PM: Malays in peril if Pakatan rules

Najib: Malay future at risk under Pakatan

Najib today picked up the race card that his deputy had played during the recent Umno assembly. — File pic

SHAH ALAM, Dec 5 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak warned…

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Najib today picked up the race card that his deputy had played during the recent Umno assembly. — File pic

SHAH ALAM, Dec 5 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak warned today the future of Malays would be in doubt if his ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) does not remain in power after a general election expected soon.

After presiding over an Umno general assembly last weekend that saw delegates and leaders accusing Pakatan Rakyat (PR) of being anti-Malay and Islam, the prime minister today told a Malay NGO that claims a membership of over two million that their “responsibility is to defend the current government.”

“The alternative choice, are they better than what is already in place? Can they guarantee our power is not dissolved or our position eroded? What about the dignity of Islam and Malays?

“We will not allow our people to be insulted. We will not back down by even an inch. We are warriors,” he said to cheers at Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia’s (Pekida) gathering here before leading cries of “Hidup Melayu (long live the Malays)!”

Umno had sounded the alarm last weekend, warning that only BN will ensure that Islam remains an important aspect within the government administration.

Party delegates had cited events such as claimed proselytisation of Muslims since Election 2008, when PR took power in five states, as proof that the faith among Malays would be in jeopardy.

Najib said today if the Umno-led BN lost power, “all our ambitions will be buried and our future will be full of darkness.”

“What will happen to Muslims if the government changes? What will happen to Islam if we lose our strength?

“What will happen to the Malay rulers if we are no longer there to honour them? What will happen to our descendants if we cannot fight for policies that protect them?” he said.

He accused PR of trying to “demolish what we have built.”

“Without having power, they have defiled the Malay rulers. Without power, they have questioned policies to help Malays and Bumiputeras, which are always questioned by them.

“Without power, they can say they want to halve the civil service. Who will be affected? If hundreds of thousands of civil servants are sacked, who will be the victims?” he said, referring to recent suggestions by DAP to trim the majority-Malay civil service.

Najib also cited DAP assemblyman M. Manoharan’s call for the Malaysian flag to be redesigned as another example of PR questioning “things that should not be discussed or renegotiated.”

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Muhyiddin’s hard truth in Johor

Johor which is an Umno fortress could lose as many as seven seats in the 13th general election.
COMMENT

The other night I watched, on TV3, an interview with Deputy…

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Johor which is an Umno fortress could lose as many as seven seats in the 13th general election.
COMMENT

The other night I watched, on TV3, an interview with Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said the 13th general election is an uphill battle for Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN). I think Muhyiddin this time around speaks with a touch of realism.

Maybe he refuses to be bamboozled with over-optimistic Jasa (Special Affairs Department) reports – I saw some of them especially on Pahang and I was laughing.

Were these reports written while drinking kopi tiam or eating keropok lekor?

Or were they written while sitting on the bed at home? Those suckers at headquarters won’t be able to tell the difference.

Muhyiddin must be thinking about his home state too – Johor.

Ong Kah Ting, former MCA president, is not going to contest. His seat may go to the opposition.

Umno bastion

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is retreating to Kota Tinggi. That means incumbent Syed Hamid Albar isn’t contesting anymore as he is no longer winnable.

Sembrong seat too is gone. Bakri is another area that’s losable. Dr S Subramaniam (MIC deputy president) can say bye bye to Segamat. Pasir Gudang is another parliamentary seat that looks shaky.

Johor will remain a bastion for Umno, but a few more parliamentary seats will go to the opposition.

The seats in Labis, Pulai and Gelang Patah are all at risks. If Shahrir Samad does not stand in Johor Baru, then that seat will migrate too.

These may not all go to PKR but DAP is set to take over some of these seats.

The opposition may increase its parliamentary presence from the current one to seven seats in Johor.

Before 2008, former economic adviser Daim Zainuddin predicted that BN will lose five states.

At that time everyone accused Daim of being past his prime and over the hill. They even hurled other unmentionables at him. But this time, too, he’s more or less saying the same thing.

