Tuesday, 23 April 2013
ATTACK UPON HINDUS BY TMMK, PFI AND SDPI IN TAMIL NADU. SUCCESSFUL SAFFRON BANDH AGAINST JIHAD IN WESTERN TN.
Successful Saffron Bandh against Jihad upon Hindus in Western Tamil Nadu. Join hands to extinct Jihad in southern states in Bharat.
Successful Saffron Bandh against Jihad upon Hindus in Western Tamil Nadu. Join hands to extinct Jihad in southern states in Bharat.
What stood out this time was the decision of various Hindu Mutt heads to join the agitation. This is the first time Hindu monks came out openly supporting a hartal. Shops remained closed and public transport came to a grinding halt in all the districts. Pollachi, the agricultural town in Coimbatore saw pelting of stones at buses.
“Since November 2012, we have been seeing attacks on leaders of various Hindu outfits by workers and hired gangs of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), both representing hardline Islamic views,” said RSS spokesman J Sri Ram. He said the last fortnight saw many Hindu households coming under attack by the members and activists of these parties.
Last week saw the house of Arjun Sampath, leader of Hindu Makkal Katchi coming under attack. A petrol bomb was thrown at the residence of Sampath who had a providential escape. “I questioned the action of a SDPI councillor who damaged the portion of a 1000-year-old temple in Coimbatore. The SDPI ward member asked that the temple festival should not be held without the concurrence of the Coimbatore corporation authorities,” said Sampath.
Former Coimbatore MP and BJP leader CP Radhakrishnan said Hindus are selectively assaulted by the Islamic outfits. “A marriage hall where a wedding reception was in progress was attacked by SDPI workers. The police looked the other way when a complaint was filed,” said Radhakrishnan. He disclosed that Coimbatore district alone saw 23 love jehads during the last two years.
The house of H Raja too came under the attack by some militant organisations. “Muslim Manithaneya Katchi, a political outfit floated by Islamic militants, is an ally of the AIADMK Government. Its leader Jawaharullah is a member of Tamil Nadu Assembly and wield enormous power in southern districts,” said Sampath.
He said the Islamic outfits have been encouraged by the Government’s move to ask the director of the movie Tuppakki to delete certain scenes. “Even the Viswaroopam row ended up with these organisations having the last laugh. The Government itself is helpless in handling these organisations,” he said.
Swamy Marudachala Adikalar of Perur Elayapattam, said the Islamic militancy in the region dates back to the early 70s. “We maintained silence all these years. The time has come to speak out openly since more and more activists and leaders of Hindu organisations are coming under attack,” said the Swamy.
Both Radhakrishnan and Sampath pointed out those colonies with Islamic names are mushrooming all over the textile city. “Billal Nagar and Ahmed Nagar sprang up overnight. The earlier name of these entities was Kruparajan Koil Street. One need not elaborate how they sprang up,” said Sampath.
According to Radhakrishnan, there is lack of coordination between police and intelligence department. “There is no understanding and cohesion between them. Isn’t it surprising to note that nobody has been arrested till date for these attacks?” asked Radhakrishnan.
Haindava Keralam reports: In a press meet at Coimbatore, Hindu Munnani State Secretary Muruganandam and District Secretary Subramaniam called for a Bandh on 19th April, 2013 demanding strong action against the continuous attacks made by the Muslims. It is reported that:
On the Tamil new year’s day (14.4.2013), some Muslim miscreants disrupted the public meeting held by the Hindu Munnani at ATC grounds, Nilgiris, Tamilnadu. The police intervened and expelled the groups. Outraged Muslims brutally attacked the District Secretary Manjunath who was returning home after the meeting. Manjunath, who had several head injuries and miraculously escaped from them, is currently in intensive care at a private hospital in Coimbatore. Hindu Munnani called for a Bandh on 15th April, 2013 and five Muslims of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazagham - TMMK (A dangerous Muslim outfit in political camouflage- Ed. HE.) namely Riaz (28), Faizal (27), Abdul Rahman (38), Imtiaz (24), pairoz (20) were arrested.
Ground Reports from Aron Patriot: SHUTDOWN AT COIMBATORE. NILGIRIS AND TIRUPUR AREAS FOR JIHADI MURDER ATTACKS ON HINDU ACTIVISTS ‘TMMK’ IS IN ALLIANCE WITH RULING ‘ADMK’ AND HAS INSTIGATED ATTACKS WHICH REFLECTS POORLY ON TAMILNADU LAW AND ORDER SITUATION.
Attacks on Hindus and Hindu outfits are increasing at Koonoor and Ooty. Kuniyanur Amman temple was ransacked. Manjunath Ooty leader of Hindu Munnani was waylaid and attacked by a gang of bike riding Jihadi youth. Hindu marriages are raided by gangs that disrupt ceremony. 3 Hindu activists who were pasting posters were attacked and one of them is critical. The Hindu Munnani called for a shut down at ooty and shops remained closed and autos and vehicles didn’t run. Situation is tense. Further speaking to reporters State Hindu Munnani leader Muruganandam said Hindus are feeling insecure by increasing Jihadi activity and violence in Ooty-Coimbatore region. Such attacks have increased as seen in Petorl bomb attack on Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Samptah’s house. 12 Islamists have been arrested but most culprits have been left free. To make the government take action against Jihadi outfits and such attackers of Hindus Hindu Munnani had successfully observed a warning Bandh in Coimbatore, Ooty and Tirupur, Erode and some other places against both the Political Islamists and Anti Hindu Political Parties in Tamil Nadu and Deccan.
POLITICAL JIHAD AGAINST BHARAT HAS BEEN STARTED IN BHARAT AGAIN AS BEFORE PARTITION OF INDIA. ALL THE POLITICAL PARTIES LIKE TMMK, PFI, SDPI, PEACE PARTY, QUMI EKTA, AIUDF (BADRUDDIN AZMAL), MIM (OWAIS BROTHERS) AS CREATED BY THE CRUDE ISLAMIST TO ISLAMIZE BHARAT. THESE MUSLIM PARTIES ARE THE NEW MODULES OF VENOMOUS MUSLIM LEAGUE AND THE RAZAKARS WHO STABBED OUR MOTHER LAND TIME AND AGAIN. BEWARE OF POLITICAL JIHAD IN INDIA. BAN AND ISOLATE THESE SUBVERSIVE POWERS TO STRENGTHEN INDIAN SOVEREIGNTY AND INTEGRITY OF OUR MOTHER LAND. VANDE MATARAM- JAI HIND. ~ UPANAND BRAHMACHARI.
Labels:
Hindu
Police bust kidnapping ring that strapped bomb vests to victims
Eight suspects, including the ring’s suspected leader who had escaped from a French jail last year, were detained in Spain and another eight were arrested in France, Spanish police said in a statement.
