Friday, 10 July 2009
Dr M turns up the heat with online poll - Malaysiakini
Displeased with the government's decision to scrap the language switch policy, it's architect Dr Mahathir Mohamad is seeking the public's opinion on the matter.
The internet savvy octogenarian has started a poll on his blog, which requires visitors to click on either 'yes' or 'no' to express their stand.
Incidentally, Mahathir's blog Che Det - named after his nickname in Kedah - is one of the most popular blogs in the country, drawing millions of visitors.
"I am not surprised over the disappointment and even anger towards the government's decision on the teaching of maths and science," he said in his latest posting.
"Seems to me like the government is not listening to the voice of the people," he added.
In view of this, the 84-year-old former premier felt that a blog poll might enlighten the government as to the opinions of the people.
After explaining to visitors what the poll is about, Mahathir added: "I will then try to let the government know your opinion."
At press time, a total of 2,150 people had voted, with a whopping 72 percent disagreeing with the government's decision.
Not 'consulted'
Yesterday, Mahathir said although the government had sought his views on the matter, it was not reflected in the decision.
The former premier also denied Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's statement that he was 'consulted'.
"That was not a consultation. I was just briefed on what was already decided," he said.
Mahathir also questioned the data, which Muhyiddin claimed, showed that the policy had failed to meet its objectives.
"I think the figures shown are not accurate. They were comparing urban and rural students.
"Naturally, rural students perform poorer that urban students, not just in science and mathematics but also other subjects," he said.
Mahathir had bulldozed the language switch policy in 2003 amid strong protest from various quarters. The policy required the teaching of science and maths in English.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin had announced that beginning 2012, the two subjects will be taught in Bahasa Malaysia at national schools.
As for national-type schools, he added, the subjects will be taught in the respective mother-tongues.
Najib: Change is for the best
When asked to comment on the opposition to the policy switch, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said it was a decision made in the interest of the nation and for the future generation.
"The change in policy and the new changes proposed will push and enable our students to master the English language in a wholesome manner...
"At the same time, it will not impede the growth of the national language," he told reporters in Putrajaya.
"As for the objections, nevermind. In the field of education, we can never get an unanimous decision. There must be some who object," he added.
The internet savvy octogenarian has started a poll on his blog, which requires visitors to click on either 'yes' or 'no' to express their stand.
Incidentally, Mahathir's blog Che Det - named after his nickname in Kedah - is one of the most popular blogs in the country, drawing millions of visitors."I am not surprised over the disappointment and even anger towards the government's decision on the teaching of maths and science," he said in his latest posting.
"Seems to me like the government is not listening to the voice of the people," he added.
In view of this, the 84-year-old former premier felt that a blog poll might enlighten the government as to the opinions of the people.
After explaining to visitors what the poll is about, Mahathir added: "I will then try to let the government know your opinion."
At press time, a total of 2,150 people had voted, with a whopping 72 percent disagreeing with the government's decision.
Not 'consulted'
Yesterday, Mahathir said although the government had sought his views on the matter, it was not reflected in the decision.The former premier also denied Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's statement that he was 'consulted'.
"That was not a consultation. I was just briefed on what was already decided," he said.
Mahathir also questioned the data, which Muhyiddin claimed, showed that the policy had failed to meet its objectives.
"I think the figures shown are not accurate. They were comparing urban and rural students.
"Naturally, rural students perform poorer that urban students, not just in science and mathematics but also other subjects," he said.
Mahathir had bulldozed the language switch policy in 2003 amid strong protest from various quarters. The policy required the teaching of science and maths in English.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin had announced that beginning 2012, the two subjects will be taught in Bahasa Malaysia at national schools.As for national-type schools, he added, the subjects will be taught in the respective mother-tongues.
Najib: Change is for the best
When asked to comment on the opposition to the policy switch, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said it was a decision made in the interest of the nation and for the future generation.
"The change in policy and the new changes proposed will push and enable our students to master the English language in a wholesome manner...
"At the same time, it will not impede the growth of the national language," he told reporters in Putrajaya.
"As for the objections, nevermind. In the field of education, we can never get an unanimous decision. There must be some who object," he added.
High Chaparral: 'Unreported fraud makes gov't case dicey'
A NGO has asked the Penang government to explain why it failed to lodge reports over alleged irregularities in Kampung Buah Pala land deals.
Hindu Action Network chief coordinator G Mugunthan said he was as surprised as other Penangties on the state government's prolonged delay and reluctance to lodge reports with the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) and police.
He pointed out that the current state leaders had openly accused the previous Barisan Nasional administration of malpractice in the village land transactions pertaining to a proposed mega development and yet failed to pursue the matter legally.
"However, despite the chief minister himself claiming foul and fraud, the state government has not lodged a single report with the relevant agencies. This surprises many Penangites,' he claimed.
Kampung Buah Pala is known among locals as 'Tamil High Chaparral' because of its population of cowherds, cattle, goats and Tamil traditional cultural features.
Facing eviction very soon
The villagers face eviction after Aug 2 from their village, which they and their ancestors have stayed for nearly 200 years.
Developer, Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd had issued a writ of possession to the villagers to seize the village, demolish homes and flatten the site to construct a lucrative condominium project called the Oasis.
But the villagers have long urged the state government to acquire the land and sell it to them instead.
Mugunthan said the failure to lodge reports had raised questions over the state government's competency, accountability and transparency (CAT), a government slogan, in handling of the crisis.
