PAC syor bekukan gaji Zambry dan exco

Malaysiakini | 27 Mac 2009

Jawatankuasa Kira-kira Wang (PAC) DUN Perak mencadangkan pembayaran gaji dan elaun menteri besar BN Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir dan enam exconya dibekukan serta-merta dengan alasan pelantikan mereka masih menjadi pertikaian.

Pengerusi jawatankuasa itu Wong Kah Woh berkata, tindakan itu perlu kerana BN telah mengisytiharkan mereka sebagai kerajaan baru sewaktu gabungan DAP, PAS dan PKR mendakwa mereka masih kerajaan sah, lapor Bernama.

“Keputusan ini akan dimaklumkan kepada semua bahagian terbabit untuk pelaksanaan dan kami memberi amaran kepada kakitangan kerajaan berkenaan agar mematuhi arahan ini bagi mengelak mereka dikenakan tindakan,” beliau dipetik berkata kepada media di bangunan setiausaha kerajaan negeri yang menempatkan DUN itu.

Wong berkata PAC juga memutuskan bahawa pelantikan tiga penasihat Dr Zambry - yang bertaraf exco - dan seorang ketua penerangan kerajaan negeri sebagai tidak sah.

Menurut agensi berita itu lagi, PAC mahu Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim mengambil tindakan agar pejabat yang digunakan oleh empat penasihat tersebut dikosongkan dan semua kemudahan kepada mereka ditarik balik.

ISA detainee Uthayakumar's fourth freedom bid (Malaysiakini)

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Uthayakumar has filed his fourth habeas corpus application at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today to seek his immediate release from detention under the Internal Security Act due to a fractured toe which he has been suffering since January, made worse by his diabetes.

MCPX

His application was filed along with a certificate of urgency at the high court registry through legal firm Edwin Lim & Suren.

Uthayakumar, 48, who has been under detention since Dec 13, 2007, is seeking to be brought before the court, and also to secure an immediate release from detention.

He named the home minister and the commandant of the Kamunting detention camp as respondents.

Uthayakumar's affidavit stated that he had been a diabetic patient for the past 14 years and he is also suffering from a hypokinetic heart condition.

He claimed that on Jan 31, while walking to see his family on an uneven road at the detention centre in Perak, he accidentally struck a stone resulting in an injury to his left toe. On the same day, he applied to the Kamunting camp authorities that he be brought to the Gleneagles hospital, a private medical centre in Kuala Lumpur.

However, despite making several requests, the camp authorities rejected his application.

Uthayakumar said on Feb 3, he was brought to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for his sedition trial where he also applied to be brought to Gleneagles hospital. However, this was dismissed by the judge who ordered that he be brought to a government hospital.

He also claimed that physicians in Hospital Kuala Lumpur were influenced by Kamunting authorities and the special branch not to admit him. A X ray was taken of the foot and there were signs that there is a fracture resulting in swelling and difficulty in walking.

The lawyer claimed that he was sent back to the camp the next day where he applied to make a police report. However, he claimed that he was not given permission to do so until the next day.

On Feb 8, Uthayakumar said he showed his swollen foot to three policemen ‘Lance Corporal Sharif, Constable Asri and Inspector Ramli' to record in the detention camp's diary. He then made another request to be brought to the Gleneagles hospital.

Condition deteriorates further

Uthayakumar claimed that his condition deteriorated further on Feb 12 and he showed his foot to ‘Sergeant Major Yunos and Coperal Osman’ and once again applied to be brought to Gleneagles hospital.

"I told them I did not want to be brought to Taiping hospital as I felt there was no freedom and my health condition was being compromised as the doctors at the hospital had filed an affidavit not to support my habeas corpus application," he said.

"I then applied that I be brought to other hospitals besides Taiping hospital but my request was rejected. At about midnight on Feb 12, I was brought to Taiping hospital where I was treated by Dr Raden at the emergency ward. He referred to me to an orthopaedic specialist but he rejected my application for a X-ray to be done on my injured foot," he said.

The lawyer claimed that the next day, one 'Chief Inspector Saleh' asked him to go to the Taiping hospital and he told the officer he would do so after making a police report.

He alleged that at about 3pm the same day, he submitted a form that he wanted to make a police report and that he does not mind being brought to any hospital quickly. However, no action was taken.

Uthayakumar made another application on Feb 14 and his fiancee also lodged a police report the next day.

Following media reports, he said on Feb 16, the Prisons Department deputy director-general and one Dr Wong came to the camp's clinic to inspect his foot.

However, he claimed that he was only sent to the Taiping hospital on Feb 17. At the hospital, he said journalists spotted him and began to take photographs. He said during the commotion, a prison guard pushed him resulting in him stepping on his injured foot.

Uthayakumar said he asked Taiping hospital’s Dr Gurmit Singh to record the incident and he did so but did not render him medical treatment.

Despite this, the applicant claimed Gurmit told him that he should not be walking as this would put pressure on his already injured foot. However, till today, Uthayakumar said he was not given any wheelchair or crutches.

Gurmit showed him the results of the x-ray which revealed two cracks and a chip on the foot. He claimed that he had not been placed on a diabetic diet while he was being detained for the past 15 months.

Uthayakumar claimed that his solicitors had written letters to the home minister dated Feb 12, Feb 23 and March 3 on the various issues that he had highlighted.

He also alleged that the camp authorities had made a false claim that he had rejected medical treatment, saying: "This is a serious error in facts and irresponsible action by the second respondent."

The lawyer claimed that his foot got worse on March 16 where it had swollen further and he made a police report to be brought to the Gleneagles hospital but this was not entertained.

He said this habeas corpus application is different from his other applications and there occurred a substantial change in his detention condition which warranted him to make the application.

His foot had swollen and seemed to be in gangrene and he feared it may be amputated. He claimed that the continued inaction to ensure medical treatment is a violation of his constitutional right under Article 5 regarding equality and for this reason, he is seeking this action.

Lawyer: Authorities' claim illogical

His counsel N Surendran, said it was illogical for the authorities to claim that his client does not want to seek treatment.

"He is having unbearable pain and he is not doing this on purpose. Yet despite this, they are not giving him proper treatment for the foot fracture and also his diet," he said.

"It is well known that people suffering from diabetes need to undergo proper treatment as a result of a wound. Failing which, it would result in amputation and possibly death," he added.

For this reason, the lawyer said the application is made to secure Uthayakumar's release so he could be accorded with proper medical treatment.

He said a certificate of urgency had also been filed to have the case heard.

Tribute to Pak Lah

Report lodged against 'Kill Nizar' blog

Muhyiddin looks to by-elections, stresses party unity

By Shannon Teoh- The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 — Having agitated the speedy demise of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Umno president, the party's new No. 2 is quickly working to stress party unity ahead of three crucial by-elections.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also stressed his support for Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his efforts to reform the party.

"Najib has his way of doing things, very much focused and committed on seeing issues being addressed," the deputy president said today.

"He will start cracking and things move as soon as possible. We will start now or last night, not tomorrow, or the day after, or a year from now. That will be too late. This is a working team," he added to emphasise unity in the newly elected top leadership.

He refuted claims of party splits arising from the party polls. "The electorate has to look at a holistic basis, not just Youth and Wanita."

