Khalid: Pakatan harus bersedia untuk PRU 13

Oleh Fazy Sahir - Free Malaysia Today

SHAH ALAM: Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim berkata Pakatan Rakyat masih melihat beberapa aspek penting bagi gabungan itu dalam persediaan mereka menghadapi pilihan raya ke-13 kelak.

Namun Khalid yang ditemui enggan mendedahkan butiran lanjut berhubung strategi Pakatan sambil berkata persediaan itu perlu dilakukan dari sekarang.

"Saya tidak mahu bercakap mengenai strategi kami (Pakatan) tetapi saya nasihatkan kita perlu bersedia daripada sekarang.

"Kita akan lihat aspek di Malaysia, persediaan apa yang pemimpin dan parti harus lakukan," katanya dalam sidang media selepas persidangan Menteri Besar dan Ketua Menteri negeri-negeri Pakatan Rakyat disini.

Khalid turut menafikan persidangan kali ini membincangkan tentang persediaan pilihan raya tersebut.

Sebaliknya persidangan yang masuk kali kedua itu katanya adalah untuk membincangkan sistem pentadbiran dan politik di negeri-negeri Pakatan.

"Tiada...kami tidak bincang tentang pilihan raya dalam persidangan ini. Kami bincang tentang sistem pentadbiran dan politik negeri Pakatan dalam meneruskan cita-cita rakyat seperti apa yang kita janjikan dahulu.

"Kita bincang Pakatan sebagai kumpulan politik malah setiap menteri besar daripada kita sendiri memberi ucapan dalam bengkel yang telah diadakan hari ini.

"Persidangan ini juga mengimbas kembali usaha -usaha dilakukan Pakatan pada Mac 2008 dan kita mahu kongsi pengalaman ini bersama-sama dan bekerjasama untuk bangunkan negeri kami," katanya.

Stop groaning and start working

Back in 2008 I asked the five Pakatan Rakyat states, in particular Penang and Selangor, to introduce free Broadband services in the states they controlled. I personally spoke to the Pakatan Rakyat leaders and discussed the matter at great length with Lim Guan Eng and Ronnie Liu.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

There are those who resent it when I write articles not favourable to the opposition. What do you want to me to do? You want me to tell the emperor that he is wearing clothes when he is stark naked?

The question is: do you want me to tell you the truth or do you want me to lie and say only things you would like to hear? Have you not heard the saying that the truth hurts?

The argument they use is that we should not give the ruling party ammunition in which to use against the opposition. Hey, I am not creating the ammunition. The opposition is creating this ammunition. I am just pointing out that it exists and am drawing your attention to it. I can’t create what is not there. It is because it is there that I am able to point it out.

Umno and Barisan Nasional too lived in this denial syndrome back in 2007, just like how many in the opposition do today. And what happened? Umno and Barisan Nasional got whacked badly in the March 2008 general election.

Do you want Pakatan Rakyat also to get whacked in the next general election just like Barisan Nasional was in 2008? And if they adopt the same attitude as Barisan Nasional in 2007 then rest assured they will get whacked come the next general election.

Pakatan Rakyat, PKR and Anwar Ibrahim moan, groan, grumble, bitch and complain that they are being unfairly treated by the mainstream media. The mainstream media is spinning lies about Anwar and the opposition. So the opposition news agencies and Blogs should not throw fuel into the fire and do the same. The opposition news agencies and Blogs should instead say nice things about Anwar and the opposition.

Well, stop moaning and do something about it. As Lee Iacocca said: don’t get mad, get even.

Pakatan Rakyat has been running four (used to be five) state governments since the last 32 months. That’s roughly 1,000 days. 1,000 days! 1,000 days is a long time by any standards.

What has Pakatan Rakyat done over the last 1,000 days? Long ago we asked them to start a Malay language newspaper to reach the rural or Malay voters. Did they do that?

The Malay votes are split 50:50 -- has been since the last three general elections and has never changed much. Pakatan Rakyat knows it needs more Malay votes. And the mainstream media is poisoning the minds of the Malay voters and turning them against Pakatan Rakyat with talk about the Chinese calling the shots and about PKR and PAS being tools of DAP and so on.

But what has Pakatan Rakyat done to counter this? Where is the Malay language newspaper other than Harakah? There are currently four states under Pakatan Rakyat. So they can publish four Malay language newspapers if they want to -- and twice a week if they put their minds to it.

In 1,000 days they did nothing. No Malay language newspaper. In 1,000 days they just grumbled about the mainstream media and about how unfairly Pakatan Rakyat is being treated.

Back in 2008 I asked the five Pakatan Rakyat states, in particular Penang and Selangor, to introduce free Broadband services in the states they controlled. I personally spoke to the Pakatan Rakyat leaders and discussed the matter at great length with Lim Guan Eng and Ronnie Liu.

Where is that free Broadband?

Penang and Selangor are urban states. The Internet penetration in these states is very high. The urban population of Penang and Selangor are Internet savvy. They read the Blogs more than Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, The Star or the New Straits Times.

Okay, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, The Star and the New Straits Times are unfairly whacking the opposition. So fight back. Reach the voters through the Internet. Give free Broadband to the voters of Penang and Selangor so that they can access the Internet.

The Internet service provider is prepared to do this free of charge. Penang and Selangor do not need to pay them anything. You do not need to spend the taxpayers’ money to do it. Just agree to it and it will be done.

But, no, they dragged their feet for 1,000 days. Then they grumble about RTM, TV3, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, The Star and the New Straits Times. Then they grumble that Malaysia Today is being too critical towards the opposition.

Counter me then. Provide your own media and free Broadband and counter what I say. Why grumble and ask me to stop criticising the opposition? Fight me. Come out with your own news agencies and provide it free to the voters -- like how I am doing.

No, I will not stop criticising the opposition. This is because I want to see the opposition succeed. This is because I do not want to see Selangor go back to Umno like how Perak did. This is because I do not want them to live in denial syndrome. And if they can’t take this criticism then too bad. If Anwar wants to hate me for this then that is his problem, not mine.

The day I stop whacking the opposition or stop talking about them is the sign that I no longer care about them. My silence would be worse than my bark. And my bite can be even worse than my bark. Trust me on that one.

The knife cuts both ways

You say we must fight dirty. Dirty is kosher or halal. Then we should have no objections to Umno and Barisan Nasional also playing by the same rules. Can we therefore grudge Umno and Barisan Nasional from using race and religion to defeat the opposition?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

My last two articles in this column were ‘Muhyiddin whacks PERKASA’ and ‘A matter of ethics’. They were actually ‘trick’ articles’ to test the aptitude of our readers who post comments in Malaysia Today.

Now, aptitude means ability, skill, talent, gift, capacity, etc. I must say that many failed this simple ‘aptitude test’.

Please note that I said it is to test the aptitude of those who post comments in Malaysia Today. This does not necessarily mean the aptitude of all our readers because those readers who post comments are a very small handful indeed.

See the Google analytical report below for October 2010 and compare this with the 40 or 50 readers who post comments in Malaysia Today. The 40 or 50 do not represent the majority view of Malaysia Today’s readers. They are but a very small minority.

I receive many text messages and e-mails from readers who refuse to post comments and would rather offer their comments privately. And what they tell me is a far departure from the views of those who post comments.

In other words, we cannot use the comments as a measurement of the majority view of Malaysia Today’s readers. The majority of the readers differ in view from those who post comments.

Now, back to the article ‘Muhyiddin whacks PERKASA’. I was actually being cynical. The Malays call this menganjing, which comes from the word anjing or dog. Muhyiddin was not talking about PERKASA. He was talking about the opposition and pro-opposition Blogs like Malaysia Today. Many, however, thought that he was talking about PERKASA because of the spin in my article.

In other words, as I have said before, many can’t recognise tongue-in-check or sarcasm even if it bit them in the butt. And that was what I was being -- sarcastic. Muhyiddin was whacking the opposition but I spun it to say he was whacking PERKASA -- because what he said about the opposition could actually refer to PERKASA.

But then, as I said, the aptitude level of those who post comments was too low to catch my drift.

And these same readers who post comments also feel that it is okay to not have ethics as long as we achieve what we want. Okay, I agree. The ends justify the means. It is, after all, about politics. And in politics everything is fair. To be a good politician one must be Machiavellian.

Let us say, for argument’s sake, I agree with this. Let us say it is okay to be Machiavellian or dirty or have no ethics just as long as we win the elections. This is the rule we want to apply. But are you prepared to allow the other side to play by the same rules?

You say we must fight dirty. Dirty is kosher or halal. Then we should have no objections to Umno and Barisan Nasional also playing by the same rules. We can’t argue that only the opposition can play dirty whilst the ruling party must play fair. Once the rules of the game have been determined then all can and will play by those same rules.