The group used a high-class prostitute to lure six businessman to a Paris hotel from Morocco in November 2012 with the promise of a profitable deal involving information technology products.
The businessmen were then held captive in the hotel until they handed over around one million euros ($1.3 million) in cash to the ring.
Shortly after the suspected leader of the group, who is of Algerian origin, posed as the head of security of an Arab prince and organised a meeting with 15 jewellers and watchmakers at a Luxembourg store by claiming his boss wanted to make a huge purchase.
Members of the gang then held the businessmen at ransom at gunpoint and made off with 1.3 million euros in jewels and watches and another one million euros in cash.
“To prevent the businessmen from escaping, the kidnappers used fake bomb vests which they said were loaded with explosives which would go off if they left the premises,” the Spanish police statement said.
After the two kidnappings, the suspected leader of the group, who escaped from a prison in Avignon in southeastern France in October 2012, moved to Malaga on Spain’s southern Costa del Sol.
He was arrested after police stopped him during a routine road check and saw that he was wearing one of the high-end watches that was stolen in Luxembourg.
Police seized 127,000 euros in cash as well as five luxury watches, six guns, three swords, three motorcycles, two cars and two bullet-proof vests in various home searches carried out as part of the investigation carried out by police in Spain, France and Luxembourg.
Labels:
Islam Discrimination
Afghan girls’ school feared hit by poison gas
n this photograph taken on May 11, 2009, Afghan schoolgirls lie
in bed after admission to hospital with symptoms of poisoning in
Charikar, some 50 kms north of Kabul. (AFP)…
n this photograph taken on May 11, 2009, Afghan schoolgirls lie
in bed after admission to hospital with symptoms of poisoning in
Charikar, some 50 kms north of Kabul. (AFP)While instances of poisoning are sometimes later found to be false alarms, there have been numerous substantiated cases of mass poisonings of schoolgirls by elements of Afghanistan’s ultra-conservative society that are opposed to female education.
Local officials said the girls became ill after smelling gas at their school, Bibi Maryam, in Takhar province’s capital, Taluqan. The city is about 250 kilometers north of the country’s capital, Kabul.
The Takhar governor’s spokesman, Sulaiman Moradi, blamed” enemies of the government and the country” for the mass illness and said the aim was to stop girls from going to school.
The girls were taken to the provincial hospital and most were released after being treated, though several remained in a critical condition on Sunday evening, the head of the hospital, Dr. Jamil Frotan, said.
“We have already sent samples of their blood to the Ministry of Public Health and it will soon become clear what the reason for their illness was,” Frotan said.
The apparent poisoning came three days after more than a dozen students fell ill in another girls’ high school in Taluqan. No-one has claimed responsibility for either incident.
Between May and June last year there were four poisoning attacks on a girls’ school in Takhar, prompting local officials to order principals to stay in school until late and staff to search the grounds for suspicious objects and to test the water for contaminants.
Takhar has been a hotbed of militancy and criminal activity since 2009, with groups such as the Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan active.
Since the 2001 ousting of the Taliban, which banned education for women and girls, females have returned to schools, especially in Kabul.
But periodic attacks against female students, their teachers and their school buildings, continue.
Afghan women have won back basic rights in education, voting and employment since 2001, but fears are growing that such gains could be traded away as Western forces prepare to leave and the Afghan government seeks peace talks with the Taliban.
Labels:
Middle East
Waytha wants to be the new Samy, says Uthaya
Uthayakumar, one of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) founding members, has over the months remained largely quiet about his brother Waythamoorthy's attempts to negotiate with both Pakatan Rakyat and BN over the Hindraf blueprint.
But his younger brother's act of signing a pact with and declaring support for BN last week and even urging Indians to return BN's two-thirds parliamentary majority has obviously riled Uthayakumar.
"Waytha
is simply trying to become the next Samy Vellu (the ex-MIC president).
He's the new emerging ‘mandore' (powerless messenger), who is (aiming)
for the minister's post in Najib Abdul Razak's cabinet," he said.He told Malaysiakini that he had never expected his younger brother to sign a pact with BN.
"I thought he was using BN as leverage to get a deal with Pakatan," he said.
It's clear that Uthayakumar does not agree with the direction in which Waythamoorthy is taking Hindraf, largely the former's brainchild since the turn of the millennium.
"Of course, many people have asked me whether there is any problem between us. I said there's nothing.
"I didn't want to confront him, (because) that would create gossip. People would say the brothers are fighting for position.
"But this (the BN pact) is a betrayal. This cannot be forgiven," he said firmly.
'Waytha jumped on bandwagon'
Uthayakumar remains confident that Waythamoorthy will not be able to deliver any votes to BN, saying he has been receiving numerous calls from people who are angry over the Hindraf deal with BN.
"So far, when I walk on the road, nobody has ever scolded or cursed me. I've heard a trader scold (incumbent Sri Andalas assemblyperson) Xavier Jeyakumar, when I asked about his performance, and soon Waythamoorthy will receive similar brickbats for what he has done," he said.
Uthayakumar
was also keen to stress that Hindraf never had five key leaders as
suggested by some, although five from the movement were arrested under
the Internal Security Act (ISA) in 2007 shortly after the Nov 25 Hindraf
rally that year."I was leading Hindraf, there was never a second layer to its leadership. It was me, (with) a clerk, and then the (rest of the) people.
"It was then I decided to make it a team of lawyers (including Waythamoorthy, left), so that there would be credibility to the issues that we raised.
"All these people joined only months leading up to the rally, which was the climax of the movement.
"I was fighting this cause for a good 16 years prior to that. Just because five people went to jail, everyone assumes there were five leaders. I was running Hindraf on my own even before that.
"Waythamoorthy just rode on the Hindraf wave and assumed leadership when I was in jail. And that got to his head. He used Hindraf to carve something out for himself."
'BN succeeded in splintering Hindraf'
Uthayakumar said he sees the current division of Hindraf factions as a sign of victory for the BN.
"The (BN) won, I lost. They have separated the movement," he said.
"I spent 514 days under ISA for what? Was it so that the movement could be hijacked like this and be surrendered to BN?"He admitted that the various Hindraf factions have created "genuine confusion" for some grassroots, but he sees Waythamoorthy as being no different from RS Thanendran.
Thanendran was the former Hindraf activist who stands accused of double-crossing the movement. He went on to establish the BN-friendly Malaysian Makkal Sakthi Party.
"It will wane, like how (it was when) people found out about Thanendran. But the question is, will the clarity be achieved within the next 15 days? If it is, then it's good for me," Uthayakumar said.