Although he expressed confidence that the state government would resolve the crisis efficiently, nonetheless he said it needed to act fast to halt falling public rating.
"The state government should lodge reports. Otherwise it would be accused of being part of the fraud," he said.
He said the state government cannot runaway from the crisis by putting the blame solely on previous BN government.
Hindu Action Network chief coordinator G Mugunthan said he was as surprised as other Penangties on the state government's prolonged delay and reluctance to lodge reports with the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) and police.
He pointed out that the current state leaders had openly accused the previous Barisan Nasional administration of malpractice in the village land transactions pertaining to a proposed mega development and yet failed to pursue the matter legally."However, despite the chief minister himself claiming foul and fraud, the state government has not lodged a single report with the relevant agencies. This surprises many Penangites,' he claimed.
Kampung Buah Pala is known among locals as 'Tamil High Chaparral' because of its population of cowherds, cattle, goats and Tamil traditional cultural features.
Facing eviction very soon
The villagers face eviction after Aug 2 from their village, which they and their ancestors have stayed for nearly 200 years.
Developer, Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd had issued a writ of possession to the villagers to seize the village, demolish homes and flatten the site to construct a lucrative condominium project called the Oasis.
But the villagers have long urged the state government to acquire the land and sell it to them instead.Mugunthan said the failure to lodge reports had raised questions over the state government's competency, accountability and transparency (CAT), a government slogan, in handling of the crisis.
Although he expressed confidence that the state government would resolve the crisis efficiently, nonetheless he said it needed to act fast to halt falling public rating.
"The state government should lodge reports. Otherwise it would be accused of being part of the fraud," he said.
He said the state government cannot runaway from the crisis by putting the blame solely on previous BN government.
Kg Buah Pala: Blame game continues
Penang's Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng once again turned his guns on his predecessor Koh Tsu Koon today. This time pledging to make public the latter's administration documents on the Kampung Buah Pala issue.
In a press statement issued today, Lim said that the documents reflected "beyond a shadow of doubt" that the former government had without consulting the villagers "robbed" them of their land.
"The Pakatan Rakyat Penang state exco had at yesterday's meeting decided after consulting the state legal advisor, to declassify and reveal the decisions behind the BN state's exco actions," the statement said.
Lim (right) and other DAP leaders, including his father, party advisor Lim Kit Siang, have been engaged in tit-for-tat blame game with Koh,who is also Gerakan chief.
In the statement, Lim revealed that the former state government land of Kampung Buah Pala was approved to Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang twice by the previous state exco on Aug 18, 2004 and July 8, 2005 for a premium of RM6.42 million or RM20 per square feet which was subsequently reduced further to only RM3.21 million or RM10 per square feet.
On Tuesday, Koh had dismissed the allegations, accusing Lim of engaging in "half-truths".
Land swap
He said that the land was not given to the developer at a cheap rate but swapped for a piece of land owned by the co-operative in George Town for extending the High Court building.
"The co-operative needed to form a joint venture with a private developer," he was quoted by the media as saying.
Lim's allegation that the former BN state government had approved the transaction turned into a point of controversy as the villagers claim that this particular deal between the two parties was sealed on March 26 last year when the government was already in Pakatan's hands.
His allegation attracted the villagers' wrath who said that Lim should be well aware of the issue as the whole deal was concluded under his watch.
'Villagers manipulated'
Lim also said that it was "puzzling" why some of the villagers had refused to meet with him yesterday claiming that some of them may be influenced by outsiders.
"I wish to appeal to the residents not to be manipulated by certain irresponsible parties but to come and meet me for a heart to heart talk," he said.
He pointed out that time was running out and residents should distinguish between the parties that are sincere wanting to help them out of their plight and those diverting attention from the real culprits.
In a press statement issued today, Lim said that the documents reflected "beyond a shadow of doubt" that the former government had without consulting the villagers "robbed" them of their land.
"The Pakatan Rakyat Penang state exco had at yesterday's meeting decided after consulting the state legal advisor, to declassify and reveal the decisions behind the BN state's exco actions," the statement said.
Lim (right) and other DAP leaders, including his father, party advisor Lim Kit Siang, have been engaged in tit-for-tat blame game with Koh,who is also Gerakan chief.In the statement, Lim revealed that the former state government land of Kampung Buah Pala was approved to Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang twice by the previous state exco on Aug 18, 2004 and July 8, 2005 for a premium of RM6.42 million or RM20 per square feet which was subsequently reduced further to only RM3.21 million or RM10 per square feet.
On Tuesday, Koh had dismissed the allegations, accusing Lim of engaging in "half-truths".
Land swap
He said that the land was not given to the developer at a cheap rate but swapped for a piece of land owned by the co-operative in George Town for extending the High Court building.
"The co-operative needed to form a joint venture with a private developer," he was quoted by the media as saying.Lim's allegation that the former BN state government had approved the transaction turned into a point of controversy as the villagers claim that this particular deal between the two parties was sealed on March 26 last year when the government was already in Pakatan's hands.
His allegation attracted the villagers' wrath who said that Lim should be well aware of the issue as the whole deal was concluded under his watch.
'Villagers manipulated'
Lim also said that it was "puzzling" why some of the villagers had refused to meet with him yesterday claiming that some of them may be influenced by outsiders.
"I wish to appeal to the residents not to be manipulated by certain irresponsible parties but to come and meet me for a heart to heart talk," he said.
He pointed out that time was running out and residents should distinguish between the parties that are sincere wanting to help them out of their plight and those diverting attention from the real culprits.
