Khairy dares Anwar to show proof of crossovers

BAGAN DATOH: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has challenged PKR adviser Anwar

Ibrahim to reveal by Monday the proof to back his claim that PKR Members of Parliament have been…

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BAGAN DATOH: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has challenged PKR adviser Anwar

Ibrahim to reveal by Monday the proof to back his claim that PKR Members of Parliament have been enticed with RM2 million each to become independents.

He said that if Anwar failed to show proof by the deadline, then it could be assumed that the Permatang Pauh MP had lied in the matter.

"If he has proof, then he must divulge it immediately. He should not poison the people's minds at talks by tarnishing the image of Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the matter of crossovers," he told reporters after opening the Bagan Datoh Umno Youth delegates meeting here last night.

Khairy, the Rembau MP, said the five PKR MPs who declared themselves as independents had left PKR owing to an internal party crisis and were not enticed to do so by Umno.

Khairy, who is also BN Youth chairman, said BN Youth was streamlining the election machinery to face the next general election.

Meanwhile, in ALOR STAR, Umno leaders in Kedah have been warned to buckle up or face the consequences.

Umno leaders in the state who fail to perform or carry out their duties will be referred to the party headquarters for action since their attitude gives the opposition a foothold to attack the BN, said Kedah Umno deputy liaison chief Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah.

He said there were leaders who were selfish and failed to fulfil their responsibilities with dedication, thus tarnishing the credibility of Umno.

"I know that some leaders at the grassroots raise all sorts of issues but they themselves do not perform in their own areas or implement programmes that have been planned.

"We will report such leaders to the party headquarters so that action can be taken against them," he told reporters after opening Alor Star Umno division's delegates meeting here today.

He added that such issues should not arise if they wanted to see Umno grow stronger.

"If we do not nip such issues in the bud, it will weaken Umno and give the opposition an opportunity to strengthen its position in Kedah. We do not want to see it happen," he said.

- Bernama

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Democratise education first, says Nurul Izzah

By FMT Staff

KUALA LUMPUR: No real innovation will take place without first democratising the education sector and giving autonomy to the higher education institutions, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah…

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By FMT Staff

KUALA LUMPUR: No real innovation will take place without first democratising the education sector and giving autonomy to the higher education institutions, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said.

She said that without offering democracy and autonomy to the education field, the ambition of developing a strong human capital will remain a pipe dream.

“Democratising the education sector should be followed up by a sense of responsibility and integrity in the nation's economy,” she said when debating the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

“This will show the government has the political will to encourage innovation,” said Nurul Izzah, the Pakatan Rakyat's member of the Science, Innovation and the Environment Committee.

On June 10, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak unveiled the 10MP which focuses, among others, on nurturing a strong human capital based on skills development and innovation capabilities.

Nurul Izzah added that currently the nation's education is not centred on creative and analytical human capital.

“In terms of Global Competitiveness Index, our nation was at 19 in 2007 and tumbled to 21 in the following two years.”

“In the latest list, we now stand at 24, behind nations like the UAE, Qatar, Luxembourg and New Zealand,” she said.

She said this is a sign that the nation is in dire need of complete reformation of its education and its economic culture.

“Without this complete overhaul, the 10MP will fail,” she said.

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Stop quarrelling openly, Najib tells BN partners

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak wants leaders of Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties to stop quarrelling among themselves openly and instead, focus on dealing with the opposition and…

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KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak wants leaders of Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties to stop quarrelling among themselves openly and instead, focus on dealing with the opposition and regaining the people's confidence.

Cautioning that open quarrels would only weaken the coalition, Najib, who is also the BN chairman, said it was important for BN to be united and seen to be united in the eyes of the people.

He said the opposition was telling a lot of lies and half-truths, adding that he was working round-the-clock to make BN strong, with plans to be unveiled, step by step.

"We must focus on what it takes to make BN strong... BN leaders should not quarrel with each other openly or in public... let us quarrel with the opposition. Why quarrel among BN leaders... tell me, why we should quarrel with each other?

"Our enemy is outside... our enemy wants our seat in the government... wants to go to Putrajaya. We must ensure BN remains in power. Why should we expose our own problem. Tell me, why do we need to shoot ourselves in the foot?

"No need to, because at the end of the day, what matters is that the BN serves the people and the people must see the BN in good light," he said in his opening speech at the People's Progressive Party (PPP) 57th annual general meeting at the Putra World Trade Centre here today.

Najib said BN had to form the goverment in the next general election and as such, every single BN component party had to play its part by making the coalition stronger so that the BN government could continue its plan to transform the country to become a more prosperous nation.

He said the opposition was problem-ridden but it was very good at covering them (problems) up.

'You fight the oppposition'

Najib told the PPP leadership that as BN chairman, he was always willing to listen to its problems.

"If you have got problems in BN, tell me. As chairman of BN, tell me (if) you don't like this person, you don't like that, quitely whisper to me but openly, you fight the opposition... You fight the PKR, DAP, PAS (but) you don't fight among us. What is the point?

"How can I help PPP if we (BN) are not in power? But PPP must help me... you can help me by focusing the energy not on BN but on fighting the opposition," he added.

Najib said wherever possible, he would accomodate PPP's interest, citing the recent appointment of its senior vice-president, Senator Maglin Dennis D'Cruz, as information communication and culture minister recently.

He said the PPP could not be a party to all Malaysians because the party was too small, but it could make itself very usefull to the people by finding its own niche areas.

"You cannot be a party like the big parties but you can have an appeal to a certain group within the country and that is what the PPP must find... its own niche areas in the country.

"It doesn't matter what kind of cat it is, as long as it catches the mice. The important thing is that BN is strong and well accepted by the people," he said.

On the 1Malaysia concept, Najib said the country needed a guiding philosophy -- a philosophy in the spirit of 1Malaysia.

"I feel proud because the 1Malaysia brand is the most popular brand in Malaysia today. We will make this as a guiding philosophy for Malaysia because when we mention 1Malaysia, automatically, we recognise the contributions of all Malaysians," he said.

Najib said he was committed and wanted to ensure that all Malaysians benefited from the development plans in the country, such as the recently-unveiled 10th Malaysia Plan.

"We believe that the only way Malaysia will be a strong and successful nation is when we are able to tap and harness the skill, strength, experience and the contribution of all Malaysians," he said.

About 3,000 party delegates attended the one-day PPP meeting.

Najib's arrival was greeted by party president M Kayveas, D'Cruz and other top leaders.

- Bernama

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Chua insists Umno behind Johor awards revocation

Chua shows the Johor royal awards which he has to return to the palace. — Picture by Jack Ooi

PETALING JAYA, June 19 — Former MCA vice-president Datuk Chua Jui…

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Chua shows the Johor royal awards which he has to return to the palace. — Picture by Jack Ooi

PETALING JAYA, June 19 — Former MCA vice-president Datuk Chua Jui Meng today maintained that Umno was behind the move to strip him of his Johor royal awards.

Chua, who joined PKR in July last year, described the action as political intimidation.

“I am sure that by now Umno regrets how badly they miscalculated this attempt to intimidate me,” he told reporters today.

“Within days of the announcement there has been a spontaneous outpouring of support from the rakyat all over Malaysia, not only for myself but more so for Pakatan Rakyat,” he added.

Chua (picture) also revealed today that he was also asked by the secretary to the Johor Royal Council, Datuk Abdul Rahim Ramli, to also return the Pingat Ibrahim Sultan (PIS), which carries no title.

“When Datuk Rahim called me I reminded him I have a third award from Johor, the Pingat Ibrahim Sultan. He told me to also return the medal,” said the former health minister.

“Although no explanation was given, I will return the medals,” he said.

Chua said he received official notification on the revocation from the palace on June 15.

When asked about Umno’s alleged involvement in the withdrawal, Chua said the matter was very clear.

“Don’t have to ask me what I think, ask the people, it is so obvious,” he said.

On June 10, the Johor palace announced the revocation of Chua’s Datukship along with three others.

Chua was awarded the Dato’ Paduka Mahkota Johor (DPMJ) and Seri Paduka Mahkota Johor (SPMJ) by the late Sultan Iskandar when he was in the government.

Rahim, who announced the revocation on behalf of the palace, did not offer any explanation but had said it was made based on reports against certain members of the The Most Illustrious Order of the Crown of Johor.