He was referring to the 15-day election campaign period before some 105,000 voters in Kota Raja head to polling centres on May 5, with an option to vote in Uthayakumar as the first ‘Hindraf' MP.
Uthayakumar (Independent) is challenging incumbent Mariah Mahmud (PAS) in the parliamentary seat, along with S Murugesan (BN) and Azman Idrus (Independent).
The Kota Raja seat in Selangor has the highest number of Indian voters at 29 percent.
Uthayakumar is also a candidate in the five-way fight for Sri Andalas, one of two state seats in the Kota Raja constituency.
Labels:
uthaya HRP
Najib defends Zul Noordin as champion of Indian issues
Datuk
Seri Najib Razak introducing the Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk
Zulkifli Noordin in Shah Alam April 22, 2013. – Picture by Choo Choy MaySHAH ALAM, April 22 — Datuk…Datuk
Seri Najib Razak introducing the Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk
Zulkifli Noordin in Shah Alam April 22, 2013. – Picture by Choo Choy MaySHAH ALAM, April 22 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak described Datuk Zulkifli Noordin today as a champion of Indian issues in Shah Alam where the Perkasa vice-president is contesting in Election 2013.The Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman’s defence of the controversial candidate comes even as MIC leader S. Vell Paari warned the ruling coalition recently that the Malay rights leader would cost BN Selangor in the May 5 polls.
“I’ve spoken to quite a number of Indians and they’re supporting him,” said the caretaker prime minister in a press conference at the Concorde Hotel here today.
“He’s already championed some issues pertaining to the Indian community in Shah Alam, like a Tamil school and another temple in Shah Alam,” added the Selangor BN chairman.
Vell Paari said last Wednesday that BN was risking the Indian vote by fielding Zulkifli, which he said would likely become the deciding vote in states like Selangor that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had won in Election 2008.
Zulkifli will be contesting in the Malay-majority state capital against incumbent Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, who is seen as a progressive voice in PAS.
Vell Paari, the son of former MIC chief Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, also noted that there are some 15,000 Indian voters in Shah Alam; 31,000 in Kota Raja; 21,000 in Kapar; and 17,000 in Subang, many of whom he said were angered by Najib’s selection of Zulkifli, who had allegedly insulted the Hindu community.
Najib, however, dismissed Zulkifli’s actions as “history”, noting that the former PAS man had apologised over his remarks.
Najib also hit out at the Selangor government for demolishing seven Hindu temples in the country’s wealthiest state.
“Isn’t that more serious? More of a slap to the Hindus than what Zulkifli Noordin said 10 years ago when he was in PAS?” he said.
“They even destroyed a private temple in Sepang. That is worse, a thousand times worse than what Zulkifli Noordin has done,” added Najib.
A video of Zulkifli uttering the word “Keling”, which Malaysians of Indian descent consider derogatory, went viral recently, just days after another video was released in which he questioned an Indian trader on why Hindu gods did not prevent the man’s shop from being flooded, drawing the wrath of Hindus.
Once a lawyer for opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Zulkifli had also questioned the purity of the Ganges River in India that is considered sacred by Hindus.
Zulkifli became a BN-friendly Independent MP and critical of the opposition when he was dismissed from PKR on March 6, 2010 over a police report he lodged against Khalid.
Umno’s Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin lost to Khalid in Election 2008 with a 9,314-vote majority. In 2004, he had won against Khalid with a 13,410-vote majority.
Labels:
Zulkifli
‘If you have pride and dignity, reject BN’
This is the message that the Malaysian Hindu Movement is planning to drive into the hearts and minds of Indian voters during its nationwide campaign, spurred by the decision to…
This is the message that the Malaysian Hindu Movement is planning to drive into the hearts and minds of Indian voters during its nationwide campaign, spurred by the decision to field Zulkifli Noordin.
PETALING JAYA: After taking over the leadership reins, Najib Tun Razak embarked on an endeavour to court the Indian voters, who spurned Barisan Nasional in the 2008 general election.Armed with the catchphrase “Nambikei” or trust, he released the five Hindraf leaders from detention, attended the Thaipusam celebrations at Batu Caves and forked out financial aid for Tamils schools, NGOs and religious organisations.
While the battered MIC struggled to remain relevant, Najib’s efforts however bore results as seen in the swing of Indian votes in favour of BN in several by-elections.
But the decision to name controversial Perkasa vice-president Zulkifili Noordin as the BN candidate in Shah Alam now threatens to shift the political tectonic plates once again.
And the Malaysian Hindu Movement is convinced that another Indian political tsunami would sweep through the ballot boxes, come May 5.
‘Choosing Zulkifli over Indians’
Speaking to FMT, the movement’s leader S Sanjay could not contain his anger and vowed to take the message throughout the nation.
Previously, the 46-year-old father of two had staged a hunger strike demanding that the authorities
take action against Zulkifli over his remarks which belittled the Hindu faith.However, he called off the strike on the eighth day when Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim spoke to him on the telephone, asking him to end the protest and vowing to charge Zulikifli if the opposition formed the federal government.
“I was touched when [PKR vice-president and Anwar's daughter] Nurul Izzah and PAS’ Siti Mariah Mahmud visited me. Nurul then called her father on the phone and Anwar spoke to me.
“He apologised for not being able to visit me in person due to his hectic schedule in relation to nomination day. I was moved by this gesture,” he added.
On the same note, Sanjay said that he appreciated MIC Youth chief T Mohan for visiting him as well.
“Up to that point, it was a non-partisan struggle. All I wanted was for Zulkifli to be charged. But when BN named him as the candidate… now my struggle is against the entire coalition.
“Najib’s so-called ‘nambikei’ has manifested itself in the form of Zulkifli. Is this how insignificant the Indian community’s feelings are? Najib chose Zulkifli over the entire community. It is a slap on our face and this must not go unpunished,” he stressed.
The former Hindraf Penang deputy chairman, who had been arrested thrice before, said the Malaysian Hindu Movement would embark on a nationwide tour to distribute CDs and leaflets to Indian voters, urging them to reject BN.
The campaign would kickstart in Port Klang on April 25 at a Murugan temple there, where a booth would be set up.
Sanjay said he would be speaking at ceramahs and attending temple functions around the country to drive home the point to Indian voters.
“We want them to view the recordings. We want to tell them that if they are Hindus with an iota of pride and dignity, they will vote against BN,” he added.
Sanjay also called on the Christians to reject BN since the coalition had backed out from contesting against Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali in Pasir Mas.
“This is another religious bigot who wanted to burn bibles. These are the kind of people who Najib endorses under his 1Malaysia. Even a true Muslim would reject BN because their religion does not teach them to insult the faiths of others,” he added.
MIC members must reject BN
Responding to a question, a vexed Sanjay also dismissed Zulkifli’s apology which appeared in the Tamil dailies as nothing more than a political gimmick.
