Thursday, 6 December 2012
In Pakistani Hell now a Hindu minor girl is sexually assaulted by Paki Beasts.
Protest demo over assault on Hindu girl
Hindus protest demo over sexual assault on Hindu girl.
6 years old Pakistani Hindu girl raped in Pakistan in a pure Islamic atmosphere.
Pakistan Police denies filing case of 6 years old Pakistani Hindu girl rape.
HYDERABAD: December 4, 2012. (Abbas Kassar) A 6 years old Hindu girl Wijenti Meghwar, student of class 1 who was raped in Ghulam Nabi Shah town while playing in street yesterday was lying on death bed at civil hospital Mirpurkhas that also on intervention of PPP minister Mardan Ali Shah otherwise the doctors at Mirpurkhas civil hospital had refused to admit her and had asked for police letter from Ghulam Nabi Shah police station of Umerkot district.
But it was irony that concerned police has not registered case so far and instead of arresting the culprit involved in heinous crime of raping an infant child girl, has arrested a man whom father of girl describes as not related to crime. The relatives Iserdas, Sangeeta and others have complained that doctors at Mirpurkhas civil hospital were indifferent to her treatment.
The rape victim girl first was taken to Umerkot district hospital where there was no doctor on duty and then took her to Mirpurkhas which is on distance of 76 kilometers which cause enormous bleeding. Relatives say her condition has deteriorated due to bleeding and that the medical staff at Mirpurkhas civil hospital was giving less attention towards her recovery.
After coming to know about rape of a young child girl local PPP leader Mir Ali Raza Talpur, Fatima Baloch and Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party leaders Mehar Banglani and Nind Lal Malhi visited Mirpurkhas hospital to inquire about health of girl and warned of strong protest if accused was not arrested immediately.
The parents of girl told that the footprints of accused led to an Otaq of a powerful local Wadera as well as stiffer dogs also identified that spot, yet to mess up the matter and to save landlord, police has arrested a man named Naval to cool down the issue.
The incident has sent a wave of terror among minorities whose girls have given up to go to schools or even out of their homes. It was amazing to note that doctors who are called as Messihas (life savers) did refuse to attend the bleeding girl and asked parents to bring police letter until they were asked by Pir Madaan Ali Shah the provincial minister of Sindh.
The citizens of town Ghulam Nabi Shah were shocked on rape incident and closed down their shops to mark protest against the inhuman act of violence against a minor girl of minority Hindu community. The citizens of town Ghulam Nabi Shah led by Sardar Bhayo, Kanjee Mal and Mustaf Mehr held protest demonstration in front of local press club.
Meanwhile minority MNA Khatoomal Jeewan also talked to relatives of girl and on his direction SSP Umerkot Riaz Soomro rushed to civil hospital Mirpurkhas and inquired about the health of victim girl. He assured the parents that accused will be arrested without any fail.
It may be recalled that the life of minorities in Pakistan including Hindus, Christians and Sikhs and others have been made miserabale and Pakistan has turned difficult for minorities to live. Thousands of Hindus have migrated to India which they consider safer than Pakistan. The rape and abduction of Hindu girls is common in Pakistan especially in Sindh where the rulers have shut their eyes to such crimes against humanity. Leader of Hindu Panchayet MNA Kishan Chand has said that no month passes when more than 20 Hindu girls are not kidnapped and then forcibly converted. [Courtesy: Pakistan Christian Post].
Protest demo over sexual assault on Hindu minor girl in Pakistan.
KARACHI | December 05, 2012 :: Workers of various political parties and people of religious minorities on
Tuesday staged protest demonstration against the sexually assault five year old girl at a village in Umerkot.
A large number of Menghar community, political workers and civil society activists assembled outside the Karachi Press Club and chanted slogans for arrest of people involved in the sexual assault of a minor girl, Vejenti Menghwar, resident of Ghulam Nabi Shah Village. According to the protesters, minor Vejenti Menghwar was sexually assaulted and thrown at a deserted place in unconscious condition in Ghulam Nabi Shah Village on Sunday, but police had failed to arrest the culprits even after three days.
They alleged that Hashim Mangrio, a relative of an influential personality of the area, committed the crime, but he was still roaming free due to partisan role of police.
Hareef Chandio, Ghulam Qambar Hajano and Rasheed Sadhayo of Awami Jamhori Party, Zohra Akbar and Nasir Mansoor of Labour Education Foundation, Saeeda Gopan of Sindh Aurat Tanzeem, Sundar Phul Menghwar of Sindh Academic Foundation were also among the protesters.
Protesters demanded for immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the culprits involved in sexual assault of minor girl. [Courtesy: The Nation PK]
[Post Script: Few minutes ago in our facebook page some one commented that "under a conspiracy the Pakistan authority may surface any Hindu name as perpetrators to remove all the allegations of persecutions upon Hindus in Pakistan by the Muslims there. Immediately the commentator removed his posting from facebook.]
Hindus protest demo over sexual assault on Hindu girl.
6 years old Pakistani Hindu girl raped in Pakistan in a pure Islamic atmosphere.
Pakistan Police denies filing case of 6 years old Pakistani Hindu girl rape.
But it was irony that concerned police has not registered case so far and instead of arresting the culprit involved in heinous crime of raping an infant child girl, has arrested a man whom father of girl describes as not related to crime. The relatives Iserdas, Sangeeta and others have complained that doctors at Mirpurkhas civil hospital were indifferent to her treatment.
The rape victim girl first was taken to Umerkot district hospital where there was no doctor on duty and then took her to Mirpurkhas which is on distance of 76 kilometers which cause enormous bleeding. Relatives say her condition has deteriorated due to bleeding and that the medical staff at Mirpurkhas civil hospital was giving less attention towards her recovery.
After coming to know about rape of a young child girl local PPP leader Mir Ali Raza Talpur, Fatima Baloch and Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party leaders Mehar Banglani and Nind Lal Malhi visited Mirpurkhas hospital to inquire about health of girl and warned of strong protest if accused was not arrested immediately.
The parents of girl told that the footprints of accused led to an Otaq of a powerful local Wadera as well as stiffer dogs also identified that spot, yet to mess up the matter and to save landlord, police has arrested a man named Naval to cool down the issue.
The incident has sent a wave of terror among minorities whose girls have given up to go to schools or even out of their homes. It was amazing to note that doctors who are called as Messihas (life savers) did refuse to attend the bleeding girl and asked parents to bring police letter until they were asked by Pir Madaan Ali Shah the provincial minister of Sindh.
The citizens of town Ghulam Nabi Shah were shocked on rape incident and closed down their shops to mark protest against the inhuman act of violence against a minor girl of minority Hindu community. The citizens of town Ghulam Nabi Shah led by Sardar Bhayo, Kanjee Mal and Mustaf Mehr held protest demonstration in front of local press club.
Meanwhile minority MNA Khatoomal Jeewan also talked to relatives of girl and on his direction SSP Umerkot Riaz Soomro rushed to civil hospital Mirpurkhas and inquired about the health of victim girl. He assured the parents that accused will be arrested without any fail.
It may be recalled that the life of minorities in Pakistan including Hindus, Christians and Sikhs and others have been made miserabale and Pakistan has turned difficult for minorities to live. Thousands of Hindus have migrated to India which they consider safer than Pakistan. The rape and abduction of Hindu girls is common in Pakistan especially in Sindh where the rulers have shut their eyes to such crimes against humanity. Leader of Hindu Panchayet MNA Kishan Chand has said that no month passes when more than 20 Hindu girls are not kidnapped and then forcibly converted. [Courtesy: Pakistan Christian Post].
Protest demo over sexual assault on Hindu minor girl in Pakistan.
KARACHI | December 05, 2012 :: Workers of various political parties and people of religious minorities on
A large number of Menghar community, political workers and civil society activists assembled outside the Karachi Press Club and chanted slogans for arrest of people involved in the sexual assault of a minor girl, Vejenti Menghwar, resident of Ghulam Nabi Shah Village. According to the protesters, minor Vejenti Menghwar was sexually assaulted and thrown at a deserted place in unconscious condition in Ghulam Nabi Shah Village on Sunday, but police had failed to arrest the culprits even after three days.
They alleged that Hashim Mangrio, a relative of an influential personality of the area, committed the crime, but he was still roaming free due to partisan role of police.
Hareef Chandio, Ghulam Qambar Hajano and Rasheed Sadhayo of Awami Jamhori Party, Zohra Akbar and Nasir Mansoor of Labour Education Foundation, Saeeda Gopan of Sindh Aurat Tanzeem, Sundar Phul Menghwar of Sindh Academic Foundation were also among the protesters.
Protesters demanded for immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the culprits involved in sexual assault of minor girl. [Courtesy: The Nation PK]
[Post Script: Few minutes ago in our facebook page some one commented that "under a conspiracy the Pakistan authority may surface any Hindu name as perpetrators to remove all the allegations of persecutions upon Hindus in Pakistan by the Muslims there. Immediately the commentator removed his posting from facebook.]
