Court lifts suspension on Zambry

The Federal Court today lifted Perak speaker V Sivakumar's suspension order against BN Menteri Besar Zambry Abd Kadir and his six executive council members from the state assembly.

MCPX

In a unanimous decision, the five-member panel led by Court of Appeal president Allaudin Mohd Sheriff ruled that Perak speaker V Sivakumar had acted beyond his powers in issuing the suspensions.

With the lifting of the suspension, Zambry has avoided a near calamity for Perak Barisan Nasional as he can now seek the sultan’s consent to convene a state assembly sitting before the May 13 deadline.

Under the Perak constitution, a state assembly sitting must be held every six months. The last sitting was held on November 13 last year. Should the deadline not be met, it is assumed that the assembly must be automatically dissolved.

The case today arose from Sivakumar’s Feb 18 decision to suspend Zambry and six others from the state assembly, 18 and 12 months respectively, following a Perak state assembly's special privileges committee inquiry.

At the time, Sivakumar said that the decision was reached because the seven failed to explain “their contempt of the state assembly” by declaring themselves menteri besar and excos

Nizar’s star shines bright in PAS

By Shannon Teoh - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — Just how much has Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin's profile grown in the past 13 months?

He was a relative unknown on March 17, 2008, when he was appointed Perak mentri besar.

Today, he is PAS's rising star and a symbol of its possible future where the stigma of Islamic extremism no longer retards its political ambitions.

At the time of writing, the new Bukit Gantang MP has collected vice-presidential nominations for the June party polls from all three divisions that have had their general meetings so far.

The Feb 5 toppling of his government, which has led to a gripping constitutional crisis, has paved the way to a paradigm shift within the party, that for decades, suffered under the perception of Islamic extremism, rendering it "unelectable" to non-Muslims, in the words of research chief Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Dogged by the constant controversy over its espousal of hudud, which prescribes punishments such as amputation of limbs for offences like robbery, and an Islamic theocratic state, Nizar's overwhelming popularity with non-Malays due to his moderate and inclusive stance may further open the floodgates for PAS if he is elected into the vice-presidency.

With the startling success of Nizar in sweeping the non-Malay — 85 per cent of Chinese in the state constituency of Kuala Sepetang voted for Nizar — votes in the April 7 Bukit Gantang polls, PAS now has a clear path from being a Malay belt party, to a truly national and mainstream one.

But whether it chooses to embark on this journey is a question that will only be answered in the June muktamar in Shah Alam.

Observers have long spoken of two main factions existing within the party. The side supporting closer ties with Umno, led by president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, are labelled the ulama faction, while those who support Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim are tagged the Erdogans because of the opposition leader’s close ties with the Turkish leader.

The former is synonymous with a more conservative Malay Muslim view of the party's objectives while the Erdogans, who have the blessing of spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, believe that Islamic principles can complement an equitable multicultural society.

Nizar, although not a member of any faction, clearly shares the sort of moderate views espoused by the Erdogans.

When contacted by The Malaysian Insider, he said that he has not thought about the possibility of contesting for one of the three vice-president posts but should nominations continue to stream in, admitted that he "will have to consider contesting."

Modest, as usual, Nizar preferred to analyse circumstances as an "opportunity for PAS's true colours to emerge" and with Erdogan man Datuk Husam Musa set to take the step up from vice-president to deputy president, the post-June Islamist party could very well be the sort of partner that PKR and DAP can finally be comfortable with.

Husam has so far been reluctant to signal any intent to contest for the No. 2 post but it is understood that like Nizar, he will respect the party's wishes if it decides to push for his candidacy.

Dzulkefly told The Malaysian Insider that he is confident that the party is beginning to take a more pragmatic view of how the party should operate, and step away from pure dogmatism that has in the past stopped it from making the sort of inroads with non-Muslims that it has managed to make in the past year or so.

"Of several candidates considered for Bukit Gantang, eventually Nizar was chosen as he was the most 'winnable' despite our studies showing there would be a reduction of Malay support. But the party understood that what was important was to win, so the party is now able to conceptualise its priorities differently," he said.

Perak DAP chief Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham, who was Nizar's No. 2 in his 11-month-old administration, told The Malaysian Insider that PAS's inclusive policies, if continued and affirmed, would create greater cooperation within Pakatan Rakyat.

"For PAS to be a national party, it must continue with its open attitude," he said, adding that it would quash what he calls Umno's demonisation of PAS as a party of extreme ulamas (religious scholars).

Ngeh's hopes may soon be realised as Nizar's candidacy as vice-president is not the only brow-raising trend in the nominations so far.

While it is accepted that Hadi will retain the presidency uncontested, it appears that his deputy Nasharuddin Mat Isa has not impressed the grassroots.

Out of the three divisions, the ulama leader has only received one nomination, the same as Husam. But with heartland Malay division Temerloh nominating Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak instead, Nasharuddin could be in trouble.

Indeed, developments so far will give PAS's Pakatan Rakyat partners some joy. Besides Husam's candidacy for No. 2, the favourites for vice-president are dominated by more moderate voices such as Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub, firebrand vice-president Mohamad Sabu and Nizar.

For those who feel that a strong Pakatan Rakyat is crucial for the political future of Malaysia, the PAS muktamar, and not last month's Umno general assembly, may well be the highlight milestone for 2009.

The build-up to 1-Malaysia or to another May-13?

The following is a long, five-page piece published in Utusan Malaysia on 22 March 2009. I really don’t want to translate it for you but the bottom-line is the piece is extremely inflammatory and borders on rabble-rousing to fan the sentiments of the Malays and make them rise up in anger, like during the prelude to the infamous May 13. The question now would be, where does that place Najib’s One-Malaysia, or are we going to see another May 13 instead?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Ketuanan, maaf dan seorang binatang

Oleh MARSLI N.O, Utusan Malaysia

BANGSA

BELUM pernah sepanjang sejarah dan riwayat hidupku sebagai hantu aku melihat satu bangsa yang terlalu bodoh seperti kau ini. Begitu terdengar hantu yang mengaku sudah menjadi manusia dan menggelarkan dirinya sebagai Mat itu membebel lagi.

Apa lagi yang hendak kau bebelkan ini? Begitu tanyaku sambil mengurut dada mahu meredakan debar lantaran kejutan suara si hantu yang kusangkakan sudah menghilang dari ruang kamar tulisku.

Cuba kau fikir elok-elok. Mana ada bangsa di dalam dunia ini yang sanggup melakukan perkara-perkara yang memang tidak tergamak hendak diperbuat oleh bangsa lain yang bermaruah di dunia ini selain orang dari kalangan kau?

Hendak dikatakan orang sebangsa kau ini bodoh dan tidak tahu, kebanyakan mereka itu adalah manusia yang bergelar dan mengaku berilmu, jika tidak manakan mungkin berdiri di depan dan mengaku pemimpin? Mana ada manusia di dalam dunia ini yang tanpa segan dan silu mencurahkan kencing ke atas bahasanya sendiri?

Dan paling parah, ada juga kalangan orang dari sebangsa dengan kau yang sanggup menjual maruahnya asalkan dapat terus duduk di kerusi bernama kuasa itu.

Tidakkah kau terfikirkan semua itu? Dan aku, dengan sengaja membiarkan si hantu yang mengaku sudah menjadi manusia dan menggelarkan dirinya sebagai Mat itu membebel terus menerus.

Kerana aku tahu, tidak semua yang dibebelkannya itu betul dan benar. Kerana, berbanding dengan diriku, apalah sangat yang diketahui oleh seekor hantu seperti Mat itu.

Kerana, sebagai seorang manusia, tentulah aku lebih mengetahui segala-galanya dan sentiasa bertindak betul. Bukankah? Ha. Ha. Ha.

KEHINAAN

APA yang kau miliki, walau sudah termaktub dan dipersetujui semua sebagai suatu lembaga, jika tidak dipelihara serta jaga kemurniannya oleh kau selaku pemiliknya sendiri, pastilah akhirnya akan berani diperkotak-katikkan oleh orang lain juga. Begitu tanpa kupinta hantu yang mengaku sudah menjadi manusia dan menggelarkan dirinya sebagai Mat itu memulakan karutannya di hadapanku pagi ini.

Tidakkah kau mahu berkata sesuatu untuk semua itu? Atau kau lebih senang dan bahagia hanya membisu? Kini entahkan apa dalihnya pula kepada aku ditujukan soalan yang itu. Dengan sengaja aku hanya membisu dan pura-pura tidak mendengar.