Can we therefore grudge Umno and Barisan Nasional from using race and religion to defeat the opposition? Umno is telling the Malays that if the opposition gets to form the new federal government then the Chinese would be in power and the Malays would lose out.

Umno is putting fear into the hearts of the Malays. The Malays are being told that DAP is the real power behind the throne and that PAS and PKR are merely tools of the Chinese.

That is a fantastic political strategy, although very dirty. It is very Machiavellian. It is absolutely unethical.

But then ethics must not hold us back. No ethics is okay. And since we condone unethical methods we should then not grudge what Umno and Barisan Nasional do but should in fact commend them on a great strategy that is guaranteed to swing the Malay voters back to Umno and Barisan Nasional in the next general election.

Malaysian PM's Scorpene scandal gathers steam in France

Any investigation into corruption at the levels now underway in France is inherently unpredictable given the interests involved. What began as a ripple in Paris may yet build into a tsunami threatening individuals and plans previously thought impervious to such a threat. Questioning Abdul Razak Baginda might be a place to start.


Malaysia Chronicle

Questions over the sale of French-built Scorpene submarines to militaries across the world may finally ensnare some of France's highest-ranking leaders.In addition, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak should be starting to get nervous, along with officials in India, Chile and Brazil.

Questions over the sale of French-built Scorpene submarines to militaries across the world may finally ensnare some of France's highest-ranking leaders.

They include former French president Jacques Chirac, former prime ministers Dominique de Villipin and Edouard Balladur and the country's current president Nicholas Sarkozy, as well as an unknown number current and former French defence executives.

In addition, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak should be starting to get nervous, along with officials in India, Chile and Brazil.

Lawyers for the families of 11 French engineers killed in a 2002 bomb attack in Karachi were quoted earlier this month as saying they would file a manslaughter suit against Chirac, allegedly because he cancelled a bribe to Pakistani military officials in the sale of three Agosta 90-class submarines to that country's navy.

Sarkozy was budget minister when the government sold the subs, built by the French defence giant DCN (later known as DCNS) to Pakistan for a reported US$950 million.

Prosecutors allege that Pakistani politicians and military officials and middlemen received large "commissions" with as much as 2 million euros in kickbacks routed back to Paris to fund Balladur's unsuccessful 1995 presidential campaign against Chirac.

As budget minister, Sarkozy would have authorised the financial elements of the submarine sale. At the time he was the spokesman for Balladur's presidential campaign and, according to French media, has been accused of establishing two Luxemburg companies to handle the kickbacks.

Most explosive graft probe in French history

It is alleged that when Chirac was re-elected, the president canceled the bribes to the Pakistanis, which resulted in the revenge attack on a vehicle in which the French engineers and at least three Pakistanis were riding. For years, the Pakistanis blamed the attack on fundamentalist Islamic militants, including Al-Qaeda.

"Our complaint is going to target how the decision was arrived at to stop the commissions," French lawyer Olivier Morice told AFP, saying the suit was prompted by recent testimony from arms executives in the case.

Morice also called for Sarkozy (right), who witnesses have told investigators was linked to the bribes, to be questioned. The French president angrily denounced the allegations. As president, he has immunity and can refuse to be questioned while in office.

Nonetheless, l'affaire Karachi, as it is widely known in France, has been called the most explosive corruption investigation in recent French history, according to AFP. It may well be far bigger than just the unpaid bribes to the Pakistanis.

Executives of DCNS embarked on a global marketing drive to sell the diesel-electric Scorpène-class subs, a new design. They peddled two to the Chilean Navy in 1997, breaking into the market previously dominated by HDN of Germany.

DCNS also sold six Scorpenes in 2005 with the option for six other boats, to India, whose defence procurement agency has been involved in massive bribery scandals in the past. Defence Minister George Fernandes was forced to step down in 2001 after videos surfaced of procurement officials taking bribes.

In 2008, Gen Sudipto Ghosh, the chairman of the Ordnance Factory Board, was arrested and seven foreign companies were barred from doing business in India as a result of a bribery scandal.

In 2008, DCNS also won a bid to supply four Scorpenes to Brazil. DCNS is to provide the hull for a fifth boat that Brazil intends to use as a basis for developing its first nuclear-powered submarine.

The Malaysian connection

DCNS sold the Scorpenes to Pakistan in 1994. At about the same time the French engineers were murdered in 2002, Malaysia placed an US$1 billion order for two Scorpenes in a deal engineered by then-defence minister and deputy prime minister Najib.

In exchange, a company wholly owned by Najib's close friend, Abdul Razak Baginda, was paid 114 million euros in "commissions," according to testimony in the Malaysian parliament.

It is unclear why Malaysia decided to acquire the two boats. A new naval base is being built to house the two at Teluk Sepanggar in Sabah because the waters around peninsular Malaysia are generally too shallow for optimal submarine operations. In addition, the boats were delivered without advanced navigational and weapons gear, which the Royal Malaysian Navy is acquiring at a high cost from individual suppliers.

That episode has been widely reported. Caught up in it, besides Najib and Razak Baginda, was Altantuya Shaariibuu, the Mongolian translator who was murdered in 2006 and whose body was blown up with military grade explosives.

Razak Baginda, her jilted lover, was charged along with two of Najib's bodyguards but was acquitted under unusual circumstances without having to put on a defence. Before she was murdered, Altantuya told witnesses she was to be paid US$500,000 for her role in the submarine deal.

After his release, Razak Baginda immediately decamped for Oxford University and apparently hasn't set foot in Malaysia since. On Nov 5, Malaysian prosecutors closed the book on the case, despite statements by a private investigator that tied Najib to Altantuya's murder.

The case, however, remains alive in France. In April, three French lawyers, William Bourdon, Renaud Semerdjian and Joseph Breham filed a case with prosecutors in Paris on behalf of the Malaysian human rights organisation Suaram, which supports good-governance causes.

Breham journeyed to Malaysia later in April to interview further witnesses. In an email, Breham said he and Bourdon are returning to Southeast Asia to ask more questions next month. If the three lawyers - or any other French or Malaysian prosecutors for that matter - want a witness, Razak Baginda remains in the UK.

Bitter split

The efforts by prosecutors to link Sarkozy to corruption allegations in the Karachi affair may well have ramifications beyond French politics. France's commercial competitors in tightening global defence markets can also be expected to seek advantage from the affair.

The decision in mid-November by DCNS and Navantia of Spain to end their collaboration on building the Scorpene-class of boats purchased by Malaysia now make the companies commercial rivals. This seemingly bitter split may unleash new insights into past business practices, notably from the Spanish side as they seek to promote their S80 submarines against the Scorpenes.

France can also expect little support from Britain, where suggestions that the two navies share aircraft carriers as a cost-cutting measure have been met with a mixture of rage and derision.

Further, any revelations of systemic corruption within the French naval shipbuilding sector could present opportunities for in Britain seeking an escape from seemingly watertight contracts with French and shipyards for the construction of two large aircraft carriers.

Any investigation into corruption at the levels now underway in France is inherently unpredictable given the interests involved. What began as a ripple in Paris may yet build into a tsunami threatening individuals and plans previously thought impervious to such a threat. Questioning Abdul Razak Baginda might be a place to start.

Waspada Lagak “Si Kitol”

Dari Malaysiakini

Menteri besar Selangor Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim hari ini memberi peringatan kepada Raja-Raja Melayu supaya berhati-hati dengan “Si Kitoll” yang dikhuatiri akan kembali mempergunakan institusi berkenaan demi kepentingan politik.

Beliau berkata demikian dengan melihat kepada perkembangan sejak tahun lalu yang menyaksikan golongan berkenaan kembali “bermuka-muka” untuk mempertahankan kedaulatan Raja-raja Melayu.

Khalid (atas, kiri) memberi alasan, Krisis Perlembagaan 1983 yang berlaku akibat tindakan para pemimpin negara ketika itu “melakukan beberapa tindakan diluar Peruntukan Perlembagaan, dalam lain perkataan membelakangi Raja-Raja.”

Insiden itu juga berlarutan pada tahun 1992 dan 1993, kata Khalid lagi.

“Tiba-tiba, sejak awal tahun 2009, setelah 17 tahun berlalu, kini pihak yang berusaha dan berjaya ‘menghapuskan kekebalan dan beberapa hak istimewa Raja-Raja Melayu’, kembali bermuka-muka dengan seruan supaya orang Melayu menghormati Raja dan Sultan serta mempertahankan kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu,” katanya.

Jelasnya, pada masa krisis perlembagaan berlangsung, “para pemimpin utama” negara pada ketika itu “melakukan beberapa tindakan secara rahsia” dengan membuat pindaan ke atas Perkara 66(5) dalam Perlembagaan.