Labels:
Islam Discrimination,
Pakistan
Syrian Priest Tortured to Death By Islamists: Eyes Gouged Out Before Murdered
Christians in Syria, both Orthodox and Catholic, are increasingly becoming targets in the Syrian Civil War.
The Christian news portal Compass Direct News is reporting of the torture and subsequent murder of a Syrian Orthodox parish priest caught up in the violence of the Syrian Civil War.
As reported, Father Fadi Haddad recently left his parish in the town of Qatana to negotiate the release of one of his parishioners, who had recently been kidnapped.
Only a week later was the holy man's dead and mutilated corpse found along a roadside.
Fr. Haddad had his eyes gouged out, presumably done while he was still alive.
A fellow pastor who personally knew Fr. Haddad was quoted;
Islamists within the Syrian Army of Liberation had declared their support of a Shari'a law run Islamic state in the place of Assad, thusly guaranteeing Christians are counted among their enemies.
Christian Genocide, Again...
According to a report from the official Vatican News Agency Agenzia Fides, Christians in the Bustan Al Diwan and Hamideh neighborhoods in the city of Homs, Syrian Orthodox sources have informed them;
The Christian news portal Compass Direct News is reporting of the torture and subsequent murder of a Syrian Orthodox parish priest caught up in the violence of the Syrian Civil War.
As reported, Father Fadi Haddad recently left his parish in the town of Qatana to negotiate the release of one of his parishioners, who had recently been kidnapped.
Only a week later was the holy man's dead and mutilated corpse found along a roadside.
Fr. Haddad had his eyes gouged out, presumably done while he was still alive.
A fellow pastor who personally knew Fr. Haddad was quoted;
"Father Fadi's superiors had asked him why he kept traveling back and forth between Qatana and Damascus.He responded: 'I cannot not serve Jesus, I need to help people, that is why I have to move around.'"It is believed by many Middle East watchers that most of the Christian minority in Syria (10 percent of the total population) support the regime of President Bashar al-Assad due to the current national constitution that guarantees Christian freedom of religion as well as the right to own and operate Christian schools.
Islamists within the Syrian Army of Liberation had declared their support of a Shari'a law run Islamic state in the place of Assad, thusly guaranteeing Christians are counted among their enemies.
Christian Genocide, Again...
According to a report from the official Vatican News Agency Agenzia Fides, Christians in the Bustan Al Diwan and Hamideh neighborhoods in the city of Homs, Syrian Orthodox sources have informed them;
"Some Christian families in the two districts had been thrown out by militant Islamists.Other sources in Middle East countries have repeatedly spoken of the militant Islamic extremists travels from Libya, Iraq and other nations toward Syria, with the aim to infiltrate in the ranks of the Syrian Army of Liberation."The report went on to state;
"A year ago, before the start of the fighting, there were in town, on the whole, 160,000 faithful and four Bishops of various denominations (Antiochian Orthodox, Melkite Catholics, Syriac Orthodox and Assyrian Orthodox).In Homs there are [now] about 1,000 Christians."http://www.examiner.com
Labels:
Syria
Global Media Conceals Fact that Football Players Who Beat Dutch Referee to Death were Moroccans
The story about a referee being beaten to death by players of a Dutch
youth club went round the world. Here's a typical example from the
Guardian.
Almost all reports left out one important fact however: the perpetrators were Moroccans.
This fact was mentioned by the German newspaper Tagesspiegel, referencing a report in a Dutch newspaper.
Richard Nieuwenhuizen was doing what he loved: watching his son play football and helping out his local club by running the touchline as a volunteer linesman.Source: Guardian
On Monday the 41-year-old father's passion for football cost him his life.
Prosecutors announced on Tuesday they were charging three players, two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old, with manslaughter, assault and public violence for alleged involvement in a vicious attack on Nieuwenhuizen after a youth match between two local clubs, Buitenboys and Nieuw Sloten. The players, whose identities were not released, will be arraigned on Thursday at a closed-door hearing.
Prosecutors say a group of Nieuw Sloten players surrounded Nieuwenhuizen and kicked and punched him after the match against his son's team on Sunday . Nieuwenhuizen went home to lie down, and returned later to watch another game, where he collapsed and was rushed to hospital. He died the next day.
Prosecutors released no details of a possible motive and the Buitenboys club chairman, Marcel Oost, said the reason for the attack was not certain.
"We still don't have a clear picture yet," prosecution spokeswoman Brigit Haan told Associated Press.
Almost all reports left out one important fact however: the perpetrators were Moroccans.
This fact was mentioned by the German newspaper Tagesspiegel, referencing a report in a Dutch newspaper.
That the attackers who have been arrested were three Moroccans, according to the "Algemeen Dagblad", certainly does not make the case any easier. According to an Interior Ministry report from November 2011, 40 per cent of all Moroccan immigrants aged between 12 and 24 were arrested, sentenced or charged within the last five yearss. In city districts where people of Moroccan descent form a majority of the inhabitants, youth criminality already reaches 50 per cent.
Labels:
Sports
Snakes on a plane! EgyptAir flight forced to make emergency landing after passenger was bitten by animal 'he smuggled on board'
An EgyptAir flight was forced to divert yesterday after a passenger was bitten by a snake he had smuggled on board.
The pilots decided to perform an emergency landing at a nearby airport after hearing the terrifying screams of the victim.
Al Ahram website reports that the passenger was from Jordan and had secretly stashed the animal in his hand luggage.
The flight, bound for Kuwait, landed at the airport of Hurgada, some 300 miles south of the Egyptian capital Cairo.
Once on the ground, the injured passenger was taken to hospital and the snake was confiscated by airport authorities. The flight then continued on its journey to Kuwait without further incident.
It comes two weeks after a stowaway scorpion caused panic on an aeroplane when it stung a passenger during a trans-Atlantic flight.
The crafty critter had snuck on board the Airbus 340 for the Iberia flight from Costa Rica's capital city of San Jose to Barajas airport in Madrid, Spain, on November 22.
The pilot, fearing the sting could be deadly, ordered Spanish air traffic controllers to call doctors so she could treated as soon as they landed.
Upon arriving in Madrid, the medics confirmed the arachnid sting on the Swiss passenger's left arm and rushed her to the Ramón y Cajal Hospital.
The remaining passengers had their belongings searched, to check for any other animals, and the aeroplane was then sealed off and suspended from duty for 24 hours so it could be fumigated.
The injured woman was treated for the sting, and allowed to continue her journey to Zurich some 36 hours later.
She had been with a group of five friends. Four of them returned to Switzerland after landing in Madrid and one of her companions stayed with her in hospital.
The aircraft was re-admitted into the fleet the next day for a flight to Mexico.
The pilots decided to perform an emergency landing at a nearby airport after hearing the terrifying screams of the victim.
Al Ahram website reports that the passenger was from Jordan and had secretly stashed the animal in his hand luggage.
Diversion: An EgyptAir flight was forced to make
an emergency landing yesterday after a passenger was bitten by a snake
he reportedly smuggled onboard
Once on the ground, the injured passenger was taken to hospital and the snake was confiscated by airport authorities. The flight then continued on its journey to Kuwait without further incident.
It comes two weeks after a stowaway scorpion caused panic on an aeroplane when it stung a passenger during a trans-Atlantic flight.
The crafty critter had snuck on board the Airbus 340 for the Iberia flight from Costa Rica's capital city of San Jose to Barajas airport in Madrid, Spain, on November 22.
The pilot, fearing the sting could be deadly, ordered Spanish air traffic controllers to call doctors so she could treated as soon as they landed.
Upon arriving in Madrid, the medics confirmed the arachnid sting on the Swiss passenger's left arm and rushed her to the Ramón y Cajal Hospital.
The plane safely landed at Hurghada airport, 300 miles south of Cairo, before the passenger was taken to hospital
The injured woman was treated for the sting, and allowed to continue her journey to Zurich some 36 hours later.
She had been with a group of five friends. Four of them returned to Switzerland after landing in Madrid and one of her companions stayed with her in hospital.
The aircraft was re-admitted into the fleet the next day for a flight to Mexico.
Labels:
Middle East
Cpl Jenain acquitted on culpable homicide charge
Judge Abdul Rahman Sebli gave his decision after allowing Jenain’s appeal on the conviction and five-year imprisonment imposed on him by the sessions court in Shah Alam in September last year.
In his judgment, Justice Abdul Rahman said he was satisfied that the policeman fired the shots merely to stop the Proton Iswara car driven by Aminulrasyid and had no intention of killing the boy.
Abdul Rahman also said there was no prima facie case proven against Jenain, 49, and the policeman should not have been called to enter his defence.
On Sept 13 last year, sessions court judge Latifah Mohd Tahar sentenced Jenain to five years’ imprisonment after finding him guilty of the offence.
He was alleged to have committed the offence at Jalan Tarian 11/2, Section 11 in Shah Alam between 1.10am and 2am on April 26, 2010.
He was charged under Section 304 (a) of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum jail term of 30 years and fine upon conviction.
