Tuesday, 10 February 2009
What Really Needs To Be Done Now
To unify Pakatan Rakyat’s unity some things needs to be done immediately.
- We need a banner for PR just like the one barisan has. I suggest that a banner drawing competition to be held and let the rakyat participate and price money to be paid for the selected banner. Guide lines shall be the banner shows that unity as the key to the banner.
- PR should immediately have a guide line book that governs the code of ethics for its members. When this happens, PR will be more organized and a organized organization will always do work efficiently.
- When comes to question of Hudud Laws, a unified answer should come from the various parties in PR. This one issue has been used by BN to get the tongue caught between PAS and DAP. What the replies of all PR members should be unified. Very simple, leave it to the people.
If the people want hudud law, we will implement it. Take a referendum or have the people vote on this issue and if the people want it, it should be implemented. People voted the lawmakers to office does not mean they want a unique laws to be implemented. Firstly explain to the people and educate them with the law. Later the people shall decide whether the law should be implemented. So when the PR’s answer is “Leave it to the people” will BN allow and organize a referendum or a voting process. I don’t think so.
Muhyiddin: Government will review the implementation of the NEP
By Neville Spykerman-The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb10 — Malaysia will review the implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP) and liberalise certain sectors to provide new avenues for foreign and domestic
investment in Malaysia.
The government is looking at liberalising various sectors amid a gloomy outlook this year for manufacturing and services.
Minister of International Trade and Industry Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the liberalisation of some of the sectors will take place “sooner than later”.
“We will slowly liberalise (the NEP), wherever possible and when we are ready.”
Muhyiddin, who was speaking during the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) annual press conference, today, was responding to calls from CIMB Bank Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Nazir Abdul Razak, for the NEP to be reviewed.
Nazir, who spoke last Tuesday, said the policy, was putting a strain on the Malaysian economy and society.
However Muhyiddin said the NEP, in its original form, was perfect and good but acknowledged weaknesses during implementation.
He disagreed that the policy in itself had to reviewed.
Meanwhile he said the outlook for the manufacturing and services sectors this year was “not too good” as developments in the global economy continue to influence investment inflows, into Malaysia.
He said Malaysia was anticipating a slow down but would concentrate on attracting investment from surplus capital regions, such as the Middle East.
MIDA is set to organise 25 specialised project mission targeted at attracting specific industries and sectors to Malaysia.
Muhyiddin said Malaysia was not very bullish about the situation but there were glimmers of hope and opportunities for the country.
He said some companies in Japan are considering relocating some of their motorcycle and vehicles assemblies to Malaysia, because of the exorbitant cost of manufacturing there.
“It’s these types of companies which are interested in seeing what Malaysia has to offer and are being targeted by MIDA.”
Nik Aziz: Don’t be the candidate, Nizar
Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz in this file photo. The wily politician gives interesting introspection on most political developments in the country.
He said that so long as the Pakatan Rakyat regarded Mohammad Nizar as the Perak menteri besar, he should not be contesting in the by-election.
“If you ask me, I cannot accept a menteri besar contesting in a by-election. To me, it is not right for the ‘Perak MB’ to contest as he is already an elected representative.
“This is just like what the former Pas president (the late) Datuk Asri Muda did when he contested for both the state and parliamentary seats when he was the Kelantan menteri besar,” he told reporters in his office here today.
Nik Aziz also commended former Kedah state executive council member V. Arumugam for vacating his Bukit Selambau state seat, saying the former Parti Keadilan Rakyat assemblyman was a man with principle.
He also agreed if the Bukit Gantang parliamentary and Bukit Selambau stateby-elections were to be held simultaneously.
“Elections are the hallmark of a democratic system; I don’t have any objection if both by-elections are held simultaneously. I will be campaigining... if health permits,” he said.
The Bukit Gantang seat fell vacant following the death of Pas member of parliament Roslan Shaharum, 50, yesterday. Bukit Selambau was vacated by Arumugam, also effective yesterday.
Nik Aziz praised the people of Kelantan for their maturity which enabled Pas to defend its position in the state government “despite various obstacles from its political enemies.”
He was disappointed, however, with the attitude of several PKR leaders in Perak, whom he said “have succumbed to the pressure” when they should have kept on fighting.
But in Kelantan, he said, Pas remained strong despite all the badgering. — Bernama
Nizar: It is a referendum, and one that we will win
By Shannon Teoh-The Malaysian Insider
IPOH, Feb 10 – Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin poured scorn on Barisan Nasional’s (BN) claim to the Perak government today by expressing his confidence of an “overwhelming victory” in the Bukit Gantang by-elections as well as ridiculing its swearing-in of only six executive council members today. 
“This shows it is an illegitimate exco which is tempang (lame). A full government will have full commitment. This situation is because it is not recognised by the rakyat,” he said.
Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin at his press conference. The embittered leader is staying the course.
Following the death of Pas MP Roslan Shaharum, Bukit Gantang will face a by-election which Nizar, who Pakatan Rakyat (PR) still backs as the legitimate mentri besar, believes will be an opportunity for Perak voters to “deliver the verdict that they support PR.”
“I think it will result in a referendum and, judging by the overwhelming support Perakians have given us,” he told a press conference at the official MB’s residence here, “we will win.”
As PR won the Sepetang and Changkat Jering state seats as well, Nizar said that he was confident of a “repeat and overwhelming victory” in the imminent by-elections.
Nizar also said that as BN could only swear in six instead of the full complement of 10 executive councillors today, it showed that it was not stable as it did not have the full commitment of its assemblymen.
Leader of the band - Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin explaining the Pakatan moves to return to the political fore of the silver state.
When quizzed on speculation that the empty seats were reserved for Indian PR lawmakers who would be enticed to defect so that BN could have a multiracial lineup, Nizar pointed out that this showed how BN did not have the backing of the people as a whole.
“That resembles how mistrusted and cruel they are. There are so many negative elements in their ranks,” he said.
Perak DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham also added that the inability of BN to swear in a full lineup was down to “huge infighting within Umno.”
“They are fighting tooth and nail to be exco members. It shows that this illegal government cannot stand for long.”
But for as long as BN has claimed the government offices, PR will have to base itself out of the MB’s residence.
Nizar announced that as they were being barred from entering the state secretariat, then it would have to conduct its meetings from the residence and it would also now be its office.
“It appears we have no other place to go to discharge our duties so we will render it from the residence, which is now also our office.”
RPK: Anwar, Kit Siang and Hadi should quit
The Star
Tuesday February 10, 2009
PORT KLANG: Blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin has called for the resignations of three senior Opposition leaders for the loss of the Perak Pakatan Rakyat government to Barisan Nasional.
Pakatan de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang should resign and accept collective responsibility for the loss, he said at a Chap Goh Mei celebration at the Kuan Soon temple grounds in Pandamaran here.
When asked whether it was a leadership crisis, he said it was just bad leadership, with bad decisions and the three senior politicians were out of touch with the people on the ground.
“It is time for them to stop the blame game. Move aside and give the position to the younger generation that are more able.”
Polis terus seronok diperkudakan- CheguBard
i
Polis sebenarnya bukan setakat diperkudakan malah seronok diperkudakan oleh Umno-bn. Lihat sahaja bagaimana suasana rampasan kuasa di Perak dan suasana ketika kemenangan rakyat di Selangor contohnya.
