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Thursday, 2 June 2016

He's a failed student, Mahathir shells Najib with DAP's rocket

Since launching his campaign against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been redrawing the political battlelines, recruiting troops from both sides of the divide.

He has now launched his latest salvo using DAP organ Roketkini.

In an exclusive interview with the online publication, the former premier is asked about his role as a mentor to Najib and whether the latter is employing lessons gleaned from him.

The disappointed master, however, disagreed.

"Many learned from me, not all followed (my teachings). But this one (student) failed. This one (Najib), his intentions are different," he said.

Mahathir also lashed out at Umno and complained about the scourge of corruption plaguing the nation.

The former Umno president, who quit the party in protest against Najib, claimed that division leaders are preventing those with calibre from joining.

"When he (the division leader) dies, who replaces him? Someone dumber than him. Umno (now) has shrunk into a party led by dimwits (orang bodoh) without principles," he said.

On the issue of corruption, Mahathir claimed that government servants are learning from politicians.

"... Because they see leaders taking billions, so how can he (the government servant) just take one or two million," he said.

In the interview, Mahathir also outlined the differences between Najib and him, lamenting how the late author Barry Wain had made him a victim for the sake of sensationalism in order to boost sales in the book 'Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times'.

"Najib has debts. I don't have debts. I did not allocate government funds for myself. When there was an allocation, it was in the hands of the civil servants. I was not involved in changing the money from here to there

"Najib is the principal in 1MDB. His signature is required for everything. He is the CEO in 1MDB despite calling himself the adviser," he said.

On another matter, Mahathir vowed to campaign in the upcoming Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.

However, the 91-year-old former Kubang Pasu lawmaker clarified that he has no intention of contesting.

"I don't want to be the candidate. I am too old. Those who support the Citizens’ Declaration must back whoever is opposed to Najib," he said.

The prime minister has denied abusing public funds, blaming such allegations on Mahathir and those conspiring to topple him from power.

People can choose Anwar or DAP if they want to, says Dr M

The Malaysian political landscape has witnessed numerous bizarre twists of late, and the latest being DAP organ Rocketkini featuring an exclusive interview with Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

As expected, the former prime minister rained criticisms on Najib Abdul Razak, reiterated his allegations of corruption against the reigning prime minister, as well as arguments on the need to remove Najib from office.

The article also states that whenever one name was mentioned, Mahathir appeared a little disturbed. He also found it difficult to utter this name.

This was none other than his former heir apparent-turned-nemesis Anwar Ibrahim, who recently penned a scathing letter to PKR leaders on the dangers of working with Mahathir on the Citizens' Declaration.

Mahathir conceded that it was the right of the people to chose whoever they wanted as a leader, including the jailed former opposition leader, but stressed on the importance of ousting the current prime minister first.

"As long as Najib is there (in power), everyone can talk, about Reformasi or anything else. But nothing will happen. Get rid of Najib, return to democracy. The rakyat can make their own choice (after that).

"It doesn't matter if Anwar comes out (from prison). We return to democracy. The rakyat will choose a government they want.

"... If the rakyat wish to vote for Anwar, so pick Anwar. If they choose a government which will free Anwar, that is their right," he said.

In April, Mahathir had once again claimed that Anwar, whom he sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998, lacked the moral fibre to lead the nation.

"The fact is, people complained about his moral behaviour. For me that behaviour is not acceptable as a person who was about to succeed me as a president of the party.

"I had to expel him from the party. The rest is about his immoral behaviour and the people complained against him. The police took action as a result of the complaint and there was a nine-month trial before he was detained during my time," Mahathir told The Australian newspaper.

He also dodged a question on whether he had changed his views on Anwar, saying: "The question of liking or not liking does not arise. We have similar views with regard to Najib."

Anwar, who is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for a sodomy conviction, has always maintained that the charge, similar to the first during Mahathir's reign, was fabricated by his political rivals.

'The people choose their leaders'

Mahathir also conceded that he would be powerless to prevent the people from choosing DAP, a party he once chastised as chauvinistic.

After removing Najib as prime minister, he said, the country could return to the rule of law, the Federal Constitution as well as freedom of expression and assembly, remarks which the Roketkini article itself expressed shock over, given Mahathir's stand on street protests during his era.

"After that we can have a general election without Najib. Up to the people. If they want to support Reformasi, go ahead.