Jadi kau lebih senang diam dan membisu. Baguslah jika begitu kerana kau pun juga sama ingin menjadi tolol dan bodoh seperti mereka itu. Mendengar kata tolol dan bodoh itu, darah terasa tiba-tiba menyirap naik ke muka milikku.

Siapa yang tolol dan siapa bodoh? Jangan kau hendak bercakap sembarangan wahai hantu! Begitu aku menjerkah memecahkan hening di dalam kamarku.

Siapa lagi aku maksudkan kalau bukan mereka? Apa masihkah kau belum sedar? Dengan bahasa dan suara selamba jerkahku dijawab oleh si hantu yang mengaku sudah menjadi manusia dan menggelarkan dirinya sebagai Mat itu.

Entah kenapa niatku hendak meneruskan jerkahku menjadi sirna. Wajah si hantu yang mengaku sudah menjadi manusia dan menggelarkan dirinya sebagai Mat itu kutenung ke atas dan ke bawah.

Kerana itulah ingin kukatakan kepadamu. Jika dengan sendirinya kau biarkan diri dan bangsamu menjadi bangsa yang bodoh dan bahlul untuk semua perlakuan itu, jangan kesal dan merataplah kalau akhirnya ketuanan yang didengung-dengungkan oleh kau dan sekalian mereka itu bertukar menjadi kehinaan pula. Kau tunggu dan lihatlah nanti dan janganlah kau dan bangsamu meratap setelah segalanya sudah menjadi tidak berguna lagi.

Kini berkumandang lagi kata karutan dari bibir si hantu yang mengaku sudah menjadi manusia dan menggelarkan dirinya sebagai Mat itu. Semakin lama, semakin kata-kata itu menjadi berdengung-dengung di pendengaran milikku.

Semakin kurenung makna dan maksud kata-kata itu, semakin berkumandang tanya di dalam benakku.

Kenapakah tidak kata-kata itu diucapkan oleh mereka dan bukan oleh seekor hantu yang kini mengaku sudah menjadi manusia?

MAAF

APA-APA kau kenalah minta maaf, bodoh. Begitu terdengar lantang pekik si hantu yang mengaku sudah menjadi manusia dan menggelarkan dirinya sebagai Mat itu menerjah gegendang pendengaranku.

Aku yang sedang asyik menekuni bacaan di meja tulisku tersentak bukan alang dan kepalang. Celaka, begitu aku tanpa sedar meluahkan maki dan kuharap pahala puasaku di bulan mulia Ramadan ini tidak berkurang kerana maki itu kuucap di tengah malam yang semakin sunyi ini.

Apa sudahnya kau ini wahai hantu yang tidak sudah-sudah mengganggu diriku ini? Tidakkah kau tahu sekarang ini bulan puasa jadi kenapakah kau masih lagi datang mengganggu aku?

Bukankah di bulan puasa ini kau sudah dipasung dan dikurung? Begitu aku meneruskan tanya kepada hantu yang kurasakan semakin melampau mengganggu aku dengan karut dan ketidaksedaran darjat dirinya itu.

Apalah yang kau ini menjadi bodoh. Bukankah sudah aku katakan berkali kepadamu bahawa aku sudah pun berjaya menyunglapkan diriku menjadi manusia? Jadi kenapa kau tanyakan aku soal kurung dan pasung itu lagi? Dengan selamba dan tanpa sedikit pun berasa silu kepadaku dilontarkan jawab begitu oleh si hantu itu.

Sebenarnya apa yang kau jerit-jeritkan pasal maaf itu kepadaku? Untuk apa aku hendak dan perlu meminta maaf? Salah apa yang sudah aku buat? Sengaja tidak kulayan jawabnya sebelum itu dan kini kulontarkan tanya ini untuk memancing si hantu itu agar segera beredar dari ruang kamar tulisku.

Ha. Ha. Ha. Kau ini memang bodoh. Apa yang kau gatal sangat hendak bercakap pasal itu? Sekarang kau sudah kena. Semua orang tudingkan jari ke muka kau. Jadi sekarang kau kenalah memohon maaf.

Aku terpinga mendengar jawab si hantu itu. Memohon maaf untuk apa? Salah apa yang sudah aku buat? Begitu bertalu-talu tanya itu terngiang di benak milikku. Apalah bodohnya kau ini. Bukankah hari itu kau mengaku kau ini seorang pejuang dan kerana itu juga kau tuduh orang lain hanyalah penumpang. Apa kau sudah lupa? Kini si hantu yang mengaku sudah menjadi manusia dan menggelarkan dirinya sebagai Mat itu kembali menjerkahku.

Mendengar jerkah dan kata bodoh dari bibir si hantu itu, darah terasa kian menyirap naik ke mukaku.

Kau tidak mahu mengaku dan meminta maafkah? Atau kau sudah lupa bila waktunya kauucapkan kata itu? Kini terdengar semakin galak si hantu itu mendesak dan seolah-olah sengaja mahu mencabar sabar milikku sebagai seorang manusia.

Itulah kau. Kalau aku katakan kau ini bodoh kau marah. Tetapi kau ini sebenarnya memang bodoh. Sebab apa kukatakan begitu? Kau bodoh kerana tidak faham sangat sepak terajang dalam politik. Bila mereka perlukan kau, ketika itulah kau dijulang sebagai pejuang. Tetapi bila mereka terjepit, ketika itulah kau dijadikan kambing hitam tempat melontarkan segala silap dan salah. Dan kau faham? Kerana itulah sekarang kau kena memohon maaf. Semakin bersungguh dan semangat si hantu itu berkata-kata.

Namun ketika mahu kuterkam dia dengan tinju milikku, dalam sekelip mata si hantu yang kini mengaku sudah menjadi manusia dan menggelarkan dirinya sebagai Mat itu melesapkan dirinya entah ke mana.

Dan aku, kembali terpinga sendirian di kamar tulisku itu. Di depanku, buku politik Sang Pangeran itu masih ternganga belum kuhabiskan bacaannya.

Begitukah sesungguhnya tindak dan tanduk para politikus? Berkali kuajukan tanya itu kepada diri dan sehingga terlelap sendirian di meja tulisku itu, aku masih terpinga memikirkan kenapa si hantu itu bersungguh benar mendesak aku memohon maaf. Kerana apa dan kepada siapa? Begitu bertalu-talu menerjah tanya ke benak milikku.

SEORANG BINATANG

DARI tingkap kamar tulisku kelihatan suatu lembaga terbongkok-bongkok bagaikan sedang mencari sesuatu di laman rumahku. Entah apa yang hendak dicari di pagi hari begini. Begitu tanpa suara aku bersungut di dalam hati. Dan ketika lebih lama kuperhatikan dengan teliti, jelas dan nyata lembaga yang sedang terbongkok-bongkok di halaman rumahku itu tidak lain dan tidak bukan adalah seekor binatang.

Tanpa bertanggguh, kucapai parang panjang yang tergeletak berhampiran pintu dan aku segera menghambur ke tanah. Niatku tidak lain dan tidak bukan adalah mahu menghalau binatang itu agar menjauhi laman rumahku. Selain tidak mahu laman rumahku yang rata dan bersih itu ditenggalakan dengan sondolnya hingga berbonggol-bonggol, aku juga khuatir kalau nanti dinajisi oleh si baba yang kelihatan agak gemuk itu.

Hei, berambus kau dari laman rumahku. Pergilah kau bermain-main di tempat lain dan bukannya di sini. Di sini bukan tempat untuk kau bermain dan menyondol. Ini laman rumahku. Begitu tanpa bertangguh dan sambil menghayunkan parang panjang di tanganku ke kiri dan ke kanan, aku bertempik ke arah babi yang kelihatan agak gemuk itu.

Namun tempikanku itu sedikit pun tidak menggoyahkan binatang yang kelihatan agak gemuk itu. Bagaikan sengaja membuat pekak dan tuli, sondolnya kulihat diteruskan dan tanah di laman rumahku semakin banyak berbonggol dan berlubang.

Didorong oleh marah dan geram, kuhayunkan parang panjang di tanganku untuk menetak binatang itu. Namun aku terkejut besar bila sepantas itu juga tetakanku itu berjaya dielaknya. Memang kau, binatang. Pandai pula kau mengelak. Begitu aku menjerkah sesungguh hati.

