“Please don’t send us back to the Hell of Pakistan. We like to die here in starvation”, Pak Hindu refugees.

Deport our bodies to Pakistan, not us: Pak Hindu refugees staying in Bharat.
New Delhi | 8 April 2013 | IANS :: Fear of deportation looms large over a group of 479 Pakistani Hindu refugees as their visas expire Monday but they are firmly set against returning to Pakistan, saying they will prefer to die than go back.

“We don’t know what will happen to us but what we do know is that if we are deported, it will be our bodies not us. We will die but not return to Pakistan,” Dharamveer, a farmer from Pakistan, told IANS.

(What a crucial situation for these unfortunate and persecuted Hindus came to Bharat as their last refuge to get a relief from the brutal torture by fanatic Muslims in Pakistan. But through the nexus of regulations these Hindus are inhumanly sent back to a slaughterhouse named Pakistan. What now the BJP MPs in Delhi are doing their massive jobs in Parliament? - Ed. HE.)

He is one among the asylum-seekers who crossed over to India through Jodhpur in Rajasthan March 9 on the pretext of visting Maha Kumbh in Allahabad. The group reached Delhi March 10 and took refuge in a 28-room building owned by Nahar Singh in Brijwasan area in south Delhi.

“Hindus are not safe there. Daughters are abducted and forced to convert. We can’t perform even funeral by setting bodies afire on pyre as Pakistanis ask us to bury the corpses,” said Dharmveer, who fled Hyderabad town in Pakistan’s Sindh province with his wife and four children.

“What we want is Indian citizenship so that at least we can die here peacefully,” he said.

The group comprises 83 women, 86 men and 311 children – of whom one died a few days ago.

Nahar Singh, an ex-soldier, is looking after these refugees. He had also sheltered 146 Pakistani Hindu refugees in 2011.

(When 3.5cr Bangladeshi Muslims are staying in Bharat with undue rights and procuring ration cards, voter cards, land etc. with the connivance with the political parties, then why such a meager numbers, hardly 25,000 in total, of Hindus are being sent back to mouth of an Islamic demon? Ed. – HE).

“They knew that it was me who had arranged the stay of 146 Pakistani Hindu refugees in 2011 and came to my house. I am sympathetic towards them,” Singh told IANS.

Asked how he was managing the funds, he said that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and various NGOs were helping them.

(Please start indefinite sit in protest with chain fasting with the Hindu refugees from Pakistan, at Jantar Mantar. HJS, HND, BSKS, MSS, RGS please take the initiative. ED. – HE). 

Same News in Hindi: हमारे शव को पाक भेज दो, हमें नहीं: हिंदू शरणार्थी: जागरण डॉट कम 

मिलतीजुलतीखबरे:  पाक में हिंदूओं को शव दफनाने को किया जा रहा मजबूर हिंदू को मुसलमान बनाने का सीधा प्रसारण पाकिस्तान से आए हिंदुओं के साथ होगी रियायत पाक से आए हिंदुओं ने उत्पीड़न के खिलाफ किया मूक प्रदर्शन पाक हमलों के खिलाफ विहिप का प्रचंड प्रदर्शन अलविदा पाकिस्तान, बची परिवार की जान		Related news:  The Plight Of Hindus In Pakistan India speaks to Pakistan about Hindu persecution Persecuted Hindus fleeing Pakistan, Bangladesh: RSS Hindus from Pakistan flee to India, citing religious persecution 48 Pakistani Hindus arrive in India – determined never to return Pakistan

20 hurt in Bangladesh strike clash

At least 20 people have been injured in south-western Bangladesh as a hardline Islamic group enforces a general strike to back its demands for an anti-blasphemy law.

Police and Somoy TV station said today's violence took place in Chittagong city when activists from Hifazat-e-Islam clashed with ruling Awami League supporters.

Police official Abdullahel Baki said the Hifazat-e-Islam protesters threw stones at police and the ruling party supporters.

The TV station said one ruling party member was hit by a bullet, but it was not immediately clear who fired it.

The Hifazat-e-Islam protesters also blocked a railway line in eastern Brahmanbaria district to disrupt train services.

The government said it has no plans to enact an anti-blasphemy law or meet other demands from the protesters.

Punjab, convert to Islam or die: The 20 year long nightmare of a Christian family

by Jibran Khan
Since the late 1980s Sadiq Masih Zafar and his family have been living under the constant threat of Islamist groups. In 1998, his daughter was kidnapped and seriously injured. Today her sister is being threatened with a similar fate. Despite reporting these threats, the police has never intervened. Lahore Priest: extremists enjoy impunity.

Islamabad (AsiaNews) - For more than 20 years, a Pakistani Christian family has been living in a constant state of fear, the victim of threats from extremist groups and under constant pressure from the radical fringe to convert to Islam. A tragic story in a country increasingly hostage to the Islamists, in which young people prefer Sharia law and the military to the democratic model proposed by the West and branded as "corrupt." In recent times, threats and pressures against the Zafar family have increased. And the father has been forced to lock one of his daughters indoors for fear she will become a victim of kidnapping, as was the case in 1998 when her older sister was abducted and subjected to torture.

Sadiq Masih Zafar, born in Muridke, a town in the district of Shaikhupur, in the province of Punjab, was appointed to oversee the construction of a church between 1988 and 1989, by the Lahore Church Council that had previously purchased the land. Since then Islamic extremist groups have showered him with threats and injunctions, ordered him to stop building places of worship and convert - with his family members - to Islam.

In 1990, a raid of fanatics led to the demolition of the structure and the confiscation of the land. In the context of the assault, the Islamists also violently attacked Zafar and some relativesHis reporting of the incident to police proved futile, who closed the case without proceeding to any investigation. A similar result, a few months later, when the man filed a complaint against the daily threats of fundamentalists who want him to convert to Islam.

In 1998, Zafar's daughter, Sarwat Naheed was kidnapped while returning home and subjected to violence and torture that resulted in the breaking of her legs and deep wounds to the head. The girl also had signs of strangulation and was found abandoned and unconscious in a field. A few days later his son Azeem Zafar was stopped by a group of people, who beat him up.

These two incidents prompted the Zafar family to flee to Lahore, in search of a quiet place. However the extremists hunted them down, and discovering their new home, continued to threaten them with death. On 27 March 2004 the threats became facts: masked men burst into the house and took the family members hostage, threatening them with death. The raid ended with no casualties or injuries, but even this time the police refused to open an investigation.

After a few years of relative calm, the nightmare of the extremist threat returned to haunt the Zafar family, forcing the father to isolate his daughter Asma Tosheeba at home for fear that she too could be kidnapped by criminals and suffer the same violence as her brother and sister. Speaking to AsiaNews, Fr. Suleman John, priest and activist in Lahore, appeals to the authorities to protect the safety of the family. "It's a very serious case - says the priest - and result of religious intolerance. Extremists do what they want, knowing they will go unpunished. Punjab remains the epicenter of sectarian persecution."

Pakatan and Hindraf - the missed opportunity

COMMENT I attended a Hindraf dinner a few weeks ago at which they explained their blueprint for GE13. After the presentation, I posed the hypothetical question which seemed a likely scenario: “What if the BN embraces your blueprint? What then?”

P Waythayamoorthy’s reply was “We would rather Pakatan Rakyat accepts our blueprint after all we have gone through under BN since Independence…,” or words to that effect.

Well, now the election has been called and what is the scenario? BN is at the point of embracing Hindraf’s blueprint, whether in toto or in part.

What is politically bewildering is that Pakatan has rebuffed Hindraf and has not included the proposals from the blueprint in its manifesto or that challenges the institutional racism (in particular, the NEP) that has been part of BN policy since 1971.
The rationale was that Hindraf’s blueprint was based on race while Pakatan's manifesto was based on need of all classes.

After Hindraf’s criticism of the Pakatan manifesto, the Indian Malaysian leaders in Pakatan gave the lame excuse that they were not in the drafting committee of the manifesto. This was hardly convincing, while giving the public a poor image of the way in which policies are made within Pakatan.

Soon after that, the DAP saw fit to include several proposals from Hindraf’s blueprint in its post facto ‘Gelang Patah Declaration”’ and after it did that, Hindraf accused the DAP of plagiarising the blueprint.

The bizarre and total inconsistency of this Gelang Patah Declaration is the fact that it was promulgated as a DAP rather than a Pakatan policy statement.

Why wasn’t it a Pakatan declaration? Is the declaration only acceptable by the DAP but not PKR and PAS? Why was this not ‘racist’ when Pakatan had said that the Hindraf blueprint was racist? Politically, it looked ridiculous while providing more grist for BN fire against Pakatan.

Whatever happens to this blossoming BN-Hindraf romance, we will have to see if the union is eventually solemnised. It should not if the Hindraf leaders have any political nous and honesty regarding Umno’s cynical use of institutional racism through its 56-year reign, which is the root cause of national oppression of the ethnic minorities.