Di Selangor selepas menang PAKATAN tidak dibenarkan memasuki terus Bangunan Pentadbiran Selangor. Bangunan yang menempatkan pejabat MB Selangor di kepung oleh polis untuk memberi masa Khir Toyo dan kakitangan rasuahnya memusnahkan bukti - bukti rasuah mereka.
Dua gambar di atas kiriman seorang kakitangan yang terlibat dengan pemusnahan bukti rasuah Khir. Yang bagusnya operasi haram ini dilindungi oleh Polis yang berkawal menghalang orang ramai termasuk Menteri Besar Selangor, Tan Sri Khalid dari memasuki pejabatnya sendiri.
Di Perak Polis sekali lagi seronok menjadi kuda kayu apabila menghalang semua exco termasuk Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Nizar masuk ke pejabatnya. Kakitangan SUK mengosongkan semua pejabat secara haram. Semua barang milik peribadi pun dihalang oleh Polis untuk ambil.
Dalam isu demonstrasi Polis seronok menjadi kuda menjaga kepentingan Umno Bn dengan menggunakan kekasaran luar prosedur untuk mematahkan tiap bantahan rakyat. Contohnya 'FRU' yang membedil gas pemedih mata jelas bertindak 'ganas' apabila menembak peluru gas tersebut tepat ke orang ramai bukan ke udara seperti biasa. Wanita bertudung labuh disepak dan diterajang.
Namun dalam pada masa yang sama pemuda Umno diberi ruang luas untuk membuat tunjuk perasaan dengan kawalan keselamatan pihak polis kerana pendemo dari Umno ini dibayar untuk menjerit bukan untuk ditempur oleh rakyat Perak. Mereka juga takut sebenarnya. Lagikan Najib juga takut nak datang kerana ada maklumat dia akan dibaling kasut. sila klik sini untuk baca Najib selamat dari dibaling kasut.
Bezakan taraf sokongan rakyat melalui 2 tunjuk perasaan.
Di bawah ini ialah perhimpunan rakyat di Rumah Rasmi MB Perak yang media lapor ada 1-2 ribu orang.
Dibawah ini pula yang media lapor puluh ribu orang.
Sokongan dari Pemuda Melayu Kedah
Sokongan dari Pemuda 'puluhan' Pemuda Tanjung Malim
Mungkin kerana MIC bangga mendapat MB pertama berdarah India maka MIC telah menggerakkan puluhan ribu penyokong juga
Seperti biasa hadir jaguh demo Umno , Kj dengan gaya hitlernya, walaupun dia tahu kejadian Perak mempercepatkan Bapa Mertuanya disembelih tetapi apa nak buat nak tanding pemuda maka kena turun jugalah.Polis juga menjaga pemuda Umno demo di Melaka, semalam di Negeri Sembilan dan terbaru kejap tadi di Puduraya tanpa gangguan malah Polis beri kerjasama penuh lagi memenuhkan 'crowd'.
Itupun dah usaha sungguh sungguh bayar pemuda, salah guna nama pertubuhan seperti PAKIDA dll. untuk memunggah dan menghimpunkan pendemo tetapi jelas Umno Bn kena guna media juga buat magic satu jadi 100, 100 jadi 10,000 dan seterusnya. Mungkin ini kelebihan belajar matematik guna bahasa Inggeris.
Lagi himpunan pro-Raja, kecam Karpal
kemaskini 12:34pm Lebih kurang 100 penunjuk perasaan berkumpul di kaki Menara Maybank, dekat terminal bas Puduraya pagi ini bagi membantah tindakan yang dianggap mencabar institusi Raja-raja Melayu.
Perhimpunan yang terdiri penyokong Pemuda Umno Wilayah Persekutuan dan Selangor itu bermula kira-kira pukul 9.55 pagi.
Mereka melaungkan "Daulat Tuanku" sambil membawa kain-kain rentang antaranya menggesa agar kerakyatan pengerusi DAP dan juga peguam terkenal, Karpal Singh dilucutkan.
Mereka melilitkan kepala dengan kain kuning atau bersongkok dengan lilitan kain yang sama.
Sementara itu, sekumpulan mahasiswa Universiti Malaya akan mengadakan perhimpunan jam 6 petang ini bagi menyatakan sokongan kepada Sultan Perak, yang juga canselor universiti itu.
Perhimpunan yang dijangka disertai 1,000 pelajar itu anjuran kumpulan Penggerak Mahasiswa (dulu dikenali pro-Aspirasi) akan berarak dari Kompleks Perdanasiswa ke Dewan Tunku Canselor.
Perhimpunan yang terdiri penyokong Pemuda Umno Wilayah Persekutuan dan Selangor itu bermula kira-kira pukul 9.55 pagi.
Mereka melaungkan "Daulat Tuanku" sambil membawa kain-kain rentang antaranya menggesa agar kerakyatan pengerusi DAP dan juga peguam terkenal, Karpal Singh dilucutkan.
Mereka melilitkan kepala dengan kain kuning atau bersongkok dengan lilitan kain yang sama.
Sementara itu, sekumpulan mahasiswa Universiti Malaya akan mengadakan perhimpunan jam 6 petang ini bagi menyatakan sokongan kepada Sultan Perak, yang juga canselor universiti itu.
Perhimpunan yang dijangka disertai 1,000 pelajar itu anjuran kumpulan Penggerak Mahasiswa (dulu dikenali pro-Aspirasi) akan berarak dari Kompleks Perdanasiswa ke Dewan Tunku Canselor.
Headache for BN
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief (Straits Times)
KUALA LUMPUR: - It could not have come at a worse time for Barisan Nasional (BN). Two unexpected by-elections loom after an opposition MP in Perak died yesterday and an opposition assemblyman in Kedah quit his seat.
Mr Roslan Shaharum, 50, of Parti Islam SeMalaysia, who won the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat in Perak in the general election last March, died of a heart attack.
Across the border in Kedah, Bukit Selambau assemblyman V.Arumugam, 57, of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), resigned his seat over claims that he had been under intense pressure to defect to BN.
Both events will trigger a by-election that must be held within 60 days. This is seen as the worst possible time for the BN to face voters, after its takeover of Perak last week stirred up anger.
Mr Roslan had gone cycling and was later found dead on the road near his home in Batu Gajah, Perak. He is believed to have died of a heart attack.
At the March election, Mr Roslan won with a 1,566-vote majority, defeating Mr Azim Zabidi, who is Umno's treasurer, and an independent candidate. The voter breakdown is 63.5per cent Malay, 27.1per cent Chinese, and 9.1per cent Indian.
The Kedah state seat was won by Mr Arumugam, who ran as an independent in March. He later joined PKR. He won with a 2,362-vote majority over a Malaysian Indian Congress candidate. The voter breakdown there is 50.2per cent Malay, 19.3per cent Chinese, and 29.5per cent Indian.
Kedah chief minister Azizan Abdul Razak yesterday said Mr Arumugam had quit.
Early this month, Mr Arumugam lodged a police report saying there had been a bid to kidnap him to force him to defect. He also said he had been offered RM4million (S$1.7million). He is now also battling accusations of adultery.
Separately, five Indian opposition assemblymen in Perak said BN was wooing them by offering up to RM60million, Sin Chew Daily reported.
There is no doubt the by-elections will be seen as a referendum on the BN takeover. The money is on an opposition win for both seats, with bigger majorities.
Perak is in turmoil after BN wrested the state from the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government via four defections last Thursday. The ground sentiment has been strongly in favour of the PR following Sultan Azlan Shah's refusal to call a snap poll, and his decision instead to install a new BN government last Friday.