Tindakan itu dilakukan tanpa mendapat perkenaan Majlis Raja-Raja, kata Khalid lagi.

“Peruntukan asal berbunyi ‘Rang undang-undang akan dikuatkuasakan apabila yang di-Pertuan Agong menandatangani’.

Pindaan ke atas peruntukan itu kemudiannya, antara lainnya, menyebut bahawa sesebuah Rang Undang-undang itu dianggap telah ditandatangani selepas dipersembahkan kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong dalam tempoh 15 hari.

“Contoh kedua, pindaan ialah pada Perkara 10(1), di mana kalau Perdana Menteri mendapati darurat patut diisytiharkan di mana-mana juga di negara ini maka perdana menteri boleh menasihatkan Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan Yang di-Pertuan Agong mesti menerima nasihat tersebut,” kata Khalid lagi.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam ucapannya di majlis perasmian wacana ‘Kedaulatan Raja-Raja: Institusi Yang Mesti Dipertahankan’ di Shah Alam hari ini yang turut dihadiri Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Anti-Monarchy Sentiment Grows in Thailand

(Asia Sentinel) And the military uses it as a reason to crack down further on dissent

Recently, two unnamed red-shirted key figures gave a bare-all interview to Singapore's Straits Times, in which they asserted that anti-monarchy sentiment in Thailand has significantly grown, and that up to 90 per cent of the red shirts may now be anti-monarchists no longer interested in a peaceful struggle for democracy.

Undoubtedly, the content of the interview has served to reaffirm the state's claim of the existence of the anti-monarchy faction within the red shirts. So far, none from the red-shirted camp has come out to refute the allegation, although perhaps because most of the core leaders are now under detention.
The revelations also serve to further legitimize the hard-nosed policy of the Thai national security agencies against the so-called red-shirted anti-monarchists. Already, the Thai Army's Commander-in-Chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha has insisted that his top priority was to protect the monarchy. Gen. Prayuth's stance was well reciprocated by the National Policy Chief Pol. Gen.Wichean Potephosree who vowed to personally crack down on anti-monarchist elements.

The claim that the majority of the red-shirts are now adopting an anti-monarchy attitude is highly questionable, since it is obviously not possible to prove it. A more crucial question is whether cracking down on the anti-monarchy elements, either through harsh legal procedures or stiff social measures, is the most effective means, especially if the state's ultimate objective is to reconcile with its opponents.

If the key word here is reconciliation, then retribution should be avoided. If the Thai national security agencies seriously want to eliminate the anti-monarchist elements, the best approach is to fight with them within the democratic framework.

More than 30 years ago, in confronting with the communists, also perceived as a threat to the very core of the Thai nation—the monarchy, the state allowed them to return to society and live normal lives without obliging them to abandon their belief through radical means. External factors also played a role here: communism as a once leading global ideology was declining. Communism was at the end unable to resist the change of the global system.

Today, the face of the enemy may have changed from the communists to the anti-monarchists, and the political context may be starkly different. But the pattern of struggle has remained relatively unaltered. These actors have wanted a political space in which to express their non-conventional thoughts. But because of their non-conventional position, they have been written off as a threat to society. Such labelling automatically excludes them from being acceptable members of society, thus preventing them from maintaining their convictions legitimately.

The labelling process is unending. And while it may be used to justify certain policies on the part of the government, it also has the potential to create a wider ideological rift in society. Being condemned and alienated from society, the anti-monarchists could become more adamant in their actions. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva once alleged an anti-monarchist plot among the red-shirts. His confirmation gave a green light to security agencies to employ every possible instrument to hunt down those suspected of having republican leanings.

Eliminating the anti-monarchists will not lead to a political solution, nor particularly a better democracy. The crux of the problem indeed rests on the issue of democracy and justice. To the opposition, Thai society has grown more undemocratic and unjust. Anyone who possesses beliefs different from those of the state becomes a criminal in his or her own society. Worse, there is no room for the opposition to defend their position, either in public or in court.

There has always been a danger in knitting so tightly the notion of the threat to national security and the anti-monarchist movement. Most Thais still love and respect the monarch; only a minority may endorse an anti-monarchy agenda for various personal reasons. Accordingly, it is unnecessary for the Thai state to keep inflating the situation.

Or perhaps there is a clear political benefit in that attempt. Lèse-majesté cases are not uncommon nowadays. They have been arbitrarily used to undermine political opponents. Those who apply this law against the anti-monarchists have claimed to work within the legal context. But how can Thais be sure that existing legal instruments will not be politicised by certain influential members in society?

In my recent interview with a former executive member of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party, I was told that 35 to 55 percent of the red-shirted members are in support of the movement's pro-democracy activities both in the parliament and on the streets. They are also aware of the anti-monarchists who are trying to infiltrate the movement. The challenge is to separate themselves from such radical elements. Failing to do so, they are at risk of being collectively painted simply as a threat to the Thai nation.

The risk is grave since there is no clear definition of what constitutes anti-monarchy. Is a general debate on the monarchy considered a breach of a lèse-majesté law? In the meantime, could banning it be regarded as an obstruction to freedom of expression? The balance has to be made, bearing in mind the need to prove that the royal institution is compatible with democracy.

In reality, while the national security agencies are clear about their mission to purge the anti-monarchists, the reason behind their mission has remained ambiguous. For the sake of justice and democracy, they will need to open up a space for those who entertain the anti-monarchy outlook to clarify their position, or even defend their belief.

Despite the current political crisis, Thailand has come a long way since the abolition of the absolute monarchy in 1932, and is now experimenting a new phase of democratic struggle. In this context, it will be increasingly impossible for the state to coerce the change in the people's political thinking; just like it cannot force the yellows to become reds and vice-versa. The solution lies on the state's ability to co-exist with non-conformists and to recreate a society which respects diversities and differences.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun is a Fellow at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

‘Shooting’ in Parliament

By Mariam Mokhtar

During a parliamentary session last week, Deputy Foreign Minister A Kohilan Pillay called vocal overseas Malaysians “traitors” and said they had “breached loyalty to the King and country”.

He told the Dewan Rakyat: “The ministry monitors the behaviour and actions of not only people from the opposition parties but also tourists and those who reside abroad.”

Kohilan Pillay accused these Malaysians of giving foreigners the “wrong perception” of Malaysia.

But hasn’t he shot himself in the foot with his ludicrous charges?

Malaysians need not bother dishonouring the good name of the country and its leaders. Kohilan Pillay need only search in his own backyard and judge for himself how his government, principally the Umno faction, has tarnished Malaysia’s good name, both within and outside Malaysia.

But he is right. Malaysian missions overseas have an important role in fostering positive relations and promoting Malaysian interests.

In addition, the Prime Minister’s Office would elevate the national agenda, uphold the government’s stand, provide clarification on current political, economic and social developments and rebut any unfounded negative perception of the country.

Kohilan Pillay then revealed how the ministry would monitor foreign media reports and correct any unfounded allegations. If they’re already doing that, why worry?

Even if Malaysians choose not to berate their ministers for corrupt practices, irresponsible behaviour or unfair policies, there is plenty of non-political fodder for citizens who question the morality and poor judgment of their politicians.

A woman was flogged for drinking beer whilst children have been seized because one of their parents converted to Islam. The desecration of the cow’s head, the banning of Bibles, the ‘illegal’ use of the word ‘Allah’, journalists who violated the sanctity of the Catholic mass and the coerced conversions of some of the Orang Asli are a few of the religious injustices.

Men who abandon their wives and who refuse to pay child maintenance need not act responsibly. Their ex-wives can apply for financial aid from a RM15 million state-sponsored slush fund.

Errant husbands who wish to marry again, but without their wives’ permission, may take advantage of a loophole in the Syariah law and re-marry in neighbouring states.

A child as young as 10 is caned for eating the wrong kind of sausage, whilst under-aged teenagers are allowed to marry just so the statistics of illegitimate children and abandoned babies can be kept low.

The rape of Penan women arpenan baram women sexual abuse by loggers ignored and the true original peoples in Peninsular Malaysia – the Orang Asli – are not accorded full bumiputera rights.

The ancestral lands of indigenous folk of Sarawak and Sabah have been seized to make way for monuments to vanity like the Bakun Dam. This and other projects have all but destroyed the biodiversity of the land, caused massive pollution of land, water and air from the activities of mass-logging and oil palm planting. Our rainforests are depleted, risking climate change on a global scale.

People who dared to protest against illegal seizure of their lands have been threatened by thugs or arrested by the police.

Hundreds, including teenagers have been victims of police brutality or have been shot dead, or have died in detention. The public remains helpless.

Even learning institutions are not spared when school heads fail to lead by example and shamelessly espouse racist views.

