New Delhi, India (CNN) -- In the good old days, Indians would wait for years for a telephone line to be installed in their homes and workplaces.
Until the early 1990s, a phone was seen as a luxury.
But today, India's vast underclass is almost as well connected as the rich in what is hailed as a telecom revolution that has delivered mobile telephony to nearly 600 million people in just a little over a decade.
The nation is now preparing for another giant leap into the digital world as it auctions off its airwaves for third-generation (3G) services to enable super-fast multimedia streaming on wireless networks.
Industry leaders Vodafone Essar, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Telecom and six other companies began bidding last week for slots in 22 zones -- called circles -- of India's telecom market.
The auction, with a reserve price of $787 million, is being held online on a secure Web site, according to officials.
The process is expected to run for days or weeks. The government has not set a closing date for the auction.
The government wants to award the 3G frequency space later this year, said Satyendra Prakash, a spokesman for the communications ministry.
Also, there will be a follow-up auction of broadband wireless access that has attracted 11 bidders, telecommunications officials say.
Analysts forecast that 3G systems will boost India's internet penetration with technology allowing quick access, data transfer and entertainment on mobile handsets.
India's online market has not kept pace with the country's booming mobile-phone business despite the country's image as an IT powerhouse.
Raj Pal, an adviser at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, says the nation had barely 15.24 million internet users in December last year. Among them were 7.82 million broadband subscribers, he added.
Independent surveys suggest about 71 million Indians claimed to have logged on in 2009, still a tiny fraction of the country's population of 1.2 billion.
Analysts now foresee another revolution ahead as the current second-generation (2G) mobile services are replaced by a successor.
"3G is going to do to the Internet in India what 2G did to mobile telephony," said Kunal Bajaj, India director of British-based consultancy firm Analysys Mason.
More than 130 countries already are using the third-generation platform, he said.
India has announced a program aimed at linking up all its 250,000 village councils by 2012 in a bid to plug massive broadband divides between rural and urban communities as the country emerges as one of the world's few growth markets.
Indians often complain of poor connectivity and abrupt termination of mobile calls. Bajaj explains that is because of signal congestion on cell-phone towers.
Experts believe 3G technology, for now, will be used to improve existing services on strained networks.
"The initial focus is expected to be on improving quality of calls," says Bajaj. "It will shift to multimedia application over a period of time," he adds.
HULU SELANGOR, April 13 (Bernama) -- MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu said Tuesday he is not distracted by speculations that the Barisan Nasional (BN) will not pick a candidate proposed by him or that the opposition is likely to field former minister Zaid Ibrahim in the Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election.
"I don't worry about what others say. My worry is only for the BN to win," he said when met at the Hulu Selangor MIC office here where he was discussing plans for the by-election with grassroot leaders.
The veteran politician said he had been working tirelessly in the constituency in the past two weeks to identify problems and take measures to solve them with the cooperation of all parties.
Asked on a statement by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday that the BN would field a local candidate for the by-election on April 25, Samy Vellu said everyone are local.
"It does not mean anything to me...everyone are local. I played a major part in doing work earlier than anyone else," said Samy Vellu who had proposed his deputy, Datuk G. Palanivel, a four-term MP who lost in the 2008 general election, as candidate.
The seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent MP Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad of Parti Keadilan Rakyat on March 25.
Muhyiddin's statement had raised speculation that MIC Youth deputy leader and Kerling Estate-born V. Mugilan would be the likely candidate, while MIC information chief P. Kamalanathan and MIC division deputy chief K. Balasundram's names had also cropped up.
On Zaid being PKR's likely candidate, he said it did not make any difference as the constituency of 65,000 voters need an MP who could serve the people.
"We are not fighting a person...we are fighting a party. He (Zaid) is a good man, but reputation is different from serving the people."
He said a candidate from the ruling government would be better off in serving the people here and a victory for the BN would transform the physical condition of the area.
"They (PKR) already had two years but nothing had moved. People here can see for themselves...they need a government that cares, need leaders who can plan their future and this can only be done by the BN," he said.
By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — The Selangor MIC today demanded the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership respect the party’s choice to field Datuk G. Palanivel in the Hulu Selangor by-election.
At a joint press conference attended by state MIC division chiefs, the leaders also slammed Umno for allegedly undermining the party’s choice.
“Since Barisan leadership had confirmed that the seat would be contested by MIC, the MIC president should be given the prerogative to nominate the candidate or candidates for the seat,” said Puchong MIC chief A. Saktivel who spoke on behalf of the leaders present.
“We are also unhappy that Umno is trying to dictate terms in deciding the candidate when it is the prerogative of the MIC and its president,” said Saktivel who is also an MIC supreme council member.
MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has backed his deputy Palanivel to represent BN in the April 25 by-election.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak had said that he would have the final say on the candidate selection.
Local Umno warlords are said to prefer Hulu Selangor MIC Youth chief V. Mugilan.
By Yow Hong Chieh -The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — PKR’s outspoken candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has asked Hulu Selangor voters to elect him on April 25, saying MIC has had 18 years there and voting them back is “like giving Mahathir another chance”.
The former law minister said the 64,500 voters should choose someone who understands their problems and also articulate their voice in Parliament.
“Enough is enough. How many times was that? It’s been 18 years. It’s like giving Mahathir another chance, for instance. You’ve had 22 years, that’s enough,” the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) ideologue told The Malaysian Insider in an interview yesterday.
Zaid waves to the crowd at Serendah community centre in Hulu Selangor where his candidacy was announced yesterday. - Picture by Choo Choy May
Yesterday evening, PKR and PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced his name to a cheering crowd in Serendah, saying the man who quit as a Cabinet minister to defend the people in 2008 will now help defend the Hulu Selangor electorate. The Hulu Selangor seat fell vacant after the death of PKR MP Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad, who ended MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel’s 18-year stint representing the sprawling federal seat the size of Malacca.
“MIC’s been at it for 18 years, so how many more years will you give them? Another 18 years before your problem is solved? There is no reason the people of Hulu Selangor should give MIC another term. You should try me lah,” Zaid said.
The Kelantan-born lawyer, who built his firm into the country’s largest partnership before entering the Cabinet in 2008, believed the voters understand what is at stake in Hulu Selangor.
“The stakes are very high. Firstly, do we want this country to continue to be ruled by BN, an administration that, in my opinion, not only has no respect for the law but one that will use any excuse to stay in power?
“Do we want BN to carry on like this, or do we want to make sure that the voice of the people is heard as well? If we want to the people’s voice to be heard in Parliament, we should vote for the opposition. That is the issue from the point of national politics,” he said.
Zaid also spoke on the local issues afflicting the semi-rural constituency, listing them out as abandoned housing, un-issued land grants, unprocessed land grant applications, joblessness and problems affecting the Felda settlements and estates in the area.
“As for local issues, it’s simple. Whoever they vote for must be able to solve their problems. MIC has been in power there for four terms, for 18 years. If the people of Hulu Selangor want to stick with MIC, they can pick MIC — that’s if they’re satisfied with MIC’s performance.
“But judging by the problems we see now, I think MIC has failed in Hulu Selangor. If we want to pick someone who has failed once more, I don’t know,” the maverick politician said.
