic family and property matters. However the Syariah Courts have crossed their boundaries and jurisdictions and usurped on the powers and duties of the Civil High Courts.

The amendments are necessary as the Civil High Courts have abdicated their powers and refused to adjudicate matters touching especially conversion disputes involving Non-Muslim families.

The current deadlock affects almost 12 million non-Muslims in Malaysia’s 26 million populations. The Yang Dipertuan Agong and state Rulers are equally responsible and duty bound to protect the rights and interests of non-Muslims under the Federal Constitution.


From Nazri’s statement it appears that the Ruler’s conference fail to comprehend that The Yang Dipertuan Agong is also duty bound to the second limb of Article 153 of the Federal constitution as the minority’s interest also need to be safeguarded in the current polarized state of affairs between the Muslims and the non Muslims.

In no instance do these proposals diminish the rights of neither a Muslim nor their obligation but rather to ensure the minority rights are not neglected in contrary to Federal constitution on unreasonability and installation of fear through religion as we have seen at a rampant stage in Malaysia of late.

As Rulers, it is undisputable fact they have the natural duty to safeguard and protect the Islamic faith. However if the current situation warrants the Rulers intervention to safeguard the non-Muslims against unlawful and unconscionable practice of Islamic authorities and Courts, then there should be no reason why the Rulers should be reluctant to act.

The consensus requested by way of amendments to clarify the Minority Rights will no doubt weather the storm of the currently strained race relation in Malaysia and enhance the position of the Rulers that they are indeed concerned with the second limb of Article 153 and provide equal protection to their almost 12 million non- Muslim subjects.

As for the UMNO & PAKATAN state governments, it is obvious that they are trying to do the balancing act to ensure their vote counts in their typical political manner whereas the public continues to suffer in silence. By pushing the buck to the Rulers does nothing but only undermine the faith of the people how ineffective they have become when the public’s interest is in stake.

This is indeed a very good opportunity for the Rulers’ Conference to show that they are equally concerned to ensure justice; reasonableness and fair play is afforded in their role as the rulers for the each and every Malaysian.

P.Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
HINDRAF.
21.10.2010

Human rights groups: Video shows torture in Indonesia

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- A thin man with graying hair lies on his back, completely naked on a dusty road. His legs and arms are bound and his body suddenly contorts in pain. A man stands above him and pushes a smoldering piece of wood against his genitals.

He cries out in pain, but it doesn't stop his tormentors.

"Where did you put the weapons? Show us where the weapons are!" demand the men, one of whom is wearing military fatigues.

A few feet away, a younger man is lying in a similar position but clothed. The same group of interrogators move over to him, hold a knife under his nose and then repeatedly slap his face. They also ask him questions about weapons and the whereabouts of rebels.

The scenes were recorded on a cell phone in Indonesia, fueling shock and condemnation from human rights groups around the world who believe the video is possible evidence of Indonesian armed forces torturing those seeking independence from Indonesia.

The video is "the latest reminder that torture and other ill-treatment in Indonesia often go unchecked and unpunished," said Donna Guest, the Asia-Pacific deputy director for Amnesty International.

CNN obtained a copy of the video from an international nongovernmental organization, but the network has not verified its authenticity.

Indonesian military spokesman Aslizar Tanjung told CNN that there is an "intensive investigation" being launched regarding the video.

"We need to verify the authenticity of the time, place and activity of what is shown in the video," he said. "The soldiers are trained and educated according to the standards of procedures. They should be aware of their duties, responsibility, [and] provided with knowledge of human rights, of what they can and cannot do in the field.

"Hopefully, the investigation won't take too much time so we can soon clarify to the people what really happened. So far this is only an allegation that there is a certain group who did the torture. We need to legally prove it."

The video is believed to be from the Indonesian province of Papua, nearly 3,500 kilometers [2,175 miles] east of the capital, Jakarta. Papua has long had a low-level insurgency that demands independence from Indonesia, saying the government is trying to take its land to steal resources.

Papua is home to the largest gold mine in the world, operated by the U.S.-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, but members of the freedom movement say locals have not received fair economic benefits from any of the mining operations on their homeland.