Jangan ingat kau manusia maka kau boleh sesuka hati bertindak ke atas diriku. Aku juga boleh berfikir seperti kau. Meski agak perlahan, namun jelas di pendengaran berkumandang kata-kata si binatang itu.

Aku terkesima beberapa detik lamanya. Apa tidaknya. Inilah pertama kali di dalam hidupku aku berhadapan dengan seekor binatang dan binatang itu pula boleh berkata-kata.

Kenapa? Kau terkejutkah? Apa kau fikir kerana aku ini seekor binatang maka aku tidak boleh berfikir dan berkata-kata seperti kau? Kini binatang itu mengajukan tanyanya yang lain kepada diriku. Aku yang masih belum sudah dirongrong rasa terkejut masih mendiamkan diri tanpa sebarang kata.

Sebab itulah agaknya orang seperti kau berani bercakap sesuka hati dan mengatakan makhluk seperti kami ini adalah pendatang atau penumpang. Sedangkan sudah sejak lama dahulu kami sudah hidup dan hadir di sini. Kini terdengar binatang itu berkata-kata lagi.

Apa yang kau repekkan ini, hai binatang? Memanglah kau hidup dan hadir di sini sejak dulu. Tetapi untuk makluman kau sebagai binatang, hidup dan hadir kau di sini bukanlah sebagai keturunan yang menjadi sebahagian dari asal usul kami. Keturunan kami tidak pernah berbaik dan bersekongkol dengan binatang. Begitu dengan suara lantang dan tegas aku menyanggah kata-kata si binatang itu.

Tetapi kalau bukan menjadi sebahagian asal usul kau, kenapa pula ada juga yang dari kalangan kau mahu berbaik-baik dan menyokong kami? Kini si binatang itu menerjahiku dengan tanyanya yang lain.

Jangan kau fikir kerana beberapa makhluk yang bodoh dan tidak sedar diri sendiri dari kalangan kami itu maka kau fikir boleh berbuat dan bercakap sesuka hati. Bagi kami kau tetap pendatang dan penumpang. Jadi kerana itu kau tidak usahlah hendak berlagak seolah-olah kau boleh berbuat apa sahaja di sini. Sedar dirilah kau. Kalau kami sudah bertoleransi dan banyak memberi, itu tidak bermakna kau boleh sesuka hati hendak kencing dan berak di laman rumah kami. Kini masih dengan suara lantang dan tegas aku membantah.

Tetapi bukankah kami sudah pun menjadi sebahagian dari kau? Punya tempat yang sama tinggi dan setaraf dengan kau. Berhak untuk bersuara dan mendapat sesuatu sama seperti kau. Kerana kami juga sama memberi sumbangan di sini menurut cara kami. Begitu tanpa segan silu si binatang itu mendakwa sesuatu.

Sudahlah kau, binatang. Itu kata kau dan bukan kata kami. Memang orang yang tidak sedar diri atau sengaja buat-buat tidak sedar seperti kau ini suka bercakap yang tidak-tidak, walau apa yang dicakapkannya itu bukan haknya. Kini aku menempelak si binatang itu.

Sebelum apa-apa lebih baiklah kau berlalu. Orang seperti aku tidak suka memulakan gaduh, tetapi kalau kau yang mencabar dan berlaku kurang ajar, aku tidak takut untuk bangkit melawan demi maruah dan hak diri aku.

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0322&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Sastera&pg=sa_01.htm

Congrats OTK - the gall to accuse others “politically bankrupt” when MCA could garner at most 5 or 6% of the Chinese votes in Bukit Gantang by-electio

It is said that a politician who is cornered often make ferocious statements or wild allegations to cover up his weaknesses or mistakes.

This is what MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat did in the last two days in his blog postings, accusing me on Tuesday of being “politically bankrupt” and alleging yesterday that I am behind a mysterious conspiracy to lay a trap bent on using him “to pit a particular community against certain national leaders”.

Let me advise Tee Keat to sober up and not to be so paranoid, as he is acting like children who see shadows from the trees at night and imagine monsters from noises in the closet.

I laugh at Tee Keat’s hyperbolic reaction and as expected, the MCA daily Star gave them full coverage yesterday and today while completely blacking out what I have to say.

I must however congratulate the MCA President for having the gall to accuse others of being “politically bankrupt” when MCA could garner at most five or six per cent of the Chinese votes in the Bukit Gantang by-election.

And this coming after the humiliating statement by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz as reported in Star on Monday that Umno must go on its own to regain the support of non-Malay voters and not depend on other Barisan Nasional component parties, as only 11% of the Chinese voters and 9% of the Indians chose Barisan in the Bukit Gantang by-election.

Shared with Gerakan’s efforts and giving MCA the benefit of the doubt as to who wielded greater influence with the Chinese voters in Bukit Gantang, saying that MCA could at most garner five or six per cent of the Chinese votes in Bukit Gantang is already being over-generous to MCA!

According to Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, non-Malay support for Barisan Nasional had declined by a further 50 per cent in Bukit the Gantang by-election as compared to the general election last year.

This is an abject spectacle of the “politically bankrupt” indulging in the delusion and mania of shouting that others are “politically bankrupt”!

And what rubbish is Tee Keat spouting when he blogged:

“I will not allow myself to fall into the trap set by individuals bent on using me to pit a particular community against certain national leaders.”

If he wants to allege that I am setting a trap to use him to “pit” the Malaysian Chinese against Muhyiddin, why not have the courage to spell it out clearly and openly, instead of hiding in nonsensical verbiage?

Clearly, Tee Keat cannot spell it out so clearly and directly, because such a serious allegation is not only baseless, he would be laughed at by all Malaysians, not just the Malaysian Chinese!

I had merely responded to Muhyiddin’s retrogressive, racist and offensive interview in Mingguan Malaysia about the Malaysian Chinese in the Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau by-elections being “ungrateful” and “unappreciative” of the Barisan Nasional as well as his subsequent statement blaming the Chinese media for twisting his words and distorting his statement out context.

As Muhyiddin had also claimed that Tee Keat as the MCA President had found nothing wrong with his statement in Mingguan Malaysia, I had asked Tee Keat whether what Muhyiddin said was true or otherwise.

If what Muhyiddin said was not true, could Tee Keat get Muhyiddin to own up that his claim that the MCA President had found nothing wrong with his Mingguan Malaysia interview was incorrect and unfounded?

Of course, if Tee Keat had in fact given such a personal assurance to Muhyiddin, it will not be open to Tee Keat to ask Muhyiddin to clarify and retract his statement.

This is probably why Tee Keat had to continue to beat around the bush in his blog, avoiding altogether Muhyiddin’s statement that Tee Keat had told the Deputy Prime Minister that there was nothing wrong in the Mingguan Malaysia interview.

Tee Keat should learn a lesson – he should not tell Muhyiddin and Umno leaders one thing in private and try to say a different thing in public.

He is bound to be caught out, as happened in this case.

Honesty is the best policy!

Beyond a shadow of doubt

By Zedeck Siew
Thenutgraph.com

(Main pic by Olga Besnard / Dreamstime)

THE Pakatan Rakyat (PR)'s plan to set up special panels to "shadow" each of Datuk Seri Najib Razak's cabinet ministries has stirred up debate over whether such a move would serve a real purpose. This arrangement appears superficially similar to the idea of an opposition shadow government that certain quarters have been clamouring for the PR to establish.

Predictably, Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders have been dismissive about the move, with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin saying it was a power-grab plan. In an editorial on 14 April titled Pembangkang terus berkhayal, Utusan Malaysia editor Zulkiflee Bakar even called it an attempt by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to "drag the people into his fantasy realm."

Is a shadow cabinet merely the dream of a power-hungry opposition? How important is it for a mature democracy?

British concept

According to political analyst Ong Kian Ming, the concept of a shadow cabinet first emerged from the United Kingdom — after whose parliamentary democracy Malaysia's own is modelled — in the 18th century.

"It was in recognition of the right of members of parliament (MPs), who were not part of the ruling coalition, to oppose the policies of the government of the day, and still remain loyal to the institutions of power," Ong explains.

Hence the term "Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition". "The opposition is still loyal to the monarch; and more importantly, to the institutions of power, the most important of which is the parliament," Ong says in an e-mail interview with The Nut Graph.