Malaysia disgraced abroad

If Malaysians abroad are warned about making unfair comments, then the government should also tell certain prominent families that they should also behave properly when in the casinos of London, Monaco and Las Vegas. They should not expect to be bailed out from the public purse.

How about the seizing overseas multimillion-dollar assets and properties of well-connected people who paid for these in money siphoned off from public funds?

How is the Malaysian to defend his or her country when told that members of the Malaysian UN peacekeeping force had disgraced themselves by trashing and vandalising their quarters and desecrating religious symbols in eastern Europe?

How does the ordinary Malaysian feel about having to save hard to take his family on a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ foreign holiday, when those whose job it is to promote Malaysia as a tourism destination, clock up several thousand air-miles and spend a few million ringgit within a matter of months?

In their book ‘Small Acts of Resistance’, ex-journalists and human rights campaigners Steve Cranshaw and John Jackson show how courage, tenacity and ingenuity of ordinary people have managed to change the world.

The book describes how those suffering under repressive governments have managed to effect change, by simple individual actions.

For instance, Radio Solidarity picked up popular support that swept across Poland, by broadcasting ‘illegal’ news bulletins which countered official propaganda. What could the Polish government do? Arrest all the inhabitants of a town or a city?

The Turkish writer Yasar Kemal who wrote an article about brutality against Kurds, found himself charged under the anti-terrorism laws. When authors and publishers came to his defence and produced books and articles in support of Kemal, the authorities found the task of prosecuting hundreds of prominent intellectuals too cumbersome, politically embarrassing and idiotic, so the trials were abandoned.

To rid Peru of corruption and brutality, the public engaged in the mass public laundering of the national flag. Peru’s unpopular president Alberto Fujimori was soon toppled and he was later jailed for his brutal, corrupt rule.

Who knows? Zunar (left) and Radio Free Sarawak might be featured in the next edition of this book.

Kohilan Pillay’s veiled threat is a sign that the government is panicky about the increasing rumblings from citizens.

Perhaps, he should read the book and realise the impact on public lives by the small acts of ordinary people. Will his leaders change their ways? Or will they continue to betray the country and continue the mass theft from the nation and subjugation of its peoples?

The government’s attempts to monitor the actions of its citizens are an ill-use of resources. It may try to jam the airwaves and halt the flow of digital information.

But how will it extinguish the flame of courage, or destroy the human spirit, or quash the tiny acts of bold defiance or witty disobedience in Malaysians who value the ideals of living in a democratic and free society?

AHB Scheme Enables Bumiputeras To Equitably Share Country's Wealth - PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- The Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera investment scheme launched Monday, will provide an opportunity for the Bumiputera group to equitably share the country's wealth and succeed economically.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the scheme was part of the government's move to bring about a major change to the country's economy, so that wealth would not merely be concentrated in the hands of the upper class.

"We do not wish to see a widening gap between those with high incomes and the low-income earners, so with efforts like this we can help reduce that gap.

"It (AHB) also provides another instrument, whereby the country's wealth can be earned by as many Malaysians," he said when launching the AHB scheme at the Sime Darby Convention Centre in Bukit Kiara, here Monday.

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, secretary-general of the Treasury Tan Sri Dr Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah, and Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad managing-director/chief executive officer Kamalul Arifin Othman.

Najib said the government held to the principle that the country's wealth must be distributed equitably and justly because if a large section of the population, who were Bumiputeras, could not share the wealth, it meant the situation had denied them of their rights.

"This will also not contribute to political stability in the long run. We do not want to deny the rights of the Bumiputeras to continue investing and to succeed in business and the economy.

"Surely if the Bumuiputeras are passing through the city and each time they look up and see the skyscrapers and commercial buildings of high value are not owned by them, they will feel dissatisfied and uneasy," he said.

Najib, who is also the chairman of Yayasan Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera, said the move to introduce the AHB scheme was not only to increase Bumiputera ownership of high-value commercial assets, but also to ensure permanent ownership.

"The government will continue to assist Bumiputeras with opportunities to invest and own high-value and strategically-located real estate so that our aspiration to see a more balanced distribution of wealth will be achieved," he said.

The AHB scheme was announced by Najib, who is also Finance Minister, when he tabled the 2011 Budget in October to provide an opportunity for the Bumiputera community to increase ownership of strategically-located commercial property.

The RM1 billion scheme is open to Bumiputera investors aged three months and above, with the condition that investors who are below 18 require the signature of their lawful guardians who are Malaysian citizens, to invest.

The units are sold at a fixed price of RM1 per unit.

Bumiputeras can participate in the scheme with a minimum investment of RM500.

Dr M demolishes Najib's Merdeka tower

By FMT Staff

KUALA LUMPUR: The man instrumental for putting Malaysia on cloud nine, quite literally by constructing one of the world's tallest buildings, is unconvinced about a project aimed at topping his feat.

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whose 22-year tenure was littered with the biggest, tallest and longest achievements, had put current premier Najib Tun Razak's 100-storey Warisan Merdeka project on shaky foundation.

According to the real architect behind the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, Najib's brainchild was simply “not needed”.

Speaking at the “Revisiting Vision 2020” conference here, Mahathir warned that the upcoming skyscraper would be a bane for real estate in the Klang Valley.

“If you ask me, we don't need a 100-storey tower,” he said, responding to a query from the floor.

Mahathir added that when he went around the city, he often came across buildings with “for sale” and “for rent” signboards.

“This means we already have a lot of buildings," he said, drawing a resounding applause.

Encouraged by the favourable response to his remarks, Mahathir quipped: "Does that mean you agree with me and are against the government?"

Although a medical doctor by training, Mahathir, who is known for his acute economic skills leading to the coining of the term “Mahathirnomics”, went on to paint a bleak picture.

He warned that Malaysia, with its already ailing real estate sector, could witness the property bubble bursting, just like in Dubai and Japan.

"We may not be building like crazy but we are crazy building. There is no one to stay in these buildings. Those who buy, buy it to speculate and sell at a higher price.

"There will come a time when you cannot sell at a higher price and there is no one to buy (the buildings)," he added.

During his term in office, Mahathir had constantly come under fire from the opposition and other quarters for wasting taxpayers' money on mega-projects.

Meanwhile, the 84-year-old statesman also jested that he had a personal motive for shooting down the Warisan Merdeka tower.

Mahathir said that since he had been credited for the Petronas twin towers, he did not want to see Najib's brainchild outgrowing his, at least while he was still breathing.

"They can build it, maybe not now but later... when I am no longer around," he added.

The Warisan Merdeka tower, unveiled during the tabling of the Budget 2011 last month, was also met with stiff resistance from the opposition.

Apart from this, a Facebook page against the tower had more than 250,000 Malaysians registering their protest.

Police are trigger happy lot, says lawyers' group

By Teoh El Sen - Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: The police are a “trigger happy” lot and shoot at the slightest opportunity, according to statistics revealed by a local human's right group.

Testimony by a Bukit Aman police offficer at P Uthayakumar's sedition trial today, showed that in 2008, there were 82 fatal shootings and 88 in 2009, said Lawyers for Liberty.

"It is even more shocking when compared to previous years: In 2000 there were nine deaths; 2001 (5); 2002 (27); 2003 (17); 2004 (13); 2005 (9); 2006 (16) and 2007 (13)," said the group.

This would mean fatal shootings in 2008-09 saw a 17-fold increase compared with five deaths in 2001, said the group.

"We can conclude that the police are trigger happy and will shoot at the slightest opportunity in breach of the laws, regulations and the IGP's Standing Orders (IGSO)."

Lawyers for Liberty also claimed that the police had thus far been unable to prove or justify these shootings.

"There has been a spike in the number of unjustifiable and unlawful shootings of innumerable persons, apparently for fleeing from the police or plainclothes police personnel when confronted, even for minor offences.

"The police invariably claimed that they were 'attacked' and retaliated only in self defence even though there is no evidence to back up their claims," said Lawyers for Liberty.

It also said senior police officers and government officials usually “blindly” defended the police without looking at the possibility they might have been to quick to discharge their firearms.

"What has become of the Home Ministry’s special panel formed in the aftermath of Aminulrasyid Amzah’s shooting?" asked the group.

"Apparently nothing. The panel reportedly recommended that the current IGSO be improved. It looks to be just another public relations stunt."

Crisis of confidence

Citing the recent shooting deaths of Mohd Shamil Hafiz Shafie, 16, Mohd Khairul Nizam Tuah, 20, and Mohd Hanafi Omar, it said more and more people were gunned down while the government and the police remain mute to mounting public concerns.

"Acting Selangor police chief A Thaiveegan made the incredible claim that these young men were 'seasoned criminals' and they were part of a gang known as 'Geng Minyak' and alleged that the suspects rushed at the police with machetes.