The indigenous Free Papua Movement was established in 1965 to push for secession. The group disputed the terms under which Papua became a part of Indonesia that year.

Human rights groups say that while they haven't determined the authenticity of the video, they have clues that the tormentors are members of the Indonesian armed forces.

For example, the weapon being used in the video appears to be a standard military issue and the questions posed by the interrogators are consistent with those of Indonesian security forces, said Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division.

"There is a lot of circumstantial evidence that would lead us to believe that this may be the security forces but we can't authenticate that," Robertson told CNN, adding that that's one of the many reasons a complete investigation is needed.

However, the group is concerned that the government will let the case linger without a resolution.

"The major concern is that this is going to be another whitewash, that this is going to be an internal military investigation similar to many others that we have seen," Robertson said.

Another video surfaced this year showing another gruesome scene that is also believed to have taken place in Papua. It shows a disemboweled man, who has been identified as Papuan political activist Yawan Wayeni, in the jungle.

Men in police uniforms are seen sitting and standing near Wayeni as he suffers. The uniformed men taunt him, saying, "You are never going to get freedom as long as the soldiers are here."

Wayeni is barely audible, but says "freedom." He eventually dies from his wounds.

Police denied allegations that they disemboweled him, saying he was injured in a firefight. No officer was disciplined in that incident.

Azmin says PKR has never been an Anwar-centric party. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Leading PKR deputy presidential contender Azmin Ali accused his rival Datuk Zaid Ibrahim of buying into Umno propaganda by claiming that PKR revolved around Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Zaid had stressed that securing justice for the embattled opposition leader should not be the party’s sole struggle as it was “unworthy” to become a “one-issue party”.

“I am asking Zaid — why is he speaking the language of Umno?” Azmin told The Malaysian Insider.

“That is the position taken by Umno from Day One from 1998 in saying that Keadilan is an Anwar-centric party,” he said.

The PKR vice-president maintained that the party was never centred on Anwar despite its struggle to ensure a fair trial for the party’s de facto leader who is currently facing his second sodomy trial after his first sodomy charge in 1998.

“Keadilan has never been an Anwar-centric party. This notion that Keadilan is an Anwar-centric party is propaganda of Umno,” said Azmin.

“Yes, we certainly fought for justice for Datuk Seri Anwar in 1998, 1999, but certainly it is not an Anwar-centric party because we also talk about (the) reform agenda,” he added.

In his blog post on Tuesday, Zaid reminded party members that PKR needed to pay attention to those they sought to represent instead of reducing the party to a “one-issue party”.

The former Umno minister’s latest dig at PKR is one of the many criticisms he has hurled at the party of late.

Zaid had once warned that PKR would turn into a second Umno if its present pool of leaders was not changed.

He also rejected outright Anwar’s warning to bypass Umno-owned media like Utusan Malaysia and insisted that the paper’s relentless attacks against the PKR de facto leader could have stemmed from the boycott.

Azmin pointed out that it was incumbent on party leaders not to repeat Umno’s decade-old slander against the party.

“Party leaders should not make any statements that were orchestrated by Umno for the last 10, 12 years,” said the Gombak MP.

“As seniors of the party, we should not fall into the trap of Umno. It is my conviction and also the conviction of members of the party that this is a reform party,” he added.

Azmin highlighted the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act in Selangor and the party’s defence of Felda settlers as examples of the party’s fight for democracy, which he said was separate from Anwar.

“We introduced the Freedom of Information Act. That has nothing to do with Anwar. That is a bold decision by the state government led by Pakatan to reform,” said Azmin, who is also the Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman.

“Look at the Felda settlers. We are here to fight for their rights. That has nothing to do with Anwar,” he added.

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail echoed Azmin’s scathing remarks against Zaid, saying that Zaid’s statements were indicative of a typical age-old Umno mindset.

“This has been the typical Umno mindset for the past 12 years. To say that PKR is only fighting for Anwar’s interests, this is part of Umno’s effort in trying to make people believe this,” said Saifuddin.