He also echoed Najib's call for reforms and said he was "honoured to be given the chance to serve and help Najib move forward and speed up reforms to regain lost ground, both political and psychological."

When asked if he would continue to be vocal, he said that as deputy president, he now had direct access to the president and could now "sit down and discuss with no need to shout anymore."

"Najib has shown he is willing to listen and engage. The most important thing is not being vocal but what change we can bring," he said.

Also adopting Najib's old role as BN elections chief by virtue of also being BN deputy chairman, Muhyiddin said he will be leading the triple header April 7 by-elections campaign having met with Najib to discuss the matter last night.

The three new vice-presidents would also have to deputise at one by-election each with Sabah vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal delegated to Batang Ai in Sarawak, Perak Umno deputy chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in Bukit Gantang and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein in Bukit Selambau.

Perak Speaker vs EC case fixed for May 28

By Debra Chong- The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 — The High Court will hear on May 28 the Perak Assembly Speaker's application for leave in his case against the Election Commission and the three controversial state assemblymen for Behrang, Changkat Jering and Jelapang.

A second, back-up suit filed by six Perakians— Pakatan Rakyat executive councillors A. Sivanesan, Tai Sing Ng and Chen Fook Chye, as well as a voter from each of the three state seats — will also be heard at the same time.

Both cases were heard together this morning in the chambers of judge Lau Bee Lan, of the Appellate and Special Powers division.

Lau’s decision to view the application for leave at the end of May was as expected objected to by Attorney-General’s Chambers’ Azizah Nawawi.

“We are objecting on grounds of locus standi (right to appear in court) of the applicants to file the action and that there is no arguable case,” she later told reporters, referring to both suits.

Speaker V. Sivakumar wants the High Court to order the Election Commission to carry out its duty to hold by-elections in the three state he had declared vacant early February after receiving undated resignation letters from their elected representatives.

The EC however contends the speaker has no right to declare a vacancy in any constituency, as it is their prerogative.

Its chairman Tan Sri Aziz Yusof has challenged the validity of the undated resignation letters.

“This is because the second letters from the assemblymen cast doubts on the resignations, so we cannot declare the seats vacant or call a by-election,” he told reporters in a press conference at the EC headquarters in Putrajaya on Feb 3.

Jamaluddin Radzi (Behrang), Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu (Changkat Jering) and Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang), who were voted into office in the 12th general election last year, have disputed their resignations as lawmakers, even if they have quit their political parties.

With the late date for the next court hearing and the confusion over the deadline for the next sitting of the state legislative assembly – Barisan Nasional assemblymen contend it has to be by early May as the last sitting was on Nov 11 last year while Pakatan Rakyat argues the six-month deadline has been extended to September because of the March 3 emergency sitting under the tree in Ipoh — the Perak constitutional crisis looks unlikely to be resolved any time soon.

Second issue for Najib tomorrow - set up RCI to clear his name on Altantuya murder case and mega defence commissions

In his farewell speech as Umno President, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi conducted a public soul-searching on Umno’s crisis of confidence and test of credibility, asking: “Why are we suffering this fate, blamed to this terrible extent? Why are we now seen to be completely without virtue?”

Abdullah’s diagnosis is the same as the one I prescribed in Parliament on Wednesday, when I said Umno had become “power-crazy” (gila kuasa).

Abdullah admitted as much when he said the cause of the credibility crisis of Umno is because the party is “intoxicated” by power.

Abdullah said:

“We were intoxicated by our achievements and we become complacent. We believed that we had become all-powerful. We have put our own positions within the party first, instead of being concerned over Umno’s position in the eyes of our citizens and the nation.”

Among Abdullah’s five factors leading to the “erosion of public trust” in Umno, was “materialism has seeped into the party, making a number of party members greedy and avaricious, hence creating the negative perception that Umno is a corrupt party”.

I should have been thanked for helping to diagnose the fundamental cause of Umno’s crisis of confidence, but no, I was instead suspended from Parliament under the pressure of UMNO MPs who clearly belonged to the party’s “Denial Camp”.

What decent and reasonable Malaysians must find most objectionable is that the most boorish and loutish among these UMNO MPs could get elected into the UMNO Supreme Council – no better testimony that Abdullah was conducting a dialogue of the deaf when trying to deliver his last “reformist” message at the Umno general assembly.

Yesterday, I had called on the new Umno President Datuk Seri Najib Razak, waiting to become the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia, to respond forthrightly and positively to Abdullah’s warning that Umno would be reduced to a footnote in the pages of history if Umno succumbs to pressures from those who reject reforms and want to revert to the old ways of harsh and hardline undemocratic rule – a return to Mahathirism!

I asked Najib to take a clear-cut stand in his acceptance speech as the new Umno president tomorrow to set his face clearly and strongly against any return of Mahathirism in his premiership, and to declare that the imminent arrest of Parliamentary Opposition Leader and Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim under the Internal Security Act and the launching of another Operation Lalang mass arrests are not among the political options that he is considering in his first 100 days or first year in office.

Today, I want to ask Najib to make another declaration in his acceptance speech as UMNO President tomorrow as it is intimately related to his fitness, integrity and legitimacy to become the new Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has called on Najib to “come clean” and submit to legal scrutiny on the international scandals linking the Prime Minister-in-waiting with the murder of Altantuya Sharibuu and with the purchase of the Scorpene submarines.

Tengku Razaleigh wrote in his blog “We should all come clean”:

“It is safe to say that in the international media, the incoming Umno President and the presumptive Prime Minister is being evaluated through the Altantuya scandal. The UK’s Sunday Times, the International Herald Tribune, the French daily, Libération, The Australian Financial Review, the Far Eastern Economic Review and the New York Times have all published stories raising questions about the link between the murdered young woman, Dato’ Seri Najib, and the gigantic commission paid out by the French company Armaris to a Malaysian company for the purchase of submarines. This is now an international story.

“And this story will not go away. With its dramatic details and the alleged involvement of elite Malaysian government operatives, it captures the journalistic imagination. But the story is now connected with an ongoing investigation into the dealings of a major French company.

“The story is also going to stick around because it is a handy looking-glass into Malaysia’s ‘increasingly dysfunctional political system.’ It implicates our entire system of government, our judiciary, and our press, and it casts a shadow on our ability as a nation to face and tell the truth. Against this backdrop promises of reform ring hollow. The storyline of the New York Times article, for example, is that scandal-clouded succession reveals a once confident young country shaken to its foundations by institutional rot. I cannot say this is inaccurate.

“The scandal is bringing shame to the nation and damaging our international credibility. For the honour of the nation, for the honour of the office of prime minister, for the honour of the sovereign institutions expected to endorse, confirm and lend authority to him should he become prime minister according to Umno’s plans, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak should finally face these suspicions and implied charges, submit himself to legal scrutiny, and come clean on them.

“Swearing on the Al-Quran is not the way out. Scoundrels have been known to do that. The truth, established through the rigorous and public scrutiny of the law, is the only remedy if an untrue story has gained currency not just internationally but at home among a large section of the people.

“Najib should voluntarily offer to testify at the trial of the two officers charged with killing Altantuya Sharibuu. He could also write to these newspapers and if necessary he should take legal action against them to clear his name and that of our country.”