If BN can accept Hindraf’s blueprint, something’s wrong with the blueprint

I have pointed out previously that the main failure in Hindraf’s blueprint is its failure to demand the eradication of institutional racism.
I have shared several fora with Hindraf leaders at which we have condemned institutional racism in Malaysia. And despite their efforts in recent years highlighting the entrenchment of racial discrimination in the constitution, I am surprised that the Hindraf blueprint does not call for the abolition of the NEP.

Pakatan cannot claim to be holier than thou because it does not condemn this institutional racism or announce readiness to abolish the NEP in its manifesto.

Change approach

Any corrective action in all economic and education policies must be based on need or sector or class and not on race with priority given to indigenous people, marginalised and poor communities.

Since its blueprint extols human rights, Hindraf should put forward its demands for all minorities and not just the Indian Malaysian community. Thus we find a gaping ‘disconnect’ between Hindraf’s noble challenge to racial discrimination entrenched in the constitution and its ‘Indians only’ proposals.

And because the blueprint is couched in terms of ‘Indian demands’ as MIC has traditionally done, it is easy for BN to accede to the blueprint. In fact, it is back to the quintessential ‘Alliance formula’ of 1957 except that BN will then (if they accept Hindraf) have a new associate tagged onto the MIC.

I have also earlier pointed out that to be consistent in its human rights stand, Hindraf should also urge:

• Repeal of Amendment (8A) of Article 153 that was passed during the state of emergency in 1971 and was not in the original 1957 federal constitution;

• Institutionalising means testing for any access to scholarships or other entitlements;

• Implementing merit-based recruitment in the civil and armed services;

• Enacting an Equality Act to promote equality and non-discrimination irrespective of race, creed, religion, gender or disability with provision for an Equality and Human Rights Commission;

• Institutionalising equality and human rights education at all decision-making levels, including state and non-state actors/institutions; and

• Ratifying the Convention on the Eradication of Racial Discrimination.

If the Hindraf blueprint was couched in these human rights terms, do you think BN would accept it? Certainly not, because BN has always been a ‘racial formula’. The coalition is the sum of its racialist parts - Umno, MCA, MIC and associates”.

Core issue

Is Pakatan suffering from a mental block on the national question? Why is it averse to coopting Hindraf’s blueprint, thereby losing the opportunity of an historic alliance with Hindraf? Is it because Pakatan is more purist than BN on the national question?

I don’t think so because, if the Pakatan manifesto can take into account Felda settlers, there is no reason why it cannot make considerations for displaced plantation communities or the stateless, among others, that are in the post facto Gelang Patah Declaration. The DAP, as usual, are ‘wise after the event’, a euphemism for opportunism!

Or could it be that incorporating Hindraf’s proposals would pose a threat to the jostling for seats among the Indian leaders in Pakatan? If this realpolitik is indeed one of the reasons for the Pakatan-Hindraf fallout, it is a let down of serious proportions for all Malaysians who hope for change in GE13.

And having been spurned by the Pakatan manifesto, we could only expect the fury of the Hindraf backlash against the DAP’s ‘plagiarism’.

No, in the end it boils down to Pakatan’s failure to come to terms with the national question, and that involves taking a stand on the NEP.

Isn’t it time for real change that will set our nation on a new footing of reconciliation and reconstruction, when we are no longer divided into ‘races’ and progressive policies can be put in place to help the truly needy?

Alas, I am afraid the ‘Ubah’ in Pakatan does not go far enough. (And I would ask all the homespun political philosophers to spare me their pearls of wisdom about the ‘pragmatic’ reasons for ‘not frightening the Malays’ in GE13).

Ultimately, a nation that is unequal can never be free or be at peace. Hindraf has already announced that it will be fielding candidates in several seats. Likewise, Pakatan’s ambivalence toward the left, namely PSM, will likely see three-corner contests in those constituencies that PSM contests.

I am afraid this historic non-compromise between Pakatan and Hindraf in GE13 will probably go down in Malaysian history as one of the most unfortunate missed opportunities in the overthrow of BN rule.

---

DR KUA KIA SOONG is director of human rights NGO Suara Rakyat Malaysia, a former member of parliament and former principal of New Era College, Kajang.

PAS says will field non-Malays in GE13 despite difficulties

SHAH ALAM, April 8 – PAS today gave a committment that it will field non-Muslim candidates in Election 2013 despite saying that it faced difficulties finding suitable seats for them.

Its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said today that seat allocations talks with its allies in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was virtually complete but most of the seats deemed suitable for the party’s non-Malay candidates had been taken up by the DAP or PKR.

“There will be (non-Muslims), we are working towards it and inshallah, there will be non-Malay candidates,” he told reporters after attending a dialogue on PAS’ “welfare state” push here.

“The problem is a lot of the non-Muslim majority seats have been taken up by other parties but we will look for suitable seats,” Hadi (picture) said.

Three days ago PAS’s Hu Pang Chow had confirmed that he would likely be contesting in Ayer Hitam, a MCA stronghold in Johor, but said that he is still waiting for the Islamist party’s official confirmation and announcement.

“I was told by PAS central committee, ‘get ready to contest in Johor for Parliament seat’,” Hu, 58, leader of the PAS Supporters Congress (PSC), told The Malaysian Insider.

“Likely in Ayer Hitam but I’m still waiting for the official letter,” added the Kedah-born Chinese, who has a few decades of experience as a campaign worker under his belt, but will be contesting for the first time.

If fielded in Ayer Hitam, Hu will have to face off against MCA Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong, who has proved popular in the Malay-majority seat, twice beating PAS candidates by a strong margin of 15,763 votes and 13,909 votes in the 2004 and 2008 elections respectively.

Hu also said three other PSC members will be contesting in Election 2013, with PSC women chief Kumutha Rahman going for a state seat in Johor, an Iban in a parliamentary seat in Sarawak and a PSC central committee leader in a Malacca state seat, with the latter two also first-time candidates.

PAS appears to be banking on its non-Muslim candidates to broaden its support base in Election 2013, with the party’s election director saying that the move will signal to voters that the party is “open and democratic” and supported by Malaysians of different races.

Hu, and other Muslim leaders in PAS had said that they were confident of strong support from the Malays.

“There’s no reason for them to give their votes to a Chinese-based party, MCA,” he said, before indicating that he will be riding on Chinese voters’ anger against the MCA and Barisan Nasional (BN).

“I will get at least 70 per cent of Chinese votes,” he said, saying that he will explain to the community the slogan of “PAS for all”, insisting “there’s no conflict between the Islamist party and Chinese voters”.

Blogger Papagomo to stand against Anwar

The blogger says he is contesting so that he can expose more alleged sex tapes of Anwar.

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, who blogs as Papagomo, will contest as an independent candidate against PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim in Permatang Pauh constituency.

Wan Muhammad Azri also promised to expose more alleged sex videos of Anwar during the campaigning period.

NGO Nadi Rakyat Malaysia president Mohd Rafi Awang Kechik, who represented Wan Muhammad Azri at a press conference today, read out a text message of Wan Muhammad Azri which declared his intention to stand in the election.

Wan Muhammad Azri said he decided to contest because the opposition leader has refused to step down despite repeated call from “all quarters” including former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whom the blogger warmly referred to as his source of inspiration.

“Though my defeat is almost certain, at least it will provide an opportunity for Permatang Pauh electorate to better know who Anwar Ibrahim is,” he said.

Mohd Rafi said Wan Muhammad Azri was absent today because he “was not ready” to appear in public just yet.

“He will show up on nomination day, and after that he will start campaigning in the constituency using my NGO machinery” he said.

Wan Muhamad Azri had previously produced a series of lewd photos and videos depicting a man resembling Anwar in various sexual acts.

Anwar always maintained that he is not the man in the photos and videos, and has recently filed a suit against the blogger in court.

PKR at a press conference recently accused the blogger of being a phantom voter and a former policeman convicted for bribery offences.

Showing true colours


Mohd Rafi said Wan Muhammad Azri would be releasing many videos which “may be recorded” in Johor or Penang.

“Anwar has been cheating the orang kampung; now election is a suitable platform to show the people his true colours,” he said.

When asked whether Wan Muhammad Azri’s candidacy will spoil BN’s votes in Anwar’s favour, Mohd Rafi said they would have their strategy.

“But what is more important is to expose Anwar’s true character,” he said.

Mohd Rafi also disagreed that Wan Muhammad Azri’s bribery convictions would tarnish his image as a candidate.

“Anwar has been jailed for six years, what is the difference? Papa Gomo was only jailed for two weeks,” he said.

Pengundi India tolak calon HRP di Kota Raja

Kebanyakan penyokong Hindraf di kawasan tersebut kecewa kerana kehadiran Uthayakumar hanya untuk memecah undi

SHAH ALAM: Hasrat pemimpin Parti Hak Asasi (HRP) P Uthayakumar untuk memiliki kerusi Parlimen Kota Raja tidak mungkin tercapai kerana majoriti pengundi India di situ menolak kepimpinannya.