The Machang MP told The Malaysian Insider that the reason why the party stood firmly behind Anwar was because the PKR de facto leader’s fight for justice was “symbolic” of a bigger cause.

“I disagree with Zaid. PKR defends Anwar because of the gross injustice against him that has happened for the past 12 years... injustice in how he was jailed, how he was beaten up, and how his trial went... all this is indicative of the country’s damaged institutions.

“We fight for Anwar like we have fought for Teoh Beng Hock, Kugan and Aminulrasyid Amzah,” said Saifuddin.

The PKR man claimed that the 2008 general election, which saw the federal coalition denied its two-thirds majority, was proof that voters believed in PKR’s struggles.

“People voted for PKR, Pakatan because they did not like the way BN ran the country... They did not like how the various institutions have become corrupt. PKR, along with Pakatan, has fought for a minimum wage for workers until the Cabinet approved it yesterday.

“How then can you say that PKR is only about fighting for Anwar?” he asked.

Zaid’s latest judgment on PKR may further widen the growing chasm between himself and the party’s top leadership amid perception that he is seen as entering the deputy presidency race alone.

The deputy president’s post, which has been held by veteran politician Dr Syed Husin Ali since 2004, will see a heated contest between vice-presidents Azmin, Mustafa Kamil Ayub and Federal Territory PKR chief Zaid.

Azmin is said to be the favourite with the support from more than 100 divisions, while Zaid and Mustafa received about 38 and 17 nominations respectively.

As Umno meets, a banner war in Parliament

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — A banner war broke out at the Parliament building this morning as a group of Pakatan Rakyat MPs decided to hang banners of their activities to counter those hung by Umno.

Led by DAP’s Teresa Kok, the group of MPs took a few minutes off from Question Time in the House to drape their advertising material over the guard rails and several lamp posts on the road leading up to the Parliament complex.

One MP even scaled the guard rails to hoist a bunting with PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s face on a lamp post just outside the entrance of the complex.

Kok (picture) said their move was to counter Umno’s banners, which were put up along the same road to advertise the party’s ongoing annual general assembly.

“The Parliament building should be free from politics so we disagree with how Umno is using the building to advertise its activities,” she said.

Kok had raised the issue in the House twice this week but was shot down by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia yesterday.

Pandikar had scolded Kok for raising a political issue in the House, which was a neutral environment, and told her that the matter was out of his jurisdiction.

“If you want, you can take it up with DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall),” he told her.

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For Chin Peng, a battle for pride and passage

Ong celebrates his 85th birthday in Bangkok last year. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Sitiawan-born Ong Boon Hua — more commonly known as Chin Peng — is battling to clear his name in Malaysia’s top court, in a last-ditch bid to pave the way for his return home.

The former leader of the feared Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) who turned 86 on Tuesday will know today if he can sue the government of Malaysia for going against the spirit of the 1989 Peace Accord, and which promised him the freedom to return home with a clean slate.

The Federal Court in Putrajaya has fixed the former CPM secretary-general’s suit for case management today.

“We have filed an application for leave to appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal dismissing his case for breaching the terms of the Peace Accord,” the ex-guerrilla fighter’s lawyer, Chan Kok Keong, told The Malaysian Insider.

“In this case, Chin Peng asked for damages and that the Peace Accord be specifically performed by an injunction that the Malaysian government desist from uttering slanderous remarks,” he added.

The three-way treaty, signed 21 years ago in Haadyai by CPM leaders and senior government officials representing Malaysia and Thailand, signalled the end of a decades-long jungle war in the two Southeast Asian countries.

Chan explained that under the terms of the treaty, the parties had “agreed not to make slanderous remarks against each other and mention words such as mass surrender and capitulation”.

“The Court of Appeal ruled that ‘such as’ is limited to mass surrender or capitulation, whereas Chin Peng contends that ‘such as’ only means ‘for example’,” the lawyer said.

“We are considering taking the dispute to the International Centre for Human Dialogues and see if the matter can be resolved,” Chan intimated.

Now living in Bangkok, the man whose Communist-given name once earned him infamy as the country’s “Public Enemy No. 1” first filed to sue the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government in 2005 for making him out to be a ruthless villain, but lost at the High Court here in September 2009.