He also dismissed Umno’s involvement in the decision, saying that the withdrawal of the titles was in line with the Sultan’s right to exercise his power and right under Article 12 of the Statues and Ordinances of the Most Honourable Order and Article 7(f) of the Second part of the Johor State Constitution 1895.

Apart from Chua, Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Ismail also revoked the Datukship awards from polar adventurer Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir, Commander Shaftdean Lufty Rusland, who is married to the Sultan’s sister, Tunku Muna Najiah Sultan Iskandar, and senior lawyer Hassan Yunos.

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Eight new Sabah political parties await approval

By Michael Kaung - Free Malaysia Today,

KOTA KINABALU: If the number of applications to register new political parties is a guide, dissatisfaction is rife in Sabah.

Almost every month…

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By Michael Kaung - Free Malaysia Today,

KOTA KINABALU: If the number of applications to register new political parties is a guide, dissatisfaction is rife in Sabah.

Almost every month since the beginning of this year, the Registrar of Society (ROS) here has received an application to register a new party.

So far, eight different groups have applied to register a new party during the first five months this year, said ROS director Matthew Dominic Barin.

However, the applicants will have to wait for approval from Putrajaya which has the final say on new political parties ,which is outside the jurisdiction of the state ROS.

Approval for five categories of applications – political parties, environment, religion, trade and security -- are controlled by the federal authorities.

According to ROS, it takes about four months to process an application.

While declining to disclose the names of the new parties whose applications are still under consideration, Matthew said the eight political party applications were among 145 applications received by ROS since the beginning of the year. A total of 87 have been vetted and registered.

Usno de-registered

Matthew also confirmed that one of the state's oldest political parties, the United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), founded by former chief minister Mustapha Harun, is no longer in existence.

He said the registration of Usno with the ROS is invalid as it has been de-registered, he added.

Matthew also said that most of the organisations were de-registered due to their failure to submit their mandatory annual reports despite reminders.

Sabah-based political parties that are still active include Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Upko), Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

They are all Barisan Nasional coalition partners. Other active peninsula-based BN parties operating in Sabah include Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan. The peninsular parties are the dominant partners in the BN.

Active Sabah-based opposition parties include the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), which was formerly with BN but quit the coalition in 2009, Bersekutu and Setia.

Peninsula-based opposition parties active in Sabah are the DAP, PKR and PAS.

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The way forward for PKR

By Stephanie Sta Maria - Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: PAS has just wrapped up a successful congress, while DAP recently basked in the afterglow of its Sibu by-election victory.…

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By Stephanie Sta Maria - Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: PAS has just wrapped up a successful congress, while DAP recently basked in the afterglow of its Sibu by-election victory. PKR, on the other hand, is still fighting off attacks from former party colleagues and is considered to be the weakest link in the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.


The party elections in December, therefore, could well be a golden but final opportunity for PKR to pull itself together before the next general election. To gain an overview of the party's possible route forward, FMT spoke to one of its more vocal members, Zaid Ibrahim.

As PKR's central leadership council member, Zaid has consistently voiced his recommendations on rebuilding the party to the leadership. For this interview, however, he made it clear that he was not speaking on behalf of the party but only on the basis of his observations in the past one year.

“There are weaknesses in the PKR's system that could drag Pakatan down,” he said. “One of them is Anwar Ibrahim's title of PKR de facto leader.”

“He should be the party president in order to set in motion the transformation that we are talking about. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR's current president) is a wonderful lady but she is not a politician in the true sense.”

Zaid explained that with Anwar as president, the party will be prompted to make the necessay changes, especially on what kind of leadership he wants and the issues that should take priority. According to him, the former is of great importance and should be PKR's focus for the future.

“PKR has to clearly decide what kind of leaders it wants, then pick the people who fit that mould and structure the organisation along those lines,” he said. “There is currently a lack of strong party leaders at the ground level. The quality of an organisation depends very much on this.”

“PKR needs to identify good people who possess the spirit of reformasi and who still believe in democracy and the ideals of a better government. These are the party's core principles.”

Deep, meaningful roots

The Pakatan secretariat coordinator pointed out that a struggle has to have deep, meaningful roots and cannot be sustained solely by a set of intangible beliefs or historical circumstances.

“There must be hope that things are moving forward. If you want to revive that spirit, then you must have credible people at the state level to build the network that is crucial in an organisation. And this process has to begin now before the struggle becomes diluted. It's not that difficult, we just have to kick-start it.”

Zaid also highlighted the advantages of practising democracy within the party, particularly when it involved the selection of candidates and suggested that the selection be made by the grassroots instead of the central leadership.

“PKR is a grassroots reformation party, so we have to be driven by the people. Our constitution currently dictates that the state chiefs are selected by the party's top people, which is very much in Umno style.”

“If the state chiefs are handpicked by the grassroots, then there is a sense of check and balance and accountability. When you are responsible for making a decision, you tend to make sure that decision works better and you don't blame others for its failure. PKR is still very top down in its process and I think that has to change.”

Zaid added that his yardstick for success is the day a group of party supporters take the initiative to mobilise themselves to get things done.

While he acknowledged the need for a charismatic, hardworking leader to helm the party, he also said meshing that with grassroots strength and better quality members would take PKR much further.

“Anwar still holds the fort in PKR but we cannot depend on him alone. PKR in itself has to be strong if we want the other two parties to respect us and work with us. We have to complement Anwar's strength with organisational strength.”

'No room for decorum'

When asked about public uncertainty following the series of resignations within the party, Zaid brushed it off with a reminder that the country's new political landscape has left no room for decorum or etiquette.

“It's all about brute and buying power,” he said. “But having said that, if we have a more committed set of leaders, this would not happen so easily. PAS has done very well. It's probably trained and prepared to expect this sort of attack, whereas PKR isn't.”

“As long as there are incentives, there will be defections. This has exposed our vulnerability and a need for commitment to getting the right people. We need people with a track record of service and who have shown dedication. We cannot field candidates just because the media takes a shine to them.”

“Many people in politics are in the news for the wrong reasons and we think they're popular when they are actually not. Take Ibrahim Ali. We must choose people who are consistent with our struggle and who believe in it.”

Zaid noted that the party's fragility made it all the more important for the party elections to be managed well in terms of empowering the chosen leaders, taking tough actions against “state-level warlords” and being realistic about its political ambitions.

“Some state warlords have greatly troubled the party in the past two years but they cannot be dislodged without help from the top. So the top leadership must put its foot down and endorse a more positive member.”

“We also need to be more realistic about our political ambitions by matching what we have with what we want. PKR wants to rule the country but do we have what it takes to do that? If we don't, then we may as well be realistic so we don't lose everything.”

“If we do, then we must put the appropriate people in place and give them power to carry out their duties. For example, Chua Jui Meng is a very senior politician and should be the leader in Johor. It's a no-brainer. And if he becomes the leader, he must be given complete authority to save Johor. This is what I mean by 'managing it well'.”

In a parting remark on the Pakatan coalition, Zaid said that it worked as a political party but not yet as a government.

“The three parties are getting closer but maintaining a distance in how they run their respective governments. Pakatan should be more cohesive in putting forth streamlined policies that are identical with those of our state governments. Only then can we gain more momentum and strength in moving forward.”

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SIME DARBY: A Conglomerate Gone Awry

By Tunku Abdul Aziz

There is a place for conglomerates in the business world. However, as with everything else, some are good, but mostly they invariably become unwieldy and difficult…

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By Tunku Abdul Aziz

There is a place for conglomerates in the business world. However, as with everything else, some are good, but mostly they invariably become unwieldy and difficult to manage effectively. Many come unstuck, leaving behind a trail of miserable examples of management failures, human greed and frailties. As always, there is a lot of cleaning up to do after the party is over. The sad truth is that we do not as yet have what it takes to run a complex business successfully, and a conglomerate is hellishly difficult to keep on a straight course because the temptation to wander off into the unfamiliar is often irresistible, and most conglomerates find themselves up a creek.

There have been many instances of major failures in the Sime stables. There was the case of the insurance business in the UK in the eighties, a member of Lloyds, which was in such a bad shape because of mismanagement that it had to be bundled with a very profitable money broking company into an attractive package and sold for a song. Sime Darby naturally had to be responsible for all the liabilities resulting from claims on policies transacted up to the time of the sale of the company. For the next several years after the sale of the company to the new owners, Sime Darby continued to send out to the UK enormous sums of money to cover the claims.