Ketua Dewan Himpunan Penyokong PAS (DHPP) Selangor S Letchumanan berkata, kebanyakan penyokong Hindraf di kawasan tersebut kecewa kerana kehadiran Uthayakumar hanya untuk memecah undi Pakatan Rakyat.

“Banyak penyokong naik marah dan koyak banner dia,” katanya dalam sidang media di Pejabat Parlimen Shah Alam di sini hari ini.

Menurut Letchumanan, Uthayakumar pernah meminta bantuan kepadanya menjadi orang tengah untuk meminta PAS memberikan kerusi Parlimen Kota Raja dan PKR bagi kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Seri Andalas.

Katanya, Uthayakumar bertegas tidak mahu ke tempat lain kerana yakin beliau mampu menang hanya berdasarkan pengundi India.

“Kota Raja mempunyai bilangan pengundi India paling ramai di Malaysia sebab tu dia yakin boleh pecahkan undi,” katanya.

Tidak selari

Sementara itu, Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam Khalid Samad berkata, Pakatan Rakyat sukar menyokong Uthayakumar sebagai calon kerana tidak selari dengan perjuangan mereka.

“Kita bukan memperjuangkan hanya satu kaum jadi perjuangan mereka sukar nak diselarikan dengan Pakatan Rakyat,” katanya.

Uthayakumar dilaporkan akan bertanding di dua kawasan tersebut menggunakan slogan “Undi MP Hindraf Pertama ke Parlimen” dan “Peluang Terakhir Hantar Calon Hindraf Pertama ke Parlimen”.

Tindakan beliau itu bagaimanapun mendapat pelbagai respon kerana melihat ia akan memecahkan undi sekaligus membuka laluan mudah untuk calon pihak ketiga, Barisan Nasional (BN) meraih undi majoriti.

Sementara itu, Pesuruhjaya PAS Selangor Dr Abdul Rani Osman berkata calon Parlimen dan DUN Selangor akan diumumkan esok sejurus selepas selesai Mesyuarat Tertinggi PAS Pusat.

Katanya, PAS Selangor akan kekal dengan status quo dengan meletakkan 20 calon DUN dan 7 calon Parlimen bertanding Pilihanraya Umum (PRU) 13 nanti.

DAP to reduce Indian MPs?

DAP has been accused of sidelining its Indian leaders by reducing the number of MP seats to be given to them for the GE.

PETALING JAYA: Indian leaders in DAP are deeply concerned and worried that the party would reduce the number of seats given to them for the coming general election.

Their fear stems from movements within the party to allocate seats, especially parliamentary seats, to parachute candidates and new faces who are mostly Chinese.

The Indian leaders who spoke to FMT on condition of anonymity for fear of party reprisal said todate the party has not made any moves to dispel their fears.

“Instead, based on what we are hearing and seeing, it looks clear that the party leadership is seriously thinking of dropping some of the incumbent Indian MPs,” said a party leader.

The leaders told FMT that the DAP leadership could only offer four to five MP seats at most to Indian leaders, including to the incumbents.

“Parliamentary seats that could be taken back to be given to non-Indian candidates include Batu Kawan, Seremban, Teluk Intan and Klang,” said the source.

Batu Kawan was won by P Ramasamy, Teluk Intan by M Manogaran, Klang by Charles Santiago and Seremban by John Fernandez in 2008. They are all first-time MPs.

The other MP seats held by Indians in DAP are Puchong (Gobind Singh), Bukit Gelugor (Karpal Singh) and Ipoh Barat (M Kulasegaran).

“The party leadership has been silent on the fate of these MPs. From what we gather, some of them could be dropped,” said the source.

Lost Indian support

However, another Indian leader in the party said not all four of the leaders could be dropped.

“Maybe two, and the other two could be reassigned to contest elsewhere,” he said.

DAP Indian leaders also pointed out that not only incumbents were in danger, but also several grassroots leader who were promised seats and now told that those seats would be allocated to others.

“These grassroots leaders had been working in their respective areas for almost three years, but now they are being told by the party leadership to give way for the sake of party’s unity.

“The problem is that after 2008 general election, the party had attracted so many new faces, mostly from the Chinese community, and now they feel that it is their right to contest in the election.

“The party leadership is also seemingly in support of this move. DAP is proving itself to be just another Chinese party,” said an Indian leader from the party.

Indians were given 10 parliamentary seats in the 2008 general election although only eight were taken up. Of the eight, the Indian candidates won seven, losing only in Cameron Highlands.

FMT learnt that this time around, the Indian leaders had actually asked for 17 MP seats, only to be shocked by the party’s decision to cut it drastically to only four or five at most.

“The DAP leadership realises that Pakatan has lost the Indian support. It has also lost the Hindraf support. As such, they feel there is no need to cater for the Indian community. That is why they are reducing the number of Indian candidates,” claimed a party leader.

“So far they have not announced a single Indian seat that would be contested in this GE. Why the delay if they have no issues about retaining the very least the seven seats won by Indians in the last general election?” asked an MP whose own position in still unknown.

When contacted, a party official said these Indian leaders should wait for official announcement from the party before jumping to any conclusion.

Better chances for BN in GE13, says Dr Mahathir

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says that the Malay votes in Perak are back in BN's pockets.

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad predicted that the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional would have a better chance to regain the states that it had lost in the 2008 general election.

The states are Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Perak and Kelantan. In 2008, BN lost the states and its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament.

BN took over Perak a year later, in 2009, when three Pakatan Rakyat State Legislative Assembly members quit Pakatan Rakyat to be Barisan Nasional-friendly independents.

“I see [BN's position in] Kelantan as 50-50 similar to Penang. Kedah and Perak are 55-45,” said Mahathir in an interview with Malay daily, Utusan Malaysia.

He based his confidence on BN retaining Perak on the shift of Malay votes back to BN.

“At one point of time, in Perak even the Malays supported the DAP but now the situation has changed,” Mahathir said.

He is also confident that BN would retain Negeri Sembilan as long as there is no infighting.

“To me, Negeri Sembilan is still safe, provided they don’t quarrel among themselves. Problems arise when they quarrel but I don’t think they would,” said the former premier who led this nation for 23 years.

Mahathir, however, is not confident of a similar victory in Sabah and Sarawak.

“We still can win but not as many as we did in 2008,” he said.

He also urged voters to vote based on the party, not the candidate.

“Do not hesitate to support the candidate. Do not support because the candidate is my favourite or someone’s favourite. This is a competition between parties, not individuals.”

Pakatan’s missed opportunity with Hindraf

By failing to compromise on the Hindraf blueprint, Pakatan has wasted an excellent chance to overthrow the BN rule.
COMMENT

By Kua Kia Soong

I attended one of Hindraf’s dinners a few weeks ago at which they explained their blueprint for the 13GE.

After the presentation, I posed the hypothetical question which seemed like quite a likely scenario: “What if the BN embraces your blueprint? What then?”

Waythamoorthy’s reply was clear: “We would rather Pakatan accepts our blueprint after all we have gone through under BN since Independence…” or words to that effect.

Well, now the election has been called and what is the scenario? BN is at the point of embracing Hindraf’s blueprint, whether in toto or in part.

What is politically bewildering is that Pakatan has rebuffed Hindraf and has not included any proposals from the blueprint in their manifesto or that challenges the institutional racism (in particular, the NEP) that has been part of BN policy since 1971.

The rationale was that Hindraf’s blueprint was based on race while their manifesto was based on need of all classes.

After Hindraf’s criticism of the Pakatan manifesto, the Indian leaders in Pakatan gave the lame excuse that they were not in the drafting committee of the Pakatan manifesto.

This was hardly convincing, while giving the public a poor image of the way in which policies are made within the Pakatan coalition.

Soon after that, the DAP has seen fit to include several “pro-Indian” proposals in their post facto “Gelang Patah Declaration” and after they had done that, Hindraf accused the DAP of plagiarising from their blueprint.

The bizarre and total inconsistency of this Gelang Patah Declaration is the fact that it was promulgated as a DAP rather than a Pakatan policy statement!

Why wasn’t it a Pakatan declaration? Is the declaration only acceptable by the DAP but not PKR and PAS?

Why was this not “racist” when the Pakatan had said that the Hindraf blueprint was racist? Politically, it looked ridiculous while providing more grist for BN fire against the Pakatan coalition.

Hindraf accepting BN

Whatever happens to this blossoming BN-Hindraf romance, we will have to see if the union is eventually solemnised.

It should not if the Hindraf leaders have any political nous and honesty regarding Umno’s cynical use of institutional racism through their 56 year reign, which is the root cause of national oppression of the ethnic minorities.

If BN can accept Hindraf’s blueprint, something’s wrong with the blueprint.