The writer is a former Umno state assemblyman and a FMT columnist.

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‘Pekida, bantu pertahan k’jaan BN’

Perdana Menteri mahu Pekida bantu kerajaan kekal memerintah Putrajaya selepas PRU 13.

SHAH ALAM: Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Pekida) diseru membantu mengekalkan kelangsungan kerajaan sedia ada bersesuaian dengan…

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Perdana Menteri mahu Pekida bantu kerajaan kekal memerintah Putrajaya selepas PRU 13.

SHAH ALAM: Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Pekida) diseru membantu mengekalkan kelangsungan kerajaan sedia ada bersesuaian dengan piagam pertubuhan itu yang mendokong kerajaan yang memerintah.

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata pemerintahan kerajaan (Barisan Nasional) dewasa ini adalah selari dengan matlamat dan tujuan Pekida ditubuhkan.

Justeru beliau mahu Pekida menjalankan tanggungjawab untuk mempertahankan kerajaan memandangkan tiada pemerintahan lain yang dapat menjamin masa depan negara.

“Tiada pilihan lain selain tegakkan pemerintahan sedia ada. Tanggungjawab yang digalas Pekida atas jemala adalah untuk mempertahankan pemerintahan sedia ada.

“Apa akan jadi pada umat Islam jika pemerintahan tersungkur dan rebah. Apa akan jadi pada Islam jika hilang taring?

“Asas dan pokok adalah berjuang untuk kelangsungan kuasa jika kuasa terlepas segala cita-cita terkubur dan masa depan akan bertukar jadi gerhana. Ini kerana asas untuk menjadi bangsa yang mulia dan bermaruah bergantung kepada pemerintahan sedia ada.

“Ia akan jadi realiti dan kenyataan jika ada kuasa,” katanya di hadapan 10,000 hadirin pada Majlis Perhimpunan Perdana Pekida Malaysia di Politeknik Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah di sini hari ini.

Tegas Najib, pilihan alternatif yang ditawarkan oleh pembangkang belum tentu dapat menjamin kedudukan Melayu dan Bumiputera.

Pembangkang hanya berperanan untuk meruntuhkan apa yang dibina oleh kerajaan selama ini.

“Pembangkang tawarkan sebagai pilihan alternatif. Adakah mereka lebih baik? Adakah mereka boleh jamin kedudukan Melayu tidak terhakis. Bagaimana kedudukan agama?,” soal beliau lagi.

“Belum ada kuasa mereka sudah runtuhkan apa yang kita bina. Sebab itu kita sangsi seandainya mereka (pembangkang) ada kuasa,” katanya lagi.

Beliau turut memberi peringatan kepada Pekida agar terus merapatkan barisan jika enggan Melayu jatuh seperti sejarah empayar Melaka yang terkenal suatu masa dulu.

“Rapatkan barisan….sejarah dah tunjukkan bahawa empayar Melaka bersengketa sebab ada pengkhianat.

“Segala nikmat boleh terlepas angkara kita. Ini ada dalam pengajaran peradaban manusia. Kita tidak mahu bangsa kita jadi bangsat dan dibuli. Kita perlu pastikan selepas pilihan raya umum ke 13 (PRU-13) kerajaan kekal di Putrajaya,” katanya.

Turut hadir pada majlis itu ialah Ketua Menteri Melaka Datuk Seri Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam, Timbalan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Selangor Datuk Seri Noh Omar dan Presiden Pekida Malaysia, Jamaludin Yusof.

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DAP should reconsider its no-datukship principle

It will probably improve its image among the Malays.
COMMENT

DAP’s stand against accepting honorific titles betrays either its failure to understand the Malay psyche or its lack of interest…

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It will probably improve its image among the Malays.
COMMENT

DAP’s stand against accepting honorific titles betrays either its failure to understand the Malay psyche or its lack of interest in winning the respect of the community.

If DAP is serious about increasing its appeal among Malay voters, chairman Karpal Singh should not have so easily brushed aside allegations by delegates to last week’s Umno assembly that members of his party insult Malay rulers when they decline datukships and other such awards.