In the interview, Zaid spoke of Barisan Nasional’s strategy to label him as an outside unable to relate to Hulu Selangor and the problems in the constituency.
“I know. And I wish to speak about orang luar (outsider) and dalam (local). That’s what people keep bringing up, right? It’s not a question of luar or dalam. It’s a question of whether or not the candidate knows the problems and can do something about it. That’s the question.
“I’ve lived in Selangor for 30 years now. Even though I was born in Kelantan, I’m a Selangor resident, so I’m not an orang luar,” he stressed.
The crowd thumping away for PKR's Hulu Selangor candidate Zaid last night. - Picture by Choo Choy May
Asked why he wanted to enter Parliament again after his last stint representing Umno, Zaid said simply, “I want to voice the desires of the people, the people’s desire to seek freedom, the people’s desire to seek better economic opportunities, a better economy and the desire of Felda settlers to have a better life. “I want to try to defend their positions and interests. I want to try to get land grants for those don’t own land and have asked for it, those who have been waiting for 20 years now. I want to fight for the rights of the Orang Asli, I want to fight for the Indians whose estates have been reduced or whose jobs have been terminated.
“There are many Indian youths looking for job opportunities. So I will try to convince the state of Selangor to bring investment, bring development, bring new industries so that we get more job opportunities. This is the job of the representative,” he said.
Zaid, who was elected as Kota Bharu MP for one term in 2004 before being dropped by Umno in Election 2008, said he just wanted to help the people just like a former Tumpat state assemblyman years ago.
“I remember one state assemblyman from Tumpat. This was many years ago. I mean, he got no job, no family, he’s just a full-time representative. He’s popular. He doesn’t want it, actually. Every time during elections he’ll say, “Enough, enough,” but the people just want him. And the reason I think is because he’s genuine. He really wants to help the people.
“That is my sort of role model. I hope one day the people of Hulu Selangor will see me as the people of Tumpat remember Che Lah. I mean, I would like the people of Hulu Selangor to remember me as a caring MP.
“I’m not interested in glamour-glamour, kompang-kompang, getting school kids to clap for me. There’s no need. I want people to remember me as a caring politician. The rakyat (people) lah; I don’t care if the others don’t like me,” he added.
By Neville Spykerman - The Malaysian InsiderSHAH ALAM, April 14 — Selangor government officials today welcomed news that Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand is now willing to testify at Teoh Beng Hock’s inquest.
“We welcome the news and we are taking steps to contact the Thai Ministry of Justice.” said one of the officials.
Pornthip had said on Sunday that she had come under “political pressure” from Putrajaya and would not testify at the inquest which is scheduled to resume on April 20.
However, she was reported today as saying that she would testify as long as she received a guarantee of her safety from the Malaysian government.
According to online news portal Malaysiakini, Pornthip wants an official guarantee from both the government and the Attorney-General's Chambers that she will have the “freedom to perform her professional duty as an independent witness."
However, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, A-G Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and even the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) have already announced that that she is welcome to testify and that her security would be guaranteed.
The 54-year-old pathologist, who is a civil servant attached to the Thai Justice Ministry, had earlier testified that Teoh's death was “80 per cent homicide” and contradicted earlier findings by local experts that his death was likely a suicide.
She claims to have been advised by authorities in her own country to cease participating in the inquest so as not to jeopardise ties between Thailand and Malaysia.
The Selangor government, who hired Pornthip as an independent witness, had hoped that she would be allowed to testify via video conferencing if she did not feel safe coming to Malaysia.
However, her latest about-turn now makes this unnecessary.
By Luke Rintod
KUALA LUMPUR: Several PKR supporters from Sabah are out to convince the Orang Asli in Hulu Selangor to throw their weight behind Pakatan Rakyat candidate Zaid Ibrahim, come election day on April 25.
In what is expected to be a tightly-run race between Zaid and the yet-to-be announced BN candidate, every vote matters and the Orang Asli community with its almost 2,000 votes cannot be ignored.
Led by Sabah and Sarawak PKR chairman Jeffrey Kitingan, a group of Sabahans arrived here yesterday to bolster support for Zaid.
Jeffrey, who has galvanised Sabahans with his call to stand up for their rights, will push his message to the Orang Asli voters.
The Kadazandusun leader had a series of meetings, including one with Orang Asli expert Colin Nicholas who briefed him on the situation of the native community in Hulu Selangor.
Jeffrey will also meet a group of Orang Asli leaders before heading for 17 settlements in Hulu Selangor for “conversations with his native brothers".
"I have a fair understanding of the situation in the Orang Asli community after Colin's briefing," said Jeffrey.
Colins has worked extensively with the Orang Asli community as well as natives in Sabah.
"In my assessment, the Orang Asli community has not been given due recognition. They have been marginalised on many fronts.
“No doubt, some assistance has been given but it has only made them overly dependent on the government, which the ruling elite loves to perpetuate," said Jeffrey.
In the last general election, PKR failed to make inroads into the Orang Asli community who reside in 17 settlements within the Hulu Selangor constituency. BN to name candidate tomorrow
The March 2008 general election gave PKR a razor-thin victory against BN veteran MP G Palanivel, who had held the seat since 1990.
Palanivel, who is MIC deputy president, lost to PKR’s Zainal Abidin Ahmad by 198 votes.
BN is expected to announce its candidate tomorrow. The Election Commission has set April 17 for nominations of candidates.
Mindful of the 2008 polls scenario in Hulu Selangor, Jeffrey and his group are aiming for a 100 percent support from the Orang Asli community.
It is also learnt that Jeffrey will be meeting Hindraf leaders today to hear out the Indian community's problems. They make up about 19 percent of electorate in Hulu Selangor.
"The community's problem in Hulu Selangor is but a reflection of the Indian condition nationwide, as has been highlighted by Hindraf even in London.
"We need to consider long-term solutions for them," he told FMT.
Hindraf has been highly critical of Pakatan and PKR in particular for failing to help the Indian community, which it says had fuelled the coalition’s win in Kedah, Penang and Selangor.
While admitting that he was not here to offer fast solutions, Jeffrey said he was optimistic that with political will, just like the natives in Sabah and Sarawak, problems can be resolved.
"This is about sending messages to policymakers, about electing a caring and action-orientated MP to Parliament," he said.
FMT ALERT KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s application to have Mohd Saiful Bukhari charged with qazaf (false allegations) in relation to his sodomy 2 trial to has been dismissed.
Syariah court judge Mohd Shukor Sabudin in dismissing Anwar’s call ruled that the application “frivolous” and an abuse of the Islamic justice system.
Anwar had filed the qazaf application on July 9, 2008 against Mohd Saiful for making "false allegations" against him in relation to alleged sodomy.
He then filed the application to compel the court to order the FT syariah prosecution department to take action against Mohd Saiful.
Anwar, 62, is facing a criminal trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court for allegedly sodomising Saiful, 24, at a condominium in Bukit Damansara on June 26, 2008. The trial is ongoing.
