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Tuesday, 15 June 2010

Keshvinder, Hamidah, Najib

MK:
Unlike those who defected from Pakatan before him, Keshvinder was not accompanied by any major personalities.
However, several bodyguards who surrounded Keshvinder told reporters that they worked for one “Hamidah”.
Hamidah? Hamidah Osman? Hamidah “jika jumpa India dan ular, hantam India dulu? Osman?
Goodness. The. Irony.
The other part I love:
His decision to quit DAP and support BN is ironical since he had complained to the authorities last year that he was offered RM20 million to defect, declare himself Independent and express support for BN.
He had claimed that the offers were made by various agents claiming to represent then Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
He also denied suggestions that he was paid to leave DAP and challenged detractors to inspect his bank accounts.
He adds that he has not been approached by any BN members, stressing that: “I am clean”.
:|
Yeah. I’m sure the standard Katak Technique is to TT directly to Katak’s bank account right? Probably using Maybank2u :P
Will keep reading news, from very far away.

BN moves to soften Umno’s image

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: Barisan Nasional has decided to go on a campaign to disprove the popular notion that Umno gets its way by bullying other members of the coalition into submission.

Billed as the 1BN Campaign, the project is being initiated in Penang. It was one of the major items on the agenda of a meeting this morning between Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Penang BN liaison committee members.

Those who attended the meeting included Penang BN chairman Koh Tsu Koon, Penang Gerakan chairman Teng Hock Nan and the leaders of other parties in the coalition.

Part of the strategy is to increase the number of BN-oriented programmes—as opposed to those promoting individual coalition partners—to convince Penang residents that BN is a power-sharing political entity that advocates equality and is committed to serving all citizens.

The campaign would be part of BN’s preparation for the next election, said Hilmi Yahaya, who is the secretary of Penang BN, chairman of Umno’s Balik Pulau division and the state assemblyman for Teluk Bahang.

“By organising more programmes on the BN platform, we should able to demonstrate the coalition’s unity and solidarity to Penangites,” he told newsmen after the meeting.

Like several other local Umno leaders, Hilmi believes that the 1BN programmes would show Penang residents that the party did not deserve its “big bully” label.

He claimed that Umno neither dominated coalition politics nor treated coalition partners as if it was their big brother.

“The truth is that Umno treats all BN partners as equal comrades in arms,” he said. “This is the message we want to give the people.”

If Umno was really the power-crazy big bully it had been made out to be, he argued, it could have opted to rule the country on its own after the 2004 general election, when it had the simple majority to do so.

“But we didn’t monopolise power because we acknowledged and respected the gentlemen’s agreement among coalition partners on power sharing,” he said.

Pakatan's political spins

Hilmi is confident that the 1BN programmes will correct Umno’s image.

“The programmes will demonstrate that BN is a united front with an unshakable power sharing concept,” he said.

He acknowledged that BN’s recent electoral reverses could be partly attributed to Umno’s image as the bully in the coalition.

Penang BN will also step up its information drive to counter what it calls “political spins” by Pakatan Rakyat.

At this morning’s meeting, Muhyiddin instructed state BN leaders to mount an information blitz so that people would be aware of the coalition’s successes in its pro-people programmes.

Penang Umno secretary Azhar Ibrahim, who was at the meeting, told reporters many Penang residents were unaware that the federal government had been paying out RM1.7 billion annually in salaries to teachers in vernacular Tamil and Chinese schools.

He took a swipe at the state government for “constantly spinning, twisting and turning issues based on falsehoods” to discredit BN.

“We must constantly reach out to the people as a united front to counter Pakatan’s political manipulation,” he said.

DAP state rep quits, becomes pro-BN independent

By Stephanie Sta Maria - Free Malaysia Today.

FULL REPORT SUBANG: Malim Nawar state assemblyman Keshvinder Singh today announced his resignation from DAP to become a Barisan Nasional-friendly independent.

At a press conference here, the lawyer-turned-politician said that he is also relinquishing all posts in DAP with immediate effect.

The first-term assemblyman attributed his decision to DAP and Pakatan Rakyat's politicking in Perak, which has "hindered" him from serving his constituency.

"I'm disappointed in their (Pakatan) leadership. I have more faith in the (BN) state government's ability to develop the state," he added.

“Since BN took over the state government (last year), DAP has gone haywire and its rivalry with the state government has rendered me helpless in serving my constituency,” he said.

“Furthermore, I have not received any support, monetary or otherwise, from DAP since taking this post. I cannot work with a party that doesn't back me.”

Impressed with the 1Malaysia concept


Keshvinder also shot down speculation of BN having a hand in his resignation but he pledged his support for Perak menteri besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.

"BN and Umno have nothing to do with this. I am leaving on my own accord and have no intentions of joining any other party," he said.

“I'm very impressed by the state government's leadership, especially that of the 1Malaysia concept which I believe will serve the best interest of the people,” he said.

“And I have come to realise that only the BN government is capable of bringing a brighter future to the people and I am extending my full cooperation to Zambry in the continuing development of Perak.”

“But I want to clearly state that neither BN or Umno had any part in my decision. I have come to this on my own accord and it is purely in the best interest of my constituents. I was not paid any money nor made any offers by any other party. I am clean.”

Keshvinder went on to express high hopes that his new position as an independent would reap the state government's assistance in carrying out his duties. He acknowledged that he needs the state government's support in resolving the many problems within his constituency and is hoping to schedule a meeting with Zambry soon.

Its for the sake of the constituents


He is also bracing himself for a backlash from his constituency but is confident of winning back their support once they understand his motive.

“It will take time for me to explain that this move is actually for them,” he admitted. “But I have to help them understand that I would never have been able to serve them as part of the opposition in Perak.”

Keshwinder's defection from Pakatan leaves the coalition with 27 seats in the 58-member state assembly. BN has 28 seats and there are now four independents.

In February 2009, PKR legislators Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu, and DAP’s Jelapang assemblyperson Hee Yit Fong had quit Pakatan to become BN-friendly independents.

Their defections caused the fall of the Pakatan state government, to be replaced by BN with Zambry as the new menteri besar.

Keshwinder's defection today came just as state Pakatan leaders were saying that there were disgruntled BN representatives in the state who were ready to defect to Pakatan. [Read: Nizar may yet get a lifeline from BN reps]

Keshvinder won the Malim Nawar state seat with a majority of 1,362 against MCA's Dr Chai Song Poh in the March 2008 general election.

Last year he claimed that he had rejected big financial offers and posts to quit Pakatan and said he would stay loyal to DAP.

HRP: Abolish tough, unfair STPM

(Malaysiakini)The Human Rights Party (HRP) wants the government the abolish the pre-university Sijil Pelajaran Tinggi Malaysia (STPM) examination and to standardise the process to be fair to all deserving students.

Some 50 HRP members gathered outside Parliament House today, also demanding that RM20 billion from the 2010 Budget be allocated for education.

They want RM10 billion for scholarships for high achievers and RM10 billion for study loans for students who score at least 7As at Sijil Pelaran Malaysia level.

"Education is the responsibility of the federal government. (The system now) is not fair because it is based on race, supremacy and segregation to what should rightly be needs based," said HRP chief P Uthayakumar.

He said students who opt for pre-university programmes offered by the government, such as STPM and the matriculation course, do not have equal opportunities.

"How can it be fair when we have different pre-university programmes? (Indian students) have to go through the tougher path of STPM without any guarantee of securing a place in the universities,” he said.

"Almost all Malay-Muslim students opt for the matriculation programmes. Almost all of over 40,000 places in the 11 matriculation colleges nationwide are reserved for Malay students (pursuing) the 10-month course, as opposed to the two-year STPM course.