Datuks may be a dime a dozen to the sophisticated urban Malay, but to his more traditional minded cousin in the kampung, a person holding such a title still commands awe and respect because it shows that even a sultan has recognised his worth.

Of course, a Yang DiPertua Begeri can also confer a datukship, but that point is quite irrelevant. To the Malay mind, the head of a state is royal, whether his blood is blue, green or pink.

DAP must have noticed that in Penang, any department head with a “datuk” before his name commands greater respect among civil servants than even the Chief Minister, who is only an “Encik”.

Of course, they know that Lim Guan Eng is their big boss. But as long as he is not a datuk, he is still seen as someone who is not fully recognised by the palace.

Officials at the higher levels who engage regularly with Lim may know that he is an Encik by choice. However, to the lower ranking officials and ordinary citizens, his lack of a title could be an indication of his ineligibility for it.

Umno can play on this perception. Some of the more crooked characters from that party might even go around saying that the royal houses do not approve of DAP leaders because they are bad guys, racists or traitors.

With datukships in hand, DAP leaders would gain more credibility when they try to fight off allegations that their party is an enemy to Malays and Muslims.

It is all perception, and DAP as a seasoned political party should know that is what politics is all about.

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Lembu dalam budaya Hindu

Penulis menjelaskan antara sebab kaum India-Hindu tidak makan daging lembu.

COMMENT

Suatu perkara yang sepatutnya (ulang: sepatutnya) sudah diketahui masyarakat pelbagai kaum dan agama di negara bertuah ini adalah bahawa…

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Penulis menjelaskan antara sebab kaum India-Hindu tidak makan daging lembu.

COMMENT

Suatu perkara yang sepatutnya (ulang: sepatutnya) sudah diketahui masyarakat pelbagai kaum dan agama di negara bertuah ini adalah bahawa kaum India beragama Hindu tidak makan daging lembu.

Bagi sesiapa yang mengambil ikhtiar untuk bertanya, maka biasanya akan diberikan jawapan paling mudah iaitu bahawa lembu dianggap binatang suci dalam agama Hindu.

Alasan sebenar orang India tidak memakan daging lembu adalah berasaskan budaya dan kepercayaan tradisional; bukan berikutan tuntutan agama semata-mata.

Kaum India-Hindu di serata dunia mempercayai bahawa lembu adalah anugerah Tuhan kepada umat manusia, lalu kurniaan istimewa itu perlu dihargai.

Sekadar contoh mudah, apabila melihat anaknya kelaparan, lembu betina akan segera bergegas mendapatkan si anak untuk menyusukannya.

Begitulah dibandingkan dewa-dewi dalam konsep agama Hindu yang datang segera untuk membantu insan yang memerlukan bantuan.

Dalam kepercayaan kaum India, lembu juga dikatakan sama seperti Bumi; dengan erti kata, sanggup menanggung sesiapa sahaja yang bergantung hidup padanya.

Sebab itulah juga lembu dianggap sebagai “ibu” kerana Bumi, ibu dan lembu dikatakan mempunyai persamaan dari segi kesanggupan berkorban dan menanggung derita demi “anak-anak”.

Sekiranya kita berpeluang memperhatikan kehidupan petani dan pesawah kaum India yang masih menggunakan khidmat lembu, maka kita akan lebih memahami sentimen kaum India terhadap haiwan berkenaan.

Sejak zaman dahulu, lembu memainkan peranan penting dalam kehidupan masyarakat di Benua Kecil India. Hasil kajian arkeologi menemukan bukti kewujudan Tamadun Harappa dan Mohenjo-daro di Lembah Indus sekitar tahun 2500-1500 SM.

Antara barangan yang ditemui adalah mohor daripada batu yang mempunyai ukiran lembu jantan dan betina. Tentulah binatang berkenaan mempunyai peranan penting dalam kehidupan masyarakat pada waktu itu sehingga diabadikan pada mohor.

Lembu membantu petani dan pesawah untuk membajak. Haiwan itu juga digunakan untuk mengangkut barang serta menarik kereta lembu.

