Iranian scientist claims to have invented 'time machine'

An Iranian businessman claims to have mastered time with a machine that allows users to fast forward up to eight years into the future.

The DeLorean time machine - no…

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An Iranian businessman claims to have mastered time with a machine that allows users to fast forward up to eight years into the future.

The DeLorean time machine - no word if Ali Razeghi has used this as a template Photo: REX FEATURES

Ali Razeghi, a Tehran scientist has registered "The Aryayek Time Traveling Machine" with the state-run Centre for Strategic Inventions.

The device can predict the future in a print out after taking readings from the touch of a user, he told the Fars state newsagency.

Razaeghi, 27, said the device worked by a set of complex algorithims to "predict five to eight years of the future life of any individual, with 98 percent accuracy".

As the managing director of Iran's Centre for Strategic Inventions, Razeghi is a serial inventor with 179 other inventions listed under his own name. "I have been working on this project for the last 10 years," he said.

"My invention easily fits into the size of a personal computer case and can predict details of the next 5-8 years of the life of its users. It will not take you into the future, it will bring the future to you."

Razeghi says Iran's government can predict the possibility of a military confrontation with a foreign country, and forecast the fluctuation in the value of foreign currencies and oil prices by using his new invention.

"Naturally a government that can see five years into the future would be able to prepare itself for challenges that might destabilise it," he said. "As such we expect to market this invention among states as well as individuals once we reach a mass production stage."

Razeghi said his latest project has been criticised by friends and relatives for "trying to play God" with ordinary lives and history. "This project is not against our religious values at all. The Americans are trying to make this invention by spending millions of dollars on it where I have already achieved it by a fraction of the cost," he said. "The reason that we are not launching our prototype at this stage is that the Chinese will steal the idea and produce it in millions overnight."

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Rakyat wants change - not transformation

JD Lovrenciear

Why does the rakyat want change as promised by Pakatan Rakyat and do not seem the least fascinated with BN's calls for transformation?

Here are the answers and…

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JD Lovrenciear

Why does the rakyat want change as promised by Pakatan Rakyat and do not seem the least fascinated with BN's calls for transformation?

Here are the answers and the signs written on the walls of balloting centres:

Firstly, the rakyat are tired to the bone. They, the working middle-class that forms the bulk of decisive votes, have been struggling all these while under the BN regime.

Yes we have fascinating skyscrapers. Yes, we have a Disney-like city carved out in Putrajaya. Yes, we have oil. Yes we have this and that.

But what is the reality on the ground?

The rakyat have been struggling increasingly to pay their bills and keep their kids in colleges. They have been so hard-pressed these past 30 years that even pasar malam are no longer a solution to their punctured purses.

And this socio-economic fact has been endorsed by none other than BN itself given its cash aid of RM1.39 relief per day to the citizens. True or false?

Secondly, the quality of service has become a nightmare to the citizens. Take the waiting time at public hospitals.

For example, a simple procedure of three minutes for the insertion of a Pessary Ring for an elderly female patient involves three hours of waiting time at a premier, state-of-the-art hospital in Serdang.

If you do not want all these pathetic services, then you must be prepared to pay through your nose for private healthcare that has been on a roller-coaster upward spiral of prices these past 30 years.

If you complain too much, the state-owned or party-aligned news organ will publish a story of how great our hospitals are.

But the rakyat, too, knows that even in the remote and distant areas of Thailand for example, everyone has easy, quick and cheap access to healthcare.

The same goes for the processing of various applications ranging from ICs to visas to passports to whatever permits and compliances the rakyat need to effect at various agencies.

Despite employing all kinds of seeming investments of the rakyat's money into technology and refurbishing of the government agencies, the waiting time, the runarounds and the agony of being turned away without appropriate solutions are a source of unending and escalating complains from the rakyat.

The rakyat have reached a point where they generally believe it is no use complaining or bringing your concerns to the authorities.

Try asking or advocating, "Kenapa tak nak buat aduan?" and see for yourself the reply you will get.

They conclude with hopelessness that under the BN regime, the public service sector has failed to improve despite spending the rakyat's money to build impressive structures, renovate work spaces like five-star environs and plastering the walls with all kinds of slogans.

Even the auditor-general's yearly report reveals the rot, does it not?

The rakyat cannot stomach any longer the corruption - perceived or for a fact. They do not know how the oil money is spent.

They cannot understand how come young punks can drive around in Porsches and Lamborghinis while an engineer for 30 years can only afford a made-in-Malaysia car.

The rakyat cannot decipher how in the world some can blossom into billionaires before reaching mid-life, whereas the slogging rakyat, despite having a steady, hand-me-down successful business, cannot even make RM2 million neat after 30 years of committed hard and smart work.

Houses are costing an arm and a leg. Travelling to and from work takes the bulk of one's waking time and leaving a mere six hours for bed.

Despite all the rosy pictures on state-run or party-owned television and newspapers, the working rakyat is increasingly finding quality time shrinking over the last 30 years.

Where are the public avenues for rest and recreation? These are too far and too few to count. So what is the next best thing to do? Lepak at the malls come every weekend.

The kind of food we eat these days are all compromised. For RM1.50 you get just a fistful of rice packed with blended ikan bilis, red sambal and a few grains of nuts.

If you do not have RM20 a day to part with, you better be prepared to go hungry at work. And if you do not have another RM20 in your pocket, you might find yourself stranded at home unable to drive to work.

