Malayur News: 10/14/10

Thursday, 14 October 2010

He who asserts must prove

Malaysiakini in a report entitled ‘Conspiracy to deny Nurul’s candidacy’ yesterday, carried this image of the top part of what appears to be a circular from the office of PKR…

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MyConstitution: Roles of PM, public services

Malay Mail

Rakyat Guides 5 — Part 2

LAST week, the first part of the Rakyat Guides 5 explained who is the Executive and the roles they play.

This…

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KUALA LUMPUR: Seven Immigration Department officers and two foreigners have been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for alleged involvement in human trafficking.

Inspector-General of Police…

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Coming home to roost

This is not just about PKR. This is also about Pakatan Rakyat. The head honcho of PKR will automatically become the head honcho of Pakatan Rakyat -- just like the…

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Sarawak MPs see November state polls

Taib has convinced Putrajaya it could not afford to go into

battle without him. — file

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Speculation is rife among Sarawak MPs that the state…

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Samy Vellu: It was time to go

Samy Vellu said he would welcome an advisory role in the future. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — MIC’s longest serving president, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said…

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Ku Li wants to make it a 'family affair'

By FMT Staff

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Galas state seat by-election is expected to be a local Umno leader who will be handpicked by Gua Musang…

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Phantom voters in Bayan Baru PKR polls?

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today,

GEORGE TOWN: The Bayan Baru PKR division has hardly recovered from revelation of electoral malpractices that marred its polls last month when another…

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Crime prevention bureau to tackle Indian ills

By G Vinod - Free Malaysia Today,

PETALING JAYA: The newly-set up Malaysian Indian Visionary Association (MIVA) launched its Crime Prevention and Police Affairs Bureau today (yesterday) aimed at addressing…

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The day Ibrahim Ali's mouth goes numb - Malaysiakini

'It's common knowledge that most sultans are under Umno's thumb so is this Umno's way of trying to get Ibrahim Ali back under their control?'

Kelantan revokes Ibrahim Ali's datukship…

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'It's common knowledge that most sultans are under Umno's thumb so is this Umno's way of trying to get Ibrahim Ali back under their control?'

Kelantan revokes Ibrahim Ali's datukship

Mohd Hazwan: Ibrahim Ali is a liar through and through. He said he did not benefit from Sports Toto when everyone said he did. He said he was not using the handphone in Parliament the other day when everyone saw him doing so. He said he had just visited the former sultan and they were friends, and suddenly his datukship was revoked.

He may think the whole world is stupid, but I think his days are numbered.

Albert: Ibrahim Ali said: "Perkasa is defending the country's basic constitution." I am not too sure about that.

What Ibrahim Ali is defending is the blatant abuse of the constitution (i.e. Article 153). Article 153 (i.e. civil service, scholarships, education, permits) in its original form and intention, has never been threatened. Ibrahim Ali has conveniently chosen not to inform the ignorant Malays that it requires a two-third vote in Parliament to change the constitution.

Do not also forget that the military, police, judiciary, AG's Chambers, etc, are all controlled by Malays. Ibrahim Ali (supported by Mahathir Mohamad, Utusan Malaysia and the authorities) is simply creating unfounded fear among the ignorant Malays to make himself relevant.

Do we honestly think that he is doing it for the Malays (especially those Malays who were sidelined in the 40 years of affirmative action and have remained poor even now)? He is defending the abuse of Article 153 in order to continue enriching the already filthy rich Umno Malays and their cronies.

Wakaka: 'No big deal,' he said. I wonder if his perception of the remaining two 'datukship' are also the same.

Abahpenang: Even his own sultan is mad at him. Hopefully the sultan will revoke Ibrahim Ali his 'Kelantaneseship' altogether. Ibrahim is a disgrace to the Malay and human race. It is a total humiliation for Ibrahim Ali that his datukship was revoked by his sultan.

Md Imraz Muhammed Ikhbal: "If it has something to do with Perkasa, I should be given a higher award than (a datukship) because Perkasa is defending the country's basic constitution and the royal institution," said Ibrahim Ali.

Since when can the word "desecrating" be read to mean "defending"? Ibrahim Ali is a sheer embarrassment to the Malay race and an utter disgrace to the dignity of Muslims. He should not only be stripped of the title 'datuk', but should in fact be crowned the title 'pariah'!

