‘MIC, just an Umno puppet’

A DAP state assemblyman says the BN component party has done nothing for the community, except to 'steal' from the poor.

By Athi Shankar,

GEORGE TOWN: MIC is an Umno puppet without any political conviction, said DAP state assemblyman A Tanasekharan.

The Bagan Dalam rep said that because of this, MIC would never implement any policies to upgrade the living standards of the Indian community.

He claimed that MIC had always taken Indians’ hard-earned cash to carry out its projects that failed to benefit the community.

Tanasekharan noted that the Maika Holdings and MIED scandals were perfect examples of MIC swindling poor Indians.

He also remarked that MIC built AIMST University in Kedah from contributions of Indians from all walks of life.

“But how many poor Indians can afford to study at AIMST University? How many Indians have benefitted from Maika Holdings and MIED?” he asked.

Comparatively, he said Pakatan Rakyat state governments managed to address various Indian issues in a short span of three years.

He said under Pakatan, for the first time in the country’s history, Indian elected representatives were appointed as a deputy chief minister (Penang) and legislative assembly speaker (Perak).

Currently, he said Penang, Perak, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan had a record high of Indian representatives in state legislative assemblies.

Aid for schools and temples

Pertaining to Tamil schools in Penang, Tanasekharan said all 28 schools had been receiving annual state allocations to upgrade their facilities.

In Selangor, he said the PKR-helmed state government had been allotting funds for similar projects.
“Today parents can safely send their children to Tamil schools without the fear of seeing their children studying under trees, unlike during Barisan Nasional days,” he added.

He claimed that the Pakatan state government had provided land valued at RM4.5 million for the Azad Tamil School in the Waterfall area.

For years, he said, the Tamil school was located under the basement of the Indian Association building in Jalan Bagan Jermal.

“A new school has been built and is operational because of the sheer determination of Pakatan leaders to upgrade Tamil schooling standards,” he added.

Under Pakatan, Thanasekaran said no Hindu temple had been demolished in Penang, while many temples sitting on state lands were granted temporary occupation licence (TOL).

He recalled that under the previous Barisan Nasional government, a Hindu temple in Butterworth, which was located on its own land, was forcibly removed and placed in a graveyard in Jalan Siram under the purview of the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB).

“The reason for the temple’s removal was that it was causing nuisance to an Umno member, who was staying nearby. This is how Indians were treated under the BN government… sheer arrogance of Umno leaders,” he said.

Furthermore, he said since Pakatan took over Penang, absolute poverty among Indians there had been abolished, and poor and deserving Indians were getting improved monthly contributions from the welfare department.

He also said PHEB was receiving an annual state grant of RM1 million to provide financial assistance to needy Indian students pursuing higher education and assist the welfare needs of deserving Indians.

He said many Indians had been issued licences by local councils to operate as petty traders while chances of employment for Indians had increased in state-based government-linked companies (GLCs)

He claimed that all these developments were virtually unthinkable during the previous BN government because the Indians had been “betrayed by their so called custodian, MIC.”

Manoharan: All reps should take up Indian problems

Every Pakatan representative should look at the problems of all, instead of focusing on only one community, says Selangor assemblyman M Manoharan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Every Pakatan Rakyat elected representative should take up the problems affecting Indians instead of depending on so-called “Indian leaders”.

Kota Alam Shah state assemblyman M Manoharan (DAP) said Pakatan should not adopt the Barisan Nasional (BN) approach where issues pertaining to certain communities were handled by a representative of that community.

“Pakatan leaders should stop hunting for Indian leaders whenever issues pertaining to Indians are brought up,” Manoharan told FMT.

“I’m happy to see that some of the non-Indian representatives are raising issues affecting the Indian community at the State Legislative Assembly,” he added.

Manoharan, a lawyer, said that in his constituency, 60% of the voters were Chinese, followed by Indians (about 25 %) and Malays (17 %).

“I can’t allow myself to be seen as championing only the Indians; if I allow myself to do that, then I will be labelled a ‘racist’,” he said.

Not enough Indian reps
However, Manoharan acknowledged that it was almost impossible to solve issues affecting Indians by the three Indian Pakatan representatives at the Selangor state assembly.

Besides Manoharan, the others are Dr Xavier Jayakumar (Seri Andalas) and M Muthiah (Bukit Melawati).
“No Indian can solve the Indian problems without the help of non-Indian leaders. It can only be done with the support of Malay and Chinese leaders.”

He said that Indian representatives in the state exco line-up were given low-key portfolios.
“It has been in practice among BN component parties and the same formula has been adopted in Pakatan,” said Manoharan.

Negara Ku no more

The Malaysian Insider
 
MAY 30 — I was born in 1958, a year after Merdeka. My dad came from China and my mom was born in Kota Bahru, Perak. I have known Malaysia to be my one and only home and I am proud to say that I am a Malaysian anywhere I go despite all the shortcomings of this nation.

I grew up in a kampung near Alor Star where there were fewer than 10 Chinese families but we were treated well by our Malay neighbours. We celebrated Chinese New Year and Hari Raya together, visiting each others’ homes, with no fear of whether the food was halal or against our religion?

Konfrontasi bought the villagers together and I can remember my Dad and my brothers helping out doing guard duties together with our Malay neighbours. May 13 came and went without any incident and, in fact, the Chinese families were escorted out to town by our Malay neighbours. Some of my best friends were from this kampung; we swam in the stream and played in the padi fields. These are fond memories.


After Form Six, I came down to KL to study at UM with a loan from the state government which I am grateful for till today. Graduated and started my career with a big MNC. Settled down in KL/PJ area till today and I must say that I have been blessed so far.

I was lucky to be appointed CEO of an MNC at the age of 34 and today, I am the managing director of a French company. Life has been good with regular overseas trips both for business and pleasure for my family and me and I have always asked myself this question: Would I be what I am if I have left the country in the early ‘90s? Would I have been able to make it to the CEO’s position if I had left for Australia like many of my friends? The answer is NO. And I have never regretted my decision to stay on in this beloved country of ours.

But things are changing; in fact the changes started over the last 15 to 20 years. We are more polarised now, no thanks to the politicians… something which I don’t want to elaborate here. I am beginning to ask myself whether this is the country that I know.

My two sons do feel the outright discrimination. Both are straight As students and thanks to their dad who can afford to fund them through private colleges/universities, they are OK. My eldest son left for a university in the US after his pre-U here and was offered a partial scholarship based on merit even before he landed in Milwaukee.

He graduated in 2008 and is now pursuing his PhD in molecular biology at a renowned university in Texas. Guess what? Do you think he will return to Malaysia after his post-graduate studies? Can Talent Corp entice him back in view of the current political situation? The answer is NO!

My second son is a qualified accountant and is with one of the Big 4 firms. He is doing well and if there is an opportunity for him to move elsewhere, he has my blessings. Malaysia will always be home and all that is required is a bit of travelling after my retirement to visit them and also their annual trips back.

Yes, this is a great place to live, a great place for hawker food and everything else but would I want to be selfish and allow my grandchildren to suffer and endure all these discriminations? Unless there is a political will to change for the better. Until that day happens, I am sad to say that this is no longer the country that I know, that I had enjoyed my childhood and growing up years in. This is Negara Ku no more!

Protests as nuke panel meets reps

The New Straits Times 
by M. Hamzah Jamaludin and Fatin Farhana Haris

KUANTAN: A series of meetings between the nuclear expert panel and representatives from various parties at a hotel here proceeded smoothly yesterday despite demonstrations and a scuffle between supporters and opposers of the Lynas Corporation rare earth processing plant in Gebeng.

Members of the expert panel met representatives from five residents associations and Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, apart from Kuantan MCA chief Datuk Ti Lian Ker and Kuantan member of parliament Fuziah Salleh, at 2.30pm.

The team is here at the invitation of the Malaysian government and they will investigate the health and safety aspects of the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Gebeng.

The panel consists of nine professionals of various disciplines.

Four of them are from Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) while the others are consultants from member countries.

Panel leader Dr Tero Varjoranta said they would review the radiation safety aspects at LAMP in relation to relevant international radiation safety standards and good practices.

"The team will provide an independent expert opinion to the Malaysian government," he said in a statement issued by the International Trade and Industry Ministry.

Varjoranta said the mission was technical in nature and their work would focus on gathering information and receiving submissions from interested parties and members of the public.

He also said that it was the standard practice of IAEA missions to obtain information from closed door sessions and not in a town hall-type of meeting.

The expert panel will also visit the controversial plant.

The construction of the plant has been suspended pending the review.

They will also hold similar sessions in Putrajaya and submit their findings and recommendations to the Malaysian government by the end of next month.

The RM700 million Australian project has raised public concern about radiation exposure and its effect on health, safety and the environment.

After meeting the panel, Ti told reporters that he was satisfied with the 30-minute session as he was able to raise the people's concerns.

"The panel members also explained to me that IAEA is a regulatory agency and not a decision-making body or a promoter of nuclear technology," said Ti who is also representing the residents of Kubang Buaya here.

Ti hoped that the people would wait for the panel's report and stop holding demonstrations as it could lead to violent outbursts.