Otherwise be content to brave the rain and dust and blazing sun risking every limb as you and your spouse squeeze in between the choking traffic on your trusty, cheap motorbike.

Yet how many earn below RM3,000 a month? The issue of fixing the minimum wage level is still so difficult for the BN-led government.

And if the rakyat does earn more, how much is left behind after paying all the bills and loans anyway?

People are tired of the race and religious divisiveness.

They are seeing people in the neighbouring countries coexisting as a people of one nation.

Even those who cannot afford to travel to other countries in the region are beginning to notice how the foreign immigrant workers here in Malaysia are so united amongst themselves as countrymen.

The rakyat has had enough of living in fear. Their homes are barricaded like mini-prisons.

Their cars and motorbikes have to be bolted to the hilt. If you do not want to be paralysed with such fears, then you must be prepared to pay through your nose for the guarded and gated premises that are marketed all across the nation which only the privileged can afford.

If you dare to ask why is life so difficult these days despite the government telling us that the country is well managed, you will branded and put into deep-freeze for being an agent of the opposition.

Or be prepared to be talked down to. That you are "not so clever"; or that you are "lazy".

Even going to kindergarten is a costly decision these days, what more a private college. The school bus fees, the uniforms, the ever-changing textbooks, this fee and that fee, and what have you.

So, voters are going to the polls with a quest for change in their mind.

They are too tired of the calls for transformation.

When the socio-economic and socio-political and socio-environment does not match with the wealth of the nation, the voters will bring about change.

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Hindraf, we are not at war with you

COMMENT The illusion of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) is dangerous and nonsensical. I am referring to its unyielding stand that the DAP Gelang Patah Declaration is "plagiarised" from…

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COMMENT The illusion of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) is dangerous and nonsensical. I am referring to its unyielding stand that the DAP Gelang Patah Declaration is "plagiarised" from Hindraf's manifesto.

It's commendable that Hindraf has come up with a manifesto to uplift the socio-economic status of ethnic Indians.

But other Indian based organisations, such as the National Indian Rights Action Team (Niat) have put forward a 68-page exhaustive Indian empowerment plan and policy reforms to uplift the Indian community.

Clearly, Hindraf is not the only organisation working towards the empowerment of ethnic Indians.

But the insistence by Hindraf's leaders that the DAP declaration copies Hindraf's aspirations for the Indian community only goes to show their ignorance about the long-standing grievances faced by this minority community.

During the 1999 election, a group of NGOs under the umbrella of the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC), first put forward a political document titled ‘Demands of Indian Malaysians: For a Better Future'. It was endorsed by political parties such as DAP, PAS, PRM, PAS and Keadilan (now PKR).

Thus, the aspirations of the Indian community are not a monopoly of any one group and there is enough room for all to contribute to the struggle.

I started working with the Indian community, and particularly with plantation workers, from the early 80s.
BN did very little for Indians
The Indians were largely poor, did not have the necessary skills to survive in an urban environment and marginalised in terms of education, employment and business opportunities.

We fought alongside the Indians for the implementation of a minimum wage, the right to Tamil education and to have their inherent rights met.

We fought for better infrastructure in Tamil schools and higher intake in universities, among other issues.

Fast forward to 2013, nothing much has changed under the BN rule.
Indian Malaysians continue to face the same dilemma. The MIC, which was then the self-proclaimed custodian of the community, took it upon itself to look into the welfare of the Indians.

The MIC's many schemes to uplift the community, including Maika shares, ended in disaster. Their only feat was successfully disengaging the Indians from the decision-making process of the government.

Hindraf leaders must bear in mind that many of the leaders in Pakatan Rakyat have been working with the Indian community long before Hindraf was even formed. We understand their issues and are not strangers to their aspirations.

Some of the points raised in the Gelang Patah Declaration were already raised in Pakatan Rakyat's manifesto. The declaration itself is a work in progress.

My party, DAP, has put forth the Gelang Patah Declaration to PKR and PAS. We will reach a consensus as deliberations are currently under way.

The Pakatan state governments of Selangor and Penang have provided millions of ringgit in support of Tamil schools, including helping to set up computer labs.

Money has also been given to temples and other programmes, including interest-free small business loans and programmes for single mothers.

Pakatan has walked the talk, although more needs to be done. However delivery aspects of these programmes can be more efficient.

But the structural problems facing the Indians can only be addressed in a comprehensive manner, with the commitment of the federal government.
Given what Hindraf claims to represent, its natural ally would be Pakatan Rakyat. As such, it would be prudent on the part of Hindraf leaders to stop acting like children.
We are not at war with each other here.

---

CHARLES SANTIAGO is the incumbent Klang MP and vice-chairperson of Selangor DAP.

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PSM: No three-cornered fights,please

PSM would be meeting PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim by this Sunday to settle the issue over the seats that it is contesting in Selangor.

PETALING JAYA: Parti Sosialis…

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PSM would be meeting PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim by this Sunday to settle the issue over the seats that it is contesting in Selangor.

PETALING JAYA: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) wants PKR to come to its senses and avoid any three-cornered fights.

PSM maintains that if this happens, the only winner will be Barisan Nasional.

The “troublesome” seats are Kota Damansara and Semenyih state seats in Selangor and Jelapang state seat and Sungai Siput parliamentary seat in Perak.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to meet PSM on Sunday . The PKR list of candidates for Selangor will be announced on Sunday.