Dood: Wow, the nerve of Ibrahim Ali in thinking that he in fact should be given a greater award for his work with Perkasa.

The revocation of Ibrahim Ali's datukship was a pleasant surprise for once, coming after a whole long list of disappointing actions by our royalty. I want to know more to see if the reasons for the revocation is worthy of praise.

Kusoh: To be fair to Ibrahim Ali, there were Tuns and Tan Sris charged in courts. I guess there must be a good reason for the revocation of the title. He has other datukship for his past contributions (whatever they are) and his current status should not be a yardstick.

MKini Reader: The present Kelantan sultan has been revoking titles and positions from people close to the previous sultan. So revoking Ibrahim's may not be connected to his ultra-racist antics.

Doc: An Umno-aligned politician getting his datukship revoked is something most unusual. It's common knowledge that most sultans are under Umno's thumb so is this Umno's way of trying to get Ibrahim Ali back under their control and tame him? There is more than meets the eye here.

Anonymous: Padan muka kamu, Ibrahim Ali. Orang Melayu seperti kamu yang tidak berbudi-bahasa memang malukan kebudayaan Melayu yang lemah lembut dan peramah, bukannya menghina kaum-kaum berbudaya yang lain daripada kamu.

Lebih-lebih kelakuan dan tindak-tanduk kamu telahpun menghina nama baik Islam, bukan saja orang Melayu ataupun Kelantan. Insaf dan bertaubat, inilah yang penting, bukan sekadarnya anda masih 'Datuk' selepas penarikan daripada Sultan Kelantan.

Apa gunanya 'Datuk' sini sana kalau tidak dihormati orang jelata?

Klangboy: His character speaks volume - 'he still has two other datukship' so basically what he is saying is 'who cares'. Just like him choosing to dishonour the departed in Parliament. There is only one word to describe him - biadab (rude).

I feel sorry for those who supported a crass person like him and follow him blindly. Starting with Tun Mahathir Mohamad. I would have felt embarrassed to be within 10 feet of him for he pollutes the environment with his foul mouth.

Sarawakian: It must be the unkindest of all. The Kelantan sultan has just gone up another notch in the rakyat's eye.

Raja Chulan: To me a datukship does not matter at all. These titles are simply awarded to any Tom, Dick and Harry nowadays.

If the Kelantan ruler thinks that the katak (frog) must be striped off his datukship, what about the other states (Malacca and Selangor)? Don't all Malay rulers use the same standard of measurement? Or do they have their own agenda and interest to consider?

Nicholas Lim: As far as the law and everyone is concerned, the current Sultan of Kelantan is already in power and it would be very difficult for anybody even Mahathir or a 'toad' like Ibrahim Ali to dislodge the sultan in favour of the ex-Sultan of Kelantan or horror of horrors for the bad boy Tengku Fakhry of the Manohara fame.

Perkasa deserved to get this tight slap in the face. I wonder if Perkasa and the mastermind, Mahathir, will now come out to whack the royalty in Kelantan. Mahathir is the master of republicanism after all.

Well, the palace of Selangor and the governor of Malacca ... the ball is at your feet now.

Darrel Damian: Finally. I have been wondering if this day will ever come.

My leg was numb, says Ibrahim Ali

RubyStar: Hello Tuan Ibrahim, I addressed you as such as you are still an MP but bereft of your datukship. Even when one's enemy is slain, a great warrior will still have the courtesy and the civil mindedness to give him due respect as the last rite of passage.

For the one-minute silence, you sat there yelping on the phone, which not only showed that you are disrespectful of the dead, you are uncouth, uneducated, uncultured and was unbecoming of the conduct of an MP in the August house where you are the representative of the rakyat who voted you in.

Now you gave the excuse that your leg was numb, but I say to you, the damage is done and you now affirm to the whole world of your belligerent attitude towards non-Muslims. The Sultan of Kelantan has done the right thing to take away your datukship. Long live the sultan.

Singa Pura Pura: "The Pasir Mas parliamentarian cited the constant treatment he undergoes for diabetes, which makes him drowsy and plagues him with a numbness in his legs... 'If Ibrahim Ali is corrupt, abuses power or commits sodomy, then you attack on that,' he said."