Ong, who sees himself as a freedom fighter against colonial British rule, wants Putrajaya to stop tarring him as a terrorist.

On July 27 this year, the Court of Appeal had struck out the aged warrior’s bid.

The three-man bench had unanimously ruled that the federal government did not breach the conditions of the Haadyai Peace Accord when it allowed the publication of statements describing Ong as a “terrorist communist”.

“We have closely scrutinised this particular Item of the Administrative Arrangement but we are unable to accept that Item 1.2 provided for the non-publication of all manner of slander, rather, we find Item 1.2 only limited to the non-publication of words to the effect of ‘mass surrender’ and ‘capitulation,’” Court of Appeal judge Datuk Sulong Mat Jerai said in his ruling.

The exiled Ong has maintained that Item 1.2 of the lengthily-named “Administrative Arrangement Between The Government Of Malaysia And The Communist Party Of Malaya Pursuant To The Agreement To Terminate Hostilities”, was intended to safeguard the reputation of CPM members in their voluntary laying down of arms 21 years ago.

The particular item of the one-page document states: “All press statements issued by either party thereafter shall be in the spirit of the agreement and shall not contain any slanderous terms such as ‘mass surrender’ and ‘capitulation’”.

Controversial raya ad: TV3 slapped with RM50k fine

By Rahmah Ghazali - Free Malaysia Today







KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has slapped free-to-air popular television station TV3 with a maximum compound of RM50,000 for a controversial Hari Raya Aidilfitri advertisement that drew flak from its Muslim viewers.

In response to a question by Zulkifli Noordin (Independent-Kulim Bandar Bharu), Information, Communication and Culture deputy minister Joseph Salang Gandum told Dewan Rakyat this morning that the matter was investigated under Section 206 (3) of the MCMC Act for "insulting and instigating" the Muslims.

"After the investigation on TV3 was wrapped up, MCMC imposed on the station with a maximum compound of RM50,000," he said.

The advertisement, which had incorporated elements of Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism in the Aidilfitri celebrations, sparked a huge public outcry, especially from the Muslims.

The critics claimed the advertisment, which displayed a flying trishaw, lotus and lamps, would confuse Muslims and youths.

Following the public outburst, TV3 pulled out the advertisment and apologised for "hurting the feelings" of its Muslim viewers.

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EPF's RM75b for NYSE-listed mystery company?

By FMT Staff

KUALA LUMPUR: The government's decision to channel RM75 billion of public funds from the Employees Provident Fund to an “unknown foreign portfolio” in New York has got Indera Mahkota MP Azan Ismail worried.

"All we know at this point is that RM75 billion of EPF funds will be invested into a foreign portfolio. Who and what the portfolio is no one knows. It does not make sense.

"I'm guessing the investment is linked to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) where the Malaysian government has a company which is listed. But todate the company remains a mystery.

"We are concerned that the EPF funds will be injected into this company to save it because this mystery company cannot sustain itself," he said.

Azan also expressed concern that there may exist a pre-arranged channel in NYSE and Prime Minister Najib Razak's announcement was a sign to prepare the channeling of public money into this mysterious company.

"I am guessing that the EPF funds will be used as capital to boost this crony company and ensure it remains listed," Azan revealed to Suara Keadilan.

Deficit budget

He has also questioned the basis of the government's decision to expand the role of the “foreign potfolio” when Najib had in his budget asserted that the Malaysian government was encouraging private sector investment in the domestic market.

He said the government's decision to channel funds abroad was against its aspiration to entice private sector investment into the country and thus drive the high-income agenda.

Azan said what is also worrying is the deficit budget and increasing national debt of 18% from RM378 billion in 2009 to RM441 billion this year.

"I'm concerned that the government had only set aside 5% of the RM212 billion budget towards loan repayments. That means we are only paying RM10 billion towards the loans.

"On the RM441 billion debt, this translates to less than 2% of the budget... it's poor financial management and is not right," he said.