Kota Damansara seat is held by PSM chairman Nasir Hashim. PSM secretary-general, S Arutchelvan, wants to contest in Semenyih.

“We are supposed to meet Anwar by this Sunday to resolve this issue. We hope to come to some sort of compromise to avoid a three-cornered fight,” said Arutchelvan.

On Sunday night, Anwar would be announcing PKR’s candidates list for Selangor in an event that would take place in Hulu Klang.

The issue over the two seats was raised because PKR wants to field its candidates in both the seats.

Last week, Arutchelvan confirmed that he would be contesting in Semenyih amidst attempts by a Serdang PKR leader Hamidi Hasan to go for the semi-urban seat located in Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency.

Selangor PKR wants to field its own candidate in the two seats because PSM had contested under PKR’s banner in the last election held in 2008.

“In the last election, they [PSM] contested under PKR’s ticket, and they used our banner. However,I don’t have the authority to make the decision or announcement.

“I will let Anwar make the announcement this Sunday,” said Batu Caves state assemblyman Amirudin Shari of PKR at the party headquarters today.

Arutchelvan also said that in the event a three-cornered battle is unavoidable, the two states seats and Sungai Siput parliamentary seat in Perak would fall to BN.

“Why allow BN to take over the seat when PSM is Pakatan-friendly? Our common goal is to take over federal government,” he said and confirmed that PSM would back Pakatan in all the state and parliamentary seats in the event of a three-cornered fight.

Best candidate

PSM is contesting a total of four seats in the GE13. Apart from the three, the party is also fielding its deputy chairman M Sarasvathy for the Jelapang state seat in Perak.

During GE12 held in 2008, PSM won the Kota Damansara and Sungai Siput seat respectively.

Arutchelvan also expressed confidence that Jelapang would remain in the hands of Pakatan even if there was a three-cornered fight involving DAP, MCA and PSM.

In 2008, Hee Yit Foong of DAP polled 12,219 votes against MCA’s Loh Koi Pin and Sarasvathy. Loh polled 5512 votes and Sarasvathy polled 1275 votes.

Hee later declared herself BN friendly independent in 2009 and that led to the fall of the Pakatan led state government in Perak.

The PSM leader added that his party is engaging certain NGOs to evaluate the best candidate for Jelapang. Some of the NGOs identified are Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM) and Aliran.

Arutchelvan, who is also Kajang municipal councillor, also said that it would be best if the DAP does not field a candidate in Sungai Siput.

He added that the local PKR divisions also does not have an issue with PSM there.

Sungai Siput is currently represented by PSM’s central committee member, Dr D Michael Jeyakumar.

In 2004, DAP’s P Samugam Ponmugam polled 2,864 against Jeyakumar’s 8562 votes. The then MIC president, S Samy Vellu, was victorious when he got 18,797 votes with a majority of 10,235 votes.

In 2008, Jeyakumar became the giant killer by defeating Samy Vellu with a majority of 1,821 votes. Jeyakumar polled 16,458 votes to Samy’s 14,637 votes. Independent Nor Rizan Oon lost his deposit with 864 votes.

Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department and MIC vice-president SK Devamany would be attempting to wrest Sungai Siput in GE13 which would take place on May 5.

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PKR: No rift with PSM

PKR leaders R Sivarasa and Saifuddin Nasution, however, imply that they are not agreeable to Parti Sosialis Malaysia using its own logo to contest in the general election.

PETALING JAYA:…

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PKR leaders R Sivarasa and Saifuddin Nasution, however, imply that they are not agreeable to Parti Sosialis Malaysia using its own logo to contest in the general election.

PETALING JAYA: PKR today denied any rift with Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) in regard to which party would be contesting for the Kota Damansara state seat.

However, the party implied that it was not comfortable with PSM contesting using its own logo.

“We are offering the Kota Damansara state seat and the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat to PSM provided they contest under any of the Pakatan Rakyat party logos,” said PKR supreme council member R Sivarasa at a press conference held at the party headquarters.

Also present was PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution.

Recently, it was reported that Selangor PKR chief Azmin Ali had given the green light to lawyer Razlan Jalaludin to start campaigning for the Kota Damansara state seat.

The seat is currently held by PSM chairman Nasir Hashim.

“We’re friends fighting together against a common enemy. I don’t know why PKR is fussy about us.

“To say that PKR has an issue with our socialist ideology doesn’t make any sense… we never had any problems for the past five years,” Nasir was reported saying.

Elaborating on the matter, Saifuddin said the Pakatan presidential council had already advised PSM to contest using any of the opposition pact’s party logo via a letter some time ago.

“But we didn’t receive any response from them. Since they are not part of the Pakatan pact, we advised them to use our logo,” he said.

Overlapping demands


On why PSM was not admitted into Pakatan despite the former’s application several months back, Saifuddin said, “I cannot answer that now. The issue now is about the logo.”

On another matter, he said that it is Pakatan’s policy to allow the party that lost narrowly to BN in the 2008 election to be given priority to recontest for the particular seat.

He said this in response to Penang PAS’ insistence on fielding its own candidate, state Youth chief Mohd Yusni Mat Piah, for the Sungai Acheh state seat despite PKR nominating its supreme council member Badrul Hisham Shaharin.