First, one certainly hopes that the drowsiness isn't the cause of the incessant anti-pendatang vituperative. Second, one also hopes, and in good faith, that the diabetes is well under control as otherwise both his legs would sadly go numb.

But that is not necessarily a bad thing since such a condition would be a complete defence to any self-incriminating allegation of sodomy.

Anonymous: You are talking on your phone and yet you cannot observe a minute of silence for a much respected deceased comrade. Please do not con the public with your numbness act. You look stupid when you lie and even more stupid when it doesn't make sense.

There are two issues here: you are taking on the phone and not standing up. Even if your stupid fat legs are numb, can you not shut up and keep silence for a minute to pay respect to the deceased?

Kgen: His leg was numb? I wait for the day when his mouth is too numb to speak.

Chegubard joins PKR Youth chief race

Objections received on 64 PKR division meetings

Lambert: Aktivis pelajar bantah kelulusan Puspal

Miners in Chile continue their ascensions to freedom

Copiapo, Chile (CNN) -- By Wednesday afternoon, rescuers had winched to the surface more than half of the 33 miners trapped in a northern Chile gold and copper mine, and…

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Copiapo, Chile (CNN) -- By Wednesday afternoon, rescuers had winched to the surface more than half of the 33 miners trapped in a northern Chile gold and copper mine, and the world marveled at a "mission incredible."

After 69 harrowing days, the miners ascended to freedom one by one, hoisted through a half-mile of rock in a rescue mission that began in the numbing chill of a desert night and continued under the searing sun of a cloudless day.

As they came out of the earth in a red, white and blue capsule, the miners signaled a thumbs-up. Or waved Chilean flags. One even led the crowd in a chant for Chile. Some dropped to their knees and prayed. Mostly, though, they embraced the families they feared they would never see again.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera called the mission "magical." U.S. President Barack Obama called it a "tremendously inspirational story."

Florencio Avalos was the first to step out from the "Fenix" capsule, named for the mythical bird that rose from ashes.

He beamed as his feet touched the surface of the Earth that had smothered him. He cradled his son and wife before Pinera bear-hugged him.

The entire night passed before it was Mario Gomez's turn. He is 63 but has been mining since the tender age of 12. He contracted lung disease during his career and lost three fingers in a previous mining accident. He had planned to retire but went back down in the mine August 5 to test drive a new truck.

His wife, Lillian Ramirez, stood by nervously as he emerged before her in a cage no wider than the span of his shoulders.

Gomez, a man who used to tell his wife to quit bugging him to say daily prayers, dropped to his knees to praise God. At that moment, she knew how lucky she was to have him returned to her.

To say there were 33 trapped in the mine is wrong, Ramirez said. There were 33 men -- and God.

Ramirez was just one of the many anxious family members who bit their lips in anticipation and then rejoiced at the appearance of each man at the San Jose Mine in Chile's Atacama Desert. The miners had been trapped in the bowels of the earth since August 5 when the mine caved in.

In the capital, Santiago, hundreds wept and embraced as they watched the rescue on a flickering big screen TV set up in a square. Corks popped and champagne flowed at the Chilean embassy in Washington.

The scene repeated itself as more and more miners arrived. Around the world, strangers sat glued to their television sets.

"I mentioned on Twitter how 41 years ago the world watched men walk on the moon," said Connie Preti of New York. "Today we are seeing men come out from the earth. It's equally striking."

Pinera greeted each man as he came out of the capsule and said he would remain at the site until the last man was out Wednesday evening.

"We had promised to look until we found them," Pinera said. "We can all feel proud to be Chilean."

Health Minister Jaime Manalich said the rescue was proceeding according to plan and "going extraordinarily well so far." He said the miners were generally in good health.

"We have had very, very minor problems," Manalich said.

As the second miner, Mario Sepulveda, exited the rescue hole, he reached into a large yellow bag and handed out what appeared to be rocks to officials and rescue workers.

Sepulveda cracked jokes and led the crowd in a cheer for Chile. As the 40-year-old was hauled away on a stretcher for medical evaluation, he asked his wife, "How's the dog?"

Later, in a video conference, he said his time underground changed him.