Fuziah, however, said that she was not satisfied with the composition of the panel as they did not include experts from other fields including public health specialists.

"I hope the panel will make its recommendations based on conscience by putting the lives of 700,000 people first, before profits," said Fuziah.

Kuantan district police chief Assistant Commissioner of Police Jasmani Yusoff said there were no untoward incidents although more than 200 people had held two demonstrations at 8am and 1pm.

Official: Disclosure of Teoh’s royal inquiry findings is at Ruler’s discretion

The Star 
by LISA GOH

KUALA LUMPUR: It is up to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to make public the report by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, said commission secretary Datuk Saripuddin Kasim.

“The written submissions will not be released until after the commission has submitted its report to the King.

“It is His Majesty's discretion whether to make the report public,” said Saripuddin during a press conference.

He added that it was a unanimous decision following a meeting between the commissioners and lead counsel from the Bar Council, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and conducting officers yesterday morning.
Saripuddin said the commissioners had about 30,000 pages of documents to go through in preparing their report, including verbatim transcription of the inquiry proceedings, and the submissions from the three parties. 

Also present at the conference were Bar Council lawyer Christopher Leong, MACC counsel Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and conducting officer Amarjeet Singh. None of the commissioners were present.

When asked why the submissions could not be released to the media now, Muhammad Shafee said it was to avoid a trial by the media.

“We want to avoid the media picking perhaps juicy parts and not getting the gist of it,” he said.

On whether the commission's report would be given to the media after submitting it to the King, Saripuddin said it was also the prerogative of the King.

Leong, however, said the Bar Council would apply, at a later date, for the report and submissions to be made public.

The commission sat through 60 days of proceedings that began on Feb 14 and ended on May 10.

The findings of the commission would be submitted to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on June 24.

Among its objectives was to investigate the cause of Teoh's death after the inquest at the Coroner's Court ended with an open verdict.

Teoh, 30, was found dead on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009, after being questioned overnight at the Selangor MACC office on the 14th floor.

Yemeni Jets Bomb al Qaeda-Held City

An anti-government protester cries for help as he carries a wounded fellow protester during clashes with police in the southern Yemeni city of Taiz May 29, 2011. REUTERS/Khaled AbdullahBy Samia Nakhoul and Khaled al-Mahdi

SANAA/TAIZ, May 31 (Reuters) - At least 30 people have been killed in Yemen after military jets pounded a southern town held by al Qaeda and troops opened fire on demonstrators demanding an end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's nearly 33-year rule.

Despite demands by global and regional powers that he step down, Saleh has refused to sign a deal aimed at transferring power and averting a civil war that could destabilise the world's top oil-exporting region.

Global powers are worried that Yemen could turn into a failed state, fears that have been heightened since al Qaeda and other Islamists seized Zinjibar a few days ago.

Three Yemeni soldiers were killed in an ambush near Zinjibar on Monday, a security official said, a day after a similar incident claimed the lives of six troops. Residents said fighter jets strafed militant areas around Zinjibar but also hit buildings in the town of 20,000, killing at least 13 people.

"The city is devastated. All of its residents have left. Even the dogs, animals and donkeys have abandoned it," said an opposition member in the city who asked to be named as Ali.

Medical workers in Taiz said soldiers had opened fire on a demonstration late on Sunday and hit protesters with bulldozers, killing at least 15 and wounding hundreds in what the United States described as an "unprovoked and unjustified attack".

Al Jazeera said in an unsourced report that 57 people had been killed in Taiz over the past two days.

In the capital Sanaa, several explosions and shooting were heard late on Monday in the district of Hasaba, the scene of week-long fighting between Saleh's forces and a rival tribe.

"Sporadic shooting with heavy weapons followed the blasts. But it has stopped now," a Hasaba resident told Reuters.

The clashes, heard for the second night, may have breached a truce between Saleh's forces and the powerful Hashed tribe to stop the bloodiest fighting since unrest erupted in January.

AL QAEDA GAINS STRENGTH

At least 300 Yemenis have lost their lives in months of protests inspired by uprisings that toppled the entrenched rulers of Tunisia and Egypt in January and February.

Opposition leaders have accused Saleh of deliberately allowing Zinjibar, on the strategic Gulf of Aden, to fall to al Qaeda in a bid to show how chaotic Yemen would be without him.

The United States and Saudi Arabia, both targets of attacks by Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, are worried that growing chaos in the country is emboldening the group.

The six soldiers were killed and dozens wounded as they were travelling to Zinjibar, a security official and others said.

"Civilians found a military car and an armoured vehicle. They were destroyed, and the bodies of six soldiers were found on the roadside," Ayman Mohamed Nasser, editor-in-chief of Attariq, Aden's main opposition paper, said by telephone.

Several hundred al Qaeda and Islamist militants took over the city a few days ago and have been battling locals and government soldiers for control.

Zinjibar residents told Reuters that power and water had been cut off and many civilians were fleeing to nearby towns.

Activists in the southern city of Aden said thousands who fled Zinjibar were being housed in schools, mosques and other public buildings.

TROUBLE IN TAIZ

A brief calm was shattered late on Sunday when forces loyal to Saleh opened fire on protesters in Taiz, an attack that residents said lasted late into the night.

"Most of the wounded were hit by live bullets, but some were run over by bulldozers," a medical source said from a field hospital in Taiz, about 200 km (120 miles) south of Sanaa.

Security forces arrested dozens of people on Monday to head off plans for another rally in Taiz, where Saleh's troops have burned tents used by demonstrators and parked armoured vehicles in a protest area known as "Freedom Square".

The U.S. embassy condemned the attack in Taiz.

"We commend the youth protesters who have shown both resolve and restraint and have made their viewpoint known through non-violent means," the embassy said on its website.

French officials said on Monday it was credible that three aid workers who disappeared in Yemen at the weekend had been kidnapped, although it had still not received any claim of responsibility.

In Yemen, a security official told Reuters a vehicle used by the French aid workers had been found in a remote area outside the town of Saywun, where they had disappeared.

Yemen is the poorest state on the oil-exporting Arabian Peninsula with about 40 percent of its 23 million people living on less than $2 a day.

Rezab Melayu ??

Semalam che'GuBard telah menyiarkan satu kicaun melalui akaun twitter yang lebih kurang berbunyi "tanah rizab Melayu berjumlah 3juta hektar dah hilang separuh, siapa yang kianat?"

Terus seorang yang memperkenalkan dirinya sebagai Ketua Pemuda Umno Seputeh dan Unit Media Baru Pemuda Umno melatah dengan menuduh negeri Pakatan Rakyat lah yang banyak gadai tanah rizab Melayu. Tenggelam apabila dijawab oleh ramai pemilik akuan twitter yang mengingatkan dia mengenai umur pemerintahan kerajaan PR dan sajian beberapa fakta mengenai Menteri Besar Umno lah yang bertanggungjawab menghilangkan tanah rizab Melayu maka dia terus melatah dengan menuduh YB Teresa Kok membina gereja atas tanah rizab Melayu sebagai hadiah PR memerintah Selangor.

Buat dia ini saya sajikan semula tulisan seorang blogger mengulas isu ini.

Satu tuduhan melulu mengenai pembinaan gereja terbesar di asia telah dilontar oleh Razlan Rafii, seorang ketua pemuda UMNO bahagian Seputeh.

Kenyataan Razlan melalui laman sosial twitternya adalah seperti di bawah;

Razlan dalam twitternya berkata, tapak pembinaan gereja terbesar di Selangor yang juga terbesar di asia adalah dalam kawasan Kinrara, merujuk kepada kawasan di bawah tanggungjawab YB Teresa Kok.

Tuduhan Razlan seolah-olah kerajaan PR Selangor telah mengambil tanah rizab melayu untuk dijadikan sebuah gereja terbesar di asia. Ini adalah satu tuduhan yang sangat serius! Sudahlah dituduhnya kerajaan PR ambil tanah rizab melayu, dituduhnya pula tanah tersebut untuk pembinaan sebuah gereja. Tajuknya yang boleh mengganggu keharmonian penduduk berbilang agama di Malaysia - Tanah hak milik kekal melayu dijadikan gereja oleh kerajaan PR ?

Adakah tuduhan ini berasas ? Atau main hentam sembrono sepertimana UMNO membaling batu sembunyi tangan?

Sebelum saya meneruskan dengan lebih terperinci, persoalan yang harus difikirkan ialah ketika mula digazetkan tanah rizab melayu selepas penjajahan british berapa jumlahnya? Sekarang berapa pula bakinya? Siapa memerintah selama ini yang membenarkan tanah rizab hilang begitu banyak tanpa diganti?

UMNO sebenarnya masih tidak percaya betapa rakyat telah mengetahui siapakah yang bertanggungjawab menjadikan tanah rezab melayu berkurangan hampir separuh jumlahnya selama jubli emas pemerintahan UMNO.