Yes, respect the Role of the Rulers, only if they do the right thing
My late father too went into conflict with the late Sultan. Because of that he was dropped from the protocol list and practically ‘banned’ from the palace. When he died the late Sultan as well as the present Sultan (who was then the Raja Muda) did not come to his funeral although they could not deny him permission to be buried in the Royal Mausoleum in Kelang. And my father is abang to the late Sultan mind you.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Respect role of Malay Rulers
The Star, 9 July 2009
SHAH ALAM: The notion by certain quarters that the Malay Rulers are just ceremonial emblems for official functions with no vested power needs to be set right immediately.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor said the royal institution, which protected the sovereignty of the Royalty, Malay people, Islam, Malay language, other races, administration and the governing of the nation, should not be questioned.
“Agreement to accord the Malay Rulers with specific powers was reached between the three main races – the Malays, Chinese and Indians – with the acknowledgement of the Malay Rulers and the accord of the then-British government,” he added.
Sultan Sharafuddin said those who questioned the Malay Rulers not only violated the fundamental provisions in the Federal and state constitutions but also questioned the sovereignty of the Rulers.
He was speaking at the royal banquet here in conjunction with 50th anniversary celebrations of the state assembly yesterday.
“We must understand that the Malay Rulers represent an important institution in the country. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy.
“I remind all parties to exercise respect and agree with the practice that has become sacred and followed since the Royal institution was formed, as a safeguard to all levels of society,” said the Sultan.
He also reminded assemblymen to be of good behaviour at all times and set an example for the community.
“Of late, there have been a few Yang Berhormats who have shown bad behaviour to the Royal institution and the state assembly. They were voted into office with much trust placed in them, and must exercise a high level of credibility and good manners in dealing with the people,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.
The Sultan added that his late father Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah had, during his reign, ordered that the state assembly be held in the Balairung Seri Istana Alam Shah in Klang until the construction of Selangor’s state assembly building was completed.
“Based on this, we must understand the sacred component that intertwines the dignified element of the state assembly and those who represent it,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.
*************************************************
When Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad annexed Putrajaya, which used to be called Perang Besar, and turned it into Federal Territory, there were many amongst the Selangor royal circle, the present Sultan of Selangor included, who were very upset.
The agreement was that Kuala Lumpur would be handed to the federal government and turned into the nation’s capital. In the interest of the nation, Selangor could not possibly refuse. The late Sultan cried as he signed Kuala Lumpur over to the federal government.
Then they decided to also take Putrajaya. According to what was agreed, Kuala Lumpur would be the nation’s federal capital and if they take Putrajaya to replace Kuala Lumpur as the new federal capital then they would have to return Kuala Lumpur to Selangor.
But the federal government did not return Kuala Lumpur to Selangor. Instead, it named Putrajaya the administrative capital so that Kuala Lumpur could remain as the federal capital and need not be returned to Selangor. In short, Malaysia would have two federal capitals, one named the administrative capital or administrative centre.
The Sultan was told there would be no discussion or negotiation on the matter. The federal government is going to take Putrajaya and pay Selangor a certain amount. But even then the payment would not be in cash. It would be by way of contra against the cost to develop Selangor.
In short, the federal government would develop Selangor at an inflated cost, sometimes two or three times the real cost, and this amount would be deducted from the money Selangor is supposed to receive. The payment is therefore not in cash but in kind. And the ‘in kind’ would be many times over what it should be.
So it would work this way:
The federal government will take Putrajaya ‘by force’. Selangor cannot object. The federal government then decides what it will pay Selangor as the ‘purchase price’. Selangor cannot disagree or demand what it would like to sell Putrajaya for. But the federal government will not pay Selangor cash. The amount would be deducted against the cost to develop Selangor at two or three times what it should actually have cost.
This reminds me of how the whites took land from the American Indians more than 200 years ago by paying the natives mere beads and whisky as the purchase price.
And that was when I went into attack mode. I wrote an article in www.freeanwar.com asking the Sultan and the entire royal council to resign. They are traitors to Selangor, I said, and they should be ousted. If this was 1901 instead of 2001, I wrote, I would lead an army to depose the Sultan and I would place someone else on the throne.
When they detained me under the Internal Security Act in April 2001, the Special Branch officers interrogated me about this article. I asked the Special Branch officers which royal family they come from. They replied they are not from any royal family. Then butt out, I told them. They have no business getting involved in matters concerning the royal family.
They cautioned me and told me that what I wrote was seditious. I responded by saying that unfortunately, since Merdeka, we now have such things called laws. If not I would lead an army to remove the Sultan and grab the Selangor throne.
“You are really pushing your luck,” they replied. “Do you know that such a statement can land you in Kamunting?”
My response to that threat was: “This is a family matter. I don’t interfere in your family and you don’t interfere in mine. You are not a member of the Selangor Royal Family so stay out of our business. Just be grateful that Selangor does not, again, become embroiled in a war like in the time of Sultan Abdul Samad.”
No, I don’t question the institution of the monarchy. I will in fact defend it. But I will oppose any monarch who does not defend our territory. The Selangor palace has treacherously allowed Selangor territory to be annexed by the federal government by force. In my book the Selangor palace has let the people down. The present ruling family should be deposed and replaced with another.