At the last hearing on March 10, the respondent’s - FT Syariah public prosecutor Shamsuddin Hussain, FT religious departments head Che Mat Che Ali and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (religious affairs) Jamil Khir Baharom – lawyer Zainal Rijal Abu Bakar gave three reasons as to why the qazaf application should be rejected.
The first concerned the affidavit which he claimed was flawed because it is based on a notice of application and not a summons.
The second was that the application excluded certain syariah requirements and therefore went against syariah law.
The third was whether it is in the court's jurisdiction to issue an order to prosecute Saiful Bukhari.
Said Zainal in court: “The question is not whether qazaf took place or not ..It is whether the court can issue this prosecution order or not".
By FMT STAFF
KUALA LUMPUR: In an interesting twist, Batu PKR parliamentarian Tian Chua said the Umno-Barisan Nasional government had paid international consultancy Apco Worldwide almost RM80 million and not RM28 million as stated by Minister in Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Aziz.
He said a written reply from the Prime Minister’s Department had indicated that total disbursements made to Apco was USD24 million.
“This contradicts with Minister Nazri (Aziz)’s comment in the MalaysianInsider report where he states that fee paid to Apco was RM28 million.
“If not for this written reply from the PM’s department we would never have known the figure,” Tian Chua said.
He described the RM80 million disbursement as too big an expense for Malaysia.
“How did they evaluate Apco Worldwide’s services. They paid them almost one billion ringgit.. or maybe they paid them more ..” Tian Chua said.
Apco Worldwide, has been in the spotlight, since Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim made an explosive disclosure in Parliament last month linking the consultancy to several known former Israeli leaders and its secret service.
Anwar had also alleged that the 1Malaysia concept mirrored the One Israel campaign held in the 1990s.
Apco had twice denied having worked with Israel.
However a Singapore Straits Times report earlier this month traced a document in the US Justice Department which confirmed Apco’s involvement in an Israeli housing project, which was funded by the US government.
Speaking to the media in the Parliament lobby yesterday Tian Chua said, the written response from the PM’s Department made no mention of 1Malaysia.
“We noticed there were two services that they were paid for. One was for public affairs and public government affairs and the second was strategic communication, public relations and press outreach, “ he said.
Tian Chua urged Umno-BN to cancel their wasteful contract with Apco and appoint a local consultant.
Baru-baru ini ketika berada di Pulau Pinang dalam rangkakerja biasa, saya menerima satu panggilan dari seorang rakan dari Sabah, Daniel John Jambun.
Daniel berada di dalam kumpulan reformasi di Sabah yang banyak membantu saya ketika berada di Sabah atas urusan bengkel atau apa sahaja program yang melibatkan perkembangan minda.
Beliau bersama teman-temannya Dr Nicholas Bawin, P. Waythayamoorty, Virenda Sharma telah bersama-sama dalam sebuah memorandum menulis mengenai rintihan rakyat Sabah dan harapan-harapan mereka di dalam melihat negeri itu makmur – social, politik dan ekonomi.
Pakar-pakar cendekiawan tersebut telah menyatakan kegusaran mereka dengan penindasan yang dialami oleh rakyat Sabah.
Sekiranya kita mengkaji sejarah, pasti Suruhanjaya Cobbold tidak asing lagi buat Sabah.
Sabah, sebagai sebuah negara bekas jajahan British mendapat hak kemerdekaan mereka pada Ogos 31, 1963 dan kemudiannya, pada September 16, 1963 ia bergabung dengan Malaya, Singapura dan Sarawak bagi menubuhkan Persekutuan Malaysia.
Sewaktu pemasyuran kemerdekaan, Tunku Abdul Rahman mengisytiharkan Sabah kini bebas dan tidak lagi menjadi sebahagian jajahan British. Rakyat Sabah pada waktu itu bergembira akan perisytiharan Sabah dan sudah tentu kemerdekaan sedemikian menjanjikan rezeki yang melimpah ruah bagi generasi mendatang.
Mini Filipina
Tetapi bukan senang Sabah hendak dimerdekakan dengan mudah, sebegitu rupa. Mungkin pertalian bersama Kerajaan British sudah pun berakhir. Namun, tanpa disedari penjajahan tertakluk pada anak pribumi sendiri dengan kuasa politik yang diberikan kepada mereka.
Berdasarkan kertas kerja ‘Human Rights and Citizenship: Its impact on Economics, Social and Cultural Rights,’ yang dibentangkan oleh Dr Chong Eng Leong semasa perbincangan meja bulat Suhakam pada Julai 31, 2006, lebih kurang separuh daripada populasi Sabah berjumlah 3.25 juta terdiri daripada orang asing.
Daripada jumlah tersebut, 750,000 merupakan pekerja asing yang tidak mempunyai dokumen ataupun dokumen perjalanan mahupun permit kerja.
Daripada jumlah 750,000 itu, 60,000 daripadanya dikategorikan sebagai pelarian dan kira-kira 153,000 hingga 418,000 sepatutnya diberikan permit kerja. Menurut laporan Chong Eng Leong juga, daripada jumlah 750,000 itu, seramai 600,000 sudah dikeluarkan MyKad di bawah ‘Projek Mahathir’ dan ada juga di antara mereka memperolehi dokumen palsu.
Perkara lain yang lebih serius daripada huraian di atas ialah apabila pendatang-pendatang ini ialah menggunakan mereka ini bagi didaftarkan sebagai pengundi yang sah.
Kategori utama dalam jenayah sebegini ialah melalui ‘Projek Mahathir’ yang dinyatakan. Malah, salah seorang saksi di dalam kes yang didengar di mahkamah mengakui memperolehi MyKad dengan mudah. Pengakuan tersebut tidak pernah dicabar mahupun dinafikan oleh mana-mana pihak pun, termasuk bekas Perdana Menteri ketika itu.
Kebanyakan mereka ini datang dari negara jiran, Filipina. Negara itu sehingga kini masih berusaha dan mempertikaikan hak mendapat milik Sabah.
Dengan jumlah pendatang-pendatang yang ada di Filipina sahaja, melalui penempatan-penempatan yang mereka bina di merata bandar dan kampung, tidak mustahil bagi negara itu mencapai hasrat mereka yang dipendam itu. Banding Singapura, Brunei
Sabah kini terkenal sebagai negeri tempat berlindung bagi pengganas-pengganas serta penculik-penculik tempatan mahupun antarabangsa.
Isu-isu ini memberi kesimpulan kepada persoalan: di manakah keselamatan yang dijanjikan oleh Bapa Kemerdekaan kita? Rakyat Sabah di peringkat awal dijajah British dan kemudiannya diarah memberi sokongan untuk bergabung dengan Tanah Melayu bagi menyelamatkan dari cekaman ‘Konfrontasi’ Indonesia dan tuntutan Filipina.
Lihat sahaja prestasi Singapura dan Brunei yang mengambil keputusan untuk keluar dari gabungan Malaysia – betapa maju negara-negara itu sekarang?
Dengan jumlah populasi rakyat asing yang membanjiri populasi rakyat tempatan di sesetengah tempat, tidak mustahil Sabah kini menjadi seolah sebuah negara asing.