Justeru itu, ingin saya menjawab balas tuduhan seorang ketua pemuda bahagian yang sepatutnya saya tidak perlu melayan. Tetapi oleh kerana melihat tuduhan ini sebagai sesuatu yang sangat serius hingga membolehkan mereka yang tidak punya maklumat akan memandang busuk kepada Pakatan Rakyat, maka saya jawab dalam bentuk point;

1. Lokasi Bukit Jalil - Kuala Lumpur

Tuduhan yang mengatakan tanah tersebut adalah dalam negeri Selangor di Kinrara adalah sangat tidak tepat. Sila lihat peta 1 dan 2 di bawah;

Peta 1 - Selatan Kuala Lumpur

Lihat tanda bintang berwarna biru, itulah kedudukan gereja terbesar Asia. Ia termasuk dalam peta Kuala Lumpur bahagian selatan.

Peta 2 - Map dari laman web CCC sendiri

Dengan dua peta di atas, boleh buat perbandingan yang menunjukkan kedudukan gereja terbesar asia adalah terletak dalam Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.

Persoalannya, bagaimana mungkin kerajaan PR melaksanakan projek gereja terbesar asia yang menelan belanja ratusan juta ini di dalam kawasan persekutuan ? Siapakah yang meluluskannya jika bukan DBKL? atau Menteri Wilayah ??

2. Tanah rizab melayu ?

Jika tanah asal tapak pembinaan gereja ini adalah tanah rezab melayu, maka kemarahan rakyat terhadap BN sepatutnya akan lebih parah. Tetapi fakta tetap fakta, tidak disembunyikan dalam pendedahan ini.

Tanah tapak pembinaan gereja tersebut adalah di bawah zon antarabangsa. Untuk pengetahuan, salah satu bangunan antarabangsa yang berhampiran dengan tapak gereja terbesar asia ini ialah Bangunan AFC. Namun begitu, tidaklah pihak saya mendapat kepastian apakah status tanah zon antarabangsa di Bukit Jalil ini samada asalnya adalah salah satu tanah rezab melayu yang hilang tak berganti. Ini kerja UMNO ?

3. Kelulusan pembinaan.

Tuduhan Razlan dalam akaun twitternya juga meleset apabila ia bermaksud projek pembinaan gereja terbesar asia ini adalah di bawah kelulusan pentadbiran kerajaan negeri Selangor. Sekarang mari kita lihat apakah benar bagai dikata;

Lihat kenyataan di bawah yang saya petik dari sumber di sini ;

The stamp duty for the property purchase amounted to slightly over RM 1 million. Our application for a stamp duty exemption was initially turned down because the Calvary Convention Centre was viewed as a profit making project. We made an

appeal and explained to the authorities what the convention centre will be used for. The Lord favoured us once again and the authorities granted us a 50% stamp duty exemption.
Praise the Lord. The development plans for Calvary Convention Centre were submitted to the authorities for approval in April 2004. With great rejoicing, we received approval from the authorities in July 2005. This process took a mere one and a half years. According to people in the industry, to get approval in such a short time for a project of this size of Calvary Convention Centre is indeed astounding. Soon after the development plans wereapproved, we also received

approval from the tax authorities for the Calvary Convention Centre Building Fund to be tax exempt.

Rupa-rupanya kelulusan telah dibuat pada tahun 2005 lagi. Tidaklah mahu sata terperincikan siapakah yang meluluskan gereja terbesar asia ini. Fikir sendirilah parti manakah yang menang besar dalam PRU tahun 2004 dan menghadiahkan rakyat Malaysia sebuah gereja terbesar di asia. Hidup melayu !!

Jika anda nak lihat progress pembinaan, sila ke laman di sini . Anda boleh lihat bagaimana progress sebuah gereja terbesar asia terbina di bumi malaya di atas kelulusan pejuang-pejuang Islam bersongkok 3 jengkal panjangnya. Tarikh bermula pembinaan ialah 15 Febuari 2008 iaitu hampir sebulan sebelum rakyat Malaysia menunjukkan kebangkitan tsunami 8 Mac 2008 !

contract 'kick-off' pada tarikh 15 Febuari 2008

Mungkin satu upacara 'doa selamat', ia berlaku pada 15 Feb 2008

Apakah kerajaan Selangor di bawah MB Khalid telah terlebih dahulu meluluskan pembinaan gereja terbesar asia sebelum menawan negeri selangor ? Mungkin kita leka dan terlupa bahawa sebenarnya telah dijelaskan dalam perkara 1 - kedudukan zon antarabangsa Bukit Jalil bukan di dalam negeri selangor!

Cukuplah setakat 3 perkara saya jawab fitnah yang ditaburkan oleh seorang ketua pemuda bahagian. Saya jawab dengan fakta yang lengkap kalau pun kurang sempurna demi untuk menjelaskan kepada semua bahawa sudah menjadi kebiasaan bagi puak-puak yang terdesak untuk menabur fitnah jahat demi secalit undi.

Tanpa sedar, tuduhan liar sebegini bukan sahaja memburukkan nama baik kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat dengan perkara yang tidak benar, tetapi juga ia mengundang ketegangan antara agama jika tidak dibendung sebaiknya.

Seperkara lagi yang terakhir. Kalau benarlah gereja terbesar asia itu diluluskan oleh PR dan dibina dalam negeri PR, sudah tentu berita TV123 akan menyiarkan modal ini setiap hari hingga sampai detik pilihanraya. Tetapi pembinaan gereja terbesar asia ini sunyi dari diberitakan ke seantero malaya, apakah maknanya ? Adakah 'mereka' yang sebenarnya curi tanah rezab melayu untuk bikin gereja ??

Membina gereja atau rumah ibadah tidak salah tetapi inilah dangkalnya isu politik permainan Umno yang hipokrit.

Teringat isu babi di Sepang yang dimainkan sebaik sahaja PR menang di Selangor hampir sama sahaja isunya. Klik link ini untuk baca semua isu tersebut.

klik http://chegubard.blogspot.com/2009/04/selsema-babi.html

Bukit Jalil estate women: "We were harrased by DBKL and Police"

‘Million Youth’ meet not political, says Khairy

Najib (centre) gestures during his speech at the youth assembly in Putrajaya, May 28, 2011. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin today rejected accusations of funds abuse in the Million Youths Assembly held in Putrajaya across the weekend, saying the event had not been political in nature.


“I believe the one million youth came voluntarily to take part in all events held during the three-day programme. The opposition is making this an issue because they were worried of the great response from youths,” he was quoted by Bernama Online today.

Khairy was responding to PKR Youth’s claim today that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had spent taxpayers’ funds and exploited the World Youth Day event in Putrajaya to defend the ruling Barisan Nasional’s (BN) narrow political agenda.

In his speech at the event on Saturday, Najib called on attending youths to “defend Putrajaya” from the opposition if they wished to see Malaysia transformed into a developed country.

Today, Khairy claimed opposition parties were taking aim at the event as they hoped it would fall short of its aim.

“The response was unbelievable and it was a sign that the youths are starting to support the government agenda under the 1 Malaysia concept which is youth-friendly and aimed at empowering them,” he added.

HRP eyes six seats in Kedah

Of the six, five are state seats. The sole parliamentary seat targeted is Padang Serai, held by N Gobalakrishnan.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Party (HRP) plans to contest in five state seats and one parliamentary constituency in Kedah which have 20% and above Indian voters.

The party’s secretary-general P Uthayakumar said the five state seats were Bukit Selambau (29.5%), Lunas (22.5%), Merbau (22%), Sidam (20%) and Gurun (18.4%).

The sole parliamentary seat was Padang Serai, currently held by former PKR strongman, N Gobalakrishnan.

“PAS is ruling by a majority of a mere two seats when compared to 14 seats held by Umno/BN and PKR having five seats, DAP one seat and one Independent in the 36-seat Kedah state assembly.

“So if HRP wins in these five state seats, they will be the real ‘kingmakers’ and can seriously push for change vis-a-vis the Kedah Indian poor at the highest political level,” said Uthayakumar.

He added that the Indian poor have to be politically empowered to effect changes at the highest political level as both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat have refused to address the pressing Indian problems.
Uthayakumar asked PKR, DAP and PAS to make way for HRP candidates in these six seats in Kedah for a one-to-one contest with BN.

“Unless and until the Indians are politically empowered like Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) in Kubang Pasu (95% Malay-Muslim voters) with at least the creation of 51% Indian majority constituencies under HRP’s ‘Project 15/38′, the Indian poor are doomed.

“They are destined to become the 19th century ‘negros’ as in the US,” he added.

Plan to rescue estate ‘slaves’

The deplorable living conditions has prompted one politician to initiate a relocation exercise. The plan will cut across political differences.

HULU SELANGOR: Appalled by the deplorable living conditions of families in an estate here, a MIC leader is looking into the possibility of relocating them.
Conceding that it will be a mammoth endeavour, S Vell Paari however is determined to forge ahead with his plan.

He also stressed that the relocation is not politically motivated, but driven by humanitarian reasons and therefore welcomed assistance from all quarters, including Pakatan Rakyat leaders and NGOs.

The MIC publicity and communication chief also pledged to start a fund, which will be managed by an independent committee, to finance the project.

“These people are in dire need of help. This is not about votes. So I hope all concerned groups will set aside their political differences and help me turn this plan into a reality. Let’s work together.

“I’ve repeatedly stressed that people cannot be coerced, threatened or punished when it comes to exercising their democratic right to vote for the party of their choice,” he told FMT.