'It will be a difficult by-election for Umno to go into in the midst of high emotion and anger running in Perak,' political analyst Khoo Kay Peng wrote in his blog.
Deputy Premier Najib Razak will be anxious to win back the two seats, to take them as prizes to the Umno general assembly on March24 where he will take over the party presidency from Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi. The Umno president, as leader of the biggest component party in BN, also becomes prime minister.
The outcome of the Bukit Gantang by-election will not alter the power balance in Parliament, where BN holds 137 seats to PR's 82, with three independents, and neither will the outcome of the Bukit Selambau poll. In Kedah, PR holds 22 seats to BN's 14.
Umno has lost two by-elections since March. It lost the Kuala Terengganu by-election last month. This was preceded by a loss in Permatang Pauh, which brought opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim back to Parliament.
Jeopardising the nation
By Clive Kessler
editor@thenutgraph.com
"All great historical events happen twice — the first time as tragedy
and the second, at times, as an unnecessary tragedy."
(A witticism offered with apologies to both Hegel and Marx)
WHATEVER the impertinence, a comment by a not totally clueless outsider who holds Malaysia close in his attachments on the present constitutional crisis in Perak and its national political implications may prove useful and instructive.
Tough legal questions have been raised already with no simple answers. They are questions that serious Malaysian citizens are worried, and have the right to be concerned, about. I am too. Those questions need not be repeated here.
If I were the Sultan
Instead I shall compound my impertinence. Were I, however improbably, to have found myself in the position of the Sultan of Perak on 5 Feb 2009, I would have been strongly tempted — in good conscience and out of an impeccable sense of duty and for the best possible reasons — to have acted just as he did.
But I pray I would have resisted that temptation. I hope that, however tricky that different course might prove in the immediate and short term, I would have allowed the fate of a democratically elected government, under a system of constitutional monarchy, to be decided by the people in one of two ways.
Either on the floor of the people's house by their own recently elected representatives, or else, if for some reason that was not feasible or acceptable, at an election that might explicitly test public opinion on the question. That way, the newly elected house, whether controlled by the Barisan Nasional or the Pakatan Rakyat, would authoritatively be that of the people's, with whom modern democratic sovereignty originates.
Whether, as Ruler, I might have forced some resolution of the question on the floor of the house or acceded to the menteri besar's request for a dissolution and new elections, the prospect in either case would have been one of an immediately heightened political temperature.
Either course would soon have seen mass public demonstrations of allegiance on both sides and, in their train, huge potential problems in maintaining civil peace and public order. That much is undeniable.
Any conscientious ruler or head of state would have to be deeply concerned at such a prospect.
Gathering at the menteri besar's residence in Perak, 5 Feb 2009
As for the former option, I may be among the few surviving attentive witnesses to a similar episode long ago: the so-called "20 Aug 1968" peristiwa in Kelantan. Then, some half dozen or more PAS state assemblypersons were to have defected and sided with Umno at a sitting of the state assembly in the old Balai Besar in the palace precinct in Kota Baru. It did not happen.
The PAS government of Kelantan was not toppled. The frogs did not jump. They stayed under the sheltering tempurung of the party in whose name they had been elected.
But I still recall the very tense and at times frightening atmosphere as I travelled by motorcycle, through police and army roadblocks, the 25 miles from Bachok to Kota Baru and the roiling, ever-growing crowds that, along with me, were converging ominously there on that fateful morning.
These are not matters to be trifled with nor risks to be taken lightly — least of all by a constitutional head of state with a proper sense of public responsibility and duty. So avoiding that fearful possibility would have been a great temptation, and a not ignoble one. But it is a temptation that I hope I might have resisted. Why?
Learning from Australia
In Australia in 1975, the Governor-General Sir John Kerr chose to act similarly in a similar situation. He insisted on exercising his personal discretion that, as he understood the situation, his constitutional "reserve powers" entitled him to wield. He dismissed a government that arguably still had a majority within the people's elected house of parliament.
The result was unfortunate, to say the least. It poisoned Australian politics, public culture, and (dare one say it?) the very soul of the nation for a generation. Its effects have not fully worn off away even now.
Malaysia could now be at risk of a similar outcome. I hope not but fear so.
John Kerr (top), Gough Whitlam (bottom left) and Malcolm Fraser
(Sources: Kerr – naa.gov.au; Whitlam, Fraser – public domain/
Wikipedia)For that reason, a test in the state assembly or snap polls would have been preferable whatever the costs and however messy the shorter-term practicalities of maintaining public order. As a matter of long-term public and national policy, that would have been better than a measure that substituted something else for the verdict of popular will.
In Australia it is now widely recognised that, if the government was not to have fallen on its own, it should not have been peremptorily dismissed. And if it was doomed to fall, as well it may have been, it should have been allowed to do so in the natural course of democratic events, through democratic processes. The impatience to force the issue may have saved a few days or weeks of delay but it plagued the nation with its consequences for thirty years until the matter began to be put decently to rest.
It was not a good deal. Not for anyone. Not for the ousted Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Not for his successor Malcolm Fraser who never overcame the "legitimacy deficit" that his manner of coming to power caused him. Not for Kerr who went into exile and died amidst widespread ignominy and contempt. Not for Australia, which was made to live for a generation under the shadow of what was widely seen as a quasi- or pseudo-constitutionalist coup against constitutionalism. And not, therefore, for constitutional principle and process itself.
That is an outcome and fate that Malaysia, I hope, will avoid. The lesson is there already to be learnt from others. The same price need not be paid again.
Malaysia these days has other urgent needs and priorities. It does not need, now to be paid exorbitantly on its own account, this distraction or these afflictions. The lesson is available free, there to be taken "ready off-the-shelf", from Canberra.
Former Lord President Tun Mohamed Suffian Hashim repeatedly insisted in his foundational written texts that in Malaysia, the constitution and nothing but the constitution is "the supreme law of the land". Malaysia cannot afford to see constitutional principles imperilled, and constitutional processes jeopardised — not even out of an understandable impatience, or a conscientious determination, to see the urgent political and practical problems of the day speedily resolved.
Clive S Kessler is Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at the School of Social Science and International Studies at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Custodial Death Revives Calls For Police Reforms
source: ipsnews.net
The death of a youth in police custody and the torture of another in a police lockup, in recent weeks, have shocked Malaysians and revived calls for an oversight body - proposed in 2006 by a royal commission but unimplemented because of opposition from senior officers in the command.
Kugan Ananthan, 22, died on Jan. 20 after being held for five days in the Taipan police station in Subang Jaya in west Malaysia.
Police claimed that Kugan had died of “breathing difficulties” but a group of 50 people, including members of Kugan’s family, stormed the mortuary where Kugan’s body was taken for a post-mortem. Some took photographs of his body, showing signs of injury, and had them published on the Internet.
In early January another youth, B. Prabakar, had emerged out of a police lockup in the Brickfields suburb of the capital showing the public his chest scalded from neck to waist with the skin peeling off. He accused the police of beating him and scalding him with hot water to extract a confession for crimes he said he did not commit.
Seven police officers have pleaded not guilty, after being charged at Kuala Lumpur sessions court on Jan. 15 with committing an act of “criminal intimidation” and “voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession”.
“We hope the death of Kugan would force the government to finally table a really tough oversight commission to curb abuses in the police force,” said prominent human rights lawyer Karpal Singh. “The death of Kugan again shows why we need a strong and viable oversight commission to curb abuse and return transparency, accountability and respectability,” Singh told IPS
According to statistics revealed in parliament last year, there were a total of 1,535 custodial deaths in the country between 2003 and 2007, figures which included death from diseases like HIV/AIDS.