Then there was the Sime Bank debacle. Banking was a business in which it had no expertise and had to rely on the management that came along with the bank when it was acquired. The integrity of the many of the top executives running Sime Bank was questionable. What happened to the bank should have been a lesson to the board of Sime Darby about sticking to what it was good at. I well remember in Windsor, England, saying jocularly to Tunku Tan Sri Ahmad Yahaya, then Group Chief Executive, when he told me Sime Darby had acquired a bank that he would be better off getting a casino licence. Later he admitted that I was right.

I also recall the factory ship fiasco in the early eighties. The Sime Darby-owned vessel operating in the North Atlantic off the coast of Africa found itself in rough seas financially. Sime Darby decided to sack its two British employees claiming that they had got into this business with the approval of the board in Kuala Lumpur. This was patently untrue. The Brits would not be bullied into submission, and they sued Sime Darby and its Chairman, then Tun Tan Siew Sin, for wrongful dismissal, and won a very substantial sum of money in an out of court settlement. Zubir, the dismissed Group Chief Executive should not have allowed the board of Sime Darby to treat him so shabbily.

I personally believe that with a loss of this scale of magnitude, an honourable board would have resigned because obviously it has failed to discharge its fiduciary and other related responsibilities of stewardship. Zubir has been used as a scapegoat in the Anglo-Malaysian corporate tradition. If Sime Darby had been an American company, the chair would have accepted responsibility and resigned or been forced to go without ceremony. I find Musa’s logic for staying put, saying that he would resign if required to do so by the shareholders, disingenuous and self-serving to say the least. He must know he has failed as chairman, and based on the principle of collective responsibility, his board must exit with him. This is the honourable thing expected of a responsible board, and this is what I expect the much trumpeted Sime tagline, ‘Developing Sustainable Futures’ to be all about. My advice to Zubir is to consider taking Musa and his board to the cleaners. Sue them. We need in this country boards that are principled, and we can also do with a little honour and integrity in our business leadership.

Sime Darby in the meantime must take a good, hard look at itself to see if operating on the present model is sustainable. It is obvious that Sime Darby has become largely unwieldy, unmanageable, and unsustainable. It is showing all the signs of having become a conglomerate in the worst possible sense. The worst is not over yet.

(The write is a former Group Director of Sime Darby, 1979-1985)

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End laws that allow arbitrary detention, says UN body

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia needs to repeal or amend laws that allow imprisonment without tri­al, said a UN working group.

The group was invited by the Government and has…

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The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia needs to repeal or amend laws that allow imprisonment without tri­al, said a UN working group.

The group was invited by the Government and has been in Malaysia for two weeks to look into arbitrary detentions.

It gave a critical assessment on four preventive laws, including the Internal Security Act (ISA), said group chairman Malick Sow at a press conference yesterday.

He said the group privately interviewed detainees held under preventive laws and found no complaints about treatment by guards in prisons and detention centres.

However, the group found that these detainees were likely to be tortured or mistreated in order to obtain confessions or evidence while under police detention.

“It is not necessarily physical violence but also the external conditions and the withholding of food.

“There were a few who said any particular tool was used to beat them but it was more to do with punching and kicking,” Sow said.

“They prefer prisons than police stations. They feel safer in prisons.”

The group will present a full report to the UN Human Rights Council in March next year and will follow up again two years after the report is presented.

Malaysia was re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council last month.

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Nazri’s respect for non-Muslims – “Allah”:No, Gambling:Yes

With enemies like this, who needs friends? Nazri on sports betting:

Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the Najib administration’s recent move to approve sports betting through tycoon Tan Sri…

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With enemies like this, who needs friends? Nazri on sports betting:

Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the Najib administration’s recent move to approve sports betting through tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd was a way to “respect” non-Muslim rights in the country.
“You must remember that the country does not belong to the Muslims. There are things that sometimes non-Muslims do, for example, gambling. It is their culture, their way of life and we have to respect their rights.

OO
I count at least two slaps to the face here:
1) We will not “respect” non-Muslim rights to use terms like Allah (even though this is allowed in Arab countries), but we will happily respect their right to gamble their life savings away :|
(unless you are old men playing mahjong in kopitiams – not enough rake for Vincent Tan you see. Everyone knows by now that this gambling license is just to allow the government to continue its crony spending spree (Parliament, Palace, etc) and build Umno’s war chest via Vincent Tan, while increasing burden on rakyat by eliminating subsidies.)
2) Sports betting is my culture?! My way of life?!?
So, we have Umno ‘flers who think Chinese women are all prostitutes and now Dtk Nazri insists that thousands of years of Chinese culture seem to prominently feature, of all things, betting on the World Cup.
Fuyoh.
Well, Mr. Minister, how about you respect instead the right to merit-based government scholarships, or places in universities? How about respecting the rights of both Muslim and non-Muslim detainees to a fair trial? Or protection from torture?
I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather have those rights respected, and in return you can keep your damned social-ills-ridden gambling license.

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Algeria frustrate toothless England

Algeria held England to a goalless draw in the Group C encounter in Cape Town, leaving both sides with a chance of qualification for the Round of 16 of the…

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Algeria held England to a goalless draw in the Group C encounter in Cape Town, leaving both sides with a chance of qualification for the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup™. Although most of the play was dominated by England, it was the north Africans, 22 places below Fabio Capello's men in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking who were the happier of the two teams at the final whistle

All the talk pre-match surrounded Capello's starting XI, with the Italian selecting David James in favour of Robert Green, the keeper culpable for Clint Dempsey's equaliser against USA. Out too went James Milner for the fit-again Gareth Barry, while Jamie Carragher deputised for the injured Ledley King. The early signs were encouraging for England who began pressing from the first whistle. Their passing certainly looked crisper than what was on display during last Saturday's 1-1 draw in Rustenburg and they created several good chances during a first half, that while ending goalless, had plenty of entertainment value.

England captain Steven Gerrard had the game's first real opportunity when he almost caught Rais Mbolhi out with a dipping shot. Then Emile Heskey rose highest from Barry's inswinging corner from the right, but failed to direct his header on target. The patient build-up, all too infrequent in the Three Lions' last performance, was proving beneficial. Yet it was by no means one-way traffic. Algeria fired their first warning sign when Karim Ziani's cross found Hassan Yebda, whose back-header landed comfortably into the grasp of James. Karim Matmour and Ziani also had attempts on goal during a point midway through the opening 45 minutes when the Desert Foxes enjoyed a territorial advantage.

England came to life again thanks to the prompting of Wayne Rooney, who dropped deeper to increase his influence. A move began by the Manchester United man saw Aaron Lennon find Frank Lampard who forced Mbolhi into a scrambling one-handed save from 12 yards. Barry and Rooney both tested the keeper on the stroke of half time, but Algeria had more than earned being level at the break.

Only some sublime defending from Madjid Bougherra denied Gerrard a clear scoring opportunity after the interval, when Rooney's intelligent flick-on seemed destined to set up the Liverpool midfielder. As time ticked on, though, England's frustrations at those missed opportunities grew, never more so than when Gerrard himself passed the ball straight at an Algeria defender, with Rooney and Lampard lurking in the box.

That said, it took a last-gasp intervention from Rafik Halliche to prevent England from taking the lead. Gerrard fed Heskey in the box and with the striker's shot apparently destined to hit the target or at least present Rooney with the simplest of tap-ins, the defender's outstretched leg deflected the ball over the bar. From the resulting corner, taken by Lampard, Gerrard's bullet header was claimed at the first attempt by Mbolhi. England were knocking at the door, but just not finding an answer. Either that, or they were finding the door firmly closed in their face by Bougherra, who was simply outstanding at the heart of the defence.

But the England fans, who made up the majority of the crowd at the Green Point stadium cared little of the merits of the opposition and showed their frustration by booing a wayward Lampard effort and again when the full-time whistle went. Capello, on the occasion of his 64th birthday, left the arena with his head bowed, as did the majority of the England players. It all comes down to the final group matches with England playing current section leaders Slovenia in Port Elizabeth and USA facing Algeria in Pretoria.

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Bradley completes US fightback

USA fought back from two goals down to earn a battling 2-2 draw with Slovenia and keep their FIFA World Cup™ hopes alive in an exciting Group C clash at…

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USA fought back from two goals down to earn a battling 2-2 draw with Slovenia and keep their FIFA World Cup™ hopes alive in an exciting Group C clash at Ellis Park.