"He also claimed that the police shot in self defence when it was more probable that they were killed in cold blood by the police," said the group.

Lawyers for Liberty called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry to be formed immediately to investigate the shocking rise of fatal police shootings in recent years.

It also urged that the Independent Police Complaints and Misconducts Commission be formed and the police undergo drastic reforms consistent with international policing standards and procedures

WikiLeaks documents reveal Arab states' anxiety over Iran

(CNN) -- U.S. diplomatic cables obtained by the website WikiLeaks and published by newspapers in the United States and Europe on Sunday reveal considerable anxiety among the Gulf states about Iran's nuclear program, with the Bahrain's king warning, "The danger of letting it go on is greater than the danger of stopping it."

The cables, many marked "Secret," were among several hundred thousand obtained by WikiLeaks and published by newspapers Sunday.

They reveal great concern among Arab states about Iran's regional ambitions. One cable describes a meeting between Saudi King Abdullah and White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan and other U.S. officials in March 2009.

According to the cable, the king told the Americans what he had just told the Iranian foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki. "You as Persians have no business meddling in Arab matters," the Saudi monarch was quoted as telling Mottaki. "Iran's goal is to cause problems," he told Brennan. "There is no doubt something unstable about them."

The king was also highly critical of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nuri al Maliki. He is reported to have told his American visitors: "I don't trust this man.... he's an Iranian agent." The cable continues: "The King said he had told both (former U.S. President George W.) Bush and former Vice President (Dick) Cheney: 'How can I meet with someone I don't trust?'"

King Abdullah also welcomed the election of President Barack Obama. "Thank God for bringing Obama to the presidency," he is reported as saying, adding that it had created "great hope" in the Muslim world.

According to another cable, King Hamadbin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain told the commander of U.S. Central Command, Gen. David H. Petraeus, that Iran was the "source of much of the trouble in both Iraq and Afghanistan."

The cable, sent in November 2009 by the U.S. ambassador in Bahrain, added that the king had "argued forcefully for taking action to terminate their nuclear program, by whatever means necessary. 'That program must be stopped,' he said.

Another cable reveals that in the neighboring United Arab Emirates, Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan told a congressional delegation last February that "if Iran goes nuclear, others in the region will move forward on the same track, and the nuclear nonproliferation treaty will completely break down."

According to a cable about the meeting sent by the U.S. ambassador on February 22, the minister added that "a crisis or confrontation in the region would create oil supply problems worldwide."

There was similar apprehension in Egypt about Iran. In a cable sent in February 2009, the U.S. ambassador in Cairo recounted: "President Mubarak told Senator Mitchell during his recent visit here that he did not oppose our talking with the Iranians, as long as 'you don't believe a word they say.'"

The cable referred to former Sen. George Mitchell, the Obama administration's special Middle East envoy.

According to the cable, the ambassador continued: "Mubarak has a visceral hatred for the Islamic Republic, referring repeatedly to Iranians as 'liars,' and denouncing them for seeking to destabilize Egypt and the region."

A cable from the U.S. ambassador in Oman, meanwhile, quotes the country's Armed Forces Chief, Lt. Gen. Ali bin Majidal-Ma'amari, as saying that "with Iran's continued attitude on the nuclear issue, the security situation in Iraq would remain unresolved."

Citing Oman's preference for a non-military solution, he nevertheless acknowledged that a nuclear-armed Iran as opposed to war with Iran posed "an extremely difficult dilemma for all of us," the cable continued.

There is advice in another cable about to handle Iran.

According to a readout of a November 2007 briefing from the then-British ambassador in Tehran, Geoffrey Adams, the UK envoy had "recommended being steady and firm, tough but not aggressive, and at the same time, seeking to engage."

The cable says: "He stressed that Iranians are obsessed with the West and this obsession at times blinds them to their interests."

Lawyer claims cops killed youth in cold blood

Forensic personnel examine the car the three youths had been travelling in before they were shot. — Bernama pic

PETALING JAYA, Nov 29 — The family of a young man shot dead on November 13 after being suspected of robbing a petrol station has accused the police of killing him in cold blood. Muhammad Hanafi Omar, 22, Muhammad Shamil Hafiz Shapiei, 15, and Hairul Nizam Tuah, 20, were gunned down by the police after a reported high-speed car chase in the early morning of November 13 in Glenmarie, Shah Alam.
“The police intentionally shot the three victims,” lawyer Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif, who represented Hanafi’s family, told The Malaysian Insider at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters today.
“All three of them were shot at close range. There were two shots on Hanafi’s right side of his head and one shot in the chest,” she added.
The police report lodged by Hanafi’s kin today follows the police reports lodged by Shamil and Hairul’s families on November 20, who similarly alleged that the police had performed a “gangland-style execution” on the youths.
The police claimed they had shot the suspects in self-defence as they had allegedly rushed to attack the policemen with machetes after the pre-dawn car chase.
Selangor acting police chief Datuk A. Thaiveegan had reportedly defended his officers’ actions by describing the three suspected robbers as “seasoned criminals” who were allegedly involved in at least three armed robberies in Selangor the week prior to their shooting.
The latest youth shootings have roused Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers to demand for newly-installed Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar to end indiscriminate fatal police shootings.
The Dewan Rakyat, however, recently rejected an emergency motion by Subang MP R. Sivarasa to debate the Glenmarie shootings.
According to the PKR MP, the motion filed under Standing Orders 18(1) had been rejected in chambers after it failed to fulfil the criteria of being specific, urgent and of public interest.
Sivarasa, however, informed reporters that he had been advised by Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar to raise the matter during committee stage for the Home Ministry.
Today, Sasha Lyna claimed the small size of the gunshot wounds on Hanafi’s body indicated that the shots were fired at close range.
“The size of the gunshot wounds, as seen by Hanafi’s brother who identified the body, were small,” said the lawyer from non-governmental organisation, Lawyers for Liberty.
“If it’s small, it means that he was shot at close range. He was also shot from a higher position,” she explained.
The lawyer also noted that the bullets had exited Hanafi’s body.
“The doctors at the post-mortem told Hanafi’s brother that all the bullets went through his body,” said Sasha Lyna.

Hanafi’s father, Omar, disputed claims that his son was a criminal.

Shamil’s and Hairul’s families had earlier noted that the two youths each bore two gunshot wounds on their heads and chests and that no bullets were found in their bodies. Hairul’s family had also said the trajectory of the bullet wounds on Hairul’s body indicated that Hairul’s shooter had shot him from a higher position.
Today, Sasha Lyna insinuated that the police had a tendency of claiming that suspects possessed machetes during police shootings.
“Every time there is a police shooting and the alleged suspects were there, the police will always claim that there were parangs (machetes) with the alleged suspects. It’s the same thing with Aminulrasyid,” said Sasha Lyna.
Fourteen-year-old Aminulrasyid Amzah was shot to death in a high-speed car chase with the police in Shah Alam on April 26 this year.
Then, the police claimed the Form Three schoolboy was a criminal and that he had a machete. His family has disputed these claims.
During the trial of Corporal Jenain Subi, who is charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder of Aminulrasyid, a crime scene investigator told the court, however, that he had found the machete in the car driven by the boy.
Today, Sasha Lyna called for an independent commission to investigate Hanafi’s shooting.
“We are asking for an independent commission to investigate this matter,” said the lawyer.
Sungai Siput MP Dr D. Jeyakumar, who was present with Hanafi’s family today, also reiterated Sasha Lyna’s call for an independent investigation.
“We want an independent panel,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hanafi’s father Omar Abdul Bakar, denied police claims that his son was a criminal.
“He did not have a criminal record. He just squeezed santan (coconut milk) for a living for a year,” Omar told reporters today.
“He (Hanafi) stayed in Kota Damansara with his boss,” added the 57-year-old ex-serviceman.
Omar expressed his dissatisfaction with the police’s explanations on his son’s shooting.
“I want justice,” said Omar, who currently works as a farmer in a village at Kuala Kangsar, Perak.
Besides Aminulrasyid, a second case involving the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Mohd Afham Arin in Johor Baru on October 20 last year has also surfaced after the victim’s mother recently demanded an independent commission to investigate the case.
According to human rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), 88 people were killed in police shootings last year.
The NGO also claimed not one police officer has been held accountable in the shootings and that the high number of deaths in 2009 was “alarming”, considering that there were only 13 such cases in the previous two years.