"I buried 40 years of my life down there, and I'm going to live a lot longer to be a new person," he said. "I think I have learned a lot of wonderful lessons about taking the good path in life. For those of you able to call your wives, or your husbands, do so."

Avalos, the first man out, appeared strong, walking without help, embracing many of the rescue workers who witnessed his arrival. He was then put on a gurney and wheeled away for an examination by doctors.

The 31-year-old miner became a cameraman during the isolation, filming videos of the miners to be sent up to rescuers and relatives at the surface. His brother, Renan Silva, is also trapped in the mine.

"I'm overwhelmed with emotion because it's been so long since we have seen him," Alfonso Avalos, Florencio's father, told Chile's TVN. "I'm very proud of him. Thanks to God he got out and looks good."

Amid the sea of Chilean flags greeting the emerging miners was a collection of small, handheld Bolivian flags for Carlos Mamani, the lone Bolivian miner.

His family back home was restrained in their emotions for much of the morning while watching the rescue on TV. But they jumped up and clapped when they saw him kneel on the ground.

Next up was the youngest of the lot: Jimmy Sanchez, an 18-year-old who worked as an environmental assistant -- and the father of a newborn girl.

The 12th miner to be rescued, Edison Pena, was no longer "All Shook Up," as the Elvis Presley song goes. An Elvis fanatic who led the trapped miners in sing-alongs, Pena, 34, looked fit and exuberant. He waved and shook hands and hugged colleagues, loved ones and dignitaries.

And so it went Wednesday, and so it will go throughout the day.

The trapped miners put on green coveralls made of moisture-resistant material and personalized with their names.

Each climbed into a claustrophobic capsule equipped with communications equipment and a supply of oxygen. Each wore special $450 Oakley goggles to protect their eyes -- which had become accustomed to the vampiric darkness of the caved-in mine -- from the lights up above.

Then they awaited the order to hoist to begin their journey.

The first miners to come to the surface were deemed the most fit, but also possessed the most technical know-how so that they could advise the rescue teams.

The next five were the physically weakest, a term perhaps not appropriate for anyone who has survived more than two months in the bowels of the earth. But one of the miners has diabetes; another has black lung.

The last to come out will be Luis Alberto Iribarren, 54. Like the captain of a sinking ship, the shift supervisor volunteered to stay behind until all his men were safe.

All of the men are going through two hours of health checks at a field hospital set up at the mine. They will then be flown by helicopter to a hospital in the town of Copiapo -- approximately a 15-minute flight.

"It's extremely exciting for us. ... It's a very emotional moment for us," said Jeff Hart, one of the lead drillers who assisted with the rescue efforts. "We worked real long and hard on that, and to actually see the capsule come through the first time through the hole that we drilled was just unbelievable."

For the 33 men, the only contact with the outside world since August 5 was through a small bore hole through which they were sent food, water and other supplies. A letter sent by one of them said they would take a vow of silence, to never to fully reveal the details of their underground misery.

High above the miners, family members and 1,500 journalists from 39 nations held their collective breath as the rescue mission continued throughout the day.

And as each trapped man emerged safe, they exhaled.

HRP wants to cut a deal with Pakatan

(Malaysiakini) The Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP) wants to engage Pakatan Rakyat in talks with a view to cooperating in the sharing of election seats in the forthcoming 13th general…

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(Malaysiakini) The Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP) wants to engage Pakatan Rakyat in talks with a view to cooperating in the sharing of election seats in the forthcoming 13th general election.

NONE

HRP national information chief S Jayathas (left) said their common political enemy is BN.

"In the last election Hindraf was the deciding political factor in making Pakatan shine in five states and denying BN a two-thirds majority."

"HRP, which is Hindraf's political wing, has been in existence for almost one-and-a-half years now.

"But PKR, DAP and PAS have refused to even engage in a dialogue with us.

"This shows the extent of their gratitude for the sacrifices we made to make Pakatan the second political force in the country," lamented the HRP leader in a media statement.

Jayathas pointed out that in the March 2008 general election, BN, despite the Indians not having a majority in any of the 222 Parliament and 576 State Assembly seats, had granted MIC nine Parliament and 20 state seats to contest.

In return BN expected the Indian voters to support the other BN candidates.

Non-starters

"But in PKR, DAP and PAS/PR, we are non-starters because they are not prepared to share any seat with HRP. All they want is the 715,099 Indian votes free of charge," said the angry HRP leader.