I have pointed out in an earlier article that the main failure in Hindraf’s blueprint is its failure to demand the eradication of institutional racism.

I have shared several fora with Hindraf leaders at which we have condemned institutional racism in Malaysia. And despite their efforts in recent years highlighting the entrenchment of racial discrimination in the constitution, I am surprised that the Hindraf blueprint does not call for the abolition of the “New Economic Policy”.

Pakatan cannot claim to be holier than thou because neither does Pakatan condemn this institutional racism and announce their readiness to abolish the NEP in their manifesto.

Any corrective action in all economic and education policies must be based on need or sector or class and not on race with priority given to indigenous people, marginalised and poor communities.

Since their blueprint extols human rights, Hindraf should put forward their demands for all minorities and not just the Indian community.

Thus we find a gaping “disconnect” between Hindraf’s noble challenge to racial discrimination entrenched in the constitution and their “Indians Only” proposals in the blueprint.

And because the blueprint is couched in terms of “Indian demands” as MIC has traditionally done so, it is easy for BN to accede to their blueprint.

In fact, it is back to the quintessential “Alliance formula” of 1957 except that BN will then have a new associate tagged onto the MIC.

I have also earlier pointed out that to be consistent in their human rights stand, Hindraf should also call for:

the repeal of Amendment (8A) of Article 153 that was passed during the state of emergency in 1971 and was not in the original 1957 federal constitution;

institutionalising means testing for any access to scholarships or other entitlements;

implementing merit-based recruitment in civil & armed services;

enacting an Equality Act to promote equality and non-discrimination irrespective of race, creed, religion, gender or disability with provision for an Equality & Human Rights Commission;

institutionalising equality and human rights education at all decision-making levels, including state and non-state actors/ institutions;

ratifying the Convention on the Eradication of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

If the Hindraf blueprint was couched in these human rights terms, do you think BN would accept it?

Certainly not because BN has always been a “racial formula”, the coalition is the sum of its racialist parts – “Umno, MCA, MIC and associates”.

Is Pakatan suffering from a mental block?

But why is Pakatan averse to coopting Hindraf’s blueprint and now losing the opportunity of a historic alliance with Hindraf?

Is it because Pakatan is more purist than BN on the national question? I don’t think so because if the Pakatan manifesto can take into account “Felda settlers”, there is no reason why it cannot make considerations for “displaced plantation communities” or “the stateless”, etc. that is in the post facto Gelang Patah declaration.

The DAP, as usual, are “wise after the event”, a euphemism for opportunism!

Or could it be that incorporating Hindraf would pose a threat to the jostling for seats among the Indian leaders in Pakatan?

If this “realpolitik” is indeed one of the reasons for the Pakatan-Hindraf fallout, it is a let-down of serious proportions for all Malaysians who hope for change in the 13GE.

And having been spurned by the Pakatan manifesto, we could only expect the fury of the Hindraf backlash against the plagiarism by DAP.

No, in the end it boils down to Pakatan’s failure to come to terms with the national question, and that involves taking a stand on the NEP.

Isn’t it time for change? Isn’t it time for real change that will set our nation on a new footing of reconciliation and reconstruction, when we are no longer divided into “races” and progressive policies can be put in place to help the truly needy?

Alas, I am afraid the “Ubah” in Pakatan does not go far enough. (And I would ask all the homespun political philosophers to spare me their pearls of wisdom about the “pragmatic” reasons for “not frightening the Malays” in this 13GE!)

Ultimately, a nation that is unequal can never be free or be at peace. Hindraf has already announced that they will be putting up candidates in several seats.

Likewise, Pakatan’s ambivalence toward the left, namely PSM, will likely see three-corner contests in those constituencies that PSM will be contesting.

I am afraid this historic non-compromise between Pakatan and Hindraf in the 13GE will probably go down in Malaysian history as one of the most unfortunate missed opportunities in the overthrow of BN rule.

Kua Kia Soong is human rights watchdog Suaram’s advisor

Ex-IGP: Enough evidence to reopen Bala's SD2 probe

There is sufficient evidence to reopen the investigation into private investigator P Balasubramaniam's second statutory declaration (SD2), former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan said today.

"The person involved, I think this is new evidence... If there is new evidence then investigations should be re-opened," Musa told a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

He said this when asked for his evaluation whether the claim by lawyer Americk Sidhu (right) that Cecil Abraham was responsible for Balasubramaniam's second SD was enough to re-open police investigation into the matter.
Malaysiakini had approached Cecil but the senior lawyer had declined to comment.

Balasubramaniam's second SD, which disclaims his first one signed a day earlier that links now caretaker premier Najib Abdul Razak to murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, was said to have been drafted under duress.

Musa's successor, current IGP Ismail Omar, had said police would not re-open the investigation if it was "something old being said in a new way", unless there truly was new evidence.

"I don't know what he meant when he said ‘old things said in a new way'. But why not (re-open investigation)? There is new evidence," Musa said.
On a separate matter, Musa (right in photo) noted that there had been an increased in public shootings.

“There were random shootings in Johor Baru, people eating at a restaurant in Penang were shot at, in Seremban, a police officer’s house was shot at, I view this very seriously. If it’s so easy to shoot people, then we’re becoming like Mexico,” he said.

He added this frequency of public shootings was not seen during his tenure.

Asked if he had an explanation, he replied: “If you let illegal activities spread, of course you will face more (gang) fights for territory until they become emboldened that they are daring enough to attack the police.”

“As long as activities like gambling, prostitution, human trafficking, gangsterism, loan sharks are allowed to rule, eventually they will not be afraid of police any more,” he added.

Musa acknowledged that there could also be weaknesses in curbing arm smuggling that led to possession of these weapons.

'Intelligence failure'

On another matter, Musa said the police should investigate claims that there were local politicians involved in the Lahad Datu incursion by Filipino intruders.

“Investigation should be done, there should be proof, just simply making accusations is inappropriate, that would be slander,” he said.

Weighing in on the conflict, Musa said it was well-managed, albeit being delayed too long by the government.

However, he said ultimately, there was an intelligence failure that allowed the intruders to penetrate the country’s borders.

“I don’t know if the Special Branch received any information beforehand, but failure to act even if there is such information still counts as an intelligence failure.

“For example, the Americans had intelligence that the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbour but they did not believe and did not act on it, therefore there was an intelligence failure,” he said.

Musa urged the formation of a committee to investigate how eight police officers were killed during the clashes in Sabah.

“Section 39 of the Police Act requires an investigation committee to be formed when there is loss of life or accidents among the police force, be it on duty or off duty or when there is loss of government property.

“This should be set up so that it will serve as a lesson and will not happen again,” he said.

27 Years Later…Electoral Reforms Still Remain But An Illusion For The MCA?

by Martin Jalleh

Honour And Dignity Cannot Be Bought, Says Najib

PUTRAJAYA, April 8 (Bernama) -- Honour and dignity cannot be bought though there are those who make all kinds of promises, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The prime minister said that even if a person had lost everything, people would still respect him or her because of the principle of loyalty.

"Maybe two or three may have gone astray to become opposition candidates, but the majority is with us. I know who are to be fielded (in the general election) on the other side.

"I know their background and I know why (they have opted to go across). Actually, they have problems. Everyone in MINDEF (Ministry of Defence) knows," he said in an apparent reference to several retired senior army officers who may be fielded as opposition candidates in the coming general election.

"The Westerners say you come to the office with honour and dignity and you leave the office with honour and dignity.

"Honour and dignity cannot be bought even if people promise all sorts of things. Respect accorded to us by the people cannot be bought. That is why we must have principles in our struggle, we must safeguard our honour," he said when addressing a get-together of government retirees at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), here.

Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa, Public Service Department (PSD) director-general Datuk Mohamad Zabidi Zainal, Putrajaya Corporation president and president of the Senior Government Retirees Umno Club Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat were also present at the event.

More than 3,000 retirees, comprising those from the military, police, Prisons Department and Immigration Department from all over the country, attended the event. There are about 700,000 retirees in the country.

Najib said retirees, as experienced and knowledgeable individuals, would better understand that the future of the country could not be gambled away or experimented with.

"If we make the wrong choice, we will suffer, and not only us but also our children and grandchildren. This does not mean that it is mandatory for us to support the government, but we want to support because it is the best choice," he said.

Najib said the opposition could not be trusted because of its inconsistent talk and direction. For example, he said, it had proposed auctioning off Putrajaya at one time but now coveted the federal government administrative centre.

"Inconsistency in direction can lead to chaos in the national administration," he said.

Najib said that if the Barisan Nasional (BN) helmed by him was returned with a huge majority, the country would achieve more success and the deeds of the retirees would not be forgotten.

He said the current minimum two per cent annual increment in pension enjoyed by retirees could be raised depending on the financial capability of the government.

"Rest assured. If you support the government of today, we will chart more success. I will work even harder. I give the undertaking to work wholeheartedly with all my strength," he said.