I call on Najib to declare tomorrow that he would establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry to clear the grave and long-swirling questions concerning his integrity and legitimacy as Prime Minister particularly on defence deal mega commissions and Altantunya Shariibuu murder case.

I had repeatedly in Parliament such as in October last year and on Monday this week called on Najib to agree to such a Royal Commission of Inquiry to clear his name in the face of these grave allegations especially as he has claimed innocence.

This is the least that Najib should do even before he becomes the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia, to protect the honour of the office of Prime Minister and the nation.

Are you a Malay traitor?: A MILF-PRON primer

The Malaysian Insider
by Yusseri Yusoff

MARCH 26 — Are you a Malaysian who is constitutionally classified as a Malay, but are unsure as to whether you are a traitor? Well, we at the Malaysian Institute of Learning Foundation for Political Research On Nationalism (MILF-PRON)[1] have prepared a set of guidelines as a primer so that you may self-determine your traitorous status. To craft this primer, we have elected to distil statements made by current and former members of the 21-year old political entity Umno (Baru).

Umno, as we know, is the last line of defence for any (far) right-thinking Malays who are concerned about their race, religion and nation. Some wits might say that in reality Umno only worries about race and ignores the other two aspects of their struggle, but one out of three is a start is what we say.

Before we begin, it is important to note that as a simultaneously pro-active and reactive research institution, MILF-PRON applies a rigorous and exacting methodology to produce a credible sociometric psychographic analysis of the statements made[2].

This then allows us to produce a precise regression-based modal transformation which is then retrofitted into set distribution models, such as the Gaussian, Pareto or Cartesian/Venn distributions to see which theory fits the data best. Out of this, we have managed to produce the Traitor Quotient Index of {0..1}, where “0” denotes a “low probability” ? “none whatsoever” and “1” denotes a “high probability” ? “absolute certainty” indication that you are a traitor.

There are various factors which we considered in order to produce the TQ but for the sake of brevity, we have approached the problem from a “big picture” angle, and have come up with 10 questions for you to answer.

In order to determine your TQ, consider the following questions below, and assign the respective coefficient factors into your overall score matrix for every question that you say “Yes” to. For every question which you disagree with (i.e. “No”), subtract the coefficient number with 1. After which, add the coefficient factors to arrive at the summation value, which then represents your non-normalised TQ. This number represents the “numerator” in the TQ formula. Since there are 10 questions, then the number “10” becomes your “denominator”. To arrive at the final TQ index, divide the numerator with the denominator. You might want to use a calculator at that point. Also, remember that the closer you are to “1”, the higher the chances that you are, in fact, a traitor to your race.

Let us begin.

1. Are you a member of the opposition, or a supporter of the opposition? If you are, then it's considered a fairly traitorous trait, and the TQ coefficient is: 0.8.

2. Following from that, do you consider the Petualang (i.e. the politician formerly known as the Leader of the Opposition) to be an upstanding, honest politician who does not engage in money politics or conspiracy theories (with or without bomohs), nor the sort of person who would engineer mass defections of lawmakers, either in Parliament or state assemblies; who champions the rule of law and the freedom of information (including for universities)? Really? Well, if you say so. Give yourself: 0.6.

3. Next, if you are a man, are you a homosexual, or if you are a woman, are you a lesbian or prefer to wear men's clothes? If yes, your TQ coefficient is: 0.7.

4. Do you regard those who consider the Internal Security Act to be one of the “rights” of the Malays (and should therefore never be challenged) to be absolute nutjobs? If yes, your TQ coefficient is: 0.75.

5. Do you object to the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English, considering it to be a threat to the Malay language and Malay identity, and would eventually erode the culture of the Malays? If yes, assign this: 0.5.

6. Do you consider those who object to the Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English to be backward-looking people who want to obstruct the progress of Malays in the sciences, and their business dealings with arms dealers in France? If yes, it's 0.5.

7. Do you feel that the decision by the Perak Ruler to deny dissolution of the state assembly and allow BN to form a new state government to be wrong? If yes, then that's bad. Derhaka bad. So: 0.95.

8. Do you dispute the existence of a social contract, and feel that the non-Malays have every right to demand equal treatment as IC carrying Malaysians? If so: 0.9.

9. Do you take to the streets, or light candles in front of police stations, whenever you disagree with an action by the government, for example, the aforementioned Perak state turnover, or the locking up of reporters who report what comes out of the mouths of BN politicians? If that's a yes: 0.7.

10. Do you consider singing the national anthem in a melodic manner at the Malaysia Cup final, or the length of flight attendants' skirts to be issues too petty to be brought up in Parliament? If so, consider throwing yourselves into the sea and assign: 0.8.

Hopefully, if you have reached this point, and have a calculator handy (the one in your phone works like a charm), you will have calculated your TQ[3]. If you find yourself with a low TQ Index, congratulations. You are not alone.

If, however, you find your TQ Index to be perilously close to 1, don't worry. You are not alone, either.

Whichever you are, we at MILF-PRON are grateful to have the opportunity to assist you in determining your traitorous inclinations and wish you well. May you find “closure” on this, as you move about in your daily lives, earning a living, caring for your family and friends, visit your parents (and avoiding your in-laws) and do all the other things that non-politicians do, regardless of race or religion.

Khir Toyo blames Pakatan for his defeat

Dr Khir Mohd Toyo has blamed the Pakatan Rakyat as one of the reasons behind his failure to fulfil his dreams of wresting the Umno Youth chief post in the party polls on Wednesday.

Speaking to a press conference this morning at the Putra World Trade Centre where the Umno general assembly is being held, Khir said the Pakatan-led Selangor government’s inquiry on the Balkis fiasco had influenced the way delegates voted.

Khir insisted that he was innocent and added that the police had cleared him and the organisation of any wrongdoing after investigations.

Balkis courted controversy when it was reported that the funds belonging to the organisation had been transferred to another account when Selangor fell into the hands of the opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat in the March 8, 2008 polls.

Its former president Zaharah Kechik, who is the wife of Khir, had reportedly called for an emergency meeting on March 11 last year to dissolve the organisation and close the account a day later.

The funds, amounting to RM9.9 million, were said to have been channelled to a different account before the money was transferred to the Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Tenaga Isteri-isteri Menteri (Bakti), an organisation helmed by the prime minister’s wife and comprising wives of ministers and deputy ministers.

Pidato Abdullah Badawi Wajar Diteliti

Saya tidak sering mengulas ucapan Presiden UMNO. Kendati begitu pidato Datuk Seri Abdullah mengundang wacana.

Keberanian beliau membedah penyakit parti yang angkuh, pudar idealisme perjuangan dan terjebak dengan amalan rasuah agak mengejutkan sebahagian besar perwakilan. Mereka dikira menantikan sajian pujian, ungkapan lunak yang memperteguh khayalan mereka bahawa UMNO kekal sebagai wadah perjuangan bangsa yang terhebat dan terkuat.

Malah dijangkakan Datuk Seri Abdullah akan menyambung lagak ayam sabung sang satria Pemuda UMNO sabelumnya. Ukuran kehebatan bukan pada peribadi dan akhlak, program atau amalan, tetapi keangkuhan mendabik dada, menghina dan menyerang lawan.