"This has become a source of contention because matriculation students will enter university as year earlier compared to their STPM peers.”

Uthayakumar pointed to glaring differences between the two programmes, claiming that matriculation students have it easier because the “syllabus is watered down”.

"The disparities between the programmes don't end (at the marking criteria). It is a known fact that in critical courses offered by public universities - such as medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and law - almost 70 percent comprise matriculation students.”

Call for transparency

The government has allocated RM2.44 billion for 1,500 foreign and 10,500 local university scholarships through the Public Services Department.

However, said Uthayakumar, many have complained that they do not get scholarships despite scoring 13As.

"Our estimate is that a mere 0.1-1 percent of these 12,000 and other public university scholarships and matriculation places are granted to poor and underprivileged Indian students.”

In a memorandum handed to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's special aide Ghazali Ibrahim, HRP urged the government to be transparent in the selection process.

"We call for an end to this race segregationist- and supremacist-based higher education policy. All poor Indians, Orang Asli, Kadazan, Iban, Malay and Chinese students (must be) given the right to equal access to higher education.”

They also urged the premier to form a royal commission of inquiry to end "the 53-year-old race segregationist and supremacist higher education policy".

Attached to the memorandum were names of students who have been denied scholarships, together with a petition with more than 12,000 signatures.

Klang MP: MACC needs to investigate Felda

By Teoh El Sen - Free Malaysia Today,

PETALING JAYA: Klang MP Charles Santiago called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to initiate an urgent inquiry into the possibility of financial mismanagement in Federal Land Development Authority (Felda).
This follows an open letter written by former deputy minister of land and cooperatives Tan Kee Kwong to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, allegeing that Najib was 'destroying' Felda.
Felda is a government agency tasked with handling the resettlement of rural poor into newly developed areas.
"Felda was initially mooted to look into the resettlement of the poor into newly-developed areas as a way of alleviating rural poverty.
"Therefore, it simply cannot be turned into another money-making avenue for the ruling elite,” said Santiago in a statement today.
Santiago also called on MACC to make its findings public.
The DAP MP also questioned the role of Mohd Bakke Salleh, whom he said was previously Felda Group Holdings CEO, but has now been made the new CEO of the Sime Darby Group.
"Mohd Bakke is clearly Najib's 'man' as his appointment to the top job in Sime Darby was given the final nod by the premier," said Santiago.
"His job is to pull Sime Darby out of the financial mess (after a recorded loss of RM308.6 million) and refocus on the palm oil plantations and its downstream processing business.
"Mohd Bakke was appointed the CEO of Tabung Haji on Oct 8, 2001 from his position as a member of the pilgrimage fund's investment advisory panel," he added.
Depleting Felda cash reserves
Santiago said that in 2002 Tabung Haji was rocked by a financial scandal where the fund admitted it violated its own rule by giving over RM169 million to private fund managers.
"The fund managers lost at least RM65 million in high risk investments," he said.
Yesterday, Tan alleged that a 'five-star office' is to be built in KL at a cost of RM600 million by construction company NAZA TTDI, and that Felda had already paid 40 percent or RM230 million of that amount to the developers.
Santiago said this raised "questions about the unusually high deposit and the possibility of the project being abandoned half-way."
Former Gerakan leader and ex- Segambut MP, Tan, now a PKR member, said that Felda's cash reserves had declined by RM200 million from RM4.5 billion in 2004 and blames the premier's mismanagement for the loss.

Residents living in fear over sand mining works

By Zefry Dahalan - Free Malaysia Today
SEREMBAN: Do the authorities take safety into consideration before giving the green light for sand mining operations?
This is the question which arose when FMT visited a location in Temiang here after receiving a complaint from a resident.
The work, with heavy machineries, at the Temiang river is carried out just several metres from the houses and the residents fear for their lives.
According to resident Laila Malek, 52, the river bank has collapsed several times due to the sand mining operations.
"During a heavy downpour recently, part of the river bank on the opposite side collapsed due to sand mining activities.
"Now they are digging the river bank near my house, and I am worried that the same thing will happen and even cause my house to collapse,” she said.
Temiang state assemblyman Ng Chin Tsai told FMT that he had raised the issue in the state assembly in April.
He was told that a sand mining permit was issued to the contractor in March, and work is also being carried out since last year to deepen the river to overcome the problem of flooding in the area.
However, Ng said he was not aware that the sand mining operations were posing a danger to the residents there.
After visiting the site, the state assemblyman vowed to write a letter to the state government and file an official complaint on behalf of the residents.
'Don't wait for a tragedy to happen'
Meanwhile, Rembau PKR division chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin questioned the guildelines which are followed prior to issuing a permit to conduct sand mining works.
“When I visited the location, I was surprised how the authorities allowed such a risky operation,” he said, adding that the authorities should conduct regular checks instead of waiting for something tragic to happen before taking action.
“Please don't wait until the houses collapse or someone dies,” he told FMT.
Badrul also asked if an Enviromental Impact Assessment (EIA) was carried out before issuing the permit.
"Even if there is an EIA report, did they follow the specifications accordingly? I demand the state government to make public the status and content of the EIA report,” he said.
Despite numerous attempts, state Land and Mining Department officials could not be reached for comment.

Phasing out overseas PSD scholarship: MIC disagrees

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president S Samy Vellu has urged the government to reconsider the decision to phase out the awarding of Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships for overseas degree programmes.

Such an action, he said, will be unfair and unjust to students from poor families.

Apart from this, Samy Vellu also called on the government to allocate additional scholarships for non-bumiputeras, especially Indian students under the PSD scholarship overseas degree programme for this year.

“These bright students, especially from poor families will be denied of their dreams to pursue their studies at internationally-recognised universities worldwide.

“While I understand the financial constraints faced by the government, but with the government now giving priority to human capital development, it will only reverse the policy,” he said.

The MIC president was responding to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz who said that the government will phase out the 1,200 PSD scholarships for the ovearseas degree programme beginning next year.

Hundreds of complaints received

Samy Vellu said MIC has received hundreds of complaints from parents and students who lost their appeal for the PSD scholarship for the overseas degree programme.

“I hope the government will take into consideration the hardship being faced by the students and their families. The Indian community is unhappy with the present situation,” he added

If the situation is allowed to continue, Samy Vellu warned that it will only cost Barisan Nasional precious votes.

“I am confident that the government will make a wise decision,” he added.

Scholarship: Indian parents send memo to PM

By B Nantha Kumar - Free Malaysia Today,

FMT ALERT: KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Party today submitted a four-point memorandum to the Prime Minister calling for an immediate increase of Public Service Department (JPA)’s overall budget allocations for scholarships to RM10 billion for students obtaining 9As. Current PSD budget stands at RM2.4 billion a year.

The memorandum also called for another RM10 billion to be given out as loans for students who have secured 7As in their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exams.

The other two points in the memorandum called for the abolishment of the Sijil Pelajaran Tinggi Malaysia (STPM) and the introduction of matriculation exams instead for all races.

“We want the Prime Minister, Education Minister or the Higher Education Minister to meet with the Indian community within a week from now to address the scholarship issue or we will return to protest in front of the Parliament,” said HRP's pro-tem secretary general P Uthayakumar.

This morning about 100 parents of top Indian students gathered to protest at the Parliament. However their plans were thwarted by Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) barriers set up some 200 meters from the Parliament gates.

Last week the Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisations had said it will be organising peaceful rallies at various points around the country over the PSD’s cutback on scholarships for the non-Malay students.

The PSD had only set aside 134 scholarships for the Indians this year, a drop for the 600 earlier made available. This is because PSD had cutback on scholarships from 2,000 to 1,500 in view of the economic situation.