Vell Paari is also certain that his critics will pour scorn on his plan but the MIC central working committee member said he will not be deterred.

“I’m sure some will dismiss this as a gimmick. But I don’t care about that. If the criticism is constructive, I’ll take note of it. I’m more interested in helping these people,” he said.

On Saturday, Vell Paari visited the Nigel Gardner estate, owned by tycoon Vincent Tan’s Berjaya Group, after being alerted about the plight of 11-year-old schoolgirl, A Kangga.

The Standard Five pupil, born with fingers and toes fused together, is in need of financial aid to cover her medical treatment expenses.

‘Living in the 19^th century’
After meeting Kangga’s family and being informed about the problems faced by the estate workers there, Vell Paari said he was shocked.

“The children are malnourished, the houses are falling apart, and from what I hear, the estate management is treating its workers poorly, not to mention risking their health with prolonged exposure to harmful substances related to the cultivation of oil palm trees.

“They are drawing salaries of RM300 a month after deductions. This is the 21st century but in an estate, located some 40 minutes from the city, there are people still living in the 19th century,” he said.

“We talk about the suffering in Palestine and Sri Lanka. We want to help Australia process asylum seekers but we have refugee-like citizens in our own backyard.

“While it is noble to help those in other lands, we should also not forget to reach out to our fellow Malaysians who are in a similar situation,” he added.

When pointed out that the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency, which encompasses the Nigel Gardner estate, is under MIC, Vell Paari said he is well aware of this fact.

Apart from this, MIC president G Palanivel, the former Hulu Selangor MP, is also known to be a close associate of the Berjaya Group’s boss.

‘Nothing to do with votes’
Insisting on keeping his plan above party and partisan politics, Vell Paari said: “I know these things have been happening during MIC’s watch, but I want to reiterate that my plan to relocate them has nothing to do with politics, it’s purely compassion.”

“We’ve always said things like ‘If we do this and that, you must vote for us’. I’m guilty of doing that as well. But after visiting the estate, I feel ashamed for having done that.

“We’ve to change our mindset because politicians are elected by the people to serve them and that is what we must do. We must stop using votes as an excuse to do work.

“Getting votes is a secondary issue. If a politician does his job and what is expected of him, there is no need to campaign or give hampers, the people will vote for you,” he added.

Elaborating on his relocation plan, Vell Paari said he will discuss the matter with the incumbent Hulu Selangor MP P Kamalanathan as well as Pakatan’s Selangor exco in charge of Indian affairs, Dr Xavier Jeyakumar.

Next month, he added, a meeting will be organised with the 80 families in the estate to obtain their feedback and to determine how many of them want to move out.

“We’ll ascertain the exact number and take it from there. Basically, we’ve have to find them alternate houses and by that I mean, decent homes. We’ve to look into enrolling the children in a new school.
“I also believe that those who move out should undergo rehabilitation and skills training, following which, we provide them with employment opportunities to ensure that they earn a proper income to support their families on their own without depending on handouts.

“This is no walk in the park as it involves people’s lives. We’ve to plan this carefully and that is why I need help from all quarters. This problem has been going on for too long and enough of begging the government to deal with it. The time has come to take matters into our own hands,” he said.

If the plan proves to be a success, the MIC leader said he will then focus on other estates around the country.

Vell Paari also said that he will write a letter to Berjaya Group’s Tan to notify him of the situation in the Nigel Gardner estate.

“Berjaya is a big corporation and Tan is perhaps in the dark about what is happening on the ground. So it is only fair that we give him the benefit of the doubt and tell him about the matter,” he added.

‘We’re being treated like slaves’
When FMT visited the estate later and informed a group of workers about the relocation plan, many appeared receptive.

The workers also lambasted the government, especially MIC, for turning a blind eye to their problems and for not keeping their election promises

Venting her frustration, one outspoken worker, who has been living in the Nigel Gardner estate since the age of 13, claimed: “We’re being treated like slaves. When they want our votes, the politicians come running, hold concerts and slaughter goats for a feast. But after that, we’re abandoned.”

“Look at our houses. When it rains, the roof leaks. The toilet doors are broken. We’ve daughters and they’re forced to have their baths in a toilet like that,” she added, amid sobs.

“See my clothes!” exclaimed the 50-year-old mother of three while tugging on her faded t-shirt. “This cost RM5 and my pants, that is also RM5. That’s all we can afford. This is how we live.”

WIKILEAKS: ‘Abu Sayyaf links turned Dr M red’

However, his attack against the Time magazine over the article was moderate as he was not personally mentioned and wanted to keep a lid on the possible links, said US diplomats.
The Time article appeared in its April 10, 1995 issue, alleging that Southern Philippine Muslim extremist group Aby Sayyaf was receiving arms, money and training for Islamic groups in various countries, including Malaysia.
K Kabilan, Free Malaysia Today
Dr Mahathir Mohamad was unusually moderate in his attacks against two articles which appeared to criticise his government in the Time and Fortune magazines in early 1995 as he was “not personally mentioned in the stories”.
Also, Mahathir was not keen to pursue his attacks against the Time magazine article in particular as it involved his government’s alleged links with the Abu Sayyaf movement from the Philippines.
“Given the murky general history of Moro-Malaysian dealings, he may feel it best not to go into too many details,” wrote US diplomats based in the US embassy here in their confidential cable to the US State Department in Washington. The confidential cable was dated April 13, 1995.
The cable was leaked by whistleblower site WikiLeaks and handed over to FMT today.
The US diplomats felt that Mahathir was quick with his anti-West attacks when the two articles were published, especially since the general election was imminent then. However, they noted his reaction was “moderate and apparently shortlived”.
The US diplomats felt the main reason for Mahathir’s muted attack on Time and Fortune was largely due to the fact that he was not personally targeted in the two articles.
The diplomats also mentioned that Mahathir could have been mindful that his recent anti-British and anti-Australian outbursts had not given him clear-cut victories.
They said that they felt that the Malaysian government did not wish to make an issue of the Time article, especially considering the historical ties between the Moro movement and Malaysia.
The Time article appeared in its April 10, 1995 issue, alleging that Southern Philippine Muslim extremist group Aby Sayyaf was receiving arms, money and training for Islamic groups in various countries, including Malaysia.
The article further claimed that Abu Sayyaf used training camps in Malaysia and was expecting arms shipments from Malaysian supporters.
Western media campaign
Mahathir’s reaction to the article was to immediately label it as “part of a campaign by the western media to discredit Malaysia” to deter investment and tourism.
The Time article came just after another article in the Fortune magazine which had said that the Malaysian currency was facing risk.
READ MORE HERE

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C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 001919


EAP/PIMBS

E.O.12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS:  PREL, PGOV, MY
SUBJECT:  TIME UPSETS MAHATHIR

1.  PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR RESPONDED WITH ANTI-WEST RHETORIC TO AN ARTICLE IN THE APRIL 10 ISSUE OF TIME MAGAZINE WHICH ALLEGED THAT ABU SAYYAF, A SMALL MUSLIM EXTREMIST GROUP BASED IN THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES, WAS RECEIVING ARMS, MONEY AND TRAINING FROM ISLAMIC GROUPS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES INCLUDING MALAYSIA.  THE ARTICLE ALSO REPORTED THAT "THE GROUP USES TRAINING CAMPS IN MALAYSIA AND IS EXPECTING ARMS SHIPMENTS FROM SUPPORTERS THERE."  THE PRIME MINISTER DESCRIBED THE PIECE AS A "PART OF A CAMPAIGN BY THE WESTERN MEDIA TO DISCREDIT MALAYSIA" TO "DETER PEOPLE FROM INVESTING AND VISITING HERE, GENERALLY AIMED AT UNDERMINING THE NATION'S ECONOMY AND ITS DEVELOPMENT."  PEOPLE UNHAPPY WITH MALAYSIA'S "VOCIFEROUS" STAND ON INTERNATIONAL ISSUES, HE EXPLAINED, WERE BEHIND THE WESTERN MEDIA'S CONSPIRACY.  HE ALSO CONFIDENTLY CHALLENGED TIME TO "COME TO MALAYSIA AND MAKE A REPORT HERE" THAT MALAYSIA IS TRAINING TERRORISTS.  THE INFORMATION MINISTER ECHOED THE PM'S LINE.  NO ONE FROM THE GOM HAS FORMALLY OR INFORMALLY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE ARTICLE TO US.  SEVERAL OF OUR MALAYSIAN CONTACTS ARE CURIOUS ABOUT THE STORY -- THEY WANT TO KNOW IF IT'S TRUE.