Arakian terpingalah gelagat perwakilan mendengar pidato perpisahan; bukannya merakam penghargaan tetapi menyinggung hasrat sebahagian pimpinan, pastinya mengaitkan Datuk Seri Najib sendiri dengan kecenderungan memuja kaedah lama membungkam musuh politik dan bertindak rakus.

Beliau menyelar sikap selesa di tengah kegetiran, kerana mabuk dengan kuasa dan terus terheret dalam kencah pertarungan sesama sendiri. Tepukan perwakilan hambar dan tidak rancak.

Namun saya menganggap saranan Datuk Seri Abdullah wajar diteliti kerana turut meletakkan asas keluhuran negara berpelembagaan yang adil dan saksama. Apakah mungkin disaksikan wacana segar menyusul dalam forum perhimpunan UMNO?

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Umno’s threats and calls to change (back to the good old days, that is)

by Nathaniel Tan

Conspicuously present as at almost all Umno meetings: threats, threats, threats.

There are calls to go after online writers, warnings against ‘overly brave’ non-Malays, talk of the methods used by Najib’s father post-1969 to ‘restore order,’ and in Hisham’s outgoing speech, plenty of allusions that foreshadow an arrest of Anwar.

For all the Obama/KeADILan talk of change (did you see The Star headline? “Time for change” - eh! macam pernah dengar ni :P :) , the mood suggested that many in Umno wanted a change yes, but a change BACK to the good old days where they freely and gleefully tyrannised the rest of Malaysia.

Will Najib succumb to the temptation of ridding himself of the opposition the easy way? Amidst all his scandals and the devastating amount of bad press he has been getting overseas, will he seek to detract attention by doing exactly what Mahathir did, both in the late 80s and the late 90s? Will we be changing back to that definition of ’strength?’

Nobody knows what the future brings, but there are some signs out there pointing to a crackdown. Should they decide to take it big guns, medium guns, little guns or all of the above, preparations still need to be made early - no matter how illogical such actions might appear to us.

As for whether Umno will reclaim its powers of tyranny - I guess that’s really up to you and me, and how hard we’re willing to work to get the message out to all Malaysians that this party has been bad for Malays, and bad for the rest of Malaysia. In the end, it will be the rakyat that determines how much power Umno holds over us; not Najib, not any one man.

Otherwise? I suppose the only ‘interesting’ result was Khairy. Perhaps Najib is all about keeping his friends close, but his enemies closer; especially after having done away with so many of Abdullah’s man, perhaps he feared taking Khairy out would push the old man and whatever was left of his faction out of the edge.

Oh well, I suppose Khairy would make a marginally more interesting opponent than a dimwit or a thief.

Next to come: Behind the scenes - a look at the lower profile voting results.

Shahrir To Resign From Cabinet On Wednesday

KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 (Bernama) -- Datuk Shahrir Samad, who lost in the contest for the Umno Supreme Council seat in party elections yesterday, said he will tender his resignation as the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister on Wednesay.

Shahrir said today that his decision was final.

"It's a matter of principle. If someone who is holding a ministerial post is not supported by party delegates to become a Supreme Council member, the person should resign from the post," said Shahrir, who is the Johor Baharu Umno division chief.

Shahrir said he would step down from the post at the weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the day the power transition between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would take place.

It would be difficult for him to discharge his ministerial duties without party support, he added.

"We should hold on to our principle. Especially in politics, our job will become easier if we have the moral high ground.

"If we are not strong and is not supported by the party, we won't be able to face the administrative machinery, the people and the opposition when discharging our duties.

"For instance, as a member of Parliament, we need to attend parliament session.

"How are we going to answer questions confidently if we are not supported by our own party?" he told reporters on the sidelines of the Umno General Assembly at Putra World Trade Centre here.

Shahrir said: "People will then say that this YB (people's representative) is not supported by his own party, so how could we become a minister?"

Umno GA: Jubilant victors

Human Rights : UMNO gila kuasa

Part 3


Part 4


Part 5

Inquiry wanted on cash Maika boss spent on actress

Did Maika Holdings chief and the the MIC supremo’s son S Vell Paari use money meant for the poor to fund his ‘lavish’ relationship with the now deceased drama actress K Sujatha?

This is the question being asked by certain quarters following the recent coroner’s inquest into the death of Sujata which saw Vell Paari (right) himself admit that he spent up to a quarter of a million ringgit on the actress.

Among those questioning the source of the funds is Kapar member of Parliament S Manickavasagam who today lodged a complaint on the matter with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

His report was received by MACC’s deputy director, Hasan Yaya.

Vell Paari, who is MIC president S Samy Vellu’s son, had testified earlier last week during the inquest that he has ‘spent lavishly’ on Sujatha.

This included RM200,000 in cash for Sujatha’s apartment, funding for Sujatha’s medical treatment and education, and also for her two brothers’ education.

Vell Paari said he was the guarantor for the hire-purchase loan which Sujatha took out to purchase a Mazda RX8 sports car.

He also admitted that he had taken Sujatha and her family to Perth, Australia once before.

Maika funds misused?

According to Manickavasagam (left), Maika Holdings, the investment arm of the MIC, was set up to improve the lives of the Indian and while many had invested their life savings with the company, most of these investors have yet to receive any dividend.

“It is public knowledge that the Maika Holdings scandal had caused many from the poor community who invested in the company to lose their life savings.

‘But the CEO on the other hand is spending money lavishly. Now, how is this possible?” he questioned.

He added that over the past 18 years, Maika had been the subject of several reports to the MACC and the former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) over alleged misuse of funds within the company, but to date no action has been taken.

Manickavasagam urged the MACC to reopen these files and investigate the true circumstances behind the financial dealings of Maika..

He also urged the MACC to investigate the source of the large amount of money Vell Paari spent on Sujatha and its legitimacy.

“We want the MACC to find out if there is a leak in the company and whether Vell Paari has misused funds belonging to Maika Holdings,” said Manickavasagam.

His lawyer, N Surendran, who was present, said that he would follow-up closely with the MACC on this issue to ensure that the case did not remain unsolved like the ones before.

Surendran disclosed that they will also be lodging a police report next week as recommended by the MACC deputy director.

Winners and Losers, Day 2

MARCH 27 – Yesterday was a good day for Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. His choice of candidates for the deputy presidency (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) and the three vice-presidents (Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein and Datuk Shafie Apdal) all came through.

But it was also a day of upsets, the end of political careers and a day in which being a Mentri Besar counted for little.

The Malaysian Insider looks at the winners and losers of Day 2 of the Umno general assembly.

Winners

• Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi – Today’s victory complete the astounding turnaround for the Perak politician. He was detained under the Internal Security Act, ostracised by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for being a follower of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, forced out of Umno Youth and into political wilderness and then brought back into the party by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Now he is one of the most powerful figures in Umno and certain bet for a senior Cabinet position.

• Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin – This was the prize that Muhyiddin and his supporters have been eyeing since Election 2008, when it became apparent that it would only be a matter of time for Najib to replace Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as president and for the number two position to become vacant.

Muhyiddin led the charge to get Abdullah to step down earlier but he was not a shoo-in for the deputy president’s position. Only the endorsement of the Najib camp and the disqualification of

Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Ali Rustam pushed him over the line today against rank outsider, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib.

But a win is a win, and a month from now, most people would have forgotten the margin of victory or the back story.

• Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi – delivered probably one of the best speeches during his time as Umno president and prime minister. And 17 of the 25 successful Supreme Council candidates are either those whom he appointed to the Cabinet, government positions or identified in the party as his men. These men and woman are acceptable to Najib.

• Datuk Norraesah Mohamad – the former banker was told by Abdullah that she would be appointed to the Cabinet if she won the Balik Pulau parliamentary constituency on March 8 2008. She lost and has been flirting with political oblivion till today, becoming the only woman to win a seat on the powerful Supreme Council.

• Datuk Mustapha Mohamad – Quiet and unassuming, the Kelantan politician made the biggest noise in the Supreme Council polls when he garnered the most number of votes. Pretty impressive for someone who still has his clean image intact after years in Umno.

Losers

• Datuk Adnan Yaacob, Datuk Mohamad Hassan and Datuk Ghani Othman – It is a rare day when party members boot out so many mentri besars but this was the fate that befell Adnan(Pahang), Mohamad (Negeri Sembilan) and Ghani (Johor).

The talk along the corridors of the Putra World Trade Centre was that these three men had paid the price for not opening up their wallets and for their unfriendly persona.

• Datuk Azalina Othman Said – She asked party delegates to remember that she was innocent until proven guilty but it was always going to be a hike up Mount Kinabalu after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said that they were investigating her for money politics. It would be a minor miracle if she is named to the Najib cabinet.

• Datuk Ali Rustam – It was certainly a case of what it could have been for Ali. He was barred from contesting the number two position in Umno for breaching party ethics but even now, a great many delegates believe that he was a target of selective prosecution and a certainty for deputy president’s position.

• Datuk Syed Hamid Albar and Datuk Seri Rais Yatim – There will be a new Home Minister and there will be a new Foreign Minister.

Rais hoped that Dr Mahathir’s endorsement would propel him to victory. It did not.

Syed Hamid hoped that his tough man act as the Home Minister would catch the attention of the voters. It did not.

• Malaysians – What else can you do besides shrug your shoulders and wonder what is going in Umno when three of the most obnoxious MPs – Datuk Bung Mokthar Radin, Datuk Puad Zarkashi and Datuk Tajudin Rahman – get elected to the most powerful decision-making body in the party.

These chaps rub non-Malays the wrong way all the time and two of them (Bung Mokhtar and Tajudin) score high on the sexism chart.

All the president’s men

By The Malaysian Insider team

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 – In the race for the three vice-presidents' seats, all the president's men made it.

It was no surprise that Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi won with the highest number of votes. Zahid polled 1,592 votes, Hishammuddin Hussein 1,515 and Shafie Apdal, 1,445.

While party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak did not formally endorse them, his officials had made a strong pitch for Zahid and Shafie.

Throughout the campaign period, Zahid, who is also the de facto Islamic affairs minister, has been taking a tough stand on matters related to the religion, especially on the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims.

Shafie said, “I’m so happy. This is a historic thing, it’s the first time for Sabah ... a VP.”

He expressed confidence that the trinity of Umno vice presidents with their combined backgrounds – Zahid Hamidi’s an Islamic expert, Hishamuddin’s a lawyer and he is an economist – presented a formidable force to be reckoned with.

A jubilant Zahid raises his arms in victory as the results were being announced. – Picture by Choo Choy May

“This proves we have a place in Umno,” he added, referring to his ethnic background.

Newly minted VP Datuk Ahmad Zahid, who polled the most votes, was noisily received by his admirers who formed a tight band around him shouting in spurts, “Datuk Zahid, Datuk Zahid!” while ushering him through the crowd.

Apparently overwhelmed by the occasion, Hishamuddin said: “I still need time to absorb it.”

“The line-up is young ... but I think we can bring the country to greater heights.”

“This win is a team that represents the aspirations of the delegates so that the leadership institution of Umno will be strengthened with a combination of past and present statesmen,” Zahid said.

“It can be a platform for Najib so that Umno can be rebranded and made relevant to the Malays and the people of Malaysia.”

“Umno needs to be relevant to young voters as about two million of them will be voting in the next general elections.”

“The new line-up is a good combination which will help Najib strengthen Umno.”

“It’s not important who got the highest votes but that we can work together. All of us are products of Umno Youth and were on the executive committee when Najib was the chief and this (shared history) will help Najib.”

“As Pak Lah said, Umno Youth is a continuity from the 1950s and suitable for the present.”

UMNO New Lineup - Does It Matter?

It does not matter if it is Muhyiddin or Muhammad Taib, Khairy or Khir Toyo, Zahid Hamidi or someone else. The thing which must change is the mindset of UMNO's leadership. Of course, Najib did emphasize on change. Mukhriz made 'change' his election platform.

But the 'change' they called for is not a change which is sorely needed by the nation. We need a change in the way this nation is governed. Not a change which will only seek to deepen and strengthen ethno-religious politics. Not the kind of change which will make UMNO more hegemonic, make the police force or any public institutions the tools of politicians or alter the democratic system of this country which may curtail individual rights.

If the change UMNO seeks is to seek more control over government apparatus, more positions in the government linked companies and full access of public resources, then the party will transform fully into an autocratic regime.

Recently, it has taken some harsh decisions against detractors. Bar Council has been warned against the use of 'Allah' in its online poll. Judiciary reform undertaken by Abdullah has faltered when Ipoh High Court's Judicial Commissioner Ridzwan's tenure was controversially renewed for 2 more years after he has made controversial decisions against the Perak state assembly speaker. Even the chief judge was implicated in a recorded statement that he had bribed the judiciary when he was in legal practice. No police statement was ever taken from him.

More abuses have been unveiled and they have become a common feature in the Malaysian way of life. To a number of Malaysians, politics in UMNO is synonymous with everything negative. This is a huge perception hurdle for the party.

Abdullah was right that the party cannot bully its way to power. Regardless of the new leadership lineup, UMNO needs to change its political approach and mindset. It is does not drop its old game plan, there is very little hope the party to turn around.

Is the new leadership truly free of those tainted by power corruption? The answer is quite obvious.

But the component parties will hail the leadership as a new dawn. Predictable.

A schism is opening up between the Indians in the country and Anwar Ibrahim in Bukit Selambau

I have been an ardent admirer of Anwar Ibrahim and a strong supporter of the Pakatan Government. But that is all being severely tested with what is now happening in the Bukit Selambau by-elections.

Let it be first known that I have no personal interest in the Selambau by-elections at all nor am I writing because the grapes are sour. I am totally on the side of the people, on the side of truth and on the side of justice and I will not stand for treachery wherever it comes from

In the first place, the by elections is occurring under murky circumstances in which the former rep resigned – rumor has it that, that former rep was under a variety of pressures. Rumor also has it that he had almost gone over to the other side, to be saved in the nick of time by some tricky intervention by some member or members of the Keadilan party.

Then when the replacement for him was sought, again divine intervention in the form of an Anwar chrony, one Dato Ravi, pulls out a political novice and a relatively unkown figure and lo and behold , all the wisdom of the Senior members of the party does not matter anymore. Rumour has it that this happened inspite of misgivings from Syed Husin Ali, Sivarasa ,Tian Chua, Xavier Jeyakumar, Manickavasagam and Latifah Koyah about the choice.

This has some very serious implications for all of us. Let me try and explain.