“We understand the economic situation and you have to reduce the scholarships but don’t use the non-Malay community as a scapegoat. It is unfair that they maintained the Malay quota for scholarships and slashed the non-Malay quota,” said federation president K Rajaratinam.

S'wak EC rapped over directive to Iban chiefs

By Roselind Jarrow - Free Malaysia Today

KUCHING: The Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) has slammed the Sarawak Election Commission director Takun Sunggah for his ignorance over Iban customs.

Association president Sidi Munan said Sunggah was wrong to say that the longhouse chiefs had the right to accept or reject visitors including political voters canvassing for votes during the election campaign.

Describing the Iban ‘adat’, or custom, as one of absolute hospitality, he said: “Sunggah’s remarks can be regarded as interfering with the Iban ‘adat’ in allowing or disallowing visitors to come to a longhouse during election times.

“There is no such thing in the Iban custom. Iban customs is inviting and hospitable.“

He said Sunggah was sending out the wrong signal’s to the longhouses when he issued such a statement.

“Coming from an official of the election commission, it will be regarded as an official statement from the government,” said Munan, who was alluding to Sunggah’s comments in a local daily following the Sibu-by-election.

The EC has been riddled with controversy involving its handling of the postal votes and its not so subtle directive to longhouses in the constituency.

Election campaigners from opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat were reportedly shocked and surprised when several longhouses had denied them entry but allowed BN vehicles and canvassers.

'They even feed your dog'

A specific case in point was during voting day in Tanjung Penusu when BN vehicles were allowed in and opposition's were out of bounds.

“Not all the people in the longhouse support the BN. There are I am sure, others who are supporters of the opposition,” said Munan.

Meanwhile a posting in a popular blog Sarawak Indigenious News Community has also slammed Sunggah for his directive.

Posing him with a question, the blog read: “Does he know that the Iban is about the only race in the world to say “stay and eat first” on meeting someone for the first time? They even feed your dog.

“This is how deep the respect Ibans have for visitors. Never in their sane mind would they shoo away visitors.”

The writer said Sunggah’s unprecedented message was a clear indication that the BN was prepared to divide and rule over the Ibans.

“Who cares whether the Iban remains united in their cocoon longhouse. What matters most is that the BN must win, at the expense of Iban disintegration,” the writer added sarcastically.

The cycle of despair

By Ken Vin Lek and G Vinod - Free Malaysia Today,


FMT FOCUS PETALING JAYA: With 10 years to go before Malaysia becomes a developed nation, life for the urban poor has remained the same as it was when Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced Vision 2020 nearly 20 years ago.
They continue to struggle for their daily bread and to suffer the heartbreak of knowing that life will not get any better for their children because there is not enough money to educate them.
A FMT team recently did a Najib-style walkabout of Petaling Jaya to see how differently the poor and the rich lived and to talk to some from each group.
The story of a factory worker can serve as the typical narrative of a poor urban dweller. Having little or no education, he could not choose his job; the job chose him. He started in 1981 with a salary of RM200. A couple of years later, he got married, and soon the children started coming until there were four.
Now, 30 years later, the salary has about tripled—to RM650. He has no savings after working hard all of his adult life. There is a hefty bill for his recent heart bypass surgery and he has no idea how to find the money to settle it. He cannot depend on his children; they have not been able to find jobs because of their limited education.
Amalina Sufian, 21 years old and an employee of a local convenience store, has had no chance to pursue a tertiary education because she needs to make a living. She now earns RM800 a month, more than a third of which goes to groceries.
On the other hand, Nathan Periasamy, 20-years-old and the son of a wealthy businessman, is pursuing medicine at a prestigious university in Britain. He has never had to sweat it out for money. His father pays for his expenses, which sometimes amount to RM3,000 a month.
Amalina and Nathan studied equally hard in school. The difference is that Amalina had no money and was therefore deprived of the opportunities open to Nathan.
Over the years, our government has been announcing consistent increases in our per capita GDP and congratulating itself. The current figure is RM24,661. But FMT talked to taxi drivers, hawkers and security guards in Petaling Jaya Selatan and found that they make hardly a third of that amount.
Surprisingly, in 2009, the United Nations Development Programme reported that the incidence of poverty in Malaysia stood at an estimated 3.8 percent.
The government sets the poverty line at RM500 per month for a family of four. Anyone who knows anything about the cost of living knows that this is outrageously unrealistic. The rental for a three-room apartment in the poorer sections of Petaling Jaya, for instance, can be as high RM1,000 a month. That is about 60 percent of the monthly income of many of the residents interviewed by FMT.
A group of factory workers suggested that in order to just survive, a household would require a monthly income of RM1,750.
What would you pay for a shirt?
We did a random survey in Kuala Lumpur to find out how much a person was willing to spend for a new shirt.
There were dramatic differences in the figures given by people of different levels of income. A middle-income earner would pay nearly twice the amount a low-income earner would pay, but a high-income earner would pay about three times the middle-income earner would.
Ramasamy Periasamy, a 74-year-old florist, said he would pay at most RM10 for a shirt because what he earned was not even enough for him to survive for a month.
“I earn about RM350 a month by selling flowers,” he said. “Of course I get some money from my children, but I definitely have to be thrifty and cannot buy unecessary items.”
Malaysia and Singapore have the worst Gini Coefficient (a measure of wealth inequality) in Asean. Malaysia’s Gini is 46:1 and Singapore’s is 48.1.
According to the World Bank, the highest 10 percent of income earners in Malaysia hold 37.9 percent of the country’s wealth while the bottom 10 percent hold a meagre 1.8 percent.
Malaysia’s Department of Statistics reports that more than half of Malaysian households earn a monthly income of less than RM3,000.
When it comes to savings, the average person with a high income would save close to RM12,000 a month compared to a meagre RM200 for lower income earners.
Lee Boon Chai, 54, is employed as the general manager of a company and takes home about RM25,000 a month. He sends his child to a private school for RM12,000 a year, enrols him for tennis lessons costing RM300 a week and pays for his entertainment expenses. Lee saves about RM5,000 a month.
In comparison, Tan Heng Meng, a 46-year-old school teacher, gets only RM2,800 per month and has to take on the extra job of food catering to earn enough for her family of seven.
“Life has not been easy,” she said. “I have three children and two parents to look after. My pay has not gone up much since I started working in 1983.
“When times were better, I could afford to send my two daughters for piano lessons, but as it stands now, I cannot even pay for a quality tertiary education for my child even though she received an offer from King’s College in London to pursue law.”
MP for Petaling Jaya Utara, Tony Pua, has pointed out that poverty no longer exists in one race only and measures taken to fight poverty should transcend race and focus on the lowest income earners.
“The gap between the rich and poor within the bumiputra race has widened over the years even though the New Economic Policy was meant to do the exact opposite,” he said.
Stamping out poverty has been a key agenda in almost every economic model presented by the Malaysian government since independence from Britain. The recently announced 10th Malaysia Plan addresses the need to improve the quality of life for the poorest 40 percent of Malaysians.
Pua called for measures to ensure that funds meant to help the poor do not fall into the wrong hands as has happened in previous administrations.

Teacher shortage barrier to mother tongue education, says Dr M

Dr Mahathir says it is the duty of the government to provide teachers. — File pic
KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Putrajaya must fulfil its duty and provide teachers for Mandarin and Tamil lessons first before deciding if the two languages should be compulsory subjects in schools, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

“What needs to be compulsory is to have teachers,” the spry 84-year-old told reporters today, joining the national debate over the two vernacular languages.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Education Minister, said on Sunday that the government was contemplating making the two mother tongues compulsory in national schools to ease interaction among Malaysia’s multi-racial students who are increasingly being segregated from an early age.