Live – Ambiga, Simon Sipaun discuss what’s at stake (Video)

Ambiga and Simon Sipaun will be on air at 9.00pm to discuss what’s at stake in the coming general election.

Najib: Who do you trust - Anwar, Hadi or me?

Al-Qaida leader urges Muslims to unite in struggle

By: Associated Press

CAIRO — Al-Qaida's leader has urged Muslims in Arab Spring countries to unite to institute an Islamic state, while warning France that its intervention in Mali will be bogged down.

"I warn France that it will meet in Mali, with God's permission, the same fate America met in Iraq and Afghanistan," Ayman Al-Zawahri said in a 103-minute audio message posted on militant websites late Saturday.

France launched a military operation in Mali last January after being asked to intervene by the country's interim president. Since then, French and Malian troops have liberated main towns in the north, but remnants of an al-Qaida cell remain active there in some of the vast, rural areas.

In the recording, al-Zawahri urged Muslims to liberate their lands from oppressive regimes and foreign troops, apply Islamic law, halt the plundering of Muslim wealth, support rebellious Muslims and oppressed people worldwide, and establish the Islamic Caliphate, or religious state.

The audio was produced by al-Qaida's media arm, As-Sahab, and was presented alongside video footage showing Iranian revolutionary guards captured in Syria, and other events in the Middle East.

The al-Qaida leader praised the mujahedeen, or holy warriors, in Syria, urging them to step up their fight against the regime of President Bashar Assad. But he also warned them against letting the country fall under the influence of the United States, the Arab League, the United Nations and Israel should they gain control of it.

"(They) want to steal your sacrifices and your jihad to give them to their supporters in Washington, Moscow and Tel Aviv."

Al-Zawahri also lashed out against Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Iran for their support of Assad, saying that "the true faces of Iran and Hezbollah have been exposed, and their ugly reality has appeared in the field of holy war in Syria." He called The Syrian government a "criminal secular" regime.

Al-Zawahri, an Egyptian, criticized the country's ruling Muslim Brotherhood for a weak response to the country's poverty, saying "the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Have the Islamic movements provided better education, health or transportation?"

He also attacked the country's new constitution, drawn up by the Brotherhood and other Islamic movements, for not being religious enough. The charter, he said, approved by referendum last December, fell short of promises made by the Brotherhood, an Islamist movement that is the country's most powerful political force.

He objected to the fact that the current constitution designates Islamic law, or Sharia, only as "the main source" of legislation, rather than the "sole source."

Al-Zawahri's previous message, in which he urged Muslims to join Somali militants, was in November.

Pakatan: BN took a leaf from our manifesto

Pakatan Rakyat leaders are seeing red over the liberal use of their ideas in the BN manifesto unveiled last night.

According to PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali, PAS has identified at nine issues in which BN had borrowed from the Pakatan manifesto published in February.

He told a press conference today that the wordings may be different, but ideas were essentially the same.

Among others, Mustafa pointed out that BN's promise to review the national automative policy to gradually reduce car prices by between 20 to 30 percent, was not original.

Pakatan had promised to gradually remove car excise duties with the intention to totally remove the tax in order to have a competitive automotive industry.

On BN's promise of 20 percent special payments for oil producing states, Mustafa said that this was again similar.

Pakatan had promised in their manifesto to increase oil royalty payments from 5 percent currently, to 20 percent.

"These are just a few examples of how several of our ideas appeared in the BN manifesto. It is not a coincidence, but it is plagiarism," he said.

PKR: No real reforms from BN

Meanwhile, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar said the BN manifesto pales in comparisan to Pakatan’s in terms of outlining proper reforms.

"This is plagiarism in its clear definition. Their manifesto is populist, but misses out on the more important points, which are fundamental reforms," she said after a free health screening event in Pantai Dalam.

In comparison, Nurul Izzah said Pakatan had properly outlined how it will eradicate corruption and break monopolies.

“Our manifesto is about curbing the problems at the very cause,” she said.

The BN manifesto had stated that more courts would be established specifically to hear more graft cases.

What about GST?

She pointed out that the manifesto had left out any mention of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which is expected to be implemented after the general election.

"They should have made the announcement in the manifesto. We know they plan to implement the GST, but where is the GST in the manifesto?" she asked.

She said that the GST has already been tabled in the Parliament and that the MPs come across the Bill before.

"It has always been on the top of a stack of Bills but it was never debated. BN should be clear in their intentions with regards to the GST," she said.

DPM admits Pakatan a tough opponent, warns BN against complacency

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin launching the Barisan Nasional Command Centre at Taman Bullion Mewah. – Picture by Saw Siow FengKUALA LUMPUR, April 7 – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin warned the Barisan Nasional (BN) machinery today against complacency, admitting that beating Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in the coming polls contest would not be an easy task.

The deputy BN chairman said the opposition will be fighting tooth and nail to achieve its Putrajaya goal this time around and would not give up so easily.

“We have to be ready because it will not be easy to get the opposition to surrender,” he told BN members when launching the pact’s Batu parliamentary command centre here.

Muhyiddin told party workers to work their hardest to draw more support for BN, adding they should not give up as long as victory is not yet on their side.

“Do not sleep until the very final day. Only once we have won, you can sleep for however long you like... but as long as victory is not in our hands, we have to be alert... do not allow our enemies to sneak up on us and influence our voters,” he told some 500 at the function this evening.

“Let us go down to every area, ask how people are, their problems, and if they respond, then it is not impossible for Batu to return to BN,” he said, referring to the Batu parliamentary seat held by PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang since Election 2008.

The country’s number two also warned party members not to take any issue lightly, reminding them that the voters are the “kings” who would determine BN’s fate in the coming polls.

“But we cannot assume that everything would be so easy, the voters will be the determinants, the voters are the king, they could do whatever they like... even without reason, because no one can force them to choose a party,” he said.

Before launching the command centre, Muhyiddin, in his visit to the Batu constituency, enjoyed some teatime snacks with the voters of Kampung Padang Balang in Sentul.

He said all BN component parties need to stay cohesive and cooperative among one another despite their differences, adding that this would help keep the pact strong.

In a televised address on Wednesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced the dissolution of the Dewan Rakyat, paving the way for the long-awaited 13th general election.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the polls may be held as soon as April 20 or a week later on April 27, depending on the Election Commission’s (EC) arrangements.

The EC will meet next Wednesday to set the dates for nominations and polling that must he held within 60 days of it getting the notice of dissolution from every state legislative assembly that has yet to be dissolved.

Politicians from the ruling BN and opposition PR will be fighting hard to wrest majority control over 222 parliamentary seats and 505 state seats in the coming polls, which analysts have said is a toss-up between both pacts.

‘Uplift the Indian community too, Najib’

While urging Najib to do more for the Indian community, Tunku Aziz also criticised DAP's manifesto for Indians for being prepared overnight to fish Indian votes.

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, a former Transparency International-Malaysia president, wants Barisan Nasional chairman Najib Tun Razak to endorse and implement the Hindraf Makkal Sakti’s blueprint to correct the historical wrongs committed on the Indian community.

Pointing out that Indians have been marginalised since colonial days, Tunku Abdul Aziz said by right the government should have implemented a blueprint on its own to uplift the Indians by now.

If only successive governments had implemented what was needful and rightful for the Indians since independence, he said Hindraf and Indians would not have resorted to the streets or tabled a blueprint to exert their rightful demands.

He stressed Najib must endorse the blueprint and implement it fully if he was serious with his transformation plans for the country.

He said it would be an ill-conceived idea for Najib to implement his transformation plans while a segment of citizens remained languished.

“I call on Najib to endorse and implement Hindraf blueprint for Indians.

“It is long overdue. Najib should take the bold pro-active initiatives to correct the historical wrongdoings on Indians.

“It’s timely for him to rightly rectify the neglect of past.

“Poor Indians will be grateful to him,” said Tunku Aziz, formerly a DAP vice-chairman, adding that Najib was a premier who listens and delivers to the people.

He also dismissed criticisms that Hindraf blueprint was an extreme and racist agenda for one particular community.

DAP’s instand noodle blueprint

Tunku Aziz insisted that the blueprint was a legitimate demand to uplift Malaysians of Indian origin sidelined from country’s mainstream development.

“Hindraf is not demanding the sky and the moon for the Indians.

“It’s just asking the government of the day to correct past wrongs done on Indians.

“It’s just asking for a policy for Indians that by right should have been implemented long time ago,” he told FMT when he was here to speak at a public rally in Bukit Mertajam last night.

On the 14-point DAP manifesto for Indians, he said it was an “instant noodle” prepared overnight to fish Indian votes.

He mocked the DAP Indian representatives for preparing the instant blueprint to hoodwink Indians when for five years they merely stood and watch as the DAP-helmed state government in Penang and the party’s executive councillors in Selangor failed to implement any worthy policy to benefit Indians.