“This man is a liar. He lied about making those remarks when he was in PAS. He was speaking about the Lord Muruga statue in Batu Caves, which was built much later… after he was sacked from PAS.
“He also described the ‘Bhagavad Gita’ as a ‘Kitab Keling’ when the late private investigator P Balasubramniam swore on the holy book upon his return to Malaysia.
“He called the Chinese and Indians ‘pendatang’ [immigrants]. This is BN’s so-called candidate with calibre? And now when he wants our votes, he apologises. Rubbish!” he thundered.
Sanjay also questioned how the Indian leaders in BN would be able to canvass for votes from the community when their “Umno masters” deemed it fit to field people like Zulkifli.
“And there is that photo of an Indian BN member kissing Zulikfli on the cheek during nomination day… So tell me, how are these Indian leaders going to face the community?
“MIC leaders should have threatened to boycott the election unless Zulkifli is dropped. But of course, they will not do that because of fear of losing their positions. I hope MIC members have more pride and self-respect than their leaders and will vote against BN as well,” he said.
‘Umno mandore’ remains silent
Sanjay also chastised Hindraf de facto leader P Waythamoorthy and the Hindu Sangam on their lack of gumption with regard to the Zulkifli issue.“Waythamoorthy wants the Indians to give BN a two-third parliamentary majority. But there is not even a squeak from this newly recruited ‘Umno mandore’ when Zulkifli was named as the candidate. Waythamoorthy has smeared the name of Hindraf and all our sacrifices have been in vain,” he said.
Sanjay, who had been receiving threats via telephone calls, acknowledged that his actions were not without risks. But he remains unperturbed.
“I am prepared to face the consequences. This is a fight for justice. People like Zulkifli must be stopped and hauled to court so that others will think twice before hurling insults. This struggle is for the future of our children. I love this country. This is my home.
“I respect Islam as the official religion but nobody has the right to insult my religion or the beliefs of others. I cannot be bought nor can I be intimidated,” he said.
Labels:
Malaysian Indians
Comment by Hindraf think tank member
FMT LETTER: From Dr Paraman Subramaniam, via e-mail
Whoever said that Hindraf sold out needs to clarify it with facts! From last Saturday (13/4), Sunday (14/4) and Monday (15/4) PR…
FMT LETTER: From Dr Paraman Subramaniam, via e-mail
Whoever said that Hindraf sold out needs to clarify it with facts! From last Saturday (13/4), Sunday (14/4) and Monday (15/4) PR leaders were teasing us with a so called meeting with Hindraf. Saturday I had to take locum just to be on standby for the alleged meeting that DID NOT take place! (Any volunteers to pay for my locum Dr?).
Sunday Hindu New Year we were on standby, again no calls from PR. Then Sunday evening they said ok Monday confirmed Anwar, Lim Kit Siang and Husam Musa will come. So Mr Ganesan our Hindraf national advisor drove down from Penang and put up in a hotel in PJ for the meeting awaiting for their call.
Waythamorthy was also present and so was I as well as another surgeon drove down from Melaka. Whole Monday morning no call from them. They did not answer my calls/sms either. Then at 3pm I sms’d them ‘since no calls I guess meeting is called off once again?’ Then they call back and say no, meeting is on but Lim Kit Siang not attending!
We decide that it has to include all leaders from PR as from past experiences we have realised this is usually a ploy to delay coming to a decision so we ask them to reschedule the meeting to another time when all three leaders are present.
Waytha then left and Ganesan proceeded to check out from the hotel. Then they call me back and say that Lim Guan Eng personally instructed the meeting to proceed even in the absence of DAP as he has empowered Anwar and Husam Musa to make the decision.
Waytha had already left for another meeting and Ganesan had already checked out! But I managed to get Ganesan back. So we proceeded to PKR HQ and arrived there at around 5.15pm. All these while the contact was pleading with us to come for the meeting as there will be no other time left in view of the impending GE but he told us to ‘take our time’.
On arrival at PKR HQ, Tian Chua was at the entrance. He saw us but looked away. So we waited at the corner coffee shop and contacted the PR rep that we had already arrived. Then he shocks us by informing that Anwar had already left! In fact Anwar sneaked out after we arrived the PKR HQ. That’s how much respect they have for the representation of the marginalised Indians !
If the PR leaders can’t even handle a decent meeting, (bungling and insulting along the way) how on Earth are they going to be entrusted to govern this country?
Labels:
Hindraf
Keeping the Numbers Game in Perspective
Don't underestimate Waytha. He's after just 20 per cent of the Indian votes, all from the underclass, to help make a difference.
Joe Fernandez
Had the Chinese, Dap in particular,…
Don't underestimate Waytha. He's after just 20 per cent of the Indian votes, all from the underclass, to help make a difference.
Joe Fernandez
Had the Chinese, Dap in particular, stood with Waytha and Hindraf Makkal Sakthi, he wouldn't have signed the MOU with Najib. The Chinese care two hoots about human rights just as they care two hoots about the environment. The Chinese are only bothered about corrupting the Malays. It's the Chinese who put corrupt ideas in Malay heads to the extent that they sabotaged the New Economic Policy. China is a good example of environmental degradation and corruption. If the Malays don't allow the Indians to empower themselves, they better go back to Sulawesi, Java, Sumatra or wherever they came from and forget about Tanah Tumpah Darah Ku.
Don't underestimate Waytha. He's after just 20 per cent of the Indian votes, all from the underclass, to help make a difference. He assumes that Najib will be able to at least maintain the status quo as the last time. If not, it does not matter to him anyway and not because PR has pissed him off. He has his MOU, again an unprecedented feat in Malaysian political history. He can use it to whack any Government in Putrajaya.
This business of depending on the Gov't must stop. The world does not owe us anything but opportunities. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Subsidies and handouts create a dependency syndrome which politicians prey on.
Legislators are elected to pass laws to run the country, not to spoon feed the people. Get the concept of democracy, politics and Gov't right.
The people must help themselves so that we can cut down the size of the Gov't.
As it is, the Gov't is already venturing into business to help the people and the economy. By right, Gov't has no business to be in business.
If everybody is going to depend on the Gov't, it will be a big burden on the taxpayer.
The Gov't can only make an exception in the case of those living below the poverty line, single mothers, housewives, OKU, senior citizens, widows, orphans, toddlers, schoolchildren, university students, refugees, and those without an identity. Society should play a role as well.
The young in particular should be of special concern to the Gov't and Society.
"Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." John Kennedy.
Indians in Malaya decide in 67 parliamentary seats and the related state seats.