- Bernama
Labels:
police killing
Aminulrasyid’s family protest ‘unfair’ court decision
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 ― The family members of Aminulrasyid Amzah, the schoolboy shot dead two years ago by police corporal Jenain Subi, are distraught that his killer was set free today by a High Court here, calling the decision “unfair”.
A sobbing Azura Amzah, Aminulrasyid’s older sister, told The Malaysian Insider that her family was still reeling in shock that Jenain’s earlier conviction was overturned, when they had fought tooth and nail for two years to seek justice for the 15-year-old boy’s death.
“The court’s decision is unfair. I really see it as unfair to us,” she said when contacted here.
“We will discuss with our lawyers on further action,” she added.
Justice Abdul Rahman Sebli overturned Jenain’s conviction in a High Court today, saying that evidence did not support any suggestion that the policeman’s intended to kill Aminulrasyid despite firing over 20 shots from a submachine gun at the teen.
“No prima facie case had in fact been established against the appellant and his defence should not have been called,” he said in his ruling.
The judge also said the loss of life was unfortunate but that the police must not be blamed for the death.
Responding, PKR leaders Nurul Izzah Anwar and N. Surendran urged the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to appeal the court’s decision, pointing out that today’s ruling ultimately meant that nobody will be held accountable for Aminulrasyid’s death.
“The government, Attorney-General and police must bear full responsibility for the failure to secure a single conviction,” they said in a joint statement here.
They agreed with previous theories that the police tried to absolve themselves from all blame in the case, even allegedly “fabricating evidence” to prove their innocence, and demanded an apology from the government, Home Ministry and Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
“The government and the police leadership made every attempt to prevent the truth from emerging in this case,” Nurul Izzah and Surendran said in the statement.
“For the family who suffered this tragic and enormously painful loss, there can now be no closure,” the two added.
Aminulrasyid, then 15, was killed in the early hours of April 26 in 2010, after taking a midnight joyride in a car and was allegedly mistaken for a felon on the run by the police.
He had been driving a white Proton Iswara with his best friend and neighbour, 15-year-old Muhammad Azamuddin Omar in the front passenger seat. Their car had crashed into the curb at Jalan Tarian 11/2, Section 11 following a police pursuit.
A public outcry followed as the police sought to defend themselves over the incident as well as dubitable reports of the discovery of a machete in the car driven by Aminulrasyid.
But in September last year, Jenain was found guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sentenced to five years’ jail after Sessions Court judge Latifah Mohd Tahar ruled that the use of lethal force to stop Aminulrasyid’s car was excessive and uncalled for.
“The court finds that the situation on Jalan Tarian wasn’t dangerous to anyone, including the accused, and that it was not necessary for the accused to discharge his weapon, let alone fire 21 shots... from his submachine gun,” Latifah said in her judgment.
The judge said she had tried to balance public interest and the fact that Jenain had been discharging his duty as a policeman the night of the incident, before sentencing the corporal to the jail term.
Under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, the charge for culpable homicide not amounting to murder carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years’ imprisonment and a fine.
Jenain had admitted to firing 21 bullets from his HK MP5 submachine gun at Aminulrasyid’s Proton Iswara in an effort to stop the car — which had earlier run a roadblock — but denied trying to kill the teenager.
Labels:
police killing
‘We are still a corrupt lot’
Malaysia ranked 54th out of 176 countries in the Transparency International Corruptions Perception Index, with a score of 49 out of 100.
UPDATED
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia received a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 49 out of 100 for 2012, placing it at 54th place among 176 countries assessed by non-governmental organisation Transparency International (TI).
Although the country has improved from last year, where it received a score of 43 out of 100 (0 being most corrupt, 100 being corruption-free), and was ranked 60th out of 183 countries, TI Malaysia president Paul Low described this year’s results as “just average”.
“There is improvement, and that is expected. All the efforts taken by the government, the MACC [Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission], Pemandu have borne fruit.
“But as much as we improve, the issue is whether we can make that substantial jump beyond 50. We remain middling, with an average score,” Low said at a press conference.
According to TI-M, the results for Malaysia were taken from eight different surveys and country assessments by various independent institutions. They were carried out among expert observers such as business people and country analysts, including local experts.
In a separate survey, they also found that 50% of the respondents had lost business in Malaysia due to bribery – the highest percentage among the 30 countries surveyed.
Low said that it was wrong to dismiss the results as being unimportant, as people’s decision to invest in Malaysia – and hence spur economic growth – was based on their perception of the corruption here.
“No matter what you say about perception, whether they perceive it right or wrong, it doesn’t matter.
“Because ultimately, these people, what they perceive, rightly or wrongly, this is how they are going to decide whether they want to invest in our country or not,” said Low.
He said that multinational companies looking to invest in foreign countries were now growing increasingly concerned with government integrity and the issue of corruption.
“Because these multinationals which are investing in any country are subject to [that country’s] laws and some of the laws have extraterritorial jurisdiction.
“So if a country is perceived as highly corrupt, what they are saying is ‘well, it’s quite dangerous for me to put investment in that country’,” said Low.
As proof, he noted that countries with a higher index, such as Denmark, Switzerland, Singapore and Australia all had higher standards of living.
“So for Malaysia, if we want to move up the higher income scale – we can talk about productivity, technology, so many other things – [but] if we don’t have trusted institutions, if we don’t uphold law, if we don’t eliminate corruption, [then it will be useless].”
Malaysia moving in right direction
But Low praised Malaysia for acknowledging the results of the CPI and implementing it into its National Key Results Area (NKRA).
“Malaysia is probably the only country in the world – and this is very brave of them – to use the CPI as its NKRA. No other country in the world has used CPI.
“And it’s good because the government itself cannot control the CPI,” he added.
Low said, in contrast, some countries were not even interested to talk about the results of the CPI as they were afraid further discussion would worsen their index.
“In the case of Malaysia, in the last few years, especially the last three, four years, we have become much more open in discussing issues like this.”
He also lauded the Malaysian government’s efforts in, among others, introducing the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, establishing 14 corruption courts, publishing more than 1,000 names of corruption offenders on MACC’s website, and publishing more than 5,200 government contracts online.
However, he remained critical of the government’s actions and said more could be done to truly eradicate corruption.
Ways to stop graft
TI-M suggested seven steps to eliminate processes that support corruption:
1. Reforms in the political arena to reduce monetisation of politics and eliminate opportunities for states to be corrupt.
2. Continue to strengthen law enforcement institutions especially the MACC, judiciary and police. Their complete independence must be established to secure the public’s trust.
3. Uphold the rule of law without fear or favour so that abusers especially “big fish” do not have impunity from prosecution.
4. Overhaul the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and introduce a federal Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
5. Firm and consistent actions in upholding transparency and accountability in public procurement.
6. Tackle systemic corruption by focusing on specific sectors through the involvement of all stakeholders. For example, a coalition involving CIDB, contractors, professional bodies and other regulators in the construction industry could be established to drive the initiative to reduce corruption.
7. Further improve whistleblower legislation to provide wider protection to whistle blowers and encourage more whistle blowing.
It is believed that these steps will help reduce corruption in Malaysia by a respectable margin and help improve its rank in the CPI.
To add to this list, the ex-president for TI-M, Ramon Navaratnam suggested that “a declaration of assets and liabilities should be requested from all politicians before and after the elections to compare and prove there is no corruption involved”.
Commenting on this, Low said it was a fair suggestion but added: “Stop politicising corruption, make it more liberal”.
Corruption at a global level
Malaysia still trails behind neighbouring country Singapore, which scored 87 out of 100 and is ranked fifth out of 176 countries.
Overall, New Zealand proved to be the most steady in its stand for anti-corruption by staying at the number one spot but this time, sharing it with Denmark and Finland.
Low also said: “Indonesia was the country which improved the most to reduce corruption.”
Myanmar left the bottom four and Sudan joined Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia at the end of the ranks this year.
UPDATED
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia received a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 49 out of 100 for 2012, placing it at 54th place among 176 countries assessed by non-governmental organisation Transparency International (TI).
Although the country has improved from last year, where it received a score of 43 out of 100 (0 being most corrupt, 100 being corruption-free), and was ranked 60th out of 183 countries, TI Malaysia president Paul Low described this year’s results as “just average”.
“There is improvement, and that is expected. All the efforts taken by the government, the MACC [Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission], Pemandu have borne fruit.
“But as much as we improve, the issue is whether we can make that substantial jump beyond 50. We remain middling, with an average score,” Low said at a press conference.
According to TI-M, the results for Malaysia were taken from eight different surveys and country assessments by various independent institutions. They were carried out among expert observers such as business people and country analysts, including local experts.
In a separate survey, they also found that 50% of the respondents had lost business in Malaysia due to bribery – the highest percentage among the 30 countries surveyed.
Low said that it was wrong to dismiss the results as being unimportant, as people’s decision to invest in Malaysia – and hence spur economic growth – was based on their perception of the corruption here.
“No matter what you say about perception, whether they perceive it right or wrong, it doesn’t matter.
“Because ultimately, these people, what they perceive, rightly or wrongly, this is how they are going to decide whether they want to invest in our country or not,” said Low.