Matjaz Kek's men looked on course for a second straight win in the section when they took a 2-0 lead into the break through Valter Birsa and Zlatan Ljubijankic but the Americans hit back as Landon Donovan narrowed the deficit before Michael Bradley equalised eight minutes from time. The result left Slovenia top of Group C with four points ahead of England's meeting with Algeria later in the day, and ensured the Americans remain undefeated with two draws ahead of their third game against the Algerians.

An exciting contest opened with Birsa blasting Slovenia into an early lead. There were just 13 minutes on the clock when the midfielder collected the ball some 25 yards from goal and left Tim Howard rooted to the spot with an expertly-guided strike to the goalkeeper's left. Bradley's men sought a response and came close when midfielder Francisco Torres fired in an inswinging free-kick from out wide that drew a fingertip save from Samir Handanovic. Donovan then looked set to tap in Clint Dempsey's low cross only for defender Miso Brecko to get a decisive touch to clear the ball.

Slovenia looked to be in dreamland in the 42nd minute when Ljubijankic doubled their lead. Milivoje Novakovic played a defence-splitting pass through to Ljubijankic who, with the Americans appealing in vain for offside, slipped the ball coolly past Howard. Yet Donovan threw the Americans a lifeline three minutes after the restart when Bostjan Cesar failed to deal with a ball down the right touchline, allowing the LA Galaxy man a free run into the box. Cutting in from the right, Donovan lashed a superb shot high above Handanovic at the near post.

With the Slovenia defence struggling to cope with the power and aerial strength of the imposing Jozy Altidore, Bradley's men kept the pressure on and the coach's son grabbed the US the point their efforts deserved – a father-and-son first in the FIFA World Cup. Altidore nodded a high ball down into the path of the onrushing Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder and he fired emphatically into the roof of the net. The Americans might even have won the game only for referee Koman Coulibaly to rule out a goal from Maurice Edu, who volleyed home Donovan's free-kick from the right. There was still time for Novakovic to threaten with a header at the other end but his effort was held comfortably by Howard.

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Jovanovic sinks 10-man Germany

A 38th-minute Milan Jovanovic goal proved enough for Serbia to edge a Germany side that played the entire second half at a numerical disadvantage and missed a penalty. Joachim Low's…

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A 38th-minute Milan Jovanovic goal proved enough for Serbia to edge a Germany side that played the entire second half at a numerical disadvantage and missed a penalty. Joachim Low's charges had the majority of the possession and chances at Port Elizabeth Stadium, but Miroslav Klose's dismissal and Lukas Podolski's failure to beat Vladimir Stojkovic from 12 yards proved costly for a Germany team beaten in a FIFA World Cup™ group game for the first time since 1986.

The result means that Germany, who remain top of Group D on goal difference, Ghana and Serbia all now have three points, while Australia are yet to get off the mark. The Black Stars and the Socceroos will play their second game in Rustenburg tomorrow.

Germany quickly found their rhythm following kick-off, but it was Serbia who had the first meaningful attempt on goal, Zdravko Kuzmanovic executing a firm, low drive from the edge of the box that went two yards wide. The Germans responded instantly, stringing a series of passes together before Mesut Oezil dinked the ball through to Sami Khedira, who was promisingly positioned inside the area but unable to keep his volley down. Podolski was next to try his luck, reacting first to Nemanja Vidic's clearance and sending a thumping volley narrowly wide.

Serbia then enjoyed a fruitful five-minute spell. Krasic neatly set up Milos Ninkovic, who volleyed over from inside the area. Then Ninkovic skipped around Arne Friedrich and was felled as he approached the Germany penalty area but Radomir Antic’s side wasted the consequent free-kick. The Serbia defence was standing firm against the three-time world champions – Neven Subotic made one crucial challenge on Khedira, while a Vidic interception denied Klose a run on goal.

Klose did have the ball in the net on the half-hour but had strayed marginally offside. The Germany forward's afternoon reached an early end eight minutes before half-time, however, when following an earlier booking, he received a second yellow card for bringing down Dejan Stankovic from behind, and was sent off. Serbia capitalised immediately. Krasic outstripped his marker down the right, got to the byline, and crossed to the back post, where Zigic was hovering. The towering striker nodded the ball back across goal and into the path of Jovanovic, who took it on his chest and fired acrobatically past Manuel Neuer from five yards.

Germany, a man and a goal down, came agonisingly close to restoring parity on the stroke of half-time. From an Oezil corner, Stojkovic could only punch the ball into the path of Khedira, who thumped it against the crossbar from 12 yards. From the rebound, Thomas Mueller produced an overhead kick but Kolarov was intelligently positioned on the line and managed to hook the ball to safety.

Germany raced out of the blocks following the restart. Bastian Schweinsteiger almost went through on goal, but Vidic made a sliding challenge to avert the danger. Oezil then slid Podolski in only for the Cologne ace to find the side-netting from eight yards. Poldi had a far better opportunity to equalise on the hour mark. Vidic unnecessarily handled Arne Friedrich's cross and referee Alberto Undiano pointed to the spot, handing the Manchester United centre-back a yellow card. Podolski aimed for the bottom corner but Stojkovic flung himself down to his left and pulled off a great save.

The game flowed from end to end in the remaining 30 minutes. The inventive Krasic worked an opening for himself and forced Neuer into a good save, while the same player also crossed for Zigic, whose header struck the crossbar. Germany's best opportunities continued to fall to Podolski. Oezil and Mueller combined to free him down the left of the penalty area but he scuffed his shot. He tried again with four minutes remaining but failed to get a good connection on his ten-yard effort. It was not his – or Germany's – afternoon. Serbia, who pipped France to first place in their qualifying group, had once again served notice of their ability to hang with the heavyweights.

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HRP Letter and appointment to Unicef & UN Sec Gen on Tamil school in cow shed like conditions. USD 2.00 allocation per Tamil school pupil per month. 65% UPSR failure rate Tamil schools.

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

Mr.Hans Olsen United Nations, Children’s Fund, (Unicef) UNICEF House, 3 United…

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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

Mr.Hans Olsen United Nations, Children’s Fund, (Unicef) UNICEF House, 3 United Nations, 18/6/2010
New York, NY 10017, By Fax No (212) 326-7037 USA. Email: landmines@unicef.org

Dear Sirs,

Re: 1) Cow shed like ethnic minority Tamil schools under high tension electric cables, children studying in basement and inside cabins in prosperous Malay-sia. 2) USD 2.00 allocation per Tamil school pupil per month. 3) state designed poverty leads to 65% UPSR failure rate in Tamil schools. 4) Urgent UN appointment in New York.

We refer to the above matter.

As your goodselves may be aware, Section 28 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child provides for compulsory and free education for all children. This was adopted by the U.N General Assembly in November 1989. Malaysia ratified the Convention in 1995. Article 2 of the same provides for the child’s right to non discrimination.

Article 8 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution provides for equality before the law and Article 12 of the Federal Constitution provides for no discrimination in public educational institutions.

But it’s implementation vis a vis the ethnic minority Indian children in Malaysia are to the contrary and are being subject to direct discrimination with impunity as follows:-

1) 71% or higher of the 523 Tamil schools in Malaysia are in not fully financially aided and most are in colonial era structures and now looking like cow shed buildings.

2) For the 2010 National Budget RM 30 Billion was allocated for 80 new schools, 1, 100 additional blocks and 347 school replacement projects; to refurbish, upgrade schools, preschool education and high performance schools. But there is zero allocation or any policy announcement on making all 523 Tamil schools fully aided Tamil schools to be on par with any Malay or Chinese schools and most of which are still to this day not fully aided. This is a classical example and the tip of the iceberg of how exactly UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malaysia has repeatedly cheated the Indians over the last 52 years. UMNO Prime Minister Najib intends these Tamil schools to remain like cow sheds but could build KLCC, the world’s tallest twin towers.

3) In 2009, 600 untrained Tamil school teachers were trained in special courses during school holidays. (NST 21/2/2010 at page 24). But for even the Malay muslim Kemas kindergartens graduate teachers are being trained at the Sultan Idris Teachers University. All Primary schools in the National School system have pre-school facilities. But many of the Tamil schools do not have these pre-school facilities. So Indian children in many cases just start without any pre-school education.

RM100 Million has been allocated for the Budget year 2010 for Pre-school program of Early Permata childcare and education in 457 childcare centers nationwide nurturing 17,565 children. But none of these children are likely going to be Indian children except for a few namesake Indian children who have been “advertised” and made show pieces in the government’s mainstream media. Malaysian Indian Minority & Human Rights Violations Annual Report 2009 Pravasi Bharathiya Divas International Conference Vigyan Bhawan Delhi 7th-9th 2010.