"The people choose their leaders. We have to accept their choice. If they make the wrong choice, we will face problems and continue to revolve (around the same problems).

"If the people pick DAP, I cannot do anything," Mahathir added.

As for the current administration, the former prime minister alluded that the democratic space has shrunk under Najib’s watch.

"Make a police report, (and you) get arrested. Want to go abroad, they (the authorities) monitor. The mass media, newspapers are controlled," he said.

Ironically, Mahathir's 22-year tenure was also replete with similar accusations, with Mahathir often referred to as a dictator, as opposed to a leader of a democratic nation.

Najib, on the other hand, has accused Mahathir of conspiring to topple him from power and has denied the allegations made against him.

Police to quiz Dr M over 'rulers under house arrest' remark tomorrow

The police are scheduled to record a statement from Dr Mahathir Mohamad tomorrow over his remark that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Malay rulers are under house arrest.

A source told Malaysiakini that officers from the Bukit Aman police headquarters would question the former prime minister at Yayasan Albukhary in Kuala Lumpur at 3pm.

The officers are from a special team that handles high-profile cases.

The case is believed to have been classified as defamation, where Section 500 of the Penal Code states that "whoever defames another shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine or with both".

Last week, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) advisory board chairperson Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim filed a police report against Mahathir.

Among others, Tunku Aziz claimed the remark on the royalty was reckless and against the honour and integrity of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

"Mahathir claims the house arrests were done to prevent His Majesty and the rulers from receiving the 1.4 million people's signatures he claims to have collected.

"By effectively accusing the government of placing His Majesty under house arrest, Mahathir has gone too far," Tunku Aziz said in his report.

Mahathir had made the startling claim during a dialogue session in Subang Jaya.

Earlier, the former prime minister revealed that he was unable to secure an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to submit the signatures collected for the Citizens' Declaration.

"But as of now I've not been able to meet the Agong because it's likely that he's under house arrest.

"The rulers may be confined to their palaces," Mahathir had said.

Answering Jeyakumar's questions on hudud

S Thayaparan

“It's a universal law - intolerance is the first sign of an inadequate education. An ill-educated person behaves with arrogant impatience, whereas truly profound education breeds humility.”

- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

I have been reading the commentari
es and observing the antics of our elected representatives about the latest provocation by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang on the manufactured controversy of the tabling of the Hudud Bill.

As expected, the controversy has generated the required outrage among Pakatan partisans and the rhetoric has neatly followed a pre-arranged script that Umno believes would distract from the very real problems that plague this nation.

Hudud, in any form, would just be the cherry on the sundae of the fascist agenda that this regime is executing in terms of its security policies meant to stifle dissent and sustain hegemony.

The fact that the opposition establishment is suffering from self-inflicted political wounds and myopic in its political agenda not only helps the deterioration of this country but also gives the UMNO state breathing room to regroup and advance its agenda.

Therefore, it was a pleasure reading the piece on the hudud controversy by Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).

As usual, the good doctor clearly articulated his views on the supposed controversy and with a level-headedness unsuited to the cut-throat take-no-prisoners world of politics, and made suggestions on how to deal with the issue. He did the same with the Lynas controversy, a sane voice in the midst of lunacy and political opportunism but as usual, his pleas fell on deaf ears.

The honourable member from Sungai Siput did raise some pertinent questions in his piece that I believe deserve answers or, at the very least, a public answer on behalf of Malaysians who may have the same perspective as me on this issue.

Jeyakumar’s analysis of the political motives of Umno and the opposition are spot on and there really is nothing to discuss. However, the MP raises interesting questions that are fodder for a public debate.

Readers should be aware that PAS grassroots members who have worked with Jeyakumar have told me that the good doctor is someone who truly cares about Malaysians without regard for their race or religion. This particular politician is someone who should be emulated and it is to our detriment that few of our elected representatives are cut from the same cloth.

My answers here are not to be construed as an attack on the good doctor’s article but rather as a launching pad for some of my own beliefs.

Jeyakumar (photo) said, “We should not be afraid to discuss religious issues, but should take extra care to be respectful of the beliefs of others. This implies a certain acceptance of diversity.”