Bekas pesuruhjaya Suhakam, Prof. Hamdan Adnan pernah mengakui hakikat ini dan menyatakan kebimbangan beliau bahawa tidak mustahil bagi Sabah, sekiranya tidak dibendung masalah pendatang asing ini, akan dijajah.
Peningkatan warganegara Sabah dengan mencanak sudah tentu bukannya dari insiden ‘baby boom’ selepas kemerdekaan seperti yang berlaku di Amerika Syarikat selepas Perang Dunia. Ianya berlaku akibat daripada ‘Projek Mahathir’.
Orang baru Sabah menjadi pengundi segera bersama teras janji-janji lain yang dicurahkan apabila mereka juga didaftarkan sebagai pengundi yang sah semasa pilihan raya.
Kadar kemiskinan 24.3%
Sebenarnya Sabah sebuah negeri yang kaya dengan sumber asli – petroleum, gas, pembalakan, baja, tanah pertanian dan potensi pelancongan.
Dengan populasi sejumlah tiga juta, Sabah sepatutnya menawarkan pelbagai ruang pembangunan dalam sektor-sektor yang dinyatakan. Tetapi, apa yang nyata ialah Sabah hari ini sebuah negeri termiskin (berdasarkan laporan Rancangan Malaysia).
Kayu-bayu balak ditebang secara rakus tanpa pengurusan pengelestarian yang cekap.
Lebih daripada lapan peratus pembangunan tanah pertanian bagi perladangan kelapa sawit dimiliki oleh syarikat dari Semenanjung Malaysia.
Sabah merupakan pegeluar sumber ketiga terbanyak di Malaysia, yang mana ia menghasilkan 60% daripada pengeluaran datangnya dari negeri itu iaitu kira-kira 73,000 tong sehari.
Persoalannya: Mengapakah Sabah menduduki antara tangga tertinggi dalam kadar kemiskinan rakyatnya? Adakah negeri itu tidak mendapat bahagian mereka daripada kekayaan tersebut atau menjadi mangsa kepada pengurusan yang salah atau kedua-duanya sekali?
UNDP (Program Pembangunan Negara Bersatu) meletakkan kadar kemiskinan Sabah pada 24.3% daripada jumlah populasi.
Sabah merupakan defisit bajet tertinggi negara iaitu sebanyak RM252.89 juta (2006). Dengan populasi seramai 3.25 juta, pendapatan per kapita mereka ialah RM9,536 berbanding dengan RM18,040 bagi Malaysia.
Petroleum dan gas pada awalnya menjadi milik kerajaan negeri sehingga 1976 bila mana Keajaan Persekutuan mengambil-alihnya melalui agensi kerajaan pusat, Petronas.
Situasi inilah yang dikatakan di belakang Tragedi ‘Double Six’ (kemalangan yang menimpa beberapa anggota cabinet Sabah termasuk Ketua Menterinya, Tun Fuad Stephens di Sembulan). Fuad dikatakan enggan menandatangani perjanjian hak pertroleum Sabah yang diadakan Labuan.
Sebaik sahaja pengebumian Fuad, Harris Salleh telah menandatangani perjanjian yang sama. Dengan termeterainya perjanjian, negeri itu hanya memperolehi 5% daripada pendapatan keseluruhan.
As sure as an orphan would want to know his parents, Sabahans want to and must know the truth as to what really happened on the 6th.June.1976.Was the death of Tun Fuad Stephens and his Cabinet members an accident or ‘accident’? Reliable sources claimed that the fatal Nomad Aircraft carrying Tun Fuad exploded in mid-air and dropped to the ground where a second explosion occurred. Why was the aircraft requested to circle and not given the green light to land?
Doesn't the Chief Minister of Sabah take precedence over everyone? Did the control tower inform the pilot to circle because an Air force Hercules C-130 was about to take off? Reliable sources also claim there was no Hercules C-130 on the tarmac that was ready to take off on that day.
In my earlier 2 articles in my blog on the oil royalty issue, we referred to information that was never made known to Sabahans. The revelation by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah that he was already strapped to his seat alongside Datuk Rahman Yaakub(Chief Minister of Sarawak) and a member of the Pahang Royalty and together with Tun Fuad and his Cabinet Ministers and later requested to disembark from the aircraft by Harris Salleh to visit a cattle farm in Kudat/Banggi is not only baffling but against any protocol- hence a huge can of worms has now open.
It is also tantamount to insubordination and an insult to the Chief Minister then, Tun Fuad. Harris Salleh in a recent press statement ( Daily Express dated 7th.April.2010 ) denounced this fact in what he claimed to be " grossly inaccurate and carried away with pleasantries ".
Was the visit to the cattle farm more important than the historical event that was going to take place - which was the signing of the petroleum agreement between the Sabah Government and the Federal Government/Petronas? Was visiting this cattle farm in the agenda of Razaleigh's visit? Who is now LYING ? The people of Sabah now demand to know the truth. Was this a " political assassination "?
Researching this event gave me the opportunity to come into contact with many Sabahans who are still till this very day angered by the events that took place on the 6th.June.1976.Was there a " BOMB " planted in the ill-fated Nomad Aircraft ? If a bomb did exist who planted it and under whose instruction?
And who is Lee Kang Yu ? It was reliably learnt that Lee Kang Yu was a trusted aid and trustee to Harris Salleh, who fled to Hong Kong where he later passed away. His thumb print had to be used for verification for withdrawal of assets before he could be laid to rest.
Did Lee Kang Yu plant a bomb in the Nomad Aircraft, and who gave the instruction? Among the first person to be at the crash site was senior information officer,TK Wong,who lived a few metres from the crash site.Ironically,the police arrived almost immediately and condoned off the entire area.No known report was submitted by the Information Department to the State Security Committee on the ill-fated crash,why?
In the purported conversation between Tengku Razaleigh and Tun Fuad Stephens, pursuant to the oil royalty, Ku Li had claimed that Tun Fuad had agreed to the 5% oil royalty as Sarawak had earlier also agreed to the 5% oil royalty.Sabah and Sarawak have over the years till this day have had a brotherly relationship.
Now Sarawakians should be asking,did Rahman Yaakub agree to the 5% oil royalty? On the morning of the 6th.June.1976,Tun Fuad and his Cabinet Ministers flew to Labuan with an objective to re-negotiate. Tun Fuad was in total disagreement to the 5% oil royalty hence he brought his Cabinet Ministers to say their piece to Tengku Razaleigh. Did Tun Fuad and his Cabinet inform Tengku Razaleigh that if the Federal Government did not agree to his demand for an increased share percentage for Sabah, he would publicly announce that he was going to pull Sabah out of Malaysia?
In the afternoon of Good Friday (2nd.April.2010) at my lunch interview with Tengku Razaleigh, I sensed a man that was just waiting to tell the truth, but decided to provide bits and pieces and allowing others to complete the jig-saw puzzle. On the evening of the same day, Tengku Razaleigh was no longer the same person I met earlier.
Was he threatened by anyone, group or enforcement agency? Tengku Razaleigh was supposed to deliver a talk on the Petroleum Development Act 1974 as well as the problems plaguing the oil producing states in Malaysia.
Why did Tengku Razaleigh bring up the matter of the plane crash on the 6th.June.1976?