The Sultan told Rosmah Mansor that I am a lunatic. Otak dia tak berapa betul, tiga suku sikit -- according to what one Umno Blogger wrote in his Blog quoting the Sultan. When the Sultan was about to leave for the US to undergo heart surgery, he told the assembly of people sending him off at the airport that he is very upset with me for opposing the Sultan of Perak. In that assembly of people was the IGP, my sworn enemy, who was smiling with delight to see the Sultan whack me in public in front of so many people.
My late father too went into conflict with the late Sultan. Because of that he was dropped from the protocol list and practically ‘banned’ from the palace. When he died the late Sultan as well as the present Sultan (who was then the Raja Muda) did not come to his funeral although they could not deny him permission to be buried in the Royal Mausoleum in Kelang. And my father is abang to the late Sultan mind you.
I have never forgiven the Selangor palace for that and have always carried that in my heart although I have never, thus far, raised that matter. Now I am raising the matter to remind the palace what they did to my father. Tengku Sulaiman, however, came to the funeral and when my mother asked him why the Sultan and Raja Muda were not present he was embarrassed and replied that Tuanku is tied up with a crow-shooting contest.
Yes, my father died and both the late Sultan and present Sultan were too busy shooting crows and could not attend my father’s funeral. Do I need to continue showing loyalty to the Palace?
I was told I would not be given permission to be buried in the Royal Mausoleum. I will therefore have to make sure I do not die in Selangor. Then the question of where I should be buried will not arise. I am sure that would make the IGP very happy knowing that the man who is bent on bringing him down is an outcast. And the IGP personally heard this from the Sultan together with scores of other people the day the Sultan left for the US to undergo heart surgery.
Wrath of Dr M about to befall Najib
But today Dr Mahathir hit out at the Najib administration for “not listening to the voice of the people” when it decided to abandon the policy of teaching science and mathematics in English.
“I am not surprised over the disappointment and even anger towards the government’s decision on the teaching of maths and science,” he said.
“Seems to me like the government is not listening to the voice of the people,” the former prime minister said in a short posting on his blog today.
Dr Mahathir also appeared to be planning a campaign to stop the government from reversing a policy he had initiated six years ago just before he retired.
He has started a poll to ask readers of his blog if they supported or opposed the decision to now revert to teaching science and mathematics in Bahasa Melayu.
A separate poll conducted recently of voters in peninsular Malaysia by the independent Merdeka Centre showed that a majority of Malaysians wanted English to remain as the medium of instruction for the two subjects.
But yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the government’s decision to scrap the policy, bowing to pressure from nationalists and education activists.
Dr Mahathir, who had been informed by the DPM prior to the announcement, said yesterday that his recommendations were not taken into consideration.
He had suggested the government at least keep English as the medium of instruction for secondary schools.
The former PM also punched holes in the government’s arguments, and pointed out that if the government was now going to train more English teachers, they could also train science and mathematics teachers in the same language as well.
Dr Mahathir had been a strident critic of the Abdullah Badawi administration, and his attacks against the last prime minister had contributed significantly to the latter’s eventual downfall.
Last year, Malaysia’s longest serving PM even quit Umno and only rejoined the party this year when Najib took office. Since then Najib has taken pains to pay homage to Dr Mahathir.
But in recent weeks, Dr Mahathir had begun to seethe over some of Najib’s decisions.
Besides ignoring Dr Mahathir and deciding to skip the recent Penanti by-election, Najib has also disregarded the former PM over the “crooked bridge” to Singapore.
Dr Mahathir had also recently come out to say that the liberalization of the economy was not the right move by Najib.
The ongoing attempt by the Najib administration in trying to appoint his aide Omar Mustapha to the board of Petronas has also irritated Dr Mahathir who is still the national oil company’s adviser.
But with the flip-flop on the government’s English policy, Dr Mahathir appears to be preparing to strike back.
Azmin unleashes ‘friendly fire’ on Selangor government
PR backbencher chief and PKR party whip Azmin is not happy with his colleagues, and not shy to speak up about it.
SHAH ALAM July 8 – Appearing to don an opposition mindset, PKR’s Azmin Ali broke party ranks and attacked the policies of his own Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state administration today and called for a reshuffle of Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s executive council.
The Bukit Antarabangsa lawmaker said the members of the state executive council were “getting too big for their boots” and were refusing to listen to others.
The PR backbencher chief and PKR party whip today did a better job at pointing out the shortcomings of the state government in the legislative assembly than the 20 Barisan National (BN) opposition members combined during a supplementary budget debate.
The disgruntled state lawmaker said he had been receiving a lot of complaints from the business community on excessive delays in approvals and this was stifling the economy of the state.
According to Azmin, the State Economic Action Council, which is supposed to facilitate approval of licences, had been turned into a court which also conducts investigations and prosecution.
Azmin also hit out at the state’s sand mining policy and claimed that the state had only managed to gain RM4 million from the activity although the mentri besar had projected RM150 million last year.
He also criticised the appointments of local councillors and said the process was conducted in a haphazard manner.
“Some candidates were appointed because they are close to Exco members while others are not qualified.” he said adding that he had received many complaints from the presidents of local councils.
During a press conference later, Azmin said he would leave it to Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to decide how to reshuffle his team but did hint that new faces should be appointed.
Khalid however downplayed Azmin’s ‘suggestion’ but said he welcomes the views of the lawmakers.
“He is merely expressing the views of the people he represents at his constituency, which is his right,” he said while denying that Azmin’s outburst was damaging PR credibility.
Khalid said his executive council would act on the grouses highlighted by Azmin but declared he had no intention of reshuffling his team.