2.  COMMENT:  MAHATHIR WAS STILL ANXIOUS ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF A RECENT FORTUNE ARTICLE WHICH DESCRIBED THE MALAYSIAN CURRENCY AS AT RISK POST-MEXICO, WHEN THE TIME PIECE CAME OUT.  HE ORDERED A DELAY IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE TIME ISSUE BUT DID NOT BAN IT.  (OBSERVERS EXPECT THE MAGAZINE WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE SHELVES IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.)  WITH THE GENERAL ELECTION JUST AROUND THE CORNER, HIS RHETORIC WAS VERY MUCH EXPECTED SINCE CONSPIRACY THEORIES STILL HAVE A FOLLOWING HERE.  HOWEVER, AS COMPARED TO HIS PREVIOUS BOUTS WITH WESTERN MEDIA (MOST NOTABLY, DENYING CONTRACTS TO BRITISH FIRMS IN RESPONSE TO AN UNFLATTERING ARTICLE IN THE BRITISH PRESS), THE PM'S REACTION TO FORTUNE AND NOW TIME PIECES HAS BEEN MODERATE AND APPARENTLY SHORT LIVED. THERE MAY BE SEVERAL REASONS FOR THIS.  DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS CASES, MAHATHIR WAS NOT PERSONALLY MENTIONED IN THE STORIES.  FURTHER, THE LAST TWO ANTI-BRITISH AND ANTI-AUSTRALIAN OUTINGS HAVE NOT BEEN VIEWED AS CLEAR-CUT VICTORIES FOR THE PM.  FINALLY, GIVEN THE MURKY GENERAL HISTORY OF MORO-MALAYSIAN DEALINGS, HE MAY FEEL IT BEST NOT TO GO INTO TOO MANY DETAILS.  THE FACT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED ALMOST NO QUERIES FROM THE PRESS IS FURTHER INDICATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT WISH TO MAKE AN ISSUE OF THIS AT THIS TIME.

CHAMBERLIN

Suaram starts Legal Fund to Probe Submarine Commissions in French Courts

SUARAM’s latest application, once approved by the court, would allow it to become party to the enquiry and have official access to every element of the enquiry, including access to the evidence which allegedly links DCNS to the issuing of commissions to government officials.
By Dr Kua Kia Soong (Director of SUARAM)
SUARAM’s efforts to probe suspected commissions involved in the submarines purchase in the French courts are starting to bear fruit. The Malaysian courts have failed to shed light on the grisly murder of Altantuya and the reasons for her murder. Although two former bodyguards of the Prime Minister have been charged and sentenced, their motives for the murder have not been probed by the Malaysian court.
SUARAM believes that there is more to the murder of Altantuya and that what is in question is at least RM500 million in commissions associated with the RM7 billion Scorpene submarines deal. This has grave consequences for both Malaysian and French tax payers.
SUARAM applied through its French lawyers as a civil party for a judicial review in November 2009. As Malaysia’s leading human rights organization, it has always fought for human rights and “People before Profits” issues. Furthermore, SUARAM’s latest publication, “Questioning Arms Spending in Malaysia: From Altantuya to Zikorsky” by its director, Dr Kua Kia Soong, gives it the locus standi for filing this petition in the French courts.
This case concerns the sale of two Scorpène submarines and an Agosta submarine to the Malaysian government, a contract worth approximately one billion euros, that was signed in 2002 with the Malaysian DCNS (former DCN, Department of Naval Construction) and Thalès.
The French Inquisitorial Judicial System Unlike the British (and Malaysian) system, the French inquisitorial system has an examining or investigating judge. The examining judge can conduct investigations into serious crimes or complex enquiries. As members of the judiciary, they are independent of the executive branch. The judge questions witnesses, interrogates suspects, and orders searches or other investigations. The examining judge's goal is to gather facts, and as such their duty is to look for all the evidence. Both the prosecution and the defence may request the judge to act and may appeal the judge's decisions before an appellate court.
Judges in the Paris Prosecution Office have been probing a wide range of corruption charges involving similar submarine sales and the possibility of bribery and kickbacks to top officials in France, Pakistan, Taiwan and other countries, including Malaysia. Recently, Parisian prosecutors, led by investigating Judges Francoise Besset and Jean-Christophe Hullin, have been investigating allegations involving senior French political figures and the sales of submarines and other weaponry to governments all over the world.
SUARAM’s latest application, once approved by the court, would allow it to become party to the enquiry and have official access to every element of the enquiry, including access to the evidence which allegedly links DCNS to the issuing of commissions to government officials. The case is still at the enquiry phase and the new application is to upgrade it to the “instruction phase” where an investigative judge would be appointed.
Malaysia’s Scorpene Submarines’ Scandal This scandal involving Malaysia’s purchase of two Scorpene submarines is of concern also to French tax payers because it involves France's biggest defense conglomerates, the state-owned shipbuilder DCN. DCN's subsidiary Armaris manufactures the Scorpene submarines sold to Malaysia among other countries.
It has already been brought up in the Malaysian Parliament that €114 million (RM500 million) has been paid to a Malaysia-based company called Perimekar, for “coordination and support services” for the submarines transaction. Perimekar was wholly owned by another company, KS Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd, which in turn was controlled by Najib's aide, Razak Baginda. Baginda’s wife Mazlinda was the principal shareholder in this company. Perimekar was registered in 2001, a few months before the signing of the contracts for the sale and the company did not appear to have the financial resources to complete the contract. None of the directors and shareholders of Perimekar have any experience in the construction or maintenance of submarines.
Altantuya Shaariibuu, a 28-year-old Mongolian translator and Razak Baginda's jilted lover, had allegedly participated in negotiations over the purchase of the submarines. By her own admission in a letter found after her death, she was attempting to blackmail Razak Baginda for US$500,000. She was shot in October 2006 and her body was blown up with military explosives by two bodyguards attached to Najib's office after Razak Baginda went to Najib's chief of staff, Musa Safri, for help in stopping her demands.

What were Altantuya’s Killers’ Motives?
After being acquitted in November 2008 under questionable circumstances of participating in her murder, Razak Baginda left the country for England. The bodyguards were convicted but no motive was ever established for their actions.
The submarine deal was never brought up in court during the murder trial which saw prosecutors, defense attorneys and the judge judiciously keeping Najib's name out of the proceedings.
A private detective hired by Razak Baginda to protect him from Altantuya’s advances filed a statutory declaration after the trial indicating that Najib had actually been the victim's lover and had passed her on to Razak Baginda. He later retracted this story in a second statutory declaration. The detective, P. Balasubramaniam, said later that he was forced to leave Kuala Lumpur. He eventually emerged from hiding in India to say that he had been offered RM5 million (US$1.57 million) by a businessman close to Najib's wife to leave town. He also said he had met Najib's younger brother, Nazim and was told to recant his testimony.

Contradictions in Malaysian Government’s Story
From the investigations so far, there appears to be contradictions in the Malaysian government’s side of the story regarding the payment of 114 euros to the Malaysian company Perimekar. The Deputy Minister of Defence had told the Malaysian Parliament that this was paid by the French. According to sources cited by the plaintiffs, it was not the company Armaris that paid 114 million euros to Perimekar, but rather the Malaysian government, "with the sole purpose of circumventing the OECD Convention."
This contract was signed in 2002 after the OECD Convention came into force in France in 2000, which punishes corruption of foreign public officials with ten years' imprisonment and a 150,000 euro fine. Following this complaint, a preliminary investigation was conducted by the prosecution: the hearings were made and searches were made at the premises of DCNS and Thalès.
As was the case for contracts won by the DCN for submarines to Pakistan and frigates to Taiwan, there are increasing suspicions of “reversed commissions” to French political parties.
After Suaram had filed an initial suit at the Paris court in 2009, the state prosecutor Jean-Claude Marin then opened a preliminary investigation. At the time, it was suspected that a bribe of 114 million euros had been paid by the company Armaris (a subsidiary of DCNI and Thalès) to Malaysian parties through the company Perimekar.
DCN Officer Confirms Commissions In September 2008, during the course of the Karachi Case also involving DCN, the note books of Gérard-Philippe Menayas, former chief financial officer of DCN, who was indicted in the case, also confirmed the suspicions of hidden commissions. In his memorandum, Menayas mentioned the Malaysian submarine contract as follows:
"Since the entry into force of the OECD Convention regarding the fight against corruption in September 2000, only two contracts have been signed; the first with India, and the second with Malaysia in 2002. These two contracts are the result of commercial actions undertaken prior to the OECD Convention. Furthermore, they are both suspected of non-compliance with this Convention. I have evidence to support this”.(http://www.rue89.com/2011/04/02/sous-marins-malaisiens-la-piste-des-retrocommissions-se-precise)
Furthermore, it appears there were three commissions instead of one paid for the sale of submarines. In addition to that of 114 million euros, there are two further instalments, one paid by DCN to the commercial networks of Thalès, for over 30 million euros, corresponding to "commercial fees relating to the negotiation and execution of the contract". This second commission was paid by Thalès to a recipient, who remains unknown, in order to convince the Malaysian government of the need to conduct additional work. The third commission was for 2.5 million euros.
According to Gerard Philippe Menayas:
"Until the OECD Convention against corruption came into force in France, no contract for the sale of defence equipment to an emerging country could take place without the payment of commissions to policy makers (euphemistically called ‘commercial fees for exports’)."
Finally, according to the complaint filed by the firm Bourdon, Suaram’s lawyer, the company Gifen, which was established by Jean-Marie Boivin in Malta, intervened in the negotiations "so as to facilitate the money transfers in this case", and particularly finance the trips of Baginda and Altantuya.
SUARAM Appeals for Legal Funds SUARAM hopes the French justice system will reveal more than what the Malaysian judicial system has failed to deliver so far and will bring justice and closure to the family of Altantuya, and force the French and Malaysian Governments to account to their peoples regarding the commissions on the submarines contract.
When the case goes to the French court, the prosecution can then contact an examining magistrate and the trial can start. SUARAM’s case in the French courts will involve considerable legal fees. Thus far, the French lawyers have offered their services pro bono. When the case proper begins, we will need to afford the necessary legal fees. Thus we are appealing to justice-loving and socially conscious Malaysian tax payers to contribute to this submarine commissions legal fund.