He said that multinational companies looking to invest in foreign countries were now growing increasingly concerned with government integrity and the issue of corruption.
“Because these multinationals which are investing in any country are subject to [that country’s] laws and some of the laws have extraterritorial jurisdiction.
“So if a country is perceived as highly corrupt, what they are saying is ‘well, it’s quite dangerous for me to put investment in that country’,” said Low.
As proof, he noted that countries with a higher index, such as Denmark, Switzerland, Singapore and Australia all had higher standards of living.
“So for Malaysia, if we want to move up the higher income scale – we can talk about productivity, technology, so many other things – [but] if we don’t have trusted institutions, if we don’t uphold law, if we don’t eliminate corruption, [then it will be useless].”
Malaysia moving in right direction
But Low praised Malaysia for acknowledging the results of the CPI and implementing it into its National Key Results Area (NKRA).
“Malaysia is probably the only country in the world – and this is very brave of them – to use the CPI as its NKRA. No other country in the world has used CPI.
“And it’s good because the government itself cannot control the CPI,” he added.
Low said, in contrast, some countries were not even interested to talk about the results of the CPI as they were afraid further discussion would worsen their index.
“In the case of Malaysia, in the last few years, especially the last three, four years, we have become much more open in discussing issues like this.”
He also lauded the Malaysian government’s efforts in, among others, introducing the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, establishing 14 corruption courts, publishing more than 1,000 names of corruption offenders on MACC’s website, and publishing more than 5,200 government contracts online.
However, he remained critical of the government’s actions and said more could be done to truly eradicate corruption.
Ways to stop graft
TI-M suggested seven steps to eliminate processes that support corruption:
1. Reforms in the political arena to reduce monetisation of politics and eliminate opportunities for states to be corrupt.
2. Continue to strengthen law enforcement institutions especially the MACC, judiciary and police. Their complete independence must be established to secure the public’s trust.
3. Uphold the rule of law without fear or favour so that abusers especially “big fish” do not have impunity from prosecution.
4. Overhaul the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and introduce a federal Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
5. Firm and consistent actions in upholding transparency and accountability in public procurement.
6. Tackle systemic corruption by focusing on specific sectors through the involvement of all stakeholders. For example, a coalition involving CIDB, contractors, professional bodies and other regulators in the construction industry could be established to drive the initiative to reduce corruption.
7. Further improve whistleblower legislation to provide wider protection to whistle blowers and encourage more whistle blowing.
It is believed that these steps will help reduce corruption in Malaysia by a respectable margin and help improve its rank in the CPI.
To add to this list, the ex-president for TI-M, Ramon Navaratnam suggested that “a declaration of assets and liabilities should be requested from all politicians before and after the elections to compare and prove there is no corruption involved”.
Commenting on this, Low said it was a fair suggestion but added: “Stop politicising corruption, make it more liberal”.
Corruption at a global level
Malaysia still trails behind neighbouring country Singapore, which scored 87 out of 100 and is ranked fifth out of 176 countries.
Overall, New Zealand proved to be the most steady in its stand for anti-corruption by staying at the number one spot but this time, sharing it with Denmark and Finland.
Low also said: “Indonesia was the country which improved the most to reduce corruption.”
Myanmar left the bottom four and Sudan joined Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia at the end of the ranks this year.
Labels:
corruption
Lagi demo anti Malaysia di Jakarta
Bagaimanapun, ratusan polis yang berjaga berjaya mengawal keadaan.
JAKARTA: Laskar Merah Putih membuat demonstrasi sekali lagi di depan pejabat kedutaan besar Malaysia. di Jalan HR Rasuna Said, Jakarta Selatan hari ini.
Bagaimanapun, ratusan polis yang berjaga berjaya mengawal keadaan.
Mereka mahu bertemu dengan pihak kedutaan besar Malaysia.
“Niat kami berbicara baik, jangan sampai kami terus teriak menghina ka,” kata anggota Laskar Merah Putih menggunakan pembesar suara .
Tapi keinginan mereka ditolak.
“Mereka nggak (tidak) mahu bertemu pendemo,” ujar ketua polis sektor Setiabudi, AKBP Lalu Muhammad Iwan Mahardan.
Namun pendemo tetap menginginkan perwakilannya masuk ke pejabat kedutaan besar. Pendemo mengancam akan mengerahkan puluhan ribu anggota Laskar Merah Putih untuk mengepung kedutaan.
“Dalam dua bulan ke depan kalau kedutaan besar Malaysia tidak mahu menerima kita, 50 ribu orang akan kita turunkan, apapun risikonya. Panglima-panglima di wilayah rapatkan barisan, kita akan datang ke sini,” teriak pendemo.
Mereka menuntut proses undang-undang terhadap tiga polis Diraja Malaysia atas kes pemerkosaan TKW.
“Kami menuntut mahkamah Malaysia juga memulangkan kembali wang jaminan 3 polis dan hukum setimpal-timpalnya,” ujar pendemo.
JAKARTA: Laskar Merah Putih membuat demonstrasi sekali lagi di depan pejabat kedutaan besar Malaysia. di Jalan HR Rasuna Said, Jakarta Selatan hari ini.
Bagaimanapun, ratusan polis yang berjaga berjaya mengawal keadaan.
Mereka mahu bertemu dengan pihak kedutaan besar Malaysia.
“Niat kami berbicara baik, jangan sampai kami terus teriak menghina ka,” kata anggota Laskar Merah Putih menggunakan pembesar suara .
Tapi keinginan mereka ditolak.
“Mereka nggak (tidak) mahu bertemu pendemo,” ujar ketua polis sektor Setiabudi, AKBP Lalu Muhammad Iwan Mahardan.
Namun pendemo tetap menginginkan perwakilannya masuk ke pejabat kedutaan besar. Pendemo mengancam akan mengerahkan puluhan ribu anggota Laskar Merah Putih untuk mengepung kedutaan.
“Dalam dua bulan ke depan kalau kedutaan besar Malaysia tidak mahu menerima kita, 50 ribu orang akan kita turunkan, apapun risikonya. Panglima-panglima di wilayah rapatkan barisan, kita akan datang ke sini,” teriak pendemo.
Mereka menuntut proses undang-undang terhadap tiga polis Diraja Malaysia atas kes pemerkosaan TKW.
“Kami menuntut mahkamah Malaysia juga memulangkan kembali wang jaminan 3 polis dan hukum setimpal-timpalnya,” ujar pendemo.
Labels:
Indonesia
Perak BN and MIC on collision course
The row is over the selection of candidates and allocation of seats for the coming general election.
PETALING JAYA: The Perak Barisan Nasional leadership is said to be on a direct collision course with MIC president G Palanivel over candidates and seat allocations in the state for the largest Indian-based party in the country.
Sources revealed that while Palanivel is adamant on retaining several party veterans as candidates for the upcoming general election, the state BN leadership led by Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir wants MIC to put forth new and winnable candidates, especially young leaders.
Zambry is unhappy that Palanivel, who is also Perak MIC chief, had insisted that several “expired” leaders be given state seats to contest at the 13th general election, due in the next four months, sources revealed.
A party leader, who did not want to be named, told FMT that Palanivel’s “stubbornness” may ruin MIC’s chances of winning seats in the state.
“I will not be surprised if Perak MIC repeat its dismal performance as in the 2008 election,” he said.
At the last election MIC lost all four state seats – Hutan Melintang, Behrang, Pasir Panjang and Sungkai – contested under the BN banner.
“This time around, speculation is that MIC would swap two seats with other BN component parties. MIC will give up the Behrang and Pasir Panjang seats and instead take up Buntong and Trong state constituencies,” said the source.
The party insider claimed that Palanivel was willing to take up any seat offered by the state BN, but was adamant that the candidates must be chosen by him.
The MIC chief’s stand to retain some veteran leaders as candidates has irked not only state BN leaders but also party grassroots members.
“Palanivel insisted on fielding veterans like State Legislative Assembly speaker R Ganesan and party veteran KR Naidu. This has not gone down well with Zambry and the state BN leadership,” said the source.
The source said while these two leaders were famous and popular, they did not command support of voters in the state.
“The state BN feels MIC should inject some fresh blood to its line-up. The voters want new candidates who can really go down to the ground and meet the needs of the people,” he added.
The source also said Palanivel should relinquish his position as party state chief as it was creating factions in Perak MIC.
“The party is broken in Perak. Palanivel has to listen to too many warlords. Even party members want a local leader to take over the position. There is no reason for Palanivel to hold the state chief’s position… he is, after all, the party president.”
“He is Selangor MIC chairman for the past 15 years but what is his contribution? Has Selangor fared any better in safeguarding the interests of the Indian community? In fact, MIC suffered due to his leadership in the state. Despite being the Selangor MIC chief, he still lost his parliamentary seat in Hulu Selangor,” he added.
Although Palanivel lost the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency at the 2008 general election, the BN wrestled the seat back at a subsequent by-election.
The party’s supreme council member P Kamalanathan won the seat in the by-election in 2010.