“I have a good team and we work well with each other.”
The People’s Parliament
Press Conference: Civil Society’s KPI for Najib for his next 100 days as PM
July 11th marks the first 100 days of Najib’s premiership.
Will his 100-day performance serve as an indicator for how our country is likely to be governed for the next four years, or was it all a big public relations exercise?
The next 100 days is just as critical and we, civil society organisations (CSOs), want to throw the gauntlet down to Najib to extend his program of reform to all aspects of life in the country, especially in the critical sphere of good governance. We would like to announce civil society’s Key Performance Indicators for the Government that can strengthen the process of democratization in Malaysia.
A group of 10 organisations who initiated this call will hold a press conference on Friday, 10 July 2009 at 11am at the Main Auditorium, Level 1, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Jalan Maharajalela, KL. We cordially invite a journalist and photographer from your organisation to cover the press conference.
For more information, please call Chia Wei Loon at 012-6517 282 or Gayathry at 019-7257970 or read more about this HERE and HERE
Sponsoring Organisations:
Liau Kok Fah, Chairperson, Civil Right Committee, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (CRC-KLSCAH)
Gayathry Venkiteswaran, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
Dr Lim Teck Ghee, Executive Director, Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI)
Andrew Khoo, Convener, Civil Society Initiative for Parliamentary Reform (CSI@Parliament)
K, Arumugam, Coordinator, Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC)
Maria Chin Abdullah, Executive Director, Pusat Janadaya (Empower)
Zaid Kamaruddin, President, Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)
Haris Ibrahim, Convener, People’s Parliament
Tah Moon Hui, Coordinator, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram)
Wong Chin Huat, Chairperson, Writer Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)
The latest UMNO ‘foot in mouth’ case
Malaysianinsider reports today that
Before...
...& after
who must really be feeling the heat from all the attention being given to his RM24m? / RM3.5m? istana
in Shah Alam, blurted out what must be the worst possible justification for his grandiose abode.
“I am a former mentri besar, you don’t expect me to stay in a pondok”, he is reported to have said.
This ex-MB has forced upon himself this imperative comparison.
Yes, he still lives in this ‘pondok’.
Want a better view?
by Haris Ibrahim
The Talent, the Tragedy & the Triumph
By Martin Jalleh
You brought back magic into music, leaving an indelible imprint. You gave dance an indescribable grace and showed impeccable mastery of movement.
You merged music and video and brought about a MTV generation. You magnificently and incredibly blended and bridged arena rock, soul and pop.
You moved the world’s conscience with your humanitarian spirit and inspired us with your clarion call to care for the hungry, homeless, HIV/AIDS victims and those without hope.
You mesmerized peoples of all races, languages and cultures, in every country, instilling in them the message that what mattered most was love and mutual respect.
You were matchless – you were an original, creative, unique and magnetizing musician and artist.
You were a true troubadour who ruled and “thrilled” the world” and you were also a tortured soul and a troubled life with a tumultuous childhood.
You were the very “Man in the Mirror” who chased after a “Childhood” you never had. You craved to be Peter Pan, and clamored to be a child forever on Neverland.
You were extraordinary. You were enchanting, exciting, entertaining and enamoring and you were also notoriously eccentric and erratic.
You were the world’s greatest pop icon, and an inspiration to countless – and sadly you were also accused of ignoble deeds such as being a child predator and “dangerous” to the young.
You dared us to look at the “Man in the Mirror” – and you would also literally deface and deform what you saw in the mirror, with three decades of plastic surgeries.
You sang “We are the World”. You moonwalked all over the earth. But often you waked alone – like a lonely lost comet spinning out of control, a sullen solitary sorry sight.
You wanted to “heal the world” – you, a “wounded orphan”, a masked man with a “washed-out dream” and a weary worn-out soul of make-believe marriages, a King of pop finding peace in painkillers.
You were so free and yet so “addicted” to the adulation and adoration of your fans which in the end annihilated you. You were alienated from a normal life, a man of undisputed fame made to look like a freak.
You were a “beautiful boy” who tried so hard to bounce back and to “beat it” when you realized you were near-barren of creativity and bankruptcy. You were a blessed soul who died of a broken heart.
You were a superstar scarred. You were a very human hero – frail and flawed – and yet, the finest and “simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived”.
You were tainted talent with transcendent creativity – musical magnificence of immeasurable magnitude. Goodbye Michael Joseph Jackson. May God grant you peace.
We will remember you — a man who made HIStory.
(15 June 2009)
Malaysian unity, not ketuanan Melayu please
By Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP Life Advisor
WORLDWIDE SUPPORT BY A BILLION PEOPLE AT MICHAEL JACKSONS’S MEMORIAL SERVICES SHOWS THAT RACIALISM HAS NO PLACE IN THE NEW GLOBAL WORLD.
Michael Jackson was the ‘king of pop’ and his music and artistry won him accolades from the peoples of the world, old and young and of all races. He was a black American but to the people race was never a consideration, because of his creative art. This is a healthy development, and the lesson is that in a modern world there is no room for racialism or racial politics. The world recognises and praise the man because of the achievements and merits of the man, and not by the colour of his skin. This is a world trend.
THE WORLD TREND IS TO RECOGNISE THAT ALL RACES IN THE WORLD ARE EQUAL AND THERE SHOULD BE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND ASSEMBLY, RULE OF LAW, SECURITY AND PEACE, FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND DEMOCRACY
The correct way for Malaysia to progress and prosper is for Malaysians to unite and strive to be competitive through merit, transparency and discipline.