'Why cannot the Pakatan coalition show the same magnanimity as Umno?" asked Jayathas.

He added that if Indians in BN get a raw deal, in Pakatan they get no deal at all.

He shot down the claim by PKR, DAP and PAS top leaders that their parties are multi-racial.

He claimed "At best, PKR, DAP and the PAS top leadership are like Umno, who has created a buffer of Indian mandores who are powerless but are assigned to "deal" with Indian problems in what they call "multi-racial" parties.

"Why aren't the top leadership of PKR, DAP and PAS in furtherance of their multi-racial claims, attend to the pressing Indian problems like giving land for Tamil schools, Hindu temples, cemeteries, Indian villages and settlements?"

HRP has to make the change

He asked where is the change Pakatan had promised in the March 8th 2008 general elections.

"As there is none, HRP has to make the change by being the third force and the alternative for Indians.

According to Jayathas, there is now a 14 percent Indian support swing for the party based on the recent survey by the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) of 1,367 respondents aged 21 and above.

It was taken from Aug 1-18, on the popularity of BN among Malaysians.

The Oct 8 Bernama survey report, claims that support for BN has now increased to 55 percent from 51 percent taken during the 2008 polls while Pakatan has registered a drop of 12 percent from the previous 49 percent.

The report claimed that Malay support for BN has increased by 3 percent to 61 percent in August from 58 percent that was registered the same month last year.

Likewise Chinese support has increased by 2 percent to 40 percent during the same period.

However, support from the Indian community has dropped from 63 percent to 59 percent by 4 percent (14 percent of the Indians chose not to support any political party).

Jayathas's argument is that out of the 14 per cent undecided Indians, BN has lost 4 percent while the remaining 10 percent is Pakatan's loss.

NONE

The party information chief said the dedication and commitment of pro-tem secretary general P Uthayakumar (right) after his release from Kamunting Detention Camp on May 9, 2009, helped gain the increasing support of the Indian community.

The former ISA detainee who was detained for 514 days, had crisscrossed the country to gauge the support of the marginalised Indians with his various community oriented projects and road-shows.

During his ISA detention, he had mapped out an ambitious political long term project of capturing 15 parliamentary seats and 38 Indian majority state seats, named project 15/38.

Political vacuum

HRP hopes to fill the political vacuum of the marginalised Indian community left by both BN and Pakatan by highlighting their socio-economic plight.

Jayathas said "Our 15/38 is the last self-help measure and the last resort as both BN and PR have failed the 2.5 million Malaysian Indian community.

"It is plain and obvious that both these parties of the political spectrum only want the Indian votes and never want to address their pressing community problems."

He said the IIUM survey report of the 14 percent support for HRP will further boost the party's 15/38 project and end the Indian mandore system now being practiced by both political divides.

In the first phase of the party's project 15/38, the party is concentrating on seven Parliamentary and seven state seats namely Padang Serai/ Lunas in Kedah, Batu Kawan/ Perai in Penang, Ipoh Barat/ Buntong in Perak, Kota Raja/ Sri Andalas in Selangor, Teluk Kemang/ Port Dickson in N. Sembilan/ Cameron Highlands/ Tanah Rata in Pahang and Tebrau/ Puteri Wangsa in Johor.

"The evidence of our first major breakthrough is with the creation of the very first Indian majority state seat Buntong in Perak which rose from 46.2 percent as at the 8th March 2008 General Elections to 54 percent last month," claimed Jayathas.

Biracial The Star & NST: Policeman fired 19 bullets to kill Aminulrasyid. Front page & prime news but zero headlines when poor Indian victim similarly killed.

(see The Star headlines 13/10/10 , BH front page & NST at page 6)

If and if only The Star, News Straits Times, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, Sin Chew, China…

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1 Malaysia has caused irreconcilable conflicts, says Dr M

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today that Malays must continue to be given handicaps, while arguing that Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia wa…

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KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today that Malays must continue to be given handicaps, while arguing that Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia was a confusing concept which means different things to different people.

He also accused the Chinese and Indian communities of continuing to identify with their countries of origin, and argued that Malays would continue demanding special treatment as a result.