PETALING JAYA: The Perak Barisan Nasional leadership is said to be on a direct collision course with MIC president G Palanivel over candidates and seat allocations in the state for the largest Indian-based party in the country.
Sources revealed that while Palanivel is adamant on retaining several party veterans as candidates for the upcoming general election, the state BN leadership led by Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir wants MIC to put forth new and winnable candidates, especially young leaders.
Zambry is unhappy that Palanivel, who is also Perak MIC chief, had insisted that several “expired” leaders be given state seats to contest at the 13th general election, due in the next four months, sources revealed.
A party leader, who did not want to be named, told FMT that Palanivel’s “stubbornness” may ruin MIC’s chances of winning seats in the state.
“I will not be surprised if Perak MIC repeat its dismal performance as in the 2008 election,” he said.
At the last election MIC lost all four state seats – Hutan Melintang, Behrang, Pasir Panjang and Sungkai – contested under the BN banner.
“This time around, speculation is that MIC would swap two seats with other BN component parties. MIC will give up the Behrang and Pasir Panjang seats and instead take up Buntong and Trong state constituencies,” said the source.
The party insider claimed that Palanivel was willing to take up any seat offered by the state BN, but was adamant that the candidates must be chosen by him.
The MIC chief’s stand to retain some veteran leaders as candidates has irked not only state BN leaders but also party grassroots members.
“Palanivel insisted on fielding veterans like State Legislative Assembly speaker R Ganesan and party veteran KR Naidu. This has not gone down well with Zambry and the state BN leadership,” said the source.
The source said while these two leaders were famous and popular, they did not command support of voters in the state.
“The state BN feels MIC should inject some fresh blood to its line-up. The voters want new candidates who can really go down to the ground and meet the needs of the people,” he added.
The source also said Palanivel should relinquish his position as party state chief as it was creating factions in Perak MIC.
“The party is broken in Perak. Palanivel has to listen to too many warlords. Even party members want a local leader to take over the position. There is no reason for Palanivel to hold the state chief’s position… he is, after all, the party president.”
“He is Selangor MIC chairman for the past 15 years but what is his contribution? Has Selangor fared any better in safeguarding the interests of the Indian community? In fact, MIC suffered due to his leadership in the state. Despite being the Selangor MIC chief, he still lost his parliamentary seat in Hulu Selangor,” he added.
Although Palanivel lost the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency at the 2008 general election, the BN wrestled the seat back at a subsequent by-election.
The party’s supreme council member P Kamalanathan won the seat in the by-election in 2010.
Penang DCM offers to solve Gatco crisis
Settlers demonstrate but fail to submit memo to Negeri MB.
VIDEO INSIDE
JEMPOL: A decades-old land dispute in Negeri Sembilan has taken a new twist with Penang Deputy Chief Minister ll P Ramasamy offering his help in resolving it.
Ramasamy said yesterday he would represent the disgruntled settlers of Kampung Serampang Indah, Jempol, in negotiations with Thamarai Holdings, the other party in the dispute.
He made the pledge after a meeting with the settlers, who are often referred to as “Gatco settlers”. Gatco was the company that held the lease on the agricultural land when the settlers purchased it more than 35 years ago.
This morning, about 100 of the settlers demonstrated outside Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan’s office, but failed to hand over to him a memorandum asking him to use his powers under the Land Acquisition Act to help them.
Accompanied by Pakatan Rakyat and Hindraf leaders, they displayed banners and placards condemning Mohamad and Thamarai Holdings.
An official at Mohamad’s office, Zulkefli Awang, appeared at about 10.30am and offered to receive the memorandum on the Menteri Besar’s behalf, but Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy demurred.
According to Zulkefli, Mohamad was at a state exco meeting that would end only at 12.30pm.
Waythamoorthy said he would wait, prompting a settler to shout: “We waited for 30 years; so we don’t mind waiting for a few more hours.”
At about 1pm, Zulkefli appeared again and told Waythamoorthy that Mohamad was unable to receive the memorandum because the meeting had not ended.
This sparked angry reactions from the settlers and Waythamoorthy used a hailer to declare that Mohamad was afraid.
“The Menteri Besar is fearful of people’s power,” he said. “Never mind, we’ll give him a chance. We give him one week to find the courage to face us.
“We will be back next week.”
The crowd then dispersed.
Violence
At yesterday’s meeting with P Ramasamy, the settlers spoke about the violence that occurred last Thursday when they tried to prevent workers from cutting down their rubber trees. They alleged they were attacked by a large number of youths armed with rattan canes and that a woman was injured.
Ramasamy hit out at the police for not taking action against the attackers.
“The police did not arrest the gangsters, but detained a few settlers,” he said. “Are they abetting the gangsters?”
Ramasamy has been trying to help the settlers since the early 1980s, when he was associated with an NGO called Insan.
“Sometime in 1982 or 1983, when I was still working as a lecturer in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, the Gatco settlers approached me for some help,” he told FMT.
“It’s been 20 years now. The times have changed and so has the character of the problem.
“The first thing I’ll do tomorrow when I return to Penang is to arrange a meeting with the boss of Thamarai Holdings. I will negotiate with him to find a proper solution to end this dispute that has been dragging on for too long.”
The settlers’ problem started in 1977, when 400 of them paid deposits for the purchase of agricultural land from Gatco.
However, Gatco became bankrupt in 1983 and the land was put up for auction in 2004. The settlers paid RM320,000 in earnest deposit to auctioneer Singam and Young Associates.
Subsequently, however, Singam and Young sold off the land to Thamarai Holdings for RM16 million.
Senawang state assemblyman P Gunasekaran, who was at yesterday’s meeting, referred to a promise the Menteri Besar made last July that he would ensure the settlers would each receive four acres of land.
“But until today, the offer has not been backed by any document,” he said.
Port Dickson state assemblyman M Ravi also criticised Mohamad, saying he was merely using the issue for political gain.
“Where is there such a thing as free land?” he said. “This is not his father’s land. This is the settler’s land. They each bought eight acres for RM7, 600 in 1977.
“And where are the so-called Indian champions, Rajagopalu and Mogan?” T Rajagopalu is the Negeri Sembilan MIC chief and VS Mogan is a state executive councilor.
Gatco settlers fail to submit memorandum to NS MB.
VIDEO INSIDE
JEMPOL: A decades-old land dispute in Negeri Sembilan has taken a new twist with Penang Deputy Chief Minister ll P Ramasamy offering his help in resolving it.
Ramasamy said yesterday he would represent the disgruntled settlers of Kampung Serampang Indah, Jempol, in negotiations with Thamarai Holdings, the other party in the dispute.
He made the pledge after a meeting with the settlers, who are often referred to as “Gatco settlers”. Gatco was the company that held the lease on the agricultural land when the settlers purchased it more than 35 years ago.
This morning, about 100 of the settlers demonstrated outside Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan’s office, but failed to hand over to him a memorandum asking him to use his powers under the Land Acquisition Act to help them.
Accompanied by Pakatan Rakyat and Hindraf leaders, they displayed banners and placards condemning Mohamad and Thamarai Holdings.
An official at Mohamad’s office, Zulkefli Awang, appeared at about 10.30am and offered to receive the memorandum on the Menteri Besar’s behalf, but Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy demurred.
According to Zulkefli, Mohamad was at a state exco meeting that would end only at 12.30pm.
Waythamoorthy said he would wait, prompting a settler to shout: “We waited for 30 years; so we don’t mind waiting for a few more hours.”
At about 1pm, Zulkefli appeared again and told Waythamoorthy that Mohamad was unable to receive the memorandum because the meeting had not ended.
This sparked angry reactions from the settlers and Waythamoorthy used a hailer to declare that Mohamad was afraid.
“The Menteri Besar is fearful of people’s power,” he said. “Never mind, we’ll give him a chance. We give him one week to find the courage to face us.
“We will be back next week.”
The crowd then dispersed.
Violence
At yesterday’s meeting with P Ramasamy, the settlers spoke about the violence that occurred last Thursday when they tried to prevent workers from cutting down their rubber trees. They alleged they were attacked by a large number of youths armed with rattan canes and that a woman was injured.
Ramasamy hit out at the police for not taking action against the attackers.
“The police did not arrest the gangsters, but detained a few settlers,” he said. “Are they abetting the gangsters?”
Ramasamy has been trying to help the settlers since the early 1980s, when he was associated with an NGO called Insan.
“Sometime in 1982 or 1983, when I was still working as a lecturer in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, the Gatco settlers approached me for some help,” he told FMT.
“It’s been 20 years now. The times have changed and so has the character of the problem.
“The first thing I’ll do tomorrow when I return to Penang is to arrange a meeting with the boss of Thamarai Holdings. I will negotiate with him to find a proper solution to end this dispute that has been dragging on for too long.”
The settlers’ problem started in 1977, when 400 of them paid deposits for the purchase of agricultural land from Gatco.
However, Gatco became bankrupt in 1983 and the land was put up for auction in 2004. The settlers paid RM320,000 in earnest deposit to auctioneer Singam and Young Associates.
Subsequently, however, Singam and Young sold off the land to Thamarai Holdings for RM16 million.