In recent days, there has been a revival of fears among the Malay community, that with globalisation and the victories of March 8th, 2008 for the opposition, their future is under threat. This provoked Umno to propose the concept of ketuanan Melayu, and they called for malays to unite as their political and economic future was under threat.
The fears also inspired the call for unity talks between Umno and Pas leaders to find solutions for the perceived predicament of the Malays.
It is fair for Malay Malaysians to strive for a rightful place in the country, and this goes for Chinese and Indian Malaysians as well. But calling for Malay unity and unity talks will not solve the problem of securing prosperity and progress.
History if full of examples where racial supremacy or ketuanan Melayu have fallen into disrepute and rejected by the people.
THE ARYAN RACE OF HITLER DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
Hitler wanted a greater Germany and propounded the doctrine of the Aryan race meaning the Germans. He considered the Jews to be outcasts and killed many of them – genocide. Hitler was proved wrong because Germany lost the war, and the Aryan race supremacy died with him.
In America, white supremacy was practised and blacks were imported to work as slaves in the plantations. But slavery was condemned by President Lincoln. He won the civil war and slavery was abolished. However, the blacks continued to be ostracised and mistreated especially by white supremists. The blacks persisted and continued their struggle to be equal with the whites. In the course of time, many blacks went into college and many have outshone themselves as research scientists, congressmen, artists, businesmen and world class athletes.
Tiger Woods is the greatest golf champion in the world. Michael Jackson died recently and memorial services were held around the world. CNN estimated that there were 1 billion mourners attended the memorial services.
But the event which marked the end of white supremacy in America was the election of Obama as the first black President of The United States of America .
Umno and all those who support the idea of ketuanan Melayu or Malay supremacy should learn from history. Follow the world trend towards equlity of races and freedom of expression and assembly.
The way to go is to the nation to follow a policy of Malaysians unite and work together as one people for progress and prosperity.
PM Najib Razak. This is one reform you should recommend as soon as possible. No more Malay supremacy. Just give us Malaysian unity.
Sujatha Suicide: Sujatha's Inquest Proceedings Almost Reach boiling Point
KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 (Bernama) -- The coroner presiding over the inquest of actress K. Sujatha's death had a difficult task ensuring the proceedings did not reach boiling point when Member of Parliament for Kapar S. Manikavasagam took the stand Thursday.
Coroner Mohd Faizi Che Abu at one point was forced to use his pen to tab the table several times to get the attention of the counsel representing Manikavasagam and Maika Holdings chief executive officer S. Vell Paari.
Coroner Mohd Faizi Che Abu at one point was forced to use his pen to tab the table several times to get the attention of the counsel representing Manikavasagam and Maika Holdings chief executive officer S. Vell Paari.
It came about after Vell Paari's counsel Datuk K. Kumaraendran vehemently argued that most parts of Manikavasagam's testimony were secondary evidence and hearsay.
He contended that the inquest should not give much weight to the MP's evidence since the witness himself had admitted that he did not have any personal knowledge or evidence on Sujatha's death.
This resulted in Manikavasagam's counsel N. Surendran objecting to Kumaraendran's contention, saying that Manikavasagan in fact was an interested party in the proceedings since he had lodged several police reports following two anonymous letters and three video compact discs (VCDs) regarding the case that were sent to him by unknown individuals or people who did not want their identities revealed.
When the exchange of words got out of hand, Mohd Faizi reminded Surendran of his earlier ruling that he and his co-counsel M. Manogaran were only allowed a watching brief and not questioning witnesses.
Mohd Faizi also made several rulings including that the court would not compel Manikavasagam to reveal the identity of a man who he claimed had handed over the 3rd VCD late last year, which allegedly contained the recording of funeral rites for Sujatha where Vell Paari and his father Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu had attended.
"This inquest is mainly to find out the cause of death and this VCD in my view is not relevant to the inquest," ruled Mohd Faizi.
The inquest was ordered following the death of the 28-year-old actress at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang on June 25, 2007, six days after her admission to allegedly drinking weed killer.
Earlier, questioned by deputy public prosecutor Geethan Ram Vincent who is assisting the coroner, Manikavasagam said he lodged a police report on July 27, 2007 after receiving two anonymous letters and two newspaper cuttings in Tamil which alleged there was foul play in the actress' death.
He said three days before his police report, an Indian man had contacted him via handphone claiming he had already posted two letters containing information on Sujatha's death and wanted him to pursue the matter with police.
"Even Sujatha's mother contacted me three months after my police report asking whether a post-mortem was conducted on Sujatha's body and when I told her there was none, she urged me to get justice for her daughter's death," claimed Manikavasagam.
Queried furter by Geethan whether the caller was indeed Sujatha's mother, Manikavasagam said he was convinced it was her since the woman had called from the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) office in Ipoh and had sought the assistance of a party member, R. Jenabala.
Asked by Kumaraendran why he had insisted that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan record his statement, Manikavasagam claimed that it was because there had been no investigations over his police reports and alleged that Sentul OCPD ACP K. Kumaran tried to cover up the case.
To a final question posed by Mohd Faizi whether he wanted to say anything further to assist the inquest, Manikavasagam said even though he did not have any personal knowledge on the cause of Sujatha's death, he still believed the actress was murdered.
The inquest continues tomorrow.