Writing in his blog today, Mahathir (picture) said the Malays interpreted 1 Malaysia to mean the abolition of Chinese and Tamil schools and a “fair” participation of Malays and Bumiputeras in the private sector.

The Chinese and Indians, he claimed, interpret 1 Malaysia to mean an end to special treatment for Malays, the removal of quotas and the end to NEP-style affirmative action policies favouring Malays.

“Without the government spelling out the precise meaning of 1 Malaysia, different people are giving their own interpretations which not only differ from each other but are in conflict with each other.

“These two interpretations of 1 Malaysia admittedly are by the more extreme groups. The more moderate ones from both sides are milder in their expectations but their minimum interpretations still provide irreconcilable conflicts. 1 Malaysia clearly means different things to the different races.”

Dr Mahathir also argued that the Bangsa Malaysia concept encapsulated in his Vision 2020 document was more appropriate for multiracial Malaysia.

“In Vision 2020 one of the objectives is to create a bangsa Malaysia.

“The belief at that time was that if Malaysia becomes a fully developed country, it would become very prosperous,” he said.

He repeated his old formula for managing race relations by making the economic argument that if prosperity was fairly shared between the races there would be less jealousy between them.

“Malaysians of all races would be so proud of their country and its great achievements that the desire to be linked with other countries would be much diminished if not disappear altogether (as happens in prosperous multi-racial countries like the US – where the German Eisenhower led the war against Germany. Eisenhower was American first and his country of origin was irrelevant to him).”

But he said it was clear that race still played an important role currently in Malaysia.

The former prime minister also accused the Chinese and Indian communities of preferring to be identified with their countries of origin, and this, he said, caused Malays to expect special treatment.

He said a change in the so-called social contract between the Malays and the non-Malays would take a long time to replace.

“This will take a long time. As the new contract will be between races, racial factors would be included. Unless both sides agree to give up their races’ own rights as spelt out in the first contract i.e. the preservation of own home languages and schools etc. the rights of the indigenous races to their special position, etc, must remain a part of the new social contract.

“It is not certain that each would not demand for more than what they got under the old contract. It is likely there would be no agreement and no contract. Ths would lead to perpetual conflicts.

Dr Mahathir also took aim at Malays who wanted affirmative action to be abolished, and repeated his stand that Malays were not ready yet to compete on an equal footing with the Chinese in particular.

“I am not ashamed to admit that I cannot compete with the Chinese and Indian students when studying medicine. They had much better results than me and the other six Malay students for entry into the Medical College. Even at that time the British promised to the Rulers to help educate the Malays. I had my chance because of the affirmative action then. On pure merit I would not be a doctor today, not because I was not qualified, but my qualification was lower than others.

“One has to remember that the Chinese civilisation is more than 4000 years old. No other civilisation has lasted that long. Naturally they have developed a culture better able to survive under all conditions. It is my belief that if the percentage of Chinese in the United Kingdom for example is the same as in Malaysia, UK would be better developed than it is now. It is not surprising that the Chinese excel in developing Malaysia (for which they are amply rewarded).”

He said that it was not shameful to lose out against the Chinese but to just catch up would require handicaps.

“To be given handicaps is to ensure fairness, not discrimination. That is why in golf you have handicaps. That is why in all contests there must be equality between the contestants. It is selfish if having benefited from the handicaps you want to deny others from having them.”

Labour unions want action, not rhetoric on minimum wage

National Productivity Corporation representative Hajah Shahuren Ismail (left) says minimum wage can only be implemented if productivity is increased. – Pictures by Jack Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 – Unionists…

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National Productivity Corporation representative Hajah Shahuren Ismail (left) says minimum wage can only be implemented if productivity is increased. – Pictures by Jack Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 – Unionists remained dejected and disappointed today as rhetoric dominated a minimum wage forum organised by the Barisan Nasional (BN) Youth and Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC).

The audience comprising more than 400 union veterans and fresh graduates waited patiently while each of the panelists spoke while some jeered and mocked at the speakers, among which were BN Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, MTUC secretary-general G. Rajasekaran, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) representative Sarita Beram Shah, National Productivity Corporation representative Hajah Shahuren Ismail and Professor Dr Durrishah Idrus.

Sarita said that only a minority of employers are against minimum wage.