4) 50% of the 200,000 Indian students attend the National Primary School system and the other 50% or about 100,000 students attend the Tamil Primary schools in an event split.

These 100,000 Indian students attend 523 Tamil schools. 371 or 71% of these primary schools are denied full government financial assistance even after 53 years of independence. 289 of these are located in the plantations.

5) We have reported cases of Tamil schools under high tension electric cables, pupils having to study in the Public Utility Department (JKR) stores, students being forced to study under trees.

6) Only in Malaysia we have the world’s only primary school in a basement ie the Assad Tamil school in Penang, the world’s only primary school upstairs a shophouse, the Lukut Tamil School in Port Dickson and the world’s only primary school fully operating in shipping cabins ie the Ladang Jeram Tamil School in Kuantan, Pahang.

7) 55% UPSR in Tamil schools failure rate quoting Malay-sia’s most prosperous state Selangor Chief Minister Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (TN 6/11/10 at page 4). There is a 77.4% students failure rate at the Sg.Besi Tamil school UPSR. Based on this estimated average is 65% of Tamil school pupils fail the UPSR because of poverty and are poverty related problems. (Source P.Uthayakumar’s Conversation with Dr.Muthu (not his real name) on 25/2/10 at 10.00am. Most of these pupils study in unconducive one bedroom homes.

8) 42% of standard one pupils in Tamil schools cannot read and write at all because they did not attend kindergarten because of poverty. (MO 10/3/2010 pg 3).

9) Because of state designed poverty most of these students live in unconducive for studies one bedroom houses. Most of them cannot afford private kindergarten.

10) Less than 10% of students from these Tamil schools attended pre school now because of poverty. This is about 75% below the targeted 87% national level pre schools students by 2012 under the government policy National Key Result Area (NKRA) (The Star 15/3/10 at page N46).

11) 523 is the total no of Tamil schools in Malaysia. 373 (71%) are partially aided. 150 are fully aided (MN 31/3/2010 at page 4).

A huge RM4.8 Billion was allocated under the 9 MP for all schools. Out of this only RM64.8 Million was for Tamil schools ie 1.3% of the total allocation for all schools nationwide. (The Sun 2/4/2010 page 8). Even then whether this RM64.8 for five years @ a mere RM12,960,000.00 for 523 Tamil schools per year or a mere RM24,780.00 per Tamil school per year a

pittance of or RM2,065.00 (USD 543.42) per month per Tamil school with an enrolment of about 270 pupils per school is a mere RM7.64 (USD 2.00) per Tamil school pupil (per head) per month. And for additional expenses donations are solicited from the pre existing poor Indian community. It is doubtful whether even this USD2.00 per Tamil school pupil would ever go down to these 523 schools. Remember even the UMNO Prime Minister lied when all 523 Tamil schools in Malaysia had been promised RM100 Million allocation under the 2009 first and second economic stimulus packages.

12) But, zero of these funds from this RM100 Million has flowed down to any of the said 523 Tamil schools (Refer to The Star 30/09/2009).

13) No Serendah Tamil school despite 5,000 Indians living in the local area (at 2 students per family) from 12 housing estates. Parents have to spend about RM700.00 per month per family sending them to nearby Sg Chor. Children have to leave the house at 5.00a.m and their safety is compromised.

In the circumstances these ethnic minority children are far far away from what Unicef says children can help ‘save the world’ statement (The Sun 4/6/2010 at page 2). We would like an urgent appointment between our United States co-ordinator Mr.R.Shan with your goodselves in New York to discuss the above with the view to the United Nations further action.

Kindly revert to us accordingly.

Thank You.

Yours Faithfully,

P.Uthayakumar

Secretary General (pro tem)

cc:

Secretary General of U.N

Ban Ki-moon,

United Nations Secretariat,

First Avenue and East 42nd street,

United Nations,

New York,

USA. By Fax No:1-212-963-2155

Mr. Githu MUIGAI

U.N Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism,

racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

OHCHR-Palais Wilson

United Nations Office at Geneva

CH-1211 Geneva10

Switzerland By Fax No: +442085759898

UNESCO

7, place de Fontenoy,

75352 Paris 07 SP,

France By Fax No: +33(0)145671690

P.Waytha Moorthy

Chairman

Hindraf Email: waytha@hotmail.com

Mr.R.Shan Email: hindraf.thinktank@gmail.com

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Summer Camps but for Malay muslims only. Indians segregated and excluded in One Malay-sia.

 

See UM Mega 16/6/10 at page 1 below

Jalan Ponniah changed to Jalan Melati in One Malay-sia

Check Jalan Izaaz????

Indians in Mentakab have to even fight for even this very basic recognition of the Malaysian Indian presence and contribution in Malaysia.

A few years ago Jalan…

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Check Jalan Izaaz????

Indians in Mentakab have to even fight for even this very basic recognition of the Malaysian Indian presence and contribution in Malaysia.

A few years ago Jalan Dato Izaaz in Kuantan was similarly changed to a malay name. This again is the UMNO led Malay-sian government’s “ethnic cleansing” of systematically wiping out any and every semblance of Indian and Hindu names, identity or symbols.

All this is possible only in Malay-sian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One a Malaysia. This level of racism does not happen in any other part of the world except in Malaysia. As it stands today Malay-sia is the world’s most racist country.

But even the top leaders of PKR, DAP and PAS will not speak up against this height of UMNO racism because they may lose Malay muslim votes.

P. Uthayakumar

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Cruel UMNO refuses to replace Letchumi’s Identity Card

It has been six years since 75 year Malaysian born Letchumi’s Identity Card (IC) was destroyed when her house got burnt.

It is six years now and Letchumi has still…

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It has been six years since 75 year Malaysian born Letchumi’s Identity Card (IC) was destroyed when her house got burnt.

It is six years now and Letchumi has still been denied her IC and she cannot even receive treatment from a government hospital because of this.

This is part of UMNO’s racist and supremacist agenda in reducing the number of Malaysian Indian citizens cum voters using their 1,016,799 UMNO Biro Tatanegara racist graduates who are mostly civil servants.

P. Uthayakumar

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UMNO: Guaranteed Mara business loans for academically weak Malay muslim skills trainees, but Indians excluded

312 Giat Mara trainees in car repair, car painting, furniture making, building houses, baking, catering and restauranteurs.

But the Indian poor and academically weak students are excluded, segregated and racially…

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312 Giat Mara trainees in car repair, car painting, furniture making, building houses, baking, catering and restauranteurs.

But the Indian poor and academically weak students are excluded, segregated and racially discriminated, first in Matriculation, JPA scholarships and university places, then in skills training like Giat Mara. UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak calls this One Malay-sia

S. Jayathas

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UMNO denies handicapped M. Devakaraj (11) welfare help for 11 years

Devakaraj was paralysed since birth (See SH 6/6/10 at page S20). But in the last eleven years the UMNO, JKKK, Welfare and other departments never saw Devakaraj because UMNO’s One…

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Devakaraj was paralysed since birth (See SH 6/6/10 at page S20). But in the last eleven years the UMNO, JKKK, Welfare and other departments never saw Devakaraj because UMNO’s One Malay-sia is “colour blind”.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of the Indian poor denied any UMNO led government help at all. At best they will get some token ‘kacang putih” help by UMNO’s MIC and PPP Indian mandores, which act has now been franchised and ably aped by the PKR, DAP and PAS Indian mandores franchisees’.

HRP’s Project 15/38 is the only forward.

S. Jayathas

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UMNO denies welfare help for 13 years now – RM 15 a day as cleaner if got work for single parent Mageswari (48) with 2 handicapped children & 2 in welfare help.

 

If not for their neighbours who gives Mageswari cleaning jobs this family would have to go hungry.

This is yet again the tip of the iceberg of the Indians…

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If not for their neighbours who gives Mageswari cleaning jobs this family would have to go hungry.

This is yet again the tip of the iceberg of the Indians poor in UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malay-sia.

Why has UMNO refused to grant this family the 10 acre land ownership schemes in the already 442,000 ten acre land ownership schemes like in Felda, Risda, Fama, Mardi, Agropolition (BH 25/2/2010 at page 4) which will help bring this family out of poverty permanently!