Between 2000 and 2004, 80 persons in police custody had died, parliament was told last year. Only 39 cases of these were referred to a magistrate for inquiry and inquests were held only on six cases.
Beyond these bare facts no in-depth study has been carried out about deaths in police custody.
“It’s like dropping into a big black hole once arrested…increasingly the one way to come out is in a coffin,” opposition lawmaker S. Manikavasagam told IPS. “We need to shine light over the entire process, to make everything transparent and above board.”
“We are determined that this should be the last case of death under custody…there should not be one more ever. The people can’t tolerate this type of murder any longer,” said Ramasamy Palanisamy, opposition legislator and deputy chief minister of the opposition-ruled Penang state.
“We must have a permanent solution to this dilemma of youths getting tortured and beaten to death,” he told IPS. “The world is watching us.’’
Both victims of police brutality are Tamils, members of a marginalised minority who make up about eight percent of the population but are blamed for at least 40 percent of thefts, robberies, gang wars and violent crimes in the country.
In some localities where Tamils predominate police statistics show their rate of involvement in crime is over 50 percent, indicating serious marginalisation from mainstream socio-economic improvements and alienation.
Opposition political parties are now putting severe pressure on the ruling National Front government, politically weakened by heavy polls losses in 2008, to reign in the police force.
“There is nobody to guard the innocent from the excesses of the police,” Charles Santiago, opposition lawmaker told IPS. “Any solution has to be multilevel from providing opportunities to minority Indians to advance socio-economically to alleviating their poverty and curbing and seriously punishing police excesses.”
Responding to criticism, the attorney general has pressed charges against lower rank personnel for causing grievous hurt by use of “boiling water” to extract a confession. Founded by the British colonial authorities in the 18th century, the police force was a key institution of law and order that survived the two World Wars and performed admirably defeating a communist insurgency and deftly handling race riots.
However, observers say the police force went to seed during the 22-year autocratic rule of former premier Dr. Mahathir Mohamad who gave the force a free hand as long as it served him and went after his political enemies.
By the time Mahathir’s successor Abdullah Badawi formed the royal commission, some opposition lawmakers felt the force was beyond redemption and that a new force needed to be created from ground up.
The commission recommended numerous changes and many of them were carried out, including better pay, housing, training, new equipment and other service perks but the key change - to form an independent oversight commission - remained unborn.
Abdullah introduced a watered down version of the commission last year but was forced to withdraw it following widespread protests.
The non-implementation of the recommendations ‘’demonstrates a lack of commitment on the part of the Malaysian government to bring about reform and to establish compliance with human rights standards as a norm in policing work in Malaysia,’’ Amnesty International said in a statement, following the death of Kugan.
Election in Perak, After All
The Rakyat of Perak will have the chance to prove which MB do they actually want. Barisan National has been working hard and utilised all the dirty tricks they known but they can never go against God’s will.
In a change of event, Member of Parliament of Bukit Gantang passed away this morning paving way for a showdown between Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional.
Allahyarham Roslan Shaharum, previously belong to the people now has return to meet God in an ultimate sacrifices. Roslan won the election on March 8, 2008 for PAS beating an Independent candidate M. Morgan and BN’s Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi with a majority of 1,566 votes. Interestingly, the spoilt votes are 851 while the independence gather 872 votes.
Parliament Bukit Gantang consist of 3 State Assembly seats which one of them is Changkat Jering where the former Pakatan Rakyat Exco then charged with Corruption and Sex Scandal and then turn to Najib to become one of three independent Assemblyman whom loyal to BN.
Mohd. Osman Mohd Jailu won the Changkat Jering seat beating the challenger from BN Mat Isa Ismail with a majority of 1,102 votes.
The other two State Assembly seats under the Parliamentary boundary are Kuala Sepetang, which won, by PKR with a majority of 564 votes and Trong, which won, by BN with a majority of 916 votes.
Voters composition consist of 27% Chinese and 10% Indians out of 55,471 eligible voters as per March 8, 2008.
It will be great if Pakatan Rakyat would nominate their MB Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin as the candidate for the coming by-election. This shall be most legitimate forum for Nizar to test whether the rakyat supports him or deserted him and bless the BN way of coup-de-ta. -kickdefella.wordpress.com
Anwar: PKR to field local Indian in Bukit Selambau
MALACCA, Feb 10 – Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) will most likely field an Indian candidate for the Bukit Selambau by-election in Kedah following the resignation of the state seat’s incumbent assemblyman V. Arumugam yesterday.
PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said considering that the seat had been allocated to PKR, the party would definitely field a candidate to contest the seat.
“Most probably we’ll also choose an Indian candidate in place,” he said after meeting with Malacca PKR leaders and members in Cheng, here, last night.
Arumugam, 55, is a retired mechanic who had served with the Royal Malaysian Air Force. In the 12th general election last year, he contested the Bukit Selambau seat as an Independent and defeated S. Krishnan from Barisan Nasional with a majority of 7,695 votes.
He emerged as an Independent candidate at the last minute on nomination day after the nomination papers of PKR candidate Saiful Izham Ramli were rejected by the Election Commission due to a technicality.
Arumugam then joined PKR and was appointed state executive councillor in charge of domestic trade and consumer affairs, Siamese and Indian affairs, unity and plantation workers.
Anwar said Arumugam had informed him and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on his decision to quit as state executive council member and assemblyman.
He said PKR and Pakatan Rakyat were prepared to face the by-election. “That is, if the Election Commission can confirm Arumugam’s resignation. We are worried in case it’s said that there is no resignation letter but I have seen the letter myself,” he added.
On the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat by-election in Perak, following the death of the incumbent MP Roslan Shaharum from a heart attack yesterday, Anwar said he would leave it to Pas to choose its candidate for the by-election. – Bernama
Nizar barred from office as six BN exco take oath
Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin thanking policemen blocking his way for doing their job. – Pic by Choo Choy May
IPOH, Feb 10 – As the Barisan Nasional (BN) carried on with the formalities of taking over the state government today with the swearing-in of six new executive councillors, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) continued fighting its increasingly futile claim to power.
Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin led his state executive council members from PR in what was definitely a symbolic gesture to report for work as usual at their offices in the state secretariat here.
In their way were more than 50 riot police officers. Behind them a small band of supporters, mainly from Pas, backed by shouts of “Allahuakbar”.
“Usually, on Tuesday, we meet investors but as we were blocked we are backing off and we thank all enforcement agencies for doing their job.
“We will do our work from the residence and try to rearrange our appointments to meet there,” he told reporters.
Nizar has so far refused to resign as mentri besar in what has become a drawn-out political crisis that is consuming the resources of both BN and PR.
Sultan Azlan Shah had refused Nizar’s request to dissolve the state assembly and pave the way for fresh elections to solve the political impasse caused by defections.
The ruler instead decided to invite BN’s Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir to form a new government.
Nizar and PR maintain that the BN government is illegal as the Sultan has no constitutional right to dismiss him as MB.
The ruler’s decision has come under considerable criticism, and has sparked a constitutional crisis over the role of rulers in politics.
This culminated in a mass protest last Friday when thousands f demonstrator clashed with riot police outside the Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar where the Sultan was swearing-in Zambry.
Concerns over security has caused Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and even the Sultan to cancel public appearances.