But Dr Mahathir appeared to view the proposal as putting the cart before the horse.

He noted that the previous policy where the two languages were introduced as elective subjects in national schools had failed to be carried out due to the lack of manpower.

“It is very difficult to provide teachers,” he said, adding that the government needed to resolve the staffing issue first before making any amendments to the education policy.

“It is the duty of the government to provide teachers,” Dr Mahathir stressed.

The elderly politician blamed the shortage of teachers in Mandarin, especially, on the disinterest among the ethnic Chinese community to enter the civil service.

“As you know, they prefer to go into business,” he quipped.

“Indians, I think, will join the government,” he said, but noted that the economic value of being adept in Tamil is “different” compared to Mandarin.

The majority of Malaysia’s ethnic Indian community are from the southern state of Tamil Nadu in the Asian sub-continent where Tamil is the common tongue.

Dr Mahathir pointed out the difference was because of China’s increasing weight in the world economy.

Perak PR tells possible defectors to seek for dissolution, not jump

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Perak Pakatan Rakyat leaders today asserted that they were against defections as a method to recapture the state government, stressing instead that disgruntled Barisan Nasional assemblymen should seek for state dissolution.
Former Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin confirmed talk that several Umno assemblymen had approached him with their grievances but claimed that the Perak PR would not repeat the coup launched by its foes in the BN last year.

“We in the Perak PR welcome those who are unhappy with Umno-BN or with (Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr) Zambry’s (Abd Kadir) leadership.

“We urge them to go ahead if they are unhappy, and inform their leadership of their unhappiness and then urge or request Zambry to table a no-confidence motion in the state assembly,” Nizar (picture) said.

The Perak PR’s stand, however, appears to go against that of its national partners. After Election 2008, PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim himself had revealed his infamous Sept 16 plan where he claimed that the fledgling coalition would take over the Putrajaya administrative capital through a spate of defections by Umno MPs.

Nizar, the Bukit Gantang MP, would not, however, identify the names of the purported Umno assemblymen, explaining that this was a part of a strategy.

The Perak PKR had recently released a statement claiming that three Umno assemblymen would soon defect, citing reasons that they were unhappy with Zambry’s leadership.

Zambry has since denied the claim.

Going bankrupt: One government, two views

Gan Pei Ling | The Nut Graph
“If the government continues at the rate of 12% [debt growth] per annum, Malaysia could go bankrupt in 2019 with total debts amounting to RM1,158 billion.”

MINISTER in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala, on the need for the government to cut subsidies on fuel, food, toll, health and education, as well as reduce its mounting debt to prevent Malaysia from becoming bankrupt, like Greece, by 2019. He said national debt is currently at 54% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Idris, who is chief executive officer of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), said Malaysia is one of the most subsidised countries in the world. He said in 2009, government subsidies amounted to RM74 billion, or RM12,900 per household, while the deficit increased to RM47 billion. (Source: Idris Jala: Malaysia must cut subsidies, debt by 2019 or risk bankruptcy, The Star, 27 May 2010)

“[Withdrawing subsidies should] be judiciously implemented; less it may cost a government. Idris may win the battle (cut subsidies) but will lose the war (general election). From the violent reaction, I suspect Idris will be more tactful and politically sensitive in future.
“[Idris] should have 100% confidence in the current government that it won’t allow the country to go bankrupt. It has an excellent track record in effectively and efficiently managing it for the last 53 years.”
Umno senator Datuk Akbar Ali, responding to Idris in a press statement. Akbar said Idris might not have given a comprehensive assessment of the situation. He also said the country’s economic structure was much stronger than it was in the 1980s, and that the country had adequate national savings. The government also has plans to increase revenue, such as through introducing the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Another senator, Dr Awang Adek Hussein, who is also a deputy finance minister, said Malaysia would not go bankrupt in 2019 even if the subsidies continued. Other Umno politicians including Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and former Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Shahrir Samad also dismissed Idris’s prediction as a mere “scare tactic” to convince the people that the government needed to slash subsidies. (Source: Malaysia: Subsidies or bankruptcy?, The Malay Mail, 2 June 2010)
“To be clear, I said we could go bankrupt IF, and I repeat the word IF, we continue with the same trend as in the past 10 years … All economists make assumptions and I did not say Malaysia will go bankrupt without qualifying it with certain assumptions … Unfortunately, some of the reports about Pemandu’s bankruptcy projections did not state these assumptions and therefore can be taken out of context.”
Idris, responding to the backlash from both Umno and the Pakatan Rakyat for his bankruptcy prediction. He said his statement had been taken out of context. The assumptions that he felt had not been considered were continued average GDP growth of 3% yearly; continued increase in deficit; and continued debt growth of 12% yearly. According to Idris, these factors have been trends for the past 10 years.
However, the Treasury said in a briefing for the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club on 8 June 2010 that the government only spent RM18.6 billion on subsidies in 2009, and not RM74 billion as Pemandu, or Idris, had claimed. (Source: No let-up in war against graft, The Star, 3 June 2010)
“[T]he Treasury is looking strictly from their angle and their own budgeting concern. But the Pemandu lab looked at the overall picture. So, both are right in their own contexts.”
Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, defending the Pemandu findings. Koh is also Pemandu chairperson. He said the Treasury’s RM18.6 billion figure only refers to direct subsidies, while Pemandu’s RM74 billion includes all indirect subsidies and from all public sources. (Source: Tsu Koon defends Pemandu’s subsidy data, The Malaysian Insider, 9 June 2010)

Hiring of disabled not catching on in most government dept

The New Straits Times

IPOH: Only six government agencies have achieved the target set by the Public Service Department to have at least one per cent of their workforce consisting of disabled people.

The policy had come into force on April 1, 2008.

The target is roughly 4,000 or one per cent of about 400,000 civil servants working in ministries and departments by 2012. The figure, however, does not include the armed forces, enforcement and professional sectors.

According to the director of the Department for the Development of Persons with Disabilities, Norani Mohd Hashim, only 581 disabled people had been employed by the civil service since the PSD circular was issued two years ago.

Stressing that the circular applied equally to all government departments at federal and state levels, she said the Social Welfare Department (JKM) would increase efforts to help the disabled land jobs by helping the departments in the recruitment and placement process.

The Department for the Development of Persons with Disabilities comes under the purview of the JKM, which is in the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.

"The current figure is quite low, considering the fact that the circular was issued more than two years ago. Only six agencies have complied with the requirement.

"Our aim is to ensure that the target is met by every government department by 2012. That means hitting the 4,000 mark in two years' time -- certainly not an easy mission when we look at the present figures," she said on the sidelines of a seminar on "Accessibility of Amenities and Buildings by Persons with Disabilities" here yesterday.

When asked to disclose the names of the six agencies, Rohani said one of them was JKM, adding that the names of the other agencies would be revealed soon by the ministry.

Alleged celebrity sex tape shocks modest Indonesia

Indonesian singer Nazril "Ariel" Ilham and Luna Maya 
walk together in Jakarta last July.Indonesian singer Nazril "Ariel" Ilham and Luna Maya walk together in Jakarta last July

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- Police in Indonesia were on Monday investigating video clips that allegedly show three celebrities taking part in sex acts. The images, spreading online and via cellphones, have shocked the modest Muslim nation.

Following police raids on Internet cafes and schools where the videos may have been viewed, the scandal has also sparked concerns over freedom of speech and attempts to punish immorality.

One of the videos allegedly features pop singer Nazril Ilham, better known as Ariel, with his girlfriend Luna Maya, a model and TV journalist who interviewed Hillary Clinton on her show "Dahsyat" during the U.S. secretary of state's visit to Indonesia last year.