They should not put all their political eggs in one basket. That's not only risky but a foolish thing to do. Vote against all incumbents, whether PR or BN. If new faces, vote for them. If both sides field new faces in a seat, vote for the party which won the seat in 2008. We have a script to follow based on 2008. If Indians vote as above, they will be the most powerful community in politics in the country. Voting for PR only or voting for BN only will make us politically weak. If we vote for PR only and throw out BN, we will be at the mercy of PR when Umno frogs join PKR as Anwar expects. If Indians vote for BN only, PR will be too weak and PKR may return to Umno. Indians will then be back at square one.
The opposition is set to bag eight seats in Sarawak i.e. Baram, Mas Gading and six of the seats being contested by Supp. Anything more, and possible, would be a bonus. The real battle in Sarawak is between BN and PR. In Sabah, the real battle is between Star and the parti parti Malaya. The Opposition, including the Dap, can expect to bag seven parliamentary seats. PKR may win Beaufort. Total for the Opposition including Star from Sabah and Sarawak: 15 seats. Waytha is trying to help get nine seats for BN in Malaya so it can secure two-thirds majority. The Sabah and Sarawak seats will nullify Waytha's efforts. No Government in Putrajaya will get two-thirds. The status quo will remain in Malaya. BN will get less than the 140 seats -- probably maximum 134 seats -- it had the last time. The 3rd Force will emerge in Parliament.
BN is the wrong horse to back 100 per cent. They have been in power 56 years and are on the way out, sooner rather than later. The momentum for change has begun and will be unstoppable.
The people are counting on the Opposition to do the right thing.
The Opposition has vowed to conduct a due diligence of the BN Government and bring wrongdoers to justice; it will audit all development plans for corruption elements and weed out the corruption therein; it will review all BN development plans; it will keep the BN plans which are good, amend what should be amended and scrap what should be scrapped.
The Opposition has pledged to stamp out the BN's practice of awarding government contracts to themselves and running up the National Debt Burden to put their hands in the Public Treasury under the guise of bringing development to the people.
The Opposition has also worked out development components which it will add to the Plans for Malaysia.
In the event that the Opposition takeover of Putrajaya is further delayed, the party has pledged to be a strong loyal opposition in Parliament.
As the Opposition, it's duty will be to keep a watch on promises made by the winning party to ensure that they are fulfilled.
It will also keep a check on abuse of power and victimisation by the government, conflict of interest and corruption.
It will defend human rights and ensure that the people are not denied their NCR rights and it will ensure that NCR land is not seized by politicians for public purposes and sold to private companies.
So, it cannot be said that "the Opposition can talk only, cannot do anything for the people".
All this has a bearing on the numbers game.
Labels:
Hindraf
Najib Picks Race-baiting Candidates for Malaysia Poll
Ibrahm Ali in full cry
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The extent to which the United Malays National Organization has abandoned Malaysia's historic multiracial governance…
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Ibrahm Ali in full cry
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The extent to which the United Malays National Organization has abandoned Malaysia's historic multiracial governance is exemplified by last Saturday's naming of flamethrowing Malay nationalists Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Noordin as parliamentary candidates in the upcoming May 5 election.
In addition, UMNO has "borrowed" at least five parliamentary seats from the faltering Malaysian Chinese Association, the second-biggest party in the Barisan Nasional, or ruling coalition, and filled them with candidates picked by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
"We have taken back many seats from the MCA," said an UMNO source. "A lot of MCA seats were actually UMNO seats in the first place as Malay majority areas but in the spirit of cooperation we gave them the seats. Now we take them back."
The decision for UMNO to basically go it alone is viewed as ominous for the country by political analysts in Kuala Lumpur, who say that if, as expected, the party pulls out a victory in the 13th general election, they fear that it consigns the ethnic minority Chinese and Indian populations, who make up 22.9 percent and 7.1 percent of the country's population respectively, to powerlessness in government and society. Ethnic Malays make up 60.1 percent according to the 2010 census.
Ibrahim and Zulkifli are the president and vice president respectively of Perkasa, a conservative, extreme-right Malay superiority organization that got its start after the country's 2008 electoral debacle that cost the Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat, or Parliament. It has the backing of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who urged that the two be named candidates.
Mahathir has become increasingly strident over protecting the status of ethnic Malays in Malaysian society despite Najib's continued stressing of Malaysia's composition as a moderate multiracial country. The naming of the two Perkasa leaders as candidates is a clear demonstration of Mahathir's continuing clout despite having left power a decade ago, in 2003. After bequeathing the premiership to his chosen candidate, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Mahathir turned on Badawi after the 2008 election and played a major role in driving him from power so that Najib Tun Razak could take over.
"Maybe Mahathir didn't tell Najib directly, but the message was clear, and having seen what he did to Badawi, Najib didn't want to clash with him," a well-wired political source said. Ibrahim Ali will contest a seat in Kelantan, a largely mountainous state dominated by rural Malays. Zulkifli was picked to run in Shah Alam, a Kuala Lumpur suburb.
It is questionable whether naming the two will cause the Barisan to lose the affection of more ethnic Indian and Chinese voters. Continuously calling for Ketuanan Melayu, or a Malays first policy, Perkasa, which claims 300,000 members but actually appears to have far fewer, has been called Malaysia's Brownshirts, a reference to the Nazi militia created by Adolf Hitler in 1921 that disrupted rallies and beat and intimidated bystanders during Hitler's rise to power.
Perkasa members, about 60 percent of whom are said to be regular UMNO members, have continually been accused of attacking and injuring demonstrators and journalists during opposition rallies. They have threatened protesters with racist remarks, attacking DAP state assemblymen and party supporters physically by throwing eggs and stones at them.
Ibrahim especially has railed against the use in Malay-language Christian bibles of the word Allah as a pronoun for God, despite the fact that it is used widely in the Middle East and Indonesia.
Despite complaints to authorities by the opposition parties that Ibrahim and other Perkasa leaders have continued to make inflammatory racist and religious statements, particularly against the Chinese and Indian communities, no action has been taken to rein them in.
"It's early days to see what effect (naming Ibrahim and Zulkifli) will have," said a Kuala Lumpur journalist. "I think we have to wait a few days to see."
For most of the time from its 1957 inception as an independent nation, the country has been governed by a carefully engineered amalgam of ethnic parties led by UMNO, the Malaysian Chinese Association, the Malaysian Indian Congress and, to a lesser extent, Gerakan, which has faded in recent years. However, in the debacle of the 2008 election, the MCA was left with just 15 seats in parliament. Gerakan, the second mostly Chinese ethnic party, ended up with just two seats. The MIC was left with three. UMNO won 78.