Once devout BN followers, now ardent PAS fans

By FMT Staff

KOTA BARU: Indian voters in the Galas constituency have shut out Barisian Nasional describing Umno candidates as “bureacratic and protocol-conscious”.

Until the 2008 general election, Galas was an Umno-BN stronghold and the 200-strong Indians were diehard supporters of Umno-BN. Then came the late PAS rep Chek Hashim Sulaima.

In just under two years, the 58-year-old Check Hashim's hands-on approach in tackling ground issues earned him the trust of not just the Indians here but also the Chinese.

The Chinese make up 20.8% of voters in the Galas constituency and BN is hoping that they will throw their support for Umno.

Will the Chinese, like the Indians in Galas, openly declare their support for PAS? Not likely, said a banker here.

"It's not their style to talk... the Chinese are watching not only Galas but also national politics. They are not sentimental. They don't trust anyone now," he said.

"Umno is banking on Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's popularity here, but he is not an independent. In the last election, people rejected Umno, not the candidate. That sentiment is still prevalent."

For the Indians here, Chek Hashim was a refreshing change from earlier Umno representatives. According to them, there is a marked difference between Umno and PAS representatives.

The most obvious is PAS' willingness to work at gaining the trust of the Indians in the Galas constituency who were once a marginalised community.

The 200 Indian votes may seem insignificant, but in the 2008 general election, Chek Hasim wrested the seat from Umno's Saufi Deraman by a 646-vote majority.

The seat fell vacant on Sept 21 following the demise of Chek Hashim. The Election Commission has fixed Nov 4 for the by-election.

Galas today is quietly mourning the loss of Chek Hasim if local views are any guide.

No empty talk from former rep

Raman Palam, 58, a trader, said: "When we voted for the PAS assemblyman, we did not know what to expect. All the years under Umno reps, we got no help.

"They hardly ever came here. We heard Umno reps attended meetings here and promised to do things but they never did for us. I don't remember seeing them in Galas often," he said.

In contrast, Chek Hasim was always accessible to his constituents, irrespective of their socio-economic or political leanings.

There was, according to Raman, "no hierachy or protocol or bureaucracy to worry about".

"The PAS man was always accessible to us. He worked very hard to gain our trust and changed our persective towards PAS.

"We were once devout supporters of Umno-BN but when Chek Hashim took over, we have seen a lot of differences.

"He was always working and did not engage in empty talk. He has helped many of the people here, especially old people and single mothers.

"He has always kept his word to us unlike Umno assemblymen," Raman said, adding that with PAS, the Indian community here was treated with much respect.

No more blanket support for Pakatan, says Hindraf

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: Unlike in 2008, Pakatan Rakyat cannot expect anymore “free lunches” from the Human Rights Party (HRP)and its axis, Hindraf Makkal Sakti.

Hindraf legal adviser and HRP secretary-general P Uthayakumar insisted that his group was committed to democratically ending the Umno-Barisan Nasional 53-year federal rule in the next election.

“But no blank cheque support this time for Pakatan to Putrajaya,” he said in a statement here today.

In the last general election, he said 90% of ethnic Indian voters backed PKR, DAP and PAS in response to Hindraf’s call for a new political direction.

He said ethnic Indians naturally would have high expectations of PKR, DAP and PAS, especially in the Pakatan-ruled states.

He said the Pakatan trio capitalised on the political awakening created by Hindraf’s Nov 25 rally and won 82 parliamentary and some 200 state seats.

The coalition also captured Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Perak (which it later lost to BN via defections), besides retaining PAS home turf – Kelantan.

“But after having made full use of the Indian voters, Pakatan dumped them like sucked oranges,” said Uthayakumar, a former ISA detainee.

He claimed that 100,000 poor Indians would not have gone to the streets on Nov 25 if only PKR, DAP and PAS had spoken up for them.

Political passion lacking

Uthayakumar said land for Tamil schools and Hindu temples, and education opportunities for qualified ethnic Indian students were among current pressing issues that never attracted Pakatan’s attention.

He said Pakatan leaders, including 11 ethnic Indian MPs, lacked the political passion and vibrancy to champion the ethnic Indian community in the country.