Another video allegedly shows sex scenes between Ariel and Cut Tari, a soap opera star and TV journalist.

All three celebrities have publicly denied appearing in the tapes, saying the people in the footage just looked like them. They could not be reached for further comment.

Police have launched an inquiry over possible breaches of the anti-pornography law, which can be punishable by 12 years in prison. Ariel and Maya were questioned at a Jakarta police station Friday while Tari was questioned separately on Monday, police spokesman Marwoto Futowijoyo said. So far, no one has been charged in the case.

I used to think that Ariel was a good, talented person, (but) I was shocked to see the video.

"We are coordinating with experts and the Ministry of Information to determine who uploaded the video. We will also begin to remove the online links to the video," said Zainuri, deputy spokesman for the national police.

There are questions about what will happen next for the celebrities.

Ariel has delayed the release of a new album by his band Peterpan as the scandal shows no sign of abating.

Ariel and Maya were featured in an advertisement for Lux soap, but the campaign has since been wound down. However the company did not specifically point to the scandal.

The first video surfaced last week on several Web sites and went viral through social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. On Tuesday, after the release of the second video allegedly featuring Ariel and Tari, the term "Ariel Peterporn," a spin on the singer's name and his band, became a top trending topic on Twitter.

The videos have sparked protests by conservative Islamic groups and others around the country condemning the celebrities.

Two office workers in central Jakarta told CNN they felt let down by the allegations. One worker, Anindita Oei, said: "I used to think that Ariel was a good, talented person, (but) I was shocked to see the video. Now I feel like he's not a good public figure."

Diah Ayu Sitoresmi said: "I was a fan of Ariel, I used to think that he looked cool, mysterious. Now I just see him like any other misbehaving superstar, and I think from an Eastern culture point of view, videotaping sex scenes is unacceptable and stupid."

The popularity of the videos has also sparked concerns among parents. "Even if I'm confident that my children will not change their moral value if they were exposed to the video, I'm putting precautions in place, such as activating a parental lock on my home computer," said mother-of-three Dian Estey.

The information ministry said it was helping police in the effort to trace the person or persons who uploaded the videos, adding that although officials had no plan for a nationwide Internet censorship move, this was still possible.

Meanwhile, raids on Internet cafes and the search of student cellphones at schools -- both confirmed by police -- have raised fears among defenders of free speech.

"The spread of this video is very worrying, especially if the government or the information minister try to use it to implement a ministerial regulation on new media content," the chairman of the Alliance of Independent Journalists, Nezar Patria, told the New York Times.

"It's kind of a test, not only of how far the anti-pornography law can be used, but also a test of how the instruments of the government respond to content that wasn't around five years ago."

Italy and Paraguay share spoils

Daniele De Rossi of Italy celebrates scoring

Holders Italy opened their 2010 FIFA World Cup™ campaign with a 1-1 draw against Paraguay in Group F on a rainy evening at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town.

Antolin Alcaraz shocked the Gemany 2006 champions in the 39th minute to open the scoring, while Italy’s Daniel De Rossi took advantage of some unconvincing goalkeeping by veteran Justo Villar to equalise just after the hour mark. New Zealand and Slovakia play the group’s other opening match tomorrow in Rustenburg.

The two teams were well-organised in the early stages despite the difficult conditions and neither could fashion a chance of note in the opening of the match. In the 22nd minute, however, the South Americans showed they would be dangerous on the break, finding Aureliano Torres all alone on the edge of the box. But the defender failed to hit his shot cleanly and Gianluigi Buffon let it run wide as Italian supporters held their breath.

Italy threatened shortly after as young midfielder Claudio Marchisio swung in a nicely flighted corner, but Cristian Riveros was first to it, stretching smartly to clear over his own crossbar with striker Vincenzo Iaquinta lurking.

Paraguay were again quickest from a dead ball situation six minutes before the break to open the scoring. Torres sent in a lovely free-kick, and defender Alcatraz cut in front of Daniel De Rossi and rose higher than Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro to thump a header past the stranded Buffon.

At half-time the Squadra Azzurri got more bad news as Buffon retired hurt for Federico Marchetti, who won just his sixth cap between the sticks. But the four-time FIFA World Cup winners began stronger after the restart, and an unmarked Simone Pepe might have scored at the far post from Gianluca Zambrotta’s cross, but he could not connect with an ambitious overhead kick.

Pepe had another chance in the same spot just minutes later, but Villar caught it just in front of the charging Italian. However, the keeper was keft completely stranded in the 63rd minute when he came out to collect Pepe’s corner, only to miss the ball and watch helplessly as De Rossi flicked it simply into the empty net.

The momentum swung solidly in Italy’s favour after that, but Villar came up strongly for the South Americans. First, he claimed the ball well in front of Iaquinta from a similar looking corner to the one he missed, and then in the 80th minute, he held Pepe’s low shot in front of the eager Italian attack. And he continued his redemption three minutes later, as he saved to his right to claimRiccardo Montolivo’s long but skipping shot.

Italy next play New Zealand on Sunday in Nelspruit, while Paraguay take on Slovakia the same day in Mangaung/Bloemfontein.

Honda creates history for Japan

Keisuke Honda of Japan (#18) celebrates scoring

Japan recorded their first FIFA World Cup™ win on foreign soil after Keisuke Honda's 39th-minute strike proved enough to down Cameroon at the Free State Stadium.

Honda's decisive contribution was handsome reward for Japan coach Takeshi Okada's gamble to deploy the CSKA Moscow midfielder in a central attacking role in an attempt to remedy his team's lack of goals. The Japanese, without a clean sheet in their warm-up matches, then frustrated Cameroon at the other end, surviving a late scare when the woodwork denied Stephane Mbia.

With the victory – their first in an opening game – Japan joined the Netherlands on three points at the top of Group E, while Cameroon's second match against Denmark, the day's other losers, assumes do-or-die dimensions.

The match began with a surprise in the Cameroon starting lineup with Mbia asked to fill in at right-back, his usual holding role in the middle going to Joel Matip. It was Cameroon's left-back Benoit Assou who was busier, though, with most of Japan's forward movement coming down their right side through Daisuke Matsui.

The Grenoble-based midfielder was the creator of Honda's winning goal when, after several crosses that came to nothing, he finally got his angles right and swung over a high ball which evaded the Cameroon defenders and fell at the far post to Honda. The CSKA Moscow man needed one touch to control the ball before steering it coolly past Hamidou Souleymanou.

Ironically Honda's strike came just moments after Cameroon had a shooting chance at the other end, when Eric Choupo Moting played a ball back to Enyong Enah but his low effort from the edge of the box went straight at Eiji Kawashima. There had been little end product up to then from the west Africans, despite their greater share of possession.

Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon's captain, had a quiet half, although the couple of occasions he did get on the ball brought the promise something might happen. The constant noise inside the stadium rose several notches when the Inter Milan forward delivered an early scare for Japan's defence after eight minutes, freeing Pierre Webo on the right side of the penalty box but his intended cutback to Choupo Moting was cleared.

Eto'o produced a flash of brilliance shortly after the restart when he span away from three blue shirts by the corner flag and teed up Choupo Moting for a shot that sailed over the far post. Cameroon were pushing Japan back and as night began to fall, and the temperature with it, coach Paul Le Guen looked to increase the pressure by sending on a fourth forward, Achille Emana, in place of Matip in the 63rd minute.

Webo got through but was offside, another Cameroon forward – Mahamadou Idrissou – entered the fray but still Japan absorbed the pressure. Indeed they might have had a second when Makoto Hasebe drew a low save from Souleymanou; substitute Shiniji Okazaki put the follow-up against the post but was offside. At the other end Mbia drove a shot against the crossbar but Japan – eight years to the day since their last FIFA World Cup victory – held on.