“We lost not only the Sungai Acheh state seat narrowly but also parliamentary seats like Bukit Katil, Lumut and Alor Setar in 2008.

“So Pakatan’s policy is that the party which lost narrowly in the previous general election will be allowed to recontest for the same seat,” said Saifuddin.

He added that PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and PAS secretary-general Mustafar Ali are currently in the midst of resolving matters pertaining to overlapping demands.

“But this is a lesser issue compared to MCA losing its Wangsa Maju parliamentary seat to Umno,” said Saifuddin.

In the 2008 general election, Umno candidate, Mahmud Zakaria, defeated PKR’s Dr Azhar Ahamad by a narrow 250-vote margin for the Sungai Acheh seat.

In the same election, Badrul, popularly known as Chegubard, lost by 5,746 votes to Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin for the Rembau parliamentary seat.

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Bersih invites Anwar, Najib to present manifestos

The opposition leader has accepted the invitation but Najib has yet to respond, says S Ambiga

KUALA LUMPUR: Polls watchdog Bersih 2.0 has invited Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and Barisan…

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The opposition leader has accepted the invitation but Najib has yet to respond, says S Ambiga

KUALA LUMPUR: Polls watchdog Bersih 2.0 has invited Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and Barisan Nasional chairman Najib Tun Razak to present their respective coalition’s manifesto at a forum next week.

Bersih co-chairperson, S Ambiga, told reporters that Anwar has accepted the invitation, but Najib has yet to respond to her invitation through social media platform Twitter.

Regardless, she said, the public forum is to go on with or without Najib’s participation.

“We will try to do it as fairly as possible, and we hope to have a representative from both sides,” said Ambiga at a press conference here.

The forum will be held on April 17 at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. It will begin at 8.45pm and will be moderated by Islamic Renaissance Front chairman Dr Farouk Musa.

“It’s not a debate, just a forum. We don’t want anyone to be put off, we want everyone to be comfortable with the format,” said Ambiga.

Scare tactics cause for concern

On another matter, Ambiga said that she had received reports of people being told not to change the government to avoid widespread riots.

“This is being spread on the ground locally and we are going to keep an eye out on this. It is totally unacceptable.”

She also slammed BN for its billboards on highways asking voters whether they chose peace or chaos.

“Is that really the campaign BN wants to run? That must stop. We will make police reports about this,” vowed Ambiga.

She also condemned the police for stating they would use the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) to ensure polls ran smoothly.

Sosma, Ambiga said, was the legislation that replaced the controversial Internal Security Act and allows police to detain a suspect for 24 hours without a warrant.

Police may also remand the person for another 28 days for further investigation.

“The use of Sosma is not acceptable… we would like to see them instead act in instances of political violence that we raise,” she said.

Postal voters left out of the loop


Ambiga was also concerned about the early voting date (April 30) as well as polls date (May 5).

She stressed that the long gap between the two dates would render the indelible ink pointless as it lasted only three days upon use.

Postal voters from overseas were also not informed whether they were considered advanced voters, said Ambiga.

“I have received complaints from overseas voters not having received information on whether they have been confirmed as voters.

“They are not sure whether to return to Malaysia or to stay back or if they have even been registered,” she said.

She urged the Election Commission to release the list of local and overseas postal voters in order to clear the air over the matter.

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Independent to take on ex-boss

A former personal assistant of a state assemblyman intends to fight his ex-boss in the tussle for the Kota Alam Shah state assembly seat in Selangor

PETALING JAYA: L Paneerselvam,…

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A former personal assistant of a state assemblyman intends to fight his ex-boss in the tussle for the Kota Alam Shah state assembly seat in Selangor

PETALING JAYA: L Paneerselvam, better known as LP Selvam, the former personal assistant of incumbent Kota Alam Shah state assemblyman M Manoharan (photo), intends to fight his ex-boss in the tussle for the seat at the upcoming general election.

However, his main reason for joining the fray is not because of any major disagreement with Manoharan but due to clogged drains and poorly maintained roads in the constituency.

“Poorly maintained drainage and roads which results in frequent flood in the area has forced me to contest as an independent for the seat. My passion is to serve the locals and attend to their grouses.

“The main issue here is clogged drains which lead to flash floods. This has worsened over the last two years,” Selvam told FMT in an interview recently.

Selvam, who is also president of the Justice and Welfare Aid Society, Selangor (JAWASS), said he has held “countless meetings” with the Klang Municipal Council over the floods but todate no action has been taken.

“Their failure to act on the people’s problem motivated me to go for the seat. I would carry more weight if I am a state assemblyman.

“I would like to serve the poor in this country. Parachute candidates will not have the peoples’ problems at heart. Only a local candidate would understand local issues better and tackle it in a proper manner,” he added.

The 54-year-old NGO activist, who was born in Kota Alam Shah, maintains a healthy lifestyle and he refrains from alcohol and smoking.

“I need to maintain a healthy lifestyle; how could I serve the people if my health condition is bad?” he said.

On his chances of winning the seat, Selvam said he was certain of winning the seat due to strong local support.

“I have helped the locals and will continue to serve them should I win the seat. Vote for me and I will be your servant,” Selvam declared.

He advised voters to choose their representative based on the candidate and not the party.

“Political parties are cheating the people and exist for their own gains. It is the NGOs which have been working for the people. So, voting for a NGO candidate would be a right choice,” he added.