He said land matters were exclusively under the purview of the menteri besars in Selangor and Kedah, and chief minister in Penang.

But, he said despite two and half years of ruling these states, Pakatan has denied land for Hindu temples, burial grounds, Tamil schools and Indian villages even when it would be at no cost.

“Pakatan could have given permanent solution to long-standing problems faced by the Indian poor all in one go.

“But the coalition failed to seize the opportunity. Where is the promised change then?

“How is the supposedly multi-racial top leadership of PKR-DAP-PAS any different from the Umno-led regime?” asked the outspoken human rights advocate.

Uthayakumar recalled that there was never an instance when the Pakatan parliamentarians, including the ethnic Indian MPs, had walked out or tabled an emergency motion on a critical and pressing Indian problem.

“Why is that Pakatan MPs have refused to seriously debate in Parliament the denial of tertiary education and scholarships for some 2, 237 top and high achieving Indian students?

“(Is is because of) fear of losing Malay votes and wanting to be seen politically correct?” he asked.

Not multi-racial enough

Uthayakumar said the top leaders in Pakatan have refused to address scores of pressing Indian problems in the coalition-ruled states.

He chided the PKR, DAP and PAS top leadership for side-tracking the critical Indian problems and engaging their ethnic Indian so-called leaders to attack Hindraf-HRP.

“It’s an open secret that DAP, PKR and PAS are not multi-racial enough to speak up for the Indian poor.

“It’s because PKR, DAP and PAS have blatantly ignored the problems of the Indian poor that HRP has been forced into existence,” he said.

He also recalled that PKR refused to make way for a HRP candidate in Hulu Selangor by-election even though the candidate would have a better chance of winning.

He said even though MIC was virtually wiped out in the last election, Umno not only gave way but bent backwards to support and ensure MIC’s win in the Hulu Selangor by-election, which had a mere 19% Indian voters but 53.9% Malay electorate.

But, he said, the multi-racial outfit of PKR not only refused to make way for HRP but wanted to be seen as a more Malay party than Umno-fielded Malay candidate.

“This was silently watched by the Malaysian Malaysia DAP and PAS,” said Uthayakumar.

Thus, he said the Indian poor had been denied one lone “HRP” voice in Parliament, while the rest of Pakatan MPs, including PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang (DAP) and Hadi Awang (PAS) continued to refuse to champion pressing Indian problems.

Indian candidates dumped

Pakatan's choice of a non-Indian candidate in Hulu Selangor was not the first time PKR, DAP and PAS have dumped potential Indian candidates.

He said PKR, for instance, had chosen only ethnic Malay candidates in traditionally Indian reserved seats as they do not form a majority in any of the 222 Parliament or 576 state seats.

He recalled that PKR had always snatched away traditional Indian seats in the general elections of 1999, 2004 and 2008 and by-elections in Teluk Kemang, Lunas and Ijok.

Going by Pakatan’s multi-racialism, he argued that Indian candidates should have been fielded in Permatang Pauh (PKR), Bukit Gantang (PAS) and Ketari (DAP).

“But Pakatan brand of multi-racialism does not work this way,” he said.

Instead, he said Hindraf-HRP was accused of being racist for questioning both Umno, PKR, DAP and PAS' acts of racism by commission and omission.

He claimed that Pakatan's top leadership did not want to give HRP even the lone voice in Parliament because PKR, DAP and PAS did not want the pressing Indian problems to be ventilated and become politically detrimental to them.

“They may end up losing the Malay-Muslim votes.

“So they are least bothered about Indian poor being victimised on a daily basis,” claimed Uthayakumar.

Electoral gerrymandering

PAS has been ruling Kelantan with 735,551 mostly Malay voters, while DAP has been helming Penang with 704,097 mostly Chinese voters.

But even with 715,099 Indian voters based on the 2008 electoral roll, he accused Umno of gerrymandering electoral delineation to avoid Indians forming majority in any of the country’s 222 federal and 576 state seats.

“This is to preserve poor Indians in politically powerless state and keep the community under the tender mercies of Umno, and now PKR, DAP and PAS political masters," he said.