"The concept is pretty entrenched among some of the better-known Westminster-style democracies including the UK, Canada and Australia," Ong continues. A shadow cabinet line-up is official — a list of shadow ministers are even published on the parliament websites of some of these countries.

"By allocating specific portfolios to key opposition leaders, these leaders can focus on specific policy areas to give their input and their criticism," Ong says.

Mirroring the government

"Basically, the UK opposition has appointed spokespersons in charge of particular issues. So you'd have a spokesperson for transport, or defence, or foreign affairs," explains lawyer Andrew Khoo.

Khoo "These are meant to mirror the government ministers. When the press wants an alternative view on a particular subject, they will look for the relevant shadow minister," Khoo continues, adding that it would be up to such individuals to question or respond to their opposite numbers in parliamentary debates.

Khoo stresses the importance of such a system for Malaysia. "In the days when the opposition was much smaller, only one representative would speak out. So we saw (former Opposition Leader) Lim Kit Siang commenting on everything," he says.

Now, however, with the PR's nascent influence, a shadow cabinet would signal to Malaysians that the opposition has enough people and expertise to be in government.

"It would show that the opposition does have its own policies on any particular issue, and is able to articulate these policies," Khoo explains in a phone interview with The Nut Graph.

Informing the public

According to Monash University political scientist Wong Chin Huat, keeping Malaysians informed will translate into economic advantage. "It will create confidence in investors. If, somehow, Malaysian politics goes through a regime change, a shadow cabinet will make any change more predictable."

WongWong believes that a shadow cabinet would be advantageous to the Pakatan Rakyat.

"It will encourage the opposition to be specialists, instead of generalists," Wong says.

It will also provide healthy competition within the opposition coalition. "A shadow cabinet will allow politicians to visualise their future [within the PR hierarchy]. This will create motivation for people to do well," Wong affirms.

Ong concurs. "It will help direct the focus of individual MPs towards key areas of government policy," he says.

While this is already happening to a certain extent, as individual opposition representatives carve out certain policy areas for themselves, Ong maintains that having a proper shadow cabinet will only concretise things. It would prepare these leaders for the possibility of taking over real cabinet positions, he notes.

Commenting on Anwar's special panel idea, Khoo hazards that it is a necessary compromise, given the new and loose nature of the PR coalition. "While it would be better if one person can speak on behalf of the entire opposition, this (the special panel) will still allow them to develop policies."

Fielding the reserves

Wong, however, sees the special panels — made up of representatives from Parti Keadilan Rakyat, DAP and PAS — and its attendant lack of focus as problematic. "It is making the whole idea of a shadow cabinet a joke.

"A two-party system, with a cabinet and its shadow, is like a football match. A set number of players on one side mark a set number of players on the other side. Having panels, however, is like having all your reserves on the field facing the opposing team, all at once."

(Pics by mzacha / sxc.hu)To date, a list of who will sit on the panels has yet to materialise, and attempts by The Nut Graph to reach opposition politicians for comment on the delay have failed. Wong speculates that this reluctance to name names, since defections are such a risk in the current political climate, may be Anwar's way of avoiding discontent in the PR stable.

"Maybe the thinking is that the people who are not chosen to sit in a shadow cabinet will get jealous and defect," Wong says. "If this is so, they are seeing things in a shallow way.

"Now, the message they are sending [by not announcing the list] is that they don't really believe that they can come into power," Wong says.

One question remains: if the PR formed a shadow cabinet, could it benefit the BN?

"It would benefit the ruling government in two ways," Ong believes. "Firstly, it would keep the ministers on their toes knowing that someone from the opposition bench is tasked with 'following' him or her explicitly.

"Secondly, it actually makes sense for the ruling government to try to institutionalise a shadow cabinet," Ong continues. "This is for the possibility that they may find themselves on the opposition bench sometime in the future."

Utusan Malaysia Jangan Jadi “Penyebar Perpecahan Rakyat”

Kenyataan Media
Kelab Anwar Ibrahim (AIC)
16 April 2009

Tanggal 8 Mac 2008 menyaksikan rakyat Malaysia telah meletakkan satu batu asas penting di dalam sejarah sosio-politik negara: yakni penolakan ke atas politik perkauman sempit. Ini bersesuaian sekali dengan iltizam Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj lewat Pemasyhuran Kemerdekaan yang dilafazkan beliau tatkala laungan merdeka bergema di udara pada pagi 31 Ogos 1957:

Tanah Melayu (kini Malaysia) akan kekal menjadi sebuah negara demokrasi yang merdeka dan berdaulat serta berdasarkan kebebasan dan keadilan dan sentiasa menjaga dan mengutamakan kesejahteraan dan kesentosaan rakyatnya dan mengekalkan keamanan antara segala bangsa..

Semangat dan roh perpaduan ini jelas sekali melangkaui sempadan ras dan agama. Integrasi sosial adalah sesuatu yang luhur dan perlu dibentuk melalui perpaduan dan persefahaman yang utuh di kalangan masyarakat Malaysia yang berbilang bangsa.

Seruan Utusan Malaysia melalui siaran 15 April 2009 antara lain menyeru agar bangsa Melayu bersatu untuk ‘berhadapan dengan bangsa lain”. Apakah rasional Utusan tergamak untuk mengeluarkan berita sedemikian rupa yang sangat tebal sentimen perkaumannya?

Kelab Anwar Ibrahim (AIC) bersetuju bahawa Melayu perlu bersatu, tetapi bersatu di dalam konteks bersama-sama bangsa lain untuk memajukan dan mengekalkan keamanan negara. AIC yakin dan percaya bahawa segenap lapisan generasi muda rakyat Malaysia menolak sama sekali unsur penyatuan hanya untuk menindas dan bersaing secara tidak adil dengan bangsa lain.

Utusan Malaysia, sebagai lidah rasmi pemerintah khususnya Umno sewajarnya bertanggungjawab untuk mengajak rakyat agar keluar daripada kepompong perkauman, sejajar dengan konsep “Satu Malaysia” yang digagaskan oleh Perdana Menteri yang baru. Tetapi adalah sangat mendukacitakan, dalam keadaan Malaysia hampir menjangkau 52 tahun kemerdekaan, Utusan Malaysia masih lagi memainkan polemik perkauman sempit sebagai modal politik murahan.

Utusan Malaysia harus mengambil iktibar sejarah Si Kitul, pencacai yang bertanggungjawab di atas kejatuhan empayar Melaka pada tahun 1511. Politik adu domba dan menyemai kebencian adalah faktor utama jatuhnya empayar terhebat Melayu satu ketika dahulu. Apakah Utusan Malaysia mahu menobatkan diri mereka selaku Si Kitul Moden?

Justeru, AIC menolak sebarang usaha menyemai benih kebencian antara kaum yang ligat dimainkan oleh mana-mana pihak sekalipun. Sudah sampai masanya muafakat antara Melayu, Cina, India, Iban, Kadazan, Bidayuh dan lain-lain bangsa dipupuk secara sihat dan segar tanpa ada elemen penindasan ke atas mana-mana bangsa mahupun agama sekali pun.

Adalah lebih wajar bagi Utusan Malaysia, selaras dengan tagline mereka iaitu “Penyebar Fikiran Rakyat” menyebarluas agenda integrasi nasional yang memupuk semangat cintakan negara melangkaui sempadan perkauman, bukannya berkelakuan sebagai “Penyebar Perpecahan Rakyat”.

Muhammad Shukri Saad
Presiden
Kelab Anwar Ibrahim (AIC)

Court Rules Suspension Of Zambry & Exco Null And Void

PUTRAJAYA, April 16 (Bernama) -- The Putrajaya Federal Court today ruled that the suspension of Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and his six state executive councillors by the Perak Speaker V. Sivakumar was null and void since the speaker had no power to do so.

Human rights march: 7 acquitted

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court this morning acquitted seven people, including four lawyers, for participating in an alleged illegal human rights march two years ago.

Sessions judge SM Komathy Suppiah said the prosecution had failed to prove a case against the seven of breaking the law.

With this decision, the seven were not required to enter their defence.

The four lawyers in the dock were R Sivarasa, N Surendran, Latheefa Koya (photo: right) and Amer Hamzah Arshad (photo: left).

The other accused persons were Nooraza Othman, Johny Anbu @ Abu Bakar Adnan and Eric Paulsen.

They also faced an additional charge of disobeying the police order to disperse.