Musa claims Sabah has more Umno members than Johor

By Luke Rintod - Free Malaysia Today

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah now has surpassed Johor in term of Umno membership, according to state Umno liaison chief Musa Aman.
Musa, who is also the chief minister, claimed Sabah now has 455,828 Umno members, with about 30,000 new members enrolled this year alone. Johor has about 438,000 members.
"This we achieved through our endless effort via various programmes including the "Program Juara Rakyat" to further consolidate Umno strength in Sabah," he disclosed after he chaired the Umno state liaison meeting here last week.
"I am calling on the state Umno machinery to continue enlisting new voters as party members," said Musa whose position in the state Umno hierarchy may be under threat with word of a reshuffles in state Umno leaderships nationwide.
Musa, along with Malacca's Chief Minister, Ali Rustam, has been widely speculated to top Najib Tun Razak's menu of reshuffle with party vice-president Shafie Apdal who is currently heading Umno in Kedah brought back to Sabah.
Meanwhile party insiders said deputy state Umno liaison chief, Salleh Said who was initially seen as aligned to Shafie has since turned Musa-friendly.
The Salleh-Shafie ties were initially bolstered by their Bajau-Sama communities links.
However, when Salleh went ahead to lead a Bajau-Sama cultural body called United Sabah Bajau Organisation (Usbo), Shafie was nowhere to be seen in the line-up. But a check with Usbo website has Shafie listed as 'advisor'.
Salleh, a political scientist who is currently doing his doctorate locally, has been appointed by Musa as his science advisor, a post previously held by Tham Nyip Shen who became party-less after he quit the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and retired from politics.
Usbo making itself relevant
Usbo which was officially re-registered in 2006 meanwhile is said to be re-engineering itself with the aim of joining Barisan Nasional as an associate member under the NGO category.
Word on the ground has it that Usbo is aiming to become the 'balance' in Sabah's increasingly tumultous political landscape.
According to insiders the party is in the process of amending the name of organisation.
Currently Usbo's membership is limited to strictly Bajau descendents, but if the Registrar of Societies approves the amendment to its constitution that Usbo will only need to change the 'B' which means 'Bajau" in its Usbo-acronym to 'B' meaning 'bumiputera'.
By opening its doors to all bumiputeras, insiders said Usbo is making itself 'seriously marketable' to Umno and BN.
Although the amendments are yet to be approved by ROS, Usbo leadership has already begun moving its machinery in preparation of a surge in memberships from grassroots bumiputeras who are not members of Umno or any other BN component parties.
Historically, Bajaus have played a in significant role in Sabah politics with four of the state's former chief ministers - Mustapha Harun, Sakaran Dandai, Salleh Said Keruak and Osu Sukam - having been of Bajau-descent.
However since Musa assumed power, ties with the community have been strained especially so after he dropped several key Bajau leaders from his political lineup.
Usbo is said to represent 12 sub-ethnic groups comprising the Iranun, Sama, Suluk, Binadan or Bannaran, Ubian, Sama Delaut, Sibutu, Sikubung, Simunul, Samal, Yakan and Jama Mapun communities. Together they are the second largest ethnic group in Sabah.

DAP man submits motion on racist PD teacher

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
KUALA LUMPUR: A DAP lawmaker submitted a motion today to debate on the alleged racist statement made by yet another teacher from a school in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan.
The Nov 24 incident was widely reported by the press. A Malay teacher from SMK Port Dickson had purportedly told her Chinese and Indian students to "go back to China and India" when they arrived late for their exams.
Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa in his motion said this incident came amid a yet-to-subside nationwide uproar over various racists statements made by Malay civil servants over the past few months.
"Lately, these racially discriminatory statements have hurt many of us who want peace and harmony so much," Er said in the motion submitted this morning.
In February, a special aide to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak told a closed-door government event that the Chinese are descendents of "prostitutes" and Indians are "beggars".
A few months later, a teacher and two principals were reported to have made similar offensive statements in three separate incidents.
The Najib administration was slow to react. Some hawks in Umno even defended their actions, claiming the media and the opposition had exaggerated the incidents.
Najib's special aide was forced to resign from his post while one principal, who publicly apologised, was punished with a warning and transferred. The two principals too have been transferred out of their schools.
Er said the latest incident signalled a weakness in government methods in addressing racism, which opposition lawmakers say is already "institutionalised" in the public sector.
"Looking at the chain of events, it indicates that the issue is not an isolated event because the statements made by all of them are similar: ask the Chinese and Indians to go back to their countries."
He said drastic and effective measures must be taken to eradicate racism in the predominantly Malay civil service.
"So the Race Relations Act must be tabled and passed in the Dewan Rakyat as soon as possible," he said, urging the Speaker to allow time for debate on the matter.
Motions submitted by opposition lawmakers are often rejected and Er's motion is likely to suffer the same fate.

Post-PKR congress: Do or die for Anwar

COMMENT Can PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim steer PKR forward and keep its members together, following a bruising party election?
Following a three-day congress, Anwar – described as a God-sent leader by his wife and party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail – is clearly facing the biggest challenge to keep the party from falling apart.
One political analyst said it was “a do-or-die” situation for the man.
Failing to patch up the disgruntlement among its members would cause more members to ditch the party, particularly after some delegates began raising the issue of a “Gang of Four” dominating the party.
Many leaders have left the party in the past but it did not pose any serious threat. However, political observers said the situation was very much different, this time around, as dissatisfaction over the party elections has rocked it to its core.
Therefore, whether Anwar can pull it through this time remains to be seen as he is facing a more severe challenge after several big names – deputy presidency candidates Zaid Ibrahim and Mustaffa Kamil Ayub – along with Youth chief candidate Badrul Hisham Shaharin, made broad accusations of irregularities in the polls.
Zaid has since resigned from the party and is in the process of forming a new party by January.
The soreness over the party election results was still evident during the congress as some delegates called for the party leadership to conduct a thorough investigation into the complaints.
Sensing the mood, Anwar promptly addressed the issue last night when he openly admitted that there were some weaknesses and that he would take action if it was proven that there was fraud in the recently-concluded party election.
Daunting task
Political analysts have pointed out that Wan Azizah failed to address the issue in her opening speech on Saturday, by simply diverting the issue by praising Anwar as a God-sent leader.
"It is not his loyal supporters they should be concerned about but those who are outside the party, who are not party members but supported PKR in the last general election. How can this support be granted again in the next general election?," asked Sivamurugan Pandian, a political analyst at Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Anwar is also facing a daunting task to pacify young voters who are not happy with the way the party handled the direct elections. They played a crucial role in helping PKR win more seats in the last general election.
Apart from that, Anwar who is Opposition Leader in Parliament, is also facing the crucial issue of who, among leaders of the opposition pact of PKR-DAP-PAS, should be the prime minister, should they come to power at federal level.
PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution has said that the opposition pact had yet to address the issue and they were still working on having a clear manifesto and building on the party's common platform.
This left some party supporters wondering whether their leaders would be chosen to lead the country, should they come to power.
"It is really a 'do or die' situation... Anwar is the captain who can steer the ship. We don't know whether the captain is heading in the right direction.”
“If not, many passengers will make a U-turn and go back to the status quo," said a supporter who refused to be identified.
He said the party leadership could not just sweep important issues under the carpet and blame the Barisan Nasional for all the challenges they faced.
"If you observe carefully in this congress, you will see that some delegates are more critical. You did not see that in the previous congress. This shows that, to a certain extent, they want some convincing answers from the top leadership. Otherwise, they will be wondering over PKR's future," he said.
- Bernama