-- BERNAMA
*******
The Star
Kapar MP: Vell Paari behaved as if he lost his wife at Sujata’s funeral
By NURBAITI HAMDAN
KUALA LUMPUR: Maika Holdings chief executive officer S. Vell Paari had behaved “as if he had lost a wife” at the funeral of actress K. Sujatha, Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam told the Coroner’s Court.
Relating a video recording in his possession to coroner Mohd Faizi Che Abu, Manikavasagam, a witness in the inquest into Sujatha’s death, said he identified MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and his son, Vell Paari, attending the funeral, in the recording.
He said their spouses, however, were not in the video.
The video recording of the funeral, which was in one of three VCDs sent to Manikavasagam, was among the evidence highlighted at the inquest.
When asked what was the relevance of the video to Sujatha’s death, he replied: “His (Vell Paari) reaction at the funeral. It was as if he had lost a wife.”
To this, Vell Paari’s counsel Datuk K. Kumaraendran, objected and said it was merely Manikavasagam’s opinion and not a fact.
Manikavasagam said the third VCD was given to him last December by Sujatha’s friend in the entertainment industry.
The first two were posted to him anonymously, via Pos Ekspress in August, 2007.
When examined by deputy public prosecutor Geethan Ram Vincent, Manikavasagam said the first VCD contained pornographic material while the second VCD contained an unspecified video.
In replying to a question, Manikavasagam said both Vell Paari and Sujatha were not in the first two VCDs.
He agreed with Geethan that both VCDs had no relevance to Sujatha’s death.
Manikavasagam surrendered the first VCD to the Bukit Aman police headquarters and addressed it to the Inspector-General of Police.
However, the second VCD, which he did not bring to court, was still in his possession.
Geethan: Why didn’t you surrender the second VCD? Have you seen it?
Manikavasagam: Yes I have seen the video. I don’t want to surrender it because I want to see how this inquest turns out.
Geethan: Why?
Manikavasagam: I surrendered the first VCD. But no action was taken by the police.
During the cross-examination, Kumaraendran demanded that Manikavasagam reveal his source for the third VCD.
To this, N. Surendran, who represented Manikavasagam, stood up and objected.
“By revealing the source’s name, the person would be subjected to danger,” he said.
Mohd Faizi later ruled that the first two VCDs were of no relevance and Manikavasagam did not have to reveal his source for the third VCD.
The inquest continues Friday.
Kg Buah Pala developer upset over state govt's plan
PENANG, 9 July 2009: Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd, the developer of Kampung Buah Pala, is disappointed with the Penang state government's plan to invoke Section 116 of the National Land Code to prevent the company from carrying out the demolition of the village.
Its executive director, Thomas Chan, said today the company had in good faith agreed to the state government's request to extend the deadline from 2 June to 8 Aug for the purpose of negotiating and finding an amicable solution, but instead the state was taking action to stop the company from carrying out the project.
"It is regrettable that the state government has taken our good faith for granted and used it for other purposes," he said in a statement here today.
He said the Court of Appeal order dated 11 May was very clear in asking the residents to vacate the land by 11 June.
"The Court of Appeal order was upheld by the Federal Court on 24 June when the [residents'] application for leave to appeal was dismissed," he said.
Chan also said that Section 116 1(d) of the National Land Code did not apply to squatters and illegal structures.
He said the category of "building" in Section 116 1(d) of the National Land Code refers to buildings legally erected upon the date the land first became subject to the category.
"In our case, the provision is not applicable to illegal structures that have been built prior to alienation. It follows that in demolishing the illegal structures, consent of the appropriate authority is not a mandatory prerequisite," he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, in a separate statement, said the state executive meeting yesterday, which declassified the document relating to the chronology of the decisions made by the state executive council during the Barisan Nasional (BN)'s reign, proved beyond doubt that Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and the BN had robbed the villagers of their land without consulting them.
"After consulting and getting approval from the state legal adviser, the state government has decided to declassify and reveal the decision behind the BN state exco led by Koh in alienating the village to Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang Bhd," Lim said today.
The residents have been fighting in recent years to save their cattle-rearing village, dubbed Penang's High Chaparral, from being demolished to make way for development projects. — Bernama
Kerajaan Akui PPSMI Pincang dan Punyai Banyak Kelemahan
(video ehsan malaysiakinitv)
Akhirnya kerajaan mengakui hakikat kepincangan dasar PPSMI dan mengambil keputusan memansuhkan sepenuhnya perlaksanaan dasar itu mulai tahun 2011. Setelah sekian lama pejuang bahasa, budayawan dan sarjana menyatakan kebimbangan dan menyuarakan bantahan terhadap PPSMI, alhamdulillah keringat dan doa mereka dimakbulkan jua.
Saya tidak pasti keputusan tersebut didasari motif politik ataupun kerana menyedari PPSMI merupakan satu pengkhianatan kepada perjuangan memartabatkan bahasa kebangsaan dan merugikan ramai pelajar terutama dari kawasan luar bandar. Pastinya kenyataan Menteri Pelajaran bahawa dasar ini dimansuhkan kerana mempunyai banyak kelemahan memperlihatkan sikap tidak bertanggungjawab kerajaan umno-bn.
Sekonyong konyong mereka cuba menutup sebelah mata setelah RM 4.5 billion ringgit dana awam dibelanjakan demi perlaksanaan dasar tersebut walaupun mendapat bantahan segenap lapisan masyarakat. Keadilan tuntas menekankan selama ini bahawa satu kajian yang menyeluruh sewajarnya diadakan sebelum perlaksanaan PPSMI. Ternyata teguran yang diberikan masuk telingan kanan keluar telinga kiri.