Danes no match for Dutch

John Heitinga of the Netherlands runs to the Dutch team as they celebrate
A Daniel Agger own goal and Dirk Kuyt’s late winner earned the Netherlands a deserved 2-0 win over Denmark at Johannesburg’s Soccer City as the Dutch took an early lead in Group E and stretched their long unbeaten run.

Oranje coach Bert van Marwijk had sprung a pre-match surprise with the inclusion of Arjen Robben as a substitute and the early stages could certainly have done with the Bayern Munich winger’s pace and trickery. With Soccer City bathed in afternoon sunshine, the players took some time to establish the expected tempo, and the best efforts of a tight opening 20 minutes came through two hugely ambitious and off-target free-kicks from Wesley Sneijder and Thomas Enevoldsen.

Neither side were doing themselves justice at this stage but, of the two, it was the Netherlands who were displaying the greater attacking intent, with Rafael van der Vaart proving a lively deputy for the sidelined Robben. Twice in as many minutes midway through the half, the Real Madrid midfielder turned neatly on the edge of the box to fashion scoring opportunities, but on each occasion was unable to find the target.

Thomas Sorensen, fit again after suffering a dislocated elbow, endured a heart-stopping moment shortly after when he fumbled a tame-looking Dirk Kuyt shot only to recover the ball at the second attempt. The Dutch would have been worthy of a goal at this stage, but their failure to convert territorial dominance into goals threatened to cost them dearly as half-time approached.

The warning signs had been there when, with 28 minutes played, Nicklas Bendtner found space at the back post to head wastefully wide from a measured Dennis Rommedahl cross. Rommedahl himself tried his luck soon after, firing straight at Maarten Stekelenburg at the end of a lightning Danish break, while Thomas Kahlenberg provided the best effort of the half with a flashing left-foot shot that forced a terrific save from the Dutch No1.

However, it is not for nothing that Van Marwijk’s side came into this match on a record 19-match unbeaten sequence, and they took a deserved lead within a minute of the second half commencing. Robin van Persie was the goal’s architect, beating Sorensen to a through ball before curling over an inviting cross which Simon Poulsen, in his attempts to clear, headed across goal, but crucially against the back of Agger and into the net.

The Danes nearly self-destructed again four minutes later when a misplaced pass allowed Van Persie a clear sight of goal, but the Arsenal forward hesitated and Sorensen smothered bravely. Van der Vaart then came close an early contender for goal of the tournament with an audacious flick matched only in quality by Sorensen’s agile save, while Sneijder rattled the crossbar with a deflected 25-yard shot.

The Dutch were not to be denied, however, and their continued superiority was rewarded with five minutes remaining when Dirk Kuyt slotted home from close range after substitute Eljero Elia’s initial effort had struck the post. The bounce of the ball had again favoured the Oranje, but there could be no Danish complaints about a result that is sure to enhance their Group E rivals’ standing as genuine FIFA World Cup™ contenders.

Anwar dicabar bukti dakwaan MP ditawar RM2j

Yusmadi objecting him being denied to question Najib

SPM 13As: (UMNO) “Discrimination at highest level against innocent children” says Dr.Vimal Menon from United Kingdom supports HRP’s Project 15/38.


hrp flag Dear Mr Uthayakumar,
It was a pleasure to speak to you over the phone today. It must have been God’s grace, as I decided to try out the number on your website (Human Rights Party website) at the spur of the moment and didn’t expect to speak to the very man himself. I have great respect and admiration for the work you do.
Since our conversation I have had a chance to read your book entitled `Malaysian Indian Political Empowerment Strategy – The Way Forward’ through the party website and again I am really impressed by your noble cause and struggle. I am particularly impressed and very much interested in participating in your quest to capture 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats in the next general elections. Your method and logic in achieving this figure and the means to achieving it is certainly inspiring, and more importantly, doable, if we Indians unite and follow the steps that you have outlined. I am certainly more than happy to be registered in one of those 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats, so that my vote will count, the HRP party will win in these areas, and with it change WILL come for us Indians.
Below is the email I sent originally to the info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com address but had bounced back, regarding the issue of JPA scholarships and public university places being denied to our bright high achieving Indian students. I wish you all the best on the 15th of June when you hand over the petition to our dear PM at parliament. Although unable to attend physically, I will be with you and your supporters in spirit.
I will no doubt be keeping myself updated with future events and news through your website and the power of the Internet.
Kind regards,
Vimal.
Dear Sir/Madam,

I read with great interest the gross injustice faced by our young, aspiring and brilliant Indian students who have been denied their basic human rights to pursue their education, despite obtaining excellent results in the SPM examinations.

This is not a new phenomenon. It happens year in and year out. Why do our brilliant students have to plead and repeatedly appeal their cases when it is their right to pursue their education especially since they are more than qualified having obtained excellent results? This is discrimination at the highest level against innocent children, who just want to be treated fairly and serve this country loyally as doctors, lawyers and other professionals. The government keeps talking about 1 Malaysia, meritocracy, preventing brain drain etc, but this is all just lip service and hypocrisy to get votes. Enough is enough, this blatant form of discrimination MUST stop. Morally and ethically this practice is plain wrong, even a 5 year old child will tell you this. I am surprised why nothing more has been done to address this issue in the past as it really is a form of apartheid against the minority Indian community in Malaysia. I can see no other motive of the present racist government other than preventing bright Indian students from low and middle class families to better themselves socio-ecomomically through educational advancement, by preventing these brilliant and deserving students from continuing their education and pursuing their dreams. We are not asking for the sky and mountain, just our basic human rights of pursuing our education. By doing so we are not `robbing’ others of their opportunities, nor are we questioning the special rights of the Malays (which in itself is wrong, but I shall not address this issue here), we are simply asking for our basic human rights.

I salute those in the Human Rights Party for highlighting the plight of these brilliant students. Through the power of the Internet I hope our plight will be made known wider not just in Malaysia, but across the world. Let the whole world know about the gross injustice that is happening in Malaysia, and the intellectual persecution of our bright young Indian minds.
I can really relate to these young students. I went through a similar situation after completing my SPM. That was back in 1993. Despite obtaining excellent results and coming state second, I was denied a scholarship. Only after appealing and through some `political string pulling’, I finally managed to get a scholarship. Since then I had lost faith in the government and the whole system in Malaysia. I now reside and work overseas in Britain. Year in and year out I keep reading similar stories. Over the years not much has changed really. I keep saying to myself one day I might return, but only if there is change. But unless the present UMNO led government changes, I doubt real change can ever happen.
I find hope in the HRP and HINDRAF’s aspirations and struggles. I fully support your cause but feel limited in what I can contribute, other than expressing my views in this email. I fully support the signature campaign to highlight the plight of these students to the UMNO government. I will keep reading your website for any developments and hope through your intervention these students will be rewarded justly for all their hard work. As I said, they are not asking for the sky and mountain, just their basic human right to continue education.
It is time we take control of our future in our own hands. Enough is enough. If the government still refuses to listen and suppress our rights just because we are a minority, we really need to take this further. Please continue your good work and you have my 100% support in this just cause. I am in no way a racist, I am just fighting for justice, and helping to right what is blatantly wrong. It is as usual UMNO that turns everything into the race card for political gain.
Kind regards,
Vimal.
Malaysian living in the UK.