Was he deliberately trying to tell the truth but not the whole truth?In the presence of about 1,000 odd people who were in attendance at the dialogue, Tengku Razaleigh clearly stated that he was all strapped up in the ill-fated Nomad Aircraft and ready to fly with Tun Fuad to Kota Kinabalu, until Harris Salleh boarded the aircraft and "invited" him to visit the cattle farm in Kudat/Banggi, which apparently was more important and took precedence over the signing of the oil royalty agreement.
Another interesting episode of the crash, was the inconsistent manner in which the Inquiry was conducted. The Magistrate concerned requested for a full re- investigation in "an open verdict" as reported in the newspapers but did the authorities re-investigate the crash ? Why not?Whose was the hidden hand that instructed the authorities NOT to re-investigate the crash? Perhaps the time has come for this Magistrate to appear and tell the truth.
Since the exposure of these new developments in my blog, a few political leaders have "suddenly" come out demanding for the case to be RE-OPENED. I applaud the daring stand taken by Datuk Yong Teck Lee and Dr.Jeffery Kitingan in demanding a new investigation on what actually happened on the 6th.June.1976.
What is mind boggling and beyond comprehension is the reversal of the stand of the Sabah State Government. Chief Minister, Musa Aman in a press statement(Daily Express, dated 7th.April.2010 ) said "the amount of allocation from the Federal Government pouring into Sabah is more important than discussing an increase in the oil royalty for the state ", " KL has been very generous with funds for Sabah”. He further added "to me ,what's important here is we don't talk about oil royalty".
My question to Musa Aman is, when did Sabah become so rich that our own resources are not important to discuss? Allow me to jerk the memory of our delusional Chief Minister. Sabah is currently the second poorest state in Malaysia and the oil in Sabah belongs to the people of Sabah. Are Chief Ministers required to take an oath of secrecy never to divulge the truth on what actually happened on the 6th.June.1976?
Oil is a gift from God to the people of Sabah, and ‘His’ name is not Musa Aman. Musa Aman's remarks, clearly proves that Tengku Razaleigh was probably not lying when he mentioned that NO SABAH CHIEF MINISTER had ever made any attempt to re-negotiate, request or demand from the Federal Government for a larger oil royalty stake for Sabah. Musa Aman has therefore insulted the intelligence of Sabahans and should do the honourable thing by resigning or better yet dissolving the entire assembly and call for fresh state elections.
Could history have changed for the better had Tun Fuad and his Cabinet Ministers not perished in that controversial crash? The truth must be told and the people of Sabah have every right to know the truth and no one has the right to say otherwise. I therefore urge the family members of Tun Fuad and his Cabinet Ministers to join and assist me as well as all right thinking Sabahans who till this day are devastated by the death of our warriors to demand for the truth to be told. The tears of many are still flowing, let us not remain persecuted by "cover- up's ".
“Truth Is The Remedy To All” said Guru Nanak, Sikhism’s revered founder and so - let the truth be told.
And, if made necessary through new facts and revelations, let’s correct and rewrite Our Sacred History.
Bila pelabuhan Melaka dan istana Sultan telah jatuh ketangan kuasa asing, secara teknikalnya Melaka telah dijajah.
Apabila Sultan Melaka telah hilang kuasa keatas sebahagian tanahnya kepada kuasa asing, lebih-lebih lagi pelabuhan yang menjadi sumber ekonominya, bermakna Sultan Melaka tidak lagi berkuasa secara total keatas tanah Melaka.
Ketika itu Sultan Melaka hidup dalam buangan, baginda tidak mempunyai kuasa di pusat pemerintahannya, dan jika ada utusan asing datang ke istana Melaka mencari Sultan Melaka, memang sia-sia saja.
Ini sebagai menjawab tulisan A Kadir Jasin (AKJ) yang seolah cuba lari dari realiti.
“Hanya pelabuhan Melaka dan sekitarnya saja yang jatuh ke tangan Portugis pada tahun 1511. Kerajaan Melayu Melaka dan negeri-negeri Melayu terus wujud sebagai pemerintahan berdaulat.”
Apakah maknanya “berdaulat” bila kuasa dan hasil mahsul negeri tidak lagi milik Sultan.
Apakah maknanya bila setiap negeri Tanah Melayu ada Residen Inggeris dan konco-konconya yang menguruskan pentadbiran harian, (day to day administration).
Sultan dan pembesar Melayu hanya berkuasa keatas soal ugama dan adat istiadat yang jelas tiada kepentingan ekonomi. Segala cukai dan pendapatan negeri terus masuk kedalam pentadbiran Residen.
Bukan kah itu maknanya “penjajahan”, atau mungkin AKJ ada definasi tersendiri fasal penjajahan.
AKJ harus mengajak orang Melayu hidup dalam kebenaran bukan penafian. Tun Mahathir (TDM) sendiri, selama memerintah 22 tahun, entah berpuluh kali malah ratusan kali mungkin, mengingat kan orang Melayu itu pernah dijajah beratus tahun.
”Istilah penjajahan adalah diayah Barat. Tetapi ia berkesan ke atas minda orang Melayu. Sampai hari ini pun, ramai orang Melayu, akibat tidak celik sejarah dan kompleks rendah diri, percaya Tanah Melayu dijajah.”
Sambung AKJ dalam blognya.
Perlembagan dengan jelas mempertahankan hak keistimewaan Raja Raja Melayu dan orang Melayu dan bumiputera. Bahasa, adat resam dan ugama juga telah termasuk. Tak ada apa yang perlu dirisaukan . Tidakkah AKJ dan orang Melayu amnya, dapat melihat perkara yang perlu dirisaukan ialah bukan nya survival orang Melayu ditanah Malaysia ini, atau nak lebih lebih “sedap” didengar, di Tanah Melayu ini, tetapi survival Melayu dikalangan bangsa-bangsa lain di dunia.
Secara jujur, orang Melayu untuk menyerlah sebagai satu unit atau organisasi amatlah sukar. Tetapi secara individu, boleh. Orang Melayu untuk menyerlah diatas kebolehan dan kapasiti individu memang boleh dan Malaysia pula tak boleh menyerlah hanya semata-mata atas kapasiti oang Melayu yang dibaluti dengan hak istimewanya.
Kontrak sosial, 13 May, DEB mahupun MEB yang terbaru ini, tidak lagi boleh dijaja untuk meneruskan polisi polisi perlindungan dan “affirmative action”. Apa yang diperlukan Melayu bukan perlindungan tetapi kesedaran dan motivasi yang betul.
Seorang kenalan saya yang terlibat dalam NGO seringkali pergi kekampung Melayu untuk program kemasyarakatan. Beliau bercerita pernah pergi kesatu penempatan Melayu yang amat menyedihkan di Pahang. Sedih kerana, penduduk kampung tersebut menerima bantuan yang banyak dari agensi kerajaan dan GLC. Rumah, tanah, infra tapi bila NGO ini sampai kesana mereka meminta-minta apa lagi bantuan yang belum disalurkan.