Crippled by infighting and loss of popularity, the MCA has surrendered several seats traditionally held by the Chinese component of the Barisan to candidates picked by UMNO. The discarded candidates include former vice presidents Ong Tee Keat, Gan Ping Sieu and Ng Yen Yen, all of whom are said to be in a bitter factional dispute with MCA President Chua Soi Lek.
Chua said the Chinese party would contest 37 parliamentary and 90 state seats, three fewer parliamentary seats in the upcoming election, the fewest the MCA has contested since 2004. In 2008, MCA won only 15 Parliamentary seats and 32 state seats, its worst showing.
The decision to take the seats back from UMNO is hardly new. UMNO operatives, disillusioned by MCA infighting and by the flight of the ethnic Chinese to the DAP, have been discussing the idea of going it alone for more than a year, counting on the population dominance of ethnic Malays to pull the party through to continue governing the country.
That decision is at least partly responsible for the rise in race-baiting in recent months as UMNO and its attack-dog ancillaries such as Perkasa raise the specter that ethnic Chinese, and particularly Chinese Christians in a Muslim country, will take over the reins of power.
Labels:
General Election 13th,
Perkasa
Teacher gang-raped in Pakistan
A 26-year-old school teacher was kidnapped and gang raped while on her way to work in Pakistan’s central Punjab province.
The woman was found lying in a field in Khanewal,…
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The woman was found lying in a field in Khanewal,…
A 26-year-old school teacher was kidnapped and gang raped while on her way to work in Pakistan’s central Punjab province.
The woman was found lying in a field in Khanewal, near Multan city, on Wednesday.
She was taken to a hospital in Jhang and a medico-legal examination at a nearby rural health centre confirmed she had been raped.
Doctors at the centre said she might need surgery.
Police registered a case against three suspects named by the woman’s family, The Express Tribune reported.
Police officials said the teacher was kidnapped on her way to school on April 8. She was tortured and gang raped before being left in the field near her home.
Some neighbours saw the woman and informed police. She told police that three men had forced her into a car and taken her to Shorkot in Jhang district. She said five men had raped her over two days.
When her condition deteriorated, they threw her in the field and fled, she said.
Residents of the area condemned the incident and demanded that the rapists be publicly hanged.
Police officer Zulfiqar Ahmed said his men were looking for the suspects.
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The woman was found lying in a field in Khanewal, near Multan city, on Wednesday.
She was taken to a hospital in Jhang and a medico-legal examination at a nearby rural health centre confirmed she had been raped.
Doctors at the centre said she might need surgery.
Police registered a case against three suspects named by the woman’s family, The Express Tribune reported.
Police officials said the teacher was kidnapped on her way to school on April 8. She was tortured and gang raped before being left in the field near her home.
Some neighbours saw the woman and informed police. She told police that three men had forced her into a car and taken her to Shorkot in Jhang district. She said five men had raped her over two days.
When her condition deteriorated, they threw her in the field and fled, she said.
Residents of the area condemned the incident and demanded that the rapists be publicly hanged.
Police officer Zulfiqar Ahmed said his men were looking for the suspects.
Labels:
Pakistan
Dongeng tanpa Perlembagaan
Sinar Harian
by SYAHREDZAN JOHAN
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by SYAHREDZAN JOHAN
DUA minggu
lagi, rakyat Malaysia akan membuang undi untuk menentukan hala tuju
negara bagi 5 tahun mendatang. Menurut statistik Suruhanjaya Pilihan
raya, seramai 13.3 juta…
Sinar Harian
by SYAHREDZAN JOHAN
▲
by SYAHREDZAN JOHAN
DUA minggu
lagi, rakyat Malaysia akan membuang undi untuk menentukan hala tuju
negara bagi 5 tahun mendatang. Menurut statistik Suruhanjaya Pilihan
raya, seramai 13.3 juta pengundi layak mengundi bagi Pilihan Raya Umum
Ke-13 (PRU13).
Penulis
bukanlah penganalisis politik, mahupun ahli mana-mana parti politik,
tetapi penulis amat gemar memerhati perkembangan politik tanah air.
Apatah lagi di tahun-tahun kebelakangan ini di mana kita melihat begitu
banyak isu politik dan yang dipolitikkan. Proses pendemokrasian rakyat
telah memeriahkan lagi demokrasi tanah air.
PRU
kali ini lain daripada yang lain. Media sosial menjadi medan tempur
parti politik. Yang bukan politikus juga berpolitik di media sosial.
Seorang kenalan Facebook penulis, yang sebelum ini hanya post tentang
lembu yang diternaknya, tiba-tiba mengulas pula tentang politik. Penulis
gemar melayari susur masa Facebook dan Twitter, melihat warga Malaysia
berpesta politik dengan video, foto dan kata-kata.
Semasa
melayari media sosial, penulis kerap kali terbaca kenyataan-kenyataan
yang menarik perhatian penulis. ‘Dongeng’ pilihan raya yang dikemas kini
di Facebook dan Twitter dan sering kali dijadikan modal politik. Antara
kenyataan yang sering dibaca oleh penulis adalah kononnya agama Islam,
sebagai agama Persekutuan, akan ditukar kepada agama lain, contohnya
agama Kristian. Ada juga yang mengatakan bahawa Malaysia akan ditukar
menjadi sebuah republik. Ada juga yang mengatakan kedudukan istimewa
orang Melayu dan Bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak akan dimansuhkan dan
kononnya bahasa Inggeris/Mandarin akan dijadikan bahasa kebangsaan.
Semua
ini adalah rekaan semata-mata. Kita harus ingat, Malaysia adalah sebuah
negara berperlembagaan. Perlembagaan itu undang-undang tertinggi dan
tidak boleh sewenang-wenangnya diubah mengikut selera mana-mana pihak.
Pindaan Perlembagaan hanya boleh diluluskan dengan mendapat sokongan dua
pertiga ahli Parlimen, iaitu Dewan Rakyat dan Dewan Negara. Maknanya,
mana-mana pihak yang mahu membuat pindaan harus mengawal dua pertiga
Ahli-ahli Parlimen. Di samping itu, pindaan-pindaan terhadap kedudukan
istimewa orang Melayu, bahasa kebangsaan dan Majlis Raja-raja tidak
boleh dilakukan tanpa persetujuan Majlis Raja-raja, walaupun terdapat
sokongan dua pertiga Parlimen. Maknanya, Perlembagaan itu sendiri
mempunyai perlindungan ke atas perkara-perkara ini, supaya tidak boleh
disentuh oleh tangan-tangan politik.
Tidak
mungkin terdapat dua pertiga Ahli Parlimen yang akan setuju untuk
menjadikan Malaysia sebuah republik, menjadikan Islam agama rasmi atau
menghapuskan kedudukan istimewa Melayu. Tidak mungkin juga Majlis
Raja-raja akan memberi persetujuan.