Electricity up; govt grants for Proton

Electricity tariffs have been hiked by an average of 7 per cent because the government says it cannot afford “subsidies”. But Proton has been enjoying “research grants” from the government.
So who is subsidising whom in the case of Proton?

Source: Proton Annual Report 2010

* Note in the Annual Report 2010

The Government of Malaysia, as part of the Second Stimulus Package under the Ninth Malaysia Plan had within the ambit of the National Automotive Policy (‘NAP’) granted in 2009 a Research and Development (‘R&D’) grant to Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn. Bhd. (‘PONSB’), a wholly owned subsidiary company. One of the objectives of the NAP is to provide support and incentives to enhance competitiveness and capability of the automotive industry through the development of the latest and more sophisticated technology. PONSB, being a full fledged automotive manufacturer has complied with the requirements and had been allocated funds in the form of a R&D grant.
During the financial year (2010), PONSB has recognised R&D grant income amounting to RM143,688,000 (2009: RM80,656,000) based on R&D expenditure that did not meet the capitalisation criteria, as set out in the Group’s accounting policy (Note 3(d)(iii)).

For the quarter ended 31 March 2011:

Source: Proton's quarterly report to Bursa

Notice the difference in terminology: When it comes to government/public funds for essential services to the rakyat, they call them “subsidies”. But when it comes to funding for the corporate sector, they call it “support”, “incentives” and “grants”.

Return to Abbottabad

Anwar believes Pakatan is ready even without him

He said Pakatan was already a solid united pact with potential young successors including Azmin who he said may be brash in his "stunts" but more than capable to lead.

SUBANG JAYA: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is confident in Pakatan Rakyat’s second tier of leadership and discounted the notion that the pact will collapse in his absence.

Speaking at a closed door dialogue session with young professionals here, the PKR de facto leader said the pact was armed with young and more than capable leaders that can take Pakatan forward should he be convicted and jailed for sodomy.

“Once you’re prosecuted you’re already damned,” he said laughingly to some 150 people who attended the forum.

Anwar is currently facing trial for allegedly sodomising his former aide, a charge he claimed was engineered by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor.

Anwar’s persona, attributed to his charisma and moderate liberal politics, is seen as the binding force in the Pakatan coalition rife with infighting.

The top leadership appears to be gelling well but much of their ideological differences remain conveniently buried for now and Anwar’s possible incarceration would possibly break Pakatan.

Whether or not the bloc is ready for future without Anwar remains unknown. While it is likely that Anwar has identified his successor, Azmin Ali who is now PKR deputy president who happens to be his blue-eyed boy, observers say the latter lacks the calibre to lead and hold Pakatan together.

But the opposition leader claimed Pakatan was already a solid united pact with potential young successors including Azmin who he said may be brash in his “stunts” but more than capable to lead.

“Sometimes when the (current) leadership is too strong, we tend to not see the potential of second tier leaders,” he said, referring to rising political starlets like PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli and communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad who is also Seri Setia assemblyman.

He said this in reply to a youth during the forum who urged Pakatan to move away from its dependency on political icons and based their struggle more on ideologies.

Anwar added that differences and open spat in Pakatan was part and parcel of a democracy which he said the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition was bankrupt of.

“Do you see any quality MPs in Umno or BN? Sometimes when I’m in Parliament and I look at them (sighs),” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.

Youth must act on their own
The lack of real capable leaders in the ruling coalition was due to the much widely yes-man culture in BN and this, said the opposition leader, has contributed much to the nation’s political and economic woes.
Anwar urged the young to take matters into their own hands and suggested various possible ways to join Pakatan’s struggle for change, such as exploiting social medias like Facebook and Twitter.

“We have the numbers. We can never lose this battle. Every time one of them make a racist statement you should counter them,” he said, in reference to the escalating racial attacks on non-Malays by rights groups like Perkasa and Umno-owned Malay daily Utusan Malaysia.

Racial and religious tensions have reached fever high as hawkish elements within BN’s malay lynchpin intensifies its hardline communal politicking in the run up to the national polls tipped to be held year end.
The opposition leader said the youth holds significant power and could be a catalyst to a government change but they must first arm themselves with information.

To facilitate this, Anwar said he is currently working on a programme called the “Rakyat Empowering Programme”, an extension of Pakatan’s existing alternative policies with emphasis on the “democratisation of access to quality education”.

Scholarship for Malays only..not for Malaysians???

(Malaysiakini) - Only Malays and bumiputera have the right to receive government scholarships, said Umno-linked pressure group Gagasan Anti-Penyelewengan Selangor (Gaps) today.

“Is it a fact that all Malaysians have a right to a scholarship? The federal constitution only states that the Malays and bumiputera have the right to receive a scholarship,” said Gaps president Hamidzun Khairuddin (left) in a statement.
“This constitution is made by the Reid Commission, not by the Malay leaders,” he added, shifting the blame from the majority community to the five-member Commonwealth panel that drafted the nation's constitution in 1956.

Hamidzun was responding to MCA president Chua Soi Lek's comments on the PSD scholarship fracas carried by a news portal yesterday, where the latter's report said, “MCA told the prime minister today top SPM students should be given scholarships to study abroad despite Putrajaya's claim that it did not make any such promise.”

Referring to “some members of the ruling party and opposition who are very racist and chauvanistic”, Hamidzun lashed out at Chua in particular ,saying the chief of the second largest BN component party should amend the constitution if he disagreed with the issue.
“If Soi Lek disagrees, he should amend the constitution drawn up by Lord Reid. Soi Lek should be more objective in his leadership,” said the Gaps leader.

All races equal but...
“Soi Lek also needs to learn to be a leader for all Malaysians, and not just the champion of his race,” added Hamidzun.
BN parties for going in circles over the issue every May to June, year in, year out, he noted that each party fought only for the rights of their own respective communities.
“Gaps believes the issue should be resolved definitively, so that it would not become an annual polemic that does not benefit the rakyat,” he said, ticking off BN parties for the widening income gap and the increasingly racial politics in the country.
“Enough of Do Xiang Zhong, Perkasa and Hindraf respectively being the spokespersons of their respective races. They excel in the field,” said the Gaps leader.

Oblivious to the obvious contradictions, Hamidzun concluded that “political leaders should be broad minded... and defend the rights of all races based on the constitution.”

Yesterday Chua had, according to the news report, announced after meeting with the PM over the prickly JPA scholarship issue that he had told the premier a number of failed scholarship applications by top scoring non-Malays should be reviewed and given overseas scholarships. Najib had promised he would “look into the controversy”.

Thats an excerpt from Malaysiakini.....

If Malaysian government is not going to give non Malays the scholarship, who is going to give us scholarship?? Singapore???
If the government is not going to help Non Malays, why collect tax from them???
Since when constitution amended that only the Malays and bumiputera have the right to receive a scholarship???

The reality is Non Malays do get scholarships from government every year, only the number is small. That is because there are many little racist napoleons in PSD. They deny non Malays the scholarship. They are fine products of BTN. It is not only important to change the ruling party, the PSD needs a revamp too.

Vote wisely Malaysians !!

Anwar claims Dr M threatened him before sacking

The supposed threat was highlighted in book by writer Ziauddin Sardar.

SUBANG JAYA: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim claimed he was threatened by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad who told him to voluntarily step down a day before his sacking as the deputy prime minister in 1998.

The PKR de facto leader further alleged that Mahathir had offered him financial compensation. Should he reject, he would be charged, the Permatang Pauh MP added.

“Mahathir told me… you have wife, a family, its better if you resign voluntarily, if not charges will be brought against you,” he told some 150 people who attended a closed-door dialogue with young professionals here.

The supposed threat was highlighted in book by writer Ziauddin Sardar. The audience during the question and answer session asked Anwar if this was true to which the opposition leader replied:
“It’s true because I told him (Ziauddin). I also went against Dr Mahathir, and was wrongfully imprisoned and subsequently beaten half to death.”

Despite the ordeal, Anwar told the audience that he held no grudges against his former mentor, and forgave him for what happened.

“He is old and senile. Leave him alone lah,” he said jokingly in reply to a question by an audience who wanted to know what would he do to the former premier if he becomes prime minister.
Anwar was sacked in 1998 and charged with sodomy and power abuse, charges he claimed were high level conspiracy to topple him.

He was later convicted and jailed for both offences but was eventually freed  in September 2004.
Anwar has since led Pakatan Rakyat to major electoral gains when they denied Barisan Nasional their customary two-thirds parliamentary majority and ousted the ruling coalition from four states while retaining one in 2008.