Senawang state assemblyman P Gunasekaran, who was at yesterday’s meeting, referred to a promise the Menteri Besar made last July that he would ensure the settlers would each receive four acres of land.
“But until today, the offer has not been backed by any document,” he said.
Port Dickson state assemblyman M Ravi also criticised Mohamad, saying he was merely using the issue for political gain.
“Where is there such a thing as free land?” he said. “This is not his father’s land. This is the settler’s land. They each bought eight acres for RM7, 600 in 1977.
“And where are the so-called Indian champions, Rajagopalu and Mogan?” T Rajagopalu is the Negeri Sembilan MIC chief and VS Mogan is a state executive councilor.
Gatco settlers fail to submit memorandum to NS MB.
Labels:
Felda
‘Don’t treat Musa’s claims lightly’
There is a possible obstruction of justice, says PKR.
GEORGE TOWN: The claims of political interference made by former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan should not be treated lightly as they concern a possible obstruction of justice, PKR deputy information head Sim Tze Tzin said.
Musa’s claims of political interference in the conduct of the police investigations should be noted by the top leadership and a probe should be initiated, he said.
His claims strengthened the belief that the judiciary is subjected to interference by individuals with a political agenda, he added.
Sim said Barisan Nasional leaders should not look at the claims by Musa within the scope of politics, but under the glare of justice.
Neither should anyone in Pakatan Rakyat look at this in the context of politics, he said.
Everyone should view the claims seriously to ensure that such interference did not recur if Malaysia wants to come across as a law-abiding nation, he added.
Penang PKR committee member Jason Ong Khan Lee said that the claims by Musa were nothing new.
Such interference had been going on for decades, he claimed.
Ong said that Musa’s claims were consistent with the allegations of senior police officers who had previously said their duties were hampered by interference of political forces.
He added that Pakatan would put a stop to such interference if it wins federal power in the coming general election.
He said there was a widespread consensus that the police were often used as a political tool to clamp down on dissidents, or any party said to be opposing the government.
It was only fair that the rightful parties including individuals who are accused of interfering, should step in and clarify the matter.
Ong said that almost every opposition politician in the country had at one time in their career had their statements recorded by the police.
This shows that the police are actively engaged in politics, he added.
GEORGE TOWN: The claims of political interference made by former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan should not be treated lightly as they concern a possible obstruction of justice, PKR deputy information head Sim Tze Tzin said.
Musa’s claims of political interference in the conduct of the police investigations should be noted by the top leadership and a probe should be initiated, he said.
His claims strengthened the belief that the judiciary is subjected to interference by individuals with a political agenda, he added.
Sim said Barisan Nasional leaders should not look at the claims by Musa within the scope of politics, but under the glare of justice.
Neither should anyone in Pakatan Rakyat look at this in the context of politics, he said.
Everyone should view the claims seriously to ensure that such interference did not recur if Malaysia wants to come across as a law-abiding nation, he added.
Penang PKR committee member Jason Ong Khan Lee said that the claims by Musa were nothing new.
Such interference had been going on for decades, he claimed.
Ong said that Musa’s claims were consistent with the allegations of senior police officers who had previously said their duties were hampered by interference of political forces.
He added that Pakatan would put a stop to such interference if it wins federal power in the coming general election.
He said there was a widespread consensus that the police were often used as a political tool to clamp down on dissidents, or any party said to be opposing the government.
It was only fair that the rightful parties including individuals who are accused of interfering, should step in and clarify the matter.
Ong said that almost every opposition politician in the country had at one time in their career had their statements recorded by the police.
This shows that the police are actively engaged in politics, he added.
Labels:
Musa Hassan
From now on, it’s a Malay vs Malay contest
One Malay leader is pitted against another Malay leader, and each is backed by an assortment of non-Malays. Such a situation, strangely enough, does not encourage racial or religious politics. This goes for Umno as well as the Islamist opposition, PAS.
Ooi Kee Bang, Today
As Umno general assemblies go, the one held last week was rather tame in its rhetoric. It was certainly memorable for its lack of vitriolic language.
And it was expectedly so ― therein lies its significance.
Things were quite different back in the days before 2008, when ethnocentric exhortations were run of the mill, and Umno Youth was the amplifier of racial extremist voices. This year, showing party unity was the order of the day.
Much of the credit must go to the fact that Malaysia today has a surprisingly stable two-party system in place. As we know, such a competitive structure has a strong moderating effect on extremist voices, be they racial or religious. After all, gaining the middle ground is how electoral victories are won.
The fact that the incumbent prime minister, Najib Razak, reportedly cited ― as a warning to his followers ― significant errors made by Republican challenger Mitt Romney in his defeat at the hands of United States President Barack Obama, tells us that even at the highest level, the possibility of the hitherto invincible Umno being toppled is being taken seriously.
Indeed, the bipolar Obama-Romney battle is being reflected in the clash between Najib and Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the opposition.
What this actually reveals is the most important point that anyone can make today about the dramatic changes that have been taking place in Malaysian politics, not only over the last five years but also over the last decade and a half.
Opposition forces within the Malay community have come of age. That is the fundamental difference. We are witnessing a Malay-Malay battle.
Despite the rhetoric, the Malay community ― perhaps because of its increased relative size, its comparative youth, its growing urbanity or its heightened educational level ― is showing a political confidence it did not have before.
Its questioning of Umno’s claim to being the only plausible champion of their interests as a community ― in fact, questioning the limitations of communal politicking ― is an expression of that very maturity.
One Malay leader is pitted against another Malay leader, and each is backed by an assortment of non-Malays. Such a situation, strangely enough, does not encourage racial or religious politics. This goes for Umno as well as the Islamist opposition, PAS.
Instead, the new issues are about wealth distribution and governance, not those of race against race, or religion against religion.
Now, issues of governance are not simple things.
They are comprehensive, covering difficult matters such as cronyism, corruption, rule of law, the state of the civil service and the electoral system, among others.
What all this boils down to once elections come around is: Who will be the next prime minister of Malaysia, Najib or Anwar?
Abdullah Badawi was replaced by Najib in April 2009 in punishment for letting so much support for Barisan Nasional slip away. Najib’s job, therefore, is to win back that support. To his mind, the best way to do that is to continue with the reform agenda (he has preferred the term “transformation”).
However, should support for his coalition not rise markedly in the coming elections, there is a real risk that he will be replaced in his turn.
But why this sudden wish for reform and transformation on BN’s part?
No doubt, Anwar has a lot to do with it. He was after all the man behind the pivotal Reformasi movement that started in 1998 after his sacking by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
But the fact that Abdullah’s impressive electoral victory in 2004 could not bury that movement for good tells us that the forces pushing for change have deep roots in society, and in the times.
What Anwar managed to do after his release from prison in 2005 was to become a bridge for the major opposition parties on the one hand, and a lightning rod for general social discontent on the other.
And so, although at one level, the fight is between two Malay leaders, the election, whichever way it goes, is at a deeper level about how governance in Malaysia is to develop ― how Malaysia is to develop ― in the coming years.
And within that equation, the role of East Malaysia will increase since both coalitions will be fighting to win votes there. Since the racial and religious ― not to mention political ― conditions in Sabah and Sarawak are so markedly different from those found in West Malaysia, the heightened significance of these states is bound to transform the socio-political situation.
Predicting Malaysia’s political future has become a much harder gambit.
* Ooi Kee Beng is the deputy director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore.
Labels:
Melayu
FDIs not flowing as freely into Malaysia, says Tengku Razaleigh
Eva Yeong, The Sun Daily
Malaysia is no longer attracting foreign direct investments (FDIs) as freely as it used to, said former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, adding that the country is not investing enough to meet its aspirations.
"Private investment now makes up a smaller portion of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Although we continue to maintain a relatively high national savings rate, some of those savings have gone overseas," the Gua Musang member of parliament said in his keynote address on "Pragmatism in the Face of Present Economic Outlook" at the MIER National Economic Outlook Conference 2013/2014 here yesterday.
"Malaysia has become a premature exporter of capital, a characteristic that is unbecoming of a growing, high potential economy.
"There is also this silent issue of capital flight, whether it is in the form of over-invoicing by corporates or personal wealth leakages," he added.
On the domestic production front, he said the nation depends on a relatively narrow spectrum of growth drivers, while the government's revenue base is just as limited and the issue of fuel subsidies has to be addressed quickly.
Tengku Razaleigh said the removal of petrol subsidies is imperative as it is a drag on government finances and an impediment to proper resource allocation.
"In order to protect the average consumer, perhaps we can begin by applying an implicit subsidy cut on large engine capacity vehicle owners via a higher road tax," he said.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said private investment is expected to account for 30% of the country's total investments next year.
"Private investment, which grew marginally by 2.5% during 2005 to 2009 period, registered a double digit growth of 15.5% in 2010 and 12.2% in 2011.
"Even more encouraging, it grew on an annualised basis of 22.2% in the first half of this year," he said at the opening of the event.
Meanwhile, RAM Holdings Bhd senior general manager and group chief economist Dr Yeah Kim Leng. said domestic-based sectors and services need to grow at a faster pace in order to have a sustainable domestic-driven growth.