Today, six BN assemblymen were sworn-in as new state executive councilors in Kuala Kangsar amid tight security. There were no sign of protestors with most roads leading to the palace closed off.
The six new assemblymen are Hamidah Osman, Datuk Ramly Zahari, Dr Mah Hang Soon, Datuk Saarani Mohamed, Mohd Zahir Abdul Khalid and Zainol Fadzi Paharudin.
Three other positions are being kept in reserve, and are likely to be filled by independent Hee Yit Foong, and possible defectors from the PR ranks.
PM: Probe on Karpal but no plan to use ISA
PUTRAJAYA, Feb 10 – Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today there are no plans now to use the Internal Security Act (ISA) against DAP chairman Karpal Singh.
He said, however, that a investigation against Karpal Singh had started.
"When the investigation is completed, the report will be submitted to the Attorney-General for whatever action he deems fit," the prime minsiter told reporters when asked to comment on calls from various parties for immediate action to be taken against Karpal Singh, including under the ISA, to maintain public peace in the country.
Karpal Singh had warned those who lodged police reports against him for wanting to sue the Sultan of Perak to be ready to face the consequences.
Asked whether action would be taken against Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin for refusing to vacate the menteri besar's office and official residence, Abdullah said it was not necessary because Nizar had been advised to do so.
He believed that Nizar would leave finally and not take too long doing it because the state government had repeatedly reminded him to vacate the premises following the appointment of a new menteri besar. – Bernama
Court orders arrest of absent Osman
By Shannon Teoh
IPOH, Feb 10 — Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Osman Jailu, the two state lawmakers at the heart of the political and constitutional crisis here, failed to turn up in court today for a mention of their corruption trial.
Ipoh Magistrate Sharmila Abdul Samad promptly issued a warrant of arrest for Osman, after rejecting an explanation from his sister Noriza Jailu that her brother had been admitted for an unknown ailment to Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
Sharmila issued the warrant as no medical certificate could be produced to verify the claim that Osman was in a hospital.
Jamaluddin’s lawyer managed to produce a medical certificate for his client, who was excused.
Jamaluddin is the state assemblyman for Behrang while Osman represent Changkat Jering.
Both were members of Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin’s state executive council until their defection to become independent supporters of Barisan Nasional (BN) caused the downfall of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government.
They were charged with corruption last year over a land deal with four other persons, but their resignation from PKR has sparked off speculation that their cases would be dropped.
KHAIRY JAMALUDDIN SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY BE ARRESTED UNDER ISA FOR PROVOKING
It had been reported that the Member of Parliament for Rembau and UMNO deputy Youth chief, Khairy Jamaluddin had been provoking UMNO Youth members and BN members to “resort to whatever means necessary” to prevent Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ir Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and his group of executive councillors from entering the Perak state secretariat to carry out their public duties.
As far as the law is concern, there is a serious dispute as to whether the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah has the powers to remove a legitimate Mentri Besar at his whims and fancies, and to appoint a new Mentri Besar when one has not be legally and rightfully removed or sacked. According to reliable sources, the State Legislative Assembly with a vote of no confidence could only remove the Mentri Besar who had been appointed. Since Barisan Nasional does not actually command the majority (they claim since the 'frogs' have shown their support), the above matter is in serious doubt and disputable.
The best avenue would be to hold a fresh State election to determine who should administer the State.
It is now known that UMNO and Barisan Nasional would receive a much more disastrous defeat if a State election is held now and due to this factor the best bet would be to gain control of the State by dubious means, which they seem to have schemed.
Since Khairy Jamaluddin's remarks are a threat to national security, its time for the police to arrest him under Internal Security Act (ISA) without any further delay.
news n picture courtesy of thexBlogs
Penghargaan Buat Sdr. Arumugam
Dukacita saya menerima perletakan jawatan Saudara V. Arumugam dari semua jawatan yang disandang beliau; sebagai seorang Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri Kedah dan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Bukit Selambau. Mewakili seluruh pimpinan Parti Keadilan Rakyat, saya mengucapkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan kepada Saudara Arumugam di atas jasa dan khidmat yang beliau berikan.
Kerana takutkan bayang-bayang sendiri, Umno-Bn sanggup menggunakan taktik kotor dan politik ugut mengugut ke atas wakil yang dipilih rakyat. Pendedahan YAB Ustaz Azizan pada sidang media sebentar tadi berhubung alasan perletakan jawatan Adun Bukit Selambau tersebut sangat mengejutkan bahkan mengesahkan laporan polis yang dibuat oleh Saudara Arumugam pada awal bulan ini berkenaan ugutan dan segala macam tekanan. Nampaknya perubahan yang dijanjikan hanyalah gimik semata. Rakyat sedar akan permainan silap mata ini, dan rakyat jualah yang akan menentukan keputusannya.
Buat pendokong Pakatan Rakyat marilah kita sama-sama renungi sirah Nabi S.A.W ketika mana Heraklius memanggil Abu Sufyan:
Heraklius: Adakah pengikutnya dari kalangan orang kaya atau marhaen.
Abu Sufyan: Rakyat marhaen.
Heraklius: Adakah pengikutnya bertambah atau berkurangan?
Abu Sufyan: Bertambah
Heraklius: Bagaimana perang antara kamu dengan dia?
Abu Sufyan: Ada kala kami menang, ada kala dia.
Dalam masa dua bulan yang akan datang, inshaallah, kita akan menghadapi dua pilihanraya kecil. Inilah masa bagi kita kembali menggilap semangat perjuangan buat kemaslahatan rakyat keseluruhannya.
ANWAR IBRAHIM
Four New Faces For Perak State Executive Council
KUALA KANGSAR, Feb 10 (Bernama) -- Six new Perak state executive councillors, comprising two old and four new faces, took their oaths of office before the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah , at Istana Iskandariah here today.
The four newcomers were Perak MCA Youth head Dr Mah Hang Soon (Chenderiang assemblyman), Perak Umno Youth head Zainol Padzi Paharudin (Sungai Manik), Hamidah Osman (Sungai Rapat) and Mohd Zahir Abdul Khalid (Kamunting).
The other two were former state executive councillors Datuk Ramly Zahari (Manong) and Datuk Saarani Mohamad (KOta Tampan).
They signed their letters of appointment witnessed by Ipoh High Court judge Datuk Zainal Adzam Abdul Ghani.
The number of state executive councillors announced today was way short of the 10 in the previous council.
Ramly, 52, is the most experienced among them, having been a state executive councillor from 1995 until the Barisan Nasional (BN) state governemnt was toppled in the March general election last year.
Ramli, who is state Umno liaison secretary, is a Universiti Malaya graduate, and had served as Manjung district council deputy president and assistant district officer of Taiping and Pengakalan Hulu.
After winning the Manong state seat in 1995 he was appointed a state executive councillor in charge of agriculture and had held various portfolios after that.
Saarani, the Lenggong Umno division head and Perak Umno liaison committee member, had held the post of state executive councillor for Information and Rural Development while Dr Mah, 44, is a cardiologist and a graduate of Universiti Malaya.
Mohd Zahir, 41, as former corporate manager of Universiti Teknologi Petronas ,hold a Bachelor of Economics degree from the University of Wales and a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Leeds, England.
Hamidah, 48, the only woman in the council, is the Gopeng Umno division Wanita chief and holds a bachelor's degree in accountancy from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
-- BERNAMA
Countries face new UK visa rules
 South Africans will now need to provide fingerprints to enter the UK |
South Africans visiting the United Kingdom will need a visa, under new rules issued by the Home Office.