Much of the success is attributed to Anwar’s influence which he claimed was the reason behind a second sodomy charge.

Anwar described the second sodomy charge as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power”, singling out Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor as the masterminds.

The opposition leader is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction.

Belia Mahukan Perubahan

Dari Malaysiakini
Tindakan Datuk Seri Najib Razak menghimpunan belia-belia di Putrajaya dan merayu undi mereka memperlihatkan rasa gusar perdana menteri terhadap kebangkitan golongan itu yang kini menuntut perubahan, kata Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Najib semalam mendakwa sejuta belia yang hadir di Putrajaya untuk sambutan Hari Belia Negara selama tiga hari, kononnya untuk “mempertahankan” pusat pentadbiran negara dari diambil alih oleh Pakatan Rakyat.

TV Selangor memetik Anwar berkata, hakikatnya ialah persatuan-persatuan belia itu dibawa untuk mengisi pelbagai program riadah yang dianjurkan bersama oleh agensi-agensi persekutuan dan badan-badan koperat sempena Hari Belia Negara.

“Dia kata di Mesir satu juta orang muda tuntut perubahan. Jadi di sini dia minta orang muda sokong Barisan Nasional.

“Orang muda ini dikaitkan dengan idealisme, cita-cita murni. Orang muda ini benci dengan kemungkaran, benci dengan rasuah, benci dengan kezaliman.

“Najib silap. (Sebenarnya belia) yang minta perubahan tumbangkan kerajaan yang ada. Jadi saya nak sambut dengan katakan sudah sampai ketikanya anak muda Felda, anak muda Malaysia bangkit tuntut perubahan,” kata Anwar kepada ribuan peneroka Felda dan penduduk kampung di Kerdau, Pahang malam semalam untuk mendengar ceramahnya.

Kaya-raya

Anwar malam tadi juga mengupas ucapan Najib pada majlis sambutan Hari Belia itu yang dialas dengan gesaan supaya belia menyokong Umno-BN sebagai syarat menikmati kemakmuran.

Kenyataan sedemikian, kata Anwar hanya menunjukkan rasa terdesak Perdana Menteri.
Menurut Anwar beliau tidak menuduh Umno sebagai parti yang tidak pernah membuat apa-apa.
Namun yang dipersoalkan adalah kemungkaran dan kezaliman yang menyebabkan rakyat menderita manakala pemimpin hidup dalam keadaan kaya-raya.

“Saya tidak samakan Umno dengan Firaun, Firaun pun buat bangunan dan jalan, negara komunis, Zimbabwe, mahupun Bangladesh pun buat pembangunan, soalnya kita ini mahu nilai apa kekurangan besar yang membolehkan sebuah perubahan kuasa itu perlu,” katanya.

Sehubungan itu, Anwar mengajak rakyat supaya merenung hala tuju negara di bawah pemerintahan Umno-BN dan tidak termakan dengan dakyah dan gula-gula politik yang disebarkan parti itu.

“Saya tidak pertikai hak sesiapa untuk sokong parti mana-mana, tetapi kita sanggupkah pertahankan kezaliman, bolehkah kita diam tentang rasuah, mampukah kita biarkan fitnah, lucah termasuk qazaf dan semulanya berlaku?” tanya Anwar.

Turut hadir, Pesuruhjaya PAS Pahang, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man ahli jawatankuasa PAS Pusat, Mohamed Sabu, Ketua Serikandi Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail dan Presiden ANAK, Mazlan.

People smugglers put under ISA

The New Straits Times 
by Roy Goh

KOTA KINABALU: A local and two Filipinos involved in human trafficking were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) last Tuesday.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday the detention was to preserve the security of the country.

The three men, aged between 24 and 59, are suspected of smuggling illegal immigrants from Bongao in southern Philippines.

"Hopefully, the arrest will lead to more information on human trafficking of foreign women into the country," said Hishammuddin after presenting appointment letters to directors of the state National Registration Department and Prisons Department.

"This is also part of our efforts to tackle the influx of illegal immigrants into Sabah," he said, adding that the police were also focusing on cross-border crimes, including drug and arms smuggling, money laundering, cyber crimes and smuggling of essential goods.

He said ministry officers had started ground work on cross-border crimes.

"This includes bilateral ties and cooperation with Australia on human trafficking, Saudi Arabia on terrorism as well as China and Britain on security."

The implementation is coordinated by the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Labour and Illegal Immigrants chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

On another matter, Hishammuddin said the ministry was investigating whether businessman Datu Mohd Akjan Datu Ali Muhammad, who had proclaimed himself as the sultan of Sulu, was a foreigner.

On calls for the government to act against Akjan in relation to his "coronation", Hishammuddin said the government had considered various aspects of the law but was unable to find one to act against him.

"For now, we will look into the status of his citizenship."

Hishammuddin said action would be taken if his documents were found not to be in order.

Barisan Nasional leaders from United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation, Parti Bersatu Sabah and Liberal Democratic Party had urged the government to strip Akjan of his citizenship as his declaration was an insult to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

In February, Akjan, a 54-year-old former ISA detainee, claimed that he was a direct descendant of the last reigning Sultan of Sulu Paduka Mahasari Maulana Al-Marhum Sultan Shariful-Hashim and reportedly took on the name Sultan Shariful-Hashim II.

He came under fire following his "proclamation" and went missing for three months before police caught him at his home in Likas in the middle of this month.

They later released without any conditions earlier last week.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said investigation papers had been handed over to the Attorney-General's Chambers for the next course of action.

Govt plans night Syariah Court to reduce backlog of cases

The Star 

KOTA BARU: The Government will conduct Syariah Court proceedings at night and on public holidays in an effort to reduce the backlog of cases, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim said.

“We have enough Syariah Court judges but more time is needed to dispose as many cases as possible.

“It will be one of the moves to help reduce the backlog of cases,” Dr Mashitah said after attending a Halal Carnival organised by the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) here yesterday.

Dr Mashitah, said based on statistics, almost all cases registered for divorce were after the fifth year of marriage.

“Although the divorce rate among Muslims is high, we must not view it negatively.

“It shows that there is awareness among couples of their rights within the ambit of Syariah law concerning marriage and divorce.

“Jakim is always finding ways to give counselling to estranged couples to reduce the number of divorces,” she added.

It was reported that 2009 statistics showed one divorce occurred every 15 minutes among Muslims.

807 Penang DAP Members Quit Party And Join MIC

BUTTERWORTH, May 29 (Bernama) -- Eight hundred and seven members who were unhappy with DAP leaders in Penang have decided to quit the party and join MIC instead.

MIC President Datuk G. Palanivel said all the individuals quit the party at their own will after realising that their struggles for DAP were not worthwhile.

"They claimed that the party had made promises but failed to fulfill any, even when they were facing problems. They also told me that whatever assistance they had received was only from Barisan Nasional (BN) and MIC," he told reporters after meeting the Indian community here Sunday.

He added that a representative of the group had submitted their application forms to join MIC.

Palanivel said their decision showed that the government was always people centric and true to its 'People First, Performance Now' concept.

Among them was former Teluk Indah DAP chief D. Sampunathan, 52, who said he had been with the DAP for the past 20 years but since DAP took over Penang, their leaders had become big headed.

"Since DAP's win, the leaders have forgotten the voters, including me, although I have been with the party for a long time. All the promises made were not fulfilled," said Sampunathan who was disappointed with the DAP leaders.

Bagan Dalam State Assemblyman A. Tanasekharan's Special Assistant R. Lily, 46, who was also among those who quit the party said she decided to quit because she could not face the people in her constituency because the promises made earlier were not fulfilled.

"During the campaign they (DAP) had promised to help the Indian community in Bagan Dalam, but until now nothing has been done and the people have started asking me.

"When I asked the leaders, they said there was no allocation yet, so we will have to wait. However, these same leaders enjoy a luxurious lifestyle while we continue to suffer," said Lily.

Another member, A. Vasan, 51, alleged that DAP was only fighting for the well-being of the Chinese and not the Indians, although they (Indians) had supported the party.

"DAP is not a party for all, we do not need such a party. We need a party like BN that can look after the welfare of all races," he said.

Meanwhile, Palanivel said the MIC has been meeting the people on the ground to prepare its election machinery to face the next general election.

"MIC is working very hard to ensure victory for BN. We are ready to face the election," he said.

Port Dickson, pelancong asing luahkan kekecewaan

gambar hiasan tiada kena mengena sama yang hidup
atau telah meninggalkan dunia

Nampaknya Port Dickson bukannya Bandar Tentera Darat tapi Bandar Pengotor atau mungkin Bandar Lalat. Seorang pelancong asing bersama rakan-rakan mereka dari Rusia meluahkan perasaan kecewa yang amat sangat akan tahap kekotoran di Port Dickson. Tahap kebersihan di medan selera di Telok Kemang mengecewakan mereka, dengan air paip yang digunakan untuk memasak air , makanan dan mencuci pinggan begitu keruh.

Pelancong asing tersebut menggelarkan PD sebagai P-ositively D-isgraceful atau Sememangnya Memalukan. Luahan kekecewaan yang amat sangat pelancong asing tadi telah tersebar ke seluruh dunia dalam Bahasa Inggeris melalui portal akhbar Malay Mail Online.