Asked why he quit working for the incumbent state assemblyman, Selvam said he left Manoharan because “I felt I could do more for the people”.

“I am not against any political party and I am not entering politics for my political gain. The funds are from my very own pocket money and I am not being sponsored by any businesses or anyone,” he added.

At the 2008 general election, Manoharan of the DAP won the seat with a thumping 7,194 vote majority. The seat which has about 24,000 voters is made up of 58% Chinese, 23% Indian and the remainder Malay voters.

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Polis beri amaran kepada individu mahupun NGO agar tidak melampaui undang-undang

(Bernama) - Polis memberi amaran kepada mana-mana individu, kumpulan, persatuan mahupun badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) agar tidak mengambil undang-undang di tangan sendiri ekoran dakwaan terdapat unsur-unsur menakut-nakutkan para pengundi semasa…

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(Bernama) - Polis memberi amaran kepada mana-mana individu, kumpulan, persatuan mahupun badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) agar tidak mengambil undang-undang di tangan sendiri ekoran dakwaan terdapat unsur-unsur menakut-nakutkan para pengundi semasa hari pengundian 5 Mei nanti.

Penolong Ketua Urusetia Ketua Polis Negara (Perhubungan Awam) ACP Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf berkata tindakan golongan itu bukan sahaja boleh menjejaskan proses demokrasi malah turut menjadi kesalahan jenayah yang boleh didakwa mengikut peruntukan undang-undang sedia ada.

“Polis menerima maklumat ada terdapat unsur-unsur ugutan yang bertujuan menakut-nakutkan pengundi untuk keluar mengundi, seperti mereka ini akan melakukan sekatan jalan raya, memeriksa kad pengenlan dan mengugut pengundi agar tidak keluar mengundi.

“Polis memberi amaran, ia merupakan satu kesalahan jenayah kerana kuasa untuk memeriksa kad pengenalan mahupun sekatan jalan raya hanya boleh dilakukan polis dalam tempoh masa pilihan raya ini,” katanya pada sidang media, di Ibu Pejabat Polis Bukit Aman, di sini, hari ini.

Beliau berkata tindakan golongan yang cuba menimbulkan kekacauan semasa musim pilihan raya ini sentiasa dipantau polis dari masa ke masa bagi memastikan tiada yang bertindak melebihi undang-undang.

Ramli berkata orang ramai yang mengetahui wujudnya aktiviti menakut-nakutkan pengundi di kawasan mereka perlu melaporkan kepada polis agar siasatan dapat dijalankan dan pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab tersebut dapat diberkas.

“Kita (polis) tidak mahu pengundi terjejas dengan ancaman ini, jadi sekiranya mereka mengetahui ada pihak yang cuba melakukan ugutan, segera laporkan kepada polis,” katanya.

Dalam pada itu, beliau berkata kekuatan anggota polis setakat ini mencukupi bagi memastikan proses demokrasi di negara ini berjalan aman dari sebarang ancaman pihak tertentu.

Sementara itu, beliau turut memberitahu sebanyak 333 aktiviti sempena pilihan raya umum ke-13 dijalankan semalam membabitkan 99 ceramah, 81 perhimpunan, 21 kempen, dan 132 lain-lain aktiviti.

Beliau berkata polis turut menerima 69 laporan polis membabitkan beberapa kesalahan pilihan raya di seluruh negara semalam.

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Malaysia's Rancid Election

Ibrahim Ali. Photo from Malaysiakini

(Asia Sentinel) There are fears of violence, but observers think they're overblown - or hope they are
Malaysia's May 5 national elections are taking place…

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Ibrahim Ali. Photo from Malaysiakini

(Asia Sentinel) There are fears of violence, but observers think they're overblown - or hope they are
Malaysia's May 5 national elections are taking place against the backdrop of the most rancid ethnic and political atmosphere since 1969, when race riots shook the nation and led to the deaths of hundreds of ethnic Malays and Chinese.

Campaigning, which technically is limited to the period after the election commission sets the date, has been going on for as much as two years as the ruling Barisan Nasional slugged it out with the Pakatan Rakyat. With 13 million voters registered, an estimated 25 percent of them are going to the polls for the first time, delivering what has been called a real wild card. While inflation, educational opportunity, corruption and crime are issues, they pale against the questions of power and race.

Two NGOs held a joint press conference Wednesday, asking the Australian and UK governments and the United Nations to put pressure on Malaysia to ensure that the elections will be fair and free. The government has refused to allow international observers and in February stopped Australian senator Nick Xenophon at the airport and expelled him when he tried to enter the country after producing an international fact-finding report that accused the election commission of gerrymandering districts in favor of the government.

The organizations are the international wings of Bersih, the election reform NGO, and Suaram, a human rights NGO. Supporters of the Barisan Nasional allege that the two organizations are closely aligned with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, which both organizations vehemently deny, saying they are independent organizations seeking to clean up politics.

In the press conference, the two groups alleged that political violence, death threats and widespread electoral fraud are escalating, which is clearly true although seasoned political observers in Kuala Lumpur say things aren't as bad as the two say, and that in fact those committing the ugly acts are a small minority who do not appear likely to infect the larger society.

"There's truth to many of the things they said at the press conference," said a longtime political observer. "But I think they are stretching it a little too much. At the end of it, Malaysians in general - across all religions and races - have shown they won't be baited by these guys. I am hoping that the vast majority will remain this way despite the provocations. Still, there is an imminent threat that things may turn bad."