The prosecution was led by DPP Raja Rozela Raja Toran and counsel M Puravalen appeared for the seven.

Arrested halfway in the march

The Dec 9, 2007 march was held in conjunction with the International Human Rights Day and saw the participation of lawyers as well as others.

The police took action to arrest the accused persons after a failed attempt by the organisers of the march to negotiate with the police to allow them to finish their march at their intended spot.

The 100-odd crowd was already halfway to their destination when the 500-strong police force gave the marchers a 10-minute warning to disperse.

The organisers, who believed that they could complete their march within the time limit, wanted to press on.

They were arrested near the Jalan Tun Perak LRT station and were immediately taken to the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.

Wong asked to remain as exco, state rep

Sorry Samy I cann’t Accept Your New Year Gift

Manikavasagam Showing Letter of Demand from Samy Velu's Lawyer

While , Hindu’s celebrating their New Year, MIC President send a special gift to YB S. Manikavasagam through his legal firm despatch clerk. He demanded Apology and appropriate compensation for a Blog Post titled ” MAIKA HOLDINGS – THE SUFFERINGS OF THE POOR”

Manikavasagam today reveal the details of Samy’s special gift at a press conference held at his Office in Kapar. Just prior the press meeting, Manikavasagam was informed that a group MIC Youth Members launching a police report on the same matter at Sentul police station.

Look like Truth Hurts them. Let see if Police able to record statement from more than 60,000 Maika Holdings Shareholders to identify the truth.

However, the article wasn’t written niether by myself nor any one of my office staff . We merely highlighted public’s grievances to the world. The Writer of said article just shared what he saw in India and his personal experience. It’s a desparate act and old BN tactic to prevent media’s highlight any of their wrong doing.

I don’t afraid on such threat. If what’s alleged in the article not true then let him proof it wrong first.

check out video by TV Antara

Najib: Discard ‘ethnic silo’ mentality

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — Malaysians should discard their ‘ethnic silo’ mentality, said Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The prime minister said Malaysians must “stand together, think and act as one people under the One Malaysia concept.”

“Let’s break away from operating in the ethnic prism as we have done over so many years. This is also the meaning of the One Malaysia concept.

“We must respect each other, go beyond tolerance and build trust among each other and build trust between various ethnic groups,” he told a press conference here today.

He said Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties for example, should not necessarily be focusing their services in locations based on their own ethnic groups.

Najib also cited the example of him releasing 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees on being sworn in as Malaysia’s sixth prime minister on April 3.

“The MIC should have been thankful to the government for freeing the 13 and not only focus on the two Hindraf members released.

“If we freed two Hindraf members, don’t forget there were 11 others. Don’t think about Hindraf alone,” he said.

The prime minister also said that he had explained the One Malaysia concept to the members of the new Cabinet at its first meeting in Putrajaya this morning and reminded them “don’t be just concerned about your own community” but strive to fulfil the high expectations of all Malaysians.

“I stressed on four things, namely integrity, ability, loyalty and commitment. The Cabinet must also be people-oriented in order to gain the trust of the people,” he said.

Besides this, he said, ministers should also be agents of change and bring about reforms towards meeting the needs of the entire spectrum of society.

“We cannot be thinking the government knows everything. The doors to dialogue must be open to all so that decisions made by the government truly reflect the wishes of the people,” he said.

Najib also reminded the ministers not to give the people the perception that the government only favoured certain groups or corporate entities although it was of utmost importance to carry out policies that were private-sector friendly.

“But the bottom line is that any decision taken must be based on the overall interests of the people,” he said.

He said under the One Malaysia concept, if it concerned poverty eradication, it should encompass all races irrespective of whether they were from urban or rural areas, estates, new villages or aboriginal settlements.

“It (One Malaysia) does not mean the policy to help the bumiputras is sidelined, in fact it will give implementation of the policy greater impetus so as to ensure that eligible bumiputras get their due consideration,” he said.

Besides this, he said, the One Malaysia concept should not be misinterpreted by certain quarters, for example the Opposition, and equate it to the Malaysian Malaysia concept as championed by DAP. — Bernama

Housewife charged with offending Sultan of Perak

(The Star) - A housewife faced an alternative charge at a Sessions Court here of creating and initially distributing allegedly offensive comments against the Sultan of Perak on the Internet.

Khoo Hui Shuang, 27, claimed trial to committing the offence together with her husband Chan Hon Keong, 26, at their home in Permatang Pauh at about 12.05am on Feb 13.

She was charged with posting the comments at dreambook.com which has a link to the Sultan’s official website at sultan.perak.gov.my with the intention of upsetting others.

The charge, under Subsection 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588) is punishable under Subsection 233(3) of the same Act and read with Section 34 of the Penal Code.

If convicted, she could be fined a maximum of RM50,000 or jailed a maximum of one year or both as provided under Section 233(3) of the Act.

Khoo and Chan, a businessman, were jointly charged on March 13 for distributing the same comments on the Internet at the same time, date and venue.

The offence, under subsection 292(a) of the Penal Code is punishable under Section 292 of the Code and read with Section 34 of the same Code.

They face a maximum jail term of three years or fine or both, if found guilty.

When the charge was first read on March 13, Khoo was away in Sarawak. Chan was then released on RM6,000 bail.

On Wednesday, Judge Julie Lack Abdullah released Khoo on RM6,000 bail and set May 20 for mention.

In the same court, Chan faced an amended charge and an amended alternative charge for distributing the comments on the Internet.

His amended charges are under similar subsections of the Communications and Multimedia Act and the Penal Code as Khoo’s charges.

EDITOR'S NOTE: If they are found guilty and fined, Malaysia Today will launch a fund-raising exercise to raise the money to pay their fines.

The REAL Umno agenda

Utusan Malaysia is very mischievous and we should not allow them to get away with this. We should go out and buy some copies of Utusan Malaysia and burn them. Can we organise a ‘Burn Utusan Malaysia Day’? Then we should ask all the newspaper vendors and shops to boycott Utusan Malaysia.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Read the following piece published in Utusan Malaysia yesterday (http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0415&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Muka_Hadapan&pg=mh_01.htm). If this is not considered seditious then I really don’t know what is. Opposition supporters, me included, have been made to face the court on sedition charges for lesser than what Utusan Malaysia wrote below.

The article starts by asking the Malays to rise up and unite in facing the ‘extreme demands’ of the ‘other races’. ‘They’ must be aware and remorseful about the current political situation that is witnessing all sorts of demands by the non-Malays that can result in Malay political power being jeopardised. Malays are asked to not bow to these extreme demands but on the other hand must rise up and unite to defend their rights and interests.

The article goes on to say that there are enough ‘Malay’ seats in Parliament for the Malays to form the government with just Malay seats. In other words, the Malays do not need the non-Malays to form the government. Therefore, the government must fulfil whatever demands of the Malays because the Malays are the majority and there should be no compromise with the non-Malays.

Umno will become strong if it looks after the interest of the Malays. So Ummo needs to focus on the Malays and not fear the non-Malays, as the non-Malays will automatically support Barisan Nasional if Umno is strong like in the past.

And the article goes on to say that the government must only worry about the Malays and not be too concerned about the non-Malays and that Umno must do whatever is necessary in the interest of the Malays.

That is not what I am saying. That is what Utusan Malaysia said. And Utusan Malaysia is owned by the political party in power and speaks on behalf of the political party in power. And what Utusan Malaysia is saying is a repetition of what Ali Rustam said at the PPP Melaka convention in 2007 -- that the Malays have ruled this country for 50 years without the help and support of the non-Malays and can continue doing so for another 50 years.

Utusan Malaysia is talking crap. In the 2008 general election, Barisan Nasional garnered 4,082,411 or 50.27% of the popular votes to win 140 seats in Parliament. That is slightly over half the eight million votes cast. With the loss of Kuala Terengganu in the recent by-election, it is now down to 139 seats.

Three million Malaysians who are registered voters did not bother to vote and another four to five million did not register as voters. That means, while eight million Malaysians voted, another seven to eight million did not. And that also means Barisan Nasional formed the government with votes from just 25% of the eligible voters or votes from 15% of the entire Malaysian population.

That is not really so great is it? How does Utusan Malaysia figure out that Umno or Barisan Nasional commands the support of the majority of Malaysians, in particular Malay Malaysians?