The problem with a statement like this is that the only definition of Islam that matters in this country is how Umno defines it and we get an idea of how this Umno regime defines Islam with this quote from Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, the deputy minister in charge of Islamic affairs:

“It’s time for the allowances of imams, religious teachers and staff throughout Malaysia to be reviewed for an increase (this year alone, the allocation of allowances for imams and religious teachers amounted close to RM500 million), seeing that their responsibility in safeguarding Islam is even more challenging today with plenty of extremist ideologies that are starting to take root, such as IS, the liberalism ideology and pluralism, including the LGBTs who loosen and degrade religion.”

What does this mean? Well, it means firstly, that this regime does not accept diversity as an acceptable form of compromise in a diverse social, political and religious polity, and secondly, that people who do believe in certain fundamental rights, should not accept intolerant religious views as an example of “diversity”.

Do non-Muslims have a right to object to the way in which Muslims choose to practise their religion?

Herein lays the problem. The question sets up an ‘us versus them’ dialectic, of non-Muslims versus Muslims. Nobody has a right to tell anyone how to practise his or her religion including the state whose religious laws (as Jeyakumar acknowledges) has far-reaching consequences for all the country’s citizens.

When we object to certain practices of the state which we deem immoral or corrupt, we do so as citizens of the country. The same principle applies to certain religious practices. We speak for those who cannot, we support those who have been unfairly targeted and who have no choice as to whether they accept or reject religious dogma as defined by the state.

Across the world, in regimes which actively oppose secularism, the agenda is to separate communities either by religion or race and the means by which they do this is through legislation. If communities cannot come together to oppose injustice or prejudice, merely because such are defined as religious imperatives, there can be no hope for change.

Can we tell Muslims how to practise their religion?

Why not? Muslim regimes have no problem defining the Other’s religion. In this country, there are numerous examples of how Muslims dictate how non-Muslims should practise their religion. The problem here is that freedom of expression and speech is selectively practised. As the good doctor illustrated, there are diverse views on Islam in this country.

Islamic perspectives could change and evolve through interaction with other perspectives. Christianity and Judaism are examples of the Abrahamic faiths which have evolved through interactions with other religious and secular points of views. This is the reason why certain Muslim regimes are deathly afraid that their dogma would be rejected if there is a free exchange of ideas.

But the problem here is not non-Muslims telling Muslims how to practise their religion. It is the state telling Muslims how to practise their religion. It is the state rejecting diversity in the Muslim Malaysian experience and non-Muslims are caught in the crossfire.

Do we not believe that each religious community has the right to practise their religion freely?

I, for one, believe that each community has a right to practise their religion freely without interference from the state. I believe that the state should not impose its religious dogma on any of its citizen even indirectly. I believe that a citizen should define his or her religious beliefs for themselves and as long as it does not impinge on the rights of others, should escape sanction from the state. In fact, I believe that the state should have no say in the religious beliefs of its citizens, much less demand billions of tax ringgit to enforce state-sanctioned dogma.

Don’t we recognise that the entire Islamic world is struggling to define what it means to be true to their faith as Muslims in the 21st century? Do we expect Muslim Malaysians to be unaffected by the ongoing debate/battle?

I recognise (as do many other Malaysians, including Muslims) that Islam in this country is affected by the petrodollars of the Saudi regime, as evidenced by the so-called donation to our current prime minister for defending Islam. I recognise that there is a deliberate effort by the House of Saud and its tributaries to silence the diversity in Islam. I recognise that the religious schisms within Islam affect minority Islamic brethren the world over and that, being true to their faiths, they are being hampered by the stratagems from palaces in Saudi Arabia.

I also believe that forming strategic alliances with Islamic parties does no good for the idea of democracy in any country in the long term. I believe that political grandstanding by certain political parties in this country, in lieu of concrete principles, is why Islam has dominated the discourse in an adverse way.

Lastly, I know many people would not agree with me for various political or pragmatic reasons and while I have rambled on, my stand is exactly the position of PSM. Here is its message on religion on its website:

“PSM berpendirian hak kepercayaan beragama atau tidak adalah hak individu dan mesti dihormati. Ia adalah hubungan peribadi antara manusia dan kepercayaan mereka. Ia tidak boleh dipaksakan melalui undang-undang.”

Malaysian behind syndicate that sabotaged immigration system

A Malaysian has been identified as the mastermind of a syndicate that sabotaged the myIMMs immigration system, deputy inspector-general of police Noor Rashid Ibrahim said today.

Noor Rashid said the police had also identified several other people involved in the sabotage and would make arrests soon.