Still, that observer said he and others with the means intend to vote early and leave the country in case of violence, staying away until they see how things shape up.

Much of the problem stems from perceptions of the closeness of the race - although polling is problematical at best - and the ethnic makeup of the Barisan Nasional, whose component Chinese and Indian parties are near collapse. That means that in order to win, the United Malays National Organisation must appeal to as many ethnic Malay voters as possible. UMNO has sought to do that through what amounts to outright bribery through government grants and subsidies, and through seeking to frighten rural Malays with the specter of a new government that would be dominated by the Chinese.
The situation has been tightening for more than a year. One UMNO operative angrily told Asia Sentinel that both sides are equally to blame for the situation, with members of the largely Chinese Democratic Action Party insulting ethnic Malays as well, urinating on pictures of UMNO figures. Firebrands in UMNO and other organizations have returned the favor. Opposition figures have complained that motorcycle gangs have disrupted rallies and threatened violence.

Among more notable threats, last year Mohamad Aziz, a senior UMNO member of parliament, suggested on the floor of parliament that Ambiga Sreenasan, the former head of the Malaysia Law Society and current head of Bersih, should be hanged for treason.

Eggs and stones have rained down on opposition ceramahs, or "lectures" that are thinly disguised political rallies, since political rallies have been banned in advance of the formal election period, which started yesterday. Both sides have defaced election pictures of the other.

In Penang last year, a group that opposition leaders described as members of the UMNO Youth wing and the NGO Perkasa attacked a group protesting the operation of a rare earth processing plant, injuring two reporters.

Much of the tension has been fomented by Ibrahim Ali, the firebrand leader of Perkasa, a Malay supremacy group demanding that privileges for ethnic Malays enshrined in the Constitution and the New Economic Policy passed in the wake of the 1969 riots be left in place. Ibrahim is strongly backed by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who recently said the country needs another 40 leaders like the Perkasa boss.
Perkasa members last year, among other things, wreathed a flower garland around a photo of Democratic Action Party leader Lim Guan Eng, a funeral ritual which was likened to a death threat.

In more recent weeks, as the two organizations pointed out, Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi wrote on Twitter on April 3: "We shall move to the warzone to kill all adverse political intruders." Then, last month, they said, at a rally led by Home Affairs Minister and UMNO vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, supporters threatened to kill Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Tian Chua, chanting "Kill Tian Chua" after the opposition MP hinted that a recent invasion of Sabah by Filipino supporters of the Sultan of Sulu might have been a plot on the part of UMNO to whip up patriotic fervor.

"Zahid's tweet was because the guy speaks bad English," the political observer said. "Hishammuddin's act was bad but it was a paid crowd and the sentiment against Tian Chua is not widespread. Mahathir is fear-mongering, yes, but he is not finding much traction."

Zaid Ibrahim, the former Law Minister for the Barisan Nasional and now a leader of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, said previously in an interview that he doesn't expect the kind of racial blowup that characterized the 1969 election.

He points out that the tensions in 1969 between Malays and Chinese have been muted and that there are now ethnic Malays on both sides of the electoral divide. Pakatan Rakyat is led by an ethnic Malay, Anwar Ibrahim, who heads Parti Keadilan Rakyat, or the People's Justice Party, which is made up largely of young, middle class urban Malays. The second party in the coalition is Parti Islam se-Malaysia, which is made up of rural Malays.

In the meantime, numbers of Chinese have fallen as emigration and low birth numbers have taken their toll. Ethnic Chinese peaked in 1972 at 37 percent of the population and have fallen today to 24.1 percent according to the CIA World Factbook.

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PR Selangor Yakin Sokongan Rakyat Tidak Berubah

Selangorku

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) yakin sokongan majoriti rakyat Selangor masih memihak kepada gabungan itu dan tidak akan berlaku keputusan luar dugaan seandainya pilihan raya dijalankan secara telus serta adil.

Ini…

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Selangorku

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) yakin sokongan majoriti rakyat Selangor masih memihak kepada gabungan itu dan tidak akan berlaku keputusan luar dugaan seandainya pilihan raya dijalankan secara telus serta adil.

Ini dikuatkan lagi dengan kecemerlangan Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim sebagai Menteri Besar dalam masa lima tahun yang banyak membawa perubahan dan kemajuan dengan menjaga kebajikan rakyat tanpa mengira kaum, agama dan fahaman politik menerusi agenda Merakyatkan Ekonomi Selangor (MES).

Koordinator BN Selangor, Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed sebelum ini mendakwa Selangor ketika ini dilanda ‘Gelombang Biru’ apabila program anjurannya dihadiri ramai orang.

Dakwaan ini ditempelak, Ketua Penerangan PKR Selangor, Shuhaimi Shafiei yang menganggap Umno-BN cuma menipu diri sendiri.

Katanya, orang ramai yang datang sewaktu program Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin di Simpang Lima di sini diangkut dengan berpuluh-puluh bas.

“Jika Umno-BN menganjurkan program dengan menawarkan wang ringgit seperti bantuan BR1M dan sebagainya, sememangnya rakyat akan hadir untuk mengambil hak mereka yang dinafikan selama ini oleh Umno-BN.