Ringkasnya, lembu merupakan binatang yang amat diperlukan dalam kehidupan seharian masyarakat India tradisional. Kita tidak perlu memiliki ijazah Doktor Falsafah untuk memahami, menyedari dan mengakui hakikat itu.

Hubungan dengan Dewa


Dalam pada itu, bagi orang ramai yang berpeluang membaca teks Sejarah Melayu (Sulalatus Salatin) secara teliti dan mendalam, pasti tahu mengenai individu yang dikatakan lahir daripada muntah seekor lembu dan meneruskan jurai keturunan Melayu yang ada sekarang.

Kalau diteliti dalam teks klasik India yang dinamakan purana iaitu cerita dewa-dewi, akan dijelaskan bahawa bukan hanya manusia bergantung pada lembu.

Dewa-dewi sendiri mempunyai hubungan rapat dengan mamalia berkenaan.

Misalnya, Dewa Shiva menjadikan lembu sebagai wahana rasmi. Sekiranya kita berpeluang melawat kuil Dewa Shiva, pasti akan kelihatan patung lembu betina yang dinamakan “nandhi” di kuil berkenaan.

Lembu turut menjadi wahana serta binatang kesayangan Dewa Krishna. Tidak setakat itu, purana menggambarkan Dewa Krishna sebagai pengembala lembu.

Terdapat juga sebuah cerita di mana Dewa Krishna mengangkat Gunung Govardhan semasa hujan lebat supaya para petani, penternak serta lembu mereka boleh berlindung di bawahnya.

Sejak dahulu, petani kaum India merayakan ponggal iaitu pesta menuai selama beberapa hari. Hari kedua pesta menuai ini adalah Maatu Ponggal iaitu perayaan khas bagi lembu peliharaan.

Perayaan Maatu Ponggal adalah tanda terima kasih masyarakat India kepada lembu yang amat berguna dalam kehidupan seharian.

Lembu dimandikan dan dibersihkan. Tanduk disapu cat pelbagai warna dan loceng baru dipasang pada leher. Lembu yang diraikan diberi makan nasi manis yang dimasak khas untuknya.

Keluarga petani dan penternak berbuat demikian sebagai tanda terhutang budi dan mengucapkan terima kasih kepada haiwan berkenaan.

Lembu sesungguhnya memberi sumbangan besar kepada keluarga si penternak. Lembu jantan biasanya membantu membajak serta mengangkut barang. Lembu betina pula membekalkan susu yang amat diperlukan untuk diminum, dijadikan susu masam atau dijadikan minyak sapi.

Lembu turut membekalkan tahi yang dijadikan baja organik. Di India, tahi lembu juga dijadikan bahan bakar selepas dikeringkan; termasuk sebagai bahan bakar apabila jenazah dibakar mengikut adat Hindu.
Kajian saintifik membuktikan bahawa tahi lembu mempunyai kandungan bahan kimia yang mampu menghalau serangga perosak dan membunuh kuman.

Amalan tradisi itu ada saya selitkan pada perenggan pertama cerpen “Doa Tahun Baru” (Siru Kambam, 1996) sebagai usaha awal menggambarkan budaya kaum India dalam karya Bahasa Malaysia.

Mungkin orang ramai sedia maklum mengenai Dewi Lakshmi dalam konsep budaya India dan agama Hindu. Tambahan pula, ramai yang suka menonton filem Tamil dan Hindi.

Komatha

Dewi berkenaan dianggap sebagai sumber kekayaan. Namun, tidak ramai – termasuk kaum India beragama Hindu – yang tahu bahawa Dewi Lakshmi dikatakan menghuni tahi lembu.

Mitos dan purana ini sebenarnya bertujuan menunjukkan bagaimana “kekayaan” (Dewi Lakshmi) terdapat juga pada tahi lembu yang mungkin dianggap sebagai bahan buangan yang tidak berguna.