Oath stone: A reminder of promises given to Sabah

FEATURE KENINGAU: Except for the words written in old Malay spelling, the oath stone in front of the Keningau district office seems just like another rugged rock.
Most visitors are not tempted to spare a moment to delve into the meanings of the words written on a plaque that is affixed to the large foot-shaped stone.
But following the official national-level celebration in Sabah to commemorate the Malaysia Day on Sept 16 this year, the historical stone finally received some recognition.
The stone was originally placed within the compound of the old Keningau district office, adjacent to the district hospital, but was later relocated to the present site.
The man who was very much involved in setting up the historical oath stone was former state secretary Richard Lind.
According to Lind, the idea of the oath stone was mainly to resolve the initial opposition of the rural native chiefs on Sabah's move to join the Malaysian Federation.
“Several prominent native chiefs (or locally known as Orang Kaya Kaya) had certain reservation over the idea of Sabah joining the federation, simply because they felt they would not be able to understand what was going to be written in the proposed Malaysian Federation Constitution,” explained Lind, who was the Keningau district officer then.
“There was much discussion and consultation. I tried my best to allay their fears and suspicions,” he said.
After allaying their apprehension, a proposal was mooted to display an oath stone to acknowledge their acceptance of the federation.
Getting the stone
So a suitable stone was sought for the purpose.
“As the district officer at that time overseeing this assignment, the task became all the more urgent when it had to be completed to commemorate the first anniversary of Sabah's independence through Malaysia,” Lind said.
He said after considerable efforts, he identified a stone in the middle of Pegalan river, near kampung Senagang, a small village along the Keningau-Tenom road.
“This stone had all the characteristics for use as an oath stone. However, getting it out was difficult as it was in the middle of the river with the water flowing fast,” he said.
However, with the help of a local building contractor, Nip Kui Chiang, the stone was winched out from the river and transported to the site chosen by local leaders.
Lind said that he then commissioned a plaque to be made by the Thornycraft Shipyard in Singapore to be affixed to the stone.
Local leaders wanted the federation's prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman to unveil the stone but in the end Federal Minister of Labour V Manickavasagam was delegated to officiate at the event.
On Sept 16, 1964, on the first anniversary of Malaysia Day, a large crowd gathered at the old district office compound to witness the historic occasion of unveiling the oath stone.
Among those present then were the chief minister Fuad Stephens, GS Sundang, the president of Pasok Momogun, the main opposition party at that time; Yeap Kee Aik, then federal secretary; OKK Sedomon Gunsanad, OKK Angian Andulag, community leaders, government officers, native chiefs, village headmen and representatives from various ethnic groups.
The 47-year-old oath stone, weighing more than two tonnes, is a symbolic memorial that displays the terms under which the natives agreed to the formation of the federation.
The terms displayed on the plaque (in Malay) mention three tenets: freedom of religion in Sabah; the government of Sabah holds authority over land in the state; and the native customs and traditions must be respected and preserved by the government.
In return, the people of the interior pledged loyalty to the Malaysian government.
The Moningolig ritual
In the early years, a moningolig (a ritual using a chicken as sacrifice) is held at the site in conjunction with Malaysia Day celebration, attended by about 100 people, including politicians, government employees, students and community leaders representing various ethnic races.
The service was also a tribute to pre-independence leaders as well as to remind the younger generation about Sabah’s place in the creation of the Malaysian federation.
According to a local, John Gitang, during the first moningolig when the stone was first unveiled a strange thing happened: a white rooster simply “refused to die” after it was slaughtered for the ritual.
Gitang thought the rooster was dead and brought it back home but as his wife was about to clean it, the rooster suddenly came back to life.
Fearing that misfortune might befall on them, they decided to put off the family’s dinner plan and the lucky cockerel survived.
Meanwhile, Natural Resources Development and Environment Deputy Minister Joseph Kurup has suggested that the oath stone be relocated to a suitable place in view of its historical value.
He said its present location was no longer appropriate because the site would be used to expand the district office.
- Bernama

Selangor DAP Elects Teresa Kok As New Chairman

PETALING JAYA, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- Seputeh Member of Parliament (MP) Teresa Kok Suh Sim has been elected as the new Selangor DAP chairman at its 16th state convention, near here Sunday.

Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua Kiam Wee was chosen as deputy chairman while Klang MP Charles Santiago and Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Kim were elected as the vice-chairmen.

The Selangor DAP secretary's post was won by Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah, while assistant secretary and treasurer respectively by Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Suee Lim and Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan.

In a secret ballot, the 15 elected committee members decided on a reshuffle and elected Kok as the state chairman.

As the 15 met immediately to choose the chairman, Kok and Teng were proposed for the chairman's post and she won it by a single vote in a secret ballot.

Over 800 delegates voted to elect the contenders led by Kok, who is also Selangor State Executive Councillor and another group headed by Teng.

Kok when met by reporters said that she was overwhelmed by the election results and said would work hard to face the next general election.

"The results clearly indicate that the delegates wanted reforms and a reshuffle within the party in order to move forward," she said.

Meanwhile, Teng described the result as a victory for his rainbow coalition (name of his coalition) as the coalition meant at least some of his agendas would be implemented.

Saying he was not disappointed with the results, he said the task that lay ahead was to ensure the party was ready to carry out the wishes of members regardless which team they were from.

He said the closing of ranks would be their first task and everyone would have a role to play.

"The vice-president won't become a ceremonial post. Many said the Speaker post is also ceremonial but I have proven them wrong," said Teng, who is also Sungai Pinang assemblyman.

40 Orang Asli entrepreneurs receive commercial lots

The Star

BATU PAHAT: Forty Orang Asli entrepreneurs in Kampung Bumiputera Dalam, Rengit recently received keys to newly constructed commercial lots after 25 years of running their businesses from wooden shoplots.

The commercial lots, inclusive of workshops cost RM3.2mil to construct and was a joint effort between the Rural and Regional Development Mi­­nistry and the Johor state government.

The state government provided the 0.92ha of land for the construction of the lots. Each commercial lot is equipped with basic amenities including spacious parking space and is being rented out to the Orang Asli entrepreneurs at a special, low rate.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said the new commercial lots would provide a more comfortable base of operations for Orang Asli entrepreneurs while also being more convenient and accessible for customers.

Shafie said the ministry would go through the list of Orang Asli entrepreneurs that have applied and were still waiting for commercial lots.

FBI: Suspect claimed he wrote jihadist fitness article

A Somali-American teenager arrested Friday on suspicion of plotting to bomb a holiday ceremony in Portland, Oregon, told an undercover FBI employee that he wrote articles published in an English-language jihadist magazine, including a story on fitness, an FBI affidavit says.

Mohamed Osman Mohamud, 19, told the undercover operative last summer that he had written articles for the online magazine Jihad Recollections under a pen name, according to an FBI affidavit filed with Mohamud's arrest warrant.

One of the articles Mohamud claimed to have written was "Getting in shape without weights," which was published in the inaugural issue of Jihad Recollections in April 2009, according to the affidavit.

In the article, the author – identified as Ibn al-Mubarak – writes that jihadists must prepare their bodies for war and "train as hard as possible in order to damage the enemies of Allah as much as possible."

The article implores readers to train without weights, in part because using them is "unrealistic for the Mujahid in the front lines anywhere in the world today," and because gyms are not Islamic environments, with their "music, semi-naked women [and] free mixing."

The piece describes stretches and warm-ups before instructing on ways to sculpt one’s legs (suggestions include walking at least 90 minutes a day, doing interval runs, crawling long distances and sitting against a wall for long periods) and strengthen one’s arms (100 to 150 push-ups per day, pull-ups, walking on hands).

"We find that [weights are] ... a major setback for the Americans and the NATO Crusading army as they cannot go to any battlefront without carrying along with them their bench, squat sets and sometimes even their machines," the article says.

U.S. authorities say Mohamud was arrested in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at Portland's Christmas tree lighting on Friday night. He attempted to detonate the device, which was a fake planted by authorities in an undercover operation designed to undermine him, the Justice Department said.

A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance Monday in federal court in Portland, the Justice Department said.

The arrest was the culmination of a long-term undercover operation during which Mohamud, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was monitored closely as the alleged plot developed, the Justice Department said. Mohamud made the article claim to an operative involved in that undercover operation, according to the affidavit.

Mohamud said he wrote two other articles for Jihad Recollections, and that he also sent an article to another jihadist publication, Inspire, according to the affidavit. The court document does not identify those articles.

U.S. counterterrorism officials have said Jihad Recollections was produced by former North Carolina resident Samir Khan, who those officials now say they believe is living in Yemen. Intelligence officials also suspect Khan is the driving force behind Inspire.

No end to race and religion in politics

'But if we talk about eradicating poverty irrespective of race, of uplifting the economy of a national agenda planned not along racial lines, then there can be fairness to all.'

Azizah rallies party faithful, trashes 'ketuanan Melayu'

Gerard Samuel Vijayan: The highlighting of Malay issues by PKR is necessary in the face of incessant attacks from Umno warning that the Malays will lose their rights and become second-class citizens in this country if Pakatan Rakyat wins.

PKR must emphasise four points to placate Malay fears and concerns:

1) the status of Islam remains unchanged;

2) the position of the Malay rulers will be respected;

3) the Malay language will be defended; and

4) affirmative action as defined in Article 153 will continue but will be needs-based as opposed to purely race-based, and in the process only the needy, poor and deprived Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak will be generously assisted by the government.

Malay political dominance will continue under Pakatan but fair, equal and just opportunities will be given to the non-Malays; their religion, language and culture will be respected and accepted. The economy will be made open, transparent, efficient and competitive based on merit, fairness and competence.

KSN: Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, here are some corrections to your 'facts'. The bumiputera equity quoted by independent and credible sources stands at 45% and that means the quota of 30 percent was achieved about 15 years back. If those bumiputeras sold their RM50 billion equity for short-term gains, who is to be blamed? They benefited nonetheless, right?

Regarding the RM2,000 household income, at least they make RM2,000. What about the poor Indians who are without any work, without any skills, and nobody wants to employ them? They have turn to theft and unlawful means to survive. It is a social problem. What about the poor Kadazans and Ibans in similar state?