Photos: HINDRAF & HRP Selangor team on the move on Signature Campaign

HINDRAF & HRP supporters went all out to cater massive signature from the Indians to submit to the PM on Tue 15/06/2010 in parliament as to demand the injustices towards the Indian SPM students who denied Matriculation and JPA scholarship. And also Royal Commission of Enquiry to stop discrimination against top Indian students by UMNO led government.
HINDRAF & HRP Petition to PM.Najib Razak on Indian students denied JPA scholarships, Matriculation & University especially in critical courses and Royal Commission of Enquiry to stop such UMNO’s racial discrimination. “Abolish STPM 1 Pre-U 1Malaysia”
Sign our Petition here: http://www.hrp-my.org/sign-our-petition/
Please download, circulate and return to us by fax 03 22825245, email info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com or post asp.
S.JAYATHAS
Information Chief
Image076 Image071 Image078 Image079 Signature Campaign at Sentosa

UMNO: All PSD scholarships channeled through MARA from next year to avoid giving to Indian poor (See NST headlines 14/6/2010).


“The 1,500 scholarships offered by the Public Service Department (PSD) for undergraduate studies overseas will be phased out from the next year says UMNO Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz.
This is the very same UMNO Minister who in 2008 had blatantly replied to Chong Eng, MP for Bukit Mertajam in Parliament, that the list of JPA scholarship recipients will not be made public.
This only goes to show UMNO’s blatant racist and supremacist discrimination, especially against Article 8 (Equality before the Law) and Article 12 (no discrimination in Education) of the Federal Constitution.
Prime Minister Najib Razak does an insincere move to come to Little India on Saturday (12/6/10) and that too made “pledges” of RM 15,000 to 50 top students to “tactically” divert attention away from the real issue, ie., granting JPA, MARA, Petronas, PNB, TNB, TMB, Khazanah, Shell, 13 Yayaysan Negeri and scores of other top and high achieving students, especially poor Indian students. Also to divert attention away from the denying places in public Universities and Matriculation places, especially to these poor Indian students. The 200,000 places in University UITM is solely and exclusively for only Malay muslim.
Even overseas muslim students are allowed but not a single fifth and even sixth generation Malaysian born especially poor Indian students are given entry.
And in today’s New Straits Times 14/6/10 at page 6, the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin screams “DPM: help all, not just a single race” and “The people want Barisan Nasional to fight for all Malaysians and not just the Malays alone. The DPM also talks about “political transformation “to benefit the people” (read almost all malay muslims).
“Cakap tak serupa bikin” or “reciting thevaram but demolishes Sivan temple” are the most appropriate proverbs to describe this UMNO DPM.
The writing on the wall is very clear by the statements and the reverse actions, the latest being these poor high achieving Indian  students.
And the supposedly “multi-racial” PKR, DAP and PAS would not bother filing an Emergency  Motion, like for Gaza, Aminulrasyid and Teoh Beng Hock. Simply because the victims are the inconsequential Malaysian Indian children. Insufficient political mileage and/or they fear losing the Malay muslim votes by championing these poor Indian students.
Our forward moving plan now is due to no other alternative; we have to create the political clout by creating 15 and 38 Indian majority Parliamentary and State seats, and fighting our own political battle via HRP’s Project 15/38.
End STPM
One Malaysia
One Matriculation
P. Uthayakumar


SPM: 3 Rules how P.M Najib cheats top Indian students.


(See NST 13/6/10 at page 10).
“Proper implementation, coordination and execution are needed to ensure that Malaysia can compete globally, said  Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib yesterday.”
“When I took over as the prime minister last year. I decided to build a new Malaysia in the spirit of OneMalaysia, where we are united and the best of each community is combined. This would enable each Malaysian, irrespective of the ethnic background, to realize his or her maximum potential”.
“Having policies alone is not enough as what is more important is proper implementation, coordination and execution so that the people can benefit from the programmes.”
This is what all five previous UMNO Prime Ministers have been saying in the last 53 years and then cheated the Indian students.
See the wayang kulit theatric picture of how Najib bows down apparently giving a listening ear this young top Indian student in the NST colour picture, prominently placed.
Thereafter PM Najib will pull the carpet under this and thousands of other students feet and deny them the JPA, Mara, TNB, TMB, Khazanah, Sime darby, 13 Yayasan, Petronas, etc, scholarships, PTPTN loans and University and Marticulation entry, especially in critical courses. Prime Minister Najib Razak and UMNO has thrown sand into the future of thousands of poor Indian students.
And the Indian know this. After the 25th November 2007 Hindraf Rally the Indians can no longer be fooled.
And neither will the 76 PKR, DAP and PAS MPs table an emergency motion on the 13As’ top students being denied scholarships. Why? Because the victims are largely Indians? Not enough political mileage? Fear of losing Malay muslim votes?
P. Uthayakumar

UMNO “permanently studying” compulsory Mandarin and Tamil classes during school



(See NST 14/6/10 at page 6).
This statement has been repeated over and over again for fifty years but merely meant to be political rhetoric and to cheat, especially the Malaysian Indians, by giving them false hopes.
We recall that way back in the 1990s the then Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir made this very same promise. Res Ipsa Loquiteour. (The facts speak for itself)
P. Uthayakumar

RM 35 billion PTPTN study loans for public higher education students. Why not PTPTN loans also to all private higher education students?


(See BH 13/6/2010 at page 14).
Even all MIC sponsored AIMST university students are not getting these PTPTN government study loans. Why not? UMNO does not want the Indians into the national higher education policy.
When opening AIMST University in 2008 UMNO Prime Minister Badawi promised at least PTPTN loans if not scholarships for all AIMST students. But as usual it remains a mere Tamil newspapers and print and electronic media propaganda and never meant to be implemented. such promises will never be made in writing ab initio (from the very beginning).
This is UMNO’s One Malay-sia culture.
P. Uthayakumar

HRP Media Statement (14/6/10)- SPM top students

HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY MALAYSIA
NO.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245
Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com Email:info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com
1 malay-sia
HRP Media Statement (14/6/10)- SPM top students
Kindly be informed that supporters of Hindraf Makkal Sakthi and Human Rights Party Malaysia will gather peacefully at Malaysian Parliament as has been announced earlier which is on 15th June 2010, at 11.00am at the Malaysian Parliament.
The purpose of this gathering is;
1. To submit a memorandum together with some 10,000 signatures gathered nationwide in support of Hindraf Makkal Sakthi and Human Rights Party Malaysia’s demand of equal rights in the award of JPA scholarships (Public Service Department Government Scholarships) for both at local and overseas universities, Matriculation and Local Public University seats especially in critical courses for all, in particular for Indian Students with 7 A’s and above in their SPM examinations.
2. Also to form a Royal Commission of Enquiry to stop future such racially discriminatory segregationist and supremacist practices by the UMNO led Barisan Nasional Government.
Affected students, parents and supporters would be present at this peaceful event. UMNO, Police Special Branch, P.R. and NGO “spoilers” are expected to attempt to create confusion, division and diversion away from this original up to SPM 13As’ scoring Indian poor student’s issue.
We will be exercising our rights as citizens of Malaysia under article 10 of federal constitution to gather peacefully without arms. We believe in Ahimsa (non violence) and that will be our way forward.
Thank You.
W.Sambulingam National Coordinator Hindraf & HRP (010-2774096)

12A top Indian student denied JPA scholarship or Matriculation and University


(See letter of student dated 12/6/10)

Bogus Hindraf leader ASP Vasanthakumar detained by police in a bogus arrest


See The Star 13/6/2010 at page N14, and the wide propaganda media coverage in the mainstream media, especially the three Tamil dailies.
This bogus police operation was meant to deter Indian students and parents from attending the HRP and Hindraf peaceful protest in Parliament on 15th June at 11.00 a.m, to instill the fear of arrest in them.
Beware of this police special branch E3M plant given his letter of appointment by IGP Musa Hassan.
At the appropriate time this ASP will play the lead role in the SB create “Team B” to create confusion, division and divert attention away from UMNO’s racism and religious extremism.
Try harder PDRM!
Gangai Amaran


99% of “crime solved” as police claim, are because accused forced to plead guilty and denied legal aid


In civilized countries like the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, etc, almost all accused get legal aid.
But in Malaysia an estimated 99% of the accused end up pleading guilty because they are denied  legal aid by UMNO, and they cannot afford the bail or the legal fees. They plead guilty irrespective of whether they are guilty or not.
But UMNO’s police, IGP and Home Minister claim these plead guilty cases as crimes solved, when the real criminals and the police abettors are still on the loose. But here lawyer Rajasingam  ably by defended by Manoharan Malayalam, is an exception ( The Star 12/6/10 at page N14).
P. Uthayakumar

Nijhar: Alleged transaction never took place

The Malay Mail,

KUALA LUMPUR: Former MIC vice-president Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar has denied an allegation against him by sacked MIC deputy Youth chief V. Mugilan that the money transferred to MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's Credit Suisse account in Singapore was done through NKM Holdings — a company that Nijhar used to chair.