Air kencing lembu turut terbukti secara saintifik mengandungi bahan yang mampu mengubati beberapa penyakit kulit serta bertindak sebagai bahan antiseptik.
Kelebihan ini ternyata sudah diketahui masyarakat India sejak sekitar tahun 2500 SM! Air kencing lembu biasanya direnjis pada lantai rumah untuk membersihkannya daripada kuman.

Tahi lembu yang dikeringkan pula sering dibakar dan asapnya dibiarkan memenuhi rumah kediaman. Langkah ini bagi membersihkan udara di dalam rumah daripada bakteria.

Selain itu, khasiat susu lembu adalah suatu hakikat yang sudah diketahui umum. Secara tradisi, keluarga dalam masyarakat India bergantung pada susu yang dibekalkan oleh lembu peliharaan keluarga mereka.

Susu lembu menjadi minuman sejak bayi. Maka itulah lembu yang membekalkan susu tadi dianggap sebagai “ibu susu” bagi anak-anak dalam keluarga berkenaan. Konsep ini sama sahaja dengan konsep “ibu susu” yang terdapat dalam budaya kaum/agama lain di seluruh dunia.

Itulah juga antara sebab utama mengapa masyarakat India menganggap lembu peliharaan sebagai sebahagian daripada ahli keluarga berkenaan.

Malah, lembu digelar “komatha” iaitu gelaran sama seperti “ibu”. Sejak kecil, anak-anak dididik supaya menyayangi serta menghormati lembu yang dipelihara sebagai sebahagian daripada ahli keluarga.

Lembu juga menjadi simbol kemakmuran, kekayaan dan kebahagiaan. Apabila seseorang membeli – atau membina – sebuah rumah baru, maka tuan rumah akan mengadakan upacara sembahyang khas.

Pada upacara berkenaan, seekor lembu betina akan dibawa masuk ke dalam rumah. Lembu itu akan dibawa ke setiap bilik dan ruang yang terdapat di rumah berkenaan.

Malah, jika rumah itu merupakan rumah dua atau tiga tingkat, lembu berkenaan akan dibawa menaiki tangga!

Tindakan ini dianggap sebagai mengundang Dewi Lakshmi (“kekayaan” dan “kemakmuran”) bertandang ke rumah. Malah, tuan rumah dikatakan amat bertuah sekiranya lembu itu kencing atau berak semasa berada di dalam rumah berkenaan.

Demikianlah lembu yang pendiam diberi kedudukan yang amat mulia dalam budaya kaum India sejak dahulu. Atas dasar itulah juga kaum India-Hindu tidak menyakiti, menganiaya, membunuh – apatah lagi makan! – lembu hingga kini.

Mahatma Gandhi sendiri beranggapan bahawa lembu adalah wakil bagi manusia memahami dunia binatang yang bisu. Menurut beliau, walaupun “bisu” dan tidak mampu berkata-kata, lembu mampu berkomunikasi bersama manusia melalui pergerakan matanya yang besar dan bulat.

Apa yang pasti, kaum India-Hindu di seluruh dunia amat menghargai jasa lembu. Walaupun tidak ramai petani/penternak kaum India yang masih memelihara lembu, amalan yang mendarah-daging sejak hampir 4,500 tahun lalu tentu sahaja sukar dilupakan.

Mungkin ada individu kaum India (khususnya yang tidak mengamalkan ajaran agama Hindu) yang makan daging lembu tetapi itu adalah kes terpencil yang tidak mewakili masyarakat India secara keseluruhan.

Uthaya Sankar SB sering memaparkan budaya kaum India menerusi cerpen-cerpen Bahasa Malaysia yang dihasilkannya sejak 1991.

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Bertemu Buku Dengan Ruas

Dari SharpShooter
Sebaran Media

Satu laporan polis akan dibuat pada, 6hb Disember 2011, pada pukul
2 petang di Balai Polis Jalan Travers  ke atas laman sesawang
www.papagomo.com yang dimiliki oleh Wan…

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Dari SharpShooter
Sebaran Media

Satu laporan polis akan dibuat pada, 6hb Disember 2011, pada pukul
2 petang di Balai Polis Jalan Travers  ke atas laman sesawang
www.papagomo.com yang dimiliki oleh Wan Muhammad Azri bin Wan Deris, pemegang kad pengenalan bernombor 830121-03-5019.