Tanah yang diberi tidak dikerjakan,dibiarkan sampah berlonggok dan infra yang ada tidak dijaga dengan baik. Masing-masing bertelagah sesama sendiri. Ahli politiknya pula hanya sibuk melihat kesempatan mana yang boleh diambil.
Lain pula ceritanya bila kenalan saya itu pergi kesebuah perkampungan Melayu di Johor, mungkin kerana susur keturunan yang berlainan, sikap dan penerimaan mereka sungguh berlainan. Mereka lebih pragmatik.
Seorang kenalan Cina saya beritahu, perbezaan antara peniaga Melayu dan Cina ialah, orang Melayu mencari jalan untuk mendapatkan kontrak dari kerajaan yang cuma menghabiskan duit kerajaan. Tetapi peniaga Cina mencari peluang baru untuk menambahkan kekayaan dan memberi pulangan pada kerajaan secara tak langsung.
Namun, kebanyakan peniaga Melayu yang nak menghabiskan duit simpanan kerajaan itu bukannya orang lain, mereka adalah orang-orang dalam lingkungan dan kitaran orang orang kerajaan dan politik pemerintah juga. Mereka ini mempunyai motivasi yang berlainan. Objektif mereka untuk mendapat wang secara mudah dan banyak.
Berbalik pada soal utama, jika orang Melayu hanya berfikir tentang kepentingan mereka di Tanah Melayu ini, mereka akan semakin tersepit dan terancam. Perkara yang lebih besar lagi kena fikir, kena fikirkan bagaimana Malaysia boleh “survive”, penglibatan Melayu dalam industri teras ekonomi. Bukan hanya bergantung dengan kontrak kerajaan saja. Bila masuk kepasaran terbuka global, istilah kontrak kerajaan sudah jadi istilah asing.
Tahun 70’an, ekonomi kita setara dengan Singapura. Taiwan dan Korea ketika itu, jika tak sama pun, bawah setakuk dari Malaysia, lebih tak mungkin.
Sekarang?? Berapa pendapata per kapita mereka. Berkali ganda dari kita.
Tapi yang peliknya, ada kalangan pemimpin politik, selalu membandingkan keadaan kehidupan kita dengan negara negara Afrika, yang banyak perang, pelarian, kebuluran. Rakyat pula diajak berterimakasih kerana kerajaan sekarang ini dapat mengelakkan musibah itu semua. Hey!!!.....mengapa nak bezakan negara kita dengan negara Afrika yang tak maju. Bila pula negara Afrika jadi “benchmark” kita. Kalau macam itu sampai bila pun tak maju.
Yang sedihnya, ada segelintir “hardcore” parti pemerintah yang kata negara kita ini dah cukup bagus kerana tiada kes kebuluran. Bagi Malaysia yang nak jadi negara maju lagi 10 tahun, isu kebuluran bukan lagi jadi perbandingan !!, tapi kualiti dan kos makanan yang jadi ukuran. Ikut peratusan, satu keluarga di Malaysia berbelanja untuk makanan lebih tinggi dari negara maju. Kos belanja makan kita mencecah 30%, manakala negara maju hanya antara 10-15% saja berbanding pendapatan.
Ini yang orang Melayu kena fikir, kena risaukan. Apa gunanya hanya gah di tanah sendiri, tapi ekonomi Malaysia langsung tak signifikan. Penguasaan ekonomi tak signifikan, siapa yang nak pandang. Siapa yang nak dengar cakap kita. Dulu Portugis, Belanda berlumba-lumba nak kan Melaka sebab Melaka menguasai sumber ekonomi terkaya di dunia. Tak ada sebab lain.
Dan bagi mereka yang tak celik sejarah (meminjam kata AKJ), pada peringkat awal, sebenarnya yang mentadbir Tanah Melayu semasa penjajahan Inggeris ialah British East India Company. Residen British dibayar gaji oleh mereka untuk menjaga kepentingan perniagaan mereka dan urusan PR dengan Sultan dan pembesar Melayu. Empayar British di England mendapat hak jajahan dan keuntungan dari cukai dan imbuhan. Begitu juga dengan Belanda dan Portugis. Biasa tak nampak batu bertulis di A’Famosa yang tertulis “VOC” (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie )Itu ialah singkatan kepada Syarikat Hindia Timur Bersatu, lebih dikenali sebagai Syarikat Hindia Timur Belanda. Modus operandi mereka sama saja dengan BEIC.
Atas kepentingan politik, orang Melayu telah dimanja dan didodoikan sejak puluhan tahun dulu. Atas kepentingan politik iu lah yang melemah jati diri Melayu. Betul, memang ramai jadi professional, ramai yang berjaya. Anak nelayan dan petani miskin jadi doktor, jurutera. Kejayaan sebegitu lah yang dilaungkan dan diperbesarkan sebagai kejayaan DEB. Dua puluh tahun dulu,laungan sebegitu memang relevan, tapi tidak lagi sekarang, keutamaannya sudah berubah. DEB atau apa jua jelmaan barunya itu sendiri yang sudah tak relevan.
Kejayaan individu memang terserlah, tetapi sebagai organisasi atau rumpun ia memerlukan lebih dari kejayaan individu.
Secara dasarnya apa yang disimpulkan oleh AKJ dalam pembentangannya itu memang sering disebut umum dan cuma tertinggal seruan supaya orang Melayu berfikir besar, dan diluar kotak . Jangan hanya fikir fasal hak istimewa yang menentang arus alam itu. “Think big ,think outside the box and think outside your world”
OPPOSITION Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must have a lot on his mind: his ongoing sodomy trial, the upcoming Hulu Selangor by-election, and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)'s loss of four parliamentarians earlier in 2010. But one other thing is surely preoccupying his thoughts: Israel. In fact, he is clearly bothered by two things Israeli: How Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia campaign employed a public relations firm, Apco Worldwide, that is also connected to the One Israel campaign; and The alleged existence of Israeli spies who have subverted the Malaysian police force.
Anwar says he is driven by a concern for national security, not anti-Semitism. At the same time, he says, "If we love our country, and we are supposedly Malay [Malaysians], then why should we sell our pride to the Israelis?" In fact, Anwar is so bugged by this assumed loss of pride that he has asked no less than the King to direct Najib's government to cease dealing with Apco Worldwide.
The Malaysian government hires an international public relations firm to bolster its credentials to the public. That firm has also been consulted by another government, Israel. For this, Anwar wants the monarchy to interfere with the executive? Does he even know the implications of this demand? How will it implicate the Malaysian constitutional monarchy, democratic checks and balances, and government transparency and accountability? Constitutional monarchy 101
Just to recap, here are some facts about Malaysia's constitutional monarchy:
Shad Faruqi According to constitutional expert Prof Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, ours is largely fashioned after the British model, but with "local adaptations". The current British constitutional monarchy evolved from a far less democratic absolute monarchy. The British monarch is now "bound by law and convention to remain above political parties and to refrain from intervening directly in government administration" (emphasis added). Although containing many "local adaptations", including guarding the privileges of Malay Malaysians and East Malaysian natives, and heading Islam in eight regions, the Malaysian system still ensures that the monarch's powers are non-discretionary. The monarch is the de jure head of state, and it is the prime minister who is the de facto head of government.