Sayugia Menteri Pelajaran mestilah menyediakan jawapan yang kukuh dan bertanggungjawab untuk dibentangkan kelak. Rakyat berhak mengetahui mengapa selepas 6 tahun ianya dilaksanakan, baru kerajaan mengakui kelemahan dan kepincangan PPSMI.
ANWAR IBRAHIM
Govt Should Give Funding More Freely For R&D, Says Dr M
KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 (Bernama) -- The government should give funding more freely to industries or companies which have the potential to carry out research and development (R&D), said former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Such funding would encourage them to do more research in various fields, said Dr Mahathir in his speech at the launching of Iris Environmental Solutions here, Thursday night.
He added that although the government had allocated a lot of money to fund R&D, it should not expect instant results.
Meanwhile, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui, who launched the event, in a news conference later, said that the government would support any R&D project which had potential and would benefit the people.
"We should look at the project. If it has potential and has chance to succeed, I think we should support. We had to be liberal a bit," he said.
Earlier, in his speech, Peter Chin said it was very encouraging to note that companies such as Iris Corporation Berhad had taken the initiative to use renewable energy as part of their environment friendly solutions.
Iris new range of environmental solutions encompass clean potable water, food, heat, renewable energy and a cost efficient waste management system.
"It is my hope that we shall have more active participation of the private sector in the application of green technologies to improve their economic competitiveness as well as contribute toward a sustainable future for us all," he added.
Adakah CIMB yang cuba di lindungi Najib ?
By Chegubard,
Media heboh kononya Obama, Presiden Amerika menghubungi Najib melalui panggilan telefon, kononya begitulah penting Najib di mata Obama hingga apabila ada masalah Obama terpaksa hubungi Najib melalui panggilan telefon untuk berbincang.....sila klik sini untuk baca pembohongan tersebut.
Ini semua satu pembohongan. Semua terbongkar apabila 2 akhbar Korea berbahasa Inggeris mendedahkan mengenai bagaimana Amerika memberi amaran kepada Malaysia mengenai penglibatan bank Malaysia dalam transaksi senjata melibatkan Kerajaan Komunis Korea Utara dan Kerajaan Regim Junta Tentera di Myanmar.
Najib mungkin 'terkencing' ketika dihubungi Obama tetapi masih cuba menyelindungi bank Malaysia itu. Persoalanya kenapa Najib begitu bersungguh melindungi bank Malaysia itu..... Adakah Bank itu 'CIMB' yang kini dimiliki oleh adik kesayangannya Dato' Sri Nazir Razak... ?
Di bawah Abdullah Badawi, negara berisiko apabila SCOMI syarikat anaknya terlibat meraih keuntungan dengan terlibat dalam pembekalan alat senjata nuklear dengan rangkaian penganas dan ia dilindungi Abdullah. Kini nampaknya tidak jauh beza dengan Najib ? Apabila untung ratus juta keluarga Perdana Menteri sapu tetapi bila risiko rakyat tanggung ...! sila klik sini untuk baca lanjut mengenai transaksi senjata tersebut.
CIMB juga sebenarnya terlibat dalam memberi kontrak kepada sebuah syarikat komputer yang berpengkalan di Israel dimana syarikat tersebut terlibat secara lansung dalam persenjataan pertahanan Israel yang membunuh orang Palestin. sila klik sini untuk baca lanjut kaitan CIMB dengan kontrak RM250 juta sumbang untuk bunuh anak Palestin.
Media heboh kononya Obama, Presiden Amerika menghubungi Najib melalui panggilan telefon, kononya begitulah penting Najib di mata Obama hingga apabila ada masalah Obama terpaksa hubungi Najib melalui panggilan telefon untuk berbincang.....sila klik sini untuk baca pembohongan tersebut.
Ini semua satu pembohongan. Semua terbongkar apabila 2 akhbar Korea berbahasa Inggeris mendedahkan mengenai bagaimana Amerika memberi amaran kepada Malaysia mengenai penglibatan bank Malaysia dalam transaksi senjata melibatkan Kerajaan Komunis Korea Utara dan Kerajaan Regim Junta Tentera di Myanmar.
Najib mungkin 'terkencing' ketika dihubungi Obama tetapi masih cuba menyelindungi bank Malaysia itu. Persoalanya kenapa Najib begitu bersungguh melindungi bank Malaysia itu..... Adakah Bank itu 'CIMB' yang kini dimiliki oleh adik kesayangannya Dato' Sri Nazir Razak... ?
Di bawah Abdullah Badawi, negara berisiko apabila SCOMI syarikat anaknya terlibat meraih keuntungan dengan terlibat dalam pembekalan alat senjata nuklear dengan rangkaian penganas dan ia dilindungi Abdullah. Kini nampaknya tidak jauh beza dengan Najib ? Apabila untung ratus juta keluarga Perdana Menteri sapu tetapi bila risiko rakyat tanggung ...! sila klik sini untuk baca lanjut mengenai transaksi senjata tersebut.
CIMB juga sebenarnya terlibat dalam memberi kontrak kepada sebuah syarikat komputer yang berpengkalan di Israel dimana syarikat tersebut terlibat secara lansung dalam persenjataan pertahanan Israel yang membunuh orang Palestin. sila klik sini untuk baca lanjut kaitan CIMB dengan kontrak RM250 juta sumbang untuk bunuh anak Palestin.
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