Wan Muhammad Azri bin Wan Deris dalam laman web beliau www.papagomo.com telah melakukan fitnah terhadap diri saya pada artikel beliau berjudul “AMIN ISKANDAR PENULIS THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER AKUI DICABUL ANWAR IBRAHIM” pada capaian :

http://www.papagomo.com/2011/11/amin-iskandar-penulis-malaysian-insider.html Tulisan ini dilakukan pada tarikh tertera di laman web tersebut : 26hb November 2011.

Fitnah tulisan Wan Muhamamad Azri atau Papagomo ini dipercayai dilakukan atas niat beliau mempertahankan Datuk Razali Ibrahim daripada penulisan dan kritikan saya terhadap Datuk Razali Ibrahim, Timbalan Menteri Belia dan Sukan pada tulisan saya bertarikh 25hb November 2011 di capaian:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/razali-ibrahim-janganlah-bersikap-seperti-anak-kecil/

Tindakan membela Datuk Razali Ibrahim dengan cara membuat fitnah terhadap diri saya adalah satu tindakan yang tidak wajar dan seharusnya dilakukan dengan berhujah secara matang.

Sebagai seorang penulis dan blogger yang menyokong kebebasan bersuara dan menyatakan pandangan, laporan polis ini dilakukan bukan bertujuan untuk menyekat kebebasan penulis blog untuk menulis, akan tetapi untuk mengekang budaya fitnah daripada terus menjadi amalan sesetengah pihak.
Semua media, penulis blog dan rakyat Malaysia dijemput hadir.

Sekian dimaklumkan,

Amin Iskandar
Blog:
www.aminiskandar.net

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Bring it on, Pakatan tells Umno

by Nigel Aw
Malaysiakini
Dec 5, 2011

A day after the Umno general assembly concluded with the beating of war drums and vows to wrest back Pakatan Rakyat-held states, the…

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by Nigel Aw
Malaysiakini
Dec 5, 2011

A day after the Umno general assembly concluded with the beating of war drums and vows to wrest back Pakatan Rakyat-held states, the federal opposition went on the offensive as well.

PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim, the star at a rally of 5,000 in Shah Alam last night, said Pakatan will not only defend Selangor, but improve its electoral performance in the state.

“(Prime Minister) Najib Abdul Razak said he wants to recapture Selangor (but) we tell him that he can keep dreaming about Selangor – and that we will capture Putrajaya,” declared Anwar.

He picked apart Umno’s Malay credentials which the party has attempted to project in the run-up to a looming general election.

“Do you believe that Umno defends the Malays? If they defend the Malays they would not sell Malay land.

“The last bastion of Malay land in Kuala Lumpur (is Kampung Baru). They (the government) wants to hand it over to (Federal Territories Minister) Raja Nong Chik under the Kampung Baru Development Act.”

Also present was DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang who moved to deflect Umno’s relentless attacks on his party during the general assembly.

“They (Umno) have accused DAP of being anti-Islam. Is that true?” asked Lim, to which the crowd thundered: “No!”

He went on to list out the accusations levelled against his party by Umno, each time eliciting a roar of “No!”

Lim reiterated the party’s acceptance of Islam as the religion of the federation, as well as the concept of the constitutional monarchy, a pledge that proved popular among the largely Malay crowd that cheered.

PAS president Hadi Awang poked fun at Umno delegates who had publicly backed a leader who is embroiled in National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal. The project was intended to be the primary domestic supplier of beef.

“Umno says ‘PAS diperkudakan’ (is being a mule of) DAP, but what is clear is Umno has memper-lembu-kan (made a fool of) the people. Horses are meant to go to war, but cows are meant for slaughter,” he quipped.

‘We have a good track record’

Aside from drowning out Umno’s election messages, Pakatan amoved to demonstrate its credential as a credible and competent government in Selangor.

“Since Pakatan took over the state, its revenue has increased significantly. But do you see Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim buying a diamond ring for his wife?” posed PKR deputy president Azmin Ali.