P. Uthayakumar

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MCOBA, UMNO and Chinese Corporate Industrial banking businesses and millionaires should also help the Indian poor

 

This is a pleasant surprise from the Malay College Old Boys Association (MCOBA) for a poor Malaysian Indian girl. Thank you MCOBA. The smile on this little girl Dhavenna…

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This is a pleasant surprise from the Malay College Old Boys Association (MCOBA) for a poor Malaysian Indian girl. Thank you MCOBA. The smile on this little girl Dhavenna (5) says much more than thank you. We would  similarly like to also appreciate and thank thousands of other UMNO and Malaysian Chinese corporate, industrial, banking businesses and millionaires to come forward and also help thousands of the Indian poor in predicaments like this. RHB started last week. Hope for much, much more in the true realization of One Malaysia.

God Bless You.

P. Uthayakumar

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UN slams Malaysia’s detention-without-trial laws

(Reuters) - Malaysia needs to repeal or amend draconian laws that allow imprisonment without trial and have been used against opposition politicians, journalists and bloggers, a UN body said today.…

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(Reuters) - Malaysia needs to repeal or amend draconian laws that allow imprisonment without trial and have been used against opposition politicians, journalists and bloggers, a UN body said today.

The UN working group was invited by the government and has been in Malaysia for two weeks to look into arbitrary detentions. It gave a critical assessment on four preventive laws including the Internal Security Act (ISA).

“These preventive laws are exclusively administrative and do not allow intervention by the judiciary,” the group’s chairman, Malick Sow, told reporters. “It is a classic case of arbitrary detention.”

The ISA, which dates back to British colonial rule, permits detention without trial with detainees usually held incommunicado and rarely charged in court.

Its use has been justified on the grounds of maintaining national security although many of its high-profile victims have been opposition politicians.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who now leads the opposition, was imprisoned under the ISA when he was the leader of a Muslim youth movement.

He is currently on trial on sodomy charges in what he says is a repeat of a politically motivated prosecution that saw him dismissed from office in 1998, put on trial and imprisoned.

The government had pledged to review the ISA before Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak took office in April last year but no changes have taken place yet.

The ISA and other laws are used against people suspected of criminal activity and against terror suspects.

Sow said the group privately interviewed detainees held under preventive laws and found no complaints about treatment by guards in prisons and detention centres.

However, the group found these detainees were likely to be tortured or mistreated in order to obtain confessions or evidence in police detention.

“It is not necessarily physical violence but also the external conditions and the withholding of food. There were few who said any particular tool was used to beat them but it was more to do with punching and kicking,” Sow said.

“They prefer prisons than police stations. They feel safer in prisons.”

The group will present a full report to the United Nations Human Rights Council in March next year and will follow up again two years after the report is presented.

Malaysia was re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council last month.

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PAS building bridges with inter-faith dialogue

He admits that Muslims too found it difficult to accept the dialogues due to the taboos that surround the Muslim-Christian relationship. There are questions of whether a Muslim could go…

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He admits that Muslims too found it difficult to accept the dialogues due to the taboos that surround the Muslim-Christian relationship. There are questions of whether a Muslim could go to church and whether a non-Muslim could go to mosques and in what circumstances.

Written by Sharon Tan, The Edge

When the controversy over the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims caught the public attention last year, threatening inter-religious harmony, PAS launched into low-key dialogues with Christians to build bridges, an initiative once considered impossible.

PAS unity bureau chairman Dr Mujahid Yusuf Rawa said that when the issue became a topic of contention, his party, which was once feared by non-Muslims, saw it as a good opportunity for dialogue and to explain to Christians that the issue was being politicised.

Mujahid, who was instrumental in setting up the non-Muslim wing in PAS recently, said that Islam encourages its followers to dialogue, and this by no means carried any intention of converting non-Muslims.

"We want to reach out to them and explain that the Islamic faith encourages dialogue/talks and that does not mean that we are trying to turn them into Muslims or that they would turn us into Christians.

"We just need to understand more about each faith's stand on a certain issue. That is what pushes us to hold dialogues," said Mujahid, who has his party's blessings to organise such talks.

With the dialogues, the party hopes to create more understanding among the various faiths, which in turn may mean that religious issues would not be so easily manipulated.

"It is not easy to start the dialogue since we have been blocked for 50 years by a racial divide. So to break the block itself is already a struggle. I believe my party has achieved it, especially with the Allah issue," said Mujahid. He denies that the dialogues are a result of his party's success in winning non-Malay support.

"Most people thought that when PAS decided to engage in dialogue, it was for political reasons. But no, PAS' struggle has been on Islam and anything we want to do, we will refer to our principles. There is a very clear verse in the Quran that calls us to engage in dialogue.

"Secondly, our relationship with other faiths is based on humanity — it is a human-to-human relationship. Among the Muslims, it is faith-to-faith, but with others, it is a relationship of humanity, where we try to build respect and dignity amongst us.

"We cannot do that unless we engage in dialogue and this is why we are reaching out. I do not see that dialogue is purely something that is in our political manifesto," he explained.

It is critical, Mujahid said, to break the walls that have been dividing the community, and it is a new learning curve for both Muslims and Christians. According to the Parit Buntar MP, whose late father Yusuf Rawa was one of the most charismatic PAS presidents, there are many issues that haunt the Christian-Muslim relationship.

He said that holding the dialogues allows him to explain the Islamic position and tackle issues such as apostasy, the Islamic state, hudud law, Inter-Faith Council and Islamophobia while his non-Muslim audience is free to ask him questions.

He admits that Muslims too found it difficult to accept the dialogues due to the taboos that surround the Muslim-Christian relationship. There are questions of whether a Muslim could go to church and whether a non-Muslim could go to mosques and in what circumstances.

"These taboos must be dealt with. These are things that are still haunting the relationship and we must educate both sides on how the relationship should be, especially in understanding the need to respect one another," said Mujahid.

To Mujahid, it is clear where these dialogues will lead to. He said: "It will lead to a greater height of civilisation. For me, this is a new frontier for our country. I call not only PAS but everyone who is concerned about peace, respect, and multicultural and multi-faith understanding to go forward in this dialogue.

"It will bring us to greater heights after 50 years of being blocked by narrow-minded interpretations of inter-faith relations. We need to break that."

Mujahid did not agree that the dialogues are part of a vote-fishing exercise. He said that those who come to the dialogues are people of different political leanings. However, if PAS manages to get some votes as a result of the talks, then the party welcomes it, he said.

"We don't go there to ask for votes. I don't think that will serve the purpose of the dialogue. My concern is how we as Malaysians can go forward in the inter-faith relationship," he said. Mujahid hoped to widen the scope of the dialogue to other fields such as issues of corruption, good governance and environmental protection, where one's faith can play a role.

Inter-faith initiatives have gained traction with PAS leaders, especially following the 12th general election in 2008. Shortly after winning his seat on March 8, 2008, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad raised eyebrows when he went to the Church of Divine Mercy in his constituency to thank voters for their support. When Metro Tabernacle was torched earlier this year, PAS leaders went to the ground. PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat also hosted a dialogue with Christian leaders in Kota Bharu.

Looking to Prophet Muhammad's life for inspiration, in particular how he lived and engaged with people of different faiths, PAS is exploring new frontiers by engaging and building bridges to a community that once viewed it with suspicion. While PAS' coalition partners and political rivals contemplate how to engage non-traditional constituents, PAS has gained much ground in this respect.

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Kenapa Syarikat Felda Ditutup Selepas Najib Ambil Alih

Dari Harakah Daily

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim meminta kerajaan menjelaskan berhubung beberapa syarikat berkaitan Felda yang telah ditutup dalam tempoh lima tahun terakhir semenjak Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak mengambil…

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Dari Harakah Daily

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim meminta kerajaan menjelaskan berhubung beberapa syarikat berkaitan Felda yang telah ditutup dalam tempoh lima tahun terakhir semenjak Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak mengambil alih Felda.

“Syarikat-syarikat berikut telah ditutup: Felda Karet, Sutera Jaya dan Felda Herbal. Harus ada penjelasan terperinci kenapa ianya ditutup dan apakah hal ini disebabkan kelemahan pengurusan,” ujarnya lagi.

Sehubungan itu, beliau yang juga Ahli Majlis Pimpinan Pusat PKR mendakwa penjelasan Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri berhubung kejatuhan sumber kewangan Felda tidak jelas dan boleh dipertikai.

Beliau dalam satu kenyataan berkata, kenyataan Datuk Ahmad Maslan Ahmad di Dewan Rakyat Rabu lalu juga tidak menyentuh keuntungan pelaburan yang diperolehi Felda.