“Personally I feel that only a small group of employers reject minimum wage because they fear of the increasing cost and that foreign investors will be scared to invest. But for me, the cost of workers is only three per cent so if they want to reduce cost then they should look at other costs,” she told the forum.

She added that not only employees but also companies will benefit with the wage policy.

“I also believe that if we give suitable minimum wage then I will get quality workers that are productive. If the workers are happy and able to perform then the company will profit,” she said.

However Hajah argued that employers are not able to increase wages because productivity of the workers are insufficient.

“Even though there has been an increase of productivity but the level is still very low. The wages cannot be increased because the productivity is too low. So we cannot say that the employers make money and the employees are not getting its share. The question I asked is that do we really understand what is the meaning of productivity? We can only distribute the value of the products between the employees and employers when we increase our productivity,” she said drawing heavy criticisms from the audience.

While Hajah went through her power-point presentation, an audience shouted, “We are getting sick of this. Training here and there but our wage still remains the same.”

Another added: “You can talk about output and input but in the end, all is left is just ‘siput’ (empty shell).”

During question and answer session, veteran unionist J. Solomon attacked Hajah for equating a

NUBE secretary-generaly J. Solomon says BN will experience a backlash if it doesn’t fulfill its promise on minimum wage.

worker’s productivity and minimum wage.

“I want to say that you cannot related productivity and minimum wage. Productivity is different. During the financial crisis, the prime minister then said if we come out of it then we will think about RM1,200. However we have yet to see RM1,200 from 1998 until now but productivity has increased.

“We contribute but we do not get the rewards. Leave alone the rewards because the basic salary is still not here. After 53 years, we are still not independent from our debt,” said the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) secretary-general.

He added that workers are feeling alienated because incentives are only given company bosses.

A member of the audience also said that employers are not being fair to the employees.

“They are not being fair in giving productivity marks to the workers. They give unjust evaluation of workers which has led to unproductive workers given bonuses while those that work hard get nothing. While his secretary gets seven months bonus,” he said to a loud applause.

MUTC member Siva stressed that mimum wage is an essential component of the New Economic Model (NEM).

“The pre-requisite of the NEM is the minimum wage, you cannot have NEM without it because there is a vacuum created there. Therefore can you (Khairy) as BN Youth ensure that that the minimum wage is passed in parliament?” he asked.

A TNB union member also said that public should not vote for lawmakers that oppose the policy in the coming general election.

“If there are members of parliament that do not support minimum wage then we should vote them out!” he said.

Dr Durrishah admitted that politics will play a significant role in determining rights of the employees.

Professor Dr Durrishah Idrus says government must have the political will to implement minimum wage.

“We have to remember that the government is the central authority and the government must have the guts and will to implement minimum wage. It has been more than 50 years and once we used to have a national collective agreement where we can do collective bargaining between the employees and employers.

“We are a rich country and our workers are productive. If we are not productive then how can the country remain productive? This shows that the government must serious in considering the emotions, needs and wants of the workers,” she said to cheers from the crowd.

She also mentioned the national wage council in Singapore which has been very effective in protecting worker’s wages.

“Even though Singapore does not have any minimum wage but it has the national wage council which meet every year and has said that every year if the economy is good then the employers must give remuneration without thinking twice,” said Durrishah.

Khairy told the forum that BN Youth will urge the government to expedite the implementation of minimum wage.

“We have agreed that the process of implementing minimum wage should be expedited by the government. Secondly the implementation must be done at a national level involving all sectors but separately in peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.

“What is also important is to have a free mechanism like a wage council to determine the minimum wage which is to be reviewed every year so that it will reflect the increase of price good and others,” said the Umno Youth chief.

He added that the minimum wage must be higher than the poverty line.

“We will follow to what the MTUC has proposed which is minimum wage of RM900 and RM300 cost of living allowance to give a comfortable life to the workers. Minimum wage will also be the baseline and will have no relation to productivity,” the Rembau MP said.

Khairy also stressed the need for a new tripartite agreement between the employees, employers and the government.

“A new tripartite agreement is important that so that every problems such as pensions and health benefits can be solved in an environment where there is so suspicions between the employees, employers and government. Hopefully this will create a harmonious relationship between the three parties,” he said.

A participant voice his opinion during the minimum wage forum.

Thursday, 14 October 2010

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