“Do you see him building a mansion like former Selangor Menteri Besar (Dr Mohd) Khir Toyo?”

Taking the stage, Khalid listed the welfare policies implemented to date and the state government’s prudence in managing finances.

“Selangor has a ‘Jom Shopping’ programme for senior citizens. We give them RM100 for shopping and the federal government tried to emulate us by giving out hampers to senior citizens.

“I’ve checked with my contacts in supermarkets. For every RM100 hamper that it gives out, the federal government spends RM200. In our programme if you’re suppose to spend RM100 and you spend RM115, I will sack that officer immediately.”

The strongest statement was the fact that the rally was held in the middle of a major agriculture carnival organised by the state government.

As the nearby ferris wheel lit up the night and the bazaar bustled with customers, Pakatan leaders tried to make their point in Anwar’s words: “We do not only govern, we strive for excellence.”

Also present were PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and national laureate A Samad Said, accompanied by several exco members, state assemblypersons and MPs from Selangor.

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Malays Have Always Practised Moderation, Says Najib

SHAH ALAM, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- The Malays in Malaysia since long ago have been practising wasatiyah or moderation and rejecting racism, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The prime…

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SHAH ALAM, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- The Malays in Malaysia since long ago have been practising wasatiyah or moderation and rejecting racism, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The prime minister said even before the country's independence, they were willing to share power and were fair to the other races, and as such, "never hurt the feelings of the Malays by trying to change what were enshrined in the constitution and what had been negotiated".

"We will defend these. The Malays do not want anyone trying to change whatever had been decided in the constitution and Malaysia must be built based on this constitution.

"We believe that within the framework of our constitution, whether expressed or implied, we can build a nation that is fair to all," he said at the Pekida Malaysia assembly attended by about 10,000 people at the Sultan Salahahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Polytechnic, here, Monday.

"We have adopted wassatiyah as our approach since long ago. We reject extremism. We have never been guided by extreme ideology," he said.

Najib said that the Malays had never been extremists and racists on their own land of birth, and instead had always extended a helping hand to the non-Malays in building a peaceful, united and prosperous country.

"As Malays, we have never been unfair to the non-Malays in this country," he said.

Najib said for this, the Barisan Nasional administration must prevail in order to build a more successful Malaysia based on the provisions of the Federal Constitution on the rights of the Malays and Islam as the country's official religion; matters which could not be disputed nor renegotiated.

"We see there is no other choice in safeguarding our future. Are those who offer an alternative to the people better than the current government? Can we guarantee that our power will not be diluted or the position of the Malays and Islam not be eroded?"

Najib said even if before they (opposition) could gain power they had already planned to destroy what the government had built all this while, then there would be confusion if they came into power.

"They have planned to reduce the number of civil servants, including teachers and army and police personnel.

"Who will be the victims if hundred of thousands of civil servants lose their jobs if the opposition could carry out their plan?

"They also want to change the Malaysian flag, defile the position of the Malay rulers and question policies to assist the Malays and other Bumiputeras," he said.

Najib said the people needed a government which was brave to uphold social justice and not a "justice party" as the former was more meaningful in creating a fair and balanced country where all including the non-Malays also received various assistance from the government.

"This is how we have administered the country and this is why God has allowed us to rule it for 54 years now. We are still in power and God willing, with the people's support, the coming general election will be ours to win.

"This is because BN has struggled for the people, has been fair and has never strayed from religious principles," he said.

Najib said as prime minister, he would do his best for the people and hoped that they would give their trust to the government in charting a brighter future based on realities, unlike some quarters who promised the moon, the stars and the universe.

He said thus far, the BN government's policies had, among others, changed the life of fishermen whereby one of their children, Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir from Pangkor island, had become Perak menteri besar.

The prime minister said the government would continue to strive in ensuring that more of the poor could be assisted in the field of education, and for that, the Tabung Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera was launched.