First, what this really amounts to, is chronyism, UMNO style chronyism. During Mahathir’s time Daim Zainudin and Tajudin Ramli ruled the day, during Badawi’s time it was Khairy who called the shots. But we can pass all that off as UMNO stuff, which we all are trying to get rid of anyway. But we see that happening now in the very movement we are all part of to change all that. The assimilation by the enemy (though in an oblique way) of our budding democracy movement and the dissipation of the idealism is beginning. History is filled with instances of how the old finally consumes the new.. This is very serious and unless we all awaken to it and nip it in the bud, the inevitable will happen – status quo is what we will have after some very hopeful years albeit in the name of a new party.

What does democracy mean if the people’s wishes are not to be considered. What seems to matter is the wish of the elite or the leader and a group of his chronies They can just strut in and make the decisions with impunity, totally insensitive to the wishes of the representatives of the people. Is not this, what we all accuse UMNO of doing. What is the difference?. If this is is happening at this early stage, I shudder at the thought of what could happen when the Pakatan takes over the reins of government, when Keadilan can move unfettered. So will we really have more democracy when Pakatan takes over? We are all banking on that. But will we?

The second point is equally significant. One of the charges leveled against the UMNO government is the way they have used the Mandore system to keep the poor Indians in their utterly depressed and marginalised state. By this I mean, a system where a group of subservient Indians in the form of the MIC are thrown some crumbs so they may keep the Indians in a state of ignorance, poverty and deprivation. They used the likes of Samy Vellu and a bunch of his sycophants to achieve this. Strong leaders were not allowed to emerge from within the Indian community – not that there were not any, but they were all totally blocked, by the system. Look at the Indians, who are in leadership positions in industry in the private sector, there are so many and they are extremely capable as leaders, but look at MIC, zero!! This is the design from the last fifty years – thanks to UMNO.

Now look at what our dear friend Anwar is trying to create in Keadilan. We have some Dato Ravi, (the new Samy Vellu) and then we have the meek Indians that they are trying to put together in Keadilan as Indian reps. Anwar does not seem to want strong Indian leaders, something that the Indian community so badly needs, so what we have is a ditto of the past fifty years trying to emerge for the next fifty years – old wine in a new bottle. If I am wrong, can someone please explain the rationale for the political novice and a totally unknown to be selected for the Selambau state seat, inspite of the fact that there were 5 very good alternative candidates offered to choose from. Compare this with the choice for Bukit Gantang. And this decision to go with someone so unnatural as a choice was made on the strong recommendations by this Dato Ravi. If I am wrong, let some senior Keadilan Leader come out and refute what I am saying.

I want for the old ways to change. But that change must not be in rhetoric only, the change must be in the substance and the processes of our society and government The change has to be real.

First, Anwar himself has got to get real . He cannot delude himself into thinking he is invincible. He cannot get intoxicated with his popularity. What I am saying can snowball into a total schism between Anwar and the Indian community if he continues with these insensitive ways. This may cause a swing back to the enemy of the enemy (as they say). They are just waiting around the corner. The UMNO elections are now over and there is a lot of talk of change within UMNO and the new leadership is a crafty one. Just as they in their wisdom caused the marginalization, they may now get equally wise to make up for it. Do not hand it to them dear Anwar.

All the Indians are seeking is a fair and just system where they are not blocked by the system. Do not block them, Anwar. Do not commit the mistakes of your nemesis of being insensitive to the needs of the people. If the 25th of Nov 2007 happened, it happened because of a seething anger that accumulated over many instances like this. As what Tok Guru recently said, when the UMNO government banned Harakkah, it will only cause the people to “benci” the government.

The implications are very clear to all of us. Ugly old tendencies are trying to re-emerge in new forms, to corrupt and to kill off the positive new tendencies in our society. We, the people should not allow this to happen. I am writing about this now, so it may be nipped in the bud. I do not fear that what I am saying may be taken by the UMNO - MIC combine during the upcoming by-elections to win votes. Principles are more important than influence at critical moments.

Viva la Makkal

Bodoh punya Cina!

Look at that picture again. The keris has been drawn and the faggot is kissing it. That, my dear Cina bodoh, is an act of aggression. No need to wave one! Take out enough mah!

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

MCA Youth glad there’s no more waving of the keris

MCA Youth is relieved that Umno Youth has handed over the keris that was the centre of the keris-waving controversy to its outgoing chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein for personal safekeeping.

MCA Youth national chairman Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said that Hishammuddin’s kissing of the keris yesterday at the Umno general assembly could not be likened to his brandishing of it at the 2006 assembly.

“Although Umno Youth could not omit the keris ceremony during their assembly, Hishammuddin understood the consequences of waving the keris and had conducted it in a more understated manner to express his love for his culture.”

“He has shown that he is concerned about the feelings of all Malaysians,” Dr Wee said in a statement yesterday. (The Star, 26 March 2009)

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

Apa ni Cina bodoh sangat? Hey, MCA, take a look at this:



Can you see the TWO keris on the Umno logo above? Yes, two. The keris is not only a symbol of the dominant party in Barisan Nasional; it is also a symbol of Malay pride and dignity. Have you ever seen an official photograph of any Ruler without a keris either in hand or tucked in his waist? And what would a Malay wedding be without the traditional tanjak and keris (unless you ran away to Thailand to secretly marry the Sultan’s daughter)?

For your information, Cina bodoh, Malays DO NOT wave the keris. I mean, it is just so un-Malay to wave anything -- unless it is an envelope with RM1,000 in it just before the Umno General Assembly. So why are you so ecstatic that Hishammuddin did not wave the keris?

When you see an enemy you are supposed to just un-sheath the keris. That is why, in the old days, when you had an audience with the Sultan, you tied a ribbon around the keris. This was a sign you would not draw the keris -- which means you do not intend to harm the Sultan.

Drawing or un-sheathing the keris is an act of aggression. It is just like the Ghurkhas un-sheathing the Kukri. Once they un-sheath it then it must draw blood. And if they can’t bathe the Kukri in their enemy’s blood then they are supposed to cut their finger and allow the blood to touch the Kukri before sheathing it again.

It’s like what my horny old friend used to tell me. “Once I take out my weapon then I must stab something before putting it back into my pants.” Hey, I did say he was a horny old friend. And what’s worse than a D.O.M., if you know what I mean?

Look at that picture again. The keris has been drawn and the faggot is kissing it. That, my dear Cina bodoh, is an act of aggression. No need to wave one! Take out enough mah! And here we have these MCA idiots happy that Umno Youth just took out the keris and kissed it but did not wave it.



Aiyah, MCA, who are you trying to kid? You bloody Umno running dog. I know you are trying to do damage control here. You are trying to make it appear like Umno Youth has mellowed and is no longer a threat to the Chinese because they did not WAVE the keris. Okay, they drew their keris. They even kissed it. But they did not wave it. So all is peachy and honky dory.

Hah! Bodoh punya Cina MCA. You think the Chinese buy this damage control spin or what? You should have just kept quiet. No need to say anything. Diam saja cukup. Now that you open you mouth and lick Umno’s balls how do you think that makes you look? It makes you look like a ball-licking Umno running dog.



At least, in the previous years, you made some noise -- okay, a very small noise -- whenever Umno Youth took out their keris. Now you open your mouth and say, “Hooray! Umno Youth did not wave the keris this year.”