“Apa saja dilakukan Umno-BN, ia tidak akan mengubah pendirian rakyat kerana rakyat sudah melibat kekuatan dan kebaikan kerajaan PR,” ujarnya optimis.

Bagi Ketua Penerangan PAS Selangor, Saari Sungib berpendapat kehadiran rakyat lebih besar dalam program PR berbanding program anjran Umno-BN.

“Program sambutan tahun baru di Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam dan majlis sambutan lima tahun Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Masjid Negeri, kita lihat kehadiran orang ramai jauh lebih besar,” katanya.

Di Hulu Kelang sendiripun majlis dibuat Umno-BN tiada sambutan dengan kehadiran tidak memberangsangkan.

Sementara itu, Setiausaha Publisiti DAP Selangor, Jenice Lee menambah majlis sambutan Chap Goh Meh anjuran Umno-BN dihadiri Datuk Seri Najib Razak di Pandan Indah lebih ramai dihadiri warga asing berbanding rakyat tempatan.

Tambahnya, majlis diadakan boleh dihadiri orang ramai tetapi tidak menggambarkan sokongan terhadap parti tertentu.

“Makan semua orang pergi makan. Penyokong PR pun boleh hadir dan makan tetapi bila undi, ini cerita lain,” ujarnya penuh yakin sokongan rakyat masih bersama PR.

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LAHAD DATU:Nine linked to Sulu intruders nabbed in Beluran

The New Straits Times
by Kristy Inus

KOTA KINABALU: Police arrested seven men and two women at two separate locations in Beluran, believed to be linked to the armed Sulu…

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The New Straits Times
by Kristy Inus

KOTA KINABALU: Police arrested seven men and two women at two separate locations in Beluran, believed to be linked to the armed Sulu gunmen.

Among those arrested were seven foreigners, including a woman.

Sabah police chief Datuk Hamza Taib said the raids were on Tuesday night and yesterday morning, without disclosing specific locations.

 

"We suspect they have information involving the Sulu gunmen from southern Philippines, and investigations are now being carried out under Section 4 (1) of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012. 

 

"They are detained at the Sandakan police station and if there is enough evidence, they will be charged soon,” said Hamza.

 

He added during the arrests, some of them were found to have documents, and about RM1,500. Police also seized several machetes.

"This is something new. Previously the arrests were in Lahad Datu, Tawau, Sandakan and other districts. Beluran is also a district under Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (Esszone)," said Hamza.

 

He said while 235 armed intruders have been identified since the Feb 12 intrusion at Kampung Tanduo, security forces continues to nab the sympathisers and informants of the armed intruders.

 

"They could be anywhere in Sabah, not only at ground zero. 

 

"To date, 181 individuals have been arrested under SOSMA and 334 under other offences," he added.

 

On another development, he said 17 bodies of the gunmen who were killed during gun battles with security forces, were buried yesterday at several undisclosed locations.

 

Hamza said they were accorded proper Islamic burial rites.

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In Ipoh, a lingering loyalty for Pakatan among the Chinese

By Emily Ding

IPOH, April 11 — The city’s traditionally pro-opposition Chinese appear unlikely to budge this May 5 when they face the ballot box again, many still strong in…

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By Emily Ding

IPOH, April 11 — The city’s traditionally pro-opposition Chinese appear unlikely to budge this May 5 when they face the ballot box again, many still strong in their conviction that a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government will care for their rights better than Barisan Nasional (BN).

Last weekend’s luncheon with Perak’s Chinese guilds and associations and Datuk Seri Najib Razak seemed to reflect this trend as even though the crowd appeared in droves at the Tow Boo Keong Taoist temple here, many still expressed disdain at the ruling pact.

When approached by The Malaysian Insider, some were very generous with their criticisms and even openly admitted that they were only there because they were invited and wanted the free food.

“We are just here to eat,” a 36-year-old civil engineer who prefers to be known only as Kevin told The Malaysian Insider.

He glanced over at his friend, a 42-year-old civil contractor who prefers to go by the name Tiger, and an elderly retiree they had just met, who both nodded and laughed.

“It’s bullshit,” Kevin said, referring to Najib’s speech, where the latter had called for the support of the Chinese community by pointing out the benefits the BN caretaker government had brought to the state of Perak in the past four years.

In his speech, Najib had also pointed out the significance of the Tow Boo Keong temple to him, noting it had been officiated in 1968 by his father, Malaysia’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak.

He expressed his gratitude and wonder at the “meriah” crowd that had he said had clearly come out to show BN their support.

Pointing to the people spilling from the main hall to more round tables upstairs and even outside the temple, Najib said: “Who says the Chinese in Perak don’t support BN?”

“Sokong BN?” he asked.

“Sokong!” the crowd cheered back.

And again. And again.

However, although Najib’s efforts seemed to be a resounding success inside the temple, the Chinese voters outside, who couldn’t see but could hear all the goings-on in the hall via blaring speakers, painted a different picture.

“Let’s put it this way lah. If they feel they sure win, they won’t have this lunch right?” Kevin scoffed.

“Whatever he said is not the actual thing we want. We want a clean and fair country, with no corruption or cronyism. That is the most important.

“Corruption and cronyism have caused inflation, higher petrol prices. It is unfair to education and development. And the crime rate has increased, even here in Ipoh. I’m living in a gated residential area, but still I was robbed. Just here on this table already, two of us have been victims of crime just in the past six months,” he said, pointing to the elderly man.