Oh,
lagi satu dongeng; bahawa undi anda boleh dikesan dan pilihan anda
terbongkar. Malangnya masih ada lagi orang yang takut untuk mengundi.
Jadi jangan panik. Bawa bertenang dan buang undi.
Tokoh
penyatuan Jerman, Otto von Bismark pernah berkata politik itu ‘seni
kemungkinan’ (art of possible). Tetapi ada perkara yang tidak boleh
dimungkinkan oleh politik. Ini negara berperlembagaan, bukan negara
mengikut hukum rimba.
Kita
semakin matang. Kita semakin sedar akan hak-hak kita. Kita semakin
memahami peranan politik dalam hidup kita. Kita semakin mengenali erti
demokrasi yang sebenar. Kita sentiasa dahagakan maklumat tentang pilihan
raya; manifesto, calon, jadual kempen dan lain-lain lagi. Pertukaran
maklumat, lebih-lebih lagi melalui media sosial, berlaku dengan pantas
dan luas.
Dalam
keghairahan kita menerima dan memberi maklumat yang disalurkan melalui
internet, jangan sekali-kali kita percaya membuta-tuli apa yang kita
baca. Sentiasa kritikal, sentiasa menyoal dan cuba cari jawapannya
dengan sendiri. Kita harus menilai yang mana auta dan fakta.
Jadilah
pengundi bijak tidak kiralah parti dan calon mana sekalipun yang anda
undi. Asalkan bukan dipengaruhi dongeng tidak berlandaskan Perlembagaan.
*Penulis seorang peguam muda yang mengamal undang-undang sebagai rakan kongsi di sebuah firma guaman di Kuala Lumpur.
Labels:
General Election 13th
Choose Party That Can Form Strong Government, Bring Success To Nation - Najib
SHAH ALAM, April 22 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said voters needed to choose a political party that could form a strong government and bring success to the…
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SHAH ALAM, April 22 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said voters needed to choose a political party that could form a strong government and bring success to the nation.
The prime minister said for that to happen, the people must return to the main objective of a general election - to establish a strong government.
"If we follow our feelings, we will be focusing on individual candidates, hence we have diverted from the main objective, which involves the question of the future of our nation and our children.
"We cannot deviate from the reality that we need a strong government at the federal and state levels, and which is capable of making all our national policies, vision and transformation policies, including our pledges, a success."
Najib, who is also Selangor general election director, said this at a news conference after visiting the Selayang, Gombak and Shah Alam parliamentary constituencies since early morning. Monday night, he visited the Subang constituency.
He said what was important was for the party's election machinery to march towards success while the question of candidates should not arise anymore as the decisions had been made by the party's top leadership.
"We have given the guidelines, so the election machinery must work with full spirit and energy, and I believe they are, as the situation and sentiments on the ground seem to increasingly favour BN.
"They (residents in Selangor) have lost trust in and are disappointed with the Pakatan Rakyat state government. They now wish to return to BN," he said.
On the state's administration, Najib said the BN-led federal government on one side and the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government on the other, did not create a situation for smooth administration.
"The power of the state government often clashed with the federal government's interests, including over the water issue and approval for valid development projects. Hence, there needs to be coordination between the federal and state governments," he said.
On his visit to Selangor on Monday, he said the overall situation was good in terms of the election machinery and voter reception.
On the move by former Selangor menteri besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib of joining PAS, Najib said it was a non-issue as it was expected.
Muhammad reportedly handed over a PAS membership form to join the party to its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, in Kuala Lumpur, Monday.
On claims that independent candidates would be using BN's name when campaigning, the BN chairman said what was most important was the party and not the individuals or candidates.
"Experience have shown us that even well-known names contesting as independents have always not succeeded at the polls," he said.
▲
The prime minister said for that to happen, the people must return to the main objective of a general election - to establish a strong government.
"If we follow our feelings, we will be focusing on individual candidates, hence we have diverted from the main objective, which involves the question of the future of our nation and our children.
"We cannot deviate from the reality that we need a strong government at the federal and state levels, and which is capable of making all our national policies, vision and transformation policies, including our pledges, a success."
Najib, who is also Selangor general election director, said this at a news conference after visiting the Selayang, Gombak and Shah Alam parliamentary constituencies since early morning. Monday night, he visited the Subang constituency.
He said what was important was for the party's election machinery to march towards success while the question of candidates should not arise anymore as the decisions had been made by the party's top leadership.
"We have given the guidelines, so the election machinery must work with full spirit and energy, and I believe they are, as the situation and sentiments on the ground seem to increasingly favour BN.
"They (residents in Selangor) have lost trust in and are disappointed with the Pakatan Rakyat state government. They now wish to return to BN," he said.
On the state's administration, Najib said the BN-led federal government on one side and the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government on the other, did not create a situation for smooth administration.
"The power of the state government often clashed with the federal government's interests, including over the water issue and approval for valid development projects. Hence, there needs to be coordination between the federal and state governments," he said.
On his visit to Selangor on Monday, he said the overall situation was good in terms of the election machinery and voter reception.
On the move by former Selangor menteri besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib of joining PAS, Najib said it was a non-issue as it was expected.
Muhammad reportedly handed over a PAS membership form to join the party to its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, in Kuala Lumpur, Monday.
On claims that independent candidates would be using BN's name when campaigning, the BN chairman said what was most important was the party and not the individuals or candidates.
"Experience have shown us that even well-known names contesting as independents have always not succeeded at the polls," he said.
Labels:
Najib
Kuantan update: How will Pakatan fare in Pahang?
Much attention has been given to Johor, Sarawak and Sabah, but what about Pahang? I have been checking out Kuantan over the last two days to see if I can…
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Much attention has been given to Johor, Sarawak and Sabah, but what about Pahang? I have been checking out Kuantan over the last two days to see if I can find out more.
In 2008, opposition parties won only two of the 14 parliamentary seats from Pahang. How will Pakatan fair this time?
In the 2008 general election, PKR won in Kuantan (1826-vote majority and Indera Mahkota (1027-vote majority), reversing large BN majorities in 2004. According to a Pahang-based activist, this time, Pakatan could pick up another three more seats – Bentong, Jerantut, and Raub – for a total of five out of the 14 seats. In 2004, the MCA won at Bentong and Raub with majorities of 12549 and 2752 votes respectively; and Umno at Jerantut (1946-vote majority).
The parliamentary seat of Bera, won by Umno with a 3821-vote majority in 2008, was fifty-fifty, said the activist.