Do you know there are millions more keris all over the country? I myself own more than ten. My grandfather used to own more than 1,000. Okay, so Hishammuddin is taking that one stupid keris home as a keepsake. But there are a million more from where that came from. And how do you know that one or more of those one million will not emerge and be waved around if the Chinese ‘kurang ajar’?

It is time MCA stopped playing the role of ball-licker and running dog to Umno. Hey, I am not even Chinese. Okay, I may not be ‘proper’ Malay as well. But I am certainly not Chinese. Yet even I dah menyampah with MCA. And why do the Chinese still support MCA? Bodoh punya Cina. MCA is Umno’s running dog and Umno tells the Chinese to go back to China and the Chinese support MCA.

Bodoh punya Cina!

Dealing with your fears

by Haris Ibrahim

I’ve always feared heights.

Never confronted this fear before, though.

Went off on a break with Delcapo a couple of days ago.

This buddy got me to stare that fear in the eye.

See what I mean HERE.

Thanks, Del.

When are we going to do it again?

UMNO ELECTIONS: LIST OF THOSE ELECTED

The following members were elected:


The following were elected as Members of the UMNO Supreme Council:



It seems that most of the elected representatives are closely linked to incoming UMNO President Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak.

pictures courtesy of Malaysiakini

UMNO or MIC General Assembly?

By Lim Kit Siang

UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor has asked for police help in maintaining calm at the general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur.

He said that he had made the request to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar as the crowds along the hallways had grown excited and difficult to control.

“I am saddened by what is happening and if they are doing anything wrong they should be picked up,” he told reporters when asked about the conduct of candidates’ supporters.

Delegates, VIP guests and media were hindered by campaigners and the scene at times turned ugly, with some resorting to aggressive shoving and pushing. As a result, some people almost fell or were nearly trampled upon.

The media also had trouble trying to get reactions from various leaders as PWTC security rudely handled pressmen by blocking access to the leaders, instead of moving the crowd.

At one point, police had to set up a police line on both sides of the walkway to allow guests and delegates to move freely.

Hundreds of Umno delegates were prevented from entering the main hall as security personnel kept the doors locked, saying that more time was needed to prepare the hall for balloting.

Those who found themselves in this predicament included veteran Umno leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Kelantan delegate Datuk Abdul Rahim Rahman and Penang delegate Datuk Musa Sheikh Kadir Fadzir, who were forced to use an alternative route to enter the hall.

At one point, some delegates knocked on the doors seeking entry, while others resorted to kicking the walls leading into the hall.

Umno updates: Cops called in to maintain calm
Updated: Thursday March 26, 2009 MYT 3:33:53 PM

2:30pm: Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor says he has asked for police help in maintaining calm at the PWTC because the crowd was turning rowdy.

12.45pm: Polling for the posts of Umno deputy president, vice-presidents (3)and supreme council (25) seats begins. A total of 2,519 delegates will be voting and results are expected only after midnight.

12.40pm: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has been officially declared the new Umno president. The announcement was made by Umno permanent chairman Tan Sri Onn Ismail at PWTC Thursday. Najib won the post uncontested on Nov 2 when he was the only one to get enough nominations to qualify to contest.

MACC Receives Documents On Samy's Alleged Misappropriation

SHAH ALAM, March 26 (Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Concern Youth Movement (CYM), a non-governmental organisation, have submitted various documents to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) pertaining to the MIC president's alleged misappropriation of land belonging to a Tamil primary school in Bandar Utama.

The documents were handed over to the MACC's Selangor headquarters here today.

malaysia nanban 050908
Three acres of Tamil Scholl land Hijacked

PKR vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah said the case involved Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's alleged misappropriation of three acres (1.2 hectare) of prime land originally alienated for the Effingham Tamil School.

He said the land was designated for public use and should not be sold or transferred to any individual or political party. Hence, it was not suitable for the MIC to acquire it.

"We want Samy Vellu to do the right thing by returning the balance three acres of land that was originally alienated for the Effingham Tamil School, to the people.

"It was good of him to acknowledge that it was an administrative error that had resulted in his name being listed as the beneficial owner of half of the land in Jalan Bandar Utama 1/1.

"...but, it has been almost six months since he apologised and we now want him to rectify the mistake and put things right," added Sivarasa, who is also Subang member of parliament.

The documents were handed over to Selangor MACC director Moh Samsudin Yusof to facilitate investigations into the alleged misappropriation.

Recently, the MIC and Samy Vellu came under fire as the party president was named the beneficiary owner of half of the land in BU11/1, Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, originally meant for SRJK (T) Effingham.

However, MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam had clarified that the land was owned by the party and there was an error in the description of the proprietor in the land title.

He was reported as having said that the error was brought to the attention of the Selangor Land and Mines director and that the MIC was taking steps to rectify it through its lawyers.

-- BERNAMA

malaysia nanban

That's our land

*******

Subramaniam: MIC polls proof democracy is alive

NST, March 26 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam has defended the party's handling of the presidential election nominations on Sunday.

He was responding to claims by Datuk M. Muthupalaniappan that there was foul play to disqualify him and to ensure that Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu was returned without a contest.

"It's wrong for Muthupalaniappan to make such an allegation. The fact that the nominations was held is proof that the democracy is still alive," Subramaniam said.

On Sunday, Muthupalaniappan had submitted 53 nominations in support of his presidential bid, but 48 were rejected.

As he needed at least 50 nominations to contest the top post, Muthupalaniappan was disqualified.
The incumbent Samy Vellu, who had submitted 572 nominations, also had 177 of them rejected.

Najib should come clean

The Nut Graph
by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

YESTERDAY, I gave an interview to Sarah Stewart, the Bureau Chief of AFP in Malaysia. Among the things she asked me was the unavoidable question about the international scandal linking Datuk Seri Najib Razak with the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu and with the purchase of the Scorpene submarines.

I told her that in my long experience as a politician, the only way to clear one's name when a scandal has broken out around oneself is to meet it head-on in the court of law.

The BMF scandal of the 1980s also had its share of lurid details. There, too, a large sum of money and a murder was involved. An unseen hand had woven the threads of the story around me (then the finance minister) to destroy me politically. But when international newspapers alleged that I was involved in any wrongdoing, I took action against each and every one of them in their home jurisdictions.

I sued the Telegraph and The Sunday Times of the UK, and The South China Morning Post of Hong Kong. I won all three cases; the newspapers published unreserved apologies and printed retractions covering half a broadsheet page each, and I came away with a tidy sum of money for my trouble.

It is safe to say that in the international media, the incoming Umno president and the presumptive prime minister is being evaluated through the Altantuya scandal.

The UK's Sunday Times, The International Herald Tribune, the French daily Libération, The Australian Financial Review, The Far Eastern Economic Review and the New York Times have all published stories raising questions about the link between the murdered young woman, Najib, and the gigantic commission paid out by the French company Armaris to a Malaysian company for the purchase of submarines. This is now an international story.

And this story will not go away. With its dramatic details and the alleged involvement of elite Malaysian government operatives, it captures the journalistic imagination. But the story is now connected with an ongoing investigation into the dealings of a major French company. The story is also going to stick around because it is a handy looking-glass into Malaysia's "increasingly dysfunctional political system."