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Alstorm bribery scandal link to Malaysia

Alstom Network Schweiz AG, a unit of a French power engineering and train firm, has been ordered to pay US$42.2m as punishment for a bribery scandal that spanned three countries…

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Alstom Network Schweiz AG, a unit of a French power engineering and train firm, has been ordered to pay US$42.2m as punishment for a bribery scandal that spanned three countries including a CHF7.7m pay-off in Malaysia.
This is the excerpt from the summary punishment order under the Swiss Code of Criminal Procedure:

14. Payment of bribes in Malaysia
14.1 At the end of the 1990′s, the state-licensed TTPC (Teknologi Tenaga Perlis Consortium Sdtn Bhd) had major contracts for the delivery and maintenance of gas turbines to award for the PERLIS project in Malaysia. At the end of 1999, the then existing ABB ALSTOM POWER (Schweiz) AG, Baden, signed various consultancy agreements to this end with various offshore companies. The contracts provided for success fees to be paid for the successful signing of delivery and maintenance contracts for gas turbines.
14.2 After the sectors in question were transferred from ABB to ALSTOM, ALSTOM exchanged the offshore companies ABB had used as consultants. However, investigation results show that the two new consultants brought in as contract partners of ALSTOM and its national companies ALSTOM Schweiz AG and ALSTOM O&M AG were effectively used as intermediary companies for Chee Liang TI and Abdul Hamid PAWANTEH, who were employed by ALSTOM via the consultancy agreements and “Project Development Agreement” and known to a small circle of ALSTOM employees. Because the original consultants were individuals, the use of an established company was chosen in order to comply with internal control.
However other internal regulations (no offshore companies, no companies with accounts outside the project country, no success fees over 3% of the contract value) were disregarded; distributing payments to different offshore companies with the same financial beneficiaries knowingly exceeded the last of these provisions. Both Chee Liang TI and Abdul Hamid PAWANTEH were leading executives of TTPC at the time, and the latter was also a local politician in the constituent state of Perlis where the power station was to be built. It is obvious that the ALSTOM employees involved in this case wished to influence TTPC decision-
makers with payments to award contracts to ALSTOM. There is also indication that an ALSTOM employee involved illegally and without the knowledge of ALSTOM personally enriched himself.
14.3 The parties to the contractual agreement to deliver, operate, and maintain gas turbines were ALSTOM Schweiz AG and ALSTOM O&M AG on one side and TTPC on the other. TTPC consisted of the consortium members Tenaga Nasional Berhard, TNB (20%), Landmark Sdn. Bhd (20%), Alpha Intercontinental Sdn Bhd (30%), Gerang Sutera Sdn Bhd (20%), and Yayasang Islam Perlis via Infostaas Engineering Sdn (10%). TTPC is a consortium with a state minority holding that could carry out its business solely under a state license and that additionally was authorized to sell the electricity it produced to the state company TNB at predefined rates in accordance with a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with TNB.
14.4 After obtaining the authorization to deliver and maintain turbines for the PERLIS power station and after securing the necessary financing, ALSTOM, via the involved Business Units, and within the aforementioned consultancy agreements and “Project Development Agreement” paid success fees which converted in total at approximately 7.7 million CHF via the Defendant to the two offshore companies after art. 102 CC came into effect. After deduction of a commission of about 5%, these payments were channeled through the accounts of additional offshore companies to the two executives of TTPC, Chee Liang TI and Abdul Hamid PAWANTEH, with accounts in Switzerland.
14.5 These circumstances make it clear that the award of contracts / order execution and securing of financing were intended to be illegally influenced by the consultancy agreements and “Project Development Agreement” and were indeed illegally influenced by the payments.
14.6 Both of the aforementioned beneficiaries were at the time leading executives at the client of ALSTOM. In return for payment, they influenced both the award of contracts as part of this project in previous years (including securing of financing) and ensured that any difficulties encountered by the client in the performance of the contract were resolved in favor of ALSTOM. In this case again, the beneficiaries must be functionally characterized as public officials in terms of Art. 322 septies in conjunction with Art. 110(3) SCC and the payments made considered bribery in terms of the former of the two regulations.

Ho-hum, another day, another scandal…
Summary Punishment Order

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