“What they said about helping Chinese education is also all just bullshit. I’m actually part of one primary school committee and we suffer. We don’t get subsidies. We have to depend on the community for donations,” he added.

All three men told The Malaysian Insider that they had voted in the 2008 elections in favour of the opposition, and will do the same this year.

Kevin and Tiger are voters in the parliamentary constituency of Ipoh Timor, while the retired elderly man is registered in Kuala Kangsar.

“I think the government has to change. Let other people try, see how. It’s like an old car right? When it’s old you need to change it,” the elderly man said.

He told The Malaysian Insider that he used to live and work in Singapore as a salesman and driver and that he only came back to Malaysia to retire as it was, in the end, his home.

“I tell you, Malaysia is rich in resources but is second grade compared to Singapore, from public services to the crime rate and salaries,” the elderly man said.

Perak’s fall to opposition parties DAP, PKR and PAS in Election 2008 was largely due to a massive swing in votes from the Indian community and the Chinese, at least 70 per cent of whom had voted against BN.

But in the famous 2009 power putsch sparked by the defections of three PR assemblymen, the state returned to BN’s hands, angering many voters in the Kinta Valley, where BN was nearly wiped out by the DAP.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insider, Perak DAP chief Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (picture) said PR’s estimates for Election 2013 indicate that the pact can recapture the silver state by sweeping between 33 and 38 seats in the 59-seat assembly.

“Last round, we won 11 parliamentary seats... this round we are counting on 15. Seventy-per cent of the Chinese vote should not be a problem,” he said, but stressed that the DAP’s campaign would not be Chinese-centric as together with PKR and PAS, the party would be wooing voters across racial lines.

At the luncheon, these predictions appeared to ring very possible.

After a whispered consultation, Kevin and Tiger showed The Malaysian Insider their blue Police Diraja Perak identity cards — they are both part of the state’s police volunteer reserve.

“Look, we are part of the police force, and even we don’t want the current government,” Tiger said.

“We are not blind voters. We make our own judgment. We see that the country is getting worse. I speak to my friends and family, and even those from overseas have the concern to come back and vote,” he added.

Other Chinese voters The Malaysian Insider approached at the luncheon, including a table of four housewives and another of elderly retirees, firmly declined to say which political coalition they favoured, saying it was a “secret”.

“How can we tell you this? It’s a secret, isn’t it? Can you even ask me this question?” one housewife said.

She said they were part of a group called Praise Dance, and that Sungai Rapat state assemblyman Datuk Hamidah Osman had asked them to attend the luncheon, to which about 30 of them had shown up.

When asked what the Praise Dance Group does and their purpose in attending the event, she declined to elaborate, saying simply: “I don’t know. We just come.”

Another housewife said jauntily: “I just came here to eat,” before adding, “I’m just joking ah.”

When Najib and his entourage, which included former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, had left the temple and all that remained on the abandoned tables were scraps of food, one 75-year-old woman sat waiting alone at the gates of the temple in a plastic red chair.

Clutching a walking stick in her hand, she told The Malaysian Insider that she had come to the luncheon alone and that she was waiting for her ride.

With quivering fingers, she took a round BN sticker from her shirt pocket, saying that she had come because BN had invited her.

However, she refused to say which coalition she supported, though she admitted to voting in 2008 and said she would vote again this year in her constituency of Ipoh Timor.

When asked, the elderly woman said she had not been paid to attend the luncheon.

But when prodded further to say who she would prefer to see win the coming polls, she clammed up until her ride, a taxi, arrived and she hobbled laboriously to the vehicle.

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No Need To Change The Government Merely For The Sake Of Changing - PM

KUANTAN, April 11 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government is capable of making major changes for the wellbeing of the people, thus there…

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KUANTAN, April 11 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government is capable of making major changes for the wellbeing of the people, thus there is no necessity for the people to change the government merely for the sake of changing.

The Prime Minister said that for the past four years, the BN government leadership had already brought various changes and major transformations for the benefit of everyone.

"We are capable of making major changes if the people want them, and there is no need for the government to be replaced by a new one. Major changes can be implemented with the same government," he said in his speech at the launch of the Pahang Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), here Thursday.

The UTC worth RM37 million was an initiative of the government to provide various major services by the government and private sectors to the urban community at a one-stop-centre.

The Prime Minister said what was important to the people actually was not to change the government, but to enjoy and receive the changes implemented currently by the BN government.

"Transformation is not to change the government, the transformation that is called for can be implemented by us (the government)," he said.

Najib said the people must be wise in evaluating the opposition pact which was purportedly implementing changes although its leadership had never reached a consensus on various issues.

"The people should ask the party that purportedly want to bring changes, are they capable of bringing changes? How can they bring changes when there are three captains in the group?" he said, to which the crowd of about 30,000 responded "sink".

The Prime Minister said the people should also be wise in assessing the track record of the opposition leader (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) who was previously in the government leadership.

Najib said the opposition pact was now in disarray in determining their candidates for the 13th general election (GE13), and the people should be wise in evaluating what would happen if they were given the mandate.

Also present at the gathering were Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and the Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The Pahang UTC was completed within a period of five weeks and was seen to be have given a major impact on the people.

It is open every day from 8.30am until 10pm.

The Prime Minister said Malaysia was the only country in the world which provided government and private sector services until 10pm.

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