Dubbed as “Gelang Patah Declaration”, the DAP blueprint was unveiled by party senior leader Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah parliamentary constituency.

During his time in DAP, Tunku Aziz said he had never heard of Lim, his son, Guan Eng, or Indian representatives like P Ramasamy, M Kulasegaran and Charles Santiago highlighting, discussing or finding solutions for Indian issues.

He said the only person who would constantly highlight Indian issues in DAP and Pakatan Rakyat meetings was former Senator S Ramakrishnan.

“DAP has done nothing for Indians but came up with a bombardstic glamour declaration to cheat Indians,” said Tunku Abdul Aziz.

Be transparent with Petronas money first

'My biggest beef with the BN federal government is this: Why is there no oil-based sovereign wealth fund (SWF) for Malaysia?'
COMMENT

By Chua Jui Meng

Malaysia’s non-commodity Khazanah Nasional, founded in 1993, is ranked 23 with US$34 billion in assets and a Linaburg-Maduell Transparency Index (LM-TI) of 5.

The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is Norway’s oil-based Government Pension Fund-Global. It was set up in 1990 and is currently registered with assets worth US$664.3 billion with a perfect 10 LM-TI.

UAE-Abu Dhabi’s oil-based Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, established in 1976, is ranked second with US$627 billion with a 5 LM-TI.

At third ranking China’s non-commodity SAFE Investment Company which was founded in 1997 and now manages assets worth US$567.9 billion with a 4 LM-TI.

That’s the top three SWFs in the world. Now, let’s focus on our neighbours.

Singapore’s non-commodity Government of Singapore Investment Corporation that was set up in 1981 is ranked 8th with assets at US$247.5 billion and a 6 LM-TI.

Following at 9th rank is another Singapore non-commodity SWF, Temasek Holdings which was established in 1974. It has US$157.5 billion in assets and a perfect 10 LM-TI.

Even countries like Kuwait, which was severely damaged by Iraq’s bombing and brief occupation, Libya, Kazakhstan, Algeria and South Korea which was far poorer than Malaysia in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Malaysia Boleh is thus really Malaysia Tak Boleh under BN-Umno’s 55-year rule.

My biggest beef with the BN federal government is this: Why is there no oil-based SWF for Malaysia?

Malaysia is the 27th largest oil producer in the world, rolling out 693,700 bbl/day. Only 114 countries are listed as at 2009 and 2010.

Compare Malaysia with the above mentioned countries that are doing better in SWF asset management: Kuwait (10th at 2,494,000 bbl/day), Libya (17th at 1,790,000 bbl/day), Kazakhstan (18th at 1,540,000 bbl/day), Algeria (15th at 2,125,000 bbl/day), South Korea (64th at 48,180 bbl/day) and Singapore (82nd at 10,910 bbl/day).

Petronas, founded in 1974, is today a global player in oil and gas exploration.

A debt is a debt!

Why is the government just satisfied with an annual RM100 million contribution to National Trust Fund, or KWAN, since 1988? Are you treating Malaysians as monkeys and giving out peanuts?

Where has Petronas’ trillions of ringgit in revenue over the past 38 years gone to? Did Petronas’ oil and gas exploration presence in 32 countries outside Malaysia contribute or help facilitate the bulk of RM1.08 trillion in capital flight in the last decade?

Why avoid establishing an oil-based sovereign fund for the people and country? Is it because financial transparency and accountability would be a pain?

Petronas’ Q3 2012 profits are down 22%. That is a significant drop in financial performance.

But all these beg the question: With such wealth over 38 years, why is Malaysia’s national debt, as reflected by Budget 2013, at RM502 billion or 1.3% short of the 55% legislated debt ceiling?

But Deputy International Trade and Industry Mukhriz Mahathir had let the cat out in an interview with The Edge last year, claiming that Malaysia’s debts were well managed as the bulk of the RM800 billion borrowings were domestic!

A debt is a debt! You have to repay all, whether domestic or foreign. Also, which is the true figure for our federal debt? RM502 billion or RM800 billion?

Chua Jui Meng is PKR vice-president and Johor state chief. He is also a former MCA vice-president and an ex-Cabinet member.

Palanivel under fire over seat swaps

There is fear within MIC that by contesting in the Jalong state seat, MIC is reducing its chances of winning back Sungai Siput parliamentary seat.

PETALING JAYA: MIC leaders are hoping that their president G Palanivel would not swap seats in Perak in a move that could eventually lead to the party losing its high chances of winning back the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat.

Palanivel revealed during the party’s central working committee meeting earlier this week that he was currently in talks with BN component parties to swap two state seats in Perak and one state seat in Johor.

However, one particular state seat in Perak – Jalong – is causing much concern to party leaders, and party workers in Sungai Siput.

Jalong is one of two state seats under Sungai Siput. It was won by DAP’s Leong Mee Meng in 2008, who defeated Gerakan’s Cheah Chee Kuan by a majority of 5,495 votes. The Gerakan candidate managed to get about 6,000 votes from 18,8002 voters who voted in 2008.

Under the latest electoral roll, Jalong has 27,559 voters, of which Malays are 4,542 voters, Chinese (15,929) and Indians (7,088).

“Gerakan has once again identified a local man to contest in Jalong. They are confident of getting the Chinese support there.

“If MIC takes this seat, there is no guarantee the Chinese voters will back our candidate. In fact, they may just vote for the DAP Chinese candidate,” said a MIC national level leader who wished to remain anonymous at this stage as his own candidacy is not confirmed.

Worse still, he fears, the decision to take Jalong could result in Chinese voters in Sungai Siput turning away from the party.

“As it stands, we do stand a good chance to win back Sungai Siput but if we were to spite the Chinese voters here as a whole, we then risk losing their support in our battle to win back Sungai Siput,” he added.

In the Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency, the Chinese voters hold the majority percentage with 40.2 while Malays form 36.3% and Indians 22.6%. MIC lost the seat to PSM’s Dr Michael D Jeyakumar in 2008.

MIC looks set to pick party vice-president SK Devamany to contest in Sungai Siput as Palanivel is taking over his place at Cameron Highlands.

Party workers also fear that Palanivel’s deals within BN would not translate well on the ground in Sungai Siput.

“We are working hard to get the voters to be acquainted with our candidate. We are putting so much effort to get the Chinese voters to back us again.

“However, all this will be in vain if our gamble in Jalong fails. As a result of that, we may also fail in Sungai Siput,” said a party worker.

Internal political game?

Another national level leader, meanwhile, questioned if Palanivel’s decision to swap a party seat for Jalong is due to MIC’s internal political game.

“Is this being done to end Devamany’s political career in the hope that he would be defeated?” asked the leader.

“As it is, he is being shifted out of his safe seat in Cameron Highlands. He now has to face the tension of working with former president S Samy Vellu who is still thinks of himself as the party’s candidate for Sungai Siput.

“And now this problem over the Jalong state seat. Why not Palanivel just let Devamany re-contest in Cameron Highlands, and he himself stand in Sungai Siput?” asked this leader, who confirmed that he himself would not be contesting in this general election as he was given a “tough seat”.

When contacted, several MIC leaders refused to comment, stating that the matter should be addressed to Palanivel. Palanivel could not be reached for comment.

FMT also learnt that there was an intense discussion over the Jalong seat proposal at the CWC meeting, with most leaders expressing their unhappiness over the swap.

The decision is now with Palanivel to decide if he wants to take the risk of failing to win back Sungai Siput as a result of his unsuccesful wheeling and dealing.

Najib vows more cash in people’s pockets

Ibrahim Suffian, director of independent pollster Merdeka Center, however says the steps taken to combat graft were merely "procedural and do not tackle systemic issues".

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional chairman Najib Tun Razak unveiled a manifesto on Saturday pledging bigger cash handouts, millions of new jobs and lower taxes and crime, as he seeks his first mandate in looming national polls.

Speaking to tens of thousands in a packed stadium just outside the capital, he talked up Malaysia’s economic prosperity over his four years in power, promising to do better should he win convincingly in an election expected late April.

“We have fulfilled the hopes of the people. If that was our performance over just four years, imagine what we can achieve in the next five years if we have a strong mandate,” he said in a speech telecast live on national television.

Najib, who dissolved parliament Wednesday, has previously said he is “cautiously optimistic” of a “big” win as his Umno faces what is seen as the toughest challenge to its 56 years in power.

The vote is tipped to be the closest ever, driven by concerns over corruption, the rising cost of living and high crime under an Umno-dominated coalition which has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957.

Najib has worked hard to rebrand the 13-member Barisan Nasional since taking over the coalition in 2009 by launching a series of reforms to strengthen the economy and grant greater civil liberties.

He has reversed a recession, despite global economic instability, with Malaysia recording a 5.6 percent growth last year while keeping inflation and unemployment at 1.6 and 3.3 percent respectively.