"I know for a fact that this alleged transaction never took place," Nijhar told The Malay Mail yesterday.

It was reported that Mugilan, who is the mastermind of the Anti-Samy Vellu Movement (GAS), had received several documents from an anonymous party on June 7, among which was a telegraphic transfer statement that 'proves' Samy Vellu had a total of US$815,900 (RM2.7million) in his Credit Suisse account as of 1982.

Mugilan said the money was transferred to the account under the alias of Dr Stansilau Van-Velau Sitten on Sept 18, 1982, through NKM Holdings. Nijhar was NKM Holdings' chairman and director.

Nijhar added that the document upon which Mugilan has made this allegation is a fabrication.

"A check with the related bank and other authoritative institutions will prove that Mugilan is not only a liar but also a 'stupid liar' because his allegations were based on an anonymous letter and he called for a Press conference to announce these allegations," he said.

Nijhar also challenged Mugilan to lodge a police report on the basis of the said document failing which legal action would be taken to clear his name.

"Once Mugilan has lodged a complaint to the police, he will be trapped like 'an animal in a cage', after which I will lodge a police report against him for making such allegations as well as lodging a police report knowingly on the basis of fabricated documents," he said, adding that fabricating evidence is a very serious offence.

At a Press conference on June 10, Mugilan said GAS will either be lodging a police report or be sending a memorandum to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) by this week to urge the authorities to investigate Samy Vellu's alleged accumulation of money in his Credit Suisse account.

He then urged the government to set up a Cabinet committee to investigate the matter as well as to impound the money in the account and to distribute the money to Maika shareholders.

Mugilan also wanted the debts of AIMST University to be paid off with the money and loans given to students under the Maju Institute of Education Development (MIED) to be converted into scholarships.

Apart from the telegraphic transfer statement, a copy of a MACC report, dated Feb 9, 2010, which alleged Samy Vellu's misappropriation of RM800,000 from the MIED account, was also sent to Mugilan's house in Rawang, Selangor.

Also attached with the document was a note saying that more of such documents will be delivered to him after he makes the current ones public.

Anwar says 10MP approaches failed in 8MP, 9MP

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today slammed the Najib administration for
What do all these grandiose announcements mean if previous targets were not even met, asked Anwar. — File pic
charting “ambitious” goals in the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP), pointing out similar approaches in the plan had failed in the previous two development plans.

The Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader told the House that before these “grandiose” goals were celebrated, it was imperative for the government to revisit the failures of both the Eighth and Ninth Malaysia plans.

“Comparisons should however be made first so that we can have an honest assessment of the situation. What do all these grandiose announcements and presentation of policies in the House mean if previous targets were not even met?” Anwar said when debating the 10MP tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on June 10.

The parliamentary Opposition Leader, who was the first to take the floor in debating the 10MP, said that under the Eighth MP (8MP), the country had only achieved a growth rate of 4.7 per cent despite its planned target of 7.5 per cent between the years 2001 and 2005.

“The situation was more serious in the Ninth MP (9MP). Although the government demanded payment from Petronas amounting to RM235.6 billion between 2006 and 2009, the economy only grew an average of 4.2 per cent annually while the target was 6 per cent,” he said.

He further claimed that of the RM431 billion in total paid by Petronas to the government, 55 per cent had been spent in three years without affecting the growth of the economy.

“With such a large amount paid by Petronas to the government, one would hope the country’s public debt level would be maintained at a controllable level. In other countries, would not the reliance on debt be reduced if a government-linked company contributes up to 45 per cent of the government’s annual revenue?” he said.

Anwar said that Pemandu figures and information from the 10MP acknowledge the fact that the national debt level stood at ratio of 53.3 per cent to the country’s GDP as at the end of 2009.

He expressed doubt that that the government would be successful in achieving a budget deficit target of 2.8 per cent of GDP by 2015 as stipulated in the plan.

“Not only is the approach outlined in the plan the same as the failed ones in 8MP and 9MP, the government led by the prime minister had also in the past one year failed to show strong political will towards reducing the deficit,” he said.

Anwar pointed out that in the 8MP, the government had failed to achieve a balanced budget as it had promised to at the end of the plan’s five-year period.

“Then, when announcing the 9MP, the government once again promised to reduce the budget deficit by controlling its expenditure. It aimed to decrease the deficit to 3.4 per cent of the GDP by 2010 although it had not even achieved its 8MP target.

“We seriously need to look at the government’s indifferent attitude in this issue and how despite having failed twice in a row, it has once again presented a very ambitious budget deficit reduction target in the 10MP,” he said.

Anwar went further to chastise the Barisan Nasional government for being ambitious in attempting to reduce the deficit when it was, in fact, “afraid of its own shadows”.

This, he claimed, was expounded by the government’s practice of “flip-flopping” on policies initially undertaken to reduce the deficit.

“Initially, the government voiced its intention to bring back the Real Property Gains Tax but barely two months after its announcement in the 2010 Budget, the prime minister repealed a large part of the tax coverage.

“Then the government spent money to implement the Goods and Services Tax, which should have been debated in the previous parliamentary session. Finally, however, the people were blamed for being ignorant when the government decided to postpone its decision,” said Anwar.

The “flip-flopping”, noted Anwar, showed that the government did not have the political commitment and accountability to reduce the budget deficit.

“This has affected investor confidence and resulted in a lagging economic performance,” he said.

Anwar then moved to point out that Malaysia’s failure to achieve “not one single target” in the previous development plans had caused it to lag behind its neighbours, which had seen more rapid and robust economic growth.

“Since two years ago, Indonesia surpassed us in all aspects. In terms of GDP growth — Indonesia recorded a growth of 6 per cent in 2008 and 4.6 per cent in 2009.

“In terms of foreign investment, we only received RM46 billion in 2008 and RM22 billion last year compared to Indonesia which received RM50.6 billion in 2008 and RM37.9 billion in 2009,” he said.

If this continued, claimed Anwar, Malaysia’s competitiveness in the global economy would be drastically affected.

He noted that Malaysia’s position in the Global Competitiveness Index had been declining every year.

“In the list in 2007, we ranked 19 and then we remained ranked 21 in the next two years. In the present list, we declined again down the ladder to 24,” he said.

Anwar said the country needed to be bold and sincere in its approaches to escape from the economic impasse.

“Without bold economic policies and sincerity, the government will continue to hide behind its slogans of achieving a high-income economy while workers’ wages only rise to the average level of inflation, the prices of essential goods will continue to rise and finally, the BN government will leave a huge legacy of debt for coming generations,” he said.