Habislah PD. Kalau Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan ambil tak endah sahaja luahan pelancong asing ini, maka akan lebih ramai lagi pelancong asing tidak akan datang ke Port Dickson lagi. Usahkan pelancong asing, MB , EXCO dan ADUN N.Sembilan pun tak berbulan madu di Port Dickson.

Ke Menteri Besar dan EXCO Negeri Sembilan sedang sibuk untuk dengan perkhabaran (mungkin khabar angin) Pengakalan Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia di Sungei Besi akan dipindahkan ke Labu, N.Sembilan? Maka lenyaplah isu Port Dickson Bandar Kotor. Maka jadilah Labu Bandar Tentera Udara agaknya.

Tidak hairanlah Wabak Adenovirus sedang melanda PUSASDA ketika ini.

Kisah Tiada laut biru, cuma sampah di Port Dickson di http://amkns.blogspot.com/2011/03/tiada-laut-biru-cuma-sampah-di-port.html

Kisah Bandar Tentera Darat atau Bandar Lalat di http://pasns.blogspot.com/2009/10/bandar-tentera-darat-atau-bandar-lalat.html

P-ositively D-isgraceful!
Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

Port Dickson's poor eatery hygiene

LAST weekend at Port Dickson with my family and friends from Russia was a big disgrace.

I was so ashamed to have taken them there, especially after I had convinced them that we would have a whale of a time tucking into local delicacies.

At a seafront food court in Teluk Kemang, we were shocked to see murky water being used to prepare meals and drinks.

We also observed mucky water being used to wash cooking utensils and dishes by certain food operators.

Stall worker s also washed dishes and cooking utensils in basins filled with sudsy water while customers were directed to a nearby stinky toilet to wash their hands.

My Russian friends were stunned by the filthy food practises and they missed out on local cuisine and ended up eating in a hotel.

I find it strange that the authorities are not aware of this obnoxious situation. I find it strange that they are not worried tourists would be discouraged from visiting Port Dickson.

If it is happening at this food court, then I sense hazardous food practices could be an occurrence in other eateries in PD.

I was visiting PD after five years and it is beyond me how this beach town where I had my honeymoon has been allowed to sink to disgraceful levels, especially handling of food.

Won’t somebody do something to restore PD to its past glory?

Philip Etherton

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/69186-positively-disgraceful

How TNB (and the public) got a raw deal

With an electricity tariff hike due to be announced on Monday, it might be useful to recall how the first generation of ‘independent power producers’ (IPPs) profited at TNB’s (and the Malaysian public’s) expense.
There’s a been a lot of talk, and rightly so, about the gas subsidies given to the IPPs, but not enough about the high price TNB has to pay to the IPPs for the electricity it has to take up – whether it needs it or not.
How did this Malaysian model of IPPs come into being, while TNB’s own expansion plans were cold-storaged in the early 1990s? As former TNB executive chairman Ani Arope says, “Ask our previous prime minister (Mahathir).” (Incidentally, Ani Arope studied at St Xavier’s Institution in Penang.)
This interview is from The Star:

Tuesday June 6, 2006
Ani: TNB got a raw deal
WHEN the Government decided to approve the request from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) to raise electricity tariffs, the plight of the national utility took centre-stage. Naturally, the knee-jerk reaction among consumers was not favourable. The 12% rise in tariffs appears to have re-ignited the debate on how good the going is for independent power producers (IPPs) at the cost of the national utility’s cashflow. The imbalance between the generation side of the business and that of transmission and distribution has put a strain on TNB. To understand the privatisation of the power generation sector, one needs to take a look back in history to understand that the country’s IPPs came about as a result of the Government’s effort to address the issue of stable power supply after the landmark 1992 blackout. Lending a historical perspective to the issue of IPPs is former TNB executive chairman Tan Sri Ani Arope, who headed the national utility from 1990 to 1996. It was during his tenure that the first generation IPPs were created. StarBiz deputy news editor JAGDEV SINGH SIDHU has the story.

STARBIZ: What happened after the first major blackout in 1992?
Ani: TNB had plans in place to pump out more energy by building plants in Pasir Gudang and Paka. Financing was no problem and our credit standing was very high. We had the land acquired and were ready to move in and plant up.
But we were told by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) that it had its own plans. We cautioned EPU that if those plants, which would take two years to complete, were not built, Malaysia would get another major blackout. When you have a place with 250 engineers, it does not make sense to say (the blackout) is because of poor planning. But the EPU said it had its own plans and we were told to surrender the land.
Then it surfaced that it wanted to privatise the power plants. I am not anti-IPPs per se. It is good to have other players but it has to be done fairly. It has to be fair to the consumers, not just TNB, which is a conduit. TNB, because of the electricity hike, has been treated as the whipping boy. The focus should be on the consumers.
When the generous terms were given to the IPPs, all my other peers around the world asked what was happening. They said they would like to have a share in the IPPs. They said (the contracts to IPPs) were “too darn generous.” (The terms) were grossly one sided.
How was the Malaysian model of IPPs created?
Ask our previous Prime Minister.

How was the process of negotiations with IPPs conducted?
There was no negotiation. Absolutely none. Instead of talking directly with the IPPs, TNB was sitting down with the EPU. And we were harassed, humiliated and talked down every time we went there. After that, my team was disappointed. The EPU just gave us the terms and asked us to agree. I said no way I would.
What about the pricing and terms of the contracts?
It was all fixed up. (They said) this is the price, this is the capacity charge and this is the number of years. They said you just take it and I refused to sign the contracts. And then, I was put out to pasture.
Why did you disagree with the terms?
It was grossly unfair. At 16 sen per unit (kWh) and with the take or pay situation, actually it was 23 sen per unit. With 23 sen, plus transmission and distribution costs, TNB would have had to charge the consumer no less than 30 sen per unit. If mixed with TNB’s cost, the cost would come down but that was at our expense because we were producing electricity at 8 sen a unit. We can deliver electricity at 17 sen per unit.
And then there is a capacity charge. Nobody produces excess electricity like Malaysia and it goes to waste because there are no batteries to store that power. TNB only needs a reserve of 15% to 20%.
TNB was producing electricity at 8 sen a unit. What should have been the right price for IPPs to sell to TNB?
Twelve sen. They could not beat our price as we had already amortised our assets. But for the new guys or even ourselves to come in then and (having) to meet interest charges and to make a small profit, it would cost 12 sen a unit.
This was what we told one IPP. The IPP agreed to it but the EPU said that unless the IPP raised its price, the contract would not be given to the IPP. So he got it for 14 sen per unit.
And then, there is the cost pass-through. If the price of fuel went up, the extra cost is passed through to us. And in other words, it is passed on to the consumer.
Under what terms would you have agreed to the IPPs being set up?
Have an independent buyer for the electricity and in one way, let TNB come in and bid for the plants. Get other people to come in. Get a commission to see (to) our needs and TNB can be one of the producers.
It is argued that the IPPs’ contracts are too lucrative but there are IPPs in other countries in Africa or Asia that have better terms.
There are IPPs charging 50 to 60 US cents per unit but they use diesel. Take our own situation and compare oranges with oranges. Then it is fair. Do whatever is fair.

How were you affected by the process of awarding the IPP contracts?
I felt sick. It was morally wrong and not fair. If it is legal and not fair, I will not do it. If it is fair and illegal, I still won’t do it. It has to be legal and fair.
We work for the consumers, workers and shareholders. TNB is morally obligated to these three, but the consumers come first, otherwise we won’t be around. It is then the workers and the shareholders.
When I said that, they said ‘Dia ingat bapak dia-punya’ (He thinks this is his father’s company). This job is an amanah (trust). You are entrusted with this responsibility and you carry it out to the best of your ability. I do not want somebody to come and urinate on my grave. In the Malay culture, that is about the worst insult they can do to a man.
Do you think you did the right thing by not signing the agreements?
Absolutely.
How should a contract with the IPPs work?
In Australia, they call the IPPs and ask “what is your price”. They will pay the IPP that offers the best price. What they could have done is to throw the net wider and ask everybody (if they) are good, it would be awarded to them. But in our case, the contracts were ready-made and we were asked to sign.
What is your view on the impending renegotiation with the IPPs?
It has to be legal and fair. If we were to negotiate unfairly and illegally, the whole world will be looking at us and they will say “don’t sign anything with Malaysia because if things go against the country, the Government will void the agreement”.
We have to look at this very carefully.
But what we can do now is to say, can we bring down the capacity charge. Anything above the 15% reserve margin, we will call for bids.
The second thing is that the IPPs would have by now paid up their whole capital investments in their plants and it is all gravy (or profit) from now. Could we not bring this down a bit? Instead of paying a small amount to (a special fund), why not increase the (payment) for future planting up? In that manner, we can control the price of electricity. Otherwise, it’s going to escalate.
Who in your opinion should get involved in the negotiations?
The consumers should be there. For me, you should get a very independent body. Then, you can bring in TNB, the IPPs, the consumers and Energy Commission. But these bodies and consumers should not make a judgment.

So, pray tell, who is subsidising whom?