“Dia gagal untuk menjelaskan nilai keuntungan Felda melalui pelaburan selain menggunakan wang tersebut untuk ‘tujuan kesejahteraan’, seperti yang dinyatakan,” katanya.

Felda mengalami kejatuhan sumber kewangan sebanyak RM2.73 bilion dalam tempoh lima tahun.

Rabu lalu, Ahmad ketika menjawab soalan di parlimen memberitahu, kejatuhan nilai kewangan Felda dari RM4.08 bilion pada tahun 2004 kepada RM1.35 bilion pada 2009 adalah kerana digunakan untuk tujuan kebajikan.

RM2 bilion, jelasnya untuk penanaman semula tanaman, RM603 juta untuk pinjaman rumah tanpa faedah, RM253 juta bagi tabung pembasmian kemiskinan Sabah dan RM662 juta diperuntukkan untuk pembangunan ibupejabat baru Felda.

Menurut Zaid, jumlah RM2 bilion untuk penanaman semula adalah besar dan Ahmad sewajarnya memberi penjelasan lebih terperinci.

“Timbalan Menteri harus memperincikan bagaimana RM2 bilion diperuntukkan termasuk jumlah peneroka yang terlibat, luas kawasan dan adakah ianya termasuk wang pendapatan penduhuluan untuk para penduduk dalam program ini dan apakah ianya menggunakan kaedah penanaman yang standard.

Beliau juga turut mempersoal bagaimana RM253 juta yang dinyatakan oleh timbalan menteri untuk dana pemberantasan kemiskinan Sabah.

“Adakah wang tersebut disalurkan terus kepada penduduk miskin, atau apakah itu disalurkan kepada kerajaan negeri Sabah yang kekurangan wang?

“Jika ini dianggap ‘kesejahteraan masyarakat’, kita harus bertanya apakah tugas wajib Felda dan adakah termasuk membantu kerajaan BN yang kekurangan wang,” katanya lagi.

Berhubung ibu pejabat baru Felda di Taman Platinum pula, Zaid mempertikai mengapa Felda perlu membayar 40% deposit (berbanding asal 10%) kepada Naza TTDI untuk bangunan baru itu yang bernilai RM662 juta.

Turut dituntut penjelasan berhubung jumlah sejumlah RM4 juta ke RM5 juta dihabiskan untuk kemudahan Felda Football Club.

“Saya menyeru Perdana Menteri Datuk Najib Tun Razak untuk melepaskan Felda dan membiarkan organisasi profesional ini dikendalikan secara telus,” katanya.

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Malaysian Detainees Treated Well - UN Human Rights Group

KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 (Bernama) -- Detainees in Malaysia are treated well, observes the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The council's working group on arbitrary detention committee…

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KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 (Bernama) -- Detainees in Malaysia are treated well, observes the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The council's working group on arbitrary detention committee also commended that there was a decrease in the number of people held under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The committee spent over a week in the country, inspecting five detention centres, including that in Kamunting centre where ISA detainees are held.

It has recommended that Malaysia repeal or amend four preventive laws, including the ISA, to conform with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The other three are the Emergency Ordinance (Public Order and Prevention of Crime), the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act and Restricted Residence Act.

"These laws deny the detainee the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, consecrated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other principles of international customary law.

"The fact that the government is inviting us here, indicates its willingness for improvements.

"We will submit the report to the Human Rights Council in March next year, and follow up on the situation in two years' time," said El Hadji Malick Sow who led the five-member group which arrived here on June 7, at the invitation of the Malaysian Government.

He said, a preliminary report was presented to Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong Friday.

Sow said the group received full cooperation from the Malaysian Government and its relevant agencies, adding that detainees were in good condition.

The decreased number of 15 ISA detainees was also commendable, he said.

The group visited the Kajang, Puncak Borneo and Pengkalan Chepa prisons, and the Kamunting Detention and Simpang Renggam Detention centres.

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Improved human trafficking record - don't celebrate yet

Malaysiakini
by Andrew Khoo

 COMMENT As widely expected, the Malaysian government took great delight in being upgraded in the Trafficking In Persons Report (TIP Report) for 2010 which was released…

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Malaysiakini
by Andrew Khoo

 COMMENT As widely expected, the Malaysian government took great delight in being upgraded in the Trafficking In Persons Report (TIP Report) for 2010 which was released on June 14.

This is an annual report prepared by the United States' State Department on the situation of trafficking in persons in countries around the world, and assesses the seriousness of governments in their commitment to addressing this world-wide problem.

Contrary to the report in one English-language newspaper on June 15, Malaysia did not rise to Tier 2 in the TIP Report. Malaysia moved from the bottom rung, Tier 3, to the next rung, Tier 2 Watch List.

Amongst the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) members, Malaysia left Myanmar (Tier 3) and joined Brunei, Lao PDR, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam on the Tier 2 Watch List. Cambodia and Indonesia are on Tier 2.

We should not break out in celebration yet. The TIP Report may be said to be very guardedly optimistic, even apologetically so, about Malaysia's improvement.

The TIP Report explains Malaysia's upgrade thus: "The government of Malaysia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Because the assessment that the government had made significant efforts is based in part on its commitments to undertake actions over the coming year - notably greater implementation of Malaysia's anti-trafficking law against labour trafficking - Malaysia is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List."

The TIP Report expects the government's promise of greater commitment to address human trafficking to evidence itself in: increased investigations and prosecutions of labour trafficking offences and identification of labour trafficking victims; increasing efforts to prosecute trafficking-related corruption by government officials; and greater collaboration with NGOs and international organisations to improve victim services in government shelters.

Still a laggard

It is clear to anyone who takes the time to read the report that Malaysia is still a laggard in terms of complying with even the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. In the event that greater implementation of Malaysia's Anti-Trafficking In Persons Act 2007 is not undertaken in the coming year, especially in the area of labour trafficking, Malaysia will swiftly return to Tier 3.

However, even in the three key results areas mentioned, the observations are not positive. The TIP Report states the government initiated 180 trafficking-related investigations and filed 123 charges against 69 individuals. Yet only three sex trafficking offenders were convicted.

A reading of local newspapers will show that a number of cases were thrown out by the courts for lack of evidence.

A case against five Thai nationals caught trafficking persons for the fishing industry remains pending. Five Malaysian immigration officials were arrested for alleged involvement in a trafficking ring that took Burmese migrants to Thailand for sale to trafficking syndicates, yet criminal charges under the Trafficking In Persons Act 2007 have only been filed against one officer and even that case is pending.

While NGOs reported several potential labour trafficking cases, the authorities did not report any related arrests or investigations. The TIP Report also indicated that collusion between police and trafficking offenders sometimes led to offenders escaping arrest and punishment. But no officials were convicted of trafficking-related complicity.

Minimal progress made

The TIP Report says the government made minimal progress in protecting victims of trafficking. Efforts to identify and protect trafficking victims remained inadequate.

It acknowledged that the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry ran two trafficking 'shelters' for women and children and opened a third in July 2009. It also acknowledged that in 2009 the government opened its first two shelters designed to house trafficked men.

However all these shelters detains suspected and confirmed foreign trafficking victims for 90 days until they are deported to their home countries. The government's policy of detaining trafficking victims against their will, serves as a disincentive to victims bringing cases to the government's attention.

The TIP Report also pointed out that government shelters were like immigration detention centres. Victims were denied basic freedoms, were not provided medical care, psychological support or trained victim counsellors.

Some victims were locked in rooms within the shelters. NGO trafficking shelters provide resources that government ones do not, but the government does not provide financial assistance to NGOs, and requires all identified victims to reside in its own shelters.

While the Trafficking In Persons Act 2007 provides immunity to victims of trafficking against illegal entry, unlawful presence and possession of false travel documents, victims continue to be detained and deported.

They are treated no differently than illegal immigrants, and the government deports them after they have provided evidence to prosecutors.

Victims are required by law to assist in the prosecution of trafficking offenders, but the lack of victim protection or any incentives for victim assistance in investigations and prosecutions significantly impedes successful prosecutions. Some unidentified victims, including children, end up being processed as illegal migrants, and are held in prisons or immigration detention centres prior to deportation.

The government does not offer alternatives to deportation to their home countries, where they may face hardship or retribution. While victims may file a civil suit against their exploiters, they cannot legally work while their case is being considered. This discourages any legal action.