He said HRP would never beg for seats from Pakatan or BN because it was not a desperate political outfit.

“We are political activists first and politicians last,” said Uthayakumar.

He said HRP would go solo in the next general election as a last resort.

It is now embarking on its “Project 15/38” by concentrating Indian voters into 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats

HRP would first focus on the federal seats of Padang Serai, Batu Kawan, Teluk Kemang, Kota Raja, Cameron Highlands and Tebrau federal; and later on Lunas, Prai, Buntong, Port Dickson, Sri Andalas, Tanah Rata and Puteri Wangsa state seats.

He described the ethnic Indian political standing in the country as a “raw deal in BN but no deal in Pakatan”.

If the MIC was given a raw deal of nine parliamentary and 20 state seats under BN arrangement, he said it was no deal in Pakatan because HRP would be given zero federal and state seats.

Therefore, he said HRP would contest in these earmarked seats to seek political empowerment and speak up without fear or favour.

“We are not prepared to become the Indian mandores for Umno or PKR, DAP or PAS political masters.

“HRP will rise again to the occasion in the next general election in the spirit of Nov 25 Hindraf rally,” said Uthayakumar

Compare LibDem to PKR

The LibDem Party President's role is to chair the Federal Executive Committee, to be a spokesperson for the party membership, and to represent the members' views to the party leadership. This is a separate function to the Party Leader, Nick Clegg, who is currently Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I received a letter in the post today. It was from my party, the Liberal Democrats, which I had joined before the recent UK general elections.

You see; our party is having its party election, almost the same time as PKR. But we are just choosing our next party president, who serves for only four years. We do not do silly things like also choose a deputy president, three or seven vice presidents, the youth leader, the women’s wing leader, the supreme council members, the youth and women's wing EXCO members, and all that other nonsense.

And, just like PKR, all party members of the LibDem may vote. And we receive the ballot papers, together with a two-page leaflet about both candidates, through the post. There is no mad scramble to see who can receive the most number of nominations.

There are no press statements, slandering, name-calling, back-stabbing, cursing, smearing, swearing, ranting, raving, punch-ups, bar-room brawls, breaking of heads, hundreds of police reports, and whatnot -- like we see in PKR. Everything is done in a very civilised and matured manner. It’s quite boring, actually.

Now do you know why I am a member of LibDem? I am too cultured to be a member of an uncivilised party that fights each other instead of the enemy.

Menara Warisan

Cyber opposition against mega tower reaches sky-high

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20: The so-called 'Wawasan Merdeka' tower project announced by prime minister Najib Razak when presenting Budget 2011 last week has become a subject of intense debate in the cyberworld, much of which questioning the financial and social wisdom behind the plan.

Micro-blogging site Twitter has been rife with postings condemning Najib over the RM5 billion allocated for the 100-storey office tower, while a Facebook page dedicated to opposing the plan has todate attracted more than 30,000 fans within two days.

Popular Malaysian twitterati 'Aisehman' meanwhile takes Najib to task over a statement yesterday that the tower plan was not his own idea, but a proposal mooted by the government's investment company Permodalan Nasional Berhad.

“PM Najib Razak is (the) chairman of Yayasan Pelaburan Bumiputera (YPB) Board of Trustees. YPB wholly owns PNB,” said Aisehman, widely regarded a veteran in Malaysian 'twittersphere', charging that Najib had not been honest.

Najib had earlier said he did not direct PNB.

“It was planned and proposed to the government by PNB. I did not direct PNB. PNB was the one that proposed [the project],” Najib was quoted as saying.

His statement also earned a sharp rebuke from DAP's outspoken parliamentarian, Tony Pua, who said the PM’s denial smacked of "cuci tangan" (washing of hands) in the wake of intense opposition against the project.

PNB was set up under Yayasan Pelaburan Bumiputra (Bumiputra Investment Foundation, or YPB), headed by the then prime minister in March 1978. Among others, it acts to reconcile the economic imbalance in Malaysian society through equity ownership in the corporate sector under the New Economic Policy.