It implicates our entire system of government, our judiciary, and our press, and it casts a shadow on our ability as a nation to face and tell the truth. Against this backdrop, promises of reform ring hollow. The storyline of the New York Times article, for example, is that scandal-clouded succession reveals a once confident young country shaken to its foundations by institutional rot. I cannot say this is inaccurate.

The scandal is bringing shame to the nation and damaging our international credibility. For the honour of the nation, for the honour of the office of prime minister, for the honour of the sovereign institutions expected to endorse, confirm and lend authority to him should he become prime minister, Najib should finally face these suspicions and implied charges, submit himself to legal scrutiny, and come clean on them.

Swearing on the Quran is not the way out. Scoundrels have been known to do that. The truth, established through the rigorous and public scrutiny of the law, is the only remedy if an untrue story has gained currency not just internationally but at home among a large section of the people.

Najib should voluntarily offer to testify at the trial of the two officers charged with killing Altantuya Shaariibuu. He could also write to these newspapers and if necessary he should take legal action against them to clear his name and that of our country.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah
Kuala Lumpur
25 March 2009

The Prospect of UMNO Under Najib

By Khoo Kay Peng

Najib Razak, Sharizat Jalil and Khairy Jamaluddin are going to form the leadership backbone for UMNO. Can their leadership provide a new impetus for the party’s revival? Can UMNO help to rejuvenate other BN component parties?

There are several issues which the new leadership must address quickly:

1. The party is suffering from a serious perception deficit. It is known for being a bully, a rule bender, rowdy, autocratic and feudalistic. The party does not mind manipulating religion, race and recently the monarchy to satisfy its political agenda. One of the biggest challenges for the party under the new leadership is to prove to us that it is ready and capable of governing a multiracial society. An UMNO which caters for only the Malay community may help to extend the lifeline of the party but not the coalition’s. Can Najib convincingly rebrand his leadership to appeal to all Malaysians? Can his leadership be current and flexible enough to win over the waning support of young Malaysians?

2. UMNO new leadership is the most controversial in the party’s history. Najib is entangled with several allegations. Two veteran leaders, Dr Mahathir and Tengku Razaleigh, had urged the new president to come clean on the matter. Ku Li told the Malaysian Insider, “(He) should take the witness stand to clear his name or take legal action against the growing number of foreign publications linking him with the murder of Altantuya Shariibuu and the purchase of submarines. He “should finally face these suspicions and implied charges, submit himself to legal scrutiny, and come clean on them.’’ Meanwhile, Khairy was implicated in the last general election as one of the main causes of BN’s stunning defeats. A number of BN leaders had quietly singled him out for arousing the anger of non-Malays. The two leaders have a lot of work to do to repair their public image.

3. Under Najib leadership, will his reforms plan suffer the same fate like Abdullah’s? Several actions taken by the UMNO led government do not augur well for his leadership e.g. arbitrary use of ISA against civilians, Perak power grab, dubious decisions taken by public institutions against the oppositions, action taken against bloggers, police interference in politics and others. His leadership has given us a perception that UMNO is not committed to promote and defend the rule of law, the federal constitution and the democracy system. What is Najib’s focus and priority? The interest of this nation or his own political dominance? Malaysians do not like to be kicked around anymore. My sense is that many Malaysians despise unfairness and arrogance.

4. Is UMNO willing to share more power with other component parties? These political parties can no longer hide that they are not consulted in policy formulation and decision making within the government. Most of these parties are reduced to making statements in the media. If the trend continues, expect very little to change in BN. The progress of this country must involve more than just UMNO leaders. The party does not the capacity to single handily pull this nation out of the current economic dilemma. The talent pool needs to be enlarged. Is the party willing to consider meritocracy over ethnicity?

5. The current perception today is the party is outdated and does not understand the needs and wants of a multiracial nation. Does the party understand what are the key success factors of a society increasing threatened by complex global challenges?

The plate is full for the new UMNO leadership. It takes a superhuman performance of the leaders to rebuild and regain the confidence of Malaysians towards the party. We are at the twilight of race-based political model.

Catatan Dari Bukit Selambau

Saya kini di bilik gerakan jentera pilihan raya Taman Bandar Baru di Bukit Selambau. Saya tegaskan asas perjuangan kita semestinya berteraskan prinsip keadilan buat semua. Merujuk kepada kes kematian mendiang Kugan, Pakatan Rakyat akan membela semua kaum tanpa mengira Melayu, Cina atau India.

Sabelumnya saya hadhir di Dewan Lip Seang Kor, Sungai Petani untuk program bersama lebih 500 orang masyarakat Cina. Dalam ucapan saya ulangi mutiara kata filsuf Cina, “Si hai zhi nei, Jie xiong di” yang bererti “Empat lautan terbentang luas, semua manusia bersaudara”.

Juga saya tekankan kepentingan untuk rakyat agar bersatu tanpa mengira batas kaum dalam menjayakan gagasan perubahan. Pada masa sama, UMNO pula terus konsisten mencanai agenda perkauman sempit.

Sejurus salepas itu, saya ka pusat jentera Taman Lembah Permai dan disambut meriah oleh penduduk setempat. Hadhir sama calun Pakatan Rakyat untuk kerusi Dun Bukit Selambau, saudara Manikumar.

Saya tegaskan bahawa gagasan kita untuk membentuk sebuah kerajaan yang adil buat semua dan bukannya menyalahgunakan kuasa lalu angkuh menindas kaum lain.

Apa yang penting adalah iltizam untuk menegakkan negara hukum juga memulihkan ekonomi. Inilah politik baru yang kita perjuangkan, bukannya politik menghunus keris manakala kepimpinan parti tidak sunyi dari skandal rasuah dan jenayah.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Post-Abdullah Umno... Mahathir early loser...

Is this what Malaysia will be when the Son-in-Law reaches 40 years of age? Quote Debra Chong of Malaysian Insider -- scene last night:

And then came the moment everyone was waiting for — the pronouncement of the new Youth chief. It had been an intense fight all the way and it was anybody’s pick of which of the three, Khairy (affectionately known as “KJ” to his admirers), ex-Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo, or the one who had led in nominations, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

The tension was palpable.

When the MC called out Khairy’s name, the crowd went wilder. The dam burst. His supporters were raucously yelling “KJ! KJ! KJ!” repeatedly while pumping their fists in the air.

All of a sudden from the sidelines, several groups started chanting “Rasuah! Rasuah! Rasuah!”

Believed to be the disenchanted cheerleaders of Mukhriz, they quickly surged from all directions towards one corner of the hall to confront the Khairy faction.

From above, the entire floor looked like a fight between two colonies of fire ants. [...]

On the sideline, a red-eyed man in songkok, the Umno white baju Melayu and checquered sarong pelikat, was overheard exclaiming: “This is the end. We’re going to lose all three by-elections.”

http://www.jeffooi.com/2009/03/postabdullah_umno_mahathir_los.php

Scene today: Dr Mahathir Mohamad was supposed to be an invited observer to Umno 2008 which opens today and in which Abdullah was to sing his swan song.

He didn't show up.

But Abdullah starts to have his last laughs by thanking Dr Mahathir, in prime time live telecast, for appointing him as the DPM in 1999, and then making way for him in October 2003.

“Terima kasih, Tun, ‘’ he said.