"Domestic demand has actually helped the Malaysian economy offset the global demand over the last decade and more importantly, in the post global financial crisis year of 2010 and 2011, domestic demand has actually been offsetting the negative growth from exports," he told reporters on the sidelines of the conference.
"Domestic demand can help smoothen Malaysia's output fluctuations.
"Use domestic demand to enhance resilience because Malaysia is such an open economy with exports contributing more than 100% of GDP. We are actually subject to a lot of these external demand shocks," he added.
Yeah said next year's GDP growth will remain above 5% with RAM Ratings maintaining its forecast of 5.3% for 2013.
He said the two major risks are the continuing Eurozone debt crisis that could potentially result in double dip for the global economy and the fiscal cliff.
"If these two don't happen, Asia, with improving indicators from China and other emerging countries, will be in a strong position to capitalise on the regional growth and demand.
"Combined with our resilient domestic demand, there won't be any major shock to our investor confidence and consumer spending," he added.
Labels:
Business
Gambar-Gambar Lelaki Ditikam Samseng Umno Dalam Jelajah Merdeka Rakyat Gombak
Dari Blog Sharpshooter
Rakyat wajib ajar dan tolak budaya samseng puak-puak umporno dan b-end pada PRU 13 akan datang. Mereka ibarat lembu yang akan disembelih….Batu sebesar ini dilemparkan oleh samseng umporno…
Puak-puak upahan/samseng umporno/b-end datang membuat kacau dengan membaling batu dan objek keras ke atas orang ramai di tapak ceramah merdeka rakyat di gombak! seorang pendengar ceramah telah ditikam di bahu beliau!
Rakyat wajib ajar dan tolak budaya samseng puak-puak umporno dan b-end pada PRU 13 akan datang. Mereka ibarat lembu yang akan disembelih….Batu sebesar ini dilemparkan oleh samseng umporno…
Puak-puak upahan/samseng umporno/b-end datang membuat kacau dengan membaling batu dan objek keras ke atas orang ramai di tapak ceramah merdeka rakyat di gombak! seorang pendengar ceramah telah ditikam di bahu beliau!
Kesan darah pada baju mangsa lantaran kesamsengan Umno |
Cedera di bahu. |
Labels:
umno
Urgent priority for MACC and AG’s Chambers to conduct course on corruption for PM, DPM, Cabinet Ministers, MBs and CMs particularly Sarawak and Sabah and top government officers including AG himself if Malaysia is serious in war against “grand corruption”
On the way to Yong Peng from Kuala Lumpur tonight, I came across the news report that the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Attorney-General’s Chambers will hold a course on avoiding corruption for parliamentarians next year.
The Pemandu director D Ravindran, who is in charge of the anti-corruption section of the National Key Results Areas (NKRA), is quoted as saying:
“The Government Transformation Plan 2.0 (GTP 2.0) has the commitment of both the MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamad and the AG (Abdul Gani Patail), who will both be conducting the course for our lawmakers.
“So, for the first time, we are going to teach our parliamentarians what is right to take and what is not right to take.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the launching of the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index 2012, Ravindran said the course would include information on what constitutes corruption, and the codes of conduct and best practices to avoid it.
The MACC and the AG’s Chamber should not be barking up the wrong trees as they should know where the priorities in fighting corruption, especially grand corruption, should lie.
Let me tell MACC and the AG’s Chambers that the urgent priority in the battle against graft in Malaysia is for MACC and AG’s Chambers to conduct a course on corruption for the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers particularly Sarawak and Sabah as well as top government officers including the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Gani Patail himself, if Malaysia is serious in its war against “grand corruption”.
It would appear that many of these top political and government leaders do not know “what is right to take and what is not right to take”, which is why there are so many allegations of abuses of power, malpractices and even corruption against them which had not been responded fully and satisfactorily, whether it be the scandal of the RM40 million “political donation to Sabah UMNO” implicating the Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman or the extraordinary wealth and assets of the family of the Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Taib Mahmud amounting to RM64 billion after 30 years as Sarawak Chief Minister as alleged by the Bruno Manser Foundation recently.
Dare the MACC and AG’s Chambers conduct a course not only on avoiding corruption for the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers particularly from Sarawak and Sabah, and top government officials, but also on their responsibility to account fully and satisfactorily when serious corruption allegations are publicly made against them, including clearing their names and establishing their reputation in the courts of law?
(LKSiang Speech at the DAP Yong Peng “Ubah” dinner in Yong Peng, Johore on Wednesday, 6th December 2012)
The Pemandu director D Ravindran, who is in charge of the anti-corruption section of the National Key Results Areas (NKRA), is quoted as saying:
“The Government Transformation Plan 2.0 (GTP 2.0) has the commitment of both the MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamad and the AG (Abdul Gani Patail), who will both be conducting the course for our lawmakers.
“So, for the first time, we are going to teach our parliamentarians what is right to take and what is not right to take.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the launching of the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index 2012, Ravindran said the course would include information on what constitutes corruption, and the codes of conduct and best practices to avoid it.
The MACC and the AG’s Chamber should not be barking up the wrong trees as they should know where the priorities in fighting corruption, especially grand corruption, should lie.
Let me tell MACC and the AG’s Chambers that the urgent priority in the battle against graft in Malaysia is for MACC and AG’s Chambers to conduct a course on corruption for the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers particularly Sarawak and Sabah as well as top government officers including the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Gani Patail himself, if Malaysia is serious in its war against “grand corruption”.
It would appear that many of these top political and government leaders do not know “what is right to take and what is not right to take”, which is why there are so many allegations of abuses of power, malpractices and even corruption against them which had not been responded fully and satisfactorily, whether it be the scandal of the RM40 million “political donation to Sabah UMNO” implicating the Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman or the extraordinary wealth and assets of the family of the Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Taib Mahmud amounting to RM64 billion after 30 years as Sarawak Chief Minister as alleged by the Bruno Manser Foundation recently.
Dare the MACC and AG’s Chambers conduct a course not only on avoiding corruption for the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers particularly from Sarawak and Sabah, and top government officials, but also on their responsibility to account fully and satisfactorily when serious corruption allegations are publicly made against them, including clearing their names and establishing their reputation in the courts of law?
(LKSiang Speech at the DAP Yong Peng “Ubah” dinner in Yong Peng, Johore on Wednesday, 6th December 2012)
Labels:
AG chamber,
MACC
Child marriage – Rethinking the issue
The Star
by Art Harun
by Art Harun
CHILD marriage has somewhat become something of a phenomenon in Malaysia.
In
a news report republished by asiaonenews.com, the following was
reported: “… according to the 2000 Census, there were 11,400 children
below 15 years of age who were married — 6,800 girls and 4,600 boys. Of
the 6,800 girls, only 2,450 were Malay. This means that the Syariah
Court gave its consent to each of these 2,450 under-age girls to get
married.
The remainder of 4,350 girls were non-Malays comprising 1,550 other bumiputra, 1,600 Chinese, 600 Indians, and 600 other races.
It
is not known whether they had got their licence from the relevant
minister, but even if they did, it would have been illegal, since there
are no legal provisions for a non-Muslim under 16 years to get married.”
The
report added: “Last year (2009), 479 children under 15 years, two of
them boys, were getting ready to tie the knot. And 32 of them were below
10 years. None of them were found to be HIV-positive.
This
was based on Health Ministry’s statistics of premarital HIV screening
for Muslims, a compulsory requirement for those wanting to get married.
However, it is not certain if any of these applications for marriage were approved by the state religious department.”
The
legal age for marriage for non-Muslims in Malaysia is 18. For Muslims
however, the legal age is 16. However, in the case of Muslims in
Malaysia, the Syariah Courts are empowered to allow marriages of
children who are under 16 years of age.
There
are alarming and disconcerting reports about child marriages in
Malaysia. In early 2010, there were reports of two marriages involving a
10 and 11-year- old girls married off to men in their 40s in Kelantan.
The 11-year-old was later found in a state of shock. The Syariah Courts
later ruled the marriages illegal. The ground for illegality however was
not based on whether there was adequate consent from the children or on
their respective age but was rather based on procedural non-compliance.
Child
marriages, particularly among Muslims in Malaysia, although not a
societal norm, are however a socially acceptable practice among a
section of society. Mass weddings involving children are, for instance,
carried out. The state lends its approval and sanction either by
publicising such weddings on the front page of mainstream newspapers or
by its leaders attending such weddings.
In December 2010 for instance, a 14-year-old girl participated in such a wedding by marrying a 23-year-old teacher.
Recently,
the Syariah Court granted permission to a father to marry off his
12-year-old daughter to a 19-year-old boy. In the application for
permission, it was cited that the girl had run away to stay with her
boyfriend and refused to come home.
Marriage
was, apparently, the only solution to solve the problem and to protect
the family’s honour and reputation. If only life was that simple.
Let’s
consider what the laws of this country say about children under 18 or
16. They can’t enter into a binding contract save for those which affect
their necessities. They can’t even buy tobacco products and alcohol.