Bolivia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Venezuela also failed a test of the threat posed by their citizens in terms of security, immigration and crime.
Nationals from the five countries will now need to provide fingerprints and pay a fee to obtain a visa before travelling to the UK.
The South African government said it respected the Home Office's decision.
In 2007, 419,000 people legally visited the UK from South Africa, including 168,000 tourists and 46,200 business visitors, while nearly 3,000 were given work permits.
They are the fifth largest group of visitors to Britain behind citizens of the US, Australia, Canada and Japan.
But a government review of visas has resulted in the five countries being added to a list that already covers three quarters of the world's population, all of whom must apply for visas before travelling.
Fingerprint visas
"The government said it would get tough and we meant it," said immigration minister Phil Woolas.
"Fingerprint visas make up one part of Britain's triple ring of security, alongside high-tech watch-list checks at the border and ID cards for foreign nationals."
First-time visitors to the UK from South Africa will need to apply for visas from 3 March 2009, with the full visa regime coming into effect by mid-2009, the government said.
Visitor visas lasting up to six months will cost £65, and work visas £205.
Six months ago South Africa and 10 other countries were warned to improve their passport security systems or face tougher visa requirements.
Six of these - Botswana, Brazil, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, and Trinidad and Tobago - were adjudged to have improved sufficiently to escape the new rules. -BBC NewsWhat do you have to say about this Shafee?
On 21 January 2009, Low Siew Ley made a police report at the USJ8 Police Station in Subang alleging that she had been cheated. On 7 January 2009, she wrote to the Director of the Complaints Secretariat of the Advocates & Solicitors Disciplinary Board alleging misconduct on the part of her solicitor, Muhammad Shafee Bin Abdullah. What has Shafee got to say about this matter?
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Perak DAP wants Nizar vs Zambry for Bukit Gantang
By Shannon Teoh-The Malaysian Insider
IPOH, Feb 9 — Perak DAP has proposed a Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin versus Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir contest for the Bukit Gantang by-election, in what is already shaping up as a referendum on the political impasse in Perak.
Perak DAP Chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham mooted the idea at this evening’s emergency general meeting.
Tonight, at a Chap Goh Mei event in the new village of Bali, Tronoh, secretary Nga Kor Ming expounded on the idea, calling it a battle to see who is the rightful mentri besar.
“He is the best candidate for Bukit Gantang,” the Taiping MP said. “As you can see, even the Chinese here support Nizar,” he told the 300-strong crowd.
“Then we will see who the people accept as their mentri besar,” he told the audience at this Chinese outpost about 30km south of Ipoh.
“We will take the by-election as a fresh mandate against the coup d’etat by Barisan Nasional,” he told reporters after the dinner which was also attended by Nizar and Ngeh.
He also cited a recent Merdeka Centre poll that suggested only 41 per cent of respondents agreeing Datuk Seri Najib Razak would make a good prime minister.
According to Nga, an NTV7 SMS poll also saw only five per cent of respondents saying BN would take Bukit Gantang in the imminent by-election.
Nizar, however, told reporters that the decision on a candidate will be up to the Pakatan Rakyat leadership.
When quizzed on whether the contest would determine whose side Perakians were backing in the current stand-off, he said “it is too soon to analyse.”
Earlier today, Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin had said that the by-election would be a measure of people’s confidence.
“Before that, the BN government must prove that stability and confidence can be returned,” he said.
Hee gets her Camry
By Lee Wei Lian -The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 - For the past few days, will-she-won’t-she speculation has been swirling around Jelapang assemblywoman Hee Yit Fong. No, not over whether she will or won’t jump, that’s been established.
The wondering is over as Umno sources today confirm that she is among seven state representatives named to the Perak Executive Council as a reward from Barisan Nasional for delivering the Perak government.
She was the deputy state speaker in the Pakatan Rakyat government and had been in DAP for some 20 years.
The clerk-turned-politician was said to have been upset with the state party leadership and because she did not get a new official car when the Pakatan Rakyat government bought Toyota Camrys to replace an ageing fleet of Proton Perdanas.
Two of the new exco members will be Chinese, the sources say, with the other being Chenderiang state assemblyman Dr Mah Hang Soon, who is also MCA Youth deputy chief.
Three more will be decided later, possibly after the first seven are sworn in tomorrow by Sultan Azlan Shah. The swearing in ceremony is expected to take place at 10am tomorrow at the Istana Iskandariah in Perak’s royal town of Kuala Kangsar.
Another woman who has been appointed to the exco is Sungai Rapat’s Hamidah Osman, who was rumoured to be upset over losing the menteri besar post to Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir.
Umno sources have denied she was upset, saying she is supportive of the 47-year-old BN menteri besar.
The tricky task of determining of the executive line-up is one of the first tests that Zambry has to pass, apart from handling a hostile Perak electorate upset over the manner in which the state government changed hands.
“To head off dissatisfaction, he (Zambry) explained that there are only 10 exco positions but 31 candidates,” a source told The Malaysian Insider.
“He emphasised to them that the major thrust has to be to win the hearts of the people, not Camrys and houses. He also told them to speak their minds and not just be yes-men, which they found refreshing.”
Several names were nominated for each portfolio, based on their skills and abilities.
Discussions were held with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is widely credited forwith masterminding the Perak takeover, until the early hours of this morning.
Suit against BN government postponed over concerns of bias
By Shannon Teoh-The Malaysian Insider
IPOH, Feb 9 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) concerns over the impartiality of judges in Ipoh has delayed the filing of its suit to declare the Barisan Nasional (BN) Perak government illegal.
Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin was due to file the suit against his dismissal as mentri besar tomorrow but Perak DAP chief Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham today told a party EGM that it would only be filed on Wednesday or Thursday.
“Some members of the legal team have doubts over whether judges in Ipoh can be impartial as this involves the Sultan and they might be under pressure from other known personalities,” he said.
He added that while the suit should be filed in the Ipoh High Court as the events transpired here, there was a possibility of filing it in Kuala Lumpur instead.
“But will it just be transferred back to Ipoh? We want the fastest solution,” Ngeh, who is also the PR administration’s senior state exco member.
With the BN executive council lineup due to be sworn-in soon, Ngeh said that the suit may also name them as defendants.
This has not been the first time that the proposed suit has been a source of differing opinions.
There has also been debate over whether the Sultan should be named as a defendant as proposed by DAP chairman Karpal Singh.
The proposal was a non-starter as other PR leaders are wary of being labelled anti-Sultan but it also contributed to Karpal’s outburst yesterday where he called for Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to step down as head of PR.
PAS MP FOR BUKIT GANTANG, ROSLAN SHAHARUM DIES
PAS Member of Parliament for Bukit Gantang Roslan Shaharum, aged 50, passed away this morning of a heart attack.
Sources inform that Roslan was out cycling near his home in Changkat Lallang, Batu Gajah, when he suddenly collapsed.
Roslan leaves behind 10 children.
His body is now in the Batu Gajah Hospital.
A by-election which must be held within 60 days will be a referendum on the political situation in Perak while it is reveal that it comes at an awkward time for UMNO, with the UMNO general assembly due in late March.
The parliamentary constituency of Bukit Gantang includes the state seat of Changkat Jering which was won by PKR's Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu who recently threw his support behind Barisan Nasional.