Umno won only 79 out of 222 parliament seats in the 2008 general election. That includes Kuala Terengganu, which they have now lost, and 13 more seats in Sabah. That means Umno has only 65 parliament seats in Peninsular Malaysia. That is less than 30% of the seats, not really enough to form a government without the non-Malay seats.

Maybe Utusan Malaysia was looking at the 20 ‘Malay’ seats from PKR and the 23 (now 24 with Kuala Terengganu) from PAS. If the 44 ‘Malay’ seats from Pakatan Rakyat were merged with Umno’s 78 (assuming the 13 seats in Sabah remain with Umno), the Malays would now control 122 seats in parliament, a majority of only 11 seats considering 50% of 222 is 111. Nevertheless, it will still just be a simple majority and worse than what Barisan Nasional has now, 139 seats.

How does Utusan Malaysia figure that the Malays can run this country with just Malay seats? They can form a federal government no doubt but it will be a government with a simple majority and with lesser seats that what it has now. Anyway, this is a purely academic discussion because, in the first place, the 44 Pakatan Rakyat ‘Malay’ seats will not swing to Umno -- expect for maybe two and we know whom those two are.

In the 2008 general election, Umno garnered only 2,381,725 or 29% of the votes. But not all these votes came from Malays. Umno actually won these seats because many non-Malays voted for it. If based just on Malay votes, Umno would have been demolished just like the other component members of Barisan Nasional. The next time around, Umno is not going to get these non-Malay votes as the four by-elections since 8 March 2008 have proven (unless the Chinese, Indians and ‘others’ are still bodoh macam lembu).

PKR, on the other hand, garnered 1,509,080 or 19% of the votes while PAS garnered 1,140,676 or 14%. This means, while Umno won 79 seats and PKR-PAS a total of only 54 seats on 8 March 2008, PKR and PAS combined garnered more than 2.6 million or 33% of the popular votes. That is more than what Umno got.

Figures don’t lie. And the figures show that Umno did not really do as great as they pretend they did. And there would be no way Umno can form the government with just ‘Malay’ seats even if PKR and PAS agreed to merge with them because UMNO, PKR and PAS all won their seats with non-Malay votes as well and not purely on Malay votes. And, in the first place, why should PKR and PAS want to merge with Umno when Umno’s ideology is Malay Supremacy or Ketuanan Melayu and PKR and PAS are both opposed to this?

And that, fellow Malaysians, is the real issue. Umno knows what we know. They are not stupid. In fact, they have plenty of money and can afford to buy the best brains to work for them. And they have been told that their days are numbered unless they can get the Malays to abandon the opposition cause and come and ‘unite’ under Umno.

Yes, that’s right. Umno wants the Malays to unite. But it must be to unite under Umno. If the Malays unite under the opposition -- or the Malays unite with the Chinese, Indians and ‘others’ -- then that is not considered uniting. That is considered berpecah.

Utusan Malaysia is very mischievous and we should not allow them to get away with this. We should go out and buy some copies of Utusan Malaysia and burn them. Can we organise a ‘Burn Utusan Malaysia Day’? Then we should ask all the newspaper vendors and shops to boycott Utusan Malaysia. And if any shop continues to sell Utusan Malaysia then we should boycott that shop. And those shops must be told that we are boycotting them and why we are boycotting them so that they know and will stop selling Utusan Malaysia if they want us to end the boycott of their shops.

Malays should start this campaign. This will be a message to Utusan Malaysia and Umno that Malays too do not subscribe to racism and dangerous rabble rousing with racial overtones. Malays must demonstrate to their non-Malay brothers and sisters that the Utusan Malaysia and Umno agenda is not the agenda of the majority of the Malays.

Yes, I know, this article is going to now get me into trouble, again, and the police will soon be raiding my house to confiscate my computer, and I will be called in for interrogation and charged in court, yet again, for sedition. That is my problem. In the meantime, can we show our displeasure at the attempt to make Malays and non-Malays fight by making a bonfire out of Utusan Malaysia?

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

Bangkitlah Melayu
Utusan Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR 14 April – Orang Melayu perlu bangkit dan bersatu dalam berhadapan dengan tuntutan kaum lain yang kini dilihat semakin keterlaluan.

Mereka juga perlu sedar dan insaf dengan situasi politik semasa yang menyaksikan pelbagai tuntutan hingga boleh menjejaskan kekuatan politik orang Melayu.

Sehubungan itu, orang Melayu diminta tidak tunduk kepada tuntutan keterlaluan tersebut sebalik bangkit bersatu bagi mempertahankan hak dan kepentingan mereka.

Ahli Parlimen Pasir Mas, Datuk Ibrahim Ali berkata, pemimpin bukan Melayu dalam hal ini perlu sedar yang sesebuah kerajaan itu boleh sahaja untuk tidak ‘melayan’ tuntutan mereka.

Katanya, jumlah kerusi terbanyak di Parlimen adalah milik Melayu dan ia cukup untuk membentuk sebuah kerajaan berasaskan wakil rakyat Melayu semata-mata di negara ini.

Katanya, justeru, dari segi politiknya kerajaan itu sepatutnya memenuhi apa sahaja yang menjadi kehendak Melayu kerana mereka adalah majoriti dan bukan asyik bertolak ansur dengan bukan Melayu.

‘‘Parti Melayu akan kuat bila Melayu dijaga. Jadi UMNO kena fokus orang Melayu. Jadi UMNO tak perlu takut kerana saya lihat bila UMNO itu kuat orang bukan Melayu automatik akan sokong juga Barisan Nasional (BN) macam dulu,’’ katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengulas pandangan mengenai situasi politik semasa yang menyaksikan kedudukan politik Melayu seakan terancam dengan tuntutan bukan Melayu pada masa kini.

Ahli Parlimen Sri Gading, Datuk Mohamad Aziz berkata, parti pemerintah ketika ini tidak boleh merasa bimbang untuk membuat apa sahaja keputusan yang dilihat perlu untuk membantu orang Melayu.

“UMNO kalau kita tengok Fasal 3 perlembagaannya ialah memperjuangkan hak Melayu.

“Pada masa sama orang Melayu pun kenalah sedar, asyik bercakaran sesama sendiri, tak untung Melayu sedangkan kita main politik untuk apa kalau tidak untuk membela Melayu.

“Jadi UMNO dan Pas kena duduk, tak kan dalam berbeza tak ada persamaan. Atas persamaan ini kita duduklah semeja dulu,” jelasnya.

Pemimpin UMNO, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim menegaskan, dalam soal wakil Kabinet misalnya, semua pihak harus menerima pilihan Perdana Menteri kerana ia bidang kuasa beliau.

“Saya fikir kalau dilayan, Najib tak akan ada kerja lain.

“Apa pun ini akan mengajar UMNO supaya terus kuat. Bila kuat, orang segan, kalau lemah orang kucar kacirkan,” ujarnya yang juga Ketua UMNO Bahagian Jelebu.

Ketua Pembangkang Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor, Datuk Seri Dr. Mohamad Khir Toyo berkata, hak orang Melayu tidak harus dilepaskan dalam usaha kerajaan memenuhi kehendak masyarakat pelbagai kaum.

“Biar wujud situasi menang-menang. Kita tidak boleh biar sebelah pihak sahaja menang. Kalau kita nak penuhi apa yang mereka nak, jangan pula kita lepaskan apa yang jadi hak kita,’’ katanya.

Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), Syed Anuar Syed Mohamad berkata, walaupun kerajaan mahu menekankan konsep Satu Malaysia yang menyatukan rakyat pelbagai kaum, langkah juga perlu dilakukan bagi mengembalikan keharmonian di kalangan orang Melayu sendiri.

“Dalam keadaan sekarang ini, orang Melayu berhadapan banyak cabaran semasa dan kita perlu mencari cara untuk memastikan kaum itu tidak berpecah-belah,” katanya.

Katanya, UMNO dan Pas tidak boleh melengah-lengahkan masa lagi untuk bekerjasama dalam memajukan orang Melayu.

Ketua Umum Badan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu (BBPM), Osman Abu Bakar yang sependapat dengan GPMS berkata, cadangan yang baik seperti itu perlu dilaksanakan secepat mungkin.

Katanya, kerjasama antara dua parti politik itu bukan sahaja akan memberi faedah kepada orang Melayu sahaja tetapi juga kaum lain.