You are the president of so-called Keadilan - why did you not talk for the poor of all the communities? Your argument and logic is along Umno lines. What about racial representation according to population in the full spectrum of the civil service? Why did you not talk about the 45 percent of the population who are non-Malays?

Monsterball: Azizah deserves to be PKR president, a true freedom fighter like her husband. How many times must Malays be reminded that Umno is using them with selfish and crooked ulterior motives to enrich themselves and the chosen few?

Proarte: "Wan Azizah urged the PKR faithful to continue to back Anwar, whom she said is a 'great man who has been awarded by God to all of us to be our leader'."

This statement is worrying. Did Allah speak to Wan Azizah and tell her that Anwar Ibrahim was ordained to be leader? Did the Hindu gods also appear to her and reveal to her this 'truth'? Did she have a vision of Jesus telling her this as well?

I would advise Azizah and her daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar not to introduce religion into politics. When you do so, you bastardise religion. Talking about Allah ordaining Anwar is reinforcing in people's mind 'ketuanan Islam'.

Religion and politics are unhappy bedfellows. They have been a source of division throughout history. Anwar Ibrahim is paying the price for his unscrupulous abuse of Islam during his political career. It seems to me the Ibrahim family just do not learn. They do so at their peril.

Armour Man: When we discuss richness and poverty in the context of race and religion, we can expect to argue no end. If we talk about eradicating poverty in Malaysia irrespective of race, we talk about uplifting the economy of the poor irrespective of race. If our national agenda is planned not along racial lines, then there can be fairness to all.

I don't get Wan Azizah - while she condemns Umno and the 'ketuanan Melayu' concept, she proceeded to reinforce the image of the 'disadvantaged' Malay population.

OZ: In raising the issue of poor Indians, don't forget that among the richest Malaysians is an Indian (Ananda Krishnan), while the majority of lawyers and doctors are Indians. Study the breakdown of the rich and poor within each race in Malaysia, I believe the Indians are not that bad in terms of economics.

The poor in East Malaysia are due to the results of the BN robbing their wealth; the oil, gas, and timber revenues are taken with the consent of the East Malaysian BN leaders. They themselves approve it. Look at Batu Sapi - even with rotten bridges, they still choose BN.

CarL: The sub-conscious mind was at work, and Azizah's speech was dominated by the issue on Malays. This is the "leader" of a multiracial party? She never touched on any of the hardships of the Indians or the Chinese. If the Malays are used by Umno, then the Indians are used by PKR.

Swipenter: Any party that looks an iota better than Umno/BN in governance has my vote. Just look at how Umno with their two major lackeys in MCA and MIC bastradised the country for themselves for the last 40-odd years. They divided us to rob us blind.

Rolls-Royce: Despite what we read each day of the gross excesses happening in the country, we continue to have a group of people here discussing about how PKR, DAP and PAS have deviated from their objectives, how the Penang state government has victimised the Indians and their shrines built on illegal sites, how the election process in PKR was in disarray, how the DAP is divided so much so they would not be able to govern, how 'ketuanan Melayu' is being undermined and how the mosquito parties from Sarawak and Sabah are being sidelined.

We continue to harp on all these non-issues when the country is being robbed dry, when some bumiputera communities in Sarawak and Sabah are almost being obliterated, when BN parties do not even have direct elections, and when there is not one single evidence of abuse of power or corruption in Penang.

When are these whiners going to wake up?

3rd Force joining BN : No thank you PM.Najib. HINDRAF and HRP is more committed than PR to end UMNO/BN rule of Putrajaya for 53 long years, which has brought the Indian poor to this downtrodden state

 

3rd Force joining BN : No thank you PM.Najib. HINDRAF and HRP is more committed than PR to end UMNO/BN rule of Putrajaya for 53 long years, which has brought the Indian poor to this downtrodden state.

S.JAYATHAS

Information Chief

Najib open to ‘Third Force’ joining BN (Malaysiakini)

Najib Razak said today the emergence of the so-called ‘Third Force’ shows dissatisfaction with the PKR leadership.

"Whether they remain a third force (within PKR) or leave to join the party Zaid (Ibrahim) wants to form or enter Umno … it all stamps from the crisis gripping the party (PKR)," the prime minister told reporters after opening the MAHA 2010 exhibition here.

Najib was asked to comment on the statement of PKR deputy president senator Dr Syed Husin Ali that the existence of the ‘Third Force’ could make it difficult for Pakatan Rakyat to win big in the next general election.

Opening the Angkatan Women and Youth Congress yesterday, he said the group should be handled wisely and could not be taken lightly.

They can be associate/affiliate members

Asked whether Barisan Nasional and Umno were prepared to accept the group, Najib said they were always open.

"They can become associate members, affiliate members (of BN) and so on. We are open and inclusive in our attitude to draw more people to Barisan and Umno," he said.

He denied that Barisan was allowing direct membership because it was hard pressed to find second line leaders.

"No, we are not hard pressed. What it means is that BN is changing with the times… and this is important. We cannot stick to old procedures and structures when the political environment has changed.

Asked if the ‘Third Force’ would change and support BN, Najib said: "I don’t know yet, it depends … we will see how it develops but this is the result of loss of confidence among the PKR members."

- Bernama

Leadership, Unity Take Centrestage At MIC CWC Meeting

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- "Maintain party unity and stability" will be MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's parting words to the party's powerful Central Working Committee (CWC) members at their meeting on Dec 6.

Samy Vellu, who is expected to hand over the party's leadership to his deputy, Datuk G. Palanivel soon after the CWC meeting, said he would stress on the need for the party to maintain an effective leadership and preserve unity to ensure MIC's survival.

"I want them to maintain a strong working relationship so that the party can function effectively," he said when interviewed by RTM's Minnal FM Tamil radio station here Sunday.

Samy Vellu who had announced that he would chair his last CWC meeting on Dec 6, also said he would urge party members to give their full backing to Palanivel.

The former works minister described Palanivel, his former press secretary, as "a dedicated and pious person."

"He may not be as tough as me in running the party, but he can be tough at times. I believe he can do the job and I want all members to give him their support," he said.

Samy Vellu said unity has to be maintained by all quarters in the party to ensure the MIC continued to represent the Indian community and deliver the Indian votes to the Barisan Nasional in the next general election.

"It is vital that the MIC remains strong, vibrant and effective to continue fighting for the rights of the community. This can only happen if there is an effective leadership, and stability," he said.

Observers said Samy Vellu's remarks could be taken as cautioning party leaders from engaging in power tussle, especially in the run-up to the MIC elections in 2012.

Although Samy Vellu had refused to accept the post of party advisor after handing over the presidency to Palanivel as suggested by certain MIC leaders, it is believed that he would closely monitor the situation.

According to an aide, Samy Vellu would "move in" should there be a power tussle or attempt to destabilise the MIC.

"Samy Vellu would still command the respect and support of a sizeable number of (MIC) branch and divisional chairmen, and in the 2012 party elections, he could still call the shots," the aide said.

Samy Vellu took over the helm of the party in 1979 from the late Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam.


Samy: Palani will spearhead MIC

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who is stepping down after 31 years in office, says his deputy Datuk G. Palanivel will take over as a full-fledged president without having to be elected.

The outgoing president said the party constitution allowed Palanivel to be the president immediately.

“The MIC constitution states that in the absence of the president, the deputy will act for the president. Absence means when I go on leave or am away.

“But, I am resigning. So he takes over as the full president and not in an acting capacity,’’ he told The Star in a farewell interview at the party headquarters.

Samy Vellu, 74, is expected to vacate his post on Dec 6 when he chairs his last Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

Certain factions in the party are claiming that Palanivel, 61, can only take over in an acting capacity until he is elected.

Samy Vellu, who has held the MIC presidency for a record 11 terms, explained that the current scenario in the party differed from back when he took over as acting president in 1979 following the death of Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam.

“I took over in an acting capacity because at that time there were no vice-presidents to be made the deputy president. We amended the party constitution only later to have three vice-presidents,” he pointed out.

On the party’s No 2 position, Samy Vellu said he had obtained the mandate of the CWC to appoint vice-president Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, 57, as acting deputy president.

“I will put them both in their seats and then leave as I don’t want a tussle after that. Somebody may come and tell him (Palanivel) not to pick Dr Subramaniam as the No 2,” he said, adding that he was aware that there are a lot of troublemakers in the party.

Asked what was his greatest disappointment throughout his long te­­nure, Samy Vellu said it was former deputy president Datuk S. Subra­maniam’s “inability to work with me.”

“He contested against me twice. Otherwise today, he would have been the president of the MIC,’’ he added.

Samy Vellu also confirmed that he would assume new duties as special envoy for infrastructure with ministerial rank to India and several other South Asian countries.