Outlook not encouraging

The outlook for 2010-2011 does not look encouraging. Included in the TIP Report on Malaysia were the following observations:-

1. A significant number of women are recruited to work in Malaysian restaurants and hotels, but subsequently are coerced into Malaysia's commercial sex trade;

2. Malaysian labour outsourcing companies recruit excess workers, who are then often subject to conditions of forced labour. Corruption plays a role in trafficking of foreign migrant workers, particularly to the authorising of excess recruitment by Malaysian outsourcing companies, despite officials assuring that the practice had been reduced by regulations in force from July 2009 that requires outsourcing companies to demonstrate the need for each worker recruited;

3. Migrant workers in plantations, construction sites, textile factories and domestic workers continue to experience restrictions on movement, deceit and fraud in wages, passport confiscation and debt bondage, which are indicative of trafficking;

4. Some Malaysian employers do not pay their foreign domestic workers three to six months' wages in order to recover charges by recruitment agencies, which makes them open to trafficking;

5. The People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) continued to conduct raids targeting illegal migrant communities, detaining refugees, asylum seekers and victims of trafficking along with allegedly illegal migrants. Authorities do not take criminal action against Rela volunteers who physically threaten and abuse migrant workers and extort money from them, despite reports of such abuses.

The TIP Report does highlights a few positive developments. In February 2009, Malaysia became a party to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol, but with reservations. In November 2009, the government launched an anti-trafficking public awareness campaign that included advertisements in print media, and on radio and television. In March 2010, the government launched a five-year action plan to combat trafficking.

Overall, the TIP Report on Malaysia makes for sad reading, and leaves a lot to be desired in terms of government action. Notwithstanding Malaysia's upgrade, there is nothing much to celebrate.

Andrew Khoo is Chair of the Human Rights Committee of Bar Council Malaysia but writes here in his personal capacity.

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Berjaya-owned Sun spotlights sports betting

Of late, the Berjaya-owned Sun newspaper has been highlighting the issue of sports betting and illegal betting syndicates. It’s news coverage, however, should be seen in the light of who…

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Of late, the Berjaya-owned Sun newspaper has been highlighting the issue of sports betting and illegal betting syndicates. It’s news coverage, however, should be seen in the light of who owns the free tabloid.
On 15 June, the paper front-paged Mahathir’s dismissal of opposition protests on the issue with the headline “It’s all politics”.
The following day, the paper wheeled out ex-Magnum director and former Anwar ally S Nallukarupan with the headline “Anwar’s ploy”. Nalla lashed out at Anwar, saying “the issue has been manipulated by PKR for political mileage”. Keshwinder’s defection was sidelined to the left-hand column of the front-page.
Today’s Sun frontpages the arrests of 10 people for running illegal online betting on World Cup football matches.
The Sun is published by Berjaya Media Berhad, which is owned by Vincent Tan/Berjaya.
On April 1, Vincent Tan handed over the reins of Berjaya Media to his son Robin, who took over as Chairman and Director.
Vincent Tan’s direct (40 per cent) and indirect holding (30 per cent) in Berjaya Media stood at 70 per cent as of 4 May.
Both father and son were shareholders of Ascot, until Berjaya Corp announced a move to acquire Vincent’s 70 per cent stake. Ascot was in the news lately after Berjaya announced that the Finance Ministry had approved a sports betting licence subject to terms and condition – though the government later denied the licence had been issued.

Changes in Substantial Shareholder’s Interest Pursuant to Form 29B of the Companies Act. 1965
Reference No BM-100503-59928
Company Name
:
BERJAYA MEDIA BERHAD
Stock Name
:
BJMEDIA
Date Announced
:
04/05/2010
Name
:
Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun
Address
:
28, Jalan Bukit Seputeh, Seputeh Heights, Taman Seputeh, 58000 Kuala Lumpur.
NRIC/Passport No/Company No.
:
520223-01-5779
Nationality/Country of incorporation
:
Malaysian
Descriptions
(Class & nominal value)
:
Ordinary Shares of RM0.80 each
Name & address
of registered
holder
:
Berjaya Sompo Insurance Berhad- 18th Floor, Menara BGI, Plaza Berjaya, 12, Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Details of changes
Currency
:
Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Type of transaction
Date of change
No of securities
Price Transacted ($$)
Acquired
30/04/2010
4,500,000
Circumstances
by reason of which change has occurred
:
Deemed Interest
- Acquisition of shares via married deal.
Nature of
interest
:
Deemed Interest
Direct (units)
:
93,875,482
Direct (%)
:
40.31
Indirect/deemed interest (units)
:
69,531,444
Indirect/deemed interest (%)
:
29.86
Total no of securities after change
:
163,406,926
Date of notice
:
30/04/2010
Remarks
Indirect Shareholdings
————————————-
No. of Shares
———————
1) B&B Enterprise Sdn Bhd 681,900
2) HQZ Credit Sdn Bhd 554,700
3) Lengkap Bahagia Sdn Bhd 360,000
4) Nautilus Corporation Sdn Bhd 3,300
5) Hotel Resort Enterprise Sdn Bhd 17,017,200
6) Nostalgia Kiara Sdn Bhd 900,000
7) Berjaya Assets Berhad 31,200
Berjaya Times Square Sdn Bhd 595,600
9 Sublime Cartel Sdn Bhd 970,000
10) Premier Merchandise Sdn Bhd 2,256,800
11) Desiran Unggul Sdn Bhd 23,700
12) Superior Structure Sdn Bhd 3,652,400
13) Berjaya Hills Berhad 2,142,238
14) Berjaya Sompo Insurance Berhad 11,289,238
15) Prime Credit Leasing Sdn Bhd 18,850,308
16) Regnis Industries (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd 5,478,451
17) Feab Properties Sdn Bhd 4,724,409
——————
69,531,444
==========
© 2010, Bursa Malaysia Berhad. All Rights Reserved.
———-
Change in Boardroom
Reference No BM-100325-52721
Company Name
:
BERJAYA MEDIA BERHAD
Stock Name
:
BJMEDIA
Date Announced
:
01/04/2010
Date of change
:
01/04/2010
Type of change
:
Appointment
Designation
:
Chairman & Director
Directorate
:
Non Independent & Non Executive
Name
:
Dato’ Robin Tan Yeong Ching
Age
:
35
Nationality
:
Malaysian
Qualifications
:
Bachelor of Social Science degree in Accounting/Law from University of Southampton, United Kingdom
Working experience and occupation
:
He joined Berjaya Group Berhad in 1995 as an Executive and subsequently became the General Manager, Corporate Affairs in 1997. Currently, he is the Chief Executive Officer of Berjaya Sports Toto Berhad and an Executive Director of Berjaya Corporation Berhad and Sports Toto Malaysia Sdn Bhd. He is also a Director of Qinetics Solutions Berhad, Berjaya Sompo Insurance Berhad, Berjaya Hills Berhad, KDE Recreation Berhad, TMC Life Sciences Berhad and the Chairman of MOL.Com Berhad.
Directorship of public companies (if any)
:
1) Berjaya Corporation Berhad
2) Berjaya Sports Toto Berhad
3) Berjaya Sompo Insurance Berhad
4) Berjaya Hills Berhad
5) KDE Recreation Berhad
6) Qinetics Solutions Berhad
7) MOL.Com Brhad
TMC Life Sciences Berhad
Family relationship with any director and/or major shareholder of the listed issuer
:
His father, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun, is a major shareholder of the Company.
Any conflict of interests that he/she has with the listed issuer
:
Nil
Details of any interest in the securities of the listed issuer or its subsidiaries
:
1) Direct Interest: 18,000 Ordinary Shares of RM0.80 each
2) Indirect Interest held through spouse: 100 Ordinary Shares of RM0.80 each
—————————————————————–
Change in Boardroom
Reference No BM-100325-54564
Company Name
:
BERJAYA MEDIA BERHAD
Stock Name
:
BJMEDIA
Date Announced
:
01/04/2010
Date of change
:
01/04/2010
Type of change
:
Resignation
Designation
:
Chairman & Director
Directorate
:
Non Independent & Non Executive
Name
:
Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun
Age
:
58
Nationality
:
Malaysian
Qualifications
:
N/A
Working experience and occupation
:
N/A
Directorship of public companies (if any)
:
N/A
Family relationship with any director and/or major shareholder of the listed issuer
:
N/A
Any conflict of interests that he/she has with the listed issuer
:
N/A
Details of any interest in the securities of the listed issuer or its subsidiaries
:
N/A

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