Tambahnya, penyatuan UMNO dan Pas perlu menjadi batu loncatan untuk mengeratkan semua rakyat berbilang kaum di negara ini.

“Sememangnya usaha ke arah itu akan mengambil masa tetapi sekurang-kurangnya kita tidak hanya bercakap atau mencadangkan sahaja,’’ tambahnya.

“1Malaysia” means “Arise Malaysians” or “Arise Malays”, “Arise Chinese”, “Arise Indians”,”Arise Kadazans”, “Arise Ibans”?

Although the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced that “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” is the overarching philosophy of his premiership, the two following headlines of two newspapers today illustrate the two extremes of interpretation of his “1Malaysia”:

1. “Najib – I am Prime Minister of all communities. Urges people to break race barriers to foster unity.” - Sin Chew Daily headline (p 3) of Najib’s Vasakhi speech at Tait Khalsa Diwan in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

2. “Bangkitlah Melayu – Bersatu hadapi tuntuan kaum lain yang semakin terlaluan” - Utusan Malaysia front-page headline which carried the following three quotes on the front-page:

• “Dalam keadaan sekarang ini, orang Melayu berhadapan banyak cabaran semasa dan kita perlu mencari cara untuk memastikan kaum itu tidak berpecah-belah” – Syed Anuar Syed Mohamad, Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Pelajar Melayu

• “Penyatuan UMNO dan Pas perlu menjadi batu loncatan untuk mengeratkan semua rakyat berbilang kaum di negara ini” - Osman Abu Bakar, Ketua Umum Badan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu

• “Kita tidak boleh biar sebelah pihak sahaja menang. Kalau kita nak penuhi apa yang mereka nak, jangan pula kita lepaskan apa yang jadi hak kita” – Datuk Seri Dr. Mohamad Khir Toyo

What would be the reaction of Utusan Malaysia and those quoted in the Utusan Malaysia report if the Chinese and Tamil newspapers have published similar headlines and reports of “Chinese Arise” and “Indians Arise” respectively?

In fact, these developments highlight the utter failure of the 52-year nation-building programme of the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional/Alliance coalition.

Najib said yesterday that he would explain his 1Malaysia concept to his Ministers at the first meeting of his Cabinet today.

Does 1Malaysia mean “Arise Malaysians” or “Arise Malays”, “Arise Chinese”, “Arise Indians”, “Arise Kadazans”, “Arise Ibans”?

He has a lot to explain not only to his Ministers but to the 27 million Malaysian people!

Bidayuh upset over exclusion

By Jacob Achoi | The Borneo Post

MPs from community feel a Bidayuh should be in the cabinet

KUCHING: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has derailed the One Malaysia concept when he excluded the Bidayuh from his cabinet, a Bidayuh MP said yesterday.

Dr James Dawos Mamit, the Mambong MP and Sarawak’s environmental advisor, said while there was no doubt that the prerogative to appoint members of his cabinet is Najib’s, by not appointing one from among the three Bidayuh MPs the prime minister had made the One Malaysia concept look like just mere rhetoric.

“To me, he (Najib) has derailed the concept of promoting One Malaysia … to promote unity and the concept of all races working together,” he said when met at Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) headquarters where he attended the Pesta Birumuh appreciation dinner Sunday.

“Whether it (One Malaysia) is mere rhetoric or not, I don’t know, but it does look like it is now,” Dawos stressed, adding that a One Malaysia could not happen if some communities, even how minority, was not given the chance for equitable participation in the business of running the country at the highest level of government.

“I cannot say I’m happy because I did not get it (a federal cabinet post), but I am certainly disappointed that neither of the other two MPs got it. The Bidayuh have been sidelined,” he said, adding that he strongly felt there should be a Bidayuh representative in the cabinet.

That said, Dawos pointed out that he would not resign as MP merely because he was unhappy with the exclusion of the Bidayuh from the federal cabinet. Dawos said the Bidayuh had still a lot to catch up with and could not afford to distance itself from mainstream politics.

He said if he were to resign it would be to the detriment of the future of the community.

“Besides, to me BN is a good political platform and I will always support it and not resign. My political career started with BN and will end in BN,” he affirmed, adding that he would continue to fight from within BN for Bidayuh political struggle.

Dawos was commenting on calls made through SMS asking him and the other two Bidayuh MPs – Datuk Richard Riot Jaem (Serian) and Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe (Mas Gading) - to resign as a show of disapproval for the community’s exclusion from Najib’s cabinet.

Dawos said: “With the latest development (non-participation of Bidayuh in the federal cabinet), I am obliged to make a statement particularly because lately I have been receiving many SMSes calling for my resignation.”

He said most of the SMSes were from people in his constituency who felt that Najib had failed them and fallen on his promise to promote the One Malaysia concept.

Meanwhile, Dr Tiki, when contacted yesterday, confirmed receiving SMSes demanding that he resign as MP to reflect the Bidayuh’s dissatisfaction.

“The Bidayuh are feeling disbelief, frustration and hopelessness. That’s what they said in their SMSes to me,” Dr Tiki said.

“I’m on the ground to get feedback,” Dr Tiki said, but refused to elaborate.

Attempts to contact Riot for comments failed, but political observers feel that the sentiment is the same in the Serian constituency where the five-time MP holds sway. In fact, sources said Serian is a volatile area that only Riot - not BN, and certainly not SUPP, his party — has control over now.

“SUPP (Sarawak United People’s Party) is literally clinging to some straws in Serian, and it really does not help the party that its president (Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan), by his own admission, submitted six names, making it look like he was thinking that Najib would pick Riot’s name like the prime minister was playing a game of lucky draw,” an observer said.

My dear Kugan

Dear Friends,
I am here to share the same sentiment as other fellow indian do out there. Where is the voice of Pakatan Rakyat after PRU12??? Why is it fading away from us which used to be so loud before PRU12??

What has happened to the case of Kugan that PR/PKR/DAP has undertaken? Mr Gobind Singh once shouted that WE WILL FIGHT UNTIL THE END but why is him keeping so QUITE even after police raided the doctor's site and seized all relevant documents? If you guys from out there cant handle it with some profesionalism then just leave it to someone who can do it better but just dont get into things for the sake of publicity!!!!
PKR/PR/DAP/PAS are to busy to fight for their personal interest and benefits, too busy condeming about BN goverment!

I am here NOT to defend the BN/MIC/MCA or whatever party but my concerns is just, WHY KUGANS CASE IS STILL PENDING & WHY NO OFFICERS HAS BEEN CHARGED YET???? We demand an EXPLANATION from Pakatan Rakyat???
Please reply but NOT with your lame excuses as we are sick and tired hearing those!

regards,

SJ

14/4/09 Memo Bantahan kpd IGP- Kes deraan ke atas Adi Anwar Bin Mansor

Eli Wong to stay

By Deborah Loh
Thenutgraph.com

Updated on 15 April 2009 at 8.05pm

PETALING JAYA, 15 April 2009: Elizabeth Wong will remain as a Selangor executive councillor and Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson.

"This is the hardest decision that I have [had] to make in my life and it is with the greatest humility that I accept the Selangor state's offer to remain in office," Wong said in a statement issued just before 5pm today.

The Selangor government earlier today asked her to stay on in both positions on the basis that Wong remained the victim in the leak of intimate photos of her which caused her to volunteer her resignation on 17 Feb.

The state government's offer was for her to resume her duties immediately, as her leave, which has twice been extended, expires today.

In a statement today, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said Wong, 37, should resume her duties because of public interest and the fact that police have yet to conclude investigations into the circulation of her photos.

At a press conference earlier today, Khalid was reported to have said that the state government still believed that Wong was a victim in the incident.

Khalid said the exco was unanimous in its decision that Wong should resume her duties.

The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has been briefed on the exco's decision, Khalid said. He thanked the ruler for not interfering in political decisions and for entrusting the state government with the decision.

Khalid also vowed that the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government took a serious view of morality but that there had to be evidence of wrongdoing. At the same time, the state was equally committed to protecting the right to privacy, the menteri besar added.

Wong has been on leave since tendering her resignation. She said she did it for the sake of her party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat. However, Wong remains hugely popular with her constituents. On 12 April, some 200 people gathered at her service centre in Bandar Utama to demonstrate their support of her.

Some of the 200 Eli Wong supporters at her service centre in Bandar Utama (Pic by Wong Chin Huat)

The PR has appeared to drag its feet over whether to accept her resignation because of her popularity and for fear of having to hold another by-election in her state constituency.