Launching Barisan’s manifesto, he pledged to gradually increase an annual handout he introduced two years ago for millions of poor households from 500 ringgit ($164) to 1,200 ringgit while lowering private and corporate income tax.

The prime minister also promised to build a million low-cost homes and attract 1.3 trillion ringgit in investment by 2020, creating 3.3 million jobs in the country of 29 million people.

The manifesto outlines plans to expand the fight against crime and corruption by increasing the number of special corruption courts and the police force by 4,000 each year.

But Ibrahim Suffian, director of independent pollster Merdeka Center, said the steps taken to combat graft were merely “procedural and do not tackle systemic issues”.

“Najib has instead made a hard sell on his economic track record, but most people don’t feel the 49 percent increase in income over the past three years he talks about. That’s the disconnect,” he added.

Najib is facing his first test at the ballot box and is under pressure to recover from the coalition’s shock 2008 election result, when it lost its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority.

Recently, influential ex-leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Najib could face a ruling-party leadership putsch if he does not improve on the 2008 setback.

The resurgent opposition, led by charismatic former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, has gained traction by pledging to tackle authoritarianism and graft and is equally confident of victory.

The opposition currently holds 75 of 222 parliamentary seats and controls four of the country’s 13 states.

The Election Commission has said it will meet Wednesday to decide on a polling date, which must be within 60 days of parliament’s dissolution. Analysts expect it to be held by the end of the month.

AFP

Mahathir backs Ibrahim as Pasir Mas candidate

He also vows to campaign for the Perkasa chief.


SHAH ALAM: Independent MP Ibrahim Ali has received endorsement from former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to be fielded as a Barisan Nasional candidate in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, in the coming general election.

Describing Ibrahim as a “selfless” politician when addressing the crowd at an anti-Pakatan rally here today, Mahathir praised him for setting up Perkasa – an NGO – and continuously supporting BN.

“He set up Perkasa not because to promote himself, but to campaign for BN. I think he is a man who deserved to be given a position. I will advise Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to give him a position.

“If he gets nominated in Pasir Mas, I will definitely go there to campaign for him,” he said.

At a press conference later, Mahathir was asked he will still campaign for Ibrahim should BN decide to field another candidate in Pasir Mas,

Sidestepping the question, he said he does not care who the candidate is as long as BN can win.

“But I hope my friend [Ibrahim] will be given a chance; he was detained under Internal Security Act for so long, let’s give him a chance,” he said.

Ibrahim contested under the PAS banner in the 2008 general election and won the seat with 8,991 majority.

However, he soon declared himself an an independent and established Perkasa, a vocal critic of Pakatan Rakyat

Pakatan delaying candidate list due to coalition clashes, admits Nurul

(THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) delay in announcing its candidate line up despite launching its manifesto two months ago is due to clashes between certain quarters within the coalition, admitted Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar.

"That is true. It is a challenge for us and we are doing our best in this difficult situation," she said at the PKR Klinik Rakyat medical camp programme at Kampung Kerinchi on Sunday.

She said the staggered announcement of candidates by PR as opposed to the releasing a complete candidate list was due to key factors the leadership had to consider.

"The most important is the winnability factor and we have to take that into account.

"We must also ensure that in the end, the people are able to choose a party that they can trust. If we make a mistake, it will cost us dearly in the upcoming polls," she added.

Ms Nurul, who is also Lembah Pantai MP, described the issue as "teething problems" that will be addressed by PR.

She was asked to comment on PR's staggered candidate announcement despite launching its election manifesto on Feb 25, resulting in clashes within certain opposition camps.

Last Wednesday, PR failed to resolve seat negotiations despite assurances that the matter was finalised by its leadership council.

It was learned from an opposition party official that PKR will unveil its candidate list at a function in Bandar Tun Razak on April 10.

Several quarters within the coalition, including its Sabah allies Pertubuhan Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPPS) and Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS), have been at odds following the staggered announcement of candidates.

The unhappiness was seen following the public tussle for the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat in Johor between Johor PKR chief Datuk Chua Jui Meng and his Democratic Action Party (DAP) counterpart Dr Boo Cheng Hau, which was finally resolved when DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang annouced he would contest there.

Rumblings were also heard following Parti Islam SeMalaysia's (PAS) recent announcement that it would be fielding candidates in the Kangar and Temerloh parliamentary constituencies with PKR announcing later that it would be taking over the Bera, Labuan and Setiawangsa seats.

Sabah PKR also pre-empted any hijacking of seats when it hastily announced its seven candidates for the state's west coast region last Wednesday.

Malaysia's Multi-Ethnic Coalition Near Collapse

Tattered banner

(Asia Sentinel) UMNO may have to go it alone as Chinese, Indian parties crumble
Regardless of who wins Malaysia's 13th* general election, expected to be held on April 27, the historic multi-ethnic coalition that has ruled the country since independence will have likely collapsed.

"Whatever the results, the Barisan coalition will cease to exist as we know it because the Malaysian Chinese Association, Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian Congress will be wiped out," a Kuala Lumpur-based businessman told Asia Sentinel. "Assuming UMNO forms the government with Sabah and Sarawak parties, there will be no Chinese and Indian representatives in the government. And that is not a good scenario to have."

The Barisan and the opposition, made up of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat headed by Anwar Ibrahim, the ethnic Chinese Democratic Action Party and the fundamentalist Parti Islam se-Malaysia are embroiled in what is being called the closest election in the country's history, with both sides predicting victory. One opposition strategist said the race would probably come down to a margin of 10 seats either way in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat, or parliament.

For most of the time from its 1957 inception as an independent nation, the country has been governed by a carefully engineered amalgam of ethnic parties led by the United Malays National Organization, the Malaysian Chinese Association, the Malaysian Indian Congress and, to a lesser extent, Gerakan, which has faded in recent years.

However, in the debacle of the 2008 election, the MCA was left with just 15 seats in parliament. Gerakan, the second mostly Chinese ethnic party, ended up with just two seats. The MIC was left with three. UMNO won 78.

In the upcoming polls, political analysts say the MCA could see its total seats fall to just one or two, roiled as the party is by years of major scandals and political infighting that once impelled one of the contending factions to secretly film party leader Chua Soi Lek having a sex romp in a hotel room in a vain effort to drive him from politics. The resurgent opposition Democratic Action Party expects to claim the vast majority of Chinese voters. Gerakan, whose base is in Penang, which is controlled by the DAP, could be wiped out completely, the analysts say. The MIC is equally riven by scandal and infighting, with its members and leadership gravitating away towards the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf.

This is not a scenario conjured up by the opposition. It has been discussed within UMNO councils for months as the party has watched the other components of the Barisan drift into disaster. It is at least partly responsible for the rise in race-baiting in recent months as UMNO and its attack-dog ancillaries such as the Malay supremacy NGO Perkasa raise the spectre that ethnic Chinese, and particularly Chinese Christians in a Muslim country, will take over the reins of power.

Ethnic Malays make up 50.4 percent of the population, Chinese 24 percent and Indians 7.1 percent, according to the CIA World Factbook. UMNO sees its chance to keep its leadership of the country intact by winning every available ethnic Malay vote and hopefully luring ethnic Indians back into the fold.

Thus indigenous tribes, most of them in East Malaysia, with 11 percent of the population, probably hold the key to the 2013 election, most political analysts feel. The states of Sabah and Sarawak and the federal territory of Labuan control 57 of the 222 seats. The 165 peninsular seats are almost equally divided between the Barisan and Pakatan Rakyat.
As the MCA in particular descended into chaos, an UMNO operative told Asia Sentinel months ago that UMNO basically decided it would have to go it alone in the 13th general election. While the other ethnic parties will field candidates in the election, UMNO will try to take as many constituencies dominated by ethnic Malays as possible and hope the component parties can have some impact.

If not, the 57 East Malaysia seats -- depending on how the parties controlled by the current chief ministers fare in the election -- will control peninsular Malaysia's destiny. In both Sarawak and Sabah, the bonds of loyalty that keep elected lawmakers tied to particular parties are slippery indeed. In one case in the 1980s, when the opposition unexpectedly took control of the statehouse in Kota Kinabalu, the victorious coalition locked their winning members behind a chain link fence to keep them from being bribed away by the losers.

Should the collapse scenario actually take place, it will produce a "mono-ethnic and unelectable opposition that will be constrained to the Malay belt" in the Peninsula, where 20 million of the 28 million Malaysians make their home -- without the help of the East Malaysian states. Both chief ministers have been implicated, although not indicted, in scandals involving untold amounts of money in bribery for timber sales. They would be pleased to talk to the opposition in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

If UMNO is to rebuild the coalition, win or lose it means its gamble to conduct the election by appealing to the fears or prejudices of its Malay constituency has failed the country at large, and that it must regain the trust of the complex ethnic mosaic that makes up the rest of the country.