Therefore, in calling for the King to intervene in the Apco matter, Anwar is not upholding democratic checks and balances. He is, in fact, subverting the principles of a constitutional monarchy, which is part of the basis for our democracy. Historical facts
Perchance Anwar feels that the Malay rulers' historical track record will help uphold public interest and democracy. But if he feels this way, he would once again be wrong.
It was the Malay rulers who acquiesced to the formation of the Malayan Union in 1946. As a British colonial construct, the Malayan Union was vehemently opposed by diverse sectors of society, especially Malay groups that would eventually form Umno.
Datuk Onn Jaafar and Tunku
Abdul Rahman (Public domain) The motives of the various rulers who agreed to the Malayan Union is up for debate. Were they threatened by the British, or protecting their own vested interests? What is clear is that even Umno's own founder, Datuk Onn Jaafar, was dead against the rulers' decision. That is the context in which Onn's "Hidup Melayu!" cry became meaningful to the public — he said "Hidup Melayu!", not "Hidup raja-raja Melayu!"
It was Onn's successor in Umno, Tunku Abdul Rahman, who took a slightly different stance and said, "[At] all costs I want to avoid having a split with the rulers." In fact, Tunku, of royal lineage himself, organised processions in July 1954 to display loyalty to the rulers to encourage them to support the Alliance's policies. Not surprisingly, they in turn preferred Tunku to Onn.
So, if Anwar thinks he is appealing to a disinterested institution to overturn a perceived abuse by the executive, he is mistaken. Even before Merdeka, the monarchy demonstrated that it was only human, and had its own interests to consider. This is not to say that the monarchy has no constitutional role to play in contemporary Malaysian democracy; it's just that interfering in the executive should not be one of them.
Hence, one has to ask this question of our opposition leader, a self-professed democrat: By appealing to the monarch over the Apco issue, isn't Anwar actually saying he wants royalty to interfere in the running of this country? What kind of democrat would do that? One who is unclear on the concept of modern-day democracy? Or one who is merely pretending to be a democrat?
No matter, asking royalty to interfere in the running of the country smacks of feudalism. And feudalism, as we know, has no place in a vibrant democracy. Burden of proof
What is especially frustrating is that Anwar is doing nothing to advance debate and deliberation on something that he claims undermines national security. Here are some things to consider: Governments hire public relations firms all the time. Whether or not the Malaysian government hires a public relations firm that the Israeli government also hires is actually a red herring. What is relevant to the public is whether the firm is living up to its brand promise, since tax money is being used to pay Apco. Apco says it wants to "meet and extend industry best practice in all areas of ethics, integrity and social responsibility". So, if Anwar has a problem with its involvement in the 1Malaysia campaign, he has to tell Malaysians exactly what is unethical and irresponsible about the firm.
Has Apco helped the Malaysian government to lie or cover up abuses? If so, which ones, specifically? How, when and where did these happen? Does Apco have a track record of improving the image of democratically suspect governments around the world? Which governments? Using Apco's relationship with Israel as the clincher in his argument is, sadly, Israel/Jew-baiting. If Anwar insists on pointing out "similarities" between 1Malaysia and One Israel, he has to tell us also exactly how One Israel was a failure to the Zionist state, and how this failure is directly attributable to Apco. And then he is going to have to predict that 1Malaysia is going to fail us because of its connection with Apco, to make his claims hold water.
The only similarity between 1Malaysia and One Israel that should matter is if both campaigns have similar intentions and outcomes, not that they have similar ideas. Holding accountable
It's not like governments have not been held accountable before for embarking on dubious public relations strategies. After the 11 Sept 2001 terrorist attacks, Saudi Arabia engaged in a massive campaign to bolster its image, especially in the US. This campaign has been analysed in depth, and has proven to be a failure.
The Star of David, the symbol of Jewish
identity, is also associated with Israel
and Zionism (Public domain) But Anwar seems to be doing something else with the Apco issue. He's not trying to hold the 1Malaysia campaign under Najib's administration accountable. He's casting aspersions by using the emotive buttons of Israel and Zionism. Hence, this is likely Anwar's attempt to regain or bolster his credibility with the Malay Malaysian Muslim constituency.
Really, apart from telling us that a public relations campaign will not help an undemocratic government smell like roses, Anwar must provide substantiated proof about Apco's and Malaysia's "abuses" before crying wolf to the public and the King.
If he doesn't, then his "I'm not anti-Semitic" position should be little comfort to the rest of us. After all, intellectual dishonesty can't be a trait we want in our leaders, especially those who aspire to take over government.
The term of Datuk Wong Foon Meng as Senate President expires yesterday on the expiry of maximum of two terms totalling six years as Senator.
I understand that the new Senate President is going to be an Umno nominee, former MP for Kuala Pilah and currently President of Majlis Bekas Wakil Rakyat (Mubarak), Tan Sri Abu Zahar Datuk Nika Ujang.
As Wong’s predecessor, Tan Sri Dr. Hamid Pawanteh served two terms comprising six years as Senate President from July 2003 to July 2009, why the MCA leadership dare not ask for Senate President to be filled by MCA nominee for the rest of two years of four months after Wong Foon Meng’s mini-term of eight months so as to make a full term of three years?
This incidence showing the increasing irrelevance of MCA even in Barisan Nasional.
In the first place, why should the appointment of Senators and Senate President be parcelled out like “spoils of office” among the Barisan Nasional component parties, which is completely against both the letter and spirit of the Merdeka Constitution.
Article 45 (2) provides for the appointment of Senators who have “rendered distinguished public service or have achieved distinction in the professions, commerce, industry, agriculture, cultural activities or social service” – but the majority of the appointed Senators do not meet this billing or they are mostly party hacks from Barisan Nasional component parties who are appointed to the Senate because they cannot get into Parliament by election and have to come in through the backdoor.
It is a matter of concern that the new Senate President is the President of Mubarak who has become an ally of of the loud-mouth President of fringe, extremist and racist Perkasa.
When have the Mubarak members, who comprise former MPs and Assemblymen, given the mandate to Abu Zahar to be an ally of Perkasa, which is now putting pressure on Umno leadership?
From Hafizah Kamaruddin WASHINGTON, April 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia can withstand the tide of all forms of extremism and radicalism with good governance, transparency, a vibrant democracy, the empowerment of its citizen through education and economic growth with equity, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Tuesday night.
"We can face the challenges of preserving our hard-won independence and sovereignty," the prime minister said.
"We are One family. Malaysia is our home. We are 1Malaysia, where the people are given priority and performance is emphasisd. The thrust of 1Malaysia is People First, Performance Now," he said at the "Faces of 1Malaysia" gala dinner at the Mandarin Oriental here, which was also attended by United States policy makers.
Najib said Malaysia had also demonstrated that a Muslim country could be democractic, united, progressive, tolerant and economically competitive.
Meanwhile, Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, in his speech, said the Malaysian-American friendship had been enhanced to a higher plane by the gathering which had "drawn us together to foster a new level of friendship and understanding."
Rais, who is also acting foreign minister, said that if there was a spinal similarity between the two countries, it was the spinal role that multiracialism and multi-ethnicity played in shaping life in the past and the future.