With Wong's decision, the PR is able to avoid another by-election after being involved in three on 7 April.

It remains unclear who leaked the photos and how the person had access to Wong's private album. While the PR has blamed the leak on the "gutter politics" of Barisan Nasional (BN), there is also speculation that internal strife within PKR had a role to play.

Wong's statement that she would remain in office condemned gutter politics, but was devoid of any references to the BN.

Police are also keen to question her former boyfriend about the photos but have not found him. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Sexualised politics rejected

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) today welcomed the Selangor government's decision.

"This decision to reject (Wong's) resignation, is a validation of her capabilities as a politician, as well as a rejection of increasingly sexualised politicking that render young, women politicians such as Wong more vulnerable to attacks on the basis of so-called 'morality'," Haslinah Yacob said in a statement on behalf of JAG.

JAG also commended Wong for her perseverance and commitment in continuing to serve the people of Selangor

Mother seeks review of Udayappan's case

KUALA LUMPUR, 15 April 2009: A woman today asked the attorney-general to review the case of her son whose body was found in the Klang River five years ago after he had allegedly escaped from the Brickfields police station.

G Saralily, the mother of Francis Udayappan, who was 24 when he died, said she wanted the attorney-general to reopen the case because she believed that her son did not die while escaping from the police station as alleged.

She spoke to reporters in front of the Brickfields police station here.

Saralily said the body of Udayappan was also kept at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) for two years for identification before it was handed to her.

She said her son was detained by police five years ago to help in the investigation into a motorcycle theft case.

In November last year, the High Court had dismissed the revision application filed by Saralily on the coroner's finding that there was no foul play in Udayappan's death in 2004 when he was in police custody.— Bernama

Anwar Dicalon Antara 100 Tokoh Paling Berpengaruh Dunia 2009

Majalah antarabangsa Time sekali lagi mencalonkan Anwar Ibrahim sebagai antara 100 orang tokoh paling berpengaruh dunia untuk tahun 2009. Pada tahun lalu, Anwar diiktiraf sebagai antara tokoh paling berpengaruh dalam kategori Pemimpin & Revolusioner sebaris dengan Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Dalai Lama dan Vladimir Putin.

Sekiranya anda ingin memilih calon tokoh berpengaruh dunia untuk tahun 2009, anda boleh layari pautan di bawah:

The 2009 TIME 100 Finalists

PEJABAT DATUK SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM

Najib Asks M'sians To Discard "Ethnic Silo" Mentality

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) -- Malaysians should discard their 'ethnic silo' mentality, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Prime Minister said Malaysians must "stand together, think and act as one people under the '1Malaysia concept'."

"Lets break away from operating in the ethnic prism as we have done over so many years. This is also the meaning of the '1Malaysia' concept.

"We must respect each other, go beyond tolerance and build trust among each other and build trust between various ethnic groups," he told a press conference here, Wednesday.

He said Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties for example, should not necessarily be focusing their services in locations based on their own ethnic groups.

Najib also cited the example of him releasing 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees on being sworn in as Malaysia's sixth prime minister on April 3.

"The MIC should have been thankful to the government for freeing the 13 and not only focus on the two Hindraf members released.

"If we freed two Hindraf members, don't forget there were 11 others. Don't think about Hindraf alone," he said.

The Prime Minister also said that he had explained the 1Malaysia concept to the members of the new Cabinet at its first meeting in Putrajaya this morning and reminded them "don't be just concerned about your own community " but strive to fulfill the high expectations of all Malaysians.

"I stressed on four things, namely integrity, ability, loyalty and commitment. The Cabinet must also be people-oriented in order to gain the trust of the people," he said.

Besides this, he said, ministers should also be agents of change and bring about reforms towards meeting the needs of the entire spectrum of society.

"We cannot be thinking the government knows everything. The doors to dialogue must be open to all so that decisions made by the government truly reflect the wishes of the people," he said.

Najib also reminded the ministers not to give the people the perception that the government only favoured certain groups or corporate entities although it was of utmost importance to carry out polices that were private-sector friendly.

"But the bottom line is that any decision taken must be based on the overall interests of the people," he said.

He said under the '1Malaysia' concept, if it concerned poverty eradication, it should encompass all races irrespective of whether they were from urban or rural areas, estates, new villages or aboriginal settlements.

"It ('1Malaysia') does not mean the policy to help the bumiputeras is sidelined, in fact it will give implementation of the policy greater impetus so as to ensure that eligible bumiputeras get their due consideration," he said.

Besides this, he said, the '1Malaysia' concept should not be misinterpreted by certain quarters for example the opposition and equate it to the Malaysian Malaysia concept (championed by an opposition party).

One Malaysia... Different things to different people... ( 3 )

By Jeff Ooi

"Other races are (claiming for) too much, Malays (Umno and PAS) must unite and uprise!"

So screamed Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia on its frontpage lead today, driving racial division to a new height.

In contrast, in the same paper on the same day, Najib says he aspires to be the Prime Minister for all communities. (Yes, I remember Abdullah Badawi who once said the same thing!)

What does One Malaysia really mean? One Umno(putra), then only One Malaysia?

On the freudian tendency of Malaysian politicians -- both from Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition and all and sundry -- who say different things to different audiences, Leslie Lau of Malaysian Insider says: (Tak payah cerita), Kami pun faham Bahasa Melayu.

It seems accentuated by now that One Malaysia is indeed different things to different people until Najib can define it properly.

Palaces in the pipeline

By Anil Netto

From mainstream and government sources on the web, I note that a couple of new palaces are in the pipeline.

1. The new Istana Negara along Jalan Duta in KL

News reports from 2006: Bernama report here; Star report here.

Artists’ impressions and other images can be found on the JKR website here.

2. Istana Kerajaan Terengganu

“Cadangan Membina Istana Kerajaan Terengganu On Lot 1796, In Mukim Cenering, District Of Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu”. Approval of the preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) obtained in 2007 from the Department of the Environment (DoE) here. (Look under Terengganu and 2007).

A Google search also reveals an Executive Summary of the preliminary EIA on the DoE’s website here.

Selangor Water Scandal

Every one who sees this must seriously sit down and read this. The writer has simplified the issue for us. There is no song-and-dance in his writing. Very simply explained in language that we can comprehend. So, read this and pass it on.

by Nathaniel Tan

Here's how I would distill the decidedly murky waters surrounding the Selangor water scandal.

If I were the Selangor government, I would hammer these points and these points alone (or maybe even whittle it down even more). The facts are gleamed from a (slightly over wordy) brochure produced by the Selangor State Government.

To recap, the Selangor government is seeking to reacquire previously privatised water concessionaire companies. The Federal Government is offering to do the same, but at a much, much higher price, and under a different set of circumstances.

The long and short of it, if you believe us, is that BN is looking to spend hundreds of millions more of our money in a plan that will only further enrich cronies at the expense of the rakyat. Here's how:

1 . Under the federal plan:

- there will be a 31% INCREASE in water tariffs, as opposed to a 25% decrease in tariffs under the Selangor plan.

- the Federal Government (ie, us) will take on RM 6.4 billion of debt, currently owed by the water concessionaires.

- there will no longer be 20 cubic meters of free water every month.

2. Here's what privatised water concessionaire companies like Syabas have been up to:

- Syabas CEO Rozali Ismail's salary is a whooping RM 5.1 million a year (RM 425,000 a month).

- Pipe purchases worth RM 600 million were made from an Indonesian company, also owned by Rozali Ismail.

- No open tenders for RM 600 million worth of contracts (over 72% of the total awarded).

- RM 51.2 million spent on renovations of the Syabas head office (JKAS, the water regulatory body for Selangor approved expenditures of only RM 23.2 million)

- Between 2005 - 2007, Syabas exceeded its contract value limit by RM 200 million.

The brochure contains much, much more information and numbers, but I think the above says enough.

Clearly, some enormously fat cat cronies are getting paid off like there was no tomorrow - all this at the expense of a rakyat that is suffering and having their backs broken by an economic crisis of epic proportions.

Again, I really think Selangor and Pakatan should focus on this information, put it in a common package, and reiterate it again, again and again via every single medium (including say, billboards) at its disposal.

I've likened it before to a number of submarine commission scandals happening right under our noses, only this time, we still have the chance to stop it, if only we work hard enough.

Spread the word!!