“Besides Najib Razak, also on YPB Board of Trustees is DPM [Muhyiddin Yassin], Stopa [Mustapa Mohamed] and Husni [Second Finance minister Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah].

"Again, PNB is wholly-owned by YPB,” continued Aisehman. "“Doesn't PNB report to Finance Minister and get his blessings on projects,” he asked.

He added that if the tower were PNB’s idea, it had to get approval from the YPB headed by Najib.

"PM is chairman of YPB Board of Trustees. YPB owns PNB. Board must have approved the plan. You can’t hide,” he twitted to Najib's own Twitter account.

He further charged that Najib's response to the growing criticism against the project showed that he "thought nothing of the people's hard-earned money being abused."

'Najib's lie'

Another twitterati Zainal Rahman said the PM’s denial over the project was a 'convenient lie'.

This was echoed by several others on Twitter, and suggested that Najib was again "flip-flopping" with government policies.

"I heard this (flip-flop) during Pak Lah’s era," quipped one 'dr2601' on his post.

Meanwhile, Facebook has not been left out in the intense debate, with a campaign called ‘1M Malaysians Reject 100-storey Mega Tower’ on the social networking site gathering some 30,000 fans only two days after its launch. (Click here).

“Why not use the RM5 bil to pay teachers and other civil servants their bonuses they've been waiting for? I thought PM said we already overspent on monthly expenses?” commented a fan Halmi Yasin on the page.

South Africa Plans To Examine Refugees Law To Protect Genuine Cases

CAPE TOWN, Oct 21 (BERNAMA-NNN-BUANEWS) -- The South African government plans to examine its Refugee Amendment Act to protect real refugees, who may have been compromised by those who abused the applications process for refugee status.

Briefing journalists in Parliament here recently, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Interior) Malusi Gigaba said the Refugee Amendment Bill would rectify technical problems which had appeared in the 2008 Refugees Amendment Act.

The proposed amendments include replacing officers who determine a person's refugee status with a committee; decentralising the Appeals Board; allowing children born to asylum seekers to be registered in terms of the Births and Deaths Registration Act and allowing the minister to extend indefinitely an individual refugee's status.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are 42,000 refugees in South Africa, but Gigaba said that currently there were more than 100,000 applications for asylum.

He added that many individuals applying for asylum were economic migrants who knew they would not qualify for refugee status under the Refugees Act, but applied anyway, lodging an appeal when their application was turned down.

A huge backlog of "hundreds of cases" meant it would be months before an appeal was heard.

"We are chasing away people who have no bona fide case, who know that they are abusing the system until we can close all the loopholes. There are serious challenges with this, as it impacts on rights of bona fide asylum seekers," Gigaba said.

The Bill proposes changes which would allow Appeals Board members to review appeal applications from written transcripts, rather than dealing with individuals who sometimes do not pitch on their appeal dates.

The review process would also be decentralised to allow each of the seven refugee centres to set up their own appeals boards to review cases lodged at their respective centres.

In a bid to make determinations on an applicant's asylum status fairer, a committee would replace individual officers, who have up until now presided over the initial determinations of an applicant's status.

Gigaba said children of refugees would assume the citizenship of the parents, but added that when they turned 18 they could apply for citizenship if they can show that they are stateless.

He said allowing those born to asylum seekers in the country to assume South African citizenship would create a crisis, as it would encourage people to come to South Africa to give birth here.

"We are not discriminating against children of refugees. We are managing refugee processes to avoid a crisis, not only for Home Affairs, but for South Africa as a whole," he said.

Under the new amendment, the Minister of Home Affairs -- and not the Director-General of the department of Home Affairs -- would have the responsibility of withdrawing the refugee status of an individual, particularly if that person was involved in crime.

Gigaba said people had been taking advantage of the generosity of South Africa's refugee application system, because the Refugees Act stated that everyone must be allowed a fair chance to state their case for being granted refugee status.

He said even the UNHCR had admitted that South Africa had "one of the most generous systems in the world, if not the most generous".

More substantive amendments, such as separating asylum seekers from economic migrants, will be dealt with at later stage. (NNN-BUANEWS)