"What's left is UMNO seats, high Malay-majority seats," said an opposition political operative. "They might be propped up with some Malay seats in Sarawak, and some Sabah UMNO seats. If they lose, they would have to reconstitute. They have to start moderating their line and to try to get back the support of the minorities. Assuming they hold power, I would assume over the next five years they would have to reconstitute."

It is unsure what the implications are for Malaysian society as a whole. Tension has simmered for decades, since 1969 riots took the lives of hundreds on both sides of the ethnic divide, exacerbated by the New Economic Policy created in 1971 to give economically disadvantaged rural Malays a leg up. Malays get the majority of government jobs and places in universities. The country has been on a 30-year campaign to ensure rising ethnic Malay ownership of the commanding heights of the business community.

So-called Ali Baba companies dot the landscape, with the "Ali" being an ethnic Malay usually sitting behind a polished and empty desk, while "Babas," a nickname for Straits-born Chinese, run the business from the backroom. Billions have been wasted on government-linked companies given to UMNO cronies to run into the ground. An explosive report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released today said as much as RM200 billion* was funneled out of Malaysia last year to Singapore, an astonishing burst of capital flight.

"Malaysia's system of holding back the dynamic Indian and Chinese minorities has turned it into a bastion of mediocrity in a fast-growing region," Wall Street Journal columnist Hugo Restall wrote in an editorial today. "The country's best and brightest leave because the cronyism and racial quotas in education and employment hold them back."
*Corrections. Typo. Originally read 12th general election. Originally read US$200 billion. We apologize for the errors.

Najib on a Knife Edge

Wall Street Journal

Malaysia’s PM faces a struggle to stay in power.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak dissolved parliament Wednesday, setting the stage for the country’s 13th general election, probably at the end of the month. According to the constitution the polls could be held no later than June 27, so Mr. Najib’s move was no surprise. The fact that he waited as long as he did is one of many signs that the Prime Minister faces a struggle to stay in power.

Part of the challenge comes from within his own party. After five decades in power, the United Malays National Organization is riddled with corruption and complacency. In the 2008 election, Mr. Najib’s predecessor Abdullah Badawi barely held on to a parliamentary majority, and afterward the opposition almost succeeded in tempting enough MPs to cross the aisle to form a new government.

That set the stage for Mr. Najib to take over the party leadership and premiership in 2009. He shored up his coalition by pursuing a program of economic and political reforms that tackled many of the issues that the opposition championed in 2008. This government deserves credit for responding to the public’s dissatisfaction with corruption, lack of domestic competition and repressive laws left over from the colonial period.

However, these reforms were limited, and while they were good for the country, they may not translate into a victory for Mr. Najib. The population is young and increasingly urban, and many of these voters think the pace of reform has been too slow, especially in reforming the system of affirmative action for the ethnic majority Malays. Meanwhile, the Malays out in the villages who benefit most from the preferences and cash handouts find the changes threatening.

The conservative Malay constituency is well represented by nationalist politicians within UMNO, including Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Both are potential challengers for Mr. Najib’s position, so it’s no coincidence that his policies have been undermined from within the party.

The opposition coalition has its own cohesion problems that will probably come to the fore if it wins this election. But it has done a creditable job of ruling the four states under its control, undermining the government’s argument that only it has the chops to keep Malaysia stable and growing.

Malaysia’s system of holding back the dynamic Indian and Chinese minorities has turned it into a bastion of mediocrity in a fast-growing region. The country’s best and brightest leave because the cronyism and racial quotas in education and employment hold them back.

Mr. Najib probably recognizes the need to move faster, but he can’t afford to alienate his Malay base. In the coming weeks, UMNO’s list of candidates will tell the electorate much about internal party politics. If the Prime Minister doesn’t move aggressively to sideline the Malay nationalists and put his own reformers in place, voters may reasonably conclude that it’s time to give the opposition its chance to overcome Malaysia’s feudal past. A competitive economy ultimately demands plural politics.

Umno and its lackey Perkasa — Ali Kadir

APRIL 6 — How nice? Ibrahim Ali says that he will drop bombshells on Pakatan Rakyat’s leaders and shock the nation.

And what is he waiting for: the go-ahead from none other than Prime Minister Najib Razak.

So now the Umno gang can drop all the wayang and confirm what the rest of Malaysia have known all along: that Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa are just an extension of Umno, a nauseating and disgusting extension of a politics which has outsourced its dirty work.

But then again, nothing should shock us anymore.

This is a political party and NGO nexus which has brought us political violence on a scale never before seen in Malaysia; a partnership that has promoted racism and chauvinism like never before and political strategies rooted in the bowel thinking.

Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Nordin are cut from the same cloth, both pretending to be not linked to Umno but really part of the underbelly of this once political institution. They do the dirty work that Umno leaders are unwilling to do themselves.

And when you look at Ibrahim and Zulkifli, you look at Umno. Both and their political masters have no credibility, not enough one iota.

What does it say of our leaders who depend on men like these?

* Ali Kadir reads The Malaysian Insider.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

People Capable Of Comparing Wisely BN Manifesto With Opposition's

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the people should be able to judge and compare wisely the Barisan Nasional (BN) manifesto with the opposition's.

He said the BN manifesto containing promises by the ruling coalition should be viewed seriously as it explained clearly and in detail what BN would do if given another to govern the country for the next five years.

"Surely the people are wise enough to compare the two manifestos, BN's and the opposition's. Which can be believed and fulfilled?" he said when launching the Batu parliamentary constituency's BN election machinery's 'command centre', here, Sunday.

Muhyiddin said the people generally understood that only BN would be able to fulfil its promises in the coming years.

"When the BN chairman (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) outlined in detail our plans for the people of this country, now the responsibility is ours as leaders and members of the BN component parties (to explain to the people the manifesto to make them understand)," he said.

Yesterday, Najib launched the BN manifesto for the 13th general election which outlined 17 main areas, with all aspects touching on the future of the people and nation to be looked into if BN was given another mandate to helm the nation.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin who is BN deputy chairman, urged all the coalition's component party members to work together to wrest back the parliamentary and state seats lost in the last general election.

He said although public support for BN appeared to have increased over the last three years, the general election this time could not be viewed as easy because of the bigger challenges.

"One of the challenges is to translate that support into votes in the upcoming elections," he said.

Muhyiddin who is also the Federal Territory BN chairman, believed BN would be able to recapture the Batu seat. Hence, he urged the component party leaders and members to go to the ground to meet the voters to understand their problems.

He said for BN, no seat should be taken lightly or as unimportant.

Muhyiddin also said that voters in the Batu parliamentary constituency needed to appraise the performance and attitude of its MP, Tian Chua who had been making insensitive and irresponsible statements.

In the last general election in 2008, Tian Chua from Parti Keadilan Rakyat, defeated Gerakan's Lim Si Pin with a 9,455-vote majority.

Change But Not To A 'cloned Umno'

Samy raps Palani for ‘shooting his mouth’

The former MIC president also takes Dr S Subramaniam to task.

KUALA LUMPUR: Calling for an end to speculation that he will be contesting in the 13th general election, former MIC president S Samy Vellu maintained that he had never requested MIC to nominate him to re-contest the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat.

“At no time, did I ask the MIC nor the party boss (G Palanivel) that I wanted to contest in the coming general election,” he said when asked to comment on Palanivel’s statement today that Samy Vellu will not be contesting in the 13th general election.

Samy Vellu said Palanivel and MIC deputy president Dr S Subramaniam had misunderstood his statement made at a media conference after handing over donations to the families of the slain warriors of Lahad Datu, Sabah in Bukit Aman here last Wednesday.

“I was asked by a reporter (at the media conference in Bukit Aman) whether I will be interested to contest in Sungai Siput to which I said it is up to the prime minister to decide who can contest.

“The reporter went on to ask if I thought I was a winnable candidate. I told the reporter that I have no doubt that I am a winnable candidate. But that did not mean that I had requested Palanivel that I wanted to re-contest in Sungai Siput,” he said.

Palanivel and Subramaniam were quoted as saying that only the prime minister and Barisan Nasional chairman could decide on the candidates for Barisan Nasional in the 13th general election.

They were referring to the statement by Samy Vellu that he would be a winnable candidate for the BN in Sungai Siput in the forthcoming general election.

Samy Vellu said he was saddened over the statements made by Palanivel and Subramaniam which did not reflect his real intentions.

“They (Palanivel and Subramaniam) should have called me first to find out what transpired at the media conference (in Bukit Aman) before shooting off their mouths,” he said, adding that Palanivel and Subramaniam showed immaturity in politics by “jumping the gun”.

Samy Vellu said it was he who fought political battles for the duo (Palanivel and Subramaniam) in MIC when he was the party president.

“They must remember that they are where they are today because of the political battles which I fought for them,” he said.

Samy Vellu said he was entrusted by the Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional chairman Najib Tun Razak to deliver the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat for BN in the coming general election irrespective of who the BN candidate would be.

“I will continue to work in Sungai Siput to deliver on what has been entrusted on me by the BN chairman,” he added.