"These people are from a local syndicate that had carried out the sabotage. They managed to lure one or two immigration officers initially and the number eventually grew," he told a press conference after inaugurating the Sime Darby Property auxiliary police service in Petaling Jaya.

Asked about the statement by Immigration Department director-general Sakib Kusmi yesterday that an international syndicate was involved, Noor Rashid (photo) said the international syndicate was believed to have collaborated with the local syndicate in the crime.

Replying to another question, he said the police would focus on eradicating the local syndicate before seeking Interpol aid to go after the international syndicate.

Sakib had also said that 37 immigration officers had been penalised since February over the sabotage, with 15 of them sacked, 14 suspended and eight having their salary raise frozen.

The first series of the Auditor-General's Report of 2015 had stated that the myIMMs developed to support the major operations of the Immigration Department was less satisfactory and did not meet its objective.

Noor Rashid also praised Sime Darby Property for setting up its auxiliary police unit, saying the company's effort was in line with the National Blue Ocean Strategy that placed great emphasis on safety and security of the people.

"At the core of this collaboration is how the Royal Malaysia Police helps business corporations like Sime Darby Property to enhance their capacity and capability to contribute towards communal safety and public security," he said.

Sime Darby Property managing director Jauhari Hamidi said the unit was part of the company's approach to reinforce security at all levels and future Sime Darby Property townships, with the aim of creating a safer environment for the community.

"The first batch, comprising 32 personnel, will be deployed to selected townships and developments for now and we plan to expand the unit with more trained personnel being deployed across all our townships soon," Jauhari said.

- Bernama

Homeless say rounded up by DBKL, left miles outside city

Around midnight, Mala was rudely awakened by a group of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officers, who then bundled him into a lorry packed with other homeless people.

After a long drive and being clueless as to what was happening, he was dropped off along the Karak highway with several others.

“I walked back to Kuala Lumpur in the dark. By the time I reached, it was morning,” he said.

Malaysiakini had contacted Mala through Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Persekitaran Positif Malaysia (Seed) after being alerted of the incident.

Mala and several homeless people claimed that on May 22, DBKL officers had rounded them up and dropped them at various distant locations.

Relating what happened to him, Eddy said he was also put into a lorry with some 30 others. He and three others were later dropped at Rawang.

"They (DBKL) didn't tell us anything, they just gathered us and put us in the lorry," he said.

Eddy said that he and the others spent close to four hours walking back to Kuala Lumpur.

The incident was first highlighted by (Seed) exco member Lalita Abdullah through her post on Facebook.

"On May 22, after having the opportunity to watch the fundraising concert organised by Seed, some members of our homeless community were picked up in a massive DBKL raid in KL.

"They were herded onto a lorry and driven off out of the city...," she said.

A Seed representative later clarified with Malaysiakini that the raid had nothing to do with the concert, but some of those picked up were clients of Seed.

"It was just a round-up of homeless people in Masjid Jamek and places like that. Picking them up and chucking them outside of the city.

“I think they (DBKL) did not expect them to walk back," he said.

Contacted later, Kuala Lumpur mayor Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz said he was not aware of the incident.

Previously, he had launched a homeless shelter in Medan Tuanku in Kuala Lumpur and urged more NGOs to utilise it.

Is Dr M placing a candidate in Kuala Kangsar?

An Umno Youth member, intending to be an independent, claims Dr Mahathir intends to persuade a former Wanita Umno member to contest in the by-election.

FMT

AMPANG: An Umno Youth member has alleged that former Premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad intends to sponsor a candidate in the Kuala Kangsar by-election.

Taman Chempaka Umno Youth Assistant Secretary Syed Rosli Jamalullail said this was apparently to split the votes for BN.

He said the independent candidate could be a Wanita Umno leader, who was sacked from the party last year.

Syed Rosli is also facing expulsion from the party for his intention to contest as an independent in the by-election as he is unhappy BN has chosen Mastura Yazid, the widow of the former MP Wan Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, as the BN candidate.

PAS Women’s chief Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad is also contesting.

Yesterday, former Umno member Hamidah Osman, who was sacked last year for disciplinary problems, had announced that she was not ruling out the possibility of contesting in the by-election.

Syed Rosli told FMT today at his residence: “I have received information that a woman will be contesting, sponsored by Tun Mahathir, to break the votes and defeat Umno.

“She is insincere and is contesting only out of revenge against her former party. She will bring up the agenda of Tun Mahathir and the Citizens’ Declaration to defeat BN in Kuala Kangsar.”