Time for the Perak rakyat to show their 'anger' at the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government by defeating their candidate.
news n picture courtesy of Malaysiakini
NAZEER HAMID, DEPUTY CHIEF OF PAS BERUAS ARRESTED
The Deputy chief of PAS for Beruas, Nazeer Hamid is pictured here carrying the flag (wearing the vest) was arrested this morning. He was also arrested for blocking, by lying down on the road when the ruler’s convoy of vehicles was heading towards the Iskandariah Palace (second picture).He is currently being detained at Jalan Gereja police station in Ipoh.
It seems the police have started their 'nonsense' again by arresting innocence people who had just wanted justice to be seen properly served.
news n pictures courtesy of The Might of the Pen
The Monkey Handler
by M. Bakri Musa
In the few months that he has before assuming office I would have expected Prime Minister-in-waiting Najib Razak to be focused on forming his new leadership team and formulating his major policies. Instead there he was in Perak smirking with renegade state politicians who had crossed over to his Barisan coalition. Najib looked like a mischievous monkey handler who had successfully enticed a couple of wily monyets from the neighbor’s coconut tree to his.
In these perilous times Najib is more a slimy backroom political operative consumed with concocting shady deals than a national leader ready to steer the nation through tough economic and other challenges. This latest and unneeded upheaval in Perak only adds to Malaysia’s already muddled political climate, and comes at a time when the nation can ill afford this distraction. Najib is oblivious of the evolving global economic disaster and its inevitable impact on Malaysia.
These handlers too behave like the monkeys they keep. After finishing his latest act in Perak, Najib stayed away. The monkey handler’s interest, like that of the monkeys they keep, was only in creating mischief. Once that is achieved, then he is gone so as to avoid getting entangled.
Initially Najib had planned to join in the Chinese New Year celebration in Ipoh to soak in what he expected would be a sea of public applause to his latest monkey act. Instead because of the unanticipated sea change in public mood, Najib wisely skipped the event. At least he knew when and where he would no longer be welcomed.
Najib should remember that Abdullah Badawi rode into office with the highest approval ratings, and an untainted “Mr. Clean” image to boot. Yet today, less than five years later, Abdullah is being pushed out of office, and his legacy is anything but clean. Najib has yet to assume office and already his approval rating is under 50 percent, and his public image severely tainted by assorted sordid scandals. His public portraits are now being used for stomping muddy shoes. Rest assured that these are only the beginning.
A Chinese proverb has it that it takes three generations to destroy an enterprise. The first starts it; the second builds on it; while the pampered third squanders it. Najib Razak is determined to truncate that process. He is set to destroy a once proud and successful organization – UMNO – which his late father was so instrumental in starting and building.
Najib will bring UMNO down with him, as prophesied by some ancient soothsayer’s “RAHMAN” theory of leadership. The challenge is to ensure that UMNO’s inevitable implosion under Najib would not also take Malaysia down with it.
Our Cultural Burden
If not for his family and political pedigrees, Najib Razak would today be like thousands of other Malays with similar qualifications, nothing more than a midlevel functionary in the civil service or one of the many Government-linked companies.
He was just old enough when his father died to benefit from the generosities and tributes of a nation in need to express them in gratitude to a great patriot that was his father. Remembering the father’s many great deeds, the nation could not do enough for his son; hence Najib meteoric rise.
The dilemma with having your path smoothed out for you is that once you reach the top, there is no one there to grease the trail ahead. From then on you are on your own, and you ill prepared for it.
It is our cultural tradition that such generosities and tributes are showered almost exclusively upon the first-born son. The assumption is that he is the carrier of the father’s traits. This of course is not unique to Malay culture; nor is there a biological basis to that assumption.
I wish we had not been a slave to our culture. By all means shower our gratitude to the late Tun Razak’s family, but then let us be more prudent and choose the smartest or most promising from among his five children to groom, not necessarily only the first born.
Tun Razak’s other sons are way head and shoulders above Najib. The youngest, Nazir, is a banker. Even though he is not a politician, nonetheless his public utterances reflect not only a first-rate mind but also someone very much aware of the many challenges facing our nation. He has also put forth novel ideas on solving them. Unfortunately, Najib is culturally constrained from taking advice from his youngest brother Nazir.
Last year Nazir suggested granting amnesty to corrupt individuals in return for their confessions and making good their loot, prior to implementing tougher laws. To say that it was a radical idea would be an understatement but on reflection, there is considerable merit to his suggestion. At the very least we would get a measure of the magnitude of the problem and its infinite variations. That could help us design better laws and ways to combat the scourge.
Recently Nazir chastised the leadership for not going beyond orthodox fiscal stimulus and monetary measures to meet the current economic crisis. He suggested re-examining the New Economic Policy, with particular reference to minimizing its drag on the economy. He also called for greater collaborations with the emerging giant economies in the region, specifically China, India and the Middle East. Most of all I like his idea of attracting foreign talents, especially into the education sector.
These are the kinds of innovative thinking we yearn from our leaders, not their endless monkeying around with fence-hopping politicians. In chastising the “leadership,” Nazir has shown that he is not constrained by our cultural norms; he has in effect criticized his oldest brother’s leadership.
Monkey Story
There was this story of a peddler of hats who one day fell asleep under a tree in the heat of the day. When he woke up, his hats were all gone except for the one on his head. On looking up he saw the monkeys in the tree with hats. The peddler tried all manner of tricks to induce those monkeys to part with their newfound toys, but to no avail. In disgust he threw his hat to the ground and stomped off. In the finest “monkey see, monkey do” mode, the apes did the same, and that was how the peddler recovered his merchandise.
A generation later it was the peddler’s son who fell asleep under the same tree. He too lost his hats to the monkeys. Remembering the lesson imparted from his father, the young man threw his hat to the ground. At which point the monkeys laughed at him. “You are not getting your hats back,” they scoffed, “we learned your trick from our parents!”
When Najib enticed those monkeys of politics to Barisan, he stole a play from Anwar Ibrahim’s game book. Anwar may rightly feel flattered by Najib’s imitating, or more correctly, aping. However, like the hat-peddler’s son, Najib may have learned his lesson well but what he may not realize is that those political monkeys too had learned their lessons! They are making a monkey of Najib.
When you have a bunch of monkeys and an equally mischievous as well as irresponsible handler, there is no telling what lasting damage they could inflict. It is time to let Najib out of his monkey business and free those monyet under his keep to once again roam the jungle where they belong. If out of habit they still hang around us waiting for their bananas and making a pest of themselves, then we should kill a rooster or two. That would scare away those monkeys.
PKR Assemblyman Arumugam Gone Missing
SUNGAI PETANI, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) assemblyman for Bukit Selambau, V. Arumugam, who resigned as the state executive council member, has now gone missing.
No one seems to know the whereabouts of the former Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Siamese Community Affairs, Unity, Estate Workers and Indian Community Affairs committee chairman.
WITHOUT A TRACE: His shocked resignation as a Kedah Exco member was shrouded in mystery, his status as assemblyman for Bukit Selambau is still uncertain and now, V. Arumugam, has gone missing. No one seems to know his whereabouts but his neighbours reported that he left his rented home with his family on Saturday. (NST)
No one seems to know the whereabouts of the former Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Siamese Community Affairs, Unity, Estate Workers and Indian Community Affairs committee chairman.
WITHOUT A TRACE: His shocked resignation as a Kedah Exco member was shrouded in mystery, his status as assemblyman for Bukit Selambau is still uncertain and now, V. Arumugam, has gone missing. No one seems to know his whereabouts but his neighbours reported that he left his rented home with his family on Saturday. (NST)Not even Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak, apparently.