They can’t drive. They can’t watch movies of certain types without an
adult accompanying them. They cannot be contractually employed. They
surely can’t vote in a general election. Generally, a boy or man can’t
have sexual relationships with any girl of 16 or less even with her
consent. That would be statutory rape. They also cannot enter clubs.
Why
is that? That is because the law assumes that a girl or any person,
regardless of gender, of less than 18 years old (or 16 in the case of
statutory rape) is not able to give free consent. For the uninitiated,
free consent is a necessary element in a contract or in sexual acts in
order to determine whether the acts constitute rape or otherwise.
Regardless
of the above, strangely, sexual acts involving girls of 16 or less will
be alright and completely legal if she is legally married! The law is
indeed an ass!
If children under 18 or as the
case may be, 16, are presumed by law not to be able to give free consent
to enter into a contract or to have sexual relationship — or to
exercise proper judgment whether or not to buy tobacco products or
alcohol — on what premise does the state legalise such sexual acts
through a state-sanctioned marriage?
What is
most unsatisfactory about the marriage of the 12-year-old is the blatant
transfer and absolution of parental responsibilities by the parents and
the Courts to the 19-year-old groom as well as the 12-year-old bride.
Reading
the case, the first question which creeps up in every reasonable person
would be, “How can a 12-year-old have a boyfriend?” And “How can a
12-year-old run from home to be with her 19-year-old boyfriend?” Then,
we would ask “What will happen to the girl after her marriage?” “How is
she going to cope with all the responsibilities that come in a
marriage?”
“Can she be a good mother?” “Can the 19-year-old support his family?”
On
July 19, Malaysia ratified the United Nation Convention on the Rights
of the Child with the following reservations: “The Government of
Malaysia accepts the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child but expresses reservations with respect to articles 2, 7, 14, 28
paragraph 1(A) and 37, of the Convention and declares that the said
provisions shall be applicable only if they are in conformity with the
Constitution, national laws and national policies of the government of
Malaysia.”
The Convention defines a child as
“every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law
applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.”
Article
18 provides: “States Parties shall use their best efforts to ensure
recognition of the principle that both parents have common
responsibilities for the upbringing and development of the child.
Parents or, as the case may be, legal guardians, have the primary
responsibility for the upbringing and development of the child. The best
interests of the child will be their basic concern.”
Article
19 provides: “States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative,
administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child
from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect
or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual
abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other
person who has the care of the child.”
In view
of the aforesaid provisions, which we as a nation have chosen to accept
without reservation, it is thus with a degree of perplexity that child
marriages, even involving girls as young as 12, are taking place without
nary a thought on the welfare of the child and the responsibilities of
her parents.
Labels:
Child marriages
Jackpot Question Raised To Bring Unity - NS Menteri Besar
SEREMBAN, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- A jackpot question thrown by Datuk Seri
Najib Tun Razak in his winding up speech at the Umno General Assembly
2012 was intended to remind party members to take heed of internal
squabbles during the 2008 general election, said Negeri Sembilan Menteri
Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
"Barisan Nasional (BN) lost a number of seats in Negeri Sembilan due to due to internal conflicts and sabotage by leaders who were not selected as candidates then.
"I have often said that we had lost then not due to the might of the opposition, but rather disunity and internal bickering, so Umno president gave a timely reminder by throwing the jackpot question," Mohamad told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting here today.
In his winding up speech, Najib gave five possible answers to his jackpot question in the event that a person is not selected as a candidate, namely: fully support the candidate chosen by the party; support; don't work; sabotage; or defect to another party.
Mohamad, who is also Negeri Sembilan Umno liaison committee chairman, said the prime minister was worried that Umno would be besieged by internal factors, rather than the opposition's forays in the run up to the looming general election.
"Party members can report any attempt to sabotage or weaken the party to a special committee set up to act against saboteurs, the Umno disciplinary board, the party's management, or Umno Online to enable investigations to be carried out," he added.
"Barisan Nasional (BN) lost a number of seats in Negeri Sembilan due to due to internal conflicts and sabotage by leaders who were not selected as candidates then.
"I have often said that we had lost then not due to the might of the opposition, but rather disunity and internal bickering, so Umno president gave a timely reminder by throwing the jackpot question," Mohamad told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting here today.
In his winding up speech, Najib gave five possible answers to his jackpot question in the event that a person is not selected as a candidate, namely: fully support the candidate chosen by the party; support; don't work; sabotage; or defect to another party.
Mohamad, who is also Negeri Sembilan Umno liaison committee chairman, said the prime minister was worried that Umno would be besieged by internal factors, rather than the opposition's forays in the run up to the looming general election.
"Party members can report any attempt to sabotage or weaken the party to a special committee set up to act against saboteurs, the Umno disciplinary board, the party's management, or Umno Online to enable investigations to be carried out," he added.
Labels:
BN
Uphold The Good Name And Image Of Malaysia In Indonesia, Says King
By Ahmad Fuad Yahya
JAKARTA, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysians living in Indonesia have been advised to uphold the good name and image of the country by practising noble values and respect for the law and local culture, said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah.
In giving the advice, His Majesty said the role should be played by them as mini ambassadors of Malaysia in a foreign country.
"It is our responsibility as Malaysians to continue promoting cordial and strong relations with the local community even though challenges in bilateral relations between the two countries crop up from time to time," he said at a dinner with Malaysians here Wednesday.
Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah said the relations betwen Malaysia and Indonesia was well-known and special as it was tied to various aspects such as history, religion, culture, race and language.
"I am proud that the friendship between the two countries is at an excellent level with close cooperation in various fields at various levels from national leaders, members of Parliament, non-governmental organisations and civil society," he said.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Hajah Haminah are on a four-day state visit to Indonesia since Monday to strengthen relations between Malaysia and Indonesia.
In his message to Malaysians in Indonesia, the King said his visit was also to deliver the country's appreciation and thanks to the Indonesian government for providing opportunities to Malaysian individuals and companies to invest and contribute to the economic development of the republic.
He said examples of Malaysian companies investing in Indonesia were Maybank, CIMB, Petronas, Tabung Haji and Sime Darby.
"I believe that the investment of these companies in Indonesia will prosper and benefit both parties.
"I am also very proud of the Malaysian professionals, entrepreneurs in the private sector as well as 5,000 students in assisting to promote the image of Malaysia not only in Indonesia but also in the eyes of the world," His Majesty said.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong also called on Malaysians in Indonesia to always display undivided loyalty to the country and do not take lightly the peace enjoyed by Malaysia now.
"Peace is the biggest asset Malaysians of all strata should be grateful for irrespective of where you are may be.
"As Malaysians who love their homeland, any threats on the peace in the country should be completely eradicated," he said.
His Majesty added that he hoped that the cooperation and strong relations as reflected by the Malaysia Club Jakarta with the Malaysian Ambassador in Indonesia in implementing the aspirations of the country would be in line with the call of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak towards strengthening the mutual prosperity of the two countries.
JAKARTA, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysians living in Indonesia have been advised to uphold the good name and image of the country by practising noble values and respect for the law and local culture, said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah.
In giving the advice, His Majesty said the role should be played by them as mini ambassadors of Malaysia in a foreign country.
"It is our responsibility as Malaysians to continue promoting cordial and strong relations with the local community even though challenges in bilateral relations between the two countries crop up from time to time," he said at a dinner with Malaysians here Wednesday.
Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah said the relations betwen Malaysia and Indonesia was well-known and special as it was tied to various aspects such as history, religion, culture, race and language.
"I am proud that the friendship between the two countries is at an excellent level with close cooperation in various fields at various levels from national leaders, members of Parliament, non-governmental organisations and civil society," he said.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Hajah Haminah are on a four-day state visit to Indonesia since Monday to strengthen relations between Malaysia and Indonesia.
In his message to Malaysians in Indonesia, the King said his visit was also to deliver the country's appreciation and thanks to the Indonesian government for providing opportunities to Malaysian individuals and companies to invest and contribute to the economic development of the republic.
He said examples of Malaysian companies investing in Indonesia were Maybank, CIMB, Petronas, Tabung Haji and Sime Darby.
"I believe that the investment of these companies in Indonesia will prosper and benefit both parties.
"I am also very proud of the Malaysian professionals, entrepreneurs in the private sector as well as 5,000 students in assisting to promote the image of Malaysia not only in Indonesia but also in the eyes of the world," His Majesty said.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong also called on Malaysians in Indonesia to always display undivided loyalty to the country and do not take lightly the peace enjoyed by Malaysia now.
"Peace is the biggest asset Malaysians of all strata should be grateful for irrespective of where you are may be.
"As Malaysians who love their homeland, any threats on the peace in the country should be completely eradicated," he said.
His Majesty added that he hoped that the cooperation and strong relations as reflected by the Malaysia Club Jakarta with the Malaysian Ambassador in Indonesia in implementing the aspirations of the country would be in line with the call of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak towards strengthening the mutual prosperity of the two countries.
Labels:
Indonesia,
Rulers of Malaysia
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