Syed Rosli said Umno was seen to have failed in upholding the plight of the Malays, which he said had led to rifts in the community, leading to the formation of Malay NGOs.

“Perkasa, for example. The NGO is Malay and I believe that many of them were previously Umno members.

“They joined Perkasa out of disappointment with Umno, which had failed to help the people from an economic and educational standpoint.

“I also believe that Umno has failed to defend Malay and Muslim rights. The Malay royal institutions have also been disrespected.”

Factories suffer worst dip in over three years

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Manufacturing output declined in the last quarter at a rate not seen since 2013, raising questions about the sector's ability to keep the economy growing at targeted rates.

According to the latest release of Nikkei Malaysia's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), conditions in the already-struggling sector deteriorated further in the current quarter, with sharp declines in both orders and production.

“Production at Malaysian goods producers contracted for the fourteenth successive month in May. In fact, the rate of decline was the sharpest in over three-and-a-half years,” Nikkei Malaysia said.

“Similarly, new orders decreased for the fifteenth month running, with the latest decline the fastest since December last year.”

The PMI remained stagnant at 47.2 last month, extending the five-year low registered in April. Any number greater than 50 in the index represents an improvement in the sector.

Factories have also scaled back their purchases of raw material for 12 consecutive months, prompted by rising prices as well as declining orders.

Nikkei Malaysia said both the weak ringgit and high sales tax made it more expensive for manufacturers to operate.

“Moreover, the rate of inflation was the sharpest since February. As a result, manufacturers raised their charges to the greatest extent since December last year,” it added.

Despite the decline in output and orders, however, factories increased their hiring in May, although Nikkei Malaysia described the improvement as “slight”.

Malaysia is banking on exports to achieve its targeted gross domestic product growth of between 4 and 4.5 per cent this year, as high household debt and rising inflation weigh on consumer spending.

Household debt here has reached 89.1 per cent as a ratio of GDP or over RM1 trillion.

Slowing global demand also negated the export advantages of the weak ringgit, which is currently trading at 4.14 versus the US dollar.

Malaysia's trade balance fell to RM6.8 billion in the last quarter, down from RM11.4 billion in the final three months of 2015.

GST more well-received now, says Najib

PUTRAJAYA, May 31 — Although it was heavily criticised when it was implemented on April 1 last year, more people have now accepted the Goods and Services Tax (GST) after realising that it saved the national economy, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said the implementation of the GST was seen as an unpopular decision by the government and it was used as a political weapon, but economic experts feel that it was the most appropriate step by the government.

With the global economic uncertainty and without the GST, Malaysia would have faced a very serious economic crisis like Greece, he said.

“Generally, we are not a government that runs away from the responsibility of implementing any decision which is thought to be right for the nation and the people.

“However, our good and noble intentions were misunderstood by certain parties and made into a political issue, whereas rationally-speaking, it was something that could not be avoided. The strong national revenue contributed to a resilient economy which ensured the welfare of the people could be continued to be looked after,” he said. — Bernama

‘You can’t change place of birth’


JOHOR BARU: A Johor leader has warned the people against falling victim to bogus agents who claim that they are able help people become Johoreans by helping them change their MyKad middle digits.

State Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said it had come to his attention that these so-called agents asked for fees of between thousands and tens of thousands for such services.

Tee said the agents claimed that they know people who can help to change a person’s MyKad middle digits to 01, which represents those born in Johor.

He said there were some enqui­ries from people outside Johor such as Selangor and Kuala Lumpur asking him whether it was possible for them to change their MyKad number to become a Johorean.

“I urge everyone especially those who are from other states not to believe claims from people who offer this type of services because the middle digits in our MyKad serves to signify our place of birth and there is no way to change it.

“However, it does not stop us from welcoming those who want to settle down or do business in Johor.

“You can just move here without having to make any change to your MyKad, as long as you adhere to the Johor way,” he said yesterday.

Tee added that currently there were many people who were not born in Johor but now call the state home without having to make any change in their identification documents.

He believed the term Bangsa Jo­­hor, used to refer to those born in the state, and the introduction of the Johor Muafakat (Johor United) concept by the state government were what attracted many to become Johoreans.

Furthermore, he said, the state also enjoyed steady development, while people of various races live in harmony and had forged a stable and united relationship with each other.