"I've been trying to contact him but he could not be reached," Azizan told reporters here on Monday.
Arumugam was absent at the investiture ceremony in conjunction with the birthday of the Sultan of Kedah, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, at the Istana Anak Bukit here Monday morning.
A check by Bernama at his rented house at the Kelab Cinta Sayang housing area, here, found that the house was locked with no sign of people inside.
According to neighbours, Arumugam was seen leaving the house with family members two days ago.
Efforts to contact him through text messages also proved futile as they went unanswered.
Earlier, Azizan told a news conference that Arumugam had sent his resignation letter to the Sultan of Kedah.
He did not, however, extend a copy of the letter to Azizan.
Azizan said that an aide of Arumugam told him that the Bukit Selambau assemblyman was relinquishing the post due to personal reasons and not because of Pas leadership.
Arumugam, 55, a retired Royal Malaysia Airforce mechanic, contested in the 12th general election last year as an Independent candidate.
He won the Bukit Selambau seat, defeating Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate S. Krishnan with a majority of 7,695 votes.
He emerged at the last minute as the Independent candidate when the Returning Officer rejected the nomination papers of Saiful Izham Ramli of PKR on technical grounds.
Arumugam later joined the PKR and was appointed a state executive council member.
Recently, a group of people claiming to be representing 500 residents of Taman Ria in Sungai Petani submitted a petition to the Sultan of Kedah claiming that a state executive councillor was involved in an affair with a woman. -- BERNAMA
"I've been trying to contact him but he could not be reached," Azizan told reporters here on Monday.
Arumugam was absent at the investiture ceremony in conjunction with the birthday of the Sultan of Kedah, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, at the Istana Anak Bukit here Monday morning.
A check by Bernama at his rented house at the Kelab Cinta Sayang housing area, here, found that the house was locked with no sign of people inside.
According to neighbours, Arumugam was seen leaving the house with family members two days ago.
Efforts to contact him through text messages also proved futile as they went unanswered.
Earlier, Azizan told a news conference that Arumugam had sent his resignation letter to the Sultan of Kedah.
He did not, however, extend a copy of the letter to Azizan.
Azizan said that an aide of Arumugam told him that the Bukit Selambau assemblyman was relinquishing the post due to personal reasons and not because of Pas leadership.
Arumugam, 55, a retired Royal Malaysia Airforce mechanic, contested in the 12th general election last year as an Independent candidate.
He won the Bukit Selambau seat, defeating Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate S. Krishnan with a majority of 7,695 votes.
He emerged at the last minute as the Independent candidate when the Returning Officer rejected the nomination papers of Saiful Izham Ramli of PKR on technical grounds.
Arumugam later joined the PKR and was appointed a state executive council member.
Recently, a group of people claiming to be representing 500 residents of Taman Ria in Sungai Petani submitted a petition to the Sultan of Kedah claiming that a state executive councillor was involved in an affair with a woman. -- BERNAMA
Kenyataan Media Sdr Lim Guan Eng
—9hb Febuari 2009—
Dari limguaneng.com
DAP’s commitment towards a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysia is not only an article of faith but a deep conviction in Bangsa Malaysia. DAP is inclusive of all races and religions. We represent the interests and fight for the rights every Malaysian.
In the effort of being representative of all Malaysians, including both Malays and non-Malays, the party is willing to undertake a transformational process that may be painful but necessary. We have no alternative but to grow without compromising our basic principles.
DAP reaffirms support for Pakatan Rakyat(PR) to establish an alternative government that is democratic, people-centric and with an ethical leadership based on the 5 principles of freedom, justice, truth, social welfare and universal moral values. In this regard the DAP supports PKR de facto leader DSAI Anwar Ibrahim as the Parliamentary Opposition Leader and will remain so as no single leader has ever questioned this during internal meetings whether at the highest levels or otherwise.
The Pakatan Rakyat leadership has clearly endorsed a position that no individual party policy can be PR policy unless it is fully approved unanimously by all three parties. DAP’s position on hudud and Islamic state is crystal clear and regardless of whatever support for both hudud and the establishment of an Islamic State, whether from PAS or PKR, this will not be PR policy as long as DAP does not agree to it.
Similarly DAP’s leadership has been consistently urging the government to enact an anti-hopping law even before the Perak crisis, and we have expressed support of our 28 MPs. As BN does not have a 2/3 parliamentary majority, the support of DAP’s 28 MPs will be required to effect any constitutional amendment for such an anti-hopping laws.
As a democratic party, DAP policies can be changed in accordance with the wishes of its members. However until today there has been no requests to question or disturb the basic framework of co-operation between the 3 parties of DAP, PAS and PKR that makes up PR.
As the party secretary-general, I am duty-bound to execute these policies. However should any member wishes to change them, there are required to use proper party channels to do so and not use the BN-controlled media. I appeal to Sdr Karpal Singh as Chair of the DAP to use internal party channels should he wish to change these policies or even criticise my leadership.
YAB Lim Guan Eng
Setiausaha Agung DAP
Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang
Karpal-Anwar Rift Shows Pakatan Not Viable
MELAKA, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- The lesson the people can learn from the open rift between DAP chairman Karpal Singh and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition is not a viable option, said Umno vice president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin.
"Name only "pakatan" (pact) but obviously there is no pact as such. They are only good at disregarding the principles of good democracy like championing the people's aspirations, respecting decisions by the royalty and observing the rule of law," he told reporters after attending a luncheon and dialogue session with Melaka representatives of commerce and industry here on Monday.
Muhyiddin, who is also International Trade and Industry Minister, said this when asked about Karpal Singh slamming Anwar and asking the latter to step down as the leader of Pakatan Rakyat for bringing the party hopping culture into the coalition and "causing trouble" in it.
He said it was a foregone conclusion that the Pakatan Rakyat would not last as the partners in it - PKR, DAP and PAS - each had a different ideology.
He added that the Barisan Nasional, although it had some minor weaknesses, was the best bet for the people because it was "time tested" with the priority being the welfare of the people.
On the economic front, Muhyiddin said Malaysia would explore export opportunities in the Gulf countries, Africa and South America to expand trade and investment to cushion the effects of the world economic slowdown.
"We have to explore new markets and cannot depend too much on the United States and Europe as previously, initiatives have to be taken towards this end," he said.
Open Public Dialogue:“IPCMC: WHEN?”
Posted on February 9th, 2009 by Nathaniel Tan
Firstly, happy belated Thaipusam and happy Chap Goh Meh!
Secondly, al-Fatihah for YB Roslan Shaharum :(
There’s much to say a bit later, but for now, a buddy of mine asked to help publicise this forum, so here it is:
Semua dijemput ke dialog terbuka mengenai Suruhanjaya Bebas Aduan dan Salahlaku Mengenai Polis (IPCMC)
Program: Open Public Dialogue:“IPCMC: WHEN?”
Tarikh : 10 Feb 2009
Masa: 8pm
Tempat : Pejabat Ahli Parlimen Kelana Jaya, 16-3, Jalan PJS 8/2,Subang Mentari Business Park, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya.
Ahli-ahli panel lain terdiri daripada YBhg Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria {Pesuruhjaya SUHAKAM), K.Shan (Amnesty International) dan,YB Gwo-Burne Loh (MP Kelana Jaya).
Sebarang pertanyaan, sila hubungi talian 019-2232002 atau emel ke bhg_kjaya@yahoo.com.
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