Last night, I spoke to a a group of men above the aged of fifty in a Punjabi restaurant along Jalan Besar, the Kuantan main street, who were a bit coy about their leanings. Speaking in Bahasa, they said they had tasted salt (were seasoned in life), and were confident BN could recapture its two thirds majority. “The younger generation who support opposition parties don’t know are easily influenced to agitate for change. But we have seen it all,” one of them said.
The other chipped in, “If PKR think they can field candidates based in KL in rural areas in Pahang, they have another thing coming. The locals are not likely to be impressed.”
When they found out I was from Penang, they criticised the tunnel project and said it would affect the port and then they complained about how many in the lower-income group in Penang were unable to afford housing on the island.
Earlier a television in the restaurant was showing the TV3 news at 8.00pm. A quick glance confirmed that it was the usual BN propaganda discussed as news, but the volume was barely audible. I looked around the restaurant: no one was watching; they were busy focussed on whatever they were eating or chatting with friends.
Half an hour later, further along the street at a Indian Muslim restaurant I spotted a small crowd of diners actually watching the telly at the restaurant. It was a Manchester City ‘live’ football game!
The previous day, I had spoken to a taxi driver, a senior citizen. He conceded that this time around, the contest was “lebih hebat” (more hotly contested). But when asked about the performance of the MB, he was not saying much except “Okay”.
The town itself was draped in BN banners and flags, though Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh had her banners and party flags prominently displayed. The anti-Lynas incumbent MP is up against Umno’s Mohamed Suffian Awang in the battle for Kuantan.
The Pahang-based activist I spoke to said there were three major issues in Pahang: concerns over the environmental impact of the Lynas rare earth refinery, the use of cyanide in gold mining in Raub, and the water disruptions in the state.
Earlier this evening, I caught a bit of a PKR ceramah, mainly in Chinese, outside one of their offices along Jalan Haji Ahmad. The speaker was complaining about three projects which he said cost the state some RM120m in all – the over RM30m in renovations at the old bus terminal (Terminal Makmur) to turn it into a one-step centre for government offices, the new bus terminal project, and multi-million ringgit repairs to a public swimming pool, “which still won’t work because of an engineering defect”, he claimed.
“And to think the Pahang water company doesn’t have enough money to have a spare water pump in case its water pump is faulty and causes a water supply disruption,” he said. The water sector was privatised from the Pahang Water Supply Department to PAIP, the water concessionaire.
There is also suspicion among some quarters that a chunk of the water supply in the area has had to be channelled to the Lynas refinery.
One retired teacher in Kuantan said they had experienced water disruptions until about two months ago until Najib came and sorted out the problem. Since then, water supply has been strong. But she spoke too soon as her household experienced a brief water supply disruption earlier this evening. “I wonder if the disruptions will resume once the elections are over.”
At the ceramah, several young and older activists could be seen wearing T shirts for various causes: the yellow of Bersih, the green of Himpunan Hijau, and anti-Lynas slogans.
Another ex-teacher raised questions as to how Umno plans to finance the construction of a planned to rebuild its office. Fire destroyed the top floor of the six-storey Umno building in 2002.
▲
In 2008, opposition parties won only two of the 14 parliamentary seats from Pahang. How will Pakatan fair this time?
In the 2008 general election, PKR won in Kuantan (1826-vote majority and Indera Mahkota (1027-vote majority), reversing large BN majorities in 2004. According to a Pahang-based activist, this time, Pakatan could pick up another three more seats – Bentong, Jerantut, and Raub – for a total of five out of the 14 seats. In 2004, the MCA won at Bentong and Raub with majorities of 12549 and 2752 votes respectively; and Umno at Jerantut (1946-vote majority).
The parliamentary seat of Bera, won by Umno with a 3821-vote majority in 2008, was fifty-fifty, said the activist.
Last night, I spoke to a a group of men above the aged of fifty in a Punjabi restaurant along Jalan Besar, the Kuantan main street, who were a bit coy about their leanings. Speaking in Bahasa, they said they had tasted salt (were seasoned in life), and were confident BN could recapture its two thirds majority. “The younger generation who support opposition parties don’t know are easily influenced to agitate for change. But we have seen it all,” one of them said.
The other chipped in, “If PKR think they can field candidates based in KL in rural areas in Pahang, they have another thing coming. The locals are not likely to be impressed.”
When they found out I was from Penang, they criticised the tunnel project and said it would affect the port and then they complained about how many in the lower-income group in Penang were unable to afford housing on the island.
Earlier a television in the restaurant was showing the TV3 news at 8.00pm. A quick glance confirmed that it was the usual BN propaganda discussed as news, but the volume was barely audible. I looked around the restaurant: no one was watching; they were busy focussed on whatever they were eating or chatting with friends.
Half an hour later, further along the street at a Indian Muslim restaurant I spotted a small crowd of diners actually watching the telly at the restaurant. It was a Manchester City ‘live’ football game!
The previous day, I had spoken to a taxi driver, a senior citizen. He conceded that this time around, the contest was “lebih hebat” (more hotly contested). But when asked about the performance of the MB, he was not saying much except “Okay”.
The town itself was draped in BN banners and flags, though Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh had her banners and party flags prominently displayed. The anti-Lynas incumbent MP is up against Umno’s Mohamed Suffian Awang in the battle for Kuantan.
The Pahang-based activist I spoke to said there were three major issues in Pahang: concerns over the environmental impact of the Lynas rare earth refinery, the use of cyanide in gold mining in Raub, and the water disruptions in the state.
Earlier this evening, I caught a bit of a PKR ceramah, mainly in Chinese, outside one of their offices along Jalan Haji Ahmad. The speaker was complaining about three projects which he said cost the state some RM120m in all – the over RM30m in renovations at the old bus terminal (Terminal Makmur) to turn it into a one-step centre for government offices, the new bus terminal project, and multi-million ringgit repairs to a public swimming pool, “which still won’t work because of an engineering defect”, he claimed.
“And to think the Pahang water company doesn’t have enough money to have a spare water pump in case its water pump is faulty and causes a water supply disruption,” he said. The water sector was privatised from the Pahang Water Supply Department to PAIP, the water concessionaire.
There is also suspicion among some quarters that a chunk of the water supply in the area has had to be channelled to the Lynas refinery.
One retired teacher in Kuantan said they had experienced water disruptions until about two months ago until Najib came and sorted out the problem. Since then, water supply has been strong. But she spoke too soon as her household experienced a brief water supply disruption earlier this evening. “I wonder if the disruptions will resume once the elections are over.”
At the ceramah, several young and older activists could be seen wearing T shirts for various causes: the yellow of Bersih, the green of Himpunan Hijau, and anti-Lynas slogans.
Another ex-teacher raised questions as to how Umno plans to finance the construction of a planned to rebuild its office. Fire destroyed the top floor of the six-storey Umno building in 2002.
Labels:
General Election 13th
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