"This duality of diversity between the peoples of Malaysia and the United States indeed buttresses our common values and best practices," he said.
Dr Rais said that although this is the first time Malaysia had brought direct elements of Malaysia to the American public, "nonetheless, we feel well disposed that Malaysian-American friendship is taking a truly positive turn."
"Needless to say, by understanding each other's culture we will further help the cordial bilateral relations that both countries have enjoyed."
The gala dinner was the second segment of the inaugural "Faces of 1Malaysia" cultural and handicraft festival being held in Washington in a move to provide the American people the opportunity to appreciate the harmony of talents of Malaysia's diverse community and its rich culture and arts.
The first segment was held over the weekend at the National Geograhic Society Building here.
The festival was organised by the Information Communication and Culture Ministry, its agencies, including the National Culture and Arts Department (JKKN), Istana Budaya, Akademi Seni Budaya and Warisan Kebangsaan and Kraftangan Malaysia, and also Tourism Malaysia, Sutra Dance Theatre and Permata Seni Muzik.
Semasa PRU ke 12 (2008) masih ingatkah kita apabila Najib Razak selaku Pengarah Pilihanraya Bn semasa melancarkan Manifesto Bn dengan selamba mengumumkan 'Minyak tidak akan naik tahun ini'..... pengumuman ini menjadi berita utama di semua media arus perdana. Malangnya selepas menang pada tahun 2008 sah minyak dinaikkan dengan nilai paling ' mencekik darah'.... Sah Bn menipu....
Di Rembau Bn menang dengan perbagai janji manis tapi sampai sekarang ... ermmm 'hampeh' semua tinggal janji.... malah mimpi penduduk sendayan nak tengok ahli parlimen mereka yang janji banyak kali nak sampai pun 'kencing'.......(sendayan dalam Parlimen Rembau)
Pada 11 April yang lalu dibawah pimpinan Sdr. Azizi (Timbalan Ketua AMK NS) dan team Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (dibawah pimpinan Saufi) telah menziarahi satu perkampungan Inida yang mengundi Bn pada PRK Bagan Pinang yang lalu kerana terpadaya janji kosong Bn.
kemarahan yg selama ini disimpan diluahkan dengan kata-kata amaran daripada sebahagian penduduk-penduduk kawasan estet yg terlibat.. inilah kawasan yg sepatutnya didirikan rumah PPRT utk penduduk estet yang dijanjikan selama lebih 10 tahun. keseluruhan kawasan adalah 15 ekar. yang menjadi persoalan adalah, selama 10 tahun siapakah yg mengambil hasil keuntungan jualan buah sawit itu dan terdapat menara celcom juga didirikan di atas tanah tersebut yang mana siapa yang menerima sewaan tapak menara itu yang dianggarkan sekitar rm 2000..??? wakil kaum india estet ladang siliau sedang memberi penjelasan dan bukti penipuan kerajaan BN terhadap penduduk-penduduk keempat empat estet dalam jajahan dun bagan pinang..
What do you think of our Najib’s New Economic Model? It has taken such a long time for the administration to realise that the present low-wage export-oriented model is not working.
The need for a new economic model was pointed out in this blog back in October 2008:
One of the larger issues that arises in the face of the global economic slowdown and recession is that the foreign investor-driven, export-oriented economic growth model is clearly not working, especially in times like this when global demand has shrunk. With global stagflation or recession staring at us, capacity is rising and the trickle of foreign investors is drying up.
We should be focusing more on building up a strong, resilient, sustainable domestic economy by providing basic services (housing, health care, food security, public transport, education) rather than relying on foreign investors and now, foreign retirees.
Is Najib’s new model the solution? There are some encouraging bits in it such as the focus on the bottom 40 per cent of the population and the need to improve skills in the workforce.
But quite clearly, the model and the prevailing mainstream economic thinking leaves much to be desired. For instance, instead of moving towards sustainable farming that empowers farmers, the focus remains very much on corporate agribusiness increasingly driven by control of seeds and supply of chemical pesticides and fertilisers. Instead of promoting accessible health care for all as a basic right, the emphasis seems to be on “medical tourism” and tired market-based solutions such as the Full-Paying Patients scheme. And then there is the Goods and Service Tax, which is still on the horizon.
I discussed Najib’s NEM in this piece I wrote for Asia Times:
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak recently unveiled his anticipated New Economic Model (NEM), a policy shift aimed at moving our export-oriented economy towards higher domestic incomes while coping with flagging foreign direct investment (FDI).
The proposals have met with skepticism from the opposition, which claims they don’t do enough to fight corruption and reform democratic institutions, and from a newly formed right-wing group that favors the economic status quo based on racial quotas.
Najib’s NEM pledges to undertake major reforms to create a more competitive domestic economy supported by a stronger public sector and knowledge-based infrastructure. The main target: to more than double per capita annual income by 2020 to $15,000 from the current US$7,000. Full article here.
Hulu S’gor: Anwar Ibrahim forces more racism upon UMNO, by announcing one of 5 Malay PKR candidates two days ahead of UMNO announcing an Indian candidate
PKR to announce Hulu Selangor by election candidate tonight (NST 13/4/2010 at page N 12). The five Malay muslim candidates are Dato Zaid Ibrahim, Syed Shahrir, Dr. Halili Rahmat, Nik Nazmi and Shamsul Iskandar.
Why is Anwar Ibrahim bent on filing only malay muslim candidates?
And now Anwar Ibrahim goes one step forward (read backwards) by announcing his Malay candidate tonite, two days ahead of UMNO’s announcements of their MIC Indian candidate.
By doing this, Anwar Ibrahim is playing his more than UMNO racist politics, or the worst of the UMNO in him is coming out by trying to force UMNO to change and also field a Malay candidate.
Whereas initially PKR had announced that they would only announce their candidate after UMNO does. But now they are doing so two days before UMNO. Why?
Our observation is that PKR have tried working the UMNO and malay ground to force UMNO to give the seat to a Malay candidate. Thereafter pockets of the local and other UMNO leaders were making media statements that they wanted an UMNO candidate.
But Prime Minister Najib in recognition of their time honoured power sharing formula stood firm and quickly announced that the a seat would be given to an MIC candidate.
And now this last minute attempt by Anwar Ibrahim to force UMNO to also name a a Malay candidate by his announcement two days ahead of BN’s announcement.
Now who is more racist? Anwar Ibrahim or UMNO? But when we point out this Anwar instead says Hindraf has a racist agenda. To us in so far as allocation of seats are concerned, UMNO has always been fairer to the Indians.
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice
They are not doing this with East- timor delegates but it is just piece of low class mentality that they want to show other. This country will appear as Pakistan , Sudan and Somalia one day.
New Delhi, India (CNN) -- In the good old days, Indians would wait for years for a telephone line to be installed in their homes and workplaces.
By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — The Selangor MIC today demanded the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership respect the party’s choice to field Datuk G. Palanivel in the Hulu Selangor by-election.
Sebenarnya Sabah sebuah negeri yang kaya dengan sumber asli – petroleum, gas, pembalakan, baja, tanah pertanian dan potensi pelancongan. 
How Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 
